All These Moving Objects

[stitch_witch]

WHO: Lark, OTA
WHERE: Heroic City
WHAT: Lark In May Trying To Find Answers
WHEN: May
WARNINGS: Near accidents with cars and subways

1. Trying To Find Answers OTA

This was not the world she had been brought to mere days ago. No, there was something wrong here, and that was something Lark was certain of as she moved along a sidewalk in this, well, it was clearly a city. A city that it seemed everyone was comfortable with and it did not make sense. This was not, to her knowledge, here before.

Magic, there is magic in the air. She can almost feel it, brushing the edges of her own as she tried to curl her gift deeper into herself. There was a tapestry of magic, weaving this place together, trying to pull her into the whole cloth.

"What is going on here?" she asked, and it was loud enough to get some eyes of passers by on her. Oh dear, that was perhaps not the best plan. Lark blushed, ever so faintly at the attention.

"Forgive me, I seem to be lost," she told the onlookers. "Where might one find a large number of books. A library of sorts..."

2. Cross Walk Issues Closed to Cayde

Directions garnered from strangers, Lark set out to follow them. And came to her first crosswalk. It was strange, this cobble the road was done in, but very sturdy. And the vehicles upon it quite strange, lacking horses to convey them.

When she approached the intersection she looked both ways for the vehicles. There were indeed some, but far away. What she didn't do was look up to see the light was green. What she didn't do was notice the 'do not cross' sign lit up on the other side of the street. What she did do, heedless of the speed of these vehicles (which she was a poor judge of), was step out into the street, even as a car started to speed down it. Looking forward as she was, she didn't notice that if she kept up her current pace, she would easily be a pancake.

3. What Is A Subway Closed to Aeon

This was not where she was meant to go, but the road had stairs downward, and Lark was very much intrigued. There were signs, marking it a 'subway' and with letters and colors, but none of it made sense. Perhaps it was better to investigate. It looked man made at least, which meant it was safe. Lark carefully descended the stairs, careful because of these strange shoes with their elevated heels. They were what she had been wearing when she awoke, and many women around her seemed to wear them with their skirts and pants. Lark herself didn't think they were good for mobility, nor was the skirt that was not only short but clung to her hips.

She was careful, hoping all her acrobat grace would save her as she tromped down, down, down under the ground and looked at the structure. How strange. many people milled about, particularly near a depression further into the area. What a strange tunnel.

Lark continued to walk forward until she got close, and when a man backed up abruptly and into her, the perfect storm of factors came together. Stiletto heels she didn't know how to walk in properly plus a shirt that kept her from moving easily, and only open air in front of her to keep her from turning this into a tumble to save herself. Lark was falling right toward the subway tracks, or would without help.

Comments

dos

[deal_me_in]

This was quickly becoming a tedious trend, not that the Exo had to keep someone from getting hit by a car more than once. Still, once was clearly enough.

Pre-Golden Age city was even more dangerous than the Last City back home. Who knew! It probably was largely to do with the fact that so many people owned cars and obviously did not care a lick about pedestrians. Not that pedestrians didn't have their own set of responsibilities. Cayde liked to get around rules, but there were some that just made sense.

...like not stepping out into the street when speeding traffic was given the right of way.

"Oh my cotton socks-!" The exclamation rang out from behind her, sounding even more distant for the weird way it echoed off of the surrounding buildings and blended with the rest of the noisy atmosphere. Then came the sound of quick footsteps, quickly obliterated by the loud blaring of an angry horn as that car was suddenly so much closer than it had been when Lark had first looked.

Re: dos

[stitch_witch]

Well what a strange thing to say to someone, cotton socks. It was enough to give Lark pause though. Of course it might be that pause was not the best thing she could have done. The horn had her turning her head to regard the vehicle in shock. It was faster than a runaway horse!

Not one to be fully paralyzed by fear she made to jump out of the way. Oh but curse her heels. The things were horrid for her balance and she ended up taking a tumble instead.

[deal_me_in]

If he weren't in the middle of darting across the road he'd facepalm as he saw the woman fall. As though things couldn't get any worse! "I swear, if I get hit by another car...!" he muttered before launching at- or rather just past her, arms thrown outwards to snatch her before she hit the ground.

The horn continued to go off even as the car careened past them, and Cayde's own momentum ended up carrying them just short of the opposite sidewalk, but at least out of the path of any further cars for the moment. He landed on his back with a grunt, trying his best to cradle Lark firmly so she wouldn't bounce too much off of him. For all his layers of clothing it probably wouldn't do much to cushion from his metal body otherwise.

[stitch_witch]

Well wasn't this an adventure. One Lark, for the record, hated. The force that hit her from behind was heavy for its side, and she went down easily, shocked by how far she was propelled. She was ready to rise again very soon, reaching for her savior and trying to pull him out of the street as well. But he was so heavy.

"Sir, please, please get up. You can't stay in this horrid road. I'm sorry, thank you so much, but please move."

SHe really needed to see if he was okay as well. Too bad she wasn't a healer.

[deal_me_in]

"...I'm gettin' too old for this."

Slowly Cayde rolled onto his side, dragging himself to his feet. He let the woman tug him towards the sidewalk, rolling his shoulders before he gave a tug at the hood over his head just to make sure it was still in place.

"You all right?" he asked, dusting himself off. His jacket was sporting more than a few worn spots and holes from his latest collision with asphalt. Really, what was the point of fashion if it was just going to end up raggedy-looking? Then again he didn't mind the look too much. Glowing blue optics settled upon the woman finally, looking her up and down to make sure she hadn't gotten hurt in all that.

[stitch_witch]

Getting too old? What a statement. When she was standing fully she could regard the stranger. The armor clad stranger. How interesting. No one else she had seen here was like that. How strange indeed. But then she saw the clothing. Worn spots would be hard to repair but...

She gestured at the new holes.

"May I repair those? As a thank you?"

[deal_me_in]

"Huh? Oh," Cayde blinks. "Uh, sure? Probably not in the middle of any more streets." He flashes her a brief grin. "Be more careful there. Even with the lights sometimes these guys won't think twice so long as they get to where they wanna go." That has him looking back towards the street as more cars go by in the opposite direction now that the light's changed.

"Makes me wonder how bad a city full'a speeding sparrows would get..."

[stitch_witch]

"I've never seen things like are on those streets," Lark answered with a sigh, pulling the armored man fully onto the sidewalk. "I fear not even your armor would have kept you safe."

With that she reached out to the coat, laying a hand upon it. She forced her will into the material, reaching for the fibers. It was not easy to work her magic this way, but her life had been saved and that called for something given in return.

"No sparrow I have ever seen has moved so fast," she said as the threads began to shiver and move, reaching across the gap. Some of those at her her sleeve wiggled free too, threads moving down her hand and tickling her skin before they started to weave into the holes. Sure, there were now spots where the color was off, but it was as repaired as one might hope. And she felt a bit weak from it.

Too much magic.

"I should sit down."

[deal_me_in]

Well, if that isn't a strange thing to say. If circumstances were normal, that is.

"Oh, I'm sure I could survive getting hit by one," Cayde says distractedly. "Not that I'd want to. Just getting clipped the last time hurt like hell." He exaggerates. But it still hurt.

It looks like he'd say more, but a new distraction presents itself as the woman touches his abused coat. "...not like, bird sparrows..." he says, but he's not too much interested in that subject what with things getting mended magically, looking almost good as new. Threads wriggling alive like worms that knit those holes up nice and neat.

He gently sets a hand on her shoulder as she seems to falter. Sitting sounds good. "Come on. There's a cafe right there," he suggests, gesturing with a nod of his horned head.

[stitch_witch]

Magic, it can be useful. She nodded at his direction.

"Of course. If that will be comfortable. Can you easily sit in your armor?"

Even dizzy and tired from her spell work, she still had concern for the other.

[deal_me_in]

"Eh, I'll be fine," Cayde assures with a wink as he guides them on over. He pulls a chair out at one of the patio tables for her to sit.

"Want me to grab something for you? Drink? I don't know about you but so long as I'm in this weird city I am trying out every one of these fancy coffee things they have."

[stitch_witch]

Well, if he's certain he'll be find, she will listen. In the mean time she sits down and takes a deep breath. Today was just horrid. But something he said made her look up.

"This city is strange to you as well?"

[deal_me_in]

The Exo pulls over the little menu stand at the table, eyeing it with interest. "Ooh, with a hint of cinnamon. Also I think I'm feeling a sandwich. You hungry or is that just me? All these near accidents are stressing me out," he says as he considers the selection.

"Oh, like you wouldn't believe. But then you did say you'd never seen anything like cars before," Cayde notes, deciding to play his hand. "You wouldn't by any chance remember a place called Temba, would you?"

3, ofc!

[hooliganstatus]

The woman next to her in the leather jacket, short purple spandex shorts, fishnet tights, and knee-high boots acted with lightning reflexes. One of Aeon's hands closed around the back of Lark's shirt even as the other arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her back to safety moments before a train roared toward the platform with a whoosh of stale air.

"Careful," she said softly in her ear. "You're supposed to step on after the train stops."

[stitch_witch]

Her heart was beating in her ears. It was a combination of the fear, the rush of her body reacting to what could well have been her end yet again, and perhaps the proximity of whatever woman held her and spoke.

"Ah, I... Yes," Lark said, trying to catch her breath. Damn but this was bad. Once she was settled on her feet and free enough of the woman to do it, she put her hand on the woman's arm to steady her, then reached down to grab first one show and then the other to yank them off.

"These things are horrid."

[hooliganstatus]

Pardon her while she was distracted for just a moment by Lark's bare feet. She had ... some interesting quirks. Hopefully her feet weren't too beat up by the unfamiliar shoes, but if they were, she would certainly take note.

"Are you alright? Here, there's a bench by the wall." She offered a hand, this time to greet, not to save. "I'm Monica."

[stitch_witch]

Feet are feet, and hers were not used to these damn shoes. Perhaps the Lark whose life she had stepped into was, but Lark herself couldn't find her balance.

"A bench would be lovely, Monica. I'm Lark."

She even shared a name with a famed gossip columnist. Because she was? Oh Lark didn't understand anything here.

[hooliganstatus]

She knew the column, but not enough yet to put the two Larks together. "I'm sure you are, under the right circumstances." Smooth and unassuming, her velvet voice making the risque little comment seem like it was just part of normal conversation. She helped Lark over to the bench and perched beside her. "Is this your first day in the city?"

It was the only way she could think of to explain her unfamiliarity with the tunnels and the platforms, and how dangerous they could be.

[stitch_witch]

"Under the right circumstances?"

Lark didn't understand the reference as she padded on quick, bare feet to the bench. Once she was seated she pulled her legs up and under herself with ease.

"Yes, and no," Lark answered to the question. "I am given to believe I have been here a while. Yet I do not know it."

[hooliganstatus]

What a curious answer. Monica sat down next to her, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Are you ... an amnesiac?"

It was the only thing she could think of to explain it, really.

[stitch_witch]

Amnesiac. Ah yes she knows that term. Quite a rare condition. Was it perhaps true?

No, it could not be. She could still feel the voices of the threads around her. Her magic was still here. And her magic was of another place.

Mila Preserve, what is happening.

"No," she answered, watching the woman as she folded her own hands into her lap. meanwhile she sent the faintest tremble of power into her own clothing. Thread, she needed thread.

"I am not. I am completely certain of my own mind. It is the world that is wrong."

[hooliganstatus]

That was, quite possibly, the most curious thing Monica had ever heard - and she had heard a lot of curious things in her line of work. She watched Lark with a calm and critical eye, wondering if she might be missing from some sort of mental hospital or facility ... but no, she was dressed too well for that.

Whatever was going on, the press and roar of the subway was no place for the conversation. It wasn't exactly a good idea to make her shout above the noise to explain herself, even in a city where abnormal things were the daily news. Monica pursed her lips in thought for a moment.

"Were you trying to get somewhere in particular that I can help you to?"

[stitch_witch]

Get somewhere in particular. Yes. Lark heaved a heavy breath.

"I'm trying to find the origin. But I cannot navigate this city. It's so... large."

So very, very large. She almost thought this place might house more people than the whole of the Duchy of Emelan

[hooliganstatus]

"The origin of what seems strange, for you? Hmm. Well ..." She pulled her phone from her pocket and gave a few swipes across the screen until she was able to access her calendar. "I'm free for the next couple of days. I could show you around during the day. But I work nights."

[stitch_witch]

Lark leaned over to inspect what the woman was doing with her phone. That said she had never seen such a use before on the device the Agrii gave her.

“Show me around?” Lark asked in confusion. “Is that a way of suggesting you wish to see me into the hands of mind healers? The last one to assist me attempted that.”