Mission 013 Log

[etrayamods]

Mission Summary

Genre: Survival / Exploration / Spooky

Premise: Mesa is a wild, lawless land of megafauna, from feathered dinosaurs to redwoods soaring stories high. Etrayans must document what remains of a world on its way out and then get out alive, surviving in the wilderness for two weeks while fighting off a hostile environment. Most importantly of all: beware the dark.

Tone: Dark and philosophical. Is this a world worth saving?

Objectives: Take samples and record for posterity what happened on Mesa. Demonstrate appreciation of what is lost and the capacity to preserve it.

❬ all that men presume ❭

While Mesa is full of life even now, with large creatures roaming the continents and making themselves comfortable, there are traces indicating that at one point this wilderness was constructed. The Citadel, a galaxy-spanning empire, had wanted to collect creatures from the numerous inhabited planets they could reach, and selected Mesa as the location for their conservatory given its lack of sentient residents. Once a carefully maintained vacation destination for Citadel elite, landscapes were meticulously groomed and animal husbandry was rigorously planned to create fascinating creatures across generations.

A good idea, in theory. Perhaps even in practice, given that whilst the rest of this galaxy has collapsed and died, this particular planet is still standing, along with all the creatures that had been transplanted onto it to call it their home.

Now abandoned by the Citadel, Mesa returns slowly to its original state: a deserted planet much like Etraya was before Aurora and Borealis's cities had been developed on it. Which is why Aurora has sent the Etrayans abroad: gather data on those who still live amongst Mesa's population, so that these creatures will not be forgotten as their predecessors have been.

Aurora's portal brings characters to a bare base camp, previously visited by a spare few of her bots in order to outfit it with just enough to allow them to survive. Simply called the Lux, their base camp takes the form of a massive spire with a built-in high-powered lamp at the peak, which bathes the entire outside of the building in light at all times. Some rooms hidden within the facility provide darkened spots to allow Etrayans to rest safely.

Aurora had told them that they must make sure to not be out in the dark -- hopefully the spire's eternal light as well as how carefully the entire outside of the structure is lit up offers them enough of a reminder to listen.

Possible Hooks
• Taking stock of your assigned team that you've just met, sharing supplies, and getting ready to leave on your assignment.
• Building up the base to serve as a safe respite for the time on Mesa.
• Returning to camp between assignments for a breather or because you've spent a little too long out in the dark.

❬ a conservatory left behind ❭

Mesa's ecosystems are dominated by megafauna: creatures of immense size and stature, often with lengthy lifespans and narrow biome niches. Most are locked to their environments, adapted precisely to the area they reside in, with little chance of surviving outside of their specific ecosystem. A swamp titan would not survive the cold tundra that the ice leopards call home, and the ice leopards cannot survive in the ashy, hot environment that let horned beetles thrive. Smaller animals may exist amongst them, but they are significantly less common. Many rely on the larger creatures for survival: feeding off of the parasites that attach themselves to their massive bodies, or nesting within their fur.

Much of the wildlife exhibits ancient evolutionary traits, behaviors and patters long-since established with no signs of further development. They no longer evolve with time and generations but instead have settled into their place on their planet.

The megafauna are not the only living beings on Mesa. Scattered across the planet are traces of civilization: abandoned ranger stations, research laboratories, and observation outposts. While these locations appear as if the technology within them was at one time advanced, it has now become nonfunctional, left to rot without maintenance over the generations.

Yet some of these structures still contain life, the descendants of the humanoid beings that established Mesa long ago. One may consider trying to extend a hand out toward them to offer what assistance they can give - but none of them will be friendly.

Long abandoned by those who had once brought them here, these people have become opportunistic predators, fiercely defending what facilities they were able to keep partially functional. The darkness that plagues the Etrayans also appears to plague them, and without light, the same ill fate would be their demise.

They do not travel far, choosing to maintain their own livestock and supplies to ensure they are never far from the light. After all, they know the greatest threat on Mesa is not the wildlife, but the dark.

Possible Hooks
• Encounter various wildlife while out on assignment, and perhaps run into another team.
• Build an observation blind shelter with your teammates and hole up there for a few days, hoping to document your species of interest.
• Discover and explore an abandoned structure.
• Come under threat from the residents... or try to reach out to them.

❬ hatchlings ❭

The chelonians, one of the species in one of Mesa's warmer climates, has struggled to maintain their numbers over their centuries on the planet due to their inability to change their ways.

Hatchlings are born several kilometers away from the beach shores, burrowed deep into soil to protect them from predators that may seek out their eggs during high tide. These creatures are massive, large shells encasing a significant portion of their bodies with only their heads and limbs visible from under it.

These creatures are rare and difficult to spot on Mesa: they breed slowly, live for centuries, and their offspring very rarely make it passed their first few hours of life. They often hatch in the dark of the night, making them extremely susceptible to predators that lurk in the dark, waiting for prey too small and too fragile to protect themselves. Large winged beasts swoop down from the skies, picking up the newborn chelonians to enjoy a fresh meal.

Without them, their ecosystem begins to collapse: kelp beds and forests fail, and entire food chains unravel.

Etrayans with interest could assign themselves a simple, unofficial mission to find the burrows and protect the younglings as they manage to break through their shells, then help them into the ocean so that their kind may survive to see the sun again. They must set up light sources and wait beside the burrows to make sure these massive creatures not only escape their eggs but do not become lost on their journey to the water. Following them to the water is critical, as their eyesight, even with a light source, is quite poor -- and they have a tendency to lose their way.

No one's asked them to do this -- the whole planet is slated for destruction, so maybe this entire venture is pointless -- but maybe this is something worth doing anyway.

Possible Hooks
• Idealistic types see the chelonian hatchlings struggling to make it to a beach and step in to help. Considering how large they are, this might be a struggle for them, too.
• Cynical types question what the point is.

❬ night falls ❭

Mesa's darkness is not merely the conventional absence of direct light.

The planet itself has no moon, and when darkness comes, it is absolute.

Remaining in the darkness has several consequences, and the effects accumulate over time, progressing along a spectrum rather than in tidy stages. This only seems to effect those from Etraya and the humanoids living within their bases, not the animals brought to reside on planet. Remaining within light sources suppresses the effects, but the moment the planet's rotation angles them away from this galaxy's star, any Etrayans caught outside of the light will find themselves succumbing to the effects.

Characters were warned not to stay out in the dark, but they were not told why they should not.

If any of them prefer not to find out and remain at base during one unfortunate night, they'll find out why anyway: the power cuts. The surrounding terrain, once held at bay by artificial light at the Lux, is swallowed whole. The air feels heavier and the atmosphere itself feels weighted.

Blithe apathy sinks in. The ability to listen to reason slowly leaves those left in the darkness. If they do not find a light source quickly, they will be able to feel the physical effects of the darkness set into their skin, potentially ending with permanent changes.

Those remaining on base may work together in order to bring the power back on, utilizing any personal abilities in addition to fixing the damaged circuits in order to bring everything back online. But they had better react quickly -- the longer the darkness remains, the worse the effects become, and maybe someone who was once trying to help is now trying to hurt...

Possible Hooks
• Help restore power after it cuts at the Lux.
• Underestimate the darkness effects, assume your light source is enough, and slowly fall prey to the pleasant apathy. You'll need rescue.
• Stumble onto another party's camp and need their help to be coaxed back to sanity.

❬ MISSION NOTES ❭

📌 — Please make sure to use the major events comment thread specifically to announce character actions that have a significant impact on the mission outcome or other characters.

📌 — For all questions relating to this mission, please refer to the mission queries comment on the plotting post. Other questions can be directed to the FAQ.

🔵FULL NAVIGATION🔵

Comments

[artofrevenge]

Mizu sips her tea and lets Junpei talk. She quickly disagrees with him again, but that's no surprise. She doesn't know his circumstances and life story, and even if she did, she's an outsider. Junpei has no reason to accept her judgment that he could make decisions, even if between poor options, rather than being stuck down a single path. People blind themselves to possibilities, and most people accept the path laid out before them as the one they must take. It makes much of the world happen and carry on.

What they have in common is their life in Etraya and on these missions. They both arrived in Auriel and could have been stuck surviving off the margins of the land or as strange pets to the fae. Instead, they were able to come here, to this "shitshow express" as Junpei puts it. A place where, when not on a mission, everything they need is provided for them and more. The only price are to go on these missions and do their best. In Mesa, that puts them in some danger from the animals and the dark, as they've been warned. However, they're archiving information and samples. It makes Mesa more than a note in a book. It's... multiple notes with more substantial records behind it. They could have been asked to do far worse.

First, the questions.

"If Echo or Aurora is lying to us, then what we have is what we make of our lives here. There's preparation for your life back home and there's how you live it here," Mizu answers, "Living while trying to demonstrate you and your world are worthy of carrying forward should hardly conflict with whatever matters to you. Whatever that is, that's part of why you see your world worth saving.

"Echo isn't here with a knife to your throat dictating your every action. Your actions are your own. You can guide us navigating this world, you can abandon us to run back to camp, you can kill animals or collect plants or whatever else you choose. Then you face the consequences of your own actions. You can try to escape the responsibility for yourself by abdicating the idea you have a choice, but then you'll be miserable on the shitshow express of your own making. Recognize that, recognize and make the choices in your life, and you can decide if your train will head down the less shitty track. Even if it's a track that kills one person, at least it won't be killing five."

No reason to act more helpless than he is. The balm provided by the idea none of it is up to him clearly isn't enough. If it were, he wouldn't be so bothered and uncomfortable.

[critpei]

Junpei's quiet, digesting Mizu's words. His thumb trails the saucer in his hands and there is a flinch at the comment about being on a track that kills one person versus five. It was more than five. Definitely more than five. Hard to tell how many with all the pieces, though. His stomach turns and he brings the cup of tea to rest against his lap, untouched for now.

"You're right," Junpei says in somber agreement. "Echo isn't making me do this. And I wouldn't abandon you guys. You're my team and that means something."

Even when this is all over, they will still have these two weeks as a group -- this experience. Even if they all go their separate ways and never talk again, they are a team the way his Little League team is still a team in his mind. They all pooled their individual talents together. All survived together. And in the end, will make it through. Junpei almost hadn't, but he supposes that's a learning experience too. He has to get stronger -- physically and mentally.

"Sorry. My head's just been a mess lately. I think I might be coming down with something." Yup. Definitely coming down with a case of Existential Dread. Junpei looks at the fire, watching a few embers as they burst into the air and then burn themselves out.

"I've seen it before back home -- what this darkness does to people. It's called Apathy Syndrome. It's the reason my team and I are fighting in the first place. We're trying to defeat the monsters that cause it. I don't know if it's the same on Mesa -- if there's something out there that's making it happen or if it's just the darkness itself. But I worry if we leave this place and people aren't cured before we do, there might not be any reversing it."

[artofrevenge]

If Mizu had to bet, she'd say someone died, more than one perhaps. She isn't sure who. No one has posted a letter on the devices, either in mourning or as a warning to others. People might wish to keep it private, assuming they come back, but it's also possible locals died. Mizu isn't especially bothered by the thought of locals dying. They're going to die and soon. That's part of this world dying, everyone and everything in it. Some might be bothered at losing days or weeks, but in the end, dead is dead and soon.

Junpei doesn't talk about it, whatever that flinch means, and Mizu decides not to push. Junpei's doing well enough to contribute to the team right now, and it's safer for him to figure himself out in more painful detail back in Etraya. So long as he can manage, it's more likely to work out for the mission not to crack that open.

"We'll finish this mission. As a team," Mizu agrees, without pointing out Junpei abandoned them once already. For a 'good cause', sure, but he didn't take the time to talk with anyone either. It's how Mizu very well might handle some things, but she's not exactly known to be a team player.

"How do you cure Apathy Syndrome in your world?" Mizu asks. As he says, it may not be the same, but the information doesn't hurt. "You can stay in touch with other teams, via letters and when we're back at the post. There's time to try to help the others we came here with, even if we're not on the same team."

Toss of a coin whether that gets Junpei further in Echo's good graces or farther from them. It depends how the 'god'-like being thinks, something they don't have much information about. "And let us make sure you're not coming down with it. Though, right now, I'd say you're emotional enough you're clearly not affected."

cw: brief mention of alcoholism

[critpei]

"Yeah, no. It's not Apathy Syndrome for me." Although for one twisted moment, Junpei looks toward the darkness and wonders. He wonders if it would be better to cave to it. If that would give his mind reprieve and he could finally, finally rest. But he dismisses the thought as quick as it arises. That would just be running away. It would be no better than what his father does when he chases the bottom of a bottle.

"The cause of it back home are these big monsters called Shadows. I think I might have mentioned we fight them every full moon? But leading up to the time they appear, they somehow can leech on people and turn them into husks of themselves. Their victims stop caring, stop eating, just sit there in the middle of town and stare into nothing. Every time we defeated the monsters, they would be cured. So I don't know if it's some kind of magic? Maybe something else. But it's definitely tied to the Shadows."

He finally takes a sip of his tea. At this point it's cooled down enough to where he doesn't have to blow on it.

"So back home it's pretty straightforward what causes it and what cures it. Here, I don't know if it's the darkness or something behind the darkness. I guess our only defense is light. If there's some kind of monster lurking out there, it probably has an aversion to the light. You haven't seen anything when you stayed up to take watch, right?"

[artofrevenge]

Junpei mentioned the monsters when they first met as well as the detail of fighting them every full moon. However, the greater detail of why fighting them saved the world and how that all works— he didn't tell her this much, and Mizu cannot claim to remember all the details he told her. They weren't relevant to getting them out of Auriel. So she does not mind the repetition. It covers any gaps in her memories.

As strange as the magic or circumstances Junpei is in back home, it's relatively simple. Fight something, kill something, save people. This darkness in Mesa seems different. At a minimum, they haven't figured out how exactly it works, so as to have such a simple solution. They likely will not be on Mesa long enough to solve that problem. Mesa won't be around long enough for that to be their mission. It was a warning, not the mission itself. So they need to deal with how it affects people... some other way. There is always beating the crap out of them, but unless they can heal quickly, it also reduces their ability to complete the mission. O

"Prevention is the best solution, yes," Mizu agrees, "The wound you never take is the fastest to heal. Despite the warning, people may still get affected, and we have to do— something. Because no, I haven't seen anything in the dark we don't see during the day during my watches. It's just dark."

Darkness generally doesn't frighten Mizu. It's a natural part of the world. Only here in Mesa it leads to something else, so she's wary. She takes precautions. Mizu sighs and sips the tea. "I will enjoy a good night's sleep in the dark when we get back."

[critpei]

"Maaan, Mizu-san, you got balls of steel." It's a little bit of that old Junpei form peeking through as he levels the swordsman with a smile. Honestly, after all of this darkness, Junpei's pretty sure he'll at least want to leave a lamp on or something for a bit. When he gets to the point where he's actually able to sleep, that is. "The fact that you can leave all this behind and go right back to the normal night time routine is incredible."

His smile softens and he looks toward the sky. "I wish I could be more like you and Vergil-san. You both face all of this head on and never lose your cool. Even when having to deal with dumbasses like me."

His eyes slide over to where Kyoko's resting. The same could be said for her, really. Putting up with him. He lets out a faint breath of amusement and then polishes off the rest of his tea.

"But I'm trying to do the best I can here. I know I made mistakes, but if we have to team up again sometime in the future, I promise not only to do better but to be stronger."

He nods once, making the promise every bit as much to Mizu as to himself.

"I'll earn one of your swords. Count on that."

[artofrevenge]

Mizu waits for the explanation to understand what she said drew Junpei's praise and attention. Sleeping in the dark in a safe place. She grasps that being in Mesa instills a fear of the dark in him that takes time to fade, but wary as she is of the dark for the dangers it faces, she's not afraid of it, not the way fear can seep into a person, not the way the thought she might be like her fathers in any way could drive a cold spike of fear into her heart. So she hardly thinks the compliment is worth giving, not for something like this. She lets that pass with a small amused shake of her head.

"Don't look to me like that. I'm not a samurai, I lose my cool," Mizu says. "Samurai do too. Don't hero worship them either. This place, this mission, it's dangerous sure, but it doesn't piss me off." Junpei frustrated her, running off, and if it'd gotten Nico or Kyoko hurt or killed, she'd probably have bit Junpei's head off. Thankfully, it didn't.

"Think more before you act. Be smarter if we team up again, not just stronger." So it isn't just an insult, Mizu adds, "That's as important when it comes to being worthy of one of my swords."

That might be the moment Junpei insulted her the most, though he probably has no idea. Asking for one of her swords when he's setting out on sword training. When she cannot make him one that suits him. He has no idea what Master Eiji's swords mean and Mizu's as a continuation of that. She knows that. Mizu still nearly lost her cool, as he puts it, at that moment.

[critpei]

Junpei let's out a faint laugh at the admonishment -- not to laugh it off but in a way that pretty much accepts it as fair. It's a very fair criticism. Junpei's always been headstrong, rushing off into things based on his emotions. And perhaps the only time it worked out for him was rushing back to base when the lights went out. He was able to get at least one person out of there and save them from the dark.

"I know. Logically, I know." Junpei sets his empty saucer aside so he can hug his knees to his chest. "It's just harder to put into practice when people you care about are in danger."

Junpei glances over his shoulder in the direction of the Lux. They're fairly far away right now, but the light still glows through the trees. That's reassuring. His eyes return to Mizu and he tilts his head curiously. "You got any friends who are stuck behind at base? Or are they all out on teams?"

[artofrevenge]

Mizu knows full well how far emotion can drive a person, instead of logic. All it takes are the repeated statements of how impossible it is to go after Fowler, whether that was meeting Heiji Shindo for tea or breaching Fowler's castle. Both were designed to be impossible to survive, to escape much less achieve one's ends. Yet Mizu learned what she wanted from meeting Shindo, and while she didn't kill Fowler in his castle, she learned what she needed to confront him again. It wasn't a complete failure.

So she understands how strong emotion can be. She's not sure what would drive her to irrational choices is the same as Junpei's. People she cares about may be in danger, but Mizu knows that Vergil, Nero, and Dante can defend themselves better than she can defend them. However much she may want to help, that knowledge alone is enough to give her time to think.

"So practice," Mizu says. They will not be in life and death danger every time, but someone like Junpei who cares so hard may just as quickly run to someone's side when they're upset. "Use lower stakes to train yourself. The more you practice, the easier it will be."

Junpei's question aches, though not in the way he likely suspects. He asks about friends, as though Mizu has any of those. As though Mizu's had friends in her life. As though she's had enough time to make friends now. There's people she's had positive interactions with, but friends? Mizu would not go so far as to claim that. Rather than explain as much, Mizu answers the question simply. "No, I don't know those who are stuck at the base. I couldn't tell you where anyone is, nor could I run to their rescue, should I wish to. We have to trust we'll each be okay."

[critpei]

When Mizu says to practice, as though it's a simple thing, Junpei looks over at him in confusion. How could one even practice something like that? Isn't it better to just get stronger so you can protect the people you care about? That way running to their side is a non-issue. Although, he supposes that sort of thinking only works in scenarios like the one he has at home. Where the best way forward is to brute strength your way through the monsters.

He's quiet a moment, listening to Mizu's explanation. This cool and calm way the guy can trust in his people. Maybe that's what he means by practicing. Learning to trust in the strength of your companions. Junpei thinks of Sandry. Sweet and smiling Sandry who wove thread with magic. His inclination would be to step in and protect her, like some chivalrous knight. But at the same time, maybe there's something she could do with her magic -- ways she could protect herself. It gives him some food for thought.

Although, speaking of food, his stomach rumbles. The tea, perhaps, awakening an appetite he hasn't had much of since seeing the slaughter. That's what he gets for declining dinner, he supposes. To be fair, the way he felt at that time, he probably wouldn't have kept much of it down.

"I guess that's something I could work on. Trusting in other people to be their own strength. 'Cuz otherwise, I'm at a loss on how to practice. Unless you mean like...meditating. Going all Buddhist monk with it." Junpei lets out a little chuckle. "I dunno if I'd ever be able to clear my mind enough to do that."

No matter how much Junpei tries to force himself to focus, he just can't. It's always been a problem, made worse when it's a subject he's not interested in. Like school. Yukari always harped on him for not taking his studies seriously, but he did. He tried with everything. And still wound up failing. So the best thing to do is to pretend he hadn't tried at all -- that was infinitely less embarrassing than the former, right?

[artofrevenge]

Mizu can tell from Junpei's expression he does not understand what she means by practicing thinking and reacting. It's hard to control in the moment, especially when impulsive and without practice controlling those impulses. Mizu wouldn't claim to be the best icon of emotional control. She channels her emotions, but they still guide her plenty of the time. However, she has a higher threshold for what makes her go off her instincts instead of her thoughts. That she has some practice with.

"I like meditation, but it's not what I meant," Mizu says, "Here, people were in danger. Without taking the time to think or to talk with anyone else, you ran off. I mean to practice taking a moment and thinking about your decisions before you make them. It can be with whatever makes you impulsive or react.

"I've been insulted and mocked more times than I can count for what I am, and it is not worth my time to put every rude person into place. I wouldn't accomplish what matters more to me. So, I've learned to hold my tongue, to brush it off, and to carry on. What could turn into a brawl becomes little more than a brief, unpleasant exchange. Most of the time, at least.

"Trusting others can be a start. Kyoko is the one assigned to keep us safe. We both know how to fight, you and I, but we can leave it to her unless she asks for help or extremely clearly needs it. I'm not going to let her die. It's the same with other teams here. They all have someone assigned to protect them, so we can trust them to do that."

Mizu shrugs. Practice comes in many forms. She's not responsible for Junpei once the mission is over, but if it helps him beyond their mission, that's fine. As he alluded to before, they could work on a team again. Mizu pulls over her pack of supplies and pulls out some dried meat and balls of rice. It isn't the most flavorful—she's not sure how she feels about the flavor in animal meat here—but it's rich in protein.

"Here. There's more tea to wash it down."

She wouldn't say she's providing them great meals, but Mizu's keeping them alive.

[critpei]

He regards Mizu in thought as he speaks. Why would anyone insult him? He seems so cool. Maybe a little stiff and stoic at times, but that's not anything to insult. Of course, there's always gonna be assholes out there. And it's probably even more true the further you get into spaces where you have to fight. People can suck, unfortunately.

But honestly, it is pretty solid advice. Junpei flashes an appreciative smile toward the guy for taking the time to give it. The smile becomes amused when Mizu offers the food. God, so he heard the rumbling of his stomach too, huh? That's embarrassing. But Junpei thinks he can eat something now, so he accepts the meal.

"Thanks, dude."

It might not be the most flavorful thing in the world, but Junpei's not about to complain. Food is food. And when you're as hungry as he is at the moment, this actually tastes pretty damn good. He takes a moment to refill his tea before taking a bite of the dried meat. With a mouth sufficiently full, he speaks up again.

"For everything. For listening and offering your wisdom." Chew, chew and swallow. "I don't really have any adults I can count on back home. Maybe the Chairman, I guess? But he only comes around every now and then to prep us for our missions and I don't exactly spend a lot of time talking to him. So it's just nice to...have this kinda thing."

Almost...parental, right? Someone admonishing him, but on the same breath trying to teach him a better way. Maybe parental isn't the right word. This is more of a mentor sort of vibe. Mizu offering his experience and advice. Junpei in turn could take it and maybe turn into a better, more grounded fighter in this place. At least that's what he wants to do.

"Kyoko's in her glory, though, isn't she?" Junpei says with a smile. "She'd been itching to fight since I met her. So it's good she's getting her chance. She mentioned you guys met back in Auriel, too? I kinda wonder if that's why we were thrown together like this. Team Auriel, coming in the prove to Echo it wasn't a mistake to let us through that portal."

[artofrevenge]

"You're welcome," Mizu replies with the good manners she's wielded as both a weapon and shield time and again. Gratitude is a small portion of it, but she sees no reason to ignore it here. It again will make things go that much smoother with Junpei and the rest of the team. That's what etiquette is meant to do in society. Their team is only a smaller version of that.

She doesn't feel like an adult Junpei can count on. She doesn't want that responsibility, even as she's taken to looking after everyone on their team. Survival is her job, but she's also significantly older than them. It's more noticeable in certain moments, but it's always there. It's been a strange first experience for her. Ringo, for all he followed her around and called her master, was an adult who could take care of himself. Taigen too was responsible for himself. She rescued him, yes, but he'd only been tortured on her account. Plus, he'd been along the way, and she brought him with her, rather than turning back once she found him. Really not the same.

"There's a lot of adults in Etraya, so you have the opportunity to get to know your pick of them." It's not much, but Mizu tries to direct Junpei elsewhere. She's not the right person for it.

The mention of Auriel requires more thought. Mizu isn't sure about Nico. She doesn't remember seeing him backstage in Auriel, so she'd guess he was already in Etraya. Vergil's team has Leon, who she also met in Auriel. The two could have easily been swapped, and they'd have an entire team from Auriel. So it might not be what Junpei suggests, but it's a possibility Mizu cannot entirely push out of her mind. They're not only performing missions, but they're being evaluated. Echo could watch them the entire time or only judge the results of their work. It could go either way, but it's why Mizu cares so deeply about doing well on this mission, on the missions. She wants to stay in Etraya, and to do that, she needs to do well. For whatever definition of well.

"We cannot rule that out," Mizu says finally, "so it's ever more reason to ensure we do well. Kyoko's doing her job well, so lets do ours. You wouldn't want to abandon Kyoko in Etraya, would you?"

It's a light way to joke about Junpei leaving and his world, accordingly, potentially being permitted to die like the one they sit on now. It also draws his attention to Kyoko, instead of Mizu. Hopefully. She's not used to receiving much attention, or rather when she does it's for bad reasons. So it leaves her uncomfortable sometimes when it happens.

[critpei]

Junpei continues to eat and only makes a little bit of a face at the mention of having his pick of adults to get to know. Not to discount Mizu's idea but more in that teenage way of thinking most adults were pretty lame and he would rather spend his time with teenagers. Only cool ones like Mizu were worth his time! Maybe adults that came at Scott's or Sandry's recommendations. But he's survived without adult guidance for most of his life. He can get by in this place without it, too.

"Nah. Kyoko and I made our own team called the Sanwakai Smashers." He looks at Mizu with faint amusement. "Yeah. Don't ask. I don't know what it means either. But it was the name she came up with, so I'm cool with it. Especially since it means something to her. Either way, Kyoko and me are a team, so if I were to go home, I bet she'd find her way to my world and drag me right back after kicking my ass for abandoning her. Same goes for her, though. Er...except I wouldn't kick her ass."

She has a boyfriend who would KILL him for one. But for two, it's not cool to hit girls! Unless you were sparring, of course.

"But I think that kinda thing is important in this place. There aren't many of us Etrayans around. Not enough to be an army, anyway. Even though some guys are probably strong enough to be an army on their own."

He definitely thinks of Vergil there -- and Junpei actively stops himself from thinking about Vergil because he wants to be able to keep this food in his stomach. He takes a careful sip of his tea.

"It's just extra important to come up with your own alliances and teams when we get down time in the city. Everyone has so many unique skills in this place and it's hard to know what's gonna be expected next. A friend of mine told me about one world they went to that was like a reality TV show. Their world was dying so they made everything into a competition, including getting fresh air and water. Whoever was the most popular would win. It's crazy!"

[artofrevenge]

Junpei rejects the idea of some other adult or adults out of hand in a way Mizu feels misses her point, but she's trying not to tell him directly to find another mentor—someone better suited to it. However, if he opts for no mentor, that is his choice to make. Mizu certainly reached an age where she felt the need to step away from hers, so if he thinks he doesn't need another one in Etraya at his age, that's his call to make. Mizu would disagree, strongly, but that only makes her wonder whether swordfather would think the same of her. He's accepted she's on her path, but he also taught her a few things in their brief reunion. Then again, Mizu cannot imagine heeding anyone else the way she does swordfather. A thought not entirely promising for her own future with Junpei.

However, she cannot help but squint immediately in reaction to the team name Junpei provides. She's not aware of any gangs in Etraya, much less any specific one for them to... smash? Mizu suspects it might be named in relation to a group in Kyoko's world and hometown of Yokohama or, all else failing, Kyoko's imagination. His answer points clearly to a bond he's already forged in Etraya, a reason to stay regardless of the larger picture. That's good, Mizu thinks, given how hard it is to know anything for certain about their worlds' survival.

"If you have qualms about kicking someone's ass, it's your funeral when it causes problems for you one day," Mizu says lightly. She's mostly teasing, but she finds the way Junpei treats Kyoko, compared to herself, even in words mildly aggravating. It reminds her of too many dojo samurai with their codes of honor that they valued more than their lives, yet for all they lived 'honorably' they were just as terrible, if not worse, than the next man, given their moderate skills with the sword. They respect women too much to fight them? But how do they treat them. How do they act should a woman best them—

It's not a good line of thought for her to pursue in face of this darkness. Mizu slowly swallows the rest of her tea, pours some more, and takes a few breaths. Thoughts of Mikio fade, and it lets her focus instead on the strange set of words Junpei uses that build some sort of image, only she's missing some of its brushstrokes. In the end, she understands the idea well enough. She thinks.

"As you say, we don't know what skills will be most valuable. It may well not be the young man I ran into who casually said he could kill everyone in Etraya if he so chose. Even were such a claim true, it no more promises him success on these missions than anyone else. We need to be able to work together, any of us, even as we form those alliances and teams. They were honored for you this time. It may well not be the case next time."

Mizu shakes her head. "There's no shortage of good actions to take while back in Etraya. Just as there's never any shortage of what needs to be done in life. It's as true here as anywhere."

[critpei]

"Bro, someone actually said that to you? That's insane." Even as a boast, it's pretty crazy to claim they could kill everyone in Etraya if they chose -- as though the only thing holding them back was their restraint. But he thinks whoever it was would be sorely mistaken going up against some of the people here. The mutants, like Scott, and their unique powers. People like Vergil, who are powerhouses all their own. It's probably a good thing they said it to Mizu of all people, who (like he said before) has learned restraint and not to fly off at every insult/inflammatory remark. Anyone else might've immediately handed his ass to him.

"But yeah! I can see that point, too. Needing to be adaptable. Even when you don't get put on a team with friends." Junpei and Kyoko are obviously friends. Best of friends, even. And he considers Nico a friend as well, even if Nico reminds him a little of a grumpy cat -- hissy and irritated, but still open to Junpei and his optimistic approach. Mizu is a little bit of an outlier. Junpei likes him. He would consider the guy a friend if only because they had positive interactions before this mission and it doesn't take much for Junpei to befriend others. But he's not sure Mizu would feel the same. So Junpei hesitates to give him the label if only because he's uncertain whether Mizu would accept or reject it -- and were Mizu to reject it, it would sting. A painful reminder of the thing he fears most...not being good enough.

Polishing off the last of the meal and washing it down with the last of his tea, Junpei sets the little saucer on his lap -- glancing at the fire. "I wonder...if Etraya will ever become a functional city. Yanno, with a government or a police force or something. Maybe even a school system? 'cause there's people here even younger than me who are missing out on pretty vital education. Of course, you'd have to get something everyone could agree on...and that's probably the harder ask than anything. But still, I wonder what sort of city Etraya will become given enough time..."

[artofrevenge]

Mizu takes a deep breath and shakes her head. A couple of years ago, she would have been tempted to try the young man, perhaps not enough to move on the impulse. His claim and potential skills or lack thereof have little bearing, if any, on what Mizu wants, both back then and now. As much as she pushes herself to beat Vergil and to prove herself against him, she's never needed to beat him to believe in her own skills. The harsh lesson in their first spar of how powerful people could be gave her some perspective. The weeks of healing kept it in mind. So she believes, readily, that the white haired young man she met has the ability to kill everyone in whatever city he comes from. He could very well kill most people in Etraya even. Everyone, however? Mizu remains skeptical.

As she said, however, it isn't enough. That power isn't enough to save their worlds. If it were, they wouldn't be here. They're all small and insignificant in the face of those who can transport them here and there at their wish and perhaps even influence which worlds live and die. It leaves any such boasting hollow. Except, Mizu admits in the quiet of her mind, to be fair boasting wasn't the man's point. It was that his ability to do harm did not mean he (or more importantly Aurora) would perform that harm. Her curiosity about Aurora, Echo, and their situation remains. Yet that aspect of the conversation isn't relevant to the one here with Junpei. It might make him feel helpless and paralyzed or some other negative response. He's doing so much better now than when he first woke up. With effort, that can carry forward.

"You could say Aurora and her aids act as the government to some degree," Mizu says, "However, whatever people might think Etraya needs to be a full city seems unlikely to happen. People come and go, and the focus remains on the missions. Children may be able to find apprenticeships or other ways to learn, but school, beyond being a privilege of the rich, requires teachers, people of particular skills. As we have no say in who is here or not, that would be difficult to arrange."

That doesn't get to his larger point. "It seems likely Etraya will develop differently than any city known to you or me. We will have to see and to make the city it becomes."

[critpei]

"Yeah. I kinda wanna see some of it. But in the end, I think going back home is the goal -- once it's safe to go back home and all. They would probably give us that choice to stay or go if we're doing all this fighting. I would imagine so anyway. It's the least they could do for people who got nowhere better to be."

But Junpei does have somewhere better to be. His fight continues back home against the shadows and with his team. And from there, who knows?

"School's changed a lot in the future, Mizu-san. It's something for everyone these days...not just the rich. Of course, the rich get to go to better schools and stuff...but even poor kids have a right to an education in Japan. I imagine a lot has changed from your time...not just with technology. But kids get to stay kids for longer. They don't gotta grow up too fast anymore..."

His gaze drifts off to the side and his voice takes on a mildly distant tone. "Some of them anyway."

Junpei has managed to maintain his immaturity in a lot of ways, but on the same coin, he has had to become independent -- take care of himself for lack of anyone reliable in his life. It's an unfortunate trait he shares with a lot of the members of SEES.

"Are you getting tired, Mizu-san? I could take this watch if you wanna get some rest? I'm feeling pretty awake."

Whether that's the tea, food, conversation or the ghostly remnants of what he encountered in that forest clearing -- well, it's hard to say. But Junpei doesn't see himself getting back to sleep any time soon.

[artofrevenge]

The goal. Mizu thinks of Vergil and the promise he made her. Going home is one of her goals, so that she can complete her revenge. However, as important as that is, as much as the thought of her fathers make her want to grab her sword and cut something down, they aren't as important as what she's found. Enough she'd rather the one be incomplete to have the other. Her arm itches, where she got the tattoo to represent Violet, but she doesn't reach for it, doesn't rub it.

Instead she focuses on what Junpei says—the least they could do. To maintain Etraya, this world they live in between missions, after the work is done? That's one more world. Mizu suspects that to provide what Junpei wants, the least they could do, would cost one more world. Is that worth it to him? Those few isolated people he's met here, compared to a whole world? It's mostly awash to Mizu, not her concern one way or the other. She opts not raise the issue. It'd only be one more difficulty to lay on his shoulders, and she needs him to focus.

"Hmmm," Mizu says at the description of school and kids staying kids. "That's probably good for many of them."

She doesn't see how it helps children be better at the work they'll come to do in most cases. However, again, that isn't something she need concern herself with. She won't be starting a school in Etraya, and she's not responsible for however much education children get or don't get wherever she ends up.

Instead she focuses on Junpei's offer. She's sleeping less on this mission, with how much she's kept watch, so she appreciates it. She could manage fine, but sleep will help. "Thank you, Junpei. Wake me up if anything happens or you want to sleep," Mizu says, "There's more tea to stay warm and alert."

He likely wants time alone, and Mizu can give him that. It's rare on this group mission and one of the reasons she finds satisfaction in keeping watch herself. She leaves Junpei by the fire and returns to her sleeping roll. It's warmer than so many times she's slept outside in the cold, so it's easy to feel cozy and sleep climb over her.