Our Time in the Aslouis Jungle (Zakkol and Ananfal)

[vibrantsystem]

@Ananfal

Exploration Application


Please be sure to fill in all the required fields

Name:


Astorath Mas

Age:


Twenty-six years of age

Height:


6' 3"

Weight:


[PENDING]

Appearance:


[PENDING. WILL BE ADDED SOON]

Current Profession:


Journalism. I have been working in this position for about four years at this point, and I am highly valued by my employer.

Workplace Conflicts:


N/A

Reason for Application:


I believe that I am a prime candidate for such an exploration, as my ability to view and remember things is top notch. My writing talent is also remarkable, and is reflected greatly in my work. I hope that I would be regard as a valuable member of the team, due to my aforementioned ability to recount things in great detail, as well as the fact that it is always useful to have someone who can quickly pen things down, whether it be notes or a small sketch (which would not be as of high quality as my writing).

I don’t tend to complain about the current weather as much as some people, which I think of as extremely useful thing to be able to refrain from discussing when in a tropical climate such as the one the Aslouis jungle is located in. While this may seem like a small thing, I imagine it would be useful in the long run, as I am not bothered by things going wrong and tend to look for good things that come out of what may be viewed as negative situations.

Personality:


I tend to get along well with all of my workplace colleagues, never engaging in conflicts of any kind, verbal or otherwise. One reason for this could be the fact that I tend to be rather quiet, and more-or-less let things go by and occur without really paying them much attention, provided they aren’t concerning me. If they are, then I shall pay attention and listen, absorbing the information presented to me.

I wouldn’t call myself shy, as I do enjoy the company of others, even if I don’t exactly show it or make it as obvious when compared to some people, who act like extreme extroverts. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not introverted, nor do I have a high opinion of myself. I like to be quiet and get on with the work presented to me without trying to make friends when I have a task to do.

However, I would not be surprised at all if I made myself well acquainted with my fellow people on the trip over. I find I tend to make friends quickly and keep them for a long time, as I am very conscious of my actions and tend to think about how they would effective other people prior to preforming such actions. Thoughtful, you may call me.

​

 

[Ananfal]

Name:

Dyr Baskytte

Age:

25

Height:

5'9"

Weight:

Don't cha know betta den to ask a girl dat?

Appearance:

Attached.

Current Profession:

I be da one wit da gun to guard da cargo, ya know? Dun it all me life. Ma never could do it and someone had ta drive off da raiders, yah? I be highly recommended, 'cept for dem jobs where I had ta shoot da innocent people. I don't do dat.

Workplace Conflicts:

Dere was da guy who thought dat girls like me don't belong in da same job as him. I had ta teach him a lesson dat he will never forget.

Reason for Application:

I be out of a job and da forest jungle thing sound like fun. Da scientist people need protection, yah? I good wit a gun and knife, and can cook. All da survival skills, ya know. Learned it all from me Ma, since I never had a Pa.

Personaility:

I don't take no crap from no one. I is my own boss and no one gonna tell me what ta do. I sound mean a lot, but all I do is tell the truth. When someone say something mean to me, I get hurt sometimes but I ignore it. Not many people like me, ya know. Its fine. I still protect dem. Ma once told me dat "You gonna be strong gurl, and when you strong, you gotta protect da weak. Dat's da duty of da strong." I pretty much always listen ta me Ma. She was a smart gurl, gone now though.​

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[vibrantsystem]

The day wasn't going very well for Astor. It had started off with a fight in one of the tents back at the camp that had been established a few days prior, and Astor had had to sit through a morning of furious glares between the various members of the research team. Astor wasn't part of the research team. He was part of the other team that didn't have a name. Probably because it was a jumble of people who didn't really fit in with the scientist who were analysing the different plants.


No, Astor's job was different. He had to follow the research team around like a little dog, noting down everything and producing the occasional quick sketch or two. Not that the drawings were of as high quality as the written descriptions, but they were needed. And Astor was growing bored. He had expected that being out here would have been enjoyable. He'd be able to write about thing, which was his passion, and be able to relax, somewhat.


Nope. Instead, he was currently having to sit still in his tent, waiting for the pair who had been in the argument to suck it up and get ready to go back out and examine more plants. Maybe animals too. Astor had seen a few animals out here, and they peculiar indeed. Unlike anything he'd ever seen or read about. Like normal animals, but with major, key differences. They seemed to be normal, and there was one thing about that set them apart from their normal counterparts. The one that had stuck out the most to Astor had been some kind of monkey with thick, green tendrils coming off of its back. It had scared him somewhat. And he hoped that one wouldn't arrive near the camp anytime soon.

 

[Ananfal]

"Dis day's gonna be no good." Dyr muttered to herself, looking up at the muddy sky. "Ma told me to check the sky and me Ma was never wrong." A sound made her almost draw her gun but it turned out to be just one of her teammates. She nodded to him silently and he nodded back, assuming the guard position. Her shift was finally over.


Yawning, Dyr stretched as she walked into the mess hall to grab something to eat. Scarfing something down quickly, she saw the call go out for the research team to assemble for a foray into the jungle. Knowing that she had to go with them as a guard, she made her way there as well.

 

[vibrantsystem]

Finally, something seemed to be happening. Astor sat up in his tent, looking around. The person he shared his tent with wasn't there, and he could hear voices outside, discussing another trip into the jungle. Well, into the surrounding jungle. It was on all sides, pressing against the camp, ready to reclaim the land that the humans had intruded upon. Once they had left of course. Which could be at any time within the next few days to the next few months. Depending on when the fickle scientists were sure that everything had been taken care of.


Leaving his tent, Astor passed by a few small groups of people. So much for his claims on the application he had put in. So far, he had not really bothered socialising with anyone. At all. There was nobody interesting here. They were all, for the most part, flat, two-dimensional scientists or guards. The only he had met with some kind of personality was the guard Dyr, who seemed to be acting like some kind of female Forrest Gump. However, all things considered, Astor was under the impression that it wasn't an act.


On his way to find something to eat, Astor overheard from on the small groups about someone being taken ill. By what, he wasn't really sure, but from the sounds of things, neither were the people he had heard it from. Apparently the scientists didn't know either.

 

[Ananfal]

Dyr sighed as she heard talk of someone being sick. That would mean yet another delay in the search progress. It made her uneasy. There was something off about this forest. Not just the animals here, but something about the jungle itself. She wanted to get out of here as soon as possible.


She wanted to do something.


Looking around, she tried to find someone who seemed to be as bored as she was. Spotting Astor, one of the few people who actually spoke to her, she headed over to him. "Want ta go inta the jungle? A little exploration trip?" She asked him.

 

[vibrantsystem]

Astor had been about to reach for a sandwich-one of many that had been piled upon a plate in the long tent that was used for eating. Food was laid out there on display in the mornings, and people could venture into the tent whenever they desired to have something to eat. There was more than enough food around, and Astor had no concerns about the group running out of food or anything edible. In fact, there was too much food, and Astor highly suspected that it would either be left here in the jungle to rot or incinerated once they returned to civilization to avoid anything that was on the food getting into normal society.


Anyway, Astor had been about to reach for a sandwich, but Dyr stopped him, asking him if he wanted to go on a “little exploration trip” that she would be no doubt leading him on. Astor wasn’t much of a fan of that idea. He only really felt safe when he was with the research team. Which was strange, because they couldn’t defend themselves at all, really. Well, not when compared to Dyr.


Trying not come off rude, Astor took the sandwich he had been going to take and bit into it, unsure of what the filling was. ‘I think there is a trip coming up shortly, actually.’ Astor mumbled at Dyr, motioning with his hand as he took another bite of the sandwich.

 

[Ananfal]

"They delayed it. Cause of tha sick person." Dyr explained evenly, not being surprised by the man's refusal. She knew that her strange way of speaking and blunt personality often turned people away from her. And it was alright. Dyr knew that she would protect them anyway. Protecting people was her life.


"Ya don't have ta come." She finally spoke, turning to head back out. "Finish your meal. But if anyone asks, I went out inta the jungle. I'll be back soon." Shoving her hands into her pockets, she kept her gaze on the ground as she walked out alone. Again.

 

[vibrantsystem]

Astor was well aware of Dyr’s personality at this point, as she was more-or-less the best guard there (in Astor’s opinion, at very least) and he got along with her fairly well. Even if she did have an odd manner of speaking, and was fairly blunt on occasion, she still made for interesting conversation, mainly due to the way she didn’t really seem to be phased by anything, as was shown by the way she had batted off Astor’s rather meek refusal like it was nothing.


But then again, Astor felt bad. He had seen Dyr alone a lot, and he really wasn’t sure why. He guessed people just didn’t really like her, or were somewhat scared of her. Whatever the problem, Astor felt like he had told her to “go away” in the most harsh, blunt way he could possibly say it. And Dyr had just taken it, it had seemed, and walked out, no food in hand, no doubt off to wander in the jungle.


Swallowing the rest of his mystery sandwich, Astor took off after Dyr, calling. ‘Wait! Dyr!’ He yelled, attracting the attention of some people at the camp. ‘I’ll come along, if you don’t mind,’ Astor mumbled, looking at Dyr’s face directly.

 

[Ananfal]

It was surprising, the fact that Astor had surprised her. She had taken him to be like the others, something she knew now was wrong. She should have known he was different, what he did now shouldn't have surprised her. But it did.


"I don't mind, I was tha one ta ask ya, if ya remember." She finally said, holding his gaze for a moment before sweeping it up towards the people watching them. Everyone quickly looked away and she breathed out a sigh before turning towards the jungle.


"I've been out ta tha north and west." She said to Astor. "How do ya feel about going east today?"

 

[vibrantsystem]

Astor stared at Dyr for a brief period of time following when she had said that she had been out north and west. Apparently Dyr had been out and about quite a bit more than Astor had expected, and he was rather interested as to why she had done so instead of staying back at the camp and actually working as guard. But then again, maybe Dyr didn't go out as often as he had expected, which was why she had only ever been north and west. Astor wasn't really sure, and saw it as a trivial matter to actually have a discussion about, so he kept his mouth shut on this matter, instead mulling over what to say about the direction that they were going to take.


'I'm not really bothered,' Astor said clearly in a rather meek reply. But it was true-he wasn't really bothered about the direction that they went in. As long as they could find their way back to the camp, he was fine. If they couldn't, well, Astor wasn't very fine with that, and would be both annoyed with Dyr and absolutely terrified.

 

[Ananfal]

"East it is then." She said, and reflexively checked her knives before leaving the safety of the camp. All seven of them were safely secured around her body, along with her two guns and the long blade she had strapped down her back. It was usually hidden by her long red hair and so many people never even realized she had it.


"I go out inta the jungle during me free time." She idly commented as she, accompanied by Astor, headed out of the camp. Taking a piece of fabric from her pocket, she tied it around a tree bran before repeating the action a few feet later. "Its so we don't be getting lost, ya know." Dyr explained to Astor. "Me Ma showed me that trick." She gave him a rare smile.

 

[vibrantsystem]

Astor hadn’t been expecting a smile from Dyr. It was a surprisingly nice smile. Or Astor found it nice, at least. He wasn’t sure how other people would see it, and to be honest, he didn’t really care, because he hadn’t seen Dyr smile this whole time since they had arrived, and he doubted that she would’ve smiled at one of the bland scientists. They didn’t ever seem to want nor deserve a smile like Dyr’s.


The fabric idea. It seemed to be a variation on methods used by various characters from tales and mythology that Astor had read. Such as one regarding a trip into a labyrinth of sorts, with a Minotaur at the end from Greek mythology. It was a good idea, and the only thing that made this one different was the way the small lengths of fabric were being used rather than a trail of wool. And there wasn’t a Minotaur somewhere in the jungle, which was a fairly good replacement for the labyrinth at this point. But then again, Astor wouldn’t have been surprised if a Minotaur (or something to that unsettling effect) was indeed hiding away in the jungle here. If the other wildlife was anything to go by, that was.


‘Good idea,’ Astor praised, cursing himself for sounding really rather, well, stupid. ‘Shall we continue?’ He asked, his voice portraying how he was trying to act casually as he passed in front of Dyr and continued into the jungle.

 

[Ananfal]

"The critters in tha jungle be rather friendly when ya mean them no harm and don't come in trampling all over." Dyr spoke, keeping alert even as she made sure not to lose their way. Her head was swiveling around all the time, investigating various sounds, but her body stance was relaxed, far more then in camp.


"Some come when I call." She whispered and whistled, a peculiar call that was different from any normal bird call. Holding out a hand that contained a few nuts from the jungle floor, it wasn't long until a bird fluttered down to land delicately on her arm.


"Don't be afraid." She smiled once more at Astor, offering the bird to him.

 

[vibrantsystem]

Astor blinked, looking at the bird in shock. He hadn’t been expecting it to be so friendly towards him and Dyr. Apparently it was though, for it leaped from Dyr’s arm to Astor’s hand, making the jump swiftly and without error. It was a strange little bird, really. The feathers seemed to be various shades of green, ranging from a more yellowy kind to a deep turquoise. Astor hadn’t quite seen a bird like it before, but then again, the most common birds he saw were sparrows and blackbirds, which weren’t exactly the most exciting species ever.


The bird looked at Astor strangely. It let out a small twitter and hopped around on the spot, inspecting the lines on his hand, no longer looking at him oddly. Astor returned the look, while other birds of the same kind began to come out and investigate the intrusion to their simple, previously undisturbed lives.


‘I don’t know, something seems off about them,’ Astor mused, looking at the birds. They seemed normal enough, but they could be carrying any number of dangerous diseases. Or then again, they could be carrying none, and Astor was simply being paranoid and overreaction to something small that he didn’t need to be concerned about.

 

[Ananfal]

"Of course they be strange, this whole jungle be strange." Dyr said, birds landing all over her arms in a bid to get to the nuts held in the palm of her hand. "We already be risking our lives to explore, why not enjoy?" She laughed, causing the birds to twitter.


Many of the birds left when the nuts ran out, but a few stayed, hopping from Dyr's shoulder to Astor's. Continuing on their way, she went on showing Astor all of the things she had learned about the jungle during her explorations. While she didn't know the names of plants or how the trees grew, she could tell you more about how the forest worked then any of the others back in the camp.

 

[vibrantsystem]

Astor cast a look at Dyr as they walked through the jungle. She really did seem to know quite a bit about the plants, or at least about names that she had given them. Astor rarely paid attention to when the scientist of the research team were telling him to note things down. Instead, he would just write down what was said and not absorb the information at all in the slightest. It was all very strange. He was more of a machine for them to utilise rather than an actual living being. But the fact of the matter was, he had been promised a large amount of money, and the learning experience of being out here was good enough of a payment for him. The extra money was a nice, if somewhat not needed bonus for him.


‘You seem to know quite a bit,’ Astor said, speaking to Dyr as they continued along. ‘I’m surprised. But then again, I don’t really tend to listen to the research team when they tell me to write things down,’ he admitted, turning red slightly.

 

[Ananfal]

"Ah, I don't listen to dem either." Dyr said, waving her hand in the air dismissively. "Dey be going on about some plant wit da unpronouncable name, and I can't pay no attention to dat." Shaking her head, she frowned down at the ground.


"Its not like dey be talking to me anyway. I just be a hired gun to dem. Nuthin smart, just someone to shoot when dey say to." She said, bitterness lacing her voice. "I wanna protect people, but it's hard when dey don't act like people. Dey so cold, like machines."

 

[vibrantsystem]

‘They are,’ Astor mused, in a half-reply half-agreement with Dyr. She had the right idea. They were exactly like machines. But Astor knew they weren’t. They just took their jobs seriously, which, when thinking about it, seemed like the appropriate thing to do to Astor given their current situation and location and the manner of the work itself. ‘But then again,’ Astor started, readying himself to express his thoughts on the matter, ‘they have to be serious and, well, rather dull. Look at where we are. They’re discovering new things pretty much every hour.’ Astor explained, making an attempt to get his point through to Dyr. Maybe he was considering her to be a little denser than he should be.


‘Shall we go back now?’ Astor asked, almost immediately after finishing his reasoning. They were getting deeper and deeper in, and he wouldn’t really like to get lost, no matter how good Dyr’s fabric method was.

 

[Ananfal]

"Of course we can go back now." Dyr muttered, not even acknowledging what Astor had said about the scientists. Jerking off the fabric she had just tied on, she turned on her heel and began to retrace her steps, taking back her strips of cloth as she passed by them.


It was foolish, the aching in her heart. Discoveries were supposed to make you feel alive... Not make you act dull and serious. But she could understand that the scientists took their job very seriously, as they had a right to. Clearly Dyr didn't do as good a job as them, since she chose to explore rather then stay back and guard the camp. She wasn't serious enough.


Finally realizing that she had been clenching her fists hard enough to sink her nails into her flesh and draw blood, Dyr quickly relaxed her hands and studiously pretended as though nothing had happened. She was just a guard, after all. It wasn't like she had feelings or anything.

 

[vibrantsystem]

Astor followed Dyr as she progressed along, tearing off the lengths of fabric. She seemed to be putting quite a bit of force into removing them, and Astor had to wonder if there was something on her mind that was leading to her being...somewhat (in Astor's eyes, at least) violent in her actions towards the innocent pieces of fabric.


However, there was also something on Astor's mind too. It was regarding the person who had fallen ill. He had heard, on the way to find something to eat, a number of nasty rumours. About how there didn't seem to be anything wrong with the man and yet he was in immense pain, so strong that he couldn't actually communicate. Of course, this was no doubt a fictitious story made up by some bored "second class" worker here on this research trip. Despite this, Astor was still concerned regarding the possibility of someone becoming ill. All he really hoped was at this point that nobody else received whatever the illness was.


'Dyr?' Astor asked, looking around briefly, 'what do you think of the person who's supposedly ill?'

 

[Ananfal]

Dyr wanted to snarl at him, her frustration was so great, but she restrained herself. "I don't know." She finally spoke, directing her gaze at the ground. "All I heard are de rumours, and dey not be true half da time." Here she glanced at Astor. "You can go ta visit him when ya get back to camp, if da doctors-"


She cut off suddenly, raising her head and staring into the jungle intently. "Quiet!" She hissed at Astor, one hand drifting down to hover over a knife. "There be something in da jungle, big and moving, nearby." Her head swiveled as she tracked the sound, still not drawing her knife despite her wariness. Sometimes, if you don't show the jungle violence, it'll do the same to you.

 

[vibrantsystem]

Astor had been thinking as Dyr spoke. He wasn't particularly interested in seeing the ill person-he was more interested with what they were actually ill with. That was the really important thing. As much as Astor didn't wish for anyone to die out here on this trip, he wouldn't be greatly impacted if they passed away though, for he still hadn't learnt the names of everyone on this little (or rather large) expedition.


However, Astor's train of thought was swiftly derailed when Dyr hissed "quiet" at him. There was something moving about. Astor wasn't exactly sure of the size, but he was certain it was fairly large, due to the loud noises that it was making. The were mostly noises of leaves rustling, but there was also another, strange sound that Astor couldn't place. The sound was a alien, and Astor had, in fact, never heard it before. He couldn't describe it, and as a result, he decided to just stay quiet and follow Dyr's advice, readying himself for if the source of the sound was to show itself.

 

[Ananfal]

The creature stopped moving. There was silence for a moment... And Dyr knew. "Run!" She ordered Astor, pushing him ahead of her as she took off at a sprint, drawing her gun in the same smooth movement. The creature roared and rushed at them, the sounds of tree branches breaking as it ignored the trees completely in favor of new prey.


Without looking back, Dyr fired off a few shots, knowing they hit when the creature squealed in pain. However she knew that they wouldn't be able to outrun the creature. "Follow the cloth, get back ta camp!" She ordered Astor as she stopped running, drawing the large blade that was sheathed down her back. "I'll hold it off."

 

[vibrantsystem]

Astor cast a look at Dyr as she told him that she would hold off this creature of unknown size. It was a nice thing for to offer to do, but was it really worth her time? He had been able to run from it fine. Although, then again, Dyr probably knew what the creature was, due to having apparently spent a large amount of time out in the jungle on her own. Astor would’ve expected her to have run into the various inhabitants of the jungle at one point. She had certainly been out and about a lot more than Astor had been.


Following the fabric path back, Astor arrived in roughly seven and a half minutes. It was strange, but he had kept time. To an extent. The good news was that Dyr’s fabric trail had actually worked (why wouldn’t it have?) and the camp was right there. It seemed to be normal enough, except there was a number of people crowding around the medical bay (tent) at the moment. Astor assumed that they were just there for no other reason than to be nosy. Instead, he told himself to wait. If Dyr didn’t appear in ten minutes, he’d request help. Was it a smart choice? He didn’t really know.