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

Okay, I don't know if you've noticed this, but there is an actual talking dragon here, you're not that special. [ He really isn't trying to be mean, it's just that after spending months with literal deer-people, purpleness isn't that exciting. No offense. ] But yeah, I picked up on that part, it's just— literally everything else that doesn't make sense.

[ He sighs, exasperated, and crosses his arms, huffy like an angry soccer mom. ] Liiike, is there a reason for this? Because all my stuff's in there, and I like my stuff. A lot. That's why it's my stuff.

Yeah, everything belongs to the Galra. [That's his perception. Look, it's a cartoon evil organization. Who wouldn't get that perception?]

If you want your stuff back, you have to submit to our rule. Are you prepared to do that?

[ EVERYTHING!! This evil cartoon org is practically Team Rocket, somebody's gotta be petting a white cat somewhere. He's finding this all very doubtful, since there's one weird short purple guy around and apparently nobody else; he's not exactly a brave man, but this is hardly enough to be truly intimidated. ]

Hah. Well. Actually, I've definitely got height on you, and I basically have a taser stick, sooo... I'm thinking I'm gonna breeze right past you?

[One beat later, he takes a step back and summons his bayard. The weapon pops into his hand and then turns into a sword within moments. He extends it at his side, eyes narrowing. If it were someone he liked, he'd feel bad about this. But mostly, Rhys is annoying. Therefore, he doesn't feel bad about threatening him.]

Something tells me my sword can take your taser any day. Wanna give it a shot?

I mean... maybe? Metals conduct electricity, right, maybe if I stick your sword with my shock baton you'll just — bzzzp. [ Fried Galra!! But really, he isn't looking for a fight that he might not win, so he goes for a more pathetic/annoying approach, holding up his hands, palms out, in a gesture of surrender. ] Come on, man. Buddy. Pal. You're jamming me up here. Pleeeaaassseee. Just let me in. Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease— [ This is just gonna keep going until Keith interrupts him, he is an expert at the art of annoyance. ]

[What's an intimidating conqueror without a little violence? Thankfully, Rhys is basically begging for it. After listening to the please about four more times, he moves in swiftly and slams his foot down on Rhys' to try to get him to stop.

It is not the most violent of actions, but it's meant to hurt! Besides, he probably scuffed up his beautiful shoes.]

No.

[A ... beat ...]

Just say you submit to the Galra Empire. Why is that so hard to do?

[ Dramatically: ] Ow! Okay, well, I'm definitely not saying it now! [ It's not like he broke a toe or anything, but Rhys is delicate, okay, he's made of fine china, he is meant to be handled with care!! It hurt, is the point, and it seriously did scuff up his shoes. ] What the hell, why would you do that— I mean, seriously? That is just. Sooo mature. Are you twelve? You're twelve.

I'm—I'm not twelve! Do I look like I'm twelve? Or sound like it? Twelve year olds don't have voices this deep!

[Though he hasn't met a lot of twelve year old aliens recently. Most of the Galra ships are stocked full of older Galra.

And Keith isn't exactly put on babysitting duty.]

You're an alien, I don't know what alien twelve-year-olds sound like! Do you know what alien tw— well, yeah, I guess you do, because you... are an alien. [ That comeback wasn't thought through very well; he pauses, trying to think of something, then repeats, ] You're twelve!

I'm not twelve!! [Look at those italicized double exclamation points. That means Galra Keith is serious. In truth, Keith just is done with this conversation. After a moment, he waves his sword to indicate that Rhys can pass.]

You know what, forget it. You're annoying. We'll just take care of you later.

Thank you. [ Jesus Christ, finally. Annoying his way through life, that's how he does it. He brushes past Keith like it was nothing, like he didn't just stand here and irritate him for ten minutes just to get by. ] Let me know when the grown-ups get here.

[ PEACE OUT. ]

EVENT ★ BACK TO THE FUTURE

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