[002] tell me everything that happened

[themuseabandonsyou]

Who: Orpheus (themuseabandonsyou), Kyle, Bigby, Kassandra, and Michael
What: December 2021 catch-all
When: Throughout December
Where: In memory (the Road to Hell, the Underworld), Cellar Door (a fountain square, a small cafe)
Warnings: drug-like mental effects/mind alteration, dog attack

I. they had lights inside their eyes (cw: drug-like mental effects/mind alteration) (Cellar Door - a fountain square)(closed to Kyle)

It may be a pretty dreary day, even by Trench's standards - a light drizzle of rain falling down on the city streets and the sky gray and overcast, but to Orpheus, the city's never been more beautiful. He turns, slowly, circling around a mostly-empty fountain square as he a sweet little melody he picked up from Fern on his guitar while he dances, as if waltzing with an invisible partner. It's a bit of a sight, dressed as he is in a sharp brown tailcoat and a very strange top-hat, not to mention the fact that he seems to glow slightly, golden-toned as if the afternoon sun was hitting him despite the heavy layer of clouds overhead, but if he knows how much he stands out at the moment he doesn't seem to care. He's having a great time.

"Let me call you sweetheart
I'm in love with you
Let me hear you whisper
That you love me too," he sings, to an audience of crows gathering around the rooftops up above. It's cold and wet, but he sings and dances his way through it without a care in the world.

II. did you see the closing window (Cellar Door, a small cafe)(closed to Bigby)

Well, that was something. Orpheus takes... a few days to recover, from whatever it was that made the world seem so relentlessly bright and beautiful and easy, unsure of how to feel about any of it. In a way he sort of mourns the loss, but he knows by now that being so caught up in dreams like that can make it very, very easy to lose sight of what's real, and important. It's easy to let go (especially when it leaves him with such a tremendous headache in its wake).

Once that's over with, though, he gets back to work. The cafe's owner welcomes him back with open arms, thankfully, despite his multiple sudden disappearances - happier that he's safe and not dead than mad that they had to substitute in another act for him a few times. Once they've negotiated his pay, (as much of the spare food left at the end of the day as he can carry home, which includes, excitingly enough, a basket of oranges they're setting aside for him) he sets up on the little stage in the corner and begins to play.

He sticks to mostly classical pieces, as this particular cafe has a bit of an air of sophistication about it, though he can't help but dip into some light improvisation when his mind starts to wander, a flickering glow of little firefly-lights starting to accumulate like dust motes around him whenever he starts to drift off in his own direction. Ultimately it's not a terribly eventful day, and as the shop starts to close up he steps off the stage to some polite applause from the patrons, smiling and taking a shallow bow. As he slings his guitar over his shoulder and gets ready to go, he glances around the room, looking to see if there's anyone who seems to want to talk to him. It's not too uncommon for someone to have questions for him, or to have something else they'd like to say, and he's more than happy to wait around for that.

III. did you hear the slamming door (cw: dog attack) (The Road to Hell)(closed to Kassandra)

The desert stretches off into infinity all around, no mountains in the distance nor stars above by which to get one's bearings. The only things for miles are a vast expanse of sand, a half-buried set of train tracks, and the occasional telephone pole jutting up out of the ground. Orpheus, bedraggled and dusty and exhausted, treks slowly along the tracks, his guitar slung over his back as he watches his feet. Occasionaly he looks up and around, searching for some sign that he's making progress, but there's none to be had, and he goes back to the endless plodding of putting one foot in front of the other.

He's not sure how long he's been out here. Long enough that the sun should've risen again by now, he thinks? But there's no way of knowing for sure. All he knows is that he's tired, and thirsty, and that he can't stop for anything despite that. He keeps on - looks up again, and this time sees the distant lights of what looks like a city on the horizon. Surprised, he pauses, then steels himself and sets off again, a grim determination settled over him. He sings to himself, quietly, eyes forward.

"Wait for me, I'm coming."

IV. they moved forward, and my heart died (The Underworld)(closed to Michael)

"Young man."

A low and booming voice comes from the balcony above the factory floor, a man silhouetted against the bright light spilling from the open door behind him. Orpheus, standing among the rows of machines with Eurydice next to him, shields his eyes and squints upwards, catching his first glimpse of the Lord of the Dead. Hades watches him with a critical eye, and speaks again.

"I don't think we've met before. You're not from around here, son. I don't know who the hell you are, but I can tell you don't belong. These," and he gestures to the workers at their stations, heads bowed low but watching the proceedings as subtly as they can manage, "are working people, son. Law-abidng citizens. Go back to where you came from - you're on the wrong side of the fence."

Persephone, all in black and looking deeply concerned, strides into the room and surveys the situation, apparently having been summoned by one of the workers. Seeing Orpheus, her eyes widen in surprise, before she sets her jaw and looks up at her husband. "Hades, I know this boy."

"One of the unnemployed."

"His name is Orpheus."

"You stay out of this." Unimpressed, Hades turns back to Orpheus and Eurydice. "You hear me son? You better run!"

All but shaking with exhaustion from his long journey and facing down an unfamiliar and unsympathetic god, Orpheus hesitates only a moment before shaking his head. Alarmed, Eurydice grabs his arm and tries to pull him away.

"No! Orpheus, you should go."

"I'm not going back alone. I came to take her home."

For a moment, Hades seems taken aback. Then, he laughs - a low, bemused chuckle building into a loud bark of disbelief. "Who the hell do you think you are? Who the hell do you think you're talking to? She couldn't go anywhere, even if she wanted to. You're not from around here, son. If you were, then you would know - that everything and everyone in Hadestown, I own."

V. Wildcard

[ ooc: Want to do something with me this month? Let me know at questionableveracity on Plurk or quodVide#2951 on Discord!! ]

Comments

[themuseabandonsyou]

Orpheus does look a little confused, at that comment. Free from the gods. Despite the situation with Hades, his impression of the pantheon is fairly positive, bordering on rose-tinted. Maybe because of it in part, really, given all the help he received from Hermes and Persephone. But he doesn't really comment on it beyond giving Kassandra a brief confused look, before remembering that not everyone's experiences with the divine are as positive as his.

"It's nicer than where I came from in some ways, too. It's colder here, but there aren't storms like there were in the winters there. And it seems like there's almost always enough food that no one has to worry about going hungry. " That counts for a lot. He shudders a little bit, just thinking about it. "Anyway, I hope you can find some time to rest here, in that case? It sounds like you deserve it."

[metoikos]

Her experiences are mixed at best, but they do err a bit more on the negative side. Some of them had been a right pain, and others had been maliciously cruel. Hades had been the only one to deal with her honestly, but she still liked Hermes the best.

"Not going hungry is a good thing. It's at least one solid positive thing about this blighted city."

The Beasts and the Blood were still something she was wrapping her head around. As was the weather, but that would come with time.

"And thank you. My road has been...long. And sometimes, it is nice to just have the opportunity to slow down. Trench at least has hot water that comes out of pipes, and I did not know what I was missing until experienced that."

[themuseabandonsyou]

"Exactly! The food here is strange? But I'm glad to have it anyway."

Even if he does miss how readily available things like chocolate and coffee were, back in Deerington. Oh well. At least he had a feeling that probably wasn't going to last, and made a point to enjoy it while it did.

"And that's really nice too, isn't it? Being able to take a hot bath without having to heat up water on the stove or over a fire is incredible."

As they talk, the lights of the city fade away into the distance, as do the train tracks and the telephone poles, leaving them in a featureless void. For a moment, it's like they're not even moving, suspended in an endless blackness - then suddenly the noise and lights of Trench are all around them. Orpheus jolts slightly, startled, before settling down as he realizes where they are.

"Oh! I guess it's over," he says. The locals seem to only care about their sudden appearance in that the stag is blocking much of the sidewalk, but most of them are just stepping carefully around it and maybe shooting annoyed looks their way if they're feeling particularly bothered by it.

[metoikos]

"It's incredible."

Actually, it's made this ancient Greek a lot more keen on bathing, since the water is warm! Blessedly warm. Like in the legends of King Minos and Daedalus' castle.

A bit surprised, she snorts, looking down at the sudden press of people. Shifting her weight a bit, she slides off and pats the stag.

"I suppose it is. That was...quite the experience."

Holding up a hand to him to help him down, she smiles.

"It was also nice meeting someone that understands what home is like."

[themuseabandonsyou]

Orpheus takes her hand and slides down as well, patting the stag on the neck. It snorts, blinking its pale eyes at them in acknowledgment before turning and ambling off through the crowd, which parts around it out of reverence and necessity both.

"It was. This kind of thing happened a lot back in Deerington? It seems like it'll probably happen a lot here, too."

Just a fair warning. It's not so bad, or at least it wasn't this time - the memories are painful for Orpheus, but he comes out of them with the knowledge that Eurydice is waiting for him back home, and that's really all that matters. But he knows it may be harder for some of the others. Still, he smiles at Kassandra, nodding.

"And yes! Same to you, even if we're maybe not from exactly the same world? They're still close, in ways that I think count for a lot."

Just a little bit of familiarity, in the midst of all this strangeness.

[metoikos]

"I think so to."

She nods back and pats the Stag one last time. She'll take the warning to heart, of course. Why wouldn't she? Kassandra is not stupid enough to ignore the voice of experience. And if that means that she needs to be aware that she might stumble into more memories, then so be it.

"Be well, Orpheus. If you ever have need of someone that knows their way around a blade, feel free to contact me."

[themuseabandonsyou]

"You too!" he says, brightly. "And - I think you probably already know what I'm good at?"

As strange as that might be for him, he's trying to be in good spirits about it.

"So if you ever think I might be able to help you with something, just let me know. I'd be happy to try."

And with that, he glances around, idly adjusting the strap of his guitar on his shoulder as he gets his bearings. Right, he recognizes that clock tower, so that means home is... that way.

"Anyway, it was nice meeting you! Hopefully we'll see each other again soon."

With one last smile, he waves and turns to go.