❪ event ❫ a moment in eternity

[natha]

TO THERE AND BACK     It has been a month of chills uncharacteristic of what you might remember as summer — cold days and even colder nights. The days are short and the nights feel eternal. With the recent disruption of the network and no sign of a resolution for the world outside of Nadril, one has to wonder what the future holds for El Nysa. What of Olympia, Wyver, and their residents? The animals you cared for - are they destined to remain as frozen as wretched Ysverai forever? What will become of the sleeping ones in Thesa when there is nowhere else to go but this icy city? Yet not all hope is lost just yet. The woman that appeared at the start of the network errors finally shows up again in another network post. Greetings to you all. I apologize for my abrupt appearance and departure before… My name is Nurray, and I am the closest thing to a monarch that you will find here in Nadril. Magda is... indisposed, so I am here to speak to you in his place. First and foremost, you will notice that your network devices are fully functional once more. Should you experience any further issues, please report them to me immediately so that it can be taken care of. Secondly… Investigating the strange frequency interference we've been experiencing has brought some troubling data to light. The passage of time outside of this colony has been halted, of course, but the hold seems... unstable. Whatever it is that Darma has done to contain the calamity, I doubt that it will last for long. Time is an unpredictable force, and attempting to control it can only have adverse effects on the world. You could stay here if you so chose, outside the reach of that magic... but to do that would be to abandon the rest of this planet to an unenviable fate. ...ah, but there is no need to take my word for it. You can see the effects for yourselves, if you wish — merely look outside. "Seeing is believing"... isn’t that the phrase? Nurray has a point: refugees have not been given a chance to see the outside. The frequent snowstorm barrier of Nadril has made it impossible to see what it's like beyond the colony. Soon after the network post, as though the snow has been "turned off," clouds will clear. With the barrier created by the snow gone, the red sun shines brightly upon the dreary city with its warmth. You can see a purple haze on the south horizon, a indication that Yservai wasn’t all just a dream. He's still there, so far away, yet so close anyway. Near the entrance, a mound of snow melts, revealing steps leading towards the underground. It seems to be a part of the subway station you might have found earlier during your exploration of the colony — this time, the station has been powered on. Two trains lie in wait — their destinations read: Olympia and Wyver. — El Nysa is waiting. FREEZE FRAME     The technology found in the subway station of Nadril is truly out of this world. The combined efforts of Natha technology and alien minds have truly created state-of-the-art transportation never before seen by the typical Nysan. It takes no longer than one hour for the intercoms to announce their arrival to the outskirts of the Dranbu Kingdom — though, even with the platform available, the train never stops; it instead continues for another half hour for it to reach the North Gate of the Olympian Empire, where it sits until it's time to return to the tundra. All in all, it takes a mere hour and a half for this high-speed subway travel from Nadril to Olympia. The second train does make a quick stop at the Olympian Station, but it will be another painless hour and a half until it reaches the jungle of the Wyver Kingdom. Because Wyver is its own island, connected only by a bridge, you might notice that a small part of the travel was underwater. The trip takes only a total of three hours, but there's plenty of time for sightseeing. After all, isn't that the whole point of this trip? BE STILL MY HEART. Leaving the train, you are immediately hit with the still, warm air of the underground. It's hot, much different from the winter of the north, but perhaps a welcome change. The station is old, but it still has a fairly new smell to it, and not just because it's been unused for so long. It feels out of place compared to the rest of this world, and this is especially true when you reach the surface. The entrance was hidden under the earth right near the North Gate. Upon leaving the station, you're immediately hit with the familiar wretched smell and atmosphere of the undead. Even if you're new, you won’tt be able to miss Ysverai, the risen Great Dragon. You see this massive creature on the horizon, mouth wide and ready to blast El Nysa into nothing. Yet he remains still — as are all the terrified residents of Olympia. You've only seen this on the monitors of Thesa Station, and now you're able to experience first-hand how utterly quiet and still the world is now. The native Olympians are all over — you see most of them running away from the Great Dragon. Others equipped their armors and rode their steeds straight toward the danger in hopes of protecting their Empire. And the civilians, having lost all hope, are huddled together — at least they would have been able to spend their final moments with loved ones. Up on Thesa Station, you felt dread when you'd observed Ysverai for too long — this remains true here. That dread reaches your heart and clutches it. You feel his pain and suffering, and for those too in tune with emotions, it may be too much for you to be near him. Best to steer clear from him, or perhaps return to the underground. There is much more to be seen, after all. PRAYING WITH FIRE. Another hour and a half south on the subway, and you'll reach the Wyver Station. It's far warmer here in the station this further south, but Ysverai's dread doesn't reach here. On the surface, you are instead immediately hit with the overwhelming humidity of the jungle. With summer in full swing, the layers you've brought with you from Nadril become a burden. In Wyver, the mood is far different. The Great Dragon Yservai was once a being that was respected and worshipped by the Wyver people — not to mention that the one responsible is none other than Prince Raysc — thus his revival is met with somber resilience. Most of Wyver natives, instead of running away, had gathered around fires in prayer. Trained dragons that were unaffected by Ysverai's influence bow by their master's sides in acceptance of what they feel in their heart is to come with the Great Dragon's final blow. You may even spot your own dragon, eyes beamed up toward Thesa, like it knows you were up there at the moment time stood still. It's hard to imagine where one can go from here. You might start thinking about clean-up efforts, how to achieve proper burials for the fallen ones... but with time frozen, you will find that you cannot actually move anything or anyone. It will be dusk, as Thesa's shines across the skies, when storm cloud gather before Thesa's light. And from the clouds is a familiar figure — Once again, she has descended. TIME & TIME AGAIN     Darma is glowing as bright as the naked eye can perceive. Her massive, true form floats before the world she's built from dust. Is this world salvageable in your eyes, Refugee? We held time in hopes that we fould find a way to dissolve this Ysverai back to the ashes from which he was reanimated. Unfortunately, we continue to be unseeing, thus uncertain of the future... after all, our powers are near depleted. Nurray was correct, Refugee, in that I cannot hold time for much longer. There is... another way, however. It is not ideal by any means, but we shall do what we must to keep Ysverai frozen. As for us... we have expended far too much of our energy — Refugee, I am too aware of the misfortunes you've experienced in your time here. I have failed in my promise to provide better living... perhaps, with more time, I may yet see a better future. Until then, I leave Thesa, our hearts, in your hands. Farewell, Refugee. Her brightness dims as she says her final words — at the same time, raises her arms, palms wide, then closes her hands into a fist. In that instant, time is resumed. It's slow at first, as though time is trying to catch up with reality. It takes a several moments until the slow-motion picture before them reaches normalcy. Darma turns her attention to Yservai, whose motion is also returning, but not for long. In her true form, they are comparable in size; Darma's glow continues to dim as she draws closer to the Great Dragon, and then she coils herself around him, holding him still before assimilating into the wretched creature. By the end of it, time has completely returned to normal, and all residents were able to witness the Natha holding time still for Ysverai — The process turns the Great Dragon, as well as Darma, into stone. HIT PLAY TO REPLAY     Darma has resumed time, and Ysverai is no longer a threat. However, it comes with a hefty price for the Natha. The massive, stone statue of Darma embracing Ysverai looms in the valley between the cities of Olympia and Wyver. It's no doubt an intimidating addition to the world, but there is some peace in knowing it's all over. When civilians finally come to, they can't help but look upon the statue in awe — and their respective cities. It's much to take in all at once. Much destruction has been wrought— buildings lay in ruin, and of the citizens still alive, many look to be in poor physical condition. 1. I. The Sanctuary has sustained much damage, and with the high demand of medical care, cannot serve as the central healing place for those in need. Instead, it is up to individual citizens to find resources and establish places of care. Those with a medical inclination or healing powers may set up medical tents, or work out of their homes. Not everything has been destroyed, and it is still possible to obtain supplies from the market or request them from The Sanctuary. There is also, unfortunately, the tragic task of transporting corpses to graveyards and giving fallen citizens a proper burial. The Temples thank you for your service. II. In order to have a functioning city again, buildings and facilities must be repaired and rebuilt. It's possible your own home was demolished in the battle. With so many important buildings needing to be repaired, city officials are too overwhelmed with the coordination of such tasks to double-check that buildings are restored to their original form. What's more, they seem to encourage design innovation, believing that a new, fresh look to the city will revitalize people's morale. Now is the time to put your own unique flair on the interior or exterior of Olympia's infrastructure. Even parts of the Palace need repair. Time has resumed, yes, but the magic that Darma employs isn't flawless. As powerful of an entity as she may be, to tamper with time is difficult. Some would say it defies the laws of nature. Nature seems to agree, and in the next few weeks, El Nysa will be facing a few hiccups as it finds its equilibrium once more and citizens try to return to normalcy. Strangely enough, El Nysa natives are not disturbed by the occurrence of these events. III. Characters may find that they occasionally (or frequently) suffer from lapses in memory. These difficulties with memory may range from light to severe, although they are thankfully not permanent. Within the span of a few minutes to a few hours, difficulties in remembering people and events are resolved. That isn't to say a similar problem won’t happen again tomorrow… IV. Is it just you, or is your housemate looking a bit old lately? No, it isn't just stress making some citizens appear older. For a short amount of time, some characters may find themselves advancing or regressing in age, both physically and mentally. This particular kind of time hiccup is rare and may be particularly disturbing to the affected person’s friends. Thankfully, there have been no cases of this effect lasting more than an hour. V. At times, it seems as though objects and people in El Nysa will feel a bit out of place. These are beings and things that belong to what some may call "alternate universes." Their presence is transient, and some will only appear for a few instances before returning to their rightful existence. The ones that linger a bit longer, however, may make your day more interesting. Before you stands a pet just like yours, except it talks...? Perhaps you'll meet another version of yourself, a more bloodthirsty version of yourself. Or maybe you'll run into a version of your friend that really enjoys your company. The possibilities are truly endless, and potentially mortifying. VI. Towards the end of the month, the frequency of the aforementioned disturbances will decrease. Following this will be an increase in a different sort of disturbance: one that will either make literal seconds seem like an eternity, or force you to move and talk at a speed you never thought possible. It's as though some higher entity is pressing the fast forward or slow down button on life, and considering your mind works at the same pace as normal, the phenomenon is as frustrating as it sounds. Hope you weren't planning to be on time for anything, because it might be awhile before the universe allows you to take that next step. But these phenomena does draw to a close — and with it, you may wonder what will happen now to those sleeping ones in Thesa now that Darma has turned to stone. After all, it will be near the time of which more refugees should wake... Repairs to Thesa Station should remain ongoing so long as parts can be salvaged from Nadril, at least. And with speed travel via subway possible, it should make travel far easier than ever before. Even with Darma gone, you will have to move forward. There is still much to be done. FINAL OOC NOTES     You may acquire REP for Nadril, and either Olympia or Wyver in this log. An AC-eligible thread for ONE (1) NADRIL REP POINT may be submitted HERE BY AUGUST 26TH, 11:59 PM EST. A second AC-eligible thread for 1 REP for either Olympia OR Wyver may be submitted HERE OR HERE BY AUGUST 26TH, 11:59 PM EST. Please direct questions to the questions thread below! Thank you! QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● lore ● map ● npcs taken ● atp/emp ● application ● rep/acp calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

Comments

QUESTIONS.

[natha]

[shikomizue]

Will the time hiccups occur in Nadril, despite the city not being under the influence of Darma's time freeze?

Prior Walter | Angels in America

[priorly]

HIT PLAY TO REPLAY.


IV. a: NOTHING'S GONNA TOUCH US IN THESE GOLDEN YEARS.

[Prior Walter is just scraping 18 and hasn't figured out how to look it, yet. Not out of the closet, but not in it to anyone with a modicum of observational power, he wears his hair dangerously long (it is the seventies, after all) and the clothes of someone longing to escape the Country Club.

He can be found investigating the wrack and ruin of Olympia, or perhaps even taking the fast train into Wyver, doing his bit for rebuilding the various cities commercial prospects by stopping into any store that sells products for beautifying the face or hair.

Before expertly transferring them, unpaid for, from the displays into one of his pockets.

Or perhaps you'll catch him by the shoes: a pair of charismatic heels with something hypnotic that keeps drawing him back to them. They are, however, expensive and hardly pocket sized.

What's a boy to do?]

IV. b: TIME MAY CHANGE ME BUT I CAN'T TRACE TIME.

[The differences are subtle, perhaps not even noticeable at first, if you catch a glimpse of Prior across the street from you, or from behind.

He is exactly five years older than the version who can be found in the city on a more average day. Barely any time at all: his face hasn't changed, much. His hair's still a dark, thick tumble (he's thirty-five for pity's sake, too young for balding). He still looks younger than he should. His eyes are dark, and warm...

Although he wears glasses now, red rimmed and thick lensed. He carries a cane and uses it with the confidence of someone who's been relying on the support for a while.

This Prior will live for six more months.

There's a quality to him that echoes the shortening of his days. His hands tremble. Something about him almost seems to be fading out, becoming translucent. Looking at him can be like looking at sunlight filtered through leaves: transient, a little hazy.

But he's more peaceful now. Quieter, less desperate. This is what acceptance looks like.

You might find him watching the sunset, in the park. Watching him is almost the same thing.]

VII (wildcard): TURN AND FACE THE STRANGE

[Roll right in with any scenario you like - both the aged up/down Priors can be encountered anywhere in either city, and your regular everyday Prior will also be out and about - please feel free to throw anything at me, or grab me @shewokeup on plurk or pm if you'd like to plan. PS bring me ageswaps.]

iv a

[triplerose]

[ Prior will be met by another young face, well dressed and poised and his nose a little in the air. It's not really because he's conceited, sort of, it's just what he knows.

He wanders by the shoes in question and pauses to look at them, too. ]

Funny things, aren't they?

Tamara 'TJ' Johansen | Stargate: Universe

[stargatemedic]

[FREEZE FRAME]

Olympia Sightseeing

Exiting the station, it doesn't take long for TJ to notice that, like she'd observed from the station when she'd woken up, everything is frozen in place. Not actually frozen, like in Nadril, but time has stopped and no amount of pushing, shoving, or tugging will change it.

As she wanders, she realizes that the uneasy feeling she's becoming aware of is coming from the giant creature itself and she stares up at it with a visibly uncomfortable expression on her face.

Want to talk about the dragon or reactions to it? She has plenty of questions!

Wyver Sightseeing

Another hour and a half leads to a jungle environment and, frankly, TJ's curious as to how there can be so much difference in such a small space. Nevertheless, she adjusts the backpack she's brought and stares at the difference in atmosphere. The people here aren't afraid, which she finds strange. Then again, she wasn't here for the different factions.

"They had dragons, too." It's not a very astute observation, and yet. She says it anyway.

[HIT PLAY TO REPLAY]

I

TJ can be found asking survivors - and anyone else, really - if they need help with any injuries they may have sustained. Honestly, she's not a doctor, but she has skill and she's on the lookout for someone who might have a better set up than a simple backpack with a medkit or two.

If someone needs help, though, she won't deny them.

Later, she can be found helping with burials. She's deeply uncomfortable leaving the dead where they've fallen.

IV

The first time it happens, TJ simply thinks that her grip slipped on the box she was holding while walking through town. When her hands refused to maintain a grip on anything for more than several seconds, she found a seat outside a storefront before she collapsed completely and tried to catch her breath.

Panic was overriding her better sense, but the reminder that she was only a few years from her ALS diagnoses was suddenly at the forefront of her mind and, when she went to stand, she felt the familiar muscle weakness hit her.

Tears sprang to her eyes and she she eased back down, sitting there for long moments, hoping the symptoms would pass sooner rather than later.

[WILDCARD]

[In it to win it! Hit me with your best shot - need a medic? want a wacky sidekick or a shoulder to cry on? how about a partner to go exploring? if there's something you wanna do but I haven't written it here, let me know or put up a starter and I'll roll with it!]

IV!

[summertimeblues]

You'd like to imagine the world isn't so caught up with mourning the dead that it ignores the plights of the living. Richie finds that for the most part, the city is committed to haunted walks and silent stupors. Who can blame them? Look at all that's been lost.

Even so, it's hard to believe no one but him clocks the woman who can't stop fumbling her package. He passes it off as a clumsy spell at first, and starts back on his way. Then he chances a second look over his shoulder and she's parked herself on storefront. It's hard to tell from a distance but the way she sits and she moves, it seems like she's failing to stifle a sob.

Richie holds still a moment. Then he turns back, walking even-paced. Maybe he's overreacting, but better safe than sorry.

"Everything all right?"

Fergus Fraser // Outlander

[claudel]

[i. BE STILL MY HEART]

[ Claire had spoken of Olympia, of course. Fergus knew that it was where she and Jamie made their home, so it would be where he made his home, too. He had a nervous excitement when the train came to the station. The train itself was something amazing. Fergus was getting used to things being amazing around here.

Disembarking the train is something all together.

He startles, of course he does, at the sight of the great dragon and all of the people frozen in time. People who, like them, were not as lucky as to be whisked away. He feels an instant pang of sympathy for them as he glances around to make sure he's not alone in this. ]


[ii. BRING OUT YOUR DEAD]

[ He's not sure how he got roped into this task. People needed help, and Fergus wanted to help, and maybe he volunteered at the wrong place or the wrong time. Transporting corpses probably was among the least desirable of jobs, anyway.

Still, it's not pleasant. When the carts are full, there needs to be a place to put them. So he digs. It's slow going at first with one hand, but he manages to figure out a way to handle it. But he won't deny any help anyone might offer, even if it's helping him out of the hole he's just dug. ]


[iii. WE ARE YOUNG]

[ There's a young boy in a perhaps too-large shirt roaming the streets of Olympia.

He seems to be rather nonplussed about it, though. In fact, his stature makes it easy to slip in and out the crowds of people rebuilding the city, as well as weaving between buildings and carts. If you find your pocket a little lighter moments after he's been by ... Well, maybe you can catch him disappearing around the corner. ]


[iv. TIME GOES BY SO SLOWLY]

[ Fergus has been trying to tie his scarf for what feels like forever. And not because he's struggling, but because it literally feels like forever. It is, however, growing frustrating, because it's a simple enough task that he should have completed a while ago. He can't even find it in him to throw up his hands, which are otherwise occupied with the basic knot they're tying.

Instead, a steady string of colourful words in French come out his mouth. All at the appropriate speed, merely adding to his level of annoyance. ]


[v. WILDCARD]

Choose your own adventure or hit me up at fritzwinky for plotting.

iii

[nineteenfortyfive]

[At least this time around, obtaining supplies isn't an act of thievery or deception. Claire's off to the market, to see who might be open and willing to part with some goods for the coin she's taken out of the stash she'd hidden beneath some loose floorboards in her clinic's back room. Always good to squirrel away some money, and she's peering into her purse to see just how much she has.

She's taken this stroll many times. Even with some debris in the way, Claire knows how to get to where she's going, so she's not paying as much attention as she should be.

It might be why she entirely misses that mop of French curls.]

Waver Velvet | ota

[chickenhearted]

Praying with Fire

[ While Waver does want to spend some time in Olympia helping out, he can't help the draw of going back to Wyver. Just to see how everything is there. He takes the second train and endures the long hours of travel until they arrive. Maybe you strike up a conversation with him on the train, or maybe you just see him stepping out. He's cautious and slow, wandering by his old home, but not lingering.

He doesn't really linger anywhere. That sense of dread doesn't exist in Wyver, but there's still an eerie feeling about. All the people circled around fires and the dragons stuck staring up at Thesa all sit kind of strangely with Waver. Yet, he called this place home for a while. It's hard to ignore the small ache in his heart that forms as he looks over everything. ]

I can't believe they worshiped that thing... [ He murmurs, looking up at the sky. Now's perhaps a good time to think of where he's going to live next. He has Rider now, and he has actual friends in other places. There are things to consider as he moves on with his life. ]

I. — The dirty work

[ Waver is determined, as always, to be useful. Unfortunately, he's not really medically inclined, and his specialty isn't healing magic. That leaves him with some dirty work, the gross task of transporting corpses to their graves. It's a bit disgusting, and it smells awful, but someone has to do it, and he doesn't want to be caught sitting on his hands and doing nothing. He helped some people find shelter during the dragon's attack, and now... he's helping some of them find peace.

He's is pretty scrawny and small though, so it's taking him a long time. He wants to touch these bodies as little as possible on top of that, so if he sees someone idling nearby, he yells at them. ]

Oi, you! Give me a hand here!

IV. — Older Waver

[ It happens in an instant. Waver is minding his own business, perhaps even in mid conversation when suddenly he's taller, his hair longer, lines of deep thought and stress are creased into his features, and he's just all-around kind of...hot? His nerdy sweater vest has been exchanged for well-tailored clothing, a long red coat, a golden scarf. Time has served him well, or it will eventually. It's just all come a little too sudden and a little too soon. The funny thing is, he totally still feels like himself. A little older perhaps, but he passes it off as tiredness. There's a lot of tiredness in him of late.

Waver glowers at his present company, as if their very existence is ruining his day. Teeth clench as he looks expectantly, and when an answer he wants never comes? He finally speaks up. ]

What on earth are you staring— [ wait...that deep voice. It's not his?! ] ..at?

Wildcard—

[ Hit me up with any of the prompts, really! Waver will be around, and he can be either old Waver or regular one, it doesn't matter to me c: Toss me a message if you'd rather plot beforehand! ]

IV

[notwagging]

At you.

[ duh? like, here's Keaton just minding his own business, being a good wolfskin. just hanging out. not like he's doing anything to get in Waver's way this time, except think about carrying him around and making him get all flustered which tickles Keaton's funny bone.

but this sudden change? ]

Hm...

[ he taps his chin. ]

... you got big.

Loras Tyrell || Game of Thrones

[triplerose]

[i. NEXT STOP ... OLYMPIA]

[ Returning to Wyver had been ... Sad. To say the least. Once again, Loras was on his own, and not even the thought of returning to his training grounds seemed to life his spirits. The realization had come that all of his friends, everyone familiar to him, they were in Olympia. And maybe it was smarter for him to return there, too. After all - a Westerosi knows the importance of survival, and survival is more likely where he has allies.

At the very least, there's not much to take with him to Olympia. His sword, his bow, his horse he'll have to return for. Olympia is in enough of a state of repair that he can find himself a home to settle into and do his best to help the efforts. He's not much of a labourer, but he'll do his best to help you if you ask. ]


[ii. EVIL TWIN. sort of.]

[ Anyone who's talked to Loras will, for the most part, recall him to be a humble young man, sweet and reserved and kind. They're not wrong, to be sure, but that is not the only Loras who seems to have found his way into Olympia. But this Loras looks just the same, dresses the same, sounds the same.

At any casual glance, he would be no different. This new Loras holds himself a little taller, though. His walk is more of a confident swag than the well-to-do gait of his kinder counterpart, his voice more detached and patronizing. In fact, it's clear that he knows he's better than you, and he doesn't care much about it. ]


[iii. WILDCARD]

Do what floats your boat or ping me at fritzwinky if you want to plot.

ii - with modern au enjolras!!

[idealisme]

[Enjolras knows Wyver well by now so it makes sense to head to Olympia to learn more about the city and it's people. He's taking notes as he goes, recording voice messages to himself that he can refer to later.

Until, as he's walking down a crowded street, he's jostled into a stranger and drops his phone. In the crowd it's quickly out of sight. Fuck-

He puts a hand on the blond man's shoulder who he'd been bumped into, hoping perhaps he can help.] Excuse me, I've dropped my- something of mine. Can you see it anywhere?

Grantaire | Les Miserables

[winecasks]

1. Forget about what I said

[ Being back should be wonderful. Nadril had been a far cry from the familiar streets of Wyver that Grantaire has grown to…enjoy?, but although the weather is warm, the mood is grey. Corpses and rubble litter the city, and Grantaire feels lightheaded at even the best of times. He can’t help but notice that it isn’t the same as being drunk. He knows that feeling very well, and this is more akin to being ill. It only gets worse, until suddenly he realizes what’s wrong: he can recall absolutely nothing about himself or the world around him.

He grips the shoulder of the nearest refugee, perhaps a little too tightly, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion. ]

Ah, hello. I was wondering if you could tell me where we are? I understand that I’ve been here all day, but I can’t seem to recall the name. The heat, perhaps.


2. But it ain't me, babe [Wyver or Olympia]

[ Grantaire has always touted himself as a man who believes in nothing. Whether or not that’s actually true is between himself and his thoughts, but he’s been vocal enough about it that it must be the truth. There’s also typically a downtrodden sort of air about him—literally. Grantaire reeks of alcohol.

Which is why there’s something odd about him now. By all accounts, he looks the same, though perhaps better-kempt, and he walks taller, as though he has an actual purpose. The scent of alcohol does not cling to his breath or his clothes, and his eyes are bright. One might actually believe he’s glad to be here, glad to be alive, and perhaps even hold some very important beliefs? Ask him about Revolution. ]

3. Let time go lightly

[ It’s taken long enough for Grantaire to find his old stash of wine. The real trouble comes later on that evening when he’s outside, drinking directly from the bottle. He polishes a full bottle off in what seems like an instant, leaving him baffled when time suddenly returns to its proper speed and he goes to take another drink, only to realize that the bottle is empty.

He blinks, pulls back, and grunts in surprise. ]

I have always been a tremendous drinker, never known myself to be such a tremendously quick drinker. I don’t know what’s wrong with myself tonight. I hardly even had an opportunity to enjoy it.

4. Wildcard

[ Come one, come all. Bring me anything. Surprise me or grab me at muttonchops ]

3

[triplerose]

Perhaps that means that you drink too much, and you need to stop to enjoy it again.

[ Loras flashes him an amused, quiet smile. He's never seen much appeal in drinking, though he's always somehow surrounded himself by drinkers. Best to leave it to them, really. He's a light weight. ]

Or maybe the sudden return to the heat has left you more parched than usual.

Axel | Kingdom Hearts | OTA except where indicated

[icingonthecake]

BE STILL MY HEART (closed to Ryoko and Roxas)

While he's happy to have his roommate back, he's apprehensive as to the entire state of said room. The presence of Ysverai nearby makes the entire trip back to the old apartment heavier than it really should be. Axel has no significant emotional attachment to the place--he has no emotional attachment to anything, right?--but if he doesn't have to find somewhere else to live, at least for the time being, that would be convenient.

At least one good thing can come out of this whole awkward situation: now that Roxas is here and Ryoko is awake, he can finally introduce them. He hopes that Roxas already knows he's welcome to crash in the apartment with them, but it's still something they need to discuss to some extent. No time like the present, right? He'll wait for both of them in the train station in Nadril--they'll have the whole train ride to Olympia get to know each other.


REPLAY - PYREFLY

Axel didn't actually know most of his neighbors, and never really spent much time with the natives, but even without a heart, Axel cannot be unaffected by the death and destruction around him. He's no healer, but he can at least assist in taking care of those who did not survive the ordeal.

Fire is more a Wyver thing, he knows, but there simply aren't enough graves for everyone who has fallen. So Axel can be found tending a makeshift pyre outside the Sanctuary, where those without a family to be buried with, or whose burial preferences aren't specifically laid out, can be brought and laid to rest. The flames are his own magic, and he's doing his best to pretend this isn't affecting him as much as it is, but those who know him--or those who are particularly perceptive--can probably tell otherwise.

If anyone wants to assist in moving bodies onto the pyre, he welcomes the help, but either way this is where he'll be, at least for today, burning one fallen soul at a time down to their ashes and then burying said ashes in neat rows behind the Sanctuary. He doesn't know their names, unless someone tells him, so these makeshift graves are unmarked, but it's better than nothing, right? Even if no one else remembers these people, even if he doesn't know what their names were, or how they lived their lives, he'll remember them. Because being forgotten is far worse than simply dying.


REPLAY - PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM

Amid the destruction and crumbling buildings, one day you may find a young man of about 15 years playing in the streets with a throwing disk he fashioned himself. It's hard to play frisbee solo, though, so if you wanted to catch the disk and throw it back, he'll be appreciative.

That red hair, those green eyes, he might look familiar, but chances are he won't recognize you in return. The cadence of his words and the repetition of a particular catch phrase might tip you off as to what's happened, but he won't have any idea what you're talking about, bro. Meet Lea, Axel's past life.

[Young Lea will be hanging around Olympia, because that's where he found himself and even if he doesn't know what's going on or where the hell he is, he figures someone will fill him in if he stays nearby.]


REPLAY - BAD END

Alternatively, one day you may find yourself face to face with a man who resembles Axel in stature and style, but everything else about him is wrong. His eyes are gold, not green, and his smile is predatory, not playful; even his ears look wrong, why are they pointed like an elf's? His hair looks the wrong color, too--the red looks washed out, streaked with silver. He's dressed in that long black coat, with no embellishments--no ugly scarf, no colorful sneakers instead of his boots, nothing personalized to make him stand out.

Approach with caution, for this is not the Axel you may know. This Axel swallowed the Organization's propaganda hook, line, and sinker. This Axel followed Xemnas' orders to the letter for twelve years. This Axel was never charged with the safety and training of a certain thirteenth member, and thus never broke out of the mold he'd been pressed into for over a decade. All he knows is dutiful obedience. All he wants is to further the plans of his master, and he doesn't care who he has to mow down to make things happen.

This Axel has the seed of Xehanort's soul rooted firmly in the hollow where his heart once was. This is Axel's bad end.

[Axelnort can be encountered anywhere in both Olympia and Wyver, or even on the train, so please let me know where you want the thread to take place.]


WILDCARD
I'm up for anything, so hit me with your best shot, or hit me up on Plurk if you wanna discuss first!

Tiny!Lea

[nevernoaction]

[It's work. More work than Ren realized would be needed in order to make Olympia a fine city once more.

All the cleaning's tired him out. But not so much that his reflexes slack off when a frisbee is heading toward his face. He catches it and looks around to see where it might have come from.]

Theon Greyjoy | A Song of Ice and Fire/GoT

[reek]

1. We do not sow [Olympia or Wyver]

[ Theon is a ghost of his former self these days: a white-haired wraith who haunts the halls of whichever city he’s placed in, walking that thin line between madness and sanity.

He doesn’t know that his double has appeared within the city, a second Theon who looks very much like Theon once did. He’s dark haired and smiling, with all ten fingers intact. The old Theon had dressed himself well, in expensive fabrics, but this young man is dressed far more simply: dark leathers and wools, without a kraken sigil to be seen. He doesn’t need it. He knows who he is: ironborn.

He hasn’t killed any of these men whose corpses lay at his feet, but he doesn’t see anyone doing what they should be doing, so he takes it upon himself. With light fingers and no remorse, he loots the bodies of any valuables. It's the Old Way. ]

2. Wildcard

[ IM SORRY I ONLY HAVE ONE PROMPT I JUST WANTED TO DO THIS ONE THING. I am available for all things Olympia if you want your usual white-haired Theon. Just snag me at muttonchops or surprise me. ]

GROWING STRONG!!!!

[triplerose]

[ This new version of Loras is not enjoying himself nearly as much as this man is. The stench of death is exhausting - not terrible, not revolting, just exhausting - because death itself is so rampant in Westeros.

He doesn't mind his step. If he steps on cold, lifeless fingers or bumps into someone living, that's hardly a fault of his. But he finds himself stopping by the smiling graverobber. ]

Perhaps you ought to steal that one's clothes, while you're at it.

Ren Suzugamori | Cardfight!! Vanguard

[thedarkbond]

[A: Olympia/Wyver Sightseeing]

[After all Ren's heard about the cities outside of Nadril, of course he was going to jump at the chance to actually see them for himself. It's morbid and unpleasant having the dragon looming over and the people still frozen in form, but he wants to know more, and there's little that can stop him when that's the case.]

(i.)

[He finds, unfortunately, that he can't linger in Olympia too long. Ren is an intuitive person, heart more to him than physical strength, and Yseverai's presence is even more painful to be subject to here than it had been on Thesa Station. While he manages to linger long enough to get an idea of what the city is like, eventually he has to make his way back to the underground, stopping on the stairs to rub at his eyes with the heel of a hand.]

What a nuisance... [There's something subtly different about his tone there than he's been displaying to most people he's spoken to, something a bit darker. It's not the dragon he's thinking of right now, but Raysc, the one he keeps hearing raised it with no thought for the dragon's condition.]

(ii.)

[By the time Ren reaches Wyver, the effects of being so close in Yseverai's presence have worn off, and though he removes his coat given by those in Nadril, he leaves on his normal layers under his clothes. He's used to wearing long sleeves in even this kind of heat.

When he sees the smaller dragons, he can't help but look a little delighted, pacing around them with a fascinated look until he reaches the head. The expressions of resignation or yearning for their partner are a little much, and Ren gives a somewhat rueful smile.]

It's a shame, isn't it...? [For things to be reduced to such a state.]

--

[B: Repairs]

[Ren has no particular healing affinity other than the most basic wound care knowledge, so he ends up passing over that in favour of helping the rebuild efforts. Unsurprisingly, given how slight he is, this doesn't consist of carrying supplies or actually building anything, but drawing some...interesting designs for interiors and exteriors of buildings. Doorways shaped like roaring dragons, tiling in patterns of flames - it seems he has quite an imagination, and he taps his pen against another sheet of paper with a thoughtful look.]

What else are they going to need...? [He's not that familiar with the cities beyond word of mouth, unfortunately.]

--

[C: Replay I: Age Regression]

[There are two distinct age regressions Ren experiences over the course of the month, however sparse they might be. He's primarily in Wyver at this time, since it doesn't last long enough for either of his younger forms to make it back to Olympia even if they're curious.]

(i.)

[A young boy with shoulder-length red hair and wide red eyes clambers over the wreckage, his short brown boots skating a bit over rock before he catches a foothold. His pants are definitely getting pretty dirty by this point considering their light colour, but he doesn't seem to mind too much, face alight with curiosity as it is.

He goes to take another step and...misses it completely, tumbling down a pile of rubble and skidding most of the way on his rear until he hits the ground, sprawling onto his face.]

That's cruel... [His tone is a little bit whiny as he rubs the back of his head, but eventually, his absent attention keys into the presence of another person, and he turns his head their way with a faint, almost surprised "oh?"] What's your name?

(ii.)*

[A boy of about sixteen with hair that goes down to around his mid-back and eyes with pupils so slitted they're barely visible strides the streets of Wyver as if he owns them. For anyone who can see auras, his is like a deep red flame raring to consume everything around him, and for those who can't, there may still be a feeling of something very off and unsettling coming from this boy. The tails of his long black coat brush at the devastation, and though he's clearly not the steadiest on his feet, his boots manage to find holds in the rubble enough that he doesn't tumble over.

Not that it would matter to him that much if he did. As he reaches a good viewpoint to look over the landscape, he takes in the destruction before him...and he smiles.]

Seems like there's someone I need to put in their place... [His tone is vague and almost gentle, but there's a disturbing undercurrent to it, as if of a beast slumbering beneath. It's not quite fair that someone else got to have all this fun before he could.]

*[[Please read Ren's power permissions before tagging into this particular prompt, as he has a much higher chance of activating his Psyqualia for harmful reasons at this age. If he's likely to use it, I will still be asking permission and giving warning, but I'd prefer to play it safe due to the higher chance of it coming up in this situation.]]

--

[D: Replay II: Alternate Universes (potentially mildly NSFW)]

[Considering what exists in his own past, it would be hard to faze Ren with an alternate version of himself. Distracting him with alternate versions of friends, however...well. That's a little bit too easy. Even if it's immediately obvious to Ren purely from the circumstances that he hasn't been so lucky as to have any of his friends truly wake, it doesn't mean he can't have a little fun himself.

There's the sound of a scuffle from behind an intact wall, and the sound of someone being slammed into it with considerable force. Anyone who might be inclined to come and help will be faced with the sight of a green-eyed man with brown hair spiked to one side, and a subtle smirk on his face. Pinned to the wall under the man's hands is Ren, at his normal age, a faint shiver to his limbs...but a look of rapt and almost predatory delight on his face as he pushes back against the grip.

It's certainly not pain or fear he's shivering with, that much is obvious.]

Kaaaai... [Ren's voice rings out low and inviting, if a little shivery with breath as well.] If you wanted a fight, you could have just--

[It takes that long for Ren to actually notice there's someone else present, and while he looks surprised for the briefest of moments, in the end he just shrugs and lets the luring smile crawl back onto his face. No use trying to put the cat back in the bag, really.]

Oh, are you inviting yourself in~? [If it's someone around his own age, his tone is still pretty inviting, and one hundred percent shameless. If it's someone considerably younger or older, he might sound a little disappointed instead.]

--

[E: Wildcard]

[[Feel free to PM or hit me up at reviseleviathan for other ideas!]]

A-1

[mollymocked]

[Molly's keeping a fair bit of distance from that thing. He kind of... Noped out of leaving the underground fully period once that oppressive smell and feeling of undead hit him and started playing havoc on things he barely remembers. Nope. Absolutely not. Not going out there. He'll stay in the underground, wishing he had a cigarette or Nott's flask to calm his nerves.

As people begin to file back in, he catches sight of Ren, sucks up his apprehension and falls into step with him, faking good humor until it's legitimate.]

Was it as bad as all that?

[YOU DAMN WELL KNOW IT WAS, MOLLYMAUK. YOU WOULDN'T EVEN GO UP THERE.]

Chuuya Nakahara | Bungou Stray Dogs

[thetaintedsorrow]

I. What Remains

[Returning to Olympia was quite an emotional journey for Chuuya, perhaps even moreso than most, because there’s been very few places in his life where he truly felt at home, and the mansion was one of them. Stepping foot onto the now blighted ground had been one of the most trying things he’s ever endured, so much so that he first goes to look for Apollo, his pet bird that has been frozen in time, to avoid answering the question of whether or not the mansion still stands.

He can be found wandering the landscape, searching and looking rather melancholy compared to his usual, vibrant self. Someone approaching him for whatever reason might just help take his mind off of things for a while, at least.]

II. When I Was A Young Boy...

[Thanks to time being fairly unstable Chuuya has regressed into a younger version of himself, somewhere between five and eight years old. He looks much the same but smaller, more energetic and much more curious about the world around him. His hat is also way too big, and occasionally falls forward on his head to obscure his eyes. A cute little guy he is, and he might just come up to you, staring up at you with those big, blue eyes and a toothy grin.]

Hey, hey! Do you wanna play with me?

III. Blank Canvas (closed to CR)

[Another unfortunate side effect of time being out of whack are the memory lapses Chuuya suffers. Close friends, lovers, or mere acquaintances go forgotten for days at a time, and his own life up till now is a mystery. These effects aren’t permanent, but if you happen upon him while he’s wandering around aimlessly he may just look at you like he’s never seen you before.]

Huh? Do I know you?

[Will you tell him the truth or mess with a poor, unfortunate amnesiac? The choice is yours.]

IV. Wildcard

[Wanna do something else? Hit me up over PM or on Plurk at arcanestardust!]

8 )

[yelliot]

...You wanna play with me?

<sub>[Well. That's unexpected. Cue Elliot, now around the same age as Chuuya seems to be, staring right back at him with his own pair of big blue eyes. He'd been busying himself whacking various bits of debris with a stick he'd found and decided to use as a makeshift sword of sorts. Where Elliot's wranglers seem to be for the time being is a mystery, but so far he's managed to keep himself out of trouble.

It's weird, he thinks, to be around someone his age. He's used to everyone being much older than him, being the baby of his family and all.]</sub>

Whatcha wanna play?

Mephisto Pheles | Blue Exorcist

[meinwaifu]

[Whether because of his own strong affinity towards time or some rather unfortunate luck, Mephisto finds himself the victim of these time hiccups to a degree that far outnumbers anyone he's met so far. He's the concept of time itself given ego, after all. So for the greater part of the next few weeks, whenever Mephisto is out and about, it's usually while under the effects of one thing or another. But by far the most common for him is to have his own time altered, regressing down to some point in the past.]

[And while normally this wouldn't be a problem for a nigh omnipotent timelord wannabe, without his usual powers, he's put in a rather weird place of not knowing much of anything every time it happens. Or to put it simply: he's like a newly incarnated baby demon.]

[But mercifully, he won't be a newborn baby demon in an old man's body. Because his human host is affected by the shifts as well, regressing with him in turn. For all the prompts below, please assume this is how Mephisto will look.]


1. He don't walk on water but he's got nice hair
He's already dead? How boring.

[There's a strange young boy sitting crouched over the body of a man who has recently succumbed to his injuries from facing the dragon. His bright green eyes look on passively, as a thin dark-blue tail wags behind him. After a few seconds, he looks up at whoever was watching, his face twisting quickly into a rather unnatural-looking grin.]

Say! Human! [If they're not human, regardless of whether they look it or not, he'll address them as Mortal.] Would you like to see a miracle?


2. A growing boy
[Even in the midst of a post-apocalyptic landscape, everyone's gotta eat sometime. But whoever you are and whatever you're eating (provided it's not something still bleeding), without any warning at all, suddenly there's a young boy leaning all up in your business, staring at your food.]

What's that you're doing? You're making all sorts of unpleasant sounds.

[To be fair, no one should expect an audience while grabbing a quick snack.]


3. Bad Liar
[Here's a curious sight: not far off, three little monkeys can be seen hopping and dancing about, bobbing in the air like a half-filled helium balloon. Once spotted, all three come bounding over, cheeping and giggling as they dance around. But despite the fact that clearly no one else was around, in an instant, the voice of a young boy can be heard overhead -- where his sits perched on top of a lamp post.]

Cute, aren't they? It looks like they're quite taken with you... have you been telling lies recently?

[These aren't ordinary monkeys, after all. Being around them will force whoever is in the vicinity to speak the truth -- be it by spilling their own secrets, the secrets of others, or trying to get someone else to tell the truth. They don't function as a truth serum -- whatever truth comes out of their lips can be as dramatic as a love confession, or as benign as a deep appreciation for ballet. And so long as their spell is active, those affected will have no idea they're saying anything strange...]


4. Wildest of Cards
[Throw anything at me, and I'll roll with whatever!! Please keep in mind that Mephisto may be more inclined towards violence in this state, and he's much more powerful than he looks.]

1 tbh

[thetaintedsorrow]

[While wandering around Olympia looking for Apollo Chuuya happens upon a scene that makes him do a double-take. He’s used to Mephisto transforming into various animals, but he’s never seen him as a kid. Is that even a thing he can do? It wouldn’t be too hard with his powers, right? Unless...

Unless time has fucked with him more than Chuuya had realized.

He approaches the young demon, not expecting anything different personality wise since even as dog Mephisto still acted exactly the same. Which means he’s totally not expecting to be addressed like that. Rude.

Also Chuuya is just gonna overlook the dead guy...for now.]

Have I been demoted to “human” already??

Setsuna F. Seiei | Gundam 00

[jesus_is_gundam]

I. Heart of Feldt - Wyver

[Setsuna isn't very attached to the planet, in and of itself. He's still a relatively new arrival, so when he returns to Wyver to find his temporary home was a victim of Ysverai's flames, his reaction is muted. He didn't own much that was important, and almost everything he lost, he could work to replace.

Still, at the moment, his worldly possessions amounted to a handful of clothes, a long sword and matching short sword that he made at the Forged, a gun, and some explosives, all of which were sitting on the scorched surface of a table. There is one item missing, though he's unsure if its survived the blaze. He doesn't know for sure, but he's determined to find out, and he searches through the ash and rubble for it.

Unfortunately, part of the ceiling caved in, and there are a few heavy beams in the way that are preventing him from looking further. Even with his enhanced strength as an Innovator, he can't move them on his own, leaving him at somewhat of an impasse. He isn't about to give up, though, and looking out through what used to be a wall, he spots someone passing by and calls out to them.]

Hey! I need you to give me a hand over here.



II. Fateful War - Wyver/Olympia

[Seeing a kid run through the streets isn't a strange sight, especially not in recent days. With the adults repairing the buildings in Olympia and Wyver, most of the kids have been left to their own devices. Of course, seeing a kid running through the streets while holding on to an assault rifle? That's a little bit weird.

Maybe he's playing a war game? Given the way he darts from behind the cover of a ruined building and dashes down the street, his eyes fixing on one pedestrian after another, just to hide behind the cover of a wagon that has a busted wheel. He peeks his head out again, his eyes scanning the area as he tries to decide his next move.

Without realizing it, though, that last dash happened to take him closer to someone, but he hasn't noticed yet. Now that he's closer, however its easier to get a good look at him, and... maybe this isn't a game after all.

The boy looks the very definition of stressed, like every nerve in his body is beyond frayed. His heart is racing and his pupils are dilated, and his heavy breathing isn't entirely from the exertion of running. He's struggling to deal with emotions and feelings that are too big for his tiny frame, and its thrown him into a high strung fight or flight mode at present. He's chosen flight at present, though that can change at a moments notice. And it does change, the moment he notices that someone happens to be near.

With a start, he turns on them, pointing the barrel of the rifle right at them.]

Stay away from me! Get back!




III. Transient Peace - Wyver/Olympia

[In the evening, its easy to spot Setsuna's approach. The moonlight glints off of him, in the most literal sense of the phrase as Setsuna has adopted a more metallic look, something that extends even even to his clothing. But, despite the change, Setsuna actually seems calmer, more relaxed than usual as he walks around. His posture isn't quite as rigid, and there's even a small smile that stays on his lips. He doesn't quite stop to smell the roses, but he does have a few wildflowers that he picked up earlier that he enjoyed the scent of.

But why keep something so nice all to himself? So, as he walks, he decides to stop in front of a passerby, and offers a flower to them.]

Here, for you.



IV. Enigma - Thesa Station

[Rendered homeless, for the time being, by Ysverai, Setsuna has been spending a lot of time on Thesa station. For the most part, he keeps to himself, as he doesn't stay there much. When he is around, he's usually in one of three places.

A. He can sometimes be found in the observation deck, spending a lot of time looking at three dimensional star maps. He rotates them constantly, trying to see if he can spot a familiar constellation from the cluster of stars if he changes his perspective on them, then maybe he can figure out where earth is (or was) in relation to them. So far, he hasn't had much success, no matter which was he looks at things.

B. He can also be found in the Hanger, which is no surprise considering that he's a pilot. However, he usually finds himself standing before the wreckage of a mobile suit, specifically the one he piloted when fighting Ysverai. The suit looked like it had been through hell; its head was missing, as were a few of its limbs. What armor it had left had been either rusted through in parts, partially melted, or suffered claw marks. How he managed to survive in that thing is minor miracle in and of itself, though don't count on him ever heaping praise upon a non-existent deity. Instead, he just quietly stars at the wreck for hours on end, as if pondering his own mortality.

C. Lastly, he can spotted just inside the entrance of the stasis pods. Unlike others, though, he generally doesn't stroll through there, and there don't seem to be any pods in particular that contain anyone that he's attached to. If anything, it looks as if he's observing the entire room... or as much of it as he can from that particular vantage point. Even so, he never stays for too long, quietly turning and leaving after some time. Still, one has to wonder, just what is he doing there?]




V. Wildcard

[Either pm this journal, or contact me on plurk at slicknyc and we can discuss and setup personalized starters]

III

[thetaintedsorrow]

[Of all the things Chuuya expects to see while wandering around Olympia looking for his pet bird, a metallic looking Setsuna offering him flowers is not one of them. Chuuya stops in his tracks, staring dumbfounded at the guy. He’s totally smiling...Chuuya has never seen him smile...something is definitely off...

But he does take the flowers anyway, because they’re awfully pretty, and Chuuya likes pretty things.]

Uh...thanks.

[He tilts his head curiously.]

What happened to you?

mikazuki augus | gundam ibo | ota

[sparsity]

I. TO THERE AND BACK

[ It's a sight. Mikazuki had been burdened with the thought of Nadril as a barrier since the refugees arrived in the frozen city. Even with tasks to do, he'd felt frustrated and inert. Now that the veil of snow has lifted, he sees the truth of it on the horizon, the unfinished thing that's been calling to him since time stopped. All the details of Nurray's address pass him by — he's not so altruistic as to want to alter fate or save the world, but he does have a bone to pick. ]

I'm going to see it.

[ And he does. Wherever he is, company or no, he's taking the underground steps left in the wake of the melted snow, gaze traveling up and down the station interior. ]

...a train? [ He's never seen a subway system before. He walks until he spots the destinations, sounding them out. ] Olympia, and...

Wyver.

[ One holds the dragon itself, the other is — home, for now.

Which to choose? ]

II. FREEZE FRAME

[ Whichever train he chooses to board, Mikazuki is still throughout the duration of the ride, fixated on the whir of the tunnel and the brief reprieves of scenery along the way. His body is locked by tension, gaze unkind. All in all, he looks grouchy, like he needs a nap. Eventually though, the train arrives at its destination, and maybe not the most obvious one: ]

A. OLYMPIA
[ Mikazuki abruptly leaves the train once it stops in Olympia. There's something he has to see for himself there. Departing the station to find the North Gate, Mikazuki's expression twists once he hits the open air. ]

It stinks.

[ That rot ignites his determination as nostalgia might ignite the presence of a fond memory, even though there's no fondness to be found in his expression. With the chaos suspended, Olympia looks nothing like the city he arrived in over a year ago, that harbored him until he felt like he could no longer trust it. But it's not Olympia he's here to see. Mikazuki doesn't stop until he's all but right underneath Ysverai, the aggressive pulse of the dragon's emotions making him even less likely to back away from it.

He knows he can't just take up Barbatos and get back to work in ripping the dragon to pieces. But the urge exists, and he's hiding it none too well. ]

B. WYVER
[ Mikazuki goes "home", eventually. Not that there's much to see, even on his farm. The city is eerie in its silent mourning for what Mikazuki supposes was once its hope and faith, the fields of the exalted are even moreso. He doesn't have much experience in either of those things, but he's not as blind to it as he plays. So he goes to the place he's made his own, even if he's not pleased by the sight of it. Blight hasn't touched his land as much as it has elsewhere, but there are droplets of it here and there, deadened soil and brittle plants.

Maybe he's not alone. His house has become a hub of sorts for people he knows — others may have come, for lack of anywhere else to go in a city abandoned by time. Mikazuki doesn't really have much to give, hands firmly planted in his pockets as he observes, an outsider to the things he's made. ]

It's not like it'll do any good to touch it. Nothing will grow like this.

III. REPLAY

[ Just like that, life goes on, even if what's left behind is so conspicuous, a warning rising up from the rift, that even Mikazuki finds it heavy and strange to look at. Darma was the one who pulled him back from the chill of death, after all. Him, and those he's looking after on Thesa. All that's left is to try and move on, even if in the shadow of two beings: one he gave his compliance to, and one he would have done anything to kill. He has to resume normal life, but what is normal, anyway... ]

A. A TINY PROMPT
[ Somewhere along the way, time got mixed up. Which is why Mikazuki is less than half his age but still recognizable: an even smaller stature in an even bigger coat, taken to prowling the streets like a sticky-fingered stray out of sheer habit. Approaching him will trigger off his distrust, before he'd had a chance to grow into his own violence and temper it; despite his size, he still has his gun gripped in his hands. He needs both to hold it as he levels it, but the look in his eye is chilling, for someone no older than eight. ]

Who is it?

[ Seems his memory hasn't quite caught up with the changes yet. ]

B. A LESS TINY PROMPT
[ Back to normal, but only for so much time — whatever Mikazuki is in the middle of doing, pulling dead plants from his fields, repairing rotted wood fences, grabbing a drink, carrying a crate through the markets, he abruptly drops what's in his grasp, uncontrolled. A surprised noise drifts out of him, right arm that had only just relearned its dominance hanging limply at his side.

Looking around, Mikazuki seems almost confused, even if he's not thrown off his balance. Half of his world has gone dark, the light in his right eye gone. ]

Huh. That's strange...

IV. WILDCARD

[ pm or hit me on plurk at rivalry for anything else! i'm down for literally anything here. ]

to there and back!

[frombetrayal]

[Haru is... marginally more familiar with subways than Mikazuki, at least! Granted, she spent most of her life getting driven around by chauffeurs, but considering her activities as a Phantom Thief weren't exactly sanctioned by her father even before he died, she'd grown somewhat used to taking the train.

...

Even if she's been here on El Nysa longer than she'd been free to ride the Tokyo subway lines. That's a sobering thought, and one she chooses not to dwell on as she catches sight of Mikazuki stopped to examine the trains' destinations.

She pauses a bit behind him.]

...where are you headed?

Richie Tozier | It

[summertimeblues]

I-A) when u said u wouldn't top level but there's an age down event

[Some time after the repairs have gotten underway, the lanky gent who'd been helping pack up rubble and planks has gone missing. Vanished on the wind, he has. No matter, surely there's better builders with bigger muscles to help.

Except there's a cry for help from a nearby basement, exposed when the shop atop it collapsed during Ysevrai's rise. Little hands wave over the edge of the craggy wreck. When you rush to help there's an eleven year old boy standing on the biggest rubbish pile he could find, unable to climb back out. His coke-bottle glasses magnify his blue eyes three times their size and his front teeth would better suit a beaver. He's pale, skinny, scrape-kneed, big-eared, dressed in corduroy shorts and a mussed tee.

In other words? The kid's hopeless in every sense.]

Hey! What are you standing around for? You gonna a take a picture? Pop a squat and gimme a hand already!


I-B) and it's literally all u ever desired

[Later when the dust is settling and you trek to the comforts of nature for a breather, you might find that there's less peace and quiet than you remember. There's a bump-a-dump rhythm going under the bird calls and rustling wind. Follow it, and maybe once it swells you'll recognize the tune.

Little bitty pretty one
Come on and talk-a to me
A-lovey dovey dovey one
Come sit down on my knee...

There's a sharp twang! and a curse.]

Shit! Creamed it again!

[Pass through the reeds and you'll find a gawky child crouched behind a log with a slingshot in hand and some salvaged metal from town, lining the opposite end of the clearing at irregular intervals. Crude bullseyes have been painted on each, and from the dents on the edges and the scattered rocks around it's plain that the kid is a piss poor shot. His turntable (Portable, ho-leeee mackerel! What will they think of next?) cheers him on and plots to do so for at least another ten albums or so, the stack of which sit at his side.

A lit cigarette sticks out from his buck teeth and sends twirls of smoke over his head. He hasn't noticed he has company yet.]


I-C) just one more

[Thesa itself is a wasteland. Without the Natha it's even more ghostly than it seemed with the flickering lights. The absence is something felt, not known.

It hasn't deterred the diminutive boy from going exploring. When you go to pay respects to your sleeping friends and foes, you find him at the foot of one. Both his palms are pressed to the glass and he's peering up at the sleeping form. How curious-looking they are determines his reaction when he spots you coming. If they're downright alien or donning the garish garb of science fiction and fantasy, he's got a grin and a giggle for you, jerking a thumb their way.]

Would ya get a load of this guy? Where'd they find him, you think? Weirdsville!

[But if they're human and dressed not too strangely, he'll go red at the ears when approached and hop off, properly ashamed and not at all willing to cop to it.]

So sorry, old chap! Just popping by, seeing sights and visiting me gam-gam, wot wot! No harm done eh? Pip pip, tally-ho!

[It is the worst British accent ever heard.]


II) memory like swiss cheese

[When he's in proper form Richie is eager to both set the city to rights and spend a great deal of time reacquainting himself with the streets. They're not so familiar anymore. And it's not just the buildings: refugees have taken their cute little liberties when they helped with construction and that makes it confusing, but there's more to it than that.

Maybe you're strolling alongside him when he pauses mid-sentence, squinting at you like you've cut the cheese. Or maybe he's fixing you a drink on the job, the dimmed bar of Shades Darker, when he stops to stare at the bottle of bourbon with a frown that goes deeper than a Texan pipeline.]

—What...what were you saying again?


III) This is not my beautiful wife

[From your vantage point in your barstool, it might be enough to overlook. Richie's on the other side of the room, speaking to someone whose back is to you. The conversation hasn't been going long, but something's...off.

Then the second party turns their head for just a moment, and you see it plain. That's your profile, cousin. It's you in your boots and your shirts and your hair slicked just the way you like it.

Or not. It's not an exact copy after all, but the particulars of it might be lost if you don't get up and do something. Probably shouldn't wait to find out.]


IV) Wildcard

((I'm open to pretty much anything! You can have grown Rich or baby Richie wherever and whenever you like, there's a lot of cool stuff on this log to touch on. Feel free to get in touch with me by pm or just surprise me, or ask me for a surprise prompt!))

I-B

[givingback]

[ Bree does recognize the faint beat of the song. It sounds like home, and it's the first familiar thing she's heard since she first came out of stasis. So, she follows it and then lets out a breath when she comes across a kid, a record player, and a stack of records. For right now? She just wants to pretend this is all normal. ]

You wouldn't happen to have another cigarette, would you?

[ She's from the 60s, and smoking is still way cool. Everyone does it, including her parents! The cigarette is another familiar thing she hasn't seen yet, but she doesn't walk forward, just in case he tells her to get lost instead. ]

Bree Randall | Outlander | OTA

[givingback]

; Freeze Frame ;

[ Brianna’s heard the stories. A dragon came, people fought, people died. But she wasn’t there for it and her whole life dragons have been mythical beasts in fairy tales with a heroic prince saving the day, slaying the beast. So, it was hard to imagine a real, living and breathing destructive giant.

But that’s exactly what she sees when she steps off the train. Never in her life has she said what she’s about to say, never did she understand why this was the utterance her mother always made when something was Too Much. Now, Bree gets it. ]

Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ.

[ Like mother, like daughter, apparently. ]

Are you seeing this?

[ She needs to hear it, that someone else is, and she can’t take her eyes off of it. The horror of it all, the fear, the people rushing in to fight, the people holding each other tightly. It’s too much, and one hand covers her mouth as she tries to blink back tears. This is more than she ever thought she’d see with her own eyes. ]

; Hit to Replay I ;

[ Bree is going to be wherever her mother is, and so Olympia - for now - will be home. She has to do something to help, she can’t sit and watch as people contribute to the terrible tasks at hand. It’s not much, but she starts trekking to find water, bringing it to people who are working and seem to need it. If anyone is willing to talk, she’ll lend an ear. If someone asks her to do something for them, she’ll do it. ]

; Hit to Replay III ;

[ Her Good Samaritan efforts seem to be completely halted as she stops suddenly, frowning as she blinks and looks around. Brianna has been actively helping, visible and asked of. But now, suddenly, she looks confused and somewhat afraid. ]

Where am I? What happened? How - how did I get here?

[ She asks anyone who’ll pay attention to her because try as she might, she can’t remember anything beyond home and Boston and saying goodbye to Claire. ]

; Hit to Replay IV ;

[ The memory loss gets sorted, but eventually there’s a new pint-sized red-head with wild curls wandering about. She looks to be about five or six. Mentally, she’s still there, but it’s a much higher-pitched childlike voice that calls out. Bree’s small now, and from this point of view, everything is somehow more terrifying. ]

Mama! Where are you?

[ Or anyone she recognizes, really. ]

(ooc: feel free to wildcard! find me on plurk @ babybokchoy for plotting!)

replay iv

[claudel]

[ Have no fear, Bree, Big Brother is here. Or at least a version of him. Still older than she is, but much younger himself, and it's really quite lucky that he finds the curls familiar.

Good thing Bree really does take after Jamie.

He makes his way down the street, steps quick until he's by her side. ]

It will be all right, ma petite soeur. We will find her.

Mipha | Legend of Zelda; Breath of the Wild

[fisherwife]

[Time & Time Again]

[Mipha isn't entirely sure what to make of all of this. On one hand, the sacrifice hits a bit close to home for her, and she finds herself feeling a bit more upset about it than she rationally should.]

It's difficult to think of the Natha as being wholly enemies or 'bad' in the light of something like that. [She trails off, looking uncertain. Things are easy when they're black and white--Ganon bad, Zelda good sort of things. These shades of grey are exhausting.]

What's going to happen now...?

[Hit Play to Reply]

I. Healing

Don't worry, I'll help. [Mipha moves through the destroyed areas, her glowing healing light a beacon for anyone who might be injured. Those she heals are able to move and walk around within seconds as if the broken bones or cuts never existed in the first place.

Anyone who might have been paying attention will know she's been at this for hours--or maybe even days at this point, nearly non-stop. She refuses payment too, usually slipping away to the next person before the first has the chance to scramble for their wallet.

However, she's definitely looking exhausted and once in a while might be found nodding off somewhere she's sitting, only to jerk awake and quickly look around] Sorry, I-- Who's next? [Stop Her.]

((OOC: This prompt is available for either normal-sized Mipha or for her Older Self that's explained in the prompt below, just let me know which version you want!))

IV

[Normally, the aging or deaging effects wouldn't really have, you know, an effect on someone as long-lived as Mipha. She'd look roughly the same either way--and truthfully, looks-wise, not much has changed at all. She does certainly look a little older and more mature, but the true draw of the eye is likely the fact that her growth spurt has apparently hit sometime in the future.

She's now roughly the size of her brother, which puts her at Very Very Big. Like a good 7-8ft tall amazon fish princess.

Which is all fine and good until said giant fish princess is frantically running around in a panic]

E-excuse me? Have you seen-- I'm looking for a bucket, filled with water, and a little Zora? That is, a little fish-person, like myself? It's my brother, you see, and I only put the bucket down for a moment and now it's gone missing and I fear something terrible might have happened!

IV. Part 2

[Or perhaps you want a less panicked flavor of Giant Fish Princess. The city is rather dangerous, after all, and it's not unlikely that a misstep might mean something coming loose or a structure failing.

Either way, you might find yourself in the way of danger and then suddenly plucked from it, swept up princess-style into the arms of Mipha and hurried out of the way.]

That was close...! Are you alright? I apologize for picking you up so suddenly... Were you injured? I can heal you.

[Obligatory Wildcard]

[If you've got something else in mind or none of these are doing it for you, hit me up at ovals and we can figure something out!!]

IV Part 2

[meinwaifu]

[Clearly Mipha made the right choice when she grabbed what she thought was a small child, standing under a teetering chunk of stone that had been hurled over the eaves of a building. As soon as she pulls him to safety, the building cracks and the stone falls to the ground, sinking pretty far into the ground where it lands.]

[But the child in her arms is an oddly familiar one. Of course, appearance is about where the similarities end -- his expressions and body language fairly muted and static, and his voice coming out almost as if his words were poorly rehearsed lines in a children's stage play.]

How dare you touch me so casually, naiad. [Squints] No, you're too solid to be a naiad. What are you?

Trafalgar Law | One Piece

[kikoku]

[AN ODD SIGHT ON THE SUBWAY]
[Anyone who spots Law on the subway train to Olympia probably noticed his luggage first. Or rather, the cluster of medical apparatuses he's wedged into the seat next to his. A heart monitor, a ventilator, among other things, they've all been tied together in a bundle, but currently their main function seems to be to block the gloomy doctor from view, slumped down in his window seat as he is.

He sits up straight exactly once, and it's to squint and scowl at the perfectly accessible platform for the announced "Dranbu Kingdom" that the train shoots right past. He might be fairly new to subway trains, but that seems pretty suspicious to him and he Does Not Like It.]

[TRIAGE IN THE STREETS OF OLYMPIA]
[Law gets right to work helping to fill in the need for medical attention. Rather than set up shop at one place, Law is taking advantage of the fact that all of the medical equipment he pilfered from the wrecked ships in Nadril is on wheels and moving around the territory supplying people with his particularly rude brand of medical expertise.

You might overhear him shooing a patient back into bed with;]
I'm saying I don't care what you have to do, if you don't rest, you'll die.

[Or spot him pulling a scalpel out of a tin to the horror of another patient, saying;]
It's easiest for me to remove it manually, but I can't promise it won't be unpleasant.
[It seems like he could stand to be a little less blunt with people who are ill or injured, regardless of the quality of his medical care or advice. Given the firm frown ever-present on his face, though, it might be a big ask.]

[EL NYSA'S CRYPTID DOCTOR GOES TO WYVER]
[After about two weeks, words gotten around about a strange doctor who looks like death, showing up and doing weird things like bloodlessly cutting open someone's chest, or surgically removing diseases. All that people seem to agree on is that he's a tall, scowling young man who carries a large sword and has black markings all over his chest and arms. After a few days with no sightings, some people even start to suggest some sort of supernatural, mothman-esque origin.

Meanwhile, Law's headed on to Wyver. Though he does bring his equipment, and might be spotted giving similarly ill tempered medical care in Wyver, between two weeks having gone by since time resumed, and magic being more prevalent here, mostly, Law is taking a little time to hide in the jungle because he can only tolerate so much social interaction. Relatively scarce as he's made himself, you're most likely to spot him perched in a tree in one of the more overgrown districts, sullen and bare chested, showing off those black markings people in Olympia were talking about. He's got his face in a book, always about El Nysa and the culture therein whether it be Olympia or Wyver in particular. He doesn't look like he wants to be disturbed, and in fact, will glare down at you if your gaze lingers too long.]

[SOMETHING ELSE?]
[Feel free to hit me up if you have something else in mind!]

triage

[pebblestone]

[ Frederick is no doctor himself, skilled only in the absolute necessities of battlefield first aid: stemming blood flow, very basic splints, the like. For the most part, he's content to leave doctors and healers to do their work, well-aware that they have far greater knowledge and skill than he ever will have.

But when he sees a man casually pull out a scalpel.....well, that's just Too Much. He scuttles forward, eyes wide in alarm. ]

Now hold on right there, is this really necessary? Have you not any anesthetic, at least?

[ Come on now, buddy. ]

Linneus | Teahouse

[inaurare]

a) Be Still

[time has not made it any easier.

Linneus was uncertain boarding the train in the first place, less so coming off it and he hesitates at the underground entrance, buffeted by the departing crowd until eventually he moves (or is moved) off to the side.

His eyes linger too long on the dragon’s looming figure, if he lets them and he cannot, but the surrounding devastation and destruction is just as hard to look at, even frozen. Despite himself he is backing up, backing away, careful footsteps toward the Underground again. There’s no shame in trying to retreat, and Linneus isn’t making any attempt to be covert about it. He is simply remembering, all too painfully, how small and insignificant he was in the face of this disaster, and he is caught up in that memory as he backs into a chest, or stumbles over a foot]

Oh—!


b) Replay

[His first chunk of spare time finds him in his home. It’s all an awful mess - broken furniture, shattered windows… even the flowerbeds he tended in and around the housing area are wilted and dead, when he goes out to check them.

He shan’t be sleeping here tonight. When he might, he can’t possibly say, but ‘never’ is certainly a possibility that runs through his head as he picks through the wreckage of a life set on pause, carrying out what can't be salvaged and stacking up those small things that can. Amongst his items - he never thought he would see the day - the strange, stone carving he'd received some months back.]

c) Replay - IV



Excuse me?

[if you feel a light tugging on your clothes… well, you might need to look down. Linneus was still a little vertically-challenged around aged six, though the cloud of pink curls around his head and bright blue eyes are certainly unmistakeable.

His small hand holds onto whatever piece of clothing he has tugged; cautious-]

I can’t find my way home…

[he’s being SO BRAVE.]

Replay - IV ( Directions for a Linneus - Let squishy baby sit for one hour until mature. )

[cassus]

[ Tall as Dazai is, it only makes the small figure huddled at his side appear that much smaller. The combination of mismatched heights denies any communication that's comfortable. And neck-strain aside, it's surely intimidating for such a small child to face a strange adult looming over them.

The situation is resolved in an instant, soon as Dazai moves to crouch down and meet the gaze of someone he is all too familiar with. He could pick Linn's particular hair color out of a lineup any day, but having recently seen him in pictures at this age makes the recognition all the easier.

Still, while he may know Linneus and recognize that his companion has regressed in age, it's obvious Linn isn't in the same position. Oblivious to where he is and possibly who Dazai is to him, means navigating a veritable minefield if he's not careful.

Thankfully Dazai is rather skilled at tweaking the truth, and maneuvering through delicate situations where honesty isn't the best policy. ]

Oh. [ He knows the answer, but it's amusing to ask. ] And who might you be?

[ Tiny fingers are gently guided from his clothing into a much larger hand. There's rubble everywhere and too many places for a small child to trip or fall. So being followed and held onto by a bit of fabric is a disaster waiting to happen. ]

I think I might be able to help you. If you'll do me a favor.

Revolver Ocelot | Metal Gear

[shashka]

TO THERE AND BACK

[ at this point, Ocelot really can't help but laugh ever so slightly. ]

Whether there Natha or Nadril, seems like we never really get to see our illustrious "leaders", no do we?

[ all the more reason to trust no one. ]

I. A WELCOME REUNION (OLYMPIA + WYVER)

[ while everything that happened over the last few months had certainly been interesting (to put it in the mildest of terms), there was still someone that Ocelot was eager to find as soon as time started flowing again. and sure enough, right outside of his (miraculously mostly intact) home, a certain someone, tail wagging, was waiting for him, bowling him over as he approached. ]


DD! Behave yourself.

[ but the reprimand was half-hearted, at best. if he'd missed anyone out here, it was most certainly him. and if Darma had to die so that he might be safe? he couldn't say that he particularly mourned her.

(though, of course, he was still worried about the Station, and what it meant for John and the others)

they travel through both Olympia and Wyver together, sometimes helping with construction, sometimes just observing. ]

IV. BUDDY YOU'RE A BOY

[ he's twenty, at the very most. the young man doesn't look much like the Ocelot that has called El Nysa home for over a year. gone is his casual demeanour, replaced with someone who seems to take himself a little more seriously than he should. he's dressed in full Soviet military gear, his blond hair cut short. the only hint of his affinity with westerns are the spurs that still adorn familiar boots. and that smugness and arrogance that always lingered just below the surface? well, it's on full display, as though he simultaneously has something to prove to you and somehow manages to think you're beneath his time. ]

What do you want? Can't you see I'm busy?

[ did you accidentally bump into him? just shoot him a friendly glance? god forbid, knock his hat off? no "offence" seems too little to set him off. he might just even pull out his revolver, spinning it, as if to put on a truly impressive (if utterly pointless) show.

(look, he doesn't like it when he's caught off guard. he's supposed to be the one that knows things) ]

WILDCARD

[ have another idea? comment here or hit me up over at roflskate ]

time to disappoint ur mother figure

[nanamari]

[ Ana is, in a word, unimpressed. She might have glanced at him and smiled a moment ago - he reminds her of some people she knows, if only vaguely - but his sour attitude and the little gun show that follows puts her off almost immediately.

He does seem to know how to handle his revolvers, but she doesn't have any patience for what she sees as a young man with a complete lack of respect. ]

We're all busy, but I'll make time to put you in your place if you're not careful.

Yusei Fudo | Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's

[planetary_bonds]

[a. replay]
[i. bury your dead]

[Transportation has always been his forte. Finding his bike right where it had fallen is a relief, finding it largely unharmed even moreso. So when cleanup efforts happen, his bike is almost a godsend in that sense. The back can carry quite a few bodies, especially if Yusei stacks them neatly. So when he finds a body, he does his best to put a name and face to it, carefully wrapping them up and piling them up. And up, and up, and up.

It's a lot of work. Whether he's helping one of your characters move said bodies, or one of them is helping him, he's sure to thank them for the work.]

[ii. a child with an old man's eyes]

[Hey. Somebody warn Yusei. There's some little kid messing with his bike.

Some kid in an overlarge white shirt and an unnervingly blank stare, and...yellow and black hair? Wait.]

Excuse me.

[He doesn't have the face tattoo, or the signer's mark on his arm, but...that hair's unmistakable. That's gotta be him.]

What happened here? Why is Satellite like this?

[Oh. Somebody explain to this kid he's not home.]

[iii. a stranger with your face]

[Yusei spots a very strange man prowling around the ruined battlefields. If someone catches sight of him, he crumbles to dust, so it's hard to get a good look at him. But over repeated sightings, he's finding it disturbingly familiar. The figure wears an odd black cloak with blue patterns. Its hood is up, but sometimes Yusei can get a glimpse of blue eyes just like his.

When he finally does get a good look at it, he drops the body he's loading up onto the bike in horror.

It's his face, but the marker burns a bright bloody red, and the sclera of its eyes have turned black. It speaks with his voice, but more slowly, deliberately, like it knows just how much impact its words would have.]

Such a terrible tragedy, isn't it? A shame you could do nothing to prevent it.

[Yusei stiffens.]

What...are you?

[The being smiles, a wry, sardonic grin...and yet it's clearly not amused.]

You know what I am. Who I am.

That...but that can't...I would never...

Since when have you ever thought that highly of yourself?

[Yusei immediately clams up. He almost looks...cowed. A strange expression to find him wearing, almost as alien as the wicked emotions playing across this copy's face. Just what does this all mean?]

[iv. a friend with a stranger's face]

[Alternatively, you might just run into this dustlike wraith yourself. He still sports that disturbingly wicked grin, but it almost seems tinged with a familiar sadness when it draws close. It sweeps one arm to gesture at the ruined landscape - at the broken bodies - at the imposing newly made statues towering in the distance.]

Such things...these kinds of events, they seem almost fantastical, don't they? Like something that could never happen for real. Still, does that really make them any less tragic?

[v. wildcard]

[make your own prompt, or plan with me via emexceedschangezearu!]

II

[maipokerface]

[In all the carnage and aftermath of the fight, it's hard not to pick out a lone child in the middle of it all. Mai would wave it off as her just having a sharp eye for the white shirt if questioned later.

For now she approaches the child, noting Yusei's bike and that wild hair that could really only be his. She'd make a displeased sound at what the Natha managed to mess up this time but she thinks better of it since whatever happened, it happened and now there's a confused child all alone.]

A lot of things happened. This isn't Satellite though.

Lie Ren | RWBY | OTA

[nevernoaction]

II. Olympia

[Ren's tiny room managed to weather the attack on the city relatively unscathed. Other places weren't so lucky. He's doesn't have the upper body strength to lift giant boulders or how to repair a building.

He does have one skill. You might find him near where people are rebuilding. It almost looks like a live cooking demonstration, except Ren isn't saying a word. Just frying up rice and adding whatever extra ingredients he has available to hand out to people.

Maybe you're not even helping to repair anything and you're just hungry? Ren's got a bowl for you.]


IV. Tiny little lotus

[Ren is a graceful young man of average height. Even if he doesn't say a lot, it's hard not to notice someone who looks like this.

However, it's more than a little jarring to see a laughing and perhaps sassy younger version of him, no more than about seven or eight, scampering around as though this were the greatest playground he's ever seen! Why is everything so fun!]

Or Wildcard

[Because that is fun too! Or PM this journal if you want to plot all the things.]

IV.

[lancings]

[ What's with the sudden influx of children? One or two is normal, but this is starting to get a bit out of hand. Now, she knows for certain something is amiss as she watches in concern as the children scatter about before her eyes land upon one of them currently unattended. ]

Wait, slow down! It's not safe for you to be running about like that. Do you have a guardian somewhere who should be looking after you?

[ Her eyes scan the immediate area, only finding herself as the one adult which isn't very promising. ]

Just us, it seems... any friends then? I can help you look for them.

[ Otherwise, it wouldn't be good to leave him alone in such an unknown environment. There's no telling what dangers lurk close by, and as a shepherd, she knows she must protect those who can't protect themselves. ]

juno steel / the penumbra podcast

[stuns]

Hit Play to Replay (I. Grave-digging) | Would you make it shallow so that I can feel the rain?

[ juno's been told more times than he can count that he's digging his own grave. metaphorically speaking, that is. now? he's digging a grave in a far more literal sense, but it's not for him. he spends his time cleaning up the disrepair that the dragon's attack has left behind - between clearing rubble and refuse and the graves that have to be dug for the dead that have been recovered, rited, and prepared for burial.

if he isn't actively digging, he's sitting on the edge of a freshly-dug hole elbow wrapped around his knee staring down into it somewhat far off. seeing all the destruction first hand, not to mention the brief agony that had pierced through him upon first arriving in ysverai's general vicinity, do a number on a lady.

if you walk too closely to the grave and happen to kick some errant dirt into it, juno doesn't look up as he speaks, rather bangs the shovel a little on the side of the hole. ]

Hey! Kick any more dirt down there and I'll put you at the bottom. I worked real hard on digging this damn hole to spec.


Hit Play to Replay (V. Have a good time) | A Rose by any other name would smell as sweet.
( FEAT. DAHLIA ROSE AU )

[ dahlia rose is a sight to behold, looking quite literally like a million bucks and sitting at one of the bars in olympia that’s still somehow standing. it’s late in the evening and people have been pouring in after all their hard work to settle in for a drink. the place smells like free rounds of whatever booze people have managed to scrounge up from their cellars. he sits with one leg crossed over the other, a glass of dark whiskey in his hands with nails lacquered a deep dark crimson. for those that have known him in his short time here, it’s strange to see juno so... put together, from neatly coiffed hair (and the rose tucked behind his ear) to an ensemble that doesn’t look like anything he’s been wearing on the regular. all blacks and browns have been exchanged for a thematic red, tapered and nearly tailored suit, custom made to fit it seems. the most surprising thing might be on his hand: a rather handsome-looking ring.

he doesn’t seem at all bothered, rather he looks practically lit from within, fascinated with the room around him, eager to pick a subject to talk with by simply reaching out a neatly manicured hand and dragging it along a stray shirt sleeve or jacket.

dahlia rose schmoozes and works the room, but not without a narrowness to his eyes that speaks volumes about the fact that he’s looking for something, or rather someone. but he seems willing to keep a stranger company for the evening, offering to buy you a drink, leaning in close and asking if perhaps you’ve seen his husband. ]

Handsome as royalty, you can’t possibly miss him: tall, lean, beautiful set of teeth, dark hair. But he’s so easily distracted, I've lost him. [ a resigned sort of huff as he takes a sip from his glass. ] I’m going to need a leash for that man, I swear.

[ if you had to compare juno steel and this one, it’s as simple as this: juno burns going down and doesn’t stop. the juno-shaped creature seating beside you, leaning in, is smooth past your tongue and along your throat and sets your entire body aflame.

he offers out his hand, to kiss or shake, your choice. ] Dahlia Rose, it's a pleasure.


Hit Play to Replay (V. Have a bad time) | Got a pistol for a mouth, my own mama gave me that.
( FEAT. SARAH STEEL AU )

[ pure venom.

sarah steel, in juno's mind, is bitter to the core - sadness laid out to sour and rot until it congealed into something nasty, viscous, making your skin crawl. she's a monster that juno sees in his own reflection every day, something angry lurking beneath the surface of his skin, writhing around like live wires with every violent impulse resting at his fingertips. every ugly gesture, every time he bites down on someone else's throat and tears into the heart of them with cutting words.

sarah steel wears her son's skin like a glove with holes worn into the fingertips, shirt unbuttoned and wrinkled, a tie around his throat undone. she meanders the streets in juno's body, like it was his destiny all along to become something like her, hitting the bottle of bourbon hard. juno lets disgust feed off of cruelty again and again.

he seats himself late in the evening on a rather decent perch made of stacked stone. people have gone home at this time in the evening. there's room for two up there with a bottle of something right next to him. he looks like he doesn't need it, but he still drinks from it anyways, teetering ever so slightly. he tilts his head: ]

What's the point of all of this? [ a tired, grating tone that, to those that know him, doesn't sound quite right. like dahlia, this juno is particularly off and in a far less amicable way by how he's got fingers tight around the bottle. ] Every time someone decides they want to knock all these goddamn blocks down are we all just supposed to pick them back up again? Is that really how it's gonna be from now on? And you're just going to roll over and agree to it?

[ a soft shrug. ]

How pathetic.


Hit Play to Replay (V. Closed to Nott/flask ) | Mama, put my guns in the ground.

[ fact: juno steel is making a scene.

fact: this is nothing new.

but what is new is the fact that the object of his ire is himself, standing there in the middle of the road looking rather worse for the wear and donning a smile that looks like it could cut you straight to ribbons with the words hiding behind it. the juno standing in front of him now smiles crookedly in the middle of some no-name broken down street in olympia and his entire body freezes, eyes are wide as it speaks. ]

( I've been looking for you, little monster. Figured you might be wandering around pretending you aren't just making a mess of things for everyone else. )

[ you see, one moment he's walking easily towards the sanctuary, a number of wooden boards under his arm, and the next he's dropping them onto the ground, standing still as stone as the thing that sounds like sarah steel walks towards him with a gait that says it's coming for him. ]

( What's wrong, little monster? Did you think I left you all by yourself? )

[ a laugh, bitter, sharp. it sounds like gunfire hitting a body - dull, sickening thuds. ]

( You know what you want to do. )

[ and it's true. juno knows exactly what he wants to do, half petrified in disbelief in fear, his breath caught high in his chest, fingers curling into his palms so hard the bones and nails bite against his palms as he throws himself forward and knocks the strange, separate entity to the dirt, proceeding to pound its face in. and there's some satisfaction to it as the thing laughs underneath him, tries to hold back his fists and each blow connects with his own face - a disturbingly animal-like yell coming from juno himself as he wails into the thing. he can feel something slick on his hands, but he doesn't let it bother him for once, doesn't feel the gore it leaves streaked on his knuckles. ]

Shut up, shut up, shut the hell up!

[ and doesn't look like he's about to let up until it's crushed into the damn ground. no no no no no no no. ]

( Looks like my little monster's all grown up, hasn't he? Big and mean, just like his mother. )

:eyes:

[flask]

[There are people, important people, in Nott's life, who hate themselves more than they hate anything else. Maybe they hate what they could be, or what they were, or some horrible mix of both that comes to a middle in everything they encompass, and it's become Nott's self-appointed job to help pick up the pieces and put together what parts of them they might learn to appreciate, in time.

Let's not be cute about it, it's obviously Caleb, the man she's privately decided has a place in her life as a stand in for a son of her own, something she's never had, but her maternal instinct is a mile wide and she wants nothing more than to take care of him.

And maybe she doesn't know Juno that well yet, but there's something burning in her when she sees him pummeling an image or reflection or something of himself into the dirt, as the creature -- whatever it is -- taunts him all the while. Something that reminds her of him.

Hurting yourself, even if yourself is another person wearing your face, could never be good for you, and she... likes Juno enough that she doesn't want to see this reach a conclusion. Not the way it's currently inching towards one.

So she launches herself at the Juno currently punching the other, because she knows words are useless at this point, and tries to grab his arms, probably unintentionally getting a few scratches in with her claws as his fists fly, though who knows if he'll notice those.]

Juno! Juno!! Stop! Stop stop stop! Hey!

Mantis | MCU

[uglybug]

i.
[Mantis is not certain of what draws her to the dragon. Perhaps it's because she's been asleep, locked in stasis for an unknown (to her) length of time. Perhaps Yservai had been a stasis-induced dream.

But it's clear that the great dragon had not been just a figment of her imagination and she feels him as clearly as she felt him the day he'd attacked. For a moment, she stands frozen, breath stolen, before she turns abruptly on her heel and makes her way back toward the train.

She cannot stay here.

She bumps into someone, barely mutters an apology, but it's enough to send her far enough off-balance to stumble.]

ii.
[When time resumes, the first thing she sees is the statue in the distance. She's made her way toward Wyver, to home; while the way that time resumes around them had been disorienting, it's almost more so to gaze upon the stone dragon wrapped in Darma's embrace.]

Is she gone? [She says it loudly enough that others around her might hear.]

iii.
[choose your own adventure. open to any of the weird things happening. catch me at n0teworthy for any plotting.

I.

[beatupgrass]

[She doesn't exactly bump, so much as she nearly trips as Rocket has to adjust and almost tangle himself in her legs cat-like to keep them both from eating shit.]

Hey, hey! Watch where you're goin', lady! [He finally disentangles himself, yanking his tail out of the way of her feet and then finally gets a good look at the perpetrator.

And his jaw drops.] Mantis? You're back- wait. [He's been through this once before.] Is this the first time you've woken up?

soldier: 76 | overwatch

[personalwar]

i. he took the midnight train going anywhere to wyver

[ Having spent a few weeks in Nadril now, 76 can say that it has its upsides and its downsides. Feeling as if they're at least somewhat free of the Natha makes a big difference, but the flipside of that is feeling isolated within the barrier created by the snowstorm. The understanding seems to be that they'll be allowed to return to Nadril when they want, so as soon as the subway station is functional, 76 boards the first train that he can.

There's no denying it. After months and months spent in Wyver, he needs to go back and see what's going on there. In theory, everything will still be frozen, but that mysterious person who posted onto the network had implied that it wouldn't be that simple.

So, time to see for himself.

The train ride might not be a long one, or so they're told, but he needs to pass time somehow. Ana's moved to check out another train car, so 76 eyes the person seated across from him. ]

Where are you headed?

[ There's really only two stops, but he's still curious. ]

ii. a not-so-trusty steed

[ The first thing that 76 does after he gets back to Wyver and time resumes its steady march is look for his horse. The dragons of Wyver seem to have grown calm and almost reverent in light of what's happened, but most of the other animals are still spooked and confused.

He finds Apollo in the thick jungle near to the stables, but 76's horse isn't in any state to listen to him right now. Even when 76 approaches with a sugar cube to try and earn Apollo's trust back, the horse whinnies and races off, zigzagging through the trees. ]

Apollo! Get back here!

[ 76 starts to run after the horse, if only to make sure that he doesn't lose him. He might be in need of some help with this one... ]

iii. clean-up duty

[ It's hardly 76's responsibility to put Wyver back together. He'd tried to warn everyone of the threat that Ysevrai presented, but there were some calamities that you couldn't prevent or even properly prepare for. All that's left is the relief efforts that follow the destruction.

So here he is on the ground floor of that, pitching in where he can. Often it's by carrying corpses, two or three at a time, or digging graves for them. Other times he's hauling wood or other building materials to deliver to natives who are trying to repair or completely rebuild their homes. He's a glorified mule at this point, but his enhanced strength can be used for more than just combat.

With the sheer amount of work that needs to be done, he won't say no to some help. ]

iv. when you were young

[ It comes out of nowhere, and without warning. Time turns back on 76, placing him at a good twenty years younger, when his hair was still blond and his face was untouched by wrinkles or scars. It regresses his mind as well, leaving a very confused and misplaced strike commander wandering around in the heat of the jungle.

He doesn't have any of the gear that he should have on him during a mission. He's got a pair of clothes that fit well enough, and some weapons, but not his trenchcoat to identify him as Jack Morrison, not his communicator so that he can get in touch with his people, nothing all that useful.

He has no memory of how he got to this primitive part of the world, and quite frankly doesn't even know where exactly he is. How could he have ended up here, when his travel to just about anywhere has to be sanctioned by the UN and usually a handful of other organizations?

There's no getting around it. He'll need to ask for help. So after a few minutes of wandering around, he approaches a stranger, unsure of whether or not they'll recognize his face. He's going to guess they won't, with how off-the-grid this place seems. ]

Hi. [ Man, he hopes that they speak English, at least. Otherwise he's going to have to try and muddle his way through another language. ] This is going to sound really strange, but I'm kind of lost. Can you tell me where we are?

[ No doubt he looks like a fish out of water. Hopefully this kind soul will take pity on him. ]

v. wildcard

[ Got another idea? I'm game! Feel free to just type something up or reach me at demonology/PM for plotting. ]

ii.

[beatupgrass]

[Like Rocket has any experience wrangling horses... or any animals. He can certainly try, though... Or he will once he's had his laugh about 76 chasing a horse through the forest from the comfort of one of the trees.]

Hey, look on the bright side. At least nothing ate the damn horse before you found it.

[What a helper.]