Welcome, reader, to the latest Character Development Thread! These shared story exercises help budding writers develop their characters alongside the characters of other budding writers. No formal sign-up is necessary; one can simply jump right in. Just make sure to review the OP and the last few pages first. If you still have questions or need a recap, feel free to join in the discussion thread
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This particular thread is a casual thread. What does that mean? The focus here is largely on character interaction, and a casual thread is largely meant to serve that purpose without subjecting the participating characters to anything overly threatening. This especially means violence, although there is a designated sparring area for friendly duels.
Many thanks go to Sonzai for helping me prepare this thread.
◊In a remote, mountainous region of Japan, in the middle of a large bamboo forest, there sits an inn. At first glance, it appears oddly traditional, and for the most part it is. However, a closer look around will reveal that it is surprisingly modern as well and offers everything a weary traveler could need. The inn's location is most unusual, but stranger still are its staff. Almost all of them are Youkai, the mythical and incredibly varied spirits of Japan. Some of them look fairly humanlike, others are more bestial, and still others are simply strange.
Appearances aside, this particular group is welcoming to any and all weary travelers that find their inn. Perhaps they'll even meet someone stranger then they are.
- Current Time of Day: Sunset
- Current Weather: Mostly clear
edited 5th Sep '14 7:50:35 PM by Yomegami
Bisexual Goblin Queen
- Entry*
Looking around, Aquabella realized that she was alone. Again.
We must never confuse elegance with snobbery.
[front of inn > entry]
He was a doctor, after all, and he had to make sure she was okay, so he followed the pixie- or Beach, did she call herself? -inside. It wasn't going to be much of a rest, but these places also seemed to have infinite food and amenities, which was admittedly better than having to worry about that on the road.
"I'm Doctor Cline. If you'd like to get a room, I'll be happy to take a look."
edited 25th May '14 10:33:26 AM by CrystalGlacia
"Jack, you have debauched my sloth."
Bisexual Goblin Queen
- entry*
After checking in, which, coincidentally took just a second, Aquabella Beach turned to the Doctor. "Have you ever worked with a pixie before? You may be surprised..... We kinda are.....unique. And tend to not be knocked out easily. Before you get any ideas."
edited 25th May '14 2:15:58 PM by Petrichor4
We must never confuse elegance with snobbery.
That One Gal
[Garden]
The teen simply stared right back at those eyes, still clutching onto his newly acquired stone. He wasn't participating in a staring-contest, or shocked frozen at the sight. He was simply watching the water to see if the rest of the thing would rise above the surface. When it didn't, he knelt down.
"So, what're you meant to be?" He asked the pair of eyes, tossing the rock away. "The concierge is a tengu, and I'm assuming most if not all of the staff are also some form of demon...Lemme guess, Kappa?"
Game Room
Taeko blinked. "...You actually didn't notice?" She looked down at herself to make sure she looked the same as she always did. When that appeared to be the case, she looked back at John. "Then again, I don't think I ever got the chance to converse with an ordinary human since I've been a ghost. Maybe we look different to you than we do to the youkai."
She shook her head. "Anyway, don't worry about me. I've been a ghost for...a really long time. Like, possibly even longer than you've been alive. I've long gotten over it." She clasped her hands together. "That doesn't bother you too much, does it? Most of the youkai don't seem to think too highly of us...."
Garden
The eyes weren't exactly close enough to the edge of the pond for Cal to get close enough to just by kneeling, but even from his distance he might be able to tell that they were large. Really large. Individually, they were likely the size of his head.
The being pondered, whether or not this boy was worth the time. Clearly, he didn't ring the bell with knowledge of the consequences. The fact was that he didn't know what that bell signified. He clearly needed to be educated on that matter, and maybe on the matter of this area as a whole.
The surface of the pond suddenly started bubbling. Seconds later, there was a monstrous splash as the being emerged from the pond. Initially it moved too fast to see any real details, but it didn't long for it to assume a coiling position, hovering above the pond through no obvious means other than its own power.
Once it had settled, it was clear that the being was a dragon; a Japanese dragon, to be specific. It was fairly ordinary looking for dragons of its kind. It possessed a long, serpentine body; three toes upon each of its four feet; a ridge of spines running down its back; long whiskers on each side of its nostrils; and a tuft of fur underneath its chin. Besides its yellow eyes that fixed Cal with a strong glare, it was largely white and silver in color. While small by the standards of its kind, it was still much bigger than Cal, or any human for that matter.
"You rang?" it asked of the boy, with a deep, booming voice that, while understandable, sounded something like the banging of pots and pans.
Icon by Civvi the Civilian!
[Game Room]
John shook his head.
"No, it doesn't bother me." he said, "It just makes me feel a little...sad. I mean, you look so young, and here you are; a ghost." He shrugged, "But, it seems that you've gotten over what happened to you, so I shouldn't dwell on it to much."
He suddenly became curious. "Youkai? Is that what the people at the entry hall are? Are they spirits or something?"
[entry]
He was so far beyond plain, simple anaesthetic, at least the chemical variety, that he had to smile a bit. Why bother with dosage and lawsuits and all that shit when you can just do a bit of poking around and have the effect simulated in no time at all?
"Well, assuming your only issue is blunt trauma, attempting to render you unconscious would be overkill for such a simple fix." He finished signing himself in with scrawled cursive, giving the winged, long-nosed receptionist an appreciative nod, and headed off with this pixie in tow.
"Jack, you have debauched my sloth."
Drummer Boy
[[Dining Hall]]
"Well, you see, it's—" Angelus tried to remember how the boy described the process of becoming a human. "It's complicated. Thy need help from an advanced mage. The ones I know look completely human. And that just makes them even more dangerous. You never know if you're talking to one. Wait, you do. They're all mentally ill. That's how you know."
He shook his head before continuing, seemingly oblivious to any other conversation going on around him. "It's a miracle he's so intelligent. Yes, I must admit he is. Unless he cheated his way through school. That is a distinct possibility. The others? Not so lucky. Maybe they were transformed later in their lives; he told me he was one almost since birth."
[[Outside —> Entry Hall —> Entering Dining Hall]]
A woman who bore a great resemblance to Angelus—average build, blue eyes, hair the color of cinnamon—appeared in front of the building. She wore a black cloak over her navy dress. The skirt was puffed up with so many petticoats that even she had no idea of the exact number, and the whole thing was bedecked with black velvet bows and white lace. The cloak was oddly plain in contrast, but if the light hit the fabric at the right angle, one could make out an angular, maze-like pattern in the fabric. This same pattern appeared on her black top hat, which had a blue band and white feather.
She clutched her blue handbag to her chest and she glided toward Angelus. He was talking about cats. Of course. She knew perfectly well that these cat-people did not exist, and no one quite believed him when he spoke of them, but she took great care to quietly suggest that no one correct him. This was too amusing to her, and she needed all the amusement she could get.
edited 25th May '14 11:07:18 PM by SnowyFoxes
The last battle's curtains will open on stage!
The future of warfare in UC.
[Garden]
"A...dragon." Se actually touched her blade's hilt this time.
"Eastern style, white-not a Combat Construct." Rein added, somewhat mechanically. She shook her head a moment. "I don't think it's going to eat anyone, Se."
"And if it tries?" Se asked, skeptically.
"Then I'll deal with it!" Rein said, amused.
"That is exactly what I am here to prevent." Se observed acidly. "I will deal with that problem. You will reserve the ability to accidentally crack the planetary crust for things that truly require it."
Nous restons ici.
Bisexual Goblin Queen
-Entry/Hall-
Dazedly looking about while trailing behind the Doctor, Aquabella began coughing. It was just a slight, regular cough, but it was audible. "You never answered my question!" She protested when she could catch her breath, "have you ever fixed up a pixie before?!"
edited 26th May '14 12:17:25 AM by Petrichor4
We must never confuse elegance with snobbery.
[Dining Hall]
Ryouta didn't reply to Daisuke, only giving him a look of confusion, having never heard of the Hemingway House before.
"I suppose a powerful mage could do that, but I just have no idea why," Ryouta said to Angelus. He had heard of such things in mythology, and certainly plenty of youkai could transform, but those were always temporary or interchangeable forms - and they weren't exactly ordinary before or after. An ordinary cat being transformed permanently into an ordinary human? He had certainly never seen such a thing, not to mention the ethical implications. "I mean, who would do such a thing? It doesn't seem that they would ever be able to fit into human society undergoing such a dramatic change, unless they became entirely human during the process. Otherwise, I would think that the morphic dissonance would either drive them mad or force them back into their original form," he said. He was, however, rather experienced in temporary transformations, and certainly knew of the downright scary things Hisami could do, even if she was quite friendly.
He then noticed the woman approaching Angelus, and said to him, "wait, do you know that woman?"
[Garden]
Izumi's ears perked up at the sound of the bell ringing, and the person beneath the trees, but she didn't react other than a brief glance at each. She also glanced over at Se and Rein when they arrived, but so far was still involved in her conversation with Blossom.
However, once the dragon surfaced, she immediately turned around, and said, "Wow! A dragon! That's awesome!" She stared straight at it, looking quite excited, and slightly oblivious to everything else.
Danger: Intense gravimetric distortions nearby. Please reverse the polarity on your deflectors now.
[Garden —> Dojo]
"Well," Blossom said, "of course parents created you, just not through conventional means, I imagine. Which seems a bit..."
That was when the dragon arose, and Blossom quickly stepped closer to Izumi. "Dead gods, what is that?!" she said, "I, uh, let's find some other place, continue this conversation, like now." Her eyes briefly darted around before settling on the dojo. She was by no means a fighter, but it was a place to disappear to. Without another word, she quickly and quietly darted in.
[Bar]
Well, since the topic of the hand had been brought up... Mazak nodded and said, "I see. I have never properly understood those of Octopus — artists, that is to say — though I accept them as a necessary part of societal fabric. It must be a strange and disconcerting change to have been forced off of that path." Didn't the Terrans have functional prosthetics? Depended on the the time, he supposed — he knew Terra as it was in 2020, and there was no guessing where Travis came from. "May I ask how you came to lose your hand? Or is that a story meant for friends alone? I will not press the issue."
That One Gal
[Bar]
Travis seemed to grimace at the thought of how he lost his arm, draining the rest of his wine and pushing the glass away. He took a moment of sitting there before responding. "Legs are easy to make, y'know? All you really need are three joints that can move up and down, and have a swivel attached to the top-most joint. Hands are a different story; all the precise, delicate movements in the fingers are near impossible to replicate. Harder than it is to draw them, at least." He finished with a sigh, and ordered some more wine. "Hiking accident. Strayed too far into hunting territory, fell into a bear-trap."
[Garden]
For once since he arrived, Cal's eyes went wide as he watched the serpent-esque dragon erupt from the pond. His shoes were soaked in water, though. His hands went back into his pockets as he stared, taking another few steps back so that he wasn't invading it's space. His arms folded over his chest and his head tilted in confusion, or thought.
"Huh. Well, I'm stumped, What-slash-Who are you?"
edited 26th May '14 6:56:02 PM by TruthHurts22
The future of warfare in UC.
[Garden]
Se stepped forward, hands held out somewhat from her sides, to show she was not hiding anything, while her blade seemingly disappeared into thin air. "And...for that matter, there are quite a few of us who were not educated to expect you, yet were invited to this place. I suspect someone has made a serious mistake."
Nous restons ici.
Game Room
"Well...I guess that is true...." Taeko said, frowning, "But that's just the way things are sometimes." She shrugged. "But you're right; we shouldn't dwell on it." Her frown suddenly turned into a big grin. "It's all sad and mopey and stuff like that, and who wants to hear about that stuff when we're in a place like this?"
She was more than happy to drop the subject there and moved on to John's question. "Well...I don't think all the guests are. I think the people running it all are, though. The person at the front desk is a tengu, for example." She thought a little more. "There really isn't one word that describes the youkai as a whole since they're a really varied bunch. I guess the best term would be 'supernatural being,' though that's really general and applies to more than just them."
Garden
"I am the great Mizuchi," the dragon replied, focus remaining solely on Cal, "guardian deity of this territory and owner of the inn. The bell that you have struck is sacred to me, and is rung solely to let me know something has gone wrong."
He cast a quick glance at everyone present, though it was simply to see if anyone appeared to be in danger. He did not care what anyone thought of his appearance, if he even noticed anyone else's reaction at all. "But as far as I can see, that does not seem to be the case. Now tell me, am I correct?"
He only paid special attention to Se when she spoke to him. "You were never informed of my presence, for the only time one would ever see me was if my edict of peace was violated. If it hasn't...." He turned his attention back to Cal. "....then I wish to know why my sacred bell was rung."
Dojo
Zenjiro had been busying himself with polishing the weapons hanging from the weapon rack. He was well aware that the inn had been open for a while now; Miki informed him as such earlier. It had been quiet in here since then; apparently the dojo wasn't exactly the top destination for the guests. Not that he minded the silence; it was less work for him with no one else in here.
Blossom's entry into the dojo did not escape his notice and he turned to face her. He was the type of youkai known as a tsukumogami, or a formerly inanimate object that had come to life. To be more specific, he was a living sword. Four feet from the point of the blade to the hilt, he bore a much stronger resemblance to a western zweihander than any Japanese weapon. His single, red eye was immediately below the hilt, although beyond that he didn't have a face to speak of. A long tassel hung from the hilt that, judging by the five-fingered "hand" formed from the frayed end, served as an arm. He had no other limbs, yet somehow managed to float point-down.
"Greetings. Welcome to the dojo," he said, in a tinny, monotone voice. Judging by the expression his eye was making, he was at least trying to convey politeness, "If you have questions or concerns, feel free to ask me."
That was all he said before he turned his attention back to the weapons rack and resumed tending to them. He had no intentions on saying anything more to Blossom for the time being, unless she chose to speak to him.
Icon by Civvi the Civilian!
Drummer Boy
[[Dining Hall]]
Angelus scratched his chin. "I don't know why, either. But some mages like to experiment, you know? And they don't fit into human society. The one I met first, the one who's been one since he was a kitten—they threw him into an asylum. But his uncle (adoptive, obviously) took them to court until the boy was released. Would have been better for all of us if the damn thing had stayed there. My wife—she—is it still bestiality if the body is human?"
The woman laid her pale fingers on his shoulder. Her eyes were oddly vacant as she smiled. "A truce, dear brother, just for today. My head is crowded with the strangest, foreign thoughts. If we fight here, you'll scare them away."
"I'm not complaining, Erica, but—"
Her fingers crept closer to his throat.
"Argh! I don't even care anymore. Whatever you do, just do it away from me."
She removed her fingers and took one step back. "You failed to specify how far away."
Her mind probed into those of everyone nearby, trying to figure out who was the most interesting. If no one was amusing, she would leave.
edited 26th May '14 10:07:30 PM by SnowyFoxes
The last battle's curtains will open on stage!
[Dining Hall]
"I'm just glad the government regulates magic where I'm from, so we have as few problems like that as possible," Ryouta said to Angelus.
When the woman (Erica) tried to scan Ryouta's mind, she would find strong magical resistance, that while likely possible to overcome, would be quite difficult to do so. She might be able to recognize the fact that he wasn't what he appeared to be, and certainly quite a bit older than he looked. Otherwise, he seemed to have limited magical ability overall, but strong ability in specific areas, most likely healing.
Ryouta noticed her probe, having been around far too many Satori to not notice and have practiced defense. "Excuse me, can I help you with something?" he said to her, looking at her more seriously than before.
[Garden]
"Well, great and honorable Mizuchi, I was in danger of getting bored, but that probably doesn't count," Izumi said politely to Mizuchi.
Then, looking excited, she said, "but... since you're already here, can you do anything cool like breathe fire, shoot water, or fly? Or even all three at once? Because that would be awesome to watch!" Funnily enough, despite bugging each other, Izumi and Takuya do have very similar personalities in many ways. :P
Danger: Intense gravimetric distortions nearby. Please reverse the polarity on your deflectors now.
[dining hall]
Assuming Erica did a pass over Ran, she, not really understanding what mind-reading was, would hide.
In the meantime, Daisuke said nothing, assumed Weird Guy was having some sort of domestic spat, and went back to drinking his soup. He just felt like he was biding his time, that someone was going to ask him at some point why he was so hungry, why he was alone, how he got here... it wasn't like he was uncomfortable about it, just... scared. Or mad.
All this time, he hadn't really noticed much changing with his dad since he lost his job. It was right after Grandpa died, too, but he tried keeping their spirits up. Sometimes, Dad would have them pretend to camp out in the living room with all the lights turned out, or they'd try to find new ways to spice up their admittedly nasty freeze-dried ramen. But then all that began to stop, and he would just sleep for days on end, barely even acknowledging Daisuke the few times when he was awake. Maybe he was just sad; Matt said that people who are really sad about things will just sleep a lot.
But then, this morning, they heard the police pounding on their door, with a warrant and everything, and they took Dad away. They brought a bunch of officers, at least five or six, and dragged him into the hall, which practically blinded them both after the city shut their electricity off. In that bright light, Daisuke watched the strongest, bravest person he knew get demeaned and spat on and turned into another faceless criminal, just enough time for Dad to call out to him.
"Grandpa tipped them off," he said, eyes burning hot as ever. "Now, run! Don't let them send you to your mother...!"
And so he tearfully obeyed his father, turned his back, and ran and ran even as his world crumbled all around him. But he was fine, he told himself, because at least he and Ran had each other.
[entry/hall > to guest rooms > Aquabella's room]
"You will be my first," not that even having experience with an Aetherionian pixie or sprite would help here, "but regardless, blunt trauma is the same, regardless of the patient's size or race. If you still doubt my abilities, I'll be no worse off should you decline my help."
He seriously was trying to help here- yes, he understood her fears, but her insistence on him knowing pixie physiology was strange, to say the least, enough for him to suspect that there was something else amiss.
Once they got to Aquabella's room, according to the number on her room key, they unlocked it and headed inside, and he closed the door behind him, ensuring privacy.
"Now that we're alone, do you have some other health concern that you're willing to share with me?" He had chosen his words, as well as decision to use her room carefully, making it clear that he wasn't willing to try anything that she wasn't also willing to try, and using her room to give her some sense of control, being in an area that was ostensibly hers.
edited 26th May '14 11:29:49 PM by CrystalGlacia
"Jack, you have debauched my sloth."
Bisexual Goblin Queen
-Aquabella's Room-
"Um.... Kinda? I guess? Well..." Stuttering, Aquabella folded up into a ball on her bed and quietly addressed her knees with her next sentence. "Before I got here, a few days ago, in the forest, I had a....run in with a very tall, very.....cruel.... Human male." A few tears fell from her eyes and landed on her knees. "What he did to me shouldn't happen to anyone. I couldn't protect myself, there was no water around I could use. Imagine, a water and sand pixie surrounded by trees and dirt. Helpless and weak against some jerk with raging hormones and an alpha complex. I'm completely broken. " again, she started to cry. "That is why I am so....adamant you need to know a little about pixies. Because there is more than blunt trauma that you will find." Finally done with her succinct tale, she challenged him to run from her, like all the others had, by meeting his eyes.
edited 27th May '14 2:05:01 AM by Petrichor4
We must never confuse elegance with snobbery.
[Bar]
"I see," Mazak said. "A shame. Every person has their place in the great story of society. To take that place away from them..." he shook his head. "You endure it well, from what little I've seen. Best of fortune upon your new path."
An inn employee scurried over to Mazak and handed him a simple necklace. When Mazak looked at it quizzically, the employee explained that there was a telepath in the building, and the necklace would suppress Mazak's abilities so he couldn't attempt to fatally overload the telepath's mind. His other defenses and abilities would be unaffected. Mazak scowled at this, clearly regarding killing a telepath on sight to be the proper response, but after a few tense moment, grudgingly put on the necklace.
"Apologies," he said to Cal after the argument was over. "In my native land, I am... translating the exact concept is difficult, but I work in law enforcement. I guess you could call me a detective. It is my duty to bring justice to those who abuse their power. Including, though not exclusively, the power of magic. Even if I have lost the most swift and decisive tool, though, I am still a match for those of Jellyfish." Then he shrugged and took a sip of his wine. "But I am on vacation. So I suppose for time being, I shall permit them to live."
[Dojo]
"Questions?" Blossom said, incredulous and worried, not turning to look at Zenjiro. (This would have made things worse.) "Concerns?" She pointed outside. "There is some sort of... it's the size of a brontosaurus* , and Lawgiver witness, it speaks. What, what, what is it?!"
edited 27th May '14 6:21:13 PM by KillerClowns
[Dining hall]
No longer hungry three of the younger ravens jumped down from the table. They walked to the table surrounded by various kinds of people, and the cat. One of them walked in under the table. another one jumped up and landed right in front of Daisuke and Ran.
"KRAA CUUUW CAAW CROOUUW," all of them screamed to scare the cat. The one under the table yanked the cats tail. The other jumped at the cat and dug her talons into the cats neck skin. They released their grip almost immediately and returned to their table.
NO ONE SUSPECTS THE LAMP!
[[Dining Hall]]
Daniel looked from one to the other as they gave him their names, nodding whenever one finished. Wouldn’t you know it, even their names were odd. At least “Angelus” seemed close to being normal, but Daisuke and Ryota? He was about to ask them whether they all were denizens of this world, but Ryota and Angelus resumed a conversation, which apparently Daniel had interrupted, and thought it better to ask them when they were done. Though it seemed like a very interesting topic from what he could gather; something about cat-people and cats transforming into people. He hadn’t realized there could be enough common ground here for two people to talk.
Daisuke resumed eating, while the two talked. Just how hungry was this boy? Or was this the appetite of an ordinary boy in this world. He observed Daisuke for a few seconds before a feline head popped up from the edge of the table, where Daisuke was seated. The cat seemed to be studying him, to which Daniel couldn’t help but smile. I hope my appearance does not offend you, your grace.
He was about to hail a waitress, when a woman walked up to the table. It was plain to see she was related to Angelus, and it was made clear enough when she spoke that she was his sister. And from the way she curled her fingers around Angelus’ neck, it was also clear that she was bit unhinged. It was no wonder Angelus asked her to leave. Unexpectedly, though, Ryota seemed to have taken offense to her entirely unprompted.
[[Mindscape]]
Without warning, Daniel was standing beside the likenesses of everyone around his table, as well as their chairs and the table, made entirely of mist. “Why have you brought me here?” he asked, looking up.
“Your mind is being compromised by the girl,” the voice replied.
“What!?” he exclaimed, and turned to look at the girl. Could Ryota tell as well? That would explain his reaction. “Wait, doesn’t that mean she can hear?”
“Were that this were your mind,” the voice replied, “but this is a conduit for your soul and mine. Her powers cannot penetrate here easily.”
Erica should feel Daniel's mind going entirely blank. If that doesn't catch her interest, my next post will be in the Dining Hall proper. Otherwise, feel free to send her into the Mindscape if she's strong enough
edited 27th May '14 9:29:30 AM by Elfhunter
If I knew how I know everything I know, I'd only be able to know half as much because my brain would be clogged up with where I know it from
[Game Room]
"Oh." John said, "I'm not a huge expert on these sort of things, so I'm sorry if I sound stupid." He shrugged, "Guess you learn something new everyday."
He suddenly heard some sort of growl. He looked around, trying to find the source of the noise. Then, when he heard again, he looked down, and realized that it was his own stomach. Feeling embarrassed, he turned away.
"...I think I should get some food." he said quietly, "Do you want to come with me?"
Drummer Boy
[[Dining Hall]]
Angelus's skin was crawling, but he tried his best to ignore his sister. "Government regulation of magic, you say? That's what the humans' Republic does. To be perfectly clear, I am not quite a human. No, I'm a Vesper from the Sky Islands. I am descended from a pure mage line. The lengths their government goes to is absolutely barbaric. How do things work where you come from?"
Erica withdrew from Ryouta and Daniel's minds. There were strange things going on there, and she wasn't in the mood to deal with them. With only a slight shake of the head at Ryouta in response to his words, she moved on to Daisuke.
The intense emotions she read from him made her shiver, but she moved towards him, getting as close as her ridiculously full skirt would allow. Her eyes still looked glazed over, but they were definitely looking at him.
The last battle's curtains will open on stage!
Garden
Something deep within the pond stirred when Cal's stone struck the bell.
Moments afterward, a large pair of yellow eyes appeared in the water and stared right at Cal. They could best be described as reptilian in nature, although demonic was also a fairly apt term. The being to which they belonged couldn't be seen well, if at all; it was apparently extremely good at keeping itself hidden.
From what little Cal could see, he could probably be able to tell that whatever it was that owned the eyes, it didn't look too happy with him.
Will post for Taeko later; have to leave right now.
Icon by Civvi the Civilian!