⇨ CAMPING GROUNDS

[ringleaders]

Who: Everybody!
When: Day 64
Where: The Camping Grounds
What: While the Ringmaster attempts to purge the carnival of magical tracing spells and deal with the angry fire fae in her belly, everyone else is getting sent on an emergency camping trip with some unusual local fauna.
Warnings: Camping.

CRYPTIC CAMPGROUNDS↴ You're given about three hours to prepare, after the Ringmaster tells you her plans for the coming week. There is a vast selection of camping equipment at your disposal, and the means to take along enough food for the length of the stay. The wilderness of the planet you're left on is nearly idyllic, but some people just don't like the great outdoors. ► CRYPTOZOOLOGY: As it turns out, the carnival won't be alone here. There is a varied ecosystem of cryptids to be found as well, living in relative peace and mostly reacting to the newcomers with curiousity. More details can be found on the plotting post. You are free to NPC the cryptids as much as you need to, as long as you stick to the behaviours described. ► DREAMSHARING: There is a player plot going on which will allow characters to share dreams! These are specifically more dreams than nightmares, and the mushi-adept characters will be here to help. ► CHILLAX: There isn't any plot twist for this setting, so this is mostly an opportunity to decompress from the last plot and get ready for the future. The Ringmaster will show up occasionally to help with needed medical treatments and check on things, but won't stick around for long.

Comments

Ginko | OTA

[dontpokethat]

Dreaming

Wherever you are, it’s dark. Black bleeds in all directions, leaving little distinction between ground and air; you may feel moss or grass under your feet, but, though you may look down and see it one moment, it will surely be gone the next time you look, giving no visual sign that there’s anything around you but shadow.

The only real source of light is the river.

It stretches out below you, close enough to touch and yet too far to ever reach, glowing green-gold and illuminating the otherwise empty space that you’ve found yourself in. You see something in the distance, a circle of flickering lights, almost humanoid in their form – but they’re too far to make out clearly, and much too far to provide light the way the river does.

By all rights, it should be unsettling, to say the least; but this strange space, with its glowing river, the little particles of living light that float off its surface and disperse, only seems to give off an overwhelming sense of peace. It feels frozen in time, untouched by all else, unmoving and unchanging even as you may watch the river undulating like a living thing in front of you.

Ginko is sitting by the edge of the river, and it’s hard to tell whether his changes from the carnival are intact or not. Maybe it doesn’t matter. Either way, he lifts his head slightly from watching that flowing light, and glances over toward the person approaching, seemingly unbothered.

“Don’t get too close.”

Herb Gathering

Though completing the mushi purge to handle the current infestation is still at the top of his priority list, Ginko isn’t going to pass up the opportunity to examine the other plant life here. He’s crouched by the roots of a tree, gently scraping some faintly luminescent moss into a jar or collecting small leaves from the surrounding undergrowth.

As he hears someone approaching, though, one of his ears flicks toward them, and he glances over his shoulder with a start to check who it is. “—Ah, alright. Sorry, I got worried there that one of those ape things was going to try to grab my supplies. ...Again.”

Campfire Stories (night)

Ginko stays out for a good while after the sun sets, sitting by the little campfire outside his tent. At first, he was just taking his time eating, but even now that he’s done he doesn’t see any real reason to go inside for the night; for the moment, he’d rather just sit here for a while and enjoy the scenery.

That’s not to say he won’t welcome company, of course; in fact, anyone coming by will get a small wave and a genial, if only very slight, smile. “You still up?”

Wildcard

(( OOC: These three prompts took me long enough I should probably stop now, BUT want to watch some mothmen? Hang out by the lake? Watch Ginko try to figure out how to clean a fur-bearing trout??? I’m up for a lot of things and Ginko is very up for teaching people CAMPING STUFF, just message me here or at omixgirl10; I’m also around on the game discord a lot. ))

he has gathered at least one Herb

[scientificist]

"They can have them from anywhere, surely, without stealing yours," complains Herbert in something approaching sympathy, nearly, shaking his head. Dumb Bigfoot creatures. But, right, yes. The reason he followed Ginko into the forest.

"I believe you were going to finally explain mushi?"

\o/

[dontpokethat]

"Mm. But I'm sure it wouldn't be as entertaining." After two years working with a variety of animals, it's become very clear to Ginko that intelligent creatures can have a hell of a sense of humor.

He gives a small nod of confirmation and straightens up, tucking what he's gathered into a coat pocket. "Right. We should head back toward the campgrounds if you want a visual aid; they'll probably be most concentrated there."

No matter how far he wanders during the day, after all, he's been sleeping in just one place.

"Remind me how much Tanyuu and I have told you already?"

[scientificist]

"Of course, because they're drawn to you for whatever reason." Herbert has his hands in his jacket pockets because he is absolutely wearing his entire suit while camping like a weirdo. He's ready to walk along with Ginko whenever he starts off, glancing sideways and keeping a sort of periphery eye contact as they go. "You've mentioned they're, spiritual creatures of various types...leading to various treatments. From your world. Tanyuu only mentioned one, which I recall sounded like an inner ear infection."

[dontpokethat]

"Right. They're a kind of organism made up of a higher concentration of pure life energy than most living things; they can have a wide range of effects on their surroundings, including on other creatures. They're not inherently dangerous, but their effects can be."

He gives a quiet snort at the "inner ear infection" comment, which... you know, that's not inaccurate. But he's guessing Herbert doesn't have quite the right idea. "That would most likely be the Un; we've had some trouble with them before."

As they draw closer to the campgrounds, Ginko takes note of the occasional floater drifting around them. He slides a hand into his pocket, taking hold of his box of cigarettes - but, first. He points out one of the translucent mushi, his tail flicking along with the motion. "First, remind me - can you see those?"

[scientificist]

Herbert looks, following the direction of Ginko's gestures. It's. A tree?

"I'm not blind," he says, "what am I looking at in particular?"

[dontpokethat]

That is... vague enough to mean almost anything. Ginko raises his eyebrows slightly.

"If you're seeing what I am, those spring-shaped things floating in the air? Those are mushi. Specifically, a kind that drills into leaves and works itself into their veins."

DREAM

[mylastchance]

In his dreams Lauren is a child again, and as he leaves the familiar sites of the carnival behind he stares in awe at the glowing river that shines before him. He gets closer instantly, ignoring Ginko's warning, and goes to dip a hand into the water.

[dontpokethat]

Oh dammit. Ginko moves to stand as the kid moves closer, giving out a quiet, warning "Hey..."

But of course he doesn't listen, which means it's time for plan B.

A moment before Lauren's hand can make contact with the liquid light below, Ginko's arms wrap around his waist to lift him up and away. "Do not touch it. You'll lose your eyes."

[mylastchance]

He startles, but he doesn't scream like a normal child would. In dreams you can always tell if someone's bad by the anxiety you get. There's no anxiety, so no fear at someone just picking him up, though he does try to break free from Ginko's grip.

"What do you mean I'll lose my eyes?"

cw for mention of eye trauma?? thanks mushishi

[dontpokethat]

Ginko only holds him up for a moment before turning around and placing Lauren back on solid(?) ground. He kneels down in front of him, making sure he's still between the child and the river - just in case.

"There are dangerous mushi living in that river. If they infect you, they'll eat your eyeballs entirely - and I'm all out of spares to give away."

He's not even joking. ...Okay, he kind of is, but it's also true.

Re: cw for mention of eye trauma?? thanks mushishi

[mylastchance]

He looks at Ginko, his eyes flickering to towards the hair that always keeps the man's missing eye hidden. He has a strange feeling, like maybe he's met this man before.

"The eat your eyes?" he asks, voice loud despite the fact that he speaks in a shocked whisper.

"How?"

[dontpokethat]

He nods, and only barely takes time to consider that he's talking to a child here before he continues. Ginko has never really gotten into the habit of avoiding saying upsetting crap when dealing with children, for better or worse.

"More or less how you'd expect. Once they've made contact with a human, they can get into their eye sockets pretty easily, and eat away at the eyes from the inside. Of course, even getting too close without touching it can result in contracting some kind of infection, but direct contact is even more dangerous."

Day 69~~ Campfire Stories

[prazerbutterfly]

The company is always appreciated even when he himself is invited into conversation first. He was always a bit of a night owl unless truly exhausted and he makes his way over with a light flick of the end of his tail. At least this time he didn't sneak up on Ginko. That's progress or maybe Ginko just looked so peaceful he didn't want to ruin it.

Either way he nods softly at the implication, "The night is far too pleasant to sleep just yet."

[dontpokethat]

He really does appreciate not being snuck up on, actually. It would suck to have the calm ruined like that.

That gets a bit more of a smile, and a small hum of agreement. "Don't suppose you'd mind talking a while, then? Unless you've got somewhere you'd rather be."

[prazerbutterfly]

"No, I wouldn't mind at all. I'm sure Strange hasn't fallen asleep yet and Rhys might been too spooked to sleep just yet." The new pup didn't seem to like anything around him when it came to this camping trip. A lot of people were wrapped up in their drama or studying notes to really enjoy the place.

He looks for a place to sit that isn't right next to Ginko to give him a little space. Tucking down, he'll let his tail sway off to the side.

[dontpokethat]

Ginko gives a quiet hum, looking upward at the sky again. He appreciates the distance, really, even if he doesn't comment on it; he likes Tyki alright, but they're not exactly close enough yet for Ginko to be comfortable being very... well, close.

"Rhys is one of the newer guys, right? He having trouble settling in?"

[prazerbutterfly]

It's the fact he's making an effort that expresses more than anything else. He's not set on entirely respecting his boundaries seeing as he might stalk here and there. Ginko was just kind of boring in some way as a result and didn't get that treatment often.

"He's a businessman, he says," Tyki says as he implies otherwise, "Not use to the outdoors. A little overwhelmed maybe."

[dontpokethat]

"Too bad." Too bad, because that means he can't appreciate how incredible this place is - which Ginko is sure he would if he weren't so thrown off, because who wouldn't? "Here's hoping he'll be able to adjust."

He lets out a breath and reaches into his pocket, pulling out his wooden cigarette box a moment later. "Personally, I'm just glad to stay somewhere a little closer to what I'm used to. ...Even if the wildlife is different."

Dream

[stillwinningthehardway]

In the way of dreams, Scout has no idea how she got here, but it doesn't matter. She's got one knee hitched up to her chest and an arm crooked across it, relaxed and incurious. The light and its flow seem to pull at her heart and eyes, in an inexorable, soothing way. It occurs to her that this would be a fantastic place to meditate with open eyes.

Lazily she asks, "Why not?"

[dontpokethat]

"The light vein is an origin point of all life. It's concentrated, a purer form of life itself than anything else in the world." Which might sound like a complete non-answer at first, but he's getting there.

"Touching that river could be fatal to a human. At best, you'd probably contract a fatal mushi infection." He gives a small shrug and sits back, closing his eyes for a moment. "We're simply not made to get that close to it."

[stillwinningthehardway]

"Hmmm," she says. Scout vaguely would like to play with something, and hey, here's a grass stem that may or may not have been under her fingers before she moved her hand. It doesn't really matter. She plucks it and rolls it between her fingers and thumb.

Slowly, she says, "That sounds a little like the Force." Not the same, in a lot of ways, but right now it makes sense to her. "I can barely touch it, barely ask anything of it. I'm small, and flawed, and I'm not completely open to it. But when I die I'll open all the way, and I'll dissolve back into it. Like a cup of fresh water into an ocean."

Her tone is oddly wistful. Scout has little fear of dying, though much more of leaving things undone.

[dontpokethat]

"Sounds about right."

He shifts in place, then lies back, folding his arms behind his head. There's nothing new to look at above them - just little particles of light drifting into the air from the river, like an otherworldly imitation of the night sky.

"Light veins like these are part of what allows the world to live, and yet most people can't even come here to see them. ...We're both pretty lucky that way."

[stillwinningthehardway]

Scout considers the metaphor some more, turning it over and watching the light in its broad current, and more sparsely departing, dispersing. Returning? The flyaways look like sparks rising from a fire, but the context is different. They're not drifting away to die alone.

"You're right. It makes a lot of things harder sometimes, but it's a privilege too." She stretches her arm out towards the river, just to watch the light between her fingers. Scout feels heavily weighted down, but not in a bad way. "It would be a shame to miss this."

[dontpokethat]

"...Agreed."

Fully and entirely, with both the difficulty and privilege. He supposes it's not his ability to see mushi and the light veins that really brought on his problems - but the way he and his body interact with the light vein, with mushi, with nature... it's still part of that. They can't be separate from each other, and, for better or worse, none of it can be separated from him.