EVENT | SETTLING IN

[historiadores]

SETTLING IN

Initial quarantine period is over, but the newest arrivals in Llave, known colloquially as “Los Aparecidos” (The Appeared), remain largely restricted to the shelter for two primary reasons: one, as they are currently stateless, meaning they have no rights to citizenship anywhere, what to do with them continues to be debated; and two, it has become rapidly obvious that many have zero knowledge not just of the nation they find themselves in, but of the wider world around them.

The former has been explained to them via the lawyers who have taken their collective case, and further clarified by the prime minister, Rosario Alonzo de León, when she and several members of her government return to speak again with the arrivals. A highly intelligent and capable woman in her late forties, she makes a point of sitting with each newcomer to Llave to converse about their experiences thus far and what concerns they have.

As for the lagoons in characters’ knowledge, steps are being taken to address these.

Classes are being held now, in order to prepare the arrivals for whatever happens next. Characters will be taught a variety of skills, including but not limited to communication methods such as mail, phones, television, radio and the Internet; use of appliances, including basic lessons on modern utilities; and general safety rules both inside and outside the home. Characters can request specific classes or volunteer to help teach their companions. (And for anyone learning or helping to teach how to read and write, a reminder that the Spanish alphabet consists of 27 letters: ‘ñ’ has its place after ‘n’. And ‘ll’ and ‘rr’ have their own sounds.)

The woman organizing the classes has become well-known to the arrivals: Evelyn Burgos Peña was a clinical social worker before leaving her previous work to assume the duties of First Lady when her wife was elected. Aside from spearheading the new education efforts for the arrivals, she has also been working diligently with the Bajari Bara to establish the second change in the daily routine.

Due to the generally acceptable behavior during the Day of Heroes, characters are now sometimes permitted to leave the shelter to visit Old Nona. These group excursions are not every day, and last only a few hours. One of these excursions is tied to a class to which all are invited. Rather than make learning more about Llave itself a tedious lecture, on the week of November 22nd, the museum characters arrived at has opened its doors to them for a special exhibit on the island's early history. Characters are accompanied as they were during the Day of Heroes by a guide and an escort of Bajari Bara.

Characters are reminded being permitted outside is a privilege. Until the matter of their legal status is resolved, they have few rights and fewer legal protections. Behavior and curfew are both strictly enforced, and violations will result in the loss of this privilege.

Otherwise, the routine in the shelter remains the same. Caseworkers still check in daily and will refer those who present a need or who request it to the appropriate mental health professionals. Hot meals continue to be provided three times a day along with snacks. A projector was brought in and a different movie is aired every night (General Audiences only—remember, there are children present), with the shelter staff providing snacks to make it a movie theater experience. Entertainment items—books, games, sports equipment, art supplies, etc.—are available and can also be requested (though no promises are made that characters will get exactly what they want, especially if the item can double as a weapon).

Possession of weapons remains strictly prohibited and any visible weapons will be confiscated. Any who attempts to flout this rule, starts fights in the shelter or in Nona or attempts to break out will be swiftly separated from the rest by the Bajari Bara. Further violence will result in consequences according to their actions.

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THE MONTH'S HEADLINES

• Red chickcharney seen celebrating during the Day of Heroes.
• Tombs found disturbed in Nona's Old Cemetery.
• Santa Cecilia cattle farmers on high alert after cows, sheep found mauled.
• Unidentified flying object spotted off the coast of Bimini.

OOC PLANNING POST • NAVIGATION

Comments

[lordofdarkness]

[Nico snorts, shaking his head, but his usual anger on the subject is absent. He's here with his sister, free of Zeus's influence apparently. He isn't going to waste his energy on him.]

Might as well where I'm from. Me and Percy—he's a son of Poseidon—can't even take an airplane anywhere. He'll shoot us down.

It was worse for Percy, but he's not exactly happy my dad had any kids either. You know, Olympian drama. [He straightens then, giving up his hair as a lost cause.]

[inkings]

[ mal cards her fingers through nico's hair. a simple spell and the remaining sand slides out. she dusts off a few grains from his bare shoulder, and kisses nico's cheek. ]

Maybe I can cut through your universe en route to mine.

[ returning to the palm, she picks up the ember. raised by her mother, she proudly owned her fae nature. not so for the other half of her. what did being the daughter of a god win her? a father who never wanted her. the potential for greater fear and more scorn. but she can no more tear by the root her divine nature than she could suppress being a fairy.

her mother was a fairy queen; her father, a god. she shrank the one into a lizard; she forced the other back into his prison.

when mal tips her head sweetly in nico's direction, her eyes burn. ]

Being stripped of his powers might teach old weather boy some humility.

[lordofdarkness]

[He laughs and shoots her a grateful smile for the clean head of hair, eyes landing on the giant ass jewel in her hand that he'd noticed before but had been too busy being buried in sand to ask about.

He doesn't comment on the impossibility of what she's suggested, mostly because it's a very nice thought, even if he doubts even someone like Mal could do it. Zeus is the king of the gods and all. Still he meets her eyes with a curious look of his own.]

What is that?

[inkings]

Hades' Ember. My father's one gift to me. Will only respond to Hades himself or one of his descendants, which back home is just me.

And— [ she holds it up for nico to see, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth— ] it's capable of draining the power of any being. Including a god.

[lordofdarkness]

I'll take ten.

[inkings]

[ BURSTING OUT LAUGHING. ]

There is only one, I'm sorry, [ she manages between giggles as soon as she has regained control.] But I tell you what.

[ stepping back toward nico, mal fondly tucks his unruly hair behind his ear. she clasps the ember against her chest. the interior of the stone glows, strangely. ]

As soon as we've found the way back, I'll make a pit stop by Auradon to pick up a few helpful items. [ evie's mirror, evie herself, fairy godmother's wand, her mother's scepter. you know. common, helpful items. ] Then we can swing by your world and…upend the established order.

[ she playfully wrinkles her nose at him. a brother and a sister, casually plotting high treason— ]

[lordofdarkness]

[He loves her. A lot. Nico leans his head into her touch and smiles brightly, a long way from the melancholy expression he'd been wearing when she found him.]

Sounds like we're going on a quest. [The most noble of quests for the most noble of sisters. He snickers under his breath and shakes his head, reaching over to hook one arm around her waist and tuck his head on top of her shoulder.]

Yours too. Let's do some upending there too.

[inkings]

[ wrapping her arms around nico, mal squeezes him. ]

You know, someone once told me Ben would never make a villain a queen. And as it turns out…

[ laughing, she hugs nico again. stepping back, she lets her hand slide down to his. she threads their fingers together, and slightly swings their hands. ]

I can't wait for you to meet Ben. He will love you as much as I do, I'm sure of it. There is going to be a room in the castle just for you. Oh, if you're going to be part of the court, you'll need a title. Duke, I think.

Your Grace, Duke Nico di Angelo, brother to the Queen.

[ she beams at him brightly. for the moment, her failures are far away. they are young and they are powerful and they are going to right the world's wrongs and carve a place and a name for themselves in the land and in history. ]

[lordofdarkness]

[He pulls back from her just enough so she can see the playfully horrified look on his face. He isn't even sure why it's there only that the thought of a title is horrifying.]

How about, "your-[Nope, he's noping out of that. Is it literally just a commonly used word? Yes. Does he still not want to hear it? Also yes.] highness, the Ghost King? That's my actual title you know.

I took it from Minos.

[inkings]

[ mal raises an eyebrow. ] If you're a king, the style would be "Your Majesty."

[ and she knows this because it was also a whole class. court life one-oh-one. ]

[lordofdarkness]

Ugh. [He makes a face and rolls his eyes.]

Too much for me. Leave me a mystery. It'll be more intimidating. [He grows thoughtful for a second and then snorts quietly.]

If I get to meet Ben, you have to meet Will too. [Then after a short pause] I mean, not like it's the same because we're just—and you and Ben are like, you know. I just mean because he's my...um. You know. Person. He's my stupid person and I want you to meet him.

[inkings]

Because he’s your boyfriend?

[ “boyfriend” is what she says. but the way she drags it out—and her terrible smirk at his expense—rather suggest “lover.” ]

[lordofdarkness]

[Nico turns his face back into her shoulder, hiding from view. His words are muffled but still coherent enough to be understood.]

Why are you like this?

[Then louder] Yes, that. Whatever.

[inkings]

[ continuing to be like this because otherwise she might die— ]

I do not think Will, my brother-in-law who I have yet to meet but who is already my favorite, would appreciate being called “whatever.”

[ shame on you, ghost king.😑 ]

[lordofdarkness]

Usually I just call him my significant annoyance. [Will knows he is Like This okay. He's aware. Although to be fair, in more recent days, he has been upgraded to boyfriend, on occasion.]

Anyway, the point is, I want you to meet him. And I want to meet Ben. Even if they have to give me a stuffy title to do it. [He's grinning again and nudging her shoulder.]

[inkings]

I want to give you a stuffy title, [ mal corrects with a poke into his side. ]

I can elevate my family in the court. And you...are pretty much it.

[ she rolls her eyes delicately, her raiment glittering in the warm sunlight. ]

Can you imagine trying to present Hades to the court? Ugh. [ she makes a face and laughs. ]

[lordofdarkness]

[That prompts immediate laughter from him and he shakes his head.]

No. [Pause.] Although, I do think I'd enjoy him meeting Ben. [For reasons. Teasing aside, he reaches for her hand.]

I have other family, but...[He's quiet, feeling a little weird for saying it, but wanting to anyway.] They aren't like you, Mal. As weird as it is being in this place, I don't mind it with you here. I think it was worth it for getting to meet you.

this is cute as heck wtf!!!

[inkings]

[ mal opens her arms and looks down at herself, clad in silks and diamonds. this is a “only fairy/demigod in the world” joke.

in the next moment though, her expression softens into a soft smile. she brushes his bangs away from his eyes. ]

I’m glad. Because I wouldn’t trade you for all the crowns in the world, Nico.

[ she misses ben so much it’s like a physical ache. she misses the sweet comfort of evie. she misses jay and she misses carlos terribly. but she also knows that she would have regretted it all her life…if she had passed up knowing nico. had she been told of his existence, she would have jumped through any portal, walked through any doorway.

she would have looked for him. she would have found him. ]