abraxaslogs | keep on searching

[ When the call for help had gone out from the Secretary of Agriculture, she had thought it would be a brilliant excuse to drag Jayden out of his room. How could he deny the good people of Cadens and her insistent doe eyes and pouting?

She had even been considerate enough to politely sign them up for something that didn't have anything to do with the mushrooms leaving them choice of heavy lifting or something to do with driving some kind of device. Heavy lifting had quickly been vetoed which left the driving task. What could possibly go wrong? She's even got a cute little outfit on suitable for some (light) work and sensible boots for the task ahead.

Hilda all but drags Jayden the last couple of metres towards the small transportation devices. ]

These are so cute! So much easier than lugging heavy buckets up from the river, right?

[In general, Jayden is quite good at ignoring doe eyes, but Hilda's on another level. Probably because it isn't just the doe eyes, but that she's just so genuinely nice.

Also, as much as he hates to admit it, he really needs to be spending more time in the real world. Mostly, the side effects of being in some sort of stasis while in the Horizon--not needing to sleep, or eat, or anything of that sort--have been incredibly useful, but he's only just realized that it also means he's healing incredibly slowly. It turns out to be for the best that Hilda had no interest in doing any heavy lifting.

But just because he knows he should be out doing stuff doesn't mean he has to like it. So he's a bit less enthusiastic as he follows after Hilda, though at least he's not actually sulking, and does find himself a bit more intrigued upon catching sight of the vehicles.]

Yeah, much easier.

[At least if they can figure out how to work them, but he finds himself feeling pretty confident about that part.]

Looks kinda' like a really old submarine.

[ She hadn't been anywhere near the level of a helicopter parent when it came to Jayden. Awful cultists aside, he was a grown man and could look after himself.

...But Hilda would be lying if she hadn't also been keeping an eye out for him. As a results she had noticed that he had been notably absent from his usual haunts. A quick investigation from Mags had told her everything she needed to know; so as a result it's less niceness and more determination that fuels the doe eyes and enthusiasm this time around.

As lovely as the Horizon can be, they live in this world that they've been taken to, not the one in their minds. ]

Is that supposed to be another creature from your world? [ She offers him a playful grin over her shoulder. ] Kidding! I figure if it's a creature then we wouldn't need the horse and cart of pull it - but I still want to know what it is.

I dunno, horses pull creatures all the time. Like humans.

[He returns the grin, being a little obnoxious just because he can be, but continues closer to the vehicle in curiosity.]

Submarines are boats that go underwater. They're all enclosed like this, sealed off so air doesn't get out and water doesn't get in, though that's kinda' the opposite of these.

[But these sure look like submarines, or at least depictions of them in fantasy. Though he has to ask, glancing over at Hilda again--]

Are those not a thing in your world, or are they just called somethin' different?

[ While Hilda's expression falls completely flat at the quip, she's secretly she's glad that there's some signs of life still there. Not that she has any idea what long term hermiting in the Horizon can do to you; she had spent plenty of time patrolling it, but she had done so in shifts, never staying too long.

She'll forgive him for the smart ass comment for now. Curiously she peers at the vehicle. ]

We definitely don't have anything like that. I don't think many people have really explored under the water unless you count diving and swimming. Although I can think of several people who would jump at the chance to use one of these.

[ She brightens, nudging Jayden closer towards the machine. ]

No time like the present to see how this thing works! Good thing I have a modern expert like you to show me how, right?

[In a testament to Jayden's terrible choices, the Horizon has been--so far, anyway--one of the least damaging coping mechanisms he's indulged in. Having somewhere to hide away that's quiet, where he can make his surroundings what he wants them to be and eliminate as many sources of stress as reasonably possible, has been a great help in his mood; sure, it's because less stress means he's better at repressing and ignoring all his problems, but that's still something, right?

Right.]

Explorin' deep underwater didn't get really advanced until the last few hundred years in my world.

[So it's not a big surprise it's not much of a thing in hers. But it's his turn to give a flat look at her last question, because oh boy is she about to be disappointed if she's truly counting on him to know what he's doing.]

Even if this was a submarine, I wouldn't know anythin' about how to work it. But since it's probably more like a big water tank, it can't be that hard to figure out.

[There's got to be some way to get the water into it, right? The issue there is figuring out if it's done through magic or something more mundane, and so he steps up closer to it, beginning to circle around it curiously. At the back there's something that looks like a hose, which makes sense, and it has what seems to be a switch on it, but considering the lack of much mechanical equipment he's suspicious it might indeed run on magic.]

I think we need to get this into the water.

[ What is with people in her life having questionable coping mechanisms? Why can't they just have mildly normal ones in relation to what they're avoiding? Or talk about their feelings? That seemed way less harmful than spending a ton of time in the Horizon.

She does look a little dubious. But that has less to do with him not knowing how to drive this thing and more to do with the fact that the machine is several feet away from the water. And from where it's stationed, the hose doesn't look long enough to reach it. ]

There has to be some kind of on-switch then, right? That's how the other machines work. They wouldn't just expect us to push it into the river.

[Talking about feelings means feeling them and that's the worst part!!!]

Yeah, there's a switch on the hose, but I think that'd probably turn the suction on or somethin'.

[Not move the vehicle, which he's realizing does seem necessary. Hm. He returns to circling around, looking for anything obvious about how to move or steer the thing, but nothing is jumping out; it's got to be simple though, right? Otherwise surely they would've given instructions. Maybe on the top?

There's only a brief hesitation in which he considers whether or not they're supposed to climb the presumably expensive devices, and then he decides that surely there wouldn't be rungs on the side if they weren't supposed to be used, and also he doesn't really care. So he steps up on one of the rungs and hauls himself up, contemplating the wheel at the top.]

Think I should turn it?

[He's probably going to no matter what she says, but it's only polite to ask.]

[ Hilda would argue that point, but unfortunately she can't because there's no part of her that wants to talk about the feelings she's currently experiencing in regards to her friends. But Jayden doesn't need to know that.

Hilda quickly tosses her hands up as she hurries towards the hose. ]

Wait, you can't just turn it we don't even have the hose in the water.

[ She's not a engineering but it doesn't take a genius to know that that's probably not how it should work. The hose itself is as heavy duty as the machine is - which is to say, a little on the heavier side. Hilda could easily manage it probably, but she's surprised by the weight, almost dropping it as she unfurls the first par of it. ]

Uhm, a little help here?

[He'd meant turn the wheel, not the vehicle, but then again it's entirely reasonable to assume turning the wheel would turn the vehicle. But they won't know unless they try it, right? And this is certainly not just because Jayden wants to start messing with the controls, not at all.

But he stops all the same, dropping back down to the ground to assist with the hose; it is surprisingly heavy for what it is, but between him and Hilda it isn't too difficult to get it unfurled the rest of the way.

Unfortunately, it does look like--]

Yeah, it's short.

[They're close to being able to get it into the water, but it's just not quite there. Jayden frowns at it in contemplation for a few moments.]

Maybe the suction's magic or somethin'? It's possible we don't even need it all the way in the water.

[It sounds stupid, but so does a whole lot of what magic is apparently used for here, so who knows if it might work after all.]

[ He can mess with the controls when she's well out of range of the hose. Not that there's much water in the actual contraption yet - that's what they're currently trying to achieve. ]

Ugh, of course it is.

[ Unsurprisingly what she says comes out as a whine as she tugs fruitlessly at the hose before letting it drop to the dirt. She looks skeptical to say the least. ]

I mean we can try it. Are submarines meant to be this complicated in your world too?

Submarines are way worse, and then you die if you screw it up.

[Submarines are scary. Water in general is scary, a fear which he didn't really have until recently, and something he's not going to think about any further than that and so he immediately distracts himself with adjusting the hose. He lines it up with the water as directly as possible, then contemplates the switch.]

Stand back just in case?

[And, after giving her a few seconds to move, he goes ahead and flips the switch.

...And it's just normal suction. Like a big vacuum cleaner. He flips the switch back off.]

So much for that. Guess we are gonna' have to figure out how to move this thing.

Die? I thought you said these things were safe!

[ Her eyes flutter wide at that, as if she's somehow forgotten that they aren't actually meant to get into this particular machine and that it isn't a submarine. Hilda doesn't need to be told twice though. She hustles out of the way off to the side and giving it a wide berth.

Part of her expects something more than the anti-climatic result. She pulls a face. ]

Maybe we can borrow a horse and carriage to push it back towards the water? There's no way we could push it ourselves. I'm sure the locals wouldn't mind if we asked nicely.

[ That and she can see something going awfully sideways if they tried to do that. ]

I didn't say anythin' of the sort.

[He says it with no hesitation, attention already on the machine again, but he at least refrains from pointing out that this isn't a submarine. Or is it? Who knows. Maybe they can go in the water. Maybe that's part of how they fill up.

Probably best not to test that unless as a last resort, though.]

Yeah, askin' is probably a good idea. I don't know anythin' about horses either, so that's going to be on you.

[He's never even met a horse, and has actually never even been close to one except passing by them on the street since arriving here, so he's utterly useless on this front. Also he imagines horses might hate him, so definitely better if Hilda handles this just in case.]

[ Okay fine, he's got her there. But she can't help but assume that it was at the very least implied. No one makes something to be inherently dangerous, right? ]

Huh? What you makes you think that I know a ton about horses?

[ Unless 'know' is being used loosely here. She's dealt with horses sure, but she's not exactly a horse whisperer. That's more Sylvain's thing. ]

Are you sure you don't want to come along? [ The doe eyes return in full force. ] I can do all the talking.

[ She's fully expecting him to decline. It's worrying that he's been rather antisocial - not that she knows anything about what he was like before arriving in Abraxas - but she can't help but wonder if it has something to do with the everything that had happened in the pit. ]

[Know is definitely being used loosely, in the sense that she might have actually been within five feet of a horse at some point in her life and therefore incredibly qualified compared to him. But he doesn't bother clarifying that, instead regarding her suspiciously for a moment at both the doe eyes and the offer to do all the talking; there's definitely an angle here, and it isn't too difficult to figure out.

That, combined with that he can't--or rather shouldn't--mess with the not-sub until they get some more information, makes it easy enough to make a decision. But he still pretends to think about it for a brief moment as very mild payback before responding.]

Sure, but I'll hold you to that.

[He won't, as he has no real problem talking if necessary. But despite his agreement, and especially despite his usual avoidance of discussing anything involving his feelings, he thinks he should also add--]

Y'know you don't have to be coddlin' me, right?

[It isn't defensive or annoyed--in fact he really appreciates that she cares--but just factual. He's sure she has enough to worry about without him being on the list, and although he might not have the best coping mechanisms ever and it'd be a lie to say he's fine, he's still slowly figuring things out.]

[ Satisfied with Jayden's response, Hilda turns on her heel back up the sloping hill and back in the direction of the nearby farm. Glancing back over her shoulder, she doesn't seem the least bit surprised or offended about Jayden's insistence. ]

Who said I'm coddling you? [ She definitely doesn't see it that way but that won't stop her from giving him some good natured teasing. There's a put on huff before she turns her gaze back forward. ] Someone would have to pay me for that.

[ It's not like she's been hovering about him and his general presence. Insistent about coming out of his room, sure. But it's not like she's been pestering him during all hours of the day. ]

We're friends aren't we? And friends check on friends that lock themselves in their room for long periods of time.

[Friends. Right, that is what friends do, isn't it? He's just so out of practice, something that's mostly a result of his own choice to be polite but reserved when given the chance, and people rarely bother to challenge him on it. They're usually content to be just a distant with him as he is with them.

So he has to remember basic concern is normal, and hopefully not sound like a completely pathetic weirdo in the future. He's pretty sure that ship has sailed with Hilda though, but at least she seems to accept that he's a pathetic weirdo, which is oddly reassuring.]

Good, 'cause I'm still broke, and last thing I want is to be runnin' up a bill I'm not expecting.

[He follows after her, punctuating his stupid comment with a briefly dubious glance at the hill--it's not that steep, but he still hates hills--before continuing, taking the excuse to keep his focus on what he's doing instead of looking at her.]

Back home, I don't do a whole lot aside from work. It takes up more of my time there than anythin' I'm doing here does, but otherwise, this is pretty normal for me.

[So clearly nothing to worry about, which he almost even believes is true.]

[ Good thing she isn't a mind reader, because the self-deprecating comments wouldn't have flown and definitely earned him a flick to the back of the head. Maybe that would have been effective in having it fly out of his head when it wasn't warranted at all. Thankfully she hasn't developed any sort of telepathic powers and instead gives him a teasing smile. ]

Well if I were, you can be rest assured that I wouldn't even charge you interest.

[ In reality she'd probably refuse to take anything back in kind, unless you counted some chores "in kind".

Hearing that Jayden held similar habits to ones he held back home is worrying to say the least and she gives him a look. She doesn't likes hills as much as the next person but this discussion is certainly helping to distract from the fact that they have to walk up it. At least they're almost at the top. ]

What are you doing in your room all the time anyway? Clearly not reading up on submarine repair.

Edited 2023-06-02 06:32 (UTC)

[Yet another reason to never share feelings, because then no one can challenge them, even when it would be good for him. Clearly the best way to handle things.

He notices the look she gives but ignores it, focused more on keeping his footing going up the hill; he's a lot steadier now than he had been right after arriving or just after getting out of the pit, but he can and will still be terribly clumsy for no particular reason if he isn't careful.]

I've been in the Horizon a lot.

[Which is something he's slightly surprised that other people don't do more often themselves.]

Been practicing how to use it, and exploring other people's domains.

[ They crest the hill and she's embarrassed to say that her heartrate had elevated somewhat because of it. Maybe Natasha was onto something with all her nagging about her resuming some kind of training. Ugh.

She whirls around to wait for him, hands planted firmly on her hips and eyebrow arched. ]

You haven't come by to mine yet though - unless you're also trying to avoid me there.

[ There's more she'd like to ask all things considered. Like why he was spending so much time in the Horizon when there's a life to be lived out here. She liked the Horizon just fine, but the Free Cities had just as much to offer and explore. ]

[Although the wet ground does threaten to slide away under his feet once or twice, Jayden reaches the top of the hill without incident, and gives Hilda a flat look in return for both her own expression and the comment.]

I don't know whether to be more offended that you think I'm avoidin' you, or that you think I'd be so bad at it if I was.

[He is here, after all. And in actuality Hilda is one of very few people he's willingly engaging with, at least out of the Horizon anyway.]

But as far as your Horizon goes, would I know it if I see it? Is it pink and full of jewelry?

[He says it with a light tone that makes it obvious he's being obnoxious on purpose.]

People avoid people all the time for plenty of silly, stupid, and practical reasons.

[ It's matter of fact and said without an ounce of pettiness, like she isn't also avoiding someone else right now.

Off in the distance she spots the farm they had passed by on the way here. Once she's certain they've both caught their breaths, she sets off the short way. Luckily there's someone in the field she figures they can ask along with a handy horse and carriage.

Hilda can't help but roll her eyes at the attitude but thankfully her back is turned. Her tone doesn't betray any of her own attitude however and is instead as light as Jayden's is. ]

I guess you'll know it when you see it - I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise. What does yours look like?

I guess that's true.

[Jayden rarely has to purposefully avoid people, and if he is avoiding them they're usually avoiding him in return, so he doesn't put all that much thought into the intricacies of it.

He only briefly has to catch his breath, although the fact that he has to at all registers in his mind as an annoyance; a month in a hell pit and then two months--even if in reality it's somewhat less due to time in the Horizon--in his room has apparently not been great for him. Who would've thought.

It's no surprise that his own sass is returned, though it is nice to not feel terribly awkward about that.]

Guess I'll just have to keep an eye out. Mine's a hotel; big white building, hotel lobby inside.

['Pretty boring' is implied at the end of that, even if he feels no need to change it to something less boring.]

[ If the sass is an indication of returning to some level of normalcy, Hilda will happily take it - even if it'll be the last thing she'd admit to anyone's face. Sass she knows how to deal with. Trying to help people through trauma that they experienced while she wasn't there? That's a little bit more difficult. ]

I'll need a grand tour once we're done today which - [ She catches herself, realizing what she's saying. ] is the only time that I'll ever ask you to meet in the Horizon. Just know that I expect it to be decked out in fun dinosaurs and an actual submarine by the time I get there.

[ The teasing and conversation about the Horizon is put on pause for the time being. Reaching the boundaries of the farm, Hilda actually does make good on her promise to do all of the talking and with minimal flirting to boot. Hilda didn't think it would be that difficult to convince the farmer anyway considering she had promised they'd stop here first on the way back with their water. Before they know it, they've hitched the horse (Maple) to the cart and they're on their way back down the hill in style. ]

See, now that wasn't so bad, was it?

— motorized hijinks

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject