[ OPEN ] drive me to the city

[catharses]

Who: Sunday and you!
Where: Panorama, The Fringes, TBD
When: October
What: Catchall

Warnings: None currently, will be marked/added as needed


( open starters below | action, prose, and wildcards all welcome | find me at indech, PM, or on discord to set something up! )

Comments

musical interlude — OPEN

[catharses]

a. performing time

[ A few nights a week at a bar with a rotating roster of musicians who perform each night, Sunday can be found performing. Though he tends to prefer more detailed compositions and for more of a set... well, set, he's learned to embrace the occasional chaos that comes along with patrons being able to request songs. It makes sure that there's not only plenty of songs for him to learn but also that he rarely plays the same music if he's there two (or more) nights in a row.

Indeed, if someone approaches while he's finishing a song to make a request, they'll be greeted with a smile and asked for the title. If he knows it - and there's been a fair amount of music which seems to be popular around Panorama learned - then no problem! But if it's unfamiliar, well - ]

I'm afraid I don't know that one. Would you be able to play it for me or sing it? Or hum, if that's more your preference.

[ If it's on a tape or a CD, great! He does mean it about singing or humming the song to give him an idea of the melody. Hearing it once is enough for him to know it and then build on it from there with some feedback to make sure it's right, of course. There's also a secret third option: mind reading to let him hear it as it should be if someone knows he has the ability or as something he'll suggest if someone's really reluctant otherwise. ]

b. after hours

[ Later in the night if he's the last to play, it's not uncommon for him to linger at the piano to keep playing. This seems less like someone playing as they've been hired to do and more like practicing - or composing, really, since he'll try out a few bars of a melody, some chords, or anything else. While he'll look lost in thought, anyone who stops by will be greeted all the same.

Otherwise, being seated at the bar with a glass of wine is just as likely whether it's to watch whoever else is playing, chatting with the bartender if it's slow, or jotting miscellaneous notes in a journal before him. With Sunday normally sitting on the side of the bar so to not take a seat from paying customers there's normally a seat or two open near him. And if someone's contemplating the drink menu he'll stop in whatever it is he's doing to lean over with some advice. ]

I wouldn't order today's special if you're thinking about it.

[ Fond of he might be of this place, it has some areas that could be improved. ]

b!

[recitations]

[ She's been here for a while — a couple of drinks in and everything ( even if she just magicked the effects away ), listening to one performer after the next. The skill levels seem to vary, sure, but she doesn't mind it in the slightest. It gives it character! People seem to be enjoying themselves! She can't really ask for more from the place.

Or she thought. Aria's between drinks right now. Wandered back to the bar to grab another, scanning the board for ideas when someone speaks to her. She turns, head tilting just so — this was the piano player. She recognizes him from earlier. ]

Mm. [ Non-committal, but her gaze darts back to the board immediately. Some kind of drink with hibiscus...? ] Mind if I ask why?

[catharses]

[ A valid question, and as she looks his way there's a second where something about her seems... familiar. He'll consider that later since for now Sunday nods slightly while setting his pen down. His notes about a composition can wait in favor of this. ]

Don't get me wrong, the bartenders here are quite qualified. [ And he's fond of all of them despite the teasing about only ever staying with one or two different wines like the glass next to him, for example, and just to make it clear if he'd cast any doubt upon that. ] They're known for their creativity which is to be commended and one of the draws of this particular establishment, or so I'm told for the latter.

[ And so he's witnessed after (sort of) working here for a while at that since there's quite a few loyal customers. But with one hand he gestures to the board, since - ]

One might say that some of those experimental drinks end up better than others.

[ This particular one doesn't seem to be one ever ordered twice from what he's been able to tell on his nights here. Fortunately, a customer just a couple seats away seems to be ordering it, so he nods their direction. ]

[recitations]

[ ( The notebook does get a brief glance, more accidental than anything; maybe it's unsurprising that it's another composition of some kind, but she can't help but note it anyway. Looks away just as quickly as her eyes landed on it. ) Another hum. The impulsive, almost spiteful part of her wants to order it herself just to see what he's talking about — it's many words to say that the drink doesn't sound as good as it does on paper, which ... she can't fault him for, exactly. She would have done the same. Just maybe not to a complete stranger.

Regardless — she ends up watching the patron ( victim? ) order it, then the bartender step away to start making the drink. At a glance, it seems to be a standard drink; bottles picked out from the shelves that other drinks use, a little flower as decoration on top. The colors gradient from a clear liquid to a bright magenta, top to bottom. It's charming.

She gives Sunday a smile, before she catches another bartender's eye. ] I'll have the special. [ Looks fine to her!! What's the worst that could happen!! ( In the process of ordering, she misses the grimace that the patron makes immediately upon taking a sip. ) ]

[catharses]

[ It is a striking drink. That gradient and the decoration was what drew him to watching as others ordered it because it seemed so similar to many drinks in Penacony. From one bar in particular within the Dreamscape at that, and nostalgia nearly convinced him to order it - until he'd seen those reactions to the apparent taste. That'd been the end of that idea and hence the wine next to him.

What he'd said was about as polite of a dissuasion as Sunday's willing to offer with the bartenders close by. More than that, the special does seem to be selling well even if there's been more than a few faces made after those initial sips. Maybe she's also weighed this into her considerations, since a second later she orders the drink and he faintly raises an eyebrow. ]

Well. Perhaps this is a case of practice leading to perfection as the saying goes. [ He's just not going to mention how many times that's not worked out yet, and that's not counting whatever orders came in before he'd seated himself. ] Or perhaps you're not one to turn down a challenge, rather.

aish

[crimebaby]

[ so livio's come to the bar, not so much to grab a drink, but more to listen to sunday's playing, specifically. he had heard that sunday plays piano here, and has been chomping at the bit to hear it. so he approaches, giving sunday a little smile and wave, but careful not to interrupt his playing. he takes a seat not too far away, and once the song is finished: ]

Er--- no requests! [ he doesn't really ever listen to music. ] Anything ya want to play is fine, yer really talented, Mister Sunday.

[ and he's content just to listen ]

[catharses]

Well, if you think of something, you know where to find me.

[ For requests, that is - and it might be a slight joke given he'll be here for a while yet. The question of what to play is answered by someone a few tables in the opposite direction calling out a song title after mentioning they have one if no one else does, and fortunately it's one he's learned since starting to play here. No humming required (this time, anyway).

And most of all: company is always welcome since even if Livio doesn't have a request for now, there's still time for one to be made as Sunday shifts his hands on the keys to begin the next song. ]

And thank you. I took lessons as a child and always enjoyed playing, but then slowly had no more time for it as I became wrapped up in other things. [ That past they'd spoken of, mostly. ] Before arriving here, I couldn't tell you the last time I'd sat in front of a piano.

[crimebaby]

[ livio's more than happy to keep sunday company and just listen. there's no music he's really attached to, he hasn't heard a lot of it in his life - save maybe a couple of live bands here or there, but he's content just to listen to sunday play whatever requests come his way. he raises his glass (of water) to sunday as sunday starts to play. ]

[ miraculously, he picks up that it was a joke and smiles a little ]

It's good that ya have the time now ta play.

[ without having to take part in any past activities. ] This place does give some opportunities you can't get at home, don't it?

[ he's mostly referring to himself, here, since he hadn't thought it possible to be able to sit down with wolfwood and vash in a room together. ]

[catharses]

It is, and I've found I'll look for any excuse for it.

[ That this is another way to make money is decidedly convenient what with the whole problem of various debts to be paid here and seemingly never enough funds, and so what'd first been one night a week here became more than that not long after. ]

Having any time at all with so much going on here feels rather like a luxury after so long of not. Perhaps the cosmos has decided to make it so as a bit of a joke.

[ The latter part more mused to himself over the matter of only having time to play again after literally leaving the cosmos in question, but. As Sunday shifts into the song's chorus, he glances to Livio again. ]

Have you found other opportunities than the ones we've spoken of before?

b

[carmesi]

( wanda makes a face at the advice (warning?), and leans into the counter. the bartender is familiar with her—not because she drinks here often or anything like that, but because she usually comes in to collect a specific bottle of red wine that the cook she lives with likes to add as an ingredient to his cooking.

that being said, finding a spot beside sunday is a most calculated action; there's comfort in shared mind wavelengths, and in this capacity she doesn't feel a need to be wary about her mind and where it peeks into once it wanders. like having someone give you a piggyback ride after walking for hours without a break. )

I wasn't.

( thinking about it.

she points at his drink, once the bartender tots along to the back for the order she's here to pick up. )

That isn't it, is it?

[catharses]

Absolutely not. I learned my lesson the last time the bartenders were allowed to create their own specials and Otto informed me there was a quiz to answer first before he'd get my drink.

[ Otto being the bartender in question and who's busy pouring a drink just a couple seats away, but not so busy so that he doesn't wave cheerily to both of them at the sound of his name. As for the drink special: Sunday had tried it because it'd reminded him a bit of something Penacony might offer and the would-be nostalgia of it was too much to resist. That and he'd decided it surely couldn't go as wrong as that 'try not to laugh' challenge he'd failed in the Dreamscape. Indeed, the worst thing that'd happened here was a drink he hadn't really cared for.

With a wave of one hand towards his wine glass - ]

This is just a spiced wine made from someone's great-grandparents' recipe, or so I hear. The fruit changes seasonally, though I hear what's next is a cider.

around panorama — OPEN

[catharses]

a. cider fest

[ He'd first heard of the ciders being offered around Panorama from the very bar he performs at when it'd appeared on the specials on a menu he thought he'd memorized from looking at it so often. Curiosity all but demanded he order it at least once and - unlike the ale he won't order again - it was rather pleasant in flavor. But not really his preference, Sunday admitted when asked, and got a laugh from the bartender who handed him a card with one stamp and the advice that it's all part of the fun of trying others.

Some time later he's at a restaurant after a long day at the bakery to get some dinner, and what do you know: another cider on the menu. After trying a few other places and having a (sort of) better idea of what to expect, this one looks promising from the description.

Except he'd perhaps overlooked one part of what was written there since as Sunday takes a sip, the 'fire' effect mentioned right after he'd stopped reading makes itself known right after. It's harsh only because it was unexpected as he has to stop and clear his throat. Once, then twice, though a glance around shows some people enjoying it while others look as uncertain as he feels. ]

That is... [ One more cough in hopes it'll finally help this time - ] ...quite strong.

a. paper moons

[ The moons first appear during one of his nighttime walks - just a couple here and there, though each night he's out after that there are more and more. The ones hung first begin to disappear though they reappear again in other windows as he recognizes the painted designs. More replace them and his walks home take a little longer to see if he can find where some of them might've gone.

There's a taller building on one of his routes back to the motel where he stays and he's watched as its residents slowly filled the windows more and more. Tonight, however, it seems that every window is lit with the glow and it's a sight to behold as he stops before it to do just that as it's stopped raining.

Sunday stands with his hands in his pockets of his coat, a heavier one now thanks to the weather changing, as he looks up at the display with a small smile on his face despite his usual impassive expression. At the sound of someone else approaching or if they've stopped to look at the same sight, Sunday will glance over with that same smile. ]

It's quite the sight, isn't it? It seems more appear all the time.

[ He's not yet taken a moon for his own window yet, but there's some nearby on the streetlamps as someone else is retrieving one for themselves. ]

A! Slides in late with Cider

[soul_sight]

[ Hythlodaeus glances over when he hears the man cough and then laughs softly. He also may have been victim to not reading the whole description. ]

Yes, it hits right in the back of the throat, doesn't it?

[ He tips his glass towards Sunday in a show of solidarity. ]

[catharses]

Yes, it's--

[ Whatever agreement was on the tip of his tongue since that's the perfect description for it is forgotten when Sunday turns to who'd spoken and finds... a sort of familiar face before him. An expression that's equal parts startled and recognition - if the latter can truly be called that when it's based off illusions from a diffusion zone - crosses his face too quickly for even Sunday to prevent it from happening.

Only for a second since in the next instant he composes himself a moment too late to fully act like nothing at all happened, and yet that's what he decides to do. For now. ]

Yes, it's not at all what I was expecting. [ Nailed it. ] The others I've tried haven't been quite so... potent. Have you tried many others?

[soul_sight]

[ Curious. Hythlodaeus notices the hesitance and the recognition on his face but he follows Sunday's lead, filing the information away for later. On his end he does not remember ever meeting this man before so he's even more intrigued now. ]

A few. I believe this is my fifth. None have hit quite that hard. [ Not his favorite, and he was glad no one had been around to see his first sip. ] Do you have a favorite so far?

[catharses]

[ Meanwhile: Sunday is also following the other's lead since if his reaction's going to go by without any remarks, he's content enough to let that happen even if in the back of his mind the thought from before absolutely lingers. And there's also the thought of one person in particular he'll be sending a text to after this, but until then - ]

There is a bar not far from here which has some with various florals, though I believe the one they're advertising the most had both lavender and honey. I'd rank that one certainly near the top.

[ Unfortunately he would spend entirely too long thinking about a specific ranking otherwise, even if there's this sort of unofficial one in mind, so this is the best he can offer before gesturing to his glass. ]

I rather think this place could borrow some of their ideas instead.

[ This one is definitely not his favorite, even if that was already clear. ]

diffusion zones — OPEN

[catharses]

a. audrey's floral boutique

[ The flower shop gets his attention when he approaches it, slowing down in his car to look at it from the road before a honk behind him startles him into remembering maybe it's not best to stop in the road. Into what's turned into a sort of parking lot it is then what with other cars already parking here, though when Sunday gets out of his car most of them are leaving with bouquets in hand made up of flowers he's both seen and hasn't. And more than that - it might be nice to have something to decorate his motel room since it's rather sparse.

Wandering through multiple diffusion zones has finally taught him to have a bit of caution even if he's still mostly unprepared for any actual danger, but... as he steps inside, there's just endless flowers. Or so it seems from how many are waiting to be made into arrangements as someone nearby is putting together a rather elaborate one made up of what seems like the tallest blooms in here or as another shopper nods to him before walking out with just one singular brightly colored plant in their hands.

Sunday wanders through the aisles for the most part, deciding it'd be best to look at everything first before making any decisions. As he pauses by some flowers with petals the size of small plates, it seems the pollen catches up with him as he has to turn away to sneeze while retrieving his handkerchief next.

And if something rustles in response somewhere deep within this stand of flowers, he certainly doesn't notice it. ]

b. abandoned office

[ From the outside, this building looked promising for scavenging. It begins with a lobby and as he taps the button for an elevator, nothing happens. No matter - there's a door nearby he steps through next.

And steps into an office, except it seems like one single floor stretching on endlessly with empty cubicles and the occasional flicker of fluorescent lights above. A fax machine in the corner chirps as it spits out one page after another, but all of them are blank as they fall out of the tray onto the floor where more pages are scattered. When he checks the doors marked as stairwells there's nothing but oddly empty space even when he shines a light into it. That's enough for Sunday to step away from it entirely when there's cubicles upon cubicles to explore.

It might be exploring than finding much to bring back; there seems to be some sort of computer equipment in every few cubicles between monitors and keyboards. The monitors seem to be off even after tapping buttons or turning knobs - cords and wires are missing or cut. As Sunday presses a gloved hand to a keyboard to test it, goo begins to ooze up from between the keys as he withdraws his hand quickly.

The room itself is quiet aside from the fax machine doing its best to complete its task and it doesn't seem like there's many places to hide even as he glances towards the office rooms at the shadowed edges of the open room. The cubicle area in the center has the only sources of light as he makes his way between the desks. At the sound of someone else walking by he'll look up from paging through a binder in search of nothing in particular, though he'll pause entirely if they're opening those stairwell doors. ]

Careful. It seems like wherever that leads is an abrupt end.

b | cw: mental instability

[alwaysme]

[The last time Jinx was in any sort of office building for scavenging she was submerged into water when the quarantine activated and she had to be saved by her sister Vi--who she didn't even know had arrived to this place and was supposed to be very, very far from here.

She's not so put off by the similar design, although maybe she should be.

She's used to coming across others in diffusion zones; that's sort of the norm. Find someone, figure out what level of team-up might be needed, or knife them (Jinx still needs to acquire a firearm... with her new job, it's on her to-do list).

So when she hears the voice advising a warning she doesn't think much of it.

However, when she looks up and catches sight of the man's face all she sees is gold eyes and blue hair and her thoughts blip into silence before record-screeching into:

'Isha?' 'No, Isha's dead, I got her killed' 'Isha?!' 'No, no, no, this isn't happening' 'is this like with Vi?' 'it can't be' 'that isn't even--they're not even the same--it's just--'

that Sunday may or may not be able to sort through the thoughts from Jinx's very open, unprotected mind as Jinx's mind sorts through different images of a little blue-haired gold-eye girl and this very different man.]

[catharses]

[ At first, he thinks nothing of it when she says nothing as he'd glanced up and then looked back to the binder in his hands, all of which seem to be some sort of financial report or more like a code with how said numbers go from being organized to scattered across the pages. All the more reason to put it back on this desk and keep moving, and it's not until Sunday looks up again himself he realizes she's not moved.

Then come the thoughts in quick succession, ones which slip past his guards and both offer explanation and create more questions. Ones he possibly shouldn't ask about for a variety of reasons as they look at each other.

And yet - whether she's said anything or if the silence continues, and that she almost certainly doesn't know that he's overheard anything - loss is something he knows well even without the context. ]

Are you looking for someone?

[ They might be alone here, at least as far as Sunday can tell, but perhaps that's why she's here rather than his own idle browsing. ]

[alwaysme]

No, sorry, you just-- [Looked familiar sounds laughable especially when she hears him speak. She shakes her head like it could wave any of her unsteadiness away and she finally has to shift her gaze entirely away and to the rows upon rows upon rows of computers.

She knows she's not going to get an entire one out of here before it melts and spews red ooze, but maybe she can crack one open like a crustacean and rescue some of the innards. She knows nothing of technology but that hasn't stopped her from making use of the parts and pieces.] No. I'm just 'dumpster diving' as it were. Scrounging. [She picks up a mouse from a work station, pulling it free of its port, and dangling it in front of her face like an odd little pendulum.]

[catharses]

[ That thought goes unfinished and Sunday's careful to keep an even expression when it seems sympathy isn't wanted. Or empathy, more accurately; if he stumbled across someone who he thought was who he wanted to see but turned out not to be. That, too, he understands. Possibly even more so now since he's not forgotten the illusions cast in a diffusion zone which thankfully disappeared.

As she picks up a mouse to go with her explanation, faint amusement crosses over Sunday's face. ]

Well, I hope you've been having better luck than I have. So far I seem to only be finding someone's excessive notes on some budget.

[ Sunday's just going to ignore that once upon he was also prone to overplanning anything and everything as he waves a hand to the desk he's standing by before stepping out from behind it. Might as well move on to see what else is here, and the next glance he sends her way is a curious one. ]

It seems like the technology here is different still from what's in Panorama from what I've seen. Are you used to working with items like these?

wildcarding

[hexcurse]

[ From within the trailer-lab space outside Panorama proper, Jayce heaves out a frustrated breath. ]

I need a new phone -

[ By now, Sunday can assume this means Jayce's cellular phone has froze while trying to peruse the archives of the forum. Again. Frustrated, he sets it down on one of the workbenches, turning instead to look at the techno-organic substance - the blob, where it sits within a bucket full of warm water. A heater is buzzing noisily next to it, part of their latest attempts to determine how they might encourage the substance to grow beyond its current basketball size. ]

[catharses]

[ Meanwhile: here's Sunday seated at wherever he's made a surface for that organizing, and said organizing involves a rather elaborate system of stacks, folders, and a notebook with a checklist to track it all. He's in the middle of placing a check mark by something completed when Jayce speaks, and he glances up in time for the phone being set aside. ]

I'm certain someone somewhere would be quite happy to sell you another one.

[ There's more than a little amusement in his tone considering he's learned that's true of many things here in Panorama, and never more so than with what's necessary. Like the phones, though rather than leave it there he's already withdrawing his from his pocket. ]

Here. [ As he first holds it up and then out for Jayce to take. ] You're welcome to use mine instead if you'd like.

[ No promises on how it'll function though since he certainly has several complaints of his own for this one compared to the phones he was used to before arriving here. ]

[hexcurse]

Thanks.

[ He'll take the offered phone, settling on a stool again. ]

And I know - it's just... [ he waves his hand at the trailer, the substance in its tank, the cars outside - all of their projects that require money right now, not to mention his own basic needs ] ... everything else is taking priority right now.

[ Money-wise. He doesn't really like complaining about this. Not to mention, it's partially a problem of his own making - although he'd be loathe to call it that. The projects he doesn't charge labor for, the first time calls for new people stuck on the side of the road, sometimes accepting IOUs for repair jobs only to find the person vanished. He does that sort of thing in particular situations because it feels like the right thing to do, both to him and Viktor.

But his phone has been a problem for months now, shoved to the bottom of the list as far as priorities go. ]

[catharses]

The unfortunate parts of a budget, most certainly.

[ Where before he might've been teasing ever so slightly - not anymore, since said unfortunate parts are something he's had to learn for himself. Or more accurately is in the process of learning since it's been an interesting few months, so he understands that.

For now Sunday sets down the pen in his hand since it's past time for a break even if he's one to continue working well past the point of needing one. Something new he's trying, possibly, even if it's just as likely he continues writing in a few more seconds despite waving a hand towards the phone. ]

Though if you happen to scroll past any posts regarding favorite locations around Panorama, I'll warn you now that reading them may take up most of your day.

[ He might've become invested in scrolling through some of those posts a couple days ago and suddenly it was much later than he'd thought by the time he looked up again. ]