PHASE I [ day one ] Bright and early - very early - on April 1st, everyone will receive texts to their CereVices from one Yu Narukami that reads: Today’s the day, everyone. Let’s all plan to meet by Ardeo’s shrine as soon as possible. We’ll head over the wall from there and set out.
Regardless of when you arrive, Yu (and Yosuke) will be there, ready to greet you and hand out the supplies that Yu has been collecting for the past several days. Now is the time to mingle and get familiar with the other members of the expedition provided you don’t already know them. This is the last bit of calm you’ll get before a motley crew of fliers helps to lift you off the ground and take you over the wall: a dragon, a robot, and whatever these two are. Buckle up.
The jungle, once you arrive on the other side of the wall, is as humid and uncomfortable as ever, though you’ve all come a little more prepared this time. Your CereVices continue to fail to function (and, for some reason, they still play that song when you try to access the internet. Seriously, why did you even bother…?), and monsters of all kinds still lurk the trees amongst all the strange bugs and odd flowers from before. Better be on your guard; you might think you know what the jungle has in store for you, but you’d be wrong.
PHASE II [ day two ] By the second day of travel, this band of explorers has made it a fair way into the jungle, especially with a number of fliers between them to speed things along a little. The air is starting to get a little uncomfortable to breathe, but that’s no big deal, right? You can press through that.
What’s not as easy to simply press through is the strange things you’re starting to see in the trees. Is that … is that your sister? Your brother? Your father, your mother? Are they injured, are they bleeding? Either way, you seem to be seeing your family, and they seem to be terribly hurt. This may be a familiar effect to certain characters. That’s not all; the trees are moving, too, and if characters aren’t careful, they’ll get dragged down along with them. Stay still amongst these patches of trees, and you’ll turn into one yourself. Better keep moving and not dwell too long on what isn’t really there.
If you need some encouragement to keep moving, perhaps the sudden and untimely arrival of this friendly fellow burst forth from the moving trees which had unfortunately camouflaged it will convince you to run.
PHASE III [ day three ] Pressing on despite growing dangers, hallucinations, worsening conditions, and ever-more urgent fears of suffocation will be rewarded. Provided characters have figured out their way around the three day breathing limit (and you have figured it out by now, haven’t you?), they’ll finally see their first sign of the planet’s natives - the first glimpse of actual people that anyone has managed to catch. And it seems these people are willing to talk, especially once they catch sight of Hiccup and Toothless. They make it extremely clear they want everyone well away from their village, though. How, you ask? Well, that spike-lined pit you just fell into (hopefully you caught yourself on the edge!) might have made it clear. The pack of monsters they just sent your way might also be another hint. Survive all their traps and deterrents and make it clear that all you want to do is talk, and not approach the village proper, and they’ll become … well, less hostile, at least. Take the time to speak with them and decipher what little they learn of the language of Cerealia, and you might learn a few interesting things.
Taking the third day to gather information and simply rest might be for the best. You’ve all been pushing hard, and who’s to say what else awaits out there? Yu calls for a night of rest, and no one will go anywhere else on day three.
PHASE IV [ day four ] Hopefully you took that time to recover. Because on day four, you’ll find yourself saddled with a whole new world of trouble. A new friend will show up to spoil your plans whatever they may be, and he’s even less friendly than the last guy.
With two major monster attacks and a dozen minor ones, plus traps, bugs, hallucinations, and the very real threat of suffocation to contend with, with members of the group injured and supplies and healing spells dwindling, Yu will make another decision as leader of the group: we’re going home. The risk of staying out here has just become too great.
PHASE V [ day five ] Did you think it would be that easy?
The trek home is hard, even with fliers scattered between the group to speed everyone back the way you all came as quickly as possible. All the injuries still mean everyone has to touch ground in order to rest occasionally. And no matter how vigilant you are, no matter how careful, the best laid plans can still go awry…
[ Or they can be ripped entirely asunder. ]
When the battered, broken group finally reaches the walls late on the 5th day of April, their number will be two less than what they started with, and they will risk losing three more unless they get medical help immediately.
Such are the dangers of testing the jungles of Tellus.
BONUS [ day ??? ] Everyone’s least favorite bugs are still hanging around the jungle. Well, it’s not like they’d go away after just a few days of you all being gone, would they? Get bit, and you’ll find yourself hugging the nearest unlucky sap. Or maybe you’re just suffering some uncomfortable, sudden swelling. Yikes.
It’s funny, though. Is it just you, or is it just a little bit easier to breathe now that this totally random person with no particular elemental affiliation has been hugging you for a while? Huh. Must just be your imagination.
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estoria2015-11-04 10:53 pm
i.
[Ruby seems to have the same amount of social grace going on here, so they're in good company right now.
She shifts a little awkwardly, and manages a sheepish grin.]
... Um, I'm Ruby, by the way.
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Oh, you're Ruby? [ Yep, he definitely recognizes that name. DON'T MAKE IT WEIRD, DIPPER. ] Uh, Hiro's mentioned you before.
[ He made it weird. ]
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[Yeah, that just got weird.
She wasn't really expecting to be recognized, after all, and the fact that he attached Hiro's name to said recognition just makes her tilt her head even more.]
... What does that mean, exactly? Hiro was talking about me? [Why is that... something that makes her feel even more embarrassed....]
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Dipper glances around, as if looking for some kind of easy answer to jump out at him suddenly. ]
Mentioned! Just, uh - in passing! He barely even mentioned you at all! [ okay wait no THAT SOUNDS BAD, TOO. ] Iiii mean - I'm sure he would talk about you, like, a lot more? Just, you know, given the circumstances of the conversation, uh.
[ How is he doing so far. ]
So, uh, how about that jungle?
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For once, she feels like she's the one who isn't being Maximum Awkward this conversation, and it's an odd feeling. Is this what people feel like they they talk to her?
... Probably.]
Uh.
[...]
But we're not even in the jungle yet, so I don't know-- [WAIT. a bolt of divine inspiration strikes!!] Ooooh, you're changing the subject. Gotcha. Um.
Yeah! Jungles. I like jungles. Do you like jungles?
[This is painful.]
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So this could be going better. He rubs his arm. ]
Nope! Not at all! [ mercy ] Do...you like jungles? It's cool if you do, you know. Totally cool.
[ Cool as beans... ]
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Well.
Uh. Smooth, this is going super smoothly!!]
Well, I mean... I don't super like them, but they're usually pretty interesting? But I guess if you don't like them, that's fine too.
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[ Smooth as peanut butter. ]
I mean, considering how different every place was that we wound up in last time? We could find anything out there.
[ The only way to escape the awkwardness is to go into full on investigative nerd mode! ]
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You're right, we could! And maybe there will be some new monsters, and there will be some interesting stuff out here to learn about, and it'll be exciting!
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I'm planning to take notes on everything we see, and I'll add sketches of the monsters to the ones I did from last time. Maybe we can start to put together some kind of survival guide for other people who want to do this kind of thing.
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[It's like the awkward is a sad, terrible memory of the distant past.]
I didn't know that you did that sort of thing... you must be pretty talented at sketching and note-taking and stuff!
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Definitely better at note-taking than sketching. [ Especially compared to Ford's work. That man was a full-blown artist. ] But I do my best. If I write down all the information I have, it's a lot easier to remember and draw conclusions from.
[ At this rate, he's going to need a whole set of journals just to cover Cerealia and the different worlds he'd heard about. ]
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That gets a thoughtful nod out of Ruby, even if it's not really her area of expertise.]
Well... I'm not really great at classifying monsters and especially not at classifying things that aren't monsters, but if you need any help with anything, just let me know, okay?
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[ He's pretty much expecting it, after last time. ]
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[the possibilities are endless!]
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[He asks, and she delivers, because naturally this is one of her favorite topics. Hence why she makes sure he's not in range (it'd be bad to hit him with it), and then she unfolds her scythe to its full, proper size.]
I'm a Huntress!
[It's all very impressive, except when she pauses and--]
... In training.
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Soooo you...hunt? Hunt what, exactly?
[ That did not like the sort of weapon you went out hunting deer with. ]
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Giant, soulless monsters.
[Naturally.]
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Gotcha. So, is that just a hobby, ooooor some kind of pre-destined hero kind of thing?
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[Naturally.]
But I guess my whole family is Huntsmen and Huntresses, so maybe it's a little pre-destined like that?
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Hang on. Are you Yang's sister?
[ A+ detective work there, Dipper. ]
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[Ruby sounds entirely unsurprised that Dipper knows Yang, because Yang is...Yang.]
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And um, yeah. Aura. Soul sounds kinda weird even if I guess it's true.
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