[OPENING] island hub - day 1

[spellbindmods]

Who: All Characters
Where: Main Hub
When: Day 1
Open/Closed: Open to All

TDM threads can be considered canon if you so choose, they contain the power that you apped with and both parties confer that the thread is canon.

For characters that were on the TDM and who were not accepted/didn't app, these characters will be considered dropped characters that were magicked away.

Night has fallen upon everyone. It's thus far been an eventful day -- you've met some new people, discovered some new aspects of yourself that weren't there before you appeared here (however that might have happened). The original inhabitants of the island have been working hard to prepare a few things. One activity might have been one you were a part of, but there's still time to get your hands dirty. A ▢ Brie has rolled out a large copper pot and created a pit on the beach. It's unrealistic to think everyone can subsist on the few foods she's collected from other words and boar jerky alone. She's got a few boar carcasses sitting on the beach that need attending to as well. Your characters can help feed themselves and others, and here's what needs to be done: Fire needs to be started for cooking the meat AND a large bonfire for light and warmth. The large copper bowl needs to be filled with water. Crabs need to be bravely collected from the bath house for boiling. The boar needs to be either cut up for kebabs or stuck through. Does your character know anything about spit-roasting? Any other helpful magical skills are welcome to help make food. Post feasting, there are dozens of crabs and a pile of roasted boar meet that are up for eating. Even if you didn't offer to help in making any of the food, they're open to eat it -- even if the true helpers may give you dirty looks. The boar is fine, if not a little bland and chewy, but it's probably better than the jerky. The crab is delicious, if not a little tasteless...there problem with the crab isn't exactly the taste, though. B ▢ The crab isn't a species that's immediately edible for most species, though your character will grow to get used to it eventually. For now, the meat isn't settling well within your character's system. Your character will experience sweats, a high fever, blurred vision, potential vomiting, hives...it's very obvious their body is rejecting the unfamiliar meat. This may also cause a bit of an issue with your character's powers. They're still getting physically and mentally acclimated to these new changes, so expect their telepathy and magic to go a little haywire.

It's almost completely dark outside when the next event of the evening happens. You're living your life when you see it out of the corner of your eye -- it's absolutely hard to miss. What you see is a large lit caravan, larger than even an army tank. It's bright white and shining, covered with golden, ornate details that emanate an even more dazzling sparkle. The entire thing is aglow, and it's quickly coming towards the large bonfire that's been made. It's not rolling across the sand, but instead it's floating, and so is a matching trunk that's sailing along next to a figure beside the caravan. C ▢ A tall, slender woman has also come along with the large caravan, quickly opening the trunk that eventually lands on the sand with a large thud. She's handing out sacks, very similar to the ones previously in the large lobster cage. These contain a parka, a type of candy of your choice, a bottle of water, a large shard from a broken mirror and a letter rolled up and bound with a roll of twine. There are two other thread options associated with this prompt: Genette's top level and her telepathy training post. Around the same time as Genette is handing out this new little goody bag, you suddenly receive a telepathic message. It might seem a little strange at first -- but on that note, what about tonight isn't strange? D ▢ The telepathic message your character will receive is a simple one: Hello. It shows up in text form across your character's line of vision and it doesn't go away until they respond back, though the message that's sent out won't go to the original telepath. Instead it will ping pong to a random person in the group. You've made a new friend! After you've met Genette, she's also got a few more supplies that she pulls out a small door in the base of the caravan. She's insistent that you only get two items, since there aren't exactly a lot of them to go around! E ▢ The last of the starter supplies are being handed out, and these are items that are more cumbersome or rare -- they may not be immediately useful for your character, but maybe you can make use of them somehow, whether eventually in another world or with your power. An electronic/technology: these can be as obvious as an MP3 player, as useless as a garage door motor or as scandalous as a Hitachi Magic Wand. If it can be powered by electricity or batteries, there's a tub of them. They're also partially charged if they don't need constant electricity to work. A fashion accessory: there are a lot of these, surprisingly. Flower crowns, belts, bras, shoes, earrings, other types of jewelry. Your character can look cute while suffering from crab vomiting. Books and stationary: maps of various worlds, books written in a myriad of languages (maybe even one you recognize!), writing paper, ink pens, gel pens, stickers. Any kind of stationary can be found here. Other household items: this can include cleaning supplies, furniture, and other miscellaneous goods. These won't be personal affects from your character's home, but they may be useful! Feel free to come up with unusual or alien items -- these have come from all over the universe, remember!

As the night winds down, it's recommended by Brie that you should probably go to be in your hut -- or at the very least get somewhere inside. There are a lot of people around the camp, however, so it's no surprise that there are a few people waiting around to get their fill of food and supplies before heading to bed. The noise of the new members and the light of the fire have attracted a very large pack of boars, who you'll later find make routine trips to the beach every night. Boar mating season has made the wild hogs rather testy, and the smell of food -- even if it's their own boar brethren -- have made them even more volatile. F ▢ If your character isn't quick to get inside tonight, they're likely to get a boar charging at them. The chances are doubled if they happen to be holding onto a food item. Female boars can leave a few bruises and trample you, but beware the males -- they've got tusks. However, it's not like staying up at night doesn't have its advantages. Once midnight hits, another species of animal makes its regular rounds across the base camp. In the sky, characters can see an Aurora Borealis-like sight. Instead of being dancing green and blue lights, however, the reality is that they are a massive species of space worm, and hundreds are wiggling past on their way to travel back home. They're shimmering and in every color imaginable, lighting up the sky with their magnificent hues. G ▢ The space worms operate outside the natural barrier of the hub, but they still are in close enough proximity to shed a film as they travel. If you're still awake, boars or no, you'll be in the middle of a shower. The film sheds from the worms and enters the atmosphere, creating multi-colored, sweet-smelling mists of worm water vapor. Worm water vapor is kind of weird, but it's also pretty cool. It's also calming, and that's a bonus. Inhale too much and you might become a little too calm.

Comments

[gymconquering]

[[ooc: all TDM threads can be assumed canon!]]

[A]

[So much to do, and a lot of it makes Sapphire a little bit queasy. It's not that she doesn't eat meat on principle, but her life being what it is, getting that involved in the process behind it just isn't her thing - so she takes up a secondary chore, gathering up wood for a bonfire.

She can carry an awful lot of wood, and a good three of her Pokemon have hands for helping out, after all. She figures it wouldn't hurt to rope in anyone who looks like they're at a loose end, too, since there's only so many chefs welcome in the kitchen, and since she'd like to get to know some of the people who are stuck here with her. The invite comes with a pat on the shoulder, quick and casual to get their attention.]

Wanna help me an' bring back some wood to burn?


[D]

[What...what? What the hell is this. Sapphire stood agape, until her welcome present was shoved into her arms and she fumbled the letter open only to find that it was long and she really couldn't get even half a sentence in before it got unmanageable.

So she's a little frazzled when the message shows up, between the sick feeling and the general confusion and the caravan thing whose status as friend or enemy she's still unclear on. Her reply comes in loud, unfiltered voice.]

I - yeah? Hello? This is the psychic stuff again, ain't it. It's gonna be tough to get a quiet moment for thinkin' around here.

...Wait, aw, I - I can't tell what I'm just sayin' to myself and what I'm sayin' out loud...


[F]

[The warning about the boars is only encouragement for Sapphire - she still thinks they're interesting, and watching them at a different time of the day, while they're engaged in a different behavior, is a nice opportunity. Also, she can't sleep, as weird as the day has been.

She decides early on, as soon as the boars' interest in the camp's food becomes obvious, that her observation opportunity is going to be more like a night watch. The boars need fending off, and Sapphire has Pokemon who need to learn how to deal with this kind of opponent - a win-win. She patrols back and forth with her Blaziken beside her, picking up the debris from the feast and keeping an eye peeled for boar-bothered fellow arrivals. When one thinks to give her trouble, Chic's ankles burst aflame and the Pokemon warns it away with a flurry of kicks...]

A

[teratias]

Uhm.

[Waver jumps a little at the sudden touch, then turns to face Sapphire. He tilts his head slightly, not sure what about his build makes it seem like he is going to be good for carrying wood.

But it would be good to at least look like he's contributing to this.]

Did you have an idea of where you were going to look?

[gymconquering]

A'course! There's a pass up through the forest with an old fallen tree I saw on my way down. Bust it up into pieces an' it oughta go up like a match.

[She nods as she says it, looking as sure as she sounds.]

More interestin' than standin' around, right?

[teratias]

You have an axe or something to do that?

[Waver tilts his head. This person's certainty was remarkable, without a doubt.]

And yeah, that much is true.

[gymconquering]

Or somethin'.

[The people who don't know what Pokemon thing is still kind of percolating down through her brain as it works out all the many implications of that. She'd probably have an easier time with people who didn't know what the sun was. It'd be easier to cook up an explanation of, for sure.

By way of explanation for this, Sapphire unclips one of the Poke Balls from her belt and holds it out, enough that Waver can probably see through the translucent top to the miniaturized bulky-looking dinosaur thing blinking up at him.]

Gettin' it ready to take back will be a snap.

[teratias]

[When Sapphire reaches for her belt, Waver has no idea what to expect. What he does not expect is the face of a dinosaur. That is a dinosaur right?

The day has been too full of surprises, but Waver manages to react with an agape mouth.]

What is that thing? And is it that tiny?!

[gymconquering]

["Thing". Whoof.]

His name's Rono! He's big enough to break up that log for us. [Sapphire grins, maybe apologetically, a little stiffly, cheer still blunted by the chaos of their whole situation, and by the abrupt realization that she's way in over her head with this conversation.]

F

[lunala]

[Moon isn't bothered by the boars--she's drawn by the activity, worrying someone with new fire powers may have set something on fire, and when she sees what's happening, her face bursts with excitement.]

A Pokemon! [A moment later and she spots the girl.] You're a Pokemon trainer!

[gymconquering]

[A Pokemon!]

Aah! [The name grabs her attention. The details - the Pokeball pattern, the obvious kit of someone who's dressed to hit the road - sink in after, like a familiar tune on the radio. Foreign, but closer to home than anything else here.

Sapphire's expression goes from shock to excitement to relief and back to excitement in a moment.]

You're a Pokemon trainer!

[She's practically on top of Moon in an instant, grabbing her forearm with one hand and kind of shaking it familiarly, with frantic energy. Chic follows close behind her, eyes wide and the feathers of her crest all standing on end a little, peering curiously over her trainer.]

I was startin' to think I was goin' crazy!

[lunala]

[Moon practically bounces with excitement, returning Sapphire's frantic shaking and waving at Chic.] Me too, you're the first other person I've seen with one! [Her poor Salazzle got held at swordpoint earlier... Moon lets out her Primarina--she'd been prepared to call her out for firefighting duty anyway.]

[gymconquering]

I've had the same- [But like hold that thought, oh my god, it's an unfamiliar Pokemon!] Lookit you! [The absolute, immediate certainty that Ruby would adore this Pokemon is a bit painful. Sapphire claps her hands together.] It's so cool!

[Chic chirps appreciatively.]

[lunala]

She's a Primarina. Her name's Ariri--my very first Pokemon. [Moon glows with pride. Ariri, more timid than her trainer, is more reserved but nonetheless nods acknowledgement and greets Chic politely.] Yours is a--a Blaziken, right? [Not a Pokemon she's immediately familiar with, but one she can call into memory after a moment. Wouldn't Rotom be excited to see this if it were here?] Where are you from?

[gymconquering]

Yeah, this is Chic! We're both Hoenn born an' raised! An' you've gotta be from a long ways out, right? 'Cause I've never seen a Primarina before.

[A long ways out. Kind of like they are right now! Haha oh god.]

d

[billionboy]

[ Wow. A girl's voice. Again. ]

Ah, no, what yer sayin' I'm hearing. Uh... yeah, hello. It's kind of hard to figure out how to know when to stop sending things, I know.

[gymconquering]

I guess it gets easier with trainin'. It's gotta.

[She's not even trying. It just...grabs whatever she's thinking.]

Does that mean you've figured out how to stop?

(and then i switch to italics like i should have started with)

[billionboy]

Not really. I just kind of think that I think and think a lot and then when I get kind of tired of thinking that it decides that when it should stop. I really don't get it, but I guess it's something, like ya said, would be best done with training.

[gymconquering]

Huhhh. Nothin' for it? Oughta be careful not to think about anythin' embarrassin'...

[And then in a sudden, panicked effort to not let the thought of embarrassing things turn into actual embarrassing things, Sapphire transmits an extremely high-definition image of her reflection in the mirror shard. Focus, stupid, focus!]

Still, this is awful useful once ya got it down, huh? No worryin' about droppin' phones in the muck!

[billionboy]

Oh, it is a cute girl!

[ Cause why wouldn't he think that after seeing her reflection. ]

And yeah, that is true. Still I can't help but think that I will cut the shit out of my hand with these shards.

[gymconquering]

[WHAt]

Don' be weird! [The image snaps away from the mirror before she can get too visibly flustered. It resolves on the ground; there's a beetle crawling along a leaf that stands out in sharp focus.] Maybe it's true, but I don't wanna hear that!

[Telepathy. Goddammit.]

A

[yokunaru]

[The quick touch to his shoulder makes Yuuri flinch in surprise. He drops his hands down to his side quickly, trying to look like he wasn't just pressing his fingers to his temple to alleviate his headache. Nothing he can do to hide how tired he looks, though.]

Oh. [It's a quiet exhale. Yuuri looks between Sapphire and the people crowding around the fire, then gives her a slight nod before getting to his feet.] Um, sure. I'll help you with that. It looks like they've got enough people handling the rest of it anyway.

fun fact: sapphire speaks in a heavy rural kyushu dialect

[gymconquering]

[Poor guy. Maybe he'll like some fresh air and quiet? Sapphire starts leading the way, back into the woods with purpose.]

Talk about a crazy day, huh? But it's nice everyone here's pullin' together right away. I'm Sapphire.

laughs perfect

[yokunaru]

I'm Yuuri. [All Yuuri can do is manage a weak attempt at a smile before following after her.]

Um, crazy doesn't even begin to cover it. I'm still not convinced this isn't a dream.

my phone never fucking posted the tag, rude as hell

[gymconquering]

You must get some nutty dreams. [just, saying] But I getcha. If this ain't serious, it's a really nasty joke.

phone, that's rude

[yokunaru]

It would be a first. I normally don't get dreams this weird, but magic and all of this isn't exactly normal for me, either.

[Yuuri frowns.] If it's a joke, it isn't a funny one.

[gymconquering]

Exactly!

[...Anyways. Once tree cover comes overhead, Sapphire rolls her shoulders and sighs, posture loosening up. She's not socially averse by any means, but nothing really beats forest environments - the constant presence of living things, the three-dimensionality of it, the freedom to rely only on yourself, the soil and wood smell...they're good places for thinking. A root bulging from the ground makes a good place to hop up and scan the surroundings.]

Okay, keep yer eyes peeled for nice old branches, fallen trees, anythin' that'll burn. An' let's not split up in case those creatures come along through here.