It's not a real party until something's broken! (Open/Closed Prompts)

[everybodysterrible]

Who: Abby, or Bay, and YOU!
What: October/November Catch-all
Warnings: Abby swears and does drugs.

October Open Prompts:

• Abby - Horizon
• Abby - Cadens
• Bay - Thorne or Nocwich
• Bay - Thorne

Comments

October | Horizon - Abby’s Domain (Open)

[everybodysterrible]

Abby’s Domain, at first, overlooked a vast ocean at a perpetual sunset. It was pretty, but pretty unuseful. The ocean was still there, but it now followed a standard day/night cycle again. Oh, and there were now waterfalls and floating structures above the sea, and paths of earth and stone through the skies. An elaborate maze of earth and water reached high into the air.

It’s an impressive rework of the space, weird and fragmented, the pieces of the land defying gravity, but the gravity around them is normal.

A. Parkour

Abby runs up the side of floating spires and the underside of looping earth, not fast enough to defy gravity but she’s definitely working on making her way ‘up’ as quick she can. But under the restriction of her own powers. When she reaches the top of one earthen spire she runs, jumps, and shifts her gravity to aim for the next tower to reach.

Sometimes she makes it, her fingers brushing the new surface and she ‘falls’ face first into the side of the mountain with all the grace of someone who is still learning how to fall safely.

Sometimes she doesn’t get close enough to catch, and her body plummets to the water below. Occasionally she can catch herself on a lower land mass, rolling to a stop along the side.

Or she crashes into the waters below. Dragging herself out of the water by her house.

All result she looks annoyed.

B. Magic

Abby’s positioned herself on top of one of the floating stones. She’s sitting as if giant floating stones are normal and okay perches for her to be on. With a slingshot in her hand. The floating landmass in front of her is covered in targets, red and white circles spread across it’s mass.

Abby is casually firing marbles at them. Her aim with it is… fair, for a beginner. She hits about a third of what she’s aiming for. The problem is when the spells she’s casting pop. At this range she’s having trouble timing them right at impact. The spells don’t ‘pop’ due to the impact, it might look like it to those that aren’t her. But she holds the spell and releases the trapped power by letting.

Naturally if she releases too early, the ice or wind may touch the target, but it’s not what she wanted. And too late the marble has already bounced away and the spell isn’t hitting either. Adding in that complication her one in three quickly drops to a one in ten.

And as she gets more frustrated, her stats are getting worse.

October | Around Cadens (Open)

[everybodysterrible]

A.

Abby’s taken to wandering Cadens idly when she’s not busy with her training or drinking. She’s been here long enough she’s more or less comfortable, but doesn’t know everything yet. Which she feels she should fix. Over her more tailored slacks and sleeveless blouse she has a light pink linen jacket to keep the sun off her skin.

The porcelain doll skin is apparently a highlight of her looks, so she does her best to protect it from the desert sun.

While she is employing her new power of gravity disapproval when a street is a little too busy for her liking, most of her wandering is on the ground. Unless there’s a spot above the city she wants to explore.

B. (CW: Drug Use)

Anyone watching the sides of buildings might notice Abby walking up the side of one of the taller buildings near the edge of the city, she ambles on up and climbs to the roof to sit down. Dangling her feet off the edge of the building as she lights a small roll of paper and cannabis, looking out at the desert, big floppy hat covering her face from the sun.

She’d never thought of deserts as beautiful. Because she’d never thought of them before. Her home was too cold and too wet for this to ever be what she knew. It went on forever in a way that was sorrowful and tragic, but in a way she liked to stare at.

“You’d hate it here, all of you. I kind of hate it here.” She sighs, she doesn’t like wallowing, but she also noticed time move ever forward, away from who she was. “It’s too dry, too hot, terrible for the skin. Ginny would talk abou cancer and Max would avoid tanlines in ways she could probably get away with here.”

“Would you even recognize me anymore? I’m still me, I fuckin’ swear.” Abby chuckles at the accident of her word play. “But I’m also something new. I know you hate weapons Norah, would you hate my slingshot and magic? Would it being able to add glitter to your hair and make-up make up for it? Magic can change your hair, would Max ever have normal hair again? What the fuck would magic do to Ginny’s. Fuck.”

Abby takes a long slow drag, holding her breath, stewing in her emotions.

“I hate you all, for not being here. I fucking miss you guys.”

B

[hatejakku]

Finn's started to get used to the magic of this planet, but it was true enough that use of magic seemed lesser in the Free Cities than other parts of the world. So when someone does something, it tends to catch his eye.

Like walking up the side of buildings. Worse, walking up the side of his place of employment.

After a few hard blinks, he follows. Not up the side of the building, goodness, but he goes inside, around the back, and up the stairs like a civilized human. It's not that he really suspects this woman of doing wrong or even getting herself hurt, but the boss's kids come by regularly, and Finn's gone and found himself a bit protective.

It doesn't help that hears her speaking once he's near the roof. Something about weapons and magic and the name Ginny. But he's not even outside yet before he realizes that the situation is... well, perhaps a little sadder than initially assumed. Nothing bad, that's for sure.

He pokes his head around the corner just as her voice drifts away, seeing her smoke while sitting on the ledge. In an attempt to not scare her into falling off, he knocks on the door next to him before stepping out.

"You okay?"

[everybodysterrible]

"Coolcoolcool," the word doesn't quite measure as a word said so quickly, no breaks between the concept. Her lackluster smile also doesn't sell 'cool' as what she is. Abby can fake being okay sometimes, but she doesn't have it in her while she's wallowing on a rooftop.

"Just letting myself be homesick." She scoffs a moment later, the word 'home' not feeling right. She didn't know what it meant anymore. She thought home was her world. But that felt wrong, she thought here was home. It felt wrong too, just in a different way. Maybe that's how home always feels. "This is the season my best friend loves, makes it hard not to think about her."

She takes another drag from her joint. "Abby. Youngest fuck-up in Cadens from another world."

She's real good at introductions.

[hatejakku]

"Finn... Kind of nice to see someone younger than me around, I guess." Not that age had been bothering him or something, but he can tell she's definitely young now that he's here. Somehow, younger than him, and he's always felt old.

Anyway, he steps forward to be beside her. "I'm sorry about your friend. She has good taste, though. Was starting to think it'd never cool off."

Maybe he sounds casual, but Finn isn't really sure what to do here or if she even needs anything from him. A listening ear can't hurt, he reasons.

[everybodysterrible]

"There aren't a lot of us," she can't perfectly place his age, but her estimated guess says older than her and Jesper's crew. Maybe older than Hilda and Claude but she wouldn't bet money on that.

Strangers standing to listen to her whine is not new, but it's still weird. So she takes a moment to size him up, see exactly what he looks like. He doesn't seem too bad, but her judgment is shit and can't be trusted. Still, she knows her heart is in knots, she knows that sort of thing is bad for her magic. She touches the edge of the roof and a small murky green stormcloud the size of a tennis ball forms next to her.

Yup, still fucked up. Talking it is.

"We had a fight, and for a few weeks she wouldn't even look at me. It felt like eternity." Abby didn't choose wrong, she didn't regret trying to protect Max from the truth. But it still hurt. She went back to overseeing the city and the edge of the desert, "I've been here six months, without her. If I could go back in time and slap past me I would."

"And it isn't like that time didn't fuck with me a little. I'm very used to being here. So much I'm a little afraid I'm not her friend anymore."

[hatejakku]

Ah. Yeah. That sucks. He genuinely feels bad for her situation and understands a good chunk of it. But there is something he'd like to clear up first.

"That's not how friendships work." Finn says it with such belief and conviction, that he even backpedals on himself a little bit, suddenly shrugging. "At least-... I mean, time changes things, obviously. But it doesn't change what you two felt or what you've been through together. Just evolves things. Not being friends anymore isn't time's decision."

It's theirs... Finn sighs and takes a spot beside her on the roof without even asking, keeping room between them still but getting on the same level. "But I'm sorry about what happened. I wish I could say there's no sense in regrets but-" Another shrug. Another sigh. "Things will just depend on if you're both willing to move past it when you see each other again."

When. Definitely when.

October | Psychometry (Open)

[wasalmostdaphne]

A. Dragon’s Keep (Thorne)

As much as Thorne Castle’s library was very useful, Bay did occasionally need to check the local book shops. Thevan loves his books, to the degree he occasionally forgets Bay can’t follow his thoughts as he starts looking over his shelves.

Bay needed a few more books to read just for herself, a break from her studies to understand her new home. Her fingers touch the spine of a book. Oh, The Girl Bathed in Dragon Ashes! I loved that book when I was younger, and unmarried. For a brief moment her hand was that of an old woman, And a few inches taller. There was a rich floral scent, a perfume? Something a little too strong for Bay.

Bay stumbled away from the shelf, bumping into the shelf behind her. What the hell was that!?

B. Castle Thorne

Bay picked a spot in the gardens to sit, not drawing today, just enjoying the sun and the beauty of nature. Her mother, her real mother, would love this sort of garden. Something delicately and expertly crafted. No detail left to chance.

Except maybe the small stack of stones next to where she sat. It was curious. Intentional, but not a part of the garden. A little more amateurish, someone working through something. Bay reached to pick up the topmost stone. She’ll say yes, she’ll have to say yes. Yes. But what if she doesn’t? No, no, it’s been four months she’ll say yes. Bay’s heart was racing, all at once and she dropped the stone immediately.

Her stomach was in knots, her palms were a little sweaty now. The thoughts washed away after only moments but it was a strong reaction to the thought. “Why does that keep happening?”

C. Nocwich

Exploring the shops in Nocwich was a very important part of Bay’s month. Because the offering of seasoning and spices was just better outside of Thorne. Of course, she’d also explore the artisan’s offerings of jewelry and fabric. Just because the fabrics were gorgeous and she liked the works of other artists, especially in mediums she wasn’t capable of.

Eventually she was brushing her fingers over items and when she touched an innocent bronze pendant of a rune she didn’t recognize. I won big at cards. I can afford a steak at the sisters’. A man, maybe in his thirties was contemplating the pendant. Or rather, he acted as the pendant was on his mind when dinner was all he was interested in that night. All the scents of the market grew sharper in that instant, but none of the scents that were present now.

Maybe it was two months ago? The air was warmer and there weren’t any humans. Bay continues to curiously stare at the pendant as she works out what she just saw.

B. Castle Thorne!

[kingforboth]

Kelson's mother would have also enjoyed the garden. Although Kelson himself had a much different reaction to such a thought and it made him scrunch up his face and frown for a moment. He loved his mother, but he did not like his mother. Both looking around for anyone he might know and a spot that didn't remind him of Queen of Gwynedd, he found himself around the same spot as Bay, next to a stack of stones his mother would have ordered cleared away.

"Why does what keep happening?" As he approached, he saw her pick up a stone and drop it. It wasn't hard to read her anxiety, even if he didn't have magic, he could have figured it out. He started to reach out, to help her calm her own anxiety and then stopped. No, he most definitely did not want to be on the receiving end if she took offense to that. One bout with Lucifer had taught him that. So. He'd wait for an invitation.

[wasalmostdaphne]

She caught him in the corner of her eye, which was good. She didn't need to be startled more. Although the images she got from touching things twisted the world around her briefly, to something close, something not quite, the world as it is now.

"I- sometimes hear things." Which is a weird statement from a Deaf girl. "And feel things. I picked up that stone, and there was something there." Her heart stopped racing after a few moments away from the stone. But it still hung in the back of her mind that she was feeling that way.

[kingforboth]

Kelson settled down next to her, and reached out to take her hand inquisitively. She heard things, did she? That was....interesting. He hadn't quite worked with her before, so the physical contact helped. He didn't even think to ask permission. He bridged the gap between them, trying to feel what she felt and hear what she had heard. So, his voice sounded in her head. Probably an odd sensation for a Deaf girl.

Like this? Show me. He could feel her anxiety too, but....one thing at a time. If she reacted poorly he could always calm her down.

[wasalmostdaphne]

Not as weird for this Deaf girl. That's a conversation for later. It did feel like this. Her innervoice matches perfectly to her natural voice. She doesn't really question it, she knows telepaths exist here. And that it's probably easier to just share this than have her fumble at explaining it.

So she picks up the stone again. The words play out, just as they did before. She’ll say yes, she’ll have to say yes. Yes. But what if she doesn’t? No, no, it’s been four months she’ll say yes. She didn't move, but she watched someone's hand roll the stone between his fingers and stack it on top of the other stones. The garden wasn't very different from now, just lacking the damage from the visiting monsters. The racing heart and stomach in knots were back. Not her stomach, not her heart. But whoever owned this fragment.

She recognized it. It was the feeling you get before asking someone out, for the first time.

He looked up at whoever was coming, and the nerves melted away. Which brought an end to whatever she was remembering. What, this time it was Bay's voice, not that voice she didn't know, was that?

[kingforboth]

Well, the lack of a complete freak out was very welcome. Something he should have expected here and yet, was still getting used to. No one here had yet to jerk away from him in utter fear and terror and scream about being contaminated. He listened, and felt as she picked up the stone again, images, voices and feelings projected into her mind. And his.

Interesting.

Although Kelson was sure Bay probably wanted a bit more than just 'interesting'. With his free hand, he reached to pick up the stone himself. With a small probe he got. Nothing. Just... a rock.

I'm not getting anything myself. But all that means is that the impression left wasn't especially psychically strong. My guess is you're picking up fragments of impressions left by others. Does it happen with everything or just, randomly?

Kelson would get those impressions, by say, picking up something of someone who was murdered. Not, a first date.

Wait, better ask. You don't normally have magic, do you?

October | Castle Thorne's North Wing Kitchens (Open)

[wasalmostdaphne]

Bay had conquered a large section of the kitchens, like she does on the regular. She had specs of flour on her cheek as she worked on something she missed from home but had yet to make here. Not sure why she waited so long on this, but now she was doing it.

Sauce, cheese, and toppings waited for her as she kneaded dough, rolling and squishing and spinning and flattening it into the shape she wanted. Slightly seasoned tomato sauce poured on next. Followed by a layer of shredded cheeses, a mix of two different kinds that felt they’d give her the consistency she wanted. Then small chunks of white meat, ending with finely chopped spinach (or what passed as spinach like here) for the final toppings.

She carefully put her creation into the oven and let the device do it’s job, and she waited.

[blackeyedprince]

[Kell doesn't wander into Castle's kitchen too often. Or rather, it would be closer to the truth to say almost never. It's been over a year, but he still holds a grudge over getting bitten by those stupid rabbits.

When he does venture there, it's strictly on Rhy's welcome party business. But he's been restless recently so somehow, against his own overt intentions, he does end near the kitchens. Surprised by the smell coming from one of the large, bread ovens, and even more when he finds out a familiar face there, but not the one he expected. Surprised enough to make him come inside and wave to Bay to get her attention.]

Is that a pizza?

[wasalmostdaphne]

[Bay quickly smiles when she finds a familiar face waving for her attention. She's not super worried about ruining the pizza as it cooks, her understanding of what she knows a lot better than her first arrival.]

Yes. I think it's my dad's recipe? Trying to work out what I want when I'm nostalgic for foods I've never had is still weird.

[Her mind just kind of dropped a bunch of flavors and sensations in her lap and said 'turn this into a pizza.' Which she knew she could do, what it needed, and more or less the measures of each ingredient. Which she had to provide through what existed in Thorne.]

[blackeyedprince]

Is there a chance you'd share?

I know a guy here in Thorne that makes it, but only him I always assumed it was something from his home.

[Look, pizza is undeniably one of the greatest inventions of humanity, and yet it did not exist in Arnes. Kell will remain grateful to Dante for introducing him to it here. But he pays attention, he noticed how she phrased her explanation.]

I bet it is. Weird, I mean. How did you figure out it was pizza?

[wasalmostdaphne]

I could be persuaded.

[That's definitely a yes, but she does feel a little thrill teasing it might be no.]

A lot of us come from similar enough worlds, I'm not the only on who knows what pizza is. But I've never seen anyone in here baking pies.

[Honestly apple pie is not nearly as American as pizza pies and she will die on this hill!]

I put together what flavors it was, and then kind of used that to work out what the ingredients were. And it just- made sense to make them a pizza? Plus I think this is the longest I've gone without having pizza in my entire life.

[blackeyedprince]

I what it would take to make my case with you?

[Look, two can play this game. Teasing was his and Rhy's favorite sport all their lives.]

Now you made me curious.

[Baked treats are nothing new to him, but the name is unfamiliar.]

What's a pie then?

[From the moment Dante had let them try his pizza, it's a sentiment Kell fully understands.]

Obviously, a tragedy that had to be rectified.

[youmiscalculated]

Adora's supposed to eat, Istredd and Rhy have made sure she's taking care of herself. She feels a little better, enough to actually go to the kitchens and try to figure out a combination of foods that taste good together.

When she sees Bay, there's a hint of a smile on her lips, waiting until she's away from the hot oven to carefully walk around so she's facing her. When she waves, it's not very energetic, but her eyes slide down to where she'd been preparing, and then back at her. Tapping her temple, she thinks.

What are you making?

[wasalmostdaphne]

Bay smiles, warmly at first. But the more she looks at Adora the more her look grows concerned. Aware there's something wrong, but not sure what it is right away. "Pizza. Bread with sauce, cheese, vegetables, and meat on top of it. Would you like to try some when it's done?"

Simple, mostly accurate, explanation of the dish. She knows Adora's experiences with food are less... nice, than what Bay is used to. So it helps to explain what she's doing.

[youmiscalculated]

That takes the thought out of having to figure out what to eat, and she nods. All of that sounds good, and why wouldn't it be fine together? She sits down, and doesn't say anything else for a few moments, but then she realizes she should probably show some gratitude.

Thanks, by the way. I'm still figuring out what tastes good together, but it's getting easier. This'll be my first pizza though.

[wasalmostdaphne]

"I apparently like to cook, I think." Fun of not fully knowing oneself, but slowly Bay is working out all of her... gaps, trying things, seeing what she feels. Bay keeps glancing back to check on Adora, her attention is on the oven mostly. "So I'm happy to make something if I'm in here."

It might just be the 'using the Network of it' but something feels off about all of this. Adora feels off. Which can wait until after she extricates her pizza from the oven. "Give it a moment to cool first," Bay quickly adds as she puts the pizza onto a serving plate she'd set out, then goes to collect two plates, a quick work since she's been using this kitchen long enough.

Using a knife instead of a pizza slicer to cut the pizza is weird, but no disaster occurs. She puts a plate with a slice in front of Adora while she sits with her plate and slice across from her. She did not provide utensils. And proceeds to just- pick up her slice and bite into it. Her turn to use the network as she chews. What's bothering you?

[youmiscalculated]

It takes energy and effort to open her mouth and talk, and so much of her energy was used up just making it to the kitchen. She watches Bay quietly, and really, this is the most telling sign that yes, something is amiss.

Putting her hand over the plate, she can feel the warmth radiating off the pizza and heeds Bay's advice for a few minutes, bending down to smell. It makes her mouth water, so that's a good sign. She has no problem using her hands either, so she'll do as Bay does. At the question, she chews on the inside of her bottom lip.

Catra left.

It's easier to not say that out loud, too.

November 9th - Open

[everybodysterrible]

Noon - Heart of Cadens - Rooftop

There were a lot more courier runs open today as a handful of the other runners took the day off. Which was fine for her, little more copper to her name isn't a bad thing. In theory. Midday runs pay better too. Mostly small parcels, a few replacement parts for some new magic she doesn't understand, a half dozen documents she doesn't want to understand. It's a lot of running, which is becoming more fun every day. A lot of jumping off rooftops, which she's shouldn't be as comfortable with as she is.

She finished the last of her morning trips, heading toward a bakery she liked with amazing confections she shouldn't buy, when she saw the gathering in the city square from the rooftop she was on. Too far to really hear the goings on but. It was pretty clear what it was.

Once the man was being lifted from the ground.

And the crowd cheered.

From her vantage she saw the constabulary and gathered mob 'suggest' anyone who seemed put off by the show to leave. It felt a little too... showy, for what it was. A spectacle of death. She expected revulsion, some desire to do something foolish and heroic. Something. All she felt was this aching hole in her heart. Some chasm full of just accepting this is the world. And somehow she missed the revulsion she was expecting.

Evening - Sarstina Inn

The rest of Abby's deliveries went, honestly, better than the morning. Hollowness left little room for her occasional lapses in manners. She wasn't sunny and friendly, but she didn't say anything snarky or rude. She said all the little 'hello's and 'have a nice day's, with her tip and her coin and the end of it.

Came back to the Inn, grabbed her meal from whoever was working, and her beer. And a second beer, before even starting the first. And picked a quiet corner to sit and stare at her food and think about what she saw. Not really eating, barely touching either drink. Still trying to shake off that cold that wrapped around her. Doing a bad job of it.