epidemiology | PLAYER EVENT ★ HELIOLOGY

PLAYER EVENT ★ HELIOLOGY

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! ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That much was obvious.

[ Sometimes Gintoki crawled through the window when he was able to do so, when it was easier for him to sneak through the human side. Alice's eyes wander to the window seal with an uneasy look. ]

I meant with them. What else did they need? Since you're so insistent with this.

Unlike you, I do this only when I feel like it.

[There were some people who made those things their priority out of a sense of duty, but Ban felt no real compulsion to be a good person.

He just hated seeing kids out and down on their luck.]

They're warm and they ate. That's enough, ain't it?

I do not do it out of enjoyment, I do it because it is right.

[ Does it matter to him? Does he care about her feelings on the matter? He had gone as far as leaving them here, with her. "They're warm and they ate."

Secretly, she can appreciate this, being as young as some as them, strapped in a cold cell and left with no food. ]

Sometimes that is enough, sometimes it's not. But it's not a wonder to see that they like you. Does it upset you that I say that?

It wasn't what you said that pissed me off~.

[Human beings were garbage, through and through. For a moment, the kindness of two people became one of the worst moments of his life. Smiles and kind gestures could mean nothing to him at that point.]

It's because, even for a second, it looked like you thought highly of me even against your better judgement. I don't mind other people makin' that mistake, but you out to have known better~.

[It wasn't as if he were blind. Everything about Alice--her posture, her reactions to others and even her eyes told stories. Ban could read her like a book. The world had been terrible to her--likely deceived her the same way it deceived him.

He had no desire to mislead someone like that.]

But noooow, you know better, right?

Edited 2016-01-12 00:27 (UTC)

Funny, I don't recall saying anything to the fact, only praise for your actions to bring these children indoors, away from harm.

[ Still with children around the room, Alice remained composed. She couldn't really predict him, but the feeling was mutual. She could have done with just the children running around here, without him. She looked at him with a careful gaze. ]

I can do well without you crossing my path, but as far as you're concerned, you will not hold a candle to the monsters I've seen. But in all actuality, Ban, you're nothing like the monster I've seen before arriving here, and as terrible as you are, I am allowed to have some gratitude for that fact. Perhaps, in some instances, you and I are not that much different.

[ Lunatics, maybe. But what good would it do trying to rationalize with him? She knew physically harming him was a waste and even wondered if he enjoyed it. It didn't matter, if she had someone willing to pull the same stunts as she did regarding children, all the better to keeping more people like Bumby out of the children's lives. ]

It doesn't matter now, he's not alive to do anything to children anymore. [ He can probably understand what Alice is saying by this and she's allowed to have a moment to have some pride in that fact. The bastard deserved it, after all. ] But I am not going to give you that satisfaction and put you on any pedestal, of any sort, negative or positive.

Do as you please, but for their sake, let's not have a clash. Even if my blade will never dull, it's such a waste of energy.

[ Slowly, Alice shifts away from the window seal and turns her attention back on the children. ]

[Ban didn't bother to correct Alice. In hindsight, telling her that he could read expressions wouldn't have worked out all that well--nor would it do him any good to let her know how important body-language and one's poker face was.

It would be easier to sneak that knife off of her, eventually, if she knew less and less about how perceptive he actually was.]

Guess that's why I don't hate you all that much~. You aren't an easy mark like everybody else.

[To boot, he knew what sort of can of worms he was about to open. The kids had resumed playing, a few reaching for the remainder of the cookies once their energy needed another kick.]

Sweet words and a few good deeds won't win you over, huh~? Must be why you're friends with that guy.

[Who else could he have been talking about other than--]

Looked and smelled like a killer, but you still like him like it ain't a problem~.

We do what we need to survive, don't we?

[ It's not a full out conversation wants to have around innocent children. Just because they've likely seen death and murder in their lives, doesn't mean Alice wants to remind them. Instead, Alice pays more attention to the same freckle-faced boy she's seen many times, awkwardly patting his back as he loops his little arms around her waist.

It doesn't really rile Alice, only earns a bit of a look on Alice's face. Her morals weren't clean, as much as she believed in setting things right. She would use questionable methods on how to ensure her results, if needed. There was more t Gintoki and if that was the case, Alice frankly didn't care.

All the same, there was no one more revolting than who she's seen before. ]

It doesn't matter, he's still my friend.

I hear ya~. Plus, it isn't like you need to say it. The look on your face when I was about to kill him pretty much confirmed it.

[Even so, Ban really wouldn't have done the deed even if he didn't think Gin was Alice's friend. It wouldn't have been entertaining for him to leave someone like that on the ground, bleeding out. He knew people were too fragile and he wasn't the sort to enjoy ending stories before they were properly told.

Ban leaned out the window, readying himself to fall out.]

Guess he's the lucky sort, huh~?

[ On the contrary, Alice would consider herself lucky for having such a good friend. No one's ever dare raise a fist for her, on her behalf.

In the end, standing up for Alice had solidified Alice's absolute loyalty. She supposes maybe he is trying to rile her, but his words are met with a blank expression, each time. Never one to raise a voice, in front of the children. ]

Somehow, I doubt that.

[ She may have panicked for a second, but- ]

Who else would strike you in such a way? Not even I want to.

[ Turning away, she started to usher some of the children away, gently but firmly. They didn't take it very well to see Ban lingering on the edge like that. ]

You're going to frighten them talking like that. If you want them in good care, at the very least, save adult conversations for another time.

[He thought it was valuable. As someone who could scarcely see himself making friends, the fact that it was clearly difficult for Alice to express herself was fair proof that she had her own share of difficulties.

He saw too many parallels and didn't like it at all. For someone who felt they were worthless, looking into a mirror wasn't a pleasant experience.]

It's never too early to teach kids not to take things for granted.

[He added, a bit flatly--]

It's also never too late to teach scrawny, kid-like women that fact, too. At least have the decency to brag about your good friend, brat.

[ Alice was turning to the children, pulling further away from Ban. She wasn't sure what he wanted or if he was truly trying to rile her up. For now, she wanted to make as much distance from him and keep cordial as much as possible. ]

Then you're more of a hypocrite than you realize. I know you that you care in some capacity.

[ She would hoist the same familiar freckle-faced boy on the edge of her hip, laying him carefully with a look. Thank goodness the rest of the children were too energetic to care. ]

If you're that incapable of keeping a civil conversation with me then leave. At this point, it's clear whatever I say to you is something that you don't like. I'm not going to fight with you, not around them.

Fight meee~?

[Ban snickered at that, preparing himself to jump out the window.

He did.

If anyone looked to see if he was alright, they would see him on the ground, waving up with a sneer.]

Nah. I just like bullying you is all.

[ The children force Alice to follow suit to the window, clamoring near the window seal, over each other. Unlike Alice, they're more concerned. Alice knows he'll survive the fall and in the end, it's a good thing that they'll see.

She worries far too much about their minds and feigning of nightmares.

It's not a surprise he wants to bully her. Alice still maintains the level of being a respectable adult, crossing her arms as she looks down, frowning at Ban. ]

Until then.

[ She's doing so well, but it's taking a lot for her not to chuck something at Ban. If the children weren't here, she would be far more aggressive. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

PLAYER EVENT ★ HELIOLOGY

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject