[closed] Mog's Day Celebration

[unkindled_madness]

Who: Sephiroth unkindled_madness, Loki dothelokimotion, Tina skagzz, and friends!
What: They made up a holiday instead of celebrating any of the actual things they have to celebrate.
When: November 14
Where: their new home in Sunset Falls
Content Warnings: N/A for now


Happy Mog's Day!

What's Mog's Day? Well, it's not surprising you haven't heard of it, since it isn't an Earth holiday. It's a fall celebration marking the end of the season, before moogles enter their annual hibernation. A simple drawing of a moogle (a white, vaguely koala-like animal with small bat wings) was included in the invitation. On arrival, guests will be asked to don a large red nose, out of respect for Mog. The hosts are exempt from this, given they're the ones throwing the party and all.

Want a tour of the house? The hosts are not familiar with the concept of a housewarming party, but that's essentially what this is, and any of them would probably show you around if you like. They've just moved, but there's no sign of boxes. Rather, the bookshelves and decor seem a little sparse, their belongings having migrated from a smaller space. You may catch glimpses of a large orange cat slinking around behind the furniture. He has not yet adjusted to his new surroundings, and all the strangers aren't helping.

A catered dinner is laid out on the dining room table. (They can cook, they just... didn't.) There's also a chocolate cake waiting in the kitchen for later. It's for Loki; Sephiroth doesn't really care about cake.

The nearby back door leads out into the yard, and the fire pit. Arranged on a table are some materials one might use to create a simple effigy of someone you particularly hate. There's also a bag of marshmallows, seemingly as an afterthought.

Comments

[atypical_echo]

"I just want these people to be without power," Mark says with a sigh. "And maybe for their families to stop talking to them."

Because Adam deserved better than his aunt.

[unkindled_madness]

"...I suppose that might be a punishment, if they value their families."

Hard for anyone to talk to you if you're dead, though.

[atypical_echo]

“The one I met, the one who made the choice to keep me there? She did. A lot. She cared most of all for her nephew. The way he cut her off when he learned what she did to me…”

Yeah, he was closer to Adam than she was at this point. The kid was someone he had been texting with regularly since he left town. It really was interesting. And sad at the same time. But Mark supposed family was a weirder thing for him than it was for a lot of people back home.

[unkindled_madness]

"He chose to break ties with her? On your behalf?"

That's remarkable, he feels, although perhaps this is a close friend. Still, it's no small thing.

[atypical_echo]

"On more than mine, but mine did figure in to the whole of it. His boyfriend, he's like me. An Atypical. And the kid learned what they do to people like us and..."

Hated her for it.

"He helped. The best he could. Kid has heart. I hope he goes far."

[unkindled_madness]

"...he sounds like an admirable person."

Sephiroth never gave anyone back home the chance for that. He never revealed what had been done to him. He assumed that, like everyone who had access to the 67th floor, they wouldn't care.

He was probably right about some of them, but only some.

[atypical_echo]

"The kids were okay," he agrees with a nod. "But I wish they hadn't had to be involved in all of it."

[unkindled_madness]

"Perhaps, but it will serve them better to understand these things exist in the world, than to go on oblivious to them."

[atypical_echo]

Now that's a good point. Mark still wishes that Adam and Caleb had been safe from it all.

"One of the boys, he's an empath. We... were hiding from someone, to protect the kids. To protect them from someone that wanted to get to the boy's uncle. And his boyfriend, the empath, he was just... feeding on all of our anger and fear and powerlessness when that person that we were hiding from found us. He snapped and attacked the guy and..."

Mark shakes his head. His own mind had been dizzy with the depths of power from Caleb. It had made him nauseous.

"I just wish they never had that pain and weight on their shoulders. They should get to see something better in the world than I had to."

[unkindled_madness]

It doesn't sound so terrible to Sephiroth. Moment spent in fear, yes, but with people trying to protect you. Having the ability to lash out.

Should it sound terrible?

"Did you express this sentiment to them?"

[atypical_echo]

I...

[He sighs and looks down at his hands.]

I ran away.

[unkindled_madness]

...and you haven't seen them, since that moment?

[atypical_echo]

[He winces to even consider the last time he would have seen them.]

No. Thankfully. The last time I was in town, right before I came here... Things went really wrong. People died. If they had been there... No, I'm really glad I didn't see them after.

[unkindled_madness]

You believe they are better off apart from your company.

[atypical_echo]

No, it wasn't that. It was specifically what happened. It was bad, Sephiroth. It was really bad.

[And he is almost shaking to remember it. What happened. How badly he's almost screwed them all by being a willing test subject. What he found out after.]

[unkindled_madness]

[He isn't going to ask specifically what happened. Not his business.

He glances at the fire.]

...perhaps you ought to burn that, too, then. The memory of it.

[atypical_echo]

How do you burn a memory?

[That was something he wished he could do. But doesn't abandoning something like that make life that much more complicated?]

[unkindled_madness]

[Sephiroth shrugs.]

A symbolic gesture. You can't really get rid of it. But perhaps it could help, like the rest.

[atypical_echo]

[Huh. He supposes it's something to think about.]

That was sort of the purpose of the effigies but... Can you get me a piece of paper? And maybe a pen?

[unkindled_madness]

[Sephiroth nods.]

Of course. I'll return in a moment.

[He ducks inside the house and returns a minute or two later with a pen and a pad of writing paper.]

[atypical_echo]

Thank you.

[Mark takes them both and breathes deeply.]

I'm going to write it out. All of it. As quick as I can. And then I'll burn it. Maybe that will help.

[unkindled_madness]

Maybe it will.

...would you prefer some privacy?

[atypical_echo]

No. It's not necessary. But I can't imagine this will be entertaining to watch.

[unkindled_madness]

[Sephiroth shrugs, turning to the effigy materials.]

I'm sure I can find something to occupy my time.

[He's got his list, after all.]

[atypical_echo]

[Ah, that's fair.]

Do... you want to read it? I mean, I don't suggest it.