[It is impossible to escape the crowd. Visas does not like crowds; has not been at ease in them since that fateful day on Katarr. She has endured it for the sake of her master and the Exile, but to be surrounded by the chaos and the chatter and the blinding flashes and rays of light in her vision--
--but this is worse. There is noise in her ears and chaos to the touch and people busily hustle around, but there is no life to it. It is like when her master showed her all the life in the Galaxy, meaningless and empty, but this time it is right in front of her and it is real. The laughing children are no more luminous than the beanbags that they toss to and fro on the cornhole boards.
Where is she? What is this false place? She is tempted to take her lightsaber from her belt and plunge it into the ground, to cut it away and discover what it is underneath, but... no. No. There must be another way.
She reaches out and grabs a random local, an adult male, seizing two handfuls of his short-sleeved shirt and pulling him close. There is still no light behind the outline of his flesh.]
Tell me where I am! Tell me what you are! I must know.
[The man, or rather the man-shaped thing she holds, struggles and babbles something about the summer solstice, entreating calm, demanding to be let go. But his answers do not explain enough for her to do so.]
Boat tour
[The idea of stepping aboard a primitive vessel, physically propelled through the waters, would normally be unappealing. But it is better than the town and its false people, interspersed with the points of light that are the "Chosen." The term is not reassuring.
There will be life in the ocean, she is sure... but as the boat proceeds away from land, her face downturned towards the churning waves, she sees nothing. Oh, there are shapes of fish, mammals on occasion, floating kelp. But it is dull and gray, just like the townspeople.
She looks up towards the horizon, and her frown deepens. She looks around until she finds another Chosen and approaches.]
You. You have eyes of flesh... did you see something strange out there?
Spire
[The locals are chattering excitedly all around her, waving their hands in the changing light and pointing at the buildings, the ground, as it changes.
It doesn't mean that much to Visas. She can look up at the spire and see that the building is refracting light, breaking it into the different parts of the spectrum--it is energy, wavelength. Instinctively, she moves towards the places where red light is being thrown. So many people see red as threatening, heat, malice. Foolish. Red is sedate. Red stars are cooler than the brightly burning and short-lived blue ones. Red is peaceful.
But when the sun reaches its zenith, she finds that her gaze is fixed on the spire and she cannot pull it away.
She grips her head, her fingers digging into her veil.]
What... is this? What... [Her voice trails off as the light grows brighter. She can feel that there is something more. Something on the edge of comprehension.] I cannot see....
[ooc: Please check out Visas' permissions post for her Force sight! By default I will be playing her as unable to immediately perceive other characters' morality because her sense has been damaged but it would help me if you filled it out. :) ]
[Junior lieutenant D'Vana Tendi is having a great day. She got to poke at some moss, she made a new friend, she got to have a cave mission— truly, so awesome! And she got to do it all with her best friends in the world, which made it even better. She had a stellar away mission and she's so ready to just relax in her bunk after such a great mission. After such a great day!
...
Or...it was a really great day. But this isn't the Cerritos, and none of these people are her friends. And this isn't even a cave! She seems to have beamed somewhere totally different— alone! But! But! Junior lieutenant D'Vana Tendi is also a Starfleet officer and therefore, she can handle this.
Totally.
She clears her throat, trying her very best not to look exceptionally freaked out by this sudden turn of events, and taps her comm badge.] Uh— Cerritos? Is anyone there? It looks like you beamed me into a...city? [Her voice becomes an urgent whisper.] Where are you guys?!
[... Nothing but static. Maybe Mariner was right about caves after all.]
ii—solstice
[Okay. No freaking out. She's alone on what could very well be a totally uncharted alien planet, there are no spaceships around anywhere, and she might kind of sort of accidentally be violating the Prime Directive just by being here. A bit. And— look, people violate the Prime Directive all the time, but not junior lieutenants! That's bridge crew stuff! So she— no, she's not freaking out, this is fine.
Totally, totally fine.
She's finally figured out how to get the little paper out of her...is it a PADD? It looks like a PADD. Okay, we're calling it a PADD. (It's actually a tablet.) So she finally got it out and smoothed it a little —the edges were a bit crunched— and now she's reading it and—
She gasps. Her whole face goes red. She squints. Reads it again.
And then, with a frustrated growl, she chucks the entire PADD across the road.
And hits someone with it.]
Oh— oh my gosh! I'm so sorry! Are you okay?!
iii—beach episode!
[Okay, so— the facts so far. Tendi is fairly sure she's not on the holodeck, after several attempts at voice commands and one disastrous attempt to disassemble what she thought might be a control panel, but was actually just an electricity junction box. (She has since apologized to the shop owners she could find for accidentally cutting their power. They elected to have her leave it the way it was, instead of trying to fix it.) She's also probably not on Earth; she doesn't exactly know much about the planet, but no one here has called it Earth, and that seems like a big thing to leave out. Has she gone back in time? ...does time exist here the way it does in all of those time-travel stories? I mean, the buildings in town don't exactly look like they came from the same time and place to begin with...
...
This is a lot.
With a somewhat-overwhelmed sigh, she sinks down to sit on the beach, dropping her duffel bag beside her. Maybe she just needs a second to sit and sort things out. Maybe she just needs to center herse—
Her hands brush against the substance on the ground. She gasps.] They have this stuff here too? I love this stuff!
[She is hollering jubilantly while clutching a fistful of sand.
Later in the day, she starts to loosen up—at least while she's on the beach. She even offers to help make sandcastles, though mostly what she does is lump handfuls of sand into a big pile while talking about how cool sand is. Yeah.]
iv—field day
[This is okay. It's fine. As long as she just doesn't talk about Starfleet (she's currently wearing a Starfleet uniform) or space stuff (she is literally a green alien) or tech (she's holding a tricorder), it'll all be fine.
In spite of her near-existential crisis about all of this, Tendi is starting to loosen up. Unfortunately for everyone. She's currently watching all of the races outside of town..."watching" being sort of a loose term, because mostly what she's doing is scanning the plants and animals with a tricorder when she thinks no one is looking. When she can't be sneaky about it (she's not doing a great job of being sneaky to begin with), she just shoves the tricorder back into her bag and examines them by eye.
"Examine" meaning...she's petting the Chocobos.] Look at you! I've never seen a bird this big before. What kind of sound do you think it makes? Think it could fly? I wonder what you're called?
[Said Chocobo is drinking in the attention...a little less so when Tendi starts trying to get it to open its mouth. She just wants to see if it has teeth!]
wildcard [tendi will be out and about in any capacity, so i'm open to wildcards of every kind. feel free to pm or message me on plurk posolutely if you want to set up a different scenario!]
Lloyd is scrutinizing the paper he's received deeply-- and then perks his head up with a grin, glancing to the person next to him.]
No rules against working together, right? I'm great at orienteering-- So c'mon! The first one is to find "a snow-sprite doll retrieved via claw...."
Think we gotta hunt some monsters for it?
Festival - Animal racing
[there is a bright red boy riding some sort of horrible fish-eyed floppy-eared dog-monster like it's the most normal thing in the world. Though I guess the purple feet are kind of cute. There's still some time before the race, though, so he's ruffling the creature's fluffy neck fur affectionately while they mill about waiting for starting positions.
C'mon, Noishe- no big chicken is gonna beat you, right?
[The noise of makes in return is some sort of whining howl. It's unsure if the beast is as excited as it's owner.
Also he hasn't checked to make sure his beast here is allowed to race, but it's got to be fine, right?
Network 1 - text wh
y doesnt it work with floves glovrs Glovrslll
Network 2 - voice
-Oh, this is so much easier!! You can just talk at it! Hello!
So you can just talk to everyone on this screen, right? Hi, I'm Lloyd- who are you?
(rather unusual it is for dazai to be in situations where he is completely clueless, but in this case, with how the locals seem to have an excessive familiarity with him - addressing him by name, inquiring about his whereabouts, and extending invitations to their homes… he's at a loss, thank you so much.
nothing better than a party to gather information though, alcohol drowning the brain contributes to loose and honest mouths, and being out in the open may lure someone to inform him exactly what it is about - but that said, he's not particularly keen on the idea of inquiring, tipping his hand over the fact he knows nothing at all.
god only knows what's in this place! or, you know, who could be, considering it's the end of the world.
this might as well be a part of it in some shape or form, so it's an excellent strategy to bullshit his way into being given a fuller picture. like, it's probably not going to work, considering how specific this can get, but! it’s fun nevertheless.
he can be found by the bonfire, a bottle in hand that he sways in the air, singing along to the songs - in his very own lyrics. they are not great.)
Aaaah, to be the solstice!! To go out so fast! A day, and boom!! Theeeeee end ♫
𝓱𝓮𝓵𝓵𝓸 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝓶 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓸𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓼𝓲𝓲𝓲𝓲𝓲𝓲𝓲𝓲𝓲𝓲𝓲𝓭𝓮
(it might be a curious view, a man bandaged from neck to ankle in swimming trunks, sunglasses concealing his eyes from the relentless sun, a little cocktail in his hand, paired with a mini-umbrella as decoration, all neatly taking in the cool shade of a parasol. everything feels like loads of work right now, why would he move from his comfortable seat to put effort into anything when this is more than perfect?!
spending such a long amount of time in a glass cubicle, enduring life-or-death challenges, and facing catastrophe can profoundly affect an individual's will to do anything but breathe and relax. let him rest!
but as suddenly as it can be, he perks up at the thought of a boat ride, as the announcement echoes through the beach. an enjoyable, breezy way of surveillance of the place he now inhabits. to whoever was sitting under the same shade, sorry not sorry, because he disturbs the peace as he sits up, almost like a sudden jolt of energy overtook him.)
Woah, wait, fireworks?! We definitely must see that! You and I should go! The shade is delightful, but it won't last forever!
(what)
𝓾𝓷. @ 𝓭𝓪𝔃𝓪𝓲
woaaaaaaaa i want a tab at lupin!!!!!!!!!! d(°∀°d)
[ This lady in a suit is not very tall, but that doesn't matter. She is still very professional, approaching you, a person she very likely doesn't know (odds are extremely likely), after having thoroughly pursued this tablet and this scroll detailing her crime, which is.
... Not important right now to anyone else. In her opinion, it's not all that important to her, either! ]
Don't worry, I'll make this quick. I'm looking for a few people. One male, standing at 6'7" [ what ] with a mild-mannered demeanor despite his competence in... other matters. [ WHAT. ] He has red hair, glasses, and minuscule fangs. One female, 5'9", blonde, sporting an eye patch over her right eye, likely to have a hair trigger... temper. One pitiful excuse of a man, 5'10", tanned skin, white hair, emanating an aura of general uselessness who should be castrated for the good of humanity.
They're all a part of the escort company I also serve at.
[ She sure said this without batting a lash. ]
STREET BAZAAR
[ She's settled well enough, apparently. Or, at the very least, she's coping like a champ, which is most certainly due to her very normal job that she holds back home. Yep.
So what can she be found doing now? Sitting somewhere with a drink in her hand, of course, and judging by the local staggering away from her, groaning in disbelief and the several other empty drinks sitting around her, she's having a delightful time simply enjoying this exotic drink.
One she raises if she catches your eye. ]
Looking for a drinking partner?
[ Here's hoping you're not underage or a lightweight-- ]
FIELD DAY
a.
[ The races are... quaint, she guesses. Fun little competitions that don't appear to risk people's lives, which is already kind of a rarity (for someone who is not normal, unlike her). There's not much value in a medal, but it might be a good chance to get to know people's skillsets a little better, so while people are pairing up during the wife-carrying race, she'll approach you.
Well, then. ]
You should enter. Don't worry, I shouldn't weigh more than a tall drink at a popular coffee chain. [ This is. Actually not a lie. But try to call her bluff if you want! ]
b.
[ Or find her with the animals! Specifically it's a chocobo that's got her attention, one that keeps sticking its beak in her hair, so the feeling appears to be mutual.
Chain, a little bemused, gives its neck a pat. ]
I have no idea what you are, but you'd make a few fried chicken places pretty happy.
[ Chain, no. ]
WILDCARD.
( Anything else! Down for anything, you can toss any old starter my way or just PM me if you'd like something! )
[The robot is new. Like, as kidnappings into mysterious new places go, the robot is a definite change. Junpei accepts the new tablet without question - it's a new tablet and he's broke, of course he's into free stuff like this - and when he fiddles around and finds the rolled up parchment, it convinces him that, yeah—this is another kidnapping for some ridiculous purpose.
He sighs. He's tired. For all intents and purposes he looks like the saddest person in the world for a solid minute or so, before he tries to roll the parchment back up and stick it back into the stylus hole, and- hmm-
Hmm, he isn't doing this very adroitly at all, the ends of the parchment are getting progressively more smashed as he keeps flipping it around to try each side. Uhh—]
How did they get it in there in the first place? What the hell... Wha— shit...
[A gust of wind blows the parchment out of his hand and into the personal space of the nearest passerby, so, hello. If one chooses to look at it, it claims he's committed something called QUANTUM MURDER, which is normal.]
Uh, so, funny story... [............,] Can I have that back?
[When he's done inadvertently harassing people with parchment, he's going to the bazaar to get himself a drink and loiter. He's still pretty sure this whole place is a ticking time bomb that's going to devolve into violence at any time, but, you know.
The decorations look nice.
He wanders over to some lawn games, and catching on that there's some betting happening, he speaks to whoever's closest:]
Hey, you want to make a bet on who'll win? I'll put up, uh... [as he roots in his pockets, um,] this... pen. And a hard candy.
[stare. no he's not taking it back.]
II. beach episode
[Is Junpei dressed to go to the beach? Not at all, he's wearing all black and, worse, jeans. But he's at the beach in his low-effort grunge attire anyway, eyeing the various games.
At the dune, he says, deadpan,] I'm going to climb that thing and then roll all the way down. Can I get a "hell yeah"?
[Play with him in this space.
For the various challenges, he can be found crouched in the sand with a tiny shovel, abruptly speaking up:]
Hey! You're stepping right on the damn moat!
[When you turn to look, it is... the lumpiest, most crooked sandcastle ever crafted. He didn't technically claim to be good at it, but it's bad enough that not realizing where you've stepped is "the moat" is totally understandable.
And finally, at field day, he's suddenly been left in charge of a recreational dance group, and after he just stands there for a moment... Well, this might as well happen, and all.
When someone passes by, he's midway through trying to teach these locals how to do, well, something—]
—So it's, uh, it's like you're driving a bus, right? You just go like this—
1. anybody got the answer to today's word game thing? all i've got is e _ _ _ e _ i'm down to the last guess, cmon
2. how concerned should i be about some mystery freak coming along and asking us to kill each other for our crimes or whatever? i just thought that maybe this was that kind of place, so...
3. how do i change my username
thanks. i'm junpei. see you around
IV. wildcard/misc
[hit me......... do whatever. i'm at jojoveller if you need me. mwah.]
[Maybe the Chosen were supposed to relax and enjoy the celebrations, but when he happened across a particularly old local struggling to put his stall banners up, Yuri couldn’t help but lend a hand.
And that’s where he finds himself, cooking street food that he has never heard about to dozens of people. At least it’s something within his skill level to make.
He grins at his next customer.] Looks tasty, yeah? Make sure to eat it while it’s hot.
ii. — midsummer festival
[The spirit of competition is something that Yuri wholeheartedly embraces. Nothing beats a good ol’ spar, of course, but anything that can get his adrenaline pumping is on the table.
Besides — if any of the monsters do end up invading the festivities, he could at least lend a hand in fending them off.
Yuri rubs his chin, reading out the races available.] I’d love to join them all, but I don’t know anyone who would team up with me.
[Would you, dear reader, help him out in this debacle?]
iii. — wildcard!
Feel free to PM me or poke soukokus if you want anything specific!
i. arrival \ physical god crashes into a tree and poleaxes himself
[Sephiroth is dreaming.
He's been dreaming for a long time now. A day, a week, a decade, or a thousand years it hardly matters. Time becomes abstract from within the Lifestream.
He exists beyond time, beyond his own bodyscape. His flesh lay in a cocoon of crystalized Mako and his mind is everywhere, staring hatefully out at the world from behind a hundred eyes. Men and women who share Sephiroth's cells are pulled to the Reunion, crawling to him to sacrifice themselves for his resurrection and divine ascension. And he can feel them, always skittering around his infinite mind, responding to his call while not always knowing why.
He is watching them when barriers come up around his consciousness, closing him off from his Reunion. He feels himself collapse, becoming small when he had been all-encompassing and terrible. Downward he falls, into the depths of his own soul and out into a vast white. Voices speak but he doesn't listen, too fascinated by this feeling of being crushed into a singularity. Is this how dying stars feel?
Again he falls and this time he launches himself forward and upward, extending a large black wing to stabilize his flight. He feels again. Not the thrum of his Planet but small, minute details; wind under his feathers, wind in his hair, and the rough splintering of a large oak tree that has become, far too suddenly, solid.
---⚔---
Sephiroth lies at the bottom of a splintered oak, flapping is single wing as he tries and fails to gracefully get his legs under him.
When he sees movement out of the corner of his eye he growls.]
You. Where am I?
ii. being spooky at the beach
[Sephiroth, who has never been one for social gatherings, wanders off to the beach after nightfall on the Solstice.
He stands at the edge of the water, thinking dark thoughts and rolling a small flame over the back of his knuckles. While he wants to be left alone, he, unfortunately, stands out with the bright flame in his grasp and the lights of Aldrip and the night sky in his hair.
He is so intent on not being noticed that he is noticeable.
When he sees others wander past, others who might not be as interested in the parties, he ignores them. That is until they glance his way. ]
What do you want? Approach me or go away.
iii. the spire
[Sephiroth glances toward the Spire as its prismatic shine turns to white, diamond light. He stares into the gleam, certain he sees something, feels something...
It is there at the corner of his senses, always dancing beyond his reach just as he is about to grasp it. Whatever it is, it's important.
Hours pass as he continues to stand in the middle of the road, transfixed by the Spire. ]
[Skadi rarely enjoys her dreams, but this one -- this one is different. The sense of being judged, the brightness of the lights... she doesn't like it.
The next thing she knows, she's on a beach. Evidentially she decided to get a head start on that whole "beach episode" thing. She lays in the sand, the tide lapping up around her, but she doesn't seem to mind. Eventually she sits up, either on her own or if she hears someone approaching. She briefly looks over her things, including the parchment that says "HARBORING A FUGITIVE", and then gets up.
The first person she sees will be met with a burning glare.] You. Where is this?
ii. solstice
[For most of the celebration, it'll be hard to spot her. Skadi lurks at the edges, scouting and keeping an eye on things.
It's not until the bonfire celebration that she's lured out with the promise of music. Someone manages to hear her hum, and next thing she knows they've pushed her to perform.
And her voice is pretty nice, after all. It doesn't rise too high over the crowd, so only those gathered are likely to hear. She's no professional, after all. The language she sings in is auto-translated, but maybe you can pick up a brief flare of an odd accent.]
♪~ A hunter is walking on a seacoast way... ♪~
iii. midsummer festival
[Again, festivities aren't really her thing, but... she finds herself pulled into this mess of a celebration, if only because she still needs information.
If you're at the beach, you might find her wading within the shallows. A local tasked her with finding the biggest crab she could, and she's taking it extremely seriously. She even occasionally dives underwater, staying under for... longer than seems safe.
Or maybe you'll catch her at the field activities. She heard rumblings about monsters and came by, because that's one thing she does well. And someone said they needed someone strong, so...
That's how she ended up dragged into this "wife" race.]
Hm. Are you my partner? [To anyone who gets too close. And unless you make it very clear very quickly that you aren't, she'll suddenly grab you and throw you over her shoulder in a fireman carry as if you weigh nothing.] Then let's go.
iv. wildcard
[ooc: Got other ideas? Hit me up with anything! Feel free to contact me as larksong]
[ Beatrice seems to be having a lovely time as a new arrival, all things considered. Dressed in her best, she's moving from place to place throughout the downtown area, cooing over the sights and sounds with a sort of enthusiasm that might seem odd or even offputting. She's sweeping through the bazaar when she plucks at someone's sleeve or wrist. There's a brilliantly gaudy ruby-and-gold necklace which looks like it might weight a couple pounds which she's holding up to her neck. ]
You there, tell me how this look! I think it suits me, don't you? Kihihi!
ii. Seagulls my beloved - The beach
[ The beach is, of course, a place of great interest to Beatrice. She's at the party, fancy drink with teeny umbrella in hand as she wanders up and down the waterfront. Her skirts sweep against the sand as she walks, staring out at the rolling waves. The cry of gulls overlaps with the sound of the party chatter and people playing in the waves. She stares out at the waves for a long, long time. Then, coquettishly, she removes her shoes, holds her skirts up and dashes out into the oncoming waves with a childish, shrieking giggle! She splashes, kicking water towards whoever comes closest to her. Beware the menacing Golden Witch of Rokkenjima! ]
Pyrrha stands apart on the beach, holding her heels in her hand - not the best for walking on sand, so. This whole place was strange, and she still wasn't 100% sure it wasn't a dream - though if it was, it had certainly been an odd one. This place was unlike any that she knew; not Vale or Mistral, Atlas or the far-off land of Vacuo she'd never had the chance to lay eyes on herself. No, she certainly wasn't in Beacon anymore - this was a new city entirely, a land and people unfamiliar to her.
Frankly, she wasn't sure she was on Remnant anymore.
Case in point - she'd watched the sun set over the water, the orange giving way to the purple of night and then the inky blue as the stars began to make themselves known - and so had the moon. Whole. Not the broken, shattered celestial body she was accustomed to seeing in the sky, but an untouched sphere, lighting up the sky.
If her outfit hadn't given away her new-in-town status, the wide-eyed awe on her face certainly did, as she stargazed. "It's beautiful," She murmured, mostly to herself, unaware of anyone close enough to eavesdrop.
2. [ THE GAMES WE PLAY ]
Pyrrha wanders through the festivities, looking wholly out of place and more than a little lost. How she came to be in this bizarre situation with none of the places or people she remembers remains to be seen, but at least everyone has been nice so far? A solstice festival was not unfamiliar, at least, but this was not the same festival she was used to. There were no other hunters or huntresses around, no faunus dotted among the humans, nothing to indicate she was anywhere near Beacon and the academy at all.
The games are charming at least, however confused she may be, and Pyrrha finds herself easily pulled into them by the friendly locals. It's here that you'll find her - maybe you find yourself in of need a partner for the scavenger hunt, or a strong companion for one of the physical activities (or maybe you underestimate her strength, at first glance). Either way, Pyrrha turns, green eyes curious. "Sorry, how may I assist you?"
3. [ LIONS, TIGERS, BEARS, OH MY! ]
She's finally found her way to the petting zoo, and honestly, she couldn't be more delighted.
There are all manner of creatures here - some that Pyrrha recognizes, and some she doesn't. It's fascinating and peculiar and overall, not the worst thing to stumble across after waking up here, bewildered and lost. She's been seated in the Ambystoma pen for the last twenty minutes, letting the little beasts crawl all over her. They chirp cutely at her and seem to very much enjoy scritches under the chin, which Pyrrha has been indulging them in nonstop.
That is, until the screaming starts.
Pyrrha leaps up, already calling Miló and Akoúo̱, her weapon and shield, to hand with her magnetism semblance. The locals run past her as she leaps out of the enclosure and heads directly for the source of the commotion - three hulking creatures, some sort of unholy blend of rodent and shark? They snarl as Pyrrha flips Miló in her hand, extending it into javelin mode, and brandishing it at the creatures. "Back! Back! Away with you!"
They're not Grimm, at least, the hulking, soulless beasts she's pledged her life to fighting, but they're still terrorizing people - going for one of the food stands now, crashing through the wooden stall to get at sizzling meat - so she smacks at one, feinting left around another that lunges for her.
[White nothingness; It was the last thing Ekko remembered seeing before he was whisked away from his home world ending up here in a room of garishly bright light filled with whispered voices too quiet to seemingly make out. Before he even had enough time to realize his surroundings darkness enveloped him, falling into a pit of nullity yelling out for help but was met with stilled silence until coming to an unexpected crash. Upon opening his eyes again Ekko was met with the sight of a strange mechanical creature which bestowed a handheld device along with a rolled up piece of parchment in turn. "WELCOME, CHOSEN. WE ARE SO GLAD YOU ARE HERE." Just what the hell was going on here?
Sent off on his way with merely the clothes on his back and a few trusted gadgets stuffed deep within his coat pockets, Ekko makes his way into the metropolis city known as Aldrip. Vibrant streets temmed with life filled with sun-painted lanterns as far as he could see whilst people laugh and cheer drinking their fill. Did he stumble on some sort of festival with his arrival to these strange new lands? It certainly seemed as much given the high-spirited faces aplenty, shop fronts littered throughout the bustling streets selling their various wares.
Weaving through the sea of people the boy savior takes in the sights before him, looking upwards to the skies above at massive skyscrapers sprawling through the commercial district of Aldrip proper. It reminded him of Piltover somewhat but with definitive differences in turn. Perhaps he should have been looking where he was going better as he shuffled through the crowd, bumping into someone accidentally knocked firmly off his feet with a shake of his head.]
Hey- Watch where you're going!
[Yelling up at the assailant in question before even looking up to see who the perpetrator was; Leave it to him to blame the other when he was the one stricken with awe taking in the breathtaking sights.]
🌊 WINDBOARDING
[Settling in after his first day within Aldrip, Ekko thought to enjoy himself with a little excursion to the beach having heard about it from one of the locals. He'd never felt the warmth of sand under his feet prior to this place countered by the radiant heat on his back, walking shoeless along the beachfront with a lively grin plastered over his lips. A tremendous party has ensued along with various activities aplenty but one such particular venture had immediately caught his eye.
People gliding along the water's edge upon sailed boats known as 'windboards' struck a familiar cord, reminding him of his beloved hoverboard which was nowhere to be found upon arrival here to these lands. Rubbing his hands together excitedly the boy rushed towards the area where others had congregated in hopes of trying their hand at the enterprise themselves. Looking over to another who seemingly wanted to try their luck, Ekko flashes them an eager grin motioning towards a couple of the free windboards ready and waiting.]
You thinking about trying this out too? Kinda reminds me of something I had back home except mine could fly anywhere not just glide over water. Can't be much different from what I'm used to.
[A genuine smile widening over his features with a nod of his head forward.]
C'mon, I can teach you.
🔥 BONFIRE
[As the day comes to an end making way for the impending nightfall the sunset blooms over the horizon, Ekko taking up a spot nearby one of the enormous bonfires erected basking in its warmth as a cool breeze comes off the ocean. It was a pleasant enough way to spend the evening as he reminisced over his eventful experiences here thus far, bobbing his head to the stimulating music watching on as others danced away joyously. Despite the many people surroundings themselves with friends and family alike the boy sat alone contented as he sips away on his drink looking outwards to the sea, watching the waves come crashing in as a sense of calm washed over him.
Locals tried their best to get him involved in a line dance or two but had quickly ushered them off followed along by a nervous bit of laughter at first. He's barely had time to think about such things as dancing before ending up here so he didn't want to make a fool of himself. Starring out at the setting sun, an unsuspecting person either taps his shoulder to garner his attention or clears their throat to speak out unto him.]
I told you I don't want to-
[Coarsely responding as his immediate thoughts assume it to be just another local trying to pester him into joining in again before looking back over his shoulder, blinking surprisedly when it was someone else entirely stopping himself from needlessly scolding the stranger.]
🐔 HAVE A FIELD DAY
[After spending the majority of his time over the last few days exploring throughout Aldrip trying to get his bearings, Ekko decided to wander outside the city limits today for a break from the crowded streets brought about by the festivities at large. It was a nice change of pace, reminding him a bit of the safe haven he and the Firelights called home within the limited green space tucked away in the depths of the Undercity. In all honesty he'd never seen such a vast stretch of greenery in his lifetime, farmlands filled with grassy plains following narrow roads which lead to gargantuan mountains. It was a tranquil reprieve from the gloomy underbelly of Zaun he was accustom to, soothing to the senses as he walked undisturbed until finding himself at a grazing field filled with...oversized chickens?
Waltzing up to the side of the simplistic wooden fence the boy easily hops over to get a closer look, a paired yellow and red chocobo looking up from their perch within the tall grass tilting their head towards the stranger quizzically. With his hands raised in front of him in a nonthreatening manner, Ekko smiles a bit awkwardly as he approached them with cautious steps.]
Easy...I'm not here to hurt you.
[Seeing his calm demeanor the red chocobo presses forward with its head held high letting out a loud "KWEH" before flapping its small wings in a show of dominance, starring the newcomer down before it graciously leans its head forward to rub against his chest. Blinking wide in bewilderment letting out a bit of hushed laughter as he gently runs hands through its feathery neck affectionately.]
Guess you aren't going peck my eyes out after all, huh?
🃏 WILDCARD
[Want to do something else with Ekko other than the prompts provided? Feel free to reach out to me over a PM or on Plurk at Jareman if you would like to set something else up I am down for anything and everything!]
My my my. Quite the interesting little situation...
[Naturally, it's difficult to ascertain Bondrewd's reaction to essentially being transported to a whole dang new world; the mask he wears doesn't give way to expressions after all, but his stance is relaxed and his arms are only crossed because he's pondering the entire affair.
A long, armored prehensile tail swishes behind him as he considers, then he gazes down at the robotic critter that is nudging his foot to present the scroll and tablet.]
Oh? What an adorable little thing you are.
[Abruptly, the tip of his tail stabs down into the drone, keeping it pinned down to the floor. He gathers both the scroll and tablet, reviewing both items idly.]
Absolutely fascinating. [Bondrewd places both items away for now, then gazes down at the struggling little robot, still functional despite the tail that has pierced and pinned it.] As for you, well. I don't know how much you feel or understand, but I hope you can agree that I can't be blamed for my curiosity.
I genuinely hope you don't feel pain. But if you do, do try to bear it.
II. Beach Episode
[There are a number of children that are surrounding what looks like a big pile of sand, and they continue to add more to it, to cover whatever they've buried. Then, abruptly, Bondrewd emerges from the sand, still dressed head to toe in his usual gear. The children scream and laugh, scrambling to get away as Bondrewd playfully chases after them.]
You can't run forever!
[The chase goes on for a moment before he's gently tossing one of the younger ones up and down, catching the little girl with ease as she squeals in delight. He's swinging another around carefully with his tail. Most interestingly, he is hardly bothered by the heat of the sun despite his entire state of dress.]
Well done, well done. Shall we get to making sand castles now?
[There's a pause, and Bondrewd glances in your direction.]
Would you like to join us? There's always room for more.
III. Network text | un: dawnlord
A new and fascinating adventure. While I'll admit I'm a touch frustrated at being pulled away from my work, I'm not opposed to exploring this new opportunity as well. I imagine many of us have a similar sentiment. So let's try to get along, shall we?
I'll happily introduce myself. I am Bondrewd; the people of my world have given me the titles "the Novel" and "Sovereign of the Dawn." I'm aware it sounds glamorous, but no need to address me in such ways. Simply my name will suffice.
I should like to know more about the rest of you. Your aspirations, your homes, your talents. In turn, I'd be glad to share as well. So, a bit of an icebreaker, yes?
I would ask for:
- Your name - Your favorite hobby - What you hope to accomplish, today or in the far future
Thank you for reading, and apologies if I was a bit longwinded so to speak. I'm simply excited to get an understanding of my fellows and our temporary home.
A. Summer Solstice [To go straight from an emergency, life-or-death situation to a white room, black out and wake up again amid some kind of festival, and then be given a strange futuristic device by a little tiny robot? Whiplash doesn't begin to cover it. Morph is not a happy camper. What's worse, it's a city they've never heard of before, but despite the lack of obvious-looking aliens it's becoming more and more obvious that they aren't on Earth anymore.
Sure, they had always regretted missing out on the space adventures the rest of the team got to have, but being stranded here alone was something else entirely. It was less fun, and way more confusing.
As soon as they woke up in public, they changed to a human-looking appearance, but they're still walking around wearing a yellow-and-blue combat outfit topped by some ridiculous shoulder pads. The fashion faux pas isn't the first thing on their mind, though - Morph is pacing up and down the bazaar anxiously, looking at the faces of passer-by. There's a lot of people coming and going, so it's not a terrible place to look, but they're still not having much luck.
Should anyone approach them or so much as give a questioning look, Morph says,]
Sorry, I'm looking for someone. A short, hairy guy, bad temper, might be badly injured?
B. CLOSED to Rogue [That evening, Morph followed the general crowd of people towards the bonfires. Everyone's getting drunk and dancing, but though they were tempted, Morph avoided the drinks just to keep themself sharp. They didn't really feel like partying, anyway. All day they'd been wandering around, tense, waiting for the other shoe to drop somehow.
After all, being 'chosen' could mean all sorts of things. It's far too vague a term for them to think it was going to mean 'chosen for ice cream' or 'chosen for a vacation', no matter how much of a festival atmosphere it was. That the partying was so normal was starting to make them feel a little silly for being so on edge, but they knew that letting their guard down would be a mistake. It was too bad that none of that Danger Room training had ever covered what to do when you were stranded in strange territory.
Luckily, even in the post-dusk firelight, there are some things that still stand out in a crowd - like distinctive red-and-white hair.]
Rogue?!
[Morph jogged over to her, still in their human disguise, looking downright relieved.]
Am I glad to see you! I was starting to think this is all a seriously detailed pre-death hallucination.
C. Field Day [As they were wandering through the festival, Morph found themself outside of the stables where the racing animals were kept. There was nothing too unusual about the horses, but the other sort of creature there left them staring in fascination.]
That is the biggest chicken I have ever seen. Kinda cute, though.
[The chocobo in question tilts its head at Morph, blinking its big, black eyes. Morph regards it for a moment longer, and then, very quickly, shapeshifts into an identical bird. Now staring at its twin, the chocobo in the stable squawks in alarm, stumbling backwards and flapping its wings wildly.]
Wark?
[The sound out of Morph's beak is far more questioning, and they more calmly stretch their wings out to either side, trotting around in a little circle to try out the new form, then stopping to shake out all the feathers. It's not bad, they decide - the beak alone could do some serious damage, and it feels more powerful than they expected a bird to be.]
D. Downtown [One of the businesses trying to lure in customers is a bakery handing out free samples outside, and - well, there's a lot of samples, and Morph has a sweet tooth. Was it any wonder they decided to put a brilliant plan into action?
To an outside observer, there's a strange amount of spandex-clad people visiting this particular bakery. They each walk up from the same alleyway a couple of stores down, accept a sample, and then turn back the way they came. Each one is spaced about five minutes apart, but they'll stop after the fourth or fifth different superhero pays a visit. Still, it's not like Morph is trying to be particularly slick with their little scheme.
Did your character happen to notice that strange occurrence, stumble into it, or even spot someone they think they know?]
E. Wildcard! [Feel free to throw me anything, or you can PM me at evilbo with ideas!]
[In one moment Fandaniel had been a heartbeat away from his magnum opus. The eldest Primal was his, then...
He would feel disappointed if he were still able to feel such things. Instead, he merely sighs as he feels himself start to breathe again.
Once more alive.
Once more time to make this everyone else's problem.
A small, whirring noise grabs his attention and he looks down at a robot skittering around his feet.]
Well, well! Aren't you an interesting specimen?
[Robots are unusual in Eorzea. The most advanced ones are ancient, built in the age of Allag.]
You wouldn't happen to be one of mine, would you?
[Without waiting for an answer he lifts the hem of his cloak and brings a bootheel down on top of the robot, pinning it into the dirt. It beeps in dismay.]
Settle down, I promise this won't take but a moment.
ii.boat tours (cw: suicidal ideation kinda)
[Fandaniel stands by the prow of the boat, leaning back on his palms against the gunwale, watching the other Chosen on board with black, lifeless eyes.]
On glorious summer days such as these, one starts to think...
[He says to nobody in particular.]
This brightness, this shine will not last. In the end, there is only darkness, only death.
When you think about that and walk to the edge of a boat isn't it easy to think dark thoughts like...
Should I...
Should I push someone off?
iii. the spire sparkles
[Fandaniel does not look toward the Spire as its display changes but he does notice the dazed expressions of people staring it into its light.]
Hello.
[He approaches each person he sees, waving a hand through the air with jester-like urgency.]
Snap out of it.
iv. field day
[It's a distinct sound and a matching odor that draws Fandaniel to the stalls near the racing course. Strutting around on the other side of the fence are large birds of different colors. One looks at him and says
"Wark!"]
Chocobos? Here? How curious!
[He turns to the nearest person.]
Are chocobos native to this star?
v. Wildcard
[Fandaniel can be found wandering around Aldrip at all hours poking things and trying to get a rise out of people.]
Summer Solstice [The Doctor gets the note and he understands the infinity symbol; even he isn't sure what laws on what planet he broke in what life. However, so far this is far from a prison.
He begins to explore the place and asks random questions]
Excuse, can you tell me about this place? Who's in charge? Where are we? Have you seen a Blue Police Box? What are we celebrating?
Beach episode
[The Doctor remembers the last time he was on a beach; it was to say good-bye and he pauses for a moment before going on the beach.]
Blimey everything's so beautiful here.
[Right now he's on some new world and such learn the culture and enjoy the culture at that. So he settles on the sand castle building and specifically is making his Tardis. While he builds, he spots something out of the corner of his eye and stops to look. Coming face to face briefly with a creature he doesn't know.]
What are you?
[The Doctor can't help but get closer to the being a little before scaring it off.]
When You're Downtown
[The Doctor can't help but caught up in the music and the dancing and as such]
Care to dance?
[He remarks to someone near-by]
The Spire
[In observing the spire off in the distance The Doctor can only remark]
That's impossible! What? Wut?! Wot?!
[The Doctor's brain is clicking about the physics of this world. Where he hopes its not a bubble universe with it's own set of rules. He likes the laws that govern his universe.]
[ it is an unfamiliar sight: creatures of all kinds, content to hold one another's hands and drink in the warmth of the fire. a so called peace, uninterrupted and true.
he doesn't want to believe it. he had not asked his soul to be rekindled, nor did he find himself deserving it; it was an objective judgement, righteous and true. still, he is here, suited in his armor, a sword at his side.
his form is awkward, bordering boyish; in this moment, you're liable to mistaking him for a young man as opposed to a former eldritch lord of the night. but it's difficult-- to be around people, in their natural element again. to be human. he sits at the fire, a glass of wine in hand. ]
Saint John's Eve? [ he questions, in equal parts curiosity and condescension. ] It had been unknown to me-- that humans still partook in such revelry. [ a shake of the head. ] I suppose, even amidst the sands of time, they remain unchanging. 'Twas not a protest... [ an inkling of a smile. ] More a comfort, even in these foreign lands.
[ a raise of his glass as the fireworks burst into vision, splotches of reds and cyans and yellows tearing through the night sky. a pinky raises-- ]
Would you ask that I scrawl your name into those stars, my dear?
[ somehow, the offer is entirely earnest. ]
ii. be my wife!!
[ the hills are lush with greenery, reminiscent of another time, another place; it strikes nostalgia with him, and he attempts to outrun it with every passing second, lest he regress into the sad, pathetic dog that he is.
so it's time to carry a wife. he stands before you, shoulders proud, arms outstretch. ]
Should you find yourself in need of a suitor-- I would be honored to carry you, as my wife. Marital arrangements shan't be necessary. Let us play the part, if only for this moment.
[ he smiles brightly, features benign, taking this completely seriously as his arms remain outstretched. no, it doesn't matter if you aren't a woman, how you look or what your stature may consist of; he is still saying this to you. ]
iii. dance
[ it is in a former knight-- and lord's nature to extend a dance to those straggling along the sides. oersted bows in a eloquent and fluid motion, paying utmost respect. ]
My child. You appear to be what one may call "bow legged". [ why is he insulting you, bro. ] 'Tis my duty, as the arbiter of sin and most abominable horror to taint these pure lands, to aid you as I might. Please, allow me this dance.
[Usagi was pretty sure that she'd been sleeping and dreaming about a huge ice cream sundae and Mamo-chan on a coveted Sunday afternoon date when she blinks awake. It's so bright.]
Luuuuuuuuuunaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa~ close the curtains. [She goes to lay back down, eyes already closing and assigning her brain back to dreamland with Mamoru when she vaguely realizes that she's 1) not laying in her bed, 2) doesn't have her blanket or pillow, and 3) a quick look around with her eyes open makes it obvious that she's not even in her room.]
Mamo-chan? Ami? Rei? Mina? Mako? Hello? A-anyone? [And despite years as Sailor Moon, Defender of Justice and Soldier of Beauty and Awesomeness, Usagi reverts to the scared fifteen year old girl she is and she starts to tear up.] Mama? Papa? ... Shingo?
[When no one answers her, the tears begin to rain down her face and she lets out a high-pitched wail that can break glass. This continues until the little robot comes flying and hits off of her forehead and drops the tablet device into her hands.] Oof! Rude. [Pause for rubbing of the forming bump on her head and to realize what's in her hand.] OH! Is this the new Gameboy? What games come with it?
Of all the times to not have Ami around.... [A little finagling gets the strange message on the screen and Usagi can't help but scrunch up her face.] Chosen for what? And where is here?
☀️ Summer Solstice ☀️
[If there's anything that Usagi likes more than sleep and Mamoru, it's food. And there's so much to try during this fun little festival. A little asking and a lot of batting her big blue eyes and people has gotten her answers that it's to celebrate summer and it makes her sort of wish for a yukata. It would definitely be more useful in the heat of the time of year and she knows she looks cute in them. However, her summer dress that she's gotten a hold of is pretty cute too, so who is she to complain.
She'd complain, but she's too curious to try all of the things.
She finds herself wandering over to the food stalls, drooling over all of the delicious smells.] Oh, that looks good! What is that? [The poor vendors look like they've been answering questions lobbed by her for a while now and she shows no signs of stopping as she spies something new.] And that? 🥺
[Later on, she'll stop to play games or window shop like any normal teenage girl who lives for those sorts of things. She can also be found at the bonfire, watching people. A little cajoling might even get her to join in. However, at the fireworks, you can find her sitting by herself, staring up at the sky and crying silently. Yes, she can do that.]
🎆 Festival 🎆
[Did someone say THE BEACH? Count Usagi in, because she loves the water. It's not all that common that she can get there, despite the fact that she lives a very comfortable middle class Japanese life back home in Abazu-Juban district of Tokyo. It's also NOT her fault that she spends more time in summer school than she would ever admit, despite the efforts of Rei, Ami and Mamoru. Video games and manga are just more fun. So, with no school and a hot day at the beach calling her name, she's THERE.
And all the beach activities? Never count Usagi out, because those look like fun. She might not like having to run, but playing is a different story. Although, she'll leave volleyball to others. She's not as skilled as Minako and she doesn't want to take another volleyball to the face, thank you ever so much. But the scavenger hunt? Yes. If she spies you under a pink umbrella, she's going to plop down next to you with a big smile.] Hi!
a; [The streets of the bazaar are alight with people, surrounding Tifa with sounds of conversations and laughter as she makes her way through. With so much joy around it's difficult to hold on to her confusion and uncertainty about this new world she's found herself in. Instead, it's easier to just let herself be carried by the flow of her environment.
Having acquired a drink from one of the booths, she makes her way over to the tables set up for games, nudging her way close enough to one to see what's happening. One of the participants is thinking over their next bet, so Tifa turns towards one of the people next to her.]
Do you have any idea who is likely to win?
[She's not much of a gambler herself, but an occasional friendly bet can be fun.]
b; [Just before the fireworks start, Tifa finds her way down to the docks where boats are waiting to take people out on the water. The view out there is probably beautiful, and she can't help but imagine how nice it will look with the sky lit up from the fireworks.
But there are only so many boats available, and she doesn't need to hog one all to herself. Spotting someone else who appears to be on their own, Tifa approaches with a little wave.]
Hey. If you don't mind, would you want to share a boat? There seems to be plenty of room for the both of us.
2. midsummer festival
a; [It's strange to think that it hadn't been that long ago that Tifa was last on a beach. Although any attempts at relaxation had gone right out the window with the arrival of Hojo. This time she's hoping to make the best of it by participating in classic Beach activities. And it doesn't get more classic then building sandcastles.
Although...she seems to be having some trouble. Her attempts at creating walls come out a little too crumbly. Nothing seems to be holding the way it should. It probably also doesn't help that she's building her sandcastle awfully close to the water. But none of that seems to deter her from continuing.
Even when a wave comes in and smacks right into the crumbly walls of her castle, toppling it.]
b; [Tifa is standing at the starting line for the 'wife' carry doing some light stretching. It's important to warm your body up before doing anything strenuous after all. She offers a bright grin to her partner.]
Don't worry, we'll win this for sure. And I promise I won't drop you.
3. wildcard! [Choose your own adventure! I'm bring Tifa in from Rebirth following the events in Chapter 9.]
[Bewildered would be an understatement. Jennifer looks downright shellshocked as she slowly wanders around, only looking at things with the vaguest hint that she might be taking it in. She doesn't understand-- Well, any of this. At all. It's so far beyond her scope of understanding that after a few minutes she just...gives up.
She slides down a wall to sit on the ground, leaning against it and just stares at the tablet phone...thing. What the hell?
Seriously, what the hell??
Sorry if she's in anyone's way, just kinda. Sprawled out there in a daze. Her bad, really.]
B. Summer Solstice
[Everyone seems to be having a grand ol' time, so who is Jennifer to take away from that? She doesn't look the slightest bit properly dressed for the occasion-- still long-sleeved, rough dresses and high collars, prim and proper shoes-- but she doesn't seem to be complaining about it either.
It comes in handy once the sun goes down at least and it gets a bit chillier. She sits a little outside of bonfire, not trying to take any space from anyone else. When anyone wanders over, she's quick to get up, gesturing to where she was sitting] Oh-- Sorry, did you want to sit?
[Or, as the night goes on, Jennifer--who is not at all predisposed to staying up all hours of the night anymore--can likely be found fast asleep on one of the blankets, or somewhere where she'd hoped to not be in the way.]
C. Beach Episode
[Though still definitely not dressed for a trip to the beach, Jennifer is taking advantage of this rare (for her) treat. She walks along the shoreline, shoes in hand, smiling to herself as she enjoys it. It's a rare moment of feeling at peace.
So of course, for The Unlucky Princess, it doesn't last forever. A bad combination of a wave and sand looser than she expected knocks Jennifer over and the wave takes her shoes and socks with it.]
Ah! Wait, my shoes--- Um, help...!? [She looks around with a wide-eyed franticness]
[This is... not what she expected. The dream she could write up to some kind of glitching data, but then she awakens to the feeling of grass. She's arrived at the rolling hills, a ways away from where the locals are setting up activities.
She takes a look at the objects she's gotten. She checks the phone, and the little mechanical creature, and the parchment... which she quickly crushes, and tucks it away somewhere in her dress.]
Report. Where am I?
[She seems to expect the little mechanical creature to answer her.]
ii. solstice
[Honestly, 2B just does not get this whole celebration thing. It's the longer day...? What's that even supposed to mean? But humans (and she has learned, quickly, these are real humans) do that sort of thing.
The firework show makes her pause, though. After an initial shock, she stares up at it. It's just like at the amusement park.]
Isn't this... a waste of resources? [Gunpowder is valuable, especially with this world's limited technology!]
iii. beach day
[While everyone else is up to building sandcastles and scavenger hunts and boat rides, 2b has just found a chair and sits near the water.
She's fishing. She's absolutely focused on fishing, totally unmoving. And with that blindfold, it's hard to tell if she's looking -- or if she's even awake.]
iv. petting zoo
[There are... a lot of animals she's never seen before. Wildlife is somewhat limited in her world, and she usually only sees birds or temperate forest ungulates. Those pigs look like strange, tiny, naked boars.
But it's the chocobos that really stop her. She stares at one for a while (who is staring back in the hopes of getting fed).]
I don't understand. What kind of bird can't fly?
v. the spire
[The blindfold does nothing to stop her from being pulled into the trance of the white light. She's there for -- god knows how long. It's peaceful, almost, if it wasn't so disorienting and alarming.]
There's something... [wrong, she means to say, but falls back into the trance quickly.]
vi. wildcard
[Got another idea? have at it! feel free to contact me at larksong
a)[Rise wonders if she had been knocked out again when her consciousness starts coming back to her. Her head does hurt, but it's not that bad. But more importantly where... where is she? She starts looking around, but she's not getting closer to figuring out the answer.]
Senpai?... ugh, guys, this is NOT funny.
b)[When the bot approaches her, she takes the tablet and taps it with her finger, frowning. This doesn't look like a cellphone she knows or anything similar. She taps it a few more times and she eventually manages to find her way around to post a message.]
Username: IdolLOL I don't want to be a chosen. What is this place?! Can someone see this message??
2. Solstice, beach
[After wandering the place for a while, Rise mixes herself in with people that are heading for the beach. The talk of celebrating and dancing and fireworks gets her attention and raises a small hope in her. Perhaps, where there are a lot of people, she'll run into some familiar faces?
The trip there is uneventful, Rise following behind a couple of people with notsuspicious sunglasses, trying to catch wind of conversations. Eventually, encouraged by others, she makes her way to the fireworks area with people sitting around on the blankets.]
May I sit next to you!? I've been walking for a long while, my feet are hurting.[She asks the person that's sitting in the most obviously best spot ever for watching the fireworks, pushing her glasses to the top of her head and cranking up her idol smile to the nines.]
Another beach episode!
[It's not hard to guess where Rise will be once the beach activities start in the fullest- under the colorful parasol, wearing the cutest bikini, big shades on her face, lounging in one of the chairs and sipping on a cocktail. Her head is still somewhat hurting since she arrived, but this helps.
She's watching people fish, swim, and build sandcastles- when someone wins a game of frisbee, she puts her drink to the side to stand up and cheer for the winner, waving, and then sits back down, asking for another drink.]
I don't like the heat, but I do love the beach! [...if she only had the others here with her...]
[ More whispers. She's used to whispers. The Void's chattering is ceaseless, after all; Maeranda just tries to corral them in a part of her mind she can try to ignore if she's not directly paying attention to it.
White room, dark room, what does it matter where the voices come from?
———
She wakes up screaming. Fighting. It's all she's ever known how to do, and it's no different here. She can't draw the swords on her back because she's lying on them, but she can kick and punch with limbs encased in plate armour instead.
The little robot goes flying with a forlorn beep. ]
Get away! I will not fall for your lies!
[ A darkness begins to creep across her body like spilt ink, but it's as if she has been coated in shadow itself, consuming light. She starts to roll over, wanting to free up her swords. If she needs to attack anything else, she prefers not to feel like a turtle trapped on its back. ]
I do not know what foul trickery this is, but I see through it...
[ She does a very good job of appearing intimidating, but a more perceptive observer can see the fear she hopes to hide behind her posturing. ]
② MIDSUMMER FIRE FESTIVAL
[ Having accepted the reality of this place enough to at least stop (actively) fighting it, Maeranda attempts to participate in the festivities.
She finds herself standing in front of one of the bonfires, staring into the swirling flames. The heat on her face is almost unbearable, but she can't step away. This bonfire is like many others she's stared into before, so many summers in so many places. So many people who had come and gone, fleeting moments in a life as long as hers, but all important. All had left something behind.
She had stopped hoping that staring into those flames might awaken some latent talent for magic in her a long time ago, but it accomplishes something far more subtle. At this moment, the heat has burned away her usual mask to reveal the distant sadness of nostalgia that softens her features. It's allowed because only the fire is meant to see it; at the first indication that anyone else might have seen her, she closes like a steel gate. ]
I do not require company.
③ DEMORALISING SHOUT
[ And who can resist boat tours? Those are sure to be relaxing...
Were you considering going on this boat tour? Well, Maeranda is here to offer her completely unsolicited opinion: ]
I would not sail with these people if I were you. No pride. A captain willing to display such flagrant unprofessionalism is not one who inspires confidence.
[ The captain in question is aboard a perfectly serviceable vessel but is dressed very casually, which is reasonable considering the beach party atmosphere. It's appropriate attire, but then she is the one wearing full plate armour in the middle of a summer afternoon. The breeze on the water might've been good, considering the way her long hair is sticking to her face, but she is going to be stubborn about this. ]
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expiationlogs2024-06-10 07:58 am
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