November Intro: Red Sun Rises Like an Early Warning

[lifeaftr_mods]

INTRO LOG: NOVEMBER

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

The New Arrivals: Hold My Hand
When you wake, it will be to the lapping of waves, frothed with foam...pulling at your hair, your skin, your clothing. The sand is soft and wet beneath you, but it's several inches submerged. And the longer you stay here, the more obvious it will be that the water level of the ocean ringing this strip of island has begun to to rise, and not merely because the tide has started to come in.

And what's more? You can tell that something else about this entire situation is horribly, horribly wrong.

Perhaps you've lost some special power. Perhaps some piece of your memory is freshly and disconcertingly blank. Perhaps you've just discovered that one of your senses is missing, or that you've been rendered unable to speak, or you've been struck by a debilitating fatigue. Not only are you stranded in some unfamiliar place, stuck on a rapidly flooding beach, but you aren't even doing it in full possession of all your faculties.
For those who agreed to put themselves at a disadvantage for a stranger, these are your consequences. If you're unclear as to the handicap your character has been assigned, if any, please check your initial acceptance notice!

All new arrivals will additionally awake with knapsacks, their names stitched to the front. The contents of said knapsacks can also be found in your acceptance notices!

For All: It's a Long Way Down
The water isn't a problem for the newest arrivals, either. It seems that the waters all over Ensō have started to rise, slowly at first, and then with a steadily increasing rate. At first, you might be forgiven for assuming the tide must simply be unusually high, or maybe that the island's begun to sink. But the longer it endures, the more obvious it becomes that neither is the case.

The water has begun to rise. Something is wrong with the island itself, or the being living on it, and now there is nothing preventing the water's inexorable approach as it steadily washes over and over the mainland. In fact, if you listen closely, you might even be able to hear a peculiar sound tearing over the cold rush of the coastal wind; something akin to a desolate wailing.

Either get to high ground - and quickly - or find out what's causing this. But either way, we suggest you hurry...because there are a great deal of newly arrived, very disoriented folk on the beach that could really, really use your help.

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As a final note to those who participated in the Test Drive Meme, bear in mind that 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.

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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

[yallstupid]

[Shockingly, Guzma does have at least one person who...might miss him. The little girl he houses with - who was once his hated enemy and heated rival. She still is the latter, but the events in the crystal caverns have shed light on how he feels about the child, and that she's a longer younger and fragile than he first gave her credit for. If there's one soul here he'd leap into fire for, it'd probably be little Luna. Just don't tell her that.

Still, there are other children he's fond of just the same, and while Guzma grimaces when he's cut off by the salty blond - lord, can't you take any other route - he gives pause a moment and poses an inquiry himself. The idiot got one, and he actually answered!! Though, uh...in a very offhand, boorish manner, but still.]

...Hey. You seen a kid or two what with brown hair and a striped sweater? I'm looking for a pair.

[aurabble]

[He doesn't want to speak to him. Why can't Guzma stop talking? Jaune's convinced by now he loves hearing the sound of his voice, and he almost keeps going-- But that description has him freezing in his tracks.

His memories of what happened were delirious and unreliable, fading in and out from people he knew to a stranger. A kid. But that description is too specific. He hugs his right arm, unconscious that he's doing so.]

Was one of 'em wearing a green one?

[yallstupid]

[Bullseye. Guzma's eyes narrow somewhat as he watches Jaune's body language very closely. Something happened, and Guzma may have questions, but they're not for Jaune. For all he cares, this idiot could drop dead right here and now and he'd dance on his corpse and kick it into the rising waters with a parting middle finger. No, he'll inquire to the one he's looking for, the one he likes, respects, and is actually concerned for.]

They sure are. [Heck, the sweater practically defines them, considerig no one else wears one in tropical, island weather like this. But he has a few ideas why that is. Anyway--] Point me to 'em if you seen 'em.

[Make yourself not a waste of space and his time.]

[aurabble]

[That demand earns a roll of Jaune's eyes. Guzma couldn'tbe serious; like hell Jaune would voluntarily give him that kind of information. He doesn't know Guzma cares, truly cares about the kids. What he does know is he used them to justify his violence on an innocent person. There's a word for that.

Besides, if they're who he's thinking it is, they need help. Not someone who's already deeply ducked up like him. His voice takes on a dangerous edge.]

You're not going anywhere near them.

[yallstupid]

[Says the one protecting a selfish witch who used those same kids as an excuse to make a whole group of people deeply uncomfortable and forced to listen to her own personal rant about her bodily functions, but...nah. He's the bad guy. He's totally the bad guy for speaking up and challenging her. For not allowing himself to believe the guise of care (AGAIN) as a means for self benefit. Oh, and striking her when she went too far.

Tut tut. Bad Guzma.

Also, excuse you? This isn't about him? It's about a kid that may need help. He doesn't have time to climb over walls to get to point B. No, Guzma usually tears his obstacles down. His eyes narrow and he's tempted to have Golisopod pin this asshole to a tree by his trachea, fingers twitching as the huge insect growls behind him. Just one order, one flicker of movement, and he'd be on Jaune like a lioness on a lame zebra.

Instead, he breathes - a hiss of air through his teeth.]

They can't swim, you idiot! And they know me...both of 'em. Longer y'all keep me here, longer y'all is risking their hides, not mine. I can swim just fine, and I got him even if I didn't. [He jabs a thumb over his shoulder to Golisopod, who bellows loudly at Jaune, a sound similar to a furious alligator.] Now, if you wanna find your dame, I don't give two Rattata's tails - y'all can swallow seawater hand in hand for all I care.

But I got people I need to find, and them kids are first on my list. Now tell me where they are or get the heck out my way so I can find 'em myself.

[aurabble]

[There's no surprise that Guzma only thinks about himself. That his problems are clearly more important than everyone else's. Jaune may have had a fairly decent, loving upbringing, but he recognized people like Guzma when he saw them. He keeps his face impassive, not so much as blinking when Golisopod roars. He's seen, and heard so much worse. He doesn't care about his threats.]

I haven't seen them since the caves, and I was so out of it I didn't know they were real until you said that. ...Is there anywhere specifically on this island they might go?

[yallstupid]

[Oh yes, he's absolutely, 300% thinking about himself as he tirelessly looks for two children that can't swim during a period of rising water. How selfish of him.

Tut fucking tut. Bad Guzma.

He curses under his breath, then rubs his fingers through the short, black hair on the back of his neck, closing his eyes and furrowing his brows. He really shouldn't work himself...he shouldn't. Those kids are way more capable than--...well, than this asshole, that's for damn sure. Amsonia, the more sarcastic one Guzma nicknamed, especially. There's way more to those kids than they let on.]

Tch...they smart kids. Knowing the both of 'em, they'll head to high ground, so the mountain, prob'ly. [They know the terrain, too, considering they were all in a search party together to explore it.] But Amsonia's a stubborn piece'a work. If you can do anything right, then drag their hide up a tree and rope 'em to it.

[A pause.]

...Turn 'em upside down and shake 'em first, though. [To loosen the KNIVES.]

[aurabble]

I hope that high ground has a boat.

[Jaune grits his teeth before he can voice that they might be too late. That maybe all of this is pointless. What happens when the island's gone? They all move to those islets? They'll just die a slower death when they do.

He also thinks sticking anyone in a tree where they can't escape as the water rises is a terrible idea.]

You can stop telling me what to do now.

[He's pretty sure he's seen more shit than this overgrown brat. He has the right. But he does head to higher ground, without saying anything else.]

[yallstupid]

[For the love of god, Guzma just wants to punch this guy in the face and hold his head under the water. One less idiot to worry about, one less mouth to feed, one less person to use up their resources. If only he could kill him and he'd stay dead though, alas.

With a roll of his eyes, Guzma shakes his head with a sigh. God, what a moron...oh well. Hopefully the kid actually does stab him. Guzma'd high five him, for sure, or maybe give him something as a reward. Seriously, just shut this idiot up for two damn seconds, his head is filled with nothing of value, and all that escapes his mouth is garbage.]

A suggestion, but take it as you will, Lillipup. [Guzma shrugs lazily, then diverges their path, because he plainly can't stand to be in Jaune's presence another second. Besides that, he does need to collect a few resources for himself and Luna before they do get destroyed, and staying with this brat won't get him anything other than a fistfight...or worse.]