epidemiology | EVENT ★ BACK TO THE FUTURE

BENDED TIME

As outlined in the OOC post, things start to slow down and grow quiet in Oska for a few days as the bugs crawl away and slowly disappear. But then the cocoons hatch. Fully grown temporal insects claw their way out of them, each about the size and temperament of raging bulls.

They come out far more aggressive and eager to fight, are are willing to take on anything that moves with jaws and claws alike. Except, of course, another insect — when two of them encounter each other, they enter into a mating dance and then slip away into another dimension, leaving behind only the temporary ghosts of years gone by. If you can’t find a way to pierce that thick shell to take one down, better find another one to pair it off with instead. Just try not to get bit while leading them around and find yourself suddenly 5 years old again.

The insects aren’t the only thing going on in Oska, though. As it turns out, unicorns really hate this adult form of the temporal insects, and will start kicking their way out of their stalls in the stables to get at the insects in an attempt to impale or trample them. According to Uruz they’re gallant warriors, but not always quite cut out to take on a bug, and can easily get themselves hurt or killed. She would really appreciate recruits taking a moment to recapture any stray unicorns they may come across and leading them back to the stables. Try to avoid any insects on the way, or you’ll find yourself suddenly fighting insect and irate unicorn, which is no one’s idea of a good time.

The lake is getting more active, too. All the fighting has woken up something in the depths of it. Dark red tentacles sometimes creep up onto shore — and don’t worry, this time they don’t belong to a sea goddess. The tentacles don’t attack unless attacked, and can in fact be quite agreeable. Nodes along the length of them act as primitive eyes, which see well enough to interact with anyone nearby. They’re also all a little peckish. Toss a tentacle a bit of food and watch it curl around and ingest it using tiny mouths on the underside. It might even be willing to play a few rounds of fetch or slap a bug into the sky for you if you put it in a good mood with a morsel of food.

The senior ALASTAIR members can be seen out and about and doing their part, too. Uruz and Dagny fight as a team, centaur and elf, sometimes fighting back to back and sometimes as mount and rider. They’ll stop and lend a hand, but the cats are a little less generous. Cherenkov and Crowley fight inseparably and use magic and science in deadly combination to ward off and destroy the bugs, but can usually only be seen darting on their way from one place to another. They have a lot of magitek to repair in the destructive wake of the insects. Pomarr, neither as senior nor as invested in actively picking off the bugs, offers shelter near a tentacle-free portion of the lake, calling down storms to toss away bugs for her and anyone in the vicinity.

OOC NOTES

This log spans a week ICly. Characters will find themselves beginning to understand each other again as the bugs first vanish, as the effects of the cats’ work on the magitek pays off. The translation problem will be completely fixed by the time the cocoons hatch. All of the bugs will have been killed or shipped off by the sixth day, leaving the last day before their departure to the next mission blissfully relaxing. Any temporally misplaced recruits will be back to normal by the last day, as well.

A reminder to anyone still texting: the texting feature of magitek jewelry operates based on thought! There are no physical keyboards, recruits merely think the message that they’d like to send to another recruit.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Sabo was walking around the dining hall... kind of a usual patrol... he seems to enjoys being around the area, especially if he needs a quick bite after wrangling some bugs. Though as he looks around.. he notices a tiny orange haired girl stealing food and stuffing it into her dress pockets.

For a moment, he questions this. The area is usually unoccupied ....and it's not like anyone is not allowed to take all the food.... In fact, if he was a kid himself he'd probably do it too. The food magically stockpiles itself anyways so there really isn't a reason. He just finds it a wonder how common it must be to have such sneaky brats needing to grab any food possible for themselves. Looking over this small ginger haired food thief, he decides to walk up from behind her and taps her on the shoulder.]

Don't think you'll be in trouble but... [He picks up a piece of food from the table and marvels at it, looking away from the girl.] You might want to find a better way to hide what you're going to save for later.

[ Indeed, as Sabo well predicts, her first reaction is to jump back, hiding the piece of bread behind her back, an I didn't do anything at the tip of her tongue, eyes wide as if to be ready to produce big crocodile tears at a moment's notice...

... only, when he doesn't seem to be reprimanding her, she gives him a puzzled look, before puffing her cheeks and huffing out, with an air far older than her years, ]

It's not like they gave me a bag to store them in!

Oh you're right!

[He holds out his top hat in front of Nami and places the food he stole into it.]
Maybe this will do?

[He then makes a wink at the girl, and then crouches his knees down to her level. He makes an amused chuckle, watching her cheeks puff.]

You're pretty bright for your age, you know?

[ She lets out a squeal of delight, bouncing up and down, adding her food to the pile and reaching for the hat. ]

That's perfect! Thanks, mister!

[ She beams at him, proud even though she doesn't really know the man at all... but still! It always feels nice to get compliments. ] Belle-mere-san says so, too!

Belle-mere-san, huh? Is she your sister? [He's just... making a guess. Yes. Sabo gives his hat to the little girl.]

When you're done with it, could you promise to give it back? [He holds his finger close to his mouth, with one eye closed. The hat is pretty important to him, you know?]

[ The way she shakes her head is the kind of determined only kids can manage. ]

Nuh-uh! Nojiko is my sister. Belle-mere-san is our mother. ... adoptive mother. [ Not that the distinction seems too important to her -- they've the only family she's ever really known. ]

Mm, of course! It must be important to you?

[He knows he can be wrong. He nods at the little lady.]

It's pretty important! I wear it all the time, and they always come with my goggles because they're used for exploring. [And his fashion sense, honestly.]

Nojiko sounds like a cute name for your sister.. and oh Belle-mere-san huh? She must be a really great mother. [He's not much for distinction either. He likes to pretend that his upbringing of nobility doesn't exist.]

I have two brothers myself! Both adopted.. their names are Luffy and Ace. Have you heard of them?

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