tongueamok: (➣ neutrality)
Carlisle Longinmouth ([personal profile] tongueamok) wrote in [community profile] hadriel_logs2017-06-03 06:27 pm

All the White Horses have Gone Ahead

Who: Carlisle Longinmouth ([personal profile] tongueamok) + open + a closed prompt for Glacius ([personal profile] glacius)
What: People go missing, and panic ensues.
Where: Park, Speakeasy, Spire 2 (Apartment 401)
When: 6/5
Warnings: PGish


Overall, it's a nerve-wracking day for Carlisle, but what day isn't for the heir of the Longinmouth estate?

It starts out innocuously enough, as Carlisle makes his way to Emily's sewing shop. While he doesn't give his pupil regular lessons anymore -- she doesn't particularly need them -- he does still check in with her from time to time, getting her opinions on glyphs, seeing if she'll transcribe some things for him with her far-neater-than-his handwriting. With his papers in hand, he opens the door—

Or walks straight into the door, as it doesn't budge when he tries the knob. Carlisle backs up a step, straightening his glasses with a befuddled look. Locked? Peering into the window tells him she's not in -- odd. Emily sometimes has the early shift with that coffee cart she and her friends run, he reminds himself, but it's plenty late enough for her to be here.

He lets out an aggravated sigh and waits for a bit, figuring she might show up at any time. He waits ten minutes, then twenty before sighing again -- more irritably this time, as though Emily would hear him from wherever she is and appear to open the door for him. He pulls out his communicator, scanning down the list of residents to find her name... but it's not there.

Carlisle's brow furrows as he searches again, pulling the device closer to him and narrowing his eyes behind his glasses. He must have overlooked it, he tells himself. She's there, surely -- Emily has been in the city longer than he has. He simply missed her name. It's a trick upon his eyes by this accursed technology. Unfortunately, a second and third, more thorough search reveals he was right the first time, and that her name simply isn't on the contact list for the citizens of Hadriel anymore. Emily is gone -- from the list, from the communicators, and if that means what it has always meant, from the city entirely.

Oh.

That's a rather somber sort of oh that rings through Carlisle's head, worry etching across his face as he simply stands there, dumbfounded. He suffers through and entire minute, maybe more, of quiet shock before he finally tucks his communicator away and starts moving, aimlessly heading back into the city, his mind anywhere else but where he's actually going. It's not as though he hasn't had people disappear from the city: there was Miriam, Kate, Chris. He's lost friends before, though it always seems notable to him, as he doesn't have a great deal of friends to begin with. He's too private a person, too troublesome to deal with even on good days. Even Carlisle only likes himself in measured doses.

But Emily meant something to him. She was a student, someone who had taken an art he'd taught her and not only took it seriously, but made it her own; she was a friend, one who looked out for him even when he insisted she do otherwise. And now she's gone, just like the others, and there's that terrible sinking feeling that she wouldn't be if she'd not associated with him. It is said in his world that the twice-cursed are misfortune incarnate to those who would make the error of being near them, and Carlisle, at that moment, cannot think of a greater misfortune for Emily than being returned to a terrible monster-filled mountain where her friends are dead.

That's the sort of thought that riles Carlisle's natural paranoia, making him worry about other people who have associated with him. There's one being in particular he worries about more than any other.


Park [open]

Carlisle spends the early afternoon in the park, buried deep within the area in a spot that he and Glacius have turned into his latest garden. While not entirely hidden, it is set back far enough to be off the normal paths, a spot of green one might notice in the distance among the blasted trees near the riverside. There are rudimentary fences constructed of stone, mostly ones salvaged from debris when the city split into two and buildings deteriorated. There are plenty of plants, crawling vines and flowering shrubs that are a far cry from the ones found in Sorrow's orchard. There's even the base of a small building, a structure with four walls and a door that's mostly meant to serve as storage.

There's also a man who is clearly wrapped up in his own head, muttering to himself as he angrily prunes away at leaves on some smaller, potted specimens.

"I should have known this would happen," he grumbles in clear irritation, his tone absolutely embittered. Carlisle shifts the pot around to get a better angle on what needs to be cut away, removed for the betterment of the entire fern. Wouldn't that be something, to remove what -- or who -- poisons the entire city with his presence as easily as he removes those dying leaves?

Carlisle pushes his glasses to his forehead and paws at his eyes a moment, setting aside his shears to wipe his free hand on his gardening apron. That's not a productive thought, and he knows it, yet there it is all the same, a torrent of negative self-reflection threatening to pull him under. Would Emily still be here if he hadn't known her? Would Kate? Was there really no correlation, as she is always so apt to—

Was, Carlisle corrects inwardly. Emily was so apt to tell him that, just as Glacius is. How long will it be now until he brings misfortune to his icy partner, as well? Or to anyone else? Is there anything to even be done about it now? He has long lived with the knowledge that he is the failure of his bloodline, and that a cursed creature such as himself would only bring ill upon those closest to him. He'd thought that, perhaps, he could escape such a fate away from his world. He'd toyed with the idea that he had been led astray his whole life when people claimed him to be the reason his family line will die with him. He'd wondered, even for a moment, if he could be more than the most pathetic of the Longinmouth line, the weak link in a once-strong chain.

However, as he hurls one of his plants as far as he can throw it and rubs at his bleary eyes again, choking on the breath lodged somewhere in his throat, Carlisle decides he was clearly wrong to ever consider such nonsense.


Speakeasy [open]

The evening is spent searching for liquor. With the former bar gone, Carlisle makes his way to the Speakeasy, ready to drown his problems in his former vices. He knows better -- he knows his partner would be disappointed Carlisle didn't turn to him for solace from his deprecating thoughts. However, the more the despondent Carlisle considers pulling out his communicator and just calling Glacius... the more nervous he gets. Emily was close to Glacius, as well, and the alien is no doubt hurting from her loss... but what if he's no longer in the list of names, either? What if he's gone?

That's paranoia talking, Carlisle reminds himself... and yet, with how unnerved he is from the mere thought of the panic that will set in the second he sees Glacius' name is no longer among the residents of the city, he finds he cannot even bring himself to see if his fears are even valid. Not right now. Not yet.

Maybe after he's had a drink.

Though Carlisle does have a bottle sitting before him on a table in the corner, the hours tick by without him imbibing. He's instead sitting back there, still incessantly chattering to himself -- or maybe he's talking to the bottle at this point. It does have a cat's head sculpted right into the glass. It gives it character.

"I should- I should just do it," he mutters, his nails curling against the table as he runs his other hand through his hair for the umpteenth time; it is more unkempt than usual, his fastidiousness unraveling with this composure. "I don't know what I'm afraid of."

He seems to reconsider that lie within one second, as though the cat-bottle would judge him for his lack of conviction. "I mean, I know what I'm afraid of, but. I- I should trust he's fine. He's always fine. The sort who can accomplish anything he puts his mind to. In fact, he'll call me anytime now, surely."

Yes, anytime. And yet, despite this being the one time he hopes technology will come to his rescue, his communicator doesn't ring.


Apartment 401 [for [personal profile] glacius]

And by the time the late evening rolls around and the night is in full swing, Carlisle has worked himself into near panic. He barely manages to get inside his apartment, his hands shaking so badly that he can hardly maneuver the keys into the lock. "It's fine," he says aloud -- with no one, plant or otherwise, to talk to this time, he is absolutely talking to himself. That's not unusual, all things considered. "It's fine. Glacius is fine. He'll- he'll probably be waiting as it is. Back from his patrol, I'm sure. Hah, what took you so long, Carlisle? That's what he'll say. And I'll see this has all been for nothing. I mean, not nothing, as Emily is still gone. Still my fault she's gone, by the way. It's fine. It's just fine."

Unfortunately, the dwelling is empty when Carlisle finally gets the door open. His mind works into overdrive to keep himself from completely breaking down as panic latches onto him. "He's asleep," he reassures himself now, tossing aside his bag and heading right to Glacius' door. It's not like the alien to go to bed before Carlisle gets home, but then, it's not like Glacius to not call, nor is it like him to not be home already, nor is it like anything for Emily to just be up and gone. What a strange day it's been!

Carlisle knocks at the door, the nervous smile plastered across his face fading as fast as that brief, denial-born glimmer of flippant humor. "Glacius? I'm sorry I'm home so late. I- I stopped, er. Somewhere. Lost track of the time. Funny how that happens here in a cave."

Silence.

"I'll admit that, ah," he continues, stumbling over his words. He claws at the back of his neck with one hand, the other fumbling with his tabard. "It was the Speakeasy. Little place run by Miss Rey. You remember her, I'm sure, being on the Guard with her and all. Fantastic woman, sometimes. Not much of a conversationalist. She's got her merits, though."

Further silence. Carlisle fidgets uncomfortably, tension mounting in his shoulders.

"I- I didn't mean to break my word to you. I didn't drink. I mean- maybe just one swallow to take my mind off- well, there's been a lot on it today, actually. I- I should have called you, but- but I- I started thinking about, um. I just happened to notice today that Emily's name isn't in the phone anymore. Funny thing, really. And I wanted to call you with the communicator, but you know how I am with technology and... whatnot."

The clergyman pauses there, inwardly praying for an answer as the seconds tick by, the thudding in his chest growing painful the heavier it gets. Disappointment, irritation, remorse, anything. He pushes the door open when nothing comes. "... Glacius?" Though the icy bedroom is still there -- and still relatively icy -- the alien who usually inhabits it is nowhere to be found. He's out far later than he should be, Carlisle thinks to himself, trying to swallow the knot in his throat; it doesn't budge.

A shaky laugh forces itself out of Carlisle as he breaks the silence himself once more. "Something m- must have happened," he mumbles, trembling as horror sets in before it even has a full foundation. "Just- just a busy day for the Guard. I'll just- I'll just call, and it'll- it'll be fine."

Oh, but calling would require him to look at the list of names, he remembers, the reason he hasn't already made that call back to torture him once more as it paints a clear scenario in his mind's eye. Looking at that list would result in him not finding Glacius' name on it, surely. He'd deny it as much as he did earlier, searching the contacts again and again, but to no avail. And then he'd panic -- catastrophically so, as with the recent bout of frights, but far worse -- and that'd be just awful. It could be the easy solution, the logical part of him says; it could also be a shortcut to utter despair that he is currently not equipped to handle.

And where does that leave Carlisle Longinmouth, heir of the Longinmouth estate, in the wee hours of the morning? Hiding in his closet. It's a little cramped for his tall stature, but at least there's nothing to be terrified of in there -- nothing but the utter hopelessness consuming his own mind as he mutters another desperate prayer to his goddess. He doesn't know if she can hear him... but it's better than the thought that he might be alone.
lifetothefullest: (ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʙʀᴇᴀᴋ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ғᴏʀ ᴜs)

[personal profile] lifetothefullest 2017-06-06 04:49 am (UTC)(link)
The mention of his friend disappearing explains Carlisle's agitation, and Lance thinks briefly of Emily; they'd only spoken a few times, but he'd liked her and she's the first person that he'd met here who has disappeared. It must be incredibly difficult to lose a friend, especially since in a situation like this it's likely the last time you would ever see them. It's almost as though they've died, instead of disappeared.

He pulls himself from his thoughts, nodding to show his understanding. "I'm sorry about your friend." He doesn't want to skip saying that part before he answers the implied question. "I think it is. I haven't met all that many people here yet, but of those I have I don't know of anyone else with his experience." Dr. Lecter should have medical training as well, since he's also a psychiatrist, but Lance doesn't know him that well and as far as he's aware Hannibal is still taking time off for a personal matter.

"Why were you in her notes for the Clinic, if you don't mind me asking?" He's aware it could be personal, so he gives the out if Carlisle wants to take it; interested as he is, he doesn't want to pry in a situation where there's no reason to do so just yet and risk upsetting Carlisle.
lifetothefullest: (sᴏᴍᴇʜᴏᴡ ɪ'ᴍ sᴛɪʟʟ ᴀʟᴏɴᴇ)

[personal profile] lifetothefullest 2017-06-06 11:25 pm (UTC)(link)
"Healing trinkets?" His eyebrows furrow and he tilts his head slightly to the side; he arrived too recently to be aware of the creation and announcement of them, and hasn't yet been filled in about them. Probably because he'd been so hesitant about magic healing the one time Rosen had brought it up to him, he imagines.
lifetothefullest: (ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ғɪʀᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴇs ᴅᴏᴡɴ)

[personal profile] lifetothefullest 2017-06-07 01:21 am (UTC)(link)
The concept is easy enough to grasp, especially when explained that way, and he nods in a combination of understanding and interest. "That sounds really useful. How severe of an injury could they heal?"
lifetothefullest: (sᴛʀᴀɴɢᴇ ʜᴀɴᴅs ᴛᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴍʏ ᴡʀɪsᴛ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ)

[personal profile] lifetothefullest 2017-06-07 04:23 am (UTC)(link)
Definitely useful in theory, although if it wore off then it's unfortunate that they've gone to waste.

"Did one or both of you have some sort of healing magic, then?" If they were able to make items that could store magic, surely one of them had to have the magic itself to begin with, right? That'd be make logical sense, at least if things happen to work anything like the books and video games he's familiar with.
lifetothefullest: (ɪ'ᴠᴇ ᴄʀɪssᴇᴅ -- ɪ'ᴠᴇ ᴄʀᴏssᴇᴅ)

[personal profile] lifetothefullest 2017-06-09 04:44 am (UTC)(link)
Okay, the nerd part of Lance--which is a pretty big part--is utterly fascinated by all aspects of that answer, but he decides to focus on the latter portion since it's the portion he imagines Carlisle knows more about for obvious reasons. "That's so cool. How does it work?"

And then he stops, suddenly realizing-- "I'm sorry; you don't have to answer if that's too personal." How personal is magic? He has no idea, but the impression of Carlisle he's gotten so far is that he's a little timid and reserved, so he might not want to answer a bunch of questions.
lifetothefullest: (ɪ ᴄʟᴜɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴄᴋ)

[personal profile] lifetothefullest 2017-06-10 03:23 am (UTC)(link)
Odd look aside, apparently he hasn't offended him, which is a relief. Even better is when Carlisle explains, although he definitely wouldn't use 'simple' as a descriptor, no.

But still, really really cool. "That's amazing. Is it something everyone where you're from can do, or just some people, or just you?"
lifetothefullest: (ɪ'ᴠᴇ ʟᴏᴠᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ'ᴠᴇ ʟᴏsᴛ)

[personal profile] lifetothefullest 2017-06-10 04:18 am (UTC)(link)
Wow. Lance has about a million questions he wants to ask--thankfully, none of them are the one Carlisle doesn't want asked--but he notices the nervous gesture, and diverts attention for the moment to address that. "Are you alright?" He asks, gently, nodding a little at Carlisle's hands in an indication of why he's wondering.
lifetothefullest: (ɪ ғᴏʟʟᴏᴡ)

[personal profile] lifetothefullest 2017-06-11 03:58 am (UTC)(link)
Ah, that makes sense.

"Was it Emily?" Lance asks, after a moment; he'd seen the message on the network about her disappearance, though he hadn't made any comment on it.
lifetothefullest: (ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʙʀᴇᴀᴋ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ғᴏʀ ᴜs)

[personal profile] lifetothefullest 2017-06-12 07:22 pm (UTC)(link)
"I'm sorry." He's probably a broken record at this point, but he means it every time; it isn't difficult to imagine how losing a friend in this place would be incredibly difficult.

"I'd only spoken with her a few times, but she seems to be one of those people that leaves an impression." He certainly remembers her well for only have talked to her twice or so. The comment about her being Carlisle's student is interesting, also, and he has to ask. "What were you teaching her?"
lifetothefullest: (ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ʟᴇᴛ ᴍᴇ ᴛᴜᴍʙʟᴇ ᴀᴡᴀʏ)

[personal profile] lifetothefullest 2017-06-13 01:12 am (UTC)(link)
Lance smiles a little, gaze drifting to the ground for a moment as he thinks, nodding. "Pretty much the first conversation we had she accused me a being a nerd and no fun to talk to, and yet somehow managed to say it in an endearing way." He says, tone clearly indicating that he'd enjoyed the conversation and hadn't taken any offense; Emily had said it pretty nicely, and it had been half-sarcastic anyway. The entire conversation had been so normal, too, that it had cheered him up quite a bit considering he'd only been in Hadriel for a few days by that time.

And about the glyphcrafting thing-- "Magic from your world is something that can be taught to other people?"
lifetothefullest: (ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʀᴀᴅᴇ ɪɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʜᴀɴᴅ)

[personal profile] lifetothefullest 2017-06-13 05:00 am (UTC)(link)
He notices Carlisle only responds regarding the glyphcrafting subject, but doesn't press any further about Emily. If Carlisle wants to talk about her again, hopefully he'll know Lance is willing to listen.

"That's all really cool too. There's no magic in my world, so it's just... The kind of stuff that's only in movies and books." And Lance has, just as Emily had pointed out, always been a serious nerd. Magic being real is one of the neat things about being in Hadriel.
lifetothefullest: (ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅs ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴏʀᴇsᴛ)

[personal profile] lifetothefullest 2017-06-13 05:42 am (UTC)(link)
That was definitely quick, but at least he was right in assuming it's okay not to push the subject himself.

"It's a good question." Lance says, thinking about how many people he's spoken to here whose worlds are similar to his in many ways, and then completely drastically different in some others. "Some worlds even share locations; when I've told some people where I'm from, they know the city. And yet there's magic, or zombies, or something else like that that's kind of a drastic difference."

(no subject)

[personal profile] lifetothefullest - 2017-06-14 04:45 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] lifetothefullest - 2017-06-16 03:19 (UTC) - Expand