Skylark's Ideal World | Session 2

[idolpro]

Once, there was a maiden...
...who was driven from her land.
Great black stags chased her, and their eyes shone blue.
Monsters scrambled after her through the bush, though they found her not.
Stumbling on a log, she fell and thought to surrender, and end the torment of the hunt—

... ... ...

You're so, so tired.

Why carry on?

... Surely, it's okay to take a break—

Comments

OOC INFORMATION

[intheshade]

✵ Goal: Convince Lark to leave the ideal world.
✵ Both Imeeji and canon powers are OFF.
✵ Corruptions are GONE.
✵ Carry-on items are AVAILABLE.
✵ Carry-on weapons are UNAVAILABLE.
✵ Phones do not function besides showing the IC instructions.
✵ Everyone is now wearing clothes suitable for tropical weather and/or the beach. Their position colour will still be in there somewhere.
✵ All characters in the session occupy the same spaces, so you can talk to each other.
✵ Full points will be awarded to anyone who convinces Lark to leave the ideal world

IC INSTRUCTIONS

[intheshade]

Your phone displays the following:

"Should I live or die? Am I living or dead?"
"To know the world is to choose it."

Well, this foolish child has forgotten how to choose. No, perhaps it's better to say that he doesn't want to?

It's rather embarrassing that this is what it's come to, but I beseech you to convince him to leave this so-called 'ideal world'. He must be reminded of his principles, ties and convictions.

The denizens of this world carry reminders of reality with them, but they may not help you readily. If you can persuade them to aid you, it will be easier to convince the child.

START: THE BEACH

[intheshade]

You are at a beach, the sand beneath your feet soft and pearlescent, and the sea breeze blowing gently. The water stretches out before you as far as the eyes can see, into the distant horizon.

In the sky above, the sun shines bright. Perhaps too bright; something about the light just seems so overpowering that it almost doesn't feel natural. Maybe it's just your imagination, though...? Strangely enough, the sun does not seem to be reflected in the water.

There is a beachside cottage built on stilts over the water, and a pavilion in the distance that seems to be occupied by someone, judging by the sound of music. Besides that, a path from the beach appears to lead to the nearby town.

Talk to the girl

[intheshade]

"Hey, you."

You are greeted rather unceremoniously (rudely, even?) by an extremely pale, white-haired girl with red eyes. She's wearing a plain sundress, a...jacket, for some reason, and a wide-brimmed hat with a cute ribbon to shade her from the glare of the sun. Some of you might recognise her.

"Are you one of Lark's friends?"

Look, no one ever said she had to be the most gracious welcomer.

Re: START: THE BEACH

[irregular]

Huh.

[First things first: he's going to push up his sleeves. In true BAD END=DEAD END style K continues to be inappropriately dressed for anywhere and he's wearing a (mesh, ripped) sweater.]

Lark...?

Re: START: THE BEACH

[protectshisown]

[....some of this is familiar.]

Probably his then...

[Standing here in green swim trunks and a t-shirt with a dinosaur on it.]

Re: START: THE BEACH

[heavyliesthecrown]

[ He's found himself in something a little more flowy than he might otherwise wear, but he moves comfortably in it. Idols wear all types of outfits, considering their profession. And it's not like he's wearing something from sensitIV.

. . . Sorry, SensitIV. ]

Is this... like those hearts from before?

Re: START: THE BEACH

[worthathousand]

[ Amaranth finds herself in a lightweight cotton yukata woven with a simple pattern of rice grasses, and tied with a sash in "amaranth" red. Her hair is braided to the side with small white flowers—the way she once wore it for LiliS.

She looks out over the sea, then back to the cottage. ]

...Well. At least there's little doubt whose dream this is.

Re: START: THE BEACH

[irregular]

All right, I'm heading to the town. Anyone wanna come with or are we just splitting up?

[He's going to start walking path-ward, for anyone inclined to follow.]

COTTAGE

[intheshade]

The cottage is, for lack of a better word, quaint and cozy. There are several paintings on the walls, mostly landscapes, some of which are fantastic; one depicts a city with structures seemingly made entirely out of glass, another is of a city full of crowded and towering buildings that some of you might recognise. There is a painting covered with a large cloth that has been left leaning against the wall on the floor.

From the entrance, you can see a staircase that leads up in front of you. To the right is a living area with some chairs and a sofa, along with a coffee table. On the coffee table, there's a chess board; from the looks of it, it seems there was a game being played that's been put on pause for the time being. There's also a pack of playing cards.

To the left, through a doorway with a bead curtain, is the kitchen and dining area, where it sounds like someone's cooking.

Re: COTTAGE

[heavyliesthecrown]

[ He glances around the room, the paintings beautiful, even if the cottage is not quite what he is used to. ]

It is very... eclectic, perhaps? Or maybe quaint?

[ He moves to inspect the covered painting ]

Re: COTTAGE

[irregular]

H-hey, guys...? You in there?

[Enter, belatedly: K.

[He's out of breath, leaning on the doorway, his clothes stained with blood and his legs and feet spattered with mud and sand. Next time, he's going to have to tell Lark that people need shoes, goddammit.]

COTTAGE: KITCHEN

[inspiteful]

The first thing you'll see is the dining table and chairs near the doorway. A little further behind them is a modest but well-stocked kitchen. A bundle of herbs is hanging from a kitchen wall.

Lark is by the stove, wearing an apron and making stew. He looks up when he hears footsteps.

"Oh, hey."

Re: COTTAGE: KITCHEN

[worthathousand]

Hello, Skylark.

Crane told us we'd find you here—though you don't seem very surprised to see us.

Re: COTTAGE: KITCHEN

[heavyliesthecrown]

Lark-kun...!

[ Crossing over to him. He recalls that Crane had said he would be here, but it is still a relief to see him. ]

I am glad that it is just as Crane-san said. You are here.

THE TOWN

[intheshade]

The town is very much like what you'd expect from a rural beachside town with a river running through it. The homes and buildings are made of stone and wood, and the ones along the river have waterwheels accompanying them. You'll find, however, that all the doors are locked, and the shops are closed. Despite the superficial signs that there are people living here, there's no one else in sight.

For some reason, you can't help but feel that the buildings should be taller? They don't seem right. The shadows cast by them are somehow lacking. The sun above gazes down upon you with its overbearing light.

One building stands out compared to all the others, simply because it has character unlike the rest of the town. A coat of arms is displayed on the front facade, and the sign above the front doors reads 'Vander Training Hall'. There are loud noises coming from inside.

In the town's plaza, you'll find a single manhole, which might strike you as odd since it's apparently the only one in the town.

Talk to the boy(?)

[intheshade]

Perhaps you're walking past the shadow of a building when you hear a deep voice call out to you.

"Hey, can you hear me?"

...If you turn to look for the voice, you'll see it's coming from a boy who has absolutely no right and no business to sound that way, standing in the shade of a building. Despite looking younger than even Lark, the way he carries himself is more fitting of someone at least four decades older, much like his voice. There's a kind of energy to him that, somehow, screams 'tired old man with no fucks left to give'. The green robes he's wearing also look out of place compared to the outfits everyone else has.

You might recognise him if you've seen some of Lark's memories.

Re: THE TOWN

[irregular]

[Once he's done talking to Old Young Guy, K is going to investigate The Hole.]

UNDERCITY

[intheshade]

It's a very, very long climb down. The further you descend from the overpowering sunlight above into the darkness, the greater the sense of pressure starts to settle upon you. The stench of stagnant seawater permeates the air the deeper you go, almost choking.

Eventually your feet touch marshy ground as you arrive at the very bottom. Nearby, a cart filled with lanterns helpfully marks where the ladder is.

The light lets you see that you are standing at the end of a narrow alleyway. If you take a lantern with you, you can also see there are a number of coloured doors along the alleyway: one each of red, purple and yellow.

Re: UNDERCITY

[irregular]

[Well, he's definitely going to be taking a light.]

Hello...?

[Let's at least check there's nothing down here he can either have a conversation with or needs to convince not to eat him before going down to check out the first colored door.

[Red, right?]

ANNOUNCEMENT

[inspiteful]

The sky above grows grey, and the wind begins to pick up. It's almost as if a storm's coming?

...Even so, the sun is still shining. Weird!

Re: ANNOUNCEMENT

[protectshisown]

[So weird!]

Re: ANNOUNCEMENT

[worthathousand]

[ Ah. Here we go: something Real is starting. ]

Re: ANNOUNCEMENT

[heavyliesthecrown]

[ Well... perhaps a change is a good thing. ]

ANNOUNCEMENT

[inspiteful]

There's a sharp sound, like a blade singing through the air. A line tears across the gray sky, splitting it open as though it were cloth. Through the wound, you can see the pitch darkness of a night sky, and the round light of the moon itself.

The sun continues to shine and look down on you, nonetheless.

Re: ANNOUNCEMENT

[irregular]

[Daddy, workin' in the coal mine
[Goin' down, down, down~♪
[Workin' in a coal mine
[Oops, about to slip down~♫]