TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 15

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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. It's a fast process, though they do take their time as they need to go around hitting the ice that keeps forming on the surface with their shells to keep the surface open for the falling arrivals. 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.

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B ⦿ The Caravan to Camelot

Once everyone is wrangled up to the top of the White Cliffs, the handsome owner of the Rent-a-Ride, Archimedes, will distribute smart phones and a pair of ear buds and tell them to "Check the Shit Box." The "Shit Box" refers to wardrobe more formally known as the Wardrobe of Finding, a hammerspace-like wardrobe that opens to each person's items and pets when the person touches the handle. It was recently enchanted by Merlin to prevent people from having to fish their waterlogged possessions and pets out of the water with them. From there, Archimedes directs everyone to settle in groups into modernized carriages pulled by horses and gives them a basic explanation of why and how they've been brought to Avalon: The rest of the universe is frozen in time and your character has been brought here by a familiar that was able to bond with them. They'll have to learn magic to help save their own world from destruction, but first they've got to get them to Camelot. It is here that you have the first opportunity to decide who they will be in their new home. You'll have about an hour to wander around here, meet and greet, and pet the horses before it's time to go.

These carriages use fae technology that combats weight, so your character will be able to get in regardless of whether they're light as a feather or weigh two tons. The carts have air conditioning when it's hot, heating when it's cold, and a mystical shield to protect from bugs. There is also a mini-bar that pops out of the console, with a special feature for warm winter drinks like hot apple toddy and butter beer. 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. Newcomers get free inn rooms for their one night stay on the way to Camelot, containing two twin beds, a bathroom, a mini-fridge and microwave, and a TV equipped with a couple of entertaining video games and movies.   Don't want to relax in the room? Take a dip in the communal hot spring. The waters have restorative properties that help horses and travelers recover quickly. 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.

 

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Last month, players were invited into the fae territories in Elphame for the first time for the Winter Solstice celebrations while King Arthur and Queen Elphame enter talks regarding the next steps toward saving the multiverse. In the meantime, a special camp hosted King Arthur's knights has been created on the riverbank just inside of the Forest of the Felled to act as a midway point for travelers going between the two points.

 

A ⦿ Snow More Cold
	The Forest Camp is quite a stunning outpost for Camelot. Given the snowy, cold weather, the campsites have been built with the knowledge of some of the snowier fae in mind and have resulted in what some are referring to as "Igloo Glamping." Artfully carved out group rooms, dining halls, and storage for supplies, and more have been carved out of snow to create a surprisingly warm solution to keeping safe as a Forest halfway point. Admittedly, it's not the your standard glamp-- but there are TVs, board games, and long fur-lined beds to keep you and four other people warm cuddled up together at night! There's also a snow port-a-potty that you probably don't want to face, but sometimes we face challenges in life. There are also a number of planned activities to keep people out of trouble while they stay.
...Or if they do get themselves into trouble, they can also end up in snow jail, a special igloo built with extremely tough ice stalagmites that will be hard to break out of until authorities can come pick you up and take you back to Camelot.

 

---

 

B ⦿ The Great Avalon Bake-Off
One of these activities is inspired by a surprising store of buried baking supplies like flour, sugar, butter, yeast, and eggs that was found in the forest. It's been there a long while, but it seems to have been protected through magical preservation, so there's really only one thing to do about it: a bake-off! It's a little tricky out in the snow, so outside of the igloos, a trench has been dug and all contestants have been given a campfire. Alchemists have helped by creating clay ovens in the snow for contestants to bake their culinary creations in. The most impressive confections (not just the top scorer) will earn a copy of (Spell) Thirst. This spell can make someone feel thirsty, even if they aren't.

 

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C ⦿ Ingredient Hunt 2022
	The real trick is finding ingredients to make your confection something to stand out and come up on top of the contest, which you may need to wander into the Forest of the Felled to look for. There are a variety of winter berries able to be found, herbs and flowers buried under the snow if you can find them, and most importantly, a couple of truffle bushes from which chocolate and vanilla truffles can be harvested. There are quite a few tasty flavors to be found throughout the forest, and since it hasn't been repopulated yet due to the harsh winter, it's relatively safe to wander around no matter who you are. If you feel like you need protection though, maybe ask around camp to find someone who can fight for you.
Just be wary as there are a few ingredients you can find in the forest that may cause a few unintended side-effects to your taste-testers: Cider Berries: These berries appear to have a fiery glow coming from within. That is because they will temporary cause anyone who consumes them to breathe fire when they exhale for about 10 minutes straight... definitely a problem when you're living in an igloo. They have a great apple-y smell though! Strangler Figs: These fig trees grow around other plants and strangling them as if they were anacondas around prey. They produce the most brilliant looking and tasting figs, even in the winter time. Unfortunately, having been in Avalon long enough, they have absorbed magic into their roots and are now able to defend their fruit by creeping up anyone who touches them and trapping them in their grip. They cannot move while you are looking at them, so don't blink and hope you can outrun them. Little Leeks: These are very, very small leaks that seem to be hanging out in small vials found about an inch beneath the surface of the snow. They all seem to have different faces painted on the front of the vials, though the vials do seem to be a part of their body. The simple faces match the effect you'll get-- a crying face will result in your character having an uncontrollable sob fest, a happy face may make it seem like nothing phases them, some angry eyebrows on a frown could result in your character wanting to fight everyone in a fit of anger, and so on. The most tragic part is that these will continue effecting you until they are fully digested-- so it could take hours to stop bawling.

 

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Back in Camelot and Elphame, trouble is brewing of a different variety.

 

A ⦿ Calls You Daddy
Strange eggs with even stranger tiny legs have started wandering into the city and making their way into peoples' homes. Inn rooms, houses, apartments, tents, tree trunks, igloos, even townships have found residents waking up with a tiny little egg snuggled up to their side to keep warm in the morning.  These eggs act just like babies too-- they cry when they need to be fed (they'll roll around in the food to absorb it), are extremely picky about their food (and each egg has its own unique palette), need to be cleaned after eating, and they need to be kept warm or they will perish.
One touch of an egg to direct skin will result in a parental instinct being imprinted upon whoever touches them, so you may find yourself wanting to care for this egg as much as it wants you to care for it. Eggs come in a variety of colors and designs and will seek out at least two parents, so you may find yourself in an unlikely relationship for the next week or so until they hatch...

 

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B ⦿ Aurora Bearealis
	After about a week, the eggs all seem to be antsier than before. Many of their legs disappear and their colors start to glow gently at night, as if some kind of strange nightlight. Eventually, the top of the egg will burst open and out of it will hatch a slightly oddly shaped bear creature, which looks almost like a living teddy bear. The bears themselves have strange glowing markings that match the outside of the egg that they used to be in, and when they step out, a mysterious flow of light comes out of them- like an aurora borealis. At this point, there are two real problems that have started: Touching the aurora borealis lights will also make you glow with aurora borealis lights for 48 hours. They are bears and they act like bears and they get into everything and fight everyone like bears, except their perceived parents.

 

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C ⦿ Go on, Git. CW: Mentions of poaching, beheading in last paragraph.
	These fierce little aurora bears are causing destruction and pain in both Elphame and Camelot alike, so a decision has to be made: the bears need to be led by their parents and some fighters out to the nearest forest and set free to live in the wild, as they probably were intended to. Those in Camelot who release their bears there will find a heart-wrenching goodbye interrupted by a rather dramatic battle. The natural predator of aurora bears, the flaming lions known as Fogueria, have come out of the Land of Rot to hunt them down. I hope you brought someone with you to help save both you and your beary good friend from this flaming enemy. Fogueria cannot be defeated without using magic, so you've got your battle set out for you!
For those who have taken to Elphame, they are not faring much better. As it turns out, these little eggs have made quite the impression on some goblin poachers released from prison last month. These goblins are hunting down the newly released bears for capture to sell them as circus side-shows, food, and more to more devilish creatures. They love gold much more than they love anything else, except perhaps the fierce beast that accompanies their party to help them devour anyone who would try to stop them: a gashadokuro, a fierce skeletal demon formed of the bones of fallen travelers. It is known to bite off the heads of travelers and drinks blood. You'll have to defeat the whole party to ensure your newly released bears remain safe.

 

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• All test drive prompts are open to anyone in the game at any time to create your own logs with, as the events within are considered game canon. • This post should have top-levels by potential new characters only. Current characters may reply to any threads and may start their own logs off-post, but should not top-level comment on this post. • If your application is accepted, you may accept TDM threads as game canon as long as both players consent. Characters may begin threading as soon as their journal is accepted to the communities. •If nothing here tickles your fancy, try one of this month's Quests for your TDM prompt. • The first "Arrival" prompts are usually present on every TDM, but contain seasonal tweaks for flavor. All other prompts will change monthly. • Questions about this TDM's content? Comment here! If you have a question about the game at-large, please head over to the FAQ.

 

Comments

Rastaban Aesen | Original Character | Alchemy & Green Magic

[draconisrose]

((OOC: Rastaban is gender fluid. He changes gender to whatever he's most comfortable with in that situation and I plan on switch pronouns depending on the situation to show this. He also shortens his name to Rasta when he's a girl. Sorry if this is confusing. I've never played a gender fluid character before.))

A. Soaking in your arrival

[Rastaban didn’t know how long he had been asleep. It felt like he had been trapped in darkness for a lifetime. The sudden light was too bright. He barely had time to react before he fell into icy waters with a startled cry. He was paralyzed by the shock and freezing cold to do anything as he sank. His frost-bitten eyes stiffly tried to widen when the Lady of the lake put a vial of something against his lips. Rastaban had never seen the nameless goddess that chose him but as he felt the numbing cold vanish, he couldn’t help but wonder if this mysterious woman was her? But how? He had so many questions, but she left his side as soon as she appeared. Rastaban was still lost in a reverent haze when something scooped him out of the water.

His fit of coughing as he struggled to breathe brought him back to reality, or rather whatever this place was? His tired eyes widened in wonder at the giant ice turtle carrying him. He rested on the turtle’s back as he took several deep breaths to calm his mind. One thing was clear. This wasn’t Earth. Somehow, he had traveled to another world, again. Were the others here? He weakly rested his hand over his heart with a small frown. He couldn’t feel his connection to the nameless goddess at all. What happened after he was shot? His thoughts were interrupted when the turtle reached its destination. Rastaban set his questions aside for later and switched to a more comfortable persona.

Rasta was a bit wobblily when she disembarked but she quickly caught herself with practiced grace. Her light green eyes narrowed slightly in a tiny scowl as she attempted to get some of the water out of her drenched long black hair. It felt weird pulling her hair back when she was this persona and she quickly shook her hair free as soon as she was finished. It was still a lifeless drenched mess, but it would have to do. She wrapped her arms around herself to keep from shivering as she looked around. The potion helped but she came from a desert and had never gotten used to the cold weather on Earth. It made her feel weaker than she already was. She pushed that frustrating thought aside and walked over to the first person she saw with a polite smile.]

Pardon me? I’m looking for my friends. Have you seen anyone with strange eyes? Perhaps silver, violet, fiery, rippling blue or mist like ones?

B. The Red Spring

[Rastaban dramatically sat on the bed with a sigh, his voice deepening a little as he pulled his hair back and started to weave it into a long braid. He had forgotten how overwhelming a new world could be and the absence of his friends made it harder. Still, at least this time there were plenty of resources and he spent the entire caravan trip researching this new world. Being expected was strange but a relief. He wasn’t sure he could have relied on a stranger’s kindness to save him this time.

Speaking of strangers, he tensed and stopped braiding when someone came into the room, his green eyes narrowed slightly as he closed his eyes with a tired sigh and a quiet mutter.]

Couldn’t you have waited a few more minutes?

[At least he managed to find some dry clothes in the...magic wardrobe. His steampunk suit wasn’t as feminine as the off-shoulder sweater he was wearing when he arrived, though it did feel strange wearing clothes from his world again.]

C. Training

[Rastaban waited until it was late before checking out the training grounds. He needed to learn about the magic here but he had enough interaction with people for one day. Unfortunately, it wasn’t as empty as he wanted. No surprise, he wasn't the only one adjusting to a new world. He kept to himself as he experimented. He could feel something similar to his nature magic but nothing was working. He inwardly took a deep breath, refusing to let his frustration show as he tried archery, one of the few skills he was proud of. Still nothing and his shot hit wide of the bullseye.

His eyebrow twitched with frustration. This was ridiculous. In his world his magic was naturally a part of him. It felt like a lost puzzle piece he didn’t know he needed. He didn’t have to find anything and was he really that rusty? He silenced the mocking in his mind with a determined glare as he notched another arrow. His head swam a little, but he quickly pushed his fatigue aside. He wasn’t done.]

D. Ingredient Hunt

[Rasta wasn’t much of a baker but she was curious about the plants here. It seemed like a waste of an opportunity not to explore. Besides, they said it was safe, relatively anyway but Rasta could take care of herself, and she wasn’t alone. A ghostly wildcat with fur that shimmered like stars silently watched over her.

Rasta had been speechless when she first saw her familiar. She hadn’t expected a legendary star hunter, the mysterious cats that always stood by the mages’ side in all the ancient paintings. The cat being a ghost was a painful reminder of the home she lost but the cat was also a precious gift. She wasn’t sure if it was just this place’s magic giving her what she wanted or if the star hunter was somehow the lost soul of one of the legendary cats. Either way, she didn’t want to lose this unexpected treasure and her hand kept going back to the cat’s ghostly fur as she walked. It felt like something was there but at the same time not, but that fragile connection was enough for her and she explored the forest with a faint smile.

She reluctantly moved her hand away to gently pull one of the plants closer to her with an inquisitive hum.]

I wonder what this one is called?

[Is it a cider berry, strangler fig, little leek or something else entirely?]

E. Calls you Daddy

[Curiosity killed the mage. The bizarre eggs were too interesting not to investigate and Rastaban unwittingly touched the egg. He instantly wanted to protect the little thing but how? Panicked memories of his home being destroyed and being shot suddenly paralyzed him. He couldn’t introduce such a fragile thing into the dangerous world. Wait, where did it go? Rastaban raced to the open window just as the little egg hopped outside. He leaned over the window precariously with a horrified shout.]

Wait! It’s too dangerous out there!

E

[tsumtsuki]

[ Well, it's not every day he hears something like that out of the blue. Nor do eggs with legs cross his path. But sometimes a simple walk turns into something chaotic like this and all he can do is roll with the metaphorical punches.

Before the little egg can wander off on its own, Tsumugi scoops it up in his arms. ] Whew... [ As it tries to squirm out of his safe and secure hold, he looks up to Rastaban. ]

Are you okay? [ please don't fall out the window??? ]

[draconisrose]

[Rastaban pulled away from the edge a little and leaned against the window with a relieved sigh. Thank the goddess. Yet as soon as he let himself relax shadows of doubt clouded his mind and he stiffened. It was too soon to relax. He should know better and he quickly dismissed Tsumugi's concern.]

I'm fine. Is the egg okay?

[The fear was evident in his tone as he leaned out the window more trying to get a good look at the egg.]

[tsumtsuki]

[ Quick to try and soothe his worries, he holds the egg up above his head for Rastaban to look closer. ]

The egg's unharmed. [ But he won't hold it up for too long, lest his concern over the egg's condition leads him to tumble out the window. ] Stay where you are. I'll bring it up to you, okay?

i'm so sorry tsumugi

[draconisrose]

[Rastaban's green eyes narrowed with concern and he quickly examined the egg as Tsumugi held it up. It looked like he was telling the truth and he let himself relax a tiny bit. He showed a hint of a smile before his chest tightened with panic at Tsumugi's suggestion.]

But...

[What if something terrible happened to the egg before he saw it again? He didn't want to lose anyone else but he couldn't tell Tsumugi that. Even if his kindness made him less suspicious Rastaban still didn't know him enough to share his worries. Instead he swallowed his complaint and glanced at the window before turning back to Tsumugi with a look of stubborn determination.]

Stay there. I'll come down to you.

[Not waiting for a reply Rastaban ducked back into the room so he could sit on the windowsill as he attempted to slide his legs over the edge. He had never climbed down a window before but Altair and Arrakis did all the time and it looked easy enough. He wasn't too high up that he would be seriously hurt if he fell.]

oh my GOD LMAO

[tsumtsuki]

- Eh? [ Oh he. he's climbing out the window, isn't he. oh boy.

It's clear that he's not going to be able to stop Rastaban, so the next best thing he can do is help him down. He focuses his magic on the ivy covering the wall of the building, making the vines twist this way and that so it could be used as a makeshift ladder. ] Please be careful!

lol I'm glad you liked it!

[draconisrose]

[Theoretically he was climbing out the window but he was having a bit of trouble executing his plan. Oh, those vines will help though getting help from Tsumugi stung and he turned away with a small hmph as he reluctantly approached the ladder.]

I didn't need help.

[But he will accept it nonetheless since Tsumugi offered. There was a look of longing in his eyes as he gently reached out to touch the moving vines. It felt like something inside him was missing without his nature magic. After a few more minutes of sulking as he slowly descended the vine ladder Rastaban hesitantly turned back to Tsumugi.]

How did you do that?

[Could he teach him? The thought hurt his pride as a nature mage but he desperately missed his connection to plants.]

[tsumtsuki]

[ Admittedly, he's a little reluctant to part with the egg (it's strange. he's not cold by any means, but the amount of connection he feels with the small creature already is unusual.), but he recognizes it's not his to keep. So he carefully holds the egg out for Rastaban to retake, making sure it can't squirm out of his hold.

As for his question. ] Oh! I used my green magic to make the vines grow how I wanted to. [ Which he makes sound so simple, but, ] Honestly, it took me a while to get the hang of it...

Have you used magic before? [ Tsumugi comes from a world where spells were nothing but a fantasy - maybe Rastaban is too? ]

[draconisrose]

[Rastaban was too worried about the egg to notice any reluctance Tsumugi might have shown. He carefully cradled the egg close to his chest when he gave it back to him. It was safe. Such a simple fact felt like a miracle and Rastaban showed a rare hint of a smile.]

Thank you.

[Keeping a firm hold on the egg, Rastaban reluctantly turned his attention away from it so he could listen to Tsumugi. His eyes narrowed with a stubborn frown at how simple he made Green magic sound. It should be simple for him and his annoyance grew with his question.]

I have.

[Rastaban responded sharply. It was only his calling back home.]

I was the nature mage before this place stole that from me.

[Just like everything else. The thought made him pull the egg tighter against his chest. He would protect this one this time.]

[tsumtsuki]

Ah-...

[ His smile turns sheepish, apologetic. While he's not entirely sure what part of what he said set him off, it's clear in his expression that something he said was wrong. ]

I'm sorry. [ Genuinely. And he's also genuine in his belief that ] Maybe you still have some nature magic? It might've just manifested differently... if that makes sense.

[ Maybe it does? Who knows. He doesn't have anything to compare this to, really. ]

D.

[illusionaryskirt]

[Chrome is in the forest looking for ingredients as well. She comes across Rastaban, but she's a little too shy to approach at first. However, she notices that person also has a feline familiar. Somehow that makes her a little more comfortable walking up to the stranger.]

Um...it's kind of cute.

[She points to the little leek in their hands. The leek in question has a smiley face on its facade, and the smile is quite contagious that even Chrome is smiling just a little. Her own cat familiar is rubbing against her slender legs with bright heterochromatic eyes and its body is almost transparent.

Chrome looks down at her feet out of shyness, the bakeneko looks up at her to offer more confidence.]

...Are you doing the bake-off, too?

[draconisrose]

[The shyness is something Rasta can relate to and she offered Chrome a small smile. Hopefully it will put her at ease a little. As if sensing Rasta's intent, the ghostly cat by her side sat down so it wasn't as intimidating.]

It is cute. I've never seen a plant with a face before.

[Rasta hadn't noticed the smiley face before Chrome pointed it out but now it brought a small smile to her lips and Rasta gently shook her head to Chrome's question.]

Not really. I'm not much of a baker. I just wanted to see what kind of plants they have around here.

[It was Rasta's turn to act shy and she looked back at the little leek as she played with her long black hair. ]

Do you need an assistant?

[Rasta wasn't sure what prompted her to ask. Maybe it was their similar familiars or Rasta missing her friends. Either way she decided to take a chance and she hesitantly looked back at Chrome awaiting her answer.]

[illusionaryskirt]

A-an assistant?

[ She doesn't want to trouble this person, especially since she's just hunting for ingredients out of curiosity. Though it would be awkward for her to decline since they are both essentially doing the same thing. It might be fun to do this with a partner. After a moment of hesitation, Chrome nods her head.]

Okay. I'm trying to make sticky toffee pudding. ...Have you had it before? It requires dates for the cake portion, but ....maybe we can find something interesting?

[She looks to the mini leeks and decides to pick up a few for herself.]

Um...maybe I can use them for something more savory, I don't think they'll be good in cake.

[draconisrose]

[It's no trouble really and Rasta's lips shyly quirked up with a faint smile when Chrome accepted. She was glad that Chrome chose a dish she had some knowledge of and she gave a small nod.]

I have but I'm afraid I've never made it before.

[She was curious to try though and she considered their options with a quiet hum.]

Dates? Hmm...would berries work as a substitute? I saw some earlier. As for the leeks, unless it's a savory cake you are probably right, unless the flavor is different?

[Rasta noticed that some of the leeks Chrome gathered had different faces than hers. Could the face affect the flavor? To test her theory she picked up another leek, this one with a frowny face, and then tentatively popped one after the other in her mouth.]

Hmm no change.

[illusionaryskirt]

[At hearing that Rasta has actually tried the dessert before Chrome smiles at the recognition. She might be assuming, but maybe this person likes sweets as well. She then says in an almost hushed tone as if she's speaking of a secret.]

Oh?...Do you have a sweet tooth, too?

[ She bonded with a few girls back home because of their love of sweets and how they lament eating them in moderation to be mindful of their weight. Her friends came up with an idea to only indulge once a month. Admittedly, sometimes that was hard for Chrome to do. Though maybe Rasta could relate?

She looks down at the leeks, considering the suggestion to make them into a savory cake. She then slowly shakes her head.]

...I think I might make them into a soup, or in rice balls instead.

[Though they do seem too cute to eat. Though she notices Rasta experimenting with one of her leeks. They say no change, but their expression shows otherwise.]

I-Is something wrong? Did I upset you?

[Rasta can't see it, but she looks so distraught. This unnerves Chrome since she's not sure what she did or how she can remedy the situation.]

[draconisrose]

[Chrome's hushed response startled Rasta. Was having a sweet tooth some sort of secret? Her answer was a bit hesitant.]

I guess?

[Is that a bad thing? Rasta thought she was saved from her confusion when Chrome turned her attention back to the leeks and she started to relax again. Yes, let's stick with that. Plants were easier to understand then people. Her confusion returned with Chrome's question and she quickly shook her head, unaware that her confusion was showing clearly on her face. Her brow was scrunched up and her eyes were sad as she frowned.]

Not at all.

[What gave her that impression? Was it her vague answer about sweets?]

[illusionaryskirt]

[ It's a bit more complicated because of her culture, it's okay to indulge once in a while, but not all of the time. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but they're taught to be more disciplined when it comes to the food they consume. Though girls tend to like sweets, it's usually associated with them.

It's unbeknownst to either of them that consuming a leek of a certain expression will reflect on their face as well. Chrome doesn't seem put off by the answer, but she was hoping for a more definitive answer. Instead, she seems concerned.]

B-but...you're frowning? Are you not aware of it?

[She looks into her basket and stares at the leeks. Maybe...it has something to do with the vegetables. So Chrome eats a leek that has a crying face, and she starts bursting into tears.]

I see...[Sniffles]...it must be this.

A

[eaglebornbyfreedomwon]

[Connor shook the freezing water off of himself. Or attempted to do so. He was accustomed to the ocean's spray and so being soaking wet in a bucket of ice water was nothing new.

Whatever that strange woman (water spirit?) Had given him certainly helped. Though he wondered with some anxiety over whether it would actually protect against ice. His anxiety was aided by his lack of weaponry. Someone had more than a little explaining to do. And not just to himself, it seemed.]

No, I have not.

[It was said with a bit more edge to it than he meant. A habit of his to allow his anger to get the better of himself at times. The assassin sighed and shook his head. Large hand combing itself through his drenched hair... or at least the thin strip of it he hadn't cut off.]

...My apologies. If you wish I may help you.

[draconisrose]

[Rasta tried her best not to visibly deflate too much at Connor's response but she desperately missed her friends. Coincidently Connor's quick show of anger and following apology reminded her of one of them and it made her smile a little.]

Thank you and it's alright. Being stranded in a strange place would make anyone on edge.

[Other than searching for her friends, Rasta seemed quite calm despite their situation. This wasn't the first time she was stranded in an unfamiliar place.]

[eaglebornbyfreedomwon]

[He observes the stranger for a moment longer as he found his own, inner calm again. This wasn't his first time in an unknown situation either. But that doesn't stop his annoyance or anger. Even less when completely drenched and surrounded by unknowns.

Nobody likes wet socks.]

As it should.

[He looks the other person over for a moment longer before switching his attention to those around them.]

Hm, we should get moving if we wish to try and find your friends.

[And more about where they are.]