September Event Log

[kaisoumods]

September Event
Dominant Element: Wind
Waning Element: Earth

Full Moon: September 28th - September 30th

※

As August and all of its chaos leaves Kaisou, September comes in with cooler weather. The Spirit Vein in the sky will turn to hues of green, indicating the shift towards the Wind element. In fact, there's so much wind, it frankly isn't funny. No tornadoes (that was a few months ago), but more than half the month will have windy weather, and a day or two of high wind warnings from the local weather people. Try not to get blown away!

Rosemary and Thyme

It's September, and you know what that means: school, school, and more school. For the seniors in high school, it's their last year, and soon it'll be time to start looking into secondary education and making plans for the future. Everyone else... enjoy a week of syllabi and ice breakers!

If you're looking for an education that's a bit more magical, there's a whole different school you can attend. While Cygnus Academy has had classes all summer, now that it's fall, they're really kicking it into gear. Several of the faculty will be offering more regular classes on various magical or practical skills, and they're even offering homework help for the younger students as well as college prep for those who looking for it.

September also means that Kaisou's renaissance faire, Sherwood Festival, is back in town! Located near Blue Fish Park, the renaissance faire is full of the usual things one might expect to find at a ren faire. If you're looking for activities, there's all manner of things; from jousting, magic shows, bard performances, visiting a "royal court", and so on! Meanwhile, if you're looking to spend money, there's many vendors selling their handmade goods, such as soaps and or potteries, as well as all sorts of "old timey" foods to try, such as mutton or turkey legs (and of course, beers and ciders for those old enough). Or perhaps you're just interested in the new attractions, which include a fairy circle within the forest, or the mermaid cove that's been set up in the Blue Fish Lake.

However, it's not all just simple gimmicks in this year's faire. App users may notice a few things different about some of the performers this year. That faerie having fun dancing with the kids? That's an actual Fae, likely one that stayed behind after the incursion in March. That "magician" performing around the food stalls? She's performing actual magic, not just illusions and sleight of hand. Even in the mermaid cove, a few of the "mermaid actors" are actual mermaids, and the forest where the Fae circle is located is still heavy with traces of fae magic from last March. There's a couple more strange sightings like that, and though they're not the majority by any stretch it is perhaps a bit concerning that there's as many as there are.

It's up to you if you call these people out or not. Leave it be, and you'll be able to enjoy a good time. If you approach one of these more magical folks, they will try to deny anything strange going on - they're just running a nice faire! Should you take it far enough to piss off one of the fae, you may find yourself cursed into becoming a monster.

Bad Moon Rising

The full moon usually passes through Kaisou with very little fanfare. There are certainly people with monster changes who have to deal with it for the few nights it hangs around each month, forcing them into their monster forms until daybreak. Until now, though, it's always only affected a very small selection of the population - feline and canine monsters, specifically. A few individuals, most of whom have figured out how to manage their condition by now, nothing to cause a panic.

Not so for this month... and for all months following. Thanks to the damage done by the spirit vein, all monster types will feel the full moon's effects. This means that once night falls and the full moon rises, you will have a harder time maintaining your normal form in the city, while your monster side gets significantly stronger. Retaining your humanity will be extremely difficult unless you have some serious control over your monster self. Perhaps you will be fortunate and be able to keep your stable mind, or perhaps you will find your monster thoughts overpowering you and you'll find yourself going a little feral, which is rather unfortunate if you happen to be in a populated area when night falls. This effect will last until sunrise, when you will regain normal form again. Best find a way to handle your abrupt changes, as this certainly isn't going away and the full moon lasts for three nights. You will either need to get better control over your monster form, or seek out other means to manage yourself through the full moon nights. Every month following this one will be the same- it seems like these changes are very much here to stay.

The Stable Gates

Full moon chaos aside, this quiet time in Kaisou might be a good opportunity to check up on how the stable realms are doing. Hyrule, newly freed from the grips of Calamity Ganon, has begun the slow effort to rebuild. Even better, with the Calamity gone, weapons will no longer decay as quickly. Besides Princess Zelda, the Hudson Construction Company is building new structures and is working on infrastructure around various communities in Hyrule. Curiously, every member of the Hudson Construction Company has a name that ends in "son". But that quirk aside, they are the ones to go to if you, too, are interested in having any structures built within Hyrule. Otherwise, you can help them with gathering resources or fighting off any monsters still around.

It's not all peaceful in Hyrule, though. If you're unlucky, you might run into the Yiga clan. They're a clan of Hyruleans that, despite the Calamity's goal of wiping out all life in Hyrule, thought it was a good idea to side with the Calamity. With it gone, they've now taken to attacking the folks that were responsible of destroying Ganon. They'll often be at roadsides, pretending to be travelers in distress before attacking. Besides dressing like red clothed ninjas, they seem to carry a weird amount of bananas with them. They should be easy enough to fend off if you're a skilled fighter, but maybe it's best not to travel alone for awhile.

Meanwhile, in Stardew Valley, the autumn season has fully set in. Crops like pumpkins, cranberries, and apples are all the rage in the small community. At the end of the month, the townsfolk will hold a festival to showcase the harvests for the year and have small community activities. If you're looking for a simple life or want to do some simple farm work without getting attacked by monsters, this might be a good place to spend some time.

A New Job

On the morning of September 4th, Zodiac will send out an alert message.

ALERT: SPIRIT REALM GATE DETECTED IN UNIVERSITY DISTRICT.
Element Classification: Wind
Danger Level: Low
Designation: Great Library of Alexandria
Zodiac has detected a spirit realm gate appearing in the University district, and confirmed it to be the Great Library of Alexandria. We have also has received a message from the Muses. It reads: "We the Muses, goddesses of the arts, have decided to take some time off due to some recent events. As such, you shall be charged with watching our library this month. Failure to do so competently will incur our wrath. Thanks!"

No pressure, huh.

The atmosphere of the Zodiac office is calmer compared to last month, as dealing with the Great Library is much easier than everything that was happening last month. The Zodiac employee will tell you the most important thing is to make sure to bring a piece of knowledge to share, as that's the admission fee of the library. They aren't sure what watching the library entails, but surely it can't be that bad, right?

That said, while the Zodiac employees are relaxed, the Professor (fuzzy) is anything but. He's talking a mile a minute about how excited he is to see the Great Library of Alexandria. He even has a little suitcase with him that's full of notebooks and gear in case he wants to say overnight. Because of course he's coming with this time! He wouldn't miss the great library for the world!

To find the gate, one simply has to head out to Kaisou University's main campus. Among all the class buildings and libraries, there's a new building front that seems to have appeared. White columns and stone stairs are hardly unusual among a college campus, so it might be easy to overlook, except that the entryway is glowing with a bright energy. No doubt about it, this is the gate.

The Great Library of Alexandria

Stepping through the gate, characters will find themselves in a grand marble hall that would put most to shame. Around the hall are statues of the nine muses, posing in different fashions with objects associated with each one. There are signs with the rules of the library. Even though it's written in Ancient Greek, you find yourself able to read what it says like it was perfect English:

I. Take nothing out of the Great Library, leave it all as you found it.
II. Damage nothing in these halls.
III. To obtain knowledge, you must share knowledge.

In the center of the hall is a pedestal that stands four feet tall. It is here that you place the knowledge that you've brought to share. Books, movies, comics, art pieces, fact sheets, personal notes - anything that could technically be considered either knowledge or art are accepted. Once you place your item on the pedestal, it will disappear and a bracelet made of olive tree wood will appear around their wrist. This is their proof that they are allowed entrance into the rest of the library. Anyone who tries to go into the halls without donating a piece of knowledge will find the entryways into the other wings magically blocked.

Once the admission fee has been paid, it's off to explore the rest of the library! There are several wings to explore, each of them chock full of knowledge. A person could easily spend a lifetime in a single wing and not see everything there is to offer. Even though it offers works written and created in countless languages, you'll find yourself able to understand all of them as if they were written in your native language. That said, any cameras will not work while within the hall, so if you want to remember the things you read- you'll have to take notes. Any character with fire magic will find their fire powers do not work while in this realm either - the library has a bad history with fire, okay.

The wings are as followed:

The Literature Wing

This wing is devoted entirely to any work of literature that's ever been written. Novels, poems, short stories, comics, fables - anything that counts as a story would be found within this wing. There's even a section devoted to fanfictions throughout the ages, if that's what you're really about. There are braille and audiobooks with headphones, for those who get their reading through that way. Throughout the wing, there are comfortable chairs and window seats to sit in. The wing is managed by a legion of cats, who are clever enough to understand human language. They will carry books to and from their shelves, bring book recommendations, bring snacks and drinks as refreshments on a little push cart, or just curl up on your lap as you read.

The Knowledge Wing

Next to the Literature Wing, the Knowledge wing contains any non-fiction texts or documents that have ever been written. Any topic of non-fiction is covered here: history, science, mathematics, cookbooks - the list goes on. Interestingly, there are more than just books about this Earth found in these halls. It's possible to find textbooks detailing events or information about other worlds as well - so long as it covers events already taken place (meaning before any OU's canon point). Unlike the literature wing, the seating are set up more as study tables and chairs, but are still comfortable enough to sit in for hours on end. This wing is managed by a bunch of owls, who will fly up and down the aisles with books in their talons. The fuzzy Professor can be found here, basically acting like a tiny child at Christmas as he piles on all the history books and shares every interesting fact he learns ("this is going to make such great material for my classes!!"). There are several puppets with him helping out. Where did the puppets come from? Maybe it's best you don't ask, because they'll start to sing and annoy the owls.

The Music Wing

A wing designed to have perfect acoustics, no matter where you go within the hall. Here, you can find every music piece ever composed, as well as any type of instrument ever created. There's plenty of practice rooms for any size group, all of which are soundproofed. In the back of the wing, there is a concert hall where you can either perform your own shows, or watch astral recordings of any concert that's ever taken place. Want to see Beethoven perform his famous 9th symphony? You can do that! All the musicians past will appear as ghostly apparitions as they perform. Songbirds are the maintainer of these halls, who will fly by on errands or maybe even stop by to sing along with your performances.

The Theatre Wing

Next to the music wing, there is the theater wing. This area has play stages and movie theaters all set up. You can either watch any movie or show in existence (no worries about streaming rights here!), or rewatch any theater performance that's happened in history in the form of ghostly visages. Find out how Hamlet was performed when Shakespeare was still alive (in fact Shakespeare's visage himself might look... familiar), or see the first Greek tragedy. Mice and rats are the maintainers of this wing, they will help out pick out movies and also run a concession stand with any movie snacks you'd like to consume during the show.

Of course, not all shows are ones that we passively spectate. Besides the theaters, there is a room devoted to be a fighting simulator. Take any kind of weapon you'd like, and fight spectral foes from history and legend. Trade blows with the greatest samurai or battle a beast of legend. While it feels real, no actual injuries will come from these fights. And for those who prefer their battles to take place in the digital plane, there is a relatively newly added room with all the video games you could possibly want.

The Planetarium Wing

The planetarium is the wing devoted to astronomy and the heavens. While there's plenty of shelves of books here with information about space, the main event in this hall is a planetarium. A massive dome that can be set to display the night sky as it appeared at any time or day- and not just on Earth either. You can find out what the sky looks like on any number of worlds. All of them feel hyper-realistic, like you're looking at the real night sky. Bats help run this part of the library, the dark starry skies doing nothing to hinder their assistance with visitors.

Should anyone use this room to investigate the moon, they will find that the moon itself? Is still a perfectly normal moon. No, really. It's normal. However much like it affects the tide, the moon will also affect the magical energies of Spirit Veins. And the higher level of concentration of magical energy, the larger the effect. So the reason the full moon is affecting more monsters? Is less about the moon and more the increasing spirit energy that is ever growing in Kaisou.

The Museum Wing

The museum wing covers all artifacts that relate to knowledge, but wouldn't quite fit in the other wings. Dinosaur fossils, vases, paintings, tapestries, all of them are carefully displayed with information about each item. These items have been collected across different worlds and throughout history, with all of them carefully preserved. One room of the museum is devoted to divine donations - donations given by deities when they came once came to visit, and clearly the shining gem of the museum. Items such as a Dharma Wheel, an apple from the Tree of Knowledge, an actual eye (thanks Odin), and other items relating to knowledge have all been carefully put on pedestals. While trying to steal from the other wings will have magic measures that simply prevent you from doing so, the consequences of trying to steal from this part of the library will lead to much more dire consequences. To reflect that, this wing is patrolled by crocodiles who will guide you to exhibits, but will also snap their jaws anytime they feel you're getting too close to an artifact.

The Mess Hall

With so much to see in this library, it'd be a shame if hunger got in the way. Just head down into the basement, where an expansive dining hall and kitchen await you. The goats that run this part of the library will be happy to cook you up any kind of meal that has ever existed. Or, if you're the type to want to cook for yourself, you'll have free access to the kitchen, which is full of any ingredients you could possibly want. The walls are lined with cooking tools and cookbooks to help you along, as well. Cooking is a form of art, after all.

The Records Wing

The final wing contains records of every person who has ever lived and died. Each person's life is recorded in a hardcover book that is decorated in ways to reflect the person. The length of a book will depend on how long the person has lived, and it will cover events that happened throughout their lives. While you can access records of people that live in different worlds, you can only access records of people who have died (the permanent kind). Not only that, but the keepers of this wing (ghostly apparitions of scholars) will only allow you access to the records of people that are part of your family or somehow related to you.

Hauntingly, AU characters will be able to find books of their past selves among these shelves, as well as the records of their past selves relatives. It will detail their lives in their previous worlds, the events described lining up with memories you've experienced. The causes of death will vary. Some will go on to live long lives before dying of old age, while others will be killed abruptly by something either within or out of their control. Either way, it's probably rather unsettling to read about how your life once came to an end.

Watching Over the Library

For those who have agreed to care for the library, when you enter the library and pay your admission, a special key will appear in your pocket the same time the wristband does. This key will allow you to enter the backrooms of the library. The backrooms of the library are expansive, split into two main areas. The first area is clearly the living areas for both the Muses and their animal helpers. There's a bathing area that's full of rejuvenating water, a greenhouse full of plants found in Ancient Greece, and nine apartment-style homes that belong to each of the muses. While you're free to use the public bath or look through the greenhouse, going into the apartments is a good way to get yourself cursed in new and horrible ways.

The second area? Well, that's where your work as the library's caretaker begins. There are a couple important tasks that must be done. First, the animal caretakers must be fed. There are large storage containers full of the different kinds of foods the animals like to eat and food troughs assigned to each group of animals. Make sure they get fed regularly, unless you want them to start to turn on each other. You can also help the animals by playing with them, grooming them, or just giving them some nice pets.

Not quite an animal person? Well then, you can head into the next room where the Sorting takes place. The Library of Alexandria is getting new material all the time, and all the newest items appear here. There's a pile of books and media that need to be sorted into their proper wings. Each of the wings have a drop chute that you can throw items into, or you can hand them off to an animal attendant. Try to keep up with this task as much as you can, before the piles grow out of control.

If neither of those jobs sound appealing to you, there's always patrolling the library and making sure everything remains in order. Keep things from getting out of control, or help clean up messes that get made by other patrons. Remember, you want to make sure the Muses don't come back to a sight that angers them.

Finding Closure (POKEGO Mission)

"This is a selfish request from a selfish old man, I know. But in every way but blood, he was my son. So please... help me understand his reasons. If it was my fault, or if there was something I could've done. I just... I need to know. Thank you."

It's not typical that Professor Oak asks personal requests, usually preferring to allow his associates to follow their own interests and goals. But it seems the memory of Willow's actions were haunting him more than he was letting on. And for those who were familiar with Willow's case file... this realm was the place where he had gotten his idea to go after Ra, so if there was any place to search for answers...

There are two wings within the library that will yield some findings. In the Knowledge Wing, shoved away amongst the other books about Ancient Egypt, you can find Professor Willow's notebook lodged into the bookshelf. The notes are a mixture of research and observations, as well as his own personal log. At the start, it reads much like the man many of them were familiar with; an easy-going and curious man who truly did think well of his fellow colleagues. Persephone was like a mother, Abasi was so intelligent (even if a bit prickly), and he felt pride watching Sorey and Mikleo grow and come into their own as POKEGO members.

But as the notes and logs go on, the tone slowly slips into something darker and eventually... desperate. Life setbacks (usually described in vague terms, if at all) eat at him more and more. And more and more, he begins romanticizing his past life, his past world. Not wanting to trouble anyone, he never speaks to anyone about it, allowing it to fester until idle daydreams manifest into dangerous plots. His notes and observations become less careful, more unhinged. But even as he continues his plans, his logs continue to reflect a man who is torn by his actions and whether they are the right thing to do. Even in his final log, the one written on the night he found the way to get to Set, he writes: "I know I'm going to cause a lot of pain, but this is the only way. I just... I'll try to make things right, somehow."

The other finding POKEGO can find is within the Records Wing. Willow had long considered the members of POKEGO as his family, so they'll be allowed to view his records. These will shed some light and give context to his background from an outside perspective. In the final pages, it mentions that he's currently serving his life sentence in Florida under the Order's watch. He doesn't know if he deserves to live, after so many lost their lives through his actions. Frequently, he'll try to write letters to various POKEGO members - but can never bring himself to send them. Each one of them has the same kind of message: I'm sorry. It's not your fault. Maybe you can use what you learn to help give Professor Oak (and yourselves) some closure.

Speaking of Professor Oak, for those who are curious enough to look up his records, POKEGO members will be able to access them as well. Reading his record might learn some interesting information about the old man, even if you'll have to own up to grandma that you were snooping.

To Be Forgotten (Black Order Mission)

While everyone else has the library or their own matters to attend to, the Black Order has their own mission to follow. "Locate Rukkhadevata" was the message that the Order had left them with. Strangely enough, there's no records of any Rukkhadevata anywhere in the public areas of the library. Looking through any records relevant to the name turns up empty, and even the animal keepers of the wings seem puzzled at the mention. If no one named Rukkhadevata exists, then why does the Order seers keep hearing that name?

The answer lies in the backroom of the library. Past the sorting room, there is another room hidden away. This is the forbidden part of the library, books that have been intentionally removed from the main collection. Most of these books are sealed and marked, with clear labels indicating that attempting to break the seal will result madness or death.

However, there is one book that sits on the table that has no such warning label, looking more like a normal book that got placed in this room by mistake: a life record book on Rukkhadevata.

Should you read the book, her life story becomes clear: Rukkhadevata was a former member of the Black Order, a recent former member. She was recruited after she began getting memories of being the Dendro Archon, the god of wisdom of Teyvat, in her previous life. Wise beyond her years and deeply kind, she did her best to help her fellow comrade through missions. Alarmingly, these comrades include Black Order members that are present in Kaisou today, with specific stories of their time together being detailed in this text. None of these stories are ones the Black Order members remember as they are written. Only as they hold the book in your hand, do the memories of her existence begin to come back to you.

Its only at the end of her record book does it become clearer what's going on. Three years ago, Rukkhadevata decided to leave the Order. Her reasons aren't discernible, with the lines being intentionally blotted out. But it took her time to figure out the best way to leave. In the end, she found two feasible options: the first was giving up all her powers by striking a bargain with a "bargaining horned spirit", which would render her useless to the Order. As for the other option...

"The Great Library of Alexandria is the realm that maintains all the knowledge in the world, as well as all the world's memories. Even for those who have faded into obscurity among the living still have records within the Record Wing, so the gods and seers are able to draw upon them. So in theory, if one removes their own records from the library, then the world itself will have no memories of them to draw upon, and thus will forget them. To maintain normalcy, any records of my existence will be eradicated or repurposed. Even the Order itself will have no knowledge that I exist. The Muses say doing such an act will consume about half of my soul's power to pull this off. They also caution me how difficult it'll be to be truly forgotten, but if this is the best way to achieve what I need to do...

World, forget me."

The record book ends there, with no further recordings to what happened to her. Rukkhadevata must have placed the book back here, thinking it'll be enough to erase her from the world's memories. However if the seers in the Order are still able to get her name...that's clearly not enough. The book itself needs to be destroyed.

So, the Order is now left with two options. They can return the book back to the Records Wing, which will reinstate the world's memories of Rukkhadevata. Or... there's a single fireplace within the forbidden part of the library, the only fireplace within the entire building. Should you throw it in there... all memories tied to Rukkhadevata will be permanently erased with no hope of regaining them. Decide amongst yourselves what the best course of action is.

Aftermath

The library will be around all month. At the end of the month, it will vanish once it came. If you've done a good job with looking after the library, you will be blessed with new inspiration for your creative endeavors. Should you have done something to harm the library on the other hand... well, depending on the severity, you'll certainly find yourself with some curses to attend to.

As for the Black Order, whether or not you remember Rukkhadevata, you are now equipped with knowledge that could help you leave the Order yourself, if you choose. Erase yourself from the world by burning your own books in the record wing, or seek out this bargaining horned spirit that the notes mentioned. Even after the library leaves this month, you'll just need to ask the shopkeeper of the Gacha Goodwill for the means to return to the library. He'll take you... but only if the stars are right.

OOC Notes

The dominant element this month is Wind! Anyone with an affinity to the fire element will find themselves boosted throughout the month. This could mean a boost to their power, having more energy, feeling more inspired with creativity, having better luck on different attempts -- the boost can manifest in all sorts of different ways. By contrast, anyone with an affinity for Earth will be experiencing the opposite. Perhaps their powers will be weaker, they have less energy, they're having a creative block or general worse luck - again it can manifest in all sorts of way and players are free to play with this mechanic as they'd like.

The original OOC plotting post for this event can be found here. Another Zodiac Post will be going up September 15th to serve as an intro post for new characters and allow characters to react to developments over the network.

Comments

[prontissimo]

[ Alberto keeps putzing about with his pasta. But he smiles to himself all the while. After a brief comfortable silence as they get to work, a fond but somewhat bittersweet memory comes to mind. ]

Y'know... the night Pepa came home— She and I made ajiaco together. It turned out great, heh. We needed it, too. She rained on me and it was, uh, y'know— emotional... For many reasons, ha...

[ Alberto throws Isabela a cautious glance. It occurs to him, that after all this time, he's not sure if Isabela knows he's not human. She may well have heard from her family by now, has been his operating assumption. But thinking back to that night with Pepa in March, he had been going under the same assumption that Bruno and Luisa had told everyone, and— it turns out they hadn't... Pepa didn't find out Alberto was a sea monster until she rained on him. He's always been raised under the impression that people talk, his father having drilled it into him so much to be cautious about being discovered by humans. But even when he realizes he doesn't need to be, that's his autopilot. He's not worried Isabela wouldn't accept him like the rest of the family. He trusts the Madrigals wholly by now. He's simply a little stunned to realize it's just— never come up! Because he hasn't felt the need to hide it, nor has he felt the need to admit it, feeling so comfortable and loved with them all... Still, he knows it's a bit of a shock, so he gently feels out whether or not Pepa'd filled her in... ]

[senorita_perfecta]

Um, is there something wrong right now?

(She has inquisitively asked as she is in middle of the food and bringing out the marinated chicken. By this point, Isabela has putting a lot of effort into not hiding behind a persona of a haughty person like she had done for several years these days but she didn’t know that Alberto was a teenaged sea monster despite having known him for a long time now.

For the longest time she always thought that if somebody had wished not to discuss something very personal, she would have respected that person’s wish, that is all. But still she didn’t want to interrupt the whole cooking session so suddenly by asking about a very personal detail in the middle of cooking.)

[keyofelde]

Some names I learned early on, but not everyone. It depended on what snippets of memory I saw. [Whether he heard their voice, their name, or even saw their smile] At first I thought the mystery was exciting, but I have been curious about the others. Why not take the opportunity to learn more?

It certainly seems like it. Who would have thought?

[Souta would not consider himself particularly social. But then again, his circle of acquaintances has grown since gaining the Libra app.]

Oh, I don't mind! Getting to talk about these people feels like it keeps their memories alive. Even if I only remember bits and pieces, I'm certain they were once very important to me.

[lowestclass]

...Haha.

[ her vote of confidence makes his heart feel light. Offering her a sideways smile as he's nudged, and he crosses his arms over a little, tapping his chin with a finger. ]

Oh, I'm very confident in my acting skills. As I said, I poured everything into it. Time, money--I even got vocal classes to learn how to sing, even a little, just in case it came up for a role. It was just the interviews I was bad at. I was really shy with people asking me too many things.

[ but for that question... ]

I'd like to.
I'd like to go back to it. I miss it. But.
Given that the Order faked my death and I changed my name--It'd be dangerous to show up on TV again.
It might cause an incident.

library :>

[kanka]

[While not being asked directly, Ayato can't help but overhear Abasi's question. One hand on a book with a fan and cryo symbol, and he pauses, turning his head.]

Not often- then again, not everyone simply waltzes into the Library of Alexandria. [He snaps the book shut- the story of his past life's sister, Ayaka- and exhales.] But I don't believe it's an incorrect feeling. Especially if it comes from knowing what you do already.

[There's a bit of an amused look, but he exhales.] Finding my sister's life written here, from my past life... it's given me a great amount of introspection and appreciation for things here and now.

[a_cute_batata]

It always includes us, Alberto.

[Luz had long since stopped thinking of being a nerd as a negative thing. She knew other people used it to make themselves feel better than others and was a victim of it back home. When she'd used it to refer to herself, it was half defiant and half acknowledging this was what people genuinely thought of her.

But she didn't think of being a nerd in a self deprecating sense anymore. People who put others in labels like that to make themselves look cool by comparison weren't cool at all. It was just another Boscha, and at this point, Luz was done playing into their cliques.

She had her friends, she trusted and cared about all of them. If they (and her too) were considered nerds? Good. They'd own it. She'd be called nerd and be unpopular a thousand times over rather than seeing Alberto hurt or seeing anyone make fun on him].

Us weirdoes stick together, Alberto. Don't forget that.

[crisantemo]

[ Her head perks up as he tells her that story - of course she's curious to hear more about him - before a softly amused huff, almost a laugh but not quite, escapes her in response. Yeah, she can only imagine how well that went down. ]

It certainly sounds like it, though I have a feeling that may not have stopped you...

[ Since look at him now. But she goes back to watching attentively, noticing how he goes through each step so that she can better see what he means. The fact he's so willing to indulge her curiosity makes her feel a little... better, about being so curious. Interests outside the Order have been few and far between since they brought her in, so she's glad he's going along with this.

Even if it's not riveting, it's something new and it's something she can use too.

Mm, I get it. So need to make sure to change the oil too... [ She nods to herself, mentally going over the last few steps; silent for a moment before she speaks up again. ]

Thank you, Blade.

[crisantemo]

[ Oh, he sang? Immediately her interest is piqued further - even if she's long since discared her own dreams of being on stage again, singing has always been such an important part of her. It was just a part she never really mentioned before. ]

You learned how to sing? When was the last time you sang? [ Let her hear you sing, Jinwoo. And then she finds herself smiling at him in return, slowly returning to her cookie monster roots as she grabs a remaining cookie from the sleeve. ]

Good, you should be confident. Now if we can just that confidence in everything else... [ She's teasing again, but she doesn't let that linger too long, her expression turning to something thoughtful.

To have something outside the Order... She would like to see that for him, even if it can't be the same as before. ]

You don't have to go on TV to act, there's other ways to go about it too.

don't think ur free of me

[eiternity]

Fear. It is a powerful force.

[Ei looks...contemplative. It's a far cry from her usual human disaster persona.]

But it's not too late to make a different choice. Not just from your past life, but from your current one. Regardless of what mistakes you may have made before, you can still make a new start.

[She shakes her head.]

If you've pinpointed the problem, that's the first step. I'm confident you will do well.

touches this again hello I live

[adtendo]

Concerned? You're welcome to be as concerned as you like, but I'm afraid it will be useless here. None of my company has followed me.

[For good or for ill. On the one hand Kafka misses--well and truly misses--the Trailblazer. Though she may not show it outwardly, there are people that are important to her.]

[On the other, the space cops are annoying, and it's nice to have freedom to move.]

Besides, there's not much that would change anyway. You and I are connected--I doubt you'd leave me for the same reason that I won't leave you.

[she cares you]

[Not that she'd ever say that out loud. Let it sound like a threat. It's much, much easier that way.]

Inconvenience is one way to put it, I suppose. Do remember, though, it's not just an inconvenience to you.

[unreachableside]

[He chuckles at that.] That's true. So you're stuck with the company you have.

[He... remembers, vaguely, someone with silver hair.]

... Perhaps you'll meet them again, too.

[He looks at her for a long moment, and then he nods, closing his eyes.]

That's right. [He knows what you're saying, Kafka. And he feels the same way, even if he didn't meet her until recently... The memories are clear. They are fond, or what passes for fondness in Blade's fucked up mara memories.]

If there was a way to get rid of it...

I would take it in an instant.

[unreachableside]

Does anything?

[He knows exactly what kind of stubborn he is.

Despite his general misanthropy, he's a surprisingly patient teacher. Maybe he doesn't dislike people at all and he's just more of an introvert with an attitude. Hard to say, but... he likes her well enough.]

Hm? Don't worry about it. Teaching you the right way saves helps me, too, if something happens. It means I don't have to worry about you showing up with a broken blade—or worse.

Better than... 'I tried sharpening my Game of Thrones replica sword with the same sharpener I use on my kitchen knives, how do I get the scratches out?'

... I'd rather have a student like you any day.

[lowestclass]

It's admittedly been a few years since I've done anything with my skills, so I'm sure I'm more than a bit rusty. [ he looks sheepish because she looks so honestly interested--a hand moving up to sort through the hairs along the back of his neck, as if it's imperative to do that right now. ] I sometimes still sing to myself while I'm doing work or something, but it's not really the same as being on stage, you know? Haha...

[ he looks offside, then back. ] Do you like to sing, too?

Elliot--someone I met on the network, mentioned there's a theatre in the city, but I'm a little nervous about just. Expecting a part in a play or something...

[miracledrug]

"Oh my."

It feels like a terrible understatement, considering all she told him. His dreams were no fantasy, but rather dire reality—even if that world was not this one.

"You've been through so much." And he doesn't even know the half of it. "I take it, then, that you are one of those people who were brought here by mysterious means?"

Unlike him, who was born in this world normally and only recently began to recover his past life's memories.

[prunedworlds]

He really doesn't know the half of it, though Ritsuka just nods at the question.

"Right. I got here a couple of months ago, actually."

Which, granted, she hasn't exactly spent a lot of time on the network, and this is her first actual visit to Vergil's shop.

"Though I've met other people here who are like you, people from this world who have memories of another life in other worlds."

[adtendo]

Stuck. Perhaps. Although it may be that they're the ones who are stuck with me.

[She says, as if anyone around her survives long enough to qualify. Outside of Silver Wolf, Blade, and the Trailblazer, the number of allies she's had survive is precious few.]

I'm aware. You wouldn't have made a deal with Elio otherwise.

[She waves her hand. This next part makes her uncomfortable, as much as anything is actually capable of making Kafka uncomfortable.]

But this place seems to exist outside of Elio's domain, as far as I can tell. Who knows? There might be a cure for your affliction here.

[unreachableside]

Even though we're not on a mission?

[If Blade has to open himself up a little, Kafka should, too.]

... That's what they keep telling me. There's someone else who got rid of his demon. The method involves going into the Spirit Realm and killing the demon there. If that fails, I die.

[He looks... nonplussed.]

As if that would faze me. If the demon stays, I'll die anyway.

I'm not dying on my knees. [Something he has in common with his past life, he supposes.]

[prontissimo]

[ Alberto, on the other hand, feels quite relieved to breech the subject in the middle of cooking – that means there's a distraction... Because when he told Bruno and Pepa, it was overwhelmingly emotional. Luisa found out more by circumstance — but even that, terrifying as it was in fact, helped Alberto feel more at ease about coming clean, once things settled down and they could talk about it. This is so much more preferable in his book than sitting down for a dedicated conversation... ooor being rained on. He seems obviously a little awkward, but like he's trying to get his dander up, taking a deep breath and forcing a wan smile to trick his own brain into believing the nonchalant act he feigns so well. ]

Ha, wrong? No. No, nothing's wrong. Heh~ Just— y'know— I guess I'm just, um— surprised Pepa didn't tell you about it. When she rained on me. And got me wet, eheh... Bruuuuno and Luisa never said anything, either, then, huh?

[crisantemo]

[ The mental image of him singing to himself while he works... It's a very cute one, enough so that she quietly giggles to herself for a moment. But at least she doesn't tease him this time, even if the gentle smile remains for a moment longer. ]

It's really not, but I would still like to hear you sing sometime. Maybe I can help you unrust a bit.

[ Though... He's asking her now? Lapis hesitates, and it's then she realizes she's... never told anyone about what she did before the Order. Only Eizen knows, and that's because he knew her for years before then. It's almost a little embarrassing, and her eyes glance to the side. ]

I do. I was... training to be a professional singer, before the Order. I played piano too, though I'm not sure if I can read sheet music anymore.

[ It's been so long since she played. But she peeks up at him when he mentions a theatre; right, she's heard about that too. ]

Don't be nervous, I'm sure they would be thrilled to have you there.

♥

[infezione]

[He nods in agreement at her comment on fear, looking down at his record again.

A new start...]

... You really think so? [It's a little surprising to hear, but it warms his heart nonetheless. It's... nice.] Thank you, Miss Ei.

[senorita_perfecta]

Uh, yeah. Neither one of them didn’t tell me anything about that moment from what I can recall. Not a single word that came from their mouths about it at all.

(She sheepishly confirms it as she gets a pot of water for the ajiaco and finishes the last of the food prep work. Even with Bruno and Luisa vanishing and Pepa disappearing and then returning, Isa notices that neither of them has told her about Alberto a sea monster at any point throughout their Kaisou and Spirit Realm adventures.)

[crisantemo]

True, I certainly can't think of anything.

[ Very few things can out stubborn this man, based on what she's seen...

And there's a moment where his words get her to perk up, before she. Finds herself chuckling softly at that example. ]

That sounds like a very specific scenario. [ But... "I'd rather have a student like you"...

Lapis hesitates, and for the first time since they met she almost seems... nervous. An idea has come to mind, but asking anything from anyone is still not something she's used to. But she pushes that back, and forces herself to ask; ]

Then would you... be alright with teaching me more? About this. I would like to learn...

[unreachableside]

[He's still sharpening the blade as he goes, mumbling a count under his breath. Eventually he flips the head again and starts on the second section. He doesn't notice that she's nervous, at least until she asks something.

He stops and glances back at her, not used to hearing hesitation in her voice.]

Really?

[... Has he had students before? He's straining to remember. Did he mentor someone... when was it? It makes his head hurt, so he doesn't push.]

You... want to learn about crafting?

[It's not disbelief so much as surprise that anyone would... want to learn from him.]

[prontissimo]

[ Her words echo the very first social lesson Alberto learned living amongst humans: weird kids have to stick together, indeed. Giulia had advised them the same, almost verbatim. It draws a wide, warm smile across his face, something soft and tender around the corners of his eyes. ]

Heh-- Yeah. I know, cara. Haha, underdogs forever, right?

[ A new rat crawls into his lap at that moment, which just widens his grin. A nice chance for a buffer -- as he always searches for in tender moments like these. He lifts the rat up in the air between them, grinning still. ]

Ha-- Right!

[ ...the rat agrees. Obviously. ]

[prontissimo]

Eheh-- well... That's a comfort, I guess.

[ He pauses slightly, not sure if he should just hit her with it or what... He's never felt so casual about admitting this, after all. He's leagues and leagues beyond the boy he was when he first started living amongst humans back home in Portorosso; so much of the apprehension he'd been trained to feel all his life has just... melted away over time... in a large part, because of the Madrigals, truth be told. It makes him smile to himself as he goes about putzing with his own meal. ]

Y'know-- my dad always used to say people talk, you know? It's nice that you guys don't do that. Even things you'd think people would prooobably wanna gossip about, hah -- you're all great at keeping secrets, I guess! Ha!

[ As much as he's trying to defuse his own nerves navigating the only big reveal he's really got up his sleeve, he does catch himself there, and turns to face Isabela earnestly. ]

I mean-- Not that we need to have any secrets. I feel like I can tell you guys everything. You and your whole family. You all get it. I mean, I feel like I could tell you anything, and you'd get it...

[ Ahem... He's clearly segueing into something. It's not subtle, fumbling or not. Odd, funny boy, through and through... ]