video;

[funhinged]

Hello, all!

[ Lo and behold: a very sing-songy middle aged man in a cravat. He's looking a potent mix of both cheery and matter-of-fact, rooting through a bookshelf in the library as he speaks, with his mirror set to hover next to him. Get comfortable because he's gonna be here for a while. He is definitely both emotionally fine and normal. ]

It's me! Stede, if you know me. But I'm also Stede if you don't know me, which you probably don't, so either way. You can go ahead and introduce yourself back to me if you want. In a minute. Not right this second.

I've decided to carry over a little tradition that I took up with my crew back at home, and this is all about getting the word out. Starting tonight-- and every night going forward-- I'll be in the balcony garden closest to the library reading aloud for anyone who might be interested. We're gonna start with a classic fairy tale collection, but if you dig out something you want done, I can fold that into the rotation. Just try to keep requests in line with the vibe, guys! You know, something fun and interesting for the team before bed! We're not putting on a spooky stage show.

[ He pauses. ]

I mean, not now specifically. I am interested in helping however I can if anyone's been meaning to express themselves creatively. Theatre is highly enriching.

Anyway, that should be all! To reiterate: storytime, roundabout... seven? Sevenish. If that works. Garden by the library. You can bring along some comfy blankets and pillows, maybe a little snack. Really make a night of it. Or you can just check in on your mirror around then if you're not feeling social, because I'll have that all set up. What else...

Oh, right. I'll go ahead and cut off a very important question by letting you know that the answer is "yes. Stede does all the voices." This isn't amateur hour. [ Like, imagine not doing the voices. No way. ] So don't worry about that.

Comments

[slowmotionbuscrash]

What.

[funhinged]

[ ??? ]

What what?

[ He temporarily abandons the shelf quest to turn the mirror over in his hands a few times. ]

Was this not working? Sorry. I am new to magic mirrors. How much of all that did you get?

[slowmotionbuscrash]

You know we’re adults who can read, right??

[ Who gives reading performances. ]

[funhinged]

[ Ohh, the what was reactionary. That makes more sense in hindsight. Very familiar. Well, that's fine. This isn't Stede's first "announcing to adults that he'll be reading out loud for them" rodeo, after all.

It's his second. ]

I've actually learned some very important, fairly recent lessons about assumed literacy at any age. So in this case, no. I don't know.

[ Nailed it. Maybe Lucius is out there somewhere feeling vindicated. ]

It doesn't really have a bearing on the offer either way.

[bringinghopewithme]

[Bunny has to keep pointing his mirror away because this entire exchange has occasionally overwhelmed him with delighted snickering. It sure is something to see human adults getting (rightfully) enthusiastic about something this . . . cute.

Even if it does mean every person with a hint of snideness in the party is about to (at least attempt to) rip Stede to shreds.]

That's adorable, mate.

[funhinged]

[ If Stede goes through a complex process of half-forgetting the scope of magical mirrors and having a very terrifying moment where he's super not seeing his own reflection, that's between him and the mirror in question.

And he guesses this.......... hirsute fella. Should he ask about that? He probably shouldn't ask about that. What if it's a sensitive subject? How is this an internal debate that his life is coming to? ]

I, I don't see where you'd be getting that impression. This is tradition. Even a fun tradition is categorically non-adorable.

[bringinghopewithme]

Tradition can be a lot of things. [It's official. No one is allowed to bully this guy but Bunny, and he's gonna do that.]

What's wrong with being adorable, then? [He asks, plucking a very cute daisy from the grass, admiring it, and directing the faintest challenging glare at the mirror.]

[myagents]

[Probably-- most definitely, actually, no one would be surprised to acknowledge that Price didn't exactly get bedtime stories when he was a child, as opposed to [REDACTED] that made him into the problematic individual he is now. He has tried, quite desperately, to give himself bedtime stories at some point either by himself or through questionable partners (no, he's not gonna elaborate) to regain a shred of normality, but eventually he just stopped.

Still, when presented with such opportunity, he can't help but be happy.]

This sounds like an interesting experience. I would like to attend, if that isn't a problem for anyone else.

[Did he just ask for permission to exist? He did. He's improving.]

[funhinged]

[ Look at that. He was clearly right and this is a great idea. ]

You're probably in luck! Interpersonal conflicts aren't on the list of things I said people could bring with them. We're leaving all scraps, scrapes, attempted stabbings, fisticuffs and kerfuffles firmly at the door. Captain's orders.

[ Is he actually anyone's captain here? No. Does he have any context whatsoever for the social scene in this castle? Also no. Does he care to get it? Once again no. Every new person actively interested in attending gives Stede +1 AC ongoing against potential detractors, which is what really matters. ]

[myagents]

Thank you, I appreciate it. I might attend via this network, just in case.

[poor_unlucky_girl]

I love bedtime stories!

[Yes, even though she has horrific experiences with them. Kidnapping woes, amirite? It's always good to give a better life, a better meaning, to something that used to be so unfortunate. Overwriting gently, without dismissing the wisdom from the negative experiences. Count Jennifer in.]

Can I bring my dog with me?

[funhinged]

[ A youth! The cutting edge of hip culture. Probably a real target audience for storytimes in general.

God, there shouldn't be a bunch of children in a situation like this one, though, should there? That just seems dangerous. ]

I'm amenable, but I do need a guarantee that they won't eat the cushions. How well-behaved is this dog on a scale from scoundrel to very good?

[poor_unlucky_girl]

Brown is the best boy! He also has a great sense of direction, helps me find the road or things I thought I'd lost. You'll love him.

[unshakenconviction]

[ Cordelia hasn't spoken up via magic mirror yet. It's a lesser concern with the strange haunted house, and perhaps more importantly, she's learned to be very careful with when and how she speaks...

...but gosh. Even after learning to wield distrust like a shield, this is so wholesome she can't help but find it all comforting.

So here's a young lady of fifteen or so, the very image of prim and proper. Hello, world! ]

I think that's a wonderful tradition.

[ When was the last time she smiled? Who knows. She's doing so now, though! ]

My brother used to read to me every night, when we were children. [ Well, she doesn't consider herself a child? ] He wasn't much for doing the voices, though.

[funhinged]

[ The way that this magic castle adventure is actively stealing children... this young lady is practically a baby. She can hardly be a few years older than Alma. Who's been authorizing this? This influx of very kind youths?

Very important feathers in the cap of storytime being attended, but still. ]

Oh, but that's still great. In fact, I'll make a special exception for your brother and say that I bet his storytimes were just as good as any other ones out there, voices or no.

[ Truly the most gracious of exceptions. ]

Honestly, I only do the voices because I like doing them anyway. So I'm biased. What do I know?

[unshakenconviction]

He...tried his best. [ A small laugh. ] Books in general never much interested him, but he knew I loved them. Roland...put up with all sorts of things he didn't much care for, to make me happy.

[ Their father was usually busy and Frani...was Frani. If she really wanted to put a flower crown on an older brother, she knew which one to go to. ]

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[polyonymous]

[just casually keeping a close fucking eye on the replies to this!!!! just in case someone commits the grave error of mocking story time!!!!

Ed doesn't really need to use his mirror to reply, because he's one (1) room away doing his own exploring and could easily just wander in, thumbs in his pockets like it's such a cute coincidence that he's here- but it's fucking cool that he doesn't have to. That he can hold the ornate music box he's found up to his own mirror and show it off to Stede without moving.]

Look at this shit. Tiny lady in a glowing box. Also, if you're looking for extra cushions, there's like three in here. Fuckin' cushion central.

video

[funhinged]

Ooh, fab. [ There he is... the special-est pirate. It's good that Ed can have a cool little explore even technically on land.

And it's good of this place to at least follow through on its, frankly, exorbitant levels of spare-cushion energy. ]

Look at her in there! Whoever made that must've put in an insane amount of work. Not a job for the faint of heart. [ Dare he say, only a job for tinkery perfectionist hearts. Can't relate. ] You could pop that up on your bedside table, Ed. Make it a little centerpiece.

[polyonymous]

[So a yes to the pillows, then. Which is great, because it means Ed gets to hand something to Stede and see that excited little look on his face. Really good face. Easily in his top 3 fave Stede faces.]

Huh. Yeah. Guess I can put whatever I want there.

[Which, you know, he 100% could have done before, but it's soooo weird, it's like, for example just randomly, this huge societal expectation based weight has been lifted off his shoulders now that they're in a nonsense castle!!!]

Find any good stories?

[50millions1pint]

Bedtime stories, really.

[There's so much disbelief in Jake's voice that it doesn't even sound like a question, then he laughs.]

Fucking hell...Aight, you got me. What's your repertoire, frilly pants?

[funhinged]

The shirts are frilly, mate, not the pants.

[ He has only the highest of standards. ]

The fairy tales are pretty straightforward stuff! Magic, moral lessons, adventure, a dash of romance. We finished off Pinocchio a few weeks back, and that was a real crowd-pleaser. Oh, the occasional sonnet. Whatever takes my fancy. Or gets requested. [ Not that there have strictly been requests back home yet.

There's so much in this library he's never even heard of, too. Absolutely wild. ]

Sometimes it's not really a reading as much as a collaborative effort. You know, let people tell some stories themselves if they want. Really flexible way to wind down an evening.

[50millions1pint]

Well, I know I'm not telling any stories. The shit I've seen isn't exactly kid friendly, you know.

[scansorial]

Pretty sure I outgrew my parents reading to me a few years ago now. But I guess it's an idea. For people that want that sort of thing. Some might be keen.

[Stede does voices. That's. Kinda nostalgic almost. Remembering his parents reading to him before he fell asleep, until he got old enough to read himself. It probably wouldn't quite be the same though. With it not being his parents reading. Miles does ache in missing them though. For all that things were complicated, especially with his father recently given the whole Spider-Man thing.]

I haven't been sure on what to expect from the library actually. What even is there? I figured with some of the stuff in this castle it would be like. Magic books or something with spells or whatever.

[funhinged]

[ He is starting to seriously question the high youth population in this dangerous magic fantasy adventure. The Green needs to watch itself. Or explain itself properly. Or something. ]

Well, if you're not interested, you're not interested. We'll still be doing it if you change your mind.

[ Probably nothing short of natural disaster will stop Stede from reading at this point. Three or four whole people said they were interested. ]

And the books are, they're, uhh. Varied. Mostly normal. Definitely some magic ones. So if you go looking, be careful. Bring a buddy! Don't lose your soul to any accursed tomes! [ He is so good at wise life lessons. ] Not that I've noticed any tomes trying to steal souls. Frankly, if a book doesn't look like it has lighthearted fiction in it, I haven't kept it open long enough to test.

[scansorial]

[For all that he himself is all but literally green in being days new to the superhero thing back home before ending up here. Miles is definitely one of the younger ones here. Yes.]

Lose my soul?!

[wait.]

I'll......be careful then? I guess?