hadriel_logs | Intro Log: Fly, My Pretties!

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Intro Log: Fly, My Pretties!

What: The intro log for May
Where: The colosseum and all around the city.
When: May 10th-14th
Warnings: Flying monkeys! New friends! Prosthetic limbs!

Here in Hadriel, we do introductions right. That means dumping you on the ground of an old Roman-style Colosseum with a bunch of scary monsters and also a bunch of weird shit. Your monster of the day happens to be Winged Monkeys, more commonly known as flying monkeys, from the Wizard of Oz and affiliated stories!

As you may have been able to guess, these creatures can fly and they're rather intelligent- intelligent enough to wield spears and daggers as crude weapons and strong enough to pick someone right up off the ground and fly with them to a perch, where they'll... you know, stab them with their knives and stuff.

Why? We don't know. It's Hadriel.

Just in case you lose a couple of limbs in the process of escaping these critters, we've got you covered. Scattered around the newbies are prosthetic limbs for various body parts. These limbs are all fully functional, even if they look a bit... odd, so if you've lost an arm or two, or a leg, or even a pinkie finger, feel free to grab one and try to figure out how to use it!

Good job dealing with those monkeys! It's kind of a weird thing to be threatening, but clearly someone was afraid of them once. Once you're done, 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 May 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

Ah. I was referring more towards a different set of gods. Maybe I should start specifying, but I'd definitely sound like an elderly churchgoing woman in a large hat if I shifted to saying, "oh, thank the three and all their predecessors!"

[Her voice is nothing short of mocking. There's no love lost between Avisheh and either sets of gods, honestly. She knows one of her own a little too personally and a little too vengefully to be earnest in her more religious turns of phrase.

It's really more a habit she picked up from living on such a deeply religious world as the Nexus.

Avisheh, meanwhile, bites her lip a bit.]

Well, if you ever need someone to stand in for some weights, you can call me.

[Pfft.] Doesn't sound any more elderly and weird than any of the other alternate pantheon-worshiping types here. But that does sound like a mouthful, yes.

[Maybe she'd be better off just saying "gods". It makes no difference to her either way. She was never the religious one, unlike her brother, which happens when you spent your whole life living separately.]

And if you ever need a place to sit, could always do with the extra weight on my back for push-ups.

[This is starting to get ridiculous.]

It sounds like someone who's got a lot more appreciation for the religious sects in the Nexus. Trust me. It's very weird.

[At least it is to Avisheh, who has little patience for religion despite appreciating pretty much every other aspect of the Nexus over her original world.

And yeah, the workout-based flirting is starting to get a little over the top. Avisheh outright starts laughing, but, well. Rey's been receptive so far.]

I'm sure we can come up with all sorts of ways for me to help you work up a sweat.

[👀]

Religions generally are, no matter multiverse bullshit you're dealing with.

[Rey has no judgements. She just prefers to stay out of the whole mess. So long as no one stops her to talk about their Lord and Savior some crazy tentacle monster, she's good.

[She stops a moment and sips her drink, blinking at Avisheh curiously. Now that's a vague response.]

What, you mean like sparring?

[I am so sorry for her. The innuendo just went right the fuck overhead.]

[Oh gods. It just-- Okay. So she's one of those types. The types who doesn't realize when flirting is happening. Was this whole time not flirting? Or is it just the innuendo itself?

Gods. It's just... so cute.

Avisheh's smile freezes on her face for a moment, as she takes a bit to recover from the shock. Does she double down? Does she ignore it?

Well. The night is young. Avisheh takes a quick drink from her beer bottle like she might die without it.]

If you think I could keep up with you in am sparring match, you definitely overestimate me physically. I'm sort of flattered.

[One of those types, yup.

[Flirting and such Rey has down, but when it comes to the more suggestive side of things... Well, she's unfortunately a century old virgin with intimacy issues.]

Around here, it's best not to judge a book by its cover. Plenty of us have more going on than we appear.

[Le shrug.]

Well, I've certainly broken some skulls before, but for the most part that's been, you know, an opportunity presenting itself. In a fair match, I'm beat.

[Avisheh thrives in unfair matches, which sparring is not necessarily conducive to.]

No harm in a little dirty fighting.

[Except for, you know, when there is. Semantics, man.]

But all right, all right. Guess that's a fair reason to let you off the hook for that one. [As if Avisheh was on a hook to begin with.]

I wasn't aware I was on the hook for a sparring match, but just looking at you I'm grateful I've made my way off of it.

[Avisheh is nearly twiggy in stature, especially compared to a muscled amazon like Rey.]

Since, as established, I'm not the best runner. Cardio is my weakness.

[Cardio and not the legs, certainly.]

That's why you start small and work up, but something tells me that's not in your area of interests on the cardio subject.

[Despite her earlier play at blissful innocence, Rey really isn't as obtuse as she makes herself out to be. It's just easier that way, and more run to gauge reactions that way.]

You get me. I'm more interested in working my way down.

[Whether or not she's interpreting Rey's words correctly -- and it's difficult, given Rey's earlier show of blissful ignorance -- this is entirely true. Avisheh goes big or goes home.]

Well, good luck with that.

[It's not so much that she doesn't get it this time, she's just a little slow on the uptake. But even then, that'd still be her answer. Accidental flirting is one thing, but Rey doesn't tend to let things go far beyond that.]

[Avisheh bursts into a fit of giggles -- and maybe the alcohol is making her a little more laugh-happy.]

Not the worst way I've been turned down! Good form, teases with an inkling of false hope while giving the firm sense it's all but impossible.

[Is it bad that she feels bad? Even though Avisheh is laughing, Rey still feels a little bad. Her mouth tightens into a thin line as she ponders how to break this to someone she's only met a couple times now.]

Um, well, it's not... that, but just... Some pretty shit experiences, especially of late, so, um. [Don't mind her, she's just going to finish downing the rest of her bourbon now.

[Good god, "of late"? It's nearly been a whole damn year since Bianca.]

You don't have to explain yourself! If you're not interested you're not, and fuck anyone who tries to push you into whatever.

[Avisheh shrugs, still grinning. She doesn't seem that put off by it; rejection's not the most awful thing that can happen to her, and she wasn't kidding when she said it wasn't the worst way she's been turned down.

Besides, it's not like she's In Love with Rey. Gods, no.]

[Love would definitely be pushing it. Rey can count all the people she could say she loved on one hand, minus a couple digits.]

Can't really say it's about a lack of interest. Just never really took a plunge and guess some people don't care to wait around for that.

[She shrugs, tapping the side of her glass with her index finger and wishing her drink would magically refill itself somehow. No such luck.]

We'd be incompatible, anyway. I'm more of the impatient type.

[In other words, she's a one-and-done type of girl. No frills, no strings, no complications.

She glances at the tapping finger and the empty glass it's associated with.]

What are you drinking?

Can tell.

[Everyone has their types; Rey's just had some pretty bad luck in that field.

[She blinks.] Ah, it's bourbon... Was bourbon. [Heh.]

[She lets out a little laugh. Well, at least Avisheh is being on-brand. In the meantime, she stands and picks up Rey's glass silently, taking it back to the bar to refill. She leaves her cane behind, propped against the table, to better balance two drinks with.

And Rey can have a short time to herself to cool off, if she needs it.

She returns with two bourbons, placing Rey's replenished glass on the table before her.]

I don't normally do bourbon, but I'm feeling adventurous.

[Rey doesn't say anything when Avisheh takes her glass. She's patient, she can deal, she rubs her forehead while tending to an ache in her skull. Part of her thinks that this would be a better place to just lay down and sleep for a while anyway, because moving sucks.

[But then the lady returns with a full glass, and that thought is immediately defenestrated from that metaphorical window. Rey might have a love for lager, but bourbon has a stronger hit for someone like her than beer.]

Ah, thanks. Wasn't sure if I scared you off. [She might be joking, but she'll be taking an immediate drink from that glass.]

You'll find I don't scare easy.

[She takes a seat once more, and a sip of her own bourbon.]

I wouldn't go far without my cane, anyway.

[She indicates the black one she left propped against the table. But then, Rey has been drinking hard liquor, and she has reason to be distracted on top of that. Avisheh feels as though she hit a nerve with her.]

[Happy to hide her face between a few more drinks of bourbon, Rey pauses. Despite that nerve, a little bit of liquid courage goes a long way.

[She glances to the cane that Avisheh had left aside.] Right. That.

[Sip.]

Knew a couple people with robot legs in my world. Also a guy with a robot arm. Tech's gone a long way. [She pauses, a little curious.] Does it ever hurt?

[It's not a question she's often asked, so it takes her by surprise.

She takes a quick sip of bourbon.]

Phantom pain. [She experienced it even when her parasites were Separated by Vida Veisi, all those years ago, before her legs were ever gone.] Occasionally. Nothing unbearable. It's been a while since they've been gone.

[For the first few seconds Rey immediately regrets ever asking, but fortunately Avisheh doesn't seem rattled by it or anything.]

Hmm. [She pauses a moment. As if her last question wasn't shaky enough-] You don't have to answer this if it's a touchy subject or whatever, but do you mind if I ask how you lost them?

[Well done.]

[Now this is a question that's been asked before.

Avisheh told Vida Veisi how she lost them without being asked. She wanted to hold it over the god's head, wanted to taunt her with the knowledge that she was, in some way, responsible for yet more misfortune.

She's told some others. The receptionist, some amputee patients who wanted to swap stories. Sometimes she lies. She prefers when she's telling the story as a weapon. She doesn't particularly want to weaponize this story against Rey, and she doesn't particularly want to make Rey feel pity for her either.

But then, a lot of people feel pity for Avisheh without her permission. It's all very annoying.

There is a long moment when Avisheh considers all of this, playing her finger around the rim of her glass and staring intently into the copper-colored liquid, punctured by cubes of ice.

Then, she swings up her legs onto the booth seat to rest with her back against the wall, placing her elbow on the table and making a show of looking very comfortable.]

Let's play a game. If you guess right, I'll tell you the truth. If you guess wrong, I'll tell you a lie.

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