prismaticrap | ▶ TDM .017

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You awaken amidst the darkness with only a faint light to greet you. Your body is hemmed in by shards of crystals, gently sparkling and possibly pricking your skin. The surrounding landscape is dyed in the pinks and purples of the dusk filled with crystals protruding from the ground, some as large as a skyscraper. After an hour or two of wandering through the crystal wilderness, a group of people find you worse for wear. They are the gallant Moon Knights from the planet of Prismatica. Because of the strange phenomena during the past months when scientists observed the sudden appearance of rainbow crystals in the sky, the government has been feverishly combing through the moon for more Moonblessed to be rescued. You’ll eventually be brought into Iris’s moon government center.

You all may have your usual inquiries — Where are we? Who are you? What's going on? — and the Prismals are almost too eager to answer. They tell you about their world and about the first appearance of the Moonblessed as the medical staff give you an examination to make sure you’re not carrying any viruses or biological hazards. If you react violently, you may be restrained and nerfed with a specialized neurotransmitting gun that releases a numbing agent through the top of your spine. Once the examinations are over, you’re informed that you will be provided accommodations on their planet during your stay. You will then be escorted to the docks, and led onto a large transport vessel that makes frequent trips back and forth between the Iris moon and the planet. Faces onboard vary from both old and new Moonblessed as well as the local Prismals.

The next destination: Prismatica.

▶ Welcome to the Jungle
07/08 - 07/15 | Iris Moon, Government Center (Arrival) and Planet Prismatica, City of Lunatia | top

Welcome to Prismatica’s hub, Lunatia, the city of your dreams! A bustling metropolis lush with bright lights, vibrant colors, luxuriant plant life, and all the conveniences of technology absent from your own world… It seems like paradise to all the uninitiated. After a quick tour of the city, new arrivals can find themselves getting cozy in their new homes.

A Settle in your new home at Level 2 to find new roommates and say hello to your neighbors! City officials will give you directions to the designated districts across Level 2 and instruct you to pick out a unit. Each apartment complex has a different aesthetic, some may look cozy, some stylish, and some bizarre. The free accommodations have a basic living space that can only fit two or three people at most in one unit.

Starter Chromaspace furnishings are provided which can be controlled with the touch of a built-in panel. Examples are color-changing curtains, transforming sofa beds, cabinets turning into tables, etc. Customizing your apartment or moving out will have to wait until you earn more chroma. Until then, why don’t you check out your new neighborhood or explore the city levels? Maybe your new roommates or neighbors can give you a “hand” with allowance for dinner.

▶ You’re as Cold as Ice
07/08 - 07/15 | Level 2, Crystal Beach | top

Summer strikes Lunatia with record high temperatures as the city is wracked by an unnatural heatwave. Residents will feel the burn the moment they head outdoors, kissing their skin pink as it drenches them in sweat. For a hot and sticky day like this, it's the perfect time to head to Crystal Beach for a refreshing dip in the water. All sorts of new stands have popped up by the shore, selling icy treats and frozen cocktails.

The morning news recommends befriending those blessed by Cordis, who can keep people cool with their magic touch. They also warn of overheating machinery and electronics! Establishments and residences may end up dealing with broken air-modulating units if they use them too much.

Having cleared their names, Suzaku and Kaya of former *BTSB fame have decided to reform as a rock band duo called The Nine Tails after leaving their boyband roots. They will be performing their most chill new summer jam, “Fox Girl Summer,” while incorporating Cordis magic of their own to keep the listeners feeling cool and refreshed.

B Those listening to Kaya and Suzaku’s summer anthem might find their beats too chill to relax and party to. And by that, we mean literally. Ice may start to form around the limbs of happy local beachgoers, filling them with unfortunate shivers that will send them running into the arms of another Prismal to thaw. Even more troubling is that some portions of the oceanfront may also start to freeze, trapping some unsuspecting swimmers inside and leaving them in need of rescue. If anyone goes unnoticed, a Prismal lifeguard will be quick to rescue them.

In a panic, Kaya winks at Suzaku, who reassures his worried partner and ends their performance by summoning a mighty phoenix above the stage. Of course, it is only an illusion for the audience as Kaya thaws the partygoers and the ocean with his magic. Suzaku might have gotten carried away with their debut...

▶ Boom, Badoom, Boom, You Got that Super Bass
07/08 - 07/15 | top

The heated beach waters have brought a large onslaught of aggressive super bass close to the shore. Needless to say, the boys with the booming system were not ready for the sudden and alarming increase in population of this particular fish. In response, the beach committee is hosting a fishing competition to see who can catch the largest super bass. They will be providing extremely durable fishing gear and sufficient bait to all worthy competitors, so come to the Crystal Pier with your best fishing know-how and try and break a record or two!

Due to the competition, job openings for lifeguards have become available. Their main task is to keep an eye on participants and the audience. They should be ready to pull them out in case they have trouble swimming back to the pier. Lifeguards will be provided official beach committee high-tech swimsuits (in the form of tankinis and speedos of your choice) that enhance their performance by allowing them to swim faster and breathe more easily underwater. In the dark ocean depths, they glow with patterns easily recognizable to the Prismal eye. They also accentuate the Moonblesseds’ assets very nicely.

C Although they are no different from sea bass in appearance, super bass are known for their monstrous strength and penchant for mischief. They like to fly in the air and slap whoever tries to catch them and their fellow fish with their tail fins. You think you like them better when they dolo? Think again. These fish will purposely grab a hold of something eye-catching such as rainbow-colored sea pearl or other treasures from the ocean and pull the unsuspecting fishers into the watery depths.

▶ Put on Your Red Shoes and Dance the Blues
07/08 - 07/23 | City of Amegahara | top

The city of Amegahara is in preparation for the annual Vulpus Astra Celebration which is coming up in a few weeks. This year is special as the foxes of Amegahara have never celebrated this occasion with the dragons of Lyestellus, making it the first time all three cities in the alliance will be celebrating together. This is all thanks to the Moonblessed, who not only healed their lands but also brought the Prismals closer.

And so for this special year, the upcoming event promises to be an even larger and more extravagant affair. In order to address the extremely high demand for traditional dress and other materials needed for the celebration, many job openings become available in Amegahara. Among these are tailors, glassblowers, florists, and dancers.

D The tailors will be sewing traditional clothes, such as lovely-patterned yukata, kimono, haori, and obi. Glassblowers will create pearl glass plates, cups, and trinkets such as hair accessories and festive souvenirs. Florists will be heading to work at Inari Highway’s greenhouses, caring for flowers and putting together flower crowns, colorful bouquets, and floral arrangements to use for street and interior decorations. It is encouraged to make use of pearl glass vases!

Lastly, dancers will be auditioning for a group of strict Amegaharan foxes who will not shy away from hurling insults if you underperform. The traditional Amegaharan dance features many layers of intricate fan work that is difficult to master, or dancers can choose to take part in the more uproarious Amegaharan drum dance. Be prepared for long and grueling rehearsals after passing auditions, where you will be forced to partner up with one another to bend each other’s bodies as flexibly as it could then dance until every single person in the room has the movements and timings memorized perfectly. Moonlacing will keep one another from collapsing in exhaustion, but your bruised ego may require more tender care.

▶ Questions

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Michiru peers at his phone, noticing the Japanese. She's not trying to read his messages, exactly, but she still can't help but be curious.]

You mean "home" as in back in our world? If he's not here, there's no way he'll respond.

[She hates to burst his bubble if he's still in denial about it, but...]

Well I certainly didn't mean any place here. [Obviously.

The texts were simple and didn't say a lot, other than a few vague inquiries about location, where are you, etc. Joshua didn't mind her seeing them all that much, but he turned away regardless.

Upon her little declaration, though, Joshua wanted to correct her. Of course Sanae could receive his messages - he'd always been able to in the past, whenever Joshua recklessly ended up some place he wasn't supposed to be. But then, Joshua was still trying to maintain a low profile... and didn't want to elaborate.

So he pocketed his phone with a huff.]

I get the feeling he's ignoring me on purpose.

I really don't think that's the issue...

[Well, he's a weird guy who will probably just believe what he wants, regardless of what she says, so she won't argue. She points down the street.]

The cashier said to head this way, right? Let's go.

Maybe not, but reception shouldn't be the issue.

[Joshua followed her in relative silence as he mulled over his options. He hated the idea that he would have to start considering he might be more waylaid than he'd initially thought... that he'd have to actually entertain the idea of figuring out how to maintain a long term stay.

Before he knew it, they were approaching what he guessed must have been Michiru's apartment building. It certainly... was a building. Truth be told he'd rather sit on the roof all night than pretend to sleep on a cough, but he'd agreed to this little arrangement.]

... Last chance before you're stuck with me all night.

I want to help, and I'm not changing my mind.

[Besides, he was the one who agreed to this, didn't he? She opens the door, pulling off her shoes at the entrance. The inside has the sparse look of a new arrival who hasn't fully settled in yet, although there's a few personal effects like a basketball lying around, and a whistle and a pair of sunglasses on the table.

She immediately flops down onto the couch with a relieved sigh after all that getting lost, tearing into her snacks and opening the potato chips.]

There's not a lot here, but help yourself to drinks and stuff. The bathroom is over there. [She points to a door.] The other room is my room.

[Joshua followed suit, placing his sneakers next to hers. He discarded his empty coffee cup in the kitchen trash, following her over to the couch

Ignoring her brief little tour, Joshua simply leaned over the couch from behind, reaching into her bag and grabbing his own gummies from within.]

So... [And his language very deliberately switched over to speaking Japanese.] What part of Japan are you from? [He certainly didn't miss her reading his messages - or more importantly, being able to read his messages. And the shoes by the door did speak volumes. Also she was a tanuki, for crying out loud. This was still more of a guess than he typically dared to take, liking to be certain before making such assumptions, but if he was right, it would have some fun pay-off.]

[Her ears twitch at the sudden shift in language. Yet by contrast, she doesn't seem that caught offguard by his question-- she wasn't trying to be sneaky about looking at his phone, and she did say 'our world' in reference to him trying to get home. She finishes chomping a potato chip before answering in Japanese.]

Right now I live in Anima City. How about you?

[Ah. He was right. But it didn't sound like his Japan. He continued in Japanese, honestly more comfortable with it than the tongue this place seemed to force on him, even if it took more effort to speak.]

Hm... such a place doesn't exist in my world. But then, I've never met a tanuki girl in my world either.

I'm from Shibuya.

That makes sense, I guess.

[He didn't smell like a beastman, nor was he immediately hostile to her for being one, either. As usual, she jumped to conclusions, assuming they could be from the same Japan.]

I guess that's why you're so at home in a city, huh? [Even if where they met was more Shinjuku than Shibuya...] I'm a beastman. In my world, there are people who are part human and part animal.

Hah! I suppose. This place has some similarities to Shibuya, but they're superficial at best. It's certainly not Japan, and certainly not Tokyo.

You, on the other hand, must certainly be fitting in with all the Prismals here. They seem to vary, anywhere between all human and all animal, but a lot of them look like you. If I hadn't known any better, I would have mistaken you for one as well.

Yeah. It's actually kind of nice to fit in. Even if it's not the same as Anima City... I think maybe people here are happier.

[Sure, the world might be under threat, but the Moonblessed are helping, right? So most people, most of the time, presumably live safe and comfortable lives.]

[Joshua tilted his head to one side. Oops, he said something nice, didn't he? That wasn't intentional.

With a smirk, Joshua popped one of the peach rings into his mouth and stood back to his full height, deciding to change the subject.]

You know, I believe you offered up the couch to me, but here you are, hogging it. Maybe I should take the bed instead.

Oops! Sorry.

[She springs to her feet, and picks up the snacks, moving them onto the coffee table.]

I was so tired and hungry I forgot... I'll go get some blankets and a pillow. [He probably just said it to tease her, but she still wants to be a good host when she was the one who was so insistent in the first place, so she pads away toward the bedroom.]

[Joshua opened his mouth in mild surprise, intending to protest that there was no need, but she was already off.]

...

[He didn't get it. Even trying to probe at her thoughts hadn't revealed... anything, other than a genuine desire to help.

When she returned, he finally couldn't take it anymore, and asked.]

I don't know why you're helping me. Or, why you think you're helping me.

['You think you're helping me'? It reminds her a little of Nazuna's barbs, but she mentally shrugs it off, trying not to read too much into it.] We're both Moonblessed, right? Is it that weird to help one another?

[She has an armful of bedding, and starts by laying a sheet over the couch, then adding a pillow.]

It wouldn't be right to leave you out there on your own. Who knows what kind of creeps hang around there at night. [Lastly, the blanket goes on.]

[Joshua mulled over it for a moment, before narrowing his eyes at her with a cynical little smile. It was like the final puzzle piece had clicked into place.]

Now I get it.

This isn't for my benefit. This is for you to feel better about yourself.

[She steps back from the couch to admire her handiwork, and the accusation has her widening her eyes and regarding him with surprise, and then a frown. It's not the first time she's heard that before, but it doesn't make it any less hurtful.]

What?! It's not like that at all!

Please. You refused to actually believe me when I say I don't need a place to stay, choosing to build this little narrative about me in your head instead as some helpless kid, without knowing the first thing about me.

[Joshua sighed, and, with gentle grace, came around the other side of the couch, flopping onto the couch as if floating like a feather.]

Well, it's my fault for letting it happen.

[Her clawed hands ball into fists, and before she can even think through a measured response, she's already erupting into--] What am I supposed to do if you haven't told me anything?!

[The most she's gotten out of him is that he's from Shibuya, and he's waiting for someone. More than that, though, she feels annoyed, almost like he's been humouring her or stringing her along this whole time. She's even more annoyed that this isn't the first time she's heard this, and last time it was from her best friend, no less.

If a stranger is saying it too, is it really the truth? Does she really just force her view on people and make them play along?

She lets out a frustrated growl.] Fine! If getting help is so awful, leave any time you want!

[She snatches up her snacks (she's still hangry) and stalks off towards her room. What a jerk.]

I have no obligation to tell you my life's story.

[Oh he'd absolutely been humoring her and stringing her along this entire time.

With one hand, Joshua gave her a little wave to her as she stomped off, while popping another gummy into his mouth with the other hand.

He'd be there for a few hours more, messing with his phone or staring silently into space in thought. But by morning he would be gone, only the empty package of candies and the mussed pillows and sheets left behind.]

[She feels awful after that exchange, and for a while after flinging herself facedown on the bed and hugging her pillow, she just wants to cry. Does helping someone really make her such a terrible person? Why did he even choose to stay anyway? He was probably just doing it to make fun of her.

Eventually exhaustion catches up with her and she dozes off. In the morning when she pads back into the lounge, she's unsurprised to find the room empty.]

Jerk. [She mutters ineffectually, tossing the wrappers in the trash and getting ready to go about her day.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

▶ TDM .017

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timeskip to reaching michiru's place?

sounds good!

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