madduck: (mad duck)
mukkuru ([personal profile] madduck) wrote in [community profile] fourside2025-09-01 12:35 am
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[3.8★] "Too much water" — Yelp Reviewer

 
THE OCEANARIUM
It's like a fish tank, but bigger.

The sea is a vast expanse of water that covers 70% of our planet Earth. It is also home to various marine life that dwell within the very depths. Then one day, someone decided to bring the ocean to the surface for Reasons. So now everyone gets the chance to see all sorts of seafaring creatures — man-eating sharks, living fossils, and whatever horrors found deep in the ocean trenches all safely confined inside these oversized aquariums.

Somehow, your character got their hands on some tickets. So why not dive right in and spend some of that free time to hang out with the fishes? Learn something about the ocean, pet a cute penguin, or even plot to free a killer whale. It'll be an experience they won't forget.

➤ What is this?

This is just an open RP post with a sandbox-like setting. While there's some scenarios premade for your roleplaying needs, you can mess around with it as much or as little as you want. Feel free to use it for voicetesting, create cross-canon shenanigans, or develop a ship even further. You can carry the story over to your musebox if you'd like too. And you can re-use this post as many times as you'd like (until it hits the comment limit.) So bring your blorbos, your originals, your AUs, your friends and your friends' friends along for the fun!

➤ How to play:
  • Comment with your character's name and series in the subject.
  • Follow it up with a starter, and state your preferences too.
  • Label any warnings when necessary.
  • Reply to other characters!
  • Most importantly, just don't worry and have fun!
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Upon arrival, the attendant greets you as she collects your ticket. She hands over a brochure of the park containing a map, and descriptions of each featured exhibit that you can access. Afterwards she explains some guidelines for you to follow while within the park premises:

  • No smoking.
  • Don't leave your children unattended.
  • Don't tap or slam against the glass.
  • Please keep your valuables with you.
  • Don't bring food or drinks inside any of the exhibit rooms.
  • Use of flash photography is strictly prohibited.
  • Ignore the noises coming from the backrooms.
  • Keep a safe distance from the pools, otherwise you will get wet.

Once she's done, she slaps a wristband over your arm and gestures to make your way into the main lobby where all of the other visitors are gathered. From here you may begin exploring around the facility on your own, with your partner, or tag along with a tour guide as they show you the way. There's a lot of places to be, and plenty of fish to see!

A Watery Wonderland
Location: Sea-Through Tunnel
 

The Sea-Through Tunnel is the main attraction of the Oceanarium, and the highlight in most advertisements you find about this place. And you now understand why after seeing it up-close.

It is a long glass tunnel that passes through the large indoor aquarium, giving you a glimpse of the wonders of the sea. And like an aquarium, the exhibit presents a near-perfect replication of the seabed and the various kinds of marine life found exclusively under the sea. Though it comes with a few bits and bobs you expect from any fish tank like a shipwrecked galleon or a treasure chest. If you peruse through the brochure, you take note of the description of the tunnel as follows:

...The Oceanarium™ has even transplanted seaweed, anemones, giant clams and all from the Pacific and Atlantic depths to really nail in the accuracy of their natural habitat. It's the best place to find sharks, stingrays and other fascinating seafaring creatures from behind the glass without having to dive deep into the ocean itself. So you don't have to worry about that pesky thalassophobia kicking in!

Apparently this exhibit is also popular among families and young couples according to the guide that you overheard. They explained how with the vivid blue water, the colorful coral covering the surface, and an assortment of marine life swimming by, certainly all of these make for a perfect backdrop for any special occasion.

"First meetings, reunions, confessions, wedding proposals, you name it!" the tour guide enthused, "What could be more memorable than having a heartfelt moment or two take place underwater and being surrounded by thousands of fish?"

Close Encounters of the Penguin Kind
Location: The Cold Spot
 

Another popular attraction in the Oceanarium is The Cold Spot, showcasing images and dioramas of wildlife that survive within polar habitats. And to really add to the experience, the temperature in the room is a bit lower than usual. So as the name implies, it does get a little chilly inside.

Though what draws people the most is the large penguin enclosure within the exhibit. It's where guests get to see these dapper-looking birds clumsily waddle around on the snow-covered surface or diving gracefully into the waters of the indoor pool. Many of them are seen idling by either at their nests, the fake rocks, or at the edge of the pool with little concern of their spectators standing behind the glass barrier with fascination and glee.

If you're hoping to get a close look of these birds, then lucky for you! For a phenomenally nominal fee, you can feed and pet them at your leisure within the exhibit.* Watch as these little guys will start swarming around you to observe and hope to get some fish out of your hands.

Then you notice some smaller text at the bottom of the Cold Spot's description.

* – The Oceanarium™ will not be held responsible for the animals' behavior, and any injuries or losses gained from them will not be compensated for as per agreement in the terms and conditions written in your waiver. Please take caution when interacting with these animals.

Other than that, if you're not up to paying for meeting penguins, there are a couple of penguin statues and a photo stand-in of a penguin with its face cut-out so you can pretend to be one just for laughs.

Operation: Free Willy
Location: Aquatheater
 

Built for family-friendly entertainment, this area is an enriching experience for both you and our finned friends in captivity. The Aquatheater is made to hold more than a hundred guests to view over the stage – a large oval pool where our handlers hold the highly-anticipated marine show featuring our highly trained cetaceans and pinnipeds performing the most captivating acts of acrobatics in and over water.

But as it turns out, there was more to it than meets the eye.

Maybe it's something you caught word of before entering the facility, but you heard rumors that there were plans from the staff behind the scenes about getting rid of one of their poorest performers in the bunch. The Oceanarium has a bit of a seedy reputation regarding the welfare of these seafaring mammals, and have even called into question how they handled them in captivity. You don't know what they'll do to that poor creature, and wouldn't want to think the worst of it to happen. Frankly it's not your business to pry, yet you feel you have to do something if any of that is true.

Now driven to save the creature, you and your partner sneak into the backrooms and make an attempt to set it free.

Submerged in Shadow
Location: The Abyssal Zone
 

You figured there's a good reason why this exhibit is called The Abyssal Zone, as it is almost pitch black inside upon entering. This makes it impossible to read the brochure in such darkness. And the only sources of light that you could find are the tiny LED lights embedded on the floor to illuminate your path, and the soft eerie blue glow coming from the fish tanks.

Apparently all of the specimens featured here are mostly found within the deepest trenches of the ocean and are highly sensitive to bright lights. That would explain why the attendant from earlier discouraged you to use flash photography. The tour guide mentions how a handful of them are species that have been around since the prehistoric era. They even proudly boast that the Oceanarium seems to be the only marine park that has the rare "Deep Sea Pucker-Faced Lanternfish" in captivity, thought to have been extinct during the Paleocene era. Seeing how these species of fish managed to survive for over millions of years makes you wonder what else could be lurking beneath the depths.

You then take notice of a few fish that seem to be glowing by themselves. One of them at a distance looked rather... humanoid in shape based on the silhouette. Though maybe you're just seeing things.

"...Oh and did you know?" you hear the guide continue, "Some of these fishes are able to produce their own light naturally – mostly to lure in their prey."

Somehow, you're getting the sense that you're being watched by whatever it is behind the glass.

Deep Fear
Location: Basement-Level Research Laboratory
 

⚠️ Content Warning ⚠️
Slight body horror.

Something's wrong.

Your body swiftly jumps and aches as your nerves begin to connect to your sudden awareness. It's like you are weighted down with lead for muscles, your limbs are uncooperative at every attempt. Not only that, but there's an odd sensation coming from your hands and feet like they felt stuck together. And for some reason, it's become a chore to breathe through your throat as you rasp loudly. And as you awake, bright lights glare before your eyes and you immediately shield them away with your hand. And that's the first oddity you've discovered – the skin between your digits are stitched together, webbed like fins of a fish. The second is finding yourself atop an operating table.

A sharp chill takes over you completely.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary before you got here. But whatever reason you have for visiting the Oceanarium, someone had their sights on you and knocked you unconscious when no one's watching. And now you've found yourself in a strange yet horrifying predicament. Everything about you has changed, and you dread how your life will be like from this point onwards. It's become certain that you've regretted ever coming to the park in the first place.

There's no time to think about this any further. There's only one goal in mind right now – You have to get out of here. And you can only hope and pray the people running this place don't catch you if you're spotted.

Relaxed, Refreshed & Resurfaced
Location: Gift Shop & Café
 

Had enough excitement for today? It sure seems like it.

Well, your time here in the Oceanarium is finally over. Maybe you got to learn a thing or two about the sea, that you found some appreciation towards our fishy friends. Or maybe you've just decided for yourself that you're going to stay far away from the ocean permanently. Either one of these is a valid response really. Just don't let the staff know about the latter part.

But before you leave, the tour guide encourages everyone to stop by at the gift shop and bring home a souvenir or two for you and your friends. There's Oceanarium-themed keychains, fridge magnets, bottle openers, t-shirts, baseball caps, and even plush toys of critters such as penguins, dolphins, octopi, a legally distinct clownfish, or the pucker-faced lanternfish that you can have as a new companion on your way back out.

Alternatively you can sit back, relax, and grab some bubble tea or try out some fish and chips at the indoor café. Of course there's more options you can choose from in the menu, with some food items specially catered towards those who are either vegan, vegetarian, have specific allergies, or just a really picky eater.

Wildcard!
Location: Anywhere
 

If you're not feeling any of these prompts, or have some other ideas in mind, then go wild!

You can mix and match scenarios or come up with your own. Swap roles where you play the villain and your partner would be the hero or the other way around. You can even expand the setting with new locations, or AU it up and rebuild it into your own version of the setting if you'd like. There's no limits to what your imagination can create. It's free real estate here, and the world is your oyster! (No pun intended.)

 
onewithinratatosk: (Default)

[personal profile] onewithinratatosk 2025-09-13 11:22 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah, it's kind of complicated... [How should he tell the story? He takes a short moment to decide where to start.] So... where I'm from, there's a giant tree that all mana is born from and a Spirit that protects the tree. A long time ago, the tree almost died, and the Spirit of the tree, Ratatosk, went into a deep sleep. To prevent the tree from dying, the Goddess Martel and a hero split the world into two.

Then, about two years ago, a new tree of mana was planted and the world was reunited... But because Ratatosk and his eight servants, the Centurions, were still asleep, mana couldn't spread evenly. Or, well, two of the Centurions have woken up by now, but the others, and Ratatosk, are dormant in the form of Cores, which are... kind of like eggs, I guess? In order to awaken Ratatosk, we need to find all of the Centurion's Cores and release their powers so the balance of mana can go back to normal. But there's other people who want to use the Cores for their own purposes, so they're searching for them too...

[Very similar to the Geneses, right down to there being eight of them!]

Oh! [Emil's face lights up in joy.] That is the same shark! It's got the same fin shape! [Fighting alongside with monsters against other monsters of the same species has sharpened Emil's ability to tell non-humanoid creatures apart. He takes a few running steps to follow it before remembering Agnès, then stops to wait for her while watching it swim by. Maybe he should just wave at it instead of running again...]
octogenesis: (mmhm?)

[personal profile] octogenesis 2025-09-15 10:19 pm (UTC)(link)
[ She listened carefully to the explanation, furrowing her brow a little at some of the information that was so different from how magic /seemed/ to work back home. Although there was still a lot about magic back home that they didn't know still.

She definitely saw the parallel between people wanting to use the power of the Geneses to their own goals - hopefully they would be able to keep managing to keep them out of those people's hands, because they went through a LOT when they were recovering them.]


How many of the cores have you managed to find so far...?

[ She blinked in surprise at him identifying the shark. ]

Is it really? How can you tell? [ She was perfectly willing to catch up with Emil, keeping a tight grip on her purse and nodding encouragement. ]

Hurry, you'll miss it!
onewithinratatosk: (e: happy)

[personal profile] onewithinratatosk 2025-09-16 12:41 am (UTC)(link)
So far, we've got... [Emil counts on his fingers, silently mouthing names. Tenebrae, Ventus, Ignis, Glacies...] Four of them. At least two others are with our... enemies. Oh, but Marta's got Ratatosk's Core, too!

[Alright, she's keeping up! Then there's no need to hold back. He runs after the shark, making sure to not run into anyone this time.]

There's a little bit of a notch behind its fin that the other sharks of the same kind don't have! [Emil points at it. It's barely distinguishable for the average person.]
octogenesis: (SO Ready!)

[personal profile] octogenesis 2025-09-16 01:52 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh! That's fantastic, then you're already halfway there!

[ Although the enemy having two of them is definitely a problem - she'd bet he was just as anxious as she was when she only had one of her Geneses...if not more so. She scampered after him, about a step or two behind, but careful to also not bump into anyone or anything. When he pointed out the notch in the shark's fin, she glanced up at the creature swimming along, paying no mind to the silly landwalkers desperately trying to keep up. ]

Oh..! Oh I think I see it! Wow, that's amazing Emil, you picked out a detail like that so quickly! I would have never caught that! [ While it was swimming away too! ]
onewithinratatosk: (e: surprise)

[personal profile] onewithinratatosk 2025-09-16 05:00 pm (UTC)(link)
Y-yeah! I guess so!

[So many things happened around the time they found Glacies' Core, it completely slipped his mind until now, but they are halfway there, huh? That's kind of a relief. Even if the Cores their enemies have won't be easy to recover...]

O-oh, it's not that amazing... [Emil blushes at the compliment, self-conscious.] I just have practice, that's all.

[The shark keeps swimming, not oblivious to the racket the two runners were making. Perhaps it was swimming near the glass on purpose out of curiosity, or to show off, or simply by coincidence.]
octogenesis: (Ehehe)

[personal profile] octogenesis 2025-09-16 11:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Even with practice it's still an impressive skill! It was swimming so quickly, I barely even got a good glance at it myself. You though, you were able to pick out a specific detail that anyone else wouldn't have noticed right away. [ Probably! ]

Oh - I think it's closer now too! No wonder you were hurrying after it, up close it's an incredible sight. [ And quite big! ]

I wonder which one this one is .. there are supposed to be a lot of different shark breeds, right?
onewithinratatosk: (e: happy)

[personal profile] onewithinratatosk 2025-09-17 05:58 pm (UTC)(link)
[No matter how often he gets complimented, he still gets flustered and feels like he should protest...]

I-it's just what I have to do, I have to be able to tell monsters of the same kind apart in the heat of battle since I have a lot of monster allies... Otherwise I might attack a friend by mistake. [...Emil feels like he can tell Agnès about having monster friends by now without fear of being hated, but he still tenses a little after saying it.]

It's kind of beautiful, isn't it? Something about seeing a shark go right past you just kind of... feels breathtaking.

I don't really know about different sharks, but it sure is big! Maybe it's a... great grey shark? [He saw a plaque earlier talking about a "great white shark" but this one is clearly grey, so it's probably not called that.]
octogenesis: (Put up your dukes!)

[personal profile] octogenesis 2025-09-17 07:44 pm (UTC)(link)
[ She wouldn't push the matter, she did know some people had trouble accepting compliments over something that was 'simple' according to them. Plus he said something much more interesting. ]

You have monster allies? You mean they don't attack you in battle, but they actually fight at your side? [ SPARKLE. how cute would it be to have a fluffy Pom or a Crop muncher fighting with her? ]

That's amazing! How did you manage to do that? Did you feed them until you gained their trust, or is it an ability you possess? [ Tell her EVERYTHING. Ah - she had to calm down a little, she might overwhelm the poor boy. She turned her attention back to the shark. ]]

I know what you mean...! You get a sense of its power just from it being nearby, right? [ As for its name - well.. ]

A grey shark? .. you're right, that's what it must be. [ At least she'll take that as the answer until they're told otherwise. ]
onewithinratatosk: (e: shock)

[personal profile] onewithinratatosk 2025-09-17 11:21 pm (UTC)(link)
[Emil blinks in surprise, caught off-guard by how onboard Agnès is to that idea! Well, it's good that it's a positive reaction...]

Y-yes! Um, well, it's an ability? S-since I made a pact to become a Knight of Ratatosk, I can borrow Ratatosk's power and make pacts with monsters a-and become friends with them... Since, um, Ratatosk is also the Lord of Monsters... I-it's not really something I can teach people how to do...

[And as for the shark... Emil nods enthusiastically.] Right! It's like I can feel the power of water itself! Though, I guess this whole building is strong with the power of water...

Yeah, I think so. [It makes the most sense for its name, after all. Anyway, no time to check any plaques when running after it is more important.]
octogenesis: (Ehehe)

[personal profile] octogenesis 2025-09-18 12:53 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh.. [ Well that's a little disappointing - STILL, she brightened again, grinning. ]

Still, that's an amazing ability! You're quite lucky to be able to cooperate with them - can you understand them on an intellectual level or do they simply follow commands?

[ She glanced around as she trotted after Emil, still a little in awe about the structure of the building. ]

It's amazing how they were able to design the oceanarium, making it feel like we're right underwater with all of the other creatures. [ Especially without any orbal tech! ]

I wonder how they managed to do it? [ She also wondered if this was something that could be duplicated back in Calvard.. ]
onewithinratatosk: (e: huh?)

[personal profile] onewithinratatosk 2025-09-18 09:14 pm (UTC)(link)
S-sorry... [He wishes he could teach her, too.]

Um, I-I'm not sure which one... I understand their body language pretty well, but not their language... I do have a friend who can translate that, though. The monsters do follow my commands, but i-it's not mind control or anything like that. [It's not like she implied that, but the wording bothered Emil a little bit.]

I wonder if it's magic? It's like an air bubble under the ocean. But it's more like they recreated the ocean here, I guess...? That seems even more difficult than making a bubble underwater. Whoever made this must've been an ocean maniac of some sort... [A maniac is what one calls somebody who's really into one subject, Emil is pretty sure of that.]

[Emil starts slowing down his steps. The shark might be tired of them following it by now...]
octogenesis: (Thinking)

[personal profile] octogenesis 2025-09-19 09:34 pm (UTC)(link)
[ She shook her head with a smile. ]

It's okay, it just means I would have to try to befriend one of the monsters back home. Although most of them are a little too aggressive to want to be friends. [ Of course, she wasn't referring to mind control, but training - like one would train a pet or service animal. Nevertheless she was unaware of his discomfort! ]

There was a movie back home a little based on the premise. I didn't care much for the ending though.. it was a little sad. I guess the writers wanted to do something more 'realistic' than something positive.

[ She smiled a little awkwardly - maniac didn't really had a pleasant connotation to it, but she understood - she thought - what he meant. Nonetheless, she slowed down as he did, watching the shark as it swam along its swimmy path. ]

He or she could have been a marine researcher collaborating with an architect as well. But whoever he or she was, they did an amazing job, and I hope they're able to enjoy the oceanarium themselves. Sometimes researchers focus all on their project, and once it's done, they just move on to the next thing.
Edited 2025-09-19 21:34 (UTC)
onewithinratatosk: (Default)

[personal profile] onewithinratatosk 2025-09-20 05:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Well... I hope you can find a way, then. They're definitely too aggressive in my world, too... I think I'd be too scared to even try without my powers.

A movie... Like a play? What was it like? [No movies in his era, but that does sound like a play, so he figures he understands what she means. A play about befriending a monster sounds interesting...]

O-oh, right, researcher. That's what they're called. [Emil winces slightly. If Raine had heard him say maniac instead of researcher again, she wouldn't be happy... But anyway, this is pretty interesting.] Wow, you know a lot, Agnès! Um... what's an architect? Are they similar to archeologists? [Emil's unfamiliar with the word, but it sounds similar to archeologist, and an archeologist helping make something like this makes sense to him. Some ruins are pretty intricate, so researching them would help, right?]
octogenesis: (sad)

Super Spoilers for Pon the Crop Muncher if you haven't seen that in game :D

[personal profile] octogenesis 2025-09-20 08:48 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes, exactly! Well.. a movie itself is a little different. It still has actors performing their roles in a story, but in a movie, it's displayed on a screen or with a device that you can watch from the comfort of your home, or a theatre -- usually a theatre. It's not something performed on site that you have to see in person.

It does lose a little.. something that the experience of watching a play in person has though. Movies usually have the benefit of special effects like...well, seem like magic, and the director can edit out any mistakes they make, but for plays, if you make a mistake you have to ...just go with it, usually. I don't think I could choose which was better over the other.

But the movie I saw was about a boy who befriended a crop muncher he named Pon - that's a really cute, fluffy brown rodential creature about hip high usually. He kept him a secret from his parents, but eventually Pon wasn't able to fight his instincts and dug up his friend's family's garden one day. The boy, Nicolas, yelled at Pon, and Pon ended up crying, and ran away the next day.

Nicolas didn't reunite with Pon until three years later, when he found Pon digging up fields in another farm, and he got mad and yelled at Pon again, and said he wished he never met him. Pon ran away again, and .. it turns out that Pon wasn't digging up the holes, bug plowing the field at an abandoned farm, and Nicolas jumped to conclusions and ended up hurting the crop muncher's feelings. So far, that's how the movie has ended, so we never know if the boy ever met Pon again. [ She couldn't help but get a little misty eyed at the memory. ]

I admit I cried the first time I saw it.. they did such a wonderful job of making the crop muncher look adorable and express itself with the little 'Kyuu?' noises it made when it was confused and hurt. I hope if they do make a second movie, he makes friends someone who tries to understand him better than that Nicolas did.

[ She smiled a little sheepishly at the praise, but she's quick to answer the question. ]

Not exactly, no, they're in different fields. An architect is a person who designs buildings so that they can be put together, and makes sure that they're built correctly in such a way as to not be a danger to anyone who would be in them or anything or anyone around them.
onewithinratatosk: (e: huh?)

[personal profile] onewithinratatosk 2025-09-20 10:40 pm (UTC)(link)
A screen... I think I've seen something like that. [Not in any place that'd be pleasant to watch plays in, but he can kind of imagine what it'd be like to see a play in one of those. It's still kind of difficult to imagine the actors just re-doing a scene if it doesn't turn out well, but...] That does sound kind of incredible... Being able to try again if you fail, and keep trying until it's perfect. I guess it's hard to tell what I'd lose over watching a play, since I haven't seen a movie... I-I'll take your word for it.

[Agnès telling the story has Emil captivated, especially with how much emotion she shows over it. By the end, even he's almost close to tears.]

Poor Pon...! He was only following his instincts... I'm sure if Nicolas had taught him better and let him dig in places he's allowed to, things would've turned out better! After all, Pon learned how to do things right on his own, all alone... But if Nicolas was hiding him because he was afraid of how his family would react, then he must've also been scared that he'd be blamed for the garden being destroyed... [Emil can relate to that kind of a situation all too well.]

O-of course it's not right to yell at someone because you're scared, but... 'The smaller the dog, the louder the bark.' If you're weak and scared, you try to seem stronger than you are... [...Why is he focusing on defending Nicolas when it's starting to seem like Pon is the one Emil can relate to more... But, still, he can't ignore Nicolas' feelings either. He frowns thoughtfully.] I-it's a really difficult situation... But since Pon made such an effort, I think Nicolas should, too...

[...He didn't expect to have such strong feelings about a play - no, a movie - that he hasn't even seen himself. Good thing architecture is a much lighter subject.]

Oh, I see! So... architects research buildings that haven't been built yet and archeologists research buildings that were built a long time ago! That makes sense. [Emil nods, pleased that he figured out that connection.]
octogenesis: (I can answer that)

[personal profile] octogenesis 2025-09-20 11:26 pm (UTC)(link)
You should come see a movie with me sometime! If you've never seen one before, it's really an experience. My friend Feri never saw a movie before she joined us, so it was a little overwhelming for her at first, I think, but she was really excited about it, haha.

[ She nodded firmly in agreement about Emil's assessment of Nicolas' actions. ]

That's probably why he did it - but hiding something important like that from your family was bound to end in disaster. Especially if the writer had decided the family was the find Pon before Nicolas got home ..then poor Pon would have been chased out and Nicolas would have gotten in trouble for keeping it a secret.

You're right, I think Nicolas meant well, but he focused too much on having fun with Pon over training Pon not to misbehave. You could say that it was because he was young, but even children know how to help teach their pets to behave. I think if he had done that, the movie would have had a happier ending.

[ Although the issue of him lying to his parents would have been the main plot at that point. Both were kind of in the wrong - Nicolas willfully, and Pon because he wasn't trained to not misbehave. She smiled at his understanding, though, nodding. ]

Yes, that's a good way of putting it!
onewithinratatosk: (e: happy)

[personal profile] onewithinratatosk 2025-09-21 10:22 pm (UTC)(link)
I-if it's okay for me to join... [Wait, she wouldn't offer if it wasn't fine... Emil straightens his back for confidence.] I-I mean, yes, I'd love to see a movie with you!

[Agnès makes good points... Emil nods as he listens, thoughtful. The writer's intentions are something he didn't even think about.]

Y-you're right... If he couldn't take care of Pon properly, he shouldn't have taken him in. Pon... probably would've been fine on his own, in the wild. [Unlike Emil... No, he should stop identifying with the movie monster this closely. Emil shakes his head briefly to get that trail of thought out of his head.]

I guess... it's a story meant to teach kids to take better care of their pets? And to not mess with monsters, even if they don't seem dangerous... [Emil frowns.] But Pon is smart and doesn't hurt anyone, so I guess the movie is actually saying it's fine to make friends with monsters as long as you raise them properly?

[He smiles bashfully at the praise. He got it right! He's starting to understand researchers more!]
octogenesis: (Thinking)

[personal profile] octogenesis 2025-09-22 03:57 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Agnès would think Emil would have been fine too! ..er.. Eventually! Sure he might struggle at first - anyone with no wilderness skills would - but he'd learn how to survive and become stronger for it! Or fail miserably and become food for the next predator... it's the Circle of Life(tm)! ]

Right... Pon was a wild animal first, after all... although that rule should apply to any animal. I don't think there would be so many homeless animals on the street if people would simply keep that in mind.

[ Luckily the strays back home were well taken care of even if they weren't able to be taken in, but she still felt a little bad. ]

Actually...hmm. [ She had to think about that for a moment, temporarily forgetting about the shark. ]

I don't know. I don't think movies have to have a message all of the time. Their purpose is to entertain the people who go to them, or to share information in the case of historical documentaries. Messages about what's right or wrong should be left to the people raising the children in question. If you watch a movie where in the story, someone sets a house on fire or murders someone, it shouldn't be the movie's responsibility to tell you that it's wrong, right? That's something that a person should already know, if they're raised correctly.

In this particular case, I think they just wanted to tell a cute story about a boy and his friendship with a monster. Most people already know that monsters can be dangerous, and any interaction with them should be done with close supervision.

Although... [ She was a little worried though now that he mentioned it, actually. ]

Children though. they might want to go make a monster friend and end up getting hurt after seeing that movie. Not that it would be the movie's fault of course..! Ahah, still, I think that the local police and Bracers are probably keeping an eye out to be safe.

[ Most of the kids who saw that movie would know better at least. ]

onewithinratatosk: (e: huh?)

[personal profile] onewithinratatosk 2025-09-22 06:35 pm (UTC)(link)
[To be honest, Emil kind of finds it sad, the idea that he'd have been better off living in the wilderness than among other people... He'd rather believe he'd have died in the wilderness, eaten by monsters. (Realistically, he probably would've survived.)

Emil nods at Agnès' thoughts, she's making good points. Parents should be the ones teaching children right from wrong. Emil's parents... must've done that, right? Yes, he's sure they taught him well. (Meanwhile, the shark swims off. Emil doesn't notice.)]


Yeah, that's true. I guess stories should be for more than just a message, but a lot of stories for little kids do have messages... But if they just wanted to tell a cute story, wouldn't it have a happier ending? Maybe it's a mix of both a cute story and a warning... But since I haven't seen it, I guess you'd know better.

Yeah, you can't underestimate what kids can get up to... Actually, I once ended up saving a kid that got eaten by a monster. He was totally fine, but he said he'd come back and told me to come save him if he gets eaten again... [Emil sighs with a comedic sweatdrop.] I really didn't know what to even say to that... I hope his parents gave him a talk about going to dangerous places.

[Police and Bracers? Emil's pretty sure police are something like town guards, but...] Um... By the way, what are Bracers?
octogenesis: (pic#17771781)

[personal profile] octogenesis 2025-09-22 07:31 pm (UTC)(link)
[ She would have thought it was sadder to prefer thinking that one would end up as food, than survive. Which would in turn make the people left behind sad! ]

Maybe... but it didn't do a very good job of being a warning. Unless.. [ She thought for a few minutes again. ]

Unless the warning was to not judge someone or jump to conclusions. To think through the entire scenario before making a snap judgement .. I think that's the closest. If Nicolas had taken in his surroundings before reacting, he would have seen that Pon was plowing the field, and could have praised him and encouraged him to do good.

[ She stared at Emil for a second. ]

Eaten..? [ Not just bitten, but eaten...? H O W. ]

It's sweet that he felt he could count on you to rescue him, but aha.. I do hope there isn't going to be a second time. [ What if.. what if Emil wasn't around the second time? No, she didn't even want to think about that. Better to hope there isn't a second time. ]

Oh? Oh! Yes, well, are you familiar with police officers? [ Probably not, actually.. ]

Well, like police officers, they're an organization of individuals tasked to assist the citizenry with various requests within the law. They cooperate with the police and the government -- or at least they're supposed to. Where I'm from, there's a little hostility between the government, police and bracer factions at times. Only the police are required to remain in the city, and primarily take their orders from the government, while the Bracers are free to travel outside of their territory and prioritize protection of the citizens most of all.

[ To various degrees of competency - though she can't really blame their branch completely. They were stretched thing and fairly lacking in numerous areas, but they did their best with what they had! ]

The group I'm working for is like that as well, only...um. We're a little more flexible with what we're able to do. We have the right to refuse requests from anyone, but unlike the Bracer Guild and the police, we're not funded by anyone and we have to make our money by charging our clients fees.

[ Leaning heavily on the law without breaking it, for example, but she's not going to mention that part to Emil, ahah. ]
onewithinratatosk: (e: wince)

[personal profile] onewithinratatosk 2025-09-22 10:42 pm (UTC)(link)
[Unfortunately, at that point in his life, Emil had nobody around him who seemed like they'd be sad to see him die... If he could've survived in the wilderness, what was the point of spending all those months living in the town where everyone hated him? That's why he'd rather believe that the town was his only choice.]

Yeah, that makes sense. If Nicolas had given Pon the benefit of doubt, then things would've turned out much different. They were friends, after all... Pon broke his trust once, but whether you trust someone or not, you should look at the facts yourself before leaping into action. [...This story just keeps veering uncomfortably close to things from Emil's life. Maybe Emil should be watching movies and plays with a message to teach kids, because he might need to learn some of these things himself.]

Yeah, eaten whole. [Emil nods with a mildly pinched expression. He doesn't know either, and he doesn't want to know.] I really hope there won't be a second time, too... [Unfortunately, it's a repeatable sidequest.]

[Emil nods, even though he's only vaguely familiar with the police officer concept! Bracers do sound different, though. It seems a bit complicated, but he gets the idea.]

So they travel around the world to help people for a living...? That sounds really nice... I kind of wish we had something like that in our world, too.

[But when Agnès describes what her group does, Emil's face lights up with recognition, especially when she mentions the word "guild."]

Oh! That's... actually kind of similar to what we do sometimes! The Katz Guild have a questboard of requests from people who need help, with rewards like money and items. Saving the kid that got eaten was one of those requests, actually... B-but anyway, we make some money and help people on the side by doing that. But it's more of a side thing than our job, we're not part of a guild or anything...

So, um... maybe the Katz Guild is similar to the Bracer Guild, but instead of completing requests themselves, they only gather the requests and offer them to adventurers? And when we take a request, they transport us to where we're supposed to go. But they also do various other things, like taking care of monsters I leave with them and offering a kitchen we can use to cook and feed the monsters with... They're, um, they're mysterious people. [Which is putting it lightly...]
octogenesis: (Ehehe)

[personal profile] octogenesis 2025-09-23 04:46 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Well now he's got his girlfriend(???) Marta so he can put those silly ideas out of his head! ]

I suppose a lot of people have trouble trusting, once its broken, but I think people - even monsters and animals - should be given a second chance, depending on the circumstance, especially if they're really putting in that effort.

The Guilds are mostly based in their own countries - there's one in just about every major city, or large village, so for the most part they might handle only local requests, but when the guilds are short staffed, or if its a fairly major situation, they'll request assistance from the other branches. For the most part, there isn't much need for them to travel out of the country that often.

[ She's thoughtful a moment. ]

It seems like your Katz Guild does quite a bit more than the Bracer Guild - the Bracers don't tend to monsters, of course, but there is someone in the guild who collects requests, and pin them to the bulletin board - but the Bracers themselves are the ones to complete the requests. If anyone were to want to take on a mission, they would themselves have to be a Bracer registered to that Guild branch.. and as far as I'm aware, it's the Bracer's responsibility to arrange their own transportation, though if there are problems that they encounter along the course of the request, then they would have to speak with their guild representative. I think. I'm not a Bracer so I may be wrong, but I do know a few.
onewithinratatosk: (e: huh?)

[personal profile] onewithinratatosk 2025-09-23 06:44 pm (UTC)(link)
[Maybe one day, she'll reach girlfriend status! But yeah, Emil's in a better place now.]

Yeah... After someone betrays your trust... [Emil trails off, then winces with a sudden headache. It fades almost as fast as it appeared, leaving him blinking in confusion. Huh... It almost felt like he was remembering something big. What was he saying, again...? He looks a bit distracted, unfocused, as he keeps talking.] Uh... i-it's hard to trust after that, I guess? But, if it's someone you really care about, trusting is... natural. I guess I wouldn't really know about that... [Nobody's really betrayed him that badly, right...? Yeah, they haven't.]

[He listens carefully to the explanation, mentally comparing the different guilds in his head.]

I see... Not that much travelling, then. I guess they're more like local guards, but with a bigger... network? So they can get other towns' guards to help them if needed.

I guess... they're similar guilds in some ways, but it sounds like the Bracers are more organized? The Katz really only have one person in most of the places they work in. Every town and city I've been to has one, but I also find them in places like mountains and temples and so on... Places with a lot of monsters around. Now that I think about it, I wonder how they get around places like that without the monsters attacking them... I guess they can teleport, but still.

[ ooc: gotta dig in to some of my headcanons about the Katz ^^; ]
octogenesis: (Lookin dis way)

[personal profile] octogenesis 2025-09-24 01:26 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Until then, she'll root for you Marta! But right now, Agnès paused at the way Emil trailed off, tilting her head. ]

... I ... suppose. [ That was weird, right? Was she maybe imagining things? ] At least I hope it never does happen for you.

It happened once, for me, but the situation was ...complicated. [ And he DID make up for it in the end, so she wasn't going to hold it against him. ]

Mmm, yeah, I guess you can call them that. [ Kinda. Sorta. She wasn't going to get hung up on the details when she wasn't certain of the intricacies of the various guilds anyway. ..she might be a little biased given how poorly they treated her friend even if it was out of their own jealousy though. ]

Only one? You mean one building the way the Guild has one building per city, not just one person though, ... right? [ Imagine the insane amount of paper and leg work a poor Katz person would have to do if that were the case! Well if they can teleport that was probably less of a problem, but still..! ]

[ ooc: Heheee, digging into headcanon to fill out lore is fun though! :D ]
onewithinratatosk: (Default)

[personal profile] onewithinratatosk 2025-09-24 09:49 pm (UTC)(link)
[Emil definitely seems to be acting normal again, so it was probably nothing!]

Yeah, I hope so, too. [Emil frowns as he thinks about the subject a bit more.] I, um... I guess something like that happened to me too, but it was complicated... I mean, the person was our enemy, and even though I thought... still think of him as a friend, he's got his own goals that go against ours, and he warned me beforehand that we'd be enemies, so... I can't think of it as a betrayal. It... still hurt, though.

Um... what kind of a complicated situation was yours? If... you don't mind telling me, I mean...

[The Katz and paperwork are a strange combination, but realistically, they probably do have to fill some...?]

No, it's just one person. Um, sometimes they have a desk. [Emil says this straightforwardly like it's normal.] They've got a... sort of a space for their services elsewhere, something like a ranch with a kitchen and space for the monsters to live in, and they just teleport us there when we want to use it. [Katz are weird as hell.]

[ ooc: yep! Trying to figure out how some things would work in practice is pretty fun. Also! I just finished Daybreak 2 today! Definitely looking forward to the sequel :D ]

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