Masa con Papas: Proxy's Memory

[ThreadLurkingComorant]

Charon: People really go all out here…

Opera: Darkest Night is like that, least in most big cities.

Geezer: Nah, here people go hard in their own way.

Geezer: It’s a pretty meaningful time for everyone.

Needle: Mm! For a lot of folks old enough, Darkest Night’s treated like the end of the year.

Needle: The end of Fall and Winter are seen as sort of the start?

Opera: Never seen that take on it before.

Platino: Yeah well… Plaza’s got a lot of history to it, you know?

Platino: Folks who introduced the holiday here were witchy types from overseas, in some older sections of the culture it’s the point where you heal so the next year starts strong.

Platino: The god who overseas the day here is a pretty notable witch themselves.

Geezer: Mori yeah. They’re good people. Only god around here who really gives a damn honest.

Needle: You know them?

Geezer: Met them a few times, got in on a bit of a local initiative and all to sort of preserve the place. Lots of outside businesses are interested in this place. Good for trade and opportunities to build relationships off island but uh..

Geezer: Not everyone’s looking at it like they should, you know?

Geezer: Plaza is home to a bunch of people who’ve been through a lot.

Geezer: Mori does as much as she can to make sure the locals get to celebrate peacefully in this time.

Geezer: Had a few incidents where tourists didn’t respect altars much. Don’t wanna repeat.

Geezer: Spirits are said to walk around here for awhile, the closer to the final day the more they blend in with the people.

Geezer: Is what it is.

Charon: People do that?

Geezer: Yeah, it’s kinda fucked. Guess you’ve never seen a big one though, yeah?

Charon: Just the little one by the Blancs’ house.

Opera: This your first time celebrating Darkest Night away from home?

Charon: Mmm…  first time celebrating any holiday away.

Charon: Erica had plans so… I figured I’d go with Geezer at least.

Charon: In hindsight it’s probably related to what we’re doing right now…

Charon: Any of you have someone you’re paying tribute to?

Platino: Not really. Been lucky.

Needle: Don’t know too many people.

Opera: Honestly almost forgot with everything going on…

Opera: Feels weird to do that so far from home though…

Geezer: More than welcome here.

Opera: Gotta think on it but…

Opera: Wouldn’t be stepping on anyone’s toes at all?

Geezer: Nah. Just you know..  It’s a healing process for a lot of people.

Opera: Yeah. Like that back home.

Geezer: You get it.

Opera: So uh.. Where are we heading exactly tonight?

Opera: Just winging it?

Needle: Maybe! Plat?

Platino: I mean Zana might wanna meet up with a special someone tonight.

Platino: Just check in on stuff.

Needle: Still need to introduce me.

Geezer: Yeah…

Platino: She’s really sorry about shooting you…

Geezer: Not mad, I get it.

Geezer: We uh..

Geezer: Get into a lot of scraps.

Platino: It’s a habit, she’s not used to folks sticking around.

Platino: And our mom would kill you so… she figured it was a mercy?

Platino: I spoke against it for the record.

Charon: Do have to ask…

Platino: Go for it.

Charon: What exactly is our relationship?

Platino: We settled on cousins, yeah? God feels weird to call someone else that actually, don’t usually think about how big the family actually is.Anyway, don’t get where you’re going with this.

Charon: Erica is my grandmother. Adopted Geezer as well under the same role effectively.

Platino looks over at Geezer.

Platino: You call her Grandma?

Geezer:What she preferred.

Platino: Okay. Go on.

Charon: But you and Zana call Ali your mom.

Platino: Right.

Charon: Your mother and my grandmother are sisters, yes?

Platino: I mean yeah?

Charon: So… you’d be my Uncle? And Zana would be my Aunt?

Platino: I mean she’s never really officially asked me to call her anything so..

Platino: Cousin is fine? Like I guess Grandma would be just as valid as with Geezer and Erica so.

Platino: I dunno….

Geezer: Wait, are you the one calling her your mom…?

Platino: Pretty much, never right to her face though.

Platino: She’d be pissed if I call her grandma. Doesn’t like the idea of being seen as old, you know?

Platino: But mom kinda explains our situation to other people well.

Platino: Be honest with you, her own actual kids don’t really call her mom either.

Opera: Isn’t she like… 80? That’s pretty old.

Geezer: Fiend years.

Opera: Okay how do those work?

Charon: Inconsistently.

Opera: Okay so..

Charon: 1st Generation fiends are basically born adults under most circumstances. They’re composed of the people who they formed around and they become a somewhat collective people of experiences and emotions.

Opera: Okay but what about after that?

Charon: Volatile.

Opera: In your case?

Charon: Hell. Went through early childhood normally, basically didn’t hit puberty til close to adulthood. Rapid growth spurts up to 19

Charon: Currently in my adult state at 24, hitting a second form of puberty right now.

Charon: Possibly a third depending on how this one goes.

Charon: Lifespan could be anywhere from about 150 to 300 really.

Opera:... So you’re gonna be like one of those anime dracula dads in 30 years.

Charon: I don’t know what that means.

Opera: You know like uh… actually is that game even out here? What’s the newest game you can think of?

Charon: Ocelot.

Opera: Never heard of it.What about ten years ago?

Geezer: Slipgun 3rd?

Opera:... There’s a third one?

Opera: Oh god…

Opera: I’m gonna go look up some lotto tickets before I go home..

Needle: Wait are you from the past…?

Needle: Doesn’t that fuck things up for everyone if you’re here?

Opera: Different past from yours. Nothing I do here matters.

Needle: Does that mean there’s another Opera here?

Opera: Yep. It’s him.

She points directly toward you. .

Charon: Hello.

Needle: Ah! Um…

Needle:... Does everyone in that family just become a dog or something? How old are you two?

Opera: 26.

Charon: 24.

Needle:... Ah! Okay so it’s not.. Huh.

Needle: Might have to write some notes… you mind helping me with that sometime?

Needle points directly to your glasses.

Needle: Help a fellow witch, right? I’ll buy you dinner after.

Charon: I’ll consider it. Op?

Opera: Maybe. Looks like you got someone else who wants your attention though.

Charon: Pardon?

Geezer: Turn around.

A masked figure cloaked and with a long striped tail has been lurking over you patiently.

Charon: Is something wrong?

???: Not at all, just noticed your pin and I guess I wanted to ask you something?

Charon: Oh?

???: She extends a hand with a folded note held together by a band.

Geezer: Ah, yeah okay..

Charon: Did I do something wrong…?

???: You know what night it is, right?
 

You grab the note and give it a good look.

Styx: You had this one coming frankly..

Charon: A challenger?

???: Is that alright? If you didn’t know I can pardon it and find someone else but..

???: Suppose I have a good feeling about you. Tavernian, aye?

Charon: Mmhmm..

???: Crowd would love that, two shining champions from opposite sides of the world here to represent the best of their people. Mind I know your by your mantle?

Charon: Judgment. You familiar?

???: Nope, though that’s frankly exciting in its own right.

Charon: You?

???: Spado. Guessing about the same for yourself.

Charon: Mm… pardon me.

Spado: Don’t apologize, by the end of the night we’ll be the talk of the town.

Charon: That does sound inviting.

Spado: So?

Charon: Challenge accepted.