System Glitch: In The City

[theextras]

The artificial sun rises in the artificial sky... just like every day in Taxon. For some of the inhabitants, this has been going on long enough to be very routine.

This morning, though, the light shines over quite a few gaps in the city's architecture. There is no Oxford library, no Hedge Maze. A number of the private residences are simply gone, those that people brought with them to Taxon. And the streets are very empty, indeed: no Extras on the sidewalks, no Extras driving cars. No smiling faces in the corner coffee shop. The trams rattle around the city with nary a soul on board. The streets are silent.

But it's not just the Extras who are gone. Most of the familiar faces are, too. The tablets show only a very short list of 'Contacts'-- those few citizens left in the city proper.

Save for a small handful of Taxon's prisoners-- left rattling around like the last pills in a nearly empty bottle-- the city is deserted, and silent as the grave.


[ OOC: The first of two log posts to kick off the event! For reference, these are the characters who are remaining in the city: Azkadellia, Briar Moss, Charles Xavier (AU), Daphne Powell, DG, Drusilla, Eanes, Illyria, James Holmes, Jenna Sommers, Martha Jones, Remus Lupin, and Wyatt Cain. ]

Comments

[azoftheoz]

She was stunned by that offer, staring at him with wide eyes. She felt her lip start to quiver once more and she bit down to make it stop. "I... I would appreciate that," she said softly. "I haven't... I haven't spent much time at home since this happened." Not with the brain there.

She nodded, hand trembling as she picked up the tablet. "I'll be fine with this."

[hasaheart]

Cain nods, giving her a small, tight smile before heading for the kitchen, where he does as promised. He makes a sandwich, puts everything back in its place and wipes the counter.

For a moment, it almost feels like any other day, just going through the motions of neat and tidy. Like he always does. It's a small comfort, but it winds him down a bit from the too highly strung, will snap any minute mindset of this morning.

He comes back out with a sandwich on a plate, and a small bowl of fridge chilled cherries.

[azoftheoz]

While he was gone, Azkadellia propped up the tablet so she could watch it while doing as she said. She picked at her sandwich, eating a bit as she went though she'd lost he appetite. The truth being, she had lost her appetite since she arrived but now it was all about the churning and stress.

She watches him as he came back, quiet for a long moment.

"I worry I'll never get to know my own sister," she admitted.

[hasaheart]

Silence has never bothered Wyatt, ever since he was a boy. Some of the other kids in the area would take any chance they got at making a ruckus, but Wyatt vastly preferred the alternative. You could hear so much more if you didn't make noise. You could close your eyes and smell the tall grass breaking under your bare feet. You could hear the crunches and snaps and soft squishes as you walked through the woods, some patches of ground damper than others.

He's always loved silence, and the things you see and hear when you don't say one word.

He sits down, a small frown of concern taking up residence between his eyebrows. "What makes you say that? Of course you will."

[azoftheoz]

At first she didn't answer, tearing off another bite, savoring the tastes that seemed fresh after so many days of only eating if and when she had to. A sip of coffee and then she reached over, turning off the tablet.

"She's still on the map," she sighed, gesturing towards the tablet with one hand. "The maze that came with Glitch is gone, but the palace is still there. Where is she then," she whispered, almost as if fearful to ask.

[hasaheart]

He clamps down on yet another I don't know, reaching over to rub her back soothingly. To and fro, wind wiper motions. "Maybe she can't face the city just yet, the way it is. Didn't she get back to your message this morning?"

[azoftheoz]

Azkadellia leaned back, looking so close to shattering in that moment as she shook her head.

"No. I only heard from you and Remus, though maybe the tablet is malfunctioning. There are others on there I haven't heard from either."

[hasaheart]

"Give her some time," murmurs Wyatt softly. "She loves you very much, don't ever doubt that."

With all the things that had happened almost right before Azkadellia came to Taxon, he can't imagine it's been easy for DG. And now this... Even though they weren't together anymore (or as far as Wyatt had gathered from Glitch's plans on finding his own place - and he found one, alright), it had to be hitting her just as hard that he wasn't here anymore.

"We'll give her some time. In the meantime, you're sticking to me as much as you want, okay?"

[azoftheoz]

"I... I don't doubt that she loves me," she said, only stumbling over the words for a moment. "It's more my fears of how she sees me after how she first saw me when she came back. The same worries I have with Glitch, and with you."

She wouldn't deny that she was worried about the past, and the woman that she had been back then. Despite the reassurances, the fears still held tight to her heart.

"Are you sure," she asked, ducking her head and then glancing up at him. "I don't want to intrude." There was so many things she didn't want to do. Returning to her place was one of them but she would.

[hasaheart]

Nonetheless, it's got to be wearing her down. It's one thing to be brave when you know someone's got your back, but if you don't...

Wyatt gives a small sigh, and Az a nod. "Of course I'm sure. You're always welcome here, just like Glitch and DG. And you'll stay as long as you want, not one second more or less."

[azoftheoz]

How long she wanted. Her. Not anyone else. Not for any reason but her desires. That was almost painfully stunning. He was offering her herself and it was odd and more than a bit scary for someone who could barely remember the last time she'd had such thing - and as a child, they hadn't been entirely her decisions then either.

"I... thank you," she said, blushing lightly and smiling shyly at him. "You're too kind to me, Cain, but I appreciate it. I will find a way to thank you."

[hasaheart]

Well, thinks Wyatt with an answering smile of his own. Offering is the least he can do. Whether the young princess takes him up on it is entirely up to her.

"You already have."