August Test Drive Meme!

[reddosmod]

AUGUST 2022 TDM

Another month, another test drive meme! Our test drive memes are open to anyone interested - regardless of whether or not you join our game!

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: Hands making a fish net]
[Image Two: A Skyrim Mudcrab staring menacingly]

Prompt Two
[Image One: Dingy, empty and creepy old backroom]
[Image Two: Cryptic, Creepy words scribbled on yellow wallpaper]

Prompt Three
[Image One: Skull on top of book]
[Image Two: Book with pages shaped like a whirlpool]

[NAVIGATION]

TDM Questions • Reserves • Taken • Applications • Full Navigation

[Jump to Comments]

STANDARD ARRIVAL

WHEN: First Week of September
WHERE: The Farther Shores/The Boardwalk
CONTENT WARNINGS: Monstrous Crabs, Environmental Threat

---

Normally, the people of Trench would say that September is a fortunate time for sleepers to arrive at it's shores. However, the aftermath of the violent and inconsistent storms in the last month continue to batter the city. The waters are choppy, though they are beginning to calm. The swim is difficult and unsafe, waves threatening to crash unwitting squids into the rocks. It is unlikely to be fatal, but many arrive battered and bruised, gasping as they awaken from their squid form.

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
With theme music! The weather is awful, and so the mood of the beach is a bit more subdued than on other occasions. Food is hearty and dry, easily packaged in oilcloth, and containing mostly hard tack, mushrooms and dried, cured fish. Bottles of water are included with the food, enough to ensure that the sleepers are well fed, and enough packets are offered for a few days in case they need them, but they are certainly not the most flavorful or exotic, reflecting much more the day to day food of Trench.

The people leading the waking are gathered and huddled around makeshift structures and lean-tos to deal with the awful weather along the coast during this period. Sleepers are brought here, to fires to warm. Among those who are present are the fishermen and women who work at the docks. They, along with several of the Architects from in town, have set up booths. Though they do not demand it of anyone, they politely hint that in the season of change, it is good to learn new trades and to find a place in this strange world the sleepers have been brought to. As part of this, they are willing to offer a chance for the sleepers to help craft fishing nets and other gear for those who will brave the waters to bring back food in the season.

The task is arduous and taxing, but it is not without reward. To those who choose to participate, one of the fishermen will approach them and wordlessly drop a waterlogged box into their lap. It looks dilapidated and in poor condition, but they will say nothing more, staring off into the sea from which it was dredged. When the sleeper opens it, they will find that there is one additional item within the box, which might have been included in their welcome bag normally. If pressed, the fisherman will only say that they found it dredged up along the shores in the midst of their work.

For those who brave the coasts or the waters, there is an increased threat of monstrous presence, though nothing compared to the prior month. Poisonous crabs lurk along the edges of the waterways. Much larger versions of small crabs known to live in caves along the shore, these beastly adult versions stand about three feet tall, and have particularly strong pincers which secrete a hallucinogenic venom. Victims of it are prone to paranoid delusions of danger around every corner, and known for mistaking those around them as threats. The crabs are themselves carnivorous to boot, so they are certainly a threat on their own, though they are very much killable, and supposedly very good eating. Bring in some crab meat, and it should be good to trade for additional food and supplies this month, if you dare! As with their lesser cousins, the venom of these crabs is particularly dangerous to the psychically sensitive, Palebloods and Darkbloods.

[JUMP TO TOP] • [JUMP TO COMMENTS]

LOST BETWEEN STEPS

WHEN: August 31st-September 29, January 2, February 4, March 6, April 8, June 10, July 12, October 20, November 1, December 24
WHERE: Somewhere, you're not certain where
CONTENT WARNINGS: Labyrinth, Liminal Horror, Severe Disorientation, Autophobia, Monster Horror, Fear of Falling

---

You just took one step back. That's all. A step backwards while you weren't paying attention, and the sensation of falling assailed you. With a grunt, you found yourelf landing hard, but not hard enough to actually break or turn anything. Around you is a carpeted space. There are old, stained wallpaper walls on every side, set up in variable sized cubicle spaces that look like they should be occupied by an office of some sort. Everything smells like mold, stale and sharp. The carpet is a little bit moist and the wallpapers all seem to be hiding hints of mildew. It feels familiar, but even if you have been in this "place" before it is not quite the same. The wallpaper shades are not exactly right. It always feels like you should know it, but you cannot quite place it.

You are not alone in this place. Another seems to have fallen in this place, thank god because the muffled sounds of these halls are already getting oppressive. The electric hum of fluorescent are buzzing in your ears like a plague of locusts and you can practically feel the migraine coming from the unremitting light, but you dare not take shelter to let your eyes rest in the gaps in the lighting. It feels like there is something there. You should probably be leaving, though that's where the problem really begins. No method seems to clearly work. There are no identifiable features to pick out. After several turns, you might find yourself facing impossibly thin hallways or a dead end. Attempts to keep track of your passage with writing, torn wallpaper and balls of twine fail, as it becomes increasingly and inconsistently disorientating, inevitably causing the lead to be lost, or worse? It might seem to be going the wrong direction. Did someone move it? Magic compasses, even those given by the Pthumerians do not work in this "place" This should not be possible, but it is true.

An hour in, because it always takes longer than that, or does it? Time can be hard to keep track of and omnis don't tell time properly here. Whatever, an hour in, and the need to get out of this place will be getting to those trapped within. They do not belong here, and must escape. The harder you run, the more that the dank odor gets under the skin, worsening even if you should not be able to smell it. Occasional items can be found, but all are useless. If you are fortunate, perhaps you will eventually find a hole in the floor. But, looking down it, you cannot see the bottom. Do you dare leap down, not knowing the end? If you do, the passage seems to go far too long to be healthy. The rush of air and the feel of fraying wallpaper comes until you find yourself deposited on the ground of Trench, in front of the statue of the Tower, or in front of the gates of Gaze.

The less fortunate may finally find writing on the walls. Someone else has been in this place. But, as the cryptic words proclaim the need to S̵̨̡̟̗̰̝͚̲̦̗͔̥̞̈͂̆̿̐́̅̓͐͝T̸̠̥̰̭͎͙̮̬͋̀͛̓̽̚Ā̷̧̮̣̪̤̠̫̤͔̩̥̾̊̍̊̀̇͋̍̚͜͝͝Y̶͓̟̍̆̍ ̴̭̲̀͘͝S̵̨͖̩̻̰͇͎̠̻͚͓̱͇̭͖͒̋͆̀͐͋̾̆͝͝T̴̮̹̫̞̘̈́̏̐̒̋̎͛̂̽̅Ĩ̵͙̖̟̥̤̲̆̈́́͘ͅͅL̵͖̣̫̙̹̊͜L̷̫̠̒̽͌͘͠. A ghastly sound erupts from behind you, complete with unnatural, horrid breathing. Steps come towards you unnaturally fast. If you move, look to turn, there is a vision of something black moving into your field of vision, just before a bone-crushing force claims life and in the next moment you wake, screaming at the feet of the gates to Gaze, or the Tower's statue. Remain absolutely still, and the puff of a breath, the smell of cow hair and breath grazes over the shoulder before eventually storming away behind, until the sound is gone, and the unlucky are left to continue searching until they find a hole leading out.


NOTES:
1. Any step backwards can cause someone to end up between places, participating in this event. Exiting requires either falling through one of the holes in the floor or being killed by the unnamed creatures residing between spaces.
2. If a character dies in this event, they do not undergo normal death effects. They awaken in one of the locations indicated, gasping for breath. While harrowing, and possibly a source of nightmares for the next few days, not to mention chills for an hour or two, there is no further apparent harm.
3. It is possible to encounter this prompt throughout the year. At one random, unpredictable day each month (listed above), the space between spaces is accessible. A person could theoretically fall in on that day, following the rules as above.
4. Mapping the space between spaces is difficult, but not impossible. Perhaps there are other locations within the labyrinthian mass, but for now at least they are not findable.
5. If the natives are asked about this place, they will make a warding sign and refuse to speak of them. At most, they will say something about the "veins of the tower."

[JUMP TO TOP] • [JUMP TO COMMENTS]

ABSOLUTE IMMERSION

WHEN: Last Week of August through all of September
WHERE: Gaze, and somewhere else
CONTENT WARNINGS: Possible Life-threatening experiences, Distorted Realities, Fourth Walling, Content Depending upon the Canon Referenced

---

As the month of September approaches, and Mariana shows signs of having cooled in her wrath, the people of Trench begin to relax once again. Hoping to keep level heads and to promote learning, the Arcane Scholars of Gaze have opened the private stores of more rare texts from the Archaic Archives. Trundling carts of books are being brought out by roped and masked individuals who kindly offer one to anyone who wishes to partake. They limit each guest to three, though they seem happy to trade a book for a book, so it's always possible to get more. They ask only that the books be returned by the end of the month for cleaning and maintenance. Whispers among the Disciples still with ruffled feathers at Mariana's wrath are that this is Never Mind's way of reasserting himself after strange magical books have been found around town. No Arcane Scholar will acknowledge such gossip, however.

The books seem harmless enough. What is wrong with a little light reading? The fiction within is quite enthralling, though after a page or two, a creepy familiarity to the book's contents comes to whoever reads. There is a sense of deja vu, and only when it is too late do they realize that it feels like they are reading the memories and recollections of someone else, perhaps someone that they know! In that moment, they will feel an inexorable pull as the book seems to literally suck them into it, along with anyone unlucky enough to be next to them!

Those who read these magical books will find themselves trapped in an event within another canon reality. The intent, of course, is to broaden their horizons and experiences, to teach moral lessons through new memories, but as always Never Mind seems not to understand the possible perils. The scenario that they find themselves in, which may be of any canon, is always one of immediate and very real peril, a time in which the character's life is put into immediate and very real peril. They have to prevail or flee successfully to escape the chapter and end the book, though for their troubles it is quite possible that they might bring something back with them. Hopefully it's nothing dangerous!

NOTES:
1. Any Canon may be used, including canons not present in the game. Players are encouraged to use their imaginations, though it is worth being aware that the entirety of the Cthuluh Mythos may be found among these collections, should one wish to utilize these books.
2. There is an actual physical threat that is present in whatever scene is viewed. If it is necessary, a threat is fabricated from the fringes of the memory, even if this changes the canonical scene. It is a real threat and can cause death or harm. However, these threats are killable through all normal fashions, and can be escaped by clever captives. Once escaped or defeated, the sleeper is deposited out of the book.
3. The books are absolutely indestructible, and even if the sleeper does not return them, ravens will break into their home (ruining a window and making a mess) to retrieve all books by the end of September. Multiple books can be enjoyed throughout the month.
4. Items retrieved may be anything from any canon which does not count as a significant power acquisition. Weapons can be brought, though they will be mundane once they emerge in Trench. Players are limited to retrieving one item from another canon per character during the month.

[JUMP TO TOP]

CODING

Comments

jinx — arcane.

[opheliac]

i. arrival... again. — ❝these burning flames, these crashing waves. wash over me like a hurricane.❞

I summoned you, please come to me
Don't bury thoughts that you really want
I fill you up, drink from my cup
Within me lies what you really want.

(there's mix feelings about being a squid. on one hand, it's peaceful and one wouldn't need to care for many things in the world -- to simply wash away the suffering. but on the other side of it... wait. does this seem familiar somehow? has she swam through these waters before? no, she is just overthinking this. the current is helping her along, however -- gradually getting closer to the shore which is rather curious. it's something different than the big ocean of nothingness and maybe it'll give her some new excite... no, no!! she recognizes all of this. and unlike the previous time, the waters are violent and it's difficult for this squid to swim (it's horrid at it in the first place)

this squid is being tossed around; bumping between boulder to boulder. can a squid squeak and wince in pain? because this one definitely is while it's getting all bruised up underneath the sea. even with the waters being so wild, she tries to remember herself. the squid seems to recall that she needed to do that but maybe she did this a little too quickly as she violently shifts to her human form. long blue hair spread wide under the waters, pinks widen before shutting tightly as she accidentally swallows the ocean. it fills her lungs so drastically and she panics; thrashing in hope to reach the surface or air. and by each second, jinx is weakening and her mind fades to a slow silence as she begins to fall in unconsciousness.)

(the waters push her on the shore -- she made it a bit bruised but isn't moving. jinx lies still in her full form; bare with her long locks lay out along the sand. is this how she dies? she had always wondered when will be her final day and how it would be like. huh, she had imagined she would die alone, sad and predictable.)
━━

ii. lost between steps — ❝my mind's like a deadly disease.❞

I pace around for hours on empty
I jump at the slightest of sound.
And I couldn't stand the person inside me
I turned all the mirrors around.

(there's beauty when it comes to falling. it's similar to flying except it's backwards instead of forward. and she wonders if this fall is how "powder" felt when she fell down that deep well. To have the world you knew to be out of reach each by each. the fall is fast but to jinx, it's steady and quiet, too. and it's then she sees a doll rabbit hovering just above her -- it seems to be falling, too. where did this doll come form? she...doesn't recall having it on her person or holding it. however it got here, jinx extends out a hand to reach for it. there's a lot of difference between to two so she knows it's down right impossible to touch but she couldn't help but to try anyway.

'when i was a kid, some guy took my favorite toy and threw it up there.'

her expression softens as she lowers her arm; shutting her eyes as she accepts this fall -- a fall that could be the end of everything for her.

'i used to come out here at night and stare at it. hoping maybe the wind or a bird might knock it down. we've all had bad days, but we learn. and we stick together.')

A. ( the fall itself wasn't that slow and neither was this said bunny anywhere in sight. it's just jinx's mind being cross-wired again; disorientating which is real or fiction. but she lands roughly on the said ground -- maybe on top of you if you like. but even if she didn't land on you, jinx is rather close by as she grunts out a "OOF!" once her back meets the ground. she doesn't stay on the floor for long before she climbs back on her feet then readjusting her clothes. her gaze it up from where she fell and then around. this place seems horribly familiar but not quite, either. it's then jinx finally notices you, face showing some suspicion at the fact someone else is here with her.)

... Got a marker on ya?
━━
B. (jinx has lost track of time and funny enough, she is also slowly losing her mind. she could had sworn she went down this path already -- is she really just going around in circles? a hiss hits her sharply in her ear as she spins back to it sharply.)

Shut up! — I'm tryin' to think!! Keep your mouth shut. I'm not in the mood for your input!

(she has to get out of here but maybe she can try a different method? they say you can find your way out of things like this if one would hug the wall. exhaling out a breath, jinx makes to the wall -- carefully to place her palm over it and away from the mildew as she tries again.)
━━

C. (out. out. out. out. she needs to get out. she's been having difficultly breathing and keep her voice leveled. her mind is scatter with so many voices overlapping one another. subconsciously, she listens to the ones that are crystal clear to her. 'this is your fault. you should had watched where you were going. you're going to die here. and it's YOUR fault. Jinx, Jinx, jinxed up again.'

whimpering, her hands is press hard over her head -- fingers curling tightly on her locks as her attempt to get them all to stop speaking. she even goes as far to hit herself over the head repeatedly with her lower palm. she is becoming overwhelmed again and it finally breaks her to drop on the floor. desperately, she pulls her legs up to her knees to a hold against her frame. steadily, she rocks back and forth with her head buries within her knees. they will go away in time, right? the voices? the monsters? this... place? someone please come out of the shadows and tell her it was all just a joke already.)
━━

iii. absolute immserion — ❝and you never see the lesson when it's right in front of your eyes.❞

Write this shit in your notebook, baby
Since you never wrote love letters to me
Don't forget all the things I taught you
You'll need it for someone who isn't me.

A. (quirking an eyebrow, jinx slowly takes the book away from the stranger's hand. she observes the stranger slowly and carefully. despite being once here already briefly, jinx still doesn't necessarily trust the people or her surrounds, yet. regardless though, she extends her arm out with the book in hand -- her head tilts from side to side to spot any title of said book or illustrator/writer on the cover. but sadly, there is none and casually, she cracks open the book to read the first page.)

B. (skipping along (when she's got no business to. there's monstrous things out here for goodness sake!) she is a little annoyed she is without any weaponry. but perhaps they got washed up on the shore, too. fishbones is a fish after all. jinx can only hope whoever is in charge of lost belongings will handle her things with care.

with your character now flipping a page in the book, she approaches with a wild grin on her face:)

Hey, hey! Whatcha readin'?

━━

vi. wildcard — ❝let me know what you want. your dark desires in your thoughts.❞

Run, run, run
I'm waiting.
Come, come, come
take it

( idk make some shit up and i will go with it. if you need to contact me for any reason, please PM this journal or private plurk buttlet)

2c!

[thatsmymagic]

[ In truth, Akko has been wandering for a while now. She's getting progressively more paranoid as she turns each corner, starting to feel panic well up in her chest. There's got to be a way out - there was a way in so there HAS to be a way out. But it's reached a sort of critical mass as she runs down this hallway, breathing in heavy gasps, and only barely skids to a halt before she trips over Jinx. ]

Oh! Oh, I'm not alone! Thank everything I'm not alone. [ She tries to steady her breathing, noticing that something is...wrong here. This person is not okay. Immediately, her concerns become cheering this person up, making them feel better. ] Hey, are you alright, can you hear me?

i.

[faceblocks]

[vi's morning walks are less brisk - she's become more careful in her searching - and the (predictable if you know what to look for) sparkler she carries is not lit.

she's had more business with this beach than the usual walks, the usual spars. she's screamed at the ocean on three occasions - once to take something back, another to do just the opposite - and a final, desperate plea for an even trade. just a squid for a squid, an eye for an eye, if you will.

it hadn't seemed to listen to either outburst, but it's hard to tell with the ocean. with mariana? same thing - both the easiest and the hardest of the pthumerians for her to understand. she's not sure if mariana ever listens - or if she's even capable of choosing to. (and if she could choose, would she? even bother?)

vi had circled that beach and the small cluster of rocks, sat in that pool, slept above it as her omen patiently watched, fang waiting and wandering as well while her sleeper slept - and continued the search once violet had been convinced to go home, even for just a little while.

it wasn't giving up if fang was still out there - and the omen had agreed, comforted her with words very close to the same, nudged her with a surprisingly gentle nose, and let vi cry into her fur.

the ocean doesn't hear me and jinx can't either.

she wonders now if she's wrong about that the moment she happens upon this (upon her) puddle of pale flesh and blue tendrils. stopped her in her tracks, she stands still only for a moment before she sprints, screaming her sister's name (both of them) and shoving past anything or anyone else that she finds in her way.

(it's a hallucination. a joke. a trick.

a hope.)

but that's soon replaced by rising dread. again. because yes, she's right - there's no mistaking this - that's powder, that's jinx - not a squid, but a girl - and she's so still where she'd always been in perpetual motion - fidgeting - or even the storm of her features shifting with her mood.]

Jinx? Jinx??!

[a beat - no, half a beat - there's no time for this, as she turns her sister over (which sister? is she the same? will she remember anything? or will she just leave again because you can't hold on to anything even with your big fat hands) and brushes the hair away from her face, an angry cry as she tries to remember what to do.

i know this. i can do this.

there's no time for her to clean her hands (and fuck it, they are from the undercity - what's a little dirt, a little blood as long as it isn't poison), so she opens her sister's mouth with those fingers once she's sure jinx is as flat on the sand as she can be - and impatiently checks for breath - she almost doesn't because it's fucking obvious to her there's no breath - but she can't let herself do this wrong - even if it is a test - even if it never matters - she isn't going to skip a step, because that's not what she was taught, and she's only a fumbling student at this.

yeah, no heartbeat. no heartbeat. no, no, no.]

No. Okay, come on. We're not doing this. Not like this.

[there's a fine line here - and there are days she doesn't know her own strength - days the blood is up and days its down - but those have evened out into enough of a baseline that she's confident she can make these compressions just forceful enough without breaking anything - and she counts them out as she goes, a determined count to thirty, staring down into that stilled face, its features looking ...peaceful. that hurts her heart - but she presses, counts, presses, no breaks - but she can't promise no bruising. clasped hands and her own breath caught, and still the girl is still

two breaths, it's easy.

tilting jinx's head back, pinching her nose shut and covering her mouth with her own, violet breathes once, watches for any rising of the chest - and failing that, she tilts just a fraction more before she breathes again.]

Jinx?

Pow-pow?

2c

[theinstigator]

[ For better or for worse, the young, curled-up woman is the closest, tangible thing to Ruby's home she's seen in a while.

Okay, yeah, maybe it's for worse.

She approaches slowly, obviously telegraphing her movements. Not silent, but not too loud either. She remembers the Pale repeater stations, and what they do to people. (What they did to her -- but Ruby can't go there, not right now.)

Ruby sits a few feet away, not close enough to reach out and touch her. Hopefully, it's what the girl thinks is a safe distance. Gently: ]

Hey. I'm -- [ a pause. names are too difficult right now, so: ] -- here to help. It's okay.

ii lost b

[melodramatrauma]

[Double Trouble wasn't exactly having any fun wandering around and looking at the same drab walls. At least before when they were being held in a castle there was something of a few, and there was the princess to entertain her. If something didn't change soon they were going to die from the boredom of having to stare at such hideous decor. Though the latest show was something entertaining, Double Trouble was only sorry that they weren't in on knowing just what the other voices were saying or had a face to go with them.

That would have made for something spectacular.]

But I have just a few notes, it'll be quick really.

[With a step sideways Double Trouble suddenly took on the exact likeness of Jinx.]

These hallways all the same. We're going in circles. Grrrr. Stomp. stomp. stomp.

[Another turn and they're back to themselves.]

Ever think maybe that's what they want you do, drape a finger along their dingy floral walls. Looking for what's not there.

2a

[dohaeris]

[oh hey jinx it's your new best friend. sansa has found a spongy patch in the carpeting and is basting a thread to it in the hopes that it won't come untethered while she's winding her path through whatever these tunnels are. she's alone, without lady or her hounds or even any ravens, and the dank halls and harsh lighting make her skin crawl in a way that's entirely different from the bone catacombs she'd faced in her first month here. those had been like the crypts. this is something entirely foreign and unpleasant. if anything it reminds her of the damp of the fingers and the glare of the light in the eyrie. she reminds herself there is no actual danger, yet, though of course starvation and dehydration loom if she can't escape. she tries not to think about it. she wears one of her charcoal dresses with ravens embroidered at the skirts and shoulders.

when jinx falls more or less on top of her sansa's eyes glimmer with relief and recognition. she's glad to see jinx, and not only because vi's taken to camping out on the beach, and she is very glad not to be trapped in this tunnel alone. she knots the thread and snips it, grinning up at jinx as she slots the needle and shears back into their proper place on her chatelaine, the now-secure thread ending in a skein wound loosely around her wrist.]

I have chalk.

[she slides a small box out of a silver case on her chatelaine.]

Would you like white or green?

iiib

[adaine]

[Adaine doesn't look up immediately, there's a distinct flash of annoyance at being interrupted in fact. Who goes up to someone reading and then decides to pull them out of it to socialize with them? Bizarre. Rude, even! But, Adaine's not rude, so eventually she allows her brain to mentally process the words that were said to her.]

...It's called the Girl In The Bubble. It's some kind of... fairy tale? [Uncomfortably close to her own trauma, though for the moment she's willing to pretend that's probably a coincidence.

Eventually, though, she glances up and blinks at the girl in front of her.]

...Jinx?

[She'd only known Jinx very briefly, of course, for the month and a half she'd even been in Trench, and they weren't exactly... friends? But Adaine had been strangely fond of her despite her... everything.

Vi's certainly going to be happy, at least.]

(OOC: Adaine had very brief CR with the Jinx that we had in game where they got trapped in a labyrinth together, I can edit that if you'd prefer not to deal with it!)

The Demifiend | SMT III: Nocturne | Darkblood

[withfocus]

Arrival

There's a pale, slightly glowing squid lying on the sand. There are faint blue spots that move along its skin in chaotic patterns. They slowly converge into lines and then the squid dissolves into a young man. There are black markings outline in glowing blue all over his body and a dark horn poking out from the back of his neck.

His arms flop a few times before he lifts his head up to look around and catch sight of the unfamiliar shoreline. There's something wrong. This isn't the world where he was supposed to wake up. There's a sky above him to his great relief, but he doesn't quite know why at first.

Then Naoki remembers. The Vortex World. The Reasons. The Earth that should have come back.

He makes a noise that's a mix between anger and grief and looks like he'd like to cry but there are no tears. The blue glow he casts on the sand is enough to tell him he's not back in his human body.

This time he's woken up in even less clothing than when he woke up in the vortex world. There's nothing, but Naoki is too distraught to notice.

Shore

Naoki arrived with nothing, but he now has a pair of pants and his cloak and a bag. His glowing markings draw the attention of a large predatory crab and Naoki spends a few moments in a drawn out stare down with it.

"Hello."

Except there's no answer, not even the roaring or gibberish of more bestial demons. Instead all he gets in response is a swipe of its claws and Naoki avoids it efficiently but not gracefully. In response he brings his fist down on the hard body of the crab with a bit too much force.

He doesn't so much cave in the crab's body as obliterate it.

Lost Between Steps

There are so many people. Humans. Time was strange in the Vortex World but it feels like forever since he's been around humans. There's an itch in that unnamed sense of his that he gained when he awoke as a demon. It makes Naoki a little cautious and nervous. He's too busy trying to pay attention to everything and nearly walks into someone.

At the last moment he takes a step back and he's falling. And then he lands on carpeted floor, and he hears someone land nearby.

Absolute Immersion

Naoki has always been a good student with a fond for fiction and especially strange or occult stories. That interest hasn't dimmed at all even after his own encounter with demons.

It's a nice break from constantly fighting for his life and for the fate of his entire world.

Lost Between Steps

[martyrofduty]

It begins with a step to turn around. Duty lands hard but turns it into a roll and quickly recovers his feet. One hand reaches toward his waist for a weapon, but he halts taking in the sight before him. Carpet, wallpaper, mold and mildew. It's somewhere new and not entirely familiar. Nothing immediately assaults him or the other person who appears here, so he relaxes a notch.

He takes in the glowing marks, apparent young age, and unfamiliarity. Sleepers are many but not so many all things considered. Trench's natives are far greater in number, a single city though they still are. This person looks new.

Duty gives a small nod toward the boy. "Hello," he says.

Shore

[terraphile]

While the glowing markings drew the attention of the crab, the stare down and punching of said crab is what caught Sersi's attention. She hesitated a moment over whether to approach him, but seeing as he only struck the crab when it attempted to swipe at him... what could it hurt to check on this new arrival.

With a kind smile as she approached, she glanced only for a brief moment at the crab, then back up at him. "Well, at least it won't be bothering you anymore."

robby keene ; cobra kai ; warmblood+cloverfield

[strongroots]

[ Quick info: 17 year old normal human kid who knows karate, will get defensive if he feels threatened, but will otherwise be willing to listen to others if they seem alright. Has a foggy memory on first day (sept 2) but will know his own name and regain memories in time. I have a little more info here under basics, but be warned for light Cobra Kai spoilers!

new to deer so apologise if i'm being too vague. ;; ]

1. arrival, farther shore - sept 2 ( cw: arrival nudity, battering )

It's not smooth sailing, but this squid finds that more familiar than the serene: to have some goal, a want ahead, but needing to struggle to get even close to obtaining it. The lashing of the waves throw him like the rest, and he worries about them; but what builds stronger is the fear of losing, of being pulled away from that Being promised.

(This seems familiar, too, how too easily is it to lose everything, despite never having in the first place.)

He turns out to be one of the lucky ones. But the struggle doesn't stop, isn't over; and he can be found still a squid, needing help to change.

Or he can be found changed, a body bruised, and having difficulty getting the use of his feet. Who he is, he remembers a name - but his memories are on the slower side to return, and with them his mobility.

2. boardwalk, food - sept 2

He's watching everything, without making it too obvious. A kid that knows to keep his head down, don't make a scene, you know how to hide-- at least there's other Sleepers than just him trying to get their bearings, understand where it is they are despite their desire to be here. Though, they might have better clothes than the welcoming robes. Someone didn't find any personal belongings.

He does have one of the oilcloths of food on his lap when he settles, though. Everything from the wrapping, to the food - there's a furrow to Robby's brow, confused about what he's looking at, none of it familiar initially. You might catch him with this look, get some humour from it or see it as disapproval.

But if he isn't interrupted (or even if he is), he does try it. Dry foods, that he knows about, and the dried tack is recognisable on his tongue. The smell of the fish makes him realise what that is too, and he can down it, even if its salty in his mouth.

Those mushrooms, though-

"Want it?"

He'll offer them up on the cloth to a person next to him. ... Or you can catch his real look of disgust trying to eat one.

( He's definitely going to spit it out into his hand. )

3. around trench ??? location unknown, wandering - sept 2, probably onward

He doesn't stick around. He doesn't ask the questions he probably should, the ones in his head (where should I go, where can I go, what do I do next) and goes out to find them for himself.

Or, so he hopes he would. But none of these streets, the businesses or the people give bring him any comfort of him figuring out where to go, or what it is he's supposed to be doing. Lost, Robby knows what it's like to be lost, but even he knows he's missing something, like an understanding of how this place works.

He's probably not so out of place to draw attention to himself, but he's recognisable enough as a new Sleeper in his robe, his bare feet, and the lost look he can't really hide well anymore. Businesses are what draw his eyes longer, just to see what there is, a browser than a potential customer. Has he ended up at your store, your booth? If there's anywhere with what resembles clothes that aren't flowing skirts, he'll definitely be circling back there.

( While being very aware he's got no money, and less aware of the bartering system that actually exists. )

b. later

What Robby does get, is lost. Even more lost than a guy who didn't know where he was, wandering, ending up through Cellar Door, Prufrock - maybe beyond. It gets late, and he's getting antsy, suspicious, his footsteps hurrying wherever it, there, this is. Searching for a somewhere, and cursing himself for how dark it's gotten, if there'll be anyone there.

It could be a simple bump-in, Robby not watching where he's going; and he stops and gives a sharp, taunting, "What?" without clearly seeing who he's speaking to. Or the same could be if someone thinks to touch him, a step skipped back, a defensive hold in his shoulders.

( ooc: kind of vague prompts but i'd love to get to know what businesses are around, the training schools Robby can stumble on. i'd also be up for him landing in some trouble he can be helped with once it's get last with beasts, etc! or just someone helping a very lost kid out. )

4. boardwalk; fishing nets - sept 3 (and onwards??)

Whatever he goes through his first day, Robby ends up back on the boardwalk, to where the fishing gear is being made, sorted, readied for making catches to supply people for the season. He'd heard about it the other day but hadn't joined in, too disjointed from the tasks to think he had any place with it.

But it's something. A job his hands aren't used to, but Robby's willing, and it's the first thing he's had to focus on since he's been here. Threading the fishing needle is the easier part, and it's what he's given first to do. Then he needs to pass them onto the people doing the threading, which he'll look for, watching the job to try and digest the process. Or so he'll want to, but maybe it's your character he's watching, and they're not keen on him doing so. But he at least tries to not be weird about it, asking, "Mind?" with a nod to their establishing net.

Mind if I watch?

From some point after, he'll have to help with the crafting more intimately, taking all day. He has troubles at the start, but once he gets the hang of it, Robby is determined, quiet in job - proud looking when it manages his first net, and then another after (which are still hours apart).

You can approach him, or if you've been another working on them as he has, Robby might venture to be sociable, ask, "Getting the hang of it?"

3. Around Trench CW: Another boy hugging Robby's dad.

[strikefirster]

[At one point Robby will come across a building that has very large abandoned warehouse vibes. Except there's a large sign that used to say "Cobra Kai." except that there's large red paint over it at the moment that reads "Rebranding!" The building obviously isn't actually abandoned as there are a few Trenchie's coming and going from the building, some in black gi's. There's also a black 2009 challenger that he's probably seen once or twice off to the side. The cobra kai logo still on it's hood.

The front door to the dojo opens up and Johnny steps out with another boy around Robby's age. the two exchange a few words that Robby wont be able to make out before they share a smile and hug. It only lasts for a second before they part ways. Johnny doesn't even see Robby in the distance and walks off toward the challenger.

Clearly. This is Father of Year Material.]

( 3b )

[cryptograms]

Ford is an easy person to bump into, mostly because he's not paying attention to where he's going. He hurries down the side streets and alleyways of Prufrock, gaze focused not on the road itself but instead on the trail of a particularly interesting critter he spotted earlier.

A trail he is, unfortunately, pretty sure he's already lost. But that just means he'll need to redouble his efforts to find it! So of course, he rounds the next corner fast enough and carelessly enough to bump right into Robby. He stumbles back a few steps, too startled to catch the unpleasantness of Robby's tone. Ford looks up and, seeing that it's just a teenager he's bumped into, gives him a bright if distracted smile.

"Sorry about that. Didn't see you there."

Obviously, but Ford has already forgotten about the apology. He has a much more pressing question to ask.

"Did you see a shark with legs run past here, by any chance?"

2

[faceblocks]

[vi knows that look. sure, the dried mushrooms aren't her favorite, but she's had worse, and she's also had: nothing. so it's hard not to laugh just a little at the face the new sleeper makes before he spits it into his hand.]

I'll trade you the rest of my dried fish for that.

[yes, she nods at what he's just spit into his hand. and she'll totally part with the fish, because she's holding a moderate sized container of cooked crabmeat in the other hand. it might smell delicious. angry, giant venomous crabs are fucking tasty.]

Kagari "Akko" Atsuko | Little Witch Academia | Paleblood

[thatsmymagic]

i. Deja Vu (arrival for the second time) // sept. 1st

[ Even as a squid being actively tossed against rocks and stuck in the churning waves, Akko feels like she's done this before. Tentacles flail for purchase against the slick rocks on the shore, but she fails to grasp anything meaningful and winds up back in the surf. This process repeats two or three times before she realizes it's not viable. It would help, she thinks, if she WASN'T a squid right now. She's wrong, of course. Just the thought alone is enough to make her start changing into a human form again, and as it turns out, it's way harder to be human-shaped in the ocean. There's a lot of sputtering and thrashing before she is fully formed and breaks through the surface, is slammed bodily into a rock, rolled over by a wave, and deposited on the beach. Bruised ribs aside, it could have been worse.

This time, she knows what to do, though. Akko stands up slowly, determined not to vomit like she did the first time she arrived on these shores. She blinks the seawater from her vision, wobbles on unsteady legs towards the nearest welcome pack in the sand. A brief check confirms it must be hers, because it's got her wand in it, and thankfully there's a nice robe inside to placate her need for basic modesty. It's a bit of a struggle to get all the limbs to remember how to put on a robe, but she's impatient and chomping at the bit to try her hand at Trench again. She knows more. Feels like she can do it better this time. Hopefully her favorite house is still empty.

As soon as she's clothed, she starts with a lurching step towards the boardwalk. It's too much, too fast, and she's clearly struggling to move. Her knees keep locking, her hands keep contorting and clenching/unclenching. Even holding her head up straight is a bit of a task. Plus the increasingly sharp ache in her ribcage hints at damage from the rocks. But Akko ignores all that in favor of focusing really hard on not falling over. You'd be forgiven for thinking she's possessed, but if you aren't giving her a wide berth maybe getting her to slow down and take a minute would be good. ]

ii. two steps forward, one step back (lost between steps) // sept. 3rd

[ It's an innocent step backwards, to do a double take at something or get out of someone's way, she doesn't even remember what or why because she is hurled downwards by an unseen force and that seems way more pressing than any other thought. Akko screams in surprise as she falls, but the instant she hits the ground, all the air is knocked from her lungs. Coughing and sputtering, she grips her ribs, still sore from her arrival ordeal just a couple days prior. ]

Ow! Hey, what gives?!

[ This place...is wrong. Akko's nose scrunches up in distaste. She can feel the damp air sticking to her skin and filling her lungs and she instantly hates it. Instantly wants to be anywhere else - hell, she'll go back to the ocean if it means not being here. The more she looks around, the more she starts to get scared. Genuinely scared, not just her normal nerves. The fluorescent lights are too impersonal and buzz too loudly. The air is too wet. The walls are too decayed and faded. Mercifully, as she tries to figure out which way to go, someone else lands in the room behind her.

Expect Akko to rush over and kneel beside you with tears prickling in her eyes. ]

Oh, thank gosh, I thought I'd have to do this all alone. Hey are you okay, can you walk?

iii. aftermath (+ wildcard) // sept. 4th onwards

[ After her ordeal in the space between spaces, Akko is unusually subdued this month. It's the first time Trench as a place has treated her unkindly. It's the first time in a long time she's been scared and felt genuinely at the mercy of the world around her. A new sense of dread plagues her, knowing that things like that exist here. But she also seems determined to prepare - she spends time making her home a safe and comfortable space to return to, explores the town, wanders the beach looking for newcomers. Just generally tries to make Trench feel like her new home. You can run into her in a lot of places as she explores, and she's prone to asking what people are doing to boot.

And in between it all, she practices her magic. It's finicky and doesn't work half the time, but she spends a lot of time in Crenshaw at night, practicing channeling her will and her blood powers through her wand. In the dark, you might see a sputtering blue light appear and disappear. It might be worth investigating.

((Otherwise, hit me up via pm or on plurk @ runebranded to plot! Or just go wild tbh.)) ]

iii.

[floatsaway]

[If Akko is on the boardwalk, she might see a slightly familiar face at some point, though the person is dressed very differently from their first interaction. She's also, uh...floating through the air, propelled by tiny thrusters in the heels of those poofy boots, and draggin along behind her a downright massive bundle of crates, barrels, and rolled tarps, all held together by a sturdy, woven net. This is how Ochako is helping out today, as a Hero - she's not as adept at water things like Tsuyu is, but she can haul cargo like it's nobody's business, and vessels going out to sea usually have a LOT of cargo.]

Wide load coming through!! Everyone, please watch your heads!

[Because she can float the majority of the larger, heavier items, but small knickknacks and such can and sometimes do fall through the netting. She has a spotter who's doing the same - calling out to people to move out of the way, and also picking up what falls sometimes. He's also directing the young Hero the particular vessel that needs to be loaded, the crane prepped and ready to receive its haul to load on deck in the distance.]

Judith Deuteros | The Locked Tomb | Coldblood

[asyetunheard]

A

[She hadn't braved the shoreline.

She hadn't braved anything besides attempting to survive. This much, after spending the the last several months wounded and held prisoner by people who saw her as a horrific threat at worst and a tool to use and destroy at best, was enough for Captain Judith Deuteros. Sitting on the edge of the boardwalk, her feet dangling while she gathered her bearings, she looked up and scowled at the little crab that had wandered up towards the boardwalk. It scuttled around like a curious puppy, picking at the dropped bits of food and detritus underneath the boardwalk before it drew closer. It's glassy, beady black little eyes shined with apparent interest as started grasping it's brilliantly colored and powerful claws at the crutches sitting by her side. It was only small compared to the crabs she had heard from others who did trek out along the shorelines-- being the size of a small dog rather than the much larger ones she had watched being hauled in.

Sipping at the mercifully hot coffee she held in her chilled hands, Judith watched the crab warily-- until it grew bold and started to pick up the crutch in it's entirety to take... somewhere.

She didn't want to even think about where.

Setting her coffee down, she grabbed the other end of the crutch and tugged-- to no avail. The blasted crab held fast, even as Judith swore and made to swing--

Which. Did nothing.

A year ago, she was a top athlete in her category of Necromancers within the Cohort. Being able to run a ten minute kilometer was no simple feat for a 'wizard' whose 'magic' habitually degraded their physical bodies, eating away at both flesh and stamina until they resembled more of a skeletal bird than a living person. Now, after being cuffed, wheeled around in chairs and gurneys, enduring surgery after surgery to put her insides back together after a string of poor decisions on her part that resulted in her partner being killed and left her own self on the brink of death?

She could hardly make the crab budge.

After several embarrassing moments of trying, Judith finally looked up at the nearest passerby. Catching their gaze, and asked in the wearied, tired tones of someone who was at the limits of what they could tolerate:]

A little help, here?

B

[She wanted a drink.

Normally she didn't believe in getting inebriated while on duty, but the Cohort was actual lightyears away and Judith just didn't care anymore. She had struggled to follow her orders and maintain protocol even while she hadn't been able to digest her meals without the basic mechanisms being outsourced to machines. Her stomach, removed at one point and replaced with plex devices-- along with part of her esophagus and intestinal tract-- had since been restored at the hands of a traitor to the Empire, and Judith was keen to take advantage of her newfound freedoms by indulging in an ordinary human vice.

However, moving with crutches while the rest of her body recovered wasn't easy. It was slow going, and the remaining surreality of feeling as if her limbs were not her due to her recent Squidhood didn't help matters. One misstep sent her tumbling--

And she had no idea where she was.

Annoyed, she heaved a long suffering sigh.]

I take it this isn't the place for a soldier to get a drink.

Wildcard!

[Don't like a prompt? Make one up! HMU at woodrift if you want to plot.]

a

[cainabeth]

Why, Jody, all you had to do was ask.

[ Not even that. Coronabeth did the asking, and even that meant nothing. When she unsheathes her knife and thrusts it between two plates of the crab's hard shell, it's not for the Empire, or for a necromancer, or for a friend. It's to demonstrate she can.

Also, the squelching sound that the dying crab makes isn't entirely unappealing. It's a little funny, actually. ]

There you go. A dying living thing. Quick, you better gulp up all its energy before someone else takes it. You're going to need it.

ruby | disco elysium | paleblood

[theinstigator]

i. arrival. cw: hallucinations, paranoia

[ The migraine is to be expected. Even though she didn't get caught in the paraboloid's blast radius directly, that kind of proximity to any entroponetic tissue, no matter how compressed, is never good. Plus, the headphones she had with her were cheap pieces of shit. Her good pair is back in her lorry.

She must have passed out on the coast, off of Land's End. From the shock. Ruby tells herself it's shock, because shock is predictable, safe. Well-studied. You don't lose yourself to shock. That's the kind of thing you come back from.

Ruby lies against the rocks, curled up tight, the waves beating against her body. Her skin is cut, oozing an iridescent substance that must be Pale, if Pale could ooze. (She doesn't know how right she is.)

She listens to the white noise. It's the closest you can get to sounding like nothing. It sounds like

YOUR SLURRED, CROAKING VOICE REACHES FOR SOMETHING FUNDAMENTAL FOR CONNECTION WITH YOUR FELLOW MAN YOU RECITE THE BEAUTIFUL WORDS TO THE WEARY TRAVELER AND YOU HOPE THAT BY VIRTUE OF HIM FINDING MEANING IN THEM YOU WILL LEARN WHO YOU ARE

the fog rolling in.

And deep in that fog, Ruby doesn't notice the little crab scuttling up towards her ankles. ]

ii. lost between steps.

[ Ruby's current running theory is that there's something in the air here, some kind of weird, fucked-up pollution, that's making her see shit. And hear things. (And remember, but that's a strong word, one that she doesn't like to use.)

So this carpet, this hallway -- it's another vision, right? It's Evrart's office except it isn't. She's probably processing what Titus did to her, or something. It doesn't really matter. Ruby just needs to find an exit, or wake herself up, or do something that'll get her out of here.

The only thing she can do, at first, is wander. The deeper she goes, the smellier the place becomes, the damp underneath her feet making the nastiest of sounds.

Seeing another person isn't much of a comfort. What if they're a part of this place? Ruby stops several feet away from you, eyes narrowed and assessing, her right hand on her gun. ]

...What are you doing here?

iii. absolute immersion. cw: disco elysium spoilers

[ You probably shouldn't have picked up that book.

At first, it seems to be a fairly standard amateur radio magazine. But then you turn the page, and everything goes white.

It feels like you're caught in the middle of a wind turbine, except there's no wind. Your head is pounding, ringing with white noise. It's all nothing, all the way down, and the nothingness exerts pressure, like being trapped deep underwater. It becomes difficult to breathe, much less speak. Distantly, you hear the crackle of static, music interspersed with some advertisement about a device that keeps your balcony twenty degrees cooler mixed with another, steadier voice reading out a long chain of numbers.

Through it all, however, one voice comes through crystal clear: ]

I know you're feeling pretty uncomfortable right now.

iv. wildcard

( ooc: throw me another prompt, if you like! feel free to pm this journal for additional plotting. )

iii. cw: internalized misogyny

[discodancer]

[ ARCHIPELAGO: These are the waters.

ARCHIPELAGO: You have swum them before. The tide of the nothing has drawn you out to the long, lonely drowning place, the promise of oblivion sweet as clover on your lips, and you have kissed her, Death, that merciful siren - but you have always left her wanting.

ARCHIPELAGO: Your lungs are empty. Let them be filled.

SURVIVALISM: You silly fucking bitch, stop listening and get it together! Head up and tits front, sweetheart!

Klaasje doubles over, hands clutched uselessly over her ears as the pressure builds and builds. Tears, the real stuff, burn at the crushed corners of her eyes as she gags. It's so much more than she can bear, all the delicate fine boned wreck of her shuddering like a sick animal under this deluge. ]

Fuck!

[ It's not her most articulate moment. ]

Marci | Dota: Dragon's Blood

[punchmaiden]

1. Standard Arrival:
(She remembered darkness, being unable to breathe, the cold, and then it all just slid away. And yet when she came to it wasn't much different, she found herself being washed around, tossed by waves in the dark water, the waves crashing her up on shore as she gasped for breath, crawling out onto the beach. There were stars above, the late night, but there was something wrong, they were not the stars or constellations she knew, it was not the moon she knew. And it is about that time that she feels the wind against her skin as well, looking down to find herself entirely exposed. Damn it, why did it have to start like this.

She needed to hurry up and figure out where she was, and how to get back to wherever Mirana was. Standing she started heading towards the nearest structure she could see, a lean-to that had been set up on the beach with a fire burning inside. Hopefully, they'd at least have something she could wrap herself with. Approaching she let out a loud but friendly whistle so as not to startle them.)

2. Lost Between Steps
The smell of mildew and the mold was an assault to her nose making her scrunch up her face from the time that she found herself falling to a carpeted floor she didn't remember being a thing. This was really starting to get annoying and if she caught whoever was using magic to do it, she was going to punch them square in the face. Standing up she dusts herself off. Walking over to the other person that was lying there, Marci poked at them with the toe of her boot checking to see if they were still alive and breathing. Kneeling a little closer if needed once she saw signs of life, and offered a hand if they needed it.

3. Absolute Immersion
Alright so reading wasn't something that Marci was thrilled about, unlike Mirana who seemed to live in scrolls and books and studies, Marci much preferred a more hands-on and active approach to things and learning. But with little more to do at the moment, she was flipping through a few books, snatching one off the top of a pile that a stranger happened to be walking by with and starting to read it from a random page. Hopefully, it wasn't someone trying to hide some juicy chapter of their own story.

4. Wildcard
Marci will likely be found where drinks flow freely, challenging people to arm wrestling and winning despite her small size, and generally just having fun.

2

[threelayers]

She took that hand and got up, standing and dusting herself off before looking over at the girl, reaching up to give her a thumbs up and grinning, to show that she was fine. That lasted all of a few seconds before she just kind of stared around at the yellowing, faded, familiar and yet inherently wrong walls that seemed to just stretch out to infinity.

She gave Marci a curious look, raising an eyebrow. Any ideas here?

Freckle/Doll | Black Butler

[freckled_doll]

1st Act: Arrival - Drowned Rat
The thing about doll, was despite all the years of traveling with the circus and all the places they had been, she never learned to swim. To a squid it comes naturally, to her as a person it did not, which made the first few minutes of her arrival terrifying, fighting the water of the waves as they pushed in and pulled out again. Frantically pulling on the water, =gulping air as she could it before being washed under by the next and pushed closer to the shore, Doll struggled for each breath that was managed. The effort was far from graceful, and it was clear to anyone watching that this one was having difficulties adjusting and changing.

2nd Act: Boardwalk - A lost child
It was a bit like being back on end street here. No one wanted to give her a look, no one wanted to give a child a kid a chance. Freckle hid the scar of her face and eye over the extended bangs so that others did point it out further, shivering and blaming it on the devil. Food and bags may have been given to welcome them, but Doll was adding a little more from the stalls, waiting for an inattentive vendor to turn around. The rags were enough to keep her warm, but overall they made it difficult to really tell much about her. Sitting there on the edge of a pier heading towards the beach she looked more akin to a fourteen-year-old freckled boy than a world-class tightrope artist and master of balance.

"Excuse me, I don't suppose you'd have a little extra?"

Act 3:Bait
Nets needed work, and luckily Freckle had plenty of experience in mending, unknotting, and seeing to the nets. Though for an entirely different reason the fisherman was still a skill that she was well practiced and familiar with. Finger adeptly worked with the rope to straighten it out, retwist it and close any gaps.

But there was one more thing that she had to do before they would give her the promised reward, a net that had gotten caught on the rocks by a cove, the one crawling with crabs. Since she was so small and so agile, they said it should be no problem. Only as she stood there at the peak, slick rocks barely offering any support, while she grabbed the net so did one of the larger crabs as it scuttled closer to her.

"Aye, let go I've got ta get this back. Comeon."

Lost Child

[stoicsilhouette]

At first the plea for assistance doesn't register with the young man. Fully engrossed in his duty, the teen continues past patrolling the beach for any potential threats. With monster sightings on the decline compared to last month, he has this feeling it won't be for long. Traveling a few meters down the boardwalk, he notices his faithful companion is no longer by his side. Turning to see where she went he spots her.

A large midnight black wolf tilts her head inquisitively, making a full stop in front of the child. Gingerly she approaches, senses no ill-will, greeting the unfortunate soul in a friendly manner- tail wagging with soft golden eyes.

cho hakkai | saiyuki | paleblood(?)

[knowsvinewhip]

(1) ARRIVAL
Sand is unexpected. The desert had been left behind. It should have been forest floor, at worst. A blanket, or a sleeping pad. Or even the driver's seat. It's strange, how chill things feel as well. As if there isn't even clothing -

Oh.

Well. There isn't. There's sand. The sea. Scattered bits of shell and stone. The overwhelming smell of fish and salt. Figures in white roaming up and down the sand. And... a very naked young man suddenly realizing the indecency of the moment and drawing his knees immediately to his chest. One hand flies up to his ear, only relaxing when the metal cuffs there meet his fingers.

Eventually, and with many murmured apologies, he'll allow himself to be ushered by the Wakers, or one of the other Sleepers, to one of the fires, accepting the robes. For the most part, he's fairly quiet, offering up the token question here and there. Once feeling returns to his legs, however -

"Please excuse me." With a plastered-on smile, he'll exit the space. There are other fires to investigate, after all. And maybe the others to find?

(2) CRAB... BATTLE?
"That is rather large for a crustacean."

Alarmingly so, even. While lost in a new city, why not pitch in and help with the locals? Catch fish, mend nets. Extremely doable! Mending especially is nothing new - just different knots, different material, than usual. Gathering shellfish was supposed to be simpler.

Emphasis on 'supposed to'.

Then the crab appeared. It would probably be overkill to blast it away - probably. Maybe if he shoos it off? Crabs are skittish, aren't they? Even when they're enormous.

"Go on. Back to the sea with you!"

Yeah that'll work.

(3) IN THE BACKROOM(s)
"Are you all right?"

You've fallen. And there's a man leaning over you, looking genuinely concerned. Where the hell are you - But, yes, of course, that's the important question here, not where exactly this musty, slightly damp place is. Not how you got here.

The man seems unconcerned by the surroundings, for the moment. Seems. "You landed quite hard a moment ago. Is anything hurt?"



(( ooc: please excuse the dust, haven't busted out this account in a long time! canonpoint is end of Reload, for the moment. ))

Crab...Battle?

[stoicsilhouette]

Daily beach patrols always become more chaotic and difficult this time of the month. Annoying but something of a routine by now.

A large black she wolf with an unusual red marking on her forehead, prances down the coastline. Tilting her head upward, she uses the wind to detect various scents, and proceeds forward. She's confident and knows this territory inside and out.

Stopping abruptly and shooting her companion a look indicates something is up. Just a few meters down a person comes into view. Seeing someone on the beach is quite normal especially as new arrivals wash up. That's no cause for alarm, however the bulbous alien creature he's shooing, that might be a red flag.

Sure it's just a single three foot crab now, but where there's one there's... well you know how the story usually goes. And this particular crustacean looks sorta familiar.

Approaching from behind the large canine at a steady pace, is a thin dark haired teen. In a dry serious tone he calls out:

"Stay back, they're poisonous."
Well probably venomous to be exact or at least the small ones are. He's not too sure about this newer larger species, but he's not taking any chances, have you seen he size of that thing?! If they're anything like the killer coconut crabs he's read about- this could soon be a problem.

Being well versed on the wild life near and around the black sand beaches of the farther shore, this is the first time Megumi has seen these crabs grow to this size.

Nadir | Original Character | Paleblood

[nada]

I. Crabbing

[Nadir was taking the whole waking up in a new world as a squid then turning back into a kitsune while gasping on the shore for air like an idiot who forgot how to breathe with a pretty good stride. He was pretty unnerved he had been in the middle of something and then suddenly found himself in the briny deep with tentacles and what he'd call a butt beak, even though that would be wrong and a pretty rude thing to say to an actual mollusc, but in the grand scheme of things he has done in his life, it was maybe a 6 out of 10 on the scale of Things To Be Unnerved About so far.

He was honestly more offended by the food they had given him, his natural ability to speak before he thought making him say out loud how lacking it was in appeal, even as he had tucked into the dried fish as he spoke. In return he was told pointedly he could get better food (and reward) if he brought back crabs. He obviously took this challenge.

But once he reached the shore where he was told there was a swarm of them he saw what the joke was in this suggestion. They were large, they were tearing apart some sort of dead sea creature and shoving it into their mandibles, and leaking some sort of bodily fluid that Nadir was going to be fairly sure wasn't harmless. He's seen to many poisonous bodily fluids not to recognize that sheen.

Undeterred, he can be found trying to catch a crab, hovering out of their reach but any time he starts to duck in to try to swoop at one he has to pull right back up from the multitude of pincers snapping at him. Perhaps that's funny to your character, perhaps it's pitiful and you'll offer aide or a snarky remark...]


II. Backrooming
[It was one annoyance after another, and now he found himself in some rundown office building? That was more of a nightmare than waking up in the ocean as a squid.

He hits the floor hard, unable to concentrate fast enough to catch himself and hover before he does so. He lays there for a second, more surprised at the sudden shift from the boardwalk to the interior than from any sort of injury, before he's lifting off the ground, almost Dracula from a coffin-esque, and continues to go up, flying stupidly fast at the ceiling where he just came from. He slams into it hard, expecting to find some opening that was enchanted to look like ceiling panel, and he topples a few inches before catching himself, crying out:]

Ow! C'mon!!

[He's too busy rubbing his head and glaring at the ceiling to notice anyone else in the room watching his clownshow...]


III. Wildcarding

((Up for pretty much anything, feel free to DM me or PP me on mundofine if you need to plan anything. You can read info about him here!))

crabbing.

[theomachy]

[ erwin has better food at home, that's not a priority for him (especially since he's only on the beach helping new sleepers, not aiming to get anything for himself) but he is still new to the whole seafood thing. like sure, fish from rivers and lakes, but shit from the actual ocean? that's wild.

anyway he wants to murder a crab and take it home to eat. that's the purpose of his trip out to the beach today.

he's seen a lot while he's here but a person outright hovering is still a little new; he pauses long enough to take in the sight (ears and tail and all) before looking down at a smaller crab with big dreams approaching him since he's just close enough. it's gonna take on this bigass man all by itself and it's gonna WIN.

that's what it's thinking, probably. erwin steps out of the way of a pincer (this thing is still pretty big even though it's smaller than the ones going after that guy) and neatly slips his blade between the plates of its armor. it looks like he's real good at that kind of thing.

with that done he doesn't gather it right away: there are other things to do in this situation, which is slip his blade back into its home and shield his eyes with his hand to look upward at the fox man. ]

Need some help? They're tricky.

Tenya Iida | My Hero Academia

[brains_beef_and_brows]

Prompt: Standard Arrival.


[Sand. Wet, cold, gritty sand in rather unfortunate places. The sand was the least of Tenya Iida's problems.]

Tenya Iida... That was his name, or at least that was the name that feels the most like him. At this point of time,that was the only thing that he could claim to be himself. Despite how hard he tried to think about his past it was coming out blank. Just the memories of drifting amongst the sea and being at peace.

[Pulling himself away from the frothy water and from those in white clothing Tenya grimaced as he took stock of himself. He was naked, and with several surface level cuts and scrapes along his body. There were several purplish blue bruises along his forearms,and across his chest.

The biggest problem was his legs, or rather his calves- are they supposed to look this way? Thick black ink pouring out from his pipes, clumps of seaweed clinging to the insides of his pipes almost as if it was trying to make a home out of him.]


Right. That was probably not good, seaweed most definitely not supposed to be there. It's impractical, illogical and the most important thing? They are preventing him the ability to use his quirk. It's essential for him to never have them blocked, he needs to be able to move. To run. To Help.

[Lightly gnawing into his bottom lip, Tenya chose to turn his full focus upon clearing out his engines, designating his lack of clothes as a secondary concern.]

Prompt 2: Wildcard! If you have anything in particular that you wish to do, please feel free to hit me up or go ahead and in the words of our lord and savior: Just. Do. It!

Arrival!

[floatsaway]

[It's become a bit habitual, wandering the shore these days either to exercise, train, and look for new arrivals near the start of the new month. She's helping some of the locals as well, offering aid for those unaccustomed to their, erm...sometimes still squid-like bodies before they fully change, or covering some of the more exposed people with large towels or robes. It's what she can do to help, as a Hero and just as someone who'd so ready and willing to care about others.

Uncostumed, because frankly it's just not really necessary for something like this, Ochako is wandering the beach, hands wrapped around a shoulder bag filled with various sized robes and large towels - even blankets as well. It's gotten so much colder just from July to now, so she's had to break out some warmer clothing, thankful of her friends' foresight into getting something warm and cozy for the coming cold. She's watching her feet mostly, and the waters, only looking up when she hears the wet flop of seaweed witting the sand and--]

Eh? Oh!! Iida-kun! [Is it really him over there?! It has to be! Ochako practially radiates delight and joy as she stumbles forward a little, hurrying over as quickly as she can, waving one arm rapidly over her head.] IIDA-KUN!! IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE YO--

[AND IMMEDIATE SCREECHING STOP when Ochako notices her bestie over there is, uh...hm. Got his other "muffler" out on full display.

H-Hello, Mr. President.]

Eep!

Shouta Aizawa | My Hero Academia

[erasureye]

Arrival!

[ It’s strange. Shouta’s feels sure he’s been here before.

He can’t quite remember the how or the why of it. It’s not like he recognizes the beach itself, by sight or by any other sense. But… this is a recognition that runs deeper than a missing memory or two.

He should be, at the very least, confused. He should be anxious, on-edge, and wary of what it means that he’s woken up in a strange place he doesn’t recognize – but all he can feel is a sense of tranquil calm. He’s meant to be here; he knows it. And he’s not alone. He shouldn’t know these things, but he’s sure of them, even if he can’t explain how.

At some point, he must’ve taken on a human form. He was lucky enough to wash up with his bag, this time ( -this time? there was a last time, then? ), so as he begins to put on the clothes that were inside it, he tries to think things through rationally.

Logic would tell him that he’s under the influence of someone’s Quirk. That’s what makes the most sense, and it would explain the way he’s feeling, too. But there’s another possibility – that he really has been here before, and he’s forgotten somehow. It doesn’t take him long to decide that that’s the truth. Did he forget because of someone’s Quirk, instead? No. Somehow, he knows that it’s something far more bizarre and far grander than that.

It's irrational, and Shouta hates things that are irrational. That frustration drives him to try and remember, and as he does, a few memories do flash through his mind – it’s not like they’re gone, they’re just... somewhere under the surface.

One thing, though, he’s sure of. He’d failed them. ...Somehow or another, he’s suddenly hit by a deep sense of shame and regret that becomes stronger the more he focuses on it, and he knows that he failed at something important, that he let down the people he should’ve been protecting. For a moment, that feeling is almost paralyzing. But-

Maybe this is a second chance. And no matter how useless he feels... they might still need him.

So once he’s fully dressed, Shouta takes the bag and stands, beginning to walk along the shore. ]

WILDCARD

[ Feel free to throw anything at Shouta here! I'm happy to play with any of the prompts & anything else you might come up with. I played him here before very briefly & will be having him remember his time at Trench here, even if it takes a while for it to all come back. If you want to plot, PM me or hit me up at Rivenix, and thank you!]

[floatsaway]

[Scouring, and just doing her training and workout on the beach has become a daily thing for Ochako, though this time around, considering the date, she's less working out and more helping out. Newcomers usually arrive this month, and having someone a bit more friendly-looking than grizzled, old sailors and odd-looking locals may be more welcoming to some as they make their way up the shore. And with the terrible weather, and the oncoming cold of autumn coming in fast, Ochako has tucked in her large handbags some large, fluffy towels and blankets for those who need them, as well as small, packed bentos of hot food (most steamed rice, tamagoyaki, and some mini sausages. Easy, quick things for her to make and package, but tasty and warm nonetheless.

She's given away a few already, and her bag is less weighty than it was earlier in the day, but she's still working hard, tucked up nice and cozy in a fuzzy coat, grumbling to herself about the wind blowing her hair al in her face. Which makes her actually put the hood up, so the pointed bits - like the tufts of a horned owl - stick right up. Probably, for that reason, Aizawa may not recognize the hooded girl on the beach right away, what with her being still a few feet off, and her back turned, but there's definitely food in her bag, the smell permeating her bag as she shifts the contents to make sure nothing's spilled.]

Maybe I made too much...I haven't seen very many people after the first bunch... [She frowns, looking at the choppy water and scowling. Hopefully no one got hurt...o-or worse. Ugh. What a way to show up in this dumb place, and she's not nearly as good at water rescue as Tsu-chan is.]

Ringo | Soul Hackers 2 (Coldblood)

[appleproduct]

[ ooc: I'm voice testing this muse right now, so absolutely feel free to tell me how I'm doing if you're canon familiar! ]

1. arrival // CW: vomiting blood, minor internal injury, arrival nudity

[ In the dark, churning waters of Mariana's domain, a stark white squid with brilliant pulsing yellow markings becomes aware of itself. Ringo fights the sensation immediately - the very act of being a singular point of existence is…uncomfortable. What's worse, when she calls out to Aion, there is no response. Flamma does not explain what's going on. Figue does not comfort her. This is quite simply not normal. But it starts to come back to her as the water pushes and pulls around her squid-form. She is designated Ringo, and a human form is necessary for her mission. There's no infinite database to pull from, just a hollow ache where that information should be, but she approximates a shape that is familiar to her just in time for her humanoid body to strike a rock and cause her to inhale sharply, inadvertently swallowing a great deal of water.

'I am designated Ringo, and a human form is necessary for my mission. Initiating emergency survival protocol. Error, no database to reference. Repeating my last known objective.'

The waves swell suddenly, depositing Ringo on the beach unceremoniously, and naked as a newborn. She curls up into a ball, coughing and spitting up blood and brine. The blood in her mouth does not taste like the artificial substance she's supposed to be made of. In fact, it tastes like the scent of an electrical fire and makes her tongue tingle uncomfortably. It turns to hard, frozen droplets in the sand. She starts to open her mouth to call out for Figue, maybe Arrow, hell Milady or Saizo would be a welcome sight - but a strange sensation of calm stops her.

This is…not her mission. Her mission has concluded. Mission status unknown. Searching for a new objective…

Ringo opens her eyes and rolls onto her back, looking up at the stormy morning sky. She can feel, in this moment, every grain of sand touching her skin and it is wildly overwhelming. Her eyes squeeze shut against the light rain that starts up as she lays there. Sensory overload doesn't even begin to describe what she's feeling, she thinks. Okay, it's a bad start but hey, it's a start. She could spring to her feet and look for help, but she feels sick from swallowing sea water. Or at least, she feels like shit, and that sounds like human sickness. So probably not that.

Instead, Ringo opts to lay very still and wait for the shaking and aching to subside. What's the rush, after all? Hopefully someone will have a little mercy on her. And possibly cover her up. It's cold out here. ]

2. utter chaos aka wildcard

[ Go ahead and hit me. runebranded for plotting, or PM this journal. Otherwise, shoot for the moon, I'll work with whatever. ]

Ron Howard | OC

[icanfixyou]

[Click here for permissions + first impressions.]

i. A Good Old Fashioned Arrival

The first thing Ron can remember is the rush of ocean water in her ears. Sand in her mouth, and more rushing painfully over her skin before she crashes onto the shore. But she has a mouth. A mouth, ears, skin - eyes are then there somewhere, too. They blink blearily with saltwater, and she has the mind to brush hair away from them before she manages to push herself onto her knees.

There's someone trying to help her up, but she shoves them away as well as she can... which isn't much. It takes until their second attempt for her to think better of it, and take their hand to try and get to her feet.

Her dog is waiting nearby, wagging his tail nervously and whining for her attention. His shoulder comes up to the average person's waist, and he makes a perfect brace for her to lean on while she looks around. Nothing is familiar, but it feels hard to get truly upset about it. Ron wonders if that's acceptance or just adrenaline.

"Hey." She goes to grab the arm of the Waker who had helped her up, in case they leave her here naked with nothing but her dog. "Hold on, where the fuck am I?"

ii. Fucking Crabs

Ron doesn't know why she cares about getting her bike back, but maybe it is just the adrenaline. Maybe it's just that if she has something normal to focus on, it won't completely fuck with her head that she was a squid until an hour ago. The only problem is that this is just barely a normal problem.

Her motorcycle washed up on the shore, but it washed up in the same area that the fishermen warned about crabs. She managed to find it, but now she's got to lug it through the sand until she can get it upright and figure out somewhere dry-ish to assess the damage. And all the while, she has to make sure Ollie doesn't try to fight a crab.

"Ollie, heel." She snaps back at the dog, who lets out a musical whine-woof of protest before skittering away from the snap of claws. "If you're not gonna help, at least don't make me have to stop and amputate a paw. Okay?"

iii. A Step Back And A Short Breath

Fuck, now where is she. Ron feels like she must have just been at the beach, and Ollie is still stopping to shake off the ocean spray, but now they're indoors somewhere. Somewhere with barely defined features, and the smell of mildew... but it's indoors, and that makes it slightly better for the bike. Which she's still guiding by the handlebars.

With a defeated huff, Ron kicks the kickstand out and checks under the bike's seat for her toolbox. Yep, that's all there. And the omni makes a pretty great flashlight for checking the tires, which she determines need a cleaning but don't seem to be damaged.

She's dimly aware that she's not alone, but she doesn't seem to be in a rush to greet the other person. Ollie, on the other hand, is happy to trot over and shove his nose into their privates, as is the polite dog greeting.

iv. Wildcard

[Want to find Ron in a book? Or be grabbed off the beach by her after she wakes up? Or mysterious third option? Hit me up at dogbones#3310 or necromantica or just toss something at me!]

A Good Old Fashioned Arrival

[obeir]

"Welcome to Trench."

The answer doesn't come from the Waker who helped the newcomer up, but from a fellow Sleeper in a long coat who approaches to wrap a simple robe around her in a practised, impersonal manner. The nudity doesn't faze him. He also deposits one of the Welcoming Bags at her feet and with an uncertain look, offers his own arm, in case she needs the support. The Waker has other squids to attend to.

"Which I expect won't mean anything to you," he goes on. "Chances are, this is an entirely different universe than the one you're familiar with. The disorientation you're feeling is normal, and yes, you really were just a squid." A beat. "Cute dog."

He doesn't even have to ask if the dog is hers; it's obvious enough. And he's absolutely going to pet the dog if he seems amenable to it, because who could resist that face?