♪ Our house ♪ in middle of this tree ♪ our house

[npcsofmana]

Who: Everyone
What: The first morning of an adventure begins.
Where: Home
When: Day 1
Other: Be courteous and warn for any of the usuals in your thread subject title if it gets to that point.




You wake up to a serene and idyllic morning.

Outside, a pleasant glow from the sun fills the room including the small crannies in which the beds are tucked. All windows have been latched close, but it's easy to see a gentle breeze ruffling the leaves of branches which loom overhead. Faintly, bird song can be heard from outside. In this place, it'd be a simple matter to close your eyes again and drift back to sleep.

There's simply one problem: this is not where you last went to sleep.

Waking up properly will display not only how the picturesque and cozy little room stands out in stark contrast to where you should be, but that you are sharing this space with someone else. Depending on things, they might be very mundane or very... unusual. Either way, they seem just as bewildered as you are. The good news is that at least all the things you immediately had on you at the time are right nearby the foot of your bed along with what seems like a small gift- a small pouch of some sort of coin. (500 Lucre, although that might not be immediately realized anytime soon.)

Exploring the rest of the house shows it to be otherwise quite empty, except for some writing utensils and paper in what appears to be the study along with basic kitchen tools in, well, the kitchen. There's no food, however, and no decoration. Venturing outside onto the grounds reveals an expansive but not particularly well tended estate including another building that is fairly run down. Attempting to venture down the path from the front door out into the world reveals... well. Nothing. It's a fruitless endeavor.

However, not for long.

Hajime Iwaizumi will be the one to find what appear to be a few discarded children's toy blocks. The Colorblocks immediately seem off in some way, strange even as they should seem inconspicuous. Something about them will compel him to pick them up. The nature of this apparent toy will not be obvious until he ventures near the edge of Home himself. A sound, almost like distant bellchimes, will start to emit from the Colorblocks.

When exposed to the air, suddenly they emit a glow and shoot off into the sky with all the brilliance of a falling star. Its trail is both noticeable and easy to follow, curving an arc through the sky until it falls some distance away... and its impact bursts an aurora of colors through the distant and dimmer sky, encircling the site. As the whirlwind of color fades, what appears to be a town can be just made out...

That is the town of Domina.


Some OOC notes:
➸ Prior to the activation of the Colorblocks, the only books which will be filled out in the Study will be "Artifacts" and "Visitors".
➸ After Domina has been unlocked and some characters have explored the town, "People" and "Locations" will be filled out in the Study as well.
➸ To see who your character is initially rooming with, check the Home page. These rooming assignments are not permanent or mandatory by any means, and characters can change them whenever. Officially letting me know will be present and explained in the next mod post coming in a week's time, but for now we can play it relaxed and loose. Just don't burn down the tree in the meantime.

Comments

[controlledfajing]

I promise I won't, Tsukishima-san!

[ The way his eyes gloss over didn't go unnoticed. She slipped off the glasses and handed it back to him with a smile. ]

Well, until you have your sports pair with you, keep these on. I can go a little bit longer without them.

[ Though, this meant that she'd stay by him until he actually got them. ]

[itsjustanaccount]

Thanks.

[Even just momentarily, it felt weird to be without his glasses. Slipping them back on, he nods in the direction of the tree.]

I just need to get them out of my bag. Do you want to wait here?

[It'll only take a couple of minutes, after all, so long as one of the many people floundering about doesn't get in his way.]

[controlledfajing]

I'll go with you! Besides, it'll be better to familiarize myself with this place.

[ There was a pause before she added, ]

Your bag got transported with you too? You're really lucky to have some things from home with you.

[itsjustanaccount]

I was heading to a volleyball match, so I guess it's not that surprising.

[Although waking up in bed again when he'd just done that an hour ago had certainly thrown him off... He starts to head up the path, keeping an eye on her to make sure nothing happens.]

Where were you?

[controlledfajing]

In my bed. Took off my contacts after I came back from work and crashed right into bed.

[ She kept in pace with him. Thankfully her eyesight wasn't that bad that she couldn't tell if she was walking into things. ]

Volleyball match? I would've thought you played basketball with your height.

[ That was a compliment, really. At least, to her it was. ]

[itsjustanaccount]

[Fortunately for her, she’s not the first person who’s said that kind of thing to him.]

I’ve had people from the basketball clubs try to get me to join… but I’m not really interested in that kind of thing.

[Despite everything he says, after all, he really does enjoy volleyball.]

Where were you working?

[controlledfajing]

Oh, it's Rakurakuken--it's a restaurant. I'm one of their delivery people.

[ The thought of the shift she had before arriving here made her head spin. Sometimes, she really hated work. Somewhat hastily, I-Pin changed the subject. ]

A-anyway, what made you interested in volleyball?

[itsjustanaccount]

[Well, that's an abrupt change, but alright. He pauses at the top of the path, making sure there's no one running around- or that he knows- before heading to the front door.]

Ah... No reason. [Just a small white lie, there.] It was just something to do... But lately it looks like my team has been doing better than expected.

[controlledfajing]

[ She walked a few paces ahead of him and held the door open. ]

So, you started playing it... because you were bored?

[itsjustanaccount]

Basically. Ah, thanks-

[He steps through, waiting for her to join him before going for the stairs.]

I'm up on the third floor.

[controlledfajing]

But, don't you think that's--

[ She closed the door behind her, and followed him up the stairs. ]

--a little unfair to your team? If they're giving it their all, shouldn't you too?

[itsjustanaccount]

[A few months ago, and he’d have given her an answer about how it’s just a hobby and no one should expect too much out of it. Right now, however… He thinks over it as they ascend up the stairs.]

...If you’ll believe it, I don’t think anyone on my team is doing it for the rest of the team’s sake, exactly. We all work together just fine, because it’s a team sport, but no one puts their all into it because of the team.

[controlledfajing]

Huh... Well, that's...

[ There was no word she could use to describe it. It certainly didn't sound fun. ]

So, it's kind of like you guys are playing individually but just with other people around.

[itsjustanaccount]

Kind of.

[Yeah, he knows. It sounds weird as hell. With him, it was understandable, but even taking him out of the equation…]

But it’s how our team works best. Everyone seems to work for their own pride in their particular position: libero, ace, setter… Whichever. Then they bring it to the team.

[He pauses to make sure he’s on the right floor before he starts to head down the hall.]

Even one of the players who used to be unable to do anything without this one particular setter- he’s been practicing so that he’s not so reliant on someone else’s skill too.

[controlledfajing]

Hm, I guess I kind of get it. So, you all bring your valuable assets to the team, and it works out. I never thought of volleyball other than a teamwork sport. It still sounds a little off, though.

[ Though, hearing his explanation, it made her smile. ]

Are you sure you play volleyball just because it was something to do?

[itsjustanaccount]

You can definitely see a difference between us and teams that are more well rounded...

[At her question, however, he stops in front of his door and raises an eyebrow at her.]

What makes you think otherwise?

[controlledfajing]

But, you did say your team was getting better, right?

[ She shrugged, peeking glances at the other rooms on the floor. ]

You were just talking about it--with a lot of detail too! I just think that, if you really didn't care about it, you wouldn't have bothered to explain. And you'd definitely not be as observant of your teammates like you are.

[itsjustanaccount]

Yeah... Our captain seems pleased with us first years, at any rate.

[Team Dad Daichi, so proud and reliable]

[The observation is actually a good one, a little bit too good, and Tsukishima is falling back into old habits without even having to think twice.]

Ah, do you think so? It's just a habit from watching people, so I don't think it's anything special. Here, I should be able to find my sports glasses just fine now that we're actually here.

[He hands her his glasses with one hand, even as he's opening the door with his other one.]

[controlledfajing]

[ His sudden subject change took her by surprise, that she fumbled with the glasses for a good second. As she placed them on, the pair slowly but surely slipping to the bridge of her nose, she blinked a few times as she followed Tsukishima inside. ]

Thank you again, Tsukishima-san; I really owe you one. Here, I'll help you until you find them!

[ She beamed up at him, as she waited for him to enter. It was obvious she didn't know when to take a hint. ]

Ah, but, anyway, I don't think it's just a habit. I mean, you could just observe them and think nothing of it. But, the fact that you read into it, must mean you care more than you let on.

[itsjustanaccount]

The case should be in my sports bag. It won't be hard to find.

[After all, those kind of bags aren't exactly meant to be easily lost. Going inside first means his back is to her, which means that she can't see the slight way he frowns.]

[He thought he'd managed to distract her, too.]

That sounds a bit like you're reading too much into it, if you don't mind me saying...

[Because yeah that's what's up here.]</small

[controlledfajing]

Okay, I just want to make sure you have them! I'd feel terrible if I took your only pair!

[ She hummed, pushing up her newly obtained glasses. ]

Maybe I am. I mean, I just met you today. Well, anyway, it's just the impression you gave me.

[itsjustanaccount]

Unless someone has stolen them, they should be here.

[He keeps to himself that he wouldn't have offered if he only had one pair. Instead, he just carefully moves throughout the room, squinting something fierce.]

Well, it looks like we might be stuck here for a while. I guess we'll be getting to know each other more just by proximity.

[controlledfajing]

[ Ah, the glare-squint face was something I-Pin was all too accustomed to. She glanced around the room, more than happy to have most of her vision back, until--aha! Walking over to the duffel bag, she picked it up and handed it to him. ]

Is it this one?

[ She nodded, and remembered one of the other people she met. ]

Well, if you want, Bokuto-senpai--oh, that's someone I met earlier--and I are going to try to play volleyball here. I mean, once all our general necessities are in order. Maybe you could join us?

[itsjustanaccount]

Thanks.

[Taking the bag, he crouches down and starts to go through it. His hands pause, however, at the name she mentions.]

...I already know Bokuto-san. I guess it’s not surprising that he’s trying to start something up already...

[Seriously, how do people have that much energy? Tsukishima can’t understand it.]

[controlledfajing]

[ The slight disdain in his voice flew over her head. ]

So, why don't you join us? Bokuto-senpai is going to try teach me volleyball in exchange for some self-defense classes. I could teach you too, if you'd like, Tsukishima-san.