Check-In: Not-Mother Hen

[st_alksthroughwalls]

Kitty sat at the bar with a cup of coffee and her notebook, watching the 'welcoming committee' make themselves busy. Liz was here, as she'd promised Kitty she would be and Kitty gave her a quick smile of encouragement.

One of the worst things about Check-In Days was that you never knew whether it'd be a whole long day of no one arriving, one spectacular fall from the ceiling and dropping dead after another, or anything in between. It made it hard to know what to do with yourself. After awhile, you got used to it and just kept on with whatever you'd do otherwise, and know that if you didn't step up for a new arrival, someone else would. But for someone not used to treating it like a responsibility to be here, especially someone with Liz's anxious need to be perfect at it, Check-In Day could be emotionally exhausting.

So Kitty made sure to have milk warmed for hot cocoa and her plans for the obstacle course handy in case Liz needed something to do with herself. Otherwise, she was working on a modification of Cerebro to see if she could start detecting new arrivals.


[ooc: Regular check-in day gathering post. If you want Kitty, ping me.]

Comments

Thor - Assigned Threads

[st_ormbreaker]

Thor closed his eyes for just a second as the reality of what had happened began to settle in. And when he opened them, he was somewhere else.

Whatever sorrow, whatever anger he felt at himself quickly transformed into vigilance. Thor's hands tightened around the grip of Stormbreaker as he turned around, eyes narrowing as he circled the patch of sandy earth beneath his feet.

He was sure of it. This was one of Thanos' illusions. He was using the Reality Stone. He hadn't really left; he waited until they had their guard down, then manipulated their perception of reality while they were still vulnerable.

Malekith had used it before. It'd been called the Aether then. He'd used it poorly. He knew Thanos would use it correctly. This?

Thor could feel the sun beating down on him. He could feel the breeze knock the sand against his legs. Everything about this place felt real.

This was using the Reality Stone to its full potential.

"You're a coward!" he shouts, though he sees no one. He's sure Thanos can hear him from wherever he is. "If you want to fight, let's fight. No illusions! No tricks!"

Re: Thor - Assigned Threads

[st_ingofthehundred]

Sunny's spear training has progressed to the point that he's considering a mock battle for her and Molly, each at the helm of a different group. He's out marking terrain, spear at hand, when he hears the bellow of someone calling out an enemy.

Immediately, he's alert, ready, and trotting toward the voice of fury and frustration. He allows himself no conclusions about who, what, why--that will dull his ability to respond to the actual situation as it presents itself.

When he sees the fully armored not-quite-a-giant, looking around wildly, Kash let his spear arm relax enough that another warrior should see he's not offering threat but prepared to defend. "Oi! Who are you calling a coward, man? Most people need to meet me before they start hurling insults."

Re: Thor - Assigned Threads

[st_ormbreaker]

Thor spins around and his eyes quickly focus on the man standing in front of him. Even after years of dealing with Loki's illusions, he isn't sure what to think here. Is this man Thanos in some other guise? Is this some illusion he's cobbled together to manipulate him? Thor isn't sure, and the vigilance he feels registers on every line of his face and in the crease of his brow.

"What kind of trickery is this?" he demands. He shifts his leg, but doesn't yet narrow the space between him and the other man. He's all too ready to move the second he senses danger.

Re: Thor - Assigned Threads

[st_everybodylives]

River was behind the bar in the Copper Cafe, because.. well she didn't have a reason other than she'd wanted a drink and she had two hands so she didn't need someone else to mix it.

Somehow a drink had turned into sangria, which was why she was currently standing behind the bar diligently cutting peaches into slices.

Re: Thor - Assigned Threads

[st_ormbreaker]

Thor takes a seat the bar, then settles Stormbreaker on the bar next to him. He's pretty sure it can transform into something more subtle just as Mjölnir did, but this isn't Earth and he's wearing armor anyway, so why really try to keep up the facade of normalcy?

"I need a drink," he says.

Assigned Threads

[st_randedinwinter]

The last ten minutes of Bradley Baker's life was a whirlwind he wasn't sure he could ever explain to anyone. Getting Caleb out of the cabin had been the most important thing, but he had been so worried their dad would find him wandering outside. When he got the second floorboard up from the room they were trapped in, Brad knew they needed a distraction. Even after all that, their dad still managed to find them. If it hadn't been for Luc.

"Come on, Come on. Caleb, come on!" Brad shouted, pulling at his brother's arm. Dad's killing Luc. He killed the other guy. We need to get out of here

They ran and found the pick up truck. Luc and Richard's pick up truck.

"Where are the keys, Caleb?" He shouted as he climbed into the driver's side.

The car was covered in snow, but it didn't matter to Brad. They were getting out of there. Except the truck wouldn't start. And then their dad was there and Caleb was shouting and their dad broken the passenger window. Finally the engine caught and Brad punched the gas, but their dad hung on.
Where are you going?
We have to stay together. We have to stay together.
I'm your father.
Please don't leave me.
How can you leave me?
Please, it's only us now

"You're hurting him, let him go!" Bradley shouted, trying to keep his brother in the car as their dad tried to pull him out.

Then, just like that, Caleb managed to kick their dad free and they kept driving. Bradley couldn't breathe. Caleb was crying. Brad was trying not to cry too.

As the adrenaline started to wear off, the lingering affects of the hypothermia began to press upon Bradley. He need ot get them to safety.

Between one long blink and another as his eyes drooped, Brad went from the darkness of the forest at night to sudden sunshine and desert. His eyes widened and he slammed on the brakes. The pick up screeched to a halt.

"Caleb, are you okay?" He asked as he looked at the passenger's side to see his brother gone.

Panic set in. Brad put the truck in park and quickly got out.

"Caleb?!" He shouted, turning around in circle. Then he spotted a building. "Caleb?!"

He ran wearily into the building.

"Caleb?!" He shouted, looking frantic, asking anyone nearby. "Has anyone seen a 12 year-old kid?"

Brad/Liz

[st_hotflashes]

Liz was nervous. Maybe more than nervous, but she hadn't quite figured out what that adjective was yet. She felt as if everyone was aware Liz was 'working' today and they were all waiting to see if she messed up or not.

She sat in the lobby trying to study, but it was clear she was re-reading the same page over and over again - the information didn't seem to seep in for some reason. It felt almost like she were on stage or in the background as an extra of a movie and she needed to make sure she was 'performing' alright.

And then the boy ran in and Liz jumped to her feet immediately. She felt a wave of panic because the boy was panicking. She hadn't expected panic on her first time, though she probably should have.

Liz took a deep breath and tried not to hurry over there too obviously. "Hey, um. It's okay." She held up her hands as if to show she wasn't a threat - you did that to scared animals, right? "Your brother might be here, but he'd be safe if he is, I promise, but, you need to calm down, okay? I can explain everything." Sort of, anyways.

And then Liz got a good look at the teenage boy's face and her heart almost stopped. He and Peter could be brothers. There were obviously differences - the hair, for one - but their facial features.

Cue Liz standing there, blinking and staring at the new arrival who was freaking out.

Re: Brad/Liz

[st_randedinwinter]

Brad looked at Liz when she approached, but immediately wanted an adult. Even if she's a pretty girl, I need someone who can help me.

"I need to find my brother. He's 12 and he's going to be scared and..." Bradley trailed off.

A wave of exhaustion set in and he slowly blinked. His body swayed and looked like he was about to fall down.

Re: Assigned Threads

[st_abby]

It wasn't until later that Vax came around to see what newcomers had found their way to checking in. He noticed the built, scruffy fellow with the voice talking to Kashaw first, because how could you not? And he did watch that with amusement, for a few moments. But it was the other he saw off in one corner by himself - young, sad, shaken - that he turned to meet first.

"Hello," he started small, in a soft voice he'd been told sounded vaguely 'British'. The half-elf all in black was somehow both contemporary and not at once. He had jeans and hooded shirt, paired with medieval boots, a silvery belt in the shape of a snake, and skinny beaded braids run through his long hair. "You're one of the new arrivals, yeah?" His eyes were dark, but kind.

Re: Assigned Threads

[st_randedinwinter]

While Liz had told Bradley that there were people here that weren't quite human, he didn't think he believed her until he was faced with some guy with pointed ears. Maybe it's just some body modification or make-up.

"Yeah, I'm new." He answered, eyes drifting over the man. "...are you an Elf?"

Caleb liked Lord of the Rings enough he had to endure watching them over and over again so he had seen Elves in media.

OTA

[st_randedinwinter]

It was dinner time when Bradley Baker emerged from his room once more. He had showered and changed into a pair of denim jeans and a light pink t-shirt that said Madonna Inn on the front. He still wore his hoodie, but he had slept for see several hours and was feeling a lot better. The warm climate seemed to change his disposition.

He walked the grounds and Halls of the Inn with his hands in his pockets. Occasionally he would take out his iPhone and check to see if there was a signal. Every time where wasn't, he would look annoyed.

Brad & Sunny

[st_igmatized]

"You do eventually get used to the complete lack of signal," Sunny said as she passed near the boy on her way to the main building. He looked familiar, but she could tell pretty quickly he wasn't Peter. Unless Peter had gotten swapped out in the last twelve hours for another one who hadn't been here before.

She had an umbrella slung over one shoulder, even though there wasn't a drop of rain and barely any clouds to speak of. Even though she hadn't sunburned since she was initiated and found her magic, she still had no idea if that meant she could end up with melanoma or not. She preferred not to risk it. The sun meant business here in a way it didn't in London.

"Though it takes a while to get used to the idea that you can just leave it behind and not miss anything."

Re: Brad & Sunny

[st_randedinwinter]

Brad looked up from his phone and took in the woman. He had never seen an albino before in real life, but his school was filled with enough diversity he knew not to stare.

"I keep wanting to tell my mom I'm okay." He said, "Even though I know it's useless."

He also didn't like being out of service. It made Bradley feel like he was back out in the wilderness with his dad.

Hurley and Brad

[st_illkindalost]

Hurley is leaving his room when he catches sight of the little dude wandering the hall with his phone in hand.

"It's not gonna work," Hurley calls out from behind him, not unkindly. "Trust me. Everyone on the island spent days doing that until their phones all died."

Well, most of them, anyway.

"It's probably better for you to find something to focus on. You'll drive yourself crazy if you don't."

Kitty & Brad

[st_alksthroughwalls]

"Hey," Kitty said quietly as she approached him. She moved quietly and she didn't want to startle him by just appearing at his elbow suddenly when his attention was elsewhere.

He looked warmer than he had before but she still had a cup of hot cocoa for him. It was a tradition she had with the younger new arrivals. "I thought you might want this. Heat and sugar are always good for easing the shock of showing up here. I'm Kitty, by the way."

OTA

[st_artliving]

When Kitty was behind the bar on check-in days, much of the time she also handled requests for hot beverages. Therefore Xavin did not consider himself on duty. Instead, he'd accessed the espresso setup long enough to make himself a caramel macchiato - iced, out of deference to the early-summer season - then repaired to a table with a library book.

There was little chance that any new arrivals would be 'for him', but little chance wasn't no chance. It was better to be present.

OTA

[st_ripetail]

Some days Rocket preferred solitude. This was not one of those days, so he yanked the alarm clock out of his room and took it with him to the cafe, where he proceeded to take it apart and spread the bits all over a table, effectively claiming a booth for his sole use.

Unusually he didn't have a bottle of something - yet - but seemed wholly engrossed in what he was doing with a bizarre knot of wires and a simple circuit board.

Alec/Rocket

[st_x5_494]

Something that no doubt looked familiar was tossed onto Rocket's table, dispersing some of the parts that Rocket had already disassembled. Rocket's latest paint bomb had been found and deactivated - Alec had excelled at bombs back in Manticore.

"Sorry, I just don't think pink is my colour."

Thor/Rocket

[st_ormbreaker]

"Rabbit!"

The word comes out sounding like an exclamation of delight -- and that's because it is. Thor is overjoyed at the sight of the raccoon. Finally, a familiar face here in this sea of strangers!

"You're here!"

Immediately, Thor barrels towards him; he drops Stormbreaker down on the table where it lands hard enough to shake it and the clock parts on it, then pulls Rocket into his arms.

Thor is truly grateful.

Liz/Kitty

[st_hotflashes]

The moment Bradley was out of visual range, Liz was walking up to where Kitty was trying not to look as flustered as she felt. The whole thing had been so surreal. It was like the universe just didn't want her to catch a break. Her first 'day on the job' and she ran into someone who looked like Peter. If Max Evans or Tess Harding walked through the doors right now, she'd probably lose it.

"Kitty. Did you, um. Did you see one of the new arrivals just now? The one I was talking to?" She probably had - he had been shouting, after all.

Re: Liz/Kitty

[st_alksthroughwalls]

"I take it you don't mean Muscles over there," Kitty said and thumbed over in the direction of the guy who'd come in with Kashaw. "He...kind of takes over the field of view if you know what I mean."

Fuck he was hot. She had a pretty good idea who he might be, too. But she'd just sit over here and mind her own business until she could look at him without hyperventilating, thanks.

OTA

[st_huntermom]

Mary had a new look. With the short hair, thanks to Maya, she actually felt a little more like herself. It was strange, really, because she had long hair since she had Dean, but they were grown up and a part of her thought it was time to grow up with them.

She was currently sitting down at the cafe sipping a cup of coffee. She occasionally eyed the raccoon - it was hard not to look at an animal who could talk and take apart electronics. Her eyes also occasionally went towards the lobby, wondering if maybe John might show up. Mary knew the likelihood would be no, but there was always a small part of her that wondered if maybe he would. His father had, after all.

OTA

[st_unaligned]

Bo was out in the garden trying to relax. She remembered, once, Trick suggesting she tried yoga and at the time Bo had scoffed and said vodka was better than stretching any day. Now, though, she was willing to try anything. She felt like something was stirring inside of her and while she had first passed it off as indigestion, then 'that time of the month', it wasn't going away.

So Bo was out, on a mat, in the grass, in a tank top and spandex booty shorts, currently doing the downward dog. There were about 5 more poses she knew and then she'd be out of yoga poses and she had no idea what she'd do from there.

Comparing Sizes - Tag Thor

[st_x5_494]

Alec was in the middle of a workout. He wasn't necessarily interested in arrival day - he figured he wasn't lucky enough for whoever was behind the Inn to bring in any of the people he would care for back home. Ames, sure. Lydecker, maybe. But no one he'd want to see.

Currently topless and in black shorts, Alec was traversing the salmon ladder.

Re: Comparing Sizes - Tag Thor

[st_ormbreaker]

After being introduced to the front desk, his room, and the bar, Thor figured it might be worthwhile to see what else was in store at the Madonna Inn. It certainly beat sitting alone somewhere with his thoughts. That was probably the last place he wanted to be right now.

Fortunately for him, he stumbled upon one of the few places that he'd probably want to be in the coming weeks: the gym.

When he enters, it's empty -- save for one man doing some weird pull-up sort of thing. It wasn't anything that Thor'd seen until this moment -- and it was clear from just a glance that it required considerably stength.

"Impressive," Thor says, folding his arms over his chest. It is. This man might not be quite as strong as him, but he definitely had potential.