When We're Rollin Through the Wild Wild West

[geonomy]

Who: Everyone! EVERYONE!
Broadcast: IF YOU WANNA
Action: Everywhere! EVERYWHERE!
When: Mid-September - Mid-October

[How's your ship doing, pardners? Is it still pretty damaged? Is it glitching out hardcore? Well, there is one place to land to take care of all that, and that's on a dusty old moon in front of a planet that no one wants to go to. On this moon, you'll find a civilization that looks a lot like one's stepped into a wild west movie, hardened cowpolk and mutant horses and all. Will you become a vigilante, hunting bounties and stopping gangs from doing their dirty work? Will you go exploring planetside, with a cowboy hat and a stalk of wheat in your mouth to complete the look? Good luck with that; there is no wheat. This town ain't big enough for all you flooters, but make it so! For the ratings!

In other words, it's a planet mingle! Get 'er done!]

[September Planet info here]

Comments

[limitstorm]

[a] saloon serving;

[ the day is long, and after countless hours of helping the police force (or helping evade the police force) here, or exploration, there's nothing better than sitting down for a drink at one of the saloons.

riku is your bartender for this evening. looks like he's the only one on staff, actually, and although it's hit a sleepy lull in patrons right now, looks like he was busy before with the way he's cleaning up, looking a little guarded and tired. before anything's said, he glances up. ]

Uh--gimme a minute?

[b] adventuring;

[ whether you're exploring or just need a moment to yourself, you may find that you're not alone out here. with his powers back, riku is taking no chances and is trying to reorient himself.

of course, it doesn't help that smoky tendrils of darkness keep rising from his body. he's seated on the ground and seems to be... meditating? as soon as there's a disturbance and he peeks open an eye, though, he notes the darkness radiating off of him and he exhales sharply through his nose. ]

Ugh. What a pain.

[ ur. ]

Uh--not you.

B!

[got_it_memorized]

[He's been feeling a strange sort of heaviness all afternoon. There's something familiar about it, but... no, it can't be. The only thing that feels like that is Darkness, and he's pretty sure he's the only Nobody in the Fleet. But he just can't shake it: it definitely has that same cloying feel, like tar sticking to the insides of your ribcage, hollow and empty even as it's thick and viscous somehow.

[It's nearby, whatever it is, and his curiosity is really starting to win out over his better judgment. Maybe it won't hurt to just go have a look, right? Just to prove to himself that he's imagining it. It can't possibly be Darkness.

[As he gets closer, the familiar feeling intensifies. It doesn't just feel like Darkness, it feels like familiar Darkness. This is so bizarre. When he spies Riku seated on the dusty earth, though, suddenly things make sense. Well, in a manner of speaking. He knows Riku has a closer connection with the Darkness than any other human, by a long shot, but he's never seen it radiate off him this way. The Darkness licks off of him like flame, and for a moment Axel just stares, transfixed.

[When Riku speaks, though, he looks a little indignant.]

Hey! [Oh, not you. Well, still. He seems to have things under control, but it was still a worrisome display. Axel approaches him cautiously, taking a seat on the ground about a foot and a half away and giving him a slightly unsettled look.] Is... everything all right?

[limitstorm]

Yeah.

[ he rubs the heels of his hands against his eyes, frustrated. ]

I'm fine. The Atroma sure has a bad sense of humor, though.

[got_it_memorized]

[Axel leans back on his hands, looking a little relieved (if a little unconvinced) when Riku assures him it's all right.]

Well, we knew that much, I think. This entire situation has been one bad joke from the beginning, in my opinion. I mean, it even sounds like one. Take my ship, for example: An elf, a sentient plant, a dwarf, two humans, and a Nobody walk onto a spaceship... [He shrugs.] I dunno what the punchline is yet. I'm a little afraid to ask.

[limitstorm]

[ a browraise. ]

I've got a god, a Keyblade Master, a medic, a mute girl, and a crazy inventor. I dunno if my ship's any better than yours.

b!

[punchingly]

[ The sensation of sensing powerful dark magic is a cousin to the one that she's used to feeling around her when she's out and about -- nothing like adventuring with your own personal raincloud of anger and vengeance to brighten the mood, after all, and one of Margie's best friends is a perpetual sea of darkness. But this feels incredibly different, and she isn't sure she wants to deal with even more darkness on a daily basis.

Still, she watches him carefully, not saying very much -- she doesn't know who he is, and Margie still doesn't have an appropriate weapon for any sort of confrontation. It's probably best just not to bother him.

When her very intense staring finally draws his attention, she tilts her head slightly and waves a hand at the -- darkness thing. ]

What is that?

[limitstorm]

[ muttermutter ]

It's rude to stare.

[ but he sighs anyway, pulling at his bangs. the darkness starts to recede, just a tad. ]

It's Darkness. Who're you?

how did this get lost!!

[punchingly]

[ She looks away carefully ]

Margie. I am sorry for being rude, I was just curious.

took a wrong turn at albuquerque, obvs

[limitstorm]

[ he deflates. well, she doesn't look like she's trying to be a jerk... so... ]

I'm Riku. It's not dangerous. The Darkness, I mean--not right now, anyway.

B.

[notkittenaround]

[ Darkness is never unfamiliar to her. She has steeped in the well of thaumaturgy and walked the void, fought alongside a dark knight. Yet it remains a concern to see it writhing in the air. Were he not apparently intent on its control, her reaction would be more swift, decisive and prone to head injuries.

Instead, she observes until he sees her. ]

I should hope not.

[limitstorm]

[ please don't autoattack me ]

I'm not a circus act.

[ he squares his shoulders and looks at her, a little guarded. well, at least until he sees the cat ears. ??? what?

... uh, he'll just ignore those. ]

Wait, weren't you the fishing lady?

[notkittenaround]

If such darkness is enjoyed as a fête, I deeply question the madness of your world.

[ Her tail flicks to the side, a little grim in her expression. ]

Indeed, I am 'the fishing lady'. You may call me Metallic Gold Magpie, or Marhi Ohsi.

[limitstorm]

[ he gives her a pointed frown. ]

No, my world hates darkness, probably just like yours.

[ a bit defensive? probably. even so, he doesn't forget his manners. ]

Nice to meet you, Miss Ohsi.

B

[save_the_souls]

[It's been a stressful couple weeks, so Allen had actually been taking a moment alone to do something he knows people don't approve of to unwind - smoke. It's a bad habit, he knew that. He'll probably have to quit soon...but there was nothing wrong with enjoying the last pack of cigarette he had right? And enjoying it he is, as he lights the cigarette and take a long drag. Ah.]

[Except it's right as he's beginning to relax does Riku's darkness set off his cursed eye, making him all too aware there was some presence of dark energy somewhere within his vicinity]

Bugger- now!?

[Shit fuck shit shit shit goddammit, and it was one he couldn't identify either so he had to check it out. He takes half a second to figure out if he should put out the cigarette- but you know what? No, screw that. If the forces of darkness were so dead set on interrupting his smoke break, then they're just gonna have to deal with some secondhand smoke. And so off he goes towards Riku's direction, cigarette in his right hand]

[Which, when he gets close enough to see who it is? His nicotine-deprived fury is halted a little by surprise, stopping a good ten feet away from him.]

- Riku?!

[Aw shit.]

[limitstorm]

[ excuse him, he's busy coughing.

secondhand smoke kills, allen. after a good moment or two, he squints at allen. ]

Yeah? What're you so surprised about?

[save_the_souls]

[WOW RIKU HE IS TEN FEET AWAY. ITS PROBABLY MORE DUST IN YOUR LUNGS THAN ANYTHING]

I just sensed some darkness and-

[It was different from what he usually sensed from Riku. Aka, not a lot and definitely in control.]

Are you alright?

[limitstorm]

[ SECONDHAND SMOKE KILLS, ALLEN

EVEN THE SLIGHTEST PARTICLE ]

I'm fine. I've got my powers back, that's all. [ there's an edge of irritation in his voice, but it's not at allen. by the way he's glaring at the darkness rising from him, it's irritation at his inability to control it. ]

B

[curiositykilledthecats]

[Upon spotting the darkness, the first thing Miah thinks of is Ascians. Of course, he doesn't look like an Ascian... But he does resemble another white-haired pretty boy with some Ascian troubles she knows.

So she's approaching warily, shield out, sizing him up to determine if he's a threat.]

[limitstorm]

[ he frowns as she tries to come closer. same ears he saw on someone else... ]

Are you with that fishing lady?

[curiositykilledthecats]

You have met Marhi.

[Well, that should be answer enough.]

[limitstorm]

Yeah, that's one way of putting it.

a!

[stefanged]

[Maybe he hit the bar at the wrong time. Stefan folds his arms, glancing over at the array of drinks (specifically, he's looking for anything non-alcoholic) and then back at Riku.]

Uh, sure.

[It's definitely not his place to pry, so he'll focus on his initial question--] You've still got non-alcoholic stuff here, right? [He could always head back to the ship, sure, but half the point of being on a planet is to indulge in what they have.

And for God's sake, a place like this ought to have root beer.]

[limitstorm]

[ hmm... he looks like an adult. riku's kind of thrown for a loop before he shrugs and nods. ]

I can make you something without alcohol. I've been doing that for a few people off the ship.

[stefanged]

That'd be great, thanks.

[He is very much an adult - a hundred and sixty six, if he's gonna be exact. Or twenty three, depending on who's asking.] I'm not much of a drinker, and I'm kinda afraid to find out if I'm a lightweight or not.

[limitstorm]

[ he can laugh a little at that. ]

I'm not really allowed to drink where I come from, but I don't think they care.

What kind of drink d'you want? There's sour red, sour yellow, sweet purple. I think there's a sweet blue, but it looks weird. [ a shrug. ]