etrayalogs | APRIL MINGLE

APRIL MINGLE

WHO: Everyone!
WHEN: April 25th - Early May
WHERE: Etraya
WHAT: The arrival of newcomers, spring activities, and feathered friends!
NOTES\WARNINGS:

⏵ arrival ⏴
Welcome to Etraya!

Arrival goes as expected - characters awaken on hospital beds and are offered an explanation of their situation: that they have arrived in the city of Etraya, and they are their world's only hope. They are welcome to wander the hospital if they would like to - the upper floors are mostly empty, full of pristine hallways and numerous rooms filled with supplies, cots, and things one would expect from a relatively average 21st-century hospital.

However, if they are arriving from Aphaia, it's a little different, though mostly through means and familiarity. They will still show up in the hospital of course, but how can vary. Either through Aurora offering a portal for escape, their own demise (however it might have happened), or even a simple blink of their eyes and they're in the hospital. They had been given the briefest explanation last time they were here, but at least Aurora can better answer their questions now. No time constraints nor rushing them off to a dying world, this time!

In the hospital's lobby are several party tables set out with miscellaneous baked goods: croissants, cookies, breads, cake slices, as well as tea and coffee to accompany them - or hot chocolate, for those who are opposed to the other offerings.

Outside the hospital, spring is sprung, it is warm and comfortable. Flowers have bloomed, and everything is in a sharp contrast to Aphaia—there is life within the bubble, and even the myriad wildlife seems to be basking in the glow of it all. Almost as if a celebration of that life itself.

Bees are buzzing, birds are—warking?

⏵ Birds of a Feather ⏴

Etraya has always had its interesting assortment of critters, but there seems to be a particularly colorful array of birds wandering around. Those familiar would know they are named Chocobos, those less so familiar, well, these are some strange looking ostriches, or whatever large bipedal bird equivalent fits. While the birds all seem to be of the same species, there are certainly some variety in their features. Some with friendlier faces and others looking a bit more eagle-like.

They are not particularly congregated in any one spot within Etraya, seeming to stick to groups, while others don't, yet even some are accompanied by newly hatched chicks. The observant might be quick to notice that their colors dictate some level of behavior, or even where their little groups mingle:

Colors	Behavior and habitat
Yellow	Can be found just about anywhere in Etraya, they don't necessarily stick to self-made groups, and typically are more likely to be friendly to people. However, if they are in the company of a newly hatched chick, they can become wary, though easily won over with some greens.
Green	These Chocobos are mostly found in grassy or woodsy areas, almost always in pairs, and sometimes found in the trees themselves. They are more wary than their yellow brethren, though if they see someone struggling or in danger, they are quick to offer assistance in what way they can. Doting like motherhens.
Blue	Most often found by bodies of water, these Chocobo seem content to keep to themselves. Three to a group, they are not so easy to approach without being noticed. Their skill and love of water is clear, however, and it's not unusual to find them flapping about or swimming. Though they may flee to the water if you spook them.
Brown	The most skiddish of the Chocobo, they can be found throughout Etraya, though further away from anything occupied by people. They stick to groups of four, though they have a clear leader who sports blue and green feathers, but seemingly is not of the other two types. Should they catch sight or sound of someone approaching they are like to run off, or they might attempt to defend themselves.
Red	There seems to be only one of these running around. Highly aggressive to anyone who dares to approach it. Best to avoid it. Very likely to hurl comet-like balls of fire your way. Untamable.

The birds all favor these strange cabbage looking plants that can be found out and about in the wilds of Etraya. Some proving a little overeager in their voracity to eat the leafy greens. One should be careful, with those large beaks of theirs.

⏵ Gift Hunt ⏴

It isn't only the birds that have shown up out of nowhere. Small to medium sized boxes, wrapped as if they should be under a tree, and maybe not hidden in a tree, have also appeared. For whatever reason (possibly the same reason eggs were given out over winter) there seems to be gifts hidden all over Etraya! Some in more difficult to find locations (in trees, on top of a roof, on snake island), while others look as though whoever "hid" it gave up halfway through and simply dropped it on the ground and put a leaf over it.

For those who need a little extra help, well, certainly your fellow Etrayans could lend a hand, however there are also perfectly capable birds about for those still left wanting. Certainly that blue chocobo could assist with crossing the river to obtain that perfectly balanced gift on a rock! Or what about that green chocobo roosting in a tree not too far from that gift stuck in the branches because it has entirely too many ribbons?

With that said, there might also be some dangers in trying to take one of the myriad gifts from a chocobo's nest, especially if there's a chick presently sleeping next to it. Perhaps befriending them would be a good idea first, besides, isn't friendship with a big bird the truest gift of all?

On the tag of each and every gift box says the same thing:

To: You
Love: 💋

Each gift has a random assortment within. Some contain candy, others contain alcohol, make-up...maybe even a pair of socks, very perfunctory gifts with very little thought or feeling put into them. However, there is at least one gift that is personally relevant to each character in Etraya. This item will be the equivalent of a 5 point AC reward, and does not have to be found by the person it is intended for.

What better way to break the ice than to give someone their gift which you opened!

⏵ NOTES ⏴

Welcome to Etraya newcomers and happy spring to everyone!

It appears that someone is trying to correct her previous mistake of handing out eggs during the winter holidays, and now there's a hunt for gifts accompanied by a bunch of lovely birds to help out!

Some notes in regard to Chocobos:

-Each color can be tamed except for the red one, he's a free spirit. Should someone wish to harm or attack this chocobo, let us mods know. There is only one of him, after all.

-The others will just take various amounts of work to win over, however, but they are loving and cute companions for those who are willing to put in the effort! And who knows, maybe more colors could arise with time and patience...

-Feel free to pull from all the designs of chocobos throughout the Final Fantasy series. If you fancy FFXII's, for example, there are some that look like that. Variety is the spice of life!

Concerning the personal item, be sure to plot out and get permission when finding someone else's item. This is meant to encourage possible new CR and mingling, but the choice of the item should ultimately be within the hands of the player who is receiving it.

If you are uncertain if your item is appropriate for the reward cost, feel free to ask here!

For all questions relating to this log, please refer to the mod queries comment. All other questions can be directed to the FAQ.

⏵FULL NAVIGATION⏴

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Haah...

[ that only draws a sigh from blaze, but unlike somebody, she's not going to make a significant effort to pawn her responsibility on someone else; she doesn't expect shadow to return and do so either. the chocobo is stepping with each foot as if revving up to go after her. the problem? she's much, much faster than it.

it only takes her a fraction of a second to speed a little further down the path, bending down to collect a handful of the leafy green plant that seems to be growing at the side. ]

Uhm...he-hey?

[the voice is a little squeaky; Knife clears their throat and tries again with a bit less waver in the tone.] Hey! With the spikes!

[louder and more descriptive! this'll work out better.

Antigone will forgive me for this, Knife thinks, trotting out of the alley they'd been lingering in as the hedgehog moved past and near out of sight. debating on whether or not to change shape - on whether or not they'd be seen changing shape, given all the eyes that had been in Aphasia - had been nothing shy of agony. and running on fumes as they were, their decisionmaking felt even more dire than it perhaps really was - like this was life or death or something, goddammit!

"Antigone," as it were, is now committed, and decides to just roll with that soft little voice instead of try to remember the proper affect their old party member has. maybe the waifishness will help, who fucking knows?

in either case, they need this spiky guy's attention, so, as they get a bit closer:] Excuse me--

Edited 2025-04-26 00:26 (UTC)

...

[the tall, green guy all but goes stone still, in the midst of dropping a sixth random piece of fabric atop the oblivious-yet-earnest little robot trying to offer assistance (the assistance is to just stand there and hold their stuff, OBVIOUSLY).

they gawk down in a quarter side-eye before slowly turning their head. yes, okay. this person is talking at them.

they squint. what the fuck is she talking about? back it up--wait--hang on--

with narrowing eyes:] "Hosts?" You seen 'em?

Birds of a Feather

By this point, traveling to and from Etraya periodically has lost a lot of the allure. The hospital is just a quick detour so she can score herself a cup of cocoa and a slice of coconut cake before seeing herself out.

Outside, she pauses for a moment to sip her cocoa and just take in the sight of the place she's called home for the past little while. It's a little hard to believe that it's been almost a year since she did this the first time.

She's approaching a deserted trolley stop, listening to the birds singing when she glances up in time to spot a large yellow bird that kind of makes her think of an ostrich crossed with an eagle. Puzzled, she stops and waves the cup of cocoa in an attempt to get the bird's attention. If nothing else, sneaking up on such a large bird seems like a terrible idea.

When it turns and looks at her, Chrissy smiles. "Hello, birdy. Where did you come from?"

Gift Hunt

There's something oddly satisfying about seeing how many gift boxes she can spot as she goes about her day. The egg hunt had always been one of her favorite parts about Easter when she was younger. It's probably the same for a lot of people.

This is definitely the first time she's taken part in a gift box hunt, though. The handful of ones she's spotted are all addressed to "You" rather than any one specific person, and there's no name or other indication of who they're from either.

Naturally, she's curious enough to open a couple. Her efforts are rewarded with a pair of thick, comfy looking socks and a bottle of cheap champagne. All in all, her haul could be a lot worse.

Etc.

[Feel free to catch Chrissy snooping around pretty much anywhere in search of more funny birds or gifts. I'm also open to someone finding the gift with her name on it or her finding someone else's. Her gift will likely be her copy of The Princess Bride from home.]

[ Sevika's idly been kicking gift boxes over on the way home since, on occasion, they will reveal bottles of alcohol. Hands shoved in pockets as she idly wanders through, she tips the one with the planchette over and stops to give it a funny look as it slides across the ground.

Huh. ]

...a game piece? But where's the rest?

[ Seeing her own inclination to have things like tarot cards, this doesn't fall too far out of the realm of things she might pocket. So, yeah, she does reach down to pick it up and give it a look. Weird, but, you know, finders-keepers. ]

[ there's various gifts, but nothing that he cares about, it's only another place to traverse to in order to get to where he needs to go. it's not the normal way of transportation for him, but it'll do, growing accustomed to locations will help him in the long run. the moment he stops, it's to look at the mess that's all over the place wondering if this is how it usually is or if it's really meant to be something special. he doubts it.

the moment he turns to take the narrow path that leads him to the entrance of the hospital, he's interrupted by someone walking right before him, and picking up something off the ground. it isn't anyone he's seen, maybe a local of etraya, but they're bold enough to claim some gift is his, and shadow could care less. his eyes lower now, looking between the crack of the individual's legs as he waits for them to take a step to the side. ]

Get out of my way.

[ his words come as a demand as he wants to go inside, not stand out here and open boxes that have nothing to do with him. ]

[That's fucking MINE.

the glinting of shiny things is negligible, but Knife is attuned to that particular shiny thing; amidst their wanderings, Knife all but walks into a light fixture when they double-take and pick up sense of it. breath cut short, they halt, forgetting to be discreet, and this big, lanky half-orc just gawks as Sevika passes by, planchette in pocket.

but it's there.

Motherfucker.

they can't just accost her about it without any information! was it pilfered with intention? happenstance? did she know them? the source of it? Hekate? too many unknown variables to risk open hostility.

they'd have to finesse this a bit...and not with this face.

from bar to liquor store and spaces in-between, some of those more obscured spaces can be filled with the sense of eyes. Knife shifts small, lithe, flattening against spaces, drawn up in darker, patterned materials to obscure their silhouette as go, vanishing to find finicky routes around or through spaces that feel safe to softshoe around to avoid being out in the open. this goes on for...days. distractions happen. Knife remembers they have a body that needs food. their stash of less important items needs tending and defending from giant chickens. stuff like that.

but no matter the gaps between, the eyes become consistent - the pinprickle sense of being surveilled a recurring certainty as Knife studies her gait, her posture, her interactions - clues to what sort of person now has one of their only, truly important possessions...

and how to get it back - bloodied, if necessary.]

Inna sec. [they straighten up to their full height, oblivious to the unpleasant aura radiating from dog-sized creature at their shins.

while shaking the box against their ear to listen to the contents:] Not yours, right? Did you say? [tick-tock, Fido!]

Arrival: Hospital

[The clinical smell of chemicals is nostalgic. Crane inhales and appreciates the antiseptic and disinfectant dominating his senses. Their odour makes him remember home. They remind him of power and control. They make him feel safe.

But is it his imagination or is he being followed?

Crane monitors the danger while occupying a table in the cafeteria: a dining table with a fantastic view beyond the window. He nurses his shot of espresso while monitoring the entrance, observing everyone who arrives and leaves.

Someone might want to lock him down before he can target others. Someone might notice him reading in silence. Someone else unfortunately has no other choice for a seat.]

Arrival: Poisoning Pigeons In The Park

[All his world had seemed in tune. The criminal swamp of a metropolis had been home, where but for the anxiety and constant rain, the sun had been bright and everything had seemed all right.

But now he is strolling outdoors, a stranger in a strange land, inhaling the scents of flora and enjoying the warmth of the sun.

Perhaps his arrival here is a boon. Perhaps he had become too comfortable.]

I think the loveliest time of the year is the spring, don’t you?

[Crane asks everyone who approaches the same question. His bright smile complements the warmth of spring but he enjoys their company for colder reasons. People see him coming but always swallow the poison he has to offer.]

Gifting: Pattern Recognition

[Crane has a deeply rooted suspicion of gifting because people always want something in return. Some people desire favours. Others hunger for his attention or affection. More crave his praise. What are the expectations of the individual offering him this present?

Their motivation for gifting others never comes to mind.

Crane unwraps his package and is favoured with an antique chess set. The impassive expression on his face nearly turns cold. He returns the pouch of pieces to their home inside the frame, closes the lid and gently slides it across the table.]

[ That planchette? Ended up in a pocket and more or less forgotten for a time. With how dull Etraya was between missions, changing up her route doesn't strike her as worthwhile right up until she gets the sense she's being... followed. That half-orc she had passed back when she first picked it up had been given a glance, but when she realized it wasn't Gorgug, she dismissed them but...

Only it can't be a big lug like that, right? There's that itchy part in the back of her head that knows she's being followed at least a day in, but she can't immediately blame some newcomer she saw out of the corner of an eye for two seconds.

Only now, changing her routine would tell them she's noticed, whoever that happens to be. Irritating, but she's been in this position before. She can play it cool, and if someone wants to come at her, let them. Of course, she doesn't connect any of this with the random spirit board piece she'd picked up. It's such an inconsequential trinket in her mind. Maybe Silco convinced someone to tail her? Maybe it's Silco himself, but how long has it been since he's done anything in the field personally? She'd have noticed him by now, surely.

But onward she goes. There's some normal deviation here and there; she'll stop by one place or another for groceries to bring back to 8 Grandage Place. Occasionally, she'll be seen taking a small white-furred puffball with a bad attitude -- her poro, Bitey -- out for a walk, but usually, it's to the bar, meet with a person here or there at the place, drink, drink some more, consider a bottle or two at the liquor store, then "home" again.

One night in particular, after she's set a clear inclination to drink heavily for whoever has been following her, she'll drink to excess... or appear to, in any case, long into the night. When she chooses to go home, it's with a stumble and an unsteadiness of the drunk. In truth, she is a little. Just enough to make it convincing, but she knows her limit.

A little tipsiness to offset her usual certain and unwavering stride won't stop her from being able to defend herself. Although even seemingly drunk, the way she carries herself will forever hold some aura of intimidation, a "don't fuck with me" attitude; it's been that way the entire time. A big woman with a quiet step but a long stride, closing distances quickly without seeming to hurry. She favors her right hand for most normal interactions when possible, though she's had to show her left a few times. Typically, it would remain hidden under the drape of her poncho, but when it does come into view, it's clearly mechanical. There's a good chance she won't favor her right side as much in a fight, with how vicious the chemtech arm looks. ]

[ at first, shadow ignores the voice behind him, has nothing to do with him like everything else doesn't. it's not familiar, it's not her voice, and so he has to keep moving forward in order to find maria. she's not well, he doesn't want her to be alone, and he doesn't trust anyone with her even if she can see the better side of those that he can't. he thinks that he has a lead, if he comes through this area he can check to see if her kindness hasn't pulled her anywhere dangerous.

it's not like aphasia, but it's still unknown territory to him.

again, that voice speaks up, and the description helps, gives him even more reason to keep going. the hedgehog slowly comes to a stop as the other draws closer, and he turns around with his brows furrowed. it's for a brief moment, his eyes looking the individual up and down, noting their miniscule height difference. from the looks of them, he wonders if they're someone from sonic's world, but the way they talk about his quills make it seem unlikely.

his ears twitch. ]

Shut your mouth.

[ it's within an instant that the hedgehog scoops them up into his arms, jumping against the narrow walls back and forth to climb up, and station themselves on top of a building. it's done so effortlessly and without breaking a sweat that shadow drops the individual out of his arms onto the ground next to him as he looks over the alleyway. what passes through that he heard not too long ago is one of those robots that he saw from the hospital.

...

is there no one else here aside from "them"?

despite the stranger needing something, shadow seems to be focused on this oddity of why no one else is here. ]

( being from a future far more modern than this world where humanity has conquests several planets should have left her unfazed by such a person before her—

but for the first time since she was a child, she looked at the individual before her with a bit of a shocked expression before immediately offering them a soft smile.

she was far from rude no, always tempered and polite. )

Well I met Aurora briefly and she is accessible to us apparently via text. As for Echo, no I have yet to meet them. I’m assuming they’re hosts as I don’t want to outright call them ‘kidnappers’.

( she didn’t want to accost them in case they were….watching. )

Looking for clothes as well?

[there's been no indication this person would be hostile to simply...asking for it back. but then, there's no telling what they'll do if Knife shows any desire for it more than a passing fancy, and that's not even setting aside the fact they have the damn thing obscured in a pocket!

this'd be so much easier to figure out were Soliton here...he'd be able to distract her with his charms, befuddle her long enough so Knife could just slink in and pickpocket it and be done with it! but in a place like this, with so many unknowns, with so few escape routes or safehouses (like, none?!), simply pilfering and running to hope for the best is...stupid.

...so is being openly hostile. that's stupid, too.

this sneaky, slinky shit? it's...well, it's not smart, but it's a few ladder rungs higher on the intelligence ladder compared to the previous options in this circumstance.

what? was he supposed to, like, wait this out? make friends and steal it months later?

fuck that. Knife wants whats theirs now.

they've shifted into something smaller, light and nimble, because the illusion of bulk and strength wasn't going to do them many favors right now. and hey, if all else fails? maybe having the face and stature of a human child will appease to some better nature; they even make their hair thick and fluffy like that ugly fucking puffball they saw her strutting around with hours earlier.

they're going to try this deftly, but only once. and failing that? it's knives out.

child-Knife, layered in mottled clothes, brown of skin and amber of hair and eyes, follows at a distance and hastens only when the buildings close into an alley that feels serviceable. the...silence of this city is harrowing; one would think it'd make things easier, but an absence of crowds and activity removes layers of safety that are hard to replicate. it makes them even more alone than ever.

heart hammering, they swallow, take a steadying breath, hold it, and then let out a twittering whistle, thrown to seem to be coming from the direction opposite. a test: just how much has this lady drank, and is it in Knife's favor?]

Wu--WAH-?!

[insults are a dime a dozen, but suddenly being jostled and yoinked up against their will?! Knife yelps in confusion, unable to much else in that short span it takes for them to find themselves very much somewhere else.

What in the actual flying fuck?! sure, guy! just...have a fly speed! don't telegraph that shit or anything! that's fine! fuck!

they land on their rump and tail with an unceremonious puff of air, having to fuss with the flap of their collar having slapped in their face in the midst of it all; it takes so much restraint to not start off immediately in a string of slurs and curses. that's a Knife thing to do, not an Antigone thing to do.

still, their displeasure is plain by the way their hair fluffs up, bristled like an incensed cat.]

Hey, what! What's the idea here, huh?!

["Aurora"..........................the...the projection-thing? ghost? spell? that Aurora?

that is not a host. that's a nuisance. but okay.

"Echo"?? whomst? did Aurora mention that name? Knife wasn't exactly a model student when they graciously allowed Aurora to keep yammering on, but maybe they heard a little bit? somehow?

in contrast to the orc-based ogling, Knife's expression remains a pinched stare of scrutiny, unblinking as they listen and survey this lady-person.

"hosts" as opposed to "kidnappers." ah. so she's just being...polite. fair. this is not intel Knife was missing, so that's a relief; their rigid stature relaxes just slightly with that assurance, and they follow the pivoting question to Mount Clothmore draped over that construct.]

I mean... [they shrug.] If it's just going to be free...

[...]

...

[they slowly look back at her.]

It...it is free, isn't it? [they genuinely looked for signage, regardless of their illiteracy; there's usually common symbols, you know!]

Couldn't say. It looks like tech; if it's here, it's for some form of recovery. [Says a man that Knife hasn't seen since he walked away. Maybe he saw him at a distance in arena battles, the untouchable icy prince of the battlefield.

He looks normal with his hair braided instead of loose. He gestures to the hospital.] That is this building's purpose.

Looks like you're not one of the vanished. Congratulations.

A - [Arrival] [CW: Suicidal ideation]
[White ceiling. The hospital ceiling that Shadow has been staring at since he was forcefully returned to Etraya. It's unknown how long he had been staring, but there was no sense of urgency to go anywhere from him. He can hear Aurora explaining what had happened, inquiring if he had any questions or something. He wasn't really paying attention. It was silence between him and the hologram, with only sounds out in the hallway filtering in. Eventually, Shadow decides he doesn't want to keep staring up at the dull ceiling and leave the room.

Whatever he had been doing prior on Aphaia has left his appearance rather disheveled. A few quills out of place, some grim and dirt. If one were to examine him more closely, there were also mysterious dark stains that blend into his fur. None of it seem to bother him as he wanders the halls, tuning out everything and anyone trying to get his attention. Why did he come here? The point of it all? It doesn't matter where he goes, what he does, what happens to him. Nothing matters.

He halts in front of a doorway. The room within isn't one of the rooms the guests would normally wake up in. It was a supply room. Equipments like scapels, needles, bandage rolls and cabinets full of medicine. Just about whatever the nurses, doctors or whomever would need in here to get themselves patched up.

...

He walks into the room, looking around, seeing where everything was, if there was anything in the medicine cabinets.]

OOC: I'm limiting characters who find him in the supply room to at most, two. In case it goes into darker territory. Catching him around the hospital does not have a limit who runs into him.

B - [Birds of a Feather]
[Upon leaving the hosptial, Shadow makes a beeline towards the outskirts of the city. At least somewhere with more cover and less foot traffic, a forest. It's quiet, someplace he won't be easily bothered. If one travels further in, one can spot signs of where he's been. Uneven earth, turned over trees, rocks that have been split apart. The reason for this becomes clear when they can find Shadow. He keeps rolling up into a ball and smashing into things. Sometimes he hits something, sometimes he misses his target entirely. Sometimes he just tumbles out of formation before hitting anything. Might be confusing why this furball is trying to spin around as a ball, but that's what he's practicing to do.

---

When he's done and over with the ball games, he's resting down by a lake. He won't be alone, but the company is not a bother to him. Chocobos! Of the blue and brown kind are wandering around, playing in the water, eating some greens, seemingly unbothered by Shadow's presence. Likely because he's leaving them be. The only time he interacts with them is when they came up to him. At first, there would be a standoff, but both sides eventually learn neither actually want to start a fight and just tolerate each other's presence. The brown ones at least are good at signaling danger, or when someone is approaching. At that point, Shadow is getting up to confront whomever or hiding himself to see who is coming.]

C - [Wildcard]
[You can hit me up at

noletters, PM or Game discord if you got something else you want to do with the fluffy Shadow. I will say fighting the Red Chocobo and getting his personal gift have already been called for.]

[After his experience with the most recent mission, Kirk has been mostly holed up in the Tower of Justice and coming out only at night, usually for just supplies. But once again, the American robin Etraya gifted him a few months ago has managed to escape.

This time, it doesn't take long for for him to find Schrödinger up in a tree. Kirk had just managed to fetch him when Crane asks his question. He's surprised by the casualness of it, especially as Kirk was fully dressed in his Batman suit. Under the warm spring sun, he looks unnaturally pale and sickly]

I feel no particular way about it.

Edited 2025-04-26 03:06 (UTC)

[Pallid? Sickly to the point of needing a bed? He sees worse inside Arkham - has caused worse on a daily basis - and finds it noteworthy but unworthy of immediate address.

Crane draws his hands across his stomach and clasps both together, comforting himself by providing a layer of distance. He angles his head, like the bird perched on this stranger's finger, or wherever else he is held, and shows no emotion or expression while studying whoever this is.

For personal reasons. But also because he craves stimulation.]

Springtime lethargy, perhaps?

[His voice is gentle and reserved.]

Maybe the Easter Bunny decided to step up his game.

[That flimsy explanation makes about as much sense as anything else she might have come up with. And sure, accidentally sneaking up on someone while they're distracted by badly hidden presents isn't really the best idea, but it's not like she'd come out here hoping to make a nuisance of herself.

Mostly she's out here in an attempt to spot more gift boxes. She's not actually going to open any more, but it's fun to see how many she can find. The one he's currently holding would make number six today.]

[Too late. Jason had just come out of the library when he spots his younger self from nearby. He pauses, thinking if he should greet him or if the teenager's still wound up from everything.

Probably the latter if he were to be more honest about what he was like at that age]

[The songbird proceeds to make himself comfortable on Kirk's shoulder. Evidently, it's become a well-practiced routine at this point.

Kirk replies in his own reserved voice, monotone and dry]

I suppose. Though I'm sure there are plenty who would feel otherwise.

[The bright-eyed bird included]

[ Since his arrival, Dion has wandered the world it seems they're to inhabit. By all appearances he's simply strolling around, save for the air of intense focus about him. He's searching for something, an astute observer might realize, but it isn't clear what exactly he'd be seeking out when he seems quite distant. His actual surroundings don't appear to be important.

The warning calls of nearby chocobos are familiar enough to pull his focus back from wherever he had gone, halting to glance their way. He notices the odd tracks and debris littered about next, and that leads him to spot a familiar face. ]

Good day. No more pursuers this time, it seems.

[ Hello there Shadow. ]

Edited 2025-04-26 03:40 (UTC)

The chocobo's magic is on the higher end, and it does not relent from letting loose meteoric-like attacks when it feels threatened. It also is far more durable than any of the other chocobos, and it isn't likely to back down even if it's on death's door. It is more likely to allow one to admit defeat (by letting them flee), than to run from battle itself.

What do you intend with the thread? Is this just a spar of sorts, or is there a more lethal end in mind? For the sake of continuity, it's important to keep track of the state of the chocobo since other characters also have their eyes upon him for different purposes.

We are willing to npc the bird if that will also help, given his special and singular state.

Edited 2025-04-26 03:43 (UTC)

[Trained behaviour. Tamed. Crane cannot miss noticing how this reserved man needs to control something in his environment. Did he lose control of his life at one point in time?]

Yourself included.

[It is not a question. He feels pretty certain this man isn't questioning himself about the issue at this moment in his life.]

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Page 2 of 125

APRIL MINGLE

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3......or should i say.............. >:3c

thrifting

Chrissy Cunningham | Stranger Things

iii well hello there lemme just grab that knicknack

TWO threAds.............II-a..... :)

PROMPT III NO LONGER AVAILABLE sevika triggered the gremlin fury c:

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Jonathan Crane | Dark Knight Trilogy

let's goooo

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I. b

Shadow | Sonic the Hedgehog (Paramount Films)

Arrival: Poisoning Pigeons In The Park

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gift hunt

Arrival

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B

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