maskormenacelogs | I was looking at a Riverbed

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I was looking at a Riverbed

WHO: imPorts!
WHERE: Maurtia Falls Memorial Library
WHEN: April 22nd, all day.
WHAT: Registration in motion at Maurtia Fall’s new and improved library. Come to see the grand unveiling and stay for the snow sculpting contest, fun costumes, or games. You might be encouraged to remain as quiet as possible in a library under normal circumstances, but just today, you can feel free to be as loud as you want!
WARNINGS: None anticipated. Let me know if that should be changed!

Although it’s April, Maurtia Falls is covered in a blanket of glistening snow. And whether the arrival of all these Westerosi folk is to blame for the prolonged winter or that pesky groundhog who saw his shadow, it seems as though spring will not rear its head today at least. But have no fears! A path has been shoveled and the large stone steps leading up to an even larger building are cleared, greatly diminishing the risk of slips (and lawsuits.) Welcome to the newly constructed Maurtia Falls Memorial Library!

Invited guests have been encouraged to come in costume -- dressed as either their favorite literary hero/character or author. And although imPorts are not necessarily book characters, they will find several mini-me versions of themselves running around from children who just wanted to use the day to dress up like their favorite imPort. Is that a tiny Rincewind with a lunchbox luggage? Look at that crazy cotton ball hair on that mini Doc Brown! And that little know-it-all girl is definitely playing a very convincing Kitty Jones!

The day begins with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, which might fill imPorts who know Ambassador Baelish with dread because it means he’s going to give a speech. But it’s surprisingly short and concise, thanking everyone for attending, expressing excitement over what the library means for the city, and stating that this project is the result of everyone’s kind efforts and that it will be immortalized as a true testament of the things they can accomplish as a collective. However, simply because Ambassador Baelish isn’t as long-winded as usual does not mean the others who have been invited to speak will not be. Among such honored guests are Senator Mitchell Hundred and Count Dooku.

But once the ribbon is cut, the large doors are opened to reveal the common area of the library. And if you thought the main room contained all the books the library had to offer, surprise! There are at least three more side rooms that contain everything from comics to classic literature. ImPorts may notice many names fancily engraved into the stone pillars and archways. A little plaque hanging at the entrance indicates that these are the names of natives who have lost their lives in the city of Maurtia Falls and how you can honor the fallen by donating to the families at the front desk. Near that plaque and on display for the event are several signed copies of The Methodical Walter White by Doctor Frederick Chilton (available for purchase), The Luminescent Moon Trilogy which is a series from The City and was loaned generously by Kanaya Maryam (protected by magic seals to prevent theft), and in honor of the recently departed Dorian Gray -- The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde is accompanied by a framed picture of the actual Dorian Gray along with a pretentious inscription that says: Forever immortalized and never forgotten.

But books aren’t the only form of entertainment at this Swear In! In the Tony Stark Information/Technology Wing, imPorts are invited to try out a demo of the newest mmorpg ION (ImPorts Opposing Nations) -- a game where you can customize and create your own imPort character, give them a power/costume from a small list, and from there, choose to live heroically or villainously within the world’s setting of a highly corrupt set of nations. As you level up, you get the chance to unlock new powers and abilities or enhance the set you currently have. However, there are still many glitches to be ironed out, so don’t be surprised if your character turns the corner and comes out with the face of Komasan! Or if you encounter something even more unsettling.

If video games aren’t your thing, perhaps you’ll be more interested in heading to one of the classrooms for a featured game of Magic and Mayhem (an RPG table top game that hit the majority report back in February). Or maybe you’re feeling less adventurous and more generous. If so, there are many different money raising events going on with all proceeds donated to those many families who lost loved ones in this city. Feeling photogenic? You can donate your time to take pictures with children and fans at one of the many stations with silly backdrops. It only costs five dollars per picture to allow professional photographers to capture all your best sides and give away a happy memory to a fan. Feeling vindictive? A panel has been set up with popular fanfiction writers from across the country. For only about five dollars per fic, this team of writers will make magic happen and write up any pairing you so choose in any situation -- from as benign to as salacious as you want! (The more lewd it gets, the extra the cost.) None of these writers are profiting personally from this, of course! Oh no, no. It’s all for fun and charity. No lawsuits allowed! But that one writer cosplaying Jeff Winger will tell you it’s the premise of her next big fic, where all the male imPorts enlist Mr. Winger to help them win a huge lawsuit, and as a payment Jeff demands that they [CENSORED].

But perhaps you’re feeling hungry instead? Lunch is served all day in buffet style. Catered by many of the most expensive eateries in Maurtia Falls, you can find piping hot food to all tastes -- whether it’s sweet and spicy wings from Wingin’ It to a bouillabaisse from Francey Meeting You Here. Lettuce Help has also donated a wide variety of fresh salads if none of the warm food meets your dietary requirements. And if you’re just looking for a hot drink on this cold day, the staff at Brewed Awakening is prepared to make you anything from cappuccino to cocoa. All of this is free of charge, but each of the companies have a tip jar out if you really like what you taste.

If you’re feeling competitive and don’t mind the cold, the largest event of the day is taking place outside. It’s a snow-sculpting competition! Participants are invited to make as large and elaborate of snow sculptures as possible. The grand prize winner will receive $1000 and get their sculpture made into an actual statue outside of the library. This will be handpicked by Petyr Baelish himself, so anyone incorporating mockingbirds will have a clear advantage! Of course, everyone’s a winner here, and there will be several small trophies and prizes handed out to anyone who participates. Do bear in mind you have some steep native competition. One sculptor in particular is making a very convincing (and anatomically correct) homage to recent newlyweds Hermann Gottlieb and Newton Geiszler.

And if none of the offered events catch your interest, no one is stopping you from enjoying what is probably the last snowfall of the season. Have snowball fights, make snow angels, be that jerk who puts snow down your friend’s back. The only limit to your fun is your own imagination! That and some of the killjoy imPorts who are attending the event as well. But hey. That’s not on Ambassador Baelish!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The thing about telepaths - you can't sneak anything past them, even when they're happy and sated and grinning stupidly at a perfectly normal weather phenomenon.

No sooner has Adam finished his charade than a perfectly round snowball hits him in the chest, seemingly launched from some ways ahead. Wow, where did that come from?

It's hard to believe they're actually reunited. The part of Ronan that isn't preoccupied with self-loathing over their shared dream is instead anxious over the idea that this might be another dream. A more pleasant one, but still an illusion. He watches his three friends and prays to hold onto this. And though Ronan doesn't realize it, his gaze settles on Adam, who feels the least real and the most like a wish.

When Adam looks back at him, Ronan feels another stupid flutter in his chest. He understands the request immediately, the corners of his mouth curving into a sly grin despite himself. Noah's subsequent snowball only provides Ronan with the diversion he needed. He ducks down, gathering a snowball while the others are preoccupied, and launches it with a hard throw at Gansey.

Gansey sees the snowball hit Adam and based on the trajectory, no one around could have possibly thrown it. That left only one option. A laugh bubbles out of him as he nudges Noah.

A split second later, there's a solid thwump in between his shoulder blades with such force that he takes a half step forward. He lets out a small yelp of surprise and automatically looks behind him, though preparing to nudge Noah again. But then of course he realizes Ronan is perfectly poised to have just thrown a projectile.

"Lynch!" Gansey calls back, unhooking his arm from Noah's, turning and heading towards Ronan, wicked grin on his face, eyes alight as he bends down grabbing a handful of snow to begin packing into a ball. "You're gonna regret that!"

Ronan barks out a laugh as Gansey rounds on him. That was a perfect shot. Now it looks like they're pairing off into separate showdowns, and this pleases Ronan immensely. Gansey has the kind of look about him that's always begging to be disheveled; Ronan finds him most impressive when the Richard Gansey-ness of him falls away to reveal the wild adventurer underneath. Any kind of duel is the best way to bring that Gansey out.

Dipping down to scoop up two fistfuls of snow, Ronan spreads his arms in invitation as he rises, calling out, "Come at me, bro!"

The snowball in front of him takes Adam entirely by surprise, because he's not initially sure who to suspect. They all most likely have powers, from how Adam understands this world to work, but he doesn't yet know what any of those powers are. It's definitely not Ronan's style, and it's not really Gansey's style to throw an uncredited snowball.

Noah, however, had always had sort of telekenetic powers as a ghost. And it would be his style.

Bending suddenly, Adam hooked an arm under Noah's knees and slid the other one under Noah's back, lifting him up and dropping him into the nearest snow bank. And then scooping armfulls of snow over him to bury him.

Edited 2017-04-27 14:57 (UTC)

Noah lets out a surprised, joyful yell. It's the same special kind of joy that he gets from roughhousing with Ronan, just the simple reminder that he's alive, that he's solid, that he can be handled and he won't break. Even through the snow being dumped on him, Noah can't stop laughing, his face pink and scrunched up with happiness. Before Adam can go for a second scoop, though, Noah reaches out to grab the bottom of his jacket, pulling him down with all of his tiny might.

Laughing because he can't help it, because he's surrounded by his best friends and they're all alive and everything's okay, Adam lands on his hands and knees over Noah. He scoops another armful of snow over Noah's face, then rolls over to sit in the snow, leaning back to rest his arms over Noah's chest and belly to keep him down while he spectates the glorious snow fight he just started between Ronan and Gansey.

Gansey hears the peals of laughter behind him and figures Adam didn't take very long to figure out who nailed him with a snowball. But his own eyes are on the prize. He gets within uncomfortably close throwing range, whipping the snowball at Ronan and immediately bending down to scoop up snow with both hands, tossing it all towards Ronan as one splashes water.

Ronan lets out a noise that's somewhere between a roar and a laugh as Gansey hits him with the assault of snow. But he was expecting this, and he's impervious. Barrelling forward like some unstoppable giant, he charges at Gansey with his two palmfuls of snow and reaches out to slap them right against Gansey's bare cheeks.

Gansey had expected the snow to slow him down at least a little bit. He's caught off guard when Ronan passes right through it, immediately preparing himself for an onslaught of both snow and 6 feet of teen.

He yells out when he feels the cold jolt of the snow against his cheeks, but takes advantage of Ronan's proximity. Both hands grab at Ronan's shoulders and he attempts to use brute strength to wrestle Ronan down to the ground, cheeks bright red as he laughs.

Out of all of them, only Gansey would have the strength to stand a chance at wrestling someone as large as Ronan to the ground. But those arms are thick enough to manage it, and Ronan's overly tall form topples easily into the fluffy snowbank.

Of course, that's not the end of it, as Ronan hooks an arm around Gansey's torso to drag him down along with him. Ronan's hat and shades go flying off him as they roll through the snow, Ronan spitting expletives between gasping laughter.

As pleased as Noah is to be reclining in a snow bank with Adam, he can't just sit here and watch. Pushing Adam off gently, Noah hauls himself to his feet and brushes some of the powder from his jacket. Then, with all the grace and impact of a squirrel falling from a tree, he throws himself on top of Ronan and Gansey.

Adam can't help but laugh as he watches them, all the more so as Noah tumbles into the fray. He gets up and retrieves Ronan's hat and glasses before they get lost, putting both on and then sitting nearby to resume his spectating, because he's happier not being involved in play wrestling.

Gansey goes down as Ronan wanted, his impeccable winter outerwear now dusted with fresh powder and he's far from his composed, mature front that he puts on for everyone else in the world. Now he's a teenage boy, struggling to wrestle his best friend down into the snow, rumpled and disheveled and there's nowhere else in the world or multiverse he'd rather be right now.

His laughing is interrupted when Noah lands atop he and Ronan. "Oof. Noah!" He resumes laughing and grabs armfuls of snow next to him and throws them over both Noah and Ronan now, his own hat coming off and his hair sticking in every direction, scarf unwound.

Ronan squawks as Noah lands on top of them, and the arm that isn't around Gansey hooks itself around Noah so that he, too, is trapped in the tangle of boys. Of course, he can't grab any snow as long as he's holding onto them, so he only gets a faceful of snow for his effort. Sputtering and shaking his head, he throws a look over to Adam and calls out, "You thieving ass, making me do all the dirty work!"

"Can't hear you, too busy looking cool and disaffected," Adam calls back, grinning comfortably as he watches the tangled pile of his best friends. They're all wound up in each other, which makes it ridiculously easy for him to pat together a snowball at his leisure, but then he doesn't throw it, just stares at it.

He wants to join them. He wants it to be as easy as it was for Noah to jump on the pile and wrestle with the others.

But if he throws the snowball, it's an invitation for them to gang up on him in retaliation, and the snowballs that have already hit him are about as much as he can take for being hit and pushed around in one day. Even if it's out of love.

The snowball hits the ground in front of him with a little puff, and Adam takes off the sunglasses, folding them and then dropping them on top of the cracked former snowball.

"C'mon," he offers, because if he lets this continue, it's going to become suddenly obvious that he can't join in, and it'll ruin everyone else's fun. "Let's go get food."

His cheeks hurt from grinning as he lays in the snow, an arm around him from Ronan and Noah's legs still partially over him. Gansey wriggles out from Ronan's grip and scoots away in the snow, grabbing his hat as he sits up and faces Adam.

"Et tu, Brute?" he asks, a hand coming up to his chest, in mock hurt.

He stands up, patting off as much of the snow as he can, beating the hat against the side of his leg, smoothing his hair back with one hand and putting the hat back on right after. Gansey approaches Adam, holding a hand out to help him back to his feet.

"Let's get changed first--I'm freezing."

Ronan's all-black outfit has practically turned all-white, and though he would gladly (under less snowy circumstances) wrestle the other boys for a full hour or longer, there's icy water seeping down his back and into his boots. He lets Gansey escape his grasp, but Noah isn't so lucky. Ronan scoops him up into his arms, carrying him princess-style, as he rolls to his feet.

"Back to the Meadows?" he asks, looking between the three of them. "Parrish's stuff is still in his room, right?" Ronan wouldn't know. He's never tried to break in. Somehow the idea always seemed more forbidden than searching for sleeping kings.

Adam grins as Gansey helps him to his feet, reaching over to ruffle the snow out of Gansey's hair and muss it further in the process.

But then Ronan says his name in a way that makes no sense, and Adam shoots him a puzzled look, brow furrowing. He shouldn't have stuff here, or a room here, and while he might understand his friends setting aside a room for him in whatever version of Monmouth Manufacturing that they'd found here, the idea of him having stuff still here didn't make sense at all.

"What?"

Noah is delighted by his travel arrangements, and throws one arm around Ronan's shoulders. His head tips almost backwards to look at Adam.

"It's our farm."

Which clearly answers everything.

"And it should be. He's the only one who can get in."

Edited (whoops wasn't done) 2017-04-30 03:46 (UTC)

He makes a small sound of disgust at Adam re-mussing up his hair, immediately going back to fix it.

That really didn't help explain anything about the specific question Adam was likely to ask. Perhaps it was because Gansey himself was so new and had to have it explained to him as well.

"There have apparently been versions of us that existed here before. The former Adam Parrish has a room at the Meadows, the farm that the former Ronan dreamt, and it's been locked since he left."

Adam has an immediate dislike for the idea. "Versions of us?"

He's been here before, and he has a room at this farm, a relic from a former Ronan. A Ronan who isn't the Ronan he knows.

He understands almost at once, having spent part of his afternoon discussing multiverse theory as it applied to their lives here. Different versions of them, from a different universe than the one Adam knows.

Shoulders lifting defensively, Adam studies them all once again. "How do we know that we're all from the same version?"

Inexplicably, Noah looks less than thrilled about this shift in conversation. One of his fingers plucks at Ronan's jacket.

"They weren't versions." His nose wrinkles, bright pink in the cold. "They were you guys, just... from different times. From later."

"We don't," Ronan answers Adam more directly, simple and honest.

He adjusts Noah in his arms, subtly squeezing him a bit tighter, because he's spent more than enough time thinking about the Ronan that Noah knew before and what it means about himself, the Ronan who's here now. He's thought about the Meadows and the cars in the driveway and all these familiar unfamiliar things. He's even considered the possibility that he himself is an invention of the former Ronan, a dream or a nightmare or a reminder of abandonment and regret. He still hasn't found a way to belong at the Meadows, even though he stayed.

Adam likes Ronan's version better. He believes it, and it simplifies things. They don't know they're all from the same universe, but it might not matter.

He wants to know. He wants to see this room that isn't his, and the farm that isn't Ronan's. Holding Ronan's gaze, Adam nods once, accepting the situation. "Let's go."

I was looking at a Riverbed

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did ronan grow facial hair just for that comment

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his facial hair changes by the hour tbh so if it's afternoon he probably has a full beard by now

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