(no subject)

[frogfear]

Who: Willow Rosenberg (frogfear) and you!
What: Open and Closed Starters
When: Throughout March
Where: Throughout Trench

Content Warnings: Amnesia, probably mentions of death, hallucinations - will update as necessary

Comments

Closed to Clockhouse residents, and Faith

[frogfear]

[Willow is mostly quiet on the walk back to the house with Faith. It feels awkward, and she finds herself unsure what to say. Coming back from death in Deerington had felt far more dangerous, but at least it was simple. She just called Ozpin, and he came immediately to get her and bring her back to safety, no questions about where she belonged, or what happened. She felt terrible, sick in a way that gave a whole new meaning to the phrase 'death warmed over' but at least it was not confusing.

Seeing mushrooms that aren't actually there doesn't help either, but she's been very pointedly ignoring those.

She feels unsure suddenly as she approaches the door and she hesitates, glancing to Faith. Does she knock? Does she just walk in and say 'Hey! I'm home!' and see if anyone comes running?

Death complicates a lot of things.

It takes her another couple seconds to make up her mind and decide to do both. She knocks, then opens the door and steps inside, calling out.]

Is anyone home?

[clocktowers]

[ He has pretended not to be worried about her. Ozpin knows better than most that the death timeline is not an immutable thing, not a clearly-delineated resurrection. He only slightly regrets frightening everyone with that one long absence. He cannot begrudge Willow lingering in the sea, if that is where she is; he cannot take it as indication that she will not come back to them.

Still: when he opens the library door and sees who is in the foyer, relief breaks across his face like the dawn. ]

Willow. It's good to see you.

[frogfear]

[It's a relief to see Ozpin as well, and to be back where she belongs. Trench has apparently brought with it a lot of change, and the last few days have been both confusing, and challenging. The mansion might not be exactly as she remembers it from Deerington, but it's still comfortingly familiar.

It still feels like home.

She smiles as she crosses the floor to join him.]

It's good to see you too. Sorry - I guess I'm probably a little later than expected.

a tad later!

[entreats]

[ Ange may not be the first one to greet Willow back, but it's not too soon after Willow is brought back to the house that she finds that the other is back from the dead.

There's a bit less fussing in the entire death thing here, knowing that at least people are going to come back without all the nasty side effects that Deerington used to bring people - but Willow's death was still worrying and upsetting in its own way, and Ange is more than glad to see the other.

Glad enough to actually smile a little when she spots Willow around the house. ]

.. it's so good to see you back, you know.

[frogfear]

[Willow grins as she lays her eyes on Ange. Her time spent recovering at the dilapidated house her friend from the beach had brought her to had been largely uneventful. It wasn't even so bad after she got used to the idea of skeletons shambling around, doing chores and helping out. But it wasn't home, and she is glad to be back on familiar ground, and surrounded by familiar faces.

Hopefully it will help jog her memory faster.]

Hey. Trust me, it's good to be back too.

[onekindsoul]

Just a minute!

[There's the sound of some sort of work going on in the basement. More specifically gunfire as Ruby tries out some different bullets infused with blood to charge them elementally. A puff of smoke eventually rises out from the door to the basement along with a startled yelp.

A moment later a soot covered Ruby emerges and she looks to Willow with a grin.]

Willow! You're back! We were so worried!

[frogfear]

[The sound of gunfire makes Willow jump, and the smoke that rolls out from under the door is concerning, but just as she's about to decide she ought to go investigate, Ruby emerges, a little messy perhaps, but at least all in one piece, and not on fire.

She smiles in relief, and gives a little wave.]

Ruby! Hey! Sorry - I didn't want to worry anyone. Is everyone else okay?

[snakesdonthavelegs]

[ Shortly after Willow arrives, Jessica comes down from her room to see what all the commotion is. She hasn't been living here long, and its been hard to adapt, especially after receiving the crushing revelation of tragedy from Ange. Still, when she sees that friendly, helpful face from the boardwalk, Jessica approaches with a bright grin. One moment at a time for her, and right now she's glad to see another familiar person. ]

Oh, it's you! I didn't know that you lived here too!

[frogfear]

[Willow can't hide her surprise at seeing the girl from the boardwalk here, but she still greets her with a friendly smile, and a wave. It makes sense she supposes that their numbers may have increased since Trench.]

Oh, hey! It's, uh, good to see you again. I didn't know you lived here either. I was, um, kind of out of touch with everyone for a couple days.

For Tara

[frogfear]

[Word that Tara is in Trench is extremely welcome news. She is one of the people she has been watching for since arriving in Deerington, especially since Buffy ended up in the town after her death for a time as well. Even though she can't remember it, she can't imagine that's changed any in Trench.

The news that Tara is living with Faith is far less welcome, and far more confusing. Did something else happen that she doesn't know about that made Tara leave? Did she do something to upset her? Is it because of what happened at home? Does Tara know about her nearly destroying the world?

Willow is genuinely unsure whether or not she should reach out, or give her some space, but upon considering, she's not sure she entirely trusts Faith to let Tara know she's come back. The message comes through as a text - it gives them both a little more space in case the conversation goes badly for one reason or another.]

Hi. It's me. I just got home a little while ago. Are you busy? Can we talk?

[psychopepsquad]

[She had heard that Willow was back, which wasn't a large surprise, since apparently death wasn't always permanent here, much like Sunnydale. For reasons she didn't want to think about or explore overly much, she wanted to give Willow her space. It didn't help that word trickled back that Willow's memory was jumbled. All the more reason that Tara wanted to put off the conversation they were inevitably going to have.

She was comfortable with Faith, safe. All of this was opening herself up again to possible trouble and a situation that could put Willow in danger again. So she hesitated over the message, not really sure what to say and knowing she couldn't exactly hide.]

Yeah, we can talk. I can meet you at the garden.

[frogfear]

Okay, sure. I'll meet you there.

[Tara's reaction worries her a little. Maybe they really aren't okay, and she isn't sure why. At least she's agreed to meet her, though, even if it's not actually in the house, Oscar's little garden is still close enough she supposes. Maybe Tara's worried about the whole family getting involved.

Willow heads outside, and lingers near the fence that keeps the animals out, although it doesn't stop them from hovering nearby. She can't help being nervous about what the conversation will bring.]

Wolfwalker OTA (Bites for Vyng and Savage, cw: mushroom hallucinations)

[frogfear]

[There's only so much time one can spend laying on their bed, or on the floor in a completely different form while their body lies asleep in the bed. For several nights, Willow just wanders the house, and that's enough to stave off boredom. She still doesn't remember how she died exactly, or anything else of Trench, but the idea of roaming outside makes her a little nervous. Maul may have promised he's turned over a new leaf, but she's not sure she trusts it just yet.

The first time she sets out into the night air, she doesn't leave the grounds of the mansion where the wards cast still offer protection from danger, but it still feels like a victory. From there, it only takes a couple more nights to work up the courage to begin to explore the city again. She lets her instincts guide her in the absence of her memory. She stays away from the forest for reasons she can't quite remember, but she does linger near spaces that feel familiar, and safe, such as near the homes of her friends.

As she finds her confidence with her exploration of the town, she grows more comfortable, and she goes from slinking around cautiously and sticking to the shadows to a lighter, springier step. It's easier too, to tell the difference between the hallucinations and reality in this form. The imaginary mushrooms don't smell like anything she's quite able to place, and she quickly realizes it's a dead give away for real or not real. Even with the recognition that they are not real, sometimes she finds a bit of enjoyment in pouncing on them, or smacking them with a paw and watching them explode into a shower of shimmering light, or a burst of colour she's not usually able to see as a wolf.

She can be found throughout the town, on the boardwalk, on the beach, or up on the cliffs overlooking the shore, although it's probably an odd sight to see her pouncing or batting at nothing. She will actively try to avoid contact with other Sleepers, unaware of who knows her in this form, and who doesn't. She will startle easily, and might bolt, or even get defensive if she feels cornered. If she recognizes you, she might be content enough to hang around as well, and she will help anyone who finds themselves in trouble.]

[opress]

[Savage had been trying to make it to the Archives to pick up some new books, which was difficult given he wasn't always certain of his reading level. The Archives also so full of books in such a confusing order that, without Willow double-checking his picks, he often couldn't decide or more often than not, just didn't. He ended up picking books they had already been through together.

Grumbling to himself, he tucked a book under his arm as he left the Archive to make his way back home. He always hid his books under mattresses so his brother didn't have a reason to question why he had them.

Yet, as he walked towards a lamp post to take him across town again, he noted what looked like a hairy beast skulking in the shadow of an alley. He flared his nostrils to drink in the scent, but he was upwind and couldn't get a sense of the creature. He tucked his book into his belt and began to follow the creature - a wolf, wasn't it?

As a hunter, he needed to make certain that the creature was a blood crazed beast. He stalked into the alley, keeping his footfalls quiet as he moved to track the wolf in question.]

[frogfear]

[Willow sniffs around the alley quietly. Supposedly, smells are strong triggers for memory, but it doesn't seem to be helping at all.

Frustrating.

She catches a whiff of Savage as he approaches the lamp post, and lifts her head briefly. It's harder to recognize even people she knows in this form, and without her memory, it she still finds herself adjusting to the changes in her vision.

She tries to just move off at first, moving deeper into the alley. She doesn't hear him following her at first - he's quiet, and clearly experienced in tracking. It's not until she catches his scent in the air, closer than what she feels he ought to be, that she realizes she's being followed, and she lets out a quiet growl of warning.]

[spiritwalks]

[Vyng is sitting on the stoop of their shared home with Michael in Crenshaw, wrapped in patched-up wool shawl and gloves. Between Billie and Ruby's enthusiastic care, Tuck's complaining and Perell's depression, he needed a moment to himself outside in the chilly night air. The small respite does his own mood good.

When a canine figure approaches from the street, Vyng straightens up with a sudden intake of breath. A dog? A bloodhound? He'd been hoping to get a closer look at one, but...

At this point, the creature is a little too far away to tell. So Vyng simply gives a quiet "boof!" in greeting.]

[frogfear]

[The soft greeting is enough to startle her, and the wolf turns and stares at Vyng. Her ears are up, and her gaze is intense as though she's trying to determine whether or not he's a threat. She lets out a quiet woof of her own, but she does move a bit closer.

If her memories were intact and she remembered the night on the beach, she would probably be far less cautious - she would likely be pleased to see him. Instead, she hangs back, and weaves her head a little from side to side, trying to get a better look at them through the mushrooms that crop up everywhere.]

Archives and around Trench (OTA - cw for amnesia, mushroom hallucinations)

[frogfear]

[During the day, Willow can be found throughout the town. She spends a fair amount of her time at the Archives, trying to relearn what she's forgotten about Trench, and searching for a solution for both her memory loss, and the mushrooms she keeps seeing that aren't actually there.

In the Archives, she can be found perusing the stacks for books, or trying to brush imaginary fungi off the shelves so she can read the titles, or sitting at a table, trying to read the books she's found.

She can be found elsewhere in the town as well, as she looks for familiar spaces and things that might help her jog her memory. She keeps a hand in her pocket, on the teleportation talisman Ford had given her when Maul first threatened her that will activate with a drop of blood to take her to the safety of his lab. Knowing she has an easy way out should trouble find her helps her feel a bit more comfortable while exploring the city.

As in her wolf form, she will startle more easily if approached unexpectedly, but she's also more likely to linger in more crowded spaces where if something goes wrong, at least there are people around who might be able to help.]

(HI, HALLUCINATING BUDDY]

[imaglyphwitch]

Sadly, due to her whole being corrupted in March Luz had missed out on several things, including Willow's passing. That being the case, her recent encounter with Tara had reminded Luz she wanted to seek her out again, as now that things seemed to be calming down again. Luz had not forgotten that she wanted to touch base on her witchery and finding another witch had only deepened her want to get back to performing HER magic again.

Unfortunately, Luz's mistake was thinking that things had calmed down at all, or that HER magic included her Pale blood.

As she was walking out of Cassandra to maybe visit the newly created arcade for the third time this week, Luz spotted the familiar red hair and walked over to greet her.

"Heya, Willow! How've you been?"

[frogfear]

Willow is thoroughly distracted by mushrooms blooming over a sign - what store is that even? It's frustrating, particularly since she knows they're not really there. It's fine, none of it really ringing any bells anyway, which is an entirely separate source of frustration.

She jumps when Luz greets her, and turns around. The girl looks a little familiar - Willow is pretty sure she was in Deerington too, but apparently they know each other, and she can't remember it. It's not... exactly a new experience, but she smiles sheepishly as she returns the greeting. "Oh, um, hi."

[unphase]

[Tinya's still exploring the city as best as she can. she has her Legion flight ring in case things go poorly and realized that while her inborn powers may be malfunctioning, she has ice, fire, and lightning at her command. pretty cool, given that most Legionnaires only had one super-power.

but she's in the Archives, trying to research why her powers have gone haywire. she can still see the layers of dimensions, including the Phantom Zone. she should be fine, but she's not.

when she sees the other young woman dusting imaginary fungi off of the books, Tinya merely assumes that she's dusting them off. they reach for the same book at the same time, but Tinya acquieces and smiles]

You go ahead. After all, it's not like the books are going anywhere. Right?

[it's more of a real question than a hypothetical]

Wildcard!

[frogfear]

[Want something completely different? Let's do it!]

Wolfwalking (Closed to John)

[frogfear]

[After being cornered in the alley, and biting Savage, Willow bolts through the streets of Trench for safety. She's still fairly certain it was Maul who attacked her, and she's fairly certain he will follow her. She doesn't track where she's headed until she's sure she can no longer smell him, and by that time, she's well away from Gaze, and she does not want to risk doubling back in case he's still hunting for her.

There is at least another place she knows she can go to for safety in the middle of the night, and it's not even that far away.

She breaks into a run again until she's at John's door, and she slams her paws against it before frantically clawing at the wood to try to summon him to the door to let her in.]

Late March, for the Necromayor

[frogfear]

[Biting Savage had been understandable and easy to dismiss as a one off, given the circumstances. He had been following her. He had cornered her. He had threatened her, and she reacted. In the heat of the moment, especially with the mushrooms only she could see obscuring her view of his face, she had mistaken him for Maul. Nor had he recognized her, being unaware of her condition. Thankfully, the change hadn't been permanent, and no lasting harm had been done.

Vyng was less excusable. She didn't remember their previous interactions, and again, the mushrooms had played a role in biting him as well, but he had presented less of a threat aside from what she had thought he posed in the moment. Her only consolation was knowing he would only change for a single night.

It's not lost on Willow that she could end up doing the same to someone who shares the house with her. Since the second incident, she's kept her door closed at night instead of leaving it slightly ajar to let her come and go as she pleases. It's an odd feeling to curl up beside her own human body on the bed and wait quietly to wake up, and she still worries she might reflexively hurt someone else if they come knocking at the door and startle her.

With her lost memories, she's more content to take a more patient approach, and do the research to find a solution with the help of her friends. Faith had asked if she had tried going to their mutual friend with a flair for walking skeletons for help, and she decided against it. They already were already working on it, and as frustrating as it was, she could be patient. This feels far more urgent. Locking herself in her room night after night with nothing to do aside from watch herself sleep for hours on end isn't exactly the most stimulating way to pass the night, and as the month wears on, it's tempting to stop, but she doesn't want to risk hurting anyone else either.

It's late in the day when she turns up at the house. After spending a couple days there, the skeletal bat cats perched on the roof are probably one of the least unusual features of the property and she barely gives them a second glance before seeking out the ship's captain.]

Hey, uh. Can we talk?

[necrolord]

[ He waves her in gladly enough. The house is more lively than it had been when she'd left it: the others have clearly settled in. Preparations are underway for some sort of party; there haphazard birthday decorations stashed under tables and crammed onto shelves. But he waves her through to his study, which is just the same as always. Small, comfortably cluttered with books and notes and Archives-borrowed research implements, as though he managed to pick up his favorite table and move the spirit of it here into his home. ]

Of course. [ John drops into a chair across from the sofa, shuffling away papers as he goes. When he looks at her, his expression is faintly concerned. ] If there's something I can help with, I'd be glad to hear it.