weep not for the memories

[brushoff]

WHO: Everybody!
WHERE: all cities
WHEN: March 4 - March 6
WHAT: it's a catch-all log, sucka! Tag here and thread around for the Dorian Ruins Everything Guilt Extravaganza part of the overall March plot. Please check out this ooc post for details!
WARNINGS: Traumatic memories. Possible talk of murder, death, blood, other nasty things. I'll try to update if the warnings needed but please use content warnings if it gets super nasty!

It starts off on March 4th, the early morning before the sun's even risen. You know those weird mirages that were hanging around the day before? Well now it's getting a little personal.

These mirages come and go seemingly for no reason. They might stay for a minute, they might stay for an hour. The images vary between person but the unifying factor is that the mirages consist of people the player characters have hurt, whether people in-game or from their homes. Whether they murdered them, slandered them, or even had a petty little argument, the unifying factor is the guilt each character feels towards or about this mirage. After all, you know you hurt them somehow. You know their existence somehow makes you feel guilty.

Another unifying factor? The creepy way these mirages just seem to stick to you. They'll follow you if you try to leave, staring you down with their creepy unblinking mirage eyes. And whoops: everybody can see said mirages. Hopefully you're not being stalked by someone you and somebody else both know, wouldn't that be awkward?

Have fun confronting your traumatizing past and/or wondering why your buddy's got some creepy ghost guy following him, imPorts!

( ooc: this is a catch-all log! Make starters of your characters getting haunted by their creepy mirages, have other people react to said creepy mirages, ???, profit. Hit me up on the ooc post if you have any questions! )

Comments

archie / oras

[h2no]

a. Report: Attempting To Prove Masculinity Results In Over 8 Million Pulled Muscles Per Year (heropa)

[matt always had a habit of showing up when archie was feeling particularly down. if his plan to get to kyogre had hit a hitch team aqua was struggling to overcome, if one of his team reported a bad injury to their pokémon, if his plan to wake kyogre failed and he lost all confidence in himself... archie's giant friend was always there to gather him up into a crushing hug and tell him how much they meant to each other. the 8th mixtape he's working on, dedicated to their relationship. after the month archie has had in this... america, one of the things at the top of his list he wants is just to chill out on the sofa and have a cuddle sesh with his admins.

naturally, the moment he sees matt standing in one of the streets in heropa, archie yells happily and sprints towards him. the lack of reaction is mildly vexing, but he's too happy to care. the idea is he runs and jumps into matt's arms, like he's done several times before. only... he hits the ground with a painful sounding crack as the mirage completely fails to do what archie had expected. he rolls a few times, then pushes himself up on his elbows to look back at the giant man.]

What the fuck, bro? Is this some kinda shitty prank?

[in his heart, he knows it isn't. matt would never let him get hurt, ever after everything that had happened.]

Ow, goddamnit! [he gets up, dusting himself off.] Why are you... Matt?!

[archie gets up in matt's shit (the best he can; the guy's like 7ft compared to archie's 5'7") and waves his hands. his tone is decidedly rising in desperation.]

C'mon-- please! Matt, I need to talk to you!

[he is not going to give up trying to get the mirage's attention for a good while, so determined he is to get his friend's attention. making a scene in public is his specialty.]

b. Accidentally Closing Browser Window With 23 Tabs Open Presents Rare Chance At New Life (cape canaveral)

[by the time matt had disappeared into god-knows-where and a very tall, very pretty lady had taken the mantle of stalking the shit out of their mutual friend, archie had kind of accepted what was happening with dull resignation. he's chatting brightly to her, despite her expression remaining blank and vaguely accusing.]

Ya know, Shel, you should come here for real. This place has some real neat tech you could get those manicures into. [he looks at her and grins brightly, despite getting no response. both these ghosts had made him exceptionally uncomfortable, but archie does his best to ignore the feeling. he's "taking" her to the space centre. or rather, he's going alone and she's just... following.] You better pay me back for this if you ever do show up. I wonder if you'll show up in pictures...

[he waves a hand in front of her face. it's... kind of a habit, like he can suddenly snap them out of a trance.]

Look, I know aeronautics wasn't your major, but... ah, I dunno how to find the right place for environmentalism. I don't think they'd take well to me wandering around a university...

c. Alcohol Unfairly Blamed For Local Man’s Impaired Judgment (maurtia falls) cw for alcohol

[archie decides he's more than done with this stupid... mass haunting. maurtia falls is bright, pretty and has enough bars that archie is sure if he crawls through enough he'll forget his own name, let alone the shitty feelings.

sure, it's doing a lot of people a disservice to react to the rightful guilt like this, but archie feels he can only take so much.

he'll be in a bunch of different bars, generally being loud in each one. the crawl will end about 4am, with him sitting on a park bench with his head in his hands and a bottle of vodka at his feet.

oh, boy, is he going to regret this one.]

C

[sleight_of_hand]

[ It was rare when Adachi got to actually end his day in the Falls. There was some good bars there, but with the way work had been piling on him, walking to the porter and then walking to a bar took too much energy. So when he ended an investigation in the city? Damn right did he hit a bar. ]

[ Of course tonight was proving not to be very fun. He barely had a buzz going when some loud guy came in, and only proceeded to get louder as he drank more. Adachi was still on his first beer when he decided he had enough of seeing the bartender looking harrassed, getting up and heading over to the loud asshole. ]

Hey, mind on keeping it down? You're being disruptive.

[h2no]

Oi, what?

[archie isn't attempting to be intimidating; that's not really his style. damn, dude, let him get shitfaced in peace.]

I'm not bein' loud! You're bein' sensitive!

[...never mind.]

[sleight_of_hand]

...you were just loud. Super loud.

[ Ugh, this asshole reminds him of the Tatsumi kid; not a reminder he needs after this shitty week. ]

Just tone it down, will you?

[h2no]

Well, I sure am here to get three sheets to the wind!

[he laughs boisterously and obnoxiously.]

Why don't ya join me, little man?

[sleight_of_hand]

[ Oh hell no. This guy wasn't the quitely obnoxious drunk that Dojima was, or the funny obnoxious drunk that Viktor was. He was just obnoxious and he had standards when it came to his drinking buddies. ]

I'd say you're already five sheets and one fruit cake to the wind.

[ And he'd had enough dealing with it; Adachi pulled his private investigator badge, letting it catch the light a little. ]

Now do I have to call you a cab home, or are you gonna walk outta here?

[h2no]

[archie watches that badge for a moment, then bursts in a slightly quieter fit of giggles.]

Oh, Arceus! You tryna' put me under citizens arrest or some shit? Come on, bro, I'm not breaking any laws havin' a fun time.

[sleight_of_hand]

You're being a public menace, and that is grounds for arrest, especially if the owner complains.

[ He gestured back at the bartender. Granted he wasn't sure if he was the owner, but he was fairly confident loud and drunk wouldn't know either. ]

[h2no]

Wh-- no, I ain't! I'm just havin'-- Damn, I gotta drink to forget some shit and you're tryin' to harsh it!

[he gestures in annoyance.]

I'm not gonna fuckin' hurt anyone.

[sleight_of_hand]

[ ...big guy like Archie, gesturing violently, cursing and shouting? Adachi, like any cop, reacted accordingly. He took a step back, moving his jacket just enough so that it was obvious he was a concealed carry card holder. ]

All right, sir. I'm gonna give you your last warning. You're going to need to leave, please.

[h2no]

Yeah, now who's the one being a threat?

[he scowls at adachi, but he's not about to act out and get his stupid, perfect ass shot.]

Can I pay, or are you gonna do that for me too?

[sleight_of_hand]

[ Adachi paused at that, making a face, before glancing back at the bartender. Just looking awake for a second totally wasn't a rookie mistake, right? ]

Put his bill on my tab.

[h2no]

[HAHAHA SUCKER archie leans back, giggling into his hands while getting up off the bar stool. stumbling slightly.]

Alright, date! Lead me out! [he holds his hand out.] Be a gentleman.

c

[marriedmedium]

[Sadie does not feel any guilty whatsoever sooooo she does not have any pesky mirages following her around. It's nearly a shame, as she'd enjoy the company! But that just means she gives this fellow a cheery wave when he steps into the bar she's currently putting through its paces.]

Hello, dear! Won't you join me for a drink?

[h2no]

Ya don't need to ask me twice, lass!

[he is ALREADY following her, cackling in delight.]

You know what you're about!

[marriedmedium]

Bartender, pour my new best friend a stiff one, won't you?

[He does so with a smile, because any friend of Sadie's is a friend of the bar's.]

Of course I do, dear, I'm an expert!

[h2no]

You're here often, then?

[he is happily going to grab that drink and take a seat.]

What's your name, anyhow?

[marriedmedium]

Not at all. I'm from out of town on something of a bar tour, but all the bartenders in the imPort cities know me!

[It's true. Word gets around.]

I'm Sadie Doyle, Mrs. Sadie Doyle. Enchante!

[h2no]

[archie gives a very quick once over and yeah, he can see why they'd be interested.]

Ench-- ah. Uh, Archie? [he holds a hand out a little awkwardly.] I'm from... outta town too. Way outta town.

[marriedmedium]

[A handshake was unnecessary, but manners first! She gives it a hearty shake.]

Isn't that true for all imPorts? You are one of us, don't you? You have the look about you.

[h2no]

Do I? I guess so.

[he lets his hand fall and shrugs.]

Where'd you come from originally, then? Do ya know Hoenn?

[marriedmedium]

I'm afraid I don't. Is he from the Upper West Side?

[h2no]

Nah, lass. It's a place. Y'know, thought I might as well see if any of the other newbies are from the same place I am. I'm startin' to feel quite alone in havin' never heard of America before this.

[marriedmedium]

Don't feel bad, darling, that just means we have more to share with each other! Why don't you get a drink and tell me about Hoenn?

[h2no]

Eh... why don't you go first? Ladies first and all that.

[his recent memories of hoenn are... not so good.]