TEST DRIVE MEME ( 006 )

[lifeaftr_mods]

Test Drive Meme #6

Hello, and welcome to LifeAftr! We’re pleased that you’re expressing an interest in the game. Here, you can test the waters, gauge how your character may fare in the world of LifeAftr, and even gain some in-game incentives, if you so choose.

Remember that Reserves will open on December 17th! Due to the holiday season, Applications will be opening on December 26th, with an app period shifted to end on January 2nd instead of the usual timeframe!

Two important notes:

1. LifeAftr's test drives take place on the island of Mu, which exists apart from the real world and possesses a dream-like quality that characters are innately aware of from the moment they appear on its shores. No need to panic or fret. Dreams are odd things, after all - and anything can happen in them. Why would anyone question where their mind chooses to wander in its sleep?

2. Due to the nature of Mu, threads in our test drive can not only be accepted as thread samples in your application, but can be accepted as game canon as well. In fact, certain choices your character makes in Mu have the potential to bear in-game consequences, largely in the form of test drive reward items.

United We Stand
This particular month, Mu has seen fit to recreate the strange, dichotomous island of Monsun. Most of the information regarding this peculiar land can be found in the informational post linked, but as a quick rundown: Monsun's western side is a hot wasteland of a desert prone of disasters and mishaps, but will affect your character's emotional and psychological state in a positive sense, while its eastern side is a verdant forest filled with endless resources...as well as a tendency to bring out the absolute worst of your character.

The western region blazes with a vengeance, the imaginary sun roasting overhead. The psychological effects of this area of island will shine far more kindly upon you than the sun does; your character's best qualities have been brought to light, and the longer they remain here, the more profound those qualities will become.

This is probably a good thing, too. Because those cactus plants on the horizon seem to be moving closer...and closer...

In fact, they aren't really plants at all. Those who squint may find themselves thinking of another, cuter version of sentient cacti found on other worlds, but the mutual relation to a certain desert plant is where the similarities come to an end. Walking cacti are silent predators who prefer to slowly approach their prey, avoiding being noticed by their targets until it is too late.

Luckily, these creatures do not rely on projectiles to attack. Rather, their needle thin spikes can extend up to one foot out of their bodies in a fast, powerful motion - more than enough to puncture flesh and muscle. If you've ever wanted to try death by acupuncture, these are your kind of monster... but if not, a sharp weapon or fire will certainly help whittle down their numbers.

Regardless, all of your best qualities will come to light quickly in a fight, whether it be courage, diplomacy, compassion, earnest hope, or whatever other positive traits you might bear. Such is Monsun's boon to you.

Divided We Fall
The east, on the other hand, is the polar opposite to that desert wasteland. The sun shines evenly through the thick spread of deciduous canopies, which shade you from the worst of that unforgiving heat. The verdant greenery is perfectly temperate and even tranquil.

A pity that you'll soon find your worst qualities manifesting at a rather rapid rate. The proper Monsun generally gives you a twenty-four hour window before your most despicable traits start to flourish, but Mu, it seems, has sped up the clock significantly.

Scattered across the rich landscape, a herd of deer can be found prancing eagerly about, seemingly oblivious to their potentiality as a food source. In fact, they hardly seem to react to the approach of foreign entities at all. They're quite placid, and content to sit idly back until attacked - at which point they'll do little more than flee at a brisk pace. What an ideal set of circumstances, truly. But should anyone else impose upon your peace, you'd better hope they don't mind encountering you at your absolute worst.

Don't Fear the Succ
You wake on a boat. It's a very nice boat, make no mistake, weatherbeaten and worn as it may seem, but it's still a boat, and you're still surrounded with lapping waves, as far as the eye can see. Or as far as the eye can sea.

Still, no reason not to make the best of this, right? Just sit back, relax, and let the wind take you wherever it may. You hardly need to eat or sleep in the regular sense in dreams, and this might be a good deal more picturesque than many of the dreams you're probably used to. All told, this is really quite a nice diversion -

Hold on. Did something just bump up against the hull?

Yes, in fact. Something did. Something with long, long, reaching tentacles that will soon snake over the deck to try and grasp your vessel in a death grip much like that of a boa constrictor: designed to crush and destroy.

It seems you've run afoul of that legendary creature of the depths; the one that every sailor most fears.

A kraken. Hope you're not averse to a little hentai.

---

LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Comments

Isette of Khia | OC

[budgetmage]

[ United We Stand / A ]

[ There is a small lady in a well-worn, very dark cloak patched up with various cheap materials out here in the desert. Most people could figure out this is a bad idea. Desert, shining sun... cloak?

She is, predictably, collapsed in the sand. Be a dear and, uh, save her? From herself? She doesn't appear to be in the best health as it is, she'll probably die out here. ]


[ United We Stand / B ]

[ ...And there is a giant, walking cactus fast approaching. Definitely save her, from both herself and the monster. Mostly the monster. ]


[ Divided We Fall ]

[ In the darkness of the forest, there's a string of floating lights. Like the myth, they appear to guide people in. Except instead of guiding people to safety, or their doom, they instead guide people to Isette. sitting contentedly on a log. ]

Oh, hey, my lights worked. I found somebody! [ She puffs up a little. ] I knew my magic would save the day in the end.

So, uh, you know how to get to civilization, right?


[ Wildcard ]

[ Provide your own scenario! GO FOR IT! JUST DO IT! ]

Divided

[nostatbonuses]

[ Sawyer figured there were even odds of mysterious ghost lights leading to civilization or getting eaten by a giant ghost angler fish. Instead, they led to Isette, so closer to the former. ]

Unfortunately, at the rate today is going, we may need to found a civilization if we want to spend any time in one before sunset.

Sonje Forstner | OC

[quietknight]

United We Stand!

If there's one thing that makes heat worse, it's wearing metal armor. Sonje, clad in shining half-plate, looks *exhausted* from the scorching sun, but she is going to stand and fight these cactus things none the less because someone, that would be you, looked like you could use a hand.

Her sword flashes, sending cactus bits into the air, while her shield blocks needle after needle.

"Don't worry. As long as-" One moment. Gasping for breath. "-as I still stand, I won't let them get to you!"

She was feeling extra courageous today.

Divided We Fall!

An arrow shot out of the woods and hit an unsuspecting deer in the neck. A lucky shot that minimized the poor animal's suffering, killing it quickly while the others scattered.

A moment later, Sonje emerged from the trees, unstringing a short bow and pulling out a knife to dress the deer. That is, until she saw that someone else was eyeing her kill.

She faltered, suddenly feeling self-conscious and awkward. "It's, uh...It's all right if I just...take some of that meat, right? I'll share it!"

Wildcard!

Or just come up with something crazy! Sonje is a gay mercenary knight looking to get rich quick who keeps a cool head while in danger but then falls apart in social situations. Canonmate to Isette, in the prompt directly above this one.

United!

[greatcleavage]

One minute you're sitting there in the shade, trying to enjoy a gulp of water before you plunge back into the desert heat -- the next, a woman's put herself between you and a cactus that was sneaking up on you, and initiative gets rolled before you even know what happened.

Roy bolted to his feet, the greatsword on his back practically flying into his hands, only to discover the rocks the cactus had been creeping around now effectively walled him off from engaging it, with her between it and him. "I sincerely appreciate the help," he said, speaking up over the chop of her sword and the gasps of her own breath, "but I'd much prefer to actually take a shot at it myself, if you could..." Maybe scooch over a bit?

Courtney "King" Barker | OC

[silentmonarch]

Don't fear the Succ

A large woman in what looked like a commando's tactical gear was sprawled out on the deck, taking in the sun and napping. When the kraken hit the side of the ship, she sat up abruptly, rubbing her eyes. Even as she started to stand up so she could investigate, a pair of massive tentacles started crawling over the railing.

Fear or determination didn't show up on King's face when she saw that. No, what her face expressed was undisclosed glee. She reached to her belt and pulled out a shotgun from...somewhere you couldn't quite make out, then threw up the horns towards you with her free hand before turning to do battle with the giant sea creature with every sign of enthusiasm.

At no point during this whole sequence of events did she ever speak.

Divided we fall

Well this side of the island sure seems like a more pleasant place to set up camp than the desert side. Various people were going about setting up tents, arguing over where to store supplies, and all the other business that went into getting settled in.

Except for King. She was sitting against a tree, not lifting a finger to help as she cleaned her fingernails with a big knife.

Still not saying anything.

Wildcard!

Or you can just go nuts and make shit up. King is a deliberate subversion of the trope that mute girls are small and helpless. She is large, rude, and highly competent. She's also an AI based on a brainscan of a real person who was playing an MMO. She's also mute.

Damn you tentacles!

[greatcleavage]

"...Huh," said Roy, when the first blast ripped across the deck and one of the tentacles erupted into a spray of blood. "Be careful -- we don't have any way to recharge expendable items here," he called out to her over the smack of tentacle against flesh and the thwock of sword against suckers and skin. "The only way to get more of that is to barter with the Storyteller!"

The Guardian | Hyper Light Drifter | will match formats B)

[panaceaa]

> Divided We Fall

[A]
The forest is lush. Teeming with life, in a way that most places don't, and placid in a way that places never are. A refuge. A scenic resting spot. A dream.

The Guardian notices none of this, of course.

They're too busy delving into the brush to find a spot to set up camp. There are too many places for something to hide; Guardian needs to hide better. The neon-pastel of their pink and blue armor doesn't aim to make their task any easier -- someone spotting them through the green and deciding to join them wouldn't be out of the question.

They feel uneasy at the thought.

[B]
If unaccosted, they reach a suitable spot eventually; a group of small trees whose branches grew close enough together to form something like a shelter. Sitting inside the space made by the plant life eases the nagging anxiety plaguing their thoughts. Just a little. They've learned to take what they can get. And they have it, for a while.

Until the unmistakable sound of footsteps through the brush approaches, and they tense, peering into the wilds. Guardian calls out ... against their better judgement.

"Just so you know, I have a gun and I'm not afraid to use it."


> Uguu ~ !

Well. This is a thing that's happening right now.

"This" referencing the massive tendrils wrapped around the mast of the vessel Guardian has suddenly found themself in. The entire structure groans and shakes -- and rocks, violently, caught in the grasp of a creature seemingly bent on its destruction. The smell of salt and fish is overwhelming.

So Guardian sits on the deck with their cloak laid out in front of them, needle and thread in hand.

Patchy. Can't have that.

b!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[hyperlit]

Venture into the woods and you might find a local friend and cryptid, says the brochure.

They've been here too long. The edges of their cloak have gone ragged, and the Drifter themself has - how long have they been here? There's a sun gleaming overhead, shaded though it is by the interleaving branches overhead. A deep rumble of a voice that they know, too familiar and too immediate and there's a cerulean glow of a hard light blade being drawn as the Drifter advances, swift-stepped and unerring.

They've glimpsed things in the corners of their vision before. Perhaps - perhaps the Immortal Cell, rearing its blackened head, mimicking the hollow ache of loss far too astutely. Perhaps it thinks that there is more, still, that it could take from them.

There is nothing left.

But they will hilt their blade in its black mat of thickening shadow, if it will put a stop to the memory of an act of kindness that cannot be real.

Red Riding Hood | Mary Skelter: Nightmares

[scissorhood]

United We Stand; Once there was sun

[In the blistering heat, one would think anyone wearing a hoodie would take it off as soon as they could. Red, however, currently was ignoring such common sense. All of this made her feel alive. Who knew that's what the sun looked like? That it could create such heat!

If she could bring back such knowledge to the rest of the Dawn then it would surely put a spring in their step. Her hood didn't block much of the light as she tries to stare up at the sky, making her stop to blink every once in a while.]

United We Stand; Who's afraid of the big bad cactus?

[Later, though, there might be some laughter coming over the sand. Snip--and a large chunk of plant flesh falls down. The giant pair of scissors, black with pink edging, swing through the air as it makes quick work of the enraged cacti.

Maybe just for a moment, blue eyes flash pink as the girl fights on.] Marchen or not I'll make mincemeat out of you--!

Divided We Fall; I give myself very good advice

[Red Riding Hood might have felt some odd comfort in the forest. It seemed familiar in a strange far off way as so many things often did. This clearly wasn't part of the Jail and there were no monsters. It was growing but in a natural way.

The only problem was that her hoodie had moments ago been stuck on a tree branch. Frantic, she's holding the coat out her eyes trying to find any sort of tear. There's a small one near the edge and--]

You've got to be kidding me! [She... might sound on the edge of crying.] It can't be that bad. Yeah. It can't be. If I just brush the dirt off it'll be like brand new. Yeah.

[Ignore her.]

Wildcard

Provide your own scenario! Go on.

cactus

[sacrament_of_blood]

[Possibly the first sign to Red Hood of the other girl is... the singing.]

And we sail down the river of blood, meditating in the glory of the Two Gods as we kill and slaughter, murder and massacre... Praise the Bloody Goddess, may She forever slay! Praise the Living Corpse, may He forever sustain!

[The sound of fighting is also there, of knife on plant flesh, and it's rapidly getting closer. Into sight comes a fleeing cactus monster, with many cuts across its body and leaking lots of fluids. Immediately following it is a girl in rags set on pursue, who makes cuts here and there with a knife, trying to figure out which one will be the most efficient at disabling and which one'll kill the walking cactus. Just as the two of them draw close, Merciless finally goes for the kill. The thing dies fast from her decisive blow, thudding onto the sandy ground. She turns to the other girl, studying her with red eyes.]

Ah! Many greetings to you! That is a quite interesting weapon you hold there. I apologize for the noise, I was attempting to figure out this strange thing's vital spots.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng | MLB

[doodlebuginette]

United We Stand

[Several things were readily apparent as she dusted herself off and looked around. It was entirely too hot.

Tikki was not around, which frightened her more than anything else had thus far...

And there were what appeared to be ... walking cacti steadily approaching. What even was this place?]

Merde...

[The first thing she did was shed her jacket, figuring the dark-colored article wasn't going to do her any favors. Rather than toss it away, though, she decided to keep it, and settled for awkwardly clutching it to her chest as she surveyed her surroundings.

She was already looking around for something that could be used to combat the pokey guys. If her time as Ladybug had taught her anything, it was that she was fairly adept at problem-solving. She just had to hope that she was still lucky enough to pull something off.]


Don't Fear the Succ

[Was she... on a boat?

This wasn't right. This definitely wasn't her room, and as far as she could remember she'd never been on a boat this large before. And the last time... she shuddered at the memory.]

Nonononono.... Why did it have to be a boat...?

[The memory of what had almost happened to her the last time she'd been on a boat was still fresh enough in her mind to inspire a nice round of nervous shakes and cold sweat as she looked around in an attempt to figure out a way out of this mess.

The second thing she'd noticed, to her immense horror, was that she could no longer feel Tikki. A quick check told her that she still wore the earrings, but where was her kwami? Had they gotten separated somehow? Had something... NO. She wasn't going to think like that! Tikki would be fine! And so would she!

But then she caught movement out of the corner of her eye and whipped her head around in time to see...]

Are those tentacles?!

Choose Your Own Adventure
[Uh... make something up~?]

Fear that Succ?

[greatcleavage]

From a biological perspective, no. Those are arms. You can tell because they have suckers along their entire length, which is usually the determinant.

[Roy has, by the time this explanation ends, already begun a vigorous duel with one of the tentacles, whacking at it with his greatsword while it pounds down, trying to break his guard.]

But the two terms are used interchangeably in common parlance.

Atomic Robo | Atomic Robo

[mammal_robot]

United We Stand

"Just a little bit further..."

Robo was supposed to only get tired every ten years or so when he started running low on fuel. Something was definitely wrong with him. Low power warnings were urgently requesting his attention as he stumbled through the desert. The heat, of course, was no problem for him, but the fact that he had apparently burned through eight years worth of uranium in the last few days was rather concerning.

"Never felt...tired before... How do humans put up with it?"

He could see trees on the horizon. Maybe he could find SOMETHING there. What he really needed was a Mana Pool, but the scientist in him stubbornly searched for a more logical solution than ~magic~.

Tentacles!

No power problems this time, but plenty of other problems. Robo held onto the tentacle that was flailing back and forth over the ship for dear life. Not that being dropped into the ocean would kill him, but it would take a LOT of walking along the bottom to find land again, this far out to sea. Better to stay with the ship.

Of course, first he had to stop it from getting broken in half by an angry squid. He fumbled at his belt for a gun before remembering that his gun was lost in another dimension. Maybe he could just...squeeze it in half with sheer strength?

"Oh god it's COVERED IN SLIME! EVERYTHING IS TERRIBLE FOREVER!" He screamed, while the kraken repeatedly bashed him against the deck of the ship.

Honestly, it looked like the ship was going to start cracking before Robo did, but either way it would be a problem. Help a sapient robot out?

Wildcard!

Use the power of your imagination! Robo is an ageless, nuclear powered, artificially intelligent robot built by Nikola Tesla in 1923 who spends his time having adventures with his team of Action Scientists™

tentacles; science girl and science robot

[mindread_it_all]

A colossal squid of all things. Aren't they supposed to dwell in the deep depths? This one should be having pressure problems. And also it's awfully big and it's attacking the ship she's on. It really doesn't help things that she can sense this thing's raw animal hunger.

In short, she's kinda paralyzed with both incredulousness and fear. Up until she hears the robot's screams. He seems to... be surprisingly okay for someone being bashed against the deck repeatedly by a giant tentacle. But he's also in need of help. There's not much she can physically do against that thing, but...

She sends a strong mental blow at the animal mind she can sense. Hopefully that'll get it to release the robot and also go away and leave them alone. As scientifically fascinating this thing is, she'd really rather it not be near and trying to eat them.

Ryuji Sakamoto | Persona 5

[effinlame]

Divided We Fall

[Ryuji was a city boy. This kind of pure wilderness is something he's never really interacted with face to face. It's beautiful, peaceful and honestly kinda boring. So why does he feel so aggravated? It's a dream. A nice dream. But his skin itches with frustration. So he stomps through the woods, brow furrowed- enough so that even the tame deer jump away eventually.

Especially when he smacks one of the trees with a stick he picked up, the cracking sound loud and shocking in the serene scene]

Don't Fear the Succ

W-whoa! What the hell, man?!

[Ryuji hops back from one of the flailing limbs, falling on his ass and scooting back. He's fought monsters before, some of them giant, many of them looking straight outta the kinda porn he'd never admit to watching. But the two together is a BIT much.

Still, battle trained instincts kick in, and he scrambles for the mace he had arrived with, hauling it up with an almost eager grunt. Swinging the heavy weapon is always so damn satisfying, and he brings it down on the limb with a holler and squelch]

Bring it!

[Maybe someone should stop him fighting then damn thing. Or join in?]

tentacle hentai obviously

[covertizer]

[ Somehow, a certain someone had found himself awkwardly deposited in the Crow's Nest - which any other time would be great, but given that he'd got a literal bird's-eye view of what looks like a deleted scene from the second pirates of the caribbean film going on below, it didn't feel that great right now.

Although those films didn't include an angry blond with a mace, smashing tentacles like it's going out of style, as far as he can remember. An angry blond he does actually have a recollection of being here once before, although he hadn't seen him after he'd actually woken up and found that the dream... wasn't so much of a dream and was more his new reality. ]

Ahoy down there!

[ He cups his hands around his mouth, to make sure the sound travels. ]

Korra || Avatar: The Legend of Korra || OTA

[watertribal]

((OOC: Potential content warning. Korra suffers from PTSD, and although by the end of season 4, she's on the fast road to healing, there is still a chance that she can struggle with the disorder, depending on the effects Mu will bestow on her.))

[I’m On a Boat]

When Korra walked hand in hand with Asami into the spirit portal - this wasn’t what she expected. At first, as far as she could tell, she was alone. No Asami. That wasn’t right. Then, she was on a boat - which wasn’t quite right. The spirit world was vast, but when you entered through a portal you always arrived in the same exact place. The weirdest part was that this felt like the spirit world, almost. It was similar but not quite right.

Then, a deep, empty dread fell over Korra. “Raava?” Her voice shaky. No, no, no. . . . she had just found the light spirit again. It almost felt like she had been completely cut off again, severed. What was going on?

Unfortunately for the Avatar, there was no time to dwell or think, as the boat began rock violently. Barely keeping her footing, Korra ran towards the side of the boat to investigate, only to be met by a face full of tentacle. “Whoa!” She jumped back, letting the air rendering around her to help her keep balance. At least it seemed she still had her elements. “That’s not good!”

Surely, she wasn’t the only one on this boat, right?


[Sand Everywhere]


At least she was off the boat.

Hailing from the water tribe, Korra was normally pretty comfortable on a boat, but today was not a good day. She hadn’t expected her vacation to quite start with fighting for her life from a giant tentacle creature. Nope. At least getting off gave her some time to think.

Wait, how did she get off the boat again?

It didn’t matter. She was off, and on dry land, mind you the land was extremely dry and hot. “It’s not that bad,” she told herself. “The spirit world might have just gotten a bit mixed up because of the new portal. You’re the Avatar, you can figure this out, Korra.”

She survived without the feeling of Raava’s presence before. She could do it again. She could find Asami, and find out what was going here. The sooner she figured it out, the sooner she could get on with her vacation with her girl-

The very thought made Korra pause. Maybe it was a bit too soon to think like that. To put labels on it. That was something they needed to discuss once she found Asami.

[WildCard]
Write a prompt anywhere on Mu. I will match formats, though prose is my preference.

Booooat

[greatcleavage]

"Honestly," Roy said, his voice raised slightly to carry over the meaty thwack! thwack! thwack! of his sword cutting into the sucker-strewn arm, "you get used to it."

Really, this was just another Tuesday, which -- really didn't say a lot of great things about his life, he reflected, as he planted one foot on the railing for balance as the boat listed.

"There's others," he said. "Can you fight?"

Hibiki Shikyoin ♔ Idol Time PriPara

[priforprince]

[ United We Stand ]



Haaaahhhhh!!!

[ One moment, your character is being menaced by walking cacti, the creatures' spines shooting out in an attempt to impale some vulnerable area. In the next, they've been whisked off their feet and the cacti are howling at the slashed-off remains of their spikes.

The dashing individual now holding your character beneath one arm looks down as the two of you land. Bright green eyes glitter behind a gold mask. A wide-brimmed hat with an entirely unnecessarily puffy pair of feathers casts a shadow across the desert.

This figure's voice is deep, but solicitous. ]

Are you all right?

[ The intrepid rescuer's smile is gentle. And completely ignores the trickles of sweat running down that otherwise flawless skin.

This guise is hot. ]

[ Divided We Fall ]



AAAANNNNNDDOOOOOOO!!!

[ A frightened herd of deer scatter at this noise, leaping off through the brush - right towards your character. Behind them, a figure in really impressive pants sighs, one hand on her hip, and frowns. ]

Not absorbed into the herd here either, hm. Where could that goat have gone?

[ An eyebrow twitches, cross. The figure frowns down at a teacup in their non-hip-holding hand. A sacriligeously empty teacup. ]

What a perturbing dream.

[ Don't Fear the Succ ]

[ Whoosh!

That thing that narrowly passed overhead wasn't a tentacle, thank goodness. It was...Hibiki. Taking a flying leap and several somersaults to land beside the ship's wheel in a brilliant burst of golden light. A trail of purple sparkles fade in her wake.

She puts a hand to her bangs as she stands, then mans the wheel. It seems she knows...how to steer? ]



At the flag of revolution, I live in grace!

[ The ship careens to the side, serving to try to avoid the beast.

Correction: Hibiki knows how to act like she's steering. Whether this plays out all right is anybody's guess. ]

United

[scissorhood]

[Red had been distracted by fighting a different cactus. Her giant scissors falling to the sand as she looks up to the person who had grabbed her and... Blushes. Deeply.]

Aha... thanks. I-I'm okay. It didn't nick my hood, right?

Restille Alleluia (body) + Allione (weapon) + Farron Al-Beyer (soul) | OC

[allione]

[ United We Stand ]

[ The desert sure is hot, isn't it? But this girl here, in her modern school uniform and holding a long jitte, doesn't seem affected by it at all. ]

Hey, uh, are you all right? Do you... need some water? [ Before she even hears a reply, she's searching through her bag. ] I'm pretty sure I've got some.

You have to be careful out in this heat, you know.


[ Don't Fear The Hentai ]

[ When you're expecting people to be fighting off a kraken, you're probably not expecting a girl like this. In a school uniform, a high-school aged girl whacks at the tentacles coming over the side of the ship with a jitte, doing more damage than she probably should be.

Most telling was how she did it, though. There wasn't an ounce, a single trace of fear. It was methodical, somebody who's done similar tasks dozens if not hundreds of times.

And then a tentacle lashes out. She jumps up onto it in midair as it's coming down, then kickflips off of it to land next to another fighter. ]

My attacks don't seem to be doing more than annoying it. Got any better plans?



[ NOTES: Since it's a bit complicated, here's the low-down for people with weird senses or good observation: This is a dead body. The jitte has a soul, and that soul has the ability to perform necromancy. So the weapon is using a girl's body to pretend to be alive basically! But the body doesn't breath, sweat, or feel pain, so there you go. ]

united

[catpiper]

I'm okay.

[The heat's sucking every bit of energy out of her, but she feels oddly okay despite that. Having a companion by her side is enough motivation to keep moving on in this expansive, dream world.]

You should drink that.

alexandre tialys | ffxiv oc

[priwen]

> desert
[ Waking up in a different place hardly surprises him. With all that had elapsed in the prior year, allowances could be made for the more fantastical. Perhaps this was another trial of the Mothercrystal, meddling by the Agents of Darkness - whatever it was, his first priority is to collect information.

Boy it is hot here. It's only by virtue of his years spent in Ul'dah's bloodsands that he is able to move swiftly across the desert. There ought to be an end to it, or at least some sort of oasis... but all that comes within sight are scattered hordes of cactuars. More menacing than the cactuars that roamed the Sagolii, however - but they were still cacti, and cacti can be diced neatly with a sword.

If there's someone else here with him, they might see a man in half-complete armour setting off at a brisk walk across the dunes. If a cactus is attacking you, there's a good chance of him coming up behind and turning it into salad.

Really, all in a day's work for an adventurer. ]


> forest
[ Maybe you're in the east half of the island insntead. The woods are tranquil but a fair bit dark, so any light source is bound to catch attention.

Walking closer reveals a man wielding a lightsaber sword that appears to be on fire. The light is enough to illuminate a fair bit of the clearing. If you approach and a twig happens to snap carelessly under one foot, that blade will be instantly pointed at you. ]

Who goes?

[ His voice is calm, unnaturally so. ]

> forest 2
[ Or he happens to be trying to wrestle a deer instead of using his sword as a light source. Having arrived here without any sort of ranged projectile, a man must resort to more blunt methods - such as running parallel to the herd and cutting straight into it. It's probably a terrible idea, but a two-metre tall man in armour should have enough weight to tackle one to the ground.

Except he's riding it now. What? ]


> wildcard
[ throw me something and I'll work with it! ]

I've been keeping all her references to the WoL vague in preparation for this day (forest 1)

[alittleditty]

[Gods, she never really likes this place. This island that was... different every time, really. She hasn't been to Monsun herself, leaving that to the people here better-suited to adventuring. So she doesn't really recognize this part of the island for what it is. All she knows is that it's a forest, it's dark, and she feels ten times as uneasy and unwelcome as she did even in The Black Shroud, and that place wasn't welcoming to outsiders.

Still, desperate for light? Careless enough to make enough noise to startle someone? Fits Tataru to a t. And when the blade is pointed at her, she screeches to a halt, instantly cowering, trembling with fear. Too scared, even, to recognize his voice.]

I- I'm sorry! I saw the light and I just-

yusuke kitagawa | persona 5

[bigakutsuu]

i am thou, thou art i

[But I already did the desert palace.]

So hot . . . [He's dying. He's a delicate flower who shouldn't be subjected to this bullshit.] Is this what a real desert feels like?

[What if he just collapses right here on the ground? What if that.]

[insert october joke here]

[Yusuke's just sitting there, sketching deer. Superficially, it seems like he's not affected by whatever the fuck is up with this half of the island. Realistically, he's going to yell at the first person who scares the deer away and ruins his composition.]

it'll be fine after a change of heart

[After fantastical mindscapes, a boat seems . . . lacking. It doesn't even have the decency to be aesthetically interesting and there aren't even any - oh. Nevermind. That sure is a . . . it doesn't look like a Shadow, but it's a monster all the same. No one's here to give him orders so.]

Persona! [Honestly if you don't think Yusuke is extra enough to just yell shit out even when he thinks he's alone, I don't know what to tell you.] Goemon, strike!

[It's probably not a great idea to use ice skills on a monster that came out of the ocean? But that's what's happening here. Look at all that nothing.]

Strange. I feel as if my Persona is weaker than before.

wildcard

[Do it. Be the protagonist. Fucking use whatever persona prompt you want, I believe in your ability to use this option responsibly. Relatedly: we're going with . . . just post-sixth palace. It's fine, probably.]

desert desert desert

[budgetmage]

Hey! You all right?

[ There's a form approaching... a mirage? No, just a tiny gal in a shitty, worn-out cloak. Why is she wearing a cloak in this heat? Who knows. ]

If you collapse on me, I'm not going to carry you.

Aranea Highwind | FFXV

[commodorable]

[JUST DESERTS]

[Well, this certainly is a desert, all right. And really, that's fine, there's nothing wrong with a desert objectively, because heat is just heat and barren wastelands are just barren wastelands, and so long as you're prepared for those conditions, it's really nothing to whine or cry about in the grand scheme of things.

The problem is, while she is in fact dressed for desert conditions, it just so happens that the desert she's dressed for is a barren wasteland of snow, not scorched earth. Which means that all of a sudden her scarf feels more like a noose than a blessing around her neck, and she's acutely aware of just how heavy her fur-lined coat and leather cold-weather gear really is under the blaze of the burning sun.]

Dammit...

[Okay. All right. Keep your head in the game, Highwind. Get moving before the heat catches up, and find some water, or some shelter, or some sign of habitation, or...something.

Odd. She feels unusually confident about that prospect, for some reason. She can take care of herself. She knows how to survive. Even something like this isn't going to keep her down.

Yeah. Nothing to it but to do it, so she might as well get going.]

[LET'S GET KRAKEN]

[You know, it's a testament to all of the weird bullshit Aranea has seen in her life that she's not even remotely surprised when one minute an idle sailing adventure (and an inexplicable one that that) immediately and abruptly turns into TENTACLE DISASTER. Like it's even possible to go literally anywhere without running into a catastrophe like this.

Fortunately, she just so happens to be well-suited to aerial combat, and giant-ass tentacles can only reach so high. Now, if it manages to take out the ship entirely and deprive her of a place to land, she's going to be in for it, but —

Well. That's something to worry about another time.]

[WILDCARD]

[Choose your own adventure! Write me a starter (I tend to default to present tense brackets, preferably) and I'll hit you back!]

[want_to_belong]

[Once upon a time there was a happy little chocoboy wandering around the desert. Plenty of resources were available just across the river, but they came at the cost of happiness, so he decided to spend some time exploring the desert instead.

Except, this wasn't the desert. No, it was very definitely a dream place. Much like times before. He wondered if eating here even made a difference in the real world. Every time just one thing was consistent: new people. So, he trotted about, seeing what he could find with his awesome dream camera before they were zapped back to the real world.

As he wandered he spotted someone off in the distance. They didn't look like anyone he could readily pick out on the island, so he jogged towards them. She quickly became more familiar the closer he got - the outfit, that height, the gait, the hair... He didn't connect it immediately because he didn't expect to see her there, but once he got close enough he knew immediately.]

A... Aranea?!

[Though he had his winter clothes he wasn't wearing them, instead donning his usual gear. The type of gear that gave no coverage for his arms in the hot sun. Thank the astrals for Iggy and his sunscreen.]

Aranea!

[Once the surprised wore off he smiled broadly and waved from afar. Last he remembered seeing her, he'd just thanked her and headed off on his snowmobile.

Man, had things changed. He looked like Noct hadn't let them stay at a hotel for months, but otherwise he was doing all right.]

Erika Fisher | Original

[bitch4bitch]

A - United We Stand

Okay. Erika is not any sort of an expert on desert plant life (or any kind of plant life, actually) but she is pretty sure that’s not normal. Unless these are some of the most fucked up dryads ever to come into being.

...Actually, that would still mean it’s not normal, huh.

She squints through the bright sunlight and shifts to reach for the handgun in her waistband, casting a glance at whoever might be nearby.

“You’re seein’ this too, right?”

B - Divided We Fall

See, supernatural psychological effects are one thing, but it actually is super not helping Erika’s mood to be surrounded by all these fucking trees. She has never much liked nature, never liked being out in the woods, never liked hiking or camping or any of that shit that people go on about as BONDING ACTIVITIES or RECONNECTING WITH NATURE.

Frankly, Erika would like her FIST to connect with the FACE of anyone who tries to drag her into this kind of crap.

Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be any punchable person responsible for this.

Which leaves punchable people not responsible for this as her next best option.

Which means that anyone unfortunate enough to step into her vicinity will find a switchblade being pointed at them almost immediately, while Erika’s lip curls back to show animalistic fangs. “Watch it.”

C - Don’t Fear The Succ

“I hate the ocean I hate the ocean I hate the fucking ocean I hate the ocean--”

She absolutely was not this vocal about Hating The Ocean before everything started to go to shit. Now, though, she cannot risk anybody not knowing this absolutely vital information.

She can, however, risk running right the fuck up to one of those tentacles and jabbing her knife into it.

D - Wildcard

(( OOC: Just go for it if you wanna do something else!!))

D cuz I DO WHAT I WANT

[demonpuppy]

Chip has, for the most part, accepted that they're stuck in this place. It's going to be ages before they can get home, if they ever do, and even if they do they kind of doubt they'll ever see any familiar faces again.

That face though, that's walking through the same stretch of dry, hot sand they are?

That's definitely familiar. They only met her the one time, and only briefly, but she'd left one heck of an impression on them.

"Erika?"

And more important than that...she's family.

Futaba Sakura | Persona 5

[socialhacktivist]

united we stand.

[The unrelenting heat is familiar-- it calls back to memories both good and bad, all taking place within a short time of one another. But it's a positive feeling it evokes. One of strength and courage. It seems fitting for a dream her head would come up with. It even comes with game-like enemies. There's one, two... three headed this way now. But there's still time. So she pretends not to notice them. Let them come.

On her face is a triumphant grin.]

Heh. Piece of cake.

[Futaba you've never been on the front lines a day in your life--]

Hey, you! Don't look now but we've got some company. Time to get ready to send them packing.

[Support may be her specialty but she's excited to give them a little hell herself.]

divided we fall.

[At first you might think it's the deer. Because there's something or someone there, but it won't approach-- in fact, it seems to be very much avoiding you on purpose and it's not nearly as quiet as the deer. It doesn't mean you any harm... but there's no reason for you to believe that. After all... call out to it all you want and it won't answer you. If you're lucky you might notice bright orange hair standing out vibrantly against the forest colors as it moves around.

She'd been fine until she came here. There are some feelings you want to drown out for the rest of your life. But the truth is, bits and pieces of them will always be there. Fear... hate... doubt...

Although that hate is directed at herself. Because of it, since coming here, she hasn't been able to feel like she can trust anyone or anything. If cornered, who knows what she'll do. Honestly, even she doesn't know. She just wants to go back to her room where she can shut it all out like she did before...]

united we staaaaand

[covertizer]

[ akira hadn't expected to find himself in the desert again - he'd explored the outskirts of it since arriving, but after the whole shenanigans with the sand hydra erupting under his feet on his first day here.

but here he is, and he'd recognise that small frame and brightly coloured hair anywhere. so he... runs. it involves a little bit of elegant stumbling down a sandbank and doing his best not to tumble equally elegantly onto his face. ]

Futaba!

[ because he knows what to expect in this desert - and it's not friendly, fun times. he'd trust futaba to have his back any day of the week - she's incredible at that, but she doesn't fight. not in the way that he did, or the rest of the team did.

and he knows the importance of back up on the front lines.

he kicks up sand as he runs, skidding to a halt at her side and pausing to catch his breathe before straightening up.

...

and then he absolutely hooks an arm around her neck and noogies her. hi sis. you're in trouble. ]

What exactly were you planning to do, hm?

Yuuri Wakasa | School-Live! | Airlocked R2

[serrata]

united we stand

[ Things you should probably not be wearing in the desert: black thighhighs and a cardigan.
Things Yuuri Wakasa is wearing in the desert: take a guess!

In her defense, it was winter where she came from and she was very much dressed for it. Really, she's thankful that she wasn't wearing a sweater. At least it offers her a little protection from how harsh the sun is and it means her feet aren't going to be burned by the sand. So. Silver linings, and all.

The other silver lining is that, apparently, she's not alone. Her face lights up with relief when she spots someone else traipsing through the sands just like her and comes hurrying right on over. ]

Oh! Excuse me! It looks like we've both just been dumped here without any explanation. Are you alright?

Don't Fear the Succ

[ So! Sea monsters! That's what we're doing now, apparently. Just lovely.

Yuuri's obviously not happy about this. She's got the tense posture of a cat that's ready to lash out but she's backed as far away from the edge as she can without making her way too far to the other side of the boat, just in case. She's holding a... knife, that was evidently in that knapsack of hers and while she's handling it with some apparently level of proficiency, she doesn't look all too happy to have it in her hand.

(Really, something a little heavier with a little more range would be perfect...)

But beggars can't be choosers, especially at sea. ]

What do you have with you we can use against it?!

[ She barks it out like an order, sounding surprisingly fierce for what would likely usually be such a gentle voice. In fact, she kind of looks like she's normally be a gentle sort of girl but with that knife in her hand, the only appropriate response is fear. ]

wildcard

[ JUST COME AT ME AND DO WHAT YOU LIKE ]

[ just as a note, literally zero knowledge of her CRAU is required for any of these shenanigans! However, she does have a quick impressions post here that might be worth a skim as there's a few little details of her appearance that differ from her icons. ]

DESERT DESERT DESERT???

[bloodyashes]

[By now Asch is somewhat familiar with the fuzzy, dreamlike feeling. The combination of that and the desert's effects means that he isn't going to question where the girl came from or why she's dressed like that -

Though, honestly, given that he's wearing almost entirely black and dark grey, Yuuri probably has more questions about his attire than he does about hers. Hair nearly as long, too, and even with the desert's dust it's a vivid shade of red.]

I should probably be asking you that. Here.

['Here' is a small water canteen pressed into her hands. It feels about half full.]

Rey | Star Wars: The Force Awakens

[reyofhope]

[United We Stand: Look out behind you.]

[The desert is no stranger to Rey, so it's no surprise that she would dream of it. It almost feels like being back on Jakku, and with it a strange pang of anxious need follows. Softer than before and growing ever smaller, that feeling of urgency lingers under her skin, like the Force that (sometimes) guides her. A hand raises to shield her eyes from the bright sun, giving them a moment to adjust to the glare. One... Two heartbeats, and the feeling slips away again, replaced by the awareness of the satchel on her shoulder and the weight it carries inside. This isn't Jakku, but she still has a purpose. She has a future to look forward to.]

[She sets off across the sand, her legs falling into an old rhythm as her stride adjusts to the shifting beneath each step. This may be a dream, but survival still drives her. There's a line of green on the horizon, some canopy that she can barely make out. With no water in her pack, it would be best to head in that direction. Green means life; and where there's life, there's water.]

[Nevermind, of course, the cacti creeping over the wastes. She's bound to notice that those aren't plants. Eventually. Probably.]

[Divided We Fall; Watch your heads.]

[The majesty of the forest is overwhelming. Her eyes take in each fern, each vine, each leaf like a starving man takes in food. If the desert wasteland was like Jakku, then this forest haven belongs on Takodana. She drinks from the stream and breathes deeply the air, like she can pull all of this rich vitality into her own body. This is such a beautiful place... So why doesn't she feel happy here?]

[That resolute feeling that she had in the desert is gone, turned sour under this vivid canopy. Anxiety rears its ugly head--not just about her absence from Jakku, but other things as well. Like the budding power that pulls at her thoughts and guides her actions. It feels far larger than she is, leaving a sense of being overwhelmed and helpless in its wake. Something has started, and she doesn't know how to stop it.]

[She shouldn't be here. She shouldn't be out roaming the galaxy, searching for some lost myth. This was someone else's fight. This was someone else's destiny. Not hers.]

[She reaches into the satchel and pulls out the lightsaber. This was the thing that started everything, wasn't it? And somehow she had been roped into being its carrier, when all she had wanted was to never see it again.]

[Her grip tightens around the metal cylinder, a frown creasing her brow. What if keeping it near her made that power stronger? What if she couldn't control it? The fear overwhelms her, and all she can think of in that moment is to get it away from her. With great effort, she hurls the weapon out into the forest, sending it spinning through the air and landing with a few clattering thuds in the distance.]

Divided We Fall

[ratsinadaze]

[This dreamlike feeling tells her it's not Monsun, not really, but it doesn't change the fact that she's here in this verdant paradise and her mind is not her own.]

[Gobbet has been wandering the forest for hours - or maybe days? Maybe minutes. She's just kind of waiting to wake up at this point. This has to be Mu. This has to be Mu. Otherwise she's lost time again and she hates that idea.]

[A metal cylinder strikes the tree in front of her, showering her in chipped bark and wood. As an ork she's taller than average, but she still drops into a crouch and makes herself as small as possible. She squints at the thing, reaches for it hesitantly. What if it's a grenade? No, it would have gone off by now. Probably. Maybe. What else could it be, though?]

[Rat isn't here to tell her where to go. Rat isn't here to tell her what to do.]

[So she picks it up and hurls it back the way it came with more force than she's ever put into throwing something in her life. There. Problem solved.]

Magnus Burnsides | The Adventure Zone: Balance

[proficienciesouttheass]

[United We Stand]

[ Huh. Well, alright then.

Fair to say he's woken up in weirder places, and he's been to...weird endless desserts before, but still!

You know, you never really think about how warm metal and leather can get before you're fucking cooking in it. But, huh, this scene seems familiar, huh?

He stops and just stands there for a second, watching the weird cactus thing gradually move in his direction. ]

...what the fuck are you?

--

[Divided We Fall]

[ Time to get a-choppin'.

Hard to miss him, running through the woods like a madman. Harder to miss when he entirely misses the edge of a small cliff and goes tumbling down (clank clank clank) and straight into the river.

What the fuck was he doing? Who the hell knows. He was doing a thing.

...it seemed like a good idea at the time.]

👀👀👀

[ohshitsweetflips]

Taako doesn't really have time to take in exactly what he's seeing as it turns into a clanking disasterlanch ending with a majestic splash. Which, at the best of times, is going to be pretty funny, once the Magnus-ness of it sinks in. At this particular juncture, it's outright hilarious, and Taako is wheezing with laughter.

"Holy shit!" Taako is as close to the bank as he dares, which is not very. "Uh, you good, dude?"

Lydia | The Adventure Zone

[wonderland_vogue]

[United We Stand A]

[A roasting sun, a desert wasteland, that seemed familiar. Normally she wouldn't have a problem with that, but when you've come to realize a few things that aren't... normal... about yourself, you start panicking a bit. Mostly the fact that not having to breathe or deal with normal body things for over two thousand years makes it a lot harder to deal with a regular flesh body. Especially when your clothing has been reverted to what you had worn at first death, normal if not a bit ripped and torn white pants, matching top that is very much more of a crop top now and plain black boots. All under a black torn and ripped worn cloak. That she's gratefully using the hood of to try and block out the heat, not that the black is helping her any.

A soft huff escapes from her as she finally just moves to sit on her knees, palms placed against the ground. God, she was going to die out here, wasn't she?]

[United We Stand B]

[So what does a squishy wizard that specializes in illusion and necromantic magic do when faced with an enemy that is clearly a physical fighter? Not much. Especially when the latter seems to be cut off from her.

Thus she's quickly trying to scramble back from one of those cacti creatures, yelping at the feeling of one of those spines managing to catch her in a forearm. Blood is new, been a while. Though luckily she's managing to pry the damn thing off of the creature, ignoring the pain and trying her best to get a brief moment to channel something, anything.]

[United We Stand B] :3c

[ohshitsweetflips]

This island's weird posi vibes mean this is Lydia's lucky day. Or at the very least, not as bad as it could be; Taako's actually fairly quick to get involved, for once, in the interest of what he assumes is a stranger. The ratty, non-distinctive clothing and cloak are good enough camouflage to get his foot in a door he wouldn't even be on the porch of otherwise. Not to mention the fact that there are apparently just, big fuckoff walking cacti now? Fuck that. Taako says no to all of this.

Three vivid darts, their glow made even more surreal under a desert sun, lay that motherfucker out, as Taako whoops in triumph. "How's that guaranteed damage taste? Cha boy's still got it."

Otus | Owlboy

[pallidscops]

( united we stand )

[ hark, what's that? In the distance? It's an....it's a what exactly?

It's...human? No. The hairs pointed upwards resemble an owl. But the fingers and legs are clearly more humanoid.

And those cactus thorns look incomfortable. There's one in his cheek, and a few in his arm-- attacking the cacti in defense has proven to be...ineffective, to say the least. His brown cape is shrugged to the side while the little creature tries to pull the thorns from his body. There is a lot of wincing...it hurts a great deal, and little Otus is not known for his bravery.

He...actually is not known for much of anything positive. Shoulders slump. He remembers falling-- Advent exploded in a crash of horrible, burning colors. The mechanical laughter of a robot sworn to war. His best friend screaming out his name...the wind through his feathers. And...then waking up here. In a desert, where it's very hot, and the cacti are very rude.

He pulls fruitlessly, feeling very small, and looking very sad. ]

[mamaterasu]

[Ammy doesn't recall this place, not having set foot on the island of Monsun when its presence was announced. She opted to stay behind, on Enso, and cater to the left plants, gardens, and domesticated creatures other islanders kept, in their stead. This dreamlike presence, the ethereal feel, it is reminiscent of a different place, a different sort of influence, that she only vaguely recollects. And yet...this island is most certainly the one people left for, weeks ago.

The heat is unbearable, even for the sun goddess, and cooling herself by panting only gets her a mouth full of sand and dust. What she needs is shade, and water, finding herself pacing the desert in search of that river she knows exists....somewhere, on this barren landscape. It's in her travels that she comes across the little one, peering closely at him with a tilted head and perky ears. She can smell blood, and approaches slowly, though her body posture is kept loose and fluid, tail wagging happily.

He reminds her so much of the Sparrow Clan, in a way, and it's why Ammy is immediately both fond and protective of the young child. She sniffs at him, spies the painful looking thorns embedded in his skin, and folds her ears back with a sad whimper. Oh, this poor thing...that must hurt like nothing else. Ammy really wishes she had powers to heal, but she is not that kind of goddess, sadly. She does not possess those sorts of skills. Still, she can at least clean the wound a bit, if little Otus here doesn't mind a literal face full of wolf slobber. It's a bit of an antiseptic, and...if she tried hard enough, Ammy could Bloom up a medicinal plant, perhaps.

But she wouldn't know at all how to use it....mm.]

The Knight | Hollow Knight

[lightlessfuture]

A: this desert is too hot

[ The sun is high in the sky, the way ahead is hazy, and they don't like it at all. Significant heat has never been something they've had to deal with, and they're suffering a little.

They have their cloak over their head to keep off the sun as they walk. This may make them look ridiculous, but they have no concept of shame, so they don't care. ]

B: this boat ride is the worst

[ The Knight has never really been in a boat before. They've experienced water, certainly, but the sea is beyond their scope of experience.

Hostile tentacles, though? Yeah, those are fine. They know how those work. They draw their nail with a motion that even looks sharp, and stab deep into a tentacle without hesitation. Blood spurts from the wound as they pull their weapon out-

then they get flicked back into the ship proper with a splintering of timber. Ouch. They seem a little disoriented by their sudden flight, but they're sitting up with intent to take another run at it, so maybe they're used to this sort of thing? ]

A

[mindread_it_all]

[Darja blinks at the sight. Huh. That sure was an adorable little bug with their cloak over their head. A way to cope with the sun? Come to think of it, aren't there factors against a bug this large? But she supposes this one's species's overcome such factors. After all, this one's practically right in front of her. But it'd be rude to just stare while thinking such things.]

Oh, hello there. I know a rock outcrop that gives some shelter.

[She wonders what a bug person'd think of her. Are they used to humans? Or is she gonna look weird and gross to them?]

[OOC: BTW, Darja here is a mindreader. You cool with her reading the Knight's mind?]

luke fon fabre | tota | united we stand

[hyperresonance]

[ This should be really easy, shouldn't it? Even if he doesn't have a sword, he has artes, and he can defend himself with a heavy branch or ward this thing off or even do something as simple as run away. But Luke's thoughts lie in Baticul, where his bed is and the open window Guy would pop in and out of is and how that's...

... not even in existence to him anymore. He'd like to lay down and sleep. He thought that was what melting into the ether was going to be, but his body is tough with the experience of his journey, and he's alive as he's ever been. Jade, Natalia, Anise, Tear, Guy... they were--

Gone.

What does this cactus have to do with that. Luke's compassion, earned from making the hardest mistakes and making the ultimate sacrifice starts to come out, as he spreads his arms. ]

Just stop. I don't want to fight you.

[ The cactus... hesitates? As if it's confused. But one is coming up behind him that Luke doesn't notice, so maybe someone should-- ]

[attheclocktower]

Look out!

[Thankfully the cacti are lean, enough that a solid Keyblade strike is enough to send the one sneaking up on Luke's own attack awry.

Those spread arms make a great target for grabbing, and that's what Xion aims to do, hoping to get him running to drag him back towards the camp, or at least away from the fight. Which might be a good thing, considering the cacti in front of Luke doesn't take the assault on its fellow well.]

clementine | twdg (season 2)

[walkietalkie]

( 1 ) divided we fall

❰ it's been almost two and a half years since lee died, and everything any adult has ever told her about death or losing people was complete-... she could say it: complete shit. it doesn't get easier after a while, not even a long while. it kind of seems like it hurts less, but then you realize that you just... feel less. the next time she really felt that much was when that stupid girl shot omid, and now?

now she doesn't know where kenny is. where aj is. she doesn't know where she is. she doesn't know if it even matters where - it's not like they had a real destination. not a physical one. maybe a time one, the milestone in a series of milestone you're hoping to survive. like, right now her destination is tomorrow morning. to be alive until then.

this isn't what lee would've wanted.

Her hand slips into her pocket for the picture, but she can't pull it out. It's almost like she doesn't want him to see her like this, even if it is just a picture.

but beside the picture sits something much more solid, plastic. heavy. her brow knits, and she seizes the object, pulling it out into the open. it was her walkie-talkie. that's... this is impossible. god, she hadn't seen this thing since -

since haven.

it hits her like a load of bricks. she remembers haven. she remembers her old bunk, she remembers yaocorp, she remembers wade and jesse and-...

she never remembers any of this, back in the snow and the woods. back where she came from. it's like it falls out of her head or something, but then she comes back and so does everything else. does that mean she's back? is this... haven? impossible. it's so green here, so-

a rustle of foliage nearby has her dropping the radio into the dirt and slipping to her feet, quickly but smoothly despite the fact that her first reflex was to jump. her gun's out now, even while she's hedging her bets on whether the handgun's loaded like before or empty like it was in haven. ❱

You don't want to try anything, ❰ she warns whoever it is the instant they come into sight, her voice low. ❱ I only aim for the head.

( 2.1 ) don't fear the succ

❰ clementine's never been on a ship. a boat, sure, out on the lake once or twice before the dead started to walk - a world that almost feels as hazy and dreamlike as this one does, when she tries to think about it - but never a ship. this is a different thing altogether.

and y'know what? it's not so bad. it made her more than a little nervous at first, and then nauseous once the nerves passed, but now? now, she's sitting cross-legged on the very edge of the main deck, her handgun tucked muzzle-out under her thigh for safe-keeping. her arms are crossed on the lowest rung of the railing and her chin's resting firmly on her arms. it's almost the posture you'd see in someone deeply invested in shipboard pouting, but far from it, her eyes glow with intrigue as she watches out over the sea.

at one point, she can be heard humming 'row, row, row your boat...' under her breath. the dry grin tugging at her lips suggests that she's at least peripherally aware of the irony. ❱

( 2.2 )

❰ unfortunately, all good times in clem's life inevitably come to a quick and jarring end, and the muffled thud that glances off the hull is precisely that. her gun's in her hand before she can think, and she's on her feet, backing away from the edge toward at least the illusion of safety. an illusion which shatters pretty rapidly when her quick scan for some sort of life raft catches the tip of a tentacle working its way up over the railing. ❱

Holy shit. ❰ she's backed up against the mast now, for lack of anywhere more secure. her gun hovers half-raised, a reflex she knows is so very very useless right now, as she takes a deep, deliberate breath through the fear squeezing her chest.

bullets won't hurt this thing. if you can't hurt something and you can't hide from it, your only real option is to run. her eyes dart to the nearest person - stranger or no, they're the closest she has to a teammate in this mess - with a sharp: ❱ Can you swim?

Ingway | Odin Sphere

[darkova]

United we Stand

[The desert is nothing new to him- Valentine had always been warmer then it's neighbors, but after the disaster it had been barren and unrelenting. It was why the clothing he wore was so light and bare chested.

The monsters weren't anything too surprising either, though he doesn't recognize this specific species. Which is why you might find him cutting one up with a long jeweled dagger and carefully wrapping up the pieces to take with him]

It's a bit rude to stare.

Don't fear the Succ

[Ingway was a sorcerer, not a front line fighter- he didn't even own a psypher. So huge monsters like this weren't his forte, exactly.

Which makes it odd that he keeps snarling low in his throat, eyes narrowed like all he wants to do is jump on one of the limbs and tear into it with his teeth like a beast. His dagger is out, swinging at anything that gets too close, and he is supporting the other fighters with healing- but he just in general looks distressed]

Is there any chance of hurrying this up a bit?

united we stand!

[covertizer]

[ No, no. Don't mind him. He's absolutely staring at the methodical method Ingway is slicing apart the monsters and selecting pieces - is there some importance to the pieces he's taking and the pieces he's leaving?

...

and the dagger.

He's definitely staring at the dagger. That is a beautiful dagger. ]

I will be sure to give myself a good telling off for bad behaviour later.

[ But he's not stopping the observation. ]