tushanshu_logs | Grave digger, grave digger

Entry tags:

Grave digger, grave digger | October Catchall

Characters: Pepper Potts, Devin Parker, and you!
Date: Throughout October
Location: Around Keeliai
Situation: The spooky happenings has everyone a little on edge, and Devin is having an especially bad month.
Warnings/Rating: Death, possible mentions of violence and abuse. Will specify as needed.

A. [Pepper] KPD | Throughout October | Open

The uptick in crime doesn't leave the KPD extraordinarily busy, but between the rise in illegal activity and the strange, unsettling things resulting from the odd planar activity, things are definitely more tense. Pepper tries to just focus on work, but occasionally she'll do something slightly odd around her desk, such as tossing grains of salt over her shoulder. She does try to keep the superstitions out of the office, for the most part, but the creepy incidents are more distracting than she'd like. Sometimes, she's actually quite cheerful, and begins decorating some areas of the headquarters as though nothing is amiss.

B. [Pepper] Jade Dojo | Mid October | Bakura

Pepper has taken to spending some nights over at Bakura's apartment lately, complete with having claimed one of his drawers for some of her things. The concerns over the planes thinning hang over most of the city, but nothing explosive seemed to be happening, and really she ought to be more accustomed to ghosts and spectres given who she's dating. Lounging around together under the blankets seems like a good option to distract from anything unsettling, especially as the temperature starts to drop since cold weather is not at all Bakura's favorite.

C. [Pepper] Earth Sector | Mid October | Raine

So, ghosts. Yeah. That's-- that's a thing that's happening. That's a thing that's currently happening to her, along with lots of other people in Keeliai, and it's unsettling and scary and also... kind of amazing, in some ways. She hasn't seen her mother since she was six, and a ghost is still better than nothing, and everyone at the house has something going on, so instead of rambling her panic/excitement at Tony and Gene and Bakura all month, she goes to visit Raine. It's been a little while since they've just hung out, and if anyone can help her find some more calm about this situation, it's her friend. She knocks a little hesitatingly on Raine's door, glancing at the redheaded ghost over her shoulder with a nervous smile.

D. [Devin] Sky Sector | Early October | Open

The chill in the air doesn't both Devin at all; England was cold and misty for no small part of the year. The sudden shift is a bit odd, but that was par for the course in this city as far as he could tell. He spends part of his time continuing with his mapping routine, and while he's at it he considers more seriously where he might move to. Devin has very few possessions, so one of the smaller lodgings made available to Foreigners would be ideal. He's more aloof and even irritable, avoiding extended conversations and familiar faces.

E. [Devin] Metal Sector | Mid October | Open

Devin returns to the Metal Sector to test his memory of the streets partway through the month. The tension in the city is evident wherever he goes, and while he's not immune to it, routine has always helped. That is, of course, until he spots two faces he hasn't seen in over a century, and his blood runs cold. He stops abruptly as their attention turns to him, frozen in what can only be described as fear. This is dread he doesn't even know how to hide - so he runs, darting away in a blur and only halting when he's half a sector away and hidden in an alleyway.

F. [Devin] Turtle's Head | Mid-Late October | Open

His family hasn't ceased haunting him no matter where he goes, and now it's all five of his siblings as well as his parents. The sense of calm at the turtle's head helps a little, but Devin keeps away from anyone else who's there, finding as secluded an area as he can. He's shaken in a way he hasn't felt in years and years, and he's giving very serious consideration to leaving the city altogether in an effort to distance himself from it's inhabitants and battle with his panic in peace. If anyone decides to interrupt the spectres currently following Devin with abusive, personal diatribe, they should be prepared to deal with a nasty vampire. See: cornered animal.

(OOC note: Let me know if you want a specific starter, or feel free to write up your own!)

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"It's fine." That comes out a little brusquer than Raine means it to, and she grimaces, covering her eyes with one hand. "...Truly, Pepper, it's all right. This month has been unsettling thus far, that's all."

And this from someone who had wed a necromancer. She was not uncomfortable with the dead in principle. It was simply... difficult. Raine takes a deep, even breath. "Would you like anything to eat?"

Raine is clearly rattled, and rather than answer immediately, Pepper puts the keetle down, navigates around mugs and tea leaves, and gives her a strong hug. Whatever it is that's happened, offering some comfort is more important than snacks.

"Tea's just fine," she says warmly after a few moments, drawing a little more space between them. "I don't want you to go to any extra trouble."

Pepper does, however, make a note to bring something sweet by the Guild tomorrow.

Raine... isn't expecting a hug. Does she seem so badly off, truly? She sighs into the hug, turning her face down to rest on Pepper's shoulder while it lasts, and has herself mostly composed when Pepper draws back.

"All right, then. Tea."

Tea is doable. Tea is easy. ...These days, tea is easy. "There have been some... ghosts... through here, as well."

Raine is a pillar of calm and collectedness among a band of often rash and emotional people. Not much makes her hands shake, and Pepper knows her well enough to see that something is amiss. That little addendum clarifies it.

"Ah. Yeah, it seems like it's been happening to a lot of people, and not just Foreigners," she replies with an sympathetic nod. "And they're definitely not all good visits." She hopes Raine's haven't been too bad, and while Pepper is burning with curiosity-- she contains it. It's Raine's choice to divulge, and Pepper shouldn't press. "Figures it'd start around Halloween. Um... I guess I should do actual introductions? Mom, this is Raine Sage, best friend and all around very cool person - she's still giving me homework - and Raine, this is--"

"Joanne. I'd offer a hug or to shake your hand, but--" The woman pokes her hand through the wall and shrugs, looking amused with her incorporeal state. "It's good to meet you, even so."

With the water warm, Raine pours it over the tea leaves, sets it to steep, and turns to look at Pepper and her mother, a little bit more composed now that she's had the space to breathe.

Joanne's greeting draws a tiny quirk of a smile, something not entirely voluntary. Raine bows slightly instead, which seems to her a gesture just as customary. "It's a pleasure, even and especially during these unusual circumstances. Pepper has been a good friend, while we've been here."

That's a bit better. Joanne takes a cue from Raine and inclines her head; it's easier, like this, than any other gesture. "I've been getting that impression from some of the more... unusual people I've met so far," she says fondly, and Pepper's cheeks turn slightly pink.

"I was, uh, over at Bakura's when she showed up," Pepper elaborates. "I've been spending a couple nights a week there."

See, Raine? There's fun things to talk about here.

Raine raises an eyebrow. "Over at Bakura's in what manner?" Spending a couple of nights a week there is especially leading.

...Perhaps she'll wait until Pepper is unaccompanied before inquiring after whether Pepper needs certain sorts of protection.

"You're certainly more polite than some of the ghosts I've encountered so far." This for Joanne, a politely frank assessment. "May I ask when you died?"

Pepper is very resolutely trying not to look at her mother, who has a knowing smile on her face. Despite the pink flush in her cheeks, Pepper's own smile is more pleased than sheepish. She shrugs lightly. "Sleeping, and... other, uh, more intimate things. I have a drawer."

"I found them in bed together when I first arrived," Joanne supplies with amusement.

"Mom."

The woman holds her hands up in surrender. "I will henceforth extract myself from girl talk." Her smile dims just a little at Raine's latter question, but she doesn't appear overly bothered. "I do try. It's been almost fourteen years now."

Well. If it's gotten this far, Raine must presume Pepper knows what she's doing, but even so... "Perhaps we should talk more in detail later." Gently, with a nod to Joanne. "Such things seem like they would be difficult to discuss around a parent."

And Raine is -- at least to Pepper -- not really a parental figure. Her phrasing, perhaps tellingly, speaks of someone who doesn't actually have all that much experience with them.

"Fourteen years... I see." Raine grimaces faintly. "My apologies."

"Uh." Pepper glances at her mother, who just nods in acquiescence. Really, Pepper didn't need any sort of permission, and keeping her mom out of things felt a little strange, but she was an adult now, and even Joanne knew that this was a bit of an embarrassing subject. "Yeah, good idea."

The woman's gaze remains on Pepper, smiling sadly at her. Pepper was just thankful that things weren't as awkward as they could have been after so long apart.

"It's alright," she says softly. "Anyone who could do anything then, did. I'm just glad for the chance to be here at all, to hear about the things I've missed. It's a lot to catch up on."

"I... can imagine, yes." This is proving more difficult to talk about than Raine had thought it would be, and her words feel awkward no matter what they are. She pours tea for lack of anything else, offering Pepper a mug and Joanne a nod. "Then, it's... fortunate that you have that opportunity now. If there are questions you have about this world, or what's happened here, I may be able to fill in some gaps?"

...Speaking well of Pepper, naturally.

Pepper takes the mug with a quiet thanks, keeping close to her friend in some kind of silent solidarity.

Joanne smiles more broadly at the latest query. "Pepper mentioned you were a scholar." The offer is, therefore, very fitting. "I'd like to hear some of what you like about this world, and maybe how it's different from your own, if that's alright."

Learning Keeliai's history was something she could get from a lot of people, and while each one's perspective and retelling would likely be a bit altered from another, there was something to be said for a more personal viewpoint.

"Mom's got a different flavor of curiosity than me," Pepper stage whispers from behind her hand.

"I can see that." A quiet smile for Pepper and her mother both. Raine turns with her mug in her hands, leaning back against the kitchen counter.

Things about Keeliai and her own world, hm. Raine tilts her head back as well, not so much looking at the ceiling as something distant past it. "Pepper may have mentioned my own world isn't the Earth so many of the Foreigners here are from," she says. "My own is called Aselia. For some time, it was split into two separate worlds as a method of preserving it; recently, it was reunited. It's... a long story. Keeliai is surprisingly similar in some respects, such as the years in which the city was somewhat stagnant. However, they don't have many of the same hangups and prejudices; those they do have, exist for different reasons."

...It's as nice as such things can be.

Joanne listens with interest and what is rapidly proving to be a perpetual smile. "I imagine there's something of a learning curve on the local hangups, but it seems like this city is varied enough on it's own that settling down here is easier for the Foreigners. Two separate worlds..." She trails off into thought, evidently intrigued by the prospect. "Sounds like something out of epic poetry."

"The turtle has a type," Pepper fills in, blowing on her tea to cool it off. "And it'd usually fit pretty well in dactylic hexameter."

Raine almost laughs. It’s funnier now than it was then, especially with one of the grand orchestrators occasionally dragged to linger dolefully in her kitchen and take the cooking from her hands. They have lived legends, haven’t they? “It rather is the subject of ours. Or it would be, if the full truth was known.” A quiet sigh. It’s a shame that can’t be, more than likely. “But Mithos, the hero, is a story almost everyone in our world knows. Has known, for about four thousand years.”

(She hopes against all hope that his is not a ghost that will pass through.)

“The spell was originally created to seek out those of sufficient caliber and determination to help stop Malicant, after all.” Usually, Raine finds, that sort of person has done or will do a great deal more than the average.

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Grave digger, grave digger | October Catchall

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