bravenewworld | Weirding of Nature

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Weirding of Nature

Early in the morning today, the people of Union are startled from their everyday activities by a public broadcast on their Warp Bands. This never means anything good...

With a careful absence of emotion, a disembodied voice begins to read a message prepared by the Rangers of Union. In the past few days, the rangers have begun reporting some strange occurrences while scouting various areas. Individually, they may appear to be minor issues; however, it's an alarming trend when viewed altogether. Citizens are advised to take great care while traveling in the following areas and to keep an eye out for danger.

Caldera: Unattended metal in the area is warping in strange ways.
The Forest Shrine: The trees near the shrine seem to be experiencing rampant growth, obscuring the sunlight in the area.
Desert: Heavy rainfall, uncharacteristic even of the rainy season within the desert has been happening non-stop.
Flower Grove: Small mushroom rings are appearing around the grove. Approaching them is causing dizziness and nausea. This effect is subdued by approaching the Gracidea flowers held within.
Mountain: The Mountain is experiencing increased snowfall usually seen at the higher elevations. Paradoxically, it’s also seeing a few small lava flows emerging from various points; odd as it is not volcanic.
Old City: People and Pokemon will begin to hear voices echoing through the caverns. The voices are hushed, whispering, and unintelligible.
Ruins: A strange, hazelike atmosphere has descended over the ruins. It almost appears as if it were a mirage.
Rolling Plains: Abnormally large swarms of Bug Pokemon have been sighted traversing the plains aimlessly.

These effects will be apparent to anyone traveling within these areas. Stay safe!

1/24 update

Two new areas are showing anomalous behavior.

Iron Mine: Loose ore and rock in the Iron Mine have become magnetized and are now floating through the air seemingly at random.
Ocean: There has been an increase to the potency and size of waves, making the tides and shore more dangerous than normal.

((This post may be used as a mingle to discuss and respond to these issues, including either action threads or conversations over the Warp Band.))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ What strange weather. Sanae was under the understanding that the desert was, you know, dry and hot. Also such strange things happening around Union--although she had heard from the Valkyries that weird things tended to follow Union like a plague. Still, it made things interesting to say the least. She might even consider going out and exploring a bit.

But she had other things to take care of first, like cleaning. Her hair pinned up in a ponytail and her sleeves rolled up, the newest member of the theater house carried a bucket and mop with her, passing by the storeroom.

Hey, was that-- ]

Haruka? Natto? [ A cheerful smile. ] What are you up to?

Ah, Sanae. [ Haruka looks behind herself, thinking. How much is safe to say? The place is going to empty out - that would make her suspicious, wouldn't it?

So she blinks and puts on a mild smile as best she can. ] A lot of us are going to have to go out for a while. Will you be okay by yourself?

[ And it's at that point that Natto starts putting Potions into Haruka's pockets. One....two....three....Trainer needs a lot of Potions....

Yeah, they're not up to anything sketchy at all! ]

[ She was smart enough to be able to gauge supplies at the very least. That was a lot of potions. Sanae wasn't the accusing sort ~~most of the time~~, but if she had to wager a guess, she was going to be out for a long time, and maybe even somewhere dangerous. The girl looked concerned. ]

Going where? Is everything okay?

[ She lowered her bucket to the ground, looking a bit awkward. She already felt strange living here without paying for it, and now she was going to be there basically by herself. She didn't really like it... ]

[ That bucket might be gone the next time Sanae goes looking for it, the hallway sparkling clean as well. Haruka's Mr. Mime stays at the theater and helps where he can. He just has an unsettling way of going about it.

Haruka is now in an awkward situation. She decides to evade the question. ] The Pokémon will be here, too.

Leavanny! [ That's right! agrees Natto. You won't be lonely, Sanae! ]

[ Natto, you're sweet, and that does get a bit of a smile from her, albeit a sad one. She could logic her way through this one, given how people were reacting about the anomalies around Union. Still, what did theater folk have to do with that?

She kept the smile on her face as she asked, looking a little concerned. ]

You're going to check out all the weird things happening, aren't you?

[ Haruka and Miss Michiru were probably going together. Maybe Rise. Probably Takuto. There were a few stage hands she could see leaving too. She would have her pokemon, and a few others, but it would be awfully quiet. Not to mention that she was legitimately concerned. Actors don't really fight, right? ]

That doesn't concern you. [ Darnit. This was supposed to be Takuto's problem, not hers. But did any of them really think, even for a moment, that they could have someone living in the theater - living with them - and not have her discover something was amiss eventually....?

Haruka tries not to look at Sanae, but Natto looks concerned. Oh, no. Trainer is doing the pushing-people-away thing. Sometimes that means she wants the other person to keep pushing, though. So he's not sure what to do. ] Van.

[ Trainer doesn't sound as cold or angry as she can sometimes, though. Trainer sounds kind of sad.... ]

[ Sanae stops, surprised by her response, and immediately backs down. Something wasn't right, and she couldn't put her finger on it, which bothered her more. Clenching her fists at her side, Sanae stood there. ]

...I see.

[ Of course, she was still an outsider. Takuto said she could stay, but really all she did was helped keep things clean, or with cooking or any other chores that came up. It hurt a bit, because she generally liked everyone, and assumed that everyone liked her. It was like having a family away from home. But.

She forces on a smile, it was really all she could do. She could tell Natto was very distressed, but Haruka wanted to keep her out of reach for whatever reason. So she would need to do what she could. ]

Is there anything that I can do to help? Any preparation stuff maybe? We did travel from Citadel to Union, and I learned a lot from some of the tribes around Citadel. I know how to pack for long trips.

[ Haruka exhales. That had worked. So why doesn't she feel satisfied?

Maybe because it worked this time. But what about next time? Or the next? What if Sanae ever went out, made new friends, and complained about how the Union Divine Theater was keeping her out of the loop regarding something important? Pushing someone aside to protect them was all well and good if they weren't sharing your living space, but there's no way this current situation can hold up.

Haruka's shoulders slump, and when she looks over at Sanae she almost - almost - looks like she wants to smile, too. This is so ridiculous. But it's their only option now, isn't it? Bring her in or cast her out. There's never a middle ground.

She should have known that. But she's still hesitant. They've got a truce. So she'll stall. ] We shouldn't be gone that long.

[ Natto frets. Where is Trainer's Trainer? She would be able to fix this. But she's not here.

At this rate, it might have to be Natto. ]

[ Still nothing, huh? She felt like she should fight this, and normally she would, but they were putting her in. It was Haruka's decision that let her stay in the first place. Of anyone that she wanted to impress or help, it was her, and yet-- ]

Oh.

[ It should have been expected, although seeing her so distant and, quite frankly, cold, hit a little harder than it should have. Maybe it was a pang of homesickness, but her words hit hard.

Haruka didn't want her help.

She would have left it at that, but Moriya, the newly evolved Poliwhirl, piped in first. He had been watching and, his arms crossed, he gives the taller woman a look, eyes steely and expression (if there was much of one, he was a Poliwhirl after all) unimpressed. ]

Whirl poli.

[ You were going to make a girl cry. Could you deal with that, Haruka? Then, looking toward Natto, he offered the same question. ]

[ The future of the world is at stake, and inviting Sanae into the Defense Force means exposing her to danger. Haruka will take tears over risking innocent lives, any day. It's because she cares that she pushes people like Sanae away in these situations.

But living with this tension isn't feasible either. And Natto (to say nothing of that Poliwhirl) are looking at her funny. She squints at the Poliwhirl, but -

When did Natto learn to make that face. He looks like Michiru. Worried, but expectant. Believing in her.

.....Shoot.

Clearing her throat, Haruka looks away. It's not like she doesn't know there's a secret, anyway. All that's left is the details. ] You want to help that badly, huh?

Edited 2015-01-25 01:21 (UTC)

[And then, suddenly, from down the hall]

MISS HARUKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

[A certain red-haired ~~pretty-boy~~ ~~idiot~~ ~~puppy~~ ~~sterling member of the Divine Defense Force~~ idiot comes running down the hall in full Divine Defense Force regalia.]

MISS HARUKA! THEY FINISHED MY UNIFORM!

[screeeeeeech! Oh, hi Sanae! Takuto flashes her a grin. Clearly not remembering this secret identity thing at ALL]

[ Just when she was about to back down, Haruka began to cave. She tried not to seem too excited, because it was obvious that there was some kind of secret that she didn't know about; she had figured out that much even before Haruka's display.

Opening her mouth to say something, Sanae stops, hearing the exuberant redhead shouting. Wait, Takuto what were you doing here? Sanae turned and stopped, smile frozen on her face.

What was he--was that a costume for a production--uniform? Takuto were you... what were you wearing? Were those thigh-high boots? Tassels? Sparkle? So much sparkle. It's blinding. He was dazzling. ]

T... Takuto what are you--

[ .....

.....well. Hadn't she just been telling herself that Sanae's predicament was Takuto's responsibility? And here he is, ready to...

...no, she can't rationalize this, this is absurd and Haruka knows it. She controls her breathing as best she can to stay calm. Except she's not sure whether she's on the verge of losing her temper or cracking up. ]

Good grief.

[ Don't mind her, Takuto. Let's see how long it takes for you to figure out what you just did. Assuming you don't get distracted by Natto looking you over and walking in a circle around you and generally appraising the uniform. Very flashy! It suits you well. Here is a leaf to make it look even nicer. ] Leavanny.

Sanae! Doesn't it look great!

[He does a very impressive twirl. And remains oblivious]

[ Moriya is just. Staring. He isn't impressed--not very much impresses him, to be honest--but seriously this guy. Why so dumb, Takuto?

Sanae tries to play this off as best she can, although she isn't quite sure what to make of anything that's going on right now. Why was he dressed like that? She looks to Haruka for an explanation before looking back at Takuto.

That was a very impressive twirl, and the costume was really impressive! It's obvious that she's trying to resist the urge to investigate it further, but that would be improper; so instead, she'll admire from afar. ]

So you decided on a play then? That's what this is for, right? What kind of play is it? Does that mean Takuto is the star?

[ Bless her, she's really trying to figure this out. ]

[ Star of a play taking place in his own head, maybe. That has no bearings on reality whatsoever.

Sanae has technically given Haruka an out, there, but if anything that convinces her there's no way they can keep trying to delude the girl about this theater's true purpose. Outright lies should be avoided wherever possible. They only trip people up in the end.

She clears her throat. ] Skitty. [ No. ] Sanae.

[ Better. This time she's able to look at the girl, since the alternative is looking at....never mind. ] Were you serious? Do you want to help, regardless of the consequences?

[ Consequences. Those things. That are a thing. Takuto. Cough. So what's more brilliant now, Sanae? Takuto's uniform, or the fact that Haruka is now looking at you....~intensely~? ]

[ Moriya will busy himself with analyzing the outfit that this idiot is wearing, occasionally tugging at it a bit with a gloved hand.

Sanae blinked a few times, turning toward Haruka. She was suddenly so serious, and she felt it hard not to at least stare a little. The look on her face was so intense, this was obviously something really important, something to take very seriously.

Sanae's smile dropped away, and the young woman nodded firmly. ]

I want to help in any way that I can. That's one of the reasons I came to Union. [ One of many, but details. ]

[ Haruka studies Sanae's expression. She's still not convinced she wants to send this girl into battle, but having someone running a support role back at the theater might not be bad until Sanae proves herself. And it's not like the other girl hasn't been through a lot already. Sanae knows life doesn't always work out perfectly, but she's still smiling, and trying to do whatever she can in any small way.

So Haruka smirks. ] Get your friend a pack. He's going out.

Vanny! [ Oh, gosh, that's right! Natto's hands fly to his mouth. Takuto's in his uniform! And Sanae's here!

...Natto, there's no reason for you to start blushing in embarrassment.... ]

[ Sanae blinks a few times, then looks at Takuto again. You know, the glittering idiot in the thigh-highs over there. ]

Takuto is? Right now? Dressed like that?

[ Moriya looks at Natto, doing what appears to be a legitimate attempt at a head tilt. What did Sanae being here have anything to do with him being dressed like an idiot? The irritation air lifts a bit, he's very curious. ]

Po?

Yep! I'm going to go investigate the desert and figure out what's wrong!

Secretly. [ Secrets. Remember them? Those things we keep to protect people? And ourselves?

Haruka keeps her eyes on Sanae. ] He can tell you the rest of the details. But nobody outside the theater can know that this is what we do.

Can you hold to that?

[ It was starting to come together slowly. The gears were still turning in her head, and not everything made sense. Secrets? About going to investigate things? It didn't quite add up. ]

I thought you just put on plays.

[ Was she not supposed to know? Was this some kind of compromise? She could help if she didn't ask any questions? She didn't exactly like those terms, but she could see how much it meant to them, so the girl nodded. ]

I don't think I totally understand what's going on, but I can keep a secret. I promise.

Doesn't she need a uniform first?

Leavanny! [ Oh! Leave that to Natto! He's pretty sure he has some projects started in the costume room that are about Sanae's size he could tailor into a uniform, no problem! (Those boots are in a class by themselves, however. He won't attempt to imitate that.)

Hurrying into the storeroom, he quickly creates three piles of supplies - one for Haruka, one for Sanae, and one of some supplementary stuff he's thought of since the last time Takuto reported for duty - then salutes Sanae and hurries off to get the costume. He'll just make sure it's a good fit and then doctor the decorations! Tailoring can come once she tries it on. ] Van van.

[ ...And that makes two people in this hallway who are having fun. Haruka lets Natto's response go in lieu of her own to Takuto's question, continuing to focus on Sanae.

She sighs, but it's with a smirk. ] Silence is approaching. You'll have to learn on the job, and there's no margin for error, but...

I guess I should welcome you to the Divine Defense Force.

[ Haruka's hand goes to one cocked hip. And right on cue, a gust of rose petals whirl across the scene. Dramatic moment: memorialized. ]

[ No, Natto you really didn't have to go through all the trouble! Not that she could really understand him, but she could get a general gist of what he was saying, especially after he started getting supplies ready.

So she passed? She wasn't sure what she passed. ]

Silence?

[ Sanae paused for a moment. Being a priestess meant she was at least somewhat religious--or, in her case, a lot. They had a different name for it, but she picked up what Haruka meant. ]

Do you mean--the Gods taking back this land?

[ That's what they were fighting for? That's what the theater--no, the Divine Defense Force--was here for?! ]

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I'm cry

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