hadriel_logs | 2.1 / got a human heart i'mma let that fly and fall

( There's an old set of homemade cards in the clinic that are a great tool for staving off boredom. You can play solitaire! Or grab other staff members and have a game of something else!

Which is great, if you like cards.

Kate doesn't.

She's rearranged the shelves in the office already, checked stock levels and written a list of things they need. Placed Carlisle's applications at the front of the house that's long been cannibalised and repurposed for trying to stave off death in the face of a city where it never rains, but pours. She's done just about everything there is to do at the moment, snacked on fruit from the Orchard to keep her energy levels up, now sat in the office with her legs stretched out in front of her and a notebook full of seemingly incomprehensible scribbles splayed out on the desk.

When someone comes in she stops juggling the knife in her hand, closes the notebook and straightens up. )

It feel quiet to you?

( She never trusts Hadriel when it's quiet. Is glad for it, even if the boredom opens up too many avenues for overthinking, but never trusts it.

Something always happens. That was true for the year she spent here before. She doubts that it's changed, especially with The Null breathing down their necks. )

Edited 2017-08-15 18:13 (UTC)

( Applications are the first order of the day, placed in a box, displayed prominently at the front of the clinic. She likes to check them when she gets in, see if numbers have changed, if someone's filled them in and put them back. Another little task Kate doesn't really need to do but does anyway because it's there. Move from that to checking stock, organising little first aid kits - no more trinkets, but simple gauze, creams and other pieces needed in the field - and glancing over each room with a mental note of what needs doing. Beds changed last night, surfaces clean. Of all the things Dagny taught her, the need to run a tight ship remains the most drilled in lesson. Trust your staff members, but double check everything.

Kate keeps her hair pinned up, rolled into a bun and piled on top of her head, wears a primrose yellow medical jacket that found its way here months ago and never left with her. I did not want it to be white, but you have worked as hard as any of the others. The fabric around her a weight which keeps the voice of her mentor ringing in her ears, a constant reminder to do the best possible, even in this place without the comforts and conveniences of the clinics back home.

She's available all day, with the exception of a lunch break, hanging neaar the front of the house. For those who don't look injured, she'll ask: )

Need somethin'?

( And, perhaps, if you time it just right, you might also catch her outside, stretching her legs. Getting the closest she can to fresh air for a few minutes. )

( She doesn't go to the Colosseum outside of the days the Door opens, only a few exceptions stand out in her mind. Bruce's public history project, Hakkai's possession, and her failure of an attempt to find the Door itself. But Miriam's talking about searching for it once again, with whatever devices she's made, and Kate's feet wander towards it after a day in the clinic. The centre of everything that brought them here, and a mystery that's caused a headache since the first time she was here.

How it works, where it's located, anything at all about it remains a mystery beyond the fact that the gods are only slightly less clueless on it all than they are. She runs a hand down one of the in-tact pieces of wall as she steps inside the ring, the very place everyone wakes up, confused and trying to escape whatever monsters come through this month. Without thinking, her fingers shift from the brick to her other arm, the tracker jacker sting long gone but the memories of its venom still lingering in her mind.

But she's not here for that.

It didn't work last time, when she needed to push everything through an item, enchant things to understand powers, but she's had three years. Trained out of it, helped by Dagny finding another Superhuman with that enchantment skill. Now everything flows through her - she needs nothing more than her own body to detect power, to affect it.

She breathes deep, closes her eyes as her own power charges into them, and opens them again. Whited out, glowing, intense enough that they could seek out the smallest fluctuations in most superhumans. She doubts it'll work, because it didn't before, because this artifact may be nothing like the enchantments she used to do, or Carl still does, where their powers linger like fingerprints in the item.

It might not even be an item at all )

( note: here's a permissions post if your character has powers and you want her to see them during this thread. )

( The city always changes something. Confusion messed with their powers, and last month their existence was all but wiped from Kate's mind. She was just a bit faster than most people. It wasn't noticeable, nothing that couldn't be explained by just a lot of training. She was-

Human.

Normal.

Whatever you want to call it. The entire city seemed to slumber under the spell of small town life, where things like monsters were just a figment of the imagination and friendships were decades old, rather than a year or more.

It's easy to go on with life after Hadriel plays its tricks, you just find a routine and stick to it, but the thoughts don't go away. She still finds ghosts of the memories - of a childhood spent with Glacius, babysitting a young Ignis, constant races against Henry. Remembers a life where Marc didn't exist but her parents lived so much longer, where she had that athletics career until it all went south.

She bites her tongue hard enough to pull her mind out of the spiral of thoughts, longbow in hand as she waits outside the guard's HQ. It's probably obvious that she's here for Henry with that weapon, but Kate still nods a greeting to anyone who passes by, maybe asks them if he's still inside or if she's missed him. )

( There was once a time, right when she first got here, where Kate trawled these caves for hours at a time, convinced they held a way out. (They don't, but that's clear once you know that the entire city moves from planet to planet in an effort to avoid their hunters.) She curbed that habit, all but stopped after a while. It was just another way to try and fight this situation, and eventually, she didn't want to any more.

Things started to build here, she started to accept the prison sentence and focus her energy to surviving, even living, while she could.

But today, she seeks them out. Stands at the mouth of one and checks the leather-esque pouch attached to her right thigh. It isn't like the one she has back home - isn't as comfortable, just like the throwing knives here will never be weighted right or sharp enough - but the one she used to carry lies somewhere in her flat in LA, tossed over the back of her couch because the one time Kate thinks she doesn't need it, doesn't need any weapon-

She ends up back in Hadriel.

Of course she does. That's how the world works, isn't it?

But her knives are in place. There's a length of rope there too - one she takes out, ties to a piece of rock shaped like a hook, uses as an anchor. She's gotten lost in here before, for nights, and heard of worse stories. People disappearing for nearly full cycles of the Door's rhythm, confused by the maze of tunnels designed to keep the city safe.

Today, Kate needs a better target than empty tin cans. Something that moves. Needs to get over the unease that settles in her stomach when shifting from the wide cavern of the city to the narrow tunnels, all too familiar sensations.

Maybe she's a little jumpy. A little out of practice keeping her cool here, feeling the old sensation of coiled-wire muscles taking over. The anticipation that has a knife in her hand already and-

It's a really good job she has enough control over herself to not immediately throw the knife at the first sign of movement. )

Shit-

( But seriously, person, do you have to pop out of nowhere? )

[It's not until the end of his shift manning headquarters that Henry emerges from the building. When he pushes open the door he does not expect to find Kate standing at the other side — he pauses on the threshold, mid-departure, and blinks in surprise.]

Kate.

[He says in greeting after a beat, his eyes now on her. The question of what brings her here dies on his tongue when his gaze alights on her longbow. It's an answer in itself, or so he assumes.

Henry cocks his head and smirks, then turns on his heel and returns inside. A moment later he reemerges with his spare longbow. Exiting headquarters proper, he walks straight over to Kate.]

How has your absence altered your skill? I am eager to know.

[George approaches hesitantly, hands clasped behind her back. she's not used to putting herself out there like this and it shows. nevertheless, she's determined to see this through.]

Yeah, uh. I heard you guys might need a receptionist?

Hi, Kate. [Jo catches her outside the clinic, which is good. She was hoping to find the other woman here. She checks into the clinic every few days and it's nice to see Kate there again.]

How are you doing?

[He doesn't have to be nervous or reluctant to look upon the clinic any more.

At first, in the very beginning, it was because Glacius was too reclusive and wary of a creature to go near the building; he was too colored by his torture at the hands of humanity to allow any of them near enough to examine even the most surface-level of injuries. Eventually, through the kindness of select few who had been brought to the city, he managed to overcome that... but then it was the cave's turn to mark him.

Kate--the one staff member who'd he actually trusted enough to teach how to properly treat him, and one of his closest friends--had disappeared, and he found himself too wounded to go near the clinic for anything but business once more. He still came by in his patrols, still tried to safeguard all that his friend had built and done there, but as far as a place of healing... Glacius wasn't sure if it could ever be that again.

And now, just like that, it was.

It's his first time in the longest time walking up the road and seeing the familiar building looming on the horizon that the icy alien doesn't feel the urge to stay his feet. He hopes Kate is inside, otherwise he'll have to double back to his apartment and wait for Carlisle to come home from a round of gardening for aid--but no, there she is, her bright hair and equally bright medical jacket catching the light coming in through the window. Seeing her there in her elemement, returned to those that need her after so long... she seems vibrant and resplendent to the alien, and he finds himself stopped up short by the sight for a moment.

Then Glacius remembers himself and finds his footing, approaching his old friend with a warm smile despite the way he's cradling one arm close to his icy body. In his other hand, he holds an old folder of slightly crinkled papers--papers that Kate might recognize from the time he let her do a physical with him, gathering valuable information on his physiology and how to treat it should he find himself injured or sick. Despite the fact that he's come here for a few reasosn, he can't help but fall back into relaxed conversation, talking with her feeling natural as ever.] Hello, Kate. It's... good to see you back. I should have stopped by before now, shouldn't have I?

Woah, [ Rose breathes out.

Truthfully, she probably deserves a knife to the person. But at the same time, ow. No. ]

Good reflexes, [ she compliments, awkwardly. ] Might wanna' work on precision though.

[ i.e. not attacking """innocent""" cave dwellers, such as herself. ]

( It's part of it, but it's as easy as simply wanting to see someone she considers a friend after all the madness of returning and being thrown into some strange, mind-bent version of reality. She smirks, shifting her grip slightly on the bow, pushing the quiver up her shoulder as she begins to walk towards the place they always used for practice. )

Think my instructor might need to retire if I haven't improved.

( Yeah, congrats, Henry. You left such an impression she actually did lessons after forgetting she was even here. )

Need a bit of everythin'.

( Kate shrugs one shoulder, stepping back from the entrance area slightly, gesturing with a hand for George to follow her. She recognises the girl from before, in the strange, small town version of this broken city, but now's not the time to talk about that. )

You be alright with doing other duties? Helping us clean, stuff like that?

( It's her break. A time of drinking a cup of coffee and watching... a whole lot of nothing, mostly. The cave roof doesn't offer a lot of varying skyscapes. But when Jo turns up, Kate straightens up, brightens up a little. )

Not bad. What's up? Don't look injured.

( What a charmer. )

( That's the thing about this place: it encourages changes you never saw coming. Kate didn't expect to learn another weapon, and certainly not one as heavy as the longbow Henry taught her. She never anticipated a friendship borne from a shared nightmare and the regret borne of years prior. All she ever saw coming was months of fighting to get out, and eventually, that wasn't even part of her thoughts. Instead, Hadriel made her want to wait, made her consider that the gods and their home were worth saving, made her wonder about the possibility of love, even for the briefest of moments.

Sometimes, she looks at this place and can't quite understand how it feels like she's never been gone. Like the three years back home were nothing more than a dream and she's woken up to start another day in this undersupplied clinic with all its problems, half-bracing herself for some sort of disaster occurring.

But instead, there's Glacius, holding a set of papers she needs a moment to recognise, and Kate breaks into a gentle, brief smile. )

Not if it interrupted work.

( Never if it interrupts work. But regardless, she moves away from what she was doing and leads him towards the office, which should allow them to talk quietly. )

What's up?

What, you wouldn't have dropped what you were doing for me? [Glacius tilts his head to one side as a wry grin pulls at his features. It's gentle teasing, of course--the last thing the selfless alien would want to do would be to get in the way. He follows her into the office, appreciating the bit of privacy it will provide when he returns the papers to her.]

Well, a couple of things, actually. We can start with these. [And now he hands them over, giving her that moment to thumb through them and recognize them.] I reclaimed them in your absence, but now... I think... it would be good to let someone look out for me once more.

Well you know me, I don't mind the quiet.

[Or perhaps she doesn't know him all that well, but Rosen makes no secret of his preference for alone time. He stands in the doorway, eyeing the knife curiously]

It'll be less quiet if you accidentally knick yourself with that thing.

[Jo laughs, cocking her head at Kate as she thinks.]

Didn't realize I had to be hurt to come see ya.

( Exhaling, Kate relaxes, letting her arm drop to her side. Being in the caves has only gotten harder the older she gets, the further away from her days in The Agency she finds herself. The city alone, in the spacious underground cavern, is one thing - something Kate's grown accustomed to, even if it leaves her restless and aching for the sky. The caves, shrunken and winding, are another entirely. )

... Rose.

( Her tone's laced with relief. A familiar face is a good thing, especially here. )

You up for some teamwork?

( Truthfully, Kate's always worked better with someone else. Someone who can do the heavy lifting while she hangs back, provides information, takes advantage of small moments of weakness. She doesn't carry a shortsword or hold the power to turn to stone, after all. )

[Henry huffs a laugh, walking in step with Kate.]

Then I had best not be disappointed. To my regret I must already retire from besting you in a race on foot.

[Now that she's back to being superhuman. He glances sideways at her, after a short moment.]

...For how long were you home?

[He hasn't had the chance to ask, between the Null and Pleasant Valley.]

( Fair enough, as long as it's nothing serious. But that goes without saying. They both know when their duties are more important.

Like this one, where she takes the papers, checking through her notes. Yeah. It's all coming back to her, though she'll need some more time to properly re-read them later. For now, Kate simply places them with her notebook and sits down. )

What we're here for.

( What she's here for, specifically. )

Be kept in my place as long as I'm here.

( Of course. But it's still only professional to disclose that, aware as she is that Glacius values his privacy, keeping the secrets of his species, and so on. )

Thank you. [The alien dips his head. It's that quiet professionalism and--even more importantly--understanding that allowed Glacius to trust her with the notes in the first place. He knows that Kate will keep them secret, keep them safe.

Now the alien hesitates, more clearly on his mind; the way he's cradling his other arm close to his body, one side of it pressed to his soothingly cold icy skin, might be a tell. He doesn't have to fret, he reminds himself. He's in as good hands with Kate as he would be with anyone else; she's not going to judge him for weakness, or for a mistake.] Perhaps we should go back out into the examination rooms. There is... one more thing I came to trouble you with.

( Well, she knows him well enough to have an inkling. But personally, Kate loves the busy. People. She may be grouchy and quiet, but she feels better in the company of people. It's nice to have noise, distractions.

It's also nice to know that Hadriel isn't under siege, but what do you do then? It's not exactly the most thriving place, and there's always that worry.

But, for now, Kate just raises a brow and tosses the knife once more. )

Been using them for 16 years. Be more worried if I fuck up after all that.

( Sure, she's messed up a throw or two getting adjusted to the Armory's knives and how they're weighted, but Kate's reasonably confident in her skill overall. )

Don't have to be.

( But a lot of people are when they visit a clinic. )

Personal call, then? Flattered.

( She drains her cup of coffee and nods her head towards the clinic. )

Cuppa?

( Unfortunately, yes. She might be able to outspeed most people now. But that doesn't mean you have to stop running with her, Hotspur. She can try and be human for a bit.

As the distance to their training spot grows shorter, she tilts her head back to look at the cave ceiling, a brief pause before answering. )

Three years.

( Thereabouts. A few months more, if she wanted to be accurate. But it's the kind of thing that can be seen if you look - her hair's paler and shorter than it's been her entire time in Hadriel, there's small, fine lines gathering under her eyes. Something about her that doesn't seem as tense as it did the first time around. )

Tryin' to figure out if I count th' year here towards me age.

( Not really, but what is life if you don't have the occasional snarky comment? )

[Henry has a daily run in the middle of the night, between first and second sleep — she is more than welcome to join him. Whether he thinks the fact that Maketh sleeps through the night in one go is a quirk particular to his sister is unclear. He's not paid attention to anyone else's sleeping habits.]

So many, compared to the passage of days here.

[He remarks with mild surprise. But if anything, the loss of tension and chance to have her hair professionally done does more to revitalise Kate than the fine lines age her. The latter he doesn't even notice.]

You look well. Were they good years? How fares Faith?

[Apparently he cannot keep to just one question at a time and must bombard her.]

2.1 / got a human heart i'mma let that fly and fall

clinic office / open to staff members

clinic / open to visitors

the colosseum / open

guard hq / open

the caves / open

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clinic! let's do something a bit different.

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