[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

[achievementhunter]

[How is that even remotely okay? It's understandable, when they look back upon their own life, to understand how things unraveled in the manner they did. Because something in them has always been inherently Wrong, unseen but felt in a way that caused people to respond in ways they wouldn't, when faced with a true innocent.

Like Ren. Like this child, who is nothing like them, but who faced situations that seem uncomfortably familiar to what they had known.

And they don't like it.]

Perhaps. But in knowing of it, I can ensure that it will never be like that again.

[It won't. They refuse to consider Ren being treated like a lab rat- in the past and now. Anyone willing to disagree would find their response..rather cutting.]

[catpiper]

[She doesn't open her mouth to ask the how that's on the tip of her tongue.

Because in the end, it doesn't change anything.

If they came here-if people in white lab coats managed to arrive and spot her. She doesn't know if they would try another test. They would lock her up for the good of the project, even if she was never good enough. They found another girl. A stronger child. They didn't want to use her, because her heart was weak, maybe. Because something in her is bad.

And she doesn't know what they look for in the kids they pulled out of schools, out of homes and away from families. She has no idea, but a small, terrified part of her thinks they see something beautiful. Something worth connecting to every heart in the world. Something that can bind them together-to reach whatever goal they had set out to do.

They would look to Kidwun and think that's a beautiful heart and that's a brave child. The doctors and scientists would sweep them up in a heartbeat and that thought terrifies her more than the memory itself. Her words come out quick, trembling and-]

You have to hide. If they see you-that's what you have to do.

[Fear surges through her at even the slightest possibility of their ghosts returning. If Shin-]

If that happens again-

[She's not strong or brave-not like Seto, who could easily save them from that fate.]

Someone like me can deal with that kind of thing. Kidwun has to hide.

[achievementhunter]

No.

[It is not what she wants to hear, and yet, Chara does not attempt to curve their response into something more palatable. It's instantaneous, blunt, said with a tone that makes clear they won't be considering it as they meet her gaze evenly.]

There is nothing those people can do to me that I would not return threefold. I have done my running. I will do no more.

Nor will I allow you to bear the brunt of such a thing.

[They were never an innocent victim. Everything that has occurred in their life has been well deserved, but that would never stop them from returning to the world the pain, suffering, and judgment it has deemed to force upon them, at every turn.

Nor would it stop them from ensuring the very few people who do not deserve such things remain protected from them.]

[catpiper]

[She doesn't know what they had to run from-from people or ghosts or whatever terrifying creature their world had, but she can barely meet their eye. Those bold declarations, even the confident way they hold themself, it doesn't come naturally to her. She can't understand it and wants to protest-wants to say anything to get them to say you're right, I'll hide. But they're the kind of person that doesn't mind venturing into manapools, even if it might hurt them. They're brave. Incredibly brave.]

Your heart is strong. It shines.

[Even if she can't see anymore, they remind her so much of Seto in that moment that it's impossible to think otherwise. Their heart is like Seto's. And if she were stronger, she'd continue fighting for their safety. If parts of her weren't cowardly and weak-if she weren't the type of person to hide behind a boy, letting him solve the problems she couldn't figure out how to deal with on her own, then she would keep begging them to hide.

She desperately wants them to run away. To not offer things like that to her. To worry about themself because she isn't strong enough to push away their help. There's comfort in their resolve and she's going to take it and hide and rely on the protection of a child smaller than her-

Again.]

If it gets scary again-if it's like that, I'll find Kidwun.

[achievementhunter]

[It is in this moment that Chara resolves to themself- she will learn how to fight for herself. If this-- if these memories are what it means, to hide. To run, then they will continue to guide her. They will put a knife in her hand, and show her how to hold it steady. To stand and face instead of turn and seek out the shadows, because self-preservation means so very, very little, when you finally have the chance to fight your demons.

Perhaps it is not the best of intentions. But it is an intention, nonetheless.]

It has nothing to do with my heart.

[That thing is more rotten than their SOUL. Easily dismissed with a wave of their hand and another, terse pursing of their lips, anger still simmering close to the surface.]

Please do so. If it's like that- I will ensure that it ceases to be so. Permanently.

[catpiper]

[It does. They may not be able to see that, but she can with or without her power. It's what she's good at-why she was born, even if that minuscule, meaningless ability did very little here. Even if this is the first time she's been able to see how the hearts of others are supposed to be with her own two eyes. How could she not look at them and see it shine after their offer? It's not something another kid should have to do. Maybe if her heart had the same kind of glimmer theirs had-

No, it definitely shines. And she stares at them, as if trying to prove it by looking into their eyes. But it does nothing. I wish you could see it too is all she thinks. It's like Murasaki. Like Seto and Taako and Lup and Drifter and Guzma-their hearts are incredibly pretty.

Kidwun's permanently makes her think they might stop the doctors by using their words as a weapon to end it. They seem good at that. And because of that kind offer, she tries to figure out a way to put a smile on their face. A real one that's not meant to cover up something she's not supposed to see. ]

Do you want to find a loud surprise?

[She hates this, but. Whatever.]

We can look for one and play with it. You won't be mad anymore if we do that.

[achievementhunter]

[They're still upsetting her, and right now, there's nothing they can do about her past. Prepare for it, should it ever encroach upon her present- but that was a thing to conduct in private, another problem to steal their mind away as they stare sightlessly at the roof of the shack as Frisk slumbers next to them.

So they reach out, bridge the remaining gap from where her hands had faltered in reaching for them, and thread their fingers in hers.]

How about something we both enjoy? When we're awake... you could help me with the flowers.

[catpiper]

[The mention of flowers, the feeling of their hand threading with hers-it's enough to make her visibly relax. She can't deny it would be far more enjoyable to spend time with them among the flowers instead of being around the chaotic noises that burst through the caves with their special surprise.

And it's calming to think about flowers. Easier to picture them than think about someone's anger or white coats in a lonely room and she grasps their hand a bit tighter.]

Can I put them in your pretty hair?

[achievementhunter]

[Their pretty hair what the fuck Ren.]

[achievementhunter]

...I suppose. If that's what you want.

[No comment on the pretty hair thing. None whatsoever. But they give her hand a squeeze as they purposefully look anywhere else because hey hi what is dealing with compliments in a normal, healthy manner????

So long as she's happy, Chara supposes.]

[catpiper]

[That is what she wants and it does make her happy. Distractions are great, apparently. She doesn't have to think about any of the bad memories from before or how pathetically she pushed her problems to yet another child. Nope. She's happy with this outcome. She'll decorate them with so many beautiful flowers and while it won't compare to the beauty they hold in their heart, she hopes it come close.

Flowers make pretty things prettier after all. That's what Lup said.

And she doesn't say another word, only smiles and begins to swing their hands between them. Nice. She can't wait to wake up.]