[MU] - DECEMBER STORYTELLING / MEMORY SHARE

[lifeaftr_mods]

Something is wrong.

This may not very well be obvious, at first. The Storyteller is not present to put forth yet another diatribe, informative or apologetic, and the backdrop of guttering flame and sandy campfire is as present as ever...albeit briefly.



Those who tell their stories will start to notice something...odd taking place. Indeed, no matter how they intend to begin their tale, the land of Mu will immediately start to warp to accommodate it, or something utterly unlike it, until storytellers and listeners alike may find themselves in an exact recreation of a seemingly random memory, in the most stark and painstaking of detail. There is no altering the memory, nor is there any preventing it once it's begun to play - you will simply have to witness memories that are not your own this go around.

Furthermore, stories that take place in worlds other than LifeAftr will be, frankly, inevitable. Those memories, too, will be recreated, to be relived by the teller and lived by the listener.

---

It is time, once more, for you to tell a story...with a slight twist! This is, in fact, our first player plot, as provided by Dragon! The initial setting will be familiar for oldcomers, and newcomers will recognize it from the introduction they received in their dreams.

Yet for this Storytelling only, people can imagine whatever stories they wish, from both their homes and their time on LifeAftr, as long as they don't mind the fact that others will be reliving those stories in the form of an impromptu memory share.

Even those who prefer not to voice their stories aloud are not safe this time around. If the memory is recalled in essence, Mu will shift to accommodate it in full.

There is, however, a benefit to this: those who venture memories to be relived will receive both a befuddled apology from the Storyteller, who will assert that this was most definitely not meant to happen (they're the Storyteller, not the Rememberer!), as well as a tired promise that the relived memories will be worth two offerings each, as if in compensation.

Not that it counts for much, probably.

Comments

[power_of_dominance]

[Maybe Ignis can't see it, but Soma huddles in on himself, arms crossed in a protective self-embrace as if he's chilled. He swallows a few times, fighting for the words, fighting down a disquieting sense of nausea. He never wanted to upset his friend. Seeing Ignis this rattled and knowing he's the cause tightens his throat, not with his earlier self-hatred but with regret.]

I'm sorry....

[The words, choked and soft, betray the tears Soma refuses to shed. His friends back on his world fought for him, but not with this sort of fervor. Ignis has enough trouble in his life, he doesn't need to be worried about some emotionally unstable teenager.]

Please calm down, I hate to see you like this.

[shatteredlenses]

Good! Then you know how I feel when I see you like that!

[The words shove their way out of Ignis' mouth before he can stop them, but right afterward he snaps his mouth shut so hard his jaw aches, turning his face away from Soma and stepping back slightly. He would have to be both blind and deaf to not hear the change in the young man's voice. He would have to be a lot more stupid than he is not to imagine Soma cringing away from his anger.

Bloody, Ifrit-damned hell, he wanted Soma to stop tearing himself apart, but he didn't want this.]

Soma, I...

[Shame clearly colors the soft words. Ignis' wants to reach out to him, but he doesn't dare right now. What if the young man pulls away? He's not sure he could stand it.]

I shouldn't have... I just care so...

[Astrals, he's just as bad as Gladio, isn't he? Bottle up the emotion, but never deal with it. Not even when it finally bursts free and hurts all the wrong people.]

I just don't want you to suffer alone when I'm right here.

[power_of_dominance]

And I don't want anyone to suffer with me. It's bad enough when it's just me, sharing the pain doesn't make me feel better.

[He'd bottle it like he always has, but now that only puts him at risk for exploding into a pure, unrepentant monster with no chance of returning to who he is now. He has to let the pressure on his heart and head ease, and that means letting others shoulder some of his pain.]

You don't have to apologize for snapping. I know you're frustrated. But I don't want you to fall apart because you're trying to deal with my crap and your own at the same time. Knowing you care that much, though? It's....

[What is it? What makes the thought of someone caring that much feel so different this time? It's not like Mina fighting through her fear of him to offer him support. It's not like strangers becoming friends who care about his safety. Ignis has no fear of him, and whether that's ignorance, bravado, or something else isn't something Soma knows. This is new and different, and it's more than a little scary.]

I don't understand.

[shatteredlenses]

[Ignis' lips press into a thin line and he turns his head away slightly as if he wants to hide the frustration and confusion on his face now that he's been called on it. He's always helped to carry other's burdens and their pain. How is he suppose to help when he isn't allowed to do that?

A feeling of helplessness begins to creep along the edges of his mind and unconsciously, Ignis shifts his arms to wrap them around himself. If Soma doesn't understand and he doesn't understand, then what are they suppose to do? How do they go forward and heal?

He takes a deep breath and then turns his face back toward Soma.]

I don't understand either.

[His voice is hesitant. Ignis hates admitting he doesn't know or understand something, but this is all so new to him. Still, they can't just stay still. They have to move forward.

Slowly, he reaches out toward Soma.]

May I hug you?

[It won't solve their problems, but it will bring them together and as long as they stick together, they will eventually figure things out. Ignis has faith in that.]

[power_of_dominance]

[Soma hesitates, but only for a second or two. He steps into the bounds of Ignis's outstretched arms, first laying a hand over the man's side, just above his waist. I'm here, the touch says, I didn't run away, I just need a moment. The teen takes a slow, deep breath and presses closer, both arms slipping around Ignis, the breath released in a rushing sigh. He's shivering a little, not from cold but from how hard his heart is beating. Can Ignis feel it, because it's so fast and forceful it's like bird's wings fluttering against Soma's ribs.]

Nobody's done this in a long time.

[shatteredlenses]

[As soon as Soma steps into the embrace, Ignis' arms wrap around him, one hand resting against his back near the waist and the other drifting lightly over his hair before coming to rest at the back of his head. There is an instant where he thinks he feels Soma's heart beating rapidly, but with his own heart also beating faster than usual he can't be certain.

Ignis tilts his head against Soma's, words soft when he finally speaks.]

I will just have to make up for that and it will be their loss.