Arrival

[letsplayamod]

The moment is a bit different for everyone. Perhaps you were just minding your own business somewhere, others may have been in more... dire circumstances. Regardless, you were approached by a figure you can't quite picture, and they offered you an accord; in exchange for aiding them in the healing of a world lost to chaos, you would be granted something almost unheard of. Godhood.

And each of you said yes, more or less.

A blurry hand, shifting and rippling, reaches out to you. You feel a glow of warmth, unlike anything you've known before. As soon as you think you can describe it, you wake up.

The room you're in is plainly furnished, but it's about the size of a small flat. Plenty of room to stretch your legs. Don't get too comfortable, however. On the bedside table each room has is a letter; handwritten, it's wrapped around a bronze key. The lettering could only be described as the platonic ideal of 'neat and precise'.

If you are reading this, than our deal has been made. You've awoken in a place that will surely feel strange, so I want you to take some time to acclimate. Meet with the others. Breathe. I shall be along shortly.

-A

Whatever that means becomes more apparent as you step out of your housing and behold the world around you. The building you were in, and every piece of architecture you happen across, is blatantly pre-modern. Yet, something about it is otherworldly. Stone and iron and glass as far as the eye can see.

But above you was where the real questions were. It wouldn't be right to say the sun was shining on you now, nor would it be right to say it's the dead of night. Instead, the sky is a hazy mixture of both, wrapped in suffocating storm clouds that are threatening rain. Everywhere you look, into the horizon, it's the same.

Welcome home. Take your time and explore. Nobody ever said godhood was easy.

Comments

[catsgothistongue]

[First thing that registers in Ranma's mind is how comfortable the bed was. Almost made him want to close his eyes and drift off back to sleep. But he can't. That 'dream' repeats on loop in his mind. He's no stranger to people coming to him for assistance. This was simply the first time he hadn't be strong-armed or cajoled into helping clean up their messes.

Maybe that's why he said yes? Did he say yes? He must've, it wasn't like he had anything better to do. Might as well lend a hand.

Ranma gets dressed and leaves Room 23, still in the middle of doing his usual morning stretches. The pigtailed teen doesn't get far from the living quarters before the hero's pavilion captures his attention. Whoever chiseled these sure weren't any slouch, but... Those that see the martial artist will find him inspecting his own visage as if he's attending an art exhibit.

It isn't long before he approaches the nearest person and tap on their shoulder with a stage whisper.]

Psst, does it look like they got my pigtail wrong to you?

[Pointing to his statue. It's indistinguishable from the real deal. Like one for one. There's nothing 'wrong' here.

Later on in the day, he'll stop by the kitchen, already rummaging through the pantry like a trash panda in trash can. No, we don't mean a raccoon here. He figured 'aiding in healing a world lost to chaos' would take a lot of effort and time, yet he's still pleasantly surprised by the surplus of food in stock.

Better put them to good use, plus he's starving. Ranma decides to prep something quick, frying up some eggs while he sits on the counter top snacking on a bowl of apples. Anyone who enters will be met with a head nod and a]

'Sup. Didja get picked for 'world-fixing' [Gesturing with his hands, tossing half an apple in the air and catching it while his gaze is turned to his fellow newcomer] duty too?

[All things considered, he's saying that like that's something normal formerly mortal men talk about in their daily lives.

Further exploration yielded in him finding the training grounds. The moment he wanders in, he's practically glued to it. Any self-respecting martial artist takes to training grounds such as these the same way a master chef takes to a kitchen or a painter to a blank canvas. He's positively bouncing on the balls of his heel, throwing a couple brisk punches at a dummy. Ranma watches it wobbles in place before it regains its balance.]

Gotta hand it to 'em-- [Flicking the practice dummy's head to make it teeter-totter back and forth again] --these ain't too shabby. Not as strong as the ones back at the dojo, but they'll do.

[Simple shrug as he muses that out loud, not really paying any mind to whether anyone else is listening.]

Kitchen

[cannotunravel]

I did. But I can't remember the details.

[And that's bothering her so much. But at least she's sure she wouldn't agree to something troublesome for no reason, so she's sure it's all fine]

[catsgothistongue]

Same here. I can't recall their face, nothing. Though, I was half-awake when they went on and on about rebuildin' the world, so...

[There's a mute grumble. Now that he thinks on it, maybe he just said yes without really understanding what he agreed to just so he could go back to snoozing...]

There's a lot of food in the pantry. They really expect for us to be stayin' a while, huh?

[Cronch]

[cannotunravel]

You accepted a deal while being half-awake...?

[My dude, that's not a great idea! Misane seems a little bemused about that, hah]

I assume healing...what we came here to heal will be a labour of weeks, perhaps even months. We wouldn't have been called if this A person could do this by themselves.

[catsgothistongue]

I've had stranger dealings when I'm fully awake.

[Stated plainly. Look... it isn't as bad as the deals his lout of a father makes.]

That's puttin' it mildly. Haven't explored the whole land yet, and I can already tell this place is a wreck. It's gonna take a lot of elbow grease gettin' this place all spruced up.

[That isn't anything out of Ranma's purview. He's the one who treats the dojo to fixer-uppers whenever rival of the week #401 comes screaming through the walls or ceilings or floorboards. An entire world's like thousands times bigger in scope. No pressure.]

Training Grounds

[sweetsynergy]

Really?

[Vanity looks one of the dummies up and down, giving it a small tap with a fist, like she's expecting it to do something.]

I suppose if there's nothing else.

[catsgothistongue]

It's better than nothing, but you'd think they'd have something more... [Stares back at the shaking dummy, stopping it with a finger.] suited for training.

[Plopping down on the ground, criss-cross applesaucing his legs.]

None of the other guys in the statue room look all that strong to get a good fight out of here. Maybe I'm better off finding an alternative here.

[Yes he's including Vanity with the 'other guys', like she isn't standing in punching distance to him.]

[sweetsynergy]

[Well. Hm.]

You sound very sure of your own ability.

kitchen

[phototraces]

No, I got lost on the way to the Acropolis.

[That eye roll is mighty.]

Of course I was. Though, I don't really remember much.

[catsgothistongue]

[Oh, there it is. The familiar sound of a chick being snarky with him].

I'm beginning to see a running trend here...

[Sighing with a flat look. They were all chosen yet none of them can put a face or name to their mystery person. Surely that doesn't mean anything foreboding!

Ranma starts popping an apple in one hand, and taking a knife from a block in the other, twirling it around casually while keeping his eye trained on the fruit.]

They ask us to help clean up their world, but they can't be bothered to give us a warm welcome or anything. [Rolling his eyes in a similar manner as Wendy. Silver lining, there's worse first days he's been through.]

[phototraces]

You—

[Her eyes follow the knife. She feels her heart move erratically before settling into a quick but steady rhythm.]

You better be careful with that, alright? I don’t think we have a doctor.

[Because that is more important than A suddenly.]

Statue

[latinumsbetter]

[Quark turns his head away from his own statue as he's addressed. He glances at Ranma's statue, then back to the man himself...before he shrugs]

Nah. Looks fine to me.

i'm so sorry for this idiot

[catsgothistongue]

Really?

[Note: he wasn't actually staring at the person he's speaking to, he's too busy double checking his own]

Looks a little crooked to me. [It isn't, he's being needlessly pedantic.] Though it isn't as bad as others. Check out the ears on that one!

[He gestures over to a certain ferengi statue.]

Did they sculpt that one blindfolded while their arms were tied behind their back?

[Boy he would hate to be the sap they clearly messed up getting their looks.]

he's perfect and I love him

[latinumsbetter]

[Quark's lips press into a line at that, and he's folding his arms] If they did, I'd be pretty impressed, considering it's a fine specimen of a Ferengi, if I do say so myself. [SO DRY]

Y'know, on second glance, maybe that ponytail is crooked. But not as crooked as that nose.

statue

[threeapplestall]

...no. You both look pretty.

[Pause. There's an agonizingly long moment as Mutsumi realizes her mistake.]

Or... would "handsome" be better? [she ventures, sweating bullets.]

[catsgothistongue]

[Mutsumi's lucky Ranma's seen/received big blunders than that. If he was taken aback by her words he sure isn't showing it or is hiding it well behind that simper.]

Hey, I'll take it either way. They're both true after all.

[Modesty isn't a word in his vocabulary.]

heroes' pavillion

[literarybehemoth]

[he kind of squints. then looks between the two.

...then looks at the text.]

I do not care enough about the opinions of an avowed speciesist to give you an answer.

oh. oh this is fine. (1/2)

[catsgothistongue]

Speciesist? What're you talkin'--

[somebody rolled a nat 1 on their spot check. cause ranma's now looking at the person he's talking to and]

(2/2)

[catsgothistongue]

[So. you know how if cats'll jump when you slide a cucumber near them?

That's Ranma rn. One second he's right beside the floofy ket, the next he's atop his own statue, hugging it like a lifeline while his eyes are deer-in-headlights wide.]

C-c-c-c-c-c--

[ranma.exe is experiencing some interruptions, please hold]

[literarybehemoth]

We do not need to get off on the wrong foot, you know. I am quite aware that cats are perhaps different where you are from.

[...he does sound perhaps a little too amused to be sincere.]

kitchen

[pariunt]

[Though he cannot actually eat the food present, Astarion nevertheless finds himself taking stock of supplies. It happened with the group, too. He'd do it just to have something to do.

And then he'd leave to feed himself.]

I did. I suppose the whim struck me.

[catsgothistongue]

That makes two of us.

[he pretty much said yes without fully understanding what he's getting into. in his defense... he was sleepi when they offered up godhood to him.]

Whoever that A guy is, they made sure we're well off while we're here. Pantry's packed to the brim with more food than I was expecting.

[Given how gloomy and dreary the outside world looks he's shocked that the food's fresh and edible.]

[pariunt]

[Astarion isn't entirely certain why he agreed, but, well. He did agree. So here he is.]

I would be quite concerned if there wasn't any food here. Or other supplies, for that matter.

[Though he was still surprised to wake up in a bed, for a number of reasons.]

Training grounds

[taintedfayth]

[Seymour is silent for a moment, just watching Ranma test out the dummy with a few punches. He certainly seems to be no slouch in the martial arts department, or perhaps the dummy isn't really that sturdy after all...

... well. There's one way to see which of the two it is. Better think fast, Ranma, because there's an ice crystal suddenly erupting from the ground to envelop the training dummy before shattering into snowflakes that drift lazily in the air for a few moments until they dissolve.

And the dummy? The dummy remains standing despite the unexpected ice.]

... not too shabby indeed.

[That looks like a slight frown on his face as he says this, though.]

[catsgothistongue]

[Think fast? Bold of you to assume he thinks at all. That's what Ranma excels at best.

The answer to Seymour's quandary? Both. Even with his back turn and appearing to be unaware of the RPG villain in the room, Ranma reacts reflexively. Dodging out of the way nimbly by leaping backwards right as icy crystals burst forth from the ground to snowgrave the dummy.

He lands close by the man, looking frankly indifferent to almost getting caught in the middle of the attack, even going as far to]

Think we can get the A guy to fetch us better dummies? We're down one anyway thanks to you, so...

[Engage in a casual conversation with the same guy like it's normal. The most he gives a reaction to is his briefly glancing at that anime as fuck hairdo if the way his eyes flit upwards is any indication.]