networkinthenight | [audio] @remmidemmi; move along; [open]

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[audio] @remmidemmi; move along; [open]

So, um...

[A heavy, heavy pause. Cool, good start, Remington. Really nailing this whole thing.]

I haven't had a chance to say anything about it earlier because of...you know...everything.

[Quentin's post below his is telling enough as it is.]

But I used some, um, leftover wood scraps from the church rebuilding to make these, ah, ornamental markers? I gave them to the forest spirits and asked them to hang them on eye-level tree branches on the trees that they call home, so we don't accidentally knock something down for lumber that we shouldn't.

[He clears his throat.]

So that's all. If you see them. Um, that's what they are. I'll make more every so often so it'll reach places farther in...but...yeah...okay, bye. Thanks?

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Those were you?

[ though, really, they were made of wood and. they only have one carpenter around. he probably should have guessed. ]

That's a really good idea, actually. I'm glad you worked that out with them.

Are those something you normally make anyway, or did the idea come to you here?

[ either way, he's obviously far brighter than he lets on. just shier than a lamb all the same. ]

Oh, thanks!

[He's thankful that there's no video function on the tablets because even that mild of a compliment makes his face heat up.]

Not exactly. Um, I've done other things. Made other things...for spirits, back home. But I didn't want to waste anything big, so when I saw some of the scraps leftover from the construction I just kind of thought...

[Remington gives an awkward laugh.]

My mailbox keeps getting stuffed full of...twigs and stuff, so I guess they like them, too.

[ god. how is remington always so precious? from their past interactions, he can practically imagine how remi's face lit up. it's only unfortunate that eliot couldn't witness it in person. he's willing to bet remi has a handsome smile. ]

There are spirits where you're from too?

[ he chuckles. ]

I do quite like the ones here. They're always so. Ah. Insistently gentle? In how they do things. Well, the nice ones that live near us, anyway. It's really sweet, even if there are only so many things you can do with their tokens of gratitude. Sometimes I do wonder if there would be a way to use them. At least to let them know how grateful we are for their eager hospitality.

[ really, they'd probably all be a lot worse for wear without all the help the spirits have given so freely. ]

Edited 2019-10-28 05:23 (UTC)

Yeah. My town's a lot like this place but, um, more modern and less...dark. It's one of those little everybody-knows-everyone kind of places and it's surrounded by this huge forest with really only one main road that goes out of it, and it's full of spirits.

[He feels his hackles raising, his voice taking on that paranoid, worried edge it so often has.]

Yeah, they're, um...they've been nice! So far. So far, they've been nice. Just, um, don't get too comfortable? Maybe? I mean, just in case. I don't want anything to happen. To anyone.

[ oh, boy. remi always seems to do this, find something else to set him on edge, and it's not always so obvious what it might be. in this case though, eliot thinks he can take a guess, and this being such a place that's proven itself full of dangers, he doesn't know if it's even safe to question openly. ]

Was that a thing too? In your town. Spirits turning on people.

I mean, um, it depends?

[One can practically hear the flinching in his voice.]

They'd usually leave people alone unless people went out of their way to find them, but you always have your odd cases because spirits are incredibly changeable creatures so sometimes they just kind of latch on and maybe they're not even trying to be mean or show ill-intent but before you know it you're practically living in a haunted house and finding dead things in your yard...

[Projecting? He's out of breath.]

[ well that sure sounds way too specific to be a joke. also remi's jokes tend to be more bland and. way less creative. ]

So they're. Malleable. Okay. Like. To anything specific or predictable? Or is this like a "keep a cross above your bed and always say a few Hail Mary's before going to bed" kind of thing?

Not really predictable, no. At least not that I've ever found? Honestly I tried to avoid as much interaction as possible just because I was never very confident in my next move. I mean, you can definitely kind of get to know them? But it's like how with regular people, everyone's different. Every spirit is gonna react differently to certain things, though they all generally follow some typical rules. Like, they don't really "get" lying, so they don't take very kindly to anything that feels like double-crossing.

[It takes him a second to realize how much he said.]

Sorry. If I, um, information overload.

Oh! I think I ran into one of those the other day.

[Literally. Ran into the tree. Fun times.]

You didn't hurt yourself, did you?

[He's joking. He gives like, a little wheeze of a laugh. He seriously just, he didn't think that...this is already embarrassing.]

Nah, just a minor shoulder booboo. A fair princess' kiss would heal it right up!

[Embarrassing? That's Masaomi's favorite word.]

Ah...

[He sputters in surprise. He...he really hurt himself? Seriously?]

Well, um, I'm sure...if there's anywhere you can find one it'll be here...somewhere.

[Gigglesnort. That's all it takes to throw this guy off? That's hilarious.]

You think? If you ask me, this place doesn't seem very fair to princesses at all.

Well, I guess...nothing in life is fair, so why should the afterlife be any different?

[It's a joke, but, like, rooted deeply in his own sense of unending misery.]

Anyway, historically speaking, princesses rarely ever live under very fair circumstances.

And that, my friend, is why knights in shining armor were invented!

[That's him. He's the knight who saves the princesses. Except when he's running into trees.]

Just, ah...try not to get yourself killed rescuing the princess from the high tower.

[He realizes suddenly that Robin kind of does fit that description. Huh.]

I make no such promises.

[The following wink is audible.]

I saw them! Your markers!

Thank you for making them. That was really kind of you to do for the forest spirits. [ they'll definitely be useful to figure out where some spirits lived and to show politeness to them while visiting his own friend during his round. ]

O-Oh! Good, great. I'm glad! Er...

[It was less out of kindness than out of a sense of desperation and self-preservation but he has a feeling that bringing that up would kind of ruin the sentiment so Remington just decides to take the win.]

Glad they, uh, they've been noticed.

I'm glad too! The spirits being able to know we mean well is a really good step.

So- Is there any way we can help you out with this? The markers or anything else that's getting, like, done? [ he feels like he should offer his help in return, seeing as how the guy helped the spirits so much! ]

Yeah, for sure. I mean, anything...I'm happy to tackle anything that needs building and I was going to, uh...

[He hesitates. This feels embarrassing, somehow, to bring up on the network, because it was going to be a private project. But...it seems like something up Daylight's alley, so...]

I was planning on building houses. Like...birdhouses, but for the spirits. And put them up in the trees. If you want to draw ideas for what you think some of the spirits you've encountered might like or, or something like that...?

[ daylight is definitely excited by the prospect, judging by his immediate reaction: ]

Oh man! I could totally do that for you and the spirits.

I used to, like, help my family in designing their dog houses and dollhouses and things like that all the time. So that's up my alley for sure. [ he's about to go on and on with some examples in mind but, thankfully, he manages to keep himself in check. ]

I'll see what I can come up with and send you some sketches in a few days. Is that cool?

Oh, absolutely! I mean, take your time. There's so much to do so, um, no rush!

[So much destruction, so little time...and manpower. And general building skill.]

Awesome! I don't mind trying to get this done for you quickly too. I think this is a real nice thing to do, you know? And we gotta work together and stuff when, um stuff like this comes up. We're a team.

[ hmm. what else to say, what else to say?

oh! a very important thing to note, of course: ]

You can call me 'Day' by the way! Short for Daylight. I know it's a lot easier for people to say.

People...have trouble saying Daylight?

[Well...alright. Some things are harder for people than others.]

Sure thing, Day. I'm, uh, Remi--I mean I'm Remington, but I go by Remi. Nice to meet you, um, more officially.

[ daylight wants to explain why it's difficult for others in his world to say his full name but, er, he's a little shy on that subject matter.

so time for a topic change. ] Remi! Super cool to meet you proper.

You were- [ he paused, trying to recall some distant memory files to be sure of his words. ] You were at the meeting, right? Led by Sir Cao Pi a few months back? I remember you being really smart and stuff there.

Er...

[Smart? He's not sure that's the word he'd use. He said "I build things." and then nearly vomited afterward. And then like, ran out of the whole meeting because he got way too overwhelmed.]

Yeah, I was there. I talked a little but about reconstruction projects...

[Remington has never been a mentor nor has he desired to be one, but it feels wrong to try and break the image that Daylight already seems to have of him. So...he's trying. He's really, really trying.]

[ is this a curious effect of the rashomon effect at work in real life or merely a case of daylight being ridilouclsy optimistic?

a mystery of the ages, since daylight immediately heads onto the next opening he sees: ] Oh! That's cool!

If you ever need help in those projects, let me know as well? I'm not, um, good with construction or anything but I'm definitely your guy if you need stuff to get hauled around or cleared away.

[ as the official biggest one™ in the gang - for the time being, but may the stars help beacon if someone bigger than day comes along - daylight only feels like it's right to give a hand there. a lot of stuff, um, clearly is in need of repairs. ]

Oh, absolutely. I mean, the more help, the better, right?

[Especially when things keep getting...severely, badly broken.]

I'll make sure to give you a ring the next time I'm doing something on a bigger scale.

Sure can do!

Alright- I think I'll let you chat with the others then. [ and, you know, not be distracted by a chatty day. ] I'll get back to you ASAP when those plans have been drafted! Promise!

Ah, so that's what that is. You should include a drawing or picture for those too dense to realize a sign for what it is.

[not him clearly, psh]

Have recent events caused issues with rebuilding?

Oh, um, that could be a good idea...

[He hadn't really thought about a sign. But maybe a simple "DO NOT DISTURB" sign with an example of his ornamental markers would be good enough.]

Ah, yeah. I'm a little...I'm not sure where to start, really.

[Please stop destroying things, everyone.]

I'm guessing the dock would be the most important, now.

Indeed. There seem to be a few people who are willing to pitch in the manpower but if they aren't sure where to focus their efforts, it would be worth it to point them in the dock's direction. Of course, this assumes that a new ferry will also be possible, but if we have no means of controlling that, well. Do what you can.

[kind of hard to justify a dock if there's no boats landing at it, but that remains to be seen]

Yeah...yeah, I will.

[He groans. God, all this destruction.]

And I'll keep my fingers crossed that nothing else gets trashed in the meantime.

Mm, yes, there is that. I would like to hope there aren't any other idiots hoping to take after the first group but such a thing is always possible.

I wasn't aware the spirits actually lived in the trees themselves. How fascinating.

They probably live all over. Some might be in the ground or in abandoned buildings...but I figured that even if there's a chance some of them live in trees...

[Well, better safe than sorry.]

Fair point. Any small thing to keep them from getting angry with us.

[all part of his long plan, thanks Remi for the little things]

Yeah--yes, exactly!

[Some of the people here doesn't seem as convinced that the spirits are, well, possible to anger. As far as Remington's concerned, every spirit is a ticking time bomb.]

Thank you.

have you seen any activity with them so far, remi?

Yeah, the spirits have been leaving me presents.

[It should be cute. It makes him very nervous.]

so I've been using those presents to make more...I think it'll be easy enough to have a steady supply going out farther and farther into the forest.

That was a good idea. Thanks.

Oh of course! It's for everyone, so...

[Now he feels all bashful, gosh. Thanks, Jo...for your support...]

Yeah, but no one else thought of it. You're helping a lot.

I'll try and keep it up.

[And after thinking for a second, he adds:]

:)

[Adorable.]

Good luck.

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[audio] @remmidemmi; move along; [open]

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( @daylight; voice. )

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@witch — text (post their church thread!)

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