test drive

[storm_on_a_stick]

Character: Arche Klaine
Fandom: Tales of Phantasia
Player Name: rhi_chan

[Arche opens her eyes wide, and looks around. She is sitting on the ground next to a fountain, soaking wet, and has no idea what's just happened. The last thing she knew, she was among her friends, beside a lifeless Dhaos, mentally processing all the events that had just taken place. She pulls her long pink hair away from her wet body carefully, and tries to untangle herself from it. Her broom is thankfully sitting right next to her, so she checks it for any damage and shakes some of the water out. Once she sees that it is okay, she hops on and hovers above the spot she was sitting, already feeling more comfortable. Her eyes then drift across her new surroundings as she attempts to make sense of it all.]

Comments

[fistfullofmagic]

[By now, Dhaos is used to all sorts of folks showing up around the coral, from emperors to boys with horns. He mostly pays little attention to them, knowing the Welcoming Committee has everything well in hand. Still, even having met a number of people of historical importance from Aselia's far-flung past, the thought of someone he personally knew had not crossed Dhaos' mind. He freezes in shock as he attempts to gain enough mental clarity to decide whether to approach the witch or to retreat before she sees him.]

[storm_on_a_stick]

[Arche rarely misses a male presence in her vicinity, and there's no way she would miss such a tall blonde... wait a minute...
She instinctively jumps up, standing on her broom one foot in front of the other, in a position she is easily able to cast from, while she leans forward trying to decide if who she sees is who she thinks she sees.]
No way... but I just saw him die...

[fistfullofmagic]

[Oh dear, he's been spotted. No point in attempting to hide now. Hesitantly, Dhaos approaches her, hoping not to provoke an attack. He stops a short distance away.]

...So the coral has finally brought one of you here too.

[The statement sounds rather awkward, even to his own ears. Still, what does one even say when facing one of the people who killed you?]

[storm_on_a_stick]

[For once Arche is actually speechless... in front of a male, no less. She noticeably relaxes her position on her broom - but not so much as to not be able to cast if necessary. Her mind is racing. How is he alive? What is coral? Where did she land herself this time? She can't even decide how she feels about this person and the events directly before her transfer to this place.]
It ... IS you.
[She swallows, takes a deep breath, then narrows her eyes and looks sideways.]
Coral? Where am I and what is happening? How are you...alive?
[A tiny flash of guilt might have just gone across her face.]

[fistfullofmagic]

[Explanations he can deal with. They give him the time to make some sort of futile attempt to sort through his emotions about this situation. Dhaos points to what seems to be an odd series of rock formations, but is in fact a colony of living creatures.]

That is the coral. The natives of this place refer to it as the Lamufao, and worship it as a god. It gathers people here from across time and space, occasionally subjecting us to what we refer to as "curses," though we know not why.

[He pauses, pointedly keeping his gaze on the coral.]

...Even death is nothing to its power.

[storm_on_a_stick]

[His words make some sense, but are disconnected from her thoughts. She has to concentrate to hear him, instead of trying to reconcile what happened before she arrived here with what she is seeing now. Her eyes follow his gesture to the coral and she stares at it while listening. Her feet move back together and her arms drop to her side, as she must realize she is not in immediate danger.]
So... that is how you are alive.
[Immediately after the sentence leaves her lips, her eyes fall to her feet, then she steals a glance at him before returning her attention to the coral.]
There's a lot I still don't understand, both from before I got here and of where we are now. I... umm... why were we brought here and where is this place?
[She remembers the time travels she has gone through, and glances behind her, hoping against logic that maybe someone else got dropped here with her, but only sees that fountain again.
She takes a deep breath, then turns and looks directly at Dhaos.]
I am sure you really don't want to talk to me, so I understand if you don't want to explain. Of all the people that could have been pulled here...
[Her voice drops off at the end of her statement as her eyes fall to her feet again.]

[fistfullofmagic]

...This world is known as Vatheon. Nobody knows why it is we are brought here, but there is ongoing research into that matter, as there is on possible ways to control the coral and use it to better the lives of everyone. Perhaps even save a few...

[Slowly, he returns his gaze to her.]

...I do not blame you for your previous actions. Your impression of my motives was coloured by others who wished to paint me as something I was not.

[storm_on_a_stick]

[Arche lowers herself, almost falling, onto her broom. She holds the front end with both hands, trying to steady herself and appear normal at the same time. At this point, even though she is hovering above the ground, she is eye level with Dhaos, and is a little grateful he's several steps away instead of close. She has been dropped from one intense situation into another, and is still trying to gather herself up. She looks at him with saddened eyes.]
I... umm... thank you for telling me... all those things. I hope those of us that got taken here can make the most of it, and ... even help people.
[She sighs, and appears like a defeated child.]
I really try to do good things.

[chosen_gigolo]

[A glimpse of bright pink hair is more than enough to send Zelos trotting over to the coral and the girl there, though once she stands upright and mounts a flying broom, all thought of girl being Presea are dashed. Still, no reason why he can't flirt say hi.

Grabbing a towel, Zelos saunters over with a jovial smile.]

Hey there hunny! Welcome to Vathoen~ You look like you could use this.

[storm_on_a_stick]

[She pulls up on her broom a little, so she's hovering higher to be a bit "taller" than the approaching cute guy... but she's not even aware she does so. A smile goes over her face as she focuses on him.]

Ohh, hi there. I... yes, thanks.

[She giggles, and takes the towel, trying to dry off a little but act collected at the same time. She looks around, then back to him.]

So... umm... where is this? I have no idea how I got here. Oh, I'm Arche, who are you?

[chosen_gigolo]

[It's a little difficult to act collected when you're sitting there like a soggy stick of cotton candy but Zelos respects her attempt.]

The Great Zelos Wilder, at your service~♥

[He bows with a flourish.]

Lovely to meet you Arche, my witchy wonder~ As for how you got here, the powers that be in this place tend to pull people without warning. Still, it's not completely terrible, especially when cuties like you show up♥

[storm_on_a_stick]

[Of course he thinks she's a cutie. Everyone does! This could be a pretty good place after all. She does her very best to recover from her soaked appearance, then lays the towel across the front of her broom. She can't help but grin widely as he bows.]

It doesn't seem like a bad place at all so far!

[She eyes him, and grins again, then leans in, getting almost uncomfortably close.]

Is this a ...permanent thing? Should I be figuring out how all this works, or am I just going to disappear again?

[chosen_gigolo]

[Pretty sure Zelos doesn't have an 'uncomfortably close' with women. He actually slings an arm around her shoulders.]

We're never really sure. I've been here for three months shy of a year but others come and go in a month. It's all pretty random but I hope you don't mind me saying I'd be pretty pleased if you ended up staying awhile~

[storm_on_a_stick]

[She doesn't move away when his arm goes around her shoulders. Yea... he likes her... of course he does, haha! She does, however, grin widely, her eyes closing before looking away.]

Of course you wouldn't mind! I'll just have to find out how someone's supposed to eat and sleep and stuff, I suppose...

[She shrugs, her gaze once again scanning the area, as if she's not hovering against a cute guy.]