catch-all open log!

[rebells]

Who: Anyone and everyone!
Where: On the beach, and various other places throughout the hub island
When: Day 80, and the next couple days after
Open/Closed: open log for hub shenanigans!

[This evening, someone has placed an old, rusted-over camp stove on the beach near the coven's row of huts--anyone examining it in detail will see that it's not operational at the moment, but that could potentially be changed, couldn't it? If someone was handy with mechanical things . . . .

Next to it is a crate (which, from the weight of it is empty) and pinned to that crate is a sheet of paper with a map on it, something like a much cruder, black-and-white version of this:



with the following key:

1 - crags. Contain snakes which may be poisonous. Watch out.
2 - ocean, going about one mile out from the coast.
3 - lagoon. Contains thick reeds (could be woven or shaped into tools) and frogs (edibility uncertain).
4 - abandoned campsite.
5 - orchard. Currently, trees are diseased and bare. Plant healer needed.
6 - abandoned house. A family used to live here, from the looks of it. Still contains some useful supplies.

And there should be a 7 north of base camp with the notation "graveyard. Graves unused." but the player forgot and is too lazy to go back and fix it right now. Observant individuals will note that the map looks like a more detailed version of one hanging on the door to a certain coven member's cabin, one that has a note on the bottom: "Have information? Ask for Jay."

Other than that, it's a quiet night on the hub island. We've been here for a couple days; maybe you're getting restless? Want to check out that ocean, or lagoon, or even those crags? Maybe just go door-to-door in the beach huts? Maybe you're sick of shrimp and looking for other things to eat . . . hopefully someone's got a fire going tonight, and thought to kill a boar . . . .

What are you doing tonight?]


((here or here for place descriptions))

Comments

[talim]

Okay, okay. We'll go back to camp and then you can go ahead and clean all you want. I won't stop you.

... Unless you want some help?

1/2

[deem]

[Can Jude feel the staring?]

2/2

[deem]

[Because he's definitely getting a load of staring.

After which 9S recovers with a helpless shake of his head]

That'd be a lot of work, you sure you'd want to be around for all that?

[talim]

I'm sure.

[ spoken with nothing but a cheerful smile. ]

[deem]

[He'll forever marvel at just how kind Jude is.

At this rate, that will never change]

Well, alright... But take a break whenever you need to, okay? I'm an android, but you're not.

[talim]

I'm an android, but you're not.

[ jude repeats it back to him. ]

Did you really have to tell me that?

[deem]

Pretty sure I had to. You've got this habit of thinking about yourself last.

[Did he nail it?]

[talim]

[ jude would swat at him or something if he wasn't so... well. nice. ]

Thank goodness you told me. I almost forgot... What would I do without you, Nines? This is the second time you've saved me today.

[deem]

[At least Jude's aware of it, but that doesn't make it any less worrying for someone like 9S. He's seen this from 2B for quite a long time, so it's not that it's new, but that doesn't change how he feels.

The retort's something he shrugs off before he pokes Jude's nose with one finger. Shouldn't have taught him that one, doc]

Sometimes you need to hear things you already know.

[talim]

[ jude scrunches his face up. ]

Do I, now?

[ he pinches 9s' nose right back. retaliation.

they sure are cleaning. ]

[deem]

From the looks of things, you sure do.

[And not that he's concerned, because he can get air just fine, but—]

Just a friendly reminder here, but I need to breathe.

[talim]

A-Ah!

[ jude immediately pulls away. ]

I'm sorry... I shouldn't have been thoughtless, I was just goofing off—

[ wait. ]

Wait. Were you... teasing me?

[deem]

[There's no fending off an amused smile here, sorry Jude]

I do need to breathe, but...

[Obviously he wasn't in any danger]

I'm pretty sure I'd survive something like that.

[talim]

And I'm pretty sure you're a dork.

[ jude flicks his nose one last time, for good measure, before turning his attention back to the kitchen. ]

So... some cleaning supplies might be a good start.

[deem]

Sorry, not familiar with that word.

[Pinching his goggles to get to his nose, what is this equipment abuse Jude Mathis.

Not that 9S really minds, wandering toward the nearest cabinet]

Dunno about water, but I'll bet there're other things in here.

[talim]

It means... never mind.

[ jude huffs out a small laugh. ]

We'll need working water to wipe everything down, but a broom and a duster will work in the meantime.

[ it doesn't occur to jude that 9s might not even know what those things are. ]

[deem]

[There are quite a lot of things 9S couldn't rightly identify if he encountered them, but at least he does know what a broom is when he sees one. Good thing they were such a very common item]

I may need to find a source in the area...it'd be surprising if anything was still working in this place.

[And upon finding one decrepit broom he tugs it free of a few implements it's nestled among and leans it against the counter before he continues his search]

[talim]

[ jude leans against the counter and stares up at the ceiling fan, amusement in his tone when he speaks. ]

What a day, huh? Went exploring, almost tripped over a cliff and twisted my ankle in rapid succession, carried all the way here... and now we're cleaning.

Everything just has to be an adventure with you.

[ ... ]

Even cleaning.

[deem]

You think so...?

[9S pauses as he considers that, not quite sure what he's looking for where a duster is concerned. He can assume it's got something to do with dust but that's not helping him very much]

I was thinking it was pretty peaceful, compared with invading fish-people and sharks in the streets.

[Or a world full of machines that'd attack an android on sight]

[talim]

There are all different kinds of adventures. Getting to know you has been an adventure in itself.

[deem]

Something like that...?

[Clearly, Jude has the most generous definition of adventure. But 9S can appreciate it]

You really are a nice guy.

[How many times will the obvious be stated? Who even knows]

[talim]

When will you stop calling me that?

[ jude shakes his head. ]

I'm just stating the truth.

[deem]

I'm stating the truth too.

[And back to scrutinizing different objects and wondering which one is a duster. The most challenging of all sidequests]

It's not like kindness is a bad thing...but I wouldn't say it's exactly commonplace either.

[talim]

Really?

[ he should really be helping 9s, so he walks up to stand beside him and assist him in his search. ah, there's one. ]

I... like to see the best in people. When I can. Sometimes it's hard to see that kindness, but when you manage to coax it out of them, that patience was worth it. Kindness isn't always there in plain sight. Sometimes, it's there in the little things, and only then do you realize that it was there all along.

[ jude is staring down at the ground, lost in thought. who is he thinking about, exactly? A Mystery. ]

[deem]

The place I'm from... There's not really room for that.

[Those who were kindest were ultimately crushed under the weight of their world. He'd seen it more than once. With Emil. With Pascal. Even now he doesn't know what happened to the latter, but his memory, the person he was...all of that is gone.

The village, too... Perhaps he couldn't bear up under that burden. Being alone in that is something he did no better at enduring, but he couldn't stand to lose his memories]

So to me, something like that is rare. Something one should value, even.

[As rarities tend to be]