ic Some Things Should Never Be Found (IC)

[RobRX]

Sometimes even the simplest of things do mean a lot. In this case, the simple fact of being able to bring back a souvenir was enough to make Cho overjoyed at the prospect, especially if she could find something she could give to her sister.

 

After saying goodbye and good night to everyone, Cho headed to for her hut, simply leaping to navigate around the place now that she didn't feel as silly. Or now that she didn't forget she could, in fact, do such a thing. Hopefully nobody would remember such a silly event the next day. Oh did she ever hope everyone would forget this whole thing.

[Thevshi]

After the feast, Giang said good night to their hosts and then made her way back to the platform where she and her fellow students would be sleeping that evening.  After saying good night to her classmates, Giang made her way into the hut on the platform in which she was sleeping and began getting ready for bed.

 

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The following morning, Giang was up just before dawn as was her habit, spending a bit of time meditating before she dressed and made her way out to the center of the platform.  Using her powers, the Asian teen formed a bo staff of solid water, as she proceeded to perform several kata utilizing the weapon.  She did her best to stay quiet, so as not to disturb the others, as she gracefully executed movements that seemed to flow like water.

[Raveled]

Gene forced himself to eat a variety of foods at the celebration, and the combination apparently did not agree with each other. As the teens climbed into bed, he prayed that someone thought to bring along some Pepto Bismol.

His dreams were strange things of surfing along green waves and hunting pizza-shaped fish under the veridian sea. He woke up with an empty feeling in his head and stumbled out to the porch/patio/outside part of the hut, stretching absently. Giang was already into her exercises, and Gene watched her spin and strike for a minute. It slowly occurred to his sleep-addled brain that maybe he should get ready for the day ahead, too.

The teen moved to the side of the hut and started to drum on it, varying changing the rhythm and strength from moment to moment with no plan in mind. He caught Giang’s eye and shrugged, feeling a blush of anxiety begin. “I absorb kinetic energy,†he said. “I have to recharge my batteries everyday. So that I can turn this,†he added, snapping his fingers ,†into this.†He snapped his fingers again; but rather than a short, sharp sound, there was a moment of silence. Gene frowned at his fingers and, concentrating, snapped his fingers again and again and again.

All of a sudden, there was a dazzling light and a deafening noise, like a Roman candle had just exploded a few feet from Gene’s hand. The noise echoed off far trees and startled birds into an early-morning flight. The teen was bowled over and rubbed at his eyes, blinking to clear his vision. “That wasn’t supposed to happen,†he said, his tone halfway between embarrassed and petulant.

Edited August 13, 2014 by Raveled

[GooseInduced]

In the end the food was rather awesome. She didn’t know what half of what she ate was, but it really didn’t matter. Of course there was the idea that she really didn’t want to know what she really ate. Juno was happy just pretending it was mostly chicken. Though more than a casual thought tells her that she hasn’t seen a single chicken since they got there.
 
The prospect of what this trip might bring, adventure, souvenirs and more mystery meat is finally the tipping point. With a full belly all she wanted was to go back to her hut, strip out of those sweaty clothes and get some sleep. Which was exactly what she did. Thankfully she wasn’t without all of the comforts of home. The power pack to her goggles is universal and easily hooked up to a small fan she had tucked in her bag. The low humming and warm breeze lulled her into a deep sleep, one that lasted all through the night.
 
All the way until Gene’s little misfire. It woke her with a jolt, the teen sitting upright, hands raised and yelping like the roof was going to collapse on top of her. Only very suddenly Juno was no longer in her hut. She reappeared several feet off the ground in the middle of their little cul-de-sac. Sleepy and confused, she didn’t have the time to recover and feel to the ground on her bum, groaning as she collapsed into a little heap. “What the heck was that?†She groaned, sitting up a little more and looking around, forgetting at least for a few moments that she was wearing only a tank top and some rather short sleep shorts.

[Blue Rose]

Camping has never been Sam's chosen pastime, and no matter their hospitality, this is definitely camping. Still, she brings what comfort she can in a lightweight sleeping bag and a small pillow, for something a little more comfortable. But it's still not enough, ending in a long night spent drifting in and out of a light sleep, and in her daze, she often finds herself reaching out for a body that isn't there, a hollow realization as she passes time in the faint, flickering consciousness acutely aware of just how empty that sleeping bag is, wishing Tona was there.

[Thevshi]

Giang had stopped her exercise at Gene's unintended mini-explosion.  The Asian teen was still holding the bo staff made of water as Juno appeared suddenly in midair before collapsing to the ground, clearly an unintended reaction to the loud sound.  Around them, some of the tribesmen and women residing in nearby huts had moved out to see what was going on.

 

"Gene had a little trouble controlling the effect he intended."  Giang stated simply as she stood back upright, her staff returning to a fully liquid stated and them consolidating into a sphere that hovered just at her shoulder.  She glanced out away from the huts and toward the brightening sky.  "We should likely be getting up anyway and getting ready to be on the move when Lord Zandar is ready."

[Blue Rose]

The bang rattles through Sam's doze as well, sending her rolling across the floor as she tears her way out of the sleeping bag and puts her on edge to shadow-hop as far as she needs to in order to get away. She peeks outside, still in her pajamas, little more than a cami and socks, hair still a disheveled shock, until Giang's explanation sets her mind at ease. "Dammit, Gene, you scared me half to death."

Still groggy, she withdraws back inside to wash up, get decent, and tidy up her hair. This entire process takes entirely too long, between temptations to just crawl right back in bed and go back to sleep, and sudden bouts of just sitting there lazily doing nothing but staring off into space for brief bursts of time. But eventually, she gets back out into the sun. That horrible, horrible sun. The strongest sunscreen in the world probably still isn't enough.

Edited August 14, 2014 by Blue Rose

[RobRX]

Upon hearing the banging noise, Cho stirred up from her sleep. On a reflex and, perhaps, expecting gunfire (and not remembering she was in the lost world). Bursting out of the small hut, she looked around, groggy and confused. "W-what's going on?!" shouted Cho, as parts of the hut collapsed around her, either about to find an innocent bystander to cover or perhaps just stumble around and fall flat on her face. Either would seem likely.

 

It was clear she had just waken up and wasn't fully 'there' yet, as she then opened her mouth to let out a long yawn.

[Raveled]

Gene stood, blushing several shades darker as he dusted himself off. "It wasn't supposed to be that loud," he whispered, and wandered back into the hut. He had to wait for Sam to get done with whatever kind of bathroom they had available, so he had plenty of time to sit and stare at the ceiling and fully appreciate just how stupid he was. It was bad enough when he was flipping cars and shattering windows in the city; but here if he wasn't careful he could shatter homes, blow people off platforms, or anger multi-tonne predators. He might even kill such huge, impossible, endangered creatures -- and wouldn't that be even worse than being chowed down on by a dinosaur?

[GooseInduced]

Once she realized that the sky wasn't about to fall down on top of her, Juno let her self relax. Her posture uncurling a bit as she held herself up on her hands. "It's alright Gene. You just... scared the crap outta me." She took a deep breath, blinking as she looked down at herself. She immediately realized exactly what she was wearing, which wasn't much. There was just enough time for her face to turn scarlet before Juno disappeared. She was a little frustrated when she reappeared in her hut, hand running through her hair as she looks down at herself and her bed. 
 
Now that she'd had her wake up call it was time to get ready. She didn't want to be the reason people were waiting around.

[RobRX]

"Um, right..." says Cho, still only 'half there' from waking. She half-look at the scene going on, yawn ago and begin to scratch her hair, producing orange sparks that cause some strands of hair to simple vaporize. Then, the teenager turn around and slowly walk back into her hut in order to change as a few more sparks flies out of it. Must be how she cut her hair...and, incidentally, explain the short mess it is.

 

Some moments later, Cho got out of the hut once more.

[Thevshi]

GM

 

Now all awake, the Claremont students each went about preparing themselves for the day, changing into fresh clothes, repacking everything to be ready to be ready for when it was time to depart, etc.  As several of the students began gathering out on the central part of the platform, several of Zandar's people arrived, bringing with them bowls of food for breakfast, as well as some other food, fruits and dried meats, to be packed and carried with the teens when they departed with the Jungle Lord.

 

By the time the sun was just fully visible above the horizon, Lord Zandar and Kzara arrived, both looking ready to travel, neither looking at all bothered by the relatively early hour.

 

"Good morning my friends!"  Zandar said in his booming voice, a cheerful smile on his face.  "I hope you are all rested, so much to see today."

 

And with that, the Jungle Lord and his daughter lead the group of teenagers though the treetop village, many of the villagers gathered along the way to wave farewell, and off onto one of the trails of suspended bridges and walkways that Gene had helped repair yesterday afternoon.  

 

The traveled along this pathway for a little over three quarters of an hour, having to stop briefly at one point and lie down at a signal from Zandar before a massive two legged dinosaur stalked its way a couple dozen feet below.  After the danger had passed, the group was back up and continuing onward, eventually reaching the edge of the massive jungle.

 

The group was standing on a platform on a tree that stood along the jungle's edge, looking out at rolling grassland, dotted here and there with small groups of trees and bushes, that sloped down into a vast valley, through which a narrow river snaked its way, flowing from a series of hills and cliffs, far in the distance.  Various herds of large, plant eating dinosaurs could be seen along the banks of the river, with some making their way into other parts of the grasslands as well.

 

"Come my friends!"  Zandar stated, as he grabbed a nearby vine and stepped off the platform, swinging out as he had the day before when the group had crossed the chasm.  Only this time, there was not platform on the opposite side to swing to, and instead, the Jungle Lord swung down towards the ground below, releasing the vine as he came within a dozen feet of the ground and landing gracefully in a crouch.

 

Standing back upright, he looked back up at the platform and the Claremont students, waiting for them to join him.

[Raveled]

Gene had dressed in his best denim shorts and a dark shirt, trying his best to expose some skin so he could radiate heat. Of course, he was blushing furiously when Zandar appeared. At least the Jungle lord didn't seem bothered by the huge explosion that had rocked his village in the early morning hours. He had to realize who was responsible for it, but maybe he was too nice to mention it.

Gene fell into line behind Zandar as they set off, though he did tend to lag into the tail end of the line on the rope bridges and suchlike. Everyone was lining up at the edge of the platform, though, as Zandar flew off into the jungle and... dropped. Just dropped, like jumping ten feet straight down was the most natural thing in the world. The teen grabbed a vine, swallowed hard, and just sort of let himself fall off the cliff.

He felt every pore and hole in his body pucker in reaction to the flight, and at the end he screamed as he let go of the vine. He landed on his feet, barely even flexing his knees. He could feel the kinetic energy from the landing flowing into him, settling into what he could only think of his batteries. At least if he had to do something, he'd be well-charged for it.

Edited August 27, 2014 by Raveled

[RobRX]

As always, Cho was eager to look around and admire the beauty (and sometime almost unreal) of the Lost World, as it was like nothing she had ever seen before. If anything, watching dinosaur was never going to get old to her. It's hard to get jaded about real, breathing dinosaurs living inside a surreal, history-defying lost world where humans coexist with prehistoric beasts and (supposedly) serpent-people.

 

This time, Cho wouldn't make a fool of herself. Once she spotted Zandar jumping down the chasm, she soon followed, relying on her indestructibility to make a safe landing.

[Blue Rose]

Hot and humid are the opposite of everything Sam has ever called home, and it's not long before the Chicago native is soaked with sweat, her pale blue tank top clinging in ways more interesting than she had necessarily planned. Still, she does not complain. That would be rude to their host, and everything they're here to see requires the walk anyways.

Then, they come to more vines, and it seems the others are being a little bolder this time. But, Sam's not about to be outdone.

She takes the vine in hand and swoops down, lifting her legs up to just miss the ground at the bottom of the vine's arc, and right when she gets some lift back up, she lets go into a back flip, arms outstretched, before landing lightly on her toes. With a turn en pointe, she takes a bow, then gets out of the way of whoever's coming next.

[Thevshi]

As she had done the day before, Giang had positioned herself at the rear of the group, to be able to better ensure that no one ended up separated from the group. Kzara spent time back with the Asian teen again, although today she had also moved between the others in the group some, asking them various questions.

When they reached the end of the suspended path, Giang waited for her classmates and Kzara to follow after Zandar before she took a vine in hand as well and swung out away from the platform and out over the open grassland beyond the edge of the jungle. As she passed the lowest point in the vines pendulum swing and began to climb upward once more, she released the vine, executing a perfect front piked summersault, which served to stall her momentum, before gracefully landing on the ground in a low backstance.

After a brief pause in the marital arts stance, Giang stood back upright, adjusting the straps of her backpack slightly as she waited to resume their trek.

[Thevshi]

GM

 

Zandar was grinning as he watched the Claremonters make their way down from the platform in their own ways.  "Well done my friends."  He stated, though the volume of his voice had now dropped from its normal level.

 

"From here on, the rest of our journeys will be on ground level, so be alert and be prepared to quickly follow any directions I give."  The Jungle Lord then added before turning and starting off into the grasslands, headed away from the edge of the jungle through which they had previously been travelling. 

 

The sun continued to climb in the sky as the morning went on, only now there was no heavy foliage to help block out most of its rays.  As they hiked through the often knee high grass, the small group occasionally passed small clumps of trees or shrubs.  A few times small one foot high two legged dinosaurs would dart out of the shrubs, scurrying off to disappear into the grass.  At one of the larger clump of trees, Zandar had them take a break in the shade the trees provided, so they could rest and drink water.

 

After about two hours of travel, the Jungle Lord had just reached the crest of as small hill ahead of them when he stopped, ducking down slightly and motioning back to the group to stop.  After a moment, his gaze fixed on the other side of the hills, he gestured the students forward, with an indication for them to stay low as they did so.

 

Reaching the crest of the hill alongside Zandar, the teenagers saw the plains extend back down below them, the river now looking to be less than a mile away.  But perhaps the thing that drew their attention the most was that just over a hundred yards below, a herd of Triceratops was making its way across their path.  There were at least a hundred of the three horned dinosaurs plodding along through the grass, with smaller Triceratops occasionally darting to and fro between the adults' legs.

[Raveled]

Gene grew more comfortable as he realized Zandar wasn't going to make a big deal out of early-morning explosions. His mood lightened further as they hiked over the grasslands, taking in the primeval scenery. It wasn't what the teen was used to seeing, but that fact alone made it exciting for him. When the first pack of knee-high dinosaurs bounded past, he simply stood and stared in slack-jawed amazement.

He was entirely unprepared for the herd of triceratops below them. He sat on the grass, feeling the sweat trickle down his back and stick his tee-shirt to his skin. This was a magical moment; creatures that were extinct for sixty million years everywhere else were plodding along a few hundred feet away, like a group of multi-tonne cows.

[GooseInduced]

Juno was more than ready to begin the next leg of their adventure. Dressed in plaid petal pushers and a grey tank top, she was ready to go. Having just finished applying some sunscreen so her pale skin doesn’t explode with fire, Juno was sipping on some water as she waited for them to leave.

 

The heights of the trees didn’t bother her. She was confident in herself and in what she could do. If she fell, she could get herself to safety, there was no issue there. So when the group reached the end of the walkway and the students were faced with the challenge of swinging down her only thought was: This could be fun. She grabbed a vine and with a small hop, swung herself down off the ledge. Wind roared past her ears and her momentum grew, but her years of training as a gymnast didn’t fail her. When she released the vine, her momentum with a little fast but Juno knew how to compensate. She tucked her knees up to absorb the shock, falling down to one of them but making it unscathed. She could have teleported but it would have taken the fun out of it.

 

Hours later when Lord Zandar asked them to stay low, Juno slipped into stealth mode. Her feet padded quietly among the grass and her breathing even. Though it only lasted until they reached the top of the hill. The sight took her breath away. The beasts were huge, bigger than she imagined. The little ones playing merrily with one another and  some were even were irritating the adults a bit. It was only in that moment that Juno thought about bringing a camera. Too bad she hadn’t.

[Thevshi]

GM

 

The group sat quietly, observing the Triceratops as the herd passed along in front of them, Zandar waiting until the herd had moved well past them before standing back up and continuing onward.  As they moved forward, the teens saw that the passage of the herd of three horned dinosaurs left a rather obvious trail behind of trampled grass and upturned dirt.

 

As the group continued on through the hot sun, they continued to pass small groups of knee-high dinosaurs that darted to and fro.  There were also groups of larger dinosaurs, though most further off than the herd of Triceratops that had passed by so closely.  There was a small herd of massive suropods, with their long necks and tails that made the longer than a city bus, and when the group was down closer to the wide river, a herd of duckbilled dinosaurs, which were down in the reeds and marsh areas along the banks of the river. 

 

Once they neared the river, Zandar turned the group toward the East, and within half an hour they had reached the tree line of another jungle.  This time, the group remained on the ground level, moving into the dim light created by the thick canopy of trees above.  They were about half an hour into the jungle when Zandar stopped the group as he crouched down and was studying the ground for a few moments. 

 

"Someone passed by here not long ago."  The Jungle Lord stated finally.  "Wearing boots from your world."

[GooseInduced]

In the next few hours, Juno saw more than she ever dreamed. She was left awestruck by the Triceratops, but the marvels kept coming. The little knee high dinosaurs felt like something she wanted to take home with her. The suropods were magnificent. They looked like walking skyscrapers, their long necks ending in heads high enough to block the sun. The little duck-billed dinos made her think of the platypus she had only seen pictures of. Though as she thought about it, they might be at home here, the strange little creatures.

 

The shade of this new jungle was a welcome change, Juno took a solid chug of her water after they were well under the canopy. The day was hot and she would be ready for a real break sometime soon. Any thought of that was chased away when Lord Zandar knelt down, examining the prints that were too hidden in the brush for her to see herself. She was about to step up and see what she could see for herself when a noise perked her attention. Blue eyes were wide as she spun around and Juno crouched low near the ground. "Guys!" Her voice is low, a whisper, but the force of her breath makes the sound harsh and urgent. "I heard something. Something's coming." She stepped right up against the tree to her left, as if to use it for cover from whatever was heading their way.

Edited September 9, 2014 by GooseInduced

[Thevshi]

Giang had stopped towards the rear of the group when Zandar had halted them.  On hearing the Jungle Lord's statement that he had found tracks made by boots from outside the Lost World, she had just been about to comment when Juno gave her warning. 

 

Turning back the direction they had come, the Asian teen moved over into the foliage to one side, ducking down to try to hide from view.  Although she did not do so immediately, Giang was already preparing herself to use her powers, should whatever was coming proved to be dangerous or hostile.

[RobRX]

As always, Cho showed great wonder at all the various dinosaurs, almost like a little child. She also regretted the fact she couldn't bring her sister along with her, even if no doubt this was an environment far too dangerous for a child. Still, if there was any place that could inspire such a feeling of pure wonder, it was certainly the lost world.

 

Cho stopped moving when Juno did. She too heard the noise. Immediately, the teenager started looking around for the source of the noise.

[Blue Rose]

Oh, great. Unaccounted humans. Poachers, maybe? Worse?

Regardless, unknown people in the barely-inhabited secret wilds of the mysterious forest of mysteriousness are rarely a good sign. She takes to the bushes and raises her veil to everything but her group. Safest thing to do until they know what's up, but...

She looks at Gene.

Not everyone here is sneaky enough to pull it off. And if he gets caught...

This might get messy if she doesn't do something. Heck, Sam's not entirely confident Gene has the skills to leave anyone who scares him into a fight alive. Assuming he didn't take his friends out at the same time.

"Hold tight. I'll scout ahead. Don't worry; I won't be seen. Magic veil."

And with that, she goes forward, not neglecting conventional sneakery all the while.

[Raveled]

Gene was entranced by the sights of real, living dinosaurs -- big dinosaurs, small dinosaurs, dinosaurs that rumbled and hooted and dinosaurs that slipped through trees with furtive movements. He was entirely unprepared for Juno to call out that someone was following them. After all, who would consider that someone might be following them?

That was a thought, after all. Who knew they were even out here? "You know,it could be someone from the village," he pointed out. "What if we're going to ambush some villagers looking for their chief?"