EVENT #011.2

[larkers]

WHO: Everyone inside of the AU.
WHERE: The Aerie, a pocket universe.
WHEN: As the battle royale, the Quarry, starts.
WHAT: The next stage of the plot. Chaos, chaos.
NOTES OR WARNINGS: Emeto (in the Quarry section), character death.

> EVENT #011.2 ( INSIDE THE AERIE )

There’s a hush over the Aerie, as if even the foundation of the structure is waiting for something to happen. As everyone returns home along mismatched pathways, the world goes dim. When light returns, streaking across the dull colors of the Aerie’s insides is a mural bright with color. There are vivid reds, burnt oranges, sky blues and pinks coming together with dreamy lines. There are outlines of shapes, as if part of some forgotten memory that’s burgeoning again, half woven into the shadows of sacred geometry. In the center of the geometric shapes is the kestrel, arcing down, wings spread. Beneath it is an egg, beginning to crack, with wings spread from it as if reaching up toward the kestrel descending.

Painted across metal and granite is a battle cry in response to the messages strewn across the Aerie.

IF WE DO NOT BREAK THE SHELL OF THE WORLD,
WE WILL DIE WITHOUT BEING BORN.
SMASH THE WORLD’S SHELL.
It begins to attract little groups of people who speak in hushed whispers about who might have painted the mural, and if the Quarry can expect a last minute participant. The proximity to the Volary seems to indicate a challenge to those who had ignored the rebels for so long, and now they're coming to knock on the door.

As that metaphorical knocking begins, a small group of new arrivals will slip into the Aerie as if they'd been there all along: Max Guevara, Aeryn Sun and Eames. Of course, to everyone involved, it'll be as if nothing changed. Welcome aboard, Max, Aeryn and Eames! May the odds ever be in your favor, right?

> ROUND THE BURNING CIRCLE ( QUARRY )

After the announcement of the participants, the Aerie waits for news of the upcoming Quarry. The process by now is methodical, certain, a sure thing: in the days just before the Quarry starts, there will be a sense of who's the most special, who's the most worthy, and who's a safe bet. While interviews with guineas and snipes won't start right away, there will be schedules sent out and expectations that more information will come out.

Various Warbler influencers will put out their guesses for what will be seen in the upcoming arena, especially based upon the people involved. Multiple repeat participants isn't surprising these days, especially given the lucrative lifestyle one can assure for themselves, but there has never been this many in one go. Only one person will make it out alive, after all. With that in mind, there is the sense that this Quarry will be different. There are shrikes, there are arena designer girlfriends, and there is a sense of anticipation that this will be different.

This year's Quarry will fall on the War Moon and is planned to start just as a lunar eclipse appears over the Aerie, turning the moon to a bright red color. Everyone in the Aerie knows one thing: once the eclipse appears overhead, the bells will chime and release the current participants into the newest Quarry.

> THE PAGEANTRY
Before the eclipse hits, there is still a lot of preparation to be done. Appealing to the masses. Earning a following. Repeat participants like Kai, Gabe, and Wade won't have the hardest go of this, already having developed a following throughout the years. The Shrikes will have the hardest go of it thanks to the rancor from the outer sectors and the distaste of Parliament. In many ways, Shrikes are meant to enforce the order of the Aerie—to keep it in check. To keep it moving. They are the ones who keep the world balanced in its perfect imbalance, and as such, Drake and Lance will be facing an uphill battle for sponsorship.

Of course, then there are the other stories. Quarry fans will be taking sides on which romance they want to see succeed in the arena. Are you rooting for #destiel or #r76? ("76" is, after all, Jack's handle on Warbler so it only makes sense.) Jack's history as a Kestrel is going to be a salient point. Will people root for his rebellious ways, or will they turn to the Magpie and the Average Joe? (Dean, of course, being the Average Joe.)

These are the most compelling stories of all—the easiest ones to write about. There is some attention on Rey because the audience can't help but sympathize with such a sweet girl, but the rest of the participants aren't likely to garner any praise. Jack's rebellious ways will outshine Nile and Clarke because of his romance with the dangerous Reyes.

It's up to anyone whose narrative doesn't work for them to play to the camera. Wear the flashy clothes that are offered. Show off some inherent talent to survive. The audience is looking for someone sympathetic, even if that someone is unlikely to be the next martyr. Anyone whose disposition is ill-suited for the camera will get less coverage. Too bad for you, Laura and Clarke!

Unfortunately, this crowd has seen too much to really be looking for a savior out there.

> THE GREEN ROOM
Thirteen hours before the next Quarry starts, all of the upcoming participants are gathered. Even those who may want to make a break for it will find themselves gathered and knocked unconscious before being carried into the Volary's highest level to receive their power. They'll remain this way until they're in the waiting room for the Quarry. Labeled the green room, all participants will come to with a new power, as well as the knowledge for how to use it effectively.

While none of the participants have had special treatment outside of the pageantry, they will find a full banquet waiting for them. The smells of food will mingle in the air: freshly cooked bacon, a large platter of prime rib, as well as a large variety of beautifully cooked vegetables. There won't be any kind of liquor to embibe, but there will be plenty of water.

With the Quarry starting in just a few hours, all of them will want to get some food and rest. Any alliances can begin in this green room. In the past, they have—and this time is no different. Feel free to plan ahead, especially without as many eyes on you.

> JINGLE BELLS ( QUARRY DESIGN )
No one aside from the arena designers will know the theme of the upcoming Quarry. If there are any last-minute changes, no one will be aware of them. By now, The Company is a well-oiled machine, working on a tight schedule with the knowledge of future trouble lying ahead. So, all that said, what is this month's theme?

A Seasonal Celebration: A Look at Seasons and Holidays From Before the Aerie.

Throughout the course of this Quarry, there will be four seasons: fall, winter, spring, and summer. However, they will be notated by the occasion associated with it: Samhain, Yule, Aostara, and Litha.

The Quarry will start during Samhain, and all of the participants will pour into an arena best described with brisk, chilly air that grows colder as the day stretches on and the arena grows darker. All throughout the arena, there will be spooky setpieces: ghosts, robotic figures from horror movies, and zombies threatening to take a bite out of anyone who wanders too close. As much as this may sound ridiculous, the actual experience will be closer to a horror game experience (such as Dead by Daylight). There will be dim lighting and constant threats, sometimes buried behind long-forgotten Halloween displays. Be cautious before eating any candy. In this Quarry, there really will be needles inside waiting to slice up someone's throat from the inside out.

As the Quarry stretches on, the air will get colder and colder, signaling the coming of the next season—and the next holiday. All participants who still remain will be ushered into temporary housing, advising them to sit tight. It'll be time to rest. To recuperate for a short time. And—perhaps—to heal.

When the next phase begins, sleigh bells will be ringing, signaling the coming of Yule. There are bright lights strung throughout the arena, and the arena designers, all too used to customizing the Quarry, have ushered in two feet of snow. Much like with Samhain, there will be multiple tricks and traps associated with the holidays. Think that gift looks nice? Too bad, there's a ticking bomb inside. Think that's mistletoe overhead? The truth is, it's likely to emit some toxin, and even if you get your hands on an antidote, you're going to have a hard time making it away alive.

To make it worse, there will be a bit of retail hell emulated throughout all of this. Yes, that means there will be recordings of Christmas music always playing. Always. Hate "Santa Baby" with all your heart? What about "Baby, It's Cold Outside"? Or maybe your time in the Aerie means you've never heard these songs before. They might be pleasant on the ear from the start, but after time stretches on, it's likely to become more unpleasant.

While Aerie events typically run until the last person stands, and the time it takes to get there can run for days up to two weeks, that won't be the case this time around. As the Yuletide season starts to come to a close, things will get a little … explosive, making it so that whatever the arena designers put together for Aostora (that's Easter, if you didn't know) will remain a mystery.

> A PUZZLES AND TRAPS BONANZA
Aside from the seasonal and holiday ambiance, there will be a set of puzzles throughout the arena to challenge any and all of the participants. And what are these puzzles?

◉ TEAMWORK PUZZLES: These versions of puzzles force two people to work together to get out of trouble. One example is that two people must direct each other through verbal charades to solve a puzzle or even get out of a maze in one piece. One mistake could cost your ally their life.

Another example is an exercise where someone has a big red button. Not knowing what it does, eventually the designers send along a note: "Kill your partner to get free."

And then there are the typical environmental puzzles. Finding that the fall rain storm has kept you locked away and the basement is currently experiencing rising water levels? Time to work together to get out—or die in the process.

◉ INCENTIVE PUZZLES: Dealing with frostbite? Nursing a horrible case of candy poisoning that doesn't seem to be solved by constant retching? These puzzles will help someone get the advanced solution to their problem. But if someone fails at solving what's right in front of them, they may get a sharp dose of reality: a little mechanical insect will administer a stronger dose of whatever's killing them, exacerbating the problem.

◉ BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS: Thanks to rain, snow, piles of leaves, as well as a number of innocent looking setpieces, anything could lead to someone's demise. These are undoubtedly the most dangerous of traps, aiming to kill anyone who's likely to be tricked into stepping into the wrong place. By now, Quarry participants know the environment is a dangerous tool working against them. These traps are good for culling the people whose lack of wariness would get them killed quickly anyway.

◉ ANNOYING PLATFORMING PUZZLES: You know those puzzles in games where you need to line up the gears, or the images, or figure out some obscure thing that was in a notebook notation in the game two hours before? And since you can't remember, you are at risk of dying? Well, guess what: those are here, too. Don't set the gears right, and you're at risk of dying from inhalation of toxic gasses. The worst part is that those gasses will smell like peppermint or peanut butter. Yup, just like the seasons demand.

◉ PENALTIES: Taking too long? Making yourself too vulnerable? Or perhaps the audience has gone without a death for too long? The arena designers will send off a flare alerting everyone to the location of a dying participant. Better hope you solve that puzzle and get that antidote quickly, or else someone's coming to finish the job (of killing you off, of course) for you.

◉ GIMMICKY PUZZLES: As mentioned before, the gimmicks this time are seasonal/holiday related. Traps under the snow? Presents filled with explosives? Dangerous pumpkins? Candy filled with needles? Anything and everything is possible. Nothing is set in the Quarry without a reason, and the participants should beware of that common truth.

> BANG BANG—THAT AWFUL SOUND
As mentioned before, this Quarry will only get halfway through its thematic sequence before things get properly explosive. Why is that? The Kestrels will be setting off a bomb that will destroy the outer wall of the Quarry, abruptly ending the events inside because all participants will have a way out. This bomb will go off at what will nearly be the turn of the season between Yule and Aostora—or winter and spring, giving everyone two whole seasons to get their murder on!

After the bomb goes off, participants will have to decide what to do. Do they go free? Do they kill someone off who's idling with uncertainty? This will be the first time that participants of the Quarry will have their powers with a door open to the rest of the Aerie. Thus, it might be time to get the hell out of dodge. After all, the name of the game in the Quarry is survival. Getting the hell out is survival.

All that said, there will be a sense of trouble among the Cardinals. John (known to most outside of the AU as Homelander) will be aware that the Kestrels are setting a bomb to cause problems with the Quarry. Arena designers will be aware of something that's likely to go down and will have Shrikes posted outside to prevent anything from happening. So, if any Kestrels are nearby when the explosion happens, they'll likely either see a Shrike go up in flames or have to deal with a Shrike on their tails.

> OPEN TO ALL ( THE VOLARY )

At the same time that the bomb blasts open the Quarry, ending the event for the first time in over two centuries, the Volary will face an invasion. Thanks to being captured by a rag-tag team of Kestrels—which wouldn't be possible without Murphy's epic thirst—one of the oldest Cardinals is giving the Kestrels access to the entirety of the Volary. Their goal? Well, it's two-fold: to set off another bomb to damage the compound, as well as access the source of all the gods' powers.

The bomb in the Volary will be devastating. Set to bring about the end of the status quo in the Aerie, this bomb will cause massive damage throughout the compound. While the building is uniquely built and has managed to keep from crumbling for centuries, the very basis of the Aerie was to prevent any problems like this from occurring. There was supposed to be rigid control. There was supposed to be protection for any and all members of Parliament.

This bomb shows differently. It's highly likely that a lot of members of Parliament will be hurt or will die as a result of this bomb. Carrion? They're likely to be included in the devastation. And what about people who work within the compound? The innocent bystanders? While the Kestrels will likely try to avoid places where they work, it's difficult to know who will be impacted.

For the first time in centuries, however, the compound where all members of Parliament live is now open to the entire population of the Aerie. Coming onto the grounds could be dangerous given the bomb, but it might be worth it to head inside and cause some trouble.

> SOCIAL MEDIA EXPLOSION

At the same time that these explosions go off, there will be major leaks of information onto Warbler. The first of which will be by Roy Harper, detailing the source of Parliament's powers, as well as the creation of the Aerie as a whole:

Appearing as @sparrowhawk.

The second release of information will be by an anonymous source, detailing the secrets of a number of seemingly dangerous Rooks and Magpies that could threaten the social order of the Aerie:

Appearing as @thetruthaboutcocks.

As a note, all of the anonymous information leaked will have real-world parallels if anyone chooses to investigate all that they've learned.

> UNCHAIN MY HEART (THE CHAINED GODS)

There is one goal in mind for Roy Harper after he dumps that information: to find these gods. Helped along by Murphy, he'll be heading in that direction while the explosives are set. He won't get there before then, and anyone who has their eyes on Roy and Murphy, or even might be coming along, will have to deal with the explosion rocking the very foundations of the Volary before they get to their final destination. But at the same time, it'll become easier, too.

As the walls of the Volary shudder under the bomb, coupled with the panic that washes over the compound like a wave afterward, its inhabitants scatter in all directions out of fear. With the chaos ensuing, the pathway down to the deeper confines of the Volary becomes open — down old, spiral staircases and into the very bowels of the tower. There have been chains taken off doors, locks open and security cleared by someone who must’ve come before whoever manages to make their way down there. Perhaps there was something that was meant to be found. The corridors are clean, narrow, and built like an underground bunker, and they almost seem to go on forever.

The last set of doors are like high arches of mathematical perfection. There are seven, all heading into the same large, circular room. There is the looming feeling like something’s waiting there—and has been waiting there—like a heavy feeling that sits in the pit of the gut. The air is chilly, devoid of all warmth.

Standing in the center archway is a man with salt and pepper hair. Instead of facing the stairway, he’s facing whatever’s in the circular room. He's muttering: “I’ve been waiting for this for a long time. Such a sight, such a sight …” He'll stop anyone who heads down, introducing himself as Prometheus. Near him flutters a gold entity, morphing and spiraling and changing in the air, set free—or perhaps always free, it's hard to say. Regardless, this entity seems fully bonded with Prometheus.

The floor spans out in hexagonal tiles made of thick black glass. Beyond the man and into the depths of the room there are six silver bird cages, and in each are wisps of colors, shadows and light that change like the waning and waxing of the moon: white, blue, indigo, red, orange, and black.

If any of the Cardinals come to prevent their source of power from being tampered with, they'll recognize Prometheus as Johann P. Grey, one of their own—one of the original Cardinals who helped create the Aerie in the first place.

As they stand there, the question becomes: what to do about the six gods in their silver cages?

> DISRUPTED REALITY (THE REST OF THE AERIE)

Whether caused by the bombs or the uncertainty over the choice deep within the Volary, reality around the Aerie will begin to become a little more finicky. Things don't begin to come apart immediately. Instead, it seems to happen bit by bit. Out of the corner of someone's eye, someone will see something that doesn't belong. There will be birds flying through the Aerie, despite the fact that all animals have been confined to the Volary for centuries. Not that these birds seem real. Their chirps will remain even after they've disappeared into the distance, seeming to crash into the window of a building without any sign that they were there in the first place.

With how fragile the Aerie was to begin with, it's possible that this disruption could cause major chaos. One building's foundations giving out could cause a domino effect. Ever wanted to experience a very real-seeming rocks-fall-and-everyone-dies situation? Odds are that it could be in someone's future, at least if they're in the wrong part of the Aerie at the wrong time.

At the same time, people start to recover memories of their life outside of the Aerie, of their lives before they came here. Who were they before? Why do they have memories of a life that doesn't belong to them? This is a question that can go both ways. These occurrences are infrequent, impermanent, like the Aerie is trying to retain its foothold in reality.

For this reason, there is a very good chance that people will find themselves spit out of the Aerie and back into their previous lives, like they're waking up from a bad dream. The key to getting there? Death. Whether it's instantaneous or not, anyone who dies from the Quarry onward will slowly begin to wake in phases within the previous reality and into a world that was otherwise left abandoned.

> FINAL OOC NOTES

With this log and its companion log, we're ending the first phase of Meadowlark's lifespan that primarily focused on the investigation into the world's lore. We'll be starting our second phase: characters choosing what to do next. We'll be detailing this more in our aftermath log/post, which will be due on JANUARY 16 2021. This aftermath log will double as an arrival log for whoever apps during our January application round.

Both logs for this phase of the event—11.2 and 11.3—are companion logs geared toward clearing up very large pieces of the Meadowlark mystery. While the AU acts as a reimagining of the game's metaplot, our NPC in the "real world" log will be divulging information. We've decided to go forward with making this clear because our playerbase has worked toward these mysteries for the last two years, and we'd like to help change the direction of the game from one based around a mystery of arrival and instead focus on what to do next. Of course, there will still be other mysteries to solve, as well as any true intentions, and figuring that out will depend on character choices and actions moving forward.

To make one thing clear, there won't be any radical changes to Meadowlark as a setting, nor is it anywhere near what might be called "end game." Instead, we're emphasizing a turn toward player-driven actions and plots because a lot of the mysteries related to the overall lore came to a head just prior to the AU starting. Think of this as having all of the lore pieces needed in order to begin to understand some of the remaining mysteries so that characters can decide what to do next.

All that said, we've also decided to use these logs to facilitate some future character plots, as well as help in releasing some characters from the AU! We also have one question that we'd like to pose to you.

◉ Sign ups to kill NPCs.. These NPCs are listed here, as Jenny put together a list of NPCs for the Quarry that are up for killing. Feel free to claim someone for your character to kill! Simone Durcell and Riko Satou are semi-significant NPCs outside of the AU and there will be plotting opportunities for both of them. Please follow the link for additional information!

◉ Character deaths. We know that playing in an AU for two months can be exhausting, so if you'd like a get out of AU free card, this is the way out. If death may prove too traumatic, your character doesn't need to remember dying. All characters will wake up in the real world as if they're waking up from a dream. We'd just like a sign up so that other players can know who's vanishing from the AU via death!

◉ What to do with the caged gods?. Unchaining the gods could have catastrophic effects on the Aerie, especially since they were the main key to sustaining it for all those years. Will they be unchained, or will they be left to flounder within the cages themselves? We're opening this choice up to the entirety of our playerbase. We will need all votes submitted by JANUARY 9, 2021 so that we can factor it into our aftermath.

◉ Additional aftermath to consider.. Anything else you'd like to add? Hit this up!

◉ CRAU Relationships.: Finally, on our companion log, we have a unique NPC who's been through the jamjar ringer before. This is our NPC Jimmy Henries. If you'd like to sign up your character as someone that Jimmy knew before, head over there and fill out the form on the page!

If you have any other questions, please hit our questions thread(s) on the respective logs.

> NAVIGATION

Comments

washington; closed & open

[hardwearing]

i. the first bomb; closed to carolina

[ Wash is in one of the observation towers along the wall when the first bomb goes off, taking out a huge section of said wall nearby. It also takes out a chunk of his tower and destabilizes the structure itself, collapse threatening as a stunned Wash tries to figure out what just happened. One moment he was standing at a control panel and the next, found himself thrown against the far wall with the opposite one missing entirely and the tower creaking threateningly. It feels like he's cracked some ribs, and there are large shards of glass sticking out of his leg that are going to make it hard to get out of here. Shit.

He could use some help. ]

ii. and then the next; ota

[ When the second explosion occurs, Wash isn't in any condition to go investigate. He's attempting to dig through the ruins of the tower he'd been in when the first bomb went off, now collapsed to rubble, in hopes that someone in particular survived. It's extremely unlikely but he digs anyway, ignoring the pain in his ribs and blood loss from the deep wounds on his leg making his head spin. It's like all that matters to him is right here, after he spent years since his victor status trying to figure out how to bring down the Aerie... that doesn't matter anymore.

Whether you're storming the volary or trying to escape the Quarry, should he see you he calls out in a rough, raw voice. ]

Hey! Can you give me a hand? Please.

[ He knows people are unlikely to stop and help, so... ]

I'll make it worth your while!

i;

[leaderboards]

[ when the explosion first rocks the quarry, carolina doesn't spare a thought to the size or scope, just rights herself and turns her attention to the first person she sees. it's one of the design interns, who'd flashed carolina a hopeful sort of smile as they passed one another in one of so many stone-lined corridors that connected different parts of the quarry only seconds before they'd both been knocked off their feet. she's more shaken than hurt, disoriented in the dust that's come from so many broken pieces of stone, and it takes carolina a moment to calm her enough to get her moving, trying to lead them both out of what she's assuming is a small area of damage.

her response is even-keeled, calm because someone has to be. she doesn't panic, doesn't worry about anything further away than the few other stunned company employees they come across, until the first body. their corridor intersects with another, bright from the daylight outside newly formed holes in the wall, and down it, she can see someone trapped under rubble. she means to help, to tug the stones away from the person and get them at least sitting upright, if not on their feet.

the realization that the person in question is far, far beyond any sort of help she could ever give forces carolina to consider that the damage is more than a few connecting halls, more than scrapes and bruises and dust settling in her hair. with that comes a rush of concern for exactly one person: wash. her friend, one of the few people she's let herself genuinely give a damn about over the last few years, and if he's still where he was scheduled to be, she's not that far from him

maybe it's selfish, or heartless, or something to want to prioritize him over anyone between them, but carolina's never been known for her compassion. she finds a pair of slightly dazed engineers to hand the intern off to, verbally maps out what might be a safe escape route to them before she heads off in the other direction. the dust is starting to settle by the time she reaches the observation tower, but carolina's moving as quickly as she can and doesn't let herself pause like maybe she should as she scrambles over a jagged pile of stone near where the door should have been to get to the staircase that will take her to wash. maybe, hopefully. ]

Anyone up here? [ if the oddly echoing steps on the stairs didn't give away someone trying to get to the control room, her voice certainly does. ] Wash?

[hardwearing]

[ It takes a dazed Wash a moment to recognize the voice that's calling him, sounding far-off through from the explosion still ringing in his ears. ]

Carolina? [ He coughs. There's dust falling -- the structure is unstable, he's a goddamn engineer he knows she shouldn't be in here. ] Carolina, are you okay? Get out!

[ She shouldn't have been in here in the first place, why is she? If she can move she should grab whoever's still mobile and run.

He is decidedly not mobile, not yet. ]

[leaderboards]

[ confirmation that wash is in the control room means that it doesn't matter what he says, because she's not listening to him. if he's still up there, he's injured or trapped or both and instinctively, carolina knows she needs to get him to safety.

she takes the stairs as quickly as she safely can, keeping her steps to whatever side seems the least likely to give out on her, well aware of how precarious the structure's stability is now. but instead of the danger being a deterrent, it just makes the situation more urgent and her steps don't slow until she's reached the top and actually sees wash. ]

There you are.

[ as tempting as it is to rush to him, carolina makes herself stop and look around, breathing heavy from the urgency and the dust. trying to evaluate the floor's stability, she raises a hand to brush her hair back from her face, only to feel it come away tacky with blood, something she confirms with a confused glance at her palm. she hadn't realized something was bleeding on her forehead, but her bangs are smeared back with the blood now, so it's something she'll think about later. she'd scraped and sore, yes, but she's not really hurt.

she forces her hand back down to her side and picks her way through the mess to drop down onto her knees next to wash so she can start figuring out what he needs to get moving. ]

[hardwearing]

[ Carolina might not be worried about a head injury, but Wash is. He strains to sit up properly, wheezing from his broken ribs, and reaches to push her sticky bangs out of her face. It's bolder than he's ever been, but more out of worry and wanting to see the injury than any type of unwanted affection. ]

You're bleeding.

[ She knows that, you idiot. And so are you.

Blood is oozing from the wounds in his leg around the shards -- he'll bleed more heavily if they're taken out but certainly can't walk with them in, and she can't carry him. ]

[leaderboards]

I don't care.

[ in terms of things that matter right now, that seems very far down the list indeed. wash sounds like he's sporting broken ribs and his leg isn't exactly somewhere glass shards are supposed to go, two things that will make getting him to safe ground a challenge. but not impossible. they can handle a challenge.

her attention is focused on the glass, biting the inside of her cheek as she sorts out the best solution in her head, one hand briefly hovering at his thigh as if to give a supportive squeeze there, only to think better of it and sit back on her heels to start peeling her jacket off. ]

You're not getting down those stairs with your leg like this.

[ and she's going to need something to stem the flow of blood after she's pulled those larger shards out, an explanation for the way she has her blouse pulled over her head a moment later. it's a material that should sop up some of the blood, something that won't slip when she uses the sleeves to tie it in place. ]

[hardwearing]

[ These are not the circumstances under which he'd want to see Carolina shed clothing. In fact all he feels when she does pull her blouse off is dread, because he knows what comes next.

At least the way they're positioned he's pretty sure they haven't hit any important arteries or veins, it's just going to hurt and bleed regardless. ]

Don't warn me, just pull them out. I've had worse.

[leaderboards]

I know, just— Focus on something else.

[ carolina means that he should be watching something else, keep his gaze elsewhere but as her hands settle over the first piece of glass, a different thought occurs to her. leaning over his legs to be closer to him, she presses a firm kiss to wash's lips, pulling away again in the same motion she uses to tug the shard free. ]

[hardwearing]

[ Okay, something else, he can do that, though he doesn't expect the pain will be as bad as all tha--

--then she's kissing him, and his mind goes completely blank. The bomb, his injuries, it's all a million miles away, because Carolina is kissing him. It isn't how he imagined this happening, either, but it's extremely distracting.

She pulls back and tugs the largest shard free, and Wash inhales sharply with the pain, but he's smiling faintly. ]

Are you going to do that for all of them?

[leaderboards]

[ well, that was effective enough. there's a little quirk to her lips as she shakes her head, attention on getting a grip on the next shard. then she looks back to wash's face, waiting for him to hold eye contact with her before she continues. ]

We don't have time for that.

[ and there's the next shard out. carolina's perfectly fine with flirting with wash through this, so long as it helps. ]

[hardwearing]

[ Wash hisses at that one, but he's still smiling through the gritted teeth. They're actually flirting. The most he's ever managed before was asking her to have dinner with him, something she'd turned down because (or maybe despite?) it wasn't clearly a date. ]

Way to get my hopes up.

[leaderboards]

If we weren't in a crumbling tower that could collapse at any second, I would.

[ this seems to be helping anyway, though, so carolina's quick about the next few pieces, glancing up at wash between them to make sure he's getting through it as well as he can. ]

Tell you what. [ another piece comes out and carolina presses her hand firmly over the section of leg she'd pulled it from as she meets his gaze again, her eyes bright. ] When this heals up, you can take me dancing and I'll kiss you as much as you want.

[hardwearing]

Good point.

[ Almost done... and what Carolina says next makes Wash's eyes widen slightly, like part of him wasn't convinced this wasn't entirely distraction. ]

Really? [ Smooth, Wash. ] I mean-- yes. I will take you dancing.

[leaderboards]

[ carolina doesn't respond right away, focused on one last piece of glass before she starts to secure her shirt around the worst of wash's bleeding, pulling it tight. there are a few little pieces left, glass elsewhere on his body that doesn't seem to be causing him significant trouble, so they can wait. with any luck, those pieces never got any further than embedding in his clothing.

despite the severity of the situation and how much of his blood is covering both of them now, when carolina raises her head to look at wash's face again, she gives him a little smile, brief though it may be. ]

Then it's a date.

[hardwearing]

Awesome.

[ He lets her tie off the blouse, still smiling despite the pain and blood and danger of the situation. There's a little wince when he flexes his leg but it's not bad at all, he can get up with some help. ]

[leaderboards]

[ that smile is too damn endearing to ignore, so once carolina's pulled her jacket back on over her bra, she leans in again, gives wash another fleeting kiss before she starts to get to her feet. ]

Where's the best place for me to grab to get you up?

[ she knows what a first aid instructor would suggest, knows what arena participants working together for any reason might do, but without fully knowing how badly hurt wash is, she'd rather let him call it. ]

[hardwearing]

[ This is great. He means, it's terrible, but. He's happy?! Which is a weird feeling. But they do seriously need to get out of here, the structure is creaking.

Wash shifts a little -- his chest hurts far more on the same side as his injured leg, so he holds up the opposite arm for some assistance. ]

Just steady me, don't pull?

[leaderboards]

Got it.

[ she widens her stance a little to make her a little more steady and realizes, suddenly, what a stroke of luck it seems that she'd gone for boots with a smaller heel than the shoes she usually wears to work; it would have been harder to move in those, more tempting to just pull them off, and then maybe she wouldn't have gotten to wash.

something fortunate to think about later, if they get out of here.

carolina reaches for wash's arm, grip around his wrist instead of his hand so it feels a little more secure when he's ready to move. she's carefully still, watching him, until he's at least upright, when fingers slip down wash's hand to catch his. ]

Anything feel like it's going to kill you before we finish those stairs?

[ he's okay, right? ]

[hardwearing]

No, I can make it.

[ He doesn't have to lean too much right now, but when they get to the stairs it's hard to get his leg to cooperate with letting him drop down on that side. ]

[leaderboards]

[ the stairs prove a challenge in general, feeling more dangerous going down than they did on the way up, but carolina doesn't rush, a step or two below him as they pick their way down. it's for checking the crumbling steps for herself before wash needs to pass over them, and also to catch his weight when his leg makes transferring to it particularly challenging. she can't carry him, no, but she's not bad as a crutch.

and while she's careful not to tug him off-balance, she keeps a hand on wash the whole time— holding his, steadying his hip because it seems less tender than his waist, wrapped around his arm, something. it's ostensibly to help him keep his balance, but she just feels better to be touching him right now. ]

About halfway. [ it's meant to be reassuring, but she can't tell if it might actually come off that way or not, so she glances at wash's face before returning her attention to the stairs below them and adds, ] You're doing good.

[hardwearing]

Piece of cake.

[ He says it, but his voice is strained and his grip is tight on the railing even when he's leaning on Carolina. They keep making their way down to the landing steadily, though, Wash not making a sound of pain the whole way. He's breathing hard by the time they exit the tower, one arm around Carolina's shoulders and blood soaking his pant leg.

The structure creaks ominously behind them, accompanied by thuds like chunks of something falling inside. He grimaces. ]

Shit. Thank you for coming for me.

[ The others in there were unconscious, maybe already dead, he's not sure, but it definitely isn't safe to go back in. Is there even anyone to call for help? Things outside seem to be in chaos. ]

[leaderboards]

I was nearby, I couldn't leave without trying to find you.

[ the arm she has around wash's waist is secure while they're taking a moment to catch their breath, but the soft expression she has as she watches his face makes the whole thing feel far more like an embrace than it maybe should. ]

Are you good to keep moving or should we try to get you help here?

[ they're not exactly all the way to safety, but carolina's hoping that some sort of emergency personnel will make it this far before too long. she wants to keep moving, but it's not really about her. ]

[hardwearing]

[ He's catching his breath but it's still labored by his ribs so taking longer than it normally would. The question is easy enough to answer, though, they shouldn't stop. ]

I can keep moving. I don't think the bleeding will slow down if I stop, might as well get somewhere safer.

[leaderboards]

[ carolina nods, glad for that answer, glad that's not a decision she has to make. the observation tower makes another ominous noise and although she winces, she doesn't look back to it, keeping her eyes on wash instead. ]

Based on the damage I saw on my way here, I think we'll have the easiest time getting out if we aim for that exit by the workshops. Lean on me as much as you need to, okay?

[hardwearing]

Okay. I know where you mean.

[ He's starting to feel very weak and shaky, so most of his leaning is to stabilize himself. They make their way towards the workshops as quickly as they can.

Then there's another explosion, deeper into the Volary. Wash flinches, his arm around Carolina's shoulders tightening. ]

They're trying to bring it all down.