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

[frost_jewel]

I won't keep you. [She might not even sit, if he seems too out of it.] I just came to see how you were feeling.

[As a friend. Words are not necessary for that distinction, are they?]

[alloys]

[ Answering that question takes a bit of self analysis, and it takes him longer than it ought to. How does he feel? He doesn't feel worse, but it's hard to remember how he felt the day before. He just knows how he felt now, and he doesn't feel bad. ]

I feel okay. [ How's that for an answer? ]

[frost_jewel]

Nothing hurts? [For once, she doesn't know the extent of his injuries. There were too many other people to focus on. That was a pretty clear answer, though, and she sits in the chair beside his bed to put a hand over his.]

[alloys]

No. [ That's probably strange to hear, isn't it? This was a hospital room, after all. He wouldn't be here unless he needed medical attention.

What was wrong with him? ]

[frost_jewel]

[That is strange. She feels like she's gone in blind to his whole situation.]

Let's try this one then. Do you remember what happened to land you here? [Because she does not.]

[alloys]

[ He's silent for a moment as he tries to find the answer to that question. Fighting aliens, fire and explosions, cultists, dream shifters, dream shifters, portals. Nothing settled right. ]

No. [ He says finally. ] I don't.

[frost_jewel]

Then you've run me out of questions. [She could read his chart. Looks at it, even, or in its general direction, and makes no move to fetch it for herself.]

I don't know if I can help you at all.

[alloys]

[ He closed his eye briefly, appreciating the fact that he could still see light beyond his eyelids when they were shut. ]

Just keep talking. [ Even in this state, he knew conversing was important for him. To keep him alert, responding, processing. ]

[frost_jewel]

I don't think...we knew each other. Last week. [It is the first thing she thinks of, and it reflects how scattered her thoughts are now that she isn't in work mode.] I suppose we should both be grateful that you weren't a regular at the hospital, hm?

[alloys]

[ A smile flickered. ] I wasn't? Good. Yeah - that's good.

[ He didn't quite remember what of his jumbled memories constituted last week. ]

[frost_jewel]

That's very good. Imagine the trouble you might have caused.

[Since everyone, herself included, is having trouble with their memories, she realizes belatedly that better words could be chosen.]

You aren't trouble, of course. Not the really terrible kind.

[alloys]

[ He has a sinking feeling he's causing plenty of trouble anyway, because being stuck in the hospital never meant good things. ]

Just the sort of terrible kind?

[ But at least he still has his sense of humor. ]

[frost_jewel]

Don't be silly. It is the endearing kind. [Even when he's pushing himself in the wrong direction. Something about his attitude always manages to cover for the poor decisions.]

[alloys]

I'm gonna use that one on Pepper next time I get on her nerves.

[ If he even remembers this conversation. He wants to. ]

[frost_jewel]

Tomorrow, then, if she sleeps through the night?

[Mia thinks she won't.]

[alloys]

[ His eyes clouded. ]

She hasn't been sleeping through the night?

[frost_jewel]

Oh, I don't know that. It's just an assumption - that she might be so concerned for you it would keep her up.

[alloys]

[ He frowned. ]

That's...probably true. [ Once again, he's causing Pepper undue stress, and this time, it's not even as a result of his own actions. ]

[frost_jewel]

Don't worry about her now. She's already asleep. [In the bed across the room, even.]

[alloys]

That's not gonna stop me from worrying about her, you know.

[frost_jewel]

Perhaps not, but it will stop you from worrying about her right now.

[alloys]

I'm always worried. [ He says this quieter than what was said before. ]

[frost_jewel]

Yes, I know. That's bad for us. [All that worrying. 'Us' because Mia is the most guilty party in the room, perhaps.] Don't do so much worrying that you forget what's in front of you.

[Maybe that one is a little too abstract for someone just out of a coma.] Is there something in particular you want me to talk about?

[alloys]

[ It was a bit too abstract, because Mia was what was in front of her but he wasn't forgetting her, even if his memories were muddled and god, he was confused. ]

...How long have I been here?

[frost_jewel]

A few days. They run together a little bit for me, too.