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

[playtag]

[Magic rain, is that to blame for this? Eve brushes her shoulders, some looser crystals clinking onto the floor.]

[She watches with an attentive eye as he attempts to fish out a larger crystal from where it is stuck.]

Can I see?

[She has smaller fingers, maybe she can get into some of the narrower creases.]

Mm. Varian gets mentioned frequently on the network. He's been blamed by Zodiac for a couple events, but he seems nice. A very smart guy. I don't know why bad things keep happening to him.

[That might be less 'bad luck' and more 'hubris,' but she doesn't know that.]

[doubledollar]

Yeah, of course you can. [ he trusts eve, of course. So it's easy as anything to slide the steampunk-esque looking arm over the table towards her--and he'll nudge the donut box, too--here, have one.

He'll grab one himself, tearing it in half as he contemplates what she said. ]

He's mentioned before that he's caused trouble for this place, before. The... dinosaurs? Being someone who causes trouble without meaning to, myself, I sort'a feel for him, you know?

[ Haha! ]

[playtag]

[The donuts are currently ignored in favor of the complicated mechanics of his metal arm. So many little nooks gummed up with crystals!]

[Gently, she eases one out of the seam between fingers and wrist.]

Yes, the dinosaurs. That's when I arrived in the city. He was trying to make a portal back home, but something went wrong. Then there was the apartment explosion, and the immortal peach research that he sabotaged...

Yeah. He didn't mean to cause harm.

[Which, looking back at her past, puts Varian higher in Eve's estimation that herself.]

[doubledollar]

[ that's fine. the arm is more of a focus now--even if vash is absolutely going to eat a donut as Eve looks over the mechanical arm. He's gonna lean on the stump of his other arm, settling forward to watch her. ]

...Ah, a portal back home, huh.

[ he looks... distant for a second. ]

Being stuck here... really sucks for a lot of people, doesn't it.

[playtag]

[She keeps picking out some of the medium-sized crystals from the finger joints.]

Not just his world. He wanted to bring others back home too.

[There is a slight pause in her impromptu mining work. They were both isekais. Did he... not know that already? ]

Being here... It's not all bad. [She offers tentatively.] Zodiac keeps us housed and cared for, and the people are mostly nice.

[Eve doesn't mention yet her discomfort with Zodiac, how being in their facilities with regular nanny check ups reminds her of Torneo's place. Constantly watched and guarded. Zodiac is kinder, certainly, but the parallels were still there in her eyes. Eve fidgets with one of the water gems, rolling it between her fingers.]

But it's hard to not feel lonely. Even when I meet others and enjoy their company, I'm still reminded this is not the happiness I wanted.

[It's a hard admission to make. Eve spent most of her time in Kaisou trying to mask how difficult it was, adjusting to the new world. There was always some bigger worry, a bigger fish to fry. So she keeps those late night thoughts to herself, subconsciously reminding herself of happier times in fear that she'll forget them. Her friends, her family.]

Do you... not miss where you came from, Vash?

[doubledollar]

[ he'll listen to her, of course. this is what he needs to hear--someone other than Ryoko who had been off-worlded, away from home, and who was dealing with being somewhere so far from their comforts that it was hard to truly ever adjust.

His expression goes quiet, and he can understand it--the loneliness, being separated from people who cared for you: not everyone had a life like vash. Where you ran and ran and ran and couldn't ever stop, where your friendships with people were fast and fleeing simply because they didn't know who you were. And when they found out, they either got killed for trying to protect you--or tried to kill you for the price on your head.

Did Eve have a family? She must have had some sort of parental figure in her life, even if she's not exactly human. He remembers the strange way her hair moved, and that's hint enough, but. Sometimes a family is more than parents-and-children. Who was she missing? Would they ever show up in kaisou? or was she doomed to stay here, alone, without anyone but herself, until she was allowed to go home?

Just thinking about it made his heart ache. His eyes stung as he blinks back tears that weren't there a moment ago, and he takes another bite of his donut, trying to swallow the sudden heavy feeling on his shoulders.

this is not the happiness i wanted ]

I'm sorry, I didn't think about how lonely it might be. I hope you're able to find your way home one day, Eve. And if there's anything I can ever do to help, you can rely on me, too, okay?

We're friends.

[ Eve is ... very important to him. She reminds him a little of Lina, but without the troublemaking attitude. And his heart aches again. ]

For me, it's.... a little complicated, I guess.

There are some things I miss about No Man's Land. [ he pauses, thinking about it. ] Some of the people I know, like Luida, or Brad. [ yes, he named two of the animals on his farm after these people. ] But they're living happy lives without me in it.

Back home, I... [ he laughs. ] I don't really have a home. I move between cities, walking for weeks in the desert. Never really staying in one place, never really getting to know anyone too deeply. Scared they'll find out who I am, or, worse, getting hurt because of who I am.

'Vash the Stampede...'

The Humanoid Typhoon, the 60 Billion Double Dollar Outlaw who brings disaster everywhere he goes.

[ loneliness. he gets it.

He laughs a little. ]

They're better off without me.

1/2

[playtag]

[Wha... is he crying? Why? No one has died, she hasn't given him that awful of news... she doesn't think?? Just honesty.]

[Her confusion is a brief relief from the heavy topics at hand.]

There's still hope. Some people have returned, though we don't know how or why. I'll be back, eventually. [She just had no way of controlling when she comes and goes.]

[Eve doesn't know what to do with his offer, really. Perhaps she could ask if he knew places outside Zodiac apartments she could stay at, but she rarely outright asks others for things. A mix of old habits and stubbornness. But friends...]

[How did she end up with friends?]

Thanks. I'll remember that.

[And while subdued, her floating crystal has changed from the yellow that started at talk of being stuck here back to bright green. There's even the slightest hint at a smile.]

2/2 - Child weapon/soldier mention

[playtag]

[The smile quickly fades as talk moves from her situation to Vash's. Talk of moving from place to place isn't so strange to Eve. Sweepers stay on the move regularly to find new bounties. Yet the rest of the team traveled with her. No matter the danger, they were in it together.]

People are mostly what I miss. Who I miss. The places were nice enough, but a house doesn't feel the same without the company.

[As she learned quickly when left behind at Annette's, who was a nice enough lady but no substitute for Sven in Eve's eyes. She listens to Vash's melancholy tale, wondering to herself how he could laugh while saying such things.]

[Suddenly she has some context for the overwhelming sense of blood lingering around this gentle man. Not the details, but enough.]

[But she's not about to let him throw himself alone into the pit like this.]

...Before I came here, before I knew what things like happiness or freedom were, I was a killer. A lot of men lost their lives because of me. [She does not mention that they were by and large criminals working in a weapons black market. Nor that it was on her then guardian's orders. As far as she's concerned, it makes no difference.] Yet the people who took me in still cared for me. Protected me. Despite the terrible things I did, the man who rescued me thanked me for being in his life.

[It's hard to admit all this, but she does.]

Those people you know... Surely they would feel the same. That their lives were better not despite but because of you.

[The dollar amount doesn't even register as a bounty in the face of making sure he understands this.]

[doubledollar]

[ something Eve will probably learn here, today--Vash is a very emotional person. Kni wasn't wrong when he called him 'crybaby' quite so often--151 years didn't change that fact at all. Crybaby that he was.

the news might not have been 'awful', but it was sad; therefore vash would shed tears, where Eve might not. He can absolutely imagine what it's like to be separated from someone who you cared deeply about, after all. He was currently being kept from seeing wolfwood, due to the man's need to be away from Kni to collect his thoughts. And each day felt like the man was never going to come back.

Dramatic as that thought was.
He can't imagine Eve; who can't even call or send a message out to her loved ones--how she might be feeling. That loss, that loneliness--
He finds his free hand reaching for her. Placing his palm against her head without really thinking about the action before just--making it.

He does take note of that crystal that's been... oddly hanging over her head as changing colour. Curious as his expression gets--he thinks he might start to understand it. Does it change colour depending on her mood? ...what an intrusive thing to have follow you. And yet... ]

Sometimes a home isn't a place, but people. I think I know how that feels. And I'm deeply sorry that your home doesn't feel right without your family here. [ family, friends--whichever they were. both.

he's used to being in a pit alone, but. when she casts herself down into it, his arms are open to welcome her. ]

...Sometimes, people have no choice but to make terrible choices like that. Taking the lives of others isn't the right choice to make in any situation, but. I understand that a lot of beings don't feel like they have a choice. Or they do it because they don't know better. [ learning eve is a killer... makes his heart ache, because she's so young, she's got smaller shoulders to carry such a terrible burden. But his arms don't fall away from where he intends to catch her in her descent, all the same. ]

...Everyone can start over. You can. I can.

[ he laughs as... eve offers him absolution. he's always wanted to be forgiven, and hearing it from someone like her--it makes his shoulders shake as he almost finds himself laughing at how much of a ...relief it felt like. ]

Thank you, Eve.
I think I needed to hear that.

[playtag]

[No lie, it is very hard. Being away from her people makes Eve feel so much smaller in a world she barely understands. She's doing better! She's read so much over the months here, so her knowledge grows every day, but the emptiness remains.]

[Vash isn't the first one to pat her head. (The first being Train's ex-coworker, Chronos Number 2 of the secretive elite assassins. Who despite his intimidating speed and stature, ruffled her hair when leaving after a delivery. Very confusing. A little infantizing. She wasn't sure what to make of it.) But in this case, Vash has the advantage that they've met multiple times. So while she looks up questioningly, she doesn't startle or scoot away.]

[He's got it right on the money. The color keeps shifting between green, yellow, and orange depending on how good or bad she's feeling. Mostly yellow for this conversation, but with occasional blips one way or the other.]

Home is mostly people, I think. Otherwise there's nothing separating it from another house or building. [O-oh...] I... don't know if I have family. The people I live with are the ones who got me out of my previous situation. Though I would like if they thought of me that way. [She certainly thinks of Sven as a father figure, whether she fully realizes it or not. And Train is kinda brother-like in his annoying way. Rins already calls her a little sister, but she doesn't stick with them much, going off on her own most of the time.]

[Look even if he has more blood on his hands than hers, they still belong in the same boat.]

At the time... choice wasn't really something I knew was possible. I was who I was told, nothing else. But it doesn't change what I did. [Others might disagree. Her situation was very different from a pleasure killer or even a regular soldier. But Eve is too focused on what she did was wrong.] Killing isn't right. I think I may have known all along. I hated it. How it felt to end someone's life.

That's right. We're free to make our own lives now.

[Eve isn't sure what to make of the shaking or being thanked, but she thinks it's a good sign? That he might feel better. It does make her feel like she's being praised for something, which is very nice.]

[She goes back to picking out crystals with her mind buzzing and a smile in her heart.]

[doubledollar]

[ he does keep his eyes on that little crystal. Watching, idly, how it flickers between colors--his eyes going soft as he listens to what Eve has to say.

She's right. Home isn't necessarily a place--it can be people, just as easily. And that's how he feels, as well. ]

Family doesn't gotta' mean 'by blood', or people you were raised with.
I might... not look it, but I've lived well over a century. The types of people I'd call family were people who didn't know me at all but were still willing to have me sit at their tables, to call me 'big brother....'

[ ...and then they all died, because of the singular crime of being his friend.

His heart quakes and he struggles to keep the smile on his face, as he recognises what Eve is doing--she's comforting him. He's being comforted again, by someone as young as Eve, someone who has a tarnished heart, and yet shines despite it.

Killing isn't right.
She has that belief, too, and he's... quietly amazed by it. He holds back the desire to jump up from the table and hug the little girl that reminds him so much of Lina--a girl who'd saved his life, who treated him like a big brother--who had strong beliefs just like Eve did, who cared for others, despite how they truly didn't have to. ]

Maybe you can't change your past. But everyone can start over, I think. If you decided killing isn't right, and you want to change your life for the future, then you should do it.

I'll support you in that, so long as you're stuck here.

Okay?

[ he's finally feeling like smiling, too. ]

[playtag]

[Oh.]

If all it takes is people being willing to call me 'little sister,' then I guess I do have family.

[She looks so fond saying that, imagining Sven setting out a meal while she sits at the table. Waking up on a couch to find a blanket carefully tucked around her. The regular bickering in the background while she finishes her latest book. While they might not be here now, it's clear Eve loves her makeshift family. Even Train, the annoying jerk.]

[Over a century. He's been running for that long...]

[Of course Eve is comforting him. They're the same. A bright heart carrying on despite the weight of past transgressions.]

[She listens as he shifts the comfort to her instead. Wow. So many people want to support her choice in not killing people now. Back home, and here... It's incredible. Almost like normal people don't even see the monster that Torneo insisted she was.]

Okay.

[Oh good, he's back to smiling. She smiles back, then pinches two fingers together. The two glow and shift until they've transformed into metal tweezers. She opens and closes it experimentally with her other hand before cheerfully going back to crystal removal.]

This should do the trick!

[Gonna get those hard to reach places!]

[doubledollar]

See--that's exactly it. I'll call you 'little sister' too, if you'd like.

[ he's not sure if she'd be okay with it, but he'll at least ask--!
He's been running for a really long time, it's just... really nice to slow down and find a place to call home. Even if it was a little cottage out in the woods, surrounded by vegetables and nature... ]

--Whoa.

[ his eyebrows go up--he's definitely smiling again, but--that trick with her fingers-- ]

...Huh, that's ... really cool. [ ...like a plant. she can change her body.... he remembers her hair, and.... ah, now he understands... ]

[playtag]

You want to call me that? [A little surprising, going from friend to sister status so soon.] I guess... that would be alright.

[It might be more preferable to "little princess," the more common nickname she was given. Train used it so constantly, it might be difficult to separate the phrase from the person. Even if neither are accurate on a literal level.]

[She hadn't really thought very hard about transforming so openly. It's been a few months since the public could see the unusual, so she's remarkably relaxed just... being herself. Doing what she does best.]

[Eve's making quick work of the little fittlely gems now that she's made the right tool. She does smile at the compliment as she goes.]

Transformation. It's a useful skill for situations like this.

[So many situations, really, if she uses a little creative thinking. To think Torneo wanted this power just for killing.]