TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 3

[avalonmods]

{ QUICK NAV } Premise ⚔️️ Rules ⚔️️ FAQ ⚔️️ Taken ⚔️️ Reserves ⚔️️ Apply ⚔️️ Locations ⚔️️ Bestiary ⚔️️ Top-Levels Only ⚔️️ 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 chilly 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 paralyzingly cold for a few seconds before you're approached by the Lady of the Lake beneath the water's surface. She puts a vial of a vibrant, glowing red Everwarm* potion to your character's lips. The icy water doesn't feel so icy once consumed and you'll be able to move your limbs enough to swim to shore on your own. She can't stick around to explain, she's got to get this to all the new arrivals! Many of which you'll see plopping in around you. If you can't swim, a handful of helpful ice turtles will scoop you up from beneath and drop you off at the shore. When not helping people, the turtles are going around and hitting the ice that keeps forming on the surface with their shells to keep the surface open for the falling arrivals or pushing personal items to the beach near the new arrivals they smell like (belong to). If anyone tries to ask the Lady of the Lake for directions, she will direct you to Archimedes at the Rent-a-Ride. If anyone with Animal Magic asks the turtles, they will give the full spiel, but very slowly, and they like to get off topic and gossip about other turtles you've never heard of. 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. 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, a pair of earbuds, and a winter cloak** to everyone before getting them settled in groups into modernized carriages pulled by horses and give 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. Everyone needs a little fun from time to time; the locals have put together the annual Snow Games. As with all things Avalonians plan, magic plays a part in the competition. There will be three separate tiers for characters to enter. Each Tier will have its predetermined track or ring, set up and ready to go. A ⦿ Foot Races The footraces will be run on foot, competitors will be tied together in a three-legged race-style competition... except this binding is magic! The only way to end it is to cross the finish line. Along the route, racers can expect to run into minor obstacles such as snow bunnies, puddles that can’t be jumped, a flock of snowbirds giving hassle, trees that upend their own roots and move to confuse the pathway. Whatever the interruption, it will come in the form of either a small creature made of magical snow or some minor hindrance to the path. Competitors will have to use magic to overcome these obstacles. Whatever your magic class, find a way. B ⦿ Sled Races The sled races will be run on magically driven sleds requiring two drivers. Races will not run on one kind of magic alone so be sure to mingle with other classes for this competition. Whatever magic class a character is, they will be required to feed magic into the sled to keep it going; the more magic, the faster it will go. On the path, obstacles will come in the form of wholly washed out portions of the track that need to be reformed using magic to pass. Use elemental magic to flatten rocky areas or wash away debris. Larger creatures such as snow deer and moose congregate in large groups blocking the path, so an animal magic user could be useful for asking them to move... someone with cognitive magic could try their hand at a little hypnotizing a fellow newcomer with big muscles to move fallen logs for them. Healing mages could easily use buffers to support their fellow magicians with temporarily increased speed or strength. Use light magic to sneak past living obstacles, or dark users can cast a love enchantment and make a love match between two moose even though it's far from spring. There are tons more creative uses of magic to help you get through the obstacles on the sled's pathway. Find a creative way to use magic and get through the obstacle; make sure you are faster than the other guy. C ⦿ Snow Chicken Snow Chicken, Magic Vs Yeti Style... This competition will differ from the previous two; it is not a race to the finish line but instead a competition to be the last team standing! Participants will pair off and one person will climb on the shoulders of the other and try to wrestle their opponents off without getting knocked off themselves. The field is full of snow, with more coming from the sky. Your opponents will be Yeti. Try to stay on, Yeti are no slouches so teams will have to work together using their magic not only to stay put but to knock your big-footed opponents to the ground. Just... be wary, these friendly yeti are surprisingly big on hugging as a form of congratulations. It's much more challenging to escape from a yeti's embrace than it is to knock one over. Trumpets hail an announcement by the town crier in front of the castle. More than a few people pull out their phones to record it and post it to the AOL network for all to see. "Hear ye, hear ye! Our noblest of lords, King Arthur of Camelot, will host a tournament on this January the 20th on castle grounds. All are welcome to participate in competitions to determine those most skilled in both the physical and magical arts. In preparation for the upcoming tournament, we are sending envoys to Celliwig. In Celliwig lies the Magic Mirror of the South, gifted to Camelot by the Fae, and a means to communicate with their royal court at will. It is a vastly important task in your journey to become magicians and to show your good will toward the fairies. Parts of the mirror's frame have been damaged. We will need those brave of soul and pure of heart to retrieve the crystals needed to repair the mirror. Those interested, the party leaves at dawn." A ⦿ Brave of Soul The first stop on the trip to restore Celliwig's Mirror is to a cave just north of Albion's White Cliffs. No longer a part of the cliffs themselves, this outcropping goes underground and to a dank, dark cave. It is the only place which a special prismatic crystal grows. The crystal itself is hidden deep in the cave, which can only be passed by passing into a zone in which magic cannot be used. Characters will enter the cave and must face an illusion of one of their greatest fears. Those frozen in fear will pass out and wake up outside of the cave with no crystal. Those who run will find themselves turned out of the cave as well. Only those who recognize and face that fear deep in their soul will find the path forward. The fear will turn into a small light spirit, which will smile and reveal to them the crystals they seek. B ⦿ Pure of Heart The second stop is past a shanty town and at the bridge north of it. The bridge itself is broken, only the ends in existence. The water itself is impassible, white rapids sweeping away anything that steps into it. Silver crystals are on the other side of the bridge, visible in an outcropping from where they are, but it appears there is no way around as magic does not work on the bridge. The only clue as to how to get across is a plaque in the dirt before the bridge. "The pure of heart will form the bridge with a leap of faith." Since everyone has gone as a group, it will be possible to see others walking over the water once one person figures it out. Though the clue may seem challenging, it is quite straight-forward. Characters who are pure of heart will find that if they believe in themselves, they will be able to step off the bridge and hardlight will form beneath their feet to allow them to step over the water. Those with ill intentions or those who are willing to harm others to get their way will slip into the rapid waters and may need to be saved by other characters. At least you're off the bridge, so magic will work to that end. C ⦿ Celliwig, the Splendored Court As the travelers leave the bridge, they turn toward the shanty town-- wood shacks and failing farms. Not a place anyone would want to visit. Those who try to run ahead will find that it disappears as if an illusion, and they will find nothing. Those who stick with the party will wait a fair distance away until the sun sets. Once the sun begins to fall beyond the horizon, the small town will begin to shimmer brilliant whites and colors-- a glamour hiding its true glory, a city made solely of crystals and glass: Celliwig, the Splendored Court. Though smaller than Camelot, every part of the city is beautiful and glistening. The population is small and it's very quiet and serene for a city. The people of the city don't seem keen on speaking to outsiders, and will typically scatter before anyone can really engage them. They seem humanoid in nature, but not entirely human. Even the animals around the city seem to be ethereal in nature, gliding more than walking. The party is led to a hall at the center of the city-- the hall of mirrors. Those who have succeeded in obtaining crystals need to bring them and set them on a table placed before a mirror at the end of the hall, which appears to have a number of empty settings. It's unclear what happened to the mirror previously, but now it's necessary to restore it to garner the favor of the fae. Once crystals have been delivered, people will be free to explore the quiet city, but it seems most of the city is closing shop while the visitors are around. There is a restaurant that will serve visitors food, though all of the dishes are of the molecular gastronomy variety. Alcoholic drinks seem to come in vapor form and flashes of light if ordered, but seem effective nonetheless. The local general store seems to be willing to sell supplies to weary travelers as well, but that's about it. ...That said the inn doesn't seem particularly keen on allowing visitors in strangely, so you're either going to be sleeping on the iridescent streets or camping just outside the city if you prefer the soft grass and the darkness of night. Just be aware, if you leave, you won't be able to get back into this mysterious city so easily. 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. • Note that the third prompt in this TDM will have consequences on the game's progression. After the application round, a poll will be put up to see how many characters who are in the game, both new and old, are able to obtain the crystals from the Brave of Soul and Pure of Heart prompts. • The first "Arrival" prompts are present on every TDM, but may 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. *This Everwarm does not count toward your potion collection for those who wish to take up potion brewing. You must obtain Everwarm from the Elphame Trader's to count. **Jackets come in a variety of neutral colors, enchanted with a fit-adjustment spell that will adjust to your character's size.

Comments

Raven Branwen | RWBY | Prisma CRAU

[ensuredsurvival]

Soaking in your Arrival

[Raven sure loved the feeling of dropping into cold water. She would have changed into a raven while falling, but for some reason it hadn't worked. It was concerning. The water was also needlessly cold because her aura didn't active no matter how much she tried. She even tried to use her maiden powers to maybe dry herself once she got out of the water, but even that failed her. Well, she should have known since it's linked to her aura anyway.

On top of this bizarre situation, it seemed her weapon had lost its dust blades. So she had to use the actual blade of her weapon. Well, that would hopefully be enough against the small sized Nevermore Grimm that was hovering near her.]

"I'm not a threat, I'm your ally."

[Raven looked shocked, to be honest. First of all, since when had Grimm started talking and second... what was it saying? It made no sense. Then again, the being wasn't attacking her either. She kept her guard up, but didn't attack in return.]

Explain.

"I'm your familiar. I may look like someone from your world, but I am from this one. I will help you learn magic."

[Oh. Great. More magic. Apparently different from what she already had.] So, what do I do now?

"Follow the others out of here. You will see. I'll find you later."

[The Nevermore leaves and Raven sighs, putting her weapon back into her scabbard. Well, time to go see what this was all about.]


The Red Spring

[Raven definitely takes the opportunity to bathe in the springs. Her long hair is tied to a simple bun. She has quite nice curves for someone almost in their forties. After spending so much time on a planet that was all about physical connection, she doesn't feel like hiding her body.

It was very relaxing, even if she never truly let her guard down, knowing anyone could walk in at any time... but as close as she can be to be fully relaxed, really.]


Training Ground

[Well, she just turned one of the NPC people into a frog while testing out what her magic might be. She looks down at them as they jump around, trying to find a safe spot to wait until the magic is away.]

Well, this is new.

[Apparently, if she wanted to practice her magic, she might have to find willing targets. At least, unless she wanted to make enemies right away.]

Anyone around who wants to be cursed willingly?

[She doubts it.]


Wildcard

[ooc: Raven is less than likely to participate in any of the races or the mirror stuff, but feel free to catch her waiting for the Caravan to leave or around Camelot, looking around.

You can plot with me through PM's or through sasageyo ]

[asaviorshand]

[As chance would have it, there's another newcomer in the cart that Raven is loaded up into. A tall young man clad in armor, an eyepatch over his right eye, and a fur cape (currently matted with seawater) is in his own seat, and looking over the phone and earbuds with mild curiosity. Dimitri has never seen anything like these devices before, even when he fought Cornelia. Though Raven getting into the cart catches his attention, and he looks up and offers a polite smile, shifting a very long leather bag to the side (which makes a little clattering as he does so).]

Hello. I had thought I might end up riding alone on this trip, but I suppose that isn't the case.

...Ah, would you happen to be familiar with contraptions such as these? I've never come across such a thing before.

Maribelle | Fire Emblem Awakening | Familiar Undecided

[troubadamsel]

Arrival - A

[ Maribelle is... to put it lightly... pissed. ]

I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO SHABBILY TREATED IN ALL MY LIFE! I swear, even the enemy soldiers of Plegia were kinder to me when I was captured!

[ Soaking wet on the shore, she rants and raves, swinging her parasol around, red in the face. Be careful you don't get too close or she may accidentally smack you. ]

This will NOT STAND, do you hear me?! When Lord Chrom and the Shepherds arrive, you had better be ready to KNEEL and BEG for mercy! Oooh! If I had a SINGLE tome on me, I'd show you myself! DO YOU HEAR ME, YOU BOG-SPAWNED-CRONE?!

Arrival - C - Inn

[ At the inn, Maribelle runs a gloved finger along a piece of furniture, visibly relieved at the lack of dust. ]

I suppose these will do for temporary accommodations ... A level above tents, assuredly...

[ She then faces her supposed roommate, eyebrows raised. ]

Tell me, are there servants here that will be tending to us? Or will be cleaning up after ourselves? I don't mind, if need be...

Arrival - C - Training Grounds

[ Just like back home, Maribelle's magic specialty here is healing! When she spots someone injured, even if it's not terribly serious, she'll still head over, ready to lend a hand. ]

Careful now, allow me. Honestly, you mustn't push yourself too hard. You'll only succeed in straining yourself, and who does that help? Now, stay still, if you would please...?

Mirror Mirror - A

[ Maribelle, alas, is one of the unfortunate ones to wake up outside of the cave. As she begins to stir and remember what happened, she scowls with tears in her eyes - even though it's most unladylike, she winds up sitting on the ground, hugging her knees. ]

... Cruelty is abound in other worlds as well, it seems. To think they would have me face that...! ... As if I don't remember it every single day of my life...

Mirror Mirror - C

[ Maribelle has decided to sample some of the local cuisine! She lightly dabs her lips with a napkin, nodding in approval. She then offers a plate in your direction.]

Expanding one's palate is a must-have whenever you travel to another land. I must say, I wish I could bring some of these back with me, these treats are rather adorable. Come, have you tried this one? Don't hesitate now, it's really the least they could do for us after that perilous journey.

Wildcard
[ Make your own prompt! ]

arrival;

[incantates]

[ It's a good time for his magic to come in handy. The parasol stops short of connecting with his head, fended off with a colorful wave of his wrist.

It seems a trip to the shore to search for familiar faces has come up short... why would he expect any differently? Hope is the gateway to despair, or maybe hope is the gateway to getting nearly brained by a parasol.

Basically, there are other places he'd rather be at the moment. ]

Alright, let's take the dramatics down a notch.

[ Words he never thought he'd say, but new world, new Magnus. ]

Who exactly are you threatening here? The Lady of the Lake is long gone, and I definitely had nothing to do with your arrival here.

[ At least, he's 95% sure about that fact... ]

pyrrha nikos / rwby

[incinerators]

the caravan to camelot.

[ There sure is a lot to take in right now, coming from a world where magic was but a myth to her until recently -- not to mention the supposed state of the universe. It all feels like a strange nightmare, not one plagued with darkness and monsters, but one with so many unknowns and unexplained phenomena that make Pyrrha's head start spinning. This is all so much, and the phoenix sitting beside her is equally confusing.

She doesn’t quite mind it, though, because the phoenix seems pretty quiet. The bird is just quietly watching whoever passes by, though when someone gets a little too close, it lets out a little cry.

Pyrrha blinks and jumps a little, startled, and then she reaches over with some level of uncertainty before she starts to pet its feathers gently. Then, she turns to whoever was the lucky recipient of the phoenix’s attention and says: ]

I'm so sorry! I think it’s a little...excitable?

foot races.

[ Pyrrha’s no stranger to the three-legged race, and she seems relatively confident in her (and her partner’s!) ability to get through this with ease. She and her partner have already started making progress forward, and they’re starting to approach their first obstacle, unbeknownst to them. Her phoenix is gliding beside them, keeping watch, making sure that no harm will come to its human. So far, so good.

That is, up until they reach their first obstacle: A tree with rather giant roots. At first, it just seems like a matter of stepping over the roots themselves; it’s not until they start moving when Pyrrha pauses. She holds out her arm in front of her partner to try to get them to halt with her. ]

Hang on, do you see that?

[ The roots are slowly starting to shift in different directions. This might be...difficult. ]

We should move now, or those roots will trip us before we have a chance to start.

pure of heart.

[ Pyrrha stops before the broken bridge and the rapids and gives everything a quick examination. She can see that the crystals are on the other side and that somehow they’ll need to cross over to obtain them -- of course this wouldn’t be easy. This would be a whole lot easier if magic were applicable here, but alas.

When she finally discovers the plaque in the dirt, she kneels down to read it again, and again. She’s absolutely overanalyzing this, but it’s mostly because she thinks that there must be a deeper meaning to this than just...one being “pure of heart.” Whatever that means, anyway. After a moment of thinking, however, she stands up and turns to the nearest person: ]

Can it really be that simple? … And even if it is, what exactly constitutes someone being “pure of heart”?

wildcard.

[ Feel free to hit me up with whatever! I’m at amplitude or available via PM if you want to plan anything. Canon point is V3E6! ]

Race for your life?

[morganknight]

[Morgan asked to be her partner because she's quite the tall girl, meaning that running with her would be much easier than with others who might struggle to match his long-legged lope.]

[and definitely not because she's a really, really attractive girl]

[But she's fortunately doing an excellent job of covering for a major shortcoming of his: profound obliviousness. He hadn't even noticed the roots till she pointed them out (and made them stop)!]

Huh. That's a thing. I think I can handle them if you're ready to run!

Joshua Edenic | Beyond Eden

[secondedenic]

Arrival-A

[At first Joshua had thought this was all a dream. Of course, the shock of the icy water instantly assured him that no, this was perfectly real. And then in middle of near drowning, the mysterious woman had come and saved his life and suddenly a strange turtle had helped him ashore and well yes, dream or not, it was still absurd.

And then Joshua had sat down, because his leg was killing him and he was soaked through his layers of clothes and his mind was reeling, trying desperately to catch up, wondering where his family was in all of this.]

Definitely not dreaming, but perhaps I am mad...

[He whispered to himself and then he glances at you, whoever you are and sighs.]

I suppose you shall tell me this is all real though.

Arrival-B

[He's still not sure how he came to be in this situation, but Joshua has decided to accept it, as he does most misfortunes that happen to him. He's even accepted his familiar, a strange black horse that seems to be able to change size. Right now it's the size of a small house cat, likely so that it could fit in the carriage with Joshua. Either way, they're both enjoying the warmth while Joshua decides to puzzle over this "smartphone" he is now in possession of.

If you look like one of the technologically savvy, he'll hand it over asking for help. Otherwise, you can both fail at using it together.]

The telephone my Father owns is so much bigger than this. It's easier to use at least.

Arrival-C

[Joshua is a bit skeptical that he actually has any magic, but with everything else that's happened today, he should keep an open mind. Besides, how else is he going to get by in this world? He can't exactly go into battle, not with his leg being what it is.

He's been trying a few different hand gestures feeling a bit silly. Until he snaps his fingers and a very bright flash bursts out. One that not only blinds him, but anyone nearby who happened to be glancing in his direction.]

Goodness sakes!

Wildcard

[Joshua will also have visited the hot springs and while he's not participating in the games, he will be a spectator, so feel free to join him for that! Otherwise send me your own prompts.

For the sake of this tdm, he's going to be using light magic and his familiar will be a kelpie that will take the appearance of a tiny, black horse. Also it should be noted that he does walk with the assistance of a cane.

If anyone has any questions, feel free to pm me, or message me on plurk Kanetsugu or Joy#8142 on discord.]

arrival - c;

[incantates]

[ They really need to set up a beginner's crash course on magic before someone loses their eyebrows. That was just a tad too close to his nice (and very flammable) hair for his comfort. ]

"Goodness sakes" doesn't even begin to cover what I'm feeling right now.

[ He's just going to politely step out of the man's line of sight before he tries that again. ]

Pyromancy is exceptionally useful, at least... if you know what you're doing. New here, I take it?

[ Considering everyone else that's washed up on the shore today, that's probably an affirmative. ]

Reimi Sugimoto | Jojo's Bizarre Adventure

[failedhandjob]

W E T;;

[so it turns out that heaven sucks.

it's the first - and for a few moments, only - thought that runs through Reimi's head when she's rewarded for departing the mortal plane with bitingly cold water surrounding her on all sides. her lips part in a surprised gasp and, as icy water rushes down her throat, she finds that breathing is suddenly a very real concern of hers. what had happened?

she's so shocked by this unexpected turn of events that a small bob beneath the surface threatens to transform into a second tragedy; thankfully before that can happen a familiar snout noses at her back, steadfastly pushing her up to the surface where she can cough and hack in safety. Arnold. her arms wrap around the yellow lab's neck gratefully, sharing in his warmth even before the Lady of the Lake arrives with her gift of welcome.

once on the shore the strange reality of her situation finally sets in. death had held very few alterations from life in her own world, but Reimi can tell in an instant - there's no way she's a ghost any longer. it's both a nostalgic and overwhelming feeling, finding herself tethered to the present in a natural way, and despite her soaking clothes she can't help pausing to simply...be. there's no real duty now, is there? no monsters lurking in the shadows or reason to watch the sky in fear. she was just Reimi again.

it's in this moment of hazy attention that a certain someone takes the opportunity to dash away.]

Arnold, no-!

[Arnold is a good boy, but he's also been 'living' as a ghost for as long as his mistress. with the young lady safe and sound on firm ground he can no longer resist the urge to dash across the edge of the lake in what is probably his first case of zoomies in over fifteen years. harassing the ice turtles, bounding up to other arrivals and demanding that they play with him, even splashing in the shallow water - he wants to do it all.

but he can't, because that is definitely getting in the way of everyone else's equally disruptive day. calling out plaintively for her companion, Reimi goes dashing off in short order to try and corral the pup.]

she's all out to get you;;

[this world isn't her beloved Morioh, but its plight connects the two places - and even if it hadn't there would have been no way for Reimi to refuse giving her assistance. in a way these people were just as she had been, filled with a desire to protect what mattered most but with no ability to achieve that on their own. it's compassion even more than gratitude which moves her to act.

...it may also be pigheaded idiocy moving her, at least in this particular instance. she'd known from the moment that the cave's danger had been explained to her what would be waiting deep in its cavernous belly. what else could it be? even banished as he was now, there was only one person who had ever preyed upon her young heart.

despite his unhappy whining, she'd made absolutely certain to leave Arnold behind on this mission. part of her wants to take this a step further and forgo any human companions as well, unwilling to expose more people to that monster, but she knows it's unwise. he'd only been purged the first time because of everyone's combined efforts.

the closer they get, however, the more she can feel her heart racing. oh, this part of life wasn't something she'd missed.]

Hey, listen...I don't know how powerful these things are, but just in case be sure not to touch anything for a little while, ok? It might -

'Reimi Sugimoto.'

[there he is. there he is. for a split second Reimi isn't really certain she hasn't died again with the way her entire soul freezes up upon spotting that man. to the unfamiliar he seems an odd thing to frighten a young girl, barely remarkable no matter what aspect one looks at. his lip is curled in faint disgust, yes, but even so...]

'Did you really think your little tricks had completely suppressed me?'

[Kira Yoshikage is dead and punished. she has to keep repeating this to herself, clinging fast to the words, because good fucking god did this illusion cast that certainty into doubt. she was here, after all, wasn't she? would it really be such a stretch to think that whatever hands had reached out and scooped her up had also caught-]

No! I won't let you burrow into another world!

[her fists clench, but her voice wobbles. what can she do? the power of the alley didn't exist here and cognitive magic was almost totally useless in combat. Kira must still be able to wield Killer Queen without limits. what can she do? what can she do?]

network;;

Hi!! So I was wondering if there were any horoscope applications people could recommend for this phone?

[the last time she had a pulse was the 80s and they hadn't even hit 2000 back in Morioh. give her a break, she's working on all this unfamiliar slang the best she can.]

I guess with magic being real here people might just do that kind of thing on their own...but sometimes it's fun to hear someone else's spin on it, you know?

Speaking of which! Do you guys know what time you were born at? I can tell you what kind of romantic partner you're most compatible with...if that doesn't scare you, haha.

wildcard;;

[I'm super open to any of the other prompts, or anything else you think would be fun! come at meeee. Reimi's a cognitive magic user for those interested in the snow games stuff. c:]

WET!

[dolcedeleche]

[Dolce is doing her best to dry out several layers of petticoats before even attempting the stairs when she sees the dog taking off like... well Pico. So she does what she would want anyone to do the ghost loli no, not strangle her and attempts to help wrangle the pup!]

Here, boy.

[Fortunately strings are usually pretty good at this, although untangling the ball of yarn later will be quite the undertaking!]

Somnus Lucis Caelum | Final Fantasy XV | familiar is winged, but undecided

[luciing]

A:  Arrival Nothing beside remains. Round the decay;

[ Water weighs upon dark hair and stygian robes alike, and the weight of his footfalls upon the icy shores inscribe a history of sandalprints behind him, dusted by the leaden sweep of his cloak. The man to whom the path trails stands apart as a specter would, grim and pale, yet purposeful in his gait. His familiar, a winged creature, soars beside him. With neither question nor surprise, he raises his left arm to have it perch upon his bracer as he walks, allowing it brief respite before it takes to the air once more. The sweep of its wings toss his hair; he pays it no heed.

 In this world, he has a form not bound by a statue. In this world, he is no longer a spirit.  Somehow having been gifted a physical body, the gelid air and icy water do, in fact, affect him now as they would any other, but he remains remotely silent, uncomplaining, even as the effects of the potion wear off. Perhaps being able to feel cold at all is as much of a shock as being summoned to another realm.

Long fingers lift to his mouth, pressing the pad of his index finger to his lower lip, where he had felt the press of the Everwarm vial earlier gifted from the Lady. Taste is also a sensation he's not had in the two millennia since his death...

Somnus proceeds. Find him either on the shore, ascending the Cliffs, or among those in the Caravan, looking very much the picture of immovable, austere antiquity (aka he is an Old Man^TM). Perhaps instead of the Cliff Beast, he'll reach out to steady your balance. Alternatively, find him inspecting the new technological devices given to him with that same grim, hawkish expression. ]

B: The Red Spring Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare;

[ Throughout the resort and town, Somnus can be found stalking about.
-> At times, he steps outside to the chilly training grounds to allow his winged familiar take flight (falconing is the sport of Kings, even if his winged familiar is not a falcon), but he can be easily spotted walking throughout the grounds with something resembling curiosity.
-> Have no access to his world's magic-- and crystal armory-- he's actually had to carry his own greatsword, which he does with relative and refined ease. Within the training grounds, he browses the rudimentary scabbards and leathers available. Perhaps he can be lent one until he finds a decent smithy.
-> Other times, he sits himself and goes about inspecting the new technology again, brow modestly furrowed as he turns over the smartphone once.
-> Finally, should you be temporarily roomed with him at the resort, have one (1) former phantom king entering without so much as a knock. ]

C: Brave of Soul The lone and level sands stretch far away

[ "In Celliwig lies the Magic Mirror of the South ....Parts of the mirror's frame have been damaged...Those interested, the party leaves at dawn."

You find yourself before the cave system with none other than, unfortunately, a less than openly comforting presence to seek the crystals needed to repair the Mirror.  Blessed, fresh air remains behind you; the standstill, thick shadows of the cave haunt before you; and none other than this (most likely) stranger stands with you, unmoving for all of three seconds before he steps forward. With one stride, he passes into the shadows of the cave, bidding thus: ]

Come.

Wildcard
[ You know what to do! <3 Feel free to adjust any of the prompts as necessary. ]

The Red Spring

[lucere]

[Despite his love of scholarly pursuits, it's here at the training grounds where Regis finds some semblance of peace. Back within the dark winding halls of the Citadel, the old king would often watch from afar as the Glaives would train in the courtyard. It's been years since Regis last seen the battlefield but he still yearned for combat. Despite his reluctance for war, Regis is quite similar to the warlike Caelums of yore. He enjoys testing his mettle against the younger recruits, especially since he often catches them by surprise. No one expects him to still be able to wield a blade nevertheless weave a spell. Therefore, he takes great pride in his training now that he's no longer ailing because of the Crystal's might. He has Avalon itself to thank for that but it's his perseverance that leads him to victory.]

Enough! That will enough exercise for today. [He announces to the stalwart newcomers he decided to take under his wing. Much like many others who venture to the training halls, Regis likes to volunteer as an instructor within these halls.] We shall resume tomorrow at first light.

[Regis says as he helps the stewards place the practice swords back upon the nearby weapon racks. He doesn't have to assist them but he does so anyway. After being waited on hand and foot for most of his life, Regis takes some pride in being able to do for himself.]

Do not dare keep me waiting either. Punctuality is the key to success.

[He was placing one of the halberds back within the weapons rack when he spots a familiar figure nearby. He glances over towards the young man with a smile, completely unaware that the man nearby isn't his dear son.]

Noctis, what are you doing here?

[He says quickly as he continues with his work, completely unaware of his error.]

Kaine | NieR

[pissoffbook]

Arrival:
A: "WHAT THE FUCK!" came the yell as the white haired woman surfaced from the cold depths. Her whole form was shivering and she could barely keep herself afloat because of it.

Until another woman approached her, forcing the potion to her lips.

Kainé was about to yell even more obscenities when she noticed that suddenly she wasn't freezing.

"Uh... thanks... I guess." she mumbled and swam to shore.

Once Kainé had climbed onto dry land, the reason for why she was overwhelmingly freezing was made evident. The girl was clothed in nothing but lingerie and heels!

She sat down on shore to catch her breath when a couple of shelled animals she had never seen before brought some of her belongings and dropped them in front of her, immediately turning and heading back into the water to grab more for the other unlucky souls to be dunked into the freezing lake. She put a hand to the side of her head a little apprehensive. Good. The Lunar Tear was still woven into her hair. Her swords were welcome though. She sighed and cradled her head in her hands.

"Where the hell am I? And why the fuck am I freezing my tits off..." she asked dryly to no one in particular.


Mirror Mirror
A: She hadn't even taken more than a few steps into the cave when she felt it.

"Hello Sunshine!" the voice in her head greeted, "Looks like your time might be running out."

"SHUT IT!"

... was her outward reply, but inside she was very much afraid. Kainé's chest heaved as she brought her arms up and around herself and tried to keep the Shade at bay, the black writing scrawling across her body and her form flickering between flesh and what looked like a black and gold poisoning.

And then she turned, to see a boy that looked as though he were some sort of really weird cloaked skeleton and an older man, though he was in pretty good shape all things concerned.

"Shit on a shingle!" she swore and addressed the older of the two. "Nier, take Emil and get the fuck out of here!...I... can't hold it back anymore..."

C:
She didn't know why she continued to travel with the other newcomers. It wasn't like they would want her around once they found out more about her. They passed a few worn down buildings, which didn't seem anything out of the ordinary to Kainé, but then the group stopped as if they were waiting for something.

"Why the hell not, I'll see what the big deal is and then ditch these losers." she thought when the the shanty town shimmered to life in a beautiful display of colors.

"Huh..." was all she managed, a surprisingly tame reaction if anyone else in the group had spent any time around her.

"Well, I'm out." she called to the group with a wave as they moved towards the crystal city, knowing there was no way she'd be welcome there.

She traveled a small bit away, but still stayed close enough to observe what was going on in the city. Then Kainé set up her own camp for the night, which was pretty much just a campfire. Maybe she would meet back up with them later and see where they were supposed to be heading. It's not like she had anything else to do in this hellhole.

WILDCARD: Hit me up if you wanna do anything with Kainé. Contact me on Discord: Millaa Maxwell#1225 or madrinabastet to plot as well!

((OOC: OHNO! Saw an Emil (my hand was forced!)... decided to try out my Kainé (First time I've actually played her so bare with me!)... I apologize for her! If you are offended by language you might want to stay far away from this girl))

mirror mirror (a)

[petrifyings]

[ After his unsuccessful attempt at going inside the cave to obtain a crystal, Emil decides to try again. Facing his biggest fear proved to be too much, but he's much more hopeful this time. Although he's not sure if that's going to work, he's determined to help out and get a crystal to repair the broken mirror.

Once he has stepped in, a familiar voice reaches his ears—that would be Kainé's yelling, which leaves Emil almost entirely sure that the illusion is about to unfold before his eyes once again. This time around, he keeps walking forward, following the voice. Seeing Kainé again only to watch her disappear is going to hurt, he knows it already.

Yet, he needs to believe. They will be together again someday.

It's not too surprising that Kainé's voice grows louder—it must simply mean he's getting closer. After a few more steps, he finally notices the woman clad in lingerie. ]

Kainé! W-What's wrong?! Is it—

[ Emil doesn't say anything about Nier not being here; it might make things worse. And it's already just like that time her body was taken over by the shade. Ignoring the potential danger, he rushes to cling to her, his arms wrapped tight around her to make sure she won't push him away. ]

Kainé, I'm here! I'm not going anywhere!

[ Even if it's an illusion, he's not leaving. Everything feels so real, though. ]

Pico | Rune Factory 4

[picoboo]

Arrival

A: AGGRGGRBBLPB!!!

[Pico was... not having an easy time. She hadn't exactly experienced the whole living, breathing, human thing in a very long time, and she'd sort of died before she ever learned how to swim. The lady of the lake and the friendly neighborhood turtles basically had to work double time for this little girl, and she's left gasping and panting on the shore.]

Do... Dolly? Where's Dolly?

[And... that's pretty much all anyone can get out of her for the first few minutes.]

WHERE! IS! MY! DOLLY?!?!?!

[Yup... she's definitely not happy.]

B: Bleh... I forgot how... bleh... being alive feels.

[She seems to have finally gotten over the whole Dolly debacle, but she's looking a bit squeamish while riding in the caravan. This is made a lot worse whenever she tries to use her magical rectangle she's told is a phone.]

Urrrgh... I don't... I don't like it...

C: Hnnnngh! Rrrrrrgh! Hiiiiiinnnnngggh! DANGIT!

[There is a little girl trying her best to flap her arms as if it will somehow magically make herself fly, or taller, or something, and she's staring longingly at a jar of cookies just out of reach.]

Come on you! It's bad enough that I don't get to go through walls, or fly, but I can't even enjoy something simple about being alive like cookies?! Come! To! PICO!

[Aaaand now she's jumping up and down, trying to reach said jar of cookies that once again, are too high up for someone of her size to reach.]

Grrr, GRRRR!

Snow Games

A: BWAHAHAHA!!! Beware puny mortals! For the time has come for the ultimate team up of Pico and [Insert character name here]! Now! Let us sally forth and-!

[Aaaand she trips and falls on her face because she totally forgot she's tethered to her partner, and they're probably bigger than she is.]

DOH!

B: Not a bad choice picking me as your partner you know~! I may be new, and I may not be the best at my magic, but I'm super lightweight and smart! Together we can totally win this race!

[Pico is feeling actually surprisingly enthusiastic about this particular challenge. Back in Selphia they had festivals and challenges, but racing was never one of them, and she actually was able to feel the wind on her face and the rush that came from a sled race!]

I'm working with the best magic of all for racing though, Kinetic! I'll speed us up, or slow down our foes, or push aside any obstacles, just you wait!

[She uh... probably will only be able to ever so slightly do any of those things because she barely understands the basic concepts of how to do things with magic here so... good luck.]

C: KYAAAAA!!! THIS WAS A BAD IDEA, BAD IDEA!

[Oops... Pico was not used to being alive and having giant yeti coming at her and her partner. She could feel the ground tremble, she could feel the cold snow, and she could feel her tiny limbs grappling her buddy as she tries to stay on their shoulders. She's not super cowardly or anything since dying isn't exactly that big a deal to her, but she doesn't like getting other people hurt!

She's pretty tiny, so easy to carry around the playing field but... she's also relatively useless.]

HEY! MISTER YETI! LOOK OVER THERE, A DISTRACTION!

[Oh look she used her kinetic magic to try and throw a snowball at the back of its head... maybe it's distracted?]

Mirror Mirror

A: Aww, not again!

[Pico is just stamping her foot angrily at the sight before her. It's apparent that nor much scares this girl, but what little does, annoys or angers her more than it scares her.]

Dolly snap out of it already!

[She's stomping over and... kicking whatever illusion is there, which seems to make it dissipate into a small little light spirit.]

Wait you're not Dolly... Oh. Okay.

[So... I guess she wasn't terribly afraid?]

B: AGGRGGRBBLPB!!! NOT AGAI-bbrrbbblll

[Aaaaaaaand Pico fell into the rapids and is drowning... a little help anyone? She was quite full of confidence that she was pure of heart, all she had to do was think of Dolly and surely anyone could realize she had only the most pure and wholesome intentions.

...

Obviously the universe did not agree with this assessment.]

C: It's so... pretty.

[Pico is just... poking her nose into all the things throughout the city. She eventually passed her trial of pure of heart, and was able to find her way to the lost crystalline city where she is trying her best to befriend the local populace despite their shy or unfriendly nature.]

Don't worry, I'm not gonna hurt ya! See? I'm just... well... a little girl! Boop.

[She tries to reach out to poke one of them with a dainty finger, but they scurry off before she can make contact, and she pouts.]

Wait up! I just wanted to be friends! [siiiiiiigh] I guess Dolly is the only one who will ever fully understand me.

Arrival A

[dolcedeleche]

Shut up. You're too noisy by half.

[Dolce is freezing and basically curled up in a ball of woe and ice and trying to warm up enough to get moving. She's so busy freezing, in fact, she hasn't even realized that Pico isn't ghostly yet.]

Nero tol Scaeva | FFXIV

[nerological]

Soaking in Your Arrival
Ew, swimming. Fully dressed, no less, everything was going to be godsdamned soaked. At least he could say one thing about this though: he wasn't going to be the only miserable one here, if the splashing and shouting of others being unceremoniously tossed into a lake wasn't indication enough of that. Good. There's questions of course, oh he has questions right off the bat, as soon as he has a potion in him and his limbs start working correctly, and wonder of wonders he was even able to ask said potion profferer without being a complete tool about it.

Which was what led him to slogging his slushy, chilly, cranky way up that stairway, making it a point at that moment to utterly ignore the tiny little pitch black coeurl kitten bouncing along beside him, none the worse for the wear despite it's harrowing dip, unlike it's brand new cantankerous master. No, someone else was going to get harassed instead, that nasty mood had to go somewhere, and he wasn't one for stoically stewing. That would be much too convenient for everyone else.

"You'd think they'd be able to put a bloody lift out here or something. It's uncomfortable enough to get tossed in a frozen lake, now we're expected to drag our freezing carcasses up stairs." And trust him, he'd caught sight of that sandy hand extending from the wall to catch up anyone clumsy enough to nearly take a tumble off the side. "Let alone one riddled with code violations." Because that clearly matters, specifically now that he's being inconvenienced.

The Red Spring

Magic, sure, okay. He'd just watch for a time on the sidelines, apparently none too interested in trying out his own magic. At least not immediately, chances were pretty good he didn't actually believe anything he'd been told about being able to do magic. He didn't seem the least bit surprised to see everyone else around him casting spells, of course, it's not like he didn't think magic exists, that wasn't the issue. Instead he seemed content to vent the circumstances of that issue at the noisy kitten doing figure eights around his legs, occasionally trying to bound out into the training arena as if trying to coax him to follow along with it.

“Don't look at me like that, what do you expect me to do, hm? If you wanted a mage, you should have summoned a mage- I said stop it.” He'd awkwardly step around the little beast, gesturing sharply with one hand. “I can't use magic, that's physically imposs-” BANG.

And just like that, for the briefest moment, a brilliant blue bolt of lightning fired from his fingertips, grounding out in a little black pit. That seemed to snap him out of whatever tirade he was about to go on, yanking his smoking hand back down to stare at it for a long... long moment.

A shame no one here might know his face, but that smile starting to creep across it might just seem recklessly discomforting to a complete stranger as well. “... Well now.”

Pure of Heart

Pure of what? Forget it, he knows what leap of faith means. He'd seen plenty of people already make this jump. Well... as far as he was concerned, plenty enough people. Looked like they just stepped right the hell out onto the raging rapids. No, he might not know the precise design nor make of this odd bridge (and a shame for it, he'd much rather spend his time learning what made the invisible walkway work than cross it for a crystal), but he'd seen things much alike to it in Eorzea, didn't seem that complicated. He wasn't just going to stand here all damn day though and watch a bunch of other idiots wander across the invisible bridge. Pure of heart had to be a relative term, what was purity anyway, right?

… Well no, apparently it wasn't relative and there were actually hard and fast rules to heart purity who could have guessed not him, because he had straight up stepped off into the void and was now desperately clinging to the rocks in the rapids, cursing a blue streak as the coeurl kitten darted frantically about the rocks, howling it's little lungs out. Oops, not as kekaku.

Red Spring

[bendless]

Sokka sympathizes with the guy. That's exactly what he thought. He can't control any element because he was born without the ability to bend. Yet he made fire out of thing air. And this guy looked to be elemental magic user like him.

"It's a lot to take in, isn't it? Suddenly being able to do something like that."

Dolce | Rune Factory 4 | Cognitive Magic / Familiar: Marionetta

[dolcedeleche]

Arrival A: Soaking!

Elegant gothic lolita dresses and a silk top hat are not swimwear. Dolce has a perfectly serviceable bikini, but she also has enough sense not to go swimming in winter, and although she's not giving anyone a tongue-lashing over it, the way she's clutching her stick and desperately trying to dry everything, it's clear how much she wants to. Might be best to keep moving and not become her victim.

Arrival B: Familiar and not so familiar:

Dolce looks doubtfully at the ghost marionette. "Why isn't it Pico?" Of course finding out that Pico is alive and has her own familiar, is beyond amusing and even gets a gentle smile out of Dolce. "I see." She nods to the giant marionette. "Don't get any ideas. Things are different now. We have to save more than just Venti and Selphia, understand?" Even if it wasn't the same monster she'd turned guardian mode with, it had an eerie enough resemblance to be annoying.

On the carriage ride, she fumbles a little with her smart phone, but is quickly relieved to find the instructions and help guide, and settle into trying to learn it all as quickly as possible. And quickly covers Pico's mouth with a hand to shush her, and puts headphones over her no longer ghostly ears(?!) "You are getting very sleepy," she commands... anyone.

Arrival C: Hot Springs & Knitting

Dolce's already beginning to miss Selphia, but hot springs are reminiscent of Lin-Fa's inn (and hot springs), so Dolce readily goes for healing and restoring her brain powers. Cognitive powers. That. She doesn't take out the twintails in the bath however, she does that for showers, this is for something else entirely. She also brought along... knitting. In a hot spring. Why not?


Snow Games A: Foot Race

Dolce is more than content to just take her time with this. Race? What race. If everyone runs into obstacles, they will also clear them before she gets there. Sorry, partner, but does this dress look like it was made for running in the snow?

Mirror Mirror A: Brave of Soul

Dolce is not going to pass this test. She crumples to the floor once (semi-instantly) evicted, trying not to cry. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she just repeats on end.

Mirror Mirror B: Pure of Heart

Dolce is a little embarrassed how easy this is for her. Please don't call her out on it... that's so embarrassing. It's not that she's pure, it's just that you're all probably quite wicked, okay. But she does try to use her knitting as a rope to pull those who failed to safety.

Arrival B

[picoboo]

I'm still your familiar in spirit milady!

[In other words you'll never get rid of her, even if she is human... also because she's a little girl and would be incredibly lost without her guardian figure.]

Hahaha! Shows what you know! I'm not tired! I'm not sleepy at all!

[Except for the whole eyes drifting closed thing.]

I'm just... uh... resting my eyes...

[Aaaaaand she's kind of drifting off here. Oops.]

Dawn | Pokemon (anime) | OTA

[sinnohcoordinated]

Arrival

A.

[It seems that there's another new arrival in the books: a young girl in poorly-chosen clothes with a small blue penguin by her side. After both take the time to stop being so water-logged, they proceed to... shiver.]

I... I don't think we're in Sinnoh anymore, Piplup...

Piiiip...

Just where are we? And I feel so much more different... What's going on here?

B.

[Dawn was of two minds at this point. On one hand, she felt kinda naked without her usual Pokemon around outside of just Piplup. On the other hand, magic? Actual magic? That actually sounds really cool!

For now, she's going to be focusing on the the smart phone she got, messing around with all that's there.]

Oh, wow, it has so many cool things here! I didn't realize it could hold so many! Makes my Poketch look basic! Have you seen anything like this?

Magic Mirror

A. [So, a magic cave, huh? No problem. But, it seems that Piplup is not too keen on letting Dawn go, grabbing her boot and not letting go.]

Piplup, what's wrong? You're acting really odd!

Piiiiip...!

Look, I know you don't wanna go in, but this seems like a great chance for us to see what we can do! Plus we can prove how awesome we are!

Piiiiiiiiiiip!

B.

[Ooookay. So, there's a broken bridge before them. That's great. But, things seem odd, especially with the plaque they're reading.]

"The pure of heart will form the bridge with a leap of faith"? Do we have to jump across?

Pip?

...well, Ash did a lot of stubborn and dangerous stuff before, so...!

[Please stop the girl from jumping.]

C. Wildcard

(OoC: Hit me up with other ideas if you have them!)

Arrival A

[phoenixwiz]

Oh hello there, Miss: we’re currently in the Isle of Avalon. I do apologise that you and your little penguin friend had just arrived here in the freezing cold today, I wasn’t expecting to come here as well two months ago.

(Harry is, as usual, helping out some of the newcomers to get briefed on their current situation and where they are in. Rose is sitting on her master’s right shoulder, squeaking at Dawn and Piplup.)

Wait here, I’ll get you a towel and cloak for you and your little penguin friend. (Quickly, he grabs a big towel and cloak for Dawn and a smaller one for Piplup, passing them onto her once he got back from where towels and cloaks are being distributed.)

[daemon_militis]

Arrival
A-
Considering the chaotic nature of the demon world, finding reality warping around him and being plunged into a lake was not the oddest thing to happen. After the initial disorientation, Vergil quickly swam to the shore. Once there, he took stock of his surroundings. The woman that had given him the potion in the lake didn't seem to be a demon, and even if she was, he wasn't exactly in a position to fight her. Deciding to cross that bridge at a later time, he closed his eyes for a moment, reaching upward mentally attempting to pull himself to a higher point on the stairs like he had done so many times before only for... nothing to happen. This was upsetting. He attempted to will one of his Mirage Blades into being and again was met with nothing. His face turning into a grimace, he drew Yamato, slashing a cross pattern in the air expecting something but again... nothing. He couldn't even call his doppleganger or assume his demonic form, and it was all extremely angering to the son of Sparda.

As he climbed the stairs, the look on his face made it clear that it would take just the slightest provocation to start a fight. Of course as he walked, he was shadowed by what appears to be a panther with glowing lines along its body. Whether Vergil was aware of the creature following him was unclear.

B-
Vergil wasn't sure what to make of the explanation given by Archimedes regarding his place here, not that he was paying too much attention. He was still too busy fuming over the loss of his powers to process much else. That said, on the long ride back to Camelot, he found himself poking at the smartphone idly, exploring what it could do. Eventually he brought himself to the video section of the network, seemingly accidentally making and posting a video. It was a quick one, just a few seconds of him staring at his phone and poking at the screen with a bored look on his face, but that would be enough for anyone who recognized him to be amply alerted to his presence.

B

[birdflipping]

[Nero's just idly flicking through the network himself when he sees a face he definitely didn't expect to see. But it's gone almost as quickly, leaving him to pause for a second and squint at his phone.]

The hell?

[Still, he'll turn on his video to reply. You know. Just in case he isn't just seeing things.]

Is that Merlin guy fucking with the network again?

Ryne | FFXIV | Light magic, undecided familiar

[minifilia]

(( Please let me know if you want to avoid 5.4 spoilers! I am considering a small Forgiven Reticence as her familiar, so feel free to play off that if you want! ))

I. Arrival

(( Possible 5.4 spoilers ))

A. (Soaking) [ The cold water is a shock when Ryne lands in it. She would’ve thought she was dreaming if it didn’t chill her down to her bones. She manages to swim to the surface, coughing loudly and disoriented. The Lady frightens her at first, but she doesn’t resist since she doesn’t really have the strength too. Thankfully she’s here to help, and Ryne’s on her way after that encounter.

She’s swimming to the shore when one of the turtles scoop her up onto its back. It spooks her, but it only takes a moment to realize it’s here to help. Ryne holds on tight, and if she weren’t so disoriented and cold, it might actually be fun. But alas, she really can’t enjoy herself like this.

Her eyes dart around as she tries to take in the scene around her, and they land on someone nearby in the water. She tries to get the turtle to slow down to help them, holding out her hands toward you. ]

Take my hands!

[ Or perhaps you meet her on the shore. Thanks to the turtle, Ryne makes it to safety, feet on solid ground at last. The cold has already exhausted her, so she makes sure to thank the creature for the lift. She rubs her arms as she looks around, and naturally she’s drawn to the staircase. She’d gawk in awe if her lips weren’t trembling so much. ]

Wh-What is this place…?

[ She takes in a deep breath before taking a step forward toward the cliffs. Maybe you could join her? ]

B. (Caravan) [ Ryne’s feeling a lot better once she’s warmed up with a coat and on her way with the carriage, but she’s almost just as confused as before. How did she end up in this mysterious world? Where is Gaia? She was so focused on making sure she was safe before that she didn’t consider these things until now. But even still, she doesn’t have all the answers she needs even with the short explanation they were given.

She’s been given a helpful resource though: the smartphone. She’s never had one, but they remind her of the tomestones from back home for the look alone. But also it doesn’t take her long to learn as she’s always been a quick learner.

So soon enough, Ryne sends out a message: ]

Hello? My name is Ryne and I just arrived here. I apologize for the stiffness of this message, but I’ve never done anything like this before. I was wondering if anyone could tell me more about this place. It’s my first time traveling to another world, and I’m not sure what to think. I feel like I should be home instead...

III. Mirror, Mirror (Brave Soul)

(( Eden 5.4 spoilers ))

[ It’s hard for her to ignore a call to action, so Ryne heads out when she receives the message. She decides to explore the caverns, daggers ready on her hips. It doesn’t take long until the illusion starts to form. She readies herself, about to draw her weapons, but then what she sees makes her stop. Her eyes grow wide in horror as a familiar figure stands before her and blocks her path ahead. ]

N-No… not again... [ But she takes a deep breath to calm herself and draws her blades. ] You won’t stand in my way!

[ It may be hard to take on her own, though, so maybe lend a hand…? ]

Wildcard

(( If these prompts aren’t working for you, feel free to make your own! Or plot with me at sekoshi! ))

3. mirror mirror (DAUGHTER!!!)

[emet_sulk]

[ Emet-Selch is unusually quiet and subdued on his way back out of the cave. Who knew that an ancient being such as himself could still fear something? Still, he has the crystal, and thus he has passed the first test. If test it can be called.

Partway through the cave, he comes across a familiar young woman facing off against a-- well, his first instinct is to name it as the girl's adopted guardian, but the figure is draped in her first, older guardian's partner beast. That odd combination alone gives him pause and he watches her face off against it.

He hasn't hidden himself. Ryne will likely spot him eventually when her focus isn't on her conjured fear. But if aught starts to go awry, he'll step in himself or raise his voice in warning. ]

Sakura Kinomoto | Cardcaptor Sakura

[mysticadventure]

🌸The Lady of the Lake🌸


When Sakura plunged into the waters just after leaving her home for school, she wondered if somehow the Sakura Cards had gotten out of control. But even as the cold waters continued to nearly overpower her, she saw the beautiful lady of the lake and drank the potion she was given. She felt it warm her body right up and she was soon swept away by the ice turtles. What was going on? She didn't sense any magic.

In fact, she couldn't sense her own magic either.

That wasn't good at all! Once she was on the shore, she thanked the kind sea turtles. They also produced her backpack and hat as part of her elementary school uniform. She held it tight to her chest, shivering from the cold. She sniffled suddenly, not just from the cold but from the burn in her eyes. She was frightened, really, and she didn't have Kero or her cards. Her key was still around her neck but she could sense no power from it. She sniffled again, her face crumpled as her shoulders shook. But then, she felt something soft and furry gently brush the tears from her eyes and she blinked, bright green eyes taking in the big, dark dog that had used its tail to wipe her tears.

It wasn't a normal dog, that's for sure. Its tail was like wispy darkness. The entire dog was black too, but she could tell it was gentle. And kind. She sniffled again, holding her things tighter to herself. "Who're you?"

"I am a church grim and your familiar."

"My... what? I don't understand."

"Follow me, there are others who also arrived. Same as you. Everything will be explained on the way, kiddo."

"O-Okay."

She had a lovely voice, Sakura decided. She reached out hesitantly, but the grim stood still and let Sakura pet her. And then, as others would soon see, a very large black dog was now leading an eleven year old girl towards the caravan.

🌸Caravan🌸


Sakura sipped the warm drink, snuggled in the cloak she was given, and listened to the explanation that her familiar told her she would get. So, that's what happened. Something magical was clearly behind it, bigger magic than she had encountered thus far. This seemed like bad news, but why would her powers get stripped if they needed help? Then again, she was going to learn new magic. Hm...

She took another sip and then pulled up the AOL network.

Toya? Yuki-san? Tomoyo-chan?

...Syaoran-kun? Dad? Is there anyone else here from Tomoeda?

This is Sakura Kinomoto.

🌸Inn Rooms🌸


"Um, pardon the intrusion..." Sakura called out as she knocked and entered. So far, the other rooms had been completely occupied, so she has been trying to find a room with either no occupants or just one. "I'm looking for a room, is there room in this one?"

The church grim followed behind her, silent and nonplussed for now. It didn't seem occupied at first glance and she took in the amenities. It really did seem like any other inn room. Of course, that also made her wonder what she would be doing from here on out. Was there a school she had to attend? What about fending for herself? She knew how to cook but she didn't have any money either.

"Don't worry, kiddo. Things will work out. You have that special spell of yours, don't you?"

Sakura gasped lightly, how did she know? But it made her smile and she nodded. "Mm! Everything will surely be alright. Thank you."

[Just testing for now, I'm not quite ready for a second character and I might age bump her to 13, at the start of Clear Card, but I just wanted to see how she takes to the setting first before I make any decisions. I can also make a prompt or if you wanna wildcard something, go for it or send me a PM. c:]

Caravan

[bendless]

Hello Sakura. I'm sorry, but I haven't heard from any of those people or the place you're from... but they could very well be here.

I'm assuming you're new? I'm Sokka! If you have questions, I'll try my best to answer them.

Aerith Gainsborough | FFVII

[inemeraldfaith]

01. Not Kelpful

Oh, really!

[Aerith takes her skirts in her hands and she twists the fabric to squeeze the water out. While she's come to expect the unexpected, wherever it is she's come to, this wasn't what she expected. And although she had some help with some very friendly (if not slightly intimidating-looking) turtles, they weren't exactly capable of giving her any information.

Taking her hair into her hands, she's squeezing the water from that too as she tries to get a better look at the Rent-a-Ride centre. But instead of asking for a ride, she's asking what she thinks is the optimal question.]

Hi there, I know I'm showing up a little shoddy, but do you think you could point me in the direction of Midgar?

02. On the Road Again ♫♪

[The explanation is nice and warranted. At least once it's given. It's better than wandering around without a single clue as to what she should be doing or how to get back to...

Well. It doesn't matter now, does it? Midgar is frozen, right? That's what they said.

Aerith is eyeing the drake in all of its glory.]

So you're responsible for all of this, right? [She asks it, as if she expects an answer.] If that's true, there's going to be some ground rules while we're rooming together. But I'm sure we'll get along just fine.

[Because surely there's nothing strange about someone carrying on a conversation with their familiar, right?]

03. Pure as Snow

[She's not sure how she even got roped into this, but if everyone else is going along, what's the harm in humouring them? All things considered, Aerith's having a difficult time not being a bit nonchalant about everything.

The truth is, she doesn't fully understand where they're going or what they're doing. She doesn't really know anything about the kingdom or the fae, but it's important. And the moment magic has entered the situation...

Well. She knows a little something about that.

Either way, she's found herself at the bridge and its accompanying plaque. It doesn't take her long to figure it out. It helps that there are those who have gone before her. She has no difficulty traversing across the water and about halfway, she pauses and turns.]

...Come on! You can do it!

[Is she cheering you on? You bet she is.]

04. Wildcard

[Exactly what it says! Please feel free to hit me up to hash out some plans.]

01

[luciing]

[ Aerith has approached none other than a man who appears positively unapproachable, or at the very least, stone-faced with a sharp frown across his lips. That is to say, he seems quite the grim and grumpy one. Similarly waterlogged from head to toe, both his dark hair and his dark robes and cloak cling to him. Yet for all of this unkempt appearance, he stands as if untouched and unbothered by the cold.

(But he is. He is effected by the cold. He's just not used to having a flesh-and-blood body.)

Somnus angles his head towards her as she posits a question, blinking slowly as water falls from matted bangs over his vision. When he opens his eyes again, the woman still stands before him, soaked through just as he, and looking up at him as if he could give the answers she seeks.

So. This isn't some sort of fever-dream? He realizes, then, that he feels not a sliver of the Crystal's power. That is all he needs to know. ]

Maiden, [ he addresses her thus, then turns his head towards the white cliffs before them. ] attend to your surroundings; we stand not within our realms.

"kaede" | original character

[monostich]

arrival; b
[To say this is unexpected would be an understatement, he thinks. It's a far cry from the facility in Etrana - there's not nearly as much water there. Or... Anything that could compare to this place at all. Oh, he's sure there's a whole wide and varied world with incredible landscapes all over Etrana, but he's certainly never seen them.

So he's more than a little fascinated by the scenery going by on the carriage ride, looking out the window as things pass by. He's not paying attention to the cat(?) with far too many eyes, and the cat has decided to protest this by climbing onto the lap of his carriage mates and yelling.

So far it's... Not working.]

c
[He was kind of hoping he would have a private room. Thinking about it, it makes sense he'd need to share - there are a lot of people here - but he's still kind of disappointed. He would have appreciated some privacy after how overwhelming it's been today, but... Hopefully the person he's sharing with his nice.

He steels himself, stepping into the room he was assigned and if there's someone already there he plasters on a smile that does nothing to disguise how shy and awkward he feels.]

Ah, good evening. I'm... Your roommate for the night.

[And if there's nobody in the room yet, he hovers for a moment, staring at the beds before getting distracted by all the technology in the room. He's probably squinting at the movies whenever his roommate decides to show up, looking incredibly confused.]

snow games; b
[Does he know what a sled is? No. Is that going to stop him from giving this race his all? Also no!]

Excuse me.

[Hopefully he's not being a bother, but...]

Are you looking for a partner for the sled race?

[He sounds so hopeful...! And just a little bit excited. This is all very, very new and he just wants to try all of it before something terrible happens.

He probably shouldn't assume something terrible will happen, but, well. It seems all a bit too good to be true.]

wildcard;
[What it says on the tin! Feel free to hit me up with anything - he'll be participating in the games and mirror stuff equally and there is a very incomplete info post for him over here if you want a bit of information on him - or hit me up at daintily or via PM to make plans!]

Snow Games

[hyperdrivemonalisa]

[Isabel turns, and then grins, eyes sparkling as she takes him in. Excited? Her? Maybe. It's been a while since she's been sledding, after all. It wasn't that Pittsburgh never got snow; just that she got busy.]

Sure! You wanna join me? I'm Isabel. I'll grab a sled!

[Worried about what his magic might be? Nope. She's got confidence in spades, after all. Her familiar, a cat-sized dragon with fluffy blue-and-cream fur, sniffs at one of his boots before looking up at him with huge green eyes.]

Don't mind her, she's harmless!

Riku | Kingdom Hearts

[darkdivide]

((While I'm undecided on what type of magic he'll have (maybe Light idk?), Riku's familiar will be the adorable Komory Bat. Canon point is post Re:Mind DLC with no MoM inclusions yet.))

Arrival - Training Grounds

[Not having access to his normal abilities was frustrating to say the least. So when Riku catches wind of the training grounds that they had access to and finally gets his bearings, he soon heads out that way. If he's expected to help save the worlds again, he may as well start getting a handle on what magic this world has given him.]

So, there are different types of magic here, huh? What are they?

[Start with the basics first. He gets the inkling that magic works differently here and that everyone has a different skill set, unlike back home. Feels a bit weird if he's honest, but he's willing to work with that.]

Snow Games - Snow Chicken

[It feels weird to be so new to this place and yet, get instantly thrown into the festivities. Riku's been minding his own business and observing how things operate in this world, when someone grabs him by the arm, screams something in his ear ("Hey! This guy's pretty tall!") and seemingly throws him into the Snow Chicken ring with someone else.

He's a little disoriented, but after a quick glance around, Riku guesses that someone decided to volunteer him for the game. Against some pretty ferocious looking and giant opponents...]

Haven't played this in a long time... [More like ages. It feels like an eternity ago that he played this game with Sora and Kairi.

Kneeling down near his partner, he smirks slightly and motions to his back.] Ready to knock some yetis down?

Mirror, Mirror - Brave of Soul

[Admittedly, when he heard the proclamation, Riku wasn't sure about going. He was intent on learning more about this world (especially since he can't seem to willingly leave) and this didn't seem like a bad opportunity, even though he knows he's not pure of heart. Brave of soul though... maybe he could do that? He didn't possess Sora's infinite courage, but... well, there's a reason his new Keyblade was called Braveheart, and he has been trying to channel the other boy's mindset and strength.

But he had not expected to completely freeze during the trial. It wasn't the illusion of his lost best friend that stopped him, but the words are haunting him even as he wakes up outside the cave.

"You're never going to find me..."

So here Riku is, sitting dejectedly in the snow and staring daggers at the cave entrance. He just needs to compose himself for a few minutes.]

Wildcard
((Feel free to hit me up via PM if none of these strike your fancy!))

training grounds;

[monostich]

[Well, he... Sort of has answer for that! He’s spent most of his time in Camelot so far looking into magic and how it’s different from the magic of his world.]

From my count, there seems to be about eight categories, though each is pretty broad.

[And he’s not including things like potions or magic items in that count...]

Do you really want a rundown on each one?

[Because he’s more than willing to explain if Riku knows what he’s in for.]

Severus Snape | Harry Potter

[deathdefected]

[ooc: hello! this is my first time playing severus, so apologies if my characterization is off. I'm basing him primarily off the movies, as i haven't read the books, excluding some a couple of individual passages, which i will be taking into account nontheless! and just as a disclaimer, i want it to be clear that I do not support j.k. rowling or condone her transphobic attitudes in any way. as far as i'm concerned, harry potter doesn't belong to her anymore - but if you're uncomfortable with interacting with a character from the hp franchise, I completely understand! if I end up apping severus, i'll be making an opt-out post for interactions with him, so please let me know if you'd rather avoid writing with this account. thank you! ]

Arrival

[ The last thing he remembers is dying.

It was... painful. And lonely, in a way that he wasn't quite prepared for. But no, he wasn't alone... not at the very end, at least. He'd talked to Potter, hadn't he?

...So is this the afterlife, then? He can only assume. If that's the case...

Severus had dreamed of meeting Lily after his death many times, but… he had never dared to put any faith in that faint hope of his. For one thing, he's always felt that there's no way somebody like him could end up in the same place as her. Even so, though... he can feel his heart speed up a little at the thought of seeing her again.

But... what would he even say to her? It's not like there's any way he could ever make up for what he's done.

Once he’s on land, Severus realizes that he really… has no idea what’s going on here. There’s people around – the sheer number of them surprises him – here, but he doesn’t recognize any of them at all. If this really is the afterlife, he'd expect to see at least some faces from the war, surely? Though it's not like he has any clue how the afterlife works.

Did they win? Was everything worth it? Or did he manage to accomplish nothing, in the end?

...He doesn't know. That might be the worst part of all this.

With a composed expression, betraying none of his feelings at all, he turns to the person closest to him, and asks in a dull tone- ]

I don't suppose you know what's going on here?

RED SPRING | Training Grounds.

[ Having his magic taken away from him is... disconcerting. In more ways than one. It makes him feel vulnerable in a way that he hasn't felt for a very long time. His wand might as well be nothing more than a glorified stick, now.

Of course, it's been explained to him that he does have magic, still. It's just that it functions completely differently from the magic that he's known his whole life. It's... frustrating, and that's the least he can say about it, but by now he's come to terms with it, and the fact that accepting it is all he can do. So the first step is figuring out just what kind of magic he has.

He doesn't like the fact that he'll need someone's help for it, but he's not a fool. Going to the training grounds and asking around is probably the fastest way to deal with this.

And so that's what he does.

Once he's arrived, he takes a moment to look around, watching to see how everyone else is getting along with their magic. Now, who to approach... ]

WILDCARD

[ Feel free to throw anything at me that you'd like! My plurk is Rivenix, so if you're interested in plotting something out feel free to message me there as well. ]

Arrival (Oh Hi Again, Professor Snape.)

[phoenixwiz]

(The last things Harry is expecting now are voices and faces from home. Having been in Avalon for two months has him given up hope of seeing anyone from his world ever again and he is hoping that restoring time and Avalon’s magic will have him going back home soon.

But lowered expectations has gone south when he hears a voice that is so familiar, too familiar. So he turns around and his jaws drop upon seeing someone he thought had died back in the Battle: all in black and probably not too pleased of the arrival.)

P-p-p-Professor Snape!?! I thought I saw you dying back home, in Nagini’s fangs, and asking me to see your memories. Well, um, you see: People are being brought over here from various worlds, including ours, to help out Avalon during this time of need. I am not sure if this makes any sense, but here you go.

Bakugou Katsuki | My Hero Academia

[apshot]

( Red Spring: Rooms )

[ Anyone that has caught sight of Bakugou prior to being in the rooms probably has seen him go off on just about anyone and everyone. Making demands. Telling them that they need to send him back home or he'll kill them. Bakugou is volatile and full of emotions. Unfortunately his only way of really expressing himself is through violence and yelling. Even if he's actually calmed down dramatically in the last year, this is a new and rather stressful situation. Some of that progress has just gone out the window.

But that isn't what's happening here. It's actually a stark contrast from the image that he had been putting off. Instead of this delinquent trashing the place, he's actually sitting on one of the beds. Bakugou doesn't bother with the movies or games or anything else. No, he has a notebook while continuing to look at the smartphone, scribbling things down.

A nerd is a nerd even in disguise, really. Don't call him that but honestly, he's already studying up on how this world works. ]


( Red Spring: Training Grounds )


Meditation circles aren't going to do shit for me!

[ Ah, there Bakugou goes again. This time it's aimed at one of the teachers that suggested he sit down and try to figure out how to channel his magic so that they may understand what gifts he has been blessed with. Mediation and Katsuki just don't mix. He's not actually the quiet type. ]

Give me something more practical or -

[ But as he's getting more aggressive - assertive he'd say! - something does happen. He throws his hand up in his classic warning before he explodes something and though there's no explosion? There's flame. ]

Aww shit. [ Well at least now he knows? ] Wouldn't that Half n Half Bastard be thrilled about this shit.


( Brave Soul )

[ Honestly all of this is such bullshit. Magic. Fae. Proving their worth by going on a quest? It's so fucking nerdy that he's sure Deku is absolutely enjoying himself. The rest of the extras probably would be too. Katsuki, on the other hand, is still having a hard time grasping the situation and reconciling it with leaving the other one back home behind for the moment.

Probably why his small dragon familiar continues to sit on his shoulder. It's about the size of a small cat and red in coloration, just resting there as they go into the cave. ]

This is so stupid.

[ Facing one's fears huh? For Katsuki... Well his illusion is none other than himself. It doesn't come in the form of an older version of himself. It's not even the same self. In fact, it flickers between a version of Bakugou that's clearly a child and another that wears a black uniform instead.

Anyone nearby really won't understand. There's probably only one or two people that likely would realize why Katuski's greatest fear is none other than himself. The real one is oddly quite and the dragon on his shoulder even looks wary. ]

What a joke.


( Pure of Heart )

This really is nerdy bullshit. "Pure of heart it says." There are so many ways to interpret that.

[ Pure of heart. More like pure of what? Someone can be pure evil. Others are just purely good. Or maybe it really is just asking for someone to be dumb enough to just walk out there thinking that they can push on no matter what. That concept makes Katsuki huff.

It also makes him pause as other people start to cross without a care in the world. If they can do it, then he should be able to as well, right? ]


( Wildcard )

[You know what to do]

Training Grounds

[bakudan_bambino]

[Gokudera's been looking out over the training grounds, hoping to see a familiar face so he can get a family member back to the boss. It's odd that he and the baseball idiot have shown up... but no one else from their family. He's also looking for anyone who seems to have elemental magic like his boss, so he might be able to screen them as potential help when it comes to training with flames. The explosive's expert is keeping his distance, though.

The flames on that blonde guy's hand catch his eye as well as his remark about the training not being practical.]

Oy.

[Gokudera's got a cigarette in his mouth and a bubble in his hand. It's full of... something odd.]

Oi. Want to train with some combat? Maybe something a little more practical, then?

[This is likely a bad idea, because Gokudera's gut is telling him so, and he's ignoring it. Common sense is not common. Here you go, Bakugou. Care to train with someone who is constantly smuggling explosives all over his person? What could possibly go wrong?]

Gaia | Final Fantasy XIV

[penumbrals]

( Potential for 5.4 spoilers here; please let me know if you'd prefer to steer clear!
I'm currently leaning toward dark magic, and a Voidwalker (Gaia is the armored figure being held by the one in the picture) for her familiar, somewhat smaller most of the time no doubt! )

1. Soaking

[ The cold of the water isn't the first thing that strikes Gaia as problematic. Even if it were, she'd never admit it. She is aligned with Darkness, after all; does not the cover of darkness come hand in hand with the chill of the evening? (Were he here, she supposes Urianger would argue with her, tell her that her darkness and the night's darkness are two entirely different concepts, and that the umbral element is an entirely separate part of the elemental system of which ice is a part. But his being here would require him being underwater, which—) No, the icy cold of the water is not the Oracle of Darkness's immediate problem.

The problem is that actually, Gaia has no idea if she actually knows how to swim.

It's a problem that's quickly taken from her, along with the cold that's sinking into her bones, by the arrival of the red-haired woman and the ice turtles that appear in the wake of her departure. Just like that, she's warm again, and on the shore, her hammer at her feet, staring in utter displeasure at the surrounding scenery. It's with that unimpressed expression that she seeks the attention of whomever is closest to her, her arms folding over her chest once she has it. ]

Tell me the name of this place.

[ It's asked(?) in her usual demanding, haughty tone, uncaring of whether the person whose attention she's sought is as drenched through as she is. She's forgetful, but she is positive that she would not cease to remember a place in its entirety, and that means that she's no longer home. That's her new problem, and she has decided that this person will be the one to help her solve it. ]

2. The Caravan

[ There's a special kind of anxiety in being told that one's home world - that all the other worlds - are frozen in time. Helping to fix things is apparently just part of what she does now, at least since meeting Ryne and her friends, but... Gaia is not particularly fond of the idea that apart from this, all of the worlds that exist and all of their peoples are left behind, frozen in time, like the city far below the surface of the ocean surrounding Eulmore.

If all the worlds are frozen in time, and all the people are a part of their own world, then... what of the others? What of Urianger and Thancred and all of the othes back on the Source? What of the rift-traveling Warrior of Darkness?

What of Ryne?

It's this last thought, most dreaded and pervasive of all, that has the usually-contact-averse young woman picking up the smart phone she was given and sending a message out to the network service: ]

I am seeking a young woman of approximately fifteen summers. Red hair, pink ribbon, white dress.
She answers to the name 'Ryne'.
Kindly inform me immediately if you are aware of her presence here.

[ She's trying to be polite. Really, she is. ]

3. Mirror, Mirror : Pure of Heart
( 5.4 spoilers! )

[ The first stop was hard enough. Gaia's hands, clenched white-knuckled on her hammer, are still trembling more than she'd like. The being in front of her in the cave had not really been Artemis, in much the same way it had not really been, in some way, herself, bereft of the memories she's made in this life. Her determination to face that fear head-on had seen it transformed into a spirit of light, a creature that helped her to complete her first quest before starting on the second. Hard enough, but it's done now.

However, its effects on her psyche are far from invisible. How can someone like her, with all the bloodstained selfishness of her past self, ever be pure of heart? In the name of bringing back those they lost, she and Artemis took the lives of so many others. Lives that her past self believed were worthless... lives such as the one she's living now, lives full of so many little joys, so many reasons to want to cling to. Not worthless. But also not pure. Her brush with her illusory past self and her protector reminded her of that much.

And so here she is. There are others around her, stepping off the bridge and over the water, seeming to magically form bridges through willpower alone, but Gaia stands in silence in front of the plaque, arms trembling with the effort of holding her hammer despite everything she's just been through, a pained look on her face. ]

4. Wildcard

( Nothing quite catches your fancy? Feel free to hit her with something random, or poke me at denouements if you want something specific! )

mirror;

[monostich]

[Pure of heart seems like a tall ask, he thinks, as he looks at the bridge. It's not much of a comfort to see that he's the only one who's hesitating or uncertain, and he's seen a couple people fall into the water. Judging people for something where nobody knows the parameters seems incredibly unfair to him, but he can't say it's not something he's used to.

Still.

He glances to the woman, noting the trembling and the look on her face. He hesitates for a moment, before speaking up in a quiet voice.]

I don't think there's a punishment for failure. [...] But I know that probably isn't very reassuring.

Y'shtola Rhul | Final Fantasy XIV

[blessedmatoya]

Arrival A
By the time one of the ice turtles tows Y'shtola - disoriented, disconcerted, and deeply displeased with everything this day has chosen so far to be - up onto the beach and lumbers back into the water in search of the next new arrival in need of rescuing, she has little in mind beyond getting her bearings, wringing out her skirts, and tracking down whoever is responsible for this little indignity. She's midway through the second item on that list, ears twitching and swivelling as she tracks the occasional unhappy voice of others washed up on the beach in what seems to be a similar state to her own, when the crunch of claws on ice far too nearby for comfort draws her immediate attention.

As she's attempted - fruitlessly - to do far too many times in the quarter-bell since she'd landed in the frigid water, she reaches for the familiar glow of aethersight. No image resolves, but this time, there's a sense of something there, as though she's grazed her fingers against something well beyond the reach of her hand. Something that yelps in high-pitched canine betrayal.

That something is a juvenile faehound, which goes tumbling ass-over-teakettle at the inadvertent telekinetic shove of its bonded mistress. Which should, at least, prove amusing for those drying off nearby.

Arrival C
If Y'shtola had ever been inclined to avoid water, her time stationed in La Noscea had long since cured her of that aversion. After a sodden, chilly ride in a bumpy caravan, a dip in a hot spring sounds like sheer perfection, and she wastes little time setting her waterlogged clothing out to dry and making her careful way down to the springs, guided by the faehound who seems to have finally forgiven her earlier telekinetic misstep.

And so one might easily find her soaking the last of the cold out of her bones, head tipped back against the rock until she hears a footfall and straightens, feline ears swivelling towards the sound.

"The water's quite pleasant," she notes, which is as close as you're probably going to get to an invitation to join her.

Mirror, Mirror A (potential spoilers for 5.0 MSQ)
Y'shtola's nightmare is a pillar of near-blinding radiance, a full three yalms tall and roughly shaped like an armored figure, as though some celestial figure had decided to carve light like marble on a whim, then leave their project half-finished. Fractured, sickly rainbows glitter along its surface, and everything the light touches seems washed-out, pallid and ill.

The fact that she can see it at all is Y'shtola's first clue that this is an illusion. It doesn't make it any less disturbing.

She squares her shoulders, bringing her staff up before her in both hands, though it's of little use as anything more than a bludgeon here.

"Let me pass. I refuse to bow to might-have-beens."

Wildcard
(Feel free to hit me with something not covered above if you have an idea, or poke my by PM or on my contact post if you want to plot something.)

Arrival C

[patchricide]

By her body language, one could probably guess that Allura's feeling a little adverse to the situation here. However, it's not the water that's a problem, but rather the public nature of the baths — it's a special occasion when she shows her wrists or ankles in front of other people, so this level of exposure is far beyond what she's used to. Even as she approaches the water, she's wearing the kind of all-covering robe that would normally be reserved for after the bath, and clutches it tightly in fear that the garment might slip.

But it's not as if anyone is forcing Allura to be here. And while she may have been getting in her own head a bit, hearing Y'shtola's remark seems to snap her out of it, reminding her of why she came all this way.

She looks up at the other woman with wide, curious eyes. "Is it? Someone did say it would help fight the chill..."

azula | avatar the last airbender | prismatica crau

[unstable]

arriving soaking wet and mad about it

a [ The princess sputters as she crawls onto shore, laying in the sand to gather herself after the icy swim. Every part of her feels like it's filled with water, coughing up as much as she can as she catches her breath, her blue dragon familiar wound around her throat as if trying to coax life back into her. She's mostly oblivious to those around her, mostly agitated that the shoreline is unfamiliar, neither Lunatia's or the Fire Nation's.

After realizing she's not able to bend herself dry, the panic will begin to settle in as she finally forces herself away from the threat of the water, eager to dart up the staircase and destroy whomever is to blame for this. ]

b [ Azula's not going to be too eager to talk to anyone, dipping into a carriage before anyone else so she can scroll through the phone she was given and try to piece together everything told to her. She hadn't yet decided if she preferred this to Lunatia, although the absence of her flames had agitated her, it hardly mattered that she'd be gifted with new magic. At least before she still had the ability to bend, but now she feels empty without her inner fire, a part of her strength extinguished-- nothing for her to grasp onto to feel whole in this unfamiliar world.

Her familiar will huff angrily at anyone who gets too close to her particular carriage, but as long as you keep your distance Azula won't threaten you much more than that. ]

c [ Azula will avoid the room for now, eagerly heading to the springs for a bite of relaxation (preferably alone), almost desperate for something to ease her mind-- navigating a new world for the third time was giving her a horrible headache.

Once she's out of the spring and in a "better" (debatable) mood, she'll go to the training grounds to try out her new cognitive magic abilities and become increasingly frustrated that there is no fire coming out of her fingertips. ]

wildcard

[ if you'd like anything else, just DM or hit me up at goblin or just throw it at me, let's do it! Azula is post-Smoke and Shadow with Prismatica CRAU so this isn't her first interdimensional travel rodeo. the mirror mirror/snow games prompts aren't ones she'll go for at first, but just bug her scowling anywhere in Camelot. ]

A

[bendless]

[Sokka is walking to greet any newcomers since it's about the time when he and Katara arrived last month and from what he heard, the same had happened the month before. So it was pretty obviously a reoccurring pattern.

He looks around, hoping to see someone from their world. Then she spots Azula all wet and angry.

It's a real shame there's no one he recognizes as he quickly turns around to leave.]

Zelgadis Graywords | Slayers

[heartlessswordsman]

Arrival A

Kersplunk:

This isn't the first time Zelgadis has been tossed into a body of water against his will, and knowing the people he's friends with back home, it's probably not going to be the last. This time is different in that he didn't see it coming at all, but on the plus side, at least nobody's using him as a boat anchor this time.

That's about the only plus to this whole situation. Wherever he is now, it seems like his magic isn't working, and he can't conveniently conjure himself up an air bubble to keep from like, drowning. The frigged temperature isn't helping his situation at all, but before he has a chance to panic, some mysterious lake woman shows up with some magic juice. Like, at this point, why not. Everything else in Zel's life is ridiculous, so this might as well happen too. Long story short, Zel's able to make it to shore without drowning and/or freezing to death. That counts as a win.

Shore is about as far as he makes it, though. Turns out swimming without cheating with magic is pretty exhausting when your body is extra heavy due to being part rock, but it's fine. He's just going to collapse face down in the sand and just live here for a little while. That's probably not a dead body you just stepped over, it's fiiiine.

Arrival C
Inn:

After spending pretty much the entire carriage ride trying his best to ignore everyone around him while trying to make his magic work, Zelgadis is finally able to split off on his own once they reach the Red Spring. His alone time mostly consists of wandering aimlessly while trying to come to terms with all that crazy shit that Archimedes guy told everyone and trying to figure out what this smartphone thing is for. Things like this simply don't exist where he's from, so he's kind of at a complete loss. He's at a loss for what to do with the tiny dragon (placeholder familiar??? idk i haven't decided yet) that's apparently supposed to be his familiar, too, but at least that's a thing he's familiar with. have I said "familiar" enough?

It isn't until pretty late in the evening that he finally turns up at his assigned inn room. Whether or not his assigned roommate is already there, he heads straight for the first empty bed he comes across, fully intending to just ignore everything and everyone and go to bed. What he ends up doing instead is take two steps into the room and instantly become confused by the strange décor. TVs and mini-fridges also don't exist where he's from, sooo don't mind him if he finds them oddly fascinating for a while.

If someone's already in the room, he'll flat out just ask them, "what is this thing meant for?" while prodding at the switched off TV. Or maybe his new roommate can walk in on him sticking his head in the fridge while he's trying to figure out how it works. It's fine, this is normal.

Training Grounds:

No stranger to magic, Zelgadis arrives at the target practice range at the training grounds ready to figure out just how the hell he's supposed to do magic in a place where his traditional magic is undoable. He can't use shamanistic magic that relies on a connection to the astral plane for sure, but he should be able to get elemental spells to work. It was something he was proficient at back home, so it's not a bad starting place. Maybe he'll start with a simple flame spell, that should be easy.

Except that of course it isn't because Zel's life is suffering. His traditional methods of preforming said magic prove to be completely ineffective. Chanting doesn't work, concentrating really really hard doesn't work, scooping his familiar up and giving it a shake doesn't work. Odds are that the solution is something super simple and he's just overthinking things (a bad habit, for sure), but he's too annoyed to realize it.

Once he figures it out he'll probably be an unstoppable death machine or something, but for now he's so fed up that he's going to stop being antisocial and turn to the nearest person to him.

"Ridiculous. Is there some kind of trick to this? Some kind of incantation I don't know about?"

Pure of Heart

Eventually Zelgadis is able to figure out how magic works around here, and once he does, he's quick to learn it. Unfortunately he's nowhere near as powerful he was back home yet, but he still feels like he's doing well enough to hold his own. So, fuck it, he's going to pick up some work while he's here.

And smashcut to the broken bridge, where Zelgadis has knelt down to read the plaque. The inscription on it is pretty self explanatory, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what "the pure of heart will form the bridge with a leap of faith" means. So, Zelgadis stands up, brushes himself off, and steps aside while turning to address the group.

"Well, I'm out," he says matter-of-factly. He knows what he's all about, ok. "Raise your hand if you think you're pure of heart, I guess."

Wildcard

[hit me with whatev, go wild yolo]

ARRIVAL: INN - HERE WE GOOOOOOOO

[forgeabettertomorrow]

There were a lot of things going through Darin's head that day. From his sudden, ice cold arrival into a new world, to being handed all of this familiar tech and being told how he has to learn magic (despite already knowing he has no actual mana with which to do so) to being carted to this place.

Darin might not have intimate knowledge of every kingdom in Anmaral, but he knows he'd never heard of Camelot before. He wondered idly if he had somehow been transported to the Easter Continent, but most of those musings went out the door the second he walked into his assigned room at the inn.

A lot has transpired today and now he was in this room with all of this unfamiliar tech. With no one else.

No one else but his tools.

So when his roommate walks in, Darin is squatting over the remains of the video game console which has been meticulously taken apart, each component laid out on a sheet in front of him while he sketches and makes notes of every single thing. He peers up over the edge of his notebook.

"Hey, roommie! Sorry for the mess but I man, I've never seen anything like this before! Grab a seat!"

Alec Lightwood | Shadowhunters

[bowoflightwood]

Arrival: Caravan -

Alec was only interested in one thing and that was going home. Even with trying to figure out the new phone, it of course didn't give him that information and that was all he was looking for. Back home he'd just arrived at the castle in Edom where he was sure Magnus was. And if that's where he had to stay as long as they wouldn't be separated again, that's just what he was going to do. But somehow he'd walked through the door and ended up in this place, wherever he was. And he didn't have time for that. As he'd told his mother he 'had a wedding to plan'. Being in this place definitely wasn't in his plans.

Frustrated, he took a breath and resisted the urge to throw the phone down as he'd thrown his stele down so he kept walking. Soon enough Alec found himself in what looked to be a frozen garden with trees of both pomegranates and apples frozen in ice.

Looking down even the ground and grass itself shared the same fate as the trees and the hazel eyes blinked. Alec then saw frozen red roses and reached his hand to gather one of them.

"Wonder if this'll stay frozen.."


Red Spring-

Alec's hazel brown eyes looked around suspiciously, and knew he definitely wasn't in New York anymore. So as he moved among the people gathered, he couldn't help wondering if they were mundanes, downworlders or otherwise.

But soon enough the Shadowhunter was standing trying to take it all in, when he heard barking and turned around. A white German Shepard soon came bounding over to see him and Alec eventually knelt down. It didn't seem like a werewolf because it was just too friendly. So he raised a hand up to pet it. "Hey are you lost too?"

Getting up after a few minutes of awkwardly petting it, he slowly headed over to a statue. He reached out a hand to touch it and as soon as he made contact in his mind he saw a snake wrapped around a sword with blood and bones on the ground. So he startled, and the dog was barking in the same friendly manner. So he looked at it as the white tail wagged and his eyes narrowed slightly, looking above the animal.

"This whole place is really strange."

red spring;

[incantates]

When is Magnus ever one to pass up an opportunity to visit an outdoor spring? Certainly not now, certainly not ever. After spending his early hours dealing with soaking wet travelers who arrived via turtle, he thinks he's earned a little rest and relaxation, especially since he hadn't found a single familiar face among the new arrivals. Fancy that.

Honestly, it had all gone rather expectedly (i.e. poorly), so a bit of wine and a two-hour soak is just what- ...his mind comes to a screeching halt as he spots a familiar shape. Or pair of shapes really -both man and man's purported best friend (his recently acquired pet cat would probably have way too many objections to the phrase).

Anyway, he's so busy trying to convince himself he's not so homesick that he's actually hallucinating his boyfriend is in a nice and quiet spring with him and petting an adorable dog, he forgets to actually say something productive. Come to think of it, he's had some very nice dreams that started out this way, so maybe he should actually try convincing himself he's not asleep at the moment, which wouldn't be entirely out of the question given how tired he'd been just moments ago.

"I am just going to walk right back out that door and come back in again. If you're still standing there with a dog, I'm never waking up again."

Please tell him this is real because he's ready to hug the life out of one very ruffled and confused Shadowhunter at the moment.

Toph Beifong | Avatar: the Last Airbender

[melonlord]

[I guess I'm doing this, despite being rusty, no pun intended.]

Arrival, A

Toph Beifong is not having a good day. Water over her head already is a perfectly sensible fear dislike of hers, given she can’t bend it, or see which way shores are, and she can’t doesn’t swim. But, sure, turtle-creature drags her to shore after someone gives her a weird sip of something warm. Thanks, turtle-creature.

But when she finally gets something solid under her, it hits her that she can feel it, but she can’t feel it with earthbending. And it feels like hard dirt, so this isn’t some sort of weird ‘ha ha, we have built everything out of wood or ice or something stupid like that’ trick.

“Come on, this is not funny.” Toph knows that she should calm down — she’s the world's greatest earth bender, and she figured out how to bend metal by having literally nothing else to focus on (besides two idiots talking) — but even the world’s greatest earth bender has limits, and this day is trying them.

Off to the side, a fuzzy creature shakes itself off and goes to break the news to her new mistress.

Snow Games, C

Snow chicken sounds like exactly Toph’s idea of a good time — a friendly game of knocking people down, and if she’s the one on top, she doesn’t have to worry about navigating or dealing with her new boots. (This is the situation she’s forced into — she has no reason not to wear shoes, and her feet are too cold to be barefoot out of general orneriness).

Toph walking up to whoever sounds tall (or has a familiar voice), and gestures. “Come over here. I want to show these yetis who is boss.”

why, h e l l o . . .

[rediscovering]

[ There's someone else Toph knows who may be even more averse to icy cold waters than she is. And he's particularly disgruntled today, finding himself soggy and freezing on the shoreline. In fact, he's furious, and having a Public Outburst like any mature, composed sixteen-year-old royal might, with a small, slinky red dragon on the ground deftly lacing itself in between his stomps. This is his second time being spirited away to another realm – ergo, his second mounting existential breakdown. Talk about pondering your place in the universe. Toph will catch him just as it's sprouting, unfortunately, as he paces the shore frantically, waving his hands in the air and grasping his temples, pulling his hair in frustration with this entire situation, cursing the innocent turtles bringing him his belongings as he kvetches aloud to himself, not caring who hears him. What Toph hadn't seen, however, were his furtive, failed attempts to firebend. This would now be the third time in his life he's lost his stuff, having just arrived now from another world where he'd only very recently finally gained it back. It was the first thing he checked when he'd arrived there, too, which yielded similar results as this semi-public fit he's having now... To lose his bending again felt like a gaping wound inside for the fire prince. He's wet and cold and scared and ashamed and angry and he just wants to go home by this point — home-home, where his friends are.

Little does he know, that's here now. ]

Are you kidding me?! Again?! I can't believe this! This is insane! Stupid turtle — leave it, just leave it! Ugh! Fuck!

[ Disclaimer: Neither Nickelodeon nor any of its affiliates condone this use of language. ]