❪ introlog: #2 ❫ THE CALM. -- the overflow.

[natha]

ORIGINAL POST

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

[granularity]

[ Blink. Blink blink. Oh. Someone saw. Well- ]

Yup.

Is that a problem?

[mayarah]

[ kara blinks right back. for him to admit that so easily is unexpected.

unexpected does not mean it's a problem. ]

No. Of course not. I've just never seen anyone do that. How did you do that? Are you a stone person? Do you have superpowers? Is it magic?

[granularity]

[ Well, it does wonders when you don't actually have a secret identity and haven't for a few years. As for her questions, he ticks off the answers on one finger. ]

I'm a geomorph. Which yes, means I'm a 'stone' person though generally I think of myself as a 'sand' person. I'm pretty sure that qualifies as superpowers, yes. But not magic, no.

[ Some of what... well, what he used to be able to do was closer to magic. He doesn't have the dreams anymore, much to his frustration. But given the situation, he understands. Not that seeing Dream in one of those capsules hadn't been a Trip. ]

[mayarah]

[ kara knows why her secret identity is necessary, why she's pretended to be human and have no powers at all for so many years. she knows and she understands, no matter how much she hates it.

here, she doesn't know yet whether things will be different, so she keeps her secret still. (even if she's notoriously bad at keeping secrets.) ]

A geomorph. I've never heard of geomorphs. That's cool. What can you do?

[granularity]

[ He starts ticking things off. ]

I can travel through rock and stone and sand, control it, talk to it, hear tectonic activity, and if something unfortunate like being blown up happens, I mostly just need to pull myself back together again.

Though it's not exactly an experience I recommend.

[mayarah]

[ kara shifts a little closer to him in the water, leaning forward in fascination. if the water affects her, she hasn't noticed it yet, though there's something more than mere curiosity curling low in her stomach.

this is fascinating. ]

Stone and sand can talk? What do they say?

[granularity]

Not much interesting, most of the time. They usually don't have much to say unless something is wrong.

But if, say, you had a bit of dirt and you didn't know where it'd come from, I can find the source.

[ He scratches behind one ear. ]

Can you tell I used to be a detective?

[mayarah]

That's really cool.

[ maybe rock and dirt and sand don't talk much (maybe that's a good thing, given that kara's been leaning against a rock for a while), but kara means it. that sounds amazing. ]

What's being a detective like? I only know from movies and TV, I guess. Is it like on the shows?

[granularity]

[ He wobbles a hand. ]

What I do... or did, I guess, was a little out of the ordinary.

'Detective' is more of a skillset I use. I mean, I've helped the cops and the federal authorities before, but I've got a mask as opposed to a badge.

[ ...which is when he pauses. ]

And apparently, no manners, since I haven't even introduced myself.

[ His hand goes out to her. ]

Sanderson Hawkins. I usually go by Sandy, and I promise that started before the whole geomorph thing was a thing.

[mayarah]

That's funny, though. [ kara lets out a noise that's suspiciously close to a giggle. sandy the geomorph. sandy the sandman.

but the giggle gets swallowed quickly, even if her grin remains while she takes his hand and shakes it. ]

I'm Kara. Kara Danvers. It's nice to meet you.

[granularity]

[ And THAT makes him sit up a little. God. No wonder he felt so comfortable with her. ]

...okay, really nice to meet you. But if I say the name 'Zor-El', are you going to look at me like I have a second head?

[mayarah]

[ kara's eyes widen and for a moment, she does look at him like he has a second head. maybe not for the reasons he was expecting she'd look at him like that, though. ]

How do you know that name?

[granularity]

[ To be fair, this is the way he was hoping she'd react. Well, more with recognition but the meeting with Bruce had cemented that he didn't get to have nice things. ]

Because where I'm from, another version of you from an alternate dimension is pretty much one of my best friends in the world.

[mayarah]

Another —

[ that's a lot to take in. it's a lot to take in, but it isn't necessary bad. the thought that someone already knows about her powers, someone who has powers, too, that she isn't alone here, that means something.

she's had a chat with bruce, too, and that had meant something as well, but it isn't the same.

after a moment, kara smiles. it's a little tentative, but it's there. ] Is her name Kara Zor-El, too?

[granularity]

Zor-L, actually. But yeah, pretty much.

[ His star, as Wes had put it. Nothing romantic, but they had a kind of understanding that he hadn't been able to maintain with most people as the visions had cut him off more and more.]

[mayarah]

I'm sorry I'm not her.

[ not really sorry, because kara is herself and that's who she should be, but — sorry that she can't be who he might want her to be. ]

[granularity]

[ That has him shaking his head. ]

Don't be. She'll pop out eventually. She's strong. And smart. [ he gives her an encouraging smile ] And I'm lucky to have any Karas around at all. This just means I get to know you now.

[mayarah]

[ there's a flutter of something in her chest at those words. excitement, maybe, or joy, or hope. ]

Yeah. [ and she gets to know him. she's looking forward to that. ]

Is your Kara Supergirl, too? [ she asks after checking whether there's anyone else in the vicinity. there are no heartbeats but theirs and that of some small birds. ]

[granularity]

[ That's a head shake. ]

Nope. She goes by Powergirl.

We have a Supergirl as well, but I never really got to know her. Timing never really worked out.

[mayarah]

So there's two different versions of me in the same universe?

[ that's strange. at least thanks to barry's visit, the idea of different earths isn't so strange to her anymore. ]

[granularity]

Yup.

She looks a little... different and she keeps her hair short. No one mixes you up or anything.

[mayarah]

I guess that makes sense. It's still a bit strange to imagine, though. [ she admits. ]

[granularity]

[ Sand holds up a finger before putting his hand on the stone and closing his eyes. As she watches, out of the stone emerges a small statue of Powergirl, cocky and strong, with a cape trailing behind her. ]

She goes by Karen to other people.

[mayarah]

Oh, wow.

[ that's all kara says for a moment, awed by the display of his powers. that's so cool, all right? ] Are there many superheroes in your world?

[granularity]

[ He waves his hand down and the statue disappears. Then he's leaning back into the stone to get a little further into the water. What? It feels nice. ]

Uh... yeah, there's a pretty good number. I mean, we're not going to be taking over Rhode Island all by ourselves or anything but... there's a decent amount of them, yeah.