⚹You wish to leave a message for Grit

[save_theworld]

...'Lo.

I'm somewhere else. So you should leave a message.


[⚹There's about a minute of static and light breathing before Grit's message bank cuts in.

⚹Nailed it.]

Comments

[action] *youtube commenter voice* first

[dreamalittledreem]

[Isol is nervous.

It's not just because of the worrying way in which his discussion with Grit ended the other night, although that's certainly a factor. It's also because they have some really hard things to talk about.

Buttercup has arrived. Sunny has been acting out. Grit... He wants to know how to help Grit.

Once upon a time, Isol had spent most every instant of his life feeling alone, despite the lives playing out before him. Now, the near cacophony of voices filling up the spaces in his life were somewhat overwhelming. Aside from a serious talk, Isol also really needs a break. The two don't exactly go hand in hand, but he's sure that if anyone can figure it out with him, Grit can.

Clutching two steaming mugs of hot chocolate straight from the kitchens, Isol uses his foot to lightly knock against Grit's door, wobbling a little precariously.]

A NEW CHALLENGER APPROACHES!!!!!1!one

[save_theworld]

[At least Grit is apparently doing as advised- taking a break. The tiny thing has been barred from work for today after their manager had taken in the rather tired state of them, leaving the child with...nothing to do. Except, perhaps, sit around with their thoughts.

They'd rather have something to do, to be honest.

When they hear the scratching at the door, the child assumes that it's Trip having a bit of trouble getting in, eventually looking away from the wall they've been blankly looking at (through) for the past hour, even more eventually finding their way to their feet. The Grit who answers the door looks miles away- but when they see who it is, they focus.]

Isol?

[And hot chocolate, too.]

slips this in

[thefallenchild]

[there's a note left on grit's bed. it looks as though it was placed very carefully on their pillow, and the handwriting is small, and surprisingly neat.]

"what are your favorite colors. write back. --buttercup."

-squints suspiciously at the above note-

[save_theworld]

[Oh.

How come they didn't just ask them earlier? Grit looks around in confusion, as if Buttercup will be right there to explain- but of course they aren't. They're still getting used to that.

The response is left on Buttercup's pillow, not quite as small and neat.]

I really like purple. And red. And pink. And blue.

I like all the colors.

[completelyarmless]

[Trip... well, they can write pretty good, but it's very. Big. Tiny writing isn't very easy when you're doing it either with your mouth or your toes. But Trip's had lots of time to think. About the kind of magic they can never reach or remember, no matter how much they try. About a really bad dad. About some bed of flowers they've never seen, but someone else has seen lots and lots. And about how nobody else in the whole Underground was on that someone's side.]

HEY GRIT see the tiny bitty note in here? Keep that in your pocket or in that necklace or something ok? I FIGURED OUT how to beat time! Even if the worst thing happens and you hafta go back you won't be stuck all on your own ever again!!

[Indeed, there's a scrunched-up folded little wad of paper accompanying this note. Taking the time to unfold it, it's... exactly the kind of childish simplistic solution you'd expect from a kid, honestly. Just... a note, in the tiniest words Trip could do:

HI ME!!! This is your first best friend! Even if you don't know it yet, you gotta trust them and PROTECT THEM LOTS. Its rly rly important they know there important so YOU GOTTA. ps ask them to make the music box go if they didnt already!]

[save_theworld]

[Grit sits there holding onto both notes for a long time. There's no shame in crying, not for an eight year old, and as tired as they are of crying...

well. It's kind of nice to cry happy tears, for once.]

[gemuinemanagement]

[Here is a gift bag. It seems a little late for presents, but it's never too late for presents when it comes to Linos' favorite kids.

Inside the box is a silver bracelet, about the right size to be worn above a child's wrist.

Hanging off the bracelet are two charms. They're light blue, in the shape of echo flowers, and both of them glow faintly with a soothing light. It's more noticeable in the dark.

There's also a note.]

If this doesn't fit you right, let me know and I'll resize it.

The charms should help keep you safe from spirits. They're not perfect, but angry spirits don't like being around night glowstone.

I hope you like it.

-Linos

[save_theworld]

[Grit's already opened all their Christmas presents, so it's pretty weird, finding another one. They don't know how they missed it- and as it turns out, they didn't.

They're really starting to get a collection of jewelry, aren't they? But this one, just like their locket, goes on...and stays on. There's no return note; doesn't need to be, when they can just make sure to give Linos an extra big hug, later.

Needless to say, they absolutely love it.]

[meowbel]

[On the day of Valentine's, have this note on their inbox!]

special delivery! 2/14/16

[embellishes]

[ Good morning! Hope you like slugs, Grit, because in the morning, a slug spirit approaches them with a box and a single flower.

Inside the box is candy, quite a bit of it. Inside a box is a home-made and hand decorated cupcake, and on top of all this is a brightly colored envelope. Opening it up reveals a card, with a little note suck to it that reads, in Tsukuru's handwriting: Make sure Isol's fur is clean if he eats chocolate so your mom doesn't know how much candy you got hehehe (don't tell me on me! shhhh~~)

Once Grit is made to accept all their gifts, the slug slithers away.

Happy Valentine's Day, Grit!! ]

Dated to 3/14/16 fight me

[firstloser]

[On the way to SHENANIGANS, someone made a brief stop to Grit's room and left a little something while nobody was around.

Against the wall is an acoustic guitar more suited to a child's size or a small spirit like it was originally being marketed for, with a folded note tucked under the strings. The paper is obnoxiously glittery.]

Let's play again soon. ♪

--LARIX

FIGHTS YOU

[save_theworld]

[GUESS WHO'S GOING TO DRIVE EVERYONE ABSOLUTELY INSANE PLAYING THIS IT'S THIS KID.]

it's april 1 because i say it is

[punnybone]

[It's been a strange, rough month. Not rough like the others, maybe, but it's not a contest. Realizing you're missing memories is all well and good, but it doesn't bring them back. So even after figuring everything out, it still didn't fix anything. Like doing a puzzle, except all the pieces are upside down - you can have the whole thing in front of you, but so long as the puzzle's the wrong way around, the whole thing is meaningless.

And then... And then something changes. Someone flips the puzzle around for him.

Like hitting a switch, suddenly he remembers.

You'd think it'd be simple, just going back to the way things used to be, but it's a lot to deal with. Memories back where they are, mixing around with the fake memories his subconscious had tried putting in place. Trying to make sense of a whole month where he honestly hadn't been himself.

But he'll deal with that. He'll figure that out, it's gonna be fine or... fine-ish, anyway. He's got something more pressing to take care of first. It's only been a few minutes since he got his memories back, but he has to send this note right away.]

where are you right now

[Hey, Grit. You've got a message.]

quietly screaming

[save_theworld]

[To say it's been an odd month is an understatement. Nothing they've come across is new here, persay- not in the hardships they've faced. It's all familiar in it's own way; death, memories. They've had these problems before.

But it's all problems that have been so much harder to face when Grit has had so much more at stake. It's amazing enough to be at the point they are now. Where looking at their personal message board in a brief break to run something back to their room only causes... a small twist, in their stomach. A brief jump of joy, a ringing undertone of sadness.

They're grieving. It's loss. They've done so much research this month that Grit can actually put a name to it, but- hey. They're determined, right? And they haven't lost everything.

There's still someone important to respond to.]

Room 4 are you okay?

[His writing is...kind of messier than usual.]

Backdated to April 10th

[standingonmyneck]

[If Grit would ever go to their mailbox, they would find one solitary note in there. It was written very neatly, precise.]

Grit,

I don't know how much help to you I can be, maybe at best offer some advice or an ear. But if that's what you need, you know where to find me.

You have an awful lot of people at your corner, it's not right for you to be alone and take the load off everyone's problems.

- Riye

[save_theworld]

[...Oh, gosh.

Grit sits with the letter for a long while. It's okay if they do, they think, because Riye is a thinker too- she'd understand if Grit needed some time to sort their thoughts, if only to find the right words.

Sometimes it's a little scary, to have people who want to help you so much. They're still not used to it.]

Hi Riye,

Thank you for your letter. It makes me happy when people care about me so I guess your already helping me a lot.

Im a lot happier now. My dad remembers me again and so does my big sister. I would have loved them no matter what but Im really happy their back. Last month was really hard.

But I am okay and I think I will be even better soon. I want to keep helping people no matter what so you can help me help people to! We can help people be a little more yellow together.

Love,
Grit.

backdated to right after grit's gone mia - also sorry to your inbox

[punnybone]

hey kiddo

you have fun at the parade the other night?

slightly later

[punnybone]

you're not working too hard again are you? cause i know how you get. figure that's gotta be why i haven't seen you around right?

just assume some time has passed between all of these okay

[punnybone]

seriously kid do i have to ground you again?

you know i will

[punnybone]

seriously i'm not kidding

i'll sentence you to like two more weeks in hoodie jail if i have to

[punnybone]

and i won't wash it first either

[punnybone]

knock knock

[punnybone]

c'mon kid

don't leave me hanging right at the setup

okay i'm done

[punnybone]

grit?

sneaks in here

[amaterasuomikami]

[ At some point, a Demon Fang was left in Grit's room.

Something to remember Bacon by. ]

cries into eternity

[save_theworld]

[At some point, that Demon Fang makes it's way onto their shelf.

And that's where it's going to remain, for a very long time.

They won't forget you, Bacon.]