APRIL MINGLE

[etrayamods]

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⏴

Comments

[limiterrings]

[ blood.

it's made a pool on the ground, left in place with no one there anymore. all's left is the tremble of grass left in its wake. it's with a dash and a yellow trail that one hedgehog changes its hunt to another, effortlessly dodging whatever in his way to catch up to the other.

... ]

[thelightshines]

[...It was too much to hope they wouldn't chase after him. While he hasn't been fighting for as long as the other, he's still at a disadvantage with his right eye still healing. Nothing he can do about that, and there's no point in continuing while the other has decided to pursue him.

He turns to face the approaching hedgehog, firing several chaos spears in their direction as he disappears. Reappearing again from their left to swing a punch. He doesn't expect it to work, but better than letting them have the first move.]

[limiterrings]

[ each one thrown in his direction are easily dealt with, one fizzes out once shadow hits it hard with the back of his heel, another is grabbed with one hand to snap it in half that the energy phases out and another he grabs just to siphon into his body with ease as he closes the distance on the other.

it's when he disappears and returns for the punch, shadow's senses are sharp, and he leans back dodging the swipe only to grab the other's wrist with his hand so that they both go rolling onto the ground. he doesn't let go at all, when he feels the ground on his back, and then he has the other on his back... the rolling only subsides once he has the other hedgehog against the ground in place.

drips of blood fall from his chest onto the other. ]

You.

[ a fan favorite everyone, the only word shadow tends to call anyone, but it doesn't hold the tone of him being slighted. there's something else to those words.

his eyes meet with theirs, he notes the length of the bird's talons that scratched along his face appears to be deep, but it should heal. ]

We have business.

[thelightshines]

[Will he just not-. If they think he's going to just take this laying down, they are mistaken. "Business" he says. What if he doesn't want anything more to do with this bastard? And he has his doubts this won't end with another attempt at his life. Regardless, he does not want to talk while pinned down like this.]

Get. Off! [He shifts his leg so he could try and kick the other one off.]

[limiterrings]

No.

[ he fled initially, he's not to be trusted at all. that attitude is an annoyance, it's why he shifts his body up to press his knees down on the other's legs to stop the hedgehog from using them. ]

You'll flee, I don't have anymore time to waste.

[ shadow won't force him to say longer than he has to. ]

It's a "yes" or "no" question.

[ ... ]

[thelightshines]

[WONDER WHY HE DOES THAT? IT'S NOT LIKE THIS GUY THREATEN HIS LIFE OR ANYTHING. It's this guy on top of him that can't be trusted, not the other way around. He grits his teeth, still struggling despite the other having him completely locked down. A scowl, he doesn't care how simple answering the question is. He will refuse while like this.]

Give me your word you'll let me go and I won't. [Despite his hate, the distrust, somewhere deep down, this other Shadow has to at least be able to tell he means what he says.]

[limiterrings]

[ he can't help but destroy what's in front of him, leave him alone.

still the same, a naive child that thinks he can take on the world. just like he left him at that little game of theirs. ]

Hm.

[ as if he's thinking over the pros and cons of listening to him, but what does he have to lie for. the other has stayed out of his way this far, hell, the older hedgehog didn't even know he was still here.

... ]

You have it.

[ shadow pushes himself off to the side, slowly getting to his feet as he watches the other.

... ]

[thelightshines]

[He lays there for a moment as the other moves. A look of suspicion, despite them accepting his terms. His eyes remain on them as he moves to stand. Dark spots in the dirt from the wounds he sustained when the bird struck his back. They have almost healed up.

He glares at the other, keeping a guarded stance with his good eye on them. Not running as agreed upon.]

What is your question?

[limiterrings]

[ he's asked very few people, not enough to warrant various individuals to search for her, but enough to see if she's made her presence known. there's nothing that confirms her whereabouts, but there is one thing about her. she's drawn to impossible scenarios, and the hedgehog across from is one of the many. ]

She liked you.

[ that much is true, it will always be true.

a bit of silence, but the other should be aware who the topic of discussion is about. ]

Has she been with you any during your time here in Etraya?

[thelightshines]

[...A name didn't need to be said for him to immediately know. Maybe he already had an inkling of what the other wanted to ask. He felt it, or lack there of, of a presence since he was brought back here. Though he didn't go out of his way to look for her, after he went his separate ways from the one before him in that other world, she would always try to message him. Like clockwork, wanting to make sure he was ok, despite not being her Shadow. In a strange way, there was comfort in knowing she was still there through those attempts to reach him.

Those calls suddenly became silent once he came here. He tried not to think about it, maybe she finally got it through her head to not trouble herself with him anymore. Who is he fooling to think that though? Not with how she acted with him would she ever stop. Though he didn't fully trust it, her name had been searched through the earpiece. All of her messages, her username. Gone as if she was never with them.

Those worrisome thoughts have reached the surface of his mind, brought there because of the other's question. A question he feels they should already know the answer to.]

...No. [Even before he said a word, his posture is telling. How his shoulders slack, his gaze falls slightly. A glance to the other. The question felt like they were just asking out of formality. Maria would never stay separate from their Shadow for long. They probably already worked out the truth.]

[limiterrings]

[ on premise of maria liked him, she cared for him, she gave the same amount of attention towards the older hedgehog to the younger one. it's why he held that hope that maybe, even if she didn't end up by his side at the start, she found a side that made her happy. he had hoped, that's all he could do was hope that maybe.

...

and yet, he can't even look at the other hedgehog when his posture shifts.

he heats him, but if that's the case then, then... yes, that must have been the case. that is what happened. when he said he would take them home, he never meant she would go alone, or maybe that is karma, his mistake building up to hurt him in ways he knew possible.

it's not the first time, it's not the second time, but it does begun to weigh om him. how many times can he lose her and stand like this? he knows the other isn't lying, he has no reason to, no matter the indifference they share there is a code they work by at the end of the day.

there is honesty when it comes to topics like this, and the other confirming this only serves as a scorching reminder of how he should have done things differently. for her sake.

there's a crackle of green light around his fist, it fades in and out, and squeezing his fingers a little tighter he attempts to cancel the feeling. not now, now is not the time no matter how much he feels at this time. it's that pain and frustration. ]

Unlike you. [ it sounds negative, blaming. ] I didn't do enough.

[ that will have to change, even saying that aloud is... he did enough, but not in the right spots.

it's all he has, all he seems to be willing to say, because if the other left now then he could. shadow won't chase him, shadow doesn't want anything at all. ]

[thelightshines]

[He honestly anticipates the blame to be put on him again, hands balling up into fists, ready for a fight. It's their favorite thing to do when things go wrong and he's around. But they instead confess it was them that didn't do enough. An admittance? Whatever he had planned to say gets lost as keeps staring at the other. That really came out of their mouth.

That really pisses him off. How many times did he try to tell this idiot, to stay with her, spend whatever time he had with her. Why was he the one who had to comfort and stay with her? All that time they wasted doing what? Might have not even matter in the end, if he understands the decision of who leaves or stays has always been out their hands. What he'd do, just to have another moment with the Maria he knew....Sure, this one's Maria cared for him, but it only made him miss his even more. Now left with these unwanted thoughts and feelings that should have been meant for the one before him.]

Finally realize after it's already too late? [He didn't need to add insult to injury. He knows the other will beat themselves over it without his words, but his hatred got the better of him. What did he have to suffer for? He could say more, he wants to say more, hands shaking in rage as he tries to contain it. But he just lets out some air instead, turning away as he starts speeding off again. There is no point in insulting them further. They got their one question answered and they can wallow in the suffering of their own making.]