lifeaftr | January Undercurrent: Growing Pains

January Undercurrent: Growing Pains

JANUARY UNDERCURRENT

Who: Everyone!
What: Hey bud, how's it growing?
When: January 3rd to January 20th
Where: Everywhere!
Warnings: This event has a potential for body horror and character death; please mark anything as it comes up!

A Notion Growing Inside Me

Those of you who weren't with us the last time Umui entered the archipelago didn't have to contend with the lethal illness known as the Overgrowth personally, but anyone who remembers it probably doesn't remember it fondly. Fortunately, this isn't quite the same strain of the illness that you had to contend with the last time. It's not unrelentingly and uncompromisingly fatal, for one! That's always nice.

For those that need a primer on the Overgrowth, it is best described as a sickness that overcomes you with floral growth both inside and outside your body that can only be cured by expressions of emotional honesty. Expressions of truths, affections, and admissions of things that you have hidden from yourselves or from others were critical in dispensing of the illness. These could be as simple as admissions of past sins or the revealing of secrets, or as grandiose and overt as confessions of guilt or love. That general idea will remain more or less the key means of curing this strain as well, though the stakes fortunately aren't as high this go around! Which is to say, if you fail to have any grand emotional epiphanies by the time this event ends, you aren't doomed to suffer a character death; symptoms will simply dissipate come January 20th.

So what's this sickness going to be like in this particular instance, then? We're so glad you asked!

You can go the standard route, of course. Adventurers' first brush with the illness saw the following afflicted upon them:

[ ♆ ] Stage One: Germination. Initial symptoms involve fever, coughing fits, numbness to nerves and extremities, and general joint stiffness. Difficulty breathing or performing other basic functions will often occur. Fatigue, difficulty sleeping, and intense weakness or dizzy spells are also liable to occur as the flowers begin to harvest nutrients from the body. This will also generate extreme thirst and periods of intense nausea. Tremors and the sensation of something "itching" from inside are also common. The end of Stage One is usually marked by the act of vomiting or coughing up flower petals or spores, along with a not-insignificant amount of blood.

[ ♆ ] Stage Two: Budding. The floral growths spread more completely inside the body, and begin to grow on the skin or exterior. Difficulty performing basic functions will increase as, for example, airways become obstructed and flowers grow around joints and pinch them still. The site of affliction also yields rashes, blisters, and blood sores as the flowers sprout from the skin. The rate of vomiting or coughing up floral growths will increase dramatically. Flowers often bloom quickly, and very painfully. Numbness in affected areas will increase, oftentimes rendering parts of the body completely inert - a pair of legs claimed completely by blooms, for example, will no longer work.

This was followed by Stage Three: Bloom, which resulted in character death. However, this strain will not advance to this style of Stage Three. All symptoms will disperse by the time Umui resurfaces.

This strain is also rather more erratic, which can make emotional repression more of an inconvenience than a horrifying circumstance. For those who would rather not play around with intense sickness (or who have already endured this once before), you have the option to go that route if you like! With this variant of the Overgrowth, one can become, for example, so embarrassed that they hiccup up a flower. A vicious denial of their feelings may cause them to spontaneously erupt into a rash of dandelion puffballs, seemingly immediately. You might end up walking around with a bouquet for an arm for a few hours. Perhaps mortifying, but certainly not fatal! Isn't that nice?

Unless, of course, you want it to be...

I Can't Fight It Much Longer

Now, while the Bloom Stage isn't present in this strain, it has mutated its progression into a rather nasty end stage. Those of you who succumb a little too readily to this illness, who don't fight off the emotional repression quickly, who don't admit those difficult truths to yourself or confess to whatever you're bottling up, you'll be faced with a potentially horrifying transformation. Potentially, because it is your choice whether or not you see fit to commit your character to that fate - as stated above, this option might simply skip over your character entirely, and the worst they'll have to deal with are cartoonishly over-the-top effects that disperse in due time.

But maybe not all of you will be so lucky. Some of you might discover for yourselves how this particular variant of the Overgrowth has mutated.

We call this mutation Stage Three: Outbreak.

In this final Stage, those beautiful blooms wither and harden into a fungus-like carapace as the illness grows into the victim's brain and shuts down virtually all higher functions. This can sometimes render them almost wholly recognizable, but not always - oftentimes, it's very obvious who this person once was. The victim is reduced to a carrier of the virus, which causes them to act the way you'd expect most viruses to act: becoming intent on spreading. Advanced brain functions such as speech, rational thought, and so on tend to shut off and become wholly inaccessible.

Now that the victim's body is no longer fighting the Overgrowth, the illness lends them increased speed, strength, and durability, making them dangerous foes indeed. They will usually seek to infect others by whatever means necessary - usually via biting or exuding breathable spores - but in some cases, they will simply reduce to base instincts, and just outright attempt to attack and kill whoever is closest.

Unfortunately, at this point, there is no hope of a cure; it's hard to make someone be emotionally honest when they're capable of little more than blunt, animal instinct. At this point, you can either wait for the Stage Three symptoms to disperse come Umui's return, or take manners into your own hands. You can probably guess what that might entail.

If you decide to put your Overgrown friends out of their misery, this will count as a character death. If it comes to that, be sure to let us know on the Deaths page! Death penalties, however, will not be reduced for this event.

Try to Get Through It

Of course, there's a lot going on in the background as well. You're free to use this log as a catch-all for the duration of January's Undercurrent Event, as well as any of the other minor events listed on our Monthly Rundown post. And, of course, you are always free to create your own individual logs and posts as needed.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them over on the Questions header on our Rundown post!

January Timeline

[ ♆ ] January 1st: "This Sucks" begins and lasts until January 10th
[ ♆ ] January 3rd: "Growing Pains" begins and lasts until January 20th
[ ♆ ] January 11th: "No Water is Safe" begins and lasts until January 19th
[ ♆ ] January 20th: Umui returns to the archipelago
[ ♆ ] January 21st: "Impawsible Geometries" begins and lasts until January 31st

LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

[They sure are words!

She nods her head, holding up three feather-fingers. Three whole guardians! That's a lot.]

Is he willing? No, no he's not, he realizes suddenly as Ginko asks. His voice catches in his throat, and he can't do this, he can't risk whatever is about to come out if he says anything.

To even say no would be too much, too risky. He's tense, and he aches all over, and he can't do this but (as always) he has to. He has to give Ginko some kind of signal, but he... he should be able to give an actual answer, it's just his pride and stubbornness getting in the way again and again.

Yukio shakes his head, after a while.

[It sounds like the verbal equivalent of having your picture plastered on the fridge, so she'll take it. He liked the story. That's the jist. She can't really imagine him being a story that's scary, even if he is associated with death. He's the only nice part about it. The only comfort during, so why he would be the focus in horror novels-

Well, she doesn't get it.]

You always do a very good job.

For Ren-chan's sake, try harder.

[It's not particularly barbed, but it is blunt. Ichimatsu is nothing if not that. He half-turns and glances back at Kravitz over his shoulder, all of the bored composure back on his face; suffice it to say, he's got his own control thing, too.]

[He points towards his own face mask.]

You should get yourself one of these, at least.

[He should've asked for help.]

[That's the funniest part, right? He didn't even need to ask. People were already trying to help him. Ren, the Drifter, Lup... they all had their own flowers growing from their skin, but they still reached out to him. And he just pushed them away.]

[It's been like that for as long as Ichimatsu can remember. Being blessed with kindness and companionship he didn't ask for, didn't deserve... it's like some karmic scale weighed down for him with multicolored stones. Red and blue and green and pink and...]

[The sun.]

[Even now, Jyushimatsu feels warm at his side, like he's the one boiling with fever and not Ichimatsu. He can't help but lean into his brother and soak in his words, even when they're tinged by tears, the tension in Jyushimatsu's muscles and the redness on his face. Ichimatsu thinks briefly about pushing it away, like he does everything, and feels nothing but the threat of icy darkness on the other side.]

[He feels his own eyes stinging at the corners, because maybe Jyushimatsu could have saved him if he were here last time, or maybe he couldn't have; that doesn't matter right now, and it's not something Ichimatsu wants to hear his little brother beat himself up over. Jyushimatsu promises that he'll be fine with him, and Ichimatsu hears what it means.]

[He won't leave his brother. Maybe he was content to disappear last time, like all the felines he knew and named back home, but...]

[Cats love the sun. That warmth. More than anything else.]

[Gulping quietly, Ichimatsu lets go of Jyushimatsu's hand to grasp at his other one instead, over his sleeve, gently squeezing the clenched fist.]

... there's one big difference between me and Karamatsu. B-but... it's something different between you and him, too.

[He smiles into his brother's hair, his voice filled with warmth.]

Y'know what that is?

[Score. Relieved, Ichimatsu sighs and rubs his nose where the dog had bopped him the hardest, scowling even though it didn't hurt even a little bit. He's really not much of a dog person... but if all he's gotta do is pet the gross jelly-dog every day to keep his little brother out of the doghouse, then that's the price he's willing to pay. Even if this isn't Japan, it's just not a habit he wants Jyushimatsu to get into...... and leave him to explain to Choromatsu, if that high-strung, fappy bastard ever shows up.]

[Anyway, it's not because he's already growing fond of Strike One's clueless, happy attitude or anything. He's not that easy.]

[And it doesn't remind him of who may or may not be his favorite brother. Even a little bit.]

... tch. Deal. You're the one feeding him and cleaning up his messes, though.

[ The innocent way she puts the situation does at least serve to make him dial down on the whole moody tone, even if it was justified. This child is stuck here as much as he is, and she's trying to help.

So, he settles down a bit. ]

I...suppose.

Say, what was your name again?

[ So many guardians! Well, as they say, it takes a village. Though a lot of humans seem to have lost that habit. But he doesn't quite know about the cohabitation and parenting habits of other creatures. ]

Oh, good, good.

[ He pauses for a moment, thinking. ]

And what have they told you about this place? [ Mostly because he doesn't want to step on any toes. He's not even sure it's a good idea for a child - a bird, a chick? - to really know the details of this place. May be a bit much. Not that he really knows that much about it... ]

Hm. I see.

[ For a moment, he just follows. But he still has questions. ]

Have you dealt with these kinds of creatures before? You seem rather calm about all of this.

[ Well, it might have something to do with how Aziraphale isn't really like most other angels. He suspects any of his kin would have a much more adverse reaction to Chip's existence - even if the antichrist does exist, but he was always expected -, and would probably not be shy about it.

All Aziraphale is, right now, is curious, but he's far too polite to pry more than he has. ]

Right, then. Carry on.

Also- they can be quite slimy. I'd advise you to be careful.

[ The one that's apparently chosen to follow him home is...an experience to deal with. ]

[She gives an exasperated huff in response to that. How is she supposed to answer something so broad?

After some consideration, she lists off a handful of island names, all spoken in a variety of voices, and then in sequence:]

This is a weird dream. [A man, dry and somewhat irritated.] Are you by the temple? [A woman, accented.] Fighting monsters. [The same as the first, again.]

[ Sorry, Kiri, he really isn't doing it on purpose. He has no way of knowing what she may or may not be able to say!

Aziraphale hums contemplatively, trying to make something out of those lines. It sounds like they aren't really told her this is, as far as they can tell, very real. But he's also not entirely sure he should be the one trying to explain it to her. His own lack of knowledge notwithstanding. ]

Well, I believe we are all here, and that it is all very confusing. I don't quite know where this is, but...I'm sure we will all find out eventually.

[ That sounds hopeful enough. Yes? Yes. Good. ]

Affirmative.

(They get to work with the other rag.

Fortunately, the shark does not appear to be returning ... for now. Hopefully, they'll be able to get this cleaned up before the changes.)

[She chirps thoughtfully, returning to her journal and flipping through to a fresh page, scrawling out a bit of text that she holds up to him.]

dangerous islands come and go
not home
don't know why we're here?

[...wait, how did she think that? Chip blinks and frowns, their face screwing up with confusion.]

Huh? No, they're not--they're both planars, but demons and fae aren't the same. Green magic is way different from black.

[Beau just keeps laughing, eyes crinkling in excitement and mirth.]

Fuck yes! Muscle up Barnes, there's fish to wrestle!!

[She looks like she might actually wrestle one too, just because.]

Oh, nah, probably not.

[She just shrugs.]

But every one's gonna matter to somebody. So I'm gonna keep doing it.

[Beau's absolutely chattered about it before, especially when they were exploring Tempide and the watery wreck. That was the disease that killed the entire town most likely, and to see it back is more than a little harrowing. She swallows, something thick and tight still in her throat, and it worries her how much she doesn't know about what that actually is.]

No. I mean, I don't know, but-- it's not... impossible. There was a cure, I just need...

[She tries to move, a quick up motion and the usual candor of her step and the entire world sways, leaning back on Yasha for support.]

Fuck. Here, help me inside, I need my notes.

[ He rests his arms on the table, reading her message.

He goes to answer, then pauses, and lets out a small sigh.]

I'm afraid I don't know either. Would rather like to understand what the reason is for all of this.

[ And he would find out, a while after this, from a expired god of these very same islands. ]

He almost expected that. It certainly isn't a surprise; it just adds to the dread coiling in Ginko's stomach. He can't pressure Yukio too much, can't risk scaring him off and possible leaving him worse off than he already was, but he can't just give up and let him die so easily, either.

"Yukio, if there's anything at all you're willing to tell me-- I'll listen. And if you want me to say something, first, so it isn't so uneven, I can do that too. Would that work better for you?" Offering up information about himself so easily feels strange, even given the circumstances - but he's got to try anything that might get Yukio to talk.

Only if they aren't just regenerating the second you destroy them, which is the more likely possibility.

It's an offer, and he knows how huge it is, he knows that Ginko's offering something huge and important but he... he can't... his voice is stuck somewhere back behind the flowers he knows are growing in him, he can't say anything because if he does...

His hands are numb, from the flowers or because he's not getting enough air and he really can't breathe right now, but they raise up to his face anyway, like fingers curled against his skin will do something to fix any of this. They don't, there's nothing he can do, Ginko's trying to manage this but Yukio can't say anything because if he does...

He has to leave. He has to leave but he's dizzy, he can't breathe, he's curled in on himself and he's shaking and this isn't right, he shouldn't be reacting like this even as sick as he is and he knows it, and he still can't snap himself out of it and Ginko is staring, Ginko's waiting for Yukio to say something but he can't, he can't even breathe, his heart is racing and his skin feels like it's going to split open from things growing under it and Ginko is still right there, and Yukio should answer him but he can't, he can't--

Anomalous events and entities are common.

I do suppose so...

Have there been many of the land shark variety?

I... do, yes. And it is helping, but honesty has--

[ She clears her throat. Not because of the petals in her throat--though it does help with that--but because it's... difficult. She wraps her arms around herself, letting out a breath. ]

It's never been my strong suit.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Page 58 of 61

January Undercurrent: Growing Pains

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject