Post-Event Blues

[lucetimods]

Who: Everybody, everybody!
What: The battle is won. Now what?
When: The eleventh, twelfth, and onward
Where: Luceti
Summary: With Zompano dead and the cultists routed, Luceti is restored. Kind of.
Rating: F for Feels

On the eleventh, things were slowly breaking down. Memories of their true lives were breaking through. The village, scarred by the battle with the cultists, began to rebuild itself. Community buildings that had vanished were returned to their rightful places. The battle dome was uncovered from the earth that had covered it. Hundreds and hundreds of fake homes slowly faded away. Paved roads gave way to trees and grass. It was an incredible sight for anyone who was willing to sit aroun and watch it happen.

Things wouldn't be easy for the villagers, though. The memories perpetuated by the last ten days would not be easily removed. The feelings and hatreds it had created would take time to conquer and remove. Perhaps, in a way, that was Zompano's nastiest trick of all. The village itself may heal from his invasion, but it would take far more than a few Shifts to fix the people left behind.

Towards the end of the day, their wings returned. Much like some of the buildings, they seemed to just reappear, as if they had never been gone. Their barcodes became visible again as a singular reminder that they were, ultimately, just the property of another entity who as a whole were not much better than Count Zompano.

By the twelfth, the village looked as though nothing had ever happened. Sure, the contents of buildings might have been messed up or destroyed during the battles, but things were otherwise as they were supposed to be. The night before, people would have had to find their old beds to go sleep in, as they no longer possessed the old ones granted to them in another life.

The village was peaceful.

Modly Note: That wraps up the event. As noted in the prose above, you have the option to play up the after effects of the event more than in other ones. While it won't have the same impact universally, the Shift was constructed in such a way that people may have difficulty shaking off the emotions they developed during the event. In effect, it was a cruel send off to Luceti so they would have to deal with the loathing and hatred that came with the less desirable parts of it. Of course, that means the feelings of familial bonds will also persist for awhile as well. It's up to you, as players, to decide how much or little to play with it!

Comments

[notyourutopian]

[She doesn't move for a long time, and then she sighs.]

It isn't fair.

[She knew it was stupid even as she said it, but it still wasn't fair.]

[mothergoose]

[Tenenbaum could point out that life isn't fair, especially not for them. But she knows the girl knows this. It's one of the things you just say sometimes.]

No. It is not.

I am sorry.

[notyourutopian]

They told me this place could be awful. I just...I never imagined something like that.

[mothergoose]

[She nods.]

How do you feel?

[Not how are you feeling, because that much is known.]

[notyourutopian]

I'm fine. One of those people pretending to be police hit me in the face but there's only a little ache left. [It had cracked her skull and bashed in her cheek but she wasn't mentioning that.]

[mothergoose]

I mean emotionally.

[notyourutopian]

[A pause.]

No. Of course I'm not. I'd be worried if I were. It's taking everything I have not to cry right now.

[Regardless of how much she hated her mother at times, she had learned from her too. Psychologically speaking.]

[mothergoose]

.....would you like to talk about it?

[She's not good with these sorts of things. Always better with the younger ones. But she wants to try.]

[notyourutopian]

[Eleanor sighs quietly and rests her forehead on her arms.]

I'd rather forget it. It just...

[Aaaand she's crying again.]

[mothergoose]

[For a moment she sits there, but then she moves closer and hugs the crying girl closely. Like she would hug the little sisters when they were feeling scared or sad.]

It is alright.

[notyourutopian]

[The teen tenses up for a moment. Physical contact isn't something she's used to at all, even with the last few days. But after a moment, something instinctive and natural breaks, and she's just sobbing against Tenenbaum's shoulder.]

[mothergoose]

[Tenenbaum just holds her close as she cries.]

It is alright little one.

[notyourutopian]

[Eventually, Eleanor manages to cry herself to sleep.]

[mothergoose]

[Tenenbaum will stay with her until she does. Then gently she'll tuck the girl into bed, folding the blankets over her.

She'll give her a kiss on the cheek before standing up and walking out of the room and quietly closing the door.]

Goodnight my little one.