ARCANE SEASON 2 SPOILER PREAMBLE [ If he was honest, Heimerdinger didn't fully know what would happen after he stepped off the platform to stabilize the coupling. Chances of survival-without-harm were minimal, to be sure. Chances of total atomic disintegration, much higher.
Had he been asked to calculate the chances that he would awaken in a dark, confined space... Even his vast mind wouldn't begin to know how to solve that equation. ]
SPOILER-FREE VERSION
[ The street corners of Aldrip are littered with upright coffins, decorated in wrapping paper and bows. For those who come across this particular coffin, a deep royal blue with shimmering golden ribbons atop it, they may think to themselves that it must belong to a small child. After all, it's hardly more than three feet tall. "What a tragedy," some might think, "to lose someone so young."
Except, when the thudding sound of a fist and a voice sound from inside the closed coffin, the voice distinctly does NOT sound young, instead sounding like an old, if small, grandfather type. ]
Pardon, pardon! Is anyone there? I require some assistance in escaping confinement. Anyone who can open this blasted box for me—! [ punctuated with a few more heavy pounds of small fists ] —I would be unduly grateful for the help.
02. Missile Toads
[ Heimerdinger is less concerned with the botanical motivations these tiny armed amphibians have, and more concerned with their technological threat. He is currently chasing after one, trying to catch it in a net. Unfortunately, the missile toad is very quick, and the Yordle is somewhat clumsy. Instead of capturing his quarry, he ends up tripping over a stray cobblestone, and tumbling ass over teakettle into a snowbank. ]
Oof—! Ball sockets!
03. Solstice
[ Once he gives up on his pursuit of the missile-toads, Heimerdinger decides just to enjoy himself in the pleasant winter weather. He slides down small hills on a makeshift sled, straps some skates on to take a spin around the frozen pond, and even builds a somewhat familiar-looking snowman.
Come the night of the 21st, however, he does as he's told and retreats indoors, though he is plastered to the front windows of the inn, staring out onto the darkened streets with his goggles on, magnifying his vision. ]
Aren't you the least bit curious as to why we've been cautioned to remain inside, hmm? I, for one, want to know what the big deal is!
[ If he sees someone out on the streets who looks to be in danger of being attacked by a snowman, he isn't going to just stand by and let that happen. No! Throwing a cloak over his shoulders, he bolts out the door and hurries over as quickly as his little legs will carry him, trying to assist a fellow Chosen in need! ]
Hang on tight, I've got you! [ Although his only means of "getting you" is to grab a nearby fallen tree branch and try to whack the snowman upside the head with it. ]
00. Wildcard
[ If you want to plot something else, feel free to HMU @ millennialfalcon or on discord @ objectpermanence. I prefer brackets but will match prose if desired. Please mark/warn for Arcane Season 2 spoilers, ofc. ]
[ Beta is, in fact, taking a moment to be sad about the size of the coffin. She's not expecting Heimerdinger's voice, though, and practically yelps in surprise, stepping back.
Should she just run... ]
A-are you--
[ her voice is naturally at a hurried whisper, timid, so it might be a little difficult to hear her. ]
[ the thing about unexpectedly waking up in a coffin is it's only really scary if 1) you know what a coffin is and 2) you know that's what you're even in. fortunately for romelle, she has no idea of either, and so instead of fear or dread or any other perfectly sensible reactions, ahe defaults to confusion and indignation instead. bordering on downright fussy, even. ]
Hello? Helloooo?
[ she's pounding her fists and kicking on the wood, and maybe any other circumstance her altean strength would have been more than enough to make quick splinters of the thing, but as it is she doesn't seem to have any lucky at all...
that is, until you just so happen to walk by her coffin. honestly, you barely even have to touch it — hell, maybe you just glanced — but that seems more than enough to satisfy whatever had it so stubbornly holding her in in the first place. whatever the reason, as soon as you find yourself positioned right in front of the coffin ( a ) the wood finally gives way and romelle comes spilling out of the coffin—
and right into your arms. ]
Oh! Good catch. [ she will give them a pat-pat on the shoulder before twisting about to try and get a good look around your surroundings. ] Very good, yes, now did you happen to spot the fiend that put me in there?
[ or, ( b ) maybe nothing happens at all. there is a brief moment wherein romelle's banging pauses, one pointy ear pressed hard against the wood from the other side... another moment passes, and then suddenly— ]
Yes? Hello!? I can hear you just standing there! Are you going to let me out of here or not??
// mistletoads
How annoying.
[ get a load of miss obvious, folks. yes, yes, here's romelle, fallen victim to yet another one of aldrip's """"""festivities""""""" and certainly looking none to pleased about any of it. not only are her shoes all gunked up with — no, no, she actually does not want to think about what this gooey mess is made out of, but she's been stuck here for the better part of thirty minutes because the toads have been struggling to find another sorry sap to get her stuck with. it's insulting, is what it is!
once again, it's up to romelle to get anything done. while the missletoads try and fail to snag other passersby, romelle will turn her attention to someone who looks suitably bully-able— i mean... compliant. ]
You there! Yes, you. Come on over, will you?
// solstice
I'm sure you've learned your lesson by now.
[ dawn after the solstice finds romelle patrolling the streets. after the business with the toads, she was not willing to test her luck by roaming the streets at night. but you can bet your bottom dollar that the second light hit the skies she was bursting out onto the streets to survey the damage. it only took a few minutes of eavesdropping from the locals to realize what's happened, after which she has taken it upon herself to snoop— i mean... do some damage control.
currently, she is approaching an ice sculpture with a long, thick scarf she'd apparently removed from around her neck, meaning to drape it upon the sculpture's neck instead. she'a a big sister, though, so this kind gesture is not without its fair share of lecturing. ]
Honestly, what did you think was going to happen? It's obvious the winter season is one of strife and misery for this poor planet. [ fuck them toads, man. ] Now what are we going to do when we're told to stay indoors with only a vague warning? Question it, of course. But then after that...?
( ooc: whether or not the sculpture is the player's character, a local, or actually just a legitimate sculpture is the player's choice.... )
// etc
( if none of these work, feel free to hmu via pm and we can work out a custom! i'm totally open to anything and everything wrt: missletoads, but be forewarned that if it comes down to fighting romelle has no real combat experience but she does possess superstrength... and is scrappy af. somebody is definitely going to get hurt lcmskds )
[ Awakening inside a coffin after being stabbed through the heart...how poetic and cruel that is huh? So perhaps it's for the best that the coffin he's put in is deposited in an alleyway off the beaten path. The coffin that Shigeru appears in will burst open as he falls out onto his knees a black, viscous, substance spilling from the hole in his chest and his mouth as he gasps and coughs for air. There are black, shadowy, tentacles undulating around him. His black tarred hands just grasping at the blood spilling from his chest as the wound is slow to heal. He'll cough and more blood will spill from his mouth as he tries to get to his feet. The shadows in the alleyway he's wound up in shift and wail in pain as he tries to calm himself down. He has to stay calm. This is fine. He was just stabbed through the heart by a zealot while Alex watched it all happen.
The thought of Alex...god. The thought of Alex just causes black and golden tears to spill from his eyes as he lets out a sob filled with pain, anger, and frustration. He was right there in front of him and he just...
Shigeru will look up at whoever it is that might run into him in this state. It sure is something because it looks as if he's glitching and his form will shift back to normal before being consumed in shadow again. His chest hurts, his heart hurts even more, and he just wants to go home. ] Go away.
[ It's almost like a command and you might even feel compelled to comply, but there's little force behind it as Shigeru sits in the blackened corner of the alleyway eyes forming along the building's walls and the floor around him as he just sinks further into the darkness.
Welcome to Aldrip indeed. ]
Missiletoads; Now kiss edition
[ Missile toads?? Shigeru's dealt with all manners of monsters but these little guys sure are something!!! After the arrival, he sure needed some time to just blindly wander around. He's still kind of out of it but he's surviving probably not thriving but at least he's trying?! Except in his daze, one of those toads will take its chance and he's immediately hit with their sticky spit. ] Ah! [ Is as much as he gets to say before the paper is thrown in his face and the toad hops off. Uh, wow, rude?? He's currently trapped in their sticky substance and he'll let out a small whine as he looks at the paper thrown at him by the strange critters. ] Wh-Why is-is it the-the kissing one...
[ Because his life is suffering, that's why! But also there go his tentacles, popping out immediately, as his embarrassment takes over and his face goes red. HE'S GONNA DIE. ] S-Sorry. P-Please don't-don't look at me.
[ He hates how he looks with his tentacles and he can't get them to go away!!! Ugh, so embarrassing he'll just cover his face with gloved hands. ]
Missiletoads; Now talk edition
[ This isn't as bad as he was thinking but Shigeru will frown as he tries to get out of the sticky trap again. Again, yes, this is his life and he's trapped again. He might wave you over with a sheepish smile. ] D-Do you have a minute to-to talk?
[ About your lord and savior-dhgjak no I'm kidding. ] T-Talking should be easy...right? [ Haha, RIGHT?! ]
Solstice;
[ He is curious about the supposed superstition, so much so, that he keeps a lookout for anything strange. His face is almost plaster against the glass but when he sees those snowmen he'll gasp. ] So it is real?? [ What the hell?! And then if he sees somebody struggling and being attacked he'll rush outside, grab a bunch of snow, and...throw it right back at the snowmen. You're doing great sweetie. ]
Run! I-I'll keep them distracted! [ He'll flick his wrist upward and hundreds of black, shadowed, spikes will erupt from beneath the snowmen piercing them and causing them to crumble to pieces. But he'll also get pelted right in the side of the face with a snowball from another group of snowmen. The ice crystals start to form immediately and it hurts like hell but he doesn't let that stop him as the shadows around him and the person he's protecting begin to move and form black-clawed hands that grab and tear at the snowmen. This is fine. Everything is totally fine right now. ]
wildcard;
( ooc; if none of these work hit me up via pm to hash something out! The jist of it is that Shigeru is a recently created eldritch god from the bonding of the god of light and darkness to his soul in order to save his planet! More info if you're curious! )
ARRIVAL. [ well, that's unusual. he certainly wasn't expecting to wake up, mostly because he wasn't expecting to fall asleep in the first place. and to find himself enclosed in a small, satin-lined..
oh, he's in a coffin. ]
Oh, very funny, [ he grumbles, snippy and irritated, ] Yes, let's put the dead fellow in the coffin, shall we? Ridiculous.. [ he wiggles his arms up and pushes, willing himself intangible. on the outside, leather-gloved hands attached to tweed-clad arms suddenly push through the lid of the coffin, followed by a very fussy-looking teenager. he tugs his waistcoat down, then brushes his sleeves off, mouth pursed into an annoyed moue. ] This had best not involve witches, demons, or cat kings.
MISSILE TOADS. [ that's edwin, stuck impossibly to the ground (how??? he's a ghost!), looking deeply mortified and more than a little frazzled. mistletoe traditions weren't pleasant before he had to face some very inconvenient truths about himself, but now? knowing what he knows about the sort of romantic partners he'd.. prefer? ]
Please. [ he waves the little scrap of paper at the threatening toad. ] Can we not simply go with another option? I believe one of your suggestions is to talk, is it not? [ just look at him, trying to negotiate with a holiday-themed amphibian terrorist. ]
THE WINTER SOLSTICE. [ of course edwin is outside. for one thing, again, he has no need for sleep. for another, he has to assume that this is why he was brought here. dead boy detectives, solving mysteries and all that. besides, magic is his specialty, isn't it? nevermind that he still can't throw a punch for love or money, he can run like anyone's business. it'll be fine.
check him ducked behind a bush, his little notebook in gloved hands, a pen scribbling furiously as he observes the aggressive snowmen. hopefully he'll notice the one turning the corner behind him before he gets whacked with snowballs. ]
WILDCARD. [ encounter him elsewhere or pm for a custom starter! ]
[You know what the worst part about this? Like, the absolute worst?
This isn't the first time Miu's been trapped inside a coffin or coffin-like space.
The distinct lack of ink-like water is new, but she stares at the lid of the coffin with a furrowed brow, squinting in the darkness. She runs her hand over the lid and the sides, mapping out its general shape-- yep, coffin.]
Again? [She presses against the lid, which seems to open a little bit, but catch and remain too closed to slip out of.] Oh for the love of-- [With a growl she slams her hands repeatedly on the lid, kicking it a few times for good measure] GET ME OUT OF HERE!
B. Missile Toads
[She thought she'd been doing a pretty good job of ignoring the mistletoe...toad things, giving them a wide berth and an irritated look every time she happens across one before she hastily retreats.
But pride comes before the fall, or something, and that's how Miu finds herself with her shoes stuck to the ground.
The first time it happens, she just ditches her shoes, flipping her hair with a smug look before trying to walk off. Which then just ends with her feet themselves stuck to the ground. It's cold, what the fuck!!
She snatches the paper the toad drops with a dark scowl, aggressively ripping it open to see its stupid demands. It'll either be to kiss or to talk. Either way, she glowers at the paper before taking a breath. Her entire demeanor changes, her expression growing warm and friendly/loving, a happy smile on her face as she clasps her hands behind her back and leans toward the other person]
Hi, I'm Miu. Looks like the toads have spoken!
[There is a seething hatred behind the friendly flirty exterior that might only be obvious upon witnessing the switch up.]
C. Winter Wonderland
[Miu does her best to appear mature and aloof, above all the mindless fun of the snow. She shoves her hands in her pockets, buries her face up to her nose in the collar of her coat, and stare grumpily at it all]
Don't know what everyone's all happy for. The only good thing about the cold is bundling up.
[No one accidentally touching her and inundating her with their memories and emotions. Thank God.
Still, she might go off somewhere to make a little snowman by herself or attempt to do some ice skating, only to quit when she falls down for the 5th time bc fuck that.
Later at night on the 21st she won't heed the warnings at all, because why would she? She scoffs readily at them and makes a point to deliberately go out at that time, too stubborn and contrary to admit there might be merit to the warnings.
That is until the snowmen actually get her.
If and when someone tells her just what she has to do to reverse the ice spell, Miu just sort of. Stares blankly for a moment before deadpanning:] So I'm gonna die then. [Affection?? Genuine affection?? What is that, never heard of it.]
D. Wildcard!
[obligatory wildcard option.
Miu is 17 ftr, and is also what's called a yomiko/shadowborn in her world, meaning she was born of a human mother and a spirit father. She's half-spirit and I'm more than welcome to anyone ICly being able to feel that. Miu also has the ability to get surface thoughts and feels whenever someone touches her, even brushing against her by accident, so that's something we can work with too if you want!]
A. MARCH OF THE MISSILE TOADS [Taking the form required a certain amount of observation. This was something Morph had done many times before, so they were able to take the form of a crow and hang out on rooftops and on top of signs while watching the missile toads, both while they were in action and while they were hanging out waiting for their next victim. That taught them a few very important things: not just how the animals naturally moved and sounded, but that the toads had certain croaks that they used to communicate with each other.
It gave Morph an idea. A brilliant idea, really. If they were going to be doomed to a lonely Christmas this year, the least they could do is get a kiss out of a certain someone. With the toads, they could make it happen - and try as many times as it takes to get it right.
It wasn't long before they were able to put their plan into action.
Just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and what you'll find is a small swarm of missile toads - fifteen to twenty of them, all hopping down the street and the sidewalk, spread out and unorganized but more or less hopping in the same direction as their leader. Said leader is a missile toad that's at least double the size of the rest, and it's wearing a little harness with a fishing pole attached, one that's dangling a bundle of mistletoe at the end, the lure on the end of a stick that's helping to encourage the other toads to move forward.
The other thing keeping them moving is the sounds that toad-Morph is making, a deep series of chirps that Morph has figured out more or less means, prey is this way!]
B. WINTER SOLSTICE [Okay, so the strange mix of spooky decorations in with the otherwise festive atmosphere is throwing Morph off a bit, but they were still determined to have fun. They're walking around in their natural form, but have shifted themselves some warmer clothing, including a bulky red-and-green 'Merry X-Mas' sweater and earmuffs with reindeer horns stuck on top. They'll be staying cozy while participating in the winter activities, that's for sure.
Morph does try out a little bit of everything. They're better at snowball fights than they are at ice skating, making an effort to not shift to another form and 'cheat' that way. After taking a break with some hot cocoa, they try their hand at ice sculpting, though Morph doesn't attempt to make a real statue. Instead, they come away from it with a piece of ice that's shaped like a mask, with a wrinkled smiley face carved into the front.
With that in hand, Morph stops to make a snowman not too far away from where the activities have been set up. Said snowman gets the mask stuck onto it as a face, with a bundle of twigs making up the semblance of a messy head of hair. The snowman may or may not hold a resemblance to another of the Chosen...]
C. AFTER DARK [Morph had heard plenty of warnings about staying out past dark on the 21st, but they had things to do in town and time just got away from them. It shouldn't have been a big deal, except that on their way back to the mansion Morph turned a corner and nearly ran right into an angry snowman.]
Woah, who built you in the middle of the street?
[The snowman doesn't respond, of course, but it does try to slam a handful of snow into Morph's face. They have good enough reflexes to jump backwards, but end up dropping the grocery bags they were carrying in the process of dodging the next snowball that gets pelted at them. Morph shifts in a hurry, taking Archangel's form to take to the air and land on a nearby rooftop.]
Hey, Frosty! What happened to all your Christmas cheer?!
D. WILDCARD [Feel free to find Morph anywhere else this month, whether they're doing something festive (like decorating the X-Mansion) or just taking a break from herding toads.]
[More coffins. And more people stuck in them. Fauna's squared herself in front of the coffin, for now, and is trying to focus, when Romelle's words interrupt her.
She tries to keep her temper in check...]
I'm working on it. I'm trying to figure out where I can break it without breaking you. How much space do you have in there?
[It is, ironically enough, not Hammer's first time waking up in a box. He's not the biggest fan of the situation in general, and the way the box doesn't pop open when he pushes out in front of him is, hm! Troubling! For a moment he panics—until something in the corner of his eye seems to twitch and flash in the utter darkness, despite it, and he turns his head to look at it head-on and it flickers out again.
Okay. He's not defunct, then. In that case, he takes a moment to reach out to both sides, hoisting himself up for better purchase to kick out at the front of the coffin, once, twice— and it bursts open on the third kick, leaving him to get his leg tangled in the big red ribbon tied around its outside and stumble out into the street.
He hops a few feet, kicking at the ribbon futilely, pinwheeling his arms briefly to keep his balance. For a moment he freezes on one foot, arms held out like that, and then stands properly and straightens his coat when he's satisfied that he's not going to fall over. Safe! As he looks back over his shoulder at the coffin,]
Huh! [huh!!!!!!] Well, that's weird. Let me see...
[You might catch him circling the coffin for a few more minutes, trying to look for an identifying stamp of some kind, like, a brand name? Something like that? If someone put him in a box they had to have had a reason and a payroll about it, right—
Or later, he's approaching any other closed coffins and knocking on the lid.]
Helloooo? You stuck? Give me a holler if you're stuck! Unless you're dead, that is!
[A beat.]
Give me a holler if you're not dead! Or only kind of dead!
toads
[Given how different Aldrip is from what Hammer is used to—it's not underwater, for one, and it's super low-tech, besides—Hammer is pretty easily distracted, and thus, pretty easily ensnared by toads. Whether he's gotten his feet stuck or he's just naturally loitering unknowingly under a mistletoe (they don't have these where he's from either), he is Caught. He has been Toaded.
So, well, here he is? He doesn't really know what's going on, so he regards the person stuck here with him with pleasant curiosity.]
Hi? My name's Hammer. Do you know what's going on?
[Paper scrap incoming, aimed straight for both of their heads, look out—
Open to any and all toads, with the caveats that he's never kissed before so it'll be platonic whether it's on the mouth or otherwise, and he's an android with enhanced strength and durability so he will try to avoid fighting. Be aware!! Go wild!!
Or, later, perhaps he simply appears to hook his arm around yours and steer you in a different direction than you were headed, to avoid a toad:] You're not going to like going that way! It's amphibi-fested.
solstice
activities! [Yet again, built and raised in a hermetically sealed bulb under an ocean: Hammer has never seen any of this wintry stuff before. The cold is its own thing, he's experienced cold, but the snow? Ice skating? These simply aren't things he's familiar with.
So of course he would like to sample them all. The cold doesn't seem to bother him at all; he's put on an interesting scarf with his utility-readyoutfit but no hat or gloves, and he's just conveniently lucky that his clothes are, for the most part, already waterproof.
With the snowballs, he's trying his very best, but for some reason his aim seems to consistently be just a little off. His throws? Precise. His form? Immaculate. But there's something going wrong in his aiming process and he keeps totally whiffing it off to the side of whoever - or whatever - he's trying to hit. This does not seem to be bothering him very much, or at least, he's still dutifully closing one eye to aim...
For any other activity, he's having fun no matter what's going on it seems like, but every so often he abruptly sort of freezes, and his hands twitch or his arm jerks or he looks suddenly to one side at nothing at all—the very worst possibility is he legitimately trips over himself and falls face-first into a snowbank, with seemingly no attempt to stop himself.
That's probably nothing. If someone witnesses any of this, he'll laugh and excuse himself with an easy,]
Sorry! Thought you were someone else! Ow...
snowmen! [Just like with the toads, this is perhaps something Hammer is afflicted by because he plain old would never anticipate this in a million years. Snowmen... he's never seen one outside of images... what are these things. Does he walk right up to one because it looks interesting, and not scary?
Yeah, of course he does. He also doesn't notice when he starts icing over at first - it starts at his feet, and he has a higher tolerance for physical discomfort than most, so oops - but when the stiff cold starts to climb higher, maybe even as far as his hands, he will... pause. Huh.]
Huh.
[That's weird. Help a fellow Chosen out?
If it is you who is icy, ya boy Hammer is here to help. Rather, he has an eagle eye out for anyone who looks like they might be starting to freeze - he may not judge this correctly, sorry in advance - and he's ready with his hideous bacon scarf to loop it around someone's neck in what he believes is a totally acceptable and friendly manner.]
Hi! I'm Hammer! You're freezing!
wildcard/misc
[hello hello it's ya friend jojoveller with yet another oc. hammer is an android, though it is not immediately clock-able from just looking at him and he will probably try to avoid bringing it up. if... for some reason... he takes his clothes off, he does have visible metal strips on his legs and torso, but he will claim those are purely cyber-augments like totally normal people all have, duh?? one of his eyes is slightly less blue than the other if you're paying attention, also.
more info can be found here if you're curious! hit me with whatever you got!]
[Welp. This sure did happen! And so did Charlie setting her coffin ablaze to break out of it. That also happened! No worries though, Charlie is wholly untouched by the flame, brushing residue off her suit as she looks around. At a staggering 6'5'' she towers over a good chunk of people and coffins alike-- why is everyone so short here??--and wastes no time in investigating other coffins.
She can and will just. Rip the coffin lids up and pick up whoever is inside (either princess style or right under their arms so they dangle like a cat depending on whatever you think would be funnier)] Are you alright!? I hope you weren't in there long!
[She looks like a marionette puppet dw about it, everything's fine.]
B. Missile Toads
[Charlie laughs, high and nervous, rubbing the back of her neck as she stares down at the substance around her feet. She tries to lift her leg, fails, and then sighs.] Iiii really can't be kissing anyone, I have a girlfriend, and it's just awkward... [But she grins at mentioning a girlfriend--she loves Vaggie so much.] Oh, and fighting is just really unfair, given the...circumstances. [the princess of hell can't go fighting random humans(?) and such! That's probably, like, really bad!!] So if you'd be so kind--
[Blegh. There goes the paper and Charlie catches it, before nervously thrusting it at whoever is stuck with her]
I can't look. You look! [It'll most likely be the talk option, but honestly i'm okay with the kiss option too! it just likely won't be more than a cheek kiss or a forehead kiss.]
C. Winter Solstice
[If not singing some Hellish variation of Christmas carols, building faintly demonic looking snowmen, or dancing around one ice skates, Charlie can be found actively encouraging others to participate in said activities, typically with a little song meant to encourage them. Sometimes disembodied back-up vocals accompany her. Dw about it.
But during the night of the 21st, she's playing superhero. Being pursued by snowmen? Never fear, Charlie is here! To...literally set them on fire. Flames erupt from her as she runs by, taking down every snowman she can see]
Hey, are you okay!? Did they get you? What is up with these things!? I thought snowmen were supposed to be nice! They wear top hats, and sing! [Oh the humanity what has gone so wrong...
If you want to, this could even be another opportunity for your character to be princess carried! Because Charlie isn't above scooping people up and sprinting away from danger either]
One, two, three dull thuds sound from the inside of one of the decorated coffins. At the third, the lid cracks and goes flying off to land off into the distance. Straightfaced and seemingly unaffected by the terror of being trapped in such an enclosed and airless space, a young woman flexes her fingers before gracefully stepping out of it. Beside her floats a strange box, whose peripheral lights flicker on in the gloom. The woman scans her surroundings just as her companion does, her own eyes quicksilver bright and lit with a faint glow.
Eventually, the passive and irritated flatness of her expression shifts to something quietly befuddled.]
... What the hell is this?
[Beside her, the box responds.]
Unknown. Mapping detail offline. FACS capabilities offline. Network connection offline. Hypothesis: Arrival is connected to the archaic "parchment" Unit A2 has received.
Huh? - Oh.
[Right. The paper. Who wrote on... paper? It felt so strange to the touch...]
B. ARRIVAL - II!
[Never fear, trapped and screaming masses. A2 is here. Against her will, but she's never really anywhere she wants to be, so.
To those struggling to get out, or crying out for help, you are greeted by her wrenching the top of the coffin off with a frightening lack of effort. She barely even breaks stride before moving onto the next, bickering with the floating box beside her the entire way.
You're welcome?]
C. MISSLE TOADS
[A2 will be with you shortly. For now, she is trying, to no avail, to pull her feet out of... whatever this is, yelling at her little robot companion along the way:]
- Can't you do anything?!
Negative.
Ugh! What is... is this crap? I'm gonna kick that thing's ass! Where'd it go?
D. SNOWMEN
[Here she is, minding her own business, when a snowball hits her directly in her sword arm. No worries. She whips around and launches her sword at the attacker (machine?) and both she and Pod are startled to see their... assailant crumple into...]
Snow?
[She sounds mystified. This fascination gives way to alarm however, when her arm goes numb, sword falling from her stiff fingers to briefly land to the ground with a clatter before it shimmers and reemerges on the floating "sheath" at her back.]
Pod -
Affirmative. Scanning . . . error unknown. Hypothesis: virus spread by contact with "snow."
How is that...? [Holding her arm, she gingerly makes her way to the destroyed snowman, nudging it cautiously with her foot.] Looks pretty dead to me.
E. WILDCARD
[obligatory wildcard option. As a note: A2 is an android with visible markers of damage, and it will be easy to tell she's non-human. You can find more info in her journal! Despite some of her icons, she will be arriving post ending E, with long hair.]
karasawa toshiyuki | daily lives of high school boys, new character tdm
[ while it's not the worst way he's been awoken, nothing about stirring to consciousness in a physically enclosed, cold, dark and unfamiliar space is what he'd classify as comforting. karasawa swallows any trepidation, curls his fingers about the edge of the coffin's lid and tries to pull. ]
[ his effort fails with a noisy creak from his casket. his grip tightens. his fingernails are already turning blue from the cold... hoping to catch the attention of whoever might pass by his unfortunate predicament, ]
Is this the afterlife.
[ asked with as much earnestness as he can muster. he sounds bummed about it. ]
02. MISSILE TOADS
a. fight option Let's do battle. Hand-to-hand.
[ —is how he greets whoever else might also be glued to the spot upon being pelted with demands that they should fight. karasawa makes a 'come hither' gesture. he adopts a defensive posture as best he can, locking his opponent in an unflinching stare. he puffs his chest out, falsifies an air of swagger. ]
I'll even let you land the first blow.
[ ... because maybe if he plays unconscious/dead afterward, the toads will let them go... ]
b. kiss option, guys [ —so, he assumes this guy probably doesn't want a smooch. karasawa shoves his hands into his pockets, studying the other man as the gears in his head start turning for a solution. ]
What should we try? Hand?
c. kiss option, gals [ likely, provided they don't look completely violently insane, any recognizably girlish character receives a different approach: ]
Ah, you're pretty cute.
[ spoken unabashedly. he hasn't seen any girls he knows hailing from east or central sanada high school yet (which is a good thing as far as he thinks), so he's less concerned about any flirtation being taken seriously. ]
Do you want to?
[ he leaves the question open-ended and at that. ]
03. SOLSTICE
[ initially, being a decently rule-abiding good boy, he'd returned to his indoor quarters. it's not a self-imposed lockdown that lasts long, however, when he peaks outside a window and spies any going-ons outdoors and learns how to free those trapped. it's calculated when he slips outside into the snowy night and approaches someone who looks like they could use help dethawing. ]
[ once the coast is clear for a moment or so, he steps on up, and adds in a low tone, ]
Hey, I got this.
[ there's little effort to sound reassuring here, actually. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
expiationmods) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
expiationlogs2024-12-09 08:17 am
Page 1 of 146