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

[perma_banned]

[While Ban endeavored to make certain Aqua's neck wouldn't break in her landing--he didn't act much like Prince Valiant by any stretch of the name. He opened his arms to drop Aqua the moment she seemed to be fine, placing one hand on his hips while looking her over for anymore critical injuries.

As if it mattered, though. He already knew she could use healing magic.]

Ahhhn~? [He seemed a bit confused when posed with that question, though.]

I jumped.

[keeper]

[ Aqua's been around too many Disney Princes to mistake Ban for one, and is lucky enough to land on her feet when he lets go of her. (Nearly pitches face first into the ground of course, but is ultimately spared of any further catastrophe... for now.)

And, don't worry, noodle-y though she looks she's got a reasonably tough exterior. ]

Is that so...

[ 'Jumped'. That still tells her nothing but she won't argue; he saved her from a concussion so that's good enough for her. ]

Thank you, Ban. [ (This is the second time he's given her a hand, come to think of it.)

She pats off any errant leaves from her clothes, and glances up at him. ] Are you out to observe the sky as well...?

[perma_banned]

[Ban reached up to stretch his arms out over his head, yawning as Aqua cleaned herself off of debris, looking to her once again when she posed her question.

He wouldn't accept thanks if it could be helped. Selfishly doing as one pleased wasn't exactly heroic in his eyes.]

I'm not really one for dull tasks like that. [He shrugged once he was done stretching. Ban noticed Aqua didn't bother casting a recovery spell.

At the very least, she was fine.]

I'd rather just stick to fightin' and let the patient ones deal with research~.

[keeper]

[ You're a strange one, Ban... ]

Oh? I rather enjoy stargazing myself.... I have to say I've been curious to know what the stars look like here.

[ Her watch had been rudely interrupted by the thunderstorm of course, but she'll find someplace else for a stakeout once it passes... Besides, she hasn't caught a single peep of the true sky since her arrival, and simply can't pass up the opportunity now.

(Distantly, she wishes for certain company she won't find here... for home.)

Not that the current crowd is terrible or anything. She smiles a little at the blunt admission. ] ...And cooking too, I wager?

[ —Of course, it begs the question, ] So what has you outside in a storm, if you don't mind me asking?

[perma_banned]

Cooking's just a necessity~.

[It wasn't a hobby for him, as some people might have thought given his level of expertise and knowledge. Ban had simply learned to cook, because cooks could properly ration food and make small portions seem more filling. It was important to someone who had lived in devastating poverty for such a long time.

Maybe it was just because he had seen so many brilliantly clear and starry nights that he took it all for granted. Ban didn't think once about how beautiful it looked.

There were better things in the world he stood on and the stars were just another thing beyond his reach, so he just thought they were handy lights for a thief traipsing in the dark.]

As for toniiiight, I spend most of my time outside as is. A bit of lightning doesn't really bother me.

['A bit' was setting the bar awfully low, though. Eyes set on Aqua, Ban was certain she was not only of a more peaceful mindset than him, but she was also genuinely a much better person than he was. He couldn't think of a single off-putting this she had ever said to date.]

Should somebody who can't die be afraid of a little lightning~?

[keeper]

A necessity...

[ Surely there's something he enjoys in this world other than brawling... Though, his question (even if rhetorical) gives a little perspective to his situation. (He's immortal, she reminds herself...) ] ...Have you been alive for a very long time?

[ The way he speaks, it seems he may have weathered more than a few noisy thunderstorms. She's seen him catch arrows with flesh and bone, proof of how indestructible he is, but it only occurs to her now that it's possible he's much older than he appears.

They're interrupted by an arc of lightning and a loud boom overhead, and Aqua gives silent thanks to be sheltered under a sturdy tree. (She'd dropped—and completely forgotten about—her telescope when Ban had caught her, but she spies it near the base of the tree trunk, mercifully in one piece.) She bends briefly to retrieve it off the grass, checks to make sure each bit of uneven wiring is still in place.

Glancing toward the angry skies, ] I wonder how long it'll go on for.

[perma_banned]

Me~? I'm just thirty-one.

[It was a surprisingly short amount of time to be immortal, but one had to start at zero like everyone else. Ban crossed his arms, following Aqua before leaning back against the tree trunk she investigated for her telescope.

Like many others, she really did seem to be into that scientific solution. It seemed like a dull answer to the problem, but he wasn't of a scientific mindset. Ban only cared for easy missions with fighting and struggling.

Stargazing seemed more romantic than thrilling, to him.]

Storms like theeeese~? Could go on for a minute--maybe an hour or more. Just be ready to put fires out if it gets closer and closer.

[He added with a grin, as if to tease Aqua on her fall--]

And, don't fly so high. I'm immortal and even I don't like getting struck by lightning~.

[keeper]

[ Thirty-one... That's surprising indeed, though he's still got at least a decade on her.

She contemplates the current weather, and decides she'll stick it out for a bit longer to see if it passes. (If not, she'll try to make her way somewhere indoors to wait the rest of it out...) ]

Let's hope it doesn't come to that. [ The fires, because she has an ironic lack of water spells on hand.

She crooks her head at Ban at the ensuing comment, lips pursed. (It's a fair point...) ] ...I don't often, for good reason it seems.

[ After a sigh, ] Thanks again for your help. I'm in your debt.

[perma_banned]

[Ban could feel comfortable so openly in a lightning storm, but it was beginning to dawn on him that maybe it was a bad idea for Aqua to be out there. Overtly being nice was a pain for him, so he felt obliged to make it less and less obvious.]

Don't bother me with debts. Often times, they don't make me much coin.

[--that and he felt less inclined to be heroic than most. Ban operated on a whim in most instances. Even so, Ban reached over to ruffle Aqua's hair.]

Seems like your stargazing isn't gonna pan out, though. Go inside and have some supper, instead~.

[keeper]

[ She blinks hard when he fusses up her hair, shoulders scrunching up like an unsuspecting cat. (Aqua hastily smooths out her locks when he's finished, though there's really only so much her stubborn vidya hair can be displaced.) ]

It's still too early to say... [ Still have the rest of the day (or night) left and all. ]

But I guess it wouldn't hurt to grab something to eat.

[ It's been at least seven hours since she'd started, and a single bite of sustenance hasn't hit her stomach since. And, she won't argue with Ban if he so prefers the outdoors, but it still seems like basic courtesy to at least ask, ]

You'll really be comfortable out here...?

[perma_banned]

[Ban got a little bit of a kick out of seeing Aqua fuss. It seemed fun to tease, once in awhile. It was just a shame he could barely get in the spirit.]

Not every mission you do is gonna be a grand success~. From what I've heard, not everyone got big news on their telescopes ♪. Some folks came up with stuff and others didn't.

[At the very least, it showed how observant Ban could be, even if he acted dismissive.]

I'll be happy, takin' a stroll even at a time like this~. [Leaning down, Ban gave Aqua's shoulder a nudge.]

You outta hurry along, though, before I decide that teasin' you would be a lot more fun than my stroll.