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Aion Mods ([personal profile] aionmods) wrote in [community profile] aionooc2022-02-13 02:00 pm

TDM #1

TDM #1
DREAMING
At first, there is nothing. You are nothing. Whatever existed before ceases to be if for a moment. Then, bit by bit, you start to become aware. Where there was not even darkness now is a dim haze, gentle and almost mist-like. You have limbs again and beneath your feet lays a path of light reaching out like limbs of a great tree beneath you, twisting and climbing out into the horizon.

You take a step forward for what else is there to do? As you walk you begin to remember what it was you were doing before the nothingness; maybe something as simple as chatting with a loved one or close friend. Maybe you were just beginning a great journey or facing off against an old foe. Whatever it was, you get the distinct feeling that wherever and whenever that was, it is not here. Not now.

The path of light twists off into different directions. When you look up you can see that it is not a sky above you but the sky of everything, a grand cosmic tapestry littered with not mere stars but galaxies and clusters of galaxies that gleam like crystals against the velvety backdrop of space. Admire it for a moment, if you will. You don't know how long you will drift here, but you are not alone. Other wanderers will come and go as you bask together in the vastness of creation.

It seems to you that there are two paths to walk in this place, the light and dark beckoning in turn.

THE LIGHT AT THE CENTER
One leads you to the center, splintered fragments folding together and colliding until only one thing remains: a light that speaks to you with the voice of all there is and has ever been. It greets you simultaneously as an old friend and as a lost child, both rejoicing in and mourning your arrival. You remember it too, somehow, with a feeling of complex nostalgia, as if returning to a place recalled from your distant childhood.

You’ll feel the same of the other wanderers that join you in the light; you know their faces, their voices, and as you reflect upon the world of your birth, you may witness fragments of theirs as well. You feel a comradery, then, a synchronicity of thought and emotion. Are the lives of others truly so different from your own? Or are you simply two hands of the same, greater being? Though some individualistic part of you may resist, the longer you spend in the light, the more you will find yourself becoming one with it.

Despite this welcoming call, no matter how eagerly your pursue its embrace, before you can fully submerge yourself in this oneness you will find yourself being torn away. As if seized by the impossibly long, cold arm of a creature unseen, you are plucked from the edge of fulfillment. The last thing you will remember is the sensation of your world, and all the others your experienced here, collapsing into nothingness.

THE DARK OUTSIDE (CW: deep despair, ego death)
The other leads towards the outside, where the splintering becomes so great that the vestiges of reality can do nothing but collapse back into the abyss at the end of everything. As you wander to these barren outskirts, your thoughts will not be drawn to familiarity and oneness, but instead to memories of discontent and waste. The darker the path becomes, the more you find yourself dwelling on life’s disappointments and injustices, of the things about yourself and your world you find wanting.

If you see others here, at first they will feel frightening or contemptible, as if representing to you the worst experiences in your life. Even if they are someone you’re certain you know, that familiarity and affection will be stripped away in the face of the great emptiness before you. In the end, you were all the same. In the end, none of this was worth it. If you approach the end together, you may even form a kind of kinship around this acknowledgment, as the need for paranoia and hatred fades.

Slowly, the darkness encroaches, and you can see it devouring all the things you once knew. Memories of your home, of those you loved, dissolve into nothing, and you can only reflect on the barren emptiness in your heart as you see it happen. In your final moments, though, you feel peace with it all, knowing that there was no other way. You step from the edge of the last dwindling fragment of being and are greeted by silence.

THE END
No matter which way you go, you are left with a single impression: you feel the world you came from die. It's a realization that transcends logic or sense; it weighs on your heart and leaves the vestiges of dark memories dancing in your thoughts like motes of ash. It's a memory of your home crumbling away into nothing as if consumed from within by rot. Returned to the void, all that's left to you is to be reborn.

REBIRTH
In a new time and place, you awaken. Stirring within a capsule of warmth and isolation your senses will slowly return, only to observe that you are trapped. Your body, as it wakes, is tangled in close, yours eyes unable to open, as if still within the womb. You are held tight in the embrace of something unyielding, so smothering that at first you only have the strength to struggle for moments at a time. Yet, as you persist, the pressure begins to relent in turn; it may take hours, but eventually you will find the purchase to push, to claw, to fight, and it will all give way.

The chrysalis surrounding you bends like flesh and cracks like glass. It tears as you force your fingers through, finding liberation one inch at a time, until finally you have emerged. As if having undergone metamorphosis, you feel old and new all at once. You are weak, piteously so, but the markings and scars of your previous life remain. As you slump down upon the smooth cavern stone, you realize that you've just wrenched yourself free of gigantic crystal, though its hollow, shimmering form is now in pieces on account of your passing. Somewhere on your body, a shard of similar material remains embedded.

The cave itself looks almost like the inside of a geode, the walls and ceiling bedazzled with greyish crystal that shines with all the colors of the rainbow. While they vary wildly in size and shape, only a few have grown large enough to hold a form like yours, and you can see the one you just escaped isn't the only one bearing a passenger within. They may have already hatched, or they may still be lingering in stasis. Either way, there's enough time that you may have a chance to speak to yours unexpected peers, or to perhaps to struggle to find something to cover your naked body with. You feel the chill of the open air against your moisture laden skin, a distant light trickling in through the cavern's opening.

Make the most of this time. It won't be long before you're interrupted.

[Mod Note: If you don't want to deal with your character being naked in front of the others at that location, feel free to assume they emerge at a different time than the others of their legacy. Characters will be 'hatching' over a period of several hours.]

CAPTIVITY
It seems that someone was waiting for you to arrive, and not in the most friendly of ways. Though the specifics of who comes to get you will vary according to which legacy shrine your character awakens at, there are certain commonalities: most notably, how they are ostensibly here to capture and imprison you. It's easy for them, all considered. You can barely stand, so fresh out of your chrysalis, and whatever powers or special abilities you may have had will not answer your call. Even worse, your would be captors are well equipped for the job.

Each group arrives with several 'whips' made of unknown materials. What makes them so special only become obvious when one of them inevitable snakes its way around your body. Whether it be your ankle or your neck, being bound by these cords puts you under the influence of whoever is holding the other end of your leash. Your mind remains untouched, but you will find yourself physically incapable of performing physical actions that go against their will. While the possibilities are frightening, thankfully they all just seem to want one thing: for you to come along as a good little prisoner and to not cause any of them too much trouble.

The rest depends on your character's legacy:

THE LOVER
The small island the shrine is built upon is approached by several modest boats with colorful sails. They carry what appears to be a collection of fearful fisherfolk and town guards. They are reluctant to speak with those being pulled out of the shrine or even look them in the eye. If they have their choice, the entire process will be done in silence. If you try too hard to upset them, the guards will sternly bring you to heel.

THE CELEBRANT
The infrastructure of an entire festival ground seems to be built around this shrine, and as a result, there are an usual amount of people present. While most keep their distance, a few will engage with the local guards that arrive to capture the Aions, complaining that this is going to interfere with their preparations for the upcoming Lover’s Festival. They are pushed aside in short order, and the rest of the retrieval will be done in a stern but business-like manner.

THE MARTYR
At first, those arriving to capture the Aions will be hesitant to even enter the barren crater this shrine is held within. Once the presence of the new arrivals becomes clear, however, they will run in as if crossing the no man’s land of a battlefield and complete their work with gusto. It appears to be mostly military folk and they seem to lack any patience or sympathy for those they capture.

THE SOVEREIGN
The captors here seem to be a mixed bag, almost as if two separate squadrons have arrived at the same time. One is a gathering of people who give off the impression of mountain folk, while the others are well armored soldiers. Though it will be hard to make out the specifics, there seems to be some manner of disagreement between these two parties over what should be done, but the ones kitted out in full military attire win out in the end. By then, they are completely out of patience for further resistance.

THE ARTISAN
The people here seem to have mixed feelings about your arrival. On one hand, it seems to be a moment of considerable trepidation, on the other, they seem unbearably curious about your nature. They will ask questions about any unusual features you have, or what your skills are, while others from the group try just as hard to shush them. Ultimately, they don’t seem that enthusiastic about having to capture you, but they also don’t seem to think they have much choice.

THE INNOCENT
Among rolling hills of flowers, at first it seems as if this shrine may not be visited at all. Before the arriving Aions can escape it, though - naked and weakened as they are - a group of fairly normal looking townsfolk will arrive. They pause as they spot you near the shrine, almost like they are hesitating about coming at all. In the end, they will converge upon you and ask for you to please cooperate. They won’t hurt you, as long as you come with them.

THE SEEKER
Armored soldiers are the ones to first pull you from the shrine, but as you arrive outside of it you'll see that it is situated at the edge of a great forest. An ancient observatory is build into the cliff face behind the shrine, and your captors are apparently in the process of negotiating with a series of robed individuals that have emerged from it. According to them, the soldiers kidnapping you are trespassing. Unfortunately, they are not the ones with weapons.

THE WANDERER
When you first emerge from the shrine, it will appear as if you have just missed a skirmish. There are a few bodies scattered about, all wearing woodland armor made of leather and fur. The victors, it seems, come in the form of fully armored soldiers. Thoroughly irritated by the fight that just happened, they will not waste time on niceties. If you try to ask them what just happened, the best you may get is a sneer about ‘those damn forest people.’ You may spot a couple more bodies on the trail leading out of the forest as well.

THE FIREBRAND
The first thing to be seen beyond the cavern entrance is a sheer drop into a raging canyon river far below you, with only a narrow path leading up the steep cliff face. It would be a difficult situation, even without black-cloaked warriors making their way down it to collect you. Struggle too much and you'll be at risk of being thrown into the chasm. These masked assailants are largely unmoved by your protests and will drag you the entire way up the cliff if you force them to. "Your soul will be claimed," they say.

THE VISIONARY
The view from the mouth of the cavern is awe inspiring, revealing the foreign shapes of a world you've never seen before. Unfortunately, the altitude of this shrine means you will also be greeted with sharp wind and biting cold. Fortunately, or not, a party of mountaineers and three black-cloaked warriors will arrive to collect you. Despite their seeming inability to defy the orders of the warriors, the mountaineers will toss you some shoes and blankets for the trek down, even if they are taken away from you later. If the warriors speak at all, it's mostly in the form of ominous utterances.

THE CHAMPION
Even if one were to stagger out of the shrine's cavern before being approached, the Aions arriving here will swiftly find themselves in a hopeless situation. Not only are there soldiers here to collect there is a moderately sized military barracks built around the shrine itself, and this particular squadron is not on your side. You will be swarmed before you can get far at all. There seems to be a mix of two squadrons here, some wearing heavy armor and red accents, while the others wear full face masks and dark cloaks.

Once you've been captured and pulled from the shrine, you will given a formless white gown made of moderately comfortable fabric, with sleeves reaching your elbows and its bottom reaching down past your knees. You will not be given pants or shoes. You're in for a journey, apparently - no matter who plucked you from the cave, most of the heavily armored soldiers in the prompts above will turn out to be 'Hylician soldiers', while the smaller number of black-robed warriors are referred to 'Achamites'. After the initial dealings with the shrines, all prisoners will be passed off to a squadron of Hylicians, though a few Achamites may follow along depending on the location.

Where are you all going? Back to Hylici, apparently.

WAITING
After you've been handed off to the the Hylician military, you have a long road ahead of you. Loaded up onto carts, and then eventually onto river borne boats, the people collected at the shrines will all be brought to a forest in the center of Horos. Along the way, the squadron ferrying you will combine with others from neighboring shrines, more and more captives arriving in your group the closer to your destination you get.

Along the way you will be fed and watered well enough (though only with military rations), and at night you will be given flimsy bedrolls to sleep around the fire with. Captives will be under constant watch by the Hylician guard, and anyone who shows any signs of resistance will be required to be bound by one of those magic whips, usually around the ankle or wrist. The rest of the trip is spent being pulled along in carts or the storage bays of boats. After the groups start converging, captives of the same legacy will not necessarily be kept together.

The final muster point of the Hylicians and their captives will be among forest ruins. For what purpose you have arrived they will not say, but the entire group will be camping there until preparations are complete. Sadly, you won't be allowed much space to explore - not without being bound and under watch. If you've behaved yourself it's possible to move about the central ruins, but only if the guards are confident they'll be able to wrangle you when necessary. It does allow for moderately private conversations along the pillars and walls of the ruins, but venturing out into the forest itself is definitely out of the question.

From beginning to end, characters will spent about two weeks in transit and waiting in the ruins. To what end is yet to be seen, but if you listen closely, you may hear whispers of a 'ritual space' being prepared.

QUESTIONS
Are everyone's homeworlds really gone?
That's a complicated issue, and while the fate of their world is not without hope, they may certainly get the impression its been destroyed from the dream they had. Alternatively, they may refuse to believe what they felt and attempt to dismiss it as only a vision. More about this situation will be revealed as the game goes on.

Can I only experience one end of the dream sequence prompt?
Characters may experience one ending, both endings, or neither. If they experience both they will struggle to recall which came first or which feels the most 'true' to them, as both will simultaneously be the thought they are reborn with. If your character refuses to pursue either path they can simply linger in the middle until the infinite worlds above them start being extinguished one by one, eventually expelling them into darkness in a similar style to the light prompt. Which dreams they experience will not dictate their intial sect affiliation.

Is it possible to pull another character back from the end of the light or darkness dreams?
Yes! If your character is able to resist the pull of either end, they will have the chance to try to pull another character back from the edge of the abyss or the edge of oneness. Whether or not they succeed is entirely up to the other character, though.

Do you come out of the chrysalis wet?
For most intents and purposes it's the same experience as hatching out of a real butterfly chrysalis, so yes, a bit.

Can my character resist the influence of the whips?
Those possessed of particularly strong wills may be able to struggle with the whip's control in brief spurts, but not long enough to make a full escape attempt. They may be able to take an impotent swing at one of the guards or fight against being pulled along, though. Naturally, doing this will indicate to the Hylicians that you are a problem, and their handling of you will become harsher the more it occurs.

How cruel will the Hylicians be to the player characters?
The Hylician military are not friendly people and come across as being a bit callous even at the best of times. However, unless you provoke them, they will be primarily focused on just getting the job done with as few interruption as possible. If your character makes a habit of pissing them off, either by constantly fighting back or just by being persistently obnoxious, their treatment will get worse. If driven to it, they may take the opportunity to take out their frustrations on particularly troublesome prisoners, via physical punishment, humiliation, or deprivation.

passio: (pic#12270465)

[personal profile] passio 2022-02-16 04:58 pm (UTC)(link)
[ with his face grabbed, his simple methods of nodding or shaking his head are now both out of commission. there’s no damage to his face beyond sickly pale skin, and even the set of his jaw is enough for keen eyes to tell he doesn’t have the excuse of not having a tongue. the problem runs deeper, spiritual, and impossible to explain. ]



[ even preferring peace where he can find it, dextera can only let himself be pushed around so much. still averting his eyes, with a nervous darting that looks more neurotic than shy, he finally puts up the barest defense in the form of pushing at rovan’s wrist. the delicate touch belies his physical strength—he’s holding back, as if afraid of touching rovan, anyone, with his own hands.

it is, however, something. his frown deepens and he hopes it’s enough. ]
bloodsins: (💥 87)

[personal profile] bloodsins 2022-02-16 05:00 pm (UTC)(link)
[Vicious inclines his head a bit, as if considering how exactly to explain it.]

Not exactly. They're a part of me, I guess? Usually I can access 'em wherever and whenever, with no problems. But now it's like...

[He reaches out as if to grasp something, but unsurprisingly, there's nothing there.]

...Like it never existed.
bloodsins: (💥 98)

[personal profile] bloodsins 2022-02-16 05:01 pm (UTC)(link)
You think we'll be seein' their boss soon, then?
bloodsins: (💥 104)

[personal profile] bloodsins 2022-02-16 05:03 pm (UTC)(link)
[He shrugs in response... or maybe it's in response to the guards' reaction.]

Vicious. And you are...?
raimaidou: (pic#14135695)

[personal profile] raimaidou 2022-02-16 05:06 pm (UTC)(link)
[It's not so much that Barbara is lost, but she's very much keeping to herself when it comes to her fellow captives and it's hard to pretend otherwise; she stands out as one of the tallest here, reaching an impressive eight feet tall. Yet in contrast to her stature, her demeanour is far more reserved. With her hands folded in front of her, head somewhat bowed and having made no real effort to approach anyone else just yet, it's likely a strange sight to see.

Even as she is approached and offered comforting words, the oni simply bows her head further in thanks to Moiraine.
]

Yes. While our circumstances have not been exactly ideal, they've made no effort to inflict harm upon me as of yet. I suppose that is something.

[An answer which also seems to imply she made no effort to resist so far herself, which seems even more absurd as being up close offers a better view of her horns, sharp teeth and clawed hands that one would think offered her the best chance of everyone to put up a fight.]
passio: (pic#12633178)

[personal profile] passio 2022-02-16 05:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Ah…

[ once again, it’s more breath than sound, but it could be the beginning of a polite correction that never quite forms. dextera wishes the problem with him was as simple as being too squeamish for bruises. even when he first woke up without a memory in his mind, he’s been unsettlingly comfortable with blood and injury.

he shakes his head again, firmer this time. he has the use of his fingers, so he just loosely points at the guards, specifically their weapons. ]


raimaidou: (pic#14135695)

ii

[personal profile] raimaidou 2022-02-16 05:21 pm (UTC)(link)
[The woman he's been staring at is an unusual one by their group's standards. She's definitely in the running for one of the tallest here, at about eight feet tall, and even the loose fitting white robe she's wearing can't hide all of the musculature lurking just beneath it. Her broad shoulders and bare forearms are all that's needed to make it obvious: she's probably shredded as hell. This isn't even mentioning her more unusual features, such as the horns standing tall from her forehead, her pointed ears, red skin, golden eyes or the unkempt mane of thick black hair stopping just short of her knees...

And as she takes notice of Dextera and approaches to speak reveals the rows of sharp teeth hidden behind her lips too. Quite the monstrous lady.
]

Are you well, sir? Might I be of assistance?

[All of this contrasts with the fact that her voice is gentle and polite, quite soothing in fact, as well as her body language being more on the reserved side. Not quite shy or meek, but deferential in a professional sort of way.]
theorems: (pic#15360647)

[personal profile] theorems 2022-02-16 05:25 pm (UTC)(link)
I am certain.

[Which he really is, no regret or doubt on his expression despite, well... The state of his body. He's frail-looking, thin, skin as close to the bone as possible in some places.

I would not be able to keep it down, even if I did.
raimaidou: (pic#14135704)

[personal profile] raimaidou 2022-02-16 05:31 pm (UTC)(link)
I see.

[............yoink.

Don't mind her, she's going to make quick work of whatever's here. It's not that she's a messy eater, but given current cirumstances she's upping the pace and exremely unlikely to choke given the human sized portion and her not-so-human-sized-mouth. Sweet nourishment, she'll take what she can get.
]

Although if that is the case, are you feeling unwell? Perhaps it would be best to inform them.
passio: (pic#12118212)

[personal profile] passio 2022-02-16 05:34 pm (UTC)(link)
[ dextera is staring not because he’s afraid or wary, just simply because he’s curious. almost everyone else he’s seen has been entirely human or at least able to pass for one, but she’s the furthest from that standard he’s encountered so far.

therefore, in his limited memories, she’s more familiar than most. her gentle tone, while surprising, only sets him strangely more at ease. ]




[ he nods. pauses. realizes that he has two different answers to the two different questions. then he shakes his head. ]
theorems: (pic#15434611)

[personal profile] theorems 2022-02-16 05:39 pm (UTC)(link)
[At least someone's enjoying it.]

Let's not. I would like to avoid finding out if their bedside manner would consist of trying to shoot the illness out of me.

[Clearly he's still well enough for sarcasm.]
raimaidou: (pic#14135713)

i

[personal profile] raimaidou 2022-02-16 05:45 pm (UTC)(link)
[Nobody can blame Misa for thinking the emerging figure is some kind of monster; the limb that punches through from within the crystalline prison is buff, the skin is bright red and it's a clawed hand at the very end that grips the remains of the chrysalis from within and begins tearing it apart piece by piece. Even as the figure begins to emerge (her head is killing her and she's disoriented, Misa yelling barely registers honestly) her wild mane of black hair falls over head, hiding her face, and all Misa gets to see is a very muscular, stark naked woman who must be at least eight feet tall, half hunched and holding her head with one hand, letting out a loud, audible groan-

...shortly before she's struck by a rock.
]

...ow.

[She reaches up to flip her hair back, revealing a mostly human face. Mostly. If it weren't for the horns, the pointed ears, the sharp teeth...yeah. Mostly human. Ish.

She gives Misa a look somewhere between sad and confused.
]

Please do not do that again. I have a headache.

[She's got a very soft, gentle voice at least. She doesn't sound too threatening, despite appearances...]
raimaidou: (pic#14135707)

[personal profile] raimaidou 2022-02-16 05:47 pm (UTC)(link)
I suppose you have a point.

[It's, uh, gone over her head a little. Besides, isn't it a valid concern? She's more understanding than anything else.]

Perhaps I could help? I have no formal medical training, but I have cared for the sick before.
raimaidou: (pic#14135704)

[personal profile] raimaidou 2022-02-16 05:51 pm (UTC)(link)
[Ah, let's see...this isn't unusual for her, although she's never actually had to deal with anyone who straight up couldn't talk at all. Normally people who see her first are more stunned into silence, so it's given her plenty of experience trying to infer what people want without being directly told.]

So that is, you...do require aid with something?
theorems: (pic#15370259)

[personal profile] theorems 2022-02-16 06:01 pm (UTC)(link)
[It's nothing she could really help with.]

A kind offer. But what would help me best right now is something to eliminate this boredom.

[All they've done all day so far is travel, sleep, eat, and travel more. He's dying faster of ennui than of anything else.]

A game?
hopelesswandrer: (Default)

[personal profile] hopelesswandrer 2022-02-16 06:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Eikarr flinches from Howl's touch at first, adrenaline still pumping through his system. As he starts to lift himself up, he can feel the dull pain of his skin being sliced up by the shattered crystal.

Mayhaps it would be better to take this stranger's help. Gingerly, he takes the other man's hand to get himself situated.

Oh for fu- why is he naked? He closes his eyes, huffing put a frustrated breath.

Before he moves much more Eikarr uses his tail to deftly sweep the majority of debris from them, the golden bangles that hang from it clinking softly as he does so.

"I-" he clears his throat, almost choking but managing to take a deep breath and stopping it. "I'm not sure about alright?" He replies.

The last thing he'd known was being trapped in the Fey Wilds, serving his Patron, the Lady of Roses. He can't feel her overbearing presence here and he's not sure if that's a good or a bad thing yet.

"Where are we?"
brutallyefficient: (Refractions)

[personal profile] brutallyefficient 2022-02-16 06:40 pm (UTC)(link)
So just a casual question, but do we have to stick to the Legacy that we choose on the TDM? I ask because it seems like many people picked a similar one, and I could probably justify a few different ones with the character I have. So I'm wondering if there's a benefit to trying to aim for some more variety.

Anyway! Thanks.
salvageable: (pic#15332057)

[personal profile] salvageable 2022-02-16 07:03 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Well... That response doesn't look great. Dokja's smile vanishes as he takes a closer look at the stranger, gaze lowering to where he has his hand over his heart.

Even without words, doesn't this tell him enough? ]


You saw something different. Maybe...

[ Two paths. ]

... The opposite?
aquaveiled: (himeka-363)

[personal profile] aquaveiled 2022-02-16 07:15 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Hmm...a shame, a little divine intervention would likely be welcome if his god is the sort that is able to intervene upon command. She supposes it really depends on the faith and veracity of those that summon them. ]

That's too bad.

[ For his sake and for everyone's. ]

I imagine you're not the only one reaching out to a higher power right now.
aquaveiled: (himeka-275)

[personal profile] aquaveiled 2022-02-16 07:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Himeka's brows raise at that. If she had ears, they would perk up as well, but instead her tail does an interested swish behind her.

"Townsfolk?" She thinks back to the bodies that were strewn across the woodland from which she emerged. They were armored, but in leathers and furs rather than the mail and metal of their assailants. She wouldn't call them townsfolk...more like scouts or a local infantry.

"Not soldiers...though our guards eventually collected you all the same."

What does that mean?

"Probably wise," she admits, despite the fact that she had resisted almost immediately and was subsequently very quickly subdued. There is also a risk in Meteion in particular being treated poorly or seeing such violence, a risk she would rather avoid if possible. "They have been marginally more accommodating when we cooperate."

There's a beat as she glances at the space between them and finally ventures...

"Is this seat taken?"
insincure: (♚ deadpan)

iii

[personal profile] insincure 2022-02-16 08:02 pm (UTC)(link)
[When Orwin had wondered if he could possibly suffer more, he reunited with Vicious--

In all seriousness, Vicious has been more of a silver lining in all of this, as contradictory as it sounds. Ever since he awoke from that horrible dream, it's been one confusing mess after another. But at least there's someone he knows here, and he's holding onto that one source of familiarity for dear life.

He's nursing some bruises on his wrists that he received for earlier disobedience when Vicious joins up with him and he shrugs dramatically at the question.]


Can't be any worse than what's already been done.

[He hasn't been able to get the intrusive thoughts about that dream out of his head since he awoke. But when he shoves them aside this time, he finds a recollection...]

I think I heard somethin' about a "lover's festival" when they hauled me outta the place I woke up in. But I think I've had my fill of love-related sacrifices, so that better not be related.
Edited 2022-02-16 20:03 (UTC)
superbshot: (Unsettled)

IV

[personal profile] superbshot 2022-02-16 08:09 pm (UTC)(link)
[The food, the journey, all of it's begun to bleed together for Caitlyn. She's reeling from a number of things, mostly information overload. There's entirely too much going through her head at any given point. But, when she's offered food from a stranger, she looks up, head tilting as she studies Himeka. Strange species, but clearly unhostile, perhaps a resident of Ixtal or something?

It doesn't matter, she supposes, because any friendly face is good.]


Thank you.

[Accepting the bread, she dips her head in gratitude.]

I'm Caitlyn.
coupris: (you get these words wrong)

[personal profile] coupris 2022-02-16 08:12 pm (UTC)(link)
[Kim can still recognize familiar gestures, though he may fumble around her fingers a bit at first. When he gets a proper grip, his handshake is firm-- professional.]

Yes. It does.

[Saying too much is usually the last of Kim's problems.]

I'm... grateful for your intervention, miss, but please don't endanger yourself on my behalf.
superbshot: (Gravity Cat)

[personal profile] superbshot 2022-02-16 08:14 pm (UTC)(link)
Jayce...

[Well, she knows how hard that must have been for him. Thinking he was mad. The nightmare was real though, and it was confusing...weird. All of this was too much information to take in, and she needed time to process. Really, she needed a notepad, to get it all out so she wouldn't forget details. But that wasn't forthcoming. Any of it.

Her hand tightens back, her eyes meet his.]


You're not alone. You've not lost your mind. We can't let them break us. Whoever these people are.