( the sickness: phase two )

[acatamods]

I ▫ main IV ▫ premise       XI ▫ applications XIV ▫ activity II ▫ logs V ▫ rules VII ▫ bestiary   IX ▫ canon updates XII ▫ taken XV ▫ drop/hiatus III ▫ ooc VI ▫ faq VIII ▫ setting   X ▫ mods XIII ▫ reserves XVI ▫ players the sickness ends. the temple. The Temple, shortly after Astoria's burst of energy, is in a constant state of growth. Trees are bursting into existence from seeds in mere seconds, flowers are growing wherever magic lands . . . and the Temple is abruptly a-buzz with energy, magic crackling throughout the air. You may find a tree in your house, or flowers suddenly growing along the walls, or plants wiggling their way through the stone walls of the buildings of the Temple. All of a sudden, the place looks very overgrown. The Forest of the Fey seems to be responding in kind, too. Sprites are exceptionally active, darting out of the Forest and into the Temple with increasingly regularity, playing basic little tricks on the members of the Circle they can find. Flower crowns are made at an alarming rate, and there might be a few fruit-food fights that break out with the sudden abundance of peaches and apples that appear on the grounds. Learn how to duck! With the magic comes the sudden fluctuation of energy: canon powers flicker on and off, as do the powers granted by Astoria. You feel more like yourself, you suddenly have access to energies you did not have previously in the Temple However, it's a double-edged sword -- it is not constant, and it may be more trouble than its worth. And, remember: the Sickness is not fading immediately. If you make it to Stage 3, then you're stuck with sensory deprivation for at least another week or two. Sorry, friends. lake dona. Lake Dona is a massive body of water, stretching outward for so far that it almost seems like an ocean until you see that the water is fresh. It is surrounded by long, leafy trees that dip into the water and has a variety of ancient ruins scattered around it -- weathered stones set into circles at seemingly even intervals, old buildings that seem to mirror the Temple in construct. In addition to the ruins, there are a network of caverns tucked along the water’s edge, just underneath the surface on the western side of Lake Dona, that appear to go underground into murky darkness. The actual entrance to these caverns seem to be underwater, seemingly guarded by merfolk, but poking around may seem to be more trouble than its worth. There is plenty of wildlife to be found within the lake itself, ranging from freshwater mermaids who would rather you stay the hell out of their backyard to a rather large and suspiciously friendly plesiosaurus-like creature (some would say that she prefers to be called Nessie) that seems intent on checking out who you are. The lake teems with odd-looking fish, most of which seem to be okay to eat, and plenty of plant life! But who knows what lurks in the depths below . . . that giant sea-monster looking thing has to be eating something. PROMPT IDEAS: Here are some prompt ideas for this new area! However, don't feel limited to such ideas! Feel free to fish, to explore, to swim, to poke around . . . it's always possible Astoria may check in on your character, too, once she is feeling better! ;) 1.) The Great Pumpkin The overgrowth of plants have caused a massive growth spurt in a lot of the trees, including the fruit trees that sprinkle themselves throughout the Temple. However, the fruit themselves seems to be growing at a rather . . . alarming rate, resulting in a few pumpkin-looking squash growing to the size of small boulders in the fields. Hope you have a lot of spare time on your hands to make a hell of a lot of Temple-pie, because these squash aren't going anywhere anytime soon. 2.) Food Fight!: Those damn sprites are at it again, and are collecting fruit off the ground and throwing it at people. Fight back, organize, and conquer! Or not. It's probably better to just not. 3.) Part Of Your World: The mermaids within Lake Dona are a suspicious lot, and they don't take kindly to strangers stomping through their territory. However, they are receptive to music, so if you are so musically inclined, they will definitely be more inclined to be a little more playful than territorial. If you aren't? Have fun getting tossed into the lake head-first by a bunch of pissed off mermaids who want you to get the hell of their lawn. They don't take kindly to your type around here. 4.) Nessie: Within Lake Dona is a massive plesiosaurus-type creature which seems to be . . . oddly friendly? It seems to pop up at the most inconvenient of times. Are you sitting on the edge of the lake enjoying the water? Enjoy a massive ass dinosaur sticking its impressively long neck out of the lake to check you out and also scare the bejesus out of you. That being said, Nessie is an extraordinarily friendly being, and will even give you laps around the lake if you ask nicely! 5.) Caverns: The caverns within the lake are dark, deep, and menacing The merfolk inform you that you cannot go there -- no one can, but the merfolk sure seem to be keeping a careful eye out on it. Testing the boundaries indicates a weird magical field around the entrance of the cave, that works like a bit of a forcefield. Weird, right?

Comments

[bleps]

[It’s takes a little longer than half an hour.

Time to clean his uniform, time to let it all dry. To fix his hair, putting every strand back in place. It would take even longer if he waited for everything, and Connor deigns to leave the jacket — still damp — in his room, appearing before Hank missing the usual defining aspect of his uniform. It’s fine for now; it’s only temporary. Left with just the white button-up, he comes back and his eyes skate over to where Hank remains in the same spot as before.]

Lieutenant?

[His scans kick to life. They’re working for the moment, and they tell him what’s obvious — blood alcohol levels higher than before. Evidence is clear in the form of an empty bottle, and Connor walks in, bends down, and scoops it up by its neck.]

Maybe I can come back later.

[It’s… disappointing, but he doesn’t believe Hank is in the right mind to have a strictly coherent conversation. Not about this.]

[fuck1ngusernam3]

Nah, stay. Look at you, you dressed casual and everything. [He waves an arm at Connor’s everything - all clean, perfect hair, perfect everything, except for the jacket. That’s casual, isn’t it, for an android.] Hate for all that effort to go to waste. Besides, if you come back I’ll be sober, how do you expect me to think up fuckin android bonding activities that way?

[bleps]

[Connor just stands there for a moment, bottle in hand, deciding what to do.]

Have you thought of anything while I was gone?

[fuck1ngusernam3]

Uh.

[Hank rocks his leg back and forth, watching the way the movement makes his pant leg show those marks on his ankle, then hide them, then show them again. Anything sure is the word, and not a lot of it that’s really relevant. So sue him, he has a lot to get distracted by.]

Lotsa shit, but not much you’re here to hear about. How d’you feel about truth or dare?

[bleps]

[Truth or dare? That wasn’t something he was expecting, and the suggestion is thought about for a full five seconds.]

I suppose it’s as effective of a bonding exercise than anything else. Are you saying you want to play that right now?

[fuck1ngusernam3]

I don’t know. Why not? ‘Less you guys do friend shit on a schedule.

[He turns the movement of his leg into whacking the side of his foot against the floor, watching Connor’s hand.]

Gonna give me that bottle back, or was it just so pretty you decided to keep it?

[bleps]

[An expression that doesn’t change, words plainly spoken.]

I thought I would commemorate today by holding onto this.

[Purposefully barreling on ahead-]

Would you like to start, then?

[While Hank answers, he finds a place to sit… which is also on the floor, across from the other.]

[fuck1ngusernam3]

[The bullshit about his bottle's so unexpected that Hank takes a second to realize Connor's dangerously close to his outstretched leg and he pulls it back in toward him, hurriedly.]

What, you mean get started asking you or what? I guess I'll let you give me something, get you warmed up. Uh, I don't give a shit, gimme truth or dare, whatever blows your dress up.

[He watches the bottle for a second, then mostly accepts the lack of glass to make a noise on and starts slapping a lazy, one handed rhythm against his shoe, instead.]

Wait uh, guess 'anything' might be too broad for an android, huh? You need guidelines. Anything you want to know about me, anything you want to see me do, whatever you think would be funny- or uh, not, I guess. Don't strain yourself about the humor thing. We'll work with what we've got.

[bleps]

[He clasps the bottle with his fingers, sitting cross-legged and leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.]

Easy enough to start then, correct? So — truth or dare?

[Hank, we must adhere to the rules. He has to ask you first!]

[fuck1ngusernam3]

Uh. [Hey here's another completely baffled expression from Hank. Take it, Connor, it's yours. You're probably going to be getting a lot of them.] I just. Told you. I don't care?

[Did he tell him? If Connor's going to make Hank doubt his own hearing now, he might actually scream.]

[bleps]

I know, but it’s part of the game. I’d like to play it properly.

So truth or dare?

[TRUTH OR DARE, HANK]

[fuck1ngusernam3]

Connor-

[The tapping on Hank's shoe slows a little, then stops. Connor might be weird as hell, but at least the weird's distracting Hank a little bit.

He slouches back, studying Connor.]

You know no one plays this properly, right? This is a kid's game. Teenagers. Teenagers don't give a shit.

Fuck it, gimme a dare. I kinda want to know what you'll come up with.

[bleps]

[He gives a shit, Hank. This is Connor we’re talking about.]

I’m only a few months old, if that counts for anything.

[Not even a teenager, just a baby.]

But all right... [Look at that LED blink. Connor taps a fingertip against the glass.]

I dare you to send someone — through the network on your watch — an embarrassing story about yourself.

[Is this how the game works? He thinks so.]

[fuck1ngusernam3]

What- You fucker, you gave me both anyway! You piece of shit, okay, what the hell...

[Hank looks, still grinning, down at his watch, opening up - guess who - Connor's inbox. It's not much of a loophole, but if he can keep all this to just Connor he can limit at least the range of any potential embarrassment.]

Fuck, let's see... What kind of embarrassing's okay for a baby in a grown-up's body. You want bad sex stories, wardrobe malfunctions, drugs and blackout shit, copfails, I got it all. What do you wanna know?

[bleps]

[He did manage to stuff both truth and dare together into one request; blame Connor’s mind for always opting for efficiency.

At the question, though, he looks a little confused.]

Whatever’s the most embarrassing. Likely what you’re least willing to share.

[Since the definition of embarrassing usually dictates that.]

[fuck1ngusernam3]

Uh. I don't know. I feel like I'd have to dig pretty deep to find any one fuckup that stands out more than the rest of em, at this point. You're going too broad, Connor, you've got to narrow it down. I've got like, half a century of embarrassing shit behind me, I can't just pick a favorite.

Wait, okay, I got it. Brace yourself.

[He turns his arm so Connor will hopefully not see what he's typing until he sends it. Once he does, he sends it with a smile and expectant, raised eyebrows.]

i farted on the bus once

why is hank like this

[bleps]

[His watch gives a little notification, and Connor glances down to read it.]

...

[And looks back up at Hank again.]

Though I agree that technically fits the parameters, I had been expecting something akin to a story.

for now let's blame the moonshine

[fuck1ngusernam3]

Well, I don't know, the best horror stories come with the horror implied, don't they? I mean, can you imagine it? Sitting there through all the stops till you gotta get off, everyone knowing it was you? It was terrible.

So, you gonna accept it on a technicality and let me ask you something, or are you gonna demand a redo?

[Yeah, Hank looks really pleased with himself. Why wouldn't he?]

[bleps]

[Hmmm :///]

I... can accept it for now. The responsibility is on me the next time, to be more thorough with my description.

[The look he’s giving him is so flat, though.]

So, your turn to ask me.

[fuck1ngusernam3]

Oh my god. You’re going to make me actually say it? Next time I teach you a game I’m not going to tell you the rules, I’m just going to start going and you can figure it out.

Fuck it. Okay, you persnickety little shithead. Truth or dare?

[bleps]

'Persnickety'? The rules were made to be followed, so I don't see the issue with doing so, Hank.

[persnickety!!!!]

Truth.

[fuck1ngusernam3]

They really weren’t.

[He rolls his head back, thinking up at the ceiling.]

Okay, truth: If I told you there’s a rule that you gotta jump off a bridge at the end of this game, would you do it? And don’t give me some crap about there not being any bridges here. Let’s pretend I built one, just for you. Would you really do it? Follow every rule, all the time?

[bleps]

[An interesting question, a circumstance that requires a moment of thought.]

No. I would have to evaluate the reasoning behind such a rule, and whether or not the consequences of following it would be more detrimental than advantageous.

For instance, if you made this rule just for the sake of it... then I would question it. And not comply. Bodily injury would be too significant.

[fuck1ngusernam3]

So what makes the little rules any different? You don’t want to evaluate the reasoning behind shit unless it might end with you getting hurt?

[bleps]

Because the "little" rules are harmless.

Maybe I should ask instead why you consider them superfluous?