Week 1.

[azumods]

WEEK 1. As Cynthia had promised, the sun does indeed rise the next morning. Whether you slept or not (and sleeping inside the Pokémon Center you were in before seems totally fine by the attendant), it seems Cynthia kept her word; she left sometime shortly before sunrise, and you haven't been bothered by Team Galactic and those that work for it in the interim. It isn't advisable to return to the headquarters building, however. At least not for the time being. However, a new day does dawn, and with it comes the knowledge that you're in an unfamiliar city, completely on your own. There are several things to be done before you can leave: gathering supplies and provisions, finding maps, obtaining new clothes... Of course, your new "companions" are still with you, and they don't seem willing to leave your side; they'll follow you dutifully, but they still seem...wrong, horribly so, and it doesn't seem to be wearing off. Maybe if you work with them a little...? Try to talk to them, train them, teach them to do things... Who knows? It might do them some good. CURRENT LOCATION: VEILSTONE CITY POKEMON AVAILABLE: WITHIN CITIES MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY | FRIDAY [OOC: Welcome to week one of Azume; feel free to make as many top levels as you'd like and tag out to other characters! This post is for all of your interactions this week... at least until the weekend. Don't forget that a write-up is due this weekend! Feel free to investigate the city as you see fit this week; we ask only that you try to stagger investigations and be mindful of what's already been checked. If you wish to investigate, notify the mods in your comment subject for your top-level and we'll get on it as soon as possible!]

Comments

evening

[discutio]

You're sleeping out here tonight?

[Ignis tilted his head in Bucky's direction at the sound of his voice, dressed in darker clothes and sunglasses with Absol close at his side.]

Seems a bit isolated, doesn't it?

[semistableman]

Maybe.

[Bucky offers a smile, even if Ignis can't actually see it.]

I don't do well in large groups, I have trouble relaxing. I still don't sleep more than two hours at a time on a good night.

[discutio]

Hardly an unusual thing, I would say--most with combat experience tend to have the same sort of circumstances.

Would you mind company, for a while?

[semistableman]

Nah, not at all. Feel free to join me.

[He relaxes, his stance shifting noisily, putting more weight on his right foot than his left.]

To tell you the truth, I don't do well inside of buildings. I figure I won't be the only one to set up camp outside.

[discutio]

I'd not be surprised if you were right. Truthfully, I was considering doing the same; reassuring as the sound of relative civilization may be, it's a bit crowded for my liking.

Do you want some assistance setting things up?

[semistableman]

...and if people are really all as...

[He trails off, swallowing audibly.]

Anyway, I don't think there's much reason for us to all gather in one place.

[He laughs at the question, but it's quiet, pleased.]

Yeah, sure. It's kind of hard setting this up with one arm. I could use a hand.

[Was that a pun?]

[discutio]

I'm sure we can manage something, between us.

[A slow smirk began to spread on Ignis's face, the kind characteristic of sudden and inescapable trouble. Oh. Oh no.]

...It would be a bit shortsighted to plan to do the whole thing alone.

[You fool, now he'll never stop.]

[semistableman]

[That makes him bark a startled laugh, delighted and amused.]

It would be, wouldn't it? I've got a buddy back home, and he'd make a big stick outta me doin' anything on my own. He'd give a big hero speech about how I don't have to be alone.

[It's a fond recollection.]

If this... whatever it is has really touched other worlds, I know my world's fine, 'cause he's there. He's got a way of making people believe in hope.

[discutio]

It's the same for me, on both counts. As worried as I am...our world has survived worse, and I know there are those more than willing to continue fighting for it just the same as myself.

[The smirk turned to a small smile, affectionate though just faintly distant.]

They can manage without me for a bit, though I'm sure I'm due to hear a fair bit of complaining once I'm back.

[semistableman]

[He starts to continue setting up the tent, giving instructions, hanging Ignis tools. Stuff like that.]

Yeah. That sounds a lot like Steve. He's the selfless type, doesn't take no for an answer.

I was a POW, in a war.

[He's not sure why he's talking about this, probably because it sounds like Ignis is from a completely different world and hasn't heard of the exploits of Captain America.]

Without me knowing it, he was recruited into the military. He singlehandedly rescued me, and nearly 1000 other men. Damn stubborn idiot will probably save the world again.

[discutio]

[Ignis listened quietly as they worked, both to keep track of what they were doing as well as focusing on what Bucky was saying.]

That's...quite the impressive feat. He must be vitally important to you.

[semistableman]

Yeah. He's my best friend. He keeps rescuing me.

[He laughs, stooping down to pet the skiddo carefully.]

I owe him a lot.

[discutio]

...hm.

[Ignis answered in no more than a vague and quiet sound at first, distantly lost in his own thoughts for a moment.]

...with someone like that looking after your world, I'm sure things will be fine for a while yet.

[semistableman]

Yeah. Earth'll be fine.

[He looks to Ignis, actually stopping what he's doing for a moment.]

What about your world, who'll save it?

[discutio]

[And what a question that was, leaving Ignis very, very quiet for a few seconds. The world had already been saved, and if he wasn't already questioning how long they'd been there he would have assumed it to have been done a matter of hours ago. This on top of everything was too much to handle...or it would have been, if he didn't have far too much practice in prioritizing the matter at hand over how he felt about it.]

[Still, it took him just a moment to answer, in as steady a voice as possible.]

My...friends, Gladio and Prompto. There are certainly others out there willing and able to fight for the sake of the world, but I've no doubt they'd pull together and lead things without me there.

[semistableman]

That's good, that's good.

[He sounds pleased by the idea, even if he has some lingering questions about just how long he's been gone from his own world.]

I sure wish I knew what we could do about the people here. I'm willing to go look for the lake spirits, but what happens if they're just as bad off as the animals and people?

[discutio]

Gods tend to be a bit more difficult to affect than mortals. I'm hoping the same holds true here, and if not we'll simply have to either find a way to help them or seek another course of action.

[semistableman]

You make it sound like you have experience with gods.

[His tone is curious.]

I've never met one, but the ones I've been told about are a little... well, they call themselves gods, but they're more like extremely powerful aliens.

[discutio]

I've met one or two, briefly. They're most assuredly creatures of our own world.

[semistableman]

Creatures? So they're definitely separate from people, then?

["People" in this context of course meaning someone you can have a conversation with, given the discussion of aliens.]

[discutio]

That was perhaps not the best terminology, but they're certainly not human. Most are hardly talkative, and generally, the ones that are speak in a tongue the average mortal can't understand.

[semistableman]

[That seems to satisfy him, if the soft huh is anything to go by.]

Incomprehensible gods, then. Sounds kind of like Lovecraft. Steve was really into those stories.

[discutio]

Afraid I'm not familiar. They were...generally benevolent. It's complicated, as one would expect from that beyond the morals of mere humans.

[semistableman]

Ah, it's not important. From what Steve told me, the gods in Lovecraft's stories aren't benevolent.

I'm not sure what gods in this place would look like, in all honesty.

[discutio]

Cynthia didn't make mention of any Oracle, and she didn't seem under the impression we would have trouble communicating with these lake guardians. Your guess is as good as mine, but it does seem to stand to reason they'll at least be capable of speaking in a manner we'll understand.