Event Nine.

[awashmods]

Thus, on Life’s gloomy sea, Heareth the marinere Voices sweet, from far and near, Ever singing in his ear, “Here is rest and peace for thee!”

t's a dark night, and the sounds of feet in the darkness are further dampened and hidden by even more magic, as they are lured away by the soft sounds of dreams that are too good to be true, leaving the Town much, much emptier than when it began. On one side, an island, and a ticking clock to a gruesome death. On the other, the slow realization that those bonds everyone has been forging might mean much, much more than they first thought. Welcome to Awash's ninth event log, everyone! Further information on this event can be found here at the OOC post. You are welcome to start your own posts or logs for this event as well. If there are any questions, please ask them here. Please be sure to very clearly mark where your characters are in your prompts, so people know which they can tag depending on which group they are in. Thank you!

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[parodeity]

PRE-RESCUE: NON-KIDNAPPED CHARACTER OPTIONS

a: the morning of the 12th
[ so. waking up on the 12th to find john missing was weird but not a huge concern...at first. dave found it a little odd his roommate had managed to get up before him, but assumed it was just a weird day. he sent texts and assumed john was Around, until he couldn't find him or contact him at all. until dropping by dirk's house produced no dirk. until other people seemed to be completely missing also.

of course he joins in looking for everyone as soon as possible, a little frantic but trying to look calm and collected like things didn't just get thrown out of balance.

he's already starting to feel a little sick on the first day. everyone he knows from home, his best friend his brother and jake, are all gone. so are many close friends from chroma.

being dave, he ignores it and spends the afternoon before the forest explanation searching in the rain for any sign of their friends, increasingly frustrated. he can be caught anywhere in chroma, and he's usually rambling to himself under his breath. ]

...slippery motherfucker, don't know why I'm surprised at all. This is completely the usual bullshit, Strider, pull it together. It's been like three months since anyone's pulled a disappearing act, and obviously we just can't be having that because everyone in the whole goddamned universe wants to be an amateur magician and none of them know that the entire point of disappearing acts is that you reappear later, that's the entire payoff...

[ it's all Stuff Like That. he's stressed. let him live. ]

b: post forest explorations
[ dave drags himself out of the forest - he got stuck with gandhavra (ruva, rather) - and looks. worse for the wear? luckily he was in his godtier duds so the clothes won't be permanently damaged, but he's definitely immediately heading off to manage first aid.

he can be caught if you want to intercept him for that, or you can find him after with significantly more bandages and exhaustion tracing the usual haunts of his missing friends again like that's going to provide any sort of answers. ]

c: my cr ditched me for (not so) sexy sirens disease
[ increasingly as the days go on dave can be found sort of...zoning out. resting. he leans against walls and shit a lot in the normal way of things, so maybe it's not too odd, but he's definitely feeling more and more dizzy and headachey as time goes on and it's pretty severe when Every Single Homestuck save dave managed to follow the sirens. and when he's friends with so many people.

he doesn't bring it up to anyone but if you actually want to catch dave stumbling into you? that's a thing that can happen, with a murmured "sorry". he's also doing amazing things such as STILL wandering around looking for people despite looking dead on his feet and like, maybe sitting down abruptly on a stoop somewhere and resting his head between his knees like that'll stop the nausea. ]

d: island
[ honestly, the island in the mist in the distance is a godsend. dave is woozy and sort of unsteady on his feet as he stands at the harbor, but there's utter relief even though he has no reason to believe that's where the others are.

despite it making sense. ]

Fairy tales. Right? We just have to get to the goddamned fairy island and rescue all the idiot damsels. [ ... ] Well, some of them aren't idiots.

[ his castmates are idiots tho he's so worried ]

DURING & POST-RESCUE: OTA

a: rescue shenanigans: fight version
[ if you want a knight in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt to come to your assistance in a siren battle, now's your chance! he may make a few mistakes in battle because. he is still sick as fuck, and also kind of injured from the forest, but what can you do. ]

b: rescue shenanigans: frantic cr searching
[ after sirens are dealt with However they are dealt with, he's going to be looking at the kidnapees. who knows if anyone died, not lucy, and certainly not dave. he's looking around slowly for anyone he recognizes, moving very deliberately because if he doesn't he's liable to fall over but no one needs? to know that? it's probably fine.

if you spot him first, you can do whatever. if he spots close cr, dave will probably approach a little more quickly and definitely stumble. maybe don't let him eat hell island dirt.

for those he recognizes who aren't close cr he'll pause and direct them to where the boats landed. the same goes for anyone he doesn't recognize. he also might have to pause and just. sit somewhere and hope a siren doesn't take advantage of a moment of "i cannot stand rn let me rest". if it does, maybe help him out or at least scold him for not watching. ]

WILDCARD

[ if none of these work for you or you have something in mind, feel free to toss me a starter! i'm also open to plot/discuss things via pm. ]

pre-rescue c

[swordfucker]

Hey.

[Dave doesn't have to say anything because Guren gets it. He's not any better off than him, with how important everyone in this town has become for him, and he's battling his own nausea when he sits down next to him, his hand resting against Dave's back.]

If you keep going nonstop, you're only going to wear yourself out. When's the last time you tried to rest?

[parodeity]

[ tmw your entire cast gets seduced by voices and sirens, along with many of your close friends...dave doesn't shake guren off or tense up, for a wonder. it's been almost half a year since they got to chroma, and he's familiar with guren's footsteps and presence and doesn't mind the guy being close or clock him as a threat at all. ]

Honestly? The day after they disappeared. Usually when I couldn't sleep I'd just bunk with Egbert. [ that sounds like a little kid answer, but his best friend can chase away nightmares. and when john was around dave wasn't worried sick about his best friend and everyone else missing.

he's pretty sure the sick he feels isn't just worry, though. ]

I think I caught the magical flu again, or something.

[swordfucker]

We're the same, then.

[Both with the rest and the magical flu, he means, but Dave can take that to mean whatever he wants since Guren waited until the end to say it.]

Everything's spinning, my head is killing me, and I can't get warm. It's all making me nauseous, too. [He's sharing this only to explain to Dave that he Feels Him, really.]

That's why you should try to get some sleep. It's taking extra out of us to have to keep looking like this. We're all taking turns.

pre-rescue d

[troubadamsel]

[Maribelle puts a hand on his back to steady him when he looks his worst.]

Are you going to be all right?

[parodeity]

[ thanks maribelle. there's a weak smile in return. ]

I think so. It's just...the magical flu? I don't even know. [ so much of his close cr got kidnapped it's hitting him HARD... ] Do they have shots for that? Not that we have shots for anything. Jesus, we're all going to get the actual flu when winter comes, aren't we. Fuck. It'll be like germ city up in here. Las Vegas for germs. I'm sure I could work a pun in there somehow but all the options escape me.

[troubadamsel]

[Okay, he's panicking and overthinking. She squeezes his shoulder.]

I need you to stop, and I need you to breathe. Our friends need us to have clear heads, all right?

post-rescue, b

[tropism]

Hello, hero.

[ giorno's looking a bit scuffed, too. but not as bad. in fact where his clothing is torn in places there doesn't seem to be any injuries at all - he'd dealt with them quickly enough, and he's no stranger to fighting and healing on the go. that was his life, after all.

there is a kind of urgency in this situation, yes, but also - something familiar. violence and the need to protect: two things that he's intimately familiar with. to giorno, this chaos makes sense. the first time, in ages, that he's ever felt a little alive in this town. he hopes he sees trish again. he wants to tell her he'd seen mermaids, for real. she'd probably laugh at him and that's fine with him. ]

Everything alright?

[parodeity]

Just a bad case of the magical flu. [ there's a snort as dave tries to play off how drop dead tired he is, a hand running through his hair. ] Did you manage to skip that?

[ dave knows several of them are as bad or worse than he is with it, of the group of people not kidnapped, but he also knows several people are mostly fine.

he continues, dryly: ]

Apparently the magical flu vaccination was one my guardian skipped. Possibly because the magical flu was like, not a thing that we had to worry about back home? And yet I have caught it here twice. Twice. When do I build up an immunity? Isn't that a thing with getting sick? I rarely am, so I'm not too sure.

[tropism]

[ a slight pause as he considers it. there was some slight difficulty earlier when they'd realized they were gone and people were missing. there was that thing in the forest. nothing that had left him as bad as he looks. he feels a lot calmer now that he's on the ground and they've made more than a few rescues. ] ... I'm alright.

Anyway, it's not a thing for us back home.

Is immunity in magic a thing? I've never heard of it at all. Maybe it's this place. [ a tilt of his head as he ponders this more. ] Maybe that's just how the town likes it.

Ah, but here, maybe this will make you feel better. [ giorno smiles. ] Want to see a magic trick?

pre-rescue a

[osuni]

[Okuni's not feeling so great either, but she feels like she's in a far better shape compared to some of the others who have been left behind. She's worried -- she's actually worried -- more than she's ever been since arriving in Chroma. Being kidnapped and taken to an entirely different world? That's fine. Having to do quests for a mysterious Mr. F? Whatever!!

Waking up and realizing that so many people have gone missing with nary a struggle, and now there's hardly a clue to help them determine the cause... Well, that's. Actually concerning.

Which is why Okuni is out around the town as well, carefully poking around for pieces of cloth or signs of scuffle -- before spotting Dave. She comes close enough to catch the tail-end of his conversation, then finally approaches him.]

How long have you been in the rain for?

[Though she says it without any censure in her tone, and then holds out a giant leaf over him to serve as Dave's mini umbrella.]

[parodeity]

Not that long. [ since he woke up and realized that people were missing, pretty much. he does offer the very tiniest of lip curls upwards at the offered umbrella help, although it's forced more than it is natural. like it'll somehow reassure someone if the pixels at the corners of his mouth tilt upwards just a hair. ]

I'm gettin' the idea that we're missing maybe a little less than half of us, but still...way too many. Their usernames ain't crossed out or anything...

[ he trails off into a mumble. ]

[osuni]

[that umbrella will firmly stay over Dave's head for the entire duration of this conversation. She's not about to shoo him inside, even if she thought he'd agree. She understands the need for action when there's just too many questions to be had.]

With how this town works, they could be anywhere. [The pit quest had taken them without warning to another place, perhaps this was the same...?] You know the map that Lupin-san made? Are all the places on it the only locations we know?

[Maybe there's another town beyond the Forest? Maybe there's a place off the coast line...]

during-rescue b

[atomicals]

[So everyone feels like garbage, Hunk majorly included.

However. Hunk's managing not to let his guard down or release the grip on the big-ass cannon-gun he is toting with him. Not until they're all back safely will he relax or pass out like he's almost done a few times.

So when Dave sits down a second and Hunk spies a gross head peeking over the water from where he's keeping an eye on things, Hunk says,] Nope, [real loudly and then blasts that sucker in the face with a beam of yellow. Continue to chill, Dave, he got you.]

[parodeity]

[ thanks, hunk. dave glances over in complete surprise because.

what was that??? ]

You have an energy gun? Holy shit that might be cooler than Keith's sword? [ except he does like swords. sometimes. or at least understands them better. but wait, that shouldn't be the first thing out of his mouth. ] Thanks, man, you're literally a movie hero right now. Like. Glistening sweat and all. I assume, I actually don't know. I owe you one?

[ he's rambling, nerves frayed, but he's also looking around to be sure he doesn't have to force himself back to his feet immediately. ]

[atomicals]

[It was his blaster pew pew thank god for space guns.]

Okay, if you owe me you have to tell Keith that you think my weapon's cooler than his. [Hunk grins at him and the gun changes back to its usual bayard shape, disappearing into his suit at the hip in a flash of yellow.

He ambles over, looking around too, idly scanning for any signs of heat or movement. Thanks helmet.]

You keep sitting, I'll keep a lookout for a bit.

rescue - a

[lonered]

[Hey Dave, look! They're fighting monsters not in the forest now! Or well, Keith is trying to fight and is losing, given that what he has to fight with is a stick that he's found and turned into his new favorite weapon.

He hasn't started talking to it like Tom Hanks in Castaway but it's close.

That said, he's engaged enough in monster fighting that when someone else joins the fray, he's almost ready to wheel around defensively except...]

Dave!

[All relief, and even a smile. Keith is exhausted and bleeding and has had better days, but he's still on his feet, still fighting.]

...you look awful.

[parodeity]

Wow, way to woo me, dude. [ he knows he looks awful. he needs sleep, or whatever you do to get rid of the magical flu again, and finding the others doesn't seem to have stopped it entirely which sucks but there are more important things to worry about. like the cut from a claw at his side, which he just winces about before slashing with his sword. ] Since I'm a gentleman, I'll just say you look fantastic. Really digging the island aesthetic here. Nice stick?

[lonered]

Yeah, I've sort of gone for the whole back to nature look.

[Thanks, Dave. And here is Keith slashing (bashing?) with his stick too. He really hates these things, honestly.

He especially resents the hell out of them for using his father's voice to call to him. That's unforgivable.]

It's good to see you.

during & post-rescue b

[robosmith]

[ there's some intense relief when dirk spots a familiar and dear figure seated on the rocks. unfortunately, it doesn't last long at all and he doesn't even have the time to call out, much less hobble over, when a siren has also very clearly taken note of his brother. the relief promptly turns to near-panic alarm.

he can't flashstep with his fucked up bitten leg and he won't make it on time if he tries to fly when it's highly likely he'll pass out halfway there, so that leaves only one option. it's a split-second decision to call upon his aspect, to focus and channel it with far more difficulty than it rightfully should take and send pink-white lightning flying. he's in absolutely no state to be pulling out any souls and the electric arcs are vanishing almost the moment they connect with their target, but just a faint tug is all he needs. that's enough to send the siren screeching back into the water.

and then dirk is very ready to pass the fuck out.

he thinks he maybe does actually black out for a hot second because the next thing he knows his knees and palms are hurting and he's a lot closer to the ground than he previously was, only barely catching himself in time to keep from eating dirt entirely. (or rock, as it were.) which is all kinds of uncool, but not his immediate concern. no, that would be lifting his head and ignoring the vertigo so he can look at dave. ]

You okay, Bro?

[ ... asks the guy currently on his hands and knees. this is fine. ]

[parodeity]

[ dirk, what the absolute fuck. dave notices the siren a little too late, knows when he glances up that he doesn't have the energy to do anything, that time travel is a crapshoot because half of the time it doesn't fucking work here and he hasn't tested it on the island and if it fails he's going to be frozen up like he is every time it fails, lost in weird visions. he has to call up his sword, has to move, and every instinct is screaming you dumbass but there's not any time to make a last ditch attempt to bolt or defend or do something because there's lightning arcing and abruptly there isn't a siren problem any longer.

his head snaps around and at least there's mingled relief in the alarm when he recognizes dirk and remembers the whole conversation about what sort of power heart actually is, anyway. and dirk actually speaks and dave unfreezes and forces himself up. he's unsteady on his feet because it's been getting worse for a few days and he was stupid and went into the woods but he's not the worst at making himself move when he doesn't want to and isn't sure he can.

he barely hesitates before he drops down to his knees next to dirk, a hand on his brother's shoulder. ]

So, [ so? ] That answers the trope-question of "what kind of lame power is Heart, anyway"? Lightning. Lots of lightning. Pretty pink scary lightning. Jesus fuck, Bro, are you okay?

[ time travel never laid dave out like this until chroma, but soul-ripping? well. that's understandably a lot more, and maybe dirk's powers hit harder here, too. he doesn't realize how hard it is for the people who'd listened to the sirens to call on their powers right now, because honestly it's been a frenzied week or so. ]

Try not to throw up on me. [ that's the muttered warning dirk gets before dave kind of tries to pull dirk up to at least sitting and then just cling-hugs him a little desperately because he'd been pretty sure at least john was okay thanks to the extra life locket but he hadn't had any way to know if dirk and jake were. ] That would be all kinds of uncool and also gross.

[robosmith]

[ dave's not well. he can tell that much even with his vision blurring and head spinning badly enough that the thought of taking his shades off is an almost tempting one. it's a temptation he resists because he knows it won't help matters — probably only make it worse and give him a migraine — and his hands are a little too occupied keeping himself somewhat upright anyway.

what does help is the hand on his shoulder, giving him a point of focus, and the words washing over him, bringing a relief so stark they almost make him want to laugh hysterically. (or what would constitute as hysterical for him anyway.) the babbling about his powers isn't even that particularly funny but god if it isn't the best thing he's heard in days.

fortunately they're spared some delirious exhaustion-induced breakdown on his part because the warning is distracting enough. a tiny noise of protest is all dirk can manage at being urged to move, but there's no actual resistance as dave pulls him up. he only has time to awkwardly angle his hurt leg to the side to avoid sitting back on it before there are arms around him and oh, that's—

that's nice.

also, words are a thing he should make happen, maybe. ]

M'fine. [ he's decidedly not as the slurred words might indicate. but he might also be referring to any urges to vomit; he doesn't really have any content in his stomach to throw up when he's been too busy giving the fish he caught away to the other stranded souls. ] Sirens messed with our powers.

[ he can at least manage that much of an explanation as he finds himself clinging right back, grip weak but equally desperate. ever since jake, he's been careful about this sort of thing for fear of driving someone else away with his clingy bullshit, but right now he can't bring himself to care. so what if he's being clingy? he thinks he might be allowed just this once. and dave started it. ]

I'm real glad to see you.

during and post-rescue b as i am late to everything as usual

[windeity]

[So who has two thumbs and totally didn't die? This guy!! John's actually faring pretty well, all things considered. He's mad he can't use his powers and he's tired and he's cold and sick of this dumbass island, but he's in one piece and that's about what one can expect.

The commotion starts when the rescue party arrives and the sirens are fought back. After all of the shenanigans though comes the weird part where he realizes they still have to make their way back. He's unscathed minus one or two little scratches and he's off to find Jake and Dirk.

Instead though he finds someone more important. He looks up and spots Dave wandering almost in a daze and he immediately tries to fly to him--

--and promptly eats sand. Bluh!! He's up and on his feet again, settling for running to him.]

Dave! [Look up, damnit! He can already see that something's Off, but it's hard to tell from this distance.]

[parodeity]

[ thanks for not dying, john. dave appreciates it. or will? as it is he's a little out of it but he does hear his name and starts to look around. glad john has eaten sand and seems to be running dave's way?

honestly, for a second dave thinks he's moved onto full-blown hallucinations. he's no longer used to a quiet house and john egbert missing. it's odder when they go any significant length of time without seeing one another, and this time was worse than it could have been. he didn't know where john was, for starters, and then there was the illness that's still lingering.

but fuck, even if john is a hallucination, when dave looks up and spots him he does start to hurry even though he's a little unsteady on his feet.

unsteady enough to ALSO eat sand. does john make it in time to stop that or are they two sandy idiots? ]

[windeity]

[Luckily since one of them isn't sick and dying Dave doesn't eat sand! John catches him by the shoulder about the time he starts to tip forward and he keeps both hands to steady Dave.]

Dude! I am so glad to--[Wait, hold on. Give him a second to examine Dave's face.] What's wrong?