event: portal one | the island

[mayfield_mods]

The first portal doesn’t take long to locate: it’s across the road from the Rec Center, in a field visible from the pool. There is no shimmering or flashy effects to indicate the portal’s presence. There is simply an eight-by-five-foot vertical hole in the middle of the air, a hole through which a vast expanse of sand and surf can be seen. Said hole is completely two-dimensional- walk to its side, and it will seem as though it’s disappeared.

There are times, however, when the portal seems to disappear even when viewed from the front. Every once in a while, the portal appears to flicker ever so faintly, like a television briefly losing signal. Don’t worry about it- it’s probably nothing. Those who visited the carnival last month and viewed the pockets of nothingness that plagued it may feel a familiar sense of physical discomfort when staring at the portal for too long- as if your eyes instinctively know that they’re looking at something that shouldn’t exist in this world.

Stepping through the portal doesn’t burn or hurt at all, although the temperature immediately rises on the other side from early autumn to the peak of a tropical summer. There is, however, a slight tingle to your skin that lasts only for moments upon passing through. Again, probably nothing. The portal does not vanish after you pass through it: behind you you can see the field and the rec center in the distance.

The island has no name. Its beach stretches from east to west as far as the eye can make out, and the great sea lapping at its edges is a bright, clear blue. Looking out at the ocean you can see that it’s calm, the waves soft and almost inviting. There’s no other land on the horizon, only a vast expanse of endless sea.

The only signs of human habitation you can make out are littered on the beach around you. A set of towels, beach chairs and umbrellas have been set up a short distance away from the portal. In the wet sand left in the high tide’s wake, a series of sand castles have been constructed, as well as a shallow pit where someone may have been buried in the sand.

On the opposite edge of the beach lies a forest of palm trees. The foliage is thick, but there seems to be a path carved into the flora a short distance away from the shore.

Comments

[snacklist]

Mm.

[He wanted to protect the others, he wanted to protect everyone, but his mother took first priority.]

[nurture]

[she doesn't need any more encouragement, clapping her hands together with an excited sort of happiness.]

Perfect! Then let's finish our sand castle and see if we can find any crabs in the sand, Al!

[snacklist]

[It was worth it to see her so happy, and any reservations are blowing away as he gives a decisive nod.]

Right!

[He would do anything for her, feeling almost like a little kid again as they moulded the sand together.]

[nurture]

And no cheating with alchemy, okay? We're going to do this the old fashioned way!

[snacklist]

Alchemy isn't cheating, Mom.

[nurture]

It is too! You're not back-talking your mother, are you?

[snacklist]

M-Mom! That's cheating too, you know I'd never back-talk you.

[nurture]

Who, me? I'd never cheat, Al! [all's fair in love and war, right?]

[snacklist]

Mm.

[He's not sure if he believes this so... HAVE A SAND STORM, as he sweeps his hand through the sand towards her.]

[nurture]

[she gives out a squeal and jumps to her feet, abruptly laughing...



and now she's running away, holding her dress up a bit to avoid getting too much sand on it.]

Al!!

[snacklist]

[Mwahaha.

You're not getting away from him that easily, missy. He starts running after her, and he has longer legs.]

You can't escape me!

[nurture]

[NOOO... he's going to catch up so easily! it's making her laugh harder, giving him a look over her shoulder before trying to go faster for all the good it would do!]

How did you get so fast!

[snacklist]

I drank all my milk!

[Ha! He sweeps her up into his arms when he catches her, she's light as a feather to him.]

[nurture]

[NOOOOOOOoooOOoooo!! she squeaks delightedly, winding her arms over his around her waist.]

I bet Ed is very jealous~!

[snacklist]

...

[If it were anyone else, maybe Ed would have been. But what he had lost more than outweighed the sudden growth; besides, it wasn't his real height.]

He's getting a lot better at that.

[Such a liar.]

[nurture]

[she's twisting her head a bit to look at him over her shoulder with an amused sort of smile.]

I do know Ed, Al. [CALLING YOUR BLUFF...]

[snacklist]

[Haha... ha...]

I know that. He's got better, he only hits most people who call him short now.

[nurture]

What am I going to do with the two of you? [but she's laughing again...]

[snacklist]

[He chuckles along for a moment and then, instead of putting her down, he hoists her right up to sit on his shoulders so she can see out to sea.]

[nurture]

[she squeaks a little noise of surprise, but -- of course, she trusts him utterly and gets her bearings from her new vantage point. oh... this is incredible! Trisha has one hand on his head and the other grasping his convenient shoulder plate.]

Al! It's so beautiful...!

[snacklist]

I bet you can see right out to the ocean now!

[He's so glad that she likes it. Maybe he can't give her a nice warm hug, but he can show her the world from up high.]