abraxaslogs | out into the unknown (march catch-all)

[imagine wanda's dismay when her venture into someone else's domain (an act out of sheer curiosity, having entirely nothing to do with any nefarious want from her behalf) consists of getting—mostly—lost in dark alleyways of the unfriendliest imagining. her feet are tired from how much she's walked the same cobblestone streets, unable to find the way further in nor the way out.

truth be told, she might be a little distressed about it.

wanda will not be found wandering about in the alleys. instead, she'll be quietly sitting on one of the steps, pressed against a wall, head leaning against it, growing small flowers with her magic on the bits of grass that grow between the stones. she is a little tired, and for all the discomfort that this situation may present, she is—regardless—welcoming this distancing from everything else. it almost feels like she could disappear, escape from the existential obligation outside of this rather unwelcoming place.]

Edited 2022-03-15 20:06 (UTC)

[ As far as Thancred can tell, there's nothing that instantly alerts him when someone is in his domain. He doesn't particularly like the idea that people can wander in and out of his space without him knowing when he isn't even there, which is likely why the alleyways first came into existence, even if they'd been partly constructed while he had no memories. It seems that his need to stay hidden is an inherent part of him.

As soon as he does enter into the Horizon for what's become a daily visit to check in on things, however, he is struck with the sense that someone might be lurking around. He walks the cobbled streets with a certain sense of surety — he did make this place, after all — and as soon as he turns a corner and spots a figure seated in an alcove, he pauses and takes a moment to assess the situation.

It's a woman, who seems to have decided to pause here and take a rest. Possibly because she got lost. He feels kind of bad about it, honestly, but it's not like he asked anyone to come here without an invitation. Well... she's here now. ]

Could you not find your way back out? Sorry, I know it's a bit of a maze.

[ He takes a few more steps toward her and lifts his hand in a greeting, wanting to make it clear he means no harm.

Though... hmm. Where did those flowers come from? Where they there before? ]

[—and it's not like wanda could not just blink her way out of the space, anyway, the horizon being composed of a similar ilk to astral projection. she could have done that, yes, but something has compelled her to stay: the eclipse and the omen it portends, the gravitas of the news of steve rogers having left. it bothers her the most that no one can give her clear answers of what happens to anyone who does leave.

are they safe, or are they otherwise in a state of unending suffering?

(she did not even get to say goodbye, again, just like with everyone else, something she had corrected with tommy and billy, but wished she didn't have to undergo ever again.)

wanda hardly reacts at the voice and question directed her way. she kind of expected it, for the owner of this place to come about eventually. the sound of his footsteps did give him away before his voice reached her, anyway.]

It did turn me around. [finally, she turns her head to him just in time to see his hand being raised in greeting. wanda brings herself up to stand, turning to face him. her visage strained with emotion she's keeping under the surface.] Sorry, I was curious. I suppose your entrance being like this means you don't like random visitors.

[ It's true that someone can will themselves to leave the Horizon at any time if they wish, and it doesn't pass Thancred's notice that this woman opted not to do that. Maybe she had needed a quiet place to think for a moment, a place where she was not likely to be bothered. As she stands and regards him, he does get the impression that she might be working through something, and this had apparently been the best place to do so.

In that sense, maybe he should be flattered? Hmm. ]

I suppose it's more the knowledge that people could wander around when I'm not here that led to the creation of this. To be honest, it first sprung up when I didn't remember a thing.

[ Which likely speaks for itself. He shrugs, almost embarrassed, before nodding ahead of them, down yet another narrow cobbled path. ]

It depends on the visitor, of course. [ The likes of Fandaniel and Emet-Selch, for instance, he has no interest in entertaining. He has much less reason to turn away a random Summoned. ] If you'd like a proper tour, I don't mind. [ There is something to be said for simply taking a walk in the Horizon to see what you can find. Thancred's certainly indulged in that himself a time or two. ]

[suppose it would be something along those lines, of not liking when others wander about without his knowledge, especially when he is not in this space. at least he does not seem upset about it, and is even amicable enough to offer a 'proper tour'.

wanda tries to see if she can spot anything particularly threatening about it — or otherwise — but finds herself noting that perhaps he's just the type of guy who isn't all too bothered.]

If you're not too busy. [it would be nice to see where the maze ends.] I will feel foolish over how simple the solution to this maze will be.

[it is a bit of a joke, but there is no smile on her face.]

My name is Wanda.

[the least she can offer him is her name, after infiltrating his space.]

Oh, but I do have a bit of an advantage.

[ Thancred sends her an easy smile at that, then nods along for her to follow him. He is the one who built this maze, after all, which means that he can navigate it without having to give it much thought. More than that, he can simply will them into a different part of the domain, shifting their surroundings to something more cozy.

Rather than do that too suddenly, however, he does lead them down a few twists and turns of back alleys that are inspired by any number of city-states and towns back home. ]

I'm Thancred. Have you done any building of yourself, Wanda? Within this place, I mean.

[ He suspects the creativeness of it comes more easily to some than others. He found it simpler than expected, but that might also be because he's mainly recreated locations from home. ]

[he certainly does have an advantage, but all wanda does is follow; it's easy enough, her eyes turning this way and that, as they go through twists and turns, looking at the different architectural choices he's made (and is changing for the sake of exiting the maze?).

she finds it a little inspired, how different these structures look, when compared to her own world's.]

My own Horizon, you mean? [wanda offers a hum of acknowledgement.] I'm not so inspired. It's just a cabin in the woods.

[she turns her face to look up at him.]

This place looks leagues bigger if this is only the entrance maze?

[ A cabin in the woods. There's nothing wrong with keeping it simple either, if that's what Wanda prefers. ]

It sounds peaceful. A good place to go and rest after a long day, mayhap?

[ Which begs the question of why she had decided to come here, but Thancred also suffers from a need to stretch his legs often, so it could have been idle wandering that brought her here. ]

And it's a bit deceiving. Especially when you can bring things into existence with a mere thought...

[ However, the cobbled paths do eventually give way to something else: an uneven dirt road. It's likely because of what Wanda herself said, but the surroundings around them shift to a dark forest, with a crackling campfire waiting for them a short distance ahead.

Thancred pauses and turns back to her, partly to make sure she's keeping up. ] I could also take us somewhere a bit cozier, if you'd prefer that.

[she smiles lightly at his assumption. he is correct; wanda does like to head to the cabin, to be by herself, after a long day. 'resting' is debatable in the horizon, but it brings a sense of comfort, away from all these other distractions. thancred speaks in a way that is easy for wanda to not feel uneasy, and so she appreciates the welcoming feeling his company brings.

wanda sticks to small sounds of agreement as they walk along the cobbled paths, finding herself actually stopping at the sight of the dark forest and crackling campfire in a short distance.

though she lingers, she moves forward, toward it, and it's only when he speaks that she realizes this is not where he thought of stopping.]

I— [her eyes turn back towards the fire, lips thinning in a small smile.] My brother and I had always dreamed of going camping in a place like this. [small comforts that were never possible in the sokovia they grew up in; small comforts she would never get to have, after his death. she steps closer to the fire, glances back at him, and tentatively sits down on the nearby bench. small ventures into camping and foraging for food in the forest was an activity that was practiced a few times with steve and nat, when they were on the run.] Would you mind if I stayed a while?

[ Rather than being put off by their less than comfortable surroundings, Wanda seems to be drawn toward the campfire. If she's happy enough with the domain as it is, then Thancred also doesn't mind stopping here for a spell. With the amount of time he spends on the road back home, makeshift campsites such as this were often as close as he ever got to "home."

He trails after her, settling down on a felled tree stump that's conveniently placed near the fire. It positions them close enough to each other that they can talk freely. ]

Not at all. [ There's the chittering of imagined wildlife that sounds distantly through the trees, along with the warm crackling of the fire. There might even be the hint of something salty in the air, as if they're not so far from the ocean despite this being a forested area. ] Pardon my rudeness, but... this is what you dreamed of? [ He takes a look around. There isn't much here beyond a bedroll and a pack. ] Camping in the woods doesn't strike me as the sort of thing people would dream about.

[ It's more a means to an end than anything else. Still, he's now picked up on the fact that Wanda has (had?) a brother, which is more than he knew a few moments ago. ]

[thancred asks like it's a rude question to ask, and it catches wanda so off-guard that she can't help but smile, the corner of her eyes crinkling in amusement. her voice is a little cheerier when she explains the reason for it:]

It's not rude at all. [she leans back, straightens her legs out in front of her, and wonders at how amazing it is that she can smell the salty breeze, just about, and feel the warmth of the fire. everything in the horizon feels so real; it speaks of the amazing capabilities of the human mind and—well—magic, of course.] We grew up as orphans, and our country was a war zone even before that. It was dangerous going anywhere.

[so maybe camping in the woods wasn't the thing they dreamt of, but rather what it would mean: their country at peace, being able to live a life that wasn't on the brink of collapse from all the fighting and the struggle of their people.]

I got to go camping with — friends — not too many years ago. It brings back good memories.

Edited 2022-04-08 12:58 (UTC)

[ Rude or not, Thancred's question has still forced Wanda to speak of a time in her life that must not have been easy. She still shares it with him freely despite the fact that they've only just met. He can appreciate the openness, enough that he returns it with some of his own. ]

I did not grow up in a war zone, per se, but I was also orphaned. [ He has no memories of his parents, and also had been on his own. There'd been no sibling to dream up possibilities with, only the unwelcoming streets of Limsa Lominsa. ] Funny, then, that we found each other.

[ Does the Horizon have the power to bring people with such similarities together, or had it simply been a wild coincidence? He doesn't understand enough about the Horizon's inner workings to be certain, but it does make him curious.

She did eventually go camping. With friends, not her brother. He could ask, but in this case he knows better. ]

Was it all you hoped it would be? More insects to fend off than you might have pictured, I imagine. [ In response, a tiny winged insect materializes and flies toward him. Thancred groans and swats at it, chasing it away. ]

I would say it is a little more concerning the fact that there are many orphans here.

[not that wanda is keeping a tally of who is or isn't, but the people she's met—the majority speak of solitude and family that isn't tied to them by blood. she peers at him with a bit of a smile, as if to say that she is mostly joking, needing neither a real nor personal reason as to why the odds are that way.

that hint of a smile grows into a bit of a chuckle when he talks of insects and one comes to existence as per his imagination.]

Stop your thoughts before we end up with a swarm to fend off against. [but it's easy—this conversation, and it draws her away from the reason she remained here in the first place.] There were s'mores, which was very exciting. Do you know what those are?

[multiversal cuisine...is it the same?]

Everyone else with me was American. They have this tradition of telling scary stories around the campfire when it is completely dark. It is very odd.

[but, fun?]

Is that something similar for you in your world?

Edited 2022-04-10 23:07 (UTC)

Are there?

[ Thancred tilts his head at that. The question is reflexive and he does not expect an actual response. He has not made a point of asking most people he's met about their family situations, or lack thereof, but he is also not particularly shocked by the possibility. Orphans had been all too common back home with the sheer amount of war and conflict that has dogged Etheirys for years on end.

Yet despite that, his laugh joins Wanda's even as he keeps a close eye out for any other unwanted insects popping up. Thankfully, his thoughts are quickly pulled away from that by talk of... s'mores? And Americans, and scary stories. ]

I do not know what those are. [ He admits it with a little shrug and a smile. He would be glad to be enlightened on these different cultural touchpoints, however. ] I do not even know what an American is, though I assume it's to do with a region where you're from? [ Just as she would not know what an Ala Mhigan is. ]

As for the scary stories... I would say chatter around a campfire is common enough, but specifically stories meant to make you quake in your boots? Not as common. It does sound intriguing, however.

[ Not that he would expect any such story to have much effect on him, though he suspects this is more for children. He reaches out to pick up a thin branch off the forest floor and uses it to poke at the fire, more to give his hands something to do than anything else. ]

[of course he wouldn't know—about neither america nor s'mores, so to assume it is where she is from doe snot derive any thoughts from her to think lesser of him. thancred will pick up a thin branch to stoke the fire, all the while wanda's hands become surrounded in a swirl of scarlet.

a tray appears atop her hands, carrying with them all that is necessary to make s'mores: marshmallows, chocolate bars, graham crackers. this she places on the camping table to her side, standing up and walking towards him, a large marshmallow her offer.]

You must cook it for a while, in the fire. [she points—] Off the end of the stick. Do not burn it. [deciding to take a seat near him, she settles beside him, waiting for the next step to follow. surely she could have conjured a ready-to-eat s'more, but half the fun is the experience of making it.] America is where my friends were from. I am from a different continent—different ideas of 'camping fun'.

[with a small smile, she turns back to the fire.]

We have much scarier scary stories where I am from anyway, in my opinion.

[ The red energy that surrounds Wanda's hands before she brings the items into existence catches Thancred's interest. It's not so different from what spell-casting looks like where he's from, though this is the Horizon where aught is possible. Can she make create things out of thin air when she's "awake"? She does seem rather comfortable with the process. ]

Ah, so it's food. [ He might have guessed. What else is there to do around a campfire save for eat, chat, or play some manner of game to pass the time? He recognizes the chocolate, of course, and the biscuit, but the white puffy substance that she's instructing him to cook is a mystery to him. Thancred blinks, taking the stick from her and the white puffball — which turns out to be rather sticky, on top of it all.

America is another part of her world separate from where she's from. Her home produces scarier stories. He registers all of that, and yet he's still staring at this foreign substance on the stick, even as he reaches forward to hold it nearer to the flames. ]

Pardon my asking, but what is this substance? We have no such thing on Etheirys, so far as I know.

[ He has not traveled every corner of his home star, but he has seen a good deal of it. He is fairly certain this food does not exist there. ]

[it's a little funny that this man, confident and certain as he gives the impression of, seems entirely too taken aback by something as small and squishy as a marshmallow. she can't help her smile, hiding it away behind a hand as she considers his question.]

It's not a substance. It's a marshmallow.

[within the confines of the horizon, creating things is so easy; just a bit of imagination and a gentle push of her magic for quicker inspiration. in her hands appears now a bag filled with the 'substance' that is marshmallows. the plastic crinkles as she moves it the other way around—]

It is mostly sugar.

[—and opens the package at the top, taking out a light blue one from within.]

They're very sweet, and I have not met a person who dislikes them.

[into her mouth it goes, the taste reminiscent of her past memories of eating some. she offers the open bag to thancred, so he can take one too, as she remains occupied with chewing on the one she took.]

Edited 2022-04-15 23:13 (UTC)

[ A marshmallow? It strikes him as an odd name, particularly the marsh part. There doesn't appear to be anything marshy about the food, though mallow does ring a bell. The cloud mallows in the Churning Mists are white and puffy, much like this food. Thancred does not believe those are edible, but it's enough of a connection for him to accept the explanation. ]

They come in different colors, I see.

[ He watches her eat one, then reaches out to take one from the bag himself. So they can be eaten raw? Wanda had indicated cooking them was the preferred method, but it's not as if he has much to fear in the Horizon (nor had she hesitated), and so he pops an uncooked one into his mouth.

It's chewy, sticky, and yes, very sweet. He doesn't imagine that eating a cloud would be anything like this, and yet the texture is quite pleasing. ]

It may be a bit too sweet for my taste, but I can see the appeal. [ Turning his attention back to the one he has on a stick, he returns to heating it up over the flames. ] The idea, then, is to heat it up and then eat it alongside the chocolate and the biscuit? [ That does sound like it would be good, if extremely indulgent. He's going to need to teach Himeka about these. ]

[she will reason that he doesn't entirely admit to disliking them because she's said she's never met anyone who does—and thancred may very well not like to be contrarian about it. her smile grows at how indulgent he is being towards her.

it is an easy enough change of pace. she had not minded getting lost in this maze of a horizon because steve rogers was gone, again, and here she is, seemingly having found herself an individual who reminds her of him, but with whom she can also very easily share a memory of camping with the man. the older brother sort.

oh, how ephemeral everything is.]

Yes. It will become very soft, and then it will help melt the chocolate. The biscuit will hold all of it together. It is very much a treat, perhaps too sweet for you, but the different textures is something you will have to try.

They are also very nice on hot chocolate milk.

[she stands again, leaving the bag of marshmallows behind, to grab at the tray with the rest of the ingredients. this is a welcome distraction.]

What would you eat at a campfire?

[ To combine all three elements of what makes a "s'more" does seem to be the defining factor. The marshmallow may be too sweet for Thancred on its own, but with two other flavors to balance it out, he can understand why this creation would be so popular on Wanda's star. ]

I am familiar with hot cocoa, lest you worry yourself too much.

[ It served as another indulgent treat when spending time in an area that was far too cold, such as Coerthas or Garlemald. Thancred's traveled through such places enough that he's had to rely on a hot drink or two to keep him going. Thankfully, the weather here in the Horizon is mild, but that doesn't stop him from leaning toward the heat provided by the campfire. ]

Oh, nothing too exciting. At times only rations brought along on the trip, or something I'd hunted to cook over the fire. In times of desperation, aught else the land has to offer — berries and the like.

[ He's traveled like this quite often in his life, and has also been trained in survival techniques. It's why he can speak rather casually about it all, even as he puts a great deal of focus into cooking his marshmallow without burning it or setting it on fire. This first s'more has to be perfect.

Once the white has turned to a golden brown, at least on some of the edges, he pulls the stick from the flames and shows it to Wanda. ] How's that?

[what he says—it clears up some of wanda's doubts. this man is very much someone who has a knack for adventure—either because he likes it so or because it is forced upon him. words like 'rations' remind her of when steve would reminisce about his expeditions across europe with his platoon, usually cut short by some smart ass comment from natasha about the russian wilderness and eating reindeer.

she turns back to him with the tray in her hands, looking over at the golden brown marshmallow.]

Hm. I would say it is done. Different people like cooking it for different lengths of time.

[nodding, she takes a seat next to him again, the tray on her lap. she assembles everything—the two crackers and the chocolate bar on one of them, before offering it to thancred.]

Now, if you put — the marshmallow, like a sandwich— okay. [there's that awkward back-and-forth of two people who have never worked together trying to coordinate, but wanda manages to sandwich the marshmallow between the two crackers, holding it together between her fingers.] Now you remove it.

And you've got yourself a s'more.

[ While Thancred does not have a reference point to pull from, he gets the sense that this marshmallow is as done as he needs it to be, and Wanda does not hesitate to arrange everything for assembly.

As she holds the plate out to him, he reaches forward to rest the warm marshmallow on top of the chocolate and the biscuit beneath it. From there, she puts the other biscuit on top. It is a bit like a tiny, sweet sandwich, isn't it?

While he'd thought of Himeka first, now his thoughts go to Ryne. She would have wanted to try this — just as she'd faced everything in the world with open, curious eyes. His gut clenches for a moment, but then he carefully withdraw the stick and sets it aside. ]

Here's the moment of truth, then.

[ With how it's assembled, the s'more seems rather delicate, so he takes care to lift it up and then leans forward to take a testing bite. There's the crunch of the biscuit followed by the soft fluffiness of the marshmallow, which is even nicer when it's heated up like this. Finally comes in the flavor of the melted chocolate, and he makes a noise of approval at the back of his throat as he chews, his eyes falling shut for a few moments.

Yes, he'll admit, it's quite good. ]

[there's that moment in cooking, in preparing food for others, where there is a satisfactory nod of pleasant surprise and a noise of satisfaction at the overall experience. it can be with the same every day meal, and also with new foods—which can be a daunting experience, truth be told.

wanda smiles when thancred reacts exactly like that, and uses her magic within the horizon to create herself a s'more, setting the tray down beside her.]

See? I told you.

[she, too, takes a bite, if only for the sake of nostalgia.]

[ Thancred nods, acknowledging how right Wanda had been as he works through the crunchy, sticky, delicious bite of food. Some of the marshmallow gets stuck to his lips and his tongue darts out to lick it off before he takes another bite.

So yes, it's good. It strikes him more as an indulgence you might have from time to time, but that might be why it's meant to be enjoyed over campfires. ]

My thanks, for educating me. I have a friend who'll wish to know all about this. [ It will take a few more bites before he's finished, but he pauses, not wanting to eat the rich dessert all at once. Instead he sends Wanda a slightly sheepish smile. ] And I should apologize as well. This is my domain, yet it's as if you're the one hosting me.

[ Yet it's been a nice reprieve. If she'd had something on her mind, mayhap this had helped her set it aside for a short while. ]

I was the one who intruded.

[there's an ache inside her that never seems to go away, but one that has been forced to the forefront anew. steve rogers is gone. that's why she had come here in the first place, feeling the loss all over again but feeling she had no right to feel this way. it was foolish—childish, even—to expect good things to last.

she misses pietro, every day, and steve became something like an older brother to her; filled the absence to an extent. she misses pietro even more, especially with agatha's trick, and it just felt like a cycle after she had arrived here and got to spend a little time with steve again.

taking a small bite from her s'more, she chews quietly and stares into the fire. she holds her hands close, unnecessarily, holding onto the dessert with both of them, elbows on her knees as she tries to make herself small.]

The friend who introduced me to these... he was here for a brief moment, and he's gone again. [again. it's pained—it hurts. she heaves a soft sigh.] I couldn't breathe in my domain, so I— [ran. tried to find a place to be that reminded her of nothing about her home and her losses. getting lost in the maze that guards thancred's maze was actually comforting.] It's strange that you remind me of him.

[she returns his sheepish smile, taking another bite of her s'more, a single tear on her cheek. it is reprieve enough to be here, even if it doesn't seem that way.]

Edited 2022-05-01 00:07 (UTC)

out into the unknown (march catch-all)

horizon!

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