Day 8: Evening

Evening: 5:00pm - Midnight

[ IRL Timeframe: April 1st - April 15th, 2020 ]

The light rain has changed into a downpour, coating the island, its forests, and its people in a constant barrage of water. After the events of the afternoon, it's like it's all being washed away.

Except it isn't, because the events of the day all happened. They're all real. And social media is abuzz about the loss of Harsen Island's mountain. Now, it's all just flat. There are forests, but Craydon is no longer a mountain-side town. Instead, they have a cog train that rolls horizontally across the flat ground from the main train station and over into their very flat town in the woods. Bamborough's hillside hotels with dozens of floors higher up for an ocean view are now down with the rest of the buildings, and only the highest floors can see out over the touristy area to the water. Far Haven, in contrast, has barely changed. You can't flatten something that's already flat. The only textures left on the island are the silver humps of two ships, one near Far Haven and the other near Bamborough. There's also a hump at the center, the cave entrance, leading down into the cave where the bodies were. For anyone who goes to look, there's a new body there now.

- [1] -

The participants in the fight against "Eight" put up a valiant fight, eventually defeating it in a show of heroic justice somewhere along the tracks. In all the rain, its yellowed body is disappearing away into the ground as it washes away.

- [2] -

#childlost

Sxicq is... somewhere. The internet lost them again. Wherever they're at, it's not out on the surface of the island.

- [3] -

The monsters, meanwhile, have returned back to their home in the garden. At least, the ones who seem to live there.

Five and Six are in their rooms on the main floor with the doors open. Five is laying on her bed, tacking away on her flip phone. Six is in his room, sitting on the edge of the bed, also on his phone. If there's anyone in Four's room, it's unknown due to the closed door. Also on the main floor is the Wizard. She's casually sitting in one of the more plain of the thirteen chairs, reading an unnamed book. There's a steaming mug of cocoa on the coffee table in front of her.

On the second floor, Ten's room is the only one open. The doors for Seven, Nine, and Twelve are all shut. If anyone heads in to look for Ten, they'll find him writing in a small notebook with the title "Chef Notes" on the front.

On the top floor, Eight's door is shut but has a small "Text me" sign dangling off of the handle.

- [4] -

If anyone goes looking for the newly surfaced space ships, all they'll find is the smooth metallic surfaces of them rounding out of the terrain. If there's a way in, it's not obvious to others

The Weather
Heavy rain.
59°F / 15°C
A constant wind.

Prompts:

5:00pm Onward: Monster House, The Garden: For any heroes who are up for meeting any of the monsters, this is their opportunity. Some closed doors will have no one behind them, but the open doors are a guaranteed someone to talk to. Will they talk to the monsters, each other, or the Wizard downstairs in the sitting area?

5:00pm Train Station, All cities: All trains have been suspended, citing the "unknown conditions of the island's tracks" after the events of the day. No one is allowed to ride the rails, no one is allowed to go anywhere. Is your hero trapped at a train station waiting for an uber? Does another hero come to their rescue? What's the deal?

?:00pm General Post, Anywhere: Does your character go to investigate things around the island? Do they meet with other heroes somewhere over coffee? How are they handling being cut off from the world? Their family? Their loved ones? How do they feel seemingly being made the enemy of all people of the world?

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.

OOC Mortality Warning: Any hero who actively seeks out the Protector IC will be at a high risk of death in some manner. He is on the move, tread carefully!

Activity Check: April 2020

[ IRL Timeframe: April 1st - April 30th, 2020 ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Gyre makes a low grunt of a noise when Five shoves past him, watching her in silence for a bit as she contains the black goop. He's so entranced with what she's doing that he almost doesn't hear Luka for a moment, and there's a long, weird beat here where he doesn't answer.

He realizes this after a moment though, jumping slightly and taking a step to Luka's side. He touches his arm softly to let him know where he is.

"They left a note. They'll be back," he says, scanning the room again. He's starting to feel vaguely useless again, unsure how to care for Seven now that they're eating and Five has dealt with... that... thing...

"Did that black stuff come from you, Seven?" he asks softly, remembering the noise they'd made a moment ago. Then he glances between Ten and Five, adding, "What is it?"

"Hm. Must be busy, then. I wonder why they took time out of their day to escort me here?" Luka muses to himself, unaware of whatever it is Five is doing with the bottle and the strange black vomit goo.

He's not thrilled that Five apparently decided to completely ignore his existence, but it's decidedly better than a petty fight breaking out between the two and Seven getting a bad impression of them both.

"If you're still feeling hungry, Seven, you should try some of Ten's stew he made." Luka suggests. He didn't help much, but he helped some, and for that Luka's proud of the little bit he did to contribute. "It's good. Right, Five?"

He had more questions for Seven - about their encounter in the streets yesterday, about the video on Seth's social media, and about the Protector. But those were heavy topics, and Seven had only just woken up and met everyone. He files those away under 'for later'.

Thankfully Gyre snaps Ten out of his staring. He'd been absolutely floored by 1) Seeing Eleven, 2) Seven vomiting up more black goop, and 3) Luka being here now? Was there a 'come visit Seven' memo that he'd missed? He got so preoccupied trying to make sense of it that he uh... just sort of tapped out into his own thoughts.

Seven's more on top of it than Ten is and answers before either he or Five can chime in.

"Bad. From monster. Not mine." They growl out the 'not mine' as they drop the now-empty platter to their side. It frees up their hands so they can curl low and peer suspiciously into the bottle. But then Luka's mentioning food and one of their eyes snaps up to him as they inquire: "Stew?"

"Nine disposes of this stuff." Five answers a moment before Seven asks about the stew, and then she glances down at them with one eye while the other settles on Luka.

"The stew is better every time Ten makes it." She answers, one of her other eyes settling on Gyre as she follows up by asking both of them:

"You both got some, right?" She asks as her last eye snaps to Ten, getting an affirmative nod from him in response. That's good at least.

Gyre watches the way they move, crouched low like that and eyeing a thing that came out of their own body. It's chilling! He doesn't want to think about it! And so he jumps onto the next topic as it's offered, glancing at Ten and grinning as everyone starts praising his stew.

"If you can walk, ki'ta, we can go to the kitchen to get some," he offers, turning his attention back to the focus of everyone's attention. He approaches Seven a little more quickly then before, noting that the monster doesn't seem quite as anxious as he might have expected. It'll make things easier if they're not scared at least.

He bends to pick up the platter so he can return it at least, and he offers his arm to them for support while he's down here. If they need it. "I can help you?"

"In that case I want to be there to taste his next batch, too." Luka says, offering a smile.

He listens as Gyre proposes moving to the kitchen to Seven. They've been surprisingly chill so far, so Luka's not overly worried about their reaction to the idea.

Instead, he continues trying to hold a conversation with Five. They didn't have much in common, but they both liked Ten. That was a start.

"Do you think he'd want to cook something for Sxicq?" He inquires as he leans toward her. "The Wizard said they were kind of friends."

Seven's eyes snap to Gyre when he says they can go to the kitchen to get some. Immediately they're rising up to their feet, going from a curled few feet on the ground to their full height--

A full two feet, eight inches taller than Gyre.

They look awkward to be standing at this height, but now that they're upright their hair seems to be billowing out around their head. All of their eyes are on Gyre. Looks like they didn't need his help? But even so, they take his hand in both of theirs, their claws getting uh... dangerously close? To his arms?

"Yes." They agree, even as Ten shuffles behind them to make sure everyone is alright? He flashes Gyre a thumbs up with a clear confusion on his face. You okay, Gyre?

Five, meanwhile, makes a face at Luka talking to her? She knows he can't see the face so it gives her a moment to work through her emotions before she responds to him.

"He's already thinking about something to cook for them. It's been pretty good." She answers, trying to uh... not be mean. But one of her eyes is practically locked to the side, watching Seven tower over Gyre.

Gyre glances over at Five, watching her watch him as Luka talks to her. He's clearly ready to jump in if she decides to snap, raising a pointed eyebrow at her when she makes that face. Be nice, daughter.

It's not until she starts to answer the question with information rather then sass that he turns to see what Seven is up to, and uh well if he had a heart, it would've stopped. It takes him a beat to realize he staring at their chest and not their crouched body or their face. His head snaps up and back in surprise, looking up at them.

"Oh you're... tall, huh?" he asks, and he makes this delighted little laugh of a sound. His eyes go to their claws around his arm after that, and he smiles and nods at Ten.

"I'm alright, Ten." He shifts his hand a little, wrapping it around one of Seven's thumbs since he uh can't really hold their whole giant hand in his. This is fine. He can make this work, and he starts to pull them along towards the door, moving slowly for now so they can get their balance underneath them.

"Princess, Seven and I are going to the kitchen. Come with us?"

"Mm, sure, I'll come." Luka smiles, turning in the direction of Gyre's voice. "I came all this way to visit Seven, anyway. It would be a waste to part ways so soon."

He gives parting nod to Five, thankful that she answered his question. It wasn't the conversation he was really looking to have, but it was a step in the right direction. Luka would see off Ten as well, but he's still unaware entirely of the other monster's presence in the room.

"I think I remember how to get there!" He continues, taking a few steps over until he feels he's within appropriate range. "Though, I doubt you will need me to lead."

Well, Ten watches all of this unfold and... really can't find any opportunities to jump in? He watches Seven being led to the door by Gyre and Luka. He watches Five helplessly as she gives him a huge shrug? He doesn't even have Eleven here to chat with. So he does the only thing he can think of...?

"See you when you get back." He offers after them, giving a slight wave.

Five, meanwhile, is not going to follow. She watches them go before turning to Ten with her hands on her hips.

"Are you okay?" She can be heard asking Ten as Gyre, Luka, and Seven depart.

Seven is uh... insistently following, or trying to lead, Gyre towards the stairs and downstairs. Their voice comes as a low rumble at both Luka and Gyre:

"Hungry."

"We'll be back soon," he says over his shoulder, trying to give Ten a smile before he's hustled out the door. He keeps thinking Seven is going to be worse off then they are. He's happy they're better at least, but it also means he can only glance over his shoulder when Five asks if Ten is alright. Is something wrong? He was so focused on Seven, he didn't notice.

This realization means he's quiet for a bit as he heads down the stairs, trying to keep up with Seven's pace ahead of them. "If you push me any faster, ki'ta, I'm going to fall down the stairs," he says with a gentle tease in his voice as he rounds the corner onto the final stairs down into the main entryway.

"Have you been able to eat today, Luka?" he calls over his shoulder, both out of curiosity and to let the poor dude know where he is as he's rushed towards the kitchen.

Luka's surprised when Ten speaks up (!), having accidentally glossed over his presence in the room entirely after getting caught up in the commotion of meeting Seven and everything it entailed.

His cheeks flush as he floods with embarrassment over having spoken about him while he was right there! At the very least, nothing he said was anything he wouldn't want Ten to hear. It was just one of those dumb things that sometimes happened to him that most other people didn't have to deal with.

"Yeah! Back soon." He calls back to the two monsters, following on Gyre's promise of return on their way out.

Luka remains a few steps behind, keeping a cautious distance but still able to keep pace.

"Not since before the meeting this morning." He replies. Everything after that meeting was a downhill tumble, and even if Luka had found time to eat a meal, he'd had no appetite the entire day. "I could go for some of that stew, if Seven's willing to share?"

Well, unfortunately for Gyre, his words just encourage Seven to break away from him. Like an overeager dog, they double over themselves and drop onto all fours at the top of the final staircase. Luka's asking if they're willing to share and, well--

"Mine first." They declare, their claws digging into the wood of the stairs as they sprint down them.

The air fills with the sounds of scraping claws against wood, scrambling limbs, and speed as Seven disappears down the stairs. They skid at the landing, slowing their body so they can sprint to the back of the house to the kitchen. They're going to be there first.

When Gyre and Luka make their way back there, they'll find Seven hunched in a corner with a bowl of stew gripped in their hands and held right up to their face. They're waiting for the bubbles. They know.

... Who told them?

Oh my god?? So much for a monster in recovery!! He makes a truly undignified noise as Seven escapes around him and throws themself down the stairs.

"Seven!" he shouts as they start to skid at the bottom floor, anxiety spiking up in his chest. He thinks they're going to collapse or hurt themself. But they don't. They just get up and dart around the corner, disappearing from his view. He's starting to feel a little foolish for offering to help them at all when they seem to know exactly where they're going.

"Ah, let's hurry. They ran down the stairs. I... I think they're fine, but..." he trails off there, hurrying down the steps and heading in towards the kitchen. Luka said he knew the way, so he's hoping the man follows close behind!

Either way, he takes a few steps into the kitchen, looking down at their hunched body. They're waiting, and he doesn't interrupt for a moment, right up until he realizes that they seem to be waiting for the bubbles?? They've only been awake for an hour maybe?? How could they know!!

"Are you looking for bubbles, ki'ta? Have you had this soup before?"

"Of course, I'm-" Luka barely manages to answer before Seven's clambering down the staircase ahead. He blinks in surprise and quickens his pace as Gyre heads after them, arriving to the kitchen only moments after the other reaches it.

Luka lingers in the doorway a moment before stepping in, the familiar scent of the stew already wafting over.

"Unless the Protector stole the recipe, I doubt it..." He comments, casually taking a seat at the table and wondering how Seven had served themselves so quickly. He turns, addressing Seven directly. "Could you hear and see a lot from that tank?"

Unfortunately for both Gyre and Luka, their questions come right as the first bubble appears. They're so intently waiting for it that they don't respond until they've munched it out of midair. But once they have, two of their eyes settle on Gyre while two more settle on Luka. Then they answer.

"Yes. Tomorrow. It's good." They answer Gyre first before shifting to Luka's question.

"No food with monster. Tank quiet, dark, peaceful." They answer, still seeming like they're forcing out every word. Fortunately they get a break from speaking as two bubbles appear on the surface of the soup and they munch them down.

If Gyre and Luka recall back, their bowls filled automatically from the orbven without any intervention. So all they should have to do is grab bowls and then they'll have soup, right? (Right, that's all that was needed!)

Gyre glances over his shoulder to see Luka sitting down at the table, and he casts an eye around the room, trying to remember where Ten had gotten the bowls from. As Seven answers their questions, he winds his way around the kitchen, opening and closing cupboard doors until he finds them.

He's about halfway to pulling a couple bowls down for him and the Princess when the thing Seven actually said settles into his brain. Tomorrow?

"Tomorrow? What's happening tomorrow?" he repeats in confusion, turning to watch Seven as if he'll get an explanation just from watching them eat. He's stuck there for a couple moments before he remembers what he was doing and at least returns to the table, setting a bowl down for Luka and himself. Whether they fill with soup or not though, his attention is entirely on the monster for now.

"Make stew." Seven answers almost immediately just before munching on another bubble.

Their eyes are watching Gyre as he's shuffling about to get stew for both himself and Luka. They see the steam rising off of the bowls as they fill with stew, and then they chime in with a very important comment about that:

"Less good today. Better tomorrow."

Luka's just utterly confused about what Seven's implying and his expression is reflective of that. He barely notices when Gyre sets the bowls down, except when the smell and heat from the bowl becomes unmistakably apparent.

"Five said... it gets better every time, yeah. It'll be great tomorrow if Ten makes a new batch." Luka says, feeling for a spoon on the table. He's hoping Gyre might have a better understanding of whats actually going on, somehow. They knew about the bubbles because they've had the soup tomorrow?

"So, what else is happening tomorrow?" He asks, testing the waters.

"Past" They answer immediately as they catch a bubble in their tongue, popping it softly inside their mouth. They pause for a little bit as they consider Luka's question.

"History. Permanent." They add, clarifying a moment before their body makes a slight lurching sound. It's like the one from upstairs, but this doesn't result in anything. They clearly have more to throw up, but it isn't coming yet.

It's not like someone put something awful inside of them for years. Nope. No way.

Gyre does not understand a single sentence that Seven has said since they got into this kitchen. He's just standing here, staring at them, as if watching them will make him understand.

"The past is... happening tomorrow?" he asks slowly, carefully. He sounds exactly as confused as he feels honestly. Explain pls.

Luka is... equally confused by these answers, though it's hard not to be. Out of all the vague, confusing responses he's heard this past week, Seven seems to be aiming to top them all.

"Wait, are we going back in time again?" He asks, tensing up at the sounds Seven starts making. Are they going to vomit again? Hopefully not on the table, the thinks.

Seven nods in response to Gyre's question. Yes, the past is happening tomorrow. Then Luka asks it more directly and they eat a bubble before they respond.

"To the beginning." They confirm before they do something... uh... gross...?

They tilt the entire bowl of soup back against their mouth, gulping it down in two abrupt swallows. And, a moment later, they're holding the bowl level again so it can refill.

Gyre continues to stare for several moment, his brown furrowing just slightly when they gulp all that stew down like that. It's good they don't have lungs, he supposes, or... maybe they do have lungs and Seven was just that hungry? He doesn't know.

More importantly, all the pieces click into place in his mind, and he raises his head up in surprise. "And you'll be there? Er... you were there? In the past? Before uh, before the Protector found you?"

"It sounds like we won't be able to change anything." Luka guesses, raising a spoon up and listening for bubbles carefully in a way that starkly contrasts Seven swallowing their entire bowl.

"Right? It might mess something up and make it so I was never born, or something." A terrifying concept, for sure. "But we can learn what went wrong and maybe fix that."

Seven definitely has lungs, they just know how to not drown in soup. But now they have a new bowl to wait for bubbles out of so they're back to focusing almost exclusively on that with their eyes.

"Am there. But past before. The beginning." They reiterate, pausing for a moment as their body makes another forceful gurgle. They'll... probably be throwing up another black blob soon, that sound seems higher in their body. As if timed perfectly, there's an audible bubbling from Luka's bowl as a bubble rises and attaches itself to his spoon.

"Yes, permanent." They agree with Luka, confirming his suspicions. This would, indeed, be a mission of learning. Though the heroes didn't know it yet, they would have a lot of freedom to gather information.

The Weather

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