MoominLiv

Deep Blue Sea (MoominLiv and gowia)

A D E L I N E C L A R K E

It was calm beneath the surface, especially now that all of Adeline’s panic had vanished, only to be replaced by a strangely calm acceptance of her fate. She knew it was too late for her to do much of anything, so she decided she might as well enjoy the ride down to her demise while she still could. Soon, the already exquisite pain that radiated across and through the thin membranes of her eyes and nose would be joined by an agonizing pressure in her chest. As long as she was still conscious, she would take in the scenery. A few solitary fish swam in the vicinity, seemingly the only ones not chased away by the presence of the enormous ship that had been cutting through the waves. Their scales were in various gradients of silver and gray, shimmering and twinkling in the meager amount of light that had managed to make its way into the depths of the water. Adeline, in another uncharacteristically impulsive act (she seemed to be performing many of those lately), lifted her hand and touched one of the nearby fish. It instantly flicked its tail in an attempt to escape her grasp, its sharp fins cutting into the tender web of flesh between her thumb and forefinger, causing a small cloud of crimson to fill the water. Tiny pieces of algae danced before her eyes, like motes of dust in an aquatic sunbeam. Long strands of kelp reached towards the surface in great green ropes, swaying and dancing in the faint current of the sea. An oceanic forest, it stretched out for what seemed like an eternity, lush and shimmering in the dim, wavering light that managed to pierce through the water’s surface. It tickled her cheeks and wrists, brushing against every bit of exposed skin it could find and, although she disliked the strange texture, she didn’t recoil. Perhaps the kelp was her fate. When she finally died, drifting the the sea floor and settling amidst the rocks and shells that littered it, she would become one with the kelp, reaching towards the distant sky with long viridian tendrils.

That isn’t so terrible, she thought to herself, the faintest of smiles alighting on her lips as a feeling of serenity overcame her. The last of her panic had vanished, overtaken by the calm acceptance that comes when one is faced with certain demise. I have always loved the ocean, after all.

Her lungs were starting to ache now. She wondered if she should just give into the inevitable and exhale, to just get it over with as soon as possible. Drowning was one of the worst deaths of all, and she knew that, so why was she delaying it? Perhaps she wanted to take in as much of the scenery as possible. After all, at this point she had sunken to a place where no man had ever gone before. She was seeing sights that had been hidden to human eyes since the dawn of time. To be privy to such a strange, unknown landscape was a gift, and she might as well accept it with open arms and drink in as much of the view as possible before she expired. She gazed upwards and observed the very last of the light disappear, along with the only world she had ever known. Still staring up at the surface, she slowly drifted into the cold, feathery embrace of the kelp, preparing herself to be wrapped up in its tendrils like an insect in the vines of a predatory plant. She was just about to finally close her eyes and wait for the end when the face appeared before her, its own pair of strangely iridescent and glassy eyes meeting her sight.

Although it was only a single moment, it felt like an eternity. Their gazes were focused solely on each other, blocking out the rest of the world until it felt as if it was just the two of them suspended in space. If Adeline had been capable of breathing in this situation, her breath would have most certainly caught in her throat.
Her father was correct. Just as he repeated on a nearly daily basis, repeating the assurance like some sort of mantra, he wasn’t crazy. The merfolk were real, and the proof was treading water directly in front of her. He was slim, his skin an exceedingly inhuman shade of bluish gray, and when he reached out his hands to touch her, Adeline realized that his flesh was vaguely slimy. Although she was utterly repulsed by the sensation, and every instinct in Adeline was telling her to recoil from those long webbed fingers, she found herself reaching out towards him in response. Her fingertips brushed against his cheek, sliding over the cold flesh and exploring the texture with open curiosity and awe, her eyes unfaltering and unblinking as they took in every detail of the creature’s appearance. Long dark hair, yellow pupils with a thin nictitating membrane, heavy brows, a straight nose…

Question after question filled her mind. How was he breathing? Gills? A blowhole? Something else? Did he have scales? Or was his skin more akin to an amphibian? Did he have human teeth? Or maybe shark teeth? Or perhaps a hard palate like a spiny fish?

It took far longer than Adeline would have liked to admit to realize why he was reaching towards her. Perhaps she had been so utterly enthralled by his physiology that she had forgotten all of her father’s warnings. Or maybe she had been displaying some of that oh-so-common egocentrism humans always have, think that he was looking at her with the same curious, startled eyes. Either way, she was quite delayed in her understanding that he was preparing to pull her even further below the water. Upon realizing his intentions, Adeline grabbed at his hands, doing her best to pry them off of her, twisting and thrashing in an attempt to loosen his grip. Her nails scratched against the creature’s bare chest, causing three straight lines to appear on his flesh, the wounds puckering slightly and releasing trace amounts of blood into the water. The cut on Adeline’s own hand widened, her own ichor oozing out and mingling with the merfolk’s, creating a small cloud of nearly blackish blood around them. The saltwater stung exquisitely, but Adeline was so focused on her struggles that she barely noticed it.

If she was going to die, she was going to do it on her terms, not some fishy freak’s! He didn’t need to pull her downwards, she could drown all by herself without anyone’s help!

Livie's Little Text Dump

C A S E Y M A C A R T H U R

[+]

|| NAME ||

Casey MacArthur

|| AGE ||

25

|| GENDER ||

Cis female

|| SPECIES ||

Human

|| BIO ||

Just your average small town dreamer, Casey’s life hasn’t ever been very remarkable. Not much happens in Greengrove, save for the occasional wild animal that comes a bit too close to town for comfort. Casey grew up with her mother and father as an only child. Her parents ran an antiques shop downtown, the same one her family had run for three generations, and much of her free time during her childhood was spent helping in the shop and learning the ins and outs of the business for the inevitable day she would inherit the shop.
Moving items, assessing value, creating price tags, handing out flyers… None of it was very interesting to her, but she did it without question, not wanting to disappoint her parents. The only part about the antique shop that she liked was the various paintings they sold. Casey loved the way artists were able to capture a moment in time, to preserve a feeling of their own and share it through paints or pencils, to influence people’s emotions without a single word. She began to pursue art, drawing and painting everything she saw in the hopes of gaining that seemingly magical ability that artists had to create something from nothing. She dreamed of one day being able to call herself an artist and share her art with the world.
Unfortunately, although she went to school to study art and art history, Casey never got further than that. Her father passed away due to cancer, her mother having died while she was in college, and Casey was left with the posthumous expectation that she would continue the family business. Nowadays, she lives alone in a small house she inherited from her parents on the edge of town and mans the shop five days a week, although she spends much of her spare time painting and hiking through the woods.

|| PERSONALITY ||

|| Gentle ||
Even from a young age, Casey was softhearted. She would go around picking worms off the sidewalk after the rain or using her own money to buy birdseed to fill the bird feeders in the public park. She doesn’t go out of her way to display kindness, as she would rather stay mostly unnoticed, tending to do things like bring cupcakes for everyone on finals day but simply leaving them in the classroom with a note and not saying who it was from.

|| Submissive ||
Casey is the sort of person who will agree with people simply to keep them happy. Just like how she put away her dreams of being an artist to run the antique shop in order not to upset her parents, Casey will often put her own wants and needs on hold to please others. This means people tend to use her for their own means, often treating her as a stepping stone for their own endeavors.

|| Anxious ||
While she might not spend all her time worrying about the sky falling down on her, Casey is still a bit of an anxious mess. It’s the sort of anxiety that is more like an undercurrent than anything distinct, almost solely presenting itself in her fidgeting and flighty nature, as well as a vague jumpiness. She can typically operate just fine and mostly comes off as “normal”, but oftentimes when she isn’t doing anything in particular or is simply thinking she will subconsciously pull at her hair or shift in place.

|| Liar ||
Although this trait is often seen as malicious, Casey isn’t a liar due to ill will. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. She constantly lies to save people’s feelings and keep others happy, a tendency which can cause her quite a bit of trouble. Her desperate desire to be completely normal and conform to the world’s standards also means she lies in order to cover up everyday mistakes. Unfortunately, these white lies tend to create a snowball effect, piling up into a mountain of unintentional deceit that comes back to bite her in the ass.

|| Nature Enthusiast ||
An avid hiker and birder, Casey loves spending time in the forest. One of her favorite pastimes is exploring the woods in search of things to draw or paint. Sometimes she will spend hours in the woods, doing nothing but sitting and listening to the living world around her. She has a nice garden at home that she is very proud of, and she has been known to do things like help baby birds back into their nests.

Deep Blue Sea (MoominLiv and gowia)

A D E L I N E C L A R K E

The smell of the port was disgusting. Trash and refuse, rotting kelp, stagnant water, cigar smoke that issued from the mouths of the sailors that walked up and down the gangplanks. Luckily, that overpowering stench of uncleanliness and pollution didn't follow them out to sea. If it had, it would most likely have been Adeline retching over the side of the ship, rather than the old governess that had come along with an upper-class family. From her spot near the prow, Adeline watched the older woman cough and groan in misery, her pale, doughy face beaded with sweat. It was an unfortunate and quite unappealing sight, and Adeline quickly turned her attention back to the horizon, peering out over the sea and scouring it with narrowed eyes for any sort of anomaly. There was nothing, of course. Just the gray sky and endless sea with its choppy, white-capped waves and deep cerulean depths.

He was probably just drunk, she thought to herself in an almost bitter fashion, absentmindedly adjusting the ribbon that tied her hat beneath her chin. The wind tugged at the loose ends and caused strands of hair to slip from her updo, fluttering in the breeze and tickling her cheeks. Another drunk sailor who saw some sort of wildlife and said it was a mermaid.

The previous week, Adeline's father had found a supposed lead: an old sailor, deep in his cups and spouting garbled nonsense about merfolk, claiming to have seen them out at sea near the eastern coast. Within hours he had booked her a spot on a ship headed towards the area and sent her off with the simple command to "find them". The memory of practically being shoved out the front door by her father with nothing but a half-packed suitcase and third-class ticket still stung slightly, causing Adeline to let out a small huff of displeasure. Why did she always have to be the one to go out and chase after these maritime mirages? She would much rather be at home, studying the new insect specimens that had arrived from overseas recently.

"Pardon me, but I recommen' you two ladies get inside," a male voice said, and Adeline turned to see a member of the ship's crew. He was addressing both her and the old governess, she realized. "Those clouds mean a storm's comin'."
Looking back out over the side of the ship, Adeline could clearly see that the shiphand was correct. The low clouds that had gathered together were the color of slate, dark and gloomy, and she could just barely taste electricity on her tongue. The wind, which had been a mere nuisance before, had risen quite considerably, causing Adeline to clutch at her skirts in an attempt to keep them from copying the actions of the ship's sails.

In all honestly, Adeline would have loved to be above deck during a storm. She had never witnessed a storm while at sea, and her natural curiosity and inborn scientist was eager to see if there were any stark differences from storms on land. How would the waves react without a shore to mercilessly beat against? What direction would the winds take? How would the crew manage the ship during the storm? Unfortunately, she would most likely only get in the way of all of the sailors if she were to stay on deck, and Adeline resigned herself to spending the rest of the day and night in her stuffy, grimy cabin.

"I understand," she stated with mild reluctance, turning to follow the governess who, albeit with much wailing and moaning, had already headed towards the door that lead below deck. "Thank y-
A sudden gust of wind, so strong that it staggered all three of the group, swept down. Before she could stop it, the gale had snatched at her hat and tossed it into the air, its ribbons fluttering like tiny silken banners. Damn! That was her best hat! The woman reached out to catch it, her fingers desperately grasping for some sort of purchase, but the wind was too strong, spiriting her hat out of her reach. The sensible thing to do at that moment would most likely have been to give up and accept the loss of the hat but, for some reason, she wasn't feeling very sensible that day and continued reaching for it. Standing on the very tips of her toes and straining out her arm, she leaned over the side of the ship. Without even thinking about it, Adeline jumped, attempting to close the space between her and the hat. It was only when her fingers grabbed ahold of the ribbons that she realized her mistake and, by then, it was far too late.

As she tipped over the side and plunged towards the water, she could just faintly hear the shiphand yelling for help. She opened her mouth, perhaps intending to reassure him that she was able to swim and everything would be just fine if they could please just throw something for her to hold onto, thank you very much, but before she could speak she hit the surface of the water. It was cold, so cold that it made her heart skip a beat and her entire body tense up in a desperate effort to conserve body heat. Salt filled her mouth and nose and eyes, burning like acid. She made a brief attempt to swim, but she didn't even know which way was up and by the time she had righted herself she was too far down to do much of anything at all.

Well, this is problematic, she thought to herself as she drifted downwards, her waterlogged skirts becoming an anchor and pulling her into the depths of the sea. Embarrassing, even. Death via hat.

Deep Blue Sea (MoominLiv and gowia)

Down in the deep...

Far beneath the waves...

There is a world beyond our comprehension...

"W H A T W E K N O W I S A D R O P

W H A T W E D O N O T K N O W I S A N

O C E A N "

-Sir Isaac Newton

The year is 1873.
It is the golden age of science. Never before has man made so many discoveries in such a short time. Physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology... The study of the natural world is thriving, and the men and women who explore its depths are the great trailblazers of the time, lifting the veil of confusion and superstition from the eyes of the populace.
But along with these great illuminations come great shadows. The dark and seedy underbelly of science, a world of moral ambiguity and callous exploitation. Just as there are those who strive to improve the world through knowledge, there are those who strive to use knowledge for personal gain, either ignorant or indifferent to those whom they harm in their pursuits.

Below the crashing waves, in a world humans dare not touch, a civilization flourishes. Merfolk swim alongside great schools of fish, darting through kelp and gliding over beds of bright and vibrant coral. With the flick of a fin or a kick of a leg they fly through the water, spirits of the ocean that are freedom personified. Their world is one of color and life, untainted by the filthy, polluting hands of humans.
But for how long? What will happens when these two worlds inevitably collide? Like two stars orbiting each other, growing closer and closer, there are only two outcomes.
A larger, brighter star, or total destruction.

Livie's Little Text Dump

w e r e w o l f

/ˈwerˌwo͝olf/

(noun) a person transformed into a wolf or capable of assuming a wolf's form

T H E S T O R Y
Muse A saves a wolf out of the goodness of their heart but, little do they know, the animal is far more than it seems. Muse B, a werewolf who was saved by Muse A while in their wolf form, decides that Muse A shall be their spouse and comes to claim their beloved.

T H E P L A Y E R S
MoominLiv • Nemaisare

T H E D E T A I L S
Romance • Fantasy • Drama • Action

T H E C H A R A C T E R S
Casey MacArthur • Townie • Wannabe Artist

Mathis Reed • Forest Dweller • Local Werewolf

Hugh Reed • Forest Dweller • Mathis's Uncle

Darnell Evans • Townie • Sherrif

L O C A T I O N S
Greengrove • Small Town

Brigham Forest • Forest

Wendigo Peak • Mountain

MacArthur's Grand Emporium • Antique Shop

Deep Blue Sea (MoominLiv and gowia)

A D E L I N E C L A R K E

[+]

|| NAME ||

Adeline Clarke

|| AGE ||

24

|| GENDER ||

Cis female

|| SPECIES ||

Human

|| BIO ||

Born shortly after her father Edwin Clarke's fall from scientific grace, Adeline was raised by a man obsessed with his own redemption. Her mother, faced with the fact that her husband was no longer the man she married and that they had fallen into financial ruin do to his lack of employment, turned to opiates and "frivolous activities" for comfort and was largely out of the picture, leaving Adeline nearly solely under her father's care. Although she was female, Adeline was given an expansive education with extra attention to the natural sciences. A naturally intelligent and curious girl, she took well to these studies, excelling under her father's tutelage. She grew up listening to her father's fantastical tales of the merfolk and their evil ways, repetitions of the story of his ill-fated expediction that resulted in the death of so many of his colleagues, his plans and schemes to capture and study the "monsters", his promises that all their problems would be solved once he got his hands on one. She has witnessed his slow descent into a form of madness, his devotions and obsessions overtaking everything else in his life.
Obviously, having a father that is constantly immersed in questionable research and so obsessed with a species of humanoid sea creatures that he is seen as insane by almost everybody, as well as a mother who spends most of her time drinking or smoking in an attempt to dull the aching wound in her heart means that Adeline's life has been rather loveless and drab. Brought up solely to be the successor to her father's quest, she wasn't allowed to have a real childhood and has spent her entire life being belittled and judged for even the most minor of faults, often becoming the scapegoat for her father's anger and frustration.

|| PERSONALITY ||

• Asocial •
Although she does her very best to conform to societal norms and act like a "proper" lady, Adeline often has trouble fitting in. She is cynical and direct, always speaking her mind and sharing her opinions, something that many of the men around her don't take kindly to. She tends to be rather judgemental of others as she was taught from a young age by her father that they were "different" because of their intelligence and knowledge of what truly lay beneath the waves. She is slightly socially awkward and has trouble empathizing with others, as she was always studying during her childhood due to her father's influence.
The main exception to her lack of empathy is animals, as she has a very soft spot for the natural world and much prefers animals to humans. She has a tendency to pick up injured animals and nurse them back to health, much to her father's displeasure. She is especially fond of reptiles and amphibians and has a pet snake named Herbert.

• Realist •
Rather than a "glass-half-empty" or "glass-half-full" individual, Adeline is more of a "this glass has exactly twenty-two fluid ounces" type of person. She doesn't try to fool herself or others, meaning she can sometimes be a bit bleak. Seeing no benefit in lying, she often sats things that seem insulting to others but, to her, are simply a statement of fact. This means that she tends to unintentionally hurt people's feelings, something thing that can cause people to dislike her.

• (Usually) Collected •
Although typically rathr deadpan in both expression and mannerism, it is possible to coax out a different side of Adeline if one manages to mention the right topic. Talking about ichthyology or oceanography is a sure way to get her to drop her defenses and spark up and eager and enthusiastic conversation about science. She practically becomes a different person when she is allowed to talk about her interests, and she would excitedly talk about fish all night and day if one was kind enough to allow her to do so.

• Guarded •
Due to her unfortunate upbringing and all of its questionable aspects, Adeline tends to put a wall between herself and others and has difficulty trusting people. Part of it is that she fears rejection, but it is most the subconscious sense of inadequacy that has been ingrained into her that causes her to isolate herself. She also tends to hide her emotions, as she was taught from a very young age that they are "unnecessary" and that she would only be ignored if she were to show them externally.

• Dedicated •
When the going gets tough, the tough get going, and Adeline believes that wholeheartedly. She isn't one to throw in the towel, often stubbornly persevering in the face of opposition. When she starts a task, she always intends on finishing it, no matter how difficult it may be. However, as beneficial as this trait is, it can also present itself in a form of inflexibility, as Adeline has difficulty conceding or backing down, even in situations where it would be the best course of action. When Adeline meets another stubborn individual, sparks tend to fly.

Livie's Little Text Dump

A D E L I N E C L A R K E

[+]

|| NAME ||

Adeline Clarke

|| AGE ||

24

|| GENDER ||

Cis female

|| SPECIES ||

Human

|| BIO ||

Born shortly after her father Edwin Clarke's fall from scientific grace, Adeline was raised by a man obsessed with his own redemption. Her mother, faced with the fact that her husband was no longer the man she married and that they had fallen into financial ruin do to his lack of employment, turned to opiates and "frivolous activities" for comfort and was largely out of the picture, leaving Adeline nearly solely under her father's care. Although she was female, Adeline was given an expansive education with extra attention to the natural sciences. A naturally intelligent and curious girl, she took well to these studies, excelling under her father's tutelage. She grew up listening to her father's fantastical tales of the merfolk and their evil ways, repetitions of the story of his ill-fated expediction that resulted in the death of so many of his colleagues, his plans and schemes to capture and study the "monsters", his promises that all their problems would be solved once he got his hands on one. She has witnessed his slow descent into a form of madness, his devotions and obsessions overtaking everything else in his life.
Obviously, having a father that is constantly immersed in questionable research and so obsessed with a species of humanoid sea creatures that he is seen as insane by almost everybody, as well as a mother who spends most of her time drinking or smoking in an attempt to dull the aching wound in her heart means that Adeline's life has been rather loveless and drab. Brought up solely to be the successor to her father's quest, she wasn't allowed to have a real childhood and has spent her entire life being belittled and judged for even the most minor of faults, often becoming the scapegoat for her father's anger and frustration.

|| PERSONALITY ||

• Asocial •
Although she does her very best to conform to societal norms and act like a "proper" lady, Adeline often has trouble fitting in. She is cynical and direct, always speaking her mind and sharing her opinions, something that many of the men around her don't take kindly to. She tends to be rather judgemental of others as she was taught from a young age by her father that they were "different" because of their intelligence and knowledge of what truly lay beneath the waves. She is slightly socially awkward and has trouble empathizing with others, as she was always studying during her childhood due to her father's influence.
The main exception to her lack of empathy is animals, as she has a very soft spot for the natural world and much prefers animals to humans. She has a tendency to pick up injured animals and nurse them back to health, much to her father's displeasure. She is especially fond of reptiles and amphibians and has a pet snake named Herbert.

• Realist •
Rather than a "glass-half-empty" or "glass-half-full" individual, Adeline is more of a "this glass has exactly twenty-two fluid ounces" type of person. She doesn't try to fool herself or others, meaning she can sometimes be a bit bleak. Seeing no benefit in lying, she often sats things that seem insulting to others but, to her, are simply a statement of fact. This means that she tends to unintentionally hurt people's feelings, something thing that can cause people to dislike her.

• (Usually) Collected •
Although typically rathr deadpan in both expression and mannerism, it is possible to coax out a different side of Adeline if one manages to mention the right topic. Talking about ichthyology or oceanography is a sure way to get her to drop her defenses and spark up and eager and enthusiastic conversation about science. She practically becomes a different person when she is allowed to talk about her interests, and she would excitedly talk about fish all night and day if one was kind enough to allow her to do so.

• Guarded •
Due to her unfortunate upbringing and all of its questionable aspects, Adeline tends to put a wall between herself and others and has difficulty trusting people. Part of it is that she fears rejection, but it is most the subconscious sense of inadequacy that has been ingrained into her that causes her to isolate herself. She also tends to hide her emotions, as she was taught from a very young age that they are "unnecessary" and that she would only be ignored if she were to show them externally.

• Dedicated •
When the going gets tough, the tough get going, and Adeline believes that wholeheartedly. She isn't one to throw in the towel, often stubbornly persevering in the face of opposition. When she starts a task, she always intends on finishing it, no matter how difficult it may be. However, as beneficial as this trait is, it can also present itself in a form of inflexibility, as Adeline has difficulty conceding or backing down, even in situations where it would be the best course of action. When Adeline meets another stubborn individual, sparks tend to fly.

Deep Blue Sea (MoominLiv and gowia)

Down in the deep...

Far beneath the waves...

There is a world beyond our comprehension...

C H A R A C T E R S

• Edwin Clarke • Scientist NPC • Leader of Anti-Mer Science Faction •

• Horace Robinson • Scientist NPC • Leader of Pro-Mer Science Faction •

• Adeline Clarke • Female Scientist • Member of Anti-Mer Science Faction •

• Manas • Merman • Young Clansman •

Deep Blue Sea (MoominLiv and gowia)

Down in the deep...

Far beneath the waves...

There is a world beyond our comprehension...

T H E S T O R Y
Merpeople are supposed to drown any humans that enter their territory in order to keep their existence a secret. Muse A is a merperson that has killed countless humans without remorse. But when Muse B, a human, is drowning in the ocean, there's something about them that causes Muse A to be moved to save them.

T H E P L A Y E R S
MoominLiv • gowia

T H E D E T A I L S
Romance • Fantasy • Drama • Historical

Livie's Little Text Dump

Down in the deep...

Far beneath the waves...

There is a world beyond our comprehension...

"W H A T W E K N O W I S A D R O P

W H A T W E D O N O T K N O W I S A N

O C E A N "

-Sir Isaac Newton

The year is 1873.
It is the golden age of science. Never before has man made so many discoveries in such a short time. Physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology... The study of the natural world is thriving, and the men and women who explore its depths are the great trailblazers of the time, lifting the veil of confusion and superstition from the eyes of the populace.
But along with these great illuminations come great shadows. The dark and seedy underbelly of science, a world of moral ambiguity and callous exploitation. Just as there are those who strive to improve the world through knowledge, there are those who strive to use knowledge for personal gain, either ignorant or indifferent to those whom they harm in their pursuits.

Below the crashing waves, in a world humans dare not touch, a civilization flourishes. Merfolk swim alongside great schools of fish, darting through kelp and gliding over beds of bright and vibrant coral. With the flick of a fin or a kick of a leg they fly through the water, spirits of the ocean that are freedom personified. Their world is one of color and life, untainted by the filthy, polluting hands of humans.
But for how long? What will happens when these two worlds inevitably collide? Like two stars orbiting each other, growing closer and closer, there are only two outcomes.
A larger, brighter star, or total destruction.