Civiron's Realm

[Cola]

Town

Well. There's more bread. And cherry blossoms. And it's really just a happy, great place. There aren't bad smells.

"Y-yeah. I mean. If I can help, of course. Who wouldn't? You wouldn't be troubling me at all! I'd really enjoy getting to help out. I don't get to much, and I've missed helping people out."

"I doubt it, on the robbing. Technically, I also believe it's burgling. I think. Anyway. I doubt that someone who could take us from where we were, and teleport us, and give us this chair, would be interested in robbing our homes while we were away. Do you have anything particularly fantastical that an incredibly powerful spellcaster would cherish? I know I don't."

They were definitely towards the outskirts of the town. No one has seemed to notice them. The town is overall fairly much themed like how I believe I have it on the first post, and if not then I'll edit this later.

((It's . . . it's just kind of a thing of hers. Just kind of fluff. It'll make sense laters, since she's got a bunch of secrets of her own. But her build, overall, is fairly athletic.))

[Town]

"That's... you... " Strawberry takes a deep breath to collect herself, turns her head forwards again and fidgets some more with the webbing between her fingers. Grace most likely can't see it, but there's a huge smile plastered across the mermaid's face. "Thank you so much, I'd greatly appreciate some help. To be honest with you, I'm not sure if I could even manage to get a nice chair all by myself. I've been saving money for a year now, but - " Oh no, if someone offers you help, you may not blatantly ask for cash. That's bad manners. "Um. Well, you said something about coming up with something and making this chair awesome, right? Are you some sort of mechanic, by chance, or do you maybe know where to get some cheap, good components?"

"Yes, burgling, that's the correct term, sorry. You're right, there isn't much of value in my apartment either. Sorry, I didn't really think that through."

Strawberry takes a look around, amazed by how incredibly scenic everything looks, and by the complete absence of bad smells. This place appears to be so perfect - she would almost call it surreal. Anyway, there probably are people somewhere?

[Celticbear]

Portal

After a short buzz, a man leaps from the portal onto the ground. He looks like this,

Spoiler: What he looks like

Show

, and breathes in deeply. Inhaling, then exhaling. after a while he looks at the land around him, and starts to cry: CIOBOLA! The lost city, CIOBOLA! Bumbty bumbty BUMP!

He seems to be crying in joy, but then dissolves into fearful sobs. He hugs himself.
The Dark One. The Dark One was after me, oh yes. bumbty bumbty bump. Gotta hide, wait NO. He's in the shadows! HE'S IN THE SHADOWS!

He then starts sobbing again.

[Mee]

[Town]

"That's... you... " Strawberry takes a deep breath to collect herself, turns her head forwards again and fidgets some more with the webbing between her fingers. Grace most likely can't see it, but there's a huge smile plastered across the mermaid's face. "Thank you so much, I'd greatly appreciate some help. To be honest with you, I'm not sure if I could even manage to get a nice chair all by myself. I've been saving money for a year now, but - " Oh no, if someone offers you help, you may not blatantly ask for cash. That's bad manners. "Um. Well, you said something about coming up with something and making this chair awesome, right? Are you some sort of mechanic, by chance, or do you maybe know where to get some cheap, good components?"

"Yes, burgling, that's the correct term, sorry. You're right, there isn't much of value in my apartment either. Sorry, I didn't really think that through."

Strawberry takes a look around, amazed by how incredibly scenic everything looks, and by the complete absence of bad smells. This place appears to be so perfect - she would almost call it surreal. Anyway, there probably are people somewhere?

Town

Grace, in fact, cannot see the smile. But that's okay, she's pretty excited herself. "Yeah, you're very welcome! I myself am not a mechanic, but I know a guy. And if that fails, I'm sure we can do some shopping around, and I can help out there if need be." Strawberry might be against asking for cash, but Grace is perfectly happy to donate funds towards a good cause. And she definitely has the funds to donate, not that she makes a big deal out of it.

"Nooo. Don't apologize. And don't worry. It's a valid concern. And I'm sure we'll be back quick enough that no one'll have time to get in, even if they did want to."

There are a handful of people around, primarily just going about their way, doing their own things. Walking along the street; baking more bread; tending the plants. They don't seem unfriendly, but they're also polite enough to not start gawking.

Portal

After a short buzz, a man leaps from the portal onto the ground. He looks like this,

Spoiler: What he looks like

Show

, and breathes in deeply. Inhaling, then exhaling. after a while he looks at the land around him, and starts to cry: CIOBOLA! The lost city, CIOBOLA! Bumbty bumbty BUMP!

He seems to be crying in joy, but then dissolves into fearful sobs. He hugs himself.
The Dark One. The Dark One was after me, oh yes. bumbty bumbty bump. Gotta hide, wait NO. He's in the shadows! HE'S IN THE SHADOWS!

He then starts sobbing again.

Portal

Naku, who happens to be walking by because she's hauling more wood back to her clearing (at some point later on from her conversation with Deepwood, so as to not interrupt that scene), passes near enough the man to hear his cries. She quickly jogs over, then drops the dozen or so full size logs she had over her shoulders to the ground, before just . . . looking at the man.
"Are . . . are you okay?"

[Celticbear]

Portal

Ahh! You, you're one of them! You're a thing of the night! He's here, he must be! The Dark One got here before me! Bumpty Bumpty Bump, I thought I could outrun him, at this the man let's out a little chuckle.

You can't outrun The Dark One. No one can.

[Cola]

Town

Grace, in fact, cannot see the smile. But that's okay, she's pretty excited herself. "Yeah, you're very welcome! I myself am not a mechanic, but I know a guy. And if that fails, I'm sure we can do some shopping around, and I can help out there if need be." Strawberry might be against asking for cash, but Grace is perfectly happy to donate funds towards a good cause. And she definitely has the funds to donate, not that she makes a big deal out of it.

"Nooo. Don't apologize. And don't worry. It's a valid concern. And I'm sure we'll be back quick enough that no one'll have time to get in, even if they did want to."

There are a handful of people around, primarily just going about their way, doing their own things. Walking along the street; baking more bread; tending the plants. They don't seem unfriendly, but they're also polite enough to not start gawking.

[Town]

Strawberry is so happy to hear that, she has to wait a few seconds before she can form a cohesive sentence. "You really would? But powered wheelchairs are pretty expensive, you know? The ones I was looking for cost about twice as much as my entire year's salary, which might be a bit silly, I admit. Like I'm reaching for the stars when I can't even reach the top shelf in my own kitchen." She sighs. Unfortunately, she can't really give a more concrete price, as her player has no idea how money and the economy in the Nexus actually work. Then Strawberry remembers that asking too much is also very bad manners. "Not that I'm asking for such a thing, my goodness no. I've almost saved enough for a powered one with all-terrain tyres, that would be a great improvement, too.
And about modifying this one... I don't really know. Hovering chairs are pretty much great at almost everything, but they consume lots of power have no ground grip, right? You saw how far it drifted across the lake when you pushed it. When you go faster than walking speed, controlling them gets pretty difficult, and they can get blown away by strong winds. Unless they got some really high-tech mumbo jumbo, like strong countersteer engines, inertia curvers or contactless grip. Those parts must be rather expensive, I think?" Oh boy, she's chasing luxury again. "But, umm, getting this chair here to move by itself should be very do-able, I'm pretty sure. Maybe? Seems like a good chair" Obviously, she has read a lot about this topic.

"Yeah, I think you're right." She takes a deep breath. It can't be healthy to be concerned about everything.

There being people means Grace and Strawberry can do what they came to town for in the first place. Asking that elderly man over there, who passionately tends his bonsai garden. Under the overhanging branches of the biggest tree sits a tiny, but fully functioning miniature bakery. "Sir, excuse me? We're a little lost, could you tell us where this place is, please?"

((I'm not sure if I should allow her to have a hoverchair. That would completely cancel her weakness of having no legs, see? Wheeled one might be okay, though.))

[igordragonian]

Deepwood laughed aloud-it sounded a bit like a barks "Har har har", but still there something amusing see him laughing.
"I guess, dork gods are better than dark ones.'

"Oh. I see. I can train few wolves to watch them for you, if you wish,' Deepwood said after he calmed down

[Celticbear]

Portal

He's in the shadows! Can your wolves see that? he shouts, then he starts to calm down.

I'm sorry. I've just been running from him for so long. Bumpty bumpty bump. He was just behind me,
but I don't think he followed. Right before I came through, i saw a tower. A structure in the distance made of shadows. The Dark One is there.
I know what he is, I've seen him. He's a fiend made of thin air! He haunts the shadows! He is the monster under the bed, he is the one hiding under the staircase, he is the one making the neck hairs on your back crawl, and he is coming for you! He is despair, and he is coming for you! yells the strange man as he goes into tears again.

[Mee]

[Town]

Strawberry is so happy to hear that, she has to wait a few seconds before she can form a cohesive sentence. "You really would? But powered wheelchairs are pretty expensive, you know? The ones I was looking for cost about twice as much as my entire year's salary, which might be a bit silly, I admit. Like I'm reaching for the stars when I can't even reach the top shelf in my own kitchen." She sighs. Unfortunately, she can't really give a more concrete price, as her player has no idea how money and the economy in the Nexus actually work. Then Strawberry remembers that asking too much is also very bad manners. "Not that I'm asking for such a thing, my goodness no. I've almost saved enough for a powered one with all-terrain tyres, that would be a great improvement, too.
And about modifying this one... I don't really know. Hovering chairs are pretty much great at almost everything, but they consume lots of power have no ground grip, right? You saw how far it drifted across the lake when you pushed it. When you go faster than walking speed, controlling them gets pretty difficult, and they can get blown away by strong winds. Unless they got some really high-tech mumbo jumbo, like strong countersteer engines, inertia curvers or contactless grip. Those parts must be rather expensive, I think?" Oh boy, she's chasing luxury again. "But, umm, getting this chair here to move by itself should be very do-able, I'm pretty sure. Maybe? Seems like a good chair" Obviously, she has read a lot about this topic.

"Yeah, I think you're right." She takes a deep breath. It can't be healthy to be concerned about everything.

There being people means Grace and Strawberry can do what they came to town for in the first place. Asking that elderly man over there, who passionately tends his bonsai garden. Under the overhanging branches of the biggest tree sits a tiny, but fully functioning miniature bakery. "Sir, excuse me? We're a little lost, could you tell us where this place is, please?"

((I'm not sure if I should allow her to have a hoverchair. That would completely cancel her weakness of having no legs, see? Wheeled one might be okay, though.))

Town

Grace shrugs. Money . . . well, money had never really been a problem for her. "Yeah, I'm sure. I'd much rather help you to get a nice one that would last for a long time, instead of multiple cheaper ones that you have to keep replacing. That's no way to live. Especially for something as important as this is.
Yeah, it would probably be pretty expensive to upgrade this one. But it'd be so coooooool~ And I mean. We should at least install rocket thrusters. Please. Those I can make."

The old man blinks a few times at the two newcomers. His eyesight wasn't what it used to be, after all. "Ooooh," he wheezes, putting his tools down. "this place? Why, it's right behind me."
This man is also definitely a father.

Portal

Ahh! You, you're one of them! You're a thing of the night! He's here, he must be! The Dark One got here before me! Bumpty Bumpty Bump, I thought I could outrun him, at this the man let's out a little chuckle.

You can't outrun The Dark One. No one can.

Portal

Naku looks at the man. Looks at him. Great. More stereotyping. Racism? She's not quite sure. Either way, she's dealt with too much of this today already when a pony attacked her for simply existing. In his defense, he thought Naku was dragging a body, but it's still set her in a somewhat foul mood.
"Well. I sure am. Good luck." Naku replies, hoisting the logs back up over her shoulder, and starting off.
But then she stops. And she siiiiiiighs, tilting her head as if she's hearing something.
She comes back towards the man, after dropping the logs once again in a loud cacophony of logs smashing into one another, and offers the man an obviously very forced smile. "I mean.
Whatever could be the matter?" He might be too frantic to tell, but the sarcasm is strong in Naku right now. "What do you mean, The Dark One?"
Also! Have you had a description of Naku, and if not, would you like one?

Portal

He's in the shadows! Can your wolves see that? he shouts, then he starts to calm down.

I'm sorry. I've just been running from him for so long. Bumpty bumpty bump. He was just behind me,
but I don't think he followed. Right before I came through, i saw a tower. A structure in the distance made of shadows. The Dark One is there.
I know what he is, I've seen him. He's a fiend made of thin air! He haunts the shadows! He is the monster under the bed, he is the one hiding under the staircase, he is the one making the neck hairs on your back crawl, and he is coming for you! He is despair, and he is coming for you! yells the strange man as he goes into tears again.

((Thiiiis post likely does not happen. I specified in my reply to your first post that this man comes through the portal after Naku's conversation with Deepwood, so that the two scenes can continue independently, and just cloning Naku. With the way I set up my first post though, since it is simply 'later', if igordragonian would like, Deepwood could have come along to get more wood, and he could absolutely be in this scene as well. But that's up to him entirely.))

That said though, if this scene does happen, then so far until it's decided, Naku just shakes her head, and mumbles something about how that just sounds like her dad, what's his problem.

Deepwood laughed aloud-it sounded a bit like a barks "Har har har", but still there something amusing see him laughing.
"I guess, dork gods are better than dark ones.'

"Oh. I see. I can train few wolves to watch them for you, if you wish,' Deepwood said after he calmed down

Forest Clearing

((See the above bit of (()) text, please. There's a plot beginning, if you would like to join in!))

"They truly are. Though I don't know if dark ones would ever delete you by accident." Naku admits, shaking her head a bit.

"No, no thank you on the wolves." She continues, digging out another shovelful of dirt. "The sheep won't go anywhere, and I'm not even sure we have wolves around here."

[Celticbear]

Portal

((Conversation did not happen. Made the edit. In response to Kaku's question though...))

I did not mean to offend! You must realize that i fear darkness now, and I assumed you were sent here to silence me. He is a shadow, The Dark One! He is a featureless fiend, except for his eye! The eye! It is no eye, but a slit in reality! A red, "v" shaped slit! He can walk in your shadow, follow you into your darkest secrets, and purge your hope! He is despair incarnate.That's why i fled here. This... this is a place of hope,
right? asks the man.

[Cola]

Town

Grace shrugs. Money . . . well, money had never really been a problem for her. "Yeah, I'm sure. I'd much rather help you to get a nice one that would last for a long time, instead of multiple cheaper ones that you have to keep replacing. That's no way to live. Especially for something as important as this is.
Yeah, it would probably be pretty expensive to upgrade this one. But it'd be so coooooool~ And I mean. We should at least install rocket thrusters. Please. Those I can make."

The old man blinks a few times at the two newcomers. His eyesight wasn't what it used to be, after all. "Ooooh," he wheezes, putting his tools down. "this place? Why, it's right behind me."
This man is also definitely a father.

[Place with houses and people and stuff]

"You must be really rich if you can be this generous to random strangers. Are doctors of chemistry really paid that much? Maybe I've chosen the wrong career." Strawberry laughs.
"We could try that. I think I haven't seen a rocket powered one in any catalogue so far, but it seems kinda viable. Sounds fun, at least." Actually, she has heavy doubts about bolting rockets to a vehicle this drifty, but she's too spineless to voice them.

The old man is not the only one capable of cracking painfully bad jokes. Strawberry covers her eyes with one hand. "Oh no, I've gone blind! I don't see what you mean! You'll have to name this place, and maybe give a hint where it's located on the map, too."

[Mee]

[Place with houses and people and stuff]

"You must be really rich if you can be this generous to random strangers. Are doctors of chemistry really paid that much? Maybe I've chosen the wrong career." Strawberry laughs.
"We could try that. I think I haven't seen a rocket powered one in any catalogue so far, but it seems kinda viable. Sounds fun, at least." Actually, she has heavy doubts about bolting rockets to a vehicle this drifty, but she's too spineless to voice them.

The old man is not the only one capable of cracking painfully bad jokes. Strawberry covers her eyes with one hand. "Oh no, I've gone blind! I don't see what you mean! You'll have to name this place, and maybe give a hint where it's located on the map, too."

Stuff! Things! Excitement! Buildings!

Grace just shrugs a bit. She has . . . um . . . enough money. And doesn't tend to spend much of it on herself, so why not use it for other people? "I mean. If you do it right, they can be. But they're not usually paid that much, no.
But yeah, just think about it! It'd be awesome! And then we could find a ramp, and just see what it doooes."

"Nope!" The old man replies with a big old grin. It's not obvious if he's being stubborn, or making a joke.

Portal

((Conversation did not happen. Made the edit. In response to Kaku's question though...))

I did not mean to offend! You must realize that i fear darkness now, and I assumed you were sent here to silence me. He is a shadow, The Dark One! He is a featureless fiend, except for his eye! The eye! It is no eye, but a slit in reality! A red, "v" shaped slit! He can walk in your shadow, follow you into your darkest secrets, and purge your hope! He is despair incarnate.That's why i fled here. This... this is a place of hope,
right? asks the man.

Portal

Naku inhales once slowly, before just as slowly letting it out. It's been a long day. It apparently will only continue to be so.
"Well. I'm not. And that's . . . that's great." Naku is trying, she's trying very hard. "This is the realm of the goddess of hope, so yes. Yes it is. You're welcome to stay here. You're safe here, just . . . calm down a bit, please."

[Celticbear]

Portal

Sorry. I've been running for so long.

[Mee]

Portal

Sorry. I've been running for so long.

Portal

"That's fine. Just . . . take a seat, take a few breaths, and try to calm down a bit. Then tell me more about this."

[Cola]

Stuff! Things! Excitement! Buildings!

Grace just shrugs a bit. She has . . . um . . . enough money. And doesn't tend to spend much of it on herself, so why not use it for other people? "I mean. If you do it right, they can be. But they're not usually paid that much, no.
But yeah, just think about it! It'd be awesome! And then we could find a ramp, and just see what it doooes."

"Nope!" The old man replies with a big old grin. It's not obvious if he's being stubborn, or making a joke.

[and Bread!]

"Doing it right, what do you mean by that? Like, working for a huge corporation, or being a genius inventor of new compounds?"
"If we launch this hoverchair over a ramp, it'll probably never touch the ground again." *ba dum tsss*

Strawberry puts her hand down again, contemplating if she should just apologize for bothering him and ask someone else. "Please, look, we're from out of town and legitimately lost. Would you please just tell us? Or do we have to play 20 questions about it or something?"

[Celticbear]

Portal

The man sits down, then starts to rub his temples and takes deep breaths. Then, after about a minute of this, he says:


It started with the tower. I was travelling in Outside for a while, and off in the distance I saw this tower. It was huge, long, and dark. It seemed to suck the light away. I went towards it, and went inside. What I saw was a long spiral staircase which went up to the precipice. What i saw was a figure. Like the tower, he seemed to suck the light from the air. He was in this monk stance, sitting cross-legged. I tried to speak, but I found my voice was gone. Then he turned around. His form was featureless, all except for a slit in his face shaped like a "v". This was his eye, I knew that, though I did not know how. After this moment of recognition, he started to stare me directly in the eye. What I saw was... horrifying. I'm surprised I still kept my sanity afterward... Bumpty bumpty bump. I saw a nation in tears veiled by Shadow, a forest in flames, though the flames were dark and they cast no light. I then saw the being I now know as Civiron hung by chains, and The Dark One laughing at her despair. I then jumped off the tower, unwilling to see any more. When I fell though, I saw The Dark One at the base of the tower, and he caught me, by the throat. He then told me to run, and I ran. for so long. It felt like decades, but every corner I turned, every place I hid, The Dark One was there already, laughing at me. Eventually I found my way here, through the portal. When I saw you... I thought you were him, or working for him. I misjudged you, and I apologize.

Those visions I saw at the tower, i think I know what they are now. they're The Dark One's plans for this place! The burning forest, the crying nation,
and Civiron in chains, it all makes sense now! You need to prepare yourself, or the Dark One will destroy this beautiful place.

I'm sorry, I never introduced myself. My name is... I thought I knew. All that running... I can barely remember the life before. I... I'm sorry I can't remember. It's all fuzzy.

[Mee]

[and Bread!]

"Doing it right, what do you mean by that? Like, working for a huge corporation, or being a genius inventor of new compounds?"
"If we launch this hoverchair over a ramp, it'll probably never touch the ground again." *ba dum tsss*

Strawberry puts her hand down again, contemplating if she should just apologize for bothering him and ask someone else. "Please, look, we're from out of town and legitimately lost. Would you please just tell us? Or do we have to play 20 questions about it or something?"

Town

"You know, um, just . . ." Grace just mumbles something. It miiiight be decipherable to be 'have close to 20 million subscribers on NexusTube and stream frequently', but that definitely couldn't be it. Deeeefinitely not. Then she just laughs a bit. That joke was good. "It likely would not."

"Well. I mean. I cannot tell you. It doesn't have a name. It's just . . . here. And it's the town. That happens to be here." The old man shrugs a bit, his shoulders popping from the movement. "But you're in the realm of Our Lady, the Goddess of Hope. Sorry to say, but you two probably died, if you're here."

Portal

The man sits down, then starts to rub his temples and takes deep breaths. Then, after about a minute of this, he says:


It started with the tower. I was travelling in Outside for a while, and off in the distance I saw this tower. It was huge, long, and dark. It seemed to suck the light away. I went towards it, and went inside. What I saw was a long spiral staircase which went up to the precipice. What i saw was a figure. Like the tower, he seemed to suck the light from the air. He was in this monk stance, sitting cross-legged. I tried to speak, but I found my voice was gone. Then he turned around. His form was featureless, all except for a slit in his face shaped like a "v". This was his eye, I knew that, though I did not know how. After this moment of recognition, he started to stare me directly in the eye. What I saw was... horrifying. I'm surprised I still kept my sanity afterward... Bumpty bumpty bump. I saw a nation in tears veiled by Shadow, a forest in flames, though the flames were dark and they cast no light. I then saw the being I now know as Civiron hung by chains, and The Dark One laughing at her despair. I then jumped off the tower, unwilling to see any more. When I fell though, I saw The Dark One at the base of the tower, and he caught me, by the throat. He then told me to run, and I ran. for so long. It felt like decades, but every corner I turned, every place I hid, The Dark One was there already, laughing at me. Eventually I found my way here, through the portal. When I saw you... I thought you were him, or working for him. I misjudged you, and I apologize.

Those visions I saw at the tower, i think I know what they are now. they're The Dark One's plans for this place! The burning forest, the crying nation,
and Civiron in chains, it all makes sense now! You need to prepare yourself, or the Dark One will destroy this beautiful place.

I'm sorry, I never introduced myself. My name is... I thought I knew. All that running... I can barely remember the life before. I... I'm sorry I can't remember. It's all fuzzy.

Portal

Naku has to try very, very hard not to laugh. She does manage it through sheer force of will, to not laugh. The only hint she gives as to the laugh is just a minor twitch of her cheek. "That does sound pretty bad. But that will never happen. I highly doubt he could ever make it in here, and if he does, there's nothing he could do to it.

That's all right, if you can't remember your name. Mine's Naku. I don't have a place yet, but I can offer you some tea, if you would like it."

[Cola]

[Town]

Sight and smell are not the only superhuman senses Strawberry is equipped with. Her hearing is much better than even an owl's or cat's. She turns around, surprised. "You're a celebrity, really? Sorry, I know pretty much nothing about online culture or video games, but can you seriously get rich by making NexusTube videos? For a second I thought you might be cooking drugs or something."

"Oh." Strawberry mumbles and falls silent for a moment. She looks shocked, but not perturbed, as if she was expecting it. "So I've finally drawn my last breath and passed away from that mortal world of sorrow and woe, eh? I'm surprised God would even let me into Jannah after all those things I've done in life."

[Mee]

[Town]

Sight and smell are not the only superhuman senses Strawberry is equipped with. Her hearing is much better than even an owl's or cat's. She turns around, surprised. "You're a celebrity, really? Sorry, I know pretty much nothing about online culture or video games, but can you seriously get rich by making NexusTube videos? For a second I thought you might be cooking drugs or something."

"Oh." Strawberry mumbles and falls silent for a moment. She looks shocked, but not perturbed, as if she was expecting it. "So I've finally drawn my last breath and passed away from that mortal world of sorrow and woe, eh? I'm surprised God would even let me into Jannah after all those things I've done in life."

Town

Oh, well in that case, she might notice that Grace smells fairly strongly of strawberries herself. "I wouldn't call myself a celebrity at alllll. I just make silly videos, and people seem to like them." Grace shrugs a bit. "And noooo. Nonono. I prefer safer venues. I leave the drugs to that Walter guy."

"Weeeeeell." The old man continues, scratching his chin. "I suppose you could have come through that newfangled portal. I remember back in my day, before we had that!" Then he tilts his head. "Uh. What's Jannah? Because this sure ain't."

[Celticbear]

Portal

You underestimate The Dark One, but I could use a rest. So much running.

[Mee]

Portal

You underestimate The Dark One, but I could use a rest. So much running.

Portal

"Well, he shouldn't underestimate us either. Come on then." Naku says, hoisting the 20 or so logs she's carrying up once more. "We'll go get you some tea." With that, she heads off towards her clearing.

[Deathkeeper]

Creek

From beneath the water of one of Civvy's many gurgling creeks pops a scaly orange head. Wolfish-faced with nubby little nose-tendrils and antler-horns, the creature is not unlike a certain dragon from Spirited Away only with little wings. And a cute little blue jacket. And goggles round his neck. And a foreleg computer.
"This isn't Hodgepodge Street." No Nick, it isn't.

[Cola]

Town

Oh, well in that case, she might notice that Grace smells fairly strongly of strawberries herself. "I wouldn't call myself a celebrity at alllll. I just make silly videos, and people seem to like them." Grace shrugs a bit. "And noooo. Nonono. I prefer safer venues. I leave the drugs to that Walter guy."

"Weeeeeell." The old man continues, scratching his chin. "I suppose you could have come through that newfangled portal. I remember back in my day, before we had that!" Then he tilts his head. "Uh. What's Jannah? Because this sure ain't."

[Town]

"Well, isn't being a celebrity defined by the number of people who know you? There are celebrities who are known for doing much, much less, as far as I know. Really, you have every right to be proud of your achievements. That said, what... do you mean when you say silly videos? Like, sketches or edits? Video game stuff? Or something else?"
"Walter? Umm... should I know him?" Strawberry asks in a pretty unsure tone. Breaking Bad is far from the kind of show Strawberry likes to watch.

"Portal? Is it above or near the lake, possibly? And invisible? Because I don't think I saw one. Did you, maybe?" Strawberry asks Grace. Then she responds to the old man's question. "Oh, it's just paradise or heaven, but in Arabic. Sorry for not using the English words, force of habit. But... didn't you just say that this is the realm of hope, where people go when they die? Are you sure this is not..." Then the realization hits her, and her eyes widen. "Dear god, I'm in the wrong afterlife? Or... all religions share the same one?"

[Celticbear]

Portal - Clearing? (If not, then just ignore this post.)

The strange man sips his tea patiently for while then asks, So, what kind of defense does this place have in case of an attack? You need to start planning something in case The Dark One comes.

[Mee]

Creek

From beneath the water of one of Civvy's many gurgling creeks pops a scaly orange head. Wolfish-faced with nubby little nose-tendrils and antler-horns, the creature is not unlike a certain dragon from Spirited Away only with little wings. And a cute little blue jacket. And goggles round his neck. And a foreleg computer.
"This isn't Hodgepodge Street." No Nick, it isn't.

Creek that goes gurglegurglegurgle~

"Thiiiiis is true." Civvy replies, sitting on a bench nearby in a t-shirt and jeans. "This is definitely not there but my GOSH YOU'RE SO TINY AND ADORABLE AAAAA"

[Town]

"Well, isn't being a celebrity defined by the number of people who know you? There are celebrities who are known for doing much, much less, as far as I know. Really, you have every right to be proud of your achievements. That said, what... do you mean when you say silly videos? Like, sketches or edits? Video game stuff? Or something else?"
"Walter? Umm... should I know him?" Strawberry asks in a pretty unsure tone. Breaking Bad is far from the kind of show Strawberry likes to watch.

"Portal? Is it above or near the lake, possibly? And invisible? Because I don't think I saw one. Did you, maybe?" Strawberry asks Grace. Then she responds to the old man's question. "Oh, it's just paradise or heaven, but in Arabic. Sorry for not using the English words, force of habit. But... didn't you just say that this is the realm of hope, where people go when they die? Are you sure this is not..." Then the realization hits her, and her eyes widen. "Dear god, I'm in the wrong afterlife? Or... all religions share the same one?"

Town

"Well. I mean. Then yeah, yeah I suppose you're right." Grace has to admit with another shrug. She hadn't really thought of it that way before. "Mostly I just do video game things. Lot of just playing silly games.
And no, you probably shouldn't know this Walter guy. That's probably for the best, I think."

"Haven't heard of one out there. But I mean. Maybe. Civvy works in mysterious ways. This is the realm of hope, and where some people go when they die." Then he has to shake his head. "Foolishness of youth. Of course not all religions go to the same place. If they did, do you know how crowded that would be? This little town would be waaaaay bigger, and more like a city."

Portal - Clearing? (If not, then just ignore this post.)

The strange man sips his tea patiently for while then asks, So, what kind of defense does this place have in case of an attack? You need to start planning something in case The Dark One comes.

Naku's Clearing, Later

Naku has two kinds of tea. The tea she brews for the man is just simple chamomile, whereas the tea she brews for herself is . . . well, very different. It's pungent smelling, though in a flowery, fruity sort of way, and is more pale lavender to pinkish in hue.
"We have Grant." She explains their defenses simply. "He blows up planets if they make him mad. He's also a very, very protective father. And his daughter lives here. So if The Dark One does come here and try anything that might even possibly put her in danger, I hope he has assurance." Naku. Naku the joke is 'insurance'. This is why you shouldn't just try to repeat jokes you've overheard at the Roost without looking them up first.

[Celticbear]

Naku's Clearing

I believe what you mean is insurance, and The Dark One is not a planet. What happened to me was subtle. He may not destroy this place at all. He may not even make a move until centuries later. The one thing that I am certain of is that if and when he would make a move, he wold do so subtly. says the strange man.

When I was running, he would give me brakes. For years at a time I would not see him, but one day I would look up and see him. He has the penitence of a saint, and the presence of Lucifer. He hides in the shadows. His servant is darkness. His mistress is deceit. His father is despair. His mother is fear.

[Deathkeeper]

Gurgling Creek

"I am not tiny!" pouts the river-dragon, who sounds his age, 8 years, and is about the size of a labrador, and is thus actually tiny.
"Where'm I?" he asks her, his tail with its rust-colored furry crest (which goes all the way up his back to his mane) thumping on the ground.

[Mee]

Naku's Clearing

I believe what you mean is insurance, and The Dark One is not a planet. What happened to me was subtle. He may not destroy this place at all. He may not even make a move until centuries later. The one thing that I am certain of is that if and when he would make a move, he wold do so subtly. says the strange man.

When I was running, he would give me brakes. For years at a time I would not see him, but one day I would look up and see him. He has the penitence of a saint, and the presence of Lucifer. He hides in the shadows. His servant is darkness. His mistress is deceit. His father is despair. His mother is fear.

Naku's Clearing

Naku just shrugs. She'd heard the joke both ways. Or at least that's what she'd keep telling herself.
"Well. All of us here either: Have already died, so will still be here in hundreds of years, or simply going to live well past several hundred years. If he even shows up here, we'll find him.
And we'll remove him. There is nothing that happens in here that Civvy is not, at least minorly, aware of. This realm is hers. It's a part of her. This guy cannot just simply show up unannounced."

Gurgling Creek

"I am not tiny!" pouts the river-dragon, who sounds his age, 8 years, and is about the size of a labrador, and is thus actually tiny.
"Where'm I?" he asks her, his tail with its rust-colored furry crest (which goes all the way up his back to his mane) thumping on the ground.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AA


Gurgling Creek

"Youuuu are in my realm.
Are you a draaaagon? We have dragons here too! They're a bit bigger than you though. And a lot more pink."
He's just.
So.
KYOOT.
AAAAA.

[Deathkeeper]

Gurgling Creek

Nick sits up on his haunches so he can pose proudly. "That's right! I'm a river dragon and I have the ball to prove it!" he declares, pushing a button on his Pip-Drake to summon his dragon orb, a large blue pearl that he immediately begins rolling in his paws. "My name's Nick. My big brother is also Nick only he's a griffin. The best griffin. Who're you?"

[Celticbear]

Naku's Clearing

... I have a confession to make. The reason of how I came here is that he told me how to. In our last meeting, he was leaning against a signpost. He was holding this- the strange man held up a letter -and told me four short words: "You can end this". I cried and asked how.

The strange man's voice shifts.

Give this note to the princess of hope, and I will let you really run. Run as far away from me as you can, and I will not follow.

You may not trust me, I understand that. But I need you to give this to her. I need to stop running away from The Dark One.

[KerfuffleMach2]

Skies near Portal

The air is gorgeous out at the moment. Just the right amount of clouds in the sky. Just the right shade of blue. The glow of the portal complimenting the light of the sun just right. Truly, it was a wonderful sight.

Which means a ship just had to come screaming through the portal. Because of course it had to.

The ship was a little odd looking. It was clearly some kind of space ship, instead of a water, land, or air ship. Thrusters in the back, cockpit on top. What could be blasters mounted on the front.

However...you might expect a space ship to be a mix of sharp angles, sleek curves, and smooth edges. Something that looks like it slices right through any atmosphere. This one...not so much. Looks like it could have been made out of children's wooden blocks. Complete with the out of place bright colors.

Oh, the ship was also pouring out smoke. Probably got shot at.

The ship streaks through the air, leaning to one side. The smoke follows, showing everybody below where it's been.

It ends up near a creek, actually managing to land instead of crash. Always a bonus.