post-impocalypse: a field trip

[farfromgrace]

Vengeance is a Hell that cannot forget the past. Places of violence sometimes waver and reveal their old scars, bullet holes reappearing in fixed tables. It hasn't even forgotten the fall-- white chalk outlines in some of the alleys show bodies bent and crumpled at fatal angles, bodies that if stared at long enough show the pale shadow of wings at their backs. Some of the damned have claimed these angel bodies, hoping for a patron in hell or a weapon against it should they ever stir-- or a favor from Asmodeus, if they bring a waking one to him.

Beyond that, the cramped jumble of a city has the look of a place that belongs in a film noir, the light that's cast from the sky here washes out colors, and at night the fog comes in across the dark water and envelopes the city. So, in opposition to that, the occupied buildings are garish and loud on the inside and with their neon advertisements on the outside, demanding attention and refusing to bow to an environment that seems to want them silenced.

Space suddenly shifts, in a jarring, nauseating way, and you're falling into a landscape that's definitely a city, but not your Tokyo-F.

And land, unceremoniously, in an alley, the portal closing behind you. Nothing special about it, covered in peeling advertisements, full of shadows, littered with broken bottles and crushed cans and other kinds of garbage.

No one seems to have noticed you yet...

Comments

[backstory]

[ TRYING SO HARD TO BE A GOOD DOG RIGHT NOW. SO SO HARD.

To the others. ]

. . . I'm going to go too.

[ PLEASE. THIS IS FINE RIGHT? ]

[asonoficeandfire]

[following him a couple of steps]

Wait, Leviathan—

[everylast]

[ hold on this is a VERY BAD IDEA ACTUALLY ]

Wait-

[backstory]

Come on both of you.

[ Marching out after. Look. He will be the best thug you have ever seen thug. HE WILL BE LIKE A BANDIT. ]

Wait up Miss Boss...!

1/2

[worthathousand]

[ LEVI NO, ]

[worthathousand]

[ Alright, it's fine, this can be dealt with—
There's a hasty illusion over Levi's features, shifting them just enough to make him look like a towheaded young blonde woman with ligature marks.. ]

Claw, I thought I was pretty damn clear that you don't leave that position without my say-so.
Get back with the crew.

[backstory]

[ Be bandit like. Ahem.]

Mm! Yes! Well, I thought that I could be of better service to you here, Miss Boss!

[ Looking at his master like it's cool I got this. ]

[dragonheartedgirl]

[ god she'd better do something shouldn't she ]

Oi, oi! That's pretty big-headed of you, pup, thinking you know better than your Missus.

[ levi we have an hour to do this plz!! ]

Do I need to show you what the pecking order is here, curr?

[ sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry levi she loves you but please ]

[worthathousand]

That so.

[ She lifts her eyebrows and makes very. deliberate. eye contact. ]

But unless you think me 'n Red could benefit from you messin' with my focus right now, I'm going to need you to get back with the crew.

1/2

[backstory]

[ . . . . . . . . . . .

His master just yelled at him. He got mom stared. ]

I... I suppose that I will go back then. My apologies...

2/2

[backstory]

[ Sad trudge back to the alley

He did his best. ]

1/2

[worthathousand]

[ Mom will paff him later.

But also as soon as he's back in the alley, the illusion falls from him entirely, with just the darkened shadows for concealment, which is maybe at least a small hint as to why "Clem's" shoulders relax. ]

[worthathousand]

Sorry about that. Shame to be quite so harsh on the fresh ones, but better they learn now than later.

Now.
Sorry to interrupt your date with Red, but we just need to know if one of your old acquaintances came through recently.

Real pale hair... kinda fluffy.

[farfromgrace]

Eh, that one...? They still haven't run off yet or wigged out entirely, if that's what y'mean. They're on shift right now, assuming they didn't bug off to sleep in the back room again.

[dragonheartedgirl]

You put 'em to work in the kitchens?

[worthathousand]

[ ....Oh. Really not sure how to feel about this one. She tries to keep her expression from revealing her strange mix of relief and disappointment. ]

Yeah, that's what I mean. Do me a favor and send 'em out here?
[ with authority ] They're off work early today.

[farfromgrace]

Well, if you're granting clemency, who'm I to say no?

[ louder, shouting to someone inside— ]

Y'hear that, Junior? Early dismissal for you!

[worthathousand]

[ Time to wait. ]

[farfromgrace]

[ it takes them like excruciatingly long to shuffle over to the door. what's time when you are, basically, timeless ]

what.

Re: 2/2

[asonoficeandfire]

I think it's better to leave them to it, for now.

[everylast]

Wasn't the plan not to separate...?

[backstory]

[ His master yelled at him ]


[ . . . . . . . . . . . ]

They probably won't be too long. Probably...

Maybe we can look around here. We should guard the other end of the alley, too. There must be something we can do still.

[asonoficeandfire]

[... you poor puppy]

Aah, it should be fine as long as we stay in the alleyway? Inside the illusion.

[everylast]

...Mmh.

I suppose I can allow it.

[backstory]

[ Looking around to see if there's anything worth anything in here...

He's hesitant to leave the corner where his master is, but he'll peak out once more and-- ]

Wait.

That's her.