August Intro: You Think...You Wink...You Do A Double Blink...

[lifeaftr_mods]

INTRO LOG: AUGUST

Who: Everyone!
What: New souls arrive to the archipelago of LifeAftr.
When: August 3rd
Where: Ensō
Warnings: Mark as needed!

Part I: Get Wrekt
You rouse to a splash of sea salt drying on your skin. A haze of glass-white sand glitters in your vision, dappled by lush palms and thick, curling foliage that disappears into a jungle of deep jade. From behind, crackling wood and sawing rope groan from a mangled life raft ran ashore. A petering wash of tide over pebbled sand fills your ears as you struggle to gain your bearings in a vast portrait of tropical color…

No...no, no, that’s not precisely how this story starts.

Why don't we start over?

You rouse to a splash of sea salt, spraying across yourself and the wooden floor beneath you as it breaks across the edge of the platform. The light as it dances across the sea is blinding, dappling white spots across your vision as you slowly come back to consciousness and realize that - this is not where you last remember being.

The middle of the ocean is likely not a place most recall being at all. As you struggle to fully comprehend the new scenario in which you have found yourself, three things become quickly apparent. The raft you find yourself upon barely constitutes as something that should float, never mind a boat. In the distance, perhaps a few hours away at most, a large island beckons to you, a wide strip of beach surrounded by cliffs making it very clear where the most fortuitous of directions shall be.

Lastly, of course, you’re not alone. Hopefully your new companion(s) are just as keen to get ashore before nightfall as you, or voyaging together will not be the most positive experience. At your side you will find a knapsack, one to every member of your raft party, and upon inspecting its contents, you will discover any rewards you may have accrued - as well as a few other items to give you a fighting chance.

A note to those who participated in the Test Drive Meme: those threads, if all parties involved would like, can be game canon in the form of dream-like memories involving a place very much like this one, though the layout is considerably different.

Part II: Choose Your Own Adventure

By fortune (or misfortune, as it were), you eventually find your feet meeting sand, blessed shore to stagger upon as you shake off your newly found sea-legs. There are those that may find this place familiar, as though it appeared in a dream, though the expanse of shore certainly seems larger. The beach stretches off into the distance on both sides, curving around sharp ridges and cliffs, mist obscuring the view the farther along it goes.

So here you are. You’ve found land. Company. Supplies. The sun is now beginning to trek rather low upon the horizon…spending the night outside in such an unfamiliar land is unappealing at best and outright dangerous at the worst.

There is one silver lining in the midst of this mess. Directly ahead, the beach curves up a gentle slope until it meets forest, some manner of building visible through the trees. Further exploration of this area will reveal a dilapidated building of sorts; the architecture is indiscernible to even the most skilled eye. Despite looking as if it has seen better days, there are areas that offer some form of shelter...and who knows what else. Just because it appears uninhabited doesn’t mean you won’t wind up pleasantly, or unpleasantly, surprised.



So what shall you do from here, traveller? There is land to be explored, strangers to meet, friends to reunite with. Supplies to inspect and plenty of questions in need of being said aloud. Choose your path, make haste, and above all else: survive. And whatever you will, take heart.

Your story is about to begin anew.

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Feeling a tad adrift? Make sure to check the Locations Page, which has details regarding the starting areas and a handy map for those who feel better with a bird's eye view!

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LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Comments

[mttbrandlegs]

[Mettaton can't help himself as his thumb gently strokes against Asriel's ear. It's a second of close contact because although he could never miss Pokey as much as Asriel does, he understands the pain. Pokey was a good person, loathe though the young, portly human had been to admit it about himself.

For Mettaton to show Pokey even the slightest amount of respect, he had to be good. He knew, too, what Mettaton had been suffering through, and had reacted most helpfully with regards to it. He regrets not thanking Pokey enough...

But that's not a thought for today. Instead, he pushes such regrets away, and he smiles, because even without saying it, they both knew what they were feeling on this matter.]

It is, in a way. I wonder what brought us away from Nyoi-Cho. I was under the impression that our contracts were binding...

[pleasereset]

[Asriel looks a little content, his nervous expression melting away. Being around Mettaton is a lot more comforting than just trying to make it on his own.

It's a little weird to think that, considering how rocky their relationship started. But between him and Pokey, Asriel wouldn't want anyone else here with him.]

I thought so too. I guess there must be someone out there a lot stronger than Kyubey? Someone who wanted us here anyway. I honestly thought this was a Labyrinth at first, but I haven't seen any familiars or Witches.

We still have our soul gems though.

[mttbrandlegs]

I thought it a construct of the city as well, but for as much as Muffet appeared to wish me harm, neither her nor our raftmate posed any threat.

For once, we are not being attacked.

[Asriel does bring a good point to the table, however.]

...With our gems still a part of us, it will be troublesome to purify them here. Unless...there is an equivalent to fighting Nightmares.

[Mettaton glances down at his soul gem. Not as dark as usual, but he assumes that will not last. And to bring his own Nightmare to this new place...well, he wouldn't want to...]

[pleasereset]

... Why did Muffet wanna hurt you?

[It's still strange that she's here. But she was pretty nice to Asriel, awkward as he was talking to her.]

Maybe there is? We can't just not have a way to purify them. Whoever brought us here would've thought of that... right?

There were lots of people here, maybe... we still gotta fight more Nightmares.

[mttbrandlegs]

Muffet has always tended towards somewhat threatening, and she simply has no reason to like me. Perhaps I was being dramatic. As you know, I'm apparently known for such.

[Which he says with no small amount of sarcasm and a roll of his eye, before focusing on the more pressing subject.]

At any rate...what if we do not fight Nightmares any longer? Then what shall happen? I hate to fixate on such a dismal subject, but I'm not in the mood to show this place the worst side of me this early on.

[...Or ever. But he has to temper his expectations, right?]

[pleasereset]

Maybe she'll calm down some once we figure this place out a little more. And if she doesn't... well, the island is pretty big from the looks of it.

[Muffet's really the least of their worries, what they really need to be worried about is...]

I... don't know. It was always easy to find a Nightmare, and I don't think a place like this would have any of those little cubes or seeds that can help clean a gem.

...

Maybe we can become a Nightmare together?

[Ha ha. It's not that funny, is it?]

[mttbrandlegs]

It's alright. Other monsters, whether they're fond of me or not, are a welcome addition.

[He smiles, because he shouldn't. He shouldn't feel happy that monsters that might not like him are here, but he is. Because any monster is a good monster.

Ah. But the mention of them becoming a Nightmare together? That gets him to chuckle in earnest.]

Hah! What would that even look like, a Nightmare comprised of us both?

[...Actually, why not talk about this? A little morbid humor might ease their stress.]

Fusion, you think? Or just a Nightmare team?

[pleasereset]

[Asriel is definitely on board with a little morbid humor. Besides even though it's a terrible experience to turn into a Nightmare, thinking about the result could be kind of fun...

After all, he did the same with Chara. Spending hours deciding what form their combined SOULs would take. Not at all thinking about the gruesome method it would take to achieve that form.

Asriel's eyes light up a little, with misplaced excitement.]

We'd definitely be stronger as a fusion! And we'd have my ears... but robot ears. They'd definitely be robot ears!

[mttbrandlegs]

Ohh, very creative! They'd need to be jointed, for similar range of mobility of course! And what about metal horns, too?

[He hums to himself, then decides suddenly:]

The boots stay though.

[pleasereset]

Metal horns would be so cool!! They'd have to be really long ones too!

... I don't know how to walk in those kinds of boots though. Isn't it hard?

[In fact they look kind of painful to wear?? Maybe not for a robot, but they definitely look hard to walk in.]

[mttbrandlegs]

That's alright, I'll wear the boots for us, silly!! Mmm, but your feet would probably need to breathe, with all that fur...and your toes probably wouldn't fit properly in such enclosed quarters...

[Mettaton thoughtfully rubs his chin, clearly thinking about this very seriously. Because why shouldn't he?]

Well, I suppose the boots could be open toed, right? [And he winks, because that's kind of a pun, but also pretty practical.] It might help with balance!! Also, I insist that at least that part of us would be organic! Even I would never think to besmirch the allure of perfectly functional paws!!

[Toe beans.

What can he say, the audience loves 'em!]

[pleasereset]

Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever worn boots or shoes in my entire life.

[Even his magi outfit doesn't have shoes. Even magic meant to fit his entire body gave up on his oversized feet.]

I guess that'd be okay though, if they had open toes. [I mean it probably doesn't matter when they become an entity made out of murder and despair BUT STILL COMFORT IS IMPORTANT.]

I agree. I'd like to keep my paws. And some of my fur... oh! And my tail. Except maybe it could be longer?

[mttbrandlegs]

Of course, good idea! If paws are good for balance, then a long tail might even be better for it!! Though I insist it be properly tufted!

[Mettaton's hands inch apart a few inches from each other, a respectable distance. Or perhaps a ridiculous one with the following words:]

At least this wide!! Bushy, like a lion! And the arms have to be mine!! We'll keep your hands then, and just like the toes, the fingertips should be visible too!! Fingerless gloves, then, what do you think~?

[Perhaps this has ceased to be related to a Nightmare for the moment, and instead something more...escapist-related.]

[pleasereset]

[Asriel is all the way on board with this escapist-related OC train wreck.]

Yeah, yeah!! A big, bushy lion tail! And we gotta have fingerless gloves, because we'd have really sharp claws, right?! Maybe the claws would be metal too?

[God, he hasn't been this excited over something in a long time. There's a big grin on his face as he tries to picture their Nightmare design.]

[mttbrandlegs]

[Mettaton laughs in earnest as the young boss monster grows more and more excited. Well, at least it's working. It's...working for both of them, if he's being honest. And that's rare for him.]

Sure! Let's make the claws metal, to go with the arms! So...what about hair? Black suits us fine, I think. A little bit of dark to offset the white fur. Then, of course, we ought to put the delta rune somewhere. Wouldn't be a Dreemurr without it, would you~?

[Besides...Mettaton's probably uh. Hogging most of the main aspects, isn't he?]