❪ introlog: #2 ❫ THE CALM.

[natha]

OVERFLOW

You have spent the last few days on Thesa Station, taking in the knowledge that your world is no more. Perhaps you’ve made some friends (or maybe an enemy or two). Either way, you aren’t expected to spend all of your time on the Station. El Nysa needs you, after all, and you promised you’d help the planet thrive. Are you ready? Submit any AC eligible thread of participating in this log's prompts for Two (2) Olympia REP points HERE. TRAVEL LIGHT     You're really lucky, new refugee. Because of the efforts of those that came before you, your own descent into El Nysa will be quick and relatively painless. You get to reap the benefits of others' experience. Those that came before you are all well-versed in the art of teleportation now, and descending into El Nysa is simply a concentrated thought away. A teleporter has been placed in the common areas to help the new refugees descend, but for this first time, you're going to need a little guidance. You're going to need to take the hand of someone who has been on El Nysa for a while now and learn the ropes. Hold on tight, Refugee, and don't be afraid when the blinding light hits you. The actual journey will feel like a sudden whiplash— painless, but sudden, and maybe a little nauseating. Keeping your balance may be difficult, and it’s possible you might end up toppling onto your poor partner. Hopefully you’re at least thankful. You have landed in a back alley in the Residential District of Olympia. HOME SWEET HOME     Immediately, you notice that everything you've been told about El Nysa is true. There are people of all races here, and although no one bats an eye at your appearance as you enter the district, a member of the Royal Guard asks for your passport. They have a keen eye, and can tell that although you may be a new refugee to their city, they've never seen you before. Certain rumors of an outside force making preparations to do some major damage has them particularly on edge. It's a good thing the Orbiters made sure you have an Olympian passport ready to go. You present it, and with a small nod, the Guard says nothing more and slaps a patch on your chest; to your surprise, it reads: Hello! My name is ________________! I am in House #___! Are you my housemate? ... No matter how much you try, there's no removing this sticker. "It'll come off tomorrow," says the guardkeep. "Lots of refugees here, limited housing. It's an easy way to get to know the people you're living with. Though, if you ask me, why are we accepting so many foreigners when so many want to watch this city burn? Well, I don’t give the orders." If someone greets you, the message on the patch will magically change: Secretly, I _____, _____, and _____! What are yours? There's no telling how they'd known these things, but it likely has to do with Zasere. AGAIN. It may be a good idea to get situated in your new home and set down some ground rules with your roommates. There is also, of course, much of Olympia to explore. FLONA COVE     Word around the city is that one very cute and enthusiastic Olympian, You Watanabe, has been asking around earnestly for the nearest place to find some coastal fun. It didn't take long before a few locals pointed her in the direction of Flona Cove. Maybe it’s a good idea to check out the area. There are only a few more days left of summer, after all. Even if you're not the beach type, exploring a new area certainly can't hurt your understanding of El Nysa. Flona Cove is just a quick train ride away. BEACH PARTY: Chances are, you've heard about the beach party being organized by You Watanabe, whether it be from her directly or someone who knows her. A lot of careful planning has gone into it, and it looks like a great time, so why not check it out? Full speed ahead towards a great time! There's plenty of food for everyone, and plenty of watermelons that need splitting! 1. Various food vendors from around Flona Cove have agreed to offer free food for the new refugees, and they line the shoreline near the harbor, enthusiastically offering goodies such as seafood kabobs, ice cream, fresh fruit (including whole watermelons!), and hot dogs. You Watanabe herself has a grill where she’s cheerfully serving up her trademark "Niceoodles" yakisoba as well as other Japanese food like takoyaki and rice. What makes her noodles so nice? It’s obviously the cheerful smiley-face sun drawn on the omelette. In exchange, the chefs and vendors only ask that you spread the word, though most of them have buckets for donations if you want to help chip back in. After the party is all done, however, there seem to be plenty of dishes that need doing, all in a big pile. You herself is working on getting through the mountain of dishes, but maybe you could lend a hand? 2. It's just not a beach party without the traditional watermelon splitting! For those of you who don't come from modern Japan on Earth, it might be perplexing at first seeing the literal mountain of watermelons grown with the help of Keyleth, another recent Olympian. If the bat-like sticks and blindfolds next to them don’t explain the purpose, though, you might just sit back and watch as a brave competitor sets a watermelon on the sand, ties a blindfold around their eyes, and has people start yelling at them which way to go. They consider the shouts of the crowd, take a swing... and strike nothing but sand. Perhaps you can do better? There are beach activities galore. Now's the time to build the sandcastle of your dreams or play a game of beach volleyball. Maybe you're brave enough to surf the waves, or you’d just like to enjoy a swim. Mom friends who just want to lounge in the sun and read a book while working on their tan are welcome too, of course. BENEATH THE SURFACE: 1. Diving beneath the waters in Flona Cove yield a whole new world on its own. Rent a scuba suit and take a trip to explore the corals, and you may even be lucky enough to run into a playful school of dolphins. Be careful-- they tend to get carried away and will happily drag swimmers for a wild ride. 2. You might want a boat for this scuba adventure, unless you're a strong swimmer. Venture deeper into the ocean, farther away from the coast, and adventurers will find some interesting stuff. Two miles southwest of the harbor, deep, deep into the watery abyss, lies a shipwreck. Exploring through the various rooms of the ship yields a few knick-knacks here and there-- rusted spare parts, cracked tea sets... a surprisingly well-preserved pin-up painting of Koralle? The real treasure awaits for those who have the courage to swim beneath the ship's hull. Here, covered in algae and debris, lies the skeletal corpse of a winged, fanged, clawed beast. This is only a distant memory of its former glory, as nothing but bones are left, but something— something brilliant, catches your eye. Those hundreds of teeth are not bone, but a material so lustrous and pure, it nearly blinds. It will take some work, but with persistence and strength, it is possible to extract a tooth. Those that work in Simwe Institute or The Sanctuary may find it beneficial to take an extra for their boss— this is definitely something that is of interest to study. 3. Olympians love their luxury. There's nothing more luxurious than a secluded lagoon, the water at just the perfect temperature and pristine. This is one of the most sought-after spots for the natives, but when you come across it, it is completely peaceful and empty. For the tourists? Well, this place simply gets overlooked due to its distance from the main beaches. It's also relatively hidden. Soon you start feeling oddly friendly? Cupid’s Pool is also described by the people of Olympia as the touchy-feely pool. It has an inherent property that makes those who soak in it crave physical affection. Chances are you probably wanted to know this before you decided to take a dip, huh? (Please warn for threads appropriately) EARN SOME SILVER     1. While many of the locals came together to offer their hands to provide a bit of entertainment for the surge in tourism, that isn’t to state that they’re fully staffed. Have a few hours to spare? They're willing to pay for your help. Maybe you’re just the cooking champ they needed? The lifeguard who showed up just in time? Or the star salesman at their humble accessory shop so desired? 2. The man who approaches you is even offering more than most of the vendors down the street. Sure, the guy and his entourage look kind of shady, but money is money, isn't it? If you accept, he’ll shove a strange swimsuit or two your way and lead you to the dressing room. What kind of job is this? Modeling, he says. Hopefully you aren’t camera shy! Hey there, hot stuff. I like your look. Or maybe it's your... aura? Either way, I like what you're working with. How about you flaunt what you've got for some fat silver stacks? He also wants to be able to test your charm, and is willing to pay a whopping 400 silver in exchange. He may even ask you to go "talk" (did you hear him say "hit on"?) to a couple of people, and “sell” yourself. Whatever that means... Incidentally, he says he’ll give you a signal once you get a pass. Feels like forever, doesn’t it? 3. Once night begins to fall and the people gradually begin to clear out, you’ll notice something... odd. There are some shady looking people around, and maybe you’ve been hearing whispers all day about a certain "fight club." Initially, no one will tell you a time or location, but if you are persistent, your efforts will pay off. Perhaps in light of helping a vendor clear out their stall or assisting that one Olympian native in distress, they’re willing to tell you a few things about this exclusive club. They explain to you that it’s been a long-standing tradition of Olympia. Secret fight clubs. A place for people to stretch their wings and their fists. Moreover, the pay off seems to be pretty good! Though, they warn you that there are some aggressive competitors out there this time around. Things have been tough politically for a while now, and there is much unrest among the people. What better way to blow off some steam than to beat someone up and make a bit of bank! Fights are not to the death, simply until a knock out, but accidents (and "accidents") do happen. Finding the crowd of people will take some searching, even with directions. They meet along the northern coast of Flona, by following a path leading underground, well away from any civilization. Once you’re there, why not participate? You may find yourself facing off against a fellow refugee. OOC     An AC-eligible thread for 2 OLYMPIAN REP POINTS may be submitted from this log. SUBMIT THE THREAD HERE by OCTOBER 15 11:59 PM EST. In the event of CAPTCHA, we will be providing an overflow. In the event of a second CAPTCHA, players are advised to move threads to an overflow post on their character journals. These threads remain eligible for AC, AC Rewards, and REP. 1 SILVER = 1 US DOLLAR. QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● world ● map ● reputation ● npcs taken ● reserves ● application calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

Comments

mikazuki augus | gundam ibo

[sparsity]

[ I. FLONA COVE ]

[ Mikazuki has seen the beach precisely once. It was refuge then, back on Earth. A waypoint. And then he promptly proceeded to set it on fire. So being able to just sort of wander around in the sun and sand, breathing in the brine and the ozone tingling in the air, well — it's different. Not bad, just an experience untouched. His choice in clothing, a loose tank top, pants rolled up his calves, and a jacket tied around his waist, is pretty telling. (Please help.)

Not only that, but the way he stands on the shoreline just out of reach of the frothy waves as they roll up and away again, toes tucked into the sand. For now, he just seems to be studying it, but there's a hint of an expression on his face. Unconvinced, mostly. ]

Smells weird. Kind of... fishy.

[ The sky is also blue, and water is wet. ]

[ II. BEACH PARTY ]

(II-A):
[ Speaking of fishy, Mikazuki notices as he explores the food options that seafood is not uncommon. Much to his chagrin, which might seem odd to anyone familiar with him and the fact that he's essentially a garbage disposal given sentience and let loose on the world. It's especially obvious when he's stopped by the back of one of the food stalls to stare owlishly into a bucket of live sea creatures. Fish, and... a bunch of weird shit with way too many legs that he doesn't recognize and doesn't want to recognize.

About to be right on his way, he doesn't turn around fast enough to not catch sight of a tentacle flopping over the side of the bucket and wriggling around, causing him to physically rear back. That is so gross and weird that it does the impossible and evokes a strong enough response for him to get out.

Hopefully not out and right into someone, because he's small but strong. And has bony elbows. ]

(II-B):
[ Soon enough, he finds himself at an event that seems more his speed, and a thousand times more appetizing: this hitting fruit business. Because his arms are nothing to scoff at, it's not long before he's blindfolded and handed a stick, which he weighs entirely too seriously for a seaside game. (Spoilers, he doesn't know how to play games at all.) ]

Okay. [ Listening to the shouts of the onlookers, he doesn't even take any practice swings. ] Let's try it.

[ Raising the stick, he goes full force and hits the watermelon with everything he's got. It's certainly impressive because it causes the thing to explode, watery chunks of fruit and juice spraying every which way as if he'd just cracked open an egg instead. Sand, the crowd, other watermelons. Nothing is spared. ]

— ah. [ Peeling his blindfold up, he looks around at the carnage. ] Did I go too far...

[ III. WILDCARD ]

( any prompts welcome! and i don't mind writing personalized starters. hmu via pm or rivalry/axia#4656. i'd love to do some fight club stuff with another player character! )

i

[ofseraphim]

[ Along the shoreline, there’s one familiar figure that seems to stand out, if only for standing alone in a place so otherwise crowded. Mikazuki seems less prepared for all this than Sorey does, with his own ridiculous swimwear being a huge tell that he’s here for a dip. Why would he pass up an opportunity to swim?

Although, to the observation from the other, he scratches his cheek lightly, wearing a wry smile. ]

Yeah, large bodies of water tend to have a smell all their own. And it’s... not always pleasant.

[ Says the young man who has spent more than enough time roaming around in waterways (and sewers) purifying tainted water. Yuck. ]

Have you never been to a beach before, Mikazuki?

[sparsity]

[ Being addressed causes Mikazuki's shoulders to slope as he glances off behind him. Sorey's voice gives him away first, and that's probably lucky seeing as how Mikazuki stares pretty plainly at his beach attire. ...interesting. And colorful. ]

I guess that's right, if there's things living it. [ Fish and plants and other stuff that could die in there. (Great thought train for a beach ep.) ] I've seen the sea once. But it was during a job.

[ Naturally, a case of "all work and no play" happened. ]

[ofseraphim]

[ Those swim trunks seem a pretty good fit for someone with the personality to match, right? Anyway... ]

Yeah, it's a whole different world down there. There's still all kinds of things on the ocean floor that haven't been explored yet, either!

[ But he'll pull the brakes on his own Nerd Train here for just a moment, before he gets carried away talking about his favorite topic: exploration. ]

Just once? [ That's a shame. ] So I'm guessing you didn't have the chance to enjoy it last time, huh?

[sparsity]

[ Super sunny, so it fits despite him never having seen beach attire. Before today, anyway. And man, is there a lot. ]

Down there... [ wait — ] Oh, you mean the bottom. Can you go down that far underwater?

[ Mikazuki doesn't do his part in keeping the Nerd Train stalled, because he's full of curiosity about it, even if it sounds about as mellow as everything else does, coming from him.

And as if that question hadn't given him away, he shakes his head. ]

Not really. Home didn't have oceans.

let's get this party started

[likethelight]

[ Let's get something straight: Allen finds the entire thing about the fight club a little distasteful. He may be used to having to slog through and cope in seedy underbellies and their circles (and does so quite effectively!), but he doesn't have to like it. And this is a new level.

But they are paying the winners, thus he won't lose. And has taken to pummeling out a mountain of K/O's of poor souls up until this point with what's almost a... dark kind of cheer. It's nothing personal, you see. ♡ It's their fault for underestimating him (but really, especially dressed as simply he is and wearing white gloves, who wouldn't).

But when the crowd begins their bloodthirsty cheer for this next match and the lights snap back on to briefly blind them--he has to blink for a moment, stopping mid-cheery knucklecrack as sure, his next opponent is briefly shadowed, but.. ]

Heh? [ Wait. The boy from the observation deck?!

...what was his name? ]

Mikazuki..?

[ This isn't what he signed up for!! Not fighting people he actually knows and kind of likes!! ]

[sparsity]

That's right. [ Mikazuki stands opposite Allen when the lights flare, giving his bare arms a light stretch. ] When there was a winning streak, I was surprised it was you...

[ That sounded extremely blasé, neither an insult or a compliment. But for his part, there's a sharp glimmer in his eyes that hadn't been present when they'd simply been talking about the stars. Mikazuki's hands are wrapped tight, through knuckles and over his forearms, adding a bit of hardness and texture to his fists. His torso is bare, revealing much more than his pillowy coat had — muscle not only cultivated, but carved from harsh circumstance. Out of, well. A life of this.

Granted, he'd never been thrown in a ring for money, in so many words, but it's been a while since he's had a spar that really challenged him. That it was the mild-mannered boy so thoughtful of the expanse of space actually makes him all the more interested. Setting into stance, he wonders if Allen will follow suit. ]

Come on. No matter who wins.

[likethelight]

[ Blasé or not, it's taken in stride and Allen looks mildly surprised but thoughtful at that. Of course most people would be surprised. He knows how unassuming he appears; it's part of his advantage at poker, too. And great for stacking some of the bets on himself here with everyone pegging such terrible odds on him.

Though Mikazuki's appearance—Allen would certainly be remiss if he suffered the same misunderstanding. Ah... even against someone he'd rather not fight, he probably shouldn't hold back. He looks like a fighter. Someone just as comfortable using his hands in a fight as Allen, if not possibly moreso.

It's actually both as unsurprising as it is.

So the other boy drops into a stance and so does he, light on his feet and hands up not like a boxer, but like a martial artist in loose form. Chin up, eyes clear, he gives a small nod to Mika.

After him, then. ]

I'm afraid I'm not prepared to lose just yet.

i.

[cajolery]

[ Clair, for her part, is more than used to the beach—her family's summer villa was near the shore, after all, and she and her brother would spend all day swimming and playing in the sand when they were young. In fact, she still wants to swim and play in the sand.

She also came prepared as well, with a navy blue swimsuit—that's certainly a little more revealing than she's used to, but her natural confidence quickly overcomes that—and a wide-brimmed straw hat to shade her face. Right now, she's standing next to Mika and surveying the ocean like Mufasa on the top of Pride Rock. Everything the light touches... ]

Why, of course! The ocean always has such a smell. Have you not been to the beach before?

[sparsity]

[ Mikazuki is surveying a lot less enthusiastically than Simba did. ]

Only once. There weren't any seas at home, so you had to travel far to see one. [ Like, to a different planet kind of far. ] And even then...

[ He never really went into the water with his own two feet. Leaving that admittance half-finished, he glances aside instead. ]

You like the ocean?

[cajolery]

[ No?? Seas?? What a strange thing to say. When you live on an earth-like continent type... planet... or whatever, the idea of there just being no ocean sounds outlandish, and her bemusement shows on her face. ]

Ah... why, of course! My family's summer villa is— [ Ah. ] Was near to the shore, and so I would often visit the beach when I was a child. I grew very fond of it.

[ Go ahead and ask why it's a summer villa. Please.

In any case, there's a hint of wistfulness in her voice when she talks about her childhood... she reaches up to grasp the brim of her hat to pull it a little lower over her face—it's windy, after all. ]

ii-b.

[fakers]

[ it's a strange way to gauge the relative strength and skill of the various refugees... but that's essentially what archer has been doing as he watches people destroy watermelons (or miss entirely). oddly, not many people really seem to understand the point of this exercise... which is just preparing the watermelons for consumption.

no, most either fail to hit the watermelons at all, or completely pulverize them. one extreme or the other. ]

No, it was an impressive swing. [ never mind the fact that a chunk of watermelon flew far enough to hit archer in the face, which he's... trying to nonchalantly clean off himself. ] That much you can take pride in.

[ even if... no one's going to be eating this watermelon... ]

[sparsity]

[ Covered in sad-looking watermelon innards himself, Mikazuki is about as extreme on the scale as it gets. Turns out, handing him a blunt 'weapon' and telling him to hit stuff has the same results all the way across the board. (Blood and guts.) Stick still in hand, Mikazuki flicks a glance to Archer, at first not sure of what to say besides offering a vague affirmative noise while scrubbing juice from his face with the edge of his wrist. ]

I guess so. It seemed a lot sturdier when I was watching other people.

[ Giving himself away that no, he hadn't actually known this was a game at all.

But also he's eyeing that chunk of fruit sliding own Archer's nose. ]

...so it flew that far.

[fakers]

It did.

[ there's so many things archer could say as he plucks the watermelon off his nose, regarding it somewhat warily before ultimately deciding to just pop it in his mouth. other than the odd delivery system, it's not like there was really anything wrong with the fruit. ]

Normally you'd use... less force.

[ an overly simple way of putting it, but true all the same. in truth, watermelon splitting just isn't meant for someone apparently as strong as mikazuki. ]

At least you didn't miss?

( i )

[amities]

[The voice comes up from behind Mikazuki, having been mostly observing the movement of the waves and a few fishing boats off in the distance, more than likely from some of the vendors as there's quite a lot of grilling going on.]

I've heard the cause is due to a particular abundance of creatures which reside in the open water of the ocean. [Pause for dramatic effect.] They're called "fish".

[sparsity]

[ Thank you, mom.

Craning his neck around to get a look at the newcomer, mostly thanks to how he doesn't recognize his voice, Mikazuki chews on that a moment. Eventually he accepts the presence and turns his gaze back out to the rolling waves, the flat line of the horizon separated by different shades of blue. ]

When you say "abundance"... how many?

[ Because from where he's standing, it's overwhelming, attributing nothing to his sensitive nose. ]

[amities]

Unfortunately I cannot give an estimate. The depths of the ocean are unknown, especially when one is not a native of the land.

[Who even knows what kind of fish live in this particular ocean. Ignis adjusts his glasses for a moment.]

Have you never seen it before? The ocean. It's all salt water, which is also a factor to the smell.

watermelon carnage

[shikomizue]

[And the crowd goes... silent.

Takasugi isn't standing in the inner ring of onlookers, but somehow his yukata is still splattered with splotches of watermelon juice. An impressive feat; he's not the only one laughing, but people who aren't exchanging worried looks are few and far between.

Brushing shoulders with a dumbfounded gaggle, Takasugi approaches the enemy of all grounded fruit. On his way, he'll pick up a chunk of watermelon to offer forward.

As if you'd wanna eat something crusted in sand???] It seems like you've got the whole thing to yourself, now. [People sure are just sort of... stepping around the carnage, rather than gathering up the remnants of the treat.]

[sparsity]

(continued here!)

(II-B)

[ask]

[ the carnage isn't anything like he expects. if anything. he thought this to be a strange ritual. perhaps, one that indicated the coming or going of a season. of a bountiful harvest as it had been in the past. granted, that's when people are able to eat what came out of it.

presently, as it stands, it's... sort of incomprehensible. the mess is all but palpable. it coats the sand impressively and seems to stick onto everything. including towels in the sand and people's clothing. it's in this, he notices, a touch of juice against his otherwise pristine white button down.

he stares at it for a moment too long.

before peering back up at mikazuki. ] ... this feeling of defeat.

[ is likely his first since landing here. since qwop back at thesa. ]

[sparsity]

(i hate this)

tentacles apparently

[rememberher]

Ah—!

[ The voice comes from behind, as he collides with someone just as short as he is. People like that apparently exist, and while he's quite solid, it seems the one he's careened into avoiding some terrible trope waiting to happen isn't. Those are definitely hands on his back, as she tries to stop him, stumbling over her own feet in the process.

Honestly, he's lucky he didn't bowl her over. He did knock off her hat, though. ]

[sparsity]

(continued here!)

yet another 1 i guess (but if you wanna wildcard instead, we can!)

[gekkajuu]

But isn't it beautiful?

[The sea can sure smell a bit, depending, but Atsushi likes it all the same. Moreover, it's a good excuse to introduce his cub to water, very carefully.]

It sparkles so nicely in the sun, and it's so big that it's really humbling.
... Well, maybe not so much when you're used to space.

[sparsity]

(continued here!)