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]

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]

[talim]

[ that unavoidably makes jude a little sad, but he doesn't show it; he's learned through their constant you worry too much banter that just the slightest hint of a frown will have 9s fretting over him. instead, he smiles, soft. ]

I never said it wasn't something one should value. All kindness should be treasured.

[deem]

...In that case, is it so bad that I mention it?

[If they agree that it's something that should be appreciated, then surely it isn't a problem that 9S comments on Jude's nature now and then. Though he wonders if there's a reason he seemed exasperated just then.

How did people around him characterize that kindness? Or rather, how did they treat it? He isn't sure whether that's something he should ask]

[talim]

Well, no...

[ jude toes the dust-coated ground, uncertain of the mood that's settled over them. he can't pinpoint what it is.

but with the resolve that jude always has, he looks at 9s again and holds out his pinky. ]

Let's make a promise. I'll stop arguing when you call me out on my kindness as long as you agree to do the same. Deal?

[deem]

[The proposal is all well and good, except 9S is watching Jude's hand and trying to make sense of the gesture that he's being presented with. At this particular moment, he's at a loss as to what it's supposed to signify.

Or maybe...]

Is there something wrong with your finger?

[Not a proper answer, but hey, inquiring minds need to know]

[talim]

...

[ jude ducks his head and giggles, shaking his head. ]

It's called a pinky promise. It's pretty childish, but...

[ he runs a hand through his hair. anyone else might make fun of him. ]

[deem]

So you just...stick your finger out like that...?

[9S is taking this seriously enough but is that really better?]

What's the purpose?

[He's not quite sure where the childish part comes in, exactly, but he's more interested in why this situation necessitates the use of one's little finger]

[talim]

It's just a human tradition. There's really nothing particularly special about it... I don't know the purpose behind it, exactly.

It's just a... a thing?

[ a thing. articulate. jude's face is red again, but from mere sheepishness this time. maybe this was too childish after all?

but at the same time...

he likes teaching 9s new things. isn't that just what he said? just what he agreed to? thinking about it that way sheds a new light on it. ]

Maybe think of this as one of the first things about Old World I'm teaching you. Pinky promises.

[deem]

[He supposes a lot of human traditions don't really make sense to him. Christmas, for instance. Hauling a coniferous tree indoors just to let it slowly die and leave some kind of offerings for it for some guy who apparently breaks in expecting something to be waiting for him seems pretty outlandish to him, but...humans.

He takes some comfort in Kosuzu being as confounded by it as he is]

Well, alright... [He's not sure he'll ever really agree that he's kind in a way that's comparable to Jude here, but he'll imitate this pinky thing] I guess it's a fair trade.

[talim]

Then it's a promise.

[ jude links their pinkies together, and there's that sunshine smile 9s is so fond of. it's brief, however, and he looks around the room as his smile turns into a grimace. ]

We sure are doing a lot of cleaning, aren't we...

[ a strained laugh. right. cleaning.

he's just... happy to spend time with him. any time. cleaning or not. ]

[deem]

[9S watches their hands, curious as ever, but he doesn't comment. It really is an unusual sort of practice, but it's not as though he minds it. And he has learned something, however small and purportedly childish it might be.

He's learned a lot of things from Jude, really.

But it's a thought he shelves in favor of looking around the room himself. Not that he needs a reminder, but still]

Sure looks that way... Who signs up for something like this?

[Both of these guys, actually]

[talim]

Both of us?

[ he echoes 9s' thoughts with a light laugh. ]

Okay, okay. We'd better get to work before it's too dark to make our way back. I can't imagine you'd want to spend the night here until it's spotless.

[deem]

[He frowns at the thought]

There was so much dust on that bed...

[Who'd want to wake up with that all over them? Ew]

Let's see what we can do with this place.