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 an AC-eligible thread with a new character as a participant for 2 OLYMPIA REP POINTS OR 2 WYVER REP POINTS, respectively, HERE or HERE. THESA STATION
All refugees on the station are called to the hangar where a large-scale teleporter has been set up; everyone will be sent to the planet together. Simply step onto the space between the arrays and wait. Before they depart, all new refugees will be given a starter kit!
 You may have heard about earlier technical difficulties, but don't worry. I promise everything is in perfect working order this time. I'd say I tested it myself, but since that's not exactly possible, you'll just have to trust me! (Please.)
The older refugees will also be there to guide you to ensure no one is left confused... or behind. Make sure you wait for them — I've been detecting something odd so I'll be having them meet you at the landing site. Good luck, refugees! Not that you'll be needing it or anything...
The arrays begin to hum and glow, quickly building into a brilliant wash of light. It creates a column that travels all the way from Thesa Station to the surface of El Nysa. With the night sky as a canvas, the beam can be seen all the way from Olympia and Wyver — a view that has the natives whispering of blessings.
As a sudden but beautiful aurora splays across the sky, the refugees down on the planet receive a message asking them to travel to the landing site — and warning them to prepare for what may come of the strange readings Zasere's gotten from the teleport itself.
Traveling through the light leaves the impression of blinding starlight, a strange sense of weightlessness, and a disorienting moment of total sensory deprivation. The radiance of your teleport hangs bright in the sky above you, a shimmering aurora that reflects off the calm waters below, visible for miles all around.
You've landed on a peninsula to the east of the South Outpost. There's little here — scattered trees on spring-barren plains, with a few overgrown, dilapidated structures poking out of the brush. All is quiet save for the keening of animals and the gentle lapping of waves against the shore. This lonely desolation is hardly the bustling cities and vibrant cultures you were promised back on the station...
BY CAMPFIRE'S GLOW. But waiting for you is a group of your predecessors, and with them, a veritable tent city, with portable stoves, coolers of food and drink, comfortable bedrolls, and cheerful rings of bonfires — all that you need to make merry of the night, courtesy of Overseer Voss, who has, thanks to his interest in blessed meteorological phenomena and refugees, decided to make a holy expedition of the affair.
Settle in, meet new comrades, and enjoy yourself, for you've safely completed your journey. But don't wander too far from the fires — the dark is closing in, and there's a strange, electric feeling in the air, the scent of ozone drifting on the breeze. And what were those odd readings Zasere mentioned?
A SHEPHERD OVER THE FLOCK. The spring sun dawns on a grey morning, already burning away the fog rolling in off the sea. It quickly becomes apparent that Voss and his entourage of acolytes have been up for hours, hard at work. They've set up a brightly-draped stage and a travel pulpit, magically enchanted to amplify his voice, and as the sun breaks over the horizon, Voss is all set to do what he does best: proselytize.
 As our Goddess has sent Her blessing once before to herald the coming of those touched by Her light, so She has done once again! Here you see them, those surrounded by the light of our Goddess, each of them bearing the mark upon their skin of Her holiest of hands! Do you not see? Do none among you bear witness to the righteousness of Her message? Perhaps this is why our people have shamed themselves in front of our Goddess—
[ He continues for another 15 minutes... ]
Nevertheless. See you them before us now! See them as they are, coming to our gates with Her reminder, that these people must be treated with the utmost respect and care. Thesa's divinity is not to be treated with such flagrant disregard! Those who She chooses are not ours to use as mindless fodder, to hurt, to torture — shame upon those who allowed such deeds to shame us under Her watchful gaze!
To those of you who have just arrived here on our doorstep, be not afraid! The Temples of Thesa welcome you to our home with hearts and minds open! Should you ever find yourself in need of solace, seek out the Temples, as there are no greater allies to you than those of us within the Temple walls. You are welcome all to Olympia!
As he steps away from the enchanted podium, he can be heard saying aside to an acolyte, "How was that? Heavy on the shame, but I think it went well!" While he will not leave the area immediately, his acolytes will politely turn away attempts to speak with him and remind anyone interested that they can leave a message at the Temples.
Despite going off without hitch, the new refugees' arrival isn't entirely without incident. It seems that the "blessed" beam of light that brought the refugees down to El Nysa brought something else along with it — a sliver of the Storm. At least the beam was short enough that only a small fraction managed to squeeze through.
But it's enough to wreak a little havoc around the landing site and along the road back toward Olympia and Wyver — and even, for a few days, in the cities themselves.
THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE. The Storm is an undeniably destructive force, and that's proven with this small sliver's effect as it ripples across the continent. While there's no visible sign of its presence, strange phenomena soon begin to appear, corresponding with Zasere's odd readings.
They're innocuous little things at first. A sudden silence, animals going quiet, insects stilling. All technology, no matter how advanced, ceases working. You discover when you check with a friend, the clock on your phone is twelve minutes slow even though you'd swear only a minute had passed — time missing. Walking through the woods takes longer than it should when brushing past one bush leads to brushing past that same bush again — and again, and again, the area looping on itself. It keeps you trapped, going in circles for minutes, even hours, before finally releasing you in a random direction.
Or perhaps you'll feel a sense of deja vu, like you've walked down this road, taken this turn, seen that bird fly from this branch before. This is the second time that cat has crossed your path. The person you're meeting, you already know their name; you're certain you've already met.
WE GOT COWS. The Storm sliver also ushers in sudden, localized weather anomalies — heavy storms, blizzards, strong winds, and more. Affected areas range from just a few feet wide to nearly half a mile. One minute, the sky may be sunny and clear, but the next dark storm clouds roll in, unleashing torrential rain. Small tornadoes surge along the road, kicking up winds strong enough to knock people over and carry objects away. Hail hurtles down from the sky, but only in a ten foot radius. Temperatures fluctuate wildly between one extreme and the next, from heat waves to cold snaps. Soupy fog blankets the area, thick enough that you can barely see your hand in front of your face. Good luck finding your way!
FORGETTING IS SO LONG. The visions come on suddenly and with very little warning. One second, you're carrying on as normal — but the next, you blink and find yourself (and anyone near you) somewhere else completely. You may recognize this place as a moment from the past, one that you lived through. It's a memory, your memory, and it now replays around you in exceptional detail, unnervingly lifelike. Or you may not recognize it at all. It might belong to the person next to you, or to someone else entirely — a memory that the Storm has swallowed up.
Either way, the scene plays out just as it once did, and there's nothing you can do to stop it — or escape it. The memory surrounds you to no end: every door you open leads nowhere, every hallway you turn down continues on forever, every horizon you flee toward hangs just out of reach. And linger too long or turn the wrong corner, and you may find yourself abruptly stuck in a completely different memory. It's almost tempting, then, to give up, to let the past sweep you away...
But this isn't the full might of the Storm. Look closely, and you can see that in the walls of this trap, there are minute, hairline cracks, a facade of fractured glass. Imperfections in the memory where the real world is breaking through. It seems the only way to escape these memories is to find those cracks and break through them — by force, by will, or by some other method entirely.
The time is coming to make a choice — perhaps not a permanent choice, but unless you want to spend the rest of your nights out under the stars, you'll need to pick which city you will initially spend your time in. On the horizon, you will see that people have arrived to help you make that decision...
A FORK IN THE ROAD. Refugees and the hyper-religious wishing to hear Voss speak are not the only ones out and about under the light of the aurora. Citizens of both Olympia and Wyver have flocked to a point on the road midway between the cities and where the refugees have appeared, and they all have the same goal in mind: convincing the newcomers who have just descended in the blessed light of Thesa to come to their city and not the other.
They've come with bribes — that is, examples of what their cities have to offer. If you spent much time at the exhibition up on Thesa Station, you might recognize some of what's being shown off, though the offerings here are markedly more tangible, and shown off by hawkers wearing substantially fewer clothes.
A herd of pegasi accompanies the Olympians, while a line of flying serpents is stabled at a tent bearing Wyver colors. Refugees are given the chance to experience solo flights and are told that if they prove their loyalty, they may have the privilege of owning such fine beasts one day themselves. The Olympians have also brought couture clothing, jewelry, and makeup to offer a taste of Olympian splendor, while the Wyver delegation has brought along fine weapons, sense-enhancing jungle plants, and small vials of diluted dragon’s blood (drinking confers a temporary boost in strength) to demonstrate their might. The Olympians speak proudly of the glory of the Temples of Thesa; the Wyverns speak of the Volkkran Pact and inform newcomers that they can make a pilgrimage to the summit of Namarak Mountain at the next full moon.
This is as good a time as any to compare your plans with others around you and exchange contact information before going your separate ways with people who are going to the city you are not. When you’re ready to go, don’t worry about safe passage — the natives of each city will gladly escort you there in luxury.
OF WHITE AND GOLD. The people of Olympia are ecstatic that you’ve come to join them... So much so that they’ve prepared a grand tour of the city for the new arrivals. You will be introduced to the major businesses in the city, including businesses that they are proud to point out were founded by refugees.
Refugees who have been here for some time already are encouraged to pair up with newcomers to introduce them to the parts of the city they like best. To facilitate this, they’ve made arrangements with many of the business owners: new refugees who visit their shops (and older refugees who escort them) are given discounts!
Just a few examples of many: the Wyvernest offers free desserts to first time visitors with the purchase of a drink, refugees who visit the Silk Wyrms can have one custom (though not exceedingly expensive) outfit made for them for free, and visitors to Shades Darker are offered a half-hour session with one of the prostitutes at half price… or access to a private room, if they seem to have taken a shine to one of their companions on the tour.
Lastly, tour guides will point out that over the course of the next week, the train to Flona Cove will allow new refugees to board for free so that they can experience the seaside for themselves. With the weather finally starting to warm, this is as good a time as any for a visit to the beach, isn’t it?
OF RED AND BLACK. Life in Wyver is typically a sink-or-swim sort of experience — but in light of the valor recently displayed by their predecessors, the natives are now more willing to assist in getting newcomers settled. The entire journey here they have been talking up the virtues of their city… and now is the time to show everything that's on offer.
The well-known businesses in the city are prepared for the influx of newcomers. Some are giving out discounted samples of their products while others are offering a more hands-on experience: in exchange for working a few hours, they will give training in whatever task is being performed.
At the Forged, newcomers can learn the basics of crafting simple weapons (and take one of their successes home), while visitors to spas near the lagoons are trained in the art of massage. Those who wander to Falmi’s Ring can learn the art of pugilism or how to keep (and fix) books if they're more inclined to the gambling that goes on. Newcomers interested in Wyver's dragons can get hands-on experience at the Fields of the Exalted's nursery. While they walk from place to place, a guide may point out a job posting from Highwind Hires, noting that refugees can make a name for themselves outside official channels.
The last stop on the tour is the Undergrowth. The guides speak of the jungle in reverent tones and caution new refugees not to wander too far in. They warn never to explore alone, but also urge refugees to take time to familiarize themselves with it; after all, the jungle is an important part of life in Wyver, and those who are going to be living here should understand it as well as they do.
You've chosen your path, refugee, but that doesn't necessarily make it a permanent one. Watch out for the strange effects of the Storm, which linger still in the two cities and everywhere in between for the next few days before dissipating just as mysteriously as they came, but otherwise enjoy the welcome and make yourself at home — after all, this is home now.
An AC-eligible thread with a new character as a participant for 2 REP POINTS FOR EITHER OLYMPIA OR WYVER may be submitted from this log. SUBMIT THE THREAD FOR OLYMPIA OR WYVER HERE AND HERE RESPECTIVELY BY APRIL 29th 11:59 PM EST.
We will no longer be providing overflow posts. In an event where the post hits CAPTCHA, players are advised to move threads to an overflow post on their character journals or create their own catch-all post. These threads remain eligible for AC, AC Rewards, and REP.
1 SILVER = 1 US DOLLAR.
|
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
Duo Maxwell | Gundam Wing
ii. you know I’ll be ready to go
iii. devil’s dancing to-to-toe, when the reaper comes i’ll be ready to go
iv. you don’t know what she’s seen, or where she’s been
3-C because Duo's ep zero kills me dead to this day
...at least not once that sharp and distinct visual of bloody wreckage comes into view. It's something he's instantly certain he'll have burned into his vision just by merit of the sheer trauma of it. Worse yet, it seems they're both totally helpless in this, left to do nothing but sit and watch this whole tragic display as it unfolds like a too-real 3D movie.
At the end of it all, as Duo leaves that tragic, war-torn scene, Sorey can only offer two words: ]
I'm sorry...
[ Little does he know the significance of what's just transpired; that this is the moment that shaped so much of who Duo is as a person today. ]
no subject
[ It's... all a bit much. Of course Duo already dreamed of this on occasion, had dreamed about it after the pungent smell of blood had permeated his nostrils during Wyver's festivities. It's a thing that sticks with and changes a boy, a man now, he guessed. The kind of thing that changed how one's view of the world twisted, the kind of thing that had driven him to the raw power of Gundam Deathscythe Hell to attempt to change the world and make sure nothing like the Maxwell Church Massacre never happened again.
Duo's eyes are a bit far away as his ears register the apology.
A shoulder shrugs up, an automatic gesture more so than a lack of care. ]
That's.. a decade ago, now.
no subject
Still...
[ One doesn’t simply walk off an experience like this -- not the way that retreating figure of a little orphan boy from the slums does then; not the way his adult self barely half-shrugs at it now. (But, far be it for Sorey to say what one does do; his life has been peaches and cream by comparison, honestly.) ]
Where did you go, after that?
no subject
I was.. around. [ He gestures at the memory around to indicate the colony, it's horizon line curving upward instead of down, the kind of thing that might make someone who's only ever been Earthside a little sick to their stomachs. If he's honest he doesn't remember much of what he did, other than that he was surviving and that's about all he could ask for in that point in time. Certainly for a kid like him the creature comforts didn't occur to him to want until he'd lived a little bit of the "high" life so to speak.
Though the high life for him at that point was most likely having his own bathroom to himself.
Small steps. ]
Then I tried to stowaway to get off L2 and the rest is history.
no subject
Though the rest of that which 'is history' is unbeknownst to Sorey, he doesn't quite have the heart to inquire about it after seeing something so traumatic, (let alone living it). ]
I see... [ A simple acknowledgement, that's all. From there, he'll direct his, (hopefully their), attention to something else. ]
So if this is a memory from your past, how are we here? [ A beat. ] And how do we get back?
no subject
[ There's a little snort of amusement - despite everything going on around them - as Sorey steps back, reeling a little. Everyone has that reaction at first, and it never fails to at least give him a little bit of a chuckle. Despite the gore and situation around him, there's still a laugh left in there.
Thankfully. ]
That's a good set of questions I don't know the answer to... [ A sigh. ]
But I'd like to ASAP because living this once was more than enough..
no subject
Anyway. While on the topic of things Sorey doesn't have the heart to ask, please add to that list "is this a dream?", because, well. Decorum and all. Plus, the smell of smoke, blood, and so on is a bit too accurate to be anything less than authentic. Way, way too accurate for any level of comfort, too, for that matter. ]
Do you... [ stepping into this one tenuously, here ] ...think we have to continue on with the way your past played out to get out of here?
[ Meaning: is it stowaway time? ]
Sorry, I know that probably sounds pretty ridiculous...! [ But he's out of his element and out of ideas, at least for the time being. ]
3-c i welcome death honestly
Duo. He recognizes him, even as a kid. Prompto has always had a knack for faces, and his is undeniable, even marred by grief as he watches that woman slip away.
It doesn't matter that Prompto doesn't know her, either. Death is death, grief is grief, and there is blood and smoke on the air everywhere. It's overwhelming and nauseating and after a moment he sinks to his knees, his heart constricting in his chest at the sight of the young Duo losing someone Prompto can only assume was one of the only gentle, loving presences in his young life.
He lost everyone here. ]
Duo?
[ Is he calling out to the child who walks away, or the actual Duo himself? Probably both. ]
no subject
[ Smaller Duo makes his first and probably last good-intentioned bit of theft before he leaves the Sister among the rubble, careful, small hands dislodging the silver cross she's always worn and taking it as his momento of her. Maybe someone else would've liked to have had it, but.. well. He's always been a bit of a selfish thing, and if that's all he'll ever take to remember her by he thinks it's a small enough price to pay for her family, if she even had one.
The 'adult' (or teen, whatever) version of Duo isn't standing too far away, though, fingers running over a chain he typically keeps tucked inside that high collar. The smell of blood and burning is so ingrained in his nose that all of this is a bit more real than even when he dreams about it, fingers working in a furious back and forth motion as he stares off. It's a self soothing technique as much as anything, though showing that it effects him at all with bother Duo for a while to come - even if it's Prompto.
Child Duo is a hollow-eyed little shell of himself as he wanders away, sort of disoriented and stumbling, not at all effected by Prompto calling out.
Teen Duo - he snaps to attention with precision, straightening up slightly before he finally asks - ]
Yeah, Prompto?
no subject
But all the same, he's seen it, and so, with his voice raw, he answers: ]
I'm...I'm sorry.
[ It's not an apology out of pity, but that he had somehow stepped into this place he shouldn't have. ]
no subject
[ Of course Prompto would show up to the darkest memories he ever had - of course he would. As if living in this place wasn't enough everyone had to see some of his darkest memories and his most fragile moments instead of gundam victories or something like that. Of course. It was just his luck, just the way that the world worked so far as he could tell. He had never been the type to advertise too much he miseries of living on L2, the fact that he wasn't from the greatest conditions in the world even if he was a bit more free in saying he came from the rough neck of the woods.
Prompto apologizes and Duo, for a moment... isn't quite sure what to say.
He hesitates with the meaning of it, though.. considering that he doesn't elaborate about suffering or something to that effect and what he knows of Prompto he feels he can at least a little bit safely assume - ]
Don't worry about it.. chalk it up to more weird things in this place I guess..
no subject
Yeah. Guess so.
[ But still, he's been through a few of his own memories with others, too, and it wasn't the most fun he's ever had in his life, to say the least. ]
Sure is a great way to welcome in the newbies, huh?
no subject
[ Anyone who'd found out the reasoning behind Duo's self-decided nickname has given him one of those hollow apologies, and over time it's sort of lost it's stick. Some are more sincere while others offer it because they feel they have to, and Duo..
Well, over all he just doesn't want to think about it again. He could remember the good parts, the bright parts, of his childhood without having others apologize for the poignant yet incredibly painful part. All of this had put him on the path to piloting Deathscythe, sure, but at times it seems a bit too much even for that. ]
Better than shootin' em out of the sky like they did when Heero showed up.. [ Duo speaks lowly, quite apparently caught up in his own head for the moment, still toying with that chain around his neck. ]
C'mon. I want out of here. Once was enough.
no subject
They can't find them fast enough. ]
Look for any kind of breaks that don't look like they should be there. We might be able to sneak through and back out.
[ Back to where it's safer, much safer. ]
no subject
Ain't that a bitch when you're in the middle of rubble like this.. [ Where absolutely everything, including the little child version of himself, is broken. He's not entirely sure what's possessed this place to put this kind of thing on display for those who stumble by but frankly..
Well, he'll have to deal with the fall out on his own. Prompto doesn't need it and he's sure Heero deals with enough of his own ghosts on the regular.
He picks his way carefully through the crumbling bricks around them, the crunch of what was once beautiful stained glass windows under his boots. It's something he's done all too often across war rubble, but not necessarily through the rubble of his childhood. ]
I take back what I said earlier. I think I'd rather be shot out of the sky to be honest.
no subject
[ And he's not only saying this for Duo's sake. He's been in enough of these memories with others to agree. It's...much more difficult to keep up his positive attitude and energy when he isn't reliving his past every five minutes. This day has really taken it out of him, and maybe he would rather be in a fight.
But let's not get too crazy here.
He follows after Duo, his eyes barely leaving the crunched rubble and glass beneath their feet. ]
...Hey, you...you okay?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
3-b!! now they're even on memory seeing
But the rest of this ... is a bit shocking. Or maybe, rather, it's upsetting. He didn't know he had this sort of past — being an orphan, picked on, all that. Alphinaud merely watches silently through most of it, feeling sad for the boy. Regardless of their bickering, it's not like he wants to see Duo experience this sort of stuff, especially as a kid. Though it does give him a good idea of why he may be the way he is.
He's rather solemn when he speaks. ]
A glimpse of your childhood, I presume.
[ He's not ... sure what to say about it yet. How to really tackle what he's seeing to the boy he's had such an ... interesting relationship with. ]
even steven but duo kinda just wants to die at this point sdhf :'D
[ Honestly the whole seeing and sharing bits of their past would be a bit better for him if it didn't feel a lot like the Storm just exposing his delicate belly and asking someone to cut him open, still alive. That's maybe a bit dramatic, but all of this isn't something Duo generally discusses in such great detail. Sure it's not a big deal to say he's an orphan, to casually throw out that he didn't have parents to teach him any better should someone bring up manners -
But for things he's still insecure over to be shown like this?
It's more exposing than he'd like. ]
Yeah. Back before Deathscythe and all of that.. Your own personal little glimpse at Colony Cluster L2, After Colony .. [ A little noise as he raises his hand and wobbles it back and forth to say 'more or less' ] .. 190, I guess. Probably around 8 or 10 then.
no don't die :(
Ah. [ A pause. ] Was this a common affair at the time?
[ He's not sure how much he should really pry into this, though. ]
no subject
Not really, no. I mean I was a street kid so I wasn't a stranger to fighting, but.. once you've got a roof and food in your belly survival instinct kinda takes a back seat.
[ Allowing himself to focus on things other than where he was going to get a meal next and not having to worry about encroaching gangs of other kids his age and older should have allowed Duo to be a bit more of a traditional child, but it wasn't really in his make up or his cards. Plus, other kids who had parents (something that was more rare than one might think) constantly nagging at him hadn't done much for Duo's peace of mind.
The breaking point had been this moment here, quite apparently. ]
This kid was just .. a huge pain in the ass and didn't leave me be. So I snapped and taught him a lesson.
Never saw him again but that isn't hard. They probably moved to a different part of town.
no subject
While I cannot condone the way you handled the situation, I cannot fully blame you, either. [ A pause. ] I ... had no idea you grew up in such an environment.
[ Which ... kind of makes him feel bad for him. Which is probably not what Duo wants here. ]
no subject
Well I don't exactly like to advertise it. Or use it like an excuse like some people do. [ He knew a lot of people, actually, that liked to use their situations growing up as excuses for shitty behavior. Sure, Duo is no saint and doesn't claim to be - he's fought his way through every little bit of his seventeen year life span and has no shame in that, but there's no way in hell he'll use it as an excuse for why he does certain things. Yes, it molds his world view and certainly the way he thinks things through, but decisions are all his own, or at the very least a team decision when it comes to the Gundams.
Tactical instead of emotional, all that good stuff. All five of them had been from very different worlds at the time they'd come to work together, but the common goal had kept them focused, even when they had differences in ideas of approach or, in Wufei's case, who they should be fighting with or for at all. ]
If you wanted to live on L2 you had to be ready to fight for it. Specially if you were like me and grew up in a gang of kids who took care of one another instead of with people to take care of you.
no subject
[ Crossing his arms.
He can't help but draw connections to himself in the present day. The way he was so eager to pick fights and bring attention to himself in their interrogation. And the way he carries himself. Even, maybe, his obvious attempts at keeping Alphinaud from gaining any more injury while they were stuck together. The way he grew up didn't only cause him to have bad traits, after all. He believes quite a few of them are good. ]
no subject
But, of course, he's equal parts curious considering Alphinaud has zero of any of that factoring in.
Other than, maybe, his views of him post Shaman-kidnapping. ]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
okay gmail way to make me miss this...
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)