Exploration Event: Neverwere

[lifeaftr_mods]

EXPLORATION EVENT: NEVERWERE

Who: Everyone!
What: Your wildest dreams come true!
When: May 15th to May 18th
Where: Ziziphus, those still on Ensō...and Mu
Warnings: Mark as needed!

Then Know That My Life Was Just a Killer Dream
You can find most of the information you need in the OOC info post! In the meantime, feel free to use this log as a catch-all for your dream worlds, as well as detailing your efforts to free one another. Whether they're on Ziziphus or Ensō at the time of the dreams' capture, your character is free to access as many dreams as you like, as the interlocking mental landscape allows for that sort of crossing over apropos of nothing. And time, of course, is very fluid in dreams - many days, months, and years can transpire in a matter of mere minutes.

Will you fight your way free from Ziziphus's vines or Mu's thrall, or are you content to die in your sleep?

Remember to let us know if your character dies during this event!

Event Timeline

[ ♆ ] May 15th: The vines make their move, ensnaring characters in ideal fantasy worlds
[ ♆ ] May 17th: The Storyteller will make contact with those they can, as well as issue information and a potential solution
[ ♆ ] May 18th: Those that have not freed themselves from the vines or from Mu will suffer a death

---

LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Comments

Kravitz | ota, will match formatting!

[deathfindsaway]

[ooc: plotting comment is here! Feel free to hit me up there or on plurk at cancerously for questions or other prompts.]

i. i guess space and time takes violent things, angry things, and makes them kind

[The scene, as it's entered, is picturesque.

It's quiet, but not lonely; there's a two story house at the edge of a forest, a field of grass surrounding it, a path through the woods visible- not far from civilization, but enough that someone would need to decide to come see you. The sun is out, but overcast, the temperature moderate and calming with a shadow cast across everything. A gentle breeze sways the grass, passes through the house's structure. It's quiet. It's calming. The sort of place you'd want to lie in the grass and read a book, watch the clouds, and just let time pass by.

The only real movement comes from the front of the house, where surrounding it in every capacity is a rather expansive garden. There are dark tulips alongside lillies and roses, and a raven or two can be seen hopping across the roof or around the flowers, following around the man tending them. In the center of it all is Kravitz, wearing a pair of overalls and thick gloves, inspecting the leaves of what looks like a more sickly sprout. He stands and stretches, looking in the window, where those who are close can see a few people moving around inside. He'll catch notice of anyone approaching, though, turning around to greet any visitor.]

Uhm, hello-- do you need something? I can show you inside, if you're not here for me, of course.

ii. we are the dust of dust, we are the apple of god's eye

[On the other hand, this scene is much less normal.

When Kravitz can't be found at the house, those that are curious can find a portal hanging in a small corner that leads to another world entirely. The landscape is entirely in greyscale, a sweeping field leading to a massive lake that seems to glow an unearthly white. Upon closer inspection, the 'water' here isn't that at all- it's thousands, possibly millions of souls, small white wisps swimming and moving around each other in a continued spiral, with a small island in the center. Overlooking them on the top of a tall hill is a structure part castle, part prison- the Eternal Stockade, a much louder, more cacophonous affair. Inside are the souls who cheated death, who escaped their place, and who simply refused to die. A figure can be seen emerging from the main door, a long black cloak layered over an intricately tailored suit, holding a rather intimidating scythe. More interesting, though, is that if you catch a look at them under the cloak, they don't seem to have a face at all. That's a walking skeleton, my friends. In fact, a walking, talking skeleton, as he looks to focus in on you as you approach.]

What are you doing outside of the pool? Go on, this isn't the time for visitation. You don't want to get in trouble.

[And for those who have spoken to him, that voice is identifiable as Kravitz himself. Can a skeleton look like it's furrowing it's brow? You're finding out, buddy, because he's doing it. Regardless, he doesn't look mad- just gentle. He'll sort this out easy.]

i

[catpiper]

[Ready for hell?

Because hi, she's here. And the request doesn't fall on deaf ears, despite how uninterested she looks in that statement. She's far too used to sight of this house and it became an out of the way stop in her daily travels. Taako's cookies give her the Strength to make it back to her home. It's been so long-she can't remember how it started? Which is weird, but she doesn't dwell on it for more than a millisecond.

But despite her cookie absconding ways, she's here to see the other one today. Because the area next to their house has turned out to be a great spot for them to play games and she's lost a number of items to their garden.]

I threw a ball against your house.

[She says, cheerfully, like nothing about that statement is troubling.]

It was a home run. Now I have to take it back.

[deathfindsaway]

[Oh. Oh, it's her. His lips sandwich into a tighter line, like he's already been made tired by her entire presence. Taako insists on being nice to her, in the way that he tends towards being nice towards most children who give him adoration, but she's also the child who breaks his windows and steps on his flowers and needs to be more apologetic about all of that.

His ravens seem to like her, though. The one on the roof flutters down, hopping close and cocking it's head at her like it's expecting something.

Kravitz just rolls his eyes, crossing his arms to look down at her.]

Have you ever thought to throw those anywhere else but here? There are a multitude of other directions, you know.

[catpiper]

Your house makes me happy. When I look at it, I can hit anything. So I have to throw this way.

[Nevermind hitting anything includes the roof, windows, doors, windows, siding, windows, flowers, windows-look, she's tried to throw other directions, but she can't seem to hit the baseball velocity she's trying to reach. It's only when she thinks about Taako, about Kravitz, their kind hearts and-

Kind hearts?

That's weird and she pushes out of her mind, scrambling to pull some leftover popcorn from her pockets. Where did it come from? Who knows. It's a mystery. One for the birds to solve because she tosses the handful towards the little raven without a second thought.]

[deathfindsaway]

[He opens his mouth to explain that that's absolutely not how it works, but it dies on his lips. It's not going to make her stop. He knows it's not. Meanwhile, the raven around her feet caws as soon as the popcorn hits the floor, grabbing kernels and tilting it's head back to dump them in it's mouth. It gives her little hops as it circles the pile. It's a good day for them, at least.

Kravitz sighs, raising an eyebrow.]

Why, because you'll be able to cause the most property damage?

[His voice isn't biting, but it is tired, and he steps past her to head to the other side of the house.]

Alright, where did you toss it? I need to make sure you didn't damage any of the flowers. They're delicate, you know, it's awfully hard to keep something alive.

[catpiper]

[Go ahead and walk on Kravitz, she's gotta wave at the bird. They have a Routine. It's hopping in a little circle and so is she, because this is a language that transcends words and it's how she's gonna get little presents from them later in the week. The process distracts her from listening to him and his minor complaint about their home. That's what fantasy insurance is for-start filing some claims. It's not that hard.

But, uh. That's also a good question. Where did she throw it?]

It hit the back? I think that's where.

[She doesn't sound confident, but it's bound to be somewhere.]

Do you like gardening? Which flowers are your favorite?

i. Road Trip

[want_to_belong]

[It made perfect sense that, driving from his home, of course he'd find new things. His mind readily explained away the new scenery as he decided to park and take a walk around. Coming from a big city, it was nice to see expansive nature.

When he spotted a familiar face, he readily jogged over and shouted out a greeting with a large smile on his face.]

Hey there!

[Of course he remembered Kravitz.

...From when? He couldn't recall exactly. The thought gave him pause, but he pushed it aside.]

We've met, right?

ayyy

[deathfindsaway]

[Kravitz has the same swell of recognition as the other man waves, his mouth tugging into a smile with a return gesture. This... feels like it makes sense. But he doesn't exactly know how.

He slides off a dirty glove so he can give his hand a proper shake.]

I believe so. Prompto, yes?

[Why is he worrying about this? He's met all kinds of people. Interestingly enough, he isn't warm to the touch like he is on the islands- his skin is cold, warmed of course by the sun and the glove but not alive by any means.]

You might have met my husband, he's-- he's quite popular. Gets around a lot. Do you need something?

Re: ayyy

[want_to_belong]

Yup, that's me.
[Where had they met? He couldn't seem to quite place it. With that irritating his mind, he decided to press for information a little.]

Your husband, huh? Nah, I don't think it was him... Have you been to Insomnia?

[A, but what was he here for? Nothing specific, really. He just thought it looked nice, and paused to dig out his camera.]

It looks pretty cool here, I just thought it'd be nice to take a look around. Maybe get some shots. So this is your home?

[deathfindsaway]

Hmm. Well, I'm not-- certain, exactly. I get around to a lot of places.

[It's part of his job. And with such an expansive lifespan, who's to say? He can latch onto the topic change regardless.]

But uhm, yes, this is my home. Though I'm often away on, uhm... business, of a sort. It's just nice to have a place away from it all. You're a, ah, photographer?

[want_to_belong]

[Strange. He was trying to place it but nothing was coming up.

Well, better not to think about it too hard.]

Well, I do like driving around and getting pics. Could have always run into you somewhere else.

[Decent explanation, right?

He waved his camera lightly.]

It's kind of a hobby, but I've been published before! Think it'd be okay if I took some pics around here? I mean, it's cool if you don't want me to take pics of your place.

[ohshitsweetflips]

This...is fine. Taako has a moment of--vagueness? Not unlike entering a room and immediately blanking on what he's there for, or that nagging sensation of forgetting something as you walk out the door for the day. Only this is outside and he doesn't need a reason, he's pretty sure the reason is right here, and terrible overalls aside, that's fine.

He insinuates himself into Kravitz' personal space with easy familiarity, draping his arms around the other man's neck with the air of a cat laying across a nerdass book. He's even only a little mocking as he plucks at a strap of the overalls, isn't even concerned about dirty gloves near his own immaculate outfit.

"I could have sworn I got Lup to burn these."

[deathfindsaway]

Taako will be able to feel his body shake as he laughs, shoulders rising and falling in a gentle motion as not to knock him off. On the contrary, he keeps himself quite still so Taako will have no reason to leave, turning his head to press a soft kiss to the side of his cheek.

"I imagine that'd be awfully hard, seeing as all of my clothes are part of a construct. But I wouldn't put it past her." There's a grin in his voice, a lift to it that just comes from being near Taako. He shifts just enough to turn slightly so he doesn't have to crane his neck to see him. "Am I not dressed well enough to be seen outside our home?"

[ohshitsweetflips]

Something about this hurts his heart, unquantifiable and sharp, but he quickly reins it in before it can do any harm to his self-assured aura. Maybe just a little harm. It's fine, he can be safely flustered here of all places. Kravitz is so careful, in the most literal sense of the word, and that's only familiar levels of overwhelming.

"Well you definitely aren't dressed well enough to be seen inside, so I'm locking the door when I go." See, it's funny because that wouldn't work even if he actually did it. This is the next stage of humor evolution, joking about eating souls is so last-- year? Iiiiis it though? Whatever.

"Still don't get the point of all this," he says, giving the plants a meaningful look. There's no actual complaint here; it feels like a particularly well-worn track, no real bite.

[deathfindsaway]

He chuckles at the joke, still not enough to shake him off. As much as Kravitz loves these small touches and gentle movements, he's certainly not a showboater either. There's a reason for this small, secluded place- a home just for them. No prying media eyes, no judgement from external forces. Just them, and the home they've made. It makes his heart flutter just thinking about it, which is weird, seeing as his heart doesn't work, but he's just not thinking about that right now.

"I... don't know if there really is a point, to be honest." Kravitz looks back towards a group of tulips, still sprouting from their bulbs. "I suppose it's just nice to have something grow? You know. Tend to something with a cycle of life and death. Kind of simple?" His eyes slide towards Taako again, his face still in a grin. "Sorry, you married me for all the action of a servant of a death god, and here I am gardening. Disappointing, I'm sure."

[ohshitsweetflips]

Well, Taako's heart works just fine, but it still doesn't have any means of processing this domesticity besides stinging dumbly in his chest. Which does absolutely nothing to threaten this fiction, since it'll be literal years before he finds this degree of unstinting affection easy to believe anyway. He's pretty sure he came outside specifically to make fun of Kravitz' clothes and hobby, aaaand maybe also just to get in the way, and now this is happening. Turns out this has been a very long con and Kravitz means to kill him definitely for sure.

"Nah, I knew you were a dork from the get-go, no disappointment there." Kravitz jokes, but Taako feels more than a little called out; he enjoys 'simple' like the luxury it has historically been, sue him. "It just seems like a lot of work, and they're not even spooky plants. You can't even eat this stuff! And we don't have any neighbors to be better than. 'S a lotta wasted opportunities."

ii owo

[tenthstreetbred]

[This entire business with Bliss has been an ordeal. The sights of a world so perfect and beautiful, where she's alive and with her family stings but it's easily brushed aside. (Or so she thinks.) She has a duty to free people. Or at least to try. So she wanders through dreams and different realms and-

Stumbles upon this. She's taken aback by the almost classically spooky setting, all grey and empty until you come upon a lake. And when she peers in she recoils immediately, the sight of souls, what are supposed to represent souls, swimming there. It's overwhelming. And strange.

When a figure approaches she whirls around, assessing the danger. It's not the first time she's met a skeleton here. The last one she met was actually pretty nice overall. So she watches, warily, but doesn't do anything rash, letting it approach.]

Visitation? What do you mean?

[deathfindsaway]

[What's considered classically spooky for some is comforting for others. This is familiar to Kravitz- soft and glowing, like the warm glow of a sunset. Except the light is from a pool of souls and there's a skeleton here now, shaking his head at her like she's a disrupting little child.]

If you want to see any of your relatives in the Stockade, you'll have to have executive permission and they'll have to have exhibited good behavior. You know that. Now I can't just have you wandering around without permission, so go on.

[He brandishes his scythe, but it's not even an attempt at the pointy bit; he's just jabbing the top about into her side.]

[tenthstreetbred]

[Shepard can't quite decide how she feels here as the light of the soul pool flickers across Kravitz's face. Any question of whether she's about to have an existential crisis about the apparent confirmation that souls exist somewhere is halted by the poking of his scythe into her side. Shepard decides that she's actually feeling annoyed about all of this.]

I don't belong in there, Kravitz.

[She puts a hand on the scythe and pushes it aside- not roughly, but enough so that he can't really poke her anymore. The whisper of the souls in the pool make her look and with this second glance... well. Perhaps the light is more captivating than she originally thought it was.]

[deathfindsaway]

[He'd roll his eyes if he was able, but skeleton face makes that difficult. He still manages to look thoroughly unimpressed, bringing the scythe back up so he can cross his arms.]

Yes, you do. You're dead, that's where the dead go. I know it can be difficult to pass on and accept the end of life, but I'm not here to be your babysitter. Now go on before I get actually cross.

[It doesn't make much sense as to why she looks so solid, but that shouldn't matter. The living don't just appear on the Astral Plane. It must be some trick of the light.]

[tenthstreetbred]

[You're dead he says and Shepard feels that phrase reverberate through her entire body, hair standing on end as it does. There's a distant ringing in her ears as her eyes lock on the gently swirling pool. He's right. She is dead. She knows this. There's no coming back from that. No Illusive Man to bring her back from the brink to save the galaxy and humanity.]

Is that what you do, then? Guide souls to the afterlife?

[How apt, then, that she would meet him here, in this world where she has once again dodged death. Not by her choosing, never by her choosing... she never gets the choice.]

Kravitz. This may be a reflection of your home, but this? This isn't real.

[There's a longing feeling suddenly tugging at her heart as she looks back to the pool of souls again. A longing to just... rest. A familiar tugging feeling that she finds herself comparing a bit to Ai'tuoh.]

i

[proficienciesouttheass]

[Before Magnus makes it the whole way down the path, Johann's already happily bounding into the garden. He slows down enough to trot his way over to Kravitz, tongue hanging out and panting, tail wagging in greeting.

But it's only moments until his owner is there too, pulling a small cart behind him.]

'Sup, skeleman?

[deathfindsaway]

[Kravitz' smile is gentle, the dog giving him more warning than Magnus, and he reaches down and gives him a few pets before raising his head to see the actual man.]

Sup yourself. I didn't know you were visiting.

[He tilts a bit to look at the cart.]

And it looks like you brought something.

[proficienciesouttheass]

[ Johann trots off, ready to make his way around the garden. Keep an eye on the flowers, Kravitz.]

Yeah, huh, finished that cabinet you guys asked for. Figured the rest of the set could wait.

[ He sets down the cart, stretching his arms out, after his long walk.]

Taako around?

[deathfindsaway]

[You better not pee on his roses Johann, don't you dare.]

No, I haven't seen him today. I assume he's busy elsewhere. Probably out with his sister.

[He does keep an eye on Johann near his plants, but he walks up, taking off a dirty glove to run a clean hand over Magnus' worksmanship.]

This looks lovely. Thank you, Magnus. Your work never ceases to amaze me. Not that I imagine you'd be bad at it or anything, the gentleness is just... surprising.