hi rastus! you might not remember me but my name's sora
i was thinking a lot about something you said- [there's a beat that follows, because of all the things sora's been quick to share with others, this is something he's been keeping to himself. it's weird to finally talk about her outloud.] about the girl that's still here. from the world before the dark.
-is she
i mean is she like us? [dead too?] because i didn't see anything for her when all the graves showed up
[Sometime on August third, Rastus will find that someone has placed a small basket filled with freshly baked bread directly inside the door of his tiny stick hut. Whole grain, filled with seeds that Noctis actually went out and foraged for himself. He also had help baking it - you can tell by the fact that it's actually soft and delicious and not a indistinguishable lump of charcoal.
There's a short little note, written in surprisingly neat script:
Thanks for getting the coffee. You did great. I hope you like bread. If you ever want more just let me know.
[She... didn't expect to see anyone similar to herself here in this type of afterlife (it's a type, it has to be), and now she kind of feels stupid for it. She's not sure if she should approach him or talk to him but Xayah can't deny she's not intrigued. She's been staring Rastus' way ever since she arrived at the bonfire, wanting to come over to talk to him.
Finally, Xayah decides to pluck out one of her purple feathers and walk over. He looks old but vigilant, and she can feel something warm and familiar settle inside of her. If she startles him, she will hold out both of her hands, offering him her feather-]
Master Rastus? This is Kuai Liang. Lord Cao Pi and I were attempting to get everyone to safety now that the forest spirits are attacking. Are you somewhere safe? We can come to you if need be.
[About a month later, Noctis will receive his own gift in return. Handknitted scarves, three of them in various earth tones, will be waiting on his doorstep with a note.]
I like bread. Thank you. The wind will be cold soon.
[It's to-the-point and it's not signed, but there's a red feather tucked into the package.]
[Although she seems frantic, she also smiles at him and takes the time to stop her energetic crashing-inward to curtsy, so clearly this isn't an emergency of great magnitude.]
I need some help with something! Do you think you can help me?
Did you know, where I lived, I could make things out of my drawings. If I drew a house, you could open the door and go inside. But I can't do that here, so I think it's because of where I was, and not because of me.
[That's hard to say. If she were less selfish, she might say something about how she'd draw a bridge that would take everyone back home. But aside from knowing how silly that is, she doesn't want anyone to leave. She likes Beacon.]
Maybe I'd draw...something I thought would keep people from hurting so much.
[Mary reaches up to curl her little fingers around his claws.]
[ On the morning of the 25th, I guess if Rastus sleeps?? he might wake up and/or walk around the Bonfire to find a small package that wasn't there previously, in a plain paper package that reads "To Rastus From Aziraphale" and contains a beanie with R neatly embroidered on the front, and a clearly hand-made rainbow pom-pom sewn on the crown. Also contains a handful of individually wrapped chewy caramels. ]
A charming popup card that reveals a cosy little fireplace upon being opened. ‘To the one who keeps the flames alive’ is written inside, along with a well-wish for the holidays and the year ahead.
[The next time Daylight encounters the doorstep of his living quarters, he'll find a small package!
The package contains a blue, orange, and gold knitted scarf and matching hat. Daylight's name has been embroidered on one end of the scarf. The hat, meanwhile, depicts Daylight playing an ocarina and marching around the hat with a parade of various forest spirits following him. Somehow, the little Daylight and his merry band of spirits actually does march in a circle when the hat's being worn. Magic is neat.]
[About a day after returning with Rosinante and Kuai, Maes decides he should go ahead and speak with Rastus. He's not sure what the Bonfire keeper can or will tell him, but if he doesn't ask he'll never know. At least the Bonfire is warm, though he hopes to keep this conversation brief.]
Evening Rastus. I wanted to say thanks again for putting that order in for me. Do you have a minute? I wanted to ask you about something I read recently.
(ooc: If I should do this elsewhere, let me know. But Maes wants to follow up on what he saw in the guest book at the Landmark)
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