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

ITP: butterflies!! ♥ Open to all!

[queen_butterfly]

She could be any number of places, honestly, when the memory-share started anew. The butterflies could've very well been normal butterflies... except that they were in all sorts of colors, from bright pinks to pure white, some solid, some striped or spotted, or textured, or in gradients, or what even looked quite a bit like a fine pattern intended to be camouflage to blend in with wood or green leaves, the wings' shapes in about as many varieties as there were colors and patterns. They weren't randomly off-color petals, as they quickly proved by flapping and jumping from one flower to the next...

No, not one flower to the next. One fruit to the next. One leaf to the next. These odd butterflies weren't on the magically exotic flowers that covered the area, but on other plants, trees of some kind -- figs? ...not figs precisely, but something that looked vaguely related, though with large spherical black berries hanging everywhere on their twigs and branches, instead of bigger, more pear-shaped fruits -- and little oval things hanging among it all, in just as many colors as the butterflies on them.

Whether the passerby leaned in to see the scene better out of curiosity, or the magic pulled them into witnessing it, it would become clear enough in short order that these were not typical butterflies after all. Their heads were bigger than usual. They weren't clinging to the surfaces with their bodies parallel to them, but holding to them with only their hind four legs, standing closer to perpendicular, using their front two limbs as arms and hands. Their fur was arranged in lengths, in tufts and curls that suggested proper hair on their head and skirts, or perhaps dresses, with some of their coloration. Perhaps most interestingly to anyone who'd studied entomology, not a single one of the odd butterflies present had a proboscis, but instead had biting mouth parts.

One small part of the scene in particular would steal their focus for a moment: a few of these oddly humanoid-seeming butterflies tending to one of those little oval things, a black one, as it wiggled where it hung. One leaned down and carefully bit into a small ridge in the shape, and dug its tiny hands into it, pulling the surface back to let another, softer shape climb out more easily, dark black and shiny. What looked like crumpled-up petals soon proved to belong to the new thing climbing out, a dark butterfly like the others, though not quite in the same shape. It was new still, only just then climbing out of its chrysalis, and its wings had yet to spread and stiffen. The others were helping pull it up onto a nearby leaf, where they left it to jump away and do... whatever it was they were going to do next. Probably help another of the new butterflies climb out. Maybe go eat something.

The new black butterfly wasn't wasting any time in preening itself out, already trying to spread those new, still-soft wings of theirs... and there, as they opened, the hind edges were revealed to be a deep, dark purple color which disappeared up into the black in short order.

It wasn't just any butterfly. Its wings' coloration and pattern looked suspiciously similar to Mallia's dress. The same velvety-dark black, the same brilliant, clear hue at the lower hems, not so much striped as in panes as it disappeared up into the rest of the fabric at her skirt and sleeves and cape.

The scene lingered a bit, and then no sooner did it fade, than another started up, with another focus: that same black butterfly, being preened on by another butterfly. It didn't seem like it was one of the ones from the previous vision, but some random older member of the odd insect species. Another scene, a black caterpillar with a few bits of purple here and there, being preened on by yet other butterflies. Or being helped to a berry.

Another scene, a lady with the same subtly-pointed ears as Mallia smiled. She held something small out on her hand, waiting patiently as the black one and a few others settled onto her fingers and palm, reaching forward to take some, unafraid. She said something softly, in a foreign language. Hello, lovelies. Go ahead, eat up. There's plenty more to go around....

Another scene, a different elven lady, leaning her back against one of those trees, holding a bowl with moss in it, and dark wine. Those strange butterflies were on her hair, on her shoulders and arms, and on the moss, in the bowl, drinking their fill. She grinned, careful as she moved, watching the tiny creatures drink themselves to silliness and then climb up out of the bowl to rest on her instead. One of them, the black and purple one, tried to fly away, only to weave around unsteadily and manage to fly right into the lady's skirt, and then bounce off of her and land in the grass. The elf lady laughed as she apologized, and carefully crouched to reach down, letting the butterfly climb up onto her sleeve.

More scenes could play out: other butterflies -- fairies -- doing their little fairyfly things, preening one another, sharing food -- sharing fruit and smaller insects, apparently serving the ecological functions of both pollinator and pest control. A few other elves, apparently regarding the tiny fluttery figures as something like pets, or tiny people, playing with them, talking to them, feeding them. The only true constant seemed to be the black butterfly with purple edges on its wings, or the black-and-purple caterpillar.

In fact, enough scenes were playing out, if one stayed there long enough without interrupting, that it was becoming clear that something was going on here to keep causing them. Between visions, there was a flutter of the same black and purple butterfly among the odd flowers, climbing into them, and then after a bit, climbing back out, only to hop to another and enter that one.

But go figure: it was a butterfly, and flowers held nectar. Sweet, delicious nectar!

And if one were observant, they might even have spotted a phone lying somewhere, dropped by some inattentive Auradon resident.... Because Mallia forgot she was carrying it, and thus it fell, when she shifted to her tiny fairy form. Oops?

Re: ITP: butterflies!! ♥ Open to all!

[nadenagi]

On the first day, Nagihiko had been rushing back to the dorms, shaken, when he spotted the memories here and stopped to watch, almost transfixed.

After a few of the short ones he sat in the grass to keep watching, eyes wide. He wasn't fully sure what he was seeing. These... weren't charas. Given the colour, not even batsucharas. And they didn't feel evil or full of despair, anyway. So what were they?

[queen_butterfly]

There, another pause between scenes, and the one dark fluttery shape to remain between them climbed back out of a flower. It paused, dark wings opening and closing a few times to help steady itself as the movement of its weight on a petal caused it to bob while it preened itself for a second... and then it leapt off, flapping more as it turned to land on another flower nearby. It climbed into that one next, intent on searching for more of that sweet nectar....

The scene around them changed, and the child would find himself sitting across from another figure, a young lady of the same apparent elven species as Mallia, giggling as she covered the mouth of her wine bottle with her finger as she poured some into a shallow bowl with flowers in it, preventing a yellow butterfly from taking the opportunity to climb up inside it. She carefully slid the stopper back into it while the yellow one climbed over her finger still, still seeking the wine.

"It's down there," she managed, carefully passing the bottle off to her other hand so she could lower the bug to the bowl. It took her a few tries to change her hand's position so that the fluttery thing would end up on one of the flowers as it continued to climb her, not quite catching on to what she was attempting to show it.

But there, in the bowl... that wasn't a shadow or a dead leaf, it was that black-and-purple butterfly again, opening its wings and backing up as the yellow one bapped it with a wing, trying to find footing on the stems.

"Have you already--? How did-- I...." The young lady laughed, shaking her head, and opened the bottle again to refill the bowl again. She'd only just done so, and yet the black butterfly and only a few others had made that liquid disappear, despite it being bigger than they were. It should've been logically impossible, but the young-looking elf didn't bat an eye at it, merely kept it coming. "All right, all right... I can take a hint!"

One of the other oddly large butterflies seemed to have enough of the wine, and turned to hop onto a leaf that was closer to the observing human, letting the other pretty little creatures have more space. It also gave Nagihiko a better up-close view of it: narrower wings than some of the others, a wavy pattern of blues across it. Its tiny body didn't look quite like other butterflies', fur suggesting a skirt or longer dress over its hind four legs, and it preened its tiny face with its forelegs, much like one would expect someone to do with their hands, licking the blackish stains off itself.

It looked... rather humanoid, really, the way it stood like that, the furry little tuft of hair on the top and back of its head poofy with tiny curls, looking for all the world like hair. Its eyes were huge on such a tiny head... but for all that it was an insect, if one simply squinted just a little....

It really did seem to be a scene of an elf supplying a good dozen or more tiny fairies with as much drink as they'd take.

And that black and purple one, come back out from the flower nearby looking just as it had while indulging in the bowl of libations, was preening itself again, just as the blue one had been, in the now-vanishing scene. It was near enough... perhaps he could get a better look at it in the present reality, if he were careful?

Sorry, paid ran out >.<

[nadenagi]

"What... in the world...." he whispered, so confused.

[queen_butterfly]

The big dark butterfly paused, looking in his direction when he spoke. It tilted its little head, watching him a moment, considering... and then, very deliberately this time, climbed down to another flower, hoping to prompt another display.

As intended, another memory was shown for them: among the branches of some trees, one of the fairyflies was bringing some little tidbit of fruit to a dark-colored, fat little caterpillar-looking thing. The older fairy seemed to be trying to make sure that the fruit would stay in the baby's grip before letting go... but as the baby bit into it, it slipped anyway, and the older fairy quickly grabbed it again, to help hold it there.

They were at least somewhat social little creatures, it seemed... and odd as it may have looked, for a tiny creature like that to have such an obvious face as it did... it did look to be rather happy, munching away at what had started out as probably half of a berry.

The real fairy jumped away from the flower to land nearby, to get a better view of the scene before it faded. When it did, they turned to peek back up to the human, waiting for a reaction to the memory-display.

So, what did he think?

[nadenagi]

"This... if this is some sort of Batsu-chara attack... it is unlike any I've ver seen," he whispered, hand sliding into his pocket. "I... wish Amu-chan was here..."

[queen_butterfly]

An attack? The little fairyfly tilted its head, confused, and opened its wings slowly again, not quite a move to help balance as it stood there, feet pulling together a couple pieces of grass under it into a sort of platform that could support it. It turned to look at where the scene was, and then back up to the kid. A little beat passed, and it jumped to move to a spot just in front of him.

Another slow flap as it settled down, feet pulling some more grass together again like before, and it stood up straighter, raising a hand to wave hello. It was a remarkably ordinary sort of gesture, easily recognizable if he were watching. But this was a butterfly... so why was it waving at him like that, like people did?

[nadenagi]

He jumped back, startled and stared wide eyed at it. "I... wish the others were here..." he mumbled. They'd know what to do, right? Or their Charas might?

[queen_butterfly]

Another little head-tilt, considering it. She could speak up, if she really wanted, but would that be wise? Would it be appreciated? The kid seemed wary, despite her attempt to wave hi... did he not know what a fairy was, maybe? He seemed to have mistaken her for something else....

A second's pause more, and then she turned and jumped, fluttering to another flower.

Another scene: an elf lady was kneeling there on the grass next to a very young child. She was helping them hold their hand up, a large black berry, shiny and spherical, in that tiny palm. The tot watched, eyes wide, as two of the large butterflies -- that black-with-purple one again, and a red-and-pink one -- landed on their little hand, to eat at the fruit.

"Stay quiet," the lady said as the small child looked up at her, making an excited little sound that turned into a giggle. "...If you're very gentle, maybe you can pet them?"

The child, eyes still wide, took care in bringing their hand in to their chest, cupping it carefully to the front of their shirt. The little insects flapped their wings a few more times, settling into place better there as they ate the little fruit, and that other little hand very carefully crept up over them... A finger was reached down, and carefully touched one of their heads.

"'S soff, momma!" They looked up at her, grinning. "Soff an' tiny!"

"You're doing very well, too...." She reached over, dropping another berry next to what remained of the first. The two fairies were making short work of it, and she was simply giving them reason to stay on the child's hand where they were.

"Can I keep 'em?"

"Well, I hope they'll stay in our garden." It wasn't directly a yes or no. These weren't mere animals, despite appearances. She eyed the two little things there. "Will you stay with us a while? Please?"

"Pleeeeeaaaaase?" Another careful but still ultimately slightly clumsy petting on them, from the child.

"I have more fruit and wine," she offered.

The red one simply continued to eat; the black one paused to stand, craning its tiny head up to see her better. Its wings opened, and closed....

The scene faded again, leaving only the present butterfly. It turned to look back up at Nagihiko again, watching his reaction....

[nadenagi]

Confusion. His reaction was confusion. But also...

He put a hand over his chest, not quite over his heart but close. A pain like longing stealing over him.

"I want to go home..." he whispered. "I... I want my mom..." a tear ran down his face.

[queen_butterfly]

Her wings closed again slowly, her stance sinking. A glance down, and she slid from the plants into their shade.

A moment later, she stepped closer to the young human, her dress's skirt whispering over the grass, announcing her presence in her usual adult form. She knelt beside him, making no sudden moves as she reached up -- would she be allowed to wipe that tear?

No words, only a soft, worried smile, her posture a silent offer for a hug, if he wanted that.

[nadenagi]

He looked up at her, surprised, but he didn't pull away or run. He hung his head, however, ashamed of himself.

[queen_butterfly]

She wiped his cheek gently, not quite guessing correctly at why he was hiding afterwards.

Quietly, "I'm sorry, poppet." A little pause. "There's someone I miss as well."

Given, it wasn't a parent or child of hers that she was thinking of... but that didn't really matter, did it?

"It seems sadder, somehow, though, to miss someone while all alone... would you mind terribly if we missed them together?"

[nadenagi]

"Al....alright.." he said, softly. "Do... Do you think we'll ever get home again?"

[queen_butterfly]

"I don't see why not." A little pause, considering before asking, "Tell me about her...?"

[nadenagi]

"About... Amu-chan?"

Um, no, Nagihiko. That was not who she was asking about....

[queen_butterfly]

"Is Amu-chan your mother's name?" Well, she didn't know....

[nadenagi]

"Wh...what?!" he asked, startled. "N... no... Oh... you wanted to know about mom...?"

[queen_butterfly]

"About whoever you'd like to tell me about. I could tell you about someone I've been reminded of too, if you'd like....?"

[nadenagi]

"If... if you want. I'm not as good at being a friend as my sister... but I am good at listening..."

[queen_butterfly]

"I don't think I'd believe you're not. You're plenty capable of that, poppet." Just because she didn't know him very well personally didn't mean that she had doubts there; this was a kid, and children, well... they were quite often capable of more than they expected.

"Would you want to tell me about someone first, or ought I tell you first?"

[nadenagi]

He pushed some hair back, flushing a little. "You can..."

[queen_butterfly]

She nodded a little. "One of my oldest friends," she said. "He seems to know me better, sometimes, than I know myself. Always knows just what to say, to help when I've been upset. We could always tell each other anything. And he would always be there to help me, and I, him. He's one of those people one could spend the day with, not say a single word, and still feel like you've had a wonderful conversation.

"Some time ago, I was..." How to put it? Well, she didn't want to lie.... "I was hurt. And it was such that I couldn't do something I had intended to do. I couldn't give someone a present I'd planned. And he came to visit... he wasn't even able to come speak with me first, and I know he was very upset about what'd happened... but he remembered so well what I'd wanted to give them, and he gave it for me." She smiled faintly. "I think things quite possibly turned out even better for those people, than if I'd been the one to give it myself.

"I had to be away for a long while after that... but he was one of the first people I met with again after. He helped me fix my home... rebuild my castle. He helped me clear the ash and debris, and get my garden started. A long time ago, I'd given him a few bits of the roses from my garden... and he'd cared for them, and brought them back to me for my new garden."

She reached up to her hair -- surely this one was of her magic's making, given that she'd planted the real ones some time ago -- and she pulled down a little blossom, a darker, intense sort of deep purple, matching the hems of her gown, and offered it over to the child, intending to simply gift it away. "I really don't know where I'd be now, if it weren't for him. I owe him so much...."

[nadenagi]

He nodded, listening intently. "He sounds wonderful," he said quietly.

[queen_butterfly]

She nodded. "He's always been there for me... and I've tried my best to be there for him, as well. I don't even remember when it was that we met; I know we had to have, at some point, but it feels as though we've always known each other...."

She set the little rose in Nagihiko's hands, quiet, her smile soft. "There's so much that I don't remember, from when I was younger... and much that didn't happen for me, as it would for a good many others.

"...What's it like, having a mother the way humans do...?"