TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 10

[avalonmods]

{ 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. 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. 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, but if you do fall, be prepared for a mysterious sand hand to reach out of the side of the cliffs to catch you. The hand will pat you atop the head twice before retreating back into the wall. This is the Cliff Beast; despite the name, he is quite friendly. (Though.. given how hot and muggy the weather is this first week, maybe you might want to ask him to toss you right back into the lake where the waters are still cool.) *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 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 recently 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 whole coconuts filled with tropical drinks and topped with tiny umbrellas. Strawberry daiquiris, pina coladas, margaritas, mai tais, and more... all frosty and in the spirit of keeping you cool during the sunny month of August. (Naturally, virgin editions are available for the underaged.) 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: The first attempt at using the mounts to travel en-masse up to fae territory is filled with problems: mandrake sprouts caused by recent murders drumming up requests to dig them up, two titanic creatures face off in the lake and catch characters in a maelstrom, and a mysterious underwater town with a strange curse being good neighbors with a last minute save... at a slight risk: becoming a merperson, naga, or cecaelian for a little while. With communications with Elphame in Celliwig disrupted by specters and Arthur temporarily decommissioned, the Hall of Mirrors is temporarily off limits for cleansing rituals. Celliwig has encouraged people to return to Camelot for the time being, which is just as well with all the newcomers flooding in. Last month's new arrivals through the old guard got an introduction to the new aquatic mounts and there are now plenty of people versed in how to handle and work with the magical alpacapies, mossatees, and deinosuchus. As scout parties head out further, there are a few problems that they've run into that need a helping hand from Camelot's otherworldly population. A ⦿ A Mandraconian Task Just as volunteers are asked to bring supplies for the journey to fae territory, a series of grisly murders involving strung up corpses appears around town (see this month's quest, "Not-So-Good Morning" for more details), and the dripping blood and fluids of these corpses seeps into the ground to give birth to strange, leafy plants that sprout leaves in all directions at once. They're small, and the locals seem weary of them, but ultimately they're breaking up pathways and making them into trip hazards... the locals recognize these plants as mandrake root, which is known in different cultures for... very different things. The mandrake root is a cursed plant that screams in a way that curdles blood enough to kill small creatures if they're too close and make a grown person go deaf. The reason anyone would pull them up however... well, their magical properties are astounding. It is said that Joan of Arc carried one in her possession to give her the power to take control of her own fate. Some religions claim that it has the ability to restore a person's fertility, and before clever manufacturers started using the name for tomatoes, Islamic tradition called the "apples of the jinn" and cause strong bouts of lust. Needless to say, a good many people are cautious about pulling them up, but more than willing to offer a fair sum of money to a newcomer who can get them out of the ground. The cause of their sprouting may be tragic, but there's no way that you're going to make it through town center with trip supplies without getting pulled aside and asked to help harvest the mandrake roots for a pretty penny... or maybe you're interested yourself. Either way, it may behoove you to practice a little magic with a friend to try to get them up. B ⦿ Clash of the Titans Finally everyone has gotten going and a mixture of brave Camelot citizens, Celliwigians, and otherworlders have headed back to Albion's White Cliffs to take off with their mounts (and partners... you're going to have to ride with someone, there aren't enough mounts for everyone to get their own!) and things are going well. It's about two days into the waters of Lake Avalon that things start to send a chill down your spine. Back on land, even for the first two days there, the weather had been hot and sunny, a beautiful summery start to August, but as the party starts to approach the southern banks of Dinas Emrys, they see a gargantuan beast run at bewildering speeds off the land and straight across the surface of the lake. The creature appears to be some kind of centipede formed of black clouds and lightning that illuminates its exoskeleton from inside of its body in deep purple and blue hues. Each of its legs kicks up a titanic wave headed straight for the party of explorers as it charges towards its target, what appears to be a tsunami wave containing a dark, shadowy figure emerging at least twenty stories above the water. The only part of it that isn't black are the blank, soulless eyes. As the lightning bug monster charges what some may recognize as an umibozu, it crashes into the tsunami wave and all three fall asunder... which is bad news for the traveling party, as the waters are now extremely choppy and lighting up with charges of the centipede's lightning. The result? As the two monsters dive down below the water, a maelstrom forms in their path and starts sucking everyone down! C ⦿ Fresh Waters Anyone who manages to escape the maelstrom will find that their mounts aren't moving forward this time around and are heading back where they came from, even with lost supplies. You may find yourself having to switch mounts with others nearby or talking to a strange beachball on the back of the alpacapie that's carrying your ass back to the White Cliffs... Or if you weren't so lucky, you may find yourself waking up on a slightly different shore. An underwater shore. An underwater town, in fact. After the initial panic of realizing that you're not drowning when you wake up settles in, you'll realize that you seem to be able to breathe underwater just fine. In fact, the real panic is probably about to start when you realize that like the fine people of this town that saved you, you've been temporarily gifted gills and a bottom lower half of either a merperson, a naga, or a cecaelia. Your caretaker, a nurse of the local town, offers the explanation that the only way to save everyone from drowning was to pull them into their territory, which is cursed to turn them all into sea monsters. Not to worry though, as long as you leave before the sun sets on the third day, you'll turn back to normal just fine. ...Though, they're not really sure when that was or if they battle is over, so you should probably find your friends and any possessions you had with you and start heading toward the surface. Not too much time to explore this strange, underwater town... especially since you don't have much practice not having legs to get you up to the surface. Don't worry, if you don't make it out in time, the Lady of the Lake will come fetch you... though perhaps not in time, so you may need to spend some time back in Camelot seeking out someone to break a curse. SUMMARY:After the recent event, people need to recover and heal. So Camelot's castle opens its doors for an open house, a swap meet and poetry battle auction, and a healing circle ritual. Arthur is injured and recovering, and news has spread on social media about it. There are lots of well-wishers and gifts being sent to the castle... enough that there's just too much for Arthur to do anything with it. He needs time to recover and rest and not be bothered, and as such declares that all those who need it shall share in the wealth and generosity of those wishing him well. The abundance (Especially from guilty Celliwigians who didn't realize what was happening right under their own noses) results in a few things happening... A ⦿ Open House Camelot's castle halls open up to all those who would like to come. Invitations are sent and a feast is prepared. A huge table with all manner of foods from different cultures is prepared. The only thing they ask is that you stay out of the wing of the castle that Arthur is resting in, as he is not available right now. Try new foods made from recipes from all around the different worlds or invite yourself to use the castle's royal public baths, remodeled from more ancient styles to include cool things like old architecture mixing with jacuzzi jets and waterfall shower rooms. There's even a water slide. It's more a water park than anything... Explore the library (except for the forbidden section, which has a very powerful magical barrier preventing entry-- even trying to tamper with it could result in your character glowing colors by their mood as punishment for messing with the magic). Those are dangerous texts in there! There's even a live show with a magician! Which sounds lame, but he's more or less showing off his skills in tricks, knife skills, and has a mean comedy routine to go with it. He's even willing to teach lucky volunteers how to escape death-defying stunts... hopefully. You may want to bring a buddy for backup. Or perhaps you're more interested in heading out to explore the rose gardens or finding a place to stay for the evening... don't worry, if you've had too much to drink or simply tired yourself out, you're welcome to stay in one of the guest rooms during this open house celebration. B ⦿ Swap Meet Not interested in exploring the castle? Well perhaps you'll enjoy the open-market bazaar that seems to have set up in the courtyard. All kinds of oddities are being exchanged in the castle courtyard and you may just find something rare.. or maybe it's a piece of crap. It's hard to tell, and the chances of getting swindled are just as high as the chances of getting an antique masterpiece. There is an auction for those willing to pay more for authenticity, but auctions in Camelot go a little bit differently... to win art, you must first prove yourself worthy of art-- all bid submissions must be performed in stanza. Haikus, rap, short poems-- all are valid, as long as they follow the rules of your chosen form of poetry and express why your bid deserves the win. The last person to falter wins their right to pay their bid, with at least 10,000G upped with each poetic rebuttal. C ⦿ Healing Circle After Party It's good to take care of yourself with a little fun, but if you're still stressed, hurt, traumatized, mildly upset, hung over, or just want to feel better about yourself, consider joining in some of the local witches and wizards in a meditative healing ritual. Step one: Gather herbs from the castle gardens. They've got all kinds, but you're looking for things like yarrow, apple blossoms, cinnamon, and lemon balm. Once you've gathered your herbs, join in the silent meditation circle with an available partner. Anyone is fine, but once you've entered the circle with someone, it's very important that you do not make any noise. Silence is important, and as you burn each of your herbs with your partner, you'll find that the smoke forms a barrier that surrounds the two of you. Put your hands together, and focus on the source of your pain. You will share your emotions with the person you're performing the spell with. They will feel everything you feel in that moment, and be able to share the burden without having to speak of or share what caused this pain. With the pain lightened, you will find that the smoke lights up and dissipates up at the top. Whether or not you choose to share with your newfound partner... well, that's up to you, but they sure are going to know how you're feeling right now, and that definitely wasn't warned about when you were asked to join the healing circle. 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.

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Amy Rose | Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW)

[pricklybloom]

Arrival

Amy had just closed her eyes for a moment; after finally getting some transportation off of Angel Island, she had just wanted to catch a quick nap before they arrived back at Restoration HQ, where she would inevitably have to tackle an endless pile of paperwork while worrying about the Zeti still at large, and trying not to think the worst that Sonic still hadn't returned.

It had just been for a moment, but she was quickly jolted awake as she was submerged underwater. Despite being disoriented, Amy managed to kick her way back to the surface, gasping for breath and coughing up water as she tried to get her bearings back.

"What in the...?" At first she feared that they'd been hit, that another disaster was happening that they would have to deal with. But realizing that she couldn't even see the shuttle was far, far worse.

Apprehension kicking in, she began swimming her way towards land, at least until she noticed the giant pillow jellyfish. Then it was a quick climb onto one before hopping from jellyfish to jellyfish to reach the shore.

Once the ground was beneath her feet, she took a breath before glancing around once again. There were other people starting to gather along the banks of the lake...but it was with growing trepidation that she realized that none of these people were the survivors that had been on the shuttle.

"Tails?" she called out, despite the sinking feeling in her stomach. "Rouge? Vector? Anyone around?"

Training Grounds

After taking some time to dry off and get settled in one of the inn rooms, Amy took to the training grounds to blow off a bit of steam. She'd gotten as much information as she could from Archimedes and her own research online during the trip, and now she couldn't help feeling a little annoyed.

One of the first things she'd noticed when she arrived was that she hadn't been able to put away her Piko Piko Hammer like she normally would. She could still lift and swing it just fine, but she was now relegated to carrying it around everywhere, which certainly did earn a few stares from people.

Though at the moment, that was probably her own fault. She probably didn't need her hammer at the training grounds, but she felt better bringing it with her anyway. And while she knew that the training grounds were meant for people to practice their magic (and she was planning on doing that...eventually), it also just felt good to do some training by hitting targets with some old-fashioned whacks of her hammer.

Open House

(A) Receiving the invitation felt a bit odd, but Amy wasn't about to pass down the opportunity. And honestly, she was glad that she decided to come, because seeing the tables lined with food reminded her that she probably hasn't eaten a proper meal in...gosh, she couldn't even remember.

So, despite her efforts to pace herself, she was determined to try a little bit of everything.

(B) After eating so much, Amy decided to take a walk outside and explore the rose garden.

"It's so pretty!" she couldn't help but remark, kneeling down to inhale the scent of one of the blossoms. Of course she had seen how green and full of life Camelot was. But seeing these flowers blossoming...it certainly did lift her spirits.

Healing Circle

Amy hadn't been sure what to expect when she'd been guided to join the healing ritual, but she figured it couldn't hurt. She'd been a little hesitant when it called for a partner, but she did as she was instructed anyway; gathering the herbs, finding a partner in the circle, burning the herbs together, joining hands, and focusing on the her troubles and pains.

Her pain...it was only a moment, but everything she had endured recently came flooding back to her - the stress of war and organizing first the Resistance, then the Reformation; the fear of the world succumbing to the virus, of trying to keep her friends, allies, and the alarmingly dwindling number of survivors safe; her love and worry for Sonic, seeing him push himself so hard, only to disappear without a trace right when they had won; her own exhaustion, pushing herself to fight and carry on, to be strong for everyone and to help whoever she could.

And as the smoke barrier continued swirling around them, there were other emotions too...but after a while she realized that not all of them were hers.

Still, she did feel her mind a little more at ease, a heaviness she hadn't noticed until now lightening in her chest. When the smoke dissipated, though, she dropped her hands, glancing away in some embarrassment.

"So, uh..." she said hesitantly. Because she was sure that some of those emotions she'd felt belonged to her partner. And if that was the case, then they probably had felt hers too.

Wildcard

((Want to do something else? Go for it, or hit me up at usamichan13))

training grounds

[sos_pilot]

Must not use Hammer Time joke, must not use Hammer Time joke, must not use Hammer Time joke...

"Those are some impressive moves, girl!" Della calls out after a whistle, standing a bit back as she watched Amy swing. "Must be one heavy hammer!"

[pricklybloom]

A little surprised, she glances towards Della and grins.

“Thanks! It’s actually not that heavy.” With another swing, the head of the hammer hits the ground with a trembling thud. “Then again, I’ve had a lot of practice with it, so I might be biased.”

[sos_pilot]

Della grins, now a little eager. "If that's the case, mind if I give it a swing?"

Open House B

[ringsthatbind]

Amy isn't the only one who had decided to go into the rose garden, of course, Shadow's reason was more anti-social than the other hedgehog's reason. He thought he was alone until he heard Amy speak, and well may as well make himself known.

"Nicer than some places back home," the voice should at least sound familiar, as he steps from around a nearby bush to be within eye sight of Amy now.

[pricklybloom]

The voice is indeed very familiar, so much that Amy gasps softly and jumps to her feet, her eyes widening as they confirm what she’s heard.

“Shadow...?” Several different emotions wrestle within her at once as she takes a step towards him.

[ringsthatbind]

Don't worry, he is in his own way glad to see a familiar face. And it shows in just the slight twitch of his lips into a smile, a small and faint smile but a smile nonetheless.

"Can I be anyone else?" he answers, still staying in his spot. If anything is going to happen it'll have to come from Amy herself.

training grounds

[fatednottobetamed]

"Well, well, well. Isn't this interesting?"

The familiar voice would come from the nearby shadow of some building, just before Rouge emerged into view. She wore a smirk on her face and both hands were on her hips, one of which she raised in greeting to Amy.

"Well hello there, Ms. Rose," she said. "Is this as unexpected for you as it is me?"

[pricklybloom]

The voice startled her, and the target under her hammer is hit with more force than she intended. But she ignored it as she turned around, just in time to see Rouge emerging from the shadows.

“Rouge!” She couldn’t help a grin as relief flooded her. “Definitely unexpected, but I’m glad to see you! Are you okay?”

Whether she was talking about however Rouge arrived in this world, if it had been as rough an entrance as she had, or something else, she’d let the other decide.

[fatednottobetamed]

"I'm just fine," she said, raising a finger as if making a point. "And why wouldn't I be okay, hm?"

Nothing would be said about her arrival here. Nothing.

Healing Circle

[forgeabettertomorrow]

The last few months in Avalon had been incredibly hectic. It was hard to believe only a few months had passed. With everything that had happened, he could have sworn he'd been here for years.

When he'd heard about the healing circle, he wasn't too sure about it. Darin rarely bought into things like this but...well, he might as well try, right? Maybe it would help him reflect, get some much needed answers.

Darin had been in Avalon long enough that a talking, pink hedgehog didn't seem offputting. And so, with Amy as his partner, he began the ritual.

If there was one feeling prevalent in Darin's heart, it was an incredible fear and sense of self-doubt. The fear, however, was directed inward, toward himself.

With the ritual over, Darin leans back, propping himself up on his hands.

"It's okay. It feels like you've been through a lot. You...okay?"

[pricklybloom]

She nods, placing a hand to her head. “Y-Yeah...I mean, I’ll get by. It’s been...a rough few weeks.”

Taking a slow breath, she then mentally shakes herself out of it.

“What about you? It feels like you’ve been through a time yourself.”

[forgeabettertomorrow]

Darin laughs a bit sheepishly.

"I could fill a library with the kinda stuff I've been through. Honestly, as hectic as it is, Avalon's a little bit of a vacation for me."

Training grounds

[mithrarin]

Oh. This was a pleasant surprise -- not only a fellow Warmblood (or close enough compared to a human, anyway), but one that knew her way around a weapon. A... very unusual weapon, as it happened, which had Dust wandering closer to get a look.

"That's... not something I've seen anything quite like, before," said the guy holding a strangely-shaped, flickering-runed sword reverse grip.

[pricklybloom]

Glancing over, Amy grins, hoisting the hammer onto her shoulder. “Probably not. My Piko Piko hammer is pretty unique.”

[mithrarin]

"Including the name. Actually, I don't think I've ever seen anyone use a hammer before, let alone one like that." Blades, spears, knives -- those were common for Falana. The thought of beaming an enemy or two straight upside the head with a blunt object got a smile out of him.

Training Grounds

[floatsaway]

[Amy isn't the only one who's not focusing on magic today. Ochako's been in a mood for a...while now, actually. A lot has piled up on her shoulders in just the past week or two, and it's gotten to the point where she's been taking it out in some creative and maybe not all that great ways. Distractions, mostly, to get her out of her Inn room for more than a few minutes, and keep from being a gross sad sack.

One of the ways is taking out a lot of her raw emotions on a sandbag. Ochako's a small thing, but she's trained in various forms of martial arts, and she's good at it, too. A flurry of punches and kicks knock the large object around so the chains holding it in place tug and squeak, and Ochako feels sweat dripping down her chin and the back of her neck, the dull ache in her wrapped knuckles a signal to take a break, but she presses on regardless. Feels too good to quit now, and the strain only means she'll actually sleep easily and dreamlessly that night, which suits her just fine.]

[pricklybloom]

[ Some of the noises draw Amy’s attention, and she watches the other girl for a moment. Even from here, she could recognize the signs of stress that are being taken out on the sandbag.

Thinking for a moment, she then heads to her. ]

Hey...looks like you could use more of a challenge.

[floatsaway]

[Blinking a bit, Ochako pauses in her workout (or flat out assault, more like) on the sandbag and wipes her face on her towel. She's panting a little bit, flexing her fingers and--oh!

Oh my gosh, what cute...cat?? Ochako's not sure, but she's pretty and so, so pink! There's a smile that graces her face for a moment, unable to stave off her girlish side that sees a cute animal and not being immediately charmed, but then realizes she's been invited to spar.]

Eh? You want to fight with me? [Her eyes go toward that big hammer and Ochako hums thoughtfully. Oho, so not just a cute, girly, pink thing...but a strong fighter, if she can lift and swing that big hammer around. Cool...] Though, ehehe...I-I might have a disadvantage against your big ol' hammer - unless I use my magic.

Training Grounds

[aciddemonstrator]

"Fire Bolt !!"

Somewhere nearby, Alashandra held a formal dress sword, attempting to channel herself into a magic spell, as she had done times before.

The result: No fire, no magic circle, no visible magic flow. Nothing.

Some of the teachers nearby didn't hide the exasperation settilng in on their faces - this wasn't the first time they had seen someone stubborn with their previous world's experiences, and likely wouldn't be the last. The girl tried again a few times, but still had nothing to show for it, the target in front of her remaining no different from before. Finally conceding to reality, she sighed, shoulders slumped.

[pricklybloom]

Amy couldn't help glancing over at the cry, watching for a few moments as the other girl tried to use some kind of ability. Then, noting when the girl seemed to admit defeat, she walked over.

"Hey...everything okay?"

[aciddemonstrator]

Closing her eyes, Alashandra was already trying to regulate her breathing. It's not like she was ready to cry, but having to accept this reality for what it was was still a lot to ask of her so soon. She didn't expect anyone here to care, since they all had their own problems, and she was already used to having to "suck it up" and "deal with it", just... Deep breaths. Slowly, calmly. Deep breaths... same as always.

A pause in her breathing came with the question that was asked. Eyes fluttered open as she looked to the side. Now that it fully registered that someone was addressing her, she couldn't help but reflexively jump a little bit. She shook her head briefly, if quickly. "Oh, hello." She tried making sure she kept eye contact, though she made a quick glance to her weapon as she explained, "Well, my sword doesn't want to work like before, but I wanted to make sure..." She sighed silently through her nose and looked down at the blade.

A small goat kid of some sort that stayed a short distance away from the happenings walked slowly up to Alashandra, looking up at her. "It's the only way I could really know that this is... how it is, now." Noticing her Amistr, she smiled dejectedly, as she looked back at Amy.

Open House B

[roseeclair]

Oh hello, small pink green-eyed rose-themed bruiser. Here is another green-eyed rose-themed bruiser with some pink accents in her clothing... who is much, MUCH taller, almost twice Amy's height. Still, Makoto's gotten quite used to talking animals in her time here (although pink hedgehogs are still a bit new) and she just smiles back at the comment about the roses.

"I know, right? I don't think I've seen this many kinds of roses in one place!"

Well... she has, but that was an enemy illusion, so definitely not counting it. And King Arthur's gardens boast a few varieties her Earth has never seen before either.

[pricklybloom]

"Me neither!" Amy replied, glancing up at the taller girl with a grin. "I've always wanted to own a rose garden like this, though."

[roseeclair]

"If you want, my friend Aerith runs a flower shop here; she's got a few rose bushes you can buy. And have you been to Celliwig yet?"