Lunar Interlude 4 — corporate retreat

[balancemod]

I have a feeling that you'll find the next few weeks a little... in-tents. NAVIGATION 1. NEW RECLAIMERS A. WELCOME WAGON For those of you who will be arriving today, the story is the same: though you may not remember it, there was a moment where you were living out your life, at home or wherever you were ... and then there was the moment the Hunger came. And amid the television static that is your memory of that moment, a hand reached out to you, beckoning your escape as the tendrils of darkness destroyed everything that ever existed about your world. "Would you hurry this up, please? Your world no longer stands a chance. Come with me, we are the last bastions of hope for all universes everywhere. And we're going to need you." And then, unceremoniously, you are dragged through the universal wringer and plopped down on the soft, though not quite cushioned, grass of the Moon Base Quad. You're not alone, either. Along with the newest members of the Bureau, in a fashion probably not unlike this, there are people waiting here for you. People who wanted to see the heroes the Director has managed to bring in this time. People who are excited to see what you're capable of. You have a few minutes to talk with each other — or maybe lob a few questions at the impromptu welcoming committee, or any of the older Reclaimers who may happen to be nearby. But before long, you're whisked away to a different area of the Moon Base. B. THE VOIDFISH You are quickly divided into four groups, and brought to the easternmost geodesic dome, to an elevator in a well maintained, but sparsely landscaped field. There's nothing particularly ominous feeling about the space — in fact, the two guards who greet you at the elevator entrance seem pleased with your arrival. You are, after all, one of the few chosen by the Director, the few who will reclaim what the Hunger has destroyed. And in a few moments, you're about to find that out for yourself. After a tightly packed elevator ride, your group is ushered out to a rather grand looking hall, banners of the Bureau of Balance adorn both sides of smooth metal walls. And inside the Voidfish's chamber stands a tank — impossibly tall, and soaked in a black ink that obscures whatever the tank may be holding. You may notice a melody, someone playing the violin. It's a bard, on his fourth round of introducing Reclaimers to the Voidfish. When he's finished, he pulls out a few pieces of paper — sheet music — opens a drawer at the bottom of the tank, drops the papers in, and shuts it. And swiftly, you feel as if there's something you can't just shake off about the melody you just heard. If you seem alarmed, the bard takes notice of it. "Yeah, man, like... don't think too hard about it, it's like that every time. I'm guessing you're here to be inoculated? Just a heads up, you might want to, like, seriously, hold your nose while you drink it down. It tastes wicked gross, man." You sort of get the sense that he's said this speech once or twice in the past. It's well rehearsed, much like the stories you'd expect a bard to be able to recite. "Anyway, I'm supposed to tell you that you have a choice. If you drink the black stuff, you'll be able to hear through the, uh... Huh, how do I describe it? Through the [TSHCSCHTSHCHSC] sound. You guys like, hear that? Anyway, it's all about knowledge or something. I don't know, I'm just here to, like, feed the thing. We call it the [TSCHHSCHSCH], by the way. So, like. You get a choice. You can drink it and understand stuff, or not drink it and then hear that crackling noise all day every day. If I were you, I'd drink it. But, hey man, I'm not like, your dad or anything." The bard takes five cups and draws liquid from a spigot connected directly to the basin of the large tank. Stormy, muddy looking ichor is drawn into them, one by one. He offers each of you a sip. Drink it (he wasn't kidding about what it tasted like), and you're inoculated to the wisdom of the Voidfish. You try to remember the song this bard played a few moments ago and the melody, the meter, every octave, all come back to you. And if you think back to your arrival, some of the things you may have heard other people in the Quad say, that simply sounded like static, are suddenly clear. Bureau of Balance. Grand Relic. Reclaimers. Yet you still can't remember the Hunger or what it had done to your world. And as you look back to the tank in front of you, the water has become clear. There's a jellyfish, as tall as a building, floating within. You look into the body of the creature and you can almost make out a beautiful, tiny universe floating within it. 2. TEST OF INITIATION You're given approximately 48 hours to sign up for the test of initiation. Outside the Arena is a command console where you can push your biometric signature up against the device, pick a time, and get prepare to take your entrance exam. This one is a little different than the ones before it; the Director has posed a group challenge among her hopeful Reclaimers. One slot contains blank names for four people altogether. Two of them are backlit in a blue background, two in red. It looks like you're going to be competing against other Reclaimers. At the appointed time, you'll enter the arena's chambers and fill out into one of two rooms. You and your teammate will be allowed to dress and prepare accordingly. From the window, you can see a single, solitary mountain that rises so high you can barely make odds or ends of the peak. An array of items stands before you, four in total. You can only choose two, as the second both of you claim one item, the other two become translucent and untouchable. Placing either of your items back on their pedestals makes them corporeal again. All in all, you have: ○ Booster boots - aids you in climbing and scaling the mountain, quadrupling your jump speed ○ Spiked boots - when landing on a surface of the mountain, it magically locks into place and prevents you from falling or being otherwise deterred in moving upward ○ An enchanted cloth - you're not sure what this is capable of, but if you try it out a little bit, you'll realize it resists the push of air. Essentially, a portable hang glider ○ Grappling hook - standard issue, its reach is about 50 feet. When it locks onto a surface, it's impossible to remove unless a button is pressed on the device to loosen it Both of your teams must make it to the top. What awaits you there is a wand, standing on an intricately carved, raised dais. The base is made out of stone, but written in very clear, etched letters around the bottom are the words: THE GRAND RELIC, WAND OF PLANAR DISPLACEMENT. Does it sound too good to be true? Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't. You need to get that relic back down to the entrance room. The caveat here is if you happen to be tempted, and let's face it, the easy way out is always rather appealing, you can try to use it. It'll take you back down, easily enough, but the wand will not come with you. Looks like you're going to have to trek your way back up there. Either way, the first team to make it down wins the contest. What's the prize, you ask? Gloating rights, mostly. 3. THE REAL CAMPY FUN BEGINS As The Director mentioned, you will be spending this month on a corporate retreat! And she wasn't kidding when she said she said this retreat will be an exercise in working together. Shortly after the newest Reclaimers are all good and initiated, and shortly after the rest of you have packed what you can, you're all whisked away to Gwynneth — a beautifully lush forest on the Moonshae Isles. Blanketed in a canopy of lush greens and soft, comfortable grass that seems to grow even in the farthest corners where the light can't reach, the forest looks and feels like something out of a storybook. A peculiar, but not unpleasant, scent that is a blend of sweet olives and cherry blossoms wafts throughout the forest no matter where you turn. That is to say, for those of you who have been in the Bureau for the while, and are used to roughing it with your BIAS: Welcome! This should be roughly old hat for some of you. Not far from the clearing where you all land are two perfectly lined rows of cabins that are in particularly bad shape. On the door frame of each will contain some information... and you might have guessed it. "BARBARIANS," "FIGHTERS," "PALADINS," "DANCERS," "MONKS," "RANGERS & ROGUES," "BARDS," "SORCERERS," "WARLOCKS," "DRUIDS," "CLERICS," and "SMART PEOPLE." - you get the idea. Each cabin will have just the essentials (creaky bunk beds, chests at the foot of each, and a few spare desks per room). Rest assured, the Director's enchanted the cabins to reject entry to anyone who doesn't fit the proper description that's labeled above each door. You will... most likely have to clean the place up prior to habitation. Showering, toilets, and mirrors are communal, but divided into stalls in the administrative cabin, adjunct to the Bureau's cabin. And for those of you who don't fit into any of the above (hi Lucas), uh, well. There's an old shack close to where you were dropped off, but you probably don't want to stay inside for too long. It smells like something died in there — and maybe something did. And boy, does this whole trip have "campy corporate retreat" written all over it. When you arrive, you're informed that your "mission" here, so to speak, is to safely make it through the month's activities, including the penultimate task: Braving what staff is only referring to as the Tomb of Horrors. But we'll get to that later. Right now, you've got some camping activities to do. C. GET IN LOSERS WE'RE GOING CAMPING If there's a camp activity that you can think of, we guarantee that there is space set aside for it, and that a Bureau member The Director brought along to assist the Reclaimers is helping to run it. Here are a few of the more prominent activities to get you started, however: ○ Fight Club/Struggle Tourney/Whatever you want to call it: For those of you who are in clear need of more training, or simply like getting yourself into a good strife, a small arena has been squared and roped off for your said strifing convenience. You can sign up in pairs or go mano a mano against one opponent, but there's a catch. This activity is about improvising, and learning your fellow Reclaimers' fighting styles — an absolute must for when you're out on the field in the thick of a battle. You will only be allowed to use fighting ring issued weapons. A magical barrier will knock your regular weapon right out of your hands if you try to enter the ring with it! And, I mean. Who wouldn't want to fight with these Fantasy Costco exclusives? (Note: If you want to join an actual Fight Club, the magic barrier is down for two hours starting at midnight. Use that information how you will.) ○ Arts and Crafts: Another camping given. Stretched out between two large evergreens is an equally large canvas, though short enough that every Reclaimer should be able to reach. You'll be given a paintbrush — magic, of course, according to the Bureau member helping out with this activity. It magically fills itself with paint, allowing you to add color to the canvas without the need for a palette. Because curiously, it seems you're capable of painting in only one color. And more curiously, it's a color that's very unique to you: no other Reclaimer is going to have the same hex value as what's flowing out of your paintbrush. If you ask her, the Bureau member will smile somewhat pensively, and explain: That paintbrush allows you to paint in the color of whatever energy you're giving off right now. Take this with a grain of salt, of course, but the basic hues can be interpreted as follows: Red can mean that you have a problem that you need to solve. Yellow means there's a secret that you're keeping from someone important to you. Green elicits a feeling of calmness, but there's something else that you're not allowing yourself to address. Blue means there's something you need to confess, whether it's the fact that you have a crush on someone, or the fact that you stole something or told a lie. White means, simply, an energy at peace. Of course, you may find yourself painting in any color out there — and they may represent something else, depending on you specifically. Use this prompt however you'd like! And, that's not to say that these are all things that we need to sit down around the campfire and hash out — though that's an activity later on if you want it! These energies aren't necessarily a bad thing either. It wouldn't be much of a painting, you wouldn't be the person you've grown into right now, if you're always painting in white. ○ Ghost stories: Speaking of campfires, every night, you'll be invited to have a seat at a large campfire and to try to tell your best ghost story. Not too far away from the campfire are four busts of wizardly looking men and women on pedestals. Yes, they are haunted by the very same wizardly looking men and women. And yes, they will be offering frank commentary on whatever story you decide to tell. I'm just gonna leave this here. ○ Field Day: What's a camping trip without the likes of potato sack races, music, tye-dye booths like you'd find at the typical spring fair, and friendly games of capture the flag? If you find this whole field day thing a little bit childish, then, well ... yeah, you're probably right! But even stuffy old people like Lucretia know that the people even stuffier than she is need a chance to cut loose once in a while. So go right ahead and get yourself a fried charisma oreo. There's a dunking booth, by the way. Yes, you can dunk the Director if you want. You might bump into Lucas while you're here. He is having pretty much the worst month right now: sunburned, blown up on histamines and more than ready to go back to the Moon Base where there's air conditioning and technology. ○ Man eff that: If the campy camp activities are a bit too campy for you, then The Director certainly isn't going to twist your arm into participating. Well, actually, she might. A little? In any case, if you're hellbent on boycotting, you might join Lucas in the aforementioned Smelly Shack, as he tinkers with the tech he managed to bring with him and is generally a pain in the ass about having to be out in the forest. Saru and his band of kitsune, if you remember them from Vista Virs, now full-fledged members of the Bureau, will take you on hunting trips if you're interested. If you need to actually learn how to hunt, then Carey and Killian are here to help. If you're still gonna be a stick in the corporate retreat mud, then the Director might ask you to clear as big of a path to the Tomb of Horrors as possible (Note: You will not be able to go inside, or find a way inside the Tomb of Horrors, no matter how hard you try. This isn't Breath of the Wild, sadly, you can't defeat Ganon right after falling off the Great Plateau). It's about five miles directly to the east, and behind the thickest and densest part of the forest. Who knows what else you'll find out there? Have fun! D. AN OVERNIGHT SENSATION One more thing. Something strange is happening overnight, while everyone is asleep, whether it's in their bedrolls, or holed up in the Smelly Shack. Something — or someone seems to be draping a blanket of magic over the entire camp, leaving those who were asleep rather susceptible to it. You may find yourself afflicted with any number of inconvenient status effects for the day, whether it's a burn on your arm you can't seem to heal, more, uh. Well. More sleep. You blink, and suddenly, 24 hours have passed. Maybe you enter a 2v2 in the fighting ring and suddenly realize you can't tell friend from foe — even though you'd agreed on the teams before entering. Maybe all the food suddenly loses its flavor, leaving you to marvel at how intense textures suddenly are. If you happened to be painting in blue, maybe you're suddenly compelled to blurt it out to the next unfortunate soul who passes. It's a smorgasbord of minor inconveniences. Almost like something's spotted the corporate retreat, and has decided to use its participants as their plaything. But what? blurb code by photosynthesis

Comments

[grakraka]

M-My apologies.

[That could have been worded better in retrospect—he was trying to be delicate but clearly failed. Would it have been better to be blunt? Or maybe he should have just kept with the stupid topic? God, he doesn't know. Should he offer to leave? But they need to deal with this eventually. It would be better to do so now. In front of others seems like a cruel idea but suggesting they go somewhere else might put her on edge, which would be fair. He did try to kill her and her friends multiple times.

Akechi runs his hand through his hair.]

Should we... [Talk here? Go somewhere? He feels like he has gotten better as a person but seeing Haru yanks him back to the bottom of that boat.] ...However you wish to deal with, ah, this— [He gestures at himself.] I mean, whatever is comfortable for you, I will agree.

[fleurdelyser]

[Apologies.

Haru winces.

She doesn't know what she wants him to say, she doesn't know if she hates or accepts him apologizing right now. But if she's completely honest with herself, she's not even sure how she should be reacting right now in the first place.

His being alive is... good. Really. She really, truly did regret that they weren't able to do anything for him in the end.

But actually facing him now is somehow harder than it was on that ship. Which just seems so ridiculous in so many ways.]

I think I'd like to speak with you. But not... here.

[grakraka]

[Although he feels as though he has already fucked this up, he nods and stands, forcing himself to be calm and smooth in the movements as he ties up his bag. He throws it over his shoulder and hesitates. Well, neither of them know this area, so at least they are even in not knowing the perfect spot to talk but he assumes outside somewhere.]

There is... ah, I found a clearing in the forest, unless you prefer elsewhere? Anywhere would be fine, of course, as long as... yes.

[He hasn't felt this inarticulate in awhile.]

[fleurdelyser]

[Wordlessly, Haru gets up and follows him, turning the thoughts over and over in her head as they walk away from the campfire.

Every little thing she thinks of saying, she discards for the moment. No. It's better if she waits until they reach their destination. Anything she could say would probably be... unwise.

It's probably a good thing she barely even notices his own hesitation.]

No, that's fine. It's... Anywhere. Yes, anywhere is fine. E-except the campfire!

[grakraka]

[Giving a nod, he starts to walk. As much as he would love to fill the silence, it would be a bad idea—idle chatter would be cruel to her in its meaninglessness and they shouldn't speak of anything until they are alone. Even friends like Ryuji and Akira probably should not overhear anything they decide between them. Wishing they were here to ease some the tension is just a selfish and childish wish.

Once they arrive at the clearing he found, he finally stops walking and turns to her, unsure of what to say or do. In the end, it seems best to allow her the floor, so to speak. So he breathes in and nods.]

There shouldn't be anyone around here.

[fleurdelyser]

[Once they arrive, she can only look down at her hands at first, shifting on her feet.

Even now, she still hasn't managed to get her thoughts in order well enough. Maybe the walk wasn't long enough...

...Or maybe she never will be able to pick out exactly what she wants to say to him.]

Thank you.

[There. That's a start.]

I'm afraid I'm... not quite sure how to start. I thought, for a moment, that perhaps you managed to escape the... ah, ship. But you said you... you died?

[grakraka]

[The first words take him by surprise. They shouldn't, really. He logically knows she meant what she said beck then. But he still didn't expect to hear it now. After a moment he clears his throat.]

Ah, yes. I did and that is true. [He realises this would be a bad time for the alternate dimensions reveal so he won't do that and keep it simple.] As I was dying, the Director grabbed me and brought me here. The medical staff here healed me.

[So, he technically did not die but he pretty much did. He hesitates but continues.] I am glad that you're alive.

[He can hole out hope that maybe even if it takes many versions of their world, that the rest of the Phantom Thieves will come, too. There are many implications to 'versions' of people and so forth but he just wants them to survive after everything they went through, after the kindness they showed him.]

Anyway, ah, you can take as much time as you like to gather your thoughts.

[fleurdelyser]

I... I see.

[She nods to herself. That makes sense. It's all a little much to take in, but the Bureau certainly seems like they have the power to do that.

Haru clenches her hands together again, before letting go and lifting her head to look Akechi in the eye. She can say this. She can say this and even mean it.]

...I am glad you're alive as well. I still don't quite understand... There's... [She shakes her head roughly.] I never wanted to see you die.

[That's... probably something she should clarify, isn't it?]

[grakraka]

[At that, he can give her a small smile, even if it still startles him.]

I know. I didn't... think that was the kind of person that you are.

[Haru might have wanted revenge for her father and for herself but she treated him more than fairly despite that. And, more than just that, he knows the Phantom Thieves prefer not to kill. To them, stealing a life means something more significant.]

[fleurdelyser]

[She pushes her hair back from her face, more to give her hands something to do than anything.

For a moment, she's not quite sure what her face is doing in response to that smile. Her lips twitch into something that's not quite a smile, not quite a frown. It's... unexpected, maybe, to see that smile from him right now. But it's probably a good sign, isn't it?]

Oh. That's good. Still, it felt like... like it was important to say.

[She clears her throat. Oh, she really isn't finding the right words at all.]

In any case, have... have you been here for long? Like I said, it's really only been about a week for me.

[grakraka]

Ah, that answer might be rather surprising. [Especially when it has only been a week for her since everything happened.] But I've been here... about half a year? A little over, I think.

[Now that he thinks about it, he wonders if he seems different to her. He supposes even if they had met the moment he arrived here, he would have seemed different if only because she never had a chance to know him. Even now, he still isn't really sure on his own personality and identity.

But he can't help a stupid desire to be better than she expects, if only because he knows she can't possibly expect much of him. If, in those six or so months, he hasn't managed to become anything, well...

That would just be kind of pathetic.]

[fleurdelyser]

What?

[It's an automatic reaction, then, to gasp, unable to do anything but stare at Akechi for what feels like entirely too long.

How? Is it something the Bureau did? Or has she... Have six months somehow passed without her realizing it? In the time between their world being destroyed and now?

There's a lot more to investigate than she thought.]

It's been that long for you... I-I'm sorry, you're right. This is somewhat of a shock for me.

[She covers her mouth with one hand. A lot can happen in half a year... Would it be strange to ask what he's been doing this whole time?]

...You must've been quite busy...

[grakraka]

[As expected, that information hits her hard. There are ways to explain it but again, he feels it might be best to let her settle and possibly not have all these things come from him of all people, too.]

I have been, yes. I've been on three missions so far. It has been... a very different experience but one I've been... enjoying.

[Though somehow, it feels difficult to admit to her that he has been even remotely happy but he has been. It would be a lie to say otherwise. Having a purpose, having friends, having a life—it fills all the holes in his heart. Even if it has been a slow process, he truly realises now how much has changed within him.]

I can, ah, give you an idea of what sorts of missions we'll have here but they won't be anything you can't handle, of course.

[fleurdelyser]

I see...

[It's a lot to take in.

Logically, Haru can tell that working for the Bureau this whole time must have been much better, in multiple ways, than being in... Shido's employ. And if she lets herself follow that thought, adds it to what she knows of the Bureau so far, she knows he must have been doing good, or at least better, this whole time.

It's just... Maybe her memories of the last time she saw him, of everything that came before that with him, are still too fresh. Maybe they always will be.

And it's all just... a little difficult to reconcile.

Half a year. It's been half a year for him. Three missions with these people.

She swallows, clears her throat again. No. No, those thoughts... Those are thoughts she needs more time with.

At least until she can even begin to figure out what exactly she wants to say to him about all of that.]

I'd appreciate that, yes. That'd be very... helpful.

[grakraka]

[Even if she asked him to talk about the things between them or anything else, he isn't sure how he would. There are special, specific reasons he needs to apologize to Futaba and Haru but given that they hadn't appeared yet, he somehow hadn't considered it much. Now he realises what a mistake that was.

Though, would this even be the time? Probably not. Maybe it would be best to allow Haru to choose when to broach those topics. Fuck if he knows how to anyway.]

Ah, then let's see. Missions typical happen every other month or two months. It doesn't seem to be set in stone, which makes sense. They happen once the Director has tracked down a relic's general location. Typically we spend some time doing recon, gathering information and figuring out the precise place and form of the relic and coming up with a plan of action. Though unfortunately it does seem our time is limited, as relics often activate soon after discovery. Teamwork is, of course, rather vital, as well as the ability to fight and the ability to negotiate with many types of people.

[fleurdelyser]

Thank you. That... is very helpful, yes.

So it's... teamwork on a time limit, yes? Recon... then a plan of action...

[Well, that's a little familiar. She'd laugh, if she were in a laughing mood, but she does manage a small half-smile.]

Well. I'm glad it's been going well so far.

[grakraka]

[Akechi finds himself fidgeting a bit with a lock of hair.]

It is. I'm certain you'll be a welcome addition. I know things are, um, difficult right now but the people here... [And some of his anxiety melts away and his features soften.] ...well, again, they really are the type who you'll like. So... I know... me being here is, ah, what it is, but... they're all lovely people.