Discord
The skirt combination Does sound nice...
...but ultimately you grab the 'Bandana' box.
With it in your claws, you head off to the changing room.
You rip open the box,
finding:
- An off-white crop-top with some logo on it you don't recognize
- A dark purple bandana
- Grey-purple sweatpants
It's easy enough to slip everything on,
though you have a bit of trouble with the sweatpants.
The spines on the back of your legs could easily rip them apart, but you take it slow and manage the task.
Checking the mirror,
you try a few different positions for the bandana before settling on keeping it around the base of your elongated neck,
letting it droop down onto the crop top.
You think it's a pretty good look.
Not that you have much to compare it to.
All finished up,
you step out of the changing room,
glancing over at Model in your new outfit.
Model glances over,
their face lighting right up.
"Now that's a getup!
Kinda sporty, don't you think?"
From the sound of her voice, it's still Jenkins.
You look yourself over.
"Sporty?"
"Yeah!
You look like you're ready to go!"
Your head tilts.
"...Maybe?
Probably.
I think I'm always ready for anything."
You glance back up at her.
"Is now a good time to talk over collective stuff?"
"Well, we gotta start heading back soon...
but what the hell,
I can spare some time, said I would.
What's eatin' you about it?"
"So..."
You take a seat on top of one of the shorter shelves.
"...I'm not having trouble?
Not with that, or anything.
At all.
Existing is easy and there is No stress.
But also:
Am I one person with a million thoughts or a million people?
What about the me talking right now?
Who is that?
Who is me?"
Your voice fills with static as it speeds up.
You grip the edges of the shelf and it creaks in strain.
"When I stop talking, do I fallbackin with theothervoices?
The other Me's?
The otherThems?
I don't know whattofeel or who'sFeeling it and-and-
If avoicegoesawaydoesapersonins--"
"Heyheyheyheyhey-"
Jenkins raises her hands,
making calming, deep breathing sounds.
"Relax.
All of this,
is like... you figure it out.
Slowly.
Well, sometimes quickly, but over time.
You don't have to have all the answers right away."
You do your best to breathe deep,
going overboard,
getting lightheaded.
"What about-
...communication-
How do we do that?
...Better?"
The words aren't quite coming out as you want them to.
Your head feels scrambled.
"From the look of it,
y'all are just saying whatever comes to mind without...
yknow,
talking about it.
So... it just bursts out in a big explosion!
And that can be really overwhelming, especially when you're so new.
Try taking it slow and talking things over
before you put the thoughts out there into the world.
You'd be surprised at how much better you'll be able to get things done."
"...but it's Faster to do things on our own.
If we just say what we think about things when we think them then we don't have to Discuss it or Disagree.
And it all combines together,
kind of.
That's... fine, right?"
Jenkins shakes her head.
"Nope.
You're gonna end up making dangerous, impulsive decisions that way!
...or have a panic attack,
like just now.
You won't have your individual voices go away just because you're talking to each other."
You lean your head down as thoughts swirl.
The bandana feels too tight.
You grasp at it.
Both claws.
Some intangible motor cranks up in your head.
You squeeze inward upon yourself.
It all--
There's an audible pop - you think you hear it, at least.
A shock runs through your system.
"What panic attack?
I just needed some advice."
You hop up from the shelf, stretching your arms.
"Ready to go?
I have more questions but talking can be done on the way."
"Yep."
Jenkins doesn't miss a beat,
unperturbed as she stands back up.
"Lay it on me."
You follow Jenkins out of the room and down the hall.
"Can you tell me more about this whole xenial thing?
Wanna know what else you do here, too."
"So...
a bunch of people get stones, right?
They're allowed into the xenial, and that's where shit goes down.
Whole meeting of worlds sort of thing,
you see shit like nobody's ever seen before,
get to meet some weird creatures, go on some little adventures even...
though every year, it's a little different.
As for what we do outside of heavy lifting,
depends on who in the collective you're talking to.
Me, I work out.
No real need to,
yknow, no muscles in a robot body,
but I like it.
Feels nice to stretch and exert some power."
"What else takes place here at the labs?"
"Bunch of research stuff, mostly.
You'd be better off asking Jill about that,
it's a real bookworm."
She taps the side of her head.
"Just another Model."
"...Why do all your names start with the same sound?"
"Not all of 'em do,
but we just think it's cute and funny for a bunch to."
"Huh."
You idly bounce the ball while making your way through various hallways,
not really paying attention to where Jenkins is leading you.
You mull over what Murmur said . . .
"You don't gotta worry about names for a while, though.
Honestly, sometimes we miss the just... blendiness of it all.
Wouldn't trade how we are now,
and honestly, living any particular way as a collective is just as good as another,
long as you're cooperating.
Gonna keep harping on that-"
Your arm reels back,
filling with the energy of reckless abandon,
and you toss your stupid red ball as hard as you can down the hallway.
"H-"
The ball sails just past Jenkins' face,
shooting at top speed down the hall.
You watch it fly.
It makes contact with a loud THWAP!
A certain football-helmeted OBJ is now on the floor,
having nearly flipped over from the force of your stone smashing into the side of their head.
"F- MURMUR-"
Jenkins is already rushing forward,
kneeling by their side.
"You alright there, bud?"
Stars appear across her eyes.
Too out-of-it to reply to Jenkins.
You can hardly see from where you're at.
Frozen stiff.
Feeling your stone pop back into your palm.
You watch various researchers peeking outside doors,
seeing Murmur on the floor,
Jenkins standing over her,
and their eyes trail back to you.
Guilt wells up and twists itself into the pit of your stomach.
But you don't move.
"Cmon, let's..."
Jenkins does her best to get Murmur propped up,
dragging her into a sitting position against the wall.
She turns her attention to you now, gesturing for you to come over.
Her expression doesn't look pleased.
You take a step,
but hesitate.
Realizing things aren't too serious,
most have returned to their research.
But, a few are still staring,
watching you through the windows.
The door on your right.
There's stairs inside.
You push the bar and step through.
Jenkins is on her feet immediately, racing after you.
The stairs go up on the right,
down on the left.
Up... = outside?
don't know what's outside.
there were all those hands in the water.
Too many hands,
too many eyes.
You head down instead,
practically rushing until you reach the bottom.
You find the back corner, under the stairs,
and sit on the cold concrete.
You clutch your gasmask and squeeze.
Footsteps echo above you,
someone racing down just as fast.
"...Vess?!
Vess, you down here?"
You shake your head,
though she can't hear you.
"...cmon out Vess,
no one's gonna scream at you..."
Nothing.
"You screwed up,
and you're gonna have to give Murmur a proper apology,
but like...
this is what I was talking about, yknow?"
Nothing.
Jenkins pauses right before your hiding place.
"We can work this out."
"...don't know."
The construct crouches,
scooting in with you without much fanfare.
You push yourself tighter against the wall.
She makes sure to keep just a bit of distance,
and while you can tell she's having to put some effort into keeping a smile on her face -
there is one, albeit tired.
"What would help you out right now?"
"...I don't want to think about it.
I don't want anyone to stare at me."
"I can tell people to clear out and give you some space.
They'll get it."
"...are we going outside anyway?"
"Got a job to do,
so... yep."
"Then we...
we can just go topside,
and nobody up there will know.
We can bring Murmur if-
Is Murmur okay?"
"They're gonna be okay.
You still gotta apologize, but I know you'll make things right."
"You don't know that.
Can we-
...can you go get Murmur?
And we can go outside from here.
And I won't have to go back inside where everyone can see me."
"Yeah.
Yeah, we can do that."
"OK."
Jenkins slowly gets to her feet, brushing her jumpsuit off.
"Need help getting up?"
You shake your head.
"Alright... stay put."
Jenkins starts up the steps,
keeping her gaze over her shoulder as she does.
You wait for her to fully leave and slowly pull yourself up and out of the corner.
You suddenly don't know how to stand,
or where to put your hands.
You lean against the railing,
looking up to watch for their return.
Sure enough, there's two sets of footsteps coming down the steps again, not too long after.
Murmur appears first,
seeming a little uneasy.
There's a dent in the side of their helmet now.
"...Hello."
You don't know what to say.
You're self-conscious about your size,
feeling like you're towering over her in a menacing way, now.
"...I want you to know I don't harbor any ill will towards you.
Not... at all.
Though...
what exactly were you trying to accomplish by throwing your stone the way you did?
Were you-
You were not...
...aiming for Me,
were y--" "No. No. I-
It... comes back.
You can't lose it.
I wanted to throw it far to see if it would come back."
"That's the kind of impulse you gotta discuss out and curb.
I know disagreeing and bickering amongst yourselves doesn't sound like the best time,
but...
you need to be able to shut stuff like that down,
before people get hurt -
and I'm meaning both yourself and others."
"...OK."
You slide your thumb across your other claws, over and over.
Jenkins fidgets,
just as awkward as she looks in between you and Murmur.
No words come to you, either.
"...Well,
erm...
If that's all,
perhaps we should get going?
I'll-
I...
have something I want to show you, later, Vess,
but for now,
we can get this show... on the road?
...As they say?"
They awkwardly gesture to the both of you.
You look away.
Jenkins gives you a look,
mouthing the words 'Apology, Later.' before gesturing ahead.
"On the road we go!"
Murmur nods briskly,
and begins making their way up the stairs with the two of you.
You note a distinct lack of her usual passionate enthusiasm,
though she tries to lightly feign it anyway.
"Vess, we'll be joining up with the group properly this time.
Together,
we'll all be making our way up the coastline cliffside,
all the way to the xenial's entrance:
An intricate, cave-like structure that only permits access to those with one of these stones.
All parties have already been briefed,
so we'll simply begin our trek when we reach the surface."
The OBJ turns to Model.
"Did any of you have concerns before we start?
...Am I forgetting anything?"
"Nope,
I think we're all good there..."
"Understood.
Please inform me if that changes."
The three of you reach the ground floor in no time,
pushing your way through a set of doors to emerge... outside . . .
This is your first time seeing it in person.
A stormy coastline at what you assume is midday.
It's still raining,
though the worst of the weather looks to have subsided.
Curious hues of orange and yellow grace through the dark clouds above the ocean waves,
staining their edges with a distinct palette,
the sun rays reflecting on the water.
The outside of the labs themselves look simple and plain by comparison;
sandstone or marble surfaces,
with only three entrances in this relatively small, coastal valley.
That particular silver and green coloration is present, too,
the exoskeleton of the lab clearly carved from the hills, mountains and caves surrounding the area.
The air is open here,
but nearly every direction is eventually blocked by the stone ridges,
save for the coastline to your right.
You can see a direct path down the shore, along the beach,
which... you think leads up a cliffside,
but a thin grey fog obscures your view past a point.
There are... a LOT of people waiting here.
Forty?
Fifty?
Something like it.
Each carrying at least one bag or backpack.
They're separated into two groups,
distinguishable by the group on the right all holding stones,
while the group on the left have none;
though, there's intermingling between the two groups.
Murmur looks in your direction,
which immediately makes you nervous.
"...Perhaps, we could discuss the incident earlier once we reach the entrance?
I'll be busy until that point, and after as well,
but I'll have a few minutes to talk before the orientation, right when we arrive.
Would that be acceptable?"
"...ok."
They give you a half-formed smile.
Murmur motions for Jenkins to follow her.
"Are you ready?"
"You bet!
Me and Jimmie and everybody else all together!"
Murmur nods.
She takes a quick breath.
"Let's break a leg, then."
With that, the pair sets off ahead of you.
You awkwardly shuffle to the back, getting some stray looks in the process.
You feel that you stick out like a sore thumb,
probably thanks to being... almost eight feet tall.
The OBJ addresses the crowd as she makes her way to the front:
"Apologies for the delay, everyone!"
She turns 180 upon passing all of them.
Her arms fold behind her back.
"We'll be setting off now!
The entrance is not too far down the coast,
but it will take approximately twenty minutes, as was stated prior.
A brief reminder that only those carrying stones are allowed beyond this point,
but those without may follow Liza-"
A karacel emerges from the left side of the crowd,
giving a wave.
"-back to the previous station,
where you may contact your friends and loved ones who are continuing on,
once we finish orientation."
There's a brief, quiet commotion as people say their goodbyes.
"You're gonna do great, Fio!
And you can call me whenever you're able, okay?"
"Still don't know why I-I got one and not you.
I'll c...call you when I can, if I don't back out f-first."
"Remember:
You're to take as many notes as you can, especially-"
"I got it. You'll get your results."
The group soon disperses,
leaving only those with xenial stones.
"As for our temporary medical staff members,
if you would please come to the front."
Two individuals step forward:
The first is a black-furred bat in a red jacket.
When they turn, you can see them a little better.
They've got a rose pinned near their neck, and what looks to be a bitemark torn out of their left ear.
They smile, and something about the expression unnerves you.
The second is a black-and-white being whose head and twin tails seem to be made of crimson-red blood seeping out of their clothes.
Their head is especially notable, as it's floating above their shoulders,
blood dripping between the surface as irregular intervals.
They've got a grin plastered across their face which looks... 'simulated,'
and more of a permanent feature rather than a marker of their mood.
The two of them are wearing thin, seafoam-green sashes across their chests.
"This is Toluca-"
The bat raises a paw.
"-and Cardinal."
The grinning blood-creature does the same.
"Both will be here to assist you to the best of their ability in the event of an emergency medical situation.
I'll explain more on that later, but for now-"
She manages a genuine smile.
"-let's embark,
shall we?"
Murmur and Jenkins set off for the coastside,
leading a crowd of twenty-something people behind them.
Most separate into groups of two-to-four,
with a few people keeping to themselves.
You're at the back, for now.
But you should... probably attempt to make small-talk with someone.
The coast is pretty to look at, but not that entertaining.
You'll be bored out of your skull,
and alone with your thoughts,
if you don't try for some social time along the way.
You glance along the scattered crowd for anyone who looks potentially sociable in this moment.
Towards the back,
there's a white and brown avian corvice with a polka dot dress -
sheer sleeves covering their wings with a large, saucer-shaped stone kept propped between them.
They keep glancing down at it,
peering their head around in an especially bird-like manner.
A little further up,
there's a group of two: A bright aquamarine and grey gesabott and an ink-black agent chorosy.
They're idly chatting here and there,
but neither looks particularly busy.
Off to the side,
you spot an indistinct mammal with horns and a shrimpy tail,
dressed mostly in black.
They're messing about with a small device, no bigger than a calculator.
They look a little frustrated by whatever they're seeing on it.
You should probably figure out what you want to say along with who you want to talk to.
...but ultimately you grab the 'Bandana' box.
With it in your claws, you head off to the changing room.
You rip open the box,
finding:
- An off-white crop-top with some logo on it you don't recognize
- A dark purple bandana
- Grey-purple sweatpants
It's easy enough to slip everything on,
though you have a bit of trouble with the sweatpants.
The spines on the back of your legs could easily rip them apart, but you take it slow and manage the task.
Checking the mirror,
you try a few different positions for the bandana before settling on keeping it around the base of your elongated neck,
letting it droop down onto the crop top.
You think it's a pretty good look.
Not that you have much to compare it to.
All finished up,
you step out of the changing room,
glancing over at Model in your new outfit.
Model glances over,
their face lighting right up.
"Now that's a getup!
Kinda sporty, don't you think?"
From the sound of her voice, it's still Jenkins.
You look yourself over.
"Sporty?"
"Yeah!
You look like you're ready to go!"
Your head tilts.
"...Maybe?
Probably.
I think I'm always ready for anything."
You glance back up at her.
"Is now a good time to talk over collective stuff?"
"Well, we gotta start heading back soon...
but what the hell,
I can spare some time, said I would.
What's eatin' you about it?"
"So..."
You take a seat on top of one of the shorter shelves.
"...I'm not having trouble?
Not with that, or anything.
At all.
Existing is easy and there is No stress.
But also:
Am I one person with a million thoughts or a million people?
What about the me talking right now?
Who is that?
Who is me?"
Your voice fills with static as it speeds up.
You grip the edges of the shelf and it creaks in strain.
"When I stop talking, do I fallbackin with theothervoices?
The other Me's?
The otherThems?
I don't know whattofeel or who'sFeeling it and-and-
If avoicegoesawaydoesapersonins--"
"Heyheyheyheyhey-"
Jenkins raises her hands,
making calming, deep breathing sounds.
"Relax.
All of this,
is like... you figure it out.
Slowly.
Well, sometimes quickly, but over time.
You don't have to have all the answers right away."
You do your best to breathe deep,
going overboard,
getting lightheaded.
"What about-
...communication-
How do we do that?
...Better?"
The words aren't quite coming out as you want them to.
Your head feels scrambled.
"From the look of it,
y'all are just saying whatever comes to mind without...
yknow,
talking about it.
So... it just bursts out in a big explosion!
And that can be really overwhelming, especially when you're so new.
Try taking it slow and talking things over
before you put the thoughts out there into the world.
You'd be surprised at how much better you'll be able to get things done."
"...but it's Faster to do things on our own.
If we just say what we think about things when we think them then we don't have to Discuss it or Disagree.
And it all combines together,
kind of.
That's... fine, right?"
Jenkins shakes her head.
"Nope.
You're gonna end up making dangerous, impulsive decisions that way!
...or have a panic attack,
like just now.
You won't have your individual voices go away just because you're talking to each other."
You lean your head down as thoughts swirl.
The bandana feels too tight.
You grasp at it.
Both claws.
Some intangible motor cranks up in your head.
You squeeze inward upon yourself.
It all--
There's an audible pop - you think you hear it, at least.
A shock runs through your system.
"What panic attack?
I just needed some advice."
You hop up from the shelf, stretching your arms.
"Ready to go?
I have more questions but talking can be done on the way."
"Yep."
Jenkins doesn't miss a beat,
unperturbed as she stands back up.
"Lay it on me."
You follow Jenkins out of the room and down the hall.
"Can you tell me more about this whole xenial thing?
Wanna know what else you do here, too."
"So...
a bunch of people get stones, right?
They're allowed into the xenial, and that's where shit goes down.
Whole meeting of worlds sort of thing,
you see shit like nobody's ever seen before,
get to meet some weird creatures, go on some little adventures even...
though every year, it's a little different.
As for what we do outside of heavy lifting,
depends on who in the collective you're talking to.
Me, I work out.
No real need to,
yknow, no muscles in a robot body,
but I like it.
Feels nice to stretch and exert some power."
"What else takes place here at the labs?"
"Bunch of research stuff, mostly.
You'd be better off asking Jill about that,
it's a real bookworm."
She taps the side of her head.
"Just another Model."
"...Why do all your names start with the same sound?"
"Not all of 'em do,
but we just think it's cute and funny for a bunch to."
"Huh."
You idly bounce the ball while making your way through various hallways,
not really paying attention to where Jenkins is leading you.
You mull over what Murmur said . . .
"You don't gotta worry about names for a while, though.
Honestly, sometimes we miss the just... blendiness of it all.
Wouldn't trade how we are now,
and honestly, living any particular way as a collective is just as good as another,
long as you're cooperating.
Gonna keep harping on that-"
Your arm reels back,
filling with the energy of reckless abandon,
and you toss your stupid red ball as hard as you can down the hallway.
"H-"
The ball sails just past Jenkins' face,
shooting at top speed down the hall.
You watch it fly.
It makes contact with a loud THWAP!
A certain football-helmeted OBJ is now on the floor,
having nearly flipped over from the force of your stone smashing into the side of their head.
"F- MURMUR-"
Jenkins is already rushing forward,
kneeling by their side.
"You alright there, bud?"
Stars appear across her eyes.
Too out-of-it to reply to Jenkins.
You can hardly see from where you're at.
Frozen stiff.
Feeling your stone pop back into your palm.
You watch various researchers peeking outside doors,
seeing Murmur on the floor,
Jenkins standing over her,
and their eyes trail back to you.
Guilt wells up and twists itself into the pit of your stomach.
But you don't move.
"Cmon, let's..."
Jenkins does her best to get Murmur propped up,
dragging her into a sitting position against the wall.
She turns her attention to you now, gesturing for you to come over.
Her expression doesn't look pleased.
You take a step,
but hesitate.
Realizing things aren't too serious,
most have returned to their research.
But, a few are still staring,
watching you through the windows.
The door on your right.
There's stairs inside.
You push the bar and step through.
Jenkins is on her feet immediately, racing after you.
The stairs go up on the right,
down on the left.
Up... = outside?
don't know what's outside.
there were all those hands in the water.
Too many hands,
too many eyes.
You head down instead,
practically rushing until you reach the bottom.
You find the back corner, under the stairs,
and sit on the cold concrete.
You clutch your gasmask and squeeze.
Footsteps echo above you,
someone racing down just as fast.
"...Vess?!
Vess, you down here?"
You shake your head,
though she can't hear you.
"...cmon out Vess,
no one's gonna scream at you..."
Nothing.
"You screwed up,
and you're gonna have to give Murmur a proper apology,
but like...
this is what I was talking about, yknow?"
Nothing.
Jenkins pauses right before your hiding place.
"We can work this out."
"...don't know."
The construct crouches,
scooting in with you without much fanfare.
You push yourself tighter against the wall.
She makes sure to keep just a bit of distance,
and while you can tell she's having to put some effort into keeping a smile on her face -
there is one, albeit tired.
"What would help you out right now?"
"...I don't want to think about it.
I don't want anyone to stare at me."
"I can tell people to clear out and give you some space.
They'll get it."
"...are we going outside anyway?"
"Got a job to do,
so... yep."
"Then we...
we can just go topside,
and nobody up there will know.
We can bring Murmur if-
Is Murmur okay?"
"They're gonna be okay.
You still gotta apologize, but I know you'll make things right."
"You don't know that.
Can we-
...can you go get Murmur?
And we can go outside from here.
And I won't have to go back inside where everyone can see me."
"Yeah.
Yeah, we can do that."
"OK."
Jenkins slowly gets to her feet, brushing her jumpsuit off.
"Need help getting up?"
You shake your head.
"Alright... stay put."
Jenkins starts up the steps,
keeping her gaze over her shoulder as she does.
You wait for her to fully leave and slowly pull yourself up and out of the corner.
You suddenly don't know how to stand,
or where to put your hands.
You lean against the railing,
looking up to watch for their return.
Sure enough, there's two sets of footsteps coming down the steps again, not too long after.
Murmur appears first,
seeming a little uneasy.
There's a dent in the side of their helmet now.
"...Hello."
You don't know what to say.
You're self-conscious about your size,
feeling like you're towering over her in a menacing way, now.
"...I want you to know I don't harbor any ill will towards you.
Not... at all.
Though...
what exactly were you trying to accomplish by throwing your stone the way you did?
Were you-
You were not...
...aiming for Me,
were y--" "No. No. I-
It... comes back.
You can't lose it.
I wanted to throw it far to see if it would come back."
"That's the kind of impulse you gotta discuss out and curb.
I know disagreeing and bickering amongst yourselves doesn't sound like the best time,
but...
you need to be able to shut stuff like that down,
before people get hurt -
and I'm meaning both yourself and others."
"...OK."
You slide your thumb across your other claws, over and over.
Jenkins fidgets,
just as awkward as she looks in between you and Murmur.
No words come to you, either.
"...Well,
erm...
If that's all,
perhaps we should get going?
I'll-
I...
have something I want to show you, later, Vess,
but for now,
we can get this show... on the road?
...As they say?"
They awkwardly gesture to the both of you.
You look away.
Jenkins gives you a look,
mouthing the words 'Apology, Later.' before gesturing ahead.
"On the road we go!"
Murmur nods briskly,
and begins making their way up the stairs with the two of you.
You note a distinct lack of her usual passionate enthusiasm,
though she tries to lightly feign it anyway.
"Vess, we'll be joining up with the group properly this time.
Together,
we'll all be making our way up the coastline cliffside,
all the way to the xenial's entrance:
An intricate, cave-like structure that only permits access to those with one of these stones.
All parties have already been briefed,
so we'll simply begin our trek when we reach the surface."
The OBJ turns to Model.
"Did any of you have concerns before we start?
...Am I forgetting anything?"
"Nope,
I think we're all good there..."
"Understood.
Please inform me if that changes."
The three of you reach the ground floor in no time,
pushing your way through a set of doors to emerge... outside . . .
This is your first time seeing it in person.
A stormy coastline at what you assume is midday.
It's still raining,
though the worst of the weather looks to have subsided.
Curious hues of orange and yellow grace through the dark clouds above the ocean waves,
staining their edges with a distinct palette,
the sun rays reflecting on the water.
The outside of the labs themselves look simple and plain by comparison;
sandstone or marble surfaces,
with only three entrances in this relatively small, coastal valley.
That particular silver and green coloration is present, too,
the exoskeleton of the lab clearly carved from the hills, mountains and caves surrounding the area.
The air is open here,
but nearly every direction is eventually blocked by the stone ridges,
save for the coastline to your right.
You can see a direct path down the shore, along the beach,
which... you think leads up a cliffside,
but a thin grey fog obscures your view past a point.
There are... a LOT of people waiting here.
Forty?
Fifty?
Something like it.
Each carrying at least one bag or backpack.
They're separated into two groups,
distinguishable by the group on the right all holding stones,
while the group on the left have none;
though, there's intermingling between the two groups.
Murmur looks in your direction,
which immediately makes you nervous.
"...Perhaps, we could discuss the incident earlier once we reach the entrance?
I'll be busy until that point, and after as well,
but I'll have a few minutes to talk before the orientation, right when we arrive.
Would that be acceptable?"
"...ok."
They give you a half-formed smile.
Murmur motions for Jenkins to follow her.
"Are you ready?"
"You bet!
Me and Jimmie and everybody else all together!"
Murmur nods.
She takes a quick breath.
"Let's break a leg, then."
With that, the pair sets off ahead of you.
You awkwardly shuffle to the back, getting some stray looks in the process.
You feel that you stick out like a sore thumb,
probably thanks to being... almost eight feet tall.
The OBJ addresses the crowd as she makes her way to the front:
"Apologies for the delay, everyone!"
She turns 180 upon passing all of them.
Her arms fold behind her back.
"We'll be setting off now!
The entrance is not too far down the coast,
but it will take approximately twenty minutes, as was stated prior.
A brief reminder that only those carrying stones are allowed beyond this point,
but those without may follow Liza-"
A karacel emerges from the left side of the crowd,
giving a wave.
"-back to the previous station,
where you may contact your friends and loved ones who are continuing on,
once we finish orientation."
There's a brief, quiet commotion as people say their goodbyes.
"You're gonna do great, Fio!
And you can call me whenever you're able, okay?"
"Still don't know why I-I got one and not you.
I'll c...call you when I can, if I don't back out f-first."
"Remember:
You're to take as many notes as you can, especially-"
"I got it. You'll get your results."
The group soon disperses,
leaving only those with xenial stones.
"As for our temporary medical staff members,
if you would please come to the front."
Two individuals step forward:
The first is a black-furred bat in a red jacket.
When they turn, you can see them a little better.
They've got a rose pinned near their neck, and what looks to be a bitemark torn out of their left ear.
They smile, and something about the expression unnerves you.
The second is a black-and-white being whose head and twin tails seem to be made of crimson-red blood seeping out of their clothes.
Their head is especially notable, as it's floating above their shoulders,
blood dripping between the surface as irregular intervals.
They've got a grin plastered across their face which looks... 'simulated,'
and more of a permanent feature rather than a marker of their mood.
The two of them are wearing thin, seafoam-green sashes across their chests.
"This is Toluca-"
The bat raises a paw.
"-and Cardinal."
The grinning blood-creature does the same.
"Both will be here to assist you to the best of their ability in the event of an emergency medical situation.
I'll explain more on that later, but for now-"
She manages a genuine smile.
"-let's embark,
shall we?"
Murmur and Jenkins set off for the coastside,
leading a crowd of twenty-something people behind them.
Most separate into groups of two-to-four,
with a few people keeping to themselves.
You're at the back, for now.
But you should... probably attempt to make small-talk with someone.
The coast is pretty to look at, but not that entertaining.
You'll be bored out of your skull,
and alone with your thoughts,
if you don't try for some social time along the way.
You glance along the scattered crowd for anyone who looks potentially sociable in this moment.
Towards the back,
there's a white and brown avian corvice with a polka dot dress -
sheer sleeves covering their wings with a large, saucer-shaped stone kept propped between them.
They keep glancing down at it,
peering their head around in an especially bird-like manner.
A little further up,
there's a group of two: A bright aquamarine and grey gesabott and an ink-black agent chorosy.
They're idly chatting here and there,
but neither looks particularly busy.
Off to the side,
you spot an indistinct mammal with horns and a shrimpy tail,
dressed mostly in black.
They're messing about with a small device, no bigger than a calculator.
They look a little frustrated by whatever they're seeing on it.
You should probably figure out what you want to say along with who you want to talk to.
