[ OPEN ] i know some places and i've seen some faces

[falcony]

WHO: sam wilson and anyone/everyone.
WHAT: captain america cookout.
WHERE: sam's horizon domain
WHEN: third saturday of september (aka, about 3 weeks after the jailbreak)
NOTES: see below!

HELLO ALL AND WELCOME TO SAM'S CAPTAIN AMERICA COOKOUT!!!!

Over the last week or so, Sam has been going out of his way to contact as many people as he knows to invite them to a cookout at his place in the Horizon. He knows that after the jailbreak, a lot of people were separated, and this was his first thought on how to bring people together. The purpose behind it is simply because Sam thinks that the one thing all of them have in common, opinion on the Singularity and their situations aside, is that they were all brought here and can actually access the Horizon. He sees merit and use in coming together when they can, especially in ways that don't involve the politics of the land they're now living in. So, what better way to do that than around food?

The long and short of it is - this is a peace meal. Leave your issues at the door. Sam has very few rules and there is very little he will give in terms of what this cookout will entail, but three things he will make very clear:

1.) There will be no fighting at his home. You want to duke it out? Take it somewhere else. There will not be warnings or second chances. Don't be an ass.
2.) There is no meeting or serious reason for this cookout. Literally, he just wants people to come together who may no longer be able to see each other due to the travel constraints. It's meant to be fun. Come have fun. (he knows y'all know what that is, even when some of you pretend you don't). Bring food if you want to! There is also a kitchen (if you know what that is) and places to crash. Hope you like seafood!
3.) Anyone who can come into the Horizon is welcome. He'd love it if everyone came, so spread the word.

The cookout itself is set up out front, with picnic tables and chairs and fire pits and lights abound. There are tables set up near grilles if anyone wants to do any actual cooking outside, and a table (probably multiple) set up with sides and napkins and utensils. There are a variety of different places to go and sit and hang out while you're eating. Anything and everything you can want is available - food, drinks, yard games, music playing from out in the trees that will remain consistent unless someone tries to find the speakers and hijack the playlists, etc. If you can't find something outside, you're more than welcome to check the house.

All throughout the party, too, there will be a new friend. Red, as Sam fondly calls him, is a blood-red hunting hawk with silver in between the feathers. He can be found circling around Sam quite often, or perched on his shoulders, but also if you are out and about you can often see him checking up on anyone and everyone. He's a very curious little bird, and also pretty sassy, if you want to interact with him.



If you haven't, or have, been to Sam's domain before, feel free to take a look around. Anywhere is open (save for one locked bedroom) so everyone has open access, but most of the cookout itself will be located in the front yard.

OOC: This is mean to be an OPEN LOG, so leave your TLs or closed threads below! This party will last basically as long as people want it to, but the idea is for it to be an afternoon into the evening. Y'all have free reign save for destroying Sam's home, but if you have any questions, hit me up on plurk (disarmingly or disco (dai#3757). Sam's TL is below, and he will be bouncing around like the good host he is, but lets get a little party started.

Comments

[the_archive]

He smiles back, possibly the first real one she's seem from him. "Actually good. Been resting up, in Libertas." Still worried about more things than should be possible, but accepting he can do little about them yet has helped.

"But you wound- Where did you wind up?" he revises, to let her tell him.

[sanc]

"I'm glad to hear you've been taking time to rest. It's hard to feel like you can in our situation, don't you think?"

Relena knows she would not be at all had she not been in the care of Himeka and Estinien. She's always been terrible at keeping still and it's been worse since she's taken the position of Vice Foreign Minister.

"I've been in Solvunn. We've settled in with a pair of siblings. It seems they're open to taking in travelers in exchange for contributions to the community. So far, it's been much quieter for us than Thorne."

[the_archive]

He nods. "My- Martin is there, in the first settlement as well. He's staying with a family, apparently, in trade for watching their kids." Jon wrinkles his nose - five children wouldn't be his choice. "I think he's enjoying the calm."

[sanc]

Relena catches that 'my', but lets it slide with only a perk to her expression before nodding at the name. "Oh, Martin, yes, I've met him! They're always hanging off of him. It's sweet, honestly. He does seem to be doing well there from what I could glean."

[the_archive]

He smiles a bit, glad to have that verified. "That's good to hear. Libertas isn't quite as hospitable, but some friends and I have scraped together the means for some rooms. Mostly them," he allows, with a vague gesture of his bottle in the direction he last saw Coraline. "I've been - well, pretty useless."

[sanc]

Sympathy crosses that smile of hers and she shakes her head. "I know how you feel. I don't really have the kind of skills Estinien and Himeka do, so I'm stuck being almost a duckling following them around and trying to learn what I can. But... to be fair, Jon, you went through more than any of us, really. It's probably best that you take some time to gather yourself up again."

[the_archive]

"I- honestly, death row was not the ordeal it could have been. But you, I didn't hear about you getting back."

[sanc]

Relena realizes quickly that she should have checked in with some people sooner. "I came back with Oliver, or... he brought me back. As far as I know, he saved me after what they did to me."

[the_archive]

And why, he thinks, couldn't the Eye have simply given him that useful bit of information, instead of trivia about the farms of Solvunn?

"I'd be interested in hearing about all of that - if it's something you feel comfortable telling," he says, careful not to make any part of it a question, not to give his power an opening to force an answer.

[sanc]

"I don't mind discussing it. The more people I tell, the further this information reaches. I wouldn't have had a chance to tell everyone before we left Thorne, so this is my best hope," Relena replies, hands folding together in her lap.

"Should I just start from the beginning?"

[the_archive]

"Actually -" No, he's not sure this is a good idea, but the urge is suddenly strong, and his lip catches briefly in his teeth.

"If I ask you, with my power behind it, it will help you give a complete account. But that is not something I'd do to you without consent."

[sanc]

Relena looks at him and catches some... discomfort? Then a mention of his powers, the one she remembered he and Martin both speaking of in the past.

She shakes her head. She doesn't want him to have to make a choice about it. "No, that's alright, Jon. If there's one thing I'm good at, it's talking. I'll start from when they took me...."

She lets herself slouch a bit and decides to look down at her knees. "When they showed up to take me, I was told there was going to be a trial. I wasn't sure what a 'trial' might be, but I guess I was thinking something more... legal. We were criminals, so of course, if we were going to be judged, it should be some kind of proceeding... maybe in front of Ambrose or the King and Queen. But, I was brought to a door by the guards - but it was to the area where we all first arrived - to the well. And the queen, and one of the mages - Grigory - but no Ambrose. Only those two and some guards, including the ones bringing me along."

She takes a breath and pauses. "And then, a volunteer. It seemed to be just a normal man who the queen 'thanked' for his service. We were both brought before the well."

She looks at him with a tight mouth, hands worrying together in her lap. "After what Martin's told me, this next part... maybe it will be something you can understand better than me... or something you'll at least be able to investigate better than me."

Jon had been the first person to take a risk to grab information from their captors for the rest of them. She has a feeling that - more than anyone else she's told - Jon will take this lead and run with it... maybe carry it to far more people than she can. He's got the most notoriety now. It might be enough to get this truth going even further beyond her now.

[the_archive]

There's a flicker of disappointment Jon doesn't care to examine too closely, but it doesn't reach his face. He leans forward, elbows on his knees, eyes intent on her as he listens.

"Martin and I are putting together the results of our investigating, in his library here in the Horizon. It's open to anyone, so far. If you don't object, I'll include- hang on."

He holds up a hand, and reaches under the bench, pulling out another tape recorder. It's already spinning, but he pauses it. "Sorry, these appear sometimes. But I would like to record this."

[sanc]

Relena nods, deciding she should ask Martin if they can meet in the Horizon when she next runs into him. She doesn't want to bother him with things like that right now, but she's sure they'll speak again.

"I don't object, no."

Then, she pauses at his gesture, puzzled for a moment. She'd be more confused by its sudden appearance if Jon weren't already covered in eyes. She supposes they will trump anything else that might happen in this exchange, so she just sets her gaze on that recorder and lets her brow furrow.

She nods, though, accepting his request.

"Of course. I hope you'll share this with others, Jon. I want to share this information with anyone who will listen... I refuse to let that woman keep these things behind closed doors."

[the_archive]

His smile in response is genuine, lighter than his typical expressions. "That's my goal. A shared body of knowledge, nothing hoarded."

[sanc]

Relena smiles in return, relieved to hear his motivations. They share similar beliefs here: Inform everyone, no secrets. You can't force everyone to take the fruit, but at least it's on offer to those that want it.

"That's a good use of your space... I feel like I should be more proactive with mine. Ah-- should I continue?"

[the_archive]

He balances the recorder on his knee, pushing the worn red button to start it again.

"Please do."

[sanc]

Relena nods before letting out a soft sigh, the light expression sliding off her face as she frowns, looking down at her knees.

"So, the volunteer and I: we were made to kneel before the well. I was told I had to keep still or it would be dangerous. That what they were going to do would 'possibly change things for Thorne and the world. That's how the queen put it. They were going to use me to find a way to let their people traverse the Singularity."

She pauses. Another breath as straightens her posture. She's wanting to share this with everyone, but it is taxing.

"That mage, Grigory, started saying something. Chanting? I couldn't understand the words at all, but my whole body started tingling. It was like static under my skin... something close to that. The man beside me - the volunteer - he started breathing like he couldn't get his lungs full. That room... it felt like a weight was pressing down on us. That tingling turned painful."

She flexes her fingers, trying to remember the sensation more clearly, before putting a hand against her stomach.

"It started to feel like someone yanking my hair - that kind of pain, but a hard, strong grip, but pulling at something inside me. At my core, maybe. Then, light... first like little sparks. You know, like when you've run your foot against the carpet and you touch someone. They were all over and that man..."

She pauses and looks at Jon.

"It was like something was trying to escape his body. Like there was something else under his skin trying to force its way out of his back. It looked agonizing. He started flailing about, twisting and jerking... seizing like he couldn't control his body anymore. Then -- then he burst. It was light coming out of him from all directions. He was screaming, but who wouldn't? His skin was tore right open. He kept screaming and screaming until he finally broke and threw himself into the well."

Relena draws in a deep breath and lets it out on a heavy sigh. "I was fading out by that point. I'd heard the queen say 'this cannot leave this room'. Unfortunately for her... they didn't kill me. When I woke up days later, I was with Oliver outside of Thorne. He said they tried to remove my connection to the Singularity and give it to that man. He also said if we're severed from the Singularity... we're trapped here. He said it can also be a death sentence. Basically, I think I'm alive because of him. He's the Singularity's disciple and has been for a long time. He asked me to share one message for him in exchange for helping us: there is nothing to fear, the future is bright. And then-- well, then I was taken back to the dungeons and the rest you know, I think."

[the_archive]

Listening, Jon's expression falls between intent and grim. It's alarming, the tale she has to share. In so many ways.

Ambose's absense (But did Grigory's presence mean it was happening with his knowledge? Or was the apprentice an agent for the Queen?). The volunteer's death. The plain fact that something had been pulled from Relena and had destroyed the other man. The Queen's closing words.

And Oliver.

"'The future is bright,'" he repeats slowly, eyes fixed on hers. "That is precisely what he said."

[sanc]

Relena seems to relax a little bit when she's finished talking. It always feels like she's accomplished something by sharing this burden. People would be more informed this way, could decide what they want to do better. It was essential for survival to know all that they could.

She nods when he speaks. "Those words exactly. There is nothing to fear, the future is bright."