Remnants of the Earth

__________________QUICK STATS
Name Sylvy
Age Unknown
Gender None (they/it/he)
Species Silph
Ethnicity N/A
Height 7'4"
Occupation Deck Officer
Residence The Loveless
Themesong Color Me Blood - Carpenter Brut

__________________IN-DEPTH STUFF

Physical Description
Like others of their species, Sylvy is a tall individual with pitch black skin. Their body only looks normal when clothed, with somewhat regular (yet gangly) arms, 5-fingered hands, legs, and feet (with what appears to be only two toes.) Their head is a massive spiky black mass with two long ears and a white mask-like face, shaped like an upside-down teardrop, protruding from the center. They have no mouth or nose, only two circular eyes with small irises and pupils, and cat-eye like inner and outer corners. The markings on their face are unique to them only, a few lines that arch down their face vertically. They have one hoop earring on their left ear.

As any other of their species they can change the shape of their body and morph at will; when their clothes are removed for this purpose their body is revealed to be split up in a series of V shapes, split up the middle towards where their clavicle would sit and down their sides in between each shoulder and their neck, forming somewhat of an odd W shape. Most people find them extremely unsettling, which is part of why they keep themself clothed.

Typically they wear rather shapeless clothing that is long enough to cover the majority of their body but is easy to remove via velcro, snaps, or buttons. They seem to prefer deep jewel tone colors such as sapphire blue, amethyst purple or garnet red. What little possessions they own are carried in the pockets lining their coat: an inscribed talisman, some jewelry for special occasions (gemstones set in gold,) and a digital notebook with stylus.

Personality
Sylvy or "Vy" for short is very similar to other members of its species: quiet, keeps to itself, avoids strong negative emotions or conflicts when possible, and is incredibly mysterious. Its emotions are nearly impossible to read which often makes others feel either creeped out or distanced from it, unable to relate to it. Sylvy understands this and doesn't hold it against anyone, but it could be said that they tend to nurture one-sided relationships on occasion. Usually after spending time with an individual or group of individuals, if Vy decides it likes them, it will grow fond of and consider said persons its friends, though it doesn't seem to expect the same emotions or feelings back. (It should be noted that Vy doesn't accept abuse--as long as the other party is polite or nice to them, that's all it needs in its "friendship" with them.)

Vy is also an intensely curious creature, always finding new things to learn about this galaxy and the critters that live in it. It wants to know why people do things, why they say certain things, why they feel certain ways, and what their cultures and customs are. Whenever it sees something new it will quietly approach and get in very close (perhaps uncomfortably so) to observe the new thing with wide eyes.

Sylvy is also a quick thinker and shockingly fast for such a quiet creature. It flits and darts about at the drop of a hat, is spookily nimble, and VERY quick to pick up on little clues or read a room. To some it may appear skittish, but cautious is the more appropriate term, as Vy knows it is the only one responsible for its survival, and survival is key.

Magic/Abilities
Silph-

Silphs are mysterious aliens that rarely turn up on this side of the galaxy. They are vaguely humanoid, polymorphic creatures that seem closer to plants or micro-animals like Tardigrades than they are to humans. They are mute and do not have mouths, nor do they eat, and instead gain energy through absorption of light.

Telepathy: Sylphs communicate with each other using a kind of telepathy that is unknown to this galaxy, meaning another psychic creature cannot listen in or understand a conversation between two Silphs. Silphs are, however, able to communicate with other species using telepathy. They can establish connections with other psychic creatures more easily and communicate through feelings and images, though if they have learned other languages like Common then they can communicate in them. To speak with a non-psychic creature however, they have to physically touch the person to "speak" with them. They are also capable of self-levitation. Through this telepathy they are able to leave behind invisible "messages" for each other, often at places that are dangerous or scary, to warn others of their kind not to go there. Because of this it's nearly impossible to abduct or kill a Silph in the same place twice; they're notoriously slippery creatures.

Shape Shifting- Silphs are soft-bodied which means they have almost no bones or cartillage, allowing them to flex and change their shape at will. Typically this is used for achieving flight (assuming a bird-like shape) or swimming (looking more like an eel.) Do not confuse soft-bodied to mean squishy; their bodies are more akin to hardened muscle, and can be shaped to form sharp or dangerous edges, turning themselves into weapons when situations require it. The only hard part of their body is their "face" which is similar to bone. This protects their brain and is the only part of a Silph's body to remain either in hibernation or after death, meaning their faces or "masks" fetch a high price on the black market. Because their face is a hard structure they are unable to show any emotion outside of rolling their eyes, though curiously, they can cry.

Empathic- As a relatively peaceful species, Silphs tend to avoid negative emotions such as anger, violence, or greed, which is why they are not a conquering race despite their easy abilities to procreate. They avoid crowded or densely populated areas, are almost never seen in battles, and will not go anywhere near Aedolis. They are able to sense the emotions of everyone around them, therefore it is nearly impossible to surprise attack or ambush one with ill intent.

Hardy- They tend to be immune to most diseases in this galaxy. They are, however, susceptible to attacks, though they heal quickly from burns, frostbite, cuts, or punctures. The only way to truly kill a Silph in most cases is to smash their face, which can be difficult as they are able to move it or hide it inside of their bodies. They store massive amounts of energy when absorbing light and require little to run on, so one can last for a decent amount of time without sunlight. When stores deplete however, they will go into a state of hibernation where the body disappears and only the face is left behind, until they are exposed to light again. They can even survive (and move) in the vacuums of space without equipment. They reproduce asexually through fragmentation, so if you cut off one's arm not only will the arm eventually grow back, but the severed arm will turn into a separate Silph. Therefore, they also do not use pronouns within their communities, as all Silphs are the same gender. Most people refer to them using they/them, it, or masculine pronouns. Their natural lifespans are unknown, but are much longer than an average human's.

Strength- Silphs are able to grab and hold onto things with little to no visible effort on their part, which seems due to their ability to adhere themselves to objects at will. Similarly to how geckos can climb on nearly any surface, a Silph can grip onto just about anything and hold onto it tight, whether it be walking on a ceiling or keeping something from getting away.

Relationships

History
Sylvy came into existence from the part that was cut off of another Sylph, and while it was unable to spend much time with that Sylph, really that was all it needed. They retain some base memories and understanding from their parent, and are quick learners. Vy went on its separate way from its parent after it felt it had gleaned enough knowledge (how to communicate, its past, and how to get to its home planet) but decided to explore the galaxy it was born in to observe these new beings and creatures on a mission similar to its predecessor, who was a biologist.

While Vy is not a biologist, it does still share the same curiosity for life forms, if perhaps focusing less on their biological processes and more their culture and behavioral tendencies. It wants to learn the histories and current political climates of these other species before one day returning with its wealth of knowledge to its home planet to reunite with its people.

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The Loveless is a unique, one-of-a-kind vessel that's been around now for centuries, although it disappears from history every now and again when its Captain decides to go into hiding at random.

Fashioned in the image of a deep sea (and long extinct) fish, Loveless is a large ship meant for multiple purposes; first and foremost, it is the home of its Captain, and secondly, it was a pirate ship and warship, though now it serves as an intergalactic smuggling vessel. It holds a crew of 55 comfortably, features a cargo bay and docking hangar that can hold up to two smaller ships, a kitchen, individual crew quarters, shower/locker room, brig, medical bay, weapons storage, and captain's quarters, all placed throughout three levels. It isn't particularly speedy or agile, but The Loveless can take a real beating and serves best as a tank.

Mounted with several ion cannons and fortified for the best defense with intense shields and thick exterior, she can also make jumps into hyperspace much more quickly and efficiently than your average other ship, one of the few vessels still in existence as old as she is that can do it so well and so precisely.


The Loveless and her partner The Hydra were commissioned at the same time by Kirkley and Ain some thousand or so years ago. Originally, the two were meant for the purpose of escaping the turmoil brewing on earth between the humans and dragons, and eventually they became the two warships of a fleet under Ain's command for the purpose of establishing a loyal network of illegal connections to serve her later on in life. After a good 200 year run, Ain and Kirkley retired from the life of piracy in favor of her taking a step back and controlling things from the shadows with the empire she had constructed for herself with Kirkley's help. The terrors that were at the time galactically infamous ceased as both ships "disappeared", locked away until Ain called on Kirkley again.

At present he works for her as her head smuggler, taking all manner of mission, both illegal and non, often heading the most dangerous and important runs by his lonesome. Only recently has he recruited a crew again to return to a full-time life aboard his ship.

__________________QUICK STATS
Name Osiris Vertae
Age 77
Gender Male
Species Manticore
Ethnicity Aedolian
Height 6'4"
Occupation Commander General of Ikarys; (former Assistant to the Ipollius Dome General)
Residence Ikarys
Voice Jeremy Irons
Themesong The Vale of Shadows - Gunship

__________________IN-DEPTH STUFF

Physical Description

Personality

If there is one thing Osiris is known for, it's for being an exemplary leader under high stress situations. His ability to organize his thoughts quickly in a dire moment and prioritize what needs to be done by who and when have saved his and his citizens' asses numerous times at this point. He's unintentionally made himself out to be a kind of pillar of hope for the community of Ikarys to lean on; they trust in him undoubtedly and know that he is necessary for their survival.

Osiris rarely displays any kind of deep emotions, often maintaining a cool and calm composure. He has a wicked control over his feelings, and is good at reining them in. This isn't because he's afraid of showing them--but because they can get in the way of good, logical decision-making. And when decision-making is his job, then that means the feefees take a permanent back seat.

Unfortunately because of this, he's a bit socially inept. When he's not in his office, he tries to relax a little and often finds himself unable to. He stutters when others invite him to hang out, and gets confused easily about how he should respond in conversation. Often he is jokingly compared to a robot; all he knows how to do is work, and when confronted with something else he short circuits.

Magic/Abilities
Lithokinesis- He can manipulate and create any inorganic mineral compound to his will, though obviously the bigger the task the harder it is on him. Rocks, crystals, metal, and other materials like sand and sulfur are all within his realm of potential. He can create structures, tunnel systems, weapons/materials for building them, as well as use this ability in both offense and defense in combat. He deals particularly in AoE style attacks, and can affect terrain around him within a 200 ft/61 m radius.

Relationships

History
"Why?"

The question every teacher hated to get, time and time again, happened to be Osiris's favorite: why?

Why were things the way they were? Why did we do this? Why do we do that? Why are these the rules? Why can't we break them?

Ever a bookworm, Osiris gradually spent more and more time in the library than with his friends as he grew older. He found they didn't have as many interesting things to say, and they couldn't answer his questions either. For a while, he thought books could, but after so many attempts to find answers and ending up reading the same nationalist storylines again and again and again... Osiris started to not just ask why, but how? How did things end up like this? What was the world like outside?

And why did his neighbor, who always cussed and swore about 'those damn Pilots', disappear?

The afternoon sun tinged the sky golden after the rainshower that day, and he remembered trying to knock on Mr. Panasky's door to see if everything was alright, finding that it came unlatched and creaked open. Looking around and seeing no one, hearing nothing, he stepped inside, clutching the cookies his mom told him to bring as he called out to see if his neighbor was around. The house was empty, and there was trash everywhere. Furniture had been knocked over, and as he stepped further in, he saw there were entire walls that had been covered in notes and diagrams and plans, all of which had been scorched, ripped, or blackened out. Like someone was trying to hide something.

Only a small piece of paper, disturbed by the breeze of an open window, broke his fixation as it brushed against his leg. When he looked down, he could vaguely make out the words "Get to the... Gospels?"


As skeptical as Osiris remained throughout his Candidacy of the validity of their entire government system, he maintained strong grades and exemplary marks in everything he did. He passed with such flying colors that he wasn't really surprised when the Dome General of Ipollius scouted him after graduation, landing him a position in Administration. After all, they already knew each other's deepest secret.

A good number of the Pilots in Ipollius were Gospels, and so was Osiris. Distraught by the system, frightened by the greed of the dragons, desperate for change, they sought to shake up the order and make changes where they could. It was the most perilous time of their lives; one slip-up and they could all be found and murdered--and that's exactly what happened.

First it started with significant staff changes. Slowly, lower military personnel were switched to different positions, promoted, demoted, moved to different cities. Then there were a few career changes for some of the Pilots, more promotions. Osiris didn't think it was a coincidence these things seemed to all be happening together, and he was right.

The next step was the dragons leaving.

It was at that point the General called him into the office, and told him to begin their Plan B. It was time to retreat.

Osiris, using the secret tunnel system out of the dome that he himself had created, began selecting Pilots and escorting them out, followed by other important folk: engineers, doctors, scientists, architects, etc. All the people you would need to build a city.

They were taken to a settlement that Osiris had built using his powers in secret, a shelter that they began defending against raiders, until finally the dome itself collapsed--and every Wastelander turned their attention there, to the husk of a former city, destroyed by the very empire that had governed it.

Since then Osiris has become the General of Ikarys, the new settlement for the refugees of Ipollius, and his life has shifted entirely. While he doesn't have to worry about secrets being uncovered anymore, he has to worry about more direct things: like surviving raids by gangs of Wastelanders, having enough food for everyone to eat, and strong defenses in what has become their own mini-dome of a settlement.

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"That's... a very long way to be walking soaking wet."

Oh. So... It wasn't close by then?

Shit.

Well he supposed he could always probably go crash in a trash heap or something, sleep for a bit, and then once he sobered up he could get himself back to the hotel to wash up and sleep more later. Unfortunately it wouldn't be his first time. Even though all he wanted was a nice, soft bed right now, he had to admit he was too tired to go on a long journey across the city or something, that just wasn't happening.

Also he just plain didn't want to.

He had grunted and started to move away when suddenly this stranger grabbed his arm. He recoiled a bit, opening his mouth to say "Nn--" before he was tugged along and he realized oh, maybe this guy knew a shortcut or something? It seemed he was gonna take him to his hotel which was... Very kind of him. Even drunk Loa knew that this guy didn't owe him shit.

So as much as he hated the feeling of a warm hand on his skin, and as much as he hated that when he looked up he thought he saw a swath of grey hair and heard Vander chiding him, he was at least aware enough to know that following a local would be the fastest way to get anywhere.

The guy had already fished him out of the water looking a giant goddamn mess so what more dignity did he really have to lose at this point?

Like an ugly duckling he teetered after the stranger, realizing he didn't know what to call him and feeling far too awkward to ask. Indigo? Navy? Midnight? Midnight sounded nice. He'd go with that.

As they trudged through the city, leaving an ocean water river in their wakes, cold, wet and uncomfortable, Loa said absolutely nothing. He couldn't think of anything to say and what was there to say? He would just thank the guy when they got to the hotel and leave and they could both pretend none of this ever happened. After all, there was definitely a part of him that hoped this was all just a very elaborate bad dream.

But as he looked through his fingers at the world they passed by he still felt that not a single goddamn thing felt familiar. Had he really not passed by any noticable landmarks on his way to the beach? Well, this was probably a different route.

Eventually he noticed the streets were illuminated by a brighter light that reflected off the surface of the street and walkways. He looked up, wondering if they were getting close when he saw up ahead a looming and recognizable presence.

He stopped, resisting and pulling against Midnight before they could take another step further as he groaned. "No, I said hotel, not hospital." Like a stubborn ass pulling against the reins, he simply rooted himself to the sidewalk and refused to budge.

Had Midnight heard him wrong? Maybe, if he was this drunk he was probably slurring his words a bit. Either way he didn't need to go there, he was fine! Been far worse! He just needed to sleep dammit.

______VI. Notable Figures & Note for the Players

Imon- An older Ophiosinensis who's managed to nab himself a pretty rare host body. He's now utilizing these powers to the utmost of his capabilities, searching the universe for others of his kind to gather them together on a planet in another solar system that he found where they can build their own civilization and become more than bugs hunted for sport.

Mortis- A massive bio-mech suit roaming the lands of Edanith.

Umufgachi [NPC]- One of the oldest Ophiosinensis, living in the body of a colossal prehistoric creature that lived on Edanith in eras long past.

Poltergeist [NPC]- A loyal follower of Imon and one of the first he recruited to his Haven.

Demolition [NPC]- A loyal follower of Imon and one of the first he recruited to his Haven.



"Okay Cheesy, why would I want to go to the effort of making a space parasite when they won't even be easily determinable as one and will just look like literally any species?" You ask.

8D WELL HERE'S A WHOLE LIST FOR YOU MY FRIEND!

1. Morality:
Did you ever watch the Alien movies and find yourself sympathizing with the Xenomorphs? SAME! They didn't ask to be created and now that they're here everyone hates them literally for existing! But let's be real: the Alien universe is a catastrophe no thanks to Mr Scott so how about having the opportunity to play to the same concepts of morality, fairness in creation and the universe, and what it truly means to be alive, with something that's very similar to a Xenomorph?

2. SURPRISE, MOTHAFUCKA!
Have you ever debated killing off a character or deleting them because you're just not happy with how they turned out? Well a Zombie Parasite is practically your Get Out Of Jail Free card! Keep the character's core visual design and give them an entirely new personality by saying they got eaten by a space bug. Nice!

3. SURPRISE, MOTHAFUCKA! Part Two, Zombie Electric Boogaloo:
Ever wanted to make a character with a deep twist or dark secret to be revealed through roleplay later? Wellllll why not have them be a secret zombie? Because of the nature of these lil guys you really don't have to put "zombie bug" as their species identifier on their profile until you feel like it's relevant. Just think about the possibilities! Your grandma could be a zombie, your best friend, your lover--or the guy who works at the 7-Eleven! What a twist!

4. You want gore? You got gore!
By their sheer nature zombie bugs can be pretty gross! Carnivorous sentient zambinos that wander around in the skinsuit of somebody you used to know, leaking black fluids and dripping glowy slime whenever contextually applicable, you can do so much fun stuff with them being big hungry beasties! Hungry, hungry beasties...

5. Look it's a zombie but more fun:
I don't know what else you want me to say it's a sentient zombie THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS! D8

A word of warning:

Obviously it would be easy to say that your Ophiosinensis took over the host body of a god. That they now have the power to destroy planets or change the entire lore of the world. But realistically it is almost impossible.

While some Ophiosinensis have gotten extremely lucky or had the opportunity and privilege to take their time in hunting down the perfect host body (like Umufgachi and Imon,) doing so is an incredible feat. A powerful being is powerful for obvious reasons, and all the stars in the galaxy would have to practically align to get a Parasite a shot at capturing one. Think of it in Pokemon terms: getting a god body is like encountering a shiny in the wild, no hacks. And also managing to capture it without killing it first.

So be realistic, give your zombie bug some constraints and be amazed at how well it can do with very little!

______IV. Range and Ecology

Though they originated in a galaxy far away from this one, through innovations in space exploration technology they have made their way from their home planet out into the vast reaches of space.

Any place that has some kind of sentient life in it and access to spacefaring technology, and you're guaranteed to find one of these zombie bugs under a rock somewhere. Or feasting on your grandma. Hey, when was the last time you called her?

They are strictly carnivorous, eating anything from other insects to other lifeforms, and can glean protein from just about any living creature with little repurcussion, even if that creature would be considered poisonous to most. If they go too long without eating, or enter too extreme an environment, their body will shut down and they will go into hibernation... Like a hamster.

Once entering a host body they are able to change many things about the body, including its digestive system and method of obtaining nutrients. Just because they take over the body of an herbivore doesn't mean they will starve; they will adjust and the body of an herbivore becomes a carnivore.

Similar to lobsters, Ophiosinensis have no known lifespan and may very well be immortal. Research on this matter, however, is insufficient to produce any solid conclusions.

______II. Description

A Parasite is traditionally found by themselves in a pale, flexible carapace, with a slight oplacent sheen. Depending on age they can range in length between 17 and 50 cm (6.7 and 19.7 in). As they get older their bodies continue to grow, and thus finding one over 21.59 cm (8.5 in,) as it's typically encouraged for them to find host bodies before they get too large to fit in a typical sentient creature's skull. They are incredibly robust, able to enter hibernation for seemingly unlimited amounts of time, survive in the vaccuum of space, extreme hot or cold temperatures, under vast amounts of pressure, or even at the bottom of seas. They are known to be nearly impossible to kill.

Their exoskeleton is composed of overlapping segments, ending in a tail that allows for dynamic movement in air or water. They have 8 legs, with the front pair used to grab things while the others provide locomotion. They have one pair of large, compound eyes with 12 color cone photoreceptors (in comparison to the average human's 3.) They have four sets of jaws with which to chew and eat food, and a pair of adept mandibles that help them break into the host skull, make a hole and pull them inside as they start to eat the brain.

Like a mosquito, they feature a proboscis located underneath their tails. This proboscis is typically hidden in a sheath underneath the Parasite's body, but it extends and hardens when they are ready to attack their prey. Ophiosinensis aim for the base of the skull where it meets the top of the spinal column, and secrete a specific kind of saliva through this which is used to aid in the paralysis of their prey, poisoning the host's brain and slowly killing them.

Similar to terrestrial isopods, they are capable of curling up into a perfect sphere to protect themselves or hide. They are hunted for their exoskeletons which are often used in jewelry and accessories for exorbitant prices, due to the dangerous nature of hunting them.

______Hosts

Upon selection of a host and full integration into the host body's system, Ophiosinensis slowly change color over time to a pitch black and hardened exoskeleton, and they grow to fit snugly inside the skull of the host.

Ophiosinensis are capable of incredible feats of biomatter conditioning; while they are not only telepathic and often use this as a means of communication in their species, they are able to interface with the brains of any biological creature they deem fit, through a process known to them as ""growing pains."" As the Parasite's original body grows and stretches to fill the skull of its host and fully take it over, it leaves them feeling hyper-sensitive and usually constantly in pain as they receive input from the nerves of their body as well as the host's. For a period of several weeks they regularly excrete a thick viscous black mucus from the various orifices of their host body--this is completely natural, the literal secretions that the parasite is pushing out of the old host. So it sometimes looks like they have nose bleeds, are crying, or coughing up blood. To them it's mildly uncomfortable and really not that different from having a runny nose.

As they push out the host's old fluids, they slowly consume the host's original brain as their body grows to fill that void. Through this process they absorb all of the host's memories, knowledge and a perfect copy of their personality. Eventually the Parasite's body becomes rooted inside of the host's as they command the host's cells to replicate and change as they see fit, such as mending the broken link between the spinal fluid and themself, any wounds, or changing physical appearance (such as changing dentition to fit a carnivorous diet.)

When taking on a host body, the Parasite absorbs the brain and any inherent biological powers that body possessed. A parasitized Pilot would still have all the original powers and abilities, as would a shapeshifter, mage, etc. These are often things taken into consideration by the Ophiosinensis as it considers options of what host body to seek--many deliberately pick host bodies to suit their specific needs (or even personal aesthetics.) However, not all are so lucky--a Parasite may be forced to pick a host out of desperation in a dangerous situation, and unfortunately once the process of integration has begun it's impossible to switch.

A Parasite can reanimate a recently deceased body within 2 days of death.

Typically, the only giveaway that a host body has been taken over by a zombie parasite is that their sclera change to black and the irises tend to take on some kind of bioluminscent glow, which can also be found in the fluids they secret once the host's original fluids have been cleared out. It is considered honorable, and highly encouraged, for an Ophiosinensis to change or alter the host's face in some way so as to not completely desecrate their memory, or imply that they are trying to become a "doppelganger" of that person. Once they complete the takeover of the host's body, they are their own separate person. The only times where a Parasite may opt not to follow this tradition, and keep as close to the original host as possible, is for the purpose of infiltration and spywork, which is rare.

From between his pale fingers stricken in red he watched the other person pant and heave, and he coughed once or twice himself.

The guy looked pretty fit, and he glanced over his shoulder to see the rock he'd probably been sitting on wasn't really that far out? He looked back to the elf, dark brows furrowing; why was he panting so hard? He could hear the heartbeat, like this person had run sprinted for a mile or something. Oh, was he having a panic attack?

Why?

Well it wasn't any of Loa's business. Just like in theory it wasn't any of this person's business to go save him from drowning. He just felt so disappointed in himself.

"Mercy? Were you trying to die out there?"

He blinked, stirring from where he'd been staring blankly at the sand, and looked back up at the stranger, a bit confused himself because he didn't really have an answer to that question. Did he think of ending it? All the time. Had he been thinking of it this one time?

Hah. No, actually. At least not consciously it wasn't at the forefront of his mind.

He snorted and started quietly laughing, because the irony certainly wasn't lost on him even though he was drunk (though the cold water and the hair pulling seemed to have sobered him just a tad.)

"No, that'd be too cruel to too many people." He finally grumbled after giggling a few more times, struggling to get off of his knees and onto his feet in the sand with only one arm since he had to keep a hand on his face to obscure it. "Unfair."

After stumbling once or twice and finally managing to stand upright without tipping over, he brought up his wrist to see that his comm was still intact, and still recording, and he turned his back to Ren so he could press the stop button. If he actually got the sound of him falling into the ocean that might be kind of cool to put on the song somewhere.

"Figured this beach would be empty this early in the morning. Just work that late, or couldn't sleep?" He rumbled, shaking some of the water-diluted blood off his arm as he tried to focus on clotting it again--easier said than done when he felt like his head had been attacked by five feral cats.

Reaching up he wiped some of the blood out of his eye from the cut over his eyebrow, and he snorted. "Far be it from me to critique... Critique anyone's choice of how they-they spend their time." He nodded, sagely.

He was so funny.

He had no clue what he was trying to achieve here or why he was even talking to this person when he should just be heading back to the hotel. He had another mission in a few days, hell when they sent him out they sent him on errands. First go here, murder this family, while you're at it pick up some eggs, then stop over here and kill this guy and make it look like so-and-so did it and then grab some milk. Actually, yeah he should just go back to his room.

He looked up and paused for a second, looking around him with his hand still over the lower half of his face as he came to the quiet realization that he had no fucking clue where he was.

"Uh."

Shit what was it called again? He'd stayed in so many he couldn't remember which one he was at right now.

"There's a hotel. How do I get t-to the hotel?" Surely it couldn't be that far from here, right? He couldn't have walked that far.

"It, uh. Hm." He took both hands and furiously rubbed at his face, desperately trying to think of the name. "Star... The Starling? Yes. That probably. Where is that? From here."

(It was several miles, Loa. Several miles from here.)

With each heavy step digging into deep sand, chilled with the night air while the cold water danced over to soak his black pantlegs, he felt himself drifting further and further away.

The undersides of his wrists itched as a few escaped rivulets rolled down, every breath felt hollow and his ribcage creaked and sighed as he moved. Muscles felt raw and stretched taut from another stressful night, another mission. The only reassuring thing out here on the beaches of Ryun was the cooling touch of the glass bottle of beer in his hand as he trudged along the shore.

The cut above his eye had wept and made him squint, and before he knew it he was wading waist deep through the water, clumsily reaching up to push the facemask off to take another swig. This was a variety that he could only get in Ryun; he'd had it before, something of a local brew. It tasted a bit like sour tangerines.

Jutting out of the cold waters before him was a large rock, tapered to a point that overlooked some of the waves. During high tide it was probably swallowed whole he would imagine; but he didn't know anything about that. All he knew was the rough feeling of the grit cutting into his palms as he started to pull himself up it, his bottom half drenched and weighing so heavy he fell back down once or twice because of his inability to focus.

The world swayed and danced with the ebb and flow of the tide, and eventually he pulled himself up to the top of the rock, letting his legs dangle over the edge, sprays of seafoam tickling his bare feet. He had no idea what time it was, 3? 4?

He went to take another swig and realized the bottle was gone. He could've sworn he had it a moment ago though? Damn. He'd have to get more when he went back to the hotel room.

As he sat up there, the cold wind against his bare chest only somewhat sobering, he realized he needed to cover up and awkwardly fumbled with his mask, still barely hanging to an ear by one loop, to put it back on. At least out here on the beaches of Ryun he could see the stars. Like the stars he could see in the wife's eyes, the reflection mesmerizing as he stood over her, breath labored in the finally still night.

"Sorry," He said. "Sorry." A few more times, as if she could hear it, with tears mixing with the blood dribbling down his face.


"I don't know why, I don't know how
I thought I loved you but I'm not sure now
I hear the thunder crashing, the sky is dark
and now a storm is breaking within my heart,"

At some point, in its waterproof case strapped to his forearm, he had started recording on his comm, while the backing track he'd made a few nights ago in his apartment played low. His head nodded slightly off to the music, some of his hair clinging to his face either because of a cold sweat or sea water.


"All day all day, watch them all fall down... All day all day, domino dancing,"


"All day all day, watch them all fall down, All day all day, domino dancing, All day,"

As he sang his chin started drifting closer and closer to his pallid clavicle, his nodding to the beat softer and softer. The sounds of the waves crashing against the rock were so soothing and rhythmic, it made it so much easier to drown out the sound of her shriek still echoing in his ears. Like a soft blanket, a cold blanket slowly wrapping around his shoulders to bring him into its darkness and serenity.



With a rather pathetic plop, Loa fell off the side of the rock into the ocean as he fell asleep sitting up.

Though hard sleep came easy at first it seemed like it was destined not to last too long.

She had probably about 3 hours before her mind woke up just enough to start thinking again, overthinking. Thoughts and fleeting memories flashed by in a whirlwind, white hot pain making her eye sear and burn as it was scratched over and over again, Addie's screams shredding her ear drums.

She woke up with a gasp in a cold sweat, panting hard as she slapped her hand over her damaged eye as if that would make the throbbing go down any easier. Reaching out blindly she searched on her nightstand and found her trusty bottle of painkillers right there where she'd always left it, grabbing a few and popping them into her mouth, swallowing dry as she felt the lumps uncomfortably move down her throat.

She needed some water.

As her hand slowly slid down her face, an unsettling realization that her eye was burning so brightly it washed the whole room in its minty aqua glow made her stomach twist. Water. She just needed some water.

Hell, if there was one positive to having a glowing fire eye it meant that she never needed to turn on the lights at night again.

Like an eerie beacon on a Wastelands cryptid she moved with it slowly, quietly through the hall as she made her way into the kitchen. Trying ever so hard to be quiet and not wake Theo, she got a glass from her cupboard and filled it with water, realizing as she raised it to her lips that her hand was shaking.

After downing the whole cup she gasped again, her heart still pounding in her chest as she forced herself to take long, measured breaths like they taught her in DoSaM to get the green flame back down and under control.

See? You had some water, you're fine now. You're fine.

She repeated the thought over and over again until she finally felt calm enough to assess.

At times like these, being able to roll over and touch Addie where they sat, keeping watch, had been her biggest comfort. Knowing that she wasn't alone was a powerful enough thought to make her feel safe even when it wasn't.

She looked over to Theo's form on the couch, grinding her teeth a little as she wondered if touching him would bring the same reassurance. Would he mock her if he woke up? After all, just look at her--she was practically a child seeking out their mother after a bad dream.

But then again, he seemed understanding enough.

She quietly set the glass down, realizing that picking such a deep couch was certainly to her benefit as she came over and laid down next to him at the edge of the seat cushions, sliding her arm around his midsection and closing her eyes, instantly relaxed by his warmth.