[They'd indulged, to a certain extent. One necessity, and one non-necessity. But nonetheless, it would be of use.]
[They'd taken care to divide the bag of rock candy in two - there was one other child who needed its contents, they suspected. It took some work to track her down, but based on what she'd said about where she lived, and with whom, they'd managed to locate it.]
[The gift is then left nearby, at E6 - carefully tied around a tree trunk to keep any predators or thieves from running off with the present, with a flower pinned to the outside of the bag.]
[Other than that, there are no indications as to whom the gift may have come from.]
[One evening on Ren's spot in the hippie elf palace, there is a sea glass bracelet with a lil seashell clasp that Lup managed to Fabricate. Looks like those treasure identifying lessons are starting to take!]
[It's been a few days. Enough time to think, about everything -- and thinking is something Ichimatsu tends to be so good at, he can't stop. Maybe that's what had led him to make that stupid request, like there wasn't a better way to spend it.]
[This morning he woke to one of his oldest, most loyal friends, snoozing on his chest. And he knew right away that he'd made a mistake.]
[He had no business bringing ESP Kitty here, when just a few days ago, everyone had lived through a hell that proved just how dangerous this place was. These islands aren't safe for him; Ichimatsu must have been delusional to think otherwise. Even as he sat in the morning silence of his brothers' snoozing, gently carding his fingers through ESP's bright orange fur, he'd beaten back the safe feeling of familiarity to let his mind race. What should he do... ?]
[The answer, of course, was obvious. There was someone who needed to feel safe far more than Ichimatsu did. Someone kinder, who could keep ESP out of trouble with all her knowledge of hiding places. Someone all alone, still waiting for her friend -- still trying to learn how to grass-whistle, so she can show him if he ever does come for her.]
[It's a very easy choice. Even if it isn't the easiest one to put into action.]
[Regardless, Ren will find Ichimatsu where she usually does: on the slope of sand and grass tumbling into the ocean just north of the Matsuno cottage, facing the morning tide. With his back to her, it's likely difficult to see what he's doing -- but his head is bowed, and his elbow moves languidly, as though he's got something in his lap.]
[It doesn't matter their meetings are relatively frequent. After that attack, seeing him ruffled up in the middle of a battlefield, there's always a fear in the back of her mind he might not be lazing about on that sunny hill. She doesn't worry about ghosts nabbing him anymore, but that lingering monkey threat and her fear of them still remains. She wasn't tense by any means, but her shoulders relax all the same when he comes into view and she walks a little faster to get to him.
That's when she starts to notice something out of place. At first she thought he might be napping, but his arm is moving? Strange. She doesn't see anything yet and can't make out what might be in his arms with her view blocked like this.
When she moves within a few feet of him, she decides to call out-]
[It feels a bit out of place, giving a Christmas gift to someone outside of his family or a childhood friend. That's exactly why Ichimatsu doesn't want to make a big deal out of it.]
[That, and the fact that he knows he really shouldn't be sticking around here too long. He shouldn't technically know this place exists. That's why, on the evening of the 25th, Ichimatsu quickly drifts through the twins' campsite -- hands shoved in his pockets, looking vaguely around, but mostly making a beeline for the tent. When he draws his hands out of his hoodie, it's to jam something through the tent flap -- at first.]
[Then he feels a familiar rubbing at his shin.]
[Ichimatsu pauses. He crouches down with a small smile, running his hand over ESP Kitty's ears. Then he hands an aged photograph to his old friend, who takes it in his small kitty mouth.]
Right, right. I'll leave it to you then. Thanks.
[Another quick stroke down ESP Kitty's back, all the way to the tip of his tail. And then Ichimatsu rises to his feet and leaves.]
[The next time Ren sees ESP Kitty, he'll deposit the photograph squarely in her hands. The front is faded and water-damaged far beyond legibility, but seems like it might have once been a photo of six kids -- either way, it's been scrawled over in charcoal with a message.]
[Happy Xmas.]
[Flipping the photo over will reveal a simple, carefully smudged charcoal drawing.]
[It's been a while since he got what he requested - two special items, one left on Luna's pillow, wrapped up with palm leaves and braided rope from coconut fibers - but he's had a hard time delivering the other one. He, uh...never really thought about the fact that he has no idea where Ren actually lives, or with whom. He...really doesn't want to just leave the thing lying around, either, considering it's a pretty special gift, but...ugh. He has to actually give it to her, next time she stops by.
Ugh...
At least he won't have to wait long, though. Guzma's finishing up patching his roof - it's almost done, thank god - and hops down easily, brushing his shoulders off and cracking his back. Arcues, but he has to start getting wood, too. Has it been getting colder, lately? Like...really cold? He's been sniffling and shaking like heck, using up all those extra blankets Drifter got for him on just his own hammock. He's up to three now... At least working hard build up a good sweat, but still. His skin is biting cold, and it sucks.
Maybe he should put a message on that rock thing? Would she see it? Mm...maybe.]
[The nice thing about raccoon children with no valuable skills to offer is they have free time out the wazoo. And this particular gremlin likes to spend her days visiting choice homes to doodle on. Nice.
And guess what? The next lucky home on her heathen to-do list happens to belong to Guzma and when she sees him outside the home, she quickens her pace to meet him there. Sup guy!!]
[Hello there, sweet Ren. A surprise is awaiting you when you get home- tucked close by where she sleeps, the folded piece of clothing has a simple drawing of a golden flower on it- made with chalk, so be careful.
Oh sure, the adrenaline of their escape, of his rescue and helping the Drifter faded and he could stop and breathe, Seto nearly collapsed. But he kept going until both Ren and Crow had a place to rest. Until Lup and Taako came home and he could confirm that they were still there and okay.
Until things finally were loud enough that the silence wasn't deafening.
But he can't quite shake his fall into the Water. So Seto isn't sleeping right now. He's just watching Ren sleep for now.
[It's typically her that wakes up, watches the gentle rise and fall of someone's chest in the middle of the night, and tries to shake the ever present feeling they're going to end up like the people in their world. Some days it's overwhelming and she has to wait-watch them open their eyes and begin another day. As the months passed, it was easier to shake off that feeling. People woke up here. They weren't dying or passing away in the night-they were okay.
And when she found her medicine safe and sound, brought to her by a kind dog, she felt a surge of relief knowing that she might not be too late-that she would have a chance to join them in the morning, that her heart wouldn't give out, that she could see Seto again.
When she opens her eyes and finds the heavy exhaustion that wore on her during the week wasn't pressing down on her, it's a relief. She can meet Seto's steady gaze and not worry he'll see something wrong with her. Instead-
She sees something wrong with him. It's almost instantaneous. She knows he watches her, but it's never quite this intense.]
[ Happy Birthday Eve, Ren! Since Lexy will be busy with birthday things tomorrow, guess who's dropping by (handwavedly) to give Ren her present before the dope roast party on the 2nd. It's a flower crown, but made of twigs and twine so it doesn't wilt. The crown has been decorated with shells, blue feathers, and bits of cloth. Have fun being converged on by the entire island, kid. ]
[She should have tried harder. Should have been able to figure out what Ren was so scared of saying even as it was consuming her, shouldn't have let her gone back to sleep or play every time she did try to get it out of her, shouldn't have assumed she'd come around once she saw Taako make an effort-- Taako, who she'd had to leave behind in camp choking under the weight of his vines and she has no idea if he'll still be there when she gets back--
He was right. He was right and she should never have spent so much time away fighting for the rest of the island when her family was right there suffering, was scared and dying and that's exactly what drove Ren away from home. How did she not fucking notice? How did it not occur to her that Ren would do what she always does - put others first, hide her pain so others wouldn't worry, even if that meant-- meant dying alone in the darkness of some uncaring wilderness.
She can't let that happen. If she can't stop anything else about this wretched disease - let her stop this.]
Ren, sweetie, can you hear me? You've got to pick up the Stone.
[The silence is unnerving. Ren has never not answered a call, always so excited to be talking into the 'treasure', to hear your voice across whatever distance separating you.]
I know it's probably hard right now, to talk, but-- I know you can do it. We're coming to find you, okay? Just hang tight. You won't even have to walk home, you're gonna get to ride on Magnus, which is really-- it's dope. But, but you gotta tell us where you are, pumpkin.
[There's probably not very much reason to continue her community garden, now with Nuidan's benefits granted to them all by Harv, but old habits die hard. Besides, the Monkey Compound has a new meaning to Amaterasu now, anyway. The Hanagami Triumvirate - the three Monkey Brothers that rule over the plants and the earth...it's fitting, ironically, that she continue to fill this space with their blessing, all things considered. The place used to be swallowed in such a dark, negative aura...the earth soaked with blood and refuse, and not such lush, colorful and beautiful plants. It would remain cursed and forgotten, a memory of evil and darkness, not of bountiful fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers.
The wolf sits, calmly, in the midst of a path of flowering trees - a total of eight, four on each side. Patience, love, time, and care went into them, and they're still seemingly so small compared to the great tree she knows. Even so, Ammy seems proud and happy of her accomplishment, looking at the pastel blooms with a calm sort of nostalgia, and a softness to her eyes. Against the shadows of people wishing harm on them all, this feels...peaceful. Safe. She can almost hear the whisper of the wood sprite in her ear--
May the fresh scent of blossoms protect you always.]
Edited (WHOOPS FORGOT TO CLOSE THAT TAG and determine time GOD) 2018-11-11 16:21 (UTC)
[The garden used to be a place she frequented and passed through almost weekly. Sometimes daily. She would help on occasion, but most of her time was spent ambling around and admiring the flowers, the plants, the food sprouting from the ground.
Then flowers came out of everyone's body, that month of disease taking the lives of all the people she cared for, and her visits to this place waned. Now she only waits to catch a glimpse of the dog before passing through the area to a less flower covered place.
And she's going through her anxious little routine, planning to simply leave once she sees that fluffy white tail digging in the dirt, when she notices-
Flower growing all over the trees. Blooming. Their beauty is drowned out by her sudden terror and she tries to asses the situation in front of her. Their local god had flowers blooming all over the place when everyone was resurrected-this god has some surrounding her and-
Is she sick? Hurt? Sad? Lying to herself about something? Panic swells in her chest, until she can't help to call out to her dog friend, hoping to get her away from this.]
[Someone heard you were in the market for fresh prank ideas.
Unfortunately, while that someone is also generally pretty good at sneaking, at least good enough to figure out where Ren sleeps without her noticing, she also happens to have severely underestimated how much effort it would take to sneak up on Camp BASE. Jester has stumbled through a string trap, and she panics immediately and starts grabbing pieces of the windchime doorbell that started going off to quiet them, dropping several small objects she had been carrying in her hands.
Well. Maybe everyone here is a really heavy sleeper???]
[For whatever reason, the elves aren't around and maybe Kravitz is helping them with said whatever reason. Because it's just her and the warning bells send her into a momentary panic. Like, it's not them coming back and it's usually for a not good reason those shake in the middle of the night. But it's possible?? It might be them??
And while her first thought is to confirm their whereabouts via iStone, that would give away her current position under a pile of blankets, covered from head to toe in the fabric. Which wouldn't be good if this isn't a friend or family. So she remains immobile, peering past the dimming fire and her suddenly alert cats to the dark forest in front of her.
[There's no card or note to indicate who this is from or who it's for, but anyone with half a brain at Camp BASE should be able to figure out both, in short order. Someone's left Ren a small gift - simply made, and with plenty of flaws inherent in the carving of someone who's not a woodworker by trade and still on a learning curve, but nonetheless sincere.]
[In all her years a professional treasure hunter, she's never seen something quite like this and while it's not hers yet, she claims it the second her grubby little hands wrap around the cat shaped item. It wasn't hers ten seconds ago, but it is now, and that's what matters.
It takes a couple seconds for her birthday treasure elation to wear off and figure out where it came from, but she does, in fact, have half a brain that works on occasion and-
Her area of the tent tends to change depending on her mood, the time she sleeps, who's in bed when she decides to take a nap, but there's a small section her cats like to sleep near, so she tends to favor that part most, and she tucks the cat box against the tent's edge by that special spot, propping it up so it can look across the whole dang area.
It's gonna be a good luck charm for home-a little box that gets tucked in every night with everyone else. Something very special that she can sleep by every night and feel safe with. Thanks, Tim. She loves it so much.]
[Unlike last year, she's not trying to hide from people. This little goblin is simply ambling around the island, digging in the sand and doing whatever she wants because why not!!
But then she hears a voice and she happily turns to greet him.]
[It's been a long three days after the whole...age-shenanigans crap that went down prior. Guzma has been more or less avoiding the majority of his closer group o friends, leaving the house early and coming home well after Lillie has gone to bed. The past few days spent as a child, reliving those years of initial panic, paranoia, and unease... Remembering the reason he ran away in the first place... It's not a place he ever expected to revisit again in his lie.
He never, ever wanted to revisit that place, actually.
But, he did learn a few things from it. Nothing easy, however, but necessary things never are easy to do, or to say. But, if he keeps dodging the matter entirely...he's going to end up actually hurting someone he cares about. Hell, he came inches away from it with two people he considers family. Enough is enough, he has to uncork the bottle, and let its contents spill out after a decade and a half...
Ren is first, because he's out right now. He's out by the beach, watching the surf come in and out, washing shells and bits of kelp up the sand. Every now and again a crab scuttles out from the dunes, scurrying toward the nearest tidepool before the next wave sweeps it back out to sea. A deep breath, as he tugs his headphones from his ears, but doesn't turn of his boombox just yet, the music still playing a gentle beat.]
Hey, darlin'. [He addresses the stone, holding it to his lips.] You n' me need to talk. ...Please.
[The tables have turned on this terrible goblin at long last, as Guzma's voice rouses her from her afternoon nap. It's not difficult to wake her-she's pretty accustomed to rising abruptly to most noises, since it can sometimes be a matter of life and death. Other times it's a matter of life and whoever is shifting in the covers a bit too rough. The point is, she finally knows what's like to disturb someone's beepo time and it's-
Well, it's whatever, because she'd rather be with Guzma anyway.
But she's sitting up at the darlin and rubbing her eyes, letting her cats comfortably stretch on her lap around the Please and she's suddenly very aware of how strange this is. He doesn't request things of her and the gentle tone in his voice is typically reserved for far different situations, usually after he's made some cocoa and during the quieter times on the island.
And they've met up enough at this point to know the beach is probably the same area of ocean and sand they always meet up-a safer area, away from wandering centipuppies and blackholes. She knows where to go and her groggy voice responds immediately.]
[It's not like she hasn't been glued to her istone ever since they vanished, but she didn't think it would like. Work. Do they have fish pockets?? It doesn't matter now because someone checked in. At least.]
It's all standing, except for the stuff I dropped. They're downside.
[She's gonna pick up the cups and stuff. Later. Probably.]
[The dragon is dead, the hoard is being picked over, and now there's real treasure to be had! One day when she's out and about, he stops by her Camp and leaves all the surprises he could carry. Gold and gemstones and pretty necklaces!! So many shinies!!
[Days have passed - two, to be precise - and while Guzma wants to say he hasn't been actively looking to start trouble...he has been on edge. He's been more vigilant, more perceptive, and far more tense and stressed over those 48 hours since...that confrontation. He's barely slept, ate only minimally, not having much of an appetite more than a handful of whatever he scrounges up from that farming island...and he trains with his Pokemon until they, quite literally, have to drag him into the shade to rest. Heatstroke, exhaustion, perhaps even dehydration may have also played a part one of those days...probably. His health hasn't exactly been the most prevalent of his thoughts.
Never really has, to be perfectly fair.
It's his turn to be the one to wake Ren up over the iStone, unable to sleep despite all his tossing and turning, and the shadows lingering around the corners of his eyes. His mind is buzzing more than the insects he so loves, and his voice sounds hoarse and a bit haggard when he calls up his favorite little gremlin.]
Yo, Ren? ...You up? [If not, he's sure she'll instantly wake up, but it's probably safe to assume she is always awake as Fuck Off o'clock.]
She jumps. It's not just rare-it's unheard of for him to initiate conversation in the middle of the night and she almost thinks that he's right behind her, about to scold her over the two foot hole she's digging beside the tent.
Just in case, she looks around. To either side of her, leaning back and then forward to look into the shadows, peering into the tent to see if maybe Guzma fell asleep in there and she simply didn't notice-
But no. It's coming from the iStone and she tentatively pulls the device into her hands.]
Bro?
[A pause. A quiet moment as she thinks of the reason for this and-]
It's not morning yet. The sun hasn't come out. [Like he didn't know somehow???] Did you have a scary dream?
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9/16
[They'd taken care to divide the bag of rock candy in two - there was one other child who needed its contents, they suspected. It took some work to track her down, but based on what she'd said about where she lived, and with whom, they'd managed to locate it.]
[The gift is then left nearby, at E6 - carefully tied around a tree trunk to keep any predators or thieves from running off with the present, with a flower pinned to the outside of the bag.]
[Other than that, there are no indications as to whom the gift may have come from.]
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Oct 8
[This morning he woke to one of his oldest, most loyal friends, snoozing on his chest. And he knew right away that he'd made a mistake.]
[He had no business bringing ESP Kitty here, when just a few days ago, everyone had lived through a hell that proved just how dangerous this place was. These islands aren't safe for him; Ichimatsu must have been delusional to think otherwise. Even as he sat in the morning silence of his brothers' snoozing, gently carding his fingers through ESP's bright orange fur, he'd beaten back the safe feeling of familiarity to let his mind race. What should he do... ?]
[The answer, of course, was obvious. There was someone who needed to feel safe far more than Ichimatsu did. Someone kinder, who could keep ESP out of trouble with all her knowledge of hiding places. Someone all alone, still waiting for her friend -- still trying to learn how to grass-whistle, so she can show him if he ever does come for her.]
[It's a very easy choice. Even if it isn't the easiest one to put into action.]
[Regardless, Ren will find Ichimatsu where she usually does: on the slope of sand and grass tumbling into the ocean just north of the Matsuno cottage, facing the morning tide. With his back to her, it's likely difficult to see what he's doing -- but his head is bowed, and his elbow moves languidly, as though he's got something in his lap.]
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That's when she starts to notice something out of place. At first she thought he might be napping, but his arm is moving? Strange. She doesn't see anything yet and can't make out what might be in his arms with her view blocked like this.
When she moves within a few feet of him, she decides to call out-]
I found you again, Murasaki!
[THEY MEET HERE OFTEN, but still. GJ, Team Ren.]
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dec 25th
[That, and the fact that he knows he really shouldn't be sticking around here too long. He shouldn't technically know this place exists. That's why, on the evening of the 25th, Ichimatsu quickly drifts through the twins' campsite -- hands shoved in his pockets, looking vaguely around, but mostly making a beeline for the tent. When he draws his hands out of his hoodie, it's to jam something through the tent flap -- at first.]
[Then he feels a familiar rubbing at his shin.]
[Ichimatsu pauses. He crouches down with a small smile, running his hand over ESP Kitty's ears. Then he hands an aged photograph to his old friend, who takes it in his small kitty mouth.]
Right, right. I'll leave it to you then. Thanks.
[Another quick stroke down ESP Kitty's back, all the way to the tip of his tail. And then Ichimatsu rises to his feet and leaves.]
[The next time Ren sees ESP Kitty, he'll deposit the photograph squarely in her hands. The front is faded and water-damaged far beyond legibility, but seems like it might have once been a photo of six kids -- either way, it's been scrawled over in charcoal with a message.]
[Happy Xmas.]
[Flipping the photo over will reveal a simple, carefully smudged charcoal drawing.]
TODAY - action
Ugh...
At least he won't have to wait long, though. Guzma's finishing up patching his roof - it's almost done, thank god - and hops down easily, brushing his shoulders off and cracking his back. Arcues, but he has to start getting wood, too. Has it been getting colder, lately? Like...really cold? He's been sniffling and shaking like heck, using up all those extra blankets Drifter got for him on just his own hammock. He's up to three now... At least working hard build up a good sweat, but still. His skin is biting cold, and it sucks.
Maybe he should put a message on that rock thing? Would she see it? Mm...maybe.]
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And guess what? The next lucky home on her heathen to-do list happens to belong to Guzma and when she sees him outside the home, she quickens her pace to meet him there. Sup guy!!]
Are you playing out here?
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Jan 10th -- delivereeee
Chara hopes you like staying warm.]
March 20th
Oh sure, the adrenaline of their escape, of his rescue and helping the Drifter faded and he could stop and breathe, Seto nearly collapsed. But he kept going until both Ren and Crow had a place to rest. Until Lup and Taako came home and he could confirm that they were still there and okay.
Until things finally were loud enough that the silence wasn't deafening.
But he can't quite shake his fall into the Water. So Seto isn't sleeping right now. He's just watching Ren sleep for now.
Not creepy at all. But you do you Seto.]
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And when she found her medicine safe and sound, brought to her by a kind dog, she felt a surge of relief knowing that she might not be too late-that she would have a chance to join them in the morning, that her heart wouldn't give out, that she could see Seto again.
When she opens her eyes and finds the heavy exhaustion that wore on her during the week wasn't pressing down on her, it's a relief. She can meet Seto's steady gaze and not worry he'll see something wrong with her. Instead-
She sees something wrong with him. It's almost instantaneous. She knows he watches her, but it's never quite this intense.]
Are you okay? Did you have a scary dream?
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5/1 | handwaveable
Have fun being converged on by the entire island, kid. ]
happy death day
He was right. He was right and she should never have spent so much time away fighting for the rest of the island when her family was right there suffering, was scared and dying and that's exactly what drove Ren away from home. How did she not fucking notice? How did it not occur to her that Ren would do what she always does - put others first, hide her pain so others wouldn't worry, even if that meant-- meant dying alone in the darkness of some uncaring wilderness.
She can't let that happen. If she can't stop anything else about this wretched disease - let her stop this.]
Ren, sweetie, can you hear me? You've got to pick up the Stone.
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I know it's probably hard right now, to talk, but-- I know you can do it. We're coming to find you, okay? Just hang tight. You won't even have to walk home, you're gonna get to ride on Magnus, which is really-- it's dope. But, but you gotta tell us where you are, pumpkin.
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between 11/1 - 11/7 because TIME IS FAKE
The wolf sits, calmly, in the midst of a path of flowering trees - a total of eight, four on each side. Patience, love, time, and care went into them, and they're still seemingly so small compared to the great tree she knows. Even so, Ammy seems proud and happy of her accomplishment, looking at the pastel blooms with a calm sort of nostalgia, and a softness to her eyes. Against the shadows of people wishing harm on them all, this feels...peaceful. Safe. She can almost hear the whisper of the wood sprite in her ear--
May the fresh scent of blossoms protect you always.]
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Then flowers came out of everyone's body, that month of disease taking the lives of all the people she cared for, and her visits to this place waned. Now she only waits to catch a glimpse of the dog before passing through the area to a less flower covered place.
And she's going through her anxious little routine, planning to simply leave once she sees that fluffy white tail digging in the dirt, when she notices-
Flower growing all over the trees. Blooming. Their beauty is drowned out by her sudden terror and she tries to asses the situation in front of her. Their local god had flowers blooming all over the place when everyone was resurrected-this god has some surrounding her and-
Is she sick? Hurt? Sad? Lying to herself about something? Panic swells in her chest, until she can't help to call out to her dog friend, hoping to get her away from this.]
Come here, come here.
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1/2 oh
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4/7, late night
Unfortunately, while that someone is also generally pretty good at sneaking, at least good enough to figure out where Ren sleeps without her noticing, she also happens to have severely underestimated how much effort it would take to sneak up on Camp BASE. Jester has stumbled through a string trap, and she panics immediately and starts grabbing pieces of the windchime doorbell that started going off to quiet them, dropping several small objects she had been carrying in her hands.
Well. Maybe everyone here is a really heavy sleeper???]
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And while her first thought is to confirm their whereabouts via iStone, that would give away her current position under a pile of blankets, covered from head to toe in the fabric. Which wouldn't be good if this isn't a friend or family. So she remains immobile, peering past the dimming fire and her suddenly alert cats to the dark forest in front of her.
Please please please just be the grim reaper.]
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5/2, evening
[He hasn't forgotten, after all.]
[Happy birthday, kiddo.]
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It takes a couple seconds for her birthday treasure elation to wear off and figure out where it came from, but she does, in fact, have half a brain that works on occasion and-
Her area of the tent tends to change depending on her mood, the time she sleeps, who's in bed when she decides to take a nap, but there's a small section her cats like to sleep near, so she tends to favor that part most, and she tucks the cat box against the tent's edge by that special spot, propping it up so it can look across the whole dang area.
It's gonna be a good luck charm for home-a little box that gets tucked in every night with everyone else. Something very special that she can sleep by every night and feel safe with. Thanks, Tim. She loves it so much.]
5/2, earlyish
Ren! Hey!
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But then she hears a voice and she happily turns to greet him.]
Héctor!
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ah balls I am sorry
U GOOD
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oh my god I thought I tagged this
ur good!!!
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5/3-ish
He never, ever wanted to revisit that place, actually.
But, he did learn a few things from it. Nothing easy, however, but necessary things never are easy to do, or to say. But, if he keeps dodging the matter entirely...he's going to end up actually hurting someone he cares about. Hell, he came inches away from it with two people he considers family. Enough is enough, he has to uncork the bottle, and let its contents spill out after a decade and a half...
Ren is first, because he's out right now. He's out by the beach, watching the surf come in and out, washing shells and bits of kelp up the sand. Every now and again a crab scuttles out from the dunes, scurrying toward the nearest tidepool before the next wave sweeps it back out to sea. A deep breath, as he tugs his headphones from his ears, but doesn't turn of his boombox just yet, the music still playing a gentle beat.]
Hey, darlin'. [He addresses the stone, holding it to his lips.] You n' me need to talk. ...Please.
I'm on the beach. I'll wait for you.
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Well, it's whatever, because she'd rather be with Guzma anyway.
But she's sitting up at the darlin and rubbing her eyes, letting her cats comfortably stretch on her lap around the Please and she's suddenly very aware of how strange this is. He doesn't request things of her and the gentle tone in his voice is typically reserved for far different situations, usually after he's made some cocoa and during the quieter times on the island.
And they've met up enough at this point to know the beach is probably the same area of ocean and sand they always meet up-a safer area, away from wandering centipuppies and blackholes. She knows where to go and her groggy voice responds immediately.]
Okay, don't move. I'll come find you.
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cw: child abuse mention, dissociation mention, mild violence mention
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7/12
Hey pumpkin, things still standing topside?
[How the turns have tabled.]
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It's all standing, except for the stuff I dropped. They're downside.
[She's gonna pick up the cups and stuff. Later. Probably.]
Are you okay?
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early october
Here's to you, kiddo. Enjoy your new riches.]
I DIDN'T SEE THIS UNTIL NOW HOLY SHIT
[Voice]: 4/5
Never really has, to be perfectly fair.
It's his turn to be the one to wake Ren up over the iStone, unable to sleep despite all his tossing and turning, and the shadows lingering around the corners of his eyes. His mind is buzzing more than the insects he so loves, and his voice sounds hoarse and a bit haggard when he calls up his favorite little gremlin.]
Yo, Ren? ...You up? [If not, he's sure she'll instantly wake up, but it's probably safe to assume she is always awake as Fuck Off o'clock.]
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She jumps. It's not just rare-it's unheard of for him to initiate conversation in the middle of the night and she almost thinks that he's right behind her, about to scold her over the two foot hole she's digging beside the tent.
Just in case, she looks around. To either side of her, leaning back and then forward to look into the shadows, peering into the tent to see if maybe Guzma fell asleep in there and she simply didn't notice-
But no. It's coming from the iStone and she tentatively pulls the device into her hands.]
Bro?
[A pause. A quiet moment as she thinks of the reason for this and-]
It's not morning yet. The sun hasn't come out. [Like he didn't know somehow???] Did you have a scary dream?
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