TDM #1

[aionmods]

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.

Comments

Ernesto Salas | Arknights | The Lover

[goldendeceiver]

[ Why does it always seem to come right down to picking the right path in life, or death, or... whatever the hell is happening right now? Ernesto's senses feel muddled and confused as he stands at a literal crossroads, peering off into the distance, no more swayed by one direction than the other. He can't really say what is happening here, but he can feel the indecision sit heavily on his shoulders as his gaze sweeps from one side to the other, before returning to the swirling galaxies above.

He never has a chance to choose his path at all, before something is grabbing him and pulling him away from this weighty decision by force.

So much for the old adage of taking your time. ]

I. WAKE UP

[ There's not much more alarming than waking up somewhere you didn't fall asleep, especially when that place happens to be a giant rock womb. While Ernesto is fast to start struggling once his consciousness creeps back into awareness, he's still slow to actually bust himself free from the confines of the chrysalis. Whatever has weakened him as really done a number on the man, and it feels like an eternity to him before he manages to bust a full fist through the wall.

Fortunately for him, it's a short struggle after to free the rest of him from his temporary prison, and he pulls himself out and onto the cavern floor gasping from the effort.

Damn... he's not usually this weak.

Kneeling on the ground the way he is, he's sort of managed to inadvertently cover himself up, and once he realizes he's in the buff, he grabs onto his own usually fluffy (currently waterlogged and dripping) tail to pull over his lap as he looks up to take in his surroundings. More chrysalises with people struggling inside them, and more people like him looking wet, naked, and confused by what just happened.

He'll stay low to the ground and partly covered too as he calls out to the first person he sees. ]

Hey! Any chance you happen to know what's going on here?

[ He kind of doubts it, but it's worth asking. ]


II. WE'RE ALL (UNFORTUNATELY) IN THIS TOGETHER

[ The long trip to get to these ruins was a nightmare. Between the less than friendly soldiers who decided to keep the lot of them literally tethered together, and the equally less than comfortable conditions, Ernesto feels exhausted by the time they get to their newest camp.

The group of confused people who seem to have all come from other worlds has grown to a pretty sizable number at this point, and some have the questions that Ernesto has about their current situation.

He's good at playing the waiting game though, and has been nothing but friendly and easy to deal with for the soldiers in order to build up some good will. It's easier to get away with things when people trust you. ]

A. Central Ruins

[ He'll spend some of his time exploring what little he the soldiers allow him to, not that it seems to tell him much. It still puts him away from his captors, and means that he can try and have some conversations with his fellow captives.

Right now, for example, he's leaning his forearms against a broken chunk of wall, and leaning over it to call out in a low voice to someone on the other side. ]

Find anything interesting? ]

B. Inside the Camp

[ Not everyone has decided to play the role of the suck up, and Ernesto can't really fault them for that. Hell, he kind of admires the ability to stand up to the soldiers who took them prisoner, though it doesn't seem to be doing any of the more rebellious sorts any good.

That's why he's making his way over to one now, whether they're currently bound or just a little roughed up, with a bland ration of bread in one hand. When he's close enough to have a normal conversation he'll whistle at their condition, and move to put himself on their level. ]

They sure didn't take it easy on you, did they?

[ He offers a smile alongside the bread he's holding, regardless of how receptive his new friend does or doesn't look to his company. ]

are we all in this together though?

[lockedon]

[ He waits, because there's nothing else to do.

Because after nearly twenty years of waiting and biding his time, what's a few more weeks (give or take)? He knows better than to act on gut feeling and instinct, especially in a place as alien and cold as this one. Especially when there's a tether clinched firm around his wrist, restrictive and binding in more ways than one.

So he waits and watches, light eyes half-lidded as they march through dusty paths and bob along placid rivers. The stiff set of his shoulders and frosty expression permanently etched onto his face chase away the majority of any fellow captives looking for idle conversation along the way, which is fine by him. But apparently this guy hasn't gotten the memo yet.

Eustace takes in the ears atop the other man's head (not like any Erune ears he's seen before) and the tail that hangs idly behind (definitely not like any Erune tail he's seen before) before answering, voice slow but deliberate. ]

What's your definition of interesting?

we're not... not in this together?

[goldendeceiver]

[ A similar approach with a different demeanor, though instead of biding his time by staying quietly to himself, Ernesto is networking to try and piece things together faster. He's not humble enough to say that he's someone with a limited skill set, but he is at least aware that one of his stronger ones tends to be communication.

Judging from the vibes that his new friend is giving off here though? He's in for a little bit of a challenge. At least his question was answered. ]

At this point? Anything that isn't just another chunk of old building.

[ He raps his knuckles against the wall he's leaning on to illustrate his point, all the while doing his own investigation of those wolf ears. Lupo probably? Though he could be Vulpo. Ernesto kind of doubts he ran into another Perro regardless. ]

hmmmmmm

[lockedon]

[ There really does seem to be an excess of old trees and crumbling buildings around these parts, huh? Unfortunately for this guy (unfortunately for them both, really), the answer to the question that hangs in the air is a resounding: ]

No.

[ Admittedly he hasn't been allowed to stray too far from camp, and admittedly his eyesight is nothing special, but from the rare moments he's been allowed to wander, the whip a reminder rather than a threat, he hasn't been able to dig up anything noteworthy. Not even a cryptic rune etched crudely in a far corner. Useless. For a man who thrives on having backup plans C, D, and E for when plans A and B fail, the complete lack of information he's been able to scrounge up so far is infuriating.

He rests one hand against an open surface of wall, letting the silence dangle between them until it edges on oppressive. Idle conversation has always been one of his least favorite pasttimes and even when it's saddled with purpose he's still preferred to avoid it. Blame too many years of voluntarily working solo.

Still. There's little else to do here. ]

Hoping to make some sort of escape?

wakey wakey, eggs and bakey

[couriering]

[ like ernesto... courier didn't have a chance to choose, nor did he want to. as much as indecision is painful, at least he had the sense that whatever decision was to be made... he didn't want to make the wrong one. there was no enemy but himself in that space in between light and dark, but instead he plummeted into what felt like...

ew.

he practically spills out of the chrysalis, hitting the ground with a quiet 'oomph' and immediately begins to cough. whatever fluid had accumulated in his mouth, throat, maybe even further than that is immediately expelled in what could be considered the worst first meeting ever.

anyway. ]

No... not at all.

[ trying to push himself off the floor is too much. he'll have to settle with sitting, shoulder slumped and ears weighed down with whatever had gathered there. ]

Dumb question I'm sure, but do you?

[goldendeceiver]

[ It's definitely a hell of a way to enter a scene, but Ernesto wasn't any more graceful. He's not about to give anyone a hard time for it. Is there a charming way to bust your way out of a gemstone cocoon? Probably not.

The return question earns a bark of laughter. ]

Not a clue.

[ Ernesto reaches up a shaky hand to try and rub some liquid out of his own ear as he looks back up at some of the currently unhatched chrysalises with the distinct silhouettes of people inside them. ]

I can't say I'm getting a good feeling about this whole thing though.

[couriering]

[ his eyes follow ernesto's, but make no mistake--- his attention is firmly on his furry earred company. as charming as he seems, it would be a problem if courier didn't put a little bit of the onus of their current situation on him. not necessarily full blown paranoia, or even a casual distrust! no, just simply dotting the i's and crossing the t's.

though in his current state, he's more or less a wet noodle.

also he should probably cover himself. one leg over the other? maybe just angle his body a certain way... that should probably do it. ]

Same, same.

[ though one thing already sticks out to him: ]

Huh. Wonder if we were chosen or targeted because of...

[ he can make one of his ears wiggle. the other? still somewhat lifeless. ]

ii-a. arknights fan assembled for duty

[affal]

( he doesn't really know what he's looking for. individuals held a lot more interest to makoto than environments — they were only useful when they helped to personify those that owned and populated them. a ruin, by definition, didn't really apply to either. but still, he's overheard enough from the guards by this point to have wariness for what lie before them, and he's convinced that this place has something to do with it. why else would they have been gathered from disparate points in this place and corralled here together? it could be that it was simply a convenient and central location, but the presence of ruins here makes him suspect otherwise.

unfortunately, while a fairly apt student of politicking and social manipulation, a student of archaeology he is not. in the few places he can find some faded reliefs in the carved stone, he can make neither head nor tail of them. he studies a piece of broken wall where it protrudes from the ground, hand at his chin and his mouth pressed into a thin line as he tries to extract something enlightening from it.

silently, makoto is furious. he hates the feeling of being inert.

his attention is pulled toward ernesto at the address. he's seen this one around — he plays nice enough with the guards that he thinks he has a better head on his shoulders than most of the idiots that keep provoking them. he banishes his irritation for the time being, smoothly sliding a blithe smile into place as he replies just as airily: ) Not in the slightest! ( he gestures to the wall with one hand. ) Sadly, this is not my area of expertise. I don't suppose you would have a mind for antiquities?

!! oho! Excellent!

[goldendeceiver]

[ In that way the two men are in the same boat. Ernesto doesn't have a single clue what to look for in these ruins. Even now as his own eyes travel towards that relief, he's getting about as much information from it himself. That is to say that it's a rock, and someone definitely carved it into a differently shaped rock at some point.

Now let him embellish and lie about this rock, and he might be able to sell it to someone just a little gullible, but that certainly won't be because of his own rich knowledge of what he's peddling.

The question has him laughing, as if their ignorance of this situation is in any way funny. ]

Only a list of names to take one to in order to get it appraised.

[ There's the slightest twitch in his smile for a moment, though his tone remains cheerful enough. ]

And unfortunately I don't think that list is going to help much here.

[affal]

( there are few things he could think of that J would find more meaningless in the long run than ruminating over the dusty remains of already-fallen civilizations. and whatever is pointless to J is pointless to makoto.

it would be easy enough to pontificate and generate false information to feed him — it's not as though he would be able to get a sense of its veracity — but there's something delightful in the hand that the stranger gives him a glimpse of. that they are both similarly unequipped to glean anything useful from these ruins, to be sure, but they share the appreciation for a network of contacts that could supplement their ignorance with expertise, whenever they run aground of it. )

No, it would seem not. ( the chuckle that makoto offers has a faint grating to it. ) A shame that none of the individuals on that list could have joined us here, yes?

( even then, appraisers would have limited use here. they might be able to tell how old something is, to be sure, but this is seeming a new world, a new plane — a new everything? who's to say what sort of civilizations or cultures they might stand amongst the bones of. if their soldier escorts were anything to go by, they might not exactly be forthcoming. )

A shame, also, since I feel that this relic has some importance to what it is we were brought here for.

iib! but also ah, so excited to see the good lad!

[epiprocta]

[ Yeah, Ernesto's observation that resistance doesn't accomplish much is fair enough. But then again, it's not like Gen's been deliberately picking fights or trying to get anything done in the first place -- it's more that he's been filled to the brim with resentment and anger since waking up in this place, and he can't help but bristle when the soldiers poke and prod and yank him around.

And so he huffs as he arduously drags himself into sitting position after his Nth scuffle with the guards, spitting blood from getting backhanded and fighting against the whip that keeps his hands tied before him. Exhausted as he is, he automatically tenses when the bread's held in his direction, fully prepared to snarl at the guards once more before he looks up and sees ... some dog-person(?) instead. ]

... yeah, no shit.

[ Ernesto's bright smile is answered with a surly stare, and Gen glances from him, to the bread he's holding out, then back with obvious caution, like he's expecting to get punked. ]

What, is that thanks for the show?

! I'm excited that people are excited for him!

[goldendeceiver]

[ There's no faulting someone for being angry about this situation and lashing out. It's not easy to do what Ernesto is doing, and play nice when people are treating you so poorly. Every single person who is resisting the guards in any capacity has his sympathy.

But he's certainly not about to join them to his own detriment right now.

He'll wag his tail in a manner that seems mostly inoffensive as he holds the bread a little closer. The assessment isn't entirely wrong, because it's people like this kid that let Ernesto get a better grasp on how those whips work, and what the guards go-to style of fighting happens to be. It doesn't feel great to be letting others inadvertently suss this information out for him, but he'd be lying if he said it wasn't useful.

Not that he'll say any of this out loud with guards so close by though. ]

Not exactly, but it seems like you're exerting more energy than me right now. You can probably use it.

i'd love to play an arknights but icons are a nightmare to wrangle haha, so all my respect!

[epiprocta]

[ ... is that tail for real? Ernesto might notice the way Gen's gaze is immediately drawn to the wagging tail, squinting at it in scrutiny as if unsure of what he's even looking at. Everything about his gaze suggests a sort of baffled curiosity that Ernesto's probably unaccustomed to.

But Gen's also too riled up and wary to drop his guard for long -- he quickly returns his gaze upwards when the bread's offered forth once more, studying Ernesto's expression intensely for a good, long moment. Searching for some indication of malice or condescension.

There's no warning before he reaches forward to snatch it from Ernesto's hand. ]

I don't owe you anything.

[ A declaration, not a question. He refuses to feel any debt for something that was offered to him first. In truth, it rankles at him to accept any charity at all, but he has to grudgingly accept that he's pretty exhausted from spending every evening nursing fresh bruises. ]

i wake up

[eolja]

[just two bros... standing five feet apart completely naked because they've been birthed from chrysalises,

It takes a moment for Seonho to register that Ernesto is speaking to him, and the wild look in his eyes takes a moment to fade when he turns to look. There's gunk in his hair and he's as naked as the day he was born, without any convenient tails to help cover him. He'd be embarrassed if he wasn't trying to reorient himself,

and possibly look less inclined to violence.]

-- What?

[sorry ernesto, HE'S NAKED AND HE NEEDS A MINUTE. he tries to get up, but he stumbles and lands hard back on one knee,]

LMAO thank you for this very important gif

[goldendeceiver]

[ Ouch. Ernesto very visibly winces in sympathy at that fall. That one had to hurt.

While he wants to know what the hell is happening here, he has the distinct impression this man is not going to be the one to answer his questions. Still, he started the conversation, so he won't abandon it immediately.

Besides, he's feeling too spent from clawing his way out of his own chrysalis to really get up and walk away right now.

So he'll hold up the hand that isn't currently holding his tail in place, and offer the other man a weak smile and a laugh. ]

Take a second if you need one right now. I can wait.

now i don't have to link any more hehe

[eolja]

[There's a lack of comprehension on Seonho's face for a moment, as if the very sentiment is even more startling than having clawed for hours out of a gummy chrysalis. This is because Seonho has no friends, past or present, for most of his life.

He busies himself with movement instead, moving to sit in a position that's not putting pressure on his knee]

-- Who are you?

[he's naked and he has no matters, seonho really has it all]

we're all in this together | gasp, hello

[hurricaneofblood]

[ His breathing is heavy as he is bent over; it's more labored from the injuries than anything else. Flamebringer is, as always, himself. Even weakened, he refused to give up; he would rather die with a sword in his hand -- and he wasn't even given the courtesy of that death.

He thought he might be able to uncover the reason for his life as the scent and taste of death was so close, but he was denied that, as well. The whip had him behave for a little while, but oh well. ]

I'd hate them more if they did. [ It's the first thing he says; he'd despise them if they took it easy on him. If they have to trample his pride and wishes, they should do it completely rather than half-ass it. He lifts his head up to look over his shoulder; his eyes -- one bruised and the other bloodshot -- focus weakly on the figure crouched down next to him. ]

You look a bit familiar. [ His eyes widen. ] Ah, that's right. You're someone whose blade I was hoping to taste. [ He may not know everyone in Rhodes Island, but he does try to keep track of other quote-unquote swordmasters. ]

hello!!!

[goldendeceiver]

[ Quote-unquote, huh? That might hurt a little if he knew about that particular thought, though at least Ernesto doesn't really think of himself as much of a swordmaster. He's just a guy whose weapon of choice happens to be a sword, and he's well aware that he can't go toe to toe with the greats at Rhodes Island. Hell, even without her weapon of choice in hand, Miss Ch'en managed to trounce him easily.

He doesn't have to have a preoccupation with fellow sword users to recognize Flamebringer the minute he sees the other man's face. He is (or was) still getting the lay of the land, but he was also making it a point to learn a little something about other operators as he went.

There's a hollow kind of comfort in knowing he still apparently has a chance to get to know a couple in this new world. He smiles apologetically as he holds out the piece of bread instead. It's the only thing he's got to his name at the moment. ]

Sorry to disappoint, but I don't exactly have one on me right now.

[ He cants his head to the side slightly as he takes in Flamebringer's appearance right now. ]

I'd make a joke about them apparently having a fondness for us operators here, but getting a good look at you, I'm not so sure that's true. I'd offer to get you something for your eye, but...

[ It's not like he has anything to give. ]

:D

[hurricaneofblood]

Me either.

[ He lets out a hollow laugh. Those blades were almost like an extension of himself, and he feels more naked without them than when he broke free. ]

They got no fondness for me, but it seems those feelings are only directed to me. [ Which is to say, he's somewhat impressed that they're "disciplined" enough to only directed their ire on those that have caused them strife and no one else. It might turn out to be some psychological mind game later, but for now, Flamebringer can appreciate the sins of one person is just one person's sins. ]

Still, don't worry about it. It'll heal eventually. [ He waves his hand slightly. ] Thank you. [ The thanks is directed more at the bread that he finally takes. It's soft enough that it won't hurt to eat, at least. ]

I hope that they'll let me test your skills before... whatever happens. [ Flamebringer had initially believed they are going to be recruited; it made sense to him. Why keep a band of misfits alive? Especially those that came from "nowhere?" It made more sense that they were being dragged out to be forced to enlist in their military. But maybe that's just the Sarkaz in him talking. ]

i. wake (me) up (inside, can't wake up..... it's stuck in your head now isn't it)

[inutilis]

[ well.

far as introductions go, this sure is........ yep!! yes. it's yes.

there is a dazed, damp and disoriented silver-haired man pulling himself from the wreckage of what was once his crystalline imprisonment; from the bewilderment and utter glaze of confusion on his face, it doesn't seem likely he'll have any more answers than Ernesto does... alas. but he's clumsily dragging himself to his feet with a stumble in the way of all the weak, uncomfortably damp newborns and not seeming to realize he is, in fact... completely buck-ass naked?? a-awkward... no, no; there are far more important matters attempting to wiggle their way into his swiss cheese brain at present, and from the looks of things--

Ernesto's brought attention to himself by calling out in greeting.

so a pair of very terribly blue eyes are fixated here on this similarly totally nude fellow whose tail conveniently covers any unmentionable bits, which... by the way, are very gladly not what's got Abel's attention!! no, instead... what seems to have captured his glazed focus after hatching from The Weird Crystal Goo Cocoons No One Asked For are......

those c-cute, fluffy ears,

...

c.... cute.... ]

on and off all day from when I saw this in my inbox earlier... cruel and very unusual punishment u_u

[goldendeceiver]

[ Ernesto didn't really expect the people around him to have more of an idea of what was happening than he did, but there was some hope. Maybe someone got a little tip off about what they were about to go through before getting shoved in giant chrysalises to stew for a bit, or maybe he's run into a super sleuth that can figure things out in an instant.

Neither of that seems to be true as the man in front of him just...

Stares at him.

In a way that makes Ernesto feel increasingly disconcerted.

Those cute fluffy ears pin back in confusion as Ernesto forces a friendly smile. ]

... Señor?

this is how i express my affections. pls accept 😌

[inutilis]

[ --the ears moved in an even cuter expression,



it takes Abel's already painfully inadequate, fog-muddled brain a few mortifyingly embarrassing seconds to chug into gear, but-- he finally does, taking a less than coordinated small step to steady his balance as he does. it's a bit like a man snapping himself out of a daydream; the priest is blinking, mouth working for a second in bewilderment. ]

--O-oh, I... ah.

[ what is he even going to say?? what was he doing, just now? (he knows exactly what he was doing, hence the vaguely awkward shifting of his posture and slow creep of some kind of heat in his face, oh my god.) ]

--I'm so sorry, I... my head isn't entirely together, and you were-- [ EARS,

...he clears his throat, rubbing at his face to try and clear the cobwebs. stop thinking about the ears, Nightroad, what is wrong with you-- ] --are-- um, are you alright...?

[ because before Abel can even pull together what in God's name is happening, he's become acutely aware that this man is... uh, lacking in clothing and looking vaguely unwell, though Abel sees no immediate sign of injury. Ernesto appears just as lost as Abel feels, inwardly. let's not even acknowledge the eerie, distinctly unnerving sight of others trapped in crystalline prisons like they're eggs from some Alien movie,

so, dog-person-buddy, you... you okay there..... ]

ii b

[dragon_rider]

[ The minimal area they've been allowed to explore he's certain that he's traced in its entirety — Even so, it doesn't stop him from doing so again and again during their days. As if he missed something or, perhaps, there would be some new change. At least he could pretend he was doing something if he did —

Like investigating the other side of a pillar when someone pipes up around it. Glancing back he shrugs with his hands as much as his shoulders: ] You're just in luck, I've found this brand new, extraordinary —

[ He points down, salesmen style voice dropping as it deflates: ] Moss that's grown a whole inch since yesterday!

[goldendeceiver]

[ Ernesto has combed over these ruins pretty thoroughly himself at this point, but there's always the hope that someone will find some small trace of something that might tip them off on why they're here, or what the hell this ritual is that the guards keep "surreptitiously" whispering about.

He doesn't get his hopes up when the man in front of him starts with the salesmen pitch, but he still manages to feel just a slight pang of disappointment when the punchline of the obvious joke is finally delivered. ]

Aha...

[ His laugh is as weak as the slow wag of his tail, but it's not like he can really blame someone for not being able to find something useful, when he himself hasn't been able to either. ]

I want to say that's an impressive feat for moss, but I'll be honest, I don't actually know enough about it to say if it is or not.

[dragon_rider]

[ Hiccup shifted and placed hands on his hips. Usual easy smile replaced with his almost as usual thoughtful frown. Sarcasm wasn't necessarily his best quality — But well, he's just as frustrated as not knowing what's going on as anyone else: ]

Eh, it's pretty typical for moss. They're a very 'seen one moss, seen them all' type.

[ Light-hearted, if there's an edge to his tone it's not at the other person. He turned his eyes away to glance over at the other man. ] I'd at least hope there was something interesting about other-worldly moss.

Wherever they've taken us, they've made certain it's a place without too many clues. Not that I'm sure vegetation will give us a hint to where we are.