PLAYER EVENT ★ HELIOLOGY

[ricksybusiness]

INTRODUCTION. It's difficult to tell time without the presence of a sun or moon. There are no stars. The world is in constant blackness, the heavens barely visible from below and the only light artificial. It's been like this for months. Suddenly, those who expressed interest in observing the sun (or lack thereof) will all at once receive a text message on their ALASTAIR jewellery from 82736775: Get your shit and go look at the sky. Now's the time. If you need me, I'm around. It's time to get to work. OBSERVATION. Find the highest point you can and point the telescopes at the sky. Should be easy, right? Be mindful that there are still guards patrolling the city, looking for escaped prisoners, and some citizens would be very happy to tip them off to your presence. There are still animals in the forests to contend with, and there are still nosey citizens who may ask you too many questions. There are also your fellow ALASTAIR agents, who may not be very willing to share the spot they already staked out before you just showed up. People and animals aren't all you need to look out for, either. Seven hours after the observation starts, there is a lightning storm. It lasts for 30 minutes, bolts of electricity arcing across the sky. It might be a good idea to scurry down someplace lower when this happens -- you know what they say about lightning and height. 82736775 doesn't contact anyone after the initial text, so observers are free to give up whenever they decide they've been sitting out in the freezing dark for long enough. [ note: even if you didn't sign up, feel free to tag in! your character won't have a telescope but that doesn't mean they can't mingle. ]

[ previously: ic info | ooc info ]
[ direct questions here! ]

Comments

[winces]

[ olivia lifts her gaze from the telescope, straightening up as she considers that question. ]

It's... a lot like this, actually. Not the constant darkness thing, but. But the feel of it, I guess. Towns and villages and kings and humans and non-humans and magic... [ she smiles a little, though her accompanying shrug is mildly helpless. ] Sometimes I really miss it.

[ but ah... enough about that. ]

What about you? What is your world like? It must be nice to have someone around who understands.

short and late, forgive me omo

[hideyourself]

[clever by accident, and clever enough to raise his eyebrows high at the mention of a glider - which as far as he had seen, hadn't fallen with her, but which she had to have on hand somewhere - and, in measure, clever enough to let it drop until they found somewhere secure to put their feet. rickety stairs that sometimes sloped and sometimes felt close to giving out didn't qualify for Hideyoshi Nagachika, so he kept his questions (blinking under the soft light of yet another magic artifact) to himself.]

[ears kept open for the whistle of a breeze, another trick door they could persuade open. it doesn't happen until the base, and then, when it does --]

I looked into this family before climbing their walls. [he whispers into the dark, tailing behind her.] Didn't think it'd become relevant, but there were... reports... of staff having a high turn-over rate.

[the hallway's darkness thickens, the shadows beyond Aqua's hip-light folding upon itself into a pitch-black beast. Hideyoshi wonders briefly if he should feel nervous; decides thereafter to hold off on the adrenaline spike until the building tension breaks, whatever it might break for.]

[he doesn't mean to whisper in the quiet. nonetheless, his voice slides between them, his shoulders hunched up and head switching between forward and back.]

Worse, the staff who leave have a high chance of disappearing from Chantes...

[strictdiscipline]

[Steven please....

Against Riza's better judgement (though certainly not Hayate's), the dog happily shakes Steven's hand, then leaps upwards until he's on his hind legs, pawing at Steven with his front paws as he barks happily.

Looks like that love is reciprocated!

....Though maybe not by Riza, who's still staring up at the sky worriedly.]

We really should get inside...

[nicearms]

I donno, with the kind of stuff I've been seeing around here I don't think I'd be as surprised as I should be.

[ Glancing up from the telescope, he nudges the guy in the shoulder with a grin. It's called a joke, Keats. Like funny, ha ha. ]

[ But okay, for this joyless old scrooge he'll give it some serious thought. ] ... Well, I've got a hunch it isn't a plane or a satellite, but you don't think it's weird that there's only a couple of them?

[viscontree]

That'd be nice. Perhaps we can go out for dinner and talk in some place relaxing.

[He wouldn't want to have a discussion in a place like jail ever again. Plus, having dinner and meeting new people doesn't seem all that bad of an idea to him.]

Did you make a wish?

[runningjoke]

THAT'S DOESN'T EVEN MAKE SENSE???

[runningjoke]

I'm not organic.

[keystaff]

That would be nice! I can ask him sometime.

[She's not sure how many people Graham himself knows, how many friends he has here. Sakura just knows she herself has formed a bond of sorts with him, and she's never averse to her friends meeting.]

I did! But stars are like when you blow out the birthday candles, right? You can't tell someone, or your wish won't come true.

[She thinks so. She's generally not quite up late enough to really stay out long to stargaze like this, exactly. Or when she is up, she's not supposed to be and is more preoccupied with whatever havoc the latest Clow Card is causing.]

[niceserve]

[ Oikawa unfortunately misses Sigma's impressive athletic feat, too preoccupied by the fear of falling to his death, so he briefly wonders how Sigma managed to get up onto the roof without him noticing. But after hearing the taller man's comment, he turns his head away and huffs dramatically in a typical Oikawa fashion. Don't mind him Sigma, he's always like this. He's actually quite pleased to see a familiar face. ]

[ He turns back to see Sigma making his way over and promptly taking a seat next to him. Maybe having an extra pair of eyes around wouldn't be such a bad idea. He doesn't mind having a bit of company either; who knows how long they'll be out here? ]

Yeah, actually... [ Oikawa looks down at the telescope sitting in his lap, twirling it around between his hands and inspecting every inch of it with a careful eye. ] Do you see an "on" switch anywhere on this thing?

[wright_idea]

[Phoenix is like the king of Debbie Downers, bro, you have no clue.]

Just seems like a great way to piss off the drunk scientist, somehow.

[digophelia]

[ Maybe she's a little jealous of Olivia's comfort level to dance like that, especially in the cold. Doing what she loves... Alice officially cannot say what she loves to do. None of her pass times seem meaningful to her, except caring for the native children here. Maybe that counts. ]

I suppose that's true, then it doesn't bother one as much, does it?

[headlining]

I don't think you wandered around "easily" in the rain, Olivia.

[He lets out a short sigh. Don't take his grumpy nature personally, Olivia, he's like that to everybody.]

You need to invest in an umbrella for days like this. Though I would still go for the coat, personally.

[satomotive]

[ Korra... please take care of the delicate machinery. You'll give Asami a heart attack if it breaks. ]

I thought you could use a little company. [ Or she just... wanted to see Korra, but that feels somehow telling to admit. With a smile, Asami sets the basket down and sheds her cloak so that it has a chance to dry. Then she takes a seat next to Korra, tucking her legs to the side as she opens the basket and starts unpacking its contents.

The tea comes first, in a little ceramic teapot, then cups and cloth napkins. She leaves the food—fruits and breads and cheeses, already sliced, since those turned out to be the most portable—in the basket, and shakes her head amusedly at Korra's stale jerky. ]

The tea might be a little cold. [ She sounds a little sheepish. It took her a little longer to find Korra than she was expecting. ]

:'( ikr rip

[viscontree]

We'll need to gradually handle any issues as they come. There's no use on us dwelling on things that we don't know. Either we learn and adapt or living will become more challenging for us.

[Julius is ready to accept huge changes. As long as they can build their own path he's fine with it. ]

You've adapted to everything fairly well, Lieutenant. Whenever a new situation arises you keep your head on your shoulders.

[It's not something he can do sometimes in spite of his experience. Riza's skilled in handling herself and others.]

action sequences are so hard to write, i'm gomen

[niceserve]

Ok...? [ It's more of a question than an affirmative response. This place has an attic? Oikawa briefly wonders how this guy knows of its existence before he begins his descent. ]

[ Slipping the telescope out from under his arm, he ponders what the best way to hold onto it is before he settles on opening his mouth and clutching it between his teeth. Swinging his leg over the side of the peak, Oikawa slowly and carefully makes his way down, gripping onto the roof tiles for dear life until he finally reaches the roof's eave. Oikawa pushes himself upright until he's in a squatting position, and making sure he has his footing, he lets go with one of his hands so he can peer over the side. Fortunately, he's maneuvered himself right above the window of the attic. Putting his hand back in place, he crab walks backwards until he's right on the edge, an amusing sight to see for anyone who happens to be watching. He moves his hands to grip the edge, palm against the eave and fingers gripping the roof tiles as if he were making the ascent. He shifts his weight onto his hands and tiptoes; he has one shot to get this right, but that's never stopped him before. Oikawa takes a deep breath through his nose before digging his nails into the tile. ]

[ He slips his feet out from under him and off the roof, the rest of his body following suit. Using his upper body strength to hold on, he swings his legs up and curls them so that his body is in a mid pull-up position with his knees near his chest. He then slowly lowers himself down so that he's hanging from the eave. The window sill is just within reach, so he lowers himself down further and puts some of his weight onto the sill to test its sturdiness. He applies a little more weight, then a little more...seems to be fine. He lets go and puts his full weight on the sill. Lucky for him, the window is wide open. Not wanting to find out how long the sill could hold his weight, he quickly slips through the window and lands on the hardwood floor of the attic. Success! He quickly removes the telescope from his mouth and spits in disgust. ] BLEH! Gross!

[ The storm outside gives Oikawa enough light to find his way around the room. Looks like this place doesn't get a lot of use, judging by all the dust. It doesn't take long for him to notice a trap door-like panel in the floor. Oikawa pulls up on the handle to reveal a hallway below. Peering down, he notices the row of doors lining the hall, and recognizes it as the top floor of the inn. Oh, so that's what that panel in the ceiling was for! He remembers walking by it every day on his way in and out of the inn. Jumping down, the door shuts behind him. Oikawa makes his way down the hall, down the stairs, into the lobby, and outside. He scans the area, looking around for the guy who helped him out. He at least wants to say "thank you!"]

[niceserve]

[ A quick peek through the telescope confirms Olivia's hypothesis. ]
Oh, you're right! I didn't even notice the color! Good eye, Oliva!
They look a little more yellow or orange to me. And there's not as many as you think there'd be, y'know? In a place like this, I bet the sky would be flooded with them! But there's only a few here and there...

[heavyhitter]

Whaaat, you're talking to all the wrong people. Half the crowd I'm used to would be all the more interested.

[ But anyway. She directs an unhappy look toward her telescope, heaves a sigh, and plops down next to it. Right in the snow, whatever, she'll live. ]

Hey, wanna humor me and hang out here a while?

[heavyhitter]

Uh, yeah, it does. [ She sets her hand peaceably back on the ground next to her; he's probably safe now. ] I mean, questions, no. It's in what kind of questions. You're definitely a nerd.

[kamiizumi]

[Leo has a lot of guesses about how one might jump that high, some of which might strain some people's sense of physical plausibility.

Leo is also, however, distracted by the fact that he's still got about fifteen feet to climb, so he's not going to focus too hard on anything but the fact that he's bear-hugging the branchless trunk of this tree and still working his way up as he answers.]

Just about. One sec -

[It's more like a few, but he stops just short of the tippy top and lets go with one hand - the one that has his communication bracelet on it, to move it a little closer to his face.

nmjc.]

Okay, I'm good.

[kamiizumi]

Sure, I've got time.

[He finds a slightly less snowy spot, drops down to sit as well - neatly folding his legs into lotus position as he does so, because of course he does.]

Getting bored?

[bougy]

Eh. Reminds me too much of ploughing. ( hard manual labour, why that... ) Though I guess gardening for most is a more genteel pastime. And it also gets you some good food sooner than that, yeah?

( spoken as someone who hasn't had to try and coax nature back from the brink of some horrible destruction. she wasn't around for the restoration efforts after the blight ravished what she used to consider her homeland, and she hasn't yet seen how horribly this plague caused by human sin has devastated other entire countries. )

Gambling and drinking, I'm a woman of predictable vices. ( she laughs. ) And I used to keep a journal.

[bougy]

But it could've been a dragon. ( how could she not care??? dragons are amazing ok. though she's laughing now because damn does peridot have a point. humans are really annoying. )

Ah, but where's the fun in that? Besides they're probably all much more serious than I am.

[nicearms]

[ Never fear. Even for strangers, Sigma's a professional shit-giver... ]

[ The sudden crushing vice grip on his forearm warrants a bit of vocal protest through his teeth, but he doesn't waver. A strong grip on both ends is what you want when you're trying to halt the trajectory of a body over the edge of a roof. Besides, if super strength doesn't come with super brakes, who's to say it comes with super ankles that won't shatter in a several story fall? Thanks for staying with him, dude. Peace of mind. ]

[ Less inclined to leave her cackling down at the street she'd nearly become intimate with, he gives her a firm tug back from the ledge. Hopefully enough to permit him to straighten up while still keeping a hand on her. The grin he's got for her in return is a pretty stupidly impressed one itself. ]

That was nothing. Last time I saw hops like that, the moon was involved.

[ Seriously, that was some space-walk shit. And gravity definitely works here. Finally letting go of her arm, he gives it a good-natured little punch in his wake. ] You all good?

[invisiblade]

I feel obligated to inform you that such tactics encourage the opposite.

[making noise draws attention, stealth 101.]

If you truly wish to remain unnoticed I suggest you attempt to be much quieter in the future, silent even.

[lord knows he'd be doing the world a favor, or if not the world then at least whoever happens to be within earshot.]

[invisiblade]

Indeed, I feel the same.

[it probably is quite silly, but Saber feels a deeper bond exists because she too is a child of England. had Alice been alive during her own time she would have fallen under her protection. she may have failed Camelot, but she will see to it that no terrible harm befalls one of her own here. after all, The Once and Future King knows no boundaries of time and space.]

I am sorry to disappoint you, Alice.