From 35966151d1364e177db9f09aad887d07d2b4a4ce Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Madison Scott-Clary Date: Fri, 27 May 2022 23:00:16 -0700 Subject: [PATCH] update from sparkleup --- writing/post-self/mitzvot/033.html | 46 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++- 1 file changed, 45 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-) diff --git a/writing/post-self/mitzvot/033.html b/writing/post-self/mitzvot/033.html index 37cc8965a..58f9d6e6b 100644 --- a/writing/post-self/mitzvot/033.html +++ b/writing/post-self/mitzvot/033.html @@ -59,7 +59,51 @@

“That’s fair,” ey said after a pause. “I know things are complicated. Do you know of any–“

“Oh goodness, I did not say I would not do it! I will, just…not yet. Please give me some time, my dear.”

Ey frowned, looking down at eir shoes as ey scuffed one against the parquet floor. “Right, okay. May I ask how you’re feeling about this, then? I’ve had precious little contact with…well anyone.”

-

There was another sigh. “I do not know yet, Ioan.

+

There was another sigh. “I do not know yet, Ioan. I am not unhappy for her. I am not displeased that things are coming to a head with Jonas, as that will mean there will be a change, for better or worse. I am just not yet able to engage.”

+

“That’s fair.”

+

“Give me the address of the sim, at least? I will take a look and let you know what I think.”

+

“Peak Lake#587a9383.”

+

“Seriously?” Serene laughed. “I have not heard that address in decades.”

+

“Wait, did you–“

+

“It is not mine, no, but a student of mine made it. I do not imagine they still have ACLs, but I will ask.”

+

Ey shook eir head. “You guys seriously have your hands in everything, don’t you?”

+

“It is not not true.”

+

“There are billions of people here, I don’t know how that’d even be possible.”

+

“How many of us do you think there are?”

+

“Right. ‘Nominally’ a hundred.”

+

“There you go,” she said, voice sly. “We are old and we are many.”

+

“I bet,” ey laughed. “Well, thanks for considering the request. I got something off the exchange that is less than ideal, and I miss that place. It’s just got bugs.”

+

“Gross.”

+

“Very. Keep in touch, okay?”

+

“Will do, my dear. Say hi for me.”

+

And with that, the message ended. Ey straightened up, went to rub at eir face, realized ey was still holding the cup of coffee from the library, and turned the motion into taking a sip.

+

Ey dropped the cone of silence and let out a shout. The ACLs had blurred the area outside the cone enough that the sight of two skunks standing just outside its edge, staring intently at em and whispering to each other caught em off guard.

+

“What the hell?”

+

Both skunks laughed.

+

“We could ask you the same, my dear,” May said, stepping up to get her arms around eir middle. “What an awkward place to have a conversation.”

+

“I had to get somewhere secure,” ey said, voice muffled as ey placed a kiss between her ears. “Serene says hi, by the way.”

+

“What were you talking about that required security?” True Name asked, still grinning.

+

“Nothing too serious, actually. Just an abundance of caution, there. I was seeing what it would take to get our own copy of Arrowhead Lake.”

+

Both skunks perked up at that. “Is that something she can do?” True Name asked.

+

“Apparently one of her students made it, so she’s going to ask and see if they have ACLs. Otherwise, she said she’s happy to make something similar down the line. Maybe once this is all over.”

+

True Name nodded. “I will look forward to it. The field is fine for now when I get restless, but I miss the lake.”

+

Ey nodded. “Same. Gonna let me in, May?”

+

“Absolutely not,” she said. “You will have to pick me up and carry me if you would like to enter your own home.”

+

Ioan poked at her side until ey found a ticklish spot. “Skunks are such brats.”

+

She laughed and shoved herself away from em. “Rude. Come on, my dear. I have been pestering True Name with my monologue, and we are both bored loopy. Tell us about your excursion.”

+

Ey was chivvied into the living room and sat down on the beanbag so that May could slouch against eir side while True Name claimed a spot on the couch. Ey described the seemingly endless library and all its odd-shaped courtyards, then talked about each of the books ey’d picked up — the only one either seemed interested in was the furry one, though neither had heard of it — finally ending with, “It was good to get out. Like, really good. Got me wondering, though, how you two are doing cooped up here.”

+

May groaned and slumped dramatically back onto the beanbag. “I am frankly losing my mind. I want to get back to the theatre. I do not even need to be performing, I would not mind even building sets or just falling asleep on that ratty old couch in the dressing room. I miss the stage. I miss the people. I miss drinking until two with Vos and A Finger Pointing. I miss restaurants, Ioan. Restaurants.“

+

“Getting sick of my cooking?”

+

“It is the experience I miss. Your cooking is fine.”

+

“Do you feel like you are not able to leave?” True Name asked. “I do not think you would be in much danger.”

+

“I would not wish to test that.” May shrugged. “It has me anxious that both Jonas and so many of us are out there and have so much out for you. They may not be after me in particular, but I do not want to encounter any of them at the moment.”

+

Ey nodded. “What about friends’ sims? You’ve been to End Waking’s and Douglas’s since Secession day, but I’m sure there are others who’d be willing to sweep and have you over just to get out of the house. Hell, I bet Debarre would love to see you, and he seems the paranoid sort, anyway.”

+

She laughed and squirmed around until she was laying on her front, tail draped over eir lap. “You are right, as always. I will ping one of them at some point.”

+

A motion from the couch drew eir ey. True Name slumping over onto her side and stretching out. “So many names,” she said, voice distant. “I have not seen Debarre in centuries, and yet I saw him just a few months ago. I have not met Douglas and yet I know him well.”

+

“Do you want to get out and visit them at some point?” ey asked, brushing fingers through May’s tail.

+

There was a long silence, the skunk’s features drawn in in thought. “I am of three minds, my dear. A third of me would like more solitude than I already have, a third of me is filled with touch-hunger and would like to surround myself with all these people.”

+

“And the True Name third?”

+

She averted her eyes, bringing her tail around to groom it absentmindedly. “She is scared and unhappy and lost. She, of the three of me, is of two minds. Half of her would like to plan and scheme and wargame and rip that smug look off Jonas’s face, and the other half would…but, well, there has been enough quitting in the clade.”

((Serene gets back to em, says she’s heard, but isn’t ready to engage yet; Ioan goes home, talks about how they’re feeling in terms of being pent up, May wants to get back to acting, eating out, TN wants to figure out what the fuck to do with her life, but can’t w/ this Jonas stuff looming, time to start planning))