ᴏᴏ2 ( ᴠɪᴅᴇᴏ ) | ᴄᴀᴍᴘɪɴɢ.

[insubordination]

[ roy's week has been better.

between the removal from shehui and the now impossibility of being trapped in some sort of magical hellscape, and multiple people vanishing, and still more people appearing, he's had something of a time of it. but keep calm and carry on is the mantra of the day, even if roy sounds noticeably . . . not off, necessarily, but definitely more tired and muted than he typically is. he normally sounds confident and in control, but at the moment, he just sounds somewhat fed up. between shehui, riza being taken, hughes showing up, and about 20% of the coven up and vanishing, he's had about enough.

that being said, he has appearances to maintain, so he tries not to let his frustration and exhaustion leak into what he's about to say to the coven. someone needs to round everyone up and make sure they're okay. it may as well be him, especially considering what they're all seeing and going through. ]

To those who don't know who I am, my name is Brigadier General Roy Mustang. Whether you use my title or not is entirely up to you; I'm not going to police your comfort level with the military, nor does it mean much here other than I have experience in dealing with catastrophe.

[ he is normally not so blunt, but. times are hard, man. ]

Given our current situation and the sudden absence of multiple people from the Coven, we need to regroup. Staying together is imperative to our safety, and wandering this place alone is a recipe for disaster. I'm sure most of you have already figured this out, but to those who haven't: avoid the hotbeds of magical activity and do not drink the water. Hallucinations tend to occur when either of those things happen, and we can't afford any of our own being incapacitated. We're trapped here until further notice, and with little-to-no guidance from Qri or our former captors, [ because honestly, fuck the reason they're in shehui in the first place, but he'll try to keep his bitterness concerning qri to himself ] we are on our own. Rely on each other, and we will be fine.

[ he pauses. ]

I know many of you are still recovering from the atrocities that Shehui inflicted upon all of us, and that this is far from an ideal recovery place. There's no need to pretend to be fine if you aren't, but rely on those who can help you, if able. Check in with me if you are still here. I'll send my location telepathically to the entirety of the Coven; find me, and we will begin to set up a temporary campsite until we figure out how to best get out of here.

[ there's another pause before he sighs, running his hands over his face to have a moment of thought to himself. ]

If you have any questions, concerns, or require any supplies, speak to me. If you have specialized healing abilities, say so to the Coven on this feed. People are hurt. [ hughes, specifically, needs more help than roy gave him, but. he won't say that out loud. ] We will begin to divvy up responsibilities when we are in a centralized location. Make your way here before focusing on anything else you are told. And remember -- ignore the hallucinations; they are not real. Thank you.

[ and as the feed ends, a location is sent, telepathically, where roy has set up camp near a grove of trees.

[ x,y ] ]

[ ooc: feel free to threadjack and use this as an open log to generate some plots! i do not care how many people threadjack or if folks interrupt roy in the comments. lay it on each other. :)

EDIT: here is a log for the tasks y'all are plotting out below! if your character has volunteered something, please feel free to throw up a top level for volunteers. ]

Comments

[lalliho]

[He was all set to ignore this, but...ehhhn, it is a familiar voice and face. He wishes that made it more welcome.]

Riza's military, too. She had "experience in dealing with catastrophe". That didn't stop her or Ruby from getting taken away.

[You can't help prevent the bad stuff just because you think you're so great!!!]

[spaceforged]

Good to know about the water. Maybe we can find a way to purify some of it later. Qri magic does trump any their world’s power. I’m in the air but on route to your position.

I can pick up anyone that can’t move that far on my way. I can report from the air I don’t see anything resembling civilization. Once we have a central camp I’ll go scouting. [He sounds rougher than usual. Losing that many people. Some of them he knows and some he doesn’t but all of them important has shaken him. He can’t do anything about it. So he’s just frustrated and it shows in his sharper and matter of fact tone.]

[mapsio]

[While Haru is shaken by the recent losses too, she knows that picking up your comrades is the best thing to do in a situation like this.]

For anyone who feels unsafe, I can come to you and walk you to a safer place. I am able to create protective barriers.

[And to Roy specifically:]

Do you know what is needed where you are at trying to set up camp? I will attempt to gather supplies. I was able to grab some of my belongings from the apartments before we left.

[secrowtary]

That was a pretty inspirational speech, Brigadier General Mustang.

[ Although it might sound like it to some, there's no trace of irony in his words. And with praise out of the way, Hibiki can introduce himself: ]

I'm Captain Hibiki Kohaku. My comfort level with the military is pretty high, I suppose. [ Given that he's a part of it... ] If I can be of assistance, I will gladly offer my help once I arrive at your position. I might scout the area in search of lost people unless there is something else that needs to be done.

[ Trying to make it clear that he won't turn away even a difficult task here. ]

[drizzle]

Too long! Why are your types like this!?

[The only comment Nike had to say as she is slowly recovering from the hallucinations; however with the loss of her earrings, the only items that keep her from getting possessed by magic and spirits, Nike was beyond in a bad mood and in mother bear mode due to her Palai daughter, who was by her side.]

...there are many less strings and voices than usual. [A slight pause.] ....but I thought it was due to the overflowing magic getting in the way of my senses. Are you absolutely certain our group has gotten smaller? So many of them are gone....I've never felt anything like this...

1/2

[insubordination]

[ . . . well, nike, aren't you just a breath of fresh air. ]

My apologies; it's a force of habit to talk for a long time, for fear of getting interrupted.

[insubordination]

[ and, after that soft chuckle: ]

There are a number of people who have been radio silent that ordinarily wouldn't be. And I can't find them, and haven't been able to, since we've been trapped here. I imagine they've gone the way of Edward and Alphonse.

[ he pauses. ]

Have you found Jay?

[insubordination]

[ captain. good. good. ]

Thank you for the compliment and the volunteer, Captain. A scouting party would be a good start, especially given the amount of children we have within the Coven. Not all of them are able to defend themselves as adequately as those of us with experience.

[ he pauses. ]

But I would avoid going alone. It's easy to fall into the traps of the mind around here, even if you know what you're looking to avoid.

[insubordination]

Thank you for volunteering.

[ a search party is essential, and roy is glad to see people stepping up to volunteer. people tend to give him hope even in darker times. ]

Fresh water is essential. I bought as much as I could in Shehui, per Genette's instruction, but I only had so much due to my being a fugitive of the state. [ whoops. ] . Shelter, food . . . and as for the general area, firewood and kindling for warmth and cooking, for later tonight. We'll need to consolidate and conserve resources.

[insubordination]

No, it didn't.

[ without hesitation; he's not going to argue with a correct point. ]

But we can either learn from those mistakes, or allow them to paralyze us. What Shehui did doesn't change our current situation. We're trapped, and we need to consolidate resources in order to ensure none of us get further injured or hurt than we already have.

[ he pauses. ]

Colonel Hawkeye is already here, if you'd like to speak with her instead.

[ he's not above using riza for bait for sullen grumpy teenagers he does it all the time with edward ]

[insubordination]

Thank you, Shiro.

[ roy needs someone to delegate when it gets to be too much, and shiro and riza can do that for him. riza is already here. collecting the pieces and moving them into place is nearly done. ]

Another individual has volunteered to scout as well. You should connect with them -- going alone is a poor idea, given the state of the landscape. It's too easy to fall into a trap.

[lalliho]

[At first, he just gets a grunt in response. You can't bait him!!! He won't give in just because women are far scarier than men and this offer to have Riza speak with him is most definitely a threat, like have you seen her.]

Sticking together in one spot didn't help anyone. What makes your camp safer than anywhere else?

[insubordination]

[ riza is absolutely scarier than roy and he knows it and he uses it to his advantage constantly. ]

Nothing, if no one comes.

[ he's frank about the flaws, at the very least. ]

But spreading our resources in a world where resources are apparently scarce is a recipe for disaster. If there is something lurking in the dark, here, having strength in numbers is a far better option than having all of us spread, disorganized, and unable to properly defend ourselves.

That being said, I'm open to hearing alternative opinions.

[ and he means that, genuinely. if lalli has ideas, roy wants to hear them. ]

[lalliho]

Unless everyone being there means there's not enough stuff to go around. A lot of people don't know how to do things, yet. They're a drain until they learn.

[fuck, though. he's got no better idea. he was just a scout, not something left in charge of things like this.]

[insubordination]

The capable will be helping the incapable.

[ not flatly or shrewdly, but pretty firmly stated. leaving someone out in the proverbial cold is not an option. ]

We'll make do once we have a good stock on what we have at our disposal. And people unable to care for themselves only means we need to find them sooner. No one is going to die out here if we're able to help it.

[lalliho]

No. You're not listening.

[like, he is, but Lalli needs his brashness to make sure Roy pays attention to his words fully, rather than having an answer at the ready, which is apparently a bad thing, in his mind??? A little too optimistic, maybe, is all.]

The people that can't take care of themselves are going to go to your camp right away. It's just starting. You can't already have enough stuff to take care of them and the people that already know what to do. While they learn, you're going to run out of stuff. It takes time to teach the skills that they're going to need, and more people will go to the camp if you keep talking like this. People are going to suffer for a while, no matter what they can do. Having everyone in one spot...

The troubles are going to spread faster, that way. Like disease.

[insubordination]

[ there's a slight arching of his eyebrows, at being told he's not listening -- but he falls quiet, to listen to lallli's point. and he does have a point, albeit a shrewd one. the individuals who need help the most will come here first, which leaves those capable somewhat outnumbered.

but: ]

Or those same people who are scared and alone remain scared and alone, and we have to risk more to collect them. Either way, we suffer a risk that has to be mitigated.

[ he pauses. ]

I am listening, and you're right. [ SEE ] But in a situation like this, it's damned if you do, damned if you don't. I would rather know where everyone is, and deal with the aftershock, than not know where people are, and have to scramble to find them when we have an opportunity to leave.

[ and roy, in good conscience, can't let people wander around not knowing what to do when he is capable of doing something. ]

[spaceforged]

I was just about to do that. We should gather together a small group to map the area around the campsite. We don’t want anyone to accidentally run into the magic.

We know if this magic moves or fluxes?

[spaceforged]

Hey. If you’re going scouting I’ll go with you. It’s Shiro, I can help cover the ground or give a view from the air. Either way we’d be able to keep an eye on each other. What do you say?

[spaceforged]

I haven’t been able to reach anyone either. I’ll keep an eye out.

How are you doing, Nike? Sorry for not returning to the apartment before. I didn’t want to put you at risk.

[lalliho]

[...well, at least he was heard. Lalli grunts ambiguously, as is the sullen teen way.]

You should make them know that it will be hard. It isn't good to think things will be okay, then figure out it's not. And it's partly your fault.

[mapsio]

Of course, time is of the essence. It shouldn't be wasted.

[She's trying her hardest, even if she hasn't found any of the news so far good.]

I will pick up kindling along the way. I have some food in my bag that I can share with everyone. I was also able to grab my kettle and tea before we left. Are you going to be stationary at that spot, General Roy-san?

[mapsio]

Nike-chan, I'm so glad to hear you.

[Look, that was important. Haru thought that she may never hear a familiar voice again.]

It's true that there are less, but... I don't think we can be certain of the number until we are all together in one spot. Are you okay? Do you and Airis-chan need any help?

[witchwithoutacause]

I'm here and you can... send me out to give people lifts and stuff. If anyone needs a ride from where they are, I can fly around the magical distortions pretty easily.

[ Plus, she's used to magic existing in the first place; even if this feels different from her home's, it's whatever. At least, that's how she feels about it. ]

We need to pretty quickly figure out the water situation, though.

[bulletbiter]

I may have an answer to where those who have disappeared have gone, but I cannot confirm it completely.

They may have returned home, as I did once. At least, I will keep this hope in my heart.

[ Julius also sounds worn, though there is an undercurrent of determination in his mental voice. He's here to answer questions, if people want to clarify things. ]