logsinthenight | That One With the Meeting [OPEN]

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That One With the Meeting [OPEN]

characters: Cao Pi and OPEN!!!
location: the town hall
date/time: appx moonrise Sept. 2, for a couple of hours
content: Cao Pi proposed a meeting for everyone to talk about what ideas they have for organizing, protecting the town, and safely exploring their confines. This is that meeting. Newcomers are welcome as well! Assume characters have heard about it through the grapevine, but especially on Sept. 1 as Cao Pi makes the rounds and tells people this is happening. He will have a moment to orate but after that the floor is open, threadjacking is encouraged, and whatever comes of this is a complete free-for-all!
warnings: probably some discussion of character death. lmk if I need to edit this.

Despite the fact that Will Ingram's messages providing further information were yet to come, Cao Pi had made a public promise and he would hold himself to it, carrying out his meeting as described. At moonrise on the 2nd, he is already present in the town hall, hoping to see not just those who told him they would be there, but also some of the unfortunate newcomers freshly thrown into this situation. He had done his best to prowl around the Invincible and the bonfire, mentioning that the meeting would happen, but he still had to rely on word of mouth to do its work.

When he decides there are enough people present to begin, the Lord of Wei steps up before the assembly, clearing his throat importantly. "For better or worse," he begins, "we are a community. A town, if we are not a country. The hints and cryptic comments from the Lighthouse Keeper have suggested that we have a job to do, but we're still waiting on information as to what it is and why - why us, why the dead stolen from their worlds or their respective afterlives. But the recent mission to connect the Keeper to the network our tablets can access has shown a number of weaknesses that may hamper our ability to do any job, let alone the one which will keep us all from being permanently obliterated." Is that harsh? Too bad. He doesn't care. "We know a few things for certain. One, that we must carry out the purpose which the Keeper understands and encourages. Two, if we fail in any way, she will kill us all by ordering the spirits to destroy us. Three, the spirits deep in the forest are not just her weapon against us, but they have their own will and may attack or destroy anyone who simply wanders out too far. Our explorations have uncovered a number of things but not everything, by far. If you are new or simply haven't kept up on the recent developments, the record is here." He holds out a hand to the logbooks kept there in the town hall.

"I've asked you here to discuss the issues facing us in Beacon, and to offer up any ideas for how to solve those issues. There are quite a few of them, some that even I, perhaps, haven't considered yet. Please be orderly and take your turns, but I should like to hear from everyone. Whether you have questions, or have an idea you wish to share, please. Speak up. We will all be better for the sharing of ideas and discussion of pros and cons, rather than just waiting and hoping that someone will take charge and give us orders."

With that, he steps aside, inviting anyone and everyone to come up and speak. Or simply rise from their seat and speak. The floor is open, Beacon, use it to say things that you might not want anyone connected to the network to overhear. Sass the Keeper, gush about the Postmaster, whatever you want. Hopefully by the end of it all, someone might have some plans that can be brought about. For his part, Cao Pi is not putting himself up as any sort of authority or the one actually in charge, he literally is only there as organizer and moderator and nothing else. At least, so his cool half-smirk and perfect manners would suggest...

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Oh, no. No, they don't get any kind of say.

[The words, with that sharp sarcasm and heavy deadpan, ought to be familiar to Crowley, even if the voice isn't. Rosalind has been fairly quiet, observing more than contributing, but she glances over at him as she says it.]

Point in fact, we silence anyone who speaks of leaving. In three months, we've resigned ourselves to living out our lives here. We none of us have decided that perhaps biding our time and using our brains instead of running around like witless children is helpful. My god. Leaving. You're the first person to suggest such a thing.

[So.

That happened.

Rosalind lets it sit in the air, icy cold, before adding:]

Think before you speak.

Edited 2019-09-05 00:49 (UTC)

[Crowley's eyebrows hit his hairline and he turns to look at this person who has spoken to him in such an incredibly sarcastic and icy tone. She's completely acerbic and utterly unpleasant to him without mercy.

He has no idea who she is but he adores her immediately.

He waves a hand, gesturing to the room.]

Where are the plans to leave, then? Everyone is talking about what to do while we stay.

All this brainpower in one room and we could be out of here in a matter of weeks.

Oh, could we? And how do you suggest we accomplish that, hm? Do you happen to have a doorway in your back pocket?

[She's being slightly more irritable than usual, but also, she's in mourning, so.]

You know, I might. And wouldn't you feel a right bit stupid in this moment if I did?

[Alas, he does not.]

There's someone in this town who is making a portal to get out of here.

[There's just a moment, and then she realizes. Ah, and suddenly her air changes: going from irritable incredulity to something smug and confident, like a cat who just figured out how to open the bird cage.]

Are they. And did they give you an estimated time of creation?

[Crowley notices the change in the air and he Does. Not. Like. That. Because he can't tell what that means.]

Working by themselves, yes.

And did they ask for help? Or did they tell you that no one could compare to them, and thus they'd have to work alone regardless?

[There is a small pause.

It's not a long pause, but it is a pause in which one could easily imagine gears turning. Or a very small hamster running on a very small wheel trying to get to a destination as Crowley listens to what the woman has just said.]

It's you, isn't it?

Indeed.

[Why does she look so smug? And yet she does, one leg crossed at the knee over the other, her posture straight despite the fact she's no longer bound in her corsets and layers.]

Three years, I told you. Maybe more. If we're to leave, it won't be anytime soon-- and given Will's deadline, I don't know if I can accomplish it.

That's not the only way out and you know it.

[He lounges back again]

We got in through a door, we can go back out the same one.

[tbh he was going to interrupt a lot sooner but he's just learned a new twist in the whole situation. Also? Hilariously entertaining. That was some good snark, both of you, keep it up.]

How do you know we got in through a door? There was only darkness and then the ferry. Or do you mean a metaphorical door, as the Gate of Heaven or something?

What, do you think we just appeared here? Like poof out of nothing?

[This makes so much sense to Crowley, why isn't it making sense to everyone else?]

Something had to happen for us to get in, and we can use that to get back out.

He's correct.

[DOESN'T SHE SOUND GRUDGING ABOUT IT]

We came from our worlds and were deposited here. How we got here depends, but in some fashion, we were brought from one world to another. Door is just a convenient word for it.

[Crowley preens.]

[You stop that now.]

[children please]

Very well, my lady is correct. There is some means of passing from world to world even if the mechanism is death. [excuse him while he emphasizes that word, for even if he's not 100% sold on it, it's the prevailing explanation around here and by god we are going to stick to it until we have evidence otherwise]

That doesn't mean it is reversible. Unless you have some special knowledge that those of us mere mortals with no sorcery at hand lack? I have yet to see an indication that it isn't equally possible that said door is one-way.

Have you ever seen a one-way door? You can just push it back with enough force and it goes back the other way. Or you jam it open and push your way back. That's what we do here.

[dry as the Gobi desert...]

Hm. Are we still speaking of metaphorical doors? Because that sounds awfully literal.

You speak as if you expect that this is how anything works. What do you do if it turns out that isn't possible at all, in any fashion? Whether over time as the lady suggests, or ever?

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originallutece - 2019-09-05 04:42 (UTC) - Expand

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pure_havoc - 2019-09-05 05:02 (UTC) - Expand

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sauntered_downward - 2019-09-05 13:16 (UTC) - Expand

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pure_havoc - 2019-09-06 17:14 (UTC) - Expand

Perhaps. Perhaps not. Door is a metaphor; they don't stay open forever, and once they close, there may be no opening them.

That's why we catch them before they close again.

It's not-- it isn't that simple. It takes an enormous amount of cleverness and power to open a doorway, they don't like to be open. It's-- it's like trying to pry a wall in two. They're not meant to be breached, never mind for how long we'd need to successfully transport everyone to all their individual worlds.

[A pause.]

We don't have to transport everyone.

Hark at the words from the demon who wanted to ensure his world was visited.

[But she doesn't sound as unimpressed as she had before. Maybe even amused, quietly, because he's starting to sound like her: selfish.]

[He shrugs, but he's got a little smirk on his face.

Aziraphale would kill him if he heard talk like this.]

I just want to get back to my world. I've got a lot riding on it.

[And Robert would kill her, but then again, he isn't here, is he?]

Oh, yes. All your stuff.

And what if someone comes to me with a sob story? What if someone else has something riding on it? What do you propose I do then, hm?