[OPEN] Well. That Didn't Go Quite As Planned

[moneytwin]

Who: EVERYONE
Where: The Temple of Beginnings
When: Immediately After The End.
Rating: PG-13, may vary by thread
What: You fall, you pick yourself back up and you move on. Or at least, you try.


Fished Out Of Water
One minute, you are witnessing the fabric of an entire world implode as it is literally ripped apart by powers unknown. The next, that tell-tale twist somewhere beneath your sternum, before you are bodily YANKED away from Akvos, away from the ocean and the Queen and the King and the Princess.

And land back on (mostly) solid, dry ground.

Welcome back to the Temple of Beginnings. Don't worry, there's no hurry for you to get back up just yet.


Hey, Howya Doin'?
Once you do get back up, now is the time to be taking stock of the situation - yours, your friends, and even those new merfolk neighbours (who may need a hand getting their fins back into the water). There is also the missing members of the Circle to consider: people who disappeared on the journey to Akvos, and those who never made it back..

(There's also that small matter with a certain 'witchess-san' that may be a cause for concern to some more than others.)

Whatever the case, it's a lot to process right now. Take the time you have, because you don't know if it'll be enough for what you need.

---

[[ OOC: Here's an open post for threads reacting to the end of the Akvos world hop. Feel free to use the above prompts, and/or make your own! ]]

Comments

[fuck1ngusernam3]

[Hank's laugh is shaky and high pitched and he tries to cut it off before it can really get started.]

Yeah. Yeah, I, uh- lots of unexpected shit goin around, huh?

[He takes a second, trying to get enough distance from that little statement and from everything in his mind when he said it.]

I guess, uh, if I find anything, you want some? Kind of a good day for it.

[brodakota]

Almost too much.

But sure, I'll join you.

[He doesn't really blame Hank at this point, but it's also why he's sticking around.]

[fuck1ngusernam3]

Gotta find something first, uh, I'll get out of the way, see if you can find anything in here.

[Hank tries to stick to one side so the guy can get in if he wants to. The pantry's kind of a mess; Hank throwing all this shit around might have actually made the task of finding anything harder.]

[brodakota]

I'll see what I can do.

[Part of him wonders if there's actually a liquor cabinet or something similar in this place and if it's worth asking about. There's kids running about after all.]

Well, it's good to know we've got a decent supply of olive oil.

[fuck1ngusernam3]

Yeah, if I ever lose my mind and decide I wanna start cooking again I guess we got the right shit.

[Hank backs up to give him space, leaning against the doorway and crossing his arms, looking away. His voice is a little derisive, despite himself; throwing shit around doesn't seem so attractive when the only other person here's being all polite and normal, and in the wake of that urge Hank just feels... weird. But until he's got something else to do with himself than wait for this guy to do shit for him, he guesses waiting is what he's doing.]

[brodakota]

You cook?

[It's asked more conversationally than anything else. Distracting in a way, given everything that's happened.]

Or cooked would be the better way of putting, huh?

[fuck1ngusernam3]

[Hank’s shoulders hunch up. It’s not just a casual conversational topic to him - but what the hell. He already feels shitty anyway. And it’s not like he can’t pretend it’s casual, and maybe even halfway sort of sound it.]

Yeah, uh- no point anymore, it’s not like I got to feed anyone.

[Even that’s uncomfortable though, not to exactly something he wants to add to today’s ‘things to feel like shit about’ pile, and after a second he adds something else with a little more life shoved into his voice.]

What, doesn’t all this- [Here he tilts his head at the rest of the room, indicating the mess,] -look like the work of a professional five star chef to you?

[brodakota]

Looks like more than I could do, honestly.

[Learning to cook wasn't much of a priority after all, and there wasn't exactly a place where they could on the Mother of Invention. Or on the road.]

I wouldn't know what to do with most of this stuff.

[fuck1ngusernam3]

Well, the first step's throwin it all around till you can't find what you're lookin for, obviously.

[Yeah. Hank knows fucking this room up wasn't exactly the best idea if he really wanted to find shit. Doesn't mean he's going to clean it up- - or even help the guy look, yet.]

I guess we're lucky those uh, freaky weirdoes cook every day, a bunch of us'd probably be fucked otherwise.

[brodakota]

I figured that out, yeah. But god forbid we're ever left to our own devices.

I think a few us can cook, but I don't know if it's fair to make them do all the work.

[He shifts a few more things aside before pulling out a bottle.]

Hopefully it's not vinegar by now.

[fuck1ngusernam3]

You found something?

[Hank pushes himself off the wall just far enough to look.]

Shit, my hero. I hope you're not one of those people who freaks out about germs cause I got no idea where they keep the cups.

[brodakota]

Somehow.

[He'll do a cursory glance for something that looks like a place for cups, but shrugs it off shortly after.]

Nope, I'll be fine.

[fuck1ngusernam3]

Cool, give it here. [He reaches out, then pauses.] Uh- did you say you wanted to share, or was findin that thing a selfless act?

[brodakota]

You can have first go. If there's any left, I'll take it.

[fuck1ngusernam3]

[Hank thinks about being nice.

Today's not a nice day. Hank doesn't have much nice to spare. He tilts his chin up at the guy in thanks, then takes a long drink, making a face afterward.]

[brodakota]

It okay? Or did you just drink some vinegar?

[fuck1ngusernam3]

No, wine's just gross. Too sweet. Or, you know, whatever you call it.

[Whatever words you use for wine tasting shit. Shockingly, Hank has never been into that kind of thing. He holds the bottle out to the guy, raising his eyebrows.]

[brodakota]

[Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained as the saying goes.]

I've probably had worse.

[He takes the bottle and follows that up with a drink. At least before pulling a face.]

You weren't kidding.

[fuck1ngusernam3]

What, you don't like wine either or is this just weird? Come on.

[He heads for a table, kicking the shit he threw out of his way as he goes.]

I never used to drink it back home. But uh, you know. [He smiles thinly.] Special occasions.

[brodakota]

It wasn't something we got often either. Same deal with the special occasions. Usually it was just cheap beer if we got the chance.

[He follows.]

Guess I need to reacquire the taste.

[fuck1ngusernam3]

Well, now you got a chance.

[He sits, leaning forward and rubbing his hands over his face with a long sigh.]

Thanks for this. Drinking alone right now, it's kind of, uh...

[It's still what a part of him would rather be doing, yeah, but that doesn't mean he can't be glad he's not.]

[brodakota]

Yeah, I get it. Not exactly the best.

[He sighs.]

It's the same feeling I got when we came back from a failed mission. But I guess on a larger scale. One failure didn't mean the end of an entire world.

[fuck1ngusernam3]

Yeah.

[Hank's not sure he actually wanted to hear what they did out loud. But hey, he's heard it now. He looks at the bottle for a second, then takes a drink, stares down at the table.]

I don't even know what that means. Does that mean- does that mean their whole culture's dead? Their whole planet? A whole dimension? Fuck, maybe it doesn't matter. It's not like I could understand that many people anyway, jesus...

[brodakota]

I wouldn't even begin to know. Like...can we even go back to Akvos? Or any of the other places they've been? Or is it just a one time thing?

[And what would they find if they go back?]

Would it be worth asking, do you think? Astoria, I mean...

[fuck1ngusernam3]

[Hank covers his mouth, eyes a little wide. The thought of going back to Akvos is - it's a lot, it hit him all at once when the guy said it, and Hank takes a couple seconds and he takes a couple deep breaths and he reminds himself it's air he's breathing, and he reminds himself he doesn't have to go back.

Because they're all dead. Probably.

Fuck it, he takes another drink, then shoves the bottle closer to the other guy. If he wants some, he'd better get at the bottle before Hank does.]

God, don't even talk about that. She might actually do it. What do you even wanna do there? Just... count the fuckin bodies?

[He ducks his head, pulling a hand through his hair. That's probably not what the guy'd meant but Hank's not thinking real well right now. So sue him.]