Event Log: Jumpscares

[hadrielmods]

Who: All characters participating in the event!
What: The event log for the Jumpscares event
Where: All over the city!
When: May 16th-May 20th
Warnings: Some startling jumpscares, interdimensional demon cats, the usual

A dark shadow looms over Hadriel on the morning of May 16th. There's a tension in the air, something palpable, as if everything has gone still and is ready to snap. You've been waiting for the other shoe to drop for hours now, and you're getting to the point where you're starting to wish that it would just happen already so that you can stop feeling this way.

Of course, when it does happen, it's not quite like you expect.

Maybe it's a tiger leaping out of your closet, claws extended. Maybe it's a faceless slenderman, stepping out from around the corner or a monster with beak and claws ripping open your shower curtain when you're most vulnerable- but within seconds, after you've been startled half to death by the monsters, they're gone. They vanish in a puff of smoke, or dissipate into glitter, or become something silly instead for a few brief moments before disappearing entirely.

Weird. But not unendurable, I guess. The bright side is that there will also be a few demon cats that have also made their way through the door. No two cats are ever in the same location, but there seems to be enough of them to go around, though the toothy one can be a bit vicious. Still, they aren't untameable, and might make nice pets, as long as you don't mind a bloody finger or two when it's time for lunch!

► This log covers May 16th-May 20th.
► 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 have some heart problems that are unfortunately exacerbated by this event, please let us know here, and we're sorry.

Comments

[mismanagement]

[Maketh doesn't like this, talking out in the open. Thus far the event hasn't caused any significant harm - only her actions have done that - but it could change in an instant. It has in the past. She has her rifle still but doesn't want to hold it, not right now, not after what she did. It stays on her back. She grimaces, scanning the sight-lines.

No threat. But they're exposed and open. Not good.]

I do not want to talk here, Doctor Sweets. We are exposed.

[lifetothefullest]

[Lance watches her gaze shift and move, figuring out what her problem is from that right before she explains, but he has a different opinion on the situation. He'd much rather be in the open than cornered somewhere, especially with Maketh, and especially if things are going to be popping up out of nowhere. Sure, they will hopefully follow the pattern of the last one and disappear just as quickly, but if not he'd prefer the space.

He's not, after all, the best when it comes to close-quarters, which he'd just been reminded of as if he hadn't already been aware.]

Are you certain that's a bad thing?

[mismanagement]

[He cannot possibly be serious. Maketh stares at him. Perhaps she hit him too hard. Perhaps he sustained a head injury.]

Have you never been in a combat situation? We are exposed in every direction.

[lifetothefullest]

We're not in a combat situation.

[He pulls one of his hands from his pocket to make a sweeping gesture. He can feel the tension from before starting to creep in again, but he would find it far too coincidental for it not to be related to the thing that had shown up and then disappeared; it has to be an event, like he'd been warned about. In fact, he'd been specifically warned to pay attention to any emotions he might feel that he isn't sure are his own, and he's pretty good at identifying his own emotions.]

I don't think what we're feeling is real. The sense of danger.

[mismanagement]

You do not know that!

[Maketh twitches. Makes herself stand up straight.]

The events tend to escalate.

[lifetothefullest]

If it does escalate, I'd prefer not to be a confined area.

[Not with her, not with monsters, not if other people are just as on edge as they are.]

[mismanagement]

[Arg, why? Why is he like this?]

But you would prefer to be out in the open, with no cover. Yes, clearly this is the best solution!

[lifetothefullest]

[Several reasons, none of which he cares to explain, which is probably not helping the situation.]

You're free to leave, you know.

[Just saying.]

[mismanagement]

You're the one who wanted to talk!

[She's close to shouting now, which isn't helping. It's not professional either, it's not good at all.]

I am going back to the guard post. You are free to stand out in the open like an idiot until something eats you.

[In a better moment, she'd feel bad about snapping at him like an errant storm trooper. In this one she's shaking and not sure why. But anger is safer than the alternative. So she turns on her heel and pretends it's the rage making her hands tremble.]

[lifetothefullest]

[Lance definitely does not appreciate being nearly shouted at, although at least aside from her tone she isn't being terribly aggressive; he's heard a lot worse than 'idiot'. Still, he's beginning to feel the new bruises he's just acquired, and then there's the tension that--even though he can recognize it as external, now--isn't helping his mood.

He presses his lips together and his eyes darken in irritation as she continues, and he doesn't make any move or comment to prevent her from leaving. Fine. He'll just send her a message later like he'd planned to do in the first place; in the meantime, he's going home to get an ice pack and think up a good way to explain his bruised jaw to Rosen that won't cause any additional concern.]


[Evening, the 16th]

[Okay, he's not putting this off any longer, mostly because he'd really like to commit to life as a hermit for a few days and not leave his apartment any more than absolutely necessary. But that means getting some things in order first, which includes talking to Maketh.

So he cautiously enters the Guard post, relatively sure at this point that Maketh isn't going to harm him--at least not for showing up to talk--but very cautious about startling her. He's also cautious about startling himself, although carefully looking for jumpscares around every corner and not finding them is just as nervewracking as when they do occur.

Still, there's nothing as he steps into the Guard post, glancing around for Maketh.]

[mismanagement]

[Thus far there haven't been many problems - nothing that needs the Guard's interference, at least - and as such, Maketh has been aggressively organizing their files in order to just do something productive.

She hears someone step through the door and glances up from her desk.

Oh. Well.

Maketh rubs her face with a sigh.]

Doctor Sweets. What a surprise.

[Technically her shift ended an hour ago but that's fine. She doesn't intend to sleep tonight. This event seems perfectly poised to give her nightmares and Maketh doesn't enjoy waking Henry up in the middle of the night with her yelling.]

[lifetothefullest]

[Alright, so she is here after all. Good, he can get this over with.

This is a professionalish visit so he's outwardly calm and composed as he nears, even though he's dressed just as casually as he had been earlier that day. How he acts is ultimately more important than how he looks anyway, especially here where it's a lot more difficult to impress people just by wearing a suit.

He's put the earlier encounter with Maketh--and the other run-ins the event has caused--out of mind for now, focused on the point of being here, and trying to ignore the continuing creep of nerves from the event.]

Is this a better time?

[The unspoken addition of 'and place' is probably easy enough to read.]

[mismanagement]

[Maketh sighs, setting her pen aside. She hates writing everything out by hand. The alternative is having no filing system at all, though, so she makes do.]

Yes. Fine.

[lifetothefullest]

[Don't mind him not-so-subtly tilting his head a little to try to read what she's writing, before he catches himself and remembers he's supposed to be being professional. Right. He has a reason he's here.]

Alright.

[Great start. Focus, Lance; he's going to blame the event for his thoughts being so scattered.]

Aside from today, how have you been doing?

[He knows he asked the same question earlier, but he wasn't particularly satisfied with her short answer and the subject had quickly changed anyway without any chance for followup questions.]

[mismanagement]

Fine.

[It's rather curt. Maketh sighs, trying again.]

I have been considering what you said. Trying to practice.

[She frowns.]

I tried on Will. He's being difficult. Again.

[lifetothefullest]

[He isn't particularly bothered by her short response, but he is pleased that she follows it up with a more helpful one.]

I'm glad to hear that.

[And he means it; it's good that she's trying, whether or not she's succeeding. Trying is the first step.

The comment about Will is a little surprising, though.]

In what way?

[mismanagement]

He wants to join the Guard.

[And under the circumstances it isn't an entirely reasonable request. They're short staffed as it is, barely able to field regular patrols. Will has law enforcement training, the proper background, familiarity with firearms. All of which would make him a good candidate except for his--everything.

Maketh rubs her face with a groan.]

I should have refused him outright. But I am--trying something new, and told him to see Henry first. If Will brings forth a significant case, then I will accept it. But that is better, yes? I am giving him a chance.

[lifetothefullest]

[Again he's a little surprised, but in a good way; he even offers a small smile.]

That is much better, yes. I think leaving the decision to Henry is a good one, for many reasons.

[From what little he's spoken to Henry he seems capable, and probably a lot more impartial about Will than Maketh might be. Lance isn't entirely sure about Will's field-readiness, so he can't make any judgements there, but he does think giving him a chance to prove himself is not just fair but probably good for Will.]

And recognizing that relying on Henry's judgement is a better choice in this situation is a large step in the right direction.

[It shows self-awareness and a willing to trust someone else with a major decision, both of which are important.]

[mismanagement]

I trust Henry's judgement. If he says Will is ready, then he is ready. If not, then there will be good reason.

[It's not exactly what she implied to Will in the moment, but it's true nonetheless. Though Henry's manner might be harsh and his judgement sharp, Maketh trusts him implicitly. Henry won't do anything foolish or allow the Guard to come to harm.]

He has been a good commander. Henry, I mean. I am lucky to have someone that competent.

[lifetothefullest]

[She seems interested in talking about Henry, so he'll see if he can encourage that a bit.]

I've only spoken to him once, but he was very informative and helpful when I asked him about Sato.

[mismanagement]

[Maketh nods.]

It's strange. His world doesn't even have electricity and yet he's more competent than my entire command was on Lothal.

[She smiles just a little. Her brother.]

I don't know what I'd do without him.

[lifetothefullest]

A lack of technology and resources means less support and options to rely on, and therefore more resourcefulness and practical experience.

[So no real surprise someone from a low-technology world would be more competent, not to mention that Lance is not entirely convinced that Maketh's world--from what he's seen and heard from Maketh of how things seem to work there--is even slightly as efficient in producing useful soldiers as it thinks it is.

It's also very clear from her last comment that her and Henry are close, more so than just running the Guard together, although he's not sure about the nature of that closeness yet. Either way, though--]

I'm glad you have someone who you can trust here.

[mismanagement]

Correct. Even surviving as long as he has is an accomplishment. [Not even counting the demons. That only makes it more impressive.]

I hadn't realized how important that was before I came here.

[She shakes her head a little.]

I wouldn't have trusted any of my men on Lothal. Not with anything that mattered. Maybe Kallus, or the Inquisitor. They were competent. But the Inquisitor killed my officers and Kallus killed me. I'm trying not to take that personally.

[lifetothefullest]

[Well that's... More openness than he's expecting, even if the casual way she talks about murder bothers him, but at least she's not talking that way about killing people herself. And it's not unusual for someone to be somewhat cavalier about traumas they've witness or experienced as a way of coping.

Still--]

I think that's something you're well within your rights to take personally.

[mismanagement]

[Maketh actually laughs at that.]

Why? It was expected. Someone had to take the blame for it. And command liked Kallus better than me.

[She grimaces.]

He was always rather good at that. Being liked. I wonder if he's still breathing.