hadriel_logs | Event Log: The Hope of a Child

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Event Log: The Hope of a Child

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.

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[Lup assumes Barry's absolute awe is all because of her bomb hopscotch skills, but when he bounces and shoots her a look that the woman sees so much of his adult self in, her own smile goes wide and fond. Her memories of running around as a child may be a little fuzzy and vague, but it would be impossible to forget Barry's excitement at the spells she'd showed him earlier.]

Pick out somethin' to send flyin' then, little man! Unless you wanna float. Think you're brave enough for that?

[The lady is agreeing. Barry has never been more excited in his whole life. A real wizard is gonna show him real magic! He! Can't wait!!

He starts looking around for something she can levitate for him, before she suggests levitating him. The tiny human boy stares up at her, eyes wide as saucers, mouth gaping. His whole body seems to be vibrating with excitement. While the classic Bluejeans Nerves are certainly still present, Barry at age eight seems to be much more fearless than Barry age fourty-eight. Anxiety is apparently something you grow into.]

Can you really do that, ma'am? C-Can you make me float..?

[Lup's only answer is a grin before she's wiggling her slim fingers--completely unnecessary, but it just adds a little something to the effect--and the boy's feet are suddenly hovering just an inch over the ground. Barry may not even notice it until he looks down.]

[Barry is too busy bracing himself, fists curled tight, legs bending at the knees, watching the lady intently as she wiggles her fingers in the air. Any minute now. Any minute, and he's gonna be floating, he's gonna be flying, positively soaring through the air, just a couple seconds now, just a few mysterious magic words, and he's gonna be off the ground--

A tiny shift of his foot is enough to tip him off. Where he expects to feel sand shifting underneath his chunky boot, he just feels nothing. The boy stiffens. He glances down, both feet wiggling, meeting no resistance.

He starts squealing. Initially it's hard to tell whether he's excited or terrified.]

Higher! Higher!! Please can I go higher?? [Barry giggles, a shrill sound of nervous joy as he moves around in the air, trying - and completely failing - to control his movements and do a cool flip. Instead he just kind of wobbles, arms flailing, his little legs kicking fruitlessly.]

[Holy crap Lup's never been more happy to be Barry's wife than right this very instant. He's just so fuckin' cute. She's going to smooch the heck out of him when she sees him all adultified again.

It takes everything she has, but Lup manages to not laugh at Barry's adorable reaction, the tiny boy nearly tumbling over his own feet in his effort to do something? A flip? Goddamn. Lup's never exactly been the maternal type, but she's aching to wrap this sweet boy up and stuff him full of some homemade cookies.]

I dunno, kiddo. Only real brave kids can handle anythin' higher than this. Think you're brave enough, hun? I'm gonna need your word that you won't get all scared on me.

Y-Yeah! Yeah, I-- I'm super brave!!

[To anyone who's ever interacted with Barry J. Bluejeans, that is just a blatant lie. It's laughably obvious to anyone who's spent even a few seconds in his presence. Barry isn't made of tough stuff, never has been. He's also a terrible liar. It's written all over his face that he's making it up, trying way too hard to look tough and strong and brave where he's stuck in mid-air, shakily wobbling.

But if he has to lie a little bit in order to fly higher, he'll do it. Because this is heckin' rad.]

I promise I-I can take it! Super mega promise! Please, ma'am, I wanna go higher!

[A careful addendum:] M-Maybe not super high.

[Alright, Lup does laugh at that one, the smile curling at her lips softening just slightly before she does just as he instructed, raising Barry in the air until he's closer to eye level with her. That's still pretty far up for such a tiny kid, but if he gets too worried, she's right there to ground him.

She holds out a hand for him to take, to give Barry something sturdy to push off of while he's stuck floating in mid-air. Try and give that cool flip trick another shot, kiddo.]

Y'know, if you keep studyin' magic real hard, you can grow up to be just as bomb a wizard as I am. Got any spells under your belt yet, little man?

Edited 2018-03-05 03:51 (UTC)

[Barry squeals with frightened delight as he's lifted even higher off the ground, floating on his belly, looking down at the sand below. It is pretty high. But she's a bomb wizard! She can keep him steady and safe!

Especially with that hand extended his way, one he takes and squeezes a little harder than he'd intended. He doesn't push off of her to do more flips - he's way too high up, what if he gets queasy?? - but just holds her hand in his, shakily kicking his legs like he's swimming in the air.

Her hand feels nice. Weird.]

Y-You think so? [Barry grins, as nervous as he's excited.] Um-- not yet, but! I've been readin' a lot about cantrips. They don't sound that hard. There's one that makes a ghost hand, and one that makes a skeleton hand, [he sounds pretty enthusiastic about that one,] a-and tons more! I almost cast Light once!!

[There's no missing the way that Barry's excitement peeks through at the mention of Chill Touch, the corner of Lup's mouth twitching upwards as she holds back a laugh. It shouldn't be surprising that her husband was into necromancy even back at this young age, but it's amusing to think of this baby reanimating corpses at least four times his height.

Maybe that thought should be more morbid to the woman, but Lup just thinks it's funny.]

Oh dang. [She whistles, low and in awe.] That sounds baller, my guy. You must have some real natural talent to already be throwin' a few cantrips around.

[Without even mentioning it, Lup steps forward, dragging Barry along with her in the air, smiling back at him while she tugs his round body behind her.] What else? What spell are you most excited to learn?

[Lup starts walking, still holding his hand, and Barry just floats after her with a loud, excited giggle. His feet kick a little. It's like he's a balloon! Weird! And fun!]

Um... I-- I dunno. I've read about a lot of'em, but not every single one. That's what I'm most excited about, I think! Learning all of'em!

[Ambitious even from the start. There's not a lot of books about necromancy in his house or his school, of course, but there's no denying that he's curious. Everything he's heard about it is so exciting! And the fact that it's mysterious and forbidden makes it even more exciting.]

Th-There's a spell called Weird, isn't that cool? I wanna learn that one. And I wanna learn how t'shoot fire, a-and teleport places, and fly! Can you do those?

[Yep, this is her nerd all right. Eager to learn absolutely anything and everything all at once. It's not so surprising to Lup, who can see so much of Barry's adult self within this sweet kid, but it's a special kind of insight into his childhood that only feels fair after he'd gotten to see so much of hers earlier in the week.

She keeps walking, never once breaking stride, just to let Barry float on after her, his stumpy little legs kicking in the air behind them.]

You'll get there, little man. There's a hella ton of studyin', sure, but for folks like us, magic comes easily. We've got a knack for it.

[Huh? Is it strange that a kid is most interested in a spell that deals with calling upon someone's darkest, deepest fears? Naaah.]

Maybe. A lady doesn't give away all her secrets right at once. Didn't your mom teach you that?

[Little man. Even though it's kinda patronizing, hearing her call him that makes Barry feel really good. Like he's a lot more grown up than he looks, a lot smarter than his age would make you assume. A cool, pretty, talented, bomb-ass wizard lady thinks he's got a knack for magic.

Barry blushes.]

Th-That's okay. I l-like studyin'.

[The lady puts him in place and he immediately concedes, eyes going wide, sputtering where he's being dragged behind her like a chubby, denim-clad balloon. His mom did teach him better, and he completely forgot all about it. What kind of gentleman is he?!]

Y-Yes, ma'am, she did! I'm sorry! I'm real sorry, I-- I didn't mean t'intrude or nothin', I was just-- j-just curious!

[Barry goes red and sputters out an apology, looking so intensely flustered for a young boy floating through the air like that, that Lup turns to face him, immediately reaching for his other hand so she can drag him closer.]

I was kiddin'. You're fine, hun. It's not much of a secret when I'd tell you way too eagerly in the first place. I can do all of those and more. Evocation's my speciality, but I've got spells from all schools.

[And then a touch softer, the woman's voice lowering conspiratorially, like this was meant for Barry's ears alone.] Hey, can I tell you a secret?

[Lup takes his other hand, and Barry squeezes real tight, letting her ground him and pull him in closer. Okay, good. It was just a goof. A gag. She's not offended or anything. Phew! Gentleman status still intact!]

C-Cool! You're r-real talented, ma'am. [Nailed it.

She basically asks if he can keep a secret, and his eyes somehow go wider, his mouth drawing into a thin, serious line. Can he ever. He's a gentleman, after all, very trustworthy and a great listener! Barry nods eagerly, soft fingers squeezing as he holds on. He needs to stay close for this.] Yeah, o-okay. I promise I won't tell anybody.

[What a little gentleman. Angus could really learn something from him!

The boy nods, squeezing her hands softly with his plump little fingers, and Lup leans in, grinning as her voice lowers down to as close to a whisper as she's capable of.] I know you. The grown up you. I'm from the future.

[Excuse! Angus is his gentleman-in-training role model! A handsome boy in such fancy clothes? He must be a gentleman!

The woman starts whispering, and even though Barry strains to hear her, he's sure he must be mistaken. Th-The future? The boy's eyes go wide, his little mouth dropping open. That sounds like his fantasy stories! People from the future! It must be true, because Angus said they're on an alien planet, and that also only happens in his fantasy stories.

Barry is having the best week ever.] That's--! Th-That’s so cool! Um--! Am I a w-wizard when I grow up? Am I cool?? How do you know me?

[Another huge gasp, his round little body shivering with excitement in the air.] Are you really th-the elf girl I played tag with..? [The one who kissed him..???]

Edited 2018-04-13 21:41 (UTC)

[So. Worth it.

Barry looks like he may pass out from how excitedly his little body is trembling, but Lup just can't help herself. These reactions are kind of priceless. Gods, she loves him with her whole heart.]

Yep, that was me. This place is way too small for two elves named Lup. As for you in the future, you're one of the most accomplished wizards to ever live. And def cool. Like, in the top five coolest folks I know.

[Barry will always be a little behind Lup and Taako, but c'mon, she's a little biased. He's absolutely third on the list, no matter how much her brother might argue.]

And how do I know? Well, you and me, we're basically married in the future. Super gross in love.

[You thought the adult Barry could get dangerously red in the face? Well, rewind the tape about forty years, and you get a tubby little boy with big, bushy hair blushing so brightly it’s starting to look like a skin condition. His eyes go so wide they dwarf his glasses, and he’s almost curled up in a ball in the air, not sure what to do with all of this nervous energy.]

We’re married?

[That’s amazing!!! He gets to marry the cute elf girl he held hands with? The one he fought the Kravitz boy over? The one who kissed him? Barry’s life is great in the future, turns out.]

D-Do we still hold hands in th’future? ‘Cause, um! ‘Cause I liked holdin’ your hand! A-And-- [Is it even possible that he’s getting redder? Science has yet to tell.] And I liked it when y’kissed me. I, um! I hope I’m a-- a nice husband!

[Lup has a feeling that if they weren't holding onto each other, that Barry might just float away completely with this news. With or without the levitation spell.]

Oh sure. All the time. We practically never let go. Folks are way jealous of us, not that I blame 'em. We're the perfect couple. [That's just fact, thanks.

Barry somehow manages to go even redder - is the kid alright? he looks like he might just pass out - and Lup can't help but chuckle, wanting so very much to give his chubby cheeks a pinch. He's too damn cute.]

For what it's worth, you're the best dang husband a gal could ask for. Always treatin' me to expensive jewelry and back rubs. Oh, and always offerin' to do my chores for me. That's a big one.

I-- I am?

[Barry is so relieved to hear that. Some of the girls in his class say that nice boys never get married. That nice boys have to turn into mean boys to get a boy- or girlfriend at all. That Barry would never hold hands and kiss somebody cause he's just too short and soft and nice.

But it turns out, the elf girl likes him when he's nice. Buying her earrings and necklaces, giving her massages, cooking and cleaning for her, it all sounds like something Barry would happily do for her.

He's so glad he's still a nice boy in the future. A nice man. He hopes his mom likes Lup as much as he does.]

Y-Yeah! I-- I'd do the dishes for ya an' everything! [The boy beams, squeezing her hand.] How long've we been married? Do we have a big house? D-Do we have any babies? [Babies are a little gross, but kinda cute, he supposes.]

A totally perfect husband. [Lup can't even talk shit because she likely would have been saying exactly the same thing as a kid, shoving all of the nice boys like Barry into the dirt and stealing their shoes.

And as this week has proved, harboring deep, dark secret crushes the whole time.

It's sweet how easily Barry takes Lup at her word on all of this, his utmost trust in adults proof enough that the two of them grew up in very different worlds. Lup never trusted anyone when she was that age, but especially not adults. It was the whole world versus her and Taako when they were young and anyone who wasn't her brother was no one. But Barry smiles and laughs, holding her hand and putting his full trust in her. For once, the elf's grateful that she doesn't have to lie about any of this, because she doesn't think she could meet her future husband's bright, hopeful gaze and say anything but the full truth.]

Few years. [No need to get into that whole story with the kid.] Mhm, we sure do. A huge house where we live with all of our friends. Wanna see it?

[The last question has Lup grinning, peeking over her shoulder at the boy even as she continues to drag him through the air. They aren't too far away from home.] You look a liiittle young to be thinkin' of kids, hun.

W-Well...

[Isn't that what being married is about, though? Hanging out with your wife or husband all day and having babies? Barry's mom told him he'd have a bunch of brothers and sisters running around if his dad had still been alive. Sounds like that's what a husband is supposed to do, honestly.

Not that Barry knows exactly how babies are made. But he knows his mom can't do it on his own. Adults are weird.]

I-- I dunno, I'm not-- 'ssnot like I'm thinkin' of kids or nothin...

[Now he's all red again. Good thing his future wife is pulling him by the hand like a big red balloon, or Barry might've started tripping over his own feet with excitement and embarrassment. His little hand squeezes hers tighter.]

Yeah! I-- I wanna see th'big house we live in! How many friends we got? Are they good friends? Since-- Since we live with'em an' all.

[Lup loves when her Barry goes bright red like that, flustered and so very embarrassed, but it's just that much cuter when he's bite-sized. Those chubby cheeks of his are just making her melt.]

Either way, no kids for us. Not yet. [That's another topic this little guy does not need to dive too deep into. Their future is complicated enough as it is, he doesn't need to worry about nonexistent children on top of it!]

How many friends do we have here? Like, an easy hundo, for sure. But friends who live with us? About four. Three smelly adults an' one kid just a little older than you. None of 'em are even close to as cool as we are, but they're pretty rad. Weird and loud and kinda useless without us, but good friends. But c'mon, chickadee, let's get you the big, ol' house tour! You gotta meet Peanut!

A hundred friends??

[That doesn't sound real! Barry's never had that many friends before!! He doesn't even think he's met a hundred people ever in his life!

Man, who would've thought Barry turned cool and popular when he grew up? Certainly not him.]

Y-Yeah! I'm real excited to meet'em! W-Well, th'four people we live with. A hundo sounds like a lot. [The excitement and nervous butterflies isn't enough to stop him blushing from the pretty lady calling him "chickadee". That's... so cute...] Who--! Who's Peanut?!

[The most cool and popular. Follow all of your dreams, Barold. Look how awesome your future looks.]

You'll get special introductions to all of 'em. I promise. [She'll have to keep an eye on the boys, just to make sure they don't get any funny ideas. Lup's seen the way they treat Angus, alright. She's not going to let it happen to her future husband, especially not while he's in such a sensitive state, even moreso than usual. If Barry starts crying, someone is going to die.]

Peanut's our family dog. She's real sweet, super friendly an' energetic. You'll get along great with her. She loves chasin' kids!

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Event Log: The Hope of a Child

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