(no subject)

[recollecters]

Happy New Years, users. I'll cut to the chase; the barrier we instilled a few months ago is decaying quickly and we're sorting through the new data as fast as we can. This barrier was originally designed to contain a rogue error. There are several of you who have taken care of this issue and from here we will handle the rest...thank you. The influx of data will help us decode our next steps. As mentioned, we've spent December tracing several magical sources that are coming up in our readings. We're doing the best we can to trace Clarence--Mr. Vanderweele, and corral the effects he's altering in the city. I believe we're ready to tear down the firewall and begin exploring further. If our information is correct, we're really breaking the boundaries of the layers we've discovered lately! It's exciting, don't you think? The only information I can offer is that we will need you to be strong no matter what happens. We believe things have changed outside of security measures we've set in place, though we will need more data to understand the best way to stabilize the city from his control. We understand if you cannot and do not wish to help, but please know we're doing everything we can. Please take care. Joanne Wiseman Technician 2nd class Retrspec Incorporated Characters' display names are the same as whatever has been previously chosen and are permanently locked in! Please feel free to use this post as a network mingle. Every toplevel can be considered a new post, and threadjacking is permitted. No NPC response will be given. As a friendly reminder, you may also claim one of this month's freebie by submitting a thread from this mod post. This thread must be 10 comments from you and submitted before AC closes.

Comments

[fiddlestick]

[Which would be the regular violin. Because that was both his hope and his source of fear. What if the theory was wrong? What if it caused magic too? Would his dream of becoming a famous violinist be over? He was fine giving up public singing, singing was never his true voice, but violins...

He gulps, but takes the violin Eren knows him too well]

A-Alright. Here goes nothing...

[He'll put the violin to his chin, a so familiar position. Yet for the first time in years, he feels his fingers shaking while holding it. He was truly nervous about this, but...eren was right, he had to find out.

So he'll start to play a melody. A light cheerful one, that doesn't really reflect his true feelings at the moment. Still, it's a skilled piece, the music rings out in the open air.

And...

Nothing else. No magic. No flowers. Just beautiful music. Elliot hasn't noticed, since he has his eyes squeezed shut as he plays.]

[usurpers]

[ time to become one with the audience, except eren is the audience. he watches elliot unfold at his own pace, and even as the notes play, nothing comes up. nothing crazy magical that eren knows to look for.

instead, his smile runs deeper with relief. that’s one myth busted, and why not?

he loves to watch him play. goo eyes activated. ]

[fiddlestick]

[Well then enjoy watching him play, because he'll play through the whole melody, just to make sure. He doesn't feel anything magical in him stir, but he couldn't be sure.

Finally, the melody will come to an end, and slowly he'll open his eyes at look at Eren]

A-Anything...?

[usurpers]

[ eren gets up then and walks over with the staff in his hands, nodding. there was definitely something. ]

A beautiful musician playing beautiful music.

[ fLIRTS ]

[fiddlestick]

[Okay, that gets him to smile just a little and for his cheeks to turn a little pink. Eren you flirt...]

Aha...anything else?

[usurpers]

I can’t say the rest out here.

[ eren - 2, elliot - 0, BUT SHEEPISHLY, he’ll go quiet and rub the back of his neck. ears red. sorry!! sorry. not sorry. he’ll stop playing-not-playing. ]

— No magic. You’re safe.

[fiddlestick]

Eren-

[We can out here to test magic, not seduce the violinist!! He'd get flustered, but then Eren drops that last part]

Really? Nothing at all? [SO HOPEFUL SOUNDING]

[usurpers]

[ he’ll remember that you go flustered 👌 he’s remembering and basking in it as we speak just look at eren’s face. ]

Nothing. [ eren holds out the staff. ] Now you can separate things.

[fiddlestick]

[Nothing. No magic happened. As it sinks in, Elliot feels a wave of relief. All his worries about losing his ability to play publicly, aren't going to manifest]

That's...oh thank goodness! [He lets out a sigh of relief as he takes the staff and gives Eren the regular violin] Man, I was so worried!

[usurpers]

Don’t fre until you’ve tried all options possible.

[ eren gestures with a flick of his finger to his temple. it was just a hunch, but a good one, at least! his fiancé is the sweetest, cutest thing, and gleefully he’ll take the violin swap. wink!! ]

How’s you morale for magic, now?

[ he bets elliot is a tremendous amount of extra confidence!! he hopes!! show him the magic. ]

[fiddlestick]

Yeah...Yeah you're right there.

[Elliot smiles at him, and sounds amused as he talks]

Aha, wanna see it that much huh?

[usurpers]

[ MAGIC!!!! MAGIC!!!! MAGIC!!!! ]

It’s something new you could do, of course I’d want to see it.

[fiddlestick]

Aha...alright, alright. I'll show you one.

[He'll take that staff violin properly now, and with a deep breath, start playing a happy little melody.

Sure enough, the music rings out and as it does so, flowers start appearing around their feet. First white, then a multitude of colored flowers. And are those bluebirds fluttering above them? It sure is.]

[usurpers]

[ !!!!!!!!!!! eren’s the type to turn to the closest person and yell that’s going to be my husband.

this is amazing. he follows the bluebirds with his eyes, turns his head in every way to see the colors, and best of all— watching elliot’s music harmonizing with it. askdhdg he’s taking a picture right the fuck now except he’s too excited to look at the screen to see what he’s actually snapping. ]

[fiddlestick]

[!!!

He looks up when he hears that photo shutter sound]

-- W-Wait are you taking pictures?!

[usurpers]

Yeah, I—

[ I had to!! eren’s about to say as he comes over with a grin and shining eyes all over elliot, but when he opens the camera to show him—

it’s fucking blurred because eren couldn’t stop moving and he has never felt so disappointed in himself in his life. ]

Thought I did, [ aw man— ] You were so amazing . . .

[fiddlestick]

[Well he sure felt a little embarrassed until Eren shows him the photo and boy...that sure is blurred. He can't help it, he laughs softly.]

Got a little to excited huh?

[Shifting his violin and bow into one hand, he'll lift up a hand to touch Eren's cheek.]

Thank you.

[Not just for the compliment. All this]

(1/2)

[usurpers]

[ oh . . . oh /// eren’s phone hand drops to his side, and with it still in his fingers he weighs it over elliot’s while his hand is on his cheek. eren’s head dips sideways only enough for him to lightly kiss his fiance’s palm and squeeze his arm back. ]

I knew you could. [ in fact— he’d really like to see more if he could, like, all flavors of elliot. ]

(2/2)

[usurpers]

[ but from a smile, eren’s lips go agape; he begins to see a light. his head tilts up and his eyes, wide now, unfocus— he feels something. positively odd. like, tingling, like waves, like— connection?

he doesn’t know and only rides it out, until the waves get smaller and he . . . looks back at elliot. ]

Did you . . . See that? [ pause. ] Was that you?

[fiddlestick]

[it was a sweet moment, one that Elliot was about to further with a kiss of his own when Eren starts behaving oddly. Elliot himself isn't seeing anything, or feeling anything- so he's rather confused]

Huh? See what?

[usurpers]

[ eren has to look up again just to make sure the light is gone, and . . . yeah, only the sun coming from between the leaves in the trees. ]

A light? And this feeling like, [ eren’s hand comes up to his chest, and his fingers flex, but— he can’t quite find the words for it. he’ll still try. ] a shock? A vibration, or . . . A connection.

[fiddlestick]

A...connection?

[Huh, that is strange]

No, I haven't noticed anything. Are you feeling okay?

[usurpers]

I’m . . . Fine, now?

[ time to . . . check??? limbs, movement, body, memories of anything familiar—

oh, dear. ]

I’ve only felt this once. [ eren’s eyes go wide, but out of realization (and maybe a bit of no fucking way i got thor titan) ] When Dad ate Freida.

[fiddlestick]

[ . . . . . . . . ]

P-Please tell me that doesn't mean you're gonna be suddenly hungry.

[He'd REALLY like to go the evening without any cannibalizing.]

[usurpers]

[ wide. owlish blink. ]

. . . No?

[ he’s not hungry at all, but while they’re here— he should try what his gut is telling him to. ]

—Give me something to build. Anything you can think of. [ . . . ] I’m going to try something.