Day 8: Evening

[wizardseason]

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 ]

Comments

[eutychia]

It's a start, at least, Luka thinks. Being able to stop his simplest attacks is better than none at all, but no doubt he had more up his sleeve. He can't think what exactly the cube Nine was preparing for him might do, but that was something to figure out for the future.

"I bet Sxicq would do it." Luka notes. "You'd just have to ask Eight to contact them first."

He can't help but wonder what Eleven's last comment is in reference to. Had Eleven done something in particular to spite Sxicq?

"Not on speaking terms, huh?" He adds, unable to resist. "What did you do?"

[sustainer]

Gyre continues to play with the shield, marveling just at the ability to rubberband it back and forth, thin to fat, again and again. He looks up as Luka starts speaking, watching him, even as he slips his hand into the shield, and works on slowly shaping it around each of his fingers. He's going to create a glove of shimmering air, even if he doesn't necessarily know what he'll do with such a thing.

He nods slightly to the princess' question though, curious about any conflicts that might exist between all of them. Not that he has a lot of time to deal with said conflict. He needs to be ready by tomorrow!

"Do you know where they are?" he asks quickly, dropping his shield finally and looking out at the garden. Much as he wants to really get to know Eleven, he's got business elsewhere now!

[wizardseason]

Eleven watches Luka for a moment as he asks his questions, considering how to respond. They make a soft 'hm' before answering.

"Even if Eight asks, I don't know what would happen. I attempted to speak to them some time ago and I do not think they have forgotten me. I believe I interrupted." They explain, thinking back on the event before they turn to Gyre and shake their head.

"They are likely resting after working with Eight today. He would be able to ask." They offer, unfortunately not able to offer much more than that. They're impressed by his shield work, though

[eutychia]

Luka pouts at Eleven's vague response, though he's not entirely surprised about it. What should he have expected, after all?

"I'm planning to talk to Eight tonight. I'm told he has something he wants to say to me." Luka comments, recalling his conversation with the Wizard. "I can ask if you'd like. I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

[sustainer]

Gyre hesitates there, an antsy energy making him want to refuse the offer almost automatically. He wants to leave. He wants to be ready. He needs to go!

Then again, maybe it would be better to stay here for awhile longer. They can plan together. And if Eight is looking for Luka, maybe that means they'll get along a little better. He reaches out and gently touches the Princess' elbow, making a soft, affirmative noise.

"Please do," he says fondly, before turning his attention back to Eleven. "What did you interrupt?"

[wizardseason]

"Does he now?" Eleven follows Luka's statement with some amusement. Does that mean they know what Eight is going to ask Luka? Or does that mean they're amused by the idea of Eight and Luka speaking? They don't elaborate about which they mean. But then Gyre goes and brings that entire skeleton out of the closet and--

"I interrupted what I now realize was an attempt to break free." They say at first, before pausing and deciding to add the more morbid part of the story:

"By killing the two who bound them."

[eutychia]

Luka takes a moment to analyze Eleven's response in his mind. What kind of a response was that? Are they being patronizing? Luka had thought Eleven was relatively easy to read until this moment, at least in comparison to some of the others around here, but now he's not quite so sure.

When Eleven moves on to address Gyre's question - one Luka was curious about the answer to as well, naturally - he forgets all about his previous pondering.

"The two who bound him?" He repeats back curiously. "The Wizard and Protector?"

[wizardseason]

Apparently there's at least something that amuses Eleven and makes them not be so forward. Or they'd been deliberately asked to keep their mouth shut. Who knew? The only thing that was certain is that they weren't going to answer anything that Eight could answer himself.

"Correct." They answer Luka's inquiry, giving a small shake of their head. Even though they know what would've happened if they didn't interrupt, they still wonder if that may have been the better path. But now it's too late to change the past. They look thoughtful for a moment before adding:

"It was their first time coming out from below since the split, the two of them happened to be there by coincidence." Their eyebrows scrunch a little.

"But they probably knew the two would be there."

[sustainer]

Wait. He blinks in surprise, his attention snapping up to their face as he considers this.

"They've been to the surface before? I thought they were trapped down there?" He shakes his head a little, thinking back to what the Wizard had said about asking about the first event.

"When did this happen?"

[eutychia]

"And why did you interrupt?" Luka tacks on an additional question following Gyre's. The monsters were, at one time, part of Sxicq, right? Back then they probably would have been on the same side. "Unless.. it was accidental?"

The whole scenario poses a lot of questions. Luka's just eager to hear something about the past, despite the hinting by Seven that they'd be experiencing a whole lot of The Past tomorrow.

"It feels strange to think of Sxicq as someone who would kill. They just seem so... passive, at times."

[wizardseason]

"On the twentieth year since they were sealed." They explain, looking from Gyre to Luka.

"I do not know how they were able to get out, but they did manage. My interruption was accidental. I stumbled upon them as they emerged and panicked. It broke their concentration." They explain, before they turn more fully towards Luka as he says that and--

"There is little in the world like the rage they feel around those two, the grudge they hold runs deep."

[sustainer]

Gyre sighs softly at that last bit, folding his arms and tapping nervously at his elbow. He knows they're angry, but he's still desperately hoping they can all come out of this alive somehow. The last thing he wants is to free the lot of them only to have Sxiqc strike the Wizard and the Protector dead.

"They were able to work with the Wizard earlier today though, right?" He purses his lips slightly, adding after a beat, "Maybe they'll listen if you tell them it was a mistake?"

[eutychia]

Luka nods in agreement with Gyre's suggestion.

"Surely if they can get past their grudge against the Wizard long enough to work with her, your accidental interruption can be water under the bridge." He adds, folding his arms confidently. "Besides, we're all trying to end this stuff. We have a common goal, so we should all be allies at least."

[wizardseason]

"I hope that is the case." They nod in answer, looking over both the Princess and the Boar knight.

"There is little that should dissuade them from pursuing an end to this cycle. I know they are open to working towards that end, in whatever form that progress takes." They explain, sounding confident in that explanation. There's that at least.

"But I should not be the next to speak with them. Perhaps fourth in line." They add, a little jokingly.

[sustainer]

Gyre smiles faintly at the joke, glancing to Luka as if to get him to confirm what he's about to say.

"We're going to have a big dinner soon. With them. You can talk to them then?" he offers, smiling a little wider up to them. "There'll be less... pressure. Less to worry about there."

[eutychia]

Luka nods in affirmation as Gyre explains their plans with Sxicq. The dinner party idea seemed a little silly, now, all things considered - but networking with Sxicq remained important.

He speaks up when Gyre finishes, a slight hesitation in his voice.

"Well," He starts, "We might have to run that by Sxicq first. They expressed a desire to, ah... keep the guest list exclusive, you know?"

[wizardseason]

"Don't let me intrude." Eleven answers, picking up on Luka's hesitation after Gyre's offer.

"Lest I anger the guest of honor. If they agree to my presence, ask Eight to pass on the message to me." They answer, a pleasantness in their voice. The easiest answer was always to defer to the decisions of others.

Which was why the answers about the world were so difficult. They couldn't defer those to anyone else.

[sustainer]

Gyre blinks, his attention snapping to Luka.

"Exclusive?" he repeats, clearly not understanding. Big dinners are supposed to be for everyone! "Are they okay with all the knights coming at least?"

[eutychia]

"The Knight are... okay, they said." Luka nods, tapping his chin as he thinks back to Sxicq's response. "I was disappointed, too, I know. But I think Sxicq isn't one for crowds."

Well, Sxicq just didn't seem to be much for people in general, unless those people were bringing them mega-sundaes. They didn't seem malicious so much as uninterested in socializing, at least.

"I'm sure we could invite Eleven with their approval, though."

[wizardseason]

"That sounds very much like what I know of them." Eleven chimes in about Sxicq, recalling their behaviors and what they'd watched of them.

"If I attend, am I expected to bring food?"

[sustainer]

"It couldn't hurt. They eat a lot," he says, sounding thoughtful as he recalls Sxicq in the diner, throwing pounds of food down their throat.

"I'm bringing the meat though, so... something else. If you decide to bring something." If they're even invited? He sort of doesn't want to consider doing this dinner without all the monsters there.

[eutychia]

"I don't think they're very picky. I'm pretty sure they ordered the entire menu when I met with them." He laughs, fondly reminiscing on the encounter despite its frustrations. "And well, even if they don't want you there... maybe if you supplied food regardless, that would be a point for you in their book?"

Luka thought it seemed likely. It worked with him at least, and like Gyre had pointed out, there wasn't much to lose.

"But I hope they'll be open to letting you attend. A little party might be nice."

[wizardseason]

"I can craft something in either case that I believe will appease a voracious appetite." Eleven answers, breaking out the big words with an amused smile.

"How many are you expecting to be there, at the party? Assuming the guest of honor accepts." They question, already fairly certain that the answer will be 'the good guys' and definitely 'not the protector'.

[sustainer]

Gyre looks at the ground as Eleven breaks out the fancy words, mumbling, "Voracious..." under his breath as if repeating the word will clarify what it means to him. He's pretty sure he's got it from context but damn his brain has to work twice as hard for such a simple phrase when they say it like that.

Which is to say, he adds nothing to the conversation, glancing towards Luka instead for an answer. He's curious about the guestlist as well honestly.

[eutychia]

"Mmm." Luka hesitates. It wasn't an easy answer, since he hadn't really gone around inviting everyone, and he wasn't clear on who Sxicq was totally cool with. "All the Knights- well, the ones who are willing to come. Eight and Ten, too, probably."

He knew Sxicq would probably be okay with those two monster being there, since they seemed to be friendly with them. But the rest weren't so obvious.

"Hey, Eleven, aren't you all and Sxicq like... part of the same being? Why wouldn't Sxicq want to be around the rest of you?"