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

FLOOR 3

[hot_mess_express]

[Now that you are out of Mirror Hell, you climb up a long, long staircase to the third floor.

Up here, there are birds. Several huge, black-feathered vulture-like things, nesting on the floor. A hole in the wall opens to show a view of the sea and a dangerous drop. On the upside, the birds appear to be sleeping, and it's a straight shot through them to the door and one final, external staircase.

On the downside, the floor is full of twigs.]

[dereban]

. . . Let me guess.

The birds are going to try and eat us.

[ just a flat, sarcastic remark on this floor, she's not touching shit though, how about we not do that this time ]

[wontforbidtherain]

Can we brush the twigs aside as we go? That would let us walk quietly.

[dereban]

Are we sure the twigs are just there because 'nest', though?

[ is there even a proper FLOOR under the twigs ]

[wontforbidtherain]

We can check first. Think positively.

[dereban]

I am, unfortunately, a realist first, positive thinker. . . way, way after that.

[ she prioritizes that over all else and isn't going to change that simply because unspoken rules say so ]

[wontforbidtherain]

I'm not normally either; I'm hoping sheer stubbornness will cover for it.

[dereban]

Heh.

[ she chuckles under her breath, amused slightly ]

Yeah, we'll just have to cover our weakness with our strengths. But let's check that first, and then go from there.

Makes me wish I had alternate food options for those birds.

[wontforbidtherain]

[creeps forward to the twigs, to check how the floor looks under them]

[hot_mess_express]

[It's a solid stone floor! You should be able to cross it safely, if you're quiet enough.]

[dereban]

[ watching this and just immediately mouthing 'thank god' but not speaking aloud from here on out because guess it's time to be quiet!!

hopefully everyone else can do the same... ]

[wontforbidtherain]

[nods, keeping clear of the sticks when she can, and trying to quietly move them if she can't] .

[yearofthecat]

[ It's been an eventful few moments for Kyou, to say the least. Getting dragged into the reflection. Dragging Crow into the reflection with him. Cat girl--Chiharu-- helping to get him out. When she pulled him out, Kyou--for reasons he has no idea about and thinks are related to this entire thing--turned into a cat. She's carrying his clothes for him.

And now...to figure out how to make it through this room. ]

Don't step on the sticks.

[notafruit]

[ She... is still in disbelief. One moment Kyou had been human and then the next he was a cat...!

. . . Somehow, after talking with a pony and seeing a great transformation right before hardly dulls the surprise. This means she's living...with a cat back home?? Or a boy that can turn into a cat. Or...

[ Lifting a hand to her head she holds the bundle of his clothes and bracelet in the other. How is she supposed to process all of this? But think, Chiharu...! They need to focus. Right. On the room...]

Maybe they're nice birds...?

[yearofthecat]

...man you really do try to think positively about everything, don't you?

[ He's almost certain they will kill them if the conditions are right. Especially him. As a cat. ]

Listen, let me go first. I'm lighter and can clear a path for you without waking them up.

[ Immediately he moves forward, having an easier time of maneuvering his small paws through the slightly larger gaps than someone bigger than him would be able to.

Using his paws, he makes a circle large enough for her to stand in. ]

Okay. Step here.

[notafruit]

[ Her voice is quiet as she speaks in turn. ]

That's what we're supposed to do, right...?

[ Although she feels a little nervous about him walking forward among them all. Wouldn't it be better if she were to hold him? But... regardless, she nods and moves forward when he indicates for her to, and steps in the first circle, trying to make as little noise as possible. ]

[hot_mess_express]

[No noise works! As long as you're quiet, you can make it through to the roof.]

[yearofthecat]

[ He just nods his little cat head in confirmation, moving forward to use his paws to clear off more circles for her.

It's pretty easy and they have gotten about halfway there using this tactic.

And there is suddenly a puff of smoke and a loud crunch of sticks breaking as Kyou's curse returns him to a normal teenage boy.

Too bad someone else is carrying his clothes for him.]

[notafruit]

K-Kyou-san...?

[ She can't see him much due to the smoke until it starts to clear. And he's, er...

OH GOSH. She gasps in a panic to try and look away but that's when she realizes that they... have very loudly awoken the birds... ]

[hot_mess_express]

[The birds startle awake with a cacophany of squawks! Their big, beady-eyed heads turn to stare at Kyou and Chiharu, and they click their ragged beaks--

--then lunge. But they're slow on their feet and stumbling over eachother, so you have a mere few seconds to sprint, before they begin to shred you.]

[yearofthecat]

RUN!

[He instantly grasps her hand and drags her along behind him, naked as the day he was born. He doesn't understand what has just happened in the last few moments, with the whole cat thing, but he knows he needs to get both of them out of there before they were attacked because of his stupidity. ]

[notafruit]

[ Or maybe they aren't exactly nice birds...! With a startled cry, she's jerked forward when his hand suddenly wraps around her own to pull her hard. She nearly loses her balance and it's all she can do to keep her feet beneath her.

A large beak catches her exposed leg and she gasps in pain before another catches at the hem of her white dress and a third snaps at her ankle. ]

No-!

[ She grits her teeth, clutching tight to the bundle of clothes in her hand while grasping tight to his hand. He's fast...! And she's trying to keep up without losing her balance. ]

Kyou!

[yearofthecat]

[ He looks back, seeing her struggling and knowing if she slips--they will get her. He won't let her die. More than anything he won't let this girl die. The birds are literally on her tail and he needs to get her safe.

Please. Please let this work. Even if she falls after she reaches there--please let this be a success. ]

Hold on! I'm going to get you to the door. Don't fight it.

[ He uses every ounce of his energy and strength he owns to slide her across the room to the exit, getting her away from the birds that were baring down on her, the remainder of the twigs parting her way as she slides across the floor.

Only now he was the one vulnerable to the birds now.]

Re: FLOOR 3

[daydreamshimmer]

[GOD EVERYTHING.]

[JUST EVERYTHING.]

[Also in human form for the moment because. Reasons. Complicated Mental Crisis Reasons.]

[Looking at the birds. Looking at the twigs.]

[Will move forward, nudging twigs out of the way with her feet if there's not a wide enough place to step, mostly focused on not snapping any twigs.]

Re: FLOOR 3

[hot_mess_express]

[You succeed! And move on to the roof.]