altria "just keep smiling" caster (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
excaliburden) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
citylogs2023-11-12 05:20 pm
excaliburden) wrote in citylogs2023-11-12 05:20 pm
[open] welcome to the city
WHO: Altria Caster (excaliburden) & perhaps you!
WHAT: Help out a gal who just got here and is still getting used to magical city things like powdered sugar
WHERE: Across the city! Namely: a convenience store, park, subway, etc.......
WHEN: Early November
WARNINGS: N/A! Will update if necessary
a. local victorian orphan discovers convenience stores
[You're probably popping into the local convenience store for sensible reasons, like to buy a soda or to grab a few things you're missing for your dinner. Maybe for one of those hot dogs. No judgment.
Either way, you're getting interrupted by a gremlin in young woman form, who comes right up to you as soon as she makes eye contact, holding up... one of those small little packs of powdered sugar donuts.]
Have you ever tried one of these?
[She sounds awed.
There is powdered sugar around her mouth and on her fingers. She seems to have already eaten three of the five in the pack. It's a little bit like a religious experience, honestly.]
b. park break
[There's only so much walking around the city she can do before she gets tired. Even a few days in, it's still a pretty overwhelming place, and despite making many plans with many helpful people upon first arriving, she... has not acted on any of them.
So it is that even though it's either very early in the morning or very late at night, Altria can be found seated on one of the benches in the park, shoulders hunched and hands in her lap. She doesn't seem to be asleep, just... thinking very, very intently.
Of course, if she notices that someone's near, she'll immediately straighten, lifting a hand to wave--but with how deep in thought she is, it isn't hard to sneak up on her, either.]
c. subway
[Using the subway today to get across the city? That's a perfectly normal thing to do.
There's a young woman there as well, nose pressed to the window as she stares out as the train moves, even though it's, you know, underground and there's nothing to see. It's fine--she still seems amazed.
Also, if you hop back on the train a few hours later to go elsewhere, she's... still there. She might be leaning back in the seat, staring at the ceiling, or moving from seat to seat idly, or, in particularly empty times of day, sprawled along two seats at once.
Don't worry about it. Everything's fine here!]
d. wildcard
(Wanna tag in but these prompts don't work? Totally fine, hit me with whatever--or poke me over here to plot something out!)
excaliburden) & perhaps you!WHAT: Help out a gal who just got here and is still getting used to magical city things like powdered sugar
WHERE: Across the city! Namely: a convenience store, park, subway, etc.......
WHEN: Early November
WARNINGS: N/A! Will update if necessary
a. local victorian orphan discovers convenience stores
[You're probably popping into the local convenience store for sensible reasons, like to buy a soda or to grab a few things you're missing for your dinner. Maybe for one of those hot dogs. No judgment.
Either way, you're getting interrupted by a gremlin in young woman form, who comes right up to you as soon as she makes eye contact, holding up... one of those small little packs of powdered sugar donuts.]
Have you ever tried one of these?
[She sounds awed.
There is powdered sugar around her mouth and on her fingers. She seems to have already eaten three of the five in the pack. It's a little bit like a religious experience, honestly.]
b. park break
[There's only so much walking around the city she can do before she gets tired. Even a few days in, it's still a pretty overwhelming place, and despite making many plans with many helpful people upon first arriving, she... has not acted on any of them.
So it is that even though it's either very early in the morning or very late at night, Altria can be found seated on one of the benches in the park, shoulders hunched and hands in her lap. She doesn't seem to be asleep, just... thinking very, very intently.
Of course, if she notices that someone's near, she'll immediately straighten, lifting a hand to wave--but with how deep in thought she is, it isn't hard to sneak up on her, either.]
c. subway
[Using the subway today to get across the city? That's a perfectly normal thing to do.
There's a young woman there as well, nose pressed to the window as she stares out as the train moves, even though it's, you know, underground and there's nothing to see. It's fine--she still seems amazed.
Also, if you hop back on the train a few hours later to go elsewhere, she's... still there. She might be leaning back in the seat, staring at the ceiling, or moving from seat to seat idly, or, in particularly empty times of day, sprawled along two seats at once.
Don't worry about it. Everything's fine here!]
d. wildcard
(Wanna tag in but these prompts don't work? Totally fine, hit me with whatever--or poke me over here to plot something out!)
no subject
of course they are. they ought to be. this is what kaveh says: ]
Of course they are afraid. They are receiving salvation that they have not earned. Any salvation that comes at the expense of someone else is no salvation at all. [ but here, kaveh shakes his head. the fire has died. it must. altria is still smiling. ] I can't promise you that I will curb my thoughts, though I will apologise for that outburst. I... just think it's unfair.
It's not fair. [ kaveh looks. ] Once you have saved everyone, who saves you?
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Her pilgrimage wasn't about her own salvation. It was about resolving the sins of the faeries. In the end, that salvation wasn't about saving their lives, either.
... but it's not fair, either, that every faerie was born with sin. If it had to be that way, then shouldn't there have been a way for them to work towards atonement? Really, the whole thing is so, so unfair.]
... Well! [It's said brightly, but with the sort of worn down edge that comes of pretending.] Maybe I won't need saving. So nobody will have to after my pilgrimage is done.
[It's a nice little--ah, yes, a fairy tale. Just like what they're in now. A fairy tale.
She can't help but wonder why that's what's used to describe a tale that's warm and fanciful here.]
... Should we keep going? This fairy tale isn't going to write itself, right?
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altria is still smiling. she is a bright, golden halo against the featureless green of this world. she is the only thing alive here.
kaveh looks out into the sky. ]
Let's. [ kaveh says, after a moment. ] I feel the impetus to find some kind of a golden-paved road. I'm supposed to be looking for brick, I think. But listen, Altria -
Nobody may have to, but someone might want to.
[ to save her, that is. after all, that is what love is for.
kaveh looks to her, and nods. ] Now, what's the voice in your head telling you? Brick road, or otherwise? I suppose we can fly and take a look from above; I've never done that before.
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She doesn't respond, of course; Kaveh moves on properly as she was hinting towards, and she gratefully follows suit. A pause to consider the story, her brow furrowing a little, and then she nods determinedly.]
A brick road! A yellow one! I think I'd really like to see that. What must golden bricks look like?
[She doesn't know the first thing about finding it, of course, and Kaveh's suggestion comes from a place of such innocently intrigued curiosity that she can't help but encourage it.]
I think I'll keep my feet on the ground if it's all the same to you--but you should try flying! You can do our reconnaissance while we look for this road.
no subject
[ in theory, if you were given wings, you were also granted the biology to make use of them. in theory, you flapped them and through it you generated enough lift to get you off the ground. kaveh spreads his wings. the translucent membrane refracts the light, scattered rainbows seeping into the line of his shadow. kaveh gives his wings an experimental flap. and then, he pushes off into the air.
this is the last tag where i can have kaveh do anything cool, because his centre of gravity pitches forward and suddenly he's rolling down the hill. ]
GAH-!
1/2
There is no right or wrong for it to go--or so she thought, anyway.
She watches as Kaveh's wings unfurl, as they catch the light breeze and sunshine and push him aloft--
And then he's tumbling.]
... Hwah?
[That can... happen?]
2/2
Kaveh! Don't break your neck!
[As if he has a choice in the matter now, Altria...]
no subject
[ trying to do what, it's rather unclear, because the amount of arm-flailing kaveh is doing is doing no favours for a potential break of some kind, be it arm or leg. but the world tumbles by, and kaveh tumbles by, and by the time altria's caught up, kaveh's got one foot in the stream at the bottom of the hill, blearily eyed as he stares up at the sky and tries not to observe how everything is still spinning.
he groans. ] Oh, flying is difficult.
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I've never thought about it before...
[.. ... ... She reaches out to gently tug his foot out of the stream. It really feels like the least (and the only) thing she can do.]
The faeries back home that can fly just always seemed to know how to do it... but it's tough after all, isn't it?
no subject
I should have known, really. The faeries from your home must've been born with their wings; mine are merely attached to me through happenstance. I'm like a child who's just learning how to walk right now, and I went ahead and attempted a cross-country run.
Um. [ kaveh looks. ] You're, ah, not going to tell anyone that I just did that, right?
no subject
[She is deathly serious at that, arms crossed as she frowns at the thought.]
People who share others' embarrassing moments just to make fun of them or make them feel bad are the worst!
Nobody has to know that you tried to fly and it didn't go so well.
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But I'm glad you feel the same! Nobody should hold onto an embarrassing thing someone once did and bring it up every two weeks just for their own amusement! It's inconceivable when people are like that. Just let embarrassing things remain in the past, I'd say.
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Yeah, yeah, I agree! Especially if that embarrassing thing happened just because they didn't know better and just did some sort of awkward faux pas but now it's gonna be held over their head forever and ever! Even though they never would've done it if they'd known!
[... hypothetically.]
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[ ... hypothetically. ]
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[HUFF.]
You get it! People who do that sort of thing are awful! They totally know what they're doing, too!
[She says, with nothing but love in her heart for Cnoc na Riabh.
Anyway, now that he is no longer sprawled out, she stands and offers him her hand to help him up completely.]
no subject
[ bolstered by this newfound bond that they've built, kaveh clasps altria's hand, and pulls himself up from the reeds. he shakes the wild crow's nest of his hair, and then his wings. ] Well, now I feel more motivated than ever to get this flying thing underway. I'd hate to have this hang over my head, it just feels as if it proves something, you know?
What sort of tips do you have for proper flight, Altria? I'm in your hands!
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[Altria blinks at him blankly at that, dropping her hand to her side as she just kind of... tilts her head quizzically, smile entirely, completely vacant and blank.]
I don't know how to fly, Kaveh.
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What? [ ??? ] You don't know how to fly? Why not?
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Why would I know how to fly? I'm not that kind of faerie, and anyway, Merlin never got the chance to teach me how to use magecraft for it!
[Ha ha, I mean, "Merlin".]
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[ """"merlin"""" ]
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[She beams, clapping her hands a little.]
He's the one who got me started on learning it, and he taught me all of my first spells and things.
I owe a lot to him!
[He kept her company. He took care of her, in a sense. He was her anchor, until he was taken away.]
no subject
altria, kaveh thinks, loves those who are her friends. that's the sort of girl she is. ]
He sounds like a fine individual, generous and knowledgeable both. [ definitely!! yeah!!!! ] I'm glad you had him on your side, Altria. Was he a faerie that flew, or the kind that couldn't?
no subject
She beams at that, even though she now knows better--even though she's pieced together so many things since then. Even still, "Merlin" is precious to her.]
He wasn't a faerie from Faerie Britain at all! He was from Proper Human History.
Still, he said he could fly easily--with magecraft, though, I think.
[A beat.]
... I suppose he never specified, but I assumed with magecraft. He never got to teach me that spell, though, even though I nagged him about it!
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Did he end up returning to that Proper Human History? Is that why he never got to teach you that spell?
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[She thinks to his last moments--both speaking to her through her staff, and then later.
... Maybe he did. She doesn't entirely know how summoning Servants works in Proper Human History. She's only heard bits and pieces. But the Merlin she knew, at least, is gone--she thinks.]
... Our lessons were interrupted! And he had to go away for awhile. That's when I had to start teaching myself, instead.
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