Running From Zombies (and To Sports Bras)

the last time I reblogged this post right before I got a great job, in a permanent work-from-home position, with benefits, retirement, and a salary literally 3x what I was making before, doing something I really like. 

So you know. 

Stratt had a team working on alternatives. One of them was wormhole technology. They figured it out... just shortly after solving Earth's astrophage problem.

Chapter Four Release!

Play Chapter Four

Our first over 100,000 word chapter is here!!! Take your first international trip as president to the country of Volaria! I'm sure nothing will go wrong.

Features:

🌺Meet other world leaders and make friends

🌺Or make enemies

🌺Discover more about Volaria, a country walking the tightrope between autocracy and democracy

🌺Go painting with Faustino, hiking with Nura, to the spa with Junius, the beach with Priyanshi, and enjoy a lazy evening with Michi

🌺Meet an Adrangan billionaire with an offer for Rezanii and Edria

🌺Ally with neighbor Estance or plot your invasion

🌺Attend a ball and have a clandestine meeting with the president of Wastoria

From an initial interaction with Langostia's emperor:

You saw red. It took everything in you to keep from snapping. But every cell in your body screamed out at the injustice of what was happening. Valerius was here, surrounded by riches and attendants and smiling at you as if nothing was wrong. So much of your family, so many of your friends, so many of <i>your</i> people were dead, missing, or struggling under Wastorian occupation. Had he known what would happen by choosing to abandon Edria to Wastoria’s invasion? Did he regret any of it? Or had your people been thrown away with that same smile on his face? “Yes,” you said, your voice clipped. “We’ve experienced a lot of shocks over the years.” “I understand.” Valerius sighed. “Things happen when we diverge from the path the gods have laid out for us.”  Those words only inflamed your fury. You fought your desire to yell. Not here, not now. Not with so many eyes watching.

And if Rezanii threatens to invade Estance earlier and now walks it back... creatively:

A Pokemon only counts for itself, not its evolution line.

A Pokemon with multiple forms (like Zygarde) will only be counted for the specified form. A Pokemon with multiple appearances (like Spinda, Vivillon, Sylvally, etc.) count for all their appearances.

Faustino welcomes this!!

Note: this takes place in the path where Rezanii is shot

It happened between one breath and the next. One moment, Rezanii was standing on the platform, voice projecting over the crowd, and the next—

A crack splitting the air—

And blood, so much blood, spreading across their chest.

Faustino grabbed Rezanii, clutching them against his chest as if that could do anything to fix what had already happened. He screamed their name, once, twice, again—

He had failed Rezanii once before. During the war, when Rezanii had been taken prisoner. Faustino had searched for Rezanii for months, but so many people had said Rezanii was dead, and eventually Faustino gave up. And then, of course, Rezanii had been alive. It had been beautiful and wonderful, but it was all tinged with the sharp, acrid taste of guilt. Of knowing that while Faustino was free, Rezanii had been held captive.

Faustino had failed.

And here, again, in this humid little town where the palm trees swayed and the sun beat down on a panicking crowd, Faustino had failed.

The security forces had already closed around them. 

He yelled again.

And again.

It changed nothing.

“Enyi Vice President, are you okay?”

“We’ll have him examined at the hospital.”

“He’s bleeding—”

“That’s not my blood,” Faustino managed to say. He clung to Rezanii’s limp form as the piercing wail of sirens filled the air.

“We need to put pressure on it,” Nura said. Faustino nodded, setting Rezanii down and pressing on the wound.

They couldn’t die. Not here. Not anywhere, not now.

“We’ll take care of you. Don’t worry. Just—don’t worry,” Faustino said. “Please.”

“Enyi Vice President—“

“Acting President Marellii—“

“Enyi Marellii—“

Faustino pushed past the people surrounding him, muttering apologies as he forced his way down the hallway before ducking into the bathroom. The door slammed behind him and he locked it with shaking hands before stumbling over to the sink.

They’re going to die.

Faustino kept the thought buried beneath a layer of panic. He didn’t need anyone overhearing his fear. Not when he was sure there was enough fear throughout the country. 

If only that caused the thoughts themselves to vanish.

He looked down. Blood stained his shirt, his skin. 

Faustino’s hands shook as he turned on the tap and pulled the shirt off. He scrubbed, the warm water turning hot and burning his skin as he worked. The blood flowed from the shirt but more remained, no matter how hard he fought it.

He called to his magic, forcing more water out of the faucet. But it wasn’t enough. 

The door to the bathroom creaked open and Faustino looked up as Michi stepped in.

“Any update? How are they?” Faustino asked.

“They’ve been taken into surgery,” Michi said. 

“I see,” Faustino rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet, trying his best to suppress the nausea he felt. “I see, and–”

“We’ll know more soon,” Michi said. “It’s not as bad as it could have been. Security services have apprehended the shooter, and they’re investigating why this happened.”

“What if Rezanii dies?” Faustino said. 

“There’s a succession plan—“

“Not that!” 

He gripped the edges of the sink, struggling to keep from panicking. It was possible to feel the rush of the water in the pipes. His magic called to it as if it could offer protection. But there was nothing his magic could do for this.

“I don’t know what to do if I lose them,” he said. 

Michi took a step closer and rested a hand on his shoulder. “That’s not something you need to think about yet.”

“Don’t I?” Faustino said.

“Not yet. Not until the doctors say so. And if they say so, we’ll fly Rezanii somewhere else,” Michi said. They glanced to the side occasionally, responding to messages and checking calls. “We have allies with better medical systems. It’s not unheard of for a leader to go elsewhere for care.”

“How are you so calm?” Faustino asked. He looked at Michi, eyes wide, hopeful for some answer that would help him find composure.

“Because right now, we have no choice,” Michi said. “The people need to hear from you. You’re the acting president.”

Faustino shook his head, turning back to staring at the sink. “All they need is an update. Can you not do it?”

“People need to hear from you,” they said. “Not an unelected advisor.”

“What do I say?” Faustino asked. It had been a day since the inauguration. What could he say that would comfort anyone?

“Be honest,” Michi replied. They wrinkled their nose. “Not too honest. But tell them you understand. They’re scared. They’re terrified about what this means. Tell them you understand, but that you can lead until Rezanii can take back the presidency. Not if. When.”

“Alright. Alright,” Faustino said.

“You should wear a shirt.” Michi handed him a tunic and Faustino dried his hands and took it. “Are you ready?”

“No,” Faustino said.

“I understand. But it’s time anyway,” they said.

Faustino nodded, pulled on the new tunic, and with his stomach still churning, left the bathroom.

“Enyi Vice President. Rezanii is out of surgery.”

Faustino stood up, abandoning the video call he’d been on and slamming the laptop shut despite Arellii's irritated yell.

“How are they? Can I see them?” he asked. The doctor nodded, stepping to the side to allow him to exit.

“They did well,” she said. “They’re still unconscious, but they should make a full recovery.”

“Yes. Yes. Thank you,” Faustino said. 

They stopped outside of the hospital room door, and Faustino paused.

“You can go in,” the doctor said.

Faustino swallowed. He had more meetings, more work to do, but—

Just a moment. He’d just take a moment at their side and then go. That would be fine. 

Hospitals were familiar. Faustino had spent half his childhood in one. It only took a moment for him to conjure a dozen memories of Rezanii sitting at his bedside. Sometimes they’d joke together, sometimes they’d trade gossip from school for gossip from the hospital ward, and sometimes they’d just sit by him when he was too weak to chat. 

The weeks after Rezanii had been freed from Kortapolis had been the first time the roles had been reversed. Now it was happening again. 

“I’m sorry,” Faustino whispered. He reached for Rezanii, hesitating a millimeter away from their hand. “I’m so sorry. I should have—“

Should have made them take Nura on stage. Should have told them to wear a bulletproof vest. Should have saved them. 

“Feeling guilty isn’t going to help you, is it?” Faustino muttered. They laid silently on the bed, the heart monitor beeping. “Well, things are stable. That’s good. You won’t wake up to an extra crisis, at least.”

He closed the last bit of distance and took their hand. It was cold in his grasp but he could feel Rezanii’s soft heartbeat.

“I love you,” Faustino said. “In so many ways. I just… I hope you know. I should tell you more. But I love you.”

A soft knock came at the door and an aide peeked in. 

“Enyi Vice President. You’re needed,” he said. 

“Of course,” Faustino said. 

Alzome

The art of Alzome above was done by Neur over at VGen! 

Check out the uncompressed version on Patreon!

Intro

The city of Alzome rests at the confluence of the Mirriquibo and Paquembe rivers, an urban metropolis in the heart of the jungle. Supporting close to four million people, it is the largest city in Edria, and represents a significant percentage of the population of Edria as a whole. The total population of inner Edria is closer to eight million people, meaning that half of all citizens of inner Edria live in Alzome; this is because the interior—the jungle, the mountains, and the desert on the other side of the mountains—is sparsely populated and poorly developed.

Geography

Alzome is located in the heart of inner Edria, deep in the Adurama Rainforest, the rainforest that makes up most of Edria and stretches into neighboring Estance and Wastoria. Alzome is surrounded by the Adurama, and dozens of creeks lead into the two rivers that form the center of Alzome. There are small hills in the surrounding area, but no major mountains. 

Due to all the creeks, swamps, and marshes, along with other waterbodies in and around the city, Alzome is known as the City of a Thousand Bridges. Some streets are actually canals where people can use boats or jetskis for transportation.

Climate

Koppen Climate Classification: Am (Equatorial monsoon)

Alzome’s climate is hot and humid. It has two seasons: a rainy season and a dry season. The rainy season lasts from mid-spring to mid-fall, and summers are hot and very humid. The dry season lasts from mid-fall to mid-spring, and it provides a mild, though still warm, climate during that half of the year.

Buildings and Infrastructure

Alzome could be described as a solarpunk city—it gets most of its energy from solar power, with solar panels covering most roofs. Buildings without solar roofs often have green roofs, with trees, vegetable gardens, small orchards, and other plantings reaching up towards a blazing tropical sky. Nature is interwoven into almost every street and building, making Alzome look almost as green as the surrounding Adurama. 

Public transportation in Alzome is variable. While Alzome has a metro system, it operates aboveground due to the high water table making underground development inadvisable. Trains connect large parts of the city, but other neighborhoods lack good transit connections. Some areas are connected by streets and accessible by car or motorcycle; others are connected by canal and accessible by boat or jetski. While other countries with climate hazards, such as Langostia and Kalendra, have hovercars, they are very rare in Edria due to their high cost. 

Demographics

Alzome is more diverse than the rest of Edria. While Edria overall is around 70% yadukari, Alzome is closer to 40% yadukari. 37% of the population of Alzome identifies as human, and 18% identifies as sankara. The remaining 5% belongs to a minority species or refuses to identify as one of the three main groups (either due to being mixed or for political reasons). Unlike countries such as Frindria, the Edrian government does not have an official policy on classifying species and instead relies on self-identification.

Most Alzomi are non-religious, though a substantial number of non-religious Alzomi are culturally Zimari. The next largest group is practicing Zimari, followed by Mizari, and then the smaller religious minorities.

Culture

Alzome trends more progressive than the rest of Edria, in part due to the influence of the university and the strong presence of the arts. Residents of Alzome are very proud of their role in the pro-democracy movement. This sentiment has led opponents of the movement to move out of the city and supporters to move in, further cementing the political leanings of the city. The city council has been at the center of multiple controversies as it too trends more progressive than the national parliament, which is also located in Alzome, and which has overridden local Alzome legislation on more than one occasion. 

Neighborhoods

Alzome has a variety of neighborhoods. Some, such as the arts district (Metalaila), have vibrant nightlife and culture; others, such as Ganzaruna, are more known for their dangerous streets and criminal activity. However, Alzome is not any more dangerous than most other cities in this world; like all cities, it has safe neighborhoods and dangerous ones.

Metalaila is where the University of Edria is located, and is home to Alzome’s opera house, theaters, nightclubs, and many museums. The pro-democracy movement started here both in the classrooms of the university and in the dressing rooms and stages of the theaters. It is also known for its thriving and delicious food scene.

Ganzaruna is where less affluent residents of Alzome live and has a majority human and sankara population. It has a reputation for danger as well as being a place where one could find banned or prohibited items. The reputation for danger is overstated, though the reputation of its marketplaces is well deserved.

Delinaza is where the richest residents of Alzome live and is also home to the Presidential Palace and the embassy district. It is located on the river and traffic flows through on water as well as on land. 

Berbitque is the business district, home to skyscrapers, apartments, and some delicious restaurants. It’s one of the fastest growing districts of Alzome, though growth has slowed in recent years due to a lack of foreign direct investment due to Edria’s instability.

Biting Jaguars

Alzome is the home of the main campus of the University of Edria, Edria’s premier liberal arts university, with a second campus located in Kortapolis (which, post-invasion, has been absorbed into the University of Wastoria). The university is well known for its Edrian history curriculum and considered one of the main centers of academic life within Edria. 

The University of Edria has always been a progressive space compared to the rest of the country, even under the monarchy where academics were known to use their research and statements to skirt the boundaries of what the monarchy would tolerate. Those who went too far would end up imprisoned, but that was only if they got caught. The university became a hub of pro-democracy, seditious activity over time with discussions hosted in basements at night and within study groups. The sentiment spread, resulting in different outbreaks of protests, finally culminating with the protests that began the civil war.