other side of the universe (open)

[slaughterous]

WHO: Agent Maine & YOU
WHAT: tattoos, training, and polar bears, oh my!
WHEN: early June
WHERE: all over Nightwake
WARNINGS: n/a


Frostreign — Winter Guild

Maine hits up the Winter Guild right away. Seems like the most sensible thing to do. If he's gotta learn magic—or seasonal powers, or whatever—then going to the Guild is the obvious first step.

The place is surprisingly cozy. A little on the cold side, but so is outer space. There are warm blankets scattered around, and the interior of the stone building gives Maine the impression of some faraway castle. Not that he's ever been in a castle before, but if he had, he imagines it would be like this.

He does some research, then sets about training. He's easy to spot: seven feet tall and built like a barge, with a shaved head and a determined look on his face.

Find him on the second floor as he attempts to create steam … but what he's creating instead is a fine veil of mist that swirls around his feet.

Or spot him later, when he's holding an elemental ribbon weapon and looking at it with extreme doubt plastered on his face.

Amberfall — Tattoo Shop

Magical tattoos? Now, this Maine had got to see.

They give him the option of a permanent versus a temporary tattoo. His instinct is to scoff. He doesn't need some pasted-on crap that'll flake off soon. But they assure him the process is the same. So he decides on the magical effects he wants (Danger Sense and Minor Regeneration Powers). Then it's time to figure out the design.

Catch him standing there in a tank top, muscles on muscles, as he studies various designs on the wall. Looking over, he asks in a deep, gravely voice, "These things work?"

Sunwaning — Weapon Training HQ

Today, Maine is training with a combat knife.

He has some experience with the weapon. That much is obvious from the ease with which he holds it, respectful but unafraid of the blade. But it's also apparent that this isn't his weapon of choice.

After practicing forms for a while, he moves onto the knife throwing range. There, he takes up a blade, aims, and flings it down the range.

SHINK!

It sticks! … Handle-first.

Solarpeak — Giant Pool

There is a polar bear in the pool.

How did the polar bear get there? Who knows! No one saw it arrive. One minute, everything was fine. The next, there was a polar bear in the pool.

The polar bear seems pretty content in the water, but should it be there? Maybe it'd be better to try and convince it to leave…

Wildcard

( ooc: hmu by pm or @ bicepsbrigade for any wildcards! will match prose or brackets )

Comments

[mayoninofukucho]

[It's so easy to be sincere with Maine when the man is so bluntly honest and unapologetic about his truths himself. It's their first mission together, and Hijikata already finds himself enjoying how smoothly it's going, how easily Maine rolls with anything he explains to him, how seamlessly he collaborates with him on both technical terms and by way of synergy and increasingly apparent common ground. A faint smile ghosts over his face at the acknowledgement of his brother's sacrifice, then he listens to the next "Maine's" claim, and the smile remains.]

Sometimes, you've got to do what's right, not what's lawful.

[At least, he hopes that that's roughly what happened on Maine's end.]

[slaughterous]

[ As far as Maine is concerned, that's precisely what happened. He followed orders and got results. Humanity is at war; how he got them is inconsequential.

So he nods firmly, pleased that Hijikata understands. Pleased that this man isn't someone who's going to yell about protocol when direct action would better serve.

There are only two Maines left. He looks between them, then strides to the one on the right. ]

True or false: you love Carolina.

[ … All right, this one is a little embarrassing. Maine puts his hands on his hips and exhales loudly, but says, ]

True.

[ She's Carolina. Of course he loves her. He'd take bullets for her, and that's not an exaggeration. ]

[mayoninofukucho]

[Hijikata doesn't tease him. It's not like he hasn't been in love before (and still is, with the same people and with new ones, in different ways, because no love is the same). He could say something cheesy about how loving people is what keeps them going, keeps them fighting, but in the end, he just nods supportively before turning to his last remaining doppelgänger, who tells him: "You really need to stop smoking."]

Says who? No, I don't.

[And... there's their first crack in the sky! It's an awful sound, as if they're suddenly aware that they're in a huge snow globe as it gets damaged, and it looks utterly surreal, but Hijikata just shrugs.]

I guess sometimes, this trial malfunctions.

[slaughterous]

[ Maine's head jerks upward, staring concernedly at the crack in the sky. It doesn't seem like a malfunction to him; it seems like Hijikata's response caused it.

But they're almost at the end. So Maine shrugs, grunts in agreement, and turns to the last doppelgänger. ]

You don't know what to do without a war to fight.

[ This time, Maine is quiet for a long moment, his brows pinched in thought. ]

… Always a war.

[ That's not answer enough. The doppelgänger continues to wait, and Maine glances over at Hijikata for guidance. ]

[mayoninofukucho]

[Even Hijikata has to think about what to say. Can he really claim that there's no war in Ellipsa? There certainly is danger, and conflict, but is it a war that's going in between them and "the" people?

After a moment, he puts a hand on Maine's shoulder. He's never been in a war, but he knows someone who has, and that man built himself a family, a community, something else to live for, even though he still keeps having to fight, too (sometimes alongside Hijikata).]

It's okay not to know. If a war goes on for too long, and it's all you've known, how could you know what to do without it?

[It's fine to accept that as the truth. It's not a failing.]

We do have to fight here, so having you will be a big help. "No war" doesn't mean "peace".

[slaughterous]

[ Maine accepts the hand on his shoulder without flinching, having become comfortable enough with Hijikata during their time here. (Anyway, it's less contact than when they were riding the motorcycle.) He watches the other man's face, that thoughtful furrow still sitting between his brows. Listening carefully.

"No war" doesn't mean "peace".

Is it strange that the thought is comforting? … The fact that it is probably answers the doppelgängers question.

He nods his thanks to Hijikata, then turns his head to face the doppelgänger. ]

True.

[ Energy flows into him one last time. ]

[mayoninofukucho]

[He touched him very deliberately, feeling that it was an acceptable thing to show physical support over, so he's a little happy that his hand isn't caught or brushed away, that Maine seems to be as comfortable with him as vice versa, and seeing his response be accepted by the doppelgänger is gratifying.]

Well done. The sky didn't come down on us, so I think--

[He cuts himself off when he notices a ball - not line - of energy floating about near them.]

That wasn't there the last time.

[Or was it? He didn't see it back then!]

[slaughterous]

[ As soon as Hijikata notices something unusual here, Maine draws the rifle his mind supplied earlier. Ready to take aim and fire as necessary. It's a potentially pointless sort of readiness—but then again, maybe he was armed for a reason.

Looking up at the energy, he asks, ]

Dangerous?

[ Deferring to Hijikata's far greater knowledge in these matters. ]

[mayoninofukucho]

I don't know.

[He observes the floating orb for a moment, then adds:]

I don't think it's a creature... though it might be a will'o'wisp. It doesn't seem hostile, so I'll approach it.

[He doubts that a weapon that, presumably, deals physical damage of some kind can harm a wisp, if it indeed turns out to be one, but seeing how they're in a mindscape of sorts, he assumes that the worst that can happen is him getting kicked out of the it upon contact... but in that case, what'll happen to Maine? They need each other for grounding, don't they?

While he still ponders whether he should take the risk of engaging the orb, it darts away from him with an almost playful motion, then hovers nearby.]

Looks like it wants to play with us.

[slaughterous]

[ While Hijikata studies the orb, Maine turns to check the gate behind them, ensuring nothing else is sneaking up. As far as he can tell, the orb is the only unusual thing here. And it's only Hijikata's past experience that marks it as unusual compared to the rest of this … very unusual place.

He looks back to his partner in this, then at the orb. ]

Playful energy?

[ Is that a thing? ]

[mayoninofukucho]

That's the sense I'm getting!

[Well, no one can say that he'll back down from a challenge! He darts at the orb, feigns a side grab which it evades, dives down under it and successfully touches it - and it promptly gets absorbed into him without any alarming effects. He grins happily.]

It felt just like what our copies gave us! I guess it's a bonus for doing it twice, or something.

[And who doesn't love a bonus! But who's to say that it's just for him? Maybe there's a second one for Maine to catch... but maybe there isn't.]

[slaughterous]

[ Alas, there seems to be no orb today! It reinforces Hijikata's theory that it's a bonus for doing it twice. Maine nods, considering that. ]

Will take friend through. [ Then, with a little smile. ] Had good teacher.

[ That means you, Hijikata! ]

[mayoninofukucho]

[He smiles at that, visibly happy that he was able to give Maine a good time in this strange realm - or at least not too hard a time. With how honest his questmate has been with him throughout, he doesn't hold back either.]

It's easy to teach someone as fast on the uptake as you. Just so you know, I'll be hitting you for quests before you know it!

[Anything else would be a waste of strength and talent! Looking around to ensure that they haven't overlooked anything of importance, he settles down on the ground in the same cross-legged position he assumed when the ritual started and offers his hands to Maine once he joins him.]

Let's get back to the real world, shall we?

[slaughterous]

[ Maine looks pleased by that—both the praise and the idea of going on quests together. He'd like to go on quests with Hijikata, too! Maybe Carolina can come with them as well. Then Hijikata would understand why Maine loves her—because who wouldn't love Carolina?

(He thinks, definitely not biased in any way.)

He sets down the rifle, then sits down cross-legged with Hijikata. Joining hands, he shuts his eyes, waiting for the real world to pull them back. ]

[mayoninofukucho]

[He certainly won't say no to having two powerhouses with him, all the more if he'll get to see how they work together! While he currently doesn't know yet that Carolina is Maine's fellow soldier, finding out won't surprise him - it hindsight, it doesn't feel like the kind of war he's fighting in back home allows for much (if any) time off-duty to meet a girl and fall in love the conventional way.

As they both focus on the physical sensations of sitting on the ground and linking hands, he finds it hard to really notice the transition, but once he hears distant voices, he opens his eyes... and sure enough, they're back in the castle, "their" dragon resting near them and keeping an eye on them. Having them back safe and sound, it congratulates them on completing the ritual, and Hijikata cheerfully praises Maine.]

He went through it like a professional! You'd think he's a veteran like me.

[With their business completed, they need to look for their pokémon, which the dragon says went playing after they were sufficiently assured that their trainers would be OK... but it's not like they're in a rush, and there's so much to see here and to discuss about life in Ellipsa, magic, etc., they can stand to spend some more time! Hijikata brought provisions, too (and not even just mayonnaise).]

[slaughterous]

[ Once they return to the real world, Maine stretches his arms, cracks his neck, and looks down at his hands. He doesn't feel much different, though there is a certain … something that seems to have changed.

He looks at Hijikata, who got that extra ball of playful energy. Smiles faintly at the praise, then asks, ]

Feel different?

[mayoninofukucho]

I do. It's hard to describe, isn't it? But I feel like I can kick ass in a whole new way now.

[He laughs.]

It'll require lots of practice, though! Which of these powers do you have your eyes on to start with?

[He's curious!]

[slaughterous]

[ Immediately: ]

Immune to freezing. Most useful. Versatile.

[ And something he thinks is extra necessary for a Winter like him. He doesn't want to freeze himself with his own magic one of these days! ]

[mayoninofukucho]

Starting with the defences... good thinking.

[He nods in approval.]

I want fire wings first of all. I can fly via bird transformation, but nothing beats being able to do it while still having my arms!

[It seems like they have their work cut out for them... many, many training hours lie ahead.]

Let's find the 'mons! I bet they've completely forgotten about us.

[Uncharitable, but probably true - time flies when you're playing in an exciting new location full of potential new friends!]

🎀 wrap?

[slaughterous]

[ Fire wings, huh? Maine considers what those must look like, then considers what Carolina would look like with them.

Smiling, he follows Hijikata to find their wayward Pokémon, pleased by all of the day's revelations. ]