hadriel | 011 [Video]

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011 [Video]

[Lance is clearly back in Hadriel since the video is catching the backdrop of his kitchen, nondescript and standard as always; he really should decorate this place at some point. He's finally done something about his hair though, so although it's still long enough to curl a little it's back under control, if not exactly masterfully styled. He did his best.

But the biggest change after his vacation is that he seems a bit brighter than he has been recently, not as tense and distracted. Things aren't perfect or even really close to truly resolved, but they're better enough that he's making this post.]

Hey, so, I'm back from exploring, and therefore both my actual and metaphorical vacation; this means that if anyone needs any professional advice, or just to talk to someone, I'm available. Especially since the latest event seemed...

['Not great' are the words coming to him, but those aren't particularly professional, so--]

Particularly stressful, to all those involved, for reasons that may be more complicated than usual.

[He also totally stalked all those network posts that happened at the time, and is really glad he missed this event himself. He's keeping in mind the possibility of leaving the city to avoid others in the future if possible, though it's such a simple solution that he's not sure it'll work.]

I'd also like to remind those here, especially new arrivals, that we've recently compiled a list of people willing to teach different skills, and if you'd like to teach something just let me know what. Hopefully we can all stave off boredom and learn something useful at the same time.

[That part addressed, he feels like he should add something else he's been holding off on; it's been awhile, so surely people have noticed by now if they were going to care, but still.]

For anyone unaware, Dr. Brennan disappeared early last month. That means I have her book, if anyone who wanted to read it hasn't had a chance to do so yet.

[Because that's, of course, the biggest issue here. The book.

And, so as not to leave off on a somber note--]

Is there anything important that wasn't on the network that I missed while I was gone?

[Fill him in on stuff, people~]

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I unfortunately did see those posts, actually. They were... Interesting.

[Definitely not sorry he was gone for all of that; just stalking conversations was bad enough. As for her question, he shrugs a little and answers honestly--]

I've had a month to come to terms with it, so it sucks but I'm okay. The vacation was nice, although not as exciting as I expected, but that's probably a good thing.

[He'd really needed the rest, after all.]

How have you been?

Yeah, that's one word for it. I was gonna go with cringeworthy, personally, but yours is good, too.

[George just got extra bitchy. so for her, it was a day that ended in Y]

All right, but if you ever need to talk about it? Lemme know. I don't know psychiatry, but I do know how to listen. And what kind of vacation were you expecting?

[Lance needs to take better care of himself]

I'm cool. Still working at the Clinic. Still honing the whole self-defense thing. And I made my focus!

'Interesting' is often just the psychologist version of 'cringeworthy'.

[And he offers a small smile at her next words.]

I appreciate it, thank you. I... Might take you up on it.

[Because he trusts her enough at this point to tell her a bit more about his situation, and she might be one of the only people that would really understand it anyway.]

I don't know what I was expecting, exactly, I just thought that exploring an alien planet might be less boring? I mean, it was cool, but there was a lot of traveling and not much else.

[And oooooh all of that is good but the last part definitely has his attention.]

That's awesome; what did you use for it?

Ohhhhh. See, this is why you're cool. You explain all these little secrets of psychiatry to me.

[she gives him a smile back, but then gets serious at his next words]

All right. Good. 'Cause, yeah. You're probably one of my favorite people here. But don't let it go to your head or anything.

[and that trust is returned. she feels like she can be completely honest with him and that's a rare thing]

So a lot less Star Trek and a lot more crappy travel documentary on PBS? Boooo, that's no fun.

[she thought it might~~ she pulls a necklace out from beneath her shirt]

I used this. I thought it was appropriate. 'Cause of the whole Grim Reaper thing.

Thanks, though I'm going to ruin by saying that it's psychology, not psychiatry; psychiatrists go to med school.

[And Lance definitely did not, for several reasons. And he grins a little more at the compliment.]

I won't let it go to my head.

[It's totally going to his head.]

Yeah, it was kind of like Mars, almost; looked super cool for a few hours, and then it was just all the same. Exploring other cities was nice just because they weren't Hadriel... But they were pretty much still Hadriel.

[Just even more decrepit. And oooh, nice necklace.]

Nice, good choice.

[she slaps her hand on her thigh playfully]

Damnit! And here I had the terms wrong all this time. Shows what I know, huh?

[she gives him what's meant to be an unimpressed look, though the corners of her mouth keep twitching]

It better not. And you better not tell anyone I said so, too.

[oh noes! not that! anything but that!]

I guess asking for something cool is too much to ask for. I mean, this place makes the Arizona desert look like back home in Seattle. Did you at least get a lot of things filled for Hope?

[she preens a little]

Thanks. Though, I probably shouldn't ask you what you used. Professional courtesy and all that.

[He laughs a little at that reaction.]

Pretty much only psychologists and psychiatrists actually know the difference anyway, so it's fine.

And don't worry, I won't jeopardize my standing as a favorite by telling anyone else.

[He doesn't need the competition!!]

I did fill an orb, yeah.

[And he rolls his eyes in amusement at the last comment, before pulling out his FBI badge and holding it up to show off the metal, shield-shaped portion of it.]

I used this.

[It had also seemed fitting, in a way.]

[she grins at him]

Okay, good. Though, I bet that psychiatrists have more student debt 'cause of the whole med school thing.

You better not. I mean, it might hurt other people's feelings, people might start to get competitive, and then everything would get fucked up.

[his place is actually pretty secure]

Cool. I thought about going, but I couldn't find anyone to go with. And then I remembered that I hate camping out.

[she gives him an innocent look which should fool no one.

she examines the badge] Ohhhh. Good choice. Something you're always gonna have on you and also something that other people won't fuck with.

You might be right, but I'm actually not sure; grad school isn't cheap either.

[So much debt. So much.]

Yeah, it's best to just avoid all of that, especially since, you know. People don't always solve their problems in the best ways here.

[He's joking about the situation, of course, but not about the jab at the populace and their enthusiasm for murder.]

The camping part wasn't really fun for me either, which is part of the reason I came back.

[So he gets her on that for sure. And yeah, that innocent act is not convincing, but he'll let her keep it up for now.]

Thanks. It was also the first thing I used magic on, so...

[Also fitting in that regard, along with the symbolism and practical reasons.]

So what you're saying is, by quitting college I saved myself a lot of money.

[though, actually, she regrets quitting college now]

I know, right? The people here aren't exactly poster children for good decision making skills.

[so much murder. she's so glad that she doesn't have to do her job here]

Did you get sand and dust everywhere and have to live off of. Well, I was gonna say "the land," but I bet that nothing grows out there.

Really? What kind of magic?

[hers is just a pretty necklace she found in the shops]

Yes. A lot of money, and a lot of nights eating cold ramen.

[And other questionable college-life activities.]

I wonder if that's part of the reason why people are chosen. I heard something about the Door bringing in chaos, but I don't know how correct that was.

[Or even who he heard it from; it was a long time ago.]

I brought a bunch of food with me, so it wasn't too bad, but yeah there was a lot of dust everywhere and I had to dodge a storm once.

Just this.

[He holds up the badge again, concentrating a little, and the badge lights up with a soft golden-toned glow. It's a really simple light spell, but the badge is an easy item to use for it.]

Cold ramen? Eyugh! [she makes a face.

there would have been no danger of that with George. questionable college-life activities such as frat parties would require that she 1) go and 2) be social. neither of which is likely]

So we're all supposed to be chaotic? That's kind of insulting. Think there's any truth to that?

[she doesn't like the implications of it]

Dust and sand and dirt, all getting in unfortunate, hard to reach places.

[she watches curiously] Ohhh. That's pretty.

Yeah. I ate a lot of cold ramen, and also chex mix.

[Not exactly the healthiest meal choices, but you know.]

I'm not sure. Even if chaos is an element of it, it might not be that the people are particularly chaotic, but that they might come from a chaotic moment. And that's assuming it's true at all.

[Which he isn't convinced of. He smiles a little at the compliment, though.]

Thanks. You can make it change colors, too.

[And he does so, fading the gold into a more blue-white and then to a pale lavender.]

...okay, and how exactly was any of that even remotely nutritious?

[she wouldn't know, she quit mid first semester]

A chaotic moment? Oh...

[yeahhhhh, that she'd know something about. or at least she suspects she might know what it is]

So you're like your own rave. Cool.

[pretty colors~~]

Nutrition is not the point of college food.

[He's joking, obviously, but yeah. Not nutritious at all. And as for her reaction to that next part--]

What is it?

[The rave comment earns another small smile, because okay, he hadn't thought of it like that, but it's excellent.]

Now I just need to dubstep to go with it.

I wouldn't know. I lived off of the cherry sweet rolls they had in the vending machines until I quit.

[yeah, her death set her family into chaos. and we're not counting the one dead member of it]

...well. There was this girl. I kinda had a thing for her. But it turned out, she was more interested in my dad. Who apparently took her up on it.

[party at Lance's place, yo!]

And some Ecstasy.

Rolls sound so good right now.

[Sweet or garlic or anything else. He probably needs more carbs of something.

And... Wow, he isn't even sure what to say to that.]

That's... That sucks.

[On lots of levels. And okay, he's briefly surprised by that last comment before making a face, and then laughing.]

I'm not sure if the people here in this place would be better or worse on Ecstasy.

[Probably best if they stick to weed.]

I know, right? How come the stores never stock the good stuff?

[she's got a sweet tooth, so she'd be more up for those cherry rolls again.

and it was a clusterfuck. no other word for it]

Yeah, it did. And did I mention that all of that happened after I died?

[she laughs, too]

Would you believe me if I told you that I had no idea? 'Cause I never did it myself?

[that grows in the ground, so that's safe, right?]

Right now we're still just lucky they're providing any food at all.

[After the whole NOTHING for however long it was.]

That's even worse, although grief can cause people to do odd things.

[Which is about the only concession he'll make for George's father's actions, presuming he was cheating. If not, Lance might be more sympathetic, although the situation would still be weird.]

You didn't miss anything, so just be proud of how responsible you were.

[Stay off drugs, kids; he's proud of you, George. Besides Ecstasy sucks, at least in his experience.]

Yeah, I really wouldn't wanna have to live on monster meat and stuff from the orchards. Although, technically I don't have to eat, I just. . . do.

[yes, that was unfortunate. she didn't eat at all during that period]

And in my dad's case, it apparently caused him to do one of his students.

[she's not blind. she knew her parents' marriage was on the rocks even before she died. but that didn't make watching it wreck itself any easier]

That's me, Ms. Responsibility. Also Ms. Not Invited to Any Parties in the First Place.

[she wouldn't know about any drugs. though, if Mason was any indication, they were more trouble than they were worth]

It really sucks, yeah.

[He ate a little, but not nearly as much as he should've been and that was a big contributor to both his physical and mental health decline recently. Having actual food options again has been helping a lot.

And okay, wow, ew, hold up--]

Is he at least a university teacher?

[Please tell him not high school. Not that a college teacher sleeping with a student is great, by any means, but it's a different situation than a high schooler. Ugh.]

You didn't miss anything in that regard either. Might as well just pretend it was due to being responsible.

[Lance tried a few things he shouldn't have, due to various reasons and influences, but fortunately never got carried away. It definitely didn't hurt that he found pretty much everything but alcohol to be generally unpleasant.]

Yeah. It's good to see a little variety in the food options again.

[okay, that's not good. humans need to eat. preferably three decent meals a day. otherwise, yeah, you're going to have some really nasty side-effects]

Yup. Teaches Shakespeare to dewy-eyed undergrads.

[it's not high school, at least, and the girl in question was the one doing the pursuing. still doesn't mean her dad should've taken her up on it]

Okay, I'll say it was because I was being responsible instead of a loser.

[that's because everything but alcohol is generally unpleasant]

Seriously. I joke about surviving on uncooked ramen, but I do prefer having actual food choices.

[Yeah it had been a whole thing, but he's doing better now at least. And... Ugh, he tries really hard not to say anything bad about George's father, but gross.]

At least she was presumably of age, then, but it's still incredibly unethical.

[Considering a bunch of things, but specifically the power imbalance between a student and professor. So Lance is judging very hard.]

Good. It sounds better that way.

Wouldn't uncooked ramen be crunchy? And really, really salty if you added in the seasoning packet?

[good because if not, she'd find him and force him to eat some fucking vegetables. which would be incredibly hypocritical of her since she lives on snack foods and alcohol. and it was gross. and hurtful since she'd had a crush on the girl in question]

Yeah. Kinda makes me wonder if he'd done it before.

[George isn't judging, just . . . disappointed in her father. her parents' marriage wasn't a close one, but she'd almost rather they just divorced instead of her father having an affair]

And I also sound like I had the most boring high school experience ever. Which is fair.

It's very crunchy, kind like eating crackers but harder. Putting the seasoning packet on it would be super gross though; I just leave that off.

[Even he doesn't go that far.]

Hopefully not; once is bad enough for everyone, including you.

[He gives a small smile at that last comment.]

I wouldn't know; I didn't go to high school, and from everything I've seen and heard I'm pretty glad I didn't.

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