hadriel_logs | Event Post: Everyone Chill

Entry tags:

Event Post: Everyone Chill

Who: Everyone participating in the event!
What: The event log for Tranquility's resurrection event!
Where: All around the city
When: December 27th-January 7th
Warnings: Absolutely nothing creepy or weird at all.

The revival of Tranquility on December 27th marks a vast - if temporary, and actually completely fake - change to the city. Upon awakening that morning, the inhabitants of Hadriel will find the city changed from its usual broken-down dour cave self into a sparkling, clean, delightful island city. Instead of being surrounded by hard stone walls, the city is surrounded by warm ocean waters and soft white sand beaches.

Gentle waves lap at the shore, the sky overhead is perfect, wide and open. The spires have been replaced by shining skyscrapers, the roads are clear of rubble and paved neatly. The stores are quaint, windows no longer broken, and the items inside have changed too. Instead of simple canned goods and strange clothing, you might find delicate pastries, cool drinks, fresh fruit, and flowy summer clothes to match the city. How nice! How calming, really. Didn't everyone need a vacation? So throw on some flip-flops, grab one of the mopeds that have been provided, and enjoy yourselves!

As the days go on, though, you might notice one or two odd things. Maybe the pretty sun hat you picked up looked, for just a moment, like a grubby old baseball cap instead. Maybe that beach ball is a little heavier than it should be. Maybe the shining wall of that skyscraper feels more like stone than glass. Maybe - just for an instant - the sky above was solid rock instead of the gentle, calming hues of the sunset.

While there is a mild compulsion toward calmness and tranquility, towards accepting the city for exactly what it seems to be, that can be ignored - and the illusion can be broken, if you choose to try. But do you really want to? Isn't that croissant much nicer than yet another can of beans? Wouldn't you rather relax at the beach than run around, trying to convince all your friends that this is just the gods getting inside their heads again in an even more creepy and all-encompassing way than usual?

Come on. Don't be a buzzkill.

► This log covers December 27th-January 7th.
► 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!
► If you chill out so much you end up dead, please let us know here.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

1. Take Me Back to See that Sky

There was something very wrong about this sudden change of surroundings.

Logically, Glacius knew it. He knew there was absolutely no way that the gods had decided to release their prisoners, that instead it was much more likely that they were using their powers to trick the minds of those trapped into the city into seeing this bright and sunny new land. It should have been unsettling... and on some subconscious levels, it was. But after months of being trapped in a dark, decrepit cave, it was also a profound relief to see the sun and the sky again... so much that the ice alien was willing to buy into their new surroundings for the time being. He was even willing to take a long walk around this sparkling new utopia that had been planted into their heads, despite how the bright sun and warm temperatures were even harder on him than the environment of the cave had been. He was guessing that this might be an idyllic habitat for humans, but he could do with it being much colder--and being filled with far more snow and ice before he would even consider calling it a paradise!

Nonetheless, his natural curiosity drove him to explore, to take in everything about an environment that he'd never really seen before. Eventually the otherworldly being ended up at the beach... and though he certainly wasn't one to sunbathe, those vast open waters promised one of the best ways to get a respite from the heat. The ice alien spent a lot of his days there; sometimes he simply lounged in the shallows where he could idly watch all of the other inhabitants of Hadriel do whatever it was they did for relaxation while he cooled off. Other times he moved further out and merged with the waters--either completely, or with only his head and neck formed, making him look like some bizarre sea serpent. Either way it's not hard to flag him down, whether it's to introduce him to the concept of fun in the sun, or to request his assistance with some matter or another.

2. Left with Nothing but a Memory

Of course, Glacius could only exist in this illusion for so long. Though he'd been willing at first, so happy for the fresh air and the open sky, he'd known all along that this couldn't be--he knew that he couldn't keep living in a false reality, as refreshing as the change had been. And so the god's sway over his mind began to slip, cracks beginning to form in the illusion they'd constructed as the days passed by. At first it had just been little glimpses into the true world here and there, a fleeting vision of a beaten street or a solid stone wall, but it was enough that he knew: Hadriel was still there, and he was still just as much a prisoner as he'd ever been.

Things feel apart more quickly from there on out, and the ice alien found himself wandering down to the edge of the island every night to look up at the open sky. A sea of black, dotted with countless shining stars; gazing up into its endless depths didn't just make him feel freer, it made him feel closer to his people and to his world--to everything he'd known. It was going to be hard to lose all of that, so for now he was going to drink in as much of it as he could. He sat out in the dark of every night, the light from the celestial bodies reflecting off of his glimmering icy skin as he breathed deeply and honored all of the things that would soon be gone without a trace. At times, he's completely lost to his thoughts; at others he seems to actually be seeking someone to share the memories with, as a way to try and keep them alive, as he actually speaks to those that occasionally walk by.

"Look at it all, so bright and vivid, shining as though it had never been taken from us. Possibilities as endless as the stars, true freedom... words fall short. Yet still I would like to try. I've seen so much, and soon will have so little of that left... perhaps in this way it can endure."

[Someone else is enjoying the wide open skies as well, and as Glacius is relaxing on the beach, Fareeha pops her jets and tears over the sand above him. She wasn't capable of reaching the height of the usual cave-ceilings, but there was always an oppressiveness of it. It was so freeing to flie against an open sky once more, enough that for the moment she's willing to ignore the flutter of suspicion settled in her stomach. She's needed this.]

[She settles back on the sand to let her jets recharge, standing tall and looking out over the waves with a truly grateful expression.]

beach; i put myself to bed just halfway through the party

Finally.

Sans has been fairly straightforward regarding his support of Tranquility, and it's finally paying off. A few days to unwind and relax, and he can finally sleep uninterrupted by people who figure they got a big ol' spontaneous problem with nappers.

For the first few days, Sans simply sleeps. He enjoys the sun's rays, listens to the soft lapping of water up against the sand. He don't look too hard at any of it and keeps his sockets shuttered at contented half-mast.

moped; the end result of my own reckless impulsivity

[What's that? You hear a noise in the distance? 'Course you do. One of those mopeds is puttering merrily along, painted a striking shade of lime green, and - hang on, is it being operated by a skeleton? And is he asleep at the wheel?

There he go.]

stores; and the crumbling infrastructure no one else can see

[He figures it out pretty quick. Only takes a few days before he picks up on the flickers in the corners of his vision, the drab backdrop of the cave spilling back into his awareness piece by piece. It ain't real tranquility, ain't a real vacation at all, nah - it's the illusion of one.

He ain't never been a guy to pretend he's had an inch of control over his own life. He watches the dreamlike quality come away in pieces, and his smile don't fade. Maybe it ain't real relaxed, not to the extent it was before, but maybe that don't matter. He spends the rest of the time huntin' around in the stores, the ones he can see for real now with their dilapidated fronts and crumbling foundations, for somethin' important, and don't mention to anyone what it could be.

Everyone else is happy, after all. And hey, maybe it's just him.

Wouldn't be the first time.]

night; could you spare a sec to talk to me?

As the sun dips lower and lower along the horizon, Sans settles down along the edge of the beach with a telescope. It took some serious snoopin' about to find one that still worked, but he scored it well enough. It ain't anything fancy, not like those shiny, pricey ones he knows you can get on the surface. But the lens ain't cracked, and that's the important part.

For once, Sans don't spend the night asleep. It might not be real, not an inch of it, but the velvety black night sky looks real, and it's the closest thing to the real sky he's liable to get a peek at. Ain't like there's one waiting for him back home.

And the stars really do look lovely tonight.

Unlike Glacius, whose natural curiosity led him to explore the new world around them, Carlisle spent the first few days refusing to leave the apartment. It had taken nearly half a day just to talk himself into leaving his own room. He'd been overwhelmed the instant he discovered everything outside had changed, though some of it had been for the better: the cavern ceiling had been replaced with a gorgeous sky, the roads cleared of the debris that so often lined them. It looked so safe, so serene.

And then there were the buildings. Overnight, they'd been transformed from the towering spirals, which were already intimidating in their structure, into even taller monstrosities that reached so high into the sky that Carlisle could hardly comprehend what he was seeing. As someone who'd spent his entire life in a small village and the surrounding areas, he'd never seen structures so imposing, save for the Tranquility -- that was a thought that brought him no comfort at all.

So he'd covered his window and stayed in his room, only exiting for brief periods when Glacius, who had noticed his anxious behavior, managed to coax him out. Even then, it was a monumental effort, and one with only limited results. There was a beach out there, reportedly -- Carlisle had never seen one of those, nor cared to see one. Despite living near a river, he was, at best, a very poor swimmer who didn't so much as swim as flounder and panic over the water and everything in it possibly trying to kill him.

But Glacius seemed so enamored with the water, and while he was out, that meant Carlisle was alone with his own thoughts -- also his pet, but mostly thoughts. He thought about Chris, who had vanished, returning home to his monster-filled mountain and deceased friends. He thought of Miriam, whom he'd discovered had also gone missing: he went over one day, and found her place empty, her name missing from his communicator, the bottles he'd given her gathering dust on the shelves. He knew well enough what that meant.

How long would it be, then? Would he be next? Or was he damned to remain torn from his world, his few friends he'd managed to make vanishing one by one? Would Glacius simply leave one day and not come back?

And that thought on its own was enough to finally get him to brave the city. Despite knowing it had to be an illusion of some sort, crossing the threshold of the doorway into the street was frightening all the same, the former spires looming above him -- the one he was leaving included. He could do this, he reminded himself. It was all a trick of the mind, as everything in the city was (save for the monsters, which were very much real). Nothing had changed.

In good news, all the self-reassurance he could muster managed to get him to one of the stores where, despite his earlier thoughts that nothing had changed, everything had seemingly changed. The clothing had been replaced with bright, colorful numbers meant for a day of fun in the sun, and bottles of concoctions he didn't quite recognize lined the walls. He had to admit that something labeled "sunblock" did sound promising. If only there was a "building block" formula.

Deciding that trying to find Glacius when the city was so different and he was so painfully inadequate at dealing with his anxiety over something as stupid as scary tall buildings was a futile effort, he turned to his communicator, thanking his goddess that Glacius' name was still listed within it.

"I'll have you know I did manage to leave the apartment today."

It hadn't taken Glacius long to realize that his human friend was distressed by the sudden change in their surroundings, but it had taken him some time to figure out what, exactly, to do about that. At first he had tried to coax the clergyman out of their shared living space, thinking that maybe exposure to the new scenery would help him adjust, but it became clear that whatever good each attempt was doing was being overwhelmed by the added anxiety of being out in a bright, strange new place. So the ice alien had ultimately decided to stop trying to force it. He didn't want to cause his friend undue stress, and he was more than capable of bringing various supplies back at the end of each day for them. When Carlisle was ready, he would venture out--or at least that was what the galactic marshal was hoping for.

Those hopes were finally being realized, now, as Glacius took a break from the ocean to go check his communicator, which he'd left further up the gentle slopes of the sandy dunes with a towel--something Emily had showed him, a very convenient trick for keeping his poor cold body off of the hot sand--and some other supplies. It was good timing; the small device began buzzing right as he strolled up to it, and he picked it up and smiled when he heard that familiar voice. Despite knowing this was all some grand trick the ice alien was in good spirits... he had the sky and the fresh air and new things to occupy his mind, and now one of the people he wanted to share all of that with most was finally making strides to come see it all.

"Oh? Good, good. And how is the intrepid explorer finding everything today?"

"I made it to one of the stores."

And that was a feat for him, all things considered. He might even scavenge a few of the establishments later for supplies, granted he ever managed to leave the apartment again -- or got back to it at all. He wasn't so sure he'd accomplish even that much.

"Ah, yes! Everything in them is much better quality, now... or, it seems to be," Glacius corrects himself, not wanting to allow himself to buy into any of this too deeply, despite how he was enjoying it. "If you find anything to your liking, feel free to bring it back to the apartment. Ah... will you be going back to the apartment, afterwards..?"

Despite the fact that he's almost entirely certain Carlisle has already decided this has been enough excitement for one day, he can't help the slight twinge of hope to his voice. He's been enjoying sharing in fun new things that they aren't usually afforded in the city--even though they're still in the city--with all of his friends. He'd like to get a chance to do some of that with the clergyman, too.

There's hesitation on Carlisle's end. He can tell Glacius anything, he reminds himself. The alien is his most trusted friend in the city... especially now that Chris and Miriam are gone. The former would have reassured him that there are plenty of things to be afraid of, but this illusion is likely not one of them; the latter would have told him he was fun, but would be more fun if he tried new things every once in a while.

And what would Glacius tell him? He's sure he already knows, given that tone in the icy giant's voice, and the way he's taken to the changes in the city, exploring them while he has the chance. Carlisle hasn't that kind of bravery on his own, and he knows it.

"I, er. Of course I'll go back afterwards," he reassures through the communicator, though after what, he's not sure yet. "I'm just, um."

Trying not to panic. Attempting to cobble his nerves into something that even vaguely resembles a working human being. Wondering if it'd be less embarrassing if he called Kate to come pick him up.

The answer to that last one is a resounding no. "Just taking a break. The stairs do wear me out."

"Oh... well, alright," Glacius responds, fighting to keep the disappointment out of his voice. "There's no cause to push yourself too much in one day. I just... want you to be comfortable."

He'd been hoping so strongly that this first step that Carlisle had taken on his own would be the gateway to further adventures together, but that still doesn't seem to be the case... and he's never been the sort of creature to put his own wants before the needs of others. If they can't spend time together out trying new things, then they at least have good old stand-byes to resort to. Glacius doesn't want Carlisle to feel like any of that is second-rate, because even though the novelty of all these changes are enjoyable, the stability and comfort of their routines is something he wouldn't trade for anything. "I'll tell you what. I've been out here for awhile... I'll make my way to the stores, and then we can go back together, so that you don't have to worry about any of this or wear yourself out further."

( when you're looking for it )
( The thing about demons attacking, about all the chaos from last month, about rerunning first aid classes? They've all been great reasons to keep Kate busy. To stop her from thinking about anything but making sure the clinic isn't a mess, that lessons are being delivered and she's being useful.

That she's doing anything but letting herself linger on thoughts of things that cannot be changed.

The first thing that's noticed is the sky, the fact that there is one at all, that it's painted in all the rich hues of sunset - nearly as good as a sunrise, so she'll take it, accept it for now, because she's wanted the sky since she got here, nine months ago, and it's finally here. The world feels a little more right, again. Then it's the way all the buildings are whole again, that the streets are clean, that she doesn't have to jump derelict structures to hop her way across to get from the clinic to anywhere else. Saltwater tinges the air, sticks in her nostrils, but never quite in the same way that she remembers it doing at beach towns.

It's nothing she can pinpoint, but it's-

Off.

Off like the way the clinic's in order, the quietness, the way her shoulders unwind for the first time in weeks. As if everything's too good to be true.

She shakes her head as she sits on the steps of the clinic front door, leaning against the doorframe heavily, eyes struggling to stay open.

Who knew feeling relaxed would make a girl so tired?

Maybe just five minutes napping, then. )

( wait did you see my legs just now? )
( Okay, but most of the clothes in her wardrobe are not really going to work for a beach. Aren't going to work with the warmth of this place, whether it's real or not (and should she try and see the truth beyond these visions, try to remember where they really are?), so-

"Shopping" it is, then.

It's been too long since Kate's thumbed the racks of a shop and not found the majority of things a mess, only taken out of necessity. The dresses are summarily discarded, looked over before they even get a chance, but there are shorts and breezy tops, things that would work in the perceived warmth that sinks into layers of cotton and skin each time she sets out from a building, things picked up without much thought to what goes together, other than bright colours and occasional bits of black or white.

(It's a shame this isn't real. That, occasionally, a top she picks up feels heavier than it should, or doesn't seem quite as bright and fun as it looks when she glances at it out of the corner of her eye.)

She hums to herself, fingers running over what appears to be part of a bikini, biting her lower lip in thought.

(It isn't real, is it? She knows this. Sort of. Feels it in her bones the same way she feels some undercurrent of things that are missing. Pinpointing it, however, is another thing entirely. Letting herself forget that this isn't a simple paradise isn't so easy when all she's wanted is to be free of this cave, when recent weeks have done nothing but intensify that further, bringing the itch under her skin to a state where she can do nothing but persistently distract herself in order to keep going, to stop herself getting caught up in things that can't be changed.) )

What do you think?

( The question comes out of the blue, probably, and without context, who knows whether she's referring to the bikini top between her fingers or the greater situation at hand. )

( wildcard me )

When given the option to either soothe his own nerves or cater to someone else's whims, Carlisle often chooses the former: he's not an inherently selfish man so much as someone who doesn't know how to manage his own stress well, and he's aware that he can't be of any use to others if he can hardly deal with himself. However, he can hear the disappointment in Glacius' voice, and is sure the moment the alien reaches the store that he'll see it, as well.

And more than he doesn't want to deal with his own ineptitude does he not want to disappoint Glacius -- not when he may vanish tomorrow for all they know.

He sighs, fighting with himself as he presses the button to send Glacius his location. "I... I suppose I could stay out a little longer," he says finally. "See what all the fuss is about."

"I just--I thought it might be nice for us to try something new together," Glacius attempts to explain, knowing full well that's he's been caught out. Now he feels a little bad--he knows full well this is something Carlisle doesn't want to do, and it hurts to know that his presence doesn't make a difference in that. Or maybe it does, he tries to rationalize--the nervous human probably wouldn't acquiesce in this regard to just anyone. Maybe he's thinking about it all wrong.

"How about this," the ice alien thinks aloud as he sets off towards the shops, "If you come out with me and don't feel any better after a little bit of time has passed, then we go back together. You're my friend, Carlisle, and at the end of the day what I really desire is your presence. If you make an effort for me then that is all I need."

There's definitely a part of Dorian's mind that knows this is a trick. He'd seen it often enough in Eros, been fucked with in just about every way there was to be fucked with but... well, this is nice. The beach, the water, it's been so long since he'd been on a beach, months since he's seen the night sky, even if the stars aren't the ones he knows, that for now he's just going to let himself enjoy it. The same part of his brain that knows this is a trick also knows that this isn't going to last long, which is probably why it's not fighting that feeling of contentment that seeps into his bones.

So he's wandering along, heading to the beach with a bottle of wine in hand, when he spots the sort of familiar face. The skeleton gives him pause before he remembers the conversation he'd had when the demons had attacked. So he wanders over, looking up at the gorgeous stars before bringing his attention back to the skeleton... boy? Man? How did one tell the age of a skeleton anyway?

"Sans, isn't it? Doing some stargazing?" He missed the old constellations, Ferevinal, Judex, Peraquilias, but the stars here were still nice.

"... Ah."

That comes after a pause, and even then, it's all Carlisle can think of to say in response to that. Not only is Glacius being incredibly accommodating, as always, but he so... openly wants Carlisle there with him, seeking out the same enjoyment he's found in this latest trick of the false gods.

Carlisle rubs at his talisman, conflicted. He's used to being, outside of business dealings, gernally a nuisance or a failure, especially in his own eyes. Aside from that, he's not yet accustomed to being with friends in any kind of public venue, as nearly all of his meetings -- with Chris, with Miriam, with Kate, with Emily -- were all in a more private setting. They weren't out in the open, not where the deities, either from his world or the ones who ruled the city, could see.

For Glacius to want to spend this time with him, where anyone might see them together and assume they are friends of some sort, is both terrifying and... undeniable appealing. It's an opportunity afforded to other people, but not a twice-cursed like himself. Certainly not one who is also clergy and the heir of a once-prominent, now-dying line.

So by the time Glacius arrives, he might be looking marginally happier about the whole thing, despite the fact that he's just kind of hiding behind the counter where he can't see the windows.

'Course, he expected full well that someone'd happen along at some point. Just makes sense, y'know? Too many people here are night owls, and eventually, someone would take notice of the skeleton with a telescope set up on the edge of the nonexistent shore.

He must look pretty stupid, watchin' a patch of cave ceiling. But he always could pull of a sight gag damn near seamlessly.

Sans glances over at the fella whose face is - vaguely familiar, yeah. He's good with names and faces, so it only takes him a second to sort through the people he's spoken to in the past few months.

"Heya. Dorian, yeah?" He nods, grinning lazily. "Yeah, just figured I'd see the sights. Closest I'll get to the real thing."

Alright, so Glacius' form is far more interesting than an ageless Elf's. Just what species would you call that, anyway? It's been an interesting week already. Actually, things have been pretty interesting since he got here. Still, this is one more curiousity to add to his list. He wanders up to the man to start a conversation, but it would appear the ice-man speaks first. Sounds like he has quite the story on his shoulders. Alright, he'll bite. He's all about hearing what other people's backgrounds are, so long as it's interesting.

"It certainly is beautiful," Yukari answers, looking up at the sky himself. "Nothing at all like those damp caves."

Yukari hasn't been particularly been disillusioned yet, mostly because he's satisfied to just let things play out however they may, and partially due to the fact that he isn't familiar with the functions of this world yet.

"I'd like to hear what you have to say. Tell me more about this true freedom, what you've seen, and perhaps how it will endure."

I. let's get some shoes;

[ When Rose awoke to the light of the sun on her face, she immediately knew something was wrong. The blond jolted up out of bed and dashed to get a better view. The first thing she notices is how bright everything is though that's likely because of the change of their own abode. She's now leaning out the window of a gleaming skyscraper instead of a spire, for one. ]

Woah... [ comes the hushed whisper as she grins out towards the horizon.

It's wrong. It's not real. She can tell that from the way the ocean is in her yet she can't quite smell it but- The woman finds she doesn't care enough to dispute it. In fact, she embraces it. She's out in a flash to explore their newfound surroundings. She even picks up a a new outfit along the way, shades and flip flops and all. She hums a little diddy as she strolls along.

There's a hint of scars along the top of her back that's exposed. Usually, she'd be trying to cover them but today she just feels so... blase about it. When was the last time she'd let the sun kiss her skin? She's alright with nearly everything, actually, and she wants to relish in this feeling of tranquility for as long as it lasts. It's been far, far too long since she'd last thought everything would be alright.

Even if it's fake. Even if it'll go away. Even if it's only the calm before the storm. She... She can't help but want to lie to herself just for a little a while longer. ]

II. now for our regularly scheduled beach episode filler;

[ Rose might as well go all out if she's gonna get wrapped up in this false new setting they've all found themselves in. That means she is one hundred percent hitting the beach. She even found the cutest swimsuit.

Not that she's planning to go swimming in it. No, there's still that unfortunate fear on the fringes of her mind when she watches the waves too long. A burning in her lungs and ache in her neck starts to appear if she hangs too close to the water's shore. Instead, she's taken to making the best sandcastle she possibly can. ]

Hey, can you hand me that bucket over there? I gotta finish this part real fast or else it might fall.

[ Help a lady out! ]

III. let's sit around the campfire and sing our campfire song

[ Rose watches the sunset at the beach, already adorned in yet another bit of summer fashion. There's a bittersweetness to the stars that begin to dot the sky. She can't help but think of Peter Quill and hopes he's out there - with Maya, maybe - traversing the galaxy like he's supposed to be. She hopes all her friends are where they're meant to be. Most days she doesn't entertain the idea that they're anywhere but stuck in cold storage back in Haven, yet... Right now? Right now, she just wants to believe that they're alright. Just like she wants to believe that she'll be alright.

As darkness starts to settle in, Rose takes to building a bonfire on the sand. The light that sparks causes a shine in her eyes that might be recognizable to anyone that has owned pets. It's one of the few things regarding her true nature that her glamour doesn't have the ability to hide.

Once the fire is all said and done, she settles in with her guitar. She hasn't had the chance to play for anyone in Hadriel yet after having her hand returned but figures now is as good a time as any. She gives a couple test strums and tunes in accordingly. Sheesh, it's been a while since she's given her poor instrument some attention... After a few moments of fidgeting with it, however, the next notes she plays at to satisfaction. A whisper of 1, 2, 3 under her breath is followed by a lighthearted tune.

Her voice follows soon after, a beautiful mezzo-soprano that carries on the evening breeze. ]

Sometimes you gotta bleed to know that you’re alive and have a soul. But it takes someone to come around to show you how. She’s the tear in my heart, I’m alive. She’s the tear in my heart, I’m on fire. She’s the tear in my heart, take me higher than I’ve ever been. The songs on the radio are okay but my taste in music is your face; and it takes a song to come around to show you how.

"...I'm just going to take that as an agreement," Glacius responds, honestly not sure what to make of that single syllable. "I'm on my way."

And so, before too long, he's there at the location the clergyman marked with their communication devices. Thanks to Carlisle's hiding spot, it takes Glacius a moment to spot him--he casts a look into the designate store first, his gaze only falling upon the clergyman when he turns in confusion. When he does see his friend, however, he's glad to note that he doesn't look completely upset over this whole prospect... he looks like he's feeling better than the alien expected, honestly. Good, he's glad. He strolls over to the counter as well, nodding towards his friend.

"Hello, Carlisle--I hope my arrival was timely enough. How are you holding up? Did you find anything interesting or exciting in here?"

i. I'll take the road that brings me home

[It's too good to be true. Frisk is almost certain that it isn't true- that it's a ruse, a trick, something to catch them off-guard, before it's ripped away forever- they just choose to ignore that.

Because the sun, the sun, real or not, soaks into their sweater and leaves them warm, almost too much so, and they have to stand there and look at it as their eyes water against the harsh glare, and the air is so, so sweet, and they've never been to the beach, never seen it beyond pictures on the television and old, old movies, but it's wonderful. They could spend forever there.

And so that's where they can be found, for the duration of the first few days. Exploring the shore, making sandcastles and collecting seashells. Following a little crab across the sand with the smallest of smiles on their face, racing towards the ocean- then racing back, before the waves can catch their feet.

It's a really good time.]

ii. Back safe eventually

There's very few things necessary for true contentment. Good company is optional, and nice when it happens- but still optional. So are laughs, when you get right down to it. But food? Food is the number one necessity.

The stores by the shore are full of all sorts of things; many of which Frisk is actually capable of recognizing. Sweets, fruits and vegetables, fresh meat and poultry; steering a shopping cart through the streets, it's obvious that Frisk has felt no hesitation in helping themself. Most of what they've collected isn't going to last very long, but that just means their roommates can enjoy a feast for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Every so often, the child takes a break in pushing their load, fingers sneaking into a plastic bag to pop a grape into their mouth.

There might not be any left by the time they get back to their apartment. That's okay.

They'll just get more.

Around the city

When Yukari wakes up that morning, a strange light seems to be flowing through his windows. He rubs the remainder of sleep from his eyes as he walks over to the window to see what the source of the light is. His sleepy expression drops into mild surprise. Nevermind the sunrise... or was it a sunset? But he swears for a moment he's woken up in a completely different city. World travel messes with your head when you're still new to the experience.

Once he manages to regain his mental footing, he finds the new scenery rather enjoyable. He decides this is ideal conditions to do just about anything, and he wanders the streets to take in the new, much-more-pleasant sights. He even hits the shops to find some new clothes for this blissfully warm weather. The food looks actually appetizing for a change. Maybe he'll cook something delightful tonight. How does a city get such a glorious makeover in one night?

"Is this a world that constantly changes on a whim?" he wonders out loud, pausing beside a passerby to see if he can find an answer to this beautiful miracle. Perhaps the world shifts every so often and he can expect something else interesting in the near future.

Beach

Much to Yukari's pleasure, he happens to find a pair swim shorts he thinks look delightful. What better way to take in this paradise than by taking in the beach itself? He'll take these and a pair of sunglasses, thank you very much. And let's not forget a towel, along with a few other beach necessities.

Once he's had time to change, he immediately takes to the beach. When was the last time he got to take a vacation like this, anyway? Well... arriving here hasn't exactly meant work either. But there's something nostalgic about being able to go to the beach. He lays his towel out in an ideal place that it won't get sprayed with water and sets his sunglasses and tote on top of it before he starts heading into the water.

A blissful sigh as the waves roll over his feet and feeling the wet sand beneath his toes. This is going to be just wonderful. Nevermind the minour glitches that appear in the system from time to time. He's just fine letting this be whatever it is. Once he's waded to where he's waist deep in the water, he looks back at the beach, observing other people. Do you know what would make this even more enjoyable?

Yukari pulls a hand-pistol squirt gun from the pocket in his swim shorts and squirts the nearest passerby with a delighted chuckle. Just a little chaos. Well, are you chicken? Come and get him!

"Only a few things," Carlisle answers sheepishly, sliding to his feet, his eyes avoiding the windows and the skyscrapers outside. "Ointments I do not recognize, and outfits that I think most would find perfectly garish."

He means the shirts, but at least he's not looking as panicked as he'd sounded over the phone. He does remember his manners, though.

"Thank you for um."

Coming to get him.

[Glacius has spent quite a bit of time looking up to the sky, drinking in not only the same sense of freedom that Fareeha is enjoying, but the tranquility in that blue expanse... so it comes as quiet the surprise when a figure shoots across it, clad in shining armor that reflects the bright sun. Even more confounding is the realization that this figure is coming to a stop not all that far away from him... warbling with shock and uncertainty, the ice alien scrambles up to his feet in the surf, gentle waves lapping at his ankles. Sunlight glints off the icy facets of his skin... the Overwatch agent isn't the only one clad in shining armor!

The ice alien stands immobile, watching and waiting for any sort of reaction from this new face... be it some sort of deman, or inquiry, or maybe even an attack. When it doesn't come, he lifts his head and tilts it slightly to one side in confusion, then clears his throat--a vocalization that makes the gelatinous covering of his gills quaver slightly, a clue to where his voice originates--and speaks up.] Ah... hello..?

"Ah, yes! I saw a great many humans wearing all sorts of bright, strange looking outfits--very different from anything I have ever seen in the city. At first I was confused, just... absolutely baffled. But then Emily and I spent some time together, and she explained things to me," Glacius recounts. He looks around briefly, then back to Carlisle as an idea strikes him. "How would you feel about picking one out? That way you can keep all of your religious vestments clean, if you ehm... if you ever do decide to one day come down to see the ocean with me."

Yes, he's still holding on to that hope. He really does want to spend some time with you, Carlisle--in a more public setting than the usual, no less! The alien scratches at the support of his still-intact mandible, hoping his request doesn't irritate the man. "And--of course. You came out this far, I didn't want you to have to... to deal with all of this own your own. Strange new lands can be very unsettling... I understand that completely."

He nods to Glacius' suggestion, still unsure of whether or not he actually will get to see the ocean. Perhaps the false gods will decide to take it away in an hour and he won't get the opportunity after all. That would probably make Glacius even more disappointed, he reminds himself.

So he peels himself away from the counter and meanders toward the clothing, not sure exactly what it is he's looking for. "I've never seen buildings so- so tall," he explains. "It makes me feel small somehow, so smaller. Like an insect."

Though not all insects are insignificant, if those that tore his father apart are an indication.

Edited 2016-12-28 02:32 (UTC)

The towering ice alien nods, watching his friend carefully separate himself from the corner and nodding encouragingly as he does so. "I can see how that would be quite the change, then. For me, it... reminds me of home, somewhat. Even the Spires back in the actual city do--that was what we called the vast, towering structures that the leaders of my people resided in. The Spire Chambers... they were built so tall that they reached above the usual cloud covering of my homeworld, allowing the Grand Councilors to catch the rays of the sun and gain their resplendent golden skin. But they were also able to harness the rays and create atmospheric optics, which they used to display messages to my people..."

Glacius trails off as he follows Carlisle, realizing that such fantastical concepts probably are not helping his anxiety--that he's probably adding more mind-boggling concepts on top of everything else he already has to deal with. "... Ehm. My apologies, Carlisle. I just get... so carried away when I think about home... so many fond memories." And that may be all he ever has left, though that's not something he wants to think about right now.

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Event Post: Everyone Chill

Glacius | OTA

1 - Beach

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I.

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night

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II. Memory

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Yukari | OTA, will match format

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