❪ introlog: #2 ❫ THE CALM.

[natha]

OVERFLOW

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

Comments

[worldlyafflictions]

Eeeh, right here on the beach? I was just starting ta enjoy myself!

[meinwaifu]

You can enjoy yourself to your heart's content after.

[worldlyafflictions]

Fine fine. Jeez, ya sure are demanding even though we've all just been downgraded ta acquaintances...

[Setting his sweater down and digging out his collapsed K'rik before he sets his plate on top of that out of the sand, standing and slotting the K'rik together and starts his summoning chant.]

Onshochiso--[muttering the sutra and making the appropriate hand seals as black wisps of fire start gathering around him, concentrating on his staff, though a little more lethargically than usual. But eventually a burning inhuman eye opens, suspended in the flames, staring critically at its company and surroundings.]

[meinwaifu]

[VERY DEMANDING and yet Shima still obeys. Good boy.]

[But as he begins the chant, Mephisto is honestly not expecting to see those black flames flickering around his staff, nor the sight of Yamantaka's eye looking over at him. Which... might be a bad time for ol' Yamantaka-kun. There's no saying just how much of their present situation he's aware of, but surely nothing good could come of being summoned out of the blue and suddenly being face-to-face with a very angry-looking demon king.]

[Of course, he won't look angry to Shima unless he decides to gaze deep into those bright green eyes of his. But to a fellow demon, that glimmer in his eyes is unmistakable. If looks could kill, he'd already be dead.]

My, so you can still summon him. How very curious.

[worldlyafflictions]

Oh, good ta see ya made it, Yamantaka-kun!



[It spares Shima a glance, but definitely has it's attention fixed on Mephisto. Fire-demons tend to be on the prouder side, but even Yamantaka doesn't have enough pride to want to deal with a pissed off demon king--though he isn't above a parting observation.]

That King of Time is in a foul mood. If you didn't call me here to fight I'm going back to sleep.

[The fire retreats and Shima lets him go, looking mildly perturbed.]

[meinwaifu]

Hmm... how observant of him.

[There's a bit of a crack in his facade now, some of that anger slipping out into his expression. "King of time"... did he even deserve that title anymore?]

Ah, but in any case, it would seem that you weren't affected by the Storm then. How fortunate for you.

[worldlyafflictions]

[Eh, what, is he mad at me for that?? Shima draws up warily, pulling the K'rik closer to his chest.]

Uh, why..? Did something happen ta you?

[meinwaifu]

...the Storm did far more than swallow our world. Among the more powerful beings saved by the Natha, it seems some of us have become damaged in some way. ["Corrupt" as they put it, though their explanation itself was rather esoteric.]

For myself... I've become unable to use a rather sizable amount of my powers. And of the few I still have, they're rather unstable.

I can't even summon my familiars, let alone control the flow of time.

[Shima may not be thinking they're allies anymore, with the loss of Assiah, but clearly Mephisto still considers him one, to be revealing such information to him.]

[worldlyafflictions]

[Oh...]

Well ya must still be pretty strong if Yamantaka-kun didn't even consider taking a swipe. He's usually raring ta go all the time...

[Not being able to control time or even summon familiars seems pretty big though, like what does Mephisto even do besides timefuckery?? He'd be pretty sulky too if he could control time and then suddenly couldn't.]

[meinwaifu]

It's not as though he would have been able to tell by looking at me that I've been damaged. Not even I realized it until I tried using them for myself.

[Which was likely a Very Bad Experience, considering any situation that calls for stopping time is probably not a situation you wanna be in.]

But yes, even without my signature abilities, I'm still quite formidable. Though I can't say I'm much of a "King of Time" anymore...

[He lost his home, his goals and ambitions, and his identity all in the span of a day -- he's earned the right to be a little sulky right now.]

[worldlyafflictions]

[Or, he wonders if maybe even a tiny loss of power would make Mephisto flip out like this, even if he didn't notice at first. Surely demons are like naturally attuned to rank or something and that's based on power levels right...? Well Shima's never really thought about the specifics so maybe Mephisto isn't just exaggerating because he's not used to it and also all the rest of that loss-of-our-homeworld stuff that Shima's avoiding thinking about too hard. What a sad Mephisto though...]


That's rough...



Ya want some yakitori?

[meinwaifu]

[Rank was one thing, but for Mephisto, a demon whose true and original form is the very concept of time itself, to lose that part of him is painful in a way even he can't fully comprehend. Which is probably why it's hitting him so hard -- it's not just that he's upset, but he's probably more upset than he's ever been before.]

[All things considered, he's actually taking it pretty well.]

I'll pass. I think I've lost my appetite.

[But u know what, misery loves company, so--]

Ah, but speaking of unexpected hiccups in our arrival... have you had another chance to speak with Kamiki-san?

[worldlyafflictions]

[Spilling to him is fine, but picking at his wounds is too much!]

Uwah, don't be mean just 'cause you're having a hard time!

[Shima says. to a demon.]

[meinwaifu]

...well, I suppose that's all the answer I need, yes?

[Don't get so familiar that you forget he's a demon, gosh!! But it does lighten his mood, like, marginally to imagine just how horrible their every interaction must have been so far.]

But come now, I wasn't asking to be mean. At the moment, I believe it would be most beneficial for us from the same world to stick together. The more allies the better, after all... ah, unless you'd still prefer to think of me as a mere acquaintance after all?

[worldlyafflictions]

[Who's getting familiar here!! He scratches his neck a bit uncomfortably, looking away, not really sure what Mephisto's asking of him at this point.]

...I don't know. I was getting pretty attached ta the idea of being a spy... but it's not like I didn't give anything up ta do it, and now it's all kinda moot...

[He may not have had an identity that he actually cared about for very long but it did ache for that chance to have disappeared. But missing what could have been wasn't really reason enough to take up that role again either, not when the consequences managed to stick around without any of the benefits.]

[meinwaifu]

Ahh... as much as it would be a shame to lose someone with such talent in that area, I suppose there is no pressing need for spies right now.

But in any case, I'm not offering a mere continuation of your previous employment.

[He grins -- not quite making a recovery from his poor mood, but more than capable of hiding it when the moment calls for it.]

What I'm offering is to become allies. To stand as equals -- and to allow you greater freedom both in what I can ask of you, as well as what you may ask of me. I may not be the same untouchable force I was in Assiah, but surely you realize I make a much better ally than an enemy?

[--because that's what he might just become if he refuses. Shima knows far too many of his secrets to be allowed to simply walk away now.]

[worldlyafflictions]

Jeez, then as allies, ya don't gotta make threats like that! Ya coulda just tried asking nicely. [Like a proper equal.]

[Not that Shima doesn't get wanting to secure a specific answer--which is why he isn't actually saying Mephisto should rephrase it if he expects cooperation.]

[meinwaifu]

Well, I am a demon.

[Mephisto doesn't do "nice" okay. Maybe more so now, given the whole identity crisis he's gonna be quietly dealing with.]

And in any case, I'm aware I don't exactly have much I can promise or offer when we're roughly in the same position here in this world. Honestly, I was worried you would be just as difficult to convince as Kamiki-san was.

[worldlyafflictions]

((continued))