INTRO LOG: DECEMBER

[inthenightmods]

INTRO LOG: DECEMBER
IF I HAD A HEART

characters: everyone.
location: the harbor, as well as the rest of town.
date/time: december 1-3.
content: beacon's newest batch of residents arrives on the ferry. robin posts a bulletin.
warnings: n/a.

welcome to beacon.

It's dim, and the room won't stop swaying, gently rocking you back and forth. A loud sound startles you fully awake, a deep, moaning call: a foghorn. As your eyes adjust, you note faint red light streaking through the room from a tiny, round window.

You've found yourself in a private room, lying on a bed. The last things you remember are the events that led up to your death. Beside you is a folded tablet and a lantern glowing with a healthy flame.

You're on a ship. And that ship is docking.

Making your way to the deck, and eventually the pier, you find only moonlight to greet you, and a dark forest beyond. There are other people here, each with their own unique lantern, and many of them look just as lost as you are. On the ferry you've just disembarked from, the speaker system begins to play a song.

In the distance, across the waters of the lake, you can see the tall silhouette of a lighthouse, its red light slowly turning.

•••
The ferry has barely docked when everyone's tablets will ping: A new weekly bulletin has been posted!

...Aaaaaanyway, luckily for all the newcomers, the tablet and the town have some resources available for getting acquainted with their new situation! In fact, as soon as they're prompted to enter a network username, an app containing all sorts of useful welcome information will launch. Newcomers can always check out the weekly bulletins and the records in town hall as well, and everyone's welcome to get in touch with the NPCs through their inboxes.

ooc.

Hey there, wonderful players, and welcome to In the Night! You've happened to come at a chaotic time, as we've just wrapped up a rather large event. Half the town was stuck in a dreamland version of past Beacon, where they explored for clues about the town's history. The other half stayed awake and defended the town from a brutal onslaught of green-eyed, hallucination-inducing forest spirits. The town's pretty haggard after all that, so hey, there's a conversation starter! It'll be good to have some fresh faces around to help with the recovery process.

You can check out the various Enter Mr. Sandman event posts in the OOC and log comms if you're curious, and plenty of the details will likely come up ICly, as well! The aftermath is just beginning, and we're so glad to have you along for the ride. :)

DELIVERIES

The following packages can be found in the cargo hold:

• The monthly store restock
  
• For Eliot: A carton of cigarettes
  
• For Prompto: 17 pairs of reading glasses
  
• For Eleven: A pair of walkie-talkies, and enough batteries to last for 3 months of casual use
  
• For Aziraphale: 12 drums, 11 lead pipes, 10 pairs of shoes, 9 wilting corsages, 8 bottles of milk, 7 taxidermy swans, 6 goose eggs, 5 stale onion rings, 4 bins full of duck armies, 3 dead chickens, 2 turtles, and a whole tree, though it's long dead... and strung with lights and garlands and holiday ornaments!
  
• For Kol: A book
  
• For Crowley: Peppermint extract, cream of tartar, a candy thermometer, a tin of cocoa, graham crackers, a generic bottle of red wine, a t-shirt with a crown logo on it, a book of love poems, and the goods
  
• For Eleven: An assortment of wrapping paper, gift tags, ribbons, bows, and gift bags.
  
• A lot of medical supplies. The supplies are plentiful enough that everyone may handwave finding common first aid supplies that will help to triage injuries sustained during the Enter Mr. Sandman event. The supplies won't immediately cure wounds, but they will help to prevent infection and ensure proper healing. There's even an assortment of painkillers, ranging from over the counter pills to IV morphine (though, hm, it seems each character will only be able to find one dose of the hospital-grade stuff, no matter how hard they search)

If you submitted an item request last month and we've missed it here, let us know!

QUICKNAV
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Comments

[worthallthis]

Their shoulders sink a little, but they nod. They know wanting to do something one's self, make sure it's done right, because you care. "I understand. Is there anything I can do to help you?"

[lunchbreaks]

"No, I... I'll be alright, dear. But that's very sweet, thank you." He worries his hands and then looks off into the distance for a bit, lost in thought.

"And you're sure he'll be back?"

[worthallthis]

No, they're not sure. But there are a few things the Soldier can lie about: their own feelings, their own name, and things they don't want to admit even to themselves. The possibility of Crowley not coming back is absolutely something they don't want to admit even to themselves. So they say: "If I can be put back together from a grenade to the face, Crowley can be put back together from falling. He'll be back."

[lunchbreaks]

He gasps. "Oh my dear." And then he inspects Bucky's face as if he might see that it hadn't been put together correctly.

But he seems satisfied. "And you're not hurt?" he asks. "Anymore, I mean."

[worthallthis]

They duck their head a little shyly at the scrutiny. "I'm okay." There's a few healing wounds here and there, under clothing and well-bandaged, but nothing that impedes function. And certainly nothing like anything that might be left over from being exploded. "That group of spirits were made out of rock. So bullets and knives didn't do any good."

[lunchbreaks]

"So... explosives. Smart, except for the part that got you killed. I'm so sorry, dear."

But he's very happy to see that he made it back in one piece. And unhurt.

"I can only hope everyone heals so nicely."

[worthallthis]

"Couldn't get far enough away to throw it." The Soldier shrugs. "It worked. Kept Rosinante and Mary and the Invincible safe." That's all that matters.

[lunchbreaks]

"Oh," Aziraphale responds, looking at Bucky so sweetly.

"Thank you," he says. "For saving them. I'm glad you were there to protect them."

[worthallthis]

"It's my job." The Soldier tilts their head a bit. Crowley hadn't understood, maybe because Crowley always hated his job. Maybe Aziraphale will. "I haven't been able to really do my job since I died. It felt. Kinda good."

[lunchbreaks]

"Oh." Well Aziraphale understands that, because his job was to protect the humans and to spread peace and the word of God. Crowley's was to make trouble, so he very much likes to do that, still.

"While wonderful, I still hope you can do so without grievous injury. I know it's your job to ensure we don't get hurt, but we don't want to see you hurt either."

[worthallthis]

There it is again, or still. People giving a shit about injuries, of all things. Injuries heal, apparently just like death. The Soldier shakes their head a little with a small, kind of baffled smile. "People in Beacon are weird. Crowley got mad that I did it. Told me he had to protect me, too. Misty was mad, too, but all she wanted to do was fuss after, at least." They understand fussing. It makes one feel better after a shock.

[lunchbreaks]

"Yes, he's like that. He likes to protect others, no matter what he says," Aziraphale responds. "And me, that's what I'm meant to do, as an angel," he adds. "Well, sort of." He had gotten in some trouble for trying to heal people during the Black Death.

[worthallthis]

A household of protectors. Some better than others, but still. The Soldier gazes out across the church. Empty still, and would be for days. (Not forever, though. Definitely not.) "He'd be a lot happier," they say, "if he stopped pretending to be an asshole. That he doesn't care. He actually admitted he'd try to save everyone, you know. During the attacks. Helped bring people inside."

[lunchbreaks]

"Did he?" he asks, genuinely surprised. "He was an angel once, you know. He'll say it was a long time ago if you remind him. He doesn't like talking about it. But he was, and I think-- I think being around humans has helped him distance himself from the other demons. But at the same time, he'd have gotten in a load of trouble with Hell for being helpful. It's a hard habit to break, being a demon. You'll have to go easy on him."

[worthallthis]

That's one thing the Soldier understands pretty well: being a victim of the conditioning of the past, barely remembering what you used to be but knowing it was something better. Even real people have programming, sometimes. They nod slowly. "Of course. He's my friend."

[lunchbreaks]

"I do like to hear people say that," Aziraphale responds, getting misty-eyed. "He doesn't like admitting that he has them, you see." All except for Aziraphale, who he's only ever pretended not to be friends with because they had to as per their arrangement.

"You must take care of him, if I cannot."

[worthallthis]

"Of course." The Soldier will be taking care of Crowley no matter what. "Friends are precious. Why doesn't he like admitting that he has friends?" A pause. "Were friends not allowed, before?"

If that's the case... Jesus, just how much does the Soldier have in common with the guy?

[lunchbreaks]

"Not like that, but... to have friends, you sort of have to be nice. Sociable. And Crowley's not allowed to be nice." Even now, he doesn't like to admit that he's a little bit soft underneath his lacquer of dismissive immortal. "He holds you in high regards. It's quite a rarity."

[worthallthis]

Hitching a shoulder in mild, uncomfortable embarrassment, the Soldier says, "He needs time to learn better. Like me. I understand." And Crowley is kind enough to them, even when stressed and unhappy. Crowley gave them a new way to think about themselves-- said it didn't matter if he didn't understand, just that he accepted. The Soldier can't do less than that.

[lunchbreaks]

"Ah, yes. Time to accept both who you are and who you truly want to be," he answers. "But after one has died and has no obligations towards another is as good a time as any to figure it out," he adds.

[worthallthis]

The Soldier gives him a wry side-eye for the more pointed comment. "Not no obligations. We have them for each other, here." But okay, that's kind of a point. Kind of. Even if they still have handlers and technicians here, they have learned some very nice things here. Having friends is good. They'll give Aziraphale half a point for that.

And three months ago, they would never have even half-contradicted a technician like that. Not in obvious jest like this. The Soldier might not register it, Aziraphale might not even register it, but that's still growth.

[lunchbreaks]

He has noticed that Bucky has become slightly more... personable and less shaky as time has gone on. And he's very proud of him.

"Oh good. Excellent. And hopefully when Crowley's back, both of you won't have to leave again."

[worthallthis]

The Soldier is not going to hold their breath on that one, but it's a nice thought. "Hopefully." They're silent a moment, staring out across the empty church, then blink and shake themselves a little. They pick themselves up off the pew. Need to move again, get more things done. Can't stop yet, and if they sit still any longer, they won't be able to get up again. "I'll open the house back up. Get it ready for you two to come back." Get food and blankets back there, do a perimeter sweep to make sure the spirits really are done attacking, check on Misty.... "I'll be back. Okay?"

[lunchbreaks]

"Yes, yes, all right." He smiles at Bucky. "I'll make sure he comes to no harm until after he's home. At least. And please-- let me know if anything happens in town," he pleads.

[worthallthis]

"I will keep you updated," the Soldier promises. "I won't be gone long." Because they know Crowley won't be back for a while, but the thought of leaving Aziraphale here alone for all that time makes them feel... bad. So they collect the empty bowls, and get a move-on, so they can get back all the sooner.