TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 7

[avalonmods]

✨ Greet new players on the OOC intro while apps are processed HERE! ✨

{ 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, helping to rescue any wayward travelers who look like they're struggling in the water. This month's helpers are giant pillow jellies, a species of jellyfish that is capable of ballooning itself at the surface to create bouncy pads for characters to hop across to the shore, should they choose or not be able to swim. They come in a variety of bioluminescent colors, but do not seem to be very talkative even to animal magic users. Those who try may find themselves being ignored, even if they hear the jellies talking amongst themselves about this and that. If anyone tries to ask the Lady of the Lake for directions, she will direct you to Archimedes at the Rent-a-Ride. The shores themselves are littered with new arrivals complaining their way up a staircase carved into the walls of the White Cliffs. There is no railing, so be careful, but if you do fall, be prepared for a mysterious sand hand to reach out of the side of the cliffs to catch you. The hand will pat you atop the head twice before retreating back into the wall. This is the Cliff Beast; despite the name, he is quite friendly. *Reminder: Your character's familiar may or may not be with your character in their initial plunge. If the familiar isn't partial to water, it may meet your character on the beach or sit atop their head while they swim. Or if they are, they might splash about and swim alongside your character. Familiars have different personalities and body specs and we leave those up to the players. B ⦿ The Caravan to Camelot Once everyone is wrangled up to the top of the White Cliffs, the handsome owner of the Rent-a-Ride, Archimedes, will distribute smart phones and a pair of special ear buds (the supplier was out of the regular ones) 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. 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. After the new arrivals come in, they'll find that this month they came in on the middle of a rather tumultuous time... people are arguing and debating about a future decision to be made. King Arthur recently tried to negotiate with Celliwig's people to open the doors to Camelot, but they refused, and the people have been left with a decision: 1. attempt long-distance, slow wooing of Queen Elphame via the Elphame Traders of the next couple of months, 2. attempt to prove a balanced and deeper understanding of the need for both pure and impure hearts by suggesting an acceptance of trials from Celliwig, or 3. band together under Camelot's flag to invade Celliwig. Celliwig is a place of communication between Elphame and Camelot that bypasses the need for weeks of dangerous, often fatal travel, so the choice is very important in regards to how Camelot both presents itself to the fae people in the future. To that end, people with strong beliefs about particular choices have arranged gatherings to draw people in to hear their perspectives on what the choice should be. A ⦿ Honey Over Vinegar A wide variety of people have sided with this group, including the Elphame Traders, as cutting Celliwig off from them would mean a much harder journey each month to the city of Camelot. (Though commerce always does find a way.) This group is hosting a Tree-Picking Tournament! Of course, the trees to be picked are out in the farmlands, and members of the lobbying group will be giving people free one-use Farm Totems to get to the tournament. The trees in this grove are a little different than normal trees, however. For one, they don't bear fruit. This is Camelot's cookie orchard, composed of special fairy tree hybrids that grow a variety of sweet treats on their branches instead of fruits. There are your usual chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies, but also little puff-like wedding cookies on bushes or checkboard cookies blossoming out of stems instead of flowers. There are even some trees that have clusters of miniature French macarons! The best part, at the end when you turn in your cookies for the count and get your participation prize (and bonus pamphlet about how slow and steady wins the race), you can totally keep and eat them, so be careful not to drop them! How you get them down from the tree is up to you, of course. Try some magic, or maybe just some regular old tree-shaking will do the trick.. just be careful you don't accidentally knock down any wasp nests. Those stings will hurt bad! B ⦿ A Balanced Approach The party of people who want to try to woo Celliwig over to smooth things over see this little political gathering with cookie-based bribery and quickly fashion their own event to make sure the fanfare isn't all for just the one idea. To gather people in to hear their side of the story, this group has decided to host a bug catching contest! Head out into those flower fields between Camelot and the Red Springs that are now thriving thanks to April's plentiful rains. Whether you use a net or figure out how to use your magic to get the bugs, it's how many you catch, not what kinds you catch that count-- so make it fast and make it plentiful! And at the end of the day, what you choose to do with your captured bugs is up to you. Crush them or free them, keep them or eat them, whatever it is you want to do... ultimately, all moral choices are valid, right? So let's go along with what Celliwig wants! Don't forget that May is the season of the frog, however, and you'll be in competition with a variety of sentient and wise members of the Frog Tribe, a group of bipedal frogs who live in the southernmost part of the lake and come up to the flowerfields to stick their tongues out for some delicious bug treats. They have no problem sticking their tongues right into your captured bug nest, hopping on heads to steal your catches, and do all kinds of crazy interferences like snipping belts and tonguing ankles to trip people. You may want someone to watch your back for this event, lest you get done in by a hopper. C ⦿ A Show of Strength The more war-hungry citizens of Camelot seek to go to war. This whole issue will be over if Celliwig itself isn't the one in charge of communication and it's just made directly between Elphame and Camelot, rather than having a mediator who refuses to mediate. They believe that a show of strength is the only way to solve this problem, and as such, they'll be demonstrating that the greatest rewards come from strength by organizing an expedition to a cave at the base of the Ash Mountains. Taking a path squarely between the Dusklight Woods and the edge of the Lands of Rot to the base of the Ash Mountains, this expedition will lead into a cave known as the Giant Cave. It's a pretty on-the-nose name, since it really is a big cave. One of the cool things about this cave is that it's filled with geodes. Those who have enough strength can use provided pickaxes and drills to dig up their own crystals and gold, both great for jewelry and enchanting. In particular, there is a large amount of: • Rose quartz: dark mages can make their love spells much more powerful and healers can use this to enhance spells that soothe anxieties and self-doubt • Amethyst: siphoners increase the potency of counter-curses and light mages will find this stone makes their hard light shields stronger than ever • Agate: strengthen cognitive abilities like post-cognition for a clearer picture of what happened by enhancing perception, and death mages will find they're able to extend their possession times by about 30 minutes by using an agate to stablize their aura • Moonstones: will increase navigation as a traveler's protection for kinetic users-- no longer will you risk tripping over a rock while going at enhanced speeds, or can be traded to fairies to potentially bring down a steep price to something more reasonable • Black tourmaline: a crystal that shields from opposition/negativity-- for technomancers and elementalists, this means that technology is more likely to side with them over another technomancer, or elementalists will find that when using opposing elements, theirs will come out stronger-- like water vs fire, electric vs rock, etc. • Hematite: can soothe blood, leaving it a good tool to enhance animal and blood magic-- animals may trust you more readily by having a calming effect on them, and blood mages may find that they heal more readily after using their abilities • Boji stone: alchemists will find that this is a good stabilizer for for particularly volatile potion combinations, and the properties of this stone leaves green mages to sense new types of plants they haven't yet encountered in passing, even if they're not looking at them It's not particularly a contest in this case-- you can keep and use what you want, and this show of strength has given you more power than ever, so why not consider the same concept for how to deal with our unneighborly neighbors in Celliwig? It may be sweaty business, but surely hitting some rocks will show you the value of strength! With the surprisingly tame day in the Giant Cave, one would think that the Ash Mountains were something of a safe place. No one really bothered the travelers, but that's because no one had been home at the time. as it turns out, the Giant Cave is home to a giant... douchebag of a minotaur. Not a giant, despite the name. His name is Simon and he doesn't like to share, and now that a bunch of people have gone and taken his rocks (he didn't even know there were crystals inside, nor does he do anything with them). Now he has to take his revenge, regardless of not knowing who actually took the crystals that were never really his to begin with, they just happened to be in rocks near where he sleeps. A ⦿ A Stone's Throw from Revenge The minotaur is a very instinctive creature, and his instincts say that the people of Camelot, the nearest settlement, are the ones who need to be punished for this. He uses his superhuman strength to drag huge rocks and boulders all the way to the north-east edge of Camelot, seemingly for no reason, until he's got practically a wall built. At which point he starts picking them up, spinning, and then vaulting the rocks into Camelot's buildings. You may find yourself inside of one of those buildings and scrambling to check if everyone and yourself is okay, or perhaps you're rushing out to stop the minotaur from throwing another. Either way, it's a sudden attack and you're going to have to act fast. Trying to attack the minotaur will be difficult, since it has superhman strength and durability, sharp horns atop its head, and can smell you coming from a mile away. Get creative, and stop the minotaur before it's too late! B ⦿ There's Safety in Numbers Once the minotaur's attacks stop, it flees to recover its wounds, promising it will come back to destroy Camelot once and for all. It's a time for reprieve and to help clean up the damage. Use your magic to help clean up broken buildings and structures, or heal and help others who were injured in the sudden, mostly unprovoked attack. Many of the uninjured citizens will be going around town and providing drinks, towels, and cups of noodles to those who are helping out. Because of the impending threat of the minotaur's return, it's recommended that otherworlder's use the (Recipe) Buddy System spell. The way they explain it, it's a spell designed to alert your buddy if you're in danger and lasts about an hour. The way it actually works is you must be touching your buddy in any way at all times for the next hour. Unfortunately, it seems like the volunteers sharing the recipe may have missed that it was created in a kindergarten class, not for adults. C ⦿ Gross Thankfully, the Buddy System wears off before the Minotaur is back for round two. When the Minotaur returns, the castle has since gathered forces to the edge of town to defend it from another attack. It's unclear where the Minotaur went to get healed, but whoever he went to apparently had some advice, however, and the instinctive minotaur gave into a different instinct for part two of his revenge. Rather than go right back to his pile of rocks, he instead travels the day to get to the southernmost part of Camelot and barrels into town unopposed, as most of the troupes are where they had thought he would come from again. After all, minotaurs are not known to be big thinkers. Instead of violently destroying this time, however, the minotaur instead heads straight to lowertown's well-- and takes a pee in it. It turns out, not only does he have a giant-- ahem, but he is a giant dick as well. Now the entire lowertown has to be evacuated due to contaminated water up to other areas of Camelot. Many people who live there are relocated to live in extra castle rooms. After all, Minotaur Urine is known to be incredibly potent and stinky. Mages who are able to handle the smell are asked to come help perform a ritual of water purification for the lowertown's water system. This ritual involves multiple groups of people performing synchronic magic, a magic type that requires you to be in perfect sync with your partner. Draw a special ritual circle with four candles at equidistant points. Chant a spell in sync with your partner, and blow a special powder made of ground jasper, charcoal, and rosemary into the center of the circle. It will be drawn into the candles' flames and with enough people doing this, all impurities will be removed from the lowertown's water and dissipate into the atmosphere. KEY POINTS New arrivals drop into the lake and have to climb up a cliff to the Rent a Ride, where they are given their device and some headphones and can retrieve their personal materials. They travel to Camelot, which is a multiple day journey, so they stop at the Red Springs along the way and stay at an inn there. There is a vote pending for Camelot and each side of the issue is trying to engage otherworlders to their side of the vote. The slow/steady approach is hosting a cookie harvesting tournament from a grove of cookie trees, the middleground group is hosting a bug-catching contest, and the group that wants war is hosting a mining expedition. The mining expedition aggros an asshole of a minotaur, who throws rocks at Camelot. Driven away, the townspeople try to help by distributing a spell called "Buddy System" which binds two people together, not realizing it was intended for kindergarteners. (Oops.) The minotaur returns and pees in the lowertown's water, so a ritual of water purification must be performed because it's gross and stinky. The minotaur is still at large. **** The above key points are a new feature we're going to start including on TDMs and Events. Since it's new, the format is still fluid, so please let us know if you have any feedback for this section here. It should just include brief summaries of each prompt to make parsing information easier and more accessible. The original prompts should still be read and referred to for complete information and details. **** 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. • A poll will go up a little later this week regarding the mentioned voting, which should be answered ICly by each character you play. The poll will remain open through the 15th so that newly accepted characters may also vote if they choose to. •If nothing here tickles your fancy, try one of this month's Quests for your TDM prompt. • The first "Arrival" prompts are present on every TDM, but contain seasonal tweaks for flavor. All other prompts will change monthly. • Questions about this TDM's content? Comment here! If you have a question about the game at-large, please head over to the FAQ.

Comments

sakyo furuichi | A3! | healing + dark

[revile]

( 1. Soaking in Your Arrival )

[ Sakyo is pissed. Understandably so, considering he's just hauled himself out of the water which he just ended up in. Once on land, he's peeling off a drenched shirt to wring out the water, then takes off his glasses to shake it dry. He's got no clue where he is, how he got here, what he's going to do about getting dry clothes, and just when he puts his glasses back on a torrent of water gets splashed upon him from nearby. He turns, ready to wring someone's neck next, but all he sees beside him is some giant sort of... dog?

His eyes can't really process what he's seeing, so he choses to obviously ignore the giant creature as he gets further up on land to investigate what he's supposed to even do now.

Except the creature follows him. Sakyo keeps ignoring it until he finds his way to the Rent-a-Ride caravans. He stops, then turns, confronting the animal. ]

The hell do you want? You're not coming with me. Go, leave, shoo! [ He tries to wave the animal off but all it does is... whine, and shake its tail. Sakyo lets out a heavy sigh as he pinches the bridge of his nose. ]

Why do I keep attracting stupid dogs like this?

[ Not only that, but for a komainu, it's rather docile. Isn't that kind of pathetic? ]

( 2. The Red Spring )

[ It seems a little too early to relax once he finds himself at this public inn, but he's exhausted, and wrapping his head around this series of events is sort of taking a toll on his sanity. Sakyo will occupy himself at the inn's bar first before taking a dip in the hot spring. He's ready to not care about a single damn thing for at least a half hour or so, but it's hard to ignore a yakuza's sharp senses, alerted to any noise of an approaching guest.

He doesn't intend to speak up, until of course, his annoying overly protective familiar makes itself known as it growls at the company. ]

Oh shut up, this isn't a private bath. [ Sakyo throws the komainu a scathing look, which doesn't really help much, considering he can't see well without his glasses. ]

Ignore him, he's not going to bite you or anything. At least I don't think he will.

[ Sorry for the lack of confidence but at least he's being honest. He's only known his familiar for like an hour. ]

( 3. There's Safety in Numbers )

[ What's that saying, that when it rains it pours? Well, rain sure would be a lot more preferable to whatever's going on in this bizarre medieval city. He doesn't exactly want much of any part in it. Not his problem or anything. Sakyo just intends to find a decent, calm place to ride this mess out, but there's so much damage to the buildings and so many people thrown into a panic about it all that any degree of peace and quiet is going to be hard to find for a while.

Well, he was told he had magic, not that he cares. All that fantasy nonsense is more Muku's style. Knights in shining armor, heroes and things like that. He's no hero.

But if you happen to be in his way or try to flag him down, maybe, just maybe, he'll offer a hand. He's got healing magic after all. Might as well practice it at some point. ]

2 because... because i can honestly.

[currysseur]

( a bath sounds good. it won't get rid of the explanations still ringing in her ears, but warm water will at least feel better than the lake she was dumped into. little things that keep the threads of her fraying sanity in check.

it'll be nice, right? )

E-eh?

( ... or she can be growled at by a... is that a komainu? and wait a second— )

Sakyo-san?!

time for sakyo to drown in the hot spring

[revile]

[ The exclamation of shock and the call of his name rings way too familiar in Sakyo's ears for his liking. His familiar has at least settled down, but it's more-so interested in the way its owner is now clamoring in the water. His glasses, where'd he put them? He squints at her but then immediately turns away and springs up from the water. ]

A— D-Direct— what the hell are you doing here?!

[ Not that he needs to see her clearly to know its her. Here, in this bizarre world.

Looking at him nearly naked in an onsen. At least he has enough mind to clutch the towel to his. You know. ]

time to suffer, yakuza-san

[currysseur]

( he's not the only one nearly naked, here! but maybe it's best for Izumi's dignity that he needs glasses, because even with the steam, she sure is getting an eyeful.

aHEM. eyes up, Tachibana. seriously. no gawking, even if this is the kind of event Citron or Itaru would classify as "Ultra Rare", and even if Sakyo is... um, quite toned and has that little V-thing going on...

NNNNOPE, focus, Izumi. )

I-I wanted a bath, what else?!

( sheesh. did this place mix up the men and women signs or something? wait, did the doors even have those markers on them??? )

has he not suffered enough... i guess not

[revile]

Get your eyes checked, this is the men's bath!

[ It's actually not, there's no labeling considering this isn't a traditional Japanese hot spring, but Sakyo just assumed there'd be sectioned off areas depending on gender. Jesus though, she seriously walked in here without asking or checking, bumping into anyone other than him would have gotten her in serious trouble!

Sakyo's trying to haul himself out of the water while keeping the towel in the right censorship location, becoming more and more aware that she's seeing him like this and he needs to get clothes on ASAP. ]

Turn around! Why're you still looking at me?!

1

[konpeito_aji]

[Nobunaga wonders if it's coincidence, fate, or just very unlucky (?) of everyone that he was in the region to check on the horses and find out what it would take to get more bred (Yes, he knows it takes years for foals to mature, listen once a world conqueror; always one!) -- so he sees Sakyo annoyed at his own familiar. Well, it still probably is better than when he challenged his own familiar to a duel.]

That's your familiar. They help keep you alive in this crazy realm. Welcome to the Isle of Avalon.

[A pause. He's forgetting something. Something obvious. What is it? Candy? No wait... Introductions!]

[A small bow is given.] I'm Oda Nobunaga, Demon King of the 6th Heaven. [Whatever that means.]

[revile]

[ Familiar how, Sakyo wants to ask, because nothing about this hug lion-dog is familiar to him. The guy probably means something else but it's hard to try to think of an explanation when he's given an introduction like that.

'Oda Nobunaga my ass—!'

What's this, more delusional bullshit? This guy a cosplayer? Some extreme Sengoku era otaku?? ]

Were your parents history buffs or something?

[ The komainu simply sits patiently, tail still wagging, waiting out this conversation. ]

1/2

[konpeito_aji]

Nobuhide was a little too historical, and Gozen had no patience for my eccentricities.

[WHO TALKS ABOUT THEIR PARENTS LIKE THAT?!]

2/2

[konpeito_aji]

Ah. You're from the future of my time. The magic of this place relies on taking people out of their time periods, regardless of the past of others. Are you familiar with the word, "wormhole?" It's fanciful even 500 years in the future I'm told, but it would save on explaining.

[You have to admit, he's REALLY dedicated to the part. He's got the favorite sword, the gun, the AURA.]

[But not the Japanese (or European!) armor. He wanted to test the horses, not break them.]

[revile]

[ You weren't even supposed to answer the question honestly!! WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO HIM. Sakyo feels that undeniable rage that always swells up in him when the Mankai kids start being a pain in the ass, but he can't yakuza rage his way out of this predicament, so he just sort of needs a moment to compose himself. Barely. ]

Don't be giving me that future time horseshit. You're seriously trying to convince me that you're the real Oda Nobunaga? The Oda Nobunaga that existed in the 1500s, who as far as I'm concerned, is dead? That Oda Nobunaga is you?

[ Deep breath, Sakyo, this probably isn't good for your blood pressure. ]

...okay. Sure. You're Oda Nobunaga. [ Does he actually believe it or is he just too tired to question it much longer? Who knows. ]

Why am I here and why am I suddenly responsible for a living, breathing komainu?

3

[arf]

SAKYO-NII!

[ Taichi has been here a few months longer than Sakyo and is, also, a healer! And even if he got off to a rough start he eventually started to catch onto how to do things, and has gotten pretty good at basics. He's not ready to save a severed limb yet and he's never going to be a doctor, but he can handle most standard healing.

That said, there's nothing healing about the way that Taichi practically barrels toward Sakyo after spotting him, hoping to catch him off-guard for a hug. Tasuku or Omi would definitely catch him, and it's been so long since he's seen Sakyo (at least a year, counting Prismatica and Avalon) that he's forgotten to consider the potential consequences of his actions in assuming that Sakyo would not just dump his ass on the ground. Who cares, though, it's Sakyo?? ]

[revile]

[ Yeah sure, the element of surprise would probably work really well if you didn't barrel at him with that hollering war cry. Like a dog greeting its master home, loud stomping paws, tail wagging. Good thing Sakyo is used to this, so before he can get tackled by this giant puppy he's got an arm extended to block off the attack, palm latching to Taichi's face and fingers gripping in firm and tight, holding him at bay within arm's reach. ]

Don't start with me. I've dealt with enough.

[ He adjusts his glasses then gives Taichi a quick once-over. Things appear to be going to shit, and knowing this idiot, he wouldn't put it past him to get into some kind of obviously avoidable mess. ]

...you hurt or anything, Nanao?

[ I mean ignoring the fact he's probably going to leave indents in Taichi's cheeks from how hard he's almost crushing his face in his hand. But aside from that. ]

[arf]

[ At the very least, Sakyo does succeed in stopping Taichi in his tracks. He makes a groaning sound as he tries to back off and rescue his flattened nose from Sakyo's hand. So long as Sakyo letsh im go, he reaches up and slaps his cheeks with a healing spell (his healing is very touch-based since he's better at being connected to people). Even if it's just for soreness of running face-first into a palm since Sakyo didn't do any real damage. ]

All good. I haven't seen you in forever!

[revile]

[ He figures he should be out of the clear from being tackled, so slowly, Sakyo lets him go then shakes his hand like he's touched something dirty.. Hey, teenagers can get into anything, they're filthy. Initially he's content enough to take Taichi at his word, but he can't, because what does he even mean by not seeing him forever? They...... they live in the same place??

What the fuck. ]

Head trauma then.

[ He really doesn't want to deal with this. Just take him home, please. Sakyo sighs heavily then holds up a hand. ]

How many fingers am I holding up?

[ Two, Taichi. Just say two and we're good. ]

2

[irritated]

[Hikaru is not a new arrival and maybe he should have looked at the calender more closely to realize this is when new arrivals usually come. But Hikaru just really wanted a nice bath and with his money more stable now, he was happy to enjoy himself. Usually he would have either his twin or Taichi with him but he hadn't been able to get either.

And really, wouldn't it just be Hikaru's luck to share the springs with this company. Sakyo's familiar is much more protective than Hikaru's annoying kitsune, Yoshiha, who only goes towards the komainu to sniff around in interest.]

Yoshiha, that wasn't an open invitation to go annoy it. [Hikaru tiptoes around to make himself comfortable in the springs with this guy who...Hikaru doesn't know if he wants to share this with him but it's more awkward if he just leaves, he thinks.]

Sorry she's annoying.

[revile]

[ Sakyo's komainu shuffles around and tries to get out of reach from the fox initially, but after a careful sniff, he decides there's no real danger present (and he also doesn't want to be yelled at again) so it just lays down and lets the fox continue its playtime. ]

I'm used to annoying things, just prefer it if they're not my responsibility.

[ Unfortunately they usually are. But man, as weird as this whole situation is, it's nice to enjoy a hot spring without the chaos of more than a dozen teenagers and young adults. As much as he'd like to stay solo, this kid doesn't seem like he'll be a problem, so he reclines again and tries to relax. ]

I won't bite either, for the record. Unless I'm provoked.

[ Sakyo??? ]

[irritated]

[Unfortunately, Yoshiha lives to annoy and so she decides it'd be fun to try to get this komainu in trouble with its obviously grouchy person. That'd just be hilarious so she starts giving playful bites. Ones that look like she's just trying to play but in reality, trying to annoy to set it off so it'll growl again and get yelled at.

Hikaru isn't paying her any mind. After all, the best thing to do for annoying kitsunes? Is to ignore them. She doesn't get her attention that way. Hikaru has learned this well.

Though, when Sakyo says that, Hikaru gives a very unamused look.]

What kind of adult tells that to a kid they just met? [Just calling it like it is but seriously, who makes that implication???]

[revile]

[ Being a komainu is suffering. The large lion-dog whines as it tries rolling around to get free from the fox's hastling. It's a lot better at being bossy and mean around people. Other familiars? It's sort of a pushover. And while Sakyo can hear the plight going on, he doesn't seem to care.

He doesn't care about a lot at the moment. ]

The sort of adult that wants nothing to do with kids.

[ Ignoring the fact he takes care of a whole theater company full of them. ]

If you want to join me go ahead, but I'm not interested in chit-chat. I haven't had a moment of peace and quiet like this in a long time. I want to enjoy it.

2

[summeragi]

[ Well, that's a familiar voice. Tenma hadn't expected to see someone he knows all the way out here. He glances at the komainu, then up at Sakyo before he sighs– ]

He'd better not! [ an exaggerated huff, because he sure isn't himself if he isn't being Dramatic– ] Come on, Sakyo-san, I haven't even done anything!

[ On second thought, though, Sakyo would actually let the guy bite Tenma if he screws up, so maybe... Tenma should just stay where he is at the edge of the water and have an impromptu staring contest... ]

i'm sorry for the delay! 🙇‍♂️

[revile]

[ Can he not have a single moment to himself?? I mean, on one hand, it's sort of refreshing to see a familiar face (even if blurry), but on the other hand, can he not be free of these theater brats for a second?!

Sakyo falls silent as he contemplates on what to do. Technically, he should really urge his familiar to ease off. There's no need to treat Tenma this way. He needs to make a clear distinction between trustworthy individuals and enemies if his komainu is going to be this over-protective. ]

...hey, mutt-thing. This one's going to be a nuisance. Go escort him out.

[ Sakyo gives a wave of his hand as he reclines casually in the pool, like he's siccing an attack dog at an intruder. This shitty yakuza. ]

No biting though.

[ See though?? He can be nice. ]

no worries!! i'm pretty late myself :'')

[summeragi]

[ cue an extremely undignified noise that could only really be described as somewhere between a scream and a parrot's squawk– ] You've gotta be kidding me.

[ Tenma can't even rely on his own familiar to back him up. One glance and Tenma already knows his kitsune's fast asleep. Right now, in fact, a small nine-tailed fox is curled up on one of the rocks by the edge of the spring. The little guy yawns, right before nestling himself in his own tails.

Tenma sighs, preparing for the inevitable as he looks at the komainu, then back at his sleeping beauty of a kitsune. ]

At least let me wake up my familiar first. [ beat ] Or well, try to wake him up...

3-kyo ✨👐✨

[whosaysdajare]

[ It's been pouring all month– That guy, he doesn't know what he's saying thinking, if that's the case.

What a troublesome day.

It doesn't look like a place someone of Sasara's format belongs, but it totally brings back memories of a kind. Sorta in line with just legging it, back in the day, from wrecked warehouses and the like, he helps with the evacuation. Sasara-stay-out-of-trouble-Nurude, has some injured NPC hanging off his shoulder. ]

Oi, pops! [ Sakyo doesn't look like much of any type in the near distance, but he's got a hand to lend, right? He looks managerial, despite any efforts. ] Help this kid, yeah?

3-kyu (no 3-kyu)

[revile]

[ The young ones these days sure have balls, Sakyo thinks as some green haired guy approaches him with a clearly injured individual in his care and doesn't even start off with a "please". This one would fit into Autumn Troupe with that shitty attitude for sure. He scowls, folding his arms. ]

He at the brink of death or something? Must be, if it's so urgent you can't address a stranger properly.

[ However he does at least lean in a little to get a better look at the other person. ]

[whosaysdajare]

[ Geez, what a mean look! It leaves Sasara inclined to adjust his own expression to something more serious and he almost does, the corners of his mouth twitching downward. But he's just kidding! What a grave look-- well, the person he's helping isn't there yet. ]

Excuse me, monsieur, [ Sasara doesn't speak French, for sure. ] This kid's, how'd ya say, in pain? Like he kneads your help.

[ These jokes might hurt worse than any of those scrapes and bumps. Or was that NPC already knocked out before that..? ]

the red spring;

[rediscovering]

[ Zuko makes his way to the hot spring only on occasion himself. When he's gone searching the shores for new arrivals from his own world, and actually found them, two for two so far. It's an exhausting trip emotionally even though he's been here for months and it has been a long, difficult day for the fire prince. The last thing he wants, either, is trouble.

But that is, like, the only thing his familiar ever promises him.

Sakyo's dog is growling at a small red dragon, about the size of a ferret, zipping around its paws. Every time it goes to the hot springs, it likes to search the newcomers for pushovers generous folk who might give it food. It's had pretty good luck every trip, in its own opinion; not in Zuko's. It once stole a soggy croquette from a five-year-old child who cried and threatened to kill Zuko over it if he didn't replace it (after he'd already said he would, no less!) and then wiped a booger on his leg... all the while Zuko knew privately the child was part of the mafia and they had mafia friends in common, which made it all the more chilling to have this booger on his pantsleg with a smarmy death threat over a wet pastry; that, though, was amongst the instances Zunyan the Dragon counted as a success on these hopeful trips to the shore they took together. It was a tasty wet croquette. A nice find for a greedy dragon. Ended fine, so Zuko can't complain. Short of that, any slip-ups and hiccups the little creature might launch them into now must be much better than... a run-in with the mob.

Nope. He's just destined to be around mafiosos now, apparently. Zunyan is curious about something the komainu seems to be standing near, and keeps trying to zip past its paws to investigate, probably what's freaking it out and making it act on edge and defensive. Zuko, meantime, in short hair and modern clothes, is on his phone nearby, not paying much attention to the creatures. That is, until, he hears his dragon make a strange hissing sound he's never heard it make, and it draws his attention immediately, only to find the little lizard baring its fangs at the guardian. He draws a deep scowl at the dog and its master's words. ]

Yeah? Well, I can't promise the same. Zunyan, cut it out!

[ The little dragon snarls at the dog once more, then turns to snarl and hiss at Zuko, too. Sass him back. Like, "what do you know, stay out of it?" So much for being named 'Dignity,' oy vey...

...all because it thought it smelled some food it wanted nearby. But it was mistaken. There's not any food nearby. It's just.... singleminded. ]