Complete Private Challenge ✪ Finweald Welcoming Sunshine

[Chanlye]

The duo of Caenis and the waitress looked at @Norbert Inigo's lack of choice with a puzzled expression.

"..."

Helpless, she targetted the rest of the group with a pleading gaze, just wishing to get done with her job already so she could resume to lazy around behind the counter.

"Sausage rolls? Hell yeah! Well, I don't know much about the rolls itself, but I love sausages!"

Ataru's tail wagged rapidly at @Ueno Mizuki's suggestion, while Luna looked at @Lune's statement, that followed with another request.

"... Curry..? I've never heard of it..."

She tilted her head, curious about it. Ataru and Luna, after the group broke the ice completely, also decided to pick a few things of their own, for most of part being desserts that sounded a bit too fancy.

Happy that her patrons have finally finished their orders, the waitress was quick not only to bring the order to the kitchen, but to come back with all of it, covering the table of the group with the very tasty orders they had gone for. It was way, way too much food, but Ataru's hunger was insatiable, and while Luna wasn't a glutton, she did take a little bit of everything, going for a very nice variety.

Even with their mouths full, it didn't stop them from pulling a conversation or another, until they were finally done, and with their bellies completely stuffed. It was even hard for Ataru to stand up from his seat, but he eventually did, and so did Luna, that groaned a bit... Still, they were clearly satisfied, even if they overdid!

Pause for Coffee Results

Default Benefits:

Roll Result
1d20 (14) = 14 Energy to Luna

Roll Result
1d20 (2) = 2 Energy to Ataru

Intermission Benefits:

+4 Energy and Joy to Luna and Ataru

LUNA

SUN CLAW
​

​

[58/100]
[54/100]

ATARU

SUN CLAW
​

​

[54/100]
[49/100]

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

58 / 100

MIT Mechanical Bull Show Off
Token x3
-20 HP from Lead
-17 HP from Event
+1 Token from Lead
-1 Token from Activity Boost
+30 Joy for Ataru (@Chanlye)
+25 Joy for Luna (@Chanlye)
+17 Energy for Ataru (@Chanlye)
+17 Energy for Luna (@Chanlye)

You'll probably like it. The rolls are just creamy dough.

Mizuki hadn't seen curry on the list, but she imagined that Luna and Ataru would enjoy that as well. She quirked an eyebrow as Luna admitted to never having heard of it before.

You might not have the ingredients up in the Hylands. What do you usually eat back home?

Before the waitress left Mizuki quickly ordered some sweeter pastries for both @Cleo Looker and Luna, knowing that the redhead would enjoy those and guessing that Luna also would. Once the waitress left to get their orders the wildling turned her attention towards Luna and Ataru, eager to hear more about what life in the Hylands was like.

The scent of the waitress returning with their orders reached her before the fairy herself did, and once the food had been delivered Mizuki became more focused on consuming her part of it than conversation. Like Ataru her stomach was bottomless, although she was considerate enough to let the others grab their preferred pastries first before she began to make her way through the leftovers.

Her wolves weren't much different: they didn't have hands, but Mizuki smoothly delivered them a good helping of the sausage rolls and any other pastries she figured they might like, the two large canines sniffing some of the more unusual stuff before tearing the pastries apart with their fangs and swallowing them in chunks.

Once all the plates had been emptied Mizuki exhaled heavily, then shook her head and stepped away from the table to stretch. Her tongue escaped past her fangs to collect any crumbs that remained around her mouth, after which she gave herself a brief shake.

I'll admit that even by my standards that was a pretty hefty meal. I'm surprised they could prepare enough food for all of us on such short notice.

The others didn't appear to have eaten as much as she, Ataru, and her wolves, but even then the waitress had to use a lot of plates to carry everything. Signalling with her Primal Aura for the others to follow Mizuki first made sure everything was paid for before leading the group back outside onto the streets.

Is there anything else to visit while we're at this? We could check out the various guild halls, but I'm also thinking it's getting late enough that we should keep it simple...

Her voice trailed off as she noticed something unusual. On a little clearing between the buildings a fence had been put up, and in the midst, there was a... mechanical bull? There was no other way to describe it, and motioning towards it Mizuki stepped closer to read a notice which was attached to the gate at the front of the fence.

MIT exhibition... Try to tame the mechanical bull by staying on top of it. (She looked back at the others.) ...And in our case, I guess the challenge will also be to not empty our stomachs.

Entering an artificial rodeo after eating your fill wasn't the greatest of ideas, but Mizuki was curious how difficult it would be to "tame" the synthetic bovine. That, and she could control her body well enough that nausea wouldn't be an issue.

Once the previous contestant finished their ride Mizuki entered the enclosed clearing, studying the mechanical bull even as she approached. Without a rider, it was motionless, as still as a statue. It was also very, very obviously not a real bull: the MIT engineers standing nearby had put a lot of effort into the aesthetics, but the metallic frame gleamed in the golden light of the setting sun. It smelled of oil, iron, and something electric which probably came from the power source. Overall, Mizuki didn't think any predator would be deceived by this thing.

But that wasn't what it was for. The wildling leapt up onto the beast's metal back, grabbing one of the ridges which adorned its spine. The flanks at least gave enough purchase for her hind paws.

She was still pondering what exactly to expect when a vibration travelled through the bull's body, warning her that it was about to start moving. Firming her hold on the ridge Mizuki braced herself as the automaton began to thrash and buck, clouds of green steam escaping its nostrils. Her hold on the beast's back kept her from getting thrown off, the wildling's moon-eyes narrowing as she focused.

As blatantly fake as the creation might be, once it started moving she noticed that it did mimic a bull's movements quite well. If it wasn't for its appearance and smell you could imagine it being an actual beast, trying to get rid of an unwanted rider. However, that worked in her favour: realistic movements meant she knew what she was dealing with, shifting her weight to move with the bull's violent motions for well over a minute.

Eventually, the automaton began to slow down as if admitting defeat, and once it had stopped moving completely Mizuki dismounted it as quickly as she'd mounted it before, giving it a light pat on the flank before returning to the rest of the group.

Hrmmm... Its movements are very realistic.

She glanced at her wolves. Neither of the canines had shown much interest in the bull, having immediately noticed that it wasn't real prey. Even when their pack leader had jumped on its back and it had begun to thrash about they'd just waited for Mizuki to finish... whatever it was she was really doing.

Anyone else interested? I think they made sure it'd be safe.

Rolls

Token
1d6 (5) = 5
Ueno Mizuki | 2057C3

---

MIT Mechanical Bull Show Off
4d6 (4 + 6 + 3 + 4) = 17
Fortitude + Fitness + Beast Arts | Ueno Mizuki | 2057C3

Build Sheet

 

[Norbert Inigo]

65 / 100

MIT Mechanical Bull - Participation
3x Tokens

Norbert marveled at the actual amount of food they were served, and was very quick to hop up and dive in from the table he had been sitting at away from the others to go nab some of the food that had been brought out. He would fill up his own plate with goodies, mostly meat and entrees, but taking a small smattering of pastries. He went back to his table, leaning back in the booth and enjoying the food, chatting with the others at the nearby table while they ate, almost having completely forgotten just how useless he was in helping with the problem they were having in the first place.

As the group all stood up to go, having gotten their fill, Norbert gave a long stretch and patted his belly, always savoring just how nice it felt to eat food in this game. He still hadn't gotten used to just how real it felt, but he certainly wasn't complaining about how good it really tasted, that was for certain.

His ears perked up at Mizuki talking about a mechanical bull, and Norbert savored the idea of the challenge. He looked at his body, there was no way this muscular body could fail at such a simple task as riding a mechanical bull. Besides, IRL, the man lived in Texas. That was just a thing there people did. Though he wasn't really about to question why it was in this video game of all things. Norbert had gotten surprisingly used to things coming from the real world into this game.

Norbert arrived with the group, and watched Mizuki's attempt in awe, almost as if he was seeing the woman for the first time despite having spent the day together. She was able to tame the creature, almost effortlessly, and Norbert couldn't help the clapping and hollering that followed her success, probably earning him some strange glances.

As Mizuki came back and addressed them, Norbert couldn't help his own excitement as he jumped on the bull himself ready to prove his stuff. The MIT members got the bull going, Norbert held on for dear life to the creature. It felt like Norbert had full control, and had rode the bull well, but in actual seconds of them getting the bull started Norbert lost his grip and was thrown to the ground by the creature's erratic movements.

He had landed hard on his butt, and as he got up he couldn't help the sheepish frown on his face as he rubbed his rear and limped back sadly to the group. "Well, you made it look so easy... I guess it really isn't," he admitted to them, waiting to see if anyone else would take a try.

Rolls

Mechanical Bull Show Off
Roll Result
1d6 (2) = 2
Mechanical Bull Show Off | Base Roll

Play Sheet

 

[Lune]

53 / 100

0 Tokens
-10HP from Participating
-4HP from Roll
-4 Energy Cost to Ataru/Luna

"Mechanical bull?"

Her ears perked up upon hearing the unfamiliar term. She decided to tag along and visit the MIT Exhibition. They might have developed interesting gadgets, as long as it wasn't a nuke or something.

"Ah, that thing." Upon setting her eyes on the bull-shaped contraption, she would instantly recognize it. "I've seen those on TV." From the many game shows where people got thrown away in an instant, of course.

Waiting for her turn, she was eager to try and tame the mechanical beast. The opportunity came and she sat on top of it, gripping it tightly. Lune was confident with her core strength and flexibility and was sure she could hold on for at least half a minute. Of course, once the rodeo started, everything was thrown out of the window. Five seconds and she was barely hanging on.

Eventually, her grip slipped and the mechanical bull flung her sideways, and Lune rolled a few times before stopping.

"Ouch." With her hand on her lower back, she slowly rose back and returned to the group, unsure how Mizuki did it easily when she and Norbert failed miserably. "Guess strength isn't the answer to everything."

Rolls

Roll Result
2d6 (2 + 2) = 4
MIT Mechanical Bull Show off | Fortitude + Fitness | Lune | 2057C3

Play Sheet

 

[Chanlye]

"Woaah! What the hell is that?!"

Ataru's huffed with sparkly eyes looking at the metallic beast, that huffed a green and eerie magical smoke from its nostrils, letting out a whistle that could shiver anyone's spines.

Luna, on another hand, seemed rather intimidated by it, even if she was curious.

"It looks so strong..."

And it truly was.

When @Ueno Mizuki went first, the two Sun Claws watched attentively. After all, she and the big muscular caenis were the ones that were the closest to their nature, so they could guess they were the closest reference to them.

And the attempt of the Caenis was impressive, the two of them clapped.

"It did look very realistic, but man, it looked a bit tough too. But you did great anyway!"

"You were amazing, miss!"

Then, it was @Norbert Inigo's turn, their second reference in terms of Caenis approach to it... And it was when the Mechanical Bull has showed its true nature. It was hard to know if the Mechanical Bull had simply become more ruthless, or if Mizuki was just too expert on it. But the truth of the matter was that it was too tough for Norbert... Still...

"Hey, Muscle-man, it was a good try! And it looked fun too tho. But I guess it will be harder than we expected, little Luna."

"Y-Yeah... It does look like that."

@Lune's turn then came next, and it wasn't too different from Norbert's. Perhaps it lasted a couple seconds more, but the fate was the same: The Mechanical Bull wasn't dominated. It even seemed angrier, more determined, and the two Caenis noticed that perhaps their chances were slim.

"You... You have some healing spells ready, right?"

"H-Huh? Y-Yes... Uhm... Maybe it is how Lune had said... It isn't a matter of strength?"

Luna tried to be optimistic, but they had to face it... It was their turn.

Ataru went first, and after having a good analysis of how the bull moved around, he cracked his knuckles and mounted on it. The Bull tried to shake him off, pushing him around and letting out its maddening and deafening whistles while doing its best to get rid of him... But it was no use. Ataru wrapped his legs tightly on its body, followed its movements with competence enough, and at the end of it... He succeeded on making it surrender.

"Oooo! You did it too, good job!"

Luna clapped to Ataru, and he puffed his chest.

"Heh, right? It was much more fun doing it than watching it, honestly! You will see it! Now it is your turn, Luna. Come on, let me help you."

The Bull was too tall, so Ataru helped Luna to climb on it... And as soon as it started, Luna tried to hold onto it desperately. The body of the Bull was too big for her to completely wrap herself on, but she still tried too, fearing she would fall... But after the first couple seconds shaking, even if she was about to fall, she couldn't help but have a burst of laughter while trying to hold on tight... But it didn't take long for her to be thrown away from the Bull, being nearly sent flying, only to be caught by Ataru.

"W-Wow! Th-That was fun, but it was a bit scary too—"

Luna chuckled nervously, holding on Ataru while he placed her back on her feet.

"The only thing that matters is that it was fun. I've never thought that metal animals existed..."

Mechanical Bull Show Off Results

Results:

28 Energy preserved.

Luna and Ataru used 22 Energy preserved.

Luna gained 20 Joy .

Ataru gained 30 Joy .

LUNA

SUN CLAW
​

​

[31/100]
[79/100]

ATARU

SUN CLAW
​

​

[27/100]
[79/100]

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

48 / 100

Scenic Viewpoint
Token x3
-10 HP from Lead
+1 Token from Lead
-1 Token from Activity Boost
+15 Joy for Ataru (@Chanlye)
+19 Joy for Luna (@Chanlye)

Mizuki stiffened a little at the earnest praise she got from their guests, not entirely sure how to process it. With an awkward smile she shrugged, turning to watch as @Norbert Inigo was next to give it a shot.

It's stronger than a real bull, so I'd still be careful while trying it.

She didn't think the MIT would let random people ride it if it was truly dangerous... but they could be a bit too enthusiastic about their invention to consider all the possibilities.

While the group was watching various members take their turn on the bull her two wolves made themselves comfortable next to the fence, laying down with their eyes closed and only their perked up ears indicating that they were still paying attention. The wildling glanced at the both of them before deciding to leave it be: if they weren't interested they weren't interested.

Norbert's noble attempt earned him a slight wince from Mizuki as she watched him get thrown off, although he probably wasn't in a position to notice. Once he returned to the group she nodded.

I've got some experience riding wild partners, which helped a lot.

@Lune's admission that she'd seen similar things before, combined with her all-around confident demeanour, made Mizuki wonder how well the pale human would do. Unfortunately, it turned out that she received the same treatment from the bull as their tall companion.

Strength is important, but you also need to anticipate its movements.

That was as much an explanation for Lune as advice for their two guests, who both were willing to give it a shot as well. Mizuki tilted her head as Ataru picked up on it quickly, showcasing his experience as a stable owner who must have handled some rough clients more than once.

As for Luna... well, Mizuki wasn't surprised when Ataru had to catch the youngling after an unsuccessful attempt. Still, the wildling radiated approval through her Primal Aura together with a smile.

I don't know why they made this thing, but I agree that as long as you had fun trying it that's what matters most.

Looking at the others she waited to see if any of them wanted to give the metal bull a shot as well, but from the looks of it they preferred to watch over trying it themselves. probably because of how the thing threw off most who did climb on.

It's getting late, so let's find something more relaxing to do. (She motioned for her wolves to get up. Hrmmm... There's some platforms around town from which you can enjoy the view. It'll take some climbing to get to the nearest one, but the view should be worth it.

Rolls

Token
1d6 (4) = 4
Ueno Mizuki | 2057C3

---

Build Sheet

 

[Lune]

53 / 100

0 Tokens

Watching Ataru handle the mechanical beast with ease, she figured he must have some knack for it, probably picked up from his experience with animals. Because he... takes care of horses? Sure, horses and bulls were two different kinds of animals, but if he could handle one, he could probably handle the other.

The woman was quite worried when Luna flew away from the bull, but thankfully the man was there to catch her. Knowing youngsters these days, she would probably be alright anyway and stand up straight away even if she hit the ground.

"I see, it's one of those 'go with the flow' things." The only way to be proficient at it was to learn through experience, then. But she didn't know if this kind of skill would come in handy, specifically bull riding.

Just as Mizuki mentioned that it was getting late, Lune walked and turned her head to see the sky which was slowly turning darker. She didn't notice the time was passing so quickly.

"I think I know which place you are talking about," Lune pointed to the caenis, sporting a cheeky smile toward the others. There was only one spot in Finweald where you got to see the horizon clearly and enjoy the sunset in its fullest glory, and it was none other than the wooden platform.

"Alright, let's go before it gets too crowded there."

Rolls

Play Sheet

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

48 / 100

Scenic Viewpoint
Token x2
-1 Token from Activity Boost
+5 Joy for Ataru (@Chanlye)

More or less. (She tilted her head.) It's a bit similar to trying to predict the movements of your opponent so you can counter them, rather than just bulldozing your way through.

She hadn't thought of it at first, but Harper probably would've been good at this as well: a martial artist like her was probably used to this kind of thing, even if she was more familiar with humanoid opponents than this mechanical bull they'd just tried to wrestle with.

With @Lune familiar with Mizuki's suggestion the wildling nodded and motioned for the group to follow as she led the way.

It shouldn't get too busy at this time of year... it's more popular during the summer when people don't have to worry as much about the temperature and the weather.

Granted, even during the winter and the early spring there would be those who considered the view worth it, but the platform should be big enough... although their group was a bit bigger than usual.

The platform was fairly high up in Finweald's vertical terrain, requiring them to climb staircases and scale steep inclines before finally, a paved road led away from the path upwards towards a large wooden platform sticking out from the large outcrop the city had been built on and around. With massive wooden pillars embedded into the cliffside, the platform was in no danger of collapsing, although someone standing at the edge might still feel nervous when they looked down.

Supposedly you can see all the way to the edge of Astorea from here, although I don't think that's true in every direction.

Walking close to the edge Mizuki was flanked by her wolves as she peered into the distance. Far, far away, partially obscured by the blue haze that kilometres of atmosphere could create, the massive stone flanks of the Hylands indicated at least one border, rising up high enough that it made even their position here on the platform look small in comparison.

But that still left the area surrounding Finweald: grassy plains flowing outwards in every direction, with a river snaking through the land to the east where the edge of a forest could be seen. Hills pushed upwards and gave the terrain its character, with the occasional patch of trees sticking out. The weather had been pleasant lately, so there was little in the way of snow to get in the way of the green that was already beginning to recover from winter's grasp.

Rolls

Token
1d6 (5) = 5
Ueno Mizuki | 2057C3

---

Build Sheet

 

[Chanlye]

FINWEALD, ASTOREA
Late Afternoon
Weather: Sunny and Windy

With their wishes sent, the group eventually left the Garden of the Wishes, taking another stroll around the capital. There was still plenty of things to do, but not enough time for all of it. The duo of caenis certainly would need another trip back to the capital if they intended to see everything, but just what they were seeing was more than enough to bring a big smile to their faces.

"... I think... I understand what you mean."

"Your father tells that to you a lot, don't he, Luna? 'Use the strength and wrath of your opponent against them'."

Ataru feigned a very rough and wise-sounding voice, and Luna giggled.

"Yes, but my father doesn't sound like that."

"He sounds more 'like this......?'"

He mimicked the voice of an old man that could barely speak. Luna laughed more, but she slapped her tail against Ataru and shook her head rapidly.

"Th-That's grandpa! If my father knows you are doing that, he won't forgive you..."

Luna said, and Ataru shrugged.

"Well well, let's see what you guys are talking about. If it gets that much busy at some time of the year, it means it is really cool, ain't it? I'm down to go with it."

"Me too..!"

Both of the Sun Claws decided to go with @Ueno Mizuki's idea, especially listening to what she and @Lune spoke about it. The walk didn't take long, but they had almost missed the main show of that spot: The sunset.

As soon as they got there, the sky was already golden colored, and the sun brimmed like a gem in the horizon. Such a sight wasn't unusual for the Sun Claws, especially since they lived in Hylands... But it was still hard to not fall in love with it. Even Ataru's usual fierce and confident expressions melted a bit, while Luna's eyes sparkled in endearement.

"Man... That's so beautiful. It makes me feels like I'm home."

He grinned, feeling the faint warmth of the sunset light, and enjoying every second watching the beautiful landscape.

"It feels really nice too..."

Luna not only took her moment to enjoy the landscape, but also the air around it, the wind that brushed her hair and fur while she allowed her tail to flow freely with the wind.

... A long time passed, and eventually the sky was not golden anymore. Instead, it was vaguely violet, with faint orange brushes by the end of it. The moon was starting to be more highlighted in the sky, and glancing up at it, the two of them smiled.

"Uene will start looking upon us now..."

Luna said, taking a gentle hold of her moonstone necklace, and looking at the others.

"That means we should find a place to sleep before we leave tomorrow."

Ataru rubbed his chin.

"Yes..."

Luna showed a bittersweet smile. She wanted to stay longer, but she knew it was selfish.

"Don't be like that. We can always come back again, alright? And I'm sure we will have some good friends to help us out."

Ataru winked to the group, and Luna smiled a bit more brightly, looking at the group.

"You are right... I hope we can come back very soon, I had a lot of fun!"

...

Taking a few more minutes to enjoy the surroundings, and to decide where to go, the group eventually left to guide the two Sun Claws to a good inn, and the two of them invited the group for a dinner with them. They morning and the afternoon were done, but they still had a whole night to have fun and taste some Traveler dishes!

Final Results

LUNA

SUN CLAW



​

​

[41/100]
[100/100]

ATARU

SUN CLAW



​

​

[37/100]
[100/100]

Convenience! The group finds a nice inn to rest and have a good dinner. There, they manage to have a nice talk, and the duo of Sun Claws become even more excited for their next visit. Luna and Ataru receives 4 Joy .

Roll Result
1d4 (4) = 4

CYCLE 4

Both Ataru and Luna are very happy! Challenge Concluded!

Joyful Ending


























... Inconvenience...​

FINWEALD, ASTOREA
Evening - Prologue
Weather: Clear and Chilly


A small dog ran through the dark streets, turning through alleys until it met its destination... An alley with a faint moonlight beam that barely managed to get past the roofs, being the only source of light in that dark place.

A figure opened their eyes, slightly stepping out of the complete darkness, only enough to reveal their silhouette.

"How did it go? Did you manage to swap it during the mess with your friends?"

"Woof."

The small dog released a necklace out of its mouth. The gem on its tip shimmered magically when the moonlight touched it.

"Attaboy! I knew I could count on you!"

The figure crouched and took it on their hands, grinning widely before looking at the little dog and ruffling the fur on its head in an excited petting. The dog wagged its tail excitedly.

"Woof woof~"

"Not yet. Let's wait them leave and the dust set down first. If we try to sell it now, people will catch up fairly quickly... They did catch a lot of attention, and this isn't the very big capital it used to be."

"Woof..."

The figure smiled, giving the dog another ruffling.

"Don't be like that. Here, let's go grab something to eat... And it won't be the usual, today we celebrate!"

"Woof!"

The dog perked up, darting off to follow the figure that walked away.

To be continued...​

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

Mizuki hadn't been sure whether the two Sun Claws would be able to appreciate the view, given how different it was from their home in the Hylands. However, as she watched the both of them get enthralled by the way the golden rays bathed the flowing plains around Finweald, it was clear her worries had been unfounded. The wildling looked out over the expanding fields of green as well, tracing the snake of glittering water that snaked all the way to the large forest to the east, she nodded in agreement with their guests.

It's a nice view after a busy day.

Her two packmates seemed to appreciate it as well, lazily wagging their tails as they made themselves comfortable on the platform and stared into the distance. Mizuki knew that they perceived the world differently from herself or her companions, but even for them this was a beautiful scene to behold, at least on occasion.

As the shadows lengthened and the sky slowly turned from golden orange to encroaching violet her gaze turned away from the landscape and towards the glowing sphere in the sky. The moon shone brightly as it reflected the rays of the dying sun, already spreading its silver radiance even as the last of the day was still seeping away to give way to the night.

Something stirred within her as her mismatched eyes focused on the moon, the wildling remaining silent for quite some time after. It was only when Luna and Ataru commented on the moon's presence that she shook free.

There should be plenty of places you can rest for the night. The inns aren't as crowded as they used to be.

That Finweald wasn't as busy as before could be considered a shame, but it did come with some benefits. After casting one last glance at the moon Mizuki turned away, using her Primal Aura to indicate for the others to follow.

I'm glad to hear it. If I'm around when you come back again I'd be happy to help out once more.

She smiled at Luna and Ataru, although more so for the young one's sake. Ataru didn't exactly need encouragement, but the shy child deserved some pampering.

That said... if you're returning to the Hylands I might come with you. If you don't mind, of course.

Her wolves flanked the group as they left the view behind, heading for a good inn so they could enjoy the evening together before turning in for the night.