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

Bonfire

[cannotunravel]

...don't walk backwards. You'll hurt yourself.

[She was sitting here at the bonfire, and then she had seen Alex just appear from who knows where, backing away. She'd have stopped him if he had gotten too close to the firepit, but still, watch out, Alex]

[rockymountaindie]

Yeah, no shit.

[ He barks out, before very visibly wincing. He has, once again, snapped at this poor girl who is just minding her own business. Send him to jail. ]

I-I mean- I know. I know, it jus'- I got- startled.

[ He's always startled. ]

[cannotunravel]

You need to work on that habit of snapping at me.

[Yeah, since this was the second time she had to make a comment about it, haha]

Sit down for a while. Take a break.

[rockymountaindie]

[ At the very least, he is like. DRIPPING shame. ]

S-sorry. 'm sorry.

[ He takes a few giant steps back, away from the flames, and does just that. ]

[cannotunravel]

[You're so far away, Alex...]

The fire is safe. I already checked the firepit all over -- it won't spread.

[What are the odds we find a corpse in this firepit during this murdergame, I wonder]

[rockymountaindie]

[ Honestly if we don't I'd be disappointed in us

Alex frowns at the fire, doubtful. ]

I-I still don't wanna get too close.

[cannotunravel]

Does it give you a bad feeling, too?

[Might as well ask that]

[rockymountaindie]

[ He looks down, suddenly embarrassed. His hands twitch. ]

No. I just...I don't like fire.

[cannotunravel]

I guess there are many reasons to dislike it.

[Misane nods to herself. It's hard for her to put herself in Alex's shoes because she doesn't mind fire, but rationally speaking, she can think of a reason or two someone might dislike it]

If it makes you this uncomfortable we could move away.

[rockymountaindie]

[ He seems to consider it for a few moments. ]

...Nah. Long as I'm not too close, it's fine.

[cannotunravel]

[They probably have been talking very loudly because Alex keeping giant distance from the firepit, so Misane decided to stand up and move away from the warmth of the firepit, instead coming closer to Alex because shouting a conversation sucks]

Why were you walking around backwards? You never told me that.

[rockymountaindie]

[ ...Oh. She's... Well, he feels a little like a petulant child, since she moved for him, so. It is only right that he shares.

...Which has him feeling embarrassed again. ]

Saw that...obstacle course sword place over there [ he gestures vaguely, twirling a finger in its direction ] and freaked out.

[cannotunravel]

Oh, the training grounds. It's fine, it's harmless. Everything is dull -- not a sharp edge in sight.

[She's so blissfully unaware Death can work so well with things that aren't sharp anyway]

cw describing final destination type accidents (impalement)

[rockymountaindie]

You don't need sharp edges around to get hurt. The right force, right momentum, just from your own body... What if one of those balance beams over there ain't properly maintained right? Fall a certain way, and, maybe one of those poles goes right through your ribs. Or- or you don't even need one of them, slipping and breaking your neck's easy. And that's- that's just from one piece of equipment!

[ misane i'm sorry ]

[cannotunravel]

[If I'm rolled to be in a case and I'm going to be the victim now I'm tempted to have her impaled by a balance beam like this. So tempted]

Did you...give that a lot of thought?

[That was such a morbid scenario, she thinks to herself. She kind of hopes it took Alex a lot of effort to come up with it, because it'd be worrying if it didn't. Kind of makes him sound cautious to a fault]

[rockymountaindie]

[ ...Ohhhhh, shit, he was a little freak again, wasn't he.

Despite not liking the fire, Alex can't really tear his eyes away from it. ] Uh... Not really. A little.

[ and, for the record, if you did that i would SCREAM and alex would too (this is an endorsement) ]

[cannotunravel]

[Misane Mikoto will remember this]

I should tell you to keep your distance from Crito. Talking to Crito won't be good for your mental health.

[Given Crito's first interaction with Misane was telling her the many ways electricity and elevators can kill]

[rockymountaindie]

[ Eyes narrowed, voice wary: ] Wwwhhyyy?

[cannotunravel]

Because Crito will say things that will make you feel worse.

[Not even out of malice, Crito just is...so nonchalant]

[rockymountaindie]

What kinds of things?

[ this defeats the point of NOT KNOWING alex ]

[cannotunravel]

Things that will feed these thoughts you have. I won't go into detail. Just trust me on that one and don't ask so many questions.

[She's trying to be indirect for once and that's taking so much effort, hah]

[rockymountaindie]

[ ...Ah. ]

I don't...really need any help. I just...see stuff like this now.

[cannotunravel]

Don't take this the wrong way, but have you considered therapy?

[Thanks, Misane. She means this wholeheartedly out of genuine concern, but yeah]

cw early aughties therapy opinions but just implied in the narration

[rockymountaindie]

[ Alex, who is a boy from 2001 with all that implies, kind of wonders how he can't take that the wrong way. But overall, what wins out over a snotty comment is a tired wheeze of a sigh. ]

Yeah, that wouldn't help me.

[cannotunravel]

If you say so.

[Misane frowns]

Something is a heavy toll on you. That's been obvious since the first time we talked. I believe you when you say you sense bad vibes all over the place, but...you'll end up in tatters soon.

[Any reasonable person would be concerned, obviously! Why couldn't there be a God of Mental Health in the group]