a camping we will go

[sniptuck]

[ Anyway so one day a bunch of nerds went camping and it went exactly like this the end.

To be more precise, close to the lake on Floater Island a nice lil camping spot has been made! There are a couple of tents next to a campfire. The campfire even have logs arranged around them for that authentic camping experience? You sit on the logs, obviously.

A large variety of snacks have been brought over! There are hot dogs that can be roasted over the fire (made out of... some... animal idk use your imagination). Most importantly, they have marshmallows and chocolate to make s'mores! Because that is the most important part of camping. Clearly.

Mingle with other crew members! Wander around Floater Island and pet birdogs! Tell scary stories by the campfire! Fall into a ditch somewhere and have to be carried back by your crush like a stereotypical shoujo heroine! etc etc have fun ]

Comments

a

[voidkatini]

[ Roxy knows that feel, having been both exploded to death and reborn (that's kinda like being cleansed, right???), and not having a normal childhood. She looks sympathetic when Hotaru's marshmallow falls to the ground. ]

Heeeyo, it's alright there, girlie. Here. [ She hands Hotaru her own stick, which has a couple of marshmallows on it for them to share. The edges of one are a little burnt, but they are edible otherwise. ]

You can help me eat mine, kay?

[superseding]

[ Exploding to death is not the same as being cleansed?? Roxy, please love yourself.

Hotaru looks up and at Roxy and gives her a small but grateful smile. Taking the stick, she plucks off one marshmallow before offering it back. ]

Thank you, Roxy. I'll be more careful next time. You can have some of my chocolate.

[ She gestures at the small pieces of chocolate she has stacked off to the side. ]

[voidkatini]

Right on, brosis.

[ That earns Hotaru a thumbs up. Roxy helps herself to some chocolate, because she does love herself, dammit. She does!!! No one else is going to love her, so. She should feel so blessed to gorge herself on this chocolate and get fat! ]

How ya been?

[superseding]

I've been better than I've been in a while. I've never been camping before, so this is a new experience for me.

[ It's a good new experience, to be able to do activities like this with so many people she likes.

Hotaru starts making a s'more with the marshmallow Roxy gave her. ]

I don't usually get to do so many outdoor things like this. I like it. How have you been?

[voidkatini]

[ Roxy gives her a thumbs up with her other hand. Two thumbs up. Not a lot to report on her end, just the same old, same old. ]

I'm good! Have you been enjoyin' yourself, at least?

[superseding]

Yes! S'mores are really fun to make, and I got to meet a Loftwing! I'm making new friends. It's great.

[ She lifts the s'more she made like she's making a toast. ]

I really like everyone here.

[ There's a lot more hope in her voice and in her countenance. She's speaking softly, but they're words from the heart. Smiles weren't rare from Hotaru before, but her smile is more positive now. ]

[voidkatini]

I'm so glad.

[ It warms her heart knowing Hotaru has such a great support system here. She reaches to smooth her hand across Hotaru's hair, petting her tenderly, while toasting with a toasted marshmallow with the other. ]

I'm so glad you have a good support system here, that you feel safe and loved. That's so important. Any other incidents with Mistress Moody?

[superseding]

[ Roxy's affectionate gestures make Hotaru's cheek warm. It's something she can only recall from her parents years ago—when everything was happy and no one was dead.

She can't say she feels 100 percent safe with said Mistress Moody still in her, but she definitely feels like she has so much support. ]

Not since I asked Sorey and Mikleo to use their purification powers on me again. [ Before the second time, D.Va told her Mistress Nine attacked her in the dreamscape. ] It hasn't been as bad as before. I don't feel as guilty.

[voidkatini]

[ Roxy's smile fades, but only because she looks concerned. While she's glad everyone has been such a great help to Hotaru, it's that last bit that has her worried. ]

Guilty? Why guilty?

[superseding]

Because... before, I didn't know what was going on. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know how to find a way to stop it— or her. [ Calling Mistress Nine an it makes it easier to dissociate, though.

Hotaru stares straight into the fire, but her eyes aren't focused. She's used to examining all her failings, but admitting them like this to someone she likes brings out the weakness in her. To her credit, her voice doesn't waver. ] I thought it was my fault that everything bad around me happened, and in some ways, it was. I wasn't trying too hard to look for a solution. I was just... being miserable with my situation.

That doesn't—didn't help anyone, including me.

[voidkatini]

[ What a very grown-up thing to say. Roxy is impressed, and even a little proud? While she would argue against any of it being Hotaru's fault-- even a little bit-- she can understand and respect her feelings on the matter. She doesn't know what it's like to be possessed; she can't even begin to fathom how helpless she must feel when it happens, or the ensuing guilt.

Her courage is admirable, though. ]

Aww, sweetie... how're you so good? You're killin' me here, girl. [ She leans in and puts her arm around her shoulders, giving her a squeeze as she takes a bite out of one of her smores. ] Mebbe I should take a page outta your book? Might learn somethin'.

[ Because lord knows what she's doing now-- namely nothing-- isn't working. ]

[superseding]

[ Hotaru ducks her head, a little bashful. Roxy is making her sound like she's so great, and that's questionable? She's just doing what she can. ]

I don't think my book is one you should read from... it's still a rough draft and not that great. I think the pages in your book are smarter.

[ That's the impression Hotaru gets anyway. ]

[voidkatini]

[ Roxy gives her a look like "guuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurl u have NO idea" and opens her mouth to say something, but. Closes it just as quickly. She truly is proud of how far Hotaru's come, and she doesn't want to take away from that by bringing up her own issues. The nature of which she doesn't want to expose Hotaru to, because what a burden for a young girl to bear*. Troubling her like that is just out of the question.

She has no problem admitting she's no role model, though. ]

Why do you say that? Why would you think I'm smarter than you?

[ *just ignore the fact that she's only a few years older than hotaru, shhhh ]

[superseding]

[ Hotaru catches that look and gets that Roxy thinks she's wrong, which is fair since Hotaru doesn't know Roxy's entire life story. But!! The way Roxy treats the people she loves says it all to Hotaru, and she thinks the older girl is better for that. ]

You've experienced more than I have, and you're caring. You may... clone too many things like pumpkins or cats... I love the cats. I don't mean to say it's negative, and it does seem you can't stop sometimes, but that means you want to give a lot. That you have the knowledge and the ability to do that and to help with URSULA and everything else you can do... I think when you turn the pages in your book, it'll end up somewhere great. I don't know if you like what your pages say now, but I think you'll get a good story.

[voidkatini]

[ That has to be the nicest thing anyone has ever said to her, she could cry. Instead of reacting how she normally might, complete with swooning and smothering with physical affection, she just. Sits there, staring off into space for a minute as she lets all of that sink in.

She feels calm. Hotaru doesn't know the grittier details of her life, but she doesn't need to to know a person's worth. Roxy realizes they're the same in that regard... she just loves others so much. (It's difficult to get on Roxy Lalonde's bad side, and heaven help the schmucks stupid enough to go there with her.)

When she looks up at Hotaru again, she's smiling. ]

Don't discount yourself, either. A story 'bout a badass lil' cutie with an evil space Satan inside her who manages to kick major butt and take names despite the odds? Are you kiddin' me? Those kindsa books are top sellers.

They can be really inspiring, too.

[superseding]

N-No, I'm not... [ Badass. She can't get herself to say badass even awkwardly. She's not there yet. Her cheeks tinge pink. She's embarrassed. ]

When you put it that way, it does sound better than what I think of it. It's hard to think of your own life story as inspiring and easier to see other people for what they are. I don't know if I want to be inspiring, but it is... inspiring to have found friends like you.

Thank you, Roxy.