MOD LOG #1

[bequiet]

MOD LOG #1
Packing Up
Content Warnings: General tension
Themes: Survival, exploration, heavy-lifting

At the end of the month, the natives send out a mass message informing everyone of the upcoming trip to 'meet' the Sound Eaters. Preparing for the trip is simple, though labor intensive, and begins with making certain that everyone packs food, water, clothes, gear, and a twenty-pound package of sand. When it's time for the journey to begin, those tasked with watching the sandpaths, will lead the party on the journey towards the Eiffel Tower. It's a slow trip, a careful one. Natives will take breaks every few hours and when the sun sets, help everyone to set up their bed rolls around a few lanterns. The natives will unveil the star mapping feature, with constellations named and general history attached, on the devices. They will encourage those to tell stories, get out food and water, and 'talk' amongst the group before everyone settles into sleep. Out, under the night sky, the silence is more noticeable - there are no crickets or frogs. This process will repeat for two days until the group reaches the end of their destination at midday.

Sound Eaters
Content Warnings: Disorientation, confusion, character and native death, Sound Eater birth and death, body horror
Themes: Survival, exploration, horror, death

On the third day, characters will finally reach the Eiffel Tower, where the Sound Eaters in this area of France have set up their 'home'. Stopping far enough out to allow for communication, the natives will gesture to the ruins of the structure that appears to be altered. Structures are built up and around the metal frame, closing off different sections with a dark material that glints an oily-green in the light. After explaining that the Sound Eaters are influenced by the weather, rain being an issue for them, they'll take everyone closer. Silence is key here. The natives are visibly wary, tense, and uncomfortable but they believe that showing the arrivals what they're so afraid of will inspire them to be more cautious.

Now, as close to the Sound Eaters as they dare to go (less than a half mile), the natives will have everyone crouch down behind various cars and debris. The devices will say only one word, watch. As the sun begins to set and clouds darken overhead, the tower will open up, the Sound Eaters spilling out. They are split up, as the natives refer to it, into classes - the young, the shifting and the matured. The young are extremely sensitive to sound, volatile and aggressive, humanesque in form with features in various state of change. The shifting are grotesque, splitting and reforming, changing from young to matured in a shift that is punctuated by pained screams and the breaking of bones, splitting of flesh. The matured are in control. They command and guide their kind into a circle, where they all bend down, kneeling as something different than the rest comes out of the tower to stand at the center. The wind catches, dusting up red ash from it and blowing the ash towards the group - there's no way to move and it tastes familiar, coats your skin in red. They all grow quiet and a wrapped form, in the shape of a body, is placed at the Sound Eaters' feet. It crumbles, breaks apart and sprays out over the wrapped figured to completely cover it.

The shards of the Sound Eater bubble up and fuse together, creating a shell. Rain begins to fall. Light, but enough to cause the Sound Eaters to begin to move, pushing against one another but not leaving the circle. There's a shrill sound, an offbeat whistle, air escaping a tight space, a desperate inhale, and then the shell at the center splits apart. A Sound Eater died to create a new life. Smaller than the other young, the 'child' climbs up and out, but it's not the same as the others. It's form is generally human. Dark hair, androgynous features. No eyes. No mouth. Standing, it angles its head towards the matured and they move, as if on command, and surround it as it walks into the tower.

( If anyone makes noise at this point, in any way, the coming bad weather and what just occurred, will result in the Sound Eaters only attacking that person - rather than the whole group. They'll drag that person into the tower and out of sight. The character will be reset. )

The natives are upset. Spooked. They've never seen anything like that and they're quick to tell everyone this, followed by a hasty message to leave. As they're moving, the rain begins to beat down and the ground grows slippery. Making it back to the supplies is troublesome and just as the group gets close, one of the natives slips and tumbles down broken concrete, twisting and smacking against the hard surface until they come to a stop at the bottom. Anyone that goes to help will find that the native has hurt themselves and there's nothing that can be done, despite best efforts. The natives will take the time to wrap their friend up, relaying that the Sound Eaters don't attack now that the rain is heavy, and will begin the slow trek back to the community. They'll camp each night, the same as the trip up, but with an uncomfortable tension that no amount of story telling can break.

It's Raining Me- Rain. It's Just Water.
Content Warnings: None
Themes: Survival, fun, noise-making

After everyone is back in Reims, the natives will split off to bury their dead - they will not allow anyone to accompany them. Everyone is encouraged to head back to the community to get a break from the bad weather and to unload their supplies. The following day, the natives can be heard outside. Splashing and making noise, fixing houses, and what might have been a somber event will quickly turn into something a little more upbeat as rain beats down on the city. Children will play and occasionally laugh, stunted in their ability to enjoy themselves but willing to learn from the arrivals. Bigger items will be moved and natives will encourage everyone to do the 'noisier' things that they need to do. When the rain ends, work will resume as usual and soundproofing will be a lot more difficult - the water washed away sandpaths and damaged some areas. Cleaning up will take time but the natives aren't as unhappy with the situation as they just had a moment's respite from the normal tension of their everyday lives.

OOC
From your mods:

Please be mindful of content - if something triggery comes up or if it goes up a rating to say, something sexy, mark your threads in the subject line. We're very flexible and allow any material; we just want our players to be respectful of each other. If you have questions, pp the mod account, use the faq or comment to the appropriate post below. Have fun! The OOC Plotting Post.

NAVIGATION

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Comments

QUESTIONS

[bequiet]

Re: QUESTIONS

[shotfired]

If someone were to take some red dust, either from this area or the rest room, to do experiments (Trying to detect magic, figure out if there's anything abnormal about it, ect) would they discover anything?

ALSO if someone were to turn invisible to follow the natives, what would happen? (the invisibility spell lasts up to an hour)

Teddy | Original | Open

[thatsruff]

Packing up

Expeditions are Teddy's specialty. This is what his training always prepared him for. With a pack of sand on either side of his back, he travels close to the front of the expedition. His ears and eyes remain alert constantly, scanning for dangers or for supplies. He has no supplies of his own, but he can go a week without food so long as someone provides him with water, and the shifting weather smells distantly of rain.

Whenever the travel party stops for the night or to rest, Teddy sits vigilantly on the sand path, listening and watching until he eventually succumbs to sleep in the pre-dawn hours. On the last night Teddy's routine shifts slightly, his head tilted up and his eyes fixed on the twinkling stars above them as his neurally linked device educates him on each constellation. He has never seen the Earth's sky before this place, but the knowledge of the plants and stars matches data banks he remembers from his underground home.

It finally has occurred to him, something he has not known or believed since arriving.

This place is Earth. He isn't waiting for a rescue to find him and bring him home.

This is home.

Sound Eaters A

Everything about the creatures unnerves and unsettles Teddy. He shifts restlessly, his collar glows red, his ears stay plastered back and his hackles remain raised. He paces around the group when not made to hold still, and he keeps trying to put himself between the humans and the threat, pressing his head into knees or hips, trying to push people back and away and get them to leave this place.

Sound Eaters B (Limit: 1, CW: Character Death, Very short thread)

Teddy reacts in the split instant of the noise coming from one of the other people in the group. Without hesitation or thought he throws himself at the one the noise came from as one of the sound eaters does the same. His teeth are bared in a ferocious snarl at the sound eater, and he tries to sink his teeth into strange flesh even as it grabs him roughly by his fur.

It's Raining Cats & Dogs

Teddy wakes back in the reset room to the sound of rain falling on roofs. He has never experience rain, and the sound of it is a shock to his ears after adjusting to the silence. He leaves the reset room reluctantly with his tail between his legs. The rain does not burn the way the databanks told him it would. The feel and smell of acid is not there. Instead it is just cool and wet, and confusing. It dampens his senses and his fur, and he slinks his way uncomfortably through the town.

Wet, miserable, confused, and disoriented, he wanders absently until he runs into someone else.

Party

Teddy does not celebrate. He stands outside the door of one of the buildings, protected by an awning as he stares out into the rain. He is still dripping on the wooden flooring, and his ears are back against the sound. His head is out past the awning enough to have the rain fall against his snout and face and his eyes are closed.

It feels strange against his fur, and it blankets the world, blinding him in a sense, against the scents he uses to understand and 'see' the world around him. He tries to focus on familiar but fast-fading scents while he takes in the endless torrent of sound of the rain against the various roofs.

It's raining cats and dogs

[cronusian]

Hux is really not an angry person so much as a man ruled by his frustrations at times. He has expectations and when they are not met, he either corrects them or seeks out an opportunity to make the situation work to his advantage. He didn't do well when forced to face situations he could neither control or affect a change on and this entire town is one.

After the disaster near the end of the expedition out to see the sound eaters, Hux is certain someone will emerge from the reset room from the trip. If Kilgrave returned from the dead, someone else was likely to as well, and Hux still has questions he needs answers to.

What he isn't expecting is for it to be an animal that emerges from the room. He frowns, taking in the collar and the state of the creature. What use is this to him? Animals can't answer his questions. He's seen the dog lurking around town, but he didn't think much of the animal beyond that it was one. Something to potentially avoid. Now he remembers it plodding along with the group. Is it possible it isn't just an animal? Perhaps some sentient creature that never moved to two legs.

The rain is meant to allow noise, and he takes the opportunity to speak rather than subject his device to the water.

"So. They saw it fit to bring an animal back from the dead." He keeps his voice just loud enough to be audible over the rainfall. He doesn't speak to it directly, but aloud with mild disdain. What a waste of whatever power is involved. He crouches to get a better look at it, but only partially, unwilling to make himself vulnerable to it.

"What did you do to earn that kind of favor?"

Magic Carpet || Aladdin

[gimmesometassel]

Packing Up (Action and/or network; un: rugman)
[Packing up is quite the unnecessary process for him. Carpet needs no food or water, no bedroll or tent, no clothes..... He needs absolutely nothing but his device and the sand he's been asked to carry. What does that mean for you? It means he's helping! You may find him flitting around town visiting people, either to talk to them, help them get ready, or carry their load for them--or you might just see him tossing a quick message onto the network, just in case.]

Does anyone need help getting ready for the trip? I can carry things if anyone has too much to handle!

Camping
[Carpet is a tireless traveler, even weighed down with sand and gear--his only potential trouble during the walk is if anything slips out of place and threatens to fall off his back. He can't catch anything without dropping everything! Hopefully if that happens, some kind soul will come to his rescue and steady or catch whatever gets jostled out of place?

That aside, once it's time to set up camp and relax, Carpet is actually quite sociable. He loves to sit and 'talk' or listen to others, and as one of the designated storytellers for the trip, he's quite welcoming of being approached and asked to spin tales for people to entertain them--it won't be nearly as polished as the story he's had time to think over ahead of time and post to the network for people to enjoy, but sometimes spontaneity is half the fun! Besides, who wouldn't want to hear the sort of fantastic tales a Carpet that's thousands of years old might have picked up over the course of his life?

Unfortunately for him, Carpet can't sleep--but if you find yourself struggling to sleep, having nightmares, or obviously cold, you may end up having some company. Care for a living blanket to give you cuddles keep you company and maybe help you sleep more peacefully?]

It's Raining
[Rain! It's raining! It's a different sort of rain than what Agrabah tends to get, in his experience--rain in the desert is a brutal, torrential downpour, just as blinding as a sandstorm, so fierce that the rain slashes down in curtains like spears falling from the heavens. People have complained about the rain falling so hard that it's painful, in the desert. And the flooding--in mere hours, the topography could be drastically altered. Entire dunes could be washed away, wind and rain could smash worn and fragile structures, people could even drown if they're not careful. Desert rain is like a rare and elusive god, fearsome and fickle and fierce, who holds the blessings of life in one hand and deathly terror in another.

This rain, though? It's heavy, but not painful, not frightening, not dangerous. This rain is a joyful occasion, a gentle and merciful god, one who spreads his wings and casts a cool, gentle shadow of protection over these people. Carpet is more than happy to help with any projects he's asked to--but otherwise, it won't be uncommon at all to see him splashing and playing with children, or dancing in the sky, doing breathtakingly elaborate feats of aerial acrobatics. Or perhaps he's decided that he needs a dance partner? He's not above snagging someone to dance around with them if they look like they could use a pick-me-up!]

Penpals (Closed to 9S; network, maybe to action? un: rugman)
[Stories. They want him to tell stories to people along the way, to help entertain them and keep their spirits up. He can do that! He likes making people happy. But the person he's supposed to work with..... 9S hadn't wanted his help last time. He hadn't even wanted him around at all. Is it really okay to work together again, after that? What if he gets mad again?

He can't help but be anxious, but there's no way around it; they have to at least talk about this. Carpet sends a private message directly to 9S' inbox.]

Nyness? We're supposed to tell stories together on this trip.

Wildcard
[You know the drill. Hit me up with anything you want but don't see here!]


((OOC: Carpet and 9S should have a joint storytime network post up by Friday! I'll reply to this top level with a link to it once it's written. Also! I didn't include a Sound Eater prompt, not because I'm not interested in it, but because Carpet is unlikely to take much action besides watching unless it's catalyzed by another character. If you want to do something with that, by all means, please feel free to wildcard it!))

[shotfired]

Can I catch a ride?

[ It's a joke, she can't help herself. Please excuse this elven shit-stirrer. ]

[priwen]

[ alexandre has a mild emotion-sensing ability, I have his permissions post over here if you would like to opt out of it! ]

the move
[ Alexandre takes his place at the front of the traveling caravan, his stature letting him cover a longer distance with each step. Since it's nighttime and few people have torches, he feels compelled to do something about the lack of visibility. His position in the stream of people is marked by a flaming sword held towards the sky - though it's not real fire, merely an aura that flares around the blade in brilliant intensity. He's modulated the light to not blind anyone looking directly at it, but still bright enough to illuminate the area around him.

Once they have stopped camp, he would stick the blade into the ground so that it would continue to provide light. However, he's not likely to wander out of visible range of the weapon - it's his, after all.

Ask before you touch, would you? ]


sound eaters
[ The unease in the group spreads as they near the Eiffel Tower, and even Alex' calmness deepens into a battle-ready stance. He's still silent, with offers ofAre you okay? to anyone who might seem (or feel) heavily distressed - but it's easy to read the tension in his stance, wind-up much like a coiled spring.

Despite warnings, he'll push his way to the front to watch the Sound Eaters. And if you're by his side, you might notice that his right hand is already on the hilt of his sword, ready to draw at any moment.

Alternatively, if you are by his side and look like a young person, he'll put his hands over your eyes as soon as the dead Sound Eater begins to grossly mutate. ]


on the way back
[ Now that it's raining and sound is permitted, Alex is much more proactive in seeking out people who might need help. Should your character be distressed by the experience, he would offer to listen to them speak.

Later at night during camping, he would send a message to the arrivals and filtered from the natives (thank you Lorem for teaching him): ]

This is Alexandre.

What do you think the Sound Eaters are from?

I cannot help but have a feeling that those who are not Reset end up becoming one of them.

[ #nosleep theory hour, evidently. ]


gone fishin
[ Now that they're back in Reims and there is rain, Alex's priorities are set very straight.

He would first take one of the poles that he had salvaged and begin affixing a knife to one end, using a chisel and his careful strength to cut a slot for the blade to rest in. Then, he heads to the Seine and dive in. He would surface only five minutes later, this time with a fish speared through the pole.

Feel free to run into him anytime during the process, especially when he's on his way back - a seven-foot tall man evidently soaked and smelling fishy. The fish itself is kept in a cloth bag, thankfully. ]


music
[ The sound of the rain is muffled within House Three, and he's able to hear himself think.

After finishing all the tasks he had assigned to himself, the prospect of not having to do anything is... unusual. Life back home had been filled with one assignment after another, with what little time he could spare spent on tending to his friends. There was none of that here.

A thought comes to him unbidden, a song that appeared to him in a past vision. He starts humming the tune subconsciously before catching himself and deciding to sing it on his own - his voice is softer than his appearance might suggest, and he keeps his volume down in case he disturbs anyone.

Still, it's audible from outside. ]


wildcard
[ hit me with something and I'll roll with it! ]

music

[rockypath]

[Avoiding everyone who'd seen her while she was under Kilgrave's influence has been an arduous and mostly unsuccessful task. But all the same Faith is still trying. But she can't stop herself from approaching the singer once she hears them from within House 3.

Then she finds... Alex. Well, shit. The one that had tried to question Kilgrave and herself in the kitchen. It felt like that had happened ages ago. She stops short of him, but when he looks up she's not sure what to say now. She finally manages.] Nice voice. [Smooth, Faith.]

[ghostfluster]

i. moving out

[Rosa stretches out atop her bedroll rather than in it at first, smiling absently in the light from the lanterns and from the screen of her own device. it hasn't exactly been a fun trip, with the threat they're walking toward, the fear and care in their every soundless step, and the telling weight of the sand and the rest of her load through the day – she's tired and sore. but she's still new enough to life to be grateful for tiredness and soreness (they're still physical feelings, after all, what a novelty), and just the fact of being out in a new country and fresh air feels...good for everyone; an opportunity to leave the confining walls of the Reims community and breathe.

the star-mapping feature doesn't exactly twig a new memory – she doesn't think she used to be the stargazing type -- but there's little sparks of comfort and familiarity to be found in it, nonetheless.

she sends out a group message, lazily, making sure to spellcheck herself]

so how into stars is everyone anyway? i only knew orion's belt before this . . .

heck, some of you are from totally different places, right? what are your constellations like, if they're not these?

ii. sound eaters a (body horror)

[she isn't one of the ones to rush a Sound Eater, to need reset or rescue. if there's one thing she learned as a ghost, it's how to watch and wait...

still, her reaction is notable: her shape stays mostly human, but she can't help the eyes that bloom over her exposed skin when the Sound Eater is born; eyes on her hands on her forehead her cheeks on the backs of her hands and the nape of her neck, pale brown and blinking, some of them watering and squeezing shut again when the red dust blows into them, some larger or smaller than normal, some in clusters . . . she's trembling, the increased visual input almost too much, trying to put them away again. Her hair is lashing, fanged mouths and more eyes opening and closing between the locks.

she looks...angry? fearful? maybe it's a good move to try and calm her down]

iii. sound eaters b

[her message, after the mess of attacks and deaths and rescues is over, after she's gotten herself physically and emotionally under control, is pretty simple.]

they looked human. i thought the natives didn't know . . .

is that what the dead here become, when they don't go back to that room?

iv. building in the rain (dual prompt; both rosa torres & jan douglas will respond!)

[if you pass the reset room area, you'll see two girls clearly busy taking advantage of the rain to hammer and saw with impunity there, doing some long-term investment work -- the community still needs a place to do things that require a bit of noise, when the weather isn't bad, and they've noticed that the reset room can become that place, with the right prepwork.

you can variously catch them carting wood and material down the sandpath to the reset room, hanging up some sort of chart on the room door, or just straight up...building some shelves right outside it?

why is this a thing that is happening? would you like to ask? would you like to help? they seem friendly enough, and will also wave and greet you if you've met before, happy to chatter if nothing else.]

2

[shotfired]

[ Rosa's reaction catches Lup's eyes immediately. As a lich, she knows how dangerous extreme emotion can be. This girl's reaction isn't exactly like a lich's, but it's similar enough that Lup moves as quickly as she can while still being quiet.

She casts silence, spell slots be damned. No sound can be created in the space around the two of them, and no sound can reach them from the outside. It's a precaution, in case being touched will cause a reaction involving sound. Once it's in place, she steps in front of Rosa, grabbing her arm to get her attention (she's careful to avoid any eyes, since she's sure they'll hurt if they're touched.)

Her grip is firm, and she stares at rosa hard, to indicate she has something to say. Then, she lets go and types: ]

Anchor yourself before you wreck yourself. Don't worry about the sound, I cast a spell to take care of that. So if you need to scream or kick shit over? Then go fucking wild. I'll even make some mailboxes if it will help.

Rey | Open (mostly)

[steal]

Packing Up:
[No, she gives a shake of her head.

The person she's approached to assist looks like they could use some help. Their method of packing isn't very efficient, and she gently interjects so she can show them how she thinks they should go about doing it. It's potentially too blunt of her, but she doesn't like wasting time when they could be done with this and making their way toward the tower.

If someone seems to be having trouble with their sandbag, she'll give them a little smile before taking it from them so she can try and help them balance.]

Camping:
[Rey thrives in situations like this. Camping is second nature to her, and she's one of the few who seem less tense the longer they press on in the journey. She smiles each evening as the group sets up camp, and is all too happy to make conversation and look at the stars. If someone looks like they might need some company, she slides up beside them and places her hand against their arm.

Soon, she reassures them. It's not much longer until they reach their destination.

If anyone needs any help packing up in the morning and getting extra motivation to keep moving, she's there to supply that as well. She's just a fountain of energy, happy to be outdoors.]

Stargazing: (closed to Kylo Ren)
[On the last night of their camping expedition, Rey takes to unrolling her bed roll near his. They've been close enough in proximity the other nights to keep an eye on one another for safety's sake, but she gives up the pretense of distance in order to try and learn about the constellations here together.

They sit side by side, the rest of the group seemingly forgotten as he points out a cluster of stars and she attempts to create a name of her own before they find the actual name on their devices. There's a feeling of contentment in doing this, an ease within their bond that makes her feel relaxed enough that she finds herself smiling and holding in laughter.]

What about that one?

[She points up toward a cluster up high enough that she has to lean back against her bed roll to see it properly. Her hand presses against his arm, guiding him to do the same. She rests on her elbows and glances over his way, trying to judge what his mood is at the moment.]

Sound Eaters: (cw: character death, open to interaction beforehand)

[It's not the appearance of the creatures that gets to Rey. It's the fact that everyone that's gathered here feels very much like a target. She watches for as long as her patience will allow her to. Hux is nearby and tries to keep her still and quiet, but she makes a mistake anyway. It's only a scuff of her foot against the ground, but it's enough to earn unwanted attention. The Sound Eaters move quickly and in the blink of an eye, and the last thing Rey remembers before the fear that she's projecting consumes her whole is shouting and futilely trying to fight. ]

Reset Room:

[When Rey comes to, she doesn't leave the room right away. She's more than disturbed, given all that she's recently seen and experienced but she chooses not to focus on that. Instead she takes the time to try and meditate, though it doesn't come easily to her. She's tries desperately to pay attention to the Force and how it connects her to this place, how the land and the people here hum with energy and life despite the chaos that she knows for a fact is lying there beneath the surface. Regardless of what she might have felt about the natives before, she understands now that the threat is very real.

It's the sound of rain that eventually lures Rey out of hiding, and she tries to make her way past anyone outside where she's just emerged acting like everything is fine. Someone is nearby, and she stops just long enough to make brief eye contact. ]

How long have the others been back?

Rain:

[With the rain, Rey finds herself outside more often than not. After Jakku, any bit of rain she can get caught up in is a wonder. When she isn't moving furniture into her home or helping others with any moving they need done, she can be found outside. She takes cover where she can, but always has a hand outstretched to catch rain in her palm. Grinning, she delights in the coolness that tickles at her skin. It's easy to interrupt her in these moments, and with the way she's smiling it might invite someone to approach her. If someone does, she awkwardly greets them and asks if it rains often where they come from.

She takes the time to work too, of course. Finding any barrels or open containers that might hold large quantities of water, she sets them out here and there to collect what she hopes is clean drinking and bathing water that won't require a lot of noise to use. Any help setting these out is definitely welcome!

Early in the morning, when she thinks no one else will be up and out, Rey takes to training. She feels out of practice already, just in her short time here. So she practices with the branch Aloy found for her and she took the time to carve into a makeshift staff herself. It's not the weapon she favors from home, and it's definitely not a lightsaber, but it does nicely for practice. She spends hours swinging the staff and concentrating on the motions, easily losing herself and blocking out the rest of the world. The rain doesn't seem to bother her in the slightest, even as her hair weighs down to the point water is cascading down her face.

She only stops if someone approaches her close enough that she might risk harming them. Only then does she stop and let reality come crashing back down upon her.]

You're lucky I didn't hit you.

Tech Scavenging: (Closed to Kilgrave)

[Who would set something like this up here? Rey glances Kilgrave's way with concern. Despite the fact that she's responsible for helping steal Faith away, she's perfectly at ease with working with him. There's hope within her that he's capable of redemption, just the same as Kylo Ren is. If he knows or cares about her involvement he doesn't show it, and she's pleased as they make a productive enough team.

She's all about keeping the tech for herself no matter what Kilgrave thinks they should do. It's going to be easy for her to silence the sound, and she crouches down to pull her small toolkit out of her pocket. There's a single screwdriver in there that she'll be able to use for this, and she gets right to work without consulting him. Something like this, she wants to make sure she salvages as much as possible. ]

stargazing;

[warfares]

[ Lifting the device skyward, he waited as the stars connected and a small window opened in the bottom corner of the screen. ]

Canis Major, [ he reads, expanding the window with a quick swipe of his fingers. The primitive star-map is overlaid with the image of an emaciated dog, with a short blurb tucked beneath it. ]

It represents the famed Greek dog Laelaps. There are several origin stories, but the common theme is that he was so fast he was elevated to the skies by Zeus.

He is also considered to be one of Orion’s hunting dogs, trailing behind him in the night sky in pursuit of Taurus the bull.

frank/hotdog/punching bag/pete THAT GRUMPY GUY

[oorah]

i. packing up/shipping out

[ frank seems almost upbeat on this day, silently helping others that need help to pack their belongings and offering to carry a sand bag or two. maybe this is finally it -- the natives are going to let them in and stop lying to them. he understands being scared and so even though he's still miffed at being left out of the loop, he gets it. he'll be easy to spot in a navy jumpsuit and yellowing bruises scattered over his face, though the ones beneath his eyes are sunken and purple again; more fresh than when you may have seen him last but healing too. as usual, his device is nowhere in sight but he'll be equally easy to flag down and pretty obliging all the way around on the way out of the village. ]

ii. camping a

[ to the surprise of exactly no one, this marine is good at pitching a campsite and he's used to doing it in the dead of night and complete silence already. having a sliver of daylight is a welcomed change and again he'll be eager to help anyone who wants it.

at night he won't be sleeping, but out by the fire trying to read. if he is interrupted he'll put the book down and focus on whoever is trying to talk to him, he might even have a story or two. if no one tries to get his attention, he'll go on squinting at the pages with no concern for what's happening around him. ]

iii. sound eaters

[ this is it: today's the day. they're finally going to see what it is the natives are so afraid of. frank knew it had been bullshit from the beginning, how they'd never seen a sound eater, that they didn't know what they looked like. he had looked at the natives that first day and saw the faces of men and women who knew their enemy and were petrified of it reflecting back.

he moves to the front of the crowd, willing to cover anyone's eyes or just have someone grip his arm as they watch. it's disturbing -- worse than a lot of the shit he'd seen. and frank hasn't just been through war but hell on earth. this? this is crazy. he watches with abject horror, unable to tear his eyes away as he catalogues all of the different forms and how they interact.

after delivering the native babies the night before, this birth is so disparate from that one that he tastes copper in his mouth. except -- that's just the same red dust that had carried him into this world. the "child" looks so humanoid, almost innocent. whatever this is, frank knows he doesn't understand. maybe he wouldn't care to either. ]

iv. camping b

[ on the way back, he is much more somber and reserved. he goes to sleep early on in the night without waiting to watch over the others as he might usually. at roughly midnight, he wakes in a violent jerk and a quiet scream of distress. frank looks around for the cause of his nightmare, but there's nothing. just the sound of rain pitter-pattering away all around him. he looks out of it but if approached he'll sign the native word for sorry in case he woke anyone up. at least the sound eaters don't seem too interested now that the weather is really picking up. ]

v. rainstorm

[ frank puts a hand out as they reenter the small circle of houses and the familiar sandpath. it hasn't rained since they've been here and water was hard to come by besides. he hurries away from the group and stops home to drop off his things and shrug into a more appropriate jacket for the weather, one that he had begged off an old woman in town. he then begins the slow-going task of collecting whatever recepticle he can to gather the rain water for later use. he's focused on this singular project but would welcome help as he's trying to get as much water as possible: they don't know when the next storm will come and it's arduous getting water from the taps in the houses.

when he's satisfied that that is done, frank will be seen playing with the native children for a time. at first he went to check on the mother whom himself and poe had helped in the forest, but then the rest of the kids enlist him in a game that seems to involve jumping in every puddle they can find. he'll be laughing and carrying on -- not exactly the behavior we've come to expect from good ol' punching bag.

at night he'll be in a fresh jumpsuit on the porch of house six, this one an orange-yellow color. if someone wants to sit with him while he eats a well-deserved dinner, he won't mind. he might even speak actual words to their faces. ]

vi. closed to poe dameron

[ frank had unconsciously stuck close behind the native woman who looked ready to pop any second. he doesn't think she should be taking this trek with them all, but it isn't for him to say. when she motions himself and a man he recognizes over to help her, he realizes he was right. at first he's scared, but he's always had a cool head under pressure. it's routine the way he covers her mouth when she tries to scream and gives poe silent instructions to guide the babies to safety.

when the affair is over with and the twins are safe with their mom in the group of natives, he sits close by poe and shares what he believes to be a look of solidarity. first the whole debacle with faith, and now this. he thinks they'll be brothers after this, that's how it worked in the service anyway.

he had named the baby curtis after his best friend back home, a man he owed his life and so much more. a man he misses dearly. it seems appropriate since curt got his leg blown off because frank was trying to help a pregnant woman. at least this one wasn't strapped to the gills with homemade c4, otherwise poe might have undergone the same fate. ]

vi

[gotyourselfapilot]

[ Poe had been asking the native woman if she needed anything. Water for the most part. He would notice her touching and rubbing certain areas of her belly. However, he would start trailing behind to give her privacy. Because he didn't really want to annoy her but he wanted to keep a watchful eye on her as well. The next few minutes seemed to slow as the woman seemed panicked and motioned for him and the grumpy guy to follow her. Poe could guess in that moment what it meant. First he knew that the sound would be bad. Frank did a good job with covering the woman's mouth and giving silent instructions to Poe. Why was he always doing the dirty work?

There's a look of determination though as he helps with the delivery process while making sure to cover the babies mouths as they exited. Muffling their screams was difficult since he didn't want to do it too roughly. But once everything was finished and the task completed. He seemed more at ease, relaxed and with a wide grin on across his mouth. After giving his hands a wash and they weren't messy, while sitting next to Frank he would do a quick clap on the man's shoulder while nodding at him. He's thankful it had been with Frank.

Poe named his baby after Muran. A man that had died when he was part of the New Republic Navy during an attack that they were doing their normal routine. The First Order came and stole a freighter. In that process of going into hyperspace Muran's starfighter had been within it, killing him before he could eject to safety. Poe was blamed for his death, the First Order wasn't considered a threat and he had to take orders of sitting on his hands and do nothing. The pilot didn't do that though, he went looking for trouble and would have gotten court-material or worse. Before he went back to the New Republic he got to meet General Leia Organa and defected to the Resistance. Even though he was able to avenge Muran's death later, if none of that had happened, he would still be in the New Republic blinded to the threat that was happening. ]

Curtis, not a bad name.

Faith Lehane | open

[rockypath]

Journey/Camping:

[This is a distraction for her. Faith spends most of her time on their trip at the back of the travelling party. If anyone slows and seems to be straining with their load, she'll wordlessly snatch it from them. But she doesn't want to talk to anyone. So much so that she's left her device stuffed deep at the very bottom of her pack. It's only been a couple days since she's gotten free of Kilgrave. Since Frank had snatched her from her bed and the others had helped her get free of the compulsion. She's grateful but isn't so good at showing it or saying so, as she's embarrassed by the entire ordeal. The wounds on her wrists from the zipties are closed up but still visible.

When they make camp, she's just as uncharacteristically antisocial. She stays on the outskirts of where everyone sleeps, keeping watch. She's sitting down, leaning against a tree, staring at the distance. But mostly she's brooding. Are you going to interrupt?]

Sound Eaters

[She watches the different Sound Eaters with fascination. She's not scared, having seen her fair share of terrifying things in her time. But she's not sure how to fight them. There's so many Sound Eaters and they are so few of them. Impossible odds aren't hopeless odds, but still.

Faith lingers longer than the natives as the rain starts, still staring at the group at the odd new one 'hatching'. She wants to see it all, to remember what she can. Maybe if she sees something, it will be useful later. She's being quiet, but she is moving closer. She's never been careful.]

Rain

[Faith would be enjoying this a lot more, if not for still dealing with the events of Kilgrave. She's pretty sure she's being followed by those who are worried about her. And she is actively trying to avoid them. She doesn't want to talk and she most certainly doesn't want anyone feeling sorry for her.

She doesn't spend much time in her room. But she's there long enough to find the suitcase of clothes that fit her like a glove. She's happy to be in something other than the ugly jumpsuit. Wearing her new jeans, a red tank top and leather jacket, she's currently hiding up on a roof of one of the houses. She's under a little awning to get away from the rain. If you see her leap up to reach the roof, maybe your roof, you are welcome to try to join her.]

camping

[waffler]

[Eleven is definitely going to interrupt. She remembers seeing Faith with that man in Mike's house, so she feels comfortable approaching. She can't sleep at all, a combination of bad dreams and wanting to keep Mike and Frank safe. So she idly paces the length of their campsite, eventually stopping at Faith's side. The fact that the woman is brooding is lost on her, so she gives the most awkward and hopeful little smile. Maybe they can keep each other company?

Faith, she mouths the name she remembers being given. Eleven. She points to herself, just in case she's forgotten.]

mike wheeler | open to all!

[353]

( A: LEND ME YOUR STRENGTH )

[ Sometimes it sucks being a kid with no muscles.

He's managed to put together a backpack of provisions - that's the easy part. Whatever space he has left, he puts some of the sand in. Emphasis on some. He still has a lot left to carry and stares down at the dilemma that is the rest of his bag of sand on the ground with his hands on his hips. He isn't strong enough to carry the rest of the bag, but he could drag it. Maybe. He tries pulling the sandbag across the ground, travels about three whole steps before he has to stop to catch his breath back. His fitness is terrible thanks to being more interested playing D&D in his basement than playing sports...

How long was this trip going to be again? Wasn't it days? Shit. Mike is just going to write out a sign using a piece of cardboard, hoping someone will take pity on him: ]

WILL TRADE DINOSAUR FOR HELP WITH SAND


( B: THE STARRY NIGHT )

[ Mike has never actually camped under a night sky before, especially with so many stars up there. Despite being tired from the journey thus far, learning about the constellations is keeping him awake.

Sitting by the campfire, he'll ask via his device, pointing up to the sky: ]

Which one is your favorite?


( C: I'M A CELEBRITY CHILD, GET ME OUT OF HERE )

[ Crouched behind a car, witnessing "the young" of the sound eaters is chilling enough, but the other types have Mike covering his mouth and nose with his hand to muffle his sudden frantic breathing. Holy shit, they could give the Demogorgon a run for its money. He'd wanted to know what they look like, but he almost wishes they were still a mystery to him.

So startled by their appearance, a wide-eyed Mike recoils backwards without looking, stumbling into your character. ]


( D: SPLASH FIGHT )

[ As spooked as Mike is from observing the sound eaters, as soon as they're back in Reims and he sees native children playing in the rain, he can't help but join in and encourage the more reserved to make noise while they have the opportunity.

It's not just the native children Mike wants to play with, though. With his clothes and hair soaked from rain water (he's probably going to get ill), he'll kick at a puddle with his sneakers, splashing your character with a grin, regardless of whether they look like they want to mess around or not. Splash back or tell him off, your choice! ]

A

[rockypath]

[Faith sees Mike struggling with the bag. She'll wave off any offered dinosaurs, thanks. But she side steps him and lifts the sandbag along with the one she is already carrying for herself. She isn't even breaking a sweat and lifts the bag with an ease that you might think it were actually empty. She nods her head for them to follow the rest of the group. She doesn't look to be in the mood for talking, there's a tenseness in her shoulders. Clearly something is bothering her.]

Naruto Uzumaki | Naruto

[thinhammer]

moving on up
[ This might be a pretty uncertain set of circumstances they've all found themselves in, but Naruto looks anything but uncertain where he stands with the natives and amongst the crowd of his fellow new arrivals. He's volunteered to help out in handing out extra supplies - unmarked bottles of water, mostly - and is doing so with a massive grin and an aura that practically vibrates with tangible excitement as he produces bottle after bottle to unsuspecting figures around him. The reason for why goes unsaid, but to anyone who's seen Naruto before it should be obvious (though, honestly, it should be obvious to anyone with functioning eyes).

Naruto is wearing a bright orange jumpsuit cut at the shoulders with black, and he might as well be dressed from head to toe in the finest suit spun from golden threads for the way that he's parading about. He's got good reason, though. He's finally got his old outfit back. ]

and moving on out
[ Setting off on their journey presents a small problem for Naruto. Twenty pounds is a lot, even for a guy as decently fit as he is. He tries to lift it alone at first, of course, but gets a little too close to making frustrated straining noises for comfort, so he's forced to look toward other options. As he sits defeated by his sand bag and pondering other avenues, fist propping up his cheek and doing absolutely nothing to disguise his sulk, his eyes fall upon a few natives banding together by each taking a corner of their sand bag in order to lift it from the ground and onto a little contraption they seem to have crafted to make it's transportation easier-- but Naruto's mind illuminates with a brainwave before he can really take that much in.

Seconds later, after standing up so fast he almost winds himself with his own enthusiasm, he forms a hand-sign and produces four identical copies of himself. the clones need no direction, and lift the sand Fag with only a little discomfort, leaving the original free to punch the air in celebration of his success. from there on he'll be carrying the backpack of food, clothes and supplies while his clone-slaves heft the heavy sack and trail behind him.

If he happens to see anyone struggling with their own load, he'll probably just summon more to help, easy and quick because it's really no sweat to him.. but also because he's always up for the opportunity show off. ]

stopping dead
[ Naruto has faced his fair share of bad guys, seen plenty formidable enemies and faced many frightening battles... but nothing quite compares to the sight of those things burned into the dark when he closes his eyes. He's still a kid, after all.. Still a kid who gets easily spooked by ghost stories and is always unsettled by the dark no matter how used to it he becomes. So this, sleeping under a dark sky in complete silence with only his thoughts - his terrifying memories, tactile, audible, how he can remember how his skin had crawled at the sound of those splintering bones, how his heart had frozen at the sound of screams, how he'd almost felt like crying when his brain foolishly drank in the images that came alongside them - to keep him company... is pretty much the total opposite to what he wants right now.

He brings the device up to his face in search of light, it's glow becoming a strange source of comfort to him as of late. He selects the first name he comes to, and starts up a private message. It could be a stranger, it could be a friend, he just wants a little company. ]

un: ramenkage
hey
hows it goin

chance of percipitation
Yaaaaattaaaaaaaaa!!

[ He feels like it's been years since he last used his voice, and is taking the chance while he has it now, to put all of that scary stuff behind him for however long he can. He's taking these blessed moments with both hands... or both feet, rather. He's on the roof of the biggest building he can find with very little effort put into his searching - it might be a characters home, it could be something bigger, but Naruto feels little to no fear as he summersaults from the rooftop and dives at the ground below. He's caught by another of those identical clones who promptly disappears in a puff of smoke as Naruto dives into him, the collision breaking his fall but not saving him from splooshing into the large and quite muddy puddle waiting for him on land.

He doesn't seem to mind, though, as even when there's mud plastering his legs and half of his torso he's looking for the next something to dive off of. He makes his decision when his eyes find a street lamp, quickly hooking onto it and shooting forwards to climb up it like a monkey boy with strangely glowing hands and feet (chakra manipulation isn't cheating, how dare you). He's clutching on like it's nothing, performing this physically impossible feat with hardly an inch of visible exertion, even when he gets to the top and puts his hands on his hips to survey his surroundings. ]

Oi, oi! Watch out below, everyone! [ His voice is shrill but loud, even over the hammering sound of the rain. ] Uzumaki Naruto, the orange Hokage an' the hero of the leaf is comin' through!!!

[ Then he jumps again, using the opening of his jacket (and an even flow of chakra) to steady his fall like some kind of neon orange sugar glider before he hits the ground and skids in the grainy mud. He's clearly missed being able to let loose if this pretty vibrant show of energy is anything to go by, and it doesn't seem to be stopping any time soon; now he's looking around for the next thing he can fling himself off of. ]

wildcard
hit me up with anything!

and moving on out

[hoaxer]

[Of all the people to be acting like a clown... she really could count on Naruto to be ridiculous. Lu Li admittedly did a double-take when she saw four Narutos walk by her (were her sensors malfunctioning?!) but she soon comes to grudgingly realize it's another weird superpower that someone has. Coming to terms with the supernatural around her is a bitter pill to swallow, but Lu Li is doing her best.

She doesn't know which "Naruto" to approach, so... she catches up with the one who seems to be in charge. Whips out her device.]

YOU DIDN'T TELL ME ABOUT YOUR "SIBLINGS."

Yuuri Katsuki | Yuri on Ice!!!

[porkbelly]

Packing Up

(A)

[Fortunately for Yuuri, packing and unpacking is something he's quite accustomed to. Skating has him traveling all around the world for part of the year, so he's quite efficient when it comes to the task. In fact, he finishes up fairly quickly, including lugging the 20 pound bag with little effort. If, in his surveying of the situation he happens to come across someone who appears to be struggling he'll message them:]

Sorry if I'm bothering you, but did you need help?

(B)

[Never in his life did Yuuri think he'd find quiet uncomfortable.

As he lay looking up at the stars, sleep eluding him, he comes to the realization how much he was used to ambient noise as part of bedtime. At home there was the creaking of the floorboards or the thrum of insects in the summer. In Detroit and many of the cities he ended up in there was always some traffic noise. Now there was... nothing.

Nothing was keeping him awake.

Curiously, he'll rise up and look around to see if anyone else is having the same issue he is.]

Sound Eaters

[Before they arrived, Yuuri had tried to prepare himself. He wants to know what they're dealing with so that he can be of some actual help. Unfortunately, sometimes when you're trying to focus on not panicking, the opposite can happen. His anxiety has unfortunately spiked under less severe circumstances than this, and it's a blessing in disguise that what he witnesses actually renders him speechless in horror.

When the command to run is given, he does - but he's doing it without really thinking. His eyes are wide, his face is scrunched up from terror, and he probably doesn't even realize the rain is mixing with the tears tumbling down his cheeks.

When they reach the supplies he'll fall to his knees, breathing incredibly heavy in a way that's not simply because of the run... he's having a panic attack. It's a good thing the noise of the rain is protecting them now, because he's lost his ability to hold back the strong sobs.]

The Rain (locked to Victor - warning for possible NSFW content in this thread.)

[At first, all Yuuri wants to do is sleep. Even though the mental breakdown he'd had was hours ago, he could still feel the aftershocks ravaging inside. His eyes hurt. His throat hurt. He felt like a small child afraid of the monster under his bed. As long as he stayed under the blankets, he'd be safe. Shielded from the reality he found himself in. Of course, in this case there really were monsters, and if they decided to come for him no blanket was was going to help.

He'd messaged Victor on the device letting him know where he was when he was queried, the need for the comfort of his most important person overriding the desire to hide from the world.]

Here Fishie Fishie (for Aizawa)

[When the equipment had been thrust unceremoniously at him, there were a few seconds of confused staring. There would also have been nervous stuttering about how there must be some mistake as he really doesn't know how to fish, but at least he's good about remembering to be quiet. He's instructed that at least he'll have some help... and when he sees who that partner is, he's not sure if he's relieved or incredibly embarrassed.

He'd already met Aizawa under... very awkward circumstances. A familiar face is nice, but the other hadn't seemed very impressed with him on their first meeting. Now he's in front of him, holding fishing equipment the wrong way and looking like a drowned rat due to the rain.]

The Rain (CW: Sexy Times)

[poodlemom]

[Victor hadn't reacted much better when seeing the Sound Eaters for himself. The "matured" ones had a strange, transfixing kind of beauty to them. The young looked like a zombie flick, something that at least made sense to him, but the shifting.... Victor took one look at that and turned heel. He held himself back from making any noise, not observing the ritual itself and leaving to save himself the consequence of throwing up loudly in a crowd of villagers. When the order to run was given, he was already far ahead of the rest of them and he'd lost Yuuri in the chaos of the moment.

That was scarier than any of the monsters. He frantically text him, but they were being pushed back toward town and there wasn't any finding him in the shuffle or much time to check the screen himself. When finally back in town, he sees Yuuri's message and he's quick to barge into house two, straight to the master bedroom. He opens the door and closes it slowly.

The rain is falling. He's allowed the speak, but it's still quiet.]

Yuuri?

[hoaxer]

ONE ♗ STARRY NIGHT
[The requirement of silence still feels foreign to Lu Li, but by the end of the month she's begun to adjust somewhat. It's easy to remain silent when your own voice sounds alien to you - to communicate via text is a far better option. Life won't be good here. It will never feel normal. But at the very least, the people she's met so far have proven to be both interesting and odd. It's been so long since she feels as though she doesn't stand out amongst others.

She's become attached to the small community a little too quickly, having been starved for human companionship and contact for so long. It's something she isn't consciously aware of, even when she agrees to come along the trip. Despite her misgivings at the beginning, she sees it as a chance to learn more about the dangers they're to coexist with.

Throughout the trip, Lu Li will be doing one of two things:

(a) She'll be carrying a hefty amount of supplies, all carefully balanced on her shoulders. The weight doesn't seem to bother her - if anything, she balances the crates she has with relative ease, her sure steps never faltering. She never goes fast but she never tires, either. The small perks of having a cybernetic body. If you seem to be growing tired, she'll appear by your side to give a look at your load and then you. Are you going to put that down...?

Alternatively, Lu Li will be rearranging her load during a rest stop.]

TAKE THIS BED ROLL IF YOU LIKE.

[She nods as she holds it out.]

IT'S QUITE COLD AT NIGHT AND I DON'T NEED IT.

[(b) And, when the stars come out, Lu Li is gazing up at them in peaceful silence. It's perhaps the most relaxed she's been since she's arrived because she recognizes these constellations. Different as this Earth may be, this was still "home" in a way.]

I WISH WE COULD HEAR THE CRICKETS.

[A wistful message passed to her companion.]

HEARING THEM SING ALWAYS REMINDED ME OF HOME.

TWO ♗ SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES
[No.

No.

The moment Lu Li realizes what it is they're looking at, she starts to double back. Forget her role to keep the others silent. Forget her curiosity. She thought saw horrors during the Venusian Plague, in white halls overflowing with cots. In the worn, quietly lit cells of Ji-Ok, Lu Li thought she'd see nothing worse. She was wrong. These were monsters - no, demons from Hell itself. Creatures beyond understanding, things that oozed danger and death in a frighteningly illogical way she can't wrap her head around. Her systems floods with a monotone drawl of UNIDENTIFIED ENERGY UNIDENTIFIED LIFEFORM UNIDENTIFIED as she abruptly turns to the person nearest to her, device whipped out:]

WE SHOULDN'T BE HERE.

THREE ♗ RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY
[Someone is working at House 8. As the rain falls, there's a hunched figure outside the house, forcefully hammering nails through wooden planks. There's a good pile already made, with some shaped to be what look like fenceposts. With her wet surroundings, Lu Li couldn't mark the windows in case she wanted to board them up - but she'll trust her damned machinery to do the measuring for her. She works as though in a trance, barely looking up at anyone who passes by.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

Shouldn't she be having fun instead of doing something so strange? Yeesh.]

[clarius]

[ you don't need to tell her that twice-

grabbing lu li's anything with a grip so tight her knuckles are turning white from the strain, lorem begins to try and quietly back away in an attempt to keep their distance from the sound eaters. she feebly attempts to tag lu li along with her, her expression wild and full of fear. is her face turning red from the attempt to suppress her screams? or is it turning red because her stress fever is finally getting the better of her?

no matter- right now there's only one thing that's on her mind and that's getting her and lu li out of her so please please please let's get going now. ]

Ignis Scientia | Final Fantasy XV | OTA

[ebonyengine]

A. Little Grains of Sand

[Going on a trip to see the mysterious and frightful Sound Eaters seems like, at best, a risky idea. These were, after all, the fabled monsters that force them to live this quiet existence. At its worst, it sounds like marching to their deaths.

But as they say, nothing ventured, nothing gained. If the normally cautious natives think that there's something for them to gain by going to see the creatures, then it was worth the risk to leave the relative safety of the settlement.

One of the natives pulls him aside and lets him know that he's being assigned a task. Ignis doesn't remember volunteering, but he definitely wants to go on this excursion, so he doesn't raise any fuss about it. He's put on...sand duty. He's part of a team that's in charge of guiding the sand paths and keeping them tidy and orderly, for there's only so much sand to go around.

Maybe he's directing you on how to lay out your sand or you spot him tidying up the sides of the sand path like some sort of neat freak. Or maybe he's silently bothering you about your sand for some reason. (Where is it, lay it down over here, that's not even sand you're holding. Never mind, give it to him and he'll do it.) It's pretty clear that he's taking his role as the Sand Arbiter seriously.]

B. Starry Night

[During camp, Ignis is intensely focused on the device in his hand, having been shown the star mapping feature. He's searching it for constellations he recognizes, but he finds none. However, he does find himself rather entranced by the brief snippets of history he learns. Every time he reaches the end of a blurb, he frowns, his curiosity not sated.

He's got an itch to learn more.]

C. NOPE NOT THE STARSCOURGE

[Ignis had always imagined the Sound Eaters to be something like daemons. Fantastical, unnatural, and monstrous violent entities. One look at a Sound Eater, however, tells him differently. They're not daemons. They're something far worse.

Part of him wants to get closer. Perhaps it was morbid curiosity driving this desire. But he knows better than that. The logical part of him tells him that going out there is simply suicide. There's nothing to gain from closing the distance. Instead, he keeps his eyes glued on the Sound Eaters, unable to take his eyes off them even though he finds them terrifying and repulsive.

When the message that it's time to leave comes in, it breaks him free of whatever kept him rooted in place, staring at the monsters. Ignis taps whoever's next to him and shows them the message. Time to go.]

D. A Little Bit of Freedom

[Rain has never been so liberating. Ignis has decided he will never grumble at a rainy day again. No, rain is a blessing from Ramuh, the Stormsender, and he has seen the light. He will never be ungrateful for it ever again.

If you're in House 5, the kitchen has been a flurry of activity as Ignis takes full advantage to make whatever he can out of the ingredients they have. Delicious scents waft through the house as he cooks and...he's cooking a lot. Is this a stress response? Probably.

If you're not in House 5, fear not, for there's something for you too. Ignis can also be found outside eating some of the food he's created, from goodpumpkin pie (goodpumpkin provided courtesy of the local goodpumpkin peddler) to soup. Get a little too close, and he's beckoning you over. Dare to answer his summons and he's pushing a plate/bowl/cup/whatever of some kind of consumable at you.]

Would you mind tasting this and giving me your opinion?

[Truth be told, while he is soliciting opinions on his cooking, he also kind of just really wants someone to talk to, but he's absolutely awful at casual conversation.]

E. Wildcard

[Come up with your own scenario or hit me up at shiningkestral to plan something out.]

D

[gimmesometassel]

[Is someone beckoning for him? Carpet glides over to answer Ignis' silent summons, dripping a constant stream of water like a little roving stormcloud the whole way. He peers at the pie with some confusion, looking from Ignis, to it, and back again, and pointing to himself questioningly. He wants him to taste it? He's never been offered food before.....

For obvious reasons, really, chief among them that he has no mouth. Carpet spreads his tassels in silent apology, before he starts signing--he's not quite fluent yet, but he's getting there! And it seems just irresponsible to expose his device to all this rain. He doesn't own many things, and he doesn't want to take bad care of what he does!]

I don't think I can.

Armitage Hux | Star Wars

[cronusian]

A. Camping
[Hux sits immersed in a group of people making the trek, not risking any chances by breaking off from the group and exposing himself as a weak point to the creatures they are going to see. He would not even have made the trek were it not for his need to witness these alleged monsters for himself. Information could only be trusted from sources he trusted, and currently there were none of those here. Even Kylo Ren couldn't be trusted. The man had his own motives and choosing to trust Ren with his life would be a foolish mistake.

He isn't reading their stories or engaging in the sharing going on around him though. He has the star app open, learning as much as he can of the galaxy around them in the hopes of finally understanding where they were. So far, it isn't helping, and Hux is lost in intense concentration with his eyes on the stars above.]

B. Sound Eaters
[There is no denying the creatures are terrifying, but looking at them alone isn't going to help Hux understand them. It brings him no closer to understanding their weak points or motive, despite offering a horrifying glance at what their origins might be. Now more than ever he distrusts the notion that those brought back from the dead are truly the same person. His working theory has just shifted from native-created clones to something far more sinister.

But Hux isn't foolish enough to go after them or get closer to the things that could end his life. Instead he starts collecting red dust into piles, searching the pockets of his obnoxious yellow jumpsuit for something to contain the samples in.]

C. Rain
[Hux feels a lot less conspicuous and uncomfortable back in a set of black clothes that fit him far better than the awful yellow jumpsuit had. While the natives and the sound eaters are distracted, Hux finds a more abandoned section of Reims, a rock wrapped in a towel hanging from his hand. With a hard swing he cracks it into a window, the padded, blunt object fracturing the glass pane. Dropping the rock, Hux uses the towel to carefully shimmy and ease a few of the larger broken shards free of the window pane, wrapping them up in the cloth again.

The building isn't occupied, and once the glass is safely wrapped up, Hux slips an arm through the window to unlock the door so he can scavenge the interior for anything useful now that he doesn't have to worry about the creaking floors or groaning doors.]

D. Rain
[Children are much easier to get answers from than adults. They're far more trusting and more likely to forget to keep secrets or information to themselves. He spends some time with the native children during the rain, distracting them with tales of alien creatures and distant planets until they seem more at ease.

Later, he starts peppering in the occasional questions about the town, their lives, and the theater, changing the subject each time they start to get nervous or quiet back to conversations about stars and space.

When he thinks he's gotten all the information he can get out of them he sets out a board with a marked out field of wedges dividing concentric circles drawn on it. It takes some time, but he eventually explains the rules of dejarik to the kids, handing out a set of 'game pieces' made of torn squares of towel with symbols drawn on them to represent the various creatures used in the game.

It takes a few times but once the kids pick it up they seem to be genuinely enjoying the watered down version of a classic strategy game, and Hux is pleased to see them developing more important skills.]

D

[steal]

[When Rey first spots him, she watches him because she's curious about how he might out being in the rain. He seems like the type who wouldn't let a single hair be out of place. But he handles the rain well enough. It's when he engages with the children here that Rey watches him without blinking, waiting for him to make a single wrong move so she can swoop in and go off on him.

She's sorely disappointed when all he does is talk with the children, and then teach them how to play a game. The harsh look of suspicion does eventually leave her face the longer she watches him interact with the native children, and as she notices he looks actually pleased by something she's taken aback by how human he looks.

This isn't the general she knows from the First Order. This is another man completely, one that goes by a first name instead of his last or a title. It unsettles her, and she thinks of running off. Since she thinks it's likely he's already spotted her though, she makes her way through the rain over to where he is. They've already spoken once after she emerged from the reset room. This will make twice in a short period of time.]

I didn't think you'd know how to play.

kylo ren ⋆ star wars

[warfares]

ON THE ROAD;

[ He pays close attention to the pathfinders. The sand pathways have been something of a fascination since waking in Reims—certainly more interesting than food preparation. (Which, while necessary, was not his expertise.)

Judging solely by the number of sandbags they are taking, it’ll be a long journey. ]

Do you think we'll take the same route back?

BEDDING DOWN;

[ When they make camp for the night, the natives decide to unveil their latest (and, surprisingly, pleasant) surprise. The star-mapping feature is entertaining more than useful—the information is too brief, the constellations unfamiliar.

Something would have to be done about this, he thinks; the library back in town is the most obvious answer, though he would have to find someone willing to show him the way. ]

SOUND-EATERS;

[ The first thing he thinks, upon spying the shambling creatures that are meant to be the infant Sound-Eaters, is that they’ve been lied to—not that this surprises him, exactly. The natives’ answers at the meeting had been too abrupt whenever the subject had been raised and, surely, if they had lived under the shadow of these things for so long there would have been a sighting?

He understands now.

The shifted are horrifying. Warped, terrible creatures that prick at him in ways the matured and the young do not. He thinks of the rakghouls of Taris, of their plague-carrying bite.

Then comes the dust and the taste of metal floods his mouth. His gaze turns toward the tower, mouth parting on an exhale as something emerges. ]

RAIN;

[ He'd caught the hint of rain on the air on the journey back.

Weary as he is, he nonetheless finds himself hauling some kind of primitive sound equipment toward the Town Square. "For a celebration," one of the natives informs him as she leads him and his partner toward one of the nearby buildings, mouth curving into a smile that reaches her eyes and seems to shave off years in the process.

His brows lift, surprised by the easy confidence but offers no further argument. Instead bending to pick up the next large crate of equipment and following her out the door.

With any luck this celebration will be far less sombre than the first. ]

WILDCARD;

[ Nothing tickle your fancy? Hit me up here or at resurrectionist and we can hash something out. ]

wildcard

[steal]

[When she obtains her own house, she has Poe help her with some things, and others she does herself. But some she leaves for Ben, though she isn't sure he'll actually come when she sends him the message inviting him over. He does show up though, right when she's in the middle of floating a series of full water barrels up over her head and around the covered porch up front.

Her concentration doesn't break, even when she senses him there. She spins the barrels about as an exercise in using the Force, not letting even a drop of the recently caught rain water spill.

When she eventually lands the barrels all in a row against the house, her hands drop down to her sides and she looks over to him. He came. She can't help but smile at that.]

I have something you need to see.

[This is her first time seeing him face to face since her dying at the Eiffel Tower and coming back. She isn't sure if she should address the issue, or wait and see if he does. What's more important to her is showing him the things that came with her house. She knows he'll have a particular interest in a couple of them.]

lorem laurel; original character ; open.

[clarius]

i; packing up and moving out.

[ during travel, lore is going to be struggling to carrying her bag of sand. she's never had to do so much physical labour before - she’s always had someone to help her with it. from laura to hitch, someone had been willing to pick up the weight. quite literally. now? not so much since everyone has to pull their own weight and the last thing she wants to do is admit weakness and ask for help.

no matter how much as she wants to ask for help. its obvious in the way her face is red and she struggles to not make a noise that she's not having an easy time to dragging this, plus her supplies, during her destination. but she's determined to stay strong n o matter how illogical it is to keep self-martrying herself like this. in fact there’s a good chance lorem will attempt to insist that she be given something else in order to help out the group. please stop her from breaking her own back…!

thankfully, when they rest, lorem will be more sensible about what she can and cannot do. besides patching up clothes that have gotten torn or ripped during travel. attempting to entertain the others with stories of her home and her adventures on the lornful light. going as far to try and 'cook' by combining breads and herbs she's found during their hike. there's also a good chance of her attempting to tell someone about what she's read so far during their travels - graffiti and signs about the end of the world, the pressing need for silence. whatever happened, her expression troubled as she types down the messages she made sure to memorise. ]

ii; n o p e.

[ the sight of the eiffel tower is a shock to lorem - she knew where they were going thanks to the directions and the sights they passed but seeing it, crumbled and decayed as it is, sends a wave of emotion - shock-awe-horror-sorrow- over her. the barrage of feelings and thoughts are so sudden, so strong that it almost has her falling to her knees. she's never seen it before where she's from. not with how the ruining came and took the city, dragging the poor citizens who couldn't escape in time with it like her grandmother. she may end up needing to latch onto someone to keep herself from falling over, her grip unfortunately tight and her face pale as snow while she looks up at the landmark with a faraway look in her eyes.

the revelation about the sound eaters soon after this does not help matters. this is not what she thought would happen when she joined. this is not what she thought they'll find when coming here she manages to stay calm this time, no hysterical outburst from her, but there's a price for it. the stress of the last few weeks, the physical toll of the hike, and other factors that happened before this... it causes lorem's stress fever to kick in and it kicks in hard. it isn't long before she's unable to stand up by herself, cheeks stained a fevered red while sweat rolls down her face and neck. she struggles to keep up with the others in the attempt to get away from the sound eaters but its clear she's lagging behind, her pace sluggish and slow with her expression twisted in frustration and embarrassment because she knows she's being a liability and she hates it. keep moving-! ]

iii; it's raining, it's pouring. (cw: disturbing imagery)

[ perhaps its not the best for lorem, who's only just getting out of the worst stages of her stress fevers, to be out and about in the rain. but learning these are the few times they're allowed to make noise is a delight to her. there's no way she's going to miss this out because of... of a lot of things.

out in the rain, by the fountain, lorem decides the best way to past the time is to sing some songs from home. her voice sweet and certain while she sings. perhaps due to the certainty of her singing, or the fact she's singing at all, lorem finds herself attracting a certain audience: the children of the town, drifting closer to the spot by the fountain to hear what she has to say. or, in this case, sing.

which is a surprise. given how... unnerving the lyrics of her songs are. get close enough and one is able to hear what she's entertaining the children with: ]

Better to weave the rope,
Than hold onto false hope.

Better by your hand,
Before the darkness can.

By bullet, poison, and no air,
Those are the kinder ways to get there.

[ morbid stuff but judging by the way she sings it and how simplistic they are, the songs seem to be nursery rhymes.

at least the kids seem to be enjoying the songs. if their echoing of the lyrics and copying of lore's gestures are anything to go by. with how quick they are to warm up to lorem's friendly nature and encouragement, some feeling bold enough to play with her hair as they climb unto her lap or mimicking her expressions during the singalong, it looks like the young woman has managed to charm some townsfolk. ]

v; soothing for the soul. (closed for kylo.).

[ ... and perhaps because of her bonding with the children, or she went about bonding with them, one of the townsfolk thought she and someone else would be worthy enough to know something special.

its how she finds herself staring the radio equipment and picking at it its materials, her eyes narrowed in thought while she reaches over to shift through the equipment to figure out what goes where. she's fairly confident of what part is which - this is pretty close to the type of technology she could find back home in dust tumbles. it never hurts to ask for a second opinion though.

after she pulls out a cord of some sort and looks over to her partner's side, lore raises it up for him to get a better look at it to see what he has to say. raised as if to quietly ask him if he has an idea of how to go about this.]

vi; wildcard!!!

[ want to do something else? use this prompt or hit me up via my hmd or my plurk, prognostic, if you want to plot specifics! ]

nope - eiffel tower

[born2b]

[By contrast, the crumbled sight of the Eiffel Tower isn't terribly shocking for 2B; human civilisation had been devastated thousands of years before her time. Seeing human civilisation intact had been the bigger surprise for her.

When Lorem grabs on to her, 2B turns. The distress is clear on Lorem's face and actions. What can she do? She's never been good with comforting others. Awkward, 2B places her hand on Lorem's back, an attempt to try and soothe her, while placing the other on Lorem's shoulder to steady her.]

[born2b]

[Closed to Qetzi - Body Transportation]

The rain pours down, a mild annoyance that plasters 2B's hair against her synthetic skin. She hasn't seen rain in a long time...

2B stares down at the wrapped body. It won't be the first one she's carried, but it will be the first one that was human.

Is it acceptable for an android to touch the body of their creators? They aren't worthy of truly behaving like their creators, their salutes hailing the glory of mankind a flawed imitation of the real thing. She isn't worthy of the task put before her. Nevertheless, the deceased human needs to be moved, along with the supplies the natives had brought with them. She will not refuse this duty placed upon her.

Turning to her companion chosen for the same duties, she says to Qetzi'ah, "Allow me. They don't need two of us to carry their dead."

Her voice, the first she's used it since arriving, is low and flat, as if she was an emotionless doll.


[Closed to 9S - We Meet Again]
2B had been steeling herself for the prospect of potentially seeing 9S in this city. She doesn't know how she feels. She aches in her chest, thinking about his radiant smile. She isn't sure if she'll ever be ready to see him again.

The choice to steel herself for their meeting is wrenched from her grasp when she spots him near the head of the procession to meet the Sound Eaters.

9S doesn't belong here.

As if yanked forward by an invisible rope, 2B strides towards him, her bag of sand grasped in a hand. Nines, she wants to say, but of course, they must remain silent. Her arms remain stiffly by her side, voice dead in her throat. Something holds her back. Relief, perhaps. Guilt, maybe. Why did she approach?

[twoaffirmations]

9S isn't sure what caused himself or the other androids to be pulled into this world, but he had tried not to get his hopes up that he would see 2B again. There were enough distractions here, enough humans here, to keep him occupied for the time being. That didn't mean he doesn't miss her.

He was currently focused on the trip and on the task the native humans had give him, even if writing a story felt like a poor use of his skills. Of course he complained impotently in sign and body language, but they insisted it was an important task, and 9S relented.

He's just turning around when 2B stops in front of him, and his jaw drops at the sight of her. For a moment, he doesn't believe it, but it really is her. 2B's name spills from his lips, and their only saving grace is that he'd already turned his vocals off as a precautionary measure.

He stumbles, bringing his hands up to rapidly sign.

2B! You made it!

The words may be silent, but the excitement and affection laced through them is obvious.

jessica jones.

[underachievement]

[ all prompts located in Reims as Jess will not be Kumbaya-ing with the rest of y'all ]

01. PACKING UP: heavy lifting.

[ Although Jess has several very valid reasons to skip the trip (fatigue, mistrust, disinterest, a dire dearth of distributable fucks), her decision comes down to what it always does: Liquor. She ran out of moonshine what feels like weeks ago and she'll bet both her tits that there's some left around here, waiting for her to find it among the native's belongings or, if worse comes to worst, a fellow transplant's. She'll be able to snoop and snuffle around like a rye-soaked truffle pig once everyone's left, so until then she's scraped together the motivation to expedite their leaving.

She doesn't need to be asked nor thanked, which may make her more of a hindrance than a help, but she's strung out on sobriety, depression and insomnia. You'll have to nudge her to get her attention, if she misplaced your things or straight up took from your apparently plenty to give to a weaker, less prepared individual (kids, Poe Dameron). Otherwise she will be extending the sandpath that leads towards France so that the others can conserve their share of sand for a little while longer once they set off. ]

02. PACKING UP: survival.

[ After the population has thinned to a husk, Jess strolls silently between the houses to see who is left behind. This is prime snooping time, an opportunity she would have relished her first day here, but the town isn't all that's been left in a husk-like condition. She has no inclination to peruse the library or town hall archives, though she may make time for it later. She has on destination: The Man in the Hat's house. She is staking it out from amid the trees, not far from the dour celebration they were thrown on the first night. When she sees him leave, she waits long enough to be certain he won't be immediately turning back for something forgotten, and then quietly breaks into his house. Anyone willing to watch her back, she won't argue with -- but she won't share with, either. You'll have to incriminate yourself alongside her fully and lay your own dibs if you want to drink. ]

03. PACKING UP: character death.

[ content warning: reckless suicide/sound eater death, observers welcome but as Jess will be dead, any responses to this prompt shan't be replied to! Feel free to approach her after she has returned (prompt 5 or 6) or via her IC inbox. Because it will be a doozy to write and doesn't invite much interaction, it will be in the first attached comment to this top level. Replies, if there are any, can be made to either that or this comment, doesn't matter to me. ]

04. SOUND EATERS: disorientation.

[ closed to Rey and any characters in the Reset Room ]

[ Jess didn't enjoy the Room the first time around but now that she knows the Disaster Artist that lies beyond it, waking up in it is practically a dream come true. Up until she has the wherewithal to resent waking up at all. Jess may not have put given credence to the Sound Eaters but she was dubiously certain that she would return if killed and, as always, detests her propensity for being right. She does her best to languish in the confusion and allow her mind and body to rest. It feels like falling back into the shallows of sleep, over and over, even though the dreams waiting are malignant in remission at best. Even though she's permitted to speak, she's still not big on talking, and if you're content to ignore her, she will return the favour. Jess intends to remain in the Reset Room until she is kicked out by one of the natives or annoyed out by another dead transplant. ]

05. IT'S RAINING: noise-making.

[ Upon exiting the Room, Jess is provided the key to a new residence as a reward for her silence over the past month. That's how she knows she's been here a month now. What she doesn't know is if this is motivation not to repeat the stunt that got her ass killed... or the exact opposite. It doesn't matter, ultimately, so she doesn't inquire. These peoples' motives, inscrutable and selfish, retain their spot way down low on her list of priorities.

While the others are beginning to arrive back in Reims, a deluge of droplets warding off what she's confirmed to be a legitimate threat, Jess rips the doors in her house from their hinges, leaving only the exterior entrances intact and secured. She piles the fancy firewood up in one of the spare bedrooms, and in the other, she takes the sheets from the bed and blocks out the windows. The house came with a pile of eerily personal items, including film for her camera. If she can scrounge up the correct chemicals and a couple of broad, shallow dishes, she can rig up her own dark room for developing photos. The native who welcomed her back to Reims after the Room brought her attention to a bulletin board while handing her her new address and reminding her of the burdens which still apply to her, such as her job. Resigned to making do with her situation here, Jess requested a change to something more minded towards protecting the community from threats within, and was granted a position in Patrol. So like a cop, and you know what cops are all about. Proof n shit.

Among her brand new and old, familiar belongings is a case of whiskey bottles large enough to tide her over for two weeks of non-stop drinking, doubtless. (And that means non-stop: No breaks for breathing, sleeping, etc. These people really know her.) Jess drinks while fixing/fucking up her house and is halfway down the bottle by the time she can't think of anything else to do in there and people are trickling into town at the pace of the precipitation. Back in real people clothes, a pair of jeans and boots and her scarf, all that's left of her jump suit is the ripped top half she's substituting for flannel, the torn hem flowering out beyond that of her leather jacket. She sits on her ass out in the open, observing the faces of the people who saw the Sound Eaters, a treat Jess's brisk and ballsy rendezvous didn't afford her.

Yep, it's one of those "character A is sitting on a bench, yOU take the initiative" starters. I came, I saw, I disappointed everyone even myself. ]

06. JOKERS WILD: choose your own adventure.

[ Feel free to work in any other interaction you're seeking as long as it doesn't contradict the above! For plotting: Jess's OOC comment, PM, or PP or add me @ lungful! I'm! Not! Proofreading this! ]

03. PACKING UP: character death (reckless self-endangerment + sound eater), alcoholism, depression.

[underachievement]

03. PACKING UP: character death (reckless self-endangerment + sound eater), alcoholism, depression..

[ Jess carries out as many jars of hooch as she can and makes as many trips as she can, because, son, she's afraid what you heard was "give me a lot of liquor." What she said was "Give me all. The liquor. You have." No doubt where the Man in the Hat is at, he's up to some shady shit, but it works for her. She takes a loaf of bread from his kitchen as well, in service of her drinking problem. It was only a problem when she didn't have a frickin' drink in her hand.

She has formed no allegiance to her house nor attachment to the garage she would never deign to call home. There are very few people left around to avoid and the drunker she gets, the better they are at intuitively avoiding her first. Jess piles her booze out in the open and orbits around it as she drains jar after jar, leaving the empties on the ground wherever she finishes them. Eventually, she gets tired of aimlessly wobbling about and hunkers down next to the diminished hoard. If anyone hopped in like Foxface in The Hunger Games and made off with one or two, she's too drunk to notice or care. Her sole concern is getting drunker, which she does with aplomb, until her thoughts are trudging through molasses to reach the front of her mind.

By night, she's truly alone. Everyone is gone and everyone who stayed has gone to sleep, it would seem. She would hear them, right? It's so goddamn quiet. Because of the Sound Eaters. Which everyone is 100% game on treating as a serious threat but call someone a serial killing rapist and now people can pencil in some disbelief. Fucking assholes, should be glad they're gone. She doesn't know why she gives a shit about what happens to any of these people, especially the locals. Their ambivalence makes her furious in a way she's refused to address, probably because it reminds her of her own behaviour. Stewing ruins the recumbent experience for Jess and she gets to her feet unsteadily, nearly knocking an empty jar with her foot. She focuses on her feet for what seems like an abysmally prolonged second as her stomach knocks against the rest of her insides and her head carousels round and round a foot above her skull.

She doesn't know why she gives a shit about herself, either, or why she's played along like she has. Oh yeah -- guilt. It can't be because she buys into anything the junk her kidnappers (not the purple one, for once) have tried to hock at her. She's not afraid to die, not with Kilgrave around; she decided a long time ago that death would be better than going back to him. The rules of that universe don't necessarily apply, however. As an escape route, she's lost all confidence in it. She believes in luck as much as Sound Eaters but she knows if she expects the worst, the statistical likelihood that she'll be disappointed? Negligible. That's all a little coherent for her to think in the proper order or to parse whatsoever, regardless of how it comes to her; it's simply the bricks in the foundation of the impulse that drives her to bend down and pick up a jar, chuck it out into the darkness as her head slams back into her skeleton as all the blood in her body hurtles up towards it.

She yells something too, inarticulate, maybe not a word at all. Her eyes sear like whiskey's run into them.

The physical instinct to thwart her reckless, selfish action arrives too little, too late. There's a quick and bearable bolt of blunt pain -- from where in or on her body, she is lacking the milliseconds to comprehend. Jessica Jones has died. Expect to find out about it sometime around never. ]

Kilgrave | Jessica Jones

[kiljoy]

Nb. Please read Kilgrave's permissions post before tagging.

1. Trekking and camping
[After only an hour into day one of their trip, Kilgrave knows he hates camping. Trudging along the ruins of civilisation on their way to god-knows-what, travelling at the pace of a snail since they have to lay down the sand paths as they go, not to mention all the heavy gear they're carrying. Not that he's carrying any of his gear himself, but still. This trip sucks.

He keeps his head down, walking mostly with the natives since they're the least inclined to cause any trouble, and when they make camp he always stays near the centre and surrounded by as many people as possible. You can't be too careful.

At night he makes himself as comfortable as he can on the hard ground, and he's unusually subdued, not much inclined to participate in the conversation. He's beginning to regret coming along. Usually Kilgrave feels safe in a crowd, but not any more. If he catches your eye, he may shrug as if to agree with the general nervous sentiment. Feels like they're walking into the lion's den.]

2. Post-Sound Eaters
[After seeing the horror movie bullshit that is the Sound Eater reproductive cycle, Kilgrave is struck by one thing in particular: the red dust. As the group begins their journey back to Reims, he posts a message to the entire network:]

un: purpleman
The red dust coming from that creature looked awfully like the same stuff that covered us when we first arrived, didn't it?

What if the Sound Eaters are responsible for our being here? There must be some way of communicating with them. Understanding what they really want. If we left them a message, do you think they'd respond?

[He's just brainstorming here. Looking for ideas. Because of course he's a good upstanding citizen looking out for the welfare of the entire community. We're all in this together, guys. They need to figure this out.]

3. Back to Reims: Renovating
[Kilgrave returns to Reims to find that the natives have finally taken pity on him and offered him his own house! It has a bed, which means he finally gets to claim the master bedroom for himself. Even better, he's pleased to discover that he has several other possessions waiting for him inside the house, including a change of clothes. All he has to do is get the place cleaned up and furnished, and it might actually be half-decent.

Of course, he's not going to do that work himself. He's going to need some help.

That's why you'll find him out and about even in the rain, feeling much more like his old self in his sharp suit, looking for volunteers. Or, you know, "volunteers". If you look like a likely candidate for helping out, he'll approach.]

Come here. I've got a favour to ask.

[His mind control will convince you to go over to him if it works. If you don't look like a likely candidate or you're someone he knows is a dick, he'll avoid you. Just walk on by, don't mind him...]

4. Wild card
[Anything else you want!]

un: holla

[shotfired]

[ She might be a troll on any other occasion, but she's oddly serious at the moment, her eyes locked on the scene in front of her. ]

I doubt they'd respond. They don't look like the talkative types, given they eat first ask questions later.

I do want to get my hands on some of that dust, though.

Lup | The Adventure Zone

[shotfired]

1. Let's go camping, I'll share the burden with you;

[ The actual packing up and preparing isn't something Lup really sticks around for. She collects her bag of sand and waits with little else on her person aside from some poorly carved wood utensils hanging in a bag at her side. They're bundled tight, so they don't clack together. (and she catches a ride on carpet for a while because she's that person.)

She does offer to levitate people's bags after a few hours of travel, though. She knows that no matter how strong someone is, carrying shit for hours and hours is actually really exhausting. Her offer to help doesn't really seem to come from a place of concern, at least to the outside observer. Instead, it's just a nonchalant look and a the text:

Hey, wanna see something rad as hell?

Lup does cook some bomb ass food every night, however. The meals she prepares seem impossible given the ingredients available to them all. They smell delicious, they're hearty and full of flavor. She'll even ask for requests if anyone shows interest in the food she's prepared.

Nosy people beware, though. She has a small plate stacked with little, multi-colored spheres. They look like little candies or cookie bites. Lup has a shit-eating grin when she offers them, more than happy to pawn them off on busy-bodies, nerds, and people she dislikes. Bite into one and they're delicious! But the texture is massively unappealing. They're gritty, grainy, crunchy balls that instantly lose form once eaten.

Because they're sand. She just gave you sand. Tasty, delicious, horrible sand. ]

Gotcha

2. The silence is deafening

[ Lup has seen a lot of shit in her life, a lot of monsters, a giant reality that eats other realities. The sound eaters are unsettling in a way she doesn't see often, though. The ones that shift, especially. Her reaction isn't as visceral as some of the others. There's just a determined look in her eye as she clenches her teeth.

She needs more information because there's no way she's just going to sit back and just...not investigate. a they could have a clue as to why they're here. As long as she can come back to life, she's gonna do whatever it takes to find a way to get rid of these things.

She looks over at the person next to her. If they look interested instead of completely revolted/freaking out she'll type them a message: ]

Want a closer look?

3. Sacrifice for the worlds

[ Lup may act aloof and disinterested in the world around her. She may crack jokes and push buttons. But she's not someone who is going to just let someone die if she can do something about it. If your character makes a sound that attracts the sound eater's attention, Lup launches to action.

She shouts, her sound louder, more present, more pressing. Her hands catch fire and she moves between you and the monster as it's attention shifts.

And then she is reset. (Interactions in the reset room welcome! Or before the sound that catches the sound eater's attention. If you want your character to be the one she saves, hit me up! We can thread something when they all return to town.) ]

4. Rain, rain don't go away

[Lup's memories are hazy. She can't quite cling to anything solid for long, like her mind is nothing but a fuzzy static. It's unsettling because she knows there is something she can't grasp that's important. It's something, someone(?) vital to her. She just can't focus on it. She knows who she is, knows vaguely about the place she's in. But everything else is just out of reach.

It gets better. As time goes on more memories filter through the static.

But the more she remembers, the more frustrating the missing pieces get. Which is why she's glad for the rain. She can shout to get people's attention, play obnoxious pranks, and just...make as much noise as she wants, to keep the aggrivation at the back of her mind.

Pranks that people may run into:

• Cake that's actually just a sponge


• Indoor squirtgun to the face


• Small illusions of all kinds, though most prominently: a shower of sparks popping out of the ground,
  your hair looking a different color, spiders


• Things not tasting like they should: Spicy, sour, ect
  
• Or anything else you think would be fun! All of Lup's pranks are harmless. She's not going to do anything to hurt anyone, but she is going to be a goddamn nuisance.

Sorry not sorry. ]

1

[priwen]

[ Alex wanders over once she starts cooking, an elf seven feet tall holding a flaming sword for light. He peers at her work curiously, sifting through his mental store of recipes to find a match ]

What are you making?

Aloy | Horizon Zero Dawn | OTA

[toomuchridgewood]

Look over your hills and be still (Packing Up)

[ Aloy is strong, and travels light. It doesn't take long for her to pack up what she needs and she can easily carry more than her share of sand. So she offers to do so, first asking Friday as she knew her fairly well. And then some of the others who were struggling until she felt she had reached her personal limit.

Traveling gives her a feeling of freedom she hasn't experienced since she arrived. She wants to run over the hills, even weighed down with the sand like she is. It doesn't take long for that feeling to fade, though. Something is very wrong. The silence of the countryside is so profound, it reminds her of the tomblike subterranean ruins of the Old Ones. Ancient bunkers full of centuries-old corpses and secrets better left buried.

She glances at the person walking beside her, her concern clear on her face. ]

The sky above us shoots to kill (Sound Eaters)

[ Ever since she arrived in this strange place, Aloy has been itching for answers. And finally they were going to get some. She chafes at how far back they're made to stay, and gets right up to the edge of the arbitrary boundary their guides have set. She flattens herself out on her stomach. If she had her armor, she could get closer. The kind that makes for good camouflage, anyway.

Whenever she's not being watched by one of the natives, she inches forward on her belly, trying to get a better look. ]

Rain down, rain down on me (Reims)

[ Aloy is a quiet person by nature. Sure, she will mutter to herself from time to time. A habit born of a profoundly lonely childhood. But it isn't so hard to just think her thoughts instead of giving quiet voice to them. Saving up her words to be spoken on Sundays only hasn't been as difficult for her as it has been for some of the others. The thing that really chafes her is the need to move silently. She can, of course. But she also likes to run, jump, climb, rappel, and all sorts of other active things that tend to make too much noise.

She still can't do all of that when the rains come, of course. The water makes a lot of her freeform acrobatics too dangerous to attempt. But she can move however she wants. And so she does. Dashing across the settlement. Tumbling and flipping and jumping wherever she can. Climbing on houses and leaping across the rooftops. Just dancing in the middle of the street for the sheer joy of it. Her movements are graceful in a wild, completely untrained kind of way. She realizes she's being watched. ]

Race you!

I will hold on hope (Wild card! Pm or find me on plurk Barbeauxbot if you want to do something else!)

Rain down

[poodlemom]

[Given some time to settle his nerves and recover from what he'd witnessed, Victor is out in the rain to actually enjoy the weather itself. Being able to huddle away with Yuuri was just the refresher he needed, but he's still full of nervous energy. Expressing himself without fear or restraint is a wonderful thing for a man like him, a professional dancer in all simplicity. It wasn't the ice, but he would still take full advantage of time to spin and stretch and enjoy himself.

He spies Aloy doing much the same, immediately holding a delicate yet skillful ballet pose to watch her. The wildness of her movement is inspiring and when she catches his eyes, there's a challenge.

Victor doesn't turn down a challenge. He'll move over toward her, sliding through a layer of water with a grin.]

To where? [just letting loose and just running sounds like the perfect way to burn off the excess terror still bottled up in his system]

Poe Dameron | Star Wars

[gotyourselfapilot]

Packing Up

[ Poe had been on many long hikes out in the jungles of Yavin 4. He learned early that carrying a lot would slow you down. Not only would it slow you down but people would be able to hear right away. One bag, with rations and the necessary things were all that needed to be in the pack. A blanket or any other camping things can be hooked to the bottom. A few things of water, maybe a jar of hooch, any kind of food that wouldn't attract wildlife to them or something dangerous. He didn't think that would happen knowing that he had seen a deer at least.

There's a few natives that seem to struggle to set up one of their packs since they needed more supplies. Poe would show them which things he would take out based on needs that they discussed together. He walks around a bit before stopping next to someone nearby. ]

Do you need any help packing your bag or making it lighter?

[ If they seem they need help with carrying their sandbag, he'll offer that next. Poe knows he could carry at least one more. ]

Sound Eaters

[ The ritual seemed strange, creepy, the sound seemed to be nothing but endless quiet. Poe didn't really know what to think about the Sound Eaters but be curious enough to watch them. A bit of observation shouldn't be too dangerous. He needed to see if there was anything more. Some of them looked normal or humanoid. They almost appeared to be creatures, one that moved in such a way he had to gulp quietly.

Poe would slowly move forward to get a better look to watch them as the ritual went on. When it's finished he could feel the tension. There's something about the ending that makes the faces of the natives seem frightened. Was this something new? He looks toward who ever is nearby giving them a polite gesture with his head to the side indicating they should leave. ]

We probably should take their warning and leave.

[ There's a part of him that wants to stay but he knows when he sees panic. It means something this is spooking the natives quite a bit. They've been here longer than them. Yet Poe would think of a question. How many rituals have they seen? ]

Raining in Reims

[ The rain created sound everywhere which meant they could get away with being a bit loud. Poe needed a bit of a breather from being out camping. A bit of time alone as he walked along the outside of the forest. He enjoyed the rain coming down not really knowing how the weather would be here.

Poe would get closer to the trees when the rain gets heavier. He would even climb up one to get to a low hanging branch to sit on it. The tree leaves above would block out most of falling heavy rain. From above if someone came by or under him he'll call out to them. ]

Hey! The view is better from up here.

Moving in the rain (Closed to Rey)

[ The rain never seemed it would end which was great for making a lot of noise. Poe would come to House One to see how Rey was doing. She wasn't on the trek back home from what he had realized. He needed to see how she seemed knowing that she can take care of herself. But he couldn't help but be a little worried.

Poe quietly enters the house while going to the master bedroom to see if she was within. Some of the furniture had already been moved around in a way that made him a bit confused. Had she found a new place to go? Poe didn't mind staying in a house full of people but he knew others would want their own place eventually. Once he spots her or encounters Rey, he'll give a friendly smile and a small wave. ]

Are we moving all of this or some? How far exactly do we need to travel from here? Did you actually get a better place to go?

[ It felt as if he missed something big but he'll keep his other questioning for later. ]

Wildcard

( This is an open option for anything else you want to do! PM me if you want to discuss things first. )

Wildcard

[poodlemom]

[Victor did not stay for the whole of the ritual. After being transfixed by the alien beauty of the matured sound eaters, he saw the others and lost any desire to admire them. The young ones were close to a something from a zombie movie, not wildly out of his frame of references, certainly nothing he enjoyed to see. The shifting, however... his stomach sunk deep and then right back up. Turning, he was quick to flee and get away from the scene, finding a tree to lean against and heave. He scarcely even noticed this spray of red ash over them, which coated his back as he doubled over.

The rain was falling soon after and the group retreating, some in a complete panic. Victor wasn't sure he could move, disoriented, totally lost in the chaos and still not sure he could walk without fear overcoming him again. He's never really understood what it felt like to be sick with fear, but here it is, completely literal. He could use a familiar face to guide the way home and give him a helping hand.]

Aaron Taylor | cWoD OC

[xochipilli_cursed]

Packing Up | OTA
[Tensions are high but Aaron's trying to smile his way through it all. It's only after they show him the star mapping navigation feature that he goes to find a spot to sit down with a clear view of the sky and plays with it.

He also will use his hand to try and box off in his vision the "right" constellations for his own purposes.

If he sees someone looking a little too worried he goes on to plop down beside them and wave. Time to distract himself and others too.]

Sound Eaters | Informational only
[What they see is something that makes Aaron's hackles rise... if he was in such a state for that to be visible. He really, really wishes another from his world was here. Preferably one bigger, angrier and more inclined to violence. Instead he just stands back and watches, not willing to draw the Sound Eaters over here with so many others.

After that scene and the escape, Aaron trails the traveling group and waits until a convenient tree or object blocks him from sight before vanishing and doubling back. Hoping his novice Gifts can protect him, he goes back to watch the young and shifting Sound Eaters wander around.

Which doesn't tell him anything. They're definitely aggressive towards each other so Aaron tries to play a game. He finds objects that might make noise when thrown and launches them near some of the angry Sound Eaters in a weak attempt to get them to attack each other.

It doesn't work and he doesn't make it back to the party as he is captured and Reset.]

It's Raining Me- Rain. It's Just Water | OTA
[Aaron's back by the time everyone else gets back. The two day trip gives him time to Reset and be a bit confused as to what just happened. He was pretty sure he packed up to go on the trip, was traveling, and then... Maybe that part was a dream? No, he really probably died. His head's just a bit foggy on the experience.

He's back to patrolling the town and just waving at people as they arrive as if he didn't just head out with them.

The next day he's out playing with kids and trying to convince others to come join in the fun. His biggest goal is laughter. He's going to do prat falls, goofy faces, odd stunts and the sort to get kids to laugh some. Also anyone else that crosses his path for that matter.]

raining

[priwen]

[ Aaron's death wasn't something he missed. Yet, there were so many other things he needed to take care of, so it's only now that he is able to seek out the youth and make sure he was okay.

At some point in his playing, Alex would come over and pull him aside just for a moment. ]

Hey, are you hungry?

A2 | NieR: Automata

[a2brutus]

[P[A]cking Up]

[A2 is going on the trip. This is more or less the moment she's been waiting for while she's been here, a chance to really get out and do what she was made for: Protecting humans. Beyond that, though, she has no problem helping people pack their own supplies, or even offer to carry them. She doesn't know who is all going, but if she sees someone with a sandbag and a set of gear, she moves in to offer assistance.

By this point, she may or may not already have a good hundred pounds of sand, but it doesn't stop her from putting it down and gesturing with her hands.]

Need help? I can carry that for you if you're going.

[[B]reak Time]

[The breaks come at regular intervals. It's almost maddening, for an android who is used to constantly being on the move. She gets it. Humans are significantly less durable than androids, and she doesn't hold it against them. She never would. Instead, any time they do take a break, A2 offers whatever assistance might be needed at the time. If someone looks a little dehydrated, she's there with some water. Or maybe some snacks are needed? She's your android.

Honestly, despite her scowl, she's almost like a fretting mother hen. It's a little rediculous.]

[[C]amping, sunset.]

[It's still beautiful, even if it's not the first time she's seen it since coming here. A2's gaze is trained at the sky, slowly shifting and chainging in hue, brighter blue fading into oranges and indigo hues.

And the stars...

This marks the first time during the trip that A2 is actually still. More than that, she's sitting, eyes directed towards the sky, arms stretched behind her.

For once, her scowl is gone. She looks... Not quiet peaceful, but contemplative, if anything.]

[[D]reams, Closed to Akira]

[You can really only hear it close up. Extremely close, the internal motors and fans of an android. It sounds... almost like a purring cat, almost. It's higher pitched and more even, but there is a telltale hum.

There is also a telltale human, sleeping on top of A2. She's trapped, unable to move, just as humans are trapped by cat on the lap. It'd happened sometime during the night, and though the sky is getting progressively lighter. One problem remains. When will this human wake up and free her from entrapment?]

[[E]xecution, closed to 2B & 9S]

[Sound eaters are horrifying. That much is true. And while A2 can surpress the urge to rush in and attack at first, when the rain starts, she can't hold back any longer. According to the natives, they can speak now, and A2 does freely, irritation and impatience lacing her tone as she hunts down the other two androids. She points at them.]

You two. I'm going back to the tower. [She doesn't know what she can do against those things, but she's going to try anyway. They're not too far out yet. She points at 9S in particular this time.] You're a scanner, so watch and get some data on it. See what you can figure out.

[[F]irst Return]

[The rain is already pouring down heavy when A2 wakes up from the reset room. Great to know that it does, indeed, also "fix" android deaths. The problem is, however, she can't walk in a straight line, and everything is a little blurry. Her balance sensors are off and she stumbles. Her optic systems are iffy at best, and she's squinting a lot as she moves.

It's hard not to hear the loud bang through the rain when A2 hits the ground with a resounding THUNK, an unnatural sound of metal hitting pavement.]

Peachy.

[Such an innocent sounding word has never come out sounding so pissed. But maybe it's better if A2 stays ass down on the cement for the moment, since walking is clearly not in her favour.]

[Goodness [G]racious, it's also a Wildcard!]

[At Camp and want to interact with A2 but none of the prompts to your liking? MAKE YER OWN. Or maybe you're smart and didn't go on the trip, well. A2 is back now, and she's grumpy as shit and soaking wet. And N A K E D. Thankfully she's an android and doesn't have reproductive bits, huh.]

the real ending E?

[born2b]

[2B frowns at the thought of being told to stay behind. She's not a Scanner, and A2 isn't her commanding officer.]

A2, allow me to join you.

[She doesn't have a weapon, but she's still a combat android, capable of shattering stone with her legs and fists. Just because she doesn't have a weapon doesn't mean she's defenceless.]

[lifewithoutrest]

001: Packing Up

[ Helen jumps at the chance to go along. What little information the natives have given isn't nearly enough to form a clear image of the sound eaters or even make a guess as to their species. She very much wants to see them for herself, learn more about them and how they behave. Perhaps there's something the natives are missing or too frightened to explore, a better way to protect against them then living in this oppressing silence.

She'll manage her own supplies fine, preparing as if she's done this sort of thing before.

Once they're on their way, that confidence persists. In fact, she seems very comfortable with this expedition. Some might wonder why. ]

002: Camping

[ At night, Helen sits awake far later than most of the group. Does she ever sleep?

The silence is more unsettling in the dark, while the others are sleeping. But even before her arrival here, she hadn't slept much.

When she thinks no one will be bothered, she draws a lantern closer and opens her father's journal, searching its pages for anything that might tell her more about these creatures. Even if he'd never encountered such a being before, perhaps his notes might offer some insight into what they're facing. ]

003: Sound Eaters

[ This is more than she'd hoped for, to see how the creatures behave toward one another, the clear hierarchy. And to see one of them created...

Helen doesn't seem particularly afraid, though she is careful to remain silent, tempted as she is to move when other members of the group begin to make themselves targets. That look in her eyes is interest, perhaps a touch of excitement. They're magnificent, if deadly, and she's never seen anything quite like them. She absorbs as much detail as possible, to be recorded once they're far enough away from this place. ]

004: Retreating (native death)

[ Helen is a little reluctant to leave so quickly, despite the natives' fear. There's so much more she wants to know. But there has been enough death (or at least something like it) for one day, and she falls in amongst the group.

She's near enough when the native stumbles that she instinctively reaches toward them, but she isn't close enough to prevent it. Instead she's one of the first to reach the broken body. She knows then there's nothing she can do, but she makes an effort nonetheless.

When there's nothing more to be done, she looks up and gives a small shake of her head, the message clear. ]

005: Sinkhole (for Victor)

[ The downpour still has most of the community either hard at work with the noisier tasks or out in the streets celebrating their brief respite when Helen slips away for a walk.

She nearly quite literally stumbles into the sinkhole that's opened up behind house four, noticing it moments before she would have stepped onto nothing. It's another moment before she realizes someone else has already made that mistake, or perhaps the earth had opened up beneath her. It's a young girl, perhaps seven or eight. She must have wandered off and fallen, and she's further down than Helen can reach on her own.

Immeasurably grateful for the still-falling rain, Helen speaks to the only other person near enough to hear her. ]

Careful. [ It certainly won't do any good for her help to fall into the hole as well. ] There's someone down here. I could use a hand.

[ Slowly, she flattens out on the ground, testing the edges of the sinkhole as she spreads out her weight, worried it may yet expand. She addresses the child with a reassuring smile. ]

Hello. My name's Helen. We're going to get you out of there.

[ghostfluster]

[Rosa hadn't been close enough to get anywhere near the body, so she's glad to see there's someone who did -- though her heart sinks, and her face falls, when Helen gives her verdict.

it's so easy to die here, and not everyone gets a free pass. not for the first time, she wonders if the natives resent them, for how impermanent their deaths must be.

she waits until Helen's clear of the natives before approaching her to talk. the rain's masking their voices now from the Sound Eaters; it would feel like a reprieve, in any other circumstance.]

What happened to them?