PC: HARROW

[headmt]

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W0 - TUESDAY

[headmt]

[Hi Harrow, are you walking around or generally Vibing near the Simulation room? If you make that mistake, Molly seems very excited about this particular room. Waving her over.]

Have you messed with this thing? The illusion maker?

[bonetiddies]

[She's in the area, but wasn't planning to go inside, until she sees Molly.]

Yes, quite a bit. You ought to be careful in there.

[headmt]

Hm? Why?

[Looking a little nervous now? He’s been in there so much?]

[bonetiddies]

It's possible to summon a vision that is. . . detrimental.

[But she will go right in anyway? Hello?]

Just take care in what you ask to see.

[headmt]

[Oh. Yes. It’s probably not the greatest if you have visions that sometimes come unexpectedly hm hmmmm. Well, it’s fine.]

I’ll only show you good things, promise.

[bonetiddies]

I didn't say I wasn't going in. You don't need to console me.

[headmt]

[ Tousling her hair when he walks by her to go into the room then. Punishment for Rude. ]

I’ve got some fun ones, don’t be an ass.

[bonetiddies]

[Flinching away when he tries to touch her hair! Don't! She gives him a sulky glare but follows him in.]

Fun? In what way?

[headmt]

[He seems really confused by the question!!!! What does she think he’s gonna show her, god.]

Fun as in. Fun?

[bonetiddies]

Hmph! We'll see.

[She sounds so skeptical of this "fun." It's probably something terrible!!!]

[headmt]

Now I feel like your standards are going to be too high!

[Practically skipping over to the podium, tail swishing, obviously excited to show her . . . whatever this is.]

How about . . . Oh! Hupperdook! You’ll love this.

[what now?

Putting his hand on the thing, letting it unfold into . . . a city street. It's just now turning the time of night that it's truly dark outside, but brightly lit with strange wired lights running across the buildings and market stalls crammed along the cobbled street. It's quiet at the moment, only a few people (people? they're awfully short.) walking along the way, mostly with a look of being extremely busy. Molly just turns around to grin as it appears.]

[bonetiddies]

[By awfully short, how short compared to Harrow. She - looks a little nervous, at the sudden change of scenery? But when it's dark and there aren't too many people around, she relaxes a little.]

Where are we?

[headmt]

Hupperdook. Like I said.

[Much shorter than Harrow! Gnomes are about three feet tall. Though there’s a few halflings (slightly taller) and humans too. Lights flicker on in the distance though, revealing tall, leaning buildings that look almost cobbled together from ragged pieces of metal.

There’s a beat of silence, and then Molly turns to her for a second.]

Okay, cover your ears.

[He isn’t doing that though. Almost on cue, a steam whistle goes off. Then another, and another and another until it’s all down the street as doors to buildings and factories start slamming open and a multitude pours out into the street - again, mostly the gnomes, but human and elf and dwarf and halfing mixed in - and the change in tone is immediate. People are obviously hurrying home, tearing off working jackets or letting hair down before pushing through into the crowd or just scattering out to start the festivities, but it’s clear that this is a party.]

[bonetiddies]

Why should I -

[Covering her ears! What the hell is this. She's not - she's not used to being around this many people, let alone at a party, so she looks kind of nervous. But not like, this is traumatic to me nervous, just, nerdy teenager who doesn't go to parties nervous.]

[headmt]

[ This is, apparently, Molly’s very happy place, because he is grinning ear to ear. The crowd doesn’t push them or anything, but they are close by, milling around - tiny gnome children with sparklers and ribbons run by, drinks are already being passed out to folks on the street, barkers advertising food to passersby. A pop noise goes off, followed by loud cheers, and another quick pop pop pop until it’s clear it’s tiny glitter bombs. Molly just waves to someone who’s running by and they wave back brightly, blowing him a kiss.]

Wait for it.

[Then he stops and looks up. A high-pitched whistle pieces the noise, and the crowd quiets down for the moment of anticipation before the deep rumbling BANG of multicolored fireworks erupts across the skyline. The crowd cheers, even louder than before.]

Still amazing! Have you ever seen anything like that before?

[bonetiddies]

No.

[No? She hasn't ever seen this many living people together in one place before? But she's getting less nervous now; it's a simulation, after all. None of these people are anything more than an illusion, and they aren't really reacting to her or making her feel self-conscious.

She'll even brave looking up at the fireworks, watching them with a little more interest.]

What is it? Some kind of celebration?

[headmt]

They do this every night! It’s fantastic!

[The fireworks continue, waxing and waning in force and ferocity, but they also never seem to stop. Molly stops at one of the stands, looking through the jewelry on display with interest as if it’s actually there.]

We stopped here right before—- Wasn’t that long ago. Should have stayed longer.

[bonetiddies]

[Before he died, then? She suddenly feels a little sad, and she isn't sure why. Some ghost of a feeling that relates to his, which she can't quite place.]

It's beautiful. Excessively noisey.

[headmt]

I think it’s the perfect amount of noise.

[Since this is based on a memory - through the crowd, a blue tiefling girl spins past waving sparklers and giggling madly, followed by the more familiar face of Beau chasing off after her, both of them disappearing into the throng after a moment - but the image doesn’t follow them for now.]

Do you dance?

[bonetiddies]

[Crossing her arms over her chest. She's wearing a lot of bones; they don't look good for mobility.]

No.

[headmt]

[That much he could have guessed, but one never knows.]

Will you at least go watch the dancing?

[bonetiddies]

Yes, I wouldn't mind watching.

[She'll just stand on the sidelines like the goth kid at a middle school dance.]

[headmt]

[That’s fine, that’s good enough. He’ll move them through the crowd then, though I’m not sure how the VR works with that. Do you just walk or do you have to change it. Mystery. Doesn’t really matter, he’s been messing with this thing all day so he’s gotten pretty good at it - stopping briefly at a stand covered in extravagant floral creations - flower crowns and bouquets and weaved strands of silk petals. Picking them up admiringly.]

I made this up. I wasn’t able to find it that night, funnily. Drunk off my own tail. But I wanted to bring some back for Yasha! It was terrible, we left her to babysitting. Not such a fan of crowds though, so perhaps it was for the best.

[bonetiddies]

[. . . That's kind of sweet, and sad, so she'll stop being quite so grumpy and pick up a bouquet herself.]

Yasha?

[headmt]

[Because she asks when he’s standing there at the podium, thinking about it, the simulation blips for just a moment -

The back of a cart along a quiet forest road, light chatter. A few horses at the front. Bird song and sunshine. Against the side of the cart a woman sits, greatsword next to her, staring a bit awkwardly at a orange tiger-striped cat that’s planted itself in her lap, purring loudly and pressing its paws against her leg to knead it. In a voice that’s much softer than her appearance would suggest, lightly accented:

‘Ah, Caleb? It’s doing something?’

And then it flicks back to the scene before, Harrow holding the bouquet still.]

Shit, sorry.