[GP] Check-in Day

[st_oneswidow]

The wheel of the year turned and turned and Curnen found herself at an anniversary of sorts that she flatly didn't want to be remembering but got stuck on a loop of anyway.

This time there was no taking the hell off into the wilderness, though. Nor were there endless, circular recitations of "The Queen of Argyll." Rather than be poisoned by the memory of someone she still hated like everloving fuck, she focused on remembering the friend she'd lost. And besides this being Kash's song, she figured it was never a bad time around here for "John Barleycorn." Perched on the roof with her guitar, she sang of John Barleycorn's dying and rising again, subtle magic weaving into her voice to lead anyone lost in their little bubble world this way.

There was three men come out of the west their fortunes for to try,
And these three men made a solemn vow, John Barleycorn must die,
They ploughed, they sowed, they harrowed him in, threw clods upon his head,
And these three men made a solemn oath John Barleycorn was dead.

It was Kash's song, in her mind, but you talked to half the people around here and it wasn't a bad fit for them, either. From her vantage point, she watched the road.

Comments

Re: Connor - Assigned Threads

[st_abilitylost]

“I thank you for your time. ...I just have one final question.” Connor inclined his head. “Am I the only android here?”

Re: Connor - Assigned Threads

[st_ratagem]

"No. To my knowledge, there's one other. Anita, I believe she's called." Loki hadn't interacted with her directly, though Stark had. He knew her from the osmosis that happened whenever a group of beings were all stuck in a terrarium together. "There are also one or two cyborgs - part machine, part biological. For whatever that's worth."

Re: Connor - Assigned Threads

[st_abilitylost]

Anita. Some small voice in Connor was insisting that it was wasteful to cling to his mission in a place like this, but it was overrided by every ounce of his programming. His stoic featured hardened before he regained his wits. “I see. Is there a means to reach out to other residents directly?”

Re: Connor - Assigned Threads

[st_ratagem]

“If you haven’t already, you’ll get a book.” Loki brought out his own journal briefly, then stashed it back over there. “It’s probably the best method of communication if face to face is inconvenient.”

Re: Connor - Assigned Threads

[st_abilitylost]

Connor followed along with the explanation easily enough, though his LED flashed in surprise when the humble book simply vanished. 'Right. God.'

"Thank you again for your time, Loki." Straightening his cuffs, Connor inclined his head once more. "I'm afraid I don't have much to offer in the way of a proper blót. Perhaps a lock of hair will do?"

Re: Connor - Assigned Threads

[st_ratagem]

Only centuries of practice at controlling his features and expressions kept Loki from bursting out laughing. Of course the android would do his best to adhere to old traditions! It was rather cute, but mostly funny. “That, or you can owe me.”

No doubt he’d choose the hair. Being in Loki’s debt rarely ended well for mortals. Or mortal-adjacent brings.

Re: Connor - Assigned Threads

[st_abilitylost]

"A favor it is, then. They're not real." The synthetic fluid composing the carefully groomed brunette locks atop Connor's head vanished in part, revealing a paper-white underskin. They were quick to reappear, along with a faint smile touching Connor's lips.

"I'm Connor." He began, remembering his manners. "An android created by Cyberlife."

Re: Connor - Assigned Threads

[st_ratagem]

“Interesting.” His appearance was dictated by programming, then. Given what he’d said about obeying human authority, it was likely a design feature, an ability to set preferences. Likely also not something he controlled directly if so. Well, there might be some fun to be had with that. “Welcome to the Madonna Inn, Connor.”