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countryclub2021-07-29 09:49 pm
reddosmod) wrote in countryclub2021-07-29 09:49 pm
Entry tags:
(August) 2021 Test Drive Meme
AUGUST 2021 TEST DRIVE MEME
STANDARD ARRIVAL
DIFFERENT TIDES
OVERBOARD
CODING
Welcome to our first-ever live Test Drive Meme! Thank you so much for your interest! While our applications and reserves this upcoming round are for Early Access Members only, this Test Drive Meme is to open to everyone - both brand new players and old!
All Test Drive Memes are game canon. Players can choose to keep their TDM threads canon or not. TDM threads can be used for AC and can be used as your writing sample for your application.
Our TDMs serve as a way to build into the actual lore and worldbuilding of Deer Country and we strongly encourage everyone to enjoy and participate! Current players are always welcome to pull prompts from the TDM to reference on the Network or bring into logs as well as tag out to new characters top-leveling on the TDM itself.
Characters will always be able to actively die during TDMs as this is an extremely dangerous world. You can still have this be game canon! Check out how character death in Deer Country works here.
If you have any questions about the TDM, please ask down below!
IMAGE DESCRIPTORS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE
Prompt One
[Image One: Lego face down on beach shore.]
[Image Two: Melting ice cream cone.]
Prompt Two
[Image One: Person screaming underwater.]
[Image Two: Waves crashing on rocks.]
Prompt Three
[Image One: Woman on a piano in the middle of the ocean.]
[Image Two: Pirate ship on wave during storm.]
Dates to Remember!
Read our Game Open information here.
Early Access is only applicable to those who played in Deerington from Dec2020-June2021. Public Access is applicable to everyone regardless of whether or not you previously played in Deerington.
August 27th: Reserves open for Early Access Members open.
September 1st: Applications for Early Access Members open.
September 26th: Public Access reserves open.
October 1st: Game officially opens. Public Access applications open.
All Test Drive Memes are game canon. Players can choose to keep their TDM threads canon or not. TDM threads can be used for AC and can be used as your writing sample for your application.
Our TDMs serve as a way to build into the actual lore and worldbuilding of Deer Country and we strongly encourage everyone to enjoy and participate! Current players are always welcome to pull prompts from the TDM to reference on the Network or bring into logs as well as tag out to new characters top-leveling on the TDM itself.
Characters will always be able to actively die during TDMs as this is an extremely dangerous world. You can still have this be game canon! Check out how character death in Deer Country works here.
If you have any questions about the TDM, please ask down below!
Prompt One
[Image One: Lego face down on beach shore.]
[Image Two: Melting ice cream cone.]
Prompt Two
[Image One: Person screaming underwater.]
[Image Two: Waves crashing on rocks.]
Prompt Three
[Image One: Woman on a piano in the middle of the ocean.]
[Image Two: Pirate ship on wave during storm.]
Read our Game Open information here.
Early Access is only applicable to those who played in Deerington from Dec2020-June2021. Public Access is applicable to everyone regardless of whether or not you previously played in Deerington.
August 27th: Reserves open for Early Access Members open.
September 1st: Applications for Early Access Members open.
September 26th: Public Access reserves open.
October 1st: Game officially opens. Public Access applications open.
WHEN: August
WHERE: The Farther Shores/Boardwalk
CONTENT WARNINGS: N/A
WHERE: The Farther Shores/Boardwalk
CONTENT WARNINGS: N/A
You're one of the lucky ones. Your journey is smooth sailing and you wind up exactly where you're supposed to: on the Farther Shores. You grow out of your squid body without a hitch, either with the help of another Sleeper or one of the Wakers, and you get to discover this new world. All new Sleepers might take some time to find their bearings. It might be tricky to remember how to use your body parts the way you're supposed to. You might stumble around the beach or forget how to talk - but don't worry! It'll come back to you sooner or later.
Hopefully, you've found something to wear, either in your Welcoming Bag or otherwise, and can start familiarizing yourself with your surroundings. Maybe you help some other squids out on the beach. Waking up sucks! You feel for the little guys. And hey, maybe you're hoping one of those squids is a good friend...Stranger things have happened.
SEASONAL DETAILS ON THE BOARDWALK
August means colorful streamers and fairy lights twinkling over the Boardwalk, lighting the way. Although Trench is a grim world, there is a distinct summer vacation feeling to the Boardwalk in August. You can smell fried dough and hot dogs being prepared - and no worries! Everything on the Boardwalk is completely free to Sleepers. The workers know it's your first stop and that you, more than most, need a bit of charity right now. Stop by and get a deluxe sundae or ice cream cone at the temporary ice cream booth. Want something besides your welcoming robes to wear? There are a few small shacks selling some solid pirate and sailor-inspired looks. There are also some cute bathing suits for those who think taking a dip in the ocean could possibly ever be fun. Get these summer goods while the going's good. They won't be around in September!
Some people have even set up some crude form of volleyball out on the beach. Join in for a game! The ball is a little leathery and strange to the touch, but it's probably for the best if you just ignore that. Hit the ball around enough and you'll notice that if it gets away from your court, it seems to roll itself towards the ocean. Pick it up again and it's just a ball again! Weird...Just play with the ball and don't ask questions.
The Boardwalk really is a gentle introduction to Trench. It's easy to forget that you just woke up to a hellscape dominated by blood. But hey. The corruption here is low and maybe that's the point. Take it easy while you can, Sleepers. The tide is coming soon enough.
Hopefully, you've found something to wear, either in your Welcoming Bag or otherwise, and can start familiarizing yourself with your surroundings. Maybe you help some other squids out on the beach. Waking up sucks! You feel for the little guys. And hey, maybe you're hoping one of those squids is a good friend...Stranger things have happened.
August means colorful streamers and fairy lights twinkling over the Boardwalk, lighting the way. Although Trench is a grim world, there is a distinct summer vacation feeling to the Boardwalk in August. You can smell fried dough and hot dogs being prepared - and no worries! Everything on the Boardwalk is completely free to Sleepers. The workers know it's your first stop and that you, more than most, need a bit of charity right now. Stop by and get a deluxe sundae or ice cream cone at the temporary ice cream booth. Want something besides your welcoming robes to wear? There are a few small shacks selling some solid pirate and sailor-inspired looks. There are also some cute bathing suits for those who think taking a dip in the ocean could possibly ever be fun. Get these summer goods while the going's good. They won't be around in September!
Some people have even set up some crude form of volleyball out on the beach. Join in for a game! The ball is a little leathery and strange to the touch, but it's probably for the best if you just ignore that. Hit the ball around enough and you'll notice that if it gets away from your court, it seems to roll itself towards the ocean. Pick it up again and it's just a ball again! Weird...Just play with the ball and don't ask questions.
The Boardwalk really is a gentle introduction to Trench. It's easy to forget that you just woke up to a hellscape dominated by blood. But hey. The corruption here is low and maybe that's the point. Take it easy while you can, Sleepers. The tide is coming soon enough.
WHEN: WHEN EVENT
WHERE: Among the Rocks in small crevices and caves.
CONTENT WARNINGS: Drowning, crushing bones, intense claustrophobia, flesh eating crabs, possible animal death via burning, possible hallucinations via toxins.
WHERE: Among the Rocks in small crevices and caves.
CONTENT WARNINGS: Drowning, crushing bones, intense claustrophobia, flesh eating crabs, possible animal death via burning, possible hallucinations via toxins.
While most Sleepers are lucky enough to wash up on the Farther Shores, not all are so fortunate. The ocean is unpredictable and in this world, the ocean also happens to be a temperamental living creature. Come in at the exactly wrong time and the Pthumerian Mariana might decide to send you on a harrowing course towards The Rocks. Having to wake up while being slammed up against slippery slopes of stone is no one's idea of a good time, and if you're not a strong swimmer, you might die before you even have a chance to realize where you are. Even if you are a strong swimmer, it's exhausting and brutal being slammed against slate again and again. But you're not the only one suffering. There are other Sleepers crashing against the Rocks with you. Maybe you can help each other out before it's too late.
If you have the ability, you can possibly grab hold on the side of the Rocks and cling for dear life. You might even discover the advantages of your newly reborn body and blood sooner than intended. Not too many can clash against the Rocks without spilling a little sacred blood but you might just be able to use that in your favor. Sometimes shedding blood in this world means getting a hell of an adrenaline kick - and you might need it right about now. Maybe you can climb to the top and back to safety?
Not everyone has to take a beating against the Rocks. Some are sucked into the undertide and carried directly inside of the Rocks. There are dozens of small caves and channels. If you're having a genuinely terrible day, you might break the surface of the water in a pitch-black space, with rock above you, rock all around you. There may be very little space between the water and the rocks surrounding you, making it harder to breathe and concentrate and easier to panic in. Cry out and you may get some help. Find your way to one of the open caves inside.
As you try to find your way in the dark, you hear a constant clicking noise all around you. It sounds like rocks bouncing together, clacking, clicking, some plopping into the water near you. You can feel them moving around you and eventually, one drops down onto your shoulder. It's a crab! The little guy is no bigger than a golf ball and he mostly just seems curious. Another little buddy joins him on your other shoulder. Looks like you have some friends! Maybe they are here to help you.
Then you feel a little sharp jab of pain. And another. And nope- these guys are not your friends. They use their small claws to take chunks out of your flesh and eat it. They are easy enough to brush off your shoulder, but the problem isn't their size, it's their quantity. As soon as you get one off, another is falling down. And some are a lot bigger than golf balls. They get as large as basketballs and when those land on you, brace yourself, because they are dense. You'll discover that the crabs seem completely impervious too. They have rock-hard shells and are resistant to blood magic - probably because they eat nothing but blood-and-flesh creatures. But like all living creatures, they do have a weakness or two: fire and light. You can completely stun and paralyze these creatures with a flash of light. The brighter the light, the longer they will be stunned. If you have a light source to carry around, the crabs won't come near you at all. Fire won't stun the crabs, but it does terrify them and will send them fleeing. If you set a crab on fire, you'll see why: it's the only way to kill them.
So congratulations, you have Trench Crabs. Not the best experience, but it's an easier experience for some than others. Unfortunately for Warmbloods, Palebloods, and Vilebloods there's a certain toxin in the crab's flaws that can cause mild hallucinations and confusion in response to your specific blood type. Hopefully, you're stuck with another blood type who isn't affected by the crab toxins. To get rid of the side effects, you will need to thoroughly clean out all of your wounds with warm salt-water.
Let's just hope you can all make it out of the Rocks alive. Good luck.
QUICK FAQ
1. Those whose Patron Pthumerian is Mariana will be much luckier in the waves. Some may even discover that the water urges them towards safer passages. If they ask for direct help, the water might directly respond with immediate help. In the most extreme cases, the water might heal flesh wounds, but it will burn a little. Never a good idea to put salt (water) on an open wound, but hey, better than bleeding out!
This applies to the third prompt as well. 2. Characters can either find their way across the Rocks and climb to the area around the Sanguine Station or wind up at the Farther Shores. Wakers would be quick to help any mangled Sleepers.
3. Other characters can go to the Rocks and try to help save the Sleepers being brutalized. Maybe throw someone a rope or if you have the power of flight you can try and get them to safety.
If you have the ability, you can possibly grab hold on the side of the Rocks and cling for dear life. You might even discover the advantages of your newly reborn body and blood sooner than intended. Not too many can clash against the Rocks without spilling a little sacred blood but you might just be able to use that in your favor. Sometimes shedding blood in this world means getting a hell of an adrenaline kick - and you might need it right about now. Maybe you can climb to the top and back to safety?
Not everyone has to take a beating against the Rocks. Some are sucked into the undertide and carried directly inside of the Rocks. There are dozens of small caves and channels. If you're having a genuinely terrible day, you might break the surface of the water in a pitch-black space, with rock above you, rock all around you. There may be very little space between the water and the rocks surrounding you, making it harder to breathe and concentrate and easier to panic in. Cry out and you may get some help. Find your way to one of the open caves inside.
As you try to find your way in the dark, you hear a constant clicking noise all around you. It sounds like rocks bouncing together, clacking, clicking, some plopping into the water near you. You can feel them moving around you and eventually, one drops down onto your shoulder. It's a crab! The little guy is no bigger than a golf ball and he mostly just seems curious. Another little buddy joins him on your other shoulder. Looks like you have some friends! Maybe they are here to help you.
Then you feel a little sharp jab of pain. And another. And nope- these guys are not your friends. They use their small claws to take chunks out of your flesh and eat it. They are easy enough to brush off your shoulder, but the problem isn't their size, it's their quantity. As soon as you get one off, another is falling down. And some are a lot bigger than golf balls. They get as large as basketballs and when those land on you, brace yourself, because they are dense. You'll discover that the crabs seem completely impervious too. They have rock-hard shells and are resistant to blood magic - probably because they eat nothing but blood-and-flesh creatures. But like all living creatures, they do have a weakness or two: fire and light. You can completely stun and paralyze these creatures with a flash of light. The brighter the light, the longer they will be stunned. If you have a light source to carry around, the crabs won't come near you at all. Fire won't stun the crabs, but it does terrify them and will send them fleeing. If you set a crab on fire, you'll see why: it's the only way to kill them.
So congratulations, you have Trench Crabs. Not the best experience, but it's an easier experience for some than others. Unfortunately for Warmbloods, Palebloods, and Vilebloods there's a certain toxin in the crab's flaws that can cause mild hallucinations and confusion in response to your specific blood type. Hopefully, you're stuck with another blood type who isn't affected by the crab toxins. To get rid of the side effects, you will need to thoroughly clean out all of your wounds with warm salt-water.
Let's just hope you can all make it out of the Rocks alive. Good luck.
QUICK FAQ
1. Those whose Patron Pthumerian is Mariana will be much luckier in the waves. Some may even discover that the water urges them towards safer passages. If they ask for direct help, the water might directly respond with immediate help. In the most extreme cases, the water might heal flesh wounds, but it will burn a little. Never a good idea to put salt (water) on an open wound, but hey, better than bleeding out!
This applies to the third prompt as well. 2. Characters can either find their way across the Rocks and climb to the area around the Sanguine Station or wind up at the Farther Shores. Wakers would be quick to help any mangled Sleepers.
3. Other characters can go to the Rocks and try to help save the Sleepers being brutalized. Maybe throw someone a rope or if you have the power of flight you can try and get them to safety.
WHEN: Pirates continually sail the Pthumerian Ocean therefore this event could take place at any time.
WHERE: Somewhere beyond the Fishing Zone of the Pthumerian Ocean
CONTENT WARNINGS: Drowning, kidnapping, imprisonment, "human" trafficking, cannibalism.
WHERE: Somewhere beyond the Fishing Zone of the Pthumerian Ocean
CONTENT WARNINGS: Drowning, kidnapping, imprisonment, "human" trafficking, cannibalism.
Some Sleepers don't make it to the Farther Shores or the Rocks. Your body might regenerate in the middle of the Pthumerian Ocean and the only thing in your favor is at least you're not reborn naked here (unless maybe you are - dealer's choice). You're cloaked in some long, white garment - not that it does much against the crashing waves all around you. This is not a great place to wake up! And it looks like you woke up in the middle of the storm only it's not really a storm...This is just the natural state of the Pthumerian Ocean: violent and unpredictable.
Waves crash and pull all around you, thundering through the air, the wind and skies above just as hostile and aggressive. You can't tell if it's raining or if you're just being constantly splattered by the mist and water of waves nearby. Whirlpools spin in gurgling clusters and it's easy to get sucked into them. Thankfully, you're not completely alone in this terrible situations. You can see other Sleepers nearby...And furniture?
Chunks of furniture float by. Couches, mattresses, pianos, bookcases. There is the debris of ruined ships too: flanks of wood, doors that could probably hold two people if you actually tried, masts, barrels, and the like. Might not be a bad idea to try and hold onto some of that stuff. Better than the alternative! Another thing going in your favor is that you showed up in August. The Pthumerian Ocean is a brutal place, but you won't be freezing to death in these waters. At least not this month. But what about where you are? Where you need to go? Well. That's answered for you.
There are few things tougher in Deer Country than the pirates who live by the law of the ocean. Their ships have been coated in blood magic, cutting through waves, navigating the tidal waves and the whirlpools with abnormal grace normal sailors could only ever dream of. But the people aboard are not human. Not anymore. Most have become completely corrupt by the violence of the ocean and they're more than happy to scoop up poor, disoriented Sleepers they find along the way. You'll find no mercy from these pirates. Instead, it's off to the brig with you! The people on the ship have disoriented appearances, looking more like sea creatures than humans, and they have the manners you'd expect from pufferfish and tiger sharks. They cannot be reasoned with - after all, they aren't just rude. They are blood corrupted and some of them are borderline on their way to full beasthood.
Pirates will value Sleepers for their blood and plan to either eat the Sleepers, use their blood for blood magic, or sell them to other pirates and most won't immediately try to kill a Sleeper. They might be violent, but they aren't stupid. Pirates may simply throw you in a cell or chain you up. They may put Sleepers in a cell together or separate them into cages. If Sleepers are especially mouthy, they may make you walk the plank, tied up with heavy chains that will surely bring you to the bottom (if there even is a bottom) of the ocean. Players can choose the severity of the imprisonment of Sleepers and how Sleepers may escape their situation. Maybe they sneak out of bond and steal a lifeboat. Maybe they overpower their captors and kill most of them or throw them overboard and steal their ship. Either way, once they have met some kind of escape, the Pthumerian Mariana will be impressed enough by their hardiness to help guide them through the currents all the way to the Farther Shores.
Waves crash and pull all around you, thundering through the air, the wind and skies above just as hostile and aggressive. You can't tell if it's raining or if you're just being constantly splattered by the mist and water of waves nearby. Whirlpools spin in gurgling clusters and it's easy to get sucked into them. Thankfully, you're not completely alone in this terrible situations. You can see other Sleepers nearby...And furniture?
Chunks of furniture float by. Couches, mattresses, pianos, bookcases. There is the debris of ruined ships too: flanks of wood, doors that could probably hold two people if you actually tried, masts, barrels, and the like. Might not be a bad idea to try and hold onto some of that stuff. Better than the alternative! Another thing going in your favor is that you showed up in August. The Pthumerian Ocean is a brutal place, but you won't be freezing to death in these waters. At least not this month. But what about where you are? Where you need to go? Well. That's answered for you.
There are few things tougher in Deer Country than the pirates who live by the law of the ocean. Their ships have been coated in blood magic, cutting through waves, navigating the tidal waves and the whirlpools with abnormal grace normal sailors could only ever dream of. But the people aboard are not human. Not anymore. Most have become completely corrupt by the violence of the ocean and they're more than happy to scoop up poor, disoriented Sleepers they find along the way. You'll find no mercy from these pirates. Instead, it's off to the brig with you! The people on the ship have disoriented appearances, looking more like sea creatures than humans, and they have the manners you'd expect from pufferfish and tiger sharks. They cannot be reasoned with - after all, they aren't just rude. They are blood corrupted and some of them are borderline on their way to full beasthood.
Pirates will value Sleepers for their blood and plan to either eat the Sleepers, use their blood for blood magic, or sell them to other pirates and most won't immediately try to kill a Sleeper. They might be violent, but they aren't stupid. Pirates may simply throw you in a cell or chain you up. They may put Sleepers in a cell together or separate them into cages. If Sleepers are especially mouthy, they may make you walk the plank, tied up with heavy chains that will surely bring you to the bottom (if there even is a bottom) of the ocean. Players can choose the severity of the imprisonment of Sleepers and how Sleepers may escape their situation. Maybe they sneak out of bond and steal a lifeboat. Maybe they overpower their captors and kill most of them or throw them overboard and steal their ship. Either way, once they have met some kind of escape, the Pthumerian Mariana will be impressed enough by their hardiness to help guide them through the currents all the way to the Farther Shores.
Atsushi Nakajima | Bungo Stray Dogs | Deerington CRAU
[His last coherent memories of Deerington are jumbled and messy. The memories that haunt him briefly override the strange happenings of his arrival. Atsushi stumbles onto the shore, struggling more to explain why he isn't in the pink moon house than was he just a squid a few seconds ago? No, that makes no sense. He's a tiger and that's trouble enough. Tiger squid sounds weird and exhausting...
After a few minutes of struggling to gain his bearings, Atsushi stumbles to the boardwalk. He fiddles with his tie, confused eyes scanning the summer scene for a familiar face. This place didn't exist in Deerington. And it's certainly not Yokohama... So where is he? And why does he feel so strangely foreign to his own body?
Atsushi shakes his head, forbidding those unnerving thoughts. Rather than worry about what's different with him, he hones in on the more important issues at hand: Makoto and Usagi. He didn't immediately see them on the boardwalk. Are they home?
His gaze trails down the boardwalk, before he motions with a finger,]
Excuse me. How do I get to Starling Lane from here? [His voice nearly shakes and gives away his unease.] What day is it? Did I... Did I die again?
[02] Boardwalk Exploration
[Okay, so he's a squid now. Cool.
Initially, the summer atmosphere had made Atsushi think of eating takoyaki and cotton candy. That doesn't seem as appealing anymore. Kind of puts a damper on the whole 'free food' thing in general, actually. He's left to wander down the boardwalk, admiring the lights and familiarity of it all. It's the first time in ages that Atsushi has been reminded of Yokohama. The thought of home leads him to reach for his tie-- an unconscious habit, where he used to fiddle with the clothes that he got from the Agency. That uniform was a literal tie to his old life.
But it's gone now. He has some generic clothes from the welcome bag and his new robe, but not the familiar uniform. Realizing his connection to the Agency is gone Atsushi sighs and leans forward, arms crossed over the railing.]
I hope someone is taking care of Kyouka-chan. Doesn't seem like I'll ever 'wake up' at this rate. [...] It better not be Dazai-san looking after her.
[03] Searching the Beach
[After some moping and self-pity, Atsushi takes to the beach in search of his old uniform. He's heard of people finding old belongings on the shore, so why not his Agency outfit? Not that he misses them or... okay, yeah. He misses them terribly. He keeps reaching for that tie and the fact it's not there is driving him insane.
As he searches, there are two states he might be found in.
[A] for Angry, where he's become frustrated at himself for being so attached to clothes; How far can some clothes have gotten? They're going to be so dirty at this rate..!
[... or [B], where he's calmed down and is simply a desperate teen looking for his clothes on the beach. Atsushi is also mindful to collect anything he does find and fold it neatly, setting it further up the beach and away from the tides.]
Excuse me? Sorry to bother you, uh... Have you seen a black tie? It would have a metal clip on it... and maybe the rest of an office uniform nearby?
2.
She tilts her head, looking at Atsushi in a slightly upside-down manner, trying to see his face underneath his fringe of bangs. He seems upset and she knows they were friends, she's rather sure they were friends. She doesn't recall having many memories of people who weren't friends. She mimicked his stance and kept looking at him, smiling.]
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He inhales, about to sigh again, opening his eyes-- and then stumbling backwards with a confused yelp.]
Huh?! Wha- When...?! [Atsushi blinks, but he can't settle his confusion. He does know her. Quite well, actually. While Usagi can't find words due to her change, Atsushi can't find words for different reasons. It's overwhelming to see her and to feel comforted by the mere sight of someone.
After a brief stutter, he at least forms her name;] Usagi-chan?! Ah... Sorry! Was I ignoring you?
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When he caught and steadied himself, she smiled and shakes her head. It's okay, friend, you were lost in memories.]
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It's strange how Usagi can wordless communicate with a smile. Atsushi may not understand her exact words, but he knows that she isn't angry. Yet his shoulders are still tense.]
Sorry! I should have found you first. I didn't mean to worry Makoto-chan and you this time! I really was going to look more...
[Before he got disorientated.]
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Usagi didn't know where that thought came from but she immediately wrapped her arms around him in a hug. This was how she made things better before, right? Yes, she would hug him tight. Not just because she missed him, but because her friend was sad and putting it all on himself.]
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And Usagi has always done this to correct him. He's slow to return her hug, retracing a memory that still feels new.]
... Mm. It worked out, huh? Sorry I left you. [He doesn't realize how long that period was. Atsushi thinks they've only been apart since washing up the beach. Otherwise he would be far less forgiving to himself for abandoning her.]
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1
[The voice came from someone else who was concerned about the wellbeing of those two friends of his. She wasn't racing over to hug, though. Presently, Vira-Lorr was leaning on a wooden walking stick she'd gotten from the beach while her legs steadied themselves, so she was moving a little more slowly.
Nevertheless, she approached him and smiled.]
No... I don't believe you've died again. Are you alright? Come from the waters with any problems? It seems a few of us had a rougher go of it.
[Said the woman with several small bandages on her arms, barely concealed by the light robes she wore.]
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[Atsushi looks from her to the water, then shakes his head. He didn't have a rough time getting out, no... Though, actually;]
You're not saying that really happened, are you? [He's trying to suppress that thought. It's a bit hard to swallow the idea that he was a squid just an hour ago. Atsushi has enough trouble accepting the tiger, thank you.]
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...
Then yes, that apparently just happened to all of us. [she managed to laugh, falling back halfway and looking at the moon.] I shouldn't laugh, but it's just so... it's always so surreal with this place, isn't it? But you're still you, Atsushi. And I'm still me.
I'm definitely me. [Because she swore... she could see the future again. But she wasn't talking about that right now.]
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Hearing confirmation that they’re still themselves should be reassuring. For Atsushi, it just pokes his barely settled anxieties.]
Yeah, well… Doesn’t make it any easier to swallow. But it’s not the worst thing to happen in the past six months…
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No, it's not. But you missed some of the finale of it all, if I recall. So some of this must seem... much more strange and sudden. We've woken from the nightmare, Atsushi. All of us.
... [There was a pause before she smiled, hoping he remembered the name she'd mention in a moment.] Makoto is here too.
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3-B
[Vyng points at a black tie hanging around his bare collar bone. It only serves to emphasize the rest of his mostly-naked body. Thankfully, though, he found a way to preserve his modesty: With a wet dress shirt wrapped snugly around his thin waist.
At least he doesn't have a fish head this time?]
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Vyng?! You’re here! [Nevermind the tie!! Atsushi is so glad to not be alone.]
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[Maybe it didn't involve much effort on Atsushi's part. But it's still touching to know his buddy instantly recognized him so quickly. Plenty of folks' memories were still pretty muddied. Even Vyng, who's used to shifting between different forms entirely, has had issues adjusting.]
It's good to see you, bud.
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[Atsushi hasn't had as much trouble with remembering people, no. Especially not the people who he considered himself closet to. He nods slowly, accepting the greeting regardless.]
Are you okay? That was... that sure was something, huh?
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[There's no judgement in Vyng's voice. It's just the way thing are right now. Still, he's relieved to have one more confirmed friend here.]
Yeah. I'm, uh. I'm doing alright. Didn't expect to have tentacles ever again. That's life, huh?
3-B
When he's approached by Atsushi, he stares at him without blinking for a long minute as he tries to figure out if he knows this person or not before he shakes his head, giving up on trying to regain any fuzzy memories for the moment. His voice still isn't working reliably so he's not trying to speak just yet. He mimes digging in the sand and looks at Atsushi, trying to ask him if he's tried digging for what he's lost. The tie might be buried somewhere around here.]
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Squids…
Ugh. Thinking about that puts him in a bad mood.]
Digging the whole beach..? I mean… You’re right that it might be buried, but…
[He sighs,] I don’t even have a shovel.
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He holds it out to Atsushi as a substitute for a shovel if he wants to take it.]
[02] Boardwalk Exploration
She had been looking at a dress in one of the shops when she heard something, a familiar voice. Turning around she caught a glimpse of him, of Atsushi. He might have been dressed differently, but it was him, it had to be. Makoto took a step and started to reach out but froze, what. . . what if he didn't remember. She remembered the first time they had met he'd flinched at even a light touch. What if he didn't remember her, if she hugged him it would cause a problem. Lowering her hand she held them crossed in front of her, speaking softly and looking down slightly. She hoped that he heard her, that he would remember.]
Sushi-kun, you're really here?
[Please be real this time, her heart wouldn't be able to withstand another hallucination of him.]
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… But just liking her didn’t mean she would make it out of the ocean. A thought that had just begun to haunt him when he heard her voice. Atsushi pushes himself off of the railing, multi-coloured eyes widening with surprise.]
Makoto-chan..? [She doesn’t look like how he remembers. Not that her hair being down nor the pretty dress as unsuiting! But the fact she’s wearing something he couldn’t imagine gives him hope that she’s real.
He’s far less cautious when crossing the remaining distance to her side.]
You made it! Are you okay? Are you hurt? Did anything hurt you out there?
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[He said her name, wait he was coming over, then that meant that he. . . it was really him. Somewhat more characteristic for a friend the two had in common, Makoto quickly closed the gap between them as she wrapped her arms around Atsushi and lifted him off the ground a little without thinking. He was here, it was really him.
Still holding him close she sat him down, tears in her eyes as she looked at him, smiling all the while as he asked how she was. Of course, he would ask if she was hurt. Makoto shook her head, stepping back enough to where she was just holding his hands.]
I'm perfectly fine now. How are you? I'm so happy you remember me.
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Of course I do! Did I forget? [Their previous town was an awful place. Atsushi would not be surprised if it had taken memories as part of a cruel joke.] Are you sure you're okay? Not hurt? The waves were so rough.
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You were gone, for months. I was warned that if you came back, there was a chance you wouldn't remember me, or remember us.
[At the mention of the waves she smiles a little. There were several bruises and cuts along her arms and legs from the crabs, but the worst of them were hidden and healing.]
I'm alright, I ran into a bunch of crabs, but someone helped me get out, and then I found my way ehere.
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