event: portal two | the desert

[mayfield_mods]

The second portal will most likely require a double-take to locate: it's found at the end of an alley between the malt shop and the roller rink, and you might glance it out of the corner of your eye while passing by. Drones, as before, don't seem to notice it at all, strolling right by the alley as if it didn't suddenly lead into a great swathe of sand.

Stepping through the portal can be a bit of a jarring experience. One moment you're standing amidst the bustle of downtown Mayfield; the next moment your face is being whipped by sand, the sun is blazing down on your neck, and the only noise you can hear is the distant, lonely keening of the wind across the dunes. Looking back at the portal, you can still see Mayfield's streets through the lens of the alleyway- but don't stare too long, because that portal closes within a day...

As far as the heat is concerned, you might as well have stepped into a pressure cooker. Not only does the sun beat down on you from above, but the heat also rises up from the sand: hopefully you're not going barefoot, otherwise you'll be suffering from some badly burned soles. On that note, unless you brought some very powerful sunscreen, you're going to want to cover up: any exposed skin is going to be suffering sunburn pretty fast. If you were smart, you brought something to drink: there's no water to be found here, only sand as far as the eye can see.

The great dunes rise and fall like unmoving waves. The horizon around you shows nothing, no buildings or signposts, only an endless sea of sand. Unlike the beach, there's no sign of habitation here- any footprints that might have been have long since been swept away. The wind is constant, unyielding, insistent, and focused on one direction alone: east.

Comments

[8tears]

[ Rui eyes him at the clothes changing and how he produces the canteen. ]

That's pretty practical. What sort of power is that?

[eyesofaserpent]

I'm a demon.

[He felt that should be explanation enough. It's not like he had names for his powers or anything. He just used them and had since before time began.]

[8tears]

[ Yes, that explains things rather well. Demons are quite known for having powers, even in Rui's world. ]

I see. I don't think I've met a demon before. I'm more used to humans with special powers.

[ Can't hurt talking about things like that when this isn't even her own world. There's nothing in Eden's laws about what do say and not say in other worlds. ]

[mayfield_mods]

[Saddle up, everything's going nuts!]

[eyesofaserpent]

If demons in your world are anything like demons from mine, we don't often advertise our nature. Er... If we're going to be out here, do you want a change of clothes?

[8tears]

Maybe. Who knows, I might've met some without knowing about it.

Only if you can turn them back to normal again afterwards. I don't think Yuki would appreciate if his clothes were gone permanently.

[eyesofaserpent]

Of course I can. Just remind me to do it.

[He takes that as permission and the clothing shifts into something similar to Crowley's robes and a canteen of her own.]

Now come on. Lets go hunting.

[8tears]

[ She will. She's not going to forget this particular set of clothes that her long-term friend and sometimes enemy had held on to for so long. That, and it were the only clothes Yukihina had gotten back this far. ]

Alright then. What direction?

[eyesofaserpent]

I've no bloody idea. I figured north from the portal would be a start.

[8tears]

Well that works as well as any. It's not like we know what's here yet anyway.

[ She starts heading in the mentioned direction, expecting Crowley to follow. ]

[eyesofaserpent]

[He follows after her and falls into step beside her.]

The name's Crowley. You?

[8tears]

I'm Hachiouji Rui.

[ It's still a habit to give her name in the Japanese order. Excuse her for that. ]

[eyesofaserpent]

Rui, huh? [He'd been on Earth long enough to know how different cultures arrange their names.] I'd say "it's a pleasure", but we're in the middle of a desert off of Mayfield.

[8tears]

[ She laughs a little at that. ]

It could've been worse.