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? 

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[nadenagi]

[(Reminder that no one in game yet knows that they are the same person! Thank you!)]

Nagihiko

An airport, an international terminal. Most of the signs were in Japanese, English, or Chinese, though some other languages could be found here and there. A woman was standing near the seat Nagihiko was sitting in. Nagihiko was sitting properly, feet on the floor, back straight, but his eyes were downcast and not looking at the woman with the purple bun who looked... so much like him and his sister.

"It is just another year," she was saying, in a voice that sounded like someone trying to cheer someone up, though her face didn't show the desperation that was in that quiet sound. "On more year then you'll be going to school, everything will be as it ought to be."

Nagihiko nodded but didn't look up, his long loose hair falling over one shoulder slightly. "I know," he whispered. His face looked a little sad, until you saw the pain filled eyes. He looked like someone who had just lost everything. Or like someone he loved had died. But it only showed in his eyes and the quiet whisper.

She dropped into a graceful crouch, knees not touching the ground as she pushed his hair gently back behind him. "And you'll see your dad again soon, you've been missing him. We'll see him by tomorrow night."

Nagihiko nodded. "I'll be ready to practice, I promise," he said, his voice hollow now.

She sighed heavily and smoothed the hair at the back of his head. "You enjoy dancing, don't you, Nagihiko? If you don't...."

His head shot up at that then, eyes widening in alarm. His whole face picked up the expression. "No! No! I love dancing!" he rushed to assure her. "Please! I want to keep dancing!" he all but begged, but he kept his voice quiet.

She nodded, still expressionless. "I'm glad," she said quietly, relief in her voice. "But I don't understand why you're so upset. You like dancing, you never minded working hard and practicing, you seemed excited about this part when we used to discuss it."

He took a deep breath then made his expression blank again. He looked at her. "I... Met Nadeshiko's best friend before we left. Amu-chan. Spent a while with her."

For a moment she looked surprised before she too schooled her expression. "Did you? And how did it go?" she asked, moving a suitcase over to sit neatly on it to face her son more easily.

Nagihiko couldn't help it, he chuckled a bit. "She's adorable. Easily flustered. I... I think we can be good friends when I get back."

"Well then, that's good, right. Or... is that why you're upset? Do you think she won't remember you when we come home?"

He shook his head and sighed. "No.. that's not it but..." He tilted his head back a moment and closed his eyes, gathering his thoughts. A deep breath then he looked at his mom again, mak carefully back in place. "But what happens when I come back without Nadeshiko? I'm someone Amu-chan met once. Nadshiko is her best friend. She's the Queen chair," his voice tightened there, strangled. What will they all think? Left with only me... when she's the one they want?"

"Oh, my sweet boy," his mother said softly. Her face remained expressionless, but she pulled him forward gently and he went, hiding hi face against her so he could cry without anyone realizing that was what he was doing. "They will be disappointed not to see your sister, perhaps... but never disappointed to see you. Anyone who sees you as less than her isn't worth a second of your time."

She held him and stroked his hair for a while before he spoke again.

"What about you?" the muffled voice asked. "Everyone knows all this time... I've just been here a bit here and there, but you've raised Nadeshiko this whole time.. are... are you going to be okay... with just me?" he whispered.

"None of that now," she said, a bit more firmly. "You are my son and I love you. I will hear no more of this nonsense in so public a place. But even in private the answer will be the same, so long as you are you, so long as you are my child, I will always love you. Every last bit and aspect of you. The only way you could disappoint me is if you stop trying. And you're hardly one to just give up, are you?"

He shook his head and sat up some, all evidence of crying gone. But his eyes were still sad. "What if... I don't know how to be me? I don't... I've... I've lived under Nadeshiko's shadow for so long, to come back and live in all the spaces she once shone... Being all that is there to fill the space she left behind..."

His mother looked a bit stern then. "Then you'll learn how to be you. But you don't have to be Nadshiko or feel the space she left, Nagihiko," her voice was quiet but sharp. She gentled it then. "Besides, that is what family is for. We see who you are even if you don't. And there are lots of things you can do when you get back, spaces she never existed. Would never exist. Sure, you both are dancers, and you may even join that same club she was in. The Guardians. But did Nadeshiko ever join any sports teams? We both know she didn't. You could go out for Fûtbol with that Kukai boy. Or better yet, try out for the basketball team."

He looked stunned and jerked back a moment. "You... you knew that...."

"That you sneak out whenever you think you can to play basketball?" she asked, arching a single brow then she chuckled. "I am your mother, Nagihiko. Give me some credit, please."

He blinked, absorbing that. "But... you never stopped me..."

"You needed some space to breathe," she said sighing a bit. "A place in Japan that wasn't all about Nadehiko. I understood that. But now you won't have to hide anything. When we get back, you can be one hundred percent you. And this trip... just you, me, your dad. No Nadeshiko. Time to settle into your own skin and step into the light. You'll see, Nagihiko my dear." She took his hand and kissed it. "Now, we're almost out of time before the flight. Can I get you anything to eat? To drink? Is there anything you want right now?"

His other hand slid into his pocket a moment as he considered then a weak little sheepish smile. "Green tea?"

She patted his hand and nodded. "Green tea. Watch our bags." She rose gracefully and all but glided off towards the vending machines.

He watched her go, then pulled his hand out of his pocket. For those who can see spirits or magic or just have a ton of magic or connection to souls, they might see a single blue egg with flowers on it in his hand. To everyone else, he looks like h's just staring at his palm.

"But... who is the who I want to be?" he asked in a whisper. "Who... am I supposed to be...?"

The memory faded and Nagihiko jumped back from the flower and looked around, wide eyed. "Was... that some sort of attack?!" he asked, eyes scanning, of all things, the sky.


Nadeshiko

Later in the week, Nadeshiko could be seen out and about gathering flowers, a number of them woven into the top of her ponytail and into the seams of her dress. She seemed to be having quite a bit of fun. Until one of them triggered for her...


An older woman was helping Nadeshiko smooth the obi on her kimono as her mother spoke to her. For those who could see magic or spirits or souls, they would see a tiny spirit, the size of an adult's hand, floating about Nadeshiko's head. No one in the memory seemed to see her.

"Are you certain you can handle this?" her mother was asking, stern but concerned.

Nadeshiko nodded, holding her long draping sleeves out of the way with the ease of long practice. "Yes, mother," she said, formally.

"You've never had a friend stay over before," her mother said. She still sounded stern.

"I know, but Amu-chan is special," she said softly. But there was conviction there. She wasn't backing down.

"So you've said, but there is a limit, Nadshiko. Are you certain?"

"I'm certain," she said with a gentle chuckle, not seeming to notice or care that her mother was so stern sounding. "You don't need to fret," she added. "You'll understand when you meet her. It'll be fine. And besides?"

"Besides?" her mother asked, all but pouncing on the word verbally. The woman held herself still but something about her voice said she would have been better off pacing.

"Besides," Nadeshiko said, serenely, "I have faith in myself. Don't you have faith in me, mother?" she asked, had tilting eyes wide with innocence.

For a moment her mother looked like she swallowed a whole bag of sour candies.

Nadeshiko covered her mouth with one long sleeve and giggled. "After all, I was trained by the best, mother." Her obi done she stepped off the small platform and towards her mother. She bowed deeply.

Her mother looked even more sour for a moment then softened and smiled and kissed the top of her head.

Taking that as a signal, Nadeshiko smiled and stood. "It's fine, mother. Really."

"I just worry, and with the family coming together again so soon..."

Nadeshiko nodded. "I won't miss a moment of practice."

"That wasn't..." her mother began.

"In fact, I was planning to practice while Amu-chan was in the bath, and once she fell asleep. If you'll be available."

Her mother looked stunned a moment then laughed behind her own - slightly less generous - sleeve. "You really thought this out, haven't you?" she asked.

Nadeshiko nodded. "I'm growing up," she said, a little bittersweetness and wistfulness in her voice.

"You are," her mother said, sounding both proud and sad.

"I only have so much longer to be a little girl," Nadeshiko said, "Before I have to be whoever I'll grow up to be as an adult. So before I have to go and become all boring... is it so bad to want to have one sleepover with a friend?"

Her mother laughed and cupped both her cheeks to lift her face so she could plant a kiss on Nadeshiko's forehead. "It is perhaps a good thing for everyone that your future is in dance, not politics. You'd be the world's youngest prime minister."

Nadeshiko laughed a bit. "I think Tadase-san would be upset if I got there first," she said with a twinkle in her eyes. "So it is really okay for Amu-chan to stay the night?"

"Just this once," her mother said with a sigh. "But you need to be careful."

Nadshiko nodded. "I always am. And I won't fall behind in practice."

"When were you thinking of having her come over?" her mother asked.

The doorbell rang.

"You are hereby forbidden politics!" Her mother declared, but she was fighting a laugh. She turned to the older woman, "please see to the door, while we compose ourselves. And... when you have a moment, fetch a spare kimono if you would, I suspect we'll need it before young miss Nadeshiko's little friend has left. I'll join you at the door in a moment."

The woman nodded, smiled warmly at them both and then left.

NAdeshiko's mother looked at her and sighed. "And here I thought raising a boy would prove the bigger handful, just what am I to do with you, Nadeshiko?"

"Love me," Nadeshiko said with a bright smile.

"Always." Her mother patted her shoulder then followed the older woman.

Nadeshiko's eyes flicked to the small spirit for the first time. "You ready, Temari?" she asked softly.

The spirit nodded, bobbing in the air. "So long as I don't have to get my kimono dirty..."

The vision ended and Nadeshiko gave a small sigh, staring at where it had been. A wistful look in her eyes.