[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

[talim]

Maybe, but isn't there a difference between prohibited and unnatural?

[ he can't help his blatant disdain; it's a stupid rule, and he doesn't like it. ]

We are, aren't we?

[ a short laugh. ]

I'm glad. That makes me happy. You both make me happy.

[ jude sways side to side a little. there's the high again, but he means every word. ]

[apatheia]

There is, but... [She exhales softly, just short of a laugh.] I think we may have to agree to disagree again.

[It's difficult to think about this when she's still somewhat buzzed, and she doesn't like the topic of feelings anyways. Besides, she can tell that Jude's adamant about this.

Maybe the high fading is for the best though. Seeing Jude sway like that, she reaches out a hand to grab him gently by the shoulder and help steady him. He trusted her to look out for him, after all. It's easier to do that as she is now.]

I don't think I understand how, but I'm glad to hear that. I like spending time with you two.

[talim]

Mmph... Fine. Agree to disagree.

[ jude crosses his arms — giving in feels like he's losing, somehow, but he's trying his best to learn not to push so hard.

and at least she seems relaxed. it's miles better than the almost-argument he had with 9s. he likes to think he's learning, too. ]

You don't have to understand. Understanding isn't always necessary to accept something. You must know that.

And I don't think I need to clarify that I like it, too.

[apatheia]

[This time she really does laugh, short and soft.]

You're right. I do.

[Her earlier tension slowly starts to leak out of her, and she almost wishes she could lean against Jude like he's been leaning against her. She still doesn't think she could manage that without crushing him with her weight though, so she settles for patting his head again, gentle and light. Her buzz isn't entirely gone just yet.]

Between the two of us, I think the kind one here is you.

[talim]

[ a quiet hum, and jude tilts his head into her touch, dipping his head back to encourage more head pats. he feels like he's never been more relaxed and content. ]

Between the two of us, I think we can both be kind, can't we? There's no need to limit it to just one.

[apatheia]

Hm... I guess that's fair. [She might sound just the tiniest bit reluctant though, and then:] Has anyone ever told you that you're stubborn?

[Just once, can she say comment on a quality she likes about Jude without it being turned back on her!!]

[talim]

[ there's a brief pause, and then: ]

So I've heard. A stubborn, meddlesome do-gooder honors student, to be specific.

[ he should probably sound more annoyed than he does, but he isn't, not really. he loves his friends, as much as they tease him. ]

[apatheia]

I don't know what an "honors student" is, but that sounds like something you'd be.

[She doesn't have much concept of what school is, but with his kind of curiosity, Jude is definitely the studious type. Honors just seems obvious at that point.

But it's also no secret that she thinks highly of him, so maybe she's just biased.]

[talim]

It's someone who excels in their studies at school. Personally, I don't see what the big deal is...

[ it's clear that jude is embarrassed. teasing or not, it's still praise, and he's never been all that good with praise himself. ]

[apatheia]

Excels in their studies...

[She nods, her mind made up on this. He really is so similar to 9S, she can't help but find it amusing.]

Curiosity like that is admirable. It shows that you're willing to learn rather than accept things as they are.

[talim]

[ jude just nods, a determined look in his eyes. this is something he's very passionate about. ]

To be honest, I can't even understand the notion of just sitting down and accepting what can be improved with a little bit of time and effort.

[ or a lot of time and effort. ]

That hard work always pays off, in the end.

[apatheia]

... You don't worry that it might not be enough?

[The passion Jude has for certain things is something else she admires about him, but all she can think about is the fight against the machines. The 114th Machine War. A struggle that's gone on for over 6000 years.

For all the hard work every android's put into this battle, do they have anything to show for it?]

[talim]

... I do.

[ he hasn't confessed this to many. not even his friends, but he knows his closest can tell. ]

Of course I do.

That's why I have to give it never anything less than my all. To make sure that it is enough. That all those sleepless nights pay off.

[apatheia]

... For what it's worth, I hope your hard work pays off. [She has no idea what he might be working on, but it definitely sounds important, certainly important to him, and that's what matters here to her.] Although I hope you're sleeping here at least.

[Androids might not necessarily need sleep, but humans definitely do, she knows that much!!]

[talim]

[ jude laughs lightly. ]

Don't worry. Now that I don't have a laboratory to coop myself up in, I'm getting plenty of sleep. There were times my best friend had to physically drag me out of there and force me to get some rest.

[apatheia]

[DEEP CONCERN]

I won't let that happen to you here or any other world we go to. [She sounds determined on this. He says he's getting sleep now, and she believes him, but also SHE DOESN'T WANT THAT HAPPENING AGAIN!! NOT WHILE SHE'S AROUND. GET SOME SLEEP JUDE.]

[talim]

[ he holds his hands up in defense. ]

L-Listen, it's not as bad as it sounds! Really. It's not like I didn't get any sleep.

I just ended up using open textbooks as a pillow once in awhile. That's all.

[ that's all. ]

[apatheia]

[She folds her arms.] But you know better than to do that, don't you?

[If she realized she was scolding a human, she'd probably have a panic attack, but here she is.]

[talim]

[ 2b why. moooooooooom. ]

... Maybe?

[ to his credit, he looks very sheepish. ]

[apatheia]

[She still hasn't put her blindfold back on, so Jude gets the once-in-a-lifetime chance to be graced with the full weight of 2B's expressions. In particular, he's leveled with a stare so flat you wouldn't think she even needs weapons to stop machines in their tracks.

Be honest, Jude.]

[talim]

... You're treating me like a kid.

[ at the tender age of sixteen he is an Adult! ]

[apatheia]

[Given that her last interaction with a "kid" was with a machine asking how babies were made, she's not sure how this compares to that.]

... I don't know how old you are though. [So maybe he qualifies to be considered a kid?? The difference between childhood and adulthood isn't exactly something has a clear concept of though.]

[talim]

Sixteen.

[ he buries his head in 2b's shoulder in embarrassment. ]

[apatheia]

[tfw sixteen is probably bizarrely old for yorha units since they're dying and getting newer models made all the time

Sixteen... Okay no, she's still not sure about if that makes him a child or an adult. At what point were humans considered to have reached adulthood? It's difficult to conceptualize when she has no idea what childhood is like. But alright, if humans on average lived for several decades, and Jude is sixteen, then...

She wishes she could ask 9S about this. He would probably know.]

... Then you're probably a kid. [Probably, as if the hesitant tone wasn't clue enough. Though there's something oddly endearing about how Jude hides his face in her shoulder. She's not sure if it's appropriate, but she leans her head lightly against his. It's comfortable, somehow.] I don't think that's a problem though.

[talim]

You don't?

[ he peers up at her through thick lashes, amber eyes filled with surprise and curiosity. he's so used to hearing adult this, adult that. the path to adulthood has been a long one, and jude wants to think he's getting there, but deep down...

well, he's not oblivious to the fact that he's been called a prodigy. he knows that milla saw him as a child, a woman he respected and admired so much. ]