Game Update: May I 2377

[nashiramods]

Weather & Recap ⭐︎ By Daylight ⭐︎ By Starlight
🎶 Recommended Listening: Smile.dk - Future Girls ♪
may i 2377
EPISODE 1: Flash Fashion? Couture Craze in Chalra City!
May 1 - May 9

Weather: Chalra City is enjoying a balmy and sunny late spring with some light rain here and there. The inland breeze from the nearby beaches brings a cool touch and the promise of summer, and flowering forsythia adds splashes of bright yellow to many parts of the city. The highs for the month average around 72°F/22°C, with lows around 50°F/10°C.

Recap: Episode 0: Nova Knights, Awaken!
At some point in the latter half of April, you awakened to your destiny as a Nova Knight, and last week, you and your fellow Nova Knights assembled for the first time. With Nautis's help, you're here to fight for a common cause — saving the Earth from the Abyss, the evil entity that destroyed your home planet in a past life. Whether or not you've revealed your true identity to any of your fellow Nova Knights, though...

Nautis has asked that you all lay low for a bit while she analyzes some data to try and pinpoint the enemy's next move. In the meantime, you can still keep an eye out for the occasional low-level monster terrorizing innocent bystanders, but maybe you're taking this opportunity just to let it all sink in. Maybe it doesn't even feel real yet, despite the big battle last week. After all, finding out that you have a special destiny because you're a reincarnated space alien can be a lot to take in.

BY DAYLIGHT
⭐︎ The new school year is underway at the Everwave Academy for Distinguished Youths, and after a month, students and faculty alike have settled back into the familiar school day rhythm. There's a new teacher in the art department, Shelly Lustre, whose highly critical approach has already made him a polarizing figure among students.

⭐︎ Chalra City is always changing with the times, and fashion is no exception! The new hot thing is in and it is Dan Flashes, a high-end boutique that recently opened in the downtown shopping district. Shoppers are turning out in droves to snatch up their latest pieces, especially their signature line of shirts with a variety of elaborate patterns despite the designer prices, which seem...to be based on how complicated the patterns are...? Huh?? Their items are, uh, pretty unique, but maybe the exclusivity is the main draw. Surely no one would actually buy these because they think they look it looks good, let alone wear them, right?

And yet the craze has taken hold of the city! Even if you can’t afford to shell out $800 for a shirt that looks like a screensaver threw up on an upholstered bus seat, you can still show your brand loyalty by wearing one of their signature pins. They’re practically giving them away, and it seems like just about everyone is wearing one these days. If you want to be in right now, Dan Flashes branded pins are all the rage in pop couture.

BY STARLIGHT
Hideout: Part of the Nova Knights package is the secret hideout beneath Lucky Stars Arcade, made of the remnants of a part of the Nashira that crash landed on Earth hundreds of years before Chalra City's founding. Right now all that's accessible is the console room that houses Nautis's core and the briefing room, which serves as a kind of lounge, but aside from shelves built into the walls, the only furniture there is an ancient table bolted to the floor, and anything that hasn't been recently touched is covered in a thick coat of dust. Who knows what you might find in there?

Still, if you want to just hang with your fellow Knights while in supernova (you know, in case you're concealing your identity), this is the place to be! All of the Nova Knights have been granted the power to warp themselves to the hideout while in supernova, but there's also the secret entrance behind the Bleat Fighter 3 cabinet that can be accessed by inputting a special button combo.

Intel: As Nautis mentioned in Episode 0, much of the data she needs to track the enemy's movements still needs to be decrypted from her databanks. She's getting some funky readings, and while she doesn't know exactly what they mean yet, it could be trouble...but soon she might have some information about those behind the arcade kerfuffle — the Harbingers of the Abyss!

⭐︎
Welcome to the grand opening for Stars of the Nashira! 🎊 Feel free to post your own logs, or you can use this as an open log for first half of the month. If you have any questions about the game update, you can drop them in the comment thread below.

Comments

Kalim Al-Asim ☀️ Nova Sunbeam

[istandwithmycancelledwife]

I. BY DAYLIGHT: Dan Flashes

Outside the store, Kalim is experiencing buyer's remorse. Lifting the overpriced shirt out of its glossy carrier bag, he frowns at it contemplatively.



"Man, I dunno about this shirt," he sighs. "It seemed really exciting at first, but actually, it just kind of gives me a headache to look at...?" He kind of jumps when he realises someone else is positioned to eavesdrop, though, and changes tack quickly: "Ah, it's not THAT bad, though! I mean–! The pattern is really fun!"


II. BY DAYLIGHT: Lucky Stars Arcade

Going to the arcade is new for Kalim, because Jamil has, for his own reasons, generally dissuaded him from checking it out in the time since he's moved to the city. But now he has a secret hideout to go to that's hidden underneath the Lucky Stars Arcade, how could he NOT check it out? All the lights and sounds are so inviting, and while Kalim has never been much of a gamer™ and isn't really interested in most of the games that involve moving a little guy around, the ones that involve moving yourself around have captured his attention.



Which is to say, he’s getting really into DDR (Disco Disco Renaissance, obviously), and in the first couple of weeks of May he can be found pretty often at Lucky Stars after school, doing his best on one of the DDR machines and generally managing, like...okay. Decent. He has good reflexes and good rhythm, but no matter how many times he tries he can't quite nail it. 



Regardless, if someone stops to watch – or if someone he knows is passing by – he gives them as bright a smile as ever when he spots them between tracks. 



"Hey!" He pushes damp hair back from his forehead. "Have you played this before? It's super fun but this song is so tough, every time it gets to the bridge I always miss a ton of notes...!"




III. BY STARLIGHT: blowing up the nova knights group chat again

wow this still all feels so crazy!

i cant believe its actually real

have any of you guys told anyone???
i know nautis said not to but theres some people its way too hard to keep it secret from right XD

II

[theriflespiral]

Unsurprising that Natalia has taken to the arcade.

A bit surprising that she's splitting her attention between a pinball machine, Royal Fighting 2375, and DDR...

Until you realize that these are all games that allow for extension of play-- whether by good arrangement and ball handling, letting others waste their quarters, or winning perfect rounds.

And Natalia, doing things perfectly? Is hardly a surprise at this point isn't it?

In truth, while she's waiting, she's also checking out the environs for signs of their struggle but a few nights prior. Any clue she can glean about the enemy is important.

She stares at the song in question. "... I think I can do this one, yes. Would you like me to demonstrate?"

[istandwithmycancelledwife]

Kalim looks delighted. "Yeah! Do you wanna play it together?"

He seems to have immediately forgotten that specifically she's offering to demonstrate so he can see how she does what he can't manage.

[theriflespiral]

"... I'd hardly be able to demonstrate how to pass the song if we did it together, but I am, as they say, always happy to take someone else's coin."

She stands on the edge of the platform, waiting for him to decide if that's what he really wants to do.

She of course immediately goes for the highest difficulty of the song.

[istandwithmycancelledwife]

"Oh, right!" He laughs. It WOULD be more fun to do it together, but... he does want to see how she does it! "Okay, how about we play together after?"

He slots another token into the machine.

[theriflespiral]

To her, it's... Simple. All the rhythm and calm repetition of mathematical dance-- albeit set to the lyrical or melodic line instead of the percussion-- with none of the social entanglements.

As such, she looks on, completely blank-faced, as the song starts, and while she does not lean on the bar, she does tap tap tap tap all the way up and down the scale, drifting into stance after stance during the rests.

[istandwithmycancelledwife]

Kalim watches distractedly, trying to split his attention between the screen and Natalia's movements. He can't help moving to the music as he watches, although it's certainly not in sync with the notes on the screen.

"Whoah," he says, impressed but bewildered. "You're really...precise! You don't look much like you're having fun, though?"

i

[avemortis]

Mutsumi usually passes through the shopping district on her route home, but she's actually been standing here long enough to have watched Kalim buy the shirt and then leave the store, witnessing his buyer's remorse in realtime.

Her brows knit, and she looks down at the shirt and back up at Kalim, as if to say, it's OK dude you don't have to pretend to be nice about it to me.

[istandwithmycancelledwife]

Kalim grins sheepishly.

"I wanna like it, you know?" He holds it out for Mutsumi's inspection. "I dunno, what do you think?"

[avemortis]

Mutsumi only glances at it before her gaze just kind of slides away from it entirely, and she studies her shoes instead. She would not have bought anything in that store of her own volition.

"It hurts to look at."

[istandwithmycancelledwife]

"Ha ha ha..." It's a laugh of resignation. "Yeah, it kind of does, huh..."

[avemortis]

Yeah, it really does. Mutsumi would hate to have to look at this kind of thing all the time. Wouldn't that just be a nightmare.

Obviously Kalim doesn't need to worry about returning it or selling it to recoup the cost. If anything, he'd probably feel too bad to return it in the first place.

"You could give it away."

Yeah, Kalim! Who in your life could use a Dan Flashes shirt :)

[istandwithmycancelledwife]

He perks up for just a second...but then droops a bit again.

"Yeah, but then I'd have to look at them wearing it..."

iii

[fibrillate]

:?
It's been pretty easy for me to keep things secret...
But maybe I just have a lot of experience!
After all, my life outside of the Nova Knights isn't something I want too many people to know about either
...And I don't have many people to tell, on top of that

[istandwithmycancelledwife]

aw really? well i guess that would make it easier!
what does :? mean???

[fibrillate]

It just means that I'm confused
I picked it up from something I read a while back, don't worry about it

Am I the weird one here? It seems like everyone else has a lot of people they have to resist the temptation to talk about this to
I just have me and my fish
And that's kind of it

Oh my god I'm not the weird one, I'm the sad one

[istandwithmycancelledwife]

aw that is pretty sad.
well at least youve got the fish!
and us!

[fibrillate]

I do!
I need to spend more time here in the hangout
Well, it needs to be more hospitable to hanging out first, I guess
But after that I would love to sit around with everyone and, I don't know, maybe play some video games and beat all of you at them

[istandwithmycancelledwife]

wow yeah it would be awesome to be able to hang out and play games and stuff down there!
we should totally get a couch big enough for the whole gang to sit on!

wildcard. awakening time

[snizier]

Jamil does not generally like going to the movie theater. Scratch that: he generally does not like going to the movie theater with Kalim, because a crowded, noisy indoor building is the worst place to have to babysit someone as distractible, easily-overstimulated, and unfortunately valuable as That Guy.

Unfortunately, sometimes a guy just really wants to go see the movies with his bestie.

"You should have at least booked a private showing," Jamil mutters. He can't relax with Kalim just out in public like this, but outwardly he's just as calm as ever. "There's no need to be out in the throngs like this. It's a security risk."

[istandwithmycancelledwife]

"Aw, but Jamil!" Kalim protests, bouncing a little in his seat. "Watching something with a big audience is way more fun! It's so awesome to experience it TOGETHER with everyone!"

Also when they're out in a crowd like this Jamil always makes him stick really close, a normal thing to enjoy that requires no further interrogation,

[snizier]

"Keep your voice down." The last thing Jamil needs is for one of their enemies to hear Kalim's voice is a public place and decide to take an opportunity. Honestly, does Kalim think at all?

The worst part about this is that Jamil doesn't want to walk ahead of Kalim in case he gets distracted and wanders off, so he essentially has to herd Kalim along to keep them both moving, because he refuses to hold Kalim's hand about it like they're six years old. And Jamil also has to be the one to hold onto the tickets, because Kalim will lose them otherwise. This theater doesn't even do assigned seating! An actual nightmare. He can only hope that he can shoo Kalim along before he spots the concession stand.

[istandwithmycancelledwife]

Too late!

"Oh, Jamil, let's get popcorn!" he says in a stage whisper.

[snizier]

It takes all of Jamil's willpower not to slap his own face in frustration.

"And wait in that line?" Which is a futile argument. Kalim loves lines for some reason.

[istandwithmycancelledwife]

"Yeah!" He tugs on Jamil's sleeve. "It'll be loads of fun!"

Kalim FUCKING LOVES TO QUEUE