[OPEN POST] The game is on

[undergroundmods]

This event runs from 20th-25th July 2015.

"" (Watch on YouTube)

Hello, Londoners! Bit hot, isn't it? Blimey, you might even get a tan at this rate, assuming you're not a vampire.

But there's no time to relax and enjoy the sunshine. No. This is the third and final week of the hunting season in the Other Realm and the magic of the hunt is about to bleed into all of London...

Basically, if you're a predatory type, your hunting instincts may be sharper than usual this week. By how much? Not a lot, we're not talking rabid wolves or losing self-control here, but conditions are perfect for hunting. You can feel it in the air. Hunters of all kinds can expect good fortune – yes, that includes humans who track down other supernatural species too.

As for everyone else... try not to be lunch. Welcome to London.

Prompts

1) HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF. Bare those fangs and sharpen those claws. You're feeling a little... peckish.

2) THE WHITE HART. The hunt for the legendary White Hart has begun. Fae hunting parties compete to pursue the beast, and upon its capture much merry-making ensues. Should a party pass through into the mortal realm during this hunt, they will appear as drunken louts searching for a pub.

3) HUNTING PARTY. No reason to let the fae have all the fun! Choose your quarry, gather your team and pursue your prey. This could be a serious hunt-to-kill party or something more light-hearted.

4) CAPTURE/KILL. The moment you've been waiting for. Your prey, cornered. Do you allow your instincts to take over and let rip?

5) I DIDN'T SIGN UP FOR THIS. I just got to London and now I'm being chased by a vicious pack of supernatural beings. FML.

6) CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE. What's the first thing you see when you set foot in London? Make up your own scenario here.

Comments

[goroesi]

She's never been taught that violence is the answer, per se, but her parents were... interesting, in their views on the subject. She's never been explicitly told that violence is wrong, especially when it's deserved.

"Heiji, it's- it's okay." Maera laughs, shaking her head. "People like me. They'll be liking me for years and years. M'gonna make sure of it. Cause I'm powerful." It's something she truly believes, despite the fact that she doesn't actually have a lot of skill yet, as young as she is. "I've got so much power. I'm going places. So don't you worry 'bout me."

[detectiveofthewest]

"Well, I mean. I ain't sure that's such a good thing," said Heiji. He didn't have a problem with power, but being liked because of it seemed like an intrinsically lonely prospect.

"Anyhow, you're already grown. I'd hope you could look after yourself!"

[goroesi]

"Most'f the time. But not right now." And this cues her dramatic slump onto his shoulder. "I'm so drunk. It's been a long time since I was this drunk. Don't- don't mix faery spirits and mortal spirits, okay? Just don't."

[detectiveofthewest]

Heiji heaved a sigh, got Maera's arm a little more solidly around his shoulders, then hoisted her forward. "Okay, okay. Look, I rented a place around here, so you can come over and dry out a little before ya head home. C'mon."

And that was exactly where they were heading now, no arguments allowed! Hopefully, it would be an otherwise uneventful night and no one would question why he was hauling around a slumped-over woman talking about faery spirits.

[blind_badass]

Snake felt quite proud of himself today. He'd managed to find a pub within a decent walking distance of a bus stop. The stop was part of a line that went near his house. He'd pieced it together with the help of his phone and word of mouth.

He only stopped to have a drink or two and listen to a live band. It was something normal he could have done easily back in Seattle, where he knew where everything should be. Just this tiny step helped make London seem less like a wilderness and more like a home.

He heard two people walking toward him and he stepped to one side on the sidewalk.

[goroesi]

As they approach, Snake will begin to hear snatches of their conversation. Luckily for the two of them, the nonsense that's coming out of Maera's mouth isn't exactly unnatural in any way. "You have your own place? You should throw a party, man! Housewarming and all that. I'll supply you with all kinds of booze -it'll be great."

She's drunk enough that she really doesn't notice anyone standing in front of her - or anyone who might've politely stepped to one side to let her loud, tipsy self pass. Hopefully Heiji isn't so blind to his surroundings.

[detectiveofthewest]

"'Course I got my own place, I don't wanna look like I live on the str -- oh. Um, hi!" Maybe he should've just pretended he hadn't seen Snake, only probably Snake had already recognized his voice.

"We're just... it's not what it... this is Maera. We're friends! But she's drunk. So I'm tryin' to get her back to my place. As a friend."

Smooth.

[blind_badass]

Oho! Heiji caught with a drunken ladyfriend? Going back to his place? My, Snake was learning all kinds of things about Heiji.

"Good evening, Heiji. Far be it for me to comment on how your spend your time with your...friend." He did incline his head in a little nod toward Maera. "Pleasure to meet you."

[goroesi]

Maera holds back her laughter with great difficulty, firmly pressing the back of her hand to her mouth for a few seconds before she can speak. Even then, she can't help giggling as she says, "same to you, sir." And then, with deliberate obtuseness, she points to the stranger and turns to Heiji. "R'you specifying I'm your friend because you have a crush on him and don't-- want him to get the wrong idea? Cause I can dig that. I'll even try walkin' on my own."

[detectiveofthewest]

"You guys are jerks and I'm sure once everyone's sober, you'll get along famously," said Heiji, regretting that he'd even opened his mouth. "Maera, this is Snake. Snake, Maera."

He eyed Snake with a look of mild annoyance... which probably was wasted here. "Look, you mind helpin' me get a lady up to the apartment so can sleep it off? Or you just gonna make fun?"

[blind_badass]

"Can't I do both?" It took Snake a moment to help Maera up with his right arm around her waist. By her tone she sounded quite inebriated so he paid her comments no mind. "I'm usually not so forward with the people I just meet, but I don't mind helping out." Plus, he's got an arm around a (potential) beautiful woman so...win-win?

[goroesi]

"M'like, practically sober," she protests, but she doesn't hesitate to accept Snake's help, one arm winding around his back. "I'm sure you're a real gentleman usually, Snake, but after I sleep this off, we can-- test the theory. Where's this, uh, elusive apartment'f yours, Heiji?"

[detectiveofthewest]

"Next block, this way," said Heiji, leaving out the part where technically it was not his apartment, but actually belonged to one of those foreign investors that simply bought up nice flats in other cities and sat on them for investment purposes. Free game, right? At least he was actually using it.

And so down the sidewalk they proceeded. Once they got close to the building, Heiji called out to the doorman. "Hey, Proctor! Mind opening up for us?"

The man sighed and opened the door. "Mr. Hasegawa..." But he apparently decided not to even finish the sentence.

"C'mon, we'll take the elevator up!"

[blind_badass]

Snake got the impression the building was fairly decent. He could almost tell how plush the carpet was through his shoes. And a doorman? How did someone who worked at a cafe afford to live here? True, Heiji had said he dabbled in a few projects. He only hoped they weren't illegal.

On the other hand, it was kind of nice to have a young lady's arm around his waist. The last one who'd done that had been his last girlfriend before they mutually broke up months ago.

[goroesi]

Even with her current lack of a filter, Maera knows not to ask questions in public. So she waits until they're in the elevator and the doors have closed before she asks, "how are you affording a place here? It's ritzy as hell. ...are you using illusion-ed money?"

She's not asking because she thinks Heiji would do something like that, but because it's something she'd considered doing in the past herself.

[detectiveofthewest]

"She's super drunk," explained Heiji, patting Maera on the back and staring desperately at her in an attempt to convey the idea of not in front of this guy, please. HAHAHA ILLUSIONED MONEY, GOOD ONE.

Heiji didn't really want to have to explain a super fancy apartment to Snake, but it looked like he wasn't going to have much choice about the matter. He punched in the floor number. "My family's pretty well-off. And they wanted me to stay someplace nice while I was here. So don't go around tellin' everyone, okay? I don't want things to get weird."

The door opened to another plush hallway with nice carpeting and only a handful of doors. "First door on the right, here we go..." Once they hauled Maera over, he'd just open the door and they could maneuver her in. The interior was roomy, with hardwood floors and dark-colored, modern-looking furniture (including a couch that probably had Maera's name on it). Large windows probably let in plenty of light while it was still daytime, but perhaps the most notable thing about it was all the bookshelves.

Heiji had. A lot of books. Novels, reference books, a Japanese-English dictionary or two. And on the coffee table was the most recent addition to his collection -- a book on cadavers, given to him by Snake.

[blind_badass]

Illusioned money? Obviously drunk...but an interesting idea. Snake mentally filed the idea away to contemplate later.

"Ahhh, I understand. Then color me jealous because I'm certain I can fit two of my apartments into yours." It certainly explained his quitting to do other projects and the motorcycle. In fact, Snake could almost see the details: Young man from a rich family trying to make his own way in the world to do writing overseas. Family allows him to do so on their dime. Heiji had told him he hadn't planned on staying forever, so perhaps whenever he got tired here, he'd go back to Osaka and to the family business.

The style of all the furniture was wasted on him, but the size of the room helped him not to bump into anything as he helped Maera onto the couch.

[goroesi]

"Dude," Maera says in approval as she looks around the apartment with wide eyes. "You should totally let me stay here sometimes. This is just as nice as my place back in the Other-- my mom's place." At least she didn't actually say Other Realm? She's trying, okay.

She tumbles onto the couch once she reaches it, squeezing Snake's hand as she says, "thanks. This is totally the worst first impression t'make. Promise I'm- ten times cooler than Heiji when m'not drunk."

[detectiveofthewest]

"In your dreams, I'm totally cooler than you," said Heiji, fluffing up a pillow and propping it up under Maera. "I'll get you some water."

He turned to Snake. "What about you, you want anything?" Stop getting your hand squeezed, you nerd. "Or I guess I could tour you guys around a bit if ya like. I guess now that you know I live here, no point in hiding it..."

[blind_badass]

"I'll be the judge of that when you're sober, Maera." Fortunately she squeezed his right hand. The real one. The last thing he wanted was to explain things to a drunk woman. He gave her a pat on the shoulder and helped her settle on the couch.

"Well...I suppose I could go for water as well." He had been drinking too, only not as much as either of them. It would be safer to have all of his wits about him. "Also, what bus line runs nearest to here?"

[goroesi]

"Literally just- go on the corner'nd there'll be a bus soon. There're buses everywhere all the time in this city." Yes, Maera, that's very helpful information.

Once Heiji has brought her water, she gulps it down quickly, setting down the glass on the coffee table with a satisfied sigh. "You should show us around as long as we're here. Especially if you have a fancy guest bedroom with my name written all over it."

[detectiveofthewest]

"I got more than one, so you can have your pick!" Heiji said, raising his eyebrows at Maera as he handed Snake his own glass. "And I do have manners, you know. You can stay over, too, if ya like. I'd feel bad if I made you take the bus back after ya helped us up here." Plus it'd be a chance to actually use some of the extra rooms.

"But all right. Obviously, we're in the living room. This is a four-bed, two-bath. I use one of the rooms as a study." In deference to Snake, he'd simply describe the pertinent features of each room and the general layout as they went.

The master bedroom, predictably, was the largest, with large windows and a view all along one side. It was surprisingly neat and also lined with bookshelves. There were a few other things that stuck out there, too, like a violin case and a bulky-looking black bag lying on the floor.

"...It actually came with a lot of the pillows and curtains and so on. Pre-furnished, I think they call it? I mostly just added all the books."