public art project begins

[zen_en_vert]

Who: Bruce Banner and a handful of others including but not limited to Kate, Hermann and Mello, as well as OPEN
What: History building log
Where: The Colosseum
When: Current.
Warnings: Graphic discussion of every event the city has had.

It's one of those projects that takes two days off in a row. The first day, Bruce uses to collapse face down, drink several cups of his not particularly excellent tea, eat three square meals and read the book that Hope gave him all those months ago.

The second day, he gets on his communicator, gets the people together who he's heard talking about a project to write a history of Hadriel, and then goes to find some painting supplies. He grabs a few brushes, and a few pots in different colours of a good acrylic that should hold up to the weather (limited as it is in the cave) and eventually, sets out, party in tow.

He makes as much of a start as he can.

Comments

[torrefied]

In his own opinion, Mello has already done more than his fair share of painting walls, after serving out the Guard's community service sentence a few months back. But he's highly interested in information, especially about Hadriel itself - so he shows up. If nothing else, this record should be included with the newcomer's guide he developed not long ago.

Still, he's pointedly observing, rather than participating. To Bruce, he has a single dry comment to add: "Your penmanship is better than doctors are known for."

[zen_en_vert]

"It's because I'm focusing. If this were on a flat piece of paper it'd be all drunken crabs."

He says, and then pauses in his elegant script, to ask;

"Where does that come from?"

[torrefied]

"What, the idea that doctors have terrible handwriting?" Mello taps a finger on the end of his chin, considering the question. "Evidence, I'd imagine. If you see enough examples of it, people tend to believe it's true. Don't doctors usually have more important priorities than perfect penmanship?"

[zen_en_vert]

"The line. I think it's from Sherlock Holmes."

He corrects him, but making a gesture, it doesn't matter either way, obviously.

"I have no idea. You'd really think, though, that they'd be more careful. I've never ready any statistics on prescription illegibility issues-"

[torrefied]

Being corrected naturally chafes, but Mello forces himself to inhale a deep breath and let it go. Mostly. "You're not that kind of doctor anyway, though." He takes a step back, silently reading what's already been painted. "You really believe this is the most efficient way of disseminating this information?"

[zen_en_vert]

"That is a distinction which is rapidly eroding."

He answers, with a snort, and while he continues to work.

"You've got to assume they have sysadmin privileges on the network, so anything we type is going to have the important bits cut out the minute we look away. Frankly, I try not to use it at all, especially not private messaging. Video would be harder to edit, but not impossible. Word of mouth is risky when the longterm residents disappear one by one- and this is where people enter Hadriel. Everyone who comes here will know that they can return here and learn everything.

[dedikated]

Kate doesn't get to writing on the walls just yet, a notebook tucked tight against her chest as she walks into the colosseum and - after a quick run up - springs into one of the stands to take a seat and re-read the notes she's been gathering about the gods, about the things they've revealed about this place on the public posts.

"You know Delight called hair "fur"?" she calls, after a minute or two scanning her spiky handwriting.

[zen_en_vert]

"Weird. This is all putting together to make me wonder what the hell was here before us."

Is Bruce's overwhelming impression, and he hasn't even been looking that hard.

[dedikated]

"Still haven't figured that out." Something distinctly not human, by all the comments she's seen made. Something unlike anything that's been pulled in so far. "Could just be making it all up."

She doubts that. For all the gods may not be the people she trusts the most here, or even close to it, Kate feels reasonably certain that most of what they've shared is true.

[zen_en_vert]

"Let's focus on collecting event details, for now. Do you feel up to writing up-- what was the first weird and horrible thing to happen to you after you arrived?"

Checking, while he gets going on the famine they began with.

[dedikated]

"Besides the monsters?" Her tone is dry, almost amused despite everything. They were strange, like nothing that existed in her world, and horribly annoying. She still misses those knives.

It takes a moment to recall the first actual event, but. "Those mirrors, I think." Although horrible-

was it really so horrible to see the promise of their quest back home actually going well?

[zen_en_vert]

"Which mirrors?"

He says, searching his memory back.

"The dream thing? No-"

It's been a weird, long year.

[meatbrained]

Matt occasionally visits the Colosseum while exploring the city. It's where he woke up, so it has to have some connection to getting home. At least, that's what seems to make the most sense. (Even if he's not entirely sure he wants to go back home, where there's a psycho stalking his friends and supposedly even more waiting. Where Emily's still-

well.

At the end of the day, he's not supposed to be here, is he?)

Usually it's empty. Usually there's nothing.

Today there's people.

"Uh. Did I interrupt?"

[zen_en_vert]

"Not in the slightest."

Says Bruce, projecting an absolute certainty that it's taken years for him to learn to be capable of.

"You're in exactly the right place; we need your help. I hope that's all right. I'm Bruce- Doctor Banner."

And he's going to get him a paint brush to hold out in greeting.

[meatbrained]

"Matt. And, uh, no problem." He's a little bewildered by the sudden paintbrush in his vicinity, really, but the flicker passes from his face soon enough and he takes it.

"So, what are we doing?"

[zen_en_vert]

"We're creating a public record of everything everyone left knows. People have a bad habit of vanishing in Hadriel, and I don't want it to be a tool the Gods use to disorient us."

He explains, with a wince.

"When did you arrive, Matt?"

[meatbrained]

He sucks on his teeth for a moment, listens to the explanation. Yeah, he's heard about this problem, people vanishing. And as disorienting as learning so much was, it's been helpful to expect that things are crazy here.

"Not too long ago. Just over a month, I guess." He isn't sure he could be a lot of help with what's happened, but if you need someone tall, young and strapping enough to paint things. Well.

[zen_en_vert]

"So you'd be a good fit to write about the huge number of arrivals we had this month, and the weird effects of the parties that were arranged. Or, if you prefer, the dragon attacks."

He says, reasonably sure he's placing this right.

[thechoiceisyours]

Chris is a little unsure about this whole thing.

Not the idea of creating a history--it's one he's considered doing before--or warning about past events, but... Just the manner of doing it. He's not so sure this is the best place for it, and on a smaller level he's just not entirely sure how to help. He's not a great artists or anything, and the idea of trying to write about any of his experiences on the spot, in front of other people, is a little nerve-wracking.

So he's just been sort of hovering uncertainly in the area, watching the others and texting Mello, but eventually decides he should try to be an adult about this and just ask. So he steps up to Bruce after another few seconds of gathering his courage, hands tucked nervously in his pockets. "S-So um... W-What should I be doing to help?"

[glacius]

After being contacted by Kate, Glacius arrived in a fashion those who knew him were likely by now familiar with--not right away, but not too long as to be rude, either. He wasn't one to rush unless it was an emergency, but this project sounded important enough to Kate that he was willing to put his own affairs to the side for the moment so that he could head down to the Colosseum shortly after their conversation over the phones had ended. The ice alien wasn't all to happy about the project being done here of all places... aside from the tendency of monsters to show up on a fairly regular basis, it was always a bitter reminder of the first day that he woke up in this cave.

But a friend had asked for his help, so he wasn't going to shy away.The alien simply took a moment to give a quiet, grumbled curse of the gods in his native tongue, then pulled in a deep breath and strode into the looming ruined structure. As he exited the tunnels and stepped into the open space of the rubble-littered arena, he could see that a number of people were already hard at work... the alien would join in, but writing in a human language was going to be an ordeal for him. It was much more easily managed when he had all of the symbols and characters at his fingertips... here he would have to not only recall everything, but write them down, as well. Not something he'd had all that much practice in.

Kate had suggested that someone might be willing to help him out with that part, though--and that what she really wanted from his was his experience. So Glacius starts casting a look around for any familiar faces, or, failing that, someone who at least looks like they wouldn't mind a tag-team effort in this endeavor. Approaching someone, he waits patiently for them to finish whatever they're currently working on... and then when they turn to him, he folds his arms behind his back and tries to politely strike up conversation. Hopefully whoever he approaches would be interested in hearing of the alien's experiences and in getting a vastly different perspective on the whole ordeal.

"Hello. I am here to assist with the transcribing of this cave's history... but, ah, it would take me quite some time to do so in human written language. Would you... perhaps be willing to take dictation?"

[zen_en_vert]

"Hello."

Says Bruce, glancing up at him and then arching his eyebrows in surprise at the size and shape of him. He's still getting a little used to the non-humans who turn up locally.

"Er- yes, thank you. I'd be very, very happy to. Where would you like to begin?" Except, belatedly, "I'm Doctor Banner- what's your name?"

[dedikated]

There aren't exactly a lot of giant ice aliens around in the murdercave, so Glacius sort of sticks out like a sore thumb in that regard. Which means that, when he turns up - when Kate catches him from the corner of her eye, she makes her way over without much thought or hesitation.

So, uh, sorry, but she's dropping in on this conversation, offering a nod of her head as greeting to both. "Glad you could make it." And, after a beat, "we got anyone doing the dreams?" Those were a particularly bad time.

[glacius]

Glacius notes the surprise, and wonders briefly if this is going to be one of those moments where he has to do everything in his power from keeping this new face from feeling threatened by him. Thankfully, this Doctor Banner seems to be able to accept him a little more gracefully than most, which is a relief to the alien. It's never fun to get a reminder of how much you stand out, of how much you don't belong.

"Good to meet you, Banner. My name is Glacius..." the alien responds with a slight dip of his head. When he lifts it and sees Kate on approach, some of his lingering hesitance falls away, and he brightens up noticeably. "Kate! It is good to see you too. It has been some time, I--"

... And then she's getting right to business. The galactic marshal tilts his head, but doesn't interrupt, though her suggestion seems to draw back some of his previous unease. He's always been a fairly private creature, one who keeps his past close to the chest... though... maybe it would be right to honor the very first moment he and Kate's friendship was cemented. "Well, I... I don't much like the thought of having what Ultratech did to me out in the open," Glacius admits, "But it was an important moment in our friendship, certainly. If you would like me to recount my experiences... I will acquiesce."

[zen_en_vert]

"Recount them to me."

Bruce suggests, stepping sideways, later down the months, finding and trying to place approximately when they mean, getting his paint ready and looking up at Glacius.

"I appreciate your sharing. This is important."

[dedikated]

She glances from Bruce to Glacius for a moment, wraps her arms around her torso.

"Don't have to put too much on there." She didn't with the mirrors. It's important to explain these things, but there's no need to leave their entire history, their hopes or futures, for people to read as they want. "Could also talk about th' fireflies, right?" If that was easier.