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.
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no subject
[returning that gentle touch and letting the man lead. The spot he picks out is certainly not objectionable, and Linneus is more than happy to get settled there, albeit with care - though it becomes clear that whoever set up the space before them was diligent in removing any rocks or sticks that might impede their comfort.
Well-chosen, Dazai.]
One piece is the best we can ask for, I suppose. [mildly - with that chuckle his hands rise to try to take care of his hair himself but, well, it seems Dazai has it. Better that he sit still under the attentions and let the man work.] So long as you haven't been getting into some terrible mischief? Trouble is no difficult thing to find here.
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Trouble does have a way of finding me. Even the terrible kind.
[ Not that his expression reads as particularly concerned. However bad things get, Dazai has forged through worse. And somehow, against all odds and every conceivable logic, he's still here.
And for the first time, in as long as he can remember, it doesn't seem regrettable. ]
Hm. I wonder if you'd try to rescue me, if I ended up in pinch~.
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'Try' is very much the operative word, you understand. I cannot call myself the most able rescuer.
[Linneus is under no illusions - he isn't the strongest person, even if he were a hundred percent, a little too delicate to attempt anything so dramatic as rescue. Then again, not every rescue is an entirely physical endeavour.
But enough of that - a light lift of his eyebrows, a teasing lilt]
...I'm starting to feel this is a common fantasy of yours, Mr Dazai.
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[ Dazai is far from any type of damsel in distress. And though Linneus may look more suitable for the part, Dazai has no delusions or misconceptions that his companion is every bit a man as he is. And maybe that's entirely why the person at his side remains there so often. Linneus isn't merely a source of soft words and consoling moments, but someone who he respects enough to talk through the most serious of heart to hearts with, like two particular friends from so many years ago. ]
You playing my knight in shining armor?
[ Seeing as how the tender caress of Linneus' hair goes without objection, then Dazai sees no reason to still his hands or abate in indulging over something so chaste. For all his predictions and expectations of a situation, he suffers the rare surprise over how soothing it is to just be present in the moment and appreciate someone. The silk-soft hair slipping through his fingers is a tangible start, but their banter, which promises nothing more than the sincerest form of companionship, is more than he has hoped to find again in another person here or in his life before. ]
I have a lot of fantasies. [ For once he's not looking into blue eyes. ] You'll need to be specific.
[ He draws the line out, quick as he would under the circumstances where it would actually work. Except this time he fails to prove the scandalous accessories of a certain look or well-placed hand to send a particular message home.
This time, when he utters words that should be meant for a more intimate two-person rendezvous, they're lighthearted and faintly spoken. It's as if Dazai is mocking his own daydreams and idyllic notions of what he wants. Perhaps even he fails to know whether they're far more impossible than anyone could grant or so tangled up within a collection of faux feelings and lies, he no longer comprehends what wanting something even feels like. ]
no subject
[He teases, but this is familiar - making light and letting the talk to be tossed back and forth.
Of course, he does consider that perhaps it only harms him to tease, that it helps him keep people at arm’s length - he has done so for years and to go about undoing all of that... he wants to, but can only guess at how.
His head ducks under Dazai's hand - not trying to evade, but seeking for his eye contact again]
...or should I just have you enumerate them all?
[Still only ribbing - they would be here all night... but Linneus isn't so sure that that's a bad thing, if they're going to be here anyway]
For the record, I was referring more to the common theme of your being in peril.
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[ The things kept locked away within the confines of Dazai's head extend far beyond rudimentary terms like 'gruesome' and 'horrifying'. He's seen, known and dealt with the worst sort of evils. The likes of such wickedness should never be known by anyone with a heart untouched by evil, let alone witnessed with their own eyes.
It's truly a blessing none so far have accidentally glanced within his mind, considering how many do have extraordinary abilities. ]
Oh? Are you quite sure you have the stamina for that?
[ As dissimilar the pair may appear, they mirror one another with their defense mechanisms and habits of keeping others (emotionally) out of reach of their hearts. So when Linneus breeches that painfully familiar territory of arms-length flirtations, Dazai can effortlessly don the facade of some flirtatious rogue in order to serve them back. It's easier this way, to pretend he's never felt as deeply as he does, nor harbors all the endless weight of every single emotion that comes with suffering life, love and loss as intensely as Dazai truly does.
If only that were the truth. It would have saved him the kind of bone-deep wounds heartache bestows; festering and growing septic instead of healing as time goes by. ]
Because I might take you up on that offer...
[ Suddenly intent on behaving themselves, Dazai's hands settle themselves elsewhere, pressed against the blanket to prop him up throughout the casual banter. And perhaps it's this sample of Dazai's body language that's more telling of his mood than any of his words, which fall into the space between them far too casually. The distance is comfortable, comes without demands, and simply retains the earlier air of amicable companionship he doesn't have to over-think. ]
And keep you up well into the night with all my sordid fantasies.
[ Dazai is always in trouble, but dwelling on that is pointless. So he dodges the question with a little wink and the lopsided tug of a smile that's meant to lighten a mood he's responsible for making too heavy. ]
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[even his relenting seems teasing, the quirk of a smile at the corner of his lips]
Perhaps they are hardly the best campfire stories. But then, it seems you think I have not dealt with sordid fantasies before...
[not everyone else has, of course, and that's why perhaps Dazai's fantasies are not best listed while sitting around the fire for anyone to hear. Propriety is still a very important thing to Linneus - where Dazai's hands are on the blanket... possibly for him, too?]
My stamina? [a little lift of his brows - is this where the talk is going?] My stamina is returning - and it hasn't been lacking in the past, I assure you. Though I'm sure you shan't take advantage of me while I am still recovering...?
But how shall you entertain me, then?
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[ Of the pair, Dazai is the one guilty of exuding an air of worldly experience. And that's the point of this particular persona he shifts into for the time being. But if they were stacking up their conquests against one another, and Linneus came out on top (at least figuratively speaking), then Dazai wouldn't feel the least bit emasculated.
His loves have been painfully few, less than even the fingers on one hand. While the sport of sex has been one he infrequently pursued. Cerebral as he is, Dazai suffers disinterest in the chase unless he's spurred on for reasons of exploitation and blackmail. More often than not, sex has been merely one of many tools within his life among Yokohama's underworld.
The sincerest irony of Dazai's life is that all the womanizing and philandering fables are greatly exaggerated. Real pleasure, the kind one seeks out time and time again, is rarely his unless an allegiance exists beyond merely his body and another, but their heart and mind as well.
However, they're already halfway there, underneath the veil of a budding friendship that couldn't be more sincere. So when Linneus' subtly opens the door to potentially more, Dazai doesn't go out of his way to shut it. ]
And perhaps some other time you'll do the honor of educating me on how knowledgeable you really are.
[ The reminder of Linneus' still healing wounds does shift his own interests, rekindling his genuine concern for the well-being of a man he's already begun calling 'friend' within his head. ]
Injured or not- [ He does risk lifting Linneus' blanket to slide in beside him. ] Taking advantage of you isn't what I hope to do.
[ The newly borne companionship is pleasant enough that Dazai is in no hurry to spoil it, so he settles within the shared space with a hum of thought, leaving the salacious talk behind them for a moment. ]
Campfires are always a good place for stories.
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[because educating him would involve disclosing a good deal more of his own history - more than Linneus cares to let slip, at this point. Only one person here really knows Linneus' history, and even the knowledge he gave them is limited - not just out of Linneus' secrecy, but the shame and stigma that attached to him just living in the Teahouse - never mind working there. Even if this is another place, even another time; even if he may no longer be judged for it... his story is more than anyone asked for; more than Linneus is willing to tell.
an answering sound as Dazai joins him under the blanket - he'd been about to offer, but Dazai had anticipated him, clearly. Linneus is more than happy to adjust, though; changing his hold so the other man may take a little more of the blanket on his side.
It's not objectionable at all, their settling close together.]
They are. So tell me a story.
[to ask in such a way feels a little imperious - but then, that is a mark of his getting more comfortable with Dazai, to do away with some of his manners, with some of the etiquette expected of him. Some of it is his character, his upbringing, but some of it is a little like a barrier, carefully erected and manicured like a border around himself.]
no subject
There's a sense of things going awry, where assuredly a stray thought of dark origins must have skittered out in front of their fast-track towards something more intimate than mere conversation. Dazai has been there before, his own demons and private failings haunting him in ways that interrupt his own personal pursuits, outside bloodshed and battle.
Knowing as much makes him want to mend the problem, but the easiest solution he can find is merely a continuation of their earlier, more playful banter. ]
I can tell you one thing...
[ The nearness affords him the luxury of leaning in towards Linneus' shoulder, brushing against him all the while as his slightly taller form eclipses the other at his side. A dip of his head brings Dazai's mouth within whispering distance, so something of a promise can be passed to the shell of Linneus' ear without alerting anyone in earshot. ]
I'm very enthusiastic about learning.
[ A sliver of pale pastel hair is slowly brushed away from the shape Dazai speaks against, as though he refuses even that much of a barrier for fear it might misconstrue words which hold more than one meaning. ]
So maybe I ought to teach you a thing or two, in return?
[ This time, in the place of obscuring dirty talk behind the attractive veneer of wholesome conversation, Dazai flips the notion on it's head. As much as he's offering everything untoward which these words suggest, he hopes that Linneus can tell - Dazai will offer the same sort of honesty he's given.
They both have their own burdens. But if Linneus is prepared to open some small portion of his heart to Dazai, in so much as sharing a personal past that supplies painful memories, then it's only fair he does likewise.
The price is worth something as precious as Linneus' trust. ]
Tell me what sort of stories you enjoy?
[ There are the traditional campfire ghost stories, of course. But with how honest and straightforward Linneus is, Dazai more than suspects this is his own way of asking to learn more about the man beside him.
All he needs to do is ask, and Dazai will be honest. He has nothing (or very little) to hide, anymore. ]
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[softly-breathed at the closeness of that whisper before ducking his head and turning in rather than away - not seeking to put any distance between them, but at least to avert the tickle of Dazai's voice]
...no one has ever been enthusiastic before.
[catching the word, returning it with a little smile, and a little lift of his brows. Gilder being perhaps the one outlying exception, no one Linneus has known Before had ever really cared to ask, or cared to know. For why should they? They were not paying to ask after him; to mind any of his delicacies, or his feelings. Even if they did, it rarely was anything more than a veneer, a formality sometimes given him but one he was never meant to answer to truthfully.]
I, ah... I always enjoyed fairy-tales. [perhaps that is laughable to some...] The ones with princes and princesses and true love - the silly ones.
[silly to some - he enjoyed them; enjoys them still. But men aren't supposed to enjoy stories like that. So he calls them silly - because he was expected to.
Confessing-]
I may have wanted to be one when I was a child, but that's not real life, is it?