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+---- Thread: [SE] how easily I can read that line (/showthread.php?tid=12570)
how easily I can read that line - Melita - 03-01-2026
Melita had been looking forward to Leafchange on her usual abundance of reasons; but mostly coordinated time with Iskra and the general spookiness of Ludo’s season, with its trickery and silliness. Only this one seemed to have backfired tremendously on her. If she didn’t have the traumatic lightning and death experience, she probably would’ve enjoyed the sparks sizzling in the sky, amidst the clouds, then subsequent shrieking. Instead, it had her on edge, jumpy, apprehensive, rankled.
So she steered the Firecracker carefully over the boundaries of sea, salt, and surf, tending to the air and rising above the precipitation, avoiding it entirely when she saw flickers out of the corner of her eye. Placing her excitement, her jubilation, into the motions of their fast, impending speed meant they were that much faster and abrupt when landing upon the sunken Stormbreak, peering over as she slowed and found somewhere to lend the skyship into port. [say]“Huh. Whole new setup,”[/say] she whistled, deliberately not looking upward and grabbing two very silly hats for both of them from the packs stored away. [say]“For you! Just in case.”[/say] Handing over what could only be described as a mini-umbrella situated on the top of a large sunhat, she let Iskra have the choice of hues before grabbing her bag and scurrying down the rope ladder with Sila in pursuit and Fangorn on her shoulder. The chatter persisted, nervous not for the sake of them, but the gods-damned weather, and she only loosened a breath when she made it onto the ground and the skies hadn’t opened up to the sound of screams or another zigzag motion.
Hoisting her bag further, she revealed some portions of her plans with a grin. [say]“Okay, so I thought we could either do an animal bingo as we look around,”[/say] of which she’d already rigged the most ridiculous cards imaginable, [say]“orrrr in honor of the season, tell ghost stories!”[/say] Waiting for him to decide, because either was going to result in their usual chaos, she then meandered over to a makeshift map, trying to figure out the coordinates and available areas nowadays.
RE: how easily I can read that line - Iskra - 03-01-2026
Scream rain might not be the worst rain (see instead the scald of acid rain), but it is by no means one of his favorites. It might not have him as jumpy as it does Melita, but it's undoubtedly an unnerving squeal that splits the sky every so often. He glances up at it accusingly, squinting against the haze of rain that finds his face with the motion.
He's got his forest-green rain jacket on, zipped up to fight the wind of travel and the storms they cut through. Goose is cowering somewhere belowdeck, not opposed to rain as much as screams. It's for the best really, Iskra thinks, because with the way Mel steers the ship, Iskra is sure he loses a bit more of his life every time. He's currently white-knuckling the railing as they rush into anchor, bracing with a wide stance and a steady eye on the quick action needed to grab rigging and sail to assist her.
Prying his grip from the side of the ship as they settle, he peers over the side with her, gaze sweeping over the portions of the wing-clipped city, sections already yielding to the natural state of the wilds. [say]"It seems so much bigger like this,"[/say] he remarks, and part of it seems to be that it stands more alone now, and the other being it's heights and levels arranged now. [say]"What's this?"[/say] he says on the corner of a laugh as his attention pivots to what she offers, and he turns the silly hat about in his hands readily. He's claimed the cooler colored one, full of whites and blues and some greens. [say]"How do I look?"[/say] he demands after tugging it on, still fussing with the right set of it.
Adjusting to the new weight and how it sways on his head, Iskra steps over and shrugs his bag on as well. [say]"Goooo000ooose!"[/say] he whistles, hand patting his leg. The dog whines and crawls out, and grunting Iskra grabs the massive chicken into his arms and together they climb down.
Placing the husky back on solid ground, Iskra catches up to Mel's side with a huff. [say]"Porque no los dos? What if we do animal bingo, and whoever gets bingo first, that's where we stop to eat, and tell ghost stories while we feast?"[/say]
RE: how easily I can read that line - Melita - 03-02-2026
Plopping her hat on top of her bounty of crimson, it too would’ve looked like fire, save for the ridiculous umbrella sported from overhead in a radiant pink. Likely meant to look like sunsets, it now just stood out as something to clearly identify Melita from a long ways off if Iskra somehow lost her amidst the area. Turning to glance back his way as he placed his own, she hid a laugh behind her hand, though it was spoiled from the giggles spilling outward thereafter. [say]“Very dashing. Really brings out your eyes.” [/say]
Waiting for Goose to come out, at the agreement of things to do and accomplish, she grabbed hold of her bag. Fangorn and Sila had long since arranged themselves either by her ankles or on her shoulder; the latter mostly in the curtain of hair to avoid any rain on her fiery being. The gourd seemed wholly unbothered, but perhaps that was from life in the Grounds once upon a time, and learning to survive, and thrive, in just about every chaotic situation.
Taking a breath, keeping herself busy so that her pulse wasn’t racing and competing with apprehension and excitement, she nodded. [say]“Fine by me!”[/say] came on a chirp as she handed over a bingo card to him – of which several would clearly say something like ‘catch a child licking an enclosure gate’, ‘animal hides in fear of us’, ‘something with feathers’, ‘ice cream’, ‘annoyed employee’, and so on. Very proud and accomplished of her fine craftmanship and details, she preened, waiting for some semblance of a reaction, before pinpointing her finger on the map, wicking away some of the moisture with her finger. [say]“Where do you want to start?”[/say]
RE: how easily I can read that line - Iskra - 03-03-2026
He poses for just a moment for her to properly gauge his new look, cheeks sucking in with a model-esque pose. It doesn’t last, soon crumbling into mirth, especially with the rosy framing of her own head decor. [say]”Thoughtful and stylish,”[/say] he praises, running a hand over the umbrella edge and giving it a final flick of approval with his fingers.
The card she offers up to him is taken with no disguise of interest. He should not be surprised that the demigod of shenanigans is shenaning again, but it’s really the preparedness and expertise of her games that set her apart from the rest. A low whistle of approval slips free as he thumbs the card in assessment, tapping his favorite square and holding it up to her with a cheeky grin. [say]”Animal sizing child up for a meal?”[/say] He laughs faintly, shaking his head at the potentials and the specifics. [say]”You really went all out,”[/say] he admires, gaze flicking up to spy on the glow of her above the study of his board.
[say]”How about the oceans? I heard this place has levels up and down to it now, to better simulate the sea level for the animals.”[/say] It seemed as good as any a place to start, bottom to top. [say]”I wanna see if there’s any Ghostwhales here today,”[/say] he hums out, glancing over at the map with her, trying to trace the exact exhibit of interest.
RE: how easily I can read that line - Melita - 03-03-2026
Doing a curtsy and a spin for flair at the compliment, she adjusted her hat after the momentary flick of his fingers, then watched for his reaction to the bingo cards. When there didn’t seem to be any disappointment or frustration, she let her smile wage war over the apprehension clustered and coiled next to her pulse. [say]“Aww, that was my favorite too! Or these,”[/say] tapping at hers in fondness at the ‘parent drinking’ and ‘child on leash’.
At his suggestion, her mouth rounded into a little ‘o’, then dissolved into a menacing grin, an air of authority on the subject matter as she began to stroll towards the ocean level, presuming he’d be following or alongside. [say]“I have a charm to evade ghostwhales! Back from when the Ark couldn’t fly, and I didn’t have the Firecracker yet.”[/say] Days out on sea, waiting for the ever-present threat. [say]“They’re freaky but cool.”[/say] If one didn’t mind potentially being gobbled up and perished, like Maea. [say]“Couldn’t hit any of ‘em with our cannons though,”[/say] at which she wrinkled her nose; uncertain if it had to do more with her lack of precision and accuracy back in the day, or simply horrendous luck.
Only gazing upwards once or twice when a flash threatened overhead, she took another swift inhale and exhale, readying to snag at a spot in line for the magical platform. With a wink towards Iskra, she marked off one of her bingo boxes with a Ludo sticker from her pocket, pointing to a screaming child further down the lane.
RE: how easily I can read that line - Iskra - 03-09-2026
It should not surprise him that she'sm run across ghostwhales before, but his eyebrows rise up just the same. [say]"No shit, you've taken shots at them?"[/say] Unsuccessfully it seems, but still, he knows they're an impressive beast, so perhaps the firing was a way to barter safe travel rather than conquest with them, whale and ship each showing off their prowess under a mutual agreement of wreckage. [say]"I bet it'd be easy to count out what you haven't run into,"[/say] he muses, rubbing thoughtfully at his beard as he considers that as an alternative game some day.
Instead, he's got bingo to win, and while she's already laying a sticker across one so too has he found a square. He nods his head towards a man who's ice cream cone just fell, and he stares down forlornly at it. Iskra grins, all mischief and challenge, as he stickers over the square for 'dropped dessert'. [say]"What're you hoping to see today?"[/say] he wonders, knowing she vanquished quite a few creatures, but perhaps there's some that enchanct her still. Ahead, the queue to the depths starts to move, and the platform soon awaits to drop them below.
RE: how easily I can read that line - Melita - 03-11-2026
[say]“Yeah,”[/say] she uttered, the frown puncturing more into a pout at the thought. [say]“Multiple, really. They’re more frequent the further out you get.”[/say] And all the more dangerous, when there was nowhere to run or hide. Once a ship was wrecked, there was only so much one could do, if they were limited in their abilities.
At the notions of the dropped dessert, she added the sticker to her card too, though it was on a different square entirely from his. Humming a little to herself, she grinned back at his sentiments. [say]“Well, I was part of the Monster Hunters for a bit. You see a lot.”[/say] Additionally, the Honeybee sought out danger and disasters like it was customary and commonplace. Centering herself along the line though, his inquiry gave her pause – she hadn’t thought much further ahead of simply having fun at his side. Within a moment though, the semblance passed, and she aimed her grin at him. [say]“A tumsea! For as long as I’ve been in Torchline, I still haven’t seen any!”[/say] And while gentle and serene, and perhaps not part of the trickster demigod mantra, it still would be nice to gaze upon the kind, but rare creatures.
Then the platform door opened, and they were moving upon the threshold, ready for the descent.
[FIN]