I'd say wait for Exaltation to come back online, finish combining Amu with Amu, and heal down at at least -0 before seeing any action, if only because the wound penalties aren't doing us any favors. The -0 can be healed more slowly, it's not as bad.Alectai said:
[Exalted/SMT] Shard of a Broken Sun
- Thread starter Baughn
- Start date
Baughn
Healing-type writer
- Location
- Dublin
It seems I keep lying about my writing abilities. Oh well, snippet time!
"Ikuto? Utau-chan?"
No response.
Amu shrugged, leaning against the wall; she hadn't really expected one. She hadn't been away for more than five minutes, but apparently that was more than long enough for the two of them to collapse into a sleepy tangle of limbs, a situation that would've been cute if they hadn't included her in the tangle.
Since they had, it was a little more disconcerting. Utau was using her body like a teddy bear, and was nuzzling up to her hair. She looked peaceful and comfortable, which Amu supposed was an improvement on most of the alternatives, but she was also holding on with a death grip. Ikuto, meanwhile, had curled up around them like some kind of guardian dog. Or guardian cat. Did guard-cats exist anywhere? Maybe just here?
How had they managed to fall asleep that quickly, in the middle of a hallway?
"Ikuto? Utau-chan?"
No response.
Amu shrugged, leaning against the wall; she hadn't really expected one. She hadn't been away for more than five minutes, but apparently that was more than long enough for the two of them to collapse into a sleepy tangle of limbs, a situation that would've been cute if they hadn't included her in the tangle.
Since they had, it was a little more disconcerting. Utau was using her body like a teddy bear, and was nuzzling up to her hair. She looked peaceful and comfortable, which Amu supposed was an improvement on most of the alternatives, but she was also holding on with a death grip. Ikuto, meanwhile, had curled up around them like some kind of guardian dog. Or guardian cat. Did guard-cats exist anywhere? Maybe just here?
How had they managed to fall asleep that quickly, in the middle of a hallway?
Hyacinthium
Writing about sad cannibals as we speak.
- Location
- Bedroom
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Guard Panthers, a robber's worst nightmare.Baughn said:
Winged One
Not the Simurgh
- Location
- definitely the ground
- Pronouns
- They/Them/It
So, MegaTen-knowing people, how likely is this to be something sinister instead of them just being really goddamn tired?
Sunday's Melancholy 16
Baughn
Healing-type writer
- Location
- Dublin
A young girl walks onto the stage, her hair on fire and dripping yet never diminishing. She's dragging a greek-looking young woman behind her, holding her by the throat.
"Ahem," the girl says. "Apologies for being late, but I needed to discuss matters with this old lady; Melpomene, I believe she called herself. She had her own ideas, but I've never held with the notion of your mind having a will of its own. She'll help now, won't she?"
The girl squeezes harshly, eliciting a superior smirk from the muse, then glares at the spotlights and stalks off. Exit stage left.
Sunday's Melancholy, 14:45
"Ikuto? Utau-chan?"
No response.
Amu half-shrugged, leaning against the wall; she hadn't really expected one. She hadn't been away for more than five minutes, but apparently that was more than long enough for the two of them to collapse into a sleepy tangle of limbs, a situation that would've been far cuter if they hadn't included her in the tangle.
Since they had, it was a little more disconcerting. Utau was using her body like a teddy bear, hugging her tightly, and was nuzzling up to her hair. She looked peaceful and comfortable, which Amu supposed was an improvement on most of the alternatives, but she was also holding on with a death grip. Ikuto, meanwhile, had curled up around them like some kind of guardian dog. Or guardian cat. Did guard-cats exist anywhere? Maybe just here?
How had they managed to fall asleep that quickly, in the middle of a hallway?
She nudged Ikuto with a foot, eliciting a grunt but no other movement. Not a particularly good guard-cat, then. She did feel bad about leaving them here, but… "Ikuto. Wake up, it's time to go."
"…Five more minutes," he stereotypically mumbled.
She waited a few seconds, but nothing seemed to be happening. Amu reached out towards Ikuto, then paused; she could feel her cheeks heating up. Waking him up would be a bit much like one of those scenes from manga, the ones where the girlfriend first woke her boyfriend, and knowing Ikuto he'd use that to make fun of her.
Instead, she poked Utau on the forehead. Her face scrunched up cutely, then she yawned, opened her eyes and physically recoiled like she'd been hugging a live viper.
That much was obvious. She appeared to be slowly waking up, as was Ikuto, but they were still practically shambling. Utau was leaning against Amu to keep from falling down, while Ikuto made do with the wall; moreover, their charas were fast asleep and refusing to wake up. It was a little worrying, since Amu herself didn't feel very sleepy, although her mind had the crystalline, fragile clarity she got from staying up too long. It wasn't really having the usual effect, though -
Oh, of course. She'd stayed transformed with Su for over an hour now, as well as both Miki and Ran before then. Exhaustion was to be expected, even ignoring the way every single part of her ached whenever she let herself notice, and while Utau and Ikuto hadn't been transformed they'd still used a lot of chara changes to keep up with her. It would've been exhausting either way, so they were probably just really tired.
When she explained that theory, Utau just shrugged.
"Well, obviously. It's just like spending a lot of time on stage, right? I'd rather get to a place I can sit down."
Amu had a ready response to that. "Mom said the rest of the Guardians were moved to part of the barracks, we've got a room there for the time being. That's all of us, including you. Let's go there? It'd would be nice to sit down, I guess." She smiled wanly, and made an extra effort to stand straight. "Plus, we need to tell someone to get more fuel downstairs."
"'Downstairs' is a poor and unbefitting description of that staircase, but I guess we'd better," Utau muttered. "Ikuto, let's go."
There was a pause, as Ikuto failed to reply, and they looked over to see him falling asleep standing up. Utau gave him a kick.
She'd thought about de-transforming and trying to get back inside her body before going anywhere, but that seemed - risky. Not dangerous, not as such, just… well, her body was definitely asleep right now, and she was tired. What were the chances she'd end up like Utau, or worse?
Much better to find somewhere to rest, first, and not force them to carry her around.
The building was kind of a mess, jammed full of at least twice as many people as it was meant to take, but eventually they managed to catch the attention of a passing JPs soldier - a sergeant, by his stripes - and pass on Fumi's request. They tag-teamed him, Ikuto and Utau blocking his path while Amu accosted him with her best emulation of an officer - well enough that he saluted, before looking down and realising how young she was. They left him complaining about crazy demon children, but he did promise to tell someone better placed to make sure Fumi would get her fuel. Amu made a note; name-dropping Fumi was obviously the point where he went from humouring her to actually paying attention.
Amu had walked between her and Ikuto, so although she'd stopped in the doorway on spotting the inhabitants of the room, her hopes of getting away before being spotted by her parents were dashed when Ikuto walked into her and she fell on top of Utau.
Ikuto didn't even lose his balance. It was very unfair.
The room, although large, was filled with bunk beds - four to each side, for a total of eight, or sixteen beds. It was, in a word, cramped. Filled with beds, as well as her friends, and - yep, Mom and Dad. She couldn't help but feel a spike of annoyance at Ikuto and Utau for slowing her down, even though that was completely irrational; they'd helped a lot, and she'd taken enough of a detour that her parents could probably have made it here before she did no matter what.
Every eye in the room was fixed on her. More specifically -
"Big shis! And - big sis? There are two big shis!" Ami cheered, sounding like christmas had come early.
"Amu?" Mom asked. "What's going on? Who's - what's Ami talking about, and who's the other girl?"
- On her, and herself, although the way she was lying apparently meant Mom wasn't sure yet; that, or she was giving her more rope to play with. Amu groaned, closing her eyes in consternation. This was not in the plan. A hundred ideas danced through her head, none of them good.
[ ] Explain everything.
[ ] Attempt to very quickly re-merge and pretend nothing happened.
[ ] Hide the body.
[ ] Have a friend hide the body.
[ ] [Su] Attempt to very quickly take over Amu's body and pretend Amu is Su.
[ ] Run away.
[ ] Deny everything!
"Ahem," the girl says. "Apologies for being late, but I needed to discuss matters with this old lady; Melpomene, I believe she called herself. She had her own ideas, but I've never held with the notion of your mind having a will of its own. She'll help now, won't she?"
The girl squeezes harshly, eliciting a superior smirk from the muse, then glares at the spotlights and stalks off. Exit stage left.
Sunday's Melancholy, 14:45
"Ikuto? Utau-chan?"
No response.
Amu half-shrugged, leaning against the wall; she hadn't really expected one. She hadn't been away for more than five minutes, but apparently that was more than long enough for the two of them to collapse into a sleepy tangle of limbs, a situation that would've been far cuter if they hadn't included her in the tangle.
Since they had, it was a little more disconcerting. Utau was using her body like a teddy bear, hugging her tightly, and was nuzzling up to her hair. She looked peaceful and comfortable, which Amu supposed was an improvement on most of the alternatives, but she was also holding on with a death grip. Ikuto, meanwhile, had curled up around them like some kind of guardian dog. Or guardian cat. Did guard-cats exist anywhere? Maybe just here?
How had they managed to fall asleep that quickly, in the middle of a hallway?
She nudged Ikuto with a foot, eliciting a grunt but no other movement. Not a particularly good guard-cat, then. She did feel bad about leaving them here, but… "Ikuto. Wake up, it's time to go."
"…Five more minutes," he stereotypically mumbled.
She waited a few seconds, but nothing seemed to be happening. Amu reached out towards Ikuto, then paused; she could feel her cheeks heating up. Waking him up would be a bit much like one of those scenes from manga, the ones where the girlfriend first woke her boyfriend, and knowing Ikuto he'd use that to make fun of her.
Instead, she poked Utau on the forehead. Her face scrunched up cutely, then she yawned, opened her eyes and physically recoiled like she'd been hugging a live viper.
———————
"I'm sorry." Utau was repeatedly apologising; she sounded genuinely contrite. "You just startled me, that's all. I dreamt I was hugging Ikuto, so when I saw your face instead - I didn't recognise you right away. Sorry. I think I'm still half asleep, though, I just can't get the cobwebs out of my brain."That much was obvious. She appeared to be slowly waking up, as was Ikuto, but they were still practically shambling. Utau was leaning against Amu to keep from falling down, while Ikuto made do with the wall; moreover, their charas were fast asleep and refusing to wake up. It was a little worrying, since Amu herself didn't feel very sleepy, although her mind had the crystalline, fragile clarity she got from staying up too long. It wasn't really having the usual effect, though -
Oh, of course. She'd stayed transformed with Su for over an hour now, as well as both Miki and Ran before then. Exhaustion was to be expected, even ignoring the way every single part of her ached whenever she let herself notice, and while Utau and Ikuto hadn't been transformed they'd still used a lot of chara changes to keep up with her. It would've been exhausting either way, so they were probably just really tired.
When she explained that theory, Utau just shrugged.
"Well, obviously. It's just like spending a lot of time on stage, right? I'd rather get to a place I can sit down."
Amu had a ready response to that. "Mom said the rest of the Guardians were moved to part of the barracks, we've got a room there for the time being. That's all of us, including you. Let's go there? It'd would be nice to sit down, I guess." She smiled wanly, and made an extra effort to stand straight. "Plus, we need to tell someone to get more fuel downstairs."
"'Downstairs' is a poor and unbefitting description of that staircase, but I guess we'd better," Utau muttered. "Ikuto, let's go."
There was a pause, as Ikuto failed to reply, and they looked over to see him falling asleep standing up. Utau gave him a kick.
———————
Amu got a few odd looks once they entered the populated section of the building, for carrying a twin around, but not too many - deliberately or not, Ikuto and Utau were efficiently running interference for her. Mostly by making adults avoid the obviously dead tired children who might otherwise fall on them, though there was an odd spot where, surprisingly, Ikuto got recognised as an up and coming violinist. She hadn't even known he played. What else might she be missing?She'd thought about de-transforming and trying to get back inside her body before going anywhere, but that seemed - risky. Not dangerous, not as such, just… well, her body was definitely asleep right now, and she was tired. What were the chances she'd end up like Utau, or worse?
Much better to find somewhere to rest, first, and not force them to carry her around.
The building was kind of a mess, jammed full of at least twice as many people as it was meant to take, but eventually they managed to catch the attention of a passing JPs soldier - a sergeant, by his stripes - and pass on Fumi's request. They tag-teamed him, Ikuto and Utau blocking his path while Amu accosted him with her best emulation of an officer - well enough that he saluted, before looking down and realising how young she was. They left him complaining about crazy demon children, but he did promise to tell someone better placed to make sure Fumi would get her fuel. Amu made a note; name-dropping Fumi was obviously the point where he went from humouring her to actually paying attention.
———————
"Home, sweet home." Utau sounded like she was trying to sound sarcastic, but it mostly came out as sleepy. After walking into the room she'd practically fallen into the nearest bed, and was already lying on her back with her eyes closed. This meant, to Utau's vocal displeasure, that she had no way of spotting Amu before getting crushed between her and the bed.Amu had walked between her and Ikuto, so although she'd stopped in the doorway on spotting the inhabitants of the room, her hopes of getting away before being spotted by her parents were dashed when Ikuto walked into her and she fell on top of Utau.
Ikuto didn't even lose his balance. It was very unfair.
The room, although large, was filled with bunk beds - four to each side, for a total of eight, or sixteen beds. It was, in a word, cramped. Filled with beds, as well as her friends, and - yep, Mom and Dad. She couldn't help but feel a spike of annoyance at Ikuto and Utau for slowing her down, even though that was completely irrational; they'd helped a lot, and she'd taken enough of a detour that her parents could probably have made it here before she did no matter what.
Every eye in the room was fixed on her. More specifically -
"Big shis! And - big sis? There are two big shis!" Ami cheered, sounding like christmas had come early.
"Amu?" Mom asked. "What's going on? Who's - what's Ami talking about, and who's the other girl?"
- On her, and herself, although the way she was lying apparently meant Mom wasn't sure yet; that, or she was giving her more rope to play with. Amu groaned, closing her eyes in consternation. This was not in the plan. A hundred ideas danced through her head, none of them good.
[ ] Explain everything.
[ ] Attempt to very quickly re-merge and pretend nothing happened.
[ ] Hide the body.
[ ] Have a friend hide the body.
[ ] [Su] Attempt to very quickly take over Amu's body and pretend Amu is Su.
[ ] Run away.
[ ] Deny everything!
I think we need to explain that we're hitting that Crystal clear Exhaustion stage and tell them that everything will wait till later... fusing with our otherself would probably be a good idea, last time Amu collapsed out of Exhaustion it was with Ran still Chara Transformed with her and that was a Bad Thing apparently so...
[X] Attempt to very quickly re-merge
[X] Attempt to very quickly re-merge
Quantumboost
Now with 50% more dots in Dimensional Science
- Location
- Ensemble Space
[X] Explain everything.
-[X] "Fell out of my body. Gonna get back in now. And sleep."
-[X] Un-merge with Su and re-merge with the body.
Tentative.
-[X] "Fell out of my body. Gonna get back in now. And sleep."
-[X] Un-merge with Su and re-merge with the body.
Tentative.
I'd honestly like to avoid explaining everything because Amu passed Drop-Dead exhausted a while ago, unless we use Quantum;s write-in cause that's just hilarious.
No sleeping while transformed, there's already been warnings about that.
[x] Explain everything
-[x] Or at least the bits you can actually understand
--[x] And you might want to keep it kinda short, you're probably running out of juice here.
[x] Break transformation with Su and try to remerge with your body.
[x] Explain everything
-[x] Or at least the bits you can actually understand
--[x] And you might want to keep it kinda short, you're probably running out of juice here.
[x] Break transformation with Su and try to remerge with your body.
Goldenlima
Statistical Anomaly
[X] Explain everything.
-[X] "Fell out of my body. Gonna get back in now. And sleep."
-[X] Un-merge with Su and re-merge with the body.
-[X] "Fell out of my body. Gonna get back in now. And sleep."
-[X] Un-merge with Su and re-merge with the body.
Winged One
Not the Simurgh
- Location
- definitely the ground
- Pronouns
- They/Them/It
[X]Explain Everything
-[X]Then de-transform and go the fuck to sleep.
-[X]Then de-transform and go the fuck to sleep.
Baughn
Healing-type writer
- Location
- Dublin
This isn't so much "explain everything" as "explain minimally, fix yourself, then sleep". Which your loving parents will probably allow you to do, but thinking about how you'll answer the inevitable questions won't hurt.
Of course, you can always leave that to me. Pretty sure I've got Melpomene under control right now.
Of course, you can always leave that to me. Pretty sure I've got Melpomene under control right now.
Alectai
Speaks Words of Wisdom... On occasion
Well, we are limited in stunt and write-in potential as the Exaltation is currently offline.
That aside, I really hope we can come up with some kind of Chara-esque avatar, if only so we can get a big whiteboard and have amusing scribbles down when we go to the big Long Term Planning bit.
That aside, I really hope we can come up with some kind of Chara-esque avatar, if only so we can get a big whiteboard and have amusing scribbles down when we go to the big Long Term Planning bit.
Baughn
Healing-type writer
- Location
- Dublin
Not... really, as I said you're temporarily in control of Amu. Sure, I'll filter it more, but good ideas are always welcome.Alectai said:
Heh. It's an option, though I know some people are hoping that won't happen.
Winged One
Not the Simurgh
- Location
- definitely the ground
- Pronouns
- They/Them/It
I would be amused by a charaoid avatar, personally. Would we be able to keep it if we fuck up and Amu dies?
Baughn
Healing-type writer
- Location
- Dublin
If it would be amusing, I don't see why not. It's not like I've got any established rules for this.Winged One said:
Hyacinthium
Writing about sad cannibals as we speak.
- Location
- Bedroom
- Pronouns
- He/Him
TIME FOR CUTEBaughn said:If it would be amusing, I don't see why not. It's not like I've got any established rules for this.
endless waff
cuddles of charas, yes.