EVENT ★ ZETA-12 FINAL WEEK

[futurologists]

ZETA-12: FINAL WEEK After team Audentes makes it out of the desert in more or less one piece, they'll begin to notice the environment changing once again. After the sparseness of the sands and canyons, vegetation and water once again become more common; eventually, they've found a lush jungle with plants and rivers both plentiful. And like the changing environment, the squidges once again begin to transform. Please select an evolution according to your choice. Please note, you must have submitted your choice to the thread in the previous logs in order for your squidge to evolve. For those who encountered the cave: If they went into the cave, their squidge has taken on one of the following features: a fox-like tail, an armadillo snout (with tongue!), or enhanced sense of smell. However, if they stayed above, their squidge has one of these: a beak, a prehensile tail, or enhanced sense of hearing. THE JUNGLE (WEEK 6) The jungle air is thick with humidity, light barely filtering down past the dense canopy of leaves overhead. Unlike the forest back at the beginning of the journey here, the climate in the jungle is almost stifling, so recruits may want to look for refreshing Rainbow Berries to snack on and keep their energy up -- but keep an eye out for the Lucifer's Poppy, as its effects can cause the journey to reach an abrupt end. Rivers wind through the jungle, with waterfalls ending in relaxing pools where recruits can try to beat the heat and spend some extra time with their squidges as the journey's end approaches. Like the other biomes, there are no creatures here -- no birds, no bugs, no jungle cats -- but that doesn't mean that recruits can leave their guard down entirely. Apart from various poison plants (such as the Beezlebulb and the Malboro) other hazards to look out for include slippery, moss-covered ground cover that may cause a hapless recruit to lose their footing, and the dangers of heat exhaustion. Unlike the previous biomes, there is no major choice for recruits to make here. Instead, they must bathe their squidge in the Wellspring, a bubbling, faintly glowing pool of water in the depths of the jungle. The Wellspring is responsible for triggering the squidges' final transformation and allowing them to grow into adulthood. In order for squidges to evolve into an adult, squidge parents must have completed a certain amount of tasks during the Zeta-12 mission. If these tasks were not completed, the squidge will not evolve and will remain in its larval stage. The evolution form can be found on this post. Squidges who successfully evolve into adults will grow in size, anywhere between 122-183cm (4-6'). They will loosely retain their rounded shapes, their limbs and torsos elongating, and any physical transformations will also grow with their size. In adulthood, squidges are less needy and frightened than in their larval stage, and generally have a calm demeanor (with exceptions made if they happened to pick up an aggressive trait along the journey, of course). Their language remains a wordless burbling, but they can communicate with their caregivers through gestures. After bathing their squidges in the Wellspring, regardless of the success of evolutions, recruits should prepare to depart Zeta-12 with the knowledge that their alien children are better, stronger, and smarter for the time they spent together. OOC NOTES This log lasts ICly for one week, and OOCly for 1.5 weeks. Once the mission is completed and the squidges are bathed in the Wellspring, recruits will have until August 20th to say goodbye and let their alien wards leave the metaphorical nest. Direct questions about the Zeta-12 mission here. And don't forget about the bounty board! After August 20th, Zeta-12 bounties will no longer be completable. Please remember to fill out your squidge success form! Participation is required to pass AC this month. If you have any questions about the form, please direct them here. Forms must be completed by August 31th, 23:59 UTC.

Comments

[perma_banned]

He's--[Ban grunted, not wanting to chase Lump too swiftly. He was faster than the child but he knew the sort of fear that came to children who fled from terrors and got caught. He wasn't eager to let Lump know that kind of fright.

He looked to Sakura, irritable. Lump hid behind her--a familiar face.]

--He's actin' weird cause I shaved off my beard.

[keystaff]

You--eh? Oh, does he not know it's you then?

[Sakura is more used to seeing him clean shaven herself. But things have been kind of crazy and busy for a while. So it would make sense if the squidge got used to him with the facial hair and is now very unsure what to make of the sight of Ban without it.]

[perma_banned]

The hell should I know?! [Exasperated, Ban stayed still. Lump kept behind Sakura, still looking uneasy. He wasn't panicking as much before but it was still clear that he didn't seem to trust Ban at that moment. He had the voice of his pops but he was missing the very warm and fuzzy beard he'd always rub himself against--]

Anyway, hold sti-- [He heard the squidge let out a sigh--almost out of disappointment. Ban hissed.]

What's that sigh about!?

[keystaff]

I guess we can't really ask....

[Mainly because, obviously, they aren't quite verbal yet. At least with anything resembling language the recruits understand thus far yet. She turns, looking to the squidge behind her, watching when it seemed upset.]

It's still Ban-san! I know people look pretty different after they have a haircut or a shave, but it is him!

[perma_banned]

[Lump followed Sakura's slightest movements as if to use her as a shield.

Lump was a kind squidge but not so brave as others might have suspected, given his company.]

It's just a damn beard! You should recognize me anyway, dumbass!

[Lump recoiled--as Ban never really spoke to him that way, either. This new guy was confusing and rude!]

[keystaff]

B-but some people look really different with or without a beard!

[Sakura tries to explain, to reassure the squidge.]

It really is him though. I can tell, this is how he looked when I first met him. There's no reason to be scared.

[perma_banned]

Ahhhh~?! Who'd forget my smile and eyes?!

[As if anyone could miss details like that. Lump grumbled, realizing Sakura wasn't running away with him. He tugged on her shirt as if to try and lead her away. She was in danger too, wasn't she? Though he wasn't so valiant as to avoid using her as a shield--]

Obviously, he doesn't want a snack before we make it to our final destination.

[Lump paused, staring blankly at Ban, suddenly.]

[keystaff]

A snack? Are you hungry?

[Sakura tries to turn her head to peer back behind her at the little goo baby in question. Maybe that might entice him to Ban again to help him adjust to the chance in the other's appearance. The tugging does nothing, given Sakura has never really actually been afraid of Ban. Even knowing what he is capable of. He's never directed it at her, after all. Has helped her multiple times.]