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	A T T H E W E D D I N G 2025 _____________________ tennis _____________________ at the wedding (single) _________

^{nine more?}

⇜ Deicide ⇝ [Dark Fantasy Isekai]

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What is happening to me?!What is happening to me?! _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ”What the-...?!” The girl had been positioned just a little behind the others in such a way that her own transformation had gone mostly unnoticed. By the time the woman had given her warning to the girl, her arm was nearly identical to the complexion of the guard holding the spear. She immediately dropped hers and took a few steps back, bringing her hands up in front of her so she could better see the affliction that was further spreading. It had begun earlier as a subtle sensation crawling across her arm, but was quickly dismissed as her having fallen asleep on it while unconscious. The ice needles prickling under her skin was nothing more than the blood returning to her fingertips and her nerves firing off, she thought. But while standing there addressing the others and watching events unfold, she realized her arm never stopped feeling weird. More than that, the spear in her hand, which had earlier felt cold to the touch, was still just as cold as before. It felt as though she were holding a rod of ice. It had refused to warm to her touch the entire time she’d been holding it and the needles in her fingertips never went away. Only now, she understood why, or at the very least understood why her arm felt the way it did. She did not understand what was happening to it. ...Um… Was my arm always like this?... No. No no. I grabbed the spear with my hand. My hand. A regular human looking hand. I know what those look like because I’ve seen hands… I have a han-... Images flashed in her mind’s eye once again. Stills from the one memory she had. She thumbed through each frame of a disconnected life and focused on the things she could recognize: A forest of blue roses. A hat shaped like a cloud. An avian dressed in streaks of fire. A large man with a name, the shape of which she couldn’t quite make out. But what stood out to her most above all else was in the foreground and tucked away in the corner. Just barely out of focus were three appendages. Green tipped and gloved. ...Okay… what…? Her left hand was indeed a hand. Although not what she remembered her hand to be, it was something she did recognize. Proportionally shaped. All fingers accounted for and in their proper place. All fingers working properly, attested to the fact that she could sign a rather common expletive. The right hand however was not a hand she recognized. Black scales protruded from her skin like oblong plates of obsidian. Jagged and cut like natural rock formations that were just casually growing out of her and continuing to do so as it crawled up the length of her arm. This was not something she considered natural at all. ”Yeah. Hi!” She turned again to the others. ”I don’t even… what is happening to me?!”

Character Sheet. Name. ??? Age. ??? Gender. Female Race. Curse ___________________________......... Current Appearance. As pictured but her right arm up to her elbow is covered in black scales. She's visibly distressed. Location. Ruins of Illium Interactions. Everyone Summary. A nameless girl realizes she's made a mistake. Holding one of the spears has resulted in her right arm transforming. _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Microfiction & Poetry contest #13 - voting and feedback

Great entries. I went back and forth between two and while one was great in its handling of the sometimes mundane nature of luck and how a streak of bad luck can really derail an entire day (I really liked this entry), the other used the prompt of 'the meeting' much better. I cast my vote for Superstition Kills.

⇜ Deicide ⇝ [Dark Fantasy Isekai]

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Character Sheet. Name. ??? Age. ??? Gender. Female Race. Curse ___________________________........... Current Appearance. As pictured. Location. ??? Interactions. Everyone. Summary. A nameless girl wakes up in an unfamiliar world and seeks help from others nearby. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Where the hell am I?Where the hell am I? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ A girl woke up lost just like the rest of them; lying on her back, looking at a strange sky, smelling the ash in the air. She had no recollection of who she was, where she was or how she ended up in the middle of a desolate and scorched field, but she did have a memory. The flashing images of a time from before repeating themselves over and over in her head. Slides of some far off dream she recognized but could not marry with the present. It was a mystery, but it was all she had, and despite the memory itself leaving her feeling annoyed, she clung to it like a child would a toy. Whatever it was this mote of time she was allowed to keep, she'd guard it and use it and this place to fill in the gaps in her memory and find out what happened. The gathering in the distance seemed a good place to start. Slowly, she got to her feet, brushed the dirt from her skirt and pulled a nearby spear out of the ground. ··· Hesitancy was betrayed by curiosity. There was too much she didn’t know and no other way for her to fill that void. She needed answers and she knew that the best way to get those answers was to ask. So she did. She approached the group, spear held firmly in both hands defensively and a question held at the tip of her tongue. She was prepared to throw either one. Both at the same time if she must, but as she grew closer, she began overhearing bits and pieces of a conversation already being had. Questions, lots of them. A lot of questions and a lot of questions being asked back to back in a wildly uneven manner. ...Huh... At first glance, it seemed that those gathered here were just as confused as she was. She shoved the sharp end of the spear into the ground and blurted out the first thing that came to mind: ”Hiiieeee.” Standing before the group was a relatively short gal. Five feet tall. Hair like sun-bleached driftwood that was cut short to her chin and parted like a stiff curtain around her face. A dark cloak hung from her shoulders and half obscured the thin frame of a girl underneath. A black buttoned shirt ended at the hem of a pleated skirt. The skirt stopped just above her knees. Sheer leggings poured into ankle boots that were already covered in mud. She was clearly not dressed for this world. One hand held firmly onto the buried spear. The other extended an outward palm in a meek greeting. ”Hello. I… uh. I'm sorry to interrupt but I’m a little lost and I have all of the same questions that she does.” She finished, gesturing toward the woman who'd just dropped her hands.

⇜ Deicide ⇝ [Dark Fantasy Isekai]

_{Update. 03.17.25.15:24}

- Changed the description of character skills to better represent
exactly what she can do.
- Added 'mystery code'.

Listen.

_{character concept for ⇜ Deicide ⇝ [Dark Fantasy Isekai] · image·font·v2_}

Age. ??? Gender. Female Race. Curse Skill One. Can shrink down to about two inches in height and can also return to her original height at will. The time taken to complete the change in size is one second. Visually, she simply shrinks. There is no instant visual change, no sound, no flashing lights or effects. __________________________........... Skill Two. Has the ability to send and receive messages with anyone she has met. The distance does not matter and she does not need to have eye contact with them. These message are delivered telepathically and cannot be picked up or interrupted by anyone else. Replies work much the same way. Code. Dvrgtgin

ThemeTheme _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Psychology. She is singular in her focus, driven to be as verbally obtrusive as she can. She doesn't know why, she just knows that for some reason her voice matters and everyone should hear it. Everyone is supposed to hear it, and so she's naturally loud. Loud and pragmatic. Once she knows what she and those around her are capable of, she understands where the line is and when and how not to cross it. More importantly, this means she understands how little help she is in a fight. Besides trying to be the voice of reason, or annoyance to some, she'll do little else besides stay out of the way and stay out of the fight. She is also quite inquisitive. Of people. She really wants to know why they do what they do and then maybe try and tell them to do the opposite just to see if they will. What I Remember. · A Crossroad. What do I remember? Well I'll tell you what I remember. I remember a crossroad. But not like an actual crossroad. Like, the kind you find in life. The kind where there are two paths ahead of you and one of them is obviously the better one. I stood there like a signpost, okay? I stood there and I told him "Go this way! This way is safe. This way is right. THIS is where all the cool people go." But did he listen? NO! No he didn't! He said in not so similar words, "But I want to go this way." and then walked RIGHT OFF A CLIFF! But not like an actual cliff. What I Can't Remember. · A Failure. That idiot and his stupid dream. His willingness to kill so. Many. People. And for what? I watched him literally step on the backs of other people. I watched him take something beautiful and destroy it for his own benefit. I watched him at every crossroad in horror as he dug up the other path and set the signpost on fire. And finally, when it was my time, when his greed and rage and indifference saw to me tumbling off the cliff edge with him to our end, a single thought crossed my mind: Why didn't you listen to me?! Oh and that cliff we tumbled off of? It was real. It was a real cliff! I died! Honestly? You people suck. Why do I even try?_ _ _

⇜ Deicide ⇝ [Dark Fantasy Isekai]

I know we spoke and you gave me the green light to submit a sheet, but in case things change, I'm alright being put into reserve. There are a lot of very good people here already and I wouldn't want to further slow down the game. Please let me know if you need me to make any changes.

Edit: I forgot to remove the placeholder name I left in.

Listen.

_{character concept for ⇜ Deicide ⇝ [Dark Fantasy Isekai] · image·font·v2_}

Age. ??? Gender. Female Race. Curse Skill One. Perspective is a silly thing. There are so many ways to discover how to look at something that sometimes, you forget why you were looking at it in the first place. I don't know why everything and everyone was once so much bigger than me, but for some god awful reason, I can be small. __________________________........... Skill Two. And sometimes, that little voice in your head? Well that's me. I've got a lot to say and I'd appreciate it if you'd listen. I don't care where you are. I don't care who else is talking to you. You're going to hear what I have to say because as far as I'm concerned, it's important. No really. Really! It's important I swear!

ThemeTheme _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Psychology. She is singular in her focus, driven to be as verbally obtrusive as she can. She doesn't know why, she just knows that for some reason her voice matters and everyone should hear it. Everyone is supposed to hear it, and so she's naturally loud. Loud and pragmatic. Once she knows what she and those around her are capable of, she understands where the line is and when and how not to cross it. More importantly, this means she understands how little help she is in a fight. Besides trying to be the voice of reason, or annoyance to some, she'll do little else besides stay out of the way and stay out of the fight. She is also quite inquisitive. Of people. She really wants to know why they do what they do and then maybe try and tell them to do the opposite just to see if they will. What I Remember. · A Crossroad. What do I remember? Well I'll tell you what I remember. I remember a crossroad. But not like an actual crossroad. Like, the kind you find in life. The kind where there are two paths ahead of you and one of them is obviously the better one. I stood there like a signpost, okay? I stood there and I told him "Go this way! This way is safe. This way is right. THIS is where all the cool people go." But did he listen? NO! No he didn't! He said in not so similar words, "But I want to go this way." and then walked RIGHT OFF A CLIFF! But not like an actual cliff. What I Can't Remember. · A Failure. That idiot and his stupid dream. His willingness to kill so. Many. People. And for what? I watched him literally step on the backs of other people. I watched him take something beautiful and destroy it for his own benefit. I watched him at every crossroad in horror as he dug up the other path and set the signpost on fire. And finally, when it was my time, when his greed and rage and indifference saw to me tumbling off the cliff edge with him to our end, a single thought crossed my mind: Why didn't you listen to me?! Oh and that cliff we tumbled off of? It was real. It was a real cliff! I died! Honestly? You people suck. Why do I even try?_ _ _

ᵗʰᵉ Last Avatar.

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West GateWest Gate ____________________________________________________________________________. Sunlight spread across the desert as a brilliant red, setting flame to the outline of Tu Zin against the mountain it was nestled against and heralding the return of another day. The warmth of its first light was cast across the dusty settlement like a net, chasing the last of the morning’s dawn into the shadows of rocks and rubble. It burned across dirt paths and slipped into the open windows and cracked doors of the earliest to rise; of those who woke to watch the sky catch fire and witness a beautiful thing impossible to see inside the walls of the Republic. Feyi never forgot her first time, and every day since then, she’d wait outside to give witness. By the time the sun had slipped above the distant mountains, she was already well and truly up. She’d spent the early morning hours in the dark, directing a handful of people as they prepped for a journey into the Wilds. They loaded supplies into the back of a vehicle parked at the front gate; a jeep albeit an ugly thing when compared to the Kyoshi. Even in the softer light of the morning sun, it was obvious that years exposed to the elements hadn't been kind to it. What had once been a white coat of paint had turned to a smudged brown from sand constantly scratching at the surface. Damage sustained to the exterior over time had been repaired over and over again with sections of metal plates wielded… or sometimes taped to the frame. The windows had been reinforced, the grill too fixed with a bullbar. A makeshift cage had been crudely attached to one side of the vehicle to create more space for cargo. All of it was rather mismatched and haphazardly cobbled together like a misshapen puzzle. Cosmetics clearly weren’t a point of concern, but while Tu Zin’s own vehicles weren’t conventionally attractive by any means when compared to the Kyoshi, in some ways, they performed better. Tu Zin knew a thing or two about traversing the lands around their home. Supplies were fairly straight forward. There was stable food and water, enough for at least a week outside the settlement which was longer than their three day planned excursion. Enough gas to get to and from their destination with some to spare. There were camping and cooking supplies, medical supplies and even some stacks of old newspaper for ass-wipe. All of it was loaded into the Jeep with a second, similar pile of supplies neatly stacked to the side and being loaded into the Kyoshi. Additionally, laid out on the hood of the jeep were a few extra guns, because while necessities were certainly important, what mattered significantly more to most going out were their means of defending themselves. Its why there was a large gun mounted to the roof of the jeep. The Wilds were dangerous. Fauna didn’t always play nice and sometimes, neither did the flora. People were dangerous as well but so too were spirits. They were out there, despite being less of a presence now than they were before the war. They were also incredibly dangerous. Bullets were useless, and according to Unye, bending wasn’t much help either. Their best chance in that situation would be to run. ”You understand?” ”You know I know some of this too, right? I was the main operator for SynEn’s PipeRunners. Some might say the best. Mostly Jin.” Sumire gave Feyi a thumbs up. ”People bad. Spirits bad. Flowers bad. I've got it.” Feyi placed another case of water into the back of the Kyoshi. ”Remind me again why you decided to leave? You’re not a Bender and Jin isn’t your blood, unless I’m missing something.” ”Jin is... well he's...” Sumire’s eyes seemed to wander off as she willing let go of the words she wanted to say. She turned toward the desert sun and let golden light wash across her face, splashing the cool of a still retreating dawn from her cheeks with a gentle warmth. The softer edges of her were slowly beginning to harden during her time in the desert. Or maybe she'd always been like this. It was hard to tell. ”I've been watching his back for a long time. That idiot needs me.” She turned back to Feyi and beamed her a wide smile before grabbing one of the pistols from the guns laying on the hood of the jeep. She pushed it into place on her hip. ...Or maybe I need him?...

_Prompt:

A week has passed since the meeting with Unye. Although much had been discussed, three things seemed the most important: First, he’d informed the group that they were not the only ‘settlement’ in the Wilds. Although it could be said Tu Zin was one of the larger ones, there were pockets of civilization dotting what was left of the world. Most survivors still lived near the capitals of the Bending nations and despite a more challenging way of life, these survivors thrived. Trade of goods and information did happen by way of dedicated couriers. Second, he explained that while Tu Zin was relatively close to the City, the natural barriers surrounding the settlement helped to keep them out of the city's eyes. The area surrounding Tu Zin was a drone blind spot. It was impossible to pass through the Si Wong Desert from the North. East of that was the Bastion Sea and West were the ruins of Gao Ling. Synergy Radiation in the area disabled any equipment running on Synergy. The third was the unfortunate reality of threats to Tu Zin. There had always been inherent danger to travel outside of any settlement but in the past couple weeks, it seemed disappearances had increased significantly, and not just on the road. Unye was forced to take a closer look at the situation when disappearances began happening inside the city. It had earlier been decided that after the conclusion of their celebration, a team would be assembled to investigate the disappearances. Reports had indicated sightings of strange creatures outside a nearby forest and it was there that they would start. An invitation was extended to the group in the hopes that in exchange for a place to call home, they would help to defend that home in its time of need. During that meeting, the man standing next to Unye, Tenet, remained silent. In the week between that meeting and now, the group was given free reign of the settlement once again, except of course to the town hall. Once the rest of the hunting teams returned without incident, the last part of their celebration kicked off with a huge feast. Sandworm is quite good. Posts for this round can include a snippet from their past week in the settlement. It is the early morning on the first day of the expedition.

ᵀʰᵉ Last Avatar & ᵀʰᵉ Red Lotus.

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The UndergroundThe Underground ____________________________________________________________________________. ”Am I in trouble?” It was difficult for Katakuri to put into plain words the gravity of their situation. Chosah didn’t and couldn’t understand. Her world, as far as either of them were concerned, was nothing more than play, sleep and her favorite foods. Claps for accomplishments. Laughs for things she found silly. Tears for the things she disliked. Hugs and kisses and the promise of more of them tomorrow and every day after that. But the discovery of what she was and Katakuri’s choice to protect her, pulled her from that world and thrust her into a new one. The real one, where laughs and smiles and cheers weren’t given to Benders no matter their age. The look in her eyes was tearing at a small piece of him. Chipping away at a wall that had been carefully built through years of conditioning. Brick by brick, everything he’d been taught and knew was true had been fed to him by the program that trained him; the program that shaped him into the sharpened tool he was. He’d been made an effective agent of the LSF, and the city and the wider world knew peace because of it. So why did everything he know stand in direct defiance of the girl wrapped in his arms? Why was such a simple directive so difficult to follow? All he was meant to do now was turn the child in. It wasn’t important what the LSF did with her afterwards. All he needed to know was that she had the potential to be dangerous and the world was much better off without her. He knew this. Understood it truly to his core. But he also knew his world was never the same since Chosah. He knew that this world, the one he helped to uphold, never gave to him what the child in his arms gave to him freely, every day. ”Daddy? --- By the time Shinobi News broadcast Tao’s speech to the wider Republic, Katakuri was already beneath the streets and out of the public eye. Once in the Underground, he knew it would be impossible for anyone to find out who or what he was. All he needed to do now was keep a low profile and keep moving. Already he'd ditched his dinner jacket and replaced it with a stained coat he paid a small amount of yuan to a beggar for. Chosah too was given a small, dirty and hooded cloak that he secured around her neck and over her shoulders. With the hood up, her features were obscured and when standing next to Katakuri, the pair blended naturally with the noise of the crowds. Before they ventured too deep and the air became a danger for Chosah, Katakuri also managed to procure for her a breathing mask and a number of oxygen capsules. It would be enough to last at least a day or two for Chosah alone. Katakuri figured he’d be fine and if he needed to, he’d find means for himself when the time came. For now, getting Chosah to a place he knew she stood a chance was all that mattered. Everything else came after.

Microfiction & Poetry contest #13 - voting and feedback

This is probably a non-issue and I don't know if this has been discussed already, but taking a look at this after having not been involved in the contest for so long, I just realized: would it help to have the theme and prompt listed as a reminder of what they were somewhere? Mostly just in case someone is coming here after having not seen the original post for this round of the competition.

ᵗʰᵉ Last Avatar.

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The Thirsty Cactus · A TLA CollaborationThe Thirsty Cactus · A TLA Collaboration ____________________________________________________________________________. Exit    The Thirsty Cactus. It wasn’t the only drinking hole in Tu Zin, but it was the most popular. Situated near the center of Tu Zin at the edge of one of the squares, it saw patronage at nearly all hours of the day and was frequently packed with locals and those who traveled the road. The drinks were hard and the food was great, or great as far as food was concerned in the Wild. The main floor was the bar and dining area which saw several hands helping to serve those patrons seeking shelter and food inside. The two floors above were additional rooms that could be paid for and used per night, all of which was managed by the proprietor, Linus. Typically, The Thirsty Cactus was always booked, what with Tu Zin being the largest known settlement beyond the walls and the inn being one of the more favorable stops. In fact, so popular was it that even after having been previously vacated in anticipation of housing Benders from the city, the rooms that were not rented out to the handful of survivors were already being claimed. Feyi didn’t get it. The air inside was often thick and sticky and warm. There was a fireplace in the corner that helped to push warm air into the colder corners of the dining area, but it also drew out the alcohol that had long soaked into the wood and the floors. It coated the mouth on every breath and painted the tongue on every word until you could get drunk on conversation alone. Then there was the dust that was dragged in from the outside and smudged into every crack and crevice and surface. Feyi could feel it scratching at her fingers and elbows and would often find it in her drink and food. It was impossible to escape, even when inside. Even more difficult to escape were the people that thrived under it. Under the dust and the last bits of sand from the desert, every inhabitant of Tu Zin made their home, and while some were welcoming of the new faces, not everyone shared in their celebrations. Feyi had learned early on when she arrived that there was safety, yes, but some of that safety she had to earn. Even beyond the walls of the city did danger lurk in the shadows. Because of this, and also because she could, Feyi had picked out a table in the loft area that overlooked the rest of the bar and provided some amount of privacy. Despite the warmer air collecting up there, and the smell, it was much preferred. With clear line of sight to the front door, she could easily wave over the others as they arrived and see any and all who intended to join them, friend or otherwise. She was seated next to Reman and in front of a pitcher of clean water, something she insisted was not easy to procure. ”I’m so good.” Feyi said, throwing Reman a wink. ”What would you do without me?” Theyra    ”Right now Feyi I do not know really.” Reman let out a small laugh and took a sip of water. Exit    ”Don’t drink it all before the others arrive.” canaryrose    Tu Zin was a place that took some getting used to. Chu was not quite there yet. She had spent most of the day exploring the town and resting up a bit (doctor’s orders, fuck you Vasra), and the dust felt like it had coated her lungs already. Every breath was irritating. But she was safe, and that was the important part. Now, though, she had to meet Tu Zin’s leader. Benders were important here, apparently. Chu Hua found herself opening the door to The Thirsty Cactus and immediately being hit with a strong odor of alcohol. The dust was slightly better here, although not by much. Her eyes skimmed the large, crowded room, searching for familiar faces, and they landed on Reman and Feyi. They sat on the balcony, conversing easily. Chu made a beeline towards them. She knew little about either, but from what she had gathered about them, they confused her- Reman especially. He wasn’t a bender, but he was here anyway. Never mind he had helped Jin Wei- how had he known about this place? Why? She recognized the name Xuoshi, which further confused her. Feyi was less of a mystery, Chu understood what she had done for her sister. She would’ve done the same for hers. Thinking of Daiyu and Jie made her heart ache. Just more people she had left behind. “Yo,” she said, reaching the table, and plopping down next to Reman. She eyed the jug of water. “What’s on tap here?” she asked Feyi, placing her elbows on the table. Exit    ”Stronger stuff than they have in the city.” Feyi raised her brow, flashed both of them a knowing smirk, and then got up from the table. ”Wait right here.” Before either of them could comment or protest, she’d run off and disappeared down the steps to the bar. Theyra    Reman took the time to look around and he had to admit that he liked it here. Bearing that the Thirsty Cactus’s aroma is overwhelming alcoholic and it kinda reminds him of a place back at the city. The city a place he thought he would never leave. He did wonder how his family was doing now that he left. Probably concerned about him and only Ms.Moon knows the truth and he doubts that she will say anything. Still, something to think about and Kaye will probably be angry at him if she knew the truth. If he ever returns to the city that is. Either way time to wait and meet with Tu Zin’s leader since Reman has some questions that he needs answers to. If he can provide them that is and so Reman was content to stay silent unless Chu starts talking to him directly.. Abstract Proxy    Vasra arrived at the Thirty Cactus escorted by an old lady bristling with energy despite the cane that she walked with. A cup of tea had led to a slow, ambling conversation that Vasra found pleasant. Tu Zin was not what she had expected. It was not just surviving in the desert, but growing. It was not what she had been taught at the university. It was not what the researchers in Ba Sing Se predicted. Lies. So many lies. So many lies that Vasra felt a heavy weight bearing down on her. There was a rot, she suspected, a lingering disease eating away at Ba Sing Se…and she wasn’t sure she could cure it. “You know, Mrs. Guō, I could have found my way here on my own,” Vasra muttered, a flush of red on her cheeks as the elderly lady led her closer to the table where some of the others sat. “Nonsense, you’re not like the others, you’re no ruffian like that stickball player, what would Unye say if something happened to you.” “You judge her too harshly,” Vasra replied. “Pah, stickball is a brutish game for violent thugs, now penguin sledding, that is a civilized sport.” “I’m sorry, what?” Vasra meekly managed. “The Doctor Dermok,” Mrs. Guō announced, patting Vasra motherly on the hand before turning and disappearing in a swish of fabric. Vasra offered a shrug and then smiled at her companions, “Forgive me for my lateness, I was briefly detained by the kindness of widow Guō. However, do not despair, for I bring some of her famous saffron buns.” Depositing the bag of fresh pastries on the table, Vasra sat down. The others looked good, better at least. She felt better. A bath had helped. She had slept. She had slept well for the first time since before they had fled Ban Sing Se. She needed to speak more with the settlement doctor, Sarah. She doubted Chu had been following her medical instructions. vietmyke    ”Ooh, that looks good.” Jin commented as he quickly swiped up one of the aforementioned saffron buns placed on the table. Jin was quick to plop himself down on a seat next to the others, Sumire not far behind. Somehow, Jin looked just as dirty as when they had arrived, except instead of sand and blood, he was covered in a film of mechanical oil and grease. Only his face appeared fresh and undirtied. His nose crinkled a bit at the wafting smell of alcohol permeating the room ”Its crazy just how functional this town is, despite being so far out of the way.” Jin remarked, ”Somehow I expected something more… low tech, out in the wastes.” All things considered, the town was a veritable hub, compared to what Jin had expected. He’d expected something closer along the lines of a tribal village, but Tu Zin had practically everything they needed to survive- except for the one thing Jin was so desperately searching for: Synergy. Exit    ”Life finds a way…” Feyi commented, returning to the table with two full pitchers of a mystery, bubbling and frothy liquid and enough glass mugs for everyone. ”...to make good booze where none should exist.” Then her eyes snapped to the bag on the table and the veritable treasure half hidden inside. ”Are those Mrs. Guō’s saffron buns?! Who-...” She immediately claimed one and placed the end into her mouth. --- As the drinks were poured and passed out and Mrs. Guō’s buns were mostly unevenly distributed, thanks in part to Feyi, the group settled in and spent the time before their meeting discussing the past events and the day before. The explosion had upended all of their lives, tossing them wildly into the unknown and it was a miracle they had landed where they did. Where most of those who tried to escape didn’t make it past the desert, they somehow survived and not just survived but found refuge. They were alive. Still, much had been lost and there were some who had lost more than others. It was hard to consider oneself lucky when the cost to survive was so high. For now, however, they had each other and they had a glimmer of hope. Tu Zin was safe and the people here for the most part accepting. Even better, Unye, leader of the settlement was supposably a Bender himself. The potential for a new life outside the protective walls of the city was more real now than any of them would have believed only a few days ago. However, there were still some walls standing between them and the peace they so desperately wanted. A little more than half an hour at the table passed before…

_Prompt:

Jin: For a half a second, a deep well of dread opens in your gut. Like something dark and heavy and very unsettling. You feel sick but just as quickly as you're overwhelmed by this, the feeling passes over you. Suddenly, all is like it was before and you're almost not sure you felt anything at all. But in the haze of your confusion, you know you did. What you felt was real. Everyone: The bar doors open and a near impossibly large man enters, drawing the eyes of everyone in the bar. He stands over six feet and looks to weigh easily over 200 pounds, non of which is obviously fat. Despite its best effort, his clothing cannot hide this. He is wearing Light gray pants with a black undershirt tucked into the waistband. A dark gray and thick poncho that seems very resistant to the sea of sand outside is draped over his shoulders and opened in the front. Peaking out from under this poncho is the grip to what seems like a very large handgun. The hood down reveals a rough and scarred face like that of obsidian sanded against the elements and braids that come down to his shoulders. One of his eyes is glossed over. There is no emotion on his face. Just a seriousness that remains unchanged as his eyes scan the bar. Eventually, he finds and focuses on the group and just... watches all of you. The second man to enter is much smaller by comparison. Under six feet and although not thin, when standing next to the first man, he seems to have the thickness of a paperclip. Short black hair that is only slightly messy. A face, that although touched by the sun, is free of cuts and blemishes and could be described as fair. Unlike his partner, he is not dressed for the elements and is instead in something that seems far more relaxed. His khaki's are tucked into black boots and a light, long sleeve shirt is tucked into the pants. The first few buttons on this shirt are undone. Before Feyi can say anything, the others in the bar begin to cheer and shout his name in congratulations. This man is Unye and so far, his hunt is still the largest to have been brought back. Ignoring the cheers, the silent warden next to Unye continues to leer.