She had no idea what was going on but she followed the stranger into the bottle and now she was riding on some silly looking paper crane and everything was strange and alarming and people were zipping by and snatching at things and --
"You!!!"
She spotted the brunette at a distance and directed her crane towards him, determination in her pink, sugary sweet eyes. "How do you know who I am? Where is General Zircon??"
Something buzzed by and she swatted at it, catching it in the process.
It was a black ball of something....
Oh. Death, apparently.
And Sweetite promptly died yet again.
[Sweetite PROMPTLY DIES and EXITS to the GRAVEYARD]
On his way over, there was something that flitted back and forth. He reached out, hopeful, certain that he would be the one to capture the golden stitch and yet---
The one in his hand was silver. Disappointing. At least there were points.
He continued forward, making the crane dip a bit. Hazel eyes caught sight of the girl he'd barked out, mouth opening to call out to her but he watched something...messy happen and she was gone. Huh, that must've been what it looked like when it happened to him.
At least death didn't stick. Maybe she'd find Zircon in death then.
items
Health Potion (restores 10HP) x 1 Attack Potion (does 50 DMG) x 2
Ah! Something more fun to do than fly aimlessly around! Seemed that death really wasn’t any big thing in the land of this gloriously vivid trip Malaise had somehow found himself in, and boy, what a relief. He smiled brightly as the man flew closer, and he tilted his own crane to close the gap, trying not to think too much on the fact that he’d seen yet ANOTHER person explode. “Hello again, “ he called to the lieutenant. “I know I’ve already taken off, but is that ride for an offer still valid? - not much for it alone.”
Now it was all coming back to her on how to steer and guide her flying crane around in the air. Lacerta swooped around in the sky looking frantically for her team. It was strange to use that word but she guessed that it was the one that would describe what the three, or was it four, of them were for this short period of time. Her gaze flicked back and forth between others in the air; and Lacerta was surprised to see that others had finally joined in on this interesting experience. It was as close to being a seeker in Quidditch one could hope for. Without really having to dodge bludgers or other obstacles. And there was a bit of skill required to actually fly these cranes but it was like learning to ride a bike. After one successful time, one didn't forget.
Lacerta was scouting the playing area looking for anything familiar. She could see Mel or Acubens yet but it didn't mean they weren't here, right? She would have missed them that easily. And at last her diligence and determination were rewarded. She caught sight of Acubens's profile and dove her crane to get closer to her friend. As she neared the Velociraptor senshi she could tell that something was not sitting right and she was suddenly glad that she returned. A glint drew her gaze to a cloud off her right and she darted closer to it before sinking her hand into the fluffy structure and withdrew a silvery object. Well, this was new but as she glanced around it looked like Mintaka was awarding her points anyways.
"Acubens ... gotta pull it together. We can't let fear get the best of us."
She grimaced. It was not the best pep talk and she glanced at Mel who hovered nearby. The redhead sighed before trying to nudge her crane closer to Acubens. Friends stuck close together and she needed to be here. Acubens was hurting, that was plain to see.
Acubens wasn't aware that anyone had done or said anything to her. Not really. Not until fur filled the tiny pinpoint of her vision. Slowly, infuriatingly slowly, Acubens registered the feeling of fur beneath her searching hand as well. She stared at Mel without seeing for several more long moments before she realized what had actually happened. And even that was a slow dawning as she glanced from the cat she was only just now seeing to his now empty paper crane.
He jumped... for me?
Acubens' hand worked without her knowing, scratching the mauvian absently behind the ear as she worked to not worry about what his risk meant for her or him, where Jason was, what had happened to him, or if Lacerta was still okay. She wasn't worth anything if she didn't pull it together right that instant and act like a leader. She could have the panic attack when she was at home in bed. Until then...
Acubens took a deep breath, closing her eyes to shut out the rest of her surroundings and forced her pulse and her breathing to slow down. If Jason came back and saw her like this, he was going to feel awful. She needed to be whole and calm when he came back. When he came back.
When he came back.
She had to trust the man she'd trained. The man she'd taught. Even if he couldn't power up, she had to trust that she had given him skills that he could use even outside of his senshidom. She had to have at least that much faith in herself and in him.
Another nudge caused Acubens to open her eyes again, this time a great deal calmer. Lacerta had... come back? Acubens furrowed her brow as she struggled to understand what had happened through irritatingly slow cognitive functions. Those were always the last to come back online for her. Damn it. She scrubbed her eyes and sniffed, her hand still scratching the cat on her crane as she struggled to find the words.
"Yeah," she finally grumbled. "Yeah, you're right. You're right. I'm just... I'm so worried about Jason. He's not back yet and..."
And anything could have happened. Because how cans he train him to fight an enemy that they can't see?
"I'm sorry that I... yelled back there. The ship wasn't your fault. And you couldn't have known. I'm... sorry."
She pulled apart a nearby cloud, pullig the points out of it and setting them aside. Ten. She was done. But the trial still wasn't...
Mauvian Wendell - [ exiting to death thread / rolling 0 / 10 pts ] INVENTORY: x2 health potions (+10 HP)
He'd seen the explosion and let out a long whistle in response - as much of a whistle as a cat could do, at any rate. Wendell put both paws on the side of his paper crane and peered over the side of it, eye wide with shock, and watched crumbling, fraying pieces of paper float spiral gently downwards away from them. The smell of smoke lingered.
"WHAT HO this is not an ideal situation!" Wendell reseated himself in his crane and swerved sideways closer to the senshi with the dark hair. "I have not seen any golden crane that I am aware of, fair maiden, but I shall continue to search for one!"
There was something black up ahead. Wendell half leapt up, paws attempting to catch it, only to sink back down as something went boom.
[Arthur] Inventory: 2 Health Potion HP: 30/30 Points: 5
Arthur yowled as he fell through the sky, jacket flapping about him and catching the air but acting as a very poor parachute. He could see the ground many miles away and he wondered if this was how the ship got to dropping on Cheom. Just as he was debating if he should pray to the Cauldron and hoping he would get reincarnated as a sexier lady Mauvian, a bundle of paper grabbed him.
Digging his nails into the paper crane, decorated with gold stars on dark blue paper, he gave big inhauls and exhales if breath. The crane tittered and turned and he gripped it tigher and tried to adjust his weight. It turned and then sounds four time before going down. "Stop!!!!" He cried and pulled up for it to whip itseof back up again, flapping it's paper wings. It took some time before he got how to tilt his body to make it move and he slowly navigated it to Cheom. His tail was still puffed as he looked at her.
"We should have picked another bottle."
Another woman called out and explained the game and his interest grew more and more. Catching birds? He was GREAT at catching birds!
As Cheom decided to go one way, he nodded and turned his bird.
Bird. Bird. Bird. His eyes darted about before he spotted something darting and turned up. It was easy enough to reach out to grab it and then shove it to his mouth. However, instead of fluffy feathers, he tasted - water? He pulled the cloud out of his mouth. "Never hunted clouds before." Not as taste as birds.
He turned and headed to float near Cheom. "I hope we catch mice in the next bottle. They taste better."
Aventurine adjusted his grip on the crane's neck to steady it. Flying was a tricky thing, very different than the galloping of horses and he'd never flown a paper bird before. (And he hoped to never have to do it again after all of this.)
"The general is right, death does not appear to be a sticking point here," he stated, hazel eyes glancing over the man.
He seemed to be contemplating the question, just as a piece of cloud struck him. This one didn't explode even as he wrapped calloused fingers around it. He was grateful to not be sent back to the graveyard and it was tucked away into his pocket as it if might have value later.
His arm extended, hand with his palm out to help Malaise onto his own crane. "Offer stands."
items
Health Potion (restores 10HP) x 1 Attack Potion (does 50 DMG) x 2
Lacerta relaxed a little as the presence of Mel on her crane seemed to have brought a semblance of well, not normalcy, but at least some quiet time so that Acubens could pull herself together a little. Hovering close on her crane the girl kept an eye on their surroundings before it dawned on her that Acubens was talking. It was beginning to dawn on her just how much the elder senshi took things seriously. Her gaze took in another white cloud and she snatched at it and pulled back white. Well, that was another five points and that put her back at ten but this time she wasn't leaving her team.
The senshi of bandages sighed before finding the right words, "Jason may not be back yet but it's alright to worry. Just don't let it consume everything else." Lacerta was not sure if that was the right advice to give but anything was better than nothing, wasn't it?
"As for your yelling with the ship and all that might have been deserved. I was too curious with the bottles. Just luckily for us that we made it out of that dangerous situation. Hopefully it won't happen again."
Offer still stands, and Malaise gave such a smile, painted dark lips shifting just so to reveal a flash of teeth, stark white in contrast. He reached out to take hold on that calloused hand, already imagining what would await him when he slid onto the crane behind the handsome bird prince. Pressed up against him, chest to back, in such a vivid fantasy, ugh just the anticipation was killing him.
Maybe that's why at that precise moment a black ball zoomed into his hand like a pet bird only to detonate like a damned bomb, pain rippling through him and then oblivion. All the while, all Malaise could think was of ******** COURSE. People like him didn't get fairy tales.
21-30: You capture a black ball of DEATH. It goes Kablooy and you are sent immediately to [ HERE ] (You do not lose points)
It happened in a flash, his hand was nearly accepted but instead one of those black balls got in the way and he watched as the man virtually exploded before him. Eyes narrowed and he dusted off the residue on his hand.
It appeared that circumstances didn't want them to be in the same space as each other for more than a few moments at a time. Were he a sentimental person he might have lamented.
Instead, he attempted to catch something, hoping for the elusive snitch.
What he caught sent him spiralling into another crane.
This game wouldn't best him.
items
Health Potion (restores 10HP) x 1 Attack Potion (does 50 DMG) x 2
[Cheomseongdae] Inventory: 1 Health Potion HP: 20/20 Points: 5
Cheom cheered for Arthur as he began to hunt for the birds, though she kept herself as close to the center of her bird as she could, her eyes wide as she moved around. When he made his catch, she dived her bird enough to gain some speed and headed towards him, slowly pulling up when she got to his side. "Sorry! You're right, a different bottle would have been so much better. I had no idea, I'm sorry!"
She felt rather guilty for this situation, even though logically she knew she had no way of knowing what the ******** was going on in each bottle until they were in it. Add to that the fact that she hated being so high up herself, and it was just a mess. But she wondered if, after all of this, she would be able to face heights a little better... The top of a building was WAY better then a paper crane, it had to be.
She blinked a little, and added "Also, I... don't think I'll hunt mice in that way. It's not exactly something I've ever done. I think I'll stick to catching and holding them with my hands... Alright, I'm gonna make another try..."
She pushed off, getting her Bird moving hard again, and soon she was flying towards what she thought was another moving bit... Her hand darted out to grab, and... caught absolutely nothing, much to her disappointment and frustration.
[Mlinzi] [Inventory: 1 Health Potion] HP: 20/20 Points: 5
Mel absently smiled at Lacerta when she came up to them but didn't move. The fingers of the curly senshi felt too damn good to distract her from her scratches. Finally she seemed to get better, especially since she started to talk to Lacerta, so Mel didn't feel bad just squirming little bit away, gold eyes looking for his errant crane.
The rather gaudy red thing wasn't too far and even better, it was below them so he could jump onto it without any real issues. Hell yeah! As Acubens suggested they get back on with this challenge the large cat nodded in agreement, "Lets do this s**t!" and jumped from her crane. He landed on his ride with only a moment of heart stopping fall, and a bit of a wobble as the bird readjusted to his weight.
With a whoop he dived into another cloud, crowing with happiness as he fished out another thing and shook it clear of the white fluff only to frown at the black ball. "Oh poo!" It really was the last thing he said before everything went dark since the ball promptly went KABOOM.
Lacerta had been hovering around, keeping close to Acubens in an effort to keep the eternal's spirits up. The girl was surprised that she had managed to stay relatively unscathed. Her gaze still swivelled around searching for that elusive thing they were all seeking. At first she wasn't sure what had happened but all of a sudden Mel wasn't with them anymore. Her gaze looked around for the Mauvian before sighing. She'd lost track of him. Swerving around Lacerta reached out and latched into a cloud before withdrawing something small and ... black.
Something told her this wasn't a good thing to have pulled out and seconds later she was correct in her thoughts as she disappeared in a small but powerful explosion. As she disappeared she only hoped that her 'death' wouldn't scar Acubens any further. She would be back .. she hoped.
