momquest: a quest for moms

[farfromgrace]

[ It's another day in Tokyo-D, and the relentless cycle of content generation for the masses goes on; how long have you been filming this drama, exactly? And it's not that it's a bad show, per se, but the fact that it's really dedicated to showing the gritty realities of combat and using practical effects for it is... kind of a lot.

Also it can't decide if it wants to be a show about frenemies or about enemies-to-lovers-to-enemies. Cowards.

And besides, it's not home, is it?

It occurs to you on break at the really honestly lackluster buffet table set up for the actors and any surviving extras that... there's really not that much security on this show, all things considered, unless there's something you're not seeing... ]

Comments

1/2

[worthathousand]

[ Honestly, the main trouble with their approach to combat is that none of the actors they've brought on—including her, in her current state—have access to any proper charms! The Nightingale has let her add some satisfying flair to her appearances, but it only goes so far.

(Well, the main trouble aside from.... all the murder...)

The lack of preparation is really rather embarrassing for them, if you ask her. Why use clumsy so-called "special effects" when a trained sorcerer would serve so much better?

Truly, they're kneecapping themselves like this, but then again, obviously not everywhere has access to the kind of wealthy sponsorship Imeeji does.
—Or the same quality of security, for that matter. ]

2/2

[worthathousand]

[ Still carrying her prop naginata (poorly weighted but surprisingly keen-edged, and she's still not sure whether to be glad of that), Amaranth steps around a corner from the main "sound stage."

It's not like there's anything preventing her from seeing what's down the next hallway. ]

Re: 2/2

[farfromgrace]

[ yeah, there totally isn't. how about that.

well, there's some bathrooms, first and foremost, and the changing area; there's also a little placard toward the nearest hallway intersection that points you to the other things in this building.

5F
← CELESTIAL GLORY
MYSTERY CHEF →
↓ ELEVATORS
NOTE: FILMING FOR "ANGEL'S FEATHER" DRAMA ON 3F HAS BEEN CANCELED DUE TO STAFFING CHANGES.

You just came from the first one. It seems pretty quiet? Down the other end of the hallway you can hear sounds like someone's washing a large amount of dishes, and it seems like there's some kind of break room that way from the smell of coffee, which you've probably at least smelled before now. ]

MOMQUEST: HEAVEN CHAPTER

[farfromgrace]

[ You find yourself in a courtyard and immediately, you're made keenly aware of how silent it is: just like the recent past of plastic Tokyo-F, there are no ambient sounds, nothing that would indicate that this place has any life—but unlike Tokyo-F, there are plenty of signs that people were here before.

Trees line the marbled square, stone slabs jutting out from the walls that the previous occupants evidently used as tables, for silver platters sit on the slabs along with trinkets, glistening in the sunlight brightly—perhaps even too brightly. On the platters are various fruits.

At the center of the square are woven mats in various states: fully unrolled, partially unrolled, or completely rolled up, tightly packed together or with the strings hanging loose. They are, for the most part, organized in neat rows and columns, though a few have been kicked or shifted to be just off-center, as if several had gone through this path without care. Strewn about near or on the mats are practice tools, wooden weapons and shields alike.

Everything here is bright, and you can almost see the motes of light settling, as if only just stirred. The air itself is palpable, and breathing it in feels sharp - like your throat is dry, or like you're drinking a carbonated beverage. It doesn't last, the pain is hardly mentionable, but the weight clings to your throat, heavy.

From here, you can reach the spiral staircase adjacent to the courtyard that meets the tower.

You may also turn back to the gate, if you really wanted to. . . ]

Re: MOMQUEST: HEAVEN CHAPTER

[worthathousand]

[ .......It really worked. Maybe she even proved something.
Amaranth pauses, then bows deeply. ]

Thank you, River God, who heard this one lost so far from your shore.

[ And she's certainly not squandering this gift by turning back.
The stairway catches her eye, but first she lingers at what seems to be the training grounds. She hefts the practice weapons, testing their weight—then sets each one neatly in order, like she might for her own students. ]

Re: MOMQUEST: HEAVEN CHAPTER

[farfromgrace]

[ None of the weapons could open any wounds on anyone. Swing them too hard and you'd most assuredly break them. Clearly, they're meant for practice. There are also a few shields here too, but they're not much more than light pieces of wood. All of them look lightly-used.

But: onward to the stairway, into the tower.

Step after step, stairs that spiral upwards for what might as well be eternity, designed for beings that had no need of climbing this way. Light skewers through the dark, shafts shot from the arrow slits and gunports. These narrow bits of brightness ruin your night vision more than they help illuminate the tower.

Are you still going up? ]

MEANWHILE IN LILIS

[farfromgrace]

[ suddenly, wherever you are—perhaps in your dorm? you feel—

—something that isn't yours. like someone familiar is standing next to you and just spoke to you, but rather than a phrase it's just still raw feeling. a feeling of protectiveness, and loneliness, and it feels...

...distinctly like Amaranth? Wasn't she on transfer? ]

[heavenlyvisitor]

[ ...?

:?

well, this is going to be bullshit, isn't it. ]

[farfromgrace]

[ this is going to be bullshit.

it's funny, because you've really been on LiliS for a hot second, but she really does have that kind of distinct personality that's easy to recognize.

the other thing that's funny is that it feels like... almost a tangible presence, like you could turn your head and say something back and be heard. ]

[vitainmorte]

[ well.

She'll pour him a cup of coffee anyway despite the feeling-- not like she knows he's affected too-- though, a bit distracted.]

Good morning.

Re: MEANWHILE IN LILIS

[vitainmorte]

[ well, she was having a cup of coffee, as usual, so she just,

Freezes. She stares at the cup silently, trying to suss out the feeling. ]

Re: MEANWHILE IN LILIS

[farfromgrace]

[ it's odd. possibly, for you, a little too close to home?

but the funny thing is that it feels like... almost a tangible presence, like you could turn your head and say something back and be heard. ]

Re: MEANWHILE IN LILIS

[enlightenedatheist]

[ i've never had emotions in my life what is happening

stops, fork dropping onto his plate ]

Re: MEANWHILE IN LILIS

[farfromgrace]

[ rest in pieces

thankfully it doesn't feel like your emotions, but distinctly like—Amaranth's right here and tried to say something to you but it just came out as feelings.

although loneliness is probably A Big Mood huh, Mr. Spiral protag.

but the funny thing is that it feels like... almost a tangible presence, like you could turn your head and say something back and be heard. ]

Re: MEANWHILE IN LILIS

[vitainmorte]

Chrysanthemum?

[ she's also paused but that does bring her attention back to focus. ]

ALSO MEANWHILE IN AVANTE

[farfromgrace]

[ wherever you are—maybe in the dorm, since it's morning in Tokyo-F?

you suddenly feel like—there's a presence. maybe almost as if someone familiar were standing next to you, close enough to just turn your head and reach out and touch, and certainly easy to speak to companionably.

it feels familiar enough that it's—almost like someone who's been here quite a lot, isn't it? and it feels like, specifically, that someone is reaching out for you, like an anchor to hold onto. You can very distinctly hear someone say— ]

I love—
I am close to—
I can reach for—

[ that's kind of weird, isn't it? ]

Re: ALSO MEANWHILE IN AVANTE

[deicider]

[Cardinal is just walking in after a workout and their head jerks up, casting for a source as they call out—]

Something's happening.

Re: ALSO MEANWHILE IN AVANTE

[farfromgrace]

[ this time you hear amaranth's voice, like she's standing next to you—very clearly. ]

Cardinal—?
How many of you can hear me?

Re: ALSO MEANWHILE IN AVANTE

[purrrnicious]

[The response here is the emotional equivalent of sleepy grumbling five more minutes, mom as a catnap (badum-tish) is disturbed and she stirs from the weird definitely not a sleeping place location she's wedged herself into today.

Specifically the corner on top of one of the kitchen cabinets.]

Re: ALSO MEANWHILE IN AVANTE

[farfromgrace]

[ this time you hear amaranth's voice, like she's standing next to you—very clearly. ]

Cardinal—?
How many of you can hear me?

Re: ALSO MEANWHILE IN AVANTE

[gigadevilbreaker]

[Nero's head whips around, looking for the source of that voice - didn't it come from behind him? He was sure he felt a person there... but there wasn't anyone else in his room.

Whomst]

Uh... hello??

Re: ALSO MEANWHILE IN AVANTE

[farfromgrace]

[ this time you hear amaranth's voice, like she's standing next to you—very clearly. ]

Cardinal—?
How many of you can hear me?

Re: ALSO MEANWHILE IN AVANTE

[softlyfalling]

[ on one hand shrike is relatively used to hearing voices in her head on the other hand they're not usually like... this. but she's at least used to it such that she doesn't drop her glass of water.

glancing around— ]

Did someone...?

[ "did somewhat what" yeah good question she has no idea how to fill in that blank ]

Re: ALSO MEANWHILE IN AVANTE

[unbr8kable]

[She pauses, the dogs snuggling closer wondering at the delay in food delivery. But talking in one's head does not happen every day...probably? She looks around just in case; she's been out of it but not that out of it?]

Huh?

THE AMARANTH HAS LANDED

[farfromgrace]

[ anyway Amaranth is in avante now and her profile has a lot of avante stuff on it and everything so

that happened

do we have time to unpack all that ]