【fallen stars vs TREE】

[berriah]

Punch A Tree Log

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A Twisted Rumor

It's the day after the Fallen Star Meeting regarding the recent rumor. As morning brightens the city's night, stories are making their way from the bottom level to the top.

"The cherry blossom tree isn't going to hurt us, is it? It looks so scary."

For those who have learned the truth about rumors, this may especially distressing to hear. There's no time to wait: If anything is going to be done to save the tree's spirit, it must be done now.

The current plan is to address the tree spirit's wish to be remembered and acknowledged by holding a picnic by the lonely cherry blossom tree. Fallen Stars hope to reenact the lively Reblooming parties that had been happening on the upper levels all month. This tree, though the origin of that tradition, exists at the bottom level of Starsand City: Where spirits and kami are still feared. The hope is that this party will soothe the raging spirit and bring it peace... and, ideally, bring back all of the people who have recently gone missing.

But the meeting also ended on a note of caution. If the spirit will not peacefully give up the missing people, then more drastic measures may need to be taken. And... Spoiler alert, but this log is titled tree FIGHT.

Timeline of Events

This log will operate a bit different from normal! It's also an experiment, so if it doesn't work then apologies in advanced! In order to maintain an easy-to-follow timeline of events, there will be a top-level for each stage of the encounter. As the encounter progresses, new top-levels will be added to reflect each stage of the Rumor.

Character top-levels are still welcome, but please try to use the top-levels for time sensitive threads. Threadjacking is welcomed & encouraged, though please be respectful of one another. And of course, make use of the feedback section!

Backtagging is also still welcome. Event stages will be staggered over the course of the next week & past threads still have time to make an impact. Please don't feel rushed!

!

Timeline of Toplevels

OOC Check-In - There will be IC consequences for participating!

Feedback - Yell at me

Questions - Ask questions, Get Answers

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The Night Before - For preparation during the night.

The Morning Of - For preparations before heading out for the picnic.

Hanami on the First Level - The picnic that was planned at the meeting.

A Shift in Tone - Reacting to the battle start.

Battle Guidelines

• Battle A - VS Tree Spirit
  
• Battle B - VS Bread
  
• Battle C - VS ???
  
• Battles D - VS Lost Spirits
  

Aftermath - Victory Party!

code

Comments

[melancholie]

I'm flattered that you think that.

[He's being sarcastic, of course. His eyes have yet to leave the tree and the goo that climbs the invisible barrier.]

It's hard to have faith when things look this way, isn't it?

[nightwild]

Faith again, huh.

[She watches the goo climb.]

I don't have faith, no. Frankly, this feels like we're waiting for that stuff to eat us.

[melancholie]

Yes, faith again. And again and again... You won't escape it. It's what keeps this city standing, after all.

[Dimitri slips his hands behind his back.]

It sure does look like that, doesn't it..? My idiot niisan is doing his best, but I don't know how long that barrier can last.

[nightwild]

Then I'm probably bad for this city, aren't I? Maybe I'm the cause of all of this. Since I don't have faith in anything.

[She sighs, grabbing some sort of bite-sized snack from the basket and chowing down with no manners.]

... Hey, Dimitri.

[melancholie]

[He's silent on that front. If it's what she believes, then who is he to tell her otherwise? It's not like the city, specifically this tree, is doing a good job convincing people to 'have faith.' Right now, faith is only creating a monster.

Blinking out of his thoughts, he replies in a light and fake tone;]

... Hey, Fauna~.

[nightwild]

[So... He has a brother. And she's met Tau, their little sister. They have parents, too. A big family.]

... What will you do if she doesn't come back?

[melancholie]

Chron, you mean?

[For a moment, Dimitri does fall silent. He takes a few seconds to think, head lifted so as to keep his expression out of sight. Then he shrugs and turns to face Fauna, smiling calmly.]

This world will probably be destroyed. And you, me, and all of the other Fallen Stars will be sent back to where we came from. That's my guess, anyway.

[nightwild]

Is that your idea of a joke?

[She can't tell, with him.]

I'm being serious, here.

[melancholie]

I do have a reputation for being a liar, don't I? [He laughs,] But no. I'm not joking. Why? Does the destruction of the world sound funny to you?

[nightwild]

How would I know your reputation? I just don't understand how Chron's absence destroys a world.

[melancholie]

Hm. Well.

[Dimitri turns away again, eyes focused on the tree. Before he can be accused of dodging the question... He does just that:]

Have you heard of Schrödinger's cat?

[nightwild]

[OH WE'RE A VN NOW]

No. I never had cats.

[melancholie]

Oh, Fauna! You're sooo funny! ☆

[Dimitri's laughter is clearly fake, the dryness so blatant that the attempt itself is a joke. He sighs, a strange sort of smile still tinging his voice;]

It's a logic concept that has been used over and over, to varying degrees of accuracy. In this case, I refer to the idea of guessing what is in a closed box. [He points to her picnic basket without moving to look at it himself;] If I told you there was a cat in that basket, Fauna, and let's pretend you would ever believe a word that I say...

Without looking inside. Would you tell me that it is a dead cat or alive?

[nightwild]

That's weird and morbid. But if it got in the basket to try to steal the food, it has to be alive.

[She does not understand, at all.]

cw: implied animal abuse

[melancholie]

Right? That makes so much sense.

A world of faith is like that box. If enough people believe that cat is alive, then it is. They will name it, love it, leave food, and care for it in order to keep it alive. This city is a box filled with cats, Fauna.

But. What would happen if someone in the city said that the cat was dead? And that person also had the power to kick the box, burn it, roll a truck over it, and do so in front of everyone? Would they say the cat is alive or dead, Fauna?

[nightwild]

[Fauna is, by her own admission, not very smart. This sort of weird, abstract thinking is beyond her. But...]

So... What you're saying is, if Chron doesn't come back... Someone else will destroy this world?

[melancholie]

Exactly that! My sister is a cat in that sealed box right now. And if we opened it and found a dead cat, well...

I think this world will be destroy. Ka-boom! even. And we'll be free from the force that binds us here and allowed to float back home. Mission accomplished, right?

Except I don't think that I'll be happy if I accomplish my mission that way.

[nightwild]

Are you saying you would destroy this world? And what mission, for that matter?

[melancholie]

Ooh, do you have faith that I could destroy a world? [He shakes his head,] Because I'm sorry to disappoint, but I can't. I'm as stuck here as the rest of you. And I'll be quite happy to leave someday.

[nightwild]

Don't be an asshole or I will string you up from that tree.

Who will, then?

[melancholie]

[Who, indeed. Dimitri opens his mouth, but silences his own answer. When he looks at her next, Dimitri looks tired.]

I can't tell you what's in the remaining cat boxes, Fauna. I like cats.

[nightwild]

...

[What does that even mean? She bites back a million retorts- He never even answered her about his mission. But...]

All of that was deflection, wasn't it?

[melancholie]

Oh no. She caught me.

[Dimitri turns around and faces her properly now. His expression has been corrected to a false smile and his follow laugh matches it.]

Well. Since I don't want to be strung up on a tree~ Enjoy your picnic, Fauna. May your picnic boxes be filled to the brim with living cats!

[And before she can answer, Dimitri has vanished. Just a blink and he's gone.]

[nightwild]

[She's going to kick his ass one day.

...

But for now, she's checking that basket to make sure there are no cats.]