Event Log: The Hope of a Child

[hadrielmods]

Who: All characters participating in the event
What: The event log for the The Hope of a Child event
Where: All over the city!
When: January 23rd-Feb 1st
Warnings: Youths

By now, the gods have probably done enough weird crap to you while you're asleep for you to be a little suspicious- but it's not like you can just not sleep, especially when there are a few supernatural forces making your eyes droopy and your body feel heavy.

And now, when you fall asleep, you'll wake up somewhere else and you'll likely have quite a different temperament- you'll be younger, maybe a little more naive and innocent, and you won't exactly remember all the wild stuff that's happened to your adult self. Maybe now you'll be a little more trusting and emotional, hm? The gods could definitely use a little boost in power, and what better way to do it than to harness the power of overemotional kiddos!

Or maybe you aren't affected at all and find yourself surrounded by youths. What are you going to do when your best friend doesn't know how to cook for themselves? Or your bitter rival is throwing a temper tantrum because they broke their favorite toy? Nobody asked for this kind of responsibility, but think about what would happen if nobody was around to take care of these babies...

► This log covers January 23rd-Feb 1st.
► 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 trip over a kid and die, please let us know here.

Comments

one/ when your dreams come alive you're unstoppable ( OPEN )

[odinbolt]

( There are children here, this she knows, but...

Surely there weren't so many of them before. She definitely doesn't remember that. Serah frowns as she watches kids wind their way through the streets, pausing in her walk through the city to try and figure out where they all came from-

Wait. Did that one look familiar? Almost like someone she met before...

Which, unfortunately, may have to wait, as she gets knocked by a passing child, running without watching where they're going. )

Hey—! Watch it! You'll hurt yourself!

( NNNGH. Yes, that's an annoyed exhale. Kids. She loves them, but— )

[redwinekindofgirl]

[The child who happened to run into Serah passes as a blonde blur in denim dungarees and brightly-coloured sneakers. She gasps in as Serah shouts after her and hops slightly on one foot as she turns around with her mouth open in a small 'o' of surprise.]

Sorry!

[Around the age of ten, at least she has the good manners to apologise.]

I'm.. just looking for my mom.

[odinbolt]

( Oh dear.

There's no way this ends well, is there? Serah presses her lips together for a moment, bringing her hand close to her mouth. Hmm. )

You just got here, huh?

( Maybe it's best to be gentle about this. )

[redwinekindofgirl]

I... guess?

[She twirls the end of a lock of hair around her finger, frowning up at the woman. Nice hair, lady.]

I was in the car with mom and dad. Maybe I fell asleep..? Then I was here.

[odinbolt]

( She remembers when Noel explained how he came to New Bodhum, and what needed to be done. It all sounded crazy. She remember how, though she wanted to believe, it all sounded like too much. Gadot had scoffed at all of it, and that was entirely understandable. She remembers three years of wanting someone to believe her about Lightning's disappearance, and how grateful she was that Snow believed her.

She wonders what kind of reaction she's going to get when she explains this. )

I'm not sure why, but this place can transport people to it. I know it sounds strange, but it happened to me, too.

( It's a start, at least. )

[redwinekindofgirl]

[The young girl scoffs, but she doesn't look sure. Her fingers clench and unclench by her sides and she looks around with fresh wariness in her eyes.]

That's... not possible.

[Julie, coming from a world rooted so much in 'reality' and 'science' (even with the zombies) will need more than someone's word to convince her that some kind of magic brought her here.]

... I thought I was dreaming, but...

[She holds her arm out. She's already pinched her forearm hard enough to make it bleed.] I can't make myself wake up.

[paragonbrosca]

[A little redheaded girl with a face-brand and stained, threadbare clothing freezes in place upon realizing she's being addressed. She was obviously hoping to avoid detection, and the belt pouch in one hand might have something to do with it. Her eyes wide, she does the thing that first comes to mind and runs.]

[odinbolt]

( Oh no you don't. Not this, again. This isn't the first kid who's run off suspiciously from her in her life and it won't be the last, probably.

Maybe.

Teacher problems, you know? )

Wait up!

( Kids indeed. And where did this one go? Serah glances around at the end of a street, buildings either side. She just missed seeing where the girl ducked into, but there's only so many places she could be hiding, right? )

[paragonbrosca]

[The little dwarf girl is nowhere to be seen, at least initially, but there's a muted rustle from inside a dumpster as Aren huddles up. She bites her lip, heart racing. The woman's probably going to beat her or call the guards, nevermind that the coins she 'found' came from someone who could definitely afford to lose them.]

[odinbolt]

( Maybe... that noise was just an animal? Serah pauses, waiting to see if anything scurries out, wondering if there even are animals here. She hasn't seen any stray cats or anything in the weeks since she arrived. So, when nothing pushes its way out of the dumpster, Serah makes her way over and raps her knuckles on the lid before she pushes it open with a grunt.

What, she's tiny and they're heavy. )

Found you. ( The relief is palpable in her voice, across her face when she smiles. ) Now, why don't you tell me what were you running from?

[paragonbrosca]

[The small girl recoils as the lid is pushed open, eyes wide. For a moment, she doesn't know what to say, but survival mode prevents her from freezing up for too long.]

I was hungry, okay? So I took something for food. Don't tell the guards, they'll beat me.

[All true, more or less, but Aren's not stupid. She'll gladly play up the poor urchin angle if it means the older girl will go easier on her. Pity isn't usually on her side -dwarves of Orzammar have very little to spare- but humans are different, right?]

[knockthemdead]

[This one gives her an annoyed exhale right back in return, then raises an eyebrow.]

Sorry.

[He doesn't sound sorry.]

But I won't get hurt. I know how to run.

[odinbolt]

( HMPH. Well, thankfully Serah learned how to handle kids from Lightning. Hence the nickname Meanie Miss Farron. Is she really that strict?

Judging by the glower on her face and the folded arms... maybe. )

Well, just because you know how to run doesn't mean you won't get hurt. ( Not with all these buildings that are in varying states of disrepair, or the peak heat during the day. )

[knockthemdead]

[Kravitz seems determined to give her stubbornness a run for it's money. He crosses his arms too, a tiny mirror of her, and frowns up at Serah.]

Yes it does. I'm not an idiot. I'm not going to touch something that looks dangerous. Anyway, you're not my mom.

[odinbolt]

( That would be adorable if she wasn't so concerned about kids wandering around in the rubble and ruin of this city. )

It isn't just touching. ( Hmph. ) Do you have water?

sorry no kid icons whoops

[knifecollecting]

[Jo stops as Serah calls out, turning on her heel to look up at the woman. ]

Sorry, ma'am! [What a weird hair color...]

it's all good

[odinbolt]

( What's weird about her hair? And- )

Wait, where are you going?

( Children. You can't just run off in a city like this gosh. What if you end up running into monsters? )

<3

[knifecollecting]

[It's pink. Jo doesn't like it.]

Over there. [She points to another half-ruined store down the street.]

[odinbolt]

( Wow Jo a girl can't help being born this way. And as for that place... It looks like it could be more than a little dangerous. )

Alright. I'll come too.

( Smile smile. Let's shop together, kid. )

[seekingmyfortune]

[This passing kid is not exactly a kid but a teenager in a hurry (or feeling for change in pockets). He stops though when she calls out and turns around.]

Whoops, sorry about that.

[He adjusts his bag a little before walking over, holding out a hand.]

Here, you need some help?

[odinbolt]

( Still young enough to seem like a kid, if only slightly less so than the others. At least all these kids seem to have manners, and this one even offers to help, which is enough to get a smile. )

Thank you, but I'm okay. ( She's carrying a few things, bits and pieces she's scavenged from shops to make her house a little bit better looking. But it's fine. ) Say, what's your name?

[seekingmyfortune]

[He at least knows how to put some charm on. It usually helps when talking to a pretty girl.]

You sure?

[Sam drops his hand when it's not needed, kneeling down to help pick up anything that might have dropped instead.]

Me? I'm Sam. What about you? You just wake up here too?

[odinbolt]

I'm sure.

( She doesn't stop him trying to pick anything up, though. )

Serah. ( And then a shake of her head. ) Not today, more like... a couple of weeks ago, I guess.

( This place doesn't exactly have a calendar system that she's discovered yet, so Serah's been trying to keep track of it with her phone and her brain instead. )

[lowkeycrazy]

[This particular child won't be familiar to Serah, at least. As for why he's running? Well... it's been awhile since he actually felt like it? He's not alone in this world because there are kind people to help him, at least for the moment— and he actually feels some degree of freedom.]

O-oh!

[His face does turn quite red, however, when he's scolded for his recklessness. He really should be more careful.]

S-sorry...

[odinbolt]

( Many aren't. She has a lot of new friends to make, here. But that's besides the point for the moment. At least this kid seems sorry about it all, and Serah's expression softens a little. )

That's alright. But this place is dangerous. You should take care.

( It seems a little superfluous to say, judging by the kid's expression, but all the same. )

What's your name?