silent, in the trees [open]

[necrocabbage]

Characters: Trahearne, open to everyone
Date: Early February
Location: In and around the Dreaming Bridge
Situation: There's a quiet plant guy lurking around. That might be a little weird.
Warnings/Rating: Nothing yet


A. During the day - outside the Dreaming Bridge
When he's not busy with other matters, Trahearne has been spending some time right outside the Dreaming Bridge building. He mostly walks around the outside of the Quayside wing, though sometimes he makes a circle around the Breakwater wing as well, to cover all his bases.

What exactly he's doing out there might not be immediately obvious. When he's not just walking around, examining the dirt and peering under bushes like he's looking for something, he's been leaving little pieces of jerky in specific, tucked-away places. Trahearne later returns to check to see if the jerky is gone, but even when it's disappeared, he seems to keep walking away with nothing to show for the endeavor.

Whatever kind of animal Trahearne is trying to lure out hasn't yet revealed itself, but he's certainly patient enough to continue trying.



B. At night - in the Dreaming Bridge lounge/lobby
Trahearne hasn't been sleeping well. Tossing and turning is one thing, but after the first night when he kept waking from terrible nightmares, he decided that persisting in a useless endeavor would only end in disturbing his roommates. The idea of having to explain what he was seeing in his dreams to two complete strangers wasn't just unappealing, he knew that it wouldn't help matters any. He'd still have trouble sleeping, and he'd still wake them with it, whether they knew what was happening or not.

Instead, he's taken to slipping out of his room after the others are asleep, taking with him a small pile of books on the Planes that he's obtained from one of the local libraries. Trahearne then curls up in one of the more comfortable chairs in the public lounge, reading by the light of a lamp, up until he dozes off or simply can't see straight anymore. Whether he's found awake or asleep, he's always gone before sunrise, either to get breakfast or to return to his room to prepare for another day.

Comments

A.

[iseeall]

Leo was also in the process of just walking around, but more for the sake of photography and information then anything else. He did see the aura of a few more new people around, but he was still kind of shy around them. Leo would only bother them if they needed help.

However, he looked down to see a piece of jerky tucked away in a little corner of the room. Steven, his bibiru of the day, was already sniffing at it when Leo picked it up, brushed it off, and after a cursory pause, put it in his mouth.

This would probably not be the best time for said tree man who put it there to come back to check on it but well, Leo's luck was never that good.

[necrocabbage]

Trahearne was, in fact, just returning to check on the jerky he had placed out a few hours before. Some of it had been going missing, enough for him to be sure that some sort of animal was at least taking the bait. The problem was being quick enough to catch the creature in the act.

This time, it seemed he was quick enough - but that certainly wasn't a creature that had taken his bait. The bibiru was a notable oddity, but for the moment, it wasn't as odd as the short human that had just deliberately eaten a piece of dirty food. That was supposed to be bad for them, wasn't it?

Trahearne just stared at Leo's back for a moment before clearing his throat awkwardly. "Excuse me. Are you hungry? I have more where that came from."

[iseeall]

Well Leo couldn't say much for the others, but this piece of jerky was his, and when Trahearne spoke, the human jumped, nearly dropping his bibiru. "Jesus fuck!"

Really, he got snuck up on too much for a guy with all-seeing eyes. However, Leo turned to see the strange sentient plant man. So...was he the one leaving jerky around? He realized Trahearne had startled him enough he'd opened his eyes, and quickly closed them again, looking hastily around.

"I. Uh. I mean...did you really see me do that...." He wanted to die from this embarrassment.

[necrocabbage]

Trahearne was slightly taken aback by getting a glimpse of the human's oddly-glowing eyes, but honestly, he's seen stranger things than that. It wasn't going to distract him from the situation at hand.

"I did," he said gently, stepping in closer. "But I understand. We all do what we must, don't we?" Reaching into a pocket tucked into one of the leaves at his waist, Trahearne takes out a small, wrapped bundle of jerky, offering it to him.

"Go on, take it. I don't need it."

[iseeall]

"Oh. Okay, thanks." Leo wasn't entirely sure why he was being offered jerky, but he also wasn't one to turn down free food. It probably tasted better when it wasn't on the floor anyway.

He really, really, wanted to ask about this guy being a plant, but that would probably be rude. "I'm guessing you're the one putting jerky around everywhere? Are you trying to attract mice or something?"

B

[perfectenn]

Despite such considerations, one other roommate roams the quiet lobby seeking a late-night walk. His hair is mussed with not-sleeping and he's carrying his cellphone; he can only focus on beta testing the yimo prototype for so long before his eyes start to glaze over. Tenn stifles a yawn, both hands occupied with scrolling through picture albums. But a light in the sitting area catches his attention, and Tenn sidles up beside the chair.

"Couldn't sleep?" Again. Not that Tenn is pointing fingers. He hasn't had this much anxiety since six years ago when he was staring up at unfamiliar ceilings... best not think about that now, so he glances at the reading material.

"I hope the books have been of help." Tenn wasn't much help besides pointing out this or that author. Most of the theories in the volumes still go over his head, but he’s coming to grasp the subject a little more each day.

[necrocabbage]

Trahearne hadn't initially noticed Tenn walk in, half-asleep as he was and struggling to get through another paragraph of planar origin theories. He's certainly not bothered by the interruption, though he does give his roommate a somewhat concerned look as he lifts his gaze from his book.

"I didn't wake you, I hope." That wasn't exactly answering the question, no. Trahearne slipped the bound bookmark into place before closing the book on his lap and setting it aside. "They've been very helpful, yes. The Planes here sound similar to the Mists in my world, which is something of a wider concept. The Mists are supposed to exist between all worlds, but... I am not so confident that it does so here." He knew the Durmand Priory had rare maps of the Mists, but he had no hope of accessing those here. He could've given an arm to have one of them right now.

[perfectenn]

"You didn't." A somewhat bitter smile. Tenn wants to sleep, but his mind races. The transition to living here, the gap between here and home... there are many things that keep him up at night.

He catches sight of a bit of the text before the tome closes - yes, that was certainly a hefty paragraph for late-night reading - and returns his attention to Trahearne.

"I'm glad you have a comparison. It is interesting, isn't it?" He settles on the arm of the neighboring chair, resting one hand under his chin. "The idea that things come through these layers, or can be drawn out... if such planes are universal, how far might they reach?" He raises his head, eyes widening. "Do people appear or disappear in your world as well?"

[necrocabbage]

"No, I'm afraid neither of those happen on Tyria at all, not that we know of. It's not an exact comparison. The Mists are believed to hold the multiverse together, and each world forms... islands of reality within it, so to speak. The Mists are where souls go when they die, but it's possible for the living to use portals to visit the Mists. I've met quite a few warriors who spend their days fighting against other worlds within the Mists."

Trahearne then gives him a small, rueful smile, sweeping a hand at his pile of books. "None of these mention the Mists at all. It seems that the three planes here can interact with the physical plane we're on now, but I'm not certain that any of them are an actual place that can be visited. ... To be honest, that the Mists don't exist here goes against what the scholars in my world have taken as fact for centuries. The three planes certainly aren't recognized as a force on Tyria."

B

[annihilist]

Much like Trahearne, Devin hasn't been sleeping much. He's used to nightmares; that's not really the problem here, although admittedly he's not pleased by the idea of anyone seeing him wake up in a more vulnerable state. Fortunately, he usually sleeps through them. No, it's merely the fact that he isn't accustomed to living with other people and would really rather avoid them as much as possible. It's been about seven decades since he was forced into such close quarters.

He doesn't need as much sleep as humans. This is not the same thing as no sleep, but he can deal for now. It seems that Devin isn't the only one who takes to late nights, and he's seen Trahearne a few times without saying anything. If they're to be regular nightly denizens, might as well find out more about the strange Dreamfolk.

"You might want to consider some lighter reading one of these nights," the vampire comments without looking up from his own book. He's leaned back into a chair with his feet propped up, a volume of history in his lap.

[necrocabbage]

Trahearne has likewise started to learn that he wasn't the only night owl in the building. In the end, that was a good thing; total solitude wasn't good for anyone, he knew that much. He's also equally comfortable with companionable silence, so chances are that Devin has gotten a nod or two of acknowledgement during those nights. Making conversation in the middle of a quiet building always seemed like treading on a delicate moment, as though the silence truly could be broken apart.

But tonight, Trahearne's eyes are just wandering over the page in front of him, taking in the words without actually reading them. He did need the break. "This is important research," he pointed out, looking up at Devin. "We're better armed with knowledge if we know the mechanics behind how we came to be here."

[annihilist]

"Be that as it may, you'll be better armed if you actually process all of what you're reading." There is an edge of amusement to Devin's tone. "And as I understand it, figuring out what the Dreaming is doing and how to use it is the entire purpose of the Aisling Tower. Best leave it to the experts, mm?"

He lifts his eyes from the page, shooting a sly smirk Trahearne's direction. "Then again, it's been more than 560 years and they still haven't figured out how to send us back at will, so some 'experts' they are."

[necrocabbage]

Trahearne rested his chin on his hand, regarding Devin with some skepticism.

"I'll grant you that I might not be absorbing this well tonight, but experts aren't the only ones that can contribute knowledge. As you said, if they haven't figured it out, who's to say that one of us won't? Sometimes a fresh perspective is what it takes to make a breakthrough."

Not that he felt like he was anywhere near a breakthrough, but he had to defend his choices somehow. Quite a bit of Trahearne's research was fueled by his own curiosity, by just needing to know more about the place the multiverse had spit him out into.

"And what of yourself? It doesn't look as though you picked particularly light reading tonight."

B

[corundrum]

[Padparadscha's sleeping habits are a little on the bizarre side, since gems' exhaustion is tied to their amount of sunlight energy. So some days, they sleep fine - but others, they end up in the lobby or wandering the city instead, pace slowed by the low light quality, or perhaps just a musing mood.

The plant person in the lobby is difficult to miss, though, especially since he seems to be dozing off when Padparadscha finds him. They bend over the chair, touching at and browsing the covers of his books before offering a slight, sidelong smile.]

This seems like a strange place to fall asleep, little one.

[necrocabbage]

[Trahearne was snoozing soundly enough that he didn't wake until they spoke to him, at which point he jolts upright in his chair, blinking blearily when he sees the sparkling of the lamp's light reflecting in their hair. For a moment, he nearly mistakes them for a particularly flashy mesmeric illusion.]

I- my apologies. It seems this book wasn't as exciting as I thought it would be.

[That might've been a joke. Everything in his stack of books is either about the Planes in a general sense or an individual one specifically, which made for quite a lot of dry reading material.]

[corundrum]

[Padparadscha laughs softly, picking up one of the books and starting to leaf through it. It certainly does seem like the kind of thing that would get dry after a while, though useful nonetheless.] Ah, I couldn't imagine why. It's almost like learning things makes for a lot of studious focus, huh?

[They glance over the top of the book to the rest of the pile, then over to him.] Does your species take in information differently, or am I right in thinking this seems like a lot for just one night?

[necrocabbage]

No, you're correct about that. It will take me a while to go through all of these.

[He's staring at them a little, though he's trying hard not to, well aware that it was rude. Finally, he just can't stop himself from asking the question that's on the tip of his tongue,]

Are you mineral-based? Pardon me for asking, but - your appearance is quite unique.

A

[redlightgreenlight]

After her initial adjustment period, which had mostly involved a lack of interaction with anyone and anything, Valdis began to explore the city. Finding routes to and from the Dreaming bridge from as many different directions as possible. Due to her cat's uncanny ability to somehow escape her room, it was inevitable that Anani would wander off on his own, but the fluffy white cat always came back in one piece, so her concerns in that regard weren't high.

On this particular day, the cat had followed her on her excursion into the city and back the Dreaming Bridge. The sight of the strange humanoid creature lurking around the outside of the Quayside wing was more curious than alarming. Anani mewed loudly, jumping up into her arms, startled, Valdis barely managed to catch him before he needed to dig in his claws.

[necrocabbage]

Half-bent over and peering behind one of the bushes, Trahearne straightened up abruptly when he heard that meow, looking over to them in surprise. "The cat!" It was real! Thank the Pale Tree, he wasn't losing it after all!

Aware that he must look at least a little strange, Trahearne approached Valdis with a small smile. "I'm sorry. Is this one yours? I only ever caught fleeing glimpses before. I wasn't entirely sure that I hadn't imagined it."

[redlightgreenlight]

Valdis was not intimidated by the strange person's appearance in the slightest, Anani, however, did have a slight problem. He hissed, struggling out of Valdis' arms and climbing up onto her should, turning around awkwardly and hissing again, as if warning the newcomer to stay away.

"Anani," Valdis said sharply, somewhat shocked by the cat's reaction. "I'm sorry, he isn't usually like this."

For heaven's sake, the cat liked Bakura.

[necrocabbage]

Trahearne stopped in his tracks when the cat started hissing. So that was why his attempts at luring it out into the open hadn't succeeded. He opted to stay where he was, not wanting to antagonize the cat any further, but he couldn't help but look a little crestfallen.

"No, it's quite alright. It must be that my appearance startles him." He does sound a little regretful, but there was simply nothing to be done about it. Trahearne knew better than to push at an unwilling animal. "Did you say his name's Anani? He's a beautiful creature."

B

[afoolsgold]

On one particular night when Trahearne ventures into the lounge to keep his nightly vigil against his own nightmares, he'll discover that he has some company. Though it could be some time before the Fool, settled against one of the windows with his arms encircling his knees and his gaze gone quite distant, might be noticed. When he is still he tends to avoid detection rather well--particularly at night when he sets aside the scarlet cloak he favours.

As Trahearne makes himself comfortable, the Fool pulls his gaze away from what he can see of the city through the window to consider the peculiar-looking stranger nearby. "If you'd prefer solitude," he says into the quiet, "I'm happy to slip out and let you have it." He points a dextrous finger towards the open doorway, but the look he gives Trahearne is friendly enough, if sleepless.

[necrocabbage]

Trahearne certainly wasn't always observant, and less so at this time of night, when he was somewhat drowsy himself. He had just sat down, his pile of books set on a table next to his chair, when the sudden voice nearly startles him into dropping the book he had picked off the top.

"Oh! My apologies, I didn't see you over there." Offering him a small smile in return, Trahearne shakes his head. "It's not for the solitude that I'm here - but if you'd rather I leave, I could do that. There's other places I could sit and read."

[afoolsgold]

Friendliness offered earns friendliness in return. The Fool quirks a warm smile and unfolds himself from his seat at the window to stand and stretch; perhaps he'd been seated there, gazing out towards the city and the sea, for some time. "I would welcome the company, to be truthful," he replies, and comes towards the strange looking man to find a vacant seat near one of the lamps. This one looks more inviting anyway; more plush cushions, fewer hard angles. He settles into it, folding his legs beneath himself again.

"It's somewhat reassuring," he begins tiredly, pushing hair from his eyes, "to discover I'm not the only one here struggling with sleep."

[necrocabbage]

Trahearne nods, watching him approach before placing the first book in the pile on his lap. He's not opening it yet, though, more liking the thought of a pleasant conversation right now than delving straight into something as meaty as a treatise on the metaphysics of the Plane of Death.

"You'd be surprised how many different people I've seen here at night since I started keeping these hours. For some it seems natural, and for others it's down to the difficulty of living in a strange new place." He continues in a wistful tone, "I do envy the ones that can sleep soundly. This city doesn't seem particularly dangerous, but it's still something of an unknown quantity."