Event log: Mirror, mirror

[hadrielmods]

Who: Anyone and everyone!
What: Hope gives everyone mirrors with visions of their most hopeful future inside.
Where: Throughout the city.
When: March 14th-18th
Warnings: None so far!

On March 14th, all characters will stumble across mirrors at some point on their daily journey. Maybe your mirror is right under your pillow, maybe it's on your bedside table, or in the sink in your bathroom. It could be in a random store that you're scavenging, or somewhere along the path that you're taking to go to a friend's place. Wherever it is, it's positioned perfectly for you to find it- though you might want to be quick so someone else doesn't nab it first.

Each mirror is predetermined to hold one person's future and will be placed somewhere that they can find it on that day. Upon looking in their own mirrors, each character will see a version of their future that will fill them with hope. This vision has to be possible- or they have to think it's possible- even if it's unlikely. Picking up someone else's mirror will not change the image inside; you'll instead see that person's vision for their future.

In addition, during the first four days, until March 18th, characters will want to look into any mirror they can find, not just their own. So be a little careful if you want to guard your innermost hopes- someone might be trying to peek.

► This log covers March 14th-March 18th.
► Feel free to make your own logs, as well
► Please tag headers of threads with content warnings where they apply
► Please put your character's name and open/closed in the subject line of your starters!
► Please report any character deaths right here!

Comments

march 14.

[bekommen]

[Nick's just passing by, honestly - it's not like she'd go out of her way to talk to Kamina, right? Can't stand the guy, and he's a huge idiot besides. Still, she sees the familiar blue hair and can't help stopping to investigate. If eyerolling could be done at a loud volume, that's what she'd be doing right now.]

You do know that doesn't make any sense at all, right?

[themightykamina]

[Aaaaaaand moment over. Still, he doesn't look up from the mirror, or he can't. His voice, when he mutters to himself then answers, is annoyed but a little less enthusiastic than usual.]

Gotta be kidding me. What do you want?

[bekommen]

From you?

[She arches an eyebrow, almost amused.]

Yeah, right. Unless you've got a secret stash of cigarettes somewhere, you've got nothin' I want.

[themightykamina]

Then why the hell do you keep talking to me? I've got nothing you want, you aren't interested in finding a way out, you don't even want help fighting off a damn snow monster. So, what?

[Man, he seriously just doesn't get her. Still holding the mirror in one hand, its scene playing out like a tiny TV screen, he turns to face her. Still bare-chested, it's not hard to see the large pink scar zagging across his abs, disappearing into the wrapped fabric around his lower torso.]

[bekommen]

[It's a good question. She actually takes a moment to think of an answer and comes up with a solid nothing. She's about to say as much and turn to leave when she spots the scar on his torso.]

What the fuck happened to you?

[themightykamina]

[She doesn't answer his question. Honestly, he's not sure there's an answer for either of them. She's definitely a pain in his ass, with all the yelling and fighting and snarky comments, but...well, there's a part of him that doesn't mind. He's always worked better pissed. Unfortunately, maybe, her question isn't another insult, really. Just a reminder of something he really doesn't wanna think about. But Kamina's not afraid of anything, at least that's what he wants people to think, so he just grits his teeth, thinks of Simon, and gives her the level answer.]

I got stabbed. That's what happens when you're at war.

[bekommen]

Right, I forgot. You have an army.

[She rolls her eyes and folds her arms across her chest.]

Of course you'd have a war to go along with it.

[themightykamina]

I had a team. A family. We'd fight and die for each other, for just a glimpse of the surface, and the Spiral King and his Beastmen were more than happy to kill us for it. But I guess you wouldn't know anything about that kinda thing, huh? Having people like that?

[He crosses his arms, brows furrowed, and the mirror still held in one hand.]

[bekommen]

[She doesn't. Maybe once she did have someone she was willing to fight for, someone who meant more to her than her own life, but Andy's lost to her now, and the pain of that loss is still an open wound on her heart. Nick's made an art form over the years of not letting words get under her skin, or at least not showing how affected she is when they do, but she can't hide the hurt this time - Kamina hit a nerve, and it's evident in the look of open shock that crosses her face, quickly replaced by a scowl of cold fury.]

Fuck you.

[She doesn't have to take this bullshit - not from this irritating, loudmouthed idiot. Nick spins on her heel and storms off.]

[themightykamina]

[Even to oblivious Kamina, it's obvious he's hurt her. Struck a nerve, at least. Maybe she's just lost someone, he doesn't know. And sure, maybe he's an ass, but he's not cruel, so it takes him all of one second before he's calling after her.]

Nick. Nick, come on, wait!

[bekommen]

[Just as quick, she spins back toward him and marches right up to him, eyes blazing with a fire of pain and rage. She wastes no time getting right up in his face.]

Fuck! You! [she shouts, punctuating each word with a pointed jab of her finger.] You don't know shit about me, you asshole! Don't you ever fucking pretend like you do!

[themightykamina]

[He doesn't retreat as she descends on him, a murderous look on her face. He probably deserves that. He usually deserves that, and he can admit it. And besides, even if he didn't, Kamina never backs down. He doesn't move, not even as she jabs a finger straight into his face, barely missing him. But then, he isn't just gonna stand there and take it, either, and his eyes darken progressively as she finally stops to take a breath. For once, she's the one yelling, not him. His voice is firm, but it's actually pretty low.]

You're right! You're right. I don't know anything about where you came from or your life or why the hell you're always on my case. But you don't know the first thing about me, either! That war you like making fun of? People are dying for no good reason. My bro? His parents are dead, and they didn't do anything but stay underground and behave like good humans. I'm fighting, we're fighting, because people are dying. I know you think I'm just some dumbass loudmouth, but up there? I'm dead. I fought, and I died, and now I'm here, so if I wanna believe in a better future, in getting the hell out of here, in a little damn sunlight, what's so wrong with that???

[He's almost yelling by the end, and it isn't until he finishes that he realizes what he's said. What he couldn't say. He's dead. He should be dead. And instead, he's here.]

[bekommen]

[Nick's never known war except from metaphor, news reports of foreign lands, and history class lectures. The only person she's ever really known who died was her father, when she was eight years old, and it was a defining moment in her life - catastrophic, even - but it was an isolated one. She's had brushes with death twice now - once in Stanley Park, the other here, when she was buried alive. She grew up poor and struggled through most of her days, and she never considered herself lucky until this moment, hearing this frustrated outburst from him. The shock of it is enough to stun her into silence, dry up the rest of her angry words in throat before they have time to tumble out of her mouth.]

What do you mean, you're dead? [She's quieter this time, hands hanging limp at her sides.]

[themightykamina]

[Survival has always been hard. He's been on his own since he was a child, living on the outskirts of Jiiha. The Chief cared for him as much as he could, but he had a village to run. He didn't have time for a half-wild boy with stupid dreams of a surface that probably didn't exist. Maybe there's a part of him that knows the facade was necessary, the brash loudmouth who never gives up, hiding the scared, lonely little boy inside. He'd been terrified of dying without meaning, dying underground. But then he'd met Simon, and they'd made it to the surface. He'd found his father's remains, found a cause, found a whole army of strangers following him, and dying...dying wasn't so scary anymore. He would be happy to go out fighting, to die for the cause. He just...didn't expect there to be anything after.]

I told you I got stabbed.

[Now he turns around wordlessly, showing her his back. The blue flames at his lower back are marred by pink scar tissue, a long, ragged weal running along his spine. As he turns back around to face her, it's easy to see that the scar on his back is just an exit wound for the scar on his stomach.]

This isn't the kind of thing you walk away from. I know I didn't. I died, right there on the deck of that stupid ship, piloting Gurren. I died, and now Simon's gotta keep going without me. He's just a kid, and I'm dead, and I'm stuck here, wherever the hell here is.

[bekommen]

Shit.

[Nick claps a hand over her mouth as she takes an actual good look at the scar, front and back, and lets the weight of what he's said finally sink in. She may be fundamentally angry and frequently mean, but she isn't heartless, as much as she pretends to be, as much as she wishes it were true. Here's a guy who died and left someone important behind. She's not unsympathetic.]

Sorry ... I didn't know.

[The words sound stupid once they're out of her mouth, so stupid. Of course she didn't know; she's done nothing but hassle this guy from day one, because - why? He's irritating? That's not a strong enough argument for how she'd treated him, and she knows it.]

Look - I'll leave you alone, OK?

[She turns to leave, this time wearing a pained expression. She hasn't seen a mirror of her own, but maybe she doesn't need one to see this reflection of herself. Maybe she's more of a monster than she ever thought.]

[themightykamina]

[He'd thought the look on her face might be satisfying. He was wrong. Instead of feeling vindicated, he just feels tired. Tired and empty in ways he can't ever let people see. But then she turns, and there's still that spark in him that can't let someone else get the last word, that can't let someone walk away discouraged. So he doesn't think. He just reaches out, not grabbing her, just...touching. His fingers don't do more than brush her hand.]

Nick--look, I'm shit at this. Let's just...start over, okay? Whether I'm dead or not, I don't wanna be here any more than you. Can we just...Not?

[bekommen]

[It's a gentle touch, but it still hurts like hell. People don't touch her, not like this (why should they; she's a monster). It stops her dead in her tracks, frozen, flinching like she's expecting a slap next. Being slapped would be easier to bear, actually.]

Don't ... don't touch me.

[She doesn't sound angry, just defeated.]

Yeah. Sure. Not. Like I said, I'll leave you alone.

[themightykamina]

[He doesn't hit her. Not because he'd never hit a girl (he probably wouldn't), but because she hasn't done anything wrong, not really. But she tells him not to touch her, and so he pulls his hand back, fingers closing on air. Shaking his head, he sighs: not in defeat, really, just resignation.]

Do what you want. Just...I'm not the bad guy down here, okay? Remember that. I just want all of us to get outta here. Even you.

[bekommen]

Yeah ... sure. Whatever you say, man.

[Her words sound hollow, like how she feels inside. She'd laugh, but it's not really funny, and laughing feels like it would take too much effort anyway, so she doesn't. She can't even bring herself to look at him now. He shouldn't want to help her, and maybe this is where she belongs. Shoulders hunched, arms wrapped around herself, she turns again to leave.]

[themightykamina]

[She turns around again to leave, and this time he lets her. What can he say? She drives him crazy, and she can get downright mean, but she's not bad, and he doesn't really mind a little arguing, it keeps him sharp. But this is different. Different enough that for once, he doesn't have any words at all. So he lets her go and just watches, silent, mirror held loosely in one hand.]