Pilot

[Rune Knight]

Morning rain wrapped Ellie in a gentle blanket of sound, the drizzle whispering on every surface outside and coming through her bedroom window as a low muffle. Her eyes weren't open yet, but she'd lived here long enough to know that an overcast gray ambience would meet her if they were, muted colors fading the vibrant energy in her room.

Did she really want to greet such a day as this?

But there was no denying it: she had to eventually.

...It was the smell of cinnamon that gave her the motivation she needed, warm nostalgia playing with the pleasure centers of her brain as the scent tickled her nose. Someone was baking downstairs - someone who knew what she liked.

Finally, Ellie opened her eyes, and began her morning ritual.

The room that greeted her was normally much more cheery: pastel blues and grays reminding one of the great big sky, with a large window opposite the door letting light in over Ellie's head as she lay beneath it upon her bed. There was a rather ho-hum desk to her right with school supplies, a laptop, and a bookshelf next to it, but the rest of her room was dominated by her one true passion: art.

To her left, a flock of birds took wing across the wall, each one gradually growing more detailed than the last, until eventually there was one quite close to her perspective, with that beady twinkle in it's eyes and a visible ruffle to it's feathers that gave the impression of soaring threw a strong wind.

On the wall beside her door, a swirling vortex of paper and canvas chronicled even more of her art journey, all the way from little pieces from long ago to grand paintings from old projects and competitions.

No matter how much the colors tried to pop or the design tried to catch the eye, though, Ellie simply couldn't be bothered to appreciate them today.

On her nightstand beside her, a picture lay facedown, where once it had been proudly propped up. Ellie couldn't help but look away from the reminder, grabbing her pair of glasses beside it without ever looking back.

Click!

The cold light of the upstairs bathroom glared down upon her, and Ellie looked up to see... that she didn't look like she'd just dragged herself out of bed at all.

Her hair was perfect: no bedhead, no split ends. It even looked like it was well-groomed, which may or may not have been true, but certainly not first thing in the morning - not usually.

Instinctively, she raised her glasses up to her eyes, and now things went from coincidencal to outright suspicious: her vision went blurry, like Velma when she lost her glasses!

She took her glasses off: perfect vision.

She put them back on: everything swam together in a blur of incomprehensible shapes.

…

Huh.

---

OOC

And now the story begins! :) Since the first two characters are ready and the others are on the way, I decided I'd get the ball rolling and get us going at a steady pace.

It's just you for now, @Starsign, but once Ellie heads downstairs, Faro will be in the kitchen area. Don't forget to describe any parts of the house that she passes that you think are relevant. ;)

 

Edited November 8, 2023 by Rune Knight (see edit history)

[Starsign]

Elain "Ellie" Llewellyn

Ellie felt unwell.

She looked like a drained figure, lacking emotion or feeling, waking up in her pajamas and getting ready with a marionette's motion. Her long, untied black hair sluggishly flailed behind her.

Her room was less messy and more unkempt. She ignored making her bed, ignored the mass of pencils piled up around her open sketchbook, and ignored the half-open blinds leaking the grey overcast light in. On most occasions, she'd be furious if she left her room like this. But it didn't bother her today. In fact, if her foster parents brought it up, she'd care less and instead go on with life. The faint scent of pastels did nothing for her mood. Some fresh air might've helped if it didn't remind her of what she'll go through. At least the smell of cinnamon kept her moving.

In her mind, she just kept reminding herself. 'Just get it over with. Just get it over with.' Again and again, her mind pulled those words like a mantra possessed to madness, praying that things also don't get worse.

As she turned on the bathroom light, she found that things... changed. She looked at the round mirror with its simple white frame as her own self gazed back at her. Her hair's ponytail was already tied when she swore tearing the band off last night. The two front locks of her hair hung down without a stuck-out lock. And she could see clearly. Putting on her silver-rimmed glasses changed her vision as if she was never nearsighted without them. "...Huh?" She blinked at the mirror, removing her eyewear to see herself clearly. A silent moment came and went as if she expected the figure in the glass to wink at her any moment.

A quiet, ratty *squeak* passed by her feet. She looked down, saw nothing on the dull white-and-black tiles, then looked back up. Her hair and sight remained the same. She no longer relied on her glasses to see anything near her. She'd have been thrilled if it was absolutely any day but today.

Ellie merely sighed and absentmindedly put her eyewear back where she found it, then swung out the first bits of clothing in her dresser. Replacing her pajamas was a pair of old blue jeans, a white t-shirt, and a black fall coat over it. With her socks and shoes, she *STOMP* *STOMP* stomped down the oak wood stairs connecting her room to the kitchen. "Morning," she loudly muttered with all the energy her family expected of today: very little.

Edited December 20, 2023 by Rune Knight (see edit history)

[Zelphas]

Faro Augustin

As Ellie came down to the kitchen from her room, the smell of cinnamon, bread, and burning assaulted her nostrils. Hidden (for the most part) between the clomping of her boots was the sound of a body frantically rushing around the area beyond the door, the clattering of plates, and a string of muffled curses.

The kitchen itself seemed fairly clean, though a keen eye would be able to see bits of flour, cinnamon, and even dried dough stuck to the most unlikely of surfaces, hastily and imperfectly cleaned away. The kitchen table, in contrast, was spotless, carefully set for Ellie's arrival. On the table itself were four plates, each one heaped with cinnamon croissants in various states of edibility, each bearing a small handwritten note in front of it in large, blocky letters.

The plate closest to Ellie's seat held misshapen, but generally well-cooked croissants, and bore the label "Practically Perfect (Ellie's)". The next plate down the line had croissants with obvious scorch marks, and its label read "An Attempt Was Made". The third plate was a mess of horribly overcooked and terribly undercooked croissants, marked by the label "The Disasters". The fourth and final plate was placed before the seat across from Ellie, and bore several blackened lumps. Its label stated plainly: "Coal (Faro's)".

The culprit behind these questionable food items stood next to the sink, wiping down a mixing bowl with feigned nonchalance while trying to control his breathing. "Morning," Faro responded to Ellie, setting the mixing bowl carefully in the sink and unrolling his baggy sleeves as he moved towards the table. "The 'Attempts' should be fine, if you're hungry for them, but I'm not too sure about the 'Disasters'; I swear some of them moved when I put them on the plate." He spoke with nervous energy that he worked to hide, keeping his tone light-hearted. If she wants to get into it, she can; no need to dwell on things before that if she doesn't want to.

Faro took his seat and smiled comfortingly, then did a quick double-take. "Uh, did you forget your eyes this morning, El? I can help look, if they wandered off on you."

 

Edited December 20, 2023 by Rune Knight (see edit history)

[Rune Knight]

It was then that Ellie realized just how hungry she was: hungrier than usual, a gnawing pit the size of a penny twisting her guts. It wasn't just that, though… her whole body felt empty, like she hadn't eaten for an entire day. Every cell in her body demanded energy, which made even the Disasters look a little tempting.

…only a little tempting, though. There were probably other ways she could help sate her hunger, quench her thirst.

 

[Starsign]

Elain "Ellie" Llewellyn

Faro's appearance revealed a minuscule smile on Ellie's face. Her parents were nowhere to be found; they must've arrived at the accursed clinic already. Seeing her best friend helped the pain.

Compared to him, Ellie didn't look ready for the day. Though her clothing and hair were perfectly made, her light-skinned body slumped now and then; tired eyes hiding despair looked on at Faro. "Hey Faro," she greeted him, looking past his face and toward his many cinnamon croissants. Damn, they looked good... Some of them did, anyway. Her taste buds tingled, her stomach growling at the extraordinary smell of cinnamon, bread, raw dough, charred coal-

She blinked at Faro's question and lifted her hands, feeling the sides of her head where her glasses should be. "Oh, no. I'll grab them later," she insisted with disinterest, walking over to the old wooden table and taking a seat.

It beared repeating that the smells were immaculate. Everything from the fresh bread to the coal went up Ellie's nostrils and influenced her much-needed desire to eat.

Instantly, she dug into the 'Practically Perfect' croissants. The flaky bread, butter, and cinnamon flowed and melted in her mouth. She had gone through half of them before realizing how fast she ate. In consideration of her friend, she pushed the plate across the table so it'd lie next to the blackened croissants.

Then she reached for the 'Attempts' and the 'Disasters' to devour them as perfectly edible goods. Both had the expected taste, with the scorch marks leaving a bitter tone and the 'Disasters' best described through Ellie's gagging, squeamish, and terribly regretful expression.

Regardless, she finished breakfast with a forced, tense smile towards her friend. "Thanks, Faro." There was a blank pause, a significant hesitation before she inquired. "I didn't know you'd be here. Did Mom and Dad tell you about today?"

Edited December 20, 2023 by Rune Knight (see edit history)

[Zelphas]

Faro Augustin

Faro blinked, nonplussed by Ellie's answer to not wearing her glasses. "...Okay, then. I guess--"

He stopped as Ellie tore into the croissants, freezing for a moment before settling into his seat. "Oh, no, those are for you," He protested, pushing back the 'Practically Perfect' croissants. "I have enough with the--"

Ellie grabbed the 'Attempts' and dug in. "Hold on, you don't have to--"

She ran through them in moments and grabbed the 'Disasters' as well, choking them down with obvious distaste. "Wait a second, Ellie--"

Before Faro could fully react, most of the croissants are gone, and Ellie sat back, looking... odd. Not bad odd, but something was off about the entire morning already.

"...Your dad told me about it a day or two after you got the news. I'm here for you." Faro thought about leaving things there. Let the moment go, focus on what's really bothering Ellie right now; she has enough weighing on her today already. But the sight of the two empty plates, with crumbs everywhere, and Ellie looking... somehow more herself, in a way he couldn't define, was concerning, and it couldn't just be explained by the fact that it was the last day for Ellie's pet.

"Look, this is a stupid question today, but... is everything all right? I mean, besides the obvious. You just... I'm sorry, forget it. It's probably nothing." It was all just too vague right now; uneasily, Faro decided that he had to let it go, and hope it was just the strangeness of the day.

 

Edited December 20, 2023 by Rune Knight (see edit history)

[Starsign]

Elain "Ellie" Llewellyn

Ellie kept in her chair, eyes locked on Faro as he spoke. His words soured her forced smile into a more honest frown. She released a gentle sigh, slumped her shoulders forward, and her back stuck out behind her.

"...No. Things are not all right." Her mouth widened as if to explain before shutting it tight. The words wouldn't come out, no matter how hard she dared speak about it. She'd been so tight-lipped about it to everyone but herself and her family; the physical and emotional strain from bottling it up took a toll on her school grades.

But it'd all be over after today. The worst of it was today. That's what Ellie's parents kept telling her.

With little else to do, Ellie grabbed a nearby napkin, cleaned the bits of cinnamon from her lips, and then stood and took several slow breaths. "But again, thanks for coming." A very faint chuckle escaped her mouth. "You remember all those times you were sick last year? And I kept coming over to help take care of you while your parents were working." Her brown eyes had a subtle glimmer, recalling her fond memories while she could think straight. "I guess this makes us even."

Edited December 20, 2023 by Rune Knight (see edit history)

[Rune Knight]

Outside, a flash of light lit up the window. For a moment, all was silent, but then a single crack of thunder rolled through the house.

kra-KOOM!

Like a mighty gong heralding the storm, the rain intensified, light drizzles evolving into sheets of rain that battered the house.

It was time to go. Ellie and Faro donned panchos and found their respective bicycles, pushing off into the rain and toward their destination.

In the small town of Muirgen, bikes were the best form of travel for kids like Ellie and Faro. Years spent fording the rolling hills of the residential area and coasting through the town proper had made them strong, but as powerful and freeing as it was to let the wheels fly as they soared downhill, it was still just as difficult to push up any sort of incline, legs pumping and muscles aching as gravity fought against them.

Ellie didn't feel any of it, though. Not the exhilaration of speed on the decline, but not the tax on her body as she rolled that boulder up that hill, metaphorically speaking. She was numb to the exercise: an empty vessel cutting through the rain, wind whipping around her yet totally unaffecting her.

Placid houses and parked cars fell away to city buildings, billboards and lights in shop windows. Ellie and Faro delved deep into the nexus of Muirgen's heart, suburban vibes showing just how large of a small town Muirgen was.

Passing through the town center was like passing through history: old pubs and pizzerias dotted the streets, ancient arcades still stood closed, having been left to collect dust after the Marina became Muirgen's main attraction, and the steeple of the Rose Hill Chapel - the one church in town that everyone would go to on Sunday - rose above it all some way off in the distance, a beacon even in a storm like this.

The streets were silent, empty. No one was really in the mood for a drive in weather like this.

Ellie realized something as they neared their destination, too: she still felt hungry. Not only was it as if all those croissants had done absolutely nothing, but that pang of gnawing hunger had only grown, now the size of a quarter. Her limbs didn't feel weak, but beside the physical sensation, there was also that nagging doubt in her mind of when her body might begin to give out, and that was almost as bad the real thing.

And then suddenly, they were there: Muirgen Veterinarian.

 

---

 

Muirgen Vet was built like a house, giving it a homely, welcoming feel. Cherry wood and neatly stacked stone on the outside translated into hardwood floors and cheery white walls on the inside… but "cheer" wasn't a word you'd use to describe the clinic right now. Stepping out of the rain, only a few clients waited within with their pets in tow, solemn and quiet with their heads low.

Displayed prominently on a small table in the center of the room was a scented candle, a warm orange flame flickering gently upon it. The light danced on a sign next to it, which read:

 

If this candle is lit, someone is saying goodbye to their beloved pet.

We ask that you speak softly and with respect during this difficult time.

Thank you for your patience and kindness.

 

One of the other pet owners glanced up. They gave Ellie a knowing look, silently commiserating.

 

---

 

A nurse led Ellie and Faro toward the back of the clinic, navigating through what seemed like labyrinthine halls. The room they were looking for wasn't the one for regular check-ups: it had a more specific purpose, one that most clients would rather not see first thing as they stepped through the door.

Passing into the intensive care unit, Ellie found the rest of her family crowded around a spot in the corner of the room.

Their quiet chatter stopped, and they turned to her one by one.

The sound of slow, labored breathing was the only thing that could be heard for a moment.

[Starsign]

Elain "Ellie" Llewellyn

Ellie takes one last look at the outdoors, seeing Muirgen even amid the flurry of raindrops and flashes of thunder crashing around the city. The view from Muirgen Veterinarian was like looking up in the middle of an urban maze, unable to see much of the town beyond the old buildings and the tip of Rose Hill Chapel. The sound of rain and thunder provided the only sort of comfort throughout the trip.

Nothing had the same feeling; her body seemed utterly unaffected by feeling things, whether it be the rush of wind, the devouring of food, or the droplets hammering on her pancho. The sound, however, reminded her that she was alive. She wasn't trapped in a bad dream as a reminder that there would be a tomorrow.

Ellie's eyes looked longly toward a small, run-down store in the distance. The Curio Friend, as it was known, was once one of her favorite places to visit. As a pawn shop, it had a varied assortment across its red-colored wooden shelves. Among those were the most unique oddities and occult-like trinkets. Even when Ellie couldn't afford it, she liked browsing and seeing what was new.

It was such a darn shame the place was closed today.

She looked back to the veterinarian building, glancing at the interiors and taking in the somber mood. Her body quivered from the scented candle, and she gave a trembling sigh at the sight.

"I'm... I'll be alright," she insisted to Faro before arriving at the intensive care unit. Seeing her family gathered, however, told her otherwise. A shudder sent throughout her body before walking forward.

"Hey."

Edited December 20, 2023 by Rune Knight (see edit history)

[Zelphas]

Faro Augustin

The bike ride to the veterinary clinic was quiet, which worked for Faro; he was fairly certain that his active role in this situation was over, and the best thing he could do going forward was to be as comforting of a presence as he could.

He caught Ellie's glance at his dad's business, and made a mental note to see if he could convince his dad to set something interesting aside for Ellie's next visit. That is, if I can talk to him at all without it turning into a screaming match...

Faro shook his head at himself and deliberately turned his bike away from the antique shop, banishing the stray thoughts from his mind. Today wasn't about him, and he wouldn't make it about him.

Faro followed Ellie into the clinic and let the space wash over him, resisting a sudden urge to snuff out the scented candle or to sneeze out its smell from his nostrils. The workers were doing their best to show respect, and he could honor that.

"I'm here," he answered Ellie's false assurances simply, giving her a small smile for just a moment. When she walked toward her family, Faro stayed back; in the room, but next to the door.

He'd never been allowed a pet of his own, and so some small part of this was slightly alien to him. Besides, Ellie's family was with her now. They'd take care of it. He kept near the door, a silent observer rather than a participant in whatever came next.

 

Edited December 20, 2023 by Rune Knight (see edit history)

[Rune Knight]

"Hey."

Three heads turned at the sound of Ellie's voice: two with fiery ginger heads of hair, and one with a muted ash brown. They all looked to be in their late 30s or early 40s, and they all wore a shade of black appropriate for the occasion.

Ellie's aunt was the first to see her, her long, waist-length mane of red hair flowing around her as she regarded her niece from behind a set of thin-rimmed glasses.

"Hey there, little raven." Rhonwyn replied in the softest tone, reaching her warm, soft hand out to caress Ellie's cheek.

Auntie Wyn had called her that ever since she could remember: "little raven". When asked why, she'd said it wasn't only because of Ellie's jet black hair, but she had never elaborated further.

Next was Ellie's mother, Amalija: her wavy brown locks bounced around her shoulders like a tiny cloud, but even they didn't do so as joyfully as they would at other times. Amalija tried to hide the redness in her sea blue eyes, the glistening moisture on her tawny cheeks, but failed miserably.

"You're-."

She stumbled over her words for a moment, managing to keep her voice from trembling too much.

"You're not too late, Ellie. He's still with us."

Finally, Ellie's father simply looked on with gentle understanding in his emerald eyes: beneath his handsomely tussled ginger hair, he gave her a look as if to say "It's ok. I'm here for you.".

He extended an arm, offering a kind of side-hug to his daughter to both bring her to the forefront and comfort her at the same time. If she were to accept the hug, he would kiss her on the head and face what came next with her.

There, lying in an animal crib, hooked up to all kinds of wires and sensors converging on a silent vitals monitor nearby, was the Llewellyn family pet: Eclipse.

Edited November 20, 2023 by Rune Knight (see edit history)

[Gallowglass]

Grima aka the family cat Eclipse

Eclipse had been about two years old when the Llewellyn family found & adopted him, at least that is what the vet’s estimate had been, and for all the years since then he had been somewhat of a rascal. Never a problem as regards scratching the furniture, or anything like that, for which Mrs Llewellyn was very grateful, but he did have a tendency to get into places he shouldn’t.

Neighbours would greet Mrs Llewellyn with words such as “Oh I saw your cat the other day and you won’t believe where he was?”  It was her introduction to that portion of the internet labelled “My house, not my cat”, in which cat owners & lovers posted photos of cute, furry friends making themselves at home in other people’s houses. Eclipse himself starred on one of the videos.

From Mrs Llewellyn’s viewpoint the cat’s escapades had introduced her to most of the nice people in her neighbourhood, so the net result had been a beneficial one. Her husband’s younger sister, who worked in the local library, had always maintained that cat’s had an almost supernatural sense of whether people were inherently good or bad, but then Aunt Rhonwyn had quite a few theories about cats. Especially cats that were found during a lunar eclipse, or as ancient societies used to call them, A Blood Moon!

Eclipse was however not the cat that he had once been. Two weeks ago he had started into a sudden decline. He had become lethargic, stopped eating and begun wasting away. The vets could find nothing wrong with him and recommended a change of diet, but after a week of lying around the house instead of being his usual active self, not only was his hair greying rapidly, but he had become so emaciated that his bones could be felt when he was stroked.

Finding a patch of hair matted with dried blood on his fur, had been even more alarming and instead of the daily visits or phone calls, which had become the norm over the previous few days, the family had decided that Eclipse needed to stay full time at the vets where he could be treated for his condition.

The vets had tried their best to diagnose what was wrong, but they could come up with nothing except theories. There were no pathogens in his system, at least none that they could detect, but clearly something was seriously wrong. Suspicions fell on some kind of exotic waterborne microbe that the cat had inadvertently lapped up, but there had been no other similar cases amongst humans, pets, or livestock in the area. They were stumped.

Now, two weeks after he had become ill, Eclipse lay on his side, his fur now grey instead of it’s usual warm black, eyes slightly sunken, his body motionless and wrapped in fresh bandages. The assistant had changed the bandages just before the family came, but already there were slowly spreading, blood red stains on the clean, white cloth. Blood was slowly seeping through the dried skin which stretched over old injuries and the veterinarians were at a loss to explain why it was happening.

In the circumstances they had felt it prudent to wear gloves when handling the sick cat and even the  three Llewellyns had been issued with surgical gloves. The cat was dying in a room full of people worried about touching him.

Time passed, the buzz of whispered conversations about him, but not to him, surrounded him.
He was alone.

Her voice.
Her scent.

There was a feeble flick of the very end of Eclipse’s tail and he strained his head up to see her, his eyelids half opening as he craned his neck around. His eyes locked with hers for a moment and then his head slumped back, eyes closed again. The effort had cost him and a fresh drop of blood seeped out of his bitten ear and gleamed ominously in the sterile, clinical, white light of the surgery.

Edited December 19, 2023 by Gallowglass (see edit history)

[Rune Knight]

A few moments passed in solemn silence. Eventually, though, a wistful, almost nostalgic expression came over Ellie's dad.

"...I was pretty indifferent to Eclipse after we adopted him - at least initially." He began, his raspy, methodical voice soothing like a storyteller's. "Soon enough, though, I think we realized we had something in common: a craving for the luxury of being able to do nothing."

A tiny chuckle lilted from Ellie's other side. Her mother spoke up then, her voice carrying a firm yet gentle grace with it.

"I think I still have a candid photo of you two sleeping on the couch, Eclipse curled up on your stomach."

The chuckle in response rumbled through Ellie's body, hug-contact sending vibrations from her father's chest and all the way through her.

"...I'd talk to him sometimes, you know? In the garage working on some project, or fixing something around the house. Lots of people talk to their pets, but... I could almost swear that he was paying attention to every word."

[Starsign]

Elain "Ellie" Llewellyn

The sight sent Ellie shivering in horror. Eclipse was once a brave if mischievous cat; he barely resembled the family pet Ellie grew up with. His fur and skin greyed and wilted from his former self, and any life he once had in his movement ceased to be in that laying pose. The bloody patches and bandages were too much for Ellie's eyes as tears began flowing down her pale skin.

Two weeks... In just two weeks, he'd become this, and no one knew how or why.

Her hands shook as she reached over to pet Eclipse, retracted over fear and concern for his condition. Ellie was without words for a while, merely looking on at the cat who used every ounce of his remaining strength to see her one last time.. Even now, at these last, last few moments, he still recognized her.

Was he still able to hear her? If she called his name, would he listen?

A pained effort let out to open her mouth, yet light sobs replaced what would've been words. She shouldn't have come. No, she shouldn't have dared to see Eclipse like this. She should've stayed at home and remembered what he once looked like. She shouldn't have-

The full brunt of her body slammed into Amalija's torso, trying to feel warmth in the room's solemn chill. Ellie's sniffs and sobs continued as her parents reminisced about the past, flowing through her ears and reminding her of the past.

"He was always there for me," Ellie weakly spouted. She looks up to her mother, then to her father and aunt. "He'd wait next to Eagleview entrance on my first few days. I walked out one day, crying after music class, and he'd jump to my side and rub my leg." A gentle, bittersweet smile wriggled out from her face. "Then we'd go hiking at Fallcreek Park, away from everyone else. Just him and me walking through the dirt trails, surrounded by trees and the small river with nothing but rustling leaves, bobbling ripples, and his soft purrs to listen to."

Her head turned to look at Faro, hoping he'd chime in, just something to help remember the time they all spent together.

Edited December 20, 2023 by Rune Knight (see edit history)

[Rune Knight]

It seemed Faro was at a loss for words.

"He would get around sometimes, too." Auntie Wyn said, thinking back on happier days. "After I met him for the first time, he began to appear every so often in the library. Others told me that they'd catch sight of him in random places around town, as well: the forest, the Marina, the town center."

"It always perplexed me whether he was just there for head pats and treats, or if he had some mysterious cat reasons to be there..." Rhonwyn's eyes fell as she finished her tale "...but I suppose we'll never know."

Another few moments of silence filled the room like molasses. It hurt to look at Eclipse this way, but at the same time, there was something deep inside that told everyone it was important to watch: important to remember something as significant as this.

Finally, Amalija turned to her daughter.

"Ellie... why don't we give you some space? A moment alone with him. I know you two were the closest."

The other adults in the room nodded their heads, silently agreeing.

"And Faro?" She turned to face the young man now. "I know you want to be here for Ellie, and you have, but I'm afraid you don't have an exemption from classes today - not like she does."

"Luc can drive you there in time for History. Right, Luc?" She faced her husband, who nodded in agreement.

Ellie felt her mother rubbing her back for a moment, leaving her with one final comfort before she too filed out of the room.

---

OOC

To set up the next part here, there are two very tiny, very short posts I need: one each from Zelphas and Starsign, in that order.

@Zelphas This is where I'll be initiating the first Compel of the game: will Faro allow his school responsibilities to take him away, or will he choose to stay with Ellie instead? The former will earn you a Fate Point, while the latter will cost you a Fate Point, but there is no "wrong" answer: It's all up to how you want to express this scene and the overall story.

Whatever you choose, you should only need a sentence or two to establish whether Faro is staying or going.

@Starsign For story reasons, I need Ellie to happen to make physical contact with Eclipse. Don't worry: I've got a Compel already in mind that will happen soon after. For now, though, you should need only one or two sentences to achieve those conditions - though you can write a more elaborate post if you wish.

Once Ellie touches Eclipse, I will make a short post myself, and then @Gallowglass can post that vision he wrote just before.

 

Edited November 24, 2023 by Rune Knight (see edit history)