WEEK 5

[killerwaves]

WEEK FIVE

21 Vacationers

The weekend sure was something, wasn't it? Tempers flared, explosions burst, and some were treated to an immersive sand bath experience. Come Monday at least, things seem quieter though not in the unnatural still way—the distortions on the islands have receded sometime in the night (with some impressive firework-like booms that may have stirred your sleep, at that; and the waves seem a little higher this morning) and the various amenities on the island have been made orderly again. Though, as always, some traces remain in the landscape; the waterfall looks like it has seen better days, though it's no longer in danger of coughing up debris on your head if looked at wrong.

This week like the rest brings new locations for you to explore, on Kakapo's Nest though it seems like only one of them really fits the vacation vibe. Hope you like snow!

!

WEATHER ALERT:

Bulletin:
Starting Monday morning and continuing throughout the week, pollen counts will be elevated. This is expected to last until late Thursday

!

TASKS:

Breathe Freely:
Enjoy the great outdoors with a fellow vacationer! It's never too late to appreciate nature.
(REWARD: RARE!)

(( Yes, only one task this week which is memshare with someone else. Have fun!
REMINDER: Task submissions are due Friday by 9 PM EST/6 PM PST. ))

(( OOC: Murder proposals are due by Tuesday at 4 PM EST / 1 PM PST, for the current week's murder, which is the last week of standard murder, week 6 being endgame!!

Also, as always, your admins can be contacted for a chat. ))

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Welcome to Fetch Quest

[chosenwang]

[ Fog is rolling up and the your surroundings will dim as you take a step forward. The air around you will change from the floral infused sea breeze to crisp mountain air. There's a gate before you with the words Taiyuan Village in bright yellow written across it. There's a vague and familiar feeling settling across you of entering into your favorite kind of world.

It's just like walking into a role-playing game.

Do you proceed? ]

[mysticpowerbroker]

[ Witnessing memories isn't exactly a novel experience for him.

Not in the slightest.

And emotions...things like those are left to humans, yes? Watching as the blond-haired woman flings herself (unnecessarily) to the ground, there's nothing to be said. He's just simply mostly watching, instead of thinking.

Or perhaps, that is how it is at first.

So much darkness. So much filth spilling from that man's mouth, his actions vile and wretched, when the best kindness this man could afford was to (die) be silent, and leave her. Yet, this too is humanity, isn't it? He doesn't wonder with any sense of amusement. He blinks again.

Maybe he will see a satisfactory ending, yet he is well aware that he may see the opposite of exactly that.

Curious to see its conclusion, Merlin walks without hesitation first towards the scent of blood. ]

[conceivesfrenzy]

[ she's just sitting here with her popcorn. coming ho ho, what's the scoop! ]

[dupiety]

I try not to get this hungry if I can avoid it.

[Alas. He'll rectify it now, though.

He frowns at his burger after having taken a bite out of it.]

I cannot imagine it having been anyone else's. I experienced a hunger so agonizing that I would consume anything in a vain attempt to sate it.

[idologue]

[ ... doubling research models are games somehow doesn't sound all that far fetched. Simulation training is basically the same thing already. ]

Sounds like your world is in a pretty rough state, then.

Four Buddies

[butcherspice]

[make it as wholesome as possible. Make this edgy old man ill.]

[butcherspice]

[Mystery sounds fun!!]

[diabolizes]

in that case, i could try to fashion it into something

[diabolizes]

[ Even reliving the memory still makes it feel far, far off for Wei Wuxian. It's why he doesn't look so bothered when they're finally back to beachy surroundings.

While he might feel numb, he still knows that the emotions he felt that night were intense, so he gives Xiao a moment. ]

Take all the time you need.

[diabolizes]

[ ...There are a lot of things he can say about this memory, about the shitty way that man treated Haruka, about the way he's been pushed to not care about his fans while still caring about everyone else in his life...

But where can he even start?

When the memory dissipates, he looks for Haruka, whether he's right next to Wei Wuxian or not. ]

Haruka.

[diabolizes]

[ Who the hell is going around putting swords in stone?

Anyway.

Wei Wuxian hangs back on the edge of the crowd, near that cloaked figure. He spares a glance towards Merlin before his gaze slides back to the crowd, his hands behind his back as he watches. So this is how they decide their king? It makes sense, he supposes, if they want someone to gain access to the throne through divine rights.

As someone speaks up, Wei Wuxian looks around for the source of the voice. ]

[diabolizes]

[ Ah, that familiar scent of blood. It stings as he relives this memory, but it's something that Wei Wuxian has long since grown used to. That much is easy enough for him to move past, as worrying as it is, but what concerns him more is...

...Why are things wrong?

It's time to remember anyway. ]

[chrysaline]

[ What a memory... Who would have brought down the anger of a beautiful woman like this? And if a certain someone had had this much caution in the first place, maybe he could have exercised it judiciously around much more serious threats.

There's a thread of slightly sad amusement to this, at least as long as it stays absurd. Psyche would laugh if she could. Though, as a connoisseur of great escapes herself: she's rooting for him, really. Hopefully that's nothing concerning in the shadows? ]

[microtransactions]

show me how it turns out when you're done, hee hee!

[mysticpowerbroker]

[ It's another onlooker, speaking in what is essentially no less a worried voice, "Is there no future for Britain?"

But then, that person speaks up again, tone now bitter than not, "...then again, was Merlin's prophecy even true in the first place?"

The doubts of the people seem to make the attending knights uneasy; at least even if the judgment is made by Merlin, it is obvious from the way they carry themselves as well. They decide to more or less put on a showing of sorts. Perhaps...to mend their own pride as well.

Merlin himself seems rather unbothered by this turn of events. If anything, judging by the slight upturn of his lips, he seems to find something amusing about it. After all, he's a being far from human, and at this point in time, seeing the results of people going up against a steep challenge is proving to be something worth a form of entertainment.

One of the knights declares, "Whatever the case, there are so many knights gathered here. There are many ways to choose a king. The best one will succeed Uther as king of the knights, inheriting from the previous king."

The knights begin to talk about setting up a joust, a tournament to decide who is 'heir to the throne'. Not surprising to Merlin. They were just simple men, after all.

Meanwhile among all these people are also two towards the back, a blond-haired young lady who is dressed like young males of her age. Another is a taller male beside her, and for some reason, Merlin has his attention on them.

The taller man is also displeased by the stormy look on his face...even as the young lady hands him his spear. She asks, "Brother Kay, is the chosen sword not good enough? Is that why it's going to be ignored?"

He simply says that it's not a matter of good or bad, and that it is only a nuisance, spouting the fact that the knights have decided upon a tournament, as well as the fact that this conclusion is one the knights have found themselves relieved with instead of the obvious possibility. When she questions this, this 'Kay' seems to brush her off, saying, "We don't have time to dream with Merlin and Uther. It's more humane to judge by how many men, money, and the power you have now then with some invisible proof of the king..."

...Merlin yawns and rubs at one of his ears as Kay starts his lecture. The feeling that arrives that he thinks this man is just saying things that are boring is clear to him. People may still be people, but this man is saying a lot of substance that doesn't change anything.

The man begins to make his way away from the blond-haired woman, even as he continues speaking, rounding it off with, "...No matter who you are, you don't need to see or be the 'agent of the god who saves everything'."

Then, of course, he's telling her to go home.

The other people follow Kay's lead in exiting, finally making their way out of the area, apparently also seeing no point, leaving the young woman alone with the sword in the stone.

She steps towards it, and silently, wraps her hands around the trapped blade. As there is a slight, but apparent movement, Merlin steps forward into sight at last, saying, "You should think twice before picking that up."

Whirling around, Merlin can only be amused to see how surprised she was, but then after a pause, he decides that he should say some more. With a mischievous and mysterious smile, the Mage of Flowers speaks again, words spoken in that gentle tone of his, but somehow without a single bit of warmth, "In fact, I'll even give you some helpful advice, and tell you to stop while you're ahead.

Once you pick that sword up, you will no longer be able to live the life of a human being until the end.

Finally, you will be resented by all if you accept that burden, and you will die a miserable death."

Merlin wonders, exactly, simply how she will take these facts? The answer is simple. She will likely turn away. The prophecy he delivered would cripple just about anyone. Such is human nature.

...Either way, such words, such thoughts are quite comforting, aren't they? Yet, seeing as the memory has not yet ended, there is no choice but to be witness to what may happen next, yes? ]

CROWNED

[hearnoplague]

[ Kallamar said that was the wrong crown! But let's subject him to this anyway since he missed last week's trial! ]

[gluttoning]

Oh.

I was thinking about that earlier. I was trying to make something for the others in my cabana, and... it was like I was remembering something from a really long time ago, all of the sudden.

[Mm, cheeseburger.]

I couldn't help myself afterwards. I don't like thinking about those times.

...

...Ah. Wait. [As he reaches for another burger, his expression tightening with confusion.]

How did you see something like that?

[mysticpowerbroker]

[ It's a mystery, isn't it?

Alas, Merlin isn't the only one who knows how to wield magic offensively. Especially the kind that can or cannot result in death.

Or perhaps some other unfortunate fate which will or may not result in such an end. Indeed, that becomes evident when some kind of powerful fire spell is hurled straight along towards his way, and the magus barely maneuvers himself out of the way with acrobatic momentum that would make gymnasts proud.

...Or it might make some people wonder how a mage is capable of such a feat. Merlin himself is even patting himself on the back for it! Not even a chant for a teleportation spell needed.

But, the egotistical moment is short-lived, especially when the woman emerges from the shades of those trees nearby, face darkened in anger, hair seeming more like shadows of the deep in the current state, regardless of the true color. Though even that seems hidden by the presence of night, and then there are her eyes...that are more like a gaze of a creature staring back up from the depths of hell towards the surface, than anything anywhere near beautiful.

Yes, he has done wrong. But he doesn't think he deserves this level of anger.

Immediately afterwards, he puts distance between himself and her, running away despite the fact that she tells him to face the consequences of his actions.

But, really, when has he ever done that? Why not continue to run away from his problems? That's far easier, and ensures he doesn't get killed for it.

The day he doesn't run is the day he'll die.

That being said, there's a place that's up farther ahead. Farther still from where they are now, and where she (nor anyone) may reach him. That is where Merlin allows his teleportation spell to carry him towards.

Soon, the surroundings seem...somehow, just about the same, end to end with fields as he has long since left that forest. The sky brighter now.

Yet, somehow the skies are the same as they ever are, and even further along this landscape it appears that there are no changes. But, first, there is something important right before his very eyes.

'Only those free of sin may pass.'

This is what so happens to be written...no, it was etched onto an open "gate" that appeared cobbled together from large stones; a noteworthy sight given their majestic size. Walking under it, he can only laugh to himself, "I see that I've been tricked."

But he doesn't quite seem to care, even as he springs flowers at his footsteps, and even as he passes through this little entrance that seems intent on welcoming him suspiciously in. Hah, what a joke...

Those plains he traversed transformed almost immediately. It is plain and easy to witness the magus become surrounded by exceptionally long and stone-crafted walls that encase him within; he can see the differences immediately. Where he stands is now trapped inside of a sprawling tower, one that keeps him in one place.

No need to turn and see what he has just walked through has just disappeared. It has, without a doubt. But there is something illogical about him anyway that makes him turn around regardless, only to confirm the obvious.

It's easy and plain as day that this was a trap especially crafted for him. In a place that seems somehow like paradise with these gentle fields, and bright skies, Merlin can only presume that whoever hated him so much had gone through an insurmountable of trouble.

'A curse of this magnitude can't be cast if you don't trade your life for it...how scary.'

Merlin callously thinks that he can't even remember offending that woman to such a degree. And moves on from that before deciding he doesn't recall who else it could have been...so therefore, it had to be nobody worth mention or noting.

That's right. Nobody.

...Only the sinless may pass indeed. What a saying. Perfect for him, of course.

Though, suddenly, the surroundings Merlin are in begin to turn black, until there is a void.

It seems that, perhaps, the memory has ended. And yet...that can't be right either, can it? Proceed onwards? ]

[dupiety]

I can certainly see why.

[And then Beelzebub asks the all-important question, to which Temenos ponders as he chews on another bite.]

That is precisely what I would like to know. [Munch munch.] The only thing I remember before that vivid vision hit me was looking at some strange animal that appeared in front of me.

[gluttoning]

An animal... I wonder why it would do something like that. Have we always had magic animals running around this island?

[He doesn't even know where to start with that. But...]

Mn. Maybe if we catch it, it might taste good. You won't have to have a vision like that again, either. It's nice to be eating. It's not to be hungry.

[finalforte]

[She finds herself in a bog-standard Japanese school building. Classes seem to be over with for the moment - there's still students milling about, but there's a relaxed air among them as they chatter among themselves.

One classroom in particular seems to stand out a little more clearly than the rest, but there's nothing stopping her from exploring the hallway and listening in on one of the many packs of students gathered in their cliques.]

[finalforte]

[He finds himself in a bog-standard Japanese school building. Classes seem to be over with for the moment - there's still students milling about, but there's a relaxed air among them as they chatter among themselves.

One classroom in particular seems to stand out a little more clearly than the rest, but there's nothing stopping him from exploring the hallway and listening in on one of the many packs of students gathered in their cliques. No one seems to notice or consider that he stands out here.]

[dupiety]

Unless Merlin's little pet was magical in nature, I don't believe so...

[He certainly doesn't remember seeing any other weird animals around until today.

The suggestion makes him smile, though in a melancholy sort of way.]

If only it were so easy for you to dispel your own hunger. Now that I have experienced it for myself, I feel I have gained a deeper understanding of your day-to-day struggles.

[It's probably not that anymore like it was in the memory, but it still can't be any fun to deal with.]

[stilllovesyou]

I would be honored! [She gets down beside her.]

I've never seen a castle before though. Are they usually sand?

[stilllovesyou]

[Nona wants to walk up to everyone and introduce herself. She doesn't, though, because she's once again not in the body. Instead she looks outside at the sky and the plants and the grass and all the people and feels something akin to longing. Grief.

She'll listen to them talk. She's so good at listening.]