polylogs | Carcosa, pt. 2

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Carcosa, pt. 2

✖ Carcosa

Ⅰ. CARCOSA
You Are Still Here.

Another month, and you’re still in the city of Carcosa! Isn’t that just wonderful?

You still have access to the city’s temple and the High Temple.

The side effects you may have suffered from throughout the month of May are now at an end - if you had a pesky mask glued to your face the whole time it will now fall off. You might need a little moisturizer, but otherwise you’ll be just fine.

You could sit around inside the relative safety of the temples, of course, but why not get out there and explore the city some more? Come on, grumpypants!

Ⅱ. SPEAK EASY
CW: Optional alcohol consumption.

What kind of pet shop is filled with rambunctious yahoos and hot jazz music at 1 AM? That's right - the best damn pet shop in town! Sidle up to the back door of Curly's Pet Shop and a panel will open enough to reveal a pair of eyes. "What's the password?" you'll be asked. Whatever word first comes to your mind, well, that apparently is correct because you're let in at once.

The front of the building definitely does indeed house fish and birds and kittens, but the back room is definitely not a good place to find a new animal companion; you find yourself in a crowded little room with low lighting and a small bar crammed into one corner. There's seats and some tables, and most importantly there's a band playing jazz music across from the bar.

Why not take a seat and have a drink? It's probably not paint thinner. Probably. Maybe you'll spot some of your fellow Travelers and you can sit and have a chat. Make a new friend who can hold your hair back if you party too hard.

And you better hope that the place doesn’t get raided!

Notes:
1. The drinks are all era-appropriate - you’re not getting Redbull with vodka here - and even if your character has non-human physiology they will work the same as they would on a baseline human. That’s right, your magic or your healing-factor or your vampire blood is no match for these Gin Rickeys!

2. If Curly’s does get raided while you’re there, you can run and hide or choose to engage with the police, who are armed and not too shy about opening fire if you go on the offensive. As with the rest of the regular residents of Carcosa, the officers are human and can be killed. Killing them may affect the colour grading of your Scrywatch depending on the situation. (Is it beneficial to personal growth to kill in order to save someone else, for example? You tell me!)

3. Did you want a pet from the front of the building? Well, just remember that baby turtles and alligators might SEEM like a good idea, but they grow up! Also any animal you take will not travel with you to the next island. So sorry.

Ⅲ. EXPRESSIONISM YOURSELF
CW: Optional paranoia, hallucinations.
If you wander the streets at night, you may find yourself getting turned around. You'll find that the streets have lost their many lights, and the beautiful and delicate art deco architecture has given way to something much more stark and heavy. The buildings are block-like, but they curve in exaggerated ways that hurt the eye if looked at too long. All are in blacks and whites and greys. Nothing looks quite real, but you can walk along just fine. Probably better not to go off alone, though.

Periodically you will encounter that pesky sign of some sort painted on the walls. If you follow the sigils, you will eventually be led to a long staircase that winds down and down until it finally terminates in a large white room lit by a few electric lanterns. There's black paint there, with brushes. Maybe you're feeling creative?

Notes:
1. You’re pretty sick of this stupid sigil, aren’t you? In fact, you consider yourself QUITE the detective and have been searching after its meaning! Or maybe you played Call of Cthulhu a lot in college, you nerd!

Painting the sigil on the wall will cause you to feel disoriented and paranoid until you leave the white room. From that point on you can discover a copy of a play entitled The King In Yellow anywhere in the city you choose. Reading the first act of the play has no effect on you, however if you choose to read beyond the first line of the second act you will spend the rest of the month suffering from periodic hallucinations, often of a tall man in a pallid mask.

2. While there is no compulsion to paint, choosing to work out any of your character’s issues through art therapy can be reflected in your Scrywatch colour if it is significant enough.

Ⅳ. AS FAR BACK AS I CAN REMEMBER, I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A GANGSTER
CW: Optional gun violence, injury.
Art? Theatre? Music? BAH! Boring!

Maybe your tastes are a little more on the dangerous side? Whatever this island may be, it seems to offer plenty of opportunities to get into the seedy underbelly. Maybe you feel the need to steal a car, rob a bank, transport some illegal hooch for a smiling fellow in a yellow fedora. Grab your tommy guns, kids, it's time to outrun the Feds!

Naturally, you could wind up injured having all of this fun, but surely you could get some help from your fellow Travelers, either directly or by having them haul you to some sort of underground doctor. These doctors do exist, although it might take a while to get referred to one by a local.

You might also find yourself under arrest and stuck in an old-timey jail cell for a month. What fun!

Notes:
1. As was stated in the first prompt, the regular residents of Carcosa are normal humans. Killing them is possible and may affect the colour grading of your Scrywatch depending on the situation. Any weapons you find are era-appropriate.

2. You can break out of jail if you’re resourceful enough.

3. The underground doctors aren’t working in a real hospital for a reason. In fact, some of them might be less doctors and more, well. Vets.

You still jamming to that Carcosa playlist?

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( That gets a beaming smile from Chloe. )

Yes. Please. If you really don't mind?

( Looking at his fingers, she nods in understanding. )

From my understanding, there's a lot of technicality to it. Not to say there isn't in other genres, of course. But there also seems to be a... feel to it? If that makes sense?

I wouldn't offer if I didn't feel comfortable doing it.

(He clears his throat and hums a soft pitch before going into one of his favorite slower songs to sing, which coincidentally is a song from the 1920's.)

Well me and my baby, sometimes we might fuss and fight. Then the next day, everything is all right, it ain't, oh I said it ain't nobodies' business if I do....

(His voice is strong and slightly husky on the longer notes, and while the song has a slightly sad note he is smiling as he sings. After he finishes the song he gives her a slanted smile.)

It sounds better when I can do the guitar bits.

But speaking of guitar, you're right in that there's a certain feel to jazz guitar. A kind of back pulse that needs to be there or else it sounds hollow.

( She listens with a soft smile, taking it all in. )

That was wonderful. You're very talented.

( Something she greatly admires. While there are things she's good at, she wouldn't describe herself as talented. She hasn't had to learn or work at the skills she has - they're simply part of her design. )

It always sounds like it takes soul. ( Something she also lacks. ) I think that what's make it. Or any form of art, really.

(He blushes and smiles.)

Thank you, it's been a while since I got to sing for someone so thank you for the opportunity.

(His smile grows and he nods enthusiastically.)

Yes! Exactly, there has to be soul and passion to it. Do you play any instruments?

You’re very welcome to sing for me any time you wish to. I’m very generous like that.

( She gives an oh so serious nod followed by a soft laugh. )

It really does make the difference, doesn’t it? It amazes me, the connection you can feel to a song or a piece of music… But yes, I do. Piano, mostly. And I like the harp, too. And to sing.

(Carter's eyebrows go up in surprise.)

Piano is nice but woah the harp? That's different...and very difficult. But cool.

(He gives her a playful wink)

And if you also like to sing then how come you let me just do it, you could have joined in.

Oh, the harp isn't too bad. It's more that it can be difficult to achieve a pleasant sound than, say, the piano. Though it can be technically challenging to play to a high standard.

( She gives a little shrug, not wanting to give herself too much credit. Or seem like she's trying to show off. Any android could do the same with the right programming, after all. )

No, no, I didn't want to spoil hearing you. Though I'd be happy to sing something if you'd like me to?

Well if we ever find a piano or a harp I'd love to hear you play, I've never seen someone play live harp music before.
Are there any instruments you want to learn in the future?

(Carter smiles at how polite and humble she is, she reminds him of...well him sometimes.)

That would be very nice, but only if you are comfortable doing so. I don't want you to feel pressured, I can wait till we find a karaoke bar if that's what you'd like.

Of course. I'd be very glad to. Maybe we'll find a guitar too. It could be fun to even have a little jam session. As for other instruments... I haven't tried my hand at the violin yet so I think that's one I'd like to explore. What about you?

( Chloe shakes her head with a smile. )

Oh no, I don't mind. And you were kind enough to sing for me.

( She gives herself a moment to settle on a song, also from the Twenties. Her voice is surprisingly strong, though she makes sure to not be too loud. )

Violin would be awesome to learn, so would banjo. I think I'm a fan of instruments you don't need amplifiers for.

(He leans back against the wall, smiling, as she starts to sing. Her voice is beautiful and it feels nice to be able to share something like this with someone, the last month has been wild and this feels like a small pocket of tranquility. The calm before another storm.
When she is done the song he gives her a small round of applause, making sure to keep it quiet as to not scare the rabbit she is holding.)

That was lovely! You have a beautiful voice.

There is a sort of purity to them. Though saying that, I do like the electric violins. When you have your music studio, you'll be able to fill it with all kinds of instruments.

( Said with a smile and as though it's a given that one day his dreams will come true. She is aware it's not guaranteed, of course, but she hopes that it will be.

The applause has her duck her head, mainly to disguise a blush that is distinctly blue rather than a rosy hue. Only when she's sure it's gone does she look back up at him. )

Thank you. You're very sweet. If we do find that karaoke bar, I hope you know that I will try to coax you into a duet.

(He grins and nods, knowing that there's probably no way he will ever have his dream apartment but it's still fun to imagine it.)

If we find a karaoke bar I will absolutely do a duet with you. Do you have a favorite duet song in mind?

( It might not warrant such deep thought but Chloe gives the matter some careful consideration. )

Hmm... Well... If you'd want to be cool, something like 'Under Pressure', perhaps? Or there's the dramatic route, like 'It's All Coming Back to Me Now'... If it's just for the fun of it... It's terribly cheesy, I know, but 'The Time of My Life' is just one of those feel-good songs. Though I am very much open to far, far better suggestions. I wouldn't want to embarrass you.

(Carter's eyes light up and his smile curves up into his funny little slanted grin.)

Are you kidding me? 'The Time of My Life' is a freakin' classic! I love Dirty Dancing, if we want to make it a whole spectacle we could even try to do the lift at the end. You don't look like you weigh a lot...

(He raises an eyebrow at her, still smiling)

I mean unless you are secretly made of like stone and I just can't tell.

( This... is not the reaction she'd been expecting. Either he's extremely polite to be going along with her silly suggestions the way he is or he really doesn't mind them. For a second she just looks at Carter, like she's waiting him for to say that it's all far too ridiculous and she shouldn't act like such a fool.

Since that moment doesn't come, she's soon smiling again. )

Oh, no, I'm not made of stone.

( Mainly plastic. But she doesn't weigh much differently to a human. Maybe a touch lighter. )

It would be impressive to pull it off... Could you imagine? I think it would be worth it just to see the looks on our fellow Travelers' faces.

(Oh he's not being polite, he really is excited for this idea, and as if to prove it he grins and pushes himself up off the floor.)

Great! Here I bet I could lift you right now, not like the full lift that takes practice but I bet I could pick you up in at smaller version of it.

Edited 2021-06-14 22:32 (UTC)

( Again, that comes as a surprise. She invited it, she supposes, but didn't imagine he'd make such an offer right now.

It really isn't proper behaviour. That's the first thought. She shouldn't have encouraged it. But then, she didn't think he'd take it as seriously as he apparently is. That it would just be one of those meaningless ideas people bounce around without it ever coming to fruition.

The sad truth is that she wants to make friends. To smile and laugh and have fun again. To be part of the world. Even if this world isn't the world she knows.

Hasn't she betrayed Elijah enough already? Or does it even matter anymore?

Those thoughts are too much to consider. So she sets them aside and smiles. Stands up and gently returns the rabbit to its enclosure with the quiet promise that she'll come back to give more fuss.

Then she goes back to Carter, expression uncertain yet intrigued. )

Okay. How do we do this?

So first I just need to judge how heavy you are, so I'm just going to pick you up for a second like a bride.

(He doesn't think she will be very heavy but he also doesn't want to assume anything, especially not on this bizarre island, so once he has explained and she looks prepared he stands next to her and then sweeps her easily up into his arms. He does a small spin with her in his arms and then places her back on the ground, smiling.)

Easy peasy.

( The apprehension gives way to giggling at the spin. It's... weird. How easy he - and others - have been to get along with is weird. She's almost forgotten how interaction with people can be easy.

Though none of these people know her very well. Or have had to live with her. Anyone can seem pleasant enough in small doses. )

Dirty Dancing lifts aside, that spin was quite impressive. I was a little nervous I might be heavier than you thought and I'd make your arms go all noodle-y.

( And there's another little laugh. )

Don't worry, it takes a lot more than that to make my arms go noodle-y.

(Which is a true statement, he isn't a big guy and he won't ever brag about his body but he does put in a lot of effort to be healthy and fit.)

Quick question before we try another lift, do you know how to engage your core muscles?

Oh, I didn't mean to imply that you aren't strong or capable. It was just a silly comment.

( One he seems to have taken perfectly well but there's always a wariness that eventually she'll say something.

The question isn't as simple as it should be. She gives a simple answer anyway.)

I'm sure I can do whatever you need me to do.

( While not built specifically for speed, endurance or feats of athleticism, she has a wide range of motion nonetheless and high sense of proprioception. )

(He smiles at her, wondering briefly why she seems so quick to explain or apologize every time she thinks she may have upset him.)

Okay great, we can try a simple ballet lift then. I'll stand behind you and I'll have my hands on your waist, when I say go I need you to bend at the knees and sort of push up off the ground. If you can, lock your core muscles and try to stay as still as possible.
Make sense?

( Chloe has seen a few ballet performances and so has enough of a reference to map out the necessary movements. Staying still shouldn't pose too much of an issue. )

Okay. I'm ready when you are.

(Carter gives her an encouraging smile and then stands behind her, placing his hands on her waist, making sure to not hit the lower section of her ribs.)

Okay. One, two, go.

(He feels her weight shift down and he moves with her, feeling for the moment when she pushes off the ground. The second he can tell she's jumped he locks his arms and helps lift her up high, it isn't a horizontal lift but he holds her suspended vertical in the air for as long as he can before gently lowering back to the ground.)

Very nice!

( In the air, she remains focused. The last thing she wants to do is risk hurting Carter with a false move. She feels secure enough in his hold so all she has to do is play her part and not send them crashing to the ground. Despite her concerns, Chloe is balanced and quite poised.

Once she's got both feet on the ground, she quickly turns to him with a delighted smile. )

Look at that - we did it! Well, you did it, really. Are you a dancer as well as a musician?

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