[muffled spooky scary skeletons playing in the distance]

[geonomy]

Who: You! Me! Everybody!
Broadcast: idk but we've sure got a pretty broad cast of folks eh, eh
Action: HECK YEAH PLANET MINGLE
When: 10/7 until plot update or recaptcha

It's a deep, deep forest filled to the brim with fungi, mysterious life forms, and pitch black darkness. Explore if you dare and discover all these things and more! Just don't get lost...

Comments

[nerdeology]

( a: late to the party )

[Mikleo's still pretty unhealthy and recovering from the whole being-dead situation, but between his frustration with how long it's taking, a hefty dose of cabin fever, and a slice of loneliness over being stuck with the ships when most other people are free to explore, he's ventured off of the Huntress and can be found cross-legged and leaning against a tree, not too far from where the ships have docked, but distant enough that he's surrounded by nature more than the space tech.

He's mostly just there to relax and enjoy the fresh air, but he has a bundle of stuff nearby with which to keep himself occupied; he could be found reading, taking notes in a little book, maybe even some embroidery if the lighting is particularly good.

Come chat him up, he probably looks bored at this point.]


( b: but the afterparty's still going )

[By the 16th, he's feeling much more like his usual self, and will be keen on catching up on lost time. He's not pushing himself too hard just in case, but he's no longer hiding away by the ships, either.

When he isn't out and about exploring the surrounding area, he'll be hanging around at bodies of water he finds - any lakes, rivers, and ponds that might be scattered throughout the wooded planet - and is very carefully experimenting with the water: manipulating the ebb and flow, calling small pools of it to his hand, creating ice cubes that he leaves scattered about or floating nearby. After weeks of exhaustion and feeling separated from his power, he's itching to test out his seraphic artes at last.]


( c: wildcard )

[Got something better? Come at! He's bored and keen to chat.]

b IIIIIII'M GONNA SWIIIIING FROM THE CHANDALIER

[sansseraph]

[For once, it's an accident when Lailah finds Mikleo at one of the lakes. Seeing what he's doing, the fire seraph decides to wait until it's a good time to greet him. She doesn't want to startle a water seraph, thanks.]

You're looking a lot better, Mikleo.

[She approaches him with a smile on her face.]

Getting back into the flow of your artes?

[CAN'T STOP WON'T STOP]

[nerdeology]

[Mikleo pauses between spells, glancing over his shoulder at her and lowering his hands. At the same time, he lifts a brow. Really? Really?]

I... well, yeah. I thought it was about time.

[He hasn't tried to cast any since he'd fought Sorey on the last planet- and sure, he'd been dead or missing for two weeks and a dragon for one, but that's still more than a month. He hasn't gone that long since he'd first started to learn them in the first place.]

[sansseraph]

[Lailah just looks sweetly innocent. Yes, really. Deal with it.]

Nothing wrong with that. I'm glad that you're strong enough to be able to practice again.

[She walks a bit closer and then stops to look out at the lake.]

Do you mind having an audience?

[nerdeology]

Not at all... though I don't think I'll be doing anything exciting for a while.

[He knows that Lailah's not looking for any kind of grand entertainment, but he's still a little embarrassed. He'd gotten so much stronger back home than when he'd first started, and now it feels like he's right back to square one.]

[sansseraph]

You sell your talents too short. The control you have over your element is very impressive, and also soothing in a way.

[Lailah grins a little, but the compliment is genuine. The effort he puts into gaining a deeper understanding of his power is impressive, and the fruits of those labors have shown over the course of their journey. She has no doubt that Mikleo will make a very powerful water seraph when he's older.]

Though, I have to admit, I'm a little jealous! Water is perhaps the most useful element there is for our human friends.

[nerdeology]

...Mm.

[Mikleo's answer is noncommittal at first, focusing his thoughts on reaching out towards the lake. After a moment the surface of the water appears to pop upwards, and a bubble of water flows into his hands, holding its shape as he rolls it carefully from side to side as if it's a ball.]

I used to think that we could be measured by our elements. I was frustrated, because everyone was so much stronger than I was. And that part's still true. Earth, fire, wind- they're all literal forces of nature. Water always struck me as too gentle, too soft... it was hard to get past that. It's why so many of the seraphic artes I developed utilized ice. What I really wanted was to be as powerful as all of you seemed to be, because water alone wasn't enough to protect Sorey anymore.

[He flexes his fingers, allowing ice to crawl across the surface of the water ball, and then offers it out to her once it's fully frozen.]

It's just experience, though. It's not inherently weaker than the others, and it's not more useful to humans, either. They need to keep warm, and they need solid ground to walk on, and they need to breathe. Sorey would tell you the same thing.

[She shouldn't sell herself short, either.]

B

[sylphystia]

[One of the ice cubes bobs and turns in the water, pushed by a slight breeze, but it's not particularly noticeable until Dezel goes for a long distance hairruffle. It's definitely his wind, surprisingly warm and definitely tousling Mikleo's hair. Fucking rude, really.]

There's something off about this planet. I'm still trying to figure it out.

[nerdeology]

[Mikleo ducks instinctively, for all the good it does. With a quiet sigh he lifts his hands to fix his tousled hair, glancing over towards the source of the wind- and the voice.]

You too? It's been bothering me since we arrived here.

[He sounds a little annoyed, but not especially. He'd been hoping he and Dezel would find each other here eventually.]

[sylphystia]

It gets worse the deeper in you go.

[After the whole Sora thing...]

Feels like the whole place is aware of us.

[nerdeology]

Yeah... I'm not a fan.

[Admittedly it hasn't stopped him from exploring the area, nor from going as deep into the forest as he is now. He figures Dezel's doing it for the same reasons he is, more or less.

Nature is nature, after all.]

Hey, are you busy right now?

[sylphystia]

[A fluff slug pokes its head out of the collar of his jacket.]

I'm on a date.

[Is... is that a joke...? It must be, because Dezel's sitting down nearby.]

Did you want to talk about something?

[nerdeology]

[Mikleo stifles a noise that's almost a laugh behind his hand, reaching out to give the slug a little pet. Normalcy is returning to him in fits and starts, and now that he's physically more like his old self again, the rest of his heart and mind is beginning to follow.]

I do. Well, more like I wanted to give you something.

[He reaches off to the side for a travel bag he'd been carting around - the same collection he'd had with him since their arrival, in case he'd gotten stranded somewhere. In this case, though, it's something he'd carried with him in case he ran into certain people.

Before he reaches inside, though, he pauses, glancing back over to Dezel.]

Look, I... you can be honest about it. If you don't like it or want it, if it bothers you, that's fine. Maybe I should have asked first, I don't know.

[Okay, he's probably just stalling at this point. Time to shut up.]

b

[notzubats]

[After Sora had to be bailed out that mess by Dezel, he's stuck with staying much closer to the ship as he didn't want to risk the wrath of Dezel. But of course, that's not stopping him from testing his boundaries a little, as he seems to have found himself at a lake near where they've docked. And now he's climbing up on some branches hanging over the lake to see if he can get a good view to assess the fishing.

He hasn't seem to paid much notice to Mikleo, not because he can't see him, but more like he's hyper-focused on his task of slowly climbing across that branch, trying to get a good view without falling off.]

[nerdeology]

[Mikleo doesn't notice Sora at first, either, too fixated on his latest arte. It's only when he catches sight of a reflection on the surface not far off as the water swirls, the image distorted by ripples but enough to let him know that someone's there. He looks up, and- ah.]

Careful you don't fall in. The fish are as oversized as the animals.

[notzubats]

[He hears that voice. It sounds really familiar, like his captain. So when he glances over and sees where it's coming from...]

...You! Mikleo?!

[HE CAN SEE HIM. HES SO SURPRISED HE ALMOST LOSES HIS GRIP ON THE BRANCH]

[nerdeology]

[Whoa, settle down there, kiddo. Mikleo sits up a bit, eyes widening. What did he just say about not falling!?]

What is it? Are you okay?

[notzubats]

[IT WENT IN ONE EAR AND OUT THE OTHER. Instead he's holding onto the branch with one hand while pointing DRAMATICALLY at Mikleo with the other]

You! I can see you!!

[nerdeology]

[Oh.

...Oh!]

So your resonance finally kicked in. That's fortunate... sorry for startling you.

b

[cloakand_danger]

[ Yuan is wandering about as much as he can without going too deep into the woods, seeking out any strong sources of mana. So of course when he senses a powerful water spirit using artes nearby, he wanders over to investigate.

What he sees is a little surprising: most elemental spirits where he comes from usually don't bother looking quite so humanlike. He approaches carefully, not hiding his presence but not particularly wanting to disturb Mikleo either. ]

[nerdeology]

[Mikleo's just released a small wave from the shore out towards the center of the lake, wiping his brow as he watches it travel across the surface. He notices the presence of someone in his area and glances over his shoulder, eyeing the man who approaches him. He doesn't speak; often he doesn't unless he knows of the person's resonance, and being as weakened as he is right now (with no one else around to support him) makes him less inclined to risk it with strangers. Cautiously, he waits.

Sure looks like this guy isn't here to watch the arte, though. His gaze is too fixed.]

[cloakand_danger]

[ Yuan makes eye contact with him, then bows very slightly, a respectful gesture. ]

My apologies if I disturbed you. I haven't observed many beings using elemental artes since I arrived in the fleet.

[nerdeology]

[Huh, so he does have resonance. His comment isn't surprising, in that case- he's noticed a trend in the magic-sensitive being more likely to have it. Mikleo lifts his shoulders in a small shrug, relaxing his posture a tiny bit.]

Not at all. It isn't like I own the lake.

[cloakand_danger]

[ Yuan smiles a little wryly as he steps closer, to within normal conversational distance. ]

...Honestly, that was actually something I'd hoped to ask you about. Does that mean you're not native to this world? I've been wondering if it has elemental spirits of its own, with so much mana in the air.

[nerdeology]

[Mikleo glances away, turning his attention back to the lake. The wave's already fallen into the water, leaving only ripples. It didn't go as far as he'd wanted it to.]

I've been thinking about that since we arrived here... there's definitely something more to this planet. I'm not part of it, though. I'm with the wandering fleet- like you, I suspect.

[He can't see the augment under Yuan's hair, but if he doesn't know about the planet, of course that means he's not a native, either.]