Catchall log for mid-Merriment, OTA!

[subcircuits]

Who: Devero and YOU
Where: All over the train
When: Merriment 17 through 21
What: Devero potters around the train, catching up on things and pretending he's not still really, really worn out from the mission.
Warnings: Recreational drug use in the luggage car prompt.


In the days following the platform, Devero is relieved to find that he's recovered enough energy to be able to stay awake for most of a day, and even to concentrate on projects again! The lassitude is hanging on to him longer than most, so he's still not quite is robust self, but he's present and working again. Between Merriment 17 and 21, he can be encountered all over the train.

Where does your character find him?


In the lab car?
Wait, since when is Devero glowing purple and semi-transparent? Come into the lab car on the right day at the right time and you'll find this specter moving about. Perhaps he's fiddling with a door latch, or you find him in one of the labs, picking things up and putting them back down again. There is absolutely neutral, lifeless expression on his face if you happen to catch sight of it, and-- Wait, is that some kind of glowing core in the middle of the shape?


In the training car?
Devero knows how to shoot a gun. Really. He swears. But if you happen in on him practicing his marksmanship with a sleek, futuristic rifle in his hands, it sure doesn't seem like it. He's visibly frustrated as he misses another shot, dropping the gun down from his shoulder and turning his back on his target. (Claudette tilts her head and chirrups. Does this mean the game is over?)

"Rust and ruin," he swears, shoving his wrap-around tactical Interface up on his forehead. "I'm never going to get the hang of this thing. I'm sorry, Entrapta."


In the library car:
Several weeks ago, Devero had snatched down the slip of paper that he'd tacked up in the standard car, the one advertising lessons in GSL-- Global Sign Language. The day of the platform, he'd tacked it back up again. Find him at the advertised time in the library, staring into the screen of his usual Interface. While he waits to see if anyone's going to show up, he's talking to himself.

You know, with his hands. How else? This is meant to be a sign-language lesson, after all!


In the music car:
As crowded as the train's been getting, the second floor of the music carriage is still a good place to slip away to if you're looking for (relative) privacy. Today, however, Devero's beaten you to it. If you don't notice right away that he's in here, though, that's understandable-- there's no music, no sound save for the whisper of his feet on the stage, the rustle of his clothes, and the occasional audible breath.

Despite the apparent silence, Devero is dancing. He's practicing alone an energetic routine for two, but there's no mistaking the precision and grace in his movements as he performs them, even without the partner.

Do you stay and watch, or leave him to dance in solitude?


In the luggage car?
If you've been on the train for longer than a few weeks, you may already be acquainted with this particular odor: it's savory, herby, as if someone's over-toasted spices in a pan prior to cooking with them. Were it a strong odor, it'd probably be sour and unpleasant; as mild as it is, it's mostly unobjectionable.

The source of it can be easily traced to the obviously hand-rolled cigarette smoldering between Devero's lips. That's right, it's future-weed hours here in the luggage car, folks. And if you look at him twice, you'll find him holding his joint out in your direction. "Want a hit?" he asks amiably.


Somewhere else?
Devero can feasibly be found all over the train: prepping vegetables or washing dishes in the kitchen; soaking or doing yoga in the spa car; working out in either of the gyms; sleeping through a movie in the cinema; or even just traveling up and down the train. Yeah, they have transgates now, but walking (or hoverskating) the length of the train is an easy way to keep his condition up while he's still recovering from the last mission. He's not nearly as exhausted as he was before, which means it's working. Really. He swears! He didn't fall asleep here, he was just resting his eyes!

Feel free to find him wherever you want, if one of the prompts above doesn't tickle your fancy.

Comments

Music Car

[katzenpfote]

Caleb prefers silence. It lets him work on his notes, but sometimes the number of people seeking silence in the library car becomes overwhelming, and he slips off to a quieter location. The top level of the music car is one such place.

... Except someone had a similar idea to day, it seems. He pauses and considers leaving, before sighing and setting his bag down. He steps forward and into Devero's space slightly, matching his steps as best he can.

Library

[consider8]

Eight had considered joining Devero during one of his sign-language classes, but was always found that things were too busy. The truth was, there really wasn't much of a reason to learn it. However, when General Amaya came, she remembered that there were some in the voidverse that would not be able to communicate audibly. What had became something that was nice to have suddenly became much more important.

So it was that (while admittedly much later than she had originally intended), Devero would find an octoling student entering into the library at the appointed time. "Are you still doing lessons?"

AND Luggage Car because I am a rebel

[consider8]

It was a matter of time before Eight found the source. Oh yes, she had smelled the smell of smoked herbs for a while, but had the darnedest time finding the source. That is until today. Now, Octarians were not unfamiliar with such things: there was often a lot of time in the Octarian domes and sometimes a person needs to unwind. But like most things, that sort of stuff was very much frowned upon.

However, Eight had been a bit more open about such things, and would admit curiosity to know more about what Devero was partaking. "What is it?" She asked, one foot planted in curiosity and the other firmly rooted in caution.

Merriment 16, late-ish

[its_dad_sanzo]

Wherever Devero happens to be around dinner time, suddenly there is also a Lady Wiggles. On a counter, on the stage, on the weld table (good thing she's magic), wherever.

No cat, and then suddenly cat.

And she has a note in her mouth.

Music Car - And a tag with no dialog

[yondu]

Yondu spends a lot of time in the music car, usually trying to find music for Peter. In the off chance (the very unlikely chance) that he'll ever see Quill again. Though the music up his alley has been getting more and more sparse in his search.

He's in here often, so if Devero is he's probably used to Yondu just going to his station by the ICP screens, meaning to grab earbuds to listen to something. He heads that direction as usual, getting ready to do another search through odd musical choices.

But he finally notes that Devero's just dancing, lingering near the stairs. He sort of remembers Sanzo's story about how they met. Seems sweet, honestly. He'll probably never come across any version of that kinda thing, but he sort of half-ass has memories of things like it. Borrowed ones. He'll hold onto those. He doesn't say anything to interrupt, rather than look strange and intrusive he turns his back to go on his way and give the man his privacy (or at least that's his intention).

[subcircuits]

Devero doesn't think he's ever going to get used to this, shying away from the cat with an, "Ah!" He presses a hand over his heart and exhales, and then says, "Hello, Wiggles."

Only then does he notice the note. "That for me?" he asks.

[its_dad_sanzo]

Wiggles actually squints at Devero, before dropping the note and vanishing into thin air again.

Apparently, that's a 'yes'.

The note is a folded piece of paper with Koumyou's (perhaps unfamiliar) handwriting inside.

𝐼𝑛 𝑟𝑜𝑜𝑚. 𝑁𝑒𝑒𝑑 ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑝. 𝑁𝑜𝑡 𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦.
-𝒦

[subcircuits]

Well, that answers that, not that Devero really had any question. Just like Devero knows who this note is from, even if he doesn't immediately recognize the handwriting and it's only signed with an initial.

The note itself is not exactly reassuring, even if whatever it is that Koumyou needs isn't an emergency. All Devero's doing is having a snack in the kitchen, so he dumps his handful of veggie sticks into an ice cream cone (thanks, Yondu!) and heads for the nearest transgate.

He's back at the room in just a couple of minutes, ducking inside and closing the door quick. "Koumyou...?"

[its_dad_sanzo]

Koumyou's inside, of course, sitting on the edge of their bed with his head in his hands, elbows on his knees. Clearly not having a great time, right now, but also not quite an emergency. He hadn't wanted to worry Dev, after all.

...Any more than asking him to the room out of nowhere would by default, at least.

"Got my note?" Koumyou asks without picking his head up, "Glad that worked."

Cat, and all. Demonic monster presently in the shape of a cat, even.

[subcircuits]

Devero's eyes light up when someone joins him. Though his feet don't pause, his hands pluck his Interface off his ear and convert it rapidly to handheld mode. He switches to external audio; now the boppy beat plays aloud, though rendered tinny and unimpressive by the tiny speaker. Between one step and the next he bends to the floor and sends it skidding away almost to the edge of the stage, so it's out of the way but still audible.

That done, he turns his full attention to Caleb, sliding himself deliberately into the other man's space and offering his hands.

[subcircuits]

He sits upright, possibly a little startled, then smiles. "Eight! Hey!" He focuses on her even as his saves and closes his project with quick motions of his hands. "Absolutely!"

[subcircuits]

This is a Devero Eight probably hasn't encountered before. He's reclined lazily against the wall, his smoke hanging from relaxed fingers, and there's something a touch distant in his eyes. He smiles genially at herb. "'S called herb. It's a narcotic--" Wait a second.

Blinking rapidly, he sits up and retracts his hand. "And you're a kid."

[subcircuits]

If it had been anyone but Yondu, Devero probably would have just kept to his practice once he noticed he was being watched. As it is, only a moment or so after Yondu turns away, he'll hear thumping footsteps behind him, and Dev's out of breath voice: "Hey! Yondu-- wait!"

[subcircuits]

He may not look great, but at least he's not in distress. The knot of anxious tension in Devero's chest eases a little, but not by much.

"She scared the hell out of me," he admits, coming right over to sit beside Koumyou on the bed. "I'm pretty sure she gets a kick out of it.

"...What's up?"

[katzenpfote]

... The strange device gets a stare from him but he doesn't skip a beat, just continues along with the other dancer. He takes the offered hand easily and puts an arm around his dance partner's waist. He wasn't the one who started the dance, so he'll follow this time.

He doesn't say anything just yet, but there's a somewhat nostalgic look on his face, the movements pulling him back through memories of dance halls and too much alcohol and the questionable decisions thereafter. It's a nice set of memories, and his lips quirk upward in the hint of a smile.

Luggage car

[theotherphil]

Phil doesn't know the smell, which to him is an obvious signal that whatever this substance is, it's unavailable in rural Pennsylvania. Which... well, that's not saying much. Phil has exhausted his drug options in Punxsutawney, but there's only so much you can do with 24 hours and a townfull of clean family fun.

"Yes," he says with visible relief, hold his hand out for the joint. "Obviously. No one told me there'd be pot here."

[subcircuits]

Devero hands it over, though his brow creases as he does. "Pot?" he repeats. "No, this is herb, and it's my personal stash." He scoffs. "Train doesn't even have the decency to offer anything other than tobacco to smoke."

[theotherphil]

Phil closes his eyes and counts to ten. He's trying to accept that the universe no longer makes any kind of sense, but it's the little things (like someone smoking a joint but not knowing what weed is, apparently) that can set him off.

"But it relaxes you," he prompts. "Right?" Although it doesn't seem to matter - he takes a drag and holds it for as long as he can.

As he starts coughing, he hands it back. "I didn't used to smoke," he explains in between. "Lungs aren't used to it."

[its_dad_sanzo]

Koumyou straightens up just enough to lean against Devero's side instead of down onto his own legs. "I've been asked by two different people today to teach them meditation and illusion-breaking," the priest murmurs.

Normally, when he's asked to teach stuff, it's generic or easily taught by other people, and he has no problem just saying no and moving on. Random person wants to learn martial arts? No, try someone else. Magic? No, try someone else.

Meditation and illusion-breaking is different.

"It's stupid that it even bothers me like this, I know. It usually wouldn't!"

Not enough to be visible anyway, even to his partner. His breathing's a little too fast.

[yondu]

Yondu stalls on the steps then, glancing over, not really sure of what to say, considering everything he'd heard and seen. Or if he should even acknowledge it. Hard to say whether he was welcome to know all that or it was incidental. He generally assumes it was circumstances that led him to be trusted with it.

There's also the fact he's exhausted. That world-weariness catching up to him. "Yeah, what can I do ya for?" He leans on the railing.

[subcircuits]

Devero immediately puts his arm around Koumyou, looking down at him with a growing expression of concern. "Oh Koumyou," he says softly. "That's not stupid. It happened twice in one day, and I know teaching is a landmine issue for you. Of course you're bothered."

[subcircuits]

Not only does Devero step into leading without an issue, it turns out he's a considerate lead. He transitions immediately from the complicated dance he'd been doing to a simpler one.

The song only last a couple of minutes from the point when Caleb cuts in, and Devero stops and steps back when it's over. He gestures to pause playback and says, a little shy, "Caleb, right?"

[its_dad_sanzo]

Given permission to feel miserable, Koumyou does just that, looping his arms around Devero's waist and holding onto him.

"Okay," he murmurs, relaxing a little into his shitty mood.

[subcircuits]

"Oh hell yeah," he confirms immediately. Indeed, the effects of the smoke on Phil will be pretty much identical to pot-- because herb is derived from marijuana. It has a few hundred extra years of development behind it that's affected things like the smell and the potency, and strains in Devero's time are developed less for strength and more to target specific ailments or promote specific effects, but it's still just weed.

His stash in particular is one of the recreational strains. This is herb for chilling out rather than managing pain or gastric disease or anything like that.

"No worries," he says as he takes the joint back, smoke trailing as he waves the hand it's in dismissively. "I know most folks don't smoke their herb, but I always liked this way the best."

[subcircuits]

Devero holds him, leaning his cheek against the top of Koumyou's head. "If they try to push you on it, just let me know," he says, assuming Koumyou's going to refuse if he hasn't already. "I can set them straight for you."