TERRACE Draft - Day 1

[lucetimods]

Who: All Draftees
What: Arrival at TERRACE
When: The first day, from 8AM to the wee hours of the night
Where: TERRACE!
Summary: Information post here
Rating: Varies on thread, please mark explicit material.

This post covers the first day, before the attack. Remember, characters here are not expecting an attack and are under the impression they will be going to Region 1 to fight. During this day, draftees will be restricted to T6 and T7 and not permitted access to other areas.

Be sure to tag this post appropriately: [canon] character name

Comments

[fleurdesel]

She'd been braced for this. Informed. Medicated. Prepared for how she might react upon their arrival, put herself through every meditative exercise Ben or Luke had ever taught her, clawed at the still unresponsive bond she shared with Ben. Blank since he'd been taken and nothing, utterly nothing from him the entire time. Not dead- he'd told her what that would feel like, but absent enough to make any attempt to center herself that much more difficult on a good day. And this? Was not a good day.

Even with the warning and the pills she'd taken the first few steps are a shock. It's just a Malnosso complex, she told herself. Over and over she had told herself that it's just an island but the sudden spike of a migraine and the flush of wind, the sheer size of it did nothing to cement the lie in place.

She managed to keep a fairly tense, if stoic face for the first few minuets until she was able to find somewhere quiet and out of the way, moderately private to curl in a miserable ball and shudder her way through a frustrating attack. She remained in the alcove until it passed and she was able to find her way to the barracks and the first quiet corner that she might claim for herself, or until someone found her and helped her.

Once settled, if settled, she does what she can to aid Dr. Law with cataloging their supplies and preparing trauma kits for the pending draft. Silent, tense, and with unsteady hands she was far from friendly company.

[complicatedliar]

Unable to hold close to Rogue in such a public situation, Loki searched out the person there he felt next closest to - Adele. He was able to locate her easily enough, using his mirror to lead him to her.

Her mental and emotional state, however, he was not expecting at all. He frowned, taking a moment to just look at her.

"Adele?"

[fleurdesel]

She couldn't hear him- not through the pounding of her hammering heart in her ears, the odd ragged gasp where she was able to suck in just a little more air that was never enough. She knew the symptoms, knew what this was, and loathed every moment that it left her vulnerable. Miserable. Huddled against a wall and swearing through every sucked in breath just to establish some manner of rhythm to hold onto.

Not that it worked.

Not that it ever worked.

[complicatedliar]

When she didn't respond, Loki took another moment to consider what might be happening. He slowly crouched down to get a better look at her face.

There was something very familiar about her position, her expression, the way she seemed to be breathing - though he couldn't be entirely certain, unable to hear. "Adele?" he said again, then carefully reached out to touch her hand to get her attention.

[fleurdesel]

Locked up like this, eyes squeezed shut and breathing through clenched teeth somewhere she was certain she wouldn't be found, she jerked at the unexpected contact. Adele's head snapped up and her eyes snapped open, wide, dilated, and wild. Entirely unfocused, darting from detail to detail on Loki's face without ever truly seeing him.

[complicatedliar]

Just seeing that made him feel distinctly uncomfortable, as if it might be catching and he should run now. He resisted the urge; cowardice was of no benefit to him now.

He kept his hands on hers, the pressure carefully calibrated to not make her feel trapped - he knew that feeling, and hated it. "Adele," he said, his voice soothing, compelling. "Adele, I'm afraid I need your attention for a moment. Breathe, Adele..."

[fleurdesel]

Her breath came fast and harsh, far too shallow to offer her anything substantial, far too little for her to do anything but mouth his name once some measure of focus came into play. Not that he could hear her otherwise. Not that it mattered. Not that anything mattered but finding a way inside- she needed to be inside she'll be blown off the edge and it's a stupid thought to have but she couldn't help but have it-

The most eloquent thing from her was a half hitched sob wrapped around a frustrated growl as she squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. Couldn't breathe, hurt to breathe, and her chest so tight and cardiac arrest, she had to be going into cardiac arrest otherwise she'd be able to breathe and she wouldn't be a shuddering mess, her hands wouldn't be twisted and clinging to Loki's, shaking and clammy from sweat.

[complicatedliar]

That didn't seem to be working. Loki was loathe to touch her more, knowing how trapped that had made him feel in the past. However, something seemed to be setting her off and simply making it worse and worse. As he considered the problem, he continued in a soothing tone, "Do breathe, Adele. Breathe. I shall count for you," and on and on in a measured, calm tone.

Taking her inside where it was more quiet and there was a chance of isolation inside. He knew that was calming to him, not fearing the presence of other people.

"All right," he said, interrupting his own count. "Let's go inside. I shall pick you up." And he did so, very carefully.

It was an odd feeling. He wasn't the sort to play rescuer at all. But it also seemed oddly fair, considering what she'd done for him recently. In that light, it was all right. He liked Adele, anyway. She was someone upon whom he could depend, at least for certain things.

[fleurdesel]

Loki's words stopped being random brushes of sound and started to have meaning roughly by the word 'up', which did not help her mentality in the slightest. She was up enough, more than enough, why go further up when up was so terrifyingly dangerous?

She didn't have the time or energy to protest, though, and for all her huddled clinging he was surprisingly gentle. Not that she expected him to be anything but- or that she ever expected this. It seemed safe enough to let him do the thinking and walking and she focused on breathing, eyes screwed shut once more and face pressed into his shoulder, hands fisted in his clothing. Something to anchor her, and it wasn't the brown wool that smelled of tea and sunlight that she wanted, but it was what she had.

[rather_be_surfing]

This is not the medward, so he's not breaking his promise. And he remembers the laugh she gave him when he'd asked the other night how she was.

He hadn't been convinced she was as all right as she'd claimed.

When it's quiet, when he can be sure he's not disturbing her from work, and there's few, if any others around, he'll seek her out.

"Hey."

[fleurdesel]

As tense as she'd been when they last spoke, it's worse when he arrives. Inside and deliberately ignoring the fact they're in the air, and that helps. Just a little. Having something for her hands to do does as well- but there's a set to her shoulders and jaw that betrays her anxiety. The fact that she twitches and starts when Derek speaks is yet another symptom of her mental state.

"...Derek. Hello."

[rather_be_surfing]

He sees that and frowns, coming up to her.

"Hey. What's going on? You all right?"

[fleurdesel]

"Fine. I'm fine." Lying, but it's better than spelling it out to one more person. Having the fit earlier today was mortifying enough. "Just. Altitude sickness."

[rather_be_surfing]

He's watching her. She's lying to him. He's gotten that decent at reading her, anyway. Not that all the little physical cues before those words weren't a give away.

"No. No you aren't," he says this quietly.

"You don't have to tell me what it is, but is there anything I can do to help?"

[fleurdesel]

"No I'm not." She agrees after a moment, far from able to really act.

It's not something lightly or easily said. Not something she likes to admit to and so she takes a sideways, entirely honest route. A part of the truth rather than it in it's entirety.

"I hate heights. And...Ben would hold me."

Simulations and meditative exercises, yes, but he would hold her. Even before they'd come together romantically, he'd held her. Rather than expect anything more, she does, after a moment, extend her hand to him. That would be enough.

[rather_be_surfing]

Derek will take her hand, but he'll also hold his other arm out.

"If you can stand a poor substitute for Ben..."

She needs it. She looks like she needs it, and she's a friend. That's all he needs to know about it.

[fleurdesel]

She doesn't need to be told twice. Adele steps in, free arm looping around Derek's waist as she clings. Face pressed into his shoulder, a steady if unfamiliar heart beat under her ear, she manages to find some form of comfort.

It's terribly unprofessional. It's probably sending some manner of mixed signal. She can berate herself for it later but for the moment, for this quiet moment, she can breathe a little easier and that is because Derek is a kind man when he's not being an ass.

"Thank you."

[deathsdoctor]

It only takes one look, and Law makes an immediate decision.

"Let's get you inside and hold tight. I'm getting Itachi for you."

[fleurdesel]

She can hear words- rationalize somewhere in the back of her mind that yes, someone is talking to her, but she can't make sense of it past the gibbering, shuddering panic.

[deathsdoctor]

"Adele. Look at me." He's threading command into his voice, that pull that people instinctively feel to listen to what he is saying. He moves to block her view of anything else, so she will be forced to focus on him. "We're going inside where it's safe. Somewhere quiet. And then I'm getting Itachi and he will help you."

Calm. Compelling. He makes sure he's keeping her gaze.

"Can you walk? Or do you need help?"

[fleurdesel]

Her head snaps up, eyes skittering over Law's face as she tries and fails to focus on it as a whole. Details filter in bit by bit and slowly she's able to form a mental map of who she's looking at, who she's listening to, and what he's telling her. Law. Inside. Itachi. Help.

That last word she clings to, and her trembling hands reach out for his, or his shirt, or whatever they hit first. Something to ground her. "Help- please."

[deathsdoctor]

"I've got you."

Her hands grab his shirt while he's bending to scoop her up and carry her inside. Pull tight, and while the fabric's in no danger of ripping, it's suddenly a bit uncomfortable. His own dislike of being touched from most makes it a little worse. But he steadily ignores his own discomfort as he adjusts her in his arms so he can carry her comfortably without being jabbed too much by what she's carrying (Her rapier, sheathed or not, is rather pointy) and she isn't jabbed in turn by what he has on him (thankfully Law's nodachi is slung over his back).

"I've got you. Just listen to my voice and breathe."

[fleurdesel]

She curls and clings, making herself as small and light as possible as she's held. The hilt of her rapier digs into her hip- she can't imagine how uncomfortable it is for him. Or rather wouldn't once she could think straight. It's not often she obeys orders easily, but this she knows she needs to do. Keep her eyes shut and breathe and try not to swear at every tiny jolt his steps give her. It's Law. It's her Employer. A man she trusts implicitly.

He won't let her fall.

[deathsdoctor]

He's had much worse. This discomfort is easily ignored, along with the stares of other people as he quickly and lightly weaves his way through the arriving crowds, using his Haki to predict peoples' movements before they make them.

It opens himself up to something that's much harder to ignore, especially with the power cap off him. The life energy and emotions of thousands pressing in. It's nearly too much to bear, but he must, and he slowly adjusts because he needs to.

There's something else in the air. An energy, teasing the limits of his perceptions like a deep ocean current running under the bright sea of humanity. It is strange and alien and perhaps a little familiar to what he felt in that portal room.

It's hard to find an empty, windowless room, but Law does. Admittedly it's more of an dingy alcove, but what works works. He gently puts her down.

"This place should be safe, Adele."

[fleurdesel]

She doesn't move much as they walk. Doesn't speak, doesn't do anything more than breathe and remind herself that this is just another draft, they're on the ground, she's as safe as she's ever been in this place. For what won't be the last time she's glad she brought additional medication. Even if this is what she has to look forward to and it helps so very little, it's worth something. It'd be worse without.

Even somewhere quiet, somewhere dimmer she huddles in on herself and leans back until she's against the nearest wall. Focuses on that for a long while and takes slow, even breaths. She's still trembling all over, but her breathing isn't as ragged as it had been before.

"....thank you."