thecrossinglogs | THE CROSSING #2

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THE CROSSING #2

It's that time again.

For more detail on the particulars of the event, be sure to refer to our info and planning post!

always keep moving

— CLOUDS ON THE HORIZON

The Desert is sprawling. If you've ever gotten turned around in the rolling dunes, it may have once felt endless. But in the weeks and days before the descent of The Crossing, something appears on the horizon: first a dark smudge of storm clouds, not unlike the others that have rolled through before, then growing — wider, darker, and more threatening.

You feel it, too. For some of you the feeling is new; for others it's a reminder of a trial you've been through before. It's a weight in your body, a solidity of your self, a vulnerability to whatever is approaching.

The storm overtakes the oasis. As the first drops of rain begin to fall, The Ferryman speaks in your mind.

It's time. Those who are prepared to pay the toll are instructed to gather on the bank of The River. As for the rest of you... we hope you have a plan.

taking refuge

— THE RIVER OF MUD

The storm hits hard and fast. Even as you gather around The Ferryman, the rain grows from spitting droplets to a desert monsoon. The Ferryman's protection only goes so far: even if you're promised safety from danger, you'll still have to cope with the cold, the wind, and the water.

As before, The Lantern's Light grows dark. As before, The Ferryman gathers memories one by one, consolidated into a mote of light in their palm that becomes the new center point for the growing temporary bubble of safety. But this time— what it was too dark to notice in the Cavern before— you realize that The Ferryman themselves is changing, too. Their form fades as the light in their hands grows, becoming as fuzzy and insubstantial as mist... not unlike the wraiths, outside of The Crossing.

The sparkling white salt flat before you begins to melt and grow murky, exposing the sticky, grasping mud beneath. The Ferryman glides out over the roiling muck of The River, and so do you, your steps as light as if there were still a crust of salt to separate you from the mud before.

You must keep moving, though. Linger too long, and you'll start to sink... and the mud might not let go, this time.

— A HAVEN FROM THE WANTS AND ILLS OF LIFE

The journey is arduous, and the storm is unrelenting. The Ferryman, unfamiliar as they might be in this form, leads confidently through the blur of lightning, wind, and rain. As before, the mote of light created from your memories follows in their footsteps, illuminating the path to follow along the wide expanse of The River.

Even with The Ferryman's protection, it is exhausting work. It's as mentally taxing as it is physically draining. As such, when the path forward begins to shudder and shift, it may come as a reprieve. The wall of wind and rain finally breaks, the Desert around you replaced by... somewhere else. A place you may recognize, or may not.

Whatever stress or fear you may have been feeling from your journey wanes, replaced by feelings of calm, peace, or joy. If the place you are in is unfamiliar, the feelings are muted, as if they don't quite belong to you... but surely this is better than returning to the monsoon? Perhaps you can rest a while. Play a game, recover in shelter, or take a meditative walk through a maze. What's a few minutes, anyway? Time hardly means anything anymore.

Just don't forget: if you linger too long in any one place, the mud of The River will start to suck you down. It's best to stay alert— and to keep an eye on those traveling with you, as well.

storm chasers

— SWEPT AWAY

The Desert isn't designed to weather a storm like this one. Beyond the pounding rain and cracking lightning, those of you who have decided to travel without The Ferryman must also navigate the environment itself. Flash floods sweep through lower-lying places in the dunes, where the sand isn't able to absorb water quickly enough. Creatures that may have been docile before are now panicked, and might impede your progress, or even lash out themselves.

And, of course, there are the wraiths.

They're easier to spot this time around, across the rolling dunes. It's easier to make out just how much they've changed as well: the claws, the teeth, the exaggerated proportions... and the unmistakable pain and fury in every movement, in every shriek and wail.

You are vulnerable to any and all injury during this time, whether from the wraiths, the wildlife, or the elements. As long as you follow your gut, you'll know where to go — but we hope you have a strategy, all the same.

— AN EYE IN THE STORM

At least in the Cavern, you had cover. Nooks and crannies, branching tunnels, rocky outcroppings... But out here, beneath the wide-open sky of the Desert, there's very little in terms of shelter. The odd plateau, or cave entrance, or inexplicable feature might grant you some reprieve, but there's always more sand to cross in-between.

On occasion, however, you may spot a strange sort of wraith watching you at a distance. Some of you may even recognize it: an eerie, dissembling creature that some have dubbed the Smart Wraith. Its form, like the others, has solidified into something grotesque and painful, as if its body has been plucked like clay by a particularly spiteful child. Unlike the others, though, it does not attack, or even approach. It simply watches, as it always have.

If you have the presence of mind to notice, however, you may find that there are occasional reprieves from wraith attacks, especially across longer stretches of dunes. They're brief, but often crucially timed (such as when someone is significantly injured, or when a flood has just rolled through), and always correspond to a moment when The Wraith can be found watching from some far-flung vantage point.

It's odd, certainly. But do you have the luxury of looking a gift horse in the mouth?

stormbreak

— CLEARING SKIES

Eventually, the storm calms. Your body lightens. The atmosphere realigns.

The Crossing ends.

The thick, sucking mud of The River has become shallow and waterlogged. It's easy to wade through now, if a touch... unpleasant. Fibrous plants and reeds line the sloped banks, inexplicably dotted with bright orange flowers. Light is low, though the sky has cleared, as if wherever you are now lingers in perpetual dusk.

If you were traveling with The Ferryman, the mirages that dogged your journey finally fade and stay gone. If you were traveling on your own, any wounds you sustained heal rapidly on their own. As before, the healing is natural, but on fast-forward, and thus may not always resolve perfectly.

For both groups, memories bleed away from you - perhaps literally, perhaps not. Anything you found in the Desert, unless given to you by The Ferryman, is gone from your pockets.

When you look again, The Ferryman appears just the same as they were before The Crossing began. Let's take a break, they say. It's been a long journey.

It certainly has.

Image credits: 1, 2 + OMORI'S STORY, and stock imagery unless otherwise noted

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I guess... in death we can't carry over super powers, huh? I think you're not the first one who mentions something like that, even if I admit it's a bit hard for me to wrap my head around people actually having powers. [Imagine being lucky, couldn't be Kel...] Oh. Oh! Pet Rocks are like that. They fight with Rock Paper and Scissors. I guess there... I guess we can all experience new things, huh? How was it?

[Aaaand another small pull, he's almost trying to make sure Nagito is leaning against him so even if they get a bit lost talking about Makoto he can still make sure the other doesn't sink. Brown eyes dart around searching for Sunny, then Mari, and since they're both fine... attention back to Nagito.]

Hope is something that doesn't just come from magical stats or whatever you guys use- hope can be inspired with words, actions and so many other things. I think it's a more difficult power to lose.

I'm certain he'll not lose his hope to reunite with us, at least.

I wouldn't say my talent counted as anything close to a superpower, or magic, like some of the others talk about. I suppose there must be some kind of connection, though. [But Nagito does agree that hope shouldn't be something that anyone can take away from Makoto.] Naegi-sama has gotten through much worse than this, so it's presumptuous of me to worry, really.

...And, ah--how do rocks play rock paper scissors? [He's imagining literal, physical rocks.]

Well, I'm still not really sure how any of that works but still being super lucky seems like a great thing. Like, I'd at least win the local town lottery and get myself one of the big hams they give to the second prize each year. Those look so yummy. [He's... rambling. He's not sorry to try to find distractions, mh?] Well, if it can work in reassuring you, we can... huh... work on making a list of Makoto's many talents and good traits and whatever, so we remember ourselves why we know we'll see him again, right?

OH! It's not rocks rocks- gosh. Me and Sunny were both so in love- it's pet rocks! It's like a mini pet you raise to fight other rocks and they grow up according to your level of care. And get stronger by fighting. I had a Pluto, Sunny had a Jash and... well, I was never really good at it so during battles, since I had bad luck, I ended up always picking rock. You know... people actually laugh when they win so that was nice.

[Sunny knew that for sure since he did destroy Kel in 'combat'.]

And rock because my Pet is Pluto indeed. A space rock. Ahah... The strongest one is the One Winged Jash but that's, like, super difficult to obtain. You should barely have any real life and dedicate your time to raising it with perfect stats. Sunny is really good at the game, I'm just very passionate about it. Before coming here, I had my Pluto for four years.

So, yeah. Rocks playing paper rock scissor stuff!

[Nagito has explained his luck very often--its up sides and its downsides. He chooses to let the topic go, this time.] That sounds a little like a virtual pet. [Except, you know, a rock. But rocks would have been better than the weird one built into their student handbooks on the island.] I was never very good at keeping mine alive. The batteries would fall out, or I'd get some strange, rare glitch that reset everything...

[Okay, so maybe he is talking about his luck a little. But not on purpose.]

[In all this, Kel still can only see it like it's a videogame and the other has some cheat on to always win.]

It iiiiis. God, now that I talked about it, I DO miss my Pluto. Not as much as I miss my Hector, he's the best buddy ever and the most handsome young man ever- my actual dog. [He's at least glad his rambles do seem to offer some distractions there. Ever had a pet yourself? Not just the virtual stuff, I mean. I'd like to be the pet of the luckiest person alive ever, i bet it'd be super amazing and fun. Heh... and who knows, maybe we can find some virtual pets around here?

[Nagito's not sinking, that's good and that's all he's thinking about right now.]

Ah--I had a dog, when I was very little. But, you know, being the pet of someone like me--it's not a good thing.

[He runs his flesh hand roughly through his hair.]

Do you... want to talk about them? And... huh... maybe not?

[Why does he feel like that may unlock a world of trauma?]

Maybe it's better if we stay focused on reaching the place where we will find our buddy Makoto and virtual pets. I should ask the Ferryman if they can give us some. I mean...

If that's what you'd like to talk about! [Nagito perks up immediately. Automatically, maybe.] I don't see why Ferryman-san wouldn't be able to give us something like that.

What I want to talk about is anything -or anyone- who makes you happy, buddy. We're friends, comrades, adventure party members, I want to learn to know you better.

[Get him to talk, keep him out of the mud.]

I don't know, Ferryman did say 'no' to a shirt for me, after all. Doesn't matter, I still rocked the sweetheart one and I bet I'm going to find an equally amazing one where we're headed!

Maybe not having a new, permanent shirt is part of your personal growth! [Why would it be part of Kel's personal growth...]

Teaches me how to be adaptable, I guess! And that I do look good in any color. Even pink.

[See? He can try to find the good side of anything.]

What about you? What would.... what would be your personal character arc? If we're talking in videogame terms and all?

Oh, I'm one of the extras. That kind of character doesn't get an arc. If we're lucky, we can be used by someone who does, though! [Trying to get something happy out of Nagito when he's talking about himself is extremely difficult, unfortunately. Not that Nagito seems bothered by his own self-assessment.]

What? No no, buddy, no... everyone is main cast in here. You, me, Makoto- all on the same level. How many people do you know get to have a rich afterlife adventure?

[he may sounds casual about it, but he's not stupid- there's no fun to really be had in their journey, no matter how he puts it.]

Maybe, out there, there are people reading of our adventures in another world. I'm Mari and Sunny's sidekick, for example... and you can be the one searching for the lost luck?

You're Mari-san and Sunny-kun's sidekick? But I thought we were all main characters. [He's teasing. It's easier than continuing to talk about his luck, which is much more complicated.]

Well. No one says sidekicks can't be protagonists too! And I will definitely fight anyone trying to tell me I should not be the comic relief character of a group. As one of them would say: nyuk nyuk!

Just because I choose to be their sidekick it doesn't mind I'm not a protagonist too, mind you. We all are.

[He gets it. And he's doing his best to offer distractions to anyone here.]

I'm very relieved knowing we have the role of comic relief covered! It's very reassuring that so many people are willing to work together here. [At least some of what Nagito said may be earnest. Probably not the comic relief part.]

Right? Right? Oh, man, I gotta learn how to make people laugh in here. It's been so depressing lately I think my job will get much harder.

[A pause. What he's not saying is he's willing to work wth anyone as long as the two siblings aren't endangered by them. For how heavy his heart is, kel could turn on anyone threatening them and he's not sure of what to make of this awareness.]

Heh. It's nice to be a solid team, isn't it?

[Nagito hums thoughtfully.] It's interesting. Is it this easy to get people to work together in your world? It never seemed very easy in mine. Even when I wasn't the one trying to do it, I mean.

[Since obviously it wouldn't go well when he tried to do it. But actually, nobody's called him a lame nerd for supporting teamwork here or anything.]

[He offered Nagito a wide, wide smile]

Of course not! I mean, not al the time. But it's good when it happens, isn't it? And people with a common goal do tend to make things work, usually- now, do I know what our goal is right now? Probably not. But we're still a team.

[teamwork is dreamwork buddy. Kel raises one hand up in front of Nagito, waiting patiently for a high five.]

And yeah, sometimes it's hard to make things work but I feel like it's worth it.

[Nagito blinks confusedly at Kel's hand for a few moments before he realizes what Kel wants.]

Oh! Um-- [Nagito gives him a very tentative, uncertain high five. He's not used to high fives, forgive him.]

[Oh, man, that was ALMOST worse than Sunny's high five. almost. Still, Kel was adamant in pushing everyone's confidence up so...]

Aw, yeah, that's the spirit. Man, I tend to forget this is what normal high fives are like, me and my friends back home... we tend to e rough. 'Let's see who slaps harder' kind of rough.

Sports people, you know? Anyway... to teamwork. And to finding out a common goal too. Your world seems... harsh, sometimes, but I'm glad you still seem to be a good person, you know?

You'd probably like Nidai-kun--one of my old classmates back home. He high fived me once and knocked me over! [Maybe that's too rough...] But really, I'm not a good person. Naegi-sama's a good person. Once he shows up again you really do have to meet him properly.

[If he shows up again. But Nagito doesn't really want to consider that, at least out loud.]

Maybe? I do like sporty people a lot- because I am one, duh. But I think it's the norm, at least between my friends. The 'joke' is trying to hit you as hard as possible, normal people don't do that. They do it like you.

[And there it is again. The self deprecating talks. God, Kelwishes everyone would just stop with them right now- and yes, perhaps he's the first one to do the same and think very lowly of hiself, he's an hypocrite, but it still annoys him so much.

He's... angry when he speaks next, this despite the big smile on his face.]

Of course, don't worry. I look forward meeting your boyfriend once we're done with this mess. [it's a bite,it's unwarranted, but Kel has only so much patience for self depreating talks and Nagito is already hitting the quota of the month.... has it even been a month? He doesn't know. Still, he allows a moment to pass before talking again.] jokes aside, stop talking yourself down, buddy. You've been nothing but a good person so... honestly? Stop.

[Please?]

Oh, Naegi-sama can do much better than-- [Nagito pauses; Kel literally just asked him not to talk himself down. Which is ridiculous to ask of someone like him, but Kel did ask, so...] Well. You should meet him regardless.

[When Nagito begins his sentence? Kel just... squints in his direction. It's probably ridicolous: they're both wet, sinking into mud, but Kel is NOT letting that one movie scene with the horse sinking down the swamp-like thing repeat itself here.

Someone he can't think of would have more tact, he may even approach Nagito after this all because he knows snapping at someone is hardly the best thing to do and it won't help making the mood any better but.

Okay. Okay... smile, Kel, smile.]

I will. I love making new friends. And I'm sure he's waiting for us. Sooo... step after step? Who do you think will have the best memory location in here? I hope that whatever happens, someone ends up giving us a boat.

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