EVENT #2: HEARTS LIKE YOURS (ACHAMOTH)

[aionmods]

Achamoth

A DEITY'S WELCOME

After only a day or two on the river, the newly christened Kenoma will arrive in the city of Achamoth. The architecture is the more striking things about it, as if its skyline has been built up and constantly improved over many centuries. It's clear from even the riverside view that there is an artistic tendency towards building humanoid shapes into the supports and detailing of structures here, creating the strange effect of placing hundreds of silhouettes in your peripheral vision. If you ask the sailors why its like that, they will simply say it's the way its always been. Any metaphorical seed was planted long before anyone here was born.

The Citadel can be seen even from the entrance of the city, a towering spiral that looms over the rest of the land around it, lit from within by various magical energies. That's your destination, you are told. Soon, you will be passed into the care of the Citadel's staff, and will be sure to meet with city's elites not long after.

They aren't wrong. When you show up at the port closest to the Citadel, the street are always lined with people waiting to greet you. It's easy to recognize now how diverse the population of Horos can be, with many of those waiting showing off unusual heights, colors, and appendages, though appearances that are typically 'human' are still the most common. Most of them wear dark outfits with a gothic flare, with mask-like facial adornments apparently being fashionable. They cheer and chant as you come down from the boat, tossing flower petals and small gemstones onto the path you walk upon. This continues all the way to the Citadel.

Once you are inside, up winding paths of stairs, you will be shown to your new quarters to rest. You're each assigned a lavish bedroom with servants stopping by ever so often, offering to bring you food, clothing, or other items of comfort. There are a variety of soaps in your room's private bath. You are told that if you take a liking to any individual servant that you may claim them as your permanent retainer, though you are not required to. Their dispositions range from euphoric to be serving you to quiet and shy, but there is a notable lack of resentment.

After about a day of rest, you will be brought an official invitation by one of the servants. Apparently, the Regent has requested your presence for supper that evening. It is not optional.

THE FEAST

A few hours before suppertime, one of the servants will arrive to take you 'clothes shopping' for something appropriately formal to wears for your meeting with the Regent. In practice, this means taking you to one of several changing rooms filled with costly formal wear. The styles and sizes are diverse, which makes sense when you are informed that they are a collection of offerings from local weavers and seamstresses, some of which have been waiting for an owner for quite some time. From an Earthly point of view, there is a wide spectrum of cultural aesthetics, though most of them lean towards the same dark colors and gothic sensibilities that you saw the citizens of Achamoth wearing. Headpieces and artistic masks are plentiful, but not mandatory though the servant will tell you they are in vogue. A servant will be able to make alterations to your clothing with magic to achieve a proper fit.

After that, you have a couple more hours to prepare before you are invited to a lounge-like area for pre-meal drinks. You can get almost any kind of cocktail you can imagine, including some you can't, and will be allowed to chat each other up for about an hour before the feast begins. Some small appetizers are available, and soft, rhythmic music plays in the background. If you look for her, Xishen is present as well, dressed in a black evening gown with golden accents that flicker like stars in the night sky, her long hair pinned up into a messy bun and decorated with hair-sticks. As usual, she seems to be avoiding company for the moment, though she is keeping an eye on everyone. Perhaps she's counting heads to make sure there are no stragglers.

When the time arrives, two huge doors are opened, leading you into a room that looks like a mixture of a dining room and a cathedral. Ahead of you, three long takes are connected together in the shape of a triangle, with a large throne positioned at the point furthest into the room; it is presently empty. You'll be instructed to take a seat, basking in the multicolored flames of the candles and torches lighting the room. As you find your places, all seats will be filled except for the throne up front, with Xishen at its side. All you can do now is await your host.

[Mealtime interactions with the Regent can be threaded here. They will arrive right after the first course has been served.]

EXPLORATION

Having survived supper with the Regent, the next few weeks are essentially yours to plan. Though the Regent indicates that there is work for you to do on the Horizon, for now your orders are to simply rest and prepare. You'll have access to the Citadel's armory to acquire any basic armor or weaponry you could need; though none of what's on offer seems to be enchanted, it is undoubtedly the work of a master. Clothing is much the same as it was for the formal wear you picked out, though you will find there are more practical offerings available as well. If you don't find anything to your tastes, you are also welcome to go out on the town with a generous allowance from the Regent's own coffers.

Clothing isn't the only thing you can get out in the city, though. While there are material goods of many kinds available, the most tempting thing for many residents is the raw hedonism of the city's entertainment district. It has just about anything you could imagine, from day spas to gambling to brothels, and none of it is contained by the burden of law. Any Achamite entertainment seen as too intense to face daylight would certainly not be for the faint of heart.

The locals haven't had enough time to recognize the city's new Aions on sight, but if they see your shard or or any other sign of your status, you are bound to attract a lot of attention. You're a celebrity in these streets, and while it can get you plenty of favors or even unsolicited offerings, it can also be quite overwhelming. In many cases, Achamite's religious fervor exceeds their survival instinct, at least in terms of the ones most likely to bother you. They will back off if threatened by you, but they will take politeness as an invitation to continue.

When leaving the Citadel, a servant will usually try to accompany you, though they will stay behind if you order them to do so. They insist that it will be easier for you to get around with a dedicated guide, but in the end you're the one in charge.

QUESTIONS

How does my character picking a retainer work?
All Kenoma are offered the opportunity to take on an NPC retainer after arriving at the Citadel. This retainer will be an NPC created and played by you. They will be available day and night to attend to your character's needs. These servants understand the Regent largely from a religious perspective and will not have any outspoken anti-Regent sentiments, though they may or may not be nervous about their new master. Generally speaking, though, this is in a new job jitters sort of way, as working in the Citadel is considered to be a job of great cultural and religious significance. They want to do a good job! You are free to develop your retainer's personality and relationship with your character. If your character (or you) are not interested in having a personal retainer, they will instead be served by a rotation of unattached servants.

How much money are Kenomas given for shopping?
They will be given an emerald's worth in jools, which is 1000 units. This is about how much a minimum wage worker makes in two months. They will continue receiving spending money on a monthly basis, though the Citadel itself will take care of all of their needs. On an OOC level its safe to say that average city expenditures will be covered by the money they are given, though they are welcome to invest that money in making more money if they have to skills to do so.

What sorts of things are there in the entertainment district? Is anything illegal?
Almost everything is legal in Achamoth when it comes to entertainment, and there is not much government oversight in the way anything is run. This means that most 'entertainment' you can imagine is both present and largely unregulated, and it doesn't need to be underground on account of how permissive Achamite law is. Brothels, drugs, and even bloodsport are all fair game... technically, participants in brothels and bloodsports must be willing but that 'consent' can be pretty nebulous. 'Extreme' bloodsport is generally hush hush (those that are particularly graphic and unpleasant, or basically torture) and behind closed doors mostly just to avoid causing a fuss.

The one thing there is official rulings on, straight from the Regent, is the enforcement of 'age of consent' and laws against child abuse. Children are generally not allowed to participate in those skeevier activities and there is a cultural expectation for people to raise their children properly, though this still goes wrong fairly frequently. It's just one of the things that is actually punished. Adults, however, have fewer innate protections.

Comments

[baltimores]

> citadel

>> new home
[ What people here don't seem to get is that Amos is just some asshole.

People fawning over him or waiting on him hand and foot is just baffling, and for a guy who doesn't emote all that much, it should be evident just by looking at him that he doesn't get why this is happening. It's not that he's objecting to having personal servants or anything, more that he takes his time responding to them, hesitating in his answers as each time he has to internally ask himself, Seriously? You're doing this for me? The fuck?

... He loves his new bedroom, though, and can easily be found lounging around in it. He won't even mind if someone barges in; this much personal space is unheard of where he's from, so by all means, if you're someone he already likes or someone who has reason to talk to him, go for it. Especially if it'll keep the servants away for a bit, because it's starting to get awkward.

If you catch his gaze — either in his own personal space or in a public lounging area, wherever — he'll raise his eyebrows before giving a cursory look around, then casually remark, ] This place is fucking weird, huh?

[ Seriously. The borderline worship — it's fucking weird. ]

>> post-feast
[ Except he's a bit more subdued the night of the feast, after it all winds down. Explaining himself to the boss had given him something serious to consider, and in a way, he's grateful for it. But it's made him more pensive, too — sitting silently in that first lounge area, staring ahead at nothing, going over in his mind how he'd made the wrong judgment call back in the cavern.

How, whatever comes next, he's going to put all of himself into it.

Not that you can't jar him out of his thoughts if you come across him. Just. There's a lot to think about right now, is all. ]


> exploration

[ The actual city is much more like what he's used to, and Amos finds himself drawn out to it frequently. He always goes out alone, not a servant in sight — he's spent plenty of time on worse streets than these, he'll be more than fine. The Regent had said to rest and prepare, so as far as Amos is concerned, this is the best shore leave he's ever had.

Taverns are an easy staple for him; turns out imbibing is a lot more fun when you're in a less stuffy environment, and Amos finds himself bouncing around between seedy and more upstanding areas, perfectly content to just sit at the bar and drink on his own.

He'll people-watch if he's curious enough, but his focus always sharpens when it looks like a bar brawl is about to break out. Not like he's going to jump in, even though a part of him wants to, and his body reflexively tenses like it's going to get involved. But. That's not what he's here for. (He hasn't even considered going anywhere there are bloodsports — not yet, at least. Doesn't feel the need.)

He learns his lesson about exposing his shard the first time he visits a spa — except he's never been to one before, and the novelty is kinda worth it. Probably helps that he actually is at a place of business, and telling the employees there to shut up lets him enjoy the services they offer in relative peace.

And — for someone who normally doesn't care that much what he looks like in public — he now knows to keep it covered up. Not a lot could have made him care; avoiding unsolicited flocking crowds'll do it.

Brothels are a bit of a different story. As much as Amos has effectively put the experience in the cavern behind him, he can tell his body is still feeling the stress from all of it — hell, it's not like he'd been having an easy go of things before waking up in a crystal, either. So he finds the ones that treat their workers well, and the ones that won't give him shit for being an Aion. He thought only the former would be important; turns out the latter is now, too.

Though if you catch him leaving one, he'll just shrug; what? He needed that. ]


> wildcard

[ plotting comment, or arii#6412 or cadiai for any further communication. ]

post-feast > amos' room

[semicharmed]

[ Matt's least favorite part of that dinner wasn't actually his exchange with the Regent. It was Misa's. It's one thing to suspect that you're not making a great first impression on the architect of a new universe; it's another to watch them react warmly to the person who stabbed you, because she stabbed you. Matt can't tell if he's feeling slighted little-siblingism, heartache, or existential dread.

Late in the evening, he appears slumped in the doorway to Amos' room. His mask has been taken off and discarded somewhere, but he hasn't gotten around to changing out of his feast clothes. Leaning heavily against the doorframe, Matt says: ]

Can I come in?

[ Has Amos ever seen someone in such a plunging shirt look so morose? "Morose" is very much the mood right now. Also, the narration feels obliged to point out that Matt's basically halfway inside already, so it's unclear whether come in is the right term for what he's asking. ]

[baltimores]

[ The whole feast had been weird, from all of the formalities to... whatever things had devolved into at various points in the night. Amos had been fine with it, for the most part — committing to taking his own lesson to heart; impassively watching as everyone else had their own exchanges. Including when Matt had spoken up. And Misa.

He knows Matt better than Misa at this point, he thinks; he'd shifted his gaze over to Matt once or twice during their whole exchange, but hadn't reacted much at all when Misa spoke up. So he hadn't really considered the implications it had had for Matt.

... And here he is.

For his part, Amos has long since discarded his "formal" wear (was it even actually that formal, though?) and has settled in to the clothes he intends to sleep in — which is to say, the equivalent of black sweatpants but for being made of the softest fabric possible, and... that'd be about it. He's already sprawled out on his new bed — on top of the covers, he isn't going to sleep yet — when Matt makes himself known, and he props himself up with his elbows at the sound of his voice. ]

Sure.

[ Like Matt hasn't invited himself in already, but Amos doesn't mind. He doesn't make any move to get up, either; just watches Matt and waits for him to settle wherever it is he's gonna settle. There's so much room. He doesn't know what to do with it.

He can't match Matt in mood, though. But he gets why he's. Well. Morose. It had been an awkward night for a lot of them; Matt probably had one of the worst goes of it. ]

What's up?

[ Amos has left his pensive attitude behind; now he's relaxed, which is... maybe for the best, in this case. The question isn't flippant though. There's sincerity in Amos' gaze as he tracks Matt with his eyes, but he's the one who's gonna have to open the door first. (Which he's pretty sure he's gonna, seeing as how he's... already literally done that at least once so far. But it's fine.) ]

[semicharmed]

[ Matt doesn't know what he expected of Amos in terms of demeanor, if anything, but it's kind of nice that his energy is so relaxed. Matt thinks of himself as bad at reading people (and most people agree), but he does tend to soak in their vibes. And he could really use some serenity right now.

He oozes into the room. Its size doesn't really throw him, though it's nice after weeks spent in a military encampment and a cave and then the months before living in a cramped student apartment. These rooms remind Matt of the house he grew up in, both in terms of their space and luxury and in a sense of ... distance, he supposes. The comforts here feel like something he's meant to live up to, rather than to enjoy.

Matt settles at the foot of the bed, his elbows flopped on the mattress and chin resting on top. For a moment, he regards Amos searchingly, though what he's searching for is just a place to begin. Eventually, he sighs. ]

I don't think they like me.

[ Matt can hear genuine hurt in his own voice, which is ridiculous. And embarrassing? But he can't help it. ]

[baltimores]

[ The familiarity with which Matt moves through his space — as despondent as said movements are — isn't lost on Amos. All it is is a single data point for him, though; less meaningful than what he'd learned about Matt down in the cavern, before they'd both accepted the Kenoma, but still just that. Not a big deal.

... Someone who, in better circumstances, probably has a better sense of how to live somewhere like this, so he can keep that in mind for later. Because right now, he's gotta handle this.

Amos sits up proper as Matt settles so he doesn't totally kill his neck. He pauses, thinking over what to say. ]

Yeah, you kinda fucked some things up there, huh.

[ ... Sorry, man. Despite the blunt words, there is a hint of an apology in his voice. He shrugs. ]

Could be worse. Not like you got the worst of it. [ The show with Emet-Selch had been... something. Amos had played cards with him on the boat on the way here, but that was about it. Not enough to get an opinion on him; there's a bewildered, bordering on bad, taste in his mouth now.

He's got plenty of time for Matt, though. ] I mean, I figure you got a second chance. Something like that happened to me once. Fucked up my first assignment; boss gave me a different job.

[ A beat, and when he speaks again, the casual drawl is gone from his voice, replaced with something a lot heavier. ]

Should probably get the next one right.

[ He's speaking for the both of them now. Amos may not have received the admonishment others did, but he's well aware he needs to do a lot better the next time, too. ]

[semicharmed]

[ Emet-Selch is on Matt's mind too. He'd found the whole civil disobedience thing pretty uncomfortable, to be fair--and the Regent didn't react the way that, say, cops would have back on earth. They didn't have Emet-Selch dragged from the room or attacked by guards, they just asked him to leave.

He doesn't seem to mind Amos' blunt assessment. The twitch of his lips for fucked some things up is almost amused, if bleakly so. ]

I thought I was doing the right thing, [ Matt murmurs. ] I mean, in hindsight, I can definitely see how I put people at some unnecessary risk ... but then the Regent seemed to say we weren't actually in serious danger after all? With the thing about Xishen being there to protect our shards?

[ He shifts slightly, one hand turning over to cup the faceted patch of crystal at the side of his neck. ]

I don't really understand that part.

[ Ugh. He's already straying from the point he'd come in with. Matt pauses, trying to marshal his thoughts into something like a manageable order. ]

When your boss gave you the new job, what did you do? Like, how did you make sure you got it right?

exploration - bar!

[zauneyete]

[ Bars are much better than the stuffy halls of the Citadel, and while it's not the same raucous, neon-lit haze that the Last Drop had under Silco's watch, it's... familiar enough that sitting at the bar, and watching the locals has a sort of creature comfort. People were the same, no matter where they went, after all, and just like in Zaun, it's easy to see the little strands of how a group of people functioned. The little things, like who the bartender served first, and the demeanor they had when they did so -- were they friend, or a good tipper? Who in a group got drunk the fastest, how excitable they became, when the fights looked imminent, and when the bouncers started muscling their way through -- or if they did.

When someone at the bar laser focused on the brewing fight, and the way they looked ready to strike.

Silco wasn't far from them, and he leaned over, crossing two seats to speak up. It was hard to not know who the fellow aions were, when they all had such an intimate little feast together. ]

You look just about ready to get up an join them. [ He said, indicating with his only half-filled glass toward the brewing fight. ] You'd think they'd go for bloodsport, if they're all so eager to fight, instead of making a mess here.

[baltimores]

[ Amos took a moment longer to watch the brewing fight. Some pushing, some shoving; a whole lot of posturing, the kind of thing he's never bothered with. Either they would get to it or they wouldn't.

So far it was a wouldn't, but those sorts of things did have a habit of just happening out of nowhere. With time to spare, Amos flicked his gaze over from the potential fighters to Silco. Recognition dawned on his face as he did so — so they were both incognito out here, but for each other — before settling in to something neutral. ]

Sometimes it's something you need to get out of your system. [ Telling on himself there, wasn't he. Amos' voice was a low drawl as he spoke, casual and not inclined to draw any outside attention, lest there was something he needed to get out of his system. That happened sometimes, and it had been a stressful time until recently. ] Don't need to make it anything more than it is. I'd sooner get into a quick and dirty bar brawl than have to go through a whole thing elsewhere.

[ It took him another moment to realize his grip around his own glass had tightened a bit too much; another second, and he loosened it. Kinda proved the guy's observation about him there, hadn't he. He shifted to face him a little better, if this was gonna be a thing now. ]

Amos.

[ Just in case he'd yet to catch his name. They were gonna get to know each other eventually, in all likelihood. So. Might as well. ]

[zauneyete]

[ Silco knew types like that. It was how Sevika was, and how...other individuals had been in his life. He nodded, although he had no drive himself for such things. Why put your life in danger like this, when it was so much cleaner, easier, to simply plot, or plan. Perhaps even a knife in the dark?

He nodded, regardless, mismatched gaze noticed the glass, but said nothing. Bruisers were those types, and they could hardly help themselves. His own grip loose, relaxed. Fights didn't bother him, and he barely flinched, when an individual stepped past him, aiming toward the rest. ]

Silco.

[ He introduced himself, his tone idle. They were a motley lot, thus far, weren't they? Different types, different experiences -- some even that thought they knew better than others. Some that were properly deferential to the Regent. He remembered this one from the dinner, asking questions, but never... disrespectful. ]

You seem to know what they're going through, our entertainment for the evening. I'm surprised I didn't see you getting into too many with our new foes.

Or was I just wrapped up in my own little...bubble.

[ He was still annoyed, and nobody could hold a grudge like Silco. ]

[baltimores]

[ He looked away from Silco for a second, tracking the new body that was stepping towards the would-they-or-wouldn't-they fray. Not to be rude or anything, just that it had been pretty obvious Silco wasn't about to go anywhere, where this could have been an interesting new development.

And yet, nothing, so Amos turned right back to Silco at his own introduction. He inclined his chin slightly in acknowledgement, placing him. The Regent had approved of him, he remembered; he also remembered the look he'd shot Matt, the way Matt had come to Amos' room sometime after the feast to talk things out. The whole bubble thing suddenly clicked into place, and Amos exhaled in mild amusement. He didn't intend to be mocking, just... well. Silco had said it first. ]

I dunno what their problem is. If it was me, I'd have thrown a fuckin' punch by now. [ He brought his beer up to his lips then, taking a small drink as he checked over his shoulder. Raised voices, but still nothing meaningful. He sighed as he set his glass back down, turned to properly face Silco again. ] But nah. I didn't fight anyone back there. That was different; it didn't feel right. And I didn't need anything then.

[ There hadn't been the need to quell anything inside him; he hadn't felt much of anything, period, since accepting the Kenoma — it was almost like a pleasant return to his status quo. And he liked some of the Pleroma. He wasn't entirely sure what to do with those feelings now, considering what the Regent had said. Amos reached up to scratch at the back of his head; a casual, if only barely restless motion. ]

Guess I fucked that one up. I won't the next time. [ And, as though it was an afterthought. ] Don't think you'll have to deal with any bubbles again, either.

[ He liked Matt; they'd talked; might as well vouch for him if it was gonna come up. ]

[zauneyete]

[ Matt had said as much, of course. That wasn't... necessarily a good enough reason for Silco. Feeling apologetic was one thing, but he couldn't necessarily plot revenge and stab him in the back. Not here. He was certain the Regent wouldn't allow it. However, that didn't mean that he couldn't... keep it in mind for the future.

Silco was, after all, a man who didn't take being crossed lightly. Last time it happened, he plotted revenge for ten years, tortured him, stabbed him in the back, overdosed him, and then stole his daughter. All in a day's work. Silco watched the simmering fight, and listened to Amos. Need anything, he said. What a curious way to describe it. ]

I have -- well, I suppose had now -- a great many dealings with topside back home. I've learned one key to surviving. When you're in Piltover, you act like the locals, until you know what is and isn't allowed. [ When in Rome, in essence. ]

I think, thankfully, you were not alone in being wrong. [ He shrugged. His glass remained untouched, unlike Amos. He patted his jacked, and pulled out a cigar. Thankfully, he'd been around enough to find those. ] And not the most wrong, among our... compatriots, hm? [ He lifted one real eyebrow. ]

We all could have... messed up a great deal more, I suspect.

post-feast

[lockedon]

[ Dinner had been......well, a lot would still somehow manage to be an understatement. Oppressive, stressful, unexpected might be a few ways he'd describe it if forced, but even that handful of words don't manage to do it justice.

It's with no small amount of relief when they're all finally dismissed and free to do as they like for the rest of the evening. There's one chair that's notably empty, and Eustace can't help his eyes from wandering back even as he pushes his own chair back and strides back into the lounge, pausing near one wall to close his eyes and catch his breath. He's not one to lose composure easily, but he's always been more equipped to handle a physical battlefield than a verbal one. And the Regent, it seems, has no qualms about using as much force as necessary on either.

He opens his eyes to the lounge mostly empty, a few bodies scattered here and there. There's no reason for him to linger longer than necessary, but neither is there any reason for him to go back to that unnecessarily opulent room with a small coterie of servants practically begging to serve him in any way possible. No, he'll stay here a little longer. Mull over everything that'd been said over dinner—and everything that had been left unspoken but heavily implied.

Eventually, the lounge empties out, save for one person. A person he's spoken to before, which is more than he can say for the rest of his new compatriots. Deep in thought, but maybe that's a good thing right now. Maybe he has some that are worth sharing.

Peeling himself away from the wall, Eustace heads over, stopping about two feet away. ]

Not ready to go back to your room?

[baltimores]

[ For everything dinner had been, Amos hadn't really found himself all that affected by it. Even with the one particularly notable event, he'd just observed and moved on — it hadn't happened to him, so it was of little consequence. Hadn't done anything to affect his impression of the Regent, either.

He's more concerned with making sure he doesn't let them down again. That's where all of his focus lies — not for any concern for himself or anyone else, but how he might ruin things in the bigger scheme of things if he fucks up. He's not used to bigger picture stuff, he'd said. And this is about as big a picture as one can deal with.

Amos blinks, looking up at the sound of Eustace's voice. Recognition flashes in his eyes, followed by a kind of warmth, an unmistakeable friendliness now in his demeanour. He remembers how Eustace had helped him in the cavern, so he likes him, as much as he likes anyone. ]

Nah. There's nothing there I can't get out here. [ Except, well, that's technically not true; his bed's back there. A change of clothes. But if he needs somewhere to just sit and think, this place is as good as any.

He tilts his head, shifts his body in a way that invites Eustace to come sit down next to him without being so obvious about it. Like, if he wants to, there's room; if he doesn't, that's cool too, but he might as well if he's gonna be here. ] You neither, huh?

[ There'd been some kind of kinship between the two of them back then, Amos thinks. Maybe this is more of that. As much as he'd let the events of the evening pass over him... it's still nice to have. ]

[lockedon]

[ It's a fair enough answer and he nods once absently, accepting it for what it is. He lets his attention wander as he ponders his own reply, back to observing the servants that mill around and the ostentatious decorations that hang off each wall. It's a setting completely different from anything he's ever experienced before. Kind of laughable, really, to go from a simple country boy to something akin to a minor deity. But mostly, it's unnerving and unsettling.

Eventually, his gaze returns back to Amos. ]

Something like that. It's too much space.

[ Too much of everything for a single person to need. He doesn't seem all too happy about their circumstances, an everpresent frown still glued to his face, but hard to say if that's because of dinner or just because that's how he always looks.

He hooks a single thumb in his pants pocket, lifting his chin ever so slightly. ]

What did you think? Of [ our new boss ] our first official dinner?

[ It's kind of a pointless answer to ask out here, when there are so many eyes and ears upon them, but he's curious all the same, and there's plenty that can be gleaned from subtext or even an absence of answer. ]

[baltimores]

[ He settles back into his seat, perfectly at ease there — seriously, so many things are so soft and comfortable — though Amos does glance around at their surroundings at the notion of there being too much space. Yeah, he'd agree with that; displays said agreement with a nod. That goes for back in their rooms, too; is he supposed to be throwing fucking parties in there or something? It's especially weird to move from cramped quarters for most of his life to all of that.

... It gives him a kind of appreciation for it, too. His objection lies more in how others technically below them — and isn't that its own thing — are treating them as opposed to non-sentient luxuries. Turns out he'll have a lot of time for those once he gets used to them.

He blinks up at Eustace at the question, expression amiably blank. He's not exactly worried about anyone listening in here, so all Eustace is gonna get is complete honesty. ]

Probably the best meal I've ever had in my life. [ Why not take the question at face value; especially when the food's only gonna provide good memories. Now that's something he requires no encouragement in getting used to.

Amos pauses when recalling what had been said to him, though; the thoughts that have kept him out here this long, and he sighs, sitting up a little straighter, hands resting limp between his knees. ] Think it's good to know what's expected of us. I get how I fucked up before, not stopping anyone in the cavern. Don't know if I would've made a difference, but still fucked up. Now I know what to do next time.

[ Yeah, he's kinda all in already. The sign of the Lover is visible on the back of his right hand, scar picked up from the ritual; he knows what it means, but has yet to really apply it to understanding his own actions. Just not the sort of thing that would occur to him to do. He is who he is. Analyzing things further is pointless. ]

Everything that went down back there... I dunno. I don't have a problem with any of it. [ Including one particularly notable interaction, yes. ] We know more now. That's not a bad thing.

post-feast!

[lifespanned]

Heeey, Amos!

[ Hello, sir, she's bonking him on the top of the head from behind with her mask as she comes waltzing back into the lounge room, leaning over to get a good look at him. She seems to be in high spirits - not at all worried or perturbed by the night's events. Maybe that's why there's a look of genuine surprise when she sees how deep in thought he is. ]

You were so far away at the table! We should've sat near each other. [ Once she finally rounds her way to be in front of him, and she actually has a chance to take in how serious he looks in comparison to her carefree ways, she tacks on an afterthought: ] ...Wait, you didn't eat something bad, did you?

[baltimores]

[ Even though he hears his name, the bonk takes him by surprise. Amos blinks, jarred from his thoughts; relaxes once he sees it's just Misa.

Can't help the small smile that graces his features for a second, because apparently she just has that effect on him. (And the Regent, too, maybe, so even better.) He shakes his head in response to the question, and it feels like an echo of the first time they'd spoken. ]

Nah. Food was good. [ Good is underselling it; that was probably the best meal he's had in his life. The only part of the feast that had really bothered him was being made aware of how he'd messed up and how much he doesn't want to do it again. ] Next time we'll sit closer.

[ ... Is there gonna be a next time? If there's a next time. Amos pats the spot beside him; hell, come sit next to him right now. Why not, right? ]

You had a good night, huh?

[ Whatever it is that's plaguing him obviously isn't a factor for her — and he is genuinely happy to see her in such good spirits. It helps that it's breaking him out of his own funk, too. ]

[lifespanned]

Hehe, I guess so. I was pretty sure I was gonna get yelled at. But it turns out that I did a good job!

[ Grinning, she happily takes the seat next to him, kicking her legs merrily. She feels glad she was able to get a smile out of him— as easy as it is for her to acclimate to this place, she'd hate it if the people she's grown to like were having a hard time. The other part of it is that she might not be an idol anymore, but it still comes naturally to her to try to brighten the room around her. ]

Everything the Regent said gave me lots of ideas on how to go forward, too. So tonight was awesome. [ It inspired her. The boat ride here had felt quite aimless, but now she has a very clear vision of what she will chase after from this moment on. ] Besides— they were pretty cool, huh? So mysterious.

[baltimores]

[ Looking back over the course of his life, Amos is pretty sure he's never been around anyone like Misa. There really is something about her energy that's captivating to him — unbridled joy was far from a regular presence in his life, and turns out it's nice to be around.

He leans back against his seat, really settling in, getting comfortable as he turns to properly look at Misa, still with a small grin. He's just happy she's in such good spirits. ]

Sure. I dunno so much about mysterious — [ well, no, that part's objectively true. It's just not what he cares about, compared to — ] but I know they're on the right side of things.

[ His easy drawl fades into something more serious as he goes on, because that's what's really important to him. Playing for the right team — and he knows this is it. And he hadn't exactly got off to the best start.

Amos blinks, and settles back in to something happier. Not like he can't rectify that, so that's what he'll do. ]

What're you thinking for going forward? Maybe you can count me in.

[ Neither of them have powers; they're of the same Legacy; there's enough in common between the two of them that whatever she's thinking of, he could probably help with. ]

exploration

[epiprocta]

[ It's when Amos is enjoying his time in one of the quieter bars, not long after that dramatic banquet, that he might see movement at the corner of his vision -- and glance over to see Gen sliding into the seat next to him. ]

Hey.

[ He'd never admit it out loud, but Gen's kind of glad to have found Amos here. Even if this is the quieter side of the entertainment district, relatively speaking, it's still far more bustling than most of his hometown had been. And while he'd been too curious to resist the urge to poke his nose around the place, it's not like he's actually that familiar with bars. So it's good to see a familiar face as he takes a breather, away from the noise and commotion of the streets.

When the bartenders turns to him he does a decent enough job playing casual as he orders a beer, but he gives a wary glance around at his surroundings before settling properly into his seat and looking to Amos. ]

Been spending most of your time around places like this?

[baltimores]

[ Amos lifts his chin in greeting, his expression brightening a little at Gen's appearance. Kinda nice to see him out and about, let alone the fact that he approached him. So he figures he's doing something right there. ]

Hey.

[ He'd agreed to not treat Gen like a kid, so any instance where he looks out of place being here, Amos glosses over. He throws back the rest of his beer and, while the bartender's still there, orders another one for himself with the practised ease of someone who might consider a place like this a second home. It's nice that for all of the downgrade in technology, bars are still bars.

He nods in thanks as their new drinks arrive before turning to face Gen as well, resting his arm across the bartop. ]

Sure. Not that I don't mind the accommodations back home — [ not like he's going to start talking publicly about living in the Citadel; that seems like a bad idea — ] but it's less weird here. You get to go out and just be you, you know?

[ Not that he feels any pressure regarding being an Aion, being as close to the Regent as he is. It's everyone else supposedly below them in status where things get weird. At least out here, nobody knows they're technically well above them in the hierarchy. ]

Besides, we had lots of places like this where I'm from. Kinda nice that hasn't changed.

[epiprocta]

Yeah, I guess.

[ Gen snorts as he nudges Amos' beer over, then pulls his own closer. ]

As long as you keep your ... thing -- [ Tapping a finger at his throat, just below his Adam's apple, where his shard is. ] -- hidden. Accidentally let someone catch a glimpse of it earlier, I was just fiddling with my collar, and had to deal with that whole mess afterward. Pain in the ass.

[ It's a dubious honor, but Amos is, despite everything, one of the few people here Gen feels comfortable enough around to casually gripe like that. And feeling a touch relieved now that he's vented those complaints, he sighs and takes a long drink of his beer. Despite his age he's comfortable enough with booze; he won't be drinking recklessly, but he's sure going to enjoy what he does decide to indulge in.

Not to mention, this stuff's better than the cheap swill that the construction workers back home usually drank. ]

... so is this kinda what it was like, back where you're from? Baltimore. [ He props his chin up on his hand, gazing out over the rest of the bar and further, towards the sliver of the streets outside visible through the windows, as he mulls over that thought. ] S'hard getting used to the crowds. Even when they don't know what we are.

[baltimores]

[ There's a small huff from Amos as he accepts his beer; breaks it in as Gen starts talking, though he maintains eye contact. He's listening, after all. He grimaces slightly as he sets his glass back down, in time for Gen to talk about fiddling with his collar, a wince of sympathy. ]

Shit. Guess I lucked out with where mine ended up. [ And with that, he reaches to idly scratch at his chest — not exactly where his shard is, and the movement's casual enough so that nobody watching would really think twice about it, but it's a rough indication of what he's dealing with. If he wore a shirt with a low enough collar, sure, maybe he'd get into trouble. ... So he just won't do that. ] Fuck, I bet it is.

[ A pain in the ass, that is — that's rough, buddy. And dubious as his honour may be, Amos is feeling pretty good about Gen being so relaxed around him. He might even go so far as to call it friendship. Not like he has the best read on the concept, but they're of the same Legacy; they're hanging out; sure feels like that's what this is.

Doesn't so much as bat an eye at Gen's partaking in alcohol, since legal limits were always pretty dicey where he's from. He takes another sip as Gen talks, idly wondering what it would feel like to have a shard in the throat as he swallows. It's gotta suck. ]

Sure was. [ What Baltimore was like. He follows Gen's gaze, looking out at nobody and nothing in particular. A tilt of his head as he considers. ] This spot's nicer than what I had to deal with, but depending what station you were on, space was a lot like this, too.

[ He pauses; he'd never considered having to get used to crowds. Makes sense, though, if Gen was only ever from a small town. It's just been a long time since he experienced any kind of meaningful culture shock. ]

Normal circumstances, most of them don't care about you. They just wanna do whatever the hell it is they're doing. You stay out of their way, they'll stay out of yours kinda thing. Though I remember first time I went up the gravity well, I had to get used to being boxed in on all sides. It was weird, but, [ he shrugs, ] got there eventually.

[ He looks back at Gen out of the corner of his eye, his voice taking on a teasing tone. ]

Though I guess you always got the option of staying back home if it's too much.

new home

[perfectlygoodbird]

[Meteion doesn't 'barge' anywhere. She is of course wandering the halls; if Amos left his door open, he gets the birdlike girl peeking in with a wave; otherwise, he'd get the same reaction if he's lazing about in a common area. He might get her perching nearby to speak to him, or respond...

Her expression is probably comedic with the way her brows go up, but she smiles a bit, nonetheless.]

It is strange! Nor am I used to the people being so...deferential. That was not the case where I'm from...but Achamoth is definitely not like Elpis...

I've seen you before! In the cavern and on the boat, but we've not officially met. My name is Meteion. May we please be friends?

[It's hardly a conscious thing, but Meteion tends to be charming and disarming as a matter of her course, though that has made people wary of her. She's just not very deceptive, when it comes down to it.]

[baltimores]

[ A lounge area, then, where Amos had so happened to look up to find her before announcing how weird the whole place was.

At first, he blinks at her response — hadn't expected anything that bright, or for her to sound so young, but it seems obvious in hindsight — before settling into it.

He offers her a small smile in return. ]

Seen you, too. [ She would've been hard to miss — Amos has never seen anyone like Meteion before. There'd just been so much else going on that passing glances kinda ended up being all that were available. ] I'm Amos. And sure, we can be friends.

[ He's unmistakably an adult, but there's something innocent to the amiable way Amos responds to her, a part of his development cut off early enough that he'll happily take things at face value. When that face value matches the real thing, it's all the better. ]

Achamoth ain't like anywhere I've ever been. What's Elpis like? I've never heard of it before.