Day 5: Evening

Evening: 5:00pm until Midnight

[ IRL Timeframe: October 15th - ~~October 23rd~~ October 31st, 2019 ]

Evening is calm, evening is serene, evening is-- a time for everyone to catch up with all the nonsense that just happened today. For anyone checking social media, there are a number of significant events that went down to catch up on:

Gyre's head straight-up fell fucking off. Somehow he's not dead.
Gyre and Luka fought each other.
Gyre punched Luka in the face.
Terrence posted a Photoshop Phriday contest on the Hopeful Hearts homepage in the morning, when the Wizard was KO'd. It's finally gone viral.
Two hospital rooms are out of commission due to the floor collapsing.
The hospital's main lobby is inaccessible via the main doors, good thing the side doors work.
Rory is missing. Where did the Tiger knight go? Social media fears the worst.
The child teleported off of the pier, leaving anyone with them behind as they boarded a tourist boat. If the side is to be believed, it's headed back to Bamborough, but with the child at the helm where would it be going?

That's... quite a bit of bad stuff. Thankfully most of the afternoon events are still ongoing, so there's plenty of opportunities for the heroes to unwind in each others' company. The evil-allured knights get their own chance once they fall asleep for the night.

The Weather
Birds are chirping again.
59°F / 15°C
It shouldn't be this chilly?

Prompts:

5:00pm Onward: Hospital, Far Haven: After the rooms were destroyed and the lobby floor was ripped up, the Hospital is hardly in tip-top shape. Any heroes can drop by to try to gather clues with others, to try to help pick up the place, or of course drop by to get medical attention.

Most Evening Times: Gyre's Camp, Forest between Craydon and Bamborough: Gyre can be found in his camp for most of the evening. It's taking up a little clearing in the trees and it's extremely nicely kept even at first glance. There's a fire pit dug into the ground, and lined with rows of gently polished rocks. There are three delicately carved wooden figures sitting on the rocks, one per rock. There's a little boar, a curved antler that very nearly looks real and uh a wizard hat.

Off to the side, there's a canvas tent that's just barely big enough for a Gyre-sized bedroll and his emptied backpack. It's been zipped shut except for a couple inches opening left at the top. There's a little pile of chopped wood beside the tent, and a bowl filled with a dark purple dye and a few folds of leather. In front of the tent is a boot with the sole coming off, partially unsewn.

Across from the fire, there's a rack set up with one cleaned rabbit? skin, and a deer skin hung on a pole to dry. The deer's skull has been set on a pike up high to bleach the bones.

At least one person has promised to visit, but will he even after their fight? But perhaps he won't be the only one to drop by tonight.

5:00pm Onward: Unlimited Tacos, Bamborough: Even after the rails are fixed in Bamborough, the unlimited taco deal didn't come to an end. If the princess or any knight drops by, they won't even have to ask because there are free tacos for the rest of the day! Any hero may show up and sit down to dine on tacos of all types and flavors. Unfortunately this taco shop only specializes in flour-shell options, but their flavors are on point! Dine in with your fellow heroes and discuss all the nonsense that's been happening... and it's only day five.

5:00pm Onward: Free Drinks, Far Haven: If your hero is just tired of everything having to be So Much All The Time, they can drop by one of Far Haven's brightest night life bars called "Reach". They're offering free drinks all night to celebrate the Wizard getting put in the hospital. Things are looking pretty easy for the team this year! The special drink being offered is the "Wizard Bomb" which drops a blue shot into a bubbly red drink. It's pretty tasty and, best of all, free! Which heroes will find each other here before the night crowd shows up? Sun's going down fast!

5:00pm Onward: Free Admission Meditation, Craydon: Heroes need to take a moment to breathe, and one of the locals in Craydon has realized that. They've offered any hero a free meditation session in their garden room. Incense will be lit, hot towels will be offered, and the gentle serene environment of their garden room (complete with the carefully-combed and designed zen sand pit) will make sure any stress just melts away. Does your hero run across someone else while walking in or leaving? The Wizard can be found sitting outside, staring up at the sky, for the rest of the evening.

7:00pm Bed & Breakfast Helping Hand, Craydon: The owner of the Helping Hand Bed & Breakfast needs a helping hand! They threw their back out after carrying a large stack of firewood in for the wood oven. Looks like they're down for the count for at least the rest of the day. Care to lend a hand, perhaps with your fellow heroes, to get things taken care of? The laundry needs to be done, more firewood has to be cut, the food has to be cooked, the guests have to be checked in and out... Who's going to do all this if they can't even get up off the ground? They're in a rough spot! Social media was kind enough to report on what happened, but now that night's falling, things have to be closed up for the night. After the events of the day, Ten can be found here helping out. Looks like he's doing a little bit of everything!

8:30pm Protector Meeting, Far Haven: After the events of the day, the Protector sought out Olivia and spoke with Luka before he handled his own evening tasks. They both received a card from him with an address on it and a request to bring one knight that they trusted along with them. The address, not strangely at all, will take them to the center of a small local park in the middle of the business district. When they arrive, the Protector will be sitting on a bench overlooking a fountain. All around him are screens that are showing the events of the day, and he appears to be reviewing what happened.

Of course, this isn't his dream space so he can be found by just about anyone at this point. But will anyone else find him? Before or during the meeting? Will they spy on the meeting or make themselves known?

Procedure:

Reply to the appropriate toplevel comments for events below. Indicate if a post is a private conversation with "Private" in the subject otherwise all threads should be open to interaction with others. Plan OOCly how you'd like to toss everyone around.

Activity Check: October 2019

[ IRL Timeframe: October 1st - October 31st, 2019 ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Well, obviously there are worse things! But that's pretty damn important." Luka says in a huff. "And yeah, maybe people would listen... but it wouldn't be the same. Once you've felt it on that scale just once nothing lesser compares, you know?"

"I don't," he answers immediately. This is the deepest gulf of not being able to relate he's ever encountered honestly. He's kind of fascinated by it, much as it horrifies him.

"I've enjoyed this, here, being able to listen to you play and talk in between. I can scream at you if you like, but I might lose my voice," he says, teasing softly with that last bit.

"Well we can't have that happen, as much as I'd love to hear you scream." Luka winks. "But, isn't there something you love doing more than anything else?"

"Mm, alright. Even so, just say the word. I'll see what I can do," he says, winking back. He goes quiet after that though, trying to actually think about this question. Spending time with his family, is the answer, but he's not going to say that right now.

"It's... not one thing. Anything to keep busy. Hm, I haven't built a house in awhile," he muses after a moment. He misses that sort of work even if it's not necessarily something he loves.

"Well... huh." Luka squints. It wasn't the sort of answer he expected and he has to take a minute to work with the information he just got.

"Let's say you uh... you built the best house you'd ever built. This thing is big, and its gorgeous, and its the envy of everyone who gets to see it. You wouldn't be satisfied just building boring, tiny sheds after that forever, would you?" He tilts his head along with his question.

He tilts his head, forgetting for a moment that Luka can't see the absolutely baffled expression on his face.

"I..." he begins, shaking his head. "I don't want to build a house that makes people envious. If someone wanted me to build them the same house, I would. If a boring shed is enough then it's enough." He pauses briefly, adding almost thoughtlessly, "The places you all live in are absurd anyway."

Luka has to stifle a laugh at the situation and how wildly far apart their worlds are.

"No no no no, I don't think this analogy is really working. I don't think building houses is really your joie de vivre. There has to be something you're really passionate about! Something that makes your heart fell like it could jump from your chest!"

Luka gives Gyre an anticipatory look. Most people who lived long enough had something they felt passionate about, even if they had yet to realize it.

Gyre gets very flustered all of a sudden, making a few weird little noises. He's trying so hard to deflect, Luka, let him get off this topic!!

"I... suppose," he says after an awkward second. "But I don't think I feel the way you do about singing about anything. You.. light up when you talk about it."

Luka deflates when it seems like Gyre doesn't have an answer. Why are all of these Knights so unknowable!

"Mmm, because it's the best. Nothing compares to it. I just wish everyone had something that made them feel that good. The world would be better off for it."

Oh no, Luka! His chest tightens when he deflates like that, and he bites his lip nervously. He doesn't want to be knowable! But seeing this very pretty man look even mildly upset makes him feel terrible.

"It would be..." he murmurs, trailing off. He's silent for a few moments, drawing a sharp breath through his nose all at once. Here goes nothing.

"My family made me so happy. The time I had with them was precious to me. But I haven't been able to see them for a long time. I make due with other interests," he says, that last bit offered as a way to explain why he's been so unable to answer Luka's questioning so far.

"Why can't you see them?" Luka begins without thinking. "Is it because of-"

He stops when he realizes the faux pas he was walking himself into.

"Right! Right. I'm sorry." He doesn't look any less upset, perhaps looking even more so now. "You shouldn't have to talk about that. I know I've been persistent but I do understand wanting to keep your private life private sometimes."

He's impressed at how quickly Luka realizes where he might be stepping. His whole body had started to tense as he began to ask that question, but he relaxes immediately when the other stops. Or well. More or less relaxes. It's still very distressing to see that expression on his face, and he thoughtlessly reaches up to gently cup his cheek.

"You looked so sad. I wanted to explain myself, even if only a little."

Luka stiffens at the unexpected touch, but doesn't pull away.

"I didn't take you for someone so... compassionate." He says, smiling softly. "Didn't mean to worry you. You wouldn't be the first person to have shut me out."

He hums softly, the noise more or less amused at least, and he draws his hand away from Luka. It had felt right in the moment, but feeling him stiffen like that makes him back off immediately.

"Compassionate. Sensible. They're the same when we have to work together," he says matter-of-factly. "All of this is too important to push someone away for a little peace of mind. Things are going to change this year. I want it to be for the better."

"I've found its rare to work with anyone so empathetic." Luka says. "Not even myself. I'm not the one stepping between a sword and the monsters after all."

"Things are certainly going to be different, you're right." He says, a slight wariness hidden behind his smile. "I... just hope we do the right thing. That no one else has to die before we figure this all out."

"The more of us who step between the sword, the easier we can make them notice. Once they notice, maybe we can get the information we need to do the right thing," he says, mostly musing to himself. He just needs more then this. He's certain of his position, but he also knows his certainty is based on the words of people with their own interests.

"I don't want anyone else to die either. Not to this game anyway," and while he doesn't say it, anyone in this case also means the monsters. Dude's gonna keep stepping between swords until it kills him or he's given a reason not to.

“‘Them’?” Luka asks, searching for clarification. “The way I see it, it’s the Protector who needs convincing the most. But he’ll never budge, and he would kill us for even suggesting so. I don’t think he has evil intentions. His perspective is quite understandable. The choice is to be on his side or to die. I’m not concerned much about anyone else. They aren’t nearly as powerful or as unpliable as he is.”

"Mm, them. The three of them. Even if he needs the most convincing, they will all need to come up with a plan together. With us, preferrably," he says, knowing that this sounds wildly hopeful. It's more hopeful then he actually feels, but he knows there's no chance of anything good happening if he doesn't say the best possible solution as often as possible.

"If we are all able to stand together, then that might deter him for a few moments. He can't kill us all without the eyes of the world knowing he did it." Let's defeat a god with peer pressure, Luka. He hesitates a beat and then reaches out, touches the other's hand before taking it in a loose handshake if he seems willing.

"Do you think we can do that?"

"Maybe." Luka says hesitantly. "I want to stay on his good side, for as long as possible. I've been alone with him many times before, and if that suddenly changed it might arouse his suspicion. He could easily retaliate in any of those moments. And... well, he's promised me power. Ideally I would be able to reap the benefits of that before we do anything drastic."

Luka firms his grip of Gyre's hand.

"Pulling something like this off is going to be a great risk. But no one ever did anything amazing by playing it safe, hm?"

Gyre mirrors him, squeezing his hand in that same moment before pulling away again. It's good to have allies, even if he knows Luka is probably in worse danger with that man then he ever will have to be.

"Mmhm. For now, I can continue to step between you and the monsters to keep him off your scent," he says, trying to make sure they're on the same page. "And I'll talk to her about masking your movements. Do you think you'll be able to get through to Olivia?"

"That shouldn't be any trouble at all, actually. She's less to get through than I must have been. But she won't have you convincing her, so who know."

"She seemed... hesitant to trust anyone with sympathy for the Wizard. Better to start with you. I'll talk to her if she needs more then that."

"You'd be surprised. I had dinner with her and she seemed to be already questioning things. Her encounter with the fifth monster went much differently than mine... but, I'll put in a word for you if she doesn't believe me somehow."

"Mm, okay," he says, nodding to himself. Things are coming together which is more then he'd hoped for after the Protector tried to kill him earlier today.

"The others... I'm not sure. Some will be easier to talk to then others."

"I don't know where most of them stand. I assume against the Wizard, but what do I know?" Luka says with a short laugh. "I feel like you would know better than I do, honestly. I can only speak for Olivia for now, and... I think many of the Knights are more charmed by you than I."

The Weather

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