Summer Bugs (8 ) : Last year, one of Destiny City’s historic trees came to life after a lengthy hibernation, and it is livelier than ever. And, thankfully, mostly devoid of strange pods. Unlike the brown, soccer-ball sized pods from last year, these are all small and rarely larger than a tennis ball. The downside is that they have also been found in small clusters in surrounding trees as well. Sometimes, the hard-shelled pods tremble and twitch. Sometimes they split open and an angry cicada crawls out. The pods leak a strange, acidic sap that is strong enough to cause skin agitation–and in some cases there are even reports that it’s burned through wood or fabric. The cicadas are covered in it. Unlike the last generation, these cannot spit acid but it is still incredibly unpleasant to come into contact with them. They are food oriented and will come after everything they think can be eaten–food, clothes, hair. They are little more than a nuisance and never seem to stick around for more than a few days. Maybe it’s a sign that nature is healing–or maybe it’s a sign that there’s still something worse to come.
There would have been a point in her life when the thought of checking out rumors of magical bugs would have disgusted her. That was before she had been brought into the powered war that embroiled the city at last summer's end. Now Audra, no, right now she was Xihe, was fascinated by the chance to encounter these creatures. For the species that had been rumoured to be terrorizing everyone ... were those of her own sphere: Cicadas. How often would the chance come along to actually get a chance to perhaps see if these critters would actually welcome her presence among them?
Okay, so it was possibly a far-fetched idea that she would be considered family but Xihe was still learning the ropes of what it meant to be a senshi. After that one large mirror expedition in which she had tried to play backup to her idol, things had been relatively quiet. Oh there had been that mystical fog creature too at Halloween. Having that one senshi, even being from the white moon, help her out had been rather pleasing. It was nice to know that not everyone was antagonistic towards chaos.
Upon reaching the area that she had been warned to stay away from the Cicadan senshi moved closer to one of the trees to stare up at a structure that didn't look like it belonged. Was that where the cicadas came from? Was it possible to knock it down? Bending down, Xihe scraped at the earth for a moment with her hands before coming back up with a small rock. Was throwing it the best idea in the world, probably not, but she wanted some sort of reaction to see what could happen next.
xLP
Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2024 12:19 am
Chibi Totoro had heard about more bugs being out during the star festival. He wanted to see if these were more or less interesting than the fireflies that had rainbow colors.
As he approached the area where the bugs were at, supposedly they were something called a cicada. He found another senshi - but this one was different?
The chibi senshi was looking at the dark mirror senshi who seemed to think about throwing a rock at whatever that odd nest was. "Soo do you think tossing rocks will get them to come out?"
He asked curiously moving beside the dark mirror senshi.
Xihe had been subtly keeping track of the powered signature that had been nearing her position at the tree but mainly she was curious about the nest that was nestled amongst the branches. When a child's voice asked about what she was hoping to happen Xihe simply gave the wise, old answer of a shrug before she gave the side-eye to the senshi beside her.
"I was hoping not to have to resort to throwing rocks in order to see a bug emerge as that might be the way to make them angry but I'm not quite sure if they like to simply hide in their little pod nests or not."
Considering that this senshi's signature was the only one she felt at the moment she considered drawing out a snippet of their energy via her wraith but nixed the idea. Perhaps this child could be a source of information instead of merely a battery in which she could have drained. Her gaze softened, just a little, before her lips turned upward in a smile, "aren't you a little young to be out on your own?"
It was a question couched in concern for the kid even as she sighed. Hopefully playing babysitter wasn't on the evening's agenda. "If perhaps you have a better idea on how to coax out these bugs, I'm all ears."
LP
Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2024 1:28 am
Totoro was listening to the other as she was talking about hoping not to resort to throwing rocks. He seemed to think about possible ways to get them to come out that didn't result in throwing stones.
He paused when she asked if he was a bit young to be on his own, "Well I just heard about the bugs so I wanted to see what they were about. I've already found the fireflies those were pretty and different colors."
He dodged the question kind of not wanting to answer completely. He paused when she asked if he had a better idea, "What do you think they like to eat? Maybe they'll come out if there's food? Or figure out what they sound like then they'll think they have friends waiting on them?"
Xihe pursed her lips together as if she were thinking really hard about what a magical bug would want to eat. Her own food supplies that she had with her were limited and it was with a bit of regret that she caused her bag of skittles to appear before she held it up for the other to see. "All I have are these. I'm not exactly sure what these bugs would want to eat. I haven't even seen one emerge yet so I don't even really know what we are dealing with."
If they were wasp-like, the skittles would definitely be a draw for them but if the bugs weren't from that genus then who knew what they'd want to eat. "Do you have anything that you could contribute in luring out our mysterious insects?"
Xihe had been keeping an eye on the nest she had seen, just in case there was movement but so far it wasn't looking very promising at all.
LP
Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2024 11:03 pm
tefla
Chibi Totoro thought about what he had, pulling some snacks from his subspace pocket. "Letseee, I've got gummie worms, apples . . . annndd potato chips!" He said as he was thinking.
"Maybe they'll like Apples?" He asked as he tried to break one in half since he had super strength.
Looking at the child senshi as he tried to break the apple in half, Xihe had to hide a smile. The amount of food that he carried with him should, if the insects were amenable, attract them. Her gaze travelled to the strange pod in the silence that stretched between them. What sort of insects dwelled inside? There was the sound of a crisp snap and Xihe turned back to the broken halves of the apple and the chibi before smiling.
"Between the two of us, what we have in total should be enough to grab the attention of whatever resides inside. Are you ready to find out?"
Xihe had been looking around on the ground for a suitable sized rock before wondering if using such an item would be the wrong approach. "Should I go up there and knock on the pod in order to see what comes out," Xihe stood at the base of the tree, looking upwards. She continued softly, "if you stand where I am, I'm sure the insect will see your apple offering first if you hold up your hand."
LP
Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2025 11:49 pm
tefla
Totoro looked curiously as Xihe was speaking about having enough to grab the insects attention that were inside the pod, and that was about the time that Totoro managed to break the apple in half, he looked proud though part of it was now squishy he didn't think bugs would mind though.
"If you go up there be careful, what if we make them mad by knocking?" Though he didn't have any better ideas, "But I think it's worth a shot." He nodded when she said she thought he should stand about where she was and offer the apple. "I'm ready to give it a try when you are!"
Hopefully the bugs were friendly and not some sort of super hornet or something.
She dropped the rock. She would need both hands free in order to make her ascent. Looking at the tree that she had decided on using as her target, Xihe swung up into the lowest branch with the ease of a gymnast. That had to be the magical side of her helping out because, in reality, she'd not have been half as graceful as she seemed to be now. Due diligence was used to ascertain whatever hold she reached for next and the dark mirror senshi was very careful not to look down. She wasn't afraid of heights but why risk the sense of vertigo that could accompany such a glimpse of the distance between herself and the ground.
Reaching the branch that the nest seemed affixed to did Xihe edge out onto the limb before easing her grip on the branch above she was using as support. One hand still held on tightly even as she lowered her body to sit on the wide limb before releasing her grip on the branch above to steady herself on her new perch. Her gaze took in the spherical shape of the nest before gently tapping on it with a single finger.
No reaction.
Gathering up her courage and taking out the offering of a few pieces of Skittles did Xihe yell back down to her partner in crime, "get ready. I'm gonna give it a big ole "greeting" and I'm not sure what that'll do. I may have to dismount quickly, and I would rather not like to land on you."
With a steady hand did Xihe reach out and walloped the nest pretty hard. It remained attached to the tree but a fissure had appeared in the side and Xihe swore that there was the sound of something scurrying inside, trying to get out. Dropping her few Skittles into the largest fissure did Xihe back away cautiously before calling down to Totoro, "something's definitely taken the food I just handed over. I think its eating it. Gonna hang on the branch overhead so be careful as it may lock onto you as the provider of food."
With that Xihe pulled herself onto the branch that she had been using earlier in order to conceal her presence from whatever would emerge.
LP
Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2025 7:17 pm
tefla
Totoro was watching as Xihe climbed the tree with what to him looked like an Olympic gymnast's skill. His eyes were watching carefully, full of awe as she reached the branch closest to the large nest.
He winced a bit when she tapped on the nest, expecting something to come out then. He nodded when she said she was about to give it a big greeting, "Alright, be careful!" He said moving back just a little expecting something crazy to happen.
He watched as she punched it and said they might lock onto him as provider of food. It took a second but he did toss some more skittles on the ground away from him for when they did bust out.
He nodded when Xihe hid herself and he was trying to move behind the nearest tree before the bugs busted out. He could hear the noise as it got louder.
What emerged from the spherical nest was not what Xihe was expecting. Even as she observed the specimen that slowly made its way onto the tree branch, the realization clicked in her mind that she recognized the wings. Her gaze shot down to the gossamer overlays that adorned her fuku before she edged just a little bit more forward in order to garner a closer look.
Something had disturbed the nest. The food that had been dropped in moments before though had been tasty. Still the creature hadn't appreciated the slight jostling that followed. The overall tremor that shook the nest afterwards made the inhabitant inside extremely incensed. Flicking antennae moved back and forth as it slowly emerged from the entrance constructed before its wings opened in a fine display. Even though it was angered the scent of what appeared to be more food overrode the innate instinct to attack.
On the ground below stood something that could have been a short, fleshy tree but its outstretched branches held something bright and dripping with saccharine sweetness. The offering would go a long way in appeasing its hangry issues.
The sense of an unknown object above gave the insect pause before it simply ignored it. Food was more important and it was with that thought that it lit from the outside of its nest to fly directly at this new fleshy tree.
LP
Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2025 11:08 pm
tefla
Totoro watched as the creature made it's way out of the nest and he froze. Figuring it might be better just to stand still and be uninteresting. Though when the moth-like creature flew at him.
He stood really still, watching as it seemed to zero on him and landed on his arm which held the skittles in it, his eyes wide. He was trying not to twitch but he looked up at Xihe, "Um. What do I do?" He whispered as low as he could but still be heard by Xihe without disturbing the creature that was now monching down on skittles.
Xihe had watched as the insect took notice of the smaller senshi before she gave an absent shrug in response to his question that was directed at her. Her attention was laser focused on the nest. The entrance looked like it had been covered in some sort of substance and the redhead curiously poked at the entrance before she hissed. While not painful, the mystery substance was definitely causing an unpleasant sensation on the coated finger.
"Hey, change of plans. Don't let that thing touch any bare skin. It might have some sort of unpleasant secretion coating it."
Even as she yelled down to the kid did Xihe stare at the nest before she turned around a little on the branch she had been positioned on in order to strike out at the nest with her foot. Knocking down the empty nest would make it harder for the thing to find a place to hide.
Xihe watched the nest shatter upon contact with the ground before she tried to dismount from the tree as quickly as possible. She needed to get the creature away from the young senshi before damage could be done.
Sweetness. Tartness. Whatever the fleshy tree held out in offering had the creature's antennae waving around, seemingly in pleasure. The branches of this tree did not look like anything else it was used to and with a curious skittering did the insect bypass the food in order to try nibbling at the ends of the fleshy branches. The nubs at the end of the strangest branch twitched as it tried to sample whatever it was that it had found.
Whatever it was trying to nibble on wasn't as tasty as the brightly colored objects being held up in offering it still drew some curious conclusions.
