theafflicted | 04 - week four

04 - week four

WEEK FOUR

Saturday comes to a close, and it’s time for some rest and recovery. Perhaps the TLC you deserve will come this week, or perhaps the nightmare will continue. It’s hard to say with things being so strange around you, from Wei Wuxian’s disappearance to the sudden addition of objects and places and creatures from your homes. Who knows what this week will bring? Nothing ordinary, that’s for sure.

You wake up on Sunday to an increase in those little glimpses you saw yesterday. What were snippets of songs, locations that might’ve seemed familiar, and creatures that were dormant, are now all alive and whole. When you go to the karaoke bar, the songs you once knew are there. Monsters and animals are alive and sentient. New business are abound. Vehicles are operable, and perhaps some of your old belongings are back, too.

However, some of these things aren’t even things that should exist outside of your dreams. They may be far too strange and unusual to be real, or just things you don't remember ever seeing. The only thing you remember about these things in particular is that they were, quite literally, in your dreams this week.

That being said, every few hours, all of these things from your homes and dreams fade out and get replaced by new sounds, places, beasts….only to maybe come back again at another time.

Well. At least there's one constant here: You’ve got a handful of new locations to look at, with the fog having spread once more, and they aren't going anywhere. There aren’t as many new places that are native to Estelline this time around, but that may be for the best, considering everything going on.

SETTING TRACKER

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

NEWSPAPER SUBMISSIONS + EDITION #1

SAGE / FLORENCE / LORELEI

MEM SHARE DETAILS

OOC NOTE

OOC: Details on this week can be found here!

Also, we have a lot of participants for the news activity from last week. Neat! Everyone who participated in some capacity will have a small polaroid camera delivered to their doorstep. There's limited film, though - 10 photos per camera. It doesn't seem like there's any extra film at this time, either.

Finally, there will not be any weekly tasks this week. You guys are going to be busy with memshare and dreamscape stuff; instead, enjoy the Estelline University Newspaper!

FULL NAV

(CODE)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Hien stays wary and his body language clearly shows that from how rigid he seems. ]

We don't want whatever you're selling. Please leave.

[ Nothing personal, but he doesn't want anyone coming near this tent. But hey, there's no distortion nor static in his voice. His voice is clear. ]

[ The lack of distortion catches Fai off guard for a moment as he simply blinks at Hien. But he catches himself soon after, waving his hands in front of himself. ]

I’m not selling anything. I was just looking at this house, is all.

There's nothing to look at. Go away.

[ It's clear that he doesn't want anyone near the place. From his conviction, it seems he's probably the reason the burned townhome hasn't been demolished yet. It's definitely been years. ]

Or I'll make you leave.

[ Perhaps an offering would be nice... like how you give food to a stray animal and it might gradually warm up to you. ]

[ Ah, a threat. He should’ve expected that, honestly. Fai doesn’t seem bothered by it, however. He doesn’t budge. ]

I was actually wondering… is there anything you need? Staying in a tent can’t be easy.

[ Well.

Fai seems like a foreigner. Hien definitely knows who's who in the small town here and they had definitely tried to trick them before in giving rat poison inside a delicious meal. So he's about to say that the same trick won't work twice, but then... maybe he can use him. ]

Untampered food.

[ Fai nods. He had a feeling Hien would be paranoid, so he prepared in advance.

He takes off the backpack he has on, setting it down on the ground before crouching next to it as he unzips it. ]

I have a few things in here…

[ He takes out a can of tomato soup and another can of black beans, holding them both out to Hien. ]

Cans are hard to tamper with, so these should suffice.

[ Hien takes the cans of tomato soup and black beans, looking at them carefully before looking back up at Fai. He didn't expect them to be given right away, which only heighens his paranoia more, but his more logical side that Fai is a foreigner, wields magic, and probably has nothing to do with ths town slightly appeases Hien. Just a little. He goes back inside the tent, in which Fai is more than welcome to follow.

Inside the tent is the same as what was in the courtyard: a tarp, unfurled sleeping bag, a warm blanket on top, a fire stove, several textbooks off to the side... There's also a teenage boy with slightly wavy blond hair with right red and left blue eyes. He seems even more obviously wary than Hien as he cuddles up with a golden retriever in the corner of the tent, covering himself with the blanket and only peeking out. ]

[ Fai follows Hien into the tent, setting down his backpack again when inside. He gives the teenager, who he’s sure is Ren, a small wave. ]

It’s not too bad in here.

[ Fai is correct! Ren looks baffled at Hien, because he let someone inside? What? He'll just keep being huddled up in the corner next to the big dog while the dog continues to stare at Fai. It's usually friendly, but its life and the current situation has made it wary of other people too. ]

This guy's just a traveler, probably. He'll stay for a bit in exchange for the food he gave us.

[ Ren sneaks a peek at the cans. Not very filling, but it's better than nothing. He nods and gets into a better position to read a textbook on his lap. He's also... small, like 5' 2" small. Looks like he hasn't hit his growth spurt yet.

"Okay..." His voice is very quiet--even moreso than Hien's. Ren tries to ignore Fai, but he's so curious about him!! And keeps sneaking a glance over his way. ]

Edited 2022-06-16 16:05 (UTC)

[ Fai makes himself comfortable, looking around the tent. He can’t help but notice that Ren keeps looking over at him. An amused smile sneaks onto his face, since Ren isn’t being all that subtle.

So, Fai settles a little bit closer to Ren, careful to keep a bit of a distance since he seems so nervous. ]

I’m Fai D. Flowright, but you can call me Fai. I know my name is quite the mouthful.

Edited 2022-06-16 16:20 (UTC)

[ It's really unfortunate that Fai was mindful of keeping his distance, and yet, Ren's eyes suddenly go wide and looks up at Fai with absolute fear in his eyes. He's definitely not seeing Fai despite looking at him. He sees someone else. He sees--

Ren screams, which has Hien immediately run up to Ren and went around Fai so that he doesn't knock him over. The dog tries to make Ren feel better, but the boy is screaming and crying, even after Hien hugs him tight. ]

It's alright... It's okay. He can't hurt you. He's not here. This guy's name is Fai. It's okay, it's okay...

[ Ren continues to wail, crying into Hien's chest. Hien still has the white mask on, but Fai can probably judge the look on his face with how gentle he sounds. Hien turns to look at Fai. ]

... Sorry. You didn't ask to be blond, but he sometimes gets like... this.

[ …Ah. Perhaps he got too close too soon, even if he was still mindful. He can’t hide the slight sadness on his face at the look of fear in Ren’s eyes and the resulting scream.

He stays back, letting Hien do what he needs to. ]

It’s alright. The mind is a powerful thing, doing its best to find similarities to things from the past. I can’t blame him for that.

[ Fai smiles, soft and mildly apologetic. ]

Is there anything I can do to help?

[ Hien is surprised that Fai is so understanding and even asks if he could do something to help. It's... a fresh feeling, to say the least, even with his justified paranoia and jaded tendencies. He can tell that Fai isn't lying about his intentions. ]

Keep introducing yourself, but mostly your name and that you're no one else. Just you. He'll calm down when his mind can solidify that you're not... someone else.

[ He nods. Fai doesn’t move closer, just in case. ]

My name is Fai. I’m a traveling wizard.

[ He wonders if specifics might help Ren attach the name “Fai” to him. Hmmm… perhaps a random fact can help. ]

My last name comes from the stone “fluorite”.

[ Ren stops screaming, but he keeps his face buried into Hien. Hien, meanwhile, keeps gently patting Ren's back. It's okay. It's okay.

The man's name is Fai D. Flowright. His last name comes from the stone of a similar sounding name--flourite. He's familiar with that, since he heard flourite crystals were used in steel manufacturing and camera lenses. He's a traveling wizard...

He finally peeks at Fai and him not flinching is a good sign.

"You're not very green..."

Hien laughs a little--so easily too, as he squeezes him in the hug. ]

See? It'll be okay. He may not be green, but he's very nice.

[ He glances over at Fai again. ]

Can you do something that'll show that you're a wizard? I think that would definitely help a lot.

[ Ah… Hien is a good father. Fai can’t help but to have that thought as he watches the scene in front of him. ]

That’s right, I’m blue!

[ Anyway. ]

I have no problem with that.

[ He tries to keep his usage of magic to a minimum, but it probably doesn’t matter much in memories…

Fai holds his palm out so that it’s facing upwards, and a little ball of pure magical energy appears in his hand. It floats, words circling it and waiting for Fai to complete the spell. ]

[ Ren fully pokes his head out of the hug and watches Fai perform his spell. The awe that's apparent on his face makes it seem like what happened earlier was a lie.

"Can I... touch it?" ]

[ Fai debates it for a moment before nodding. ]

Sure.

[ He floats the little ball over. It’s warm to the touch—the kind of comforting warmth that magic can sometimes bring. ]

[ Ren reaches out to touch it and his eyes are wide. Unlike last time, they're full of wonder.

"Hien, Hien. Look! I can touch it...!" ]

Yeah. That's pretty cool, isn't it?

[ Hien still has the mask over his face, but he's surely smiling behind it. He loosens the hug so that Ren can have an easier time to reach for it.

"Magic can be so warm..." ]

[ Hearing the smile in Hien’s voice is really, really nice. Fai smiles too. ]

Right? It’s nice, isn’t it?

[ It’s warm thanks to being a fireball that hasn’t gone off, but he’s able to easily keep it under control like this. ]

[ Hien puts his arms down so that Ren can go examine it closely. Ren looks so happy with the magic that he looks right at Fai and smiles.

"Thanks, Fai!"

Hien quietly breathes out a sigh of relief and ruffles Ren's hair. ]

Yeah, thanks.

Of course.

[ Fai will let the ball of magic stay for a little bit longer… shouldn’t be a problem. ]

You have my name. Can I get both of yours?

I'm—

[ Ren is a lot more cheery than before, so he even has the audacity to pluck Hien's mask off... in front of a stranger? Gasp. Hien doesn't look too bothered by it though. Probably because it's Ren.

"I'm Ren. This is Hien." Ren gestures to Hien who raises a hand to give Fai a short wave. "And this is Goldie." He gently hugs the dog, which just blows out air from its nose. ]

[ Fai laughs when Ren pulls the mask off. If he has a problem with Hien’s eyes, he doesn’t seem to show it. ]

It’s nice to meet all of you.

[ He gives Goldie a small wave. ]

What books do you have here, Ren? Are you studying something?

[ He wants to engage, but also doesn’t want to bring up the gap between now and when Ren was reading… ]

[ "Yeah. I like a bunch of science stuff, so... this one is about physics. I have other books on rocks too! Geology... and biology. It's really... fun."

His voice trails off, because he's a little self-conscious about how weird he must be, to favor studying over playing.

"My birthday is tomorrow, and Hien said he got another book for me, so I'm really happy. I can't wait to see what it is." He looks over to Hien. "Can't I see it now? Please...?" ]

No, you have to wait until tomorrow when it's actually your birthday.

[ "Boo..." ]

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