All Skate: Now with more Outside

[mnt_mike]

A long time ago, in a multi-verse far far away, there was nothing out the back door of Milliways. A whole lot of nothing, in fact. Just a stoop and then...void. Nameless, shapeless, depthless void.
And then one day, in an effort to undo a lifetime of betrayal, a fallen wizard decided to recreate a childhood joy from literal nothing

Which is why when you walk out the back door now what you see is the rolling downward slope of the Scottish highlands. It's all there, the Whomping Willow, the Lake, the Forest that just flatly refuses to be mapped, a Caribbean Inlet, the Air Temple Island, Mountains...the list is limited only by your imagination and the ambient positive feedback loop of magic.

[ooc: HI and Welcome to All Skate.
The Rules are simple:
- This post, and any post with the subject heading ALL SKATE are open to everyone.
That means old characters, new characters, retired characters, doubles of characters, original characters, non-canon compliant characters.
- We will all play nice and adhere to Wheaton's Law: Don't be a dick.
- Gratuitous behavior, either of a violent or sexual nature, will not be tolerated in the Comm. Take that to an OOM, and then Content Warning the hell out of it before you link it.
- Communication is paramount. Everyone's keyed up, let's just have some fun.]

Comments

[paintedpromise]

The light is fantastic out by the Caribbean Inlet, and while Laetitia is deeply familiar with coastlines, her family's lands are most definitely not tropical islands. She loves the change.

As such, there's a young woman in a simple muslin dress with a faintly Roman cast to it sitting on a distinctly modern-looking beach chair. (Bar provided it; she knows better than to ask.) She has an easel already with a canvass on it and is happily painting away. There are some blank canvasses waiting for her to change subjects, and a sketchbook and oils discarded near her.

(There is already a streak of blue paint on her face. She hasn't noticed.)

Maybe she'll even take commissions!

--

Alternately, she can be found in the gardens, already covered in dirt and happily examining different flowers, visibly nursing some into better health, and experimenting with different ways some of the plants can grow.

Sometimes she's even working with something that is clearly blooming or producing its fruit out-of-season.

[wheatencrown]

Demeter enjoys seeing how the garden at Milliways is doing and watches the young woman work, trying to make sense of how she's connecting to the plants.

At a certain point, she sits down to join Laetitia and says, "That ones from a planet with a stronger sun."

[weird_cop]

This place. Man. This place doesn't just "sing" with the Sight it's like a goddamn dawn chorus. The lake, the mountains, the inlet - it's all subtly and significantly different from itself and it's all in harmony, like it's organic in ways that most of London - even the Old Shit - really isn't.

Sefton's picked a grassy hill with a surprisingly good view of the whole vista and he's just... looking. He'll make notes later but right now it's just observation time.

[manofbusiness]

Childermass walks up to the top of the hill and for similar reasons, just stands there. He hasn't spent much time out here.

He acknowledges Sefton's presence with a nod of greeting.

[wheatencrown]

Demeter has taken over one of the tables with a selection of delicious food since she and Kore have been cooking and baking; fresh bread, Greek salad, dolmas, little meatballs, a selection of fruit, wine, water, and various cookies.

She's enjoying a glass of wine as she looks through a gardening catalog.

[mane_event]

So, you know that table?

The one with the meatballs?

Well, a pair of ears, a pair of eyes and the top of a red mane have just appeared at the table edge, exactly level with the meatballs.

And then a tail creeps up as well... twitching.

[scots_wolf]

Urquhart is outside as well today, at the archery pells, practising with a small throwing axe.

A fighter does need variety from their main weapon sometimes.

[forgottenmotley]

The Fool meanders with his limp over to the archery pells that grin on his face of someone utterly delighted to see an old friend. He's not been here for a while... because reasons... but he's back.

And there's Urquhart.

A friend.

A good thing to see!

When he reaches the edges, keeping away from the axe throwing, he leans against his walking stick and says, "Lost your crossbow?"

[imagines_the_ocean]

The lake is still a miracle to her. She spends as much time as she can near it. Better still is spending time in it.

She doesn't know which is better, the water or the grass around it.

She sits out by the lake with a picnic much of the day. Her feet are bare. She wants to feel the grass beneath her. She only gets to do that here. Her picnic is pretty basic by most standards. It is a feast by hers.

She has a couple sandwiches and some fruits. She also has a large thermos of water. Sometimes she scoots closer to the water to let it wash over her feet.

She keeps an eye on the sun. She isn't in the desert, but she learned when the sun won't burn her skin as much. A little later in the day she goes out to swim. She is so glad she finally learned how*.

When it gets too late to swim she goes back to her picnic blanket. She huddles in the towel that appeared when she left the water. She's cold. That doesn't matter. It's worth it.

*Has not happened in Milliways yet. It will.

[the_seafarer]

There's someone out on the water.

It had taken most of the morning, but Caspian is at last back out on the blue waters of the Lake. He'd hitched Corella to the sledge where the Hope had spent the winter and driven it carefully down to the water's edge, near the little dock. A few hours spent going carefully going over the hull and sails, and he'd been able to launch just after lunch.

So now here they are, at long last: a windblown king of a destroyed world, sailing idly across the Lake at the End of the Universe, in the little boat he'd built himself.

But never too far or too distracted to raise a hand in greeting to any Bar patron who has decided to spend their afternoon lakeside.

[engineermage]

Some days you just need to be outside. Especially if you're testing out flying equipment. Kale, using magic and technology, has built himself a little drone that looks like a raven. That one is a bit of a family in joke, but he's been working on bird drones for a while now. The trick is not so much getting them to fly as to get them to act natural.

The lights on the raven's eyes glitter on red and Kale taps a few things on the control. The raven hops around and fluffs up feathers that scritch lightly as they were made of metal. He'd yet to figure out how to put real feathers on properly. He knew some excellent blacksmiths... an aunt really... so the feathers looked real. Except really up close.

Two more hops and the raven takes off with a croak.

Watching the screen that looks through the bird-drone's eyes he sends it flying around to spy on people.

[makes_the_toys]

Some might think Cisco is worth spying on. He happens to be at the shooting range where he has a pretty powerful looking laser set up on one end, and a mannequin wearing a black skintight suit down range.

"Alright, testing in 3... 2... 1... " he counts down and then fires the laser.

Four quick shots (that look a whole lot like blaster fire) and then Cisco shuts the rig down.

The mannequin is... well now it's full of holes. And smoking.

"Ooo, that's not good... "

[poins]

Here is a guest not often seen these days,
Idly desporting himself by the shore, and quaffing ale.

[fey_wild]

Eriah is likewise by the shore: they've shifted clothes to be in laced leather breeches, shirtless in the sun as they break the lake surface, shaking the water out of their braids.

The drinker on the shoreline seems interesting, though. "Is the ale here any good?" they call, waving an arm and seeming utterly at ease with the lack of clothes and the amount of showing off of their white tracery of floral and geometric tattoos it does. They've been around people who don't care for a long, long shile.

[pointedprincess]

There is a twelve-year-old girl climbing trees all over the forest, with very little care for any danger lurking around or the heights she may get to or what kinds of jumps she's taking bouncing from tree to tree.

(Some of those jumps may be a little too high and too far to be normal. Sometimes it looks like the branches reach out to her as she grabs for them.)

With her white hair streaked red and electric blue, she's pretty visible.

[darksister]

Wandering the forest, having not quite decided how social she is feeling, Asajj does spot the child and watches her. Opening herself to the Force, she can tell something is helping the girl but beyond that she is at a loss. Despite herself she is impressed.

When the girl is closer and not likely to be miss her way if started, Asajj calls out, "You are quite skilled and agile."

[survival_isnt_living]

For most of the morning a tall young man in distinctly Roman armor can be found out on the training grounds. Whether he's just going through patterns (several of which seem to involve his sword being on fire or flying, though he's frankly holding off on the fire and earthcrafting because he has feelings about ripping up the landscape for fun) or actively using a training dummy--and wondering who had the foresight to set up something that could stand up to Aleran furycrafting--he may look eerily familiar to some Milliways denizens.

He may also look mildly bored and in need of a sparring partner.

--

In the afternoon, though, he's out of his armor and in a plain red tunic with blue edging. He's lying in the grass somewhere between the Bar and the Lake, just staring up at the sky.

He really doesn't know what to do with himself. What are you supposed to do when you're probably (certainly) dead and stuck where you don't have duties to fulfill, and without any of your family, anyway?

[element_wizard]

"Ooh. Firey sword, I can do that one," Alec says with a bit of a grin as he's wandered over to the training grounds. He's got a sword with an oily bronze colored blade that can't seem to make up its mind on if it was a long sword or a bastard sword, resting on his shoulder. "Can you do different colors?"

[darksister]

When the forests of her new home drift into the forests of Milliways, Asajj doesn't notice immediately--as is Milliway's want--but she does notice. She's tempted to go back but remembers that may very well not work. Sighing in resignation, she continues holding her hand up to block out the bright light until her eyes adjust.

Later, she can be found lakeside meditating on a rock. She has grown to value peace.

[ooc: Asajj is post-canon and into AU/fanon realm here.]

[crowschild]

There is peace.

And then there are five year old girls running around destroying the peace as they randomly attack invisible enemies with a wooden sword painted pink with pink sparkles.

"RARRGH! DIE FOWL POOPY HEADS!" she yells swinging the sword, while bouncing up on a rock.

Then slipping off said rock and dropping into the lake with a startled "EEP!" It's shallow there, but still!

[clan_of_two]

Out by the lake shore is an odd pair. A Mandalorian and a small child.

The Child is leading the way, wandering along the bank, looking around in wide-eyed curiosity, on the hunt for frogs.

Mando follows behind, his manner easy and walk casual, though there is a blaster on his hip and he is on the watch for anyone approaching.

[imagines_the_ocean]

She is definitely approaching.

She approaches from the lake, not on foot. She needs a break from swimming in the water to drink some water.

(Strange thought, that.)

She will reach the Child first. She sees the Mandalorian first. She slows down as a cautionary measure. She never wants him to think she might be a threat.

[carry-over the sandbox history?]

[boyscout]

There is a tall, broad-shouldered farmboy turned reporter out by the lake, idling skipping stones across the surface of the water. Or, later, there is a tall, broad-shouldered farmboy-turned-reporter wandering through the forest - trying to get a feel for how far the outdoors go.

It's been a long time since he last found Milliways and the surprise takes a little getting used to.

[lotsofheart]

Alyss isn't entirely sure how she got here, but the hows hardly matter, so long as this adventure is fun! Dodge is nowhere to be found, which is silly because he should have been right next to her when she got here! Alas, she's found no one really to play with at all, but outside is much better than that stuffy old pub!

The seven year old princess is sat near the water with flowers she's tying together to make a crown. She doesn't have a proper one, and everyone should at least be able to tell she's royalty! She hears a soft noise that piques her interest and her head snaps up to see stones skipping seamlessly across the water. She follows the line backwards to the man skipping them and beams. "How did you do that?" She asks, her voice easily recognizably British. And small. So small. Who let this child run amok? At least she hasn't found any real trouble. Yet.

[scurlock]

The woods behind the bar are full of all sorts of trails and pathways; some well-traveled and worn, others that haven't seen a traveler in quite some time. There are shadows that shift; trees that never seem to be in the same place twice, no matter how often you blink.

As the breeze rustles through the forest, the growing sound of hoofbeats can be heard.

A ripple of energy echoes along one of those less-traveled pathways, drawing horse and rider askew from their intended (or was it?) route.

When the pair emerges from the treeline the previous pace of a canter slows to a trot, then a walk, then eventually to a full stop. Nobody is close enough at the moment to witness the multitude of expressions that cross the rider's face. It's likely for the best.



(It's been an awful long time, you see.)



After some time, one can find Doc sitting in a chair on the back porch, his gaze fixed out over the lake. He hasn't gone inside yet; he can't bring himself to head indoors. He can hardly believe that he's here. It hasn't been for lack of trying; he's been looking for a way back ever since the door closed behind him the last time, which was some time ago.

He'd welcome conversation from old friends and new acquaintances alike.

[wheatencrown]

Demeter knows that face and makes her way over with a small plate of food, "Have something to eat while you think."

[almosthonorable]

Near the edge of the forest, the rhythmic strike of hoofbeats on packed dirt and fallen pine needles becomes louder.

Louder, still, as a riderless black horse emerges at a full gallop, streaking hell-for-leather toward the stables.

At length, Ben Wade staggers free of the treeline, one bloodslick hand clapped over his vest near his sternum. He stumbles to a labored pause, adjusting the dust-streaked brim of his black hat, and takes as deep a breath as his current condition allows.

Blinking the sting of sweat from his sun-sore eyes, he makes for the back porch.

[boyscout]

And he's intercepted about halfway to the porch, by a man wearing a faded button-down work shirt and jeans. There's a glint of concern in his eyes, although the rest of his expression looks fairly neutral.

"Where are you injured?" Because asking first is the polite thing to do.

[nightwingbynight]

Babs is having a great time. When she hasn't been swimming in the lake, she's been running around the slope and hiking the trails through the forest. The mountain looks inviting, but she's done enough for today.

For now, she sits on the shore of the inlet, watching the sunset and drying out her hair.

[poins]

"Fair lady! Art thou sylph, or but a mortal maid?"

The young man in renaissance clothes seems fascinated as he walks up to her sitting on the shore.

[detective_pikachu]

You know what's outside? Tall grass.

And, as everyone knows, there are wild Pokemon in the tall grass!

Okay so this one's not wild, he's a city Pokemon, but he is out exploring today. Wearing his little hat and walking around, just getting that fresh air while he sips a latte in a to-go cup.

From a distance it sounds like he's strolling along saying 'Pika Pika!' but once you get close, you'll be able to understand him.

[awkwardandunfashionable]

Foggy Nelson is also outside, because Foggy is in serious need of a mental health break from drafting responses to requests for admissions and production of documents, and salsa dancing is not happening until Wednesday at the earliest.

This explains the bright blue and orange kite in Foggy's hands.

He exits the bar and clambers down the back steps, intent on picking a path toward the lakeshore to not think about the Capassio discovery documents for a precious half-hour --

-- until a flash of yellow in his periphery catches his attention.

Foggy turns his head, and his eyes widen.

"Pikachu," he breathes in utter reverence, his heart literally skipping a joyous beat.

"I love this bar," he says, to both no one and everyone.

[fruitknife]

Despite his best efforts to the contrary, Shinji can't sleep forever. Koromaru wouldn't let him in any case, not when there's a great yard outside this place. For all his gruff exterior, Shinji really can't deny Koromaru anything (there are worse self-appointed minders he could have around. Aki, for one).

He's doubly glad for his coat outside - it's fucking freezing, even if it's supposedly spring; he moves sluggishly, and is prone to a really nasty-sounding cough. Koromaru is considerably more energetic, bounding around the place checking everything out. It's not home (that's his first human's shrine, forever and always), but it'll do in a pinch.

(OOC: Psychics and people who speak Canine, let me know! Koromaru's a decent conversationalist in his own right, just... also literally a dog.)

[favors_thebold]

An attractive blonde in a blue frock blinks into being on the shore of the lake, and her seemingly ever-present faint smile fades almost immediately.

"...This is not my beautiful house." It's not nearly loud enough mentally, for one thing. She can't find her siblings anywhere (or anyone else who should currently be on her radar, for that matter). There aren't even any anchors here, so she hasn't been misplaced to a board.

Shit. Is this how the Travelers feel, when they get whisked into the game? No wonder they want to steal it.

Still, it's a surprise; she's not in any idiomatic danger, and if she managed to bounce back from that once she can get herself back home from here. Might as well have a look around, while she's here.

(OOC: The grand tradition of 'personified tarot concepts' meets one of my Synodiporia NPCs! Don't worry, Fortune's fond of mortals. She's also... not super used to having to wrangle physicality separate from mental functions. Attempting to read her mind is Not Recommended.)

[element_wizard]

"It's not. But it's still nice," Alec says from a rock near by, trying to figure out exactly what she is. Poking at her position (not her) in reality, how she fits in.

The best he's getting is that she's some sort of ... personification fortune. Not exactly sure, but not something he's seen before. He thinks. Interesting at least. It's rare he meets other personification like things.

Personally, he often claims to be a personification of chaos. Which he is. And an ancient eldritch entity.

[maintiensledroit]

There's a Mountie by the paddocks.

One might be forgiven for not realizing that there is a Mountie by the paddocks; he is, after all, out of uniform (aside from the Stetson on his head) and is also shielding his eyes from the bright sun with a pair of what appear to be snow goggles.

Also, there is what appears to be a large gray wolf lounging in the grass nearby, contentedly flat out and not paying attention to anything the Mountie might be saying.

And he is saying something. He doesn't seem to mind carrying on a one-sided conversation.

"You know, if someone had asked me earlier today, I would have sworn there were no horses in my office closet."

A beat.

"You're right. Or Scotland."

[poins]

"Tis not Scotland, friend; it is but Milliways. It wholly lacks the shouting hordes of fierce bekilted Scots."

A young man in renaissance clothes comes sauntering up to the paddocks.

[and_far_away]

Someone appears from the woods. He's recognisably older now than the last time he came in, but greets the sight of the bar with a radiant smile.

"Never thought I'd be here again."

[poins]

"She is quite busy these days, bringing men and lovely wenches from far and wide, the more the merrier. So, thou art wished-for also," says the young man in renaissance clothes currently throwing pine-cones at a hollow trunk, and mostly hitting the holes.

[notabricklayer]

It has been an absolute age since McCoy has breathed non-recycled air, and by God he's going to make the most of it. So there's a Starfleet officer sprawled on one of the rocks, with a glass of whiskey off to the side, near the lakeside, soaking up the sun.

Yes, he put sunscreen on, don't be an idiot.

No, he has no intentions on moving, this is amazing, shut up.

[abyssum_invocat]

Sinthia, on the other hand, has the misfortune of being fairly pale to begin with and though she is wearing long sleeves, has not put on sunscreen.

The swimsuit and rash guard were provided; the sunscreen was not.

She's perched on a rock with her feet in the water, already turning a little bit pink.

[childofrebellion]

(16 year old Cassian)

Cassian's grateful to find Milliways in a Coruscant alleyway and heads outside where he can see sun. It feels like its been too long since he's seen proper sun, the Coruscant underworld is almost as bad as hyperspace for messing with his sense of time.

Outside he heads to the shore, opening his too large cargo jacket, his vibroblade is hidden in his boot alongside his lockpicks. He finds a rock and sits, Milliways seems crowded but here, here with the water making waves and the sun, he can rest before going back.

He has a healing bruise on his cheek and at some point will get something to drink.

[touched_by_fire]

A little girl comes up near him and throws a rock at the water. She tries to skip it like the Thunderer showed her, but falls to manage even one skip.

She scowls but then takes a calming breath before trying again with dedicated focus. And she fails to skip again.

[sticktothemission]

Gabriel doesn't get outside much these days. But the tests are almost done and they'll be deploying soon. He won't get to see intact landscape for, well, probably years. And as far as landscapes go, this one is pretty nice.

He's dug out a little firepit down near the water. There's a cooler and a few chairs, a bag of marshmallows, and a set of sticks suitable for roasting things on. He's not really expecting anyone, but Milliways is full of curious people. He's just being prepared.

He settles back in a chair and blows out his flaming treat.

[childofrebellion]

Cassian notices the firepit and the large man beside it and carefully makes his way over, hunkering down in his big coat to seem smaller. People don't seem to take him as seriously when he does that, there's a fading bruise on his cheek,

"Is there going to be a party?"

[touched_by_fire]

Danny, older and cleaner than his past appearances, is outside walking with a very serious little girl that seems very exasperated with him.


"What use is this idle walking, Thunderer? It is no challenge at all!" She exclaims.

"Life is not all fighting, little fist. Enjoy the air and sunshine. Look at the birds or the insects. They do not spend their existence fighting."

"They are not training to be an immortal weapon."

Danny sighs, for this is an old argument between them. "Fine. There is a training ground over this way. I want you to run it's course as well as you can. I will count breathes until you complete it. Do not approach the climbing wall with the lava. You may run all the rest. Go."

The girl runs off, excited for a real challenge, leaving Danny despairing of ever getting her to be a kid and enjoy playing.

[crowschild]

On the other hand, there is a little girl who is enjoying being a little girl... and climbing the wall with lava... Ceilidh seems to be doing fine; Rory is watching her from below, not at all concerned that his five year old niece is ... climbing a wall with lava.

When she's almost to the top she sees the other little girl, gives an excited wave and yells "HELLO!!!"

[mane_event]

There is a spot in the sunlight-bathed grass that is more sunlighty, and somehow warmer than all the surrounding grass. It is the BEST spot in all ther immediate area, in terms of comfort and warmth, and inconveniencing anyone who happens to wish to cross this bit.

There is a lion lying belly up on this patch, working on his tan, as far as lions have tans.

[alwaysroomforhope]

"You know, most places in the world, I'd probably be a bit startled to find an actual lion lying in my path."

Steph contemplates the obstruction, shifting her backpack from one side of her back to the other. A small puff of something escapes the fabric at the bottom of the bag.

"I forgot how much I loved this place."