OPEN LOG FOR JAN

[heartstings]

WHO: Kenzi & OPEN
WHERE: Maurtia Falls & around
WHEN: January
WHAT: Some prompts for early January
WARNINGS: Alcohol, language, general Kenzi stuff

[A] THE RED BRANCH
[ Most any day of the week Kenzi can be found at the Branch. The exterior is still covered in graffiti but the front door, windows, and shutters have all been repaired. The door is unlocked to those that give it a try, though those with ill intent in their heart may find they can’t pass through the doorway.

Once inside the building is warm and inviting, if a little empty.

If Kenzi isn’t immediately in view her voice can be heard from somewhere in the building. ]

In here! [ Whereever here is. ]

[B] THE RED BRANCH SAND PIT
[ Some days the door is locked, but if one decides to wander the grounds a bit they’ll find a path has been cut through the overgrown that leads back around the building. There is a clearing with wooden seats built around a large pit of cleared land that has been filled in with sand. Broken weapon stands sit nearby. They’re mostly empty save a few broken wooden training weapons.

Well, there was sand but it’s now all been overtaken by grass which Kenzi is trying to clear away by any means necessary. In this case, it seems to be the use of her light abilities. Which seems to be doing a pretty good job of burning away the grass. ]

[C] GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN (OPEN; ANY CITY THAT ISN’T JEOPARDY)
[ Kenzi can be found in the bars and clubs in any of the cities; flirting, drinking, hustling some guys at pool if there happens to be a table, and dancing. She back from vacation and not letting the fun train come to a stop. Not yet, anyway.

She might also be found in a cafe or diner, window shopping, or just chilling on a bench. She likely has Sir Apple, the cat-sized green and pink fairy dragon, with her. Having him around garners a bit of a crowd, usually children, so she can’t be too hard to miss. ]

[D] WILDCARD
[ HMU on plurk or toss up your own prompt. ]

Comments

[heartstings]

[ Sir Apple sits on the back of the couch where he keeps a wary eye on Xellos.

There's plenty to be seen in the living area, blades of varying sorts strewn about on various surfaces. Books in all sorts of languages fill a bookcase but are also all over the room. It's not very organized in, really. And then there's Kenzi's clothing spread about. ]

Bedroom, kitchen, bathroom. [ She points to each one in turn before filling a glass for him. ]

[despicableglee]

Hoh? So this is your business and your residence? How convenient! [he turns away from the doors and heads back her way, balancing his staff on a shoulder.]

[heartstings]

I'm not living here. Yet. [ Soon though, she hopes. She pours herself some vodka as well before recapping the bottle. ]

Welp, now you've seen most of the place. Curiosity satisfied?

[despicableglee]

[he makes a drawn-out, thoughtful sound while taking the glass offered.]

So was the magic barrier the previous owner's security system? Or yours?

[heartstings]

[ The barrier isn't the only magic around. The door leading into the den is enchanted, though it's open so there's not much reason to poke at it. ]

So you noticed that, huh? Does it matter who made it?

[despicableglee]

[look, if he wanted to be pedantic, he could say "in the end nothing matters," but that's a bit dull, isn't it?

so instead:] It's good practice to take note of other magical sorts around, especially in such a strange place, yes? Who knows when they could come in handy.

[heartstings]

[ Dull but true. ]

I suppose. [ She shrugs before knocking back her drink. Still not answering the question, of course. ]

Anyway, there's not a lot to see in here, yet. And I got some work to do outside while it's still light and not rainy.

[despicableglee]

[he tilts his head, still smiling amicably.] Is that code for suggesting I get a move on.

[heartstings]

You don't have to go home but you can't stay in here!

[ She places her glass back on the table and moves toward the door of the den. ]

That said, you can follow me out to the sandpit if you want.

[despicableglee]

[still carrying his own glass, Xellos chortles and follows behind her without argument.]

Right, right...because there's no special locks in this part of the building.

[heartstings]

Noticed that one too, huh? [ The one on the door certainly has a different "signature" to it. One he'll get a better look at once he's out of the room because she shuts the door behind them. There are a few clicks at the locks fall into place, a faint glow pulsates across the runes etched into door's surface and then it just looks like a fancy door.

She makes her way to the front door, pausing to fold her wings up along her back and put her jacket and gloves on before heading outside. If Xellos follows he'll find he has no issue exiting the building. ]

[despicableglee]

[honestly? he didn't notice it at all, but he's glad for the information.]

So-- [he follows along, still carrying that glass he hasn't even so much as sipped yet in one hand, rocking his staff against his shoulder with his other.] Is it a literal pit of sand we're after? Can't say I've spied much of the sort in this concrete labyrinth.

[heartstings]

[ She hasn't yet taken note that he hasn't so much as sipped the drink. ]

Yeah, well, it was. It's been four years since it's seen any use so grass and other plants have taken over.

[ She leads the way down a somewhat overgrown path to a clearing where some old broken wooden benches and weapon stands sit around a large area framed by wooden beams set close to the ground. Bits of wet sand can be seen between the bits of grass and saplings that have sprung up. ]

We used to train out here.

[despicableglee]

[he makes a drawn out, acknowledging sound at that as he moseys along behind her, his head bobbing side to side to take in the sights.

not a whole lot of sand to speak of now, is there?]

So it's some symbol of days gone by? Don't they have a big memorial-thing for that in another city?

[heartstings]

Yeah, something like that. [ She sighs. Everything is just kind of a sad reminder of her time here before, of all those that are missing, but she can't help but cling to something familiar. ]

Huh? You mean the memorial for the dead? Naw, that's not the same thing as all this.

[despicableglee]

No? Sooooo...you're not going to come out here to be all sad after rapidly drinking a sizable quantity of alcohol?

[heartstings]

[ That seems to hit a nerve though Kenzi doesn't let it show as she turns to look at him. ]

No. The plan was to clean this place up and maybe use it for fight nights.

[despicableglee]

Oh! [he gets it.] It's more enjoyable to do hard labor while intoxicated! I see.

[heartstings]

One shot does not make me intoxicated. [ She snorts and rolls her eyes. ] I'm not even tipsy.

But, yeah, a little booze does help make hard labor feel less tedious.

[ Speaking of booze, she eyes the glass he's still carrying around. ] Are you just going to hold onto that or drink it?

[despicableglee]

Hm? Oh! [right. this thing.

...he has a mind to just dump it. or give it back to her.

that's probably bad form; he slams it back, offering the glass back to her.]

[heartstings]

[ She would have been pretty upset if he just dumped it, it would have been such a waste of perfectly good alcohol. She takes the glass from him and sets aside on the most level surface she can find before picking up a garden rake that's set nearby and moves to the sandpit. ]

So, how you enjoying this world?

[ Awkward small talk, but if he's going to hang around... ]

[despicableglee]

[hang around and just kind of stand in the way of things without the decency to move unless told? yes. yes he is. each and any wave to move him just puts him in a spot that'll be inconvenient later, like some kind of big dumb cat.]

It's quite the trip! Everyone is so very busy all the time, even when they're busy doing absolutely nothing of value at all!

[like him! right now!]

[heartstings]

[ Kenzi's used to a small dragon that likes to be in the way so Xellos is just a bigger version. She shoots him a flat stare and just does her best to work around him. ]

And what do you considering to be doing nothing of value?

[ She pauses with the end of the rake buried deep in the sand, ready to pull up more of the overgrowth. ]

[despicableglee]

Most things people get caught up doing. [a shrug.] People certainly put in an awful lot of time and effort into things that will have no impact after they're dead -- and even the things they think will matter won't anyway. But the mind seems designed to twist around just enough to make it all seem worthwhile.

[heartstings]

Yeah, well, that's just life ain't it? We're here, we do stuff that probably doesn't matter to anyone but us, and then we die.

[ If he's trying to sour Kenzi's mood he's failing. ]