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!

Comments

[unghost]

Oh, one of those things? You have one?

[ Thankfully, Cairngorm has already seen one from Minato, not that they understand at all what they are, other than huge monster things summoned from thin air. They're busy punching the siren in the side of the head with their crystal fist, which only elicits a shriek from it, it's grip loosening on their arm and its consciousness immediately starting to waver.

The other two sirens don't seem to take too kindly to that, and start closing in the pair as well. ]

[scooptimistic]

I sure do! Just-- there's some minor difficulty going on with summoning...

[ But just as she finishes speaking, the air shimmers around her and a silvery figure appears briefly, gesturing rather imperiously before she vanishes.

Which is just long enough to send out a wave of ice to slam into the other two sirens. ]

[unghost]

[ Oh?! Ice powers... that's a new one, they've never seen a persona do anything like that. They thought they were just magical beings summoned to carry stuff. Either way, they work through the shock and take the opportunity to lift up the siren nearest them and throw it crudely in the direction of the two that had been blown back— kind of like siren bowling!! ]

Agh, come on, come on, lets get to higher ground. Before they get up.

[ They're taking the first few steps in that direction, an arm awkwardly hovering in case she faints or something and they'll have to carry her. ]

[scooptimistic]

[ She doesn't faint! She does, however, manage about two whole steps before the delightful strain and exhaustion of using her Persona gets the better of her and she ends up staggering right into Caingorm. It's probably not the softest thing she's run into. ]

... Ugh, I really hate this part.

[unghost]

[ Thankfully, even if they aren't the softest thing to hold on to, they're considerate enough to put an arm around her to keep her steady. Their expression quickly becomes half-concerned half-weirded out, if only because they have no way of telling how serious this sort of reaction is— they have an extremely weak grasp on human injury and pain, after all. ]

Is this... is this normal for you. Or what.

[ Them helping her to higher ground is a little more like they're just pulling her along, but— they'd rather tug her around than risk staying near the lower parts of shore. ]

[scooptimistic]

[ it's fine, tug away-- Maya's supported well enough that it won't end with her landing on her face, and she additionally understands that Caingorm is simply trying to help. In a slightly baffled sort of way, if their facial expression is any indication. ]

No, not at all. [ with a tired little laugh, because of course she'd still find a way to smile at her own frustration. ]

But ever since we got here, I can't use this ability without getting tremendously dizzy and tired from it.

[unghost]

[ They don't pick up on her bafflement, since they're too focused on the task at hand, and they pull her up a bigger boulder— watching both of their footing of course. ]

Huh. So something is weakening you... [ Could be the sirens, could be the island, could just be coincidence. There's no way to find out, so they shrug it off. ] It's probably best if you don't use it for now. Fainting is probably what those sirens want from you.

[ Y'know, so they can eat her and stuff. Once they're up on the bigger boulder, they try to usher her to rest, expression relaxing and becoming closer to neutral. ]

Here, sit down. I heard humans have to rest when they're hurt.

[scooptimistic]

[ Maya won't protest-- which is for the best, because ordinarily, she'd still be running around, all energy and enthusiasm. Which probably wouldn't make the sirens want to eat her any less. She plops down carefully on top of the boulder, before blinking over at Caingorm. ]

For starters, thanks. Secondly, my name's Maya. Thirdly-- at this point, it's pretty clear you're not human, so should I know what you are? If not, that's fine, but I should probably call you something.

[unghost]

[ They're gonna sit down too, propping an elbow up on one of their knees. ]

Its fine. I don't really care. [ Their answer to that first question is quick and blunt. ] My kind are called gems. We're made of different types of crystals... for example, I'm a quartz. My name is Cairngorm.

[ Of course, they don't expect her to recognize this type of crystal since no one else has. They just stare off back to the water, before continuing. ]

I think I've actually heard your name before. But we've never met properly.

[scooptimistic]

Oh, like an amethyst! I think you're the first gem I've ever had a chance to speak to, but it's nice to meet you! Properly, I mean.

[ A pause, as she taps her chin. ]

I guess my name's getting out there more than I realized, though.

[unghost]

Yes, like an amethyst, though I'm not one.

[ The severe lack of purple in their color palette definitely points in that direction, but they say that regardless. It really is so weird how amethysts and diamonds are the only gems that ever get mentioned to them, but they push that aside for now. ]

It was only in passing, but... I heard you have healing powers, or something like that. [ They wave their hand a little, an indication that they didn't know much about it outside of an abstract description. ] It's to be expected that some people hear of each other given how much we end up having to work together.

[scooptimistic]

Well, it's not wrong. And normally, I'd be able to do more, but--

[ she'll also flap a hand. ]

My persona's almost as good as sealed. -- Actually, can you get hurt? Quartz is pretty hard, isn't it?

[unghost]

I can get hurt, just not in the way that you can.

[ Their hand comes to hold the left side of their face, tearing their eyes from the water to look at her again. ]

Quartz is hardness seven, so I don't break that easily...but it still happens sometimes. It's not painful, and I can't die from it, but that's what "getting hurt" is like for me, unlike humans who have blood and whatever else.

[scooptimistic]

It's still damage, and probably something you'd want to avoid. Got it.

[ So she nods, carefully. ]

Well, let's do our best to keep you in one piece while you're here.

[unghost]

I don’t think I’ll have to worry about it much.

[ Those siren things are no big deal!! And these rocky shores don’t scare them, either. ]

What worries me more are the abilities of those weird things. The fact that they were able to take so many of us here is way more concerning.

[ They give her a questioning glance, wondering if she has any insight on what their ability even is because they simply have no idea. ]

[scooptimistic]

Well, that's how sirens work. Their singing is able to compel people to come towards them-- although usually it's to drown them, so maybe they just like their prey alive first.

[unghost]

They existed where you lived?

[ Their head tilts a little to the side, slightly puzzled by her explanation but more interested in finding out how she knows this information first. ]

Or you just know about them.

[scooptimistic]

They're mythological creatures where I'm from. Greek, I believe.

[ god the last thing she needs are sirens running around back home to go with dragons and aliens. ]

[unghost]

[ It's too bad they have no idea what Greece is, so half of what her sentence is completely lost on them. ]

Huh. I see. [ A beat. ] Do you know anything about how to kill them?

[ Because that's clearly the next best question to ask!! ]

[scooptimistic]

Not a clue. Magic?

[ Seems to solve most problems, right? ]