this might be a cdc setting thing who knows

[starblazes]

[She hadn't turned them down when they recruited her. She didn't have much of an opinion one way or another, even though these people are dealing with the living instead of the already dead. But what is a Black Shooter if not a doll to be used for the agenda of others? Rock had listened compliantly and said little (nothing, actually), which they had taken for agreement.

The planet doesn't surprise her that much. There isn't any familiarity to it, but she's used to that from the phantasmic worlds stagnant souls create for themselves. Urban cities, small European towns, jungles - this is just another in a long line of curious places that need to be dealt with before she can move on to the next.

There is something that's begun to nag at her, though. Curiosity. It might just be from the fish raining down from the sky. It could also be the result of being thrown into such a bizarre situation, no Ron to guide her (just a nonsentient weapon to resemble him, looking like a huge black metallic snake currently coiled around her upper arm), no stagnant souls to purify, only the orders from these new people to follow.

She isn't sure, as she passively watches the fish from underneath a giant spire.]

((Using this setting.))

Comments

[lettdown]

[ She needs to get and be more adventurous--that's what Rapunzel did after all. And it sure beats actually trying to climb the spires for a botched supply drop; he's left that to more qualified people (because no way is anyone going to get him up someplace high). What he's doing instead is...actually just wandering around as it rains fish. While he eats the one he's got in hand raw, bones and all. Because that's how normal people eat fish alright.

As much fun as free food is though, being pelted with it isn't so he'll make his way towards Rock's spire, blinking when he notices someone actually...already there, huh. ]

[starblazes]

[She isn't exactly knowledgeable about the living world, her own memories of it have all but disappeared, but she has the vague sense that rain is normal and raining fish is not.

Oh well, it's still something to watch.

Though, she directs her attention to the guy eating a raw one when he comes into view. She doesn't say anything but she does look curious.]

[lettdown]

[ Rapunzel's going to mirror that look! But she's not telling him to beat it or anything so...after a moment of hovering near the edge of cover and letting a few fish smack him on the head, he'll finally say something. ]

...Mind if I stay a while? [ Until all the fish let up and that nonsense. ]

[starblazes]

[Rock's eyes tilt upwards to watch the fish smack him on the head, blinking at that before turning her attention to his question. She'll shake her head, and after a moment:]

Is that....

[Maybe this is a dumb question.]

Tasty?

[lettdown]

[ There are never dumb questions with Rapunzel. He actually thinks it's pretty darn valid since...well, it's food. And it's skyfish. Asking what it tastes like and if it's good is a good thing to do. ]

...It's alright. It'd be better cooked. [ And without all the bones he keeps eating. ]

[starblazes]

[She nods thoughtfully, considering his words.

Because her stomach is growling a moment later. Loudly.]

............ [This is entirely embarrassing to her if the blush appearing on her face is any indication.]

[lettdown]

.......... [ Wow that was loud even to him. Excuse Rapunzel a moment as he looks between her, the fish in his hand...and then holds it out to her. It's half-eaten but that's better than swamp-flavoured fish right?? ]

[starblazes]

[It certainly is, and she isn't going to turn him down even if it's a half-eaten fish that fell from the sky.

She'll take it and bite into it, chewing quietly.]

[lettdown]

[ She's even quieter than he is. And the fact that he notices that right away off the bat is a big thing for him. Rapunzel actually blinks a little as he watches her eat, but it's only for a few moments before he decides to stand a foot or so off to her underneath the spire.

He doesn't even mind that they aren't really having much of a conversation. It's actually a relief after all the hustle as bustle so far. ]

...Good?

[starblazes]

[She doesn't mind the silence, either. It's nice, given Ron has a tendency to talk her head off all the time.

But that fish is, frankly, pretty awful. She's swallowing that mouthful hard, and because she's hungry enough her next one is just going to be swallowed without chewing.]

............. It'll do.

[lettdown]

[ RAPUNZEL WONDERS ABOUT THAT. He can see the colour drain from her face during those two mouthfuls. It definitely looks like she's forcing herself there maybe he should have not offered her the fish?? ]

.................

Um...

[starblazes]

[Yeah, yeah....

After she's got the bare minimum of food in her she'll hurriedly hand it back.]

Th... thank you.

[lettdown]

....Sorry. [ Which also doubles as a "you're welcome" in this case. Poor human girl(?). Maybe it wasn't a good diea to give her something uncooked. Humans tended to vomit a lot over the smallest things after all. ]

[starblazes]

[She's wishing that the fish had at least been cooked. Raining fish is already pretty strange, what's wrong with going one step further and cooking it? But she's tough, so she'll survive.

She'll give Rapunzel another glance. It was nice of him to offer the fish, no matter how awful it was. She hesitates, before deciding to respond:]

Rock.

[lettdown]

[ The best choice in rock-paper-scissors. But he's pretty sure she's not just saying that to boats the clear superiority of rock in that particular game. And the spires aren't exactly rocks, so...a name?

He blinks. ]

...Rapunzel. [ ... ] Nice to meet you.

[starblazes]

[She nods in response, though she doesn't smile.]

Yes. Nice to meet you, too.

[lettdown]

[ Her default expression is almost the same as his c: ]

.... [ He's not sure what else to say here now though, so after a moment of silence he'll lift the remaining bit of fish to his mouth and take another squishy bite. ]

[starblazes]

[She glances over when an unusual shape above catches her eye. It's one of the supply batches being dropped, and she watches it curiously as it... proceeds to land on top of a nearby spire.

Welp.]

[lettdown]

....? [ He catches the glance and follows her gaze on a whim...but hey look, it pays off. He sees the supply drop as well...and then realizes how high up it is. Wow is he so not going for that. Holy. ]

[starblazes]

[Rock considers the height of the spire, and the fish falling from the sky, then glances over at punz.]

I can get it.

[lettdown]

...You can??

[starblazes]

[Rock nods, looking very certain.]

It would be useful, right? [The supplies, that is. No more eating raw fish!]

[lettdown]

[ But the raw fish isn't so bad D: ]

...Yeah, probably. [ Nodnod. He's can't see it not having some use. ]

[starblazes]

[That's enough reason for her. She'll trot out from under their spire, breaking into a quick sprint to avoid most of the falling fish, though she doesn't go for the spire that the supplies are stuck on. She goes for one close to it, using it as a launching point to start bouncing upwards from spire to spire.]

[lettdown]

[ Holy--it's like watching Gil or Enkidu or something. It's not as if Rapunzel can't when he tries, but that height would cripple the heck out of him and she's just...fearless. Dang. ]

[starblazes]

[Up up up she goes, until she lands lightly on a small rocky ledge next to the supplies. Scooping them up she'll then carefully make her way back down, doing her best to avoid the falling fish.

And the she darts back under the spire, holding the parcel out.]

Here.

[lettdown]

[ Takes it mutely for a moment, looking between it and her...and then nodding, keenly. ]

...You're fast. And strong. [ APPROVAL. Rock is a Prince, he's decided now. ]

this might be a reply... who knows

[sohothin]

[Rytlock hadn't turned them down, either, but only because he'd never gotten the chance to. Damn asura and their magic tricks leading him down magic rabbit holes.

Rytlock was expecting trouble, in the strange, alien place he emerged. He just never imagined the trouble would come in the form of raining fish. At first he could only stare awestruck at what going on... and then realized, after getting struck in the face with a showering salmon, that this was a bad idea.

Not particularly hungry and more inclined to find shelter than snack on free food, Rytlock ducks under the makeshift roof of a bizarre rock formation and sighs.]

Of all the lousy luck...

[Of all the lousy luck, indeed, as when he makes the mistake of glancing off to the side, he spies what appears to be a human girl standing there.

Dammit.]

Hey, you. It's not safe here. [Maybe. Probably.] Get to safety.

it is a mystery

[starblazes]

[Rock's gaze is pulled away from the fish at the sound of that muttering, a casual glance over, mostly indifferent and only meant to acknowledge this new person.

That is, until she sees how catlike he is.

He obviously isn't a typical cat and she's hardly intimidated, but for some reason she can't stop herself from staring. As if there's something on the tip of her tongue, but she isn't sure just what that is....]

....

[It's a few moments before she realizes he's talking to her, and she looks away quickly.]

Ah - it's only fish.

[barkthenbite]

[Astera hates this-- this world...this EVERYTHING.

She was expecting these new worlds to be full of new and exciting alien civilizations, but nooooo. It's her first time experiencing many things: being drugged up, being airdropped, getting stuck in mud, losing her shoes to mud, and having fish tangled in her hair. This is complete bullshit.

She will gladly destroy this world after she evaluates the potential loot for her creations.]

YOU, girl! Make room!

[...That was supposed to be more authoritative rather than shrill, but she's been desperate to find a place to get the fish out of her hair.]

[starblazes]

[Rock glances over and....

Oh, dear. It looks like this girl has been through the wash. And the dry. Followed by a very thorough roll in the mud.

She raises her eyebrows slightly before stepping to the side to make room. After a moment of hesitation she's stating very simply:]

... Rock.

[barkthenbite]

[Shelter, yes good.

But sorry, Rock, she couldn't hear you over her own undignified whining as she tries to untangle a fish from her hair. That and some mumbling about guts and buns. Finally:]

What.

[Just a bit snippy right now.]

[starblazes]

[Rock watches for a few more moments, raising a hand, unsure if she should try to help. More hands might untangle that fish faster.]

My name. It's Rock.

[barkthenbite]

[................................Okay, what?]

You poor girl, what a horrible name. [Astera honestly pities Rock, even if her expression reads as exasperated as she gives her a once-over. To be bestowed such a name must be ill-fate. It doesn't flatter such a pretty face.

...But then again, maybe it's the state of her brain that her parents named her after. Oh well.]

Luna is a much better name. [Now back to work on her hair.] My name is Astera, Luna.

[starblazes]

[Wait

What?

Rock looks flabbergasted, to say the least. She's never given any thought to her name before, and sure, a joke would be one thing. But this girl seems serious.]

Ah....

[What is she supposed to do?????]

Nice to... meet you?

[barkthenbite]

[ACCEPT IT, ROCK, THIS IS YOUR NEW NAME.

Also, she's being totally serious, which is why Astera looks...somewhat pleased that Rock isn't fighting it.]

An unpleasant experience, yes, but it is...nice to meet you too. [The fish is the unpleasant part, but she's finally managed to untangle the irksome fish and toss it to the side like it's nothing.]

Now, Luna, would you mind checking to see if I missed anything? [She turns around so that Rock can get a good look at her hair. The last thing she needs is to walk around like a fool with something else stuck to her.]

[starblazes]

[She's still trying to figure out whether she should speak up or let it go.

Somehow, it seems less important than removing those couple of tiny fish still stuck in Astera's hair. She'll close the distance between them and carefully pluck them out, then drop them on the ground.

One last once over and everything looks good!]

Okay.

[barkthenbite]

Perfect, thank you. [The help is appreciated, and in return her hands are suddenly grabbing at one of Rock's ponytails to begin braiding.

Yup, just going for it. Not even asking for permission.]

You're lucky to not have gotten any in your hair, but this is for preventative measures. [She's pretty sure she has a few elastics on her person.]

[starblazes]

I see.

[This... is far better than getting yelled at or having her name changed. Yes, Rock is Very Okay with this. The only small downside is that she can't ever remember braiding hair herself, so her eyes are locked on Astera's hands to see how it's done.]

I'll... do yours after.

[If she doesn't mind.]

1/2

[barkthenbite]

[Astera pauses at the offer. Now that she thinks of it, no one else has tried to work with her hair aside from her mother. This is what she gets for surrounding herself with only her creations.

But still. Not sure...how to...feel...]

[barkthenbite]

[No, wait. She's totally got this. Oh-so-cooly while she continues her work:]

Just try not to tug. There will be punishment if you try something weird.

[Although she doubts Rock would do such a thing considering how she seems so empty-headed.]

[starblazes]

[She doesn't want to mess up a nice gesture, especially when it's her first time doing it, so Rock inwardly decides this is something she should take pretty seriously. She doesn't nod, making sure to keep still, but her expression can almost be construed as determined.]

Okay. I'll try not to.

[barkthenbite]

[...Empty-headed but still somehow cute, especially with how she seems so earnest. If Rock keeps this up, Astera may be interested in keeping her around. What was that old term again? A maiden-in-waiting...? Oh well, details.]

Good, good. And once we get a chance to clean up, I can show other ways to style your hair. Taking care of your hair should be a top priority for any girl.

[Done with one side, so Astera switches to the other once she snaps a rubber band in place.]

[starblazes]

[Top priority for a girl...?

That's causing Rock to perk up thoughtfully. She can't quite explain why, but somehow that makes haircare seem... interesting? Important? She had gotten annoyed when Ron teased her about that makeover Io gave her.]

I'd... like that. I think.

[Thankfully her pigtails are uneven. Her second one is much shorter, less to braid.]

[barkthenbite]

[.............A really cute, empty-headed girl. This is almost confusing for Astera. All the feelings bubbling up are ones she'd have for her creations.

Ah, maybe it's because Rock is simply pitiable. Right, that must be it! She can't help but want to pat her head and become a senpai look after her. It's also nice to interact with another girl without any conflict--

FFFFFFFFFfffffffff]

This won't do at all. [She's combing the other side with her fingers as if trying to lengthen it. This unevenness is going to bother her so much.]

Before styling, I will have to even-out your hair. What happened for it to be like this? [Which hair stylist does she need to send her children after for punishment?]

[starblazes]

[Unsurprisingly, Rock has hardly ever given much thought to her hair. The pigtails, while cute, are also practical in keeping her long hair out of her eyes. The fact that one has always been far longer than the other has... well, always just Been A Thing.

But not Astera has her unsure of it. She can't remember her hair ever being different and that has her more concerned than anything else.]

I don't know. It's always been like this.