Public channel | D22

[hippocarnival]

Hey, everyone.

[There's a pause, like he's waiting to be sure enough people are listening before he continues. He wants to reach as much of the carnival as possible.] I spoke to Noa, and she explained a little bit more about the Void and the Harbingers to me.

She said she thinks the carnival members can still be saved. I think so, too. The Void makes them think there's nothing worth living for, but we know them and we know that's not true. If we can show them that whay they cared about before still matters, what was to their souls can be purified and the Void won't have them anymore. We think CY-Ren can be saved, too.

I... don't know exactly how to do that. But everyone taken, they have friends here, don't they? If we work together, we can find a way. Maybe we can share what made them happy, what might remind them of who they are or--or how to talk to them? [His voice wavers a little, but not out of lack of confidence in his plan.]

I know they can be reached. It won't be easy, but... I think we should try. I think it's better than just fighting them.

((TREAT THIS AS A MINGLE threadjack each other, this is an open forum of friendship.))

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[npcarnival]

[ It may not be very good, but after a few seconds at least they’ll fall into a cheerful enough little shuffling. Noa reaches out to touch one of the suspended light trails and plucks them lightly, letting out a bright peal of sound. If either Yuya or Cole touch’s them, they’ll get a similar sound of it, like a strummed guitar or harp. It’s no proper instrument, and as improvising goes, there’s room to improve... but by the time they stop, Noa’s smiling broadly, her spark seeming just a bit brighter. ]

If you weren’t already in a carnival, I’d say you should put on a show of your own!

[hurtcomfort]

[ Cole does touch the trails of light, laughing again as it lets out the strumming sound. When they've stopped dancing, Cole looks over at Yuya and Noa. He knows what to do now. And maybe, just maybe this time will be better. ]

My turn for the music. [ Because Noa has seen what Yuya can do...but does she know what Cole can do?

So, without even asking permission, Cole mentally reaches into Noa's memories and pulls out something. The memory is broadcast for the three of them to see, like it's on an invisible screen. It's Noa, watching a performance on her phone. As this is Noa's memory, everyone can hear the music even though memory-Noa is wearing headphones. It's a violin performance, played by someone who's unmistakably CY-Ren. The music doesn't sound anything like her current sound, but it's intense and beautiful all the while. ]

Sadness surrounds it, [ Cole simply responds, as he starts to sway to the beat of this new rhythm ] but this is happy enough. This is how I help.

[hippocarnival]

[As soon as Yuya catches on to the musical lights, he plucks a few himself with a broad smile. Whether this would be immediately helpful in battle doesn't cross Yuya's mind--right now, that's not so important. Right now they're carving a little bit of happiness and connection in a hard situation, and there's a strength in it that can't be underestimated.

He slows down with a laugh as Noa does.] I like to bring smiles to people. I want to be a great entertainer, like...

[He trails off as Cole flashes the memory theatre again, the music catching his afternoon first. It's a mundane memory, but his gaze still turns to Noa to see how she's going to take it.]

[npcarnival]

[ The brightness of Noa’s smile fades a little into confusion as she watches Cole pull up the image and sound. But of course, once she recognizes it, it’s impossible to feel anything but wistful, melancholy and joy mingling as she watches her younger self — only two years younger, truly, but the difference between seventeen and nineteen might as well be years — and reaches out a hand before she stops halfway. ]

This was the first time I heard CY-Ren’s music. How did you...? [ She shakes her head — of course, she knows better. Guardian powers don’t have to follow any sort of logic! But though she’s heard the music again recently, showing it to Foster and Peridot, but this is different. It takes her back to that time, in that memory and place: muscles aching, on the brink of despair, wondering if it would be easier if she just gave up and—

It’s Noa’s memory. She knows how the rest of this goes. CY-Ren’s song finishes, but already, the Noa in the memory is looping it back to start again, raising her arms — and the real Noa does the same. They begin to dance together, past and present, mirror images improvising to CY-Ren’s music, half-wild and half-defiant. It’s no perfectly mixed track, and her movements grow larger and a bit more ridiculous to match the ramping of the song’s intensity, but at the end of it the Noa of the past ends up on the floor, laughing hard enough to cry.

The real Noa slows to a stop, lowering her arms. She’s not crying, but she is a little bit misty-eyed, if nothing else. ]

I’d almost forgotten about that. [ She tells Cole. ] Thank you for reminding me.

[hurtcomfort]

[ This is what he wanted to do at the museum. This is what he wanted to show Childermass. And the fact that Noa's taking this so much better is something that warms Cole's heart to watch. So, he just watches. He's still swaying to the beat as he watches memory-Noa and real-Noa dance to the music. She's better at this than he is. And besides, this is her moment. She doesn't need any input.

Noa's words of thanks warm something in Cole's soul, and he gives her a slightly awkward smile. Good. And Cole nods, slightly, looking from Noa to Yuya. The memory fades, blipping out of existence as the three of them stand in relative silence. ]

That's why we're all doing this, [ Cole simply says. ]

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya smiles, at ease that she's not embarrassed or offended by the sudden memory show. He nods in agreement with Cole, because he's right. Not just about CY-Ren, but all of their friends.]

[npcarnival]

[ It probably helps when you're dealing with people who don't have a difficult time with admitting they feel things, Cole. In any case, Noa nods affirmation. ]

Though we still haven't figured out what to do, exactly. Just trying to shut down CY-Ren's concert wasn't very effective last time. [ She taps a finger to her chin, lightly. ]

... What if we put on our own performance?

[hurtcomfort]

[ That...is a good idea. If CY-Ren's music affected Noa that way, maybe Noa's dancing could affect CY-Ren that way. ]

People will already be listening, [ he points out, with a nod. ] You two and the others would be good at it.

[ Not Cole. Cole knows his strengths lie in things that aren't performance. But Yuya and Noa? And other Guardians, like Alphys? They'd be good at performing. They'd know what to do. ]

[hippocarnival]

Like a counter performance? [Yuya taps his chin, considering that for a moment. Then he makes a silent 'oh', and than shakes his head with a smile.] No, not just that... an open one, that everyone can be part of if they want.

[Not a performance to drown out CY-Ren's, but one to invite her to join with them on Creation's side. Like a duel, it can't be just a competition--a good entertainer can connect with their opponent and make a real performance together.

Even against each other, they can create something. He wants CY-Ren to remember that feeling. He wants all of them to remember what they still have waiting for them, if they just let go of the Void.]