It's a beautiful day in the village - TAKE A LOAD OFF, LOG 1

[libraryassistants]

Who: Readers and Actors
What: Beta Story Start - At the start of any particular Story, characters will be drawn to a section of the Stacks. Those inclined to resist will find themselves there anyway, through the shifts and changes inherent to the Library's structure. The Story manuscript will be laid out neatly on a side table, its pages lit by a faint aura that draws focus and beckons insistently to the Editors. Touching it will bring them into the Story.
Characters can either voluntarily touch the Story to enter it, or the Librarian will eventually sweep them in. Regardless of how long it takes them to enter, everyone will arrive at the same point in time.
When: November 14- November 27
Where: Woodhurst (UK) and the SS Radiance (in space!), 2019
Content warnings: Please tag warnings in comment headers!

In Woodhurst

It’s another Monday morning in Woodhurst, and as is often the case for the United Kingdom in the fall, it is raining. It is, all in all, a rather typical Monday morning. People shuffle off to work, dropping by the various cafes and shops for their morning caffeine. Polite (if meaningless) greetings are exchanged, vague comments about the weather are made. Heads down, trudging along, just keeping things going.

By midday, it’s clear that this Monday is a little bit… different. There are some people who seem especially cheerful and helpful. Perhaps you’ve just been served a free upsize of your morning coffee. Or a stranger held an umbrella up for you. People keep talking about the benefits of yoga? And it’s not just a bunch of people seeming to be having an especially good day and paying it forward (that would be strange enough). Some of your friends and loved ones aren’t acting like themselves, aside from being remarkably cheerful. They don’t seem to remember basic things, don’t know their normal rituals, and are generally just very off. You think one of them might have blinked sideways? Whatever it is that’s happened, it doesn’t seem right.

As for those ‘friends and loved ones’… The novices from the Interstellar Group are largely inexperienced with such a thing as covert operations. Fresh off the ship and with no frame of reference, their human disguises may have a few significant flaws.

However many fingers it is they have, they’re keen to help - perhaps a little too much so. Whatever it takes to make these human lives easier, whatever they can do to help them relax - the Group are on it! Hopefully they’ll catch on quietly.


On the IMW Group Supply Ship: Radiance

No plan survives contact with the enemy, is how the saying goes. But within the Interstellar Mindfulness & Wellness Group, the concept is usually applied to patients. Patients are, almost entirely across the board, unpredictable creatures - and while the science behind wellness is robust, there’s simply too much individual variation for a standardised approach. That being said, this particular plan seems to be going… rather more poorly than expected. It starts to break down once the word ‘kidnapping’ is brought up. It’s such an ugly word to use. The Group tries to avoid it. But in some of these cases, the humans need the Group’s own facilities! The idea was to convince the humans to follow them to a very not suspicious space capsule, or to get them to touch this particularly strange teleportation device, and they’d be on their way to recovery. However, most if not all the humans seem to be reacting… quite negatively to that. It’s almost like they don’t understand that this is for their benefit!

The ship is very nice, and perfectly designed to relax and comfort (--for the species the Group are familiar with, at least). Soothing music plays along the spaceship’s halls, which are lit in a soft violet glow. Potted plants are artfully displayed, though none of them are recognisable as any species found on Earth. For those with a sensitive nose, the flowers give off a bright, delicate scent; not unlike that of lavender and lemon myrtle. An entire stretch of glass is dedicated to the view outside, the Earth looking so serene from this distance; stars shining in the space around it.

For those Aliens aboard the mothership, maybe you’re delivering this hour’s yoga session. Maybe you’re leading a group chant or meditation. Are you perhaps talking humans into resting in the healing spa, or - for those so inclined - are you delving deeper, forming a connection, and really getting to know these humans? For the humans… well, at least the spa looks really nice, right?

[Space Spa Features:
Yoga - you’ve been herded into a room where a flexible alien encourages you to breathe deeply; holding it in your stomach and feeling your heart beat before letting it out in a big sigh. The routine is not very different to yoga on Earth, except… well, if you can’t find your proboscis, maybe that particular pose won’t work for you.
Sauna - the heat promotes circulation, but the temperature in here seems to be a little off.
Spa - you know what a spa is. Or, you thought you did. It looks like the aliens aren’t quite on the same page. Where there would normally be cucumbers, there’s a strange pink fruit. Where you’d expect water, there’s… a viscous fluid, gently rotating through a myriad of colours, that seems to soften and soothe your muscles as you soak in it.
And Others - the aliens have no shortage of remedies for what ails you! Since this is their first time experiencing humans, results may vary.]


Optional prompts (player-run):
An alien adrift, unsure what task to complete? Seek guidance from your leader.

In Woodhurst, unnerved and skeptical? Drop in at your local seedy bookshop to chat with some alien enthusiasts.

[Have a plan to drive the Story direction? Let us know, and we’ll add it to the list!

Info post can be found here.]

Comments

[angel_of_baal]

"It is whatever helps you best conceptualize your feelings and embodiment." Tough questions!

"We do not authorize any particular religious worldview or perspective here, so if you view it as an effigy, it won't be used in any way that you might feel would be capturing your spirit." Some cultures felt that way, it had read, and even didn't like simple photography.

It continues to rummage for supplies. "Would you like glitter?" Do you feel glittery?

[bestofall]

"I require glitter," replies Festival, who has never before in his life been exposed to the concept of craft glitter. It just sounds like something suitable for a little effigy of himself, and he has not yet learned the dangers of glitter.

"Shall I consume the effigy when I am finished? To conceptualize my self-acceptance, of course."

[angel_of_baal]

This is a clear sign that art therapy is working, because look at how interested and invested the subject is! "We have prismatic glitter, as well as silver and gold." You will get a selection!

"Uh." Wait, hold up. "The craft supplies are all non-toxic, but perhaps you would like to talk about it first?" it does admire the spirit! Someone is ready to be HEALED.

[bestofall]

You've done it, you've cured him already!

"Oh! If I'm not meant to--I only want to participate to the fullest in the actualization of my self representation journey. What would you suggest I do instead?"

[angel_of_baal]

They haven't even begun the healing!

"Well, we could think about a poem or story that you feel captures your feelings. I do have puppets." Admittedly they're sock puppets and don't look particularly human but that's fine, right?

[bestofall]

"Glitter first, and I shall need all the colors. And then we can write a story for the puppets."

[angel_of_baal]

This was so exciting that Tsang's disguise almost slipped, antennae floofing the front of the hair. This was going SO WELL. It was going to get SO many grants and get so much good research

but,
first,

the patient. It would have to do ego-modification work later. Right now, it had a patient, working on the art exercise.

"Here is the glitter." Three whole little plastic jars of the stuff. Clearly the patient had a VISION for the activity. "Would you like to discuss your process?" That might be illuminating.

[bestofall]

"Well!" says Festival, unscrewing one of the jars and taking a pinch of prismatic glitter between his fingers. Neat! "I can't say that I have a process for many of the things I do. Merely that I shine from within, and so must my effigy. Observe!"

And he dumps the entire jar out onto the paper.

[angel_of_baal]

"I'd say that you have a process, only it's very intuitive." Because clearly the client had an idea of the perfect image and Tsang was only too glad to help enable it.

Only the highest quality art supplies, here. Because people's feelings are VALID and WORTH IT.

"OH!" Well. That's....that's a lot of glitter. It wonders of Kai is going to notice.

But that was for another time. Client: here. "You are very...multidimensional." And it's getting everwhere.

[bestofall]

If Festival knew he'd be finding glitter in his beard for the foreseeable future, he might practice a little more restraint. Alas, he is naive in the ways of modern art supplies.

"Hmm. In a heaped sort of way, perhaps. But what is the beauty of my soul if not effervescent and overflowing? I think it needs more glitter."

The outlined figure is already entirely buried, and yet he reaches for the jar of gold glitter.

[angel_of_baal]

Restraint is for those not fully committed to the process!

"Do you--" Uh, this is getting messy and looking messier with the gold glitter tub disappearing in the other's hand, "could you explain the vision, here? How are you feeling right now? Are you trying to, er, compensate?"

[bestofall]

"Compensate?"

He's still got big kitten eyes, even in human form.

"Are you saying I'm not a being of light and beauty, glowing with a golden light from within?"

Expressed, naturally, by dumping out the next jar onto the growing pile of glitter.

[angel_of_baal]

That's...so much glitter. SO MUCH. And there's no glue holding it down so if the other drops his art piece it will be a sparkly bomb.

"No, of course not. You are a radiant spirit. But, you see, you're burying your own radiance like that. We can't even see you anymore!"

[bestofall]

Festival considers the art therapist's words. Thoughtfully, he tilts his head this way and that as he looks down at the mess self-portrait he's made.

"You're quite right," he decides. "It won't do."

So naturally, he grabs one edge of the paper and gives it a good, hearty flip that sends the mound of glitter flying in every direction.

[angel_of_baal]

It's a magnificent, but very, uh, round self-portrait, meaning the creator was, well, multifaceted and not at all (AT ALL) shy. See the power of art therapy to disclose inner reality!

And right now Tsang's inner reality is a little panicky, because that's an airborne glitter bomb which is getting prismatic rainbow glitter literally everywhere.

Thank whatever Divine Oneness that Tsang was still wearing its human suit, or that glitter would get stuck in its emotive spines for EVER. As it was, Tsang's separate and very nonhuman secondary eyelids blinked to protect its eyes from the colorful shiny onslaught.

And then it thought the worst thought ever: Could this day get any worse?

[flantastic]

Worse, you say? Rakia had managed to get his Granute ass up into space by continuing to pose as a human, at which point he'd dropped the human guise and shifted to his Granute form to give himself the chance to move about the ship more freely. He quickly determined that wantonly kidnapping humans was Not Good especially in light of the information he had that humans apparently taste better when they're happy, and as such, he'd set about enacting a rescue plan.

Unfortunately, the only method he can think of to transport a large amount of humans easily is one he is loath to use, but he doesn't see a whole lot of options. He is a one-Granute rescue operation at this point, and he's hauling around a sack of Anthropresses he's collected as he furtively makes his way through the ship.

He...does not know how he is going to get them back to Earth. He hasn't thought this plan through that far. For now, he's fully in Granute form, locked into Rescue Mode, and just trying to kidnap as many already-kidnapped humans as he can.

And there is a hapless human talking to...that one weirdo from earlier, so...jackpot. A long red tongue lashes out from Rakia's midsection, wrapping itself around what he perceives as a totally innocent and harmless human in an attempt to yoink the human to safety and convert them into an Anthropress--

--but that is just the most glitter Rakia's ever encountered in his life and for whatever reason, something isn't working right so he's just got this poor guy dangling up in the air by a tongue. "...this sucks."

[bestofall]

It’s a beautiful moment that ought to be frozen in time so it can be cherished forever. Festival’s eyes are full of glee as he turns his face upward in the shower of glitter. And then, unfortunately, his eyes are full of glitter, which is not as pleasant as hoped, and—

”—Oop!”

He’s suddenly gripped around the torso and hefted into the air, blinking gritty blinks as he tries to see his attacker, thinking for a moment the ‘art therapist’ has finally reached his limit. But no, it’s a—alright, he doesn’t know what that is, but he hasn’t known most of the races he’s encountered today.

Festival, not knowing this creature’s intent, starts up a full body squirm in an effort to get free. It’d be all but impossible for any ordinary creature to keep hold of him; he seems to know exactly how to shift his weight to off balance someone’s grip, how to twist and disentangle himself before one can adjust their hold on him.

[angel_of_baal]

That sound you hear? that sound like a bird section of a pet store where all the parakeets start chipping and chirping at once? That's Revanian screaming and that's what is happening from the excuse you, Festival but HIGHLY QUALIFIED art therapist!

It's not the art supplies. Those can be sorted (painstakingly) and put back, somewhat (no one will notice that the glitter is all mixed together, right?), it's the stranger! Whom Tsang does NOT recognize.

But it recovers after a few seconds, picking up some colored markers to hold in a....menacing(???) way. It MUST protect client confidentiality! It had thought threats would come from nosy people, and not, well, whatever that thing with far too many mouths was.

"Unha--unTONGUE my patient!" Sentences that it had never thought would be uttered.

[flantastic]

"This sucks," Rakia sighs to himself under his breath--not in the least because he hadn't even encountered this much glitter dealing with Sachika back home and it is getting everywhere why is it like this why is it all over his second TONGUE--and then, more loudly, he says, "I'm taking this human back where he belongs!" Even as said human wriggles out of the tongue and the tongue reflexively recoils back, hesitant to retract fully because of the glitter. Also he figures it is probably intimidating to non-Granutes; anyone else would look at him like a complete fool.

He is also going to do this to that bag of them he's carrying but he is at least competent enough not to flaunt that. His assertion of rescue is accompanied by a look at poor Festival, like come on, bro, let's get going, you are being rescued, please do not resist the rescue as you somehow resisted the Anthropressing.

Those colored markers Tsang is holding in a menacing way are doing nothing. Rakia has been threatened by worse.

[bestofall]

Ha, look who's still got it! Festival lands surprisingly gracefully and is back on his feet in a flash.

...Just in time to catch on that this is, in fact, a rescue. Maybe. Probably. And that's even more fun than art therapy! But he'll need to be properly distressed if he's to play the damsel, so he promptly wilts to the floor, crying out:

"Oh, save me! What fate awaits me, where do I belong in this cruel universe?"

Fight over him, pls, he gets a kick out of it.

[angel_of_baal]

The glitter is still falling--well, swirling now, really, in the sudden draft by the flung open door and all the...everything that is happening.

Tsang's duty was clear: to protect its patient. "He was doing therapy! He was exploring his internal landscape!" You're trying to rescue him from, what? Self actualization?!?

You MONSTER.

The markers don't look like much, but Tsang tosses them like small artistic darts, surprisingly accurately. Well, it's not like this room was that big. It tries to move in the way between them, bodily blocking this...anti-therapy advocate! "He was having fun here!" A little TOO much fun, perhaps? But definitely in the 'fun' category.

[flantastic]

"And what happens after he has all that fun?" Rakia yells back as he raises a hand, a glowing blue tentacle emerging to swat away the markers-turned-darts. "I've seen what happens, and I will not stand for it!"

He is absolutely convinced he's found a human-farming organization hellbent on getting humans to peak happiness, peak flavor, that will then process them into some sort of cursed alien food, okay. He's trying to inch towards Festival for another tongue grab.

[bestofall]

Look at them go! Festival makes no move to come within reach of either of the people attempting to rescue him from the other, staying down on the floor as markers and tentacles go flying overhead. Rakia will have no help from this quarter, but no apparent resistance, either.

"A puppet show comes next!" he exclaims. "Or was that all a lie?"

[angel_of_baal]

What even is that question? "He feels better about himself and can make better choices moving forward in life!!!" Things Tsang had never though it'd be YELLING at the top of its voice while throwing markers at a stranger. With tentacles. That's what happens after all the art therapy!

Because let's admit, getting kidnapped up here does not really represent a Good Life Choice for Festival.

It's running out of markers to chuck but there's another option: a pile of origami cranes.

Get CRANED!

[flantastic]

"Like you're giving anyone any choices in taking them in the first place, or in what they do after!" Are...are the cranes supposed to be intimidating? Rakia might have made more of a show of blocking those if he didn't care about revealing all of his tricks, so he stoically tanked the crane onslaught. "This sucks." Mostly stoically tanked the crane onslaught.

"I'm taking you back home!" Rakia feints, moving towards the one claiming to be a therapist with his tongue before lunging at Festival, fully intending to just grab him by the waist and make a run for it. Granutes were plenty strong; carrying a single adult human would be nothing for him. If that attempt didn't work, he'd just strike the therapist with his tongue to see what happened. Better the tongue than one of those tentacles...