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 Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2023 10:23 am
Quote: Radioactive Mysteries (13) : Destiny City has been booming, but with more people you need more power. Recently, an old power plant has been renovated and updated and just opened for business–but now people have been claiming dizziness or fatigue when in the area. Not to mention the animals. So far one shady, blurry video has been posted online of a strange bear-shaped humanoid ‘ monster’ in the area. It’s difficult to tell if it’s a hoax or not, but whether or not you believe it, it might be a good idea to keep your eye out if you’re in the area. Especially because if you pass through, you feel like something’s watching you. It doesn’t have an aura so it can’t be a youma, but if you poke around too late at night you might find a strange creature that's built like a bear, covered in fur, but which has a strangely human presence. Something about it is just off--or, maybe it’s just your imagination. Maybe it’s just someone in a costume having a bit of fun at your expense. Still, its claws are sharp and it’s fast. When it runs through the forests, the trees seem to crack upon impact, and if you explore during the daytime you might find strange scratches and odd markings in the grass. The longer you’re in the area, the dizzier you get.
Meninx had heard that something was amiss in the area. At first, it had seemed like it was just some strange rumor, but he’d learned not to just take that at face value.
Given everything that had been happening so far, of course he would assume that the Negaverse was involved. He severely doubted the two young teenagers gossiping about the strange creature they’d seen could have been trying to lay some nefarious trap, but if they had been–
It worked.
Meninx had wound up in the forest by the power plant, and shortly after arriving he’d begun to feel a heavy, electrical pressure wash over him. He assumed it must just be the output of the power plant, but as soon as he’d felt something watching him–something large enough to shake the trees as it maneuvered while it thought he wasn’t looking–he knew he’d made the right decision.
Well, sort of.
Right, in that he was here to try and make sure it wasn’t out to hurt someone.
Wrong, because he’d used his magic once and the shadowy beast bolted with enough force that a branch snapped back and winded Meninx while he was chasing it.
He didn’t give up, and ran after it even as black swam at the corners of his eyes.
As he ran–more careful than before, with a slight distance–he realized that the beast was headed straight towards an energy signature.
It took only a few seconds for her to come into view, and Meninx realized that he recognized her.
“Connie, stop it!” he insisted, sucking in a breath so he could pick up the pace and try to hit it with his staff as it barreled towards her.
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Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2023 10:51 am
It had to be around here somewhere. Right? Or maybe it was somewhere else.
She’d heard that the strange merchant that had been looking for wisps a couple years ago was back. She never met them, but she’d heard whispers about him. And he seemed like he would be absolutely fascinating to meet.
But she didn’t have any wisps. Or anything interesting to give him. She heard he liked to be given things. Oh, but trying to think about all that was making her head hurt, and made her dizzy and -- maybe it wasn’t her own thoughts, but something else?
When she suddenly heard her name being shouted, and for her to stop it, she jumped in surprise.
“Stop what?” she squeaked in alarm, but soon realized that she wasn’t being yelled at to stop something, but for her to physically prevent something from continuing forward. Oh!
“Please stop!” she tried asking, holding out her pretty sapling in an attempt to use her magic and maybe get the creature to stop. But even plant growth didn’t seem to be enough and she let out a cry in distress as the creature barreled past her, knocking her to the ground in the process. Quote: Channeling her magic causes a rush of floral growth from under her target’s feet. Roots and grass and saplings grow up and around where the magic is channeled, which she can use to either push her targets back, or to focus on building up a barrier. The plants can be cut down and are capable of burning with some effort. She can also use already existing flora to grow rapidly, such as low hanging branches sprouting an abundance of leaves. Total magic pool lasts for 40 seconds.
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Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2023 10:58 am
Stop what? Stop what?
The monster, obviously? Connie, please. It wasn’t like they wanted to make friends, and she was using manners with it?
She used her magic, though, so his brief rush of panic faded–especially when the monster seemed to trip and stumble over the sudden growth of plant life.
He swung his staff at it and it howled, lashing out like it meant to claw at them, and Meninx almost used his magic, but–
If the fire got out of control or something…out here? In the middle of the forest?
The creature bellowed again and swung an arm so hard that it hit Meninx in the chest and sent him flying backwards. He landed on the ground next to Connie with the breath completely knocked from his chest.
He coughed, wheezed–
Meninx would have been an easy target like that–they both were, probably–
But it didn’t matter. The monster clawed at the ground and twisted against Connie’s magic, and it dragged itself to its feet and it ran.
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Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2023 11:11 am
“Is it gone?” Connie gasped, peeking through her fingers, having covered her eyes with her hands as she sat on the ground. She didn’t immediately see whatever that creature was -- a bear?? -- so she turned to Meninx with a bright smile, which quickly faded to an expression of concern.
“Are you okay? Why were you chasing a bear? Are you looking for something to trade with that dragon salesman? Although, I don’t think he would want a bear. Maybe you should think of something not as, um, big. Or scary. To give him. Oh, but maybe he would like a bear. We should ask him.”
That was why Meninx was out there too, right? It had been a little while since she’d seen him. Not since that whole bank fiasco, but she was glad to see that he looked okay enough. Just a bit winded.
She reached out to give his back a gentle pat and rub as she looked around with the expectation of the bear coming back.
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Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2023 11:28 am
Meninx coughed from the strain it took just to fill his lungs. He didn’t bother trying to get up right now; he lifted his head enough to see that it was gone but he flopped back down to the ground and groaned.
He heard Connie speaking but it took a few seconds to process what she was saying.
“I heard it was harassing people. It wasn’t a bear. I mean, it looks like a bear, but it isn’t. I know that doesn’t make sense but–just trust me, okay?”
He was talking too much and coughed again, but with a light groan he managed to roll over to face her.
“What salesman are you talking about? I heard some people talking about how there was some weird thing around here. I thought it was a youma so I came to check it out. What are you talking about?”
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Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2023 11:34 am
“The dragon salesman!” she repeated with another brightened smile when Meninx asked what she was talking about. “You haven’t heard anyone talking about him? Apparently he comes around during Star Fest. If you give him stuff he wants, he’ll give you something in return. A couple years ago my sister and I found his magical tent thing in the woods. He had a picture of little cotton ghosts that he was hoping to collect. It was really cute. I think there ended up being a big monster, though,” she hummed thoughtfully, glancing up at the canopy of trees and the sky as though looking for an answer.
“You really came out here looking for youma? Wow, you’re so brave,” she gasped with pure sincerity, her eyes sparkling with wonder and awe. Although it looked like Meninx really got the wind knocked out of him.
So Connie did the best thing she could think of to try and sooth him, which was gently brushing at his hair as he laid pathetically on the ground.
“That’s really dangerous, though. I can’t believe you were going to fight that bear by yourself. Oh, sorry. Not bear. Even if it looks like a bear.” But she trusted him! He said it wasn’t a bear, so it wasn’t.
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Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2023 11:41 am
Meninx often didn’t realize how foreign human touch was to him, and though it was dark enough to mostly hide the color that spread to his cheeks, he could still feel the heat. When she’d touched his back, that was practical.
When she touched his hair, that was personal.
It was kind.
It took far more effort than he wanted to admit not to just wiggle a little closer, or just lay there and let her soothe him.
Instead, he forced himself to sit up. Maybe it was a pride thing. Maybe he just felt bad about making her work to soothe him. He was fine!
“No, I haven’t heard anyone talking about him. I don’t get around much. There was a monster? …Is he safe to make trades with, or…? You’re not selling your soul or anything, right?”
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Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2023 11:51 am
“Oh, it was a big monster! People were calling it a hoax, but you know how many weird things happen here, right? Um… I’m not sure if he’s safe to make trades with though. I didn’t think about that,” she frowned thoughtfully, but perked up a little when Meninx seemed to be okay enough to sit up.
“Oh, don’t forget your charm!” she pointed to the dangling stars that looked like it might have fallen from a pocket, or maybe someone else had dropped it on their way through. She fished around in the pockets of her dress (yes it had pockets, to her delight!) and pulled out the Fuchsia charm to show him.
“See? I got one too. Aren’t they cute?” she gushed, and held it up to her hair as though trying to decide if it would be worth trying to figure out how to attach it to a hair tie or something, before lowering it back down and putting it in her pocket again.
“Want to help me find where he is? I was out looking for his magic tent!” Instead, she found Meninx and a bear, which was a pretty good trade off, if anyone asked her. Well, maybe not the bear.
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Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2023 12:05 pm
Connie had so much energy. Ordinarily, this probably would have been exhausting–it was, a little bit, but only because Meninx wasn’t used to people being so open and friendly around him. It took a bit of energy to force himself to lower his guard. She wasn’t crass or bitter or angry, she wasn’t looking for a weak point.
He wasn’t Jace right now.
He didn’t have to be so guarded. He could open up, he could make friends. He was safe in this disguise, this life was separate from his other one.
The charm wasn’t his, but he reached out for it and considered it for a moment. “...I don’t think this is mine, I didn’t pick it up before.” Had someone else dropped it?
…It was a pretty crimson color, and though he didn’t want to admit it, his eyes lingered. He didn’t know if he should keep it, but out here it was just going to get dirty and broken, anyway. And what was the point of seeing if someone had lost it, these were free all around the city anyway. He just hadn’t had time for any of it.
“...Would you mind terribly if I kept it, though?”
He held the charm in his hand for a second as he examined it and then, finally, pushed himself up to his feet. He offered his free hand to her. “Maybe we can go get some more if you like them so much. But first, we should go find your weird salesman. We can keep our eye out for that bear thing and make sure it’s not up to any trouble.”
It was good to have a purpose.
…And, maybe, he was secretly a little happy to have some company that wasn’t so depressing and frustrating.
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