Day 7: Morning

Morning: 6:00am - 12:00noon

[ IRL Timeframe: December 18th, 2019 - January ~~1st~~ 8th, 2020 ]

After the events of Day 6, every single one of the heroes will know that five of their fellow heroes are no longer with them. Six of the monsters have been dealt with(?). The world is halfway to being saved(?). The unknown child, Sxicq, walks the island now. The Protector and the Wizard are--

The Wizard is missing. Courtesy of the #WheresTheWizard hashtag, it's clear that even social media can't get tabs on her. They've located Sxicq, Ten, Five, Six, and even the Protector. But the Wizard's location is a mystery. Maybe the Wizard-aligned knights were able to meet with her overnight? But no one knows who they are (well, clever heroes may have identified one), so it's anyone's guess.

It's a remarkably quiet morning, though, serving as an opportunity for the heroes to collect themselves.

Seventh Morning Event: Craydon: The Funeral.

The Weather
Solemn.
64°F / 18°C
The air is still.

Prompts:

6:00am The Funeral, Craydon: Five and Ten are the easiest to find this morning. They're in Craydon's small cemetary, holding a quiet conversation over an urn surrounded by flowers. Six is nearby, seated beneath a willow tree, hat and sunglasses obscuring his eyes. Locals are, for the most part, keeping their distance. But every so often, someone approaches to add a flower to the pile around the urn. Monster or not, no one is cruel enough to disrupt anyone in mourning.

8:30am Hospital, Far Haven: Sxicq is easy to find, not that they could be anything but easy to spot, in the hospital lobby. Social media is abuzz as doctors, nurses, and patients all start complaining that the hospital has seen enough this year. They don't need the lobby detonated again. But Sxicq is just sitting, cross-legged, in the center of the hospital lobby. Their eyes are closed and they're glowing softly. To anyone who stays for more than a few moments, they'll see the damage from previous days starting to glow as it mends itself. It's not fast, but it's progress.

9:00am International Cabin of Crepes, Bamborough: The Protector is slightly harder to find, but he's made it known that he's meeting with Luka, Olivia, and the knight they've chosen to invite. He has a private room in the breakfast establishment, a table in a room where the doors can be closed. Others can find him and talk to him here, but he's here on business. Anyone who spots him, though, won't be able to miss that he looks rough. He has a black eye, a busted lip, numerous cuts and burns over the visible parts of his skin, and it looks like some of his hair was ripped out. But it looks like he's done his best to clean up a little, it just looks like he's recovering from some kind of an accident. How did that happen?

10:00am Everywhere, All Cities: The welcome van from the first night is back, and this time it's received a fresh coat of paint on the sides: It's now the funnel cake van. Throughout the morning, the drivers are speeding around all three towns and pulling up beside any and every hero they can. If they see two heroes together? Free funnel cakes for both! Does your hero get caught funnel-handed with another hero this morning? Hope you both have a sweet tooth!

Procedure:

Reply to the appropriate toplevel comments for events below. Indicate if a post is a private conversation with "Private" in the subject otherwise all threads should be open to interaction with others. Plan OOCly how you'd like to toss everyone around.

Activity Check: December 2019

[ IRL Timeframe: December 1st - December 31st, 2019 ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"But why's that? What's Haizea got that makes her more susceptible than any of us?" Luka inquires, stirring more sugar into his coffee. "She hasn't offered me anything except confusion. No one I've talked to has mentioned her making any juicy temptations, either."

If the Protector hesitates, it isn't for long enough to notice.

"A gut feeling." He answers, starting to pour himself more tea.

"If she proves me wrong, all the better."

"I suspect she will." Luka says with confidence. "You have more experience with the Wizard season than I do, sure... so maybe your gut feeling has merit. You've seen all kinds of Knights that do end up on her side. But Haizea never gave me any Wizard-sympathizer vibes."

He pauses to sip coffee again and gather his thoughts.

"Gyre... I don't know." There was no denying Gyre's actions had been bold and worthy of suspicion at the very least. There was only so much playing dumb Luka could do. "He's sympathetic to the monsters. It's an unfortunate trait. Having too much sympathy gets you killed."

He gives another affirmative 'mmhmm' while he's in the middle of sipping his newly-poured tea.

"His sympathy will get others killed, it is a matter of how many before he is killed himself." He answers, confirming Luka's suspicions.

"He should be locked up for the remaining six days if his actions worsen."

"Locked up?" Luka's seems unsure. "I don't know, he's pretty capable at fighting. We might be at a net loss if we did that. He seems to know a lot too, about the monsters."

The Protector is silent for several moments as Luka says that. He takes the time to sneak another sip of his tea, too.

"Very well." He answers, at last.

"We will wait, and see."

The silence and curt replies are uh, really the perfect moment for one Garrot Murtakor, M.D. to make an entrance. By entrance, it's more that he brusquely knocked upon and immediately pulled open the door to the private dining area, shoulders heaving because he's a bit out of breath.

"S-sorry! I was at the hospital, and things ran a little late, and-" He closes the door behind him, expecting to be the last one there. Olivia doesn't seem to be seated yet, but his eyes dart from Luka straight to, in the flesh-

"Holy shit, you look bad." Garrot reflexively looses a muted little gasp as his strides take him quickly and directly towards the Protector. The Monkey Knight stays standing a few feet away, arms crossed before one hand goes to stroke at his beard, and suddenly his eyes glow teal. Time for an informed prognosis!

"You- who the hell did this to you...?!" The words are whispered, powerful with concern, and- "Do- do you need a doctor?" It is at this moment that Garrot realizes he just barged into what may have been a private conversation, hijacked it with his gawking, and made no mention of who he is or the fact that he's conveniently a medical professional. In his first meeting with The Protector, that Wizard-stomping badass whose power and heroism and tireless resolve he has undeniably idolized for the past forty years.

So Garrot's gonna have a moment of shellshock real quick. Someone save him or he may never move or speak again.

Luka sighs with audible relief when the sudden intruder speaks and - thank the Gods - it's Garrot. Before Luka knows it, Garrot's already tending to the Protector's various wounds and abrasions seemingly without acknowledging exactly who it is that he's addressing.

"Garrot, you made it!" Luka says, doing little to hide his alleviation. He wasn't sure how much longer he could keep up that particular line of conversation with the Protector. "I guess things were busy enough at the hospital that you haven't checked the news. The Wizard did this to him."

The Protector's teacup cracks audibly in his grasp as Garrot makes his entrance and, quite frankly, simultaneously makes an awful first impression.

"The Princess is correct." He begins, idly lifting the snapped handle of his cup to eye-level so he can examine it.

"Welcome, Garrot Murtakor, Monkey knight." He follows, his voice level and unwavering. Seemingly content with what he'd found in the broken handle, he sets it down with a 'clink' on the little plate that was provided with the teacup. A moment later he's lifting the entire cup in two hands to sniff gently at the aroma.

"I do not need medical attention. The threat has been dispatched." He answers, before finally taking a sip.

It isn't until Luka's proclamations hit that it truly dawned on Garrot that he was in the presence of the actual Protector, in the flesh. He isn't dreaming. And he just bulldozed his way into the room with such frazzled disgrace that he made the Protector break the handle off his teacup. Fuckin smooth, man. At least his eyes went back to normal. But he processes everything coming his way, the fact that the Protector doesn't need medical attention was corroborated by what his own eyes didn't tell him. He doesn't need to freak out or worry, so...

"Glad to hear it, sir. I'm sorry, I'm... I'm a huge fan." Garrot straightens his posture and stands nearly at attention- maybe embodying his almost-militaristic Koskenkorvan upbringing will make the scene less atrocious? It won't hide his embarrassed blushing, though. "Thank you for everything you do for us. Now that you've sent her crawling back to the shadows, maybe I can return the favor when she rears her ugly head again after Twelve."

Yep, he sure did miss the implication there.

"Are you sure about that?" Luka questions the Protector's dismissal as if he hadn't done the same just recently in regards to his still very prominently broken nose. "Just because she's gone now doesn't mean you're going to heal up properly on your own... unless you have magic for that."

He lifts his mug to take a sip of coffee and finds that it's nearly been drained completely.

"Have a seat, Garrot. We've got a lot to discuss." Luka offers. "Don't mind the crossbow."

The Protector answers Luka's question first, settling his broken cup down with a 'clink' first.

"I will not be directly facing any monsters today. I have unfinished business in the mountain that will not put my physical well-being at risk." He answers, leaning back in his chair so he can level a very, very stern glare in Garrot's direction.

Because Garrot had missed a very, very important fact.

"She will not return. She is dead." He emphasizes the last word, sounding utterly certain about the Wizard's death.

Dead.

The word rings hollow in Garrot's entire body. The Protector does this every year, ensures the continuation of the planet by killing her every year, and he's so nonchalant about this?! Garrot's eyes go wide as he realizes he and Luka may be the only people to know about this- luck would have it that the Princess's Knight doesn't even know. But everyone should know, and yet-

"She's dead." He exhales deeply, moving to take a seat at the table. The crossbow doesn't matter, as awesome as he'd think it is in any other circumstance; the crossbow isn't the Wizard. "That piece of shit didn't die until after Twelve any other year. So what makes this time different?" There's an undeniably tension in Garrot's jaw and shoulders as he forces himself to get comfortable. Comfort is difficult when you're forcing yourself to be respectful in the presence of a personal idol while also learning that the mastermind behind your father's murder was unceremoniously murdered herself.

"Is it because you're here? You know, physically?"

"The fourth monster foolishly brought me into this realm." He confirms, nodding.

"She sought me out for a fight. I triumphed." He continues, lifting his tea again to take a sip.

"We are all fortunate the opposite did not occur." He adds, because the fight was most certainly not one-sided. She could have killed him.

"I'm glad you came out on top, too..." Luka nods. "But what's this business in the mountain you've got today? We were just there. Don't recommend it, personally."

It was a curious tidbit the Protector had glossed over. 'Unfinished business' was suspiciously vague, and Luka couldn't let it pass unquestioned -- not that he expected much in the way of an explanation. He notes it as something to mention to Gyre later.

"If it's a big deal, maybe we could go with you, help you out?" There's a hint of childlike eagerness in his voice eroding away the reserved deference. But then, like someone who just quietly farted in the middle of a packed conference room, Garrot's back to playing composed. "It would give us more time to talk. About why we're here, sir."

But then he does actually stiffen up. The reason they're here is kind of a big deal. Magical boons and ~~slaying~~ defeating monsters and saving the world. It's funny, but he had sort of shoved away the gravity of the situation until now, when he finally met the person responsible for, well, Protecting the world. And Garrot might just want to hang out with him for as long as possible...

"No." The Protector's answer comes without emotion, without any hint of his thoughts on the matter. But he isn't going to just end it there.

"The matter of why you are here is simple. The mountain, however, is anything but." He sips his tea again.

"If I were to bring the two of you with me, we would be leaving the remaining six to die." He states simply, as if it's fact.

"I will not permit that blood to be spilled." He clarifies, settling his cup down before turning to Luka.

"You have chosen the Monkey knight to receive this power?" He questions, seeking a final confirmation.

"Yes." Luka replies diligently. "He's truly the only possible choice. Olivia and I agreed on it."

He's disappointed by the Protector's outright rejection of Garrot's proposition. If it were true that it would leave the rest of them to die though, it couldn't be helped.

"Be careful in the mountain, then, since you'll be alone. It didn't feel particularly welcoming."

"Nothing in the mountain can harm me." He answers, confidently, before he turns to Garrot.

"Very well. The power is yours." He states, simply, waving a hand in Garrot's direction. The air around everyone in the room crackles with magic, it feels like everything is prickling. Both Garrot and Luka will get goosebumps, their hair will stand on end, every movement will make the fabric of their clothes crackle.

Garrot receives: The Protector's Blessing (Lv. 1):
- Knight Weapon Level Up: Two weapons can now be provided and wielded!
- Knight Power Level Up: It's easier to do cool magic!
- Princess Link: There's always a gut feeling of where the Princess is at any given time.

Luka receives: Monkey Sense (Lv. 1):
- Monkey Link: There's always a gut feeling of where Garrot is at any given time.

It's a shame there's no handy UI over their heads that would just tell them that. Instead they both just have a weird feeling.

Edited 2020-01-05 06:34 (UTC)

Garrot kind of jumps a bit as the Protector just waves a hand and sends the room a-crackling with magical energy. The movement makes his clothing crackle, which makes him move a bit more until suddenly he's standing up, not exactly excited about this weird feeling or any of this. The whole thing was so sudden and without fanfare or even his input, and that doesn't really sit well with him. Fuck being stodgy and respectful.

"H-hey, I wasn't ready!" Garrot shivers a bit, really not feeling the magic that's making his already aggressive hair into an absolute disaster area. He's glad Luka can't see it, actually, because he looks ridiculous on top of the violated look on his face. "I was gonna ask you some questions before you just went and did it." Garrot even goes so far as to scowl a bit, looking right at Luka.

"Your Princess is terrible at sales, you know that?"

Luka was almost as unprepared as Garrot was for the Protector's sudden buff. He tenses upright in his seat, knocking his near-emptied mug over on the table as the magic passes through him.

"Ugh, did it have to be... like that?" He mutters, trying to shake off the clingy static feeling. This wasn't the first time Luka had magical forces thrust upon him, and as such he's less perturbed by its intrusive nature than he is by the fact that its messing with his clothes and hair.

"Hey! What is that supposed to mean?" He retorts in Garrot's direction. Luka would consider himself a fine salesman. He's offended.

If the Protector has any feeling about the two of them being caught off guard by his actions, he doesn't show it. Instead he waves a hand in the air, dismissing the crackling and allowing both of them to return to their pre-crackled state.

"You are to use this power for the good of the world." He states, simply.

"Thwart any remaining plans that the Wizard has set in motion. I have no doubt that she has left traps and plots to tangle us all in." He follows, finally shifting so he can address Garrot's comment.

"It is fortunate for us, then, that the Princess is skilled at fighting the Wizard rather than excelling at sales."

Edited 2020-01-05 17:02 (UTC)

"But you just said she's dead." Garrot raises an eyebrow at the incongruity there, and he crosses his arms, clearly unimpressed.

"I'll take care of the other Knights." The Monkey Knight was pretty sure he could handle most of them in a fight before, but now? It might be the most confident he's sounded since the first day! Plus, he's already been up in everyone's business anyway. On the other hand...

"The monsters are different this year. Any of them gonna be more daring now that she's dead?" He's saying that last bit for himself, if anything. Garrot's aware that Ten's been out and about for longer than usual, but there are more monsters they know nothing about.

"I DO excel at sales!" Luka huffs. Correcting this odd assumption took momentary precedence over anything else. "I believe I'm the only one in the room with a platinum record, unless one of you are hiding something from me."

He settles back into his chair, arms folded.

"Just because she's dead doesn't necessarily mean she's no longer got any cards up her sleeve, you know?" Luka clarifies. "Maybe her dying was the lynch pin to something else. We've still got to be careful."

"The Princess is correct. She could have prepared any number of surprises before her demise. As I stated, we will need to find the plans she has left behind and thwart them." The Protector explains, lifting his tea again and giving it a small swirl in his grasp. A moment later, steam rises out of it as it fills with a new batch of tea.

He moves on to Garrot's comment, ignoring Luka's wounded sales pride.

"The monsters have nothing to hold them back. Know that they will not hesitate to kill any of us." He pauses, his tone shifting to one of cold suspicion.

"Especially monsters who appeal to empathy."

The Weather

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