[log] OTA prompts

[variantl1130]

Who: Loki Laufeyson and anyone
When: August, generally
Where: around Gloucester
Summary: Just an open post for some Loki introductions!
Warnings: none yet

[Never one to sit idle, Loki will be spending his first few days in Gloucester anywhere he can get to, soaking in all the information and culture he can. Here are just a few of the locations he'll be causing a ruckus...]

A. ADI HQ

[Loki's first order of business is to find out what information he has access to in his new obligatory workplace. He'll be asking anyone who looks official enough, or walks with enough purpose, or holds a hefty enough keyring, if they might be willing to let him poke his head into some of the more locked-off areas. Sure, he could probably break in, but he'd like to maintain a good rapport with the company for now. This shouldn't cause so much mischief as it might... annoy. Maybe you're one of the people he's elected looks smart enough to bother?]

B. THE FLOPHOUSE

[Working with the ADI is something Loki can manage. Living under their egregious rules and curfew is absolutely not. Unfortunately, the alternative to this is to bunk up in the smallest, most cramped building he's ever been in, and he is not happy. Most of his time in Bonnie's Flophouse is spent in his room, or in a hurry to his room, or eating food that someone has been kind enough to share. (Whether or not he asks for food is up in the air.)

On top of his standoffishness, he is not very fond of... helping. He's never been anything like a flatmate before, and he very obviously doesn't spend a lot of time on chores. Nor does he realize he should contribute some supplies or groceries. The only thing he does spend a lot of time on is taking up space that should be shared. Do you have issues with his behavior? Do you, for whatever deranged reason, want to befriend him? Why not march up to the third floor and tell him so?

Don't worry, he'll surely earn his keep soon. There's just... a learning curve.]

C. COFFIN BEACH

[Loki's research has brought him to exploring the beaches in Gloucester, namely Coffin Beach. Rumor has it that shortly before his arrival, things had gone awry over here... something to do with shapeshifters, maybe? Or sea creatures? In any case, if these creatures had meant to cause harm, then they're exactly the people Loki wants to meet. For reasons.

If he sees anyone else out on the beach, they'll receive a quizzical look from him.] I thought no one came out to this beach. Isn't it dangerous?

D. WILDCARD

[Loki will be lots of places, so if you have any other ideas, feel free to hit me up on discord or my plurk! I can definitely write a more specific starter if anyone wants one.]

Comments

flophouse

[sorser]

[When he was still just a neurosurgeon with broken hands and a closed heart, his days at Kamar-Taj were defined only by a constant regimen on training, study, and perpetual learning. But for all the mysticism inherent in those teachings, all the old tomes and training grounds where magic flickered amid the usual routines, it was still a building very much rooted in the physical. The floors still needed to be mopped, the windows cleaned. The laundry hung up to dry, or the courtyards swept up of blown-in leaves. Stephen had done his rounds in all of those tasks at least once, given no particular leeway just because his hands had shook, or his grip was weak. The chores were daily, and he did them just like all the rest.

Comparatively, then, the obligation to do the same in the flophouse was easy accepted, and even more easily carried out. This space was not nearly as big as Kamar-Taj, and thus the halls could be mopped and swept in a quarter of the time. He’s been here for all of a handful of days, but it’s simple enough to carry his own weight when it’s often barely a blip on his radar.

And so, this evening, Stephen walks down the corridor of his assigned floor with a broom in hand; the floors gleam a little from having been mopped prior, his shoes—now dressed in “normal” attire, plain jeans and a maroon shirt—squeak vaguely when he walks. He hasn’t given his neighbors too much attention just yet, and is happy to make room for anyone who waltzes by with maybe a word of acknowledgment, and little more.

Until a certain someone passes right by him, a certain trickster god that he would recognize with ease regardless of circumstances. It’s difficult to tell what sweeps over Stephen’s features—surprise, a dash of confusion, perhaps a tick of alarm—but the sorcerer is quick to turn on his heel, broom still in-hand, and calls out to the passing figure.]

Loki of Asgard.

[Surely that’ll garner some attention.]

Watch your step. Floor’s still wet.

[variantl1130]

[It does, in fact, garner Loki's attention. He'd just gotten used to the idea that nobody around here would recognize him, and learned to be content with that... So he isn't prepared for an audience.

Loki spins on his heel (in a much similar fashion to this stranger—Loki appreciates a dramatic gesture and likes to return them in kind), offering a look that expressed confusion, as well as undivided attention.]

...Sorry, I wasn't paying attention. Just now, when you said my name—did you say it with admiration or with disdain?

[sorser]

[Stephen makes a noise of misleading amusement, because the twitch of a lopsided grin doesn’t quite reach his eyes. His free hand motions at the empty space between them, at Loki.]

Oh, I don’t know. Both are over-exaggerations — I think I’m more surprised than anything else.

[(There was definitely a lack of admiration, if anything else.)]

For a number of reasons. The last I recall, you tried to knife me. And the last I knew of, you shouldn’t exactly be standing here at all.

[Death makes that a little difficult.]

[variantl1130]

[The bit about the knife makes him smile. He can tell what the second half alludes to, but he's not going to let that ruin his day! He just. Pretends not to notice. He focuses instead on the hints of dislike, opting to tease.]

Ah, so we know each other! Either sorry about that or you deserved it, depending on the circumstances... But I regretfully must inform you that the last thing I remember from our timeline is being arrested by the Avengers in 2012. I assume we met some time after.

[In the interest of being forthright, in an action he's sure will seem somewhat out of character, he delivers a very genuine reassurance:] I promise I'm not out for world domination this time.

The Flophouse

[iwanttotrustyou]

[William has slowly been getting accustomed to the Flophouse and his new neighbors. In contrast to Loki, he could care less about the grime and the cramped quarters, though sharing such close space with so many people was new. Still, he didn't have any roommates yet, so

He'd seen Loki pass by a couple of times but never spoken to him. At least until he's in the kitchen, spotting the other man grabbing something from the fridge that William is pretty sure is his.]

Help yourself.

[He sounds bemused but not angry, as if it's not a huge deal.]

[variantl1130]

Oh, thank you.

[The other man's bemusement is completely lost on Loki. It's just some other person he doesn't recognize, and frankly, wasn't interested in talking to, so... he goes about inspecting the item he's just pulled from the fridge. After a once-over, he grimaces, and asks his supposed flatmate a rather presumptuous question.]

Are you in charge of stocking the refrigerator? Because I really think we could stand to up the quality of the food in here.

[iwanttotrustyou]

[There's a beat where he's surprised by the question, though -- well, that does explain the food theft, he guesses. Probably?]

I don't stock the fridge. Uh, I don't think anyone does? We all just buy our own stuff and stash it in there. Most of that stuff's not mine.

flophouse! akechi -> ren -> loki

[simulatio]

[Akechi doesn't exactly live in the Flophouse, but he tends to take his meals there more often than not. Often enough to note the influx of new faces that have moved in over the last several days and be a semi-regular fixture in the first floor kitchen. If Ren is going to insist on cooking enough food for any hapless soul who wanders past, Akechi sees no reason not to take advantage of his generosity.

The fact that he genuinely enjoys spending time with Ren has nothing to do with it, of course. He's simply here for the coffee, curry, and a quiet space to converse and perhaps read a book. The latter today is a collection of philosophical essays in Japanese, which he glances up from as the dark-haired stranger enters the kitchen. Undoubtedly someone else attracted by the smell of Ren's curry, which is why Akechi normally tries to persuade Ren to do his cooking in Akechi's apartment.]

Here for Ren's curry? [he asks mildly with a smile, as if he isn't at all annoyed to have unexpected company.] I'm afraid there's a line. Haha, only joking, of course.

[forethinking]

(Every now and then, they get sucked into a subject that seems endless - it's rare that they agree on something moral wise, often a back and forth of arguments that leave Ren feeling refreshed and enthusiastic. They'd just closed an argument when a newcomer opens the door, catching Ren on his tip toes as he grabs more spices from the cabinet.

On the stove, one can see a myriad of pans containing the best of Japanese curry, rice, and hot pot for those who might be sick of eating his signature dish. Ren himself never does, but who knows!

There's a smile on his lips as he sees the man, offering him a plate as he starts to serve one for Akechi.)

Take as much as you'd like.

[variantl1130]

[Thank the gods that the food in the kitchen is being offered so enthusiastically. Although he isn't too fond of the company of strangers, Loki has finally caught on to the fact that the food in the kitchen isn't fair game, and the idea of cooking drives him to boredom before he can even begin to. (Read: he doesn't know how, so he won't try.) He's willing to put up with strangers for free, cooked food. And it smells pretty good from the hallway.

The one with the glasses seems nice enough. The other one is obviously in a similar position to Loki, who detects his lack of enthusiasm immediately. You'd think Loki would empathize, being one to dislike strangers... but, no. This is a fight and he's here to win it.

He offers a somewhat genuine smile to the chef, and a smarmy grin to the smarmy gentleman.]

Thank you for the offer. I am famished.

[He takes a plate of curry with gratitude, and leans against a wall a noticeable distance away from the pair to enjoy his food.]

b!

[cacophonish]

When given the choice between cushy, all-inclusive room and board with the ADI, or scraping by with the other misfits at Bonnie's, Jeff went with Bonnie's for, well, pretty much the same reasons as Loki. Fuck the rules. Fuck the curfew. Fuck the no-magic-allowed bullshit.

He may not be much use at DIY home repairs, and he's not a particularly thorough cleaner, and boy, nobody should ever be subjected to his version of cooking, but Jeff tries to contribute in one way he knows how: groceries.

He drifts into the kitchen just in time to bump into Loki, greeting the god with a dreamy smile and a drawled out, "Heeey, dude..."

It may be morning for most people, but Jeff's just coming in from the night. But hey, at least he comes cradling an armful of gifts: a plastic bag full of croissants, a bag of assorted muffins, and a bag of fruit danishes that have seen better days (seriously, it looks like a jammy crime scene in there).

"Want one?"

They 100% came from a coffee shop's dumpster.

[variantl1130]

Loki has been bumped. Congratulations on the first impression, Jeff.

Loki has no way of knowing how the baked goods were acquired, but the presentation alone is enough for him to be disinterested. He gives Jeff, then the pastries, then Jeff again, a once-over.

“…No, thank you.”

Anyway, Loki already doesn’t want to be in this kitchen. It’s only necessity that keeps him in the Flophouse long enough to eat something before he leaves for the day. So he quickly turns away from his flatmate to end the conversation.

Wait, was he coming inside? At this time?

Loki decides he’s curious, actually, and the conservation is back on. “Were you out all night?”

sorry for the delay! unexpected hiatus followed by the event threw me off track

[cacophonish]

Jeff shrugs agreeably, depositing the baked goods on the nearest counter. There we go, free croissants for the flophouse, which means Jeff's done his part and contributed for the day, far as he figures.

Jeff's eyeing his offerings, seemingly deep in thought as Loki starts to leave. Should he put them on a platter? Arrange them and make them look pretty? He reaches into one of the bags, pulling out a berry danish, visibly startling when Loki speaks.

"Oh!" Was he? Jeff thinks for a moment. "Well-- yeah, I guess I was. Best way to see how spooky this town really is, right?"

C.

[bigporkenergy]

[It's pretty unusual to see anyone else on the beach; most of the time when he comes down here, Galliard has it to himself. He vaguely recognises the guy prowling around, having seen him around the flophouse, but he doesn't know his name.]

It's okay if you stay out of the water.

[variantl1130]

[Question answered, more or less… but Loki’s expression remains quizzical all the same.]

I don’t know, the sand sounds a mite suspicious. [To highlight his point, he comically rocks his shoe through the squeaky sand. Squeak, squeak.]

[bigporkenergy]

[Blank stare. Sorry, sir, he does not get your pun.]

No, the sand is fine. I've slept out here a couple of nights.

[To demonstrate, Galliard will pick up a handful of damp sand and let it dribble out between his fingers into a tiny sandcastle.]

See? It's not dangerous.

ADI HQ

[henchgal]

[Meredith has made a Presence of herself among the admin staff, quickly figuring who she needed to butter up, who she ought to avoid, and how the higher-ups took their coffee. This has led to her having some level of access to things, and a sense of pride in her duties. Find her, dressed in smart business casual attire, walking down the hall with a cane in her left hand, lipstick a ruthless shade of red and hair pulled back in a tidy ponytail.

She'd make a great target, don't you think?]

[variantl1130]

[Meredith does, in fact, a great job of looking the part—apparently not just in front of her superiors, but in front of newbies, too. Something about her tells Loki that this is a woman who knows, much like him, how to get ahead in the world of information. Confidence puts a smile on his face as he approaches her.]

Excuse me, sorry to bother you—you look like you know your way about the place. I'm new here, and I was just looking to familiarize myself with the research archives. Get a head start, you know? [He punctuates the question with a shy smile, with the intent of looking... you know, innocent or whatever. Like someone you want to help out.] You wouldn't happen to have a moment to show me around, would you?

[henchgal]

Oh, of course. The archives specifically? I'm not part of the research department, but I can at least show you around.

[Her smile doesn't dim a watt, but there's a flickering glance as she assesses Loki, trying to figure out what to make of him. It's hard to tell so soon, so she maintains her polite, polished presentation.]

A

[worthallthis]

[This guy has a mask over the lower half of his face, but he definitely looks official, clearly patrolling around the building in his kevlar and leather vest and his metal arm. Even if he's staring at Loki a little like he can't quite believe someone would actually come up to him and ask him a question.

But he tries.]

What do you want to know.

[variantl1130]

[Loki know’s he’s taking a chance on this one. Usually the burlier ones are easier to take advantage of, all brawn and no brains, so typically this target wouldn’t be much of a challenge... But this time, Loki doesn’t have magic to depend on. If he gets caught being sneaky around someone all armored up like this, he could really regret it later.

So, he’s got to play this one smart. (Which shouldn’t be a problem! Obviously!)]

I’ve barely been here a few days, so forgive my ignorance—I’ve heard that the ADI’s more interesting information was kept in the lower levels. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?

[worthallthis]

[He stares at Loki's left eyebrow in consternation. Would he know anything about what? Information or lower levels or ignorance? Why is this guy asking him?]

The library is down that hall. You must be an ADI employee to access the lower levels.

ADI HQ!

[lowficharm]

[Martin has never been one that would look 'official' or 'well put together', but frankly that's probably what makes him appear as a decent mark. He doesn't seem to have any kind of access, but he does seem to be inexplicably found in other odd places that Loki may be poking around-- which is weird, right? Loki probably knows he shouldn't be there, so whatever this guy is doing has to be equally shady. But to his credit, he moves pretty quietly for a big sort of guy, and has an odd sort of way of fading into the background if you're not watching him for too long.

Surprisingly though, it's Martin who makes the initial ask after the third or fourth time awkwardly having seen him down some corridor they aren't technically not allowed in, clearing his throat and tilting his head a bit at Loki.]

Hey, uhm-- can-- can I help you? Or something? Or do you, uh, n-need anything, or...?

[variantl1130]

[Until this point, Loki had actually been dismissing this man. His demeanor doesn't exactly exude confidence or know-how. There had been a voice in the back of his head, though, around the third time, telling him these chance meetings aren't coincidences... As the fellow approaches on the fourth meeting, his suspicion is confirmed. Perhaps they're lurking around for similar reasons, after all. A plan forming, he smiles.]

Possibly! You look to be on a mission. I do wonder if it has anything in common with my own...

[He ponders how he can dig into this man's head without giving his own plans away.]

Are you also new around here?

[lowficharm]

[He's not sure what he's expecting in confronting the other man- some kind of instant confession? Looking afraid? If this guy has been creeping around as long as he has without getting caught, he must have some kind of unassuming air or just be more confident than most, but that's not going to make Martin back down at all.]

Well, it-- I don't know what your mission is, so I can't say. But I'm, uhm, k-kind of new? I came in, uhm, last month, with the last group.

[Actually, wait, that means new people are arriving. It's fine, he'll just pretend he knew that. Totally.]

Suppose you've been given the introductions, then? About where we are and all that.