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countryclub2021-07-29 09:49 pm
reddosmod) wrote in countryclub2021-07-29 09:49 pm
Entry tags:
(August) 2021 Test Drive Meme
AUGUST 2021 TEST DRIVE MEME
STANDARD ARRIVAL
DIFFERENT TIDES
OVERBOARD
CODING
Welcome to our first-ever live Test Drive Meme! Thank you so much for your interest! While our applications and reserves this upcoming round are for Early Access Members only, this Test Drive Meme is to open to everyone - both brand new players and old!
All Test Drive Memes are game canon. Players can choose to keep their TDM threads canon or not. TDM threads can be used for AC and can be used as your writing sample for your application.
Our TDMs serve as a way to build into the actual lore and worldbuilding of Deer Country and we strongly encourage everyone to enjoy and participate! Current players are always welcome to pull prompts from the TDM to reference on the Network or bring into logs as well as tag out to new characters top-leveling on the TDM itself.
Characters will always be able to actively die during TDMs as this is an extremely dangerous world. You can still have this be game canon! Check out how character death in Deer Country works here.
If you have any questions about the TDM, please ask down below!
IMAGE DESCRIPTORS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE
Prompt One
[Image One: Lego face down on beach shore.]
[Image Two: Melting ice cream cone.]
Prompt Two
[Image One: Person screaming underwater.]
[Image Two: Waves crashing on rocks.]
Prompt Three
[Image One: Woman on a piano in the middle of the ocean.]
[Image Two: Pirate ship on wave during storm.]
Dates to Remember!
Read our Game Open information here.
Early Access is only applicable to those who played in Deerington from Dec2020-June2021. Public Access is applicable to everyone regardless of whether or not you previously played in Deerington.
August 27th: Reserves open for Early Access Members open.
September 1st: Applications for Early Access Members open.
September 26th: Public Access reserves open.
October 1st: Game officially opens. Public Access applications open.
All Test Drive Memes are game canon. Players can choose to keep their TDM threads canon or not. TDM threads can be used for AC and can be used as your writing sample for your application.
Our TDMs serve as a way to build into the actual lore and worldbuilding of Deer Country and we strongly encourage everyone to enjoy and participate! Current players are always welcome to pull prompts from the TDM to reference on the Network or bring into logs as well as tag out to new characters top-leveling on the TDM itself.
Characters will always be able to actively die during TDMs as this is an extremely dangerous world. You can still have this be game canon! Check out how character death in Deer Country works here.
If you have any questions about the TDM, please ask down below!
Prompt One
[Image One: Lego face down on beach shore.]
[Image Two: Melting ice cream cone.]
Prompt Two
[Image One: Person screaming underwater.]
[Image Two: Waves crashing on rocks.]
Prompt Three
[Image One: Woman on a piano in the middle of the ocean.]
[Image Two: Pirate ship on wave during storm.]
Read our Game Open information here.
Early Access is only applicable to those who played in Deerington from Dec2020-June2021. Public Access is applicable to everyone regardless of whether or not you previously played in Deerington.
August 27th: Reserves open for Early Access Members open.
September 1st: Applications for Early Access Members open.
September 26th: Public Access reserves open.
October 1st: Game officially opens. Public Access applications open.
WHEN: August
WHERE: The Farther Shores/Boardwalk
CONTENT WARNINGS: N/A
WHERE: The Farther Shores/Boardwalk
CONTENT WARNINGS: N/A
You're one of the lucky ones. Your journey is smooth sailing and you wind up exactly where you're supposed to: on the Farther Shores. You grow out of your squid body without a hitch, either with the help of another Sleeper or one of the Wakers, and you get to discover this new world. All new Sleepers might take some time to find their bearings. It might be tricky to remember how to use your body parts the way you're supposed to. You might stumble around the beach or forget how to talk - but don't worry! It'll come back to you sooner or later.
Hopefully, you've found something to wear, either in your Welcoming Bag or otherwise, and can start familiarizing yourself with your surroundings. Maybe you help some other squids out on the beach. Waking up sucks! You feel for the little guys. And hey, maybe you're hoping one of those squids is a good friend...Stranger things have happened.
SEASONAL DETAILS ON THE BOARDWALK
August means colorful streamers and fairy lights twinkling over the Boardwalk, lighting the way. Although Trench is a grim world, there is a distinct summer vacation feeling to the Boardwalk in August. You can smell fried dough and hot dogs being prepared - and no worries! Everything on the Boardwalk is completely free to Sleepers. The workers know it's your first stop and that you, more than most, need a bit of charity right now. Stop by and get a deluxe sundae or ice cream cone at the temporary ice cream booth. Want something besides your welcoming robes to wear? There are a few small shacks selling some solid pirate and sailor-inspired looks. There are also some cute bathing suits for those who think taking a dip in the ocean could possibly ever be fun. Get these summer goods while the going's good. They won't be around in September!
Some people have even set up some crude form of volleyball out on the beach. Join in for a game! The ball is a little leathery and strange to the touch, but it's probably for the best if you just ignore that. Hit the ball around enough and you'll notice that if it gets away from your court, it seems to roll itself towards the ocean. Pick it up again and it's just a ball again! Weird...Just play with the ball and don't ask questions.
The Boardwalk really is a gentle introduction to Trench. It's easy to forget that you just woke up to a hellscape dominated by blood. But hey. The corruption here is low and maybe that's the point. Take it easy while you can, Sleepers. The tide is coming soon enough.
Hopefully, you've found something to wear, either in your Welcoming Bag or otherwise, and can start familiarizing yourself with your surroundings. Maybe you help some other squids out on the beach. Waking up sucks! You feel for the little guys. And hey, maybe you're hoping one of those squids is a good friend...Stranger things have happened.
August means colorful streamers and fairy lights twinkling over the Boardwalk, lighting the way. Although Trench is a grim world, there is a distinct summer vacation feeling to the Boardwalk in August. You can smell fried dough and hot dogs being prepared - and no worries! Everything on the Boardwalk is completely free to Sleepers. The workers know it's your first stop and that you, more than most, need a bit of charity right now. Stop by and get a deluxe sundae or ice cream cone at the temporary ice cream booth. Want something besides your welcoming robes to wear? There are a few small shacks selling some solid pirate and sailor-inspired looks. There are also some cute bathing suits for those who think taking a dip in the ocean could possibly ever be fun. Get these summer goods while the going's good. They won't be around in September!
Some people have even set up some crude form of volleyball out on the beach. Join in for a game! The ball is a little leathery and strange to the touch, but it's probably for the best if you just ignore that. Hit the ball around enough and you'll notice that if it gets away from your court, it seems to roll itself towards the ocean. Pick it up again and it's just a ball again! Weird...Just play with the ball and don't ask questions.
The Boardwalk really is a gentle introduction to Trench. It's easy to forget that you just woke up to a hellscape dominated by blood. But hey. The corruption here is low and maybe that's the point. Take it easy while you can, Sleepers. The tide is coming soon enough.
WHEN: WHEN EVENT
WHERE: Among the Rocks in small crevices and caves.
CONTENT WARNINGS: Drowning, crushing bones, intense claustrophobia, flesh eating crabs, possible animal death via burning, possible hallucinations via toxins.
WHERE: Among the Rocks in small crevices and caves.
CONTENT WARNINGS: Drowning, crushing bones, intense claustrophobia, flesh eating crabs, possible animal death via burning, possible hallucinations via toxins.
While most Sleepers are lucky enough to wash up on the Farther Shores, not all are so fortunate. The ocean is unpredictable and in this world, the ocean also happens to be a temperamental living creature. Come in at the exactly wrong time and the Pthumerian Mariana might decide to send you on a harrowing course towards The Rocks. Having to wake up while being slammed up against slippery slopes of stone is no one's idea of a good time, and if you're not a strong swimmer, you might die before you even have a chance to realize where you are. Even if you are a strong swimmer, it's exhausting and brutal being slammed against slate again and again. But you're not the only one suffering. There are other Sleepers crashing against the Rocks with you. Maybe you can help each other out before it's too late.
If you have the ability, you can possibly grab hold on the side of the Rocks and cling for dear life. You might even discover the advantages of your newly reborn body and blood sooner than intended. Not too many can clash against the Rocks without spilling a little sacred blood but you might just be able to use that in your favor. Sometimes shedding blood in this world means getting a hell of an adrenaline kick - and you might need it right about now. Maybe you can climb to the top and back to safety?
Not everyone has to take a beating against the Rocks. Some are sucked into the undertide and carried directly inside of the Rocks. There are dozens of small caves and channels. If you're having a genuinely terrible day, you might break the surface of the water in a pitch-black space, with rock above you, rock all around you. There may be very little space between the water and the rocks surrounding you, making it harder to breathe and concentrate and easier to panic in. Cry out and you may get some help. Find your way to one of the open caves inside.
As you try to find your way in the dark, you hear a constant clicking noise all around you. It sounds like rocks bouncing together, clacking, clicking, some plopping into the water near you. You can feel them moving around you and eventually, one drops down onto your shoulder. It's a crab! The little guy is no bigger than a golf ball and he mostly just seems curious. Another little buddy joins him on your other shoulder. Looks like you have some friends! Maybe they are here to help you.
Then you feel a little sharp jab of pain. And another. And nope- these guys are not your friends. They use their small claws to take chunks out of your flesh and eat it. They are easy enough to brush off your shoulder, but the problem isn't their size, it's their quantity. As soon as you get one off, another is falling down. And some are a lot bigger than golf balls. They get as large as basketballs and when those land on you, brace yourself, because they are dense. You'll discover that the crabs seem completely impervious too. They have rock-hard shells and are resistant to blood magic - probably because they eat nothing but blood-and-flesh creatures. But like all living creatures, they do have a weakness or two: fire and light. You can completely stun and paralyze these creatures with a flash of light. The brighter the light, the longer they will be stunned. If you have a light source to carry around, the crabs won't come near you at all. Fire won't stun the crabs, but it does terrify them and will send them fleeing. If you set a crab on fire, you'll see why: it's the only way to kill them.
So congratulations, you have Trench Crabs. Not the best experience, but it's an easier experience for some than others. Unfortunately for Warmbloods, Palebloods, and Vilebloods there's a certain toxin in the crab's flaws that can cause mild hallucinations and confusion in response to your specific blood type. Hopefully, you're stuck with another blood type who isn't affected by the crab toxins. To get rid of the side effects, you will need to thoroughly clean out all of your wounds with warm salt-water.
Let's just hope you can all make it out of the Rocks alive. Good luck.
QUICK FAQ
1. Those whose Patron Pthumerian is Mariana will be much luckier in the waves. Some may even discover that the water urges them towards safer passages. If they ask for direct help, the water might directly respond with immediate help. In the most extreme cases, the water might heal flesh wounds, but it will burn a little. Never a good idea to put salt (water) on an open wound, but hey, better than bleeding out!
This applies to the third prompt as well. 2. Characters can either find their way across the Rocks and climb to the area around the Sanguine Station or wind up at the Farther Shores. Wakers would be quick to help any mangled Sleepers.
3. Other characters can go to the Rocks and try to help save the Sleepers being brutalized. Maybe throw someone a rope or if you have the power of flight you can try and get them to safety.
If you have the ability, you can possibly grab hold on the side of the Rocks and cling for dear life. You might even discover the advantages of your newly reborn body and blood sooner than intended. Not too many can clash against the Rocks without spilling a little sacred blood but you might just be able to use that in your favor. Sometimes shedding blood in this world means getting a hell of an adrenaline kick - and you might need it right about now. Maybe you can climb to the top and back to safety?
Not everyone has to take a beating against the Rocks. Some are sucked into the undertide and carried directly inside of the Rocks. There are dozens of small caves and channels. If you're having a genuinely terrible day, you might break the surface of the water in a pitch-black space, with rock above you, rock all around you. There may be very little space between the water and the rocks surrounding you, making it harder to breathe and concentrate and easier to panic in. Cry out and you may get some help. Find your way to one of the open caves inside.
As you try to find your way in the dark, you hear a constant clicking noise all around you. It sounds like rocks bouncing together, clacking, clicking, some plopping into the water near you. You can feel them moving around you and eventually, one drops down onto your shoulder. It's a crab! The little guy is no bigger than a golf ball and he mostly just seems curious. Another little buddy joins him on your other shoulder. Looks like you have some friends! Maybe they are here to help you.
Then you feel a little sharp jab of pain. And another. And nope- these guys are not your friends. They use their small claws to take chunks out of your flesh and eat it. They are easy enough to brush off your shoulder, but the problem isn't their size, it's their quantity. As soon as you get one off, another is falling down. And some are a lot bigger than golf balls. They get as large as basketballs and when those land on you, brace yourself, because they are dense. You'll discover that the crabs seem completely impervious too. They have rock-hard shells and are resistant to blood magic - probably because they eat nothing but blood-and-flesh creatures. But like all living creatures, they do have a weakness or two: fire and light. You can completely stun and paralyze these creatures with a flash of light. The brighter the light, the longer they will be stunned. If you have a light source to carry around, the crabs won't come near you at all. Fire won't stun the crabs, but it does terrify them and will send them fleeing. If you set a crab on fire, you'll see why: it's the only way to kill them.
So congratulations, you have Trench Crabs. Not the best experience, but it's an easier experience for some than others. Unfortunately for Warmbloods, Palebloods, and Vilebloods there's a certain toxin in the crab's flaws that can cause mild hallucinations and confusion in response to your specific blood type. Hopefully, you're stuck with another blood type who isn't affected by the crab toxins. To get rid of the side effects, you will need to thoroughly clean out all of your wounds with warm salt-water.
Let's just hope you can all make it out of the Rocks alive. Good luck.
QUICK FAQ
1. Those whose Patron Pthumerian is Mariana will be much luckier in the waves. Some may even discover that the water urges them towards safer passages. If they ask for direct help, the water might directly respond with immediate help. In the most extreme cases, the water might heal flesh wounds, but it will burn a little. Never a good idea to put salt (water) on an open wound, but hey, better than bleeding out!
This applies to the third prompt as well. 2. Characters can either find their way across the Rocks and climb to the area around the Sanguine Station or wind up at the Farther Shores. Wakers would be quick to help any mangled Sleepers.
3. Other characters can go to the Rocks and try to help save the Sleepers being brutalized. Maybe throw someone a rope or if you have the power of flight you can try and get them to safety.
WHEN: Pirates continually sail the Pthumerian Ocean therefore this event could take place at any time.
WHERE: Somewhere beyond the Fishing Zone of the Pthumerian Ocean
CONTENT WARNINGS: Drowning, kidnapping, imprisonment, "human" trafficking, cannibalism.
WHERE: Somewhere beyond the Fishing Zone of the Pthumerian Ocean
CONTENT WARNINGS: Drowning, kidnapping, imprisonment, "human" trafficking, cannibalism.
Some Sleepers don't make it to the Farther Shores or the Rocks. Your body might regenerate in the middle of the Pthumerian Ocean and the only thing in your favor is at least you're not reborn naked here (unless maybe you are - dealer's choice). You're cloaked in some long, white garment - not that it does much against the crashing waves all around you. This is not a great place to wake up! And it looks like you woke up in the middle of the storm only it's not really a storm...This is just the natural state of the Pthumerian Ocean: violent and unpredictable.
Waves crash and pull all around you, thundering through the air, the wind and skies above just as hostile and aggressive. You can't tell if it's raining or if you're just being constantly splattered by the mist and water of waves nearby. Whirlpools spin in gurgling clusters and it's easy to get sucked into them. Thankfully, you're not completely alone in this terrible situations. You can see other Sleepers nearby...And furniture?
Chunks of furniture float by. Couches, mattresses, pianos, bookcases. There is the debris of ruined ships too: flanks of wood, doors that could probably hold two people if you actually tried, masts, barrels, and the like. Might not be a bad idea to try and hold onto some of that stuff. Better than the alternative! Another thing going in your favor is that you showed up in August. The Pthumerian Ocean is a brutal place, but you won't be freezing to death in these waters. At least not this month. But what about where you are? Where you need to go? Well. That's answered for you.
There are few things tougher in Deer Country than the pirates who live by the law of the ocean. Their ships have been coated in blood magic, cutting through waves, navigating the tidal waves and the whirlpools with abnormal grace normal sailors could only ever dream of. But the people aboard are not human. Not anymore. Most have become completely corrupt by the violence of the ocean and they're more than happy to scoop up poor, disoriented Sleepers they find along the way. You'll find no mercy from these pirates. Instead, it's off to the brig with you! The people on the ship have disoriented appearances, looking more like sea creatures than humans, and they have the manners you'd expect from pufferfish and tiger sharks. They cannot be reasoned with - after all, they aren't just rude. They are blood corrupted and some of them are borderline on their way to full beasthood.
Pirates will value Sleepers for their blood and plan to either eat the Sleepers, use their blood for blood magic, or sell them to other pirates and most won't immediately try to kill a Sleeper. They might be violent, but they aren't stupid. Pirates may simply throw you in a cell or chain you up. They may put Sleepers in a cell together or separate them into cages. If Sleepers are especially mouthy, they may make you walk the plank, tied up with heavy chains that will surely bring you to the bottom (if there even is a bottom) of the ocean. Players can choose the severity of the imprisonment of Sleepers and how Sleepers may escape their situation. Maybe they sneak out of bond and steal a lifeboat. Maybe they overpower their captors and kill most of them or throw them overboard and steal their ship. Either way, once they have met some kind of escape, the Pthumerian Mariana will be impressed enough by their hardiness to help guide them through the currents all the way to the Farther Shores.
Waves crash and pull all around you, thundering through the air, the wind and skies above just as hostile and aggressive. You can't tell if it's raining or if you're just being constantly splattered by the mist and water of waves nearby. Whirlpools spin in gurgling clusters and it's easy to get sucked into them. Thankfully, you're not completely alone in this terrible situations. You can see other Sleepers nearby...And furniture?
Chunks of furniture float by. Couches, mattresses, pianos, bookcases. There is the debris of ruined ships too: flanks of wood, doors that could probably hold two people if you actually tried, masts, barrels, and the like. Might not be a bad idea to try and hold onto some of that stuff. Better than the alternative! Another thing going in your favor is that you showed up in August. The Pthumerian Ocean is a brutal place, but you won't be freezing to death in these waters. At least not this month. But what about where you are? Where you need to go? Well. That's answered for you.
There are few things tougher in Deer Country than the pirates who live by the law of the ocean. Their ships have been coated in blood magic, cutting through waves, navigating the tidal waves and the whirlpools with abnormal grace normal sailors could only ever dream of. But the people aboard are not human. Not anymore. Most have become completely corrupt by the violence of the ocean and they're more than happy to scoop up poor, disoriented Sleepers they find along the way. You'll find no mercy from these pirates. Instead, it's off to the brig with you! The people on the ship have disoriented appearances, looking more like sea creatures than humans, and they have the manners you'd expect from pufferfish and tiger sharks. They cannot be reasoned with - after all, they aren't just rude. They are blood corrupted and some of them are borderline on their way to full beasthood.
Pirates will value Sleepers for their blood and plan to either eat the Sleepers, use their blood for blood magic, or sell them to other pirates and most won't immediately try to kill a Sleeper. They might be violent, but they aren't stupid. Pirates may simply throw you in a cell or chain you up. They may put Sleepers in a cell together or separate them into cages. If Sleepers are especially mouthy, they may make you walk the plank, tied up with heavy chains that will surely bring you to the bottom (if there even is a bottom) of the ocean. Players can choose the severity of the imprisonment of Sleepers and how Sleepers may escape their situation. Maybe they sneak out of bond and steal a lifeboat. Maybe they overpower their captors and kill most of them or throw them overboard and steal their ship. Either way, once they have met some kind of escape, the Pthumerian Mariana will be impressed enough by their hardiness to help guide them through the currents all the way to the Farther Shores.
lys skovgaard | original
1) overboard ⟴ cw: violence, death, mentions of cannibalism
[Hauled from the crashing waves by misshapen, crustacean hands, Lys knows only relief for a few brief moments as she lies slack between two of the pirates, held up by the arms and unable to stand under her own power. Soaking wet and semi-delirious, she sways with the rolling motion of the ship, feeling quite a lot like a piece of driftwood herself—tumbling crazily through a world without any anchor or fixed point, stolen back from the water by some kind of miracle.
Then some of the conversation flowing around her in loud, bawdy voices begins to filter in, registering as more than white noise: despite the lack of meat on her bones, they want to eat her. To eat the other "sleepers" already caught and stuffed into the brig below. Something about using their blood, too, about maybe selling the leftovers to other crews on other ships, but that's not what drives icicles into her stomach and makes her eyes snap open. They're talking about eating people and laughing about it.
Battle cries are for people with lungs untouched by seawater and foam. In grim, determined silence, Lys rips her arm free from the pirate on her left, then on her right, breaking their hold and shoving one into the other. Stealing the nearest pirate's cutlass, she swiftly dispatches them both—stabbing and hacking the blade into what passes for their faces, their brains, not caring that she needs to use a werewolf's strength to cut through thick cartilage. As the rest of the crew rush toward her, Lys turns to meet them, teeth bared in fearless—desperate?—challenge.]
2) boardwalk i
[...unfortunately for Lys, killing pirates and sailing their ship are two entirely different skills. If not for the Pthumerian Mariana's merciful guidance through the swells and currents (something Lys chalks up to random luck and a string of happy accidents), she probably would have driven the ship into The Rocks or sent it capsizing into the water. Instead, the ship beaches itself rather clumsily near the boardwalk, churning up sea and sand as it grinds to a halt.
Lys is content to sit on the prow and watch the Farther Shores grow steadily closer, long legs dangling off the side. In the life she lived before becoming and then unbecoming a squid creature, she used to count herself as a good swimmer; after the thrashing she took from the ocean, Lys no longer wants to argue the point. When the ship runs aground, she lets the forward momentum carry her overboard, freefalling into the shallows and landing with a loud splash.
For what feels like far too long, she just floats there like a dead thing. A good long soak should wash away most of the blood covering her from head to toe, right?]
3) boardwalk ii
[Slightly damp but cleanly dressed in a fresh set of sailor duds, Lys wanders back toward the ship she'd arrived in, arms laded with several hot dogs and fried dough wrapped in twists of paper. She doesn't know yet how much tougher life will eventually become for her, as a Vileblood—right now, Lys is trying very, very hard not to think about why her blood is suddenly green. She's trying not to think about anything at all. Except, hopefully, filling her stomach, which she intends to do as soon as she finds a likely patch of sand.
Of course, it's precisely when she sits down on a convenient driftwood log and has spread out her delicious(ly greasy) repast that she notices she's not alone. Maybe they (you?) are eyeing the food longingly, or just with open surprise that a gangly twig like Lys expects to finish every crumb. Maybe eye contact happens for a totally different reason. Either way, the illusion of company brings a ghost of a smile to her thin, tired face.]
...do you want some? I don't mind sharing.
wildcard
[Have another prompt in mind? Here's where it goes! Feel free to contact me through PMs or DMs @ sentinelbeach#2105 if you want to hash something super specific out; I'm open to pretty much anything that wouldn't contradict how Lys arrives at the Farther Shores. For reference, she's a vileblood here!]
{ overboard }
everything seems to be happening so fast, so rapidly, that catra feels a little light-headed. it wasn't all that long ago that she had been some sort of squid swimming in the ocean, then she had been captured, hauled onto this boat, thrown into the brig, and as soon as she breaks out in a desperate bid for freedom—
this.
this happens!
what even is this? is this person out of her mind? did she expect to take on an entire boat of pirates by herself? or is she just desperate to make sure she goes down fighting? admirable, if true. stupid, but admirable. for a split second, catra considers letting her serve as a distraction as she stole one of the life boats and rowed off into the distance.
it's a good plan, a solid plan. a feasible plan.
but it would be considered something of a dick move. catra didn't really have any problem with that, not in any regard, but she has been trying to be a better person. a kinder person. a person worthy of being saved. therefore, she has to help.
it's just that her form of help comes in the flavour of violence. she flexes her fingers, unleashing her claws, and swipes through a small section of wooden railing to send it flying towards the pirates rushing at the other girl. )
no subject
Catra's attack cuts several of them down. Few lethally, barring a lucky hit directly to the head with a chunk of falling wood, but many are sent stumbling to their hands and knees (or tentacles), tripping over each other with shouts of confused dismay. Lys dashes forward without thinking into the gaps they create, the world exploding into sound again as she ducks a fist, deflects a knife thrown at her face, goes rolling under a sword swing and back up into a headlong sprint. Clawed hands clutch at her only to slide away as she yanks free, holding fistfuls of sodden white fabric stained with strange blood—green flecked with red, carrying a heavy scent of flowers that's all but lost beneath the pounding rain.
She barely feels the gashes. Doesn't cry out in pain or shock. Like a terrible engine of destruction, Lys cuts a furious swathe through the pirates, the slavers, the cannibals as she races toward the other end of the ship; severing this one's head, lopping off that one's arm, driving her sword so deeply into a pirate's chest that the tip juts out their back. Keep moving, keep moving—if she slows down too much, she won't dodge the next attack.]
no subject
Boardwalk ii
He pauses to consider the offer and his stomach snarls. Ah. He hasn’t eaten anything at all, had he? He steps away from the thing glinting in the sand. It’s a long, wide blade of red and black metal with a hilt sticking out of the crashing of the tide.]
If the offer is open, I wouldn’t mind it. I can trade information so you get something for your kindness.
[He kneels down and pulls the claymore out of the water. Sea water drips from it as it vanishes into…somewhere. Some hidden tension eases in his shoulders.] How much do you remember from before you landed here?
no subject
[Said like it's a script she's memorized, through a bland smile that doesn't match her hollow stare as she watches him pull the sword from the sand. Too tired to tense into readiness, she simply blinks in muted surprise as the weapon vanishes into thin air. Was that his power? Did it mean the sword belonged to him? And if it did...could her own sword perhaps be found as well, washed up on the shore somewhere like a piece of jetsam?
The thought has a pull to it, a draw that smacks of duty and obligation and something almost like purpose, but Lys pushes it to the back of her mind. Her emotional batteries haven't been quite this low in a very long time; her limbs feel wooden, too heavy. The idea of standing up and roaming the beach was just too much right now. So instead she bites into one of the hot dogs, chewing it mechanically. There's no taste to it, like chewing paper, but Lys doesn't mind. That was usually how food tasted to her after something horribly traumatic.]
But I don't mind telling you what I know. [She fastidiously wipes crumbs from the corner of her mouth, licking them off her thumb.] I remember...well, I guess what you'd expect someone to remember? Where I was, what I was doing. So pretty much everything, I'd say, though it's good you're asking me now and not a couple of hours ago.
[Or however long ago it actually was. Time could be so slippery and hard to grasp while slicing up cannibalistic blood-corrupted pirates.]
no subject
Everyone I've met and talked to says the same thing. And the pirates banked on us not knowing ourselves enough to be grabbed without a fuss.
[He has to wonder how often this happens. Has this been a constant? He hadn't asked about that. He'd wanted basics first while his mind was so fragilely balanced between what he remembered and what felt right.]
It's not much. The people here are willing to talk but it's nothing to reveal any great meanings beyond this feeling...that we're meant to be here.
no subject
[Just long enough to be hauled out of the waves and displayed like a caught fish.]
Maybe I would've stayed confused for longer if they hadn't started laughing.
[Her voice is flat and tired, hinting at nothing. It helps that he's looking at the sea. Conversation had always been helpful in the past, was helping her now—a lifeline to cling to, grounding her in the moment—and yet it feels...almost too much. All the stimulus she could handle. The weight of his gaze might make her jaw lock and her throat close up.
She quickly starts on the next hot dog.]
So, we're meant to be here? To do what?
no subject
Unfortunately, I don’t know. It’s a feeling that everyone seems to share. This town was expecting us.
[He brings his hand to his mouth and his brows furrowed. His mind is racing through the information he knows. But none of it has answers. Diluc shakes his head.]
I’ll look into it. If you wish, I will share what I find out. For now I can only offer this. In the place I was before I was told what came next was something new.
That The Snake would know more. I have yet to find them. But, the more of us look the more chances we might have to learn more.
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[She muses over that between bites, gaze drifting out to sea and along the shoreline. The ship she'd steered aground was still there, floating serenely in the shallows as though death had never darkened its quarterdeck. Imagination would have her believe blood was running from the hull like melted caulk, so she closes her eyes and waits. Breathes in, breathes out. When she looks again, the ship is just a ship.
It's easy to keep her voice from shaking. She's too tired to be upset, and more than that, she didn't regret their deaths. They'd been pirates and cannibals and slavers. Surely this strange new world was better off without them.]
That's a pretty scary name...but, sure. I'll keep an eye out. Maybe somebody smart can figure it out for us.
["Smarter than me" goes unsaid. But in the meantime, Lys supposed they had to get on with the business of living, tiresome as it could sometimes be. She offers Diluc a hot dog without looking at him, still chewing mechanically through her own.]
I don't think we're gonna be able to learn the truth all by ourselves, so...it's good to work together, right?
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Not everyone is as human as they look, after all. Doesn't the same count for Ange herself?
But when there's suddenly that offer - one surprisingly kind for a stranger - Ange feels her facial expression soften a bit from its usual pokerface, and she takes a few steps over to slowly (she's getting used to these legs, okay!) sit down in the sand as well. ]
Were you counting on company? [ She says, gesturing at the sheer amount of food. ]
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[Lys keeps smiling, though it feels more and more that there must be wires attached to the corners of her mouth. Trying not to think about how she got here was like trying not to think about purple cows after being challenged to do just that. The sound of coarse laughter, the smell of blood even over the rain—nothing she wants to remember, nothing she can seem to block out, the memories coming and going in fitful flashes.
Her guts heave, twisting up, and she clamps down on the feeling at the same time she bites into one of the hot dogs, nearly swallowing it whole. She wasn't going to cry in front of a stranger if she could help it. Or anyone else.]
But it worked out, right? 'Cause now I've got plenty to share, especially with a friendly face.
[Contrasted against pirates howling angrily for her death, a stoic pokerface was almost the picture of hospitality.]
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For a moment Ange stares at Lys. Her pokerface shifts a little - though it's mostly the gaze in her eyes. She's staring at Lys as if the other suddenly grew a second head on her shoulders or something.
But when that surprises seems to fade a little, Ange instead lets out a breath. It sounds vaguely amused, like it's a disguised laugh. ]
I think this is the first time I've ever heard anyone call my face 'friendly'.
[ This girl sure is something.
But don't mind Ange as her hand starts hovering over the food, like she's at the same time trying to pick what she's going to eat. ]
Times really must be desperate. [ You know, for Ange's constant pokerface to be considered friendly nowadays. ]
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[She returns the stare placidly, without a hint of sarcasm or challenge. After the adrenaline rush of cutting through a boatload of pirates, the sharp shock of crashing headlong into cold seawater, Ange's muted expressions were actually rather pleasant. Like a song played at low volume and a softer tempo, easier on her frayed nerves.
Though still hungry—because Lys is always hungry, even when her belly is full—she refrains from taking another morsel. Better to let Ange pick and choose at her leisure.]
I mean, here you are, joining me for a meal. So politely, even. Of course I'd call that friendly.
[Her gaze slides away, staring out at the ocean—at it, and through it.]
...Can't argue these aren't desperate times, though. Or maybe just strange. Waking up in the sea, wondering why I've got arms and legs before remembering that's what I'm supposed to have...
[A low noise deep in her throat. Her own disguised laugh, less amused and more uncertain.]
Unless you're gonna tell me that's normal around here?
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In other words, she has no idea if that is supposed to be normal here. Sure, she went through the same thing, and it seems most people in this place - if not all - have, but other than that..
Ange seems to think for a moment, grabbing a piece of food and pulling it closer towards her - though she speaks up again before putting something in her mouth. ]
Though I did come from a different place.. a place that wasn't my home either, I mean. [ It sounds weird, explaining it like that, but she doesn't know how else to tell that to someone she doesn't recognize from Deerington. ] A lot of weird stuff happened there all the time. I've definitely seen people change into animals there before, for one.
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If you need to finish all those town tasties, I can help. [Which is Mebh's way of saying yes, she wants some.]
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...sure. Yeah, of course you can.
[Plucking up her smile again, she distracts herself by picking up one of the fried dough balls and unwrapping the paper, holding it out for Mebh to take.]
Have you tried these yet? They're pretty good.
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Haven't tried this before... [She takes the fried dough ball from Lys and sniffs at it before grinning and tearing into it like some kind of small, misbehaved animal. Manners aren't her strong suit, but at least she's enjoying it.]
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Like it, huh?
[Congrats, Mebh, you've met at least one person who doesn't mind your atrocious table manners.]
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[Most people would dismiss the food they're selling here as junk, but Mebh doesn't have the highest standards when it comes to food. As long as it tastes decent and fills her up, she's fine with it.]
I dunno how they make that cold milk stuff, but that's good, too. [She's talking about the ice cream, which she tried earlier.]
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When he sees Lys start fighting back, he suddenly springs back to life. Here's the chance he's been looking for. She's close to where they've stashed Tsume. As she backs up, she gets close. He comes to the front of the cage.]
Let me out! I can help! [He looks around, spotting the keys hanging off the belt of a pirate that resembles a hammerhead shark.] There! Grab the keys from him!
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The first one to come within range loses an arm, the next their head, her stolen cutlass a silvered blur in her hands. Blood sprays her face, frozen in an expression of mingled fear and hate—splashes her arms and front as she lets momentum carry her forward into a roundhouse kick, sending a third pirate flying backward into their crewmates. They fall down like tenpins, buying time for Lys to blink her vision clear and spit out blood that wasn't hers.
For the first time she looks, really looks at the guy shouting at her, something at least approximating reason filtering into her burning gaze.
Keys. He was locked in a cage and needed keys to escape.
More by luck than intention, the hammerhead shark was the one whose arm she'd severed. Not yet dead, he thrashes painfully on the rainswept deck, shrieking in a cracked, bubbly voice that sounds like water rushing through a clogged drain. Lys stomps on his remaining arm to pin it down as she leans over him, snatching the keyring off his belt and tossing it to Tsume through the bars of his cage.]
You'll have to get yourself out! I'll fend them off!
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Tsume appears to have hands but in reality it's only an illusion, same as the rest of his human form. What looks to be him grabbing them with his hands is actually him picking them up with his teeth. He pulls them into the cage and studies them to figure out which one will open his cage. Once he thinks he has the right one, he struggles to manipulate it well enough to fit into the keyhole and open the door.
Tense seconds go by as he tries and tries to force enough pressure on the key ring to get it to work. Finally, something gives way and the door opens. He immediately bursts out of the cage with a large, curved knife in his hand, which is curious because he definitely didn't have that with him when he was in the cage. No matter now. He immediately starts helping Lys against their joined foe.]
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Unfortunately, the pirates aren't so wrapped up in attacking her that they miss Tsume's bid for freedom. With a concerted howl of rage, they splinter off from the main throng, making a beeline for his cage. In trying to divide her attention between the two groups, buying Tsume time to fumble with the keys and escape, Lys manages to slay several more pirates, blocking or dodging their swords—but takes several clawed swipes to the face and chest, deep gashes that tear through her sodden white garment to the skin beneath.
Green blood, flecked with scarlet and smelling strongly of flowers even over the rain, sprays out in a heavy mist as Lys stumbles to one knee, a hand pressed against her neck. The pirates crowd in, raising their weapons to strike...only to pause, blinking confusedly, swaying on their feet as their senses grow increasingly distorted.]
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That's when he sees Lys go down wounded. The scent of the blood in the air is disorienting but Tsume won't be deterred. He takes the opportunity to cut down the stunned pirates, the wounds on their bodies not looking so much like smooth knife cuts as the rough torn-up edges made by sharp fangs.
He kneels down by Lys, still brandishing his large curved knife at the aquatic pirates.]
Are you alright? Can you stand?
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