exploration mingle: branching out

[riverviewmod]

who: everyone in Riverview!
what: exploration mingle: branching out
when: August 15 - October 15
where: the quarantine, the delta, the jungle, and the forest
warnings: threads may contain violence, body horror, and discussion of injuries and illness; please put any necessary warnings in the subject lines

branching out

One of the major and most highly-valued cultural concepts in Riverview is that of exploration, expansion. Especially now that, with the recent influx of new arrivals, as the portal kicks into high gear for reasons not entirely known, the Inhabited City, already comfortably full, is rapidly becoming overpopulated. With all the refugees from other worlds pouring in from day to day, the city's safe space and resources are being taxed to their breaking point.

Right now, exploration and expansion is key, and the government is really focusing on exploration objectives, in order to unite citizens in expanding, securing, and supplying the city for everyone's benefit.

the story so far

Exploration & Expansion Progress Report ● Plotting & Questions ● Reward Submissions ● First Teams

It's normal to see drop-ships hovering in the sky over the Quarantine, of course, since the city is not self-sufficient just yet, and receives regular shipments of supplies, technology, merchandise, food, books, movies, and all sorts of other things from the Capital World. However, the number of drop-ships coming down has recently started to triple in frequency.

On August 10th, an announcement started being run on the Quarantine's networks, television stations, and on digital display boards throughout the city explaining the situation - Mayor Dichard explained in an official mayoral address that the Quarantine is in the process of taking in refugees from a planet in the solar system which recently became uninhabitable due to a massive natural disaster. Hundreds of people are flooding the city, and many of them are wounded, sick, or otherwise in acute distress.

How is a city already stretched to the limit for population capacity going to handle all these new arrivals...?

how it works

● ADDITIONAL OOC INFO: The refugee aliens are called the Frysh; they are humanoid mammalian and have a similar internal physiology to humans, however, they look somewhat insectoid, with mandibles, slightly shiny skin that is smoother and harder to the touch than human skin, and delicate wings that aren't capable of carrying the weight of the body (they cannot fly). Their skin ranges from pale to dark gray, and they have mottled or spotted/freckled markings in a wide variety of warm earth tones on their faces, necks, backs, and the outside of the thighs; their blood is dark rusty brown and slightly more viscous than human blood; eye colors are very widely varied. Average height is 6 feet, and doesn't vary based on sex (the species has male/female/neutral). The aging process is similar to that of humans, and refugees come in all ages. The species is very high-tech, but the tech is mostly related to entertainment rather than weaponry, medical, etc. as the planet the species lived on was quite utopian and basic needs were always taken care of by tech that was left on the planet when it was destroyed.

● Phases: Each prompt is a different phase of the operation. Characters may partake in whichever part of the operation they choose, whether it is a large and prominent part, or a more of a backseat or support role. Characters may participate in as many phases as they wish.

● Completion: When the next exploration mingle goes up, the mission featured on this exploration mingle will be considered complete, and game canon, providing the entry has 200+ comments on it.

● Thread Rewards: For this mingle, I have created five different items as rewards - two for the first prompt, and three for the remaining three. Any character participating in a completed thread with at least one other character, for any phase prompt by October 15 will be able to pick a keyword corresponding to one of these rewards when they submit the thread at the link above. Every character participating in a completed thread will be eligible to receive an item. Completed threads must take place on this entry.
ETA August 20th: New characters who complete a thread on August's Test Drive meme with the Tent City prompt, and who are accepted into the game are also eligible for a thread reward for Phase I only.

● Entry Reward: The reward for completion of this month's exploration objective will be expansion of the City, a more reliable electrical and power grid, and some new setting features as the Inhabited City grows in size.

phase i: tent cities

Unfortunately, this influx of refugees is going to be causing a serious overpopulation problem - for now, since it is summer, the new arrivals will be housed in makeshift tent cities set up in Riverview Central Park as well as other smaller parks around the city, any spare empty lots, along the banks of the river, and in a few of the sports fields. The resources of the city are going to be taxed to their limit, and while the Capital World will be contributing funds and helping to get together building supplies, Riverview's intrepid citizens are going to have to find ways to supply more space to build shelters for the refugees, and more power to supply the electrical grid in the city.

However, it's not just the explorers that are able to help out with this particular problem. Any citizen who wishes is more than welcome to attend the tent cities where makeshift field hospitals have been set up with as many medical amenities as possible. While serious and life-threatening injuries or illnesses are taken to the Riverview Hospital, people who need first aid or more minor or moderate tending can attend the field hospitals and recover in their temporary homes. Volunteers are requested to help with many different tasks - medical staff to help heal the injured and ill, anyone capable to cook and serve at soup kitchens, members of the Perimeter Guard, police, or other capable fighters to secure the tent cities and make sure there's no violence or theft happening, and drivers and laborers to help bring supplies from the drop-ships and other parts of the city to keep the tent cities supplied. Of course, there are going to be a lot of other jobs that come up on the fly, so everyone is welcome.

phase ii: the delta

With fall rapidly approaching, and with it the colder weather, it's urgent that housing is set up for these new arrivals, and with new housing comes a need for more electricity. The electrical grid is already stretched to its limits with the current population in the city, and is essentially being held together with duct tape and hope - with all these new arrivals and their needs, there's no way the current grid can handle it.

Thankfully, during a recent exploratory fly-over, an electrical installation set in one of the massive waterfalls near the edge of the Abandoned City was noted. While at the time it seemed too far away from established civilization to risk a large expedition, things have changed with the new influx of refugees, and the installation seems like the best hope to bring more energy into the city. Characters who participate in Phase II will be taking watercraft down the river to the delta just above the waterfalls, finding the installation, and checking to see if it can be restored to functionality so the power it generates from the waterfall can be used in the city.

The dangers faced by people taking on Phase II will be primarily related to the long trek needed to get to the installation, down the river - a relatively straight-forward, old fashioned adventurous exploration mission. While using watercraft will help speed up the process, the river is heavily populated by monsters and predators who have flourished in the absence of civilization. Expect mutated piranhas, crocodiles, carnivorous fish, and just about anything else that lives in or near a river to try to take a swipe at the teams making their way to the installation. Once inside the installation, there will be the hazards associated with a damp building that hasn't been used by people in over a decade - it's in poor repair, will have structural damage, and the likely-malfunctioning tech means that electricity and water are almost guaranteed to meet at some point. This prompt would be well-suited to engineers, skilled laborers/construction workers, and fighters; people who can fix the damage to the installation and those who can protect everyone along the way.

For any thread completed under this prompt, whether or not characters made it to the delta, all participating characters will receive rewards.

phase iii: the jungle

The second line of exploration will be into the jungle north of the city, where fly-overs have located a series of skyscrapers and flat ground, overgrown with plant life and obviously left empty since quite a while before the Abandoned City was left behind. Despite being long abandoned, however, the buildings and land seem to be pretty well-preserved and would be usable with a bit of work and maybe a touch of magic. With the flat area cleared out, it would make a perfect helipad for transport and with a temporary fence that could be easily built up after the area is cleared, this could be the start of a smaller city that could eventually be connected by transit or cleared land and fences with the Quarantine proper! Adding this extra space would easily house all the refugees and some of the excess population from the Quarantine, which would be a major advantage for everyone in the city.The government wastes no time in dispatching teams from the Perimeter Guard and welcoming the inclusion of regular citizens with a taste for exploration, to head out into the jungle and see whether this could be a viable solution.

But why would what looks like such an easy area to inhabit have been left alone and outside city walls for so long?

Well, exploratory teams will soon find out - as they make their way through the jungle toward the buildings, characters will start to notice that the animals and monsters in the jungle are getting increasingly...strange. Rather than otherworldly creatures that still make sense, they look like weird, mutated combinations of animals, a mashup of teeth and eyes and fur and scales and claws that don't belong together. As the teams move further, they'll start to notice that some of these creatures are taking on plant-like qualities as well, vines winding into flesh and extending like tentacled appendages from monsters that are increasingly larger and more misshapen. After a point, they're almost incomprehensible blobs of melded flesh and plant life that can't move, can only sit and snap or swipe or grasp for prey.

It isn't just the monsters either. The trip out to the skyscrapers will take at least four days on foot for the fastest and fittest people in the Quarantine, and going by foot is the only way to get there, considering there's no cleared space large enough to land craft, and due to the unknown nature of the area around the skyscrapers, magic is not to be used to travel there. Day One of the trip will be pretty normal, aside from the surroundings starting to get weird, but on Day Two, characters will start to feel and see changes. Whether they're taking on physical traits of other members of their teams, or the creatures and plants around them, they will start to subtly change, whether it's eye or hair color, scales or claws or even superpowers or abilities, they'll start to 'trade' traits with people and creatures around them. On Day Three, it gets significantly worse, with characters starting to meld together with animals and plants around them, becoming more and more amalgamated with the world around them, whether it's vines under their skin or growing a tail, or any combination. By Day Four, characters will be experiencing intense changes to the very fabric of themselves, their physical bodies morphing and twisting into things that are completely alien while their minds stay mostly the same.

The level of transformation experienced and the amount of physical pain and damage that the transformation causes to individual characters is up to player discretion, and characters that feel unable to handle the effects of the jungle route are more than welcome to turn back whenever they want. However, if any teams make it to the skyscrapers they will find that the buildings are inhabitable and the area would be easily cordoned off with fences, though the buildings are covered with mosses, fungi, and leafy herbs that seem unaffected by the mutations. Teams will find that as they turn back toward the city, the effects wear off as they leave the area, in exact reverse to how they appeared.

For any thread completed under this prompt, whether or not characters made it to the skyscrapers, all participating characters will receive rewards. The first team that makes it to the skyscrapers, collects samples of the fungi and moss, and makes it back to the city should respond in this thread to receive the "solution" to what is happening in the area and how the area can become inhabitable.

phase iv: the forest

The jungle isn't the only option for new areas to inhabit. The same fly-over expedition covered the deciduous forest to the south of the Quarantine, and discovered a sprawling, walled compound, overgrown with thick, lush vegetation. The compound seems to have its own water sources, an orchard, garden areas, and places to keep farm animals, as well as ample space where wild game can roam - just about any herbivorous creature you can imagine seems to have found a home here.

The most important part? Despite looking like plain old tall, thick stone walls that could easily be stomped down by some of the bigger predators in the woods, they are obviously doing their job. There isn't a single break in the walls and despite being in ill repair, the whole area looks pretty safe. On top of that, it's big enough to house the refugees and then some in relative comfort and self-sufficiency, enough that they could easily survive long enough to build a safe method of transport out to the compound so residents there could access the city with ease.

Just like the jungle skyscrapers, though, one wonders why no one is living there anymore. Unlike the jungle, however, the day-long trip out to the compound is relatively uneventful. Besides the usual predators in the area, there's nothing untoward, no unspeakable horror like what's going on in the jungle. At least, not until the team makes their way to the compound and opens the heavy gate to let themselves inside. Once they're there and exploring to make sure the area is safe to inhabit (a task that will take at least four days considering the amount of ground covered by the compound) is when strange things start happening.

It starts on Day One, with team members noticing strange apparitions out of the corners of their eyes. Like ghosts, they flit in and out of peripheral vision, make the sound of footsteps behind the person on night watch, touch an explorer's shoulder from behind when they're not looking, and immediately disappear when looked at directly. On Day Two, the apparitions will start to stick around longer, and look familiar, with explorers seeing things that trigger bad feelings, like fear or anger or grief. By Day Three the apparitions will be an almost constant presence, hovering around, visible to everyone, exposing the worst of every member of the team - images of dead loved ones, the scent of perfume or death, the sounds of an explorer's most guilty memory, all of it is there, ready to expose their darkest secrets to everyone around them. On Day Four, the apparitions will start to become more than that, physically attacking characters, enticing them blindly into dangerous places, and otherwise trying to kill them.

The types of apparitions experienced and the amount of exposure of dark secrets is up to player discretion, and characters who are unable to handle the events unfolding are more than welcome to leave and go back to the city. Teams that remain in the compound and explore for the full four days will eventually find a building near the center of the compound, with heavily riveted metal doors that have the words "Central Hub" spray paint stenciled on them and complicated electronic deadbolt locks.

For any thread completed under this prompt, whether or not characters made it to the Central Hub, all participating characters will receive rewards. The first team that makes it to the Central Hub and gets the doors open (in whatever way possible) should respond in this thread to receive the "solution" to what is happening in the area and how the area can become inhabitable.

phase v: wildcard

Have an idea for a mission-adjacent plot, or want to make up an unexpected plot twist or problem and solve it with your character? Just write up a starter, and don't forget to give yourself credit by submitting it for the Progress Report.

visual inspiration

click on thumbnails for larger view

Credit: image i: Daniel Gstir; image ii: Steven Cormann; image iii: Tom Nemeth

navigation

Comments

Spider-Man / Peter Parker | The Tents

[madeupnames]

SPIDER-MAN

A. Lost Toy

[Spider-Man is of course gonna be on extra duty this August. Heck, he throws himself headlong into it, right when the school bells ring and he has a chance to get out there to the overcrowded parks and little apartment buildings they've managed to fit people in. There's certainly some hostilities and fights he breaks up without too much issue. It's not as bad as it could be, for how many new mouths there are. And how many fiery attitudes could potentially clash.

Anyways, the most important thing here is he found a toy that had been accidentally left on a bench at said park. It's a little worn down, and the name written on the bottom foot is too worn to read — and not in a language he can read anyway — so he calls a time-out on his usual activity to go jogging around the camp to whoever's eyes are available. He may come down from a tree on his web, or just run over, or wave new faces down.]

Hey! Excuse me! You know who this belongs to? Someone left it behind on accident!

B. Fast Trip (Is More than Just a Gas Station)

[At some point, the trams and cars are getting a little backed up. No problem! This is what Spider-Man's for, you know?

So there he is, holding up a little sign — upon closer inspection, it reads:]



C. NIGHT WATCH (♪ I'm working on my night moves ♪)

[When night settles and the camp is (or should be) calming down and all going to sleep, Spider-Man has taken up residence on the lower rooftop of a nearby building. And... yeah, admittedly, he's kind of nodding off, if he's not pulling his mask and shoving gummy bears into his face. If you're getting into any trouble, though, or there's any crimes goin' on, don't worry! His spider senses'll tingle and he'll hop right on down to help with whatever. Or just find him up here.]

PETER PARKER

D. Volunteer Work



[Spider-Man isn't the only person helping out! Peter's been taking up the mantle on some occasions as being an errand boy for those working in the camps. Whether you're in the food kitchens, at the medical tents, or are helping with building camps, he's been running in-between with a clipboard, scribbling down things that are super needed. Where he gets them kind of depends — mostly, he's rushing to whatever government aid hub there is and reporting in.

So don't be surprised by the sweaty kid huffing, scribbling with intense focus on the paper.]

Whatcha' need? What're we low on?

E. Magic School Bus Tent

Alright, awesome. You totally got it, yeah.

[If he's not on errand boy duty, he's doing some extra work as a tutor. Most of the kids here haven't enrolled yet into the schools, and even then, there's a sore lack of space and supplies, at least until everyone's more properly back on their feet. So he chills in some of the tents that are dedicated to the children from this place continuing with their schooling.

It seriously breaks his heart, how many of the teenagers he's working with are scabbed up, bruised and battered and still healing from getting thrashed around by this natural disaster. But many of them are making the most of it; they're laughing or focusing so intensely on their work, and it really just... makes him feel stupid for his own ugly thoughts, sometimes. Yeah, home is bad, in a few years. Home is really bad. But he's trying not to let it weigh him down.

Maybe you're some of the extra help, with tutoring?]

F. Raging Bull, Simmering Calf

[Okay, so. A couple weeks before this, Peter had punched someone in the nose and broke it. It was a hot mess, and even if the bully was a dick, he knew better than to hit him. He had just — had so much bottled up, and when that asshole had dropped stuff all over shoes a friend gave him? He lost it, yeah.

So maybe this is sort of karmaic, even if Len the Tollbooth bully had deserved a punch.

There's a fight breaking out between a very large alien man, maybe eight or nine foot tall. He's a native of the quarantine, Peter knows that much. The other guy is a six foot refugee, mandibles clawing angrily at the dude. They're about to get into a pretty big beef, hissing and spitting and getting closer and closer to each other with hands up and ready to duke it out. It's something to do with a makeshift tent put up in the native guy's favorite sleeping spot?

Peter's not sure. He's also not in his suit, and the moment just. Kinda happens, as he's walking by to get to the tutor tents. He hops between the two tall men, the eight-foot guy towering over him as he faces him with his hands up.]

Heyheyhey, no fighting! C'mon fellas, can't we all just—!

[And that's when the tall, super muscular, super threatening native guy sends a fist riiiight into his face. Peter goes backwards, hitting the refugee and knocking him over, too, as the two flop painfully onto the grass. Twin rivulets of blood immediately start from his nose, which is thankfully not broken thanks to his superhuman spider powers, but —



But ow? Owowowow. He puts a hand over his throbbing nose, squinting tears out of the corners of his eyes as he tries to look at the angrily approaching giant. This was not how he envisioned this going. His bad. And hey, man, that's some nice inhuman strength! Cool! Lesson learned!]

Aw, shit.

F

[spellslots]

Alright, shitdick, that's enough of that.

[This isn't his usual kind of idea of a fun time, but there'd been calls for people who could cook and like - he can? So he thought he'd help out for a little, no one needs to know. But it means he's passing through as the fight escalates and when some dumb kid gets himself in the middle of it only to end up on his ass, it reminds Taako too much of Magnus for him to not step in.

So now there's a large, translucent hand wrapped around the guy that hit Peter, keeping him still.]

As much as I would love to see you idiots beat the shit outta each other, let's save it for another day, huh? So you can kindly fuck off.

[The dude looks at him, clearly deciding if he wants to add another element into this scuffle, so Taako holds up a hand wreathed in fire, just to help with the decision making. That seems to swing things in the right direction, and after a handful more heated words, the guy stalks off. He's probably just going to go find somewhere more private to duke it out later but that's someone else's problem, not Taako's.

Right now, Taako's problem is heading over to Peter and offering him a hand up.]

You good, bubbale?

[madeupnames]

[Language!!!!

Peter recognizes that hand! He should recognize that extremely distinct voice but you know how it is, and at any rate, he's not supposed to exactly know the guy outside of his Spider-Man uniform. He looks over with a hand over his bleeding nose, eyes round and wide. If there's a way to break up a fight, it'd definitely be that? He startles into standing up, practically bouncing on his feet like he's ready to go for round two — even though he's got blood on the front of his school sweater.

Muffled, and with an added inflection of pain so he doesn't sound like a total freakazoid:]

I'm fine! Nothing's broken!

Not — uh, even bleeding as much.

[spellslots]

If you're sure.

[Oop, okay, the kid's up and a little bloody which isn't the ideal scenario here, but it's also not the end of the world. Taako spends a handful of seconds digging in his bag until he comes up with one of those little packet of tissues because he's that sort of person. He hands a few of them over to Peter.]

Here, and uh, you're gonna wanna soak that shirt in cold water, a little baking soda if it's not coming out, blood can be a bitch.

[He has A Lot Of Experience with this unfortunate situation.]

[madeupnames]

Oh, gosh. Thanks.

[He presses the wads of tissues to his nose with a grimace. The funny thing is, he already knows about how to get blood out of fabric — but it's not exactly the best thing, admitting that aloud. Instead he just nods obediently at the offered advice, and is happy to even know the dude is nice enough to give it.]

Gotcha. Baking soda, yeah. [A pause, and he shrugs with a sigh.] But — I'm running late for helping at the soup kitchen place, so I'll just... cover it up with an apron or something.

[spellslots]

Well, hey, so am I, though like it's gonna be more than a soup kitchen once I get there.

[He's so much better than a soup kitchen, he already has like a whole menu planned. Just because he's helping out doesn't mean he can't be extra about it.]

You wanna walk with me? Maybe we can find ya a healer along the way, make sure that nose isn't broken.

[madeupnames]

[He sniffs painfully, following along without a hesitating thought.

Kinda like a dog following with a wagging tail. He dabs away the blood and crumples away the wadded hankies in his laced fingers so he doesn't gross any passer-bys out. Which doesn't necessarily work, because everyone walking by double-takes at the teenager with the big red nose and bloody shirt. At least he tried?

And the bleeding's stopped already, the healing process kicking in. Good ol' spider powers.

It shouldn't last on his face more than a day.]

Sure! So you're like — a wizard chef? That's the coolest word combo I think I've ever said.

[spellslots]

The wizard chef, if you ask like anyone who knows their shit, I'm Taako and honestly, you're getting way too many weird looks for me to put up with this.

[He didn't care enough to bother before, since he assumed the kid was just going to head home and deal with the bloody shirt, but now he waves a hand to cast prestidigitation and clean the blood out of Peter's shirt.]

[madeupnames]

[Clearly the response required here would be one of awe and wonder, as he pulls at his sweater to see that it's without a single smudge of blood on it. Dude. He would save on so much at the laundry cleaners...!

He follows quickly, practically bouncing on his feet.]

Badass. Can you host dinners like in that really old movie, Beauty and the Beast? Making the silverware dance and sing and dish out the menus?

[Maybe not proof of any maturity, but — shuddup!]

B

[fixedpointintime]

Jack is... exhausted isn't the right word. Exhausted isn't really a state he can reach any more. Weary, might be more accurate. A nap wouldn't do him much good. But a shower and a change of clothes? Yeah, that's exactly what he needs before he starts in on another shift of volunteering. It'll perk him up enough to put on a good face.

The line for the tram is ridiculous, though that makes perfect sense. He's reached the point where he's ready to give it up and just walk, and turning away from the group of weary would be passengers, that's when he sees the sign.

He walks over to get a better look at it, then looks up, trying to find the system of conveyance, whatever it is. Can't swing without something to swing from and on, right? Only there's nothing. Not that he can see, anyway. All right, sure, he'll bite.

"Two questions. One, what am I supposed to swing on? Two, will it get me all the way to the housing building on the river?"

[[OOC: Do you mind if I tag in prose? I don't mind action-spam replies. I just prefer not to write that way, myself.]]

prose is definitely fine!

[madeupnames]

[A new challenger appears! Or someone who is hopefully not scared of heights.

He puts his hands on his hips, looking entirely confident in himself.]

Oh, I just pick you up and swing you myself! I have a knack for being a piggyback Uber.

[He aims his wrist and fires, his web moving to stick to the nearby building complex.]

It's super fast. And super free. And doesn't smell like a rushhour tram!

[fixedpointintime]

Jack gives Spider-Man a once over, because the suit only makes how much of a liquorice whip the kid is that much more obvious. He's got a healthy appreciation for his own form, but he definitely wouldn't go so far as to call himself svelte. He's a solid guy. He's heavy. "Kid, no offense..." And, funnily enough, he actually doesn't mean any offense. He's still standing there, body language still reasonably open, still possibly considering doing this dumb-ass thing just for the hell of it. "I feel like this is going to end up with a broken back. Yours, mine, who can say? How many times have you done this before?"

Still standing here, though. Still considering it. Broken back versus the hell of walking all the way back to get a shower? It's not like he hasn't had his share of broken backs before. It's the kid he's worried about, mostly.

[[OOC: Awesome! Just thought I'd ask to make sure. SOme people don't like it when threads don't match.]]

[madeupnames]

[He huffs a laugh, folding his arms.]

Oh, trust me, I'm way more durable than I look. I can definitely bench you with one hand. [Look, he's not one for pride or anything about his strength, 'cus it is what it is, but he doesn't wanna let the guy think he's weaker than the other Avengers for his less buff figure.] I've lost track of people I've picked up and carried around, to be honest... Though usually they're in mortal danger, or something.

[fixedpointintime]

Jack huffs out a little chuckle. Fair enough, he supposes. Still. “Well, good, cause you look about as durable as a wet newspaper.” A beat. “Do they have those in your world? Newspapers?” Not that it really matters. He’s already made up his mind. This is just... it’s the back and forth. It’s the natural hesitation before someone does something stupid. Tough habit to break, faking that hesitation.

He takes one last look back at the tram car, overcrowded already and with a line that looks more like a chaotic clump at this point. Then he turns back to Peter and spreads his arms. “Right. I’m in.” What’s the worst that could happen? Besides, a death is as good as a rest. Or something. He’ll figure it out after a shower. “So... how do we do this? Am I supposed to just grab the-- white-- stringy thing? Or what?”

Is it the mask that’s making this weird? It might be that mask making it all so weird. Jack kind of doubts he’s going to take it off, though. A mask is a very deliberate choice. Especially one like that.

[madeupnames]

[He grins behind the mask, firing a web that is more tethered now to a launching point — this'll be totally fun, right? Hopefully the guy isn't motion sick. Or freaked out at rollercoasters.]

The web? Nah, I can just cart you around!

Grab on, and hang on, and all that.

[He motions to the back of his neck, implying a piggy back is definitely the best way to traverse. The moment Jack grabs the guy, they'll suddenly both go catapulting through the sky and swinging in an arc, passing buildings by the second. Enjoy the view, man.

... Nothing too high, though. If he took people at the tops of buildings, he thinks they might faint from the view or the rush.]

[fixedpointintime]

It bubbles up again, the voice in Jack’s head telling him this is a bad idea. The voice telling him that he should, under no circumstances, climb on the back of a kid who quite possibly hasn’t even finished puberty yet. If the voice is anything to go by. Also, assuming he’s human. Which, in all fairness, Jack knows is a hell of an assumption in this place.

But he’s tired. And he doesn’t want to walk. So, fuck it. A running theme, this week. He said he was in. He’s in.

Jack wraps his arms around Peter’s neck. More specifically, he wraps them around his upper shoulders, bracing himself so that he won’t choke him.

He’s hot really certain that it’s going to work until they’re off the ground. Very high off the ground. Moving very quickly. That’s a hell of a thing. Around the second handoff, that half second of weightlessness at the apex of the arc, Jack laughs. “Hell of a trick, kid. Where are you from?”

C!

[jintetsu]

[Jintetsu's been in the Quarantine only a day or two, and he already hates it. It's too much. Too much noise, too much weirdness, too much information to absorb. He wants to grasp for the familiar, but can't find any. That's how, tonight, he wound up skulking around the tent cities - when in doubt, he gravitates to the low places of the world. The places people go when they don't want to be seen.

He tilts his hat down to avoid eye contact as a group of human volunteers rushes by, but because of that, fails to notice the person darting out in front of him in time to stop. It's a minor collision, only...

"Hey, watch where you're goin'!"

... when he looks up to see who he ran into, the face looking back - it isn't human. It's monstrous, some terrible hybrid of man and insect.

He's seen some strange, inhuman things in his life. Things he'd never mention to anyone. Even without bodies, they were deadly. And this one's solid. He was already on edge, has been since he got here, but seeing a Frysh for the first time tips this experience from surreal into horror.

There's no yelp of surprise, but Jintetsu stumbles back, wide-eyed, his sword out of the scabbard in a flash. The "monster" backpedals, too, very much not expecting to have a sword pulled on him today. "Whoa! Hang on! Shit!"

Fortunately, Jintetsu doesn't swing - just holds the weapon up defensively - but his mind is in overdrive working out his next move. Is it going to attack? There are more of them, too, coming out of the tents to check out the disturbance - he's grossly outnumbered. What are they?!]

[madeupnames]

[Thwip!

A curious thing, having said sword yanked rather seamlessly from your hand! But there it goes! And there Spider-Man is, landing on his tippy-toes as he perches on a light fixture. He honestly wasn't expecting a samurai, but at this point he's also had alien acid thrown at him. So. You get used to the weird. He quickly pulls the sword into his palm and holds it up, examining it with eagerness while the poor Frysh runs away.]

Whooooa! This is super real! I gotta say, if you're looking for a gig at the soup kitchen, I bet you could do some real damage to potatoes and carrots with this bad boy. But you know, pointing it at people isn't as cool. Shame, shame, man.

[jintetsu]

[Jintetsu flinches as the sword suddenly flies out of his hand, arcing gracefully through the air into the hand of - some... guy. Person. Is that a human? He doesn't even know anymore. (How did he even get up there?)

So this just takes the situation from bad to worse, for a variety of reasons. The most urgent being: without the sword, Jintetsu can't talk to explain himself. Instead, he glares silently up at the red-and-blue figure on the light post. He can't jump that high, but he's not leaving without Haganemaru, which kind of puts him at this guy's mercy for the moment.

The sword itself is a little odd. It's heavier than it looks, and there's a real-looking human eye set into the hilt, which is glaring daggers (so to speak) at Spider-man. It's up to Haganemaru to do something about this, and besides, he has just been gravely insulted! So, he makes his gambit. All of a sudden, the sword exclaims:]

Oi, put me down! I ain't some kitchen knife!

1/3

[madeupnames]

[Oh, huh. That's an eyeball.]

2/3

[madeupnames]

[................]

What the f...

[Is he... Is he hallucinating? Is he having a weird stroke? What is happening.]

[madeupnames]

[..........................

...............................

................................

He pokes the sword in the eye, confusedly.]

i lol'd

[jintetsu]

[did u just]

Ow!! - You're lucky I don't have teeth, pal!

[Meanwhile Jintetsu's just... incredulously watching all this from below. He's got a slightly better read on the situation now - some of the creatures are watching cautiously, but none are getting too close. He still doesn't know what they are, but one's even holding back a smaller one of its kind, like a mother and child...

Maybe they can still walk away from this, provided nobody does anything stupid. He steps closer to the light post, thinking to Haganemaru as hard as he can. Haganemaru glances down at him.]

"Quit provoking-"?! He started it!

[madeupnames]

[Oh. Oh, okay, it's just a man with a metal face, arguing with a blade that has an eyeball.

Peter very gracefully throws the katana up out of his hands in alarm.]

Holy shit!

[Uh, sorry. Catch?]

What the hell is with the body horror sword?!

[jintetsu]

[aaaand Haganemaru did not think this far ahead, apparently.]

Whoops! Help.

[Fortunately, Jintetsu's quick enough to dart over and catch him before he hits the ground. (The wrong way around, but that's fine.) Haganemaru does a quick "phew" and goes back to speaking on Jintetsu's behalf - although really, they're both thinking this.]

That's none of your business.

[Jintetsu then sheathes the blade, though.]