Kite, The Realm of One's True Heart

As the voice in your head addressed you to stay on the road before promptly going silent, you can quickly assume that the forest that you are left in is nothing like one you would find in your world. The trees are fully covered in moss and are as high as the sky themselves with branches that spread out into multiple directions like arms. Squirrels scurry and leap from branch to branch in quick session, and if you're observant enough you can notice that they're all different in fur and tail color.

Strange fist-sized red birds can also be noticed with elongated beaks that curve to their bellies land on the nearby rocks and hop around, busting open the rocks with their beaks and revealing that the rocks aren't what they seem to be. Worm-like tendrils emerge from the shattered rocks and the birds begin to have a miniature feast among themselves, despite how gross it may be.

You are definitely no longer in your own world.

The voice in your head did mention that others were brought into this world along with you, but if you were take a look around in your immediate vicinity you can see that you're the only human around. You could find the nearest road and follow it to the village that the voice mentioned, or maybe scout around for others? Perhaps you could begin setting up a small camp here and wait for others to find you? Heck, you could even begin to explore this mystical world.

The possibilities are endless in Kite. The only limitations, are the ones you set.

edited 20th Apr '15 7:59:44 PM by Patchis

Village: Outskirts

"Houl'jin Village, huh?" Hayate mumbled, reading the signpost pointing to the village up ahead. "Guess this is the place the Voice was talking about." He pulled up the hood of his jacket and began approaching the village.

Once he entered the community, Hayate was walking down a main street, the hood covering the surprised expression he wore upon laying eyes at the local populace. Well holy shit, bears live here? Hah, guess I'm not stealing anything from them if I can help it. He thought with a sigh. The Voice took away most of the stuff I had on me, the least it could do is give me some coins to grab a bite at the inn...where is the inn, anyway?

edited 20th Apr '15 8:20:13 PM by svenorzokarkoff

[1]

Elize looked around. It certainly was beautiful here, alien though it may be. And the air smelled so... Fresh, and clean. It made her want to run and jump and laugh and explore and look at everything, go everywhere! She took a deep breath and sighed happily. Although...

Wherever she was, it sure as hell wasn't Raleigh. Nowhere in North Carolina was like this, and she was pretty damn sure that nowhere in the world had birds that could disembowel themselves with one trip. That just meant she should explore carefully.

So, off she went into the forest, hospital gown swishing about her legs, not a care in the world. Except for getting her glasses smudged or lost. Then she was right and proper fucked.

Ahh, so many new sights and sounds. So many new creatures! Completely ignoring what the voice said, Mercel began to twirl among the trees and birds, her loose white sheets curling around her body as she spun.

So many new friends! Excited at the thought of helping the pretty birds, even if they didn't need it. She rushed throughout the woods looking for the stones that the birds were cracking open, gathering up as many as she could find and laying them on the ground in front of the first bird she could find.

"Oh pretty friend, I hope you do enjoy." Mercel couldn't help but watch to see if the bird accepted her offering. Propping herself up against the nearest tree, Mercel waited for the birds reaction. Watching it fly would be enough for her. Yea, um. Ignore what I said about her starting this with a dog, it's much more interesting this way.

edited 20th Apr '15 9:25:39 PM by OhBoyTime

One of the many village cubs looks up at Hayate as it approaches his feet, before letting off a little growl. Covered in sandy brown fur and with beady black eyes, the cub glares at you before promptly pressing its nose against your belly, obviously knowing that you are not from around here.

"Mamma! Look, it's a human!" shouts the cub to a rather larger looking bear, nearly double your own size before pressing his wet nose back against your belly. "Has weird stuff on and smells funny too."

"Hush now, Timbey," barks the large bear as it approaches and pats down cub, "you're being rude. And get off of the young man, you're going to scare him," Standing up on its hind legs fully, you can easily tell that the mother could crush you if she wanted. Better stay on her good side while you can. "You must be new to these parts, based on those stuff your wearing? My name is Simber, and you've already met my son Timbey. He's a curious little one and I apologize if he caused you any trouble." Simber gives you a smile as best as a bear can, before looking around and noticing that you are by yourself.

"You don't seem to be with anyone else. Are you lost, little one?"

"You're going to get lost and into danger if you keep on running off like that," murmured a soft voice from above Elize, though if she were to look up, she would see that there was no one there.

Then, a sudden pressure soon falls onto your head as you can feel a warm and fuzzy fur coil around your neck before two cat-like eyes stare into your own. A silver cat with wonderful well kept fur has suddenly decided to perch itself upon your shoulders for some odd reason, with its face blocking your vision.

"I said slow down lady, or else you you're going to get lost," meowed the female cat as it continues to glare into your eyes. "You do know that there's danger in this woods, right? You, being dressed like that wont stand a chance if you encounter trouble. What's a girl like you doing out here anyway?"

Suddenly the cat pauses, before sniffing your scent and noticing something strange.

"You definitely aren't from around here... just where are you from, girl?"

As Mercel began to gather the rocks that were similar to the ones that the red birds were eating, they birds began to fly away in startled fright, even the one that Mercel offered the rocks to as a peace offering... all except for one.

This bird, however, was far different from the others for it did not flee like its brethren and its feathers were blue and far more taken care of. Its beak, despite being shorter looked as if it could easily pry open rocks or even some skulls if needed. Not only that, but it was larger than the other birds as well, looking more than capable of carrying a small person if needed.

The blue bird with amber eyes stared at the rocks in Mercel's hands before slowly approaching. Glaring at her, as he stood right before her, he gently lowered his head before cracking open the rocks and eating the worms inside. After a few minutes, the large bird finishes his take and nuzzles you gently before waiting patiently at your side.

It would seem you have made a interesting new friend in this strange land for such a little yet innocent thing... how peculiar.

1

Jacques woke up, looking around him.

Where am I? Oh right, the strange voice in my head said that this isn't my world. Hmm...not sure whether to be afraid or completely euphoric.

He dusted himself off, gently brushing away the dust on his clothes, hair and skin. He hears the movement of the birds being startled. In his panic of arriving in this strange world, he grabs the closest thing to a weapon he has. A nearby stick. He inches closer to the person, weapon held firmly in his hand.

"Who are you...?"

Too busy cooing and petting her new friend, Mercel didn't notice the person approaching her from behind. At the sound of the voice, Mercel jumped back in fright, brandishing her father's walking stick as she turned towards the man. Squeaking in fright, she shuffled behind her friend whilst avoiding the man's gaze, her small frame mostly being covered by the bird.

Still visibly shaking, she called out, "That's none of your business, why were you sneaking up behind me?" You can tell that the big blue bird isn't overly aggressive now, but that could change at any moment.

edited 20th Apr '15 10:58:58 PM by OhBoyTime

First contact.

Quickly getting over the surprise of encountering the massive mama bear, Hayate gave Simber a friendly smile "No worries, he was just curious. Nothing wrong with that in my opinion." He said. "It's nice to meet you Simber, Timbey. I'm called Hayate."

"I actually just arrived in Houl'jin." Hayate continued. "It's a very beautiful village."

edited 21st Apr '15 8:50:16 AM by svenorzokarkoff

Kirrian woke up, head throbbing and foggy. His sight wasn't much better, everything was blurred out even when he'd manage to get to his feet. Where is he...? He's hearing a voice, yes, but wasn't he supposed to be playing guitar in a park? The more it talked about dangers the more visibly frightened the college kid becomes. The guitarist pulled the scarf he, luckily, still had on him over his mouth and took a look at his surroundings.

The birds, trees and other decorations sure looked nice... He muted out the enviroment completely and listened to the wind with his eyes closed, already making a song in his head... Wait, what?! How did he just do that?! Quickly everything began to return to it's usual volume but Kirrian's eyes definatily didn't shrink back again. That... That was scary. He should probably go to the village the voice mentioned, maybe then can he get some information...

And so it was that Kirrian started walking down the road, with caution and suspicion mind you. He was sure to mute his own footsteps and rabble around just to hear a possible threat trying to ambush him.

Cedric stalked down the path, eyes wary, arms guarding his front like some wannabe martial artist. He jumped as a bird flew by him and chopped the air where it had flew a few times. The voice had said that the path was relatively safe. There were just a few problems with that. First, voices just don't talk to you inside your own head. Two, he had no idea where he was. Three, did that bird just break a fucking rock!? And four jumped down in front of him: a blue squirrel.

He blinked. The squirrel cocked its head at him. Cedric screamed, bolting past the squirrel, and promptly tripped over one of those weird rocks. One those evil, feathery devils destroyed the bit of stone not a second after he had fallen. Damn thing was probably after his ankle. Taking no risks, he lurched to his feet and sped onward before tripping again.

"Oooowwwwwwww...," he moaned, face first in the dirt of the path.

Susan woke up lying on a field... her blue eyes opening up to see glimpses of a sky that wasn't hers... peeking through the branches of trees taller than apartment buildings.

She wasn't groggy waking up... it wasn't as if she had been asleep. Her mind was clear and racing with thought as she laid there... one hand grasping tightly her folded knife... the other over her heart, holding her necklace.

So you really... brought me here... she thinks... slowly taking a deep breath... sitting up to look all around, taking in the sights and the environment... so alien and so fantastical.

She slowly stood up... clad in jeans, a tank top and a hoodie on top, with boots on her feet. Her body felt a little off... but her conversation with the strange being that brought her here gave her a hint as to what to expect. Moistening her lips, bitting them softly she looked at the path she was meant to take.

However, she didn't start down it immediately... First she had to do something else. Half test... half recognizance. She picked a good tree right close to the path... before she started to try and scale it. Strength flooding her hands, her legs... she was dexterous before... but now... she was certain she could get some height to better see what she was dealing with.

edited 21st Apr '15 12:29:12 AM by daltar

Rickie blinked twice, and then shut his eyes again. "Fiveminsmore." He groaned, upon seeing the scenery. And then, his eyes opened all of a sudden, incorporating himself groggily. "Wha..." An exclamation escaped his lips. He was apparently in the wild, which was funny, considering how up until yesterday he was in his semi-clean flat sleeping his sorrows away. But that was just the tip of the iceberg. Botany wasn't his expertise but he didn't recognize any sort of the trees who surrounded him. And the squirrels. He had expected red and gray fur colorations, heck, maybe some white ones but not the rest of the spectrum of colors.

But what really cemented the sensation was a damn bird breaking a FUCKING ROCK right next to him to eat some sort of ROCK worms. The wizened man slapped himself in the face hard. The stinging pain told this was real. This wasn't his world anymore. He now wanted to kick his younger daydreaming self for wanting to live in a fantasy world... never he had expected for it be fulfilled this way.

The birds didn't seem raptor birds, the beaks pointed they were some kind of grub feeders and were busy eating the worms in the stones. So Rickie concluded it was best to leave them to their own devices. He was in enough clusterfuck as he was. Well, at least he had the small comfort of wearing some sneakers, jeans, a t-shirt and a jacket. It would've been infinetely more embarrassing to end in a brand new fantasy world in pajamas.

"World of endless possibilities...huh." He muttered to himself. "I wish for a sandwich."

Nothing happened.

"SANDWICH!" He raised his tone as he waved his hands as if to trying to summon something. "SANDWICHGEDDON!" He then paused.

"I am the bread of my lunch

lettuce is my dressing and ham is my grub

I have consumed a thousand meals

Incapable of loss, wary of weight gain

Withstood hunger to make dishes, waiting for dinnertime

I have no pangs, this is my sustenance

my whole life was UNLIMITED SANDWICH WORKS!"

He screamed on top of his lungs, only to scare a few of the multicolor squirrels away. "Ah forget it, guess it doesn't work that way." He scratched his head, noticing the plumes of smoke that announced at the very least some kind of civilized settlement.If there are others who are in my same predicament, might as well wait there to arrive. They're likely as confused as me and would head there. He breathed deep and marched towards the village.

edited 21st Apr '15 1:18:51 AM by AtomicNut

Kirrian could not comprehend what he just saw. A man tried to summon a sandwich, somehow, somewhere for some reason. The guitarist had turned off the muting of his surroundings and hidden behind a tree to not get noticed, but the man seemed harmless enough. Maybe... Maybe he should catch up to him. I mean... Someone that was this silly couldn't be harmful right?

"w-wait..." Kirrian called out weakly, his shy nature not allowing him to raise his voice. His legs were frozen and couldn't run towards them either. He then heard some rustling noises behind him causing him to nearly shriek before noticing it only was one of the many squirrels hopping branches again. "..." Kirrian stood wide-eyed again, turning back to where Ricky was and now DEFINATILY sprinting towards them. "W-Wait!" they said with a bit more force now, but it depends on Ricky's hearing ability to actually notice it... Or not.

"huh?" Ricky stopped in his tracks. Had someone talked at his back? He felt observed somehow. It looks like he might have found another person already. Turning his back, he then stared at the newcomer.

Oh bummer, it wasn't a cute girl. Just some lost lad. He breathed deep, trying to piece together something to break the ice. He just wasn't good with people, and he seemed to be the senior of the two, so the responsability of starting conversation and reassuring others was upon him. He put his best game face and tried a small joke.

"Hi. You're not a sandwich. Who are you?" He pieced together. Goddamnit, that sounded stupid... and possibly crazy. He might have seen my UNLIMITED SANDWICH WORKS aswell Ricky chastised himself for not having better words, breaking eye contact briefly due to embarassment.

edited 21st Apr '15 2:16:46 AM by AtomicNut

Kirrian stopped in his tracks. Good, the person stopped. Help. Help is good.

Now a second problem arose. How does he TALK to them? Luckily, or maybe unluckily, Ricky thought up a stupid joke that actually made Kirrian giggle a little under his scarf, which he just noticed was still covering his mouth. Lowering it down and returning to his usual soft-spoken tone they attempted to try and continue this. "H-Hi... No, I'm not, really... But you seemed to like them with your uhm... Act..." The guitarist stumbled over his words a little lot and was almost contemplating pulling his scarf over again in shame.

"...S-Sorry... I don't... Talk to people... A lot... I'm Kirrian..." Even though the boy was 21 he still had the mentality of a shy 15 year old when it came to others, shuffling uncomfortably in place. Why, again, did he think of talking to this stranger?

edited 21st Apr '15 2:24:56 AM by Nickpws

Rickie didn't talk for a few seconds, still processing what to say and what to tell. So he had been seen. He finally pieced something together. "...Gu..Guess...there's no helping, then...I mean I mean Imean mean... HHAHAHHAHAHAHA" He broke in his most forced laugh, obviously distressed at having to talk about his past embarrassment. But the body language of Kirrian had not gone unnoticed. So he's as bad as me when it comes to people, huh.

He clenched his fist and his teeth, trying to summon enough mental strenght. There's no time for awkwardness now. He took two deep breaths. "I'm Ricardo Caballero. Call me Rickie." He said in a somber voice, tending his hand as greeting. Steel yourself, Rickie, this poor lad is as lost as you. He breathed again. "Okay, so here's the thing. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you're as lost as me, no? Now this place may seem weird, but It doesn't look that threatening yet. I have seen plumes of smoke and a broken treeline. There might be a village nearby. I think we would find others with our predicament there, and some food and safety. Want to come?"

edited 21st Apr '15 2:30:44 AM by AtomicNut

The young lad forced a smile at Ricky's... Awkward laugh which was obviously fake. But he seems to try and lift the mood. That thought alone helped, Kirrian was visibly less tense than before.

Rickie wasn't wrong with the question he asked. Kirrian was really just as lost as them, so he gave a tiny nod and not much more when they asked it. "S-So... There's... A civilization out there? ...Maybe I can get a new guitar there..." Kirrian mumbled that last part, trying to not have Ricky notice. He then perked up.

"O-Okay... Let's go... Uhm... But... If you want... I can listen for trouble... I seem to have the ability, to, uhm, mute my... Ears... Or something... W-What I mean to say is..." Kirrian took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "...I mean I can choose what to listen to... Like I can deafen your footsteps and instead listen to the squirrels and birds..." He shook his head again. "...SoIcanlookfortroublethat'sit!" The white-haired boy said the last part very fast, standing completely straight with eyes closed and looking upwards. Then he felt embarrassed for it. "...S-S-sorry..."

edited 21st Apr '15 2:37:09 AM by Nickpws

Cedric stood, dusting himself. He froze before snorting as the voice of the sandwich summoner reached him. Considering the squirrels and birds hadn't descended upon him as he lay on the path, they probably weren't anything to worry about. The squirrels, that is. Those birds are untrustworthy. Those beady little eyes. The rock breaking.

He was beginning to grow nervous again, so he sped along his way toward the smoke. Smoke means fire, fire means civilization, and civilization means getting away from those birds. Hopefully.

Wait. There was a sandwich summoner. Or someone who believed they were. Sounded like they were just ahead. People are a good sign of civilization. Cedric started that way.

Rickie sighed. "For what, Kirrian. For being an introvert?" He kept walking. "I'm the same as you, but older." He supposed that giving some small talk to Kirrian would easen the boy a bit. He seemed too jumpy. Well, Ricky was also jumpy, but he needed to keep his mind cool now. "At your age I hesitated in going to the post service clerk to retrieve a package, much less act composed in a weird environment."

He paused. "If you think it can help do it, but don't overexert yourself. It would be more useful if you could cool down a little."

And I don't really want to think the other explanation for a broken treeline and smoke plumes. The poor lad would freak out if we were walking into a battlefield of all things. But I hear no screams so it's not it.

"Say, about the birds." He tried to butt in some small talk. "Did you notice their beaks? Pick shaped." He added." And blunt. They seem to be some sort of rock-picking woodpeckers. Rockpeckers!" He smirked.

"A-Alright..." Kirrian tried to calm down again and closed his eyes. Branches... Footsteps.... Voices... Those were the three sounds that remained, and all the rest muted. "S-So... I muted all except threats... And you, too..." Kirrian caught up to Ricky once done and spoke, then the older man tried to talk about the birds. "...The... Birds? ...Stonepeckers... Y-Yeah, that makes sense..."

Kirrian was actually more fascinated by the trees and the place they were in. "Uh... Do you think there's... Others here too? I mean... It can't be just us... Right? Maybe they're the ones that started a fire and made a smoke signal?" He tried to be optimistic and crack a smile but knew it sounded stupid.

Then footsteps were behind them. "W-Wait... Someone's... Behind us..." Kirrian spoke, turning around to see Cedric from a while away... "...!!! I-It's a-a-another p-person! l-Look!"

edited 21st Apr '15 3:50:23 AM by Nickpws

The birds, with their hateful eyes and hellish beaks, watched Cedric as he scurried along. They licked their beaks, murder in their peepholes. They swooped...

And promptly began cracking rocks again.

"Damn birds," Cedric muttered. He squinted, looking forward as two voices drifted toward him. As luck would have it, two people stood not that far from him. Some old bloke and someone Ced's age. The younger one was looking towards him. Cool. Someone to talk to. He waved, and grasped his 5 yen piece. So far, it's proven lucky after all.

"Any idea where we are?" Cedric said as he approached.

Rickie tapped Kirrian's shoulder in acknowledgement for pinpointing out the newcomer, and then turned around. He was smiling a little, easened now that there was one more person to have found the path towards the smoke.

"I don't know, but not Kansas, that's for sure." He quipped. "And by the looks of it, I'd rather expect a chocobo darting through the treeline at any given moment. We won't find anything unless we reach that clearing ahead." Rickie finally said. "Name's Rickie, and this fella is Kirrian." He concluded, introducing oneself was always a good sort of etiquette.

Kirrian flinched at the shoulder tap but relaxed immediately after. "Y-Yes... We were on out way there..." He pulled the scarf over his mouth again and begins forming a tune in his head. A song he remembered... He wished he could play his guitar again, but alas. "I-I'm keeping, an ear, out for, uhm, threats. D-D-Danger. I-It's, how, uh I, heard you coming."

Jacques jumps a bit as he sees the person spinning around quickly, nearly falling backwards in shock.

"I heard the birds flying away, and since I've never been in this place before...yeaaah...But I don't mean to hurt you, if that's what you're thinking. I just panicked for a bit. At least, if you aren't going to attack me, that is."

He eyes the walking stick with a bit of distrust, but he lowers the stick.

"Umm...sorry about it, anyways. Didn't mean anything by it. Just a bit scared."

Holy shit you guys, y u so fast

Elize gave an involuntary yelp when the cat landed on her. But when it started talking, she knew for a fact she wasn't on Earth anymore. "I'm from... definitely not here. D'you know how to get to... Oh, what was it... The village with, like, bears? Oh, Houl'jin! How do I get to Houl'jin from here?"