Skylark's Ideal World | Session 3

[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

[carrionmywaywardsun]

[Valor is looking around, dressed in a dark red tank top and black cut-off jean shorts, no shoes. still rocking his usual assortment of bone jewelry.]

Fuck, it's bright here.

Re: START: THE BEACH

[leaveofabsence]

[ The most grandpa of grandpas is here.

If he wasn't in the sand, he'd probably be wearing sandals with socks, let's be real.. ]

Re: START: THE BEACH

[scattershot]

[Alisaie is gazing up at the sky, frowning as she shields her eyes with her hand.]

... no, no. It's probably nothing.

Just a coincidence.

1/2

[noethankyou]

Oh, it's very beautiful here-

There are others here as well!

...

Re: START: THE BEACH

[overworker]

[Serenity is ready for the beach, thanks to world rules. And the hat is really coming in handy right about now.]

Oh-- it's really pretty here...

[She is going to take some time to appreciate the view; even though she can't look up too far without being blinded.

That's when she realizes the sun has no reflection.]

...huh... that's weird.

Re: START: THE BEACH

[weenwoon]

[here's a weenwoon dressed for the occasion, with the stripes in his position colour, a fittingly old-timey straw hat and the usual weenwoon mask. He's squinting up at the sun as much as he's able.]

Quite strange...

[Oh well, time to go splash in the water!]

BEACH PAVILION

[intheshade]

The beach pavilion is made of wood, and has a lovely view of the ocean. There are a couple of benches and a table, as well as a small stand with confectionaries and treats for sale. Not that you actually have to pay for any of them.

A woman seated on a bench is playing a guzheng, wearing a blue dress and a purple silk flower in her hair. She hasn't noticed you yet, it seems. Some of you might have seen her before.

Re: BEACH PAVILION

[carrionmywaywardsun]

[color him extremely unsurprised. he'll move around so he's in her field of vision but politely wait for her to finish the song before speaking.]

So, you're Lark's mom, huh? Don't think I ever caught your name.

Re: BEACH PAVILION

[overworker]

[She's not sure meeting her in Lark's heart means she should act like it's the second time they've met or not. What's the policy on these things??? Why does it have to be so complicated?

So she'll just uh. Skip it.]

...Your music is really lovely.

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

[sagescion]

[Hm... he'll go ahead and take a look at the kitchen, since someone is there!]

Re: COTTAGE

[leaveofabsence]

[ Who does not display their paintings properly.

Going to go uncover it ]

Re: COTTAGE

[scattershot]

[Having been given permission to make a complete nuisance of herself, Alisaie is going to head upstairs and see what can be found up there.]

Re: COTTAGE

[scattershot]

[Time to check the Living Area again, then. Is there anything particularly noteworthy here aside from the paintings?]

Re: COTTAGE

[noethankyou]

[GONNA OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO AN DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AT ALL OF THE PAINTINGS, even removing the painting with the cloth, OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA]

COTTAGE: UPSTAIRS

[intheshade]

The upper floor is much smaller than downstairs, and it seems to be dedicated entirely to being a bedroom and study area. One side of the room has a large bed and wardrobe. There are several belongings around there; some fishing rods on a wall rack, training equipment, a set of wood carving knives on a table.

On the opposite side of the room are several bookcases and a writing table. A corkboard sits above the table, with various photos and the occasional decoration pinned to it. There's a calligraphy brush and inkstone on the table, along with various small gifts addressed to Skylark. Next to them is a half-written letter.

Re: COTTAGE: UPSTAIRS

[scattershot]

[Hmm.

[This all feels extremely intrusive of her, doesn't it?

[Well, let's start with the corkboard.]

COTTAGE: KITCHEN

[inspiteful]

The first thing you'll see is the dining table and chairs near the doorway, set for a meal for four. 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

[scattershot]

Lark! Crane said we would find you here. Expecting company?

[Belatedly:]

Sorry, we let ourselves in.

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.

ANNOUNCEMENT

[intheshade]

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!

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.