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!

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WEATHER ALERT:

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

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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. ))

MONDAY • TUESDAY • WEDNESDAY • THURSDAY

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Comments

[necrotiem]

[The darkness recedes around her as Waltaquin's dragon, too, returns to embers. The necrotic energy, the smell of death - it all begins to lessen and fade. Tenderly she rises to her feet again. Zelkov's healing and the fog have done a good job at keeping the worst of the fire at bay, but she's sure there are parts of her dress burned onto her somewhere.

Lips pressed, she looks down at the body.]

Ah... so those were the flames of hell that Sonya felt, all those weeks ago. Xiao... What drove you to this?

[...Why does it feel as if they're all running out of time?

Oh, fuck, Wang Lu's arm - She isn't sure she can handle another invocation.]

[chosenwang]

[ At first he feels victorious for having to stop whatever creature they were experimenting on this time.

Only for those scales to fall away until there was nothing left but his wayward Cabana-mate instead. ]

Ah. [ That's not good. The combination of the weight of what they just did and Wuxiang Bones kicking into effect is making him feel much more tired than he usually is. He stumbles forward, dropping his sword in the process, to check on the still form of Xiao. ] Why was she even like that?

[passetemps]

[ while there's nothing particularly surprising to zelkov about a dragon turning into a human — that's just how dragons work in elyos — he somehow hadn't been expecting it to be someone he knew here. maybe he should have, since they'd all seen xiao's fire powers in person before.

as his own appearance returns to normal and the sword vanishes from sight, he looks down at her, frowning. perhaps if he'd gotten to know her better, he might have some understanding of what had led to this.

...but it's done now, regardless. and even if he'd known who she was, he can't say he would have done otherwise, not when two others were putting their own lives on the line fighting alongside him.

his duty is to neutralize threats, whatever form they take. ]

I could not say. ...And I do wonder what it was she seemed to be searching for when you first arrived.

mini-body invest

[killerwaves]

[Xiao's body remains battered and bloody and covered in ashes from everything that transpired before, though luckily the scale of the dragon's injuries don't seem to have transferred over one-to-one -- or she might have been obliterated in the process of whatever-this-was.

Others may be able to tell a tale of where she came from, or where this started, at least, but here they are at the very end.

On the other hand, there doesn't seem to be a body announcement forthcoming right now -- perhaps it's a good time to give the body a quick lookover while there's nothing to interrupt.]

[necrotiem]

[There will be time to lick their wounds later, when everyone has come running and reconvened.

Waltaquin kneels down next Xiao so that she might do exactly that. What can be found on this former dragon as she sweeps some of the ash off of her with the back of her hand?]

[killerwaves]

[Well, there's not much in the way of anything that's still intact -- though Walt will notice traces of bleeding from the mouth and nose, which are very dried trails but still just visible under all the soot.

She'll also notice that the scales remaining on one of the arms seem to be receding rather slowly. She's free to check out both, but that one may take priority since it's slowly fading before her eyes.]

[necrotiem]

[...Well she already has a thought in mind earmarked for the bleeding, and it's prudent not to lose the scent prematurely.

Let's take a look at the receding scales. Presumably they stand out because the rest of the dragonskin EGO has largely faded completely by now?]

[killerwaves]

[Very much so! The EGO was gone pretty quickly, and in a moment even the last remaining traces of it crumble away to simply leave a very dirtied and blood-smeared human arm.

If Waltaquin looks closely enough at where the last of it vanished, though, she'll be able to see what looks like a pinprick-shaped bruise, just distinguishable in all the black and red.]

[necrotiem]

[Next you're going to tell me the bruise was over a vein or something like that...]

Ah, what's this - ? [She holds it aloft and examines it a little closer. Is there any other discoloration or marking beneath the skin that might show through around the bruise area? Xiao's pretty pale so she figures it's worth checking -



or is it time to consult her suspicion head on and look at Xiao's tongue?]

[killerwaves]

[There's a little reddening around the bruised area, but otherwise it doesn't look like there's much more to find beneath the skin -- Xiao's pale, but that also means that the plethora of bruises from the fight are crowding what unblemished skin remains.

It may be time to listen to her instincts.]

[necrotiem]

[Quin lowers her arm, clinically but with no tenderness.

Indeed it is time. One hand on either side of Xiao's jaw, she's going to open the woman's mouth now.]

[killerwaves]

[Bingo: Xiao’s tongue is very nearly as black as the destruction wrought by her dragon form.

Some moments pass, the last flickers of all the fires set by their battle die down as well, and the incongruously beautiful peace of the islands reasserts itself. There's the slow, familiar tread of a small pack of kittybots rolling up, chattering amongst themselves as always.

They go for the body, as always, carefully starting to chivvy the fighters away from it before they hoist it up and away. It looks like time is up, and the cleanup crew will be busying itself from here on out.]

[chosenwang]

[ Welp. Having the answers he so desperately wanted before didn't make him feel any better.

It's making him feel quite a bit worse.]

[necrotiem]

[She stands and backs away as the kittybots come to clean up. There'll be the matter of Overhaul coming across the speaker soon, but before they can chew on that...]

Your arm? You're bearing up quite well. I heard that from quite a distance! [She's got her grimoire up again, but - oof.]

[chosenwang]

[ If circumstances were different, he would probably lean into his usual dramatics. But considering who else was sporting a black tongue and what happened... ]

You mean this? It'll be as good as new by tomorrow. [ Don't waste your MP ] I do need to contact a certain pair if I want to live to see it though.

[necrotiem]

Oh? [That's very impressive, actually. She looks him over, letting out an amused little hee hee.]

Yes, that'd be the real risk, wouldn't it? I'm frankly surprised they aren't already here by now.

[chosenwang]

[ He is going to wince as gets his Upinion. Time to single-handedly text a couple of people. ]

It's the cultivation I practice. It would have been better if I broke more bones actually. [ A pause ] That isn't an invitation. [ As for the pair... ] Maybe luck is on my side and they are busy.

[chrysaline]

[ Luck is not on his side!! Psyche has gotten so good at distance running since coming to this island. ]

Wang Lu! What did you hurt? [ Actually, Psyche has eyes. She gives his arm a frown. ] Will it interfere with your cultivation if I try to help healing it a little? I'm going to be so angry if you cough blood, too. Waltaquin, are you alright?

[ No the questions will not stop until she gets the essentials out of them. ]

cw burn descriptions prolly

[necrotiem]

Speak of the devil. [She watches the Olympic sprinting happening her without moving, but waves away Psyche's concerns.]

I imagine I'll be peeling my skin off in places when I undress later, but I'll manage.

I'm afraid I've exhausted my magical capacities for the moment, however. It's such a nuisance! [She says, almost cheerfully.]

[chosenwang]

[ There goes his luck. At least they didn't come in at the end reveal.

It's just his arm and his energy. His expression softens at the sight of her. ]

Hello beautiful. I won't be coughing up any blood any time soon. [ He will open his mouth so she can inspect for blood if she wishes ] It's already healing on it's own and will be fine after some rest. [ She can heal some burns from Walt ]

[necrotiem]

["That isn't an invitation." Haha!] I'm wounded, Wang Lu. I'd take no pleasure in it, but I'd do as needs must.

[Luck is not on his side, so have fun with that.]

[chosenwang]

[ His luck. ] You would be the first. [ Why can't his Master being like this? ]

[diabolizes]

[ Hi here’s here now and interrupting whatever is going on as he leans down to tug on Wang Lu’s collar hard enough to bring him close and crush their lips together. Is that good enough for kissing it better?

He lets go. ]

Do you still need a sling?

[allworknoplague]

[And then, somewhat belatedly, nearby palm tree speakers crackle to life.]

Hmm. So it wasn't another laboratory accident, was it?

... We'll consider it under the same umbrella for now -- the phenomenon hasn't appeared, so it's not time for sacrifices yet. Let's hope this won't contribute to anything like last week.

We'll take the investigation from here.

[And just as unceremoniously, the message ends.]

[chosenwang]

[ Ah, what a shame. There's no more white hair.

While Walt does her invest, he's going to give her space and grab his sword. Taking a seat on the ground nearby as his body feels heavier. ]

You do have my thanks for stepping in when you did.