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.

Comments

[fullgauntlet]

Whu- Wait a minute-!?!?

[Okay, he's getting pulled right onto the palm of the cliff beast! Izuku lets out an awkward squeak and flails his arms as he tries to keep his balance as best he can so he doesn't just plain faceplant or even worse falls right off the hand. Which would be more embarrassing? But luckily Izuku's parkour skills seem to be better than at that first tug. He stays upright!]

I don't know how safe it is to just jump as far as we can- I mean...! But the hands have always caught anyone I've seen that's fallen off the side. The magic is fairly reliable...

[Wait, is he really considering it?]

W-wait! Are you new here?! I don't think that familiar will be as good to me as it is with you! I think he's yours...!

[prontissimo]

[ Once Izuku gets his bearings (well, somewhat) and catches his balance, Alberto lets go of his wrist, standing there before him with an endeared smirk at his klutziness and nervousness. Not that Alberto has any idea what he's talking about, really. But it's not dissuading him. ]

I've never seen that cat in my life. But if you think he's only gonna catch me, then no problem — we'll just jump at the same time.

[ Problem solved. Sound logic. He says it so matter-of-factly, shifting his weight to stand contrapposto with one hand on his hip, the other hand waving at Izuku and nonchalantly gesturing toward the edge of the hand. There's still that amused smirk stuck on his face, too.

Conveniently, he doesn't directly tell whether he's new here or not. But context clues... point to yes. ]

[fullgauntlet]

[Context clues definitely point to yes. He's pretty sure flying rainbow cats aren't very common as a wild animal around here not even with the fae running amok most of the time. But he honestly can't fault that sort of logic? Izuku wants to be careful and he certainly doesn't want to get anyone hurt but... The magical cliff beast hands should catch them, right? By principle and (magical) logic.]

Okay... Okay, fine. We could try jumping at the same time to see what happens.

[Worse comes to worst Izuku could alchemy up a mattress or something to land on?]

Maybe with enough momentum, the cliff beasts might even toss us up back in the air like... a trampoline.

[prontissimo]

Haha! Yeah, man! That's more like it!

[ Alberto's resting smirk breaks into a wide grin, his eyes finally widening as he lights up at Izuku's resignation. Resignation to fun! He stands straighter, like he's just brimming with energy again all of a sudden — not unlike when puppydogs get so excited they start tapping their paws... That same kind of vibe. He backs up back into the center of the palm to stand level with Izuku again, but doesn't take his hand just yet. He just looks to him expectantly, like this excitement should be contagious. ]

You ready? Heh, hey, d'you really think it'll throw us back up in the air~?!

[ It's a shame Alberto doesn't know what a trampoline is. He'd love it. ]

[fullgauntlet]

[That puppy-like energy really is contagious. Even Izuku can't help the way he smiles with some new excitement himself. Doing something as silly as messing around with the cliff beasts? Okay. Sure- why not?? The worst that can happen is they don't get caught and plummet to the ground and break a few bones or so and-

Nevermind that! He's supposed to be resigning himself to some honest stupid fun!]

Theoretically, that's what it should do! Ahah... Yeah!

[He's going to swallow back that nervous lump about that! And then bounce himself on the palm of the hand before giving a nod to the other boy.]

On three?

[Izuku holds out his hand?? And then when he starts to count down to one he'll prepare to jump as high and far as he can!]

[prontissimo]

[ Alberto nods back, grinning ear-to-ear with warm eyes, and nods back to Izuku before taking his hand in his, a fair tightness. That was a nod of agreement, though — on three... Right? Alberto takes a deep breath through his nose, holds it in a second, glances to Izuku as they stand side-by-side, and then the count begins — and goes, um... a little quickly. ]

One...! Two! Three! Andiamo!

[ Okay, so, technically he counted to three, but probably for a more nervous soul's liking, it's as if the count practically ends before it even begins, and Alberto's rushing them off the edge, Izuku's hand firmly in his grasp as he leaps into the air, hoping the other is quick on his feet. ]

[fullgauntlet]

Wha?!

[That's a heck of a quick count down! So quick Izuku is caught off guard once again and gets pulled along when he jumps! He stumbles and almost biffs it but he jumps too!!]

Ahh!!!

[And down they go. The rush of air has Izuku yelling and his eyes going wide but as soon as things start the cliff beasts are already moving faster than they're falling. Reappearing like powerful beasts to catch them in their hands.]

Ack! It's-!?

[But then suddenly they're getting thrown back upwards like balls being juggled in the air! And Izuku shrieks for a moment before he... bursts out laughing!]

Ahahahha! Ahhhhh!!!

[Okay, the secret is Izuku might actually like adrenaline rush rides.]

[prontissimo]

[ When they are jostled back up into the air, funnily enough, Alberto screams, too. That hadn't happened to him yet, but clearly, the Cliff Beast must have some sentience that it understood Izuku's suggestion, still entertaining Alberto in good spirits... This is beyond a rescue, clearly. The Cliff Beast probably hasn't had many people try to play with it before... Maybe it's refreshing.

Either way, Alberto wasn't totally expecting it himself, and even if he doesn't shriek exactly, it's clear in his scream that he was caught off-guard himself, before it trills into delighted, uncontrollable laughter, just like Izuku's. ]

Whaaa— Ahhh! Ahahaha!! Whoo! Hahahahhh!

[ He even thrusts his hands out and up and splays his legs a little further on his loud enthusiastic whoop. But it's a pretty short-lived bounce until they're falling back down into the Cliff Beast's hand again, leaving Alberto lying akimbo in its palms, the brightest, most genuine grin yet spread all across his face, as he throws his fists up into the air triumphantly. ]

Whoohoooo, yeah-hah! The hands heard you! C'mon, ragazzo— let's do it again! Ha!

[ And he's straightening himself back up, maybe not unfazed, but certainly undeterred. ]

[fullgauntlet]

[Honestly, Izuku hasn't gotten a rush like this in some time. Who knew he would kind of miss the feeling of almost weightlessness when being tossed or running around. Back home, he was just getting used to the feeling of learning new skills that help him maneuver in the air. This isn't exactly the same but it's still a pretty big rush.]

It's actually working-! Ahhh-?!

[He's laughing out loud and feeling his lungs fill with air. Then he hops back up to his feet and moves to makes another jump when Alberto does so. It's amazing how fearlessness can make the energy so contagious.]

Ahahahahah!

[prontissimo]

[ Alberto backs up a bit from where he fell off-center, prepping himself in the short span he has to sprint off the hand's palm, but gets a nice running start off the hand. As he leaps, he gymnastically twists himself around backwards to face Izuku, shooting a wide grin at the boy as he watches him follow off. As soon as he's airborne, he tugs his legs up against him into a cannonball. All the while, he gives one enthusiastic shout of encouragement: ]

Andiamoooo!

[ With the magic of Avalon, "let's go" registers in any language, but something about the passion and intention with which this boy speaks these phrases of his resonates stronger than usual, so much conviction and excitement and pride in just knowing a word somehow built into his language itself. Fearlessness, confidence, excitement, it's all contagious. Enough to remind kids like Izuku that they're still kids...!

No matter, Alberto comes crashing down in his cannonball just in the cradle of the Cliff Beast's extended fingertips as another hand jets out of the mountainside. It, like, barely caught him. What's more, a translucent, iridescent sort of net appeared from under him as he landed, breaking his fall somewhat, and he rolls off of it effortlessly into the palm, still hugging himself in a cannonball just as he'd landed. But with a relieved laugh, more airy than before, he chuckles as he releases himself and lies down again. He definitely almost didn't make it. Every time the magic rainbow net has appeared, it's thrilled him.

And its maker, as if on cue, flies up to meet the boys finally — a winged tabby cat, floating midair above the fingertips as the boys land. It looks a little perturbed? Just barely. But it's not like Alberto notices. As soon as Izuku lands in this hand, too, Alberto's sitting up again and reaching out to slap at him excitedly, drawing his attention to the cat. ]

Look, look, did you see that! That's the magic cat! Hah!

[fullgauntlet]

[With that one last rush of boyish screaming Izuku can't help but join in the chorus. With his own shout of immature delight as they get flung one last time and fall downwards, rolling and tumbling down like weeds on the wind. The entire time Izuku can feel the air in his lungs escape, laughing so hard that his eyes almost sting. As they thump to the ground Izuku lays there on his back like a starfish staring up at the sky filled with flickers of magic.

He honestly does feel a little silly with all of this. But there is a smile on his lips as he heaves a breath in. He hasn't felt this carefree in a long time. It's kind of nice to just goof off.]

Ahahah... What...?

[He looks up at the tabby cat and gives it a little wave.]

I'm still sure that it's your familiar. [He's still wheezing some laughter.] That's what we have here...! Magical partners.

I can't believe all of that worked too... Ahaha.

[prontissimo]

Ha, of course it worked!

[ He says with utmost confidence, despite having admitted a few moments ago that they very well may have fallen, fallen, fallen... But his reliance is placed in this cat he barely knows already. He turns his bright grin from Izuku and to the cat again, leaning back with his arms straight out behind him, palms pressed flat against the palm of the Cliff Beast, comfortable as can be, as if he's certain the Beast's hands will just hold them indefinitely... He heaves a big sigh laughingly, painted with amused relief just like Izuku as they come down from their adrenaline high. ]

Magical partners, eh...

[ He muses more to himself than anything, locking eyes with the cat as it lands on one of the Beast's fingertips just as comfortably as its partner looks. Alberto turns back to Izuku, his grin softening into a just genuinely friendly, curious smile. ]

So what's your magic partner like? Are you from here?

[ It's a lighthearted as can be question, as much as it's a heavy and revealing one for all the resonance of its ignorance, if Alberto had any clue where he is right now. It's clear he didn't even make it past these stairs to figure out anything if he's unfamiliar with familiars and... is assuming this guy is a local. That this odd, energetic boy apparently stopped off to do, uh, this, in the middle of his cosmic crisis, is revealing in itself... ]

[fullgauntlet]

[At least they didn't break any bones! That's a pretty big win in Izuku's book. And the air is still pinched in his lungs from laughing so much.]

Eh- No. I'm not from here either, I was brought to this world months ago. I'm the same as you. [What does he even call it...?] I'm a... visitor?

[But he's been here for almost eight months.]

My familiar is a goat that can use the same sort of alchemy magic as I can. But he's at my house right now, he's ahh... a little lazy sometimes.

[prontissimo]

Wait, wait, wait, wait— "brought to this world...?"

[ Alberto's sitting up totally straight now, attentive, a confused scowl starting to tug away at that casual smile he's worn this whole time. Yeahhh, he definitely stopped off to do this before even making it up the stairs. This is news to him. ]

So— we're not just, eh—... out-of-towners? We're out-of-worlders? Where exactly are we, anyway? I just thought— maybe, um— another city...

[ He trails off sheepishly. Like he was kidnapped or something, he'd really not wrapped his head around what caused him to suddenly find himself plummeting into the sea and arriving in an unfamiliar place without intending to... That's pretty sus, but he figured he could just figure that out later. Maybe a sea monster hunter poisoned him which made him forget what was happening, or knocked him unconscious or something, and then cast him away into the sea far away from Portorosso. He'd thought of that. He'd kind of landed on that. And in that case, there wasn't an immediate solution. Nowhere in his vast and active imagination did he consider he'd been spirited away to another world... He has no concept of outer space, or aliens, or alternate dimensions... He's a simple boy from the sea. He had no idea of the astronomical gravity of his situation here. But— he will soon... ]

[fullgauntlet]

[Izuku sits up as well. Giving the other boy an honest look. He doesn't feel like he should keep this sort of information from newcomers. He just never thought he'd be the one to break the news to someone else. He doesn't want to make the situation any harder than it actually is in the end.]

This is... the world of Avalon. We're not in our homeworlds and in instead we're in this one.

[He says this softly, trying to bring up the truth easily.]

It's ... It's not so bad, the magic we learn here is useful and there is a sense of community here since we all come from other places. And soon, once we can help King Arthur, we'll be returned home.

[prontissimo]

[ Alberto'd been trying to keep cool at first, but as Izuku responds, he can't disguise the wash of emotions across his face as he tries and fails to take in what the other boy's saying. As Izuku finishes, the look on Alberto's face is a stark contrast from the excited grin and trills of laughter he'd worn moments ago. His brow is knotted, a tidal wave of painful thoughts growing and showing themselves around the corners of his eyes, that slight squint that shows the sting. He glances away, not bearing to make eye contact for most of that, but finally turns slightly to peer off the edge of the hand they sit on while he speaks, tone tentative and softer than before. ]

...So... we can't go home? We're... stuck here? Who do they choose — why me? I mean— what I mean is...

[ He looks back to Izuku with a more worried shade of hurt in his face now, but a sudden focus, his voice tempered and more intent, more intense. ]

Do you know if a boy named Luca is here? Or a man named Massimo? Luca's short, with brown hair, big brown eyes... A-And Massimo's huge with one arm and a mustache...! Have you seen anyone like that?!

[ There's a hint more desperation as his situation sinks in. He was happier with his "hunted and poisoned and kidnapped and tossed overboard in another ocean" idea. At least then, he could return to Portorosso, or run away to Genova, whichever was closest. He's not really invested in a place. He's not really invested in much in his life back home, in fact — only two people. Otherwise, all he'd ever dreamed about was leaving, seeing other places, and if this had happened a month ago, it would have been a totally different reaction. It would have been an escape — he would have felt freed.

But now... he feels loss. Loss of his hopeful future he'd only just built in the past few weeks — loss of his only friendship, loss of a man who'd been a better father to him in less than a month than his own father had been in years, loss of a newfound safety, loss of acceptance by those around him that was long presumed impossible, loss of some semblance of structure in his life at long last... But just as soon as he'd made this new life for himself, only able to do so with the help of these two men he's asking for, two individuals who changed his life and soul forever in only two weeks' time — just as soon as they'd promised him this horizon he'd never been able to reach on his own, it's gone.

If he's alone again... without them...— He needs to know that first and foremost. Anything else Izuku could tell him would only be useful if he knew how he'd have to approach it. He's never trusted in "a sense of community," he doesn't know what that means; so for him, it's a black and white "alone" or "not alone," depending on if Luca or Massimo are here — or neither. But somehow already— the voice of doubt is louder than the voice of hope. ]

[fullgauntlet]

[Izuku listens and his expression softens to something with worry and concern. This is so hard to listen to because Izuku was in the same boat just months before. Lost, unsure about what's going on, trying to find important people, trying to find a way home...]

If I'm honest, I think they picked all of us for something... I wonder if it's because we're meant for something here. Like picking up to be a hero.

[Izuku has come to terms with it. And he wants to help where he can in this world. Even if it isn't home.]

I haven't heard of those names before but don't worry. If we head into the city we can start looking for anyone you might know. Luca and Massimo might be somewhere there or someone might have heard of them. What do they look like? I'll help you try to find them.

[Because he can relate to that desperation of not wanting to be alone in a strange place after having been seemingly "kidnapped". Alberto has been a bright kind person and he wants to help keep it that way if he can.]

[prontissimo]

[ Worry tugs Alberto's brow, but the promise of searching the city for Massimo and Luca abates some of that. The mention of being brought here to be a hero of some sort also softens the blow — even if that's not the line he's gonna focus on right now, he's keeping it in his back pocket. He stands to his feet, and marches right along the Cliff Beast's wrist and back onto the steps, not wasting a moment longer, waving Izuku along as he does. His familiar floats along behind him. ]

Well... Luca is shorter than me, like— here. [ He gestures to about his eye-level. Alberto's fairly tall for his age, where he's from, and Luca's a little short, so saying "short" doesn't mean much without illustration. ] He's skinny, nice but kinda nervous; he's got wavy dark hair and a round face, big round brown eyes— like a fish, but cute, um—

[ He catches himself at that word, glancing to the side and losing his sentence midway, as he takes his first step back up the way he should be going. He pauses to wait to walk alongside Izuku, though, which is nice, and more consideration than he's shown thus far, even if it's ultimately still kind of self-serving. Who can blame him in this moment, though? ]

Massimo— he's, like, the biggest human ever.

[ He spreads his arms as far as they can stretch, vertically, knowing even with his arm at its full length he still wouldn't be able to touch the top of Massimo's head if he'd tried. But— who would try to do that to the biggest human ever, allegedly? Oddly specific that he's human, but seemingly just lighthearted, maybe? ]

His arm is like as big as my whole body! [ Which, granted, isn't saying much, Alberto's very svelte... But the man does sound pretty huge. He folds his left arm behind his back, waving his elbow a little at Izuku as they walk. ] He only has one arm, like I said, with a sea monster tattoo on it. Dark hair, flat cap. And a big bushy mustache! With big bushy eyebrows. Quiet. Scary. Nice...

[ "Scary" and "nice" in the same description is probably a good tell. If anyone, Massimo'd be the one who's easy to pick out in a crowd — he sounds hard to miss, frankly. ]

Oh, uh— and he'd probably have Machiavelli with him... Grumpy fat cat that looks just like him. White with one black front leg and a black mustache. Sits on his shoulder. Have you seen a cat like that? If Machiavelli is here, then Massimo is definitely here...!

[ Desperation drives him to detail. With descriptions like these, there's no room for mistaking these guys, surely. They certainly both sound like a couple of characters. ]

[fullgauntlet]

[Izuku honestly can't blame the other for being so descriptive. And he knows better than to promise that they might actually find them but they have to at least try and give that effort. No one can ever tell who might show up in this world so helping to ease the scramble to find friends is the least that Izuku can do.

Izuku makes his way for the pathway up towards the main road again where they can catch a horse-drawn caravan ride back into the main streets of the city. Along the way Izuku is listening carefully to every word and seems to pull out a notebook and pencil out of nowhere and starts to jot down these details word for word. Even that Luca has brown eyes like a fish but cute. Because every detail counts!!]

Hmm. Hmm! Okay. Shorter...wavy hair... biggest human... sea monster tattoo...

[Nodding along as Alberto explains each thing, feet working to take them up the steps without stopping. He's a hero on a mission to do everything he can to try and help.]

With details like that, I think we have a fair chance. Or at least to find someone who's might have heard of them. We'll do our best to find out what we can.

[He does look up to smile at Alberto.]

And I don't think I've seen a cat like that before. He sounds like something out of a comic book.

[Fat cats are the best.]

[prontissimo]

[ Alberto’s surprised and smitten to see Izuku whip out a notebook and start taking all this down. He’s touched to have a stranger take such attentive interest in helping him…? And it does bolster Izuku’s case that he will look for Alberto’s friends, even if in the end it’s fruitless, it’s comforting and gives Alberto hope that at least the effort will be real. He smiles back at Izuku, a genuine smile, as he continues in stride with him up the steps. ]

Heh, yeah…

[ There’s a slight pause, his smile barely faltering as he looks Izuku dead on, completely serious despite how he may try to swallow his sheepishness in asking… ]

…What’s a comic book?

[fullgauntlet]

[That is for the best, at least the effort to be made to find friends! Izuku found it helped ease his own anxiety when he first arrived. Being able to at least look around helps ease the entire situation as a whole, really.

Well, with that last question Izuku looks at him and gives a smile.]

Comic books are usually action stories told with pictures compiled into one. If you're interested I could get you a few?

[But with that the two of them head into the city to begin their search... It'll be a long afternoon with a lot of asking questions. But they'll do their best.]

[prontissimo]

Uh, yeah?

[ As if it's so obvious, that half-lidded smug smirk resting in place once more. ]

I draw pictures that tell action stories, y'know...~

[ Like he's so pro at it. He says it with far too much pride for someone who didn't know what a comic book was thirty seconds ago. ]

[fullgauntlet]

Really?

[That has Izuku perking up too! He looks interested, what can Alberto do?]

What kind of action stories have you drawn before?

[Izuku taps his chin.]

Comics are usually full of heroes that are trying to accomplish a goal! Like taking fown a villain or saving a city. Heroes are big parts of most comics, they tell their story but also tell the reader about a moral or point.

[prontissimo]

[ Alberto's attention is piqued by all this. He likes the sound of this more and more. ]

Well, I mostly draw pictures about, uh— my life and— stuff I wanna do— cool stuff that happened... Nothing about heroes, though! Or saving towns and fighting bad guys and stuff! That sounds so cool! I thought all books were boring. You'd really get me some of these comics?!

[ Alberto never thought he'd want to read a book... Luca would be proud of him, he fancies. ]

[fullgauntlet]

Hm! I can.

[Izuku smiles. More than happy to share some of his nerdy interests with others! Comics are really cool!!]

Comics can be about all sorts of things, so comics about your life and the stuff you want to do is good too. I wouldn't mind seeing your drawings sometime if you want to share!