EVENT: The Sound of Summer

[trainmasters]

Who: darers, newbies, and everyone else!
When: Day 40, dawn
Where: around the train

[After several hours of Kiss or Dare, the bar lights go off and you're let out into the grey pre-dawn. The Cat isn't one for ceremony, so there's no closing fanfare -- but in the sky are new stars in cobalt, pink, & violet. Congratulations to the winners!

You could go home and get some sleep, but you might have a rough time with that. As the sun appears in the sky, there's a horrible ruckus -- the sound of what seems like a million cicadas suddenly springing to life. They're staying in the canopy, not causing particular problems with buzzing around, but they are deafening.

Occasionally, you may hear one particularly low-pitched cicada noise. If you do, cover your ears, else you become hypnotized, overcome by a destructive urge. Those effected will find themselves compelled to act out violence on inanimate objects -- it's only property destruction, but the longer you're effected the more likely you are to lash out at anyone trying to stop you.

Good thing the hypnosis is broken by hugs, because this will be lasting for awhile.

Maybe it's the noise or maybe it's just bad timing, but the arrival of the cicadas is accompanied by the arrival of some new teammates! As always, the notifcation will appear on everyone's Chains:

WELCOME NEW HEROES

[[NOTES: Announcements and placements are up over here. You're welcome to make team posts if you like, or intro directly into this mingle. The cicadas will be here until next month's placements, so please feel free to interact with them in your own posts throughout the month. If you have questions, please comment to the announcements post. Thank you!]]

Comments

[voreaciously]

Stay away.

[She does not cease in her destruction but minimises it upon his arrival. The air is naturally colder.]

[survivaltricks]

[he stops in his tracks, still rocking as though he wants to step forward anyway]

What's going on? Are. . . you okay?

[voreaciously]

[no]

Yes. I simply need to...break.

[survivaltricks]

[they're going to get into their differing definitions of "okay" again]

That doesn't seem "okay" to me.

[pauses and rocks back, before taking another step forward. just one, though]

Did something happen?

[voreaciously]

No. Everything is fine...simply a dalliance.

1/2

[survivaltricks]

[the fuck is a dalliance]

[survivaltricks]

Ooooookay, whatever that is, I am still pretty sure this isn't "fine."

[another step forward]

[voreaciously]

I said stay away. It is dangerous. I cannot stop.

[survivaltricks]

[cannot stop. . . ?]

Is there anything I can do to help?

[but he stops approaching again, even though he looks a little conflicted about it]

[voreaciously]

You need to learn to cease and desist.

[why is he so stubborn? even now.]

[survivaltricks]

[set his jaw tightly. stubborn is one of the things he is good at being, it's true]

And leave you here by yourself, when your urges could get worse, and let whatever will be, be?

No.

[it's not in him to turn a blind eye when someone is clearly not okay]

[voreaciously]

Please consider how this grows worse. I begin to attack others instead of simply objects.

[survivaltricks]

In that case, I have even more of a reason to stick around.

[because like hell is he going to let anyone else get hurt]

[voreaciously]

{her mouth twitches]

You--are so reckless. Think about yourself.

[survivaltricks]

I am.

[holds out a hand, palms facing forward]

I won't let you hurt me. Just like I won't let you hurt anyone else, or-- yourself.

[voreaciously]

You will not "let" me...?

[she came out here by herself to avoid that, but she is

she is incensed.]

What do you mean to do about it? What could you possibly do to stop me?

[he's always like this, rushing in to save others with no regard for himself, oh, certainly he says he will not allow it to happen to him but how?]

Perhaps I am mistaken, perhaps you know something I do not, that you are not ripe with misplaced arrogance, and recklessness.

[like rean, too]

So then, stop me.

[if he does nothing to stop it, he will find himself trapped in a sphere of water that will envelope around him suddenly]

1/2

[survivaltricks]

[holy shit]

[as a fresh amnesic with very few memories, the moment the water beings to form around him, he. . . freezes]

[he freezes, his brain racing, because yeah those may have been some strong words about not letting her hurt him, but what does he know? what does he remember other than making coffee and curry and a talking cat and hanging out with what he presumes are to very close friends?]

[he's in over his head]

[. . .]

[survivaltricks]

[his memories may be gone, but instincts don't forget]

[before his brain can catch up, he's moving, throwing himself to the side and out of the water sphere before it fully forms, tucking and curling into a rather smooth dodge roll. but when he pops up back onto his feet he stumbles a bit, eyes wide, almost like he didn't really expect that he could move like that]

Ah-- [no no don't give away that you didn't really mean to do that. he sets his jaw, chin tilted up]

Fine. I will.

[. . . HE'LL FIGURE OUT HOW LAT. . . ER]

[voreaciously]

[it's too late. he is the one that doesn't remember anything while she remembers nearly everything, including all her experience with amnesiacs. she catches that expression. even if she didn't, the fact that he stumbles to his feet is enough of a tell.

he is not used to this, does not remember what he is capable of.

it is frustrating and disappointing and annoying, but she claps. slow, graceful

undeniably condescending.]

Then do so, Spark-han. I am standing right before you.

[survivaltricks]

[it makes him bristle, his hackles raising underneath his jacket, and his fingers curl into fists at his side]

[she's right there. standing before him. inviting him forward with more tricks up her sleeve, no doubt]

[what can he do]

[. . .]

[he kicks at the ground and bolts towards her with a surprising amount of speed]

[voreaciously]

[she sees his frustration and understands it.

doesn't mean it's not sloppy, too.

for her part, she sticks her naginata in the ground and--

folds her arms. And waits.]

[survivaltricks]

[. . . well]

[guess that means he is crashing into her in an attempted tackle, arms going around her waist. on a scale of zero to a billion how bad of an idea is it to tackle an android when you're a squishy human?]

[voreaciously]

[somewhere in the OVER A BILLION U FUCKSTICK range

okay

here's the thing

putting the hands around her waist means that it's a hug, so that counts.

on the other, she is pretty sure he isn't learning so she will just continue as she was and wait for him to make a proper move.

btw she weighs three-forty pounds so have fun.]

[survivaltricks]

[HERE SHE IS, DEPRIVING HIM OF HIS VICTORY BY NOT LETTING ON THAT THE TACKLE-HUG WORKED]

[needless to say that tackle-hug does jack squat except hurt a whole lot on his end, so Spark just. . . hisses through the pain of his newly bruised ribs, and kind of]

[continues to cling]

[even as he slumps a little in front of her]

[THIS IS PATHETIC]

[voreaciously]

Are you quite finished.