Lunar Interlude 4, Part 2

[balancemod]

Now is the winter of our discount tent. NAVIGATION 1. THE TOMB OF HORRORS "The Tomb of... Horrors?" "Yes. It's a tomb. And it's filled with horrors. Lucas, were you paying attention at all during the staff meeting yesterday afternoon?" "Yes, but... that doesn't... sound very safe, Lucretia." "The Space Mittens. The Architect's Pen. The Yarn of Earth's Binding. They've already faced way worse than what's down there, Lucas, and it's mostly harmless. Just a few exercises to get them closer to each other. Learn to work as a team. Build rapport. Support the new Reclaimers. It'll be safe. Edhyln's been working on it for weeks." "Edhyln?" "Yes, our Bureau Beholder Best Buddy. He actually likes to be called BB, for short." "Our... WHAT?" A. COME ONE, COME ALL Lucretia stands in front of the Tomb of Horrors. Several Reclaimers have done their best to help clear the path from the main campground straight to the mouth of the cave. She stands in front of it, explaining how this works. Essentially, you form a team- the makeup is completely up to you- and go through the tomb. It's meant to build character and bolster relationships between the Reclaimers. Mostly, it should be challenging, fun and edu-taining at the same time. You look up at a pretty dingy sign that's been painted onto wood, hanging above the portcullis that keeps entrants out. It reads, "Enter Colleagues, Exit Best Friends." Lucretia states that the tomb can only hold one team at a time, and it takes a little bit of effort to set it up in between runs. Fear not! You'll all have your chance to enter. Lucas has created some really cool technology to live stream your encounter onto these floating orbs that can be viewed from the campgrounds. They connect to your bracer, too. You can provide live commentary if you'd like; it'll appear inside the tomb itself as floating digital chat for everyone to see. Lucretia's not incredibly happy about this new invention and worries that it'll hamper the experience a little bit. You, on the other hand, are almost duty bound to make her regret her decision to allow it. Before you enter the Tomb of Horrors, a wooden box is neatly organized for your team. The lid is left open, and you're instructed to leave all your magical items behind. The focus is teamwork, after all- not cheesing it with OP artifacts. OOC Note: Feel free to set up a separate top level for interactions from other Reclaimers who might be watching your trial. The top 3 streamers who receive the most comments will receive a Fantasy Gachapon token each! We will stop tallying comments on May 31st, at 11PM EST B. THE FLOOR IS MADE OF LAVA (Note: Image over there not an accurate representation of this trial; I just thought it looked super neat.) Room 1 of the Tomb of Horrors is carpeted in a red, soft texture. There's a leader board that appears on the other side of the room that states: "THE FLOOR IS LAVA," and the second you and your team enter, pixelated faces of your countenance will appear below the warning, and a tally of points will begin. You'll notice that once you've entered, the portcullis drops and you're essentially forced to undergo the trials within until you've reached the final room. About 6 inches off the ground is a series of five 6½ foot long planks of wood, the ends of which are resting on small, circular metal pegs built into the ground. They make a zigzag pattern over a span of 30 feet, and you notice that below this series of planks, or essentially this low ropes course, is that soft, plush red carpet. This seems really, really easy. What gives? Lucretia's designed way trickier Tests of Initiation than this. However, if you... for any reason, touch the red carpet even once, the screen on the other end of the room will flash and tally a point deduction from your team. You'll earn one TEAMWORK PENALTY (TP). This seems silly. When everyone is across, you'll hear a noise over the loudspeaker remark: "we all walk the same path in life, and it's easier with help from your friends!" C. THE WOODEN WALL Room 2 contains the second trial: a giant, 15 foot, 7 feet wide, several feet deep wall made of wood. There's no way around it, as it seems to vivisect the entire room. It also doesn't come with rope, anything to help you climb over it, and honestly? It's a little on the slippery side. Getting above and beyond it is your challenge. If someone falls down from the wall, you'll earn one TP for your team. At the end of the trial, you'll hear a similar voice from a loudspeaker: "sometimes life throws obstacles at you, and it's easier to get over them with your friends!" D. THE TOTEM OF CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM The third room of the Camp Balance teamwork exercise leads way into a circular room with a small metal statue on a wooden pedestal. The statue depicts cartoonish representations of your party makeup, and when turned over, you see the familiar logo of Fantasy Costco written smack dab on the bottom of them. The far side of the trial reads: "THIS IS THE TOTEM OF CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM." In order to pass, you must give at least one piece of helpful criticism to your teammate. You'll take turns, and if the criticism comes from a place of pure personal truth, it'll light up gold. If it comes out of mockery, disdain, or condescension, it'll glow red hot- to the point of burning your hand. You'll also earn one TP for that one. Once all four totems are lit, the exit becomes apparent. "Good advice makes for good friends!" E. THE ARENA You step forward into the next room, and it looks very similar to the arena back on base... only it's been retrofitted to look like a McDonald's ball pit instead. You wade forward, as someone stands in the middle, a sheet over their face to make them appear to be a spoopy ghost. Oh no! It can only be vanquished by true teamwork! What will you do? The figure flings a ball at you, and depending on the color, you feel a light effect that resonates with a similarly colored element: ○ Red for fire ○ Blue for ice ○ Yellow for lightning ○ Green for wind It's not hard to take down at all. Have a little fun with it, why don't you? Or don't. The person under the sheet is getting a little ticked off with how you're not taking this trial seriously. If your team managed to score even one TP, he'll stop midway through the fight and rip the sheet off. You know those weird feelings you've been having at night while wandering around the campsite? That's because BB, the Buddy Beholder, has been around, watching all of you and trying to have a good time. He's not a very good beholder... in that, he's not very great at being a beholder. His eyestalks emit a kind of nauseating feeling that can cause confusion, blindness, paralysis- the same things you experienced back at the cabins. One of two things happen, here: "You're not taking this seriously! You were supposed to walk out of this becoming better friends. I think I know just the thing to help you become closer." (You've scored at least one TP) "Congratulations! You've earned the grand prize!" (A treasure chest drops from the ceiling, and when opened, shows a banner with the word "FRIENDSHIP!" printed onto it. This, too, has a Fantasy Costco logo on the bottom right of the flag.) Either way, the ground below you begins to tremble, as it seems all the balls in the ball pit start to suck through a vortex and the floor gives way. You're about to experience the real Tomb of Horrors. 2. YOU'VE REACHED.... THE END? For those of you who clearly did not take BB's cooperative training program seriously, he is extremely insulted!! Some of these tasks were meant to be interpreted more metaphorically, something to consider while forging stronger bonds with your colleagues, not just stomped through or made fun of. This is IMPORTANT. This is FRIENDSHIP. (Note: He is not mad at all of you sweet Reclaimers who enthusiastically tried your best at his workshop. But this is a team-building exercise, which means you all MUST do everything as a team). And clearly, as a team with the majority sorted into the fighting-based paths, the only thing you lot will respond to is actual danger. F. COME ONE, COME ALL... AGAIN? The little kid gloves are off — or, at least, they're off as far as a kind of ineffective beholder is concerned. The moment you regain your bearings deep down in the Tomb of Horrors, you'll find yourself in a dimly lit, dank corridor. The air is thick and unpleasant to breathe, like it reeks of magical energy, like maybe this tomb actually belongs to someone more sinister than a kind of goofy eyeball monster (Let's be clear about something, though: Goofy eyeball monsters are usually a lot more dangerous than BB is). You'll have to make your way to the end of the corridor, fumbling your way through the dark as the ground slants downward, deeper into the tomb — because any path action you have that might conjure light curiously doesn't seem to work in this area. It'd probably be best if you all held hands or found another way to safely navigate the corridor. Or not — because at some point, one or more of you will misstep, or suddenly, it will become apparent that the corridor, twisting far above the bottom of the tomb below, doesn't actually have any walls. And just like that, one or more of you will suddenly be gone. G. BIG BASS FISHIN' That's how easy it is to die and throw an entire mission off balance, isn't it? Maybe that's the actual message that little exercise was meant to convey: that you must be willing to keep moving forward even when your teammates have fallen. But luckily, much like the Bureau has plenty of diamonds on hand for Revivify, that fall wasn't fatal. It was pretty painful, though. Also, you're soaking wet, because you fell in a lake. It's cold, expansive, dark as all get-out down there and a little bit salty. In any case, those who slipped to their Tomb of Horrors death and those who managed to squeak down the corridor themselves will be able to reconvene at said lake, their lightbearing spells intact again, and have a rest at series of stones set up as a seating arrangement. There's even some fishing gear there, since your next trial does involve some BIG BASS FISHIN'. After a little while of reeling back and reeling in some ... honestly pretty boring baby bass that wouldn't even make it to the pail for measuring, something appears to emerge from deep within the middle of the lake. Something ... about human-sized, actually. Something kind of pissed. And it is intensely focused on you. That sure as hell is a Skum: A dangerous aquatic monster that specializes in biting and raking with any number of sharp appendages to eviscerate its foes. For this encounter, though, the Skum is going to pick only one target to attack, and will continue doing so. Your job here? Work together to protect the person who was unlucky enough to be spotted first. H. FREAKY FRIDAY Perhaps the most egregious of exercises puts you in a plain stone room, split into four stone hallways, effectively separating you from the rest of your team. It seems innocent enough when you pass through the entrance to your hallway. At the end is a door, with a speaker — approach it, and a pleasant-sounding voice will ask the following question: What is it that you value most? Maybe that question sounds familiar. But if you haven't noticed already, it'll suddenly become apparent when you try to answer: You are not currently in your own body — it seems you've swapped bodies with one of your teammates. Which means, of course, that your own, personal answer, the thing that you value most, isn't going to cut it. You might want to break out your bracer for this one and message your other teammates. Because this exercise is kind of a really weird way of forcing you to learn more about each other. I. BB The final doors swing open, and as you pass through to an empty room, the final area before the exit, you'll feel something of a snap, as you're returned to your body. That's not disorienting. Neither is coming face-to-face with the mastermind behind the very clearly aptly named Tomb of Horrors himself — BB, a beholder, an enormous floating eyeball sporting even more eyeballs, because all the better to see you, and all the exercises he built to encourage cooperation, with, of course. And look at how or mildly surprised/vaguely pleased with himself all those eyeballs are at your success. "You made it! Oh cripes, I'm not supposed to be in this room right now?? So ... that's pretty much ... it? I've got a comment box over by the door if you want to leave some feedback — I don't claim to be a dungeon master or anything, but I thought some of these exercises were pretty all right, and. "............ "Oh, what am I saying. You're going to want to fight, aren't you?" You have a couple of options here: ○ Yeah, you can fight BB if you want! Just a word of warning, though: Even though he is kind of terrible at being a beholder, subverting the usual alignment, uh. beholden. To beholders. He is still a beholder. When he decides to fight, he can be incredibly dangerous. You'll want to mind the lasers and the biting, but where BB shines in particular is his wide arsenal of status effect spells. He is the one responsible for all the weird effects happening overnight at the camp — and if you can think of a weird effect, any at all, he's likely got a spell for it. Don't kill him, though! He's got more Reclaimers who need to make their way through the tomb. Actually, he'll probably make a hasty, floating exit if you harm him too much. ○ You can leave a comment in the comment box. Positive or negative, you'll be receiving a reply in the form of a dramatic retelling of your adventure through the Tomb of Horrors in a large and very loopy script. It's unclear how exactly BB wrote it. Regardless, when you do leave the Tomb of Horrors, you'll find a box with a tag addressed to you on a table by the doorway. Inside is about 300 GP — plenty enough to buy yourself a new weapon or way too many snacks from Fantasy Costco — and a note. "This all seemed awfully silly, didn't it? But I do hope that you were able to learn a little bit about each other today." 3. THE GREAT BONFIRE J. THE END OF CAMP BALANCE Now that we've sung camp songs, played potato sack races, enjoyed a month of relaxing with friends, and made some good (?) memories down in the Tomb of Horrors, it's time to wind down from the activities of Camp Balance. Lucretia calls everyone around the campfire the night before return- and it's meant to be a rather joyous occasion. Food of innumerable styles and quantities are laid out and kept fresh with a charming ward- burgers, fruits, veggie dip, a jello mold that no one will probably touch... you name it, it's there. Tonight's celebration is one to mark unification. She thanks everyone for everything they've done up to this point, and humbly asks that they continue to do the outright unbelievable things that they've accomplished since coming here. It marks a half way point for the war she's waging to rid the world of the Grand Relics, and more than that, it marks almost 6 months since some of you have come here. Through bonds, new and old, and through hardships shared and vested similar passions and goals, you've made this journey possible. And she wants to reward that. There's music in the air as Johann plucks some spiriting songs on his violin. Spears for s'mores run iron hot in the huge bonfire centered around the midpoint of Camp Balance. It's a calm last farewell to the month you've had here- enjoy it in the hot springs. Go for a walk and take in the clean, crisp sea air that envelops every direction of the land. Swim in a nearby lake. Find some new friends, old friends, romance, good discussion. The world's your oyster. And as one last treat, Lucretia pulls out her staff, and stamps the floor. Into the sky shoot rockets as fireworks explode into blooms at the skyline. They'll make you feel somewhat nostalgic, and whether that's by the magical entrails they leave behind as they die out, or the warm feeling it brings in your chest to see them. Either way, it's a night to remember, for sure. K. AN OMINOUS VISION And just at the tail end of the celebration, as if bad luck waits for no one, there will be a deafening silence that pervades the entire camp. A gut feeling will fill your heart with dread, something that you recall, something that you're familiar with... but maybe can't place your finger on it. It seems as if the entire world comes to a still: no wind, no rustling of grass or sounds of crickets in the forest. It stops, and so do you. As you look up into the sky, where there should be a canopy of now-familiar stars... are eyes. Millions of them in varying sizes and widths. And they watch you, unblinking. The intensity in which you feel your very soul pervaded into is terrifying, and almost as quick as it started, it ends. Looks like we've been found, adventurers. The Hunger knows we're here. 4. OOC We hope you enjoyed this month's corporate retreat, and that you learned a lot about your fellow Reclaimers! You'll note there's no RNG thread this go-around. That's normal! We are working on your next mission, so we need a little bit more time to work on that over the next few weeks. Don't forget, there's a reward for the top level that gets the most amount of niconico video flyby's, in the tune of 1 gachapon token to the top three livestreamers. Also, please remember to turn in your activity for May — you have a little over a week left! As a reminder, you can turn in two bonus threads for two path actions this month. New players only need to check in, but you can also claim your small reward for the initiation thread as well as two bonus threads. blurb code by photosynthesis

Comments

warning: suicide

[napstar]

[ Why hasn't he surfaced yet? Minato's looking around by what little light Kaede has mustered, mindful not to whip the hamster off his head. He's already grabbing his Evoker when Ribo-N roughly tugs his hair. Hey! Don't eat it!

Then Ribo-N jumps into the water and paddles with determination... Did she see something? He's a much faster swimmer than her so he scoops her up and follows her pointing until she stops, getting excited.

He nods at her, message received, before placing her back into the water. In a flash he's firing the gun at his temple, and he's under the water before Orpheus is even fully formed. They both dive under, covering a larger area than either could alone. Minato's practically flailing his arms, feeling the water haphazardly, searching for any sign of Gundam or what could have taken him under. He's down here somewhere! He has to be!

A piece of cloth brushes his arm and Minato's on it in an instant. He starts dragging the body up to the surface--Gundam doesn't seem stuck to anything--when Orpheus finds him too. He isn't terribly deep but the weight of the larger guy is tough to handle. The two of them together shove Gundam over the surface, where Orpheus takes over carrying him.

After a gasp of breath he calls out to Kaede: ]

We need a shore!

1/2 cw: drowning

[gundamned]

[Unable to stop himself from sinking deeper, Gundam's lungs finally give out. He draws in an involuntary breath of water and somehow it's even worse than just not being able to breathe.

This is it then? Just a matter of waiting. Waiting... until the darkness of the water becomes the darkness of unconsciousness... and darkness of unconsciousness becomes the darkness of death.

Kaede and Minato finding their way out without him... it's not a death befitting an overlord.









And then something grasps hold of him from the abyss.]

2/2

[gundamned]

[In a moment, Gundam feels himself being propelled upward. Being without air for so long is disorienting and he doesn't understand how or even why he's suddenly broke the surface of the lake.

He chokes, coughing up water as he tries to take in air. It's the only thing he can really focus on aside from the pain and discomfort of having nearly drowned.]

[gotyourbach]

[The balled up cloak is starting to singe her gloves. She's panicking as Minato and Orpheus both dive in search of Gundam, at once terrified to let the light go out and terrified that the fire will burn through her gloves. All she can do is tread water, trying to keep an eye out for Minato and Orpheus while casting about frantically to try to spot land. An island, a shoreline. Anything.

There are tears in her eyes as she whispers for the fire to get larger, consuming more of her cloak to brighten up the area. It's enough to cast light on the shore, marked with some kind of sign she can't read from this distance.]

T-This way! Hurry!

[She uses her other hand to ball up more of her cloak to keep the fire away from her gloves; she can't swim without letting go, so she has to wait for Minato and Orpheus to bring Gundam to shore before she can risk heading that way herself.]

[napstar]

[ Minato sees Kaede gesture. He can't quite make out the shoreline himself but he has total faith in his teammate. Orpheus starts toward the shoreline with Gundam while Minato spends a bit more time swimming around, trying to locate Ribo-N again. He finds her quickly enough; she's trying to swim towards Gundam herself. He scoops her up and heads for the shoreline, outpacing Orpheus but arriving not all that long before they do.

He crawls out of the lake drenched to the bone, feeling much heavier from all the water his clothes have absorbed. He deposits Ribo-N on a nearby rock on the shore. Then he waits for Orpheus to arrive with Gundam.

Come on... Come on...

Gundam's deposited on the shoreline coughing, which means he's still alive. Minato's not a medical expert, but he knew one back home -- well, he knew someone that decided to study to become a doctor. Close enough. He can guess what the best thing to do here is. Probably get him on an incline so water can leave his lungs. That seems logical, right?

At Minato's instruction, Orpheus lifts up Gundam's legs far enough that his torso's on an incline on the ground, though it does leave Gundam's neck at a weird angle.

Yeah that's probably fine. ]

[gundamned]

[Gundam continues to choke and cough as he's deposited on the shore, spitting up water gracelessly. Eventually his frantic grasps for air in between his coughing fits settle down. His chest and throat and nose burn from the intake of water and his entire body just feels so ridiculously heavy.

He's never felt so uncomfortable in all these layers in his entire life.]

[gotyourbach]

[As soon as she sees the others make it to shore, she doesn't so much dismiss the spell as drop both the cloak and her hands into the water, choking back a sob. Her hands hurt a little, and her cloak is definitely a wreck, but they're all safe. For the moment?

It takes her a little more time to get to shore than it did Minato and Orpheus; she's not that strong of a swimmer! But she's doing the best she can, and makes it while Gundam's still spitting up water.]

This test isn't fun anymore...

[She crawls on her hands and knees over by Gundam and Minato, kneeling by the two of them at a total loss.]

Arisato-kun, what can I do to help?

[napstar]

[ To help? Gundam's still coughing up water. Short of some kind of machinery he doesn't think there's much more they can do to help him with that. Orpheus is still holding Gundam's legs up.

Maybe dry their clothes? Can she do that? Maybe start a campfire. Using what? Everything they own is wet. And he doesn't expect Gundam to be able to help them with any of his demon powers, considering he nearly drowned.

-- Actually. ]

Healing word?

[ It's worth a shot ]

[gundamned]

[After Orpheus situates Gundam on the shore, Ribo-N scrambles over to check on him. Gundam's vision hasn't quite focused entirely yet and for a moment he thinks he really has died again and his hamsters swallowed by the hunger have come to take him across the rainbow bridge with them.

Except all his hamsters look remarkably like the same hamster.

And that hamster isn't a hamster.]

...

[Gundam shuts his eyes and reopens them again, his vision finally settling on one -- albeit blurry-- Ribo-N. Gundam weakly reaches out to pet her, feeling a sense of relief wash over him that she's tangible.

If she's still here then he's alive then.]

[gotyourbach]

Y-Yeah, okay.

[She almost reaches out to touch Gundam's shoulder to steady him, but at the last second remembers what they'd literally just gone over. Don't touch him, Kaede! Instead, she just hums, her voice gravely and hoarse from screaming during the fall and almost inhaling all that water.

Even if his clothes are wet, Gundam should be able to feel a warm, radiant light as her spell seeks to undo any minor injuries. Or maybe it just forces extra water out of his lungs. #dnd]

I can, um, I'll see if I can find some wood for a fire?

[They're underground, in the dark. But maybe there's moss or some kind of underground plant that's flammable? If nothing else, she can sacrifice the rest of her cloak.]

[napstar]

[ Minato nods. If there's something to burn here, even for a little while, it would be a big help. Then he realizes she probably couldn't make out his nod. ]

Good idea.

[ He trusts her to not get lost or wander too far. He's staying with Gundam for now, at least until he proves himself able to move around and communicate with them ]

[gundamned]

[Healing word may not be powerful enough to heal Gundam entirely, but it does provide some relief. Especially to the burning, aching feeling sitting in his chest. ...Why is his neck bent like this? Did he break it?

Ribo-N motions to Orpheus that it's fine to let go of Gundam's legs and let him figure out his bearings. Also... it's making his eyeliner run at a weird angle down his face. His help in saving her master was and is most appreciated -- from familiar to persona.

Gundam's pretty quiet as Kaede and Minato go back and forth with one another, trying to figure out what to do next. Despite the discomfort, he definitely prefers being alive. He feels more than a little guilty for being the one to drag the two of them down with him. Although if he hadn't he wouldn't have been able to surface...

Why is he devoting so much thought to this as if there's something he can even do right now that would go back in time and prevent him from being stupid. Dwelling on a near death experience isn't rectifying anything. He's a being of absolutes. He's not dead. He's alive. Thinking about what could have happened is foolish and entirely unlike him.]

...

[Gundam rolls over, making an effort to sit up. Despite the amount of effort that involves, words are harder to come by somehow.]

[gotyourbach]

[Kaede's reluctant to leave Gundam, but they're all going to suffer if she can't get a fire started. There aren't any trees in this underground cave, like she'd kind of assumed, but there is some weird assorted debris? Like the kind someone leaves behind from fishing. Some wooden crates, some boxes. She takes one and smashes it on the ground to gather up the pieces into something shaped vaguely like a campfire near Minato and Gundam.

She starts to hum, then holds her hands out. Prestidigitation sure is useful in this scenario specifically, because she can use it to make a small bonfire. She keeps humming, a gentler rendition of Chopin's Revolutionary than she usually sings, trying to inspire them both with just a little bit of Bardic Inspiration. They can do this! She believes in them.]

[napstar]

[ Orpheus isn't exactly thrilled to be taking commands from a mouse, but Minato senses Orpheus' rising agitation. ]

Orpheus.

[ Minato is unamused, like an annoyed parent to a child, and Orpheus begrudgingly obeys and lets Gundam down.

The rest of the time Minato sits in silence, leaving Kaede's humming and smashing of boxes to be the only thing they hear in the cave. He watches as Gundam turns himself over. Gundam is proud and obsessed with appearances, so Minato isn't out to embarrass him, but at the same time Gundam is struggling so help getting upright could do him some good. Which social link option should Minato choose?

....

.....

Minato points to Orpheus. ]

He's metal. And not real.

[ So Gundam doesn't need to worry about his poisoned whatever it was. Orpheus is at Gundam's side, ready to lend a hand if he'd like. But Minato won't take offense if the offer of help is rejected. ]

1/2

[gundamned]

[This mouse is a manifestation of the malevolent power his hell hound patron possesses -- of which he has borne a most sacred contract with!

Also cuter than you, sad tin man.]

2/2

[gundamned]

[Gundam looks from Minato to Orpheus, contemplating his options for a long moment.]

If you are determined to enter the aura of--[Cough.]-- this malevolent arm... then I shall not--[Cough.]-- stop you.

[gotyourbach]

Over here, you guys.

[Satisfied that the bonfire is actually burning and not about to go out any time soon, Kaede drags another crate over without smashing it this time. Sitting on something is way better than just hanging out on the floor, right?

She takes off some of her extra clothes to help them dry out, too; her cloak, her armor, the skirt she wears over her leggings. Normally she'd be too embarrassed to strip like this, but Minato's already seen her like this when they went under the lake on Maru, and Gundam is just... too weird about other things to be weird about this.]

[napstar]

[ ... Minato thinks that's permission to go ahead. A simple nod would have done. Or a grunt, or a wave, or really anything that didn't make Gundam have to talk and agitate his lungs.

Well, whatever suits the guy. Orpheus will take Gundam's arm and help him lift himself up. Then he will guide him towards the fire Kaede has lit.

Minato follows Kaede's lead and starts stripping down by the fire, wringing the water out of his clothes, until he's just in his boxers. He dumps a bunch of water out of his short sword's sheath too. Ick. Why does water have to be so heavy? ]

[gundamned]

[Gundam is content to sit in his wet clothes somehow, even if he looks utterly uncomfortable. He does make the effort to empty out his pockets at least so they can dry off.

...

Gundam rubs at his red eye, smudging his eyeliner even more in the process. The lake water's really irritating his contact, but taking any of this off feels like it will ruin his aesthetic. Even if that aesthetic is sopping wet. And dirty.]

[gotyourbach]

[Oh. Oh, Minato's just. He's taking it all off, huh. Kaede stares for a few seconds, wide-eyed, then quickly and determinedly stares into the bonfire instead, hoping he's too preoccupied with stripping to notice her embarrassed flush.

But now it's too quiet. There's just the lapping of water at the shore and the crackle of the fire to break the silence.]

Ummm... [she starts, but trails off uncertainly. Aaah, jeez! If there were a piano here, she'd definitely be able to play a song to strengthen the resolve in everyone's hearts!]

This dumb test isn't timed, so... let's just take a break for now! Are you guys okay?

[napstar]

[ She's seen him like this before, at the lake on Maru. And she also ogled him there. Not that Minato notices, or would even care if he did.

Minato shakes some water out of his hair before he sighs. ]

Tired.

[ Now that he's had a minute to calm down from the near death of his teammate, he just wants to nap. As usual. He's not going to take a nap here but he sure would like to get out of the tomb so he can collapse in the bard cabin. ]

[gundamned]

[Gundam's resolve looks to be waning the longer he's sitting here. After a moment he slips off his boots, dumping the water that's seeped into them out.]

...

[After another moment... maybe his coat.]

...Acceptable.

[Maybe his cursed arm bindings as well.]

[gotyourbach]

Yeah... I'm tired, too.

[She tugs off her gloves, wincing a little, and flexes her fingers. They seem fine, but she really wishes she could play piano right now to be sure. Then reaches up and wrings out her hair, shivering in spite of the fire.]

But things will seem better once we're dry, I'm sure of it! [She shakes the water off her hands and pumps her fists. Now more than ever, it feels like she has to be the one to keep them motivated, huh?]

Oh, Tanaka-kun...

[She crawls over to grab her armor from where she'd laid it by the fire, popping open one of the little pouches attached to it. Maybe it's rude to call attention to his appearance, but... he clearly spends so much time on it, it must be important. And she always feels better when she knows she looks her best, so... she offers him the compact mirror she uses for practicing Disguise spells, and a stick of waterproof eyeliner, setting it on the ground for him to take if he wants it.]

Sometimes supreme evil or whatever needs to be touched up, right?

[napstar]

[ Minato watches her take out the mirror and stick... Ah. For Gundam's makeup. He imagines Gundam wouldn't want to feel like he's under their scrutiny, so he averts his eyes. What an interesting bag Kaede has over there. Yes. ]

[gundamned]

[Gundam looks at the compact and then Kaede.] Ah. [Gundam yanks his scarf up, but it's so heavy from getting wet it slides down of it's own volition.]

T-thanks.

[Gundam frowns. His hair's too wet for it hold out of his face, his make up is running all over and even the dark mark of the devil over his eye is rubbing away at the edges. Although even this disheveled look is slightly more interesting than how he wakes up every morning. So there is an interesting narrative to this aesthetic...

Gundam wipes at his face gingerly, trying to touch up what washed away and preserve what's sort of hanging on there.]