ph_logs | JULY MINI EVENT - Branching Out!

Branching Out

A cool breeze threads through the trees of Lockwood Forest as Teddy Pennyburrow and his gaggle of volunteers begin to set up the camp.

It's been a monumental occasion, receiving enough funding to the Autumn Leaves Dormitory House to give it some much-needed upgrades and expansions, but the process hasn't been without its trouble. Finding somewhere to keep the children while the construction is under way took a great deal of thought and deliberation--- after all, the Oak & Iron doesn't exactly have the space to accommodate so many displaced kids, from toddlers to teenagers--- but with some assistance from those working so closely with the House, a seasonally-appropriate consensus was reached.

What better way to pass the time and make it fun for everyone involved than to have it be a camping excursion?

Summer Camp Season

In a wide clearing within the centermost area of the woods, Mr. Pennyburrow has gathered as many volunteers as he could possibly manage to keep the children active, engaged, and most importantly, safe. Among the roles called for in his volunteer-seeking notice on the public bulletin board, Pennyburrow called help for:

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Teachers, to educate the children on survivalism and nature, as well as any other subjects that might be easily taught to a gaggle of children in the woods. Math might prove to be challenging, here. (Anyone aspiring to teach full-time at the Dormitory House are encouraged to join them, as with the expansions and additional funding, Pennyburrow will be looking to hire a few offworld teachers to create curriculums!)

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Storytellers, especially anyone with a knack for tales of mystery and terror. (Campfire for ominous lighting while telling the stories will, of course, be provided. The teenagers would be willing to settle for no less.)

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Foragers and cooks, especially with skill in campfire-cooking.

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Warriors and guards, for assistance with keeping the campsite safe from any threats that lie in the forest.

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General attendants, particularly anyone with a keen eye (and potentially with the ability to guide rowdy groups into games to pass the time).

Though the position is voluntary, Pennyburrow still offers a humble 100B to anyone who comes to assist. (Mod note: if your character attends the event, feel free to go ahead and add 100B to their ledger!)

♥

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

-Day Shift-

Lately, Dahlia's been needing to "eat" less and less. Something is changing. Shifting. It feels safer to be the Pine Devil now. Less likely to result in some unfortunate incident. Like maybe it's something she can reclaim.

(Plus, it's easier to stay cool as a big ol' beastie who doesn't wear any clothes.)

And so, as a method of entertaining the youngsters, Dahlia can be found "loafing" in the middle of the campgrounds sometimes, letting them touch and pet and climb on her. Occasionally, she'll even take a few of the older ones for a low flight. Some of them are a bit rough, yanking on her antlers or trying to touch her teeth, but for the most part, they're pretty well-behaved. This is... kind of fun.

-Night Shift-

This is why Dahlia is really here.

Lockwood Forest is dangerous at night. There are terrifying things in these woods. Things sent by demons, or by Nyarlathotep. Ghosts and fae folk of dubious intent. But the one thing that's nice about being Prince Aster's prize show pony is that she is much, much scarier, and anything with sense will run at the sight of those sharp blue pinpricks.

And so, wings spread in a threat display, Dahlia stands guard all through the night.

Tonight, she won't be standing guard alone. From out of the dark comes Erik, dressed down (for him) in a light pair of trousers and a vest with a jacket. He can see her perfectly in the dark and knows she can too, so he has no fear of approaching.

"I thought you might like a little company this evening, if I may?"

Dahlia gives a nod of greeting as he approaches, then a thoughtful pause, before she switches form. Not to her human form, however, but the midpoint between this and that, with sharp phthalo eyes and skin to match. A tail with a tuft of dark hair at the end coils around her feet.

She doesn't spend much time in this form, certainly not around people. But if there's one person who has been her friend through absolutely everything, who's been here since very nearly the beginning and still hasn't turned her away, it's Erik. He knew her before she was any semblance of a good person. Watched the fiasco with Ianto unravel, sometimes even firsthand. Supported her after the big reveal, and was patient with her. Dahlia has many friends now, real ones, something she never really expected. But few so steadfast as him. So for once, she will just be herself.

"I'd love that," she replies. "Hope you don't mind the look. Pine Devil's hard to talk in, but if I go blonde again, I lose all the intimidation factor."

"I like this look better," he says with utter sincerity. "You are far more captivating and regal in this shape." Her horns suit her as a crown far more than her demon father, in his opinion.

"I was watching you play with the children earlier. You're good with them. I'd say it warmed my heart, but unfortunately, not much besides blood can do that. But the sentiment is the same."

Dahlia laughs, somewhere between flattered and disbelieving. "If you say so."

"Regal" isn't normally the aim. But something about this version of herself feels less... heavy.

"I've always liked kids," Dahlia admits. "I didn't think I'd be good with them, but I do like them. It's been... nice. Letting myself become less frightening to them."

"I do say so." Hopefully, if he says it often enough, she'll start to believe it more confidently.

"I never thought I'd be any good with them either, and now I am contemplating the prospect of raising one myself. But that is a distant idea."

Still... he can't fully disregard that he is growing unmistakably paternal feelings for Dahlia. What would she think if she knew?

"I'm glad for you too. Children can be like little mirrors. They reflect our actions back on us in a way that is difficult to argue against. If they fear you less, it's because they can see the truth of you--that you are no mindless monster of violence."

"...Not anymore, at least," Dahlia murmurs. "I used to be. I used to let myself be that for my own protection, I thought. I suppose in a way, it was that. It was... so that I could detach myself from it all. But if they can see that I've grown, then... good."

"That was all you knew to do, and I do not blame you for it. What matters now is that you have been given a choice, finally, to find a better way and you have embraced that. The Dahlia they can see now is the woman you've become through your own effort. If I'd been granted the privilege of being your father instead of the ungrateful one you have, I would be very, very proud of how you've grown."

In the very, very early morning hours, a decidedly non-demonic shuffling sound comes from behind Dahlia. Radar -- looking a little disheveled in nothing but a t-shirt and shorts, holding his teddy bear by one arm -- pads over to where she's standing guard.

"Hey," he mumbles.

(Usually, if Radar's awake this early for no reason, it's because he got socked in the head by a bad dream.)

Struggling to ward off her own exhaustion, Dahlia snaps to attention as Radar comes over.

"Morning," she rumbles in her strange, distorted voice. "Nightmare?"

Radar nods. He rubs one eye with the hand not holding his bear; stifles a yawn.

"I checked on the kids and they're all asleep." Standard Radar procedure after a nightmare: get up and do some kind of work until he's tired enough to sleep again. "'S it okay if I stay out here with you?"

"Of course." She leans over, nuzzling him the way an affectionate animal might. "New shirt. Nnnice... but a little c--orny."

With her rough, bestial voice, she lets out a rattling laugh.

Radar chuckles, too. He presses his cheek to Dahlia's and gives her a gentle scritch, just like she's one of the ranch's horses coming to say hello. "You like it? There's so much stuff at the flea market I dunno how I found something from Iowa."

But obviously he had to buy it once he did.

"Maybe they even got something from Ottumwa hiding under everything. That'd be neat."

"Kora's doing," Dahlia assumes. She's always had a good sense of humor. She leans into the scritches. Deer brain likey.

"Want to go there... someday. Visit."

"Really?"

Radar's whole face blossoms into a grin. Maybe he shouldn't be so surprised -- but sometimes, even though he tries not to, he thinks about how things ended with Linda Sue and how eventually he's gonna have to leave Dahlia for the war, too. If she's talking like they'll really still be together once he's home from Korea, though... boy. A little fizzle of joy shoots through him.

"Yeah, I'll give you the whole tour." He keeps up the gentle scritches, moving to a spot between her antlers. "You can see the farm, and the general store if we go downtown, and I heard we just got a new traffic light right before Miss Mortanne pulled me here. Plus there's swimming in the rivers and they got movies at the Legion every week that're a whole lot better than what we get in Korea. And you can meet my mom and Uncle Ed for real too! My mom'll really like you I bet."

JULY MINI EVENT - Branching Out!

Pine Guardian, Guardian of the Pine

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night shift

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