Mother, Tell Me What To Do- Event

[missrecalled_mods]

It began with flowers. Now, flowers were nothing new to Auradon, but these were clearly no ordinary flowers. For one thing, they were distinctly not native to the area, looking much more like they hailed from somewhere far more tropical, though even should anyone- Missrecalled or local- be familiar with such things, they wouldn't be able to identify what species they were or exactly where they might be from. For another, rather than growing over time, they'd all just simply appeared overnight. And they'd appeared everywhere. From outdoor spaces where one would usually find flowers, to all sorts of places indoors where one normally wouldn't find them. Draped in living garlands around the shoulders of suits of armor. Twining around the legs of tables and chairs. Literally sprouting right out of the woodwork or wallpaper in places. 

Avoiding them entirely would be difficult, though doable if one were particularly determined. Fortunately, aside from their mysterious appearance and their sudden ubiquitousness they seem to be harmless. They even smell nice, though no two people will be able to agree on exactly what the smell is like, just that it's pleasant.

However some of the flowers will randomly cause something odd to occur. Touching one, or breathing in too deeply from one of the random flowers will draw forth a memory for all nearby to see and hear. Only one memory will display at a time, and anyone in the area can see and hear it, but only those close enough to have caught the scent of that particular flower will get the full effect. They'll see the figures and setting as solid, and may experience subtle additional effects related to the memory, such as the feeling of a breeze or the smell of cooking food. Anyone else will see and hear everything fine, but will not experience any additional sensations and will see the scene as somewhat transparent. The figures aren't solid, they just seem like that to anyone who was close enough to smell the flower when it triggered.

The memory, oddly enough, will not be from the perspective of the one it belongs to; they and their companion or companions will be observing from a third party perspective, thus allowing a person to see their own face in the memories without the aid of a mirror. Nor can the memories be interacted with; those viewing them are observers only, and while they'll be able to hear the figures in the memory and each other speaking, no one in the memories will be able to hear or perceive them in any way. The memories vary in content and tone from person to person, for obvious reasons, but a common thread will soon be spotted: all the memories involve the person's mother or similar maternal figure. Generally they are more likely to be positive memories, if such memories exist. 

Once the memory fades that flower looses its ability and becomes just like any other flower in this event. However another flower nearby might have been activated...

Picking one of the flowers and taking it back to their rooms- which are one of the few places that remain entirely flower-free, for some reason- will result in the person having vivid dreams of their mothers or maternal figures. Again, while the content of those dreams will vary widely for obvious reasons, in Auradon, the tone will be generally positive. Perhaps bright and cheerful, perhaps nostalgic and somewhat melancholy, but the dreams will be generally good ones, and those who have them will wake feeling generally refreshed and like they slept well. The dreams are just that, dreams. Even those with no memories of their mothers can have these dreams - but in the drams they will have a mother, and the dream will center around that maternal figure one way or another. Again, these are dreams and our minds can create the sweetest fantasies when so inspired. These dreams will linger one day past the event for every day the flowers had been kept in the bedroom. Also, oddly, of the flowers people pick will show no signs of wilting or drying out, even days after being picked no matter where they're left.

Then, after a week, all the flowers- whether picked or left alone - vanish overnight, just as suddenly as they appeared. A strange phenomenon, to be sure, but once it's over, other concerns will likely take precedence once again. After all, something like that couldn't possibly happen again, right? 

Comments

[mal_contented]

"My mother was so terrifying they're still scared of her twenty years later. I'd call that pretty lasting," she said, dryly.

[queen_butterfly]

"Twenty?" She sounded a little confused again, her smile fading some as she paused in messing with flowers and peeked back to Mal. "I'm... certain that's long enough for someone to feel it worth noting." Her reputation lasted a mere twenty years so far, really? Interesting. Maybe someday she'd be more used to such a short view of time, but today was not that day.

Another scene interrupted them, though it was a quiet one: the workshop-home of the carver lady, who'd fixed a new arm for the then-tiny Chell. Mallia was much smaller here, perhaps a head high, standing on the little shelf just inside a window, opening and closing her now-huge wings agitatedly, a bird cradled up in her arms. "...and he can't move!"

The lady frowned, leaning in to see better, and held out her hands for the creature. The fairy handed it over. It was moving, but not well, as if struggling against something, even having a difficult time breathing, if the strained, upset notes were anything to go by. The lady petted it, holding it up to see better, working to gently calm it down. She narrowed her eyes, carefully working her fingertips down into the feathers of its body, feeling for something. "Fairy, was this little one injured recently?"

"I saved him from some humans," she said.

"...Hunters?"

"Yes! They were horrible! They said they were looking for food, and they took the food I gave them, but they wouldn't leave! And then they hurt him! And they looked happy about it!"

The lady winced and sighed, petting the bird some more, making a few soft sounds to it. "We can fix this," she said, and peeked about her workshop, eyes going over her shelves, searching for something.... "We may need to make something to do so, though."

[mal_contented]

"Twenty and counting," she growled, oddly offended on her mother's behalf as she crossed her arms again.

[hotheadwarmheart]

"I think you just summed up what's great about the show right there," Lea said. "You can chill on the couch eating popcorn and watching a fun show, and call it education. Because it kinda is, but not in the preachy, condescending 'edutainment' way that everybody hates on some level whether they admit it or not."

[mal_contented]

"Oh not in Auradon. This is the kingdom of preachy boring condescending television. I could find you some of King Beast's PSAs to the Isle..."

[queen_butterfly]

Quiet, tilting her head to somewhat peek at him despite the angle, "What sort of things did she teach you? ...What sorts of dance has she done?"

[queen_butterfly]

"That's... ah...." She looked confused, honestly, caught for how to reply as the scene played out around them. "...I see."

The elf lady in the scene was wasting no time in grabbing up some little scraps of cloth, and with a few quick stitches from a needle and thread she pulled out from somewhere, she was turning it into a small doll, a rough plush of a birdish shape... she'd set the injured bird up on her shoulder, by her ear, so it could see what she was doing. "Come help me with this? Your hands are so much smaller than mine; can you tie the threads together here and here? Keep in mind, you must do it with intent; this will be his when we're done."

"But how is a doll going to help him?"

The lady sighed. "Those humans hurt him badly, dear."

"But I fixed him! I healed him up and kept him alive!"

Present-Mallia leaned a little more toward Mal, not quite taking her eyes off the scene. A little quieter, as though thinking to perhaps try avoiding interrupting the apparent play being put on for them: "Is twenty years considered long, among humans?" She didn't know, all right?

Meanwhile, the elf in the vision was still at work. "You've... kept his spirit here. But he's like you and I are now. And he needs a new body. So we're making him one to use for a bit, while we fix up one he can use for longer, you see? Because his first body's getting stiff. That's why he's having trouble now."

"Oh...." The little fairy on the desk took over the crafting while the elf lady turned to her shelves, digging out little containers, poking through them.

"I'm certain I have something around here we can use for-- oh, here we go!" She quickly fished out a few beads of various types, setting them out on the tabletop. "And if we string some longer ones together, we can even make some nice little legs that'll bend easily and everything!" She poked through some other things on her shelf, while the tiny figure finished making the simple doll's fabric shape, and passed over a tuft of dried grasses and flowers. "Here... for the stuffing. A soft bed to settle his spirit, to hold him kindly...." She picked up some small tools, and used those to hold the last spot on the fabric body open, so that her little helper could push them inside. "Fill it with your love for him," she said quietly. "And that spark of healing...."

[nadenagi]

He hesitated, trying to figure out how to answer, then a small smile ghosted his lips and he stood. "Do.. you want me to show you?" he asked, holding a hand out to her.

[mal_contented]

"Yeah, it is." The current scene was making her uncomfortable, so she turned to leave. And might have succeeded if she hadn't brushed a flower. She jumped back as the memory started.

[queen_butterfly]

"I'd be honored." She shifted to stand, reaching up to take the offered hand gently.

[queen_butterfly]

She was silent, staring at the back-and-forth, waiting until the display ended. Her reaction had been some mix of disbelief and mild disgust and annoyance, though she tried to hide it behind neutrality. The degree to which she managed to do so was questionable, but she tried.

"Something of a larger version of those 'phone' things, I see?" It sounded rather rhetorical, but... look, just because she was given one, didn't mean she was used to using it. In fact, she hadn't thought to take it out in... how long, now? ....Wait, was she still carrying it? Hmm....

"My condolences, that there seemed to be multiple people like that. Ought I hope they've all been put into positions where they can't mistreat anyone again?"

[hotheadwarmheart]

"Oh I bet there's plenty of people in Auradon who don't like it any better than you do," he said. "But nobody wants to say anything to that effect, because that'd mean questioning the status quo and maybe admitting that there's some cracks under Auradon's glossy surface. And they can't have that, now can they?"

He sighed. "Though I guess discussing that kinda thing's sort of a moot point at the moment, given...", he gestured vaguely at their surroundings, "...everything."

[nadenagi]

He smiled and, holding onto her hand. started leading her through the first steps of one of the simpler two person dances for a male and a female that he had learned. It was a good one, he had been taught, to use to asses someone's skill. Because it wasn't well known enough to be insultingly familiar, or to seem to be too easy. But it was easy enough to pick up and follow, even for a beginner.

As for Nagihiko himself, as they started dancing, something started to come alive in his face. His smile seemed deeper than she'd ever seen, and more natural. It was as if when he danced he was... somehow more himself than most of them usually got to see.

[mal_contented]

"That was kind of the point of the Isle," she said bitterly. "Put all the villains off where they can't bother anyone but each other." She made a face that made it clear she was frustrated. She didn't even try to hide it. "Each other, and then once we were born... us. Carlos was basically his mother's slave. Evie's mother made it clear to Evie that beauty was all that mattered and beat into her head that Evie'd never be as pretty as she is, never mind that she's an ugly old bat and Evie's gorgeous. And more? Like Carlos, she's smart. Very smart. And then there is his lordship of the faded velvet tracksuits and annoying pet parrot. And of course, Maleficent." She waved to where the image had been. "The worst of the worst reduced to being the worst in a whole other way."

And all four kids could have died or worse in Auradon and their parents would only care that they hadn't gotten what they wanted first.

[mal_contented]

Mal rolled her eyes. "If that's your idea of kissing up, you're really bad at it."

[queen_butterfly]

She was failing at keeping her expression unreadable, but at least it only made it obvious that she disapproved of how the kids had been treated. A little pause as she took a breath, looking down as she did, and then back up to Mal. Deliberately calm-sounding, "But... you're all safe now? You and your friends? ...Were there others as well...? Was something done, to correct the situation?"

[queen_butterfly]

She did her best to go along with the dance -- most certainly not one she'd ever tried before, it was clear, but at least she did catch on. She moved well enough; perhaps it was something she'd practiced often herself?

But her attention was on the child there as he moved, not just to try keeping up with him, but enjoying seeing the change in his demeanor for it. It was... nice. Seeing him lowering his guard like this, to show her something that clearly meant so much to him....

She'd have to remember this all for later. Perhaps she could figure out some way to play into it eventually for him as a gift?

[mal_contented]

"All safe?" she asked, sounding bitter. "I wasn't friends with all the kids on the Isle. I actually had very few friends at all. Learned that lesson early. We weren't raised by good people to be good people," she snapped. "We were raised to be villains. Until just before we left the Isle, none of the four of us had friends. Jay was the closest I had and we were both sure the other was going to stab us in the back as soon as there was a reason to. I know he was planning to use me to steal my mother's staff. We weren't friends. We just stole together. If I died, he'd have been the best thief on the Isle. Instead of always being second best." she shrugged, realizing she was getting off topic. "CJ and Freddie came over without permission. Shri... Uma," she corrected herself, kidnapped Ben and held him hostage to try and get the magic wand. She later spelled him for the same purpose. To lower the barriers and let everyone be free. We had to chose to close the barrier forever, no more in and out for the few VKs who had proven that we could adjust to Auradon, or let all the VKs have a try. And just as we came up with a plan to let all the kids have a chance, to see if they could adjust or if like CJ all they wanted to do was be just like their parents... all this happened. I don't know, maybe it is the universe telling us we let the wrong people out. Someone stole something to start this all out, after all. Someone broke the rules in such a way that EVERYONE vanished. Isle and Auradon both. These are not small things, Mallia. And once all of you get to go home, we have to deal with the fall out we have to figure out who to punish and how, or if they already suffered enough, whatever enough means. We have to live here! So if you could spare me your certainty that you know what is best I'd appreciate it!" she snapped.

And maybe, just maybe, those words were aimed as much at Lea as at Mallia.

[nadenagi]

His smile brightened as he led her through the dace. She might notice a slight motion in his little caplet that his motion and the wind couldn't account for. He seemed unaware of it. "Let me know when you want to try to go a bit faster," he said, sounding happy. Truly happy.

[queen_butterfly]

She blinked, managing to finally resume hiding behind a far less readable expression... and bit the inside of her lip a little, clasping her hands in front of her again as she let Mal continue to have her say uninterrupted. Honestly, letting her vent could only be for the best; she hadn't really much idea of the details, of what had been going on, as frosty as this young lady had been toward her previously....

Certain she'd finished, however, slowly, clearly, carefully, softly: "I'd asked questions." She hadn't been lecturing, she'd been shocked and concerned.

She didn't really wait for a retort to that, though, tilting her head a bit, eyeing Mal. "I do wonder, though: how old do you take me to be?" Was that a challenge of some kind, or a point she wanted to make? Because she hadn't changed her delivery, still not raising her voice any, certainly not seeming any more stern or annoyed... just baffled, almost. Just looking to clear something up, because apparently she suspected this was not just part of some kind of misunderstanding between them, but that it had something to do with the current topic...?

[queen_butterfly]

"If you'd like to, we can," she said, deciding not to mention the movement... the last time she'd asked one of them about similar, they'd fled, and more importantly, she didn't want to distract from what they were up to right now.

[mal_contented]

"I don't care how old you are or aren't. You were just asking questions that imply that you know better, when your better is exactly what was wrong in the first place!"

[nadenagi]

His smile was brilliant as he nodded. "Alright then!" And he shifted to a speed that he judged from dancing with her so far, was hopefully the kind of speed that would lead her breathless with no time to stress or think, just react. Just give herself over to the dance as the thing in his cape wiggled even more.

[queen_butterfly]

"If that's how you interpret concern for you and those others, after the quite frankly rather shocking things I've found out so far, then I'm afraid I'm rather at a loss."

[queen_butterfly]

She was having fun, certainly, doing well enough at keeping up as she caught on to what was expected and went with it. In truth, she probably wasn't actually doing some of the moves quite right; should someone have been video-recording it, they might've caught her fudging foot positions in the playback now and then, subtly, sliding into place were she shouldn't have been able to... of course, it helped that her lower half was hardly visible under her skirt....

Perhaps it would be interesting sometime, if she were to simply take to literally floating around rather than attempting all the footwork one might assume went into some dance or other? But another time; this was more for him, now. She'd simply carry on so as to not hold him back, should she mess up somewhere....