Unlock! (1)

[trainmasters]

Who: Everyone
When: Day 12, evening into night
Where: the Aurora

[As evening approaches, you hear the jingle associated with an official message from your Chain. It's the same balloons and confetti animation as the last time newbies arrived, and the same message as well:]

WELCOME NEW HEROES

[As anticipated, some newbies are waking up in their rooms, in the usual nondescript undies or team pyjamas.

Just after this, however, something much more startling happens...

Outisde, the bell tone gets all the louder, a beautiful resonating sound that fills the air. Then, suddenly, a flood of strange square-shaped sparkles appear, floating around like magical fireflies, bringing with them a pleasant warmth. They increase in size and volume until the air itself whites out with a bright but pleasant light. While you can't see, you can hear the bell, and the distant rumbling of stone.

Abruptly, the sound stops, and the bright light fades to reveal a sky painted in sunset hues. Where there was once a dark and hostile jungle with cracks in the ground, there's now a colourful rainforest environment and a floor thick with bright moss. The sounds of birds and insects and regular wildlife rise over the previous silence, and the aggressive plantlife is replaced by large flowers and succulent fruits. In one direction, a dirt path winds through the trees, and in the opposite, the brush gives way to a stone formation with a flat top and an opening flanked in carvings of water and plants.

If one were to enter the new cave entrance, they'd find the previous moon crystals replaced by rainbow ones that reflect sparkling light onto the floor, and feel soothingly warm to the touch. Further into the caves, there's a carved stone path that leads to the beach you initially arrived on. There stands the Prism: a large floating cube in the center of gyproscope-like concentric rings. Where it had been glowing black, it's now a royal purple, and the light and energy from it are significantly less malicious than before -- though still far from pure. The beach itself is now covered in fine white sand, and the sea no longer tries to pull you in -- provided you don't go out too far.

Because not all is well on this Star just yet. While the nearby water contains a reef of colourful fish, 100 meters or so out to sea the water turns black again. While under water in the safe area, you can occasionally see the shadows of great and terrible monsters deep in the dark.

Likewise, should you choose to follow the first path, after ~1km you'll find the forest fades back into the previous dense, dark jungle. At the edge of the darkness, there's something new -- the remains of what looks like a modern town. It's all overgrown, cottages twisted into ruins and streets covered in vines and prowled by tiger monsters and a new threat: towering reptilian creatures that climb the crumbling shells of apartment buildings and the empty City Hall, like geckos increased to dinosaur size. They're fast, and if they catch you they'll swallow you whole. On the one side, that makes it easier for someone to save you -- they could cut you out. On the other, those unable to be rescued will find their skin and muscles becoming slowly more transparent and stiff, the colour and feeling leaving them until their minds are trapped in a useless shell. Those found in that condition later must be saved via the healing pods -- but they'll remember their stay in their glass bodies, with their blood running and heart pumping like a living anatomical model of their organs.

On the Aurora, however, you're welcome to enjoy the first sight of the sun in 12 days. As the brilliant sunset moves into a night reigned over by a gentle moon, the Heartbeat Festival remains in full swing. So celebrate your victory with a glass of shimmery alcohol and a kiss, because you've done it -- your love has purified a part of this Star!]

[[OOC NOTES: CONGRATULATIONS on your first Prism purification, guys! There is a toplevel for ICly suggesting train upgrades here, so check it out! Next week we'll post a poll, and the week after the upgrade will be implemented.

The updates to the Setting page to reflect this post will be made soon, so keep an eye out!]]

Comments

[crimeson]

Uhhh, 'cause you live in it?

[spectacularluck]

Yeah, well, I'm sure there are tons of other people who don't have sticky hands that are better candidates.

Can't it be someone else's problem? Why do I even have sticky hands?

[crimeson]

Maybe sticky hands are the secret to our possible success. You never know!

[spectacularluck]

Not helping.

[ but he is sort of starting to deflate ]

I don't remember anything. Well - not really, I know background stuff, I guess. Everything else is a blur and that's really freaking me out.

[crimeson]

[randy deflates a bit too]

Sorry. It's fair to be freaking out. They... didn't really do a good job, grabbing a lot of the people they did. Some people are missing memories, like you. Some people are missing abilities.

The good news is, you can get them back, the bad news is it'll be bit by bit.

[spectacularluck]

If my abilities are these I think I would have rather have a swap. That's so dumb. Sticky hands, really?

Ugh...

Do you have a name?

[crimeson]

I do think they could probably be useful, under your control... But yeah, seems pretty rough.

I'm Randy. Randy Orlando. I'd offer you a handshake, buuuut.

[shrugs helplessly]

[spectacularluck]

[ Well the good news is that he snorts at that so at least he seems to think that last one was funny ]

Fair.

[crimeson]

Maybe a fistbump? Does that seem safe from eternal handholding?

[spectacularluck]

Maybe let's not risk it yet. I guess I'll have to figure out how this thing works.

You said I can get my memories back...?

[crimeson]

Alas. Another time.

Yeah, you get tokens every certain number of sparks earned, I think. 500ish?

[spectacularluck]

And how do I earn those ...?

[crimeson]

Talking people into things. That's our team's "Bond". It's that and, basically just making friends? And doing well in the trials, but those are a whole thing, so.

[spectacularluck]

Talking people into things? That sounds terrible, but also easy, so hey. I'm in. What about the trials? What are they like?

[ And look, the pajamas from his hands are gradually unsticking until they just sort of fall from his hands ]

[crimeson]

They're basically the horrible world-eating darkness just... fucking with us? Generally not great. But there are rules, and we can get by okay on some by following those rules.

--Oh hey, there we go!

[spectacularluck]

[ World eating darkness does not help with the whole freaking out thing but at least he's not touching anything now ]

So I calmed down for a hot second, and then you said that, and now I'm freaking out again.

But I think I get an idea of how this works, so that's one silver lining.

[crimeson]

[grimaces]

Thaaat's fair. Jus' trying to get it all out there so it doesn't sneak up on you rudely later, y'know?

So it's stress related?

[spectacularluck]

It's the only thing that makes sense right now. When I woke up I was pretty much panicking, and it just kept on getting worse.

[ He is going to take a deep breath, close his eyes and make a genuine effort to calm down before he gathers his pajamas again. No sticking! So he'll take the chance to actually put them on ]

So far, so good.

[crimeson]

Yeah, makes sense I guess. Still... you caught on fast. Nice.

[spectacularluck]

[ Oh. Is that a compliment. ]

Uhm.

Thanks.

I think it's best not to risk that handshake yet, though.

[crimeson]

[IT SURE IS]

Fistbump seem safe enough?

[spectacularluck]

[ He's going to give him a small smile at that, okay, maybe he's getting less cranky. So. Holding out his fist ]

Seems safe enough.

Thanks for the help as well. You know, with the whole thing.

[crimeson]

Excellent.

[bumps fists, pleased.]

No problem, man. Any time.

[spectacularluck]

Oh. I'm going to need a name.

And please don't suggest Sticky.

[crimeson]

[AGHAST]

Who would name someone Sticky!! That's just asking for bullying!