solstice rpg

For Tayne and Jessalyn and Mikael...

Who: Neta and Mikael
When: Mid-morning
Where: Near the church

The sun was going to come out again any minute, Neta was sure of it. But she was sick and tired of being shut in at that horrible, falling-apart house with all those damn ghosts, and even after being out all night-- which she had been, when she wasn't distracted by a nearby dream that sucked her in-- the thought of going back just made her want to hit something. So here she was, standing in the middle of an empty street as the last of the fog began to lift, hands on her hips, shadow-dragon coiled up small and meek beside her, glaring up at the sky. Daring it to burn her, or drain her energy, or whatever the fuck it was the sun did to her.

It could take her desire to do anything but grumble and hide under an overhang, but it couldn't take her anger. Nothing did that, especially not after her latest "adventure", when the light-bearer had up and vanished on her. Only the dragon and the occasional ghost even brought her a little reprieve. So there was the sun, and it was a convenient thing to glare at, at the moment, so she did.

( Though not the pleasant ones, unfortunately. )

Who: Jessalyn and Mikael
When: Evening
Where: Peterman's Seafood Fest/Mikael's apartment

Despite the awful thunderstorms earlier in the day, Jessalyn got word that since the rain had cleared up, the seafood fest was still going on as planned. Jessalyn had no doubt that it would have, considering it was an annual festival that most of Darkwater, and a lot of people from Eldritch, made the trip to attend. The night was chilly since the rain had cooled things off, but Jessalyn still wore one of her signature sundresses with a green cardigan. Her hair was piled up in a tangled mess on top of her head, a clip stubbornly holding it in place. She'd picked up Mikael soon after she figured she was ready enough, and the two had driven to Peterman's, where there was already a crowd among the vendors outside.

"You would think working in a restaurant, I would get sick of food," Jessalyn told Mikael as they walked through the crowd and she breathed in the scents of frying fish. "But I'm starving."

( God, but he was falling in love with her. )

Who: Mikael and Jessalyn
When: Evening
Where: Mikael's apartment

With the fog surrounding the island, it was difficult for Jessalyn to get back to the ferry in time to get a ride back to Darkwater. She managed to make it, however, although she was disappointed that she hadn't been able to stop in and see Tayne. She wanted to tell him about the strange woman in the woods, but Jess supposed she would have to just wait until she was able to visit again. It was a rare occasion when someone unnerved Jessalyn, but Neta had managed to do it. She was torn between feeling sympathy for the rude woman, and never wanting to run into her again.

She had the entire ferry ride to think it through, and once the boat docked in Darkwater, Jessalyn started home on foot, determined not to let the encounter bother her so much. Clearly that wasn't going to work if she stayed home alone that night, so when Jessalyn got back to her apartment, she changed into a dark blue sundress and a white cardigan, leaving her wild mass of blonde hair clipped up from her face as she'd worn it at work earlier. Before anything else had a chance to distract her from her planned evening, Jessalyn got into her car and drove to Mikael's apartment. The fog wasn't as bad on the mainland as it was on the island, but she drove cautiously anyway. The last thing she could afford were car repairs if she happened to crash.

It didn't occur to her until she was parked and walking up the stairs to Mikael's apartment that she probably should have called first. He might not have been home, or maybe he had company, but Jessalyn had already made the trip, so she was reluctant to turn around and leave. If she could figure out how to unlock her cell phone, she'd just call from the hall, but that would have taken far longer than she preferred. So she stood in front of his door and knocked, listening intently for the sound of multiple voices inside.


( He blushed harder and looked down at his guitar as she spoke. That was part of it. Confidence. He could muster it for the stage and for singing for her and even singing for his family, but really putting himself out there? That was another matter. )

Who: Mikael & Neta
Where: Dreamspace
When: The small hours of the morning!

Mikael Jöns Lundvall was dreaming. He lay in his futon bed in his bachelor apartment, the sheets tangled around his legs, the tattooed skin above his waist exposed to the vague light coming through the crinkled blinds. He had no awareness of his apartment, though. He was walking through the winter woods in Aspen, Colorado, where he'd lived until after high school. The snow was deep, the sun was high overhead, the trees were tall and strong and his breath puffed in front of him like smoke. He was seventeen again, not twenty-six, and his older siblings - all four of them - weren't with him this time. The place was peaceful and unblemished. His footprints were the first to explore since the last storm. Dressed in proper winter gear, Mikael reached down with one gloved hand and scooped it into the snow.

Just how she had gone from humid island to snowy woods, Neta Hillman couldn't even guess. She didn't really even think about it much, except to know she was somewhere she wasn't supposed to be, she didn't know where this place-she-wasn't-supposed-to-be was, and she was cold. Very cold. All she wore was a long, old-fashioned jacket made from leather, over her man's shirt and canvas breeches, and there was snow everywhere.

She crunched through the trees, scowling at everything around her, and rubbing her arms, trying to keep them warm-- at the expense of her fingers, since she didn't have any gloves.

"This is bullshit," she growled to herself, looking around for any sign of life.

( Don't Shoot! )

Who Jessalyn and Mikael
When: Late afternoon
Where: Around

Jessalyn had enjoyed the movie thoroughly. She always preferred funny movies to scary ones, since she couldn't understand anyone who would want to be scared over wanting to laugh. Plus, she was with Mikael, who was really fun company and, as she noted several times during the film, smelled really nice.

After the movie, Jessalyn wasn't quite ready to go home yet, so when they exited the theater, she glanced up into the sky, realizing that they had a couple hours of daylight left, which was nice. "So what do you think?" she asked with a bright smile in his direction. "Do you want to maybe drive to the beach for a walk? It might be fun to see the waves after a storm like last nights. Unless you're ready to go home, then I could drive you. It's up to you!"

( Read more... )

Who: Jessalyn and Mikael
When: Afternoon
Where: Lunch and the movies

Despite the horrible, awful weather the night before, Jessalyn was determined not to let it ruin her 'date' that she was supposed to have with Mikael. Thankfully the rain and everything had died down some by the time she had taken a shower, gotten dressed and readied herself to leave the apartment. She knew they were going to have lunch, and then catch a movie, and such simple things were incredibly exciting for her. Honestly, she couldn't remember the last time she had been out on a real date, and hopefully Mikael would have fun. It didn't take a lot to entertain Jessalyn, but she also knew the same couldn't be said for everyone.

She wore her usual clothes, a flowing skirt that rested against her calves, her sandals and a light top with a sweater in case it was chillier because of all the wind and rain. She left her hair down, but for a couple pieces pinned up to keep out of her face. Around noon she drove to Mikael's building and struggled with her phone for a few minutes, attempting to text him. She couldn't really remember how to do it, and the cell kept asking her to save the text to Drafts, which continually confused her. Eventually she tossed it into the back seat and got out of her car to walk upstairs and knock on his door if she could.


( If Mik could be more insecure about his dealings with romantic-type relationships, he'd be a cloistered monk. Fortunately, he liked people and he enjoyed sex, so he wouldn't be taking any vows any time soon. )

Who: Jessalyn & Mikael
Where: The Seaside Cafe and Mikael's Apartment
When: Saturday Lunch Rush

Mikael Lundvall tugged at his black, leather driving gloves - a nervous habit - as if they might have slipped some time during the lunch rush and his hands were suddenly exposed somehow. They were firmly in place - as always - and he breathed out a quick breath while he waited for the appetizers for table number five: four women who were so engaged in conversation with one another that they seemed incapable of pausing for air. Well, at least they were happy. Happy people tended to tip well.

The bell pinged and he turned his head.

"You're up," one of the cooks said. Mik nodded and picked up the four salads, balancing three - two on his right forearm, one in his right hand - and the fourth in his left hand, which he would use to distribute the others. He was good at this, fortunately for him. In the loose 'uniform' of black pants, black shoes and black shirt of some kind - today, his was a button-down, long-sleeved shirt - he reached the table, smiled and placed the salads to the left of each woman. The conversation slowed a little, like bullet-time from The Matrix, until he left to get them more water. Occupied with the timing of their next course, he had no idea that some of their conversation was about him.

Dense? Not really, but sometimes, Mik was oblivious.

( You could give me a ride on yours someday though, if you wanted to. )

Who: Mikael & Tayne
When: Late afternoon
Where: The Church on Eldritch Island

Mik had been drifting around the island for a few hours before he found the church. He was doing the 'tourist thing'. The part where you've lived somewhere, more or less, for a year, dragging your ass into work every day and seeing the sights at a distance from the bus - when his bike as in the shop, like now - or too busy driving to notice them. Then you have time off and you think, 'Why don't I go there and see that, finally?'

Today had led him to the ferry and Eldritch Island. He'd spent a lot of time contemplating the water and the shops and stopping for a beer. Now he walked toward the cross, wondering what faith lived in this particular structure and would it be open to the public on a Friday afternoon? Maybe in the smaller towns, the House of God never closed or maybe, because it was potentially more vulnerable, that's why it did close. It was warm, but he was wearing jeans and his cowboy boots, a T-shirt and his black leather jacket. And the matching gloves, of course.

The last thing he wanted to do was accidentally touch something potent while being far away from his apartment.

( Being disturbed by folk is what I'm here for. )