Intro Log: I'll Cry If I Want To

[hadrielmods]

Who: New arrivals and everyone else!
What: The intro log for December
Where: The colosseum and all around the city.
When: December 10th-14th
Warnings: Angry crying ladies and a bunch of newbies

Good morning, new Hadrielites! What a joy it is to awaken on the hard ground of the colosseum, with absolutely no idea where you are or what's going on. As you wake up, confused and possibly a little terrified, you may be angry. You may be frightened. You may be hungry, if you didn't eat a good lunch. You may want to cry.

And it looks like you're not the only one who wants to cry. Along with the newcomers, a number of Witches have come to Hadriel. They stand in one place or wander, crying bitterly, as if their boyfriend has broken up with them or they've lost their puppy. Maybe you're a good person who wants to see if they're okay? Well, you might want to rethink that. Disturb a Witch - which is pretty easy to do - and they'll fly into a rage, attacking you with their sharp claws and tearing your guts out. Good luck trying to get out of the colosseum without running into one!

Don't worry, though. Scattered around is also some stuff that's a little more fun! The Door's theme this month seems to be 'stuff stressed-out executives would put on their desks', and since we've got so many of those, surely you can find a toy or two to play with!

If you've managed to avoid getting clawed to bits and maybe found a cool new distraction or two, congrats! That's the first step to becoming a productive member of Hadriel society! Now, feel free to go 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-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

[benumbing]

[Jack thought the same thing himself, at first, like his sanity was being challenged if not slipping away completely. He's seen stranger things since then; he barely even remembers that there's someone else in the cave who could be his brother. Twin. Triplet, since he already has a twin sister.]

Jack Benjamin. [He clinks his glass gently against hers before taking a sip.] I guess the Door's doing its thing again. I'm sorry it did it to you, assuming that you didn't come from someplace worse.

[outstandingbalance]

[Her glass clinks against his gamely.]

Home got pretty exciting, but so far—I'd say this is the winner. If you can call that winning. Monsters on the first day and all.

We go whole years without those back home.

[She says it in a tone that could be joking, or it could be true.]

[benumbing]

Ah, so you're from one of those worlds. [His lips press into a tight smile before he explains.] I'm from a world where the biggest monster is my mother.

[Not dragons or witches or undead nurses - but Jack still believes that Rose Benjamin is still scarier than those things when she puts her mind to it.]

We don't live a glamorous life here, but it's a living. [Jack looks at her thoughtfully.] I'll offer my help, assuming that you don't already have magic at your disposal.

[outstandingbalance]

Those worlds. [She repeats it wryly. A few years ago, she probably would have said the same. On the other hand, her life was never exactly normal.] I'd have to meet your mother to respond to that. For scale.

[She lifts her glass as she pauses, taking a slow drink as she measures his offer, eyeing him sideways. Hard to say just what his offer is worth.

After a beat or two, she admits:] Let's say magic is a little above my pay grade. Sounds like you have some experience, though.

[benumbing]

Does witnessing it count? [He lowers his glass to the bar, mostly to keep from draining yet another shot. 'Above my pay grade', she says. Jack turns what that means over in his head before he decides to confide something.]

I was a soldier back in my world. A commander. I was trained by the best, I'd seen war. [He sighs and shakes his head gently.] It certainly helps here, but what I wouldn't give to be able to throw these monsters across the cave with a snap of my fingers.

[outstandingbalance]

[She dangles her glass between her fingers, watching him over the rim.] I believe that. [Her voice is even, but she can't help but notice his resemblance to Barnes again.] You look like a military man.

That does sound convenient.

[She does smile then, though it doesn't reach her eyes.] So magic aside, what kind of help should I be looking for down here?

[benumbing]

Advice. [Jack continues, offering his own. He doubts she really needs it, she seems to have a level head on her shoulders. She has good reason to feel rattled, but if she does, she doesn't let it show.] Don't trust the gods too much. Some of them seem harmless, even helpful, but there's no way they're telling us everything. It's in their nature.

[Or maybe he's just bitter about gods, especially his father's. That's also possible.]

Oh, and someone who can keep you from doing anything too crazy when they do decide to toy with us. We've all been known to do strange things.

[outstandingbalance]

[She hardly had to be told about the first part. She didn't trust the gods already, or their power. Maybe she'd change her mind over time, but so far, she didn't have any problem justifying her suspicion.

Her brows pinch at his last thought, though.]

That sounds ominous. Just what do you mean when you say strange?

[benumbing]

It's like possession sometimes.

[Definitely ominous.]

And actual possession, sometimes. Emotions can spring up out of nowhere and overwhelm you. I heard a story about people wanting to do nothing but catch fireflies for days. Thankfully that was before my time.

[outstandingbalance]

[Natasha does a good job hiding her reaction, but her expression hardens slightly. Not a fan of mind control.]

Good reason to start using the buddy system. I'll watch out for that.

[benumbing]

Good.

[Jack wouldn't see anyone else fall victim to it, as unavoidable as it seems sometimes.]

So, what was your life like before you came here? Job? Family?

[They deserve some small talk after going over the unpleasant things.]

[outstandingbalance]

No family.

[The way she says it makes it clear this isn't a recent tragedy. Just a fact. His other question, that takes a little more thought.]

I'm in intelligence. [That is probably the blandest possible way she could answer that question, but also the simplest. She's a lot more comfortable with that than claiming to be any kind of hero.]

[benumbing]

Intelligence? [Jack repeats it with a raised brow. It could mean any number of things, and he's curious about which one it is.] Desk job?

[outstandingbalance]

Field. [She would probably go crazy in a desk job. Besides, it would be an awful waste.]

I wear a lot of hats.

[benumbing]

You're luckier than I was.

['Crazy' is an apt way of putting it.]

I was taken off of active duty and "promoted" to an intelligence position. [He downs another shot.] It was a slow death. But it probably would've been more interesting with you around.

[outstandingbalance]

[Natasha laughs at that, a bit more openly rueful.]

If there's one thing I can't call my career, it's boring.

[Considering how the organizations she's been part of have gone, she's not sure she'd call it a good thing. KGB. SHIELD. Even the Avengers fell apart in the end.]

Sounds like someone wanted to keep you out of the line of fire? That's how it usually works when someone's put behind a desk they never asked for.

[benumbing]

They didn't do me any favors.

[Jack doesn't debate her assumption, because she's right. His unit was ambushed, his men killed, and Jack taken prisoner. Which is all very dramatic for a country's only prince.]

Personally I'm grateful for this little transfer. [He gestures at the bar, and means the cave beyond it too.] We don't have to worry about things getting dull here. [Jack leans closer, lowering his voice to a more conspiratorial level.] Have you ever seen a dragon, Natasha?

[outstandingbalance]

No, I don't suppose this gets boring. [Even for Natasha, this wasn't just another Tuesday.] All of this.

[She sips from her glass, leaning in a little herself, her ear toward him as he asks that last question.]

Oh, no. No dragons. Did they breathe fire and everything?

[benumbing]

They did. Just like something out of a storybook.

[Jack shakes his head, but a smile appears too. It was pretty impressive in hindsight.]

Maybe we should take a bet on what shows up next.

[outstandingbalance]

[Natasha's sure in practice that's no better than flying alien monsters, and any sense of whimsy probably vanishes quickly when they're razing buildings and eating people or whatever else dragons do...

At the same time, it still seems a little unreal. Like a fairy tale, and fairy tales are a long way from Natasha's life.]

Is that the kind of bet you really want to win, you? You suggest vampires, and next thing you know... we're neck deep in them.

[benumbing]

I don't think we've seen vampires yet.

[Jack lifts his glass in a toast.]

You might be on to something there.

[outstandingbalance]

[She doesn't have a problem joining his toast, smirking a little.]

That said, if it is vampires, I still win the bet.

[benumbing]

Ah, but what are the terms.

[A corner of his mouth tugs up, mischief in his eyes.]

Maybe we should've decided on that first, so you'd know exactly what it is that you're winning.

[outstandingbalance]

That's the question, isn't it?

[Natasha's brows twitch up, amused and speculative.]

Bragging rights?

[benumbing]

It probably is the most valuable thing here.

[But bragging rights always ranked pretty high with him.]

You have yourself a bet.