hadriel_logs | Intro Log: Rock This City

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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[God, she looks exactly the same. Her voice is the same, her smile, everything. Everything about Lup was so perfectly preserved in Lucretia's memory, as if the day Lup disappeared her mind had clamped down on even the smallest details and refused to let go, and seeing her here is like--well it's like her mind has projected an image of Lup just as she'd recalled her, untouched by time and circumstance.

But the feel of her hands is undeniably real, and her comment--something so inappropriate for the moment, but also so very Lup that there's no way Lucretia's mind could have made that up. It's her. It's really, actually, her.

The tears come faster now, but she barely even notices them as she pulls Lup into her and holds her tight.]

Lup, I-- I can't, I mean I, I don't--

[She doesn't know what to say. What can she say? She used to think that every experience could be put into words, catagorized, recorded, if you tried hard enough. But there aren't words for the immense relief she feels to be seeing Lup again, nor for all the other emotions she's trying to keep on lock for the time being, just to stay in this moment a little longer.]

I looked for you. I tried so hard.

[It's all she can think to say. It's inadequate and small and a little silly, but it's the one thing she has to make sure Lup knows.]

[Lup's just letting her fingers trace over the new lines in Lucretia's face when the other woman throws her arms around her and pulls her in tight for a hug. The action isn't completely unexpected, but the elf can't deny how startling the warmth that spreads through her chest is, the happiness at this reunion fluttering within her.

No matter what happened between them all over the last decade, she's missed Lucretia. Being back with her again just feels right. They're family, they shouldn't ever be separated. And if she has her way, they never will be again.

Lucretia clings to her and Lup's own arms slip carefully over her thin shoulders, one hand carding through the other woman's short hair, keeping her close.]

I know, babe. C'mon, you know I know. [There's so much more to be said, but Lup allows them to just be there in the moment for a few minutes longer, simply clinging to one another, Lucretia's tears falling wet on Lup's shoulder while the elf's hold doesn't let up in the slightest. Lup's been through this emotional reunion with both Barry and Taako before, she understands the need to just feel how real Lup actually is before moving on.

But when she finally does move to pull back, it's only far enough that she can meet Lucretia's eyes, a warm palm slipping back up to cup the other's cheek. She's smiling.] I may not agree with your methods, but Luce, I'm proud of you. You tried to save the world from our fuck ups.

Oh, Lup. That's--

[Lucretia shakes her head and presses her face into Lup's hand, trying not to let a fresh flood of tears start falling. She's already spent far too much of this moment blubbering. But it's...kind, what Lup said. It's far kinder than Lucretia had expected--and probably more than she deserves--but looking at Lup now, at her smile, it feels obvious that she'd react this way. Of course she would. She's Lup. Suddenly, it feels much more likely that any fears Lucretia had held about never having Lup's forgiveness were all in her head. It's hard to think that maybe, after all that time alone, she'd hardened herself so much that she'd forgotten what it was like to have people around who truly love her--what that feels like, how freeing it is.

It's much worse to think that, somehow, she'd let herself forget that Lup has always been this way: supremely brave, kind, and empathetic. That the static image of her that Lucretia had held onto had been corrupted somehow, by time--that it had been missing a vital part.

To think. If she'd never seen her again, she'd never have gotten to remember Lup, her best friend, her family, as she truly was. What an unconscionable failure that would have been. And it's that thought that makes her step back from Lup, just a little, just so she can see all of her. She takes hold of both the elf's hands and squeezes them tightly.]

I wanted to find you so badly. I thought--I really did think I could save everyone else. But...knowing that even if I did succeed, that even if everyone else did come out of it alive...the idea that I still might not have found you, was--horrible.

[That's not even the word. There are no words for that feeling. The tears threaten to come again, a lump rising up to stick in her throat, and she fights it back as best she can.]

I--I am just so glad you're here. I can't believe-- I...I don't think I've ever been happier to see anyone.

[It's vastly inappropriate given the situation, but Lucretia stumbles over her words and Lup can't help but laugh, that soft, gentle smile of hers curling into a familiar sharp grin. She leans in just to playfully bump foreheads with the other woman, her nose brushing Lucretia's just barely, before she's finally pulling away, one of her hands grasping for her friend's, lacing their fingers together like it hasn't been decades since they last were this close.

(Honestly, even with the time spent apart and the new age showing against Lucretia's face, it does feel as easy as anything. Like they'd never been apart at all.)]

As sweet as this whole reunion is, I'm thinkin' we should split before that guy over there-- [She jabs a thumb over her shoulder, right in the direction of another shambling earth elemental heading their way.] --Tries to get in on this sweet, sweet lady moment.

[Lup gives Lucretia's hand a gentle tug, guiding her forward a few steps before she's tugging harder and trying to get Lucretia to break into a run. Sure, it wouldn't take anything for the elf to blast through these creatures, especially with their combined power, but all Lup wants to do is get out of the arena so she can hug the shit out of her best friend for the first time in nearly a dozen years. As she races forward, Lup throws a look over her shoulder at Lucretia and grins, voice raised above the grunting elementals around them.]

Got some great news for you on that front though, babe! Where I came in from the timeline, you and I already had our lil' reunion. I was already freed. So as great as it is seein' this pretty face here, just know you won't be missin' out on anythin' back in your timeline too.

[Hopefully it's as much a reassurance to Lucretia as it had been to Taako and Barry. Both had come from earlier in Lup's timeline, uncertain if they'd ever find her again, so for the woman to be able to sooth some of that worry had meant everything to them. Even if they returned and forgot everything about Hadriel, finding Lup was just moments away.]

Intro Log: Rock This City

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sorry but if i have all these gay icons im going to use them