the climb [OPEN]

[fauxmarth]

WHO: Lucina, assorted
WHERE: All over
WHEN: September
WHAT: September adventures
WARNINGS: tbd



o1. Put in the work (Helix Station training rooms, daytime)
[a facility like this does a great deal to soothe Lucina's worries she's simply not doing enough; here she can really push herself without imposing on others -- perhaps to her detriment, given her stubbornness in the face of pain. it may be easy to blame her for being so shortsighted, but honestly? when there are 30ft robots and people who can lift buildings or read minds or control the elements, it's hard to not feel a little lacking.

now, she's not a bearer of super strength or anything, but her years of training and the war have led her to be unusually powerful for her size and physique. some of that must also come from her pedigree -- not just Chrom, but Sully, whose sheer brute force would've been the stuff of legends, had her world been given a chance to thrive.

it's why, despite the almost comical image she makes, Lucina's not yet crushed by the massive weight being gradually increased and pressed down on her. at least the damn machine is designed to avoid fatal risks, because she sure as hell isn't willing to give herself a little slack, instead snarling through gritted teeth and trying her damnedest to push back up on the weight.]


o2. Increase one's awareness (Maurtia Falls, evening)
[for a time, Lucina thought it a bit arrogant of her to go out of her way to find and resolve conflicts on her own, especially considering this world already has its own system for calling upon her and others registered for just that. repeated catastrophes and some first-hand experience with the police of this city has her more inclined to question that initial impression.

it's why now, she's taking a page from her father's book and patrolling the city. there's still a little apprehension in stepping in, of course, but only to a point: the second she sees real danger looming, she'll be there, swooping in from the heights with a brandished blade and loud proclamations of the very real consequences of continuing the threat. it's not subtle by any stretch, but from her standpoint, it shouldn't be: injustice should always be brought to light kicking and screaming.

perhaps you're already on patrol and spy her drifting above the rooftops, or maybe you're in the midst of de-escalating a situation she's about to swoop into. orrrr, perhaps, you're the one in need of rescue?]


o3. Don't forget to take breaks (a bake shop, Maurtia Falls, daytime)
[many good things have happened in this particular pastry shop, so Lucina finds peace of mind in simply having a seat with a small confection, a book, or some particular distraction to busy her eyes when she's not caught up in watching the street outside or perusing the Network for news.

here, a surprise visit from a friend or acquaintance is most welcome -- and she's not impartial to making new friends here, either! after all, she's made dear friends here before, why not more? she'll even buy you a donut.]


o4. Stay open to making mistakes, learning (O'Malley clinic, De Chima, mornings/day)
[she still feels a bit guilty for letting herself slack and avoid returning to De Chima because of the Shimmer. all the more reason to make her way back there, honestly: she promised Iris her aid months ago, and she won't go back on that.

after all, she's getting the hang of how things work in this clinic -- not just from a first-aid sense, but in its general paperwork structure and processes. here she can guide new patients through the papers with relative ease (albeit with a limit on her patience) and get things tidied and ordered relatively quickly, picking up slack so the physicians can do their work most effectively.

she's no nurse, but she does tend to be the first person one may see in getting seated in a room. checking blood pressure, getting initial symptoms written up, all that sort of thing...she can do that.

just don't expect to be coddled too much if you're being a fuss about it: she will wrestle you to the table if you're going to misbehave.]


o5. Pause for breath (Maurtia Falls canal/park, day)
[Odin's dogs don't walk themselves in this city, and when he's off and busy, Lucina takes it upon herself to get them walked and their excess energy expended. they're a bit of a handful, those two big, fluffy lugs, but never disastrously so. it just means lots of stops for folks to coo and pet them and for those two hams to soak it all in. it grates on her patience a bit, but Lucina's always polite -- and certainly more amicable when she's seated and letting them mull about and sniff so she can rest.]


o6. Uhhhh (???)
hmu @ whyellewhy on plurk if u got another idea, or just start ya own thing below

Comments

for fortunato:

[fauxmarth]

[she's a bit of a sight to behold, once the light stops glaring brightly into the eyes: bedecked in plate armor, looking like she's walked out of a fairy tale, Lucina is quick to turn on her heel and stride away from a pair of police officers, a vexed expression painted on her face. she only walks a few dozen yards before she veers off the sidewalk and out of curious passers-by's ways to go and sit down at a bus stop bench, slumping forward so her chin rests in her hands.

from there, she sighs, frowning down at the street while getting lost in her thoughts, oblivious to the sight she makes of herself.]

[prayercycles]

[ For the last couple weeks, Fortunato has been doing something many teen imPorts have been slacking on: attending school. He's been trying to keep a low profile, and, well, he just spent two years living in a school; it seemed obvious.

Not that it hasn't been more difficult than anticipated. The last "normal" school he went to wasn't in America, for one. And people didn't ask for autographs there, even if he's probably the least famous imPort out there. Not to mention he has some...lingering feelings of discomfort related to schools in general.

So he's honestly happy to see someone he's familiar with on his way home, although he doesn't really show it. But...what exactly is she wearing... ]

Lucina? [ He says, approaching, clearly trying to make sense of the situation. ]

[fauxmarth]

Mh-?

[she blinks blankly, then sits up, looking his way. it takes just a second for her to recognize him, and her expression brightens a bit as she smiles, offering him a way.]

Oh! Good day, Fortunato. What brings you to Maurtia Falls?

[prayercycles]

The library. I needed a book, for school. [ He's holding the book, and he shifts it a bit in his hands. Just a standard textbook.

Clearly there's more going on than that, though. He's not even sitting down next to her yet, just studying the outfit. It's not that he didn't know Lucina had some sort of fantastical background- the girl has a sword- but it's still a bit surprising to see. ]

Um- is something happening? Your outfit...

05

[d33tached]

[Tommy is usually relatively well-behaved, especially when he's around D33, but when the dog notices Lucina (and more importantly her furry friends), he loses it a little. Good thing he's on a leash when he tries to run toward them!

[And then the collar snaps open and he's on the loose. D33 comes running up behind him, calling his name. Meanwhile, Fumio is dragged along with him--

[Just kidding. He's in front, dragging D33 even more. These bad boys.]

My goodness--

Ah, Lucina, my apologies. [He says, trying to tug Tommy back by the scruff of his neck and get his collar back on.]

[fauxmarth]

[Lon'qu and Lissa getting all excited for friends is what stirs Lucina out of her daze, and she's already braced for dogageddon as they pounce and begin to bark and bounce around, making D33's struggle to wrangle his dog all the more difficult.

she shoots up with a startled sound, herself going for the leashes she'd loosely knotted on the leg of the bench, ensuring their tautness before stepping into the fray to grab Lissa around her middle and hoist her away.]

Uffh--enough of that! Come now! Forgive me, they're just--[grunting as she works to keep hold of the furball while reaching for Lon'qu's collar.] Very excitable-! Harmless, though...!

[d33tached]

Likewise. Tommy, come on will you?

[The dog continues to bark and bounce around, occasionally sticking his butt into the air to show that he's ready to start playing. D33 does manage to get the collar back on, though, and tucks him back a foot or two with the leash.]

Ridiculous...[He's muttering it to himself, cringing at a glob of slobber on his shirt.]

[fauxmarth]

[with this break in the flurry of action, Lucina can finally look up with some surprise to see that it's D33 trapped in this. from her limited experience with him, he rarely seems the sort to be wrangling dogs...]

Uffh-- [she sits down heavily with a bunch of dog in her lap, her foot firmly stamped down on Lon'qu's length of leash to keep him at a distance despite his whining and yipping.] There. Stop it, they've got places to be. [glancing up at D33.] Or, I assume so. I've not seen you about here before...

01

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

[Physical training? Pushing one's limits? Tackling massive amounts of weight? Oh, you better believe Jacob is here for this. He's off to the side, wearing a black tank top and spotting Lucina as he yells words of encouragement to her:]

That's it Lucina, you've got this! Feel the burn and push through it! Come on, keep going, keep at it!

[He is proud of her and is totally going to attempt the same task once she's done, assuming she doesn't end up injuring herself.]

[fauxmarth]

Nguh-!

[not much of a reply, but she's kind of busy. with an audience cheering her on, she's more determined to outdo herself, defying the screaming in her muscles to keep at it, suck in a fast breath, and heave upward harder.

she can hold it for a few seconds more before her knee quivers and gives, sending her down hard with a yelp. fortunately, the equipment isn't designed to just straight-up pancake a person as punishment, instead buzzing loudly and halting altogether, leaving her to her panting and pushing up to sit.]

Dam-dammit...! It's still...too little.

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

[Jacob steps forward and hands her a water bottle.]

Drink up, take a breath. You did great.

[He looks at the weight, taps it as though to confirm yes, that is indeed a giant hunk of heavy metal.]

Looks damn big to me. What's eating you, Lucina?

4

[h2no]

[archie's been avoiding de chima for the same reasons as lucina. feeling guilty about it, too. he wasn't even involved in the shimmer, but knowing those tree people are around-- it brings back too many unpleasant memories. angela being ported out actually changed this; she had wanted her money to go to the clinic and while archie was happy enough to do so, he avoided actually visiting it for as long as he could, instead meeting with iris in another city entirely.

he's here now, though. not because he needs to be. aginst his better judgement, he'd told iris that he'd be happy to work a few shifts if she ever found herself short and figured-- he'd need to pull himself together and scope out the place at least once before committing to it. he'd elected to bring the current receptionist a coffee on his way over and is just pulling away from a short chat with them when he spots lucina.

huh.]

Woah-- hey, yo, Luce. Didn't think I'd see you here! [he really didn't-- he either doesn't know or has forgotten she works here sometimes. archie looks her over briefly.] You ain't bein' treated, are ya?

[fauxmarth]

Wuh-- [she's just as surprised when she reemerges from settling a patient in a room, stopping short when she sees him at the desk. she slowly starts to smile.]

Why, no. No, of course not. I'm as healthy as a horse. I actually do some work here now and then! [head tilt. squint.] You're not here for treatment, are you? I should hope not.

[h2no]

[healthy as a horse... it makes him snort a little laugh.]

Nope! I've been good. Don't need any medical attention, I don't think... [not for the last few months! it's a new record!] --I, uh, told Iris I'd be happy to cover some shifts if shit gets really wild after Angie was... yeah.

[he shrugs a little awkwardly.]

Just thought I'd come check the place out, 'cause I've never been here.

02! A ROOFTOP

[khajidont]

[ Maurtia Falls is rarely described as quiet. No matter what, there's almost always something to be done: a car crash, a collapse, a mugging, gang activity, hold-ups and danger lurking around every corner.

Not tonight. It's quiet, oddly so, and after doing his patrol, Jaime winds up just standing on the rooftop, listening to the patter of the police radio in his own head, courtesy of Khaji Da. It's a whole lot of nothing, so eventually he goes from standing to sitting, resting his chin on the heel of his hand. And then, well, it's still quiet, and he can listen while he's lying down, right?

When Lucina lights on this specific rooftop, she'll be treated with the rare sight of the Blue Beetle on his back, one foot planted flat on the rooftop, his ankle propped up on his knee and his hands resting on his stomach as he snores.

Listen, he gets bored, okay? ]

this is a good prompt

[fauxmarth]

[from afar, blue and black legs sticking out above a concrete roof is very hard to recognize, and so just by that merit she's drifted over. when she sees just who it is lounging up there, though, she's briefly concerned, assuming he's been laid out by...something. hit by a plane, maybe? what could possibly take out Sir Blue Beetle?

but...no. look at that -- just relaxing! she smiles with relief as she settles onto the roof, just about to call out when she hears one of those noisy snores.]

Wha-- Oh... [she brings a hand to her mouth to smother a laugh as she slowly and quietly saunters over (best she can bedecked in plate armor, anyway), walking around him so she can peer at a less upside-down sight of him.

so he does take breaks like average man, does he? it shouldn't be surprising, especially since he tends to have such an easygoing demeanor, but...she's always been around him on-the-go, crisis or not. lazy bug isn't really one of the descriptors first come to mind in his regard.

after a beat, she crouches down, draping her arms on her knees, and squints at him. gods, when he snores like that, you can see his tonsils...why does a mask in armor let one see their tonsils. she likes him very much, but this whole situation with the squishy face-armor will never not be icky.

...hum. so...do the both of them sleep at the same time? Lucina frowns, tilting her head as she wonders whether or not his "friend in his head" could possibly be bound to the same rules as the young man in the suit. maybe she should experiment.

yes, let's experiment.

Lucina gets her communicator out of her belt pocket and sends a message to Sir Beetle. he did say his friend can get messages on his own, so...]

Hello.
Friend in Sir Beetles head? Are you awake?

and this is gonna be a GOOD THREAD

[khajidont]

[ Jaime, of course, remains completely and deeply asleep, shifting a little from time to time but nothing that can't be attributed to what must be pleasant dreams; he looks too placid and undisturbed for them to be anything else. Maybe it's sleeping in the fresh air and in the comfortable temperature-regulation of his suit, making for a better rest than one may expect seeing him laid out on the concrete the way he is now.

Khaji Da is, of course, aware of everything that's going on. That said, he doesn't think that his host gets enough sleep (which is to say, he knows he doesn't get enough sleep) so he allows him his slumber, knowing that Lucina will do nothing to harm him in this vulnerable state.

It's a surprise when she contacts him directly instead. ]

Hello.

I do not sleep.

for red:

[fauxmarth]

What on earth...?!

[Lucina's barely made it halfway from the clinic back to the porter, ready to call it a day and get back to Maurtia Falls to rest when she spies a very, very unusual and unwelcome sight: a small pillar of flame bursting up into the sky. very unfit for De Chima proper, and not a sight she's inclined to see as good, considering the recent past.

she narrows her eyes, changing course and zooming in that way to investigate, a hand gripping Falchion's hilt.]

[versusseeker]

[And what should she find when she arrives? It's Charizard, flapping his wings and sending bursts of flame high into the air as Red mercilessly tickles his tummy.]

[fauxmarth]

[when she does see this, she lets out a surprised half-scoff, half-gasp.

unbelievable. here she was, ready to crush skulls, and...this is the scene she's met with?]

Honestly, Red! [her tone's a bit indignant...but only a little. it's hard to be mad at the man, or such a happy-looking dragon.

she lands, sheathing her sword and marching over, hands on her hips.] I thought someone was wreaking havoc over here, and look what I find at the root of all that fire and fury. You gave me a scare!

02

[minorgod]

[ Yato doesn't exactly patrol, but he spends a lot of the wee hours of the morning wandering dark streets in the various Porter cities when he doesn't feel like sleeping. Most of the time, the jet black sheath of the Inazuma sword at his hip. Ever since he'd discovered during the riots that some variant of his Rend ability worked here, it made a lot more sense to keep the weapon on him more often than not.

He doesn't witness the actual takedown, but he does see the aftermath of Lucina's blaze of justice, and whistles, low and impressed. ]

You really make good on the "superhero" angle, you know...

[fauxmarth]

[still fresh from the fight, that sound has her bristling, spinning on her heel to face him, eyes sharp and weapon brandished.

it takes a beat to realize he's not poised for a fight and eases up...slightly. one can never be too sure, after all.]

Titles aren't my intent. This is part of the new role I've accepted as a member of the Aegis Force. [she gestures slightly with Falchion before turning back partway to the pile of goons at her feet.]

Keep a safe distance; they may prove still dangerous.

4

[cigarbribery]

[Foggy's not actually here to get any injuries fixed—in fact, when he drops by, he's perfectly healthy and cheerful, although he does yawn somewhat from having pulled a late night. No, what he's here for has something to do with the jumbo box of donuts that he bought on his way over, and once he spots Lucina he immediately beelines towards her.]

Hey! Hey, Lu—you guys have a fridge here, right? 'Cause I can't actually eat all of this, better men than me have tried. [And he holds the box up. It's a very large box.] But they were kinda doing a promo, so. Want some?

[fauxmarth]

Oh--Foggy! [she's surprised to see him. surprised, but delighted. she skirts around the lobby desk to meet him, making a move to embrace him and stopping short when the box is brought into view. she chuckles. that's typical for him, isn't it? always some box of goodies...]

It's rare for you to admit defeat on treats like this; I hope you're feeling well. [she eyes him as she takes the box from him.] I saw that yawn.

[cigarbribery]

I'm feeling fine. [In truth, he'd bought it because, well, the clinic would probably appreciate having snacks around, even if it probably won't last too long.] Just pulled a late night last night, but other than that I'm as fit as a fiddle.

[A fiddle that gets exhausted climbing up more than three flights of stairs when not running on worry and adrenaline.]

How're you and the clinic doing?