rubycity_ooc | March Test Drive!

Entry tags:

March Test Drive!

Thinking of apping a character but not sure they'll fit in the city walls?

Have no fear, a meme for you is here.

Directions:

Use an RNG to choose a location and prompt, or wait for someone else to tag.

Post with your character with their name and canon on top!

If you'd like, leave contact info for people to get in contact for plotting and other such shenans.

Tag around! Make friends. Don't be afraid to chat OOC while tagging.

Locations

1.TRAIN STATION - The place where everyone gets dumped off at. Your first view of Ruby City, complete with informational posters telling you all about where you've ended up.
2. THE BEACH - Lovely year-round, though in the winter months, you're probably not likely to dip your toes in.
3. THE BLACK STALLION - A rather quaint bar. Supposedly, the burgers are great, but you don't see anyone immediately who's willing to serve you. Maybe you're meant to get it yourself.
4. THE OBELISK - The tall monolith in the center of the city marks the gathering place of many events, though right now it seems to be cold and dark.
5. THE CLOCKTOWER - Offering an impressive view of the city, several residents come here to clear their heads, if they don't mind braving the narrow staircase.
6. THE COFFEE JOINT - the front windows are warm and welcoming, and it seems there's always someone friendly enough to fix you a cup when you wander through.
7. THE CATACOMBS - Intrepid, aren't you? Those weird holes may beg exploring, but go too deep and you're going to be in a lot of trouble, considering the viciousness of the creatures held within.
8. THE CITY STREETS - All told, Ruby City is a lovely place, once you get past the fact that several of the buildings look derelict and on the verge of falling down. There's no harm in doing a little sightseeing.
9. THE PARK - You thought it'd be a lovely stroll, but the park is anything but friendly, if those approaching wolf-like creatures are any indication.
10. CHOOSE YOUR OWN - Don't like what we've come up with? Feel like picking your own place? There's a whole host of lovely locations to choose from in the City.

Scenarios

1. NEW ARRIVAL - Step off that train, walk down the street. People usually latch on to newcomers to try and help them out. Even if you look shy, the other residents probably won't be!
2. WATCH TALK - Feeling lost? Disoriented? Don't worry, everyone feels that way on their first day. Fortunately - if the signs at the station are to believed - the watch in your pocket can be used to talk to whoever else might be here.
3. BAD WEATHER - Aw, man. Whether it's snow, or rain, or just plain cold, today was definitely the wrong day to get dumped off in a City in the middle of nowhere.
4. A RUN-IN - Maybe you weren't watching. Maybe they weren't. Either way, you just bumped into someone. Perhaps apologies are in order?
5. HELP, IT HURTS - Clumsy, aren't you? Perhaps wherever the train brought you from wasn't so friendly, or you just tripped and twisted your ankle. Either way, you're in a bit of pain. Hopefully someone will notice your booboos and help patch you up.
6. HUNGRY - It isn't very obvious sometimes that restaurants are what they are, especially in a place like Ruby City. Where can a person go to get a bite to eat around here?
7. MISTAKEN IDENTITY - Hey, there's someone you know! --Or maybe not.
8. BEING FOLLOWED - Maybe you're just being paranoid, or maybe you've got a reason to be afraid. Whatever it is, it feels like there's eyes on you...
9. CURRENT EVENTS - None at the moment, but feel free to look through our event tag!
10. CHOOSE YOUR OWN - Don't like any of these ideas? Feel free to come up with your own!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Pray, do not apologize; the fault is mine. [Startled by the initial jostle- and more by Celebrimbor's reaction to it- it takes Galadriel a few moments to realize who she is talking to. But realize she does. No mere physical change could hide the feel of a familiar mind- of a friend.]

...Celebrimbor? [Her stomach lurches as she attempts to push down the feelings of guilt, the thoughts that if she had done more- She wants to reach out and touch him, to take his hands in her own, but she doesn't. It would be too much, she knows. So she keeps her distance, her voice only faltering a little as she speaks]

It has been long, my friend.

[ it's her. it's her, it's her, it's her, and his mind is screaming at him to get away, to not let her see him like this, because his condition is his fault, but he knows her well enough to know how it will affect her. they'd been friends. she'd been one of the only members of his family that he'd kept continual contact with. she'd been.. a light, a guide for him.

almost unconsciously, his glance darts down, searching her hands for a familiar ring-- but he drags his gaze back up a moment later, lips parting, then shutting again. his voice is stuck in his throat. it hurts to breathe or think or feel. he can barely imagine what a smile looks like on his face any longer, but he finds the echo of one somewhere and forces it onto scarred lips. ]

G-- [ his voice still won't cooperate, damaged vocal cords protesting, and his gaze slides away, the uncertain smile slipping from his face. shuffling a little to the side, he sets his paper cup down on an empty table, fingers lifting to his throat. he swallows, tries again. ] A v-- [ don't force it. ] .. very long time. I saw.. Celebrían. [ the thought brings sudden, overwhelmed tears to his eyes, the same way it had the first time he'd noted her on the city network. ] I saw that she's married. Has children of her own.

[She nods, blinking the tears back from her eyes, hoping he won't notice (but knowing that he probably will).] Three children- two sons and a daughter. I wish you could meet them.

[She reaches for his hands, waiting for him to take them or not- and yes, Nenya still rests safely on her finger.] Come with me. Celebrían has acquired a house here- it is not large, but there is room enough for you to stay with us.

[ he croaks out a noise that might be a kind of laugh (or a sob), shaking his head. ] I fear as I am now, I would not make much of an impression. [ for several moments, then, he's silent, staring down at her hands, his own tightening around the head of his cane and against his throat. at last, though, he draws the left down, hesitantly reaching out to brush her fingers with his own-- missing the last digit on this hand down all the way down to the wrist. the scarring is extensive and ugly, and he can't bear the sight of it against her own unmarred flesh. --he jerks his fingers back moments later, fumbling to pick up his cup instead as an excuse for not accepting her gesture. ]

I-- [ he'd like to see her again. he'd like to be with both of them again. but.. ] I have.. lodgings here. [ he glances back up, unbandaged eye meeting hers for a few brief seconds, scarred mouth twisting in something like a grimace. ] .. I sleep, Galadriel. I dream. It would.. disturb the rest of the household.

Celebrían does also- not so much as she once did, but- [Her brow furrows and she glances down at her hands. At the ring that had protected her and her family- no, her people- for so long.]

-You would not disturb us. Let me help you now, as I could not then.

It was never your duty. Galadriel, you-- [ he makes a small, strangled noise, wanting to reach out, to reassure her properly, but uncertain how to do so. he can't bear to be touched, his voice is a disaster, his body is a wreck-- ] I have never-- never once been upset that you-- [ he trails off, throat working, before shaking his head once. ] You were always wiser than I.

[ but then something else she said draws his attention, and his gaze lifts again, something a little fragile in it. ]

What-- What of Celebrían? Dreams? You said..

Need it have been my duty for me to feel regret? [She reaches for his face, but does not touch, her fingers hovering just above his cheek.] You could have named me. You could have given my name and no one would have blamed you. I owe my life to your silence.

[The topic of Celebrían brings a whole other knot to her throat and she pauses, dropping her hand and looking around for an empty table.] Might we sit? This is not... an easy topic to discuss.

No. No, I-- I brought that doom on Eregion, on-- [ he'd all but doomed their entire world in the end. perhaps he hadn't forged the one ring himself, but he'd helped forge the others, and it was his research, his work, that had enabled sauron to create the ring in the first place. ] .. Keeping my silence was the only thing I could do.

[ he hesitates at the question, then nods a little cautiously, tone a little weak and embarrassed when he speaks up once more. ] Out-- Outside? [ he does well in enclosed spaces with a crowd for short periods, but long enough for a full conversation..? he's not entirely certain he wants to risk it right now. not with galadriel here. .. small steps.

when he's certain she won't mind, he picks his coffee back up, gripping his cane and limping slowly out the door. he finds a table that's set a little away from the few others outside, setting his cup back down and easing carefully into the chair. he leans his cane up against the side of his knee, then, curling both maimed hands instead around the cardboard cup. ]

Nevertheless, I am thankful for it. [When he suggests that they move outside, she nods and follows, letting him chose the spot. She slides into the chair easily, waiting for Celebrimbor to get settled and watching his movements.]

You will keep your silence, will you not? My daughter has no reason to feel shame, but this is... she struggles with this still. She needs no more reminders than are necessary.

[ his mouth twitches, pulling upward faintly-- not a smile, but wry, self-effacing. ] You said it, did you not? If there is anything I am capable of, 'tis keeping my silence.

[ he reaches up, pushing a few strands of hair back behind his ear, then carefully works the cap off his coffee. he doesn't have much strength in them any longer, nor much feeling, so he often has to watch what he's doing with his hands. and if he's looking down at his hands, he doesn't have to meet his cousin's gaze. ]

If-- [ his voice cracks, halts, and he pauses, clearing his throat to try to start it again. ] If it is something I should not know..

No, it is no secret. It is simply- [She takes a deep breath and looks down at her own hands, pulling them in to her lap.] She was waylaid by orcs while on her way to visit us. Captured.

[She doesn't need to tell him, of all people, what that means. Her voices catches in her throat again and she has to stop, to swallow it back down before continuing.]

Her sons found her. She survived, thanks in no small part to the healing skills of her husband, but... [She looks up again, her expression pained.] The dreams were the least of it. [She says, as if it needs more explanation.]

[ no. no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, NO! some part of him realizes he's mumbling the word, over and over again, and shaking hands lift to clap over his mouth-- in part to muffle it, in part to quell the rising panic. of all people, of all people in all the world, not her, it's not fair--

his hands tighten, nails digging into the skin, eyes fixed unseeingly on the cup in front of him.

he knows. he knows what she'd suffered. he knows what they'd done to her. (he knows a little too well.)

dizzy, he squeezes his eyes shut, shaking as he tries to focus. it happened. it's already happened, and this-- this isn't helping anyone. he needs to be stronger than this. for galadriel. for celebrían. the last thing he wants to do is cause either of them pain because of his weakness.

taking slow, careful breaths through his nose, he finally pries his hands away from his mouth, curling them instead against the top of the table. ]

She-- She seemed w-- [ his voice trips, chokes again, the words stuck in his throat, weak vocal cords struggling to form them. ] Well. Well. On the network. I had-- no idea.

[Galadriel breathes out- several slow, deep breaths- and places her hands back on the table next to his, their fingertips almost touching.]

No, you would not have. She would not allow everyone to see- she is her mother's daughter. [Proud and stubborn to a fault]

She sailed, cousin. She has been recovering in Valinor, with my father and mother.

[ his mouth twitches, and a moment later he shifts, lacing his fingers together to hide the worst of the damage. ] .. She always was, even as a little one. [ it's fine. he can do this. if he can repudiate the deeds of his family and keep his mouth shut when at sauron's hands, he can do this. ] She is very like both of you, in truth. I-- [ his hands tighten. ] I am glad to know that she sailed. I recall little of Valinor, but I hope that it has brought her peace.

[ he glances back up, still a little dizzy, his cousin's face swimming for a moment. he blinks her back into focus, though, searching her expression-- he's not entirely certain what he's looking for, in fact. ]

Have.. you.. Are you both-- [ take a breath. gather your thoughts. ] How are you both?

[She should not have told him, she thinks. It was too much and she should have anticipated that. But she won't wake it worse by bringing attention to his distress. Still, her brow furrows in concern as she watches his face.]

We are well- as well as one may be, considering our circumstances. [Neither of them particularly liked being trapped here, though both were grateful for the unexpected reunion.] She would like to see you, I am sure.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

March Test Drive!

action; I'mma cry

we're both gonna cry

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