EVENT: The Very Hungry Nightblossom FINALE

[joybound]

Who: everybody
When: Day 10, sunrise
Where: mainly outside

[Sometime early in the morning, there's a deep rumble, as the ground shakes. The vines previously grabbing at the Aurora and its heroes multiply rapidly, completely coating the train and shutting out starlight. For a moment everything creaks, as if the metal itself is about to cave in.

But then it stops. Somewhere far away something roars, and suddenly the vines retreat, leaving only a few remaining cracks in the ground. Below, the caves have only the harmless glowing mushrooms which, should you choose to attempt eating them, prove to quickly fill one's stomach and leave them with a burst of energy. You can follow the tunnels still, though -- now that they're free of monster plant, you'll find it's one big connected network. There are various small caves in which iridescent white crystals grow, letting off a faint light reminiscent of the moon. From them drips a translucent liquid which feels soft and cool on the skin, until it seeps in. Once it's in your bloodstream you'll find yourself caught in a euphoria that encourages acting on your every impulse. If you want to steal something, you will. If you want to kiss someone, you will. If you want to kill someone...

...Well. It's possible to overcome the compulsions, at least. You need only picture someone you care more about than yourself, and concentrate. Unfortunately the high that comes with it can be addictive, so one must take care when exploring the caves.

It's unlikely anyone will get much exploring done before sunrise, but if you're not in the deep dark where signal is poor, you'll be woken at dawn by a loud and cheerful jingle on your Chain. Even if you were previously dead, you're sure up now! Accompanying it is the slight shift in the train that usually comes with a trial, and a message that just says:

come outside

If you follow the summons, you'll see that rather than a scary tower or spooky house, there's what appears to be a really flashy convertible, painted a shimmering deep rose. Leaning against the hood is a man who appears just over twenty, with long hair and bright eyes, both quite literally twinkling with stars.

His voice might be familiar, if you were one of the first arrivals. But the tone, rather than sad and soft, is... frankly annoyingly full of energy. As is his smile as he waves at everyone coming out.]

"Good morning, my lovely heroes!"

[[OOC NOTES: Anyone who died will be revived at the time of the prince's arrival, even if it's earlier than the 1 day revival timeline. Injuries can still be there depending on your character's timeline, but there are a couple of hours between the plants leaving and the prince appearing, so everyone should have had time to catch their breath and take a shower at least.]]

Comments

[crimeson]

[heeeee's stealing Jusis to Jasmine while he's at it, taking him all the way to his room and then finally letting him go so he can just. flop back on the bed, covering his face in both hands.]

[saddleclub]

[Please save him you can't just take him to your room when he has a giant crush on you, you jerk.

Oh well he sits next to Randy and continues to pretend he's indifferent to how hot Randy is. It's easy enough to just, focus on the fact that Randy is emotionally vulnerable and devastated and Jusis is bad for scaring him and also Randy's off-limits ANYWAY because of Rufus, so he scoots close enough to pat Randy's hair as promised.]

[crimeson]

[consider that having a great big gorgeous beefcake of a man vulnerably nuzzling into your petting as he cries is uh, also kind of hot in a few ways?

oh right Jusis is M. in any case, it's cute.

weakly;]

Thanks.

[saddleclub]

[Being M doesn't mean he can't appreciate the emotional vulnerability or hot gorgeous crying beefcake, it just means he only appreciates the aesthetics and the trust as opposed to getting all excited about the crying. If anything it just kind of makes his care-taking instincts more pronounced but he's awkward and Randy isn't one of the little kids he's used to keeping company while they cry. But if he treats it like that it's a little easier not to get distracted.

He just keeps petting Randy's hair patiently and perhaps surprisingly gently, like he knows how to pet a crying person from experience.]

You needn't mention it. It's what friends do. There's no shame in letting out your feelings like this, either. Cry as long as you need.

[crimeson]

[It's honestly not so surprising to Randy, that Jusis knows how to softly comfort someone. It's been obvious to him from the outset that Jusis isn't just some cold asshole, so what softness he shows isn't strange to Randy, not when it's something like this.

Even so, he chuckles wetly.]

Same t'you, y'know? I know I interrupted you.

[saddleclub]

Hmph. I was done.

[Whether or not that's the case he'll keep petting Randy soothingly.]

Honestly you're such a baby.

[crimeson]

Jus' a big ol' baby, that's me.

[saddleclub]

Yes yes.

[There's no mocking really. Just gentle petting until Randy calms down. ]

[crimeson]

[eventually kind of just. rolling onto his side and pressing his forehead to Jusis' knee. mrrph.]

[saddleclub]

Better now?

[crimeson]

By a lot, yeah.

[reaching up to paff vaguely at Jusis' shoulder.]

Y'sure you were done, earlier?

[saddleclub]

Yes, I'm done with such disgraceful displays.

[crimeson]

It's not a disgrace to be fucked up about it.

[saddleclub]

...

[He doesn't want to talk about this he's just going to wig out again and that's embarrassing.]

Yes. Well. All the same there's nothing really to say. I'm grateful to be here.

[crimeson]

[just kind of. looks at him.]

[saddleclub]

[What.]

What?

[crimeson]

You know the part where you just scolded me for being too hard on myself?

Stop doing the same thing.

[saddleclub]

I'm not being hard on myself. There's simply nothing more to say.

[crimeson]

Jusis. You were screaming alone in the dark. Which maybe thinks probably you have not managed to cope with what happened just yet.

Is it so bad to accept an offer of the support you so freely gave me?

[saddleclub]

I...

[His gaze slides away from Randy.]

I'm not sure what there is to say about it. It's over. It's time to move on. I don't wish to reject your kindness, but brooding over it seems excessive.

[Yes literally having just woken up from death and then having a weird gay meltdown at Randy because he's desperate for physical validation in the face of trauma so raw he can barely think about it is definitely brooding.]

[crimeson]

There's avoiding brooding over something and then there's avoiding dealing with it. It really seems like you're going for the latter, here.

[saddleclub]

I...

[Look he. Isn't about avoiding his issues exactly he'd rather confront things but he also hates being seen as weak or,you know, useless, or a disappointment, he has some... Issues with that. From absolutely nowhere it's not like a lot of his life has been desperately trying to live up to expectations he could never actually meet.

And how do you deal with distinctly remembering being pulled apart by a thousand tiny hands until your bones and organs were also pulled apart and you died screaming and scared? And then you came back alive when you didn't even know that was possible? How do you confront that??? Without also feeling like you're not living up to being strong like you should be?]

...What would you suggest?