[plot] Invasion: Day 1

[theearth]

Who: EVERYONE + Returnees
What: Day 1 of the Invasion!
Where: EVERYWHERE
When: ICLy: The 29th! OOCly: April 29th to May 4th
Warnings: Please warn in your subject line if anything that deserves a warning occurs; this includes R-rated things as well as things worthy of a content warning/trigger warning.

The Central info post



Description: A minute after midnight EST, some people around the world who used to be numbered yet have lost their echoes since suddenly have all their pulses returned to them.

At 4pm EST, a child's laughing voice resounds in the air all around the world, remaining for over a minute and staying longer where it gets caught in the echo between buildings, mountains, or other echoing surfaces. Not long after, people in areas where the moon is visible (like those in Europe) will see pink lights on the moon, like a pink aurora borealis from above going all the way around the moon, and then the whole moon changes shape. Literally. It unfolds into a giant serpent that soon can be seen from everywhere around the world as it moves to wrap around the world, tossing and turning head and tail as if trying to hit and bite nasty flies. ...And if someone gets out a telescope, they'll realize that the serpent is doing exactly that: There are tiny spaceships attacking it and trying to pass by it, but for now it is holding up. ....You might maybe rather get to safety than get your telescope out though, because the serpent sometimes smashes down into the earth in its tossing and turning, and while it doesn't hit inhabited areas that still causes tsunamis and earthquakes. Giorgio A. Tsoukalos and Erich von Däniken will announce that it's totally aliens!!! SEE THEY CALLED IT. Ancient astronauts that gave the earth culture are coming back to us!

What this day is for: This day is mostly for reconnecting with returnees and dealing with the last wave of plot echoes. It is also for catastrophe relief efforts for areas that are hit by tsunamis or earthquakes. The only echo boundary that will be devastated in this way are the Galapagos Islands. Characters that can fly or have special swimming abilities are especially invited to help with rescuing people and delivering first aid. (Icly, the talks with the first wave aliens also happen here and they will be wrapped up or dropped after the 4th of May. You are still welcome to jump in and talk to an alien!)

How this works:

- Day 1 does not have any alien encounters past those in this log.
- There will be no toplevels on this post. Please start your own threads freely! Please format the subject line like this: "Location(s)/Network | ota/closed/etc". Please keep in mind that each character may change location twice per day (=a maximum of three different locations) and that the moon/space location is still off limits on the 1st Day.
- This post can be used for both network and action threads.
- Keep in mind that returnee characters must have checked in and must request their echoes if they get any.
- Please direct all questions to this thread on the General Invasion Guide
- For the returnee registration, please go here.

Comments

[elfstoned]

Is the timing always this convenient?

[Referring to the molting. He leans against one of the walls, folding his arms across his chest.]

If there's anything I can do to help, ask.

[espigeonage]

Last time it caused a hiccup in my budding modeling career, so yes.

[When Julien is molting he has to eat considerably more, his feathers don't function as well so flying and dexterity suffer, the new feathers growing in are fragile and bleed freely if damaged, and he's very often itchy and irritable. He's going to be a liability if this crisis is still going on when it really kicks in.

This will have to do. Julien's been in and out of the water enough that his preen oil's worn off, and now wet feathers plaster and spike to his skin, making the droop of his wings and tail seem more pronounced. He shuts the water off, dripping, and now there's a smell like wet dog, but sharper and sweeter.]

I'm going to go outside and shake off. [Weary, breezy] Never get feathers, Aaron, they're the biggest hassle.

[elfstoned]

I'll keep it in mind.

[He steps out of the way to let Julien past.]

I'll be where we ate.

[espigeonage]

Okay. Please bring my clothes.

[Julien will show up still damp, because feathers are a massive pain to dry. He's thinned down with more than just moisture, and even though he's drooping he paces and fidgets, not even able to settle to preen.]

The ships are getting closer. Still being smashed out of the sky while they're far away, but... I don't know, the moon's getting tired or overrun or something. It's been flailing most of the day.

[elfstoned]

[He's got Julien's clothes laid out by the table and is seated against one of the walls himself, resting his wrists on his bent knees in front of him.

He sees that Julien can't relax, that the ships are troubling him. Of course they are; it's troubling fact.]

And if they come through, what then? What is the worst thing that could happen if they get past the moon?

[This isn't a trivial what's the worst that could happen? This is a thought exercise, a mental preparation for a worst-case scenario to counteract the fear of the unknown.]

[espigeonage]

Invasion. There's got to be thousands of them, or more. And the aliens we know have weird powers, like Badri can kill with his mind, so even if they don't go for nuking us from orbit, there will be shock troops. With superpowers.

[He yanks his beak through a few feathers, squeezing some water out of them, then starts walking back and forth almost violently, his eyes flashing under closed inner lids.]

Maybe robots too, I don't... we've gone this far, we might as well go full ridiculous science fiction. They'll come in, and try and kill us all, and I don't know, there'll be a Lo! the Bird! scenario. Why not, if the moon's alive.

That's this old story where this giant space bird flies through the solar system and starts making the planets hatch, and I know that sounds stupid but it was written so by the time it gets there it's - horrifying.

[Despite the size and brightness of his eyes it's possible to miss him tearing up, with how liquid collects in the round curve of his lower lids.]

[elfstoned]

[He stands, climbing to his feat slowly, heavily. His tone is gentle but firm.]

Stick to the facts, Julien: keep your mind away from stories. There is nothing to suggest that the Earth will hatch; we will assume it won't.

[He takes a few steps toward Julien.]

Even so, you are right: the worst case scenario is that they invade, and they are stronger than we are, and we and those we care about die. It is completely possible that none of us will live out the week. We may even die tomorrow, or tonight.

[Aaron sounds calm. His voice is even. These events frighten him, too; the thought of losing Eliot, Gillian, Thorir -- even Julien himself to an alien invasion is a difficult one. However, Julien's distress has him reaching a calm center, a resolute determination and cool logic, an equal and opposite reaction.]

[espigeonage]

The Earth and the Moon are made of the same stuff. Or they're supposed to be.

[Awkwardly Julien raises himself nearly upright and puts his head between his wings.]

I know. I know. We're all... I don't want to die like this. [He makes no indications about if he means dying while bird-shaped or in an alien invasion.] And I know no one asked me and it doesn't matter what I think, okay, I know things aren't fair.

[elfstoned]

[He comes closer, close enough to put a hand on Julien's wing, but he doesn't reach out yet.]

And if we are doomed to fail -- if you died tomorrow -- how would you wish you had spent today?

[espigeonage]

[Julien's voice is slightly muffled. He continues hiding his face, and sinks down until his heels connect with the floor and his tail lays out behind him, 'sitting'.] I know what you're doing, Aaron.

I'd want to be doing pretty much what I've been doing, because even if it doesn't matter in the end, I can't just commit to mindless hedonism if I can help.

[elfstoned]

[He doesn't mind that Julien's aware of what he's doing: he's helping Julien get his thoughts in order.

He crouches down in front of Julien, down on his heels.]

I wouldn't blame you for mindless hedonism. In fact, three years ago, I would have thought that would be what you would do if you were told the world was about to end.

[His tone says he's pleased to find that he was wrong.]

You said you didn't want to die like this. How, if you could choose, would you die?

[espigeonage]

...I'd have found my sister. Her kid. They don't deserve to be alone for this.

[He's become less oriented towards the members of his family that will have much to do with him, during all this. Maybe rather, they've become less oriented towards him, and he's adjusted. That's... that's sad. That's really sad.]

I don't know. Not with the world ending. I'd... I'd want it to mean something.

[elfstoned]

It does mean something.

[Brace yourself, Julien, you're about to get hit with the moral of Lord of the Rings.]

I think you already know this, but I will tell you again: being doomed to fail is neither a reason to give up nor an excuse for it. It is easy to be brave when success is within reach. It is much, much harder to do when it is not. That kind of courage, the courage to do what is right because it is right no matter the outcome has great meaning. It's a light, for us and for those who hear of us. It may not be much of one, but it may be all we have.

Even if I knew for a fact that the Earth would fall tomorrow, I would do nothing differently. It would mean a great deal to me that I resisted the end instead of accepting it, and after all, dying in defense of the Earth is a good way to go.

I am proud to be here, and I am proud of you. You have astounded and amazed me time and time again, and I can think of no one else I would rather fight the end of the world with.

[espigeonage]

Hopeless causes are... the best kind, huh.

[Julien pulls his wings down and folds them, his head low. He's crying, tears collecting along his lower lids and wicking through crevices into the feathers at the inner and outer corners of his eyes.]

...you'd get along well with Yuuya. I, hhah, I don't feel brave enough for that at all.

[elfstoned]

Not the best. But, sometimes, the most important.

[Now he reaches out, puts his hand on the side of Julien's neck, near the wing. He talks quieter, moved by the tears; he is not anxious, but he is less calm.]

As for bravery, if you are still out here tomorrow, refusing to despair, then yes, you are brave enough. Courage isn't the absence of fear. It's acting in the face of it. That's something I've seen from you many times.

[espigeonage]

You always wanna think the best of me. [Julien produces one of those huge heaving sighs, and leans the side of his head against Aaron's arm.] I hate to disappoint you. I'm not a hero. All I do is muddle along, and freak out, sometimes.

[elfstoned]

And you think I am?

[He's Sketchy Doctor Strider, remember, who spent two days running around being homeless because he wouldn't cooperate with the police and who freezes up underground. Come on.]

You have never disappointed me before. I don't think you will now.

[Yep, it's hug o'clock.]

I wouldn't think so highly of you if you hadn't earned it.

[espigeonage]

[The feathers on his neck relax a little, not holding so close to him. Julien shudders and dips his head to press his beak against Aaron's shoulder.]

You're a hero to me.

[he's dimly aware that he shouldn't say things like that, for some reason, so he closes his stinging eyes and summons something up.]

...you goddamned... nerd.

[elfstoned]

[....oh.

Oh. That's.

He's really touched. God damn.

There's a short breath out; the arms around Julien's neck hold him tighter for a second.

Then, he pulls back, enough to look Julien in the face.]

Then follow me. If the Earth can be saved, then we will save it.

[espigeonage]

[Julien almost has to cross his wide-set eyes, not being built to look at things head on from up close anymore. His pupils are dilated, his eyes as big and hard to read as ever.]

That's... very grand.

[He sighs like a horse, breath hot and scented with the meal and the dark sweet insides of his bones.]

I can't get out of this. All right. You lead, and I'll... do my best.

[elfstoned]

Your best has never disappointed me.

[His hand is high on Julien's neck, half-curled around the side and back, where you'd expect a shoulder to be on a human. It's very manful.]

Come on. The world hasn't ended yet, and I won't lose hope until no one is left to defend it. Rest, while you can -- we'll be needed again.

[espigeonage]

[There's a kind of short mane down the back of Julien's neck, stiff feathers raised in a ridge from his crest almost to his shoulders. It's a good place to catch fingers, just about the only spot that doesn't encourage a hand to slide down along the otherwise smooth grain of feathers.

He wishes he had some athelas left.]

Stay with me, then. I don't want to lose my nerve.

[elfstoned]

I will.

[He doesn't let go of Julien yet. Instead, he speaks again, quieter:]

...I'm sorry about your sister.

[He means it. There's understanding in it, regret -- even if they were less estranged, there is no time to search for loved ones.]

[espigeonage]

[Even though it's become so much more complicated, Julien finds touch reassuring. Sometimes it's the only thing that feels real.]

I know. She was the world to me... she was... I haven't seen her in person in a year. She doesn't like this. I'm not supposed to be- [If he had athelas he could compartmentalize properly, set it aside and not feel so much. She always wanted him to be better than an animal, and better than their father, and now he is this.] -but I can't get through.

[elfstoned]

[There are few words of comfort that can be said, especially with the future as potentially limited as it is. But he can listen. Aaron pulls Julien's head over his shoulder in another hug.]

There is nothing wrong with what you are. Not everyone will see that, but don't forget it.