hadriel_logs | Intro Log: A Day at the Beach

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Intro Log: A Day at the Beach

Who: New arrivals and everyone else!
What: The intro log for December
Where: The colosseum and all around the city.
When: December 10th-13th
Warnings: None

It's icy cold when you wake up, so let's hope you arrived here wearing warm clothes. They're not too easy to find right now, either - Hadriel is a pretty unwelcoming place. You're on the floor of the colosseum, which is sandy and (right now) a bit frosty. It's you, the other newcomers - and of course, a battalion of newly-arrived giant scorpions, just as confused as you and ready to fight. They're big and fast, they've got armor covering their creepy bodies, and that stinger will seriously mess you up if you're not careful. So... welcome to Hadriel!

You might be cold, but the Door doesn't seem to be. Scattered across the ground of the colosseum can be found some beach towels with creative designs. And if that's not enough, you'll be all prepared for a day at the beach with these cute sandals (jandals?). Too bad there's no beach and it's really cold and everything sucks, right?

Once you've finished dreaming about a warm beach vacation, feel free to look around. 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 December 10th-13th.
► 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!

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[Taako makes a sort of why tho gesture at him, squinting his eyes as he does it.]

I mean. I guess.

[Is this supposed to be some sort of weird gift to him? Hey, here's some gigantic dude? This would totally be something he's into if his boyfriend wasn't around, but this is a different story. Maine may not be wordy, but Taako sure is, so he's got enough shit in this situation for both of them.]

So, what, am I being forced to be the welcome wagon now? Just because the city's back to one piece people are getting dropped off at my doorstep like fantasy orphans for me to take into my arms and, and take all the thoughts outta my head? Jeez.

[He hasn't been super focused on this guy, and now he looks to inspect him more closely. Doesn't he recognize that armor from somewhere...? It's hard to say.]

Tell me this was some kinda accident, my dude. Or you're like, are you a delivery boy? Because you can stay if you have gifts.

[ That is indeed more than enough words for the both of them. Maine cocks his head slightly to the side, not sure what the other man means by the city being back in one piece. Was it damaged? Then the man continues, talking about 'taking thoughts out of his head,' and Maine promptly decides that this guy is spouting nonsense.

Unfortunately, the Freelancer can't exactly ignore said nonsense when a.) he's actively trespassing, and b.) the stranger is eyeing his bloody armor so closely. Nor does Maine want to turn around and venture back outside just yet. He's had a hell of a day, he's tired, and he'd really like to just ... sit. Just for a while.

This guy might be a nutjob, but maybe he's harmless. What could it hurt to linger a little longer?

Then the man asks for an explanation, and Maine hesitates to answer. Hesitates, because it's not something he can explain without words. And, since he can't fucking talk, that leaves only one option.

Maine bites back the irritation that bubbles up as he reaches for his phone. Shakes his head — no, he's not a delivery boy — as he types out two words, then holds the phone up so that the stranger can read: ]

Not vacant.

[ Yeahhhh, Maine thought that no one lived here. ]

Edited (words are difficult!) 2018-12-26 03:02 (UTC)

[Taako's very good at having six words where two would suffice. He cocks out his hip with his arms crossed, hopefully making himself look sufficiently nonplussed. But he quirks an eyebrow as he types out an answer- that's odd. He remembers Angus doing that a few months ago, when an event took his voice. But how does this guy communicate with anyone then?]

Uh, yeah, most people live in houses. Who told you that you could just walk in here?

[But like, he doesn't seem to be assaulting him or anything, so that's a plus.]

Look, you just-- you're new, right? That's the problem here? You're a proverbial baby to the fucking circus we call this city?

[ Communication is something that Maine's still actively figuring out. Used to be that he could answer questions with a gruff word or two when body language alone was insufficient. Nine bullets to the neck eliminated that option very recently — the blood on his armor is courtesy of that injury.

So far, typing his responses is the only effective method of "speaking" that Maine's found. And so far, he fucking hates it.

To the first question, Maine just shrugs. No one told him he could walk in here. No one told him he couldn't, either. So, here he is. Maybe he should type out an apology, but he ... doesn't.

(Sorry about your life, Taako.)

To the next question — well, several questions — Maine lets out a little huff that sounds ... weirdly inhuman, thanks to his helmet and the ruin that is his throat. He's not a baby, dammit. (And that's the second time he's been called one today. What the hell!) But then he nods: yes, he's new to this circus. ]

[That's rough, buddy. Maybe talk to Hope, he can get you like... a projector screen. Actually, he kind of has an idea about this, and he stops and taps his fingers on his lips.]

Okay this is gonna take forever soo-- can you still like, think in words? Because if so I have a thing that can fix this right up. Or at least speed the hell out of this conversation. Just nod if you could like, think in sentences.

[ That, Maine thinks, is a very stupid question. The hell else would he think in? Smells?

It doesn't occur to Maine to consider the way he acts on instinct rather than conscious thought. Nor does he stop to think about what an intensely visual person he is, and how that might affect his thought process. Or the way that his "sentences" are often between one and three words. Nope. It's just a Stupid Question.

Regardless, Maine nods. Yeah, he can think in words. ]

[He grins, clapping his hands in something like excitement when he responds.]

Grrrrreat! Stay right there--

[He scampers back into the room he came out of, and after a few seconds of digging and some things getting thrown, he comes back out with some sort of bracelet. It looks like a simple band without a clasp, and he slides it on easily before looking up at Maine.]

Alright, go ahead, think a thing. Now I don't have to play fantasy charades with you.

[ Maine waits. He listens as the strange man throws things, wondering what Taako could possibly be looking for. Something larger than a phone screen, perhaps? Maine hopes it won't be a notepad. If it is, he'll stick to using his phone.

When the other man returns with a piece of jewelry, Maine has no idea what to think. Which doesn't really help with Taako's instruction to "think a thing." Maine stares for a long moment, baffled by this new development. And then:

"Guy's fucking nuts."

Well. That's rude. ]

[Taako just clicks his tongue, putting his hands on his hips. He's pretty sure this is gonna go well, but if it doesn't, he has some other things on blast.]

I'm not nuts, it's magic. Not my fault you don't know what's goin' on.

[And he winks.]

[ For half a second, Maine is still. Then he jerks like someone's hit him in the face. Takes a step back, as though needing to physically regain his balance.

That's— Wh—

"What the fuck?"

(Congratulations, Taako! You have made one (1) Freelancer nearly jump out of his skin!) ]

(( ooc: I AM SO SORRY. i thought i tagged this before moving. totally fine if you'd rather handwave things, i have been a snail and i apologize. ))

[ooc: you're so fine, i'm so sorry i'm late too- I'm just coming back from being out of town but I'm so happy to backtag if you're ok with it!]

[The movement just makes him chuckle a little, like he's watching a drunk toddler. It's cute.]

Literally just explained it to you, my guy. Magic item. Reads minds. This is way faster than you like, signing shit out with your hands or whatever.

[Did you explain it though? Really? Not really.]

[ Under different circumstances, that laughter might cause Maine to bristle. Right now, he's just staring in total bewilderment. And — desperate for some sense of logic — his dumbfounded mind latches onto one thing:

"Didn't explain."

"Magic" and "think in sentences" is not a decent explanation! At all! Of course, Taako's explained now. Which means that, after his remarkably accusatory comment, Maine has to consider ... magic items.

"The fuck."

... Yeah. Wrapping his head around this might take him a moment. ]

[Look, he has every right. Taako is a confusing guy under ideal circumstances; figuring out magic exists and that this weirdo has it in one fell swoop is a lot to take in at once. Taako just doesn't give him that kind of time, giggling harder at his bewilderment.]

Oh my gosh, tiny magic baby. Incredible. Yeah babe, now I don't have to try and interpret your grunts as something resembling language. So let's try this whoooole thing again. You new?

[Maine probably hasn't been called tiny in a long time, but here's this lanky asshole making a whole go of it.]

[ Again with the "baby"! And "tiny," too! Maine doesn't huff this time, but broad shoulders tense slightly as he frowns behind his visor.

"Not a baby."

Which is a very manly and non-babyish thing to say. Very!

And then, rather than answering through thoughts, Maine opts to nod an affirmative. It may seem like an attempt to resist this ~magic~ business. In reality, it's just how Maine prefers to communicate; if he can answer with a nod, shrug, or shake of his head, he usually will. ]

[He just rolls his eyes a bit.]

Well don't answer it all at once now.

[It's obvious he's more of the chatty type, but he doesn't seem put off by Maine's blunt and single responses. Mostly he's just having fun with this, so without any real objective he has nothing to lose.]

So is this 20 questions, like, do you even care you're on another world in the middle of fuck knows where or is this just a thing for you.

[ It's certainly more than "just a thing" for Maine. However, this place still holds a certain unreal quality; he's not convinced that it's not a hallucination or crazy dream born of whatever painkillers the doctors have him on.

Because he must be on painkillers. People don't get shot in the neck nine times without getting painkillers. (People don't typically live after getting shot in the neck nine times, either, but Maine doesn't think he's dead.)

"Not normal. Sucks."

But:

"Can't leave."

The last words are accompanied by a shrug. It is what it is. Maine is attempting to accept it — even if it may well not be real. ]

Edited (words!) 2019-03-05 21:34 (UTC)

[I think you're probably past painkillers at '9 bullets to the neck'. Like, for starters, you probably need a new neck, because that sounds like it would delete your neck entirely. Computer, run 'delete neck'.]

Man, you're catchin' on quick. Most people spend a bunch of time like, running around, yellin' about how they have sooo much to do back home, and can't be stuck here, and yadda yadda whatever.

[He leans forward to prod at Maine's chest with an extended finger.]

But not you, my man, you're practical and save me the trouble of explaining things I don't want to. Good things, good things. But uh, this is still my house, so like, you can't live here. People still own things, it's not like we're in fantasy hunger games around here, even though that would explain like... a lot of what's up.

[Is he even comprehensible at this point? Probably not.]

[ Stiffening at the prodding, Maine's irritated mental voice snaps:

"Don't touch me."

Which isn't something that Maine would've bothered saying, back when he could talk. His body language communicates it clearly enough. But he's hardly experienced in filtering telepathy.

While Maine does have things to do back home, he's also been briefed on the situation by his teammates. He's doing what he can to come to terms with it. Right now, that includes finding a place to just ... sit for a while. Process shit. But this man, bizarre as he is, has a point: this is his house, and Maine can't stay here.

So Maine nods and takes a step back towards the door. It's rude to start leaving without saying anything, but it was also rude to barge in as he did, soooooo he's two for two. ]

[On the upside, Taako is not so much of a bastard man to continue touching someone if they're not okay with that, so he draws his hand back with a little shrug.]

Okay, I mean, you can go also I guess. Uhhh, also, check your phone sometimes, and if you don't know what that is figure it out and then remember you have one. Come back for a chat sometime!

[He giggles a bit again, like the joke just never gets old, but he won't stop him from taking his leave.]

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Intro Log: A Day at the Beach

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shit i thought i tagged this already, sorry!

UR FINE i too am a mess this time of year

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