ioduanlogs | [OPEN] a departure, and an arrival

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[OPEN] a departure, and an arrival

Characters: The Fool, various starters + OPEN
Date: Early April.
Location: The Dreaming Bridge; throughout Aifaran; the turtle's head
Situation: The Fool makes some changes to his living arrangements, and checks in on the progress of a sensitive situation.
Warnings/Rating: None yet, will update as needed.
Notes: Just one prompt for now, but I will add the others over time!

I. New Digs (closed to Devin)

The impending departure of the Bresilykians from Aifaran has injected anxiety into the city that can be felt at all levels; prescribed or not, the upheaval leaves people tense and on edge as they try to make space in their lives to accommodate the change. The Fool hadn't expected to benefit from it, but fate has always been peculiar in the hands she has dealt him in the past. In Aifaran, her mercurial temperament will be no different.

A Bresilykian has left the Fool with the keys (and the lease) to her apartment, in exchange for an elaborate bit of woodworking that she will take back with her to Evidet. Good fortune, it appears, has followed on the heels of his trauma the month before; a space to live located directly above the cafe where he is now sells his work. The Fool owns very few personal belongings, and so moving himself into his new space takes little time, and is accomplished without drawing much undue attention from the Bridge's other inhabitants. With that task now dealt with, it is easier to devote his attention to developing his craft; it is, it seems, going to be his primary means of making a living in Aifaran for the foreseeable future.

It is a drizzly, overcast day that finds the Fool leaning against a bit of outside beneath the cafe awning, slender arms folded over himself and his expression pulled into one of prim disapproval with the weather. He dislikes the cold--and the wet, but mostly the cold, and perhaps he expects sheer willpower to be force enough to coax the clouds aside and usher back in a bit of sunshine.

II. Dreaming Bridge (Gene, Bakura + OPEN)

It is inevitable with any move that one forgets things. Or, possibly, the Fool is just sentimental, and so finds himself back at the Dreaming Bridge in order to revisit the grounds that were his first home upon his arrival in Aifaran.

At present, he is waiting out the latest in a series of sudden downpours in the cafeteria, a small case packed full of his belongings at his feet and a cup of tea held between his palms. He's found an unoccupied window seat and has tucked himself into it, gazing out one of the open windows with a pensive, distant expression on his face.

III. The Turtle's Head (OPEN)

This is the place in Aifaran that brings him the most peace. Not even foul weather can keep him away from it.

Though by this point he has at least invested in one of the many colourful umbrellas and raincoats peddled by numerous vendors throughout the city, meaning that on this particularly drizzly day, he's able to perch in relative comfort atop a stone on the turtle's broad head. Here, he's able to reclaim some semblance of the peace that has evaded him since long before his arrival at Aslevjal; the nearness of the turtle's great mind helps his to grow still, and quiet. His demons lay dormant, at least for a time.

It's hard to know how long he's been sitting here with his eyes closed in meditation, but unless he's interrupted, he'll likely continue on in this fashion for quite some time.

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The downpour has likewise derailed Bakura's plans for the moment, not that they were of any particular importance or time-sensitive. The thief has been fairly unobtrusive around the hotel the last month, sticking mainly the kitchens or his room, or being out of the building completely and perusing the city.

Noting the Fool sitting near the window, he brings his cup of coffee with him, gaze resting on the packed case. "Found somewhere else to stay?" he says by way of greeting, though the answer seems obvious.

"Found somewhere else to stay?"

He turns from his quiet contemplation of the world outside the window to look back at Bakura, whom he greets with a vague smile. "Yes," he replies and drops his gaze to consider the case. He reaches out to pat it once, like it's being especially well behaved by sitting there innocuously and not wandering off. Because luggage can do that when left to its own devices, you see. "I found a space above a cafe further into town. A rather bittersweet opportunity; it's been left vacant by one of the Bresilykians."

He lifts the tea up for a sip, then gestures to the opposite end of the window seat, which remains vacant. "Please sit," he invites, "there is plenty of space."

Devin makes a point to know where the people he associates with can be found, whether that be their place of work or their home. Dreamfolk have started moving out of the Bridge, and along with the exodus of the Bresilykians, there's a lot of change afoot in the city. He's considering moving out himself, but he can probably stand having a roommate for another month or two until he finds somewhere to live.

The drizzle reminds him so much of England he almost finds himself missing his home country. As such, he's wearing only a weather-resistant coat when he wanders out on one of his days off, seeing no need for something like an umbrella or a hat. Minute water droplets hang off his hair.

It's Klaus' cafe he's locating when he spots the Fool. This is the first time they've seen each other one on one since the incident with his memory, and Devin pushes the image out of his mind. This is not how he wants to think of the Fool when he sees him, nor how the Fool would like to be seen, he's sure.

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say you don't like rain," Devin remarks wryly, stopping an appropriate distance away.

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say you don't like rain."

This might be the first time that Devin has taken the Fool by surprise, rather than the reverse. Startled, he looks up at the sound of his voice, and the irritation in his angular expression gives way to a tired smile. He gestures artlessly up at the sky with one hand as though to say 'what's to be done with this?'

"I can enjoy plenty about the rain," he rejoins lightly, only to for his look to sour as he considers his still-wet hair, "...when I'm not damp from being caught out in it unexpectedly." He chafes a hand against one of his arms, frowning. "And it's cooler than I would prefer."

(Devin knows better than most why the Fool has such an aversion to the cold now.)

Rather than let the mood grow too grim, however, he lets the corners of his lips tug upwards into a curious smile and pushes himself up and away from the wall. "What brings you out this way?" he asks and takes a step towards the edge of the awning. "Come for a cup of coffee?"

"No, just seeing what Klaus has gotten himself up to," Devin explains, shrugging lightly. "He ran a magical hotel back in Keeliai, so this should be right up his alley."

Not the magic, but the business. The man knew what he was doing. The Fool notably lacks either coffee or tea, nor is he inside getting warm. This does not seem like an ideal combination for a man who dislikes the cold. He sidesteps under the awning, already starting to unbutton his coat.

"What about you? You look like you're going somewhere, or were trying to," he comments, releasing the fastenings smoothly and slipping the coat off his shoulders. Devin holds it out to the Fool. "Here. If you insist on waiting outside for it to stop raining, at least don't get pneumonia while you do it," he adds lightly.

"A magical hotel?" the Fool repeats, clear amusement brightening his eyes and smile. He tips his head to the side teasingly. "He is a gentleman of hidden talents, I see. Did the beds make themselves?" It's not a question he expects an answer to, but the Fool has never been able to resist the impulse to pepper his conversation with wit.

His smile grows quizzical when Devin ducks beneath the awning beside him and begins to remove his coat, at least until it becomes clear what he's doing. He startles again, eyes darting from the coat as it is offered out to him, then to Devin again, before he reaches out to gingerly take hold of it; he's freezing, he's not going to turn it down. "Won't you be cold without this?" he asks, slipping his arms into the sleeves. The garment is massive on him, but with the right hat and a few other accessories, he could probably make a fashionable statement out of it.

As for his first question, the Fool recalls it and absently gestures upstairs. "I've rented a room above the cafe," he explains. "I just finished moving my belongings in, not that it took very long."

Devin's gaze flicks upwards. "Ah. It seems a decent handful of people are moving out of the Bridge this month." Most of them had found jobs and there were plenty understanding landlords familiar with the capriciousness of the Dreaming. "I suppose dorm living isn't nearly as desirable as privacy," he acknowledges wryly.

If the Fool, Klaus, and Leo are all going to be approximately co-located, Devin imagines he may be visiting not infrequently whether he likes it or not. All three of them are people he gets along with, and two of the three will insist that he needs to socialize.

"I'll be fine," he assures the Fool. He has a long sleeved shirt on, and that will suffice. "England - the country I'm from - is like this a lot. You get used to it after a hundred twenty-four years." Devin shrugs, amused. "Besides, it's physically impossible for me to get sick."

"...Besides, it's physically impossible for me to get sick."

"That must be inconvenient, from time to time." There is less residual body heat within the confines of Devin's coat than the Fool had been hoping for, but he nevertheless buttons up the fastenings on the front of it to protect his slender frame from the cold and damp. He looks up from affixing the last button into place to give his friend a sly look. "What do you say when you wish to beg off of a social gathering?"

The seemingly ceaseless drizzling is beginning to let up some, though it is still persistent enough that the Fool does not appear overly interested in venturing out. "I'm not accustomed to co-habitating in such close quarters," he admits, allowing some of his discomfort with the arrangement to be visible on his expression. "But yes, I've found work, of a kind, and the previous tenant is Bresilykian and so--" another artless hand gesture and a thin smile, "here I am. Will you be staying at the Dreaming Bridge?"

"Oh, something nasty, usually," Devin answers with a sly smile. "It's not hard to remind people that I am unpleasant company."

Or that he can be. Most of the social gatherings he attended in his world he was not invited to, and almost without fail he was the only one alive who left them. He notes the Fool's discomfort but doesn't comment on it; Devin could deal with roommates but didn't enjoy the arrangement himself. At least it was better furnished than trenches and tents.

"Yes, though not for much longer, I imagine. I'm not a particular fan of living with other people, either," he says dryly. "Taking advantage of the mass exodus that's occurring is probably wise, assuming I can find a place that's satisfactory." His requirements of an apartment will be quite different than most. "I hear it's supposed to rain for a while, though, so you may want to invest in attire suited to the weather eventually," Devin adds, ribbing.

Bakura appears briefly as though he's considering the merit of the offer to join him, but takes a seat and tucks one leg underneath him, back rested comfortably against the window egress. "They are indeed leaving in a drove," he agreed. "Evidet, their home continent, is all snow and frigid. They're well suited for it with all that fur, but the rest of us less so. I wouldn't be in a hurry to go back."

He sips his coffee again; there are subtle but telling traces of weariness in his posture, in his gestures. Not enough to be actively detrimental, but enough that they're present.

"Pepper has been looking for somewhere in the city for she and I," he said. "But she's also been working with the Sentry, which takes enough of her time. Still, it would be nice to have privacy again sooner rather than later."

"It's not hard to remind people that I am unpleasant company."

The Fool gives Devin an askance, knowing sort of smirk at those words, but doesn't argue. Whether or not other people find him to be unpleasant company, the Fool does not, and surely Devin has sorted that out by now.

It is easier instead to respond to his last observation, a sparkle of humour in his eyes. "What is that saying from your world--no time like the present? You're a man of discerning taste," he points out and lifts his chin with a pleased smile, then gestures down the road towards the nearby high street. "Come help me pick out something suitable."

(You only have yourself to blame for this, Devin.)

Ursula has been curious about the Turtle's Head ever since she came. The scholar in her just has to know more; to know if it's true that they are on the back of a massive turtle. On her way out there, she can see that it is true. She did not want to risk flying in a rainstorm, which is why she went with another means.

She hikes out, wearing her robes, but with the rubber boots one would expect of someone sloshing through the rain. Her umbrella is different: it is her magical wander, with an aquamarine energy projection that resembles an umbrella. Ursula has made little stars, of a bright blue color, appear all across it. She steps out onto the stone, and walks up it, before she draws in a gasp.

The professor stares, stunned. "Oh...! So, it's true, we really are--" And then she notices the Fool. Ursula turns her head, and flusters, laughing awkwardly. "Oh, ah. Sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you."

Ilda stumbles into the vicinity of the Turtle’s Head out of curiosity more than anything. She’s not even derailed by the rain; on the contrary, she’s enjoying the downpour, letting herself get drenched and actually laughing.

She only realizes a moment later that the place is too quiet, and that her laughter has reverberated like a thunderclap. Embarrassed - most especially upon seeing the Fool sitting nearby in serious meditation - she ducks her head, mumbling a soft apology.

Gene has been hustling back and forth, despite the rain. He actually likes the rain - it helps him think. The sound is soothing to him, calming to his nerves.

There are no unoccupied window seats left, and he wants to sit at one of them to write down his further notes about Aifaran. This person, however, has been someone he's seen around, and Gene's interested in getting to know him. So he walks up with a mug of tea of his own and a small smile on his face.

"Do you mind if I join you?"

It has been made clear to Devin that he's not going to lose the Fool's interest that easily.

Devin opens his mouth as if to protest and then quickly shuts it, faint bafflement on his face. Shopping is not an endeavor he spends time on if he can avoid it, and his tastes - much like his requirements for an apartment - are particular. Function often exceeded his concern for form.

"I don't know how much help I'll actually be," Devin reasons, fully aware that this disclaimer will not deter the Fool. "My preferences are almost certain to be counter to yours."

"And all the better for it," the Fool counters without losing his smile--on the contrary, the corners of his lips have a delightful little twist now, as though he derives particular enjoyment from confounding Devin. (He probably does.) "As I am infinitely impractical in all things, I suspect your preferences will be quite useful."

He takes a light step away from the wall and holds up one slim finger. "Wait for me a moment, I just need to fetch my bag." Then he turns on one heel and slips into the cafe without another word.

Devin sighs quietly; he really needs to get back to a style of argument that puts people off rather than amuses them. The Fool is just... strangely difficult for him to shove away in his usual manner. Perhaps it had something to do with how they met, and almost certainly what had happened since then. It wouldn't feel right.

He's come to this conclusion before, in other decades and in another world. Whenever he's stationary for any length of time, it gets harder and harder to push people away. It feels almost inevitable.

"I somehow doubt you will need my expertise in the best kinds of tailoring for concealing weapons," Devin remarks when the Fool returns, arching an eyebrow. "But I can tell what tailoring will fall apart on you and what will last, so I suppose that's something. These are not the skills I thought would come in handy here."

X has a lot on his mind by the time the rain starts, and so he barely notices the shift in weather. It’s not until his shirt’s soaked and clinging to his skin that he realises it’s raining a little harder today than it was the day before, and -- damn it, his white shirt has become translucent.

It’s strange, really. X never cared before what his body looks like. Maybe he’s gotten a little too used to having exactly what he wants every time he visits Earth.

He buys a long coat on his way home, something very obviously grabbed for its immediate practicality and not because it actually fits him, given that it hangs off his shoulders like a draped tent. But even the immediate practicality is dubious; the coat is useless at keeping the rain off and too thick to dry easily.

Still, X looks happy enough when he spots his friend through the cafeteria window and waves heartily, standing drenched in the middle of the street.

The Fool hears Ursula's approach long before he hears her stunned exclamation, and so when she offers out her hasty apologies, he only smiles. "It is no trouble," he replies lightly, not having yet turned his head nor opened his eyes; whatever pleasant feelings he is basking in, he wants to savour them a moment longer before he turns to greet the stranger.

When at last the Fool opens his eyes and turns his head to look at Ursula, his amber eyes--nearly the same colour as his hair and skin--are bright with good humour. "Please do not apologize," he tells her, then peers with clear interest at her umbrella... or rather, what she uses in place of one. "That is quite beautiful."

"It is quite all right." Hearing Ilda's bright laughter had brought a bit of a smile to his lips, and so when he turns to look at her there is no irritation in his expression. His serene countenance could easily be ascribed to the calming effect of the turtle's head, but the Fool doesn't look like a person easily riled anyway.

For a moment he takes in her apparent youth and clear joy at running about in the rain, and then laughs quietly. "Perhaps I ought to apologize to you for spoiling your fun," he teases her, then gestures towards the rock atop which he perches. "You're welcome to join me, if you like. There is plenty of space."

"Not at all." The Fool pulls his gaze away from the window to greet Gene with a pensive, almost Mona Lisa-like smile, and gestures with a hand to the opposite end of the seat. He recognizes the young man from in passing; doubtless most of the Dreamfolk have some vague familiarity with each other now, though some are ostensibly closer than others. "I rather hope this rain passes soon," he says mildly as a way of getting the conversation started, and looks out the window again.

Lost in his own thoughts, the Fool at first allows his eyes to rest upon the stranger in the streets for wont of anything else to look at--and then he blinks, recognizes X's face, and laughs. "Oh," he murmurs to himself, searching for a place to set down his tea, and then finds the latch to pry the window open; the sound of the rain is quickly amplified, though none of it gets blown inside, at least not yet.

"You're completely soaked through!" he calls out to his friend, smiling brightly, and then waves him over. "Come in before you catch your death!" You know, through the window.

The Fool listens attentively as Bakura describes the home continent of the Bresilykians, his curiosity clearly piqued; there is so very little he knows of this world, even after a few months of calling Aifaran home, and Bakura seems knowledgeable. "Is Evidet carried on the back of a turtle as well?" He frowns. So much of Konryu appears to be in desperate flux; was that why he was drawn here through the Dreaming?

When Pepper is mentioned, the Fool's smile warms, and he lifts his chin. "She is your sweetheart, then?" he asks, his tone a touch teasing, before he adds, "I have met her before. She seems a kind girl."

The Fool takes a bit longer than 'just a moment,' because of course he does, though when he returns, he looks refreshed and has one of the brightly coloured umbrellas in tow to keep the rain off of his newly re-braided amber hair. He turns the umbrella out towards the street and opens it, revealing an explosion of reds, oranges and yellows.

"...These are not the skills I thought would come in handy here."

"Well I am glad for the opportunity to take advantage of them, regardless," the Fool informs him with a teasing smile.

He steps out into the drizzle, umbrella held above himself, then peers expectantly at Devin. "Shall we?" he invited with raised eyebrows, and extends the umbrella just enough to offer him shelter as well.

"Why, thank you." The compliment makes Ursula smile, as she comes to a stop. She notices the fact that his hair, his skin, and his eyes are all the same color; it prompts a reevaluation as to whether he is human or some manner of spirit. That, of course, makes little difference to a practiced witch. (One of her esteemed colleagues is a goldfish, after all.)

She taps her magical wand once. "A magical spell," she explains. "It creates an umbrella from my wand. Of course, the stars are a personal touch!" After declaring that, the witch winks.

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[OPEN] a departure, and an arrival

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Turtle's Head!

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