catch-all open log!

[rebells]

Who: Anyone and everyone!
Where: On the beach, and various other places throughout the hub island
When: Day 80, and the next couple days after
Open/Closed: open log for hub shenanigans!

[This evening, someone has placed an old, rusted-over camp stove on the beach near the coven's row of huts--anyone examining it in detail will see that it's not operational at the moment, but that could potentially be changed, couldn't it? If someone was handy with mechanical things . . . .

Next to it is a crate (which, from the weight of it is empty) and pinned to that crate is a sheet of paper with a map on it, something like a much cruder, black-and-white version of this:



with the following key:

1 - crags. Contain snakes which may be poisonous. Watch out.
2 - ocean, going about one mile out from the coast.
3 - lagoon. Contains thick reeds (could be woven or shaped into tools) and frogs (edibility uncertain).
4 - abandoned campsite.
5 - orchard. Currently, trees are diseased and bare. Plant healer needed.
6 - abandoned house. A family used to live here, from the looks of it. Still contains some useful supplies.

And there should be a 7 north of base camp with the notation "graveyard. Graves unused." but the player forgot and is too lazy to go back and fix it right now. Observant individuals will note that the map looks like a more detailed version of one hanging on the door to a certain coven member's cabin, one that has a note on the bottom: "Have information? Ask for Jay."

Other than that, it's a quiet night on the hub island. We've been here for a couple days; maybe you're getting restless? Want to check out that ocean, or lagoon, or even those crags? Maybe just go door-to-door in the beach huts? Maybe you're sick of shrimp and looking for other things to eat . . . hopefully someone's got a fire going tonight, and thought to kill a boar . . . .

What are you doing tonight?]


((here or here for place descriptions))

Comments

[deem]

[The sound is strange to 9S' ears, set against the relative stillness of the forest. Aside from the rustle and flutter of leaves and shrubs as he makes his way through the forest at a quick clip, and the steady thumps of his strides, he would say that his surroundings were just about silent. It's serene in a way that he Forest Kingdom wasn't, devoid of the presence of hostiles on his mental radar.

That is, until he hears a shriek tear through the air from overhead. He thinks he knows that voice, and it's enough to root him to the spot, halting his procession with little more than a half-step to break his momentum as he looks up to see what's come crashing down from the canopy overhead.

Wasn't that...?

Automatically, he reaches out to catch her, in an effort to break her fall. He's not the most yielding of surfaces, but he has to imagine that he'd still be preferable to the ground]

[drizzle]

[To be fair, Nike wasn't expecting to feel anything except the cold, hard forest ground before losing her life or falling unconscious after having a few broken bones. It wouldn't be the first time she has fallen from a tree. She really should have followed her instincts over finding a smaller tree to do her test run on a taller tree than the other way around.

A lesson well learned, if she survives the fall.

But fortunately for her, there was someone in the same area as her, who noticed she was falling, and decided to help her. Whoever she landed on, she'll notice they aren't very soft, but some pain on her back from having something abruptly stop her fall is better than neither of the earlier options. It'll take some time for her mind to accept that simple fact.

A good few minutes or so, maybe.

The sharp pain on her back will take some time for it to change into one that felt like stinging pain that will remain for the remainder of the good portion of the day. Which wasn't too bad all thing considered. It kept her conscious and will help her to finally speak up.]

...thanks...whoever it is I landed on. [A beat.] Now if I'm on the ground and somehow survived it, thanks to you too god! Whoever it was. I appreciate it...

[deem]

[9S stumbles when the weight of her lands squarely in his arms, but he catches himself quickly enough. As an android, he certainly weighs more than any of his (presumably) human compatriots. And it's certainly much easier supporting her than halting an oncoming attack from particularly large machine life-forms.

He'll take catching someone over trying to keep a Goliath Biped from stomping on him any day of the week, concerns over the health of said someones aside]

You don't remember me?

[Naturally, he certainly remembers her from that weird speed-dating thing. Her curious form of kindness isn't something he could easily forget, though she may be more distinctive to him than he was to her. It's nothing he thinks very much of, looking her over in case she sustained injuries during her descent.

At a glance, she seems okay... And yet he's reluctant to actually put her down until she actually shows some sign of movement, herself]

[drizzle]

Huh?

[She...didn't expect someone to give her an actual response. It will catch her slightly off guard. Wasn't she on top of someone? On the ground? having fallen from a decent height? Her gaze will turn to the source of the voice, realizing she recognized it a few moments later. Wasn't this...2B's partner? The youthful boy who is highly intelligent, able to explain things to her properly, and cared a great feal for his partner and her reputation.

It will not be long for concern to etch into her face as she turns to look at him. Blinking a couple of times, she couldn't help realize...]

...Nines....wasn't it?

[That was his nickname. She remembered that much about their speed dating adventures. It was a fun memory, even if she was unable to help him escape from the Palai. Not successfully enough. Which will get tears to form as she realizes -- she almost died a few moments ago. If he hadn't been in the right place at the right time, then he wouldn't found her. Just that thought will get her to feel awful and grateful and...]

I'm sorry!

[Remorseful. It was difficult to not feel overwhelm with emotions right now. With hands covering her face, she'll add.]

You shouldn't have caught me! Aren't I heavy? Are you okay? I didn't hurt you, right?

[Seems like she hasn't fully realize that 1) he was carrying her bridal style, 2) he wasn't an actual human child, and 3) she wasn't heavy compare to other androids.]

[deem]

[The reaction, in turn, catches 9S off guard. Behind his opaque goggles he can do little better than stare at her. He doesn't understand the reason for her apologies, though she certainly supplies the reasons for which she seems to be upset; it's just that they don't make sense to him. Of course he should have caught her, because she could've been serously injured otherwise.

While he could repair another android, the same can't be said for a human. They'd need someone like Jude for that, and if the damage was bad enough, not having anyone who could tend to her wounds in the immediate area could've been catastrophic.

Even if he had somehow been hurt, that would have been an incredibly small price to pay]

Of course I should've caught you, don't be silly. [Seriously, in what world would anyone just let her hit the ground? And who would do that? Not this android, and not any other android] I'm made of stronger stuff than that.

[Although he doesn't boast the kind of strength 2B possesses, much less the durability, he's still more than apt to the task of catching a falling human or two]

[drizzle]

[Human emotion weren't usually the most reliable or stable after having gone through a crisis. As much as Nike was accustomed to falling off trees like a kid, she always had someone by her side, looking out for her, and would do everything in their power to protect her. Unlike in this world, where she didn't have anyone sticking to her like glue or following her around; although if she did, she would make absolute certain to lose the before attempting any dangerous stunts.

She'll try to nod her head while attempting to calm herself. As much as Nines sounded like his usual self, she didn't want to be a burden for him. It was difficult to rely on other people. The thought of being protected wasn't really her forte.]

...thank you...

[It was a relieve to know he was okay and she was too. As far as her body was able to inform. Everything kinda stung right now. Her back mainly. There may be a slight pout as she realized it'll take some time for it to go away. May as well use that emotion to get the fear out of her system by putting her hands down and looking directly at Nines with a very determine
gaze that spoke volumes, even if her tears and red cheeks were proof of continuing to feel embarrassment and alarm from her near life threatening experience.]

But once we get back to base camp, I'm going to check up on you! There's no way you are leaving my sight until I know I absolutely didn't break anything.

[deem]

Believe me, I'd know if something was wrong with my own body...

[9S has more than enough experience with being broken, that's for certain. More than Scanners typically were, and they suffered such high fatalities as to be considered normal, he had always been inclined toward taking heavy damage. His death count of course had been largely by design. Expected, because it was used to keep him in check. These are things he need not tell others, but he is intimately familiar with injury]

But we should have somebody take a look at you. Jude's got healing magic, or...well, he calls it something else, but I'm pretty sure it's a kind of magic.

[As he speaks he's already walking back toward base camp. Although he broke her fall, he knows that beneath his deceptively warm, soft skin, his endoskeleton is hard and unyielding. While it might be preferable to her hitting the ground, he's well aware that it likely still hurt. The small movements she's made suggest as much, as has her lack of attempt to get down.

Better than if her fall hadn't been broken, but still something for which she was best off getting some medical care. He does his best not to jostle her as they move, picking his way over gnarled roots and fallen branches with the unnatural ease of a manufactured being]

[drizzle]

[The pout won't escape her lips, on the contrary it turns to an outright frown.]

I don't care. I insist on making sure you are okay.

[Just because he can find out if he was injured or not, it doesn't mean she should take his word for it neither. She was determine to check if it was the case. The issue she won't point out behind her adamant nature over the matter was: she wanted to be absolutely certain he was okay. She was worried about him; she wanted to know none of his doll-like features got ruined because of her fall.]

Jude? I don't think I've met him before.

[There may be a slight pause at the idea of having any boy checking up on her. It was one thing for someone like Nines, Riku, or Red to do it, she trusts they wouldn't do anything strange to her, but a complete stranger was a whole other story. She'll wonder though, realizing it may be a good idea to have someone heal her, but...]

Is he...trustworthy? As much as I want to trust you on him having healing powers, I don't really trust the peculiar methods in activating our given powers are. He won't have to kiss me or grope me or anything like that?

[Guess who had a weird activation method to their powers?]

[deem]

[The suggestion that Jude would use such strange methods to heal anyone is cause for 9S to actually halt for a moment. He turns this notion about in his mind, processing the idea that anyone would think he would need to heal people in such an invasive manner... And then he thinks about the sort of reaction that Jude himself would have to the very idea of it.

His shoulders shake. That's what comes first, followed by a laugh that bubbles up and escapes him before he can quite help himself. It would definitely be something that would fluster their resident doctor and he can easily picture the look on his face if Nike were to say such things to him.

Perhaps he can spare him that, though, he thinks as he collects himself]

N-no, nothing like that. He needs to be near you, but it's more like a light he generates. Contact's not needed or anything.

[Certainly not the sort that would embarrass Jude half to death. He'd have surely taken up another profession entirely if that was the requisite, considering he seems to get embarrassed if somebody gets too close to him to start with. Or it seems that way to 9S anyhow]

Why would you think he'd need to do...something like that?

[And there, he reminds himself to start walking again]

[drizzle]

[Did....did she just get Nines to laugh? Nike couldn't help notice the laughter that spontaneously came out of him. It was an interesting thing to see. Since she has never seen him laugh before. He was talkative, but not as emotive. While he did show emotion better than Dirk. Still, she can't help watch him with intrigue, wondering that maybe she could trust this Jude fellow if it got this type of reaction out of him.

Nike can't help smile a bit while she listens to his explanation about the way that other guy activated his abilities.]

If it's just like you said, then I guess it'll be worth a shot for him to heal me.

[As much as she knew her back would get better with time, Nike knew it would get in her way of doing the things she needed to do to help everyone survive in the new island they were in. She didn't want to be a burden on anyone. It was the feeling she had at the very least. With or without her powers.

Too bad Nines next question will gain Nike's attention in the worse way possible. Her cheeks will begin to glow a bright red as she remembers the way to activate her powers was through touch. An embarrassing way to go around it. One she doesn't believe she'll have the courage to ever activate. But it wouldn't hurt to tell Nines, right? He wasn't human, so it should be less embarrassing than having to tell someone like Riku about it.]

Well, um...my powers...they... [Okay, maybe it was very embarrassing to admit even to Nines, but he did kinda saved her, so...she's gonna make an actual effort to spill it out. Full volumes, even. Sorry, Nines.] I NEED TO KISS SOMEONE TO USE IT!

[......oh god she actually yelled that out, didn't she? She yelled the truth to god knows who. Why!? She'll begin to shake at the thought of having yelled it out. THIS IS SO EMBARRASSING AFTER ALL! QRI WHY ARE YOU SO CRUEL TO HER!?]

[deem]

[Once upon a time, before his life came crashing down around him, 9S was quite a bit more emotive than he is now. Well, insofar as somebody can be with half his face covered. And even more talkative, for that matter, though some of that was his simple eagerness for companionship. He's recovered somewhat since arriving here, but his smiles come a little less easily than they once did.

There's so much he still needs to address with 2B, and so much he would far sooner avoid rather than risk hurting her. But those thoughts linger on the periphery: his focus right now is on Nike's present condition.

Or he would, if she didn't just shout something like that right in his face. He takes pause simply to glance down at her, surprised by this admission, especially coupled with the face that she's beet red. He's seen Jude take on such a festive shade before, but it's still a sight to behold.

Androids can blush, but has he ever had cause to become that colorful?]

That's...an odd activation method. Isn't that sort of thing pretty significant for a human, usually?

[Not that he wouldn't consider it as such for himself as well, but he doesn't think it likely that he will ever be in that kind of situation. After all, he's an android, and so he and 2B are rarities around here. He can't imagine that 2B has ever thought about such things for herself either]