vallo

Oh ye, Vallo, you great betrayer, you fiend, you Judas. I'd grown too complacent, too trusting, but oh, now I see how that trust was mislaid.

I'm pretty sure I lost at least four hours of progress in Knightmare's Call.



Alright, now that I'm done lamenting the fact that I'm going to have to face Zeddicus Grail all over again when I barely beat him on my fifth attempt (I'm not done lamenting. I am still anguished. Still bereaved), I need some help settling an argument:

Are candlelight dinners always romantic, even when the candlelight is necessary because you have no power?

[TEXTS TO STEVE HAIR INGTON]

» STEVE

two seconds later

» STEVE!

two seconds later

» STEVE!! WHERE ARE YOU

Any of you magical types have something to take that would instantly make a hangover go away? Like I mean by seconds?

Filter: Robin Buckley

Okay, I didn't get to properly ravish you in that suit by the end of the night, but I swear, I'm going to make it up to you as soon as I no longer feel like my head is going to burst!

You know what's great?

Just getting to lay in bed, sleeping in all day, not needing to get up. Just lounging around, without an ounce of responsibility on this fine, totally unremarkable Tuesday.

So... uh... what's the deal with high school here? Because I sort of haven't - gone - for a while -
Like if I go do I just show up? If I don't, does someone come yell at me?

It feels odd to say, but I am a little relieved to see that this problem with the magic is more widespread. I had worried for a time that something had happened at Sutton Cottage while I wasn't on the grounds that had turned the magic bad. I hope the problem will be resolved swiftly.

[Private to Robin]

Robin,

When I left for work this morning, Briar seemed to be feeling poorly. If you have a chance at some point today, will you go and check on him?

Thank you.

Who needs a car when you can ride a big bird? Not Big Bird, but yeah, you get it. And I didn't even fall off or crash, so that was even a surprise for me. Second place is like winning without the extra attention, so I'm more than all right with that.

Kinda feels weird having cut in the middle of Lance and Atreus, but I'm kinda used to the third wheel thing.

Okay, so! Things I have figured out being here so far:

✨ Emojis. Maybe I should say this phone but I feel like emojis are sort of a crowning achievement for me.

✨ Car doors. Way more complicated than they look. Worse than those circle doors that only turn one way. If you pull on the handle at the wrong time they don't unlock. But also sometimes they just unlock or lock whenever. I didn't even see the driver push the button, but he looked really annoyed when I asked so I just sort of stopped. But I think I got it now.

✨ Microwaves. Not a fan. Does anyone else feel like they're kind of yelling at you if you don't pull out your food in time? Also they're not very good cooks.


Things I am still trying to get a handle on:

✨ Washing machines. I feel like the bathtub works for now, you know?

✨ A job. Right, so I'm a really good cook and if someone would like to enlist my services, I would be really grateful.

✨ Friends. Where do people "hang out"? Is that weird to put "hang out" in quotes? It's just I haven't really had friends until I went on this quest but there's like... I'm also good not questing you know? So


I'm feeling really good about this. Like really good.

In exactly one month, I'm going to be 18. THE BIG ONE EIGHT! One month left of me being underaged and being limited in what I can do without guardian permission and afterwards?

... afterwards, I'll likely still be getting guardian permissions, LBR, this is just something that's kinda carry over from my own parents' household. You don't suddenly become your own adult at 18, for brown parents

BUT ANYWAY, before that, I'm going to hit one year of being here in like 12 days. What are the standards for celebrating that day? Is it usually celebrated or is it sometimes met with "aw hell it's been a year, why am I still here?" I would assume not too many would be thinking that because Vallo basically takes all the bad from previous worlds and tosses it out (bigotry, xenophobia, etc) while the bad you usually deal with here are zombie mammoths or something which are still better than dealing with bigotry.

I guess I'm sorry about the desk.

Okay, the last time I drank this much was back in 1984. Or, you know.. two years prior to showing up here. Never thought I'd be doing that again. Not that it was an entirely bad things because that party was absolutely amazing. Whatever I had planned for my high school's prom that year was definitely not going to come halfway toward being that good. And I thought the Snow Ball was the height of creativity and fanciness in the category of school dances.

The only bad thing.. is this massive hangover. Tell me there's an instant magical cure here.

P.S.: don't ask me what the plan for the 1986 prom was, my brain scrapped that when we realized the town was going to shit.

Filter: Friends* and Family

I went ahead and dropped one of my classes because I realized I wanted to focus more on writing, and the rest I can do in the longer months in the fall and spring instead of crammed into the summer. So, no math class, and going from 3 to 2 classes. Sorry to anyone I had planned study groups with involving the math class. At least this way I also get to have a little fun in the summer, and also keep working at the library. Hopper, you can't tell me I need to lighten up. I just did and I have a hangover from it. Also, I have realized I like girls, so this is me coming out. Okay, bye, will talk more about study groups when summer classes start!

Filter: Robin, Steve, and Eddie

You boys are as subtle as several brightly colored flying bricks.

*no need to ask, just assume you're friends if you've talked

Hello. I am Spock.

I have familiarized myself with your communications device and message board. Please correct me if message board is an inaccurate descriptor of your communication interface. I am still becoming accustomed to the features and limitations of local technology and wish to be precise.

I have additional queries for the Outlander population should anyone have the expertise and inclination to answer them. For the sake of efficiency I did not wish to take anymore of the DOA's time than necessary.

[...]

Thank you.

Someone said I might find people I know if I introduce myself! I probably should anyway since it sounds like I could be here a while? No fair, by the way! I guess there isn't much to be done about it right now though.

So, hi! I'm Usagi Tsukino.

Filter: Steve, Robin, and Eddie

I hope everyone has stopped spewing flower petals or WILL stop spewing them long enough to entertain an idea.

Adult prom. I shamelessly want to attend especially since I kind of had plans and then Hawkins blew up and we ended up here. What are your thoughts?

[Filtered to The Mage, The Bard, The Banished, Bat-Man, The Band Geek, My Sister, and My Girlfriend's Dad*]
Guys, I think something's wrong with me. I got stung by a plant with pretty flowers that smell good and now I can't remember the right names for things. Or for people. I don't even know if this filter is going to work. Do I need to go to the magic doctor?


*if one of these labels could also apply to you, feel free to decide you can see this filter

Guess what! Since we have so many more kids than usual, Art of Expression is launching a special session of ART CAMP!!!

Instead of our usual signups, this time we're just doing show-ups! Starting this morning, kids from 5 to 12 will be with me in The Big Classroom at Cloud Recesses, and we'll have a super great time playing with all kinds of media, including paints and pastels and clay! There's room for all ability and experience levels, so if you want to make art, just come on up the mountain!

If you're bringing a kid, make sure they wear something they can get messy, and pack a lunch. If they need any special accommodations, just let me know and I will make it happen.

And if there are any kids who see this and want to come but don't have an adult yet, just pipe up! We'll find someone to show you the way here and make sure you've got a good lunch.

[Filtered to 15 and up]
Annnnnnnnnd any of our suddenly-teenagers need stuff to do (or our regular teenagers, for that matter), I wouldn't mind an extra hand child-wrangling, so like...hmu if you need extra activities. I already had like a half dozen regular Vallo moms and dads responding that they'd be coming when I sent the message out to our standard mailing list.

[STEEEV]

Hey doofus. Check in so I know you're okay.

[STRANGER HOUSE]

Hey fuckheads. I need my Marty McFly vest, where they fuck is it?