hadriel_logs | Event Log: A Hope for the Future

Entry tags:

Event Log: A Hope for the Future

Who: All characters participating in the event
What: The event log for the A Hope for the Future event
Where: All over the city!
When: April 15th-April 19th
Warnings: Stealth Rock

It's finally time to reap the rewards you've earned from all that hard work collecting and returning the Hope orbs! Be careful walking the streets during the small earthquakes, but feel free to admire the scenery as your beautiful city reassembles its way back into its former glory.

There are new houses where the destroyed buildings once were, and they're perfect for a single person or pair of lovebirds. In addition, you'll find that the electricity to these new houses, and all other homes and shops in the city is restored. The food is better, the monsters are gone- hey, this city might be livable again!

To cap it all off, we've got a feast waiting for you on the 19th! Come one, come all, and enjoy all of your favorite foods, drinks, and party games. It's been awhile since we've all gotten together to celebrate something good, so get your party on and toss all your troubles away!

► This log covers April 14th-April 19th.
► 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 get hit by levitating rubble or eat a food that wasn't meant for you, please let us know here.

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Always do, don't I?

[It's always been his part to play. Never a great shot, never one to pitch in the best ideas for a plan, but damn if he couldn't keep them all steady when they were close to going off the tracks.]

Don't worry your head over that, my girl.

( It's a tall order to have higher education when you don't even have a library any more, let alone one with books in a language anyone can understand. )

History. ( She always had been fascinated with the paths that led their world to where it was. And now, she supposes, she was part of it. An instigator.

She teaches the children of New Bodhum about the things which happened when Cocoon fell, but never the names. Never that her name is tied to all of it. )

What do you want to study?

[That makes Edgar flinch a little in disbelief. He squints his eyes and knits his brows into a small frown.]

Why would I be?

Well, usually I don't head off conversations with dick talk.

[Like, ever.

Taako then tells Nate the biggest fucking lie since he conned him into a fireman's carry halfway across the city, which leaves Nate double-taking at the middle distance in front of him. As much as the elf vehemently denies giving a shit, he does. He really does, so much so that the sincerity of his upset is apparent.

Nate's tone softens, and he tries to be gentle.]

And I didn't wanna hurt your feelings.

Yeah, I know.

[She hips checks him, affection in her eyes. That's why he was the one she always went to to talk, to puzzle things out. He was the guiding hand they needed to keep on course.]

I'll try and keep my head in the right now instead thinkin' 'bout it. [A small promise that she doesn't know it she can keep. But she'll try.] Come on, cake's better than worryin' anyway.

[ Oh, just semi-prophetic dreams, a possible religious-related destiny, the ability to wake long-dead, stone dragon eggs, and - right. The unexplained nature of being totally invulnerable to fire. ]

No. [ She thinks, anyway. ] I have none. I imagine that things would be very different if I did.

[ Particularly if she had something offensive, something she could use to fight the gods of Hadriel. ]

I have a friend at home who loves history. Though I'm sure the histories of our worlds are pretty different.

[Though Gansey would likely be delighted by that. Adam's never been quite as obsessed, for all that he helped with the search and did plenty of research on his own.]

I was thinking of engineering, or maybe medicine. I like science, and I like solving problems.

"Monster" has an unpleasant meaning, where I come from. [ "As long as we talk to each other, it's not so hard." If only that were true everywhere. ] I hope that the others in Hadriel will be kind to you, and to the others from your world.

[ She knows all about "monsters," being the Mother of Dragons. ]

[Hey quick question who said literally anyone was allowed to read him like this. This is illegal? This is against the actual law. And the fact he said it and didn't even have the decency to keep it in his brain is the worst of all. So much so he actually finds himself taken aback, and Nate can feel his grip falter.]

Wh-- I don't need every dude in the world to be attracted to me! Jeez! I'm not like, fifty and a fucking child. What do you think I was like, head over heels in love with you or something? As if! Come on, I'm not like a total creep, you tell me to bug off I fuckin' will. Whatever. I don't need you to like, coddle me or some shit.

[Mmmmmfngdhshehhfdh why is he getting so worked up about this? Does he want Nate to like him? Maybe not as like, a boyfriend or whatever, that's way off the table. But as a person?

... Alright, that's not an answer he wants to know right now. Especially when there's still alcohol coarsing through him. This is the worst.]

This was literally just supposed to be about your abs and you had to go and do this. Ugh.

Total bullshit.

[Lup focuses on each piece in turn - the short noise he makes in the back of his throat, the tension that builds up so briefly beneath her touch, the way Gren's gaze lingers after the party-goers - each one drawing her back to him, back to the pain he's trying so desperately to manage. She both gets it and doesn't. There's a part of her that can't help but feel the squeeze around her heart, the tightness that clutches at her chest at the thought of Gren's heartbreaking pain, at the emptiness and sense of loss he must feel. But on the other hand, what does she possibly have to compare it to? This is just so much more. So much left unsaid.

But even in his pain, Lup doesn’t indulge him; she refuses to let him hide.]

Look. I'm not gonna coddle you and we both know you wouldn't let me even if I wanted to. But here's the thing, Gren. What you're feelin'? Right here, right now? That's just the present. And I don't mean in a 'tomorrow's a better day' kinda way, I mean in 'our lives are fucking bullshit and totally unpredictable' way.

[Her fingertips, warm and calloused, drum lightly at his forearm.]

Our lives are too long to be stuck running forever. At some point, we just deserve to stop.

[Normally Nate wouldn't venture into this kind of territory, particularly not with Taako, but the alcohol is persuasive and he can't find it in himself to dance around this kind of shit. So he waits, through what can only be considered a mild tantrum that reeks of denial, while Taako squirms in the hot seat.

Finally - finally - he stops, affording his very muscular pillow the opportunity to speak up.]

You done yet?

[He doesn't wait for an interruption.]

...I know it's not easy. Believe me, I- I really fucking know. [He exhales quietly, thumbing his glass. Nate leaves it up to Taako to determine what it is.] But we're still cool, right?

( It sounds like that is the case, and honestly, Serah is glad other worlds aren't like her own. She hopes they're better. That gods don't play games and remove sisters from reality. That people don't have to correct the way the timeline crumbles.

But her eyes are bright with happiness at his chosen subjects, in a way which belies her teaching since Cocoon fell. A twinkle of something like pride, a joy felt when people have big dreams for their future like Medicine or Engineering. It's so easy to get caught up in the way the world goes, in the misfortunes of their lives, and lose that chance. )

Well, I hope you get to do that.

No proof? [She's surprised. And part of her is surprised that she's surprised. Different worlds, different beliefs, different creatures. It wasn't like her wn faith hadn't been shaken. It took the Witch literally reaching out to her for Girl to stop being so stubborn about the higher powers she didn't want to see.

But always, always there were the boxes. There were the masks left in prayer and missing the next day. The words of people too beaten down by the world to be anything but honest.]

It's li- yes. The Phoenix Witch. Everyone knew 'bout her. People have met her. [She pauses, gnawing her lip.] I met her.

[A witch? Interesting. There's been rumors and stories about such creatures that are much older than Edgar himself. So, they're nothing unheard of although he hasn't heard anyone to speak about them in such regard as the girl does.]

I read a book once about this family that couldn't die. It was written centuries ago in form of a diary. But even after that there's been sightings of the said family through the history. They're rumored to have some kind of power to keep them young forever. That much I know. And I'm not sure if that counts as proof.

[What he doesn't say is that the family in question is his. And that he's the one that the books are about. Or that those books are the exact reason why he doesn't want to show his face on the network.]

What is the witch like?

[As Lup gets more comfortable - and more drunk - through the night, Barry too gets more comfortable - and more drunk. That tequila sure hits fast and hard. Her whole frame starts sinking into his side at one point, and he happily drapes an arm around her shoulders under the pretense of keeping her steady, reveling in any opportunity he gets to just keep touching her. She feels good. Warm and slight and strong, just as he remembers.

She grabs his wrist, urging him to the dance floor, and although Barry would rather stay here all night, wrapped up in her, he couldn't ever resist that grin.]

Yeah! Dance, we should-- we should dance.

[Getting up on marginally steady feet, Barry takes Lup's hand and lets her guide him out on the dance floor. If he knows her the way he does, she'll probably want to squeeze past the other couples and claim the very center just for them.]

Oh, it's fine, really! It's just the t-technical name of my species. It's not offensive, though uh, some people have thought I was insulting myself.

[She's not caught up on it, really.]

Don't worry. Most people here are, uhm, super nice about it.

[Gren steps closer, and Barry is effectively trapped between him and the table. He could wrench away from him, could bolt for the exit, try to lose him in the crowd - but there's no doubt in his mind this guy would follow him, and he looks much faster than Barry could even hope to be. The only people even around them right now are too drunk or too busy dancing to even notice, to see the confrontation angrily boiling up between the two men. Would they even take Barry's side though, if he tried to call out for them?

Would they take the side of the wife beater over the concerned, rightfully furious friend?

A part of him thinks he deserves this. Gren's fist clenches at his shirt, collar pulled painfully tight around his throat, and even as his hands go to Gren's wrist, trying and failing to pry his fingers off him, he thinks he deserves this. For what he did to Lup. He deserves this and more. The fear he caused her isn't even a fraction of the fear Gren is making him feel now.

Another part of him - the cowardly part, the decidedly dominant part - wants to get away. Barry squirms, shaking hands pulling at Gren's wrist, trying to wrench his grip from his shirt, but getting nowhere. His eyes are wide behind his glasses, fearful, pleading with Gren to let him go.]

P-Please! Please, st-stop, y'don't have t'do this! Lup! [He calls her name, but she's too far away. Having fun on the dance floor with her friends. Barry's all out of defenses.]

I hope you do, too.

[For now, hope might be all they can do. Adam is not naturally the optimistic sort, but he does nuture the small belief that they'll all get home someday, that he'll be able to go back to what passed for his life.

Until then, they just have to make the best of this sometimes awful, sometimes decent place.]

I should find my friend. [Before Ronan gets in a fight, somehow.] It was nice talking to you, though.

I've never heard of whole families that couldn't die. But I've heard of people bein' brought back. [Heard, experienced first hand. She wonders if it's still a lie if she's simply omitting parts of the truth.] So you never saw that family yourself? I guess what matters here is if you believe it. It's not like I'll ever see the the proof, but I can get your word.

[Girl tilts her head back and sighs. The Witch was so deeply ingrained in her culture that it's hard to know where to start.] She takes care of us. Everyone dies someday, no matter how hard you try to out run it. So she's there when the road stops, ready to carry you away from all the fighting. She's kinder than what we deserve, sometimes. Givin' people second chances and settin' them straight when they're seein' the lines crooked.

I'm not the best person to ask. I'm not as good as others at tellin' her story.

[Oh my god why is he doing this. This is so-- no, he knows why this is so weird. This feels like Magnus. This feels like cycle five or six, when Taako decided he was gonna have a little fun with the man with a bicep the side of his head and Magnus wasn't in on it, but just kept wanting to make sure he was okay. It made his stomach turn. It was-- feelsy. Kind. And relating Nate to someone he really gives a shit about makes things way way way too complicated.

Finally, Taako huffs, and lets him go.]

Look, I know you're-- compassionate or whatever, but it's fine. I have a boyfriend, dude. Seriously.

[That's not gonna stop him from grabbing Nate's liquor, tilting his head back, and taking a four second chug. Fuck any hesitancy or choking from earlier, he just fucking takes it, and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.]

I mean, you're missing out, but I'm not gonna be pissed at you or whatever. What're you worried about, that I'm gonna turn you into a toad or something?

[Barry hands over the joint as demanded, still reeling a little from the smoke hitting his lungs. He lets it sit for as long as he can, before slowly exhaling the sweet-smelling fumes, watching the smoky tendrils swirl and dance in the air before dissipating.

That feels nice.]

Yeah. [He sighs, closing his eyes as he waits for the rolling waves of dizziness to sweep over him, limbs slowly getting heavy.] Little strong, but... good.

[Taako starts giggling from his own goofy not-even-a-smoke-trick, and Barry cracks open an eye to look at him, soon grinning wide and toothy. He chuckles - mostly just at Taako giggling, but honestly, he's starting to feel pretty funny and tingly all over.]

I-- H-Heh, yeah, I sure will. I'll... [A soft snort.] Wha'sso funny?

[Excuse Barry as he keeps digging in, still surprised and entranced by the wonderful flavor of this greasy little sandwich. This is stellar. He's going to have to ask Taako or Lup at some point if they'll be able to replicate it. It's not every day they have a magic feast, after all.]

Mmph-- [He swallows, wiping the side of his mouth.] Gosh, bud, I like a lotta things. Everythin' I've had here has just been...

[Glancing around the tables, taking in the spread, the scents, Barry marvels at all the wonderful food he's had tonight. Of course, one sticks out in his mind.]

Had this-- this amazing lamb stew earlier. Potatoes, carrots, broth, th'works. I swear, tastes just like my mother used t'make. [He smiles blissfully.] That was real good.

[Barold's fingers scratch at his wrist and it's easy for Gren to ignore. For the first time since everything went to shit, it feels like he's doing something right, putting a little fear of God-- or fear of him, same difference-- into some lowlife little shit. He's got all this stupid strength, monstrous fucking thing that he is, so it's about time that he uses it for something good.]

[He looks down at Barry's terrified face and thinks of Georgie, thinks of Woody, thinks of the fucking Crooked Man, all those motherfuckers that beat and used and abused the girls they could get their hands on. Faith, her face busted up from Woody's dumb fucking fists and then killed by assholes with something to hide. Lily, with cinderblocks weighing her down to the bottom of the river. Nerissa's scared eyes and tiny, hunched shoulders.]

[Lup taking a pair of kitchen shears to her hair.]

You think you're gonna hide behind her, motherfucker? Fuck no, you're takin' what you deserve.

[He lifts. Barry might as well weigh as much as a sack of flour, Gren hefts him up so easily. Having a Fable's strength in a mundane world is like being a bull trying to tiptoe around in a china shop, but he's not going to be dainty with this asshole. He's going to bring his back down on that table like there's a nail in it and Barry's the hammer.]

[This isn't his forte and he doesn't have his druthers to push further, particularly when there's a snowball's chance in Hell it'll actually work, that Taako would participate. Nate tries not to make a habit of requesting more from others than he would be willing to give in return. He tries not to ask for things people aren't ready to share. Or talk about. Ever.

He's empathetic to it, he knows. He knows.

So Nate lets Taako snatch the wicker-wrapped bottle and pound a good quarter of it, a carefully neutral expression on his face, and takes a sip of his own drink.]

Nah. [The smile he gives is rueful, but it doesn't reach his eyes.] I'll save it for another day.

[A few months apart, but Barry still knows his wife too well.

Lup squeezes at Barry's hand before dragging him through the crowd, not stopping for anyone as she pulls him straight through all of the other dancers so she can squeeze the two of them right at the very center, playfully bumping another woman out of the way with her hip before turning to face him again. The music pounds in their ears, upbeat and rhythmic and just perfect for the kind of dancing the elf prefers, as Lup drops her hands around Barry's neck and tugs him close enough that his belly brushes up against her.

Without even waiting for his hands to curl at her middle, she's moving her hips, finding her own beat to follow as the music picks up speed.]

Edited 2018-07-28 03:46 (UTC)

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Event Log: A Hope for the Future

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