Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
modblob) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
redshiftlogs2019-12-08 07:10 pm
modblob) wrote in redshiftlogs2019-12-08 07:10 pm
december 2019. welcome to the void.
Who: Everyone in Anchor.
What: Sixth Introductory Mingle
When: The Month of December 2019
Where: Around and outside the city.
Warnings: Please add any warnings in the subject lines.
What: Sixth Introductory Mingle
When: The Month of December 2019
Where: Around and outside the city.
Warnings: Please add any warnings in the subject lines.
Redshift: Welcome to the v͖͕̺̲̘̱̜͎o̴̦̣̠̦̘̹͞i̯̖d̛̪̬͈̱̦̝͍̕.
Click here to read what characters will experience when arriving in Anchor.
a. the generic holiday cheer prompt.
It's a dark, quiet, uneventful night. Only those up and about in the wee hours will notice something odd starting in the park.
It's snowing.
The phenomenon seems to be coming from a small bank of unmoving clouds hanging suspended above the trees and lake. A cloud that, upon closer inspection by any scientists in the room, appears to be made of harmless nanites whose sole purpose is to unleash a cheery, blustery kind of weather that remains mostly contained to the park.
Some bots are out serving hot chocolate, cider, flavored snow cones, and other small baked treats. Others are building a solid-looking bit of scaffolding that the snow is rapidly turning into a sledding ramp. In fact, there are sleds ready and waiting at the foot of the slide. The smaller ponds have frozen over in a sharp cold snap that came with the nanites' release, and there are other bots handing out ice skates - careful, though, because one of them is a chef bot and he's made the blades of the skates ridiculously sharp. At least they'll glide well?
Around the middle of the day, the intercoms squeal loudly, crackle, and start pouring generic seasonal music out into the air. Is it for Hanukkah? Christmas? Kwanzaa? Some strange holiday no one has heard of? Who knows, since half of it is in alien languages, but man, it sure is peppy! And kind of annoying after a while! Maybe someone should hack the system and change the music up?
It's snowing.
The phenomenon seems to be coming from a small bank of unmoving clouds hanging suspended above the trees and lake. A cloud that, upon closer inspection by any scientists in the room, appears to be made of harmless nanites whose sole purpose is to unleash a cheery, blustery kind of weather that remains mostly contained to the park.
Some bots are out serving hot chocolate, cider, flavored snow cones, and other small baked treats. Others are building a solid-looking bit of scaffolding that the snow is rapidly turning into a sledding ramp. In fact, there are sleds ready and waiting at the foot of the slide. The smaller ponds have frozen over in a sharp cold snap that came with the nanites' release, and there are other bots handing out ice skates - careful, though, because one of them is a chef bot and he's made the blades of the skates ridiculously sharp. At least they'll glide well?
Around the middle of the day, the intercoms squeal loudly, crackle, and start pouring generic seasonal music out into the air. Is it for Hanukkah? Christmas? Kwanzaa? Some strange holiday no one has heard of? Who knows, since half of it is in alien languages, but man, it sure is peppy! And kind of annoying after a while! Maybe someone should hack the system and change the music up?
b. the body heat trope prompt.
As the day wears on toward evening, the nanite winter storm starts to gather a little more force, sending cold seeping through the halls of Anchor. There are pockets of warmth here and there - notably, for once, the agricultural areas are largely unaffected thanks to their temperature regulators--but most of Anchor has a wintery chill, and snow is starting to bluster across the levels from bottom to top. Temperatures continue to drop when the suns go down.
The bots are out being helpful, though they can't stop the storm. They're rolling around handing out blankets and thermoses of warm drinks. Unfortunately, it's one blanket and one thermos per two people. Better get cosy - it's going to be a long, cold night!
The bots are out being helpful, though they can't stop the storm. They're rolling around handing out blankets and thermoses of warm drinks. Unfortunately, it's one blanket and one thermos per two people. Better get cosy - it's going to be a long, cold night!
c. the terrifying monster attack prompt.
The cold has woken up some creatures that have been slumbering away in one of the sealed-off areas of the labs. They couldn't get through the door that kept them caged, but they sure could freeze the windows and escape that way when they got cold enough to break. The little critters make a beeline for the park, prepared to wreak havoc-
If eating snow and ice and rolling snow into tiny balls for meal stockpiles is havoc.
These little creatures look conspicuously like the western dragons of Earth, though most are no bigger than a person's forearm. Their wings - some strange shade of white that sparkles when they move - seem largely decorative. They use them to communicate, to posture, and to keep themselves balanced when they rear up on their hind legs, but none of them appear able to fly. They're a mix of colors, blue and silver and white, some of them with a variety of shades swirling down their bodies, others with one color on their bellies and contrasting colors on their back and head. Some have splotches, or speckles, or tiger stripes of blue. They breathe steam and can freeze things with their clawed forepaws.
Also, if you feed them a flavored snow cone, they will follow you forever. No, really. You'll have yourself an undyingly loyal new pet.
If eating snow and ice and rolling snow into tiny balls for meal stockpiles is havoc.
These little creatures look conspicuously like the western dragons of Earth, though most are no bigger than a person's forearm. Their wings - some strange shade of white that sparkles when they move - seem largely decorative. They use them to communicate, to posture, and to keep themselves balanced when they rear up on their hind legs, but none of them appear able to fly. They're a mix of colors, blue and silver and white, some of them with a variety of shades swirling down their bodies, others with one color on their bellies and contrasting colors on their back and head. Some have splotches, or speckles, or tiger stripes of blue. They breathe steam and can freeze things with their clawed forepaws.
Also, if you feed them a flavored snow cone, they will follow you forever. No, really. You'll have yourself an undyingly loyal new pet.
no subject
This is really the least she could possibly do, and it's been long enough that it's about damn time.
"Is. Apparently he came from some other world -- same one a few others were stuck in for a while, before coming here as well."
Rey recalls talking to Peter about it, hearing who all was visiting that world where they knew some other version of herself. Makes sense why the cat clung to her all this time now.
no subject
Though for now, he seems to just be snoozing away on Rey's chest, having found himself a warm, comfy spot against her skin.
"It must be exciting to travel to so many places... but frightening as well. Intimidating?" She imagines Rey might understand, given how she seems to feel about making friends, only to lose them.
no subject
If it was possible for people to be taken by more than one world from their own, would that apply to cats as well? Tripod's definitely not a normal cat Rey would find just anywhere on her own world -- and if she had, it probably wouldn't have lived for very long. Creatures born with cyclocephaly don't tend to live very long after birth, and yet this little guy looks at least a couple years old.
She's brought back by Elleru's words. "It's not that scary. Been to lots of places, all over the world. Not others, just one." And as a lot of different people, even. But that's a whole different story.
no subject
She pulls the blanket around her just a little tighter. Even though she wanted to leave her home, she has to admit that deep down, it was a frightening thought at first. Sure, she's experienced so much already and was eager to learn more, but knowing it may be a long time before she came back -- and she would, she told herself then, but now she's not so sure -- did make taking that first step beyond her colony an intimidating one.
"Perhaps he had friends. A family. A home all his own. Not of all us left on purpose."
no subject
Even her past selves were happy to be as far away from their old lives as possible. Whether that was by design or what really happened to them... Rey hasn't had the stomach to do the digging to confirm.
"If he did have those things, it doesn't seem to be an issue now." Because Tripod has Rey here, apparently. Maybe not 'his' Rey -- the same one that certain people even here knew -- but he seems content to settle.
no subject
Despite wanting to keep as much heat in her blanket-turned-robe as possible, she reaches out and strokes Tripod's face as they walk, not thinking one bit about how close she is to Rey. "He has no need to be afraid when you will take care of him."
no subject
No -- she bristles for a brief moment at the thought of Faye, the phantom sting from the scar in her back pinching her nerves. Rey looks down at Tripod as a distraction, finding Elleru's hand resting upon his bald little head.
"Didn't leave much choice." Not that Rey is complaining. Tripod has been a... much needed distraction in the last few weeks. "Anyway, room's should be up ahead."
Feelings talk over, for now. She'd rather focus on the task at hand until the cat is somewhere warmer.
no subject
She will have to see if she can learn more, figure out all the nuances of upright expression. It will come to her in time, she reminds herself, though it is difficult to be patient. How much easier it would be if uprights were just honest with one another.
They reach the rooms, and Elleru takes a look at the doors, trying to figure out which ones are empty. Figuring they can just take any one where the door is open and there are no obvious signs of occupation, she stops before one of the doors, looking at the number. "This one is empty. And look, there are two beds!"
no subject
...
And yes, those are two beds. This is a place for two people. Rey blinks, forcing her expression neutral though she's really unsure about this place.
"They don't have anything smaller here?" She's not used to this much space -- and it's not like she needs to sleep in a bed, either. Hell, she'd settle for a pantry.
no subject
"But if it was smaller, it would not allow for two people. Or we would have to share a bed." She's so helpful, pointing that out.
no subject
Until now, when she feels her face heat up at the mere suggestion. It's not like it'd be the first time, but Elleru's mild provocative connotations don't fly over Rey's head.
"Ah, right! Two people. Forgot about that. Well, Tripod will probably make more use of the bed, anyway..."
Insert short, nervous laugh here.
no subject
"We could let him have the other bed," she suggests, batting her eyelashes. "Bundle him in blankets. We can keep each other warm."
no subject
Stifling her internal screaming, Rey starts to peel Tripod off her chest, only for him to press his weight against her even more insistently. A muffled, guttural groan escapes the animal, then tucking his head over her bare shoulder, taking in her warmth.
Rey's mouth stretches into the most awkward, lopsided smile (if it could be called that), giving Elleru her best 'Well, what can you do?' face.
"Looks like he wants to stay close."
Good kitty.
no subject
"Then we will keep him warm together." She gestures toward the closest bed before going on the hunt. A drawer slides out from the side of the bed at her touch, and inside is what she's looking for: a spare comforter. While its black color is a match for the rest of the room, its soft, velvety texture is a sharp contrast to the hard, sterile surfaces that make up most of Anchor. Scooping it into her arms, she deposits it on the mattress before shutting the drawer with a kick of her leg. She grabs the spare comforter from the second bed too, the quilt in the drawer identical to the first.
And then she has a seat on the bed, using the blanket she's had wrapped around her as extra padding for the little nest she's made. Now all it needs is Rey, which she indicates by patting the space next to her.
no subject
No other way around it, then.
"Ah, right. You're pretty cold too, aren't you?"
Elleru doesn't strike Rey as someone who does well in arctic climes. While it's not that frigid yet, most people here don't seem well equipped to handle these conditions. Reluctantly, Rey adjusts Tripod in her arms and complies, moving to sit beside Elleru as casual as she could possibly be about this.
no subject
"Yes, I am."
She pulls one blanket around them, pinning it to the wall behind them with her back; another, she sets across their laps, folding it around their legs, letting the extra hang off the side of the bed. As for the third blanket, she drapes it across her far shoulder and chest, leaning across Rey just a bit so she can fold it over her shoulder, enveloping them in blankets and completely covering Tripod. With that, she sits back down, resting herself against Rey's side. She is very warm.
"Where I come from, we are protected from the cold. When it snows in the winter, we often stay in our homes rather than brave the cold."
no subject
And they had kissed, and gotten fairly cozy until everything went south. By no fault of Faye's, despite the scar in Rey's back that would suggest otherwise. As someone who's very familiar with the effects of trauma, she never blamed Faye for her temporary psychosis.
Everything else was just fucking complicated. Easier to push in the back of her mind and not think about it. Why does she have to think about it now? This is normal. Totally normal. People cozy up together when they're cold all the time and it doesn't have to mean anything more than that. Although it doesn't help that Elleru's been particularly friendly ever since they met, but that seems to be how she is. Not everyone who's nice to you is going to think of you that way, right? Least of all her...
Rey's rapid-fire thought process has her silent for a moment, almost missing what Elleru said. She realizes she actually is much warmer now -- not hot to the touch, but enough that her face is flushed as the blankets drape around the two of them.
Three of them. Tripod makes three, naturally.
"Cold's not so bad, if you know how to live in it. Not everyone's thing, of course," Rey finally says, trying to mask her awkwardness as she draws her hand over her mouth, shoulders tucking inward to keep the cat close as well.
no subject
"The cold never came so suddenly to my colony," she continues. "The seasons were slow. Gradual? It allowed us to prepare for them. I would decorate my den with furs to help keep me warm through the night. I had many beautiful ones. Gifts."
no subject
"Ah. Guess no one would be ready for this. Didn't exactly get a warning sign..." She trails, pausing when the realization dawns on her. "Shit, hope this hasn't affected the area where food is grown."
Hungry people on top of cold weather never leads to anything good.
no subject
"The agricultural level?" She enunciates every syllable of that, as one might when parsing out the parts of an unfamiliar word. "It was warmer when I was there a few days ago, but it is so much colder now than it was. What will happen to the animals that live there?"
no subject
"Maybe they'll be all right?" No one can be sure of that, though, so she adds: "Could always build shelters for them or something, if it gets real bad."
People here seem to have a lot of time on their hands, so there's no excuse not to pitch in whenever possible, right?
no subject
And she looks around, her ears dipping as she clearly considers how many of Kieran's animals they could fit into the room. Not nearly enough, clearly; her natural form would take up a good chunk of the floor space if she were to shift into it, and most of the animals up there are almost her size.
no subject
"We can absolutely not fit that many animals in one double bedroom," she says flatly. "Aren't there barns and pastures and such up there? Pretty sure someone mentioned setting up a ranch a while ago."
Much as she'd been tempted, it's not like Rey had gone up there to investigate closely. She'd mostly been avoiding people for a good while after coming here.
no subject
"You are speaking of Kieran," she replies, settling back against Rey. "I am sure he is worried about his animals, but I must remember that they will keep each other warm, just as we are."
That thought brings her a little comfort. Still, she might swing by his room tomorrow just to see if he needs anything. How terrible it must be, not being able to see and knowing his animals may be freezing.
no subject
They might not be thinking the same person, and Rey doesn't even know who this Kieran is, but she doesn't cared. She just shrugs.
"We'll figure it out. But one thing at a time." It's something she tries to remind herself sometimes as well.
(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)