etrayamemes | TDM 002

Entry tags:

!tdm

TDM 002

⏵ arrival⏴
Arrival goes as anticipated. Characters awaken in the pristine, new hospital, greeted by Aurora and potentially getting a rundown of what's happening depending on their approach to being dropped somewhere new. The door to their room opens, and new arrivals are left free to explore their new environment.

When the first round of citizens arrived, Aurora and the companion bots had been largely unprepared. This time? They made sure to put up welcome banners, even if the sentiment isn't quite right. There are cupcakes and cookies set out in the hospital's lobbies, and a digital map has been placed just in front of the entrance of the hospital, telling others how to reach the various locations throughout Etraya. Companion bots wander throughout the city, some carrying construction equipment to half-built facilities while others act as nurses, servers, or sales associates throughout the constructed buildings.

⏵ rainy awakenings ⏴

Many concepts are new to Aurora, including rain. She is familiar with how it functions, and its purpose, but rain has never been present on the lands of Etraya. Given how new it is, that may not be all too surprising - but the method of how it’s being introduced is… a little much. Rainfall commences in the early days of April, a persistent downpour that waxes and wanes in intensity but never ceases entirely.

Most nights in Etraya are characterized by a soothing patter of rain against rooftops. Yet, some nights leave the grounds flooded come morning. Rivers begin to swell, the current much too strong to justify trying to go for a swim. These showers also bring a new assortment of plants blooming across the green lands: bright blossoms whose petals spread wide when the yellow sun shines down on them, while numerous cherry blossom trees have grown out of nowhere, flourishing despite the rainfall. Clover carpets the grassy expanses of the islands, weaving a beautiful tapestry of color across the grounds.

⏵ Getting drenched by the rain can trigger a surge, followed by a slump. Initially, individuals will feel giddy, excited, full of energy, and ready to take on the world. However, in the subsequent days, they’ll find themselves feeling depressed, lacking the energy and motivation to move forward. Aurora advises that these effects are only temporary and should fade within the week, but they can be resolved more quickly by embracing a stranger. Attempting to hug anyone they already know well will not produce the same effect.

⏵ With the rain comes a significant increase in the greenery around Etraya that isn’t fake. Most of these plants will resemble ones originally found in the characters' universes.

⏵ A couple of these plants contain magical properties:

The Emberloom is a bright red, fiery flower that only inhabits smaller land masses. Those exposed to its pollen will experience heightened aggression and impulsivity.

Shadowbloom resemble tulips during the day, but during the night the petals open and it looks more like the night sky: dark petals with specs of white throughout them. Growing too close to the apartment building for comfort, those who look at the petals after nightfall will fall into a deep sleep. Worse yet: the dreams they find themselves in are not their own, but are the dreams of other residents. Ones who had not looked into the Shadowbloom, but had drifted off to sleep elsewhere on the planet. The one who looked into the Shadowbloom will find they cannot awaken until the person whose dream they have entered does.

These flowers will continue to bloom through April, after which the companion bots will search for and remove them from the atmosphere bubble.

⏵ If there is a specific, unique plant that those in game (or those accepted during the next round!) would like to add, please comment to the LOCATIONS page! We’ll add mentions of these to the Outskirts section.

Along with the botanical resurgence, numerous new animals appear: glowing fish swim freely through the waters. In the canopy above, new species of birds and critters flit among the branches. Some diligently construct new nests in anticipation of the coming spring, while others seek refuge in the shelter of trees, retreating from the weather.

Not all the creatures are so small, or so peaceful.

⏵ Small critters make themselves comfortable in the forested area around Etraya, staying mostly out of the way. There are the occasional visitors that will let themselves in through windows for a quick visit, or maybe a snack, but they’re mostly harmless.

⏵ Several larger beasts make their way into the city to try and find land that’s more habitable for them. Giraffes navigate gracefully through the areas designated for new arrivals, using their elongated necks to reach for the foliage near the hospital when they aren’t finding new places to make themselves comfortable. An eclectic array of cats, ranging in all sizes and breeds, brazenly saunter into buildings they don’t belong. Hopefully, the lioness lounging in the apartment complex's common area does not prevent residents from reaching their rooms, because she has no intention of yielding.

⏵ The leopard adorned with a rattlesnake tail in the hospital's cafeteria may be difficult to ignore, given his determination to devour everything in sight and attack anyone in his way.

⏵ Cat scratches and bites pose a significant risk of infection. In the event a character is injured, individuals can expect the companion bots to quickly seek them out and approach them with a special antibiotic cream developed specifically for these cats. Refusal of treatment may result in severe symptoms, including high fevers and itching. In extreme cases, individuals may begin to exhibit cat-like characteristics, ranging from physical alterations to changes in mental traits.

⏵ Numerous other creatures of all shapes and sizes will be coming and going through the city. You may play with this as you wish!

While the uproar caused by these guests doesn’t particularly bother Aurora, she does send out a message to everyone wearing an earpiece to request their assistance in capturing the larger animals that her companion bots may not be able to handle themselves. She has converted an island to the East into a temporary holding area until the companion bots can set them up with something a little more permanent.

⏵ network ⏴

Welcome to Etraya! Upon your arrival, Aurora provided an earpiece, a device to make communication with others stuck in the same situation more simple. The device connects to an internal network, which is accessible by everyone else currently residing on planet. Whether you’re looking for guidance, camaraderie, or want to see if there are any familiar faces around, this is the perfect place to do it! Please feel free to post any questions, offer your name, ask for assistance, or maybe complain to the powers that be about how you’ve got better things to be doing than sitting around here completing their missions. Maybe they’re listening. Maybe they’re not.

⏵ NOTES⏴

⏵ During April, Etraya’s getting a little wet! Those who spend too long in the rain may experience a few unfortunate effects.

⏵ The rain brings in new flora, including a couple that may cause characters to experience aggression and impulsivity, or take a stroll through others’ dreams.

⏵ New animals also appear! While many of them are friendly, others… are less so. The cats specifically seem to be a little grumpy. Characters scratched or bitten by these cats may find themselves becoming just as catty.

For any questions relating to the contents of this log, please reply below. All other questions can be directed to the FAQ. The TDM is game canon, meaning everything happening above is occurring within the game properly. Those who apply to join in the April application round may keep their TDM threads as game canon.

⏵FULL NAVIGATION⏴

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I'm not yelling at you, I'm yelling at him! [ Riz - make no mistakes about it - continues to yell. At Fabian, specifically. He didn't know that Baron could actually possess people in addition to all that other freaky shit that went down, and as a boy who seems to cheerfully skip from reason to panic to reason to panic, this one is particularly difficult to move on from. Still, he allows Fabian to peel him off of his face, legs dangling freely in the air and feebly kicking in Fabian's grasp. ]

He really possessed you? Are you, like... okay? Current predicament notwithstanding, I guess.

[ He can't help but feel personally responsible for whatever Baron does. If he wasn't stupid enough to make him up in the first place, they -- well, they'd probably be in a mess, still, but not this specific one. ]

[ At least he isn't going to continue to just awkwardly hold Riz up in air prison like that. Fabian's not a jerk. Well, mostly not a jerk. Which means that he's quick to just put his friend back down on the ground as soon as he's sure Riz doesn't look like he's about to climb him like a jungle gym all over again.

It also gives Fabian just a slight moment to think about that question before he has to answer. ]

Okay? [ He makes a 'pfft' kind of sound. Dismissive. ] Of course I'm fine! When have you ever not seen me doing fine?

[ Please don't answer that question honestly, pal.

In fact, it's not like Fabian is.. really fully doing fine even right now, somewhere between the stress of everything before and the weirdness of what's going on now. And it's not like that weird experience is out of his mind either, considering what apparently happened while he blacked out and was possessed. But when has he ever been good at admitting to emotional weakness? To doing anything but fine? Even if he trusts Riz with his life, he couldn't admit even to him that he's doing anything less than fine, especially while he's not having an active breakdown right now. ]

There's no way that freaky guy could possess me forever! I'm Fabian Seacaster!

[ As Fabian speaks, Riz has a vivid flashback to just a few days ago, where they came across Fabian hung upside down, entirely too much blood streaming from his body, and actively weeping about having killed his father's entire crew of devotees and something about somebody wanting to shit in his mouth. He very deliberately doesn't say anything, on account of the fact that he's attempting to dissuade Fabian from the Gilear-ification that he had been temporarily undergoing, but he can't help the way that he momentarily cringes. It's fine. He can wave it off as him still being freaked out by Baron, which isn't ultimately too distant from the truth. ]

Um. Hell yeah, dude. Spring break, I believe in you!

[ That's the only acceptable bro response. And Riz has gotten a lot of practice being a bro! He's, like, actively a bro now! He wishes he could go back in time to his past self and tell him very firmly that the briefcase was a bad idea, but the key to appropriate male bonding is simply to repeatedly yell about how much you believe in them. ]

Let's just go find someplace dry, okay? I'm so sick of being wet. [ Yes, it was his own fault for actively deciding to do a stake-out in the middle of a rainstorm. No, he's not interested in taking ownership of that right now. With that, he gestures for Fabian to follow him as he scampers towards the nearest building, which just so happens to be the apartment building in which they're supposed to be living. ]

Apparently we've been given some apartments to stay in for free? But that's an obvious trap, [ Riz says, with the full confidence of someone who believes most things are traps. ] Just keep your guard up.

I believe in you!

[ Who cares that it's kind of an old thing at this point. Apparently Fabian is always willing to indulge in some good old bro friendship ritual. Maybe if he wasn't so out of it due to everything, he might question why Riz is bringing it up now of all times, or why Riz is so surprised about the whole Baron thing when he was right there, but clearly this is not the time for it. It's just the time to be supportive of friends. He sounds full of enthusiasm just saying those words.

He very much willingly follows Riz though, given that Fabian also doesn't care for staying out in the rain for too long. By the time they're right in front of the building and can actually stand under its awning, no longer having to endure the rain, Fabian is already moving his hands up to try and brush some wet hair out of his face, attempting to slick it back while he listens to Riz talk.

.. even though he frowns a little at that part. Not because he necessarily disbelieves things could be traps here in this weird place, but.. ]

They're just apartments, you know. How big of a gift could it possibly be?

[ He sounds so genuinely clueless too. No humble bragging here. Just a boy absolutely blind to privilege. Thankfully he isn't lingering on it.. ]

But we can be careful about it. I trust your trap instincts! [ Hey, it hasn't failed them so far!

.. usually? Most of the time. Definitely more than half the amount of times. ]

So you're saying we should just go in here and make sure to keep an eye out the entire time we are doing so?

Fabian, you've been to my apartment. This building's way nicer, [ Riz points out with a raised brow, though he knows Fabian had never stayed for very long; Riz rarely ever invites people over, and on the rare occasions he had, he doesn't think Fabian thought much of their poky little apartment with the leaky faucet, the cupboard door that needs to be jostled to close all the way, the peeling wallpaper and squeaky floorboards. Rich kids, Riz thinks to himself, though any exasperation he feels is tempered by the fact that he loves his apartment way more than Fabian's chilling mausoleum of a house.

Not that he'll ever say that to him. But his parents are, as his own mother put it, Hm. Sklonda Gukgak has a way of pronouncing a single syllable to get her point across, a skill that Riz has managed to inherit. ]

Therefore: trap city. [ Taking a deep breath, he marches inside, cringing as he feels his socks squishing in his confining leather dress shoes, hair and clothes dripping on the carpet of the lobby. ] We go in, we stay on our guard, keep our weapons at the ready and be prepared for any eventuality.

[ And then they turn the corner to come face-to-face with an evidently snoozing lioness. ]

...okay, this wasn't on my list of expected traps. I don't think this even counts as a trap. She's just, like. Chilling?

[ You know those times when you really want to say something, but you just can't find the right moment to do so?

That is exactly what Fabian is struggling with here. He's thinking of what to even reply to the first thing Riz says, but then there's the talk of weapons and Fabian is well aware he should confess to Riz that he doesn't have his sword on him even though it's an embarrassing thing to admit to, but then before he can say that there's the lion already.

Which means Fabian is now triply unsure of what to say here. What to even start on. He glances between Riz and the lioness for a moment, but then ends up with his one-eyed gaze on the latter, staring at it. ]

Why is she even here?

[ Granted, given some of the stuff they come across back home, it's not like this is the most surprising or ridiculous sight they've seen. It's not really a question born out of surprise as much as it's genuinely questioning what they're seeing right now. Why is this lion hanging out here. What's the story. ]

.. do you think she's got an apartment here too? [ Look, this place is weird! It's possible! ]

Maybe? Or maybe she's the apartment... mascot.

[ He doesn't know either. But considering he's already been caught hissing at one cat, immediately shooting at another would make it look like he hates cats or something, like some kind of sociopath. Which he kind of does these days, but it's not the entire species' fault that he currently has some negative feline associations at the moment.

Riz stands there for a little too long, glancing nervously at Fabian as though hoping he has some grand plan to get out of this that doesn't just involve greeting the cat. It may be sentient, but he doesn't quite want to risk saying hello just yet. ]

Maybe we should just sneak past her?

[ One second, you're being told you've become a provisional secret spy for angels. The next, you and your fighter-cum-bard have been successfully perplexed by a creature with a challenge rating of one. It happens. ]

We can try.

[ It's not like the lion looks as dangerous as some of the stuff they've faced back home. Even if it goes wrong, they can just.. run? How bad could this possibly be, really. If this lion really was trouble, surely they would have found some signs of that around where it is lounging in the hallway, rather than finding everything so undisturbed.

Maybe it's just Fabian trying to talk himself into a bad idea - what else is new, right? - but he can't help it. It's not like they can just stand here forever, so he's already taking a slight step forward, glancing back at his friend. ]

Though, you have to know-- [ He looks just a touch reluctant to admit this much.

But he gets it's important. Especially if they're going to sneak past a potentially dangerous animal and Riz might be counting on the fact that Fabian could tackle it more than he feels capable of doing right now.. ]

I, uh-- I don't have my sword. Maybe it's back in that strange hospital we woke up in, but I don't remember seeing it.

[ H-Haha, bro!! Just unarmed in front of something that could be a potential threat to them! No worries, dude!! ]

They took away your sword?

[ Of course that's the conclusion Riz immediately jumps to. Fabian stays well-equipped at all times, like any responsible adventurer. The only thing that makes sense is that this was a conspiracy to leave his friend as defenseless as possible. ]

That's weird... I kept all my stuff. Except my briefcase. [ Which pains him, actually; he adored even his normal briefcase, and his briefcase of holding wasn't only incredibly useful, but a valuable gift. God, he hopes they manage to snag it back where he'd left it in Hell. He frowns, then unstraps the sword at his side and holds it up for Fabian to take. ]

Here, take mine. Your balance will be off, but it's better than nothing. It might be a good idea for you to just Misty Step across while I stealth it -- sneaking's kinda my thing, anyway.

[ He shrugs. ]

Besides. It really does look like it's just a lion. We've handled way worse.

[ Fabian is definitely staring for a moment when Riz offers his own sword like that. At first it's surprise, but said surprise fairly quickly melts into something a little more emotional - a little more touched, really.

After all, considering Fabian doesn't exactly have a whole bunch of spells to rely on like some of the rest of their party, it felt kind of vulnerable to be going around without one here. So not only does it feel like a true token of friendship that Riz is willing to share one of his weapons with him, it also restores a little bit more of his confidence here, knowing he'll at least be able to defend himself better with any sword than none at all.

In fact, Fabian's eyes almost look.. a little glossy..?

It's probably nothing. Don't pay attention to that. He isn't trying to keep himself from tearing up, you are!! ]

.. thanks. [ H-He's not sounding touched--!! ] I, uh-- I'm really glad I ran into you. I mean, look. [ He holds up the sword a little, as to indicate Riz sharing it with him in the face of Fabian's own lack of a sword. ] Where would I be without you, right?

[ Fabian laughs a little, like he's trying to play it off as a joke, but.. we all know he's actually serious about that one. Sssh. ]

Let's do this. You got this, The Ball. [ He reaches out, putting his hand on Riz's shoulder. Not just a sign of Bro Friendship, but he's actually casting Enhance Ability. Cat's Grace, actually. Not that Riz really needs it, since he is great at sneaking, but you never know when a friend could use a little dexterity boost. ] Show them how it's done!

[ Here's the thing: as much as Riz values his cool gear, it's a no-brainer to give Fabian his sword when he's completely unarmed. He didn't even have to think about it. But now Fabian's made it a thing, getting all sentimental (which isn't that unusual for him, not that they call him out on it much), and now it's going to be a thing for Riz too, because whenever someone starts talking friendship at him he gets all worked up, and...

Well, at least he's not the one tearing up. ]

Come on, dude. What kind of friend would I be if I just let you wander around without a sword? I'm really glad I ran into you too! [ he says, eyes wide and blindingly genuine in the overeager way that tends to make other people want to throw him into trashcans. Sometimes there's such a thing as being too earnest, especially when the other guy is trying to cover it up by pretending like this is just about the sword. ] I totally freaked out when I woke up here alone, but now that we've teamed up again? We've got this!

[ Hell yeah! Friendship! Mystery! Adventure! If Riz can live the rest of his life with those three things in his life all day, every day, he'll die a happy goblin. Probably a young goblin too, but that's the adventuring life for you. ]

See you on the other side.

[ One moment, he's a ball of trembling, barely-contained enthusiasm, but the next - in part thanks to that handy dandy Bard trick of Fabian's - he's back to being the competent adventurer he actually is deep down. He crouches down and slips through the common area, his diminuitive size letting him slip behind couches and through the shadows until he vanishes from sight entirely, little more than a shadow.

Up until he pops back up at the other side and gives Fabian a wide toothy grin and an incredibly nerdy double thumbs-up. He points at his own belt and mouths: ] Use the sword!

[ Of course, it's up to Fabian to decide whether or not he feels like trying a bit of stealth of his own too. ]

[ Of course Fabian is going to try. He has tried way more risky things under way worse circumstances, after all. And there's absolutely no way he could refuse the idea after Riz is practically telling him to do so after giving him a near-speech about friendship after Fabian spent about half a year missing his friends after school most days.

It makes any uncertainty about this situation fade away. Riz is right. They've teamed up! Sure, maybe it's just the two of them, but that's more than enough for this. They do have this!

It does take that mental moment of Fabian hyping himself up, but then he is using the sword to Misty Step across the lobby.

Successfully, even, because a moment later he's right by Riz's side. Fabian's eyes are wide with surprise for a moment, like the guy is kind of surprised it worked that well, but then the surprise quickly switches to delight when he realises that - for once - things are going their way.

It's not something they can celebrate out loud, given that the lion is still right there, but it's not like Fabian needs sound for this.

Instead he reaches out with the hand that isn't holding the sword until his hand latches onto Riz's own, intertwining their fingers real quick and then squeezing the other's hand with excitement, not even caring if Riz's claws are digging into his hand a little. Not even caring they're sharing a moment of near-tender physical contact in - what is technically - public, because this is just an Excited Bro Pal thing, and also, toxic masculinity is dead, okay!!

At least the sight of Fabian looking so excited might be a good thing to Riz, considering how much he's seen Fabian in a rather different state recently. ]

[ Riz was going to go for your run-of-the-mill fistbump once Fabian successfully Misty Stepped across the lion, careful to heed the snoozing lioness before them, but there's a reason why Fabian's the popular kid and Riz is The Ball: going for a Predator handshake is much, much cooler. Ultimate cool guys. That's them. They definitely know how friendship works, and they definitely know how to socialize and present themselves as healthy, well-adjusted individuals outside of life-or-death trials. It all starts with Predator handshakes, which is extremely different from just, like, holding hands for a second.

Moreover, it's good to see Fabian back to his old self again. Maybe not quite his old self - his old self probably would have just tossed his hair and proclaimed that of course Fabian Aramais Seacaster could accomplish anything he put his mind to - but a variety of it that speaks of more confidence after his really, really shitty day. They've all gone through something like that in the past few days, he thinks. Fig becoming a proper archdevil and holding her own in court, Fabian getting his groove back, Adaine liberating her sister from that prison, and Riz --

He really wants to talk to his friends about getting to meet his Dad again. Even underneath current circumstances, he's still so excited about it he could burst. But the time has sort of passed (the time being immediately after he returned; Riz is a private guy by nature, but also because he's never quite sure how to bring it up), so he'll have to figure it out another time. For now, though, they stealth their way into the elevator, and Riz goes for one of the lower floors. Once they're safely away from the lion, he enthuses, ] Misty Step's great, right? I wish the sword could cast it more than once a day.

[ Once they make their way into one of the apartments, Riz gets to work being Riz, which is to say, he immediately starts scouring the place for any surveillance. He's halfway on top of one of the counters to check the furthest corners of the room when he does a double take at Fabian. ]

Wait, what the hell is that? [ He jabs a finger at him. ] Maximum... Legend? Did they tattoo you?

[ He considers this idea for more than half a second. ]

No, that's stupid. You got a tattoo while I was gone?

[ It couldn't have been for more than an hour or two. But Riz isn't one to talk, considering the current state of his torso. ]

[ Fabian is more than content to just let Riz do his Riz thing. Even though he's looking around as well, Fabian is well aware the chance of him noticing anything useful is way lower than Riz's own - this is the other guy's speciality, after all. The way Riz is already climbing all over the apartment as if it was his own little personal playground is saying enough in that department. He figures that if Riz does spot something he can't just climb up to by himself, he'll ask Fabian for help, and in the meantime the larger teen is definitely content just.. kind of looking around by himself. More leisurely.

(It definitely just looks like a normal apartment to him, no matter how he can turn it. Or.. what Fabian assumes a normal apartment to be, anyway, given that his only experiences with those were the brief times he visited actual apartments..)

His attention doesn't get drawn back to Riz until the other speaks up. Especially when he speaks up with that of all things. Why is he questioning one of the few things Riz should be fully aware of? ]

Huh?

[ It's why he can't get anything more intelligent than that out of his mouth at first, just.. giving the other a very confused look. Riz, why are you suddenly so worked up about his tattoo, dude? ]

What do you mean? You saw me getting it! [ God, if there's anyone Fabian wouldn't forget from that moment, it's Riz. Considering-- ] When papa put this on me, you were staring at me as if I was about to be killed-- which, for the record, really did not help!

Your Dad gave you a neck tattoo? [ Riz says incredulously, fixing Fabian with a look that's entirely too judgmental considering what he got stamped on his body last week. But hey, at least he had a cool, drugs-related excuse for acting like a lunatic. But when given a moment to actually think about it, it doesn't sound too far-fetched. Riz knows that sometimes the passage of time fluctuates between planes, which means that Fabian could have had ample time to get a tattoo, and considering the unorthodoxy of Bill Seacaster's distinct parenting style...

All he has to do is channel his inner Bill. How would that conversation go down? Fabian, me darling boy! How can you stamp yer name on the face of the world when you're not willing to stamp your status on your very flesh? No, not where it's hidden, laddie! Don't be a pussy! You put that right on your neck!

Yeah, Riz decides. That's probably how that conversation went. The fact that he is able to vividly imagine this does, admittedly, make him even gladder that Bill isn't his Dad, terrifying man that he is. But even if that explains the tattoo, it doesn't explain what Fabian was saying about Riz being there. He anxiously taps at his chin, mind whirring with possibility. ]

Okay, but I wasn't there. I'd remember watching that happen! Could it have been a doppelganger? [ Why would he have a doppelganger? What motivation could a doppel have to fuck with them in particular? ] Or maybe it was another one of Kalina's tricks, maybe she managed to find a doppel to send in that only looks like me to be able to eavesdrop on you guys, and that's the real reason she made sure I'd separate from the party.

[ Maybe she'd expected him to stay longer with his Dad. She probably never expected him to give up on his cover; Kalina may have known Pok well, but as an agent, not as the devoted father that he is and was. It could have all been a part of her plan. ]

[ He's just nodding when Riz asks him that first question. After all, despite the look and the tone the other is using with him, Fabian is just taking it as a normal question, rather than Riz questioning the action itself. After all, how could Riz find the idea of getting a tattoo weird when Fabian has seen his arms? Clearly this is just Riz making sure he's got the story right, rather than Riz questioning the parental choices of Bill Seacaster.

Besides, that last part? It's way weirder to Fabian, making him frown as he thinks. ]

Kalina..

[ .. well, it's possible, right? They saw her a few months ago at the mall, and Fabian is pretty sure he heard mention of her being involved in.. whatever that weird Mordred Manor hellscape had been at the bottom of Riz's briefcase. For a moment Fabian is threatened to be filled up with concern about Riz, because what if he got taken or kidnapped and they never noticed--

-- but then he realises something. ]

No, that can't be the case. You spoke with your father, and surely he would know if that happened. [ Not that the Bad Kids don't care about Riz and all, but.. well, they're not always the best at seeing through these things.. But Riz's dad? No way it would slip by him, even if they didn't communicate in person. ] Maybe there's some other reason you were there, but don't remember it now? Like.. erm..

[ Hold on, he's really trying to think here! Especially since he doesn't want there to be anything wrong with Riz. ]

.. chronomancy?

[ It's always chronomancy. ]

[ Riz's brow furrows deeper once Fabian mentions his father. He could almost delude himself into thinking that he's messing with him, but... as a newly appointed member of the Dead Dads Club, Riz knows that's not something that he would invoke lightly, especially since he shouldn't even know that that's where Riz had gone. He slaps his hands over his eyes with a low groan as the truth of Fabian's statement hits him. ]

Chronomancy, [ he agrees, clearly cross. ] Fuuuuck. As though all of this wasn't complicated enough. Ughhh. [ He drops from the counter so that he can pace properly, rubbing at his chin, trying to sort it out. If Fabian is from the future, that means that they survive Spring Break and defeat the Nightmare King, which is undeniably good news, albeit good news that Riz had already more or less assumed. Them not being victorious simply wasn't on option, both because they had to save the world and because Riz was not going through this shit without getting an A at the end. ]

Where I'm from - when I'm from - we're still in the middle of Spring Break. Which means that I'm still infected, so you can't tell me anything about how we dealt with the Nightmare King, okay? Not unless we figure out if Kalina can watch me into this plane or not. I'm not sure how time paradoxes would work, considering, but I'm not willing to risk my timeline getting screwed over.

[ He almost wants to ask if he gets the finishing blow on Kalina. He'd really like to kill her himself after everything she's put them through. ]

But clearly you're from, what, summer break? Junior year? [ It's not on-topic. They have timelines to unwind. But it falls out of his mouth before he has a chance to stop it, something hopeful in his tone. ]

I get to talk to my Dad again?

[ He thought he might be able to. But it didn't seem like a sure thing, not really -- an emergency evacuation to Heaven seemed like a one-time thing, and he doesn't know what the rules are vis a vis contacting the living. They had to be strict, Riz thinks, or his Dad would have been talking to him this entire time... wouldn't he? ]

[ You don't have to tell him twice, Riz. Fabian's lips are sealed-- which he's more than willing to demonstrate by making a zipping motion in front of his mouth. Not a word about that stuff from him.. As long as his brain-to-mouth filter keeps functioning, anyway!

Though Fabian does realise it means there's a lot he can't talk about. After all, even if the entire Nightmare King business is over, a lot of the stuff that happened over the past half year did have to do with Cassandra, and some of it with Kalina too.. Maybe it's just better to stick to anything that isn't related to their usual adventures when talking to this past Riz then, he figures.

The time of year should be fine though, right? ]

Between winter break and spring break. Junior year, yeah.

[ .. besides.. the other question should be fair game too. Sure, it still remotely had to do with what they were looking into, but.. there's no way he can't answer that question.

He can see that look in Riz's eyes, after all. Especially now Fabian gets it so much. He knows exactly what it's like when your dad is on another plane that you can't just zip yourself over to or even really contact that easily. It's an entirely different brand of longing than your dad just being plain dead, and rare enough that it almost feels like a huge coincidence that the two of them just happen to have this in common. ]

And you do! [ Whatever. If this creates some time paradox, Riz can blame him later-- but this is news he can't keep from the other, especially when Fabian starts smiling instinctively when he says this. Just because he's that happy for his friend when it comes to this. ] I think you contacted him through your watch. I mean..

[ His voice trails off a little, and he gives the other a knowing smile as Fabian moves to lean against the edge of a table in the apartment, getting a little more comfortable. ]

It's hard to come by ways to contact your father when he's that far away, huh?

[ Not just Riz's.

Though, speaking of-- ]

Wait, The Ball! That means you also don't know that my papa and your father are actually in touch with each other up-- no, down-- [ ... ] Up and down there, I mean! [ HOWEVER PLANES WORK. This is too complicated for poor Fabian's mind, okay. This is why he's not a wizard!! Look at how wildly he's gesturing to try and show his point. ] Isn't that great? It's like our friendship is destined! Seacaster-Gukgak solidarity across generations!

[ Fabian's a whole year ahead of him... normally, this would be worth a not-insignificant amount of brooding. They're here, kidnapped in this strange place and told all these strange things, his friend is from the future and can't even properly give him any clues as to how they manage to solve the quandary that Riz still feels stuck in, they have no way of getting home, and now Riz is the only one who could be compromising their safety due to Kalina's presence that lives deep within him, has lived deep within him since birth.

But right now? Absolutely none of that feels like it matters, not even a little bit. Instead, he's practically vibrating with excitement, not bothering to hold back the wide grin that threatens to split his face in two, chest aching in a way it has been ever since he caught a glimpse of his Dad tied to that chair. For so long, he's lived with his Dad as nothing more than a spectre cast over his life, a few memories he clung to with all the ferocity that he could, a lingering emptiness, a hero that he couldn't possibly live up to.

And in the last twelve hours, his father has suddenly coalesced from an idea into a whole person. A whole person who loves him, beyond a shadow of a doubt, a whole person he'll get to see again. ]

Whoa. [ He looks down at his wrist, a little awed. ] He never mentioned that about the watch! He just said it was for cool spy stuff!

[ He can't even worry about a time paradox right now. He doesn't even give a shit. This won't matter to Kalina, or to the Nightmare King; this is all about Riz and Fabian and their Dads. ]

I just, I just -- [ he has to pause for a second the way he has to when he gets a little overexcited, too many words trying to spill out all at once, back to pacing the floor. ] I just got back from seeing my dad for the first time in -- so long! Like, literally, I got here just as he was teleporting me back to you guys. And we get to talk again?

[ In a year's time? That's so soon! He can't wait to tell his mom all about it. ]

That's awesome. And you get to talk to your Dad too! [ Fabian and The Ball: not even death can separate them from their fathers. He can't pretend he's not touched by Fabian's declaration of destined friendship either, the memory of the way Fabian used to just brush him off freshman year nothing more than a distant shadow. ]

That's so cool, dude. Generational solidarity. [ What would they even talk about? Whatever. If anyone can hold their own against Mr. Seacaster, it's his Dad. They must even get along. ] How did they even start talking? What, like, some sort of afterlife PTA?

[ Life had felt so... bad, when he was younger. He'd been so lonely. But everything Fabian is telling him means that they defeat the Nightmare King, they all stay the best of friends, and they even still get to talk to their dead loved ones. It's been hard to keep sight of everything good during their endless Spring Break trek, but he can feel vigor returning to him, a reminder of just how lucky he is. Everything's coming up Gukgak. ]

[ Truthfully, there probably should be other things they should be talking about or doing right now. Even if Fabian can't impart anything about what happened back home since the time Riz last remembers, they should probably be investigating this place like Riz was doing a moment ago. They should get down to business so they can figure out what's up here and reunite with their friends ASAP, but..

Riz looks so happy, Fabian thinks. It's not like they haven't had happy moments over the past few months, but he also knows that they've been under a large amount of stress. Riz in particular. It's been hard to catch even a moment of the other guy's time with the way he's triple-booked his entire agenda full of extracurriculars, and sometimes Fabian can't help but think just how tired he's seemed through it all.

Is it then really so bad to want a little bit more of this? To just give his friend a moment to be happy, rather than having to worry about it all. Doesn't Riz deserve it? ]

Please, you know our fathers are far too cool for that. [ He even huffs. Dramatically. No better way to keep them on this topic for a few more moments than to be dumb and dramatic about it, right. ] As far as I could gather, it seems that papa is selling information to your father. I'm sure he must gather quite a bit of it, going around Hell like that!

So your Dad's, like, my Dad's man on the inside?

[ That's cool as hell. In many ways, Riz is aware that despite his juvenile admiration for Fabian, they're the least remarkable of the Bad Kids; among the Elven Oracle, two famous rock stars, and the creator of an entirely new god (no matter how poorly conceived), he and Fabian are just... guys. Guys with really badass parents - well, a badass Dad on Fabian's part - but still just a couple of dudes.

But that goes for Pok Gukgak and Bill Seacaster too. They forged their own paths in the world, and now they're still doing it in the afterlife. That'll be him and Fabian one day, he thinks, though he privately thinks that Fabian is much more likely to go to Heaven than his father. They're still young, though, and Fabian has many years ahead to go violently swashbuckling if he chooses to, even if he probably won't. He's a little too nice for that.

In many ways, Fabian's observations are absolutely correct. Despite being on a terrifying quest, the vestiges of his father's past dogging his heels, the horror of what the Abernants had gone through and the trials and tribulations of Leviathan, Riz looks happier now than he does later on. He's always thrived underneath this sort of pressure, took to adventuring with the sort of gleeful relish that simply can't be taught, flourishing in a way their entire party can't with the greater realities of continued education, financial insecurity and school politics weighing on their shoulders. As it turns out, life-threatening peril is a lot less stressful than dealing with life. ]

That's awesome. I wonder what my Dad's even giving him to make it worth his while. Apparently he gets paid in faith and good wishes, which is like... not really your Dad's style.

[ It doesn't matter what Bill gets from it anyway. It's just neat to think that their Dads are up - and down - there, getting shit done they always did in life. ]

Thanks for telling me, man. I know that this chronomancy stuff can be tricky, but I think... that sort of thing is okay for me to know. But hey! You're old now, right? You've gotta be eighteen by now.

[ A full-fledged adult!

With a Maximum Legend neck tattoo! You know, like real adults! ]

[ .. Fabian is definitely briefly imagining his father's reaction to being paid in faith and good wishes..

It's somewhere right in the middle of being comical and likely pretty intimidating to most people who aren't Fabian and don't have the weird sort of relationship that only he has with Bill Seacaster. Yeah, Fabian figures, it's more likely that Riz's dad probably has some access to other stuff to pay his father with.. Maybe they do have some gold up there for special occasions or something..

It fades right from his mind though the moment Riz brings up his age. It'd be easy to take offense to that mention of being old, but Fabian is just at the exact age where it's still actually a compliment to be the older one. It means you're the cooler one, right.

Hence why he grins. ]

Of course! I'm an adult now!

[ Said.. with a tone that indicates he is very clearly not an adult. But let a boy dream.. ]

In fact, I have a banker now. [ That's an adult thing, right-- ] And I am going to grab him by the scrotum! [ --mmmaybe not. ]

Not to mention that I am in charge of Seacaster Manor!

[ All filed right under the category of "things Riz can probably know without breaking the time continuum, but which still would be better for Riz to have to never hear of for the sake of his sanity." ]

Please don't grab your banker by the balls. He'll hate that.

[ He doesn't even question why that's the first thing that popped into Fabian's head. In his time with his friends, Riz has learned that sometimes it's better just not to ask, and he feels that he doesn't need to know the full story behind that particular escapade.

Admittedly, if anyone deserves a good ball-gripping, it's probably a banker, but now's not the time to get into all that. ]

But -- wait, go back, what do you mean you're in charge of the Manor now? What about your Mom, and Gilear? They didn't move out, did they?

[ Hallariel and Gilear, moving off into a little elven loveshack. It's the kind of horrifying thought that could give a guy nightmares. ]

How about Cathilda? I'm pretty sure she's the one who's actually in charge over there.

Oh, well..

[ ...

His voice definitely just.. trails off for a moment without him really saying anything else here.. It's that typical Fabian thing where you can just tell he's about to make some shit up and he's just buying some time, even though he's trying incredibly hard to pass it off here as something much more casual. ]

She went back to Leviathan a while ago. And then mama and Gilear-- she decided to take that man on a cruise. [ THAT MAN, YES!! Refusing to accept his stepdad.. You can't make him.. If anyone is getting an eye roll over the cruise decision, it's Gilear, since clearly his mother couldn't be the one in the wrong here, right.

It's all Gilear's fault for making his life worse!! ]

And it's a year-long cruise, so.. that's why I am the one in charge now! [ He makes a dramatic gesture. ] Running a manor, and gripping bankers by the scrotum! [ DID YOU NOT EVEN LISTEN TO RIZ JUST NOW, FABIAN.. ]

Oh, huh.

[ A year-long cruise. Now that's some real rich people shit. And, Riz reflects, a true leap of faith on Hallariel's part; after spending about a week straight with Gilear, he tries to imagine being stuck with him on a boat for an entire year and has to withold a shudder considering the sheer volume of yogurt-related crimes and probable drowning incidents they'd go through in a single month.

More than that, the idea of staying all alone in a big, empty house is a little nightmarish to Riz. Sure, he and his Mom can go days without seeing each other, both entirely consumed in their work and odd hours, but it's... different to just miss each other. Sure, it gets lonely. But there are notes on the fridge held up by kitschy magnets, pots of coffee waiting for each other, wrapped-up leftovers, text messages of I'll do the dishes, don't touch them! But Fabian looks -- fine with it? Maybe? Riz doesn't really want to harsh his vibe. ]

Well, you are eighteen, [ he concedes with the conviction of a sixteen year old's idea of what constitutes as an adult, and with the air of someone just trying to figure out what to say. ] Kinda sucks that they're gonna be gone for so long, though. Are you... liking having the place to yourself? I guess you can probably do whatever you want now.

[ Probably having, like, a lot of sex. That's very important to Fabian. The only thing more important to Fabain, Riz considers, is the now-extinct repelling force of the possibility of Gilear walking in on him -- you know. Doing it. ]

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