Let's all hold hands and sing Kumbaya

[notzubats]

Who: Everybody! It's a planet mingle!
Broadcast: If You want!
Action: On the Holding Hands plant!
When: From June 23 until whenever we need a new mingle.

[At long last, the fleet has arrived to a new planet. This means it's time for a mingle guys! Get in! ]

Comments

Loki | OTA

[complicatedliar]

A: No, I am not holding your hand

[Loki's already standoffish, but this is a particular kind of hell for him, and a really annoying one. He spends a lot of time avoiding the casual contact from the planet's population, which sometimes means just huddling in a corner and glaring at anyone who is friendly in his general direction. And despite the heat, he's head to toe in his leathers in the hopes that it will also get people to leave him alone. Are you going to save Loki from an unwanted hug or just laugh at him?]

B: Slug shopping

[Despite himself, he likes the fluff slugs. And he's got an idea: several of those can basically take his place as counselor for the ship, you know, on the rare occasions that he feels like even attempting his job. So he'll be shopping around for fluff slugs and a nice terrarium for them. Don't judge him.]

C: Into the forest, on the hunt

[The forest is far more interesting than the ocean, and it's a much nicer one than the previous moon. It leaves him feeling energized rather than sad; he feels the ambient energies. He spends a lot of time ghosting around the forest; if you're sharp-eyed, you might see him. And that will sometimes go over to hunting, not that he's particularly interested in meat, but the hunt is fun. He might drop off an animal or two to the people he knows like meat more than himself, since he doesn't see the point in wasting it once he's hunted it down for fun.

And if you get in over your head in the forest? He might help, if it suits him. Or he might think it's more fun to watch you get mauled. You never know.]

D: Hot Springs

[The man likes warmth, which is a bit counterintuitive, but he never actually feels warm enough. The hot springs? Finally he almost feels warm in his bones. And he has absolutely no body shame, though he's wearing a bit of an illusion to preserve the image of his pristine skin. But if you ever wanted to see Loki naked and have an awkward conversation with someone who does not even care? This is the opportunity. Join him in a pool where he's reading. He won't even mind, if you're quiet.]

E: The tree

[He finds the tree early, because magic is so fundamental to his blood. And he spends a long time new it, simply contemplating, thinking, sensing. And it calls to something in him he'd much rather ignore, because it's part of his self he's done his best to cut away entirely. It's the most vulnerable he's felt in a long time, and he can't let it go.]

A-ish

[resnipstance]

[Ahsoka's been avoiding running into Loki as long as she could once she returned to her natural age. But since they've landed planet-side, she knows they're going to run into each other sooner or later. So rather than wait until she bumps into him awkwardly, she intentionally goes in search of him. He isn't hard to find-- his presence in the Force is distinctive.

This Ahsoka is noticeably taller by several inches than the one Loki hung out with only two weeks ago, her horns larger, and her voice slightly more mature as well. She takes a deep breath. There's nothing for it-- if she doesn't bite the bullet and do this now, it'll be worse later on. She signposts her approach as she says--]

... Aren't you hot in all that?

A-ish

[complicatedliar]

[Loki doesn't look any different as such, but his entire bearing has changed from that week. There's a tension to him that doesn't interfere with his grace, like a cat coiled to spring, perhaps. And while he's capable of very pleasant expressions still--not that he's wearing one right now--the openness is gone, perhaps only noticeable because there is a point for comparison now.

There's a slight wince at her question, though, a twitch of his lips quickly smoothed over. Because of course, she had seen that other side of him that he keeps so carefully hidden, and this is a rather hot environment for a frost giant, isn't it. Though he does have hope that she knows not the significance of what she saw.]

Nay. For once, I feel as if I might be warm enough...

[A slight hesitation, because Loki never forgets anything. And it follows that he remembers very clearly their friendship, even if he knows it is a false artifact. Loki likes to believe he is entirely in control of himself, but in fact he is a creature ruled by emotion, and it's difficult to ignore such things when there is still a part of him he hasn't managed to bury entirely that craves the warmth of friendship.]

...Ahsoka. I trust you are well?

[resnipstance]

[Well, that's a positive start. She feels instantly encouraged, though one hand is still placed awkwardly across her body, resting on her other arm. It's a self-conscious little gesture.]

Much better, now that we're on land again.

Um... I take it you got your memories back?

[complicatedliar]

Yes. After a little more than a week.

[Thank goodness. He does not like how he was made to act the callow fool. He supposes that this was not nearly so bad as the time in Luceti, though...

Come to think of it, a few good things had come of that. But he isn't about to let himself have positive expectations here, not out of being manipulated.]

You seem to be... taller.

[resnipstance]

Good. I'm glad.

[She chuckles.] That's right. This is the age I'm supposed to be, normally. It seems like the Atroma thought it would be funny if I was thirteen again.

[Then she shrugs.] I guess it wasn't all bad. I was cute, right?

[complicatedliar]

[Slightly amused:] I wonder how many truly are.

[He hadn't realized how young she was at the time, and hadn't thought to ask, either. Interesting. But for a moment, that does tug a smile onto his lips. Yes, that is Ahsoka, through and through. What an odd way to know someone.] You did far better than any of the pestilential thirteen-year-olds I grew up with, to be certain.

[Heh.]

You still are rather cute.

[resnipstance]

[Surprise shows evidently on Ahsoka's face-- everything shows on Ahsoka's face, really. She's easy to read like that; it seems that part of her hasn't changed. The light blue stripes on her horns darken slightly, too-- her species' version of a blush, though Loki isn't to know it.]

Oh. [She was teasing; a serious reply to that was not expected. She isn't quite sure how to respond to that, and she looks it, suddenly self-conscious. Time for a SWIFT CHANGE OF SUBJECT.]

Um-- thank you.

Anyway... I wanted to find you because-- well. I think I owe you an apology...

[ c ]

[precedented]

[ Leto doesn't need to hunt. He doesn't need to eat or sleep. All these passing necessities have passed him by and they bore him. Boring, boring, boring, he thinks dispassionately as one sharp-toothed animal attempts to chew on his arm. He throws it off with a flick of his arm. ]

[ c ]

[complicatedliar]

[And then a moment later, the animal is pinned to the trunk of a tree with a dagger through its neck, soundlessly twitching in its death throes.

Loki drops down off the tree branch he'd been on, invisibility shredding away in a burst of light.]

Such a display of profound boredom. I think I'm impressed.

[precedented]

[ Loki. Leto tenses a little, wondering if the hammer will fall today - that he took advantage of an amnesiac and nearly pushed Loki into breaking his vows.

It passes. He shrugs, nonchalant. ]

I was in no real danger.

[complicatedliar]

[He reads that tension, and it's a bit like smelling blood. Interesting. Attention-grabbing.

He stalks forward to yank the dagger from dead beast and tree, then turns on Leto, reaching out with one hand to shove him toward the nearest tree.]

[precedented]

[ He lets himself be shoved, tilting his head quizzically. ]

[complicatedliar]

[He pins Leto against the tree trunk, the still-wet dagger coming up to rest as light as a feather against the curve of his left cheek.

Loki smiles.]

Have I told you lately, Leto, you are a fool?

[precedented]

[ He exhales, quiet. ]

Not recently.

D

[c0nsequences]

[The Stalker does not understand the appeal of soaking in these hot springs. Will the water damage his body? He always stayed out of pools while occupying his Warframe. He's still figuring out the limits of this form, though. What can it hurt?

That's what he keeps telling himself. He stands at the edge of one of the pools, naked and very confused as to why this is considered relaxing, or even necessary in the first place.]

D

[complicatedliar]

[After a long enough pause, Loki looks up from his book, one eyebrow curving.]

If you're looking to be admired, you're not doing a very good job of it. [What an awkward way to stand.]

[c0nsequences]

Hardly. This form lacks any features that would be worth admiring.

[And now that he knows he's being watched, he would rather hide. He steps into the pool instead.]

[complicatedliar]

That is certainly true. [He's certainly not impressed.]

Then why look you so dyspeptic?

[c0nsequences]

This is not what I am supposed to be. I deserve to be more powerful.

[You asked, Loki, and the Stalker does love to talk.]

[complicatedliar]

[Oh, he can smell the disaffected angst rolling off that one now.]

Oh? Why deserve you so much? A tragedy to have it so cruelly taken from you.

A

[therewillbeorder]

[This planet was a reminder of why he didn't really go outside and why he really liked his personal space. Never in his life had Hux dealt with anyone coming up and trying to hold his hand but he was grateful for the black gloves he wore today.

It was warm but he didn't take off any of his uniform, preferring to stay covered which included his greatcoat. Given his stature he didn't have brute strength to shove people away most of the time but he was good at avoiding contact when needed. He had enough contact with other people to last a lifetime- he had a bruise and cut on his face to remind him of that as well.

It seemed he wasn't the only one who had the same idea though of trying to avoid the hugging and hand holding. He sidestepped a local who suddenly lunged at him, letting them stumble and go towards Loki instead for a hug.]

You should be cautious, the natives here seem to have little respect for personal space.

Re: A

[complicatedliar]

[The native tries to catch himself on Loki--and continues the stumble, half-falling through an image that evaporates when touched.

And the real Loki is suddenly standing a few steps from Hux, his invisibility shredding away in a wash of light. He brushes imagined dust from the front of his coat.

Instinct and habit. Useful.

Dryly:] How... kind of you.

[therewillbeorder]

[That was...unexpected. Holograms were one thing but this was certainly something different and something which couldn't be explained. Magic, the Force- it all put him at a disadvantage he was more than aware of.

Despite being thrown off guard Hux forced himself to keep his expression composed as much as possible. There was no hiding how his eyes widened slightly, the tension in his shoulders though.]

Of course. No need to thank me.

[complicatedliar]

I wasn't.

[He smiles, showing his teeth.]

I can smell it when humans are surprised, you know.