04 - week four

[afflictionmods]

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)

Comments

[festiverogue]

There weren't any mines right next to her, she's not stupid.

[Don't insult his little sister, dude. He points to where the figures are still discussing. Or maybe arguing.]

Because it's by the pavilion, she didn't plant any there. She knew that's where we'd be talking since she told her accomplice to lead us there. But she reeeeally tried to get me on the way in.

[selfconcept]

I guess there are all kinds of families.

[ He looks over at the arguing figures and is a little curious on what they have to say, so you know what he does?

There are the sound of gears turning for a second and Hien turns into a small fluffy black pomchi and scurries over there. ]

[festiverogue]

Yeah. Certainly are.

[He steps back into the shade of the pavilion while Hien bounds over to them. The figures arguing don't seem to notice him at all.]

--try listening to people!

See, I'm not good at that! What made you think this would do it?

[The girl falls silent for a moment, pouting, and memory-Madara sighs. He pats the younger girl on the head before lifting her--despite her protests--into a princess carry.]

I get it, though. But next time, leave the school out of it, okaaaay? And maybe Kanata, too?

[He nods to the blue-haired figure. A brown-haired younger boy stands nearby, too, looking for all the world like he wants to join in the argument. But Madara turns to him before he can say anything.]

So if I listen to you, you two will stop all of this?

[Both the girl and the younger boy nod.

Memory-Madara asks them to start from the top--he'll listen this time, he says with a faint smile as he holds the girl in his arms. She shoves at him occasionally, but he continues to hold her.

The brown-haired boy, who the girl calls Mitsuru, pleads his case: Because MaM is a solo unit, he wasn't able to be properly appreciated by his underclassmen before he graduated. He didn't get a "Repayment Festival live", as the boy calls it. And all he wants, all he's asking--begging--for, is for Madara to give him a chance to thank him for being a good upperclassman.]

[selfconcept]

[ He feels like he still doesn't understand the context here, but one thing he does understand is that Mitsuru wants to do something for Madara? He really wants to say that there are other ways to thank him instead of making things so complicated.

...

Hien the pomchi hops over to go between memory-Madara's feet to see if he'll be noticed.

He yaps for good measure. ]

[festiverogue]

[Memory-Madara looks down, albeit around the person in his arms.]

Since when did a dog get here? Hey, little guy...

[selfconcept]

[ Hien decides to sit near memory-Madara's foot, looking up at him all the while with his beady eyes that makes him look like he's about to cry.

Then he hops over to Mitsuru, circles around him, and yaps. ]

[festiverogue]

Wow, even this weird little dog wants me to work harder...

[Memory-Madara laughs, and walks closer to Mitsuru.]

I'm sorry I disregarded your feelings. Even if it was for your own good.

[selfconcept]

[ That's how it always seems to be, isn't it? People tend to disregard the others' feelings as long as they believe it's for their own good.

The pomchi seems satisfied though, as he looks up at them both.

But then he wonders.

How long is he going to hold his sister like that.... ]

[festiverogue]

[Madara's pretty strong, so memory-him is just fine holding her for a while.

However, that settled, he takes her over to the pavilion where the real Madara is hiding. That Madara side-steps out of the way, like he's not there, and the memory version puts the girl in a wheelchair that was carefully hidden there.]

As for you... Could you stay out of idols' business from now on? We're kiiinda complicated.

No promises! Be nicer to people who care about you, you jerk!

Harsh...

[But she seems to take that as a sufficient answer, and Mitsuru starts helping her navigate out of the garden, over and around... well, all the chaos she caused.]

[selfconcept]

[ Little by little, Hien seems to understand Madara's family dynamics... or at least, he hopes so. He's never felt so wrong in a good while in his life.

He puts his front paw out on the ground. ]

What a doting brother you are, young one.

[ Deep voice from a small-ass pomchi? Yes. Distortion and static? Surprisingly not there! ]

[festiverogue]

[It's at this moment that the memory seems to grind to a halt, the figures stilling. Madara (the real one) comes out from where he's hiding and leans down to irreverently pat the Hien-puppy on his little head.]

Doting? You think so?

[selfconcept]

[ Damn. He wanted to mess with Memory-Madara a little, so when he realizes his fun is ruined, he gives a little puppy huff. ]

When you can, at least. I know you're busy with all sorts of things.

[festiverogue]

[Maybe Madara will let the memory continue on in a moment.]

When I can, huh... [A little hum.] My sister hates me, actually.

[selfconcept]

You sure about that? From what I saw so far, she just seemed like she wanted your attention... so maybe she has a bad way of showing it.

[ Like being a tsun, but he knows it's deeper than that. ]

[festiverogue]

Oh, she hates me. She thinks I'm a biiig liar, among other things.

[A smile.]

It's a little complicated. Mostly my own fault, but I was a kid and I didn't know any better. Now I do.

[selfconcept]

Well.

[ He kinda is a liar though?? ]

Just don't spoil her. Normalizing carrying life-long grudges isn't good for anyone.

[festiverogue]

[He laughs.]

I don't know what I'm supposed to do about it. Apologize? "Sorry I promised I could cure your incurable illness by wishing to the god our whole family believes in and then found out he's not really a god!"

[He fusses with his earring idly.]

I got rid of the lies they believed in. That religion doesn't exist anymore, not like it did. So what else? What do you suggest? I'm allll ears.

[selfconcept]

[ Hien really wants to say that if his sister still has issues with him because of that, perhaps the problem lies in his sister. It still goes back to the grudge topic. ]

Be real with her. You're an adult. She doesn't need more fantasies. Can't you do a lot of shit? If you're in what line of work, you should have connections. Like... I dunno, there's no god that you can pray to for things to come true, because shit like that is supposed to be unearthed by your efforts. If you can't cure it, you can't cure it. You can try to unearth a cure. I won't stop you from doing that. Make her life fun. Let her plant more mines. Give her something to live for. But at least you tried instead of just ripping away the fantasy of a religion and leaving her with nothing.

[ yap. ]

please know that enstars writing makes ABSOLUTELY no sense

[festiverogue]

[He listens, but there are layers of complication and nuance that he doubts someone with such a black and white answer would get. So he goes for the easier answer.]

She did have a lot of fun trying to kill me just now, all things considered!

[Is that sarcasm? Who knows.]

Someday! You do make it sound preeeetty simple.

[Yeah, someday maybe Madara won't be dismissive of the people who want things from him that are for his own good. Maybe he'll stop thinking he has to take on the burdens of everyone he loves, just so they won't suffer.

He's been without actual optimism for long enough now, lost everything while trying to help people. He's just now finding his footing as a person. And while he doesn't like that person an awful lot, he's accepted the role of antihero until things in the world change. Until he can change them. He won't give up, even if he's dismissive now.]

[selfconcept]

[ Hien sighs, which is just a puppy sigh right now. He knows when his advice isn't being taken. ]

Of course it's simple. Humans are simple when you look at their core foundation. It's everything else that's noise and hard to decipher, but once you have a solid base, you can tackle most problems.

Well, whatever.

[ He hops off the bench. ]

People can help all they want, but it's up to the other person whether they'll take that helping hand in the end.

[ He sounds dismissive, but he's... wagging his little tail as he stares up at Madara. ]

[festiverogue]

[That much they can agree on.]

Don't I know it.

[People not accepting Madara has led to him not accepting them. And someday the cycle has to break. At least he has someone who wants to try to tear those heavily fortified walls down.

He notes the wagging tail, and moves to scoop puppy-Hien up.]

That doesn't stop us from trying.

[selfconcept]

Wish humans could be more efficient with their attempts.

[ Hien makes puppy whining sounds when Madara picks him up. ]

[festiverogue]

[He kidnaps freshmen and tosses them around. You are not safe, Hien. Get ready to get cuddled. Better than a wasshoi at least.]

Seconded. Myself included.

[A little tiny, tiny, itty-bitty bit of self-awareness.]

But you're kind of... what was it, all-powerful or something, aren't you? You've got a unique perspective on it.

[selfconcept]

A unique perspective is all I got because I'm so old. I never felt like a god in my existence.

[ Which is. Sad. ]

[festiverogue]

[Madara laughs.]

I'm actually glad to hear that. There's no such thing as gods or heroes.

[Cute fluffy doggo is getting pets, cradled in Madara's arms. Hien are you sick of him yet?]

People can change, even if it takes them a loooong time. People can forgive each other, and all that. Am I right?