EVENT ★ LABYRINTH II

[futurologists]

DEEPER Following the marked path near the lake leads Audentes (and George) further into the maze, closer to the goal found at the center. Some other inmates (including Zymandis agent Mavahari) and correctional officers follow along, having picked up on the organized manner of Audentes and figuring it’s their best bet on getting out of here alive. Unlike the dry stone and sand in the outer ring of the maze, this next section is overflowing with flora. Jungle vines cling to the walls to the point where seeing the stone underneath is a difficult task; trees sprout from between cracked tiles, bearing alien-looking fruit; branches and brambles cross certain parts of the maze, and will need to be hacked through unless you want to find another way around. Water is more plentiful now as well, since obviously the plants need it to flourish. For the first time since setting foot in the labyrinth, a rain begins to fall, drizzling and gentle. This can be a respite or an annoyance, depending on how you look at it: while it’s soothing and can make collection of fresh, clean water easier, walking around in wet clothes is probably not that pleasant. Your fellow ALASTAIR recruit George has inexplicably struck up a friendship with the Zymandis agent Mavahari, and they can often be found exploring the maze together, with Mavahari helping him due to his broken arm. They seem to be getting along well enough, but maybe checking in with George is in order. Otherwise, survival is the name of the game; though the center of the labyrinth is closer, it’s impossible to tell how close, and how long to expect to be here. Collecting water is simple enough, but food is growing scarce. The tree fruits may be a good solution, but it seems as though some have unfortunate reactions to them, ranging from stomach cramps to rashes to fever and temporary blindness. But an allergic reaction may just be the least of your worries. LOVE ME LIKE A REPTILE The monsters seen so infrequently in the outer ring of the maze are now a common nuisance. Giant insects and rats scurry about, hungry for whatever flesh they can find, but they’re easily defeated, particularly if encountered as a group. But with new terrain comes new, adaptive animals, and the labyrinth is no different. Lizards are now the main threat: enormous and camouflaged, they stalk their prey and take their time, looking for the perfect opportunity to ambush. The lizards are three-headed, with each head containing fangs dripping with venom, capable of rendering its victims paralyzed within five seconds flat. Their blood is also poisonous, capable of burning through metal, not to mention flesh. If a head is severed, the lizard will retreat back into the jungle, presumably to nurse its wounds but possibly to grow another head -- no lizard will ever be encountered with less than three heads, so it’s possible they have regenerative abilities. The best way to defeat one is to remove all three heads at once, or simply kill it in whatever way possible. The lizards are quick and mean, but not invincible. Now more than ever, it’s important to take care in exploring the maze. Stray too far from the group or try to make it alone, and you might not survive. OOC NOTES Once again, we have a plotting post here and search requests for the next ring of the maze. Please note: during the labyrinth event, all drops are ICly delayed. What this means is that characters who drop will be handwaved to still be around on auto-pilot until connection with Oska is resumed, at which point they will be transferred to a different team as usual. If you have any questions about the labyrinth that aren't answered here, please direct them to the Leramzen dossier. If you have questions for any NPCs, please direct them there as well! Questions about the game in general should be directed to the FAQ and you may submit mission ideas or player plots at any time.

Comments

ODINSON / welcome to the jungle

[deemed]

>> it's all fun and games (closed to Hayame)

[There's the sound of water dripping into a pool somewhere closeby. When Odinson musters the strength he'll go find it and dip his head in the cool water. Washing off some of the blood might be a good idea.

A fly buzzes around his head and he leaves it, too exhausted to swat it away. Eventually it decides the dead lizards are a better prospect and the sound fades, leaving Odinson alone in the jungle with the steady drip drip drip.

He can feel the blood burning him, he knows he needs to get up and move before another pack of lizards are drawn by the smell of blood (most of it isn't his own).

In another minute, maybe.]

>>we've got everything you want, honey

[He makes it back to camp in one piece and ends up say by the fire for two days, recovering and grumbling about how he'd be more use out in the jungle rather than sitting here roasting a giant rat.

He's roasting it excellently, because he'd bring some kind of eternal shame on his family if he couldn't make the most succulent roast you've ever eaten outside of Vahalla.

Anyone trying to eat it before it's ready will get snapped at-] It'll be done when it's done! Were you raised by wolves?

[But when it's done he'll carve it up so there's enough to go around. Even if you don't think you're ready to eat rat.] If you'd rather I roast you a pheasant, you've only to bring one back. Until then, this is all there is.

>>we know the names

[As he rests at camp over the three or so days, it becomes apparent that Odinson doesn't sleep. At all. He's up all night tending to the fire, keeping it stoked despite the drizzle when it comes (the drizzle never seems to last long around Odinson), talking to whoever can't sleep...

One night the sky clears and the stars come out, so bright against the indigo. They're unfamiliar but he sets about naming them all the same. He picks out names and shapes.

If you're awake and you've nothing better to do, he'll point out a section directly above the campsite.] There, you see those ones? They look just like the World Tree.

Until someone burns their skin off

[kisha]

[Hayame had learned rather quickly that the blood of these beasts was poisonous- evidenced in a few scattered burn scars beginning to form on her right flank in the shape of a splatter arc. Which means that when she comes across what looks like at a distance a large lump of surely dissolving flesh, she plans to give it a wide berth, more interested in the corpse itself. Poison was not the weapon of a warrior, but perhaps...

But the lump moves. Seems to breathe.

Cautiously, mindful of what she's sure will be a grotesque, barely alive sight... she dances closer on muffled hooves- only to be confronted with what is most certainly an alive and not really dissolving son of Odin.

It's not like she feels anything like comraderie, (surely not). But she has her grudges and her debts, and gritting her teeth she approaches even closer- but still not close enough to touch in case he lurched or grasped.

ODINSON. ARE YOU CONSCIOUS?

[Poison doesn't affect ears, does it...]

we know the names

[selfimage]

They do not.

[ it comes deadpan and deliberate, in Loki's haughty, smug tone. for the time being, Thor isn't the only one who doesn't sleep. while they're in the maze, Loki dozes when he sees fit, but never truly sleeps. there's still too much to do, and far too much information to gather. ]

They look like a boner.

[ take that. ]

we know the names

[feytality]

[Maya's awake (and she's noticed that Odinson doesn't sleep), but she's been strangely quiet the last couple of days so it's a wonder he's noticed her at all. She definitely seems surprised that he's speaking to her, in any case. She's been hugging her knees and hiding her face in them in lieu of sleeping, but a few seconds where she realizes that yeah, it's her he's speaking to, she lifts her head to glance his way]

Oh.... um... what's the World Tree?

[Her hometown's way up in the mountains so she's gotten to stare at stars quite a lot, but that doesn't necessarily means she knows much about them]

the rat cook.

[conqueress]

[ One by one, the slices of roasted rat disappear into the mouths of the daring, or the hungry. When the stars have come out, a pair of delicate hands joins the feast and plucks away a slice in thin fingers, heedless of the crackling fire.

Dany does not look toward the rat's face, nor its tail, choosing instead to remember only the gnawing hunger that overtakes her belly and her dwindling senses. Her arms have grown thinner with each passing day, and though this is the first meat she has eaten since Woodhurst, she knows that she shall starve without it. Starve, or risk her health with the fruits that she has seen people sicken from eating.

She has already begun eating when she sits across the fire from Odinson, her stick falling beside her in the earth. Her hair is silver, the orange embers from the fire bringing out strands of gold in her braid, and her remaining clothing is torn and stained in blood, her legs bare. The way she devours her slice between her hands is greedy, fervent, and utterly indelicate. Grease collects on her fingers and mouth as she eats, feeling more a ravening dragon than a queen. ]

we know the names

[fourscores]

[It's difficult to get any decent amount of sleep in this place. Worse still when you don't trust anyone, the vulnerability of sleep is a risk and one not to be taken too long. Jhin's gotten in as much sleep as his body will allow, when he finally sets to wandering around seeing if there's anything he can help with around the camp.]

The World Tree?

[He looks to the stars, brow raised. There's many trees of importance where he's from, but the World Tree is not something he's heard of before.]

Sounds important.

ratty rat rat

[mistruths]

I was raised by--

[ He cuts himself off sharply, not quite ready to get into the topic of family and parents with Thor of all people. Even if this Thor isn't the one who had once known him better than all the rest. Loki continues on, sulkily: ]

I was simply checking to see you weren't burning it past the point of being edible.

[ But he's reasonably patient, waiting until the meat is properly cooked so he can delicately take a slice. ]

3

[heroforhobby]

[Presumably Odison didn't notice it was Saitama, else he probably wouldn't have pointed out such a thing so politely.

Saitama, standing a bit behind him like an accidental creep, leans in to get his head closer to Odinson's to make sure he's looking at the same angle as him as if that would help. He squints.]

I dunno. It just looks like a bunch of stars.

[controlling]

[ the smell of roasting meat makes for a welcome change. the animal it comes from less of one, though at this point they cannot be afford to be choosy. when itit is declared done, bruce removes not one, but two slices, and leaves as soon as he has secured both.

he returns a couple hours later, hands empty, the top half of the orange prison garb tied around his waist leaving him clad in a white undershirt. firelight glints off his watch when he lifts his hand in short greeting to the man he had earlier seen cooking. ]

Any left over?

Sakura Kinomoto l Cardcaptor Sakura

[keystaff]

Allergies:

[At the least, Shield being activated can keep off the rain from her and anyone near enough to her. But that doesn't stop the unpleasantness of any potential reactions to the strange fruits. At the least, Sakura's own reactions are more mild in comparison to what some have to deal with. Cramps and a bit of a rash. But she'll do what she can to help others, those who might be blinded or nursing a fever.

Even if this might mean herself being busy trying to focus on everyone else instead. Which possibly means she herself might end up making herself worse in the process with a more mild fever of her own.]

Camping:

[Eventually, they need to sleep. So, Sakura does end up setting up something of a 'bed' for herself to curl up. It's not really much, but this is probably still preferable to the situation on the ship before. Even with the lizards roaming about. The need to get out of here.

There's only so long she can last before exhausting herself. Even if she might want to try and stay up checking in with others nearby. Which is exactly what she does before dozing off.]

Lizards:

[Of course, she tries to be cautious and vigilant. But that doesn't mean Sakura can tell the creatures are approaching when they are camouflaged. So she does get caught out by them seemingly appearing out of nowhere to attack.

Sakura starts, giving a cry of surprise as her eyes widen at the sight. She's quick, activating Jump's card to help her leap out of the way of the attack, but when she tries to use Sword to retaliate, that. Probably won't go as well as intended.

A little help?]

lizards

[mistruths]

[ Three bolts of magic stab into the back of the lizard's neck, severing one head, and as it hisses and retreats back into the jungle, Loki steps out from the shadows--not entirely unlike the way the lizards seem to melt out of the trees.

He frowns at the lizard's retreat, having hoped it would stay long enough for him to properly kill and study, but then turns to face Sakura, gaze pausing curiously at her wand-sword. ]

Was your magic not enough to protect you?

Camping

[perma_banned]

[Coming to the rescue, Ban sauntered over to Sakura while she began dozing off. He seemed to time it just for when she began to reach that little apex of drifting out of consciousness before he dropped what must have felt like a gigantic comforter made of warm sweaters right on top of her head.]

Ahhh~. Better watch ouuuut.

daenerys targaryen ♛ semi-open.

[conqueress]

[ I'm just now getting back into the game after my own series of unfortunate events, so for now, what follows will be closed prompts.

However, please do PM to discuss if you want to do something! I'm very open to writing you a prompt, or getting a wildcard from you. Here are some vague ideas, but feel free to go off-book. ]

ahad.

[conqueress]

[ Before moving into the next ring of the maze, Dany had filled a bottle of water and cleansed herself as best she could in the lake: a luxury that had been left to her in neither the Red Waste nor the Dothraki Sea. Her arms are growing thinner as they pass into deeper terrain, her belly rumbling. The rations she had collected dwindle to almost nothing, though she's been careful to nibble and conserve, as she had once when she was a little girl uncertain of when her next meal would come.

When the first drizzle comes, she does not trouble to cover herself, instead stopping beneath a tree that seems to bear ripened fruit. The very sight of it makes her hungry, but she doesn't reach for any of the shining red skins yet, pausing to sink against the base of the trunk, the silver braid she wears growing damp with the rain. Her ankle troubles her still, and she is very weary. Thankfully, the rain seems to signal a stop in their hike.

When a familiar presence makes himself known, her heart jolts slightly, and she turns to regard him with mist collecting on her face and lashes. ]

Ahad. Have you brought me wheatgrass?

[ It is difficult not to giggle wearily, referring to what her diet had been in Terra Felis. At least they'd known wheatgrass had been safe to eat. ]

PETER PARKER and THE HUNTSMAN / OTA

[webdesigned]

NERD IN THE JUNGLE.

a. ( peter is not a rough it kind of guy. he remembers going camping with his uncle a handful of times, and each of those he was too little to be helpful. he'd just been dazed by the splendor of cooking hotdogs over an open flame and that if you put a hook in the river, sometimes fish would bite it, even though it was ecologically baffling. he hadn't learned anything that can translate to actual skillful outdoorsing, though that's not to say he doesn't try.

he's good for clambering up trees to grab the odd looking fruits, yet when it comes to starting a fire... well, the clump of sticks and leaves might be the sign he made an attempt, it just didn't work out. he remembers reading Hatchet in fifth grade, but he's not quite as cut out for roughing it as fellow city kid Brian.

now he's considering eating some of the questionable looking fruit, trying not to shiver. maybe you can save him, or better yet... put him to work. )

b. ( he may be no help when it comes to camping, but that's not to say he's totally and completely useless. his webslingers are, admittedly, not built to fling him through trees. he's got a branch-shaped mark across his face for swinging into one too fast. still, he's not letting that slow him down, and between that and the ability to crawl even vined and mossy walls, he's got a lot of mobility.

enough that he sees trouble, even heads toward it, if he hears it.

the lizards are fun. he's actually kind of glad he doesn't have his suit when he lands in a storm of leaves and maybe a broken branch. it's fine, he lands on his feet, maybe he's part cat now, too. he swings the broken branch at the one of the heads, before literally kicking the thing away, before gasping in pain as it burns through the fabric of his jumpsuit. ) Wow. Ow. That's great. ( he glances back to the cornered party, concern shifting from his chemical burn to his company. ) You okay? Want a lift out of here?

( don't be intimidated by the broken branch overhead nor the imprint of one on his face. it'll totally be fine. )

WOLF IN THE WILD.

c. ( unlike parties that are better left unnamed, Graham is remarkably gifted with living off the land. even land that is just barely habitable, it turns out. a jungle growing out of a labyrinth? sure. the real sad thing here is he's already faced worse.

it's more than just getting a shelter together, branches and vines providing some sort of cover to a potential threat. it's more than the collected food items, carefully cleaned and stowed away. it's even more than the fire he managed to start, and god only knows how. there's just a sense he's completely at home, a welcome change to anyone that knows him and sees how opposite of that he was in Asterion proper.

when he spots someone that looks like they need it, he nods to the spot adjacent. ) Campfires are generally big enough for two. ( he'll share more than his fire, too... looks like he's cooking some kind of meat, and he brushes a bit of cooked meat over. the question is, are you brave enough to eat it. )

d. ( unbelievably, his confidence extends even farther than making camp. it comes in walking through the trees, too, the bow he's managed to reclaim from the guard holdings makes short work of any rat or ominous looking bug that skitters a little too close.

when it isn't the huntsman that wanders, there is a wolf with dark eyes and a gray scruff over his chest that pads through the trees. he's even more silent than the huntsman himself, which his actually rather remarkable. the way his ears bend seems to imply apology for any surprise, before he continues his hunt. join him, or don't — but make sure you step lightly. )

WILDCARD.
want something else with mr cracker or parker man? feel free to hit me up, and we can always chat via pm or on plurk at ~meowed if you want something more customized!

ace mystic

[webdesigned]

( he doesn't do close these days. not that it is usually a problem — there's generally only one person who wants to be, and they're still putting together pieces and making sense of what arrangement they're going to be in now. Stiles is both brave enough to test his aversion to touch and understanding of why it exists, pushing past the limits slowly. nobody else on Audentes likely knows or even cares, and that's mostly fine since Peter still doesn't want to talk about it.

there's an exception to every rule, though, and Peter's exception is a shivering mystic holding hands over a meager campfire, that doesn't seem to offer half enough heat to keep anyone warm. she's simultaneously shivering and falling asleep, which is a miserable combination.

it takes a moment to rouse his bravery, run through all the checks and balances of the risk of being close to someone. and once he's jumped through all the hoops, he shifts over and puts an arm over her shoulders, pulling her close to her side. he's incredibly warmer than she is, and he rubs at her shoulder just trying to offer some heat in the friction. ) If only we had that dress from the gala, coach, ( he muses gently, in a tone that will do absolutely nothing to rouse her. it might be that he wants her to give in and sleep awhile. ) We could have made a blanket for every member of Audentes and then some.

urahara kisuke ⚛ ota

[predomination]

a. try to solve the puzzles in your own sweet time


[Urahara's mood has improved significantly, despite the dire nature of their situation. Sure, there's no guarantee that this maze has an actual end, but if it didn't, the officers wouldn't be desperately following them. It might be difficult, but not impossible.

There's a solution to be found, but it involves playing the game and not cheating it. He's gone from finding his Bankai's failure disheartening to a little bit cheeky. He'd like to have words with whomever built this maze. They seem to have a rather fascinating mind.

And an odd eye for detail, given this new section. While Urahara has distanced himself since the gala- at first because he didn't care to be involved with the heist, and afterwards because he was entirely focused on escaping both ship and maze- he's becoming a bit more available now.

Also his inhuman stamina means this trekking through the jungle doesn't bother him all that much. It's annoying more than anything, as he hacks away with his sword-cane. Sure, releasing Benihime would probably be more efficient, but someone might also lose a limb.

As he hacks at a particularly aggressive bit of foliage, he sighs dramatically.]

My, my, I appreciate aesthetics as much as the next man, but this is a bit much, don't you think?


b. this time it's danger staring you in the face

[The problem isn't so much that there's a lizard, because it's most definitely dead- its three heads scattered and its body bisected in half. There's a story there, but at this point Urahara's ability to do ridiculously extra things isn't surprising anymore. Urahara himself has a few splatter-shaped holes in his clothing, but is otherwise unharmed.

The problem is the blood is seeping into the ground with an unpleasant sizzling sound as it dissolves foliage all around it, and Urahara is kneeling down, observing it carefully. It's an odd sight you've stumbled on, to be sure.... especially when he starts musing to himself.]

Now if there was a container it couldn't eat through, we might have something useful here...


c. you gotta be cool, you gotta be calm.

[As hilarious as it is for an extremely powerful shinigami to catch a cold, it does happen. It happens, in particular, to Urahara, and he reacts to it differently, depending on the situation. Right now, he is ignoring it, because it's inconvenient, and he's trying to figure out which fruits are safe to eat, which is an arduous and difficult process on its own. It's worse when he keeps sneezing.

Of course if anyone expresses concern, he's quick to wave it off.] Don't be silly~ It's nothing at all. I think a pretty girl might be talking about me somewhere.

[That didn't work on Tessai. It will likely not work on anyone else.]

d. WILDCARD.

[obligatory choose your own adventure wildcard prompt.]

B!

[skelepun]

[Urahara wasn't the only one distancing himself since the prison. As long as he was being fed and had a place to crash, Sans was fine letting everyone else figure a way out of their captivity.

Of course, while prison was light on amenities, the maze was even worse. Low on food and with lizards making it difficult to find a mossy rock to doze on, Sans found himself more inclined towards proactivity... At least where food were concerned. The juicy purple fruits had garnered a bad reputation among the organics, but if Sans had a problem with poison he would've never eaten his brother's cooking. No organs, no problem.

That's what brings him to this part of the maze, downing freshly picked fruit whole and chewing mechanically as he walks down a precut path through the jungle. Whoever had been this way before him was thorough, and Sans silently appreciated being spared the effort. He didn't expect an opportunity thank them in person. Nor did he expect to find them kneeling over severed heads, muttering to himself like a weirdo.

But hey, it takes all sorts.]

You alright there, buddy?

RATCHET | OTA

[neveroutwrenched]

A. A MONSTER PROBLEM

[Giant multi-headed lizards.

Why not? He doesn’t have time to run the checklist of his rotten luck through his head before this one notices him, two heads more than he’d expected. It’s small, it doesn’t take much to dispatch, one shot, one head and-]

Whoa- [His foot catches on something; a gnarled root sticking out of the ground. His second shot goes wildly past the creature, and it’s turns immediately to flee, bleeding and wounded but certainly not dead. Barreling forward, splattering its poisonous blood and headed right towards another someone stepping out of the foliage.]

Shit, watch out- !

B. A LIFE SKILLS PROBLEM

[The humidity of this place is formidable. A constant drizzle of rain, making the stone paths - when you found them - slippery, the vegetation fat and alive and more than happy to blossom into something so dense you couldn’t go ten feet without having to carve a new path through it. It made it hard to tell where you were going, where you’d come from, and what exactly those sounds from just beyond the foliage might be coming from.

It also made Ratchet miserable.

He didn’t mind water, he didn’t. He’d heard that joke more than once. Ha, ha, he looks like a cat, apparently those hate water. But this was wasn’t water. It was a fine misting rain that never quit, soaking you down to the bone until you were cold and shivering and missing the hot, dry out ring of the labyrinth like nothing else.

He’s crouched next to what might be the saddest looking campfire anyone’s ever attempted. He’d made a campfire exactly once in his whole life, and he was maybe six at the time, and really he had mostly just watched, not retaining any of it.]

So….you know much about camping?

C. AN ATTITUDE PROBLEM

[Machete, or something like it, in hand, Ratchet has to wonder how anyone ever got by with swords. History was unkind to a hundred different species that used this kind of thing as their primary mode of battle. He wouldn’t bother at all except he was currently at war with a particularly thick patch of leaves and brambles, trying desperately to cut a path through. It was slow going at the best of times, hacking and swinging a piece of metal through the leaves, and now...well, now it wasn’t coming back.]

Crap...

[Pulling back hard, it doesn’t budge. It was sunk into some woody branch, looking like it would happily stay there forever. Ratchet, disheveled and tired, and scratched and bruised, makes a frustrated sound, letting his arms drop to his sides.]

I didn’t need that anyway.

D. WILDCARD

[HMU if you'd like to do something different or throw me whatever you're feeling and I will happily roll with it!]

A! you better believe you've got a monster problem

[skelepun]

S'cuse me. [He blurts, side stepping with impressive immediacy and a speed that bordered on unnatural. The lizard, more interested in retreating than making a meal of a bunch of bones, continues on its way through the moist underbrush. It leaves a trail of blood in its wake, some of it splattering onto Sans' prison uniform where it promptly began to sizzle.]

Huh. [And, looking up, his sockets fall on the source of the shouted warning. A source that was laying in a puddle of the creature's blood. A source that Sans recognized.

They really had to stop meeting like this.]

Whoa, whoa, hey. [Sans neatly steps around the bloody trail in his hasty approach. Sure, his lack of flesh protected him from any physical harm, but shoes were hard to come by in the maze. The same went for skin grafts, which is why Sans is quick to loop an arm under Ratchet's shoulder and yank him up out of the sizzling puddle.] You picked a helluva place to fall, pal.

Noctis Lucis Caelum | OTA

[armigers]

I. Sega Bass Fishing Simulator

[ Where there's water, there's a happy Noctis as he decides to use his time wisely by setting himself up near the lake to catch some food for everyone. Unfortunately, after a long battle with the fishing line, he plucks out one of their local reptilian friends instead of a fish, watching it with a cringe-stricken look as it dangles from the end of his hook. At least, it's small and kind of cute? Not exactly something he'd want to sink his teeth into, though.

To anyone passing by casually or happening to be sitting there watching him, he poses a very important question: ]

So what do you think barbecued lizard tastes like?

[ It's not his favorite option, but it is an option, especially when he hasn't caught anything but frogs and lizards so far. If Ignis were here, he'd probably manage to make it appetizing through sheer gumption and knowledge of local spices.

Either way, it's almost as though something inside the water is spooking away all the fish -which is not good. Definitely not good. Someone with better judgment would change fishing spots, but Noctis is aggressively determined to catch something here, mostly because he's starving. ]

Maybe with enough salt, it might taste like cockatrice legs.


II. Sega Lizard Hunting Simulator

[ True to his earlier hypothesis from a while ago, something big had been spooking the fish. Namely, something large and three-headed chasing him down angrily. Noctis should have known something was up when his line had snapped instantly on the second pull, but he had to try and catch whatever was on the other side, thinking it'd be some legendary fish packed with meat.

In actuality, it was just a bigger lizard than all the others, and he's scrambling away. By now, he'd been hungry enough to resort to one of the tree fruits, so his skin is all covered in red rashes now decorating his cheeks and hands, making them feel itchy and hot as he summons one of his flasks and tries to slow down the lizard with a low-leveled ice spell. The added effect is that it gives his burning skin a nice cooling sensation that tempts him to just relax in his own spell for a while and let it soothe him.

Yeah, this is nice ...so nice that he almost forgets the lizard coming towards him until it nearly snaps his ankle off. ]

Couldn't let me enjoy that, could you? Why don't you stand there and chill for a sec?

[ And by that, he means literally chill as he warp-strikes to one of the branches safely and unleashes a second wave of ice magic. Anyone nearby will be caught in the cross-fire as the water all around them freezes under the thick cloud of ice that covers the immediate are around him. ]


III. Choose your own jungle adventure.

[ Feel free to tag with whatever or PM this journal/hit me up at sakichi if you want a personalized starter and/or plotting. I'll be happy to deliver! ]

[zelda fishing music]

[feytality]

What's cockatrice legs?

[Sounds gross tbh. She's keeping him company, partially because he's hungry, partially because she has nothing better to do. She can't fight lizards or go out on her own, and she doesn't really know what else to do with herself.]

[And who knows. Maybe she can pick up some fishing tips from the master -- she can cook, maybe she can make something]

What if it tastes like crocodile? All tough and leathery?

giorno giovanna | ota

[digiorno]

i. he's a cold-hearted snake ( network )

For anyone who's had trouble with the food available here, I've found a way to transport a decent amount of nonperishable food (cans, etc.) from the ship. It won't last forever, but if you're having severe reactions or aren't able to find food for any reason, please let me know.

It's not like I can eat a hundred cans of Unknown Space Food on my own. [probably]

ii. look into his eyes ( rations )

[True to his word, whenever Giorno is seen, he's carrying something. It . . . doesn't look like food of any kind, though. No, as Giorno makes his way through the second ring of the labyrinth, soaked through from the light rain, hair pinned back from his face and wearing his standard-but-for-once-practical braid, what he's holding carefully in his arms is . . . a jar. Which appears to be full of ladybugs?]

[It gets weirder, though. Every hour, a timer goes off on his tek. He crouches on the ground and peevishly upends the jar of bugs onto the rain-soaked dirt. Under his watchful eye, they all turn back into jars, one at a time but in quick succession, like very disorganized dominos falling. Then Giorno starts the timer again and goes through the pile of cans, picking them up one at a time, turning them into little red bugs, and dropping them back in the jar.]

[When he's done, he stretches his back a little and screws on the top of the jar, sighing.]

This is so inefficient . . .

iii. he's been tellin' lies ( lizards )

I for one would like to lodge a complaint.

[The fact that he's definitely not the only one doesn't seem to give him any pause. He's covered in lizard blood, there's a bunch of lizard guts on the ground, his face is smudged with some kind of viscera, but he's mostly just irritated.]

I don't understand why we have to kill them. We're the ones who came into their territory, of course they're going to attack us. It takes a really twisted mind to prioritize laziness and an unwillingness to actually carry out justice over the lives of a whole population of animals who didn't do anything wrong other than exist and do what comes naturally. Besides which--

[Please stop him, he will not stop on his own.]

closed prompts.

[digiorno]

iv. he's a lover boy at play ( mettaton )

[It's been a bad couple of weeks for Mettaton.]

[For Giorno, too. But he'd much rather focus on other people. He doesn't know how to make himself feel better, and anyway just being in a green place helps in some ways. It helps him enough that he can stop thinking about his own problems in order to focus on 1) getting out of this labyrinth and 2) making Mettaton smile.]

[Their paths cross frequently enough that it's not difficult, either. And he knows what makes Mettaton happy by now. So, when he manages to sneak up without being noticed, he makes magic happen.]

[It actually looks like the Cinderella transformation, which suits him just fine: gold shimmers up around Mettaton, wrapping around him in delicate swirls of color, which floats for a moment before settling in the form of a dress.]

[For the final touch, a bronze figure manifests in front of Mettaton to carefully place a flower crown matching the dress on the robot's brow. Behind Mettaton, Giorno crosses his arms and grins. Nice.]

v. he don't play by rules ( graham )

[Giorno doesn't like camping, but he likes it better here than he did in Perdition's Rest. Even though it's wet here, the forest is easier for him to adapt to than the desert. Water's just water, anyway, and he's able to keep his things dry enough that he doesn't complain too much about it.]

[He's setting up a spot to rest for the night, with his back to a big tree and a few other people bustling about--Fugo, Mettaton, a couple of others he trusts not to murder in his sleep. There's a stack of cans by one of the roots of the tree, easily fifty of them, and a small glass jar next door.]

[His feelers are out, waiting, listening even as his eyes are on other things. There's a sense of life in the woods, and he tenses, worried it might be one of those lizards, but . . . no, that's something else. So Giorno sits back on his heels and waits for it to reveal itself. When it does--]

Graham? [That's a much more welcome visitor.]

vi. girl don't play the fool now ( hayame )

[Listen: the vast majority of the time, Giorno knows when someone doesn't trust him. He's perceptive, and his job and occasionally life depend on being read as trustworthy. So the way Hayame looks at him tells him she's got something to say.]

[Even before today, but now . . . she's not that subtle in the way she approaches him. It's shortly after his announcement about food, but he's pretty sure that's not why she's here.]

[Better to play dumb, though. He gives her a bright smile and a wave, his other arm still holding the jar of ladybugs to his chest.]

Buon giorno, Hayame. Did the fruit disagree with you as well?

vii. you can find somebody better, girl ( sai )

[It'd be inaccurate to say that Giorno's come to terms with killing the three-headed lizards. It's more like he's resigned to it--bitterly--and he's determined to do it in the quickest, least painful way possible.]

[That's one of the reasons working with Sai is such a blessing. Sai is quick and efficient, taking no pleasure in doing what needs to be done. The two of them figure out a rhythm without saying a word when they work together, so that when a bunch of lizards come after them at once, it takes just seconds to dispatch them. Giorno immobilizes them, wrapping vines around them so that their legs are pinned to their bodies, and Sai follows him, putting them down one at a time.]

[It's still not what Giorno would rather be doing. But if he has to, he'd rather do it with someone like Sai.]

[When it's done, he stands back, surveying the carnage in front of them with a slight frown. Turning to Sai, his expression clears.]

That was very good. But you're always very good.

Widowmaker | OTA

[araigneedusoir]

A. Out in the Rain/Camping

[The lush nature of this new part is a small relief from the rather barren appearance of the first half. She approves of the cooler -- albeit far more humid -- air and the rain that now seems to fall constantly. She doesn't seem bothered by the fact her clothes are wet, seemingly perfectly content to just stand out underneath it and enjoy it, eyes cast skyward. It helps clean some of the grim she'd collected from evading monsters and exploring.

Something she'll no doubt be continuing to do, even if now is a perfect time for a short rest.

But as relaxed as she looks enjoying the rain she's far from it, listening to the hiss of water hitting the surfaces around her and the noise of life amidst it. Should anyone approach her attention would immediately be on them.]

I suppose this is a good a place as any.

[Not that she'll really sleep...]

B. Up In The Trees...

[The first chance she got she was up in the trees, testing the branches to see how much of her weight they could take before she leapt to another; taking advantage of the views they offered. She knew the walls would offer a higher vantage, but climbing them was out of the question -- it would leave her too exposed to attack even with back up.

And she really wasn't in the mood to be ambushed by one of those three headed lizards.

So the trees it was and she frequently stopped to observe the going ons around her, or to take a break. It's one of those moments someone may stumble across her, settled up in the nook between a branch and the trunk, turning a fruit over in her hands.

It takes a second before she tosses the fruit to whoever is nearby, shrugging a shoulder.]

Here, I'm not particularly hungry...just be mindful.

[She'd seen some of the allergic reactions people have had.]

C. WILDCARD ME

[Run into some lizards, have more camping stuff...or shoot me a PM if you want a custom prompt.]

B

[catphishing]

[Oliver looks at the fruit he just caught warily, turning it over in his hands. Not that he's ungrateful, and he is hungry, but... is it really worth the risk? He's undecided.]

I don't know if I can eat this.

Mettaton | OTA

[ex_mettacrusher33]

i - piggyback rides are the answers to all of life's problems

[If it wasn't for the cracks lining his face and stomach, this leg of the journey would have been tailor-made for Mettaton. Fruits are easy enough to pick, with the way his arms stretch. He can store them, dutifully, inside of his storage compartment. He doesn't need to eat or sleep, only charge. He's tall enough to see past most of the greenery, and able to cut said greens down with a few lasers. He can't get sick from the cold. His body is metal and radiates warmth for others.

It should all be easy. But, again. Those cracks. They vanish if he switches forms, but his android form takes far too much energy and he can't traverse this part of the maze on a wheel. EX-form it is, ugly lines marring his beautiful form included.

He ends up tearing apart the ballgown he'd been gifted during the holidays in Oska and wrapping the pieces around his torso and the right side of his head. His hair at least covers the latter, leaving what looks like an adorable blue tie around his crown, but... But he'll keep needing to replace them. They don't stay dry long, and he's not looking to get himself electrocuted.

It's after finishing yet another replacement that he finally bends down toward his current partner, kneeling to the ground. He holds out a hand, expression far more serious than he should for such a question.]

Care for a ride, darling?

[He's not opposed to piggy-back rides right now. His partner gets the high-ground and he gets cover from the rain. Win win.]

ii - sleepover part 2 - electric baguul

FINALLY, WE'RE IN BED TOGETHER. IS IT EVERYTHING YOU WANTED IT TO BE?

[Well, that's not quite the proper way of phrasing that. There isn't a bed. This is a death maze - there are no mattresses. They're also not in it together, so that puts a damper on Mettaton's joke.

...mainly because. Well. He's acting as the bed.

It's freezing in the maze at night, especially with the constant rain. He's managed to cut down enough foliage to turn into an impromptu shelter and use his magic to create a cozy fire, but there's always the worry that it isn't enough for his more... fleshy, compatriots.

So. As befitting a selfless, beautiful and endlessly kind gentleman, Mettaton has taken one for the team. Literally. This is for the team.

Under the makeshift shelter is where he lies, in his box-form, limbs withdrawn into his shell and covered with what remains of his ballgown. With how much material that dress was, it was enough to cut in half - one side to make some sort of cushioning on Mettaton's hard, metal body and another to act as a blanket to trap in the heat from his internal machinations. It's as close to a heater anyone is going to get, in these conditions.]

...THE STARS ARE LOVELY. [Unlike his company, he can't sleep in this form.]

wildcard! want to get after him for being a dick on the network? i'm here, my dudes

ii!

[skelepun]

Whatever, you've been screwing me for years.

[Not that Sans objected to being paid for his sets at the resort in MTT products -- it kept his brother in bishie powder -- but. Y'know.

This bed wasn't meant for him, Sans knew that much. Audentes was a human outfit, by in large. Humans had skin. Skin got cold and pruney when damp. A nice fire, a heater, a frilly makeshift bedspread... this was bait for a human. Made sense, after all. Mettaton was the one to lay it, and his priorities were pretty clear.

But far be it from Sans to turn down a comfy spot to sleep. That was his whole schtick. A schtick that would probably hold more water if he was actually sleeping.]

You noticed 'em too, huh? I keep thinking maybe I'm imagining 'em.

[feytality]

i - objection;

un: steelsamayarai

okay guys i know we're in a maze and that's what this whole trial business is about

BUT YOU NEVER KNOW!!!!! maybe the next section will be a real trial!

so there's some important stuff you gotta know if we end up in court! we don't have any lawyers here so just follow my lead

FIRST practice your table slams and your pointer fingers! use the trees! the lizards! everything! youre gonna need to slam your desk ALL THE TIME to make a point

and be ready to do lots of pointing! we don't know how long zymandis or whoever the prosecutors are have been practicing their finger points and snaps and waggles but we have to be prepared for every possible smarmy finger gesture! you have to point your finger to the sky when you're throwing out evidence!

make sure to bluff lots!!!! this is the lawyer's secret technique just make up everything as you go along and sound confident.

DON'T SWEAT TOO MUCH i know it's wet but don't be gross.

collect everything as evidence

and i mean EVERYTHING

who knows when granola bars will come in handy! it might be just the piece of evidence we need to prove our innocent

oh and

make sure to practice cross-examining a lizard head!!! we don't know if any of them are being trained to testify and if so which one so PRACTICE ON ALL OF THEM!! it could be the prosecutor's surprise witness!

more LAW TIPS coming soon but think about what I said!!

ii - [joker voice] hit ME;

[Maya's been less of a presence lately (random network posts notwithstanding), which is funny when they're all squished together like sardines for survival and safety. She's strayed out a little on her own, but has just enough common sense not to separate fully from the group. Still, her being quiet and withdrawn has made her far less noticeable (considering it's her loud personality and strange clothing that usually attracts attention to her -- she doesn't seem to have either, at the moment) So you may not notice that she's hanging around, until you catch her looking at you thoughtfully, then down at her magatama, then back at you.]

[And the energy is back, for a little]

Hey, hey..... [She stretches her arms out, shifting her weight from leg to leg.] Can you throw something at me? Or.... like, punch me or kick me or something! Hit me!

[And if you look hesitant--]

C'mon! Please?? You know you wanna! Come at me, bro!

[Maybe she's already been punched in the head since this is even weirder than usual for Maya]

iii - obligatory stars prompt;

[It's pretty late at night, late enough that the sounds have died off a little, late enough that most people (who sleep) would be sleeping, or maybe those particularly restless would be wandering.]

[They won't have to wander far to find Maya, who's close to one of the pools of water, sitting near the edge of it rather than with the rest of the group where she should be.]

[She seems to be under the impression that she's alone, if the sigh and unMayalike air of melancholy is any indication]

Hey sis.... the stars are really beautiful, aren't they? I don't even know what planet I'm on, so.... maybe earth is one of them.

[A beat, why is this loser talking to herself at like 3 am]

I-- I know. I'm being silly. You can't hear me. But I wish you could. I wish I could reach your spirit, even just for a second---

The people here, they're really lost, you know? Almost as much as me. You could really help them.

[so are you gonna just stand there listening to this Lion Kingesque display of pathetic? If you don't speak up, she's probably going to notice you sooner or later. Or you could do the smart thing and leave this weird girl alone to talk to herself]

iv - wildcard;

[do you need another reason to punch her??? or another prompt?? hit me]

II

[catphishing]

What?

[He doesn't think he's heard her right at first. Now he's assuming he must be misunderstanding, but her message seems pretty clear. He just stares at her in bewilderment.]

Why would I want to hit you?

joseph joestar | ota

[nextlineis]

i. network (un: OHNO)

now, i don't mind camping or roughing it, but oh my goooood are we there yet?

ii. rations

Here.

[The food supplies are getting thin, which means now is probably not a good time for someone to be sharing their split of the overall food. But with those who have attempted to eat some of the offerings of the land falling sick at varying intensities, Joseph would rather take an emptier belly over another member of the team needing to stop because they ate something that wasn't meant for their consumption.]

[He nods in the direction of the fruit they were about to eat.]

That'll make you start wishing for some of the food that was at that party. [He gestures again with his offered food.] Take it.

iii. bugs

Ewewewew!

[Joseph hops over a twitchy limb, grappling onto the arm of the nearest person enough to put them between him and the very dead giant insect. It was mostly stupid luck that he could use a downed log as an impromptu flyswatter, but now that the imminent danger has passed, he's not about this bug life. He still has not let go of the arm, huddling down some with his face scrunched up in disgust.]

Why does everything have to be big and gross here? Why does it have to be bugs?

[Listen. As deadly and everything as the lizards are, he'd rather have one of those to contend with than any more of these giant bugs.]

iv. wildcard

[None of these tickling your fancy? Make something up! You can hit me up by PMing this journal to ask for a private starter or for plotting something different than the above.]

I; un: PERIDOT5XG

[slapfight]

I want my Zircon. This maze goes absolutely against my rights as a sentient being!

Sasuke Uchiha | Closed to Sai

[beginanew]

[It had taken Sasuke a while to get where he was, he'd been helped along the way, but now he was alone (not that he minded) getting annoyingly wet under the extremely annoying light rain.

He was trying to find anything that could help him cover from the rain, when he spotted what seemed like a giant lizard running his way. Groaning, and rolling his eyes, he immediately used his sharingan to cover the lizard with the black flames of the Amaterasu. He really wasn't in the mood to deal with killer lizards, thank you.

He was in the process of cleaning the blood that was trickling down his face from his eye (an annoying side effect really) when he heard the distinctive sound of someone walking on a puddle. Thinking it was another lizard he turned around, sharingan ready to burn the thing alive too when he noticed it wasn't a reptile.

Well, not the kind that wants to kill him at least.

.... ok maybe he wants to kill him too but Sasuke is too tired to get into a fight at the moment.]

Sai. Glad to see you made it out alive.

lmao sasuke please???

[daimeinashi]

[Look okay, you're off-limits to murderize as long as certain Uzumaki Narutos happen to remain in existence. (also #rude tbh???? gosh)

Anyway, unlike Sasuke, Sai has been taking a fairly conservative approach where these lizards are concerned--engaging only where necessary or where a retreat would be more dangerous. Even without the risk of going blind from overuse of a jutsu (gj bro), Sai realizes that lizards are far from the most difficult foes they are likely to face within this maze, and he intends to conserve as much of his chakra (and his limited scrolls and ink) as possible.]

Sasuke.

[A nod of acknowledgement; there's no open hostility coming his way, at least. Sai's still not entirely Cool With You, but they have far more pressing concerns at the moment.]

Mere beasts such as that are no match for shinobi.

[ha ha ha what the fuck are pleasantries. Giorno had said it was normal to worry about one's friends in a crisis, but he and Sai weren't friends. And as fellow shinobi, they had to be aware of each other's capability.]

...Do you require assistance with your eye?

[He sees the blood there, dude. He's got Giogio on speed dial, as it were. And Sasuke's someone important to Naruto, so it's important he doesn't walk around the maze half blind or something.]

Ban | Some Punishments are Fun

[perma_banned]

-1 beerd

[Since water reached a spike in abundance, Ban actually took the time to bother gathering it but he knew better than to dip his magically crafted water skin into a still pool of the stuff. He wandered along others, waiting for rains to drop before gathering it into the open skin, which he tied to the back of his head purely out of a lack of desire to hold it aloft the whole day. He managed to fill it a couple times with some luck and, while it didn't taste particularly good, it was still better than nothing or, at least, squeezing it out of the plants.

After some time, he gave pause and looked over to the closest one to him, grinning sloppily. By that time, he had grown a fairly prominent beard, which he took to running his fingers through in a faux gesture of worldliness.]

Heeeey~. What's goin' on? I spent all day yesterday watching some of the other inmates try fruit. They just stopped pukin', so I figured I'd give 'em some water if they begged enough.

How about you? See anythin' funny?

-2 lizerd

[Ban was infamous for being someone who didn't pay much attention to his surroundings. While his fellow convicts would constantly assess their surroundings and check for problems or hurdles to overcome, he strode past and whistled placidly in the face of danger--not because it was beyond him or because he was invincible but because trial and error were no longer a concern for him.

Even if something took him out despite his immortality, he wouldn't have really minded. So, when he smiled and hummed despite the dour spirits to be seen all over, it wasn't because he was really in a better mood--it was because if things really did go south and his story ended, he would probably be the happiest one about it.]

Say-- [As if to test that fact, a 'tree' came to life over the crowd, shimmering and thick branches shaking out into scales in silence when surrounded by the idle sounds of the crowd and the ambiance of the makeshift woods within the labyrinth. Serpentine fangs exposed, glistening with venom while posing to snap shut on Ban's head--abruptly shattering when the humming fool turned around and smashed one set of knuckles into the side of its head, sending it spinning off the ground in a tight spiral. The entire lizard creature's body shuddered as it struck the invincible wall adjacent to the moving crowd and, for the most part, Ban stopped humming.]

...Who're you kidding, with a lame disguise like thaaaat? None of the vines or brambles are as thick as you~.