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thecrossinglogs2025-04-19 09:44 am
thecrossingmods) wrote in thecrossinglogs2025-04-19 09:44 am
THE CROSSING #2
THE CROSSING #2
It's that time again.
For more detail on the particulars of the event, be sure to refer to our info and planning post!
For more detail on the particulars of the event, be sure to refer to our info and planning post!
always keep moving
— CLOUDS ON THE HORIZON
The Desert is sprawling. If you've ever gotten turned around in the rolling dunes, it may have once felt endless. But in the weeks and days before the descent of The Crossing, something appears on the horizon: first a dark smudge of storm clouds, not unlike the others that have rolled through before, then growing — wider, darker, and more threatening.
You feel it, too. For some of you the feeling is new; for others it's a reminder of a trial you've been through before. It's a weight in your body, a solidity of your self, a vulnerability to whatever is approaching.
The storm overtakes the oasis. As the first drops of rain begin to fall, The Ferryman speaks in your mind.
It's time. Those who are prepared to pay the toll are instructed to gather on the bank of The River. As for the rest of you... we hope you have a plan.
taking refuge
— THE RIVER OF MUD
The storm hits hard and fast. Even as you gather around The Ferryman, the rain grows from spitting droplets to a desert monsoon. The Ferryman's protection only goes so far: even if you're promised safety from danger, you'll still have to cope with the cold, the wind, and the water.
As before, The Lantern's Light grows dark. As before, The Ferryman gathers memories one by one, consolidated into a mote of light in their palm that becomes the new center point for the growing temporary bubble of safety. But this time— what it was too dark to notice in the Cavern before— you realize that The Ferryman themselves is changing, too. Their form fades as the light in their hands grows, becoming as fuzzy and insubstantial as mist... not unlike the wraiths, outside of The Crossing.
The sparkling white salt flat before you begins to melt and grow murky, exposing the sticky, grasping mud beneath. The Ferryman glides out over the roiling muck of The River, and so do you, your steps as light as if there were still a crust of salt to separate you from the mud before.
You must keep moving, though. Linger too long, and you'll start to sink... and the mud might not let go, this time.
— A HAVEN FROM THE WANTS AND ILLS OF LIFE
The journey is arduous, and the storm is unrelenting. The Ferryman, unfamiliar as they might be in this form, leads confidently through the blur of lightning, wind, and rain. As before, the mote of light created from your memories follows in their footsteps, illuminating the path to follow along the wide expanse of The River.
Even with The Ferryman's protection, it is exhausting work. It's as mentally taxing as it is physically draining. As such, when the path forward begins to shudder and shift, it may come as a reprieve. The wall of wind and rain finally breaks, the Desert around you replaced by... somewhere else. A place you may recognize, or may not.
Whatever stress or fear you may have been feeling from your journey wanes, replaced by feelings of calm, peace, or joy. If the place you are in is unfamiliar, the feelings are muted, as if they don't quite belong to you... but surely this is better than returning to the monsoon? Perhaps you can rest a while. Play a game, recover in shelter, or take a meditative walk through a maze. What's a few minutes, anyway? Time hardly means anything anymore.
Just don't forget: if you linger too long in any one place, the mud of The River will start to suck you down. It's best to stay alert— and to keep an eye on those traveling with you, as well.
storm chasers
— SWEPT AWAY
The Desert isn't designed to weather a storm like this one. Beyond the pounding rain and cracking lightning, those of you who have decided to travel without The Ferryman must also navigate the environment itself. Flash floods sweep through lower-lying places in the dunes, where the sand isn't able to absorb water quickly enough. Creatures that may have been docile before are now panicked, and might impede your progress, or even lash out themselves.
And, of course, there are the wraiths.
They're easier to spot this time around, across the rolling dunes. It's easier to make out just how much they've changed as well: the claws, the teeth, the exaggerated proportions... and the unmistakable pain and fury in every movement, in every shriek and wail.
You are vulnerable to any and all injury during this time, whether from the wraiths, the wildlife, or the elements. As long as you follow your gut, you'll know where to go — but we hope you have a strategy, all the same.
— AN EYE IN THE STORM
At least in the Cavern, you had cover. Nooks and crannies, branching tunnels, rocky outcroppings... But out here, beneath the wide-open sky of the Desert, there's very little in terms of shelter. The odd plateau, or cave entrance, or inexplicable feature might grant you some reprieve, but there's always more sand to cross in-between.
On occasion, however, you may spot a strange sort of wraith watching you at a distance. Some of you may even recognize it: an eerie, dissembling creature that some have dubbed the Smart Wraith. Its form, like the others, has solidified into something grotesque and painful, as if its body has been plucked like clay by a particularly spiteful child. Unlike the others, though, it does not attack, or even approach. It simply watches, as it always have.
If you have the presence of mind to notice, however, you may find that there are occasional reprieves from wraith attacks, especially across longer stretches of dunes. They're brief, but often crucially timed (such as when someone is significantly injured, or when a flood has just rolled through), and always correspond to a moment when The Wraith can be found watching from some far-flung vantage point.
It's odd, certainly. But do you have the luxury of looking a gift horse in the mouth?
stormbreak
— CLEARING SKIES
Eventually, the storm calms. Your body lightens. The atmosphere realigns.
The Crossing ends.
The thick, sucking mud of The River has become shallow and waterlogged. It's easy to wade through now, if a touch... unpleasant. Fibrous plants and reeds line the sloped banks, inexplicably dotted with bright orange flowers. Light is low, though the sky has cleared, as if wherever you are now lingers in perpetual dusk.
If you were traveling with The Ferryman, the mirages that dogged your journey finally fade and stay gone. If you were traveling on your own, any wounds you sustained heal rapidly on their own. As before, the healing is natural, but on fast-forward, and thus may not always resolve perfectly.
For both groups, memories bleed away from you - perhaps literally, perhaps not. Anything you found in the Desert, unless given to you by The Ferryman, is gone from your pockets.
When you look again, The Ferryman appears just the same as they were before The Crossing began. Let's take a break, they say. It's been a long journey.
It certainly has.
Image credits: 1, 2 + OMORI'S STORY, and stock imagery unless otherwise noted
The Desert is sprawling. If you've ever gotten turned around in the rolling dunes, it may have once felt endless. But in the weeks and days before the descent of The Crossing, something appears on the horizon: first a dark smudge of storm clouds, not unlike the others that have rolled through before, then growing — wider, darker, and more threatening.
You feel it, too. For some of you the feeling is new; for others it's a reminder of a trial you've been through before. It's a weight in your body, a solidity of your self, a vulnerability to whatever is approaching.
The storm overtakes the oasis. As the first drops of rain begin to fall, The Ferryman speaks in your mind.
It's time. Those who are prepared to pay the toll are instructed to gather on the bank of The River. As for the rest of you... we hope you have a plan.
taking refuge
The storm hits hard and fast. Even as you gather around The Ferryman, the rain grows from spitting droplets to a desert monsoon. The Ferryman's protection only goes so far: even if you're promised safety from danger, you'll still have to cope with the cold, the wind, and the water.
As before, The Lantern's Light grows dark. As before, The Ferryman gathers memories one by one, consolidated into a mote of light in their palm that becomes the new center point for the growing temporary bubble of safety. But this time— what it was too dark to notice in the Cavern before— you realize that The Ferryman themselves is changing, too. Their form fades as the light in their hands grows, becoming as fuzzy and insubstantial as mist... not unlike the wraiths, outside of The Crossing.
The sparkling white salt flat before you begins to melt and grow murky, exposing the sticky, grasping mud beneath. The Ferryman glides out over the roiling muck of The River, and so do you, your steps as light as if there were still a crust of salt to separate you from the mud before.
You must keep moving, though. Linger too long, and you'll start to sink... and the mud might not let go, this time.
— A HAVEN FROM THE WANTS AND ILLS OF LIFE
The journey is arduous, and the storm is unrelenting. The Ferryman, unfamiliar as they might be in this form, leads confidently through the blur of lightning, wind, and rain. As before, the mote of light created from your memories follows in their footsteps, illuminating the path to follow along the wide expanse of The River.
Even with The Ferryman's protection, it is exhausting work. It's as mentally taxing as it is physically draining. As such, when the path forward begins to shudder and shift, it may come as a reprieve. The wall of wind and rain finally breaks, the Desert around you replaced by... somewhere else. A place you may recognize, or may not.
Whatever stress or fear you may have been feeling from your journey wanes, replaced by feelings of calm, peace, or joy. If the place you are in is unfamiliar, the feelings are muted, as if they don't quite belong to you... but surely this is better than returning to the monsoon? Perhaps you can rest a while. Play a game, recover in shelter, or take a meditative walk through a maze. What's a few minutes, anyway? Time hardly means anything anymore.
Just don't forget: if you linger too long in any one place, the mud of The River will start to suck you down. It's best to stay alert— and to keep an eye on those traveling with you, as well.
storm chasers
The Desert isn't designed to weather a storm like this one. Beyond the pounding rain and cracking lightning, those of you who have decided to travel without The Ferryman must also navigate the environment itself. Flash floods sweep through lower-lying places in the dunes, where the sand isn't able to absorb water quickly enough. Creatures that may have been docile before are now panicked, and might impede your progress, or even lash out themselves.
And, of course, there are the wraiths.
They're easier to spot this time around, across the rolling dunes. It's easier to make out just how much they've changed as well: the claws, the teeth, the exaggerated proportions... and the unmistakable pain and fury in every movement, in every shriek and wail.
You are vulnerable to any and all injury during this time, whether from the wraiths, the wildlife, or the elements. As long as you follow your gut, you'll know where to go — but we hope you have a strategy, all the same.
— AN EYE IN THE STORM
At least in the Cavern, you had cover. Nooks and crannies, branching tunnels, rocky outcroppings... But out here, beneath the wide-open sky of the Desert, there's very little in terms of shelter. The odd plateau, or cave entrance, or inexplicable feature might grant you some reprieve, but there's always more sand to cross in-between.
On occasion, however, you may spot a strange sort of wraith watching you at a distance. Some of you may even recognize it: an eerie, dissembling creature that some have dubbed the Smart Wraith. Its form, like the others, has solidified into something grotesque and painful, as if its body has been plucked like clay by a particularly spiteful child. Unlike the others, though, it does not attack, or even approach. It simply watches, as it always have.
If you have the presence of mind to notice, however, you may find that there are occasional reprieves from wraith attacks, especially across longer stretches of dunes. They're brief, but often crucially timed (such as when someone is significantly injured, or when a flood has just rolled through), and always correspond to a moment when The Wraith can be found watching from some far-flung vantage point.
It's odd, certainly. But do you have the luxury of looking a gift horse in the mouth?
stormbreak
Eventually, the storm calms. Your body lightens. The atmosphere realigns.
The Crossing ends.
The thick, sucking mud of The River has become shallow and waterlogged. It's easy to wade through now, if a touch... unpleasant. Fibrous plants and reeds line the sloped banks, inexplicably dotted with bright orange flowers. Light is low, though the sky has cleared, as if wherever you are now lingers in perpetual dusk.
If you were traveling with The Ferryman, the mirages that dogged your journey finally fade and stay gone. If you were traveling on your own, any wounds you sustained heal rapidly on their own. As before, the healing is natural, but on fast-forward, and thus may not always resolve perfectly.
For both groups, memories bleed away from you - perhaps literally, perhaps not. Anything you found in the Desert, unless given to you by The Ferryman, is gone from your pockets.
When you look again, The Ferryman appears just the same as they were before The Crossing began. Let's take a break, they say. It's been a long journey.
It certainly has.
Image credits: 1, 2 + OMORI'S STORY, and stock imagery unless otherwise noted
Re: The River of Mud
[Mari's expression was one of worry as she looked at the storm and what they would have to face soon.]
Kel... I'm glad you decided to come with us this time...
[She wasn't sure she could bear him losing anymore memories that he wasn't willing to give up... at leave this way they could all stay together and help each other get through this.]
no subject
Well, I heard last time you all had to deal with a bit of stuff... and there's no way in hell I'm leaving my two favorite people to deal with this on their own.
[And he doesn't know what crossing on his own could even bring to the table at this point, really. he WANTS to be uesful but... how? for now, he's focused on Mari and Sunny.]
We're here to support each other, are we not?
no subject
That's true. Thanks Kel.
[Despite the fact that Mari didn't remember everything related to her own Crossing memory, she still remembered the way that Sunny and everyone struggled through there's. Maybe this time too she could keep Kel from losing anything else important...]
no subject
He was not going down without kicking and screaming, you know? That being said, he had two people he now put before himself. He grinned, holding her close and making sure he could keep his feet steady. If anything got in their way, he was going to personally punch it away.]
Hey, that's what friends do, right?
[With his free hand, he ruffled her hair, looking around and seeking some kind of distraction.]
Why don't we keep ourselves busy? You can tell me more about your memories and such I know we spent an absurd amount of time together when we were kids, it's kind of insane thinking how hard you pretty much parented us all when our actual parents had beter to do, but I've been fifteen myself, I bet you got yourself into mischief and stuff as well.
Tell me your secrets, Mari. Did you ever cheat during a test? Did you secretly try the 'adult juices' at a party? Did you ever hold hands with some dashing person in a school corridor? Did you ever consider shaving your hair, abandoning the piano and starting a rock band instead
I swear all my music-related buddy went through 'we're starting a band' phase lately.
[Distractions, he was good at them]
no subject
[Her smile grew and she couldn't help the giggle she let out at what he asked. It was a strange realization. That Kel was able to ruffle her hair now, just like Hero used to do... but maybe she could remind him by talking about their memories? It was worth a shot.]
Hmm... I did get into some mischief...
[Cheating during a test... that wasn't one Mari herself had done, or even thought about doing... if anything if she had to resort to cheating it would mean she wasn't good enough right? If anything she was the one others were trying to cheat on.]
No to cheating. I've always tried my hardest so that wasn't a possibility for me... I know plenty of people in my grade who did though...
["Adult juices"... that was one that Mari wasn't allowed near either, not that she hadn't been tempted to try but the resulting scolding wasn't worth the risk.]
In terms of the "adult juices"... sadly I wasn't good enough at sneaking around to try some... maybe if we are lucky here though we can! After all... what are drinking rules when you are dead right?
[She didn't know if she believed what she said, but trying to lighten the mood a bit as well. She couldn't put all of it on Kel after all!]
Hold hands with a dashing person...
[Oh she had done plenty of that with Hero, mostly out of the sight of her parents. She didn't know how her mother would react, but given the way she knew her father wouldn't be happy... she wasn't bound to risk it and get Hero in trouble too.]
I did that a lot... [but you won't remember right?] with Hero... I know you don't remember him... [there was that stab of pain again...] but we were... close.
[She did laugh a lot at the last question.]
Oh Kel! I'm not sure I'd go that far! But it does sound like fun! Remember how I wanted to dye my hair purple? I think that's about as rebellious as it gets for me... Now... how about your secrets huh?
no subject
[He knows it's not true and despite sounding very confident... Kel knows Mari won't take that seriously at all. And to make his joking tone even more clear, Kel does bring one hand to the front of his mouth letting out a most amused 'oooh' when she does admit to get into some small mischiefs.
To think everyone considered her perfect, tsk tsk!
Oh, who didn't?]So those good grades were all your stuff, huh? Man, I can't get any real dirt on you, can I? 'She knew people who copied in class' isn't really a big thing to gossip about.
[As if, Kel has been surprisingly reserved in talking about her or Sunny, but this is teasing for the sake of keeping her attention there.]
As for the 'juices'... don't worry. I know some people who drink but it's not so common, not even at my age. You're forgiven for not being a terrible influence in the group. I guess we could ask Ferryman for booze? As you said, it's not like we're alive and can get sick anymore.
[And then... Hero. There's a shift in Kel's body language and the teen does glance away- it's... been a while and he still doesn't know who this person it. All he can see is that his memories being gone do pain Mari. Ah, and he thought he was being subtle enough in avoiding the topic as much as possible...]
I'm... sorry. [What else can he say? There's literally nothing left there, he fears... oh, he could at least be honest with Mari a bit, though?] I... this is why I struggle leaving either you or Sunny out of my sight. I know he's supposed to be important to me. I know I don't even miss him. I... don't want to lose either of you this way.
[It's inevitable, though, isn't it? There will be come a day, if they don't find a way to fight it, when he and the other two look at each other without remembering their original bonds. Ah, that's... he should offer her a positive outlook, not share his fears.]
That being said, the Ferryman says we cannot give memories we make here, so I plan to keep everything I can together from our time here. So I will still know how much I love you two.
[Not even death can take him away from those he loves the most- or so he keeps saying himself.]
And- oh man, I remember that. You know who dyed her hair, though? Aubrey. She's so pink. Whenever we clash it's a pink versus orange competition. [A small chuckle followed] As for my secrets... my my. What would Mari even want to know about this poor, humble man? I don't have much but ask whatever you may want to know, I'll answer, promise.
Apologies if I've had Mari ask these questions before.
Please don't be sorry. I promise... even if you don't remember him, I'll do my best to try to remind you... I don't want to lose you or Sunny either...
[She tried to smile, tried to get things back to being happy. Cause after all, that's what big siblings did right? Forced their own feelings down and put on a brave smile for their younger siblings?]
So... never apologize for sticking close ok? I love you like a little brother and the time we all spend together is precious to me...
[She was glad at the very least that they couldn't lose their memories of them here... She also wasn't surprised that Aubrey had dyed her hair... ok maybe a little cause she still thought of her as this young girl who made the promise with her...]
Good for her! I'm glad me not being there didn't stop her! Even if I am a bit sad I didn't get to keep the promise...
[She thought back to what she might want to know for Kel... after all, teasing each other seemed to improve their moods?]
How did your first kiss go? Are you going steady with anyone or has someone caught your eye? Is our favorite hangout spot still there?
Oh it's okay! They're new and Kel can be awful about answering them.
And Basilwere not going to join them.]It's okay... even if I can only blame myself for being so careless and getting hurt. BUt you and Sunny, I...
[He slowed down just a bit, looking at her and wanting to tell Mari she had no need to smile for him of all people. He got it, he really did... Ah, the hell with it. He fully stopped, placing both hands on her shoulders and looking directly in her eyes.]
I will not forget you two. They may take where I come from or my life, but the Ferryman said we can only give memories from before our death, not after. So, as long as I keep making new, precious memories of you two and reminding myself how much I love you two, the person I'll eventually become will still care.
[He doesn't trust his own words, he's terrified Mari or Sunyn will eb taken from him, it happened so easily with Hero, but... he doesn't want her to be afraid as much as he is.
Let's focus on Aubrey instead.]
She's... much stronger, I think. And she has a lot of new friends too! One of them is Kim, remember her? She was the bad boss girl of the playground. From what I hear they're pretty much inseparable. And Mikhael, the kid brother of the baker twins. Charlise, who should be around your age and a kid- Angel. They're acting all like they're the hottest thing in town and call themselves the Hooligans.
Ah!
What a silly name, right? She's doing well, though. She has some rough days, Sunny knows he's got to see some of them, but she's got people who really really love her around so that's good, right? Not that I don't care, mind you, but... I don't think she'd be happy if I was the only person around her. And, hey, not your fault you didn't keep your promise, we didn't choose to die, right? I'm sure she knows that. And for what it's worth, she still loves you.
Still the big sister we all needed and loved.
[A genuine laugh, there. No Basil mention, there, not yet.
And at least his mind starts moving forward real fast when Mari speaks next.]
Woah! I asked you for held hands, that's a lot bolder! [And the answer would be, like... zero experience, zero kisses, zero fun. He was a late bloomer in that sense and boys kissing boys was probably not going to fly over too well in his household anyway. Still... he could snag away memories from someone else, right? Mari couldn't know better and Sunny also didn't leave the house for four years, who could speak the truth? Think, Kel, think- which First Kiss story you heard was the worst? Oh, right thank you Cris.]
Well, I said I'd give you the truth, so... First kiss. So. Pizza night. Pretty cool person sitting right next to me on the couch. Had a crush for quite some time, you know, teen years and all. I had the bright idea to lean in and try for a kiss, that person did the same and the next thing I know it was a clash of the titans kind of event while our teeth painfully collided. Needless to say, it killed the mood real fast. [He knew he laughed a lot when he heard it from his blue haired friend, at least.] As for how my romantic life goes: my crush is still alive so it kind of died with me. That's supposed to be a joke. And YES! The Hangout spot is still there! The trees covered the entrance to the lake which makes it even a bit more private. The Hooligans go there too.
[And they had a lot of fights there. And Basil and Sunny almost died, too. But not all was bad, Kel got to see Sunny pepper spray the Hooligans and that had been absolutely priceless
sorry Aubs. Now, let's keep her head away from the water pouring over them, the mud and how uncomfortable their clothes feel on them or how depressing their situation is. Keep her entertained, Kel, if being weird and embarrassing works- so be it.]My turn now! Give me one of your embarrassing secrets or memories, girl. Make me gasp. Or, as we modern teens say: serve me some tea!
[Knowing her, he half expect a dark, deep confession on the level of 'I once burnt a batch of cookies'.]
no subject
Oh… Kel… Please don’t say that ok? It’s not your fault for getting hurt… these things just happen…
[Mari couldn’t let him continue to blame himself for getting hurt. After all, they were up against things that weren’t human…
She did stop and focus when Kel gently took her by the shoulders and struggled not to cry at what he said next. It was true that they were all worried about what would happen in the future, or at least Mari was… but it was clear to her no matter what that they wouldn’t change, even if they did forget each other.]
Kel… thanks… and I promise… I won’t forget you two either! Even if something’s change we will always be family.
[She did pull Kel in for a tight hug at that. When he started to talk about their mutual friend, Mari couldn’t help the smile on her face and the giggle that came at the group’s nickname.
She had always been a bit worried about how Aubrey would grow up. The girl didn’t always have the best home life and Mari was always determined to help her grow up well. To hear that she’s made more connections and in the end gotten through some rough patches was a relief to her.]
Aww Kel… I know you two have your little spats but she does care for you in her own way… but you are right. After all, having more friends is always better! And I love you all too… I’m just glad that I didn’t drag things down after.
[She was glad that Aubrey was growing up in her own way. Dying her hair pink despite everything showed determination after all!]
Hey! In my defense I missed a lot ok?
[Her retort was said in jest before Kel began his story. And Mari hung onto every word, like a sister hearing the best gossip from a younger sibling. She winced when she heard that Kel and his crush had banged teeth. Ouch that had to hurt!]
Aww it’s ok! First kisses can be awkward. As they say, practice makes perfect!
[Mari knew her first kiss with Hero had been awkward, mostly cause he hadn’t been expecting it and she had accidentally knocked them both down into some bushes!
She was glad that the old hangout spot was still there. If anything the addition of more trees just added to the allure of the space away from prying eyes and adults.]
Oh how can I resist when you put it that way! [She laughs and thinks hard. She wasn’t sure if she should tell him this, after all it might ruin his perfect image of her… but then again he was being so honest with her. And she couldn’t keep all her secrets bottled up…]
Once… when Sunny was really little- well you all were really little- it was around his 7th birthday… and remember when he wanted that limited edition Captain Spaceboy comic?
[It was true that her brother’s love of spaceboy had been a long lasting affair. Once he started reading him- and every other kid in Faraway Town- was hooked.]
Well… it cost a lot of money… and…
[Mari could feel her face burning up in embarrassment already and the story wasn’t even over.]
Mom and dad kept a jar of money under their bathroom sink… and I kind of… snuck in and took some… and used it to buy the comic…
[She couldn’t help hiding her face in her hands… she still can’t believe she resorted to that…]
Oh! But I did make sure to pay them back! It just took a while…
[And she was pretty sure that her parents never found out… at least if they did they never confronted her over it….]
no subject
[There's a frustration -a bitterness- in his tone that seems to imply there's more than this than 'I forgot this Hero person'. Hero doesn't hurt anymore, it's just gone, even if Kel can still feel some emptiness in his life that wasn't there before. He doesn't remember who held him when he felt sad as a child, the only person who actively went out of his way to be affectionate with him instead of just waiting for Kel to close the distance. There was no more big brother reminding him not to drink orange joe, no kel pretending he didn't care (but it felt good, orange joe made his brain feel... relaxed). Just silence. The house, a relatively empty house, and two parents that- stripped of their relevance for both Sally and Hero... felt distant at best.
Still, he needed to focus on her, not himself.]
Of course. You and Sunny are dear to me and that will never change. And if we can keep our memories here, there's no doubt that even if I forget a bit or two I'll still know who are my most important people.
[And here comes the hug. It's warm, it's lovely, it's something he needed more than he care so admit and for a moment his happy attitude breaks, he's merely glad she's under his chin and cannot really see him. Kel's big, strong arms wrap around her figure as well for a moment as he pushes back down the awareness he would like 'more' of that, more of feeling protected, but that's so selfish to desire for...
He's there because he deserves it. Sunny is in that place because Kel wasn't fast enough to save them both. He has to be the strong one.
It still takes him a moment to push her away, still keeping her close enough to offer support as they move forward.]
I'm... I know she cares. We fight a lot but she's like the sister I never had- just a sister I ended up punching around a lot- don't worry, it was mutual. And before coming here, I think that... despite all jokes and snarky remarks? I got that she cared. We slept together because neither of us could bear the idea of... being alone right after something big and bad happened.
As for you- you did nothing wrong, okay?
[He knows something bad happened, Mari and Sunny's 'fight', but at the same time she always tried her best... even now.]
And I know you missed a lot. That's why I'm here, willing to share anything you may want to ask. As for practice- sorry. All the people I want to kiss are alive and I kind of want for them to stay like that. If you do find a cute blondie with pretty blue eyes, though? Let me know, 'kay? I have a type.
[He liked Jay. But he was not going to give her more info in that sense- Jay was alive, Kel was death, that was just something to keep her entertained. Like he gasps, covers his mouth with one hand and ignores the pouring rain to make faces as she talks. A loud, amused laugh leaves his lips once she's done admitting her 'crime'.]
Your brother stole twenty bucks from my wardrobe and I pretended not to notice. I guess you're all criminals, huh? But I get it, I would have done the same for Sunny, you're a good big sister. [A pause] Aklso I know Sunny got those twenty to take back the money I borrowed from him earlier that day, I was just joking around.
Man. Who knew you could be fun...
[His tone is clear, he's just teasing for the sake of teasing, every word is dripping with affection.]
no subject
Oh Kel…
[Mari wished that she could instill confidence in Kel that he was enough, despite any mistakes that he felt he made. Sadly though, Mari could only try to comfort him, to fill that Hero shaped hole in his heart to the best of her ability…]
We’ll make new important memories here, just you wait!
[And here sweet Kel was, comforting her as well… it was still hard for her to believe that he was all grown up now… She tried to stop any more tears from falling at his words.]
T-thanks… Kel.
[It was nice to know that he didn’t blame her… for whatever strange situation surrounded her death… she still wasn’t ready to confront that yet.]
And I’ll make sure to keep as eye out for a cute blonde ok~?
[She fake gasped in horror at his admittance.]
Oh no we really are a family of criminals~!
[She couldn’t help the laughter that escaped her.]
no subject
Guilt was like poison, especially when he had no one he felt he could talk about it with. Still, Mari and Sunny needed him at his best, so-]
Of course we will! We became close friends before, it will totally happen again! And once we're all done re-befriending each other, with the memories we made here, we'll be inseparable.
[Kel wasn't pushing the topic there. There was... it was difficult to face it. Especially when he figured out just enough aout it.]
Don't forget the blue eyes~ My crush had both and cute lovely dimples decorating every smile. I could blabber about this person soooooo much if allowed- but, I'm glad they're safe back home, at least.
[he brought both hands on his hips for a short moment before wrapping his arm around her once more.]
Delinquents, I'm telling you. All of us.