[It's the lovely land of [looks at smudge on hand] Luoes. For the most part, much is similar to life on modern Earth, except for a few key differences: the existence of superpowers and of hybrids between humans and animals/mythical beings. That is to say, furries. But also some of a more unusual nature, such as tree people (no, not Tsuyukusa).
At first, humans were hesitant to accept these hybrids in their midst, but in today's society, hybrids are able to live a normal life and are commonly seen as you walk the streets. Racism is a thing of the past! Probably. Maybe. Superpowers are likewise everywhere and a part of many's daily life; it's not unusual to see your classmate use his X-ray vision to rest his eyes and read the chalkboard at the same time.
These are things everyone in the group will intuitively know about the setting they've found themselves in... or will soon find themselves in, because right now, they're in a void. Two different voids, actually.
[Lux and Lalli will find themselves in an empty white space. The only things here, besides each other, are two cards before them.
One reads:
Telekinesis. You can control objects and people, gifting you (and others you choose) the power of effectively flight as well. Your powers are strong—maybe the strongest in the world—and bound mostly by your imagination and the strength of the other party, so you really lucked on the superpower lottery here. On the other hand, they're unrefined as you've never had to use them for anything but mundane life and, occasionally, stopping that car from running someone over. Also, you have zero physical ability. Should've worked out in gym more.
The other reads:
Witch. You can use brooms to fly on*, though it's not very comfortable. You can also summon demons by drawing a magic circle with whatever tools you have. Normally, you'd need a unique symbol for each demon, but the Devil King pulled a few strings for you and made it a one-size-fits-all! Unfortunately, most of the demons are currently on strike due to unfair labour laws (they have assured you that this has nothing to do with you, you're lovely, but other summoners suck), so the only demons in your arsenal right now are the Devil King (powerful, but showing his age) and Nocturne (who can enter others' dreams).
*For your convenience, you will have a broom on hand.
For the record, those are all word for word. Anyhow, it seems as though each person is meant to pick one.]
[ lux picks up the witch card and after reading it just. frowns.
but i wasn't joking about doing a cyoa memshare right away. it's a brief flash - a young boy, no more than twelve or thirteen, sits cross-legged before a grave, his thin body swaying as if in a trance. tendrils of black smoke coil from the tomb, wrapping around his neck like strangling vines.
“luca?”
the boy’s swaying ceases at the sound of her voice.
he turns to face lux, and she falters at the sight of his soulless, black eyes. a cruel grin splits his face.
“not anymore,” he says.
and then the memory is over, and lux closes her eyes. ]
[Yamato and Ichinose will find themselves in an empty white space. The only things here, besides each other, are two cards before them.
One reads:
Cat hybrid. You are half-human, half-cat, with your cat features clear. Your animal side grants you enhanced senses, physical capabilities, and sense of balance. You're also skilled with the use of blades and close combat.
The other reads:
Shaman. You wield talismans to fight, which can summon golems, monstrosities, and/or apply curses to others if you stick the talisman on them. Your powers aren't for the faint of heart or those afraid of ghosts! Unfortunately, you were in a state of great shock when your stocks plummeted, so you messed up when creating your latest set. When you use a talisman, its effect will be randomized.
For the record, those are all word for word. Anyhow, it seems as though each person is meant to pick one.]
Unfortunately for Yamato, he's not getting much of a choice as far as his card goes — because Ichinose's hand immediately darts for the Shaman card, her eyes brightening as she scans the description. She turns the card around in her hand, checking out its design if it has one.]
I hope you don't mind if I take this one, Ishida-kun.
[But I am also a Kyuu of my word, and for a brief moment, Yamato will get a flash of a strange contraption. Ginormous, suspended in the air by a thick rope made of what appear to be veins, Yamato will get the feeling that he's watching from a distance as a voice emanates from within the box:
"My primary directive is to grant humanity its ultimate desire," it says. "To be liberated from all pain and suffering."
... And then the memory ends, and Ichinose's grip on the card tightens. Hm.]
[ that sure is happening indeed. yamato's first reflex was to try to text taichi, because he is codependent, but of course that doesn't work. his next one is to pick up his digivice to see-- but it wouldn't work anyway.
unfortunately, because he wasted all his time on that, ichinose grabbed the card without him looking at either of them ]
Ichinose-san... [ ah, well. ] I guess it's fine. Do you think it's only the two of us--
[ and then there's that memory, and he... looks at her with a frown. they don't have time to talk about that yet, considering where he's pretty sure they've found themselves, so he gives up on the questions and grabs the card and reads it-- ]
[They now find themselves in the modern city of Luoes. Lalli is now wearing a school uniform; Lux can be wearing whatever cute modern outfit you want, really. Any items they had on their person are now gone. Wow!! Lux now has a broom, however.
Intuitively, they will know that—in terms of the roles they've been given in this setting—they are both ordinary people, powers aside. They've lived pretty decent lives up until now.
"Until now" might be the keywords.
They're given a few moments to orient themselves, standing on a sidewalk in the day, when a man walks up to them. He looks to be a panda hybrid, although I'm not sure if that means anything to either of them. Do Lux or Lalli know what a panda is??? Anyway.]
You two there! [Truly, is there anything worse than strangers accosting you on the street.] Have you ever thought about becoming a superhero? Well, today's your lucky day!
[ 'any modern clothes' UM, i think you mean a school uniform for me too, actually! this one, specifically. it looks like it's just an upgraded version of her usual wiwaldi uniform? oh well.
lux gives the broom an idle baton-twirl. the balance of it makes that a very weird thing to do, but she does it. ]
Somehow, I feel as if we should say yes to this offer.
[Lalli meanwhile looks like a fukken nerd and he's immediately loosening the tie because fuck ties.
Lalli looks at this strange man, and then at Lux. Childhood Friends memories, fake as they may be, just increases the urge to protect Lux and everything she holds dear. Lalli will now die for you.]
I don't like him. He's suspicious. Let's tell him no.
[...ultimately Lalli is still Lalli though, and he's a fucking follower so he will do whatever Lux decides. He's voiced his concerns, it's fine.]
[They will find themselves in woods on a mountain. Yamato is now wearing a lightweight combat uniform; Ichinose now has glasses and is wearing a hat that looks suspiciously like Red's from Pokemon. Any items they had on their person are now gone. Wow!! However, Yamato has a collection of combat knives and a fake thumb, while Ichinose has a collection of talismans.
Intuitively—in terms of the roles they've been given in this setting—they will know the following:
Yamato is an orphan, a victim of hybrid-human trafficking since he was young. Yeah, the part about there being no prejudice against hybrids was a lie. He was fortunate enough to be sold and bought alongside his little brother, though. No, not Takeru. His toddler brother, SL. That aside, they were bought by an ex-soldier and have been part of a mercenary group for a while now. For a hybrid, it's not the worst fate.
Ichinose is... well, who knows why you're here, really. You lived an okay life up until now! But then you were caught foraging for herbs on this mountain (to sell for that sweet moola), which is private property, so as punishment you have to stick with the group. Mostly, your job is to babysit SL when the others are out on actual missions, but you're free to accompany them and leave the babysitting to someone else if you wish.
Currently, you're sitting around a campfire, their comrades cheerfully chatting around them. SL waddles over to Yamato to be picked up.
If one listens closely, there's the sound of footsteps coming from the forest, though...?]
Yeah, she's taking off the glasses and sticking them somewhere in her outfit. Did she keep the rest of her clothes? A mystery only Jan can answer. She's just going to watch this baby waddle over to Yamato, humming.]
Aw, look at him go! How sweet. Are you going to pick him up?
["Your job is to babysit SL" haha no good luck with that Yamato
Anyway, she does turn her head towards the forest, trying to get a sense of how close those footsteps are. Is there anything visible out there, or nah?]
[ "you can have a tail if you want" what am i? NOT a furry? of course he has a tail.
ichinose is in the middle of the question when yamato picks up SL reflexively. he's feeling very familiar feelings right now as he cradles him, not to mention the entire thing with his new tragic backstory. thanks jan. it makes him even warier than he would normally be, and yet less likely to question the fact that he is now catra cosplay.
his ears twitch towards the sound of footsteps and he holds sl a little tighter. he knows he can protect him and fight anyone off, at least.
(does. does he know that? what.) ]
... Show yourself!
[ he's lost in the sauce immediately is what i am saying ]
[Good job, team (?). Lux and Lalli will feel that a day or so has passed, when they find themselves at Ladle headquarters once more, just chilling in a room. After a few moments, the boss walks in, along with the panda man.]
Seems like things worked out with the family. I was actually kind of expecting you to homewreck them somehow, so this is a pleasant surprise. The client sent this as a bonus payment for you. It's supposed to be an antidote for poison, or something.
[She hands over a pill. It will cure one person of poison/venom, but it can be used only within this CYOA. Hm!
She then gets a call on her phone—sounds like it's serious! Once she finishes the conversation and hangs up, she turns back to Lux and Lalli.]
All right, you've proven that you can handle yourself, so you can probably deal with a bit of danger, even though we don't usually send newbies on those. [The panda man mutters something that sounds suspiciously like, "Except we do because shortage of manpower..."] It's urgent, too. A large fire has broken out in a building, but the firefighters can't get there because of the traffic. You both can fly, right? I'll send the coordinates to your phone.
[ im crying why are you dangling homewrecking in front of my character who wouldn't do it this is CRUEL TORTURE. but cool, lux takes that pill! and immediately hands it to lalli. he can have this. ]
We'll still need water, though.
[ but she does hop on her broom, sitting sideways because she's cute. ]
[Yamato and Ichinose will feel that several days have passed, when they find themselves in a new scene.
Yamato is at the camp with his fellow mercenaries. The hybrids in the lab have joined them far now, not as mercenaries but to hang around they recover. Some of Yamato's comrades complain about the extra mouths to feed, but ultimately they still treat the others well and never make a move to actually boot them.
SL is ALIVE and WELL, despite certain people's concerns. He finishes a round of training his accuracy, which is to say he throws rocks at a target, misses most of the time, but looks like he's trying his best. Big brother, praise him. :pensive:
Rae doesn't hang around the group, but he drops by. Like, a lot. In particular, he's always there for Ichinose, occasionally offering her flowers. Unless Ichinose suggested that she wants to keep them, the group probably has a designated place to dump all the bouquets.
On this fine day, it's mealtime! Yamato, it's your job to feed your baby brother, because he's doing a very bad job of getting that spoon of soup into his mouth.
Meanwhile, Rae has requested Ichinose to meet him elsewhere, a fair distance away from the camp. The two of them are alone on a cliffside, where he... presents her with another bouquet.]
Well. Guess this is happening now? Ichinose is still as baffled as she was those fake several days ago. There is absolutely an inconspicuous designated spot in camp to dump all the bouquets unless any of the former subjects or the baby indicate they want the flowers. But she does have some manners, so she accepts the one that's currently being offered to her.]
Aw, another bouquet... How sweet! [Why.] You really don't have to bring anything, though. Just seeing your face is enough to brighten my day.
[ meanwhile, yamato is looking very seriously at his bratty baby brother, holding a spoon full of soup. ]
You can't keep practicing until you eat your soup. [ sternly. and then, softly, even though this is a toddler and he is MAYBE past the age where you need to do this: ] Open up for the train, okay, SL? Chugga chugga chugga chugga... choo choo.
[ he does the little motions and everything, tail swishing. this is the stupidest tag i'll ever write ]
[It's been some time since Heterosexuality Struck. Ichinose and Yamato have left the mountain, along with SL, given that the entire mercenary group besides them is fuckin dead and also that place is now just Bad.
There's been news of a supervillain group rising, named Shredder. On the bright side, Ladle has more work now and its executives (read: mostly a bunch of rich middle-aged/old men who get to make all the important decisions for the organization without doing any of the hard work) decided to allow it to remain. (To be quite honest, it was on the verge of having to disband.) No one knows what these supervillains look like, though; only that they leave destruction in their wake.
Flowers and chocolate still get sent regularly to Ichinose, usually accompanied by very long, flowery, and somewhat nonsensical love letters. There is never a return address, however.
... Along those lines, the Ladle executives have approached Ichinose and Yamato. Apparently, the leader of Shredder is Rae, and all of this is some convoluted attempt to win Ichinose's love? But knowing that she has the attention of a notorious supervillain, they don't feel like they can let her walk freely. Of course, it's her decision!! They're just saying!!!!
That is to say, they absolutely plan on forcing her in the future if she doesn't agree to be under their supervision. But they're not saying that.
One day, though, they're approached by an androgynous-looking woman who may or may not be Lalli and Lux's boss (not that they know it).]
I'm gonna cut to the chase. If you don't want those stupid ass executives to use you as bait in whatever plans they have or to keep an eye on you 24/7, join up with us and become a superhero. [That's to both Ichinose and Yamato.] We'll pay you, and we'll even throw in free boarding since you're homeless or whatever, right? We've got people who can look after that kid, too.
[Bitty SL is still with them. Boss will hand him a piece of candy, actually, before addressing Yamato and Ichinose again.]
You get to have freedom, and you can help people while you're at it. Worse comes to worst, it's a job, and in today's capitalist society, you got to have one.
We won't make you do anything you don't want to, and since it's in Ladle's best interests to take out this fucking Rae asshole, we can help you out there.
[ it's been some time, and yamato is now wearing bandages to cover his lost eye and part of that side of face as the wound heals. it's been hard living on the road with constant messages from ichinose's stalker and a baby, on top of that weird harassment from a superhero agency, which yamato thinks he should find odd but doesn't?
so to be honest, when they get the invite and SL looks so happy at a piece of candy, it's hard to say no. they are indeed homeless, it's hard to get decent jobs in this economy with This Racism, and also yamato cannot emphasize how much rae is a fucking asshole.
still, while his tail is swaying in clear interest, he looks at ichinose first, since she's the future bait in this hetero nightmare ]
Ichinose-san... she's got a point. This might be the best case scenario for us right now.
[In the aftermath of fire, public reaction is mixed. Some are grateful for those whom the heroes from Ladle managed to save, while others criticize them for not saving everyone or leaving others to die. There's debate on whether or not "heroes" are worth keeping around, and funding is getting to be an issue. (Even an organization of superheroes, ultimately, needs money to keep going.) Who wants to sponsor people who aren't doing enough?
The boss assures Lalli and Lux that this isn't their problem to deal with, though, and gives them some time off to cope.
Before they leave, though, she'll give Lux a pendant: it will heal one person of fatal injuries (note: things like illness or poison not included). It can be used only within this CYOA. According to her, it's a gift from the woman whose daughter she saved. She, regardless of what anyone else says, is grateful to Lux for being there.
Lux and Lalli will feel that several days have passed, when they find themselves in the Ladle headquarters. The panda man is leading them to a room.]
You wouldn't know since you were off work, but we got two more newcomers! They'll be your juniors, so treat them well, all right?
[When they get back to the headquarters, it's fuckin on fire.
The panda man rushes out to meet the boss.]
It's Shredder, Chief! Rae and his lackeys—they're attacking!
[It looks like they decided to take advantage of Ladle's strongest hero, aka the boss, being out. The boss yells and says a lot of not nice things I won't repeat, before she turns to the group.]
Go and find SL. There were employees who'd be protecting him, but I don't know if they'd be able to fend off against Rae or his subordinates.
[Meanwhile, she's going off to find Rae himself and beat him to a bloody pulp, maybe. The panda man joins her.
I'm railroading this and forcing you all to go look for SL, even if you weren't planning to. Strangely, on the way, Lalli will feel a prick—and if he checks, there's now a needle sticking out of his neck, as if thrown at him. The culprit flees before they can be caught, although it won't be anyone they recognize aka not one of their Ladle coworkers.
It's actually very unfortunate/funny that you cured Lalli of all people, because he then promptly falls unconscious. His face is pale, his breathing shallow. Oh fuck, he's been poisoned again. One of you will have to carry him; they'll notice he's getting worse, so hm, this might be fatal.
But first things first! Gotta find a baby.
When they reach the area SL was left in... well. There are some employees who have been injured and knocked unconscious, and some outright dead. Among them, as if they were trying to protect him, is SL.
He's... also unconscious. He's bleeding rather heavily, actually. In fact, he's dying, and they won't have time to get medical attention for him.
[ injured, weak from poison, back to missing an eye, witnessed heterosexuality, and now this place is on fire. this has been a fun day.
it's not.
"go and find SL" is all yamato hears before he's breaking out running at breakneck speed, despite the preestablished exhaustion and injuries. even the earlier reminder of their real selves isn't enough to stop his instincts from this place and home both. that's his brother. he's a baby, he can't protect himself, and there's a fire, and that's his brother.
but then as the others have no choice but to follow him because plot demands it, lalli falls to the ground with a loud thud and-- between lux's bum leg and ichinose's incredibly wounded (singular) arm, he knows they can't carry him alone. he bounces on his feet a second before he rushes back. luckily for everyone involved, lalli's smaller and lighter than yamato both, so after some finagling and probably help from the girls, he manages to arrange him on his back in a loose piggy back hold as he starts up again. he is running on adrenaline and determination alone. fortunately! he has a lot of those.
he's not sure what they'll do-- lalli's poisoned again (oh fuck) and they don't have an antidote, but they can't leave him in a burning building. they'll-- find something. or someone, somehow. they just need to get SL first.
and then they find him, and yamato nearly drops lalli to the ground right here ]
SL! [ it's a gut wrenched scream as he staggers towards him. he's a baby and he's dying and it's not. it's not okay. part of yamato is aware this might not be entirely real, but another, bigger part of him is mixing up those memories of himself and this child with the ones of takeru as a kid, and everything is blurring, and this is clearly the right time for
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
SETUP
At first, humans were hesitant to accept these hybrids in their midst, but in today's society, hybrids are able to live a normal life and are commonly seen as you walk the streets. Racism is a thing of the past! Probably. Maybe. Superpowers are likewise everywhere and a part of many's daily life; it's not unusual to see your classmate use his X-ray vision to rest his eyes and read the chalkboard at the same time.
These are things everyone in the group will intuitively know about the setting they've found themselves in... or will soon find themselves in, because right now, they're in a void. Two different voids, actually.
Lux and Lalli in one, and Yamato and Ichinose in another.]
TEAM 1
One reads:
Telekinesis. You can control objects and people, gifting you (and others you choose) the power of effectively flight as well. Your powers are strong—maybe the strongest in the world—and bound mostly by your imagination and the strength of the other party, so you really lucked on the superpower lottery here. On the other hand, they're unrefined as you've never had to use them for anything but mundane life and, occasionally, stopping that car from running someone over. Also, you have zero physical ability. Should've worked out in gym more.
The other reads:
Witch. You can use brooms to fly on*, though it's not very comfortable. You can also summon demons by drawing a magic circle with whatever tools you have. Normally, you'd need a unique symbol for each demon, but the Devil King pulled a few strings for you and made it a one-size-fits-all! Unfortunately, most of the demons are currently on strike due to unfair labour laws (they have assured you that this has nothing to do with you, you're lovely, but other summoners suck), so the only demons in your arsenal right now are the Devil King (powerful, but showing his age) and Nocturne (who can enter others' dreams).
*For your convenience, you will have a broom on hand.
For the record, those are all word for word. Anyhow, it seems as though each person is meant to pick one.]
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but i wasn't joking about doing a cyoa memshare right away. it's a brief flash - a young boy, no more than twelve or thirteen, sits cross-legged before a grave, his thin body swaying as if in a trance. tendrils of black smoke coil from the tomb, wrapping around his neck like strangling vines.
“luca?”
the boy’s swaying ceases at the sound of her voice.
he turns to face lux, and she falters at the sight of his soulless, black eyes. a cruel grin splits his face.
“not anymore,” he says.
and then the memory is over, and lux closes her eyes. ]
... I guess I'll take this one, then.
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...that happens at home too.
[The dangers of being a mage.
Anyway, Lalli will grab the other card- the telekinesis card- and read it. And then he looks peeved.]
This card is offensive and needs to be changed.
[The icon is for how his face looks while reading the card, not for seeing Lux's memory. Because her memory is sad not irritating.]
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TEAM 2
One reads:
Cat hybrid. You are half-human, half-cat, with your cat features clear. Your animal side grants you enhanced senses, physical capabilities, and sense of balance. You're also skilled with the use of blades and close combat.
The other reads:
Shaman. You wield talismans to fight, which can summon golems, monstrosities, and/or apply curses to others if you stick the talisman on them. Your powers aren't for the faint of heart or those afraid of ghosts! Unfortunately, you were in a state of great shock when your stocks plummeted, so you messed up when creating your latest set. When you use a talisman, its effect will be randomized.
For the record, those are all word for word. Anyhow, it seems as though each person is meant to pick one.]
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This sure is happening.
Unfortunately for Yamato, he's not getting much of a choice as far as his card goes — because Ichinose's hand immediately darts for the Shaman card, her eyes brightening as she scans the description. She turns the card around in her hand, checking out its design if it has one.]
I hope you don't mind if I take this one, Ishida-kun.
[But I am also a Kyuu of my word, and for a brief moment, Yamato will get a flash of a strange contraption. Ginormous, suspended in the air by a thick rope made of what appear to be veins, Yamato will get the feeling that he's watching from a distance as a voice emanates from within the box:
"My primary directive is to grant humanity its ultimate desire," it says. "To be liberated from all pain and suffering."
... And then the memory ends, and Ichinose's grip on the card tightens. Hm.]
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unfortunately, because he wasted all his time on that, ichinose grabbed the card without him looking at either of them ]
Ichinose-san... [ ah, well. ] I guess it's fine. Do you think it's only the two of us--
[ and then there's that memory, and he... looks at her with a frown. they don't have time to talk about that yet, considering where he's pretty sure they've found themselves, so he gives up on the questions and grabs the card and reads it-- ]
Why a cat?
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THE BEGINNING - TEAM 1
Intuitively, they will know that—in terms of the roles they've been given in this setting—they are both ordinary people, powers aside. They've lived pretty decent lives up until now.
"Until now" might be the keywords.
They're given a few moments to orient themselves, standing on a sidewalk in the day, when a man walks up to them. He looks to be a panda hybrid, although I'm not sure if that means anything to either of them. Do Lux or Lalli know what a panda is??? Anyway.]
You two there! [Truly, is there anything worse than strangers accosting you on the street.] Have you ever thought about becoming a superhero? Well, today's your lucky day!
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lux gives the broom an idle baton-twirl. the balance of it makes that a very weird thing to do, but she does it. ]
Somehow, I feel as if we should say yes to this offer.
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Lalli looks at this strange man, and then at Lux. Childhood Friends memories, fake as they may be, just increases the urge to protect Lux and everything she holds dear. Lalli will now die for you.]
I don't like him. He's suspicious. Let's tell him no.
[...ultimately Lalli is still Lalli though, and he's a fucking follower so he will do whatever Lux decides. He's voiced his concerns, it's fine.]
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THE BEGINNING - TEAM 2
Intuitively—in terms of the roles they've been given in this setting—they will know the following:
Yamato is an orphan, a victim of hybrid-human trafficking since he was young. Yeah, the part about there being no prejudice against hybrids was a lie. He was fortunate enough to be sold and bought alongside his little brother, though. No, not Takeru. His toddler brother, SL. That aside, they were bought by an ex-soldier and have been part of a mercenary group for a while now. For a hybrid, it's not the worst fate.
Ichinose is... well, who knows why you're here, really. You lived an okay life up until now! But then you were caught foraging for herbs on this mountain (to sell for that sweet moola), which is private property, so as punishment you have to stick with the group. Mostly, your job is to babysit SL when the others are out on actual missions, but you're free to accompany them and leave the babysitting to someone else if you wish.
Currently, you're sitting around a campfire, their comrades cheerfully chatting around them. SL waddles over to Yamato to be picked up.
If one listens closely, there's the sound of footsteps coming from the forest, though...?]
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Yeah, she's taking off the glasses and sticking them somewhere in her outfit. Did she keep the rest of her clothes? A mystery only Jan can answer. She's just going to watch this baby waddle over to Yamato, humming.]
Aw, look at him go! How sweet. Are you going to pick him up?
["Your job is to babysit SL" haha no good luck with that Yamato
Anyway, she does turn her head towards the forest, trying to get a sense of how close those footsteps are. Is there anything visible out there, or nah?]
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ichinose is in the middle of the question when yamato picks up SL reflexively. he's feeling very familiar feelings right now as he cradles him, not to mention the entire thing with his new tragic backstory. thanks jan. it makes him even warier than he would normally be, and yet less likely to question the fact that he is now catra cosplay.
his ears twitch towards the sound of footsteps and he holds sl a little tighter. he knows he can protect him and fight anyone off, at least.
(does. does he know that? what.) ]
... Show yourself!
[ he's lost in the sauce immediately is what i am saying ]
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THE BEGINNING PART 2 - TEAM 1
Seems like things worked out with the family. I was actually kind of expecting you to homewreck them somehow, so this is a pleasant surprise. The client sent this as a bonus payment for you. It's supposed to be an antidote for poison, or something.
[She hands over a pill. It will cure one person of poison/venom, but it can be used only within this CYOA. Hm!
She then gets a call on her phone—sounds like it's serious! Once she finishes the conversation and hangs up, she turns back to Lux and Lalli.]
All right, you've proven that you can handle yourself, so you can probably deal with a bit of danger, even though we don't usually send newbies on those. [The panda man mutters something that sounds suspiciously like, "Except we do because shortage of manpower..."] It's urgent, too. A large fire has broken out in a building, but the firefighters can't get there because of the traffic. You both can fly, right? I'll send the coordinates to your phone.
[And she does just that.]
Get going—now!
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We'll still need water, though.
[ but she does hop on her broom, sitting sideways because she's cute. ]
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Understood. I will pray to Ukko for rain.
[He will actually stand there for like 10 minutes saying a Finnish prayer if someone does not stop him. Someone should stop him.]
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THE BEGINNING PART 2 - TEAM 2
Yamato is at the camp with his fellow mercenaries. The hybrids in the lab have joined them far now, not as mercenaries but to hang around they recover. Some of Yamato's comrades complain about the extra mouths to feed, but ultimately they still treat the others well and never make a move to actually boot them.
SL is ALIVE and WELL, despite certain people's concerns. He finishes a round of training his accuracy, which is to say he throws rocks at a target, misses most of the time, but looks like he's trying his best. Big brother, praise him. :pensive:
Rae doesn't hang around the group, but he drops by. Like, a lot. In particular, he's always there for Ichinose, occasionally offering her flowers. Unless Ichinose suggested that she wants to keep them, the group probably has a designated place to dump all the bouquets.
On this fine day, it's mealtime! Yamato, it's your job to feed your baby brother, because he's doing a very bad job of getting that spoon of soup into his mouth.
Meanwhile, Rae has requested Ichinose to meet him elsewhere, a fair distance away from the camp. The two of them are alone on a cliffside, where he... presents her with another bouquet.]
For you, Kuon!
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Well. Guess this is happening now? Ichinose is still as baffled as she was those fake several days ago. There is absolutely an inconspicuous designated spot in camp to dump all the bouquets unless any of the former subjects or the baby indicate they want the flowers. But she does have some manners, so she accepts the one that's currently being offered to her.]
Aw, another bouquet... How sweet! [Why.] You really don't have to bring anything, though. Just seeing your face is enough to brighten my day.
[As a friend. Please.]
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You can't keep practicing until you eat your soup. [ sternly. and then, softly, even though this is a toddler and he is MAYBE past the age where you need to do this: ] Open up for the train, okay, SL? Chugga chugga chugga chugga... choo choo.
[ he does the little motions and everything, tail swishing. this is the stupidest tag i'll ever write ]
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INTERLUDE - TEAM 2
There's been news of a supervillain group rising, named Shredder. On the bright side, Ladle has more work now and its executives (read: mostly a bunch of rich middle-aged/old men who get to make all the important decisions for the organization without doing any of the hard work) decided to allow it to remain. (To be quite honest, it was on the verge of having to disband.) No one knows what these supervillains look like, though; only that they leave destruction in their wake.
Flowers and chocolate still get sent regularly to Ichinose, usually accompanied by very long, flowery, and somewhat nonsensical love letters. There is never a return address, however.
... Along those lines, the Ladle executives have approached Ichinose and Yamato. Apparently, the leader of Shredder is Rae, and all of this is some convoluted attempt to win Ichinose's love? But knowing that she has the attention of a notorious supervillain, they don't feel like they can let her walk freely. Of course, it's her decision!! They're just saying!!!!
That is to say, they absolutely plan on forcing her in the future if she doesn't agree to be under their supervision. But they're not saying that.
One day, though, they're approached by an androgynous-looking woman who may or may not be Lalli and Lux's boss (not that they know it).]
I'm gonna cut to the chase. If you don't want those stupid ass executives to use you as bait in whatever plans they have or to keep an eye on you 24/7, join up with us and become a superhero. [That's to both Ichinose and Yamato.] We'll pay you, and we'll even throw in free boarding since you're homeless or whatever, right? We've got people who can look after that kid, too.
[Bitty SL is still with them. Boss will hand him a piece of candy, actually, before addressing Yamato and Ichinose again.]
You get to have freedom, and you can help people while you're at it. Worse comes to worst, it's a job, and in today's capitalist society, you got to have one.
We won't make you do anything you don't want to, and since it's in Ladle's best interests to take out this fucking Rae asshole, we can help you out there.
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so to be honest, when they get the invite and SL looks so happy at a piece of candy, it's hard to say no. they are indeed homeless, it's hard to get decent jobs in this economy with This Racism, and also yamato cannot emphasize how much rae is a fucking asshole.
still, while his tail is swaying in clear interest, he looks at ichinose first, since she's the future bait in this hetero nightmare ]
Ichinose-san... she's got a point. This might be the best case scenario for us right now.
[ life kind of fucking sucks for them? ]
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THE MIDDLE
The boss assures Lalli and Lux that this isn't their problem to deal with, though, and gives them some time off to cope.
Before they leave, though, she'll give Lux a pendant: it will heal one person of fatal injuries (note: things like illness or poison not included). It can be used only within this CYOA. According to her, it's a gift from the woman whose daughter she saved. She, regardless of what anyone else says, is grateful to Lux for being there.
Lux and Lalli will feel that several days have passed, when they find themselves in the Ladle headquarters. The panda man is leading them to a room.]
You wouldn't know since you were off work, but we got two more newcomers! They'll be your juniors, so treat them well, all right?
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We're bringing more beginners on with such limited funding?
[ that sure sounds like a choice. ]
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THE ENDING
The panda man rushes out to meet the boss.]
It's Shredder, Chief! Rae and his lackeys—they're attacking!
[It looks like they decided to take advantage of Ladle's strongest hero, aka the boss, being out. The boss yells and says a lot of not nice things I won't repeat, before she turns to the group.]
Go and find SL. There were employees who'd be protecting him, but I don't know if they'd be able to fend off against Rae or his subordinates.
[Meanwhile, she's going off to find Rae himself and beat him to a bloody pulp, maybe. The panda man joins her.
I'm railroading this and forcing you all to go look for SL, even if you weren't planning to. Strangely, on the way, Lalli will feel a prick—and if he checks, there's now a needle sticking out of his neck, as if thrown at him. The culprit flees before they can be caught, although it won't be anyone they recognize aka not one of their Ladle coworkers.
It's actually very unfortunate/funny that you cured Lalli of all people, because he then promptly falls unconscious. His face is pale, his breathing shallow. Oh fuck, he's been poisoned again. One of you will have to carry him; they'll notice he's getting worse, so hm, this might be fatal.
But first things first! Gotta find a baby.
When they reach the area SL was left in... well. There are some employees who have been injured and knocked unconscious, and some outright dead. Among them, as if they were trying to protect him, is SL.
He's... also unconscious. He's bleeding rather heavily, actually. In fact, he's dying, and they won't have time to get medical attention for him.
Hmmmmmm.]
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it's not.
"go and find SL" is all yamato hears before he's breaking out running at breakneck speed, despite the preestablished exhaustion and injuries. even the earlier reminder of their real selves isn't enough to stop his instincts from this place and home both. that's his brother. he's a baby, he can't protect himself, and there's a fire, and that's his brother.
but then as the others have no choice but to follow him because plot demands it, lalli falls to the ground with a loud thud and-- between lux's bum leg and ichinose's incredibly wounded (singular) arm, he knows they can't carry him alone. he bounces on his feet a second before he rushes back. luckily for everyone involved, lalli's smaller and lighter than yamato both, so after some finagling and probably help from the girls, he manages to arrange him on his back in a loose piggy back hold as he starts up again. he is running on adrenaline and determination alone. fortunately! he has a lot of those.
he's not sure what they'll do-- lalli's poisoned again (oh fuck) and they don't have an antidote, but they can't leave him in a burning building. they'll-- find something. or someone, somehow. they just need to get SL first.
and then they find him, and yamato nearly drops lalli to the ground right here ]
SL! [ it's a gut wrenched scream as he staggers towards him. he's a baby and he's dying and it's not. it's not okay. part of yamato is aware this might not be entirely real, but another, bigger part of him is mixing up those memories of himself and this child with the ones of takeru as a kid, and everything is blurring, and this is clearly the right time for
a quick trip down memory lane about his eight year old brother having a gun?
and then he's back and SL is STILL DYING WOW THIS HELPED NOTHING so he turns to the girls in the exact same brand of panic as he shows in that clip ]
Do you have anything? We have to help, he's... he's...!
[ the building is still on fire. ]
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