I can move mountains, I can work a miracle [OPEN]

[rassera]

WHO: The residents of Nonah 05 + YOU!
WHERE: Nonah, Residence #005
WHEN: All month long (January)
WHAT: Nonah 05 open log for January Shenanigans
WARNINGS: Obligatory Bull and Tetsuo warnings apply.


Starters will be appearing in the comments. If you want something specific from any one person (Kaneda rassera, Tetsuo iamtetsuo, Bull rideme and Ken amadaman), feel free to drop them a line and ask! Otherwise, feel free to add your own starters for the whole household or individual residents as you like.

Comments

[rideme]

[He's silent for a while, regarding the kid for a long moment. Not stubborn refusal -- the face gives it away. He's not turning him down because of pride. This is something else.]

[So he nods.]

All right. Hold tight.

[He's moving more steadily these days, so it doesn't take him long after he pads away to return. Holding one of those plastic bags people use to pick up after their pets. It's even labeled, in careful block letters - "CAT CRAP. DON'T TOUCH."]

[And he sets it down beside the 'gift'.]

Here's where we put shitty presents in this house. Think there's room for one more?

'Cause I do.

[iamtetsuo]

[It's a testament to just how thoroughly Pan's destroyed every bit of Tetsuo's self-esteem and pride, shredding through his insecurities and all the while promising happiness, that even with his powers back for a day, he doesn't even want to touch it with his mind.

Or maybe he doesn't even believe he can.

As Bull moves off, Tetsuo doesn't move. He stands frozen to the spot like a deer in the road, waiting for any excuse to attack or bolt. Bull is steady as they come, walking easily in, and pulls out a bag that Tetsuo even can make out a few words on. He knows 'cat' and 'crap'.

After a pause, he grits his teeth, not trusting himself to reply coherently. Nods.]

[rideme]

Good. Because there's only one place for shit like that.

[And thus the Iron Bull crouches down to gather up all that junk into the plastic bag with the rest of the shit. Right where it belongs, in his opinion. Outwardly, he's as calm and relaxed as ever.]

[Inwardly, there's a stream of curses strong enough to make a Rivainni Pirate blush. The word 'saarebas' is rapidly moving from Tetsuo to Pan. And he doubts even Hawke will have an issue with that.]

[At length, he finishes, and ties off the bag, before regarding Tetsuo again.]

Want to do the honors? I can get the fire going. [He pauses, then adds:] Grab the bag by the top. That's why they make them -- so you can pick up shit without getting your hands dirty.

Kids can do it. Little kids.

You've got better hands than little kids, right?

[He doesn't want to do this for Tetsuo if he doesn't have to. That might... damage something. The kid has to do this on his own.]

[iamtetsuo]

[Warily, like the bag could come alive at any minute, Tetsuo gives one look to Bull, then edges closer. Small, hesitant steps. Every step instinct screams at him to go the other way, but he keeps moving mechanically forward. Fear's slowed every moment down, hammering the seconds with his heartbeat.

Sure, it's fine with Bull. But this wasn't meant for him.

It takes him a while to silently pad over to the waiting bag, darting his hand out quickly to grab it and bracing for an impact that doesn't come. Nothing happens. The bag's got it contained. Steeling what little courage he can find, he looks back up at Bull.

If this kills him, he knew it'd happen.]

[rideme]

Good. Good work.

[Still using slow, calm tones. He means it, however. Every word of praise. He doesn't look away from the kid, doesn't rush him. But if he needs to, he's ready to take the bag himself.]

Deep breath. Take a few. We're going to walk that outside, and toss it in the fire pit.

All right?

[Best to prep him. Tell him exactly what he'd planned. See how much of it the kid could carry out on his own. Without help. But without moving too far away. He's here. If he's needed, he's here. He'll lead them outside, though, toward the fire pit, soon as Tetsuo is ready.]

[iamtetsuo]

[As small and terrified as he feels, as certain as he is there's not an ounce of real bravery in him, Tetsuo does keep moving. Once he's got a task, he latches onto it, stare hardening as he looks at the bag, then outside.

Whether or not he can do this doesn't matter. It's what's going to happen now. There's no other course of action that he can take, now that his hand's clasped tightly around the bag. He has to finish what was started.

Taking slow, careful steps, as if carrying something so volatile it could destroy all of them at any second if he drops it, Tetsuo makes his hesitant way forward towards the door, following Bull. Every rustle the bag makes sets his hair on end, sometimes literally rustling in an unseen breeze of anxiety from his powers.

But he's come a ways from the uncontrolled whirlwind that descended on Nonah 05's steps months ago now. It doesn't go farther than that, even with fear in his eyes, hounding after every step he takes. It's when they reach the pit that he hesitates for a moment, uncertain.

It could do anything. It's magic.]

[rideme]

[He went ahead. Just enough to where he can get the fire started while Tetsuo makes his slow approach. It helps that there's wood piled nearby, and that he's had practice. Lots of practice.]

[By the time Tetsuo gets outside, he's got the beginnings of the fire up and flickering. It's over the slowly growing flames he speaks again, direct, calm, orderly.]

You can do this. Drop it in. We bury it in coals.

We send a fucking message.

You can do this.

[iamtetsuo]

[He finally finds more anger within himself, pulling it from somewhere he thought was gone and using it to give himself that added push. His arm lifts up, feet moving forward - it's like he's watching himself from a distance, almost. Then, with a muttered curse, he flings the bag squarely into the center. It doesn't even matter if his aim's off initially. It goes precisely where he wants it to, adjusting course if necessary.

It's a shame he can't do that to Pan himself. Burn him alive and listen to him scream. Make him suffer as much as possible.

Yet, a dark voice in his mind suggests.]

[rideme]

[Bull doesn't look up until he gets the flames built higher. High enough and hot enough to make the bag and its contents curl and blacken into ash. He can't remember who he heard babbling about fire being "cleansing". But it seems appropriate right now.]

[Burn the evidence. Turn it to ash. Get fucking pissed.]

[When he looks up at Tetsuo, he's grinning -- the expression sharp, wicked.]

Now that's what we do with garbage in this house.

[iamtetsuo]

[Tetsuo stares right into the fire. Watching it grow. Watching that bag blacken and vanish into ashes. There's a flash in his mind back to a video he's rewatched so many times he's memorized; the similarity between that and what was left after Pan finished is eerily similar. Weird, how it's both fitting and maddening at once.]

What about garbage outside the house...

[rideme]

... We can set that on fire too.

[And he means it. Completely. If they find that asshole, they'll set him on fire too. Preferably burning him slowly. He deserves it.]

[iamtetsuo]

Good...

[How long will he stand here, watching this fire?


Depends. How long's it going to burn?]

[rideme]

[He'll stand out there with the kid as long as it takes. Until the fire burns down to embers if he has to.]

[It's fine with him.]

[iamtetsuo]

[So they do.

The fire blazes high, chasing away the cold and fear with a vengeful roar. Even as it grows dim, winter pressing harsh around them again, he waits. He shifts from one leg to another, starting to get antsy and stiff from standing still and exposed for so long in the cold. All the while his body won't move, eyes fixed dead on the fire's center until spots dance in his vision.

He waits until it's barely smoldering, mentally nudging the ashes into a flurry, casting them out onto the snow. Tetsuo digs, and continues digging, until he confirms for himself there is nothing left.]

[rideme]

[None of this strikes Bull as terribly bad behavior, or even anything awful -- so he lets it happen. Maybe it'll end up being some kind of closure. Maybe it'll be good, in the end. Who knows?]

[Bull doesn't mind sitting out here. He doesn't even mind the cold that much.]

[Then the digging starts, and he narrows his eye a bit.]

Careful you don't fling a coal on anything flammable.

[iamtetsuo]

Mh.

[Dismissive, distracted. He's busy. Digging is the most important part of this.]

[rideme]

... I'm serious.

[As he reaches out with a booted foot to stomp down on one such flying coal. Grinding it out before it catches.]

[iamtetsuo]

[YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND. More digging around, what else is new?]

Then take care of it.

[rideme]

... Yeah, you're doing better, I see.

[Snippy child.]

[iamtetsuo]

Look... I'm not finished until I know it's gone!

[Is that a bit of pleading in his voice there, no, couldn't be. As.. he digs more.]

[rideme]

So, what? You want to pour oil all over the thing and let it burn all night?

It's gone, Tetsuo.

Magic -- if there was any of that crap -- doesn't like real fire.

[iamtetsuo]

[Ashes swirl, drift away. Tetsuo stands completely still, his eyes still locked on the embers. No new ashes follow them, at least for now.]

What's that even mean...

[rideme]

It means a bunch of people believe fire gets rid of magic. You burn something magical, it's gone.

And the magic with it.

Goes for people, too. Only way to get rid of it, sometimes.

[iamtetsuo]

People believe a lot of stuff.

[Tetsuo's shivering from cold, pulling Kaneda's coat tighter around him, but he neither resumes digging or makes a move to go back into the house. Ducking his head into the collar muffles his next muttered sentence.]

It doesn't mean it's true.

[rideme]

[He's doing this for your own good, kid.]

[At least, that's what he tells himself when he lifts his foot, and plants the heel of his boot into the ashes, grinding it down to powder. Thank fuck for durability power.]

[Nothing happens.]

Isn't it?