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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[One for himself, huh? Guzma's not even sure if he can fit on top of one of those creatures - he is a lot taller and heavier than the petite Muffet here, after all...Guzma is going to need something that can actually hold him comfortably.]

S'gotta be big...

[His eyes dart to where she's looking and Guzma narrows his eyes, pulling out Ariados' pokeball from inside his pocket. She's much better at stealth and sneak attacks than the bigger and more brutish Golisopod is. Besides, holding the darn thing in place sounds like a prime option, given how many legs it has. Can't do nothing before he tames the so-called beast. Guzma clicks open the ball and Ariados appears from a beam of red light, blinking her eyes and flexing her legs as she stretches. It's good to be out and about.]

Tell me how to wrangle that thing and Ariados here will get the jump on it, yeah?

You'll want to aim for the body at the top, not the legs- it can get those free too easily- but not too far up or you'll just tear off some of the grass.

[Muffet is assuming Ariados can manage thread more or less about as well as she can, at least. The creatures are surprisingly sturdy, strong for their size, so she's reasonably certain it should be able to carry him if he can manage to stay on.]

[Without taking her eyes off the shifting mound, she calmly outlines her advice:]

Once you know you've got a line securely attached to it, plant your feet and wait for the creature to charge you, then use the line to jump off one of its' front legs and haul yourself up onto its' back. After that, you simply need to loop the line around the general area of its' head and get a good grip. They don't seem to understand the idea of bucking or rolling to get things off of them, I suspect they're used to only ever attacking prey from above...

[She trails off as the ground bursts upward abruptly, the mound revealing itself to indeed be another spindlank and beginning to scuttle rapidly towards Guzma. Time to get to work.]

You heard the lady, girl.

[Guzma issues the command, and Ariados goes on the prowl. Muffet is correct to assume that the spider pokemon is a pro weaver - with the capability to spit web from its mouth and abdomen, an Ariados can create lines of silk with incredible speed, and they're among the most durable of any of the silk-spinning pokemon. It definitely takes some finesse, Guzma's not as, erm...elegant as Muffet is by any means, but eventually he does manage to get hold of one for himself, securing a line of rope on it and tugging tight to reign in the rowdy creature. His legs dangle from the side of the creature, given his height, but he's stable at the very least.]

Tch...and they say riding a Tauros is tough work. [He wipes his brow, recalls his pokeon to her ball, and pockets it. He hasn't had his Ride Pager in ages - probably smashed it or flung it into the sea at some point before or after he ran away - so this is...different. He's definitely a lot more wobbly and inexperienced than Muffet is.]

You're catching on quickly- and my compliments to Ariados on her threadwork, as well.

[Muffet keeps a careful eye on the whole thing, ready to step in if it looks like Guzma needs the help, but doesn't intervene unless it looks like he's in danger- she suspects he'd find it a little insulting if she tried to do it all for him. Fortunately, he seems to manage well enough, so she waits a moment to let him get a feel for the balance of it and then turns to him with a smile.]

We don't exactly have a formal racing track, but that tree over there looks as though it should be a good landmark. From the tree to the beach and back, perhaps?

Uh huh. [He may be a fast learner, but he doesn't seem exactly happy with the set-up. The creature is definitely not as comfortable a ride as what he'd be used to back on Alola - most ride pokemon are suitably trained and geared up to provide their rider the best and most duty-free transport possible. This? This is a task, and Guzma knows his behind is going to be sore in the morning. Thank god his calves and leg muscles are as good as they are from years of squatting, otherwise he'd collapse just trying to get out of his hammock the next day.]

Not as easy to maneuver as a ride pokemon, but I think I got it. [There's definitely some resistance, the spindlank isn't exactly as keen to a huge, heavy person like Guzma on its back. He jabs his heel roughly into its side and it gives a writhing noise of obedience as it saunters over to stand beside Muttet.] That one there? Got it. Just saying, Muffy, I don't like to lose...

[And he plays dirty.]

[Muffet maneuvers her spindlank up to their makeshift starting line, making sure that she and Guzma are precisely even.]

My, what a coincidence. Neither do I.

[Her smile is sugary-sweet and more than a little terrifying. Sure, she's doing this to take his mind off things and cheer him up, but this is still a woman with a competitive streak a mile wide who muscled her way into a corporate environment run by a completely different species. She plays to win.]

On my mark... get set...

Go.

[Guzma had better have good reflexes, because Muffet takes off the second the word 'go' leaves her lips and she isn't going to wait for him at all.]

[It's about time someone went toe-to-toe with him like this. The last time anyone had the gall, it was Luna, back home in Alola...and he'd really rather not think about the little trainer right now. Someone who can keep pace with Guzma's more...dark side is a blessing, a bit of chaos to get it out of his system. He is a master of mischief, and getting someone to play along, especially on an island of goody-goodie's, is especially difficult.

Muffet barely has to say go before Guzma jerks the the reigns and makes the beastly spindlank go shooting forward. Reflexes? Come on, he's a Pokemon Trainer! One has to have good reflexes to catch and toss pokeballs. And to, uh...avoid attacks from the more disagreeable types. He cackles as they throttle forward, glancing quickly behind him.]

Prepare to eat my dust, Muffy!! I ain't gonna hold back for you, either! [To do so would be an insult.]

[Judging by her cheerfully wicked little grin, Muffet has similar views on the matter. Though she might be less inclined to use the word 'dust'.]

Oh, perish the thought.

[Muffet leans forward to minimize air resistance, taking advantage of her smaller size and lighter weight to let her spindlank move faster than their opponents.]

[That's the one bad thing about his size and weight, Guzma's heavy, and that's why he has to compensate with a larger spindlank. And in a race, size doesn't exactly make one better or faster... They're not very good at turning, either. As he yanks the reigns, Guzma tries to make use of his larger beast's wider and longer gait to gain the upper hand, and block Muffet from advancing on him. If he can keep her behind him, then he can maybe win this.]

Enjoying the view, darlin'? [He sneers, winking wickedly over his shoulder before gazing back ahead.]

Oh, I'm certain it will be lovely once I've gotten rid of this silly thing that's in the way~

[And she's pulling on the reins, urging her spindlank to go faster. Guzma may have a longer stride, but she has more fine control over hers, and they're starting to pull even...]

[Laughing harshly, Guzma sees Muffet pulling in close to him and huffs, trying to push in rea close to her beast and try her run her into more of the tree-line to slow her down. He said he plays dirty (or did he?), and he's doing just that. Fighting fair is for piddly little do-good trainers back home, he's fighting for keeps, and all's fair here.]

Well don't mind me if I move over.

How thoughtful of you- I accept.

[Muffet veers dangerously close to a nearby tree, just barely avoiding running into it, and uses the extra maneuvering room to angle her spindlank around Guzma's and pull in front of him, running at top speed.]

[They'll hit the beach in just a moment, and then both of them will have to turn around to try and make it back to the tree in time to win.]

Yo--what?!

[He was certainly not expecting that... Grinding his teeth angrily, Guzma whips the reigns of his spindlank to get it to speed up, huffing in irritation. His competitiveness is starting to kick in, and loss is no longer an option...]

Remember, homeboy, your life is on the line here.. [And, angrily, he grinds his fist into the mossy top of his beast, which gives a low groan.]

Edited 2018-06-27 20:31 (UTC)

[Muffet reaches the sand and turns her spindlank around in a quick, nimble movement, knowing that she can't afford to waste any time as she starts heading back to the tree.]

[Her lead is tiny at best, and Guzma can still easily catch up to her with luck and effort, so she can't risk relaxing now.]

[Guzma sees Muffet move nimbly on her creature and bites his lip, urging his creature to do the same, but he isn't as experienced as she is, and his spindlank isn't as small or as agile as her is. It's larger to accommodate his size and build. He tries to coax it around the corner, but the top-heavy creature nearly topples off its many long legs when Guzma tries to turn it too quickly, taking precious seconds to gets its footing.

He's losing ground on her and he knows there's little chance to win at this point...unless he cheats. Grinding his teeth angrily, Guzma takes the reigns in one hand and reaches into his back pocket for his knife. If he could aim it right at one of those legs--...no. He's not that devious. Not today. He kicks the creature hard in the side, urging it faster, but he knows there's not much more he can do now. He tries, but it's inevitable.

He loses.]

[Muffet is about to reach the tree when several things happen in quick succession:]

[She notices a mound of grass in her path that looks rather suspicious.]

[Her steed does not notice it, and charges directly over the odd patch before Muffet can yank on the reins.]

[And the spindlank that just got stepped on rears up angrily, launching the one standing on it up and over.]

[Muffet makes the split-second decision to let go of the reins and leap off her spindlank in midair, rather than stay on top of it and get crushed when it flips over. She jumps off with and much force and grace as she can manage under the circumstances, reaches out for something to grab hold of before she hits the ground...]

[And lands in the branches of the tree.]

[Technically, they did just say 'whoever' touches it first, so it's probably still her win, but...]

Well. This is much less dignified a victory than I was aiming for.

[Guzma, still making up the rear, barely has time to process all of what happens. His stomach lurches when he sees Muffet go flying off her steed, and he yanks the reigns of his own to get it to stop. He wanted to win, yes, but not at the cost of his friend actually getting hurt. If it were anyone else, Guzma wouldn't have cared and even laughed at all this, but he actually respects and likes Muffet. Despite her meddling sometimes, it's always been for his own good - prying, but only just enough to help. Intervening for his benefit; never letting him go too far astray.

Thankfully, she's fine, and he can breathe easier. It definitely helps choke out the anger that would have strangled his reason considering the loss he was just handed, and Guzma snickers as he approaches where Muffet, uh...'landed' not so gracefully. The other two spindlanks, make a break for it and hurry off into the depths of Ziziphus' forests, but his...well, fate will determine its future soon enough.]

Man, I dunno, Muffy, I think hanging from a tree suits any sorta spider, yeah? Heh heh... Need a hand getting down, sweetheart?

[Muffet pulls herself up and turns around so that she's sitting neatly on a treebranch, facing Guzma.]

Hmph, nonsense. I was raised as a burrowing spider, not an arboreal one. ...but I think I'll manage to find my way back to solid ground well enough, thank you.

[She's trying to sound stern, but she can't stop the edges of her mouth from twitching into a smile, her tone that of someone who's laughing at themself more than any actual annoyance.]

You're a tunneler? For real?

[Guzma back his spindlank up for her to get down, tilting his head to one side. He...vaguely remembers something about her living inside some sort of cave or mountain, but the details are lost on him with time. Honestly, he didn't expect it, she always seemed the type to spin a web in a tree or the eaves of houses and wait for prey to approach - a lot like his Ariados. Something like a Galvantula or Joltik that burrow and spin webs on the ground seems so unlike what he expected.]

Well, not so much by choice as by necessity.

[She clambers down the trunk of the tree, landing on her feet and brushing herself off briskly.]

When all your people have been sealed away under a mountain for the last few thousand years, you learn to adapt to the environment. Most spider monsters are quite a bit smaller than I am, so we had an advantage in tunneling and exploring small crevices. My family worked in mining for quite a few generations.

[Of course, even that didn't help them make it out of the Ruins...]

[And Guzma lowers himself off the spindlank, which - after realizing there's nothing to control it any further - races off back into the brush. Guzma snorts after it, lips curling as he carelessly spits in its direction. Yeah, yeah, ugly...flee to live another day. As he adjusts his sunglasses and runs a hand through his wind-tussled whit hair, Guzma blinks and suddenly turns to Muffet with a questioning expression.

Did...did she ever tell him about all this? He doesn't remember her mentioning being sealed into any place.]

Whoa, whoa...hold up a second. You were sealed under a mountain? [For a few thousand years. What the actual, loving fuck.] What for?! And by who?!

[Does he have to cut a bitch?]

[Muffet is distracted from her momentary relief at the poor spindlank's stay of execution by Guzma's sudden anger. She blinks, mildly surprised at his vehemence.]

My ancestors and their people, not me personally- I'm in my twenties, so needless to say it was all rather before my time.

[Not that there aren't a few monsters from that time period still around, she just isn't one of them. She's told this story before, but it's not really something that you can forget easily if you're brought up in a culture shaped by it, so it isn't hard for her to repeat it from memory.]

The short version is that humans and monsters used to live together on the Surface in peace. Monsters had a great deal more magic than humans ever did, but humans were much more physically durable, so it balanced out. Then one day, someone discovered that someone from one species could absorb a soul from the other species, thereby gaining great power- and being more physical meant human souls lingered in this world much longer after death compared to monster souls, which moved on almost immediately.

Humanity feared that this would tip the balance irretrievably in favor of monsters, so they preemptively declared war and attempted to kill the entirety of monsterkind. Naturally, monsters fought back... and lost. Badly.

The few remaining survivors were herded into a series of underground caverns beneath Mount Ebott, and seven of humanity's rather rarely-occurring magic users cast a spell to seal them in. The Barrier that surrounded the Underground could be entered at any time, but once inside only someone with a power equal to one human soul and one monster soul combined could leave, and it would take the power of seven human souls to break it entirely. So monsters built a society down there as best they could, and remained there for thousands of years.

There were... other tragedies, in that time, but that part isn't my story to tell.

It wasn't until just this past year that the Barrier finally came down for good, and we rejoined humanity on the Surface.

[tl;dr She genuinely appreciates your willingness to cut a bitch, Guzma, but you're about a couple dozen centuries too late for that one.]

[While Muffet speaks, explains her past and her inherited imprisonment - and who exactly it was that imprisoned them all in the first place - Guzma sneers and lifts his chin a little bit. He pretty much expected the answer, and isn't all that shocked by it, grumbling softly under his breath...a few curse words, and probably a snide comment as well. It's just like people to see something different from them, stronger than them, supposedly better than them...and fear it. Want to lock it away so it doesn't become powerful enough to overthrow them.

Selfish. Selfish, self-serving pieces of shit. He really, really hates people sometimes, and Muffet if just proving his hatred right to a T. People, humans, are downright awful in the worst possible ways. He exhales only when she details that she and her kind now are free, back on the surface, and living....hopefully in peace. Guzma bites his lip, keeping the comment of 'for how long?' closed off in his mind, but he seems...appeased. Sort of. Her freedom at the very least seems better than nothing.]

Yeah, that...heh. That sure as heck does sound like my kin, yeah. We're just a barrel'a sunshine and diplomacy, oh yeah. Sorry y'all couldn't take us out in the first go - bet'cher bottom we deserve most'a what we got. [He shrugs, lazily. Remorse? Nah, he's done caring about people who care only for themselves.] Here's to all y'all making it right and better up top, yeah?

[Hopefully history doesn't repeat itself, as it if oft to do.]

We can't claim as much of the moral highground as we'd no doubt like- humans didn't often make it through the Barrier and into the Underground, but we certainly weren't any kinder to the ones who did that humanity was to us.

[She smiles wearily, ruefully. Not quite bitter, but there's a tinge of sorrow to it. Seven souls to bring it down, remember? Her species has things they can't be proud of, either.]

That said... I can't say that I'm pleased with how we got there, but I am happy with where we are now. Life on the Surface has been good so far, and even if humanity as a whole has caused a great deal of grief in the past, I've met some particular humans I'm rather fond of.

In the end... there's little that can be done for the past. I'd rather do what I can to make a better future.

[He's not entirely privvy to the full scope of things, but Guzma can sense the tonal shift and turns his head to Muffet curiously, but doesn't open the topic of conversation any further. Guzma knows when to spot a sore subject and not pursue it. As much as he loves to beat people down...he's not one to beat a dead Horsea, either. A moot point anyway, given the monsters' renewed freedom. Still he does worry a bit, knowing well how the world works and how it treats its misfits.

Somehow, though, he feels that Muffet won't be in too big trouble. She's got the drive to pull through, and the attitude.]

Follow the winds of change, huh? I feel that. [He's been riding that jetstream for a while now, actually.] Just gotta keep on cruising.

[He sighs a little. His future? Huh...not looking so great, but who knows? Maybe things will change. For better, or for worse. He's just along for the ride.]

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April Intro: The Flower Ripens in its Place

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i diced this and rolled a 2 so LOL WELP

I rolled a four and this happened.

god bless these two disasters

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We can probably wrap this unless you want to do more with it.

sounds good, ye <3