deercountry | closedish to cool guys having chill day

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closedish to cool guys having chill day

Who: a bunch of funky friends invited by Viktor and Palamedes*
What: Having a Party in a field with Fireworks
When: the second week-ish in May
Where: (the field outside of) Pal and Viktor's bunker in Gaze

Content Warnings: alcohol and teens drinking it, irresponsible use of explosives, see threads for anything else that comes up

*If you have friendly CR with Palamedes please feel free to handwave that he mentioned this happening, also if your character has CR with a Pal Friend (a pal^2) who would invite them along, he's broadly allowing this. It's not a formal affair in the slightest lmaooo

--

afternoon/evening.

Earlier in the morning on the day of The Fireworks Field Party (tm), Palamedes makes sure to send a quick location ping to anyone who's never been to the Sixth bunker (also tm) before, because it is, indeed, just in a field somewhere in Gaze. The treeline is comfortably distant from the door to said bunker, which is the only real indication anything is out here besides a few "big rocks" that he names, in his message, as landmarks.

As an afterthought, he has set up a little trail of mason jars containing glowing mushrooms to lead the way to The Field, helpfully. The Field is what it sounds like: a dang field, just slightly ominous in the Gaze fashion, although besides the usual somebody's-watching feeling, it's grassy and spacious for kitschy lawn games. Among the things Palamedes has provided (upon recommendation of a shopkeeper, so like, do not perceive his choices, they were made for him) include:

1. Just a load of blankets, big cozy ones dutifully spread out for chilling on, on the ground.

2. Throwing game Crossbones, definitely chosen because of the bones (they are wooden sticks), and just kind of left sitting there waiting because your host does not know how to play physical games.

3. beanbag horseshoes because it rocks

4. Just, like, a specific blanket that has pencils and blank paper sitting on it... This is a free station, no one will question what art happens here.

Harrow has also provided bone chairs for alternate seating, which are precisely what they sound like.

Eventually, the field will also feature a snack table, which is a community effort, and a booze table, which is slightly supervised in the way that your esteemed host(s) will not permit booze and cherry bombs at the same time.

And, because it's an open field in Trench, there is also a table where emergency incense is waiting. Wandering too far from the space immediately around the bunker (which, it's a big space, you'd have to go far) will eventually lead you to blood wards on the ground, on the trunks of a few trees, etc. Don't touch these. Don't be gross.

the fucken fireworks.

It's fireworks. Once it's dark, there are even more glowing mushroom jars and homemade alchemy glowsticks from Waver to be passed around, somehow, and at least some of the little beanbags glow in the dark, ooh!! Viktor has provided cherry bombs to be used with at least a little caution, for god's sake. There are also some slightly larger fireworks in much shorter supply, from a shop, that will be closely guarded until someone with pyrotechnics talent convinces Palamedes they deserve one. Godspeed.

Broadly: this is a fireworks party (tm) for individual wee ones you can throw around on your own, with only a brief smattering of the big ones that light up the whole sky above the field. It's a chill time for cool buds, fire safety is encouraged, so is vibing on the blankets and enjoying a nice evening.

At various times, local dope musician Anna Amarande will be providing some light musical entertainment, for vibes.

the bunker i guess.

The party is not in here, but for reference:
-it's locked via numpad and neither of these stickbug nerds are giving out the code but they'll open the door if asked... you don't have to leave the place to go to the bathroom lmf
-it's a bunker. it's one room and a bathroom in the back. it's full of disorganized nerd stuff and an oversized moon orb and pal's mean omen, rocky the cool rat (harpy eagle), who will aggressively flap at anyone with sticky fingers until they leave
-the code is 69420 so if you're super funny like gideon you COULD guess it

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[Ha! This is a solution! If he can make it work somehow. Iskandar studies the image presented to him very carefully. It's not difficult to figure out that the longer lines mean long taps and the dots mean the short taps. Then he realized how slow and tedious the whole process will be, since the letter can have up to four symbols. He'll have to be curt out of necessity, lest the whole conversation lasts ages.

Still better than not being able to communicate at all.

This time, instead of one short tap, he carefully spells out 'Yes'. It's mostly correct. Iskandar has been called a prodigy for a reason, he's an extremely fast learner.]

[Viktor has found the most comfortable spot like a cat would, excellent. Palamedes takes his hand and folds himself down onto this blanket, glancing over at - ah, yes, some abandoned art.]

Enjoy; I've mentally prepared on the way over to see you being a rowdy disturbance.

[Ha... like, it would be great, actually, but he's expecting maybe some fussy ranting about rich people at most? Tequila and truth juice do it best.

In any case, he is stealing himself another kiss before he settles back. Oh, and with his pockets full of sparklers and bombs, right-]

Where did that lighter go?

Excellent, your enabling is noted and appreciated. [viktor hums, a smile at the kiss and this time he does pull him over for another. he hasn't gotten to do so yet, this is Equality.

but yeah if pal's lucky he'll get into some old academic feud he had and diss the guy from a world over for trying to coax linearity out of obviously random variables. wild tequila nights.

he takes a sip and reaches into a pocket to brandish the lighter, saying,] Here you are. I am genuinely surprised you haven't made any of the bombs float yet.

[he doesn't want to encourage more bleeding but yeah, still surprised.]

[viktor's lips quirk when the yes gets tapped out- they have made a breakthrough. he seems pretty pleased about this, messing with the omni for a moment so it projects the screen onto the table for him to read better.]

Excellent, that's a start. Let me go get a piece of paper to copy this down onto, it'd likely be useful to have that on you.

[and he grabs his crutch to go to the arts and crafts section of the party, leaving his omni so iskandar could look things over for a bit. when he comes back it's with a pen and paper.]

Oh, I am Viktor, by the way. [this was a weird way to meet, huh.]

[While Victor was gone, Iskandar figured out he'll be a lot faster pecking the table's surface with his beak than trying to get any passable tempo from taping with his talons. It surely looks ridiculous, but he'd never shied from looking dumb if it got him the result he wanted. He just doesn't care how he looks.

By the time Victor is back, he has the whole thing memorized. The paper version will be greatly useful though... for other people to understand him. Who knows how long this misfortune will last.]

Iskandar

[Sadly, he has no way of rewarding the man for this valuable skill, and that's rather uncomfortable thought to him. What a king is one who cannot reward a service rendered? Iskandar has no possessions to share yet, so the only thing he can offer is his gratitude.]

Thank you. I am in your debt.

'Tradition' can go--

[He cut himself off from dropping unneeded profanity in front of a new contact with a disgruntled sigh and shake of his head. Waver had strong opinions on tradition, classism, and the general closed-minded nature of the Mage's Association, but he also recognized that he chose this life.

Had different choices been made, he probably could have been even more like this curious man stooped over the blood wards.]

It's a shame about your partner, but it sounds like he found a better path when he teamed up with you. I... didn't have a similar option for continuing that work, but I chose to teach the kids growing up with the arcane in the modern era instead.

For the record: I fully agree with you, and I'm hoping my students learn to be open to new concepts like those of us born on the outside are.

You are a very quick study. [viktor muses, impressed. he has to eye the list himself for a few moments to gather what is being said- iksandar, that must be his name, though it takes the thanks for him to be sure he wasn't just misunderstanding.

he starts copying the alphabet and general rules as he shakes his head at any debts.] It's good to meet you, and you are welcome. Frankly I've been very lucky this month all things considered. I know a man whose head has transformed to that of a ram.

[funnily enough a greek myth reference by the trench that viktor does not remotely get. the guy's name is jason, golden fleece and all. hilarious.] Are you a new arrival?

Um. I don't.

[He looked embarrassed once he realized who exactly he had handed off some glow sticks too. Secrecy hadn't been his intent-- he made no effort to change his manner that he was accustomed to despite the spell he was ordinarily afflicted with making him both look and act like he did when he was nineteen. Waver twirled one of those glow sticks in his slender fingers, knowing he would have to explain.]

Alayne, was it? Would you believe me if I told you that I'm Mackenzie? You've never met me in my normal appearance, but this it closer than the last.

Who would have thought the having two unrelated magics at play would cancel one of them out?

[Even if the numbers were close, Chizuru's apparent delight with the little hand crafted glow wand was well worth blurring a few of those lines. Her awestruck, giddy wonder was a reminder of why he chose the path he had.

No matter their age, no matter their origin, everyone deserved a chance.

Reaching into his bag, Waver pulled out a handful and passed them over to her.]

You can take more than just one, [He said with obvious fondness.] Take as many as you like. I went overboard with making them last month to practice making something useful here, and there's too many for me to keep.

Do you need a little help figuring it out?

[ Gideon, of course, wastes no time lining up for her very own personal bag 'o' bombs. But more importantly, she's here to meet Palamedes' cool new roommate, who is, if Palamedes is to be believed, a scholar and a scoundrel and a generally good guy. ]

Don't worry, I'm only going to blow up something important if I think it's gonna look really cool.

[ Gideon grins, which is definitely reassuring. ]

You're Sextus' roommate, yeah? I'm Gideon.

[Far be it from Palamedes to dissuade equality, gosh. He scoffs, swiping the lighter and withdrawing that one lone sparkler from his myriad pockets, first. Now, don't give him ideas...]

Well, evidently I didn't understand they weren't intended to be thrown until ten minutes ago; forgive my lack of creativity. D'you want me to try?

[If Viktor would really like to see some cherry bombs float gently into the air, he will bite his own thumb open in a heartbeat, so like, really do not encourage him. That one's a lot grosser than going wild on a scalpel to make his wards.

The sparkler, though; he lights it and holds it out in front of them, slightly overhead, so that he can admire it for a second and then admire Viktor, in the flickering fizzy light. Hey.]

As always, a marvel. [the fireworks or the man?? either. both.] I'd wager you've made yourself relentlessly popular in this crowd now, thanks to these.

[Oh no, Palamedes thinks, for two reasons: First, oh my god, Shoyo is putting this shirt on him live and in person, and he cannot possibly resist this in any physical capacity even if Shoyo didn't have four arms. It is all he can do to just accept his fate with the occasional muttered "ow," letting Shoyo drag this jersey over his head with resignation. Please mind his glasses.

Second, Oh No, he's making the tree climbing incident sound so heroic— mortifying, if still touching in how much Shoyo considers it a fond memory? Of being hung in a tree and going to a hospital?

Friends... ah.]

You know I'll write on anything if given the chance, [he says, once again blindly giving the spot where Viktor is a nod for emphasis, as he tries not to think about what he looks like currently.

And, hm,] Did you really keep it, Shoyo? I could— I mean, there are other stickers. Many of them without the traumatic association, too.

[but wah... touching....]

You're forgiven- and no. I think your hand has suffered enough today. [true show of caring here, that he prefers pal not bleeding more to cool magic on his bombs. the things he sacrifices, truly.

he leans against pal a little to watch the sparkler, thoroughly content in the moment despite being at a party. he glances over as well, offering a smile for being joint caught looking at one another like saps, eyes going back to the sparkler with a snort because that is what he assumes is the marvel.]

The only vaguely difficult part was grinding aluminum for dust. Everyone here is far too easy impressed. [it's almost like simple things are sometimes good? who knew.] Good, it was my plan to make sure all your friends liked me through bribes if need be.

[Everybody sure is in Gaze, huh; everybody throwing parties, anyway, although most of Palamedes' people live within walking distance of this very field, so— what is it about the neighborhood that watches the residents, who can say.]

Viktor insisted, not that he had to push very hard; a friend of his is a friend of mine, et cetera. ["insisted" of course meaning "asked once and Palamedes immediately said yes definitely," details,] I'd have thought Cellar Door would have more parties.

[Given all the bars and so on, but maybe Gaze has all the parties so everyone who lives out here can pretend it's normal. High possibility.]

Anyway, the flowers— you know, I don't actually know. Seeing them in Lumenwood day after day just makes me think they should get a chance to grow somewhere with less blood mist. None of the other blood ministers care about gardening, and I know nothing about keeping a plant alive...

[He shrugs! Plants! What are they.] There have to be hundreds of them everywhere you look out there, though; does that suggest they're easy to grow?

[viktor tilts his head as if giving this assurance serious thought before nodding, faux solemn.] A good enough reason then. Sacrifices must be made for progress.

[don't encourage this, viktor. still his lips quirk, perking up a touch at that name.] Ah, Gideon from the Ninth, who has a good heart, or so I've been told. Yes, I'm Viktor, Pal's roommate- well, partner now as well.

[that is an important distinction.] It is good to finally meet you. Palamedes speaks fondly of you.

I have been told so a few times in the past.

[There can be no way to convey the smile behind the words, and birds have no facial features to express emotion. Which is a pity, truly.]

A ram, you say. Does he have a connection to Khnum perhaps?

[In trying to find some explanation for his state, Iskandar reasoned that this malady must be spiritual in nature. Since his form is most likely due to his connection to his divine father. Waver's to his teacher of the young heroes' status. From what he learned about the kids, none of them was a weakling, so it fits perfectly. It would be odd if the gods were not involved.]

Indeed. I am.

[He hums, like hmm, shame, but he dutifully does not start chewing on his own fingers, so there's that. Actually, while he's thinking about it, he shifts to one-handedly empty his pockets of the rest of these cherry bombs and place them over on the other side of the blanket, so that they don't get in the way of being all over Viktor for the foreseeable future.

Foresight. Good planning.]

Now you're showing off again, and to me, who's been impressed the whole time. [The only difficult part of making cool party bombs! Viktor! He wiggles the fizzing sparkler like one might wag an admonishing finger, except entirely without the same effect.] Save some of that for the others.

[Who he assumes do all like Viktor even without bribes, as he's fairly sure either Viktor or someone else would have told him by now if there was a Problem... no news is good news; the meeting of the friends is a success.

He lets the rest of the sparkler fizzle out and then scoots an arm around Viktor's waist, which has the additional effect of some of his weird eyeballs boggling at Viktor again.]

They're good people. Not that I'm saying every one of them would turn down a bribe, but it's hardly necessary.

I am going to have you make one with me next time we're at the lab, then you will see. [viktor tuts, as though a fun science lesson would be a punishment. it's probably just another date night activity aside from heists and mushroom throwing.

when the sparkler fizzles out viktor takes pal's free arm, pushing his sleeve up to get a better look at the eyes again. he moves a hand to see if they'll follow his finger, humming and saying,]

That's fair, there is nothing wrong with being enterprising. [and then, more seriously,] I like them. I was surprised Paul wasn't one of the Ninth pair I haven't met, he certainly has part of the eh... gothic look down.

I am not sure, it's not a name I've heard before. His name is Jason, I think he believes it's a poor joke based on a myth in his world. Something about fleece?

[viktor's world has different mythos, and he admits it's interesting to hear how some are similar and some are not. he pauses in his writing only when he's translating the taps, getting a little quicker with it.]

Ah, what an unfortunate month to come in then. Last month things were calmer, though the sun didn't rise. [and Other Problems but hey, no one got turned to a bird?] Usually this sort of nonsense either fades with time or requires some absurd level of self reflection. It's incredibly annoying.

[the cut off gets a snort from viktor and a genuine smile.] My thoughts exactly. [probably in the same, censored and colorful language.

he waves a hand.] Once they realized it could make them profit he was lauded a hero. Incredible how quickly moral outrage can shift with the right incentive.[dry but also a touch bitter, deep down.

teaching though, that's better.] Oh, that's an excellent alternative. What have you settled on here in the Trench? [maybe more teaching? maybe research? it's a wild shift, adjusting here.]

Really? [Oh? Will he? Yeah, this is a fun date activity and not a punishment, judging by the overt enthusiasm with which he says this. Really!!] Alright. I'll do my best.

[And yes, the eyes do follow him. Briefly he thinks about, like, lab safety and goggles while he's covered in eyes, so maybe this fireworks lesson will have to wait a bit— but right now the eyes are watching Viktor's hand with interest, while Palamedes leans his cheek on his shoulder with a little hum.]

Does he? [he doesn't wear skull paint, don't be silly,] He's something of an ascetic, so I can see it. Harrow did his piercings, I've been told.

[An honorary Ninth. Fair, because if Palamedes had to pick specific people he wants Viktor to like, it's Paul and the Ninth. No bias whatsoever.]

They all live together, remember; it's been good for them.

[shock of shocks, the enthusiasm is endearing.] I think you'll enjoy it, and then you too can impress the teenagers. And then you can impress me with what a quick study you no doubt are.

[everyone is happy. his lips quirk at the eyes, a few more movements of his hand before he mentally starts counting them. each time he counts one he touches the skin near it, trying to make an actual mental map of where they are to see if they shift position at all. monsterfucking aside, he does want to make sure they know what's going on here.]

Ah, that would explain it. I suppose the lack of face paint should have told me. [and the infamous bone house. he nods as he runs a finger below another eye.] I also met Gideon. I like her too, she seems chaotic. [he appreciates that. a little chaos keeps things interesting.]

Jason?

[No amount of enthusiastic hoping can substitute for his usual booming laughter, but the effect is quite similar. Iskandar makes the whole table rattle before he's able to stop himself.]

Do forgive me. It's just incredibly funny. Surely there is a connection. A golden fleece if you wish to know the details. Had he wronged a woman lately? Because that would fit even more.

[There's bound to be a whole in this table after they finish talking. Gold might not be the hardest metal, but it's still metal striking against wood.]

Self-reflection? I doubt I have anything to reflect on.

.. Am not!

[ Look at that. Judging by how Chizuru is usually so careful and polite at all times, that must have escaped her very instinctively - especially since it follows so soon after those last words Viktor says, with a hint of a blush on her face.

Apparently getting this girl to accept any compliment is truly an uphill battle.

She does seem to realise what she just instinctively said, since she only looks more flustered as she knows what she did, but there's only way out of this.

And that's doubling down. ]

I-I mean, we were talking about you just now! You're the one who can make all these amazing things! [ Don't turn this around on her!! ]

[there, copy finished, and viktor slides it over as iskandar... he thinks it's laughter? ok, it's laughter yes. his lips quirk despite himself, poor jason and the whims of this place.]

I will have to learn this myth soon, I know he mentioned the pthumerian Argonaut is also an oddly fitting name for it. [one day he'll get the full jason and the argonauts story.]

I've found the Trench always finds something to dig out, one way or another. Though hopefully this is merely a timed event. [he sighs.] When I first came here they forced us to face insecurities in order to escape a catacomb. It was incredibly irritating.

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closedish to cool guys having chill day

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