|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2025 3:00 pm
Quote: Personal Raincloud (11) : It’s a beautiful, sunny day in Destiny City–for everyone but you. There’s not a cloud in the sky–except for yours. No matter where you go, a dark cloud seems to hover, casting shadows wherever you go. It’s been raining since you woke up today, and it’s like bad luck and bad weather just follows you. It’s a constant downpour, always exactly where you are. The raincloud is usually big enough to easily cover a full building, so if you stick around for too long, your misfortune will turn into someone else’s too. The raincloud might follow you for a few hours or for the whole day before slowly fading; there’s no escaping it, or the strange, sombre mood that seems to follow you. Wherever this was, it was cold and wet, and Feronia held the muddy book tighter to his chest as he wandered. Everything felt like it was too much, and nothing looked familiar. The trees here and whatever solid non-dirt path that was beneath him had him dizzy with confusion. It didn't look like a material he knew exactly, maybe something close enough, but even as he followed the path and happened upon an odd sparkling trinket, he couldn't help but wonder where he had ended up. Looking at the star-shaped trinket, he heard the faint sounds of talking and merriment further off. With the rain going on, he was surprised that such an event might still be happening, but it must be severely important if it was. The white of his fuku began to turn brown as the rain washed the caked mud from his book; in a way, it was helpful, but he worried that it might ruin the ink and words within. Tucking that away into subspace, he held his hands together in front of his chest as he looked around and moved his ears to try and figure out where to head next. He needed to find out what was going on, to find out where he was, but most of all, he wanted to know that he wasn't the only one alive.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2025 4:48 pm
Rakovanite would absolutely not have been out in the rain if he'd suspected for even a second that it was in the forecast. It wasn't supposed to be. He'd diligently checked what sort of conditions he was headed out into before he left the house each day, and nothing had warned him of rain. It was supposed to be a clear, peaceful night, where he faced literally no objection to ambling between festive groups, discretely sneaking a bit of energy from each one, and perhaps snagging a charm for his ever growing collection (a collection that he had not willingly started, but if a task was thrust upon him, he may as well do it right...).
But this was an unnatural rain.
It happened quickly, and as suddenly as it came, so too did an aura. They appeared synchronously, in such a way that nothing would convince Rakovanite they weren't connected. So despite the rain, despite how heavily it seeped into his coat, despite how quickly the mud slickened his steps and humidity hazed over his glasses and wet flattened his hair to his cheek, Rakovanite went hunting. A rainstorm felt like it should be too much for a Senshi of the caliber he sensed to conjure, and it was worrisome to think a Basic would have such control of the weather.
Rakovanite couldn't have put words to what he was expecting, but the filthy, hunched creature stumbling down the street, with its (his?) arms drawn in close and waterlogged ears on a (fearful?) swivel was not it.
The second alien in as many days made him feel like there were suddenly a much greater surplus of them wandering around than he'd initially anticipated, but this one did look decidedly more lost and confused than the other. Maybe he was imagining the seemingly directionless amble- it wasn't like Rakovanite was very talented in reading people. With nothing to do to mask his own aura, he didn't even try, instead approaching the space Senshi very directly. From the front. Head canted very slightly to the side as he silently appraised the guy before him.
He didn't look like someone that could summon a rainstorm. Honestly there was very little of him that spoke of what he could do at all. Some fukus were telling, but Rakovanite didn't know what to make of this one.
He pulled his focus from the twitching ears on top of the other's head and down to the Senshi's face. Rakovanite definitely didn't exude any warm, fuzzy, helpful feelings, but it troubled neither of them if he asked, "Is there something you need help finding? ...It must be difficult to navigate a city as large as this for someone like you."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2025 5:07 pm
There were so many new sensations that Feronia had no clue what to think, between the unyielding rain and the unnatural lights that seemed to hang from large stone pillars. They weren't flames, they didn't look like the same bioluminescent orbs that came from the creatures back home either. When his eye caught someone, at least he thought it was someone, he felt immense relief for a moment. Wherever this was, it still had life among whatever else was built up here. Stone he recognized, but some of the other things had him still confused. The purpose and meaning behind it would be something he needed to ask about, but with them approaching and him realizing how much larger they were than he, he hesitated for a moment in looking up at them. The words they spoke took him more than a moment to understand, especially the one that was city. Was that a place, a gathering? He wasn't sure. Neither was he sure if this was a guide for the local faction that was supposed to help newcomers. That had been Thyme's job, and he hadn't been allowed to interact with those from other planets. The item on their face had him perplexed. Was it crystal? It added to the distraction as he worked through how he should talk to someone of another world, because that had to be where he was now. "I... I am Feronia of the Vinemoss..." Pausing as he wondered if the group was known here, he then continued as he fidgeted with his hands, "Where is this?" Trying to work his way through things, he found himself more nervous than usual as this individual seemed very intimidating. Were all of the inhabitants of this world so large?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2025 4:45 pm
Up close, this Senshi- Feronia- looked even more lost than Rakovanite had initially expected. And if he'd thought this small, wet creature would attempt to avoid him, he would've been surprised again. Right. He had already hazarded a guess that this one was not from Earth and probably had limited knowledge, but it seemed... more limited than he would've initially guessed.
Because he didn't really know what to expect of any of the alien Senshi. It was easy enough to pick them out when they had flicking ears or swishing tails, but for any he'd crossed paths with- well, they'd already known that they did not want to cross paths with him. Either because his aura felt 'icky' or someone else had warned them to keep their distance. He could only guess at how long they'd been on Earth or how they'd come to be acclimated. One way or another, they knew someone like him was not an ally. And yet, this one definitely looked...
Pitiful. Confused.
...But not afraid.
Interesting.
It could be an intentional deceit. Rakovanite wasn't planning on dropping his guard just because Feronia was small and lost. But until a threat showed itself, there was, perhaps, no reason to make himself one, either. Admittedly, he didn't really know what to make of this ploy, besides to just follow along and see where it went...
"This is Sixth Street." He gestured to a little green sign down the quiet road, barely visible through the darkness of rain. "If you tell me where you are headed or what you are doing here or what you hope to achieve, I can help you."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2025 4:41 pm
More confusion spread across his face as he looked towards the green object further down the pathway before he looked back up at this person. Taking a moment to wipe some of the rain from his face, he wondered where he should go on this new world. Whatever this world was. "To-to a library? If there is one?" If there were things he could look over and perhaps people he could ask questions to, it might help, but he really was floundering on where to begin with all this. His ears twitched slightly to try and keep the rain out as he tried to think of what to say next, it really had been a long time since he's spoken to someone outside of the vinemoss, and even then they had always been his people and not someone from somewhere else.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2025 5:58 pm
If.
There.
Is.
One.
Rakovanite's eyes narrowed, staring sharply at the muddy little thing in front of him. He'd had his suspicions that this clearly-alien Senshi had spent a very minimal amount of time on Earth, but he'd obviously underestimated how little. If there was a library? In one of the most bustling metropolises in the country? He must've spent absolutely no time here at all if he thought- Well, that was it. Maybe he hadn't spent any time here at all. 'If' there was a library- a public library that he was intending to go to while powered up as a Senshi.
He was so lost, so confused. So deeply incorrect- The simplest thing really would be to just... be done with it. Pluck his starseed from his chest. What would he do about it? The Senshi didn't look alert enough to even be afraid. The tips of Rakovanite's fingers tingled, buzzing with an expectation he hadn't fully been aware of-
A singular, tight shake of his head to dismiss the thought from his mind as his fingers curled into a fist and he folded his arms behind him.
He hadn't planned for that.
Well, he hadn't planned for any of this, and frankly, he didn't know how to go about it. Rakovanite was hardly the type to successfully make allies- probably mostly because he obviously didn't want to, and his skills in pretending otherwise were... nonexistent. Completely and utterly. But some combination of curiosity and unwillingness to ******** up could propel him through this.
He swallowed, still staring very plainly at the boy. "You are confused," Rakovanite stated, tone quiet but otherwise bland. "In the state you are in, the staff would send you away. Filthy and wet. You look like a homeless person- a very... colorful homeless person. You would ruin any book you touched." But he still didn't know what to do with him. Just send him away? Or... "I will take you to... find something to eat. And get you out of the rain. Whatever you think to ask, I will answer."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2025 9:42 am
Feronia noticed the movement and tilted his head in confusion for a moment, then jumped slightly at the realization and looked down at himself before beginning to fret anew. "Oh dear, of course, the ink would run, or the pages may get damaged from the water!" He hadn't even had the time to wipe the dirt off from his burial on his world, everything had just been so fast. One moment, they had laid him to rest as part of the ceremony, the next, he had woken up on a world without anyone left and ended up being pulled to this new place. Wiping his hands down his fuku, he tried to get some of the mud off, but with the pouring rain, he still felt waterlogged. Focusing down on getting what mud he could get off of himself, the mention of getting out of the rain had him looking back up. "Oh! Really?" Hunger hadn't been on his mind, there had been so many other sensations and things going on that he couldn't really pick them apart right now, but maybe it might be best to take part in whatever food ritual was prevalent here to make sure he didn't offend this person. Smiling as he wiped his hands clean on his shorts, then offered a small bow, he was glad to have found someone helpful in this strange world. "I would appreciate it, friend."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2025 8:11 pm
Rakovanite gave the tersest little nod of agreement. Get this miserable creature out of the rain. Get him something to eat. Don't- don't make him feel like an enemy. A truly insurmountable task. Agitation thrummed under his skin. He could feel it like something physical. He did not know how to treat this Senshi as something (someone?) that Rakovanite was making a conscious choice to be around.
And sure enough, his traitorous tongue wanted to make sure they were both aware of it. The words sprung from his lips before he could think better of it: "We are not friends."
Fantastic. That was certainly the direction he wanted to go in.
Whatever. He would make no effort to take it back. No doubt it would feel disingenuous to both of them if he tried. With a soft huff, he smeared a hand back through his dripping green locks, contemplative as he eyed Feronia. This felt... more complicated than he knew how to deal with, made somehow more so because this particular Senshi seemed... uncomfortably innocent. "Fine," Rakovanite murmured softly to himself, steeling his resolve.
His hand slipped from his hair, dropping to the stupid amount of fastenings on his vest and unlatching each one so he could thoughtlessly discard the stiff garment to the side (it would magically reappear the next time he powered up- no reason to miss it) and undo the zipper to his coat before he shrugged out of that too. Just his jacket alone was nearly as tall as Feronia was. A suitable enough cover and the best Rakovanite had.
"Take this. Dry yourself off and try and look-" A little flutter of doubt tugged his lips down, brows pursing slightly because 'normal' was out of the question for someone with neon pink horns. "Try not to look like anything, if you can help it."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2025 8:42 pm
Jolting at their response, Feronia looked up at them, then back down as he nodded. "Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend." Fiddling with his hands to wring out part of his shirt, he noticed fabrics and things falling to the ground just a little further away. Snapping his eyes back up as they held the large coat out, he reached up carefully and pulled it over himself. It seemed to swallow him with how big it was and the fact it was warm made him realize that he'd been cold from, well, everything. Pulling it over his head, he nodded again as he thought he understood. Aside from the crystals in an odd fixture on their face, they didn't have ears, a tail, or horns so he must need to hide them or else he might frighten or offend someone, and that was the last thing he wanted to do on this new planet. Pulling some of the fabric from his shorts, he used it to make a makeshift headband to cover his horns with the help of his hair as well. Already the slight relief from the rain felt nice and he adjusted the coat a bit more so it wouldn't drag or get dirtier. He didn't want to ruin their clothing since they were helping him. "Thank you, I shall follow your lead." With another nod, he held the coat close and shuffled in closer to the other so he wouldn't get lost.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2025 4:06 pm
His lead, right...
Rakovanite had no idea how to go about this. The whole situation felt uncomfortably surreal. How on Earth could he be the one who'd decided to undertake the absolutely bizarre task of helping this alien Senshi figure out where they were and what they were doing...? He felt immediately like he'd betrayed himself by offering.
But offer he had, and personal code aside, it probably wouldn't bite him in the a** to see where this situation led. Surely it could only be informative. Surely.
He kept his head up, despite the intense desire to shirk away. Food. He'd said they would get Feronia something to eat, and a quick scan of their surroundings told him that wasn't going to happen here. Which really only left him one option. Clearing his throat, Rakovanite offered a hand for the other to take.
"This will probably be uncomfortable," he warned, remembering how dizzying his first few teleports were. "But it will be brief, and it will get us where we need to go." He waited for Feronia to take his hand, and with no further preamble than that, pulled them away from the sidewalk and into the night.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
