[april catch-all]

[spellslots]

who: Taako & various
what: What it says on the tin! Assorted threads for April that don't fit anywhere else
when: Aprilllll
where: Your mom's bedroom
warnings: drugs, booze, probably some slightly nsfw content
notes: hmu if you want something

Comments

[spellslots]

I could give one spell a shot, but it could break pretty bad for me, not sure I wanna roll the dice on that one again just yet.

[Clark might be able to guess that Taako's referring to the spell he used to speak with the witch of the river.

But it is pretty risky, and he'd need more prep time if nothing else.]

[signifies]

[ Clark guesses it might be something like that for Taako. He also doesn't want to risk trying that spell so soon. ]

It can bring objects from our worlds. Theoretically, we might be able to lengthen the time the Portal stays on each one.

[mannerism]

Using anything that would risk you is entirely out of the question.

[ for now. it sounds desperate and hell, peggy carter isn't desperate to encourage this manner of risk-taking. she considers the portal and arches an eyebrow. ]

Do we know of anyone who went the other way around? from Quarantine to their world?

[spellslots]

[That gets a little chuckle from Taako; every day with the Bureau is likely to get him killed, so while he isn't inclined to try this spell again just yet, it's sweet that Peggy is apparently worried about him.]

I think it might be a luck of the draw kinda deal. There was a kid here who isn't anymore, and she was too smart to get her ass killed, so my money's on her going home.

[signifies]

I've heard of one person from a world like mine who disappeared. I can't hear him in the city, so he must have gone through the Portal.

[mannerism]

I don't know if I believe in luck.

[ it would make everything that less predictable and already, she is unhappy with it. ]

If so - why send people back at all? It seems to bring more people than it takes.

[spellslots]

Luck exists, for realsies. I can confirm that one.

[Or at least it exists in a concept that liches can exploit, although he doesn't know the specifics.]

Sending folks back is probably a like, hm. [He knows what he wants to say, he's just having trouble wording it.] A sign of good faith, maybe? They're still doing their best to encourage people to stay, though.

[signifies]

Or it's an accident, a malfunction...

[ It's hard to say. ]

[mannerism]

They won't give us much intel on that thing. That's already something that makes me curious.

[ and suspicious, as it turns out. ]

Different worlds, different times. It's a great power to wield. All of this and they still need our help.

[spellslots]

Are you always this suspicious, my dude?

[He just wants to make sure.]

[signifies]

[ She's not wrong, though. Clark's also not sure why they've really been brought here.

He'll keep examining the Portal from different angles and see if anything pops out at him it. ]

[mannerism]

Nasty habit, I'm afraid.

[ she makes it sound as if she was born like this. the truth is always more complicated. it's the second nature of every spy but such explanations are out of place in this particular moment. ]

And may I ask - if I'm to be your anything, should I at least know what I am being referred to?

[ she walks just a step behind clark but she does spare him a look. ]

What is a dude?

[spellslots]

Oh, it's just slang, I guess? Like it usually means guys but I'm not about that life.

[Gender? He doesn't know her.

More importantly, Taako suddenly holds up a hand in a request for silence, head tilted as if he's listening to something.]

Okay, huh, that's a weird one. This thing used to be alive?

[signifies]

[ Clark looks at Taako. ]

What do you mean?

[mannerism]

--- Alive?

[ well now, that's a fine mess right here and it seems to only be getting finer. it's both worrying and oddly, relieving. At very least there's something more to learn about the time. ]

How so? Do you mean sentient?

[spellslots]

That's like, the best I got, sorry. It used to be alive, and now it's supported by the moon?

[He does look kinda guilty that he can't give more, this isn't just Taako being cagey.]

The spell was looking for any lore about the portal, that was what I got. But it felt... old.

[signifies]

You mean... it might be tied to the existence of the moon itself? Or it's what's left of something else?

[ Or both? ]

[mannerism]

I hope I'm not the only one who thinks it is a rather chilling concept.

[ alive. ]

[spellslots]

Maybe anchored would be a better way to put it?

[What he got was cryptic at best, and he's trying not to get too literal, since that can often result in hemming himself in while trying to find a solution.]

Could just be that it needs some kinda big physical object to stick to, or it could mean the moon as a fucking concept and be about the people here, it's drawing energy from us or something. That would be kinda creepy, but it's not that weird that it was alive. A lot of shit is alive.

[That doesn't mean it's sentient, necessarily.]

[signifies]

[ It's hard for him to wrap his head around too.

Clark nods at Taako's explanation, thinking it over. ]

How can we find out more about it?

[mannerism]

-- Drawing energy?

[ it gets worse. she eyes the thing with a growing suspicion. what on earth are these people on about, bringing them here? maybe the place needs more individuals to sustain itself, in more than one way? ]

I fear I may come off as a traditionalist, but have you ever come across something like this? an object that was also alive?

[spellslots]

Just a theory!

[Don't get too paranoid, Peggy.]

And uh, yeah? Kinda? [His first thought is the relics, but he decides not to bring those up just yet.] A lotta magic items have a kinda personality, they remember shit and some can even talk. They're not gonna have a soul, but you can get kinda broad with your definition of alive. [Taako stands back up, brushing off his pants as he offers Clark a shrug.] I'm outta ideas. Sorry, my man.

[signifies]

That's all right, we know more than we did an hour ago. [ He glances over to what Taako is doing. ] Are you done?