Up On Moonlight Hill

Your town is a sleepy one. Quiet in the morning, a little bustle in the afternoon, but by evening time, everyone has gone back home for a light dinner and a good rest, ready to repeat the day all over again. There's a certain somebody who has caught your eye as of late. They're newcomer to the town, bringing only a pack on their back and a smile made of sunshine, crescent-shaped like the oranges you eat for your midafternoon snack. [[It is Marriane, a white-coated rabbit who likes to pick flowers after her shift at the Inn. She doesn't speak much, doesn't speak at all, really, but always grins like she knows more than she lets on.| Marriane]] [[It's Rocky, of course! He's a sweet porcupine, all quills but a total softie inside. He works at the Quarry, but likes to relax by the seaside in the evenings and always says hi to you whenever you cross paths.| Rocky]] [[Oh, Iris. Iris, the pretty wandering musician. They're a fox, but hardly very sly; oftentimes, they're off causing trouble rather loudly, and then running off playing their flute. You often find yourself talking to them at the Inn after work.| Iris]]

Yes, Marriane. It's Marriane, of course. Well, perfect timing for your feelings to bubble forth. Today is the Solstice, the one day of the year when the moon shines a perfect halo on Moonlight Hill-- it's the best place to confess one's affections and get either terribly rejected or be embraced 'neath a ring of moonlight. It's tradition in your town to give the object of your affection an item in order to show your interest. Usually, it's something handmade, something bought, or something said. Where should you go? There's only an hour left before sundown! [[Your workplace | workplace 1]] [[Mickey's Emporium| Mickey's Emporium1]] [[You'll just head to the hill and think about what you'll say. | The Hill 1]]

Yes, Rocky. It's Rocky, of course. Well, perfect timing for your feelings to bubble forth. Today is the Solstice, the one day of the year when the moon shines a perfect halo on Moonlight Hill-- it's the best place to confess one's affections and get either terribly rejected or be embraced 'neath a ring of moonlight. It's tradition in your town to give the object of your affection an item in order to show your interest. Usually, it's something handmade, something bought, or something said. Where should you go? There's only an hour left before sundown! [[Your workplace | workplace 2]] [[Mickey's Emporium| Mickey's Emporium 2]] [[You'll just head to the hill and think about what you'll say. | The Hill 2]]

Yes, Iris. It's Iris, of course. Well, perfect timing for your feelings to bubble forth. Today is the Solstice, the one day of the year when the moon shines a perfect halo on Moonlight Hill-- it's the best place to confess one's affections and get either terribly rejected or be embraced 'neath a ring of moonlight. It's tradition in your town to give the object of your affection an item in order to show your interest. Usually, it's something handmade, something bought, or something said. Where should you go? There's only an hour left before sundown! [[Your workplace | workplace 3]] [[Mickey's Emporium| Mickey's Emporium 3]] [[You'll just head to the hill and think about what you'll say.| The Hill 3]]

The bell to your workplace chimes, and as you enter through the treshold, you are greeted by your business partner, Randall. Randall smiles as you enter. "Oh, hey!" he calls. "What's up? I thought you had the day off?" You explain the situation to Randall, who nods until a few feathers from his head flutter off. "I see, I see," he hums. "This calls for a really good gift." [["I want it to be personal. Have any ideas?"| Vase]]

Mickey's Emporium is the largest thingamabob shop in the town, which is to say it isn't very big, but it's definitely packed with a lot of //stuff//. You can see from the entrance the big bushy tail of Mickey. It looks like he's hidden beneath the counter. [["Mickey?"]] [[Knock on the counter.]]

Okay, maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe you should've gotten a gift. Like, a physical one. [[Damn.]]

Okay, maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe you should've gotten a gift. Like, a physical one. [[Damn. | Damn 2]]

Okay, maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe you should've gotten a gift. Like, a physical one. [[Damn. | Damn 3]]

Randall stands and thinks for a moment before clapping his wings together. "Oh, I've got it!" He disappears into the back for a moment, but then returns with a vase you made not long ago. It's inscribed with little love poems from a book you picked up last week, and is a beautiful twirling violet. Randall hands it to you. [[It's perfect.]]

You say, "Thanks, Randall," but he only waves you off. "It's no problem. Now, go! The moon's coming out!" [[Head to Moonlight Hill]]

The vase in your hands trembles slightly as your arms shake with nervous energy. What if she doesn't show up? you think. Or, even worse, what if she does show up, but totally hates the gift? What if-- what if-- [[What if you just left now?]]

You say, "Thanks, Randall," but he only waves you off. "It's no problem. Now, go! The moon's coming out!" [[Head to Moonlight Hill|Head to Moonlight Hill 2]]

The vase in your hands trembles slightly as your arms shake with nervous energy. What if he doesn't show up? you think. Or, even worse, what if he does show up, but totally hates the gift? What if-- what if-- [[What if you just left now?| Leave 2]]

You say, "Thanks, Randall," but he only waves you off. "It's no problem. Now, go! The moon's coming out!" [[Head to Moonlight Hill|Head to Moonlight Hill 3]]

The vase in your hands trembles slightly as your arms shake with nervous energy. What if they don't show up? you think. Or, even worse, what if they do show up, but totally hate the gift? What if-- what if-- [[What if you just left now? |leave now]]

Mickey's head pops up. "Oh, it's you!" he says. "What can I do for you?" [["I need a gift-- a really good gift. Any ideas?" | A shell]]

Mickey only nods, and then disappears under the counter once more. Many moments pass. That is to say nearly twenty minutes pass, and as you watch the slow bleed of sunlight into darkness, you begin to worry that Mickey has burrowed his way through the ground to take a nap. Luckily, you're proven wrong, as the squirrel pops up with a conch shell. "The prettiest in my collection," he croons. "Only fifty gold!" [["Fifty!?"]] [[Hand over the gold.]]

"Yes, fifty," he insists. Well, it is a very nice shell, and conches don't turn up at the beach very often... [["Okay, fine. Fifty it is."]]

You hand the gold over and Mickey squeals in delight. He jingles the coins in his paw and tosses you the shell. You nearly drop it, but you don't. Phew. The moon is beginning to show its face. Time to head to the hill. [[Go to Moonlight Hill]]

The conch in your hands trembles slightly as your arms shake with nervous energy. What if she doesn't show up? you think. Or, even worse, what if she does show up, but totally hates the gift? What if-- what if-- [[What if you just left now?|Leave 1]]

Mickey's head pops up. "Oh, it's you!" he says. "What can I do for you?" [["I need a gift-- a really good gift. Any ideas?" | A shell 2]]

"Yes, fifty," he insists. Well, it is a very nice shell, and conches don't turn up at the beach very often... [["Okay, fine. Fifty it is."| Ok FINE 2]]

The conch in your hands trembles slightly as your arms shake with nervous energy. What if he doesn't show up? you think. Or, even worse, what if he does show up, but totally hates the gift? What if-- what if-- [[What if you just left now?| Leave 3]]

Mickey's head pops up. "Oh, it's you!" he says. "What can I do for you?" [["I need a gift-- a really good gift. Any ideas?" | A shell 3]]

"Yes, fifty," he insists. Well, it is a very nice shell, and conches don't turn up at the beach very often... [["Okay, fine. Fifty it is."| Ok FINE 3]]

The conch in your hands trembles slightly as your arms shake with nervous energy. What if they don't show up? you think. Or, even worse, what if they do show up, but totally hate the gift? What if-- what if-- [[What if you just left now? |leave now 1]]

You've got nothing-- nothing! Sure, the night is pretty and the wind is cool on your face, but that means squat when... [[Uh oh. Marriane is coming.]]

And then there she is, walking up the hill. Or, more like hopping; she bounces along the grasses as if a swaying blade herself, humming lightly. Her white coat shines in the moonlight. She waves. [[Wave back.]] [["I'm glad you came."]]

She nods and smiles. It looks like she's glad she came, too. Silence fills the air. [[SAY SOMETHING!]] [[SAY LITERALLY ANYTHING!]]

But then a paw touches your face and she looks delightfully put out. She smiles, though. And that's good enough for you. [[The End.]]

Bibliography Jay, Dragon. //Wanderhome//. Possum Creek Games. Tabletop Game. 2021. This game was inspired by //Wanderhome// and the kind and silly kith that my group and I created in Haeth. Thanks for playing!

You've got nothing-- nothing! Sure, the night is pretty and the wind is cool on your face, but that means squat when... [[Uh oh. Rocky is coming.]]

And then there he is, running up the hill. His spines shake and quiver in the night air, but he makes no move to stop his jog up the grass. Eventually, he reaches the top. He grins that megawatt smile. "That hill is a lot taller than it looks from afar." [[You clearly don't know what you're doing. Just smile back.]] [[Laugh and come up with a witty reply. Really witty.]]

You smile, and so Rocky does, too. Now you're both smiling. It's getting a little awkward. [["Uh."]] [["Um."]]

"Yeah, all the hills here are tall. This one especially." [[Good one.]]

You immediately cringe at your very obvious and not very witty comment, but Rocky only laughs in reply. "It's taken some getting used to, but the mines are a lot steeper than this, so a hill is practically nothing. Anyway, why'd you call me out here?" [["Uh."]] [["Um."]]

Rocky makes a motion for you to continue. A slight chill stabs through the air as you muster all your courage to confess your feelings to him. [[Just do it. What's the worst that can happen?]] [[Nah. Prolong the silence even more.]]

The silence is getting really awkward now, and the moon has reached its zenith. Overhead, it glows like an angel's halo, but you're still having trouble getting the words out. [[The moment is perfect. IT'S NOW OR NEVER!]]

But then a paw touches your palm, soft and furry. He must use a really nice, probably expensive lotion to keep his skin that soft, you think distantly and distractedly. "You're sweet," he says, and smiles shyly. And that's enough for you. [[The End.]]

Yeah, that might be a good idea. But, just as you turn to leave, you spot a flash of white amidst the flowing grass blades in the cool night air. And then there she is, walking up the hill. Or, more like hopping; she bounces along the grasses as if a swaying blade herself, humming lightly. Her white coat shines in the moonlight. She waves. [[Wave back.| Wave 1]] [["I'm glad you came."| Glad 1]]

She nods and smiles. It looks like she's glad she came, too. Silence fills the air. [[Give her the vase.]]

"I, uh, made something for you," you say, words stumbling out of your mouth. Marriane reaches out to take it and quietly marvels at the craft. This is good. This is very good. Thank the Heavens you remembered that Marianne likes to pick flowers. [[Now just tell her how you feel.]]

And so you do. The words come out of your mouth like a deluge, like that one summer flood in the town that washed away most of your hanging laundry and probably your favourite houseplant-- you were never sure where it went exactly. You shut your eyes after the confession is over. You were never a wordsmith, but the buffer of a good gift made it easier. Marriane grips the vase like a lifeline, but nods her head once after you're finished. She bends down, picks a little flower, and places it in the vase. Then, she picks another, and places it behind your ear. "Thank you," she says. "I like you, too." The field around you seems to shiver with delight, and the flowers have never looked more vibrant. [[The End.]]

She nods and smiles. It looks like she's glad she came, too. Silence fills the air. [[Give her the conch.]]

"I, uh, got something for you," you say, words stumbling out of your mouth. Marriane reaches out to take it and looks at it confusedly. This isn't good-- she seems to be completely bamboozled by its presence. Why'd you get her a shell, anyway? Did she ever mention that she likes seaside thingamabobs to you, or are you just that shallow to get a girl a pretty thing just because it's pretty? [[Time to salvage things. Tell her how you feel.]]

And so you do. The words come out of your mouth like a deluge, like that one summer flood in the town that washed away most of your hanging laundry and probably your favourite houseplant-- you were never sure where it went exactly. You shut your eyes after the confession is over. You were never a wordsmith, but with that wretched gift hanging in her hands it made it a lot harder to even get a coherent sentence out. Sweat beads your brow. Your hands are clammy. Marriane glances at the conch, and then back to you. She shrugs. And that's gonna have to be good enough for you. [[The End.]]

Yeah, that might be a good idea. But, just as you turn to leave, you spot a flash of quills amidst the flowing grass blades in the cool night air. And then there he is, running up the hill. His spines shake and quiver in the night air, but he makes no move to stop his jog up the grass. Eventually, he reaches the top. He grins that megawatt smile. "That hill is a lot taller than it looks from afar." [[You clearly don't know what you're doing. Just smile back.| Smile back]] [[Laugh and come up with a witty reply. Really witty. | Really witty]]

You smile, and so Rocky does, too. Now you're both smiling. It's getting a little awkward. [["Uh."| Uh]] [["Um."| Um]]

"Yeah, all the hills here are tall. This one especially." [[Good one.| good one lol]]

Rocky makes a motion for you to continue. A slight chill stabs through the air as you muster all your courage to hand over the vase in your hands. [[Give him the vase.]]

"I, uh, made something for you," you say, words stumbling out of your mouth. Rocky reaches out to take it, but only looks at it confusedly. This isn't good-- what made you think that a vase was a grand idea? Where did you even hear that Rocky liked vases, or had any use for them? [[Time to salvage things. Tell him how you feel.]]

And so you do. The words come out of your mouth like a deluge, like that one summer flood in the town that washed away most of your hanging laundry and probably your favourite houseplant-- you were never sure where it went exactly. You shut your eyes after the confession is over. You were never a wordsmith, but with that wretched gift hanging in his hands it made it a lot harder to even get a coherent sentence out. Sweat beads your brow. Your hands are clammy. Rocky glances at the vase, and then back to you. "Thanks, I guess. It's nice of you to say," is his reply. And that's gonna have to be good enough for you. [[The End.]]

Yeah, that might be a good idea. But, just as you turn to leave, you spot a flash of quills amidst the flowing grass blades in the cool night air. And then there he is, running up the hill. His spines shake and quiver in the night air, but he makes no move to stop his jog up the grass. Eventually, he reaches the top. He grins that megawatt smile. "That hill is a lot taller than it looks from afar." [[You clearly don't know what you're doing. Just smile back.| Smile back 1]] [[Laugh and come up with a witty reply. Really witty. | Really witty 1]]

You smile, and so Rocky does, too. Now you're both smiling. It's getting a little awkward. [["Uh."| Uh 1]] [["Um."| Um 1]]

"Yeah, all the hills here are tall. This one especially." [[Good one.| good one]]

Rocky makes a motion for you to continue. A slight chill stabs through the air as you muster all your courage to hand over the conch in your hands. [[Give him the conch.]]

"I, uh, got something for you," you say, words stumbling out of your mouth. Rocky reaches out to take it and marvels at the shell's pink and orange whorls. This is good. This is very good. Thank the Heavens you remembered that Rocky likes the ocean. [[Now just tell him how you feel.]]

And so you do. The words come out of your mouth like a deluge, like that one summer flood in the town that washed away most of your hanging laundry and probably your favourite houseplant-- you were never sure where it went exactly. You shut your eyes after the confession is over. You were never a wordsmith, but the buffer of a good gift made it easier. When you finish, Rocky places a hand on your shoulder and shakes his head affectionately. "Y'know, it's good that you finally made a move. Watching you watch me always got me antsy. C'mon, let's get down this too-tall hill and head to the shore, yeah?" And the shore is beautiful, and the moon gleams in the water's crystal surface. [[The End.]]

You've got nothing-- nothing! Sure, the night is pretty and the wind is cool on your face, but that means squat when... [[Uh oh. Iris is coming.]]

And then there they are, climbing up the hill in a manner not quite fox-like. Really, they're more like clambering, and they seem to be belaboured by the hill's height. Eventually, they reach the top and glare at you. "Why'd you pick such an outta-the-way spot?" [["It's tradition."]] [["Oh, no reason in particular."]]

Iris laughs, a sharp thing. They place a paw over their mouth and roll their eyes good naturedly. "Yes, tradition. Something this town does love. Anywho, why are we here and not at the Inn?" [["There's something I have to tell you."]] [[Stall. "I just thought you'd like to come and see the Solstice with me?"]]

Iris laughs, a sharp thing. They place a paw over their mouth and roll their eyes good naturedly. "Oh, I'm sure there was no reason at all. Now, come, tell me why we're here and not in the Inn?" [["There's something I have to tell you."]] [[Stall. "I just thought you'd like to come and see the Solstice with me?"]]

"Oh, really?" They sound immediately curious. Their tail flicks in the night wind. "Do tell." [[Tell them.]]

"Oh, I'm sure," they say. "Just say what you need to say so we can head to the Inn, hm?" [[Tell them.]]

And so you do. The words come out like a deluge, but like a controlled one-- if there was ever such a thing. After a good amount of time spent around Iris, you've gotten pretty good at the spoken word. Musicians, after all, love some eloquence. You wax rhapsodic, telling Iris how you love the twinkle of their flute, the sparkle of mischief in their green eyes, and that you'd love nothing more than to spend the rest of the Solstice by their side-- and perhaps more. [[Look at Iris.]] [[Keep talking.]]

You look at Iris, whose cheeks have gone flush. They clearly didn't expect this coming. "Truly?" they ask, as if they cannot believe what you just said. [["Truly."]]

To fill the coming silence, you keep going. And going. [[Aaaaaaaaand going.]]

Iris takes your hand in theirs. They hold it to their face and kiss your palm. "I'm so glad you made the first move because there was no way I was going to," they admit rather sheepishly. "Come, you can tell me even more at the Inn." And then they lead you down the hill, the warm glow of the town inviting your full hearts into its open arms. [[The End.]]

Eventually, you have to stop (obviously, there's only so much you can come up with on the spot). You look at Iris, whose cheeks have gone flush. They clearly didn't expect this coming. "Truly?" they ask, as if they cannot believe what you just said. [["Truly."]]

Yeah, that might be a good idea. But, just as you turn to leave, you spot a flash of orange and white amidst the flowing grass blades in the cool night air. And then there they are, climbing up the hill in a manner not quite fox-like. Really, they're more like clambering, and they seem to be belaboured by the hill's height. Eventually, they reach the top and glare at you. "Why'd you pick such an outta-the-way spot?" [["It's tradition." | tradition 1]] [["Oh, no reason in particular." | no reason 1]]

"I, uh, made something for you," you say, words stumbling out of your mouth. Iris reaches out to take it, but only looks at it confusedly. This isn't good-- what made you think that a vase was a grand idea? Where did you even hear that Iris liked vases, or had any use for them? They're a wandering musician-- emphasis on the //wandering//. [[Time to salvage things. Tell them how you feel.]]

And so you do. The words come out of your mouth like a deluge, like that one summer flood in the town that washed away most of your hanging laundry and probably your favourite houseplant-- you were never sure where it went exactly. You shut your eyes after the confession is over. You were never a wordsmith, but with that wretched gift hanging in their hands it made it a lot harder to even get a coherent sentence out. Sweat beads your brow. Your hands are clammy. Iris makes a slight face. They're clearly not impressed, but are flattered. "That's... nice," they say as they place the vase in their pack. "Let's just go to the Inn, yes?" And that'll have to be enough for you. [[The End.]]

Yeah, that might be a good idea. But, just as you turn to leave, you spot a flash of orange and white amidst the flowing grass blades in the cool night air. And then there they are, climbing up the hill in a manner not quite fox-like. Really, they're more like clambering, and they seem to be belaboured by the hill's height. Eventually, they reach the top and glare at you. "Why'd you pick such an outta-the-way spot?" [["It's tradition." | tradition 2]] [["Oh, no reason in particular." | no reason 2]]

"I, uh, got something for you," you say, words stumbling out of your mouth. Iris reaches out to take it, but only looks at it confusedly. This isn't good-- what made you think that a conch was a grand idea? Since when did Iris ever to go the seaside, or even express that they liked the seaside? Also, what use is a conch for them? You guessed that maybe they could blow into to make a vaguely musical sound, or maybe even listen to the waves, but-- [[Time to salvage things. Tell them how you feel.| Tell them]]

And so you do. The words come out of your mouth like a deluge, like that one summer flood in the town that washed away most of your hanging laundry and probably your favourite houseplant-- you were never sure where it went exactly. You shut your eyes after the confession is over. You were never a wordsmith, but with that wretched gift hanging in their hands it made it a lot harder to even get a coherent sentence out. Sweat beads your brow. Your hands are clammy. Iris smiles awkwardly. They clearly feel bad for you. "You're sweet, I'll give you that," they say, and then tuck the conch into their pack. "I say we get a drink at the Inn to celebrate your courage." And so you do, and that drink will be the only thing to warm you this Solstice. [[The End.]]