006 Video; UN: Filledwithsunshine

[onebadapple]

CW: Violence against a teen, past child abuse and neglect

[The fairest of them all was certainly not looking that way today. Her left arm was in a sling and cast, there was a bandage on her left cheek and a bandaid over her left temple. There are bruises on her right arm but the major damage is very clearly on her left side. Her omen, Faramund, the giant stag was staying right by her side and all the animals that perpetually come and go and live in her home all seem a bit more uneasy, as if they're glaring at the camera, ready to fight for her sake.]

Oh my! It got so cold so quickly! We're just jumping right into fall! I hope this won't affect the harvest!

We'll just have to pickle and preserve some things a bit earlier than expected! It's such a shame, it feels like we skipped right past the last bit of summer... oh dear, I'll have to check on all the baby animals in the forest. [What if they don't have their winter coats in time? Well, they can stay with her, she can ask her cult the people who consistently linger around her house to help with getting the little ones into her home if winter proves especially harsh.]

Oh ah... which does bring me to my next thought.

While I know it's important to preserve, cure, dry, and pickle things for winter, well, we need some levity too! The boardwalk had all sorts of food and games, but perhaps we can extend that into the town! Help... ease some tension and rebuild bridges.

[She idly rubs her cast.]

If anyone has any ideas on a festival or... anything, do let me know. Perhaps a festival is asking for too much, but perhaps a giant... ah, what is it called? Potluck? It seems a shame to end summer on such a [violent] tense note!

Comments

[imaglyphwitch]

I really wished what you said wasn't true, but it was a bit of a rough month, wasn't it?

[Luz had a few cuts of her own, but nothing as pronounced as what Snow said].

That's a long, hard way to push someone! That has glass that can get all embedded in your skin! You could have been killed! Jeez, that's...I'm really sorry that happened to you.

Snow, maybe you ought to try staying in when we have another month like that. I think if I see it happen, I'll tell you, and you can ask me what you need from a store or something, and I'll get it for you.

I'd really hate to have something like this happen to you again. It's not right.

[onebadapple]

Yes, it was, which is why I didn't call for help. Besides, there's nothing to have been done, I went through the window, unfortunately. No one can undo my going through it.

Thank you for caring so much about me, Luz. You are a very good friend.

Luz, thank you for being concerned, but no. I will not be staying inside waiting out the situation while you put yourself in danger for my sake, magic or not. [And more than that, her entire life has been spent trapped inside a castle, never allowed to leave, never allowed to be acknowledged.] I am not going to live in fear of other people. One is enough.

[imaglyphwitch]

That...is true. And it's not like anyone is going to call the police on them. Even if they could, the person that did it wouldn't have on purpose.

I could have checked up on you too, Snow. I'm sorry I didn't before.

R-right, of course.

[It was SNOW WHITE, Luz, remember? Imprisoned in the castle? Fleeing for her life]?!

But you'll do it at least when things are REALLY bad though, right? Even I won't go around looking for trouble anymore.

[onebadapple]

The hunters? I should think not. And I'm very sure it was just the month as well.

You didn't know, Luz. You cannot be upset for not doing something when you did not know. Besides, I've been taking care of myself for years! You were probably terribly busy or you would have like you are now, which is why I did not contact anyone about something I could handle.

I never actively seek such things, Luz. But my home is no more safe in Trench than being on the beach or in Willful Machine. I simply wait out troubling storms as best I can wherever is safest.

[imaglyphwitch]

Right, the hunters. Uh, that's probably true.

[Luz was still trying to sort her feelings in Hunters of course, especially when she had to worry about Sleepers who were corrupted and the possibility they might be killed without a thought].

I was...

[Right, YOU were getting beat up too Luz, only by a witch, and then verbally lambasted and threatened by another friend and then a little suicidal. How exactly were you going to help Snow in that state]?

...Ok, so maybe I couldn't do THAT much.

I guess you're right. But try and can call healers when that stuff happens. Or ask people for help if you really need it, like a broken arm and all. Just don't hesitate, please.

[It was getting harder and harder to keep track of all the things happening in Trench, NOT helped by that God-guy and all these new villains coming out of the woodwork].

[onebadapple]

It's alright to admit that you couldn't have helped all that much, dear. Wanting to have helped is still incredibly sweet, and even just having someone want to help is more than I'm used to.

I don't know any healers, at least, I don't think I do.

[imaglyphwitch]

And I do! Just let me know if you need anything, anything at all, and I'll come right over!

I D-oh. Well. I did, anyway. She'd gone now.

[She'd never even got to see Korra heal either, darn it. That would have been a skill she could have used herself. She really wished she'd gotten to learn how to do it in the Boiling Isles now].

[onebadapple]

I may have to teach you to crochet and sew then! That's most certainly a two-handed job! [She giggled.]

Really, Luz, it's alright. I went to the blood ministers, I see them again later in the week for my check-up. And if I'm lucky enough to meet a healer, that's alright too.

[imaglyphwitch]

Thanks! I only know a little of that, and I could do better there!

[After all, how could she properly cosplay for her girlfriend if she couldn't hem her outfit together when it tore]?

Right, you're right, I shouldn't be so hovering.

I just hope you have a way to defend yourself from attack if something like that happens again, like some kind of talisman.

[onebadapple]

There's always room for improvement, I think it's very noble of you to even be trying to improve!

You're doing it because you care, and I appreciate that as well.

Hmm? A talisman? What would that do?

[imaglyphwitch]

There's still a lot I want to learn about, and lots of mistakes I'm still making.

Of course I do! You're my friend! The last thing I'd want would be you getting hurt!

[And there were many, many things out there to hurt them].

Usually they're designed to help protect the wearer, usually with some kind of magic. You can probably get them specially made, I'll bet!

[onebadapple]

Mistakes are always going to happen, what's important is that you learn from them.

And it's very much the same for me for you. So don't go rushing into things, hurt though I may be, if it also puts you in danger.

Oh... well, the only magic ever done to me has been the one that killed me. So no, I can't say I've ever had a magical talisman.

[imaglyphwitch]

That's true! We're all doing that here, really.

R-right. Yes, I'll do my best to try and honor that.

[It was getting harder for Luz to know when she should and shouldn't get involved in things sometimes].

Ah. Yes, the poisoned thing. I see why you might be hesitant not to go that route.

[onebadapple]

Well, the poisoned apple is here, so I'm hesitant to put any other magic near it.

[imaglyphwitch]

A poisoned apple that kills you is here?!

How did that happen?

[onebadapple]

Oh, it's been with me since I washed ashore. I imagine it's because I was holding it when I died.

[imaglyphwitch]

Huh.

And now you're just holding onto it? You didn't want to get rid of it at all? I feel like it might be connected to some bad memories.

[onebadapple]

Luz, dear, it's a magical apple capable of luring people to take a bite and kill them. Even now, months later, it hasn't shown an ounce of decay or rot. I don't want to keep it at all, but better to know precisely where it is at all times than to throw it out and guess what might happen to it.

[imaglyphwitch]

Oh. I didn't even think of it. I just figured you might throw it in the garbage and no one would even want to touch it afterward. But if it doesn't rot...eventually someone WOULD try to eat it.

Do you have, like, a lock box to keep it in?

[onebadapple]

Well, of course I do, Luz. I'm not foolish. I'm well aware of just how dangerous that apple is. Don't you trust me?

[imaglyphwitch]

Of course not! I didn't mean to imply that!

I figured you might have just kept it in a closet or something though, if you didn't have it in a box.

[onebadapple]

You don't think I'm foolish, but you think I would just have put a dangerous apple that killed me in the closet like a piece of clothing?

Luz, that's quite unkind of you. I've had that apple for a year since I've been here, not once have you heard of my biting into it or someone else suffering its effects.

[imaglyphwitch]

I mean...if you didn't have a box...only you would know it was there, stashed away?

But then I guess anyone WOULD see it and might want to take a bite.

[This was definitely the last conversation Luz thought she'd ever be having with Snow].

I didn't mean to say you wouldn't think of a safe place to put it. Obviously you know what it does better than anyone! Honestly, I didn't even think it would come with you at all. It's a strange thing for this place to bring with you to begin with.

[onebadapple]

Why is it strange? It was in my hands when I died and it people arrive here with possessions all the time.

But regardless of that, Luz, I took precautions with it. It's locked away and no one but Faramund and I know where it is and while others have been told about it, I've certainly not pulled it out or shown them its location.

You may not have meant to say it, but you also aren't apologizing, Luz. You're continuing to tell me everything I already know like you don't wish to apologize.

[imaglyphwitch]

I didn't think they'd consider that a possession once you took a bite? But maybe I shouldn't have been thinking it in that sense, it is magic.

Right, of course.

...

Yeah. You're...you're right. I'm sorry. I honestly didn't mean to imply that, but that doesn't mean you're not right. Of course you'd make sure no one would get a hold of it.