hadriel_logs | Intro Log: Mimicry

Entry tags:

Intro Log: Mimicry

Who: New arrivals and everyone else!
What: The intro log for March
Where: The colosseum and all around the city.
When: March 10th-16th
Warnings: Fresh meat and fatal sweets.

Rise and shine, it's time to meet your new home! While the two suns overhead might make it a bit of a scorcher, there's plenty of shade to be found around you, so get out of the sun before you burn! While you're at it, you might want to introduce yourself to the others who woke up in the same predicament as you- or just run off on your own, that's cool too.

Be careful though, because you're arriving with a bunch of, uh- inanimate objects? Wait, that's no chair! These are mimics, small gelatinous spider-like creatures that can transform into inanimate objects and then pop out to scare you. If you can keep calm, mimics are no big deal, but if you give them the opportunity they will jump onto your head and suffocate you, before using your corpse to reproduce. Nice!

That's alright though, because if you can survive the mimics then you have delicious food waiting for you as a reward! In a shocking twist of events, the items supplied by the Door have no significant twist, save for the desire to eat every single one you can get your hands on. They're Girl Scout Cookies! Long the envy of boy scouts everywhere, these delicious treats will have you munching away your daily caloric intake in no time!

Just, uh- be careful, as the mimics seemed to have caught onto everyone's desire for these colorful boxes. Approach your cookies carefully!

Once you've escaped the mimics and grabbed some snacks, you're ready for the wider world of Hadriel. Feel free to go 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 March 10th-16th.
► 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

[Not necessarily a bad thing, huh. Sure. Until it is. Until you care so much that you're made vulnerable. Until you care so much that you hurt the ones you love. Barry smiles softly, looking away from her, suddenly very interested in the ice cubes swirling around in his scotch, studying them intently.] Yeah, well. Been tryin' t'do less of that lately.

[He shrugs a little, fingers tapping idly at the sides of his glass.] Maybe. I dunno. Suddenly got a lotta free time on my hands.

[Not wanting to completely fall into a funk, he tries to steer the conversation away from himself - a flawless, bulletproof tactic that works every time, guaranteed, totally natural and not suspicious at all.] Th'bakery? No kiddin'. I had no idea you worked there. Sounds nice. Is it nice?

[Laura has only truly loved one other person in her life. her best friend, Donna. which is why she was so resistant to letting Donna into her nighttime world, but Donna followed her in and ended up drugged and nearly raped as a result. but she wouldn't recommend shutting other people out to everyone, definitely not Barry] ...mind me asking why?

[she notices that particular nervous tic] Yeah? Well, take it from me. Drinking your sorrows works for a night, but your sorrows are still there in the daylight. Along with a nasty hangover.

[might work on someone who's not used to dealing with other people's attempts to deflect and defuse, but she'll play along for a bit] I have been for the last couple of months. It's not bad. Delmar is nice.

Just... had a rough couple weeks.

[Barry almost laughs at that. She looks so young, so sweet, yet talks about drinking away the pain with the kind of ease only age and experience can lend. Although he supposes looks can be deceiving. If she's telling him this, she must mean it. She must have made attempts to drown her sorrows in the past, whatever they may have been. Barry finds he doesn't want to know why Laura drinks. Something tells him being murdered was just the tip of that iceberg.]

Yeah... Yeah, I gotcha. I promise I won't drink my feelings every day, ma'am. [He crosses his heart, for good measure. A lighthearted gesture for a conversation that's not looking so lighthearted anymore.] Thanks.

Good. That's good t'hear. I-I should stop by sometime, sample th'wares. I'm a terrible baker, myself. [A weary smile.] Usually leave that kinda stuff to Lup.

Yeah? Lot of that going around. Wanna talk about it?

[she's good at looking young and sweet while she wrestles with the inner conviction that she's rotten to the core. the cocaine helped keep her numb to the feeling back home, but she's here with no access to the drug. she's been forced to try and balance Daytime Laura and Nighttime Laura and keep everyone in the dark. and he's right that he doesn't want to know why Laura drinks. being murdered was the easy choice]

Good. I'm glad to hear that. [she smiles when he crosses his heart] And you're welcome.

You should. I'd put some of the good stuff aside for you. And I didn't know that Lup bakes.

I dunno, Laura... I don't wanna get all blue on ya. [He sighs into his glass, taking another swig.] Maybe after this one.

[It probably won't take too long to polish off his drink at this rate. Drinking your sorrows away may not be healthy, may not be smart, but it's just so damn easy.]

Y-Yeah, she uh... she's a chef. Her an' her brother. Usually Taako handles th'pastries, but Lup can whip up a killer batch of cookies without breakin' a sweat. They're amazing. Come t'think of it, sh-she'd do great at th'bakery...

[Now all he can think of is the twins puttering around in the kitchen, either here in Hadriel or back home on the Starblaster, cooking up a meal for their family. The smell of their cooking filling the air, the soft clatter of utensils against bowls and pots, Lup's gorgeous laughter...

His hands start shaking.]

It's all right. I wouldn't mind. [she takes a sip of her brandy] Maybe?

[that's why she took to it so well back home. here, at least, she has fewer sorrows so now she just drinks until she's buzzed rather than blackout drunk.

she laughs] I can picture that. Ran into the little hellions back when they were kids. They just made themselves at home in my kitchen like they'd been there a thousand times.

[she can tell when his thoughts change from happy ones to sad ones by the sight of his hands shaking] Hey. Whatever it is? It's gonna be okay.

M-Maybe.

[She can tell as soon as his thoughts start spiraling, and it takes everything he's got to not completely break apart at her gentle, sincere words. It's not gonna be okay. It can't. He messed up too badly, crossed lines he's never even gotten close to before, hurt her in ways he can't ever take back or make better. Barry loves Lup. Loves her more than he ever thought possible. And yet, he completely ruined what he had with her, did irreparable damage to her trust and her heart.

Sixty years. Laid to dust in just over a week.]

I don't think it is, Laura. Me an' Lup... W-We fought. [Understatement of the year.] The gods, they-- th-they messed with our heads, and... I hurt her. I hurt her, Laura. [His fingers tighten around the glass.] I swear on my life, I-- I never meant to hurt her, never meant t'put my hands on her, b-but I did.

[Not that he was the only aggressor. Not that Lup didn't hurt him too. His right arm is covered with burn marks and ugly scarring underneath his sleeve. But that's not as important as his failure.] I left. Moved out. Haven't s-seen her since. [He can feel his eyes burning with tears. A familiar feeling these days.] I dunno if I can go back. I... I dunno how t'make this right. I-If I even can.

[she can tell that whatever it is that's bothering him, it's tearing him into pieces inside. that he truly regrets it. that he'd do anything to take it back. unfortunately, some things can't be taken back. they can only be worked through.

the gods can be genuinely cruel]

I believe you. You're not the kind of guy who'd hurt someone he loves, not without something else messing with his head. I know guys who hurt women and enjoy it. You're not that guy. I mean, you're here, torn to pieces over it. You're not out there, finding another woman to do it to.

[she knew something was fishy with Lup when she met her on the outskirts of town, roasting monsters, but she didn't push. maybe she should have, but she can't change that now] It's been a while since the gods made us act that way. Maybe. . . maybe call her on the phone? Or ask to meet her somewhere private? [she pats his hand]

[Laura pats his hand, and Barry shudders at the touch, nearly pulling away before deciding to just let it happen. It's like he hasn't known a friendly touch in weeks.

At least she believes him. It's more than he'd expected. More than he feels like he deserves. What she's saying makes sense, her words ringing true to some tired, desperate part of him - he's not that person, the thought of hurting someone he cares about, anyone for that matter, makes his skin crawl. People who hurt others are deplorable to him. Always have been. How could you find it in yourself to put marks on someone you love, someone who loves you, trusts you? How twisted and rotten must your heart be?

And yet, he finds himself being that person. Barry has put marks on Lup. He hurt her. Whether he meant to or not, whether he was manipulated or not, whether or not he was hurt too, he still did that. That's not something he thinks he'll ever be able to recover from.]

I-- I dunno... I don't think I can. [He may be apologetic. Dying for forgiveness, for an opportunity to make things right. But Barry is an incurable coward.] I can't... Wh-What if she won't talk to me? What if she hates me? What if sh-she looks at me a-and... and she's afraid of me? [That more than anything would just crush him to pieces.] Laura, I dunno what I'd do if... i-if she couldn't even look at me anymore.

[she gives it a little squeeze for good measure and withdraws her hand.

she meant what she said about knowing men who liked to hurt women. she knew Leo Johnson liked to beat on his wife all the time. and some of the strangers she had sex with, they seemed like the type who liked to hurt women. Barry doesn't give her that impression at all. in fact, he seems like the kind of guy who'd never even think about it. it had to have been some awful god shit to make him do something like that.

she worries that both Barry and Lup have given up on fixing things. it sure seems like that to her. and she figures that there's not much she can do about that, but maybe. . . she can try?]

I wish I knew what to tell you. I've--well, I've had boyfriends. But I've never had anything like what you and Lup have. Have. You can't give up before you even try to fix things. Even if. . . even if the worst thing happens, at least you'd know and you'd know you had to move on. Better that than torturing yourself with "what if's."

[Have. Present tense.

Barry hasn't dared thinking much about the present. Or about the future. He's just done what he's always done: dwelled on the past. Replaying every awful thing he said and did over and over, picturing Lup's face marred with fear, with fury, every cruel word out of her mouth still ringing in his ears. It scares him, thinking about those things, but not nearly as much as the future scares him. If they're not a present tense thing anymore. If they can ever be present tense again.]

I'm just... [Laura is right, of course. Even if the worst possible outcome becomes reality, at least he'd know. But fear holds him back. Fear of an outcome that hasn't even come to pass yet. If he just keeps his distance... if he just stays removed, the future won't come to hurt him...

Barry takes a deep breath, fingers tight around his glass as he lets Laura's words sink in.] It's just... so easy t'give up, y'know..? [That's Barry Bluejeans. Preferring the easy way out.] S-Sorry. I'm sorry. I-I'm sure y'didn't come here t'listen to this...

[Laura doesn't know much about healthy relationships. her parents seemed happy enough, but how much of that was a lie given that her father was the vessel for BOB? she had her moments of closeness with Bobby and James claimed to love her. maybe she even loved them back. the only person she knows she loved was Donna.

part of her has to believe that Lup and Barry will be able to work things out. that someone somewhere has to be able to make a relationship work. she knows it will never be her, but that's okay]

I know it's easy to give up. I know that trying to talk to Lup about it will be hard. But if you don't know what she's thinking, how she's feeling, you're just gonna torture yourself with the not knowing. [she tries for an encouraging smile] It's okay. I don't mind. Honest.

[She's right. Of course she's right.

Talking to Lup is going to be immensely hard. It means facing his mistakes. Owning up to them. Admitting all his sins to Lup's face and praying for her forgiveness. It's going to be the hardest thing he'll ever have to do, including facing the apocalypse and braving a foreign world all alone, not knowing if Lup was alive or dead.

But Laura makes perfect sense. He has to do it, he has to endure that pain. For whatever momentary peace of mind that will lend.]

Y-Yeah... th'not knowin' is hard. Killin' me, t'be frank.

[Barry drains his glass, letting the burn of liquor take away the tightness in his throat. He's definitely a crier, but he's not gonna break down in public. Done more than enough of that lately.] Thanks, Laura... for listening to me. And your advice. [He tries for a smile. It looks weak.] Y'really didn't have to. I want you t'know I appreciate this.

[Laura may be terrible at solving her own life problems, but it turns out she's not half-bad at helping others work through theirs.

part of her wants to laugh at the irony of helping others work through their relationships. her relationship with Bobby fell apart ages ago. at the point of her death, the only things holding them together were the drugs and . . .habit.

her relationship with James? James was different, at least on the surface. James claimed to love her, but she wonders if he even knew what love was.

and here? here she has no one and no one seems to be interested. she'll live. she doesn't need a man to complete her. if anything, they seem to get in the way]

I get that. It's like everything is like that science experiment. Schrodiger's Cat? They have that in your world?

[she takes a sip of her brandy. it's good, but not as good as her parents used to have] It's no problem. Really. [she smiles back] No, but I wanted to. [and she surprises herself with that truth] Thank you.

Schrödinger? Th'wizard? Yeah, uh... w-we got some o'those.

[Talk about a culture clash. What undead cats have to do with his state of unknowing, Barry doesn't quite get. But it doesn't matter - it's the sentiment that counts.]

That... really means a lot t'me. Thank you.

[He sounds sincere. Honestly, he really didn't expect Laura to be so sweet and patient with him. Or for anyone to be, for that matter. Someone wanting to show him kindness after what he's done feels so jarring, completely unforeseen, gentle reassurance rather than the universal condemnation that he'd expected.

It's clearly sorely needed. He does a good enough job beating himself up on his own.] I, uh... I'm gonna have t'stop by th'bakery sometime, catch up with ya. Y'know, when things've calmed down a little...

[she laughs playfully] I think we're talking about different Shrodingers. The one in my world was a scientist. The experiment with the cat was long and involved but to sum it up, either the cat was alive or it was dead. You didn't know until you opened the box. It's like the situation with Lup. Either it can be fixed or it can't, but you don't know for sure until you open the box.

[the multiverse is weird and gives her headaches if she thinks too much about it]

It's the least I could do. Really.

[and much to her own surprise, she's being sincere, too. she honestly likes Barry and thinks he's a good guy. she really likes Lup, too. and she hopes that they can work it out. she thinks they can, if they just talk about it and try.

well, he should stop. he's probably the most genuinely decent man she's ever met] You do that. What's your favorite treat? I'll be sure to save one for you.

Oh. Oh, o-okay. Gotcha. [This Schrödinger fella of Laura's sounds... really interesting. He'll have to grill her for more facts about this man and his experiments someday, when the mood isn't so somber. So the cat is in a superposition, sounds like, and given your interpretation of quantum mechanics, either one reality collapses into another as soon as the box is opened, or a separate branching reality is created by the opening of the box, or was it created upon the death of the cat--

That's not important. This is important. The now. The being with Laura. Barry forces his attention back before his brain runs away with him.

That's been happening less and less these past few weeks. Funny how much heartache stifles creativity and wonder.]

Thank you, Laura. [Most days, Barry prides himself in being a gentleman. A carer. Someone who puts other people's needs before his own. It's important to make others feel good and safe... That includes Laura. She's a lovely young woman. She deserves care and love, as far as Barry is concerned.] I, uh... I like lemon bars. And meringues. B-But honestly, I'll eat anything.

[she probably won't be much help. she mostly remembers this experiment because it seemed cruel to the cat. she always got straight As because that what was expected of her, but school was never one of her priorities. everyone else was busy making plans for college or jobs after school, she was busy doing coke and johns. but those aren't options here, are they?

she gives Barry a smile that's meant to be encouraging. she really is new at this whole caring for people that aren't Donna thing and she doesn't want to mess it up.

she would know something about what heartache can do to a person. she's been living it for years. for so long she's not sure she'll ever really be whole, but at least now she knows there's a problem]

It's no problem, Barry. [what Barry thinks Laura deserves and what Laura thinks Laura deserves are two entirely different things. that's the reason she's been so hesitant to make connections with people here, she's afraid of how they'll react to her past] I think I can make sure to set some of that aside for you. Stop by any time, okay?

I will. Y'can count on it.

[It's still going to take a while before things get back to anything resembling normal. Barry will need a lot more pushing and time to reflect before daring to make a move, to push past the blame and make an attempt at fixing anything. Laura was right when she said it was going to be hard. He's not looking forward to it.

But at least he knows he's got a friend in her. Someone who believes him. That helps ease the painful knots in his chest. Laura really is a sweet girl.]

Uh... well, until then, can I get ya anything? [Barry tries for a casual tone, a smile just a little shy of cheery, gesturing to her drink.] Another one o'those? Or uh, m-maybe a dance? Do young people dance still?

I'm looking forward to it.

[that wouldn't surprise her if she knew. however, if he ever needs an ear to listen and the best advice she knows how to give, she'll be there. healthy relationships, she doesn't have any real experience with, but she knows what a healthy relationship should look like.

she's definitely his friend. it's odd, having friends who aren't Donna, but a nice kind of odd. like a happy surprise]

Sure, if you don't mind? I'm having straight bourbon. No ice. I like it room temperature. [she gives him her best smile back] We do. Maybe we can do that later?

Straight bourbon, no ice, room temp. Got it.

[Barry gets up on his feet, drains his scotch, returning her bright smile the best he can. She has a beautiful smile. She should do it more often.] Sounds delicious. I might give it a shot myself.

[A cheeky chuckle, an attempt at a lighter tone.] And, uh... if we do dance, y'might have t'show me the ropes a little. I don't really get waltz-vibes from this music, y'know?

Thank you, Barry.

[she rarely has reasons to smile. she'd like to smile more--or at least smile more and mean it--but now's a good reason to smile] You should. It's actually pretty good here.

[she chuckles as well] I can do that. This music's not too different from the stuff back home.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Intro Log: Mimicry

no subject

(cw: drugs, sexual assault)

no subject

(cw: drugs)

no subject

no subject

(cw: domestic violence)

(cw: domestic violence)

(cw: domestic violence)

(cw: domestic violence, sexual reference)

no subject

no subject

no subject

(cw: drugs)

no subject

no subject

no subject

(cw: prostitution, drug mention)

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject