871/NODE: Isle of Tales - First Look

NODE: Isle of Tales - First Look
Date of Scene:	28 October 2014
Location:	The Homeworld
Synopsis:	Mizuki, Kimiko, Staren, Homura, Priscilla, and their Abstractum become the first visitors to the Isle of Tales.
Thanks to:	To Abby, for sticking it out even as RL got a bit hectic.
Cast of Characters:	2, Staren, Priscilla, 183, 347, 570

---

Abstractum.Net (347) has posed:
    Opening the door is simple and easy, but only Mizuki can do it, as is the norm for every Node. And every Node has a path that runs from the door to the Node itself. Though, strangely, it's all just like the door itself: Monochromatic. The Node Passage is a cave, or a tunnel; natural, with unhewn rock and stone making for very roughly even footing. It's not the scary kind of cave, it invites a spelunking spirit. Light filters in from gaps on one side, keeping it lit with a warm sunlight sort of illumination. Alongside the light, the sound of an ocean can be heard in the distance...

    The ornate door is the only manmade construction here; everything else seems like a rather friendly, clean sort of natural underground environment. Clean, clear water drips from gaps in the stone above forming unobtrusive pools in the floor.

    It's about a minute's walk from one end of the tunnel to the other. This is convenient for Mr. Speaks, the tall, well-muscled, tanned man with short, dark hair and the traditional business suit of the Operators, whose steps and shadow can be seen through the gaps in the tunnel as he walks on a parallel path, speaking. His voice is completely clear in the tunnel, and he ignores all response, as if dispensing something pre-recorded.

Abstractum.Net (347) has posed:
    Mr. Speaks does his namesake. "This session is meant to provide an understanding. Not just of what it means to create, but what it means to have an audience. This session is also about one's creations, and the true value of something defined entirely by the will of a creator, or by their mistakes."

    "There is a world that has been destroyed and remade more times than one could ever count. Its creator fashions a book with no reader, a play with no audience. It is a scenario with which you indubitably have familiarity. But there is one thing that makes the creations of the young girl, Anette, different from yours, Mizuki. And it is why the inhabitants of the world find themselves annihilated, time and time again."

    "The Isle of Tales welcomes you, Mizuki. It hopes this story will be satisfactory to you."

    By this point, the parallel path Mr. Speaks is walking on will have passed the end of the tunnel, where another door lies.

Mizuki (183) has posed:
    At the nexus of nodes, Mizuki gives everyone the usual curtsies. Kimiko receives the same, naturally, but also a little curiosity extra: "Hello, Miss Anonymous. I do not know for certain if I've ever seen you before, but if I have and I've forgotten, then I beg your forgiveness. Otherwise, though, it's nice to meet you! I am Mizuki, and today we're taking a trip in to my Node for the first time since its inception. Likely you already knew all of this, though, and I'm just wasting everyone's time." She smiles, waving her hand in the direction of the door -- her way of beckoning them onward. "Come, come. I'm fairly eager to see what's inside, if I'm being honest."

    With that, she would approach she door, slip her hand around its knob, and gently pull it open. Almost immediately, she begins to hear the sounds of rolling waves, unobstructed by any other white noise. It's all calm and placid as she makes her way through the cave, at least until Speaks begins his eponymous activity. Even then, though, it seems like she's being treated to some prologue of a play; it's pleasant in every conceivable sense. Whomever thought this place up is racking up some serious Mizuki like points right now.

    She continues to listen as they walk on, peering out of the cracks now and then to get a look at her impromptu orator. If she were in any more vulnerable an emotional state right now, some of what he said might've made her stop in her tracks. 'Just how much did I end up revealing to these 'Operator' people when I created this place?', she would find herself wondering. Even -she- has only the most nebulous understanding of her world's cyclical nature on account of some notes left behind by her own past incarnations, so the thought of a complete stranger knowing what Speaks seems to know is... eerie, to say the least.

    Still, this only helps it to grab her attention. Following a long, lasting exhalation, she would speak in kind. "Anette. If I were any more paranoid I would think that you had somehow discovered my love of names that begin with the letter 'A'. But no, no -- I'm sure it's purely coincidental. Or it would be, if the concept of coincidence wasn't such blasphemy." She folds her arms, letting her eyes wander to the cave's mouth as they approach. "... but we'll see if it can match my expectations, yes. The atmosphere seems nice enough upon entry, though." Quietly, she mutters, 'Reminds me a bit of Leviathan, really'.

Staren has posed:
    Staren is waiting at the hub, watching the Legacies as people arrive. The others get nods of greeting. And in they go. Staren watches and listens to Speaks with interest -- the Prologue can reveal information that will be much harder to find out inside the node, after all.

    At Mizuki's comment about names, Staren observes, "Something similar happened to Sakura. Her node's analogue was called Ricoh... but Kerberos's counterpart worked for the bad guy instead of with her." Staren shrugs. "Could a love of names that start with A be part of your concept?"

Kimiko Shinobu (570) has posed:
    Last time she'd seen Mizuki, Kimiko had arrived already transformed. That's not the case today, as she's opted for civilian dress, including nothing less casual than a light jacket. It's nearly November, after all. Slacks give a different impression than a magical girl outfit, but she's otherwise similar--silver twin ponytails, somber expression. Quiet and reserved, but she's here to help as she can, just as she was for Beli.

    She inclines her head. "Kimiko Shinobu. We met in Purgatory." (Who would have expected to meet new acquaintances in a place like that?)

    She does have a question, after Mr. Speaks is finished. In one word, "Anette?"

Homura Akemi (2) has posed:
    Homura is not far behind Kimiko, walking calmly. It seems she is still dressed from class, and so is wearing a formal white shirt with a black vest and black pants, though the vest isn't tied. So, semi-formal, if anything. Her hair's loose, topped by a red ribbon. She has her glasses on. Her Abstractum is on her finger as usual, the ring allowed to slack if she wants to.

    "In all likelyhood, the Pure, but maybe it isn't so obvious," Homura says to Kimiko, taking a guess immediatly due to the striking parallels.

Priscilla has posed:
    This is actually Priscilla's first time visiting a node, or having anything to do with an Abstractum, as she does not possess one herself. Oh sure, she's heard all about colour types and shifts and cartridges and Burden and mister speaks, but up until now, she hadn't experienced any of it. She feels a little awkward being here, what with only being personally familiar with two members of the group on top of the unfamiliar situation, but why would she have any reason to turn down Mizuki's invite though? She certainly liked the girl more than enough to want to help. "It seems strangs that there wouldst be a world that is a story with no reader, but yet aimed to be read by thee, Lady Mizuki. I wouldst not taketh such things as such personal signs. I am certain the tale in question draws its base from thee, but I cannot imagine it was created solely for thine enjoyment."

Staren has posed:
    Staren looks at Priscilla. "Nodes are created by bouncing concepts off you until one sticks, then... okay, I'm not actually sure how the concept is turned into a node. But, that means the node has some kind of conceptual connection to the person it was created for."

Abstractum.Net (347) has posed:
    The door at the end of the tunnel, ornately carved just as the one at the beginning, swings open easily. The light it lets in shows off the odd nature of the environment here; everything is monochromatic, and high contrast, like a strange sort of illustration. It's not exactly drawn, but it's very, very clearly unnatural in a way.

    This stays the same as the group emerges out from the cave, onto a pleasant beach. The sand here is clean and pure white, and just walking on it makes one want to go barefoot immediately. The cave is secluded in a quiet little stretch of the beach, where the shore comes in close. Mr. Speaks seemed to walk past outside, but he's not here; presumably he can't be here, in fact. To the right, there's the sound of civilization, many people rather excessively active for this time of evening. To the left, one can see the lights of a settlement of some sort, the size and nature of which can't really be determined at this distance while it's in monochrome. There's also a dense sort of woodlands-esque forest after a long field that one can access by climbing up the hill surrounding the cave mouth.

    This whole place has such a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere that comes from the noise of the waves, the wind in the trees, and the soft, muted murmur of people in the distance. One might want to vacation here, if they were inclined toward that sort of thing. At the very least, there's clearly no pressure to take any particular exploration route specifically.

Abstractum.Net (347) has posed:
    Eureka speaks up with Staren. "There is a one in less than twenty six chance of a name like this applying. It is more likely that she shares some taste with the pseudo-mental processes involved in node creation than anything else."

Mizuki (183) has posed:
    Mizuki glances to Staren with a bit of a raised brow. "That would be... a rather obscure thing to involve in the formative thoughts of an entire world, but I suppose it's possible. Though I must admit that I haven't the foggiest idea what that could mean if it were really the case." She rests a cheek in her palm. "... still, it might not be too much of a stretch for a pen to warrant some subtle fixation on particular letters. One never knows." To Kimiko, Mizuki would mirror the other woman's head incline when she says that they /have/ met before. Woops. "... ah. I see. Please pardon my forgetfulness; it really isn't like me to be so careless, particularly since we met in such a lovely locale. Rest assured, though, that I will never forget you again. Earnestly." Even if she said that with a smile, it still might come off as bizarrely ominous. One never really can tell if that's intentional when it comes from her.

    Her gaze cycles to Homura next. After a few seconds of contemplation, she would parrot the word 'Pure', letting it hang in the air. "The villains of the piece, yes?" She sighs, rubbing at her forehead. "I'd really rather that we weren't forced to fight with her. Not to sound like a bleeding heart or anything of the kind, but that just seems so -droll-. I suppose I should wait until we actually meet her to make judgements, but if the impression I got of her in the premonition I witnessed when this space was formed is at all telling... I don't believe her to be /violent/, at least. If indeed the girl I saw then really was her, I mean." Rambling on without even stopping to ask herself if Homura has the foggiest idea of what she's going on about, naturally.

    Luckily, though, her onslaught of verbatim is stopped by Priscilla. The woman would receive the usual, gentle smile to precede a more lengthy reply. "Ah, but there are stories without readers all the time, you know; enough that there's even that awful cliche about them. 'The tree that fell in the woods', and all that." She folds her arms, turning up her exposition drives to full. "... you're quite right, though. Even if this place is powerfully -associated- with me, I'm inclined toward the belief that its concept was drawn from an already existent pool rather created through linkage with my mind or some such obscene thing." Her smile turns to a grin. "Still, I shall make it my purpose to record all that I see. To remember for my own purposes and for the well-being of all those living here. As the gate above the Historical District used to read: 'Life substantiated through record'. Through memory, we all attain immortality."

    Stepping out on to the beach, Mizuki retrieves her parasol from its place at her waist. She draws it aloft to face the nighttime sky, drawing in a soft breath. Any previous apprehension she might've had melts, and she begins to look dreamily content. "Ahhh..." She gently brushes a lock of hair out of one of her eyes, speaking to no one in particular. "Now isn't this something? From all that I'd heard, I'd gotten the impression that all Nodes were wargrounds. But this... this is lovely. I could easily see it becoming a home away from home with our subsequent visits." Surely enough, she does remove her shoes - though perhaps not her socks - to tread closer to the waterline. She appreciates the city in the distance from there, apparently not at all phased by the bizarre feelings the monochrome ushers in. Still, it would probably be more unnatural if she was uneasy -- this is pretty much her sort of habitat, if indeed such a thing exists for her.

    Man, though, let's hope there really isn't violence waiting on the horizon or something. If there is, she would probably be as oblivious to it as the player character in Five Nights at Freddy's is to danger. That's to say: very.

Abstractum.Net (347) has posed:
    Koishin speaks up to Kimiko. "Don't worry, I'm pretty sure you're not behind on anything, we'll probably figure it out later or something!"

    Equinox, Mizuki's pocketwatch, ticks open, clicking as its cover flaps with each word. "Don't worry, definitely not missing anything. Didn't hear that name myself until now either!"

Staren has posed:
    Staren nods in response to Eureka's comment.

    Mizuki talks. Staren listens, though he comments, "Woah, that's interesting." As he sees the monochrome world. After taking it in, he feels a sudden urge, and...

    Then he's a cat. An adult housecat, with short, black fur, blue eyes, a little cat-sized bandana around its neck, and on its left forepaw, Eureka takes the form of a brass-colored, segmented boot with the signature crystal 'eye' on it. He sniffs at the air and his ears flick around, one turning to listen to the distant sound of people.

    "The Plain of Tales was a warground, but each node is different. Mine is a flying city."

Priscilla has posed:
    The monochrome is most certainly odd, but not altogether unpleasant. Priscilla is more than used to less than colourful locales anyways. In fact, she rather appreciates how serene it is. The almost total quiet, save for subtle, uniform, relaxing sounds in the distance. The utterly untouched natural beauty for what appears to be miles around, but still with the comforting closeness of civilization, waiting for whenever one feels like going back to the company of other people again. As for the sand, well, she's already barefoot anyways, as is she always. Though the Isle of Tales is certainly less fantastical than Mizuki's personal world, it seems strangely fitting in many different ways.

    "I see not how that goes against anything I hath said." Priscilla responds to Staren rather plainly. "There is obviously something closely allegorical at play here, but the fact that she shouldst enjoy it is more than likely entirely coincidental. A matched taste." She turns to Mizuki. "On the other hand, I am gladdened that thou dost appreciate it so. If thou intend to spend thine time here, such wouldst be best. In any case, this particular node seems not well suited to war of any violent kind. There is always a possibility that a battle with Anette shall not be physical." She then stops to regard each direction in turn. "Shall we move together? Or scout individually?"

Abstractum.Net (347) has posed:
    Equinox also speaks up to Mizuki. "Yeah, I gotta say, I think this fits you a lot more than some battlefield, myself. I mean, not that you don't see like you couldn't handle yourself, but this seems more like what you fit in with best." The little watch ticks pleasantly and seems to have completely accepted this. "So, where do you want to look first?"

Kimiko Shinobu (570) has posed:
    Kimiko nods to Homura. As the abstractum just said, it isn't known--but that's as good a guess as any until they have more information.

    She takes Mizuki's apology and promise to remember at face value. The repeated mention of memory in her speech does not go entirely unnoticed, either.

    "I expect conflict. But the conflict may not be... physically violent."

    Ah, they're out. And there are places to explore. Frustratingly for anyone who might have expected her to help provide direction, she has no preference, or at least is avoiding voicing one.

    "Pleasant." Despite the odd lighting, the current area is that. Her shoes do, however, stay on. They will probably not stay on the beach long.

    Though, she does see a need to respond to Priscilla. "Together. There is still uncertainty. I have seen less obvious traps with deadly effect."

Abstractum.Net (347) has posed:
    Clairvoyant Rush is the one that speaks up to Priscilla. "I'm... I hope you're right about that. This place seems nice... I don't want it to have a lot of fights like we normally have go on here." It makes a soft sort of reluctant noise.

Homura Akemi (2) has posed:
    "Fighting is relative to start with. The Nodes provide us with a way to defeat Their vanguard, in a way most familiar to us. For a large majority of us, that means fighting. Perhaps for you, it means it won't come to blows, but rather a sort of narrative battle. Two authors attempting to have control of one world through their stories alone," Homura tells Mizuki, as they quietly walk into the Node. Her eyes dart about, and she's more put-off by the pleasantness of the area than she is reassured. But then, that's her in a nutshell.

    "I would still expect having to get your hands dirty. They do not play by our rules, even in here. Or rather, They literally play by our rules, but deceit and treachery are part of them," she resumes, ever the life of the party.

    She shrugs, at any rate. The narrative battle sort of deal, if it's true, might make this Node alike to Laer's, and that one is pretty out there. "Kimiko is correct though, conflict is part of the deal. That much is inevitable, or there would be nothing for us to do here."

    Not that it would be awful. It'd be a nice break for sure.

Mizuki (183) has posed:
    Mizuki acknowledges Equinox with a few light taps on his lid, almost as a parent would do to praise a small child. It doesn't seem laced with condescension so much as it does familiarity, though. She gives his question a few moments of contemplation, gazing around herself to work out a map of her surroundings. Eventually, she points over the hill and toward the woodlands, smiling. "There. I don't know that I'm really in the mood for an urban setting. Something more natural would be my preference." She would open her mouth to answer Priscilla, but then she would stop herself; Kimiko said all that really needed to be said, there, so she just gives her a nod. "Yes. For reasons both practical and personal, I would prefer cohesion for the time being. If anyone feels they must venture toward one of the settlements off a ways, though, I'm certain that would not be an issue."

    Mizuki fastens Equinox's chain to her dress, her wings appearing with none of the usual flair. She gets some distance from the others so that they won't be disturbed by the takeoff and begins hovering, peeking just over nature's inclines to get a better glimpse at the world. She doesn't venture too far from the ground so that she will remain in earshot of the rest of them.

    Once up there, she turns to listen to Homura, nodding periodically and maintaining eye contact at least for the first several moments. The mention of a 'narrative battle' summons a smirk. "That would certainly be curious. And not at all disagreeable, really; much less vulgar a method of confrontation if things are handled that way." She doesn't seem that put off by the realism here, mainly because it comes packaged with good advice. Some of it makes her reticent -- she really doesn't want to see another beautiful world explode right now -- but she keeps all of it in the back of her mind with conscientiousness befitting a self-dubbed Multiversal Librarian.

    Eventually, she meanders over the hill, scanning her surroundings further as she glides. Finally picking up on the disparity between time of day and activity levels, she gives a faint tilt of her head at one of the cities. Are the residents of this world nocturnal? That would be an interesting quirk. Or maybe that doesn't matter at all here, like at home. Before long the thought is abandoned in favor of other, more pressing curiosities, and she would resume her gradual wandering.

Kimiko Shinobu (570) has posed:
    Kimiko hasn't seen Mizuki fly before, so she is curious and attentive to the lift-off. With a decision made as to their destination, she begins climbing up the hill by more mundane means, assuming a slope that doesn't make that too difficult for someone not perfectly dressed for hiking. It would be nice not to get too dirty for once, though 'not drenched in blood' would at least make it better than the last few weeks. (Chicago is a terrible city.)

Homura Akemi (2) has posed:
    "Interesting is what the Nodes tend to be," Homura answers Mizuki, and then casually looks up as she takes off. Kimiko takes the long way, and Homura smirks ever so faintly, in a way that would be hard to spot unless you've known her for a long time.

    A pair of pink, angelic wings sprout out of her back, and the Puella Magi casually hops off the ground, floating after Kimiko with her arms behind her back. "That looks like a dreadfully long climb," she notes.

    And just kind of follows, never too far from the other magical girl.

    Some victories you just have to take when you can.

Priscilla has posed:
    Silently glad that Mizuki had picked the one option that didn't involve being surrounded by a potentially large number of people, Priscilla starts walking after he as soon as she takes off. Having no ability to fly herself, she'll be content walking under the trees, not particularly avoiding the places where the brush grows thicker seeing as she has a general sense of where Mizuki is above her at pretty much all times. In keeping with Kimiko's warnings, she doesn't stray too far from the Puella, and keeps her eyes open and senses extended for signs of traps, though she doesn't expect to find any. More than anything, she stays on the lookout for the first thing that looks interesting.

Staren has posed:
    "I'm curious what the people here are like, but we can check it out another day." Staren starts padding around the cave, then scampers up the hill. No time for playing cat and stalking through the grass, though -- he returns to his normal form, summons his wings, and takes off after the others. Staren mutters softly, "/Best/ magic item. This and telekinesis." He smiles at the gauntlet on his arm. "Thanks again, Eureka."

Abstractum.Net (347) has posed:
    Flying up, Mizuki will have the chance to see the setting. As she goes farther up, she'll see that the water terminates some distance away from the island itself, just magically ceasing to exist. The island can be seen floating, in some form of void.... This place, a small island, seems to be the only thing that exists. And yet, judging by the light signs of comfortable habitation, that's just fine.

    The sand is cool and soft underfoot, warming rapidly in the way that makes one want to walk around. The grass it transitions to just as soft and cool, wet with some rain from hours ago. Heading into the forest, one can hear the sound of insects throughout, but the island remains wonderfully lacking in discomfort; there is no path, and yet, this place seems perfectly suited for walking.

    Out here, there are a variety of WOODLAND ANIMALS, though a healthy dose of jungle to the ecosystem makes them stranger. The most unusual thing, though, is the way that none of them seem to react to the group. In fact, someone might step on a rabbit if they're not careful. The only animals that seem to be doing anything are a few of the birds nearby. None of them are at rest, despite the time of day. All of them are rather passively staring.

Abstractum.Net (347) has posed:
    Navigating the hill isn't difficult for Kimiko; in fact, it seems explicitly made to be navigated. This entire thing has a sense of very harmless, very accessible design. It's almost uncanny, in a way. Comfortable, though.

Abstractum.Net (347) has posed:
    Priscilla, who is specifically looking for weird things in the trees, will be the first one to notice that there are many, many birds awake among the branches, but none in the air. All are remaining observant of the group wherever she looks. The behavior is completely nonsensical. Maybe something's wrong with the local fauna?

Abstractum.Net (347) has posed:
    "Oh, you're quite welcome." Eureka says, pleasantly surprised with the gratitude. "I am always happy to help." It's doing its best to be humble here!

Kimiko Shinobu (570) has posed:
    "Yes."

    Kimiko walks, followed by Homura. Homura is floating. Kimiko resists the urge to just jump the rest of the way up. At least it's a pretty smooth walk. It's like there's already a path here, though she can't actually see signs of it being a hiking path by looking at it. Odd.

    She makes it up, and takes another look around from this higher vantage point, before continuing on after Mizuki, right up until she stops dead in her tracks at the first sign of wildlife. When she moves again, it's slow at first--it takes her some time to resume normal speed of motion.

    "These animals don't seem to fear humans." Another oddity. "How's it look from higher up?"

Priscilla has posed:
    Now that is a little unnerving. The beach had been beautiful in its strange, off-colour way, but now the image of serenity is trying a little /too/ hard to sink in. Everything living here seems as if it has been lulled into a placid stupor, as if there were no particular reason for them to go about their activities when so comfortable already. Though her senses tell her that these animals are all perfectly alive, Priscilla can't help but notice that the trees are full of birds, but none are in the air. She speaks into the radio just in case Homura, Mizuki and Staren can't hear her through the trees. "Does nothing fly with thee? This seems a wonderfully constructed fascimile, but not a convincing one. Is it because these creatures are of no narrative importance? Only here because one wouldst expect them to be? Or should we anticipate the same . . . behaviour from whoever lives here?"

Staren has posed:
    So the world just /ends/, Staren notes, like a videogame. Staren flies along, so he doesn't step on any rabbits. He's too high up. "You think the island is full of NPCs? Maybe we need to find Anette then. Or see if we can activate a quest flag."

Homura Akemi (2) has posed:
    Casually following along, Homura has time to devote to watching the wildlife. It's creepy. And yet peaceful. Why is this place exhuding such an aura of tranquility? That's even more offsetting than if it were straight up saying 'hello I am a creepy world'. At least they'd know, then.

    "Not much different," she tells Kimiko, not having the observation skills of Priscilla, who's in a better spot to notice the birds being strange. Instead the Puella Magi finally catches up to Mizuki, crossing her arms and remaining in mid-air.

    "She might be on to something," she points out about the half-breed's guess, and then adds: "Another question is, does this remind you of anything? As the Node was created using your concept, the one best-placed to identify its contents is usually you."

Mizuki (183) has posed:
    Mizuki's eyes conveniently wander back in time to catch Homura flying over Kiimiko. Now, if she didn't know any better she might have detected the faintest trace of ~mischievousness~ in that. Certainly enough to make her smile a far more noticeable, albeit stealthy, smile in reply. Not that she hadn't thought her capable of such things - really, she doesn't know her well enough to have formed an opinion on her at all - but it's still quite a contrast with the stoic face she had seen during the WMAT and D's rescue operation. And besides, these little interpersonal things are fun for her to watch -- they make her feel like some phantom witnessing the lives of people from the other side of a glossy window. Authors like that sort of thing, right? Or at least she does.

    But she's totally not a stalker.

    She soars on ahead a moment before swooping right back to Priscilla's shoulder rather suddenly, looking down at the crossbreed with her usual warmth. Looks like the earlier playfulness might've inspired some of her own. "I really can't overstate how lovely it is here. It's so... vacant, yet it has all the vibrancy of a spring field. So familiar, but so new; a portrait of the finest nostalgia in the world, I could swear. I would say that it makes me feel young, but age isn't really a concept for either of us, is it?" She floats back in the air at that, giving her parasol a twirl. Such a little kid! A weird kid, maybe, but still a kid.

    Her glide would likely take her closer to a set of trees, and in visual range of... well. The World's End. Her fingers idly twirl her umbrella again as her mouth forms a small 'o'. Then a lot of other things start to hit her: the animals are surprisingly serene. Or are they just immobile? Either way, that gets an even bigger smile out of her. "My, it's as though we've stepped in to a painting." Another idle quip that many may hear, or none at all. At a slightly more leisurely pace, she would flit back over to Priscilla another time, likely coming to rest directly beneath the branches of a tree, and immediately in front of the beak of one of the vigilant birds. Blink blink.

    "Er." She glances to half-dragon. "If you'll pardon another cliche: I get the feeling that we're being watched." Then she returns to her staring contest with the little treedweller, responding idly in time. "I do wonder about this. It took me a great many years before my world became capable of moving in convincing ways of its own accord. Perhaps that is the case here?" She applies an inquisitive finger to her chin. "If this world is anything like my own, it may have 'reset' fairly recently. Things feel quite... fresh, don't they? Barren, but in whimisical and unnatural ways. Just as I recall things being early on in my home."

    She turns to Homura as she approaches, giving a more definitive nod. "If I truly am in the best place to give a verdict, then I will make my prediction thusly: this world has recently been obliterated by whatever agent has done so in the past, and this 'Anette' person is currently in the process of putting the errant pieces back together. I know not of the world's relationship to her, but in mine all beings, animate and inanimate, feed back to my mind. These birds may well be observing us on her behalf." Peeking over her shoulder with a grin, she adds, "But I'm certain that wouldn't come as a surprise to anyone, would it? The game may well have been afoot from the moment we entered that monochromatic door. Your and Miss Kimiko's wariness is and likely has been warranted."

    But even so, she reclines in the air, folding her arms and taking in another deep breath. "However. That won't keep me from enjoying this placidity while we have it." She gradually floats on to her back, gazing up at the sky. "... if she's anything like me, our resident Pure would want us to enjoy what they've wrought."

Staren has posed:
    Staren looks to Mizuki. "You know, she won't necessarily be a Pure user just because she's your analogue. Ricoh isn't a Pure-wielder. Neither is Dr. Klein, if we count him as 'like me' anyway..."

Homura Akemi (2) has posed:
    The idea the birds might be watchers... well, yeah. Now that she thinks about it, the Pures always seem to keep tabs on things one way or another. It could go as far as the entire world just being laid out for her, but maybe it's just the birds too. Can't know. And nothing here really feels overwhelming off, besides the lack of such things.

    "I dislike the idea we're watched, but I can't think of a good reason besides that to take an axe to every last bird. But also, that's a lot of birds anyway."

    Mizuki probably doesn't want them decimating everything with wings in a ten miles radius out of vague paranoia. And that's a bit extreme, even for Homura.

    Then to Staren, the Puella nods. "That's possible, yes. Either way, whoever is in charge is going to be a key figure. If she is not your rival, then I must wonder who will be." She doesn't know Mizuki or her world enough to advance any guesses, there.

    "If we're lucky, she is as much an author as a character, and we'll be meeting her eventually. Isn't that your prefered method, Mizuki?"

Kimiko Shinobu (570) has posed:
    Staren's comment made her curious, but Homura answered--mostly. One more thing, "Will there necessarily be a Pure user?"

    Yeah. Destroying everything in sight--let's leave that for Plan F.

Staren has posed:
    Staren looks down at Kimiko from the sky. "No Pure-user has appeared in my node." he replies.

Mizuki (183) has posed:
    Mizuki rights herself to address Staren, folding her arms again. "Oh, come come. Rampant speculation from the reader is every author's -dream-, especially when the would-be detectives are wrong! As an intellectual, you can't tell me there has been no point in your life when you have delighted in knowing something that another near you does not. If someone -is- watching us, I say that we should give them their just reward. After all," Mizuki gestures around herself, arms outstretched, "they have earned some kind of a reward, haven't they? This place is gorgeous in too many ways for me to recount at this moment."

    She gradually lowers herself to the ground, turning to address Homura next. "Even if we are being watched, we're strong as a group. And perhaps this is a dangerous number of assumptions to make, but earnestly -- I don't believe that something so vulgar as an ambush would ever happen here. Think of it like an art gallery, if you will. There must be surveillance cameras to ensure that the contained works are not stolen or damaged, but there's no malicious intent behind those lenses. Simply cautious, perhaps even curious, observation. At this point, we're unknown quantities to any who may be watching just as they are to us. I invite them to watch us if that makes them feel more comfortable with the situation. Fosters future cooperation, one would think."

    Her next few words earn an even more curious look from her, though, a fist forming and pressing itself to her chin. "My 'rival'? The way you say that makes it sound as though it's some sort of constant across Nodes. Is it?" She accompanies her question with a tilt of her head. "If so, I hope that it's a friendly sort of rivalry. The 'I will produce a better slam poem than you!' sort of rival and not the 'I will eviscerate you to the fullest extent of my power!' sort, you know? But perhaps that is a bit much to ask for." She smirks. "... though yes, you're quite correct. That would be my preferred method. Until they decide to show themselves I see no reason at all why we shouldn't continue on as we have been. I realize the lingering feelings of trepidation and how acute they must be for those of you who have been in Nodes before, but truly: if things pan out ideally, we may meet with a Pure who is willing to level with us. Converse with us. We may learn things even the current Operators never knew, Which would certainly behoove us I think. With as powerful as Answers was when we confronted him, I cannot fathom that the only component to our victory against Them is strength if he and his companions were not successful before."

    Her prosey ramble is cut short by Kimiko, and if one looks veeery closely, they might even notice a subtle blush from Mizuki at her own windedness. /Ahem/. "Y-Yes, I suppose there is no guarantee that Anette or any others are Pures here. That would be quite the twist indeed."

Abstractum.Net (347) has posed:
    The birds perceive, comprehend, and then react by watching. The other animals perceive but seem to not comprehend. There's one example as the group progreses; it seems like a single fox wound up noticing the group and trying to avoid them, in a surprising example of natural, completely normal animal behavior!

    The moment it bolts away, its whole body seems to flicker; there's the look of a dark burn on paper under it, as it suddenly seems to be asleep in the grass, then staring at the group head-on, then back to what it was doing, as if nothing had happened! The soft aura of burned paper seems to linger around it, fading slowly, inviting investigation into whatever phenomena afflicts the animal life here... It's unsettling, a little, and yet... Harmless, like everything else here.

Kimiko Shinobu (570) has posed:
    "If the contest takes the form of poetry, I have no doubt that it will, nevertheless, have a fate similar to death in store for the loser. This is how we 'fight Them,' after all."

    Kimiko watches animals behave oddly, to a level that goes past mere oddity of the animals themselves and into some bizarre facet of the world. It does not, however, appear to be immediately dangerous.

    "I am going to do something potentially pointless. Or injurious. I won't know until I try it."

    Kimiko finds a rabbit, and, should it fail to bolt away, will pick it up, and stroke its fur.

Homura Akemi (2) has posed:
    "That's possible, but unlikely. Nodes exist to trap and defeat Pures, which directly harms Them. A Node without a Pure would... well, it's uncertain. It seems from all outward appearances it would be a pointless endeavor. Most Pures have been fairly obvious about their presence, but it wouldn't surprise me if blue and green ones were less inclined to tip their hand, especially early."

    Homura shrugs. Going off personal experience, she doubts it's possible, but then not everything is known about the Homeworld. There's probably plenty of curveballs in store.

    "What do you think, Claire?"

    Then back to Mizuki: "It is a constant across every Node I have been in. There's a rival, someone in direct opposition with the owner, who generally mirrors them in some way. Psyber's is an enhanced bounty hunter trying to start a war between the supernatural and technology; Ariel's is a construct just like her, without her morals; Fiora's might be the narrator of her Node, which is a movie set, but we haven't met her for sure to know. Ainsley's is a member of her species. There are a few more, but you get the idea. They also have lieutenants, and those can have Pures too. I've helped fight... four or five of those?" She lost track.

    She finally shrugs, and simplifies to: "In short, expect a Pure, and interpret a lack of Pure as a sneaky, stealthy type bidding his time, or one you've simply luckily avoided. If there ends up not being one, you can be happily surprised, without the downside of being caught unprepared."

    She then glares at Kimiko and the rabbit.
    Well, let's see what happens.

Staren has posed:
    Staren tilts his head at Homura, considering her words, then lands to watch Kimiko pet a bunny. "Aww." He looks around for his own bunny to pet, but instead spies a fox on the move. "Hey!" He points and chases after it, only for it to... revert to default behavior, or something. With this weird sort of... burnt paper under it. Staren approaches carefully, scanning for magic or dimensional disturbances...

    Then, if the fox continues to not respond, he reaches out to touch it with Eureka. "Sense anything?" He repeats it with the burnt-paper aura, trying to touch it, then slots in a Ran-I cartridge and tries to gather up some of the burnt-paper looking grass to see if the aura sticks to it.

Mizuki (183) has posed:
    Out of the corner of Mizuki's eyes, a fox. A perfectly 'normal' fox like the ones a person might find in one of those more conventional planes of existence out there, even. She turns from the conversation more fully to study it, careful not to approach or make any sudden moves that might make it flee more quickly. Ah, but then -- there's a flicker. A... burn? Mizuki immediately presence of pages, flaming though they may be, narrowing her eyes and looking pensive for a moment. This... isn't evidence of some dark transformation, is it? Something isn't going to pop out and attack them, right?

    ... no. No, the reality is the antithesis of that: the fox lays its head down in the grass, suddenly seeming like all of the other animals about them. Quickly, her mind enters a renewed state of fervent thought and rapid contemplation. Was it just... rewritten, like a program in a machine? Or was it self-aware before, only to have it taken away by some unseen force? Seeing as fear is no longer an obstacle, Mizuki approaches the fox alongside Staren and examines it, remaining fairly still and alert to get a better feel for that aura of burnt pages. To what does -that- portend? Anette's influence? Some malicious active reset? Suddenly, Mizuki finds herself wondering if Anette has her own Apathy, and if this is their doing.

    As she listens to Homura, she would meander over to the fox and, following Kimiko's lead, gently stroke the top of its head. She doubts this will elucidate much, but it's as good a method as any to start this investigation in earnest. Idly, she might even think to herself of the possibility of attempting to venture past the water line. If she goes where there is 'nothing', will something else have to form to compensate? Or might there be some secret hiding there? The more she thinks, the more questions pop into her mind. Now following Homura's lead, she poses a few of these to her Abstractum.

    "Equinox," She unclips them from her dress, "as the only other extension of 'my' being present, do you have any opinion on how we should explore this? I thought it might be an interesting experiment to travel past where the world seems to terminate. We might find something there, or perhaps reveal that the absence was a complete ruse. What do you think?" She smiles. And while they deliberate, she'll just continue playing with this fox. Yep, this -totally- constitutes serious work for her.

    More responses come to Homura soon after her short exchange with Equinox, though. "So if this Node did -not- contain a Pure of some form, it would be... highly abnormal, to say the least. Perhaps even broken." She nods to herself. "... though, yes; assuming ever further that my Pure, whomever she may be, takes after me, she may well -fancy- herself a cunning manipulator, but... well. -Well-." She shakes her head, grinning again. "We'll just have to see, really." Further nodding and acknowledgement as Homura provides a few examples. Her expression gradually becomes a bit more serious along with them. "... hmm. So much conflict. This place is so pleasant that it's rather easy for me to forget that its intended function is as an ideal battleground." She sighs to herself. "Still, thank you for your counsel. I imagine that it will save me a good deal of grief in the near future."

Abstractum.Net (347) has posed:
    Here's where things get surreal.

    Kimiko picks up the rabbit and begins petting it. "D'awwwww." IS all that Koishin has to say about this. The rabbit may be wild, but like everything here, it seems designed for the visitor and nothing else, there to be messed with. She gets it up into her hands and pets it! It's normal. What happens next is difficult to describe and perceive, but, for a moment, it seems to flicker, leaping out of her hands and dashing away, before... It reverts, including Kimiko's own position. This seems less like something wrong with the wildlife and more something wrong with /time/.

Abstractum.Net (347) has posed:
    "I think... I think it depends on how Mizuki likes fighting, Miss Akemi. Or, how Mizuki can fight best. Since she's not the kind of person who likes destruction, maybe it's just... Matched her talents differently? Like something relating to... Worlds, or... I'm sorry, I don't know." The ring on Homura's finger speaks meekly. "I think the Pure will fit her talents, I-I guess, I'm not sure how..."

Abstractum.Net (347) has posed:
    The aura doesn't stick to the grass, even with Ran's info. But Eureka does manage to draw some data. "There is something frayed here. Conceptual handling is degraded. Concepts themselves within this remain as they ought to, though they seem artificial. However, the... Processes of the universe with which they are intersecting are degraded. That should not be possible."

Kimiko Shinobu (570) has posed:
    Kimiko doesn't try too hard to keep a hold of the rabbit. She supports it like one would a tame, pet rabbit, and lets it leap off--and then it's back in her hands again, and she is again holding it. These are distinct facts, which may be important, she mentally notes.

    "Odd. Did I move? Or... didn't I move?"

Abstractum.Net (347) has posed:
    "I think it'd be smart to go check out what's outside the island boundaries sometime, sure!" Equinox says, peering back to Mizuki. "If Anette is making and remaking this place, only place we'll be able to see anything about the previous tries is outside, right? Clean slate, but, you gotta wipe it somewhere, right? Might be a good idea to go look out there on another visit, that sorta thing. But, probably only after we meet Anette, so we can see if it might be dangerous, you know?" Every word has a tick and a clack of the cover as it opens and closes with thoughts and syllables.

Priscilla has posed:
    "Indeed, it wouldst be far beyond the usual were there no adversary here for Lady Mizuki to encounter. However, the opponent in question clearly hath little interest in meeting us on the field of battle, perhaps simply out of inability, or perhaps out of unwillingness to damage her works." Picking up and petting animals really isn't Priscilla's thing, but the fox, and then Kimiko's rabbit especially, draw an earnest second look from her. "A creature's consciousness being overwritten to watch us wouldst taketh a less natural form than this. I believe they art all overwritten in their current state, and that was merely something slipping through the cracks. Is this something meant to preserve a status quo? Perhaps an artificial means of attempting to find the same balance that each cycle of Mizuki's world doth?"

Homura Akemi (2) has posed:
    "I'm not sure. A rewind, or a stutter, maybe," Homura tells Kimiko, her interest overly piqued by the obvious disruption. She raises her Abstractum towards Kimiko, to let Claire get a better look.

    "Would you mind trying to analyze what just happened using my magic, Claire? That felt like time to me. Perhaps to Mizuki too," she says, looking towards her.

Staren has posed:
    "I'm all for that!" Staren cheerfully assents when Mizuki proposes heading out beyond the edge of the map.

    Then he listens to Eureka. "/That's/ weird. So you're saying their concepts are intact, but... /physics/ is broken?" Staren considers this, then tries jumping up and down to test that gravity is exactly as it should be, and has his headware run diagnostics to confirm everything's functioning properly.

    Of course, Staren's protected by his own aura, so for a better test, he reaches into his pocket, pulls out a tablet, and gently tosses it to the ground away from him, before attempting to access it wirelessly and check whether time and gravity performed exactly as expected.

Mizuki (183) has posed:
    Mizuki nods to Equinox. "That seems a prudent approach to take, yes. In that case, I hope - likely against my better judgement, according to what I've been hearing - that we meet Anette soon. There's always the possibility that she is not the Pure, after all! Would be rather fitting if that were the case, and red herrings are often thrown at you toward the beginning of narratives to throw you off the trail of something far more sinister. And being the detective that I am," She places her hand to her chest in a pseudo-haughty sort of gesture, "it is my mission to uncover such things. Still, in any good mystery novel there must be a natural progression. The unknowns beyond this world's current boundaries shall have to wait for the time being, but they'll not elude me forever~."

    After another moment of quick chin-tapping, Mizuki would turn to Homura and nod. "... it does feel a bit like that, oddly. Though I wonder what the afterimage of burnt pages hints at." Thinking back to the original premonition, there's a sudden, subtle widening of her eyes. "... perhaps... perhaps she's trying to find a balance as Priscilla says, yes. Something more specific than that, though, I feel -- she could be trying to remember how things were, in which case she would be much like me if I were more obsessed with my own past. That would certainly explain the temporal nature of it all. Stasis effected so that Anette may look at things and ensure that everything is in its proper place before moving on. Only, it's never quite perfect..." Mizuki is soon drawn into a reverie from which she doesn't return for several minutes hence.

    Then comes a mutter when she's had some time to think. "I wonder..." She closes her eyes, cocking her head in thought. "... Equinox, do you think you might be able to /counter/ the effects of the temporal stutter next they occur if I work in tandem with you? With your ability to interact with concepts and my ability to bend time, I believe this should be within our scope, and it would make for a good experiment." A quiet look of renewed elation overtakes her countenance. "Do you think so?"

Kimiko Shinobu (570) has posed:
    Homura has a better chance of figuring out the main bit going on, particularly with Claire, but Kimiko does have another concern more suited to her concept, as well as to the general state of things re: how worried she should be right now.

    "Koishin, were we attacked just now? Is whatever happened something that can be resisted?" Getting her position reset might or might not qualify, but it certainly could be used with intent to harm. To control, definitely. Sure, it only happened while they were holding an animal getting reset, but that's no reason /not/ to expect danger.

Abstractum.Net (347) has posed:
    Clairvoyant Rush stutters, but that's not time breaking or anything, that's just how Clairvoyant Rush is. "U-ummm..." It starts. "I think there's something wrong with how time works. I mean, how cause and effect function. It's like... Progress on the timeline is fuzzy and randopm and broken. Things aren't happening right. There's nothing wrong with the animals, nothing's happening to them, it's... There's something wrong with /happening. I... I think, Miss Akemi..."

Abstractum.Net (347) has posed:
    "Oh!" Equinox says. "I'm... Well, I'm not sure! Probably, if I get your help. But, it's like a flaw in time more than it's a flaw in some particular bit of time, so, I'm not sure... It might be useful once or twice, but it'll probably be temporary and something you need case-by-case focus for, you know?" The little watch is getting slightly sheepish and awkward about this. "I can try this thing tonight, if you want, though."

Abstractum.Net (347) has posed:
    Koishin speaks up awkwardly, clearly a bit put-on-the-spot. "Oh! Er... Not... Attacked, no? Nothing external that I could get a bead on seemed to hit us. I think... Yeah, it's something wrong with the whole world, and that's what messed up the animals too. Existing the right way is weird. But I don't think that's capable of harming us, um, the way you usually think about harm anyway."

Mizuki (183) has posed:
    Mizuki nods to Equinox, her smile unfaltering. "It need only work but once. I never did care much for empirical methods, controls, and comparisons, you know; a single case study is enough of a demonstration for me. Besides, the way that this world responds stands to tell us much about its mechanics, and what might be done about them. After all," She brushes aside one of her bangs cinematically here, "for battles of wits and authorial authority to commence in earnest, each party must be equally versed in the rules of the game, yes? For this reason and many others that will no doubt divulge themselves in time, I must make every effort to learn what I can. Whether my opponent is Anette or some other, this detective shan't be bested in an element so familiar to her."

    In her own, odd way, she attempts to calm the flustered Abstractum with a few taps on the lid and perhaps a brush or two from her personal handkerchief. "Come, come -- I won't be disappointed no matter the outcome. And remember: a lovely, red velvet case awaits you when we return home. There's no reason at all to be nervous." As she says this, a ball of distorted temporum forms in her palm and she searches the area for another active stutter. It'll be finicky trying to catch it as it happens, but then again, it's for exactly things like that that she's able to break time herself.

    Just gotta make it inside that window...

Kimiko Shinobu (570) has posed:
    Kimiko nods at Koishin's answer. If it isn't an attack, it's just the environment. The environment can be dangerous, but if it isn't /thinking/, then it can be dealt with without treating it as an enemy.

    For now, she continues petting the rabbit, because--there's a rabbit in her arms. Why wouldn't she?

    Noticing Homura's glare, she turns, pauses, and then holds up the animal. "Here."

    No expression.

Priscilla has posed:
    With two experts on time magic here, Priscilla feels little need or inclination to try and add to their theories, not being a mage herself. Time is already convoluted enough as is. "So as I am to understand it, things are indeed being held in some form of stasis. Moving in time hath become difficult and obscure in method for some reason or another."

Abstractum.Net (347) has posed:
    "Well... Well, I suppose I'll give it a shot then!" Equinox says, its reluctance comforted effectively in an agreeable way. It begins to glow with a soft blue fire, which flares up into activity and begins to saturate the rabbit as Kimiko offers it to Homura. Forcibly redefining which of several timelines that should be real within a small radius, the apparent effect is not permanent, but could potentially be very useful. The odd burn seems to signify where the timeline starts to split and "fray" like that!