Hijinks Mingle

[potentite]

Who: Everyone!
Where: Anywhere around the hub!
When: Days 103-105
Open/Closed: Open mingle!
Notes: See this post for details on the moon prompt and this one for the telepathy/dream/spirit prompts!



[A | Flower Gleam and Glow]
[The nearby moon is still passing close to the hub island, meaning the effects are still in play. Perhaps now is the time to stop and smell the large lit up sparkling moonflowers that have bloomed? Or be annoyed by the mosquito-like insects that came with them.

Alternatively, the deer seem to draw some sort of energy from the moon's light. Given their size, at least their sudden aggression and proximity to the base camp isn't the worst thing in the world but a kick would still break a rib or other bone so be careful! Possibly help each other deal with these cute but troublesome fauna.]



[B | Eavesdropping]
[For some reason, the telepathy will suddenly get rather wonky. Characters won't know why it's happening, though of course no doubt there will be ponderings, but it means characters won't be in control of their ability to broadcast — or more specifically, not broadcast — their thoughts. Time to find out secrets of an embarrassing nature. Or maybe something sadder is going on in your character's head.

If this wasn't bad enough, the area around the signet might experience burning or tingling. Just try to keep a lid on your brain for the day and distract yourself from any annoying pain.]



[C | Talking In Your Sleep]
[Or maybe your character just doesn't have the most interesting thoughts. Maybe they're busy thinking about pie instead of their upsetting childhood. That's fair. Pie is great.

But surely sometimes it haunts their dreams. With the telepathy running amuck, it's no wonder dreams and nightmares are leaking through, too. Of course, it doesn't have to be an accident. Feel free to grab a friend and share a fanciful dreamscape together on purpose! But for those nuts that are tougher to crack, accidents can and will happen.]



[D | Who You Gonna Call]
[Last but not least, as Friday rolls around, there seems to be something odd going on with the island. If your character is inclined towards the spiritual or supernatural, they'll no doubt notice the strange heavy thickness hanging around. There are whispers in the air and all of new energy just feels solemn. Might be good to give people a heads up and keep an eye on it.]

Comments

[thatdamnknight]

b.

[your thoughts are suddenly intruded upon by what sounds like someone musing to themselves about cooking. it's hardly a fascinating subject or topic. not worth a second listen, right?

or is it? what ought to be a dull train of thought ends up downright horrifying.]

...with pork. If pork brownies are feasible then maybe pork cupcakes would work? Or a pork cake? Most cakes call for some vanilla so I'd probably have to increase the amount from a teaspoon to a tablespoon's worth to balance the flavor. Or a cup of it? Yeah, a cup just to be safe. Maybe I should add something else to give it a proper kick... Some gravy mixed in with the frosting, perhaps? Or even curry? A strawberry-curry frosting...

[the worst part about this illogical cooking train of thought? it sounds dead serious.]

c.

[the landscape is that of a desert oasis at night. a soft, if warm breeze blows as fireworks go off in the background. everyone in the town looks to be celebrating a liberation from a tyrant knight captain. what a happy atmosphere!

not everyone indulges in the festivities. sitting alone at the edge of a lake in the center of town is flynn, staring up the sky. his expression is more forlorn than usual. whoever comes by receives a brief glance before he turns back toward the sky.]

What do you do if you fail the people care about? What if the people you care about fail you? What if someone you respected betrays your trust? What if you're the one who ends up betraying others' trust?

[he breathes a heavy sigh before speaking once more.]

What if all of those apply to you? What do you do then?

c

[rootbound]

[their dreams have blended a little, so Vern doesn't quite appear as himself here; just a human shape, shadowy and blurred and stretched too long. his voice is the same, though, as is the slightly alarmed, defensive tone from the last time they spoke at the meeting]

Gods, why are you even asking me? Try someone who can sort out feelings and morality without falling in a thornbush in the process, oh righteous one.

[flynn may have left a bit of an impression.]

[thatdamnknight]

[what an impression to make! but that's fine. he promised to prove himself through actions and not words, which hasn't had a chance to happen just yet. although, flynn can't help but wonder what vern is doing in this city but shakes it off. that doesn't seem like a relevant fact right now.]

I'm honestly not that righteou-- [wait wait, back up. dream flynn tilts his curiously as what vern said finally registers.] You fell in a thornbush while sorting out your feelings?

[rootbound]

[his voice goes up into an angry squeak]

A metaphorical thornbush! G-go back to your first thought!

b

[talim]

[ oh no. oh no. jude mathis isn't trapped in a dream... he's trapped in a nightmare. ]

Flynn...

[ he slooowly shakes his head. ]

I'm sorry. I hate to break it to you, but... not one thing about this recipe has a right to exist. Nothing. No pork cake. No strawberry curry. None of it.

[thatdamnknight]

[oh jude? he... he hadn't meant to broadcast that. oh well, that's fine. getting input from others on cooking never hurts! although, the feedback is less positive than flynn expected. were none of those good ideas? how odd, all of them felt like proper improvisions.]

Really? It all sounded good in theory. [he hums softly, if thoughtfully.] Would beef serve better as an ingredient in a cake, you think? And what about a blueberry curry frosting instead?

[those sound better maybe?]

[talim]

No. Beef is worse. Blueberries won't save it. There should be no meat or curry involved when baking a cake.

[ jude hates to do this, he truly does, but... someone has to. better that it comes from him before someone ends up sick to their stomach. the last thing he wants to do is hurt flynn's feelings. he'll be gentle. ]

Can I just be honest with you for a sec?

[ jude looks pensive, chewing at his lip before taking a deep breath and pressing on without waiting for an answer. ]

Your baking skills... well. They need some work.

[ cringe. ]

b

[imsorey]

[while not all of the mentally suggested food combinations sound appetizing, Sorey finds himself listening with interest. a few seem promising enough. what's the worst that could happen?

besides, strawberry-curry frosting sounds amazing.]

I hope you're not planning to make all of that at once. You've got to pace yourself.

[thatdamnknight]

[ah, a kindred spirit in cooking! flynn also appreciates the concern about making so much food in one go.]

No, of course not. I was just tossing around ideas about what I could make next the next time I have all the available ingredients.

[and even if he did make so much, of course he'd share the food with everyone else! sharing is caring, as they say.]

[imsorey]

[Flynn is such a thoughtful guy! he can't help but be impressed by his forethought; Sorey could never plan such an innovative meal ahead of time.]

How about you cut down on the ingredients needed so that you can make something like that sooner? Like instead of making a strawberry-curry flavor, you can substitute the curry for...hmm, tomato sauce or hot sauce? It saves you from having to make the curry too.

b

[neatlytuned]

Uh... are you thinking up food that can double as torture devices or something?

[Because there's no way someone could think those are good ideas to eat willingly, could there?

[thatdamnknight]

[the very suggestion completely takes flynn off guard. torture devices?! why would anyone ask such an outlandish question!]

O-of course not! Why would you assume I'd be doing such a thing?!

[neatlytuned]

Those don't exactly sound like they're safe to eat. Why else would you want to make stuff like that?

b

[alphonse]

I see. You're trying to beat the telepathy by thinking of the worst recipe possible.

[thatdamnknight]

[......]

N... no, I was trying to come up with a recipe to try out later. [hence why that comment stings, al.] Does it really sound that terrible?

[does he sound like a kicked puppy? just a little.]

[wingfic]

[Tara-Fay's eyes go wide as she looks around at the unfamiliar landscape--she's never been in a real desert-y area before, nor really seen fireworks. She's still glancing around her as she comes up to Flynn, who . . . starts monologuing?]

Uh. What are you talking about?

[thatdamnknight]

[oh, it's the woman from that horrible string incident. huh, why is she in mantiac? whatever the reason, she's here and flynn accepts it as fact. nothing about her being here feels odd so no point in dwelling on it.]

About what I should do next. I keep trying to figure things out --trying to answer those questions-- and I keep hitting a wall every time.

b.

[secondadvent]

[ ...Pork cupcakes? Strawberry curry? What the... ]

Forgive my bluntness, but that sounds disgusting.

[thatdamnknight]

[diguesting? really?? how odd...]

Does it really? None of that sounded offputting to me.

C

[spaceforged]

That's a lot of heavy questions at once. [Yet he gives it some thought as he sits down on the sand. Shiro stares up at the sky, studying the difference in the stars.]

I'd start with looking at what can be fixed. What happened can't be changed the only thing to do is to move forward.

Are they people who would help you do that?

[thatdamnknight]

[his mysterious company raises a solid point. the past can't be changed and he knows it. to rely on other people to help him past it... flynn can't bring himself to do that.]

They are, but I don't feel like burdening them with my problems. It feels like I do that too much as is.

[as a knight, flynn should be the one shouldering other people's troubles and not the other way around.]

b

[sopherias]

[ Sophie is completely unfazed by the line of thought of supposedly bizarre recipes. No one's really told her what would be considered a normal dish and what wouldn't be. ]

You're a cook?

[ Cheria isn't here to cook.... someone needs to feed her... ]

[thatdamnknight]

No, I'm a knight by trade, but I enjoy cooking whenever the opportunity arises.

[especially when cooking involves cooking for others! there's nothing better than seeing the happy faces of your friends eating the food that you made!]

c

[presomnio]

Uhm... [ despite herself, Homura shrinks in on herself a little, and her gaze flits nervously around at their surroundings. that's... rather heavy, isn't it? it can't be meant for her, he must be addressing someone he knows, but— there's no one else he can be asking...

and all the questions ring true. ]

In order, I think...? You make... you make yourself be stronger, so you can keep trying. You have to keep trying. Be— because if you give up, then the only thing you can do is fail. And if they fail you, then you... accept it. If you don't rely on them, then they can't let you down. I, um... I think that applies for the trust question too...

A... and, then if you end up betraying them... then it's okay, because they betrayed you first.

[thatdamnknight]

[those are good answers to his questions. whoever this girl is, she's got a good head on her shoulders. flynn nods along lightly upon hearing the bit about growing stronger and keeping on trying. right. giving up only leads to failure whereas trying means a chance of succeeding exists. ...and how if you don't rely on people then they can't let you down. a good point, if one that can be applied in the reverse. if he grows stronger and relies only on himself then he won't fail those he cares about.

the bit about betrayal is where his agreement with her words ends. it's okay because they did it first? two wrongs seldom make a right and surely that applies to betrayals. flynn frowns at her.]

...Can it really be okay? [that frown deepens as he turns his gaze back toward the lake.] What if they had a good reason for betraying your trust whereas your own reason was foolish at best?