droptheious: (If you're not interested)
Varian ([personal profile] droptheious) wrote in [community profile] deercountry2021-11-01 06:42 pm

Was I really seeking good [Open]

Who: Varian and you!
What: November catchall!
When: Throughout November.
Where: All around the place!

Content Warnings: Child poisoning in the comments, bloodletting in the first half of the Sleeper Farm prompt



BUILDING AN ABOMINATION TO THE GODS - Driveway of Disaster House, Cassandra- OTA

Varian can't actually remember the last time he built something purely for himself. Both back home, in Deerington and here in Trench, his inventions have always had a greater purpose. Sure, he enjoyed making them, but they were always ultimately to help other people. Building something just for his own enjoyment generally wasn't on his radar. It's only recently that he's felt like he's earned the right to indulge in something for himself.

And so, at the start of the month, Varian can be found on the driveway of the Disaster House- starting to put together the very early beginnings of a frame for a car. He isn't bothered by the lightly falling snow- he doesn't feel the cold anymore and the crisp air is honestly good for clearing his head. He's wearing his serial-killer-esque welding mask and has his little foot-pump-powered 1800s welding kit with him, but that isn't doing so well in the cold weather. After a few frustrating attempts at getting the damn thing to work, he gives up, stepping back to stare at the metal he's trying to get into shape. He looks at his hand, a soft hmmmmmm sound echoing in the mask. He's not comfortable with this, but Mako has been helping him get a more...positive outlook on his abilities.

So, for the first time since he got here, he decides to actually use his abilities for something instead of actively avoiding and being reviled by them. He flexes his fingers, using the techniques Mako has run over with him many a time, willing flame to sprout on them. He has to concentrate a lot, and it's definitely not a tiny, careful flame like the one on his torch (he's not quite THERE yet) but it's enough to start welding the pieces of metal together. Once he's done that he snuffs the flame by closing his fist. He steps back, pushing the mask up so it rests above his goggles (why doesn't he just take the goggles off, why does he have to wear both?) to assess his work, before realising someone is standing nearby, turning to offer a little smile.

"Do you think it looks okay? It's kinda shoddy but I guess I can always go over it later once the snow stops."


IT'S FULL OF OPENINGS, IT'S JUST YOU AIN'T SEEING THEM - All around the city - OTA

For once, fate has smiled down at Varian. His Patron is The Tower and while the buildings are shifting and doorways keep vanishing and reappearing he's still able to find his way around. It's given him confidence that means he might just be ignoring the always buddy up system, because it's fine. It's totally fine. He knows where he's going. So he goes about his daily business as normal - unfettered by the chaos that the vast majority of the population are dealing with. He's a compassionate soul, though, and if he sees someone looking lost, he moves over to them, raising an awkward hand in greeting.

"Uh... hey. You look...lost? Do you want me to help you out? I understand where I'm going for...for some reason. If you stick with me, we can get to where you need to go."


SECRET, SECRET, SECRET SECRET BUNKER - Willful Machine - 28th November OTA with CR prompt

Finding the compass on his workbench had been a happy little surprise. He didn't really need one, but it's pretty nice and after quizzing the people in his house (none of whom took responsibility for the little gift) he probably should have been worried about the device that just appeared in his lab in the dead of night. He isn't, though, because it's cool.

Naturally, he uses it as a normal compass first- but as he's working on his car, he does need to try it on bigger things. He's headed to Willful Machine for more parts, and it using it on a sheet of metal on the ground to measure out exactly what he needs. It's while he's doing this that the circle opens up under him, upending him into a little room. One moment he's there, the next he isn't. Maybe you were there to watch him fall in like an idiot. He looks around at the space- full of everything a person would need to hunker down for a night and makes a soft confused noise before yelling because that seems the best course of action here.

"Um- HI??? Is anyone there?"

And if that doesn't work, he'll get out his Omni and send a message to his friends:

Fell in a hole. I think into a pocket dimension? Help.


MUSHABOOMING

On hearing there were cool new mushrooms to deal with here, naturally, Varian's gone about trying to harvest some. He can make all kinds of cool alchemy with them!! This being Varian, of course, means he's neglected some pretty basic health and safety in his mushroom harvesting. So people can catch him in various pickles throughout the town as he goes about stupidly collecting stuff for his lab.

They may find him hallucinating on Walking Terrors, covered in spores and running around with a panicked expression and screaming about the floor melting. Or maybe you'll find him face-down in the dirt, a Floater sitting happily on top of him. Just...help the idiot out, he'd appreciate it.


THE SLEEPER FARM

Varian starts his No Good Real Bad Time swinging upside down- his blood dripping down into a bowl underneath him. It freezes before it hits the bowl, of course, leaving a blue, frozen blood slushie at the bottom. He's still confused how he got here, but he knows that's not the pressing concern here- not while there are other bodies strung up who have definitely had body parts removed. Varian does a quick, muggy-headed check that nothing seems to be out of place- no organs missing, two arms, one leg. Everything as it should be. They've even left him with his prosthetic, which is nice. But he'd still rather get down from here before this gets worse.

"Uhhhhhh, hi? Anyone still...conscious here?"

Or perhaps you find him afterwards, once he's down and on his feet again. He's still got a sizeable gash on his arm, but at least it's frozen over - thanks for the natural cauterization, coldblood! He'll be helping get other people down or helping them move as best he can. Much like earlier in the month in the town, he feels a strange pull towards the way out, and he'll be trying to bring whoever's with him along that path.

"C'mon, I...I know the way out."

He's not offering a reason for that, oh no. It's while he's leading someone towards the alter that they're suddenly pulled out by a force Varian recognises almost immediately. It's an old, familiar one after all- and once they're upended onto the lawn where Disaster House's Lamp Friend sits, he looks up at the sky, frowning.

"...Cynthia?"



[[ooc: As always if you want something else or a closed thread, please hit me up on [personal profile] teeff or PM me! Will add event stuff later!]]
siriusly: (whoa what wait hang on)

[personal profile] siriusly 2021-12-10 05:45 pm (UTC)(link)
"Mm-?"

Play? Manabu blinks, looking at Varian. Play what? Why would he--

Oh. Right.

"Aa...mm. No. I...I'm..." Bruce, I'm going to borrow this. Please give me permission. "I'm holding on-onto it. For someone. It...doesn't play right. Anymore. See--"

He turns it, exposing the welt from taking a bullet.
siriusly: (i wonder what george costanza would do)

[personal profile] siriusly 2021-12-12 12:41 am (UTC)(link)
"..."

Manabu's expression grows a few shades grimmer and Magnet, aware of the cause, lets out a soft whine at their feet.

You seem to be holding onto a lot of stuff for other people. It hits strange, in a way he can't really understand right then and there. It'll linger for a while well after this, that's for sure, because it's far more profound than either he or Varian could realize.

He can focus on the questions easier, at least.

"The hit...was on me. Saved me."
siriusly: (jesus manabu lighten the frick up)

[personal profile] siriusly 2021-12-13 04:45 pm (UTC)(link)
"Not everyone...in-in space is. Nn-nice."

Understatement. Hell, there's a whole lawless planet full of goons! It seems impossible, and yet...yeah...

Manabu looks at his distorted reflection in the harmonica for a beat before putting it back in the satchel.

"Thank you. For helping...get this stuff. Back."
siriusly: (i wish you'd stop......)

[personal profile] siriusly 2021-12-15 05:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Manabu nods appreciatively, quicker to respond to something as familiar as an exchange of thanks as opposed to having to think deeply about anything else.

"Aa, would...you be able to hh, help me get. Back to the, the house, too? That's all."
siriusly: ([system reboot])

[personal profile] siriusly 2021-12-17 12:43 am (UTC)(link)
"Eh...?"

Give him a second to process that.

"Oh. No. With...Mm-Michael." Varian knows Michael, right? Boy, he hopes so, because describing Michael even on a lucid day is a task.

Where was it again?

"Um. Crr-renshaw?"
siriusly: (doing duty deeds dutifully dangit)

[personal profile] siriusly 2021-12-18 03:48 am (UTC)(link)
"N-no..."

After a little finagling with the saber, Manabu slips the satchel over his shoulder. It's a simple task, but he's relieved he has the coordination and presence of mind to do it.

Magnet does a little lap around the both of them, tail wagging, seemingly eager to get a move on. Manabu exhales, rolling his shoulder before fixing his good eye on Varian and nods.

"Good to go. Mm."
siriusly: (item get)

[personal profile] siriusly 2021-12-18 10:59 pm (UTC)(link)
Move they do. Manabu keeps up with Varian's lead, and the Best Pupper pads alongside him, ears alert and all a-swivel. Things are mercifully uneventful, and the city is full of its own comings and goings to pay attention to two Sleepers striking on their own way. Manabu keeps his eye forward, as though looking askance would have him slip off-course. Staying keenly on-focus helps - it helps keep him from starting to focus on all the reasons a moment like this shouldn't even happen. The reasons this is all insane.


At the fenceline leading to the house, Manabu stops, giving the house a careful look over - the siding, the cacti...

This is right enough, isn't it? Same as Deerington, which...isn't great, but...consistency has to count for something.

"Thanks. Varian." He looks back over to the kid, nodding. "For the help."