December/spring catch-all

[feralheart]

WHO: M-21 and anyone!
WHAT: Open + catchall
WHEN: All spring
WHERE: All over the island
WARNINGS: none, TBA if needed. Plotting here!


i. what do you mean 'consequences'

[ On one specific, highly cursed day this month, M-21 can be found lurking forlornly outside the island's little clinic. An internal war seems to be going on; he takes a grudging step towards the doors, then stalks away again. As if unaware he's doing it, he reaches down to rub irritably at his lower back. Maybe someone's a little less suited for farm work than everyone else? ]

This is so stupid.

[ He shoots a mutinous look up at the sky like he'd like to direct a complaint right to the management but doesn't quite dare. Then he's back to his pacing, with an occasional sideways glance thrown in towards the vet. Or he can be found draped somewhat pathetically over the nearest fence-shaped thing he can find, apparently no longer willing to move.

Help. ]

ii. like herding cats

[ On days when the weather is sunny and cooperative, despite all complaints, M-21 is hard at work in his fields. Reluctant concessions to farmcore have been made to spare what's left of his suit, and a sturdy pair of farming gloves covering his hands well past the wrist spare what's left of his palms from the sub-par farming tools. Things are coming in pretty nicely, especially the new stand of trees. They're full-grown and leafy and already showing a crop of... one fluffy orange kitten with oversized paws perched on a branch, chirruping furiously. ]

You got yourself up there.

[ Rescue? Or wait another few seconds to catch M-21 sighing and stripping off his gloves as he goes to climb a tree for what appears to be the five hundredth time that day. ]

iii. wildcard

[ Catch me on my planning link or PM if you want a starter! I welcome any and all bingos or just chaos. Or just hit me with anything, he'll be Around. ]

Comments

[framestory]

[ It's a lot to explain, and he thinks telling it to M-21 won't be so bad. If it ends up being bad, then he'll just take the consequences. It's fine. It's fine. He's about to tell him a secret that he usually doesn't tell others (with the exception of Gaku, since he had to "blurt it out").

He takes a while, thinking of what to write on the notepad to show him. ]

Do you read books? Watch movies? Do you ever like the characters in those stories?

[feralheart]

[ M-21 makes a noise of agreement, brow furrowing a little. He's not really much of a reader, but he thinks he understands enough to follow Ellis so far, and that's what matters. ]

I watch with the kids sometimes. It's... [ Normal. In the way he likes. He gives a little encouraging nod to continue. ] ...I like seeing them get good endings.

[framestory]

[ M-21 is a good person, unlike Ellis.

Well, it's now or never--though Ellis would have preferred "never", he feels like he can only get the answer that he's looking for with M-21. ]

I'm from a frame story, which is to put it simply, a story within a story. I'm a character from that particular story. The entire world was a story too, created by someone who roams over multiple universes, in a "human chess match" with another one of his kind--an Overseer.

I was a character created by a third party to interfere with one of them. The story doesn't begin with my "birth", so I came into existence as Fifty, a 21-year old deaf person with the power to stabilize one of the Overseer's existences long enough to erase him... as someone who is supposed to bring about "a new beginning".

[ He's sure M-21 remembers the meaning of the numbers. ]

[feralheart]

[ M-21 reads the note over twice, carefully, frowning as he takes it all in. A tiny tsk escapes him when his eyes hit the word "deaf," though Ellis can't hear it. He should have realized that part sooner.

Problems for later. That seems like the least of what Ellis is trying to tell him now. ]

Like my name. And yours was for change and freedom.

[ What it means to be a character when Ellis is as physical as he is, he doesn't know. Or most of this. So he takes the most straight line path of logic through that he can think of. ]

...Did you do it? Is that why you can't go back?

[framestory]

[ Ellis shakes his head no. ]

The Overseer found out about my existence and proceeded to kick me out of the story. I never got to fulfill my purpose--my entire reason for being created. To me, a character that can't fulfill what they were made to do is less than nothing. I'm not even in a story anymore. That's when I became "Ellis".

I'm not real. I'm nothing.

[feralheart]

[ If he were Tao, or Frankenstein, he's pretty sure he would follow more of this. "Real"? What does that even mean? He reaches out and taps Ellis lightly on the arm, like he's waiting to see if his fingertips go through him. ]

...I'm not saying I get it. But if you don't have to do what you were made for anymore, aren't you free?

[framestory]

I can't think like that.

[ He really can't. ]

If a character is kicked out of a story, what value does it have anymore? I'm not real like everyone else. I don't have that freedom like everyone does.

[feralheart]

[ For the first time, M-21 really wishes he were sharper for this. His jaw tightens, but he reins in his first impulsive outburst. ]

I... hate the people who created me. To them, we were trash. Disposable. I'm going to live every day I can to prove them wrong.

[ He thinks it's alike, but opposite. Carefully he rests his hand palm up on his knee and flexes his fingers, transforming his nails into the werewolf claws he'd hidden from Ellis earlier. ]

...But I can't go back to being human. You mean "can't," like that?

[framestory]

[ Ellis nods and looks at the changes on M-21's hands. ]

Maybe if I wasn't written like this, I would probably think the same. But I can't feel particularly ambitious about anything. Passion is a dead word to me.

I can't return to being a character in the story that I was made for, so I was stuck in some sort of limbo before I came here.

[feralheart]

What the hell...

[ If Ellis can't feel it, M-21 has no problem feeling pissed on his behalf. He hates this kind of garbage. ]

...Fine. Then we find your creator and make them undo it.

[framestory]

[ If M-21 was nothing to Ellis, he would have laughed and tell him that he'd be welcome to if he wanted to die. Strangely enough, M-21 is no longer nothing to Ellis. He feels a familiar bond when he was with Ten for a while.

He still shakes his head. ]

If I could, I'd rather not have him come here. He'd ruin everything.

[feralheart]

[ He's fought enough pointless battles with things too far out of his weight class to know not to push it. But... damn, that's annoying. More than annoying. ]

Then another way. If the goddess could pull you out of limbo to bring you here, maybe... something.

[framestory]

I actually don't know when I'll disappear, since I'm basically like a fish out of water.

[ Life sure sucks when you don't know when it'll end, huh. But Ellis gently pats M-21's hand. ]

But thanks. I actually find it difficult to actually care about people, but I'm still interested in keeping a bond with you. Maybe as friends.

I never had a friend before.

[feralheart]

That's why each day matters.

[ It's not the same situation, and he can't tell Ellis to feel the same as he does about it. But there's a familiarity to it anyway.

He startles just a little bit when Ellis touches his hand, but his expression softens again. ]

...Good. Because I already thought of you as a friend. I'll teach you how it works.

[framestory]

[ It's such a relief. The people here are genuinely nice and Ellis just thinks about himself. He's aware that he's a very selfish person. Perhaps one day, he can override his survival instincts to not ditch others in need, but he knows that will take a long time, if at all.

He looks up to see M-21's face and scoots over to wrap his arms around his neck to give him a hug. ]

[feralheart]

[ People here are a lot more touchy-feely than M-21 is used to. Ellis is, at least. But it's not a bad thing. If a friend is upset like this, the right response is easy. M-21 hugs Ellis back and just holds him there until it seems like he's settled. ]

[framestory]

[ And the two sit there, hugging as the sun gradually sets over the horizon. There's your sunset bingo, M-21. Ellis even leans into the hug a little because he likes physical affection, and he finds himself "healed" by it a little. Claiming that someone is his friend is a big step.

He whines a little... ]

[feralheart]

[ M-21's at least wised up enough to realize Ellis can't hear him now. So he nudges Ellis back a little so he can see him. ]

What is it? [ And since he was thinking it earlier but didn't want to pull back to ask: ] Writing all the time is probably a pain for you. If there's something easier, you should teach me.

[framestory]

[ Ellis looks up from the hug and then pulls away so that he can sit up and write on his notepad: ]

I don't mind writing, and sign language is hard to learn. I'm fine with this.

[feralheart]

It can't be that hard. It's good to let friends do things for you.

[ With the authoritative confidence of a guy who has had possibly more than one friend. Sign language, huh? He'll figure it out. ]

[framestory]

[ The mods have given okay that there are sign language books in the library with M-21 wants to go through that route... ]

Thank you.

But you need to get married to leave, right? Are you thinking of someone?

[feralheart]

[ M-21 vs the library... Of course he will do it for friend. He wrinkles his nose a tiny bit at the change of subject. ]

Not really. There'll be someone here who just wants to get out. It shouldn't be that hard. [ ...Disregarding that he hasn't met one yet. ]

[framestory]

[ Ellis tilts his head. Huh. He thought there would be more people who would want to leave. But then again, marriage is a pretty hard bargain. Ellis personally wouldn't care if he wanted to leave, but he doesn't. ]

Should I help you find one?

[feralheart]

[ And now M-21 has the problem that he wants to be able to get back here, too. Later problems. ]

You gonna set me up with someone? [ Well, Ellis can't be worse at this than he is... ] ...Why not.

[framestory]

Tell me your preferences!

[ If Ellis seems pretty eager to do this, it's not just M-21's imagination. He really is. ]