tushanshu_logs | EVENT | ALL HALLOWED REDUX

Entry tags:

EVENT | ALL HALLOWED REDUX - RITUALISM

Characters: Any affected by the ghosting and Losses, their sponsors and ~~nosy observers~~ anyone else who feels like tagging along.
Date: January 11-12
Location: Keeliai
Situation: A moonlight ritual designed to restore lost balance and return Losses and unwanted gains back to a neutral state.
Warnings/Rating: Please indicate content warnings in subject headers as applicable.

The kedan messengers who had originally brought the information to the various Foreigners who'd been affected will return to those same suites on Friday evening. They will let them know to arrive with their sponsors at a quiet field area just to the south of Palace grounds on Saturday at sundown so that the "cleansing" can begin. They don't need to bring anything to aid in the ritual itself though it's advised that they might consider having a spare change of clothes on hand.

The next evening is bright and clear as though the weather itself wishes success upon this strange endeavor. The Foreigners making their way to the field as instructed by their kedan guides will find a large area cleared of snow, right down to the grass and dozens of round pools constructed of what appear to be interlocking stone blocks, so carefully and precisely arranged that they're able to hold water without leaking despite not using any standard mortar or sealant. Each pool stands about three feet tall and is filled three quarters of the way full of water which shimmers in the moonlight, bearing a very similar sheen that people will remember from the iridescent paint.

Does this bode well? Only time will tell.

OOC Information

See the OOC plotting post for event details and this post for assorted subheaders outlining various parts of the plot. If your character wants to learn more about the rituals or ask Milyn questions, she will be tagging in the Case Studies thread. Otherwise, feel free to use general affected kedan and their respective sponsors under normal rules for players writing NPC interactions. Feel free to start your own thread header if none suit, or make your own logs for various threadings... this is just for a central post for the event. Any questions can be directed HERE. Thank you!

RESETTING THE STAGE
Pre-Ritual Mingling | Strike the Balance | Case Studies | Greeting the New Day

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Maybe you don't." She tried not to roll her eyes at him. She almost even succeeded. "I already said it's fine. It's not like they're after me, specifically. Everyone else has to do the same thing. Go ahead, Kaldur."

Stepping forward, she leaned towards the Atlantean boy so that he could do...whatever it was he intended to do to fufil his next part of the ritual.

Jack was immeasurably glad that Zatanna had chosen a teammate of hers along with him for this ritual after all. The personal revelations were intrusive enough, but...

The spirit waits to see what Kaldur will do.

Zatanna is a lot stronger than one might think just by her looks, but Kaldur isn't going to push things unnecessarily either. He takes her arm easily in his and slides her sleeve up to get a nice patch of open skin. He proceeds to pinch her quickly, roughly, but not enough to truly damage the skin. Just enough to cause a bruise.

"Ow!"

Stronger than one might think, but anybody her size and weight would've instinctively flinched when Kaldur pinched her. It wasn't bad. Like she said, she'd suffered a lot worse. The problem was, her nerves were still slightly sensitive from the knife wound incident, so it did hurt a little more than she'd anticipated.

Still within seconds, she was absently rubbing at her arm, staring at it, as if daring to disobey her by hurting. Below, the water lit up once more, signifying that the requirement had been fulfilled.

Jack was glad that the water had lit, taking a step closer and laying his hand over the exposed skin of her arm. Within seconds his touched had numbed the area and though it would bruise, it wouldn't be until afterward, giving her time once the ritual was completed to fix it magically, if she wished.

The water again glowed before going dark. "All right," he said. "One truth and one lie. At least this one should be straightforward."

"Apologies, Zatanna," he tells her, because he does feel somewhat guilty for doing that. But it doesn't stop what they have to do so he decides it might be better to continue on. A Truth or the lie? Kaldur could choose to do either one, but it seems simpler to be more direct.

"Although, I should mention that your hair has begun turning...somewhat grey by your temple. I was not sure if you had noticed it since we last spoke." He motions with his hand toward the area by his own ear.

One Truth. One Lie. Kaldur didn't say which one he was telling, but it could just as easily have been a lie, right?

...right?

Her hand absently reached over to cover Jack's cool one, already the pain subsiding. Which left her with little to no distraction from his words. Which should have been a non-issue...and yet...

The corners of her lips tugged downward, eyes drifting up and to the right, as if she would be able to see for herself whether or not this was true.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Jack had to chuckle at Kaldur's choice for a lie and when Zatanna started to turn her head, the spirit was quick to volunteer, "Don't worry, there's no grey."

The water glowed for both, though it still didn't actually clarify which of them had been the truth and the lie.

A fact which she immediately picked up.

"I just want you to know I hate you both right now." (No, she didn't)

Kaldur can't help but give a tiny shrug of his head because it's really not something he enjoys doing but at least it lightened up the situation a bit more. A smile tugs at his lips but he holds it back just enough. He doesn't apologize because he'd rather not give away the joke.

"Shall we move on?" he asks. "One possession and one debt. Perhaps we are meant to give you something of meaning to us or owe you a favor in turn."

"That sounds like the best interpretation, going by what's worked so far," Jack agreed. He hesitated for a moment, hoping that this didn't have to be a permanent exchange (though if it did, at least he knew it would be in safe hands) and reached under the material of his blue hoodie, pulling out the small drawstring pouch he wore around his neck. Though he didn't open it (Zatanna knew what was inside already) he held it out to her.

"Let's see if this works..."

She did know what was inside, and immediately recognize the significance of him passing it over to her. Even temporarily. Regardless of the rules, she made a mental note right there and then to make absolute certain that it was returned to him.

"Jack..." her smile softened, and she lowered her eyes to accept the pouch with care. Making a point of wrapping it securely around her own neck as well. "Thank you."

There was a moment when nothing happened, before the water reacted. Satisfied.

There is always that air of intrusive observation when watching two people have an intimate moment. He doesn't know the importance of the small pouch, but it is obvious something meaningful is happening between them. Kaldur keeps his head turned respectfully to the side, so as not to be a voyeur about it, but once shine of the water fades he looks back over to them.

"Then I must owe the debt," he remarks. "I am not as certain how to prove that, but should you have a request, I'll do my best to follow it."

"Maybe that's what the requirement is," Jack speculated, turning to Kaldur. "If she asks you to owe her something and you agree?"

"Can't hurt to try." She thought about it for a minute. What could Kaldur possibly have that she would use? Or want? "...how about a couple of training sessions?"

Kaldur gives a soft amused hum because it is not much of a debt to be owed, but then nods. "I would be more than willing," he tells her. "I did offer to show you more how Atlantis' sorcery works."

Jack perked up a bit, because that actually sounded really interesting. Not that he'd invite himself but he might bother Zatanna for it later. When the water didn't light up however, he suggested, "Maybe you have to phrase it directly..."

"Maybe the water shouldn't be so picky," she muttered, with a deadpan glare thrown downward.

Kaldur agrees, as it seems rather superficial to be that specific,he doesn't say it. It would do little to help them. Instead he gives a small, helpless shrug before trying again. "I agree to owe you, Zatanna, the debt of training."

Jack opened his mouth to agree that it wasn't any stranger than the other requirements when the water glowed at Kaldur's words, rendering the point moot.

"Well, there we are," he said. "Look at that, we're just breezing through these. Next is... one joy and one sorrow."

That works.

"Oh good. Story time. Who's going first?"

It is going much faster than he had anticipated, but this one is not as easy as the last. Considering that Jack had been the one to offer his shame, to Kaldur, it was not...equal for him to also offer the less positive half of this equation. It was not easy for him to think of times in his life that could constitute as sorrowful, for he was not one who normally spoke of such feelings. Opening himself in that way was not something he was accustomed to.

"Whether the story I offer is sorrowful or a chance for learning, will have to be up to you," he tells her. "There was a training simulation before you joined our team, Zatanna. I do not know if Robin has spoken of it to you before. We were put in a precarious situation against an outer threat, to the point that the entire League had been defeated.

"We knew our mission, sought to stop their secret observations, but then...we lost Artemis. And it was at that point we forgot it was a simulation." He does not mention M'gann or her influence, for truthfully his own actions are still his own. "We had lost our teammate, our mentors, and still had to fight on against that threat. It was my duty to lead them, to be the general they needed at such a crucial time, but I chose to throw away my own life impulsively. I know I failed them and they continued suffer needlessly until someone else was able to end the simulation for all of us."

He finally pauses, letting the story sit for a moment, before adding, "It is something I strive to ensure will never happen again."

Edited (punctuation is important) 2014-01-20 04:34 (UTC)

Jack's expression sobers as Kaldur relays his story, keeping quiet without interruption as this is something between the Atlantean and Zatanna. Something from their world, their team.

There was no trace of humor left in her expression. No smile. Not even a sad one.

"No. He never told me." Sadness. Pain. To think, the Team had gone through something like that.... "That sounds awful. What kind of training simulation was that?"

She and Kaldur weren't close. But she couldn't help it--he was a friend in need, and she had to do something. So she reached for his hand. Fingers lightly grazing over his as their eyes attempted to maintain contact. And she gave them a faint squeeze.

Even as she knew that was something she might never be able to understand. Because she hadn't been there. Yes, she had seen "Robin" die. Yes, she had seen Jack on the brink of a second death. But none of those were completely hopeless situations (especially not after she'd learned that the Robin who died had just been a clone, and the real Robin--her Robin--was alive, back at the palace). Not like that simulation.

He gives her a small smile, because it is a painful memory for him, but Kaldur also knows it made him stronger, more focused. But he appreciates the show of comfort. While they are not as close as she and Robin, or even as he remembers her being with Artemis, she is still a good friend. He squeezes her hand back gently, wanting to show her that he is all right.

"It was a simulation created by Martian Manhunter within our own minds," he explains. "It felt real because of that and made it all the easier for us forget that it was not." That is all he truly wants to explain on it, unless Zatanna asks for more information privately. He doesn't want to be rude and say that so instead he changes the subject. "Now I am certain there is something for more pleasant left to be told."

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