Hello and welcome reader, to the 29th installment of the Character Development Threads! These shared story exercises help budding writers develop their characters alongside the characters of other budding writers. No sign-up is needed; just jump right in with your characters. It is recommended that you read the thread page and the last couple of pages before starting.
Discussion Thread
—Thread Page —
Trope Page —
Town Map — Wilderness Map
This is a "Main Series" thread and, as such, an element of risk is expected. Rules and participation guidelines may be found on this page.
The thread page groups active characters under the areas in which they are active, enabling you to see who is at a given location in which you might be interested or to find out where to go to encounter characters with whom you wish to interact.
Kindly add your own characters to the thread page, with a link to their initial post, under the area in which they are located and update the page if they change location.
Bear in mind that if your characters are arriving at a location, they are likely to know little more than what they see and hear as they arrive - what the location looks like, what other characters are there (both of which can be read on the thread page) and the last few lines uttered and actions taken as they are arriving (which can be found in the last few posts for that location in the story thread itself), so inserting characters need not be a terrifying or arduous process. In most cases, they don't need to know more than what you yourself can glean from reading just a few posts.
If you need help, have any questions, or want a quick recap (if the page count is daunting), head over to the discussion page, and someone is sure to help you out!
To help guide character interaction, having your character come in with at least one short-term and one long-term goal or motivation is strongly recommended. It is not required, but it does make it easier to drive the plot forward. Feel free to come up with rumors about what treasures, adventure, locations, and dangers may be found in the setting - they need not be true or accurate, just some hook on which to hang an adventure.
The setting is specifically designed to be a vast sandbox into which details can be inserted by participants (for example, you are free to decide that there is a particular temple in the midst of the forest in which something may be found or that there is a particular shop/hotel/restaurant in a section of the town), if you come up with a location that you desire/expect other characters to visit, please add it to the thread page as a sub-location of the relevant area.
Things change as the story progresses. If, for example, a massive battle occurs at a location and the area is now strewn with bodies and buildings are damaged, kindly update the thread page to reflect those changes, in order that other participants have an up-to-date description of the location prior to sending their characters there.
Special thanks to all those who helped in getting the original thread launched or provided ideas and feedback. In alphabetic order, they include:
Blackfire 667, Collen, Corvidae, daird, Darkblood Carnagefang, Eterna Memoria, Gault, Kkutwar, Killer Clowns, ladytanuki, Masterofchaos, nrjxll, Pyxo, Slysheen, Tro Partner, Will De Regio and especially Wolf 1066, whose original post I have shamelessly copied with only minor alterations.
Apologies if I missed anyone - just let me know and I'll update the post.
The dawn of another day rises across the land, heralding fresh morning air, clearer heads, opened doors, and new arrivals.
Between dimensions, and linked to the rest of the multiverse, lies a strange post-apocalyptic environment made up of various regions strewn with the remnants of past glory - ruins, lost technologies and magic. Here and there, nature has found its way back amongst the ruined temples and towns.
In the midst of the blighted landscape, a fresh new town has emerged - a synergy of technology, nature and magic; clean and eco-friendly; a beacon of hope for a brighter future - where travelers can rest, recharge their batteries (both literally and metaphorically) and get whatever they may need - technological, magical or otherwise - to aid them on their adventures.
New arrivals can turn up by diverse means in the transportation area in the north-western part of the town or by whatever other means they deem appropriate. Here they may also find for rent, lease or hire, any transport they desire from riding animals to vehicles.
The wilderness areas have not been fully explored since the mysterious apocalyptic events that ravaged the area some time ago and no one is really sure what's out there - but rumors abound.
All that is known for sure is that both magic and technology have existed here for a long time, so anything is possible...
Current Time: 10:00 AM
Current Weather: Sunny
See the thread page for updates.
Edited by Ryuhza on Feb 22nd 2023 at 1:14:28 AM
Crazy Kiwi
Hotel - Lobby
[Wolf, Ultra]The antelope-like being obviously noticed his approach as they - he wasn't about to make any assumptions about sex, gender or anything else - glanced directly at him.
The only response to his question, however, was a shrug.
He flashed them a quick grin. "You, too, huh?" His face resumed its neutral expression and he gave a quick shrug of his own to signify that it wasn't of great importance. "Never mind."
At a loss as to what else to say without conversational cues from the antelope-being, he looked around and started to drift aimlessly through the lobby.
He unzipped the front of his armoured mesh jacket so that it no longer constricted him, the two plastic chest plates hanging loose behind his mesh sleeveless vest, then he reached under the neck of his t-shirt and dug out the carved bone pendant he had tucked there to stop it flapping about while he was riding.
The pendant was a stylised figure that anyone familiar with Māori artwork would recognise as a Manaia - head of a bird, body of a human, tail of a fish - signifying a spiritual guardian. The iridescent eye of the Manaia was made from a piece of pāua shell. The creamy white of the bone made a stark contrast against his black t-shirt.
Unheeded, his left middle finger continued its rapid tapping against his left thumb.
Edited by Wolf1066 on Feb 16th 2024 at 3:20:44 AM
[Basement]
"We do see it," James finally said, "Clear as day. It's not fine that you're going through this, Joesph."
"And that's why I said what I said," Amandus said, "Because, again, the only way you're ever going to know if you're capable of change is to make an effort, not feeling sorry for yourself like this. I'm not trying to dismiss what you're going through...I just want you to understand that you have to keep going. You have to push through. That's how you get things done."
< Hub Town - Hotel, B1 (Near elevator) >
Joseph turned his gaze to James, his eyes as wide as he could manage in their sensitive state, and his mouth slightly ajar, as though he were beholding a sacred moment. When he heard what the man had to say, his jaw started to tremble as he shut his mouth back up tight, and the creases along his snout deepened, like cracks on a vase which was barely held together, near to shattering or to mending.
Amandus had hardly opened his mouth to speak before Joseph charged into James, wrapping his arms around the man and burying his head against his chest. Contrary to Amandus's advice, Joseph hadn't spent much of that time feeling particularly sorry for himself. The pieces for sorrow were there, but the feeling was always aimed outward, meant for those he felt he'd wronged. Even as he laid bare the low moments of his human existence, he regarded them more with confusion; a difficult puzzle he couldn't seem to solve, premised on the belief that he was the odd one out for seeing any of it as abnormal. The belief that somehow, at his core, he must have deserved every misfortune.
For much of his life, a time almost longer than he could remember, the visions of his heart, his mind, and the world existed in an irreconcilable state. The friction of their conflict grew into a cloud of gloom and creeping madness that reigned over him, unabating and inseparable.
And then, in a moment, however frank or unassuming his intentions, James had tipped the scales.
And Joseph, for the first time in a long, long, time, stepped out from the cloud, into the presence of someone he felt he could trust.
There, with his head pressed to the man's chest, holding fast to him like a rock in a stormy sea, he wept anew, drawing on untold depths from all of the years he'd told himself to hold it in. Whatever anguish he felt was tempered by the relief of letting it all spill out and flow away.
this place needs me here
[Basement]
For a moment, James was completely taken aback at Joseph's response; he'd almost expected him to hug his husband. After all, he said far more than he had...hadn't he? Still, it wasn't like he was complaining. The boy needed this. He had been holding it for far too long—no child should have to carry this weight at all.
With a soft smile, James returned the hug, rubbing his back gently. He didn't say anything, nor did he need to. No words were necessary..
Amandus also silently patted Joseph's back, letting him have his moment. He already said everything he to, after all.
[Hotel - Lobby (Wolf; Ultra; Iveya, Imes)]
Making their way into the lobby were two rather well-dressed Qorisayane. "Oh, come now, Imes! We came here for a reason, you know. A little fun won't kill you!" The speaker was a woman: tall, dark, and absolutely gorgeous, with a shaven head and hazel eyes. She was dressed in a long, flowing gold gown with a plunging back and neckline that would not have been out of place on the red carpet. Heads turned as she walked by, but she paid them no heed.
"We have very definitions of 'fun', Iveya," the man called Imes replied. He had blue eyes, and his skin was only a bit lighter than the woman's. His black hair was neatly trimmed in a caesar cut, and carried himself with a quiet dignity. His clothes were typical of his culture, finely made but not ostentatious: loose white pants and a tunic, red with embroidery on the hems. "I'm not here to drink whiskey and wreak havoc upon chumps at gambling tables." As he said this, he glanced over towards Ultra and Wolf. He wasn't quite rude enough to butt in, but Iveya and Imes clearly knew where they were and what they were doing; they might have the answers Wolf and Ultra didn't.
Edited by KillerClowns on Feb 26th 2024 at 8:29:50 AM
Hotel Lobby (Bonnie; Henry, Joseph)
Bonnie tapped her chin a few times, “To quote something I read in a book: Those that don't learn from the mistakes of the past are doomed to repeat them. That is one of the lessons of learning history.”
Her face soured as she turned her attention towards Henry, giving the young man a grim nod, "Aye— my kind's certainly not the ones writing the books, I can say that much. Textbooks do have a certain tendency to omit certain... unsavory facts. Hence the importance of learning about the past."
Bonnie began pondering a few things— only to be brought back to the present by the sharp crack of a floor tile being shattered nearby. She absentmindedly took her pen and paper back, giving a vacant nod in Joseph's general direction, "Right, I suppose— It is time to move on," she said, not paying attention to the context of what Joseph had said.
she/her friend to the hooved
Ultra, Hub Town, Hotel, near reception
The lack of conversation suited Ultra just fine, of course, and she continued occupying herself with idle peoplewatching (with the occasional glance over toward Joseph)... at least, until two very distinctive individuals made themselves known and immediately grabbed her attention at the exclusion of nearly everything else.
Prissy and ostentatious, it hadn't been an hour after meeting Alice that Ultra was met with yet more people she immediately detested. What was it about this place?
Moneyed, clearly, but they weren't with Western Amalgamated, rather... Qorisayane? Had to be. She truthfully had trouble telling humans apart on features alone (besides being a poor indicator by itself, they weren't nearly as varied as hoofkind), but the fabrics and general manner of dress were enough of a hint. What's more, the two seemed like they'd present a fresh perspective on this whole affair. Not stuffy businesspeople or unhinged scientists or ranking soldiers.
As one of them glanced over, they'd meet Ultra's gaze—all the more disconcertingly piercing now that she was actively studying them—and were they halfway adept at reading people, they would find vanishingly little envy or admiration in it. She was someone who'd seen it all, and wasn't remotely impressed with any of it.
She looked over toward the bearded one who'd approached her a second ago and since wandered. "Hey," she called out just loud enough for him to hear, making an indicative nod to the duo should he look back over. "One of these two might know something."
She'd have added some sort of biting quip to the end of that, but she wasn't about to run her mouth within earshot of a possible source of intel.
Crazy Kiwi
Hotel - Lobby
[Ultra, Iveya, Imes, Wolf]Another couple entered the lobby, talking amongst themselves: well groomed and dressed in what Wolf viewed as the opposite end of the spectrum from him - not merely because the clothes were expensive (his Outdoor Research trousers and Lems shoes weren't exactly cheap, after all) but because they looked decorative whereas his clothes were - and very much looked - functional.
Wolf would have left them be but the antelope-being got his attention and suggested the newcomers might know something. Wolf gave a quick smile and nodded thanks then turned towards the couple.
The man's combination of dark skin and blue eyes was extremely rare on Earth; the only time Wolf had ever seen anyone like that was the last time he had wound up in a liminal space and the person concerned hadn't originated from Earth at all.
It was possible, he surmised, that someone from Earth with an extremely rare phenotype had wound up here, but it was more likely this was someone from a race that, Wolf knew, had the capacity to travel between dimensions... and if that were the case, the antelope-being was most likely right: this couple probably would know something about this place.
They may very well have come here deliberately rather than accidentally, as he had.
Wolf gave the couple a nod that most people took to be a greeting or acknowledgement (apparently completely failing to notice that, in so doing, he had managed to avoid meeting their eyes) then, looking at the space between the couple's heads, said, "g'day. Sorry to intrude, but would either - or both - of you happen t'be Qorisayane, by any chance?" His tone was upbeat, bordering on manic. "And do either of y'know what this place is called? It's some sorta liminal space, right? Judging by the diversity of sophonts."
Edited by Wolf1066 on Feb 21st 2024 at 7:43:39 AM
[Hotel - Lobby (Wolf; Ultra; Iveya, Imes)]
Qorisa was an empire of many cultures, but Imes was a creature of the first of them. The warriors of the savannas, who had been both the conquered and the conquerors. A people whose clans often warred with one another when no foreign adversary was to be found. A people who retained a particular attitude towards showing respect, and being respected. Nothing was certain, laws were fragile, every peace was temporary. If somebody insulted you today, they might plunder you tomorrow. And Ultra's condescending glare was an insult.
Imes didn't like that world. He knew it was terrible, in many ways, but it had been, for so very long — longer than one might think, to look at him — the very air he breathed. Its traumas had shaped him, and it was through that lens that he could not help but interpret Ultra's gaze as a threat. And he did not like being threatened.
Still. Another part of him, a newer part of him, something learned relatively recently, restrained him. He met Ultra's gaze with a calm but firm expression, though there was no mistaking his body language: he was ready to fight, right here, right now... if that was what Ultra chose. He came closer, but did not take the step of invading her personal space, as he once mighty have. "Did I do something to disrespect you?" he said. If she had a problem with him, he wanted to hear it now. Whatever it was, maybe they didn't even have to fight about it. And he also wanted to know if she had the nerve to say what she was thinking to his face... or she was just another punk who threw the evil eye but lost her tongue when called out on it.
The local security knew exactly who Imes was. A man in dark glasses and a dark suit had, without appearing to traverse the intervening space, made his presence known, ready to handle a situation. Imes briefly met his gaze with narrowed eyes, before returning his attention to Ultra. Nobody could mistake the two for friends. It just meant that, if it came down to it, they'd have to take this outside. Which was fine by Imes. This fancy place, these fancy clothes... they were a poor fit for him anyways.
Iveya, a daughter of a less precarious world, saw no reason to allow an artiodactyl with an attitude problem to ruin her day. Still, she did not intervene. Imes could handle this, and it wasn't like she particularly liked this creature either. Worst came to worst... she didn't care for it, but she was no stranger to throwing hands either. She subtly shifted her stance, preparing to counter-throw Ultra if she mistook Iveya for a potential hostage and made a move. Notably, her stance was poorly suited for striking — unlike Imes, she was not preparing to attack Ultra, but like Imes, she took it for granted that Ultra was a potential aggressor.
Despite all this, she was able to fix Wolf with a soft but radiant smile, as though she wasn't feet away from a brewing brawl. "You're familiar with our people, I see." She brought her fist to her chest in a careful salute — sure not to leave herself vulnerable while doing so — then said, "you are quite correct. This is the Ash Tree Hotel, and it is what some would call a 'liminal space'." She was happy to help this traveler, but didn't really have time to say more. Not until the matter of the antelope was settled.
Edited by KillerClowns on Feb 21st 2024 at 6:54:17 AM
she/her friend to the hooved
Ultra, Hub Town, Hotel, near reception
Evidently, Ultra had been incorrect in pinning the bearded one for having been a castaway from some random unrelated place like herself—he knew about the Qorisayane, but his confusion on arrival told her he wasn't with Western Amalgamated nor privy to their travel technology, and thus was unlikely to be from their world at all.
This presented an intriguing set of questions, and Ultra herself barely had to lift a finger: How did he know anything and where had he been before he ended up here? How far-reaching was this company's influence? The empire's? It was a more intriguing matter than anything the socialites likely had to say, and she found her interest in them waning accordingly.
At least, not until the one whose gaze she'd caught seemed to take issue with it, approaching her and altogether coming off as rather disproportionately defensive for what the antelope felt barely even qualified as a slight. Had it been her staring? Had she made some kind of unwittingly severe faux pas? Or had they been told about her, and told what? She had no way to tell, but there was nothing the wealthy and influential hated more than probing questions, than journalists and detectives who weren't firmly in-pocket. She knew people here talked amongst themselves.
If this had been even a few hours earlier, she herself might have bristled at the situation. She might have looked for exits, considered her options... but now that she had a better feel for this place and the factions at play, she didn't feel so isolated and unmoored.
She could handle people being angry at her. In fact, it was arguably when she was on top of her game; anger often gave way to stupidity, and stupidity led to costly slip-ups she could swiftly take advantage of, be it saying too much, letting one's guard down at an inopportune moment, or as the case may be, making an ass of oneself in a very public area. She could learn a lot from this encounter provided she played her cards right.
Moreover, what appeared to be security was nearby and seemed ready to step in. Had this happened before? In any case, she was smart enough not to play Alice's game and she was smart enough not to play his, especially if this was some sort of intimidation tactic.
"Apologies, but I think we might have a misunderstanding." she remarked with a noncommittal shrug, not at all intimidated by his approach nor his countenance, her gaze unchanging and betraying how insincere that reply really was. "Define 'disrespect'."
Edited by Chortleous on Feb 22nd 2024 at 3:57:15 AM
Crazy Kiwi
Hotel - Lobby
[Ultra, Iveya, Imes, Wolf]There was an abrupt escalation of tension. Something must have passed between the antelope-being and the man - something Wolf had missed - because the man pointedly took a step closer to the antelope-being and asked if he had done something to disrespect them. He was clearly - in the lexicon of Wolf's earlier years - "ready for a scrap."
Of course, Wolf wasn't the only one to pick up on this and another bloke - who might as well have had "Hotel Security" tattooed in bright red ink across his forehead - stepped forward and wordlessly conveyed the impression that violence in the lobby would not be tolerated.
As hard as Wolf found some social cues, the language of "impending violence" was something he had long ago learned to recognise, out of sheer self-preservation. Wolf's finger-tapping abruptly stopped. He shifted his weight onto his rearmost foot - ready to hastily step back or sideways out of range if necessary - his whole body geared up for sudden movement and he consciously shifted into a state of heightened alertness, taking note of what was going on around him.
Wolf's experience with martial arts was limited but varied - boxing, judo, karate and aikido; none of which he had stuck at for long - but it was enough for him to recognise that the woman had adopted a defensive stance: poised to evade or escape, like he was. She wasn't about to attack anyone, but she wasn't going to be an oblivious target, either.
As for the antelope-being, Wolf was mindful that he was dealing with a completely alien entity that may not give the cues he was accustomed to. Were they about to flee or attack? He had no idea.
It occurred to him that the antelope-being had directed him to engage with the newcomers - just as things were about to escalate. Had they set him up? Deliberately put him in the path of potential hostilities? To what end? "Did I do something to disrespect you?", the man had asked. Wolf was wondering the same thing.
The woman, despite the mounting tensions, gave him a smile and a salute and confirmed that they were Qorisayane. Wolf had a quick flash of great satisfaction that he'd got it right. She told him that the venue was the 'Ash Tree Hotel' and it was indeed a liminal space. As she undoubtedly had more pressing concerns than answering his questions, he limited his response to a smile and a nod.
Wolf shared those concerns. He wasn't terribly worried that the two Qorisayane might attack him as he had not given any indication that he meant them harm, but he now had reason to suspect that the antelope-being's intentions toward him were less than benevolent and it looked like they had done something to initiate the current situation (though what they had against the Qorisayane man was anyone's guess) - it was entirely possible that they might escalate to outright violence, despite the presence of the security guard.
He didn't back away, however - it wasn't yet clear that this was going to result in violence and there was still the potential to de-escalate... and besides, sometimes making an obvious move to "get the fuck outta Dodge" was akin to running away from a bear... better to stay put but on alert.
The antelope-being's response to the Qorisayane man's question was a shrug and and an apology, though they stared directly at the Qorisayane. Was that it, then? Just a misunderstanding? Was it over?
On Earth, in certain cultures and places, the continued stare might be considered aggressive; In others it might be considered a sign of honesty or sincerity - t wasn't as clear cut as squaring up to attack or defend. It was hard enough to tell when dealing with humans from Earth, let alone people from another world.
Wolf decided to wait and see how the situation played out. He couldn't think of anything to say, nor did he see it as appropriate to attempt to interfere - as if they needed his help.
[Hotel - Lobby (Wolf; Ultra; Iveya, Imes)]
Define disrespect. Imes' first, knee-jerk thought was that a very strange question. You playing games with me, or you really just that stupid? After a half-moment of reflection, however, he realized that respect could mean different things in different cultures. Elasashu had shaped him in some very strange and fucked-up ways. So maybe her question wasn't so terrible. He took a breath, not trying to suppress the anger, merely living with it, letting it be a valid part of him without defining him. An anger management technique, one he'd prescribed to others in a certain book... but given what he was, he often needed it himself. Imes' better angels were still winning out. But only just. Old habits died hard, especially when faced with a pile of corpo-grade chrome giving him the shit-eye. She still registered as a potential threat. He was cool, but still ready to throw down. And escalating wasn't out of the question, if this creature needed to be dealt with now. "You're the one who's been glaring at us across this room like I pissed on your mother's grave," he said. "You gonna tell me why?"
Ultra's insincerity didn't bother Imes all that much. Intimidation, funnily enough, was a way of preventing violence. So it didn't matter if she was intimidated or not, as long as she wasn't going to be a problem. She just needed to give a straight answer to his straight question. Imes wasn't in the mood for evasive answers from a chromed-up punk.
Notably, despite his fancy clothes and neat hair, Imes was not acting like a corpo at all. His body language was completely different. In fact, if Ultra had ever been in prison, this situation might all feel very familiar — in capitalist societies, even ones as corrupt as Ultra's, criminal syndicates and prison gangs are about the closet thing to the Old Clans. Corpos, even hired thugs and bruisers, have an implicit faith that the means of production are theirs, and that dealing with insults had to pass the cost-benefit analysis. Imes was under no such illusions. Money was just paper and shiny baubles. He and his had to handle their own shit, or it wouldn't get handled.
Iveya gave a subtle nod of approval to Wolf. He understood the situation and was ready to move. Would he stay or run? She wouldn't judge either way; there was a difference between cowardice and saying I don't have a camel in the race. And besides, Imes had started the escalation. I can't take him anywhere, can I? She was also pleasantly surprised that he didn't seem to register Imes as a threat. He would have been well within his rights to. From certain perspectives, including Iveya's own cultural context, his behavior could seem thuggish and unstable. She might have registered him the same way if she didn't know who he was and what had shaped him. Yet Wolf had read the situation to Iveya's satisfaction: this was between Imes and Ultra.
Edited by KillerClowns on Feb 23rd 2024 at 8:17:57 AM
< Hub Town - Hotel, Lobby (Central fountain) —> (Nearby gathering) >
"Right," Joseph muttered, "I'll try to remember that next time I'm leading a revolution. In the meantime, if you know of any history books that cover the trials and tribulations of acute onset transformation, I'm all ears." He finished by cupping his hands behind said ears, only for them to slide over the smooth surface of his head, prompting a befuddled frown as he stared at them.
Sensing his friend's dismay, Henry placed a hand on the back of Joseph's head, rubbing gently. The salamandrine teen tensed up at first, then let out a soft, resolving breath, relaxing against the comforting gesture. Despite how odd he felt about it, it was nice to be reached, to have that contact, whatever shape it took. However, Henry's attention was swiftly pulled away when Bonnie mentioned textbooks and their particular omissions. Lighting up, his hand first slid to Joseph' shoulder, before flying off entirely as he gestured with excitement.
"Exactly. One of the most important lessons is in never trusting those in power to write your history fairly. There's always a line of influence, directly or indirectly, to someone who benefits from keeping those very unsavory details out of the books. No room for anything that complicates the narrative. You can only pull a trick twice if a person—or a people—don't remember the first time. Fool me once, as it goes. And if they can sow division in those people with a simpler story of heroes and saviors versus tyrants, all the better. I mean, you should see the bull they've got him reading about the God man George Washington. It's- well... it probably won't mean much to you. Suffice to say, the state we live in—a huge spread of mountains, lakes, and beautiful country he never knew of nor set foot in—is named after the guy."
As Henry went on, Joseph glanced between him and Bonnie, trying to think of something to add, but finding nothing. He shifted in his seat, twiddling his claws for a bit and enjoying the quiet, keratinous clicking. He glanced back at the fountain, his eyes drifting once more to the water's surface and his reflection upon it. It seemed steadier than before, the image less distorted, less alien. The human panic of trying to reconcile himself in that picture was still present, but in a far more muted form, and the water remained strangely inviting.
Looking closer, he finally saw beyond the surface, noticing large, mangrove-esque roots trailing up to an enormous trunk, belonging to an even more enormous tree. The base rose high before it branched out, trails of water spouting out through myriad holes on the trunk, pouring into well-worn grooves and spiraling their way back down to the fountain pool below. He stared at it a while, unblinking, as though he expected it to vanish before his eyes, or otherwise explain how he'd failed to notice it beforehand. Slowly, his eyes followed the flow back down, back to the roots beneath the surface, winding and burrowing in unseen directions. For a brief moment, his imagination went with them, twisting down into the floor, into the foundation, beyond light and sight. He wondered what was down there to find. Wondered how deep you had to go to reach it.
With a quiet sigh, he finally took leave of the fountain, shoving off with a casual grace that was easy to go unnoticed, if not for the thin trail of water dripping from the end of his long tail. Heedless of this small detail, he couldn't help but feel a hint of pride in the unassuming motion; in a time where stairs posed a very real threat to his balance, every steady step was a small victory. Stuffing his hands into his jacket pockets, he took a cursory glance around, but didn't bother to spend too much time thinking before moseying over to where Ultra was. Or rather, where he'd last seen her. With his head tipped down, angled only to his left or right to check for foot traffic, he'd unwittingly charted a course straight through a member of her sudden company.
With good fortune on his side, he spotted their legs in time to stop himself from bowling right into the stranger, his shoes making a slight screech against the tile floor as he planted them. However, the good fortune had better places to be, swiftly departing as he lifted his head, painfully bumping the end of his snout against the stranger's back.
"Gah- ow!" he yelped, sucking in a sharp, hiss-like breath. "Tsss!" He pulled back as his hands flew to his face, squeezing the sore spot while his gaze slowly lifted to the person he'd inadvertently assailed. The stranger wasn't big, perse, standing at around the same height as Joseph, going top-of-head to foot, though he was clad in all-black and rather intimidating lightweight armor. Between trying to forget the pain in his nose and bracing himself for the stranger's response, Joseph took comfort in now understanding precisely how he could have ever missed the lobby's giant tree.
< Hub Town - Hotel, B1 (Near elevator —> Down the hall) >
Beyond Joseph and James's embrace, deep along the path of the basement hall, within the pit of its uniform darkness, a light emerged. It was dim and a little blue, but slowly and steadily growing stronger.
With an ease like the perfunctory might and witless transcendence of a violent storm finally abating, Joseph, head still pressed to James' chest, gradually came to some sense of stability. His shaking slowed, and the deep supply of his eyes gave no more. The shadow had passed, and though he did eventually let go, stepping back to stand on his own, it did not await him there.
He rubbed his eyes with his arm, before remembering that he still had a towel draped around his shoulders, complementing his utterly unfitting pool-ready outfit, and the gentle specter of self-awareness dawned on him. "I don't usually do this kind of thing," he said as he dabbed his eyes, laughing slightly at the relief and ridiculousness of it, "pour my heart out and all. I just... I've never been able to tell anyone. No one wanted to hear it, y'know? Like it didn't matter. I know we're all so small, but..."
He shook his head, the dull edges of his upper teeth poking over his mouth in a thoughtful overbite as he woefully contemplated that which he couldn't put into words. He only held it a moment before deciding that, after all, he'd said enough. There were better things to do than dwell. Instead, he stepped to Amandus, hugging him in turn.
"Thank you." He pulled away after a moment, not wanting to seem too clingy, and looked the man in the eye. "I'm gonna be..." a deep breath, "I am going to be..."
He trailed off, cocking his head slightly as he studied Amandus, noticing a faint blue light caught in the reflection of the man's eyes. Curious, he glanced over his shoulder to look down the basement hall. Sure enough, there it was. It was hard to tell just how far away the light was without knowing its size, but it seemed partially contained, almost as within a glowing orb or bubble.
"Was that there when we...?" he began, before again trailing off, then slowly turning about face and taking a few tentative steps towards the strange light.
Edited by Ryuhza on Mar 1st 2024 at 9:02:47 AM
this place needs me here
Town (Maelys, Mist; Aseyu; Lancer)
Mist gave a look of awe, "Astounding Alliance? They sound like they got to pick their own names, or they've got good publicity— The League of Mystery got most of their names from the local papers. So you end up with names like 'Man-Ape', 'Nightstalker', 'The Black Swordsman', or most unfortunately named: 'Ripper' and 'Outlaw.' I've met some of them; they're really nice people just trying to make their communities a better place."
She continued, "Meanwhile, the Ultra Commandos were formed by the Imperial War Department, and get such trust-instilling names such as 'Blitzkrieg', 'Feuerkraft', and 'Ubermensch'. Based on the rumors of the latter, I never want to face any of them on the field of battle," she said, her voice oozing with sarcasm and discomfort.
Meanwhile, Maelys served as a quite observer as the group reached town, doing her best to piece together knowledge of the enigmatic Qorisayane culture, relying on her conspicuously obvious maid appearance to potentially label herself as either 'beneath notice' or 'mostly harmless'.
Hotel Lobby {Center} (Claire; David)
Claire gazed up at the ceiling of the lobby for a moment, lost in thought, "Not... usually..." she said, drawing her words out, before adding, "I just happened to be in the wrong place at the right time, I suppose." She returned her attention back towards David, "As for my off time; since I'm in the direct employ of vampire goddess, I get full run of her castle and all of its lovely amenities."
She gave a nod as David told her the story of his uncle, "Aye, oceans hold many a strange, dark tale, what with her being a cruel mistress and all. And that's before you consider all the leviathans and other sea monsters."
Claire then shrugged, "Parts of the fairy realm are underwater, just like our world. Wherever compatible areas overlap, an entryway can be formed."
Edited by WillDeRegio on Feb 25th 2024 at 8:06:46 AM
she/her friend to the hooved
Ultra, Hub Town, Hotel, near reception
Ultra remained unyielding, arms crossed, eyes boring straight into his. She'd gathered this one had something to prove—a sense of honor, frankly idiotic though it may have seemed to her, and a drive to defend it to the point he'd apparently taken to picking fights with strangers in public over perceived insults. This wasn't just some faux pas she'd made, nor was it an attempt to cow her into submission. He had something resembling principles.
A thought occurred to her: Had he always been so wealthy? On reflection, she was willing to bet that he hadn't. Those born into wealth, raised with it, weren't usually this... relatable, readable. There was a level of cold detachment from others, a myriad oft-cruel eccentricities born from isolation and surrounding oneself with like minds. Corporate higher-ups, the ones with real pull, looked at common people like Ultra as if they were pulling the wings off an insect. She'd seen a fine example of that only a few hours ago, in Magnus looking down on a distressed Joseph for daring to mildly inconvenience him.
This man wasn't like that.
There was too much she recognized. If anything, she'd go so far as to reckon he'd come from the bottom, whatever that meant where he came from. Thus, her prodding had revealed a thread—where pulling on it would lead her and what it would teach her about the Qorisayane and their involvement in all of this, she truthfully didn't have the faintest idea, but that was the fun of it. Now was the time to adjust strategies.
"Hm," the bovid tutted in surprise, this too largely feigned, though there was a nigh-imperceptible hint of something else to it, a sincerity, if Imes could see past his own indignation. "Didn't think I was glaring."
She made a nonchalant glance aside at the various people milling about the lobby who would no doubt begin to stare if this went on much longer, then at the security guard, at Iveya, at Wolf, and then toward Joseph (who'd apparently just stumbled into the latter while she wasn't looking, but she gathered he wasn't in any danger of a reprimand from the bearded one). Her eyes softened by a fraction as she turned them back toward her would-be adversary, and she spoke up again, her tone sternly reproachful, almost disappointed. "Is that what this is about? You know you don't have anything to prove anymore."
Edited by Chortleous on Feb 26th 2024 at 3:50:25 AM
Crazy Kiwi
Hotel - Lobby
[Ultra, Iveya, Imes, Joseph, Wolf]Wolf was running through what he knew about Qorisa - everything he knew he had heard around two-and-a-half years ago, but it had been interesting, so bits of it had stuck: Qorisayane Empire, wildlife like the Aussie Outback on a bad day, 'Dead Gods' - ancient AIs - and artefacts that could be used to open portals between their world - Alos - and Mort and Caroline's Earth: the 'Dying World'. There was Western Amalgamated, a biopolymer megacorp from Earth - 'discount Nazis', Mort had called them - known for pillaging and 'extra-legal' activities, with a great interest in Qorisayane farmlands for some unknown reason. Mort, Koyel, Caroline... 'Big Blue' - which was what they called one of the 'Dead Gods' with a Qorisayane name that Wolf couldn't remember. I didn't know there was going to be a test on it, Miss. Will it be in the final exam?
Wolf had no idea who or what the antelope-being was. Did the Qorisayane know? Were they an android or a cyborg? Were they somehow connected with Alos or the Dying World? Were they Western Amalgamated? Or at least look like they might be? He had no idea.
Then the man asked why they had been glaring like he had pissed on their mother's grave - he had read their stare as disrespect; not an uncommon interpretation.
Even in New Zealand, there were still Pākehā - non-Māori - who didn't understand that staring could be viewed as microaggression or that an averted gaze usually meant respect or deference rather than 'insincerity', 'dishonesty' or 'shiftiness'.
Of course there were other valid reasons for an averted gaze, too, that the stupid 'the-shifty-little-bastard-couldn't-even-look-me-in-the-eyes-when-he-said-it' brigade were pathologically incapable of recognising, just as they were incapable of comprehending that their so-called 'sincere gaze' came across as a deliberate threat to Māori and many other Pasifika cultures.
As a New Zealander, Wolf was quite familiar with gangs. He could see strong similarities between the way the Qorisayane was acting and the way a patched Mongrel Mob member would act if someone stared at him: ask if there was a problem and make it clear he was prepared to throw down if there was... but he would unfailingly extend the option for the other to explain themselves, first. If the situation resolved without violence, then 'all well and good' - members of 'the Mob' had no need to prove themselves by getting into scraps with all and sundry over every potential slight... but they weren't going to let people get away with deliberately disrespecting them, either.
For Wolf, seeing parallels between the Qorisayane and a gang member was reassuring - he knew how to behave around gangs and they were a lot more predictable than people tended to think. In an alien environment with strange entities he did not know, here - at least - was something he understood.
If the man's cultural values were as similar to gang culture as Wolf suspected, this would go one of two ways: the antelope-being would give a reasonable explanation for their staring and the man would back down, mollified; or the antelope-being would say or do something that confirmed disrespectful intent and the man would have no option but to 'pin their fucking ears back'.
In his heightened state of alertness, Wolf noticed the woman's subtle nod in his direction and was at a loss as to what it meant. Approval? Approval for what? Acknowledgement? Of what?.
Just as the antelope-being was saying that they didn't think they had been glaring, Wolf also became aware of footsteps approaching - obviously from somewhere behind him because there was no one else in his peripheral vision to either side and there was a bloody-great expanse of lobby behind him. Of course, he couldn't tell if they were approaching from his left or right and he was about to turn and look back to see who and where when - just as the antelope-being was saying the Qorisayane had nothing to prove - something hit him in the back.
Wolf, keyed as he was for sudden action, took an abrupt step to his left and turned his body slightly so he could see who or what had hit him. He held his hands up - palms forward, fingers spread, just below shoulder height in a non-threatening gesture... that 'coincidentally' placed them exactly where he needed them to be if he had to suddenly use them to defend against an incoming attack.
Despite his age and build, he had moved fast; the manoeuvre hadn't moved him particularly far, but it was far enough to put him out of immediate arm's reach of where he had been and from his new position he could not only still see the antelope-being, the two Qorisayane and the security guard, he could now see who had hit him.
Just behind where he had been standing was the large lizard-person that had been over by the fountain, holding their snout as if hurt. Wolf wondered if he had accidentally struck the entity with his elbow as he turned, but he would have felt the contact despite his armour.
The lizard-person looked more hurt and shocked than aggressive, so Wolf asked, "Y'okay, mate?"
Edited by Wolf1066 on Mar 1st 2024 at 8:04:45 AM
[Hotel - Lobby (Wolf; Ultra; Iveya, Imes; Joseph)]
Imes didn't like Ultra's response. You think you know me? You think you understand? You never will. Once upon a time, that response would not of helped. However, this latest disrespect... reminded him a bit of things Iveya sometimes said. She was trying to connect, trying to de-escalate, and the way she carried herself now... "I think we did misunderstand each other," he finally said. And we still do. This latest insult, born from earnest ignorance, wasn't worth getting mad about. "Usually," he said, "when someone rigged up in Dying World augments is eying a fellow up from across the room, that fellow's gotta be on his guard if he isn't looking to become another 'unsolved case', you know? But you... you aren't corpo, are you?" It wasn't really the chrome that had done it, just the glare, but all she had to do was answer in the affirmative and that would be that. And he meant what he said about the Dying World's goons. If he had the measure of her right, a point of commonality.
Iveya breathed a soft sigh of relief. She shifted away from her fighting stance and took a few silent steps on bare feet away from Imes and Ultra. They could finish making their peace while she had a friendly chat with this fellow. "I haven't introduced myself, have I?" she said, giving a slight bow. "Iveya ul'Oriyith, and my distant cousin there is Imes ul'Xeqashu." Very distant, judging by the total lack of familial resemblance.
With a tone of polite correction, Imes said, "ul'Elasashu."
Iveya gave Imes an odd glace, as if he'd shown a card he ought not have, but said, "sorry, Imes ul'Elasashu." She smiled apologetically. "Bit of an old-fashioned name for the place. Anyways, you look like you have questions. Please, ask."
Edited by KillerClowns on Feb 26th 2024 at 8:33:25 AM
OH SHIT I FORGOT SORRY
[Basement]
"It's no trouble," Amandus said, hugging Joseph back. "Like I said, we're always—"
"Honey." James said, looking past him. "Look."
Amandus turned around, and he, too, saw the orb in the distance. He blinked several times in comfusion, trying to let his brain comprehend what he was seeing.
"No..." he finally said, "That wasn't there before. What the hell is it?"
< Hub Town - Hotel, Lobby (Right of fountain) >
Still holding the end of his snout, Joseph couldn't decide what hurt more, the surprisingly sensitive sting of the impact, or indignity of bumping so indiscreetly into a total stranger. While the social pain was an old and evergreen source of dread, it was the first time he'd ever injured that part of his altered face, making for a sensation both unpleasant and rather alien. For a brief moment, he wondered if this was how infants and very young children experienced pain; something sharper and more distinct for all its newness.
Before he could muse much more on the thought, the man he'd bumped into turned to face him, hands raised. Unsure of whether it was to defend or retaliate, Joseph hopped backwards, reflexively putting himself just as out of reach as the stranger had. The move was a little excessive but ultimately should have been a harmless safety measure. And harmless it might have been, had Joseph a little more experience in managing his tail, or had he not been trailing fountain water across the tile as he went.
Considerably longer than his legs, his tail hadn't left the ground when he launched himself backwards, causing it to slide and drag awkwardly against the lobby floor while the rest of him went through the air. The backs of his shoes clipped the aft appendage, throwing him off balance even before he'd landed on the slick tile, at which point all hope was lost. One shoe met the flat of the floor, while the other came down hard on a narrower section near the tapered end of his tail, sending a jolt of even more unusual pain through him. The other shoe was barely able to grip the floor, slapping against it with a sharp, wet pat and sending him sliding a good two feet on one leg. His hands finally left his face, too late to do much but throw his weight forward as he slipped powerfully, leaving the ground completely and performing a full corkscrew before crashing onto his back with a heavy thud, only slightly padded by his graciously poofy jacket.
At some point, he thought he'd heard the man ask if he was alright, but he was too mentally stunned and physically winded to answer. However, if actions spoke louder than words, his must've been akin to yelling through a megaphone. Lying on his back, head facing the stranger, and silently marveling at his ability to effortlessly beat himself up, Joseph took comfort in noticing that he no longer felt much pain in his snout at all.
this place needs me here
[Hotel - Lobby Entrance (Maelys, Mist; Aseyu, Ethani; Lancer))]
At the descriptions of the Ultra Commandos, Aseyu said, "military types do love being big and scary, don't they?" As she said this, she glanced meaningfully over at the maxel with the camel, who did not seem to notice them. It was interesting... she was entirely without the kind of accompaniment Aseyu would expect from a maxel in full dress uniform. Normally a maxel would dress more casually, or have bodyguards to underscore her authority. So, how'd she end up here? An accident?
"It all sounds a bit like American superheroes?" Aseyu finally said, though hesitantly. At last, she connected the foreign trope to Lancer. (And incidentally recalled a line from one of the few superhero movies she had seen: no capes!) "Sort of... larger than life, in that way?" She'd never seen the appeal; after getting a "sample platter" of Earth's cultural output from the Unicorns, Aseyu had found wuxia and action movies in the vein of John Wick more to her tastes. Heroes who had to respect a bullet to the ribs. Even the mighty Moon Hawks weren't bulletproof.
In the lobby, Aseyu spotted quite an odd pair. A Southern-looking man, who had somehow not yet started a fistfight... but seemed to have gotten fairly close. His well-made but comparatively modest garb suggested that either he wasn't part of an Old Clan, or he was on bad terms with his Clan. Or maybe something else; Southerners were an odd bunch.
By him, a Yothic woman with a shaven head. An unconventional but not unheard of fashion choice in the Oriyith region. Ethoya, patron goddess of Oriyith, was often depicted in such a way. Indeed, the woman could have modeled for this particular deity easily. Was she a model? A courtesan? A particularly vain priestess of Ethoya? Most likely a priestess, Aseyu reckoned after another look-over. That was the line of work Qorisayane who wanted to help people went into, and she seemed like a helping type. A priestess' salary wouldn't cover an outfit like that, though. She'd come from money, but chosen a job that paid for, at best, a middle-class life.
And... was that...? She wasn't quite sure, it had been over a decade now. She wasn't completely confident she could tell lizard-people apart... perhaps best to let him approach if that was who she thought it was.
(None of Aseyu's readings were entirely correct; she had her own biases, and was working from very incomplete information.)
Edited by KillerClowns on Feb 28th 2024 at 7:49:22 AM
Necropolis (Samelin, Rosafa, Devad, Maya, Amy, Issichar, et. al.)
"Oh right, you've been out of it." Samelin did a small bow. "I am Samelin Wayward, inquirer errant, and these are my associates Rosafa and Devad. Your friends recruited us to help them find you and stop Mael."
Issichar gave a cough.
"And that's Issichar. I think he's a necromancer."
"I'm just an assistant," Issichar muttered. "At any rate, I believe I have a solution for activating the board without bloodletting. Hand it here."
Devad passed the board over.
Issichar inspected it. "People always assume that these things only react to blood. Truth is, they just need something with a bit of soul in it. Blood's just the most convenient substance, but I happen to have some nice blood-free souls right here..." He probed the small dragon's mouth with the little finger of his ash-hand, causing a small bit of the ashes to go in.
The board thrummed softly as the coin suddenly shifted onto its edge, then rolled towards to one of the edges of the board.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say we're being shown the direction," Devad said.
By now, it should be clear to all except the most dense of us that sheep are secretly conspiring to kill us all and steal our pants.
she/her friend to the hooved
Ultra, Hub Town, Hotel, near reception
Her expression softened a bit further, inasmuch as it ever really did. She'd evidently struck a nerve with that last comment, causing him to stand down near-immediately. I think we understand each other more than you think.
But there was one thing...
Dying world.
She turned those words around in her head, trying to connect them somehow with what she'd gathered thus far, like a puzzle piece. Had she heard that term before...? She had, because Qeyari mentioned it earlier, and while the particular way that she and Imes had referred to it suggested clear familiarity, it also implied that they didn't actually live there—it wasn't where the Qorisayane came from.
No, it was where Western Amalgamated came from. 'America', Qeyari had called it. Imes had seemingly confused her with one of them on account of supposed augmentation, but she surmised this was in part because her own style of dress, right down to the constituent synthetic fibers, resembled theirs markedly more than anything she'd seen on any of his people's.
Funny, because from that title and what she could infer from Qeyaru's offhanded commentary, they seemed to be going down an alarmingly similar path to her own world. Were they dabbling in transportation tech to escape? For whatever it was worth, they didn't seem to be an invading force, at least not a violent one—they wouldn't be coexisting here nearly so easily otherwise, though some were clearly uncomfortable with the arrangement.
"Not corporate." she confirmed after a moment's thought, before sparing a pointed glance over toward the elevators through which Alice had departed earlier. "Imes? Name's Ultra, and between you and me, I don't like corporate types much. Feeling's mutual."
Lancer, Hub Town, Hotel, Lobby Entrance
Her ears pivoted forward at the explicit mention of superheroes. It would seem Aseyu's world had people like her too, but earlier mention of corporations made her suspicious about who their allegiance belonged to. She remembered Vern Prescot's World of Potential and its Peace Patrol, a team of valiant defenders of justice, or as she knew them to be from a nerve-wracking knock on the door one night and the least stable of them having a stern talk with her engineer father for being a little too outspoken on certain union-related issues, Vern's right hand.
She didn't let on about that either.
"In some ways. Can't speak for the ones where you come from, but..." she began, before catching sight of what seemed to be an actively-unfolding situation in the lobby, the sight of someone having just fallen to the floor derailing her train of thought entirely.
Her response to this was swift. It took little time for her to assess the wider situation for hostility and, sensing none, she unceremoniously passed her folded cape over to Aseyu and carefully made her way to the fallen one's side, making sure she was fully visible and wasn't accidentally sneaking up on anyone before kneeling down next to him, with some allowance made for breathing room. "Adrienne, here to help. What happened here?" she asked, eyes darting across everyone in the immediate vicinity in expectation of a response.
Puzzlingly, she wasn't picking up on any particularly severe pain beyond... a bumped nose? Breaks and sprains stood out, even the shock of a hard punch lingered, as did seizures and other nonviolent medical emergencies. Judging from one particular bystander looking apologetic, it was beginning to seem like this whole thing had been an awkward accident, though she certainly wasn't about to probe into inner thoughts to find out for sure. The clear concern in her hazel eyes eased up a tad, edged out by bemusement as she saw no clear external injuries. "Are you alright?"
Edited by Chortleous on Mar 1st 2024 at 2:21:21 PM
Crazy Kiwi
Hotel - Lobby
[Ultra, Iveya, Imes, Joseph, Aseyu, Ethani, Mist, Maelys, Lancer, Wolf]"Y'okay, mate?" the words were barely leaving Wolf's lips when the lizard-person leapt backwards - or would have done, had their feet not struck their rather large tail, that was trailing on the floor behind them.
Time appeared to slow down as the disaster unfolded: the lizard-person managed to tread on their own tail with one foot and the other foot slipped on the wet floor - there hadn't been water on the floor earlier but now, Wolf realised, the floor and the lizard-person's tail were both wet. Wolf managed to get out a horrified "oh, shit!" as the lizard-person toppled then made a substantial thud hitting the floor.
The lizard-person had looked like they had been attempting to flee and Wolf had the horrible feeling that it was his sudden movement that had caused them to. They had startled him, but it looked like he had terrified them, and he felt pangs of guilt.
Wolf started to head forward to see if the lizard-person was hurt but stopped himself - he may scare them even more, lunging forward at them like that! Best to slow down, show them he wasn't a threat. "Sorry, didn't mean t'startle ya. Are you OK?"
Wolf was aware of the things going on around him: the Qorisayane man had acknowledged there may have been misunderstanding on both sides and Wolf shot a quick glance in his direction when he mentioned "Dying World augments" - "Dying World" was what Koyel called anything to do with Mort's Earth and it finally occurred to Wolf that, possibly, part of the problem was that the Antelope-being looked a lot like the sort of agent Western Amalgamated would employ.
A group of others had turned up - Wolf could see them approach now that he was turned more towards the door - four would pass for human but one - in a high-tech-looking purple-and-gold skintight bodysuit - looked (from the fur and the shape of the head and ears) like some sort of Mustelid. He wasn't sure if they were a stoat or a weasel, even though his dad had taught him that one was soweaselly distinguished while the other'sstoatally different.
The Qorisayane woman introduced herself and her distant cousin - long names that Wolf had no hope of remembering but he managed to latch onto 'Iveya' and 'Imes'. Imes' correction of his surname and Iveya's comment about 'an old-fashioned name for the place' made him remember that all of the surnames she mentioned had started with 'ul'... did this mean that their surnames were 'from-so-and-so" or 'of-such-and-such', like Terran names starting with 'van', 'von' or 'de'? If so, why didn't the translation system render it as such? Probably because they were names, he concluded - otherwise there would be people being introduced as 'Rock Son-of-God-is-Gracious' instead of plain ol' 'Peter Johnson'. Pretty sophisticated, those microbes!
The Antelope-being confirmed they weren't corporate and gave their name as 'Ultra' - no clue as to gender in there - then commented that they didn't particularly like corpos... or vice versa. The situation between them and Imes seemed to be well and truly defused and, Wolf suspected, they probably at least had a little common ground.
The purple-and-gold clad Mustelid had approached the fallen lizard-person - carefully ensuring they made no moves to startle anyone, Wolf noted - and knelt down. The name given was clearly feminine, so Wolf assumed feminine gender and associated pronouns. She asked what had happened.
Wolf turned his partially-raised hands into a shrug before lowering them. "It seems like they bumped into me by accident. I got startled 'n' ran one way; they looked as though they got startled by me 'n' tried running the other way... then they slipped on the water on the floor. Are they OK?"
Mindful that the others had introduced themselves, he looked back in the general direction of the Ultra, Imes and Iveya. "I'm called Wolf - from an Earth that's not the 'Dying World' - though it seems t'be heading that way as fast as it can. Also not corpo - just in case it's not screamingly obvious."
He did have questions he'd like to ask, now that hostilities no longer seemed imminent, but he wanted to be sure the lizard-person was okay, first - he still felt responsible for their plight.
Edited by Wolf1066 on Mar 1st 2024 at 1:57:50 AM
[Necropolis]
"Oh. I...I see." Nathan said, looking back at Adam, "You and Nick just have a habit of making weird friends, huh?"
Adam chuckled. "Actually, I barely know them myself. I was under Mael's control for a while, and they pulled me out. That's when I noticed you and...well, you kind of know the rest."
To everyone's relief, Issichar offered a solution that didn't require anyone dropping blood. Instead, he used a board and ash from a dragon's mouth (they did not want to know about that story) and watched as it shifted to the edge.
"Hmm?" Nick said, "What does that mean?"
"Not sure," Amy said, "But it doesn't look like it's underground!"
"If I have to guess," Jackson said, "Since it's by the edge, it's somewhere near the water. I doubt that he's underwater. Which can only mean he's trying to get away by boat."
"So, a harbor?" Maria asked.
"It seems so. That saves us searching. So now it's a matter of getting there before he has c chance to escape and cause more damage."
Everyone nodded.
"Wait!" Adam said, "What are we gonna do with the vampire guy and Mael's thrall?"
< Hub Town - Hotel, B1 (Near elevator) >
Partway through Amandus's response, Joseph dragged his arms back down to his sides, turning his hanging head away for a moment, as though he couldn't bear to look at him. And yet, when the man finished, and when Joseph finally did turn to face him, rather than a look of further dejection, his expression had softened, his eyes glistening with remnant tears and a certain sense of relief, or perhaps a hope for relief. Amandus had never seemed more severe than he did in those few sentences, and James had yet to utter a word, but still they remained with him.
Before he could answer, there was something Joseph had to know.
"Then, you... you see what's wrong... right? How bad it is to be like this? For things to be like this?" He swallowed slowly, giving his head a tentative shake. "It's not fine, is it?"
this place needs me here