nysalogs | [ OPEN ] ❝ you are a stranger here, why have you come ❞

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[ OPEN ] ❝ you are a stranger here, why have you come ❞

Who: Prompto (

punshots) + YOU
What: Questing and helping deserters.
When: January!
Where: Wyver and nearby quest locations
Warning(s): N/A for now!

I. TOMB RAIDER (QUEST: DISTURBING THE DEAD).

[ Don't worry. He's played video games.

...And, you know, has a fair amount of experience spelunking in real life, too, but that somehow seems secondary to everything he's learned about tomb-raiding from video games. Is he bound to booby right into some booby traps? Undoubtedly. But that's why he brought someone along with him! To be a second pair of eyes when he gets a bit too Prompto about things.

At the unassuming entrance to the crypt - unassuming if you use a freakin' ton of human skulls in your decorating, anyway - Prompto turns to his companion, clicking on the flashlight clipped to his vest. He also has a whip, despite not knowing how to really use it, because of course he does. ]

Remember - idols? Don't touch 'em, especially if they're on pedestals. If you see any giant boulders, run. Just - run. Oh - and if you see anything diamond-shaped, for the love of the Six, definitely - I repeat, definitely do not step on it.

[ Boy, he sure sounds like an expert, doesn't he? ]

...After you!

[ Or not. ]

II. THE CRYSTAL SHARDS (QUEST: PREACHING IN A MATERIAL WORLD).

[ Whatever man, this guy likes his shiny pieces of rock, he's not one to judge. Compared to most of the other jobs, this one seems relatively safe and, uh, legal, which makes it an immediate draw for him. He's a decent enough swimmer, too, so it should be a piece of cake!

Unfortunately, he's woefully uneducated about the enchanted pools the crystal drops are found in, so he doesn't give it a second thought as he strips down to his underwear and dives deep down into one of the many lagoons outside of Wyver to scoop up the coveted gems.

If he's down there a little longer than should be normal for a human, don't worry - that's normal (thanks, Volkkran Pact). However, that only gives more time for the enchanted waters to really get to him, and...boy, are they getting to him.

When Prompto resurfaces to dump an armful of crystal shards onto the ground, he pushes his mop of wet hair out of his eyes - and that's when he at last notices he is not alone. ]

How long've you been here?

[ Rather pointedly, nowhere near his usual warm disposition. Huh, weird. ]

III. TOUGH TO BEAR (LATER JANUARY).

[ With citizens on every corner calling for a move against Olympia, the city has gotten juuuuust a bit much to handle lately, and when he catches wind about the deserters from some gossipy guards, Prompto decides it's time to take a little day-trip outside Wyver proper to see what it's like for those neutrally aligned himself. Fuck the popo, those people are in need and if he can do something to help, he's going to.

And he's gonna get there on a bear, because he can.

He spends a good chunk of change cleaning out some vendors in the market one morning before loading up his mount's saddlebags with food and medicinal herbs before traveling to some of the neutral camps east of the city. He may have asked a close friend to come along with him, or maybe he bumps into a fellow refugee once there. Either way, he complains as he dismounts: ]

Man, that was unbearably boring! Nothin' but trees, trees, 'n' more trees...

[ Yes, even on a bear, traveling is still dull. Then, with a nod: ]

You gonna give me a hand with this?

[ Or, perhaps, you encounter him later on in the evening, after he's stayed too long helping the refugees and his mount is now beginning to become unruly. The bear starts to snarl discontentedly while Prompto pats its neck in a futile effort to calm it. ]

Th-there, there, Fuzzby! Just a bit - whoa -

[ Watch as he attempts to hold onto his saddle while the bear tries to buck him. Should be quite the spectacle. Or help him, perhaps, if you are so inclined. ]

IV. WILDCARD.

[ Have something else you'd like to do with Prompto this month? Hit me up at retroscape! I'm happy to set up closed starters for more particular plans as well! ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It's the water, love.

[ why couldn't he have just like.. grown cute puppy ears? they would've been so much better. now she's got to calm him down, like an overgrown toddler. she tightens her grasp nonetheless though, keeping her voice soft. ]

You're enchanted. There is nothing here that could threaten you. Nothing but me.

[ 8) ]

[ Well.

He follows her up to a point. Hadn't he heard something about these waters being enchanted? Prooobably should have heeded that warning a bit better. And yet his brain takes her words meant to comfort the wrong way. If there's nothing here that could threaten him besides her, does that mean...the unnamed thing he's been afraid of this whole time is her?

He tries to tug his hands out of her grasp, though he's still unable to step back like he wants to. She has him trapped. ]

A-a-are you? Threatening me?

[ oh. oh no.. it's so ridiculous, but it's also so cute. part of her wants to keep up the charade, to torment him by threatening him more while he can't escape, but that would be a little too mean. tempting as it is. ]

No, dearheart. I was only joking.

[ she keeps her voice soft and unthreatening, however much she might want to terrify the pants off of him right now. he's not in his right mind, it wouldn't be fair.. UGH why isn't she villainous enough?? she even lets him pull his hands out of hers to help him feel better, though she stays close in case he wants to take them again. ]

You are perfectly safe, I promise you.

[ this is when like, a morbol comes crashing through the underbrush or something.. ]

[ Why would she joke at a time like this?? They're in real danger here! Or...at least, he thinks they are. Gods, everything feels so twisted up inside his head, tense and inelastic. If what she's said about the water is true, how long will it take to wear off?

Though if he's able to recognize it as such, maybe it has already begun to.

After a moment, he takes her hands again. ]

...Sorry. Guess whatever was in that water got into my head. I know you wouldn't ever hurt me.

[ Intentionally. :blush: ]

[ :neutral_face:

it's not necessarily true tho, she would definitely hurt him intentionally by smacking his shoulder or, you know, stepping on him in the bedroom..

.. but she wouldn't actually hurt him hurt him, no. never. when his hands find hers again she smiles, lifting them to her face to press gentle kisses to his knuckles. ]

Now, if I release you, do you promise not to go bolting into the woods? I would really rather not have to chase you down in my smallclothes.

[ He considers that a moment, weighing the paranoia still leaning on his thoughts with the promise of freedom. It's not especially comfortable to be locked up like this, and he'd like to think he won't go anywhere, and he can just tune this out... ]

Mm...doesn't sound too bad to me.

[ A cursory glance over at the still lagoon. ]

Just...hold onto me if I try to go anywhere, okay?

[ maybe not to him but she doesn't want to go tearing ass into the forest in her undies okay.. she'll probably step on a rock. man, remember the first time he saw her in her panties and almost died?? memories. ]

I can manage that.

[ casting a glance to the crystals, she looses one hand to banish the tether, the other still holding tight to one of his own. ]

Let's gather those up and look for.. another site.

[ because the paranoia effect is super annoying. ]

[ The mobility returns to his legs, and he skitters a bit - but not too much, with her hand still holding tightly to his. ]

Fine by me. The sooner we get away from this place, the better.

[ That's partly paranoia, and partly his own annoyance with being affected like this. With one final squeeze, he lets go of her hand so he can start packing away the crystals in the bag he'd brought with them. ]

[ she's wary when he releases her hand, but.. he doesn't dart away the moment she lets go, so she trusts him for the moment. long enough to help pack the crystals into her canvas bag, along with her clothing as well, since there's no point in.. getting dressed just to move to another pool.

standing again, she hefts the bag onto her shoulder and takes his hand again, before he can scurry away. ]

Come then, let's try to the south.

[ He's eyeing the trees when she takes his hand again, but the gesture has his attention snapping back to her. The water's effects are starting to wear off now, but he's still a little jittery, still uncertain of whether or not that's their best move. ]

What if there's something up with the water down there?

[ It's an easy way to make some money, but he doesn't relish the idea of having his thoughts get all wonky again. ]

[ bad prompto, don't look at those trees!! you're gonna stay right here like a good boy. or, well, walk beside her like a good boy. she's already tugging him down the sandy path. ]

No doubt there shall be, but with any luck, it will not be quite so [ annoying ] problematic as this one. Besides, it is my turn anyway, so you needn't worry.

[ she will brave the enchanted waters.. ]

About me, you mean. I'll still worry about you.

[ What if something like this happens to her? Or worse? Still, he follows her lead as they step along towards the southern lagoons. ]

Of course you will, but I will be fine. I've swam these lakes before.

[ and funny stuff happened, yeah, but nothing terribly dangerous. uncomfortable at the absolute worst. so when they arrive at the next lagoon only a few paces later, she shrugs off the canvas bag and approaches the water without hesitating, though she looks over her shoulder with a smile. ]

It's nice to know you've inherited the blessing of the Kojin, however. It may prove handy in a pinch.

[ By now the paranoia has worn off enough that he doesn't go chasing after her to pull her away from the water's edge, but he's still...wary. He probably would be, even if he hadn't recently been affected, and he starts to strip down again, to be ready at a moment's notice to dive in and assist if she needs him to.

Her comment, however, earns her a geniuine grin. ]

Y'know, you're right! Like the next time we have a swimming race. [ She won't have such an advantage anymore , heheh... ]

[ it's true.. underwater breathing definitely helps in swimming races, but she'd probably thrash him anyway simply by merit of being an excellent swimmer. can you keep up, quicksilver??

thankfully it seems as if he's returning to normal.. twelve be praised, she doesn't feel the itching need to babysit him anymore. man, that was annoying!! that nice bright smile is back. ]

We shall see, won't we?

[ but she's diving neatly into the still waters just after, cutting a path straight to the sandy bottom of the lagoon. ]

[ It's true, she would still thrash him...but at least he would stand a better shot than before!!

As she turns to dive into the water, his smile fades, however, and he watches her as best he can through the rippling water. What kind of strange effects would this lagoon have on her?

He waits, perched anxiously on a rock at the water's edge, to find out. ]

[ waiting anxiously is just fine, definitely better than bolting into the wilderness, though even while she's down there she can't help but be paranoid herself that, by the time she emerges, he'll be nowhere to be found..

but that is a problem for future alisaie. for now, she's snagging as many good-sized crystals as she can, hauling them to the surface only once she's got enough to feel she might not be able to resurface again for the weight of them. but gosh, it feels oddly easy to swim back up again.. easier even than usual.

well, anyway, she breaks the surface and piles her plunder onto the sandy shore. ]

That should pull in a good sum, I should think..

[ pay no mind to the.. scales on her face and shoulders, silvery-white and pearlescent. or the fact that in place of ears she now has.. something distinctly more finlike, in the same shimmery, iridescent hue. ]

[ The moment she breaks the surface, it becomes clear that something is...up.

Prompto's eyes go wide as saucers and a hand flies over his mouth as he takes in Alisaie's altered appearance, her shimmering scales, her fins in place of where ears would be. It reminds him a bit of Mipha, honestly, but he's not thinking about that right now. All he's thinking about is how bizarre this is, and how torn he is between concern and amusement.

His girlfriend is turning into a fish...

Finally, he manages: ]

U-um, Alisaie...?

[ well it's good to see him in good humor again, but he's laughing at her, which is a bit less nice. alisaie's expression flattens out, her eyes narrowing. ]

What? Is there something on my face?

[ wait for it - those fin-ears are twitching and laying back in aggravation. ]

[ He should...maybe be more concerned, and he would be if the effects of his swim hadn't been temporary. He's relatively sure this will wear off in time, and when she asks such an on-the-nose question, he can't help a snort of a laughter. ]

Hm - yeah. You...got a little somethin'...

[ He touches his ears with his hands, still giggling uncontrollably. They're kind of cute!! Look at how expressive they are... ]

[ what?? alisaie stares at him quizzically for a few moments, before lifting both hands to touch her ears, and - oh, for the love of the twelve.. ]

Oh.

[ UGH. WHY IS IT ALWAYS SCALES?? this is what happened last time.. sort of. scales were involved. heaving a great sigh, alisaie plants her hands on the nearest boulder to haul herself up and out of the water, the sooner this wears off, the better. but her legs feel.. heavier than usual?? and it's not easy to drag herself onto the stone's face, for reasons that become.. readily apparent, very soon.

yeah, that's a tail. a big, shimmery silver-white tail. she's a goddamn mermaid. ]

[ Oh. She has a tail. Prompto's expression lights up anew with amusement, his eyes flitting over the fish-half of her body. It's...sort of hot??? He's never kissed a mermaid before...Noct would be so jealous. ]

You - [ he's not laughing, no, he's very concerned, VERY ] - you're a mermaid.

[ He creeps closer, running a hand over her scaly skin. Okay, scales are not as sexy to touch, but it's sure a weird sensation. ]

[ YEAH HE LOOKS REAL CONCERNED.. >:(

she jumps a little at the brush of his hands though, because it feels just as weird for her as it does for him, that's a very.. different sensation, okay. dammit!! why this.. maybe the paranoia would have been better after all. though on second thought, she can probably swim really fast now.. ]

Yes, I have figured that out.

[ she says, TESTILY!! and frowns, struggling to haul herself fully up onto the flat top of the stone until her.. tail.. is fully out of the water. the sooner she dries, the sooner she'll be back to normal. ]

[ He gives her a hand as she pulls herself onto the stone, even as a few lingering giggles seep out of him. Once she's settled he sits down at her side, and he can't help but prod the seam between her scales and her skin on her hip with his fingers. It's...so weird... ]

How does it feel? I mean...

[ How would she...go to the bathroom??? ]

[ PROMPTO... GOD... YOU CANT JUST ASK HER HOW SHE WOULD GO TO THE BATHROOM. she probably has fish parts?? good lord ]

Strange. Will you - stop!

[ she swats his hand away, her face flushing a warm pink that goes straight to her ears. this is so embarrassing and he's making it worse!! ]

You should just.. go. Leave me alone, I will meet you at home once it wears off.

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