July Event Log

[kaisoumods]

July Event
Dominant Element: Water
Waning Element: Fire

Full Moon: July 2nd - July 4th

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July comes to Kaisou and brings with two things: heat and rain, leaving the city a humid mess. Time to get dehumidifiers and make sure your AC works, because otherwise, you might just end up melting. The summer storms seem heavier and more frequent this year, with one occurring every couple days and lasting for several hours. All this rain is enough to flood basements and low areas. Wonderful.

Beat the Heat With the Power of Anime

Despite the miserable weather, it's still summertime in the city, so that means the city is alive with activity. With Kaisou being in America, you can fully expect the fourth of July celebrations to be in full swing during the first week of the month. Attend a barbeque or watch the firework show at the beach, which thankfully isn't rained out.

However if you want to go a little more nerd in your summertime celebrations - KaiCon, Kaisou's local anime con, is back in town! Normally, this would have been held in June, but thanks to the tornado last month, it got postponed. Held the week of July 16th, the convention brings in a ton of tourists both in and out of cosplay. There's lot of to do at the convention, from shopping for merchandise, trying Japanese foods, attending panels, entering cosplay competitions, and sitting in a ballpit. For once, those app users with odd changes or body parts won't stand out so badly!

Finally, if you're looking for a more educational way to pass the time, the Kaisou history museum is holding a special exhibit about artifacts from the ancient world. Throughout the exhibit are a collection of artifacts from the Ancient Greek era that are in remarkable condition. In fact, those with archeological training might find it a bit too remarkable, finding pieces in such a pristine condition. Those with a keen magical sense will detect energy signatures indicative of the Spirit Realm. There's even a few objects that hold curses from the Greek pantheon that could be triggered in the wrong hands.

Crystal Rain

It's never fun to be caught in a summer microburst. Even under normal circumstances, they will drench you within a minute and you can kiss any electronic device that hasn't been waterproofed goodbye. And unfortunately, thanks to the damage done to the Spirit Vein, these summertime annoyances have only gotten worse. While regular rain will still act normally, should you get caught in a microburst, you will find your limbs begin to stiffen as crystals begin to form on your skin. The longer you stay out in the crystal-inducing rain, the worse the effect will get and the harder you will find it to move around. Be careful not to let it get so bad that you're stuck as a crystal statue for a while.

Fortunately, the effects seem to be temporary. Once you get to a dry place and dry yourself off properly, the crystals will fall off and your limbs will return to their normal mobility range. While the plant life (which is still growing out of control) doesn't seem to be affected by the rain, animals caught in the microbursts do seem to be. It wouldn't be a bad idea to help out your fellow creature and help dry the crystals off their furs or feathers. As for the normal people, they don't seem to notice the actual crystalizing effect and will just blame any mobility issues on their muscles and bones not handling this rainy season well. Sure Jan.

Mysterious Fathoms Below

Blue Fish Lake has always been a decent sized lake. It's large enough to be a good place to take a take a boat onto it and spend the day fishing the healthy lake fish population. That said, it's not that big. You could always see the other side from the shore, and it's depth couldn't be more than thirty or so feet. A good sized lake, sure, but hardly one that's going to be in any record books anytime soon.

On the night of July 6th, there is an extremely heavy rain storm - one that stands out from the other storms throughout the month. Torrential rains and strong wind blast the city. Make sure not to drive through any standing water, as you might end up with your car getting submerged in water.The next morning, after the storm has cleared and people can begin to (relatively) dry off, there will be reports that not only has Blue Fish Lake flooded, but it's gotten much deeper from the rain. Thousands of feet deeper.

While the normal people in the city don't question why Blue Fish Lake is now as deep as the ocean, it's pretty easy for app users to conclude that there's no way a summer rain storm could cause Blue Fish Lake to get that much deeper. And Zodiac seems to agree, as on July 7th they send out a message over the Libra app.

ALERT: SPIRIT REALM GATE DETECTED IN BLUE FISH LAKE.
Element Classification: Water
Danger Level: High
Designation: Atlantis
Zodiac has detected a Spirit Gate within Blue Fish Lake. Early reports indicate that this may be the lost city of Atlantis and might be worth investigating. Please go to the Zodiac offices for more information.

Should you head to the Zodiac office, there's a sense of excitement in the air. After all, the lost city of Atlantis isn't something you happen upon every day. The (fuzzy) Professor is there, and he's more than happy to tell you what he knows about Atlantis: It was a country that the philosopher Plato wrote of, one that fell into the ocean thanks to its hubris. Since then, there's been loads of people throughout history who have attempted to locate where the lost city was at, though usually with no success. A Zodiac intern will chime in to add that even many paranormal-based researches suspected it to be nothing more than a fanciful story, what with how long it had been since it'd been supposedly sighted. So the chance to confirm that Atlantis really does exist? It truly is a once in a life time opportunity.

That said, there is the issue of how to get to that realm, with it being so deeply underwater. In order to pull it off, Zodiac has decided to pull some strings and use what resources they can afford. They've been able to get in contact with the Bermuda Brotherhood - a paranormal group that specializes in researching and safeguarding the Bermuda Triangle - and convinced them to loan Zodiac a submarine and crew. Black Order and POKEGO members may have heard of the Bermuda Brotherhood before. They have a reputation for being an ornery group that is extremely territorial about the Bermuda Triangle and, convinced it's the crown jewel of supernatural hotspots. Not bad people by any stretch, but could probably stand to go to shore and touch some grass. Still, eccentricities aside, there's no doubt they're experts on deep sea diving and you'll be in good hands.

Once you're done preparing, it's time to head off. Sitting in Blue Fish Lake is an old-timey-looking submarine. It wouldn't be far out of place in a Jules Verne novel. Ancient as it looks, this is everyone's ticket through the spirit gate, which is submerged under the lake. The geese are, naturally, furious about this, and can be seen swimming around it and occasionally pecking ineffectively at both it and the crew sent by Zodiac to man the damn thing. The sub is big enough to hold a decent number of people, and once everyone's aboard (after dodging any of the angry geese nearby) the sub descends under the waters of the lake.

The sub goes deeper and deeper, much deeper than any lake should be able to go. Seaweed starts to appear, jutting out through rocky outcrops as schools of fish hurry out of the submarine's wake. It's clear you are definitely no longer in a lake, but under the ocean depths. Deeper and deeper you go, as light fades from dappled rays to almost nothing. Eventually, the only lights around are those from the submarine itself, lighting the way down.

At some point in the journey a deep, guttural, pulsating call can be heard in the darkness. For a moment, you could be forgiven for thinking a whale is making the noise, but as it gets closer and closer, it's clear that this is something completely different. The lights of the sub sometimes catch a shadow on a rocky crag, before it vanishes once again. Eventually, though, whatever is stalking you makes an attack on the sub. The craft is suddenly and violently jarred to one side as something very large slams against it. If characters aren't holding onto something, they're going to hit the deck HARD. The crew starts panicking, rushing about trying to assess the damage as the sub is slammed into again, and at this point, the submarine is definitely taking on water. In a desperate attempt to save everyone, the captain orders the submarine through a tunnel in the rocks the lights have just glanced off. Thankfully, this works, and as the submarine moves into the tunnel, a current picks up the downed craft and pushes it through to the other side, where it breaks the surface of the water into a cavern. The submarine is seriously damaged, and the captain states it will take time to fix it. However, the cave does seem to have a way out, and it might well be worth exploring that while no one can go anywhere else.

The Lost City of Atlantis

Following the exit to the cave, you will find yourself entering a beautiful city. Ancient temples rise to the sky, with huge columns of stone decorating the entrances. It looks almost ancient Greek in origin, but not quite. Stranger still is that even though this looks like a city from ancient times, the people seem to enjoy many modern conveniences, magically powered by the crystals worn around their necks. The city runs in a circle, living and thriving. There are people here, who will happily welcome you to Atlantis- the first explorers that they have seen in...well, forever! If you squint and look to the very borders of the city, you can see stone monoliths holding up some invisible barrier. The ocean shifts behind it; fish and seaweed abound in an undersea world full of life. The people are excited to show you their city, though they come across as a very pious lot. If you comment on the city's beauty or vibrance, they downplay it, almost fearfully. If that strange behavior is brought up to them, they quietly point out that their pride and avarice is what angered the Gods enough to sink their city. They do not intend to incur the wrath of the Gods again.

Luckily, there is plenty for you to do in the city. You can eat almost wholly seafood-based meals from people only too happy to open their meals or food stalls to those explorers looking for a bite to eat. If you really want, you can go and get yourself a tattoo with glow-in-the-dark ink. If you request a tat of anything that existed after 1000 B.C, though, you will likely get very confused looks. Better stick to fish or Atlantean symbols. You can also get involved in crafting- though as might be expected, a lot of the crafts involve making fish spears or nets. Speaking of, natives will be glad to take you out on boats to the tranquil waters that surround the city, where there's plentiful fish and sea life to catch- you might even be able to catch your own meal! The natives will be very nervous about getting TOO close to the barrier, though, muttering that things have been unsettled with that as of late.

For the more academically minded, you can investigate the crystals all the Atlanteans wear around their necks. They are more than happy to hand one over to you to check out, explaining that the crystals were a gift from the Gods and were what allowed them to be such a thriving utopia in "the old days". For those with either an ability to sense or otherwise investigate the crystals, you will find them to be a perfect blend of magic and an unknown, almost alien technology. You will find that the crystals power everything - from lights, to starting fires, to boat engines, to even acting as a magic translator (just in case you were wondering how they speak English). You can also use them to power stone, fish-shaped vehicles, which you can ride somewhat like a motorcycle. These fly into the air, giving you a chance to view the city from above.

Unfortunately those hoping to find reading material will be out of luck. While the most important events are recorded through murals and stone tablets, scholars will explain that the humidity from being under the ocean makes preserving paper basically impossible. As such, most of their stories are pass down through the oral tradition, with storytellers and theater performers being treated with reverence. You'll be welcome to attend any storytellers performance if you wish to hear about tales of Atlantean history. If you're more interested in the arts, Atlantean theater offers a wide variety of plays- so long as you don't mind all of them being morality plays about the virtues of being pious.

Meanwhile, members of the Black Order who are keeping a watchful eye will notice that somehow they acquired an extra person that wasn't on the submarine. As it turns out, a curator from Kaisou Museum has been using one of the magic stripper poles from the Goodwill to go into different Spirit Realms and grab up relics to put into the museum. The Ancient Greek relics in his exhibit now? Were lifted from the tear Ash was dragged through last month. The curator seems to have no regard for the actual safety or origin of the items, rather just grabbing whatever he thinks would attract visitors. The Black Order will need to figure out how to deal with this man, and return any unsafe items back to the Spirit Realm where they belong.

The Price of Hubris

Once you have enjoyed the city and gotten to know the people well enough, they will lead you to the tribal council, leaders of the city who watch over all that occurs within. They explain that there have been breaks happening in the barrier which blocks Atlantis from the ocean- that leaks have been appearing, and they are worried if this continues, the city will once again sink, and this time the Gods will not protect them.

Finally, with the blessing of the elders, some of the native Atlanteans will take you to the borders of the city. You can see for yourself small cracks in the barrier, water leaking through them. Some have been hastily patched with pitch or mortar, but it's clear this will not hold forever. The people are frightened - they've been so careful, so pious. They've been sure to never let their pride overtake them again, and yet it feels like the Gods are threatening to finish the job. They will allow you to explore, explaining there are some ancient parts of the city they will not go near as they are blessed ground to Atlanteans, but perhaps outsiders would be able to go there.

The "blessed ground" ends up being an ancient cave, untouched for millennia. Ancient texts are stored here, as are cave paintings, made with the same glow-in-the-dark ink that is used for tattoos these days. While you look through the cave, it's clear that things were put here to be hidden away; to avoid, like a dirty secret. Eventually, once you put enough clues together, you learn that "the Gods" did not sink Atlantis, nor did they give the Atlanteans the crystals that they're so proud of. The Crystals were plundered from the Spirit Realm by the Atlanteans themselves. Taken and crafted for their own use, to power their cities and give them an upper hand against the rest of the world. Unfortunately, the Spirit Realm is temperamental and prone to taking back what belongs to it. When it reached out to reclaim the crystals, it took the whole city with it, pulling it into the realm the crystals originated from. It was the ancient Atlanteans' own magictech that saved them, the barriers they'd built against potential invaders sealing them safely from the oceanic Spirit Gate that swallowed them whole.

Battle with Leviathan

As you exit the cave with all this newfound knowledge, the barrier is SHAKEN by another shockwave. This time, however, you're close enough to see what's caused it. This is no act of the Gods either. A huge sea serpent is slamming against the barrier, full of snarling, frothing rage. Get close to the city and the Atlanteans will offer a terrified explanation- that is the Leviathan, a sea monster which has haunted their city since it "sank". You realize quickly this is what attacked your sub when you were coming to the city in the first place. The Atlanteans say it was only a threat to anyone trying to leave the city previously, making it impossible to explore outside their literal bubble. It's never attacked them directly like this before, and they don't understand the change in behavior.

Regardless of what can be causing the increased aggression, this needs to be dealt with, or Atlantis really will be sunk beneath the waves. The Atlanteans luckily do have a means to breathe underwater- thanks to the crystals, they have invented a breathing mask to allow you to breathe underwater for about an hour at a time. They could never use it to truly escape the city thanks to the Leviathan's presence, and they were too fearful of it to actually attempt to fight it. But now you're all here, and maybe things can be different! Maybe you can be rid of the creature for good!

If you head to the cave where you originally entered, you will find the captain still working on the sub. He explains it's not ready yet- but you have other fish to fry. Literally. Using the flying fish vehicles, you drive into the water and use the apparatus to follow the tunnel out into the open ocean again, where the Leviathan is waiting for you. You will have to be able to swim and fight at the same time, and if you're a fire user ... well, good luck. The creature puts up one hell of a fight - it's fast and it's HUGE. Easily fifty feet in length. It can churn the water around it, sending out blasts of the stuff like aquatic projectiles. It will not be an easy battle at all. During the fight, you might notice it stop to swallow a discarded crystal- it seems this is what the creature feeds on, which would also explain the attacks on the city itself. Either way, it will give no ground, and you will have to work together to dispatch it for good.

Aftermath

Once the waters have settled and the Leviathan has been defeated, the barriers will slowly begin to show signs of repair. The Atlantean elders are surprised by the revelations of what actually caused their downfall, and they will request discretion as they sort out how to go about telling their people (after all, news on this scale could completely undo their way of life). Should you ignore their request and tell the population on your own, you can expect Atlantis to experience several instances of unrest throughout the month.

Either way, the people of Atlantis will be thankful for your help. The elders will grant you permission to keep your own power crystals, should you wish. Which leaves characters with a choice. A magic energy source like this could easily give you the power you need to build your own version of the Libra app, and even break free from relying on Zodiac or any other faction. However, if not handled carefully... these could drag all of Kaisou into the Spirit Realm, just like Atlantis.

It's not an easy decision to make, so characters should probably talk it over with one another before deciding.

No matter what you decide, the submarine will be repaired and ready to go within a few days. Once everyone returns to the surface, with the waters now safer, the city of Atlantis will be available to visit for the rest of the month before it disappears back into the dark oceans of the Spirit Realm.

OOC Notes

The dominant element this month is Water! Anyone with an affinity to the water 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 Fire 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.

NOTE REGARDING THE POWER SOURCE: Whether characters decide to take the Atlanteans offer on the power source will have lasting consequences in the game, as such this will be put up to a vote among players that'll be open until July 12th. The vote can be found over here.

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

Comments

[whiteshroud]

Ha, he's really not that bad Mikleo...

[He knows this is a lost cause trying to defend Zhongli to his grudge holding seraph, but he'll try a little]

Oh, that sounds good! Usual flavor or do you wanna try something different?

[reenforces]

If you say so.

[He will never stop giving Zhongli the stink eye. But from the safety of his vessel, obviously.]

Hmm... I was thinking about having taro today, actually! It's been so long since I had taro anything.

[Also it's purple and purple is nice.]

If they don't have it, though, I'll take strawberry as usual. [Can't go wrong with a strawberry milk tea ever.] What are you going to get?

[whiteshroud]

I do. I know things went badly back then, but I don't get the sense he himself ever intended us harm. More... I think he's been on autopilot for a long time, and isn't used to thinking for himself.

[And it doesn't help that he's stupid, but still. Point stands

He'll start walking towards where the food vendors is, making sure to walk in front of Mikleo so no one runs into an invisible person. ]

Haha, honestly I've never had taro before- so I wouldn't mind giving it a try!

[reenforces]

[Mikleo looks at him for a moment, and then gives a great big sigh.]

... Yeah, you're probably right. I don't like how much he keeps his secrets. But I can't hold that against him if there are contracts involved, either...

[He explains as they walk.]

Lailah was the fire seraph who guided us on our journey, the one who gave Sorey the power of purification, but she couldn't tell us a lot of things because she had made an oath to Maotelus. As long as she didn't talk directly about Maotelus or the things that happened with the previous Shepherd she would be able to use the power of purification. If she betrayed that oath, she would lose access to those powers and it could have had dire consequences for her, too.

None of that absolves him of being a complete idiot, though.

[As casually as anything:]

I think you'll like taro. It tastes like sweet potatoes with a little vanilla.

[whiteshroud]

[Jun listens to the explanation, nodding.]

Mm...that makes sense. Seal Knights are expected to keep quiet about a lot of details related to the pact too. It's somewhat necessary when you're dealing with the divine.

Though...I don't think that's exactly his problem. It's more... [He needs to think how to put it, so he's going to distract himself. ]

Hold on, let me get our stuff.

[He'll get in line to order the bubble tea, the teriyaki, and an impulse buy of of a couple taiyakis. He'll come back a few moments later carrying the stuff in hand.]

C'mon, I'll teleport us to the roof so it's easier to talk in private. [And you know, so no one gets weirded out by a boba floating in midair.]

[reenforces]

Right... Oaths can be very powerful, but they're restrictive, too. It's the price you pay in order to go beyond the normal limits in other things.

[He's curious about what Jun wants to say, so he waits for a little bit, and steps forward to touch his arm when beckoned.]

Here, let me help. [He has a spare arm. While no one's looking, he takes the drinks. Since he's a water seraph he can surely handle that much should they go flying somehow.]

[whiteshroud]

Oh- thank you.

[He'll let Mikleo take the drinks. Glancing around to make sure no one's watching them, he'll teleport them both to the roof. Like most roofs, this one is empty even if they can hear the noise from the convention down below]

Much better! [He'll find a good spot for both of them to sit, setting the food out between then in a sharing manner. ]

The difference between Lailah and Zhongli's secrets is that Lailah was keeping secrets for a greater purpose. Not just for the sake of the purification power, but... I imagine the people of Glenwood viewed Maotelus the same way many view the Lord. For the public to learn that either of them have limits, flaws ... even vulnerabilities? It'd truly shake a lot of people's faith, and it'd give way to malevolence. I think Lailah must've understood that.

Zhongli ... I sense no such greater purpose to his secrets. If anything, he strikes me as a person that's lost, but hasn't had the will to continue the search for his answer in a long time. His secrets are probably just because...it's easier not to say anything.

[reenforces]

[Mikleo is so thankful he's not afraid of heights at times like this. He rather likes rooftop talks, especially if Jun brings him a Slurpee. He settles down and helps organize things just so. First thing he goes for? Definitely the taro bubble tea. He pops his straw in with ease of practice and immediately takes a sip.

Mm, perfect.]

Mm. They did view him similarly, as far as I can recall. I didn't even think about it from that angle. [Trust Jun to find that, since the Lord is his domain.] If people found out Maotelus was a hellion, it would've made things so much worse.

[He sighs.]

Easier not to say anything, huh... [He taps his fingernails along the outside of his boba cup.] Zaveid was like that, from what I remember. He covered it up with laughter and jokes, but beneath that, he was just... sad.

Zhongli seems to like you. Maybe he'd open up a little if you asked. That's assuming you want to know, anyway.

[People do seem to tell Jun about their trauma a lot. Mikleo's no exception, but at least they're close. Jun has an honest face or something.]

[whiteshroud]

[Following Mikleo's lead, he'll try his own drink. Oh, it's yummy. Excellent]

Mm, I'm sure it would've. Especially if they learned a Shephard was to blame for his corruption. The fallout could've been catastrophic.

[Way to fuck EVERYTHING up Michael. SERIOUSLY]

Zaveid was the Seraph that Eizen knew, right? [He's heard him mentioned in the stories a few times.] I imagine he's been through a lot.

[As for Zhongli...]

I don't mind knowing, but I'm not sure I'd have a way to help him either, honestly. He's in a difficult situation.

[reenforces]

Exactly, and he still needed followers. Taking them away would've only accelerated the situation. His hellionization wasn't instantaneous. It was a slow agony, if anything, and it probably took so long because of Maotelus' strength of will. That's... what I believe, anyway.

[For real, his uncle was so fucked up.]

That's right. They were best friends, from what I gathered. [And there was a promise... but he doesn't want to think about the man they'd met and his inescapable fate right now.] The dark era that they lived through must have been so difficult.

Sometimes you can help just by listening. You're pretty good at that.

[A part of Mikleo firmly believes that given enough time, Jun could learn to be a therapist like Sorey, but it might be an uphill road to get there.]

[whiteshroud]

That's...rather troubling to think about. [He unconsciously rubs his arm where the Seal Mark is underneath his outfit. Nope, don't like that at all.]

No kidding, it wasn't easy listening to how things used to be ... [It's easier to read about that stuff in textbooks, detached from the present day. But to speak to someone who witnessed it...] How've you been doing after all that?

[reenforces]

It is. But it's done, and it's in the past. What happened then has no bearing on what happens now, as you reminded us. We're writing our own destiny.

[He smiles a little, though it doesn't quite reach his eyes. He's proud of Jun, but yeah that was. A lot to take in recently.]

I'm all right. I feel better having some answers, but at the same time, I feel weirdly guilty and naive... We threw around this dream as teens without realizing what it must've been like for the older seraphim. The ones who remembered how it used to be. Of course we couldn't force anyone to forgive humans for what they'd done, but it makes me wonder what they thought of me and Sorey.

Did they see a new generation with a lofty dream doing everything they could to make it happen? Or did they see us as misguided youth, doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past...?

We'll never know, and it doesn't really matter, but I feel like I would have approached some things differently if I had known. But, that might have drove us apart as children, too...

[He takes another sip of his boba.]

Zenrus trained me early and often when it came to preparing for the outside world. He knew I would need to help Sorey and protect him since he was completely clueless about human society. But more than that, Zenrus was shielding us from how terrible things really were, and he held back the burdens that the past tried to put on us.

We ended up dealing with the sins of the past anyway. As you know, the legacy of the last Shepherd was that of complete annihilation and madness, and we had to break the cycle ourselves. These revelations about the Shepherd's origins are just more of the same.

Maybe our dream of a peaceful coexistence between humans and seraphim was based on a falsehood, but it was a dream that we made manifest back then... and still do, every day. That's what really matters.

[whiteshroud]

[Jun listens while Mikleo speaks, drinking from his boba and taking a few bites of his teriyaki. He is paying attention, but he's hungry okay. But he can see why Mikleo would stress over stuff like that. He's someone that's very self-conscious, and also very moral. ]

...I wouldn't worry about it too much, what they thought of you. If older Seraphim are like older humans, they probably just thought you guys were cringey but also endearing. If they really had issue with what you two were saying, they would've spoken up.

[In other words, usual old people stuff]

But...you're right. Even if it's something that doesn't have the historical backing you thought it did, it's still a dream worth pursuing. It just means you're treading new ground.

[reenforces]

[That earns a soft laugh from Mikleo. Cringey is right. He feels the same way looking back on it, even if it's followed by fondness and warmth.]

Even though we looked that way to them, they still ended up helping us. I'm grateful...

[He finally starts picking at his teriyaki.]

In our past lives, Sorey and I wanted to see everything we saw in the books and then add in other things that we found along the way. We did do that for a while, but it wasn't long before we stopped following in another's footsteps and began making our own.

There's something freeing about that. It's scary, too, don't get me wrong... but I think it suits us better. [His smile is more genuine this time.] And we've made some great friends this time, too.

[whiteshroud]

[Jun will smile at Mikleo's statement, agreeing with it]

I think it suits you better too. You and Sorey always go by the beat of your own drums, and I find that rather inspiring. [It's certainly helped him stress less about the legacy he's meant to live up to] And it's certainly been a fun journey, this time around.

[reenforces]

[Aww, Jun... He smiles a bit, and the edges of his eyes crinkle.]

I think so too. It's interesting how the journey came to us.

[He sips his boba.]

After you pass your test, I bet you'll be able to go everywhere that we can go. Wouldn't it be nice to travel a bit? You can finally see the Spirit Gate I studied when I was first cut loose. And there's all sorts of other places that are worth looking at, too. Kaisou isn't all there is.

[whiteshroud]

[Jun lights up at that idea]

You really think so? I'd really like that! [He cheerfully takes another bite of teriyaki] I've always wanted to travel and see the world. And it'd be really great to see the sights you and Sorey are always talking about.

[Japan, the UK...both of them sound like thrilling expeditions to him]