hadriel_logs | Intro Log: HOLY F*^K THAT'S A F*&KI%G DRAGON

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Intro Log: HOLY F^K THAT'S A F&KI%G DRAGON

Who: New arrivals and everyone else!
What: The intro log for October
Where: The colosseum and all around the city.
When: October 10th-13th
Warnings: New faces, new greeting posts, and dragons. What's more to want?

If your first thought upon waking up on the cold, hard ground of Hadriel's very own Colosseum is 'maybe I partied too hard last night', one, Delight would love you and two, you're wrong. Or- maybe you did, but that's not why you're here. Instead, you wake up with the same clothes you were wearing when you were last home, but surrounded by very different people. So, make some friends! Might as well voice your confusion and concern and show the technologically unsavvy of you how to operate these fancy new phones, right? Just be sure not to trip over these odd bags of chips on your way to greet your fellow man.

Don't spend too much time out in the open, though. There are monsters about, and not quite the usual ones. This month, Hadriel is bringing in four dragons, each with their own unique abilities and raidboss-esque stamina. They'll be terrorizing the city until someone puts them down- maybe that someone is you! Maybe you should, uh, actually hide. They're hungry and territorial and mean and they're definitely out for a good meal. Check out our OOC post for more information, as well as who will be eventually killing the beasts!

But hey, once you escape from the dragons, feel free to go explore the rest of the city! Find a house, find a new monster, or simply scavenge for supplies.

New, as of October's intro log is a Newcomer's guide that installs itself by default on every activated phone. Thanks, Mello!

Good luck, and enjoy your stay in Hadriel!

► This log covers October 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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

With his face buried into the sandy fur of his dog, Will didn't hear Maketh call his name at first. Feeling Winston move and push against him where they were paused didn't alert Will right away either.

No, it took a few loud barks from the dog, followed by the sensation of that big fluffy tail lashing against Will's side, before he pulled his attention away from his pet.

Looking back over his shoulder, eyes stinging from tears and dog fur, Will wiped at his eyes, squinting down the street as he spotted Maketh standing there. Still, the tears rolled down his cheeks as he tipped his head, brow furrowed in recognition.

"... Maketh? Is that you?"

"...yes," Maketh says, as gently as she can. The instinct to bolt is tight in her gut. She swallows it down. Crying is a weakness, it must be done quietly if it is done at all and never with witnesses. Seeing someone else down on their knees only serves as a reminder of how many times Maketh has found herself in that very position.

It's not a kind memory, any of them.

But in the end, she is a guardsman. This is her duty. And perhaps she owes Will this. So Maketh holds herself as still as she can, and clears her throat. "Are you...all right?"

Shaking his head, pressing his lips together and biting them down as he tried to stop himself from spluttering out another loud sob. You could see it on his face, his expression was that of a broken man. He'd just had enough, too much and finding himself waking here again, as if in some strange repeating dream was pushing him to his limit. The fact that Winston had shown up was all it took for him to finally crash and burn out.

Still sat on his knees in the middle of the street, his dog curling protectively around him like a big soft comforting blanket. He could hardly speak and as much as it pained him to look Maketh in the eye for too long, he tried.

"No... I just.. "

Drying his eyes even though it was pointless.

There must be a protocol for this sort of thing. Maketh thinks back to the Academy and the things her fellow cadets would do when the pressure weighed too heavily on them. Itani had raged and hit things. Many of the others took to drinking. Some of them cried as well, but never around Maketh. She wasn't sure what one did in this situation. Would hugging be appropriate?

She hoped not. She didn't particularly want to touch Will right now.

"Is that your dog?" she asks finally. Then: "Do you require a sedative?"

If it would make Maketh feel any better, Will wasn't used to doing this kind of thing either. He'd normally be alone when on the verge of tears. lately, he'd only cried in the privacy of Hannibal's office, or alone in bed while dreaming. So it was as much disturbing for him as it was her.

The sad reality of it all is that perhaps a mere hug would have helped? It's not like Will is the most open person anyway, he'd never ask for one and he knows Maketh isn't the kind to well, be kind. So that was probably off the table.

He nodded and stroked the shaggy fur of his dog in response to her question, then shook his head and refused the other.

"No. No medicine... "

His eyes looked at her, pleaing almost. "I just.. I don't think I understand anything anymore."

No medicine, no doctors...what, then? She had read medical training manuals in the Academy, there must have been something relevant there. But if there was, Maketh can't seem to remember it. She could hit him or threaten to as motivation, but that seems unlikely to produce results. It seems cruel, also.

She'd rather not be cruel to him again.

"What don't you understand?"

Perhaps he would explain.

Violence was something Will knew well, he understood violence and cruelty. That didn't mean he liked or craved it, though he was on a self-destructive path. He wouldn't have held it against he, had she decided that hitting him was the best form of action, no, Will would have understood and accepted that. Not that it would do any good at the moment.

He was growing to like Maketh, though the place in which he'd met her caused him much distress so the memories of her were always mixed with the horrors of this Cave-City.

"Why I'm here?... I thought I was back at home... It's important that I be at home right now... Why is my dog here? Dragons... Actual Dragons."

Shaking his head again, looking like he was about to go into a fit of hysterics, what with the way he was breathing and almost laughing.

This course of action is proving unproductive. It calls for a radical change of tactics.

Before she can think better of it, Maketh shoulders her rifle and crouches down so that she and Will are - almost - eye-to-eye. Any closer and they'd be touching. She can see the way his pupils have gone wide, the redness of his eyes, the wild throb of his pulse. She could kill him like this, but doesn't want to. Protocol says it would be the best course of action. He is damaged and possibly insane. Threats must be eliminated as soon as they are detected. By rights, she's let this fester too long. The rot could spread.

Stop. Enough of that.

"Repeat what I say," Maketh instructs him quietly, eyes narrowed tight. It's not the mantra she usually recites, but one much older. It belonged to the Old Republic, something the Empire had tried to forget. "I am a protector of the Republic and will never abandon my armor. I know nothing but what I am told. I am alive. I stand with my brothers and I will never falter."

She snaps her fingers in Will's face impatiently. "Your name is Will Graham and you are alive."

Will flinched, turning his face away and closing his eyes as she crouched down to meet his level. It was unexpected of her and for a fleeting moment, Will thought that perhaps Maketh had come to her senses and was about to finally knock Will out of his.

The surprise the met him however, was the way she looked at him, spoke to him even. She was so close that Will held his own breath from fear that should he simply breath on her, she would swing at his temple with the handle of her gun. There was something that almost felt nefarious about the way she observed him. Will wasn't exactly empathizing with her right now, but there was definitely an iniquitous air coming off of her.

It was then, when she spoke, when she said all those things about military comradery that she calmed him, gained his full attention. Did she mean to give out so much information? Did she mean to use such words that had clearly been drilled into her? Will didn't know where to start, he was about to repeat her every word... Until she said those last few parts. His eyes softening some, his shoulders sinking back down. "My name is Will Graham... And I am... And I am very much alive."

Maketh nods just once, pleased. The problem has been contained, the protocol followed. He is behaving in a way she can understand. "You are alive."

That is the only truth that matters right now.

She stands almost as abruptly as she crouched, and steps back. Establishing distance.

"Now stand up. You are alive and you can stand."

Shuffling on the balls of his feet, Winston getting in and out of his way from excitement in having his master and best friend back, only made it more difficult for Will to properly stand up. He looked up at her, face pale, eyes still as wet and pathetic looking. "I'm weak."

That's right, before he woke and found himself in this place again, he'd been choking, then throwing up as something unspeakable was going on. Will froze. Wiping his mouth, touching his throat then covering his mouth. Without warning, he turned to face away from Maketh and started to be violently sick on the floor.

"Oh, no, no...!"

Ugg. Maketh covers her mouth in distaste. Honestly! For a moment things had been going well. The protocol had been followed and Will had been - at least momentarily - dealt with. She's quite sure of that.

Apparently he's sick in more than just the head. Maketh remembers the seizure he had in her shower and just sighs.

"Are you finished?"

He needs to be inside and out of trouble. If she has to carry him that far, Maketh doesn't feel like getting vomited on.

As disgusting as it was, Will looked closely at the mess he'd made. There was reason behind his madness, he needed to know, so his pushed Winston away, towards Maketh as he waved a hand at her to leave him be while he continued to look.

"Wait! I have to know! It can't be true!"

After a few uncomfortable moments, Will stopped acting strange and sighed deeply. "It's not there." Shaking a little as he finally raised to his feet. "I'm okay.... I'm okay." Turning to face her, a look of relief plastered on his face. "I didn't do it." A half-smile, then his expression dropped, he went pale and shook his head.

Have to know what? Maketh wondered. Something important. And apparently connected to whatever mess he'd just made on Hadriel's street. She put her hand on her rifle, just in case. "Are you in control of yourself, Will Graham?"

He couldn't tell her what he was looking for, he knew that she already had one hell of a hard time coming to finally believe that he wasn't a threat to the people here, with all that, how could he tell her that he was searching for human remains and flesh in his vomit?!

Nodding to her question, pressing a hand to his forehead. " I am... I just might finally be in control of myself... They can no longer get me here?" Looking around curiously. " How many more have arrived? And is there a way I can find out who exactly is here?"

Still looking like death warmed up, Will wobbled as he took a few steps towards her. Clearly still too unstable to be up and around like this, let alone fleeing and hiding from Dragons.

Well, Maketh reminds herself, she can always render him unconscious and secret him away somewhere. That remains an option, if needed. He's shaky and off-balance, weak just like he said. She wouldn't need to be a field operative to control him. All it will take is a good sleeper hold, or the simple act of bringing the butt of her rifle down on his head. Crack.

If needed. Only if needed.

Maketh nods just once, watching him all the while. "Thus far they have not breached the perimeter. I cannot guarantee that will last. You ought to stay inside until this is over. But if you check your phone, it will have a list of current residents."

She pauses. "Are you looking for someone?"

Despite his weak limbs and the twisting sensation in his stomach, the soreness in his throat, Will nodded and swallowed, looking sheepish, almost apologetic.

"I'll not cause you any more trouble. Lord knows I've imposed on you before." His way of saying sorry, perhaps? Truth was, Will was starting to actually like Maketh, she'd seen him at his lowest and even though she was hardened by her own life, she still tried to help Will. He appreciated it.

"No. I have no friends, family... But someone I was trying to protect and someone who has been pulling my mind apart bit by bit... I'd rather find out if they're here."

Frisking his pockets until the phone was found, shaking hands pressing buttons and keys until Will found the list. "And it's not possible for people arriving and avoid being on here?" Holding the phone up to her as he spoke.

An enemy and a friend. Interesting. Maketh shakes her head. "There is not."

At least, not that she has been able to find. The technology is under the command of the gods and not the unfortunate fools they've managed to trap here.

"You ought to come inside," she says again. "It's not safe."

And you are making a fool of yourself.

If a person must break, they should know better than to do it in public.

Searching through the phone as Maketh spoke, uttering under his own voice a name, over and over. " Abigail, Abigail.." A sigh and Will closed his eyes upon finding no such name on the device. He quickly searched for the other name right after, more of a panic until he could confirm that this too was missing from the list. "Okay... Okay no, that's fine, that's good... We can work with that. Sorry-" He addressed Maketh finally as he turned slipped his phone away and paid her attention.

She looked vexed by him, a common expression Will was noticing on her face whenever they were together. Normally he'd be amused but not now, Maketh was stronger and had a shorter fuse than Will, he'd already pushed his luck once with her, he wasn't about to make that mistake again.

"I can tell I'm an embarrassment to you. Its okay, I'm used to it, really. But I still don't know my way here yet, give me some time to adjust." Oh he knew the answer would be no, that it would be a stern look and a huffed out sigh followed by her enforcing their next action. Will welcomed it for a change, he was tired, weak and broken, perhaps it was better to just let Maketh take control and boss him around like a rookie cadet.

"You are acting foolishly."

Maketh huffed, glaring at him openly. This time she didn't bother to hide her annoyance. Perhaps Will did not pose a direct threat to the people under her protection, but thus far he'd done nothing to make the job easier. He was loud and uncomfortably open with his emotion, and brought out things in her that Maketh did not like. She was torn between the impulses - to either beat him into complacent silence or - perhaps worse - to comfort him.

For a while, she had thought herself enlightened when it came to civilians. She could understood how their minds worked, why they came to the conclusions they did. Emily and Chris had shown her how. It had taken time, but Maketh respected them now. They were strong in their own right.

Will is something else entirely, an unknown factor, and one that will require patience to deal with. It will require conversation, analysis, and, much to her annoyance, time.

Nothing in Maketh wants to get close enough to know him. But the distance has already been closed. She's gotten this far. He's under her protection now and as such, must be kept alive.

No matter how difficult he makes that task.

Maketh curls her lip, not bothering to hide it. "Get up. We are going inside, where you will not draw undue attention to yourself. If you cannot be silent, then you will be out of sight, where nothing will see you and think you easy prey."

There is no room for argument.

He smirked at that. She sounded just like Dr Bloom, Alana often thought Will to act irresponsibly and foolish at times, it was a backhanded compliment as far as Will was concerned.

So Maketh had finally came as close as most people do around Will? Close enough to want to back away, to want to take your frustration with him out on him or to attempt to comfort the broken mess of a man he was. Will would feel sorry for her, honestly he would, he wouldn't wish himself on another human, it was why he tried to spend as little time around them as possible. Something he would find near impossible to do here.

"I can be silent. I just... Got distracted.." Winston decided to bark then, turning his attention to the shadows passing by overhead in the street. The dog was more attuned to the Dragons and their whereabouts than Maketh or Will would have been, so when the heckles on the back of his neck shot up, and the dog began to snarl, it could only mean it sensed something coming.

Getting up, looking pale as he did so, his blood pressure was in his boots, he was still suffering with the after effects of being in shock. Wobbling a little, taking to steady himself by outstretching his hands.

The animal snarled.

Maketh went for her rifle without hesitation, pressing the scope to her eye, scanning the sight-lines. Nothing yet. But if the animal was concerned, then it wasn't far off. Something had broken through the perimeter.

"Will," she said, ever so calmly, "we are going to move now."

Will turned his attention to Winston. Stroking his back and patting him on the behind. "Good boy, shhh. Its okay." He followed Maketh's lead and looked around, though he couldn't see nearly as well as she could through her scope.

"If something dangerous is coming our way, sure would be nice if I had my gun." He hinted with a dash of sarcasm in his voice. He was still very badly shaken but knew better than to stay out in the open, Maketh wouldn't let him anyway, Will had a feeling she wouldn't think twice about restraining him and dragging him off, and that's not what he needs.

"Where?" Finally gaining some balance on his feet, taking Winston by the short lead he still had attached to his collar and coming to stand at Maketh's side.

That's a decent question, though Maketh doesn't feel like saying as much. She could retreat to the guardpost, though it's a certain distance away and part of her doubts that Will is strong enough to make it that far, or she could duck into one of the apartments. Perhaps even the bar, something with a door that can be locked and barricaded.

The bar, she decides. Then she can stick Will out of sight, and then stare at the wall of bottles and fantasize about the drinking she'll do when she's finally off-duty.

The dog will becoming, Maketh supposes. Will seems attached.

It's not as dirty as it could be. Things could be worse.

"Your hands are shaking. You would shoot yourself before you hit anything useful." Maketh doesn't bother sugarcoating things these days. "Follow me. Now. We are going to the bar."

".. Wouldn't be such a bad thing." He muttered under his breath to Maketh's comment about him being more likely to harm himself than be of any use with a gun. She was right, he wasn't that great with it anyway, it was for the best really, he just didn't like feeling so helpless.

Winston was always well groomed, for his failures, Will thrived when looking after his animals, he'd put his dogs before himself back home. It was nice to have a familiar friend, having Winston there and all, but it made Will wonder if Alana was looking after the rest of them? If they'd ran off in search of him, heck he wondered if anyone was looking for him let alone his dogs.

Having seemingly got lost in thought for more than a long moment, Will shook his head and paid Maketh his full attention. "Bit early for a nightcap wouldn't you say?" He knew she'd take him seriously, or give him some spiel about how now wasn't the time for jokes. Still, Will as Will and he said and did as he pleased most of the time, even now, even as ill and tired as he was.

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