PLAYER PLOT END

[a_gentle_boy]

And as suddenly as the mushrooms had first appeared, they vanish again.  Every single one.  Across town, there is no trace of the poison that had sent so many people spiraling into uncontrollable nightmares.  Those caught in the grips of hallucination will find themselves instantly cured, no matter what they were in the middle of seeing.  Once more

Comments

[Phone]

[crusthatecean]

Mayfield brought something from your world to fuck you and others up.

Yeah, I can see how we're all going to have a hard time forgiving this blatant act of malice.

[a_gentle_boy]

[What is sarcasm?]

I'm sorry. I don't know how I'll make up for it, but I swear I will.

[crusthatecean]

Okay, well, the first thing you can do to make up for it is to learn when someone's comments are intended sincerely and when they are sarcastic because you're being an idiot and blaming yourself for something you had absolutely no control over.

[a_gentle_boy]

Oh. Um. Sorry.

Maybe I couldn't have stopped them coming in. But I could have got rid of them sooner. It was the worst thing I'd ever gone through in my life, and I... I let it happen to all of you.

[duck_duck_laser]

[Dakki had heard Lucas's call, but not answered. Her own bad mushroom trip had been terrible enough that it was just easier to not talk. Every time she tried, words tended to get tangled into an embarrassing wad.

But she did come by to visit.]

...hi, Lucas.

[She looks exhausted, and she's disheveled. That little sprout of hair that's always sticking up is frayed at the end, and drooping.

Even if he didn't have something, Lucas was a friendly face. A kind face. She needed kind faces right now.]

[a_gentle_boy]

[Lucas's face is still kind, but slightly marred by something resembling misery. He'll glance up and smile wanly, though.]

H-Hi... Miss Dakki. Um.

Please sit.

[duck_duck_laser]

[His wan smile was returned, and she sat. And said nothing at first. It was impolite, and she knew it, but the right thing to say wasn't clear.]

...it's over.

[Then, a flicker of brightness comes to her. She looks over at Lucas, worried.]

You... didn't eat any, did you?

[a_gentle_boy]

[Lucas slowly nods after a little while.]

It's alright. I've been through it before. Not like all of you.

...

I'm sorry.

[phone]

[doudemoe]

Don't blame yourself.

[a_gentle_boy]

...Everyone's been saying so, but. Well. Someone has to be blamed, right?

[doudemoe]

Not always.

[Even if Mayfield brought them over, Minato eating them was his own choice.]

What do you have?

[a_gentle_boy]

It's... a bit like the opposite of the mushrooms. To make you feel... confident. Stronger. To build up your courage and your heart.

phone;

[theniwasroman]

... you shouldn't think like that, Lucas. It's really not your fault.

[a_gentle_boy]

Even if it's not my fault... I still had a responsibility for it, didn't I? I was the only one who could get rid of them.

[theniwasroman]

That can only account for so much, can't it? You were... affected too, right? [ He's vaguely sure on that one. ] I don't think it's fair to expect someone to just fix everything when they're...

[ Trailing off kind of because he's still working on good terms for that sort of thing. ]

[a_gentle_boy]

I... Yes, I was. But...

[Lucas is quiet for a bit as he struggles to think of how to express himself.]

I... I'm supposed to protect people. I can heal, and I can make shields, and I can protect, and that's why I can do all of these things. And instead, I... I let you all get hurt. Really badly.

So I'm sorry.

[action]

[richtighammer]

[Thor is exhausted. Though he was not plagued by hallucinations himself, he has been awake since dawn, hammer in hand, working at what he has always done: protecting. It has been mostly fruitless. And without a god's strength, he is spent.

He trudges up to Lucas's porch wearily, hammer slung over one shoulder and his back bowed under its weight. His attempt at a bold greeting gets points only for effort.]

Hail, son of Flint! The hour is late even for drinking.

[a_gentle_boy]

Oh. Hi, um. Mr. Thor.

[He is slightly impressed that the man had remembered what he'd said his father's name was. Lucas looks quite exhausted as well as he sits up and manages a wan smile.]

Well. It's never very late for something warm to calm you before bed...

[richtighammer]

A long sleep would not go amiss now.

[Thor barely remembers a time he's been so tired - he wants little more than to fall into his bed and forget Mayfield for a few days.]

But it matters little - I have come to help. What have you here?

[a_gentle_boy]

To help?

[Lucas's gaze flickers down to his jug and back up.]

It's... coffee, actually. Maybe it's not too good for before bed, after all. But... special coffee.