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countryclub2022-08-25 10:45 pm
reddosmod) wrote in countryclub2022-08-25 10:45 pm
Entry tags:
August Test Drive Meme!
AUGUST 2022 TDM
STANDARD ARRIVAL
LOST BETWEEN STEPS
ABSOLUTE IMMERSION
CODING
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]
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: 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]
WHEN: First Week of September
WHERE: The Farther Shores/The Boardwalk
CONTENT WARNINGS: Monstrous Crabs, Environmental Threat
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.
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.
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.
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
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."
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."
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
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.
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.
no subject
it makes her feel so guilty; to hurt her sister like this even when it was unintentional. but... that is jinx in nutshell. always hurting those around her even when not meaning to -- to some, she's fine with it but to someone important like vi, it aches her soul.)
(gradually, jinx reaches up to vi -- her slender fingers rest along her cheeks while thumbing her tears away. again, this is something that vi does with her but... it's about time she shares the love back.)
I'm sorry. I... I didn't leave on purpose, honest. But I'll... do my best to stay this time. I want to stay.
no subject
it only makes her cry more, but she doesn't care - because yeah, this is definitely a win. oh, it will still be work, but it would have been harder work at home - maybe even impossible when all's said and done.
it's not that powder is still in there, it's that no matter what name she goes by (powder fell down a well and jinx came tumbling after) - she is still and always has been her sister - nothing can change that, and well, she'll deal with the fallout as it comes.]
Don't be sorry. I thought a lot of things, sis. Thought the ocean took you, thought I lost you, thought this place took you just to fuck with me. Thought I scared you away, even.
But I never blamed you for leaving. It just happened.
[vi hadn't tried to come here when she showed up, hadn't tried to leave, or even come back - she just ...did. if something controls their arrivals - and it may well be the ocean, who knows - it sure as hell isn't them. they might be like sato said: puppets, toys being played with like a game. well, fuck that, too. she can't complain when today feels like winning.]
That's all you can do. I want you to stay, too. And I want to us get off this shitty ass beach. [no real offense mariana, she's just seen enough of it the past couple weeks.]
I've been keeping something else on me too. Just in case. [fumbling in her pockets, she pulls out four hair fastenings - not fancy, but strong.] You let me know when you're good to go, where you want to go, and...
...just tell me what to do, sis.
no subject
Let's just get outta here. Maybe find me some clothes? And a shower then food.
(even though she had just gotten out of the sea but she still feels so dirty and sand is most likely mixed all in her locks. recalling her legs will be jelly, jinx goes ahead to grab onto her sister while cautiously attempting to pull herself up.)
no subject
jinx looks ...nervous. overwhelmed, even. and why shouldn't she - that's a lot of choice.
it's too unwieldy to ride an omen here - up the narrow boardwalk and through all these wakers, but fang emerges anyway, pouring out of vi to make a perfectly medium dog sized version of herself, pausing at least once to lean into jinx and emit a happy sounding whine as she trots along beside.
when they reach the boardwalk, vi will pause, gauge the risk and ask, with words instead of a rough gesture like she had done with silco:]
I'm gonna get your bag, okay? There might be clothes in it, and there's a bunch of other stuff in there, too. Are you okay waiting here with Fang? I'll only be like ...a couple minutes, tops, promise.
no subject
it's nothing against her sister, of course. after all, all jinx ever wanted was to have vi near, accept her, and be in her life like she use to. but she truly needs some sort of "safe space" for her mind -- a moment to get her thinking straight and have her ducks in a row again. with her hand resting on fang's fur, she peers up at her sister as they walk.)
Yeah, sure. I can wait here.
(in fact, she spots a bench where she can take a seat while she fetches her bag. this can give her a little moment to of alone time.)
no subject
vi doesn't take long - it's less of a mess than it had been in july, and people are friendlier on the whole - less shoving, less muttering curses, less shouldering through but she turns to look back over her shoulder every few seconds, just to make sure, and so far so good.
she's soon making her way back, bag in hand, which she holds out for jinx to take. that's one thing down ...many things to go.]
You can look now if you want to, or we can just go ...home. I can take you home.
no subject
when she sees vi returning, jinx sits more straight up then taking the sack out of her hands. she is on her way to open until she hears the words "or we can just go home". suddenly, there's stillness and there's a small tight grip of the sack's material. because... what is home for her? can a place be like this be a new home? will this place and the people in it accept her like vi did? no, she... shouldn't think about this right now. loosening her grip, she opens the bag and sees a good bit of her things. )
(first thing, she pulls out her pistol -- inspecting it to make sure it's in good condition before setting it aside. next, her grenades... they seem fine, too. somehow or another, jinx manages to pull out her machine gun, pow-pow, and whoa! it's amazing how they manage to get this in here? but seeing it brings a big smile on her face and even plants a small kiss on its body. there seems to be more in the bag so after she sets the machine gun by her feet, jinx makes the bag wiggle then ducks her head further inside. this... might come off strange to fang and probably vi, as well, but there's a "voice" she is making within the bag. it's a dopey goofy type of voice and its muffled until her head pulls back then pulling out her rocket launcher, fishbones.)
❝ Oh, I can breathe again!! ❞
(she is making the mouth move with it's handle and jinx flashes the weapon a blank stare.)
You don't have lungs. You could never breathe in the first place, you dumb rocket.
(but anyhow, she also places that to the side but it feels like there's one more thing??)
— Sheesh, what else do I have in here?
no subject
it's a little odd to vi, yes - when suddenly her sister's puppeting the bag, and having a little conversation with ...a rocket launcher shaped like a shark. the mouth moving in a stoic mimicry - jinx's voice - pitched differently one moment and then back to itself as she answers ...herself. (and the rocket ...who is also jinx.)
seeing fishbones again, even if she doesn't recall its name - sends a sick dread through her. it's not unwarranted, but she tries to stop its spread - it doesn't belong ...here. it doesn't mean the same thing here.
(yeah, keep telling yourself that)
(fang? fang has seen some shit. she just continues to sit, unfazed, but she's curious what else could be in that bag. ᴍᴀʏʙᴇ ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴀ ᴍᴜʀᴅᴇʀᴏᴜꜱ ʜᴏʀꜱᴇ, ᴠɪᴏʟᴇᴛ. ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴘᴜɴᴄʜ ɪᴛ, ʀɪɢʜᴛ ʜᴇʀᴇ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴀʀᴅᴡᴀʟᴋ, she thinks, and pointedly ignores the look vi shoots her. telepathy is sometimes very fun.)]
Seriously?
[what more could there be??]
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there's no piltover so he wouldn't need it for war purposes. a healing supply, perhaps? it would surely be used for his eye if he were to still have pain. (vi should probably inform jinx he isn't here anymore) but as she looks, the expression falls. not sadden or disappointed but more so... she didn't expect for it to be here. gradually, she reaches in and pulls out a very familiar friend. her thumb carefully caresses over its head then glancing up at her sister.)
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most of the memories attached to it are good - they overshadow the bad ones, though they bring with them a needling urge to do something she'd been putting off since her sister had gone back to the sea.
she'd tried once, after she'd been convinced that yes, jinx had really gone to send a message to silco - must have typed and backpaced fifty times before just settling on 'she's gone', only to hear nothing back but the omni's inability to 'find the username'. she had blamed her omni, and then she had blamed silco - maybe he had read the message and didn't deem it worthy of a reply - maybe his (and this sucks to think about) ...maybe his grief had overwhelmed him. why would he have wanted violet to see any despair, any weakness he might have had? maybe this message was a result of silco turning off his omni altogether - or finding someone to ...do so. he'd certainly always had success in finding people to do things for him when the need suited.
that had made a bit of sense, at least.
what doesn't make sense now is that when she takes out her omni - determined that she's just going to do this - to get it over with now - that she owes her sister this, and she'd promised jinx, promised herself that she would try to hold to this fragile peace - real or fake or somewhere in between - what makes no sense is that when she fires off the equally blunt text of 'she's back i found her on the beach come now' - she gets the same message.
user name not found.
if he could read this - if he could see it, he would reply, right? there's no question that he'd answer this because it would have been the utter opposite of weakness - it would have been a win for him, wouldn't it? that violet would even reach out in the first place? how could he care for her as he had claimed and not come??
she frowns. sends again. same error. types it again. same. and her desperation shows clear on her face as she stares at the stupid screen.]
Shit.
[she should be happy, right? this should make her day.
well, it doesn't, because she's possibly about to break her sister's heart just a little.]
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but now with her sister here and silco too, there won't be any of those anymore. so it's only right to return the doll back to its owner. and when she peers up at her big sister again, the smile that was on her face twists away and then looking perplexed.)
Huh? What's up?
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[she knows, with a spreading sinking dread (and the flutter of elation around its edge) that it's not her omni. but she's not having it, so she does something she hasn't yet tried - the only thing she can think of:]
Fang, send a message ...to Silco. "Jinx is here on the boardwalk, come now."
[because omens are unhackable, better than the omni - connected to all other omens through blood magic and telepathy it should, in theory, work, even if silco has turned off his omni somehow. he would hear this if he were here. and fang, for her part, sends the message with little effort and no punctuation, but what she returns is:]
ᴇʀʀᴏʀ. ᴜꜱᴇʀ ɴᴀᴍᴇ ɴᴏᴛ ꜰᴏᴜɴᴅ.
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... No.
(that can't be right. he would be here. he wouldn't just up and leave her like that. unless, he left in the same way she had left here. that he restored back into a squid to swim aimlessly in the big open waters. it's like her heart just shatter in a million pieces with someone with steel toe boots stomping it to make even more shards. her fingers are trembling as she holds onto the doll; lower lip quivers as her breath increasingly becomes uneven.
she ruined her chance. he was there and she ran away from him. and now... now he's gone. she just ran the fuck off and didn't even hug him or show any care or love. she turned her back on the man who took her in, fed her, gave her a home, cared for her. the weight of guilt and anguish is pulling her down -- hissing voices are swirling for her of "how could you?", "you're a terrible daughter", "you don't deserve him".)
(she clutches tightly on the doll; looking completely past her sister as her breathing becomes even more horribly unstable. thin ice are steadily forming underneath her feet -- the bench she is sitting on is frosting over with her hair still blue but more of a white icy color. it's then "mylo" perches right beside jinx with head tilt while watching her in his intense ghostly stare. he leans to her with his lips close to her ear so he can say one thing that will be loud and clear for her.
'you betrayed him.'
those three words hits her core -- her eyes widen with a sudden sharp icicles sprout unexpectedly from the ground to separate herself from her and vi and her omen.)
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(and then she just books it. jinx hops over the bench as the doll falls out of her hands; hitting the ground as she runs back to the beach. with each step, there's an ice print and icicles forming right behind her. maybe it's not too late, she thinks. maybe silco is out there swimming within reach and she can just scoot him up. jinx stumbles every so often when she runs -- still not quite use to her shimmer powers, either.
and when she makes it back to the beach, jinx wastes no time to get back in the water. it's way colder now with her ice blood magic in the works but she fights off the feeling as she desperately searches in the water. every so often, she thrashes the waters away with her arms -- as if she's trying to see better. where is he? where is he? where is he?)
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vi takes a second to process that - the sheen of white on hair, the spike of it from the ground beneath - frozen daggers of that no (user name not found) splitting the air between them just before her sister bolts.
of course, vi runs after her.]
Jinx!!
Powder!!
[fang stays behind, guarding the bag and all its contents - after all, once the bag is lost it doesn't respawn - and any one of these people could just take it - especially if they have seen the weapons that came out of it. she will grow to direwolf size and circle around behind the fresh spike of ice and stay right here, please and fucking thank you.
vi doesn't look down as she's running (she's not losing her sister to this fucking ocean not again not now you said you'd try to stay) and she skids where jinx had stumbled - icy steps both speeding her up and slowing her down. she can't (and doesn't) know what was in her sister's head just then - whose voice - if any but her own had launched her toward the water - if she's just looking for him or if she plans to join him and just revert, lost to mariana's capricious whims (and maybe her own failure?) again.]
No! Don't---
[she remembers to remove her backpack as she runs toward the water, throwing it down onto the sand, the weight of the gauntlets anchoring it where it falls, and she runs until she's waist deep - freezing floes of ice slapping her as she pushes forward - and realizes two things as she comes closer. one: her sister is a coldblood. two: she's in this moment - frantically searching for silco. but not, at least not yet ...not trying to join him.
she'd done the same for jinx. she knows this shitty dance. it's awful and it's heartbreaking and it's cold. a chill runs through her again - a shiver of disgust at the part of her that's relieved he's gone. screams at it.]
Fuck!!
[she's looking too, as she wades closer - peering into the water and not seeing what she truly does not want to see, but it's more complicated than that, now.
why does she have to bear this news?]
He's ....he's gone back.
[there's defeat in her voice, but not without a trace of panic.]
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her head is duck low as she tries to throw back her tears and swallow the huge lump in her throat. 'it's okay. don't cry. you're perfect.' the words of him echoes for her; shimmer tears trickle down her cheeks. she doesn't need to look up to know that chalk-like scribbles of his name is hovering all around her. jinx wraps her arms around herself -- holding herself so tightly as snowflakes sprinkle gently down to the waters. )
Why...? Why do I keep ruining everything...? I'm already jinxing things up. Even here I... I can't get away from it.
(her voice is very low but if vi listens very carefully, she is able to hear her mutter this to herself. and with her nails piercing sharply at her own skin, she subconsciously freezes the water around her. luckily, vi is still free to roam around in the waters but for jinx, she stuck herself there -- unable to break free or wiggle around. but does she want to? not really. a walking curse like her belongs to be isolated and away from everyone and everything. she is born to lose and to be damned no matter where she is, no matter how many times she can restart herself.)
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and now jinx has made her own prison - an icy isolation of one lone girl, head down, nails digging in.
vi only catches the beginnings of it - it's the why that causes her to stop moving, stop looking (oh, how silco would laugh at this, the idea of her looking for him) long enough to hear why do i keep ruining everything?
well, that's just ...not true. that's wrong and it cannot stand. she's not hearing it. jinx shouldn't be saying it. she'd seen silco's reaction when he'd pulled that little ashtray from his bag, all marked up with colors - seen his face, how quickly he'd shoved it back in the bag - how much he hadn't wanted to be observed in a moment of weakness. she hates it. fuck, she hates it so much, but she says it anyway, her voice firm.]
You didn't ruin it. You didn't make him go. Whatever you're thinking, you didn't make this happen. Saying it doesn't make it true. It just happened.
[and it sucks. for you, mostly, but well, that makes it suck for me. she moves toward her sister, punching down hard into the ice.]
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(and it's when she hears her sister smashing her fists into the ice that jinx lifts her head -- now realizing she is stuck in place. where did this ice come from? in fact when she glances behind vi, she spots the sharp icicles that are still in place that leads all the way up to where they were. her eyes are to her sister again; appearing confused and bewildered.)
What's going on? What happened?
(jinx was so into what she was feeling, she hadn't realized what she was truly doing. the spikes that separated her and vi, jinx figured it was just her hallucination again or maybe it was "mylo"'s doing. and now with her attention on this and not so much with silco, the ice seems to be melting just a smidge -- a little easier to break through if her sister continues to punch on through.)
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He seemed pretty determined to make a go of this before you got here. Cocky, even. Maybe it was a front, maybe it wasn't, but I don't think you running off would send him back into the the sea. Upset? Sure, maybe, but he didn't seem the type to get his panties in a wad over---
---did you used to do that before? Just take off?
[cause it seems like she might have - even with silco, maybe? stormed off, sulked, just ...needed space? the idea that jinx caused this is more unbelievable to her than the idea that she herself caused it by yelling at the ocean.]
I think you might be a Coldblood. [she knows a little about coldblood only because she's been trying to find someone of that blood type that can help her make something, but as far as how to work with it - or all the ways the powers could and might manifest? she has no idea.] It means...
...well that, for one. One of the things it means is that you can make it cold. I bet that ice is colder to me than it is to you.
[she reaches out to touch one of the spikes before she pulls back, punching into it. ]
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Y-Yeah, I have...
(and with vi helping her seeing things logically, silco wouldn't just give up like that. he would had been patient with her as he always. the ice and the spikes seem to be melting -- droplets hitting the waters and slowly forming back down to liquid. except it's still frozen solid around jinx as she tries to wrap her head around she has arcane talent? well... maybe not like that sorta?)
What do I do? To make it not do this?
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Feelings! I think it was cause you felt bad, got scared, or angry or ...whatever bunch of things you just felt. That probably made the ice. Look at it! It's melting. You're doing that, too. That's all you.
[there's a tiny bit of pride creeping into her voice, but it's hard to hear amidst the rest of this ...mess.]
Try thinking about something good like... [quick, vi quick, this is hard] ...a food you really like, your favorite animal, or how fast you can move?
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but the expression her shows that she is thinking about something else. vi can definitely see the gears are really turning now as her posture relaxes -- arms cross over her chest with one hand up to her lip to bite on her thumbnail. jinx takes in her sister's words before. feelings. this is gear towards her feelings.)
...So. If I look at this scientifically —
(jinx is mostly muttering this out loud to herself than vi as her gaze drifts off through the ice trap she put herself in. to melt ice, you use heat. heat usually associate with red and red is color code for anger. so if she is connecting the dots correctly, to make all of this melt faster, she'll need to express anger.)
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carefully, jinx rests her palms over the solid ice by her hips -- pondering on just what she should be angry about? maybe over the fact they took silco away from her. or maybe how "mylo" tried to upset her for the millionth time and is probably crackling in the shadows that she felt for his false words.
'you can fill up a damn library for all the things you DIDN'T do.'
the pinks glisten as she grits her teeth -- her palm pressing harder onto the glaze with her hair suddenly twists from frosty white to fire-y red. or what about that back home, vi still holds first place slot in that boxing game for everyone to wander in their hideout to see. jinx will never get an opportunity to go back and beat that score -- forever she will sit there in second, to be her shadow.)
(steam seems to be forming the more she presses her hands down and the icicles are melting way faster than when she was attempting to think of something nice. but maybe her thoughts are wandering a little too far while everything seems to be breaking apart, the water is also boiling and bubbling.)
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(uh oh)
---the solution's smart, and maybe she should have seen this one coming - the clenching of her jaw, the gleam in her eyes and now the colorshift in her hair (useful as an indicator) - that's jinx in a nutshell - from cold to hot in seconds - and she probably can't feel the scorch like vi can right now. it's enough to make her back up a pace, sucking air in through her teeth.]
Hey. H-hey! Maybe ease up on thinking about whatever's got you all hot and bothered before we end up being Sleeper soup.
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(that is... debatable if anyone else besides vi heard her say this. the tone unfortunately comes off rough or she sounded a little offended but she's not meaning to... or did. after all, she is currently thinking about the stupid scoreboard and how miss vi vi always seem to be on top of every damn thing, always seem to be so much better.
CRACK! -- finally her hands push through the ice and she is able to move her legs. the water is pretty hot but it doesn't seem to bother jinx at all. except the skin on her legs are now slightly red but it's fine. she doesn't feel the pain or any stings. exhaling out a sigh though, she walks her way back to the shore with her hair resuming on to be red but with some blue streaks. it's a sign of her calming down but still a little heated (ha) over her thoughts.)
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cw: brief nuuudiitttyyyy
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(voice is the blue cup boi)
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