New OOTS products from CafePress
New OOTS t-shirts, ornaments, mugs, bags, and more
Page 44 of 51 FirstFirst ... 19343536373839404142434445464748495051 LastLast
Results 1,291 to 1,320 of 1501
  1. - Top - End - #1291
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Devixer's Avatar

    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    I go places

    Default Re: Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

    Street -> Peaceview Park

    Keiko tries to help, but the languages at the information board are unfamiliar to her, and she can only find a few that are even a little legible. How does the Nexus manage to translate her speech, but not written words?

    She agrees to head off to Pieceview Park with Makuro, looking for a place that she feels will be suitable for meditation. Any spot will do, really, as long as it remains relatively empty.

  2. - Top - End - #1292
    Orc in the Playground
     
    Earl of Purple's Avatar

    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    With folk in the North
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

    Peaceview Park

    The park is a reasonable size, with a stand of acacia trees in one corner, a large baobab tree dominating another, a pagoda-styled gazebo in a third and three picnic benches arranged in a triangle in the final corner. In the centre of the park is a concrete statue of a half-orcish man wearing a business suit and bowling hat and lifting a shamshir with an extreme curve over his head; he seems to be advancing towards something and snarling. The sword appears to be made of bronze, and has a greenish tinge. Throughout the park is a low-level magical aura of peace, tranquillity and safety, making it reasonably popular- there's a family of elves at the picnic tables, with the odd (in Nexus, very odd) walker or jogger passing through.

    "I... Do not know the trees, and it is smaller than I had hoped. Many parks are far larger, I think." Makuro looks around critically, glancing at the unusual statue occasionally. It's quite a violent image, for so peaceful a space, even if it is making her feel secure.
    Terrowin Avatar by HappyTurtle. Much thanks!

  3. - Top - End - #1293
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Morty's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Poland
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

    [Claire's Home]

    Iknika is blushing furiously herself and decides a change of topic might be in order.

    "So, uh... could your knight maybe take a closer look at those comics? They look pretty cool."
    My FFRP characters. Avatar by Ashen Lilies. Sigatars by Ashen Lilies, Gullara and Purple Eagle.
    Interested in the Nexus FFRP setting? See our Discord server.

  4. - Top - End - #1294
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Devixer's Avatar

    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    I go places

    Default Re: Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

    Peaceview Park

    "I'm afraid they are not familiar to me, either. I am more used to the ash trees back home. But they shall suit our purpose well enough." Keiko looks to each corner of the park, and briefly at the statue in its center. Such a strange, warlike statue for a place that felt so peaceful. She eventually starts for the acacia trees, motioning for Makuro to follow.

    Once she reaches them, she sits down near a trunk, placing her staff on the ground in front of her. "Please, sit across from me."

  5. - Top - End - #1295
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Gullara's Avatar

    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Beyond the Wall
    Gender
    Female

    Default Re: Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

    [Claire's Home]

    "Sure! Go ahead." Claire moves over to the bookcase. "I have a lot of different kinds. Any preferences?" Iknika could just take a look on her own, too, if she knows where she wants to start.

  6. - Top - End - #1296
    Orc in the Playground
     
    Earl of Purple's Avatar

    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    With folk in the North
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

    Peaceview Park

    There is logic behind the statue. It's scaring away all the bad feelings.

    Makuro will follow, and sits in a particularly exaggerated cross-legged position. Most of her unnatural height is in her limbs; her body isn't much longer from neck to pelvis than anybody else's.

    A yellow-orange hoopoe with a crest of black-tipped feathers fanned atop its head watches the humanoids from a low tree. Makuro doesn't recognise the bird, and it's behind her so she can't see it anyway.
    Terrowin Avatar by HappyTurtle. Much thanks!

  7. - Top - End - #1297
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Morty's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Poland
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

    [Claire's Home]

    "Well, I like comics with warriors, knights and stuff," Iknika says, rifling through the comics.
    Last edited by Morty; 2018-01-20 at 06:10 PM.
    My FFRP characters. Avatar by Ashen Lilies. Sigatars by Ashen Lilies, Gullara and Purple Eagle.
    Interested in the Nexus FFRP setting? See our Discord server.

  8. - Top - End - #1298
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Devixer's Avatar

    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    I go places

    Default Re: Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

    Peaceview Park

    Keiko sits and rests her hands on her knees. "If you wish, you may close your eyes. Many find it easier to focus that way. Breathe through your nose, and focus on your breathing. Let everything else fade away."

    She notices the bird, but pays it little mind. It's a bird, after all. What was it going to do?

  9. - Top - End - #1299
    Orc in the Playground
     
    Earl of Purple's Avatar

    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    With folk in the North
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

    Peaceview Park

    Makuro closes her eyes and does as bid, breathing slowly and deeply.

    The hoopoe watches, vague interest in its birdy eyes.
    Terrowin Avatar by HappyTurtle. Much thanks!

  10. - Top - End - #1300
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Devixer's Avatar

    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    I go places

    Default Re: Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

    Peaceview Park

    "Good. Now, feel the energies of the world around you. The tranquility of the fields. The strength in this tree. Even the air around you. Let yourself be absorbed in it all." Keiko has taught others how to achieve this state of mind, and hopefully Makuro won't have any troubles entering a trance.

  11. - Top - End - #1301
    Orc in the Playground
     
    Earl of Purple's Avatar

    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    With folk in the North
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

    Peaceview Park

    Makuro doesn't have trouble entering the trance, and doesn't do anything unusual. She does have superpowers; it's part of her nature as a Case 53, but they're all fairly physical and none are activated by meditation.

    The hoopoe also mimics the exercise, though it might be hard to notice. Its eyes are closed, at least.
    Terrowin Avatar by HappyTurtle. Much thanks!

  12. - Top - End - #1302
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Devixer's Avatar

    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    I go places

    Default Re: Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

    Peaceview Park

    The trance, at least as Keiko knows it, isn't meant to awaken any latent power. Rather, it is meant to achieve an intensive focus.

    "Now, Makuro, tell me; and do not open your eyes. What do you see stretched before you? Is there anything that beckons to you?"

    She doesn't notice the hoopoe closing its eyes - Keiko is too focused on helping Makuro.

  13. - Top - End - #1303
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Gullara's Avatar

    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Beyond the Wall
    Gender
    Female

    Default Re: Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

    Quote Originally Posted by Morty View Post
    [Claire's Home]

    "Well, I like comics with warriors, knights and stuff," Iknika says, rifling through the comics.
    [Claire's Home]

    "Well I have some like that." Claire looks at another portion of the shelf. In the meantime, Iknika definitely doesn't find what she's looking for. What she does find is a flood of magical girls, yuri romance, comedy, and slice of life. Claire makes a small pile, totaling about six issues that she slides closer to Iknika. "I have this shounen stuff. It has a lot more fighting and weapons than most other manga."

  14. - Top - End - #1304
    Orc in the Playground
     
    Earl of Purple's Avatar

    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    With folk in the North
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

    Peaceview Park

    Yet many mental powers are activated by focus, so meditation could serve to activate them.

    "I see... A road. Inner city, surrounded by tall buildings. I do not know if I have seen the buildings before, and they change when I am not looking. The city is empty, and I see no people. An ice cream parlour, on the ground floor of a building six storeys high. My eyes keep returning to it." Makuro replies, hopefully helpfully.

    The hoopoe opens its eyes, bored of the exercise, and hops closer.
    Terrowin Avatar by HappyTurtle. Much thanks!

  15. - Top - End - #1305
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Devixer's Avatar

    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    I go places

    Default Re: Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

    Peaceview Park

    More words that Keiko didn't know (what exactly was 'ice cream?'), but her knowledge wasn't relevant Makuro was discovering her own Path, not Keiko's. All she's doing is interpreting. "Can you move? Is this parlour within reach?" She doesn't quite pronounce parlour correctly, but she's clear enough.

    She briefly looks up at the bird again. Such a curious little animal. She wonders if its nest is nearby.

  16. - Top - End - #1306
    Orc in the Playground
     
    Earl of Purple's Avatar

    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    With folk in the North
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

    Peaceview Park

    If Makuro knew that Keiko didn't know, she'd go buy some for her. Or would, if she had money.

    "I can move, and it has a door and large windows. I'm inside, but... There's nothing. I saw furniture when I was outside, but inside... There's whiteness, larger than the city was, I think. The floor is white, tiles I think. Yes. Tiles. No walls. Just white tiles, stretching to the white sky." Makuro reaches out to open the door, her hand moving.

    The bird stays, sitting and watching. It calls, once. "Hoo-poo."
    Terrowin Avatar by HappyTurtle. Much thanks!

  17. - Top - End - #1307
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Devixer's Avatar

    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    I go places

    Default Re: Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

    Peaceview Park

    Keiko watches Makuro reaching out. She's a little impressed that she's able to maintain even a little bit of motor control while in a trance - it took some time for Keiko to be able to achieve that at all. She looks back up at the hoopoe, and smiles a little. It had a pleasant little call.

    She doesn't say anything further to Makuro, for now. The rest of this was for her to discover.

  18. - Top - End - #1308
    Orc in the Playground
     
    Earl of Purple's Avatar

    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    With folk in the North
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

    Peaceview Park

    I can think of an explanation for that, but it's spoilers for Worm. More major spoilers than the origins of Case 53s, at least.

    "I cannot see the door by which I entered. I see... Nothing, just white tiles. I... I think they're on the sky, too." Makuro sounds a little confused and worried, now. This physical representation of her missing memories is particularly unnerving and she really doesn't like it.

    As Keiko watches, the hoopoe disappears. It doesn't fly off, nor is there a flash of light or a thunderclap or any other sound or sight. The bird simply was there, then wasn't.

    "I see a bird. It just flew down from the... The sky, or ceiling. The tiles above. I don't know what kind of bird it is; it's yellow." Well. If that's where the hoopoe went... How'd it get there?
    Terrowin Avatar by HappyTurtle. Much thanks!

  19. - Top - End - #1309
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Devixer's Avatar

    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    I go places

    Default Re: Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

    Peaceview Park

    Keiko's eyes widen as the hoopoe blinks away, and Makuro then describes it in her vision. Nothing even close to this had ever happened, not in all her meditations.

    "What... what is the bird doing? Is it still flying?"

  20. - Top - End - #1310
    Orc in the Playground
     
    Earl of Purple's Avatar

    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    With folk in the North
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

    Peaceview Park

    "No. It's sat on the floor, looking at me. Oh, wait. Now it's flying. It's flying away from me. I'll follow; maybe it's going somewhere. It didn't take off, it... Teleported into the air and started to fly." Makuro doubts it, though. As far as she can tell, there's nothing here. Still, the bird's a bird, and it can fly. She can't.
    Terrowin Avatar by HappyTurtle. Much thanks!

  21. - Top - End - #1311
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Devixer's Avatar

    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    I go places

    Default Re: Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

    Peaceview Park

    Keiko is more than a little confused by this. Was the bird trying to get out? That made the most sense to her, even if it still wasn't very much. And what was that about it teleporting into the air?

    "Has anything else changed?"

  22. - Top - End - #1312
    Orc in the Playground
     
    Earl of Purple's Avatar

    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    With folk in the North
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

    Peaceview Park

    "No. Wait, yes. There's two mirrors. I see myself in both of them. It's not the same me. One shows me as I am now, one shows me as I was. About... One and a half metres tall, pale skin, bright orange hair, green eyes. My hair hasn't changed colour. The bird has perched on the mirror that shows the new me." Makuro's done more than grown; her skin has darkened, and her eyes have changed. "Old me is in a church, wearing a white robe. I'm singing the sad song I remember, and so are nine others, in the same robe. I think it's a funeral; I don't know whose. New me is... New me is running an assault course. I'm clinging to walls, jumping three metres, crawling on ceilings. I'm agile, fast. People are watching, and they aren't impressed. There's the lady with the glasses, and a man and a lady in suits. I'm doing inhuman things, and they see them and think I'm inferior. I... I don't want to see more." Nothing overly useful in either mirror; she knows what she looked like, and what she can now do. But no name, history or even very much context.
    Terrowin Avatar by HappyTurtle. Much thanks!

  23. - Top - End - #1313
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Shadowcaller's Avatar

    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Avatar by Gullara

    Default Re: Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

    Quote Originally Posted by Devixer View Post
    Run Down Street

    Cassidy looks between Teal Hair and the car with its piercing alarm. She didn't have a lot of options here, did she? She lets go of his collar. "Fine. You try anything, and demons will be the least of your problems."
    Quote Originally Posted by Gulaghar View Post
    [Lots of Hope Hospital]

    "I'm not being dumb. You said like a doll!" Cora insists, starting to sound belligerent herself. Laela's grumpiness is totally unjustified! The doctor fixed her up!
    Run Down Street

    "Yeah, yeah, whatever." The goblin replies and starts moving away from the car and into the alley, then moving further into the red district.
    While there are all sort of unsavory types around here, they aren't stopping them. Whatever Cassidy is doing with the goblin isn't their business.
    However, eventually Cassidy will see more of those eyes floating around and it looks like they're following them...

    [Lots of Hope Hospital]

    "Girls, calm down." Cessie scolds. "If this is how you're going to act, then maybe I should get angry after all."

  24. - Top - End - #1314
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Devixer's Avatar

    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    I go places

    Default Re: Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

    Peaceview Park

    Keiko listens intently to Makuro speaking of each of her reflections. But when she says she doesn't want to see more, she decides to end it here. She didn't know what this trance was, exactly, and she was afraid that letting Makuro go deeper into her mind would end up hurting her somehow.

    She tries to place a hand on Makuro's shoulder. "You may open your eyes, if you wish." Hopefully, the touch and the new suggestion would be enough to end the trance.

    Run Down Street

    Cassidy's mask limits her vision somewhat, so she can't see all of the eyes that end up following them, but she does see enough to feel that they're getting closer. She keeps her eyes on Teal Hair, occasionally glancing at those weird eye camera things.

  25. - Top - End - #1315
    Orc in the Playground
     
    Earl of Purple's Avatar

    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    With folk in the North
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

    Peaceview Park

    Unremarked by Makuro, the hoopoe disappears from the mindscape and reappears on the tree where it perched before. Its reappearance is as unheralded as its disappearance was, so Keiko might not notice immediately.

    The parahuman, meanwhile, opens her pitch black eyes and shudders. "That was... Disturbing. But I know more about myself, now. Thank you." She was watching memories she can't remember, but knew they were hers. That's disturbing for most people, I'd imagine. "I can do some incredible things." She's eager to demonstrate, too.
    Terrowin Avatar by HappyTurtle. Much thanks!

  26. - Top - End - #1316
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Devixer's Avatar

    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    I go places

    Default Re: Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

    Peaceview Park

    "I am sorry to have subjected you to it. I've never seen someone fall so deeply into their first trance. It's normally a state of focus and healing." Keiko doesn't initially notice the bird reappearing, but when she does, she's relieved to do so.

    "You mentioned those things. Speed, agility, crawling as a spider. Impressive feats indeed."

  27. - Top - End - #1317
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Shadowcaller's Avatar

    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Avatar by Gullara

    Default Re: Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

    Quote Originally Posted by Devixer View Post
    Run Down Street

    Cassidy's mask limits her vision somewhat, so she can't see all of the eyes that end up following them, but she does see enough to feel that they're getting closer. She keeps her eyes on Teal Hair, occasionally glancing at those weird eye camera things.
    Run Down Street

    "They've already seen you, which means you lost your only advantage." 'Teal-hair' remarks. "We got one of them ethereal's, the people that build that barrier I used, protecting the safe house. There is no fighting those, they'll teleport you into the ocean before you can blink. That is, if we even reach the safe house before they ambush us." He remarks as they walk.

    They seem to be getting closer to the harbor, the 'safe house' is likely to be some storage house. Bit now they might be walking into a trap...

  28. - Top - End - #1318
    Orc in the Playground
     
    Earl of Purple's Avatar

    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    With folk in the North
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

    Peaceview Park

    "Don't be sorry. It worked, if not how I expected. Not sure how I'd have found out my abilities without it. Clinging to walls is not something you do casually." Although it does explain the odd noise her hands and feet make against solid objects, like walls. "I think they're things I can do because of this." She motions down at her unnaturally lanky body, with its excessively long limbs and unusual skin shade.

    The hoopoe stays, watching.
    Terrowin Avatar by HappyTurtle. Much thanks!

  29. - Top - End - #1319
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Morty's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Poland
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

    [Claire's Home]

    Quote Originally Posted by Gulaghar View Post

    "Well I have some like that." Claire looks at another portion of the shelf. In the meantime, Iknika definitely doesn't find what she's looking for. What she does find is a flood of magical girls, yuri romance, comedy, and slice of life. Claire makes a small pile, totaling about six issues that she slides closer to Iknika. "I have this shounen stuff. It has a lot more fighting and weapons than most other manga."
    Iknika looks at one of the comics, involving... girls kissing. She's not sure how she feels about that.

    "Those are different than what I've seen before. But worth a shot. You like romantic stuff, don't you?"
    My FFRP characters. Avatar by Ashen Lilies. Sigatars by Ashen Lilies, Gullara and Purple Eagle.
    Interested in the Nexus FFRP setting? See our Discord server.

  30. - Top - End - #1320
    Halfling in the Playground
     
    Murkus's Avatar

    Join Date
    May 2010

    Default Re: Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

    [Lots of Hope Hospital]

    Laela turns up her nose with a petulant 'Hmph!' and says no more. When she licks her lolly, she does so with particular relish, hoping to get a rise out of Cora. But she can probably be taken home or what have you.
    My avatar was done by Gullara. Thanks again!

    "If you meet a spirit walking,
    Incline your head.
    Do not meet their gaze.
    Do not follow after."

    -Things Our Mothers Tell Us

    Nexus Characters

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •