May Event Log

[kaisoumods]

May Event
Dominant Element: Shadow
Waning Element: Light

Full Moon: May 4th - May 6th

※
As Kaisou goes from April to May, the weather gradually gets warmer. There's lots of bright, sunny days ahead, though the nights are darker than perhaps is usual thanks to the increase in Shadow-elemented energy coming from the Spirit Realm. The night sky is streaked in dark purple and black, and those aligned with the Shadow element will feel themselves just vibrating with excess energy or creativity. Light-aspected characters, meanwhile, will feel more lethargic than normal.

May Flowers

If April was the month of spring showers, May is the month of bright, colorful flowers. There are flowers everywhere in the city, even places that don't normally have very many; grassy medians on the streets are dotted with daffodils and dandelions, parks and playgrounds are more buttercup than child, and neighbors get into fights over who's rosebush is growing over the fence and choking out the other's tulips. The local flora groups online talk about how this level of growth is unheard of for Kaisou, but it's also stunning so they're not too concerned with it.

The school year is nearly done, and the students of Kaisou High are certainly feeling the crunch. The end of year concert is the talk of the school, at least when they're not talking about exams, and everyone is looking forward to the end of the year. Seniors are getting hounded about their plans after high school and the college is doing tours for prospective freshmen. In between all of that, the student council is going around trying to get everything ready for prom at the end of the month. It's a busy time to be a high schooler.

Meanwhile, those college students who have finally managed to get enough credits are either celebrating their upcoming freedom or wondering why on God's green earth they decided to go into grad school. Oh, well. At least there's likely to be some parties hosted by students for stress relief.

Taste of Kaisou

With the weather so nice, some businesses in Kaisou have gotten together to host a fair in the latter half of the month called the Taste of Kaisou. Working with the local farmer's market and other small businesses, the area around Blue Fish Park is turned into the "fairgrounds". Stalls are set up, and there's even an area set aside for entertainment from local musicians and other entertainers.

Anything you could want to eat can be found here--from excellent Chinese cuisine courtesy of Wanmin Restaurant located in Midtown right next to Trattoria Trussardi, to lovely "Sharlayan" cuisine from The Last Stand in uptown (don't worry, it's all edible), all the way to good old fashioned burgers and fries from Big Bang Burger down on Shopping Street. And they're all giving out free samples.

If restaurant sampling isn't your speed or you just want to support local businesses, the farmer's market can also be found here! Fresh local honey, organic eggs, and other locally made goods such as crochet rugs or candles or even flower crowns can be found among the stalls here. There's even some people selling food! And they also have samples!

Every stall you stop at will happily tell you all about their goods, and they all mention that it really was a "bumper crop" this year, as they've never seen their carrots/apples/tomatoes/flowers do so well this early in the season. They certainly aren't complaining, of course, and they kind of hope that it carries on the rest of the year.

All in all, the Taste of Kaisou is a good way to spend a few hours if you have nothing else to do.

Surprises Everywhere

As you go about your life this month, perhaps even while you're at the Taste of Kaisou, you might suddenly find your path blocked by a strange flower. No one else around can see it unless they are also on the Libra app, and attempting to go around the flower will just result in it popping out of the ground in front of you again. Or tripping over its roots, if you're going to be stubborn about it. It won't leave you alone until you pat its head, at which point it will spit out a random item before vanishing.

What the heck was that about?!

Up to the Heavyside Layer

During the weekend of May 5th, an unusual Zodiac message will appear on the Libra app.

ALERT: SPIRIT REALM BREACH IN THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.

Element Classification: Shadow
Danger Level: Low to Medium
Designation: Walled City 99
A new gate has appeared in the Entertainment District between Coricopat's Cat Café and Growltiger's Pawn Shop. Initial investigations indicate that this gate leads into a strange walled city. No signs of human life have been detected, but it does not appear to be hostile to it. Please proceed with some caution.

The Zodiac headquarters are bustling with activity. Weirder still, all the staff are very accommodating and willing to help characters prepare for their journey into the Spirit Realm. There's no dodgy side deals, no encouragement to bring things back from the Realm; they seem overly eager to be as helpful and charitable as they can be. The Professor is a little confused by all the hustle and bustle of Zodiac around him. He missed all the chaos that happened (after all, none of that happened in the conscious, waking world) and doesn't quite get why Zodiac are suddenly so gung-ho about helping people. "It's like they got Dickens'ed or something, geez!"

He explains to our characters that information on the gate is that it's set quite a ways in the future, which isn't his remit at all- he's all about history, you guys! Regardless, there seems to be some environmental issue going on- real big vibes of what happens when corporate overlords make things a mess - comments which make Zodiac employees seem very uncomfortable. The Professor also explains that there's been a lot of talk about cats, which he wants nothing to do with: "peace out, folks, I don't like cats." Zodiac employees caution there will be a lot of climbing involved, and to stay away from shadowy areas. And with that, intrepid explorers set off.

It's not too hard to find the gate, even if the alert hadn't given the users a rough location.

It is extremely hard to miss the meowing, hissing, and assorted cat noises coming from the area between the cat café and the pawn shop. Hopefully no one is allergic to cats, because the number of cats milling about only increases as you get closer to the gate-- though oddly enough none of the cats are actually near the gate. There's an area about three feet in diameter by the gate that is entirely feline free; the gate itself looks like a pile of precariously perched boxes and old electronics.

Walled City 99

Characters who decide to step into the spirit realm this month will find themselves in Walled City 99. Walled City 99 is a multi-level city with a huge wall surrounding it, and a solid metal dome over the sky, forming a circle of lights, providing endless "stars". No natural light comes in at all- the whole city is completely enclosed. There are a few shrubs hanging desperately to life- characters investigating will find this is thanks to UV lights and the fact they have been specially created to grow in low light.

For those characters with an animal curse, they might find themselves changed, turned into the animal they are cursed with, or at least, a mundane version of it. This might make traversing the city either easier or considerably harder, depending on which animal they are connected to.

As characters further inspect this world, they will learn the city-- and those that populate it-- were created by a corporation called NecoCorp. Their logo can be found all over the city. As characters explore, they learn that this was a corporation which promised to deliver sustainability to clear up a growing garbage problem in the world at large, but ultimately chose to literally close the problem away. The cities originally designed to protect human life became a dumping ground as they were abandoned by the corporation and the world at large.

While the world seems devoid of most organic life, they will find some artificial life clinging onto existence here:

Companions are the main denizens of this world. Androids who were originally created by NecoCorp to do all the menial labour humans didn't want to do. They're not the sleek, technological wonders you would expect from most cyberpunk settings. Companions are clunky at best, seemingly put together with scrap metal, with huge 90s-style computer monitors for heads. The screens act as faces, with pixilated expressions upon them showing a change of mood.

After the humans abandoned them in their closed city, Companions AI evolved beyond its original purpose. They developed their own personalities, they adopted each other to become families, and some even fell in love! No matter what level of the city, all Companions have a pretty solid community with each other - they all still work their jobs, be that cleaning, running stores or playing music- but they all have their own aspirations and dreams, just like any human would. They have their own fashion tastes and will wear a variety of clothing that they've largely salvaged from the garbage NecoCorp left behind. They're SUPER into cats- congrats if you're currently in cat form, they will love you. Their opinions of the world outside the city tend to be cynical- either stating it's a complete pipe dream only the insane follow or that it would be nice if possible, but things have been the same for so long, they don't see anything changing. They refer to all characters as "outsiders" and those turned animal as "little outsiders."

If characters ask about humanity (or are human themselves) they will quickly learn that humans are long gone from this world. The Companions refer to them as their "ancestors" or "The Soft Ones". There's no straight answer as to what happened to humanity, if they died out or found a way to leave the planet altogether- but it will be made clear that for centuries it was thought that the world outside the cities was desolate and unlivable, thanks to something humanity (and NecoCorp) did. But the denizens of the city will take living, organic beings as proof the outside is healed.

While the city is mostly safe, there does remain one serious, prevalent threat throughout this city that the Companions strongly caution against: the Zurks. Evolved from bacteria NecoCorp created for waste management, Zurks are nasty little creatures who devour both organic and inorganic materials. Companions are rightfully terrified of them and avoid their areas completely. Not much to worry about alone, but they will swarm and devour any characters who are unlucky enough to be caught by them like leggy piranhas. They can only be destroyed by sunlight. A character's best best chance of surviving is to run and dodge to get away from them. Luckily, they ARE stupid and will blindly follow characters over sheer edges if they chase them high enough. Better get those parkour skills up to snuff!

The Slums

The Slums are the lowest level of the city, and where our characters first step into this world: a shanty town built from derelict buildings and corrugated metal. Clambering around the rooftops is the easiest way to get around (with rusted air conditioning units and old vending machines providing a helpful lift for some solid parkouring), but characters can still walk around the streets. There are a lot of piles of trash dotted around here. The Companions here are cautious but friendly - excited to know what the outside world is like. They are protected by the Guardian, who warns visiting characters not to cause any harm to the Companions living here as they are under his protection.

Wandering around the city and talking to the Companions there will result in them asking the character's help in order to ingratiate the app users to the hosts of this new world. Luckily, everything the Companions require can be found around the slums area- though there will have to be some inventive climbing and light breaking and entering on occasion.

Music Sheets - A Companion named Morusque wants to play his guitar, but doesn't have any music sheets to read from. Go gather him some sheets, which are scattered around the slums, and he'll play them for you, including bangers such as "The Way You Compute Tonight", "Mildly Important Information" and "Ballad of the Lonely Robot". As a reward, he gives you an old plastic guitar pick.

Fashion! - A Companion named Grandma enjoys knitting and would like to try her hand at a poncho. She needs some electrical cable which she uses as wool. This can be found at Azooz's trading post. He will give it up for some laundry detergent. Find a way to break into the closed laundromat to get the detergent and Grandma will knit you a poncho made out of wires you can keep- STYLISH!

Drink your Troubles Away - Jacob, the Companion bartender of the local watering hole, Duffer Bar, needs to have more energy drinks for his patrons (Companions seem to eat and drink by "digitizing" foodstuffs, don't think about it too hard, it's weird). Ransack the vending machines dotted around the slums to help him out! For your help, you will receive a can of cat food. Despite its apparent age, it has a similar taste and texture to meat-based baby food. Don't ask how we know this.

Boom Chat Kalaka - A couple of teenage Companions want to play basketball - find them a ball and a hoop somewhere in the slums (or make one of your own!)- if you prove yourself Cool Enough they might even choose to play with you! That's a joke, no one is Cool Enough to hang with teenagers, not even robotic ones. If you help them out, they'll give you an unopened bottle of Crystal Pepsi. It's so old the expiration date has faded.

Tele a Chat - A Companion chilling on a sofa on the rooftops wants to watch TV- find a battery hidden somewhere in the slums- or trade something special with Azooz- to power it! You can hang and watch some TV if you want, there seem to be a lot of Companion-acted telenovelas. Helping the couch potato Companion will earn you a rare Energy Drink.

Once he is sure they have shown their mettle, the Guardian will send app users to seek out Momo, who lives in an apartment high on the slum's rooftops- it will take plenty of climbing skills to get up there. Momo is a downtrodden loner. He will explain that he was part of a resistance known as The Outsiders, who wanted to find a way to open the ceiling covering their city- this would not only let Companions leave and see the outside world, but also the sunlight would destroy the ever-encroaching Zurks. He explains that the elevator joining the levels of the city is broken, meaning the only way to travel between them is through the sewers. Momo admits he was too cowardly when the final push came to go to the upper levels, and he remained in the slums while his friends travelled onward. He regrets it deeply but remains too afraid to follow them.

Side Quest!

For those looking for something a little more dangerous to do, Momo will pull some characters aside and ask them to find Doc - another member of the Outsiders. Doc had been trying to find a way to fight off the Zurks, but hasn't been seen for some time. Momo points any willing characters to an area outside of the slums called "Dead End", where Doc was last headed. As might be expected, outside the safety of the populated area of the city, Zurks run rampant. Characters will have to be fast and agile to avoid being devoured.

Eventually, they will come across a building where Doc is holed up. He will explain that he was trapped here while testing out his Defluxor - essentially a UV ray gun designed to destroy the Zurks. He needs help powering it up, which involves attaching it to a generator across the compound he's trapped in. Characters will need to dodge some Zurks, power up the Defluxor and go back to Doc to help him escape. Doc is slow and nervy to escort around, but the Defluxor sends out beams of UV light to quite literally explode the Zurks into nothing. If a character currently doesn't have hands, Doc will attach it to a drop so it can hover above their heads. It DOES overheat quickly though, so characters will need to fight the Zurks in quick bursts while keeping Doc from being devoured- then take a few minute's break to allow the Defluxor to recharge again. Once Doc is brought home, he is joyfully reunited with his son, Seamus, and the Companions of the slums are delighted and singing the praises of the outsiders who helped bring one of their own home.

Momo finds some courage to help the characters travel some of the sewers, letting them ride on a small canoe through about half of the winding tunnels. Unfortunately, they eventually come to some doors he cannot traverse, and he leaves them to travel the rest alone- telling them to seek out the Antvillage and his fellow Outsider, Zbaltazar at the end of the sewer system. There will be plenty of Zurks in these pink goop-infested tunnels to avoid, as this is where their nests are; Zurks burst out of them without warning. Luckily, if you're travelling with someone who did the side quest to get the Defluxor, then life will be a lot easier as they have the means to vaporise the Zurks as they travel onward. Otherwise, characters are faced with a lot of running and avoiding again.

Antvillage

The sewers open up to a tree made from an enormous metal pipe, surrounded by water. This is the middle section of the walled city, known as Antvillage. There are UV lights dotted around meaning real trees grow up from the crevices and ground around it. Characters might even find some fruit to eat if they're bold enough to clamber to the branches dangling over the abyss. This area provides characters a chance to rest and recuperate. It will require a lot of climbing around, but ladders lead to various wooden levels dotted around the tree, surrounded by fairy lights and corners filled with soft cushions, perfect for napping in.

Companions in Antvillage are friendly and laid back, but pretty indifferent to seeing the outside world again. Everything feels very hippie-ish here. Staying in Antvillage feels a little like a siren's song. After all, why would you want to go where life is hard and dangerous when you can just relax in this fake canopy and not have to worry about anything? It's so very tempting to just...stay.

If they climb high enough, they will find Zbaltazar here. He is connected to a large number of computer screens, all of which show static- unless you speak to him, where his expression covers a multitude of screens as he speaks. He makes it clear he tried to get to the outside, but gave up, retreating to the peace of Antvillage, where he can meditate and see images of the outside from whatever system he's hacking into here. He shows no interest in helping characters move forward, only advising them to get to the top of the tree and head into Midtown to find Clementine, the one Outsider who has the drive and wherewithal to actually get out.

Midtown

Once characters climb the tree, they can slip through a pipe and into the upmost part of the city- Midtown. Densely populated with Companions, this is like any normal large city of Earth. There are stores, clubs and bars- the place is bustling with life, all basking in a bright, neon glow. Companions here are very cautious and it's almost impossible to talk to them- they ESPECIALLY won't talk about the outside. This is largely because Midtown has an active battalion of peacemakers and sentinels. Unlike normal Companions, these robotic beings have hard-wired programming to stop any "illegal" activity, which includes talking about or trying to get to the outside.

Hanging out in the city, characters will eventually find Clementine, the last of the Outsiders and the one most determined to get the hell out of the city. She's a wanted fugitive due to all the trouble she's caused in trying to get to the outside. Other Companions actively avoid her and only have bad things to say about her if she's brought up. She's trouble, and knowing her will get you in trouble, too. Despite the bad press about her, Clementine seems pretty friendly, if a little on the reckless side. She tells characters that the way to the outside is to get the subway train working- which will involve breaking into the NecoCorp factory in midtown and getting a battery cell to power the train. She needs help for a HEIST!

This will require a lot of stealth for characters to get through the heavily guarded factory. Sentinels will stun characters with tasers and lock them in jail if they are caught, where they will need to be rescued by others and start the heist all over again. It might take a few tries before they finally get the battery cell they need. This will bring a whole battalion of sentinels and peacekeepers bearing down on them. Clementine points them in the way of the subway and distracts their would-be-captors, giving everyone a chance to run.

After a quick battery addition to the subway train, our characters will find themselves zooming to the extremely deserted control room. Some tech-savvy characters will be needed to work out the complicated control systems here. Luckily, once they figure it out, the ceiling starts to open up, letting natural light spill into the city for the first time in millennia, cleansing it of Zurks and giving Companions the chance to feel the sun's rays and finally leave the city to explore the world.

Aftermath

Now the city is full of natural light characters are welcome to revisit it without fear of Zurks leaping out from the shadows. There's still a population of them in the sewers, where the light can't reach at all, and characters are welcome to go down there to finish them off with their Defluxors if they want to help the Companions out. There's plenty of cleanup in all parts of the cities- the sentinels seem to have shut down but the peacekeepers will need some corralling. There's plenty to do to help Companions adjust to their new way of life- and those who helped out Companions during their stay in the city will find FIRM friends in them. Those who choose to visit outside of the city will find a world overgrown with plants and nature. They'll note there are several colonies of stray cats in the area, which the Companions absolutely adore. Characters are welcome to keep revisiting Walled City 99 and until the gate eventually closes.

OOC Notes

The dominant element this month is Shadow! Anyone with an affinity to the shadow element will find themselves boosted throughout the month. This could mean a boost to their power, having more energy, feeling more inspired with creativity, having better luck on different attempts -- the boost can manifest in all sorts of different ways. By contrast, anyone with an affinity for Light will be experiencing the opposite. Perhaps their powers will be weaker, they have less energy, they're having a creative block or general worse luck - again it can manifest in all sorts of way and players are free to play with this mechanic as they'd like.

The original OOC plotting post for this event can be found here. Another Zodiac Post will be going up May 15th to serve as an intro post for new characters and allow characters to react to developments over the network.

Comments

Ash Carbide (Ash Cabott) | Trails of Cold Steel | OTA + 1 Closed Prompt

[switchaxe]

Closed to Fugo

[The Taste of Kaisou is a thing, but it's a thing with free food so Ash, bottomless stomach that he can be, absolutely wants to check it out. And what's better than free food?

Free food with your best friend-and-crush that you really should say something to but aren't.

Ash grabs some skewers the guys from Wanmin are offering as a sample and hands one to Pat.]

Here. That one shouldn't be too spicy.

Stray...Dog?

[There is a large, pretty Irish setter sulking around Walled City 99. Ash didn't expect to get hit with an animal transformation when he went into the gate so...yeah, he's sulking when he isn't stumbling over suddenly having four legs instead of two. What the hell.

When he isn't sulking, he's probably running around enjoying being a dog, trying to help people, and also. Chasing his tail.

Don't judge him he's new to this.]

Wildcard

[Hit me up for other things!]

[infezione]

[It's not like Pat's been saying anything either. Maybe at some point, when he's a little more certain Ash would be receptive to that sort of thing, but as things stand now... better to leave it be.

He happily accepts the skewer, though he does have to chuckle.]

You know I don't have a problem with spicy food, right?

Cats and Dogs

[cheep_soongbird_knockoff]

[Something about the sulking Irish Setter sparked an urge in Rren to be extra cat like. They approached and walked directly underfoot, weaving between his feet and absolutely getting their tail in his face.]

Trouble adjusting?

[They should be sympathetic. They knew that feeling. And yet? And yet.]

it's doggo time

[motiv8]

[Dogs generally have excellent senses, but cats are good at moving silently. So Ash may or may not be surprised when, during one of his sulks, a black kitty with a white mark across its chest and striking lilac eyes patters up behind him.]

...Ash? That you?

[His senses tell him yes. His eyes tell him "dog."]

Vash the Stampede | Trigun: Maximum | OTA

[doubledollar]

✩ˎˊ˗ 1/ Taste of Kaisou

[ farmer's markets and entertainment setups like these were not a thing where he calls home. there just weren't enough resources to go gallivanting around, giving away free samples or partying care-free when everyone had to work so hard to survive. usually the most hopping places you could find were bars at night--and maybe some music clubs during the day for the more rich folk.

Which is why upon seeing the very easy-to-spot red-coated noodle man, he's got his hair full of flowers--a crown of colourful red blooms he'd gotten from somewhere, and he's doing a very interesting juggle of items in his arm--balancing what he could with the tied-off sleeve of his missing arm. It seems he's got more free samples than he can carry.

Which is why, upon seeing you, he's gonna grin a bit sheepishly and try not to look too guilty as he uses one finger that he has to spare to wave. ]

--Um.

Wanna... share? Probably for the best I don't eat all of this, I kind of let my eyes get bigger than my stomach, here...


✩ˎˊ˗ 2/ The Slums - Music Sheets

[ he can't help himself. whether it's back home, in kaisou, or in this new gate that he was pretty quick to run to upon hearing about it--he has the unfortunate need to help anyone who asks. And that's where he finds himself, now. Sitting on the roof of a building, staring out across a high wire that hangs between the building he's on, and the one across a small alleyway. tied to the wire, directly in the middle, is a roll of paper with some musical notes on it.

Problem is, fussed looking as he is, with dozens of big fluffy tail feathers folded neatly behind him, he doesn't have the balance with his big clunky bird feet to make it across the wire. he isn't some... dainty songbird with dexterous feet--he's already tried to dash across the wire and snatch the paper once. Only to very fancily flutter down to the street below, white feathers and wings all akimbo.

This is his third attempt at deciding how to dance across the wire. Maybe you've watched all three of his attempts, and are willing to help him out? ...it's pretty clear to tell who he is, at least: every time he falls, there's the very obvious sound of Vash the Stampede and his ever-present whining and complaining every time he hits the ground.

the man has no shame and will talk to himself as if psyching himself up for the third attempt. ]

Come on. It's just a matter of balance. Wings out, tail up, and run. You've done way more difficult parkour with a way bigger body. This should be easy.

✩ˎˊ˗ 3/ Wildcard

[ want one of the prompts above? let me know, I'll write a starter for you! ]

1

[sundered_wings]

[Sara came here with her foster parents and then kind of just split off to look around for herself, which may be a bit questionable since she's still pretty young, but they've got a designated meeting spot, and she's got her phone with her and can call them if she needs to, and she can get loud—very loud—if she finds herself needing to make some noise.

She stops her wandering when she spots someone she thinks she recognizes apparently motioning to get her attention. ... Oh, it's the guy with the nerd power, and he is carrying way too much stuff for a guy with one arm. She kinda sorta (barely) knows him, should she try to help?]

Dunno, what all'd you grab?

2 - Of Music and Falling Birds

[cheep_soongbird_knockoff]

[If Rren were anyone else, they might have helped, but look, they wanted to watch first. That was until he readied himself for the third attempt.]

Don't fall!

[It was abrupt enough that it may well startle him, hopefully. Seeing as falling didn't seem to actually hurt him.

Rren? Well, they sat on an air conditioning unit on a nearby building, amusement written across their features. They had spent some time getting used to four legs during their last stint as a cat. So they had an advantage over those dealing with this kind of transformation for the first time.]

Need a paw?

Taste of Kaisou

[phoenixwiz]

(Jamie has been an emotional wreck for weeks since he and Vash barely escaped the record room and the Zodiac HQ with their files on hand. It was the most terrifying experience he has ever been and to say it has wrecked him in a couple of place is an understatement. At this time he just wants to focus on his finals and studies and try to live a life as normal as he could before something else gets thrown at his face.

Luckily he does have some free time outside of his usual stuff and part time barista job that he could drop by at the food fair at Blue Fish Park. As he walks around, barely finding anything to try out and with a mostly empty stomach, he is able to spot Vash carrying food samples in his arms and asking for some help.)

Oh hey! I notice that you got a lot of food in your arms right now. So what do you got from the stalls today?

2

[droptheious]

[Varian's been stuck in a wolf form himself- very different from the werewolf form he usually gets in the spirit realm. Quite frankly, he's starting to miss his HANDS. He's been quietly watching as Vash makes all three attempts, sitting on the ground. Clambering up onto the rooftops isn't easy for him, so on the ground, he stays. He cants his head, calling up at the guy.]

Is there anything you can use up there to just hook it and bring it to you? Like a stick or something?

Vergil | Devil May Cry | OTA

[kowase]

☄ 1/ Surprises Everywhere

[ he's been here twice already. The first time he'd let one of these damn flowers open up, it spat a duck at him. the second time, it had opened its mouth and ... laughed, in a weird way before disappearing. Upon returning home, he'd found a goddamn bear in his house.

this is his third encounter with the damn flowers that will not get out of his way, and he is bound and determined to ignore it this time.
Sidestepping it, walking over it. changing directions to completely ignore the damn thing as it pops up underneath him.
Honestly, it's likely comical watching him try to avoid this fucking flower, up until the moment he throws his hands up in frustration as it blocks his path from entering the coffee shop he's trying to get into.

FINE, he shouts, in a language that's not quite english. Slapping his hand down onto the top of the flower. and out it spits...

...a polaroid camera? He breathes a sigh of relief as he holds it up, looking it over--there's... an arcane sigil on the front of it, on the lens. ...weird, he doesn't... quite recognise it, but.

Curiosity strikes as he lifts his head to look up--and if you're lucky enough to be standing close by, or--perhaps at this point, you'd watched him struggle to escape the insistent flower, he'll take his revenge out on you for not helping him out of his predicament by snapping a photo of you. A little flash of purple light dancing around the lens as it pops out a photograph.

...He has a bit of a cheeky smirk on his face as he takes it out, gives it a shake... and then hands it to the individual he'd taken it of. He's not rude enough to keep a photo that he took without permission at least. ]

If it spat another damn animal out at me, I would have considered packing up and moving out of the city.

[ he sighs with irritation. a camera is not bad, he supposes.
though he isn't watching as the photo flash-develops in your hands at all--and shows a rather beautiful--or perhaps terrible scene--behind the photo he took of you. It's not of this world, but rather, the one you came from. He doesn't have to know, if you'd like to keep it secret, but... weird, right? ]

☄ 2/ Walled City

[ he's not a fool and he remembered what his friend Zhongli had said about entering gates alone. That it was a bad idea, and he would agree--there isn't any great idea about leaping into a place unprepared, especially when you're a non-combatant like Vergil (currently) is.

But when you're standing face to face with a clear tear in reality between two shops when you're on your afternoon stroll around town, it's a lot harder to listen to logic in your head vs. the insane amount of curiosity he has for the supernatural.

It's a bad idea to walk into it. He knows it is.

And yet, in a few moments he finds himself inside, his starbucks coffee cup gripped in one had as he... stares out, in wonder, of the city before him. It was like he stepped through a door to another time, another place. And while he does clearly remember the warning that popped up around on the Libra app about this place being 'low danger' and 'without any signs of human life'...

He does have to stop and pause when the first thing he sees as he starts to wander a bit furthur in is... an animal.

He has to approach it, of course--wondering if it's some sort of cleverly made toy, a taxidermy of some long-gone creature--and he almost jumps when the creature--or, rather, you, turn to look at him. ]

...I was aware that the app said that human life was devoid in this place. [ talking to himself, or to the animal in question, really. because clearly the animal isn't about to respond. ] But one does have to wonder what would kill off all human life in this place and yet keep pets alive.

Indiscriminate disease, perhaps. [ maybe he should leave. ]

☄ 3/ Wildcard

[ want one of the prompts above? let me know, I'll write a starter for you! ]

2

[sassery]

[The interesting thing is that Nox has been through several of these gates by now- and this is tame, all things considered.

That still doesn't mean he likes the fact that he's now a very large and very annoyed blue komodo dragon. There's bits of streaks of red across his scales, and that forked tongue of his is bright aqua. He's been quietly annoyed at this whole thing and walking back and forth until he got bored, lying down and his lizard brain mad that there's no heat or sun around so he can sleep properly.

So after a while, to hear a familiar voice suddenly talk at him causes him to pick his head back up, tongue flicking back out in annoyance. Oh great. Vergil is literally one of the last few people he wants to see him like this, so maybe if he acts dumb, his dad will leave him alone. Go away go away go away-]

Luz Noceda | The Owl House | OTA

[a_cute_batata]

May Flowers

A. School

The month started as bad as it possibly could, and Luz was just going to have to deal with that.

Eda was gone, which meant the Owlery was effectively gone as well. So something that Luz had done lovingly was also gone too, meaning she had nothing but time to think about it. Naturally, Luz knew that she needed a distraction, lest her psyche take a nosedive it wouldn't come back from.

This wasn't like Amity, where she had at least had HOPE before. Eda had been there at least to help her focus and get back on track. Luz knew there was nothing like that here, so she knew that the temptation to slip into sadness was going to be present.

So Luz opted out of that. If you headed to the library or the bookshop, you might find Luz there, either trying to catch up on some information for school or reading for other types of info.

She was, after all, still concerned about Danny and his condition, so with more time on her hands, Luz was looking to occupy her head right now.

B. Gacha

Luz needed getting out of this funk yesterday. Having her little Fomantis Pokemon from a few months ago, she began to wonder if she shouldn't get them a buddy to play with. Certainly having another pet would help her focus on something other than missing Eda.

Also, it had eventually involved into a Lurantis, so Luz was still trying to wrap her head around that.
She hoped.

As it turned out, Luz found more than she'd bargained for in the shop. She eventually settled on a Kricketune, who looked like it had a mustache that Luz loved! It was already making the cutest sounds, and Luz had to admit that a part of her was still very susceptible to creatures most people discarded. She related a bit to that.

Also, Luz now had a frog that danced for her when no one was looking. She called it Michigan and gave up trying to get anyone else to see it singing and dancing after a week.

What she didn't expect was her eye catching the Palismen, a concept Luz still found a little strange, since the whole concept of carving them was skipped, but then she supposed if adopting the little guys could happen through the bat queen, it could happen here too, right? Luz was walking through here, it occurring to her that she needed a Palisman now that there was no more Owlbert. Luz sighed quietly, looking over several really nice pals, when her eyes fell upon one that gave her a jolt of surprise...and a strange sense of familiarity.

A Palisman that was an egg. An egg Palisman? What would that even look like? Unless...

"Hey, this Palisman. Is this one that will turn choose what it gets to look like?"

The shopkeep gave her a knowing look, but Luz didn't need to really ask anymore questions.

Luz had kept her newly obtained Palisman tucked away firmly in her backpack, with Kricketune and Lurantis walking in stride. Anyone watching Luz will view her and her new companions with strange awe or are likely giving her a side eye.

Side Quest

You know what's a great combatant for crippling depression? How about bone trembling fear mingled with a youthful sense of excitement? Luz goes through the gate, and finds that the companions here are an exciting new species of life, robots who have lived through humanity and have created their own sort of world!

With those worlds come danger, and danger here were the Zurks. It was one thing, however, to be told about Zurks, and something completely different to actually experience them.

They were terrifying.

To start, there were SO MANY of them that Luz needed to cast low emitting light glyphs just to get them away from her, and this month gave her low casting there as well as fatigue, so Luz had not understood exactly how much she was fighting against the current here. It was actually pretty lucky she'd brought Kricktune: he was able to at least keep Zurks away and give Luz a moments rest before putting on bursts of speed. This would have been easy with a staff, and without one the danger was pretty intense.

But she was adamant to get to the generator and power the Deflexor. Besides, Luz was slowly beginning to find that mingling of fear and excitement was exactly what she needed to get her mind thinking again, remind her of exactly how far she'd come from that girl who first appeared on the Boiling Isles.

Luz could DO this. She just needed help.

Mid Town

Ok, so while Luz had managed to win out the Zurks in the tunnels, fighting sentinels was something compeletly different. Luz was, after all, still fighting the effects of this month, and as much energy as she'd managed to muddle through in the side quest, helping Clementine with this mission had sadly gone south, and Luz had been tased.

If you happen to get caught or are just passing by, you'll spot the girl, who is still slightly smoking, her clothes torn and breathing hard. Looks like all that running and scrambling had taken its toll, and she's desperately trying to recover.

Side Quest: The Musical

[cheep_soongbird_knockoff]

When things were starting to seem dire, a small tabby cat on the other side of a gap yowled, drawing the Zurks to the edge (and several over it. Buh-bye!). And then as they found the pipe connecting the gap, they took advantage of the wall next to them and leapt back across to side Luz was on, once again luring a few off the edge.

"They aren't bright. You don't have to get away entirely, just to a spot where you can trick them. Oop."

And back to the other side with a loud meow before the returning Zurks could target Luz again.

"Think you can knock that pipe down?"

Sure they could keep going back and forth until this whole cluster went over the edge, but this would be a whole lot faster.

Varian | Tangled | OTA

[droptheious]

May Flowers/ Taste of Kaisou

Varian can be found wandering around the different food stands, his raccoon, Ruddiger, perched on his shoulders. His pod robot follows along behind him, helpfully carrying a few bags that the boy keeps stuffing the various treats he's bought into. If the pod gets too close, Ruddiger chitters angrily and tries to take a swipe at it. Clearly, he doesn't much like having his position in Varian's life usurped or threatened in any way.

It's during one of these jealousy swipes that Ruddiger manages to actually hit the pod, sending it beeping and careening towards you. Maybe duck? Varian startles, turning around from whatever free sample he was trying.

"Oh geez! Sorry about that! Ruddiger, c'mon! It's not doing anything to you! You nearly took someone out with it!"

The Slums

Varian is pretty used to the changes he experiences in the spirit realm now. He's prepared for his bipedal werewolf form. He's been going through it for quite a few months now, after all. So he thinks he knows what he's getting into as he steps into the new gate. Unfortunately for him, Walled City 99 has other plans. This time, he turns into a four-legged kind of wolf. He yelps in surprise, looking down at his paws.

"What the HECK? When was THIS a thing??!"

Maybe you'll find him talking to a Companion, asking them all sorts of invasive questions about how they're made and what they run on and would it be okay if he just takes a look inside them? - the Companion might throw you a pleading look to save them. It's probably a good thing that Varian doesn't have hands right now.

Or perhaps a little later, you can find him trying to clamber up various AC units to get onto the rooftops, scrambling his way along and not doing a good job of it. He's usually pretty limber- but right now he feels uncoordinated and ungainly. Help a guy out?

Sidequest

Varian's padding along with whoever decided to be foolish enough to travel with him, as he babbles excitedly. Because they're going to find another inventor and that gives the teenager LIFE. He's bouncing a little on all four paws as they walk, tail wagging excitedly.

"Oh man, what do you think this Doc guy has been making? If it's something to stop those Zurk things, it must be able to replicate sunlight. Man, I wish I'd brought one of my grow lights in with me, I bet it could have done something. Or...I guess it could have if I had hands to operate it. OH! I wonder if it's some sort of GUN. That'd be cool!"

There's a lot of squeaking in the distance as the Zurks start reacting to all the noise. Sorry, he's not exactly being stealthy right now.

Midtown

It's not the first time Varian has been in trouble with the law. And okay, yeah, maybe he could have been a little more stealthy when he was stealing the battery - but it doesn't matter right now. He has it in his mouth and is RUNNING full-pelt away from the sentinels which are beeping furiously and chasing after him. He's just gonna race past you- muffled.

"Gutta mooov!! 'un!!!"

Speaking when your mouth is full doesn't provide decent warnings, it turns out, but maybe the sentinels on his trail will get you moving! Better run, Varian doesn't plan to go to prison ever again.

Wildcard

Hit me up!!

[[OOC: Will match style!]]

The Slums

[whiteshroud]

[Varian. Varian please.

Jun had also been reverted to wolf form when he came into this realm. He was a bit more used to the form compared to Varian, though it was still a bit of a pain that he couldn't seem to change back.

Though none of that matters right now. Instead he just hears Varian asking if he could look inside the robots. So, a white wolf with green highlights will be coming up behind him - gently taking his tail in his mouth-- and then YANKING it. ]

Waver Velvet | fate/ servantswap au | ota

[fionnuisce]

[i; happy taste of italy month]

[Having recovered (mostly) from whatever had hit him like a train by the time the fair rolled around, Waver opted to spend some time outside. Taking it easy? Oh, not on your (or his) life. He'd taken up a spot on a park bench, snacking mindlessly on some of Wanmin's chicken skewers while writing in a notebook so quickly you'd think the pages might catch fire. Apparently co-running a magic school was at least half his problem, maybe a third if one counted POKEGO. And while he sure as hell wasn't about to complain, it was still shaping up to be a lot of work.]

[Meanwhile, on the ground near his feet was a charming little companion, absolutely going to town on some fresh apple slices while wearing a jaunty flower crown.]

[ii; gonna change you like a remix]

[Particularly sharp-eyed people/critters/other around the slums might notice a piece of paper shuffled through the air as Companions pass by without taking notice--and the bird darting through the air trying to catch the damn thing in tiny little claws.]

[Or, perhaps, find the very same bird around Antvillage, fluttering between branches before tilting his head at whoever might have been below him.]

Those branches aren't entirely stable. [Gesturing to said branches about as well as a wing could in place of hands, a definitely human voice left the small orange bird.] Try the one to your left, there's a little fruit over there.

[x; wildcard]

[whatever else, i'm game]

taste of italia :V

[sassery]

[So it's been a while since he's seen the Professor, and while Nox has been busy trying to not completely freak out over two of his family members suddenly arriving in Kaisou, he figures he might as well get out. So it's off to the Taste of Kaisou fair, and Nox is sure to at least pack a few water bottles so he doesn't have to possibly pay for drinks later. Jet comes with him, the shiny Sylveon far too curious about nearly everything outside.

It's definitely nothing like he remembers, but of course, things were different a year ago, weren't they? Odd as it was, him only just coming to grips with being part demon, learning to accept that part of himself overall. The reminiscing only lasts momentarily, of course, one hand clasping a burger before he spots a familiar face on a bench. He grabs one of the water bottles in his backpack and walks right over, sitting right beside Waver and offering it to him, well aware the man has his nose buried in his notes.]

Need a breather, Professor?

[Jet has already noticed Waver's Eevee, and now comes the wonderful and adorable interaction of Pokemon deciding to get to know each other and play.]

Rren | Star Trek | OTA

[cheep_soongbird_knockoff]

1. Taste of Kaisou

   
   While the food was a perk, and honestly, what brought Rren to the park, looking to kill maybe an hour and find new places to eat. What they ended up focused on was the entertainment. They snagged what caught them most after a few samples. A wrap that they weren't entirely sure how to define. It was closer to a burrito than a salad, but didn't even slightly evoke Tex-mex.
   
   They made their way back to the area with musicians playing and sat down on the grass to listen. Just listening as they ate, but when they finished, not content to do that alone. There was an area set aside for dancing and no one had utilized it yet, so by gods that's what they were going to do.
   
   They stood, wiping their hands off on their pants and grinning at the poor soul who had the misfortune of wandering their direction as they stood. "Dance with me?"
   
   They were aware this might be off-putting coming from someone who dressed like if Lisa Frank and an 80s preteen magazine photo-shoot had collaborated on their outfit. They were undeterred. If anything it just added an amused not to their smile
   


2. Pesky Flowers

   
   This was not like the puppet jelly beans incident. Rren had deliberately sought that out. So when another flower of the same nature popped up, well. They only needed to have that shit happen once. They back-tracked, trying to get around it, and again.
   
   And again.
   
   "Ugh! Leave me alone!"
   
   And again.
   
   "Fine. Fine! What do you want?!"
   
   Not Rren, yelling at a flower. Never in their life.
   
   Gods.
   
   They hope there was no one nearby. Or at least no one who wasn't familiar with the oddness that was Kaisou.
   


3. Life in the Dead City

   
   Rren had no expected to suddenly end up a cat again when crossing the gate and they went right back out... ... and they were still a cat. Oh. of course, probably like last time there would be a delay before they changed back to normal.
   
   So back in they jumped. May as well, after all. One thing different than last time? This form felt a bit more, well, familiar. But that may have been the week of experience.
   
   Additionally they found impulses just that much harder to control. Nothing major, but like... sometimes you see a bottle on a ledge, and you just have to knock it down. Y'know.
   
   They hopped down from the roof, catching the attention of multiple of the androids around. They... they hadn't realized they were moving? And the screens showed a face?
   
   Rren bumped up against the leg of the nearest as a greeting and fell into talking with them.
   
   When they talked their was a nagging sense of familiarity scratching at the back of their mind. They didn't look familiar. And yet somehow. They couldn't help but feel a sense of kinship with these people.
   
   1. Odd Jobs in the Slums

      
      Rren bounced from Companion to Companion, wanting to meet each of them, to talk to each of them!
      
      And how could they refuse when asked for help? And they even gave neat things if you succeeded. Especially since they were so busy exploring anyway.
      
      Rren looked for anything, grabbed everything they could. Admittedly, this was one wildly impractical aspect of their current feline state. But they managed. And if they saw anyone else trying to help, they offered a hand (okay, a paw) also.
      
      Please forgive them if they get distracted when a wrapper blows by and runs after it. Someone... someone may need to help them focus.
      
      
   2. A Robot's Lullaby

      
      Exploring as a cat was exhausting!
      
      So interspersed with helping, Rren could be found settled on the on the pillow next to the musician. Or perhaps on the couch with the soap opera's playing. Or even on a pillow in a book store, with books strewn about them
      
      The plan had just been to close their eyes
      
      Or, y'know. Take a full fledged nap.
      
      Hope no one else wanted to sit here!
      
      They might be talked into exploring further, but y'know what's better than exploring? Taking a moment to nap with a purring orange tabby!
      
      
   3. Catterwauling at the Buggies

      
      Of course Rren was game to help get the Defluxer, and given the, whatever the hell those weird Zurk things were, they absolutely wanted to make sure no one dealt with them alone.
      
      They could sprint and hop up ledges and fences quickly and they could make an awful lot of noise. And when they saw someone overwhelmed, they did just that. They let out their best cat yowl
      
      And then dashed up the fence as the weird awful creatures swarmed.
      
      Oh... huh.
      
      They had not thought through getting down very well.
      
      
   4. Is.. Is the Wall WATCHING Us?!

      
      Ew. EW. EWWWW. This place was awful and Rren never. Never ever wanted to enter a sewer again.
      
      Ever.
      
      They tried to be stealthy, but there were just too many of these little beasts and the WALLS WERE WATCHING.
      
      "So what do you think, make a vacation home here?" Please friend. Bounce off their humor.
      
      Please, please distract them from the awful weird monster virus things everywhere.
      
      But. Y'know.
      
      Quietly.
      
      
   5. A Climb and a Faux Paw

      
      Perhaps to some, Ant Village really would be appealing, but it infuriated Rren. Zbaltazar amped that sense of familiarity up once again.
      
      Enough that they surprised him.
      
      "Do I know you?" Rren slumped in embarrassment after blurting that out.
      
      It caught Zbaltazar off guard almost as badly as it had Rren, and they bolted in embarrassment as his screen flickered back to static for a moment, leaving someone else to try and wrestle any tips from the android.
      
      
   6. Neon Lights and Electric Crimes

      
      After Antvillage, Rren welcomed the hustle and bustle of midtown. See. It didn't feel as much like a home as the Slums, but all of these people had made their lives here.
      
      And Clementine was far more comfortable to talk to than Zbaltazar, more down to earth, as it were. And frankly, the bad reputation just made them want to like her more.
      
      And best thing? They could distract themselves with crime!
      
      "So ah... how's your stealth?"
      
      Gods that protect children and orange tabbies on their shift without the brain cell, please watch over them.
      


4. Wild Card
   (Hit me up if you want to team up for something else. Heyooo)
   

Caterwauling at the Buggies

[admonishinginstruction]

[Sometimes, a cat just needs a bigger cat to show up and make a scene so they can get away. A full sized spotted snow leopard has shown up near where Rren is stuck on the fence. It stares at the Zurks for the moment, snorting, before letting out what could be classified as a loud squeak. Look, they don't roar, but if you're not expecting that, it's gonna get someone's attention.

And well, he's bigger and has a longer stride than Rren, so he can get away from those...things... a bit easier.]

Find a way down. I'll catch up with you later.

[Before he pounces away, trying to lead the Zurks away for at least long enough for Rren to get down and away.

Pannacotta Fugo (Patrizio Fugo) | JoJo's Bizarre Adventure | Black Order AU

[infezione]

A - Taste of Kaisou
[Now. Fugo's not typically food-motivated, but not even he can resist the siren song of free samples.

... Now, if he grabs most of his free samples from the stall set up for Trattoria Trussardi... listen. Don't judge him. Let him enjoy his gnocchi with pesto. Or his fried baccalà filets. Or-- well, you get the picture.

That isn't to say he doesn't try things from other restaurants. The skewers from Wanmin are incredible, and he can't turn down sliders from Big Bang Burger...

Though, perhaps it's best to catch him when he's making his rounds for desserts, as he's now ended up with more gelato than he can eat by himself before it melts-- he turns to whoever might be closest and offers the second cup.]

Would you like some? I don't think I'd be able to eat all this by myself...

[He can also definitely be caught at the farmer's market, happily picking up some of the produce and also maybe a candle.]

B - Entering Walled City 99
[There had been a plan here, probably.

Turning fully into a rabbit had not been part of that plan. He's a bit clumsy trying to adjust to his new size and number of legs, and he spends a considerable amount of time just sulking.

Any other visitors who might approach are met with wary staring, in the case of a human Fugo doesn't know or an animal not likely to go after a rabbit. On the other hand, a human Fugo does recognize and is on decent terms with? Will have the rabbit happily coming right up to them. On a mutant third hand, in the case of a clear predator...

THUMP.]

Stay back.

[Oh. That sure is Fugo's voice, huh.]

C - Slums: Tasks for the Companions
[Well, this still sucks, but Fugo can only sulk for so long. Soon enough, the rabbit can be seen hurrying to and fro around the slums, doing what he can for the Companions.

You might catch him circling a pile of rolled up music sheets, muttering to himself--] Ugh, how am I going to get all these to that guy in anything resembling a timely manner...?

[There's also a good chance to spot a frustrated bunny pacing around outside of the laundromat. When he spots a fellow visitor, be they humanoid or similarly stuck in an animal form, he calls out--] Hey! Can you help me out here?

[Alternatively, one might find him now sporting a wire poncho and trying to jump for a battery that's just out of reach.] Ugh, come on! Seriously?!

D - Slums: Sidequestin'
[There is one specific advantage to the form Fugo's found himself in for this particular Gate. Now that he's used to his much smaller, four-legged, and most importantly, faster body, evading the Zurks is almost laughably easy.

Which is great, considering there's a lot of that to be done, between powering up the Defluxor and actually getting Doc home. Honestly, it's for the best he's not tackling this alone, though. He looks over to whoever might be accompanying him as the Defluxor cools down.]

I think the coast is clear enough for now... We should keep moving. [Although, he's pretty clearly low on energy right about now.]

Wildcard
[Feel free to poke me if you want something other than what's here!]

c laundry

[medicgunner]

[Eunie was one of the fortunate few who retained her regular form when coming into here. Sure, the Order had given her time off but what was she supposed to do? NOT come in and help some folks?

Really, she was barely aware others from Kaisou had been turned fully into animals. That is until she hears a little bunny with a familiar voice outside of the laundromat.]

... Fugo? Is that you? [Pause.] Are you a bunny?

Pepa Madrigal | Encanto

[weatherforecast]

[Prompts will be found in comments below as I slooooowly add them.]

May Flowers

[weatherforecast]

[Pepa can be found collecting some of the abundance of flowers growing to fill Casita with spring color. She's been stressed and down since returning to Kaisou. But she's trying to make the best of it. And this seems like a nice way to get her mind off her mostly absent family. If she spies you nearby and looking her way, she offers out a flower with a small smile.]

Would you like one?

August Villareal | OC | Mostly OTA

[drewthetower]

Taste of Kaisou

[August, for the most part, is chilling in the farmer's market part of the fair. He does readings in the spring and summer at the market, after all, so he knows a lot of people here. And they all know that he's moving, so...

August is stumbling around with several bags of assorted goodies, from candles to crochet goods to food. This is, frankly, a hilarious thing to see because he's a skinny nerd and he is Struggling. Julian and Helena are flying nearby, and Julian caws.]

No, don't change size. I dunno how I'd explain the sudden horse, Julian.

Walled City

[August will be flying around as a raven while here, so if anyone needs something from high up? Just let him know.

Otherwise you're probably going to get shiny scraps of paper or foil dropped on you and a cackling raven flying around. He's bored, okay?]

Closed to Caesar

[Julian drops more thread and knitting needles back over by August and Caesar. August just sighs.]

These people I swear to fuck--

f o o d

[fionnuisce]

...You, uh...need some help with that?

[because holy shit, august, what in the carrying-groceries-in-one-trip is all this? The Eevee on Waver's shoulder tilted his head, both in concern and showing off his super cool flower crown.]

Elliot Craig | Trails of Cold Steel | Normal AU

[fiddlestick]

I. School - Music Rehearsals
[While Elliot was normally a kind but tough teacher, the tough part really shines when it comes to the music rehearsals. Again and again the students are expected to practice until they get as close to perfection as possible. While he never really loses his smile, you'd think you enrolled in a boot camp rather than a high school music class.

It's pretty late in the evening when the rehearsal finally ends- or rather, the administration informs Elliot that he needs to let the kids go home]

Ah- alright. Great work everyone! I'll see you tomorrow!

[With that chipper notice, he'll be heading to his office if you wanna confront the madman]

II. Walled City 99
[Of course Elliot would be no exception to that animal transformation. As soon as he steps into the realm, he turns into an orange house cat. Which boy, if the annoyed meowing is any sign, he's not at all pleased about this.

And his displeasure? Continues through the realm. Unless you're Rean or Jusis, any attempts to pick him up or pet him will be met with Elliot either hissing at them or moving away. Even the Companions don't get it better, with him quickly moving away anytime one tries to pet him. ]

Augh, I can't wait to be done with this realm. [He can be heard grumbling.]

III. Music Sheets
[Even with his grumpy attitude, Elliot still continues to take music seriously. So when he hears a musician is missing some music sheets? He's suddenly at full attention. ]

Of course we'll find it!

[He'll reassure the companion, before immediately heading off onto the hunt. His focus is completely on trying to track down those music sheets. nothing else matters]

IV. Wildcard
[Got another prompt for me? Hit me up!]

II

[stripartist]

[Yusuke hears a familiar grumble and he decides following Elliot around is likely going to be more enjoyable than trying to avoid the Companions so he can sit and take it all in for inspiration, so don't mind a white fox jumping down from a roof to land in front of you, Elliot.]

Likewise.

Amal Vasiya (OC) | Final Fantasy XIV | OTA

[thavnairian]

[I. the slums]
[Far be it from Amal to ignore sidequests—he's a JRPG protag after all. It's not the first time he's dealt with quirky sentient robots. Though he might have traded in his long ears for a long tongue and tail, he's nothing if not determined. He is the scampiest little red chameleon this time around.

Unlike some others, his dragonesque destiny gave him something good at climbing, so one might see him inching his way down a braided wire with a sheet of music in his mouth.

Later on, he's a bit worn out by the complete lack of proper sunlight and the questionable ambient temperature, so he's curled up directly on top of the now-working television to soak up the heat.]

[II. midtown]
[If you're anywhere in the vicinity of the factory, you may find a big lizard making an unconventional escape. He has a battery cell attached to his back and a veritable horde of bad company on his heels, and he's riding a skateboard as a mount. He's also screaming at the top of his lungs, which... it's pretty strange having a human voice come out of a lizard but what can you do.]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA—

[Exit stage left, pursued by a Companion. Also the peacekeepers and sentinel bots that are actually the bad guys around here.]

Left! Left! Turn left! [He can't do much about steering this skateboard so the best he can do is just jump off it and clamber onto some boxes. Clementine shouts something about the subway and takes off in the opposite direction to distract their would-be captors.

Amal, however, notes that they're not out of danger yet. Anyone still gawking that he recognizes as a fellow outsider will get a frantic lizard yelling at them:]

If you're not a cop, you'd better follow me!

[III. wildcard]
[Make some stuff up!]

I

[not_a_possum]

[There's a certain imp that's most definitely supposed to be dead running around with his own music sheet in hand, hoping to collect a few more before going back to the guitar playing robot when he notices the lizard walking down a braided wire with a sheet of music in his mouth.]

Oh! Uh...Mr. Lizard, sir? Why are you carrying a sheet of music?

[It may seem weird to talk to a lizard like this, but considering he saw Varian in wolf form earlier, and the lizard is carrying sheet music, he figures it's worthwhile to try talking to him. Of course, part of him wants to try and get the lizard to give up the sheet music, but before he even thinks to ask that he'd rather figure out how important the sheet music is to the lizard]

Zero | Final Fantasy XIV | OTA

[scryption]

[I. kin]
[Zero is a little weird, a little emotionally stilted, a little socially awkward. But all of those things are fairly normal for Companions. Despite looking like a 'soft one', she's begrudgingly accepted much like any of the others, and can be found around the slums helping them out.

This probably explains why, for some inexplicable reason, she is going around the slums ripping out vending machines and shaking them until the drinks come out. She's not Superman so it takes some effort, but she's going at it with such determination that it's almost a shame to interrupt...

Also, if she sees someone trying to find a way into the laundromat, she will put down whatever she's doing and walk over.]

... Do you need assistance?

[II. let the light in!]
[Zero is not exactly sure how she ended up here in this control room bereft of any employees, but she supposes that thumbs must be needed. When it comes to technology, though, she's completely clueless... This is why she shouldn't follow people, but as someone with very little motivation on her own, even following someone else is a step up.

She stares at the rows and rows of high-tech computers, empty coffee cups and flashing monitors, and looks lost.]

What... are we supposed to do?

[She's about to pull out her scythe and go Roxas on this shit.]

[III. wildcard]
[As always, choose your own adventure.]

II

[switchaxe]

Here, lemme--

[Don't mind an Irish setter getting on his hind legs to look at the computers. He can help out a boomer Krusnik kid.]

I'm guessin' these things control the roof?

Souta Suzukaze | Otogi Juushi Akazukin | OTA

[keyofelde]

May Flowers

[While it might be unusual, Souta is living for this sudden burst of plant life. It's exactly the kind of thing he needed to soothe his worried mind after last month.]

[Every day this month he can be seen talking to the flowers on his way through the city. On his walk to and from school, while shopping, going to the library for studying... Any time your character might see him, Souta will likely be giving the plants little greetings and compliments as he passes by. Very softly but oh so honest.]

You look lovely this morning.

[The flowers turn a slightly darker shade. Oh no, genuine praise!]

Taste of Kaisou

[Souta is absolutely at the fair. Given his lack of culinary skills, expanding his take out options seems a good idea. Half and hour of wandering and he's already picked out a variety of samples. He's still checking out more restaurant stalls, looking interested but indecisive. Any recommendations?]

[Plus there is also the farmer's market. Souta doesn't need to shop in this section since he's back to gardening in Stardew Valley. But there's something so delightful in seeing what other gardeners have brought to sell. Engaging with like-minded folks. He can be found making cheerful conversation with one of the stall owners.]

I know! It has been lovely weather. I'm so grateful you've brought all this together to share with us.

[If he's not careful, he's gonna have even more samples. Oh well.]

Surprises Everywhere

[Not all flowers are quite what they seem this month.]

[Souta is kneeling near a strange flower, chatting at them like he does most other plants. Other app users might recognize the dreaded plant... and be able to guess what's about to go down. If they get closer they can hear him say:]

I never seen a flower like you before. Where do you come from?

[He seems very focused on the flower, like he is engrossed in the conversation. When suddenly a pair of headphones gets spat at him. (They've got kitty ears.) Souta yelps, falling over backwards to avoid getting hit.]

May Flowers

[weatherforecast]

[Pepa pauses to watch the boy speak to the flowers, breaking into a soft smile.]

It is good to talk to them to help them grow big and beautiful.

Moxxie/Maxwell Lansky | Helluva Boss | Open

[not_a_possum]

The Slums - Open

When Moxxie hears Morusque's plight, it speaks to his heart. Naturally, Moxxie cares deeply about anyone who just wants to play their guitar, and he instantly agrees to find this companion some music sheets, no questions asked. He can be found around the city as he climbs, digs around, and generally searches every nook and cranny for music sheets. As his search continues and he manages to find some, he can even be seen carrying a couple of music sheets, but still looking around to see if he can find more before he heads back.

Side Quest - Open

Moxxie agrees to find this 'Doc' he's heard about, but as he heads into Zurk territory, he quickly regrets it. Initially when he sees the creatures, watching as they devour everything in sight before turning on him, his first impulse is to pull out his gun and fire off a few shots. He quickly realizes that does nothing. Holstering his weapon, he begins to run and leap and climb, desperately racing through Dead End hoping he'll find Doc before he ends up dead. Again.

Sewers – Open

Fortunately, he was able to find Doc and help him get the Defluxor up and running. When he did, Moxxie had stared in awe for a few moments, commenting on it's beauty before taking the weapon and using it to help Doc escape. Of course, that all wrapped up hours ago, and since then he discovered that in order to help these companions more, he'll have to traverse the sewers. He's now past the point where Momo or his canoe can help him, but the Defluxor remains as a valuable tool to get through here. Though it can only be used for short bursts, Moxxie's nimble hooves and small size allow him to dart off and hide whenever he needs to wait for it to cool down before venturing out again, ready to press onward.

Wildcard
Got something else in mind? Let me know!

Luca Paguro | Luca | Open

[schoolingfish]

Taste of Kaisou

Luca is hurrying around, excited and curious about everything here. He's spent a lot of time on the surface at this point and has tried a lot of foods, to the point where he no longer marvels at the common things that people see every day. Still, there are a lot of things he hasn't tried, and every so often he still runs across something completely new.

Hurrying up to one of the stalls handing out samples, he excitedly asks, "Oh! What's that? I've never had anything like that before!"

"Jambalaya, want to try some?"

"I'd love to!"

Taking the offered sample, Luca tastes it. "Mmmm! Delizioso!"

A short while later, Luca has purchased a full order of jambalaya and is hurrying from stall to stall, looking at the various crafts and farmed goods.

He pauses, looking at one of the rugs. "Wow, that's kind of like the stuff we made back home!"

The Slums

When Luca realizes he can go through this gate without an adult, Luca excitedly hurries through, eager to see what the strange new world might have to offer. As he looks around and talks to companions, it certainly seems a lot safer than the other places he's gone where an adult had to chaperon him. Of course, that doesn't make it any less fun. Everything is still completely strange and new and he has a million questions about the place that he'll ask any companion he comes across.

And, of course, when he comes across one with a quest, he's quick to sign on, no matter which quest it is.

"I'd love to help!"

The Slums

[a_cute_batata]

"Wait, wait, let's think about this one."

They were limited, thanks to Luz not having a staff. It would just have made things easier if they could move around quickly with ease.

Running errands would be a pain, but at least there were options with her glyphs.

"What do you think, the electrical tape? Or the battery?"

kara belmont, original. ota!

[squished]

FREE SHIT!

[ There's a small pile of moving things passing by in the street during the Taste of Kaisou. There is, evidently, a person behind said things – carrying them, rather – and struggling to hold all of these goddamn free samples in her arms. Kara is trying to balance several small food trays, and a shopping bag hanging off of her arm. All of these are, yes, free samples. She went a little ham, don't @ her.

Kara seems to be managing alright, until she knocks into someone she doesn't see heading the opposite way. ]

Ah-!

[ Her Big Bang Burger sample wobbles around a bit. The little tray looks like it's about to tip over her arm and fall onto the ground...! ]

THE STRANGE FLOWER.

[ After the sample situation's been sorted and Kara's arms are...arguably less full than they were earlier, she'll be inconvenienced by the strange red plant that keeps popping up in front of her. She grunts when she first sees it, walks around it. It pops up again, right in front of her.

She frowns and goes around it, but it seems pretty intent on getting her attention, as it won't stop blocking her way. ]

Oh, stop that! I'm in a hurry!

[ A few passerby look over at her, unaware of what or who she's talking to. To most people, it looks like she's talking to herself. Someone from Libra may know better, though... ]

WILDCARD.

[ Down for whatever! ]

FreeShit

[femmecatale]

Woah woah woah!

[A hand reaches out to steady the girl, and the other attempts to keep her from losing her burger.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with free samples! Ann's out doing the same thing.]

You ok?!

Alberto Scorfano and Luca Paguro | Pixar's Luca | ota

[prontissimo]

a. school's out for summer!

[ Alberto doesn't regret his decision to enroll in school, but is he also glad it's almost over? Abso-freakin'-lutely. He's making his last Herculean effort for finals, ready to graduate the eighth grade; what the difference between human middle school and human high school will be, he has no clue. But he's ready to stop thinking about school the moment he's done with exams. His sights are firmly set on summer break. In the meantime, he and Luca have both been putting their noses to the grindstone, and they spend a lot of their time out and about around town after school, hunting for new study spots.

This month, Luca and Alberto can usually be found studying for finals at the cat cafe, the Void Denny's, and the public library. After a while, Alberto'd learned that ironically, he can't do homework at home; it simply won't get done. So he always either, uh, gets his work done in detention after school, or finds some local business to set up shop, sprawling his textbooks out before him. He works on like... three different classes' assignments at once, to boot, figuring it's better if he gets some work done on several assignments than just finishing one. His teachers don't totally love this tactic, but... if it gets his work in... whatever floats his boat. Alberto's homework spread takes up a whole tabletop at the Void Denny's, plus all the food and drink, as they'll sit there for hours, taking advantage of the time warp, coffee cups piling up on Alberto's side of the table... It's a little harder to get work done at the cat cafe. The cats like Alberto too much... He's not even cursed or anything; just smells nice and fishy. He already has a cat in his lap and another lounging on top of his science textbook, when another comes up and starts trying to schmooze his hands while he's writing in his English workbook. He's overwhelmed by his popularity... ]

Shoo! Shoo! There're too many of you, Cats!

Maybe we should have gone with a regular cafe.



b. taste of kaisou

[ The food festival and farmers' market is some well-spent and well-deserved time off from studying — and exactly Alberto's speed. Alberto carries more than his arms can really fit, collecting groceries at the farmers' market, walking around clumsily looking both ambitious and hazardous. His collection just grows larger and larger throughout the day. At the food festival, the boys go a bit wild. He and Luca enthusiastically stock up on as many free samples as they can manage. They'll try anything. They'll try everything. They've made their rounds diligently to each stall and stand, leaving no plate unturned.

The most impressive to Alberto, though, is the small but elegant stand for Le Grand Bistrot. At first it looks unmanned, but when he walks up in pursuit of more free samples, his heart soars to see the stall's attendant sitting in a folding chair just behind the spread of samples. She's just too small to see — because she's a rat. Alberto throws his hands up to his cheeks and gasps, overreacting, sure... but in excitement. ]

Oh mamma— It's a rat! I-It's— It's a rat-staurant!

[ It's a rat-staurant... ]



c. surprises everywhere

[ So this flower is. Different... Alberto's tried to step around it several times, but it keeps popping up. He doesn't know what to make of it, but his first instinct is certainly not to pet it... If any passerby happen to notice, maybe they'll be a Good Samaritan and interrupt this boy who's threatening to punch a flower... Probably not the best course of action to start with. But what if it wants to eat him or spit poison at him or something?! You never know! After seeing Isabela Madrigal's flower powers at play, he doesn't trust plants anymore, man... ]



d. the slums

[ Alberto and Luca both love making themselves useful, and the missions the Companions are sending them on are very much within their skill sets. (Namely: Alberto's so ready to climb all over everything.) Being sent on a scavenger hunt for music sheets, cables, basketball stuff, and vending machines — they agreed to it all! Couple of Yes Men here, figuring the Companions must really need the help if so many have little favors like this they're asking of strangers. Might as well multi-task and search for multiple things at once, as they come up!

i. Hunting down vending machines to ransack for energy drinks is pretty easy. Getting into the vending machines is harder. Alberto's trying brute force, shaking the machines violently in hopes he can make the drinks inside fall out, and it's not really working... at all.

ii. The boys have found an old wire waste basket to approximate into a basketball hoop. But Alberto's finna cut himself, for sure, sitting on the street corner trying to cut into a rusty old metal trash bin with a pocket knife. Like he's trying to get tetanus? Luca may be holding it steady for him but this still can't bode well...

iii. Finding the cables and laundry detergent is a little trickier. They can be found having a conflict of conscience outside the laundromat, unsure whether to break in, or if they have to, how best to do it... Luca's quicker to ask for help from a passing stranger, while Alberto totally is not sheepishly hiding a brick behind his back. Do robots even need laundry? Technically? I mean, really. ]

Excuse me, sir, can you tell us how to get in there?

iv. [ Easiest mission of all of them is probably the music sheets one, but, uh — they have just one little hitch with it: Neither of them have ever encountered written music. They love human music, but have no idea how it works. So they have literally no clue what they're actually looking for. That makes this mission just slightly more challenging, but! They're confident they'll figure it out! ...But, again, Luca's got the good sense here to just ask around, urging Alberto to own up to not knowing something and just ask questions. Alberto's in go-mode, though, eager to find anything on their list, so his approach is a little more— direct... ]

Hey, you— Have you seen any music around? And I mean seen it. Like a— song... but a paper...

Like a sheet with music written on it!

[ To be clear. Ahem. ]



e. wildcard!

[ something else? always down to plot! hmu~ summerdive ]