MOD LOG #3

[bequiet]

MOD LOG #3

Arriving in style
Content Warnings: Fighting, death, violence
Themes: Survival, plot

It's early in the day when it happens. The red dust that seems to be everywhere sweeps through the city streets, mixing with the steady patter of rain and making it hard to see and breathe. All red and leaving the taste of copper if inhaled, what could have been an easy day without any trouble quickly becomes anything but. While those in the community are heading for cover or finding ways to continue on through it, the new arrivals begin waking up in different cities all over the world. There won't be anyone to greet them, and leaving the room through the door is their choice - after doing so, they'll immediately step out into the city they were assigned. The streets are empty, houses abandoned, everything crumbling and in ruins. There will be signs noting their location, which they'll catch a glimpse of before a sharp push forward causes darkness to engulf them.

Waking up for the second time, in Reims but not in the Reset Room, they'll come to inside the red dust as it whips through the streets of the community. They won't be alone for long. Another person will be waking up beside them, and after a few moments of disorientation, try to attack. They might have weapons or use their hands, and they will not stop until they've taken a fatal blow. Their blood is dust, and they, along with their weapons, disintegrate after they've died. Can you stop them on your own? Will someone come to your aid?

The Sight of Lightning
Content Warnings: Poison, sex
Themes: Survival, plot

The day after the storm, the same red dust will find its way through Reims and come into contact with every person. Since the dust is everywhere, some might not notice that it's floating through the community and know that something is off. The effects don't begin until night fall, where everyone will feel the desire to seek out companionship of many different kinds. Though it is not always the case, the people that saw each other in color will "want" to be with that person more strongly than they might already, and will be more likely to confess or do something about it. Some might feel an intense need to be around another person, though not necessarily sexually - almost as if they need that person around them to be happy or content. For some, it might be a desire that can only be fulfilled by more than one person.

The effects wear off the next time the person gets wet. This can be a splash of water across the face or fully submerged. Or even drinking something.

OOC
From your mods:

Please be mindful of content - if something triggery comes up or if it goes up a rating to say, something sexy, mark your threads in the subject line. We're very flexible and allow any material; we just want our players to be respectful of each other. If you have questions, pp the mod account, use the faq or comment to the appropriate post below. Have fun! The OOC Plotting Post.

NAVIGATION

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Comments

[first_summers]

[ A couple of weeks? That means he must have come here right after-- Her expression tightens with discomfort before smoothing out again, and she makes an effort to center herself around the touch of his hand, the sound of his voice. She needs an anchor in the storm and there's no one better for that. ]

Well, we can figure out the rest together. [ It's said with far more conviction that she actually feels, and she's well aware that he might see right through it, but putting on a brave face is standard procedure for the slayer. Despite that, she finds herself admitting something she wouldn't have with almost anyone else. ] I don't know what to do next.

[lovesbitch]

[ he uses their joined hands to draw her a little closer, frowning at the reassurance she gives him. as much as he wants to work things out and save this place with her, he can tell she doesn't believe they can. and she doesn't even know what's at stake yet. ]

Hey... that's okay. You don't have to be the answer girl all the time. [ especially since she only just arrived and already died, effectively losing any progress she had made. ] Next maybe you just get some rest, huh?

[first_summers]

[ Doesn't she? Answer girl, plan girl, save the world girl, isn't it all part of her job description, right there beside the whole until you die clause. But maybe, just maybe, she can get a pass this once seeing as how she's done that dying for the cause thing a hell of a lot more than the slayer who'd come before her. ]

I don't think I've had real rest since... [ Since before he died, at least. Before Caleb had come to town, before the Bringers had started stalking the streets in search of Potentials to kill. ] It's been a while. I think I'm kinda bad at it now.

[lovesbitch]

[ spike nods, knowing that to be the truth. has she really even rested once since her mother died? without thinking it through, spike pushes some hair away from her face and regards her seriously. if she's supposed to take care of everyone, the least he can do is take care of her, right? ] Come on, let's go have a nap. Then we can look at this with fresh eyes.

[first_summers]

[ How was she supposed to rest when everyone expected her to be some kind of superhero and take care of everything? She'd never had any other option; every time she'd tried to find another way, everyone had been so... Well, she'd found out what happened when she made mistakes, and it's not a lesson she'll ever forget.

She doesn't turn away from his touch; it's comforting to have him make these little gestures. And if she's honest with herself, the idea of having someone worry about whether she's taking care of herself is actually really nice. ]

A nap sounds good.

[ Of course, she isn't allowed to leave just yet, as is made quite clear by the people who enter and don't hesitate to try to usher her out. ]

[lovesbitch]

Oh, right. Those Native guys. [ spike reluctantly lets go as they herd her away from him. ] They're just going to tell you to be quiet and give you a phone. I'll be waiting right here.

[first_summers]

[ The whole spiel about staying quiet isn't something Buffy could have anticipated; these people live like this? She has far more questions than they have answers, and by the time she returns to Spike, now dressed in a light blue jumpsuit, she's pretty grumpy about it. This isn't how she's used to working and she has a hunch there won't be any good demon bars with informants ripe for intimidation.

Slipping her phone into her pocket, she looks up at Spike with a tired pout. ] Can we go now?

[lovesbitch]

[ he gives the natives a look as if to say he's got it from here. not that he'd been all that keen to follow their rules. buffy deserves a good rest before tackling this world's problems too, doesn't she? he heaves out a sigh and gets a glare for his trouble. ] Yeah, we can go, but we have to talk using these blasted things. [ he waves his device around even as his shoulder slots in against hers, ready to make his way outside the reset rooms. ] Like this :/

[first_summers]

[ Frowning at his screen, she pulls her device back out of her pocket, studying it for a moment before trying her hand at typing. She'd never been much for texting, she usually ended up pushing the keys too many times, and cellphones were too expensive to risk taking out on patrol, so she'd just never really bothered.

It takes two attempts, but she finally manages to find what she's looking for. ] Okay :(

[lovesbitch]

[ he starts leading the way back towards the houses, walking on the grass since the rain has turned the paths to mud once again. he could really use some shoes. ]

This place is stupid. They tell you about the sound whatsits?

[first_summers]

[ He's not the only one - even if they were walking on sand, she'd still be of the opinion that barefoot walks are only for sandy beaches. But it seems like they don't really have much choice in the matter. ]

The reason we have to use these things? Yeah, they mentioned but left out a few details. How do I kill them?

[ What? She's got her priorities. ]

[lovesbitch]

[ spike shrugs, he wishes he had a better answer for her. ]

Everyone says you can't. Faith is here - you see her yet?

[first_summers]

[ Faith is-- Buffy stops walking, staring at Spike in confusion for a moment before looking down? Had she-- A hand lifts to her press at her stomach, feeling for a wound that isn't there anymore, and a few more seconds pass before she shakes her head and slowly types out her reply. ]

I don't remember.

[lovesbitch]

[ he stops too, realizing his mistake instantly and reaching for her arm. ] It's okay. That's normal or so I hear

[first_summers]

[ It's not his mistake, it's just... wrong. Like so many things about this place. She doesn't have anything to say, so she just nods and takes his hand, not giving even a moment's thought to the action. She feels more settled when she holds onto him, that's all there is to it. ]

[lovesbitch]

[ o-oh. he doesn't hesitate to lace their fingers and squeeze in reassurance, but there's something about it that's foreign and new. something they were on the precipice of, maybe, before the end. he slips his phone into his pocket with his free hand and leads her into the shared house he's become familiar with. though he usually just sleeps on the deck like an animal, he leads her into the middle of the house where someone abandoned a bed and some other things. spike will lead her right to it and nudge her to sit gently. ]

[first_summers]

[ She's tried hard not to think about what might have been if he hadn't died to save the world. It's what she had to do to make it through - losing Sunnydale and the inherent trust she'd one had for her friends had been hard enough without those bittersweet wonderings. And she doesn't want to think about it now, some part of her terrified that this will have have been some strange dream and he'll still be gone when she wakes. For now, it just seems better to be.

Her instincts are on autopilot as they move through the house and she subconsciously takes note of the work done to soundproof the spaces, as well as the various exits. It's not until following that prompting to sit that she rouses from her stupor enough to smile up at him. ] I'm glad you're here, Spike.

[lovesbitch]

[ he nods as if in acceptance of the words, even if he doesn't think along the same line at all. he isn't glad he's here, and he's even less glad that she's here. but he can still be selfishly happy that they're together, right? because he is. ]

Rest up, Slayer. Might be the only time you get the chance. [ spike starts to pull back reluctantly, as if he intends to leave her alone to get her rest. ]

[first_summers]

[ Her body moves without thinking as he pulls away - her back straightens, muscles going tense in a moment of irrational panic, and she leans forward slightly, as if she might physically stop him from going. She won't, though. She shouldn't. She has to. ]

Please stay. [ The words leave her lips like a prayer and she doesn't care, nothing matters except that he doesn't leave yet. ] Even just for a little while.

[lovesbitch]

[ his heart is breaking in his chest all over again, but when he takes in the look she gives him it's not like he could say no. That was the best night of my life, Buffy. spike swallows it all down and nods, steeling himself and crawling into bed beside her. ] Not goin' anywhere.

[first_summers]

[ As horrible as that night had been, her time with him was... Words couldn't describe how much it meant to her, how dearly she still holds it. How she'd missed the feeling of his arms around her these past weeks.

Settling down onto the mattress, she's quiet at first, her eyes on his chest instead of his face, but after a few moments her thoughts slip out. ] I shouldn't have asked you for this. It isn't fair.

[lovesbitch]

[ he lays down eye level with her even if he can't look at her face either, breathing shallowly though he has no reason to. his hand curls on the bed and he frowns. should'ves or could'ves in their relationship were more than meaningless, and buffy already knows he'd pull the moon down if he thought it was what she wanted. so her apology all but falls on deaf ears here. ] Fair. What the hell's that, huh? [ it's gentle though it just as easily could've come out another way. he smiles though it's visibly wan, flicking his eyes up to hers before dancing away just as fast. ]

[first_summers]

[ Is that why she'd asked him for this? Knowing it's unfair because of the way he feels for her, knowing that he would do what she asked. Is she just using him again to feel something other than pain and hopelessness?

No. There's more to this, she's more certain of that than she's been of anything in a long time. It's too soon to say it though, and she's too frightened of so many things centering on him. So with a glance to that smile with eyes shining with pooling tears, she moves closer to hide her face against his shoulder, her fingers curling around the fabric of his jumpsuit. ]

[lovesbitch]

[ the brief sight of her watery eyes tightens something in his long-dead chest and spike doesn't hesitate to wrap his arms around her, trying to be the steady pillar that she needs now. his eyes squeeze tightly too, staving off tears of his own even as buffy attempts to bury herself against his chest. ] Buffy, it's okay. We're gonna figure a way out of this. Like we always do. [ or like the scoobies do. they only have the fighty ones and not the brainy ones which sucks, but. they'll manage. spike has to believe that. ]

[first_summers]

[ Why does everything have to be so hard? Why can't this one thing in her life be easy, just this single thing? Hasn't she earned that? ]

I can't lose you again. [ It slips out without her notice and her grip on his jumpsuit tightens, as if by sheer force of will she can keep him there with her forever. Because even his show of confidence isn't enough to banish the fear curled in her chest. ]