It's Not the Waking It's the Rising

[praypal]

WHO: Kurt Wagner, You!
WHERE: Fountain (Open to 1), Inn, Various Outdoor Locations
WHEN: Nov. 27 - Dec 4
OPEN TO: OTA, Arrival Locked to 1
WARNINGS: None yet.

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Arrival

Yellow eyes open in the dark. It's cold. And he's weightless- wait, no, he's in water. Did he teleport in his sleep? No, that hasn't happened since he was a teenager. He struggles for a few precious seconds to locate the light, and bamfs-

Or not. His movements feel clumsier too, though that might be the oxygen deprivation. It takes him several more seconds to truly register the full extent of his situation as he struggles to the surface- he can't even cling to the stone walls of the well! This is strange.

He gasps loudly as he breaks the surface, groping one arm over the ledge of the fountain and spitting out a mouthful of water. "Scheisse," he coughs as he begins to haul himself over the ledge- and noticing just how much harder it is than it should be to do so. The laws of gravity are not meant to be so restrictive where he is concerned, and he feels downright clumsy. This isn't right.

Also, it is definitely not Central Park.

Inn

Dressed in the dry set of light grey scrubs he'd found in his pack, Kurt has made his way to the social center of the village, even if he's not feeling too much like his usual social self. But there's hot food and, most importantly a roaring fire that he's gotten himself as close to as one can without risking burning off one's fuzz off.

He's got a bowl of something hot that someone was kind enough to spare, and it reminds him enough of the big pots of stew or curry that they'd leave bubbling in big pots around the clock when the circus was performing that it's bringing him some modicum of comfort.

The Great Outdoors

This feeling of unbalance, this simply will not do. If he is to function here as anyone else, he has to get used to life without the superhuman agility he's been used to since his very first steps. So he's found somewhere nice and empty aside from a few felled trees, and clad in sadly very drab scrubs, he's doing what he would with any other setback-

Pushing past it, and with style.

Even with the loss of his powers, he still has his tail. That lends him more balance than most would have, and he's making the most of it as he makes running leap after running leap, pushing himself into handsprings, backflips, using the tree trunks as balance beams.

And, every so often, falling on his fuzzy blue butt. Or face.

The muscle memory of years in the circus and cross-time swashbuckling is still there, it just feels hindered. He can work with hindered. Hindered just means it's harder, not that it can't be done. The effort of having to work these muscles and his spacial awareness this hard means- well, he's not as aware of the rest of his surroundings than he might be.

He does not realize he's being watched until he stops to perch on a sufficiently stable rock to catch his breath.

Comments

Arrival

[ombranera]

Zevran hasn't at all been making a daily pass at the well in case someone he knows might arrive. That would be foolish. That would be bordering on some manner of sentimental and he knows far too well that it is best to leave such things behind as he finds his footing in the village. It is not at all a slight twist of fear that Taliesen might break the surface and require prompt drowning.

That Rinna might float up all sodden curls and betrayed grimaces.

Or worse yet- Oghren with his foul breath and frustrated snarling.

Well practiced in denial Zevran knows it is for none of these reasons he makes a circuit of the park each day- it is pragmatism. Pulling someone from the fountain, hurrying them to the Inn? How better to earn himself a few favors than to assist the newly arrived? That is his story and he is sticking to it.

Water ripples, breath catches- and he darts forward to offer a hand to the soaked new arrival- ignoring the skin and ears and eyes for a moment. "One moment, we shall have you free in no time at all!"

[praypal]

Kurt tries not to feel too much like a waterlogged cat as he gratefully takes the offered hand to pull himself out of the pool and into the cold- oh Gott in Himmel is it cold- air.

He rolls onto the stone ground. His fur isn't doing much to keep him warm as drenched as he is. There are some words muttered under his breath in some other language before he meets Zevran's eyes. "Where-?" he starts to ask, but the words are cut off by a slight shiver.

"Where are we?"

[ombranera]

Zevran hauls and hefts, trying not to think too hard about the fur, the color the eyes. Demon he might be but- he seems as honestly befuddled as anyone else. "You know, I do not think anyone has actually named the village as of yet? But we are in a village."

A beat.

"That is worlds away from any of our own."

Another, longer beat. "And there are monsters in the mountains that might consume us all!"

Honestly about that he sounds...far too cheerful. For him, it is a day ending in Y. More or less. "But right now? You are in the Fountain Park, and I shall take you to the Inn where you may warm and dry yourself by the fire, yes?"

[praypal]

"Sounds exciting," says Kurt, without a trace of irony. It genuinely does sound exciting to him.

He is wobbly as he stands and begins to sort through the dry clothes with tri-digit hands, fumbling a bit with the buckles on the pack. "I apologize for my clumsiness. I am not drunk, just far less agile than I am used to being. There is something dampening my usual abilities."

[ombranera]

"You smell less of wine and more of wet fur." But not dog, he'll note. Wet dog has a sour tinge to it this is- much like skin, much like hair. Nothing overtly offensive. He offers an arm, his shoulders to the newcomer, head cocked to one side. "That seems to be a common theme among those that wake here."

[praypal]

He holds on to the offered arm for balance, though the longer he's on his feet, the more he feels his tail making up for some of his wobbliness.

"Just how far is this warm Inn you mentioned? I admit I'm not used to long walks on a good day. Teleportation can make you a bit lazy that way."

[ombranera]

"Not very, it is just around the corner." Zevran makes up the difference, sliding his arm around the newcomer's waist, sacrificing his own warmth for the sake of getting this man settled for the time being. "Come. There will be food, wine, and a roaring earth where you can explain to me more of this...teleportation."