"Six", of the Sunless Sea (
irassible) wrote in
maskormenacelogs2016-04-08 11:35 pm
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[ OPEN ] Sinners will be purged with COFFEE and FIRE
WHO: Six and YOU and probably the fire department
WHERE: De Chima coffeeshop + park
WHEN: April 9/10
WHAT: The venti isn't big enough, and Six discovers that his powers aren't quite what they used to be. Two open logs! PMs and pings at
Mirriem welcome.
WARNINGS: Quaint sailor swearing and open flames.
De Chima
8 AM, 4/9
Coffeeshop
De Chima
9 PM, 4/10
Park
WHERE: De Chima coffeeshop + park
WHEN: April 9/10
WHAT: The venti isn't big enough, and Six discovers that his powers aren't quite what they used to be. Two open logs! PMs and pings at
WARNINGS: Quaint sailor swearing and open flames.
De Chima
8 AM, 4/9
Coffeeshop
- This is the largest you have?
[ Someone is making a (small) scene at the counter during the moderate Saturday morning rush. It may not be the weekday slam, it's true, but there's plenty of open businesses and so plenty of customers queued up at the counter, all of them waiting behind the (slightly short) roadblock.
Said roadblock is: dressed too heavily for the weather, is armed, is obviously not human, and is holding the largest possible to-go cup. An annoyed and unimpressed barista rolls her eyes, and says again:
"Yes, sir, that's the largest we have."
However, despite that being the third time, the Problem eyes her, and then the cup, and then finally announces, to the groans of every other customer: ]
I'll take five.
[ Then he pays - awkwardly, taking up yet more time - and finally goes to sit and wait for his excessive amount of drinks. ]
De Chima
9 PM, 4/10
Park
- [ It had been one of the...posts? Messages? Posts. In said post, the man in question had said something about new powers, referencing something Six had only half paid attention to during his briefing. He hadn't thought much of it at the time, already exhausted with socializing and loathe to approach so...loud...a personality, but his words had stuck in Six's mind, nonetheless.
"To anyone whose powers may have recently awakened--"
And so he's here, in a grassy, slightly wooded area not far from his new "home", close enough to walk but far enough away from the houses to go unnoticed. Among the grass and tress there are a few rows of flat, open stone and concrete, each one marked with white lines with a net stretched in the middle. While he doesn't know what they're for, the bare sections are perfect, and just the right size. He picks one near the treeline, and leaves his tunic, his gauntlets, and the belt with his daggers on a bench, so that he's just in his scarf and his undershirt. He wants his hands free.
Six stretches, and then forms the signs with his hands:
Ten
Chi
J--
The last mudra is "Jin"; he meant only to call up a shroud of water, suiton. But in his head, he'd thought of the shorter pattern: Ten, Chi, the mudras for raiton.
The CRACK-BOOM of a lightning strike can be heard up the block. In the small park, there's suddenly the dancing flickers of bright flame, as someone has set one of the tennis nets ablaze.
Even from a distance, it's possible to hear said someone cursing. ]
Shite shite shite shite shite shite shite SHITE SHITE!
Coffee shop
It'd be difficult not to, considering.
When Six sits down at the table next to him, Matthew considers him for a moment--the weapons; the face tattoos; the ears, tail, and fur; all of which together paints a rather intimidating picture. But he's clearly an imPort, too, and that's what overrules Matthew's hesitancy. ]
That's a lot of coffee.
[ His tone is friendly, pleasant--and definitely curious, because he's never seen anyone like Six before in his life. ]
no subject
Yes, a boy. Not a child anymore, but not yet a man, either. ]
It's mocha. Mochas.
[ What is the plural? He has no idea. The unfamiliar word rolls strangely off his tongue, but he thinks he's got it mainly right. ]
Coffee and chocolate.
no subject
He nods, and drops his gaze from the ears so he can look more politely at the cat... man's... face. ]
Oh, right, mochas. Are they all for you?
[ His curiosity is distinctly harmless, like the rest of him. ]
no subject
The frown doesn't go away, but his posture is a few degrees less frigid than it was with the other customers or the cashier. ]
Yes. It's a combination I've never tried before, but it's impossible to get a real impression after only one drink.
[ He gestures back at the counter. ]
And more than one person is making them. Each one is going to be different.
no subject
He folds his arms on the table and leans forward, almost putting his elbow in the plate where the muffin used to be. ]
I never thought of that. I guess they will be a little different.
[ He sounds interested, not clingy but conversational. ]
Do you not have mochas in your world? Oh--
[ Before Six can answer he holds up his wrist for a moment, showing him where Matthew's tattoo would be if they were visible in the daylight. ]
I'm an imPort, too.
no subject
[ Not even going to bother hiding his surprise, or his second once-over.
Matthew looks...ordinary. Like any Hyur child from his world, except dressed for this world and comfortable with this world. Kitty had been much the same, however, an ordinary girl based solely on her appearance, but she'd quickly proven that wasn't the case.
For him, that has to be his situation as well. Six's curiosity prods at him despite his poor temper, prompting his tail to flick slowly. ]
Are you a mage? Or something else?
no subject
A mage? No.
[ He laughs a little, and places his chin in his hand. His superpower is being an incredibly pleasant teenager. He also has an automatic lie detection ability but it's awkward to work into conversation, and some other things he doesn't know about. ]
That'd be cool, though! There are some people here who are, though, who can do like, actual magic.
[ He realizes something. ]
Are you a mage?
[ What is Six at all, actually. ]
no subject
Magic is common in my world. Many people have an at least basic level of proficiency and some choose to master it as a profession.
[ But with that statement out of the way - ]
I'm a chef.
[ Says the guy with the daggers on his belt. But it's not a lie, exactly; a chef is indeed one of the things he is. ]
no subject
[ Matthew repeats the word and gives Six another once-over now, taking note again of the tail, the face tattoos, the earrings, the warrior-like physique, the daggers.
He smiles. ]
Right! That's cool, too.
[ His powers don't let him know when someone is telling him a partial truth, and for all his many charms, Matthew is very dumb sometimes. ]
Magic isn't common in my world. Not a lot of people can use it.
[ Indicating that some can, but he doesn't go into that. ]
I didn't have any powers before I got here.
no subject
Also, he's halfway through his first mocha and feeling perkier. ]
So you've picked up something since you came here?
Is that common?
[ He may have...read as much. Or been told as much.
But if his mood today is sour his mood a few days prior had been black, and he hadn't been inclined to listen to any of what was being told to him. ]
Sorry for the delay!
Yeah, I got my power from the Porter. I think it works that way for anybody who didn't have powers in their own world. Pretty weird, right?
No worries!
[ He scowls down at his table. ]
Considering we have a "purpose" here, a person that couldn't be employed as a soldier would be useless to them.
[ But a boy? ...he's seen that, too, and he dislikes it just as much every time. ]
It's cowardly.
<3!
[ Matthew gets that out of the way right quick, a sliver of discomfort showing itself in his expression and tone for the first time in this conversation. ]
My power isn't any good for fighting, either.
[ Six is scowling, and he isn't picking up on the exact reason why, so he chooses his words a little more carefully. ]
no subject
I don't think you should have to be, whatever your power is. You should be allowed to do as you please.
[ He pauses as a sour-faced barista brings him a tray of his drinks, rather than calling out his name, lest he clog up the counter any further. He takes one and removes the cap, brows lifting at the whipped cream topping. He sticks his finger right in the stuff and brings it to his mouth. ]
...very sweet. The chocolate better be more bitter. [ He licks his lips. ] What's your power, anyway?
no subject
Well. I can tell when people are lying.
[ He delivers this information without any hesitation (caution) or special weight to it. And rather than waiting for a reaction he sits up a little straighter, peering over at the drink. ]
The whipped cream is always sweeter.
[ Zero judgment here on the way that the cat-man-person is choosing to partake of his mocha, by the way. ]
no subject
Not a soldier, certainly. A spy, on the other hand... ]
A well-made cream is more subtle with its sweetness, otherwise it overpowers the rest of the dish.
[ He fishes up a straw and begins to mix the whipped cream with the drink itself, letting it melt into the chocolate and coffee underneath. ]
...can you always detect lies? Or is it something you have to focus in order to do?
no subject
Does it? I didn't know that.
[ Says the boy who is described as "a golden, indiscriminate pit" when it comes to food, and does not have the palate to even begin distinguishing a well-made cream from any other kind. ]
Huh? Oh. No, it happens all the time. [ He sighs a little. ] Kinda wish I could turn it off sometimes.
[ There are, in fact, specifics and limitations to his power, but it's safe to say that Matthew has not made any efforts to explore what those are. At the same time, he's more than willing to talk about what little he does know, and he's unhesitatingly honest about it--not the greatest spy material. ]
no subject
That's...troubling. Matthew's going to get a very serious look for a moment, because Six, no doubt like most of the people in this world and any other, has secrets he wants to keep. ]
That must make your life difficult.
[ His tone or more or less neutral, and he gives Matthew a chance to expand on that by taking a sip of his next drink, this time with the chocolate and cream together. ]
no subject
It's kind of-- [ Man, what's that word? That thing that he almost never experiences because he's too busy being bouyant and unaffected by the little problems of everyday life? ] --awkward, I guess.
[ That's what it is. ]
I don't think it's something people should be able to do.
[ Don't get him wrong; he's not in crisis about what he can do or anything, but it does nibble at his conscience. He does, actually, understand the importance of some secrets. ]
no subject
It's surprising that the kit is as friendly as he is. Six frowns for a moment more, then picks up one of his untouched drinks and takes it over to Matthew's table, setting it down in front of him. ]
Here.
I bought one too many.
[ That is, in fact, a lie, but one can't exactly come out and admit to feeling sympathetic. ]
no subject
I know you didn't buy too many.
[ This is his policy on this lie detecting business, if it weren't obvious: full disclosure. Even so, he tilts his head, and the smile comes back to his face. Unlike Six, Matthew isn't often surprised by people's friendliness; his life has been such that it surprises him more when people aren't. And with a brother as prickly as Ronan, who uses words like "shithead" as terms of endearment, Matthew also knows that friendliness can be hidden under a mask.
So he just asks straight out, to make it easier-- ]
Do you really want to give it to me?
no subject
[ He says without hesitation, right before he plops into the seat across from Matthew and reaches over the chair to start moving his copious drinks over onto the new table for easier access.
He's still lying. But he doesn't sound defensive, or even all that bothered by the knowledge that Matthew will know. In a way, it's almost simpler, easier. There's a many things he doesn't like to say and in this lone case, he finally doesn't have to.
It's almost nice. ]
But if you're not going to take it, I'll have it back, then.
no subject
He's also delighted to share his table--being alone always leaves a part of him feeling just a little discontent--and he scoots his plate to make more room for all the drinks, welcoming Six to join him without having to say anything out loud. ]
Hey, I'm Matthew, by the way. Matthew Lynch.
[ He takes a sip of the mocha, without remembering to stir it first, so pretty much all he gets is a mouthful of cream. (It tastes just fine to him but he doesn't have to say that either.) ]
no subject
[ Not a lie, this time; Matthew can certainly call him that.
And now that he's relaxing, if just a little bit, he can pull off his belt and lay his daggers on the seat beside him and settle in for what is going to be an incredible caffeine/sugar high in about half an hour.
But that's fine. Much easier, usually, to work off that excess energy if you have company. ]
no subject
[ Matthew holds up five and one fingers and looks across the table questioningly, wanting to be sure he heard right. Six is kind of an unusual name.
But then, Six is kind of an unusual person, from the tips of his ears to the points of those daggers. One can only wonder what he's like on a caffeine/sugar high, but it looks like Matthew's going to find out because he luckily does not have anywhere else to be this morning. ]
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