Intro Log: Rock This City

[hadrielmods]

Who: New arrivals and everyone else!
What: The intro log for January
Where: The colosseum and all around the city.
When: January 10th-14th
Warnings: New folks, rockin' dudes made of rock, and collectible friends!

This time, it's different.

There's no cave, no stone walls looming up around you and overhead, no stifling air or artificial light- not that you'd appreciate it, seeing as to how you've probably never been here before. And still, when you land facefirst on the dirt ground of the colosseum, you may not quite appreciate all the improvements and steps we've had to take to get here- after all, you're still surrounded by strangers in a crumbling city on an alien planet in the middle of nowhere.

Oh, and you're being attacked by Earth Elementals. These creatures are tall, between seven to ten feet, and made of solid rock, capable of punching through all the squishy bits of you- and for whatever reason, they definitely want to start punching. They're incredibly strong and, seeing as to how they're enchanted alive and have no internal organs, they're very difficult to kill.

But don't let that scare you off. For all the collectors in you, you can also find a very special array of beanie babies all scattered at the ground at your feet. Do you know that some of these things will be worth a lot of money someday? Better find the rarest one and stockpile it while you can! You might run into the rainbow crab, the platypus, or the sought-after bald eagle, or many more! Be sure to never take the tag off and never ever let anyone play with them so they don't lose value.

Once you've got your kids' college fund squared away, it's time to start exploring! You can explore the rest of the city! Find a house, a new monster, a project to help with, or simply scavenge for supplies. Good luck, and enjoy your stay in Hadriel!

► This log covers January 10th-14th.
► Feel free to make your own logs as well!
► All characters arrive with phones that have network communication and the newbie guide installed.
► Please put your character's name and open/closed in the subject line of your starters!

Comments

[lifetothefullest]

[He offers a small shrug at the question, which is a way of being truthful in that he's not great without having to actually say it.]

What about you? How long were you gone, for you?

[Because it was a long time for Brennan.]

[evocation]

Uh... Like a year. A little more.

[Which is weird, she knows.]

[lifetothefullest]

[A year is definitely a lot.]

That must be... Really strange, as far as your sense of time goes, now that you're back.

[evocation]

Ugh, yeah. It doesn't feel like a year, but it sort of does? It sucks, but what else is new?

[lifetothefullest]

It'd be nice if some new thing about being here didn't suck, but you know.

[Not holding out false hope and all that.]

Dr. Brennan returned too, and she has sort of the same problem you do; it's been awhile for her.

[evocation]

Wait, she did? How long was she gone?

[lifetothefullest]

About five years.

[Which is kind of ridiculous to think about, honestly.]

[evocation]

Holy shit.

[And that must mean Brennan knows how things turn out for Lance. Kyna isn't sure if she should even bring it up.]

Um... Is that weird for you?

[lifetothefullest]

A little weird, yeah. She was two years behind me at first, so now she's three years ahead.

[Or well, not exactly 'ahead', since he isn't going to catch up. And it isn't difficult to tell Kyna's hesitating to ask, so after a moment of shifting on his feet and crossing his arms subconsciously, he decides to just go ahead and say it.]

So I um... I know for sure, now.

[And the quiet tone surely makes it clear what the outcome of his situation is.]

[evocation]

Oh...

[It's certainly obvious enough what that means, and Kyna is at an utter loss for how to respond. "I'm sorry" sounds stupid and inadequate, and she's so overcome by the unfairness of it that she can't even stumble through a reply like she might normally. After a second or so, she just reaches for his hand.]

[lifetothefullest]

[He lets her take his hand, even giving a brief squeeze of reassurance and appreciation; it doesn't really matter that she can't find words--he wouldn't be able to either, in her position--because what means something to him is that she cares.]

It's okay. I'm... I'm glad I don't have to wonder.

[And now he can try to start dealing with it, for real. He isn't giving up on the possibility of finding some way around it, whether through the Door or some other way, but that's a separate thing; without knowing for sure what happened at home, he couldn't truly start accepting it. Now he can start moving forward.

And so he takes a deep breath, and tries to steer the conversation to a little less depressing a place.]

I hope your time at home went a little better?

[evocation]

Um, yeah. It was... fine.

[She can't quite focus on that now though, not after that revelation.]

Are you sure you're okay?

[lifetothefullest]

[He's glad to hear that first part, but gives a small sigh at the question; it was probably too optimistic to hope she'd allow the subject change.

He's quiet a moment after that, but then offers a genuinely honest honest.]

It was just... A lot. I'm kind of numb right now, I guess.

[The conversation with Brennan was difficult, and now he's just overwhelmed and drained all at once especially on top of everything else that's happened the last month or so. So right now he's more or less okay, but he knows he probably won't be as much once it starts sinking in.]

So I'll have to get back to you on that.

[evocation]

[She nods, giving his hand a little squeeze. She gets it—she can't even imagine how she'd process something like that, other than turning into a wreck.]

Okay. We don't have to talk about it. But, um, we can if you want. Later or... you know.

[Wow, she's fumbling, and she wrinkles her nose at herself.]

Just... if you need anything...

[lifetothefullest]

Yeah, maybe later.

[It isn't just a polite agreement, either; he really will consider it, and he knows he should take her up on the offer. It's only become more and more apparent lately that he has to start actually talking, especially if he wants to do anything meaningful--for himself or anyone else--with the time he has left. He can't keep going like he has been the last month.

He gives her a small smile, truly appreciating that she not only cares but is willing to help, and gives her hand another squeeze in return to show that she's doing fine and he really is alright for the moment.]

Thank you. It really does help, just knowing I have the option.

[And it's okay if she might be stumbling over the right words, or if she can't find the right thing to say now or later; just being able to confide in someone who isn't immediately involved in everything--because he could talk to Brennan, but he's afraid the entire subject will hurt her just as badly, but differently--means he has a choice other than dealing with everything alone. Even if he doesn't take the option, that the choice is there at all is incredibly important.]

[evocation]

Cool. Good. I mean... I'm not always great at knowing what to say or anything, but I'll try.

[It's only fair that he knows what he's going into, right?]

[lifetothefullest]

You'll do fine. Sometimes the right thing to say isn't the most important part anyway.

[Because if it were, he'd just be able to tell himself the right things and all would be better, but he can't. It, unfortunately, doesn't work that way.

But that'll be later, and he manages another smile.]

So, tell me what happened while you were at home.

[evocation]

A lot, but...

[She looks suddenly uncomfortable, pulling her hand away gently.]

I didn't remember anything about Hadriel.

[lifetothefullest]

[Her change in mood is pretty apparent and he crosses his arms again loosely, a little concerned.]

Neither did Dr. Brennan. I think that's normal.

[evocation]

Yeah, well, it's bullshit. They just drag us here and then send us back whenever they want and fuck with our memories?

[lifetothefullest]

It's definitely bullshit. I can't imagine how disorienting that would be.

[But he does have a sense of how unsettling it is to have one's memories altered, after the Stepford event. It's not great, for sure.]

[evocation]

It's just... extra shitty. I've been kidnapped to other planes or worlds or whatever before and that's never happened.

[lifetothefullest]

I wonder why it does. Is it something the Door causes on its own, or are the gods responsible?

[Because that might be important to know; Lance suddenly isn't sure if anyone's ever tried just asking.]

[evocation]

[She frowns.]

Maybe it's just something about this place? Have the gods ever mentioned it?

[lifetothefullest]

Not that I'm aware of. It's worth asking if they ever seem to return to more normalcy.

[He glances toward the pool--he needs to remember to get water, still--and then back at Kyna.]

Everything's still pretty much as you left it; you've only been gone from here a few days.