It's a beautiful day in the village - TAKE A LOAD OFF, LOG 1

[libraryassistants]

Who: Readers and Actors
What: Beta Story Start - At the start of any particular Story, characters will be drawn to a section of the Stacks. Those inclined to resist will find themselves there anyway, through the shifts and changes inherent to the Library's structure. The Story manuscript will be laid out neatly on a side table, its pages lit by a faint aura that draws focus and beckons insistently to the Editors. Touching it will bring them into the Story.
Characters can either voluntarily touch the Story to enter it, or the Librarian will eventually sweep them in. Regardless of how long it takes them to enter, everyone will arrive at the same point in time.
When: November 14- November 27
Where: Woodhurst (UK) and the SS Radiance (in space!), 2019
Content warnings: Please tag warnings in comment headers!

In Woodhurst

It’s another Monday morning in Woodhurst, and as is often the case for the United Kingdom in the fall, it is raining. It is, all in all, a rather typical Monday morning. People shuffle off to work, dropping by the various cafes and shops for their morning caffeine. Polite (if meaningless) greetings are exchanged, vague comments about the weather are made. Heads down, trudging along, just keeping things going.

By midday, it’s clear that this Monday is a little bit… different. There are some people who seem especially cheerful and helpful. Perhaps you’ve just been served a free upsize of your morning coffee. Or a stranger held an umbrella up for you. People keep talking about the benefits of yoga? And it’s not just a bunch of people seeming to be having an especially good day and paying it forward (that would be strange enough). Some of your friends and loved ones aren’t acting like themselves, aside from being remarkably cheerful. They don’t seem to remember basic things, don’t know their normal rituals, and are generally just very off. You think one of them might have blinked sideways? Whatever it is that’s happened, it doesn’t seem right.

As for those ‘friends and loved ones’… The novices from the Interstellar Group are largely inexperienced with such a thing as covert operations. Fresh off the ship and with no frame of reference, their human disguises may have a few significant flaws.

However many fingers it is they have, they’re keen to help - perhaps a little too much so. Whatever it takes to make these human lives easier, whatever they can do to help them relax - the Group are on it! Hopefully they’ll catch on quietly.


On the IMW Group Supply Ship: Radiance

No plan survives contact with the enemy, is how the saying goes. But within the Interstellar Mindfulness & Wellness Group, the concept is usually applied to patients. Patients are, almost entirely across the board, unpredictable creatures - and while the science behind wellness is robust, there’s simply too much individual variation for a standardised approach. That being said, this particular plan seems to be going… rather more poorly than expected. It starts to break down once the word ‘kidnapping’ is brought up. It’s such an ugly word to use. The Group tries to avoid it. But in some of these cases, the humans need the Group’s own facilities! The idea was to convince the humans to follow them to a very not suspicious space capsule, or to get them to touch this particularly strange teleportation device, and they’d be on their way to recovery. However, most if not all the humans seem to be reacting… quite negatively to that. It’s almost like they don’t understand that this is for their benefit!

The ship is very nice, and perfectly designed to relax and comfort (--for the species the Group are familiar with, at least). Soothing music plays along the spaceship’s halls, which are lit in a soft violet glow. Potted plants are artfully displayed, though none of them are recognisable as any species found on Earth. For those with a sensitive nose, the flowers give off a bright, delicate scent; not unlike that of lavender and lemon myrtle. An entire stretch of glass is dedicated to the view outside, the Earth looking so serene from this distance; stars shining in the space around it.

For those Aliens aboard the mothership, maybe you’re delivering this hour’s yoga session. Maybe you’re leading a group chant or meditation. Are you perhaps talking humans into resting in the healing spa, or - for those so inclined - are you delving deeper, forming a connection, and really getting to know these humans? For the humans… well, at least the spa looks really nice, right?

[Space Spa Features:
Yoga - you’ve been herded into a room where a flexible alien encourages you to breathe deeply; holding it in your stomach and feeling your heart beat before letting it out in a big sigh. The routine is not very different to yoga on Earth, except… well, if you can’t find your proboscis, maybe that particular pose won’t work for you.
Sauna - the heat promotes circulation, but the temperature in here seems to be a little off.
Spa - you know what a spa is. Or, you thought you did. It looks like the aliens aren’t quite on the same page. Where there would normally be cucumbers, there’s a strange pink fruit. Where you’d expect water, there’s… a viscous fluid, gently rotating through a myriad of colours, that seems to soften and soothe your muscles as you soak in it.
And Others - the aliens have no shortage of remedies for what ails you! Since this is their first time experiencing humans, results may vary.]


Optional prompts (player-run):
An alien adrift, unsure what task to complete? Seek guidance from your leader.

In Woodhurst, unnerved and skeptical? Drop in at your local seedy bookshop to chat with some alien enthusiasts.

[Have a plan to drive the Story direction? Let us know, and we’ll add it to the list!

Info post can be found here.]

Comments

Nara' Sunvara | Reader

[aetherweaver]

I - In the Park

Nara'a's first realization that something is wrong is that he can't feel his ears and tail anymore. He turns around but - but no, he can't see anything behind him. He has no weaponry, he has no claws. Everything feels muffled and he feels disoriented and he stumbles to the nearest tree and leans against it.

His breath is a little shallow, as the last time he was shoved into an unfamiliar body comes flooding back to him. But there's no laughter, no creepy scenery... just greenery in what looks a little like a natural area in some kind of city. He breathes deep and tries to focus, but it's hard. He's trying to keep himself calm, but to all onlookers who know what one is he might well like he's having a panic attack.


II - Around Town

He's decided to adopt the persona of a confused tourist, which isn't terribly far from the truth. He's learned there are trains, so he goes and looks at them - only to wince slightly at how loud they are. He's not been on a train very often so it's always a surprise.

Taking some time he looks in his pockets and finds a few pieces of paper that look like some kind of scrip, and so he heads to a coffee shop. He buys a tea and sits in the corner, watching people and trying to figure out how to blend in.

And at night he's wandering around town, looking at what shops are open and which ones aren't, trying to find any kind of rhyme or reason or theme to this place. It's quite large compared to the villages he's used to, but maybe that's typical in whatever world they've been brought to?


III - On the Ship

... He's been aboard a ship before - several kinds, actually. Water, air, and space alike. That said he's not familiar with this kind of ship. It's quite large, and he's exploring. Or trying to - he keeps running into doors that don't open for him because he doesn't have the right credentials.

But if he has to go along with things for now he will. Yoga is... not quite what he's looking for, but he has no problem sitting in the sauna. Is it too hot for most people? He grew up in a desert, the sweat is normal for him. The spa is a little weird, but he's trying to keep himself busy... despite the fact that the soothing of his muscles is very weird for him.

If he's not busy somewhere else, he's wandering the ship - or looking out at the Earth, peacefully trying to get his bearings with his entirely unpeaceful mood.


Wildcard

[Hit me up on either Discord or Plurk if you have any other prompts you'd like to run with me!]

I

[ultimateedgehog]

Why, the park just happens to be where edgy teens hang out!

The edgiest of them all - in his cool alien tee, fluff-lined jacket, and leather wrist cuffs. and the safety gear he's been mandated to wear by a plucky 16 year old. - would be blind to not see the stranger hanging out under the tree nearby. Sliding to a stop on the half-pipe, Shadow stills for a moment, watching him.

The stranger doesn't seem to be getting any better. In fact, it looks like he's having trouble breathing. With a frown, Shadow skates to the edge of the concrete foundation of the ramps - as close as he can get to the treeline without stepping on the grass.

"Hey." He calls out, deep voice ringing clearly. He's less than a couple of metres away. He'll cross that distance if it gets any worse. "You okay?"

[aetherweaver]

He looks over and... uh? Okay. He doesn't get 'edginess' despite being a reaper but the appearance isn't the point at the moment. he takes another breath and tries standing up. "Sorry. I um... I'm very lost right now."

Panicking is an appropriate reaction to being lost, isn't it? "I just got here and - sorry, I must look kind of insane to you at the moment."

[ultimateedgehog]

He nods in answer, because Shadow's never been one to lie or give false assurances. But while he's in agreement that the guy looks insane, Shadow also doesn't seem put off by it; folding his arms and staying put where he is.

"It's a small town. What are you looking for?" The teen's gaze is sharp and attentive. Still ready to dart over if it looks like the stranger's going to collapse.

III

[shelloflight]

And here is an unfamiliar, moody hyur with hair so black the lights shine blue on it, leaning with one forearm against the window, looking out over Earth, frowning, mouth pulled down into a carefully controlled tight-lipped expression. They're in jeans and boots and have a long coat on over it and they're clearly miserable.

She - something about the facial structure suggests she - looks up at the presence behind her and then back out.

"Got you too then?" she asks.

[aetherweaver]

He looks at her - he's reasonably certain this is a her? - and nods. "They did." He flicks his white hair to the side, honestly looking a little bit like an anime character considering the cut and color.

"... How are you doing?" His voice is soft, concerned. She looks like she's quite upset, which he can understand in this situation, but still...

[shelloflight]

“They aren’t letting me go home till I talk about my problems,” she says bitterly, scanning the globe for home. “Sent a bloody changeling to cover for my absence, thinking my folks won’t notice. Must be driving them mad.”

She shudders.

“And the ‘therapist’ can tell what I’m feeling so I can’t just make it up.”

II - Around Town

[aetherialshackles]

Also a reader and surprisingly in a small body for his kin... Erich comes in a very small size with strangely not bright eyes, but he's still recognizable enough. And if Naara is pretending to be a confused turist... Erich is one. As a fellow reader he remembers everything concerning the library but the 'story' he's visiting is as alien as one can imagine for someone who only saw two spaces so far.

The wonderful city of Amaurot and the prison-like facility of the Pandaemonium had little to offer compared to... this. There'a s lingering feeling of guilt as the Ancient wanders, he wishes his father and his friend had a chance to witness such a primitive yet lively settlement... but he's also enjoying the small things.

"Ah... my friend!"

It's almost surreal to look at the miqo'te from a same level but... "Look!"

He's holding up a cup of latte. A large one, too. It's something he never experienced before and while the taste is painfully too sweet for him... it's still something new. It's only after being close enough to the other that he lowers his voice, gently sipping through the straw and glancing around to make sure not too many are listneing.

"Do you... perhaps happen to know where we are?"

There's also an unasked 'and who changed our clothes' but he's been slapped in the story dressed up as a priest, there's still a long robe involved so he's not uncomfortable (yet)...

[aetherweaver]

Oh no. Did Ancients have coffee? It's never come up before, but it doesn't matter. He pats the seat next to him. It's not like there's any reason to talk with a table between them - it's not so crowded that they can't take up the space.

"... I do not know. We're in some sort of hyur town, so presumably we've been magicked some disguises. Why we are here, I don't really know."

He leans into Erich a little bit, closing his eyes. He feels so muffled right now... "Are you all right?"

[aetherialshackles]

They had tea, they had coffee, they had access to a lot of things- but Planetbucks-like drinks weren't exactly served in the Pandaemonium and the few times Erich traveled away from it he was working with Lahabrea so... fancy drinks weren't exactly an option either. But he sits down at the other's side without further comments on it before nodding.

"I can tell, in the library no one was, ah... my size. I think the locals call themselves hyuu-mans. I heard some young men complain about homework and say something on the lines of 'the prof can't expect twenty pages in one day, I'm only hyuu-man'..."

He blinks, staring in the other's direction and raising an eyebrow. Is is friend... tired? Not okay? He leans a bit closer, offering support- physical contact may not be a common thing for him, but that's just offering a shoulder to lean on...

"I felt overwhelmed at first, this place is quite different from anything I'm used to... but now I'm more interested in figuring out what we're dealing with. What about you? You seem... tired."

I

[scienceofthearcane]

Yes, it did look remarkably like a panic attack, and Viktor knew that you are not to touch someone who is caught up in one. He still had a gloved hand extended between them, just hovering there as he spoke calmly.

"If you keep making yourself hyperventilate, you'll be in real danger of making yourself pass out."

Viktor still looked to be the same person, but the way that he looked now was vastly different from the way that he had looked when he first met Nara'a. And while he fully remembered the library, there was no telling if Nara'a would.

[aetherweaver]

He looks up at Viktor's voice, trying to calm himself down. He takes the other's hand just to have a lifeline to hold onto, but... okay. Okay, he's fine. He's totally fine.

He's not fine.

"... Are you all right, Viktor? At least I'm not alone here."

[scienceofthearcane]

"Yes, I'm all right. Better than all right, really. But for it to stay that way, I can't go too far from my classroom."

Viktor jerked one thumb over his shoulder to indicate the large window overlooking the park. That would probably mean that he was as confined by borders as the back was.

"I might ask the same question of you, though. But you certainly don't look all right. Even missing your white fluffy ears, and I am assuming an equally fluffy tail"

II - Around town

[holiestlove]

Jonathan had been doing much the same, though if asked, he would claim he was visiting from Exeter. Hoping his home actually existed here. The normally white-haired Victorian was looking very different in the story. his natural dark hair returned and dressed in modern clothes and sunglasses.

So much about this place was weird and off-putting, yet he felt like he was almost home.

It was at night while walking with a cup of takeout tea that he came across Nara. Something about the way he was looking around had Harker looking at him with those curious blue eyes. His sunglasses were taken off when the sun went down. "Excuse me." The Englishman spoke as he moved to try to catch him. "I have a rather strange question for you."

[aetherweaver]

Nara'a stops and looks at the dark-haired man, his own white hair plastered to his face with some anxiety sweat. He blinks, getting ready to be a bit defensive if he has to, but... "Yes? What sort of question is it?"

He can always walk away if he feels awkward... but he probably won't.

[holiestlove]

Harker can see the anxiety all over the other, which only makes that feeling that this is another victim of the library grow stronger. He offers a sympathetic look before asking a little lower. "You are not from here, are you?" The phrasing was chosen in case he was speaking to a native.

He really did not want to be wrong and end up having to run.

II around town

[angel_of_baal]

Tsang's human costume is perfect. Or close enough. Beanie, hoodie, jeans, the whole thing, perfectly designed to fit in. Now, to test it by being In Public and Eavesdropping.

"Hello. I would like the daily beverage ration!" It says to the barista, who gives him a very flat stare. Oh no.

It fumbles. "The beverage? The," wait, what was 'coffee' again? "The filtered bean soup?"

[aetherweaver]

Oh. Oh, no. That looks vaguely like someone he knows, but either way the man clearly needs help. "... Coffee." Nara'a speaks up, walking up next to Tsang. "Sorry, they... grew up speaking another language." Close enough, probably. "I'll pay."

It's eating into his money supply, but he's doing his best. "Here." He pays for the coffee and looks up at the tall... man? Person? He has no idea. Anyway. "... Come sit with me over there."

[angel_of_baal]

"Coffee!" Correct! That was the word for it. Tsang makes a convincing (?) laugh. "You can tell I need my daily ration!" See? A joke. That makes people fit in and emotionally regulate themselves!

"Thank you, friend, but there's no need!" It pulls out its bag of coins. "I have Optimized Local Currency!" You are getting paid back in Optimized Local Currency. Just...pick out whichever ones you need as it holds out a double handful of the coins.

III

[starandhope]

"It's really quite beautiful, isn't it?" Min'a asks from behind him as he's gazing out at Earth. "One of the prettier planets I've seen so far. Though I haven't been to very many yet."

She's cheerful, friendly - and obviously doesn't recognize Nara'a.

[aetherweaver]

He tries to not flinch at the sudden presence behind him and turns around, blinking. Hm. "I suppose so. I've seen some others... it's definitely one of the most full of life that I've seen."

Wait, did that - no, it's fine. Surely hyur know about other planets, yes?

[starandhope]

"Is it?" Min'a hums thoughtfully. "I only wish they took better care of themselves! But, that is why we're here. To help them do just that. I don't understand how one can live the way so many of them do, as though they don't realize that they only have the one life!"

Her antennae twitch a bit in indignation.

III

[codeswitchcraft]

SO WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO FIND THE ANGRY SCHOOLGIRL WITH A BOW AND ARROW? Because that is definitely a thing that you're going to find. There is 100% an angry young lady pointing a bow and arrow at you at this moment.

"Tell me where Michiko is and I won't shoot you."

[aetherweaver]

He stares at her and blinks. He doesn't raise his voice, just stares for a moment.

"I have no idea whom you're speaking of."

He can probably take a few arrows if he has to. Probably.

[codeswitchcraft]

"Michiko! She has short black hair and she's very smart and very boyish and she's been kidnapped by bodysnatchers!"

She fires an arrow off, but aimed to the side of his head. A warning arrow, if you will.