[OPEN]

[hondoyota]

WHO: Adam Parrish, new roommates (De Chima #004), and YOU
WHERE: De Chima places
WHEN: April, various dates
WHAT: Adam is trying to figure out how to belong in his new life. Various starters.
WARNINGS: None yet, will update as needed.
NOTES: Catch-all with a couple of different starters, I’m happy to write a specific starter if you have something else in mind! Adam’s brand new and needs CR. Hit me up at marlowe_tops for plotting.


1. (OTA) Meteorologists make it look so easy
The pamphlet had said that he had weather magic.

It had said, also, that he had the ability to sense and redirect magical and natural energies. That made sense, because of Cabeswater and the ley line, though at least the day before he came here, Cabeswater had been there to give him instructions. Confusing, obscure instructions by way of tarot cards, but pictorial occult instructions were better than no instructions.

He could feel energy around him, tugging at him. Electricity in wires networked all around him, radio and cellular signals bouncing off every inch of the world, even the water flowing through pipes and sewers beneath him. It was overwhelming, and Adam certainly didn’t feel like he could control any of it. It just felt like he was surrounded by a storm that was a thousand times louder than the ley line and the magics of small town Henrietta.

The weather magic, however, that was different. He’d tried it alone in his room, to no effect. No rain, no sunshine, not even a puff of wind.

Now he’s here, at the park, glowering up at the sky. If he has nature magic, it will surely work better in nature.

He thinks that he can almost feel the clouds, and the winds that push them, though it is hard to pick them out of the din of city energies pushing at his awareness. But as for what to do with that feeling? He has no idea.

“Rain,” he commands the heavens.

The heavens do not oblige.

Scowling, Adam plucks a blade of grass and begins meticulously shredding it. “Sunshine,” he tries, willing it to happen.

It doesn’t.


2. (For Adam’s housemates) Sorry for acting like a troglodyte I brought doughnuts
Adam hasn’t been making much of an effort to make an impression.

Shock hit him hard, when he arrived in this world. The tattoo on his arm, the pamphlet that they gave him, the list of his powers. Adam isn’t at all sure whether they’re powers he had before, from Cabeswater, or if they’re all new. He doesn’t feel any different, aside from the total absence of Cabeswater. He still feels like there’s magic thrumming under his skin, pulsing in his blood, and he has no idea what to do about it.

Exhaustion had compounded upon the shock. He’d been sleep-deprived for years, working three jobs and going to school full time. He’d been given a few days before he was expected to report to work, and Adam had spent most of it sleeping, emerging only long enough to make a frozen pizza or a bowl of cereal. When he’d seen his housemates, Adam had said nothing, responding to queries only with a simple ‘hi’ and then fleeing back to his room.

He feels bad about it now, and wants to actually make the acquaintance of the people he’s living with. To that end, he has acquired a box of doughnuts. He has written on the top of the box: “SORRY I’M AN ANTISOCIAL JERK.”

Setting the box of doughnuts on the table in the living room, Adam curls up in a nearby chair with his Latin studies.


3. (Wildcard) When in Doubt: Ambush
((ooc: Wildcard option. Adam probably won’t be found anywhere other than home, work, possibly the park, and maybe the grocery store, at least not until he’s had a little bit more time to cope with the culture shock, but feel free to ambush him any of those places. And/or to otherwise contact me to set something up.))

Comments

1

[ghoulking]

[ kaneki likes to keep busy a lot; he has insomnia, he is always a bit too stressed, and as such he keeps busy by working, walking around the Porter cities, and training as well: which is what he is doing right now. Kaneki is running around the park, which is questionable if it's even training when he doesn't even seem to be getting tired.

And then he passes by Adam, hearing him to says something to the sky.

... what....

kaneki stops, curiously ]

No answer? [ from the sky, he means. It looked like Adam was expecting something from it ]

[hondoyota]

[Adam's chin pulls down and he sits back, defensive but stubborn. He definitely doesn't like drawing attention to himself in public like this, but for the time being he doesn't have anywhere better to practice. If you can call it practicing when nothing is happening.

Grimacing, Adam waves a vague hand at the sky. How to explain this. How to not sound crazy.]

I'm... an imPort. The pamphlet said that I have the power to influence the weather.

[Turning his head to the sky, Adam wrinkles his nose.]

Maybe that part of it was just a prank.

[ghoulking]

Ah, I see. I'm an imPort myself.

[ kaneki can understand the imPort issue, he is one after all. And many who arrive here don't know anything about their new powers, so it's not that strange to see someone training said powers - or trying to get them to work at all ]

I doubt it is a joke, that would be unheard of. Do they specify how far your control goes? [ it could be a lot more specific and at certain times, after all - or even related to this person's mood, like Nike's powers ]

[hondoyota]

No. They didn't include any additional information or user's manual.

[Adam's a little wary of explaining this. He's seen, all too recently, how people can try to exploit other people with powers. Not that he can imagine any way anyone would exploit the power to Not Actually Do Anything to the Weather.

He decides that being somewhat reticent on the topic of powers is the safer idea for the time being.]

I'm Adam.

[ghoulking]

They are never very helpful when it comes to describing powers. [ at least kaneki arrived with the ones he had back in his world and (sort of) knowing how to control them. ]

I'm Kaneki. It's nice to meet you, Adam. [ with a smile, kaneki nods politely ] You have just arrived, right? [ recent arrivals are usually the ones with problems related to their powers ]

2.

[honorobble]

Well, to be honest, Robb isn't the most social housemate either. Most of the time he spends with his family and the rest of the time he is out at school or selling ice cream to strangers.

When he comes into the living room the box is the first thing he sees and he squints his eyes a little at the text. And when he notices Adam sitting there he straightens his back immediately.

"Is this yours, ser?"

[hondoyota]

That isn't an accent Adam has ever heard before. Adam blinks at him, momentarily speechless. Did he just call me sir?

"It," Adam begins, finding himself at a loss for words. He has never before been called upon to explain the presence of doughnuts. "They're for you. For anyone living here. With me. I'm sorry I've been sort of hiding in my room and not talking to anyone for the past few days."

He waves a hand toward the doughnuts in a 'go ahead' gesture. "I got plenty."

[honorobble]

Robb grins and nods afterwards. That's nice!

"That is kind of you. Yet, I do not understand why you apologize for such matters." After a short shrug he opens the box and picks a doughnut for himself. One with chocolate and white sprinkles.

"Honestly, ser." Robb turns fully to the older man. "I do not care if you wish to hide inside your room or not. And I definitely would not frown upon it. Or take it as a slight."

[hondoyota]

Weirdest, politest kid that Adam's ever met. Adam immediately wants to introduce him to Gansey, even though Gansey's not here.

His mind can't help but theorize that maybe the kid's from a... renaissance faire? Or that this is just his quirk. But he knows that the nature of their world is, as was explained to him, a wide-reaching one, and imPorts can be drawn from all across space, time, and reality.

"Um," Adam says, because while Adam is polite by nature, he's entirely out of his depth when it comes to... whatever this is. "I appreciate that. I wanted to make an effort anyway. It's nice to meet you. I'm Adam."

[honorobble]

Just to be sure Robb picks a second doughnut as well. He knows there aren’t many people living in this house. Before Adam came it was just him and, to be fair, he is thankful for some company.

“There are not many people living here,” he says while he inspects the doughnut curiously. “It was just me. Even though my brother has invited me to live with him.” The look on his face turns a little apologetic. “I hope you do not mind if I will move out eventually, ser. Especially now you have come to me with kindness and doughnuts.”

After those words he moves to sit down as well to take some careful bites.

“Nice to meet you as well, Adam. I am Robb, Robb Stark, son of Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell. But you may call me Robb.”

1

[uncanned]

[Alphonse is on his way back from the library, arms piled high with books, when he comes across Adam taking out his frustrations on the blade of grass. He might have passed him by entirely if he hadn't heard that irritated mutter up at the sky. Obviously the boy expected something to happen there, though Al wasn't sure what.

He stops, curious, and shifts the books in his arms to keep his grip on them.]

Are you trying to do something?

[hondoyota]

I... magic?

[Adam winces, embarrassed to be doing this with observers. He's already been caught at it once, and has still made absolutely no progress whatsoever. Clouds remain clouds. Disinclined to obeying petty human whims.]

I'm trying to make it rain. Or not rain. Or literally anything, really.

[Embarrassed though he is, a tiny smile emerges when he realizes just how many books this young man is carrying.]

Are you stealing a library?

[uncanned]

Magic... [He narrows his eyes for a moment—suspiciously? Or maybe he's confused? There's still so, so many things he needs to get used to in this world.

His attention shifts down to his books at the question though, and his expression clears up into a nearly sheepish grin instead.]

Oh, um. I guess it does kind of look like that, doesn't it? It was actually really hard not to take more of them. [Mostly because he couldn't possibly carry more.]

[hondoyota]

It does kind of look like that.

[Adam gets up, because he could really use the break from scowling at the sky, and he's intrigued by the tower of books.]

Can I help? Where are you heading?

[uncanned]

[There's an impressive range of them. A few look biology textbooks, a few history books spanning the last hundred years or so, and a scattering of others ranging from a text dedicated to metal alloys and one painfully technical looking book on industrial materials to theoretical physics and...a book on the history of modern cat breeds.]

I'm just on my way home, but...I would appreciate the help. It's more awkward to carry this many than I thought.

because they must eat their hot dogs

[orphangirl]

[ Opal listens to him and she nods at his answer. It's mostly what she expected to hear though maybe she was hoping to hear him say Ronan's name or that Ronan was here. She couldn't be sure yet after all if he was.

She finishes scarfing down the hot dog that she's eating first. There's condiments around her mouth but she doesn't know that or care even if someone told her about it. She wipes her hands off thoughtlessly on the dress she's wearing and reaches up to adjust her skullcap. ]

Not really. [ She doesn't know if Ronan qualifies as a friend and she's not exactly good at being sociable otherwise either. ]

[hondoyota]

No friends, no parents, huh? All alone in the world?

[Adam continues eating his own hot dog, pausing briefly to grab a couple of napkins and hand her one. He's not entirely terrible at this whole taking-care-of-kids things.]

Do you go to school?

[orphangirl]

Everyone's alone.

[ Opal stares at the napkin for a moment after she took it. Instead of using it as intended she ends up starting to eat it. Really, what did you expect from her? ]

I'm supposed to but I don't like it.

[hondoyota]

[The nihilist philosophy hits him a bit harder than he expects, because he feels all alone here, and he doesn't know how he's supposed to cope with it without Gansey and Ronan and Noah and Blue around to keep him out of his head and get him out of the house.]

Why don't you like it?

[That's nearly incomprehensible to Adam. He's always liked school. For him, it's an escape. A haven. A stairway to a better life.]

[orphangirl]

Because, the rooms are stuffy and it's boring.

[ She can't stand to sit there and do nothing but listen to someone or fill out mindless worksheets when none of it was really important. She is far more in line with Ronan's view point of school than Adam's. ]

[disentombs]

Hoping you can make the weather go one way or another?" asks Gansey, small amused smile as he walks up to Adam, hands shoved in his pockets. He regards the dreary dark gray clouds above them.

"It seems like rain is more likely at this point." Looking back at Adam, there's a brief warmth that overcomes his smile, beyond glad to have his best friend here. When he'd first arrived here, he'd been in a panic having left things the way they were. But now everyone was here, alive and well, and Gansey couldn't be any more thrilled.

Regardless, the nightmares about losing them still came and still he stayed awake because of it.

"What are you actually doing?"

[hondoyota]

"Actually?" Adam grimaces up at him, staying where he is in the grass. "Embarrassing myself. To utterly no avail."

He offers a finger to the heavens. The heavens don't seem to take any offense. Adam shrugs, dropping his hands back into his lap. "Hi Gansey. What are you doing here and not at the Stepford Meadows?"

[disentombs]

He grins down at Adam.

"Somehow I don't think that's going to work either," referring to the finger.

He stops a comfortable enough distance away that he's not looming over Adam but about as close as he can be like that.

"Exploring the area a bit. Not a fan of the place?"

[hondoyota]

"I am and I'm not." Adam grimaces, then drops back into the grass, closing his eyes and sighing. "It's wonderful, but it's also... wrong. The Ronan I know did not make that place. Those things. I adopted a dog that I don't want, and it creeps me out whenever I interact with it because it recognizes me but I'm not the Adam it knew. There's a semi-crap car that not-me bought with his own money, but it wasn't my work and my money and... it's like wearing the clothes of someone who died. They're not going to use them anymore, but it still feels wrong."

Adam tenses his jaw, wishing he had less opinions on the topic. "I hate that it makes Ronan twitchy. I hate that whenever Noah talks about them, he looks like a kicked puppy."

[disentombs]

Gansey listens to all of Adam's points with interest, marveling at how succinctly he's summarizing all of the uncomfortable feelings he's felt, wandering through the Meadows--albeit to a lesser degree than Adam and certainly to a much lesser degree than Ronan.

He sighs when Adam finishes, slowly squatting then sitting on the ground near him, legs extended and leaning back on his hands.

"You noticed that about Noah too?" He shakes his head. "It's hard to fathom any of us treating Noah in a way that makes him react like that."