abraxaslogs | Open Horizon Catchall

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Open Horizon Catchall

Who: Nadine and YOU! (One closed starter)
When: November
Where: Horizon/Nadine's Domain
What: Catch-all for the month
Warnings: Will add as needed

[Following Halloween night, Nadine's been spending a great deal of time in the Horizon. Her domain is familiar, comforting, safe. Or at least offers a very solid illusion of safety. Particularly the square. She's often sat on a bench outside the little church, watching the clouds or the fall of autumn leaves and just thinking.

She has a great deal to think about.

Since she was twelve years old, Nadine has known the path of her life. She'd known the rules, known what she had to do, and known where her future led. And she had, for the most part, followed the rules and did what she had to do. Yet here she was, alone - by a certain definition - in a strange world, with none of the things she's been promised.

There's anger left in the wake of Flagg. Anger and fear and a sense of loss she doesn't know how to navigate. Whatever joy there is in the idea of freedom, it's overpowered by all the rest. What would she even do here? What would any of them do? She isn't the only one who's had the rug pulled out from under her. How is she supposed to take care of Lloyd and Julie? And then there's Susan... She isn't even sure exactly how to take care of herself in this world.

And then there's those tantalizing thoughts that hover at the edge of her mind. The ones that do find joy in the prospect of freedom, and how close it truly is. She's already had a small taste of it. There's so much more to life than what she's experienced, the chance to just live is right here. If she's willing to take it.

Sometimes, to try and quiet the storm of thoughts in her head, she wanders to the edge of her domain to add a little something. A pond with geese here, a winding stream with a wooden bridge, a spray of wildflowers... it's just something to occupy her mind, to keep her busy...and maybe just catch the attention of anyone in a nearby domain. A part of her has no real desire to be alone.]

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The horns are cool, y'know. I gave myself fairy wings once, in here, and I thought it would be sorta neat to have 'em all the time. But yeah, it was after Lloyd brought me here the first time. It took a couple weeks before I noticed, but I had started workin' downstairs, and I saw this mug about to fall off a table. And I just remember thinkin' that I was gonna have to mop it up, and I wanted to catch it, and then it just... didn't fall. I could feel it in my hand, 'cept I was across the room. Now, I just gotta kinda think about doin' something and it's like my brain tells my arms to move, but... not. It's hard to explain. I can pick stuff up, though, and move it, long as it's not heavier than somethin' I would need two hands for normally.

[ And there's part of Julie that's still unnerved by the ability, even though she's become accustomed to it. It's simply so foreign that it's difficult for her to wrap her mind around it. But she can admit it's handier than horns. ]

So when you do magic, you just think about it and it happens? Like the Horizon?

They're growing on me. But something useful would have been great. They aren't even long and pointy enough to stab someone with if I had to.

[Now that would be useful. Julie's ability, though....that's very useful. Nadine listens intently at the story of its discovery, nodding along. She can imagine the sense of shock and surprise the first time it happened.

At least she'd meant to, the first time she did magic.]

It sounds like it would be hard to explain, but that's amazing. That's like telekinesis or something. And a lot easier than the magic I'm learning. It's not as...instinctual. I have to use incantations and hand gestures and channel my will or strength or whatever it is that makes magic happen.

But maybe they'll turn into somethin' someday. Like, I talked to people who said we all get somethin' from the Horizon, but then Lloyd didn't change or get anything, right? I have this... theory, I guess, I think that maybe the ones who say they didn't get anythin' just don't know what it is yet. 'Cause like I said, it took me weeks, and if that mug was just a couple inches to the side, I might never found out. So maybe the horns are just the start.

[ Smiling, she looks around at the square, all the cute shops and the manicured bushes. It feels a little more real now, a little less like being dropped into a haunted Thomas Kinkade painting. ]

That's why I like the Horizon so much. You don't have to follow any rules, you just see it in your head and it happens that way. It makes sense.

Maybe. That's not a bad theory, honestly. I can't count how many books I've read where people didn't know they had powers until something really specific made it happen. And talents aren't that different...like how do you know if you're a piano virtuoso if you've never touched a keyboard?

[Who knows what the Horizon and the transition to this world has done to them. It's something to think about.]

But you're right, the Horizon offers some pretty great benefits. A whole little piece of world you can do anything with, be anything in. I used to imagine places like that when I was a kid.

Right? I mean, I dunno how they're supposed to figure it out, 'cept blind luck, but there's gotta be somethin'. Some kinda way to kickstart it.

[ Her smile wilting a little, Julie looks around again, fixates on a squirrel running up a nearby tree. There's worry in her eyes. ]

Them still bringin' in new folks makes me nervous, though. At least the ones I've talked too, a bunch of 'em seem to think they need to fight us. And what if they got brought here because these Abraxas people want someone to wreck up the Horizon, to fight us here?

I don't think that's Thorne's goal.

[Nadine's brow furrows in thought as she calls to mind what she heard around the castle.]

The Horizon's linked to the Singularity and the Singularity's too important to them, I can't see them risking it. I think they might honestly mean what they say, they're trying to utilize it and they need us to do that and think we're going to save the world. I don't know about any of the other places, but 'we want to use you' would be a crappy cover story. Whether it's true, I don't know, but I do think Thorne believes it. That's another good reason to try and find a job with a mage - I might be able to pick up some more information on Thorne and how the use magic in general.

[It is no surprise that after his rather lovely night with Nadine -- and having left little time for talking by the end of it -- he was curious about. Well, everything. Certainly Julie is a very intriguing woman, but moreso the woman who trusts her friend to, well. Petition a relative stranger to show her a good night.

(And perhaps he wants to ensure that he did so. He thinks he did, but... well, even one with his expertise can experience doubts. It was a lot riding on his shoulder. One may even consider an entire woman's history with romance was.)

As ever, Jaskier loves to explore others' domains. It's much harder to find one in particular. So this time he is only on his horse, a highly decorated beast with emblems of The Sun all along her bells and flowers braided in her mane. Much easier than dragging a wagon around with him, and because he needs to leave Moglad behind to watch his vineyard. (No offense to the moogle, but he intends to find Nadine alone first.) He passes all his usual haunts -- the mountain ranges, the dark, depressing forests, and the ice caverns -- and is quite sure he's passed this place, with its bright autumnal leaves and unfamiliar buildings. It's so quiet, however, that isn't quite sure who could be here.

So it's his second time around that he actually sees a woman on the edges. As he approaches, a spring in the step of the horse that leaves spots of green grass in its wake, he realizes -- oh.

It's her.

Isn't it?

Jaskier has a moment of hesitation; honestly, while he hasn't forgotten anything from that night, the drugs had left a sort of shimmer over everything, and he'd seen her in costume (and then nothing at all.) But at second glance, yes. It must be her. It's only that this place, with its cool air and nestled quiet, are the polar opposite of Julie's frantic and overwhelming domain.

He likes it. It is exactly the sort of place a man takes his horse for a relaxing ride. As he rides up and the horse's bells gently chime, he gives her a wave and then a bow from his saddle.]

Why, good afternoon, my lady. I daresay it must be Destiny that we've finally run into each other again. [That's a bit of a joke. He slides off his horse's saddle, giving her a pat to be still.] How are you, Nadine? All of this must be yours, is it not? It's lovely! Especially the colors.

[Autumn was one of his favorite seasons. How could it not be? Between the turning of the leaves, the winds, and the painted sunsets, it was a season of inspiration.]

Thorne, I don't think they wanna mess it up. I think they wanna spy on the rest of us. But the Free Cities, at least...

[ She shakes her head, recalling the times she's spoken with someone named Goro, who seems hellbent on not just fighting, but actual war, seems to relish the thought. ]

I talked to this person, I think they're in Cadens, maybe, and he -- I think it's a he -- was sayin' that war is inevitable and he looks forward to "combat" with people from other worlds.

If war does break out, it wouldn't surprise me if they want to use us to fight their battles. I...don't really have any desire to help them with that.

[Nadine has no loyalty to anything in this world. Maybe with enough time she might develop some, but for now...it's the place she's still trying to figure out her standing in.]

Maybe if we hang out here in Nott long enough they'll forget about us.

[Oh good god, it's him.

Nadine freezes where she stands, feeling as though she's been caught doing something she shouldn't. Which is ridiculous, all she's doing is altering her domain a bit. She isn't even engaging in any self indulgence, dressed practically in a cream turtleneck sweater and a long black skirt.

But she had assumed, due to her own nature and the fact that Jaskier was a continent away, that they'd likely not run into each other again. Which was good. Not that she regrets the night they spent together, it had been wonderful, but she'd thought of it as a sort of experience out of time. Fully contained and existing only in the moment. A good memory to hold with her. That was the whole point of one night stands, wasn't it?

Now her one night stand is riding up into her domain on a fancy horse, looking like he just stopped by on the way home from a renaissance fair.]

Uh...hi. You're...here. I wasn't expecting visitors.

[Did he just wander around the Horizon looking for people to talk to? She can see that. It never occurs to her that he's specifically sought her out. Why in the world would he?]

Welcome to New Hampshire, I guess. Or at least a projected magic version of it.

If there's a war, I'm gonna be fuckin' pissed. I can't go back, and I ain't about to die again just for these dipshits.

[ Her brow knits, and she thinks, biting the inside of her cheek. ]

Y'know, if we need to get away from their shit, their fightin', we should go to the Singularity. They can't get close to it.

[ Turns out it can be kinda rough, spending your days isolated, alone, cut off from just about everything and everyone. It's still better than prison. Whatever it is Amos is dealing with now, it's not that. He has freedom of mobility and, comparatively, that's enough. And when you always feel empty, having nobody else around doesn't really make a difference.

Or at least that's what he'd thought, but there are things that still aren't. Going away. There's a part of him that's still pissed about prison, but he tries to keep his anger tamped down, and has mostly succeeded. And then there's a part of him that, just, fuck.

He's got nobody here. And maybe he'd liked having people around, after all. Got used to having something nice, and it wasn't even his fault when it was taken away.

The Horizon is the only real option Amos has for any attempt at quenching that emptiness, that bottomless feeling that he'd thought was normal for him but now just. It sucks. But even the Horizon isn't good enough, because the Roci is empty, so he wanders.

The spray of colours, the newly blossoming wildflowers — that's new. And looking beyond that, Amos realizes he's been here before. It's different now; before it had been white, opposite to the endless black of space, and he'd been curious, so he'd come. Now it looks... fake, really. Like one of those postcards they use to trick tourists into coming to different parts of Earth, look at how idyllic it is, the perfect place to kill time, spend money, and remember, there's no trash here, human or otherwise.

Amos blinks, remembers Nadine's Earth is not his own, and maybe it's not fake for her.

So, alright. He can take the wildflowers for what they're probably supposed to be, commit, head over to inspect them, hand raised in awkward greeting at the woman among them for just a second. The last time he saw Nadine, she... had still wanted to talk to him, despite, well, him. It's been a while since then. But maybe it's still okay. ]

[Oh, dear. Suddenly, he knows intimately well what the professors he'd once had felt catching him doing -- catching him not studying. That is, distinctly, the reaction of someone who wishes he had not simply strolled back into her life.

It's not his first time. Of course, he isn't inclined to believe that feeling gets easier to swallow with age. Or repetition.

How awkward.

He brings his hands together in front of him, rubbing his knuckles.]

Right. [To her credit, she is far from the last who seems surprised by his intrusion into their domain. Is he truly the only one who explores them? Who wouldn't be fascinated with what other worlds those connected to the Singularity would create for themselves?

Worlds like, apparently, a breezy little abode called New Hampshire.]

I thought I'd stop by, since I was curious, you know... but, ah, I can go. I needn't interrupt your work. [He turns, digging into the saddlebag of his horse, who's begun pawing at the ground nervously. Out he pulls a bottle of wine, with a label sporting the same Sun emblem painted across his horse. He offers it to her.] Here. A sort of homewarming gift for your New Hampshire.

[Now she feels badly. Nadine's intention isn't to insult or be unfriendly, she's just taken by surprise. People don't generally wander into her little realm. Compared to most others, it's nothing spectacular. But seeing his face fall like that, it feels like she just kicked a puppy.

She may be, technically, a 'bad guy', but not the kind that kicks puppies.]

No, it's fine. I'm not exactly busy. I just wasn't expecting visitors, I don't usually get visitors here...

[Oh god, he has a present for her. What is happening? None of this is expected and she's thrown off her guard. She steps forward to take the wine, feeling somewhat dazed.

She wasn't supposed to ever see him again. Now, sober and in her own place, she feels vaguely guilty. Of course she knows she shouldn't, but some things are just instilled so deeply....]

Thank you. Um...there's not much here but I can give you the tour if you want.

[It feels like a lifetime since she last saw Amos, but time has a way of stretching in hard times. Their parting at the portals had been alright, as far as Nadine's concerned. They were neither of them prone to sharing a great deal of emotion or personal thoughts, but she'd felt they'd smoothed over their little argument perfectly fine.

So she's glad to see him, and lifts a hand to wave in return, a smile breaking over her face.]

Hey!

[She stops what she's doing and immediately heads over to greet him properly, dressed plainly in an oversized gray sweater and black leggings with simple sneakers. She hadn't even run into him at any of the parties she's managed to attend here in the Horizon - but he's probably not much of a party person. And he doesn't have a Julie to encourage him.

It's good to see him. He's another one of those fellow summoned like Geralt, she can just talk to him and trust he's not going to ask any probing questions or make a big fuss over anything unpleasant that comes up in conversation.]

Just doing a little domain maintenance, I know those aren't seasonal, but...this is my magic slice of New Hampshire, I can have summer flowers in fall if I want.

There's no reason we have to get involved if war breaks out. We're not soldiers. We don't have any ties or loyalties to anyone here but each other. And they sure as hell can't scare us into anything, we're Flagg's people. They're not scarier than him.

[Thorne and the others...they're at least made up of people. People with magic, and people who she's sure can be very dangerous and morally bankrupt, but still people. That are at least trying to maintain a benevolent front, regardless of true intentions.]

But that's not a bad idea, if we need to get away from them. We'd be safe there...from them at least.

I don't think they plan to give us much of a choice, if war breaks out. They ain't ask us when they dragged us here. But nah, they sure as hell ain't scarier than Flagg.

[ Nadine has never watched the blood drip off his face. Never seen a man's chest torn open, emptied of its contents in only minutes. Julie's nightly dreams of terror, which were only of death and loneliness before that day, now often include wolves drenched in red. ]

Hey. We ain't gonna worry about the others. If we gotta fight 'em, we're gonna win.

[ She sounds so much more sure than she is. ]

It was a simple happenstance.

[He finds it's for the best he does not mention he was looking for her on purpose, though perhaps the gift makes that a bit obvious. Even if he hadn't found her, of course, he would still be wandering the Horizon for the simple enjoyment of it. And by the gods, he intends to explore every corner of the Horizon. Why wouldn't he?

He's not in danger here. It's the one place he isn't in danger.

At least she takes the wine.]

Something is far better than nothing. [He looks at the leaves rustling above their heads, painted as orange as the sunrise. Like Geralt -- at least, before his memories -- it appears her domain is a place for solace and quiet. For peace.

So it brings the question, what is she looking for peace from?

His gaze drops back down to her, and he considers turning her down. It's quite obvious she'd rather he fuck off, but... well. Curiousity, for once, is overriding his desire to be impeccably polite.]

And what do you want? [He teases, a small smile returning to his face. Oops. It might echo too close to what he'd said that night.] If you're free and willing, I would love a tour.

[ The smile surprises him, and it's all Amos can do but blink. He hadn't thought Nadine would be happy to see him, let alone that happy. His hand falls limply to his side as she approaches him, part of him appreciating this development, most of him completely thrown by it.

Not like he's in space, so there's no need for a jumpsuit here; black shirt, black jacket, grey pants, combat boots suit him just fine. And it's true, he isn't much one for parties. Had just trailed after Sam a fair bit at his barbecue, hadn't gone to anything else. Even if he'd had someone to encourage him to go... he probably wouldn't have.

And he feels awkward as fuck being here now, face to face with Nadine again. No bars between them, memories intact, no time factor telling them to leave immediately. He almost gets the sense that Nadine's friendliness is overcompensating for something, because there's no way she should be this happy to see him. But he's not gonna bring it up if she won't.

He shrugs, that awkwardness probably permeating the air, the way he holds his body almost stiffly, voice with an uncertainty to it. ] Wouldn't know the difference. Not exactly a whole lot of flowers in Baltimore.

[ Right. So this is all fake, but there are parts of it that are real to Nadine. Okay. He can work with that. Amos looks down at the flowers — or maybe just his feet — back up at Nadine. His voice is softer when he speaks up again, like if they're at peace then he's going to try to commit to that. ]

You grow up around these?

It doesn't matter anyway. None of this is real - it's not even a real place. Just sort of an idealized version of a bunch of little towns I grew up in. I moved around a lot.

[She makes no comment on Amos' awkwardness, not that surprised by it. It doesn't bother her. They've had enough encounters that she has a sense of what sort of man he is.]

Come on, I'll show you around. It's not that big, but what do I need a bunch of space for?

[Nadine isn't one to wander. She's done damned near enough of that in the last two years, she doesn't need it in her escapism place. The idea of just staying put is so very appealing.]

A desperately needed sense of normalcy.

[Nadine answers the question without thought, a slightly bitter and sarcastic note coloring the words. She hears them clearly and winces a little, holding up her hand apology.]

Sorry, that wasn't directed at you. I'm just...dealing with a lot right now. Like the song says, the hits don't stop. Or it never rains, it pours if that's a more familiar expression to you.

[Idioms don't always translate well between worlds, she's found. And it really isn't Jaskier's fault that she's a bit off right now, he's simply come into her life at a difficult time. It's not going to hurt to just tell him she's having a difficult time at the moment, and maybe he'll pass off her behavior as just a product of stress. She supposes, in part, it is.]

But yeah, let me show you around New Barnstead, as I call it. Barnstead is where I lived the longest.

[ There's sort of a relief to hearing Nadine say none of this is real. Of course it isn't, and some people acting like it is at times has thrown him. That's one thing he can appreciate when it comes to her: that no-nonsense straightforwardedness.

(Except maybe when she turns it on him, but apparently bygones are bygones, so whatever.) ]

Sure. [ His tone is light; he's agreeable enough, same as he always is whenever he's around someone he generally likes. Amos looks out at the compact skyline, so completely unlike anything he's used to. Either there's a massive city or there's nothing, not this weird in-between like it can't decide what it actually wants to be. ] Never been in a little town before.

[ He shows up later than he'd anticipated, but had gotten caught up and forgot. Lloyd isn't hard to spot with one of his flamboyant suits, sticking out like a sore thumb. When he spots her hanging out in her gazebo, he jogs up to her and takes a seat on an empty railing with a sheepish grin. ]

Hey, sorry I'm late! I miss anything? [ He doesn't happen to see Julie, so he's a lot later than he thought. ]

No Jules?

Hey. Yeah, you missed pretty much everything.

[Nadine looks up at him with an amused sort of fondness. It isn't as though he'd needed to be there, the pair of them had worked everything out pretty well.

Assuming no crises happened to change their plans.]

It's okay, Julie and I figured stuff out. We're not seeking vengeance against Thorne, and we're going to stay here in Nott and save up money and eventually maybe head to the Free Cities. And if things start going really bad, we book it for the Singularity. We're not fighting these people's battles for them.

Do they even still exist in your time?

[Nadine could see small town life just...fading away, eventually. For multiple reasons. Hell, it was gone in her own world. Maybe this would be something nice, for Amos, something new and different that's quiet and contained.

She leads the way out of the forested edges, to the farmland on the outskirts of the little 'town'. It's not a proper town, not by any means, but it gives the impression of one. But here are faded red barns and white wooden fences, a few lazy and generic looking black and white cows grazing in the distance.]

I...sort of think of this place like a memory. One of those ones that looks a lot better as a memory than it did in reality.

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Open Horizon Catchall

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sneakin in here

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after her talk with Julie

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