Event Post: Everyone Chill

[hadrielmods]

Who: Everyone participating in the event!
What: The event log for Tranquility's resurrection event!
Where: All around the city
When: December 27th-January 7th
Warnings: Absolutely nothing creepy or weird at all.

The revival of Tranquility on December 27th marks a vast - if temporary, and actually completely fake - change to the city. Upon awakening that morning, the inhabitants of Hadriel will find the city changed from its usual broken-down dour cave self into a sparkling, clean, delightful island city. Instead of being surrounded by hard stone walls, the city is surrounded by warm ocean waters and soft white sand beaches.

Gentle waves lap at the shore, the sky overhead is perfect, wide and open. The spires have been replaced by shining skyscrapers, the roads are clear of rubble and paved neatly. The stores are quaint, windows no longer broken, and the items inside have changed too. Instead of simple canned goods and strange clothing, you might find delicate pastries, cool drinks, fresh fruit, and flowy summer clothes to match the city. How nice! How calming, really. Didn't everyone need a vacation? So throw on some flip-flops, grab one of the mopeds that have been provided, and enjoy yourselves!

As the days go on, though, you might notice one or two odd things. Maybe the pretty sun hat you picked up looked, for just a moment, like a grubby old baseball cap instead. Maybe that beach ball is a little heavier than it should be. Maybe the shining wall of that skyscraper feels more like stone than glass. Maybe - just for an instant - the sky above was solid rock instead of the gentle, calming hues of the sunset.

While there is a mild compulsion toward calmness and tranquility, towards accepting the city for exactly what it seems to be, that can be ignored - and the illusion can be broken, if you choose to try. But do you really want to? Isn't that croissant much nicer than yet another can of beans? Wouldn't you rather relax at the beach than run around, trying to convince all your friends that this is just the gods getting inside their heads again in an even more creepy and all-encompassing way than usual?

Come on. Don't be a buzzkill.

► This log covers December 27th-January 7th.
► 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 chill out so much you end up dead, please let us know here.

Comments

[dedikated]

( Even on Kate's part it takes a moment of checking out the mopeds. She hasn't actually looked at them herself, and who only knows how the gods think a moped is meant to work.

Eventually, she seems satisfied and unhooks one from its charger, moving over to Henry's to point out the charger, ignition, clutch and brakes. )

Long as these work like normal ones.

( Full disclaimer, because who fucking knows here. Even if they look entirely right. )

[unfollowing]

This guy is really trying Emily's chill.

"It's either that or get mauled by whatever monster's out there." She shrugs. "I know it's not like, very positive, but it's true."

And for oncce, it's not bothering her.

[pyralisit]

He is very good at that. Ask any number of people.

"A lot of things aren't very positive, I've noticed." With very few exceptions to the rule, really. "But I suppose don't try to fix what isn't broken."

[circumitus]

Why it is that the nerdy scientist lizard is Rey's go-to for fashion advice, the world may never know. Truth is, Alphys is there and seems willing to offer her two cents, and that aloe is good enough for Rey.

"Mm," she muses, picking out a deep red dress that shines in the light. Floral patterns, like many of the designs in this shop, also give off a reflective look. "She has dark hair and eyes. Red goes good with black, right?"

Bianca would like red. Blood is red. And Bianca has an appreciation for blood, it seems.

[knifecollecting]

I'm not gonna say it, you just said it. [Jo laughs and wriggles a little, ignoring the sensation of a rock digging into her back.]

But maybe that's the key.

[pellameno]

"Yes, I can move a stick. I'm officially a sailor now." He's smiling, though, as he guides the boat in the direction Will indicates. He overshoots a bit, has to correct it, but the little wobble is easily ignored. They glide over to the sandbank and Pell peers over the edge of the boat again, to see what's so exciting about this spot. He's not even sure how Will can identify one patch of water from another but sure enough, the ground beneath it slopes back up and he can see the bottom. A group of fish swims past and under the boat and as they move forward he sees a crab. He doesn't know what it's called, nor can he identify the starfish nearby, but he knows they're alive and watches them move about as the boat drifts past.

"There are things besides fish down there," he tells Will, sounding surprised. "How do we stop?"

[unfollowing]

Finally he's making sense. Jesus. "Exactly."

And really, what better advice than not to poke at what is clearly an illusion? It feels real and smells real and looks real. That's enough for a little while.

"You think we can tan in this sunlight?"

[pyralisit]

He laughs at that question, though. That's a completely ridiculous thing to be thinking of right now.

"I wouldn't know. I haven't been trying. It feels real enough, I suppose."

[feelslikeimspilling]

Shaking his head side to side and treading water, trying to get most of the water out of his face without having to use his hands. Squinting as the salt tingled his eyes a little, spotting Jill over by the boat. He couldn't help the wide, happy, smile that grew on his lips as he listened to her threat.

"Oh, yea? I beg to differ." Smirking before moving to his back on the surface of the water, giving a little splash with his legs in Jill's direction before swimming back around and coming to her side. His hand held him in place at the side of the boat too.

Will did feel a little bad, Jill had been wearing her clothes after all. Sure, he wasn't bothered about getting wet, but maybe he should have made sure she was okay with it. "I'll let you have the bigger, fluffy towel." It was his way of saying sorry but it was still spoken in a playful tone.

[unfollowing]

Listen, buddy, some people are just really fucking vain. It's what got her into trouble with the demons a few months back. At least this time Emily isn't saying she wants to be tan, just asking if it's possible. She promised to be careful, after all.

She purses her lips, half pouting, half done with the idea. "I bet not." Or rather, she bets that if you do tan, it's less tanning and more third-degree burns. "At least it feels warm. "I'm so in the mood to just lie on the sand with my boyfriend." You know (no you don't), the one she's in love with.

[pyralisit]

He very much understands that people are vain--he can be that way too, sometimes. For the most part, though, he spends time worrying about things like surviving the next day and making sure the very few he actually cares about do too.

"Nothing is stopping you. There appears to be plenty of it."

[feelslikeimspilling]

This was why Will didn't like to socialize. He was too analytical, even of his own thoughts and actions, it was just better to avoid people in general, then there was none of this awkward business. This man wasn't normal, though, or at least didn't register on the average scale of normality. Oh perhaps he did, and it was Will who wasn't used to how the average person acted these days/ Yes, that was more likely it. Will was being over sensitive and thinking far too much about the situation

Ah, at least he took the peace offer, that made Will feel a little better.

"Not usually. No." His answer was honest if a little stand off-ish. Giving a very quick, and very small smiled as he was thanked, averting his gaze so not to catch eye contact.

[dedikated]

Kate's never believed in gods even back home, the word just seems easier to use than "the fuckers who play with our emotions" every damn time. And she agrees, deeply, with everything Glacius is saying, with the fact that they seem to have no way out from this cave, that all avenues have been exhausted except the one they can't understand and have no information on. Her fingertips drag down her calves, idle movements of no real consequence other than to give herself something to concentrate on that isn't an illusion. Something that feels like it's supposed to, the denim fabric under her fingers thick and true.

Her breath catches in her throat at the mention of the explosives, eyes drawing down towards the patterns she's drawing on her jeans. A few months ago, her reaction would have been immediate. Positive. She would have tried anything - and did - to get out. But the destruction caused by that attempt, everything and everyone she's met and done after it, even the increasing contact with the gods of this cave, and she hesitates.

"Might not work." Probably won't. She doesn't hold much hope for leaving on their own terms most of the time now, just a stubborn determination to dig deeper into the Door and the world here, to try and unearth something. "We'd end up with no caves for th' monsters that get brought here." They'd roam the city itself, making things more dangerous.

[feelslikeimspilling]

Will gave a little chuckle to Pell;s comment about moving a stick and being a sailor. It was kind fo endearing, even though he hide well how scared and unsure he was, Will could sense it from him, his empathy helping him understand Pell's viewpoint.

Once Pell finished getting the boat in place, Will stood up and lowered the anchor back down. He planned on staying here for a little while, it was the perfect spot after all. Winston came paddling past, walking onto the slightly submerged part of the sandbank and shakes himself off, just as Will was stepping out of the boat to join him.

"Thanks for that Winston...." Spoken lightly, with no animosity towards his pet whatsoever.

As Pell passed comment about there being other kinds of life in the sea, other than fish, Will smiled. "That's right, all kinds of things actually. Ranging from macrobiotic bacteria and organisms to mamanls. Crustations, plants, even kinds of reptiles and insects. It's honestly like a whole new world."

Holding his hand out for Pell to take. He thought this would be a nice spot for Pell to get used to the water. He could paddle as shallow or as deep as he liked and if he was feeling brave, Will would support him in deeper water should he wish to try and swim.

[unfollowing]

What a good soul. (That was sarcasm.)

And hey, if he's just going to be rude like that, Emily will leave. No one's going to damage her calm.

"You're right. I'm gonna go look for him." She stands and brushes the sand off her legs, shooting Cal a small smirk. "See you around, I guess."

Or whatever.

[hotspurred]

[Henry takes note.]

There is but one way to find out.

[The grin he gives her is boyish, filled with the reckless delight of discovery. He's not one to be intimidated by the unknown. He unhook his moped.]

[survivethis]

Jill holds up a hand, smiling behind it as she shields herself from the water. When Will meets her at the boat and makes such a generous offer, he gets a little smirk from her.

"I guess that's a start." At least she'll have that to be modest behind. Her bathing suit is on under the clothes, but yeah, her clothes are wet now.

"Here, help me up." She turns toward the boat and reaches up to start putting herself out. Once she's up, she turns around and reaches down to help Will up as well.

[war_itself]

But this shouldn't be a regular city. This is a prison, exploitation, there should be an organized resistance. She's been looking for any sign of that, of people not simply submitting and whining on the network, but she hasn't turned up much so far. It's incredibly frustrating for someone who used to be the leader of a resistance, who used to have an entire people at her back fighting for their freedom, dying for it, proudly. And yet, here, a mere handful of creatures can't manage that same unity.

Quill wants to express all this, wants to get mad and complain and shout at her circumstances as she always does, but the slight buzz of alcohol and that strange feeling of tedium that's fallen over the city take the edge off her annoyance. Still, she can't be the only one who thinks like this, and she sits up a little straighter, locking eyes with the woman across the table. "What have you done to escape? You're an excellent fighter, and smart. Bet you're not one to give up easily, either."

[feelslikeimspilling]

"A start? You're going to make me suffer, aren't you?" He laughed, treading water as he positioned himself behind her, using his arms to take her but the hips and help her back up onto the boat with a big push. It was a nice view, but still, he tried to look away and be respectful.

Once she was up and turned to offer him a hand up, Will went along with it. He was suspicious that she was going wait until he was almost up and then let go, pushing him back into the water. If she did? He'd play along and make a big splash and scene about it.

[dedikated]

( And this is why she likes you, Henry. Kate can't help a laugh, a soft grin of her own as she quickly goes through starting and driving a moped. At least, any moped she's known in her life. )

Let's go.

( The good news? It does seem to work like she expects, because she starts up and starts moving without problems, kicking off from the parking space. )

[hotspurred]

[It remains to be seen how good an idea it is, but Henry follows suit, not at all cautious about it being his first time using a moped.

He is used to the power and force of a destrier in war and jousts, the smooth gait of a palfrey around town. But they are living creatures with minds of their own: one only ever works with them. The small size, the lack of jostling, having direct control and immediate response is a strange sensation. New. The persistent buzzing of the engine is a peculiar thing, like having a couple of beehives below.

He laughs at the novelty of the whole experience, then calls out:]

Noisy, are they not?

[survivethis]

Jill thought about it, but she kindly pulled him on board without abandoning him to the waves. He was nice enough to have her out here on this boat, so she should try and be a good guest. Even if he did just pull a prank on her. Besides, she liked seeing his smiling face coming onto the boat to join her.

"Want a drink?" She'll serve them up this time.

[glacius]

Glaicus gives a defeated curse underneath his breath in his own language. "You're... you're right. But I cannot just give up! My people are out there, somewhere, and I must protect them. For so long I have fought and attempted to maintain order to make the universe a safer place for them. How can I do that from here? And how am I to live with the suffering of my friends in this place? All of you, alien and human, deserve better than... than this... and I want so badly to give it to you, but I remain stuck."

[sarestes]

[A short nod.] Rusting away in fields and rotting cities.

[Because that explains everything, yes, it does.]

[fracturedbeauty]

Yukari watches Will for a moment, his actions and reactions, resembling something similar to a reclusive personality, with an underlying tone of something deeper. The contrast of sharp outbursts and timid pulling away. Something doesn't add up in Will's defenses. Perhaps he would like to get a closer impression of this person and see what lies beneath all of it. Congratulations, Will, you've caught Yukari's attention.

"You're rather shy, aren't you, Will-chan? Still, though, being receptive to others past first glance is a rather admirable trait." He gives a light chuckle. He doesn't attempt to make eye contact with Will, either. The avoidant gaze is not something that particularly bothers him, nor is it something that will make him go out of his way to challenge it. "How did you and puppy-chan meet?"