larkers: (pic#12386246)
MEADOWLARK MODS ([personal profile] larkers) wrote in [community profile] meadowlarklogs2021-01-15 04:04 pm

EVENT #11.4 / ARRIVAL LOG #029

WHO: Everyone!
WHERE: The Aerie as it ends in an anime-like fashion, New Tokyo, and New Amsterdam
WHEN: August 23, 2512 onward.
WHAT: Event ending, arrivals, and a lot of changes.
NOTES OR WARNINGS: Coercion and loss of autonomy, religious themes.

> EVENT #011.4 / ARRIVAL #029

As suddenly as they all vanished, the people who remained in the Aerie begin to return. These people have not died: instead, they seem to return peacefully after an extremely unusual experience. As the gods are freed, the Aerie begins to take on a different form, radically altered by this decision. The very fabric of reality unravels. It's not that the city continues to grow more and more dilapidated by the moment—instead, the Aerie ceases to exist, dragging everyone who remains within into a joint, out of body experience.

At once, everyone's memories return in full. As they float in what is an open space, they'll recall who they were once before, right alongside their alternate life in the Aerie. Even if they can't see them, they'll begin to feel the others there: not just that they exist, but their emotions: wonder, surprise, irritation, anger, fear, guilt. Somehow, they recognize that they're connected to the billions of living souls there alongside them.

What once seemed like a wide, open space comes to be recognized as a large, vast ocean. They float in the deepest depths of the ocean, and they begin to see sea life swirl around them. Whales. Sharks. The glint of a dying star? There are constellations in the distance, too far to reach. It's hard to say where they are, and impossible to communicate to ask, to try to reach one of the billions of other souls there. When they open their mouths to try, they only make an unintelligible sound. Have they, too, been transformed into those creatures? It seems, at least for a moment, like they're communicating via echolocation.

The constellations begin to burn brighter and brighter. As they touch the people there, they're able to see more clearly around them. There are hundreds upon thousands of animals, all with bright golden eyes. They push through the water quickly, and the gold in their eyes fully illuminates the space around them.

Once that illumination meets a critical mass, everyone begins to experience a different joint vision. From the very start, the experience itself is excruciating: they feel an object, vaguely comprehended, but perceived to be spear-like in nature, slicing into them, tearing them asunder. The misery results in a complete and total division of self: splintered and incomplete, scattered into trillions of tiny pieces.

An indefinite amount of time later, there is a stirring. Everyone feels frigid and cold. The chill is excruciating, but different from what it was before. And then, as if a physical feeling can become an emotion, that chill becomes anger. And then that rage starts searching, wandering—

Until it adapts and connects with the ocean around it. The gold in the eyes of the sharks and whales begins to dim. A feeling of grief and eventually peace washes over everyone who remains.

And then everyone begins to shift in their beds, awakening as if returning from a terrible nightmare. Of course, given that they recall all of it, it's likely not much of a nightmare. At least not in a literal sense. When they wake to check in on the world, they'll find it in much the same shape—with the changes being far less obvious at first.

> 30 SECONDS FROM TOKYO

At first, you'll hear the buzz of a motor, as well as smell the splash of ocean water not so far away. You'll find that you're on a boat, passing swiftly over the Pacific Ocean to come into contact with a large, man-made structure in the distance. While you're drugged, you find that you're unable to move much. An IV protrudes from your arm, keeping you sedate. When one of the guards on the boat turns to check on you, they'll find your eyes open. "Sit tight and don't move. We have to be welcomed inside." Even if you're naturally defiant, you find yourself forced to comply.

Eventually, the boat pulls onto a dock that extends from the city itself to welcome your arrival. The mechanisms are complicated and hidden. Unlike a drawbridge in our modern times, the dock extends swiftly and completely, welcoming the boat next to it. After the boat seems to anchor itself into place, the guards present begin to move each of the passengers one by one off the boat. You'll notice others like you: dressed in white, long-sleeved scrubs, with recently shaved heads, and a pair of white tennis shoes. Or most of them are.

There are two exceptions: Eames and Aeryn, who have their hair still, but are just as drugged and kept under. They went through a similar arrival process before the Aerie stole them away, and arrived back after the Aerie ended in a similar manner to Max. Their return to society is just less personalized due to the circumstances.

Eventually, you're taken through the city—a wonder in and of itself, as it's a complex system of elevators spanning both vertically and horizontally through the large, metallic structure—and eventually through the back door of a business.

"All right, listen up everyone. There are people coming to get you. We've got this place for the day, so sit tight." At this, everyone's forced to do as they're commanded. Even if you don't want to sit, you have no choice. "We'll direct the people to bring you water, but that's all. Ask them to show you the glow. And—from me to you?" The guard sounds … tired all of a sudden. Her voice is strained as she adds: "Try not to fuck more shit up."

At once, the guards start to filter out through the back door. As much as everyone left behind can't go anywhere, they sure can talk.

As this process begins, a message is sent to all of the Displaced in New Amsterdam via a private broadcasting channel, one that's meant to only reach a limited number of people. It seems Jimmy's found a way to hack it for his own use, but trying to trace this back to him will prove impossible:

Sorry everyone. Couldn't do an official drop off. I barely scrounged up the people I did to get them to town. They're sitting tight at a bakery called Sweet Omakase in New Tokyo. Just go in and tell the people up front that you're there to pick up a package.

Oh, I forgot to mention: I'll be reaching out to a few of you soon. So … yeah.

JH

As for that compliance drug?

◉ Though entirely capable of independent action and thought, new characters will find themselves completely, unquestioningly compliant to any verbal statement which could be taken as a command or request.

> NEW AMSTERDAM

Though the Displaced can make the choice to keep the newcomers in New Tokyo for longer than a few hours, it's generally not recommended. Morningstar in New Tokyo is in just as much disarray as the rest of the world, and El doesn't want to disrupt their recovery in these trying times. As such, it'll be necessary to take them on a secure route back to the New Tokyo gate, bring them to New Amsterdam, and start to get them ready for their new lives. Of course, they may see a little bit of New Tokyo along the way, but not much given the urgency. (The link is provided for brevity purposes—please see the "New Tokyo" section for a summary of the city itself!)

The abbreviated trip between New Tokyo and New Amsterdam will bring the newcomers back to a city that's been through … a lot. That means it's probably a good time to have a quick catch up, right?

> LAST TIME ON NAMSTERDAM!
Although a year isn't very long for even a human being, the Displaced have managed to make their mark in this unusual world. Having first been released out into the world in mid-June 2511, they started touching the world around them. Whether it was fighting a giant monster or curing people from the sickness caused by inhaling smoke from that giant monster's parts (as well as any tiny little monsters it brought with it) or taking on the UNA when they tried to wipe out an entire chapter of a rebel organization, the mysterious Blue-glowing people were there.

After over a year of interventions left and right, the Displaced finally came forward as a united group—one that's uniquely tied to a business they opened. No one knows they're from another world. They don't even know what the Displaced's powers are, though they've certainly seen them do fantastical things. One thing became apparent: while the Displaced were spotted in other cities around the globe, their influence has been most felt in New Amsterdam. And even if the world's governing body doesn't like it, the people of New Amsterdam have claimed the Displaced as their own.

Most recently, the entire world found itself dragged into another reality called the Aerie. The Displaced had gone through this before on a smaller scale, but this brought everyone present on the planet Earth to this other world. The Aerie was a miracle world: in order to prevent the death of humanity as everyone knew it, a group of heroes chosen by a handful of gods chained said gods and harnessed their power to create a safe haven for all of humanity. As a result of their actions, these people created a major class disparity in order to maintain the secrets of how they created the Aerie. Since billions of people were saved in the process, the Aerie ended up having an overpopulation problem. The answer? A battle royale for anyone who's committed a crime, held monthly.

Well, as these things go, about two hundred years into this horrible experiment, the Aerie started experiencing some challenges. Rebel groups and bombs and more! Eventually the gods were set free, and with it, the Aerie vanished into nothing.

Though the Aerie (and its smaller-scale predecessor, Zerzura) was undoubtedly brought into being by divine intervention, it doesn't help that the Displaced claimed that their powers seemed to be caused by interacting with gods. Troubling much? So, some of the world is divided, with New Amsterdam being the only pro-Displaced left after the Aerie. Of course, it's a touch more complicated than that.

And it doesn't all fall in the laps of the Displaced. After all, they didn't choose to have this happen to them.

An important thing to note is that New Amsterdam is a very, very green city. We don't mean recycling. As if powered by weird god magic, plants grow a-plenty in the city, leaving numerous trees and thousands upon thousands of credits in plumbing issues. Animals came into the city thanks to the absence of humans to start settling in. It's a beautiful city, one that seems as if it's actively fighting against being reclaimed by nature.

With the worldwide trauma, current singing events are currently on hiatus. This likely won't be permanent, but it's not as if anyone is looking to become a pop star at this exact moment.

But that's where New Amsterdam is currently, anyway.

> SUMMER PROBLEMS
Ah, water rationing. That's right: one of the tried and true traditions in New Amsterdam summers is water rationing. During the hot summer months, the city puts out water rationing warnings, and the city also answers the intense and extreme heat by making it so that businesses are open throughout the evening, with everyone sleeping during the daytime. However, the Aerie shot a lot of that preparation in the foot, so the city won't be able to reverse the clock.

Expect a lot of hot, miserable, and extremely humid days ahead. Thanks to the nearly tropical nature of the city at this point, humidity is a natural side effect of it all. The temperatures will be reaching from around 105 F to 115 F during the daytime. The evenings cool off, but certainly not by much, as they dip to only around 90 F to 95 F when the sun goes down.

Oh, and water rationing is most definitely in effect.

> RED WINGS
In February 2512, the bar known as Red Wings first opened. Positioned adjacent to the New Amsterdam stadium, where a wide variety of sporting events occur year round, it's the only business in New Amsterdam that's currently run entirely by the Displaced. However, a few other businesses are set to open in the near and distant future, all tailored to cater to the city that most of the Displaced call home.

On the inside, Red Wings is very, very red. There is a neon sign that's been recently repaired of the Great Lakes state (Michigan). In terms of being a watering hole, the bartenders are all Displaced and all very sympathetic to any newcomers headed their way. Need some free food or a chance to play pool to clear your head? Red Wings is the place to do that. There are tables throughout the bar. There used to be booths, but most of them got shredded during a recent monster attack and … well, tables are easier to replace.

It's likely that all of the newcomers will be brought to Red Wings first for a full meal before being taken to the safehouse across town.

And while there are blank projection screens around the bar showing news broadcasts of what just went down, none of the newcomers will be able to see any of them.

> MURAL
Throughout the past year, multiple murals have gone up around New Amsterdam by a Banksy-like figure. This figure is known to the people of New Amsterdam as Legion, and they tend to commemorate both the Displaced and their ties to the gods. In the Aerie, it was revealed that Legion was a wealthy woman by the name of Nirvana. Upon returning from the Aerie, another new mural goes up in New Amsterdam.

Legion's new mural explodes in color in the large corporate buildings that connect in New Amsterdam's financial district. It depicts the whole story of the Aerie from beginning to end: the conception, the Quarries, the attacks on both the Quarry and the Volary, and then the return. The imagery is woven together like a full story, each picture moving seamlessly into the next. Below are the colors of the gods, painted in vibrant colors that can be seen for miles.

There's specific imagery woven in as well, including the birds that represent the different groups of people, the eclipse and different phases of the moon to signify the timing.

It seems to say never forget.

> HELPING OUT
All around the world, returning members of Morningstar, PRESERVE, and even the cultists who once followed the leader, Ball (though the cultists are only working in New Amsterdam), all spur into action to try to help. Everyone may be traumatized, but they also likely prescribe to the notion of wanting to keep busy. Recalling the Aerie won't be pleasant, and the world needs help. New Amsterdam already has a head start thanks to the resource acquisition and work by a small group of Displaced, but now everyone is back to work.

The work in question? Feed everyone, first and foremost. Countless people are without fresh food. Working in conjunction with both the Red Wings employees and the cultists, PRESERVE will be putting up food banks all around the city. Marcos Diaz's food bank is likely to be fully stocked as a result of this, should he want to get that running again.

Other work that needs to be done involves plumbing, as the plants seem to have very much taken on a life of their own. They're absorbing most of the available water in the city, and have even made the water level decrease in the river (just a bit, though). Water rationing is even more important right now, but it may prove to be a futile effort if the plants aren't held back. Time to get moving. Anyone who wants to be an impromptu apprentice to a plumber is likely going to be welcomed onto the job. They need all hands on deck.

Finally, there are just the people who need help. Roaming bands of former UNA soldiers caused problems even before the mass return. Now they're meeting up and moving as if they're a gang of their own to return order to the land. However, these people are truly traumatized, and it's as if they're calling upon an old order that they can't quite recognize. The problem is that they're extremely dangerous. Though their weapons are mostly makeshift ones, they can fight with them. Along with these roaming bands, there are the catatonic and the confused people, all who could use some assistance to get back on track.

Sadly, the hospitals are not ready to be staffed by typical personnel. If anyone wants to take the lead on this and commandeer those medical centers, they can feel free to! Again, all help is appreciated, even if it might involve some slightly illegal choices.

> SPIRITUAL RECLAMATION
One thing that was significant in Meadowlark's world before the Aerie was a complete lack of religious or spiritual devotion, at least on a major scale. Smaller sects like the tiny cult in New Amsterdam were exceptions that ultimately proved the rule. After all, they didn't even have any written doctrine about their belief systems.

Things begin to change. Some of those changes are obvious, while others are less so—at first.

The first sign of this is in various preachers who take up spots on street corners to preach about the end of the world. With a muddled and confused ideology, these people build little podiums for themselves to speak about the end times: the Aerie was proof that humanity is only buying itself time before an inevitable end—and eventually, the gods will punish them for what they did. While the initial preachers will not have a clear messaging system, this will change in the coming weeks. In fact, it'll seem as if they're all deriving their ideology from the same place—even while located in different megacities.

Quietly, tiny religious communities begin to spring up. With real estate already in shambles before the Aerie, much of the construction has come to a halt in order for people to begin to psychologically heal. As a result, various warehouses throughout the megacities begin to be converted into spiritual centers. At first, these locales will be innocuous in nature, but in time, there will be a clear set of imagery connected to them. Some of that imagery will link back to the Aerie (with a lot of birds, as well as ties to either the Cardinals or the gods), or to the sacred geometry imagery that's been connected to the Displaced for some time.

These spiritual centers may simply be people squatting illegally, but it's not as if any of the various local police departments have the resources to stomp them out. It seems that the UN also views this religious devotion as harmless, at least compared to the other problems that could arise.

> NATURE'S RECLAMATION
Plants and a handful of animals have been at it for a while, but the world is definitely in the process of experiencing a second coming of … fauna? Some are springing up unexpectedly outside of walls, while others are inside of the walls themselves in many megacities. Did you know that pigeons were an uncommon sight in 2512? Well, were is an appropriate word for it. They're no longer uncommon. And what about that river in New Amsterdam? Never one to be a place for fishing, it's now filled to the brim with freshwater fish.

Want to go fishing? New Amsterdam will eventually require a license for it, but it's still early days. There aren't any fishing poles around to purchase, but someone can probably fashion one themselves if they have the know-how.

There will also be more wild insects. Pest control was a thing of the past for this world, but with all these new creatures showing up all over, that's going to be a concern once again. Unless, of course, it's prevented.

> SAFEHOUSE

Not long after their arrival, the new Displaced will be brought across the city to an abandoned hover-bike garage in a neighborhood that's clearly seen better days.

Located under said hover-bike garage, access to the safehouse is a hatch in the floor beside a rusted set of metal shelves that used to hold tools and supplies. The immediate area is similarly abandoned: full of rundown and dilapidated warehouses and forgotten businesses, where numerous people squat in hopes of having some stability because they can't afford a place themselves. The inside of this safehouse looks better than the outside, as it was beginning to be transformed into a training center by Ian Fowler. Once everyone is brought into the safehouse down below, they'll find no one waiting for them. Though Gaby, a Morningstar agent, is typically around, she's absent at this time. Any newbies will need to be filled in by their fellow Displaced, though they can also contact El through zeir inbox, if needed.

The safehouse is a large space with multiple rooms for storage, with the largest of the rooms filled with rows of basic cots set up to sleep a large number of people. Basic, but outfitted with everything necessary for daily life. A few doors lead to back rooms for storage, medical care, and a large communal bathroom, and past the long rows of cots there is a communal kitchen, fully stocked, and an eating area. Privacy is mostly nonexistent in the safehouse, with any past efforts that were made to change that destroyed by numerous attacks along the way.

◉ New characters will be asked to pick their beds, and be provided with a change of (second-hand, mismatched and somewhat threadbare) clothes and basic toiletries.

◉ There is a mini-bar set up in the kitchen. The quality of the alcohol inside is akin to what someone might get from the well at a bar, though it's running low because it hasn't been restocked since before the previous set of arrivals.

◉ While the kitchen has a lot of dried foods to cook, as well as canned and preserved vegetables, most of what's left in the fridge will need to be tossed. In addition, anyone looking for a jolt of caffeine from coffee or tea will find themselves sorely lacking. The only tea present is herbal in nature, and caffeine appears to be pretty much nonexistent in most of the beverages lying around.

◉ Along those same lines, newcomers will find that this is a world that is steeped in sustainable choices. Paper is a thing of the past. Ever used a bidet regularly? This world gives everyone a crash course in exactly what that feels like if they haven't done that before.

◉ Everyone will receive a modest stipend of credits from Morningstar to help them get by until they can find a job. This will be enough to cover their living expenses for about a month while they hang out in the safehouse, if they're careful with budgeting.

◉ The drugs making new characters compliant will remain in their systems for a few hours after their arrival at the safehouse before finally beginning to fade. They will be gone entirely after a night's rest. In the meantime, they may want to be careful of what others say to them.

◉ New characters will be given rudimentary access to the network upon arrival to the safehouse, but will not have their ID set up yet. They will be able to make posts and replies, but their messages will be anonymous—and they do not have inboxes yet.

◉ New characters also do not have access to the internet until their ID is setup. They only have limited access because they're present in the safehouse, but they can't surf the rest of the internet, check out Cooltalk, or watch the equivalent of Netflix until their ID is made.

◉ New characters cannot leave the safehouse at this time. The hatch is locked tight for them, making it impossible for them to get out for the next four days while they're locked inside. There won't be any immediately obvious ways to cut their way out through turning off the power, either. Time to sit tight.

New characters will not be allowed to leave the safehouse until AUGUST 27, 2512 (JANUARY 23, 2020). These 4 days are for them to adjust, learn about the world they've arrived in from their fellows, and for El to speak with them and work on setting up their IDs.

> FINAL OOC NOTES

Welcome to Meadowlark, newbies! You're now free to post to the network and log comms. To reiterate, your characters will have no IDs or inboxes, nor be allowed to roam free once they enter the safehouse. Meaning: they'll have to sit tight until August 27, 2512 ICly.

All characters will appear as @anonymous on the network. While sitting tight in the safehouse, it's expected that they'll have gotten a good idea of their new situation from their fellow characters, and will have discussed their background and job potentials with El in order for their false IDs to be set up.

If you have any questions or ideas about how you'd like to get your character involved in the world, please head over to the plot engagement post and drop us a comment!

For questions pertaining to this log (and because we accidentally forgot to drop a questions header here, our bad!), please refer to our questions thread on the OOC post.

The January CR meme for the month is here.

Please check out our Event #011 Wrap Up Post for a rundown of all of the changes brought about through the AU, as well as any world changes that will be apparent moving forward.

As we announced on the wrap up post, AC will remain halved until at least June 2021. That said, for the month of January, we're making things check-in only because of the state of the world.

Finally, we'll be back to our standard planned calendar and AC (halved, just to be clear) on February 1, 2021. Reserves will open on January 23, 2021.

kestrels: (pic#14569019)

jai kinvaio | peep @ his journal for content warnings please!

[personal profile] kestrels 2021-01-16 07:15 pm (UTC)(link)
𝒔𝒂𝒇𝒆𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒆

he's cleared an area at the foot of his cot. set things up. and now he is throwing kitchen knives at the wall. jai would argue — he's not bored, he's busy.

some of the knives have been modified for better weight — things taped to their handles so they're balanced. if someone, for some reason, gets it in their head to cut across the path of his knives to the kitchen (after all, it's the shortest way there) he will stop and give them a very exasperated look.


Are you trying to volunteer for target practice?

ah, yes, he is here to make friends and influence people, absolutely.


𝒇𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒇𝒖𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒇𝒊𝒕

he's standing out in the shallows of the river with a spear, looking for all intents and purposes about as still as a shadow. every once in a while he'll actually stab a fish, and bring it up on the bank to join its buddies the three fishketeers up on the river's edge. there are fish stuck to dried-out spears of vines beside him jammed down into the dirt there, obviously quite dead. he didn't spend four months in the wilderness while galeya cracked a (proverbial) whip over his head for nothing, thank you.

anyone approaching him in what seems like good faith will prompt him to offer to share.

anyone trying to sneak off with one of his speared fish is going to piss him royally off and there will probably be An Fight while this rowdy teenage superhero loses his cool. choose your battle!


𝒂 𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒃𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒓

he is sure the fuck not going to redwings, thank you, he will be avoiding that place like it's on fire until further notice. but he is at a little dive somewhere on the other side of town. what's it called? ...does it matter?

he's not drinking liquor, though, he's mostly sucking back club soda or whatever else it is these places have that's bubbly but not weirdly prohibited, and playing darts.

if anyone new walks into the bar, he'll give them a cheery lift of his glass and a nod to the dartboard.


Down for a game?

but what he really means is: are you down to be annihilated without mercy!! no ego here, no sir.


𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒖𝒍𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒇𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒃

he could say something about the world's oldest professions, but the truth is — wherever there's people, there's going to be fighting or fucking for resources. he opts for the latter when he finds it, a group of una soldiers staging fighting pits for rations. honestly, he recognizes that most of them are just scared fucking kids — he's not in that place any more, but he knows what it looks like. still, it's a good way to get in with them, and listen.

he fights, but not anywhere near to what he's capable of. a while later he'll get out of the ring, sweaty, blood streaming from a cut above his eye, grimacing a little if he twists the wrong way, but looking overall remarkably cheerful as he drops down beside someone new and dumps a ration kit in their lap.


Happy Tuesday.

yes, that is apparently cause for celebration.
Edited 2021-01-16 19:16 (UTC)
requiemshark: (035)

safehouse

[personal profile] requiemshark 2021-01-16 07:43 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Well. Isn't this a blast from the past. Ephemera doesn't step in front of the flashing knives. He knows better than that and he's not the sergeant, who could have walked right through the line of fire and snatched the blades clean out of the air. Maybe if he was in armor, or he still had two good eyes. Maybe if he was drunk and wanted a challenge.

Ephemera pushes his hood back away from his scars, a bag of groceries held loosely in one arm. There's a teenager throwing knives at the wall.

Cool. ]


Do that somewhere else. You hit anyone and I'm going to get pissed.
kestrels: (pic#14569042)

[personal profile] kestrels 2021-01-17 12:31 am (UTC)(link)
he gets up off his bed — he is altogether not a terribly physically intimidating person, all of 5'9 — but he doesn't seem even remotely concerned by the size difference, ephemera's scars or that threat. instead, he just reaches very deliberately in front of him to pull a knife of the wall.

this is absolutely teenage tough guy posturing. because he be like that.


I'm not going to hit anyone I'm not aiming for. You can calm the fuck down.
requiemshark: (074)

[personal profile] requiemshark 2021-01-17 12:44 am (UTC)(link)
[ Ephemera just raises an eyebrow, watching the young man pull the knife out of the wall — kid, really. But a kid who knows how to handle a blade. There's no hesitation with the motion, no unnecessary flashiness. Ephemera remembers being nineteen and in awe of knives, wanting to do all the tricks in the book. The sergeant beat that tendency out of him. And then she turned around and taught him how to do it right. He never learned how to dance the way she could, but he can handle himself with a blade.

Apparently it's a skill lots of people are picking up these days. Ain't that fun. ]


Whole lot of people trying to find their bearings here. They don't need knives flying around.

[ His tone is very even. He doesn't snap, though his old self would have. Hell, his nineteen-year-old self would've taken it like a challenge, puffed himself up to his full height and gone either for a laugh or an all-out fight, whichever seemed more interesting.

His nineteen-year-old self was an idiot. These days, Ephemera's mostly just tired. A fight would bring him clarity, maybe even a temporary sort of peace, but he knows himself well enough; it wouldn't last. And then he'd feel even worse in the aftermath. What would a fight bring him except for a temporary reprieve?

Besides. That's what the clubs are for. At least then he's earning money. ]
kestrels: (pic#14569003)

[personal profile] kestrels 2021-01-17 01:25 am (UTC)(link)
he can't make the guy flinch, which is probably to be expected, but jai doesn't back down. he just shrugs, returns to his spot on the cot and flings the knife again.

carefully. but it's probably still a little close to where the guy's standing, just to prove a fucking point. he can do this blindfolded.


Really? World full of gods and monsters and you're worried about knives being the tipping point?

he rolls his fucking eyes, throws the second of his knives. it hits so close to the first it's almost blade-to-blade.

Fuck you. If any 'newbies' have a problem with it, they can take it up with me.

(no subject)

[personal profile] requiemshark - 2021-01-17 01:40 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-17 01:47 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] requiemshark - 2021-01-17 02:00 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-17 02:06 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] requiemshark - 2021-01-17 02:37 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-17 07:00 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] requiemshark - 2021-01-17 16:53 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-17 17:01 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] requiemshark - 2021-01-17 18:51 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-17 23:48 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] requiemshark - 2021-01-18 01:43 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-18 07:54 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] requiemshark - 2021-01-18 17:41 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-22 20:13 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] requiemshark - 2021-01-23 00:40 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-23 02:00 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] requiemshark - 2021-01-23 02:31 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-25 05:39 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] requiemshark - 2021-01-25 14:47 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-31 23:57 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] requiemshark - 2021-02-04 15:43 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-02-05 19:48 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] requiemshark - 2021-02-05 20:13 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-02-15 23:47 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] requiemshark - 2021-02-16 02:08 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-02-27 22:14 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] requiemshark - 2021-02-28 16:26 (UTC) - Expand
impede: (who's your favorite philosopher?)

two darts assholes, coming right up

[personal profile] impede 2021-01-18 05:51 am (UTC)(link)
[As much as Akechi feigns interest in the finer things in life, the truth is that he's much fonder of tiny holes that offer the ambiance that he's looking for. He doesn't need a place to be decked out and filled to the brim, not unless he wants to have someone verify that he was there for his online restaurant reviews. His personal needs are places that have good drinks, good and fast food, and maybe a game where he can wreck someone.

He is far from a friendly face. But he does love the chance to dominate someone at a game where he's flawless.]


I assume that no one else took pity on you. [He's intrigued. Akechi doesn't like following niceties, not in reality. Oh, he's practiced in them, but they're miserable to deal with regularly. These days, he skips them altogether as a favor to himself.]

Very well. Let me get a drink first.
kestrels: (pic#14569013)

[personal profile] kestrels 2021-01-18 08:00 am (UTC)(link)
he gives the newcomer a cheeky smile, not even remotely taking the jibe personally. it's exactly the sort of banter he enjoys, and the fact that akechi's roughly around his age makes him much less likely to get up in arms about it.

if akechi tries to steal his (french... fries??? deep-fried crickets? do they have french fries? what is the appropriate bar snack food here ALISON) there might be a problem, but for now —


Oh, pity was definitely taken. Turns out the rest of the bar has their objections about losing to a kid.

he winks, makes a little gesture of pantomime, throwing an invisible dart at an imaginary board.

It was tough, but I think I'll live with the disappointment.

aka: they all sucked. bring on the real competition!!
impede: (i'm already pleased with myself.)

there are potatoes in the future, roy

[personal profile] impede 2021-01-19 06:43 am (UTC)(link)
[Akechi can buy his own French fries, thank you very much. He proceeds to do so, purchasing an order of them along with a drink that's incredibly fruity. It even comes with a stupid little straw. The fact of the matter is that he doesn't have an ounce of shame about any of this. The fries, of course, are why he's here, but he also enjoys making a bartender muddle three different kinds of fruits with rosemary. The discomfort is incredibly satisfying.

The drink, for the record, lacks any alcohol. Like Akechi would risk any impairment right now. Time in the Aerie didn't do as much harm as Zerzura, but that doesn't mean he wishes to lose himself.

With his fries on the way and his drink in hand, he turns to the dart board.]


Do you have a set of rules that you prefer?

[It's perhaps rather significant to note that while Akechi is dressed appropriately for the weather, he's still wearing a pair of leather gloves. It's a telltale sign of the type of person he might be in this city, even if he's unlikely to advertise it.]
kestrels: (pic#14569000)

space potatoes. spotatoes.

[personal profile] kestrels 2021-01-21 01:39 am (UTC)(link)
'a weirdo who wears gloves' is really his paramount thought. he's aware of the empathy bond, but the population of the displaced is so small that the odds of meeting one this far away from their central haunt is negligible. he notes it, sure, but right now it's not actually pinging his radar.

he considers a moment, dragging a fry through an appropriately futuristic condiment and then,


Halve-It.

since he asked. he goes for something mid-tier. challenging, but not hard. he lifts a new fry in a lazy salute of (belated) greeting.

Call me Xhan.

it's his middle name. there's probably no getting away with using his first and last, given how the fucking stupid implant he wishes he could carve out of his damn head works in conjunction with literally everything here but at least the middle one is steeped in enough truth that it doesn't seem like a deliberate mistruth.

(no subject)

[personal profile] impede - 2021-01-23 02:08 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-02-16 00:09 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] impede - 2021-03-03 02:56 (UTC) - Expand
tekimetexeng: <user name="marineris"> (17)

fishing!

[personal profile] tekimetexeng 2021-01-18 05:20 pm (UTC)(link)
[ One of the first things Naomi does when she's free of the Safehouse is ask around where the river is. As overwhelming as she knows it might be, she wants to see the water. She's already got swimming lessons lined up but wants to know what she's getting into, and considering her instructor's condition it might be better if her likely awe is experienced first, alone.

People being around in general was expected. Someone actually in the water, stabbing down beneath the surface and coming up with fish, isn't. She may not know how to fish herself, but she knows this isn't the customary method. It's impressive, though, really.

She stands back a safe distance -- both from the water and the stranger -- and calls out. ]


You're quite skilled at that.
kestrels: (pic#14569019)

[personal profile] kestrels 2021-01-22 07:31 pm (UTC)(link)
gal's got a sixth sense about people approaching. she says you have to be aware of the way the air stirs. filter out ambient sound. footsteps. breathing. some people's presence precedes them, growing up how he did he got real good real quick at telling angry silence from all other kinds.

but he's focused, and busy, and he doesn't actually catch onto her presence until she calls out, which is so fucking stupid of him he's almost instantly angry with himself, fingers tightening on his makeshift spear at the little jolt of surprise that goes through him. the fish scatter, their scales gleaming in the sun. he lowers the spear until its butt touches the shallow bottom of the canal and he shields his eyes against the light to look at her.

as far as threats go, she doesn't look like much, though if anything that heightens his wariness. he'd sooner deal with a physical threat than a mental one — not to mention beauty's a weapon too.


You could say I've done it once or twice before.

he's using the yvossi accent he puts on sometimes for gal's social circle. posh, smooth, a rolling cadence to the way he speaks. as he says it he smiles and leans on the spear.

no way of knowing if she's civilian or displaced. short hair doesn't mean much here.
tekimetexeng: <user name="marineris"> (11)

[personal profile] tekimetexeng 2021-02-09 07:34 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Naomi steps a little closer, not quite to the edge but near enough that she can kneel down and see the fish catching the light beneath the water. ]

When did you learn?

[ He must be well used to it, after all, being able to stand so perfectly still waiting for a fish to come into range. ]
kestrels: (pic#14569025)

[personal profile] kestrels 2021-02-15 11:42 pm (UTC)(link)
he laughs a bit, softly, so as not to disturb the fish.

Wilderness retreat. Rich parents who liked the idea of a well-rounded education. I guess I started when I was about ten.

not a word of that is true, but it's the cover story he's going with. it can explain away a lot, and he can sell it easily.

(no subject)

[personal profile] tekimetexeng - 2021-02-16 17:54 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-02-27 22:43 (UTC) - Expand
hiyakai: (296)

fishing for fun and profit—

[personal profile] hiyakai 2021-01-18 08:07 pm (UTC)(link)
[ don't worry, jai. kai has like zero interest in your fish.

he might have found a horse and it's now his friend. okay, that's a lie. they're still getting to know each other. but you know that whole carrot on a stick gimmick? it actually works. guiding it around with a mixed assortment of fruits and veggies tied to a steel rod, he passes by the river, only to slow down at the sight of some kid stabbing a spear into its watery depths.

with a decisive shrug of his shoulder, he starts to walk down to the bank, leading stefon the horse with him.
]

You're sure hard at work here. [ at the sight of fresh water, stefon has trotted past him to quench its thirst. ] Bet you can make some great dishes with these, like a fried fish filet or baked with lemon, pesto and a sprinkle of toasted pine nuts. Mm... Yummy.
kestrels: (pic#14569013)

[personal profile] kestrels 2021-01-22 07:36 pm (UTC)(link)
well look at the animal whisperer over here. he doesn't recognize the horse specifically but he knows a beast of burden when he sees one — luxuries of the rich back home. it instantly puts the man in a negative light, even though he keeps the scowl off his face.

Some of us work for a living, what can I say?

he sounds — well, playful. charming. all the usual suspects. this dude has a resource jai associates with the rich, ergo, he is also rich, ergo he's going to fall back on the tricks of the trade he picked up around galeya's circle.

Unless you're offering to cook for me.
hiyakai: (063)

[personal profile] hiyakai 2021-01-24 04:54 am (UTC)(link)
Wow. Presumptuous much?

[ he isn't wrong though, which is one of the reasons why kai doesn't sound particularly offended at all. he has never worked a single job in his life. he was too busy coming in and out of different prison formats. it kinda leaves little time for pursuing a career and, you know, having a life. ]

But sure, [ he smiles at him. ] I'll cook for you. We'll get some herbs and spices, a couple of other ingredients and then we'll make a meal of it.

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-25 05:45 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] hiyakai - 2021-01-25 22:01 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-02-01 00:12 (UTC) - Expand
warfares: <user name="na-i-cons"> (pic#12151241)

fishing —

[personal profile] warfares 2021-01-22 01:23 am (UTC)(link)
( there's a boy in the river.

this, in itself, isn't that unusual. it's been baking hot for days now and anyone who can has made their way to the river's edge in search of some kind of relief.

no, what gives kylo pause is the weapon: wickedly sharp and obviously homemade, the boy wields it with a confidence that suggests familiarity rather than luck. a fact that's proven true seconds later when he strikes at the water, snaring something silver-quick and wriggling on its point. )


Impressive.

( he could be referring to the boy's reflexes or the feat — or, just as likely, a combination of both. )

Have you been out here long?
kestrels: (pic#14568967)

[personal profile] kestrels 2021-01-22 07:44 pm (UTC)(link)
there we go.

you know, he always appreciates it when someone just looks imposing. it saves him the trouble of active threat analysis. this guy's bigger, maybe stronger, there's an easy confidence in how he stands that makes jai think he's probably punched a guy or two in his day.

it's nice. simplifies things.


Couple hours, why?

he's given away most of the fish he's caught to this point, so it probably looks like he's just getting started. still, he says it with an easy shrug, cheery and charming. he'd go for guileless if it wasn't so hard to maintain.
warfares: <user name="icontrol">, used with permission (pic#12720057)

[personal profile] warfares 2021-01-23 02:43 am (UTC)(link)
You haven't had any trouble?

( he's not precisely sure what the situation is with the monsters at this point, but he remembers the anglers. he knows just how sneaky those bastards can be.

still, he manages to keep the question light. conversational. no reason to get anyone alarmed if there's no need. )

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-25 06:01 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] warfares - 2021-01-31 20:02 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-02-05 18:02 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] warfares - 2021-02-07 13:57 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-02-08 19:44 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] warfares - 2021-02-12 18:59 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-02-15 23:27 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] warfares - 2021-02-16 22:37 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-02-27 22:52 (UTC) - Expand
wrend: (pic#14553885)

i do what i want

[personal profile] wrend 2021-01-24 04:35 am (UTC)(link)
( it's been some time since they were released from the safehouse. long enough to figure out how the hell things are going on the outside, and long enough to spend the stipend of credits granted to them.

aidan generally isn't one for owing people like morningstar, but there was little choice in the matter. so. several hours, a significant amount of time spent searching through crap, before jai gets a text with a gps pin and a note. )


home sweet home 😘
kestrels: (pic#14568975)

[personal profile] kestrels 2021-01-24 04:41 am (UTC)(link)
he doesn't reply. no point. but he does sling a line of fish over one shoulder and head there in short order, so about twenty minutes later he walks through the door (nice of aidan to calibrate his identity for it) and he slings the woven net down on the countertop.

You're making dinner, right? That's how this works?
wrend: (pic#14553910)

[personal profile] wrend 2021-01-24 04:53 am (UTC)(link)
( it's a shoddy, downtrodden space. a studio apartment, with a shitton of vines through the windows trying to overtake the space. but for the moment, it's theirs. there's a minimal amount of furniture, only a few dishes and pots and pants laying around. like whoever lived there before had left in a hurry.

makes sense, with how shit this city has been running lately. )


Do I look like I've ever cooked a--( eyes down to the fish, considering what the hell that thing is for a moment before he opts to just go for a more general term. ) fish before? Because I haven't.

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-24 05:10 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] wrend - 2021-01-24 05:18 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-24 05:41 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] wrend - 2021-01-24 05:46 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-24 05:57 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] wrend - 2021-01-24 06:02 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-24 06:14 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] wrend - 2021-01-24 06:19 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-24 06:25 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] wrend - 2021-01-24 18:58 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-25 00:46 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] wrend - 2021-01-25 07:55 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-25 16:49 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] wrend - 2021-01-25 17:15 (UTC) - Expand

cw drug use/mention/addiction

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-25 19:32 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] wrend - 2021-01-25 20:09 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-25 20:39 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] wrend - 2021-01-25 21:06 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-25 21:55 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] wrend - 2021-01-26 04:36 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-26 04:48 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] wrend - 2021-01-26 04:52 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-26 05:00 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] wrend - 2021-01-26 05:13 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-26 05:17 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] wrend - 2021-01-26 05:25 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-26 05:30 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] wrend - 2021-01-26 05:33 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-26 05:43 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] wrend - 2021-01-26 05:47 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-26 06:09 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] wrend - 2021-01-26 06:16 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-26 06:24 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] wrend - 2021-01-26 06:31 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-26 18:45 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] wrend - 2021-01-26 19:03 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-26 19:23 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-26 22:18 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] wrend - 2021-01-26 22:31 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-26 22:46 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] wrend - 2021-01-26 22:54 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-26 23:24 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] wrend - 2021-01-26 23:34 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-26 23:42 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] wrend - 2021-01-27 00:11 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-28 00:26 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] wrend - 2021-01-28 00:40 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-28 02:29 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] wrend - 2021-01-28 03:50 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-01-28 17:42 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] wrend - 2021-01-28 18:00 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-02-01 00:59 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] wrend - 2021-02-01 05:16 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-02-01 05:19 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] wrend - 2021-02-01 05:37 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-02-01 05:42 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] wrend - 2021-02-01 05:50 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-02-01 05:53 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] wrend - 2021-02-01 06:06 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-02-01 06:10 (UTC) - Expand
myfavoritemurder: (I feel great)

safehouse

[personal profile] myfavoritemurder 2021-01-25 05:54 pm (UTC)(link)
No.

[Unflinching and unafraid, Callisto pulls one of the modified knives out of the wall, examining it. After running a finger over the blade, she scoffs, dropping it onto the ground.]

You could never seriously hurt someone with one of these. Throw them at me; I don't care.
kestrels: (pic#14568950)

[personal profile] kestrels 2021-02-01 12:04 am (UTC)(link)
wow, rude. jai gives her an absolutely sour look, because teenage boys have exactly one (1) superpower and it's being spectacular shitheads.

That's got to be the gold standard for how many stupid things someone here's managed to cram into two sentences.

he has to doubt she's ever been seriously hurt in her life if she doesn't think you can manage it with a dulled knife. fuck, he'd rather be stabbed by a sharp one — it catches less when it comes out. dull goes in messy and comes out messy and ne'er the fucking twain shall meet.

he gestures at her with the next of his knives.


Move or you're getting a haircut.
myfavoritemurder: (hey‚ I shot myself in the knee too)

[personal profile] myfavoritemurder 2021-02-03 09:09 pm (UTC)(link)
They're toys.

[She insists, giving the one on the ground a kick and sending it skittering across the floor.]

They're what you give to children when you don't want them cutting themselves by accident. You'd have to really try to hurt me badly with one; throwing them wouldn't cut it.

[And she doesn't move - partly because she believes what she's saying, partly because she also believes in her ability to dodge, and partly because, even if the knives cut better than she thinks they do, she doesn't really care in the end. Flesh wounds are nothing.]

Would you?

[She asks, seriously and curiously, leveling her gaze at him.]

Would you try very hard to hurt somebody who you've just met?

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-02-05 18:29 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] myfavoritemurder - 2021-02-16 23:23 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] kestrels - 2021-02-27 23:00 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] myfavoritemurder - 2021-03-09 16:29 (UTC) - Expand