[ open ] call it your 2.0, your rebirth, whatever

[franciscoramon]

who: cisco + anyone!
what: catch-all + tdm prompts + fajro prompts
when: february
where: various places!
warnings: will add as needed

I. DREAM A LITTLE DREAM

[ Cisco thought that the crystal caves sounded exactly like something from a fantasy series he had loved as a child, so of course, he dragged Eddie to go and see them with him. There had been nothing ominous about the place, at the time. It isn't until a few days later that Cisco's dreams start to show the sign of outside influence. They become vivid, surreal, and most importantly, he starts having guests. A few times he'll have a passing thought about a friend before falling asleep, only to run into them in his dream. He's no stranger to unusual dreams, and - after what had happened in October - not even a stranger to encountering other people in them.

But it's still pretty damn weird. ]

You see that, right? It's not just me?

[ Cisco asks the question to whoever is standing next to him, pointing down an empty city street at the looming figure of what is, unmistakably, a Godzilla-sized robotic panda. ]

II. CLEANING HOUSE

[ Cisco had rolled his eyes at first at the idea of a whole holiday based around cleaning. What could be less fun? He's always been somewhat inclined to keep stuff. After all, you never know what use it could be later. He spends plenty of his time scavenging the things other people left behind in the abandoned parts of the city, for materials and parts for his work.

But once he and Eddie decide to share the same room, he realizes he is going to have to get rid of at least some of his stuff, to make room. So he reluctantly starts, only to find himself getting more and more into the task. He can be seen either having a cute little yard sale to get rid of various items (clothing, books, etc.), or else taking what remains after the sale down to the bonfires by the river. ]

III. CLEARING THE AIR

[ Along with everyone else in the Quarantine, as the month progresses, he finds himself dwelling on resentments from his past. Unfortunately for Cisco, most of those resentments pertain to people who aren't even here. Once the 15th rolls around, he finds that his sense of taste has vanished completely. A few conversations with others tell him that this is probably something to do with the holiday, that he needs to clear the air.

But what is he supposed to do, when the people he's feeling resentful towards aren't even here?

So Cisco can be found all that week making his way around town, sitting in a park or perhaps at a bar, slump-shouldered and wan and uncomfortable, needing (but not knowing it) someone to talk to. A good heart-to-heart will put things right, but he's not aware of that yet.

He is also, despite his distraction, more than happy to listen to others' woes, or any resentments held against him. ]

Comments

[franciscoramon]

[ Cisco had been trying to get work done all morning, with very little success. Hard to focus on designing better firefighter helmets when all he can seem to think of is how little Barry had ever thanked him for all the work he put into perfecting the Flash suit. Which is so silly, so petty, so unimportant. What should it matter? He didn't design the suit, or improve it, or constantly spend extra hours repairing it for thanks. He did it to help, no strings attached.

But still, he couldn't help feeling the sting of it. How little he'd been appreciated.

He'd needed a break, so he'd come out here, to this park, ostensibly to eat his lunch. Except he isn't eating, when Lucretia wanders over to join him. He doesn't even bother pretending to be alright; instead, he holds out the brown paper bag in her direction, offering: ]

I passed grouchy two days ago. I'm straight-up cantankerous, now. You hungry? I'm just gonna pitch it in the trash otherwise.

[scholiast]

(She glances curiously into the brown paper bag when he offers it to her, but shakes her head after a beat.)

I'm fine, thanks.

(He doesn't look cantankerous to her, but Lucretia's hardly one to start calling people on hiding their emotions. He's kind to do so around her, if that is the case.)

Uh, I know I'm probably not your first choice for something like this, but if you want to talk about it Cisco, I'll listen.

[franciscoramon]

[ Cisco gives a little shrug, a touch of bitterness to it, and turns to dunk his lunch right into the trash. Evidently, he hadn't been exaggerating about that. Eating it would only remind him of the fact that some group of sanctimonious higher-ups where Lucretia works had seen fit to punish him because they thought they knew best about how people should live their lives. ]

Thanks. I'm not- if I seem pissy, it's not 'cause of you, or 'cause I don't wanna talk to you, specifically.

[ Cisco folds his arms over his chest, tight, a gesture he doesn't realize is so clearly defensive and self-comforting. There's a clipped sound to his words, and his fingers are digging into his upper arms as he speaks: ]

I'm just so not into this whole thing. The creepy thought police bullshit, the weird vindictive punishments. The whole... concept of a blank slate.

[ He lets out a short sigh, closing his eyes. It's entirely contradictory, that this holiday about letting go of resentments has itself stirred up so much resentment in Cisco. It's not only the grudges from his past that are on his mind, but a visceral reaction to the very concept of the holiday itself. ]

It just seems to me like the kind of people who go on and on about how cleansing and healing and good it is to hash things out and make a fresh start have gotta be people who've never had anything all that bad happen to them. You know? Like, if they had, they'd know some slates ain't ever gonna get blank again, and that's just the way it is. No point in punishing people for getting written on too much, or- or whatever.

[ The metaphor is imperfect, but Cisco thinks Lucretia probably knows enough about him by now to translate it, fill in the missing pieces. Cisco thinks of himself as one of those slates, who has been acted on and hurt in ways he's not going to ever be able to undo. ]

[scholiast]

(okay now he seems cantankerous)

It's cool.

(She's not being insincere, either; she gets it. She's been a similar way, lately. Thinking about stuff in the past that she can't change, stuff that bugs her. Ugly thoughts, really.)

I agree. It's– sometimes it isn't conducive, forcing people to feel this. They can dress it up in any way they like, say that it's for our sake, that it will take weights off our shoulders or whatever, but at the end of the day it will always be invasive, and, quite frankly, none of their fucking business.

(Got a little bit heated at the end there! Lucretia sighs, and rubs her hands distractedly.) It's... frustrating. I don't want to hash things out because I personally feel there's no point to it; I'm comfortable with that conclusion. But now I feel like I have to do it anyway, because somebody decided it's the best course of action? It's...

(Another big ol' sigh. She hates it, how easy it is to sit here and rant about it. Probably part of the whole experiment, huh.) I don't like it.

[franciscoramon]

Exactly. Thank you.

[ It's a relief, to hear that Lucretia agrees, that she understands no matter how they try to characterize their actions, the magic-users who had gone to such lengths to force everyone to participate in this stupid holiday, to the extent that they believed appropriate, is coercive and gross. Cisco hadn't been entirely sure she would. If there was anyone he knew who might endorse this sort of thing... he thinks Lucretia might have been that person. But he's glad she isn't. ]

There's a pretty huge fucking difference between telling somebody 'dude you should eat vegetables more often, it would be good for you' and chaining them to a table and tryna shove kale down their throat. Like, which scenario here is gonna lead to somebody eating salad more often? 'Cause it ain't the second!

[ His reaction, when he realized what was happening, what the spell wanted of him, was to wish he had more resentments, to dig up old petty ones he'd forgotten about ages ago, just out of spite. ]

If you're still around next year, think we could, like, stage some kinda intervention slash coup at that institute you work for, make sure they don't pull this shit again? 'Cause there's better ways, man. Better ways to encourage people to celebrate the holiday and deal with stuff they're ready to deal with, that doesn't get so Big Brother.

[scholiast]

(She gives Cisco a funny look through his vegetable metaphor, mouth scrunched up a little like she's trying not to laugh. Usually she'd just go ahead but she can understand that in his current state he probably doesn't want to be giggled at.

Thankfully, the urge to laugh dissipates real quick the moment he mentions still being around Quarantine next year.)

Stop, (she sighs, brow furrowing as she pushes her glasses up her nose and gives her eyes an exasperated rub,) that's the last thing I want to think about right now. I mean, yeah, if I am I'll help for sure but... Istus help me if I'm still here come another year. By that point I'll be absolutely stir-crazy.

(She's already been getting a little wigged out by how comfortable she's become here and this really isn't helping.)

[franciscoramon]

[ Her reply - the vehemence of it in particular - catch Cisco off-guard. He knows, of course, that Lucretia intends to go back home, but he didn't realize that she felt quite so urgently about it. On a normal day, it might make him feel a little defensive. After all, he'd chosen to stay in this place precisely because he thinks it's not all that bad. Better, certainly, than back home. But in his current frame of mind, he's struggling to remember why he likes this place so much. ]

Hey, I'm perfectly happy to advance the time table and suggest some kind of direct action right here right now. Rushing in's usually not my style, but all this bullshit's got me feeling pretty damn impulsive.

[ Perhaps if they could locate whichever wizard and warlocks and sorcerers had been responsible, they could get them to reverse the effects, maybe issue a public apology, swear they wouldn't do it next year? He has no actual plan, no idea how they'd go about it. Cisco shoves his hands into his pockets and admits, with more emotion in his voice than he'd intended. ]

I'm just sick of feeling fucking helpless.

[scholiast]

Yeah?

(She's never been one for rushing in either (that position in their party is taken), but she's feeling a little more reckless than usual. Sometimes you can't hold back and wait and plot silently behind people's backs. Sometimes you have to just go for the obvious solution.

This realisation tastes very bitter, because it reminds her of exactly what she's been so riled up about in the first place: her plans to combat the Hunger being ignored. Her expression is very ugly for a moment, before she manages to smooth some of it over.)

I know what you mean. (She'd felt helpless then, too.) We could always go to Gramarye and raise a bit of hell. I'm sure we're not the only people who are dissatisfied with these circumstances.

[franciscoramon]

[ It's strange, seeing that look come over Lucertia: harsh, angry, and bitter. Cisco doesn't know what old resentments have been boiling in her mind, lately, but he can tell they're serious. And he knows Lucretia has lived through lots. Cycles and cycles of hardship. Wonderland. She has plenty to be mad about, and to not want to let go of.

Cisco's response is clear, though nonverbal: when Lucretia suggests going to the Gramarye, he gets to his feet. Not hesitations or equivocations. Not today. ]

Let's do it. We calling anybody, or do you wanna two-person team it? Rolling in with a squad's pretty intimidating, but maybe we got a better chance of making 'em listen if it's just us...

[ There's no question that they're doing this, only which strategy is best, and in that particular, Cisco's willing to defer. Lucretia knows the Gramarye better than him, after all. ]

[scholiast]

(Oh, it's happening! Normally Lucretia, despite her frustration, would at least want to wait and plan something. Normally all that work might make her eventually second guess the extent of her resolve, but right now she's irritated and feeling pretty impulsive. She pops her knuckles on one hand, and winces. The pressure that just shot up her wrist is enough to make her stand up to join him too.)

We could take Taako with us, (she suggests lightly, her jaw set. Either way, it's on.)

He's definitely got a couple bones to pick with Gramarye. I can get us in no problem– Loki might even be able to pin down who we'd be wanting to talk to specifically, now that I think about it.