nysalogs | hopping on the open log train

Entry tags:

hopping on the open log train

Who: Frederick (

pebblestone) & open
What: Beach ep, red light ep, you-name-it ep
When: May
Where: Olympia
Warning(s): NSFW doubtful but I'll update if it comes up

FLONA COVE, PT 1

[ Frederick the Wary does not go to beaches for fun. There's simply too much to do and not enough time to do it, and it's not like he's ever learned the meaning of the word relax anyway.

But he also understands the value of team bonding, and so when Cam and JJ clamor to go to the beach he begrudgingly follows along. Perhaps there might be gossip at the docks about the current state of affairs, or some fresh seafood he might be able to turn into tonight's dinner, and so he begrudgingly follows behind, hoping that the whole affair ends sooner rather than later.

Instead, JJ and Cam run off and Frederick ends up swarmed by a group of small children at the beach, all of whom have declared him a perfect fit for their sand project - a project they refuse to reveal the nature of when he asks suspiciously. His initial response is to turn them down, suggest they find some other more willing victim for their tricks, but there's a little girl with hair the color of the sun and a wide, wide smile, and he can't help but accept when she shyly asks please.

So here he sits now, expression resigned and long-suffering, as the children pile sand over his legs. One of them, wanting a second opinion, runs up to the nearest stranger - that's you - with a question. ]

Hey, hey, should he be a starfish or a mermaid?

[ Congrats, Fred's fate is now in your hands. ]

FLONA COVE, PT 2

[ Of course, Frederick wouldn't be Frederick if he didn't turn his beach outing into an impromptu training session. Once he's fulfilled his requisite duty of posing as Mer-Fred in the sand, it's back to work for him. After all, the resistance provided by the sandy beaches provides wonderful benefit to strengthening ones legs during a run, and there's nothing like warm sun to work up a good sweat.

His armor's been traded for shorts and a simple short-sleeve shirt - because even Fred has limits - and he's proceeded to engage in all manner of exercises typically included in a fitness regimen: push-ups, sit-ups, laps around the beach. In fact, to anyone that knows him, this is probably the happiest he's ever looked.

And if he catches you watching, he'll happily wave you over. ]

Would you care to join me? There's nothing quite so exhilarating as a good workout.

SHADES DARKER (MINI QUEST 1)

[ Every now and then, even without Lord Chrom around, Fred's overbearing instincts kick in. The house gets cleaned from top to bottom, the weeds around the house (and as far as two blocks down, much to the bemusement of the neighbors) get pulled, and he makes lunch for the whole household which everyone frequently forgets to bring with them.

He's taken the liberty of dropping off Clair's lunch today, lest she starve to death, but Lady Luck has seen fit to turn her face away from him. Clair is nowhere to be found, the gaggle of models at the front are all too happy to press themselves against him, and what's meant to be a simple three minute task suddenly turns into a much longer stay as he's pulled to a side room, one of the girls determined to bully him into doing a favor for their wonderful Lady Koralle.

In this case: mixing and matching perfumes alongside a few other patrons.

So there he sits on a plush chaise lounge, the tie around his neck askew and tufts of hair sticking straight up, looking absolutely befuddled at the dozens of small glass bottles in front of him. ]

I'm afraid I haven't the foggiest idea what scents young women like to wear these days.

[ NOTE: I'd like to stick mostly to SFW options for this prompt (truthfulness, relaxation, etc) but if you're interested in NSFW options, send me a message/hit me up on plurk and we can hash something out. 18+ F only. ]

AROUND OLYMPIA (MINI-QUEST 2)

[ In the interest of fostering better relations between Wyver and Olympia, Frederick has taken it upon himself gather some samples of the local flora and bring them over. Rumors float in the air of a man willing to reward anyone who comes forth, though of course Frederick is less interested in the reward than he is the idea of improving goodwill.

He's currently attempting to tackle a cluster of stickweed, the task made all the more difficult by the little bits of fluff that keep attaching themselves to his clothes, his skin, his hair. But he pays them no mind, because surely they're harmless, like fuzz from a dandelion, and so he keeps going, never quite realizing that the puffs are lifting him up and away until he bonks his head on a nearby tree branch. At which point, it becomes quite obvious that something is definitely not right. ]

What's the meaning of this—?

[ A little help here? ]

[ ooc: Or pick a different plant, I'm easy. ]

WILDCARD

[ ooc: I'm definitely open to any other situation that strikes your fancy! Feel free to slap down a starter or leave me a blank wildcard and let's get this ball rolling. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ What— ]

I beg your pardon!

[ GET BACK HERE, MISTER MERCHANT!! But Frederick and Allura's indignations combined aren't enough to get the shady seller to turn around, and he adamantly continues down the street, quickly lost admist the crowds of (far happier) beach goers.

So much for that plan.

Closing his eyes momentarily, Frederick lets out a long sigh. Once he opens them, he looks at Allura apologetically. ]

I'm terribly sorry, my lady. [ She sounds like a lady? Hopefully it's not a man with a really high-pitched voice. ] It seems as though we have no choice but to wait for the effect to wear off.

[The merchant disappears into the crowd and Allura stares after him, her shoulder sagging and a deep sigh escapes from her lips,] It is fine. At least now I know it's not permanent.

[She offers him a smile, though it feels wrong, when it's not her own face,] I can imagine how it must sound from your perspective. I hope you'll find no offense by my protests. You are surely a perfectly fine person.

[He doesn't seem offended, but she sometimes has trouble reading human reactions.]

[ All things considered, he should probably be the one least offended in this situation. Sure, it's his image that's been plastered all over another person, but physically nothing's been done to him. He's still got his same voice, his same face; it's this poor woman that's being forced to suffer while she walks around as someone she's not. ]

It's quite alright. Surely this is taking much more of a toll on you than it is on me.

[ Speaking of 'me' and 'you', perhaps they ought to get introductions out of the way, so that this whole ordeal feels a little less impersonal. ]

My name is Sir Frederick, coincidentally, if you would like a name to match your current face. I apologize we had to meet under such unfortunate circumstances.

[In all reality, it's not as if being given a new form is giving her any difficulty in any way, and this Sir Frederick seems upstanding enough that she likely won't get into undue trouble while looking like him. Still, she'd prefer to be herself, thank you random merchants.

She nods a polite greeting,] I am Princess Allura. It is no trouble. Once one of your hours passes everything will go back to normal.

[At least she's getting better at thinking in terms of human measurements of time.]

[ One of 'his' hours.....? Are not all hours exactly the same?

He raises an eyebrow at that particular turn of phrase but remains silent, unwilling to cause this upstanding young woman any more unnecessary stress. Maybe they can find a nice place to while away the next fifty minutes....And then he can ask all the questions slowly rolling around inside. ]

A pleasure to make your acquaintance, my lady.

[ With another bow for good measure. ]

Is there any particular place you would prefer to rest at while that hour passes? Perhaps another drink is not in order [ in case some other strange effect occurs ] but there are plenty activities available to you should you wish to partake.

And of course [ he adds ] I shall remain with you in case of emergency.

[Not everyone uses hours! Vargas are, by far, the more logical measurement of time.]

I believe it would be wise if I just take it easy.

[She's officially Wary of untested activities at this point. But it could be worse, this Frederick seems like quite the upstanding gentleman. There are worse people to swap bodies with.]

Much of Olympia is still new to me. I would be interested in learning about any interesting places, if you know of them. Or perhaps we could rest in the sun. It has been a long time since I've spent so much time outdoors.

[ If it's gentle exploration she desires, then he can certainly accommodate this request as they mosey around the beachside as a very strange pair of twins. He mulls over her stipulations, a look of deep concentration settling over his face as he tries to brainstorm. ]

There are quite a number of lagoons in the area, if you desire some peace and quiet. I've yet to see them myself but I hear they're quite beautiful.

[ Scenic and pretty, all girls love that, don't they? ]

The beach is quite nice as well, the perfect spot for strength training [ not that she's probably into that ] though I would advise liberal use of sunscreen if you plan on relaxing beneath the sun's rays. They can be quite detrimental to the skin after too much exposure, you know.

[ It would be such a tragedy if Allura were to burn. ]

[She LOVES scenic places!]

The lagoon sounds wonderful. But... before we go,

[Truth be told, she's been eyeing a few of the beach-side vendors before all of this happened. The food is off limits now, for sure, but there's a very cute cart with all manner of sun hats for sale,]

Perhaps I could purchase a hat? For protection from the sun, and a way to tell us apart. [In case we meet any of Fredericks friends?] It feels strange, being so identical to another person.

Of course. That's an excellent idea.

[ He agrees immediately, more than willing to allow her any comfort necessary in her time of need. And she has a point, it would serve as a valuable distinction in telling them apart, should they stumble across JJ or Cam at some point during the afternoon.

He ushers her towards the cart piled high with hats of all types, careful to shield her - technically him - from the oncoming crowd. ]

I take it you have no siblings then? They frequently look alike, if not identical.

Correct. I am an only child.

[And the sole heir to the throne (that doesn't exist anymore). She speaks somewhat distractedly, picking through the hats. There weren't many opportunities for frivolities like this before the storm, with the war going on. Not to mention Coran wouldn't let her go to the Swap Moon with the others, for fear of danger. Well, she's a full fledged paladin now, so she can... shop all she wants?]

What about you, mister Frederick, do you have any siblings?

[She picks a green, wide brimmed at and sets it on her head.] How does it look? [Imagine she... looks like someone you've never met before.]

I was also an only child growing up, like yourself.

[ He'd dreamed of a younger sibling at one point, perhaps a younger brother to mentor in the way of the sword, or a baby sister to fiercely protect and dote on. Fate had seen fit to give him neither, at least not biologically, but he'd certainly had his hands full once he'd entered the knighthood and started serving the royal house.

He's about to ask her another question regarding her sibling-less life, but she shoves a hat on her head and turns to face him expectantly, and he loses all sense of speech at the sight of himself with a green sun bonnet on. ]

It's [ honestly hideous on him but he can't exactly say that ] very colorful.

[ Crisis averted. ]

No doubt it would look far better on your real visage than mine own.

[She's bent over, looking at herself in the reflection of a nearby mirror set up for customers,]

It is hard to make a purchase when you're looking at a different face.

[The green hat is a no, and she takes it off before continuing looking,]

You said you were Sir Frederick. Were you a knight back on your home planet?

[She gets the feeling his home is not the same sort of earth that the paladins came from.]

[ She has a point. He would never be able to shop for himself if he were in the body of another, particularly such a different looking body. ]

Perhaps we could find someone similar to your stature and coloring, and ask them to model?

[ Obviously no one will look quite like her, but at least they can come close. He's not much of a shopper himself, but he understands a little bit of how women shop, and how much vanity usual plays a role in selecting which frocks and bonnets to wear. ]

And I was, yes. I pledged my fealty to the Exalt of Ylisse and her family, and vowed to keep them and the halidom safe.

Perhaps, though I am not human, so that might be tricky.

[As if she looks much different from a human but the pointy ears and Altean marks are Important! She turns to look at Frederick curiously.]

The Exalt? Is that like a Queen?

[It sounds like an impressive title.]

Not human?

[ Honestly, after meeting both taguels and manaketes (and all the strange races present on El Nysa) he really ought not to be so surprised by this bit of news. But he's old-fashioned, and terribly staid, and so he can't help but blink in surprise at her calm reveal. ]

I suppose that would make choosing more difficult. [ So much for that grand idea.... ] Then perhaps you could select something similar to what you have worn before?

[ That's how he shops, closets full of the exact same shirt and pants. ]

And you would be correct. Exalt Emmeryn rules over all of Ylisse, and has since the passing of her father. Her brother, Prince Chrom, and her sister, Princess Lissa, are next in line for the throne.

It would be disingenuous to imply that I look much different from a human. There are many similarities. But I think your idea will work just fine.

[And the hat is mostly for function over form. Before arriving on El Nysa, Allura spent the majority of her time in jumpsuits and paladin armor. It's been some time since she's spent much time considering anything beyond what is necessary, although the longer she stays here, the more she feels out of place in her jumpsuit.

She picks up a wide brimmed hat in pink,] This will do.

[She then pays for it with whatever money she apparently has, and as they walk away, she picks up the conversation about Frederick's lord where they had left it earlier,]

Your Exalt has so many siblings! Does it cause any conflict over the throne?

[ The pink hat, strangely enough, looks more flattering on him than the green one did, but he keeps that thought to himself as Allura pays and they sashay away from the hat merchant.

He's more than happy to reminisce about Ylisse, in any case. ]

Certainly not. Exalt Emmeryn was an inspiration to us all and no one loved her more dearly than her siblings did. Neither of them would have dreamed of taking the throne from her.

Besides— [ and here his lips quirk into a wry smile ] I suspect neither of them had any inclination to rule. Milord is very much a man of action, and Princess Lissa...let's just say she has some maturing to do.

[ No offense or anything though. His tone goes from wry to curious as he looks back towards Allura. ]

Is it common where you come from, for there to be much contention over the throne?

[Allura shares his smile. She doesn't know these people at all, but it is clear how much he cares for them,

The topic turns to her kingdom, and she shakes her head,]

I am my father's only heir, but the Alteans were a peaceful society. [Everyone loved her father, she truly believed that.] But there are those like the Galra. [And she can't totally keep the disdain out of her voice,] Their emperor is chosen through tests of strength and cunning. They are very violent affairs.

[She witnessed one such ritual not long before the storm came. Even after one true leader came out on top, the empire fell into inner turmoil, as factions of rogue soldiers vied for what they saw as their rightful place as leader.]

The Galra?

[ He doesn't know who - or what - they are, but it's evident from her tone of voice that Allura does not view them in any benevolent or forgiving light. If they have an emperor, then perhaps they're another people neighboring her nation? ]

I take it they are a particularly militaristic society? Have they threatened your borders at all?

[ That would be reason enough to dislike them. ]

Edited (cries sadly over html) 2018-06-03 12:38 (UTC)

[She gives a short, humorless laugh. Threatening Altean borders? That's putting it lightly.] They destroyed my planet.

[~~This is a fun, lighthearted beach adventure.~~ Her hand tightens it's grip on the brim of her new hat. Everyone here knew what it was like to lose their home. The only difference is that Allura lost hers about ten-thousand years ago.

Before she can get too upset about it, she takes a deep, steadying breath. She has been trying to do better about her deep hatred of the Galra,] But their old Emperor is gone now. His successor claims to want peace.

[It is difficult for her to trust any of them. Even with Zarkon's death, one man alone did not destroy her people, subjugate the Galmarans, or any other number of atrocities committed in his name.]

[ #yikes

That dire piece of news certainly halts him in his tracks momentarily, his eyes widening in shock. ]

I—I'm terribly sorry, to remind you of such a terrible tragedy. It wasn't my intention in the slightest.

[ So much for making this a nice relaxing beach outing for her. (So much for making it a nice relaxing beach outing for him too, but then again relaxation has never been high on his priority list for any outing.)

He doesn't know much about these Galra - doesn't know anything, really - but the fact that they went out of their way to annihilate an entire planet doesn't sit well with him, and leaves a heavy feeling of discomfort swirling around in his gut. How could anyone harbor such malice towards another?

But then he thinks of Gangrel and thinks he understands, a little. ]

And do you believe him, and his claims?

[Lets have a lighthearted thread, we said. It'll be silly, we said!

At that, Allura sucks in a quiet breath, her voice tightening,] I don't know.

[She's asked herself it a million times since the moment Prince Lotor offered himself up as a prisoner. He did everything in his power to earn their trust—gave away Galra fleet positions and secrets that opened the door for meaningful victories at little cost to the Voltron coalition. And he was the one to deal the killing blow on Zarkon. He's given them nothing but reasons to trust him.]

I want to believe him. Peace, without bloodshed? That alone makes it worth a shot.

[That would be her greatest dream. But. She hums, unhappily,]

It may be too good to be true, I fear.

[ It's a difficult choice to make, and he doesn't envy her the decision. Yet another reason why he'd opted never to dabble in politics. At the end of the day, he understands better how to wield a sword and axe than a flowery tongue and masterful words.

But.

He looks at her - at him, but for once, he doesn't actually see himself reflected back in those familiar eyes - and smiles ever so gently. ]

Perhaps. But - and forgive me if this is too bold to say - but I agree. Peace is more important than most can understand.

You remind me of someone I knew. [ Once upon a time, before the Storm had entered their small corner of the universe and before reality had come crashing down. ] She, too, would have done anything for the chance at peace for her people.

[The unhappy look on her face melts away and she regards Frederick warmly. She's still standing a few heads too tall, in a body she's unfamiliar with, but for the moment, the awkwardness is gone. It's immediately comforting, in a way that days of debating and rationalizing with herself failed to reassure. She couldn't lose her chance at peace because of paranoia.

She smiles,] Would that be your Exalt? [He mentioned her name. Allura recalls back,] Emmeryn?

[She's touched. From their conversation earlier, it's clear that Frederick holds her in the highest regard.] That's very kind of you to say.

[Before he can respond, she blinks, suddenly realizing how serious their conversation has become. She laughs, sheepishly,] My apologies. You must have come to the beach for a relaxing break. I'm afraid I've made it anything but.

Indeed, Lady Emmeryn.

[ The Exalt of his heart (sorry Chrom) and a woman he would have followed to the ends of the earth had she wished it. (She never would have, abhorring the thought of anyone making sacrifices on her account.)

He misses her every day.

But he seems to realize the overly solemn air about the same time that Allura does, and Frederick's quick to shake his head as Allura apologizes. ]

Think nothing of it. Better than we should speak of matters that mean more to us than trifling banalities regarding the weather.

[ At the very least, he thinks he has a better understanding of her now, and he can only assume she understands him a bit better as well. ]

But I do suppose my housemates would be rather cross with me if I didn't try to enjoy the sunshine while we're out here today.

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