Un: Zodiac | Mid-Month Update

[kaisoumods]

WHO: Everyone!
WHERE: Libra App
WHEN: January 15th
WHAT: Zodiac Network Post
WARNINGS: None!

[We've reached the middle of January. The Zodiac race was a thrilling success, and the winter is still freezing. Wherever you are, your phone will give a blaring alert sound, indicating a new Zodiac post. As usual, the alert will sound even if you have your phone turned off or on silent, and will take over your phone until you read and comment to the message. The post begins like the previous one had, with notifications of peoples coming and goings]



Crito, Flat, Jusis, Ann, Minwu, and Diluc have joined the app. Say hi everyone!


Dolores, Xingqiu, Roxas, Chongyun, and Alphinaud has left the app.

[The post then continues on as normal.]

Hello. Thank you for using the Libra App.

Because you all reacted so positively to my post last month, my bosses has assigned me to write these mid-month updates from now on. Which means I have extra work now. So thanks for that.

Congratulations on everyone who completed the Zodiac race. Hope you enjoyed yourselves somehow or learned something. If any of you took a peach but decide you don't want it, Zodiac will take it off your hands for a payment that's higher than my salary. Which is depressing me just thinking about it, so let's move on.

We're aware that Jusis Albarea from the Black Order has joined the app. It was part of the deal we made with them to help deal with Professor Willow. There will probably be more of them in the future. The Order has insisted they are only here to monitor and assist in what's going on. Zodiac is not liable if any of you manage to do something that makes them decide to take you out, so try to play nice.

Anyway, my shift's over so that's it. Seeya.




This post is sponsored by Victory Road Athletics. Fulfill your new years resolution with our athletic gear. All balls on sale this week!

[Users will have the option to choose their own display names and user pics if they haven't already. If nothing is chosen, the app will use their real name and a quick photo taken of them from their camera's phone. Like always, there'll be no responses from Zodiac.]

Comments

[fiddlestick]

[FERN...]

Is it really awesome?
What if someone had a disagreement with Varian and they decided stabbing him was the best answer.

Would you like that?

[laminae]

oh that's easy
i'd stab them before they could stab V
and since i can make swords whenever i want i got the advantage

[fiddlestick]

Okay, but you're not always around Varian.

What if this happens when you're not around?

[laminae]

[Then Varian would probably get stabbed is the answer, but Fern doesn't particularly like that answer.]

he'd take care of them with his alchemy!
he wouldn't get hurt, i know he wouldn't

[fiddlestick]

Uh huh.

[Yeah, Fern is being difficult on purpose. It's time to get serious and break out the Dad lecture]

Fern, you're not a little kid. I think you know as well as I do what the real answer is.

Listen, I'm not going to say violence is never the answer.
That'd be, frankly, hypocritical of me.

But violence is not an easy answer. It has consequences.
Every time you use it, you increase the risk of violence being done back at you.
And not just you, it has a way of harming the people connected to you.
Varian, Snow, myself - we all become potential targets when you decide to use violence as a first impulse.

If that's not a consequence you're willing to accept
You really shouldn't be using violence.

Do you understand?

[laminae]

[Oh, dad lecture. Fern's gotten these before. Not from Martin or the Grassy Wizard or Gumbald, because they were all terrible father figures, but years and years ago from Joshua.

It doesn't make him happy. Far from it. Elliot isn't his dad and, more importantly, what he's saying is completely nuts. He shouldn't be using violence? He shouldn't be using violence?? He can make swords, he used to be swords, and with an incredibly comfortable feeling he's pretty sure part of him is still a sword.

So he's upset. Every single part of him, including the grass octopus whose existence the Finn part of him is repressing.]

no, YOU don't know what you're talking about
i'll protect anyone i like if people wanna hurt them
and i can handle any consequences that come my way
i don't need you to tell me i don't know what i'm doing cause i do!

[fiddlestick]

[He wishes he could say he's surprised to see Fern double down, but sadly he's not. It's a horrible reality to face, one that stomps all over Fern's perceived reality. Of course he wasn't going to accept it]

No, I know exactly what I'm talking about.
Just because you don't like it doesn't mean it's untrue.

I just pray you realize this before you have to learn it the hard way.

[laminae]

[Fern is a stubborn kid on a good day, he's even worse when it comes to difficult things like this.]

well you're wrong
i know you're wrong!!

[He's going to throw his phone against the wall or something super mature.]

text: un: trienemybest

[droptheious]

[Oh my god he turns away for five seconds. ]

Fern, calm down. Where are you? Are you home?

[laminae]

[Chaos has ensued.

Give him a minute to get his phone.]

yeah
my bedroom

[droptheious]

[The lesson here is to never step away from his phone.]

On my way.

[And so, he gets up from his own work on the peach to wander across to Fern's room, knocking before entering, his brow lined with worry.]

Hey.

[laminae]

[He's sitting on his bed, his phone in his hands, scowling away.]

That teacher is wrong.

[droptheious]

Fern.

[It's said gently as Varian crosses the room- after a brief moment of awkward hesitation, he moves to sit on the bed next to his boyfriend. He reaches out, resting a hand on Fern's arm carefully.]

Elliot wasn't saying it to hurt you, you-you know that, right? [He rubs his hand gently on Fern's arm, ruffling the grass there a little- trying to comfort him because he knows this won't go down well.] And...hear me out on this, but he's not...completely wrong.

[laminae]

[Fern huffs, but leans over until he's resting against Varian's shoulder. Unsurprisingly, he's very, very unhappy, and he sounds aghast at what his boyfriend says.]

Yeah he is! Why are you defending him when he was talking about you getting hurt??

[Wow wow, Varian should be on his side regardless of whether Elliot is right.]

[droptheious]

[When Fern leans over to rest on his shoulder, Varian shifts his arm to wind around his boyfriend's waist. ]

Because I can be hurt here, Fern. I mean, I've been really lucky so far, but I've had more than a few near misses. We all have.

[He heaves out a soft sigh, sorry boyfriendo.]

I-I think what Elliot was trying to say is that we can't guarantee that any of us are completely safe. Not with how unpredictable the realms are. And even if we never went into them, there's nothing stopping things from the spirit realm leaking out into this world.

[laminae]

[The physical comfort helps a lot and keeps him from erupting into a bout of emotional volatility that entails him breaking stuff.]

They weren't - [He hesitates here, because Varian is right but he's doing his damnedest to not admit it.] - They weren't near misses....

[And then he falls silent for several long moments.]

....

I don't wanna think about you dying.

[droptheious]

I know you don't.

[He gives Fern a gentle, one-armed squeeze.]

I don't wanna think about you dying, either. And I know it's scary, but it's... well, it's something we can't avoid. There's always a chance you won't be fast enough or strong enough to save me or I won't be smart enough to save you. We can't do anything about that.

[He tries to keep his tone level, because it IS a scary thing to face, but pretending it's impossible won't help, either.]

I think that's what Elliot was trying to say. It's- it's a problem we can't solve by stabbing or being smart or...anything. We can do the best we can, but it's not always gonna be in our control.

[laminae]

You were my first friend here. You were my first friend, period, that's just mine. Not... mine and Finn's. Or even just Finn's.

[Which automatically makes Varian the most important person in this entire realm. He blushes a little, green, his voice trembling.]

And we're dating and everything - [Obviously.]

I just don't like the wellbeing of someone so important to me being outta my control. My whole life has been like that, some stupid thing happening that's out of my control, over and over again. There's gotta be something we can do for once for it to just - not be like that.

[droptheious]

[What Fern has to say really does mean the world to him. It makes his heart feel full and tight and ache all at the same time. He pulls Fern into a hug proper- he feels his boyfriend needs it. One hand moves up to Fern's hair, fingers brushing through it in a soothing motion. ]

And I'll always be that, Fern. Yours. Just yours. Nothing's ever gonna change that.

[Mine the wolf lurking in the back of his brain pushes through into consciousness. ]

And I know how that feels, too. Just- just trying so hard and things still not being how I want them to be. Always just...messing up. I think we're always gonna have to deal with that. But the important thing here is that we can deal with them together, okay? This stuff is out of our control, but we can face whatever comes from any of this together. Neither of us has to be alone.

[laminae]

[The hug is greatly appreciated after pouring his heart out, and Fern is quick to return it. He clings, not wanting to let go. It's reassuring to hear Varian be just as possessive, too - it isn't healthy, but it is what it is. Varian is unique to him, not Finn, and that's so, so important to him.]

Y... yeah. Together. [He's right. It isn't just him dealing with a whole life that's been nothing but out of control, it's the two of them together.] I'm never gonna leave you, okay? Not if I can help it. You're right, no matter what happens it'll be the two of us facing it all down.

[fiddlestick]

[Since Varian jumped in, he's going just leave this on Read.

That sure went as well as a trainwreck!]

text: un: trienemybest

[droptheious]

[He knows Elliot is pretty damn right on this one and definitely doesn't deserve all the anger directed at him, so:]

I'm sorry about that. I'm gonna talk to him.

un: ecraig

[fiddlestick]

[Aww, Varian.]

It's alright. I'm sorry for causing him distress.

But...yeah, you talking to him is probably a better idea right now.

[Fern definitely needs a breather and a boyfriend]

[droptheious]

I'll try to calm him down. You didn't say anything wrong, he just... [is a mess of anger and abandonment who's learned the only way to deal with anything is by stabbing it] it's complicated. Thanks for trying.

[fiddlestick]

It's fine, I understand.
Good luck.

[Yeah he's just going to leave this for Varian, even if he does feel bad doing so]