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

[exofractured]

[Hien is still Hien, after all. Definitely kind. Phantom relaxes a little more and nods.]

If you're sure you don't mind. I was just passing through. I wasn't expecting snow.

[Was it visible through the portal? Probably. But Phantom wasted too much time dithering, so.]

[selfconcept]

[ Hien nods and opens the tent. ]

Come in.

[ The tent is exactly the same as the one in the courtyard: equipped with a fire stove closer to the exit of the tent, unfurled sleeping bag with a blanket on top, some textbooks piled neatly off to the side... the only thing that's different is that there's a boy who's not very tall--even shorter than Tamamori at his 5' 3". His right red eye and left blue eye peers curiously and warily at Phantom.

"Who is he...?"

His voice is quiet. ]

A traveler. I figured they should warm up before they go. You're welcome to go in the blanket if you'd like.

[ There's a golden retriever and a small boy under it, but the blanket should be big enough to accommodate Phantom too. ]

[exofractured]

Thank you.

[Phantom ducks inside, taking stock of the surroundings and the boy under the blanket. For once, none of Phantom's customary prickliness is on display and he smiles rather gently at the child.]

Hello. I'm Ph... [Too scary for a kid? Hm.] ...Phillip. I seem to have gotten lost passing through. What's your name?

[He crouches down, moving carefully to not spook him, studying those mismatched eyes with his own. Hien had talked about someone like a son to him...]

[selfconcept]

[ "I'm Ren..."

He looks curious, but cautious. He's an adult that Hien doesn't hate. That says something. Most adults they dealt with have been obnoxious or malicious, so Ren knows that Hien doesn't trust them much.

But a traveler should be okay. They're not associated with the town, and they know nothing about the scorched townhouse behind them.

"I'm really impressed... Hien doesn't let anyone in. I guess he trusts you."

Hien doesn't say anything behind his mask and just works on the fire stove. ]

[exofractured]

He's very kind. He must be looking out for you.

[What is going on in this unnamed town, for Hien to be this grim and masked and the two of them to be living in a tent. Phantom isn't actually indelicate enough to ask, so he reaches out a hand to the dog instead, letting it get familiar before he settles next to the two of them.]

Are all those books yours?

[selfconcept]

[ The golden retriever sniffs Phantom's hand, but then lowers its head. It seems fine with Phantom's presence, but it's definitely not as peppy as other dogs of the same breed.

Ren nods. "They're textbooks. I like learning, but I can't go to school. So I teach myself. Hien only helps when I'm really stuck." ]

You're rarely stuck, therefore you ask me less. You're too smart for those kids.

[ Ren looks happy with the compliment. ]

[exofractured]

[Phantom gives the dog a cautious little pat, smile softening a little. What a good kid. He reminds Phantom a little of Phil when he was young, albeit... there's a lot of things here he feels he shouldn't probe too deeply into.]

You must be smart, to be able to get through all these on your own. I love learning, too. What's your favorite subject?

[selfconcept]

[ Hien doesn't quip with a nerd comment. Surprising.

"I like science the best, but I want to study brains when I get older."

Ren seems really genuine about that.

"So that... I can help people. Sometimes our brains make us feel bad about stuff." ]

[exofractured]

...They do. I study a type of magic a little like that.

[Does this world even have magic? He probably should have asked Hien about that before, but he's just going to roll with it.]

Sometimes a person's heart gets hurt and it needs to be healed, like any other injury. I think you'd make a very good healer for people's brains.

[What would that be called in this world... he shoots Hien a little 'help' look.]

[selfconcept]

[ This world doesn't have magic aside from world travelers like Hien, but Ren doesn't sound surprised with the mention of it—probably because he's used to Hien's presence. ]

A neurologist.

[ Ren nods, almost eagerly. ]

[exofractured]

A good neurologist, then.

[THANK YOU HIEN. He gets a relieved little smile from Phantom for that, and for the fact that apparently magic isn't too weird.]

So you want to find out why people's brains work the way they do? You'll have to study hard.

[Although if he can't go to school for it, then... actually, if this is the boy Hien talked about, there are bigger problems than that.]

[selfconcept]

[ "Hien says I'm smart to learn, so I'm confident... a little."

He's still shy. ]

Ren is the smartest kid in this entire country. He'll be fine and become a great neurologist.

[exofractured]

If he's reading such difficult books already, I believe it.

[Phantom feels such a resonance with this kid. He gives him an encouraging little smile.]

Hien would know. You will be. And if you're confident in yourself, then your patients will feel at ease, too.

[selfconcept]

[ Ren's face turns a little red from embarrassment, but he feels much more encouraged than embarrassed.

"Thank you, Phillip!"

He looks very happy about it, and it seems he warmed up a little to Phantom already. He seems pretty easy to sway, huh...

"I'll work hard. I know they'll look down on me because I didn't go to school, but I'll pass all their exams." ]

That's my boy.

[ Hien reaches out to lovingly ruffle Ren's hair. There's an obvious fondness in his voice. ]

[exofractured]

Not to worry. When they see how much you've learned all on your own, they won't think that way for long.

[What a good kid. Like this, he and Hien really do look like parent and child. Phantom has to smile at the two of them.]

How long have you two been living here, anyway?

[Can he ask how they met, or would it make more sense for him to assume they're brothers... He's a perfectly adequate liar, but it's much harder around people he likes.]

[selfconcept]

Hm... think it's been more than five years at the very least.

[ Time is always ??? for Hien and this isn't an exception.

"A long time. Hien found me when I was really little."

He's already shorter than Tamamori... ]

[exofractured]

[Ren, you're still really little...]

Really? How did that happen?

[selfconcept]

[ Ren has yet to hit his growth spurt... Hien opens his mouth to talk, but Ren cuts in.

"Hien saved me. I almost died."

Ren smiles a little. ]

[exofractured]

And he's been taking care of you ever since? You have a very reliable protector.

[That sounds like Hien, though. Phantom smiles back at Ren, encouraging more of this rapport. Tell him all about this.]

[selfconcept]

[ Hien is fine with letting Ren talk, because he hasn't talked to other people much. This is a good time for him, Hien thinks.

"Yeah. Hien is the best. I didn't like him at first, but he was really bent on taking care of me and nursed me back to health. He also protects me from everyone else in town." ]

[exofractured]

You didn't? Even though he saved you?

[That has some shadings that... well, he won't jump to conclusions. Hmm.]

If this town isn't safe for you, why not leave? You could study anywhere.

[Not another one-town world, he hopes.]

cw suicidal ideation, attempted suicide

[selfconcept]

[ It's Hien's turn to cut Ren off. ]

Despite its people, it holds a very important place in Ren's heart.

[ His eyes suggest that if Phantom really wants to know, it'll have to be when they're alone. It's not something he'll say in front of Ren.

Despite Hien trying to be careful, Ren pipes up:

"I didn't like Hien at first because he kept trying to take care of me when I wanted to die. I don't feel that way anymore though." ]

cw suicidal ideation

[exofractured]

[Phantom catches that look, and he nods very slightly. He won't press just at this moment, then.]

...That's good. It's just like you said. Sometimes our brains make us feel bad about things, but we know it isn't as bad as it feels. Especially with him here for you.

[He really, really hopes this isn't how Hien lost his kid.]

[selfconcept]

[ Ren nods and smiles a little.

"He saved my life, so I want to repay him by living it well. With Hien here, I think I'll live a good life." ]

[exofractured]

I'm sure you will. You have a lot of big dreams to accomplish.

[Knowing nothing here can really be changed is kind of the worst, but Phantom smiles back anyway.]