be_notorious: (040)
ALL RIGHT ALL RIGHT ALL RIGHT ([personal profile] be_notorious) wrote in [community profile] dualislogs2020-01-08 03:15 am

(no subject)

WHO: Drifter | Various
WHAT: Monthly Post
WHERE: Around Dualis and in the Swamp, More might be added
WHEN: January
WARNINGS: Probably violence and some food issues.

A.) IT'S NOT BRAIN SURGERY
CLOSED TO LORNA
DATED TO AFTER THIS

He's not happy to have learned what's in his head, and honestly? It's worth the risk. What if it kills him? He's got too many damn things in his head already. Does he want that big AI having access to any of 'em? Nah.

He's compared the Head to Rasputin before. Now, he puts a lotta stock into the endgoals of the warmind; more stock than he'd put into any real person. The thing wants to fight the darkness, and hell, it doesn't wanna get used by the Vanguard! Who wouldn't agree with that? And it reaches far and wide in its conflict, stretching its sattellite tipped fingers to the edges of their home system.

But the Warmind? When it decided to copy people, it was volunteers. People who donated their memories and way of thinking to create immortal warriors of a kind. Even there it one-upped the Head; when it saw it was losing the war, it let 'em all go to go do their own thing. Some of those 'exo's it made, robot copies? Became the greatest badasses that third rock from Sol had to offer.

But even then, catch Rasputin in a mood? Bust in on him where you're not wanted? And there's hell to pay. The Warmind stuffed some damn fool Iron Lords full of nanotech when they decided to breach one of his facilities and take weapons without asking. Personally, if you ask Drifter? Don't be a damn punk and think you're slick enough to fight a centuries old AI with a fist and an ax. Didn't work out too well for those Iron Lords.

Drifter doesn't much want to turn out like those poor fellas. Even if none of the voices in his head come along for the ride, even if his ghost refuses to get attached to some smartass just because it looks like him, he doesn't like the idea of his thoughts and memories just spilling out to where it doesn't belong. The moments he held little Yu through her dying breaths are just as much his as knowing how to access paralell universes. He doesn't want the Head to have either. He doesn't want the Head to puppet him to use that for himself.

So? How about a trial run he thinks. Rip that thing out, see if he comes back. Tell that pretty little thing with the shaved head if he makes it. See if she's willing to risk standing up to the pressure. Let his ghost scan some brains. That's the plan and it sounds good to him. Now to wait for his surgeon. On a rooftop. Best place to get a voluntary head injury.


B.) SWAMP MONSTER HUNTING
OTA
DATED EARLY IN THE MONTH

He'd heard about the swamp, but hadn't got to investigate much. Time for that to change. Out there were definitely parts he needed for additions to his weapons, and he was ready to go exploring and/or hunting.

He's back in his armor, big furry shoulder pads, leather(ish) chaps, thick belt with his hand cannon tucked into it and all. Somewhere between space traveller stereotype and old lone traveling warrior. Drifter's pretty good at wearing his business right upfront. He doesn't lie about what he is.

Can't be blamed for what people get themselves into.

Unfortunately, at the moment, getting themselves into something means they're gonna be marsh treading. And he needs the fangs off a man-eating swamp seal. Honestly, better than the alternatives. It could be gators. Could be boring, too, which is even worse. He's out in the swamp with a rented boat (that clerk, by the way, seemed keen on asking for insurance because he seemed to be pretty sure it wouldn't be coming back). There's some squishy ground to walk on, though, and he's abandoned the craft for the moment to travel that.


C.) SWEEP YOU OFF YOUR FEET
CLOSED TO NICK
DATED TO EARLY IN THE MONTH

He's been prepping and making weapons for the Heart for a couple of months now. And, to be honest, it isn't fair to the lady that's been kindly enough to introduce him to them that his focus has been mostly on them.

He shows up late at the bar, just when Nick's about to get off work, and slams his hands on the bar. This time wearing his Western fusion shtick, at least, not looking like a ratty space mechanic freak as he knows he damn well can.

"Come on, Darlin'. I wanna show you somethin'. No time like the present." And maybe he can tell her about the damn fool, if successful, thing that he did for himself.


D.) SO I HEARD THERE WAS A MAN WITH A FORGE
CLOSED TO SEIFER
DATED TO JUST AFTER NAPS

Drifter can generate his own heat and some minor transmatting. Honestly? Makes it a little easier to be a wanderer with his work. But generating ones own heat is exhausting. Work work work, all the time. It's drawining, and he has to wait a good ten, twenty minuted between big surges. He's about sick of that.

But, apparently, there's some fella with an actual forge out there. And Drifter? Needs a piece of that sweet action, thanks. He follows word of mouth in his own particular way (some shady deals, some strong-arming, some fair trades of 'useful' goods) until he finds the man and his forge.

He makes a pretty blatant show of not sneaking in. He just wants to be friends here, right? They got a lot they could do for one another. Who is ol' Drifter to pass up some alliances with potentially talented people. It could work out just fine for the both of 'em.

Trust.

But, he's gotta admit, this is a tad more mannequins than he's used to. Hell, last time he saw mannequins standing around in a deteriorating setting? They were target practice for Fallen. Spoilers: It didn't help 'em. He gets to the front door of the 'recycling center' and knocks... and thinks he hears a dog? Damn, now he doesn't even know if it's someone's pet or an actual person.
metamorphotic: (to do you in again)

[personal profile] metamorphotic 2020-01-09 04:36 am (UTC)(link)
Even before her sidequests through the multiverse began, Nick knew that fair was more or less a fantasy. It’s a simple fact that’s shaped her worldview from childhood, a tenet she doesn’t question - life isn’t fair, end of story. She’s abandoned most of her aggressively pessimistic outlook over the past few years, but this single truth remained, steady as a healthy heartbeat.

She doesn’t fault Drifter for not visiting her more frequently - he’s a busy man, and she’s never considered herself anyone’s priority. It’s a pleasant surprise when their paths do cross, and she has only a warm smile for him when he turns up at the bar tonight.

“Hey, Trouble.” Yeah, looks like that nickname isn’t going anywhere just yet. Only the last few last-callers remain in the bar, and two of her coworkers are still on the clock. She can get away with cutting out a little early, though she makes an exaggerated show of thinking over his request.

“Yeah, guess I could do with some seizing of the day,” she says, grin widening across her face. “Or night, whatever. Lemme just grab my coat.” She disappears into the back room and yells to the remaining bartenders on duty that she’s taking off for the night, then re-emerges a minute later, pushing her arms through the sleeves of a slightly faded dark-rinse denim jacket as she navigates around the bar to join Drifter.

“So,” she says, winding a thick black hand-knit scarf around her neck, “what did you wanna show me?”
Edited 2020-01-09 05:18 (UTC)
firacrux: (scowl)

THE D

[personal profile] firacrux 2020-01-10 03:11 am (UTC)(link)
Mannequins. Mannequins everywhere. Or, well, at least far too many mannequins to be a healthy hobby or collection. Most of the mannequins had seen better days, given they were all salvaged out of various dumpsters. Some looked like they'd definitely been used for training practice with a variety of weapons, others appeared to be posed in humorous if mildly disturbing ways. And a few had been put together with a few too many additional limbs. Someone in there has too much time on their hands. Really, if it weren't for the loud clanging noises and the roar of a generator in the back one might think this was actually just some kind of haunted house waiting for the right time of year.

At the knock the clanging paused, which of course made it easier to hear the strange croaking chuffbark of some kind of strange animal scrabbling around the door in excitement. Just who in the hell knocked was question number one, which lead to question number two of if they were here for a shipment they were a week early and they damn well knew it.

So when the door cracked open Drifter was met with a stony, unimpressed and suspicious scowl. He wasn't used to people without a direct connection to someone in the forge already just showing up, so clearly it had to be one of his buyers.

"You're early, an' if you think you're gonna strong arm me I ain't afraid to send you crawlin' back to your bosses one fewer." He snapped. Despite his less than pleasant demeanor Drifter would also be greeted by something considerably more cheerful: Eos.

The chihuahua sized reptilian animal skittering around their feet in a greeting dance of pure joy. Clearly Drifter is just here to give him pats because that's the only option. Visitors all come with pats, and sometimes treats!
hobocop: (goes on date returns with sword)

[personal profile] hobocop 2020-01-12 02:49 am (UTC)(link)
"Fuck!"

There's a soft series of clinks as Harry regains his balance, having slid a good foot or two in the mud. The porcelain-like ringing from his armor sounds a little too much like a dinner bell for his taste, but knowing he's at least partially invulnerable does something to prevent his confidence level from plummeting. Drifter's presence doesn't hurt, either. Seeing the man out in his element, dressed up like some Seolite warrior, he almost feels like they're supposed to be out here.

"Sorry," he says automatically - more neurological impulse than an actual apology. He's looking to the ground, now, taking effort to crush the reeds underfoot where he can. Lessening whatever weird weight distribution set him skidding before.

"Hey, so..." He knows how fucking naive he's about to sound, but he has to ask. "You think maybe you don't need to kill it?" A beat. "I never encountered a swamp seal before, but uh... I can't help but figure everything sounds terrifying when you throw the words man-eating in front of it."
metamorphotic: (i won't be the one to fail you)

[personal profile] metamorphotic 2020-01-12 03:25 pm (UTC)(link)
Nick doesn’t need to be told twice to hold on - the second Drifter takes off from the ground, she has both arms wrapped tightly around him, fingers curled into the fabric of his clothing. He’d mentioned being able to float before, but that claim had fallen far into the background in light of what came after the talking that night. Nick squeaks with surprise and turns her face into the side of his neck, laughing as they rise higher into the air.

“Oh my god,” she says, gasping a breath in, eyes finally open to take in the view, “you are a menace!” Her tone is amused, her words affectionate - she doesn’t mind any of this a single bit. It’s both strange and exciting; she’s never done anything like this before, but she’s enjoying it immensely, heartbeat racing with the thrill of being literally swept off her feet.

“I trust you not to drop me,” she says, with a laugh in the back of her throat. “Higher.”
ferrokinetically: (pic#13483585)

[personal profile] ferrokinetically 2020-01-13 01:53 am (UTC)(link)
There's very little about this place that Lorna feels comfortable with. She's fairly certain that they try to make them feel comfortable, but trying and succeeding are two very different things. The longer she's been here the more uncomfortable she's become. Uncomfortable and lonely. The lonely part is not something she's eager to admit to anyone. In a way it's lucky she hasn't gotten too close to anyone. Less of a chance of people asking her personal questions. There's a few people she might have considered getting to know, but she's found there's some truth in the old saying about never meeting your idols.

That's not to say she hasn't made any connections at all. Drifter's one that she can, at the very least, consider something of an ally. Or at least someone with a similar mindset as her. Which is why she's mildly worried in regards to his message. Worried and curious about what precisely he wants. She tosses her black studded leather jacket and heads to the rooftop where they met before. Green swirls around her as she lands down and offers a cock of her head in greeting.

"So, what's your problem? Hope it's not too personal, never really been into exhibitionism," she says dryly with a tiny smirk.
hobocop: (Literally the sorriest cop on earth)

[personal profile] hobocop 2020-01-14 01:06 am (UTC)(link)
"Yeah, I, uh... I heard. The basic gist anyway," he says, practically sighing the words out. Not that he had a great impression of Dualis when he first woke up here, but... well, he could have done without Inland Empire being right about the super sexy twist this time around. Like, he could have really done without it. The paranoia is eating away at him and his volition like nothing else. The fact that he's here in the marsh right now just goes to show how desperate he is for something akin to stability and friendship.

That, and running around in the reeds tugs at the fond memory of a previous, less terrifying cryptid hunt. Of course he was going to say yes.

"Look, don't worry. Push comes to shove, I can pull the trigger just fine." There's a meaningful pause there. "I just prefer running through the other options first. Use the ol' law-jaw and try and talk things out, maybe." Which might not work on a man-eating swamp seal, sure, but never say never, right? He gestures over to where Drifter's hand cannon sits. "Plus, I was kinda hoping that thing had a... sorta sci-fi stun option, y'know? Bzzt."
Edited 2020-01-14 02:23 (UTC)
firacrux: (Oh really?)

[personal profile] firacrux 2020-01-14 02:27 am (UTC)(link)
Plenty to eat, and yet not a lick of it wild. Left one to wonder, though those were questions Seifer tried very hard to push out of his mind. Lab grown or whatever he didn't want to know where the "meat" came from.

While Eos did not understand the words themselves, he did understand he was being spoken to, which resulted in him launching into a delighted and insistent dance of bounding around in exuberant circles. Protectively Seifer shooed him inside, not wanting the vulnerable little animal to be out too close to a complete stranger.

Brother. He's heard someone that talks like that before, and raises an eyebrow. "I talk to you on the network before?" It just sounded familiar. Weird. Still, his eyes narrow somewhat suspiciously, but he turns away leaving the door open in a silent invitation to follow him inside. If he's not there to harass him about hurrying up on orders he might as well come in. Ain't like the place is as secret as he thought, after all.

"Trouble? Nah, pushy buyers. Always get the ones think they can throw their weight around." Until you put them on their asses. Inside, the mannequin situation wasn't much better. While there weren't really too many in the forge area itself, there were a fair few surrounding some kind of odd box looking room built out of shelves and corrugated metal further into the warehouse. "What d'you mean help each other out?"
ferrokinetically: (pic#13486410)

[personal profile] ferrokinetically 2020-01-15 09:17 am (UTC)(link)
"Respectable," she lets out a chuff and just shakes her head at that. Respectable is not something she finds herself associated with too often, though she appreciates the sentiment. His explanation definitely sobers the mood considerably and she tries to keep herself from seeming visibly bothered by what he's told her. Lorna's no stranger to having something on her that fucks with her powers. In fact she's got very intimate and personal experience with it. A collar is a far cry from a chip inside their heads.

"If there's something foreign in there, no matter how small,I should be able to tell. If I can't, there's nothing there." It might sound cocky but Lorna's always been unequivocally confident in her mutant abilities. There's no further hesitation or questions on her part, she just moves her hand up and starts to feel around. A green mist surrounds her fingers as she wiggles them like she's sifting through the air. After a few seconds her expression darkens and she folds her arms across her chest, as if that might protect her from a chip inside their heads.

"There's something there. Faint traces." How could she have not noticed this inside her? She should have felt it immediately. "Fuck." She mutters it under her breath and digs her own nails into her hands in a mixture of anger and frustration. "I should have noticed immediately."
metamorphotic: (you can bet they will take it from you)

[personal profile] metamorphotic 2020-01-15 03:15 pm (UTC)(link)
Nick hasn’t been able to hold back her delighted laughter since they left the ground, and she only stops to catch her breath when Drifter sets her down on the rooftop, wide grin still stretched from one side of her face to the other.

“That,” she says, still half-breathless, “was amazing.”

She hasn’t felt this particular brand of joy in a very long time. Even though their upward ascent wasn’t a fast one, Nick can’t help remembering those summer afternoons when she was a small child and her father would take her barreling down gravel roads in his well-worn truck, singing old favorite songs with her as cornfield after cornfield sped past the open windows. The trip skyward just now filled her with that same sense of dizzying elation she remembers from those treasured childhood memories, and it’s the closest she’s come to reclaiming that feeling of inner peace in the decades since her father died.

She turns her head to scan out into the city from this height, taking in the shape of the skyline, the new patterns of lights. It’s one hell of a view, and she smiles all over again.

“Was this what you wanted to show me?”
hobocop: (Disco infernum)

[personal profile] hobocop 2020-01-15 11:23 pm (UTC)(link)
To his absolute shame Harry can't help but think of Cunoesse, then. He remembers the ten year old's manic expression as she stood up on the fence, arms spread, demanding he shoot her. A demand that came after he tried silencing her relentless abuse by pointing Kim's gun at her.

The image of Kortenaer's surprised, furious expression as the bullet tore through his cheek crossfades into his mind, too. He could kill one, but not the other. But Kortenaer's killing came as a last ditch effort to limit a death toll. Harry's stupid gesture towards Cunoesse, on the other hand, was born of nothing but fear and a failed bid to establish authority to someone who refused to recognise it.

Beneath it all, Harry knows he's a killer (and about as low as they come, really) but in the scenario Drifter's painting? Shit. The face of your enemy does matter - at least to Harry. He can only respond with silence.

And he remains silent, up until it's impossible not to: Drifter's ridiculous vertical leap.

"That's—"

PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT
— Physically impossible.


INLAND EMPIRE
Magic.


ELECTROCHEMISTRY
Devastatingly cool.


"—Phk...ool."

Nailed it.

His jaw works for a long moment, before he settles on a broad, lopsided grin. "You gonna be okay getting down from there or is this a kitty in a tree situation?"
ferrokinetically: (pic#13486436)

[personal profile] ferrokinetically 2020-01-16 09:25 am (UTC)(link)
"Who the fuck put it in us? And when?" Her voice was low and came out mostly through clenched teeth. It's not a question she's actually asking him, but instead one she's wondering aloud. Which is probably apparent by how quickly she moves on from it and onto his proposition.

"You want me to yank it out?" She shakes her head but doesn't sound too shocked. One thing about Lorna is that she's no stranger to crazy sounding ideas.

"It's going to hurt like hell." Getting a small piece out of Reed had been painful enough. Getting a chip out of someone's head, that wasn't going to be pleasant for them and she wants him to know that. "I can get it out fast but it's still gonna sting."
hobocop: (Skills: Half-Light)

[personal profile] hobocop 2020-01-18 02:24 am (UTC)(link)
Laughter shouldn't elicit an unpleasant, sinking feeling, right? It's odd, but then again the last time someone reacted like that to one of Harry's dumb lines, it was as some sort of grand, confusing power move.

He watches, still not quite processing what he's seeing as Drifter shifts to the next tree.

RHETORIC
— As Drifter drifts.


His mouth snaps open as the impulse to parrot a related pun explodes into his head, but Drifter beats him to the punch with an instruction. A rather sobering one at that. Harry seems to immediately enact it, armoured palm suddenly flush against the oversized pepperbox pistol holstered beneath his cloak. His trajectory changes, too. That slower prowl starts veering left, and he bobs his head up at Drifter like a good boy. Only...

HALF LIGHT [Challenging: Failure]
— Ναι αδελφέ. Είμαστε δόλωμα.


Something about this image is wrong. Harry can feel his heart beat thrumming a sudden panicked, staccato rhythm as adrenaline floods in. He's down here. Drifter's up there.

"Wait! Hold on," Harry hisses - a scandalized stage whisper rather than something truly quiet. "Am I bait?"
ferrokinetically: (pic#13475073)

[personal profile] ferrokinetically 2020-01-19 03:56 am (UTC)(link)
"Of course they did." The bitterness and spite in her voice is palatable to even people who don't know Lorna too well. It's a violation she's been through before and never wanted again, and yet here she is. This time it's even been taken up to a higher level.

"If your sure, I'll do it. You just tell me when. I don't suggest a countdown, just say go and I'll pull it out." Countdowns just built up anticipation and would make it hurt more. If they're doing this she just wants to yank it out and get it over with. And she's more than willing to do it, he's got the right idea. Their secrets and their lives are their own. She's not going to let anyone take that from her again.

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