Burn the land and boil the sea [Semi-Open]

[mincingminuet]

WHO: Penelope Raban and Various
WHERE: All Over Recolle
WHEN: Throughout October
WHAT: Nightmares/Fog/General October Things
WARNINGS:  Violence, Language, Gore, Apocalyptic Scenarios, Grotesque Creatures, and other assorted unpleasant things.  Will Update for more specific things if anything else comes up.



[This is a general catch all for Penelope throughout October, and specific prompts will be in the comments below.  It will be used for event and non-event threads alike and there will likely be some extremely unpleasant subjects discussed in certain threads.  Heads up for that!

If you would like to plot something out, feel free to PM or Plurk contact me at intercession

Comments

Felicia, Oct. 3rd

[mincingminuet]

The only time Pen honestly has for the gym usually comes in the early evenings, and usually only when Freya is on duty.  Tonight is a bit of an exception, because she's had someone cancel on her and decides hey, time to hit up the gym and get in some extra time.  It all goes well enough, though when she's finishing up and heading out of the showers, just toweling off some damp hair in the locker room she spots Felicia.

"Hey.  Didn't even know you were here.  Should have figured you would be though..."

Does she ever leave?

[maidhem]

"It is my job you know~"

Felicia replied with a giggle when Pen approached, glad for the company that quiet evening. There was only so much paperwork to be done in a gym, and only so much time to go before she ended her shift for the evening to go home and hit the books for her classes.

She did leave the gym often enough. She liked to jog through the city in the mornings, she had classes, she liked spending time with her roommate and the various friends she had both old and new.

Smiling, she joined Pen to continue their conversation.

"I should be saying that to you. You're not normally here this time of day-- something up?"

[mincingminuet]

"Still!"

Laughing, Pen started doing up her hair, focusing on that and listening to Felicia natter on a little. One of her finer points, really.

Fingers work deftly, wringing out the hair and tying it slowly into the usual tight braids.

"Friend cancelled dinner on me for class, so I ended up having time off. And I figured I'd get some extra workout in before heading home. I'm free after, if you want to get tea or something?"

[maidhem]

"Guess we both lucked out," Felicia giggled, watching Pen tie her braids into place with a hint of curious interest in her eyes.

"I'm always down for tea-- I'm just about finished here anyway. And while we're out, we can get some little Jack-o-Lanterns to tie into your braids for the season. It'd be cute!"

[mincingminuet]

"Jack-O-Lanterns for my..."

Pen trailed off with an oddly wondering smile. It was something she hadn't done since she was little, tying things into her hair but as always Felicia had a habit of breaking down old barriers. It was just who she was, and it cut through scars like nobody else.

"Okay. Yeah," she said with more confidence. "Jack-O-Lanterns and tea. Why don't you get dressed and finished and meet be at the entrance."

[maidhem]

"Sure thing, just give me a few!"

And with that she flounced off to change, oblivious to the way she was continually turning Pen's world upside down with every sentence and every turn. Pen's presence in her life once again had simply ignited a spark that had long since grown cold-- and Felicia, always enthusiastic, was excited to have it in her life once again.

Pen and her youtube channel. Pen and her whimsies. Pen and the way the world just seemed more interesting around her in a way that anyone could touch. It was fascinating to behold.

A few moments later Felicia arrived at the entry with her belongings and a fresh set of clothes on. Her hair, previously done up in a loose bun for convenience's sake, was now in the ever familiar ponytail once again.

"So. Tea. Where did you have in mind?"

[mincingminuet]

It was just who she was, and Pen? Well, she was someone who had lost. And lost. And lost. Family, Friends, Partners, Roommates...and rarely regained any of those things. It tied her thoughts in knots, messing with her worldview, having managed to actually reconnect with someone that mattered to her.

She waited patiently, dressing the rest of the way and getting her hair all set while she did. Boots on, clothes tidy, hoodie and all ready, she spent most of the time staring out at the fog that was just beginning to roll in. When the other girl reappeared, she grinned.

"I was thinking that tea house on Blossom? The one with all the teak tables, that's laid out like a ship."

[maidhem]

A smile lit her face at the suggestion of that tea house, for she had spent many afternoons simply reading in the hulls of that ship-like edifice of that building.

"Sure-- that sounds like a great idea! But...."

Turning, Felicia cast a curious look at the fog that was starting to roll in over the city, confused and concerned.

"I don't remember the weather forecast saying anything about fog this evening. It's weird for this time of year."

[mincingminuet]

"Yeah," Pen said, tilting her head to one side. "I was just thinking that. It's not unheard of, but it is a little unusual."

She pushed open the doorway and stared out into the roiling mist, reaching into her bag for the expandable cylinder of her spear. She was grateful for that thing. Extremely grateful.

"It's just fog though. Are you ready to head out? Or do you have anything last minute?"

Minako, Oct 6th

[mincingminuet]

[It's becoming a bit of a ritual of late, coming by Maple House and staying the night. Pen would've preferred to stay home, but she didn't really want to be there with Yuffie not thinking anything was wrong. And she didn't really want to worry Freya either. Safety in numbers...as it were.

Whenever Minako gets home, she'll find a pajama clad Pen flipping through stuff on her tablet, looking idle and just a touch pensive. Looking up at her friend, she waves.]

Hey. Freya's already asleep...so I thought I'd stay out here for a bit.

[complementing]

I'm glad, she really needs more sleep...

[Minako perches on the arm of the couch and runs a towel through her wet hair, gesturing to Pen's tablet with her chin.]

Anything interesting?

[mincingminuet]

Yeah. I know.

[Penelope flips the tablet over so Minako can see. It's an American style comic book, depicting a woman in a flamboyantly red outfit standing on the deck of a ship.]

The Life and Times of Grace O'Malley. Was suggested to be by a viewer, when I mentioned an interest in fictional pirates. Ever heard of her?

[complementing]

[She leans in closer to get a look, tilting her head.]

No, can't say I have. Can I read with you?

[mincingminuet]

Grace O'Malley, the pirate queen of Ireland.

[Pen nods and scooches over so Minako can see the tablet.]

It's kind of a comedy too, exaggerated stories of her life.

[A beat.]

Also, in the comic she's a duck.

[complementing]

[She arches an eyebrow.]

Like...for the entire comic?

[mincingminuet]

Yep. Everyone's a duck.

[See! It's totally a comic about pirate ducks.]

Like Quack Tales, but they're all pirates.

[complementing]

Huh. Okay.

[She won't question it too much, though, there's a ton of weirder things in comics and manga, she's sure. She scoots closer to start reading.]

Oh, the art style isn't that bad, actually.

For Mako and Freya

[mincingminuet]

In the early evening, Penelope had taken to traveling from campus in groups where she could. Preferably with Freya, but other people were fine too. It wasn't like she could skip out of her evening classes, that wouldn't fly. And tonight was one of those nights where she'd agreed to meet up with Mako, which meant busy, but also more company!

Walking out of class at around 5:45, Pen flashed a grin and waved at her girlfriend, trotting down the hall and shoulder checking her.

"Thanks for waiting. Sorry, the prof kept us working a little longer. We had a new type of code to go over."

[belligerentwarrior]

Freya hardly swayed at the bump, meeting Penelope's grin and setting a hand on her head in greeting.

"Nothin' you can't handle, I'm gonna guess."

The wait wasn't bad. Freya does generally prefer to be doing something rather than nothing in her spare time, but occasionally? It's nice to relish in being still, physically and mentally, especially with how tired she is this month. Pen's spell's been blessedly helping with the nightmares, but it only lasts so long; Freya usually wakes up around 5 these days with the rare outlier for an especially potent one.

Then again, Freya really wouldn't classify waiting around to ensure her girlfriend's safety as 'nothing,' either. She'd been watching the sky turn colors outside, waiting for it to herald that damnable fog.

"Where to now, princess? Hungry?"

[mincingminuet]

"Something I need to learn.  It's new, but I'll get the hang of it in a week or two.  I'm...still learning this coding language," Pen admitted with a laugh. 
She was good at coding and all, but she wasn't some prodigy.  Not like some of the people around.  She was an entertainer first, a programmer second, and that was A-Okay with her.  Sliding an arm around Freya's midsection, she hugged the taller woman tight and shifted her gaze towards the door.

"First I promised Mako I'd meet him.  Make sure he wasn't walking home alone too.  Maybe pick him up, see if he wants to join.  If not, we can get food after I work my magic on him.  Sound good?"

It wasn't like the fog shut down any of the businesses around town, and the Crow's Nest was open at all hours anyway.

[belligerentwarrior]

Freya snorts, moving her arm to sit around Pen's shoulders.

"What a world we live in, listenin' to you go on about "working magic" on your ex and knowin' you mean it literally." Really, though, Freya just sounded amused about the whole thing. She started towards the door.

"Did I ever tell you the guy almost set me on fire, once?"

[mincingminuet]

"What a world we live in, where my ex almost setting you on fire doesn't sound completely insane. except..."

She starts moving too, looking up with a raised eyebrow...

"Why? How? The fuck?"

[belligerentwarrior]

Freya waved her other hand vaguely.

"Accident. Hell if I know; there was fire coming out of his fists. It was during the siege," she said casually, like catching fire was no big deal.

[mincingminuet]

"That boy...really needs to learn to control that."

She knew he'd at least hurt one other person. And, you know what? IF Freya wasn't scarred or mad at the idea of meeting Mako, she'd just let it go.

Heading across campus, she picks up her step a little, moving quickly in the failing evening.

"What a world indeed though. Where we can just casually talk about this stuff and not seem like we're just playing D&D or something," Pen continued as she rounded the corner to the meeting place. Mako should be around, or just getting there maybe?

[browbeater]

He'd just come from saying goodbye to his girlfriend, honestly. It's close to the dorms that he finally catches them, and starts heading that way. Luckily? He wasn't wearing his uniform. After the disaster that was coming to see her once, he'd always made sure to have a spare set of clothes handy.

He waves as he gets closer, and pauses at seeing Freya. Oops.

He'd seen her at the party, but he hadn't really interacted since said fire setting. He's... treading cautiously. "Hey, Pen, uh... Hi Freya."