Exploration Event: Neverwere

[lifeaftr_mods]

EXPLORATION EVENT: NEVERWERE

Who: Everyone!
What: Your wildest dreams come true!
When: May 15th to May 18th
Where: Ziziphus, those still on Ensō...and Mu
Warnings: Mark as needed!

Then Know That My Life Was Just a Killer Dream
You can find most of the information you need in the OOC info post! In the meantime, feel free to use this log as a catch-all for your dream worlds, as well as detailing your efforts to free one another. Whether they're on Ziziphus or Ensō at the time of the dreams' capture, your character is free to access as many dreams as you like, as the interlocking mental landscape allows for that sort of crossing over apropos of nothing. And time, of course, is very fluid in dreams - many days, months, and years can transpire in a matter of mere minutes.

Will you fight your way free from Ziziphus's vines or Mu's thrall, or are you content to die in your sleep?

Remember to let us know if your character dies during this event!

Event Timeline

[ ♆ ] May 15th: The vines make their move, ensnaring characters in ideal fantasy worlds
[ ♆ ] May 17th: The Storyteller will make contact with those they can, as well as issue information and a potential solution
[ ♆ ] May 18th: Those that have not freed themselves from the vines or from Mu will suffer a death

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LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Comments

B.elated whoops

[youfoundher]

Having a good gig has been good for Taako. It's that little dash of independence, the spice of a reliable source of income and increasingly popular dishes that's left him- more settled, in a way. Barry's proud of him. Lup's proud of him. Taako's proud of himself- not actually that surprising, but also essentially everything Barry could ask for. Having a loving partner and a steady job of his own is just the icing on the cake.

Don't worry too much over asking how he's doing, Taako. That's not why he's here. The bonus of being head of his own science department is taking an extended lunch, every now and again, so he's in no hurry. Doubtless, he'll be noticed eventually, but for now Barry takes a seat as unobtrusively as possible, ordering a barley water and looking around at the place Taako's made so popular with a fierce surge of pride.

Because Taako deserves love too, duh.

[ohshitsweetflips]

Why wouldn't Taako deserve love and a reasonable portion of pride? It's not really something he's needed to consider.

It's nice to see a familiar face, really nice, though he's not entirely sure why. It can't have been all that long, can it? It'll be even nicer to sit down, but such is the price of moderate success. He takes a seat and hands off the barley drink, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

"Gross," he says, but he's grinning nonetheless. "You come to my house, you come to a place that has actually good things to order, and you get the kind of grain and water that isn't even booze. For shame, Barold."

[youfoundher]

Wow, did he really just get his non-alcoholic beverage served by the Taako? Head chef Taako? His simple, plain barley water, handed off like a culinary masterpiece. What a world.

"It's noon, Taako. I'm on my lunch break." Not that that's going to stop him from getting an earful, but as Barry settles back in his chair, it's clear he doesn't mind.

[ohshitsweetflips]

The Taako of this unreality maybe doesn't earn that tone of patient affection as often, but he still enjoys having a foil for his nonsense, even if there's less of it. And Barry is always a good one.

"You think I don't know a thing or two about lunch break Long Islands? The ol one-and-done?" Taako puts both his arms on the table, leans in mock-accusingly. "You can't blame society for your bad taste in beverages, Barry."

But he kids, he kids. "So you gonna order a real thing, or are you just here to make me keep your dumb water on the menu?" He is, of course, thrilled at the prospect of impressing these fuckers his family, no matter if he's done so a thousand times, and he's completely unreserved in that excitement.

[youfoundher]

"If I didn't invent barley water, and it's regularly added to menus, then I kind of can blame society, just a little." He doesn't encourage this bad habit; the world does. Humming, Barry leans to the side, having a look at the specials board. See, Taako? He can be daring.

Or, to be more accurate, he can absolutely feed that excitement to the very brink of it turning to annoyance.

"Can't I do both? Jeez, you guys've added to the menu." He squints, attempting to look lost. It's not hard. "You know one of the chefs here, yeah? What d'you think he'd recommend?"

That isn't insanely spicy- you know him, he's... he's a delicate man with a delicate digestive system. Have mercy.

[ohshitsweetflips]

He can only roll his eyes. Right, he must have forgot somehow, there's no way to outmaneuver Barry with semi-absurd arguments and played-up pedantry, because he's a terrible nerd.

Even worse, a nerd who thinks he's got jokes. Taako tolerates this indecision barely, tapping one food-service length fingernail on the table's surface.

"I think he'd recommend you take your dumb jeans and get out but luckily for you, I'm a lot nicer. So what about......" The drumroll is implied. He doesn't look at the menu, because that's for chumps, but...he probably should have; he suddenly doesn't remember a single food. Can't even go with fancy mac and cheese, which is every eatery's offering for the unadventurous. UGH. Whatever, challenges like this are what he's in it for.

"How about. Pumpkin ravioli." Is this hell? "Sage butter sauce, should be fine." There's sausage in them but the heat is minimal. "It's that or a bowl of mayo and some rolls."

[youfoundher]

"Wow. Sounds like he's actually a huge jerk." Probably all scrawny, too. Like a weasel. Or a mongoose. Aside from that singular comment, he lets Taako build up the suspense, for...

"Pumpkin ravioli." Boy, Taako. You're. You're selling him on this dish, buddy, he's just? He's gotta have it??? He's gotta. "Or a bowl of mayo. Boy, that's a tough choice. Think I'm gonna need ten, y'know? Weigh out the pros and cons."

Just get him the ravioli.

[ohshitsweetflips]

"Alright, one bowl of our finest mayo-naise, coming right up."

He returns with appealingly non-mayo food, of course, and even a small portion for himself, because while chefs are never hungry it's rude to make someone eat alone. Also fuck off, it's good ravioli.

"So what, Lup's in space and you're bored? Is that why you're haunting my respectable establishment?" He's pretty sure that's funny. He's not sure why. And of course he knows no one needs an excuse to darken his doorway, but it's just the spirit of the thing.

[youfoundher]

It's fantastic ravioli, just like every other dish Taako's cooked. He has to hold up a hand, begging for patience as he finishes chewing- more than a mouthful. Funny thing; when Barry's researching, he's not too great at realizing he's hungry-- not until there's a plate of something delicious in front of him. It's years of conditioning based upon sciencing so hard nothing else matters.

"What, I need a reason, now?" To come visit his favorite (only) brother-in-law? He's cut, Taako. To the quick. "Lup's got two feet on the ground, right now- helping Davenport with some breakthrough on the Starblaster. I was just-- I dunno. Felt like catching up."

Truthfully? He'd felt... he's not sure. Lonely? There was something- terrible, about looking up from his work and seeing absolutely no one else in his lab. He just...

Whatever. It's stupid. Nothing to bother Taako with.

[ohshitsweetflips]

Ah hah. He hit the nail on the head even if he didn't get the specifics. And sure, not like Barry needed a reason in the first place, Taako would agree with that. Maybe he shouldn't have even questioned it; they're family, after all.

But there's still something a little hedgy going on here, and what kind of brother(in-law) would he be if he didn't at least try to ferret it out.

"Uh-huh, so Lup's not in space, and you're bored, my bad." Taako meets this confession with an unimpressed, knowing look, partially spoiled by the fact he's fastidiously eating around the scalloped edges of a ravioli (raviolo?) stabbed on a fork. Taako is allowed to play with his food and no one else is. Ravioli is a ritual.

There's just kind of a common thread, these days, that he's slowly picking up on. His family is bored, or lonely, or disconnected in whatever way. Well, they ought to manage their time better, is clearly the problem here. Good thing they have Taako.

"I'm just surprised you came up for air at all, t-b-h. Your gremlin tried to contractually obligate me to visit more, did you know that? You both probably need a vacation. Space'll still be there in a couple weeks, turns out. My food's good, but it's not magic-- you need a real break."

[youfoundher]

Look, just because he and Lup are often joined at the hip doesn't mean they always are. Besides, Lup's been-

Weird, this past week. Seemingly as unsettled as he feels. Now and again she catches his eye when that feeling begins to build, and he'd open his mouth, sure that this time, they'd talk it over. Figure out what could be so wrong that neither of them is sleeping well, both of them constantly distracted. He's so certain they'd both feel better if they just talked about it-

But something always came up. Work, kids. He'd forget about it. The talk never happened.

"Pretty sure she justs misses you, actually." Excuse you mister master chef, but he's a great, attentive father? That gremlin wants for nothing??? "But- yeah, okay. Point taken. Maybe we're both just- working too hard."

That might be it.

"It's hard to relax when you always feel like there's something else you should be doing."

That's not it. Man, would it be nice if it were that simple.