[open] who will go down to those shady groves

[eternalmagic]

who: Anyone
what: General CR building
when: September, post-Dragosta
where: Miscellaneous
warnings: idk are the Taaco twins gonna be there



.I. Waterbending
[Barring a few unfortunate incidents (no offense meant), he was able to avoid most of the chaos that took over the city during the Dragosta festival. Not that he has anything against festivals. He participates in plenty back home, albeit usually for ritualistic reasons. This one just happened to outpace his willingness to assimilate -- primary reason being that if his soulmate is here, he'd rather not know about it.

In any case, he only retreats for as long as it takes all the fuss to die down (especially for those damn fairy lights to dissipate), and then it's back to regular scheduled programming of trying to get Riverview's damn elements to let him play.

The weather's still nice. And water tends to be the most reasonable element to negotiate with. So he's swimming. If that seems weird, then joke's on you, because it's starting to work.]


.II. All-nighters
[Aside from classes, errands and the odd venture into the city, Mordred can typically be found in just one place.

Gramarye has swallowed him. He had high hopes for the resources available within the magical research facility, and so far he hasn't been disappointed. The opportunity to venture beyond the wall for a more thorough pass has yet to present itself, and Mordred isn't so dismissive of Bryn as his guide that he's prepared to risk her extreme displeasure by simply strolling out there himself. What that means is, he has to rely almost solely on Gramarye for information, and he has thoroughly devoted himself to the task of absorbing it.

It's been a few days. And nights. Requiring significantly less sleep means that a) he gets more accomplished, and b) his roommate Draco basically has an entire apartment to himself, minus one corner cloaked in darkness and stars.

This evening (morning? afternoon?) Mordred is three stories up in the library, balancing on a ladder as he selects the books he wants to work through next. Every once in a while, he'll toss a book sideways, whereupon it spirals down and settles delicately on top of a stack accumulating at one corner of a large table below. There are a few plants gathered on the other end of the table, like specimens, preserved in bubbles of what looks like shimmering glass.]


.III. Cocktails
[Through the graciousness of Millennial Loki, Mordred has acquired VIP access at the club Trixie.

However, he hasn't actually used it yet.

He's been sort of systematically trying out all of the places in Riverview that serve alcohol, not because he is often in the mood for a drink, but should the mood strike, ostensibly it's best to know exactly where to go. Trixie has turned out to be one of those places, not just because he gets along with the owner, but because the bartender likes to experiment and Mordred is not opposed to judging the results.

He's there tonight, leaning on the bar, distractedly nursing something that is three different neon colors and has a name he didn't bother to hear before he started drinking it.]

Comments

.II.

[inlaid]

[Bryn had already been with Taako when they discovered she had powers, so there wasn't any need for her to reach out to him to let him know what was going on. This accounted for one of the two people she felt like reaching out to on the matter. She and Mordred aren't close at this point, but she tends to be a good judge of character and knows that he's likely to be a good person to speak to about this unexpected change in her life.

Besides that, he's good company, period. It's not a hardship to get to know him better.

As promised, she arrives at one of the larger gardens at Gramarye with a bag of food. It's not complicated fare but it's delicious, with fixings for sandwiches, a few bags of chips and sodas. There isn't any alcohol in the bag but if either of them want to spike their drinks, well, she's rarely without a flask of some sort.]

You don't mind sitting on the grass do you?

[She feels the sudden urge to kick off her feet and feel grass between her toes.]

[eternalmagic]

[Despite his offer, prying himself away from the library took some doing. But it's probably a good thing that she's getting him out here, because next to the library, the garden is his second favorite thing and how long has it been, exactly, since he's seen the light of day? The fact that it's even a question is telling.]

Never. [Would have suggested it if she didn't, in fact.

Mordred takes some of the burden from her, helping her to lay out the spread between them on the soft grass. The garden of Gramarye is more tame than the wild jungles of Riverview, but there is a gentle thrum of magic all through it, like it has soft thoughts of its own, and likes peace and quiet. A good place for a picnic, provided everybody cleans up after themselves.]

Mmm... A-minus.

[inlaid]

[Bryn doesn't bother with a blanket but sits right down in the lush green grass and begins unloading things. It's beautiful here, and not a place she usually comes so it feels like the escape she could use right now.

His grade, however, earns him a lifted eyebrow.]

A-minus? Even when I've brought you this...[she reaches her hand into the bag again, and then pulls out a perfect, ripe...] pear?

[Because apples are a cliche even in her world and pears are so much more juicy and delicious.]

How can you give an A-minus to this?

[eternalmagic]

[He will return that eyebrow, miss, and he will also be taking that pear thank you very much.]

Nearly perfect. But I don't see dessert.

[Points taken for lack of cupcakes! Maybe most professors wouldn't care about that sort of thing, but he likes to be thorough, and also he's never really been able to escape having a faerie sweet tooth.]

[inlaid]

[Excuse you Mordred.]

That's because dessert is a surprise and we haven't had the meal yet. Unless you're a dessert before person in which case I could adjust my plans...

[Look these things are not set in stone so she'll adapt but you can't grade her when she hasn't even taken everything out of the bag yet mister.]

[eternalmagic]

[WELL THEN. Not that he isn't very easily a dessert before person, but. He holds up a hand in polite surrender.]

I stand corrected. Don't let me disrupt your picnic agenda.

[In the meantime, then, he's going to take a nice bite of this pear and set up a sandwich to go with it. Don't mind him if he conjures up a couple glasses (with ice) in delicate wisps of smoke.

He gives her a chance to put together something for herself before he finally asks.]

Seems like you've got a lot on your mind since I last saw you.

[inlaid]

[Bryn watches him use his magic with ease, conjuring glasses and ice that, truthfully, she appreciates a great deal. Drinking out of cans is all well and good but ice will keep the drinks cold. So much the better.

The dessert she keeps in the bag, pouring herself a soda while he makes a sandwich, then builds one for herself. At his question, she stills for a moment, then looks up. Offers him a faint smile.]

I've had a lot on my mind for months but chasing the thoughts around by myself wasn't helping me come to any conclusions. [She shrugs, taking a sip of her drink.] I'm not sure any of the answers I'll get in response will help either but it seemed worth a shot to check just in case. Plus there have been some new variables to take into account.

[She bites into her sandwich. She'll talk but not on an empty stomach.]

iii

[spellslots]

[Millennial Loki is not the Loki that Taako really knows, but other Loki had mentioned the club, so he's here to have a bit of a sticky beak and see what it's all about. Also: he likes dancing, that was a big draw.

He barely even notices Mordred at first, because that drink looks pretty great and he slides up to the bar to ask:]

Yo, hey, any chance you-- oh. [There's a split second of surprise with the recognition, before Taako grins.] Evening, pumpkin.

[So that's is still happening, apparently.]

[eternalmagic]

[Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world...]

Hey, watermelon.

[Let's not start this again please

Mordred shifts just a little so that he's turned a bit more toward Taako, still leaning against the bar and paying a fair amount of attention to his drink (which, yes, it is pretty great).]

Causing trouble?

[spellslots]

[It can't start again if it never ended in the first place.]

I would never. [A hand on his heart to show how sincere he's being.] Unless breaking hearts is trouble, but that's like, my daily life.

[He's so full of it.]

[eternalmagic]

I'll bet it is.

[Since Taako doesn't appear to be making a swift getaway, and despite being a smartass sometimes Mordred is not actually rude, he straightens up to face a person with whom his primary bond lies in dressing him up in slutty lingerie. Ice = broken.]

You haven't crashed any more of my classes. Should I take that personally?

[spellslots]

Is this your way of saying you missed me?

[His grin is a little sharp but he's mostly just teasing. The reason he hasn't been around much is because his personal life exploded quite messily, which is why he doesn't give an actual answer.]

[eternalmagic]

[Yeah, about that.]

I'm saying it was noticeable.

[Any absence of Taako is noticeable, honestly, he kind of draws attention just a little bit. That display with Lucretia certainly did. Mordred obviously has no idea what that was about and doesn't think it's his place to ask, but it turned out that he cared enough to... well, care. He'd never have bothered to send that herbal remedy otherwise, even if it ended up getting lost in the shuffle.]

Seems like you healed up all right. [That telltale little shimmer doesn't look any stronger than normal, at least.]

II

[mysophobic]

[ Whelp color Shigeru interested. If the books didn't catch his attention those specimens sure do. He's eyeing them curiously as he takes a few steps forwards, making sure to remain at a relatively safe distance.

He might look up and give a whistle to catch the others attention. What up Mordred. You have a visitor. ]

[eternalmagic]

[Good thing Shigeru bothered to whistle, otherwise Mordred might have stayed too distracted to register a guest at all. But he does look up, and upon discovering that he's no longer alone, he tucks the last book under his arm and slides down the ladder to the floor.

He brings the book over and sets it down with the rest, raising an eyebrow over a polite smile.] Can I do something for you?

[mysophobic]

[ Life is rough when you don't have a voice /sob But at least Mordred bothers to listen and reply to him. Shigeru will smile and nod. Instead of speaking though...he'll take out his phone and type something on it before holding it out to show the other man. ]

Those plants on the desk...are they from here?

[ He's just giving them a curious look as he turns back to Mordred. ]

[eternalmagic]

[Honestly, he's had conversations across much stranger forms of communication. So when he sees the phone, he accepts that this is how Shigeru's gonna do it, and moves on from there.]

They certainly are. All of these are found within the first barrier, since I haven't had the opportunity to make a productive trip beyond it yet.

[mysophobic]

Oh! Well if you ever want to venture out further...I was thinking of going out there to train, so you're more then welcome to join me!

[ He's also kinda interested in drawing some of the flora and fauna outside the barrier as well. ]

Do you...mind if I draw these?

[eternalmagic]

I might take you up on that, at some point. [Since he's rather engrossed in all this for the present. He gestures magnanimously to the plants.] And by all means, draw away.

[He considers warning Shigeru not to mess around with any of them, but decides it isn't likely to be an issue. So he might go back up the ladder.]

How will you be training?

I

[fingerstripes]

[ He’s here on business today rather than pleasure, following the trail of something big with teeth that’s been drawing calls to the station. He’d come in costume for the use of Nightwing’s equipment and the ease of secrecy, and he notes at once which one of those advantages he’s lost already.

But there just aren’t a lot of people willing to take a dip in this water, and in the end curiosity wins out over professional pride. He moves enough to let the light catch on his uniform, so that he’s easily visible nearby. He offers a small wave. ]

I’m, uh- not interrupting, am I?

[eternalmagic]

[Not paying a significant amount of attention to his surroundings beyond the water, Mordred nevertheless certainly notices when he's no longer alone. Not that it bothers him, but he chose an out-of-the-way spot, and if he was going to expect anyone he wouldn't have expected someone wearing a skintight outfit and a mask.

Eh, well. He's seen worse.

Reluctant to leave the water when he can feel its current drifting with interest around his limbs, he shakes wet hair out of his eyes and focuses on the stranger.]

No, not really. [Just a little, but he doesn't mind.] Nice outfit.

[fingerstripes]

Never leave home without it. [ With a halfway sheepish, sideways smirk. He's learning to roll with this now; the strange but inescapable reality that to most people here the spandex pajamas are totally without context.

He hops down from his perch with a showy little flip really encroaching any further. The curiosity hasn't left his gaze. ]

So what brings you this far into the badlands?

[eternalmagic]

That's hard to believe.

[Honestly, how would you ever get a table at a restaurant looking like that? Be serious.

But he answers with an agreeable smirk of his own, and with the water being so accommodating already, he thinks he can risk emerging a little more. So he swims to a nearby rock and pulls himself up onto the edge of it, swiping water off his face.]

Practice. [No reliable fire element yet. He's gonna stay wet until he gets all the way out.] I didn't think I'd run into anyone else.

[fingerstripes]

I guess that makes two of us. [ But it's an upbeat observation rather than a backhanded insult. He tilts his head a little to the side. ]

You're a swimmer?

[eternalmagic]

I am right now.

[He is evasive by habit, it isn't personal. And he's not actually trying to scare this new face off, and is in fact looking him over again with a raised eyebrow. Hard to infer what the deal is with that costume.]

Are you a perimeter guard?