Origin Star Finale: Session 2

[fairwind]

Who: explorers
When: Day 54, noon
Where: The Final Island

[At nearly noon, Thyme's airship returns from the island with the first session's explorers. Everyone receives a chain message:

Time for round two. If you want to go, gather up.

Those who wish to go looking for the second totem can now board the airship. It waits around 20 minutes -- long enough for a quick break for those who are going twice in a row -- but then heads off again with its new crew. Along the way, everyone gets a lecture:]

Okay, for everyone who missed it the last time, here are the rules:

You're not looking for a monster to beat up. You're looking for a totem, that you'll have to deactivate by showing positive emotions. Any creatures you meet on the way can also be beaten with good feelings. Some can be killed, but that's not purifying the soul, so try to avoid it.

[When you arrive, it's at a damp sea cave. The airship hovers over the water, leaving you access to the only viable ground -- a narrow, salt-crusted stairway leading up into a tower.]

Comments

[hot_mess_express]

[When your hands touch the stone, your reflection smiles... and clasps hands with you.

With a superhuman strength, it yanks you into the wall, into its own embrace, where all you feel is fury, resentment, and hatred. It's physically painful, like being prickled by a thousand needles.

But you're sure, if someone out there will just touch you -- if you can pull them in, you'll feel better.]

[overworker]

[It feels almost like being pulled out of her own body and having feelings that aren't her own shoved in. She grips her head, eyes squeezed shut and screams. But rather than fear it comes out sounding full of anger and frustration.

They aren't her thoughts but it's all she can feel.

Her own feelings are buried under them. Hatred... for this mirror, for herself for getting in this mess...

She just wants to shut it all out.]

[wontforbidtherain]

[well, there went both her teammates]

Towa, if you can stay calm, I can pull you out. All right?

[overworker]

I...

[Calm isn't a feeling she's having at all, but she is trying.]

It's just... these feelings... it's all so loud in my head... I hate it... make it stop...

[But it's a struggle.]

[wontforbidtherain]

[well, it's the best she can get]

Focus on other feelings. Remember a few days ago, we made hamburgers and Eliza and Felix got that giant dog bed? That was a good time, right?

[reaches out to grab hold, despite her hands being burned]

[hot_mess_express]

[If your hands touch, you can feel eachother just as if there were no barrier.

From there, it's a matter of will -- Towa's will to pull Cat in, or Cat's will to rescue Towa? Of course, positive feelings are always stronger, if expressed in equal portions.

You may decide OOCly who pulls who through the mirror.]

[overworker]

I...

[Towa remembers-- it's a nice memory. And with Cat's hand to stablize her, she takes a deep breath and focuses on getting out of there.

And as a result, she manages to make it out thanks to Cat.]

Haah... haa... th-thank you...

[wontforbidtherain]

You're welcome. Now... who else is still stuck?

[overworker]

Um... Kyou and...

[And now Crow's in there.]

Urgh... Crow too.

[wontforbidtherain]

Do you know either of them well? It might work better if it's someone they have a positive connection to.

[overworker]

Not Kyou but... Crow's a friend of mine. I'm going to try and help him.

[wontforbidtherain]

Good luck.