Luceti Valley - The First Log

[lucetimods]

Who: Everyone
What: The start of a new experiment... or is it?
When: August 2nd - August 6th
Where: Luceti itself
Summary: Luceti has become an idyllic and peaceful 50s-esque village. The first few days are just business as usual, right?
Rating: Varies with thread. Please move explicit stuff to appointments post with appropriate warnings.

August 1st had seemed like an ordinary day in Luceti. But late in the evening, for those night owls who had not turned in yet, they were witness to strange fluctuations in the barrier. Beautiful, really, almost like Luceti had received its own 'Northern Lights', even though it seemed to come from the far east, across the ocean. This ominous light show lasted for all of fifteen minutes before it ceased all together. Skimming the ocean waters, a horde of cultists entered Luceti, cloaked by darkness. Upon reaching the entrance to the tunnels, their leader stepped inside and was followed one by one by his fellow cultists. When the last had entered, the tunnel entrance closed. Across the mountains, the entrance to the tunnels in the village did the same.

Midnight passed without incident, but by three in the morning, the change suddenly came. Minds were altered, forms were changed, and buildings sprang from nowhere.

Much later, on August 2nd, morning settled on a changed village, the new mayor made his way to his mansion with his pair of adorable dobermans at either side of him. The sun shined bright. It was a good day to be a Lucetian.

Note: There will be a stand alone log for the homecoming dance. There will be another log for the second stage of the event.

Comments

[screw_fate]

[The smile and offered tray earn her a disbelieving look from him.]

Why are you doing this?

[Okay, so of anyone in the family, his older siblings are the ones who'll care least that he managed to out himself in front of half his friends, but even with that point aside...]

[windandrain]

[She frowns at that look and sets her cargo down before shutting the door behind her with a rather ominous click of finality. Not going anywhere, little brother]

You should be saying 'Why have you not come sooner?' dear. I came because I'm concerned. You are my younger brother, after all.

[screw_fate]

[In the face of simple concern, it's hard to keep up his rankled temper. But he's doing his best. It's an ugly situation, and he can't put the blame on anyone else for it.]

Shouldn't I be facing the consequences of my poor decisions? It seems proper.

[windandrain]

[Sweeping across the room with all the noble air she can muster, she shakes her head. It is an ugly situation, entirely so, but what's done is done. If her brother likes boys, then he likes boys and that's all there is to it.]

No, of course not. I wouldn't call them poor decisions, either. Your interests are what they are, the same as mine. Neji, it's not as bleak as all that.

[screw_fate]

My interests are what they are, but that doesn't change the part where I cheated on my girlfriend.

[Which... is a little hard to get around. And the fact that he got caught at it, by a couple of the bigger gossips at school no less... and the fact that, of all the people to get caught with, it was Sasuke, Mr. Star Quarterback himself...]

[windandrain]

Not...the best thing you could've done, no.

[She admits that much at least. No, that part was no good, but then...teenagers and hormones.]

You should probably apologize to Bulla if you haven't already, but on the converse side of things, you're leaving for school soon, aren't you? None of this will matter soon enough.

[screw_fate]

I have. But it isn't like it makes much of a difference, in the end. A wrong action isn't less wrong because it will be forgotten.

And even so, I doubt she'll forget it anytime soon.

[Which is the important part, isn't it? It's not like she was a beard or something. He cared -- cares -- about her.]

[windandrain]

No, but what's done is done. Neji, you can't change the past, you know that. The only direction you can move is forward, as trite as that might sound. What you did was wrong, I agree, and you can't undo it.

[She pauses, looking out the window for a moment. This, at least, is new territory for her. There hadn't been anyone else for her but her wife, not before and not after.]

What you can do is try and make things right between you and her. Surely there's something you can do to show you still care about her. Just...as a friend. [Because the love boat has certainly sailed] Maybe she won't forget, but I bet you can find a way to ask forgiveness.

[screw_fate]

[He considers that, but grimaces.]

Even Hinata's angry with me about this.

[Mabye that's the worst part of all. Being the source of gossip at school -- well, that's embarrassing as hell, but he can hold his head up and treat everyone with a cool distance. He's Neji, he's wealthy even among the aristocrats, he can look down his nose at them no matter what he's done. But Hinata... that's a different matter altogether.

As for Bulla, though...]

I do still care about her. It isn't like that's changed just because... because of what happened. But I doubt she even wants to see my face right now. [A few days ago, he would have said he loves Bulla -- but really, being honest with himself, if he loved her then he would have told Sasuke to get lost. You can't love someone you don't respect, and that's disrespect right there.]

[windandrain]

[Saori nods at that. Hinata was angry, but she didn't have quite the same perspective as her elder sister. Saori had been there, confused about her feelings for Yuuna, and in a sense she could understand why things had happened as they had. It wasn't an easy thing to come to grips with, after all.]

Time, dear. Give Bulla some time and some space. That's all you can do right now. But don't let her stew too long, or she'll never forgive you. A week or two at the least.

[That part was easy, but Hinata...]

As for your sister...I think, and this is just my opinion, that she'll come talk to you. She's never been in this sort of situation, and I think her reaction is normal. But I know she loves you, and I know if she sees you like this she'll worry.

[screw_fate]

[Worrying his twin is the last thing he wants to do, but at the same time, he doesn't see how he can do anything else. He doesn't want to be the sort of person who would just shrug this off and carry on as though nothing had happened.]

I'd rather she be angry than worry.

[windandrain]

[Reaching out to him is an easy thing and she goes to take his hand if he'll allow. This was something relateable. Something she could actually help with if allowed.]

Well, anger fades with time and apologies. Sincere ones. Worry...well, that goes with exposure. I know it's tough, coming to understand everything. I've been there, and I did some things I'm not proud of when I met Yuuna. I hurt people, but I worked through it. But there's no quick fix to this.

[screw_fate]

[He doesn't resist it; she's more maternal than their mother ever has been, and given her relationship... well, at least that isn't something that would stand in the way.]

It's just such a stupid mess. I shouldn't have gotten myself into this position.

[Maybe if he just... doesn't even try anymore. He can go run away and become a monk or something. How's that for a solution?]

[windandrain]

[Curling her fingers around his, she slid closer and gave her brother as matronly a smile as she could manage.]

Neji, it isn't something you could've foreseen. The heart wants what it wants, and it's a fickle thing sometimes. I know I'm saying a lot of things that sound cliche, but that's because they're true.

Everything will be alright with time. You should definitely talk to your sister, and you should probably at least send Bulla a letter. That's what I would do.

[She dips her head with a knowing smile]

And you should talk to me, too. If you're confused, or angry or worried. I've...been in the same position you have, you know

[screw_fate]

You make it sound like I'm in love with him.

[Which... well, at least that isn't a complication.]

I'm... I'm not confused. I know what I want, and what I like. Just because I didn't want to put it out there for everyone in the world to comment on...

[He grimaces.]

It would be a lot easier without all this complication.

[windandrain]

[Saori simply nods, reaching her free hand over to pick up a teacup and offer it to him.]

Who can say, I don't know if you love him or not, but you clearly feel something for him even if it's just lust. [She says this in a way that states that she doesn't think that's wrong.]

And yes, I can see why you wouldn't. But you can't really take back what's happened so you might as well make the best of it. Are you going to pursue things with Sasuke?

[screw_fate]

[Continued here]