un: yo yo yoyo | video

[cosplayqueen]

[A young teenage girl pops onto screen with a meek little wave and smile.] Hey! Long shot of all longs here, but... Ammi, Abu, Aamir? Squishy muffin? If you're seeing this, I'm okay! Tell Bruno not to do some crazy mad science to rescue me. I technically was already rescued by this really cool lady. Her name is Allison. I promise I'll get her to introduce herself on camera before I come home because yeah! [She chuckles nervously.] This is actually the part where I do the whole hero's journey back to you! Just be patient, okay? I swear I'm coming home. I love guys. You can click off here, okay? I want to talk to the other guys here. [She flashes a peace sign and counts to ten.]

Okay so assuming my friends and family clicked off by now! [She puts on a big smile.] Hi! I'm Kamala. First time ending up in a weird space and time. Any hot tips on how to survive the experience and keep parents from locking you in your room forever when it's over?

Oh! Before I get to all that I want to share with the class all the weird stuff that happened before Allison rescued me. For one: totally didn't drown! That's super weird because I have no idea how long I was down there. I also saw a lot of weird stuff while I was not drowning. I was having visions of these weird, blob-y creatures with me. Sometimes they'd look like me or people I know but, it wasn't really right? Does that make sense? This is so much easier when I have visuals... Anyways, I swear sometimes they were crying or howling or something. I think something was hurting them which is kind of sad. I mean they were just hanging out with me. I think I would have been really scared if they weren't there since it sucks to be alone. I hope they're okay.

[She sighs in frustration.] I don't know. Do you think it was real or one of those near death experience things? I feel like I'd imagine something way cooler like being rescued by Captain Marvel or at least Hulk. I've never been underwater for a super long time so maybe I'm wrong. Thoughts?


[action | closed to Allison, two days prior to the network post]

[It comes out of nowhere. One minute she's examining her rapidly blinking bangle while in costume and the next she's gone. Kamala finds herself in a strange place with strange creatures. It's terrifying and lonely. She does her best to be brave as the tar-like creatures she's been left with imitate her, objects around her, and sometimes even the people she knows.

(She's not proud of the fact she cries when one takes on the appearance of her mother. She likes to think Captain Marvel would have cried too.) As time goes on, it's hard to remember why these images upset her so much. Everything she knows and loves seems to be fading away as time ticks by. Her identity even becomes harder to recall. All she has is random words floating through her consciousness: perfection, Kamal, marvel, miracle... to remind her that she is in fact Kamala. She desperately wants to go home.

That's the reality her spirit is in. Her body is very much in the water; a teenage girl with a homemade superhero costume and domino mask. The image she makes is unsettling to say the least.

In the water Kamala very much looks like a little girl in a Halloween costume, long hair floating around her like a halo. It might appear peaceful if it weren't for the real fear anyone would have that she's either drowned or drowning as they watch.]

[action - open to all aboard the Blood Moon]

[Kamala knows she can't just cling to her rescuer forever. It's tempting, of course. Her memory isn't the greatest right now. Allison did save her life so she's pretty sure she's safe. Bit by bit, Kamala starts to move away from what counts as familiar now to explore the ship.

The teen gets bolder and more comfortable over the next two days as she remembers herself. She starts waving to people on board while looking around, asks about the weather, their lives, or notes a cool outfit or piece of jewelry.

Feel free to run into her while she's cautiously lurking around or openly mingling with whoever is willing to talk to her.]

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action

[rumorate]

[There's a kid in the water.

There's been a lot of debris, in the wake of the kraken attack, and Allison has been blind to a lot of it. A lot of the things in the water are undead, so it's best not to engage. But in a second, like a slowly dawning piece of dread, she realizes that this kid might not be.]

Oh my god.

[It takes another second for her to move, launching towards the edge of the boat, acting on instinct more than common sense. She at least has enough sense not to jump whole hog into the water, the rope she's holding onto digging into her palms as she reaches out, trying to see if she can grab hold of her. Her fingers glance against the edge of her costume, fabric slipping through her fingers.]

Kid! Hey, kid!

[cosplayqueen]

[She's weightless; an empty shell floating around in the water. Kamala doesn't react initially to the voice calling her. She does, however, react to Allison managing to move her even a little from her resting place. Some force snaps her spirit back to where she belongs, her body, and Kamala finally becomes aware of her new surroundings.

She promptly panics, limbs flailing everywhere as the need to reach the surface consumes her. It almost guarantees she'll be lost forever. Thankfully that's not the only instinct ruling Kamala. The bangle on her wrist shines even in the water. Kamala reaches her hand for Allison as a translucent force surrounds her arm and shoots out to offer a hand of hard light for Allison to take if she's willing to.]

[rumorate]

[Little weird, but she's gonna go with it. She grasps it hard, somehow still surprised when it's solid enough for her to grab and she yanks hard, pulling her closer until she can take hold of the actual physical person.

They don't have a lot of time. As far as she knows, the mermaids are still out there. So she hooks an arm under Kamala's, pointing her towards the rope.]

Here, grab on. You'll be safe on the boat.

[cosplayqueen]

[The energy dissipates once Allison gets a hold of her. Kamala coughs until the water she did take in clears from her lungs. She hears what the woman is saying. It takes a few seconds but, her mind seems to catch up to what's going on. Safety is good. She wants to be safe.

Kamala takes the rope as instructed, looking to Allison for further guidance. She feels so lost and out of it. There's really nothing left, but to trust her.]

[rumorate]

[God, she really is just a kid. A kid doesn't deserve to be stuck here, given everything that happens, but now isn't the time to worry about that. Allison meets her eyes, and gives her a firm nod.]

You're gonna be okay.

[She promises.]

Can you pull yourself up, or do you need help? I'll be right behind you.

action.

[valeas]

( Should Kamala wander far enough and follow the smell of fresh bread, she might find herself in the makeshift kitchen of Blood Moon. Find, too, a young woman with bronzed skin and long dark hair, steady hands kneading at more dough. A small basket with blood oranges sits on the counter at her side.

Emilia di Carlo worked in a trattoria her whole life, prior to becoming the lord of the underworld's intended. It's a long story. Her interest lately has been on her vengeance and her goals, yes — her justice. But at her heart, she is a caretaker. She might as well put her skill to good use, not least because she is starving. Wrath should be fine for days — would not need food at all if they were back in the Seven Circles — but the others might be hungry, too.

Footsteps draw her gaze upward, a tug in the very heart she has spent months steeling. This is a young girl, the girl Allison must have saved, and it feels this world keeps drawing them in. As though other worlds are more forgiving, she thinks, before giving Kamala a smile, small in its sincerity.

If Emilia is indeed a threat, it is certainly not to her. ) Hello. Are you hungry?

[cosplayqueen]

[Kamala is ruled by her stomach, a big imagination, and the drive to do the right thing. The smell of fresh bread has her searching with a sense of purpose. She is very hungry. When she finds the source of that awesome smell it's game over.

Kamala is all big, puppy eyes. At the offer? She actually squees in delight.] Yes! I'm starving! Thank you, thank you!!!

[She hops on her feet twice before dashing over to grab a seat. It's now she takes a real look at who is offering her food. Emilia is beautiful and now in Kamala's opinion one of of the nicest people here. She smiles brightly at her.] I'm Kamala. What's your name?

[valeas]

( Emilia was already looking forward to the prospect of feeding her, but Kamala's reaction broadens her smile into a grin. The younger girl would have no way of knowing such a thing is rare these days, but the reaction in question reminds her of simpler times. It was her most fervent dream, once upon a time.

A small garden to call her own, and a menu crafted of magic and moonlight. The nurturing. )

My name is Emilia. It is very good to meet you, signorina. I will admit supplies are running low, but ( and she leans in a bit, as if conspiratorial ) I do believe we have some jam to go with this fresh bread.

( Having a not!husband with ice powers to match your fire summoning is handy, sometimes. Keeps jars chilly. )

[cosplayqueen]

[She couldn't look more delighted to be in on the conspiracy. Kamala claps her hands at the offer. Food isn't going to magically make her okay with what happened in the water or being taken from her family. She is someone who knows how to live in the moment. It does mean a lot that this perfect stranger is being so nice to some girl who got fished out of the water.]

Not as good as it is to meet you! Seriously, are you real? Are you fairy godmother to lost girls? Because fresh bread and jam sounds amazing right now.

on the blood moon

[gladiokinesis]

(allison tells him about the kid she rescues, so of course, diego is keeping an eye out for her. he's also just...keeping an eye out in general. anyone who knows superhero-esque behavior might notice he's doing patrol, with five wolves trailing behind him as he makes away his rounds, looking for any signs of danger. he doesn't find them, but he does find kamala lurking about and it's enough to make him pause.

he puts a hand behind him, signaling to the graces to keep back, in case the sign of you know...a pack of wolves might make the girl more nervous, even if he knows they won't hurt anyone without reason.)

You okay, kid?

[cosplayqueen]

[Kamala straightens immediately at the callout. She turns on her heel towards Diego. She's less scared of him and more just stuck in her head as per usual.] Yeah, I'm okay. I just still feel weird from the whole drowning thing. Like my head is still in the clouds, but not in a fun way.

[She confesses openly. That's the rub about Kam: she's never been good with keeping things to herself so most times she doesn't bother. Belatedly, Kamala decides to pay attention to her surroundings and finally notices that pack of wolves back there.

Both eyebrows raise as her gaze flips back to Diego.] Are you patrolling with a pack of wolves? [She laughs, lowkey impressed by the fact he has an actual pack to run with.] Because that's kind of awesome and terrifying at the same time. Mostly awesome.

[gladiokinesis]

Yeah, that'll take some time to recover. But you're in good hands. (maybe, they might be a questionable bunch but they care a lot. even diego, as much as he tries to carry on a cool batman-like attitude. much like batman, however, he also has a weakness for children.)

I'm Diego, Allison's brother.

(and he can't help but grin like a little shit at her excitement -- most people don't react so well to his patrolling. he's kind of used to being mocked -- mostly by five.)

I am. These are the Graces -- I ran into them when I first arrived and they sort of accepted me as one of their own and they've been with me ever since.

(yes he names all his wolves the same name and all after his dead robot mom....maybe it's right to judge him, a little.)

[cosplayqueen]

Hey, it's nice to meet you! I'm Kamala which Allison probably already told you.

[Kamala ducks her head, instantly embarrassed. Thankfully the wolves give her something else to focus on than getting embarrassed over something silly. Yes, they're huge but, also fuzzy?? That's so cool?? She waves at them shyly before turning her attention back to Diego.]

Is that like your thing back home or is this one of those community watch kind of patrols? Are you Wolf Guy? [It'd sound like a mean joke if Kamala didn't appear to be completely dead serious.]

un: absterge

[downswing]

The creatures stood dark?

[cosplayqueen]

Yeah they were really dark. Kind of like that stuff they put on the roads when they fix them?

[downswing]

Binding dirt?

[cosplayqueen]

More like gravel or tar. At least I think it's tar? I miss Google. :(

action;

[somebadnews]

[ Five overheard his siblings discussing a child, but apparently he hadn't fully appreciated how complicated that was going to make the last leg of their voyage. It was one thing too many to deal with, so he let Allison and the others handle her and kept any judgements or concerns he has uncharacteristically quiet.

He wasn't hiding. They were bound to run into each other at some point, but when it finally happens, the timing is unfortunate. Five has been drinking fairly heavily since he was forced to make an announcement that was quickly taken out of context. He's just making an offhand comment to Dolores (who isn't there, he knows, but sometimes she's the only one who would listen to his complaining and he can't help himself) when he sees the young girl poking her head out on deck.

He stops in his tracks to frown and squint at her, like he thinks something else should be happening right now. The smartest move would to be just carry on, but he belatedly thinks he should say... something? Something that won't traumatize her, since everything else probably is.

There's a too-long silence before words eventually come to him. ]

Shouldn't you be with Allison?

[cosplayqueen]

[Kamala doesn't have a ton of experience with drunk people. It's one of the perks for being Muslim. If someone is committing that kind of haram rest assured Muneeba Khan is there to physically remove her daughter as quickly as possible. That said it's pretty hard to miss when someone is drunk no matter how good your mother is at sheltering you. She's still a teenage girl in public high school.

Kamala waffles on how to handle this. Frankly getting drunk outside a party at their age looks pretty sad. She shrugs at his question. She definitely regrets not talking Allison into tagging along on her exploration now.] I thought maybe she could use a break.

[Kamala knows she's been following her around like a baby duck. It's pretty understandable given the memory loss and time alone in the water. Like any teen girl, she's terrified of being hated so here she is. She fidgets with her hands as she decides to just ask the obvious.] Are you okay?

[somebadnews]

[ Five doesn't think he's that drunk. It wasn't for lack of trying, but the rum Emilia had found ran out far too quickly. He's still alert and walking around without stumbling, even if the waves make it a little harder for him to keep his balance. But one look at the girl and he doesn't think she'll buy that he's seasick, and her expression is enough to tell him that Allison hasn't told her about him. That really makes this awkwardness he's feeling partially her fault.

He's quiet for too long and seems completely unsure of how to answer that question. How does he talk to children? Allison will be pissed at him if he scares her, so he puts an unusual amount of effort into being polite. ]

I'm fine. [ He stares for a while more, deep in thought, then asks when it doesn't come to him: ] What's your name?

[cosplayqueen]

[She's not actually sure she believes him. Kamala also knows pretty much nothing about teen drinking or drinking in general so she drops it. The last thing she needs is someone making fun of her naivety. While her brain is fried, it does helpfully remind her that is in fact a thing to expect.] I'm Kamala. How long have you been here...? Person I also don't know the name of.

[She shrugs helplessly.]

voice; un: owl lady

[traaaaaash]

So you've been in that dream dimension, too, huh? That makes... a bunch of us.

[cosplayqueen]

[Kamala presses her face to the screen. This is news to her!!] Wait this is a thing?? A thing that happened to multiple people??

[She shakes her device.] I need the deets! Did you see weird blob people too?! How long were you there?!

[traaaaaash]

[ Ah, an overly excitable teenager. How... nostalgic. Eda puts her fingers to her chin in a pensive gesture. ]

It was kinda hard to tell how much time passed. And yeah, I did see the blob people, as did others. Also writings in the sand, like children's rhymes.

[cosplayqueen]

[Kamala visibly pales. She has no tolerance for this horror nonsense. She sleeps with a night light and plushie.] Oh... so that's super creepy. Are we sure this isn't the start of a horror movie?