[DROP] No time like the present

Taking a look about when one actually had shoes was proving to be much more fruitful. Vanya wished she could say her ventures out were of the fun sort of nature, but she was never not searching for her family. It didn’t matter what direction she was going, the sea bird was searching for other five Hali’s desperately. The way things had been left.. Her throat constricted whenever she thought about - by the Ocean, the way things had been left with Saiden - and she had to quickly tell herself she’d find them, any of them. She would. She was skirting by the ruins when she spotted the crowd gathering, and she tilted her head towards them as she approached. What was that? She had passed by the bridge a time or two, had yet to really take a look at it.. But she was fairly certain there had never been a figure holding box. What in the…? Then she spotted Ronin towards the front of the gathering spectators, and she weaved between people smoothly until she reached him. ”You don’t suppose it’s a friendly thing with nice things in that box, hm?” she said quietly as she looked from that curious box and up to Ronin. vanya i will leave a light on.

It was hard to miss the growing group gathering on the strange bridge, the sounds of chattering and general commotion carried further then one would think and even though Kal typically avoided most of the people in the settlement he still managed to know if anything major was happening.

Noticing the strange creature in the center of the bridge with its even stranger box drew the young man in. Was this one of the new worlds gods? Come to play its tricks on the unsuspecting townsfolk? A strange protective instinct shot through him and he made his way to the edge of the gathering, watching for any sudden attacks that may occur, hand gripping the hilt of Godeater in preparation.

a s h e Ashe was in rare form today: that is to say, she was entirely original and not a wolf. She was dressed as normally as she could be in old training clothes, threadbare and worn, but she had yet to sort out any new clothing for herself. Her uniform and two sets of training clothes that had been in her satchel with her on arrival were getting her by just fine, and it was less to carry with her. That satchel had recently been turned into a backpack of sorts, one that doubled as a harness back when in her shift. Currently, it was slung loosely over a shoulder as she slipped through the ruins on silent feet. As much as the assassin was avoiding people, namely everyone that knew her and loved her, she could not ignore the way so many people had gathered in an area that rarely saw more than one or two people at a time: the bone bridge. She had been intending to take a look at the eerie structure, namely figure out just where the fuck it lead. Now it seemed there was reason to, as she glimpsed a strange figure holding a… box… The fuck is in there? Ashe kept herself well hidden as she approached, heading around and behind a set of ruins and climbing until she found a shadowed nook to crouch into. She had the perfect view over the crowd, and she sank deeply into the shadows as she observed. She might have joined them when she saw her family, but she quickly darted her eyes away from them. As if simply looking at them would draw their attention to her. Once upon a time, she would have stood at Devrum’s elbow and demanded exactly what she wanted - to know what was in the gods damned box. She almost did. Almost climbed down but…Alistair. Alistair greeted her mother, her family, with warmth and familiarity. He departed, and she willed herself to tear her eyes from him, instead glancing about the crowd and forcing herself not to think about the cold and deafening silence in her head. It was better this way, she told herself. Breathe. Music, thanks the gods, stole her attention. She blinked and darted her eyes to the source, and.. Oh. She tilted her head and narrowed her eyes, watching as Attraes weaved through the crowd with a song alive on his lips, coaxed from a banjo. This was the same man she'd found unconscious in the woods? The one that had stolen life from her to save his? Her eyes followed him until he concluded his song, addressing people.. that thing holding the box. The box. She was all too happy to return her attention back to whatever it was that being on the bridge held. At the very least, no one had noticed her. Not a soul. The raven-haired woman was talented in her evasion skills, and she had been exercising them well as of late. Her mother had tracked her. And he did… but otherwise she was well able to hide herself. Even now, no one looked her way, no one realized that she was hiding just above and behind them. No one but… That motherfucking bastard! She blinked, frozen momentarily when she caught the flash of a familiar smirk, and she grit her teeth as her surprise morphed into an irritated snarl. Of course. She snapped her eyes back to that box and focused her attention there, focused on wondering what it was that drew everyone into it.

Of course a gathering of people in the ruins with spooky mist would draw his attention. If not for his adventurous spirit and die hard curiosity, Kalt had nothing. Well, that wasn’t true, but the point stood firm. He still had the taste of his cigar in his mouth, savoring the rustic sweet flavor for as long as it would last. As he drew closer, he realized just what it was that everyone was gathering in front of. A creepy figure stood - hovered, maybe? Who could tell... - in the middle of the bone bridge, the only part of the ruins he had yet to actually take a look at. His bright eyes narrowed, no longer caring about the people gathered. Other than one person. His gaze flicked upwards. He knew Ashetta would be drawn to this, and his attention was always precisely honed in on her presence whenever she showed herself. Even when she didn’t show herself, choosing to hide away until the right moment. Kalt gave her the slightest smirk, but he knew it would piss her off just the right amount. It was when her face twisted into a snarl and her attention turned back to the box held by the being on the bridge that he looked away from her. Of course he was there for her - he made sure he always would be - but his primary focus at that moment was whatever the fuck that thing was holding. kalt give into the night.

Random Event Like the end of a Hitchcock movie, a little dark and a lot confusing They came. They loitered. They tried to act brave either by approaching or playing it safe. Yawn. The creature turned an unseen stare towards Bastien before giving a casual shrug beneath the vapid folds of its cloak. The next to address it specifically was Devrum, and though its face could not be seen, its smile could be felt. Sickly and grotesque but pleased. "Not yet." It cawed with a voice that sounded like flaying flesh from bones over a fire. Ignoring @Attreas ' apparent gratitude, since it seemed more for flavour than anything else, the creature waited. Rising, the creature towered over the lot of them. It was nearly 8 ft tall, and the way the fabric flowed around it suggested that either it was made of absolutely nothing, or was quite slender. "You want to see what is into, you Pandoras, you? Then listen and follow my instructions. Speak one word that you think I shall find pleasing." It took one step closer to the group. You have 48 hours to reply to this round! Do as the creature says, or don't! Up to you!

Attraes Evil is powerless if the good are unafraid Attraes had paused a moment in awe at the size of the creature and couldn't help but flicker a smile up at it, just out of being impressed by the sight of it all. It was a curious request the creature made, but being a bard...he never lacked the words when asked to speak them. "Cattywampus."

Edy #nofilter Edy watched the creature rise, a sickly sweet smirk on her lips. This was both fucked up, creepy, weird, and interesting as fuck. Edy was totally into it. As the creature gave its instructions, the teenager narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. A word she thought it would like? How the fuck would she know something like that? Chewing her lip thoughtfully for a moment, Edy cocked a hip and narrowed her eyes. What word... "Dumbasses." She tittered proudly after a moment. Why dumbasses? Well, because that's what they all were surely, standing at the edge of the canyon all weirdly wanting what was in a box held by a cloaked monster.

DEVRUM Devrum's eyes slowly lifted at the creature in front of him, the beast's cautious nature causing his body beginning to ripple as if about to shift, but Devrum managed to subdue the urge. Instead he instinctively backed away over toward Remi and Vervain, taking a position in front of them as if shielding them from some unseen attack. A word...that's all this withering dick in the wind wanted? At first Devrum looked a bit confused before he decided to oblige. "Felcher…" A rather unique word for someone of Devrum's mental compacity, though if one knew the meaning of said word they'd know it was right up his alley. He turned and winked at Vervain as if saying 'you know what i'm saying you filthy bitch' with a mischievous bearded grin before turning back up toward the creature.

Apparently he would need language for this. Despite not necessarily wanting to don his own face, Remi reluctantly complied. Trilling slightly at Vai, Remi spread his wings as gently as he could and hopped off of the former huntress's shoulder. As he did so, he elegantly shifted in midair, landing with his knees bent and a rather veiled expression. Hands in pockets, he nodded to those around him - Alistair, Ashetta, and Devrum - offering a small smile to Rexanna and Deimos as well, before turning back towards the creature. While Remi was transfixed as the rest of them by what the creature had in the box, he was also nervous too. Thus far nothing good had come to him from the supernatural entities of this world, and nothing suggested that it ever would. Nervously he glanced at the back of Celosia 's head, wondering if she too felt the same worry that he did. Though his secret was not perhaps as secret as it once might have been, the alchemist didn't flinch at Devrum's choice of word, for he didn't know what it meant. Given the illegal status of homosexuality in Northaven and his dedication to hiding who he was, the alchemist had failed to learn much of the vernacular and slang associated with with acts. Taking a breath, Remi considered the instruction. "Naive." He said at last, the word sadly slipping from his lips. remi At another place in time, you were infinitely mine

Something about the creature’s voice was sickly sweet to Kalt’s ears. It almost sounded too familiar in a way to the man who specialized in torture. Certainly that meant nothing good, though. He stood towards the back of the gathered crowd, hearing the words they spoke without actually listening. His eyes remained on the creature, noticing the step it took towards the group and wondering what that meant. Finally, he took a breath and decided to answer the creature’s request. ”Quandary,” he said, the look on his face almost mirroring the meaning of the word. kalt give into the night.

Cel almost shivered at the creature’s voice, unnerved and certainly cautious in listening to what the creature was asking of the group. While saying a single word may not have seemed like anything dangerous or worthy of caution, she found herself questioning nearly everything in this new world. She didn’t like the feeling. Regardless, she was here, looking at the creature that had taken a step forward after its instruction. She listened to everyone speak, listened to the approaches each person took. Remi struck a chord with her, but she didn’t say anything regarding his word. ”Why?” She finally bit out. Yes, it was a response to the instruction, but it was also the question she felt clawing inside of her ever since she and the others were brought to this place. celosia Bride of Darkness

Ronin had been about to reply to his lady when the creature rudely interrupted them with its secrets and curiosities, so instead he simply slipped an arm around Vanya to draw her against his side. One could never be too sure about these sorts of things, and he wasn't about to let this turn into a Spire situation. But it didn't seem as though the cloaked thing wanted to eat their faces or take swipes at them. No, it wanted... a word? That it would find pleasing? "Please," he said eventually, a smirk curling across his lips. It sounded neither placating nor pleading, but was said wryly and with no small hint of sarcasm. RONIN Darkness is a funny thing. It creeps up on you.

a s h e That voice slithered along her skin, twisted and dark and somehow bringing her back to a far more brutal time in her life. She tilted her head just slightly, peering closely.. And it rose, standing impossibly tall with its robes moving around it as though it were a phantom. Ashe had lurched forward from her hiding place upon the crumbling wall, just barely out of the shadows at its movement. Her first instinct was to rush forward and stand between her family and that thing.. But Devrum took charge, shielding Remi and her mother. She blinked, and quickly averted her gaze. Not needed. Better this way. She wasn’t sure her father would ever speak to her again. She listened to each word spoke, perhaps only half paying attention as she refocused on that figure. And that box. Something uneasy stirred in her as it stepped forward, towards them, and her foot slide forward against the stone almost on instinct. She took a slow breath and watched that face she couldn’t see, that alone enough to set her on edge, and then she looked down to that box so black it swallowed the light. She quirked her mouth to the side in thought.. And she finally made herself known to anyone that might be listening. While she didn’t exactly want to be noticed (Fuck you, Kalt), she needed to know more, and attacking the figure on the bridge for information seemed like a stupid idea. So… cooperation Fucker. ”Safe,” Ashe spoke, only just loud enough to carry forward. It was the first word she plucked from the top of her head, but she nearly cringed at it. Still, she kept her gaze steady on them, not allowing herself to check and see if anyone even cared to look her way.

Smiling at Remi's trill, Vai stood as still as possible while the hawk spread its wings and shifted elegantly into a man at their sides. She watched him carefully, drawn out of her reverie only as Devrum approached them. And said felcher. The former huntress's jaw dropped (though there was an undeniable there somewhere) and she folded her arms indignantly across her chest as she regarded her husband. "No," she said flatly - simultaneously refusing and fulfilling the creature's request whilst also giving her opinion on Devrum's choice. Resisting the urge to burst into a fit of giggles, she schooled her expression into one of almost-seriousness, then glanced back up at the cloaked figure. Hopefully it liked the word 'no'. vervain face the wind