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Welcome to the Test Drive Meme for

escordvi! Anyone can participate in the test drive, regardless of invite eligibility. Just keep in mind that only those who have received invitations from the mods can actually reserve on June 24th and apply on July 1st. Our EMP/ATP can be found here.

For your toplevel, please include the following: Character Name | Canon | Armada Choice | TDM (IF TDMING). Current players can use the same header, just without the "TDM" label. We do require those who are TDMin'g to include the label so other players can distinguish between others.

For everyone's convenience, TDM threads can be carried over in game if you wish! If you are still unsure which armada to place your character, you can play it a bit loose and vague in the TDM and make retroactive changes if you carry over the threads. The log itself is set to cover starting from June 16th until the end of the month. Characters will appear at random intervals during this time rather than all at once, so players have some more flexibility on how much more adjusted they are for someone else.

If you have any question about the TDM, comment here. If you have questions about the game in general, please comment to the Game Info.

TOPLEVEL DIRECTORY (Updated Month 06/19)

GETTING STARTED

This section can be timed for any time after June 16th until the end of the month, which includes during the current event. These prompts are to benefit those TDMing, but this portion can be handwaved instead and serve as a reference for players to know what their character will have experienced and learned on arrival.

STARTER SHIPS

There are two ships that serve as starting ships for each armada: Stormbringer for the Corsairs, and Royal Fortune for the Paladins. There are various ways new arrivals—or riftfarers as they will be called, among other creative names—will appear on or by these ships. The crews for both ships will also seem a bit odd to some, as it is a mix of humans and various animal folk, non-humans that look more animal than human. Some just look like large versions of their smaller counterparts. From birds, to seals, to even bears, there is no shortage of interesting faces and people on these ships.

🚪 Random room. It could be empty, filled with crates or supplies; down in the hull where the livestock are kept; have the luck to awaken in a bed...or the misfortune of that bed already occupied; somewhere in the kitchens; in the bathroom—any room! Now let's hope the doors can open or someone may have to try and ask for help. Or jump through the porthole if there is one and it's above water.
⛵ On deck. If not in the ship itself, another possible spot to wake up to is somewhere on the maindeck. If they're lucky, they're on the deck itself. More unfortunate souls may find themselves caught in the sails or netting, the crow's nest, or on the top of the masts. Someone should be able to help, right? Or catch.
🌊 In the water. The most unlucky sods will find themselves appearing in mid-air just past the ship and plummeting straight into the water. Good news, there's always someone on the look out for such a thing and calls for help to throw a lifesaver get the rowboat will be made. Are there sharks? Well... ...Are there?

However the new riftfarers arrive, they will be poorly clothed, practically rags or loose uniforms depending on the ship. Fortunately, veteran crewmates will guide them, escorting them to a room with a strange typewriter in it. After typing their name, the typewriter will magically continue and type by itself at a fast pace until it dings and rolls out the paper. This paper will have the following information:

• Name and Shellphone ID (journalname)
• Armada (Corsair or Paladin, will match the starter ship)
• Cabin Number for their personal cabin on the starter ship
• Apartment Address for their personal address at their base armada location
• A basic map of the starting locations in Eltrut, including written directions (continued in the Eltrut section)
• A basic map of where they can find a chest with their original clothes and belongings (this will be different for every person and will be anywhere either on the starter ship or on Eltrut—players can be creative here).

After that, the crewmate will do their best to explain the basics of how they got here, what's going on, and what they'll need to do to live in Escordvi while they are here, giving them a small leather pouch with money. They will be reaching Eltrut soon, so the crewmate will suggest they look around, meet the others who have arrived. Even from their distance, they will be able to see the giant sea turtle that serves as Eltrut's leviathan.

ON ELTRUT

Once in Eltrut, the new riftfarers will be greeted by several birdfolk who will be happy to give tours to those who may need them. Otherwise, anyone is free to roam as they please and will have a map for the following main places they should visit.

🐚 Microshell. The first stop that is encouraged will be Microshell, the main store to acquire their own personal Shellphone. The paper they received on their starter ship will have their ID and the staff at the store will set them up, explaining how the device and the network works.
✒️ Inkwave, Tattoo Parlor. The next stop is Inkwave, a tattoo parlor run by a very burly but friendly octopus, Knistej. Here everyone receives their own unique magic tattoo, allowing anyone to cast specific single element spells and other magic. Note: tattoos are required before anyone will be able to use their original magical abilities.
📜 MANTA office. The final stop is the MANTA office, where all the request, mission, and task notices are posted. Each armada has their own branch office for armada specific notices as well. A great place to find jobs to earn some cash so they don't stay a hobo forever.

LATROMMI

Latrommi, a beautiful, lush heart-shaped island renowned for its beautiful beaches and perfect weather, making it the perfect paradise for romantic getaways. When docking on Latrommi travelers are greeted with a small beachside town that has been built into the side of the beach and tropical mountainscape. Boardwalks, wooden bridges and ladders connect the shops and buildings for a nice walking experience. There are shops, taverns, rooms for rent, bard performances and more. The town also boasts of their special coffee or wine bath spa that is said to put some pep back into your step too. Although there is a discount promotion currently in place, those who wish to stay at the beachfront resort can also opt to help locals as a way to "pay" for their stay.

Exploring any of the beaches on the island is encouraged! But there are some warnings to be wary about while exploring the sandy beaches. Some of the beaches are rumored to make people feel like they are ten years younger while some of the beaches make them feel as if they are ten years older. No one knows how these time lapses affect the body and mind. But other than that, enjoy some of the simpler beaches that are just fun in the sun and seashell collecting all day long, no strings attached. Don’t forget the swimsuit!

🐤 Bird watching. Like many tropical islands, Latrommi is home to hundreds of exotic bird species. They are colorful as they are magnificent and range from common sights to rarer species like the Golden Seagull. Anyone savvy to bird watching can pick up a sticker book and try to mark off and collect each one. Some say if one is able to spot the Rainbow Huma Bird, one of the legendary guardians of the island, they will be granted a month’s worth of luck and love.
🐗 Some beasties. The island is home to several land and water creatures that aren’t found on other islands or leviathans as well. People are welcome to try their hand at capturing a cute blanket octopus that will snuggly wrap around their body, fish up a blood-sucking vampire squid that is apparently a tasty delicacy, or fight off some aggressive goblin sharks. Or take a crack at hunting down one of the many wild boars in the area that have massive tusks as sharp as swords.
⛲ Beauty pools. Various pools of water are scattered all over the island that seem to have a healing property to them. Many of them will rejuvenate skin or energize the body after a nice long soak. Anyone who takes a dip will feel smooth and hydrated after a swim in one of the many mineral pools or exfoliated and fresh after a soak in one of the mud baths too. Soak it up!
🐚 Hidden cove. Scattered around the island are small, hidden coves just waiting to be uncovered. They haven’t been explored in years so they could be rich in old treasures to find. Go digging and find ancient coins, rare shiny seashells or a hidden cache of special pirate’s rum. Some might even have buried gemstones that can be found. Or maybe a fancy relic or two?
🐴 Male seahorses. In this world, seahorses are horses that can be ridden like mounts in the sea. Around this time of the year, the male seahorses that have given birth to their babies have now migrated to Latrommi to grow and thrive. The waters are littered with hundreds of baby seahorses that can be played with in the ocean water. Play with them or teach them to become rideable mounts themselves. Or just give them snacks of shrimp and fish.

For those who wish to have a bit more privacy, be it for a romantic tryst or just somewhere peaceful to relax, there are a number of places one can find. Beaches, coves, grottos, groves, even caves in the mountain side. While there are wild animals, there are not too many aggressive beasts, so just take the usual care when venturing through. There are also a number of private cabins and cabanas that one can find. Some are for rent, some free to use, and some already occupied so be sure to knock!

Strangely enough, small and rare flower patches of Ethereal Emberblooms also appear on the island. Odd because the flowers themselves should only be able to survive on Elah. So, how did they get here? Sadly, they will wither and die by the end of the month.

FYRE FESTIVAL

Ever since the first sighting, Latrommi hosts the Fyre Festival every June, an event in tribute to their patron and mythical bird, the quetzal, Eternia. It is said that he will bless any marriage on this island, and anyone who sees the end of the Festival with a feather in their hand will be gifted by Eternia with eternal love and a happy family. That is what makes June the most popular month for weddings, and couples—both human and even inter-species!— from far and wide visit Latrommi not only to celebrate, but to wed with the hopes that Eternia will smile down upon their union.

The festival boasts all kinds of activities to try out with a friend or even a loved one, with different food stalls available to try out the local delicacies. Be careful, the Latrommians love their food spicy! There is also beer and grog available along the beaches and in many of the seaside taverns.

To kick off the festivities this year, the people of Latrommi are putting on a stage play about a recent tale of love and betrayal that has been going around, based on the newest hit that all the bards are singing across the land: Tempest Hearts. It is a story of two lovers, Karura, the Queen of Harpies and Indra, the Lord of Lightning who have recently had a bit of a spat, and their fight has taken them out to sea where they create violent storms.

Tempest Hearts, a Tale of Two Gods:

In the world where the sky meets the sea,
A love once prospered, fiery and free.
Karura, Queen of Wind and Flight,
And Indra, Lord of Lightning's might.

So in love, she would grow wings,
With every kiss, the winds would sing.
But whispers of betrayal spread,
Karura’s heart was filled with dread.

Indra, with a heart so true,
His love like thunder, a spark that grew.
He sought to shield her from the fray,
But fate’s cruel hand pushed her away.

Over the ocean, a fight so fierce,
The skies do roar, the seas do pierce.
Karura’s tears in stormy squalls,
Indra’s fury, thunder calls.

Misunderstood, his noble quest,
To guard his love, his very best.
But wounds of doubt and sorrow deep,
Turned love to storms that do not sleep.

Yet truth was found within the stars,
Their hearts began to heal the scars,
Karura saw his love so pure,
And Indra’s heart, she did secure.

Oh, tempest hearts, once torn apart,
Now healed by love, a brand new start.
Across the ocean’s endless blue,
Their journey ends in love renewed.

Their hands entwined, the storm did cease,
A love reborn, their souls at peace.
Begone the wind and lightning's feud,
Their love now calm, forever true.

So sail the seas, oh mariners brave,
For now the winds and waves behave.
In skies once stormy, clear and bright,
Rest Karura and Indra, in love's flight.

Throughout the festival, those with acting chops may be asked to take to the stage and act out their rendition of this story, and improvisation is more than encouraged! Take on the role of Karura or Indra and help spin this tale of betrayal and love renewed with a partner.

🦚 Feather exchange. When the festival begins, all festival goers are given a single blue feather. This feather is meant to signify a bond between two people when given to someone else. By the end of the festival, give this feather to another person to express that they mean something special, either platonically or romantically. Just remember, each participant is only given one blue feather to give to someone else.
💍 Wedding/Couples rings. Whether looking for something nice or needing them for a wedding, there is a current special on matching rings for couples! However, little do people know, they have been enchanted to fuse together, forcing people to hold hands. The only way to get them off? Exchange heartfelt vows to one another.
💥 Coal walking. One of the many challenges during the festival is barefooted coal walking! Resist the heat and walk across a bed of hot coals, and even try partnering up with someone to see how fast the challenge can be completed together. Alternatively, races are encouraged! No cheating with special abilities allowed!
👗 Corset competition. Any pirate worth their salt knows how to fashion and wear a corset. This year, there is a little competition to see who can tie a corset the tightest and wear it the longest without passing out. They can be tied solo or around a partner. Get those strings pulled and cinch in those ribs. Just don’t forget to breathe. Alternatively, those who have survived the corset tying competition could try the corset untying competition too. People are now challenged to get them off as fast as possible. No tools or tricks are allowed to be used. Only hands, toes and mouth. Animal folk are more than welcome to use their claws too.
🍰 Cake eating. There is a cake-eating contest to see who can eat the most cake, but with a twist! Partners must feed each other cake at the same time, so pair up and see who can eat more to win! Or just enjoy eating the free cake with someone.
🐦Hot ones. Sit down with a partner for this test on the stomach. The challenge is to eat a massive plate of spicy hot wings! The catch is that each time their partner is to eat an increasingly spicier hot wing, they must answer a question about themselves first. Ask a question, eat more spicy hot wings, and see who can last the longest without crying or dying for a mug of milk.

Like many festivals, there is a plethora of music and dance to participate in. Grab a partner and dance the night away, or participate in a dance partner swap where everyone is swapped with a random dance partner they might have never met before. There is also ribbon dancing where partners are tied together using a long red ribbon. Once they are all tangled up the ribbon will only completely loosen and untie once the pair manages to share a kiss on the mouth or the cheek, or if they confess a special thought to one another. Finally, for those who want something a little more exciting, fire dancing is a traditional dance where dancers take up long staves that are lit on both ends with torch-fire. Use these staves to dance and move to the music, creating an intricate glow of firelight in the night.

WEDDING WRECKERS

ALL PROMPTS IN THIS SECTION ARE WORTH 4 PTS.

While Latrommi wishes everyone their beautiful "happily ever after," there are those who wish the opposite, either jealous of those who manage to find their happiness or just revel in the chaos and thrill of ruining the lives of others. Thus wedding crashers have always been a problem, leading to increased security over the years.

However, this year there is a group called Captain Salt's Lonely Hearts Crew that has gone beyond simple disruption to outright bride and groom kidnapping. Some are done for ransom, others have a personal vendetta towards the couples. So far all victims have been rescued unharmed, but there is a fear that things could turn for the worst. Already there have been reported murders and attacks on those suspected of having affairs or adultery on their loved ones, and Captain Salt's crew is high on the list of suspects.

Various operations are underway to try and undermine the group as well as find the ringleaders and put a stop to it once and for all. This will require as much help from both Paladins and Corsairs as possible. However, there is tension between the two groups as Paladins suspect the Corsairs for the more heinous crimes while Corsairs counter this smells like something an overzealous justice loving Paladin would do.

IMPORTANT NOTE: while the prompts are written in the perspective of people helping save the victims, it is possible for characters to deliberately cause chaos. Whether they are for the Lonely Hearts Crew's cause or just want to mess with people, they can serve as antagonists for the prompts instead instead.

OPERATION: FAKE WEDDING. To try and capture those involved, volunteers are asked to either switch with real, targeted couples or host elaborate fake weddings. Some may have both individuals or only have one replaced with a fake. All replacements will try to look as close to the original as possible, but to help with the brides, they will have long, thick veils to help obscure their faces. For fake grooms, they will have hats or temporary magical glamor. Those who wish to act as security will also be disguised as attending guests or staff.

👗 Dress your best. Of course, no one will be getting through this without dressing their absolute best. While the tailors would prefer if the outfits are not destroyed, they see this as an advertisement opportunity and will dress volunteers into their dream dress or suit. No one will leave until they say "yes" to that dress!
🍰 Surprise cake. One "hiding" spot a guard may try to use is a fake wedding cake. Hidden in a large box disguised as an elaborate six-tiered wedding cake, it's the perfect place to spring out the moment trouble arrives. Just be careful because some may be fooled and try to take a stab for a slice.
💐 Flower toss. The flowers are enchanted to burst into different colored paint to help mark disruptors should they be jostled or knocked over. …And anyone else for that matter. No one said this was the best idea.
⚔️ Vicious engagements. Once the would-be wedding crashers and kidnappers appear, the silk gloves are off and weapons are out! Try and capture as many as possible to be taken in for interrogation.

OPERATION: RESCUE. While it's ideal to stop anyone from getting kidnapped at all, there are some who are assigned to be deliberately taken. In this situation, the kidnapped will have a small, special feather attached to their outfit in some way that can be released to discreetly fly off and release an "SOS" flare of sorts. Just be careful as they will be taken deep into the surrounding forest, sometimes even as far as the mountains or out to sea…

🔍 Follow the signal. Upon seeing the flare, volunteers of the rescue group must now venture through the island and find the target location. Upon reaching the location, it's time to clear out the villains and capture them to return for proper punishments. However…
⁉️ Rescued affair!? Some of these acts of bride- or groomnapping is actually a twisted gesture of "romance" from the kidnapper, wishing to steal them away either to save them from an undesired marriage or a one last desperate attempt to win them over. Some are genuine with pure feelings and revelations of marriage, the victim wishing to flee with their secret lover. Others are clearly mad and the victim wants nothing to do with them. Perhaps there's an even bigger story. Will the rescuers help? Or stick with the job?
🏃 Escape. Forget waiting to be rescued, if it's possible to break out and deal with the kidnappers and escape, there's no one to stop them. Maybe there are other victims from previous kidnappings there that need help or could assist.

OPERATION: INFILTRATION. For those who want to try their hand and infiltrate Captain Salt's Lonely Crew, then they must somehow convince the members they want in. Or just volunteer like a mercenary and be paid for it. All they have to do is express disgust or anger towards weddings and they're pretty much in. A sob story filled with heartbreak will do, too. Note: these prompts can tie in to the other sections.

🗡️ Affair most foul. Rather than crash weddings, some are assigned to attack, even kill certain individuals who are said to be committing affairs or adultery. The problem is there is little evidence to prove it and the descriptions of the targets are vague at best. This results in mistaken identities. (Player options are 1) commit to the assignment and attack the target; 2) try and save the target; 3) be mistaken as the target.)
🎻 Bad Boy/Girl Band. One group uses enchanted instruments to either freeze or put everyone to sleep. Destroy the instruments without giving away their true identity.
🥷 "Kidnapping." Knowing the intended target, those who have infiltrated the group can try and reach the target first and prevent them from being taken.
🛑 Words of persuasion. Perhaps the salty crew members can be persuaded away from crashing a wedding. Is the one leading the crash someone whose heart was broken by one of the couples? Do they have a personal vendetta? Or is there another story here?

Those looking into the murders will also be tasked in finding and recovering missing bodies, though this will not be for the faint of heart. Some clearly were personal and quite gruesome. As for any bases or hideouts used for the kidnappings, once found permission is granted to destroy whatever is there and bring in all members. There are many of them, with clues to where Captain Salt's location is… However, Captain Salt will remain elusive for a time. For now, any clues to who and where Captain Salt could possibly go will be collected (player submission).

QUESTS

The current MANTA Board is available, but we have a couple of additional quests that are specific for the event! Teaming up is of course encouraged, no matter what the affiliation. You can assume they acquired some kind of ship for the quests out at sea, either the starter ship or some other ship heading out there. All quests will be worth 4 points.

The Shiny Exchange

Eltrut

The Crow's Nest, a group of local corsairs working out of Eltrut, is planning a unique get-together where everyone dresses up as crows by wearing all black and bringing their best shiny trinkets to the mini event. Inspired by a local folklore hero—a crow version of Robin Hood—the event will honor the person with the best shiny trinket with the title of Crow Hero. Gather together with other crows and trade shiny trinkets to your heart's desire. While there can be multiple winners of who has the best shiny trinkets, only the person with the shiniest items of all can be the Crow Hero. Feel free to play puzzle games and card games with other local crows as well, it's all about meeting with the locals.

Sacabuffbaspis

Everywhere

The sacabambaspis fish is very popular in and around all the islands and leviathans. Lately, it appears someone has been making a mass amount of sacabambaspis merchandise including mugs, keychains, stuffed plush toys and painted posters of the strange-looking fish. But someone has also put up several paper posters of a very muscular and beefy looking sacabambaspis man all over the place which has deterred the fish's popularity (or in some cases made it more "popular" with certain groups of people with certain tastes...). Help the shopkeepers by taking down the buff-looking posters of the sacabambaspis man so that the sacabambaspis fish can retain its wholesome image. Unfortunately, the more posters you take down, the more get put up but... Do your best anyway.

That Much Hoppier

Naughtilust

Hasn't anyone ever told you not to lick toads and frogs? There's a strange trend going around Naughtilust where brothel goers have started to lick special frogs for the delightful little buzz it gives the licker. Licking these special frogs tastes like candy but the happy and hallucinogenic effects that come from licking the frogs is what everyone is after. If you lick a frog you might feel like rocks are popping in your mouth or you'll be able to see colors start to change or swap. Most importantly, it makes the licker feel so, so happy. So happy that you could kiss anyone! Dance with anyone! Strip off your clothes and jump in the ocean! Anyone on Naughtilust is more than welcome to try licking frogs to see what will happen to them. It'll only cost you a small amount of coins to do it.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[She shifts with him, the water rippling around them both as she sits up as well, not realizing that she's nearly straddled his lap in the motion, and she's about to insist one more time that she is perfectly fine when her voice dies away at the sound of footsteps and rough voices behind her.

She goes to turn, but his arms that circle around her stop Tifa from doing so, and instead, she's pressed up to him, her face near his ear and hidden away from their gazes. Gazes that she can feel wandering. And those voices sound... oddly familiar. Like the men on the boat...

But she remains still, freezing not just because of the voices, but because of the warmth of his body that aligns with her own. The closeness that has her breath catching, and her fingertips digging into the muscles of his shoulders while she waits for them to leave.

"Too bad, the kitten looks kinda cute..."

The other one laughs at the comment, flashing a mocking smile at Eustace, and he will hear Tifa make an uncomfortable squeak.

"Let's go find somewhere else. I'm sick of looking at them."]

[Feeling Tifa tense only makes his hold tighten, eyes narrowing into a colder glare. If he had his weapon...

Of course his subtle response makes the other one laugh, but the other, the one he's certain is the one who was the leader of the last abduction, just spits and turns away, swearing under his breath.

It's quiet, and most people wouldn't hear it from where they are, but Eustace's keen hearing picked it up clearly, even the mutterings as the men finally leave. It's only when it's completely silent that he finally relaxes, not even realizing how tense he had been—]

It's fine, they're...gone.

[—or how close she is now when he turns his face towards her.

Resulting in them to be just a breath away, making his eyes widen in surprise.]

[She remains frozen in place, the sound of their voices drowned out by the racing thrum of her heartbeat in her ears. Fear takes hold of her for a moment when they comment on her, and she worries that they might recognize her before they stalk off with their crude comments. Not that she can hear them all that clearly...

Not when she is more focused on Eustace and how tense he is pressed to her chest like this. How their bodies align and how strong his arms are as they tighten around her. How warm he is, or how she can feel his heart beating against her own—]

Hm?

[His voice snaps her out of her thoughts, and she turns to look at him, not realizing that they are but a hairs breadth apart—so close that she can feel his own breath on her skin as she takes in a slow, unsteady breath, her eyes flitting down before they widen to mirror his.]

Ah—

[She immediately straightens again. At some point, she'd lowered to sit right on his lap, probably when he pulled her in to hide her from those men... a thought that sends a grateful, relieved ripple through her.]

... Those were the guys from yesterday?

[He's not sure what he's feeling right now, but he is now very suddenly aware of her and how she's sitting on him. There's a few seconds where he continues to stare at her dumbstruck before he finally manages to come to his senses, his arm hastily and awkwardly loosening to pull away from her, the water rippling as he does while clearing his throat.]

Ah...yeah.

[He averts his head a little as he tries to lean back to give them some more. Space.]

I heard them talking about where they were heading next.

[It's only when his arm unravels from around her that she can pull back, floating away from him and moving so that she can sit on the ledge at his side instead, because when and how did that even happen—!?

She brushes her soaked bangs back behind her ear and leans back, hands folded under the water together in a tight grip on her own lap this time, though her fingertips still tingle with that bit of heat that lingers. Her foot curls and straightens, and she winces slightly at the sting again, but it's nothing that she can't handle.

Besides, it's easier to focus on the men than... everything else.]

... Should we do something about it?

[Just a quiet hum as he tries to settle his nerves and remind himself that everything was due to circumstances...and...that he shouldn't be feeling so tense to begin with?? So another low exhale as he looks back to where they went off to.]

I'll inform the authorities when we return.

[She glances at him through the corner of her eye, another short, stifled breath leaving her before she stares down at her hands through the water again.]

Right...

[Now she's not quite sure what to say, and her lips part and shut several times in an attempt to break the inevitable, awkward silence that looms before she settles on something.]

So... [Why is her voice so high!? She corrects herself.] Still up for a little bit of treasure hunting after...?

[A slight twitch of his ear at the strange pitch, but he'll look at her for a moment before he nods.]

Sure.

[And then he looks at where she had stumbled.]

We should start with what you stepped on.

[While he is thinking about the pirates...his mind is also still caught a little in that warmth and sensation felt between them earlier. Something that he definitely needs to push aside and focusing on treasure will surely help with that.]

[Her fingers tighten, and it's only thanks to the water that the way the tension turns her knuckles white is hidden, and her gaze lingers on him a moment, noting the way that his hair clings to his temple before she turns it to the culprit buried in the sand.]

What do you think it is?

[She'd get up, but she's just going to play it safe and remain right where she sits. That, and she doesn't want to irritate her foot any further while they're still in the pool.]

It looks like it's lost some of its lustre...

Could be anything.

[He starts to rise before he notices sitting still, and his gaze goes to her foot obscured by the rippling clear waters.]

Want me to look?

Might as well. I'd say the island owes us, after all.

[Seeing the way his gaze goes to her foot, she gives her ankle a little stretch.

And when he does, he'll find that it's a piece of metal shaped into what looks like a feather, brushed and painted in the colours of a peacock. There's a small hole one end of it that looks like it once had a screw through it, indicating that it was likely a piece of something bigger and had fallen loose.]

Edited 2024-07-12 14:01 (UTC)

[He'll leave her foot alone for now... But if it still feels sore later he may want to check it. For now, he'll divert his attention to what she stepped on, wading over before sinking into the water so he can reach in and dig around the sand before pulling it out.

Rising out of the water, he frowns a bit as he holds it out, turning it this way and that before returning closer to her.]

...Not really sure what this could have been. A decorative piece?

Something like that.

[She leans forward to look at it. No wonder it had nicked her foot the way that it did, it's a bit sharp at its tip.]

A piece of a pin or something? It's pretty, though... And look.

[She points to the little hole at the end.]

Looks like it might have been attached to something? Wonder if the other pieces are around here somewhere.

[Now back next to her, he holds it closer for her to better look.]

A necklace? Though it seems odd for a jewelry piece...

[He looks down through the water curiously.]

I could look around.

A bit big for that, I think.

[Though, seeing some of the fashion statements around this world, she wouldn't be all that surprised if it were.

And when he holds it out closer to her, she takes it into her own hand, noting the edges around it.]

Looks like it could've been sharper at one point, too. We should take a look around here, see if we find anything else, yeah. See if there are any other pieces.

[And focus on that rather than what happened earlier, please.]

I'll take a look.

[And back out into the water he goes, carefully uses his foot to first try and feel for anything unusual. He'll reach down every now and then to pick out some large shells that seem a little neat and worth keeping as a souvenir that Tifa might like, but it's not until he gets to the other side that he feels something softer, and with a slight frown he crouches down to feel with his hand before...]

Think I found something.

[And with a bit more concentration, he pulls out what looks to be a leather arm guard.]

Hm?

[Tifa sits a little more upright, and she pushes herself off the ledge to wade over to him, making sure to avoid letting that one foot stay on the ground for too long. It's feeling a little better, at least, but she's not going to risk hurting it again on any of the rocks that sit on the pool's floor.

And when she swims up to his side...]

That looks like... an arm guard?

[And the colours certainly match that feather, as there are a few others just like it attached to it, albeit they are all a bit worn. But her eyes light up all the same because it's not unlike the ones that she often wears.]

What was that doing down here?

[Time for the morbid—]

Could have been buried with whoever drowned while wearing it.

[Her excitement immediately fades into horror and then to disappointment.]

Well, that's sure a takeaway. You don't actually believe that, do you?

[Her eyes flit to the place where he'd found it, and she tries to hide the way that they narrow.

AIN'T NO WAY.]

[Just looking at her with a straight face before he snorts, the corners of his mouth lifting just a touch.]

No. There's no sign of blood or cuts, and the strings were clearly untied rather than torn or tied together.

More likely taken off voluntarily.

And just tossed into the water carelessly?

[She reaches out to take the bracer now, exchanging it with the feather that she hands back to him.]

It's still in pretty good condition, all things considered...

[Until it dawns on her in three, two, one—]

... Oh.

[He hands her the bracer, but there's just a slight widening of his smirk as he takes the feather.]

Most likely.

[Cheeks now red, she gives him a splash, swatting at the water aimed at him.]

That's personal!

[Now she's not sure if she should keep the bracer—!!]

Why not just pick it up after...Wait, don't answer that.

[She turns it over awkwardly between her hands now, staring at it.]

Would be a shame for it to just waste away at the bottom of the pool, though.

[A small chuckle escapes him as he's splashed, and he'll just toss his hair a bit as he continues to look amused.]

It's also well worn. I'd say this is something from decades, possibly longer than anything recent.

[A small shrug.]

Up to you.

[She really shouldn't stare for as long as she does, but between the smile, the sound of his laugh, and that toss of his hair...

...

She clears the growing lump out of her throat.]

I could probably have it restored. Assuming that... no one comes to look for it.

GETTING STARTED

LATROMMI

FYRE FESTIVAL

WEDDING WRECKERS

QUESTS

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