Day Two

[diejoubu]

Day Two The sun begins to rise and cool morning comes. Early in the morning, there is a low mist coming from the forest but it isn't anything strange considering the environment. However, combined with how quiet it is. . . it does look kind of creepy. Fortunately, as the day goes on, it gets warmer and brighter. The mist dissipates and the birds begin to call out. The first few people to wake up might notice some things have moved around while they were asleep. The pots and pans that were left outside have been moved several feet away. Several bottles of water are missing from the cases and can be found scattered around the sand. The spring is calm and peaceful. It is quiet but not too quiet like it was last night. Status Weather: Sunny, clear, and very warm with a light breeze. Electronics: It is impossible to get any sort of reception on the beach. Any nation will a cell phone will wake up to find a message from the United Nations. Some nations might receive the same message more than once. It looks like someone tried to send the message multiple times to make sure it went through. Message: "do not make him angry again" Magic: Magic is not always effective today. For every five times you cast a spell, it might not work once. Otherwise, everything is normal. Animals: Normal on the beach. Any pets that go into the woods will stay close to their owners. Pets will become upset around the spring and staying around too long will result in the pets leaving for the beach. ???: Several bottles of water are missing from camp. They can be found scattered in the sand. The entrance to Tent Four was left open over night. The pans and pots have been moved. Day Two | Night Two Day 3 will go up 6 June

Comments

[bauhinia]

[ Mr. Puffin is smart. ]

Yeah, no kidding. I can't take good pictures like this. And some of mine already got messed up.

[ He doesn't even turn around now that he's thinking about the picture thing again. Byebye beach. ]

[volcanoes]

Oh yeah? What happened? [Iceland looks over at Hong Kong curiously, beach for the moment forgotten.]

[bauhinia]

I dunno, they mostly look okay, but like, the last few? The lighting's all weird for some reason. [ He shrugs. ]

[volcanoes]

That's weird. Maybe there was a shadow or something.

[They're passing the spring now, and Puffin grumbles at them to hurry up, shifting to Iceland's other shoulder, just a little bit farther from the water in question.]

[bauhinia]

I don't remember there being one, but whatever. [ He's back to taking more pictures, especially when Puffin speaks up about the spring (which he also photographs). ]

[volcanoes]

[Iceland casts a critical eye on the spring as they pass it, but he doesn't say anything about it. It looks normal enough to him, as far as he can tell. Something in the back of his mind whispers questions about what Norway might see, but he pushes that voice away and hurries past.]

I don't know how you can remember when you took which photos.

[bauhinia]

I've got like, a mental catalogue. [ Snapping one last picture of the spring before he moves on. ] I deleted a few of the extras so I could save room, just in case.

[ Which is why he brought an extra memory card on top of that. Really. ] I mean, you never know, right?

[volcanoes]

Yeah. [Off they go, deeper into the forest. Puffin settles down a bit, at least, once they're away from the spring.] You should take some pictures of the mansion when we get there.

[diejoubu]

( Did the path twist and turn like this the last time they walked on it? )

[bauhinia]

I'm definitely gonna do that. [ He's sort of glad they're on the same page about that, honestly. ] I've got like, an entire memory card for that.

[volcanoes]

Maybe we can get a look in through a window.

[...There's something weird about the path...]

[bauhinia]

[ Hong Kong has yet to notice it, because he's focused on picture taking. He'll get it in a second though. ]

Yeah, we should try that. Or maybe go around back.

[diejoubu]

( The path suddenly comes to a split. )

[volcanoes]

Yeah, hopefully no one will notice--

[Iceland stops once the path splits.]

There aren't two paths, are there? There was no split before... [He goes to pull the map out of his bag.]

[bauhinia]

[ He's about to reply when Iceland stops. Lowering his camera, he stops as well. ]

That's weird. [ Looking either way, then inexplicably taking a picture of the path. ] It definitely didn't split off before. [ He has a good memory for these things. ]

[diejoubu]

( Was that the wind or breath on the back of Hong Kong's neck? )

[volcanoes]

We must have ended up somewhere else... [Iceland isn't looking at Hong Kong, busy with the map. It doesn't look like there's anywhere else to end up.]

[bauhinia]

[ Hong Kong reaches up to brush at the back of his neck rather suddenly. ] Uh, yeah. Right. That must be it.

[diejoubu]

( Mr. Puffin will eventually take off and head down the left path.

Meanwhile,

Exhale

Inhale

Breathing in

Breathe out

Smelling

Something will lick the back of Hong Kong's hand. )

[volcanoes]

[Iceland is now distracted from the map by Mr. Puffin's exit.]

H-hey! Puffin! Hey!

[This isn't a good sign at all. He's shoving the map haphazardly back into his pack.]

[bauhinia]

[ And Hong Kong is distracted from everything ever by the fact that something just licked him. He wheels around, as if looking for whatever it was.

He may have also just sworn in Chinese. ]

[diejoubu]

( Nothing is there.

But ever get the feeling you were being watched. . . ?

From the woods, several birds suddenly take off, also heading down the left path. )

[volcanoes]

[Iceland whirls around. He doesn't see anything, but...

He hears the birds take off. His voice drops to a whisper, suddenly.]

Left path. That's where the birds are going. [It's where Puffin went.] What's wrong?

[bauhinia]

[ Hong Kong straightens up when Iceland speaks, trying to regain his composure. He's fine. Everything's cool. An invisible who knows what just tasted his hand, that's all. ]

Nothing, it's fine. I just thought I felt something. You said left?

[volcanoes]

Yeah. We have to catch up with Puffin anyway.

[Down the left path! Well, once Iceland is sure Hong Kong is going with him.]