[WORLD ONE | DING DONG THE FISH IS DEAD]

[spellbindmods]

Who: Coven members and the Palai
Where: Celebrating the Uvi going boom-boom
When: Day 67
Open/Closed: Open to All
OOC Note:

The initial setting information found here should be utilized for threads here.

There's no official OOC account for the Palai people. You're free to roleplay their actions and reactions on your own, as in depth as you want -- asking questions, hand-waved interactions, becoming best friends. The new world is your oyster!

For decades, the Palai have had to deal with the threat of the Uvi invading their homes, killing their families and returning 30 days later. After the coven found their way to Aimintas, the Palai found that the threat wasn't so...threatening. After the last attack, with many more Palai lost as compared to previous Uvi instances, some Palai had lost hope. Now, after seeing their nemesis blown to bits and falling out of the ocean, their faith in safety is restored. While the Uvi are still committed (by and large) to learning more about barriers and other forms of safety, the time for focusing on serious things has passed. It will return, but tonight? They celebrate. Unlike their last, shrimpy festival, this party has a lot more going for it. The Palai have had time to process the events and prepare themselves for a grand celebration. The Palai know how to party, but you ain't seen nothin' like this. A ▢ As a birthday tradition, the Palai give the birthday lizard a special concoction. It contains Elto energy and a combination of found herbs that can easily be located in Aimintas. When these herbs are combined with the Elto energy, they create a sort of...hallucinogenic experience. It's supposed to feel extremely relaxing and give the Palai pleasant visions, but in human bodies it's essentially just getting high. There are vials of these being passed around like candy, so don't worry about anyone running out. B ▢ Despite the adults getting lit, there are obviously a lot of baby Palai on the lose. Responsible coven members who have their own babies will have the ability to let them run wild and play with their lizardy cousins. If you want to spend time with your baby, the nursery caretakers have platters of crackers with mushy foods adorning them -- these are essentially candy to a tiny Palai. They may also be tempted by other foods present at the festivities, but you can avoid them getting a tummy ache if you have a watchful eye. C ▢ Speaking of food, there certainly is a lot of it. There are large grills being heated by the newly found bone structures. These hold shrimp and fish, grilled vegetable skewers and other foods. Instead of the Palai doing the serving, the coven members and other Palai are instead encouraged to utilize their own raw ingredients (which includes several large sharks, dolphins, etc.) in whatever fashion they choose. It's essentially a "build-your-own-kabob" station with no limits. D ▢ Because the party is lasting on into the night, some Elto have decided to light the marketplace with some of the bone structures they found by powering them and inserting them into small cloth bags that they then magically levitate around. While they provide a powerful light source that can increase the party's longevity, they're also floating live wires. Bump into one of these and you'll get a nasty shock! This is doubly concerning since Palai babies are fascinated by following these floating "toys." E ▢ The Palai, feeling more familial and supportive of their ideals than ever, haven't let go of the whole family/romance pushing on the coven. Their newest attempt is a bit of a prank (probably due to high Palais) who have taken magic bone structures and tied thick strings to the spines that poke out of them. At the end of these strings are loops that they're quickly slipping around the wrists of coven members they find. You may find that you're suddenly magically connected to someone -- or two other people if you're lucky enough -- by a magical thread that's VERY hard to slip out of or break. F ▢ Wildcard Part 1: Other previous party prompts can also be considered here, from the rolls that make magic go haywire to the aged liquor that causes a bit more than a headache. G ▢ Wildcard Part 2: Any prompt you like!

Comments

[secondadvent]

[ akechi watches akira pick at the grass curiously, biting off another piece of meat and chews it thoughtfully. this isn't the kind of of conversation he expected to have tonight, nor did he expect to have to deal with akira being high as a kite. ]

I agree. I have nothing but contempt for such people - especially if they are in a position of power. Anyone in a position of power has the responsibility to ensure that it is not abused. Unfortunately, power tends to corrupt.

[actus]

[ he's very much aware of where akechi stands on this issue. he knows he's poking a bear by talking about this, but part of akira wants to hear more. he wants to at least make some connection with akechi. they aren't too dissimilar, and while their methods are entirely opposite, there's still common ground buried beneath all of that. ]

Right. [ look, they're agreeing? for once? akira sits up, hair entirely a mess and little blades of grass caught up in the curls. he hugs his knees close to his chest, resting his cheek on the crest of one. ]

That's why I won't stop what we're doing back home. The people we're changing... they're too far out of reach of the law. Not until they come clean.

[secondadvent]

You have to stop. We have a deal.

[ One that involves a hefty amount of blackmail, but still. His eyes narrow a little and a hint of irritation colors his voice. ]

While I'll concede that you've done good for society by taking on those who are untouchable by the law, what you're doing is vigilantism. It runs contrary to the established criminal justice system, it's unaccountable and dangerous. I can't allow you continue.

[actus]

[ shut up about your wicked and skewed sense of justice. he frowns, and really, time is one hell of a drug because that was almost a slip. almost. but maybe it's less suspicious if akira's being dogmatic about protecting people and not salty as hell about things he can't discuss.

like the urge to mutter, "you're unaccountable and dangerous" under his breath. yeah, got to check that one, too. ]

Mm. I want to believe you feel that way, but.... [ but... ? ] Your thief clothes say otherwise. You're a Prince, right? Someone in power and noble. Even more, your Persona is Robin Hood. Doesn't that mean, deep down, you want to help people? Skirt around the law?

[secondadvent]

[ That gets the detective to pause for a moment and he tips his head a bit as he thinks. ]

...Isn't the outfit supposed to represent one's idea of rebellion? A prince is a legitimate heir to the throne. So if we look at it from that angle, wearing them means rebelling against the stigma imposed upon me since birth.

[actus]

[ ... ha. hahaha. oh. akira frowns, something unsettling clawing in his stomach even despite the happy drugs in his system. they're most definitely beginning to wear off with the gravity of this conversation, whether akechi knows it or not. ]

Could be. [ he sounds a bit ... far off when he says it, fidgeting with his hair again. ]

And Robin Hood? [ explain that one away. he hooks one ankle over the other and tosses akechi a glance. ]

[secondadvent]

Well... I do want to help people, but I don't want to skirt around the law unless it's absolutely necessary. The legal system is not perfect, but neither is any other institution designed by man. The law is what keeps society together; without it, there would be chaos.

[ He glances at Akira, having noticed the fidgeting and the way his voice sounds just a little bit off, but doesn't think about it too much -- the guy is currently on drugs, after all. ]

I'm not quite sure how Robin Hood is supposed to represent my inner self, to be honest.

[actus]

[ he really is quick on his feet. then again, akira muses through the clearing haze, he's had how many years of practice? ]

Still... [ it sounds like he's about to refute it, but instead: ] ... I think it says something about you. As a person. Your Persona could have been anything.

[ even if loki was his other, and even if the detective prince was a facade, there had to be something deep down that wanted things to be different, right? akechi wasn't a completely lost cause, was he? these thoughts were stupid, though. it doesn't matter - akechi had saids so himself on the ship. ]

Anyway... who knows how long we'll be stuck here for. Might as well get to know each other. [ deadpan...! because, well, the drugs are clearing. ]

[secondadvent]

[ Every once in a while, Akechi thinks about his Personas, wondering why he got Loki and Robin Hood, of all things. He doesn't disagree with Akira, those two probably say something about him, but does it really matter in the end? What does matter is how useful they are in the Metaverse, how he can use them to tear through Palaces. ]

You're an interesting person, Kurusu-kun. [ And that's surprisingly genuine, coming from Akechi. The smile is still plastic and fake, though. ] I would like to get to know you better.

[ This is where the rational side of him would chime in and say no, that's a terrible idea, because there's no point in getting to know the person you're personally going to shoot in the head (or stab, drown, whatever, if he decides to carry out his murder plot while they're here and not in Tokyo) and it only risks getting attached. But Akechi likes to pretend there isn't already attachment, that he will never be attached. Akira is just a stepping stone in his slow-burn quest for revenge, nothing more.

There's also that curious part of him, the one that's intrigued at the prospect of actually connecting with another human being. But he's denying that, too. It's much easier that way, and bonds are nothing but trash anyway. He doesn't need them. ]

You should eat something; it might help you get the drugs out of your system. [ He picks up a vegetable skewer from his plate and holds it out towards Akira. Of course, it will suddenly become very slippery a few moments after he takes it. ]

[actus]

[ against his gut reaction telling him to pass, his stomach growls and he decides why not. who would poison food? someone like akechi would just blatantly shoot him in the head. he goes for the quick and dirty. poison has too many what-ifs attached to it -- he can't believe he just had that discourse in his own head. maybe he's coming down from that high after all?

nonetheless, he reaches out to take the kabob and -- and it drops. to the ground. that is the saddest thing he's ever seen. ]

... Maybe I'm feeling worse than I thought.

[ he's going to attribute it to the drugs because why would it be anything else? still... that poor kabob. ]

... I feel like I should host a funeral for this. [ the kabob. but also #death jokes. ]