pluviosa | Information Meeting [Open]

Who: Kaeya, Casper, and WHOEVER (open to all!)
What: kaeya and Casper have organized a meeting in the wake of everything that has been going on. Both of them have arranged a meeting to collect information and figure out exactly what everyone (who is willing to share) knows.
Where: R0, Cafeteria
When: Day 23
Warnings: N/A, other than talking about events

There are several posters posted on the walls of the ship’s upper floors. It appears to be a made from regular paper and tape to keep it up, despite the plants giving the paper not so much room in some locations to actually stick properly. In bold letters is:

[INFORMATION MEETING: Day 23, after lunch, in the cafeteria.

Be prepared to share, not just lurk in the corner.]

Aside from some of the doodles on the page, the information is quite clear.

----

“I had planned to talk to others more individually, but I think you may be onto something,” Kaeya admits as he glances over one of the copies of the poster in his hands. Kaeya had purposely gotten a few extra papers to write down his own findings of what is going on.

He adds, “You know, it’s more annoying people haven’t written a log sooner. That would’ve made this all much more easier.”

He’s already taken a seat and looks still a little tired, though not the same sleep deprived man of before. There is some refreshments (or rather some snack foods from the lunch carts), Kaeya had managed to take just in case anyone wanted them.

"So...." Kaeya adds and taps the pen to the paper. "Anyone want to start with anything they saw over the past few days? Or any information that should be common knowledge by now?"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Stars. This sucks. Mario's heart is beating double-time, and he can't stop shaking. He's grateful for Aventurine's hand on his shoulder to ground him.

"It- It was-a really scary," he gets out. Luigi not recognizing him, Peach's voice laughing as she struck him - even the way Bowser became not-himself when something else took him over, turning fights into something way more serious, more terrifying. He didn't want to hurt them but if he didn't fight back, then the world would end -

Mario shudders all over. Tries to put the memory of Luigi - plant sprouting from his head, eyes blank - from his mind.

"B- b- but! They were okay, after!!" He reassures Aventurine, trying to smile. "They- they-a really were." Luigi doesn't remember it, so he's fine, and Peach... Well, Mario and Peach don't talk about it, but Peach seems as fine as Mario is and Mario's - er, mostly fine! So. "Everything always tends to work out in the end, for-a Mario! J- Just getting there is scary, sometimes."

Mario is shaking so much. It reminds them of when they met, a recent ghost encounter echoing in both their frazzled minds. Aventurine can count himself lucky (ha, as always....as always) that he does not share this particular fear. It was bad enough to have Ratio turn on him at the Dewlight Pavillion. He's still 90% sure it was an act to help him, but it still...that 10% ratio (oh haha he's killing it) still hurts. What if someone he trusts really does hate him?

He shakes his head a little. It's not at all the same, he knows, but it's a sort of betrayal being spoken of here, isn't it? And Aventurine himself played a part bringing that back to Mario's mind...

"It sounds terrifying. I don't think I could handle something like that as well as you are," he replies, solemn but soft. He means it, too. The fact that Mario still openly offers his hand to people after being hurt so bad by this, repeatedly. When Aventurine wasn't himself...he's glad he didn't attack the man. He's oddly very glad for his particular ghostly visitor, how it didn't make him violent. ~~He doesn't have to talk about how he did blow up at Argenti a bit in one episode it's fine they're fine he's fine-~~

Aventurine's in control now, though, and...he wants to...

He sighs softly, scooting over and pulling Mario the rest of the way against his side, wrapping his arm around his friend's shoulders in a tight side hug. Mario hugged him tight when he came back to himself, and Aventurine's pretty sure it was as much a comfort to Mario as it was to him. He's...aware he's kind of bony (even on a better diet on the ship!!!) and probably not the most cozy to lean against, but he can offer this much. His jacket should soften the edges at least...

He doesn't look at Mario as he talks. He knows it's sometimes worse to be stared at when failing to keep up a brave face. "I'm glad to hear they're okay! Thanks for sharing this, I...I know it's hard." His hand shakes a little on Mario's shoulder, but then he squeezes and it's over. This isn't about him. "That's really difficult to go through, it makes sense why the last few days were...eugh." He pulls an exaggerated cringing expression in a shorthand way to describe all that.

"Even strong people...can be hurt and scared by things. I get it. Was there anyone from your home that you could talk about this with before?" ....he has a strong suspicion the answer is no, based on how Mario seems to be...like. The hero of his story. And why would heroes be scared or sad or hurt by something that happened? ...and yet Ratio still seems to carry a deep hurt from Nous's rejection. Sunday thought himself the hero of his own story, and wow that guy has issues. There are some Clockie cartoons where he struggles, right? Who does he turn to if his very friends turn against him...?

"You don't have to answer any of this, by the way. I know it's hard. That's...it's normal, to have a hard time with...scary things in your past." He thinks so, anyway? Trauma. It's an absolute beast of a struggle.

"Handling it!" Mario laughs, incredulous, and then sobs, and lets Aventurine hug him. It's comforting. It helps him feel - a little more real. He's still kneading his hat, even as he flops more into Aventurine's side. He's just downright crying, tears pouring down his cheeks, even as his voice falls to silence. He tries to get his tears on his hat, and not Aventurine's nice new jacket.

His throat burns. He doesn't know how he's going to talk about this. But Bowser said he should and- and - Aventurine is at least asking, and Aventurine wasn't hurt by it, too, not like everyone else was, not like everyone else that Mario can trust, and -

"Mm-nn," Mario answers. "No. No one. There's not- I can't- we didn't -" None of the words are making it out right at all. Frustrated and already in a state, Mario groans, a kind of ugly thing - frustrated with his voice. It's always so difficult when it's the stuff that matters.

He tries to taking a deep breath. It doesn't help him stop feeling like his tongue is plastered to the roof of his mouth. But it does help him feel - braver. Or maybe stupider. More certain, if nothing else.

"Luigi doesn't remember," he says, in a rush. "And he's-a my little brother, and- and maybe he's-a figured it out by now but he hasn't mentioned it to me and I don't - I can't - I can't be the one to remind him! I can't - I can't be the one responsible for - for hurting him! And if he remembered it would - it would just -"

That's about as much as he can stand talking about Luigi - thinking about the black mask and the bravado and the -

Anyway. "And- And I can't talk to anyone else because'a then I'd have to mention Peach and- and we've got- I could-a see a therapist- but - I can't - " He's their hero, first of all. That's weird. And it would be hard to find someone he trusts. Second of all: "That's their Princess!!! They can't-a know that The Princessa Peach tried to - that she - that she was possessed and -" He can't say it. He can't say it.

"And I can't talk to Peach about Luigi because if I talk to Peach about Luigi then I have to talk to Peach about Peach and-- "

Maybe it's been long enough she'd be willing now. But Mario still isn't sure he's strong enough.

Embarrassed, miserable, Mario turns his entire face into Aventurine's chest and starts wheezing sobs.

Information Meeting [Open]

man is opening up.... but Not Quite Entirely! smh

It's ok we're pspsps-ing the Mario trauma out!!

WE SURE GOT IT!