ximilialog | MISSION: BAD COMPANY, PART 2

MISSION: BAD COMPANY, PART 2

● ● ● M I S S I O N 4 . 2

INTRO • THE DREAM DEFERRED • YOUR WAKE UP CALL • FYI

// INTRO. WELFORD BRANSON  

It is barely past twilight in Scorpion’s Bend, the twin suns having just set, taking their light with them — but the moons delay, and so darkness lingers over the town as Lan Xichen’s conversation with one Welford Branson comes to an abrupt end. At the same time, all around the town, the team will notice the town natives around them stilling — some freezing in the middle of a sentence, a man with a fork in the air, a woman mid-step on the street, some youngsters with their mouths open in laughter. All of them become statues in less than a heartbeat; still, eyes vacant, like everything that made them seem alive has been taken away.

And then — a reverberating sigh, echoing heavily in the ears of all the Orbers. What follows are words, spoken by a chorusing voice now familiar to most of the team —

“Well now you’ve done it.”

The orb’s echoing sound is filled with disappointment, even annoyance.

Some may see that amidst all the frozen townspeople, an old man runs, clawing at his thinning hair. Some of you may hear his words, muttered, desperate:

“I don't understand, I thought 'twas just a bad dream, everyone was fine, don't understand, what in the name of the Eight could've done somethin' like this —”

The disbelieving mumbles trail at his wake, making it clear he does not know what is going on at all — in fact, you may have a better idea as to what has happened than he does. But as you turn to follow him, open your mouth to yell at him to stop... everything around you shatters.

The lights in the buildings grow dim and break; the smell of food disappears; the horses in the stables simply fade away. You notice that if you were wearing or carrying something you bought while here, it too disappears, your clothes turning to those you had on upon arrival, all equipment shimmering away slowly.

But perhaps most importantly… the frozen statues of people crumble into ash right in front of you. It may fill the floors of the now-silent, dusty and worn-down houses, or it may blow away with the harsh desert wind — whichever it is, sans the team, the town of Scorpion’s Bend is now devoid of people.

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// PART I.THE DREAM DEFERRED  

The town that now surrounds the team is very different from the one it used to be — the houses are quiet, filled with sand and dust; doors broken, tables turned over, drawers open and mostly empty, aside from anything not valuable. The beds in Thornbush Inn are ragged, insects of various sizes skittering along the floors. The Saloon is dusty, furniture broken, and a lone piano stands in the corner, half its keys having crumbled away. The door to the Mayor’s office is ajar, a banging sound repeating as it hits the wall in time with the wind.

1.0 In the corners of the Sheriff’s office, the school and the church, the embera slither along, searching for food; owl-shrews hide from the Orbers on the streets, while feathered coyotes howl at the five moons now lending their light to see the town’s destruction better. The team may be the only living humanoids, but they are not the only living beings in the town anymore; in the absence of people, animals have made the town their home. And coexist they must, now, to survive the rapidly dropping temperature of the night that has fallen upon them.

2.0 The next morning, as the moons disappear underneath the horizon and let the two suns bring out their scorching rays once more, the team wakes up to the reality of having to survive Scorpion’s Bend… with very little supplies. So search the empty houses, for they still stand; the fire that has burned away the people has not touched the buildings… but they have not been immune to the passing of time, or the harsh weather in the desert. You may find clothing, basic equipment, pots and pans left on a now-cold stove; but no valuables, no money, no gems, no jewelry, no weapons.

But amidst your search through the town, remember that what you need, first and foremost, is to find water and something to eat — it will not be long until the suns are high in the sky, and some of you are already in desperate need of proper nourishment, without being left to endure the scorching temperatures the days on the planet of Badrock bring.

3.0 But should you want to brave the heat, you’ll find it is now possible to leave the town and venture out into the desert. Out there, the rock dragons search for prey, while bald vultures circle above your head in groups of three or four, their shrieks growing in volume the farther you walk. If you show weakness, any weakness, they strike — and the dragons, sensing their chance, are not far behind.

And when you least expect it, the ground underneath you trembles, like a small earthquake is approaching you… and then you see it: from the sand, a whale surges up, then another, and another, arcing through the air like suspended there, before the sand swallows them once more. Should you get too close, you too may be swallowed underneath the sand; unless you’re very, very careful, or have in your arsenal something else that may help you to deal with these near-immortal giants that have swam across the deserts for hundreds of thousands of years.

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// PART II.YOUR WAKE UP CALL  

Time passes at a snail’s pace without the comforts of the town you were used to. Scorpion’s Bend is now a wasteland you must survive, and it clearly isn’t easy. Some of you might question whether retrieving the orb is still an endeavour worth pursuing after all of this, but the rest of you know that it is. That you’ve come this far and you’re nearly there; you just need to band together and form a gameplan.

As the suns begin to set over the horizon on yet another grueling day of scorching heat and rough, dry sand in the ghost town of Scorpion’s Bend, you might begin to hear a distant thunder that has nothing to do with an oncoming desert storm or otherwise. It rattles at the already weakened structures of the old Saloon and the General Store, bits of broken glass and debris vibrating with the raucous sound of clattering hooves, feet, and paws. And as the sound of the invasion grows louder – you’ll hear the unmistakable manic howling and bellowing in accompaniment: these are the Bouldersnakes that some of you have already heard much of.

4.0 The Bouldersnakes are not a group to be taken lightly, and have garnered the fearsome reputation that they now hold for a reason. Kicking up dust, they arrive like a cloud of chaos in different sizes, shapes, and forms. Some have the ability to shrink and grow in size to match their opponents in physical size and weight. Other Bouldersnakes are agile and quick; and others yet are superhumanly strong and robust – either way, they make for formidable opponents when you, yourself, have been weakened from weeks of a lack of proper nutrition and sleep. The individual members of the Bouldersnakes are like a band of bloodthirsty brothers: from all walks of life and all colours and creeds, with a severe and mean streak to them, who will stop at nothing to achieve their goals.

What goals, you ask? Should you listen carefully, their leader, riding a winged lizard-like creature, shouts to their underlings:

“Find it! This is where it told us to come to. We missed it last time, but no more! I don't care what we have to do, we're getting our hands on that thing!”

As it so happens, you are not the only crew in search of that elusive orb; the Bouldersnakes have been tracking down the whereabouts of this mysterious and all-powerful object themselves, burning through towns – quite literally – to get it. News that Scorpion’s Bend has seen a resurgence of life and might still be the resting place of the orb has the bandits seeking out the town again. Their first round through Scorpion's Bend about a year ago had them coming up empty-handed (save for a few bits and baubles), but this time they are determined to find what they've come here to find. Though if there’s anything left here to salvage... they’ll ransack as they please.

Whether you confront them head-on or they catch you in hiding, they won’t easily back down from a fight. It will be best to keep your distance if you can manage it, and hope that they’ll pass you by. But the Bouldersnakes have their weaknesses too: once maimed, they still bleed, and none of them are immortal, though they are notoriously difficult to kill based on their talents alone... and when they carry weapons, too, well — those not accustomed to battles may find it best to hide. And even for those with fighting experience under your belt, teaming up with your fellow Orbers and combining your shared skills will be your best chance at survival.

5.0 By the time the suns have disappeared and the moons have risen, the Bouldersnakes invasion will make the bandit attack from the other night seem like a childish tussle. The Bouldersnakes don’t play nice and have adapted to the harsh lands as ruthless survivors. They arrive like a wave, many equipped with weapons: guns, sabers, pistols and small knives. A few others have engineered their own specially crafted weapons made of metal and magic (in the shape of guns, blow-torches, and blades) that wield a special element harnessed from mined ore called ‘pulsefire’. It is this pulsefire, glowing a deep blue (like the hottest colour of flame), that has the capability to destroy all living beings and allows the bandits to systematically ravage unsuspecting towns down to ash, reap its benefits (either for the town’s riches and wealth, or and especially: for any supply of ore), and then leave without a trace.

The best way to fight against pulsefire is to acquire weapons of pulsefire of your own and best a Bouldersnake before they best you. (Think high stakes, noon-time duels of the pistol.) Of course, this is a very risky and very dangerous affair as one shot by pulsefire could mean your untimely demise and the element itself isn't easy to put out either, so it might be best to work in teams to strategically disarm and swipe a pulsefire weapon to use before they manage to overwhelm you.

NOTE: If your character is alive, your character will be vulnerable to the effects of pulsefire. Unliving things such as buildings and infrastructure will not be affected. Pulsefire has a slow spread-rate over unliving things, but its effects on the living are instant. Once in contact with the element, pulsefire quickly consumes the living body and spirit until it is turned to ash. Putting pulsefire out over unliving things is relatively easy, but once pulsefire has touched the living, there's little to no chance of making it out in one piece.

All through this, you must still remember your goal — it is not to stay in Scorpion's Bend, or even fight the Bouldersnakes, but to find the orb... and that means finding Welford Branson. How will you convince him to give you the orb, when all signs point to him not even knowing what it is, or what it has done? That is what you must decide... if you survive the Bouldersnakes in one piece, of course.

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F Y I

• The events in this log take place ICly right after the end of the NPC thread.

• The voting for how to get the orb is now open! Please head HERE to submit your idea for how the team should proceed to get the orb, or +1 others’ ideas.

• The conclusion of the mission and the return to the station will be posted on February 13.

• If you have questions about anything in this log, please direct them HERE.

• And finally, your soundtrack for this log: ♪ ♪ ♪

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Once Yzak gets that ego tingling affirmation, he briefly moves while Blue wills himself to have a little more, setting the rest of what he just made out of the way so others who are dropping by and looking for a bite of something can help themselves.

He turns back to Blue after that, noting his posture before he lifts his head to him again - unawares of what exactly this new issue that's cropped up for him is. There's a flash of concern in Yzak, one he feels a lot, can't help but feel when he notes those things, knowing sometimes Blue simply feels dizzy, or needs a moment. But it's a common, fleeting feeling that he tries to simply let come and go without allowing it to set in, because if it did not only would he start to despair, but Blue would also feel that and he doesn't want the other to feel bad about something that he can't help. ]

You're welcome. [ He replies, still overall pretty relaxed. He nods back to him, then crouches to reach for the plate he put aside and get it out of the way. ]

[Yzak's barely gotten the plate lifted before Blue's posture tenses up. he sits up off his knees, one hand to his mouth, the other reaching and blindly grabbing at Yzak's sleeve, pulling a bit too hard and causing the remaining portion to spill onto the floor.]

I need to get--

[--up and move, but...no. best he can do is double over again as he retches through his fingers, letting Yzak go to catch himself before he can pitch too far forward.]

[ The way Blue suddenly grabs at him that way surprises him, and Yzak jerks forward to just catch himself against the wall with his free hand. Lucky he does, because it ensures that Blue mostly misses him (save for his boots) when he gets sick. ]

—h-hey!

[ Whatever droplet of elation he managed to get moments prior dries up in an instant, replaced by a sudden rush of panicked concern. The plate is dropped back onto the floor with a clang so both arms can shoot out to grab for Blue - one slipping under his chest to support him in case his arm gives out, the other on his back. ]

Shit, [ he whispers, low to himself, unmoving until Blue does what he has to do and is able to properly move again.

Oh, oh no. A jumble of thoughts roll through his mind - was the food bad? No, no he just had some himself, it was fine. So this ... this is Blue? Something just happening to him that's both shocking in this moment but even as the shock runs through Yzak, the realization sets in as well; of course it's happening to him, he's dying, remember?

...

Fuck. ]

[Blue, who is usually very keyed-in and able to keep up with the transitions of Yzak's thoughts and feelings, is still too caught up in his body seizing up and getting sick to assuage any of those mounting fears. there's really not much in him to let out beyond that meal and bile, but that doesn't stop his body from trying for a little longer, and after a few empty heaves, the his body starts to go slack in Yzak's arms, head hanging low in pure exhaustion.

it's humiliating and frustrating, being laid low by his own body, good reason or otherwise. and worse than that:]

Oh, Yzak...I'm so...I'm sorry...

[worse than that is dragging someone he loves down with him. this isn't how it's supposed to be. he was Soldier, the one who could raise up others, and now?]

[ Once he's through and Yzak feels more of that weight against his hold, he adjusts to it to keep Blue upright. The apology claws at his heart, because he knows why he hears it, why anyone would be inclined to it like this. But that it's Blue, that it's now happening like this... ]

Are you kidding me? What the hell are you saying sorry for?

[ Words brusque, but tone lacking any traits of it, low and soft instead. Like he could help this?

This, this concerning ... whatever it is. ]

Was it the food? Or, are you just not feeling well? Here— take my arm.

[ Carefully, he'll shift and offer himself for Blue to brace on, if only to move him a small ways away so he can sit down somewhere. ]

[just being so rapidly drained and laid low like this has Blue so defeated, and he can only be grateful for once that his feelings can't be so easily conveyed: there will be no good coming from being shown for how weak he feels inside when he's so plainly weak on the outside. and when one feels bad, it takes that much more strength to keep one's chin up.

this was easier to bear when this level of sickness came upon him alone, but having someone bear witness to it makes the weight almost too much, and it brings frustrated tears to his eyes.

he brooks no resistance to being moved, but he's also not in a state to help at all, not even moving to take the arm as asked. dead weight. i'm becoming...]

[ Blue's lack of ... any kind of response, by mouth or through mind, is worrisome. But he needs a moment to recover, and Yzak can compartmentalize enough to not let the worry impact his own immediate goal.

In that case, he opts to the nearest door of the schoolhouse's cooking area, which is a couple of feet away, just to at least get out of the room and away from all that. If Blue doesn't make any move to take his arm or otherwise, he'll do what he always does, just easily (so easily, too easily) pick him up and bring him into his arms. The small break room adjacent to it has a couple of places to relax for the former staff - dilapidated and gross now, but something is better than a cold, hard, floor, right? He sets Blue down on one of the smaller lounge sofas, ripped and sagging. He's otherwise quiet, waiting for him to recover. ]

[he's as light and easy to carry as ever - it's just the logistics of sitting him upright that's a little tricky when he's not making any effort on his own. that said, being in Yzak's arms brings him closer to the heart of that worry; Yzak can solider all he wants to complete a task, but the Mu can feel what drives him.

that's a good thing, really: it motivates Blue to actually try. once he's set down, he does actually sit up, putting a hand on Yzak's elbow to keep him from getting too far away if he thinks go. even so, his head is still tilted down, eyes downcast, bangs obscuring the trail of frustrated tears streaking his face.]

I'm sorry. You worked so hard. And it really did...taste good...

[ He feels that hand on his elbow. Light and easily breakable as that touch actually is, it wouldn't seem that way as it does as intended and keeps Yzak anchored there, close as he mirrors the action and hooks his own hand under Blue's elbow in turn. ]

Stop saying that! It's fine! You think I give a shit about that at all, right now!?

[ Sure, he'll come back around to it later and feel good about that little detail, but right now? Right now he has one pressing concern, and that's Blue. Yzak crouches to kneel, leveling with him. ]

More importantly, are you okay?

[Blue's head lifts a little so he can meet his eye.]

There's not really...much left in me to expel...so in that way, I suppose it is over.

[but in other ways...no, not great.]

I'm just...very tired.

[ In that way.

...

No, it's not hard to connect the dots there, as much as Yzak simply doesn't want to connect them, as much as his mind first tries to shut the thought down completely because that what he does when he simply refuses to face something so heavy.

Yzak notes the way some of Blue's bangs stick awkwardly to his face from the wetness of the tears, hand not supporting him reaching to brush them aside and out of his eyes properly. It lingers, thumb lightly swiping under his eye to dry some of it. Wow, it's almost like when he has no choice but to get serious, he just forgets to get awkward or flustered about this kind of thing. ]

Doctor McCoy's office is right near here. If you think you should see him once you relax a bit.

[as humiliating as it is to feel this low, Blue is still consoled by the gentleness. struggling alone is bad enough, and struggling while worrying others is its own kind of bad, but...well, he could argue it's because he's Mu, and being alone has its own hellish qualities, but even humans feel better when someone is taking care of them when they're unwell!

his head tilts into the hand, eyes closing as he breathes out a faint, affirmative sound.]

Yes. You're right.

Then, I can take you shortly.

[ He goes quiet after that, simply ... staying as is for a couple of minutes, letting Blue lean into his touch. The action helps calm him down, too. Yzak hadn't quite realized in the moment how ... unsure it was, until it was over. Blue's sudden turn, the way he went so limp in his arms, the alarm and not knowing what was happening and if he was going to...

Oh that thought is being very violently severed before it finishes.

But now, he feels his own heart start to calm the longer he stays there, feeling the warmth of skin against his hand. And eventually: ]

Can you keep upright on your own for about a minute?

[it's anchoring for both of them in their ways; as unpleasant as it may be to be the source of such concern...it's also a consolation, accepting the compassion. were he a younger man, Blue would be less keen on relying on Yzak or anyone - more secure in his own power, more rooted in his biases... his fading is humbling in many ways, and not all of those ways are ultimately bad.

his eyes don't open right away, but eventually:] I can. yes. [but he's not that excited to stop the moment...even if it ought to end. still, he lifts his head and slowly sits up...and back against the cushion with an exhale.]

Okay.

[ Reluctantly, he pulls away and stands when Blue sits back. He's quick like he said he'd be, simply going back into the kitchen area to, for now, clean off his boots and fetch a glass of water and a small handtowel for Blue.

He returns and offers both to him, taking a seat on the edge of the armrest of the sofa.

And then he says, somewhat belated: ] I'm glad to hear that you liked it. [ You know. The food. ]

[when Yzak gets back, Blue's head is tilted back, eyes closed, dozing a bit, more aware of the raw exhaustion in his limbs. it's not even the despised state of weariness that compels him to try and move more, either: this is his mind and body coming to a consensus that sleep would not be so bad.

even so, when Yzak comes to sit, he opens his eyes, lifting his head and gradually accepting what's offered, wiping his eyes and face first before taking careful sips, eyes wincing as he gets reacquainted with that acidic taste in his mouth.]

There's still more I want to try... More like that. I've been introduced to so many sweet things...hot chocolate, cookies, dango... But there's still so much more.

[ Perched there, he listens to Blue, watching him take the sip of water and clean himself up some. There's more relief there, pulling him further away from the distress earlier.

He takes a moment to reply. Because what can he say to that? Of course from this alone he doesn't know for sure just yet what awaits Blue where food is concerned. All this could have been was a one off event. Yzak isn't blindly, positively optimistic (you definitely will), but he doesn't wish to despair, either (sorry bud this ain't lookin good). So he falls somewhere in the middle. ]

Good that a lot of us know how to make things that aren't as sweet, then.

And I tend to lean more in that direction myself.

[he gets a couple more small sips in before resting the glass on his lap. he exhales, eyes closing, and leans against Yzak's side.]

Even just sitting and watching you make those things... I want to do that. [his mouth tugs a bit on one side.] But not here...not this awful, dead place.

[ Yzak looks down when he leans against him, his foot on the ground shifting just enough to keep himself comfortably in place there so Blue can relax as long as he feels like. ]

That should be easy enough to arrange. Obviously. [ O B V I O U S L Y. ] That, and I can make much better than what I just did with such limited items! [ Because he's gotta add that.

All the same, the thought of that, while so simple, sounds ... nice, to him. Because... ] It would probably be less boring, having company for that for a change, too.

It's...a part of what makes the act worthwhile. [a beat.] That's what Sabriel told me when she was cooking for us. That it even...makes the food taste better when there's company.

Maybe that's not scientific, but I'm still inclined to agree.

[ He's saying this to a guy who collects good luck charms and dreamcatchers as a hobby. Yzak makes a small, humming sound. ]

She has a point, saying something like that.

And, it's nice to hear 'cooking for us' regarding her, without an additional 'and burning it'.

[ There's some amusement in that thought. ]

[Blue breathes out a soft, amused sound.]

No, she...did not burn anything when I sat with her. Not like poor Newt's cookies.

[ Yzak makes a face that basically says "ugh those poor fucking cookies." Rest in burnt little pieces.

But then he continues on. ]

She sure did when she tried to do it, once, after our very first mission.

[ Wow someone's a nark. ]

Then...her practice took her a long way, because the stew she made for me was very good. [he didn't even throw it up!]

[ wow RUB IT IN!! ]

That's partially thanks to me and my own stellar talent!

[ Sorry he's like this,

Though after he says that completely egotistical bullshit, his thoughts become fond, admiring, warm when he thinks about her. ]

Of course, it's also because she's an adept teacher herself. Not to mention the intricacies of the Charter magic she's taught me are so deep that picking up something like cooking after mastering something like that was probably a breeze for someone like her.

● ● ● M I S S I O N 4 . 2

F Y I

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