Event Log: Dazed and Confused

[hadrielmods]

Who: Everyone participating in the event!
What: The event log for the Dazed and Confused event!
Where: All around the city
When: September 24th-October 2nd
Warnings: None!

On the 24th of September, you wake up and everything seems pretty normal. You've got to head in for your shift at the guard, or at the clinic, or wherever else people go- maybe you're visiting a friend, maybe you're checking out the library, but either way as soon as you step out onto your street, you're in a foreign location.

No, you haven't been transported anywhere weird. Well, not by anything other than your own two feet. And hey, you could recognize a landmark and know your way back from there! But somehow you turn left instead of right and now everything is confusing again. It's not that the city itself is changing, but rather, it's your ability to take direction and move in the way that you think you should.

On top of all that, of course, is the strange inversion of most abilities. Everything is topsy turvy with your various powers or individual skills, so be on the lookout for some odd changes. Maybe you're usually pretty good at reasoning and now you can't think your way out of a paper bag, or maybe you have fire powers that start shooting icicles instead- either way, it's weird. Hopefully you can deal with it without injuring yourself too much, but... well, it's kind of difficult to make any guarantees when you can't even find your way to the clinic when you accidentally break something.

► This log covers September 24th-October 2nd.
► 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 walk into the lake and drown or have some other unfortunate mishap, please let us know here!

Comments

[glacius]

Glacius blinks at both of those casual assessments, then drops his head and shakes it sadly. He knows that Noah is likely just referring to the mess he's made of this particular shop, but right now he's feeling rather embittered, sensitive to the fluctuations he's experiencing and their repercussions. "Not so bad. Not so bad? Everywhere I go, I risk damaging the property around me--or even worse, the people! I have become what I most despise: a danger to innocents, to people I care about. And this is something that I should have control over...." He sighs again, looking at the latest item that he's picked up like he might break it just by touching it. "It feels awful, having powers that I once used to protect people turned to do the exact opposite."

[casperdisaster]

Noah is quiet while Glacius works through his feelings. That's all he can do now, really. Be quiet and let people say how they feel and trust that it's everything, no bonus round of conversation steering knowledge to keep things under control.

It's so lame.

"It'll pass," he says instead, gathering up a few more deceptively fragile looking items. They didn't break, so even if they look like they must be made of blown glass or spun sugar they have to be something stronger. He's not going to drop them again just to test that, though. "I've been here a long time. This kind of thing never lasts. A couple weeks, a month at most, then you'll be back to normal. Until then you just gotta... do your best. Be kind to yourself if something happens, be kind to others if they screw up because they're in the same boat."

[glacius]

"It will," Glacius agrees, though there's a heavy layer of but to his tone... and here it comes, "...This will pass, and we will go back to whatever passes for normalcy in this glorified prison. And then before too long, our depraved wardens will think of some other cruel torment to subject us to. Until I figure out some way to end all of this, there will only be lulls in our suffering."

He heaves another sigh and shakes his head again, going back to picking up the objects his misbehaving powers have scattered all over the shop. At least least when he's kneeling like this he seems less likely to somehow summon another spear of ice... though what happens when he stands back up and tries to walk again remains to be seen. For the time being he works and considers the rest of Noah's words as he does so. Be kind to himself... he's never been very good at that when the gods upset his control over things he should have mastered, be it his emotions or his powers. He'd beaten himself up for the longest time after Rage manipulated him into attacking someone he'd never even met before, and he'll likely admonish himself every time his otherworldly abilities flare up in ways they're not supposed to...

... But the boy has a point, even if hearing those words from a being who... well, might not be entirely human but looks and acts remarkably like one, catches his attention. He needs the kindness right now, the reminder that right now he's the only one judging himself. "... I am sorry. I know you are right... if I would pardon others for the manipulations of the gods then I should do the same for myself... but it is difficult. I hold myself to a... high standard, you see."

[casperdisaster]

Noah nods as well. He knows a lot of people think that way, the desire to go home, to escape this place, see it as a prison. They aren't wrong.

It's just so different, when you don't have anything to return to. When everything you are here is the best you'll ever be from here on out, and there's only one direction things will go once you return home.

"I think a lot of people do. Hold themselves to a high standard, so... you aren't weird there. But you have friends, right? Think of how upset they'd be if they heard someone talking about you the way you think about yourself. No one can control what happens to us when these things come around. It's just not fair to ask that of anyone."

[glacius]

"Perhaps not. But we cannot risk complacency--otherwise this place will fall to chaos. We can grant pardon and kindness but we cannot say that the things we do while under the influence of the gods do not matter. Pain, suffering, and destruction have all been dealt by our hands. We must be willing to take responsibility for that... and we must always fight and resist their efforts whenever possible." Glacius sets down the objects he'd gathered up on another table, then finally turns to look at Noah. "Do you understand what I am saying? I cannot excuse myself for this, not entirely. But I can push myself to do better."

[casperdisaster]

Noah holds the objects he'd gathered close to his chest while he listens, trying not to cringe a little.

These are the situations he tries to avoid, if things were working correctly for him. Not that he doesn't metaphorically step in it plenty of times, but it's... different.

Easy to offer advice when you know what the other party needs to hear. Without it he's basically just any other seventeen year old boy with too little life experience to back most of his opinions.

After a moment of silence that stretches on a little too long to be entirely comfortable, Noah nods as well.

"You probably know better than I do, so. Yeah. I guess I just don't like seeing anyone hurting."

[glacius]

Though Glacius still has a lot to learn about humans, by now he can at least tell when he's made one uncomfortable. He gives Noah a gentle smile and then lowers his gaze again. "You are kind-hearted--that is good. If more people in this place were like you some of our problems would likely solve themselves. I appreciate the understanding that you have shown me... it does mean a lot, to know that you do not view me as anything less for my difficulties."

Now the alien gives a little chuckle, some wry self-depreciation coloring his tone. "I am simply a long-lived, stubborn creature. I... I do not want to admit that maybe this is something that I will just have to get used to. If I stop pushing myself, if I stop trying to overcome the gods and their games... that to me feels like I have admitted that they have won. That they have some power over me."

[casperdisaster]

Noah goes a little red with embarrassment for being so obvious with his feelings - he's supposed to be the one that helps other people, not the other way around. Even so, embarrassed as he might be, Noah instead chooses to focus on the positive. That Glacius chose to be kind, that he cares enough to be kind to Noah's feelings.

He smiles back, only a little shy still.

"Thanks. Um, if it's any consolation, I believe in you? Like, about the overcoming things... stuff. All that."

[glacius]

"Well thank you," Glacius rumbles out a chuckle, now appearing a little more bashful. He's gotten a little bit more used to people saying this to him, but hearing it coming from someone he's only met once before... it's still surprising. "I appreciate you saying that, too... though I will wait before I attempt to see if I have met with any success in this regard. I do not want to stand and accidentally spear you."

For now, remaining in a partial kneel on the floor seems like the safer option, even if being pretty much stuck there feels a little... well, dumb.

[casperdisaster]

"I appreciate that," though again, Noah had a way of putting it so lightly the very possibility of being speared seemed like it had to be a joke.

He was aware of the danger, but he didn't want to be afraid. No more so than he was of literally everything always.

Once they were done cleaning up he'd give Glacius his space again, but he wouldn't abandon the task or the man before that.

[glacius]

Right. Well then, Glacius isn't quite sure what to do! His mandibles twitch as he suffers a pang of awkwardness, just sitting here planted on the floor. He doesn't know what to do or say to make himself not seem like he's just... here. Contributing nothing. Sure, his long reach enables him to gather things up off the floor--and he returns to doing just that soon enough--but he can't actually put things back in place until he can move again.

So he tries to fish for something to make this seem less awkward. Eventually he pipes up, "I have not seen you for a very long time. Since Delight's celebration, if my recalls serves me. Have you been... well since then? Or at least, as well as one can be in this place?"