WELCOME

[killerwaves]

INTRO

Whoever you are, wherever you were, the last thing you remember is the salty smell of the sea breeze and a distinct tickle of electricity across your body. Enough to cause alarm perhaps, but in the next moment it all goes black, or blue to be more precise. When you stir into consciousness, those fuzzy sensations are all that you have as an explanation, though there's certainly more to experience around you.

The warm bright rays of the sun, the rhythmic cresting of the waves into the shore, the unfortunate feeling of sand sticking to you everywhere, because you're lying flat on your back on a beach without a beach towel. At least you're not alone, and at least it doesn't seem like you've been completely dumped unceremoniously, as there's orderly space between you and the 27 others who share your predicament. Whoever left you here probably could have dumped you into a pile, but they have better manners than that.

However you decide to react to your sudden vacation, you'll find that you're dressed just as you last recall and that you have at least one possession of yours on hand. Whatever else you had on you appears to be affected by baggage routing, unfortunately. You'll also find a key inscribed with a particular bird and a strange device in your pocket, ostenstibly some type of cellphone from the period when blackberrys were all the rage. A pop-up window will greet you when you turn on the device, prompting you to pick a username (this pop-up can be ignored for up to 24 hours) and also walking you through a basic tutorial on its functions. For now, it seems like the public network isn't running, but the direct message function is availiable. It ends with a cheerful blurb instructing that "For further questions and help, please contact one of the hotel staff!"

As there's nary a soul that seems to actually work here on the beach proper, it might be worth it to explore. Around the resort are robots manning the buffet, sweeping, and even making cocktails if you want to drink your problems away. While they'll answer to basic commands, provide you with a map of the island, or even be happy to tell you the weather, they're incapable of engaging in any meaningful dialogue. Any questions or demands they can't answer will yield the statement to please contact the administrators.

Whoever they may be, but they'll show their faces eventually. Probably.

((OOC: Welcome to Last Resort! Poke a mod in the discord if you have any questions. The NPC meet and greet will take place at 5PM EST/2PM PST today! ))

Locations Cabanas PCs Network Device Main Nav

code

Comments

[conchy]

Why do that when I can pay homage to them instead with registre?

[That doesn't answer Chuuya's question, but he'll hear his own question echo back at him from within the conch, his voice captured within it.]

With registre, I can record every word that passes through your lips... every sound, both pleasured and pained!

[gravitys]

[ Is this guy a sadist? Real questions Chuuya wonders about. ]

Well...seems useful for confusin' people, at least.

[conchy]

[An excellent question to ask, but wouldn't he rather find out for himself?]

Oh...? Do you find my explanation that difficult to follow? I must confess that I don't care much for lengthy lectures, but if you need me to simplify my language, I can accommodate you.

[Because that's totally what Chuuya meant, right?]

[gravitys]

[ IDK, MAYBE??? Chuuya doesn't particularly mind sadism. The guy is easy enough on the eyes. But he's not really thinking about that right now. ]

Oi, don't you dare. I understood just fine. [ But he can't help but think how to use powers as a weapon, so of course he's thinking about that. ] You may talk fancy as shit but it ain't like I can't follow you.

[conchy]

[Are you sure?? You can beat him up whenever you want, Shorty. He can be your Dazai or something, idk what their deal is.]

Heh-ahaha! There is no need to get so upset, monsieur.

[If he knew what Chuuya was thinking, utilizing his conches like weapons............ well. Wouldn't that be interesting? They might have a fun conversation on their hands.]

I mean no offense, truly. It warms my heart that you've taken such a keen interest in my genius. Perhaps you might consider learning audiomancy yourself?

[gravitys]

[ Their deal is Dazai is VERY HIGHLY ANNOYING and Chuuya both wants to murder him but trusts him implicitly (often to his detriment)...it's Complicated (tm). That said, he probably wouldn't turn Lobelia down, help him his taste is probably a huge question mark. ]

Chuuya. [ Stop calling him "monsieur" it's too fancy for him... ]

Is it somethin' anyone can learn? I guess it'd be good for setting up traps. [ He can't say he'd use it for anything NOT combative... ]

[conchy]

[This man is rather rough around the edges, but Lobelia doesn't seem to mind. A "bad boy," one might call him... and despite questionable taste on both ends, he finds his company pleasant enough to remember the name.]

Well met, Chuuya. I am Lobelia, the greatest genius of a magician to ever grace the skies.

[As for whether or not audiomancy can be learned... well, Lobelia's chuckle is a little haughty.]

Oui, audiomancy has many practical applications, not limited to traps, but it is not so easily learned. One must first have an inherent understanding of magic.

[gravitys]

Eh, probably not, then. [ He's...ASSUMING, anyway. He doesn't have "magic", but an "ability". ]

What happens if I crush the shell? Can you do it with shit other than shells?

[conchy]

Crush the conque...?

[No! No!! Chuuya is this close to making a horrible discovery.]

Though it would pain me to see a valuable piece of my collection reduced to rubble, its utter destruction will result in a truly glorieuse sonate!

[And rather than deign Chuuya's second question with an answer (conches are love, conches are life, all other shells can get the shell out), he hands Chuuya a shell from his collection.]

Go on, Chuuya. Stomp on it with all your might and listen to what follows.

[gravitys]

[ Well, hey, he likes destruction. So Chuuya needs no further encouragement to drop the shell onto the ground and stamp on it way harder than needed and also probably harder than it seems like he should be able to, impacting the ground with more than his own weight. ]

[conchy]

[Good man, Chuuya. Lobelia was right to entrust his precious conque's destruction to you. The conch shatters with a loud crunch underneath Chuuya's heel and Lobelia tosses his head back, cheeks flushed and eyes fluttering shut as the sound washes over him.]

Oh...! There it is, that peerless, immaculate sound! The echoing crunch of destruction! Heh-ahaha... You put the whole of your heart into utterly devastating the conque. Très bien! Chuuya, I just knew you'd understand!

[Is this the beginning of something horrible? Hope you like freaks, Chuuya.]

[gravitys]

[ IT...DEPENDS? Honestly, Lobelia was bound to see him destroy something eventually, Chuuya just kind of isn't that gentle about shit when he feels annoyed or is fighting. He's actually "in control" of himself right now for all that his foot definitely left a little impact crater in the ground there, haha whoops.

He's kind of like ??? damn! about Lobelia's reaction but honestly he's known weirder folks (maybe) so it's more like he's trying to decide how he feels about it. ]

You're makin' it sound like this is some kink thing for you. [ Was he just part of a kink thing! Wow. Ugh, whatever. ]

[conchy]

It is nothing of the sort, I assure you!

[But does he need to stop to gasp for air and try to compose himself?? Yeah. Lobelia just gets a little wound up about sounds, that's all. He's harmless!]

I would implore you not to make such dégoûtant accusations... after all, we're the same, aren't we? You crave destruction... no, it's something more than that! Destruction is woven into the very fabric of who you are!

[gravitys]

[ Sitting here glancing at Chuuya's IC profile that mentions powers from a god of calamity and wondering how the hell Lobelia will take that.

Still, geeze, he can't help but think of Arahabaki when Lobelia says that. It's a complicated sort of feeling, but not one he cares to share right now. ]

Dunno about the same, but we probably understand one another well enough. [ He doesn't say if that's a good thing or a bad thing, though he assumes it's probably bad. The kind of people a mafia executive can understand at a glance, or recognize something in - they're rarely good people, but Chuuya doesn't really worry himself about morality much. ]

Anyway, what'd that one mean? Bad?

[conchy]

[He'd take that information as confirmation that Chuuya truly is the gift that keeps on giving. Living to destroy? So long as that's the path that grants Chuuya his happiness, why should he ever stray from it? Morality has nothing to do with it.]

"Disgusting." Sickening, vile, repugnant. You spoke with such condescension that I had no choice but to object. Even so... one such as you must know the happiness destruction can bring. There is nothing disgusting in taking pleasure in that which brings you happiness, is there?

[gravitys]

I wouldn't call it condescension.

[ Definitely maybe a hint of irritation, but he didn't say it was bad. ]

As to that...that's the kind of thing people say when what brings them happiness is pretty twisted, right? [ Again: he's not saying that's bad. Just looks kind of amused. ]

[conchy]

[So he isn't being judged, and even if he was, Lobelia wouldn't exactly mind. He's the sort of man selfish enough to do what he wants and nothing short of it... which segues nicely into his answer.]

The pursuit of happiness isn't something you can corrupt with words like "twisted." As a boy, Maman and Papa always told me that everyone in this world has the right to be happy. There may be some that disagree with my point of view, but it isn't my responsibility to please them.

[gravitys]

Yeah? [ Personally, he doesn't mind admitting when something he wants is twisted by normal standards. Granted, Chuuya doesn't think about this shit all that deeply. If he lives his life by any standards or rules it's the rules of the Port Mafia - and by and large they don't give a fuck what he pursues outside of work. He can't say he's never worried about pleasing people - or at least, he's felt loyalty to others that has kept him in check.

Thinking about simply not giving a fuck at all is interesting, intellectually. ]

I don't think twisted and corrupt are the same thing, I guess, so it ain't like it was even an insult. Though I do think you're a shady as fuck guy, it ain't like I can talk.

[ A shrug. ]

So is it just destruction that you're pursuin'?

[conchy]

[Lobelia is just messed up enough to not see anything wrong with his desires, finding it crude to call something so pure "twisted," but all that means is Chuuya is better off for having at least one foot grounded in reality. On the flipside, not giving a fuck comes with its fair share of upsides.]

Shady, you say, and yet you seem to take no issue with keeping me company.

[And it's much the same on Lobelia's end. He's a man who has enjoyed his own company for all of his life, but that doesn't mean he can't enjoy spending time with those who have... ahem........ similar interests.]

It's as I said, monsieur Chuuya... It's happiness I'm after, and I would do anything to be happy. Wouldn't you? It's no concern of mine if my happiness comes at the cost of those too weak to secure that happiness for themselves.

[gravitys]

[ Anything? Depends. Chuuya has some things he won't do, some things he'd prefer to avoid...but he's done a lot of shit to keep himself where he wants to be. He knows full well he can't judge anyone on morality but he does understand it.

He likes to fight. He usually keeps to fighting only people who enter the same "game" as he's in - people who cross the mafia and therefore enter their arena or people who seek them out. And then whoever he gets dispatched against. Otherwise, he's old enough now he won't attack someone for no reason whatsoever.

Mostly. ]

I work for the mafia, my entire life is shady.

[ Some of his coworkers are deluded and think the mafia is in the right. Chuuya sees it as a crime syndicate - and a place to belong. His nature is better suited for that sort of thing. ]

[conchy]

The mafia...?

[It's not a term Lobelia is familiar with, nothing that exists within the realms of the skydom, but he can piece together context clues to get an idea of what Chuuya is talking about.]

Organized crime, non? All that separates us is our raison d'etre... that is, your reason for causing destruction. You kill because you must, as part of an organized group. I do as I please and act on my own accord because that is what makes me happy.

[And sure, he's part of a group, technically, but Lobelia's interactions with the other Evokers is infrequent and limited. What business does he have with people he can't entertain himself with? Talk about boring.]

[gravitys]

[ A small shrug. Chuuya won't get into the details about why he does what he does or any complexities. It's true he ultimately does things for the mafia, but that's pretty selfish in and of itself. He's the kind of person who deeply desires a place to belong.

He's found it there, and he's not willing to give it up. ]

So...based on all the creepy shit you've said, you kill 'cause you like the sound? You'd either get along with or kill one of my coworkers. He's all about the explosions.

[ One of his hands pops off his elbow from the crossed arms position to mime one. Boom. ]

Always goin' on about killin' as a science experiment to test 'em out.

cw gore ment

[conchy]

[There's no shame in hiding it, is there? In a space as limited and confining as an island, they're all bound to learn each other's dirty little secrets anyway. Besides, whatever secrets he imparts may very well die along with whomever he cares to share them with... so enjoy, Chuuya.]

"Like" is an understatement! I live for the sounds of destruction, the sounds of flesh and bone rending and tearing, the agonized screams of the damned...! Ah, Très bien! It satisfies me no matter how many times I hear it.

[But he's well aware he isn't the only freak out there with a destruction kink. Explosions, eh? Lobelia hums, head tipped to one side.]

What method does he use? Incendiaries, non? With audiomancy, I can achieve similar results.

we really just let anyone on the Cypher huh

[gravitys]

[ Was Lobelia trying to hide it at all? Maybe Chuuya just hangs around too many twisted sadists not to go "oh look, another one". That would be more worrying if he didn't work for the mafia and being kind of messed up wasn't a baseline for a lot of them. ]

He makes his own bombs. They're all lemon shaped 'cause of his ability. Some people make the mistake of thinking the ability is creatin' lemon shaped bombs, but actually it's bein' immune to explosions from lemon shaped bombs. Which sounds stupid as hell but he makes it work, I guess.

[ Honestly not his favorite coworker, largely because he thinks the guy is occasionally unreliable if he gets it in his head to experiment instead of stay on task. ]

And yeah, I figured. These shells can all basically be bombs if you amp up the volume enough, right?

they let this man on and yet they won't give us belial smh

[conchy]

[An immunity to lemon-shaped bombs... Sure, Lobelia can find the humor in that, but he's more fascinated with the man's craft than anything. Everyone in the business of killing has their own unique style and flair, and while Lobelia is of the opinion that it all pales in comparison to the miracle that is audiomancy, he can appreciate a novel approach to serial killing.]

Oui! Sound is quite powerful, after all. Soundwaves can destroy objects large and small, but they can also do the same with a human body. There is truly no limit to the applications of audiomancy.