psychoshenanigans | GRATIA // PSL

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GRATIA // PSL

The first thing he feels is the cold.

It permeates everything down here on the lower levels. What little warmth humans have made for themselves is greedily gobbled up by the stone walls that surround them on all sides. Despite the stirring of people in the streets, in their homes, and around corners, this place feels like a grave. A similar sense seems to loom over the heads of most who make their way through this deep, dark part of the world, hovering around them like a cloud of inevitability. No one has been outright sentenced to death, but they may as well be.

Upon waking, Tek will have found himself in a dark, wet alleyway. Attempts to orient himself reveal that he has been brought, somehow, to an impressively large network of tunnels that all lead, more or less, to three or four larger chambers. There is far more vibrant life above him somewhere, far, far above the layer of caves he's in now, and there is also a very deep, sluggish form of life somewhere far below his feet.

No one is coming to get him. No one follows him in his immediate vicinity--the few stragglers hanging around doorsteps and windows don't give him a second glance, or even a first one. The place is crowded, but not busy. Everyone keeps their heads down. The people are all dressed poorly, in rags and robes and bundles that suggest a certain level of consistent poverty all throughout the level. The buildings in these tunnels look man-made, either built from scrap or carved straight out of the rock of the cave, but the majority of the actual roads and cave walls seem to have been formed with very little help from human hands.

The place is lit with lanterns and dirty-looking florescents suspended high above in the cave ceiling. The air is thick and stuffy, the smell of mold and mud prevalent over even the smell of human stagnation. It would not be hard to drag someone off, and he gets the immediate feeling that if he did, it's unlikely that anyone would come looking for them.

What does he do?

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[someday, Tek will spend a century of his miserable life locked in darkness, followed by decades deep under the earth, living so far from open air and natural things that it will become difficult to remember what their presence is like at all.

he is not that creature yet, however. for now, he is still a being of long miles and expansive sky. reaching the surface is like returning home, and the settlement itself--the buildings and the walls and the people within them--carry a surprisingly powerful punch of nostalgia.

it makes him smile, despite the fact that he can still scarcely see. he's got one hand up to shade his face from the sun and only one eye squinted open. he takes his time anyway, giving Robin the satisfaction of looking around and really drinking in this new place that he must feel so proud of. he will let him have that.]

...It smells good.

[Robin does glance over when Tek doesn't immediately answer, and has to wonder if he's really looking or if the dragon is just making a show of it. he knows that some of the things he finds wonderful are fairly unremarkable to Tek, who hasn't been through anything that would make him miss the sun, or green things, or a people that are ostensibly his... but still, the idea of a lukewarm reaction seems pretty disappointing.

but his comment seems pretty genuine, so his small concerns get even smaller, and he starts leading them along a main street, down the line of bustling shops.]

Yeah, it's not bad. [he looks over his shoulder to talk while he walks.] It's only been here for the last... Hm, hundred years?

[his surprise is mild but genuine; he's seen plenty of little communities grow and fall over the course of ages to know what's impressive for a hundred years. it also happens to be one of his favorite things to observe, so it counts toward him definitively enjoying himself up here already.]

I wouldn't have guessed. It has a nice feel, for a new place.

[he settles into an easy stroll beside Robin as his eyes adjust enough to not have to shield them anymore. and it takes him a moment to choose what he wants to ask, as his first options are a little too "old" for the young personas they're trying to portray for anyone who might be listening.]

Are you up here often? I can't imagine you would want to spend much time below if you could help it.

[and now, Robin feels a little more reassured that this was not a bad idea. this town is quite the feat, for a people who only reached the surface a couple of centuries ago.

Robin takes a moment to put together a proper answer; careful pauses are welcome in this conversation, without a doubt. he's walking at a leisurely pace, scanning the storefronts and display windows with the consideration of someone who hasn't yet decided where they'd like to go.]

About even, actually. And that's because it's grown on me over the last few years. [unspoken: "of being shipped between dimensions and forced to play out intergalactic reality television shows".] I used to loathe having to spend time up here. It gets... Boring, believe it or not.

[he takes a couple of extra seconds to say "boring", so that clearly isn't the whole case.]

Edited 2018-07-29 03:47 (UTC)

[there's an amiable hum of acknowledgement as he mulls over all of the spoken and unspoken context, and he follows Robin's gaze along the storefronts while his attention busies elsewhere.]

You must have quite a lot going on in the world below. Though, I suppose you have always needed to be somewhere that can match your... speed.

[well, that's a polite way to put it. he smirks, giving a little shrug.]

They don't have dance clubs up here, is all I'm saying.

[that is definitely not all he's saying, but it's a fair point to make all the same.

the storefronts here are all rustic and inviting, of course. to the left, there is a clothier with a number of nice (but seemingly functional) outfits displayed in the front window. there's also some sort of a boutique next door, where another pair of girls walk out, giggling over something one told the other. to the right, there's what appears to be a small general store, marked by a line of small, colorful flags draped along the second-floor balcony--people are eating lunch at a few tables up there, which looks charming, if not a little pretentious. next door is the bakery, responsible for the sweet smell. the windows of the place are cut in the shape of little hearts.

between two of these buildings, at the edge of their path, a worker in a dark green apron is repairing something. at first it looks like she's re-laying some of the path itself, but upon further examination, it seems that she's pulling dark, burned stones away from a streak of scorched ground. maybe there was a fire here? very locally? very, very, very locally, like half a foot wide and a foot long?

Robin, not taking notice to this, turns to address Tek with a slight tilt of his head.]

Speaking of, is there anything you are interested in? This day is for you, after all. I've already seen everything.

[pausing a moment to look at that patch of scorched earth, Tek experiences something of temporal vertigo. it at first looks extremely familiar and makes sense to part of his brain, while the rest of it remembers that he is not currently with the person that was once the cause of those sorts of things. wrong world, wrong time.

he's still wondering over it a moment later, but his attention is pulled away at the question. he scoffs.]

That almost sounds sweet when you say it like that. [gross.] And I suppose it all depends on what sort of budget we have for this day of mine.

Ugh. [he frowns, partly in response to the first comment... but mostly to the second.] We've really got to find you some kind of income, before you drain me dry.

[but his frown doesn't stay for long, turning back into a smirk as he considers what would be a responsible amount of spending.]

Only as much as you can carry back without looking like an idiot. [he holds both of his hands up, out of the way, as he quickly adds--] And I'm not carrying anything for you.

[Robin's refusal to act like a gentleman doesn't seem to bother Tek one bit. in fact, he gets the kind of grin that comes after a challenge that he knows he's going to win.]

That is my limit? [he makes a show of pausing to look around at the nearby stores.] ...In that case, is there a jewelry store around here?

[Gods in all their Kingdoms, give him strength. is he off his game, or was he always like this around Tek?

either way, he rubs at one of his temples as if he was starting to get a headache.]

Yes... Yes, of course there is.

[but halfway through remembering which way they'd have to go to get there, he suddenly laughs--] Hey, isn't that where we went the first time, too? Ages ago?

[he will take a few more steps down the road, leading them in the direction of a particular cross-street.]

[Tek's campaign of evil is momentarily paused while he thinks, following after Robin.] First time...?

[this one really takes some thought. though it may have only been a small number of years if all of the pieces had been lined up in a continuous, sensible row, he feels as though he has to remember back through several different lifetimes to remember what Robin could be talking about.]

Do you mean shopping? [a sudden smile when something finally begins to click.] ...Our first date?

[Robin is, unfortunately, just a mental step behind him--far enough to be genuinely startled as he realizes just a second too late that he has reopened a very, very old tease.]

It wasn't a date!

[ah, here he is. as impulsive as ever.]

[Tek's sudden, obnoxious giggle is just as much surprised as it is amused. he can't believe Robin has indulged him so.]

Then yes, yes I do remember it. Except, back then, you had offered to carry my things for me.

[or Tek had handed them off to him without giving him the option to refuse. one of the two.]

Oh, I am very sure I didn't.

[doesn't sound like him at all. collecting himself, he reaches out to give Tek's shoulder a playful push, not enough to really budge his friend, but enough to make him feel like he's done something to get back for the unfair jabs.]

But that does remind me... That was where you got those glasses, too, right?

[Tek lets his shoulder sink to the side when it's pushed, mostly so the rest of him doesn't have to move anywhere.]

The nice colored ones, yes. [playing up a wistful tone in his voice. he'd really loved those glasses.] And a sword.

[--speaking of which, he's considering adding to his shopping list.]

That's right... [he remembers their few practice fights with those swords, half of which were spent trying to convince Robin not to just flail his rapier around like a caveman.] I think we may be able to find both, up here.

[the demigod settles into a comfortable pace again, returning to clasping his hands behind his back. their path leads around a corner, down a row of similarly-charming buildings. they pass a father trying to herd his three children into a house--one of which is too busy trying to tell him all about what their imaginary farm looks like. Robin gives them a little attention as they pass, but perhaps just to make sure he isn't speaking so loud as to alarm the good people around them.]

And I suppose it'd make sense for you to have a weapon, in case you need a socially acceptable way to kill someone.

Edited 2018-07-29 17:43 (UTC)

[Tek waits until the family is safely through the doorway before he laughs--but just barely.]

...You could have said "defend yourself," you know. You make me sound like some kind of murderer that way.

[and as he settles into the satisfaction of his own sense of humor, he casually hooks onto Robin's arm.

a genuine sign of affection? maybe. a ploy to butter up his partner before they reach their shopping destination? more likely.]

[he likes having Tek hook onto his arm. even if he knows full well that it's a ploy, that doesn't stop him from enjoying the chance to walk close to him and feel him constantly at his side.]

It did come off that way, didn't it.

[he certainly does not take it back, smiling up at the sky.

the jewelry store comes up on their right, a two-story timber building with some brickwork accenting the base. the storefront features several pale, stained-glass windows, all of which are open to let in the pleasant, early-afternoon air. a discreet metal sign on the door reads, "Malia's Wonderous Jewels and Trinkets".

this is where Robin leads the two of them, and also where he'll open the door and give the "after you" gesture for Tek to make his way inside.]

[Tek can't remember the last time that he'd been able to just go shopping for the hell of it, but he also doesn't try very hard--he's still trying not to dwell on the fact that he can't exactly remember where he even was right before his arrival here. so, he just blithely assumes that it must have been a long time and appreciates the opportunity now.

if he's going to be spending an extended amount of time in this world (which he will also assume is the case instead of considering the alternative) he will need to build up a nice little hoard anyway. might as well start it off well.

so, after a cursory glance around once he strolls his way inside, he starts heading toward whatever looks immediately expensive.]

[the interior of the shop is small, and fairly simple. the light oak walls are ringed with high, slanted counters, just the right height to peruse the many wares displayed in cushioned wooden trays all around the store. these appear to be everything from earrings to anklets, in many styles, but largely made from metal and set with any number of semi-precious stones.

in the middle of the store, a small, round table is dressed up to display several necklaces and bracelets all on their own. a small wooden sign propped up on the table indicates that these are "featured" pieces, whatever that means.

at the back of the store, there's a long desk where a few items are being displayed underneath a protective glass case. leaning on that case is a bored-looking teenage boy, with sandy-blonde hair, a thin build, and no jewelry on him to speak of. behind him, rows of shelves display other things--glittering perfume bottles, small brass vases, some needlessly-artistic sets of utensils, even a couple of abstract metal sculptures.

when someone enters, the young man picks his head up from where it had been leaning on his hand, looking a little more attentive.] Uh, hello sirs. Can I help you?

[that glass display case is probably where Tek wants to start, if he's looking strictly for valuable items.]

[well, he had been planning on going right to display case, but the "featured" table momentarily snags his attention on the way over--and, to be certain, the array of sparkling, miscellaneous objects filling the back shelves are soon to follow.

he can take a brief pause to address the boy, however. remembering the sign hanging outside (and thinking of himself as terribly humorous) he smiles brightly in response.]

Ah, you must be Malia, hmm?

[the "featured" table seems to be reserved for jewelry made out of a particular kind of material called "Celrym Glass". a large chunk of it, cut in a tear-drop shape, hangs from a necklace and reflects dozens of small, softly-twinkling flecks of white and green light on the table around it to demonstrate.

the boy laughs humorlessly, having heard that one before.]

No, sir. Malia is my mother. She owns the store and makes most of the things here. I just run the shop while she's out...

[Robin has since filed in behind Tek, but he's waiting to see what expensive havoc Tek will wreak first. the young man, glances over Tek's clothes and does his best to sound polite with his next question:]

What brings you in today, if I may ask?

Treasures. [he casually amends--] To bring back home and make my friends seethe with jealousy over.

[with hands clasped politely behind his back, he leans to inspect the finery inside of the cases... but his eyes are drawn back to the undeniably sparkly things on the table. he motions back toward those featured items for the boy to explain.]

What can you tell me about the glass?

[the answer catches the boy a little by surprise, since that's not the answer he usually gets when he asks that question. if he has any further questions, he does not ask them, but instead follows the gesture to the display table in the middle of the room.]

Oh, the Celrym glass? It's-- [the young man laughs, then, almost a little embarrassed to be talking fondly about jewelry, but.] It's actually really slick. We just got them in yesterday. Here, let me show you--

[and, maybe anxious for something to do, the boy swings around the case to go walk to the table and pick up one of the necklaces. as he continues explaining, Robin is visible near the door, half-hiding his mouth with his hand and trying not to look too amused at Tek's first choice.]

It's a kind of glass that we can only find after a burn storm. One hit just last week, and we were able to scrape this up out of the pavement. Something about the lightning super-heating the minerals in the ground causes these... hundreds of tiny facets that are almost impossible to see.

[as he moves the necklace, the lights hit other jewelry made of that same glass, causing more flecks to refract back in whites and soft blues. the boy crosses to a stained-glass window, closes it, and then holds the tear-shaped necklace up in front of it.

it is dazzling--the stone seems to catch up every scrap of tinted light from the windows and scatter it over the floor, the table, even the ceiling, sending rippling flecks of blues, reds, greens, oranges, and purples over all of them like a sea of multicolored stars.

the boy, who has seen this before, still sounds a little proud of the piece.]

Some folks think it's a little too much for jewelry, but I think it'd be nice to have just as a decoration. [he pauses, suddenly remembering another factoid:] The glass is named after one of the Nine, something about the lights bringing solace just like they did in the stories... or something.

Edited 2018-07-30 04:00 (UTC)

[...so sue him, he likes shiny things, okay? expensive and high-quality is all well and tempting and good, but have you seen the way these things sparkle?

he's even able to forcefully ignore Robin's stupid face through most of the explanation. when there is something so distractingly pretty throwing light around the room, lighting up his mind's eye with visions of what his new hoard could be like, it's easy to put on blinders.

however, just as he has almost made the unbreakable decision to add one of the pieces to his collection, the kid mentions the Nine... and Tek can't help but finally shoot a glance in Robin's direction.]

GRATIA // PSL

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