driftfleet | Naviadna Mingle

[ a. the pitfalls of being Stuck ]

[ Yet another system that feels like... this. Though it is stronger than the last.

For Haggar, the way the sensation washes over her the closer they draw to it is... at first, distracting at best, though for most of her interactions she seems normal enough, if quiet, but she almost always is. There's been something disquieting about the Fleet of late, so she had made it a point, to be present and visible to those around her.

And then they arrive at the most prominent of the planets, and there's something haunting about the vague nostalgia, all the blue and green, the clear technological advancements that hold so much promise and wonder, the way that ringing gets so much more insistent that it just shoves everything around in her head, struggling with -- something else. It's loud. All of it is too loud and she cannot hear even herself but she feels relentlessly. Drawn.

Her facial markings glowing brightly as she leaves the ship, doesn't say where she's going, perhaps even isn't all too certain of that, as she ends up mostly meandering places, almost in a daze, searching, feeling almost compelled. Time is something forgotten. It might be a few hours, it might be days, she doesn't know.

Her cat for the moment remains on the ship, and Kova will proceed to bother anyone he finds to protest this.

But it is in a place filled with flowers that she finds herself stopped at last, holding onto a strange item that she's barely aware of having come across, let alone aware of what it is or what it once meant, but she's sitting with her arms wrapped around her knees in the field in one of her teal and white outfits and.

This could be a while.]

[ b. the children desire a beach day ]

[ However it may have happened, Haggar is slightly more aware of her senses, now, out here on the beach in of course a full body wetsuit with a tasteful sarong over that, and a pair of cats-eye sunglasses which feels odd because she doesn't really need it but someone told her she needed to accessorize. It's not easy to be in the moment to focus, and sometimes her attention wavers, but it's far better than that initial reaction had been.

Her marks still glow. The planet is still invigorating as almost treacherous the pull is. But some of them have gotten a nice place to sit out on the beach in something of a group, with enough placed blankets and umbrellas and lounging chairs and who knows what else magicked up by varying parties.

When she's not being dragged into something, she is trying her best to at least watch those around her, or at least their items, usually perched on the edge of a lounging chair while Kova properly lounges on it, because someone might as well use up the space on the chair, let alone that he's a cat out on a beach, but he's helping her stay present and so it is needed.

Or she's trying to create some sort of sand structure with her magic while less attentive to any antics, because why not. ]

[Despite the planet calling out to her, Rose is trying her best to make the most of a good thing. She soon finds herself at the beach, content to relax her troubles away.]

[That is, until a semi-familiar face catches her eye. She's seen Haggar around the Fleet before, but they've not spoken, and Rose only has a vague idea of who she is. The marks on her face are certainly interesting, though.]

[Rose approaches, her eyes trained on the glowing mark.]

I'm surprised. You don't seem like the sand-castle type.

Edited 2019-06-07 15:27 (UTC)

[Haggar had been a bit more caught up in moving the sand than paying attention, and the unfamiliar voice reminds her of that, as she glances upward to the approaching woman. Vaguely familiar, as those from the Fleet tend to stand out on these planets.

Hard not to feel that she's being studied in some way, but she doesn't remark about that. Instead, her voice is relatively measured, as she considers what has been said to her, and speaks.]

It is an exercise.

[Not that she's physically moving any of this sand, though her structure in progress seems to have come together well enough, with some distinctive tower walls.]

Constructive, though there is little value to it otherwise.

[Rose had been so fixated on Haggar’s markings, she’d neglected to see the other way the other woman is moving the sand. Some sort of magic, perhaps? If she wasn’t interested before, she certainly is now.]

What sort of exercise? It’s not for one of those ridiculous competitions, is it?

[She tilts her head slightly.]

... No.

[Despite the fact that, from the way she's building the structure, a closer look would also reveal different colors in the grains of sand, or even different minerals entirely, not found on the beach itself.

... It might just be a little Extra.]

It is only an exercise... to pass the time. A acquaintance with some simpler principles. Do you truly find it so... strange?

[Rose leans in more closely, the castle now commanding her attention. The closer she looked, the more intricate it seemed. The more she concentrated, the more the castle felt at odds with the beach around it. She turns back to Haggar.]

Frankly, yes I do.

[She forced herself to stop before she adds “you look like you would be more at home in front of a cauldron.” The confrontation with the Atroma is coming closer, and putting distance between potential allies could only hurt her.]

This entire situation is strange, don’t you think? We’re supposed to be meeting with the Interceptors soon, and here we are playing at the beach. It feels like we should be doing something more...dramatic.

[Hear. Feel. Think.]

[Rose is rather spiritually attuned, and she can feel the planet calling out to her before they approach. The calling gets louder and louder. At first it’s pleasant, reminding her of the festivals of her youth. But it doesn’t stop. It doesn’t cease.]

[Once they land on the planet, her legs seem to move of their own accord. She soon finds herself in a quaint meadow, surrounded by trees. She should be happy, she should be happy, but instead she’s slumped on the ground, clutching her head in pain. To anyone who knew her on Eorzea, this would be the tell-tale sign of the Echo, but something seems different.]

Seven hells...isn’t being one planet’s damned servant enough?

[“Relaxing”]

[Despite it’s pull, Rose eventually makes her way back to the city from the clearing. She’s set up shop at a small cafe, taking in the scenery. In her lap is an old, tattered sketchbook with the name ‘Anna Qeido’ written in an elaborate font on the front. Of all the things for the Atroma to send her, this? It’s certainly not what she expected.]

[There’s a bittersweet smile on her face as she flips through the book. Stopping every so often. It’s rather large, so anyone nearby will be able to see the drawings. Most of them appear to be of flowers, although there’s the occasional drawing of an eastern village.]

[So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish!]

Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.

[Rose had been warned that creatures from any world could appear, but why this? What had she done to deserve this? Hadn’t she suffered enough?]

“And so you see, that’s why we require your help, yes yes! The tasks may sound arduous and needlessly convoluted, but we assure you they are no such thing. We only require your help this once!”

[In front of Rose there is a small, fish like being. He stands about waist height to Rose, and is wearing a small red apron with a large bell. The creature’s round head is sporting rather large whiskers, and in his eyes...there is only despair. Do not look at the Namazu, lest they find some way they can use you to turn a profit.]

Edited 2019-06-09 03:08 (UTC)

... It is. However, preparation comes in all forms.

[Not that this particular activity really counts, but she has her reasons.]

Until we have more information to... utilize, there is little that can be acted upon, which has been the case for a great deal of time. If we have a more feasible battle ahead of us at last, this may be our last chance to have an opportunity for... something like this.

[The seemingly idle times that so often could be taken for granted.]

What would you prefer to be doing?

I suppose it does.

[She thinks back to her time with the company of heroes, preparing to fight Titan. That seemed like a life-time ago, but she did suppose that the menial tasks they'd asked of her had helped, at least somewhat.]

The fact this is likely our last chance to relax makes it harder to do so, though. Besides...

[Rose trails off, looking at the marks on Haggar's face.]

It feels like there's something we should be doing on this planet, now. You can hear it calling to you, can't you?

[She takes a better look at Rose, allowing the frames of her glasses to dip slightly and reveal her eyes.]

It is a... rather insistent call.

[To put it very mildly, with what she had experienced so soon after arriving. In a way, it resonated all too well with her. She understood that... need. That wish.]

But what it desires of us is intrinsically tied into... what we are already preparing for, if that outcome can be achieved by our efforts, or even what these Interceptors may have to offer. Being aware of the circumstances... is only part of it.

'Insistent' is one way to put it. This planet hasn't given me a moment of peace since I've arrived.

[She shakes her head and meets Haggar's eyes.]

Yes, but why would the planet continue to call us if there isn't something to be done here? Why did the Interceptors choose now to strike? I'm sure that we'll learn more once we meet with the other party, but waiting right now leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

There are far more questions than there are ... answers.

[Still, there's a thoughtful look in her eyes as she considers Rose's words.]

Perhaps there may be some found here. This planet... once called others to it from other realities. The Atroma have that same power, as we have experienced, and there is more than an indication that there is a link between them and this planet. It may have been an intended... or redirected course, that brought us here now.

[Thing is, even after all of this, Remy didn’t get sick of seeing new stops. Finding new stuff to explore, moving amongst it’s people, finding what bits and pieces he can compare to that he already knows. But with the recent events he can’t help but compare it even more to home, of how different everything was, and if it was worth it, especially with that meet up to come. It was heavier thoughts than he wanted to have, rather to just getting lose in their time here and enjoy it.]

1) Vanakaliva Islands
[Remy’s not much of a beach person, but he knows several who are, plus it was a nice way to distract his mind from everything else. So grab up some towels, snacks, and drinks, and heading out for a relaxing day under the sun. While the resort side is fun, there’s an appeal to getting a little lost on the more private beach side of things.

Plus, really, he’s a kid at heart and the excuse to be able to go climbing around those rock formations is too much a temptation for Remy to ignore. So don’t be surprised to find him half way up the cliff side between times in the water to cool off, or just lazing around on the sand.]

2) City
[City time is about normal; restocking items he or the Bar needs, looking for new stuff that caught his eye, and just finding a way to have fun and spend his time on stops. It’s easy to find him looking through a range of shops, most likely lingering around some of the clothing ones to get new items to wear and freshen up his wardrobe, as well as stockpiling a few ‘just in case’ general gifts for future events.

Remy also takes time to check out the museum. Now this does feel like a step back home. Maybe not the content inside, but just being in a space that exhibited it. It does bring up a few nerves; that urge he always has to pull a job, then feeling bad he hasn’t been practicing his skills while he’s been on the Fleet. So while he is admiring the art, there is a good chance half the time he is also working out how to steal it…]

3) Wildcard

_{[ Kirk had jumped off to many rock faces in his time to want to do it willingly again, and frankly jumping from a height usually meant he was in some sort of trouble. But he was happy to watch Remy enjoy himself and to clap appreciatively when he dived in.

He walked to the water's edge to greet him with a small towel to wipe the salt away with, smiling warmly at his lover. ]}

Having fun?

[Natasha's not usually one to nap. Even in the fleet, there feels like there's too much to do. Too much risk of missing the next planet threatening catastrophe or bit of information doled out through clues and hearsay. It's a migraine that takes her down in the middle of the day. Also not usual. It occurs to her, but the headache and nauseous light sensitivity are enough to convince her to lay down.

Hard to say if things would have gone different if she'd done otherwise. Probably not.

When she wakes, it's with a start. Her whole body tenses like she's waking up from a nightmare. It's not a dream, though. It's all too real, and the proof of that is on her face and in her hair. The blonde is back—but just at the tips. It's been months since the last time she bleached it. Maybe years. At some point, she stopped caring—she had priorities so much bigger than keeping her hair stylish, bigger even than staying inconspicuous. It's visible for anyone looking how long it's been since she cared what she looked like.

The new memories overlap with the old one, but there's so much new...

She has to get out. She's off Vanquish quickly, not sure who she's looking for or who she's trying to avoid. She just needs to be moving. She needs fresh air, if she can find it. And quiet. She needs—

She just needs something. She can be found in bars and markets, walking in the street, distracted and vaguely rushed, but with no where to be. People from home she'll catch if she finds them, grabbing them by the arm and looking into their faces without a word and searching for signs they remember too.

There's no words with that look. Not at first. Somethings can't be asked.

Did it work?]

[Taking a moment to brush his hair up and off his face, since the water had more or less ruined any style Remy had put it in earlier, he let out a huff of breath to clear water drops from around his mouth before giving Jim a bright smile.] What's life without a lil' bit of danger, hein?

I get 'nything from the 'merican judge?

( a. rainbow waters of Naviadna - Sing me a song )

[On a planet like this, with her magic supercharged, Lup would normally be out practicing her spells, flinging them wildly at targets out in the middle of nowhere, expending her energy, trancing, doing it all over again. Like many others, she's aware of what might be coming soon, and she wants to prepare. But… the song. Something about it calls to her, and she responds the only way she knows how: following the voice, wading out into the water, listening to the song she hears, and echoing it on her violin. The sound of it is soft and willowy, uncharacteristically so for her, and something about it gives the impression that a part is missing. Lup doesn't mind, though. She can hear the other half.

Maybe, just maybe, this time, if she indulges in the music of this world it'll give her what she needs. So she plays, sometimes a variation of the tune, sometimes other songs. Somehow she always goes back to that same song, though.]

( b. not what she'd expected… )

[For those who reach the rainbow pool around the same time Lup is there, they might feel a different sort of pull- an uncomfortable tug on their heart. It's not painful, and ultimately harmless, but it is accompanied by a low-pitched jingle of a bell.

Lup is sitting at the edge of the water with her toes dipped in, holding a small and simply-decorated bell in her hands, occasionally flicking it with a finger to make it ring and glancing around to see if anything happens. When she notices anyone approaching, she immediately clamps a hand down on the bell to silence it, eyes wide.]

Oh balls, shit, are you okay?

( c. tapestry of skin - text, LOCKED TO MAGNUS )

hey burnsides

I need some legit Protection, call me when you're free for an afternoon

( d. Beach shenanigans )

[A bit later on in the month, Lup has shifted her attention to a local beach, clad in a flame-bright bikini and an enormous floppy-brimmed sunhat. She's sprawled out on a towel, laying on her stomach, her top undone to indulge in the warmth of the sun and darken her tan without the suit getting in the way. Is it a public beach? Is nudity even allowed? ...Does she care? (Nah.) She might even be Trancing, appearing asleep to those who pass by. Maybe wake her up before she starts to burn…?

One thing that's noticeably new is a tattoo drawn on her back- a set of seven black birds of varying sizes and arrangement, flying along her right shoulder blade, soaring towards an orb of white light near her neck. It looks pretty fresh, and the way she's laying makes it easy to assume that she's showing it off.

When she isn't sunbathing, she's futzing around in the water, chucking a beach ball at passerbys or kicking water in their direction.]

Hey! Play with me, nerd!

( e. wildcard )

[prompt me! She'll be all over.]

[One of the hardest parts of coming back to this place was having to split his attention between the different people he needed to see. First priority had gone to Loki - as always. But soon enough Thor had taken off to the Vanquish as well, because there was one other person he needed to see immediately, in person.

Which makes it all the more alarming when Natasha isn't on her ship.

Thor has no idea where she might be otherwise, so he does the only reasonable thing he can, though he doesn't feel particularly reasonable as he makes the call. A bit panicky, maybe. But he checked the manifests, he knows she's still in the Fleet, so --

He calls. Hoping as it rings that it doesn't just go to message, because then he'd really not know what to do.]

[Wanda's hair is still not the orangey shade Natasha last saw it and she's not the one looking like she just saw a ghost. But she can tell that something's wrong, even without her powers, and she lightly lays a hand on Nat's other arm protectively.

She doesn't sense danger, but something must have happened.]

What is it?

[It's later in the month and it's been hard to keep this under wraps, but he had to. He had to. It took him awhile to find the right materials after all - the puka shells, the right illusion spell to make his hair look that sort of beach bleached blonde, the honestly terrible swimming shorts reminiscent of the ones he wore nonstop for a year. He makes sure to change the designs just enough that it could be a coincidence, some random happenstance that makes him look like a shadow of himself from, gods, decades ago. It's hard to forget though (ironically), seeing how it was the last time they all had a year to honest to gods relax before everything became a constant horrifyingly slow descent into the monotony of watching worlds get swallowed over and over again.

But now? Now it's beach time and Taako finds Lup sunning herself with a new tattoo that is seriously too well timed. With a grin, he flops down next to her on the sand, crossing his arms behind his head as he lays back.

Time to absolutely fuck with her.]

Nice ink - when'd you get that?

[The voice jars her out of the trance easily enough, her initial reply half-muffled by a yawn.]

Few weeks ago. Mags helped me scope the place-

[And that's about when she lifts her head and tilts her sunhat up enough to see him, at which point she cuts herself off to just. Stare blearily at him.

Thaaaat's eerie. Is she still dreaming? She pinches her wrist.]

[She stops abruptly and it takes all of his considerable willpower not to grin like an idiot. Instead, he opens one eye to glance at her curiously, as if he doesn't know what she's staring at.]

You call Magnus and not me? I feel like I should be offended.

Edited 2019-06-10 20:30 (UTC)

[Oookay, pinching does nothing, which means this is real. She stares for a moment longer then hastily glances down again, reaching her hands back to try and tie up her bikini top. This would be a poor time to forget about it and sit up, and it seems like this is gonna be one of Those Days, where his unintentional reminders are likely to trip her up.]

You sporting a tat somewhere that I don't know about? Because he's the expert between the two of you.

[That, and this particular design had been... y'know, emotional, and Magnus at least wouldn't need her to explain herself.]

[It's a short list of people who Natasha would have answered the phone for right now. James. Steve. Maybe Vision or Wanda. It's a short list, but one Thor is near the top of.

The timing being what it is, she has to wonder.

She can't be the only one who woke up with new memories, can she—]

Thor?

[Mistake. Natasha sees it almost immediately. Not soon enough tamp down on the impulse. Not soon enough that there's not a half a moment where she stands still and shaken, before she realizes that Wanda doesn't know.

Natasha shouldn't have dragged her into this.

She gives a quick head shake then.]

New memories. Sorry—still getting my footing back.

Naviadna Mingle

haggar | ota

Re: haggar | ota

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Rose | OTA

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Remy LeBeau | OTA

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Natasha Romanoff | sneakinging in an Avengers: Endgame update

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d. ufufufu

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