apocalypsehowcomm | (mingle) It must be party time

Who: Ren Amamiya, Wanda Maximoff, you!
When: 12th of September
Where: Good Harbor Beach
Summary: Here's the barbecue log! Eating, playing games, having a bonfire and sleep-over on the beach!
Warnings: Alcohol? Ghost stories?

ɪ. ᴡᴇʟᴄᴏᴍᴇ

Congratulations, you've made it to the Good Harbor Beach September barbecue! With the weather cooling, but still pleasant enough, it's a pleasure to have a hangout involving ADI's residents and those who live at Bonnie's. There are still so many people who don't know one another, and many to strengthen bonds with, so the hours your dearest Wanda and Ren spend cooking and flipping and seasoning are nothing but rewarding! Seeing people enjoying themselves is great and it's motivating for them to keep doing these encounters every now and then.

On the menu, we have:
- Burgers;
- Steaks with jacked potato sides;
- Ribs;
- Zucchini-and-Pecorino fritters;
- Several different salads, including ovcharska;
- Aubergine kebabs with charred onion salsa;
- Salmon yakitori;
- Takoyaki;
- Cupcakes
- Apples and honey;
- Cherry dumplings;
- Sarmale filled with rice;
- Bundevara (pumpkin pie);

For drinks, there's a selection of alcohol, as well as coffee, water, tea, and a variety of sodas. Take in the nice view, jump on the ocean, sink your toes in the sand and enjoy yourselves. There aren't any usable tables, but there are several blankets on the floor for your perusal.

ɪɪ. ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴘᴀʀᴛʏ

With bellies full, now it's when the real fun begins. There are a few decks of cards being passed around, as well as one of their single tables now organized to a beer-pong competition. Individually, games such as Never Have I Ever, as well as Truth or Dare can be seen, and those who wish to use their skills for entertaining are more than welcome to do so.

A little bonding here, a little drunken chatting there, this is your time to shine!

ɪɪɪ. ᴀ ʙᴏɴꜰɪʀᴇ

With those who have a curfew to worry about in mind, a bonfire is lit, and a few tents are set around the beach (may have to be shared). If anyone's got a nice story, now it's the time to share it, or perhaps if anyone can play an instrument, it's about time to break it out of its case. The night will be lively until the early hours of the morning, and of course, mindful of those who couldn't stay up this late.

The next morning, everyone will be properly thanked for their attendance and tupperwares will be distributed with leftovers for those who'd like to take some food home, the beach will be cleaned impeccably and everyone will go their own way, hopefully with smiles and a new sense of unity and connection from the amazing night they've just experienced.

ɪᴠ. ᴀ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴏᴏᴄ ɴᴏᴛᴇ

(Please put in your top-level subject line or prompt line whether it's okay to threadjack! Just to keep things more dynamic, we encourage it!)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That gets a second look from Jaeger, a blink of surprise because it's new technology to him. He's seen prosthetics before, but nothing quite that advanced, and it's worth the extra bit of attention.

"I would probably be careful if you see someone throwing lightning around," he comments wryly after a moment. "I have to admit, that's more technology than I'm familiar with in my world, so I don't have much in the way of reference for it. But it might be useful in some situations, such as some types of illusions, or spells that specifically target organic matter."

The smile is still a sardonic little twist of his mouth as he adds, "And of course, if you punch a mage in the head a few times, they'll usually stop whatever they're doing. Physical attacks are very useful, though at least some of us train to be able to use our abilities in close quarters."

The hand comes down, the glove comes back on. Hastily, almost. The reminder of punching someone in the head a few times--

--well, in a mission, he'll do it, sure. But for a moment, the memory of the former stupid target's badly beaten face surges up in his mind. It's uncomfortable. He doesn't like thinking about it. He focuses on the practical as much as a distraction as anything else.

"It's bulletproof," he says after a beat. "Electricity can disable it temporarily, but there is a reboot motion. What would magic in close quarters look like?"

There's a lot of unpleasant images that come with the current topic of conversation. Trying to manage a spell with blood pouring from his mouth and broken nose is a memory that's entirely too sharp and brutal for Jaeger to escape completely, but it's there, first hand experience in trying to cast magic while injured.

Not a pleasant or easy prospect, though the alternative was usually worse.

He nods quietly as Winter covers his hand up again, both of them pushing away the memories. "Most of us use words and gestures to focus our power, but some of us can cast magic with as little as a small wave. Larger magic often requires a ritual circle or physical focus items. Gemstones, metal, wood." He hesitates at that last, reluctant to continue. "Sometimes things like blood and bones, too. Sacrifice is very powerful magic, very dangerous."

He can't help but think of that body in the bag Yelena found but couldn't reach, and then never found again. He frowns out over the water. "So if I break a magic person's arms, they probably can't cast their magic. In battle. And if I find any ritual... ish. Items. I should smash them."

He has a plan. It's not a very in-depth plan, but it's still a plan, and that's better than he had been before this conversation.

So, he half-turns in Jaeger's direction, and says gravely, "Thank you. This was helpful."

"It's very hard to concentrate when you're in pain," Jaeger agrees quietly. "There are always exceptions, but that would properly distract most mages."

There's a flicker of smile, because as grim as the topic is, it's a good feeling, knowing that he's given Winter some help. That someone else here now knows something about fighting magic.

"I'm happy to try and answer questions when I can. I might not answer all of them, but someone else here should have an idea of how to deal with these things."

"So far everything has died like a human would," Winter shrugs. "Even if they could change shapes or trap people in skins." So he's going to keep on as if the next strange monster is also going to die like a human would, up until something doesn't.

And when that happens, well, he'll think of something. He has tactical flexibility. Even if it requires fleeing and regrouping later.

"From what I understand, it might not be true of everything, but human innovation and technology has come a long way toward leveling the field." A brief, wry quirk of the corner of his mouth. There's things to be afraid of on all sides, and it's gone a long way toward some sort of equilibrium between the different worlds.

There's always things to fear.

"I think we're all learning. This world has some things in common with mine, but it's not quite the same, so it would be foolish to assume." He shrugs his broad shoulders, his hands finding the pockets of his pants as he considers that. For all his experience, he's still very much off balance and it's strange to admit it. But honesty matters, he thinks.

"More in common with yours than with mine," Winter offers. "So I will take your advice. But I will also keep my guns and knives." So many people here aren't trained in combat in any way, especially not as rigorously as Winter himself is. He wants to keep his team alive. Safe. So he's going to be as ready as possible.

"It certainly seems to look that way," Jaeger agrees. "But I've never regretted learning to shoot, either. For whatever that's worth." That arm alone seems to prove that Winter's world is yet another very different place, even if it's not a common sight. But some things hold true and the world, whatever it is, seems to always need fighters. And sometimes, the best weapon is the unexpected one.

Jaeger gazes back toward the tents and those who have managed to find sleep in them. "I'll let you be, then. I may try and get a little sleep while it's quiet, but it's been good talking to you."

He nods solemnly. "I'll keep watch," he promises. "So you can sleep." If he can. He'll understand if that isn't as reassuring for Jaeger as it would be for someone like Kate or even Yelena.

He knows it wouldn't be particularly reassuring to himself, after all.

Oddly, it is a little reassuring to Jaeger, even though it's too soon to trust fully. Exhaustion has taken its toll for too many years now, and he's willing to grab onto whatever small relief he can. Even if it's a fitful nap in a tent by the water, it's still something more than he's had before.

He's not alone, and that's a change that will take some getting used to but one he's happy to have.

"Thank you," he returns, just as solemnly, before he starts back up the sand toward the patch of tents and the smoldering end of the bonfire.

(mingle) It must be party time

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