TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 9

[avalonmods]

✨ Greet new players on the OOC intro while apps are processed HERE! ✨

{ QUICK NAV } Premise ⚔️️ Rules ⚔️️ FAQ ⚔️️ Taken ⚔️️ Reserves ⚔️️ Apply ⚔️️ Locations ⚔️️ Bestiary ⚔️️ Top-Levels Only ⚔️️ SUMMARY: New arrivals drop into the lake and have to climb up a cliff to the Rent a Ride, where they are given their device and some headphones and can retrieve their personal materials. There is a small earthquake during this (shaking, some things may fall off of shelves, but no structural damage) that upsets the normal arrival creatures, limiting cliff-falling rescues and sliming the water. They travel to Camelot, which is a multiple day journey, so they stop at the Red Springs along the way and stay at an inn there. A ⦿ Soaking in Your Arrival KERPLUNK, SPLASH! Regardless of what you were in the middle of, you and your familiar have been magically pulled into the world of Avalon just above the Bay's waters. After a brief plunge into the Bay, the rush of water filling your ears and soaking up into every creak and crevice of your body, you may need to cough to clear your airways when you rise above the surface. It's still chilly, but not enough that you can't manage on your own. The Lady of the Lake is swimming around under the water, helping to rescue any wayward travelers who look like they're struggling in the water. This month's helpers are giant pillow jellies, a species of jellyfish that is capable of ballooning itself at the surface to create bouncy pads for characters to hop across to the shore, should they choose or not be able to swim. They come in a variety of bioluminescent colors, but do not seem to be very talkative even to animal magic users. Those who try may find themselves being ignored, even if they hear the jellies talking amongst themselves about this and that. In the middle of the new arrivals, there is a small earthquake that shakes the island and makes the waters choppy. The jellyfish are startled and release a glow-in-the-dark slime that may dye your characters' hair and skin until they can get a proper bath. The Lady of the Lake seems disquieted by the earthquake, but there isn't much to be done about it where they are now besides make sure that everyone is outside of the water as quickly as possible. If anyone tries to ask the Lady of the Lake for directions, she will direct you to Archimedes at the Rent-a-Ride. The shores themselves are littered with new arrivals complaining their way up a staircase carved into the walls of the White Cliffs. There is no railing, so be careful, as the earthquake has scared the cliff beast into hiding, meaning for July's arrivals, there is no safety net. They may need some serious help if a fall occurs! *Reminder: Your character's familiar may or may not be with your character in their initial plunge. If the familiar isn't partial to water, it may meet your character on the beach or sit atop their head while they swim. Or if they are, they might splash about and swim alongside your character. Familiars have different personalities and body specs and we leave those up to the players. B ⦿ The Caravan to Camelot Once everyone is wrangled up to the top of the White Cliffs, the handsome owner of the Rent-a-Ride, Archimedes, will distribute smart phones, sunscreen, a pair of sunglasses, and a pair of ear buds and tell them to "Check the Shit Box." The "Shit Box" refers to wardrobe more formally known as the Wardrobe of Finding, a hammerspace-like wardrobe that opens to each person's items and pets when the person touches the handle. It was enchanted by Merlin to prevent people from having to fish their waterlogged possessions and pets out of the water with them. From there, Archimedes directs everyone to settle in groups into modernized carriages pulled by horses and gives them a basic explanation of why and how they've been brought to Avalon: The rest of the universe is frozen in time and your character has been brought here by a familiar that was able to bond with them. They'll have to learn magic to help save their own world from destruction, but first they've got to get them to Camelot. It is here that you have the first opportunity to decide who they will be in their new home. You'll have about an hour to wander around here, meet and greet, and pet the horses before it's time to go. These carriages use fae technology that combats weight, so your character will be able to get in regardless of whether they're light as a feather or weigh two tons. The carts have air conditioning when it's hot, heating when it's cold, and a mystical shield to protect from bugs. There is also a mini-bar that pops out of the console with nip bottles. Characters can use their smartphones to connect to Camelot's internet service, avalononline (AOL), to chat with other characters, watch dumb videos, learn about the world, contact Camelot Support (they'll answer any questions they can for you, from how to use a smart phone to where to find quests and resources to learn more about your magic). Be careful if you decide to use your phones while in the caravan-- if you don't use those earbuds and start forcing everyone to listen to your nonsense, Archimedes may make you walk. C ⦿ The Red Spring The journey from the White Cliffs to the City of Camelot is a long one, and the first evening you arrive you'll end up spending at the Red Spring, a booming resort town. Because of the volume of new arrivals and vacationers, inn rooms are assigned two-to-a-room. The rooms have two twin beds, a bathroom, a mini-fridge and microwave, and a TV equipped with a couple of entertaining video games and a few free movies. If you don't want to relax in the room, try taking a dip in the spring for another chance to meet your fellow travelers. The waters have restorative properties that help horses and travelers recover quickly when drunk. It is known to relieve stress, improve energy levels, and mildly accelerate healing. It may be a little chilly when you get out though, so make sure you don't slip rushing back indoors when you get out! The springs are also home to a large training grounds just outside town limits, where there are teachers who will teach basic magic safety and help you discover what kind of magic you have together with other new arrivals. Try target practice, obstacle courses, meditation circles, and other ways to try to figure out just what you can do... if you didn't already have an accidental discovery on the ride there. SUMMARY: Camelot throws a carnival to combat the warming up weather featuring "cool" foods and contests, Queen Elphame sent gifts of aquatic mounts to practice in gratitude for the offering and peacemaking with Celliwig, and the clean-up for the carnival goes haywire as cleaning implements magically seek to clean everything. Thankfully, not every minute of Avalon is adventure and trials and rituals. There are moments of respite, and moments to have fun. This July, for example, locals have decided to invite everyone to what they're calling the "Cool Down Carnival"! A ⦿ Cool Carnival, Bruh Vendors of all kinds have taken to selling cooling goods throughout the carnival grounds. Shaved ice, frozen yogurt, gelato, ice cream, iced tea and boba drinks are everywhere, and each and every vendor is vying for the attention of customers. Whether it's coupons for free snacks if they fill out a punch card for all three days of the carnival, or trying out their new, more magical recipes of frozen slush that make you temporarily behave like a penguin and try belly-sliding down a slip-n-slide that's been set up to occupy the unfortunate victims of that slush (It wears off, don't worry.) Perhaps most notably is the Margaritaville Pair Challenge. If you and an acquaintance can down a giant schooner of frozen margarita in less than a minute together, you'll both get a free happy hour item once a day for the next month from the restaurant and they'll do you a solid and teach you (Recipe) Hangover Moveover, a recipe that instantly cures hangovers. The brain freeze caused by downing that much frozen drink is yours to deal with, unfortunately... B ⦿ Surf New Turf In the evening, the fae folk of the carnival crew lead the way to uproot the party off toward the docks near Camelot. The Elphame Traders came back this past month with good tidings from Queen Elphame, who was impressed both with the gift of a ship and the winning over of Celliwig's people. To this end, a second ship was sent with the Elphame Traders to provide a means of transportation to the faery Kingdom of Elphame without passing through the Forest of the Felled: aquatic mounts. However, they aren't exactly easy for anyone who isn't an animal mage and will require practice before anyone can set out. You'll need at least one person to steer and one person to act as a combatant, as the lake north of the arrival point is more than a little treacherous but that will be a journey for another day. (Maybe the 20th? Stuff seems to coincidentally always happen around then, huh... Weird.) For now, the fae who stayed behind from the Elphame Traders this month are sticking around to help you find a partner and an aquatic mount that gets along with the two of you. Most of the creatures who have agreed to be mounts are hanging out alongside he beach near the old docks, so you can go around and check out the different kinds of available mounts: Alpacapies: Cousin to the much more violent water horse fae the Kelpies, Alpacapies have been mistaken for baby loch ness monsters on more than one occasion given their penchant for sitting with just their hump and long neck above the waterline. They can be ridden in the water and tend to bond with people who are polite to them upon greeting. They will assist in combat by spitting water at their enemies or kicking with front legs, but they may shake you off if they need to deep dive to gain speed for an attack. They do not have back legs, only a dolphin-like fin. For some reason, they're really impossible to take photographs of. Mossatees: You're familiar with the mossatee already. A special breed of manatee that grows flowers and moss on its back like a miniature garden. They blossom in the spring, and their backs can be very comfortable. They're a little clumsy and tend to run into things, both accidentally and on purpose, so it may be a bit of a derpy ride if you and your partner choose a mossatee. They also just had a lot of children, so part of riding with them will mean protecting their young on the journey. They're not good in combat and will prioritize defense. Deinosuchus: A Cretaceous crocodile that gets up to about 10 meters long. It's huge and carnivorous and very well could eat you if you piss it off. It is fast, but has to take a lot of breaks. It will also terrorize in a fight. The fae recommend bringing it a goat or some other similarly sized meal to get it on your side if you want to go for this one. This pack is the only one left, transported by fairies to Avalon long, long ago, so you'd better not let them down. Once you've found a mount that seems right, try to practice balancing on its back. They don't much like saddles so that may be a challenge, but if you hold onto your partner it might be easier! Once you're settled, try racing against another pair or going through a Survivor-esque obstacle course with your mounts. C ⦿ Clean Up Chaos As people head out for the second day of practice with their mounts or recover from a crazy carnival experience, things around town... seem a little off. It seems like someone tried some experimental magic after competing in the Margaritaville challenge feeling particularly benevolent. All around Camelot, cleaning utensils have taken on a life of their own. Brooms are sweeping customers right out of restaurants, sponges are scrubbing up dishes and chasing down patrons for the most public sponge baths of their life, and the local woodland creatures are assisting in picking up and taking away anything that touches the floor that ought not to be there. Some are even hopping up on residents to do their hair! Whatever the source is, the only solution is to either destroy or scare the cleaning supplies off to the woods before they take over the whole town! A little magic should help, so why not test out the magic you've been working on since arriving in Avalon? SUMMARY: The earthquake busted some of the Land of Rot wards and zombies are attacking Camelot's farmland. Save the farm, restore the wards, fight a giant worm, and then find a mysterious marsh before getting transported back home just as mysteriously. The earthquake on arrival day was a little frightening, but ultimately didn't seem to cause too much trouble around New Camelot. That is, until a few days later when the farmlands seem to be under attack.. by the undead!? It seems like the wards surrounding the Lands of Rot were disrupted by the earthquake near Camelot's northeast farmland. ' A ⦿ The Farming Dead Step one is to fight the hoard of zombies spilling out into the farm and stop them before they contaminate Camelot's food source. Use whatever means you can to dispense of the undead, keeping the following in mind: death mages are going to be the most effective combatants against the undead, but anyone can follow the basic rules of zombies to clear a path. Loud noises attract their attention, they shamble during the day and can move more quickly during the night, they don't feel pain so if you hurt the they won't be deterred-- you have to kill them, and always double-tap if you aren't sure. Just be careful not to set them on fire. Flaming zombies can spread fires to buildings and other surroundings and are just generally worse than regular zombies! Once the zombies are cleared out, farmworkers will bring out gifts of fresh lemonade and some extra mixed herb seeds they gathered throughout the year. They're still good, please take them as a thanks for helping save the farm! B ⦿ Of Wards and Worms After searching the perimeter of the Land of Rot, sources have found that the wards were damaged on the west side, so the zombies haven't fully penetrated any areas but the farm. Pair up with another person to draw the attention of the zombies away from wards while the other person resets the wards. While doing this, you'll find the earth is rumbling again-- a little heavier this time since you're much closer than back in the Bay of Avalon. Rather suddenly, a huge sinkhole opens up in the desert landscape of the Land of Rot nearby... and out leaps a thousand-toothed worm, flying through the air and diving back toward the ground teeth-first... with your character right in its target location! Maybe you're lucky and get out of the way only to get knocked down by another huge tremor, or maybe you've just been swallowed whole by a giant worm and really, really need to find a way out for you and your partner! Maybe you'll find something interesting while you think... Is that a broken boat in here? Hopefully you find your way out (or.. if you don't, you find someone to resurrect you, but that would really suck if you just arrived!) C ⦿ Wake Me Up Before You're Go-Gone First zombies, then a giant worm... today's been exhausting! And now you're.. somewhere in the middle of the Land of Rot and you seem to have run into some kind of marsh that you don't remember passing on your way in. The water itself is murky and the only creatures around seem to be bugs, bats, snakes, and frogs. Everything seems sickly, rotting, and is pretty awfully stinky. But none of it is quite as terrifying as when you and whoever you wandered into the Land with stumble upon what appears to be some kind of old hag. What happens next? Who knows. She screams and both you and whoever you're with pass out and wake up snuggling in an inn room. You were definitely in that marsh though, because your pants are still sopping from trudging through it... Well, enjoy the panic, maybe interrogate your neighbors, and try to find out where in the Land of Rot you were! It sure doesn't seem to be on the map... What a mystery! MOD NOTES: • All test drive prompts are open to anyone in the game at any time to create your own logs with, but this post should have top-levels by potential new characters only. Current characters may reply to any threads, but should not top-level comment on this post. • If your application is accepted, you may accept TDM threads as game canon as long as both players consent. Characters may begin threading as soon as their journal is accepted to the communities. •If nothing here tickles your fancy, try one of this month's Quests for your TDM prompt. • The first "Arrival" prompts are present on every TDM, but contain seasonal tweaks for flavor. All other prompts will change monthly. • Questions about this TDM's content? Comment here! If you have a question about the game at-large, please head over to the FAQ.

Comments

Salome | FGO | Dark/Death

[jokanaan]

A- Arrival

[She was wet, cold from the water, and now by herself, surrounded by the group of latest arrivals. None were faces that she immediately recognized outright either. This was all okay with Salome though, all of it. Really there wasn't much she didn't like!

Now then, where was... where was Jokanaan?

Normal, striking eyes turned more worried, down-trodden and erratic as she started to look around herself-- look, then pace. Pace then rush around, frantacly looking around here and there. Where was he? Where was her--]

Jokanaan...!? Where are you? Where is my darling Jokanaan?

B- Red Spring

[The steam from the bath rose to the night sky. Partially concealing the woman sitting at the edge, idly brushing her hair as she hums a small tune to herself. Next to her sat an intricate plate with a golden skull and a glass of wine. Yes, what a relaxing night this had all turned out to be.

Now that she had found her beloved Jokanaan and they were on their way to the next destination all was well in the world. Yes, so long as the two of them remained together then nothing wrong could ever happen.]

Ah~! Jokanaan, it's such a lovely night, isn't it?

[Who was she talking to? Maybe she was talking to you?]

C- Festival

[Ah, what a fun day this was turning out to be! The whether was pleasantly warm, and there was even a festival going on! What should they do, what should they do~? There was just way too many fun things to see, hear, and try!

Happily she skipped along, a golden skull floating alongside her, dressed in a rather revealing outfit.]

What should we try first~? Hm, probably not the drinking thing. I don't think we could hold our own with that. Especially not you~!

[Her voice was melodic and filled with joy.]

Oh, I know! Excuse me, excuse me~! [She smiled at the nearest person to have caught her attention.]

Could I have a moment of your time?

[Wildcard]

[Don't see anything here that you like? No problem, just go ahead with whatever~.]

C

[mayoninofukucho]

[Hijikata is technically not on the job, but he can't help but go right into civil servant mode. Did she lose someone in the crow, or maybe an item? Or perhaps she just needs directions somewhere.]

Sure. What's the matter?

[He can't help but give the floating skull, which he assumes to be her familiar, a curious look. That's an odd one... but then who knows what kind of world she came from.]

idia shroud | twisted wonderland | light & technomancy

[corpserun]

soaking in your arrival;
[There aren’t many benefits to being Idia Shroud. His life is actually pretty miserable! It sucks!

But at least he doesn’t have to worry about having wet hair.

The first thing people will probably notice about Idia is the hair - lack of hair? He’s wreathed in blue flames that flicker and glow, which he thinks really highlights how pathetic he looks in his sodden hoodie. The second thing people will notice is that he’s kind of… stuck. He stands on one of the jellyfish, wringing his hands together, and doesn’t seem to be in a rush to move despite the imp that’s fluttering around his head.

Someone might need to do some convincing or he’ll be there a while…]

red spring inn;
[Well, the ride has been an absolute nightmare. Stuck in a carriage for hours with a complete stranger and nothing to do but look at his phone. It’s… Nothing like what he would have thought an isekai would be like! He always thought they were kind of boring and overdone, but at least they’re more exciting than this. At least this means he’s not the protagonist… He couldn’t handle that kind of attention…

Really, he just wants to be alone.

So once they get to the inn, he makes a beeline for the rooms, all of his belongings bundled in his arm. He’s followed by his imp familiar, who seems amused over his suffering, because of course he is. Idia wouldn’t get a helpful companion who can just dump all the lore on him! He’d get a complete asshole who’s making fun of him for being a shut in. Maybe he can lock him out of his room…

That’s going to be the least of his worries, though, once he opens the door and sees the room is already occupied.]

How bad is my luck stat… Seriously?

[f in the chat]

cool carnival;
[Oh no. Oh no no no. He’s been perceived. He had just wanted to go out and see if he could find a place that sells computer parts and he’s ended up in the middle of a carnival, with stalls set up and people milling about. He’s trying his best to not stick out, but it’s hard what with the way his hair (flames?) is slowly going pink at the ends as he gets more and more flustered and embarrassed. He’s hunched over, and he’s trying to keep his head down.

He should have put more points into stealth…]

Of course this has to happen the one day I leave the inn… Everyone’s out here and I’m sure they’re staring because I’m even more of a freak here than I am back on campus… I bet they’re all thinking to themselves over what a monster I have to be…

[He’s muttering to himself as he shuffles through the crowds, looking around desperately for an escape. More than one vendor has called out to him saying he looks like he needs to cool off, and he wants to die. Do they think they’re funny?? Because it really isn’t!!

He tugs his hood up, but his hair is so long it doesn’t contain it all, and it distracts him long enough he walks right into someone’s back.

He squeaks.]

wildcard;
[Throw anything you want at me, or hit me up at revelries if you want to hash something out!]

Carnival

[dottedline]

[It's rather impressive when someone runs into Azul, as he's not especially big?

But then there's that squeak.

And he knows.

Azul turns around, all mild concern.]

Shroud?

[shiliu]

[ Being squeaked at, at close range, is loud enough even for him to hear. Gu Yun turns around, holding a black and white bicolored slush cone in one hand. ]

Hm! You're awfully big for a mouse...

[ His voice trails off and he blinks, actually reaching up to adjust his monocle. After a moment he smiles and says pleasantly: ]

Your hair's on fire, by the way.

[ A new arrival who hasn't quite got the hang of elemental magic, perhaps? It doesn't seem to be hurting the boy, thank goodness. ]

Red Spring Inn

[pidgeypidge]

I dunno. How lucky are you feeling right now?

[Having been the first one to find the room, Pidge has the advantage of having already given the place a thorough inspection. She's spotted the beds, plural, and while she's not entirely jazzed about the thought of having a randomly-assigned roommate, she's also kind of curious about who she'll ultimately be paired with.

Then the door opens to that greeting and Pidge has to remind herself it'd probably be in her best interest to at least attempt to be friendly. For now.]

Lorenz Hellman Gloucester | FE:3H | Light/Green

[silky_bearing]

I.Arrival

[His unceremonious arrival is nothing short of disastrous. Taken from the field and dumped straight into a lake still in steel armor is absolutely not helpful. Which means that the Lady of the Lake is the only reason he doesn't drown immediately. Well her and these jellyfish which are absolutely preposterous creatures so far as he's concerned. When others demonstrate this... hopping that is required to travel from one to another Lorenz... well...

He takes a moment to sit on one such jelly and be petulant. Bouncing off of these odd animals is absurd and undignified and- certainly not the worst thing he's had to do but absolutely the most embarrassing in a long while. Even moreso after he loses his footing during the quake and ends up trudging the last stretch to shore with his glorious violet hair streaked with a fluorescent blue that also swirls in strange patterns over his skin.

Still he manages to keep his composure, taking the discomfort of wet armor in stride, even. Until someone mentions he is meant to collect his things from the "Shit Box" and he finally breaks.]

I beg your pardon?! Precisely what manner of business is this that would find such- ugh! Such!! Vulgar terminology acceptable! And then to imply my belongings are in any way meant to be-

[You get the idea. The rant goes on for quite awhile, really. Someone save Archimedes and/or anyone else in the area from an outraged nobleman going full Karen.]

II. Fun in the Sun

[Lorenz isn't one to eat much in the first place and when he does he's exceptionally picky about it. The idea of all of these fair foods and things meant to be eaten with ones hands is truly distressing. If he's eating anything it is likely some bright fruity gelato, peach or strawberry perhaps. But even then he makes a point of sitting down at a table somewhere instead of standing around shoving it in his face like some sort of heathen.

While he's still a bit upset about the arrival fiasco he can't resist investigating all the buzz down by the docks, though, and very quickly he will be waist deep in the water handling mossatee calves just as one would a foal. All the worst quirks of his nobility set aside for the sake of these sweet, gentle beasts of burden. Mobile gardens! He might be far more accustomed to handling horses but horses don't grow roses. Does he want one? Absolutely. Does he care about finding a partner? Not really, he's just eager to help the little ones figure out where their flippers are.

There is also a gorgeous black mare of a decidedly no longer warhorse stature on the banks watching this with a dramatic flick of her ears and huffs, stomping a foot now and then to punctuate her displeasure. She's absolutely the jealous sort.]

Darby, hush. You'll have your turn.

III. Land of.... Ew?!?

[Everything seemed like a nice little fairytale. He should have known it was too good to be true. Still he is a noble and a knight and he will do his duty to ensure the commonfolk are safe! Especially when it is something as important as agriculture that is under threat by these things. Really, as far as appearances go, they're not terribly different than Agarthans are they? Ah well.

There's certainly a moment where he tries to dodge, finds no wind magic to come to his aid, and nearly goes toppling. Another where he throws a hand out, clearly expecting something to happen and.... goodness it's a pity none of his magic seems to work. Not... not that he didn't believe everyone but it is such deeply ingrained responses now that it is difficult to deter himself before hand. Thankfully he is just as handy with a sword as with magic.]

((OOC: Hullo! Lorenz is from VW, post-game. Post dramatic return of a certain Duke turned King actually. Hit me up! draconicseraphim Cuyler#7666 @ Discord))

[noblestandard]

[Ferdinand hauled himself up on the shore, being met there by a small horse that seemed to be waiting for him. He stands, reaching up to wring out his long hair, before making his way away from the water. He stops and takes a seat, so he can pour some of the water out of his greaves.

As he's doing so, he pauses, because he hears a familiar voice. One that he shouldn't be hearing. Lorenz wasn't... he couldn't. Standing again, he immediately turned and went towards the voice, finding him yelling at the box holding their things.]

Lorenz?

Fun in the Sun

[dottedline]

[Azul is very pointedly avoiding getting anywhere near the water, but he is close enough to watch this itty bitty foal(?) huff and stomp and be a nuisance on the shore.]

Jealous, I take it?

I

[leicesters]

[Claude being the nosy sort that he is, it's not uncommon for him to get wind of new arrivals and head out to the bay to see them in the hours that follow. He's met some colourful characters in his previous efforts, along with some familiar faces... and, well! This time around, the nobleman on a tirade with bright streaks in his hair (?????) qualifies for both familiar and colourful, doesn't he?

Claude eavesdrops only briefly before he sidles up unannounced, hands on his hips and a look of mock outrage on his face.]

Lorenz is absolutely right! Why, I daren't utter such vulgar words as "Shit Box"! Such a phrase will never tarnish my lips! Now retrieve his belongings from the Shit Box so that he needn't dirty his hands with such foul affairs!

[He's... not even trying to keep a straight face, honestly.]

ii

[hegemonwings]

[ byleth, at present, has a cup of gelato in one hand and some boba in the other. she glances between both in slight consternation, trying to figure out how to tackle this—

and then she spots a familiar mane of purple hair at a nearby table.

byleth approaches, smiling but a little wary. it's entirely likely that this isn't the lorenz she remembers. her hair and eyes are the same blue they'd once been, and the sword of seiros hangs from her hip. ]

May I join you, Lorenz?

II. Fun in the Sun

[sereneadherent]

[Marianne finds the familiar, if now diminuative, warhorse fussing on the shoreline and makes a beeline for her. She's unbothered by the change in size, more surprised by her very presence than anything. (And at least Darby is taller than poor Dorte, who's smaller now than even a pony.)]

Darby? When did you get here? Does that mean Lorenz is here, too?

[The mare huffs again, and Marianne turns out toward the water to find him handling one of the mossatee calves in the shallows. Her face brightens at the sight, and she waves.]

Hello!

Fun in the Sun

[lastexit]

[The table happens to have a shady spot for Maya to sit at, her outfit meant for the beach but the rashguard means her arms are protected from the sun. Her legs, however, are on display till she sits down and tucks them under the table for shade. She's fair skinned, fair haired, but her expression is cold and rather- unfitting, for the beach.]

[She studies Lorenz, his gelato, his hair. For a moment or so, then goes back to eating her ice cream. It's on a cone and she has zero issue with her hands being wet or sticky from what's started to melt. As if he doesn't exist.]

I!

[notcethleann]

[Flayn likes to come down to see new people splash into the lake. She gets to meet so many new friends that way! Help them acclimate, perhaps aid them in escaping the lake if they are not good swimmers, heal any cuts and bruises they may have sustained in their fall.

So here she is, just about to head down that long staircase, when she hears a familiar voice ranting in an unfortunately familiar way. Oh, no. This will not do at all. She marches over there and folds her arms, fixing Lorenz with a stern look; he may be surprised to find that her hair is much shorter than he'd remember it, curls bouncing at her chin, and it exposes her pointed ears.]

This lovely gentleman is offering to bring you to the city--no haggling necessary, I might add!--and you are giving him a terrible tongue-lashing for quite the ridiculous reason! You are the one who is acting inappropriately, Lorenz. Now apologize to Sir Archimedes this instant.

Shit Box

[flame_emperor]

"Really, Lorenz. Is that any way for a noble to behave? I thought you always held yourself to a higher standard."

Now that's a voice Lorenz probably wasn't expecting to hear ever again. Edelgard came out on the off-chance any more Fódlan inhabitants, Black Eagles especially, might have arrived. And while Lorenz is here, she doubts it's the one sworn to Imperial service. No, this is likely another of Claude's. Avalon really does appear to favour the Golden Deer, she thinks ruefully.

Edelgard's armour and crown have been traded for lighter, more modern clothes and side-tail in place of the more severe-looking buns Lorenz remembers.

"I understand the stress of the situation you're in, but taking it out on this fellow isn't helpful, would you not agree?"

okada izō | fate grand order | animal + ??? | i'm filled with indecision

[hitokiri]

① THE CARAVAN TO CAMELOT

[ as it's been established by now, this is some unprecedented bullshit. it's not like weird things don't happen all the time as a servant — grail wars? singularities? weird, alternate universe singularities? that's just the job — but this is not that.

at least he got his swords back.

incidentally, izō will also drink their free alcohol.

whatever's happening, it's way over his head. not his problem. he's sure they'll got support right on that, which is to say he expects to be here a while until someone gets things sorted out. he drinks more because it's decent, not at all because it irritates him to be an afterthought.

then they tell him he's here to save the world. izō laughs like it's the funniest thing he's ever heard because hell, it might as well be. no one needs a man-slayer to try and be a hero. he's summoned to kill; that's all he needs to think about. ]

Don't get the wrong idea, I ain't here to save shit!

② THE RED SPRING

[ izō ends up near the training grounds just to get out of town. you don't miss perks like dematerialising and choosing not to be perceived by everybody else until they're gone.

he came out here for quiet and a place to finish off what he'd lifted from the minibar on his way out, but instead, he's pissed off and spoiling for a fight because some coward's out here talking shit. ]

Shut up, or fucking say it to my face so I can kill you!

[ what he hasn't figured out yet is what he's hearing are... birds. because why the hell would he be able to understand birds?! ]

③ THE FARMING DEAD

[ to no one's surprise, izō isn't here for purely altruistic reasons. there's minimal effort involved and he's sure he can at least get dinner out of it, which is great because he's broke and once again saddled with annoying human needs.

he has two swords but really only needs the one; it's not as if a genius swordsman like himself would even break a sweat cutting down enemies that shamble around and can't fight back in a way that's meaningful even without his servant boons. he moves quickly, heads rolled easily, and izō thinks of little else besides his next move. he can't sense things the way he usually does, which doesn't have much of an impact on his ability to fight, but sometimes a guy gets a little tunnel vision when it comes to being in the thick of a zombie hoard.

he's not out to try and steal anybody else's kills. or maybe it was a zombie that was just about to attack someone? he doesn't much care what it's doing because either way, in a second, it won't be anybody's problem. izō's blade pierced its back clean through to exit from its chest — a dire situation for a living person — but he can tell the thing's not dead, which is fine because he's not finished. he puts his strength behind slicing upwards until he's cleaved right through the creature's head. it's his signature move, don't you know?

right about now is when he realises he's got company. ]

Dunno if you're standin' around out here with your thumb up your ass for fun or what but just stay outta my way.

[ you're welcome. ]

④ WILDCARD

[ ooc; want something else? hmu @ koutenko or koutenko#5884! fyi i'm voice testing and make bad choices so bear with me lmao. ]

caravan;

[cooperatively]

[The ride is mostly uneventful - the whole spiel about saving worlds and time being frozen and whatever is nice and all, they guess, even if they're not exactly sure how they're supposed to save the world with all of their powers and weaponry taken from them. Seems like they're just making things harder for themselves.

At least they don't seem to be the only one not on board for things.

They take a sip from the mini-bottle of gin they've taken, humming.]

What're you gonna do instead, then?

Kaito Kuroba | Detective Conan/Magic Kaito | Techno/Animal magic (Sphinx)

[whiteofcrime]

1. Arrival

Spluttering and coughing as he claws his way out of the surf, Kaito makes it partway to the tideline before he collapses on the wet sand. His normally pristine white suit is drenched in sea water, cerulean shirt clinging to his torso, red tie hanging limp. His shoes and socks are drenched through - it's a miracle he made it to shore with them. The hat definitely didn't make it and nor did the monocle. Thank goodness his cape is waterproof or that may have been the embarrassing end of Phantom Thief Kid.

Where the hell am I? he wonders blearily.

Something growls and hisses beside him and he cracks open an eyelid.

A sphinx shakes out its wings with a wet flutter, grumbling about the salt. Kaito shuts his eye...only to sit bolt upright a moment later. "What?!" he exclaims.

"What do you mean 'what'?" the sphinx retorts, sitting upon its haunches regally. "Stop gaping; you look like an idiot. Especially in those clothes."

2. No Ani-Mossatee

"Aww," he coos at the mossatee, rubbing its cheeks (or what passes for them). "You're an adorable guy, aren't you? Or girl. Whatever."

Kaito honestly has no idea what the hell is going on. He still can't quite believe the introduction they've been given. Their worlds? Threatened by some cosmic peril? Pfft. Kaito has his hands full running rings around an international crime syndicate. Saving the world is way, way beyond his non-existent pay-grade.

One of the attendants offers to help him mount the creature. He eyes the water then shakes his head firmly. "Nah, I'd rather not. I don't really like swimming," he says.

The mossatee makes a noise at him and bobs its head as though trying to invite him to ride it. He chuckles nervously and waves his hands, again shaking his head. "No, really, I'm fine-- hey, hold on. No--!"

He yelps as the creature somehow manages to get its head under him and tip him on to its back. Then it begins shuffling backwards into the water.

3. Clean Sweep

"Ow! Hey - stop that! You stop that!!"

It's Kaito again. This time he's being attacked by an aggressive mop. Normally this would not be an unusual sight for the magician. At least, in his classroom, at school, in Japan. But this is not his classroom, his school, or Japan, and the person who would usually wield this fearsome cleaning implement is quite absent.

This mop wields itself by some strange magic, and Kaito is not having a good time. After coming to life in the shop he had ducked into to browse, it has followed him out on to the street where the open space is giving Kaito a lot more freedom to dodge its swipes.

"Whoever's doing this, it isn't funny!"

Rika Furude | Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni | Healing Magic

[miiraculous]

[One moment, Rika is peeling that forbidden date off of the wall calendar. July 1st... It's July 1st 1983. She's made it. Finally, after rerolling the dice for 100 years, she's taken a step into the future! She giggles, turning over her shoulder to wave the page triumphantly at Satoko.

Then wakes up underwater.

A ten year old girl pops to the surface, coughing out the water in her lungs. The cold of the lake has her briefly stunned, halting a mind that would otherwise be racing. Though dazed, Rika notices the floating jellyfish that pushes her out of the water. Glowing ink coats Rika's hair and hands, but that isn't what has her mind reeling. This isn't Hinamizawa? But how? Where is she? When is this? How is this possible?

Rika angles her head slowly, following the cliff trail. Unmoving on the jellyfish, as she still isn't sure how to move in this situation. This is hardly her first time awakening in a new world, but it's never been this new.]

This can't be... Did I... die? [The voice to leave her lips is much lower and more mature than her appearance might suggest. After receiving no answer, Rika swallows her nerves... then starts a quiet journey to the cliff.]

(01 a) The Caravan to Camelot

[Every step up the White Cliff was physically difficult, but reaching the top presents a psychological difficulty. Rika is not sure how to react to this situation. Sure, she has an inkling of what 'she' would do... But is that the same as 'Furude Rika?' Where are her friends? Surely they're here. Once she finds them, she'll be okay.

She tries to quietly sail through the situation with only a smile and soft 'meeps' in response, until she hears about her world;]

That can't be! [Her outburst is not in the cutesy child voice that has been nya'ing and mii'ing for the past hour. Rika pales, eyes wide with fright.] How... Why! I... We worked so hard for that world!

(02 a) A Carnival Unlike Watanagashi

[It's so easy to fall into a depression, isn't it? Rika had known that she couldn't peel her sadness off like she did that calendar date, but she had hoped it might be possible. She still holds the page for 'June 31st' in her hand, having been wrinkled and smoothed by tense fists many times over now. Standing at the carnival, the reality begins to sink in. This isn't Hinamizawa. Her home is in danger. That happy ending that she fought so hard for... It may be gone forever.

Her eyes dart between the more Western carnival stalls, reminded of Watanagashi. She can imagine her friends rushing between them, making up contests at each new attraction. Her feet know that pattern of walking between stalls. Before Rika can comprehend her own actions, she's standing at a stall with boba tea. She can hear her friends' voices in her mind, each of their silly reactions to this weird drink warming her paralyzed heart.]

Mii~ What a funny looking drink, isn't it? [A children voice slips out naturally in response to the imagined voices of her friends. Rika beams up at the person next to her.] It looks like frog eggs! Ribbit Ribbit~!

Arrival

[juzubeads]

[Kyo for his part is. Not thrilled. He's willing to endure water, being wet but mostly? It just tends to exhaust him. Part of the whole Cat spirit thing that comes along with his particular part to play in the zodiac curse of the Sohma family. He scrambles to the surface and the shore of the lake, immediately attempting to dry himself off.

But it's hard, if not impossible to notice the kid. Especially given what she says? Kyo pauses in making some attempt to wring out his jeans and t-shirt at that, glancing to the other with a raised eyebrow.]

What makes you wonder that? Seems more like some weird dream or something to me.

Carnival

[wolfhunted]

[Robyn doesn't think anything of Rika's childish voice. If anything, the other girl must be around Robyn's own age, as far as she knows.]

It does sort of look like frog's eggs, doesn't it? But it's still pretty tasty. I think the person at the stall said it's...tapioca, or somethin'.

[Robyn's never had boba tea before, but part of the fun of being in this place is trying all these new and different foods.]

[notemergencyfood]

Woah, it really does!

[Paimon simply replies while hovering a few inches off the ground, enough for her to take a peek on the stall's table, eyes beaming curiously. Her kinetic magic acts from impulses or craving desires most of the time. Paimon is roughly about two feet tall.]

It's like something Lisa could conjure up. So... [She turns her head slightly to the other small child.] What do you think its for?

1a

[letmewin]

( The very sudden outburst is enough to catch Asriel's attention. Green-colored eyes look to her, a bit alarmed and concerned. )

Uhm -- are you alright?

( Obviously not. If she's new here, he's sure that there's a chance that she's confused-- and a little scared. In that case, he can't help but want to help. )

Himari Uehara | Bang Dream! | Cognitive + Techno

[solocheer]

cool carnival;

[this has literally been something straight out of a manga, but by the time the festival rolls around Himari has at least pushed herself very firmly onto the path of accepting her present circumstances. she'd had a nice long cry in the hot springs after the other arrivals had left, she'd cleared the minifridge of all available snack items, and after a lot of fiddling and meticulous research she'd discovered which of the social media apps was the liveliest. if the rest of Afterglow was determined to not show up alongside her, this was pretty much the best she was going to be for the foreseeable future.

and her current 'best' was...well, pretty damn good if she said so herself. whether she cared to admit it or not Himari's emotions were easily swayed by food, and good lord if this festival didn't have just that in spades. it was almost certainly a bad idea to indulge so soon after getting over such a severe shock (stress eating always doubled the amount of weight gained!) but even so...

honestly, who could blame her for having just a little bit of everything? there were stamp cards! it'd be a waste not to taste the limited time flavors you got from them. even Moca would agree with her, she was absolutely certain.

Moca would probably also have something to say about the fact that she currently had both a gelato and a bubble tea in her hands in addition to that bag of cotton candy swinging off her wrist. but it's fine. it's fine! she's pacing herself in the form of waving her bubble tea in the direction of the nearest (and hungriest) person to catch their attention before chirping out a question.]

Hey~! I'm a couple stamps away from a free jumbo snowcone if I can finish everything before the festival ends today. Do you want to split a few things?

[listen, even her stomach has limits.]


surf new turf;

[it's pretty easy to spot Himari's distinctive pink hair near the alpacapies; easygoing as she was, time in Ran's more traditional household made it pretty easy for the cute little guys to warm up to her. who knew you just needed to bow? now she's perched cheerfully near their enclosure, alternating between sneaking them bits of treats they are almost definitely not supposed to have and taking some selfies with the magical marvels.

only...every time she pulls the phone done to inspect the picture, it seems to come up lacking. her frown's evident from the stratosphere, let alone however close you are to this repeated photo session. eventually she can't help but let out an audible whine and, admitting defeat, turns her eyes to someone in the nearby vicinity.]

Um, excuse me! Have you taken a lot of photos with these phones so far?


of wards and worms;

[annnnnd we're back to crying again. it's been a while!

or near crying, at the very least. there is literally nothing more terrifying to Himari than the sentence fight zombies by yourself, so it's absolute madness that she's out here trying to attempt more or less exactly that. her first instinct upon hearing about the entire situation had been to run shrieking for her hotel room - and she very nearly had - but...

well, all of these people had been kind to her when there was very little reason to be. she'd been shown nothing but compassion and understanding regardless of how many times she burst into tears over being without her friends, and...she just can't sit back and do nothing, much as her quivering heart would like to. how could she keep claiming to be Afterglow's cool leader if she abandoned the people who cared about her?

whoever's unfortunate enough to have been partnered with her, enjoy your crybaby high schooler of a distraction. the undead were attracted to loud noises, or so they'd been told, and that's exactly why she's currently clutching her bass to her chest like a lifeline as she trembled like a leaf in a storm. she was going to start playing any second now, honest! but first she had to be absolutely sure...]

I-i-it's not going to take long to reset these spells, r-right?

[you're not going to leave her all alone out there while you fuss with the wards, are you.........she's pretty sure cognition does fuck and all against the armies of the undead.]


wildcard;

[come at me! Himari can be found puttering around pretty much any of the other prompts, so if they appeal to you more you're super welcome to right up a starter for one of those! or if you want to do something else entirely, just hmu. ouo]

cool carnival

[feisticuffs]

[Himari, you've come to the right girl for help.

While Jade looks momentarily surprised to have been approached, she quickly shifts to a smile instead, propping a hand against her hip as she looks over the various food items Himari has collected for herself.]

Eyes a bit bigger than your stomach, or just hoping to secure that win?

[Either way:]

Sure, I'll help. Can't risk missing out on that snowcone. What needs eating?

[She's READY.]

Mogget | The Old Kingdom | Animal/Light magic

[themogget]

i. Soaking in Your Arrival

[A few people struggling their way to the shore might feel the sharp stab of four sets of needle-sharp claws in their back as a small white shape falls out of the sky, hits the water, and immediately lets out a tortured-sounding yowl before using anything and anyone nearby as a springboard or stepping stone to get out of it.

Mogget does not care at all who he might damage on his mad dash to get out of the water, and he streaks up the beach long before the earthquake hits.

Anyone curious, anyone with helpful intentions towards the very angry-looking, very wet cat they just saw run past them, or anyone who wants to have a word with the creature who punctured their back or shoulder in an effort to get out of the bay they will be able to find him at the bottom of the cliffs - briefly - or at the top.

At the top of the cliffs, much as one might expect from a cat, he is cleaning himself and looking incredibly insulted by the existence of everyone and everything around him.]

ii. The Red Spring

[He had jumped into a carriage to avoid the walk and spent the majority of the journey back sleeping. Once at the Red Spring he had done a large circuit of the place before jumping up on a chair and curling up into a small, white, furry ball.

Was this your chair? Mogget doesn't care. It's his chair now.]

iii. Clean Up Chaos

[A small broom chasing about after a cat is probably an amusing sight, and this cat is clearly very irritated by the inconvenience of it.

So maybe you watch, but then-- the cat uses magic.

The broom pestering the furry white creature is pinned to the ground by an invisible force, and the cat stares at it with hard, vivid green eyes. Nearby, an extremely dilapidated-looking crow caws in a way that sounds almost like laughter, and in the next moment the offending broom is being launched towards it.

Seeming satisfied, the cat settles to cleaning one front paw. If you're close enough or listening carefully... you might be able to swear you heard the animal chuckle.]

Red Spring

[phoenixwiz]

(So okay, it looks like he has to find somewhere else to sit on since the cat just took the chair before he could get to it. Harry was too busy chasing after Rose earlier when she decides to run around the lobby and, ho boy, was he tired after spending minutes trying to catch her.

The teenaged wizard knows well not to disturb a sleeping animal on a chair, which is why he decides to sit down on the carpeted floor and didn’t say a single word. Rose looks at the sleeping feline and begins to squeak at him, which causes concern from Harry and Hedwig.)

Oh no, Rose! Please stop squeaking at the cat: we don’t want to get in trouble for waking it up so much.