![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
larkers) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
meadowlarklogs2019-09-08 12:26 pm
- !event log,
- dceu: diana prince,
- dogs b&c: nill,
- kingdom hearts: riku,
- kingdom hearts: roxas,
- kingdom hearts: sora,
- mcu: daisy johnson,
- overwatch: soldier 76 (jack morrison),
- persona: goro akechi,
- riordan mythos: silena beauregard,
- star wars: cassian andor,
- star wars: jyn erso,
- the 100: clarke griffin,
- the man from uncle: gaby teller,
- the man from uncle: illya kuryakin,
- the vampire diaries: caroline forbes
EVENT #006 AFTERMATH LOG
WHERE: New Amsterdam
WHEN: December 19th to the end of the month.
WHAT: Event aftermath, Winter Solstice, Christmas.
NOTES OR WARNINGS: Character death, self-sacrifice, drug use. Further notes at end of log.
Zerzura's demise is a very near miss. Three out of four of the bombs detonate, with numerous Mycenaean guards' lives taken as a result of the assault. It's probable—even likely—that numerous Displaced were injured as a result of this attack. Just as the last bomb seemed likely to go off, everything stopped. As in: the scene ended, shifting, putting all of the Displaced to sleep. Zerzura won't end. Or will it?
The return from Zerzura will feel like waking up from a long nap. Instead of anyone waking up in their beds, they will find themselves on the ground beside the man-made river that runs down the center of New Amsterdam. The ground beneath them will be moist with recent rainfall. Anyone who was still in the throes of a fantasy and believing themselves to be a part of Zerzura will find themselves tossed out of that existence. Anyone who died at the precipice of the spear will still recall their actions vividly: their mind and body hitting a point in which it was finite, slipping away. There may be some room for doubt regarding their deaths. After all, they're very much alive now.
There are two constants among the Displaced when they observe themselves and others: that all of their chests are glowing with that familiar blue glow, and they'll all experience a feeling of serenity. This feeling won't come from any of the Displaced themselves. Much like the intrusion of the empathy bond, it will feel as if it's coming from elsewhere. The problem is that it's always there: there is no way of disconnecting, at least for now. The good news is that the serenity will begin to fade within the next day, and with it, the blue glow will go away as well.
All of the Displaced can't remain at the riverside. If they linger too long, it will begin to rain again. The rain itself will only be a light misting against their faces at first, before turning into a heavier downfall. If they're wary of returning to their lives initially because of the blue glow, they'll soon find that the people of New Amsterdam seem to look away from them as they trot through the city to return to their lives. This is a temporary sensation, seeming to have overtaken the city's citizens for the time being. Within a day or two, the blue glow will be met with the same paranoia that was fostered by the UN following the abduction of Kurt Fischer.
What can they do now? Aside from the feeling of serenity, little will have immediately changed for the Displaced. The best thing they can do is try to return to their lives as if Zerzura never happened.
Some things to check in with, though?
WORK. Upon realizing that the Displaced disappeared yet again, El worked overtime to make sure that all of the Displaced wouldn't lose their jobs. After all, that would mean they'd likely have to give up their housing, and Morningstar would need to financially step in to help. Not all of the places of employment will accept these excuses, especially since El can't put together a doctor's note without it promptly being verified as falsified. It's ultimately up to anyone's discretion over whether their character lost their job.
CHANGES. Some of the changes will appear out of nowhere: a dream that's shared, or a memory that's passed on rather unwillingly. It's time to explore what's happened, and even theorize as to why this has happened. And those objects that were the core of remembering who they were, back in Zerzura? They're permanent fixtures from now on. And what about those Union Attacks? For now, they may have an interesting place in the fighting rings. Time to convince the people running those shows to start including doubles matches.
PLANT LIFE. All around New Amsterdam, plants will begin to grow. These plants are varied, and they'll make an appearance anywhere that they might be allowed to grow. Is that a sink that's frequently full of water? Now it's mysteriously stopped up by a plant that's growing through the pipes. While all this plant life may seem like a miracle, having plants growing in every part of the city will quickly prove to be a problem.
HOLIDAY SEASON. The good news about everyone's trip to Zerzura is that they didn't miss Christmas—or rather, the December 25th edition of it. The city is still covered in Christmas trees and ornamentation. The stadium is still hosting a holiday market.
In the days leading up to the Winter Solstice, there will be an uptick of paintings around New Amsterdam hinting as to where this year's party will be held: Sunpeak Garden. While there won't be any official notice, anyone interested or curious is free to visit this location on the day of the Solstice (December 21st) to see what's going on, and it will go on for the next three days, ending on the morning of the 24th. As they draw closer to the location itself, they'll find the botanical garden secured by a large, overarching tent, preventing rainfall from getting into the garden itself. On the air, there will be the scent of something being smoked—which they'll soon learn is a set of goats that seem to have been acquired by whoever put on this shindig.
Unlike many other events around New Amsterdam, this seems to be more private in nature. There is an unspoken understanding that beyond the paintings, there will be no social media posts. Inside of the garden, there will be a lot of plants and decorations carefully molded into sacred geometric shapes. Despite the unofficial nature, whoever put this event together definitely spent their time doing it. This Solstice party isn't a spontaneous thing, and anyone who goes will hear about the previous parties and how the proprietor does his best to make everyone happy.
Anyone who went to the Harvest Festival or Insomniac's Ball will see a lot of the same people working it, complete with some familiar tattoos. They'll be eager to welcome in any of the Displaced, especially any of the ones who tend to be featured in the shrines around the city.
Once everyone's here, they're welcome to enjoy themselves. Under some of the canopies of trees, there will be beds and futons, giving people places to rest. Some of these will be claimed, so anyone who's eager to stick around for a few days might want to get dibs. Otherwise? It's time to enjoy what's been put together:
FEAST. There will be a feast for the next three days. Aside from the smoked goats, there will be a lot of goat cheese and vegetables. These are the people who put on the harvest festival, after all. There will be a lot of pickled vegetables out on tables, salads, and everything else. Aside from cheese for snacking, anyone can partake in some delicious berries (strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries) and nuts (walnuts, pecans, peanuts, and almonds—despite the difficulty in getting most of these in New Amsterdam). There will also be figs, because of course there are figs.
FLOWER CROWNS. To go with the more laidback flair of this event, there will be flower crowns available for everyone. They will look more Christmas-like in spirit, like small little wreaths to go on everyone's heads.
ALCOHOL. Of course, what kind of Solstice or Yule event would it be without alcohol to imbibe? There will be mulled wine available, as well as the delicious apple-flavored beverage of wassail. It seems as if these two things never run out. For anyone avoiding alcohol, there will also be some sparkling grape juice and apple juice.
PSYCHEDELICS. Undoubtedly also inspired by Yule celebrations of old, anyone can partake in some species-specific (and at a safe dosage) amanita. Primarily available as a tea, anyone can drink this pleasant beverage and have a good time together.
MISTLETOE. There will be spots all around the botanical garden where the decorators took good care to make the mistletoe stand out. Surrounded by little lights, no one will be able to miss them. That means they can be easily avoided, if that's what someone would prefer!
BALL PROPRIETOR. While he's not hiding that he put this on, he's just as mysterious as before. If anyone wants to catch his eye at this event, they can. They'll need to stand out to get him to talk to them. To do this, reply below! Ball will definitely be interested in any Displaced trying to catch his eye, but it's still up to them to go through the motions.
As the Solstice party comes to an end, it'll be time to focus on Christmas itself. Around New Amsterdam, this is a deeply commercial holiday. Since most of New Amsterdam's citizens prefer to celebrate Sinterklaas, the day of Christmas itself largely emphasizes purchasing access to Christmas movies and giving gifts to anyone who had been forgotten earlier in the month. For new couples, Christmas Eve acts as a romantic occasion, giving them the chance to spend some time alone. Restaurants around the city will have Christmas Eve and Christmas Day specials and feasts—though these will be very expensive to enjoy.
Once reports start to hit the news about the rapidly healing atmosphere, a strange cypher begins to appear in the replies of people's posts on Cooltalk. This misfire appears at random and without a pattern. While some of the Displaced will get hit on their Cooltalks, they won't be among the majority by any means. How to get ahold of 100342? A reply might do the trick, or it might not. Drop a message in the questions thread with ideas!
Then again, this message more of a simple response to a slight than anything else, most likely recognizable to the displaced, who are familiar with the cipher's formula:
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
Welcome back to the world of New Amsterdam proper, Larkers! This will act as the mingle log for the month of September since we didn't receive any applications this month. In order to plot out some aftermath, please head over to the CR Meme for the month of September! Our September calendar and Event #006 Aftermath are also up for perusing.
If you'd like to get your character in touch with Ball, please reply to the comment below with how they'd like to stand out! Ball, like all of our NPCs, will act as a means to an end to uncover plot details. With the gates excursion on the horizon, we wanted to make him available for all of the playerbase. Due to time constraints, this means that Gaby won't be available for this log.
If you have any questions about event aftermath, please hit the thread on the Aftermath Post here. If you have any questions about this log, go to the questions thread on this post!
no subject
Just like the Mayor.
She rubs at her face, then turns her head and jerks her chin back towards the bunk she's been occupying. She hasn't left the safehouse yet, despite all her intentions. Now that her ID is settled, she hasn't had uninjured time to actually find another place to stay. She makes her way back over that way, settling down on the bunk and waiting for Clarke to follow. ]
no subject
She slips into the first aid room to pick up what she needs. Gloves, antiseptic, some sutures—just in case Faith has decided to close a wound with a bandage and little else. It won't be a pleasant experience. Faith will be able to hear the water running, which is evidence that Clarke is taking it seriously. She knows how to do this.
Once she's ready, she goes to the cot. After a beat of surveying her surroundings, she sets her supplies on a nearby cot and drags it closer, making it so that she can be on level with Faith.]
You're going to have to disrobe for me, [she says, pulling on her gloves.] At least to the point that I can see and assess all your injuries.
[Maybe it's a good thing that they didn't get any newcomers recently. There are less people in and about the safehouse. More privacy.]
cw: wound descriptions
[ It wouldn't be Faith if she didn't sexualize any hint of intimacy to displace it. She reaches for the hem of her shirt, then winces. Her sustained injuries have made it hard for her to lift her arms, the muscles resisting, and the sparse stitches that she's strained ready to snap because they were basic needle-and-thread stitches that Faith had done for herself.
She'd done it before. Apply whiskey liberally, sew skin. Wait for it to heal naturally. Except, of course, that it's not. Being the Slayer isn't a bodily thing -- it's gone. The whole package. She stops mid-reach to lift her shirt off, grimacing.
Then her pride wins out and she stretches to pull it overhead. The stitches in her ambiguously placed side and back and shoulder wounds are evidently from multiple deep punctures -- many of them. They appear to have shrunken, or maybe the dragon wasn't full size. There's a lot to unpack there. Faith doesn't explain the circumstances, like the fact that she'd turned into a monster at the time too when she sustained them. Instead, she turns her head away, offering no clarification on the thick black thread that, unevenly applied, barely holds the surface layer of tissue together. ]
no subject
Still, once the shirt is off, she looks back.] One thing at a time, Faith. [It's not outward rejection nor acceptance. But Clarke's not exactly going to fault Faith for flirting a bit to deal with all of this. She's done it herself before. Hell, it's the whole basis of her relationship with Niylah.
She leans in, noting the sloppy nature of the stitches. Good enough if someone were to rapidly heal, but not good enough now. Given their location, it would've been hard for Faith to handle this herself on the spot. She got them done, but she likely expected them to get better. To move on.
Clarke knows better than to hide her. It's not as if Clarke hasn't botched a stitching job on herself before. She has a scar on her leg that's proof of it, and she still has marks on her back from the time she was slashed on the back by a panther.]
I'm going to have to open them back up and redo the sutures. There's some topical pain killer that you can use in the meantime—or I can make you a drink and hope it starts to work. Not ideal for what it does to the blood, but you strike me as the type who could use it right now. So, what do you say?
no subject
She reasons through it, accepts it for now, only because she thinks of the monster that had done this, and the monster that she'd been when it had gotten a bite out of her. That's the other shoe, she thinks. An uncontrollable demon makes a bad bedmate. At least that's something Faith feels like she has some control over. ]
I'll take that drink.
[ She's not exactly a connoisseur, so she doesn't specify further. Faith's only eighteen -- she's capped out on jack daniels and miller lite provided by guys who shouldn't be hanging out with girls her age, but who did because they couldn't get the time of day elsewhere, and for a minute, she'd felt special.
But she can't rid herself of the wary expression. ]
no subject
I'll be right back. Actually—here. [Clarke brings out the topical stuff, opening it up and handing it to Faith. It's a very calculated gesture on her part: to allow Faith some agency and independence.] Apply it while I'm gone. I think we can safely mix the two, and it'll be ready when I get back. [Since it's topical and all.
Clarke leaves to get a drink, hitting Gaby's special minibar. While Clarke isn't a wizard when it comes to alcohol, she decides on some gin, something sparkling from the fridge, and some ice cubes. She takes a sip, deciding that it'll work, and hauls it back, setting it on the floor near Faith's feet.]
no subject
but it doesn't look or smell like any poison she knows about. so faith does, eventually, take to applying it. the application itself stings like a son of a bitch, only because it means touching the open wound, which has not been well cared for by faith. she hisses against it, and she's grateful clarke comes in at the tail end of that part, when she's able to grit her teeth through it without making a sound.
she finishes up around then, exchanges the topical stuff for the drink. ]
Is this what you did where you come from? [ she hasn't asked anyone about themselves -- but she wants to preempt clarke's prying about the wound, and honestly, she is genuinely curious about what kind of person could look at faith and not just think she was stupid and not worth the time of helping. ]
no subject
The issue is that Clarke always cuts out the details that make her look better. It's not a habit she's going to break anytime soon.]
I grew up in a place where we started apprenticeships for what we wanted to do in life pretty early on. My mom was a doctor, so I wanted to be one, too. I started training under her. See, we were in space at the time on a station, so that was how things were. [Her head cants, just as she begins to open up the wound, carefully cutting away the sutures. By now, Clarke is positive that the ointment will ease some of the pain since it's been applied. Not all of it. Just some.]
Around a year and a half into that, I was put into solitary confinement. It meant no more training. And then a year later, I was sent down to the Earth below on an exploratory mission to see if it was survivable. I never had the time to have my mom's training, but I had a lot of experience with ... field medicine. [The pause is met with a quirk of her lips. "Exploratory mission." "Field medicine." They're all things that replace the reality of the situation.]
So, yes. And no. I didn't continue under my mother back home, but the Displaced needed someone and I've started studying again here.
[The Grounders had once referred to Clarke as their medic, their healer. Even they knew that understated who she was to their people at the time. Before long, most people didn't think of Clarke that way. Of course, that's at least partly because Abby and Jackson were around to pick up the majority of the slack.]
no subject
[ faith knows a thing or two about capture. imprisonment. she knows that there's only two ways her path ends -- imprisonment by the council (again), or death. she can see the road ahead and she remembers the time she'd spent in council custody and the time she'd spent in angel's custody. neither fondly.
and maybe she's surprised, a little, that clarke knows anything about that. she has that whole ... golden girl aura. like she can tell people what to do, and expect they'll believe that she knows what she's about. that she hasn't made the ugly mistakes that faith has.
anyway, asking about it keeps faith from looking at her own wounds as they open up, keeps her from grimacing at the weird half-numb feeling of the stitches being pulled out. ]
no subject
But life on the Ark had shaped her. Made her who she was when she touched the ground.]
Faith, you should know that I'm not the person that I was in Zerzura. I think it's only fair that you know the truth about that.
no subject
[ said to the tune of 'i'm not stupid, actually.' lightly, though. like she's used to people assuming that she is. faith's voice stays level, low. mostly she's glad for the distraction from the pain of the stitching, and as long as it's clarke spilling her (figurative) guts and not expecting faith to reciprocate, all the better.
not that it means she knows what to say. ]
It is Clarke, though, right? [ just to be clear. ]
no subject
Really, it's the little things.]
Yes, still Clarke. But the me you met there was a very ... different version of me. A version that hasn't seen or experienced what I've done. [Idealized, but still willing to hurt.
Hurt but not kill.
She had a line she couldn't cross, and she's only happy that Jyn was saved by it.]
I just ... thought you should know. [It's hard to explain this need without more information, but Clarke stalls instead of giving it.]
no subject
[ faith likes to push her fingers into other people's soft spots, and she does it now relentlessly. it's only fair, she thinks, seeing as clarke has her fingers literally in faith's. more to the point, though, it deflects entirely the possibility that faith thinks herself unworthy of that kind of consideration --
it doesn't matter what she thinks of clarke. because clarke is the kind of person who helps clean up somebody's injuries, and faith is a literal, body-changing monster who had taken a bite out of someone who lost control in the spinetail facility. period. it's cut and dry, but she can't bring herself to be honest about that self-loathing -- so she hides it behind the gaudy fanfare of self-aggrandizement. ]
Because, if that's what you're worried about, I'd worry more about how many needles you're sticking me with.
no subject
Is it because she's afraid of that with Faith? No. It's because she's afraid that Faith will get the wrong idea, the wrong conceptualization: that Clarke wouldn't be the bad guy. The one picking the wrong team. The one leading the wrong team, if it came down to it. She's done it before. It took her own daughter to shake her out of it. Hell, it took Lexa through her daughter from the grave. These are all signs about how difficult Clarke can be at times.
With Markus, it was a fear that he'd see the real her and abandon her. For that reason, she only gave him snippets. For Faith, it comes from a different place.]
Just to be clear, I mean the part where you offered to kill for me. The real Clarke—that's me—[that little part is added a touch lightly]—doesn't have much of a problem with that. Okay? [It feels important for Faith to know. It feels important that she knows that she doesn't need to dirty her hands unnecessarily, to take on those hard jobs. To be the one who does it because she's the last choice.
Maybe Clarke is reading into it, but she won't let this dynamic become a lie from day one. Day one already passed, and she's trying to hit reset.]
no subject
[ 'no problem with that' sounds like a bold claim from someone who had been seduced by a version of events where she'd never done it. faith's not a shrink. she's not going to push it. she doesn't even like dealing with issues of this complexity -- it cuts too close to faith's own murderous past and the guilt that she feels for it.
but she knows well what it feels like: to say something isn't a big deal, to claim it doesn't matter, but to wish so deeply that you were a different way. ]
no subject
But Clarke will kill without hesitation if it comes to saving one of her loved ones. If it comes to saving Madi, or Bellamy, or even someone here—she would kill them.]
I just—[How does she say it? How does she put to words why she's sharing this when she suspects that Faith really doesn't want to hear it? Who would? Then again, she's Clarke Griffin. When has that ever stopped her?] I don't want you to feel as if you're the only one.
[No one expects it of Clarke. None of the Displaced really know, aside from Kovacs. And she trusts him not to spread it around, simply because he wouldn't gain anything from it.]
no subject
[ the 'thanks' sounds insincere. scripted. the kind of thing she knows she's supposed to say to someone offering her this olive branch. how many times had she done the same thing to buffy? it's a defense mechanism. pushes them both apart, vigorously. she's glad for the gloves, for the distraction of medical attention. ]
I'm used to it.
[ she's not.
she's never been the only one. she'd wanted to be. and in that way, zerzura had been a paradise. she'd gotten the chance to imagine herself as a lone hero while everyone else was out of their damn minds. no buffy. but that wasn't really paradise at all, was it? she wanted people. she just didn't know how to be close to them -- didn't know how to share that space, or share experiences.
she still doesn't know how to. ]
no subject
Her fingers stop their movements. As it is, Clarke is nearing being done, at least this time around. The wound is tighter in its closure, no longer revealing anything as bad as what had been there before. She ties off one of the sutures just before they do still, and then she puts down her supplies.
She then presses her hand against the bare of Faith's back. Though it's gloved, there's a sense of I'm here in the motion. A reminder. Skin to skin, or not—it doesn't matter.]
You don't have to be, Faith. That's what I'm trying to tell you. You don't have to accept it now, don't have to ... accept this reality, but that's the way things are. [A beat. Some truly Clarke Griffin words are incoming.]
Besides, you don't seem like you're used to it. You're not very good at acting as if you are, anyway. [And there they are. Overstepping just a bit.
Her hand pulls away, picking up the tools to finish her job.]
no subject
god knows she wants to, in the same way that she'd wanted to accept the comfort that angel gave her at the old factory. it would be too much to ask for, to have somebody who understood her, somebody who cared. it's those last few words that manage to tip her over into self-sabotage, into refusing the bare help that was offered.
she sneers. ]
You think you can slap a band-aid on and act like you know me? You don't.
[ she grabs her shirt, and though her jaw ripples with tension as the pain lances through her side at the sudden movement, she doesn't grimace. doesn't pause. ]
I didn't ask for any of this. You came to me. Alright?
no subject
But point taken. I don't know you. The difference is that I'm not afraid of that, and you are.
[Clarke reaches up to grab Faith's arm and hold her in place.]
I'm not done yet. Let me finish, and then you can go on your way. [That doesn't mean she's giving up. Clarke isn't very good at that.]
no subject
[ she snarls through gritted teeth, but the pain of extending her abdominal muscles to stand at least keeps her in place. as soon as clarke is finished, though, bandages reapplied, faith is quick to bolt. she's not too proud to hide in the makeshift kitchen until clarke excuses herself from the safehouse entirely. ]