[ open ] #throwbackthursday

[aeturnus]

who: Cain (now Romulus), Anyone
what: During the effects of the Temporal Chalice, Cain gets to explore some of his much, much earlier years. He's in his early twenties, not immortal, shy and gentle, and goes by his birth name: Romulus. Oops.
when: 15th until the event ends.
where: Housing during the day (floor six + around), and out in the Quarantine at night mostly. Specific starters upon request.
warnings: Romulus at this point in his life is a slave. Mentioned of free vs not, expectations of having lesser value, and possible other related subjects are very likely. More will be edited in if necessary.

i. Housing. Floor six.
[ He's not sure what to do with himself here. One of the first things Romulus did when he came to was familiarize himself with the device he carries around with him, because he remembers that being important, and notices that the job he only vaguely recalls sent a message to not show up if you couldn't do the work citing distraction to the other workers who were still in their right minds. He supposes that means he should stay away from the place and he intends to. It just doesn't leave him a whole lot to do aside from putter around the floor he knows he belongs in, even if most of his belongings feel foreign and familiar at the same time. Sparse, too. Some technology to work, small knickknacks here and there, and nothing that really speaks to who he is. All except for a plain lantern hanging from the bedpost with scenery drawn on it that makes him feel more at home. It's familiar to him, only a breath away, if he were back home at all. That lantern is lit every night to help him sleep.

Either way, Romulus putters. Messes around in the kitchen to try and make food but plenty of the products are foreign and confusing and he sticks with what he knows, basic fruits and vegetables and puts together simpler things with simpler tools and methods. He's not going for anything fancy, just subsiding on what he can until he figures out what he's doing here anymore. What he doesn't do is actively bother anyone. Finds his own supplies and makes sure whatever he uses is communal and doesn't belong to anyone in particular, shops with the money he's found for himself to buy things he can't find.

It's probably easier to ignore the guy who's suddenly turned wallflower around floor six, or even in the rest of the building where he comes and goes quite often out to explore the city. Except... he didn't used to be like this, not at all, entire demeanor changed. Not that he's the only one but it's pretty radical and noticeable. Kinda sad, really. ]

ii. Quarantine.
[ Mostly, he goes out at night. Lots of people don't notice the nervous ones at night because crime still exists but Quarantine is better protected and managed than most cities in other universes, apparently, and a lot of the older residents expect the nervous ones to calm down eventually. Romulus isn't nervous because of crime, but instead because it feels like a lie. He shouldn't be out here without a cause or an order or a reason given to him to explain if anyone catches him out — but he's not doing anything wrong. There's no master here, no one holding him in their hands and certainly no one to say he can't explore or shop or live.

It's freedom, and it has his heart constantly in his throat. What do you do with freedom?

Either way, he stumbles into people because he's not paying attention, lost in thought. Flinches back and swerves to press nearer to the walls or almost walks into the street sometimes and has to get fished out of the way. It's all very nerve-wracking, but again, people expect it more in the darkness for whatever reason. Sometimes he does go out in the day, too, but this is easier for him. ]

I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to run into you—forgive me.

[ He doesn't meet many peoples' eyes in the dark of the night, either. ]

iii. Wild Card.
[ Romulus gets places he shouldn't. Curiosity is certainly his vice and that's never gotten him anyplace good. It's usually up to Remus to keep him from wandering and Remus isn't here. He doesn't go into dangerous-looking places, but stores or odd streets or stopping to watch something odd? There's no reason not to. ]

[ Make something up, and I'll work a response in! Contact at plurk or at biomagnet#1925 @ disco to discuss more if necessary. ]

Comments

quarantine

[hevenly]

[ Despite Angela's protests that she was just as capable a fighter with one arm as with two, she has been relieved of her duties on the perimeter guard for the duration of the chalice's effects. And so she wanders the streets on her own, itching to fight something, or someone.

She can't help the way her hand automatically flies to the hilt of her sword when she is jostled, but when she recognizes Jacob Kane, she lets it go. ]

You need not apologize to me for a mistake.

[aeturnus]

[ That reach has him flinch more than usual and he stops when she pulls away. It's interesting but he doesn't think anything special because of it. There's nothing special to think. He does recognize her, vaguely, and exhales forcefully. Attempting to calm himself. ]

It's not my place to be in your way. [ He keeps his eyes averted from hers. ] But thank you for the generosity.

[hevenly]

[ He's behaving oddly, but she can't put her finger on why. ]

It is nothing. Do not think that this forgives my debt to you.

[ quarantine ]

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki blinks. That was . . . odd. He peers at Cain skeptically. ]

Obviously, I would assume you did not intend to.

[aeturnus]

[ He's trying to not make eye contact, but he sees that look so he's sneaking glances of his own. Furtive and uncertain. ]

No, but the blame does fall with me. And so... I apologize.

kinda ii, kinda iii

[spellslots]

[The Quarantine is well lit at night, but even the slightly darker streets don't bother Taako, he can see just as easily as he can during the day, so he spots Cain from a block away and decides to head over to say hi, since he's not busy doing anything in particular. There's still the whole portal mess to figure out, but a lot of heads are working on that, and Taako needs a break.

But it's immediate as soon as he approaches that something is different, the way Cain usually holds himself is... off; he's a little too cautious, too nervous. Taako watches Cain bump into someone and flinch, which doesn't seem to fit with what Taako has seen of the man so far.

He hesitates for a second, not sure how this is going to go, but finally decides on just closing the distance.]

Hey, dude, what's the chance of you remembering cha boy Taako?

[aeturnus]

[ That's certainly a tone he's not used to hearing (even if he is, kind of, especially listening to everyone on the streets now) and Romulus turns to it almost immediately. The name rings a bell and he's quiet, searching for that trail. ]

Not... horrific. Not amazing, either.

quarentine!

[scholiast]

(Lucretia is also wandering, lost in thought. The Chalice has pitched her forward into the future a good while, and she's still slowly processing the implications of everything that has happened over the course of her life.

She bumps into him just as much as he into her, shaking her head as he apologises.)

It's alright– I wasn't looking where I was going. (Then, glancing up, her expression softens.) Oh, Cain. It's... it's good to see you.

(Sort of. She has a strange relationship with her future body; on one hand, she finally looks as old as she feels, but on the other hand she knows her appearance may prove shocking to others.)

[aeturnus]

[ That automatic dismissal of the apology is popular, but when she recognizes him, Romulus stiffens. Not again. Whoever this Kane was, whether himself or someone unlucky enough to share his face that isn't his brother, he clearly got around. When he looks up partway, he can't say from the quick glance that he knows who this person is right away. ]

I'm... My name is Romulus.

[ He wants to know who this is, but propriety and natural meekness are getting in the way. ]

If we've met before, ma'am, I don't remember it.

housing (shows up a few hours late with starbucks)

[yetunburnt]

[So, Letha doesn't actually live on floor six. In fact, she doesn't live in communal housing at all. But she has no idea how to cook, and apparently no idea how to go to a restaurant without getting encouraged to leave, so she's gotten pretty hungry. Instead she's taken to checking the kitchens on each floor, to see if anyone can be bothered into sharing their meal with a cute and harmless little girl who would never try to manipulate them ever she swears.

One moment Romulus is alone in the kitchen, and the next... there is a curly-haired girl in a frilly regency-era dress, heeled boots knocking casually against the legs of the stool she's hopped into.]

What are you making?

[aeturnus]

[ Romulus doesn't recognize the child. That's not much of a surprise considering how out of sorts he's been lately, but he doesn't recognize her and she certainly doesn't live on this floor that he's seen. So... where did she come from...?

He pauses only briefly in his work to regard her, then gets back to it while he answers. ]

It's a salad. Have you not seen one before, young lady?

i.

[alchemyfreak]

[Ed hasn't really paid any attention to his roommates, aside from Chloe. He just wasn't the kind of person to put himself into someone else's business unless he found a reason, and everyone seemed to kind of do their own thing.

Ed's just lounging on his bed while Romulus putters around. Most days he spends more time in the communal housing than the others, so he takes note when one of them decides to stick around more often. No concept of any obviously different behavior, Ed's not familiar enough with the guy to perceive that he's acting out of sorts for himself. Just that he's suddenly hanging around more often, and that is something Ed will pick up on, being alone far less often, because he does put thought into when he's alone and when it's safe to get a private shower. For as long as he feels the need to keep his automail hidden, at least.]

You must be pretty bored if you're sticking around here, all of a sudden. It's pretty quiet during the day.

[Instead of being out, you know, enjoying the city like people who are not Ed do. While he's too busy sulking about losing yet another place that was never meant to be a permanent home, at least.]

[aeturnus]

[ Most of his puttering is cleaning or looking through the books that have been put in small stacks near the head of the bed. He can't make heads or tails of them, but he sifts through the pages and wonders sometimes. Organizes them by size and color and mostly tries to keep the space tidy around his area and the common spaces.

When someone finally speaks to him despite keeping to himself, he startles. Catches himself and turns to the shorter young man. They might be about the same age, but he isn't certain. It doesn't especially matter, however. ]

Boredom isn't part of it, sir. It's simply easier for me to go out at night.

ii

[amelioraate]

[ it is during one of his more regular excursion through the town at night (well he was part of perimeter defence, he just spent a lot more time indoors creating things than he did going around the actual perimeter), that he stumbles across Cain.

or rather, Cain stumbles across him.

not that Tony blames the guy, he is in his armour and it is cloaked at the moment in order for him to not draw too much attention to himself as he tries to get a reading from the console that he is currently partially plugged into. of course, as soon as Cain runs into him and starts sputtering apologies (apparently to nothing), Tony has the suit flicker into view, not into red and gold because that is a bit much right now, but rather into black with the vibrate blue of his tech lighting up the seams between the plates.

Tony is smiling as the face plate flips up, and he holds out a hand to Cain to help right him. hitting the suit is never fun, no matter how fast or slow you are moving.]

Uh huh, don't see why you are apologizing there, Jacob. Kind of hard to see someone who is rendered invisible.

[aeturnus]

[ Smacking into something so utterly solid definitely sets him on the wrong foot and Romulus is mumbling apologies while trying to figure out who or what happened because he doesn't even see anything. Then, for a moment, he wishes he hadn't at the same time he's glad that he spotted it. It's black and sleek and giving off light enough to show its form and it's quite frankly awe-inspiring.

He's gobsmacked even as it helps keep him upright and speaks to him like a friend. That part he's getting used to, even if it still riles up something unnecessarily complicated. He's not whoever these people say he is, he's nothing special except to himself and Remus because they don't get to be anything special, not as things are. The fact that he was spoken to directly is the only thing that makes him try to speak back, because you always reply when spoken to unless they don't want you to but that's usually more obvious. ]

I'm not Jacob, Sir... Not—the way you know, I suppose... You weren't just there?

you've activated my wildcard

[metalmenace]

[Doom was walking through the halls of Gramarye to his office, not appreciating the irony of being one of the strongest sorcerers in his world, but yet stuck in a non-magical position at a place of magical research.

He was also not wearing a cape because screw you, other Loki, he doesn't always wear a cape. But he does notice someone walking around that doesn't seem like they belong and he walks over.]

Excuse me, but are you looking for someone?

i play hapless king in defense mode

[aeturnus]

[ Romulus is still definitely trying to locate one of the two people Loki mentioned. He's not quite confident enough to go around just asking everyone he sees yet, so he's been keeping his eye out for those aforementioned cloaks... except no one he's seem has had the extravagance about them just yet. When someone speaks to him, he takes in a quick breath and startles, but keeps his stance from totally shutting down.

Right. Loophole. They don't know he shouldn't be here. Okay. C'mon. ]

Yes. I... was told to find either a Doctor Strange or Doom about... learning magic?

(ii)

[signifies]

That's all right.

[ Most people who've changed have become children. He doesn't notice there's something different about Cain as yet. ]

How're you doing?

[aeturnus]

[ That voice is somewhat familiar, but a lot of things are somewhat familiar right now. He simply keeps his head down and answers easily enough. ]

I'm fine, Sir. Thank you for asking.

wildcard;

[greyjane]

[She is - perhaps blissfully - unaffected by all the nonsense in the air. But, a woman's got to eat, and so she's shopping for herself. She lives alone, and cooks the same, but she prefers to stock up on things for the long run just in case.

There's a tin of fruit on the top shelf with a name she recognizes - her stomach drops, Kveth's salty tits it's something from home, not just the Lattice but Janirak - and without even thinking about it she holds out her basket to the nearest person (sorry, Romulus) without even looking at them.

Not that she'd recognize him if she did. The wonders of text-only communication, that once.]

Here, sweetheart, hold this a moment?

[And this is the story of how she makes a little light-construct step-ladder (it's living energy, essentially, that she shapes to her will) so she can grab that can off the top shelf just to marvel at it. She breathes out something that definitely sounds like a foreign curse under her breath and smooths the label where it's crinkled in one corner. The tactile sensation seems to snap her out of a reverie, and then she's turning back to her helper with a grin that pulls at the ugly scars across her face.]

Thanks. Sorry, didn't mean to hijack you unawares. Name's Shai.

[aeturnus]

[ The epithet stops him up more than the request does, and he takes the basket without a single word or complaint. He's mulling over the sound of being called sweetheart by anyone but the older servants in the household who seem to think all the younger ones need someone to show a little kindness (it's unnecessary, they're fine without it, but it's... nice) and almost misses the light show with his eyes downcast.

It gets his attention, though, and he glances up sharply to watch in awe. More magic, this one different than the others he's seen but no less amazing. He does stare at the scarring on her face but not overly long, catching himself quickly and turns his gaze back to the ground. ]

That's quite all right, Ma'am. My name is Romulus. That was... amazing, actually.

ii.

[leatherdaddy]

[ Gladio grunts when the man steps in his path, would have barreled right over him if he hadn't noticed him flattening himself against the wall in an effort to step out of the way of the crowd. He's acting weird, cagey, way too apologetic. The hell is his problem? ]

Hey. You're in the way.

[ Hang on, this guy... he's familiar. In that strange collision of his memories - the last decade of uninterrupted darkness and memories of living here - they contradict one another but both feel real. Whatever, he recognizes the man. ]

Hm? Don't I know you?

[aeturnus]

[ That first statement gets a flinch out of Romulus because it's usually followed by something more physical to fix the issue. When the other man stops instead and seems to regard him, the tension in his shoulders shifts and turns almost into frustration because for once the recognition seems to be something of a saving grace here.

Instead of staring at the ground and waiting for this to smooth over, he glances up to regard the man. He won't meet his eyes, but at least this guy looks... vaguely familiar? Sort of? ]

I... I think so. In a way.

i - apologies for being so late to this!

[couldkillthedevil]

[Chloe's gotten pretty much used to having so many roommates. She's had plenty of practice dealing with Maze before, and while her current living situation was more crowded than she'd necessarily opt for, she doesn't mind the extra company. Her and Edward have even gotten into the swing of researching various things about the city together, which has been helpful. Jacob Kane, while quite peculiar in his own right, has also been more than friendly enough from the moment they first spoke over the network. And quite talkative.

Which is why she finds the newly reticent behavior odd. It's hard not to notice it when they all live in such close quarters together, and while she's got her own matters to take care of, she can't help but watch him putter about with an uncharacteristic demeanor. She tells herself he's probably just having an off few days before she finally notices him in the kitchen attempting to make a meal.

She raises a brow at him, unable to help it.]

Hey, Jacob. You... alright?

not a worry at all!

[aeturnus]

[ Romulus at least knows how to make food. It's a simple process if you choose the right things to make, and right now it's just a simple salad. Except it doesn't have to be simple at all, and he's currently dithering over what to add and really make. He's spoiled for choice and that isn't something he has very often at all.

When Chloe speaks, he startles a bit before offering a hesitant and unsure smile back. Right, he knows her as someone who lives on the same floor but he hasn't really spoken to her since all... this. ]

Yes. I mean, no, but that's not... I'm Romulus, not Jacob right now. Whatever has come over the city lately has affected me, too.

[ That's the conclusion he's come to, and it tends to offer a better explanation than he ever could for his current circumstances. Whoever he is as "Jacob" is apparently vastly different from how he is currently. ]