[IC] Misc. Open Post

[curriculum_fictae]

For various overflow, misc. threads that don't fit on the comms they're for, etc.

Comments

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Uh —-

To his credit, Martin only panics a little? The wind and the sand are alarming - he winds up spitting out a minor mouthful of the stuff - but as soon as Bruno’s eyes go green, he quiets back down. Right. He needs to see if the Eye is here. He needs to find out if Bruno is a true avatar or just an unfortunate coincidence…

The images are distracting though; he can’t help but brighten at both his bakery and its inhabitants. ]

Y-yes! Very much so, it’s one of the most popular places in Sidereal.

[ and then the young men. Pete he hasnt seen, but he recognizes from the movies; Benter prompts a smile immediately. ]

Those two are the Parker brothers. They’ve just arrived.

[hijoperdido]

Okay. Okay! SO definitely the right place.

[He focuses, closes his eyes once to breathe and looks around again. There's so much sand it's hard to focus but even he can't help notice something odd - while there aren't that many more images (only faint impressions in the sand paintings now, distant) there are thin strands along the entire dome around them. Tugging and pulling.

Bruno shakes his head, trying to see anything specific.]

There's... Usually more than this. Usually something to go on.

[The spiders in the sand are so tiny. So small at the edges.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Martin looks up and around, also looking for details - and he freezes as he sees the strands winding around the edges. Web? It has to be Web.

Should he ask Bruno to stop? Maybe but… ]

There’s nothing else? You - you can’t see why this vision is important?

[ Web or no Web, this is a normal scene. Right? Just his bakery and two Spider-Men… ]

[hijoperdido]

No, I-i dunno. I'm not seeing anything else. Just -

[Even the bakery doesn't seem like there's much else to it, just the same strange strands over its doors, over the fountain. It's so difficult to see with the shifting sands.]

[curriculum_fictae]

… just this.

[ The Web’s influence is clear, but to what purpose? Clearly the Eye can’t see it.

Martin gently puts a hand on Bruno’s shoulder. ]

It’s okay. You can stop now. I think that’s all we’re going to get.

[hijoperdido]

[He nods at the touch, letting things focus on just the single image. Holds his hands out as the sand coalesces and crystalizes between his fingers, a thin pane of green glass. In it, that weird shifting illusion of the bakery doors and fountain, shifted another way with spiderweb strands all on it.

And just like that, the winds die and the sand falls around them, leaving the air stale.]

Um. Th-that's all there was that I could see. Sorry I couldn't see more.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Martin reaches out for that glowing green plate? He’s awed by it really - an image of his own bakery, glowing in the darkness of this room. ]

No, it’s. It’s all right. I think something stopped you.

[ He gently smoothes his hand over the glass. ]

Has anyone ever told you how beautiful this is?

[hijoperdido]

[He hesitates handing it to him. But Bruno does... A bit taken aback by the compliment.]

Um. No, no one ever has. Usually they just... Want a vision and go, almost always mad when they see it.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Martin is exceptionally gentle with it. Yes the threads are creepy, but the image? It’s beautiful. His bakery… ]

Well, I think it’s gorgeous. If I could get this home, I’d hang it up somewhere.

[hijoperdido]

[Bruno looks especially stricken by that. Not in a bad way, but in that way where it's clear no one has ever been that kind to him about these things. He rubs at one arm nervously.]

Glad, glad you think so. But we should, We should definitely get out of here. Back in the walls.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Oh, Bruno. He aches watching that. You need so much love and he wants to hug you so badly. ]

Yes, of course. Can I take this with me?

[hijoperdido]

Yeah, sure.

[He looks around the little vision cave before starting to gently gesture for Martin to leave.]

Let's - Outside, though. Gotta get back before they realize I was up here.

[curriculum_fictae]

Right. Um.

[ He heads out and looks down at the chasm. ]

Is there a slide down by any chance…?

[hijoperdido]

Oh. Right.

[He steps to the entrance there and presses a little knob of stone; out of the wall going down the opposite direction of the stairs is a gentle stone luge track going down.]

Easier than stairs, right?

[curriculum_fictae]

Oh. Oh yes, so much easier. Thank you.

[ it’s still nerve wracking but. Martin cradles the glass pane in his lap and carefully slides down. ]

[hijoperdido]

[Bruno watches for a moment, then follows suit but is fairly pleased by the whole thing. Comes out half a skip onto the sand floor with a half-smile.]

Right, so. Just back up and out.

[Don't mind him while he goes beside his actual bedroom door, reaching behind the sand pile to open the stairs leading up to this side's exit, one of the slabs opening just under the sand pouring down, sending it another direction so the exit is visible.]

Back up, vamos.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Martin is FAR less sprightly, but he does his best to keep up.

Also he stares at that. ]

How. How many secret things are in here.

[hijoperdido]

Ehhh there are enough.

[Already on his way up.]

[curriculum_fictae]

W-wait up!

[ he hurries after Bruno. ]

[hijoperdido]

[He does, at least, wait partway up the stairs for Martin before continuing upward. Once at the top, he does his knock routine, the last knock on the wall hitting a tile that sets the stairs back into the wall after Martin's up.]

Almost, almost out of here, almost back safe, just a little further down the hall.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Thanks Bruno. He's got longer legs but you are so fast. Also he gapes a bit at the stairs moving back into place. ]

R. Right. Good lord, this place is a maze.

[hijoperdido]

You get used to it.

[He creaks the bedroom door open and peeks outside the crack. Hears the tiles gently tapping from Casita and smiles.]

I know, thanks, Casita.

[And then opens it wider for Martin to follow after him, making sure it's closed fully behind them. Whatever confidence he had for that moment seems to shrink with his shoulders hunching up again once they're in the main house.]

Just going back the way we came.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Oh. Bruno ... what caused that? Hell, what caused him to brighten in the first place?

Martin hurries after him, arms wrapped protectively around his vision. ]

Right. Ah. Back to your ... room.

[hijoperdido]

[it Is A Mystery.mp3

He nods though.]

Yep. Back to my room. [It's easy to still sneak around while the family is out. But he can see now the sunlight's shifted, and it's getting late. They'll be coming back soon. He gets the painting door open for Martin.]

We'll have to stay quieter, they'll come back for dinner soon.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Martin hurries to clamber in then, also listening for voices. ]

What. What do you do during dinner? Just watch them?