tornheart | APPLE ORCHARDS AND TORN DREAMS [OPEN]

Entry tags:

APPLE ORCHARDS AND TORN DREAMS [OPEN]

Who: Open Log (All)
Where: Around the city (one prompt at the Green Valley school
Summary: Welcome Ceremonies, Dreams, Stirring a shadow hornet's nest. No big deal.
Warnings: N/A

"Are you ready my black lambs? Let's get to work..."

Apple Picking (General Prompt)

As September begins, the apple orchards of Greenfield Valley school are bursting with thousands of apples of various flavors and colors. There's even an experimental breed that's blue!

Those who have been attending the school know that this means a few important things. The first (and most important of course) is that it means that fall vacation is coming in just a few weeks (despite school having started just a few weeks ago), the second is that the school's menu is going to have a high number of apple-themed dishes until winter, and finally, the opening ceremonies.

The opening ceremonies are - well - one would consider them mostly boring for typical schools. And truth be told, Green Valley is not an exception. A single camera posed at the school's main gymnasium, a large podium in the center. For those who can't be physically there, the school's televisions all synchronized to a live broadcast as does the audio feeds. You can't quite escape it. Yet most people don't - after all it's one of the rare times of the year where the principal appears to wish students good fortune.

The person who stands in the front, Ms Michelle Andersen, is the very definition of an ice queen. Her face is perhaps locked forever into an emotionless stare. Bright blonde hair with blue eyes, both contract to her orange and black outfit.

Behind her, three men, the vice principals, who tend to play the good cops to her bad cop routine and insist that most students call them by their first names unless something really bad has happened; Norman (the most average man on campus that no one would know who he was if it wasn't for his name tag), Jeremy (the tallest staff member standing at over 195cm, thin, a bit of a lisp but he always means well), and Felix (possibly the hairiest man on campus as far as the rumors go, muscular, and a black beard that matches his scowling face when he isn't laughing - which is usually all the time. In fact, he's holding back himself from doing so when Ms. Andersen speaks.)

The presentation is short, as the Principal wishes all the students a great year, gives a bit of data on the number of students (they are up 300 new students from last year), the number of important guests that have passed, then as quickly as she was there, she leaves, explaining that there are additional meetings and events she will explain in greatest detail in the upcoming months.

Afterwards the students are treated to the vice principals singing a welcome song (it goes as well as one would expect it to go), telling the students that they are free to pick as many apples as they want as long as they all get eaten, but everyone is limited to two of the new apples and report to the hospital wards if any of them feel anything unusual after eating them. Just in case.

When the ceremonies are done, students and staff can return to their day...although some of the staff can be heard commenting that the Principal seemed even more...cold this year. Of course asking them for details would just cause them to shoo anyone away and pretend they didn't say anything.

[OOC: Players are welcome to speak to themselves or go have some apples. It's a general school mingling prompt! Additionally, it will be possible to email the vice principals during that week should the characters want to talk with them or ask school questions. Typical school stuff.]

Sound the Rebellion

(Special Prompt for the Unawakened, Monday the 4th)
The school's opening ceremonies aside, the Unawakened’s Monday was rather...strange. The night was plagued with restlessness as they heard the voice of someone laughing. Waking up feeling 'odd', although that differed between all of then - some would feel sick, others have a headache, or some just deciding that wearing a piece of clothing they haven't wanted to worn would look great right now. Perhaps they got a few comments from their relatives about how strange they were acting that day, or a worried glance if they felt sick. It might get dismissed with a wave of a hand.

After all, how can you explain that when they sometimes look upwards, they hear the sound of a child laughing and briefly see a symbol above their heads? Or that this somehow feels...fine?

Maybe in their new state of mind, they might not even notice the people that keep following them around...

Better than a GPS

(Awakened prompt, Monday 4th, day and night.)
"Alright Lambs, time to get to work."

Luci's voice echoed in their phone, laughing. Was he doing a peace sign?

"There's only a few but they'll be useful. I want you to find them and see what you can do. Who knows! Maybe you might be better at this than me, although I doubt it heh heh heh…Now remember what I said! You have to get them to fall asleep...but there's no real rules for that!"

For the Awakened, the symbols above the Unawakeneds’ heads will be as clear as day - Luci will even go so far as play little musical tunes when the characters are close by or distract them using electronics. "Come on! Stop wasting time and do something!"

For the Unawakened who have a relative, it will be somewhat easy. It is the others that will be a pain. Maybe that's why Luci asked for help. Or maybe he just wanted to see his 'lambs' struggle. "Get them to bed! It's not that hard! If you have trouble, just show them the program I've put into your phone and toaster! Or knock them with your toaster first if you want, I don't care! Just go in teams when you go after them, got it?"

It's obvious that 'sleeping' as far as Luci is concerned, is when someone is unconscious - he seems to almost want someone to knock an Unawakened out and then drag him into a room and let themselves go to sleep.

Once the task is done, and the place is secure, the characters will have to do the same. While the hypnotic wheel from the program is the easiest way, there's no hard rule about knocking oneself out either.

MINDJACK
Once the characters get inside, they'll be in the person's mind and dreams. Eddan's memories are predominant, and the unawakened will be standing there wandering around. It will be up to the Awakened to peel back the fabric of reality, much like curtains and show them the true memories of their past...

But beware. Shadows lurk here, and transforming will be necessarily. And if a character dies in someone else's dream...they might never wake up. So be careful...

The main mission is to showcase the person a few memories. Give them an idea that something might be amiss...it can be a little or a lot. Just be careful that the more memories, the stronger the shadows become... When both are done and awaken, ten minutes will have passed. Perhaps it will be time for question afterwards.

[OOC:The Unawakened characters need to be isolated for the program to run, and so do the players, so half the 'fun' will be setting up the traps so that the characters will be alone.

Awakened might decide to have someone stand on guard while the others go to sleep with the Unawakened, or just all stupidly go together, or find an area where they won't be disturbed - everything is up to you.

The dreamscape can be anything the Unawakened desires! It could be good memories of their time in Eddan or bad memories, a mixture of both, or just silly dreams. Whatever it is, the Awakened will need to 'peel' those memories away - for example showing them that their mother was someone else in their other life, or even directing the person to a mirror so that they can see their true selves. But for each memory - both good or bad, shadows will start to attack both the Unawakened and Awakened. Be careful and let the mods know if a mission goes REALLY bad.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[As Vincent's hand wandered gently across his head, Kit closed his eyes and leaned into the gesture. After everything they'd been through, something so soft felt nice, almost soothing.

It was probably dangerous to let himself slip into feeling so relaxed, but...that didn't stop him. Nor did it stop his hand from raising and settling atop Vincent's, his way of telling the other boy not to stop without really having to say anything.]

No wonder we never met before...

[If Vincent had moved here when he was thirteen, when Kit was already running wild, the circles they kept would have been very different. And while Kit didn't know it, Vincent leaving home at fifteen around the same time Kit was sent to juvie, meant that there'd been no way for their paths to cross before. And now here they were, making up for lost time it seemed.]

I was born in the Richmond district.

[the sudden appearance of a foreign hand stills Vincent's actions for a moment - but just a moment. he would never allow such a thing with a clearer head, but the fact of the matter was that he hadn't been touched affectionately since he ran away from home and petting the other boy now was equally soothing for him.

it doesn't stop him from giving a low chuckle at Kit's apparent neediness, of course, but he continues with his ministrations all the same. it was more than nice to have something painless to focus on after their brawl, even if he'd never say it.]

Especially not if you were in Richmond. We moved into Pointe-a-Tarte.

[if this statement was meant to be part of their game, his intoxication has prevented Vincent from grasping that right away. instead he continues chatting about their previous subject, a faint note of disdain entering his voice at the mention of his old residence. the wealthy had always been unbearable.]

[Kit hadn't forgotten what game they were playing at, and the fact that Vincent had seemed to amuse him. Although at this point it was difficult to determine what wouldn't amuse him in some way.

His arm lowered, resting again on Vincent's knee as the other boy's hand continued to work across his scalp. Taking another drink, he considered Vincent living in Pointe-a-Tarte of all places, and that too made him chuckle. It was one of the least pleasant areas due to its touristy nature, no doubt the very thing Vincent hated most about it. Even Kit tended to steer clear of the district for that reason, except on business.

...well, that and the occasional beach foray.]

That was a lie. I was born in Skyes and I spent most of my time in Hagu.

[he grumbles in dissatisfaction at having been wrong despite the fact that he hadn't even been attempting to play when he'd answered. Kit receive a small tug on his hair as retribution before he continues on with the more pleasant ministrations.]

What's the difference?

[Vincent may be able to navigate the city easily by now, but many of the districts blurred together in his mind all the same. outside of pits like Hagu or rich areas like Warwick or the more secluded parts of Pointe-a-Tarte, Eddan was the same throughout. it was all pointless.]

[Uttering a soft noise of protest at the tug, Kit's elbow moved back to gently dig at the other boy's ribs.]

Skyes is home to some of the largest trees in all of Eddan, some so big that, when development began there, many of the homes and businesses in the area were built around them. Its hospital is also the best in the city.

[He almost sounded a little proud. Almost.

...alright, so maybe he liked the district where he was born a lot. And suffered from finding excuses not to visit because his foster family also lived there.]

[he enjoys the retribution as much as Kit had enjoyed his own. with a huff his free hand wanders down to briefly give the other boy's ear a single, solid tug.]

So, there is no difference. [...] Unless you're constantly breaking bones.

[With a small huff, Kit's free hand went from driving his elbow back against Vincent's side to catching and holding his hand after prying it off his ear.]

Hagu's where bones get broken, Skyes is where they're healed.

[There was a reason he'd spent so much time in the former district and so little time in the latter.]

If you've got the cash for it.

[which, if you were getting your shit pushed in in Hagu so frequently, you probably didn't. every response Kit gave him just felt like he was justifying the opposite side of this argument more and more. it was pretty funny.

what was a little less funny was finding his hand suddenly captured after dispensing perfectly legitimate justice. he frowns deeply, quite unhappy with this turn of events. to remedy the situation he threads his fingers with Kit's own with the intention of preventing him from doing any further unkindnesses to him, and wrest control should he choose to act regardless. for the moment, though, their hands are merely entwined.]

[Vincent's little gesture worked for the raw state of Kit's hand beneath his bandages. Attempting to wrest their fingers apart meant that he would risk further injuring himself. So he relaxed his grip, giving Vincent no reason to apply any kind of pressure.

However, this did allow him to see the point that Vincent was trying to make, albeit not in the way Vincent was trying to get it across.]

You see ugliness in everything, don't you?

[content with the passive submission, he allowed their hands to remain as they were and rested them against Kit's shoulder. ostensibly it was in case the other teen decided to act up later when he'd let his guard down, but he's be lying if he didn't say the warmth wasn't pleasant.]

Only in places it actually is.

[which just happened to be everywhere. that wasn't his fault.]

[Truly, the warmth was nice. And a part of Kit knew it was strange, that he shouldn't find such comfort in the touch of someone so volatile, but he ignored it. Chased the thought away, even. With another heavy swallow of his drink, one that brushed the back of his head against Vincent behind him.]

I take it back, then. I don't envy you. I can't envy anyone who can't find beauty in the world around him.

If that's what you think then you wouldn't understand anyway.

[for once Vincent seems more amused than angry at having his views challenged; whether it was caused by the alcohol or knowing he was ultimately right remains to be seen. whatever the reason he laughs into his drink, nearly choking on the liquid on the way down.]

[When Kit dropped his arm, and with it his beer, his head remained pressed back against his companion, green eyes watching him intently.]

I understand. Nature has two sides.

[It could be beautiful and it could be hideous, breathtaking and wretched, often times both in the same breath. It was a remarkable force unlike any other in all the world and Kit respected it far more than anything else, or even anyone.]

Those two sides are inseparable. You have to learn to see both.

[instinctively Vincent inched his head up further along Kit's own so that he could stare down at him better, meeting the gaze with equal firmness despite the complete fire that was his brain five or six beers in. it was a unique sort of view - for a brief moment he looked quite innocent.]

They're not inseparable, they're the same. The only things worth admiring are the ugly ones.

[in nature and in people.]

[Shaking his head, Kit set his beer between his legs so he could reach up and gently press his hand over Vincent's eyes.]

You're blind.

[For someone so rough, his skin was soft. And much warmer to the touch than anyone's skin had a right to be. Was that his natural temperature? Or the result of all that he'd had to drink catching up with him? Kit did feel rather warm...]

If they're the same, and I agree that they are, they can't only be ugly.

[the sudden blackness is a surprise, but all it elicits from Vincent is a breathy exhale of a laugh. things that ought to seem strange or egregious to him are easily accepted now; he leans forward to softly press against the hand and continues their conversation as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.]

Of course they can. It's a repulsive beauty that people have to fool themselves into ignoring.

[Kit laughed gently, the sound matching Vincent's own breathy brand of amusement.]

That doesn't make any sense.

[Was that because Vincent had too much to drink? Or because Kit had and now he was having difficulty understanding his guest? Either way, it seemed they wouldn't be able to see eye-to-eye on this and, reluctantly, Kit lowered his hand away from Vincent's eyes.]

There has to be something you find beautiful.

[it made perfect sense to him, as evinced by the dismissive 'ffft' Kit's rejection elicited from him. what was far more upsetting was the removal of the blocking out his sight; Vincent didn't mind being able to see again, but he found he did mind the absence of that touch. it was a little funny, given that they were still holding hands on the other side.

he doesn't even really think about it - his hand shoots out instinctively to catch Kit's, pressing it up against his cheek. the gesture is a little silly, made all the more so by the way he shakes his head almost immediately afterwards, rubbing the other boy's palm against his face as he moves.]

No. Not because it's beautiful.

[which was, he thought, the definition that Kit was driving at here. at least, he was pretty sure.]

[The way that Vincent was quick to recapture his hand was surprising, but Kit didn't resist even though he thought he probably should. As nice as this was, perhaps...they were getting a bit too close? He had wanted to learn more about Vincent, but this was crossing into territory he wasn't comfortable with, not because it wasn't nice to feel those fingers curled around his, or Vincent's cheek pressed against his palm, but because...

...because it was possible that neither of them would have allowed this or even wanted it if they hadn't had anything to drink.

But...a few minutes more couldn't hurt. Right?

Kit continued to watch the other boy, unaware of the way his eyes were practically drinking him in.]

Nothing is beautiful just to be beautiful. Nothing real or worth anything, anyway.

[Kit's hand was pleasantly cool against his flushed face, thanks in large part to the bandages covering nearly all of them. if he really looked too closely at what he was doing, he was certain that he could right this off as merely wanting to kick his temperature down a few degrees. it was fine. there was nothing meaningful about any of this.]

That's right. But what I mean is...I like ugly things.

[he frowns slightly, grappling with his inability to coherently express his thoughts and opinions. he seems completely unaware of the way his companion is more or less ogling him in the meantime.]

If the world thinks something is beautiful, then it probably isn't.

Who said anything about what the world thinks?

[Honestly, Vincent was so combative against literally everything that Kit couldn't help laughing a little.]

You can like whatever you like.

[Like the heat radiating off someone's cheek or the feeling of their fingers laced with his own. Those were good examples.]

What someone else says about it should have no bearing on how you feel...not if you really like it.

Obviously.

[he murmurs petulantly into the wisps of Kit's hair, ill humor completely void of any true bite. Vincent was drunk, not stupid, thank you very much.

(he could be drunker, but the liquor seems to have vanished and he's far too comfortable to even contemplate seeking out more)]

But it also means there's no answer to your question.

You're irritatingly complicated.

[Said Kit, not sounding irritated at all. On the contrary, he could have been a fox with a full belly basking in the warm sun for all that he was smiling and soaking up the soothing feeling of Vincent murmuring into his hair. It was warm...and tickled faintly. Just enough to stir his shoulders and cause him to sit back a little more comfortably, and a little more closely, against the smaller teen.]

I suppose it isn't important. Not right now. But...I'll find something to show you and change your mind.

[the toothless complaint causes Vincent to laugh, breath causing the other boy's hair to dance in the wind once more. if anything he seems to be proud of the accusation, overly pleased at being obtuse to the point of distraction.

nothing pleased him more than knowing that someone was having a hard time because of him...except maybe this. he lets out another contented exhale as Kit's weight settles more closely against him, the sort that someone makes at the end of an intensely satisfying stretch. without much thought he tugs their intertwined hands slightly, moving them just enough so that his arm was more cozily wrapped around the other boy.

this was nice. all of this was very nice.]

Flowers aren't gonna cut it.

[His arm was...oh.

Kit blinked down at their clasped hands resting now along his collarbone, suddenly more aware of Vincent than he'd been a moment ago. He'd thought he could enjoy the closeness for a few more minutes, but already this was...he should stop this.

Just as soon as Vincent stopped breathing against his hair like that...]

What have you got against flowers?

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