TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 6

[avalonmods]

Check out the OOC intro meme for this month to say hi to new players/characters!

{ 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 waters. After a brief plunge into the Bay, the rush of water filling your ears and soaking up into every creak and crevice of your body, you may need to cough to clear your airways when you rise above the surface. It's still chilly, but not enough that you can't manage on your own. The Lady of the Lake is swimming around under the water, but seems to be focusing on coordinating a band of mossatees to help rescue any wayward new arrivals. Mossatees are a special Avalonian manatee that is green in color and has what appears to be a patches of grass or other short plant life growing on its back. While some are fully green, many sport blooming flowers or fairy circles of mushrooms. If anyone tries to ask the Lady of the Lake for directions, she will direct you to Archimedes at the Rent-a-Ride. Those with animal magic may get their info from the manatees, though may notice that they're really overly friendly and have zero concept of personal boundaries. Everyone may notice they have no concept of personal space, as they will happily run right into someone's belly for a snoot squishing. 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. *Reminder: Your character's familiar may or may not be with your character in their initial plunge. If the familiar isn't partial to water, it may meet your character on the beach or sit atop their head while they swim. Or if they are, they might splash about and swim alongside your character. Familiars have different personalities and body specs and we leave those up to the players. B ⦿ The Caravan to Camelot Once everyone is wrangled up to the top of the White Cliffs, the handsome owner of the Rent-a-Ride, Archimedes, will distribute smart phones, a pair of earbuds, and animal-themed ponchos 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 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. Which given the fact that it's pouring down rain in April? Not ideal. You were only given ponchos, not rain boots. 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. Unfortunately, due to a bee infestation and massive amounts of rain, the hot springs of the Red Springs are not available this month! Instead, an underground salt cave is offered as a way to relax and unwind. Gather around in the rejuvenating, dimly lit caves and breathe in the relaxing effects of salt crystals. Feel the sand between your toes, or if you don't like sand, try one of the many pools with tiny garra rufa for a fish pedicure. Or, lie down in a recliner and stare up at the "stars"-- magic sparkles in the ceiling that move to spell out single-word concepts you may be experiencing. (Maybe you're relaxed? You might get something like "Chill." Find your relaxation buddy hot? Just be careful to look away before the stars spell "Thirsty" to the whole room.) 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. As it turns out, a mythical land that's been around for a few centuries has a few things in common with many modern worlds. It's got the internet, and games have evolved a little bit past hoop trundling and draughts. April, being the traditional month of mirth and games and lots of rain making it hard to have fun outdoors, is the time for Camelot City Gaming Convention, affectionately shortened to CameCon. Come into the large convention center located in the south part of town, get dry, and check out some of the awesome things to do. A ⦿ Couchless Co-Op Without the massive audiences required to really run MMORPGs, Avalon is much more a fan of couch co-op style gaming. Though most games are available on mobile devices throughout Avalon when they are released, there's nothing quite like coming to CameCon to utilize the gaming stages for everyone's favorite fighting games. Multiple players at a time can plug in their phones and connect their accounts to a light magic-based illusion stage (powered by multiple light mages at a time, once a year only!) roughly the size of a basketball court. Fighting games can be played tournament-style on the phone next to your opponent for some awesome trash talk during your battle. Race through space with this year's popular NASTAR Racing Game (National Association for Space Travel Auto Racing) game and fight off space pirates in an epic Mario Kart-esque racing and item battle adventure with your choice of star ship. Or plug your phone into the stage podium and get away from the humdrum fantasy life by joining in a live-movement game that combines synchronous kinetic and light magic. Move your body in the vortex illusion of your favorite rhythm dance game with a buddy! Or maybe you're more into the free-style gaming of Grand Theft Automation with both friends and strangers-- step onto the illusionary stage itself to explore crawling cityscapes and live the life of crime you always dreamed of... at least the cops won't really arrest you if you do it here. Just make sure if you use magic you remember you're on a stage and don't accidentally send some flying off at a poor convention go-er just past the illusion stage. B ⦿ Arthurian RP in your Arthurian RP None can forget one of the most important of game types: the roleplaying game. There's a huge historical set game going on right now where characters can LARP as their favorite Knight of the Round Table. There may be a couple of arguments if two Lancelots end up in the same game, but don't worry, there's a fair way of determining who gets the part for this game if you don't want to wait for the next storyline: rock-paper-scissors-magic. Instead of the traditional version of RPS, you shake your fists and open up to whatever hand-held spell you can make with your particular brand of magic. If it's something that can overcome the other kind in less than three seconds, you're the winner. (And yes, even healers can play-- some protective magic to block a dark magic pain curse is definitely going to win out, for example!) Either way, once your role is decided, put your acting skills to the test! ...and if you don't have any, well, they have costumes that will help you get into the mood with a little dress-up and props that will magically give you sword skills... though only while using the dull-edged plastic props. Or you can just sit on the sidelines and have a picnic on the concrete floor of the center with a potential new pal and watch other people play-- there's a lovely little buffet table with pastries, coffee, and juice in the corner. C ⦿ It Figures... A convention isn't a convention without a little shopping. Come check out what cool games are upcoming in the exhibit hall, buy figurines of your favorite game characters (or.. new ones you've never heard of since this is a new world, but are still cute and/or kick-ass), and most importantly, check out the cool magic you can apply to them. A spell available for purchase in the convention hall that's popular this year is Recipe: Figure Anima, which makes your figures move in place and say popular lines as if they're an actual, miniature version of the character. It's recommended you practice while you're in the convention hall though so figure experts can help if things go.. awry. People have been known to have their own emotions influence the spell, and sometimes toys have started taking on the attitude of the caster. There's nothing quite as tragic as your favorite angelic game character telling you they're gonna kick your ass because you were in a fighting mood. So OOC. Maybe you can find someone who's a little better at magic to fix the problem? Of course, when the rain breaks through and floods the exhibition room, there's a lot of mass hysteria as people scream and climb up onto tables, trying to protect their merch above all else. Hurry, help someone else up onto your table before their ent dakimakura they just purchased gets wet! Only you can save the gamers from water! ..Or that's what you thought, until a second later the electricity goes out and you're left in a total electricity blackout in the convention hall. It may be a good idea to use some magic to try to light the way and find a way out of the flooded hall... A ⦿ Keep Your Vines to Yourselves With magic blossoming left and right because of the bountiful spring equinox rituals, things have been getting a little stranger around the Broceliande. Though it's always been known for being a little odd, there is an overgrowth of prehensile, very friendly vines populating the forest now. The vines seem to have minds of their own, sometimes grabbing people, pulling them up into trees, or generally wrapping around them as if trying to get a warm hug. Ultimately, they seem relatively harmless.. except when you can't get down from them. Hopefully, you've got some kind of destructive magic that can help you fight off the overly friendly vines as you head into the forest to investigate the strange reports citizens have been making of their friends and family disappearing in the generally friendly, if odd forest when they've gone to fetch herbs or other supplies, gone on walks, or who knows what else from the forest. It seems like the best way to get the vines to let go without magic is to tickle the person the vines have captured, so you really better hope you're ticklish... and there's someone willing to really go in on it. It takes a lot of laughter to get these vines to leave you alone! B ⦿ Selfies with Selkies Those who continue on with their investigation after avoiding or escaping the vines will find a very, very large flower that seems to have taken route in a sink hole in the middle of the forest. Hundreds of vines seem to be coming from it, and it seems like this flower may be the source of all of the vines throughout the forest. It won't attack unless you attack it first and it seems to almost immediately regrow any vines that are destroyed. If the flower itself is attacked, it will rise up and attempt to eat your character with thousands of tiny shark-like teeth that lie where the pollen of its flower should be. Those who try to fight will find it seems virtually unkillable and immovable. It is neither plant nor animal and seems to have a thousand minds and souls held within it that somehow feel incomplete, so it's largely incommunicable even with cognitive or death magic. It's definitely a strange find, and it could be easy enough to assume the missing people tried aggression as their first tactic and got gobbled up... Take a trip up to the Archivist will lead them to find a book that includes information on the species: The Cereus de Anima. This giant flower rapidly grows when a seed from the Land of Rot transfers via someone's clothing to an appropriate forest environment and is known to absorb a piece of a person's essence from anyone it touches with its vines. People often seem to go missing for a short period of time when one of these appears, then come back behaving a little differently but ultimately don't seem to be in distress. No one is quite sure what the cause of this is. There doesn't seem to be any record of there being lasting damage, however questionable the plant is... The Archivist, upon seeing you researching the plant, says that he's heard some of the lake's residents just off of the Silent Shore have some experience with one. He hands you a couple baskets of some specially anti-rust enchanted parts and tells you he was supposed to deliver them to a Selkie man living in the lake for a project he's working on. You and a partner can make the delivery and ask your questions from him. The Selkie isn't going to be particularly friendly to fellow men, not trusting human men farther than he can throw them, but will decidedly try to seduce women as Selkie men are known to be extremely handsome and flirtatious with human women. Non-humans he will be neutral toward. It's best to go in pairs so you don't end up on a whirlwind candlelit beach picnic with a shirtless selkie in exchange for information about how to uproot a Cereus de Anima. (At the very least, the selkie will want you to take a selfie with him before you leave so that you have something to remember him by, and you'll always be welcome back if you change your mind.) Regardless of how much of a challenge it is for you to get to that point, as long as he gets the delivery from the Archivist, he'll eventually tell you and your traveling partner about how he heard that there used to be a village at the edge of the Dusklight Woods that was overrun with one of them, and that there's only one survivor who moved to in a cottage on the other side of the Pure of Heart Bridge.. Those familiar, yes, it is the old man that Morganna tried to kill and save in a quest a couple of months ago! Time to travel all the way back to the Pure of Heart bridge and make your way over to the cottage and talk to the man and it sure seems like this quest is long and tedious and you may be wondering if someone will have noticed you're gone... C ⦿ The Answer is No Back in Camelot City, it seems that anyone who's been touched by the vines has been replaced by a doppelganger in their lives. They're just barely off from the original- they have all the memories, but may be slightly more skilled at things they didn't used to be, or may seem to make less ethical choices than they might otherwise. There's just something slightly off. But when people start using AOL to contact their friends and let them know they've been gone.. well, it may seem like the jig is up, or at least in question. Those who find out they've been replaced may want to return to Camelot quickly to try to reclaim their lives. Doppelgangers will attempt to kill their original if they come into contact with them when they aren't around other people, so you may need to flee for your life if you haven't gotten good enough at magic to defend yourself yet. Around other people, the doppelgangers will do their best to try to prove themselves the real person and since they were made from the original, will have the same memories as the original character so asking questions that "only ___ would know" may not work. Eventually it will come out that the doppelgangers have occasionally wriggling vines instead of spines underneath their clothing, if you're willing to check that to see who's real, but that won't be common knowledge. What can be found out from the old man at the Pure of Heart bridge if you choose to leave your doppelganger alone is that Cereus de anima doppelgangers can only live for a month without killing their original and absorbing the rest of their essence. However, if the original plant isn't taken care of with a special venom you can only obtain from certain creatures in the Forest of the Fisher King, the problem will just keep happening over and over until the city is overrun and becomes nothing but a breeding ground for the flower and its replicas. 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. • You can have any animal-style poncho you want! They are themed, not made from actual animals. No animals have been harmed in the making of these ponchos!! • TIMELINE: The resolution to the third prompt will be in April's event! The first two prompt sets will be during the first week of the month. The doppelganger problem and obnoxious traveling and research will be occurring for the second and third weeks of the month. • People with green magic may be able to fill something off about the doppelgangers, but may not be able to identify what it is right away. Blood mages will be able to feel that their blood feels the same as the original as they are essentially copies. Cognitive people will be able to use their magic normally except for hypnotic suggestion- the doppelgangers are immune to it, so while you may be able to find other ways to out them, hypnotizing people to tell the truth won't work this time. Doppelgangers are made from the essence of the person, so they will be able to access their phones and accounts. Note that the Cereus de Anima and doppelgangers are not fairies and cannot be contracted with. If a Death Mage attempts to possess a doppelganger, it will technically come in contact with the doppelganger's vine and may end up with more than one doppelganger depending on how many times they try it. Siphon magic can be used to destroy a doppelganger easily, however, the essence that was stolen from the original's soul may be destroyed in the process so it is not recommended as the original may start to feel as though they are no longer a whole person. • If nothing here tickles your fancy, try one of this month's Quests for your TDM prompt. • The first "Arrival" prompts are present on every TDM, but contain seasonal tweaks for flavor. All other prompts will change monthly. Make sure to read the Red Spring section on this month's even if you're normally familiar-- the springs are closed this month, check out the alternate prompts! • Questions about this TDM's content? Comment here! If you have a question about the game at-large, please head over to the FAQ.

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Ahiru | Princess Tutu

[onlyaduck]

An Unexpected Transformative Arrival

[ When Ahiru first hit the water, she thought maybe she was in a dream. She'd been drowsing in her pond, waiting for Fakir to come read to her before the sunset, and it was peaceful. Her limbs (human!) flailed and oh she forgot how weird swimming was with arms instead of wings and this had to be a dream, she isn't a human anymore. She isn't Princess Tutu. Is she?

Well her human lungs didn't seem to agree so she's gasping for air when she remembers how to swim right, twirling around in the water with wide, confused blue eyes. ]

Fakir? Fakir!

[ There's no familiar dock or ground, nothing she recognizes, and then she sees a creature she's never seen before. It's big and green and while she's not immediately afraid, she swims for the nearby shore as fast as her human limbs can bring her. Which isn't as fast as she would be in her natural form, but that's a question for a few minutes. Scrambling out of the water, she breathes heavily on her knees in the shallow end, looking down at her old school uniform. And right there, sure enough, is the pendant. ]

Oh no, [ she whispers, looking horrified,] this isn't right.

[ She sits there for longer than most people would, comfortable in the water, but eventually starts to shiver and crawls out. Being on two long legs again is hard and Ahiru looks around, lost and overwhelmed. Her red hair stuck to her face, young and innocent in appearance. This can't be good, if she's in this body again. What if it is good?

She's startled when a raven swoops down out of no where, finding a perch near the sand and staring at her. She screeches and falls back on her butt.]

Quack! [ She says out loud, like that's a perfectly normal thing for a human to say. ]


Carriage-Bound

[ Ahiru intends to listen to the man in the carriage, she really does, now that she's gotten her items and is no longer afraid of the raven, but she's completely unfocused and instead looking outside of the carriage. Her wide eyes take in the surroundings, amazed at how new everything feels, how drastically different this new adventure of hers is already starting to be. Her fear is being replaced by excitement, not many things can keep this duck down for good, and she pokes her head out of the carriage constantly instead of listening.

She also keeps poking at the mini-bar where it pops out bottles, shutting it and then opening it again multiple times, and leaning up to where the cool or warm air is coming from curiously. Ahiru squirms and doesn't seem to be able to sit still, accidentally forgetting to use her earbuds so the sound goes off when she uses AOL, her happiness turning into guilt when she flails and makes it stop quickly. ]

Sorry! I didn't mean to.


The Red Spring

[ By the time they get to the Red Springs, she's nodded off on the way since she already was tired to start with, and the excitement of being human again is beyond her. Ahiru stumbles clumsily out of the carriage, landing hard but zipping back up with the speed of youth and also the nervousness of seeming weird and awkward so quickly. Ugh. She misses the grace of Tutu. Why couldn't that be what form she's in?

This isn't a situation where she just magically is given a room at a ballet school and everyone acts like she's always been there. She's completely alone and a tiny young human and doesn't want to bother anyone with asking where she's supposed to go. She sort of wanders around the inn, tired and really wishing she listened to everything the person said on the way there, because maybe they told her what she's supposed to do now. ]

Oh I should have listened, I'm so stupid.

[ She bites her lip, her fingers playing with the pendant, which should not be around her neck anymore, and yet. ]

H-h-hello? Anyone? [ Tutu wouldn't be so timid, but Ahiru is. ] What am I supposed to do now?

CameCon

[ While her arrival here was a struggle, Ahiru bounces back pretty quickly once she settles into what her new normal is. It's strange and scary but also fun! And new! Since Mytho isn't here, it means she can't give him his heart piece anyway, so being human again is okay. She finds herself wandering through CameCon, curious and excitable. She watches other people play every game that she walks by, cheering them on loudly. ]

You're so good! Wow!

[ She'll chatter at someone even if they lose miserably, easily impressed to say the least. She shadows gamers and watches them play, but never plays herself. It almost seems that she desperately wants to, when people offer her a try there's naked longing in her eyes, but she always ends up shaking her head and smiling brightly. ]

I like watching. I don't know how to play.

CameCon!

[warbun]

[Lizzie has noticed the girl standing close by, watching her absolutely fail at the figuring out this whole video game thing. Not even Garlemald has this kind of technology, which is equal parts fascinating and frustrating.

Eventually, she offers the other controller to her spectator. When she tries to refuse, Lizzie gives her a smile and a shrug.]

Neither do I. We can figure it out together, if you'd like?

[onlyaduck]

[ Video games are not something her world had either, advanced technology is new and it's all kinds of confusing, but she thinks it's exciting too. AOL has so many people on it talking and videos and she's read everything but too timid to dip her new toes in.

She looks at the woman; she's never seen ears like that before and her hair is so pretty and she has kind eyes. She doesn't seem like she'd laugh at her or anything. Ahiru gingerly takes the controller from her. She's faced the Raven, she can face this. ]

I can try. What do I press?

[warbun]

[Lizzie has the benefit of having had to adjust to a new and alien world before, but everything here is equally strange and overwhelming to her as it seems to be for this young girl. It would be cruel not to use her experience to help others work through it.

Besides, these games are meant to be fun!]

So far, I've figured out that this one here moves your character around.

[She reaches over to point to the button she means--a D pad.]

The other ones are various punches and kicks. I think. I've been hitting them blindly, if I have to be honest.

The Red Spring

[darkestbefore]

[ Yona had just happened to be at the inn the night the new arrivals had arrived. Not that she'd planned it that way - she hasn't been here long enough to figure out anything resembling a schedule yet.

But she's just headed back to her room from the caves when she hears a young voice call out and she stops and looks around for the source. Spotting a young redheaded girl nearby looking lost, she quickly changes directions and heads towards her instead, her smile bright and warm. ]

Hello there. Are you lost?

[onlyaduck]

[ Ahiru's wringing her hand; everything seems big and loud to her, she's never really been in a place with so many people. The most crowded they ever had in her little town was in their lessons or when the Raven was taking over the town and forcing everyone to take part. So this is a lot more. She looks up when the woman approaches, not scared of people the way she is of new places that don't make sense. ]

Hi. Um, yes. I'm sorry.

[ She feels bad that anyone has to deal with a lost little duckling and if she wasn't so lost she wouldn't have tried to bother anyone. She does manage a grateful if hesitant smile. ]

I don't know where to go. I wasn't listening as much as I should have in the carriage, but everything was so exciting and I was looking at the new land and then there were these little things you could push in there and there was air blowing and I got distracted!

[ She explains all in a rush, contrite. ]

[darkestbefore]

[ Yona just gives a quiet laugh at the rush of excited words, coming to stand before her and leaning forward a little, hands propped on her knees as she brings herself to eye-level with the little girl - which wasn't hard, Yona wasn't overly tall to being with. ]

It's okay, you don't have to be sorry. Everything here being so new can be confusing and overwhelming, I'm sure you're not the only one who got distracted. Maybe I can help. Did you find a room yet?

Carriage-Bound

[difpossessed]

No need to apologize, it's quite alright!

[Kazumi has been doing his best to keep his mind off his current situation, trying to keep his own trepidation in check. And his fellow traveler's interest in everything certainly managed to distract him. Her excitement was - not amusing, exactly, that would be rude. Rather, it reminded him a little of when his brother was younger and asked questions about everything. It was somewhat comforting to watch, in a way.]

If you don't mind my saying, though, you seem unfamiliar with these devices. Did you not have such things back in your own home?

[onlyaduck]

[ Ahiru is always very self-conscious about how annoying she's being or if she's acting weirdly, but it's usually very easy to soothe over that anxiety if the other person is nice enough. Which Kazumi does almost immediately, and the relieved look the girl shoots him is warm. It's like a switch goes back to excitement from nerves, and she smiles brightly. ]

Oh no, nothing like it at all! I don't know how it works, is it magic?

[ She looks at the glowing box, she didn't catch what the name of it was, but it's very bright and loud and she doesn't know how it has all of that in such a small object. It has to be magic! ]

Arrival (Also AAAAH an Ahiru!)

[roseeclair]

Whoa hey!

[Makoto had come to the beach to watch for new arrivals- to watch for people from home- but so far no dice. But the gangly girl with a ginger ponytail long enough to rival the Starights flopping in the sand and... quacking??? That definitely gets her attention, and she's quick to run over and offer the girl a hand up, a bear made of jade green lightning loping not too far behind.]

Easy, you okay?

AHHH people who know her! hahah

[onlyaduck]

[ Ahiru stares at the raven that seems very intent on intimidating her, although it isn't a big raven, not like the real Raven. It's just a normal one and that makes her very annoyed that it's just staring. Rude! She darts her glance to a woman rushing toward her and she feels immediately bad about making so much noise. Oh and she quacked out loud, that's so embarrassing. ]

Oh, I'm ----

[ She is in the middle of answering, blushing red, when she sees the bear made of lightning and immediately zips back away from them deeper into the water, as if she can hide in it. Oh to be able to dive under the surface until people forget all about a nobody duck. Still, she doesn't go all the way because then she has to worry about the woman, and she whispers to her quickly. ]hi

There's a bear, come into the water, quick!

[roseeclair]

[Wait wha-- oh. Crap.]

No no no, it's okay! It's okay, he's with me. Kaede's a huge sweetheart, really. [Yes, the grizzly-sized bear is harmless, really.] Trust me, we won't hurt you...

red spring - i literally could not resist

[sos_pilot]

[ What happens when a duck meets a Duck?

Della happens to overhear Ahiru's quiet questions, and upon realizing this is a Sad Frightened Child, Mama instincts kick in. She's already making her way over with a soft face on. ]

Hey there! Let me guess, you just arrived? How're you doing?

omfg best

[onlyaduck]

[ Ahiru is basically seeking any sign of comfort or help at this point, she feels so adrift and alone. There's an almost immediate sense of hopeful trust when she looks up at a soothing tone, having never really had a parent but instinctively sensing it. And then her eyes might as well widen so large they take over her entire face with surprise.

She'd seen giant cat people and anteaters and lizards and ravens and each one seemed strange to her at the time, even though she was a duck, but she was a duck in human form. Not this.]

You're a duck.

[ She whispers. Ahiru isn't horrified, if anything she seems absolutely spellbound by Della. ]

You're a duck-person.

[sos_pilot]

[ Eh, it's a reaction she's slowly getting used to in this place. Teasingly, she decides to respond in kind. ]

And you're a human. You're a human-person. Funny world, ain't it?

Arrival (Sorry for the train of Arrivals and magical girls!)

[cureofmanyworlds]

“Quack”? Heh, that sounds like a silly thing to say in surprise.

[And there’s Nozomi with a towel for Ahiru. She had raided the Inn for towels to help the new arrivals and it seemed that she found a use for it.]

I know, it’s raining, but, it’ll help!

i want all the magical girls

[onlyaduck]

[ Ahiru stares at the woman for a beat before she laughs maybe too loud and too forced. ]

Yeahwhatasillyridiculousthingtosayiknowhowweirdrighthaha.

[ She's human again. H-u-m-a-n. She also doesn't want to act so duckish that she turns back into one right away, so she takes the towel gratefully and darts her eyes back to the raven. ]

It just startled me I don't, um, ravens are mean birds.

CameCon

[flapsin]

[There's one duck going around and trying out some of the games. One big adjustment in coming to this world has been getting used to the predominent species being these fleshy-faced beings called humans. As he's been getting used to them, he supposes they don't look so horrifying. Some of them are fine! Like this kid seems fairly adorable, he supposes! And he notices the way she's eying the games, so he tries to ask her about playing. And after her response...]

I can always show you the ropes. The games are easy to play and fun! C'mon, give it a try.

[onlyaduck]

[ Ahiru's met Della by now so she's not 100% thrown off by a duck person this time, but there's still a deep focus and trust in how she looks at him, amazed all over again. Why couldn't she be a duck person? If she was a duck person she could've kept her friends and it seems unfair that wasn't an option, all duck or nothing. She feels intensely connected to duck-people by instinct, and he's also being so kind. ]

Okay, I'll try to do a good job!

[ It may be the fact she didn't have parents but she is filled with the need to impress the duck people, go figure. Her timidity is replaced with determination, watching the screen and poking buttons as best as she can. Human fingers are nice but hard to get good at! ]

Red Spring

[apshot]

[ Just because Katsuki doesn't actually reside at the inn anymore doesn't mean that there's no reason to swing by. Some of this other friends classmates still do so that's why he still makes an appearance here and there.

Now it's not like he cares or gives a damn that some girl is looking lost and confused. That's the natural state of anyone who has seen fit to arrive here. Bakugou definitely knows the look. But at the same time he can't help but get irritated as this one clearly hadn't paid any mind to the shit that they had been fed with upon arrival. ]

Let me guess. You paid attention to fuck all and now what? You expect to be spoon fed the answers?

[onlyaduck]

[ Ahiru looks over at the boy and it's almost as if Fakir is there for a moment, the harsh tone one she knows well in his case, but this is a stranger so she flinches from it. She wrings her hands and looks down at the chastisement. It's not as if he's wrong. She didn't listen and that's why she's not sure what to do. Ahiru has a quick temper but it usually only appears on behalf of someone else, not for herself. ]

I don't expect anything, I just ----

camecon!

[fullgauntlet]

[Izuku hasn't been to a real convention in a long time- He's missed them! Being able to see costumes and heroes of all kinds! The games and the panels to be seen! It's exciting to see something like it happening right here in Camelot.

He's trying one of those dance games that require you to step on the correct arrows in time to the beat. Izuku isn't the best at dancing games but his leg-eye coordination is decent and after the last dance situations he's been in he wants to do better...! Even if he's kind of stumbling over some of the notes.

Izuku's song finishes and he rubs the back of his head as the spectator praises him.]

Ahhh- I- I'm not that great at this! I've only tried a few games like this before. I'm trying to get better at it! [He laughs sheepishly.] Would you like to try a song together?

Re: camecon!

[onlyaduck]

[ There are few things that Ahiru loves more in the world than dancing. While her time as Princess Tutu was more about saving Mytho, she did like being in the ballet school. But she's no longer Princess Tutu so she can't dance like her. So she almost shys away at the very thought. She's all knobby legs after all. But. It is just a game, right? And if she can dance even as a duck, maybe she can.

It was fun watching him and it doesn't seem too hard, so after some uncertainty, she smiles nervously and nods. ]

Okay, I'll try!

[ Ahiru steps up and pokes her foot at the steps since they haven't started yet, just getting used to where she's supposed to do it. She glances over at him. ]

I'm sorry if I mess up, I'm not, um, very graceful.

CameCom - HHHHNNN AHIRU.

[floatsaway]

[Ochako isn't the best at videogames, nor is she the best dancer, but she is a fast learner! After a few rounds on a set of DDR, she's really getting a hang of the steps and what it really takes to make the game easier for newbies like herself. This is one hell or a workout, and she's a little bit breathless as she finishes up her current game and song, wiping the beads of sweat from her brow, then notices that she was being watched. O-Oops!]

Oh!! Sorry, I was kinda hogging the game for a while, ehehe...did you want to play? It's really fun!!

[She's taking a disinfectant wipe now and cleaning off the machine a bit, in case this girl does want to play - or anyone else really.]

[onlyaduck]

[ Ahiru loves dancing. So much. It's the only thing she truly loves outside of her friends, it's her only hobby, and while she's still managed to dance as a duck, it's not the same. But she's used to ballet which is hard and elegant and pretty. This is not that, but she likes it too, it's energetic and while she's not on the machine, she is bouncing along with the beat as she claps. It looks like it requires a whole lot more grace than she's got. ]

Ummmmmmm. I don't know.

[ The answer is yes, of course she wants to dance, but she looks nervously at the machine. What if she breaks it and/or herself? She would definitely fall in front of everyone and be pathetic like the awkward duck she is. But maybe it won't be so baad. She chews her lip as she thinks. ]

I'm kind of clumsy. Like really clumsy.