ioduanlogs | silent, in the trees [open]

Entry tags:

silent, in the trees [open]

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.

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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.

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."

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.

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."

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.

"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?"

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.

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.

[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.

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.

"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?"

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."

Mildly relieved that he took the jerky, Trahearne shook his head, some amusement creeping into his tone. "Oh no, not mice. Though that might end up helping me in the long run."

Leaning in a bit, Trahearne lowered his tone in a conspiratorial fashion. "I keep seeing glimpses of a cat around here, but when I asked the staff, they had never heard of such a creature. It seems that cats don't exist in this world, but I don't think I'm imagining what I saw. ... Ah, I should explain. A cat is a small, furry creature with four legs, a long tail, and triangle-shaped ears."

He had, in fact, mistaken Leo for one of the city's residents. A homeless resident, to be more precise.

Leo just stared at the plant man. Then stared some more. The expression on his face, even with his eyes closed, was practically dripping with disdain. Did he just assume Leo didn't know what a cat was??

"Hey, I know what a cat is; I'm not stupid!" He retorted, resisting the urge to stick his tongue out or something like that. He just met the guy, he shouldn't be THAT rude.

[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.]

Getting a look like that was more than enough to make Trahearne realize that he had just put his foot in his mouth. "You do? But no one - thorns. You're one of the Dreamfolk, aren't you?"

Despite the time of day, Trahearne was starting to quite literally glow purple with embarrassment. That still didn't quite explain the human's behavior - all the Dreamfolk got free food here, surely enough that no one would need to eat off the ground? - but it seemed that his assumptions had lead him astray anyway.

"I'm very sorry. I thought that you must be, ah, one of the locals."

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."

"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."

Edited 2018-02-05 02:22 (UTC)

[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?

It's all very complicated, and Tenn is still as considers it. So, some people choose to travel within the layers rather than being pulled unexpectedly? That is good. Though he'd prefer not to have to die to return to his world... he's not going to say that. Dark humor would not go over well, circumstances being as they are.

"Intriguing... it sounds chaotic, but the layers exist in harmony. Though if I came through a portal to get here, I wouldn't have known." He doesn’t remember anything of the passage, not even getting the circular marking the other Dreamfolk have, and that worries him.

He goes on to admit, "Nothing resembling what you or these books have described is acknowledged as existing in my world." Even in the whimsical dramas and musical he's played in recently... those details about worlds colliding were only a basis for a plot, a little imagination for the audience to pull them into the dream. "The concept is considered mere fantasy by most." A considering pause. "Or we may just be unaware of such things."

"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."

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.

Well, Trahearne might have been rambling a bit with his explanation of the Mists, but comparing worlds seemed like a useful exchange of information. It certainly couldn't hurt, even if it ended up not revealing anything important.

"I'm afraid I have no memory of a portal, either. ... But there's truly no similar concepts in your world?" Trahearne holds his chin in one hand, certainly sounding intrigued. "There's always a possibility that it does still exist - though I find it hard to believe that any world wouldn't eventually learn how the universe around them operates. Then what about your world's magic? Does that have some separate source? It seems that magic comes from the three planes here."

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."

Well well, you're observant. It takes humans a lot longer to notice, usually. [Padparadscha closes the book carefully and sets it back down on the pile. Their fingernails, too, glitter like gems.]

I'm a gem, yes. And I suppose you're plant-based looking like that, right? [It seems like the logical assumption to make, and they gesture towards his face to make the point..]

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