[audio] @eleven; Santa's Secret Game [open]

[savingthrows]

[ Eleven's voice is tired. Drained - her earlier foray into the Void has come back to haunt her during Beacon's Defense with dire consequence, and she feels faint these days, unable to tap into the powers she so violently overused to defend the sleeping inhabitants of Beacon. ]

Home... back home. My... uhm. Mike... told me.

[ She stops talking for a moment. The sound of a quiet breath; she's gathering her thoughts. If you've been here a while you know that she struggles with her words when she's exhausted, when she's upset, when she's emotional. ]

I had one, back home. Christmas... [ She says the word slowly, unsure. ] Mike and me and a few friends, we... played a... game, maybe? Santa's Secret Game... I think. You put your name in a... hat, and then when it's full, you draw one. A name. And you get a gift for that person. But... you can't tell anyone. It's a secret, until they get the gift.

[ The sound of something crinkling. Paper, maybe. ]

I asked Rastus for... paper. For presents. And... ribbons and... bags. I wanted...

I thought...

[ She goes quiet for another moment, then: ]

Presents are... nice. Can we.

Can we just... have something... nice?

Just be nice.

I think, maybe... we could play the game? And give gifts. And be nice.

I... it's. It's from home...

[ooc: Feel free to respond to El, but in the wake of this network post, in the following week she'll go around approaching Beaconites with a large gift bag to collect sign ups for Secret Santa (even if she mislabels the 'game' slightly.

Sign-up can be handwaved through THIS OOC Post, that also includes further information on how this is gonna shake out. ]

Comments

@regina

[itselbitch]

Yes, I think something nice would be good. That's an absolutely fabulous idea, El. [ don't sell yourself short! ] I've done some Santa's Secret Game before. It's always quite fun, even if the gifts aren't always amazing.

Do you need any help with setting it up? [ not that he thinks she does. seems like she knows exactly how she wants it to go, and he's fine with that. he's only offering just in case. ]

[savingthrows]

[ The praise brings a small smile to her face, even if he can't see it. ]

Thank you. Do you have... advice? I saw the boys.... set it up. But we were only six.

@freddie1967 | Private

[sauntered_downward]

We can't start doing nice things for each other. We'll start to get comfortable here.

[savingthrows]

I don't think we can get comfortable. Too much danger. You don't like nice?

[sauntered_downward]

I'm friends with Aziraphale. My life is perpetually surrounded by nice.

@nancy

[keenely]

[ it's actually a little overwhelming, how nancy tends to feel worried about, protective of, and impressed by eleven at basically all times. it takes her a little while to respond, but her voice is soft when she does ]

I think we can definitely do something nice. Are all of those supplies back at the cabin? Maybe we could make a few decorations, too, if you're up for it. I can show you how.

[savingthrows]

I would like that. I gave some ribbons too Fell. But... I have many things. Rastus was kind.

[ Nancy is a guiding light in this place for Eleven. Not that Eleven thinks to mention that. ]

[keenely]

And I'd like to participate in your Secret Santa game, but I don't know too many people here yet. You might have to help me.

@silent | voice

[callada]

I think this sounds like a really nice idea. What kinds of gifts do you give each other where you're from?

[savingthrows]

I think... either something you like and want to share. Or, better... something you think the person will like a lot?

[callada]

That's pretty wide open, then. I like it. Are you from Earth?

@m.hughes

[dadandgone]

It makes it easier to bear the difficult things when you have nicer things to focus on. I think that sounds like a fun game.

We don't really know each other though, so how will we know what to get?

[savingthrows]

Hmmm...

[ She hums in contemplation for a moment. ]

Maybe... I could ask what people like? To put on paper.

[dadandgone]

Good idea! Then we could at least have a little insight into what that person might want.

[equinoctials]

[ Christmas seems like kid stuff - he didn't think Santa was anything more than some tall tale told to get kids to behave during the year until Sora told them all about Christmas Town and how the man in red himself was a real person. Even that had stretched plausibility, until he was reading all the journal entries Jiminy had written about all of their adventures and realized how much of it was true.

That's not exactly what persuades Riku to join in on Eleven's idea. It's the faltering plea she makes, yearning for something warm and familiar from home. After everything that happened, it seems like a very small but not insignificant ask. ]

Sure. Count me in. I know of a few other people to sign up for this, too.

[ An opportunity to mess with a friend or two who might not otherwise be inclined to participate? Priceless. ]

[savingthrows]

[ She bites her lips as she reads his text. She's got a confession here to make, and feels somewhat guilty. There was just not a good time... or maybe, really, she'd just wanted tp cling to something good for a while longer.

But she knows it's not hers. She's just scared he'll disappear again and she'll have no way to find him. ]

thank you riku

i can meet you so you can add your name

i also

im sorry i have something that is yours and i need to give it back im sorry i havent given it back yet

[equinoctials]

[ The charm Kairi gave him has been gone for so long and Riku's searching so fruitless, it doesn't even occur to him that it might be what Eleven's talking about. ]

Hey, go easy. It's been crazy. Whatever it is it's nothing worth beating yourself up over.
I was checking on the log books. Wanna meet up at the fire?

@lucky

[mindofathief]

[And now there's a kid who was here when the spirits attacked. She sound incredibly scared despite working to making something positive.]

That sounds like a lot of fun. I'm new here, so it'll be a good way to meet everyone.

...I'm Duster, by the way.

[savingthrows]

Hi Duster.

[ Her voice is halting, slightly stilted, like she has to sound the word out. ]

I'm Eleven.

I hope... by signing up you can make. two new friends.

[mindofathief]

Same here. You'll also meet two new friends this way.

[The problem with these tablets is that he can't be there to comfort Eleven. How do people get used to this?]

Need help with carrying supplies?

@mrs.maisel | voice

[maisel]

We have Christmas where I'm from, too, but I celebrate something else.

But, I love giving out presents and I love that you're doing this. Count me in. You're putting your own name in, too, right? You deserve something cute.

[savingthrows]

I only know this. Sorry. But I'm glad... you're joining, Miss Miriam.

What do you... celebrate?

[maisel]

Don't apologize, sweetie, this is exciting. Who doesn't like presents? I love presents. You're putting yourself in there too, right?

—audio / @parker

[webshoots]

[ it's never been the gifts part of christmas that peter's ever cared for, it's the spending time with people he cares about. it's not going to be quite the same here, but there are people here that he's come to care about as much as anyone back home, and if secret santa helps make them happy? who'd he be not to join in.

(and c'mon, if he ended up with someone like jason—. ha.) ]

Count me in.

[savingthrows]

Hi, Peter.

[ Someone's sounding pleased. ]

Thank you. I knew I could... count you.

[ Almost. She's almost got it right. ]