Intro Log: DIY Survival

[hadrielmods]

What: The intro log for July
Where: The colosseum and all around the city.
When: July 10th-14th
Warnings: Who's that Pokémon?

You wake up on an alien planet. All around you are things that might be familiar- rocky ground, stone columns of a colosseum, overcast and dreary clouds above- but there's a lingering doubt in the back of your mind that you're not where you should be. Nearby, there are a dozen or so other people going through the same thing, so maybe you can stop and say hello... or, if you're more of an antisocial type, you might sneak away before anyone takes special notices of you.

Be careful of sneaking too far though, because you may run across an unfriendly Kabutops! From the Pokémon franchise, Kabutops is a prehistoric creature with scythes for hands that can cut through the water (and human flesh) like it's nothing. Its skin is rough and difficult to penetrate with basic weapons, and contrary to what anyone canon-savvy may expect, they are impossible to tame- so you might try to run while you can.

If you manage to escape from the pointy dinosaurs, you may find some hip new ways to accessorize! Strewn about the ground with the new arrivals are an assortment of bedazzlers in various states of functioning! They may only have two stars on Amazon, but Bedazzlers are a cultural landmark, easily used to bling up your lifestyle! Alongside the various equipment are, of course, various studs, gems, sequins, rhinestones, and anything else that you could possibly attach to some clothing or hand towels or curtains or underwear with a Bedazzler kit. Happy crafting!

If you've finished collecting all you need for your new home decoration, 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 July 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!

Comments

[circumitus]

While fighting not to let her physical relief be known, Rey waits patiently while Nick gets his sewing setup on. It gives her a few seconds to try and figure out how to approach this subject.

Nick just about returns too soon as Rey feels every inch of her body go stiff with tension, the muscles in her jaw constricting.

"You know how... a couple months back, people were missing something of theirs? Some just lost normal shit, like their hearing or voice or whatever, but there were a few that were, um, harder to explain."

[synthedick]

Nick keeps his gaze off Rey on purpose, focusing on threading the needle. It's not that he's giving Rey any less attention, but he's known her long enough by now to realize when the gears in her head are turning, when she's trying to figure out how to broach a topic. Not looking at someone directly with those glowing eyes of his helped at times in his detective work, and it's a habit he's never quite dropped, even with family.

"Yeah," he affirms. He'd noticed himself how she'd been a bit distant at the time, but figured she might be going through what everyone else was -- and that if she wanted to talk about it, she would.

Maybe he should've pressed at the time, he cuts inwardly, but he stops there, giving her the space to explain.

[circumitus]

It helps. Nick's mindfulness towards Rey's comfort is more than appreciated as she feels a little more at ease with trying to search for the answer in her own head. She recalls keeping her distance from Nick, going so far as to leave the city entirely just to get away from it all, but nothing helped.

"I felt like... something was missing, but just didn't know what it was. Except Alphys seemed to think we were in similar situations..."

A situation that has raised all sorts of uncomfortable questions for Rey.

[synthedick]

Nick glances Rey's way at that, doing his best to mask his apprehension as it bubbles in his chest. His eyes trail back to his work, forced to return to his hands. Maybe that's one reason Rey didn't say anything until now -- she didn't want him to worry.

"And what'd she have to say?" he asks.

[circumitus]

"She... said something about being soulless? Which... wouldn't happen if there was no souls to lose in the first place."

Which would imply the one thing she's been uncomfortable with addressing, as it's the very thing that a psychotic synthetic woman is fixing to rip Rey open to figure out.

The workings of a synthetic soul.

[synthedick]

Nick's brow knits tighter, the fingers on his metal hand flexing as he stifles that immediate flare in his temper. It seems there was no limit to what the gods would take from them -- whatever was required to get a rise out of them. Well, if it didn't work then, it's certainly working now.

"You didn't think it was something you could lose?"

[circumitus]

"That would mean having one to lose in the first place. It also means that IV was probably right. Part of me already suspected, but... it was sometimes easier to assume there would never be anything for her to take."

Whatever it means for the synthetics from Rey's world, she doesn't know. Parsing those details is uncomfortable.

[synthedick]

"All the more reason for us to figure out how the Door works and for you to not go back."

Though that doesn't exactly solve the problem of what happens in her world in the long run, and Nick knows it. Whether he reappears or doesn't in the Commonwealth won't shake up the status quo, but IV could do some real damage in Rey's world if she finds what she's looking for. He pushes a sigh out of him.

"Guess it all depends on if these fragments we're going after help."

[circumitus]

Rey agrees with a nod, but still chews the inside of her mouth at the thought. She could be ripped back home at any second, and there would be bothing she can do about it. At the disposal of IV...

No, she's seen what that crazy bitch does to people she wants to put under the knife. Rips them apart until she knows how they tick and leaves nothing left.

"Yeah, about that..." Rey hesitates to continue when Nick brings up the fragments. "I'm thinking of going to retrieve those things."

Nick is perceptive. He probably already knows. It's still important for them to talk about, considering her company.

[synthedick]

Rey is right: he knows. He's seen the network post, took note of who responded, worked to get as many people as he thought he could trust on that ship. Law might have his head in the right place from time to time, but Caedra? He has no doubt she'd burn that boat down and take whatever fragments they find in less than a second if she thought it'd benefit her, be entertaining, or both.

Sure, he wanted eyes on the ship -- members of the Guard, folks sympathetic to their cause. Rey is family, and while he trusts she can hold her own, he's still not keen on her heading out to sea with someone as volatile as an actual demon. Still... he knows there's not much he can do about it.

That doesn't mean the temptation isn't there, or that he manages to stifle his obvious apprehension. "On Law's boat." His tone is harder than it should be; he hears it and attempts to dial it back a notch. "You sure it's a good idea?"

[circumitus]

For what it's worth, Rey just barks a laugh at Nick's question as if he's just cracked a terribly unfunny joke.

"Fuck no, it's a really shit idea. But I don't want those fragments to get into the wrong hands, and there are people on that boat that fall into that category. Better to keep an eye on them while they don't mind me being around."

Yet. Rey might be standoffish towards Caedra and Caedra certainly has no illusions that Rey is blind to her demon charms, but she isn't so foolish to think that that'll hold up in the long-term.

Still, better it be her than some other idiot who doesn't know what they're getting themselves into...

[synthedick]

Her answer gives him some relief, however minor. "Guess we're on the same page."

And she's still keeping an eye on Caedra, same as she did with Sato. It proved an advantage back then, but Nick doesn't like thinking of her like that, like some kind of weapon brought out only when necessary. His need for reconnaissance conflicts with his desire to keep his family safe in the worst ways.

"You got a plan for how to handle a demon if things get rough out there?"

[circumitus]

It helps that Rey could easily turn down any request for recon on potentially dangerous arrivals. That this was done on her own accord, not because Nick or anyone asked her to. Having that initiative and free will means the world to her.

"Won't be the only one on that boat, and chances are most of them hate her already." If that's supposed to be reassuring, Rey needs to practice more. It gets the point across though -- potential backup is better than none at all.

[synthedick]

It's not very reassuring, but Rey does have a point. "As far as I know, there should be a couple of Guard on that ship, too. And Law keeps insisting that he'll take care of any squabbles."

Though Nick isn't entirely sure on that. "Gotta admit that I question the man's judgement when he's letting someone like her onto his ship to begin with." It's not a thought he'd tell anyone else, but Rey isn't just anyone.

[circumitus]

Rey just scoffs. "Does he?"

Considering what he's got on board so far, she'd like to see him try. Just not at her own expense, when it means Nick would be the one hurt in the end.

"Thought about that, too. It's one thing to keep your enemies close, it's another putting them within closer proximity with your allies." As far as she can tell, the two are pretty chummy. Unfortunately, the same could almost be said about Rey and Caedra as well.

[synthedick]

The same could be said about Rey and Caedra, but Nick knows what Rey is doing, how she operates. He only worries about her doing the right thing when it comes to herself, but if it came down to Caedra causing trouble on the ship, he has no doubt how Rey would react.

Law, on the other hand, is more of a mixed bag. He works out of the Clinic sometimes, claims he's a doctor, seems to have his head in the right place -- but then he goes and brings Caedra aboard for an extended voyage. He can't be that blind to the network, nor think her abilities are unique.

Well, save for the ones where she summons demons. She might be the only one in town who can do that, thankfully.

"Especially on a trip like this, picking up something so important." Or at least he hopes these Door fragments are important, given all the trouble they're going through to get them. Better just assume they are and try to keep them from falling into the wrong hands. "I want to think better of folks, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone gets a piece and tries to use it as a bargaining chip against the gods."

That will go just swell.