#{;closed starter}

[thehopcful]

@elxgantcaptain

The Never Realm. That's what this place was called, according to the locals. She'd heard rumors of course, about flying towards a certain star in the night sky, but to find that those rumors were true was incredible! The only thing that wasn't incredible about this was how much her wings still hurt, over two days since her arrival. Stretching them experimentally as she walked, she frowned at the lingering aches. So much for exploring more of the islands. She didn't want to risk pushing herself any more and causing an actual injury, so for now it seemed like she was just stuck wandering this island.

Or... perhaps not?

Hope came to a halt, as did her thoughts, as she emerged from the treeline to stand on the shore in full view of a huge ship. From the looks of it the crew was busy resupplying. This could end up working out in her favor- A way of getting to a different island and getting more information about this land from people with more experience. There was no harm in at least asking if she could gain passage on this ship.

"Hoy there!" She called out as she approached. With vibrant orange wings standing out like a blazing beacon against the greens and browns of the foliage behind her, she doubted she had gone entirely unnoticed, but still, it was more polite to call out instead of waltzing up unannounced.

[ofupland]

| @stringswoven gets a random lyric starter

{❀} "And baby, I'm so terrified of if you ever walk away..."

[dontquitonaccouname]

| putting the final touches on a gift beside @nuttyassquirrelshit

Joan shifted, ever so unsubtly, to rest her head against her husband's shoulder. Those tender, early-winter nights were cold. Colder, maybe, now that she didn't generate much body heat; he still felt just right against her, like it would be no trouble at all for him to house her cold feet between his ankles like he did last winter.

"I love you," she murmured into the crook of his neck like her lips might still brush lingering evidence of their change. "I wish I could give y'everythin' y'ever wanted." Her nose brushed the spot where her lips had just lingered, as if moving too far away from him would break the bubble of intimacy her lowered voice provided.

[eideticspider]

closed || @spiderbyhalf

She was still reeling from Dr. Sinclair's...ASTUTE observation when she met with Miguel for LUNCH. Bundled up a little in her white coat, she's pleased that the CHILL in the air accounted for the warm pink glow in her cheeks.

'Well it's OBVIOUS to everyone but you, Cindy. I think the reason you're having these FEELINGS is because you're...pardon the confusion, having FEELINGS.'

Her therapist hadn't looked at her unkindly or even with PITY. She thought she had detected a faint trace of amusement in her kind eyes as Cindy detailed her confusion--the fuzzy tingling she felt when she was around her best friend. How SAFE and HAPPY he made her feel and her anxiety that she could lose him as a FRIEND.

Dr. Sinclair just merely peered over the rims of her glasses and smiled. "You really wanted to PAY me to tell you what's so obvious? I don't know how I forget you were isolated for so long."

Cindy took a long sip of her hot apple cider, one hand in her coat pocket as she blinked in the beginning flurries in the air. Thanksgiving was coming up, as Miguel had just REMINDED her and she knew her plans were already set in stone.

"I don't...actually really do the THANKSGIVING dinner thing with my family. I mean, I did as a CHILD and then for the first year out of the bunker but now...?" Her cheeks warm again and she can't pass this off from the cold. She just offers up a wan chuckle. "I promise I'm not AVOIDING them so...don't think that I HATE my family. I just have better places to be."

She takes a bite of her croissant and shrugs her shoulders, dusting her fingers off immediately after setting the pastry back down. "Although it would be pretty FUNNY to bring you to dinner with my MOTHER again," she grinned, leaning her head back. "I just don't know if you'd enjoy or be interested in where I actually go instead. But it's really IMPORTANT to me."

[huntersoatharchive]

The silence of the Opera Epiclese was normally a welcome change from the otherwise bustling environment-- however, in this moment, Clorinde found the silence to be stifling for reasons unknown. Her feet took her to the steps leading up to the stage, and she briefly hesitated before ascending to the mostly vacant platform that overlooked the rows of seats reserved for patrons of the Opera. Lady Furina had spent many an hour entertaining her audience in various different forms of acting. Whether it was masquerading as an Archon, or participating in some sort of play, Clorinde fulfilled her duty of remaining by her side. She had sworn on the day that she was appointed as her bodyguard that she would fight to the bitter end for her, and as a result, she knew all too well the mannerisms of her charge. The person before her was ... familiar, yet different. It wasn't Furina, that much she could tell. Despite the similar looks, their physical tells and movements varied greatly. "... You're not Lady Furina," The Champion Duelist spoke lowly, caution etched into her features. "If that's the case, why do I feel as if I know you quite well?" @sinnersfinale

[musemuseum-a]

@diiisplxced | Ryker Maddox Muse: Astrix Pryce (Dove Cameron); stoner; she/her

"Pass the blunt, dude!" Green eyes tinged with red glance over at Ryker. "Don't be a hog."

[narukami-ogosho]

The whistle of a naginata’s blade slicing cleanly through the air disturbed the otherwise pristine silence of the grounds of Tenshukaku– though it was not uncommon for the clamor of training warriors to be heard throughout the confines of Inazuma City, Ei generally preferred to keep to herself in order to maintain her complete focus over her body’s movements. 

Distraction would cost you your life, after all. The battlefield was not a place to hesitate, nor was it a place to focus on anything but the opponent in front of you. In the flames of war, her signature naginata fit perfectly in the palm of her hands, and it functioned as an extension of her physical form rather than a weapon. 

A grimace crossed her features as she continued the motion of her swings, distracted only by sweat dripping into her eyes and causing a vicious sting. It was followed by a sharp breath as she brought her forearm to her face, sweat-slicked bangs sticking to her forehead. The huff of frustration that followed was uncharacteristic of her normal demeanor, but she found herself unable to care as she stepped closer to the wall in order to carefully lean her naginata against it. Muscles in her shoulders ached, and a calloused hand came up to rub at the tender flesh– now would be a better time than any to take a brief moment to regain her focus.

How long had she been here? The sun was well into the sky at this point, her violet eyes squinting in the blinding light as her pupils adjusted. It didn’t particularly matter, but… Ei found herself forcefully squashing the urge to leave in search of a certain pink-haired fox. @narukamiis

[lifexwithxcasey]

@delicatestm gets a starter for Derek Venturi from Casey McDonald

She couldn't stop herself from staring deeply into his eyes -- mesmerized by them for some reason. It wasn't like she hadn't looked into his eyes before. "Why are you staring at me like that?" she asked, maintaining her upwards glance.