lifeaftr | July Intro: Upsy-Daisy!

July Intro: Upsy-Daisy!

INTRO LOG: JULY

Who: New arrivals, your lif᷆t̕i͗n᷅ģ f̧̞ͅr̡̦̃ḭ̅ͭe̩᷅̂n̟̣̤d̨̬̏, and you!
What: New souls arrive to the archipelago of LifeAftr, and everyone makes a new friend!
When: July 5th and onward
Where: All over Ensō
Warnings: Mark as needed!

Like a Bat Out of Hell
At this stage, the appearance of new arrivals to Ensō's shores is hardly a surprise to anyone but the arrivals themselves. Whatever mysterious force is responsible seems to have taken a vaguely nostalgic route this month, depositing the new and unconscious across the shoreline of the beach closest to the tumbled stone bastion of the Storyteller's temple. At first, that seems to be all there is to it. The arrivals stir to the smell of salt and the summer sea air, and the cycle of questions, searching, and settling begins.

For about five minutes. Perhaps ten.

Almost like an afterthought, something else shows up, plummeting straight out of the sky and landing with a veritable explosion of water some hundred feet from the shore. A large, rectangular shape breaches the surface after a few moments, bobbing, cork-like, in the foam-crested waves before ever so slowly beginning to sink into those aquamarine depths. For those familiar with such objects, it makes for a rather odd sight. That most certainly was an elevator, or you can be...fairly sure it was?

Give it another minute, and you'll be certain. The elevator streaks out from the ocean like a creature possessed. Maybe, in those split seconds prior to its approach, you'll be able to note the elevator's distinct features: a disturbingly smiling face on its doors, and a set of teeth framing a very organic mouth.

Meet Upsy, your lifting friend.

In case it wasn't obvious by now, Upsy is far from a conventional elevator by any standards. What's more, Upsy has not taken to LifeAftr as well as some others. Armed with the ability to move in any direction, the rogue contraption takes no prisoners - by which we mean, they take as many prisoners as possible. Upsy proceeds to swoop across the shoreline, combing the beach in the most haphazard and patternless path possible, scooping up anyone slow enough to be caught in their maw. Once you're caught up in their jaws, it comes down to the winds of fortune, in regards to wherever Upsy proceeds to spit out their cargo. While the journey itself will be rough and...sticky, it is not inherently dangerous.

Hopefully, the same can be said for wherever you end up Ensō hosts a great deal of predators, environmental hazards, and worse. Though you could always end up belched into the ocean. Hope you can swim!

When the Metal is Hot and the Engine is Hungry
Upsy’s reign of terror isn't restricted to mere adventurers. Those with livestock or animal companions may be in for a small shock or, perhaps more likely, a very large one, when flying elevator sucks up those cuddly critters with a grin and spirits them off into the great unknown.

Though your phoenix, chocobo, or tigerlily may not be where you saw them last, you can at least be assured that they are still on Ensō. All you need to do is round them up. And if this isn't good enough news, well...at least you don't keep bludrocs.

Whether you're out searching for an animal or not, be careful traversing Ensō for the next three days. If Upsy is empty, they'll most certainly snap you up. And if they aren't? You may find anything from birds to horses spat out at you.

The velocity of these organic projectiles tends to vary. Dramatically. Upsy's reign of terror will end on the evening of July 9th. At that point, the elevator will fly off to greener pastures...and our RNG spreadsheet for potential encounters in future. Sweet dreams.

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

As a final note to those who participated in the Test Drive Meme, bear in mind that those threads, if all parties involved would like, can be game canon in the form of dream-like memories involving a place very much like this one, though the layout is considerably different.

Feeling a tad adrift? Make sure to check the Locations Page, which has details regarding the starting areas and a handy map for those who feel better with a bird's eye view!

LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

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[Got to love the so-called "Opening Week", hm, Troupe Master? Never a bore, though this strange, metal contraption sure is a bother. Ammy isn't sure what to make of it - she's seen lifts, been in a few, but never a conventional elevator such as this, and certainly not one so bloodthirsty. However, something stops her from immediately entering the fray, and it's the harsh aura that Grimm is giving off - one that makes the hair of her back stand up and her lips lift over sharp, pointed fangs. It's like a cursed zone - thick, heavy, almost draining. She's at an impasse here, unsure what to do before her realism kicks in.

It's not like there aren't others here that have a dark aura like this, who are perfectly kind, good people. Her mind, and her initial bias, has been changed over time and experience here on the islands, but it's never something she can easily ignore - such a presence of darkness. Hopefully this newcomer isn't as wicked as their aura suggests, otherwise she may have to fight two foes today... But one step at a time. Ammy rushes over as fast as her powerful legs can take her, flowering blossoming in their wake, leaving a trail behind her, before they wither and fade away into orbs of soft light (like a firefly's glow). She draws her Glaive and strikes the back of the horrible elevator with a resounding clang of metal on metal.

The scratch isn't deep, but it sure is there, and she's gotten Upsy's attention.]

[For the Grimm Troupe having an opening act to grab the audience's attention was key in their shows. However that has not involved an eldritch elevator before. A part of Grimm, the part that took joy from his dances with those who chose to join the Ritual, found this interesting...in the sense that Upsy was a new kind of creature. After some time of merely teleporting out of the way it soon became old.

And of course Grimm was still not agreeable with being eaten alive.

He has not often had his dances with another interrupted prior to coming to this place, but interrupt someone - or something - does. Grimm does not know what Ammy is as bugs were all he knew before now. But there is something warm, within this creature, in the flowers that grow and fade in her wake and sharp in the echo of the blade that scratches the metal of the monster before them.

But stop and stare Grimm does not. As Upsy is distracted by the appearance of the wolf interloper he takes a chance at a closer-ranged attack. Appearing above the elevator, Grimm's cloak wraps around him and narrows to a nail-sharp point at his feet. He then swoops down, striking at the same spot that Ammy did with her Glaive. It does not do any more damage then her strike did and Grimm aborts the attack where it is, teleporting back to the ground. If the first half did not do much then the second kick would not either.

So instead the Troupe Master turns on his heel and sweeps his cloak open as three fire bats again go after Upsy.

Grimm is, clearly, far more interested in defeating this creature then brewing chaos at the moment. So perhaps some co-operation could be laid out for now.]

[Ammy isn't too keen on being eaten, though her close quarters to Upsy puts the white wolf in prime gobbling parameters. Thankfully, Upsy's not so great at moving outside of a straight line, and taking sharp turns or turning around isn't easy for it as it is for Amaterasu. She's small, slender, agile, and fleet of foot. Ammy quickly darts away as the hungry maw slams shut on where she once was - leaving a glittering trail in her wake as she hits the sand near her comrade in arms. What an interesting pair they make...but then again, duality is what she exists to protect. Balance...a mingling of two opposing forces.

She has yet to fully trust this creature - not knowing its thoughts and motives - but a truce can be formed when their enemy is the same. She weighs her options carefully, fire and blunt force seem to do nothing to the exterior of the beast, but if they attack it from the inside, perhaps...hm. It'll be tricky to execute, and she'll need this one's assistance, but if they can get her plan to work, it should provide an opportunity to escape, at the very least. Besides, she can't help but think this dark fellow would appreciate some fireworks to go with his spiraling movements.

Flicking her tail in an inverted 'Q' shape, Ammy paints the symbol of the boar god upon the ground, and one large, spherical Cherry Bomb appears in a puff of smoke. Its fit fuse hisses, counting down the time before it explodes in an array of fire and colorful lights. Yes, truly a firework in the most basic regard, but it is also still an explosive. And if that metal monster chokes on this spicy meatball, she's sure it'd stun the creature, and they can escape. If nothing else, a shroud of smoke and sand will be sufficient. She barks to Grimm, tossing her head to the Cherry Bomb.

Can you use those teleportation skills to get close? She can draw Upsy's attention long enough to give him a chance to poof in and hurl that bomb right in the creature's open mouth. Ammy has no qualms about being the bait in this situation.]

[The colors are indeed quite a contrast, Grimm's black and red and Ammy's white. It and her agile movements would be wonderful to see in a show...but those kinds of thoughts sadly cannot take place right now. Something to keep in mind for later.

The Grimm Troupe did not often employ explosives in their acts for various reasons but regardless Grimm knows a firework when he sees one. From there he is capable of drawing a line between the bomb and the only place he had not struck before - the insides of the beast. There certainly is a risk to this sort of plan as it put them both in danger, Ammy acting as bait and Grimm moving in to toss the Cherry Bomb inside. But neither of their attacks are doing enough significant damage to bring this creature down.

It was very likely that Upsy was not something they could defeat. But they certainly could give one hell of an end to this show.]

It seems that the time has come to end this dance. [Grimm looks down at Ammy and smiles, amused.] I will follow your lead, my friend.

[Give him that opening and he will take things to to their end.]

[White and red, to be exact - the crimson markings that are streaked through her fur in deep, swirling patterns seem to burn with the same intensity of the red blaze that Grimm knows well, but hers is a purifying flame...meant to warm, to illuminate, and to cleanse. Same as the rainbow flames that burn in the seven colors of the rainbow from the disc on her back. She is definitely...colorful. But her fire is searing in the face of the metal menace.

She glances back at the strange comrade she's made, nodding before she surges forward to attack, and Upsy seems to do the same. She meets it halfway, as as it intends to slam down onto her with its gaping jaws, that same disc on her back swings sideways and expands to form a shield, keeping that hungry maw from closing down on her. Growling, claws digging into the sand from the weight bearing down on her reflector, Amaterasu howls and pushes back with one final jerk, loosening the shield from Upsy's mouth and pushing it back. Its whole frame shudders, and Grimm has but second before the open mouth slams shut and it recovers from the push back.

Make your move, comrade, she has to put her faith in you to make this work.]

[There is beauty in power. Not in that having more means one dominates the other but how one chooses to use it - yet not in a way that demonstrates their morality. A mix of colors, of sounds and the roar of the crowd. It truly would be a very interesting show if Ammy participated.

But now is not the time to wax poetic. The bomb is easy enough to roll and it does not take a long time for Grimm to reach his top speed. Shortly he teleports in front of Upsy once he was close enough and kicks the Cherry Bomb into the creature's mouth. He then uses the metal that makes up the beast to push himself back and once his feet his the ground, Grimm clicks his fingers with a loud snap as three fire-bats fly into Upsy's mouth. Perhaps it is to make sure that the bomb goes off quicker before Upsy realizes what it is and spits it out.

Or perhaps it's because Grimm is rather...irritated with his wake-up call.

Regardless of his reasons, Grimm teleports backwards again so he is hopefully out of the range of the explosion. And so...3...2...1...]

[You'll have to tame this lion a little better before you get her to take part in any ritualistic dance, Troupe Master.

The Bomb is certainly easy to roll, given its shape, though the hiss of that fuse is getting low, as is the fuse itself. Ammy's half afraid the kick will detonate it, but the bomb holds steadfast, and she grabs a mouthful of Grimm's cloak with her teeth, dragging him onto her back and dashing away...just as the fiery bat collides with the bomb and it immediately bursts in a rage of vibrant fiery colors. Smoke billows out of Upsy's mouth as it jerks from the force of the bomb on its soft, fleshy interior, seeming to have halted from the dizzying pain of having its insides charred.

Ammy uses the opportunity to dash headlong into the trees with her, erm...rather bizarre rider. Hopefully he's gotten a good hold of her fur, at a full sprint, Ammy's speed rivals that of the wind itself, a trail of flowers following in her wake before they wither and fade into orbs of soft, pale light. She stops after a few minutes, feet dragging as her tongue hangs from her jaws and she wheezes heavily. Woof, she always forgets how much running at top speeds can take it out of her. She needs a rest...and perhaps some water, lowering herself onto the cold ground and letting herself catch her breath, chest rising and falling rapidly.]

[Not even if he asked politely, Mother Goddess?

The grabbing of his cloak is unexpected but Ammy is too fast for Grimm to give into any urge to teleport away. He was not one to be burned by light...but he has been burned by light in the past, if in the metaphorical sense. But the only real option available as of now is to hold on for dear life. Even if he let go and attempted to teleport to her side, Grimm suspects that he would not be able to catch up to Ammy.

He recognizes her exhaustion once they stop and and quickly dismounts. Certainly that battle used up quite a bit of energy and he too was tired, something he had not felt in a long time. There was a perfect consistency with the Troupe Master's abilities and that had not changed in eons. It was only coming to this curious island that those abilities presented a shift.

Rather then spend his time pondering this, however, Grimm kneels down by Ammy.]

I wish to extend my thanks for helping fight off that beast. Is there anything I can do to ease your exhaustion, my friend?

[When he's off, Ammy folds her legs and lays heavily on her side, her breathing coming out heavily. It's just fatigue - this always happens when she uses her full speed to this magnitude. Luckily it was only the one time, and not more than that...otherwise she may not be able to move, let alone stand, until the next morning. A few minutes rest should suffice, just to catch her breath and let the warmth of the sun revitalize her.

When Grimm comes near, she watches him very carefully - his gestures, his face, the emotion in those red eyes...and the words hidden within the spaces between words. For a moment longer after he speaks, she say and does nothing, just watches, before she shuts her eyes and picks herself up just long enough to lay her head on his bent knee. Oh, how foolish she's been...to think--no, to keep thinking that an aura of darkness means evil and wickedness. She senses nothing from this creature other than concern and deep gratitude for her help. Her tongue escape her mouth absently, licking the fabric of his cloak.

One day she won't pass he judgment based solely on a gut feeling. Each time she's been incorrect, and it's time to put old biases behind her.

Friend. Yes, that's right...she's made a friend today.]

[The end of the Grimm Troupe's show is their final act, the birth of the Grimmchild and the extinguish of the Nightmare King's flames. Death and rebirth. A role Grimm had settled into since a long, long time ago. It was a Ritual that required others, required those willing to gather the flames of the Grimmkin.

But the key word was "willing". It was their final act with audience participation, so to speak. A dance between Grimm and the one who called them to their dead and dying kingdoms. It was a spectacle of flames before they were snuffed out. But it was a show and it always should be beautiful and fun.

And the one sharing the dance with Grimm was to do it of their own free will.

Grimm is genuinely surprised by the gesture - beings of light were normally not so friendly - but the corners of his mouth quirk upwards and he gently lays a hand on the top of Ammy's head. Grimm is warm and (perhaps unsurprisingly) his cloak tastes like soot. That may not be a pleasant taste.]

What a strange being you are. [Grimm means no insult by that. And perhaps his choice of words, not 'dog' nor 'wolf', may hint at something.] But it is welcome. If you wish to rest like this, I am fine with waiting.

[Provided Upsy does not make a re-appearance, of course.]

[That's the thing - Ammy wouldn't very much agree to being a part of the death of someone, even if it means rebirth in the end. A ritualistic sacrifice is not the sort of divine magic she'd ever be a part of. If the circumstance were dire...perhaps, but Amaterasu doesn't meddle in the affairs of Life and Death or Fate and Chance - her power is to create, not necessarily to destroy. Besides, why would she want to do harm to such an agreeable person she's just coming to like?

She, too, is quite warm - radiating the gentle heat of a ray of sunshine. Ammy's peaceful expression, however, shifts into one of disgust as the taste of ash and soot fills her mouth, and the face she makes is quite hysterical. She smacks her tongue across the roof of her mouth several times to rid herself of the awful taste, looking at Grimm like he just offended her greatly. Look at what you've done. You've ruined the moment. How hecking dare.

So much of what he's said goes over her head, her nose scrunched up in disgust as her lips roll back over her teeth and she utters a low, unhappy groan deep in her chest, rolling off him and laying impudently on her side by his leg instead. Is she sulking? Oh she is absolutely sulking. This is betrayal.]

[...and the peacefulness of this scene goes out the window by Ammy's expression alone. Grimm was far too used to the way he smelled (and evidently tasted) to mention it out to others that may be concerned. The only one who truly commented on it was Divine, as she did with any interesting smell that came her way. And...taste. It certainly was an awkward first meeting.

He tries to not laugh. He really does, although he cannot stop himself from smiling a little more. And Grimm certainly recognizes when someone is sulking. This is what happens when you lick things belonging to the bug who uses fire, Ammy.]

I do use fire in my shows and battles quite often. The smell has indeed transferred to my cloak and the taste, it seems.

[Perhaps a late warning but one that may have been obvious. Grimm sits down properly beside Ammy but does not touch her again. When it came to sulking, it was best for that person to work through it themselves. He cannot make Ammy un-lick his cloak, after all.

So he'll wait.]

[LIsten, Amaterasu is a goddess of the sun, but that doesn't mean she smells and tastes like an ash tray. She...probably tastes way worse, actually - given that she's probably not had a proper bath in weeks, and avoids soap and water like the scourge. So.

Yeah, Grimm's actually fine.

She glances sideways at him and shifts only enough to curl herself up into a ball, tucking her tail around herself to try and sleep off the fatigue. It won't be long, another couple minutes or so, but she easily fall into a deep sleep, her eyelids sagging before they close. Curious...a few minutes after she's completely fallen asleep, plants begin to grow and die in a perpetual cycle around her - tiny flowers bloom then wither away into dusty flecks of light, only to be born again, and grass springs up from the dirt under her. Stranger still is the red disc on her back seems to gleam just slightly, the grooves in the reflector that make the spiraling flame markings of her Holy Symbol shimmering as the sun's rays cast over it.

This wolf appears to be solar powered.]

[Grimm has stated it out loud but it bares repeating: she is a strange being. Within his world dreams and nightmares were not enemies based on elements or the like. Void was the one who carried that burden of being despised by pure light. But dreams and nightmare, light and dark, were mere counterpoints. Fire grew shadows but gave light.

But when it came to the clash of personalities of those involved, that's when there was an unfortunate breakdown. And there is only so far one can live with that sort of hostility, in as much as Grimm was "alive".

(When the show ended and the curtains closed, Grimm became as terrible as the Radiance and wreathed in burning, scarlet fire until that candle was snuffed and the Troupe Master rises again.)

Still it is wonderful whenever Grimm encounters a softer light rather then a harsh blade...metaphorically, as this one certainly had their own sharp weapon. The flowers bloom and die as his hand passes over them idly before gently setting back in Ammy's white fur. He was not someone who indulged in idle behavior but every good actor deserved a break, and now was the right time for it.

He could wait for her to rest. It was no different then waiting in the realm of nightmares. Time mattered little when you lived for as long as Grimm has, after all.]

[And for this reason, perhaps, Ammy has come to see Grimm not as a threat or an enemy, but as a friend - like he said. She follows deeply the practice that all things live, and should remain, in perfect harmony - a balance between the planes. One cannot exist without the other, and both light and dark are ever intertwined. To have such a being share those morals and beliefs is...unexpected, but pleasantly so. It's about time such gods began to take their roles not as an abuse of power, and a seat above the rest, but as a duty they must follow, for the sake of all things.

After all, what is a god if there is none to believe in them? They simply fade from existence, from memory...

The two entities rest easily for a while, and it's just as Grimm is beginning to doze off that he can feel something wet and cold press against his cheek, and a loud snuffling sound breathe on his face. Ammy nudges him gently, once again, to get up. It looks like the danger has passed, and they're free to wander to a more safer area. Poor Grimm probably needs answers as well, and she's unsure where the Storyteller would be at this point in time to give those questions their respectable answers, but...the temple should be their best bet. If anything, it's a safe place away from that godawful metal monster.

So wake up, friend, we're going to be walking again.]

[Perhaps it's an irony for the God of nightmares, but Grimm is not a particularly deep sleeper unless it was...called for. So it does not take much prodding on Ammy's part to rouse him. Despite the (hopefully) far-off threat of an eldritch elevator, the Troupe Master can't help but yawn and roll his shoulders before standing again. Quite nice to rest after a battle.

But now it is time to continue. Grimm looks down at Ammy with a smile.]

Well now that we are free of that rather rude distraction, shall we move on? Perhaps somewhere where the elevator will not bother us.

[Stepping back to let Grimm wake, she actually stretches a bit herself, catching their yawn - as they are very contagious - and shaking off her fur as her tongue swipes over her nose. Someplace safe...hm. The only place she can think of that'd be entirely safe would be the Storyteller's temple - the power of her sibling god would certainly deter the awful menace from coming near, and expel it if it made the attempt.

As she lifts her head to whiff the air, then dips it low and paces about to catch a scent of their trail, her tail begins to wag behind her and she yips for her friend to follow. It's not all that far, if Grimm doesn't mind walking a bit... Though she'd gladly offer him a seat on her back as well.]

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July Intro: Upsy-Daisy!

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that icon XD I'm sorry Ammy

it's one of my favorites. 8Db also i love Grimm omg ♥

I love Ammy too :) she's really cute

SHE TRIES. i'm still happy and amazed they got on so well so fast

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