lifeaftr | April Intro: The Flower Ripens in its Place

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April Intro: The Flower Ripens in its Place

INTRO LOG: APRIL

Who: Everyone!
What: New souls arrive to the archipelago of LifeAftr
When: April 3rd and onward
Where: Ziziphus
Warnings: Mark as needed!

A9: Sow the Seed
Unbeknownst to new arrivals, the archipelago of LifeAftr has recently seen the appearance of a new island, as chosen via voting - and they have been unceremoniously placed there instead of upon Ensō, where most newcomers would typically appear. It's probably for the best that the island of Ziziphus is so outwardly peaceful.

There are worse places to find yourself, all things considered. The mana pool glimmers with a greenish light, the stone ring containing that peculiar fluid set firmly into the earth. The surrounding land fits neatly into that general aesthetic: rippling fields stirred by the occasional crisp breeze alternate between amber-golden and rich, verdant green in coloration, and irregular patches of color signify the presence of a great deal of flowers of all sorts.

It's a peaceful scene.

We're sure you're all about to make it go horribly wrong.

B9: Reap the Harvest
For the unluckier, or the more adventurous, something far less tranquil awaits. Perhaps you woke up on this particular map square instead, or you saw fit to journey a little farther, just to see what might happen. In any case, you'll quickly discover that this may not have been the best idea, when an ordinary grassy mound abruptly detaches itself from the ground, hauls itself upright on bristling legs, and starts scuttling near.

SPINDLANKS have now been unlocked in the bestiary.
What might initially appear to be a leafy hillock will very quickly prove to be something far more...mobile, if you get close enough. That clump of grass and red ferns will abruptly hoist itself up on six vine-like tendrils, crawling for its prey like a very large, mossy spider. While it's fully capable of swiping at its foes with its massive, leafy arms, the spindlank's favored method of dispatching its prey is simply to scuttle forth until it's positioned directly above you and drop down. If its weight does not crush you and choking on the clods of earth doesn't smother you, don't worry; the spindlank intends to eat you alive with a set of fleshy jaws set deep in its center, buried somewhere in its underbelly.

For despite their appearance, spindlanks are very much carnivorous. Their size can vary from anywhere between six and ten feet tall when their appendages unfurl entirely. They are, in essence, very large plants, and thus can be easily dealt with, if you can burn them.

Just try not to get overwhelmed.

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

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.

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!

LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

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[The beginning of April passes in a distant haze for Ignis. Certain events are vague markers. A new island appears. Prompto heads out with Laurent and Damen to explore. Ignis...exists, more detached from the world than he has ever really been, swirling emotions hidden behind a familiar mask once more all because of the day that sticks out the most from the haze. The day he and Prompto were working on improvements to the cottage as normal.

The day normal stopped existing.

It started with a simple failure of handmade tools, parts cobbled together in a way they weren't ever meant to be. It ended with a cut across the back of his hand. Something easily fixed with an application of Regroup. Something that really didn't even call for such an effort, but Prompto had been worried and it was easier to heal the wound than leave his friend worrying. Ignis had reached for the magic as he had so many times before only this time...

...this time...

...nothing reached back. No magic built under his skin. No warmth knit skin back together. In a sudden bout of desperation, Ignis reached again only to have the same thing happen.

Nothing.

It's then he realizes that Noctis, still missing even after Ai'tuoh's disappearance, is not just on another one of those long naps. Ignis always retained use of the magic granted to him by his Prince then. No, Noctis isn't just sleeping. He's just...gone.

Sent home to die.

Had the Astrals heard his and Prompto's plans? Had they appealed to Fate once more to reach out and slap them for daring to deny it?

Becoming detached was all he could do. Detach and be strong for Prompto. Detach and hope the pain and the anger didn't shatter him into a million pieces before he could remember how to properly pack away all the emotions he'd allowed freedom over the last months. Detach and be...numb.

It was that or lose himself in the pain of another failure.

Distracting himself by continuing to repair the cottage works only for a short time before Ignis finds himself driven to be anywhere but the place where the three of them spent so much time together. Despite the dangers, it's not surprising that he eventually finds his way to the new island. A fool's errand, and he's the fool ready to run it. The only thing that stops him from heading out and exploring on his own is that softly whispered word in a familiar voice.]

Mira?

[As detached as he is--as hazy as the world around him remains--there are some things that will always reach him. Her voice is one of them.]

Darling, you're far from being an idiot. What's wrong?

[ Oh. Ignis.

Mira releases the breath she hadn't quite realized she'd been holding. Her fists clench and loosen, and she clears her throat so her voice doesn't tremble or break. Even though she feels like a fool, completely and utterly, things seem so much easier to deal with now that he's here.

But she can't see him, and that frightens her more than just a touch. ]

Ignis. I'm-- [ Her voice--the volume, at least--sounds off, like she's not facing him. And surely, with Ignis's other senses so honed, he should be able to tell, shouldn't he? And she could lie, but.

It's something she's told herself time and time again. She will not lie to Ignis Scientia. ]

I am... afraid I may have gotten into a bit of trouble.

What kind of trouble? Talk to me.

[And one more day is added to the list of those that stand out from the haze. His words and actions are efficient, even as he worries, the concern pushed back into the mass of other emotions he will deal with later whenever that may come.

Rory makes a concerned sound from where she perches on his shoulder, feathers ruffling uneasily as she picks up on his worry buried as it may be.

Once he makes his way around to Mira's front, Ignis kneels before her, holding out his hands.]

Are you hurt?

[ She had expected him to come over, but what little movement she can see startles her. But it's Ignis, and that calms her heart. She reaches for his hands; she misses the first time, fingertips just grazing against his.

It takes a couple more times, but her shaking hands find his, and she squeezes. ]

I... explored on my own. I thought, perhaps, I would be fine... But I encountered these creatures that attacked when they sensed I was around. They-- Whatever they shot into my eyes, I...

I can hardly see, Ignis.

[The start. The shaking. The missed attempt at taking his hands. Unconsciously, he knows what this is. It's familiar in a way he doesn't want to think about. Even so, the knowing doesn't help prepare him for her words. In some ways, it just makes hearing them worse.

No!

The word echoes over and over in the space where he's shoved all his emotions. Not her too. Not this. Anything but this!

He squeezes her hands, perhaps a little too hard, before letting loose of one and frantically digging into the pouch he's reclaimed now that Rory is too large to fit in it. The pouch holds what's left of the medical kit the Jormun gave him, and he pulls out the pieces settling them nearby as he starts asking questions, voice shaking only slightly.]

Take a deep breath. I'm going to need to you to give me as specific answers as you can. We must move quickly. Have you been able to wash our your eyes?

[He's got some water with him since he didn't know how long exploring would take, especially on his own. Thank the Astrals, he automatically prepares for the worst even when his mind isn't firing on all cylinders.]

No--

[ Her voice breaks, and grips Ignis's hand hard. He anchors her, keeps her steady, and she hates that she's probably worrying him to hell and back. ]

N-no, I was not able to. I was worried I would get lost, and... I would have healed myself, or tried, had it not been for my using so much magic earlier.

[Bloody hell, of course her magic is worn out or else she would have already taken care of things and his isn't...

Ignis cuts off those thoughts before they can go any farther. There is no time for them now.]

Shh... It's all right. I can't heal now either. We'll just do this the old fashioned way.

[He keeps his voice confident and steady for her sake as he pulls free the container of water and carefully presses it into her empty hand. Letting her keep a hold of his other hand slows things down, but he knows how important it is to have that grounding. The last thing he's going to do is take it away from her.]

Hold this steady for me and lets see what I can do. If it hurts, you must tell me.

[The cloth he has is canvas. Not the most gentle of materials, but it's clean and sturdy.]

Edited (Missed a word!) 2018-04-10 07:29 (UTC)

You...

[ He can't? That's... strange. But she'll ask later; for now, she just wants to be able to see again. And perhaps it's cruel, his helping to pull her out of half-blindness when there's nothing she can do for him in return. It's a thought that makes her chest squeeze, and makes her hold onto his hand so, so much tighter.

But she takes the container in hand, just like he says, and she's calmer enough now that she's not shaking. ]

I-I will. Ignis, th... thank you. So much.

[ For everything. ]

Hush now. There is no need to thank me, my darling. This is what family does for each other.

[Ignis isn't surprised that she picked up on the mention of his lost powers no matter how causal he tried to make it. Still, she doesn't push it and for that he is grateful. He would rather focus on what he can do something about and that is her eyes, not bringing Noctis back.

Once he feels the canvas has absorbed as much water as it will, he pulls it from the container and then coaxes her to lean forward with a gentle pull on her hand.]

I'll try not to soak your clothes, but I make no promises. Apologies in advance.

[At least he can loan her his jacket afterward if need be.]

[ She nods, once, giving his hand another squeeze. Then, he's pulling her close, and she tenses up a little at the expectation of pain. It's something she's never been fond of, something she thinks makes her a coward...

All the same, she leans forward, letting out a shaky breath. ]

No-- You have no need to apologize. It is only water.

[It may only be water, but he's a chef and he knows well there are things one doesn't mix with water. He can only hope whatever is in her eyes isn't one of those things. Ignis will never forgive himself if he makes things worse.]

Try to keep them open as much as you can for the moment. I'm going to flush them before I begin wiping around them.

[Pretty standard procedure, but he says it more as a warning that he's about to begin than anything else. Startling her so she shuts her eyes as the cool water washes over them isn't going to help anything.]

[ The idea of opening her eyes, quite frankly, frightens her, and she swallows hard. A cold sweat breaks out on her forehead, but she nods. She knows Ignis doesn't want to hurt her or frighten her, so she steels herself and opens her eyes. Bites her lip against the whimper that threatens to burst forth.

It's not a lot, how much she's opened her eyes... but she hopes it's enough. ]

[A little is sometimes enough. They have to start somewhere.]

Blink the water through your eyes. I know it hurts.

[He gives the hand he's still holding a squeeze. Don't worry. You aren't alone.]

[ She makes a soft, pained noise, her lips pursed so hard they're white. Her hands are shaking, but she squeezes back as she does her best to blink. ]

I-I'm sorry... I-Ignis...

Shh... There is nothing to be sorry for. You're doing fine. This is the most painful part, but you can close them again now if it's easier.

[Gently, he takes to wiping around her eyes to get rid of whatever she may have blinked out along with what may remain that the water didn't wash away. Honestly, he would rather draw her into his arms and soothe the pain away that way, but he knows that won't work. Hugs will just have to wait.]

Th-thank you, [ she breathes, closing her eyes. Some of the ink is out of her eyes; quite a bit of it, actually, and she hisses quietly through gritted teeth as it burns her skin. ] I think it's... a little better now.

[It heartens him to hear there is some improvement. After a few more gentle wipes to get what ink remains on her skin, Ignis sets aside the cloth and wipes his hand on his pants before digging into the medical supplies he has. The Jormun kit has some treatments for burns in it and while these are not typical burns--they are more chemical in nature--he hopes the treatments may help soothe the pain at least a little.]

I have some salve that will help with the burns to your skin. After that, we'll see about getting you back home to rest.

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April Intro: The Flower Ripens in its Place

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