AUDIENCE: SORA

[retellers]

Comments

[retellers]

[ They'll take that hand holding, thank you. Their fist is shaking a little. But then they're distracted by the nova check and just ]

Ughhhhhhhhh. And on top of everything else, we're losing.

[ they're just straight up hanging their head low ]

[reconnective]

[no angry swans :( but also. yeah.]

Well. At least we're not completely losing. [poor goat...he'll have to say hi to them later.] How are these rankings even made anyway?

[retellers]

We're only winning against Goat. [ despondently before they raise their head back ] Oh, it's based on how much nova everyone has so far. We told you guys it kept track, so this is just who's in the lead for it right now.

[reconnective]

Hm...[give him a second to poke around the phs like it'll reveal new answers to him.] Okay. So we need to get more people on your team to get more nova. But it's weird...does that mean there really is another way to do it besides what happened to Virid and that thing we did gathering all of those items?

[retellers]

Yeah. We don't know how exactly yet, but you guys were gathering nova even before Wednesday. We only know when our team gets more, not how or why. [ they lift their head up to scream it at the sky: ] BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE USEFUL.

[reconnective]

[okay now he just looks annoyed.]

What even is the point then?! [UGGGGGGGGGH.] How are we supposed to get ahead if we don't even know how we're doing it? That isn't fair!

[retellers]

It's to drive me nuts, clearly. It just-- and it's like-- urghhhhhhhhhhhh.

[ they're tired and flop down to the ground, potentially dragging sora with them because ... handholding. ]

[reconnective]

Whoa! [down they go into a pile of stupidity. he flops on the ground with them because handholding and he turns to give them a look.] A little warning next time, okay?

[retellers]

No. [ petulantly, as they lay down on the ground quietly for a second before sighing and sitting up ] Okay. Okay, it's fine. All we have to do is work harder at it. I've barely talked to most of our team yet, so maybe that's part of it! When I'm out there tomorrow, that'll help. We're going to figure this out, fix things, and win, possibly not in that order!

[reconnective]

[he props himself up on his elbows to look at them.]

Definitely not in that order. [he's just. pointing that out.] It'd be a lot easier to help if I even knew how to find people on our team. What're we supposed to do?

[retellers]

I! Have a plan for that. [ they grin ] I can only tell one of you a hint per week, but I've got a hint that should help you find two other people on our team at once.

[ there's a beat ]

Which I was planning on giving to you because you talk to me the most.

[reconnective]

Wait, really? [this is more to the part where nobody talks to swan more than him because swan is great? he loves swan? i hope swan is some kind of axe-murderer.]

Well...if you're sure. So what kind of hint is it? Can you tell me yet? [what...what counts as a week, basically.]

[retellers]

... Yeah. [ they sound a little despondent at that before shaking their head ] I can't just yet, it'll have to be tomorrow. It's when we officially switch duties, so I'll be around town too!

[reconnective]

...fine. [it's said with a sigh because being patient sucks.] Maybe if you're around, people will have an easier time approaching you? I bet some of the others are just shy about talking to you one on one. We'll have to show them you're easy to talk to and they shouldn't be scared.

[retellers]

[ oh. they smile at him ]

Maybe. [ there's a pause, and then, almost shyly; ] You think I'm easy to talk to?

[reconnective]

Yeah? [this should not even be a question, apparently.] Don't you? You're nice, and it's been fun so far.

[retellers]

I don't know. [ they shrug, picking at grass a little ] I don't remember what my life was like before? But I still get this feeling, sometimes, like making friends is ... hard.

[reconnective]

...[can't relate. but!]

Well. We're friends. You can't be that bad at it. But maybe it just takes a little more practice.

[retellers]

[ they grin ]

We are. That's true. Thanks, Sora. [ they squeeze his hand a little ]

[reconnective]

Any time. [he'll squeeze their hand back...but oh! wait!] I almost forgot...[he'll reach into his pocket and hand over those star-shaped sunglasses in a nice lavender purple color.] Check it out!

[retellers]

Ooooooh! [ they grab them with their free hand, looking them over ] They're purple! You remembered! They're so cute.

[ there's a beat ]

I can't put them on over my mask, but. [ they put them over their hood ] I don't have to worry about ears, so.

[reconnective]

Of course I did! I...know you can't wear them like you're supposed to, but I thought maybe for when you're at the castle and stuff. You don't wear that thing when you're there all the time, do you?

[...also hm now he wonders if any of the other leaders are furries but he does not ask.]

[retellers]

Oh, I take it off in my room, but even the rest of the Leaders haven't seen me without my mask. And I haven't seen them. [ like that is a perfectly normal thing to say? ]

[reconnective]

How is that possible? I thought you guys got here earlier than we did and started setting everything up. You didn't wake up like this, did you?

[retellers]

No, but we woke up separately, and the hood and cloak were nearby. There was this feeling like I should absolutely put it on first thing, so... I did?

[ they tilt their head ]

Okay, so it's a little weird.