♪ 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

[vowlyball]

Since I win a lot more, duh! [Boktuo tried to fend Kuroo off, laughing to offset the rudeness of his words. He tried to reach back over to mess up Kuroo's hair, but at this point, it probably would only help tame it no matter what he did.

Though as usual, Kuroo did have a point. He paused slightly, crossing his arms over his chest, head tilted to the side in thought.]

It happens all the time right? In movies, video games, anime... Maybe this is just a spiritual training camp.

[nekohohoho]

You wish. [Although it is a fact that Fukurodani gets the better of Nekoma more often than pretty much any other team they play regularly. Still, Kuroo likes to think it's not that common.

He cocks an eyebrow at Bokuto's observation.] It happens all the time in fiction, maybe, but we're talking about real life. And there's no such thing as a spiritual training camp.

[vowlyball]

[Bokuto would only grin at that, but left that conversation in favor of the other, far more interesting, one.]

Sometimes real life is stranger than fiction!

[Said with the utter confidence of someone who had little idea or care of what he was talking about. Instead he crossed his arms over his chest, frowning slightly.]

What do you think all of this is then?

[nekohohoho]

Do you actually think that explains anything, or are you just using that as an excuse to not have to try and make sense of anything? [Kuroo quirks an eyebrow at Bokuto.]

I haven't really decided what I think yet. I want to figure out what's going on, but I don't even know where to start with that. And I don't think we can afford to have no clue what's happening.

[vowlyball]

Hm... [Bokuto closed his eyes, tucking one hand under his chin thoughtfully, before opening his eyes a few moments later, grinning slightly at Kuroo.] Both.

[Because seriously do people actually come to Bokuto for deep reasoning? If so, hopefully they were redirected to the smarter people in the group quickly enough.

But if Kuroo was struggling, well...]

We could try asking around. Maybe whoever brought us here is still hanging around.

[nekohohoho]

[Kuroo just rolls his eyes. Bokuto's one of his best friends - Kenma obviously being the other - and he loves his dumb owl, but when it comes to figuring out mysteries, Bokuto is frankly garbage. Kuroo's not going to get any more insight talking to Bokuto about this than he would talking out loud to himself.

He's good at doing things, though. No wonder his suggestion is to go do something.]

We could, but it probably wouldn't do any good. [Kuroo says this a touch absently, eyeing the tree.] Everybody I've talked to so far seems as clueless as we are, or at least they claim to be. If any of them are responsible for this and are lying to us, I don't know how we'd be able to tell. And if whoever brought us here was willing and able to explain what's going on to us, why wouldn't they do it as soon as we showed up?

Think we're on our own as far as figuring this out goes, Bo.

[vowlyball]

[Normally, Bokuto would insist they go ask everyone anyway, but Kuroo was on par with him when it came to reading people ( perhaps he was a little better, not that Bokuto would ever admit it ). If Kuroo couldn't tell, Bokuto wouldn't be able to.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair, glancing up at his friend, calmer and more focused.]

Have you done any exploring? Some places around here feel... off.

[nekohohoho]

I've done some, yeah. [Kuroo frowns.] Do you mean more off than just, you know...being totally unfamiliar and probably not even in the right country?

[vowlyball]

Yeah.

[He crossed his arms over his chest, tipping his head back to squint up at the sky.]

I went running first thing this morning and after a while everything started to seem less... real. [It was hard to make sense of it, to put into words the oddness of the whole situation, and Bokuto sighed in frustration, frowning.] And then no matter how long I ran, I just ended up back here! Talk about frustrating!

[nekohohoho]

[Kuroo turns his gaze on the horizon, eyes narrowed slightly.]

You mean we can't leave? [He hasn't seen Domina yet, assuming Iwaizumi's even activated it yet at this point in time.]

[vowlyball]

[Assuming that he hadn't activated it yet, honestly.

At that, Bokuto shrugged, instead nudging Kuroo's shoulder with is own, grinning.]

Who knows? So it means we should make the most of this treehouse!

[nekohohoho]

[Nothing worries Bokuto. Or, at least, nothing worries him until right up until his fears and doubts crush him like an empty pop can; it's a testament to Bokuto's resilience that he naturally comes back from such things so easily. And a testament to Akaashi's wisdom and experience that he knows how to best speed that process along.

Kuroo knows that his concerns are exceptionally valid and critical right now. But to curb Bokuto's enthusiasm and impress the gravity of the situation on him would probably send him into a spiral of blackest depression, which - while occasionally inevitable - is never a state any of the people who care about this dumb owl want to see him in, much less deliberately cause. And supposing Bokuto sobered up and took the situation seriously - what then? Kuroo doesn't have a specific plan of attack, any ideas to implement. Not yet. There's nothing concrete to redirect Bokuto's energy towards.

So instead, Kuroo shoves aside his own concerns and grins back at Bokuto. Right now, it makes more sense to join Bokuto on his side of the net than to try and drag him over to Kuroo's.]

And just what did you have in mind for that~?

[vowlyball]

[Sometimes it was wiser to relinquish control than try to fight against the current of things, and there was no use in working himself up in a frenzy over being here when it hadn't turned out to be a bad place.

Bokuto grinned right back, glad that Kuroo was coming around to his way of thinking, resting an arm against his shoulder.]

I was thinking of building a court! We have enough people here to do matches. It'll be fun!

[nekohohoho]

Not a bad plan, but a little ambitious for us just having arrived. Picking out a good spot won't be hard, but getting the materials and the manpower might be. [Kuroo folds his arms thoughtfully over his chest.] I mean, we've got a number of players around, but consider that most of them are gonna be too preoccupied with our situation to worry about volleyball right away.

Plus the materials may cost money. And while there was what I assume is this place's currency in my room, we might have to save that for necessities until we figure out how to get more. [He glances sidelong at Bokuto.] Sorry, bro, but we have to be at least a little practical.

[vowlyball]

[Gdi Kuroo and Akaashi really needed to stop hanging out together. While Bokuto had it together enough not to cry out in anguished despair, it didn't stop him from making pained noises with every logical blow Kuroo landed on him. Not one to be defeated so soon, he feebly reached out, though it probably wouldn't take much more to crush all his enthusiasm.]

It would just be nice! A lot of people are probably scared and afraid, and having a fun game from home to play might put them more at ease.

[A small, pained paused as he tried to fend off some of Kuroo's other arguments.]

Maybe we could start up a fund? Just put a little aside for now? If everyone works together we could have it in no time.

[nekohohoho]

Hey, I never said we wouldn't get it done. [Kuroo claps a hand on his shoulder. He can't read Bokuto as well as Akaashi, but he's not entirely oblivious to his moods, either.] You know that's going to be high priority for all of us, if we're here for any length of time. But how about we get dinner first? And then we can look into getting supplies.

[Kuroo's hoping that the prospect of food will cheer Bokuto back up from not immediately trying to launch into building a court with no supplies or planning.

He pauses, then, squinting up at the sky.] ...at least, dinner would've been the right meal at home. It feels like it's more like breakfast time here...

[vowlyball]

[Food was always the correct answer, and while not 'yell from the tops of the branches' exuberant anymore, Bokuto did perk up at the mention of it.]

Dinner or breakfast sounds good. But where are we going to get any?

[He hadn't seen any convenience stores around during his run, and it looked like the kitchen had been empty.]

[nekohohoho]

Not sure yet. Which means we've got some more looking around to do, right? [Kuroo claps Bokuto's shoulder.] C'mon, there's gotta be something.

[vowlyball]

Yeah... They wouldn't leave us here to starve...

[Though it sounded a bit down, Bokuto was picking himself back up, crossing his arms over his chest.]

You don't have any food on you?

[He knows you have a stash to bribe people with, Kuroo. Don't be holding out on him.]

[nekohohoho]

What, do you think I carry taiyaki around in my pockets? [Kuroo laughs.] It's ice cream, birdbrain. I need to at least be somewhere close to a freezer.

Maybe we'll have to live off the land. Cats and owls are supposed to be great hunters, right? We could catch food for everybody. [Does Kuroo genuinely believe this is a thing that will happen, or is even a feasible possibility? Not really. Does he think it'll fire Bokuto's imagination and give him an idea to keep himself occupied with while they look for a better solution? Absolutely.]

[vowlyball]

Urk! But having some would be so good right now.

[Bokuto was just going to shake his fist a little and whine, as if he expected with just that small display of displeasure ice cream would start raining from the sky.

He did perk up at the thought of catching food for everyone. Wow Kuroo, you know him too well.]

Of course we could! We could at least find fruits or berries or plants that are edible!

[He paused, shooting Kuroo a sly look.]

I bet my money stash I can find more than you.

[Because what's the point of having money lying around if there's nothing to buy? Bokuto logic.]

[nekohohoho]

I know, I know. But hey, so long as this world has milk and ice and dough and oil, maybe we can make our own eventually. But we can stick to the basics for now.

[Kuroo's eyes glint at the challenge.] Only if you get Akaashi to be the judge. No pulling technicalities that you can chew bark so in theory it's food.

[vowlyball]

Fine, the basics.

[Bokuto didn't sound too thrilled about it, but he could agree to the point if Kuroo said it.

As for having Akaashi judge, Bokuto pouted slightly, crossing his arms over his chest.]

I wouldn't! [He totally would.] But fine, I'll ask Akaashi. So I don't want to hear you crying later when you lose.

[nekohohoho]

[Kuroo knows you too well, Bokuto. Probably because you've gotten him with these kinds of underhanded tactics before.]

Also, no poaching something I've already found. [Bokuto's fast hands have robbed Kuroo of meat, and probably many other things. Kuroo's taking no chances.] Do your own work~.

[vowlyball]

[Holy shit Kuroo have some faith in your bro.

Bokuto was just going to slouch over as if that accusation weighed heavily on him, pouting.]

I wouldn't cheat in a competition!

[Mostly because Akaashi would call him out on it faster than Kuroo, and look, he had sportsmanship when it came to these things. Meat, however, was a war and a battle where no one was a friend.]

And no getting outside help! It's just a competition between us! No tricks!