aftr_stories | [MU] - DECEMBER STORYTELLING / MEMORY SHARE

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.

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No. [The bookmark was probably the only thing they ever made out of them that was... akin, to such a thing. But they do brighten, at least slightly, as they think of what they did make.]

Those flowers are known as Echo flowers. And the place they come from is rich with magic- we were using different types of magic to see what kept them alive better, and experimenting with how the flowers could be used, from there.

[They also organized a few attacks in the middle of a war-- but details.]

[Flowers are important to her for many reasons. They're pretty to look at, a source of comfort when they're tucked away in your hair, and keep you safe through powers she doesn't understand.

To get a special present like that, as a reminder of a time they spent among those safe plants, must make them happy. She doesn't know a thing about magic outside of what others have shown her, but there's one magic lesson she took to heart and seems eager to share now.]

I know magic. It's called a 'coin trick'.

[AKA shoving a rock into her sleeve because she can't move fast enough for the actual trick. Whatever.]

If I find those pretty flowers, I'll keep them alive too. They'll bloom with that kind of magic.

I'm sure you'd do very well at it, too. [They laugh, but it's a soft, almost pleasant sound. Ren focuses on the simplest aspect of the tale, and they allow it- throwing themself wholeheartedly into the distraction, in fact.

Even if it does very little to steal the tension from their shoulders.]

But I doubt you'll find them here. They need dark spaces to thrive- these islands are too sunny.

Perhaps one day I may show you one anyway.

[The laughter is welcome and it brings a smile to Ren's face. Talking about flowers and magic-it eases their expression, even if they don't look fully relaxed. For Kidwun's sake, she's going to master this trick for the echo flowers that may or may not be here in the future. The more people who know ~~**magic**~~ to keep them alive, the better. ]

Okay. I'll find a dark place to hide that flower.

[The 'perhaps' in that statement doesn't deter her one bit. If they manage to get one, she'll find a good place to hide it!! The island is sunny though. She'll have to keep her raccoon eyes peeled for a decent spot from now on.]

When your friend finds you, you can play in those pretty flowers together. That'll make you smile.

[It-- becomes harder to keep the smile on their lips, at that. When Rin finds them.]

For her sake, I hope she doesn't. She... had things she needed to do.

[And the nonexistent memory of a child hardly matters in the wake of her extensive ambitions. To study in London, a mage. A good one, they have no doubt, with no inspiration of political power, but

She was always one of the most powerful people they'd ever known.]

[I hope she doesn't isn't registering. The memory isn't hers, but it's fresh enough that she's can easily recall their happy expressions, the child's smile, the exchange of a special treasure. It's a testament to their kindness to give up that source of comfort-the thought of a friend coming to look for them-because they know there's something else she needs to do. She sort of understands, in a way.

Even if the bigger picture of their friendship is something she can't fully grasp. To her, it's simple. Two people happy in each other's presence should be together. In the same world, the same house-they should keep hold of that warmth. Ren has thought don't find me a few times in her short life and only once was it toward a friend-to protect a boy she cared for.

But he still found her. No matter how many times she ran, he managed to do what she thought impossible.

And she can't help to wonder if it's the same for them on-to protect their friend from some unknown. Maybe, maybe not, but it doesn't stop her from hoping their friend arrives.]

People like that will find you. I think that's something they 'need to do' sometimes. They follow the sound of your heart so they can smile at you.

[So for this child's sake, no matter how many other places this friend of theirs has to conquer, she hopes they stop by to smile at them. Just once.]

I hope she does that for Kidwun.

[When she speaks like this, it's so clear... how little she has experienced when it comes to social interactions. They have to wonder how someone like her could go through life without having to part with someone, constantly holding faith in meeting them again. It's naive, and inevitably, it will hurt her.

But they don't attempt to correct her. Chara doesn't explain that they don't wish to be found- that Rin belongs to a part of their life that's no longer theirs, anymore. A nonexistent camaraderie that cannot be regained.

They could. But they don't.]

I'm sure if she did, she'd enjoy your company.

[And immediately join them in being completely mystified by her innocence.]

[The thought of meeting someone new-someone that knows how to make flowers into beautiful presents for the people they care about-doesn't fill her with fear like it normally does. She's excited. Happy. And she tries to memorize this girl's face-her outfit-anything she can from that vision. When she looks for Seto among the new arrivals, she can try to spot this girl too and take her right to Kidwun's small shack should she appear.]

I want to meet the people that make Kidwun smile.

[Which is to say, sign her up..]

We can wait for her together.

[If they only knew she intended to lead Rin right to their doorstep, perhaps they'd be inclined to ask her not to.

As it stands... they don't deny her this much. For as horrid as it is, to be forced to witness all the things that aren't theirs to have, anymore- friendships, gifts- Ren may as well find something to smile about, in all this.

So they simply nod, wordless, and look at the empty space where Rin had been sitting down beside them.

They're sorry, Rin. But they truly do hope they never see you again.]

[It's hard to place how they're feeling with only a nod, though she takes it to mean they're okay for now. Without words, without any indication of how their heart truly feels about it-that's all she can go on.

And so she doesn't say anything else, letting them hide in the silence and-

If they let her, she reaches out to hold their hand. It won't fill the void their missing friend left, but it's something.]

[MU] - DECEMBER STORYTELLING / MEMORY SHARE

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