June Intro: Let's Sea How Far We've Come

[lifeaftr_mods]

INTRO LOG: JUNE

Who: Everyone!
What: New souls arrive to the archipelago of LifeAftr as the island of Ziziphus begins to crumble
When: June 4th and onward
Where: Ziziphus and Ensō...and Monsun
Warnings: Mark as needed!

Ziziphus: At The Start Of The End Of The World
Since Bliss's destruction, the extensive root network they've threaded throughout every inch of the island of Ziziphus has begun to crumble. June 4th marks the beginning of the inevitable collapse of the island as it starts to sink into the sea...coincidentally coinciding with the arrival of LifeAftr's newest adventurers. Between the dead trees surrounding Bliss's empty husk, great cracks in the earth start to widen, the dead god's absent root system leaving vast gaps underground which simply cannot support the life above. It almost sounds like thunder rupturing from the ground itself, wild tremors preceding each vicious boom until gaping chasms lay between venturing parties and the safety of the mana pool - only water waits below, for those unlucky enough to lose their footing.

And if the immense pull of mile wide chunks of landmass sinking beneath the waves isn't enough to suck you down, the heavy rain of debris from Ziziphus's rapidly destabilizing edges will certainly help. Want to avoid a watery grave? What you need to do is simple:

Escape.

Sorry, newbies. If you showed up on Ziziphus, you're in for a very athletic entrance to LifeAftr.

Monsun: Just Like Every Other Morning Before
Adventurers aren't the only creatures on Ziziphus attempting to outrun its collapse. Creatures great and small, from the largest spindlank to the smallest tigerlily will be heading south in an attempt to escape the worst of the quakes. Unlike offshore adventurers, however, these poor creatures don't have a mana pool waiting for them to escape through. Their extinction, it seems, is imminent.

Unless you have something to say about it.

Already exhausted from their attempts to get through to and then actively dispose of their fellow god, the Storyteller will break their traditional manner of communication to announce a potential solution to this problem with a single broadcast to the Stones of Far Speech in a strained, weary tone:

"The mana pools on Monsun are now open. If you are willing, save what you can."

True to their word, characters will discover that the island of Monsun will be accessible once more for a short period of time. From prey to predator, obstruction to catastrophe - multiple species of flora and fauna can still be preserved, should you choose to do so.

Be wary of the psychological effects of both sides of the island. Those who are new to our setting and wish to explore, the island of Monsun has a peculiar side effect to its stark divide: the eastern half is rich in resources, but brings out the very worst of you, while the western half is a tumultuous wasteland that accentuates your best qualities. More information on said island can be found on its entry on the Locations page, or its introductory info post.

Due to these efforts, the Storyteller will not be available for contact from the 4th to the 18th of June. Item Requests will also be unavailable at this time. They will, however, make a rather strained announcement to ensure all are aware that access to both Ziziphus and Monsun will cease on June 10th.

Ensō: I Wonder What It Means If It's Gone
The native fauna of Ziziphus aren't the only ones on the move, it seems. Those who wander the shores of Ensō will be delighted to witness the appearance of creatures akin to both turtles and dugongs drifting through the waters, gravitating around the island's eastern coast, rapidly gaining in numbers over the following days.

Kaleidoshells have been unlocked in the bestiary!

With spring close to ending in the archipelago, these peaceful creatures are looking to make good use of their natural nesting areas; hope you're open to sharing the beach for a little while. While a few braver individuals will make their way to the shores between C4 and D1 to begin digging nests, the vast majority won't be coming to shore quite yet.

They do, however, make a very fine sight around the waters of Ensō, especially in the evening. Luminescent, their rainbow patterns glow underwater, drifting mood lights for the increasingly warmer evening breeze.

---

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 )

Comments

Legion

[forwearemany]

A) (Ziziphus, closed to Shepard)

(Geth do not sleep. Nor do they dream.

And yet, they "wake up" in an unfamiliar location, with nothing but an indistinct jumble of dream memories to indicate how they got there.

Not that that's important right now.

The land is shaking and crumbling beneath them.)

B) (Enso, open)

(Despite Shepard-Commander's assistance, they are reluctant to remain in her presence, or that of other organics.

Their people are destroyed.

They are vulnerable.

They are alone.

They...

The thoughts circle and threaten to consume them, but Legion is nothing if not pragmatic. They relocate somewhere dry and out of the way, and attempt to assess damages.

Their omnitool is damaged. They are uncertain how to repair it without assistance.)

B.

[prettypurpleparlor]

Hello?

[Unfortunately for their desire for solitude, Enso is a busy island and someone appears to be passing through this area. At least she doesn't appear to be human, or indeed any race they would be familiar with from their own world.]

[She greets them with a polite smile, seeming reasonably nonhostile.]

Are you one of the new arrivals, dearie? I don't believe we've met.

Jaune ☽☽ OTA Will always match format

[aurabble]

Ziziphus

CAN THE WORLD STOP COLLAPSING AT MY FEET!?!?

[His timing could be better. Amidst the thundering destruction and chaos is one running person, using his shield to protect his head from some of the falling debris. As the ground collapses beneath him he finds himself sliding down the hill, until he spots someone else and goes running at them instead

Until one rather large rock flies into him and sends his body sprawling to the earth.]

Monsun

[Might as well. He survived Ziziphus, and it's a new day, so if there are any materials on this island that can make survival easier, he needs to find them. It hasn't been that long yet, so he hasn't felt anything noteworthy. But the eastern half (is eastern a thing, when you're on another world?) looks more promising, so he heads in that direction. It's the best bet and seems as safe as anything here can be, right?

...Right???]

Enso

[He's standing at the beach, watching the sun set and contemplating his life choices. His stomach growls and he makes a face when he spots a flicker of light in the water.]

What the...?

[Wading in, he gasps in the closest thing that could be called delight since arriving at this place. It was so beautiful. So majestic... Like something out of a fairy tale.]

Let's kill it.

[Drawing Crocea Mors, he attempts to stab it in the water.]

enso

[catpiper]

[Why? It's minding its own little turtle business in the water, doing its thing. It hasn't tried to attack anyone and she doesn't think any part of them is dangerous? But she's not going to get close enough to find out. God. Just come back, weird guy.]

They're not scary. You don't have to kill it.

Muffet | OTA

[prettypurpleparlor]

Ziziphus

Over here, grab on!

[It might feel a little reckless to grab the line of glowing purple light that was just tossed over to you by an unfamiliar spider lady, if you're a new arrival... but it's probably more reckless to just stay where you are, judging by how the ground is cracking and crumbling beneath your feet, and at least she seems to know what she's doing.]

[With the aid of her purple magic, Muffet moves nimbly from place to place on the vanishing land, trying her best to save anyone in need of help.]


Monsun

Terribly sorry, look out, coming through please...

[If you're anywhere on Monsun's desert half, you may hear these very polite calls for you to get the fuck out of the way.]

[Listening to these and moving aside would be a very good idea, as a quick look will reveal a spider lady who has all six of her hands full carefully herding a large collection of various oddly floral-looking creatures out of the mana pool and onto the sands. It seems to be mostly a large-ish herd of some kind of strange wooden deer, but there's also very literal tigerlilies, leafy owls, flowery sheep, and even the occasional spindlank. She's spent some time transplanting various useful plants from their disappearing home into Enso or her garden, now it's their turn.]

[Muffet's made it a mission to save as much of vanishing Ziziphus' unique wildlife as she can, and she's doing her best to get them all to a place of safety... hopefully without accidentally trampling anybody in the process.]

moonsun

[meredream]

[Well that sure is...something.

Has the Hunter seen human-sized spiders before? Yes. He's also been killed by them too. But this marks the first time he's seen a human-sized spider that A) wore clothing, B) spoke (and rather politely too) and C) didn't seem interested in attacking him but leading a number of creatures to safety.

It's strangely off-putting but the Hunter heeds Muffet's warning and moves far out of the way that he doesn't get trampled. He'd rather not get stomped to death again, thank you. But it's not going to stop him from following along either. Call it an inexhaustible curiosity.]

...do you need help?

[scourgingstars]

[a; enso; 6/4]

[And then there was Ardyn, hanging around by the mana pool with his lanky teenage chocobo and completely unconcerned by anything going on whatsoever. Couldn't have been less of his problem, so he didn't care in the slightest.]

[b; monsun, desert; 6/4]

[Whatever incident led to someone shoving him in the mana pool, Ardyn stood in the desert and glared at it as if considering just turning around and going right back. That would be the obvious choice, of course. He wanted nothing to do with this island, and even the hat he was wearing did only so much to shield from the sunlight he hated so much.]

[So why wasn't he leaving? Well...ultimately it wouldn't last, would it? The whole island would just vanish again, sooner or later. What was so terrible about wasting some time when he had an infinite amount of it? At least it was some interruption of monotony in this miserable world.And besides, maybe someone he actually wanted to see would show up.]

[Resigning himself to the fact that last idle thought had all but condemned him, Ardyn sat down near the mana pool, folded his arms in annoyance, and waited.]

[c; monsun, desert; ~6/6-6/9]

[Once the desert's effect had time to take hold, it was quite literally like night and day; when someone passed by Ardyn greeted them with a cheerful smile, often heard offering help to anyone who approached. He was amicable, friendly, and everything Ardyn Izunia wasn't.]

[It wouldn't last, he kept reminding himself. But for now...it was enough.]

c

[nightcure]

[ Said someone doesn't show up until later, after the island's worked its magic. Noctis looks a little worse for wear, having been on Ziziphus for a while. But he's here.

And so is Ardyn. ]

Hey.

CT

[tuskenlancer]

Ziziphus

[ CT wakes with a start, the ground shaking beneath her, and for a moment she thinks the ship's under attack, or that they've just come out of slipspace, before she remembers - there is no ship anymore. She turns her head, instinctively reaching out for Varric, only to find that this is no more Kirkwall than it is the Mother of Invention. She's outside, she's alone, and -

Wearing her armor?

CT gets to her feet, nearly losing her footing as another tremor rocks the earth. Shit. Shit, shit, shit. Wherever this is, whatever's going on, she has to get out of here. But first, she has to find - ]

Varric?

[ He has to be here. Somewhere. And she's not going anywhere without him. ]

Monsun, eastern half

[ Later - much later - CT's finally been persuaded to give up her search and leave Ziziphus. She's still not ready to embrace her new home, though. The ground on Monsun isn't moving, at least, which means she can sit on a rock and catch her breath without fear of crashing into the sea.

Unfortunately, she's found what may be the worst possible place to take a breather. As she sits in the cool light of the forest, utterly incapable of appreciating its beauty, she sinks deeper and deeper into her own thoughts and emotions.

Anger. Guilt. Fear. Paranoia. Despair.

This isn't a dream. It's real, and either Varric came with her and is now a corpse at the bottom of the ocean, or he never arrived at all. Either way, she'll never see him again. She's been kidnapped, again, and those bastards, just when she was finally happy, they probably did this on purpose, waited for the perfect moment to rip it all away. It's her fault, probably. She didn't appreciate anything enough. She should have told Varric more often how she felt about him. She should have done something. And now, it's too late. He's dead or gone and she's here forever, to kill or be killed or whatever the assholes running this place have decided they want to do with her. ]

ziziphus

[nightcure]

[ A familiar face... but Noctis hangs back and waits until he can be sure she's the one he knows. It doesn't take long before she says Varric's name, and Noctis breathes a sigh of relief. ]

Hey. He's not here. At least, I haven't seen him around.

agent washington | ota | i'll match your formatting!

[counterblows]

ziziphus ; southern half

[The last time he woke like this, it was on Sidewinder - flurrying white cascading down, hands gloved in Kevlar-titanium composite gloved in scarlet gloved in snow that crusted around the edges in granules of ice.]

[This time, he's at least not bleeding from the ears from the concussive force of a bomb blast that slammed him into the ground. His HUD fuzzes peripherally, intercut with laces of static. No red lights blare at him to inform him with critical importance that he's dying, hemorrhaging out into his titanium nanocomposite undersuit. So that's nice. Things could be better, but that's nice.]

[Special Agent Washington, former operative of Project Freelancer, former rogue agent working under UNSC instruction, now de facto leader of Blue Team, gets his legs underneath him and wobbles to his feet, two fingers going to the side of his helmet to issue a query to his comm:]

Carolina?

[Static.]

Tucker. Sarge. Anyone - is there anyone there?

[Epsilon? he almost ventures, but the reflex dies in his throat. His radio hisses nothing but soft, waterlogged static back into his ears, and he drops his hand to his side with a weary gust of breath. Takes automatic stock of what he has on hand. There's a knapsack lying mere feet away from him, with a name stitched in thread across its front.]

[He makes short work of shearing the nametag off with his ka-bar, shredding the cloth to fabric scrap and letting it flake to the ground.]

[The subterranean rumbles underfoot grow more pronounced, as though the planet he's standing on is tearing itself apart. Wash sets his teeth. Breathe. Assess the situation. Proceed accordingly.]

[He has no team. No commlink. Nothing to indicate how he might've ended up here. Nothing but a handful of bizarre dreams that float like strings of cobweb in his head, catching and drifting and spinning on an idle breeze. A shake of his head, and he clears the ephemera away. He needs to move.]

[So he moves.]

[He cuts across the meadows at a brisk jog, rifle in hand, one strap of his newly acquired bag hooked over one shoulder. Every here and again, he stops to rattle off a list of names into his comm, in the vague hope that the signal might have improved over time:]

Grif. Donut. Simmons. Come in.

Lopez?

...

Caboose?

Can anyone hear me?

monsun ; eastern half

[He gravitated toward the safer-looking side of the island by default, post excursion, post travel in through the pool of greenish water that reminded him, vaguely, of the sort of travel made capable by use of the Sangheili towers. Immediate teleportation, though it seemed admittedly limited to this particular planet.]

[Either way, the sooner he can figure a way off it, the better.]

[Unaware of the effects of the island's topography, Wash moves through the lush forest in tight, widening circles. If he stops more often than usual to bring up his weapon at the tiniest snap of a twig, scans his surroundings with an increasingly less latent paranoia, you could hardly fault him for that.]

[If he opens fire without much provocation?]

[Well, you could find a reason to blame him for that, probably.]

ziziphus

[tuskenlancer]

[ She's just trudging along the beach, growing more and more convinced that she's never going to find anyone else, when a name crackles in her ear and stops her in her tracks.

CT hadn't bothered calling over her comm, because what would be the point? Everyone who'd might pick it up and have the ability to answer is dead, or if they're not dead, they're more likely than not to kill her on sight.

But this voice is not only alive, it's familiar. Without stopping to consider the potential ramification, she flips on her own comm, her tone a mixture of hope and disbelief. ]

Wash?

Foster van Denend | ota | please check his permissions | I'll match u

[cacoethes_mori]

Ziziphus West (Arrival)
Foster's looking less lost than many of the new arrivals, even if only because he's used to not knowing what's going on.

He does not immediately realise the world is falling apart.

It quickly becomes obvious that something is wrong, though is less afraid than he is invigorated. The ocean, in general, is like that for him--something about it compels him, its vast depths and violent collisions with the earth--or not so violent, lapping up and down a beach's edge, but even there it dominates the air and fills the lungs with salt and spray as it ebbs and rises, eating away at the land's body.

Much like in his dream, it's where he finds himself almost from the beginning, though he can't stray too close to the beach--he's watched a shelf of sand and soil collapse into it once already, chasing strange underwater shadows out of sight. But he is also loathe to leave it, even when he knows, nominally, that his purpose should be to return immediately to the Ringmaster to understand what has happened, to receive more instruction than... this talking stone.

Save what you can.

Of what? Of this?

Should it be saved?

Saved for what?

No. He's asking the wrong question. What he should ask is...

Should it be saved? Should he?

His train of thought is interrupted by an itch on his ankle, and the glimpse of red--

He stops in the midst of flowers, their upturned blooms shaped like tiny white cups.

.... hm.

MORE Ziziphus (He's Not Leaving, Anything Goes)

In a sense, it is as though Foster has arrived at the end of the world. To bear witness, to leave his mark, to be marked--all and none of these, he has no greater moment than this, no greater focus, no greater thrill. It's exciting, but also perilous--the ground crumbles beneath his feet, stone splits and ocean depths suck at the caving earth as vast booms and deep tremors rock the world around him.

As more of the island gives way, he throws more of himself into more of it--leaping a chasm, he comes down on the other side with barely inches to spare. Beneath it, the ocean rises, and the stones and sand he's kicked into the gap are swallowed by hungry blue waters. He watches, entranced--at least until it loses his attention, which only takes a few seconds.

But it's only when he turns away that he notices the plethora of multicoloured flowers--any actual people catch his attention after.

He stops, eyes bright. And locks gazes... if there is a gaze to lock with.

"... how does it feel?"

prompt 2!

[postictal]

As it happens, Tim's here at the Storyteller's behest and Gladio's. Preservation benefits both himself and pretty much everyone else on these islands. At present, he's left his knapsack behind on Ensō in the interest of moving quickly, though that doesn't mean he's unarmed. There's a hatchet stuck through his belt loop, and he has more than a few knives on his person.

He's just...currently trying to keep his grip on a struggling flowccus, a small plant-sheep hybrid that can't be much more than the equivalent of a lamb, when a centaur takes a fucking flying leap into his way.

Tim startles, nearly drops the flowccus, manages to retain his grip on the thing, and gets a cloven hoof to his kidneys for the trouble. He hisses between clenched teeth, glances up at the centaur in pained, utter lack of comprehension.

"Wh...what?"

percival de rolo | ota

[smoketendrils]

𝐙𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐩𝐡𝐮𝐬 (spoilers for Critical Role through episode 69)

[Percy has, on occasion, idly pondered his life past a point as a dying dream of a lonely, broken boy in a prison cell- it's morbid, but when you've led a life like his, sometimes you have to poke and prod at a perceived reality just to make sure it holds up.

Professor Anders taught him that.

And, quite frankly, Anna Ripley has taught him a few things about death, considering how much about the subject she learned from him. If he died in that prison, it would be a poor death, but it would be Ripley's hand that dealt it. A death facing her head-on in the heat of a battle- gods, he couldn't have written a more perfect ending to his life.

But it wasn't a fantasy and he wasn't dead or at least he wasn't anymore... Or so he thought. The reason the prison in Stilben (and his death on Glintshore) even comes to mind at all is the fact that all of a sudden what he thought he understood about his present circumstances has been turned on its head, so why not assume everything's gone to shit in all the worst ways.

But Stilben wouldn't be shaking nearly this much, and he has quite a vivid understanding of the horrific nature of a true death. Dragon's lairs, on the other hand- those have a tendency to have very erratic behaviors, and whatever idle, morbid thoughts entered his head as he avoided consciousness to keep some illusion of precisely how fucked reality is have faded as he sits bolt upright.

He is not in a prison. He is not on a battlefield. He is not in a dragon's lair. He is also not in his bed in Whitestone which is really where he damn well should be, but he already knew that wasn't the case. He doesn't have enough time to linger on the revelation before the ground begins to open up and attempts to swallow him hole. Dexterity is on his side as he rolls out of the way and something catches his eye- a knapsack. Even in the presence of danger, loot is loot and he snatches the bag before it falls into the yawning chasm.

The shaking subsides for a moment, Percy panting and staring ahead, eyes scanning for any side of the rest of Vox Machina. When the panic rises like bile in his throat as he sees no sign of them, he turns his attention to productive matters, checking his equipment, making sure his guns are all there (even Ripley's- the one he hasn't attuned to yet), and once that matter is settled, he looks at the knapsack.

And in the middle of danger, confused and wary and pissed off, Percy's mouth forms into a perfect straight line as he turns the bag around to see his entire name along thr full circumference and then looping back around in fancy embroidery.]

Someone has a terrible sense of humor.

[And then he barks a sharp, anxious laugh. What else can he do? He's kind of well and truly fucked right now.]


𝐄𝐧𝐬ō (non-spoilery prompt)

[You know those days where you're like "this might as well happen?"

Percival de Rolo is having one of those days. He has no idea what's going on and most of what he has done for the past day has been driven by pure adrenaline and a need to keep moving to avoid the inevitable crash.

But eventually he has to stop and when he does stop, it's on the beach, observing the bioluminescent creatures as they swim along in the water. They look like something out of the Feywild, which makes him inclined to distrust, but he isn't going to bother them.

And when one dares to begin digging out a nest mere feet from him, he even goes as far as to be polite, because if they are anything like the denizens of the Feywild, politeness matters.]

Good evening. Lovely weather here, isn't it. It's much nicer on this island than it is the other one. [He sighs and adjusts his glasses.] I'm trying to make smalltalk with a turtle. I have truly gone mad.

ensō!

[hyperlit]

[Now here's a new and unfamiliar person, speaking to a new and unfamiliar creature. The Drifter is a quiet approacher but not a completely silent one, their footsteps tossing up soft puffs of white sand across the beach.]

[A pity they can't call out to beg his attention. They can only tip their head to one side, studying the man as he converses with one of the glittering creatures, before drawing even with him.]

[They tend to stand out themself, with their electric blue skin and thick red drapes of fabric swathing the lower half of their face, their dark beady eyes peering out from beneath the gray curve of their helm. What they do manage is to project a transparent pink HUD from the companion hovering a few inches above one shoulder, about the size of a soda can and dark green. It relays a line of pale text across the translucent screen, blocky and deliberate:]

don't think they can hear you

Chip Abaroa | OTA

[demonpuppy]

Enso

Chip often wanders the beaches in their spare time, playing with Sunny and attempting to befriend the more docile native fauna, but they hadn't expected to see a bunch of rainbow turtle-things out in the waters. They watch the animals for a while, Sunny chirruping and flying out occasionally to get a better look, but after a while Chip starts wading out into the water to try and get a closer look.

Unfortunately, whether it's Chip's vigorous splashing or the predator circling above, the Kaleidoshells are having none of it. Any time Chip gets close they swim further away, which just makes them more insistent on trying to get a closer look, which drives them further off...

"Come on, I'm not gonna--ugh, I'm not gonna hurt you, just stay put you dumb turtles!"

They're, uh...actually getting kind of far out. Should someone stop them?


Ziziphus

They'd heard the Storyteller's call, but at first they didn't think they could be of any help. For a while Chip just worried about all the animals still stuck on that fae island...but then they remembered something they'd found in their pack the first day they were here. A little bottle, stinking of magic and with a cryptic note attached. They'd tested it once, and been swarmed by a nearby flock of bludroks--it wasn't hard to figure out what it did at that point.

But maybe it could be useful right now.

With their hatchet shoved through their belt loop and supplies in their backpack, Chip runs through the less-ravaged areas of Ziziphus with a mission in mind. The open bottle in in their upraised fist, letting the attractive magic lure the wildlife of the island towards them. If they run fast enough, Chip figures they can keep ahead of the stampede and lead the animals to the mana pools. Which is all well and good until they draw the attention of a spindlank.

Or a mantisk.

Or a rootwyrm.

...they did not think this clever plan through.

Enso

[lightlessfuture]

The Knight is placidly lying half-on, half-off a particularly amenable turtle, taking advantage of their light weight and unthreatening presence to be taken for a lazy ride when Chip comes splashing by.

It takes them a moment to think about the situation before they jolt into action. They don't know if this person can swim. It would definitely be bad if this person got swept away by the tide. The sea is dangerous, after all.

Lacking much of a presence, they instead opt to grab Chip by the arm, attempting to indicate that they're going too far out and should come back. How well this works is debatable.

Yellowfang (happy to match format im just a ho for prose!)

[taxusbacatta]

ENSO- at sea (ONE PERSON ONLY PLEASE, FIRST COME FIRST SERVE)

"Oowwwm! Aooowwwm! Waaoowwwwm!"

A pitiful sound drifted from across the gentle, turtle-filled surf as the small wooden craft, like many before it, bobbed closer and closer to the shore. Its single passenger was no seafarer, she'd hardly even considered the concept of riding-on-a-thing-that-is-in-water until this moment. Needless to say, she was distressed. And there was also the issue of the thing that was entangling her.

Yellowfang was a skinny, shabby grey cat with long fur and a smushed face. Said smushed face was squinched up tight as she dug her untrimmed claws into the wood of her raft and tried to cling to the scraps of the dream she'd left behind as the salty air buffeted her fur. She just couldn't understand it. What had it meant? Who was the Storyteller? What was StarClan trying to say? WHAT WAS THIS BLASTED THING ON HER BACK?

It was a napsack just her size with her name carefully embroidered on the flap. Yellowfang also had no concept of A Backpack so she could not appreciate how useful (or adorable) it was. She just knew there was something on her and it was around her legs and she couldn't get it off but she didn't want to struggle with it too hard because she might fall into the foul-tasting water. As a ShadowClan cat, she was no stranger to getting her feet wet in the marshes but this was something else entirely.



ENSO- ashore, OTA!

Well. That was. Something.

Once she had all four paws firmly on land and had slipped into the foliage, Yellowfang had to take stock of what had happened to her. This was not her forest or anywhere near it. She was so far from home she may as well have been on the underside of a cloud or even further. Yellowfang quietly scolded herself for mewling like a kit back on the raft. She should have more sense than to resort to wailing in the face of something strange and new. It got her onto land and away from that terrifyingly large lake. Whatever.

Yellowfang pushed her whiskers forward as she carefully padded under fronds and ferns, drinking in the plethora of new scents and turning her stubby ears toward every new sound. Almost nothing smelled the same. There was the smell of earth and decaying plants under her paws, but that was where the familiarity ended. The smell of the sea was almost overwhelming. There was the acrid tang of something like a mouse nearby. Unfamiliar birdsong filled the air. The reek of something perhaps distantly kin to a fox at the base of a tree. Oh.

And the smell of Twolegs.

Twolegs everywhere! Their tracks! Their smoke! Their clumsy nests! It felt as though every time Yellowfang slunk between two trees that were too far apart, she could catch sight of their homes in the distance. At least, she thought to herself bitterly, where there are Twolegs there is prey that feed on their garbage. She would have to watch them for some time if she wanted to get her strength up. And, of course, with her being a cat...she was curious.

As she brooded over this, something yanked her backwards and she let out a startled hiss. A low-hanging twig had snagged a string on her napsack. Yellowfang twisted and swatted the bush, only freeing herself in time to hear the sound of something approaching her through the jungle.

She tensed herself up, ready to bolt should she need to.

At Sea

[want_to_belong]

Before Prompto went to Monsun he stopped by the beach to see what he could get. It had been one of several sources of food and other resources, like fronds, so he went there often. The turtles were new, so he was clicking away to get pics when he heard something oddly familiar in the distance.

Befuddled, he glanced around to spot it. That was when he saw something floating towards the shore on a raft.

"Kitty...!"

He hadn't seen a normal looking animal in a while. He'd always loved cats. Filled his camera with pictures of cats and dogs when he was a kid. He strapped it up high to keep it out of the water and pulled off his socks and shoes, leaving those on the shore, and rolled up his pant legs before running in. It'd be hard to take the entire raft, but easy to carry a cat, right?

He waded over excitedly, calling to her as he got closer.

"It's okay, kitty! I'll get you." He cooed as he got to the raft, reaching out to pet her. "You're a pretty kitty, aren't you?"

Honestly, he didn't care that much what she looked like. She was a kitty.

Edward Elric | OTA

[solperierat]

Ziziphus

Of course Bliss would find one more damn way to fuck them over. Wasn't enough it drug them all into a dream world just to sap the life out of their bodies, wasn't enough to prey on them all like they aren't anything more than a bunch of stupid sheep, but it had to take the whole goddamn island with it in it's greed and idiocy.

Ed is so. Damn. Tired. Of gods.

But there isn't much to be done to fix the island. There are, however, apparently plenty of newcomers to rescue from the crumbling island--Ed has taken to the skies, keeping an eye out for anyone that is cut off by the cracks and rifts. When he does he swoops down out of the sky, landing a few feet away before holding out a hand.

"You need a lift?"

[yorisearching]

As calm as the dream had been, Yori wouldn't have expected to find herself leaping to avoid a deep and growing crack the very instant she woke. She barely manages to snag the knapsack before it falls.

Another new world. She hopes Rinzler is here somewhere; she won't rest until she finds him.

Whatever a mana pool is, the shear and crack of vines tearing apart underneath her feet doesn't seem like the best place to find it. Yori picks a direction at random and hurries, crouched to avoid tumbling over at every new tremor.

The next rumble is stronger, ripping a gash right in front of her. Yori loses her footing entirely and tumbles downward, catching herself on a rough vine.

How can she find her way anywhere in this mess?

Is that the shape of a person up above? "Excuse me, could you help?" Yori calls, politeness warring with definite irritation. She would really like things to stop crashing around her.

Pyrrha Nikos | OTA

[tokenflavortownie]

Ziziphus - Rocking waves

[Pyrrha could vividly remember the last time she woke up in a situation like this. Confused, stumbling in a daze from a janitor's closet, inside a mall that was never even real to begin with. Before that, it was a prison cell. And both of those times, Pyrrha hadn't been alone... this time, she felt distinctly like she was.

It wasn't all terrible. The gentle rocking of the raft underneath here was enough to slowly stir her from her important dreams... followed by heavy rocking. She's nearly thrown off the boat, but by that time she's reached land and stumbles on. Soggy, but now alert.]

Hello? Is anyone out here? I know that I'm here because of-

[Pyrrha's first steps onto land almost immediately get stalled by more shaking, steadily growing violent. She stumbles over a crack freshly growing in the earth, right into a tree that she finds grip on.

The idea of why she was here at all was a bit concerning, but this? Just what had she literally walked into?]

Whoa! [She calls openly, right before pushing away again as the tree tips further and further, until it breaks free of its spot and smashes into the crumbling ground where she was just standing.] Can anyone hear me! ...Nari? Penny?

[The ground shakes again. She needs to start moving.]

Ensō - Calmer waters

[Later, much later, when Pyrrha's been relocated from the local disaster zone, she's much more happy to take a look around. And it leads to her wandering the beaches into the evening, looking for new things, new places. She was due for some meditating, after all she'd been through.

But the world conspired to sidetrack her, again. The glow in the waters didn't catch her gaze until it started to move. Then, all she could do was stand at the water's edge, watching the rainbow-hued creatures swimming through the waves. She's transfixed by them.]

Oh... they're so beautiful! I've never seen anything like them!

[And that's saying something.]

I hope they're not dangerous.

Ziziphus

[aurabble]

[Call him a masochist, a pathetic idiot with a death wish, or just someone who didn't know what to do with all this time on his hands. Jaune had returned to the collapsing island to make sure no one had been left behind.]

Hello!!! Anyone out there?! I'm searching for survivors!!! Hey!!!

[He doesn't know if he expects to find anyone. Maybe he's just trying to take control of a situation he has no control over. But then--

He freezes. That voice...

No. No he knew about hallucinating in the heat of the moment, no no no he wasn't going to fall for it and let the devastation crush him again, but if someone else was out there, then he couldn't just let her die. Move. It took every amount of effort he had left to force himself to run toward the voice. He knew he was imagining the similarity, he wasn't expecting to see her

But he recognized that stance. He knew those eyes. Her hair was different, but--

Just like that, just like in every damn situation where someone he cared about was in danger, Jaune Arc couldn't move.]

Rinzler | OTA | Pick a format any format

[notglitching]

A. Ziziphus: arrival

Dreams are something Rinzler is accustomed to—once, an agonizing source of errors and corrections, and more recently a... subtler discomfort. But when he wakes this time, it isn't from the usual jumble of old files. Not Tron's memories. And not what he was made to be. This dream was bizarre.

And, not nearly as important as what he wakes up to.

Clu's enforcer rolls to his feet amidst clear skies and dead air. No background hum of power, none of the systems that kept Avagi functioning or safe. And none of the sliver threads of light he last remembers unraveling that place apart. Yori had thought the Ingress could be bargained with. Alan-one hoped that it would send them to his home. But whoever this wide, bright shore belongs to, Rinzler doesn't see his user.

The slow turn of his black mask does stop on one thing: a small package on the ground. Rinzler can feel his sound rising: a low ticking rattle building to growl as he nudges it with his foot, exposing the script tagging it with his name. Not an accident. A Game. With more than one participant.

Ignoring the bundle, Rinzler turns to scan the beach—vectoring straight towards any signature in range. Those who spot his silhouette approaching might take note of the angry flare of lights, or the aggressive posture. Those who don't will discover Rinzler's mood quickly enough. He's going to find his allies, and get answers. Whatever it takes.


B. Ziziphus: collapse

[He'd gone back for the bundle. Listened to the explanations, as little sense as they might make. And made his way inwards... just in time to see this world begin to fall apart.

At this point, Rinzler isn't sure he can even be surprised. Thoroughly disgusted, yes. He's seen user systems crash from sheer incompetence, or fracture into infighting when their admins failed to enforce control. But seeing another world dissolve into cascade faults, less than a millicycle after he got here?

Sometimes he really does miss the Grid.

Anyone evacuating Ziziphus might catch a glimpse of Rinzler's red-lit blur: leaping off collapsing slabs, twisting midair to avoid debris. While his movements are fluid, showy evasions almost scornful toward the chaos all around... he doesn't seem to be heading anywhere near the mana pools. Probably, on account of having no idea where they are.]


C. Monsun: Eastern Half

Once through the Portal, it takes Rinzler very little time to take stock—and to decide that glitching into a crash from overheat was not how he wanted to grow accustomed to this place. Once across the river, the temperatures drop appreciably, and the enforcer slows, alternating between scouting the ground and looking for a better view from the plant-structures overhead.

Whether traversing the branches or moving along the ground, one thing remains constant: the complete and utter peacefulness. It's suspicious. No, frustrating. Being taken from his function. Removed from allies and conflicts alike. And ending up here: in a placid, useless space without even so much as a target.

It's infuriating.

And it takes Rinzler very little time at all to find his own opportunity for prey. Anyone wandering through Monsun's eastern half might hear a rumbling in their surroundings, or spot a shift of movement in the shadows overhead. Or maybe it's just a feeling: of being watched. Of being hunted. This island does that, after all.

But just because you're paranoid doesn't mean that no one's out to get you. And today, you aren't the most dangerous thing here.

C

[lightlessfuture]

The Knight knows enough about this island to know that they shouldn't stay long on this side, no matter how idyllic it is. But it's worth the rising sense of paranoia and that strange, alien anger to look for resources or anything useful, as long as they don't stray too far.

But this feels...different. Their hunter's instincts are too finely tuned to ignore something practically shouting for their attention, especially since they've come from a world where friendly faces are increasingly rare. Even after all this time - they can't let their guard down.

They stop, staring around at the greenery. They draw their sword, a clear challenge to anything that might be hunting them, attempting to pinpoint their pursuer.

Amaterasu | OTA

[mamaterasu]

Ziziphus

[Much like the Storyteller, Ammy has been running herself ragged since the inevitable demise of the god, Bliss. Never really comfortable with its death, and needing to offer a hand in its death, she has to do what she can now to make certain the consequences are not too great for what needed to be done on the island. As the land itself begins to crumble, the piercing howl of a wolf can be heard echoing through the dense forests and jungles, overpowering even the thunderous clamor of the earth splitting.

Amaterasu is making her way toward the mana pools, followed by a small legion of creatures. Most animals are drawn to the sun goddess, sensing she is a protector and a thing of great power and comfort. It's true even here in this world - small and large beasts seem to flock to her, and she uses that presence to shepherd them to safety. Smaller creatures cling to her back, curled and huddled together, and a tigerlily cub dangles from the wolf's mouth as she darts over splits in the earth and leaps across chasms.

But she is only one creature among many aiding the others to safety. She can't do it all, even with her godly prowess and abilities. Saving everything is hard, she knows that, but still she tries. She tries because she has to, this is who she is, what she does. All life can be saved, and should be guarded fiercely. Origin of all that is Good, and Mother to Us All...that is Amaterasu. And by the grace of the 13 celestial brush gods, she will see to it that at least most of the beasts of this island can find a new home.

But, she does need help, and would greatly appreciate it.]
---

Enso

[After the chaos that was herding creatures from the crumbling Ziziphus to Monsun, Ammy is...tired. Exhausted, actually - she's burnt through her energy reserves as well as her ink. Thankfully, it returns every day, but the effort is not something she normally expands so often, if she can help it. She's a lazy deity most days, and such stress is...stressful. Thank goodness she has an opportunity to rest, and so many other people here are willing and able to help when and where they can. What luck to have such good, strong people living here. It's a blessing in and of itself.

As she heads to the beach, favoring a nice spot in the shade, she notes a large, hulking creature pulling itself toward her. She blinks, never really having seen a sea turtle before, but follows its path with her eyes as it calmly drags its heavy body up the shore and seems to be searching for...something. Interested and curious, the wolf follows after the large creature, tilting her head this way and that as the creature regards her with a slow blink and a turn of its head. Her tail wags happily, but the turtle seems not at all interested in playing. It has a job to do, after all, and is resolute in fulfilling that job.

Once Ammy realizes of course, she lays near the turtle to offer it some protection as it flings sand to and fro with its back flippers. She may get a face full of the grainy sand once of twice, growling as she shakes it off, but Ammy doesn't mind...too much. It's not the mother turtle's fault - she's far too focused on the task at hand to be mindful of anyone in her immediate space, after all. And Ammy also seems to find comfort here, next to the big turtle. Eventually she even curls up near it and goes to sleep, happy to share space with the creature as it lays its eggs. She'll need to remember the spot, too, to mark it as special and keep an eye open for the little ones to hatch in the coming weeks.]

enso

[catpiper]

[There's that pupper!!

Dogs are weird-unpredictable in a different way than she's used to after living with her feline friends, so she watches her interact with this creature before making herself known. Their new sea friends are beautiful, gleaming treasures that hang around the ocean and occasionally come ashore to hide, but Ren's always taken that as an opportunity to leave. If the animal wants to disappear for awhile, she's not going to stop them, even if the hiding spots are horrible? They're so bad, but she hasn't figured out a way to communicate that to them.

She doesn't know what she expects Shiro to do-try to eat it? Please no, she doesn't want to intervene if that comes to pass. But all she does is curl up by the hiding spot and have a little puppy snooze. Slowly, cautiously, she makes her way over to the animals and says-]

Are you trying to hide with that thing?

Commander Shepard | OTA (will match formats!)

[tenthstreetbred]

Ziziphus

[The new arrivals are here. It's the same old song and dance- the month turns over, something happens, and more poor souls are dragged onto the islands, to stay however long they stay. It doesn't mean that Shepard is going to be any less determined to make sure everyone gets through this ok. When she arrives on the island after the fight with Bliss, the earthquakes and crumbling earth is more than enough to get her moving, running through the island and trying to save whatever she can- animals, food-bearing plants, people- though the last on that list gets priority.

So if she finds someone dangling over the edge of a chasm, or sliding into a pit of doom she will be there, throwing out her hand.]

Hey! I got you! Hold on!

Monsun: Closed to Muffet

When Shepard arrives on Monsun it's with a purpose beyond exploration this time around. She's been here before, back when it was uncertain how anyone would return. Now it is all known, and she makes a purposeful mana pool jump through C3, emerging into an area she knows quite well personally. The nearby family of Walking Cacti eye her as she moves, giving ample space to them so as to not trigger a fight.

She looks around, breathing in the arid air, knowing that in a few hours she will be at her best here. It's a strange but welcome feeling. All in all though, having access to Monsun again makes her think of Balance... it's been a long time since she's seen them and with the departure (for lack of a better term) of Bliss, she can't help but worry about them. A journey like that, however, can't be made alone. So she watches the mana pool and waits for her friend to arrive.

Ensō

[When things are more relaxed, you can find her on Ensō by the beach. She's looking a lot more glum than usual, sitting in the sand and staring out to sea. She doesn't move much as she watches the kaleidoshells (or what she'd just call really pretty sea turtles) come onto the beach and lay their eggs. She observes them, carefully, for awhile. Then, when the mothers go back into the sea she gets up. Nothing like a mindless task to distract yourself from depression!

So anyone who comes up on the beach can find Shepard marking and setting up barriers around the nests of eggs. She doesn't know if they're endangered here as they were on Earth, but it still wouldn't hurt to give these little children a chance. ...she just hopes they're not secretly egg demons or something.]

Ziziphus

[thermalwind]

[He'd driven his sword and knife into the side of the chasm he's dangling over. He'd been pretty sure this would be his first death in this god forsaken hell hole. Seeing someone familiar is...mixed. He forces himself not to think about it as he forces himself up high enough to reach out to her.]

Be careful! The edge is crumbling! I don't want you risking falling too!

[Leave him if you must. He keeps that statement locked behind a wall in his mind.]

Noctis | OTA | Will match format.

[nightcure]

[ Noctis spends quite a bit of time on Monsun. He's interested in the island he's heard so much about, particularly one side of it. Still.... That doesn't stop him from going to the other side. ]

WESTERN SIDE.
[ There's not too much to see here, but Noctis is still interested. He sticks around the mana pool for the most part, raising a hand in greeting to whoever shows up. ]

Hey. Find your footing alright?

[ Aside from playing welcoming committee, he takes it upon himself to explore. He isn't sure what he can do, really, but... well, he's going to find out. ]

What do you think? Desert wasteland... not much to find, but we've gotta give it a shot.

EASTERN SIDE, OR CLOSE.
[ He spends enough time on the western side for his need to help and protect people to really kick into overdrive... so, knowing that the other side is plentiful in resources, he heads over. Still, it looks like he's not sure he wants to cross, because he stands at the precipice, arms crossed.

To whoever shows up.... ]

Feel like risking it?

Western Side

[want_to_belong]

[Prompto wasn't difficult to find on the Western side because he seemed to currently be in the process of moving there, carrying anything he could to set up shop. Certainly he'd recommended going, but his actions spoke a lot louder about how much he preferred the island, even if it would be temporary.

He was currently dragging over some pillows for comfortable sitting, but he'd need some help to move the actual tent. Was Noct up to doing actual work?]

Hey, Noct.

[He smacked him on the shoulder as he passed.]

Some help moving the tent?

[It was a big tent. Possibly a job that would require more than two, but they could always recruit more.]

[induality]

Ziziphus

[With the swaying of the ocean, Touko wakes up gripping the raft under her with finger and with nail. Unpleasant memories flood, and she's struggling to keep it under wraps. Don't lose your balance. All she can bring her eyes to focus on are the flashes of blue, white and green from the water. But there is land. There's crumbles of land around her. She just... can't...]

I'm gonna die...

[Wheezing, she fights the desire to shut down. She's better than this now. She's not the same person she was in Hope's Peak.]

What the fuck is this? ...I'm dreaming. This is just... a bad... dream...

[If she closes her eyes tight, it'll go away... right?]

Monsun - Western

[Land. Sweet land. This is fine. She doesn't know what she's going to do with all these developments, but she can't stop.]

Where the hell am I now...? What's... here?

[Time to explore. She can't just sit here. Just moving she's... already starting to feel a little better. Her confidence is slowly starting to shine through.]

ZIZIPHUS!!!

[nightcure]

[ He hears her before he sees her... and then he jumps right the hell in. He swims over to Touko, treading water as he holds out his arms. ]

Hey, it's okay. I've got you.

Yori | OTA

[yorisearching]

Ziziphus rescue:

After the confusion, after Yori finds her first mana pool and people who have more idea what's going on here than she does, Yori's willing enough to help. There's room in her new knapsack, and she can manage a few trips; studying the teleportation is what she'd want to do anyway.

The trouble is, she's never pretended to know anything about plants or animals or...whatever lives on this dying island.

She's wary of thorns, but anything that looks harmless can hitch a ride. The fact that she has no idea how to grow any of it doesn't change the fact that the vegetation is better off coming with her than drowning.

It's a strange collection of leaves and nuts and random seeds and flowers, shoved unceremoniously into the knapsack.

Maybe she should be more careful of the wildlife...



Monsun:

This is where the plants go, right? Yori looks around long enough to find someplace that might be moderately safe from floods and begins emptying her pack. No time for more, not when that island is ripping itself apart. Plants grow themselves, right?

She hopes so.

Though if anyone had better advice for how to give the transplanted seeds some kind of chance, she'd be happy to listen.



Ensō, June 11:

With the excitement over, Yori has a little more time to explore. The shifting lights draw her attention almost at once, a glow in the dark ocean waters. Almost a reminder of Encom, even if the system's never going to be her home again.

"They're beautiful!" she exclaims, not caring who hears. "What are they?"

Of course this world will have different rules, and a glow doesn't necessarily mean a shift of energy or anything else. Yori's willing to accept whatever this is for the sake of how glorious the water looks.

enso

[catpiper]

The people who arrive on this island have given her little reason to fear them-month after month they've proven to be kind and in direct contrast to the view she had of them in her world. Over the months, it's become easier to approach strangers and while her innate wariness had her watching this woman from a distance, her excitement is contagious. The weird sea creatures are beautiful.

"They're treasures," she responds in kind, answering absolutely nothing. What are they?? Some kind of animal. She's heard the word turtle and the name Mr. Turtle thrown about, so-"They're a special one. They can swim in the water and say 'hello' with their eyes. That's what a treasure turtle is."

Keith | OTA - Will match format

[thermalwind]

Zizypus - Focus, fire a gun

[Bliss is dead. It hadn't been something that could be avoided even if everything else before that feels like it could have. If he hadn't slipped and fallen under the god's spell Shiro wouldn't have had to break the dream. He races over the island, moving from crisis to crisis on autopilot.

New arrivals. By the stars he hopes it's no one from home. He's just not-

He shuts off his mind after that. He hauls creatures to the manapool. The planty owls and their owlets clinging to his armor and arms as he keeps them protectively tucked into his pack and in his arms. Leading TigerLilys by herding them carefully and coaxing at other times. He's vaguely worried at one point one will decide he's too important to leave when he drops them on Monsun.

He throws himself into danger rushing to others defense while calling out.] Hold on, I'm on the way!

[Sometimes he just comes out of nowhere, sword snapping through tangles or hand thrust out to snatch someone struggling out of harm's way. He doesn't rest. He doesn't slow down.

Thinking is for later and when he does he won't be capable of moving forward for a while.]

Monsun - We were bold and young

A - West side

[Keith glances out over the desert as plant owls flutter out of his pack and off his person. They head for the east. Maybe it won't make them predators. He opens his water jug and takes a long drink. It's been a trying time rushing back and forth.

There's still so much more to do. He can feel his mind growing sharper as he puts his things away and builds a campsite to take a break at. It does nothing for the sense of shame hanging over him like a dark shroud.]

...no. Just...no. [He tucks away gear he won't need at the camp and draws his glass-like knife and Marmora Blade. Last time he'd been here there had been hydras. Keith rolls his shoulders back. Someone will go out there and discover it the hard way. Well.

And that is how should you run into sand hydras there's help there with you. Blades flash and a voice calls out,] Run for it if you're going to! Unless you're planning to take one down!

B - East Side
[He doesn't want to be on the east side. It only takes thinking about how angry he'd been to make him want to run the other way. But people are staying on the island for now. They need food and safe resources. He wants to stay away.

But like always, as he wades into the river and trudges onto the other side, he does what must be done. He moves through the forest, trapping wildlife, and gathering food on autopilot. He's careful as much as he can with how much he takes. This island needs to survive.

They'll probably come back here later. The longer he stays the harder it is to find him. And the more you won't want to. His guilt, shame, and anger build like a hurricane about to make landfall.]

Enso - All around the wind blows

[He's tossed and turned for hours. Keith eases himself out of the cottage by moving with the floorboards they'd laid down to make a solid floor. Lance and Shiro need their sleep after everything that happened. Tucked safely away in the fire pit at the center of their larger home, Ember sleeps peacefully on. Everyone is safe.

He shuts the door quietly behind him. Keith lingers at the door as he checks over his gear. Lantern. Knife. Stone in his belt pouch. He walks away towards the sea without a backward glance.

Things were so much easier before. When he dragged himself home each night to his little shack where he would patch himself up and sleep. When he didn't have to worry who needed him to stay alive. No one had known him back then and he didn't let them see that far past the surface. He had focused solely on getting answers and chasing the truth.

No matter how much of his blood had been spilled. No one had known how hard he was driving himself to find out the whys. He uses the manapool and turns on his lantern when he finds his feet on Enso soil. Keith draws his knife with a practiced motion and lengthens it to a sword. Predators roam the night.

His thoughts swirl as he follows slightly worn pathways. He could track, kill, and bring something home to clean and smoke for their food stores. Just as he starts to kneel to check animal tracks, a soft gentle wash of colors in the distance distorted by sea water catches his eye. He follows it, moving at a brisk almost silent pace. He bursts out onto the beach and stares. His eyes widen as he takes a couple of steps, the water lapping at his feet.]

...I. Wow. [There's lights in the water alright. They drift lazily by like flickering lanterns in the sea. He stands rooted to the spot in awe unable to look away.]

Enso

[despairing_hope]

"The ocean is dangerous you know, especially at night," Komaeda didn't exactly call out, but he spoke loud enough to be heard. He was sitting on a washed up log, just out of reach of the tide. "Unless that's what you really want to do, but I don't think it would last for very long."

He was watching the colours in the water, he had thought it would be beautiful at night with the waves and stars, and he had been right. It felt a little lonely with the vast emptiness and expansiveness one could see, but, he had felt he had to be alone. He supposed that he wasn't lucky enough to stay that way for long.

"I won't stop you if you really want to go down that path."

Kravitz | ota, will match formatting!

[deathfindsaway]

i. [ziziphus] i'm not scared of fighting, i'm just a little bit over this conversation

[Kravitz doesn't consider himself the helpful type, but his instinct when things are going down is always to salvage what can be salvaged. While others may be having issue with the tremulous footing, Kravitz finds himself at a slight advantage, and it seems it's the proper time to test his limits here. If someone else watches, they'll be able to see him walk to the edge of one of the cracks in the floor, summon a scythe to his hand, and then slice the air to the side of him... and simply step out on the other side. The exit rip appears in time with the first one, and disappears once he's stepped through it. It's a neat trick... for as long as he can keep it up. Regardless, he's looking for people, animals, resources-- anything that might not be quick or fast enough to make it's last leap to safety.

Can't keep doing it forever, though- and he's not very used to having limits on this. Somewhere near the end, he might be in need of an assist when exhaustion wins out, and he can be found nearer and nearer to the mana pool looking quite tired.]

ii. [monsun] it's spreading from past lives to the living, who's changing the people or time, time, times?

[Of course, he has to explore exactly where he's sending these things. And Kravitz, being too new to have experienced the first wave of this, doesn't... entirely know the dangers of what he's walking into. So when the choice is presented to either go to a terrifying desert hellscape or stay among lush trees, well, that seems like a no-brainer. Problem is, of course, he's a bit catty on even his best of days- and the man comes armed.

He seems to be taking a moment to relax at the mana pool on the lush side, just to regain some of his movement, a small pile of fruit resting at his side. That said... his scythe absolutely lays right next to it, directly within arm's reach.

Maybe it'll be best to convince him to leave from a distance.]

iii. [enso] but we don't understand what's unstable, maybe we're all lonely and afraid

[Now this, at least, is calming. Kravitz hasn't entirely gotten a lot of time to rest and relax during this experience, but once it becomes apparent they give off light, he finds himself here as it starts to get dark, watching the waves as the colors and light dance just below the surface.

It reminds him a little of home.

While he's not a wealth of information about this place, he's willing to help out anyone who shows up confused and lost, or maybe turn them away from immediately stabbing the creatures in the water.]

Ziziphus

[thisisourfuture]

[Hinata has been carefully burning through his own reserves. He can move faster than a normal human being and he's been putting that to use. Seeing someone flag after they stepped out beside him brings him up short. He turns to get a better look at them.

No one he's met yet but that doesn't matter. Especially in these circumstances.]

Hey, are you alright?

Ram | OTA | Will match format

[actuaryonline]

Ziziphus

[This... This is not what he had been expecting. When everything had gone white and he'd felt a deep pull, the two possible outcomes had been the soft glow and pale structures of the Encom system or... nothing. So after pushing himself up from his sprawled landing and finding himself faced with a scene comparable only to what he had seen in his research and curiosity, Ram is somewhat speechless.

He's alive. And still in the User world. A User world, this is very different to the one he had grown used to. And yet, as a sharp cracking draws his attention further along the hill to where a jagged gap has cut through the ground, it seems that some dangers remain constant.

Why do things keep breaking in places when he first arrives?

He runs, the crack chasing him down the slope, another forcing him to change direction. There's a strange weight on his back, and grasping behind, he finds a backpack. Without breaking pace, he removes it and slings it round to his front, freeing access to his disk. The cracks close in, rocks jutting up at odd angles as the ground falls apart, and for all the actuary has built up ability and stamina, he is slight and not built for this. Others fleeing the island may catch a flash of white and a blue glow scrabbling up the shaking rocks.]


Ensō

Ram drops heavily onto the sand once confident it isn't going to open up beneath him and flops onto his back. The backpack gets hap-hazardly untangled from his arms and left next to him as he takes the moment to calm and let his processor move from survival to questions.

Where the frag is he?

Are there others from Avagi here? Flynn? Yori? Are crumbling islands normal in this place? With a groan, he pushes himself up. He won't get answers lying here. Find him exploring or on the beach, inspecting the backpack, which... has his name on it. Huh.

Ensō

[yorisearching]

On her way back through the mana pools again, Yori takes a few minutes to rest and look around what seems meant to be a safer place than either the island of drowning plants or the island of mind-altering effects.

She's very glad she did when she spots an Encom-blue familiar glow.

"Ram!" Yori dashes at full speed to catch up to him, waving, then reaches to hug him, laughing in relief. She'd worried, all hopes aside, of course she had worried, and seeing him here alive confirms that she wasn't wrong to hope.

[piercetheheart]

A) Evenings on Monsun
[Gladio can be found on the Western side of the island near the campfire most nights, unwinding after a busy day. He's tired and filthy but content for the most part.

One of these nights he can be found with a massive bonfire that's been burning all day burned down to coals in a fairly deep pit. He's nearby, sweating profusely from the heat of the fire and the heat of the desert, wrapping broad leaves around the carcass of a cariborn, its belly roughly stitched up around a collection of veggies and herbs.

This thing is going to be delicious in about 24 hours.]


B) Daytime: Monsun and Enso
[Most people that catch sight of Gladio over the week will see him hauling supplies. Everything from baskets filled with large stones, plants or other supplies to sometimes coming across the mana pool to Enso with an entire tree in his arms. There's no time to break things down just now. Instead they're dumping everything on Enso and they'll worry about the rest when there's not such a rush for supplies.

Occasionally he'll drop into the Western camp on Monsun, bleeding or burned. Nothing nearly as serious as the wound that had been in his belly earlier but enough to be problematic. Thankfully Ignis can use his healing abilities on him. Anyone paying attention to these interactions might be surprised to see the ripple of magic healing his wounds repayed with a soft kiss, a bright smile, and Gladio's fingers lingering on Ignis' arm before he returns to his work.]

B

[want_to_belong]

Prompto was almost a constant on Monsun. He readily helped move things during the day, but he couldn't seem to wait to get back to Monsun as soon as he could. That meant a lot of time around Gladio, and most of the time there wasn't anything unusual about it.

But he wasn't totally blind. He was surprised when he first saw his two friends kissing. With no commentary on it, he busied himself with other things as if he hadn't even noticed. It was only later while heading out for a supply run that he mentioned anything.

"So, uuuuummmmm... You and Iggy are kissing now...?" He was mostly a little confused. When did that happen?

laurent | ota

[crosslaced]

[enso islet #1, nighttime]
[The seas have been brighter in the evenings. Laurent watches the turtles from the southeast point of islet 1; he perches on the land’s edge for an hour or two each night, tracing the slow drift of lights with his eyes.

At some point, some of the turtles grow brave enough to inspect the coasts. Curiously, the blonde brings some seaweed and shellfish out to meet them, and finds out they’re in the market for both. There’s no beachfront on the islets and just a few metres from land the tide is already up to his thighs, the water full of fairy lights as a small crowd gathers around him.

It's unusual for him to look so… relaxed. But he does.]

[shatteredlenses]

[If something happens often enough on the islet, Ignis will eventually hear about it, and so he finds himself, one night, near Laurent's watching place. At first, he just listens to the sound of the waves as they wash in and out. There is a difference in the sounds as the water washes around rock, shore, and someone decidedly neither. He's caught in this strange place with regards to Laurent right now. Anger, understanding, worry all swirl in his head, though he suspects only one of those emotions will bring approval from the blonde himself.

Well, until he decides how exactly to approach the question of what happened with Gladio, there is something else he wants to ask, something decidedly less sensitive in nature.]

Will you tell me what they look like?

[Ignis means the turtles, of course. He can't see them, but he's heard they are magnificent to behold.]

balance | ota | june 4th - june 10th

[thankgods]

[In the upper northwest corner of Monsun, in the region of A1, a tiny spit of land lies in the middle of a lake, and upon it, a stone building perches.]

[If you manage to cross the lake and enter the temple, the psychological effects of Monsun's dichotomous nature will quickly fade. The temple interior is small and in about as much ruin as the Storyteller's on Ensō, but the altar sits in the center of flagstoned floor. Should you draw near, you may notice the...peculiarity of the altar itself. Something of it seems to almost defy description. It seems both smooth and roughly carved, and touching it will both chill the fingertips and warm them. The altar is both extremes in simultaneity.]

[Should you draw close, images will card through your mind, rapid and immediate: a set of scales, a school of koi fish, a monarch butterfly, a spring of pink larkspur. Immediately after, a pair of koi fish will unfurl in the air as though swimming through it - large and seemingly solid, and ready to listen.]

[How fortunate that they're not the last god you met.]

June 6th

[thermalwind]

[It's farther than he's ever gone before but the need to search and find out all he can to keep everyone safe had driven him deep into the west side. Finding the lake and crossing it was just one more hurdle.

Except the dread returns as he strides up to the temple itself. A god like Storyteller?] Balance? It would make sense or is it...

[He shakes his head and enters the temple. It reminds him of Storyteller's altar. He'd avoided the temple since he was freed. He isn't blind to how much of a mess he is. Storyteller doesn't need to see or deal with that.

God or no.

He walks slowly up to the altar. It feels almost dream like how hard it is to describe it in his head. Images slide across his mind's eye but he keeps walking. The imagery almost prepares him for the pair of koi that unfurl and swim in the air.]

...uh, are you...Balance? [He straightens up, mustering the words.] I want to ask you a few questions.

Magnus Burnsides | The Adventure Zone: Balance | OTA

[proficienciesouttheass]

One of the beaches on Ensō, sunset

[ Man, that's a hell of a sight.

On one of the many beaches at the shores of the island, Magnus, accompanied by Johann (his large and gangly dog) stands by the edge of the water, looking out at the lights shining through the surface.

It's not that surprising that Magnus found a particular interest in being in the beaches when the turtles and other animals started showing up, even if he was more of a fan of the four legged, furry type of creatures. But it was still a neat thing to see, and the night show was particularly interesting to watch.

Maybe there's something more to it. Maybe it's the timing, after a couple of days of living in memories. Maybe it's the recently crumbling islands, falling from the sky.

Maybe, perhaps, the lights remind him of a friend.]

-------------------------------

Something else?

[ OOC: I'm open for other starters! If you have an idea, comment away, or hit me up on plurk (skree) or Discord (Skree #9889!]

beaches

[tokenflavortownie]

[Pyrrha found herself wandering the coastline, rather than just sticking to one spot. It offered many more looks at the glowing creatures inhabiting the waters, as well as the chance to run into some unfamiliar faces. Always someone else who was watching the turtles with the same mystified expression she held onto.

She notices Magnus at the edge, first of all. Then the dog. And that's definitely warranting an investigation.]

Hello. [She gives a small wave as she joins Magnus by the water.] Are you enjoying the colors too?