(open) we made a war front, we built a battleground

[aquilus]

Who: Altaïr & OTA
What: Open log for April
When: Mostly prior to the mini-event
Where: Horizon & in and around Cadens



Open and likely eventually closed prompts below — I'm happy to match prose or [action tag] format

Comments

Free Cities — Cadens & Wasteland

[aquilus]

Outside of the Horizon, Altaïr doesn't waste time getting back to what he thinks of as business as usual. He visits the library, where he can be seen making up for lost time and giving the stink-eye to anyone who beats him to a particularly interesting non-fiction book; the Sarstina some evenings, where he always finds himself where he can keep a wall at his back and sometimes a book on the table; and visiting his hidden weapon caches, which are well-hidden on certain rooftops and beyond the cities borders. Out in the wasteland, he also makes a point to stop where a particular bandit camp once stood, pausing to examine whatever was left behind by the men who clearly don't want to be found again.

(After a particular encounter he makes a point of avoiding certain rooftops, but at night, observant types may notice what almost but can't possibly be a white ghost parkouring overhead. He can be caught up with — but it won't be easy.)

[catholica]

Matt's been trying not to keep to himself for the most part. He knows that it would be so easy to do, sink into himself until he felt better and just let what happened overtake him.

But he's been trying not to do that and the easiest way is to spend some time in the Sarstina, having a drink, listening to conversations. When he steps in this time, he finds his way to the bar and orders a drink before listening to the crowd.

Matt happens to hear someone familiar nearby, ordering a drink and he makes his way closer to the table.

"Been awhile?"

[aquilus]

His eyes dart up at the sound of someone approaching, but then he relaxes at the sight of Matt. Setting down the book he was perusing (a tome on architectural engineering in Cadens), Altaïr nods for him to take a seat if he likes.

"It feels like quite a while and somehow not so long," he says. "I've found it's often like that after a tumultuous period."

And the last month or so was certainly that. He's pretty sure that most of the Summoned are still going through the process of recovery. "You look well."

[catholica]

He's grateful for the invitation, moving to slowly sit down. His hands are still bandaged but less so than they had been when he'd come back. At the statement of how he looks, Matt laughs.

"I definitely looked worse in the last few weeks."

Be grateful for the fact that Wanda had taken care of his scraggly looks.

"How are you doing?"

[aquilus]

He believes it. Altaïr doesn't know precisely what Matt experienced as a prisoner — others had painted the bigger picture, but even he knows when to hold his tongue rather than make pointed inquiries about experimentation and torture — but the still-bandaged hands say enough.

"Better than many who were taken. But I keep turning it over in my head — how this crime was so easily committed, what I could have done to put an end to it sooner." He drums his fingers lightly on the tabletop. "But that's an arrogant thought, isn't it? It took many fanatics to achieve. Of course it took many people to stop them."

[catholica]

If he's honest, Matt's had similar thoughts. He had no idea how someone had managed to sneak up on him and so effectively render him incapacitated. Usually it took a lot more than that.

He sighs, leaning back.

"My thoughts have been if these people went so undetected to every faction, who knows who else might be out there."

And looking to do something like this in the future.

[aquilus]

"Who indeed. Even if we assume that all who support the aims of this particular group were dealt with — and I don't — that says nothing about others who may have designs for us."

He doesn't doubt that the existence of such people is plausible, if not a certainty.

"Most of the time it's easy to believe in the illusion that we have true freedom," he says. "But we were summoned here for a reason. Sooner or later, more will want that to mean something."

[catholica]

"Yeah."

It's something that Matt tries not to think about but he knows that it's true. They were here for some kind of reason and their...privilege for lack of a better term had been made clear with this kidnapping.

Whose to say it wouldn't be more of them next time?

"If it's not the war that everyone seems to think is coming, it's going to be something like what just happened. Lose lose."

[aquilus]

"If we let it be that way."

He sounds optimistic. Determined. He's only one of the two, really.

"I don't intend to. Even if the best next step isn't easily taken." Or identified. But as far as he's concerned, standing still isn't an option.

[assembles]

While Steve is now recovered enough that he can wander the city without risking Sam reading him the riot act, he's returned to the Sarstina every night. It's weird to be staying here again after having moved out before, well, everything, but he also finds that he doesn't mind it that much. In light of what they went through on that island, staying in a place where he can easily check in on others seems like not such a bad idea.

And it reminds him of all the years when he'd often stayed at the Avengers Compound, even if it's nowhere near the same.

He picks up his dinner for the night from the bar (and it's still such a novelty to have hot, real meals again), then turns to see who else is haunting the place tonight, only to spot a familiar hooded figure over by the wall. Steve nods to Altaïr from where he stands before he moves closer.

"Mind if I join you?" There are only so many tables here, after all, and it's a full house like always.

[aquilus]

Altaïr wasn't expecting or in need of company this night, but he doesn't mind it in this case. He doesn't know Steve Rogers tremendously well, but based on their time spent working together, he likes him well enough, even respects him. And he's another face that had become familiar — one whose absence Altaïr had felt after the abductions.

He closes the book on mathematics and sets it aside, making a mental note of where he'd left off.

"Not at all." He gestures for Steve to take a seat, nodding in greeting and offering a friendly enough half-smile. "How are you doing? Recovering well?"

He looks it, but Altaïr of all people knows that looks can be deceiving.

[assembles]

Steve’s gaze shifts to the book for a moment as he sits. He’d been about to ask about it, but figures it’s probably more polite to answer Altaïr’s question first. He’s a little surprised by the smile that he's greeted with, small as it is, but it figures that Altaïr would be less severe when they’re not in the middle of a job.

They may not know each other well, but he imagines that seeing another one of the recovered Summoned is a relief for anyone who wasn’t taken.

“Yeah, almost back to normal.” Which is the truth. There are the mental ramifications to consider, but to be entirely honest, nothing that happened in there is something Steve hasn’t endured in some way before. He’s bouncing back now that he knows all the Summoned are safe, though he knows he'll probably have dreams about that place for a while yet.

However, there’s no denying that he’s looking particularly good when compared to others around here who are still sporting bandages or slings. Steve suspects that if Altaïr hasn’t picked up on that yet, he will soon. So with a glance down at himself, he adds, “I heal fast.”

[aquilus]

Altaïr has in fact observed in scant seconds that Steve's recovery appears to outpace other captives he's spoken with since their escape, and his confirmation indicates it's more than a healthy outer appearances or a case of having experienced less harship than his fellows. Interesting.

"So I see." He takes a sip of his tea. (Yes. Tea. In a bar.) "Would that the same could be said for all of us. But now there will be time for all of the injured to catch up, I hope."

He's not foolish enough to think they are owed a necessary period of respite, but so far, an extremely inconveniently timed next catastrophe has not occurred. He'll take what they can get.

[assembles]

Steve is braced for some follow-up questions, but Altaïr lets the statement about his accelerated healing settle and then fade. He does notice that he has tea instead of any kind of liquor, but doesn't see a need to badger him about it. There are all sorts of reasons people might not drink, or maybe Altaïr just isn't in the mood tonight.

Steve only has some water himself as he starts in on his dinner, ripping a piece off a small roll of bread and then dipping it into the inn's most popular stew.

"Yeah, it's nice that there's actually been some time for that, though I heard that Josselyn Creed was successfully apprehended, up in the mountains." There had been plenty of Summoned up to that task, so Steve had been comfortable staying on the sidelines. He's well aware that his friends would have had his head if he'd even suggested being part of that team.

[aquilus]

"Yes. I was there — I felt the need to see it through."

The statement might sound odd, considering that Altaïr had neither been kidnapped nor been personally wronged by the woman. Yet it had been such a strong compulsion that he'd never considered doing otherwise.

"I suppose the question is what comes next. Time for further recovery, certainly — but it's difficult to think about returning to the routine after all that."

[assembles]

Steve nods, not questioning Altaïr's need to be there all that much. He certainly has a skillset, one that had allowed him to escort that caravan alongside him even when it all went sideways and they'd needed to put an end to the bandits' plan.

So maybe he'd thought it necessary to lend his strength to the cause, even if he wasn't one of those who'd been taken. If anything, that left him in even better shape for the job, as he had no cure to process or wounds to recover from.

But the question he poses is the most important one right now. Steve nods, taking another few bites as he thinks it over. "Personally, I want to make sure that there's no chance of history repeating itself with this. Just because Josselyn was found doesn't mean there aren't others waiting to take her place."

Cut off one head...

[aquilus]

"I expect there's better than a chance if we stay complacent," he says. "Creed and her followers may have had unique views, but if she could sway so many to her cause, that increases the odds there are others out there who might support a similar one."

Impending punishment isn't enough. Creed's Acolytes may pay for their actions, but in his experience, that means likeminded folk will simply find a way to justify or conceal their own should they wish to follow in those footsteps.

"Easier said than done, though." He drums his fingertips idly on the table. "Unless you're in favor of mass interrogation, but that's a bad idea for many reasons."

I am late but I am here plz forgive

[hextechhead]

Jayce doesn't live at the Sarstina since he and Viktor preferred their own space closer to their workshop, but he often goes there to check on other Summoned and often to bring them things he's made for them. He gets regular commissions, especially when there are new people, although currently there is an underlining concern from him that brings him there. To make sure those that were taken are back and feeling better. To see with his own eyes that they're all trying to get back to sanity.

He is actually there today to help Mags with some repairs she had in the pantry, there are others who could handle it, but he's used to pulling out a collapsible tool and getting to fixing what he sees. Jayce is on his way out, adjusting his pretty extensive toolbelt, when he spots Altaïr sitting by himself. He has a few minutes and he's always likely to be friendly.

"Hey, Altaïr. Got a minute?"

we call that fashionably late

[aquilus]

They don't get to speak as often as Altaïr would like, but Jayce, along with his partner, is consistently in his good graces. How could he not be, when he'd immediately provided the blade that offered Altaïr a measure of the security he lacked upon arriving in this land?

The bracer is strapped to his arm even now, but he has no expectation of using it during a peaceful evening in the Sarstina. He nods in greeting, giving Jayce what passes for him as a friendly smile.

"Of course," he says, closing his book (a tome on local ecology) and sliding it to the side. "Take a seat."

is it even more fashionably late if you stopped existing for another week

[hextechhead]

Jayce works very hard on all of his creations so he's glad when he sees people use them. He's been low-key thinking of some possible updates for Altaïr but that's a topic for another day. Usually he has to pass all ideas through Viktor before pitching them to others, in case he's going too hard on his weapon development.

Jayce pulls up a chair. "I actually just wanted to thank you. I know you were on the search party that brought the escaped Summoned back. My sister Caitlyn was one of them." Jayce has tried to find the people who were a part of the rescues and thank them, even if they were obviously doing it for all of the captured Summoned. It still matters to him to make it personal and genuine.

"I figured I'd be unhelpful. I'm not a fighter." So he did the diplomat route instead.

the pinnacle of fashion

[aquilus]

"Oh? I didn't know you had family here."

Aside from Viktor, in a sense — even Altaïr can tell that the two of them are a bonded pair of sorts.

"You don't need to thank me, though." He shakes his head. "Anyone would the capability to do so should have acted. I think most did."

And Altaïr's idea of diplomacy is a carefully-placed knife, so it's better that someone like Jayce take on that role.

[hextechhead]

"Yes, you may have seen her, she's a young woman with very blue hair and eyes." It's the hair color that sets her apart. Few people have natural hair color in unique shades, but a good collection of the Summoned actually do. He's fairly certain she is the only blue currently though. Caitlyn was sticking close to Ciri during the escape.

"I disagree, I think people should be thanked for putting their lives on the line for other people. But I'm not really from a place where that is normal, I guess." Piltover and the Undercity are complicated places and while they have people in law enforcement who care, like Caitlyn for example, there aren't many reasons for daring heroics.

"If you would like an extra knife in thanks, I'd be happy to make you one. Or if you want to pitch any gadgets, we may be able to have more time to do so now."

now who is the fashionable one

[aquilus]

Altaïr nods in recognition at the description. There are many young women in Cadens, Summoned or not, but the blue hair — that had been rare enough to momentarily catch his attention.

"If there are any worlds where the majority go out of there way to act selflessly, I haven't heard about them yet," he says. "Which makes it all the more important for the minority to do exactly that."

He does understand what Jayce is getting at, but it doesn't change his perspective. Altaïr is used to doing what he can to guide society from how it is to how it should be — the difficulty of doing so doesn't make him special for making the effort, in his eyes.

"I think I have enough knives for now, though." Mostly unused; some always on his person, more of them stashed in hidden caches for the time he might need them. "But if you're working on any interesting projects of your own now that the crisis has passed, I'd enjoy hearing about them."

we are extremely fashionable people that's all

[hextechhead]

"I've definitely never heard of one," he admits. Jayce always had a high opinion of Piltover and believed it was special and bright. He learned otherwise the hard way. He would ultimately think that the civilians of both sides, Piltover and the Undercity, weren't to blame. They were all trying to live. The people in power were the problem.

"But that's all the more reason I think doing what we can while we're here is worthwhile." Jayce couldn't fight so he didn't go with Altaïr's group, but he is very good at talking. And he, Rhy, and Lenore managed to do an excellent job of talking a few of the acolytes into giving up. Despite that the cavern still crashed into the water, the effort was put in. "Being the difference." That energy is exactly what will lead him to become a representative of the Conclave.

"V's actually going through a lot of small projects now if you wanted to ask him for anything. A reading translator for the blind, recording music so anyone can hear it, I've made all kinds of multitools and enchanted items and jewelry. We're always doing something." Hard to say what other people find interesting. "We're hoping to get back to our project with the miners, we are hoping to make their lives easier."

They already managed to do some of that, but have stopped since. "Do you know what a grappling hook is? I've been designing an advanced collapsible one for fun, it might be relevant to the mining." Really Jayce has an endless well of ideas. He's always tinkering on something.

just...so...fashionable...

[aquilus]

He listens attentively, making mental note of the projects. Some interest him personally, some don't, but the fact that all of them are possible is itself fascinating.

"It's not something I'm familiar with," he says of the hook. "I could make an educated guess on what it's used for, but perhaps you could tell me instead.