rams

[soulping]

[ As you all gather into the room, a blinding light floods the room. You're body feels like it's racing against the wind although you stand still. It stops abruptly and the light begins to fade around you.

The imagery is a starling contrast to the city in the sky. While the sky looks clear and beautiful even from here it's waves of water that crashes up between the wooden planks your on. Closer inspection will show you're on a moving island made of salvageable equipment. There's places connected by boats and wooden planks. While towards the edges they've built on with a maze of limber and cottages to make the island even larger.

The whole thing moves swiftly through the sea.

There doesn't seem to be anyone moving around, but once more you see gliders waiting for you if you really wanted... ]

Comments

[soulping]

[There's only enough of a pause to get your bearings before a fog inches its way across the bridge you stand on. A cold rolls in with it that might make one grateful they're in winter wear. The mood goes from tranquil and free to something somber quickly.

Before the group appears a girl. She's dressed in blues and smiles lightly. Instinctively, you know she's about eleven even though she seems somewhat younger. Her hands remain in her pockets as she kicks at the bridge with one foot. She doesn't offer any words at all, instead a familiar voice pops up less fearful than ever:]

One day a long time ago there was a little girl. Her birthday had just passed and a very important time was coming around. She was both excited and scared. She'd heard the stories, every kid had. Most remained in this very town, but others were shipped off. Why? She didn't even know. She wanted to believe it was her friends making fun of her. They did that a lot. But as the days after her birthday crawled past she began to wonder more-and-more about their situation.

The more she thought about it the more scared she became.

The girl was usually not confrontational, but what started as a day turned into weeks. She kept asking questions and trying to get the whys from older members of the community.They all shook their heads and said nothing at all. No one would answer anything which made everything more suspicious. If she could just get away... maybe, maybe someone on one of the other islands could give her answers.

The same day she was working up the courage to sneak away the bells rang. Her and her parents were seated for breakfast at their small table. Her parents looked proud, but she couldn't shake the apprehensive feelings. When her parents noticed they asked her if something was wrong-- She just smiled and headed off to school.

Any idea of running away was lost in that moment. In the evening the ceremony would start. Her and many other children would face the city leaders. But as for now her feet follow in well-worn steps to the tiny school house just off the main part of the island. The whole day a single phrase catches her mind: What should she do?

[As the story proceeds the young girl acts out each of the emotions. When the part finally finishes she gives the group a smile and runs off into the school building. From here you must decide what you want to do.]

DISCUSSION

[soulping]

SUBMIT

[soulping]

[unlikelyvalentine]

Well, I'm outta my league on this one. Anyone have experience is things that aren't "waking up in a garbage heap and wandering into the nuclear wasteland"?

[limitstorm]

Well... [ pressing a bent knuckle against his lips, as he watches the girl for a good moment, and then the surroundings, then at him. ]

This doesn't mean she's the one who'll be shipped off. Everyone gets a little scared, right? Maybe it's not even something bad...?

[unlikelyvalentine]

She looks like a kid to me. Kids are afraid of that kinda stuff. I guess.

[ Makes logical sense, but he has no further evidence to make sure his hunch is right. ]

[limitstorm]

Are they?

I guess.

[ he hums. ]

This place is just floating in the middle of the water, so... maybe they--

[ wait. ]

When we arrived, she said it wasn't a nice story.

[unlikelyvalentine]

Kidnapping? Sacrifice? Separation? I mean, it can be as serious as one can imagine, without any other information.

[limitstorm]

Yeah, you're right. Without knowing everything, or if she's even in danger, we can't do much, can we?

[unlikelyvalentine]

There's a big piece of information missing. These kids go missing. But what kids? What's the criteria? I mean... if the person telling the story is also a child, they may not even know or understand, because they're young.

[ He looks down, eyes hidden by the brim of his Cats-team coloured fedora; the yellow glow is still visible, and he's thinking. The synthetic skin-free hand of his fidgets slightly. ]

If she's expected to attend, and this isn't something serious, then just going to the ceremony would be wise. I mean, we have to know what's going on a bit better before any plans can be made.

[limitstorm]

Mm.

[ he doesn't like it.

it's a bad story. immediately he feels like he should act, but--how? ]

Yeah. I think so, too.

[unlikelyvalentine]

[ That makes two of them. He doesn't like the idea of sending a little one into potential danger, but the story is lacking so much information he can't glean much as is. ]

We'll see what new information we get, and go from there. If anything stinks, she's outta there.

[limitstorm]

[ he nods firmly. ]

Yeah. Any way we can.

ASSIST

[limitstorm]

[ is this... how u do it?? god help me man idefk how to do this ]

ROUND 1

[soulping]

[At the end of day bells ring once more. They're louder now and much more persistent. One hour they strike, one hour until the big event. As the girls runs down the bridges you can see the way she skips and hops before running into her home. You're not allowed to follow, but a little later she returns recently washed and newly clothed. She's busy tugging on shoes before she flies off on her way again.

Once more, you feel an urge to follow and are brought to the middle of the city. It's a platform raised far above the rest of the areas with bridges in ten different directions. The surface is large enough to hold a few hundred people, almost enough for the people that lived there. The watchers remain to the right side, while the city officials stand towards the left in front of a large fire.

Behind them stand seven kids who had been summoned as well. The girl fidgets slightly before she runs off to join them. As the girl files into the line, Rowena's voice cuts in once more]

"Good evening, friends," the elder said raising a hand with a hard-pressed smile, "as you are all are most certainly away, this is our coming of age ceremony! This is our quarterly even where we celebrate our youngsters and allow them a place in our community. We shall begin after the rites are read and offerings burnt."

The girl's too busy fidgeting with her fingers to catch the words the man offered. Only one word sticks to her and it was his choice of saying allow. It muddled her mind at the thought. Would they not be allowed to stay in their own home? Why would that ever be possible? She hoped she was just overthinking things.

No longer allowing herself to worry about such things, the girl straightened her head and allowed her eyes to fall over the rest of the community. Her parents stood towards the front and she ensured a feeble smile got sent their direction. Then she turned her eyes further, where the recently ceremonied were gathered.

That's when she noticed that one boy from the last ceremony was gone. He was a boy who used to attend classes with her in the school. How was it possible she suddenly realized he was gone after all of these months? She tried to shake it off as the men towards to the kids gathered there. She steps closer to a friend, tugging on her sleeve for support.

The men began their speeches calling the kids up one-by-one. They discussed their exploits and the good they did in their youth. Then at the very end always announced them as "A Good Water". This pattern continued for several kids before she's summoned to the front of the group.

The man closest to her smiles placatingly and offers her a hand. Suddenly, she's too scared to move. "This young girl," the eldest man advises, "we have watched for a long time." Silence follows and the girl moves anxiously in her spot.

"It would not be wrong to call her the best swimmer of her generation. We cannot forget her feat of reacting quickly when one of the nursery children fell overboard. She's bright and cheerful and we've always heard the best out of anyone she approaches," he smiles willfully at the girl, "and yet we are aware of her affinity to the air. It was a long time before she can swim, in spite of her skill. And instead of attending those lessons... she was playing with birds. She spends far more time being free-spirited and energetic than any I have seen in recent years."

She continues to squirm.

"These are all wonderful traits," he sooths, "she will do well."

The phrase isn't given to her and so she stiffens. Perhaps the man had just forgot? It wasn't impossible! But as she returned to her spot she glances up to her parents who were anxious and frightened faces. She quickly ducks her head away and curls her fingers into her skirts. The man continues on and the last one, the boy after her, is also told he would be a good water. Her heart sinks.

As the ceremony ends and the groups break up, each of the children are greeted by their parents. Even the girl's parents come up trying to hide their somber expressions with a tight smile. They tell her they're proud of her and they were going to take her to a special dinner for being brave...

They leave without speaking, the girl's hands tightened into balls against her sides. Not for the first time she considers running away.

[soulping]

What is freedom?

DISCUSSION

[soulping]

SUBMIT

[soulping]

Re: ASSIST

[soulping]

You assist the girl. You are able to comfort her during the school day as well as keep an eye on the building itself to make sure nothing happens. There are some whisperings about the ceremony tonight and some kids giving spooky ghost stories. But kids can just be kids, right?

As the school day ends a a question appears. You may answer or even continue with the story.

[limitstorm]

[ immediately: ]

I really don't like this.

[anewboy]

I ain't too big on it, either... But... We've gotta do somethin', right?

[That's his instincts at least]

[limitstorm]

Of course. I just... dunno. What can we do right now?

[anewboy]

We can talk to her or her parents? Maybe both? See if they want her outta this as much as they kinda seem they do...

[limitstorm]

[ ! ]

I didn't think of her parents.

[unlikelyvalentine]

Run. Anything involving men using words and speeches like that can't be good.