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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[ He is worried about a lot of people here, but the young teens worry him the most, and Ziggy is at the top of that list, right next to Edward. ]

Pot. [ Peter says, pointing at her. And then he points at himself with a; ] Kettle. [ They both look like shit, it's inevitable. But he would like it if he could make her stop feeling that way. ] And excuse you, I always look fabulous. I know how to rock the roguish-look.

[ Peter tries to get a good look at her eyes as he speaks, checking for a concussion. The pupils look normal, but Ziggy fainting isn't a good sign. ] I'll pick you up and get you somewhere with shade. Can you wrap your arms around my neck?

... I'm not a toddler, you don't need to pick me up.

[But even as she says that, she reaches out to wrap an arm around him; truth be told, she's relieved someone's there to help her up. She blinks to try and get the spots out of her vision, but her grip is firm.]

Sorry.

I'm fine, I just got too hot.

[And too hungry. And thirsty. But she'll survive.]

Maybe I just like to show off my strength.

[ He does like to show off now and then, even if know it's not the case. Peter gives Ziggy a small smile when she wraps her arms around him and adjusts his hold to make sure she's comfortable. Despite the words, it takes him a second to start walking towards the school, as he is rather tired himself. It's a short trip, at least. ]

You don't have to apologize, this whole situation is shit. [ Perhaps he shouldn't be cursing in front of a impressionable teen, but old habits die hard. ] And you can't stay under the sun for so long. I know you want to help, but there are other ways that won't exhaust you so much.

[Fuck that, Peter, curse to your heart's content. Ziggy loves a good curse word. But as she's carried, she seems to relax. Peter's someone she trusts not to throw her down and betray her trust that easily, anyway.]

What ways to help?

I'm barely any use like I am right now. You're all — superheroes, and magicians. Or you're — fucking Transformers. There's no way I can help enough to keep up.

I felt that way when I was your age too. I was surrounded by pirate aliens, and they all considered me a nuisance. My current team is made entirely of people who either have super strength, some really incredible tech abilities, or superpowers.

[ Peter is just some dude, so to speak. He only had Celestial powers for a few days, and even then, that didn't define it. He can sympathize with her, he knows what it is to be looked down on for being...well, just normal. ]

But you learn new skills as you grow up, Ziggy, it's a process. You survive, and you prove everyone wrong.

[ Peter almost sighs in relief when the school building comes into view. He can see other orbers inside there already, putting around. ]

We need to organize the supplies we have, take care of the people who get injured, and look for clues to find where Welford might be hiding. Maybe you could help with that? They're important too, and a lit less taxing for the body.

[She sighs softly, looking toward the rocky desert horizon.]

... Survive and prove everyone wrong.

I guess I'm alive here, right? I might as well keep going.

I can help organize supplies; I've been pretty good at that in the past.

[When she's not passed out from exhaustion; just need a little rest, that's all.]

[ There, just relax, girl. The town might be in shambles now, but it still has nice views. There's the silver linning to this nightmare. ]

Both are very satisfying, especially the former. Kinda like saying 'I told you so'. And it's great that you are got at it, because I'm pretty shitty at organization myself. I'll need you to impart that wisdom on me some other day.

[ Now today, and not tomorrow, she needs to regain her strength. Peter nudges the door of the school open with his feet since both of his hands are busy, and when concerned eyes turn to them, he manages to shrug with Ziggy still in his arms, as if to say, "I've got it.' One of the orbers does take the bloody bag from him, after Peter tells them it will be good for dinner, and that helps too. ]

I think they have beds available on the second floor for sleeping, but what if we make a little stop here first? You need to eat and drink something.

[ And Peter isn't sure he can carry her up a flight of stairs without taking a short rest himself. ]

[She snorts, and seems to sense that need for a short rest.]

... Only if you stop to drink and eat, too.

[She's very, very good at being stubborn, too. It's a Berman thing.

At least then they can both come out of this a little less exhausted.]

[ He doesn't have it in him to complain today, and it would be pretty hypocritical of him if he did. That doesn't stop Peter from looking at her as if to say 'I know what you are doing' before huffing and giving up. ]

All right. [ After looking around, he lowers Ziggy to a relatively intact couch. ] It's a bit dusty but not broken, and that is good enough.

I'll see what we have to eat. Don't elope anywhere. [ As if. ] Take care of this for me while I'm gone, okay?

[ Peter takes the cowboy hat from his head and puts it on Ziggy's, giving her a head pat. He likes that stubbornness, it's good. ]

[Pssht. She reaches up to adjust the hat on her head, but to her credit, she doesn't remove it as she settles on the dusty couch.]

... Alright, Stinky Pete, don't get too ahead of yourself. You'll get your hat back.

[Which is to say-]

I'm not going anywhere.

That looks good on you, Calamity Jane. And good, I'll be right back in a second.

[ He's not even mad at the nickname, and grinds at her one last time before he goes to talk to the people in charge of organizing the supplies. They don't have a lot of water, but the town no longer being open means that they have more wild creatures to hunt than snakes, so that's something positive. Peter comes back, still walking slower than his usual gait, carrying a tray with two bowls of stew, utensils, a large glass of water for her and a smaller one for himself. ]

Have you ever wondered what alien coyotes taste like? Now is your lucky day, Ziggy.

[She makes a face at that, because of course she does. Why wouldn't she.]

... Wow, feeling so lucky. I can't wait to get weird alien bones stuck in my teeth.

You're too kind, Pete.

[But... god, she is so hungry. She'd probably eat just bones, she's so hungry.]

Didn't you eat the snakes before? They were also alien animals. [ He smiles at Ziggy making a face, but understands the disgust. He had been pretty unhappy when he learned that they only had the long noodles as sustenance because he has a snake phobia. Coyotes, in his opinion, are less disgusting. Sitting down on the couch, he leaves the tray between them and pushes it closer to her. Go ahead and eat. ]

In my life, I've eaten more alien dishes than earth ones, and look at me. All tall and handsome. [ Peter makes a show of pointing at himself with a hand flourish to prove his point, as if he doesn't look like hell warmed over. Confidence seems to go a long way. ] I'm sure you will be tall too, once you are done growing up.

Yeah, but they at least mostly looked like earth snakes.

[Rolling her eyes, she ends up smiling anyway. She dips her spoon, sighs, and raises it up in toast.]

... Bon Appétit, I guess.

Edited 2022-03-11 19:14 (UTC)

Yeah, don't remind me. I'd rather have eaten something alien-looking, purple or whatever, over the snakes.

[ Peter shudders and then grabs a spoon, trying the stew. As far as food does, the coyotes have a better taste than most things he's eaten in the past. A bit spicy, but he likes that. ]

So, what's your favorite dish? I'm not an awful cook, I could make you something once we're back at the station.

[She wrinkles her nose, though more at the question than the food.

Honestly, it's not that bad. Especially when you're so hungry you could eat a cow.]

Is that even a real question? Pizza, obviously.

I knew you had good taste.

[ Peter points at her with the spoon, approvingly, then waves it around. ]

Once we're back at the station, we're havign pizza. A big one...no, no. Three. Until we're so full we feel like puking.

[Huffing a breath, she holds out her hand.]

It's a deal, old man. Pizza party when we get back.

... And maybe a really long nap.

Deal. [ He shakes with a smile but also looks like this is a very serious business. ]

Pizza party, then napping. Maybe while watching a movie or something, that sounds like a plan.

[ For now, they're still stuck here, but they're together. And for the time being, that needs to be good enough. ]

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MISSION: BAD COMPANY, PART 2

● ● ● M I S S I O N 4 . 2

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