lucetilogs | Post-Event Blues

Entry tags:

Post-Event Blues

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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Soup and a film? Those would both be very nice. Something without a lot of blood, though. I've seen enough of that for a week." That sounds really, really nice.

"And if rice is no trouble, I'd like that too."

Her face scrunches at the thought of any sort of death. "I could go for forever now without seeing a single bit of bloodshed." She gets up, trying to think of a good movie.

"Let's watch something relaxing, like a romantic comedy or something. Have you seen Down With Love yet?" The rice will be no problem. Rice is easy to make.

Saori doesn't comment further, but she knows that's not entirely true. Death was a part of who they where. Deathless, eternal beings always, always found that even though they'd avoided a final death themselves it would still follow them. But that's also a mood spoiler, and Yuuna's still pretty young, all things considered.

"I haven't seen it. What's it about?"

"I'm not going to spoil any of it for you. You just have to watch it. It's pretty funny, at least I thought so!" She taps her chin thoughtfully.

"Do you think they'll let me cook here? I don't want to go all the way back, I'd rather stay here if I can. And hospitals don't have kitchens available to just anyone, and I don't think just telling them that I'm a nurse is going to gain me access to anywhere."

"Well, if you say it's funny then I'm sure I'll laugh."

Saori turns her head towards the side door, and nods.

"Ami runs the clinic, and she's my friend. I don't think they'll give you any trouble at all. After all, who else is going to bring me food I can actually eat? I'm a fussy patient, and if anyone gives you trouble, then I'll kick up a lot of noise."

The irony that she can't move her legs is not lost on her, and she bursts into a fit of giggles, a combination of tiredness, hunger, and genuine amusement.

"Oh yeah, I'm sure you're going to be doing a lot of kicking like that! Saori!" The thought of it was awful, but it was nice to see that she could still smile despite all the hardship that would come from having broken legs. She can't help but laugh too, joining in and placing her arms akimbo. "The next thing you know you'll be playing soccer or something right in the hallway!"

Yuuna grins, shaking her head. "Well, I guess I'll have to get on it. I'll be back in half an hour or so with some food. I'm starving too, and now I really just want to sit down and enjoy a movie. I'll be right back, ok? Don't go punting any doctors around just because someone gave me some grief!"

Still giggling, she reaches up with a sudden lurch, grabs Yuuna and gives her a kiss. She can't let her escape without that much at least.

"I'll be here dearest. And waiting eagerly, too."

"Hey!" She giggles, giving Saori a kiss right back. "Hold tight, it's going to be some of the best soup and rice you've ever had. You'll love the movie!"

She exits, though she's not gone any longer than five seconds when she pops her head back in the room. "Um, where do I rent movies around here again?"

"The item shop across the street should have them," Saori calls back. "It's hard to miss."

"Ok!" And she hurries off, stopping by the item shop and hurrying home since she doesn't really want to intrude on the hospital to use their kitchen anyway, bringing back soup and rice and whatever else she managed to grab while at home, and in forty-five minutes she's back.

"I hope you didn't get too lonely while I was gone. It took a little longer than I thought, I kind of overcooked the rice the first time. So I made a new batch. But I found the shop just fine, and they had the movie too." She starts laying out their dinner on a table, which she drags over to the bed so she can give Saori what she wanted when she asked for it.

Saori dozes off and on while Yuuna's gone, the combination of exhaustion and medicine really getting to her. Human meds in this mortal body do actually work, and that's good because otherwise, ow.

But when Yuuna returns the proximity of their bond snaps her awake, and she sits up and collects herself enough to sit up straight and look like she wasn't sleeping. Honest.

"It smells lovely darling, thank you." Saori inspects the food with obvious hunger. It's really all she can do not to just lean forward and start grabbing. "and I was alright. Let's get started with the movie, when you're ready."

She's already at the TV, trying to figure out where the player was. Finally she finds it, turning it on and plugging the movie in. They could dish up during the previews, as far as she's concerned. She really likes this movie and wants to get right to it.

"Way ahead of you." She happily plops herself in the chair next to Saori's bed, starting to prepare a plate of all the yummies she'd made, handing it to her companion. "It's still a little hot, so be careful. I hope you like it, I added some new spices in."

Saori watches as everything gets set up, somewhat annoyed that she can't really get up and help. But Yuuna's excitement is enough to tell her the movie's good and with her power all concentrated on her legs...and the barrier being back they'll get to have a static-free movie night. That prospect alone causes her to shift and get comfortable, but having that and food? Well that's just perfect.

When the plate is put in front of her she's careful to hold it so it won't spill because burns suck, and sniffs it tentatively.

"What did you add to the soup, dear? It smells fantastic."

"Oh, I don't know what spices they are. They were just in the kitchen in bottles I didn't recognize so I grabbed them. I thought something new would be fun. I remember what they look like so I'll check what they are when we get home."

It smelled good at least, so she figures it would taste good too. Besides, she was in kind of a hurry too so...they'd be their own guinea pigs for this one.

As the movie starts, Yuuna wishes she could sit with Saori, but obviously she can't; so she'll just whine about it.

"You know, with all the technology they have here, they should use it to invent shareable hospital beds or something."

Saori snorts a laugh at the complaint, but takes a bite of the soup. It's not bad, really. It's got a bit of an aftertaste but it still tastes alright. Basil, probably.

"You can always move a chair to sit right beside me, Yuuna-chan." She uses the pet name teasingly, of course. "and pull the bed forward if you want to be closer."

"Okaaay." Yuuna pulls the bed in closer to the TV, clearly hurrying because the crappy previews are almost over and it's going to start soon. She then slides her chair next to the bed, as close as she can get it, puting like al ittle kid but smiles as soon as she's got herself planted right where she wants to be.

"I guess this'll have to do, Saori-chan." She has to poke back, of course. She actually hadn't bothered to touch her food yet until Saori had been taken care of, so now she finally decides to pick up her own food and try it out. "Oh, maybe I put a little too much in the soup. Does it taste alright to you?"

Settling in, Saori leans an arm against her partner and fastens her eyes to the screen. She keeps on eating, emphasizing that she is enjoying it (and she really is), before tucking into the rice as well.

"It tastes just fine. I like whatever spice you used, it feels like basil. It gives the soup a bit of a bite."

The movie opens with an amusing little bit of music, and Renee Zellweger sashaying into an office, drawing a laugh and a smile. Romantic Comedies weren't really a thing she watched often, without Yuuna anyway. And it'd been a year or more since the last time, as the few films she'd seen in Luceti had been more action-y. Kung-fu films and Superman, and a few movies with Adele before she'd turned so cold. Saori represses a frown at the sudden train of thought, and concentrates on the movie instead.

"She has a ridiculous looking dress..."

Yuuna looks down at her own bowl, but eh- it could be worse. So she'll just continue to enjoy it and getting comfortable as she watches with her friend.

"Shhhh. It's just weird American 50's or something. I wouldn't be caught dead wearing that." She'll have to agree though, it does look pretty awful. Who would want to wear something that hideous? "He's pretty cute though." She eyes it when Ewan McGregor comes on screen finally.

"Me either..." Saori's eyes widen when she sees Ewan McGregor, though. "Hah! I knew a man who looked just like him! Obi-Wan Kenobi, an old housemate, until he left last spring. If that actor had a beard he'd look just like Hige-san!"

"Well sure! Ewan McGregor did play Obi-Wan in the movies, remember? Wait..." Did...she hear what she thought she heard?

"You met Obi-Wan Kenobi? Saori!!!!!! Why didn't you tell me, ohmigosh!" Wow, forget the movie for a second.

"Um...yes? I taught him to play shamisen, and he lived in the house for a while. I didn't mention it because he's gone. And it was after that...well...someone else in the house started treating me badly, and left without really saying anything. It sort of overshadowed him leaving, to me."

That was a mess, after all.

"But he was a sweet person, if a little bit of a stick in the mud. I got to see him use his Force a few times, and I saw him fight a bunch of bad people a while ago. I'm sorry you missed him, though. You'd have liked him. Even if he always seemed to be feeling guilty for something he couldn't have changed."

"Oh." She's not sure what to say at first, since that was sort of sad- so she squeezes Saori's hand instead, to indicate that she was sorry she had to go through something, especially if it was bad enough put a friend leaving like that after someone else being a jerk.

"Maybe I'll get the chance another day. People come back sometimes right? Not that I'd want him to come back just so I can meet him, but if he does that would be nice."

"Maybe you will. He was a stoic sort of man."

She can feel the weird sadness there, but with regards to that particular problem, she's already put it behind her for the most part.

"As for the person that left. Adele? I may have mentioned her name in passing, but I suppose you deserve to know the story there. I...don't really know what happened, but she just suddenly stopped talking to me, or Helios, or anyone in the house. Only Loki, from what I could gather. She didn't talk to any of us for months and months, not really. She even planned to move out, but never bothered to tell anyone in the house. We were close...and I was hurt."

Saori lets out a long, heavy sigh.

"This all happened a week after I'd told Clint that I couldn't see him any longer, when I needed support. I didn't see her for a month after that, and then she came to me and offered me a pittance for an apology, a single tart...and I told her what happened. She apparently hadn't spoken to Clint either, and had no idea we'd broken up. That was the breaking point for me, as Clint was her friend as well. And if she'd been ignoring all of her friends for that slime, then it meant I didn't want her in my life. So, I rejected her tart and left."

Saori's hand shakes a bit at the memory, her expression growing tight and angry as she realizes something. Adele is a medical professional. And Saori is in the hospital.

"She's a fucking doctor. And she didn't even have the grace to come see me in the hospital. I'm better off without her, if that's how she'll behave towards people who've saved her life and her sanity."

Yuuna's own hand squeezes tighter at Saori's anger. She doesn't blame her a single bit for the way she felt, nor her reaction to Adele's offering. She'd of done the same. No friend leaves someone important in their life out to dry like that. Not in her experience at least- and the impression she'd gotten from these passing conversations were that of a close friend long lost. Saori's Kannushi in Yuuna's place while she wasn't present. An important figure head, a position to be honored to have, and willing taken in care and love.

"Don't worry. Better that she isn't here. It would be nothing but a facade anyway, from the way it sounds. Letting one man replace everyone she loves, or maybe pretended to care for; that's no friend at all. and you have so many more friends here who are so wonderful, people that I'm proud of and people I'm glad I've gotten to meet so far."

She leans over and gives her patron a kiss, looking back with reassuring eyes and a soft smile.

Saori's lip peels back in a brief sneer as she imagines the doctor coming into her room now, but she bites back the anger. She still had no idea why the change had happened, but it didn't matter. Not now that she had the right and proper Kannushi, not to mention her paramour. It would've been nice to see Yuuna and the old Adele together, but with how that woman had become it just wasn't worth considering.

The kiss Saori returns, eager and grateful, but also without much passion. She was too tired for that. And the movie was changing, flickers of motion on the screen catching her eye.

"I'm glad you like them. They really are wonderful, and you're wonderful, and everything is alright. Forget I mentioned her. She'll not bother coming around, I think."

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