TDM + GAME OPENING 🎉

[beleos]

Who: Shard-Bearers, new and old
What: Seeds take root
Where: The Tree of Life, Highstorm, Springstar
When: October 14th and onwards
Warnings: Potential for (mild) body horror, death, dismemberment

I. BEARING FRUIT (new characters only)

It starts out as a pleasant dream. You’re in your favorite place, with your favorite people. It’s a moment of idyllic comfort.

And then, it goes wrong.

The sky turns dark above, and as you look up, you see the black expanse of space spotted with faraway pinprick lights of stars. Yet, they’re not stars. You’re certain. They’re watching you. A billion eyes all looking down, and they spill forth as if sky itself was a dam holding back those dark waters. You reach back to the people you’re with, but they’re frozen in place. Their eyes are black, reflecting only the expanse of dark eyes.

So you run, even though you know you won’t escape it. You glance back and see it not overtaking, but consuming. The landscape around you is being devoured, and you can see it cracking apart. The world itself is breaking, and it cracks under your feet. You fall, and the billion eyes chase after you until the darkness swallows you whole. There’s agony as if you’re being ripped apart, and then—

You cannot see. You cannot feel. You simply are. Yet even so, impossibly, a woman’s voice speaks gently.

I’m sorry it couldn’t be saved. But, come, it’s time to wake.

You wake with a start, cradled by soft, velvety plants, and sticky with a sap that smells faintly of honey and iron. You can see the veins of the leaves that hold you, lit warmly and gently by what looks like a crystal embedded above you. Yet, it’s odd, because that crystal calls to you. When you reach out to touch it, it’s warm. Familiar. Important. You don’t know why, but you know you must hold onto this, because now it feels wrong for it to be suspended in these leaves. So, you pull it out.

The light starts to fade, but only in time to see as the leaves cradling you immediately start to soften and crumble, and with it comes a torrent of dirt. Soft, loamy soil starts to fill the space around you in the dark as you’re buried. Or, rather, you already were. You reach out through the dirt desperately, and your hands finds a root, so you pull while you clutch that precious crystal so close that it almost feels like it sinks into you (in your panic, you don’t notice that it does). You reach out again, and this time, your hand hits open air and plenty of sturdy roots around to grab.

From a seed you’re born, and like a sprout, you make your way out of the ground.

And once you’ve clawed your way out of the soft earth and the roots, nearby, you see the soil shift. Another hand comes up to grasp desperately for something, anything, just as you had been.

II. MORAL HAZARD

There are new Shard-Bearers at the Tree of Life, and Yima has asked that the earlier arrivals go to greet them and help them. These aren’t people from Horos, after all, so they’ll have many, many questions. As Yima explains, the roots of the tree rise up to create caverns underneath, and it’s there you’ll find the new Shard-Bearers. And indeed, with careful steps to not slip on the mossy roots, down you go. Perhaps Communion will help you find the new Shard-Bearers, but it might be a confusing process for them.

The roots all start to look the same, to the point that you’re sure that you’ve already been through this passage. You turn around, and most of the people you had come here with are gone, if not all of them. It’s confusing and unsettling, and strangest of all.. You’re starting to feel ill, even if that wasn’t something normally possible for you. But continuing forward, you do eventually find an unfamiliar face of a new Shard-Bearer. They look no better than you feel.

Before introductions, however, roots around you shift suddenly until you’re enclosed in a room together. From the roots, a face forms in the wall. It speaks in a creaking, uneven tone, as if it weren’t used to speaking at all.

Give to take. A sacrifice. To live.

---

LET'S PLAY A GAME...

As the Dryad will explain, characters are now trapped in a room and have been poisoned by the spores that the lichens underfoot release. An antidote lays beyond the roots the dryad has curled around you, but to access it, you must make a sacrifice.

Characters can pick one of the following options, but the decision must be made unanimously. If one character takes a drastic action (such as murdering another), it’s counted as a failure for the group.

• Each of you must offer up a personal/treasured memory. The memory will be shared in Communion with all characters assembled, and then will be destroyed. No character will retain the memory or memory of its Communion.
• Each of you must offer up something physical. A finger, a toe, an ear, it’s your choice. The dryad will offer a knife if this is chosen that will sever the body part of choice cleanly and immediately stop any bleeding.
• Offer up another. Kill one person in the room.
• Refusing is also a valid option. Characters will get more ill as they debate until they start to find it difficult to breathe, and they’ll die quickly after.

The following is OOC knowledge that will not be known IC: The consequences of this game are about intent, and thus are not real. When characters are freed from the tree’s thrall, they’ll have their memories/body parts/life intact.

This can be done in groups of 2 to 4 players, and Loremasters recommend three if you can swing it! It’s more fun when you get in philosophical debates, right? Regardless, when your group comes to a decision, please record it here. These don’t have to be fully threaded out to be recorded, so the conclusion can be discussed OOC if you prefer. Actions can be submitted until October 21st, after which groups will be informed of what comes of their choice…

When a group receives the antidote, they'll be released from the tree's thrall... But will have a hard time waking up. It feels like something has grabbed onto their spine.

III. DREAMING OF HOME

You may wake with a start from your deliberations (or arguments) with a jolt of pain from the base of your spine as something is pulled away rapidly. A dark-haired man who looks to be in his thirties or so holds you carefully, but as soon as you start to regain your senses, he sets you back and holds up his hands.

Woah— Woah there, it’s fine! The tree was, uh, trying to take you back is all. You’re fine now.

As long as you’re not going to attack him, he offers a friendly smile and a hand to shake.

Name’s Cyrus. Sorry about the rude awakening. Let’s get your friend here unhooked too.

And indeed, glancing over, you can see the person you met in that room laying nearby, and it looks like a vine has snaked underneath them to exactly where something had just been pulled from you… Best not to think about it, maybe. Or if you've been unlucky enough to be one of the last people rescued, you might find vines and roots starting to grow into your skin. It's fine!

---

CYRUS, THE TRIBUNE

Cyrus is the NPC heading up the Meridian Faction, and is available to thread with under this header. Cyrus has come to the Tree of Life to help rescue the Shard-Bearer’s from the Tree, so he’s not going to be inclined to explain too much right away, since he’s on a mission, but he’ll stick around once everyone is successfully freed from Prompt 2 to speak with anyone that wants to. The following is just an OOC summary of information in case you do not need to thread with Cyrus:

Cyrus will gladly introduce himself to everyone, and will further explain his position in Meridian and Springstar (see the NPC Page) and the goals of Meridian itself (see the Faction Page, save for the italicized section). But most importantly, he’ll explain that he knows it sounds like something overly optimistic. It’s fair to be skeptical. He’ll produce a small glass bead from a bag he’s carrying. It looks like the necklace he wears, though not lit up. He’ll explain that the force of Meridian is a gift and can be a tether to your home, if you let it. As his fingertips light up, the energy is infused into the bead, which he’ll hand to you.

Taking the bead into your hands, you’ll take a bird’s eye view of your home world as if your consciousness is split, since you’ll still perceive standing in front of Cyrus at the tree. Rather than a vision, the view of your world is absolutely real, you’re certain. It’s a glimpse at the world that you thought destroyed, and if you focus on a particular place or a particular person, you’ll find the view shifting rapidly to it. No one you watch is aware of your presence, but simply continues about their daily life, whatever that is. But after about a minute, the view will fade as the light in the bead also fades.

That’s an iliachtida, a sunbeam, and when infused with Meridian’s light, allows someone Harmonized to it to check in on their world, he explains. It also acts as an anchor that tethers their soul to their world in the Timestream. With it, their world can’t entirely disappear, so eventually, they can go home. It’s a gift he’ll allow anyone that wants it to keep it, but indeed, they’ll be unable to use it again without first Harmonizing to Meridian.

To help manage threadload for the Loremasters playing Cyrus, we ask that you only tag him with the character you are most likely to app. Similarly, new tag-ins will not be accepted after Monday, October 17th.

III. SPRINGSTAR, αιώνιος ήλιος

After your ordeals at the Tree of Life, perhaps you’re drawn to Springstar, the city of eternal sun and the seat of Meridian.

It’s currently (and fittingly) Spring in Springstar, and the bustling city is coming back to life after finishing up winter. It’s not as if the winters are especially harsh here, but you’ll quickly get the sense that the people of Springstar are vivacious and happy to celebrate. You’ll find the Entertainment District to be the liveliest, whether it’s at a rowdy bar or a brothel, but no matter what, you’re welcome with open arms and without question.

Of course, if you’d just like to use the chance to explore the city alongside your fellow Shard-Bearers, that’s fine too. It’s easy to get lost in the crowds of Springstar and see all the city has to offer.

IV. HIGHSTORM, луны-близнецы

Or maybe Highstorm, the city of twin moons and the seat of Zenith is more to your liking. It’s certainly the quieter of the two cities and is a relaxing, meditative place if that’s what you prefer. The chill in the air is constant, since it’s Autumn in Highstorm and the eternal night doesn’t help keep things warm, exactly. Snow isn’t out of the question at this time of the year, but it’s beautiful in the moonlight.

Because of the cooler weather than Highstorm is prone to, you’ll find many of its delights inside rather than outside. Libraries and museums are popular in the more introspective city, though it’s easy enough to find something that might please you. For example, the indoor hot baths are popular at this time of the year too. You’ll find the people are kind, if cool-tempered, though if you mention the fact that you’re a Shard-Bearer or allied with Zenith, they’re more likely to warm up.

Though much like Springstar, it may just be more interesting to explore the city with a fellow Shard-Bearer. And as a resident may warn you, it’s best to stay in the city. Wandering out into the marshes and forests isn’t advised. Of course, if you do, just contact a Loremaster to find out why. ♥

NOTES

Welcome to Kenos! As a reminder, all players are required to fill out an application, which are now open. This does include characters/players from Aion Teleos, so please don’t forget to fill one out! Any character/player that does not submit an application will be swept from the communities and the Discord after applications close.

Activity Check is optional this month, but is highly recommend so Christy can check her fancy program so that you can earn Activity Reward Tokens! Activity will be able to be submitted shortly after applications close. You can find more about how we do AC here.

This log is Game Canon. Any characters who are not apped to the game will disappear. If Cyrus or Yima are asked, they’ll explain that this happens sometimes, since not every soul has a strong tether to Kenos and sometimes return to the Timestream. They’re fine and may even return to Kenos one day, but for now weren’t able to make the full journey.

As a reminder, your character has a Shard somewhere on their body that encompasses their soul, so keep note of where you're sticking it on their person for reference! Additionally, they have a tattoo of their Aspect somewhere on their body. Please be mindful this Aspect will be assigned to you upon approval and whatever you choose for the TDM may be temporary (for new characters)!

For the Highstorm and Springstar prompts, both cities will be fully open and accessible to all characters once they are saved from their rather harrowing ordeal at the Tree of Life. For prompt ideas and any general information about the cities and what you can find there, please see the Navigation page and check out the locations!

FOR NEW PLAYERS:

New players are welcome to join our Discord Server if you haven't already!

When they emerge from their cocoon/the ground, characters may be wearing their normal clothes, or they might be nude. Up to you!

At some point in the days after leaving the Tree of Life, new Shard-Bearers will have a dream, even if they're usually not capable of sleeping. All new players should read this post, since this details how they'll learn about both factions and their goals and should help them make a decision in which Faction they'd be drawn to.

New characters will not have access to any canon abilities on the TDM.

Your character will be offered temporary housing either at the Heliopolis district or Yima's manor for the first few weeks after their arrival. They will also be given a stipend for basic supplies like clothing and personal effects, and food is served in the cantina (Heliopolis) and at regular meal times in the Dining Room (Yima's manor). Once they Harmonize, they will get personal permanent chambers and a fancy retainer in their Faction's city. Wow! 🌈

FOR OLD PLAYERS:

Characters may be Harmonized to their Faction (if that makes sense for the character, of course!) by the time of this log. This is more for IC reference, and just wait until application acceptance to do the OOC paperwork!

General reminder that your character won't have access to their powers until they have Harmonized.

CODING

Comments

puts u on the pretzel shelf...

[sanguinary]

[STOP TAKE ONE OF THE ACTUAL LETTER OPENER SIZED SWORDS INSTEAD.

A soldier boy... Wild. He doesn't seem to mind her invasion of his personal space, but it's more in the way of someone who simply does not take note of such things.]

You can? [??? Hello HE'S A VICTORIAN GOTH-- No okay he doesn't have a brand he's aware of so this is truly news to him. As for her question, without much pause for thought:] I was brought to the Citadel by others who needed me there.

[As both an answer to the "why'd you join" and also "did you want to or have to". He doesn't seem upset about it, though; he states it in the same way someone might state that the sky's looking pretty bright in this city.

BUT ANYWAY, THE GATES. HERE THEY GO. He glances away from her and up toward the looming entrance, distracted... Hopefully she has a good hold on him because as soon as they approach the bustling blob of humanity clustered around the front, Matsui's getting swept up by a particularly boisterous crowd of Coliseum-goers who just sort of start accidentally carrying him away with their large hootin and hollerin group.]

Ah.

[G...GOOTBYE?? Where are they even going. Maybe it's fine, maybe Jinx will also be kidnapped by the masses in the same wave of people.]

will you dip me in nacho cheese 🧀

[kabooming]

[ no......... no, Matsui-letter-opener is the only acceptable option. sorry but please provide at your earliest convenience ty for your attention to this direly important matter,

--okay. okay, so admittedly, there's a lot happening all the sudden?? she has no idea what the 'Citadel' is he's referencing, so it must be Another World Thing. (there's a lot of those; she lets 'em roll of her back like water off a duck, so on and so forth.) but before she can probe him about more personal details that she probably shouldn't be asking about (yet he's answering anyway),

she feels his hand, just... wrench?? right out of hers???? hello? Jinx gives a noise of surprise that rapidly turns irritated at the end, whipping around and gesturing at him like, ????? hello??? ]

--Hey! That's mine - give it back, I wasn't done with him!!

[ YEAH, PUNKS, but then she's firing the next bit off exasperatedly: ]

Will you quit goofing off? Do you want to swoosh-swoosh [ swords...man swing imitation is happening here her arm almost flails and smacks some lady passing by in the face, ] or what?

[ she seems to think he can solve this problem and is choosing not to....... for once she is probably not wrong, ]

no u can be a cinnamon sugar pretz

[sanguinary]

[she better be nice to him when he shows up miniaturized for redacted reasons

This is so funny though HELP!! Most of the boisterous crowd don't seem to notice that she's addressing them in the first place, probably because it truly seems like they've spent the last whole entire day pregaming for this Coliseum brawl. One close to her gives her a puzzled look before handing out an extra stick of spun sugar! Surely that's what she means.

As for Matsui, she is entirely correct in this one moment only: this is entirely an escapable problem an he's simply deciding it's too much of a hassle to do the escaping.]

I would like to do that, but it seems fate has other plans for me.

[FATE.

Maybe not fate because the throng of people is stopping at a concession stand not more than twenty feet away from Jinx. Someone shoves a box of peanuts into his hands. Another person in the crowd fires off some streamers which probably ends up getting them both covered in paper confetti and strips. What is happening.]

STOP NOW I'M HUNGRY AND THIS THREAD IS STUPID IM YELLING LMAO

[kabooming]

[ she will use his tiny cute lil letter opener self to open things... (throats, maybe, feeling fun and flirty abt it,) wow, 😳

,,,

,,,,,,,hm.

okay, well, she likes spun sugar so she's accepting this offering with a briefly puzzled look before shrugging and shoving it in her mouth. --oh, that's pretty good?? yeah, not bad, not bad at all!! what was she doing a second ago? ]

Oooookay, Chuck! See ya later! I'm gonna go blow something up or stab a monster in the droopy eyeball, I'll let 'em know you send your regards!

IM IN TEARS slides a poptart ur way as we suffer through idiots

[sanguinary]

It's Matsui.

[HE JUST WAVES, THOUGH. Apparently he's fine with her going off to blow things up and/or stab monsters in the droopy eyeball... Goodbye sweet warrior, he'll see you in hell.



Or like, in five minutes at the gates to the area where combatants suit up, because that's where the throng of people has deposited him. He's just standing here with his peanuts. He also now has a little scarf-looking thing draped across his shoulders because he's got the kind of face that makes people want to give him free merch, apparently.

ANYWAY IS JINX ACTUALLY HERE. He will approach the first person that looks similar enough to her to tap their shoulder, realizing belatedly that he doesn't actually know her name?? Oops. It's fine he'll just greet her with what is clearly her favorite name:]

Chuck. Is it time to do battle?

what flavor poptart. important questions in this important thread,

[kabooming]

[ he still corrects her because of course he does. love you Chuck!!!! enjoy your peanuts!!




...oh, hey, what'dya know it - Jinx really isn't too hard to find among the crowd since she isn't exactly in it, having monkey-climbed on one of the support pillars to a higher platform and trying to spot...... ]

--CHUCK! [ WAVING VIGOROUSLY, ] Heyyyy, you made it! Look, they've got swo-- oh. Nice scarf, where'd you get that?

[ she's pointing beyond the milling group of combatants to the left side of the corridor where a door leads to some kind of arsenal.....?? right, for Fighting Things. that's what happens here!! amazing. ]

frosted strawberry of COURSE what else

[sanguinary]

[THEY'RE JUST BOTH CHUCK NOW. THIS IS SO STUPID HELP. He'll lift his free hand a little in greeting, moving over toward the pillar that she's decided to climb up, seemingly unperturbed by her squirrel antics.]

I was given it by a man who was very intoxicated. [He'll hold out... his peanuts.] You may have these if you would like them. Or the scarf.

[He's more interested in the SWO, following where she'd been pointing to so he can GAZE UPON THE WEAPONS. Wow, half of the people down here looks like they could decimate an entire tank with their bare fists... A lot of them are passing over swords in favor of maces and clubs and things that may or may not be flamethrowers.]

Shall we go?

NOT S'MORES???? 😱

[kabooming]

[ I'm Chuck, you're Chuck, we're all Chuck it's fine, who hasn't had a Chuck phase in their lives, right?? haha, amirite fellas,

is he,

is he feeding squirrel-Jinx peanuts,



...she'll take them, leaning off the flat top of the column and stretching out her other hand. for the scarf, ]

You want to go first? Me? --Oooh, you want to fight each other?

smores can stay too yeah AND BLUEBERRY

[sanguinary]

[He may be feeding squirrel-Jinx peanuts. He'll also gladly hand over the scarf, unwinding it from around his neck and delicately placing it in her other outstretched hand. It probably smells like alcohol.]

I'm not yet good at "sparring" in a context outside of war... [He has to remind himself not to draw blood when he's friendly-fighting allies, listen.] So perhaps it would be better for us to work together, rather than against one another.

how about: https://i.redd.it/t3xd94tqu1k31.jpg

[kabooming]

[ wow, she'll prize this forever... or discard it in like five minutes, whatever. anyway thanks, she's popping some peanuts into her mouth and dextrously hopping off the column to land beside him, patting his shoulder appreciatively. ]

I'm more of a solo act myself, but since I don't have Pow-Pow around... guess I got your back, Chuck!

[ she's winding the scarf around her neck as she talks, eying the assortment of weapons available for combatants to use at their disposal, and-- ]

That's her.

[ she points not to any of the weapons on display,

but instead to the flamethrower currently in the custody of some loser milling among the crowd, trying to look stoic and cool. ]

That's the one.

puts ur cursed link-grabbing hand down thats enough of that

[sanguinary]

[JINX you gotta TREAT YOUR BELONGINGS KINDLY. Or they'll become evil spirits like boroboroton, the nasty musty futon that tries to smother people in their sleep.

Anyway, he'll follow her finger as she points and...]

--? [His head cants to the side, bird-like curiosity present as he glances from Jinx to where she's pointing and back again.] Is that the person that we will attack?

[THEY'RE JUST GOING TO BEAT THIS STRANGER UP AND STEAL THEIR FLAMETHROWER BEFORE THE FIGHTING EVEN STARTS.]

but i didn't get to show you the asphalt flavor yet,

[kabooming]

[ ummm... that isn't something she's ever been cautioned about before, honestly, so she'll cross that bridge when the sofa tries to eat her?? thanks.

but look. look, the two of them are definitely on the same page this time? I'm so proud?? they're about to be horrible so not that proud but proud enough, ]

We are so attacking that guy.

[ she's throwing the last stretch of scarf over her shoulder like it's a fancy stole or something and proceeding to waltz on over to Flamethrower Guy in full expectation that Matsui Chuck is right behind her.

because, haha, he is, right, ]

Hey! You must be new here, 'cause that's mine! [ she points to The Flamethrower the guy is holding, and he looks at her, arching a brow. ] Called dibs and everything! Right Chuck?

im gonna mail you 20 boxes of that flavor

[sanguinary]

[HE'LL BE THERE WHEN IT HAPPENS yelling I told you so even if he didn't warn her...

Anyway this is a terrible same page to be on. On the plus(???) side, Chuck is definitely right behind her! Or like, he's following along at a leisurely pace like they're not about to go try mugging someone of their weapon pre-bloodmatch.

But when she looks for backup, he only has one thing to say...]

My name is Matsui.

[Of course.

This dude and his flamethrower are not looking impressed. In fact, he apparently doesn't think they're even worth the fuss considering he turns like he's going to leave without further humoring them.]

i dare u. u won't

[kabooming]

[ 'i told you so' says man who did not, in fact, tell her so; perfect.

also perfect: Matsui Chuck having her back and utterly nailing his shittalk toward their Enemy. lol fucking destroyed. dude, this guy's gonna cry, that was savage??? decimated his ego tbh he isn't going to recover,

okay but yeah this guy just turns away like "why is this my life" - and finds his retreat halted half-way. it happens fast - really fast, but Matsui's a swords...man, so his eyes are probably trained to follow Speedy Combat; he'll probably see her unsheath the knife at her side, the metal catching the light before it careens into Flamethrower Guy's forearm, thrusting it back and pinning him into the wall beside him.

Flamethrower Guy, naturally, does not enjoy this development; he also fumbles his Flamethrower with one of his arms now immobilized and unexpectedly jerked free of his weapon. Jinx doesn't seem to care about the commotion she's causing among the crowd (or Flamethrower Guy's pain, since he is trying to jerk the knife free and yowling in both rage and Owies) - because her priority is the swoop up her New Baby before it can hit the ground, looking like a kid in a candy store as she balances it in her hands toward Matsui like a shiny trophy. ]

--See? Dibs~!

i will hand deliver them to you personally

[sanguinary]

[LISTEN. It's fine, things slip from his mind sometimes!

Anyway, yeah, he is a swords...man which means he does have sharp eyes that can follow the speed of a quick combatant pretty decently. NOT THAT HE'D EXPECTED THE ESCALATION TO VIOLENCE SO SUDDENLY. EXCUSE HIM, MA'AM, THAT IS SOME STRANGER'S ARM...

Is not what Matsui says, though he does look briefly perplexed, like he's not sure this is a good situation for Violence but doesn't exactly have any moral gripes against it.]

So this is how "calling dibs" works... [NO.] It seems excessive, but I suppose it gets the job done well enough.

[Matsui is also not bothered by the ruckus being stirred up amongst the crowd, but he does move over to grab the knife she'd pinned the guy's arm with so he can jerk it free and hold it back toward her handle-out. Treat your blades with c a r e. He then helpfully(???) places a hand on the bleeding injury, presumably to... stymie the flow...?? A bit??? Maybe??]

Please sit until medics can see you while keeping your hand over the wound like this, or you'll lose too much of your healthy blood to be able to fight.

[Oh no never mind he was just touching a bleeding injury to touch a bleeding injury, considering he walks back toward Jinx after delivering that very helpful advice.]

my address is 1234 sesame street, i'll see u soon

[kabooming]

[ 'calling dibs,' yes, exactly - he's learning quickly now. she's so proud of Chuck...? look at him, taking in new lingo... they grow up so fast, a single tear rolls down her cheek,

...but, hey!! wow, her knife - that's real thoughtful of him and Jinx is taking the bloodied blade back, shifting her hold on the Flamethrower to prop it against her side,

and meanwhile, Ex-Flamethrower Guy is like ???, uttering a muffled curse as the blade is yanked out of his arm and he slumps against the wall. to add insult to injury, Matsui Chuck then decides to... touch?? the wound?? he looks wary and a little like he's about to snap the swords...man's head off, but before he can open his mouth--

Chuck is just peacing

out,

apparently,

and he's woozily shaking his head, trying to staunch the bleeding himself. the FUCK is going on here?????

Jinx - who has replaced the blade at her hip - slings the Flamethrower over her shoulder and pats Chuck on the shoulder appreciatively. ]

You know what? If I had to take a stab in the dark, [ haha get it bc she just stabbed a guy, ] I'd say we're gonna make a pretty good team, don't you think? Huh?

[ she elbows him in the side conspiratorially,

and some people are beginning to jog toward Ex-Flamethrower Guy and he might be pointing at them,

hm,

are they in like

trouble, ]

KNOCKING ON YOUR DOOR AT 3AM WITH MY ASPHALT POPTARTS

[sanguinary]

[Her crucial joke flies right over his head, but it's fine! They've officially formed the Chuck Army.]

I would like it if we could be.

[Good teammates!! After all, he has to spill his enemy's blood? So it's better for people to not be his enemies! You know how it goes.

Some people are definitely looking their way, though. Hm. Matsui, who has never been in trouble a day in his life before on account of being an inanimate object up until quite recently, is not reading the room well. Helpfully, he holds a hand up, making a vaguely placating gesture before explaining with a completely straight face:]

Don't worry. It is merely the act of "calling dibs", with no intent to drain this person of all of their blood.

[On the plus side, his reaction is so absolutely alien that no one seems entirely sure how to react in return?? THEIR CHANCE TO ESCAPE...]

the sesame street police take u away to muppet jail

[kabooming]

[ CHUCK ARMY, ROLL OUT,

......except Jinx, equally helpfully, is nodding very, very earnestly alongside Matsui Chuck - even enthusiastically leaning against him as if they're a buddy-buddy duo of intrepid Dibs Adventurers and haven't done a single crime the whole of their lives, ]

Yeah! What he said! ...Also, this is mine now.

[ she'll just go ahead and lift the Flamethrower up in demonstration,

.......hm. it seems they are indeed Armed And Dangerously stupid, ]

FCK NOT AGAIN

[sanguinary]

[JINX... also love how i read that as buddy cop and i was like NOW NOT ONLY ARE THEY CRIMINALS, BUT THEY'RE THE LAW??

They could be the law if they want, probably.

ANYWAY. Matsui is clearly not an initiator of touchy-feely contact, though he doesn't seem to mind that Jinx appears to be! The people who were eying them before are probably second-guessing doing so without backup now, considering they're Armed And Dangerous(ly stupid) and all. JINX HAS A FLAMETHROWER. Matsui has... nothing, apparently, but who wants to take their chances with someone who has no idea what a dibs is and is currently staring at their blood-soaked palm like it's Incredibly Interesting??

One or two people are perhaps leaving to go find some guards, though.]

Rule of dibs. [NO IT ISN'T. Matsui turns to leave after that, though, moving toward the area where participants seem to be signing up.] Since you have your weapon, let's go. I'm itching to draw blood now.

[Ah yes... The normalcy of it all.]

aki....... are you a regular in muppet jail?? do u have a muppet rap sheet??

[kabooming]

[ yeah buddy cops perfect that works too, let's go with that, THE LAW sounds good and totally apt for the two of them! yeah!!!! ]

Rule of dibs. [ she reiterates this with a very solemn and not at all goofy nod of decisiveness, and then turns to follow Chuck right on his heels. because clearly after all this, their only course of action is to do more violence. like, was anything else even on the table? ]

Hey, wait a sec. Aren't you missing something? Don't you want one of those... you know,

[ she's making a sword slash motion and an accompanying noise for the full effect,

bc why say sword when you can pantomime sword? ]

don't we all.........

[sanguinary]

[Oh yeah, he sure had mentioned that, hadn't he? Hm. Somehow, based on expression alone, it's like she's just asked him an extremely complicated question?? And not just "hey don't you want a (SWORD NOISES)", hm. He even raises a hand after a moment, resting it lightly against his chest. Normal reactions, y'know.

After a second of consideration, he just shakes... his head... and looks down at his hands contemplatively.]

...Perhaps it would be best if I were to fight with my hands, this time.

[HELLO. The funny thing is he's one of two Gous who do just bust out the punches even with a blade to fall back on. HOWEVER. Might not be the best path to take considering the opponents have giant cartoonish mallets and flamethrowers and such.]

, no??? no, we all don't???? do you do muppet crimes???

[kabooming]

[ wow, he's real serious about sword stuff, isn't he? Jinx takes in this rather dramatic contemplation of his before Chuck comes to his inevitable determination, but...

it seems like she isn't happy with that conclusion. so she's staying where she is, rooted in place and shifting her weight to the other foot as she hefts the flamethrower over her shoulder. ]

Are you serious? What happened to raining blood and all that? Have you forgotten the dream already, Chuck? Come onnnn! Let's go get you a sword, champ. My treat!

[ like she's buying it for him or something?? why, ]

i've seen you in muppet jail dont lie to me

[sanguinary]

[JINX THE SWORDS HERE ARE FREE.

Anyway, like the normal person he is, Matsui just cants his head to the side somewhat curiously and looks down at his hands, flexing his fingers. After a beat or two of silence, he looks back her way.]

Is it not enough to be able to draw blood with one's own hands?

[He's really just gonna go for it, huh. With his little twiggy arms. He's gonna just go out there and tear a limb off or something, isn't he. Damn. The bloodlust of it all.

Except he says this very intense implication with just a deadass lineface expression, like so, so the vibes are definitely a little mixed right now. IT'S FINE.]

aki please stop changing the subject we are talking abt ur muppet crimes here

[kabooming]

[ ok wow?? stop???? if she wants to pay for one (read: steal it) then what the hell ever man???????? stop harshing her vibe, she's being NICE to him (??),

anyway, she just watches this totally normal demonstration of Matsui Chuck being exceptionally Normal and Well-Adjusted, flexing and studying his fingies in deep contemplation. hm. ]

Well, sure it is, but... isn't using something you love to do it way more fun?

[ this question is, surprisingly,

incredibly earnest, ]

puts my muppet crimes under the carpet what muppet crimes

[sanguinary]

[THE (??) IS THE VIBE RIGHT NOW or it would be if he wasn't distracted by the tone of her question. Hm. Earnest questions deserve earnest answers, right? Rather, just about everything he does is done in earnestness BUT LISTEN.]

Mm... It's always better to draw blood with one's own blade. [Regardless of whether or not it's FUN. (All swords have at least a little fun in battle except maybe like one but again, listen......)] But I would not be so reckless as to use another without knowing such a thing was 'alright'. Even a blade without a mouth has a will, after all. I won't impose mine over theirs.

[Philosophical sword... hours... that Jinx didn't ask for but got anyway...]

Come, let us go. I will make do.

[WITH WHAT.]