Episode 1: The Day After is Always the Hardest to Handle [accidental audio/action]

[tsunderebunny]

[That was some adrenaline rush.

Barnaby groaned when the distant rumble of thunder and the cold patter of raindrops on his bare skin pulled him back to consciousness. The muscles in his arms, shoulders, and back ached like he knew they would. The battle atop the Justice Tower had been long and vicious-- sleep was bliss after that beating, that rage-- He fisted a hand in the sand, and his thoughts ground to a halt.

Why was there sand?

Thunder rumbled once more, closer than it had been moments before. Barnaby abruptly sat up, his already electrified instincts snapping him into action in less than a heartbeat. He knew that there was no more reason for him to fight, but there were some habits that would never change. Not so quickly.

His momentary spark of irritation quickly gave way to confusion. Barnaby ran a hand through his sodden curls with sand covered fingers as his mind tried to register the sudden change in his surroundings. This wasn't his bed, his flat, or even anywhere in Sternbild.

Why was he at a beach?

The rain started to fall harder, prompting Barnaby stiffly pull himself up from the sand. He hadn't noticed the book that was lying on it's open pages nearby, just barely within reach of the receeding tide.]

...Honestly. [His voice was weary, exasperated.] They couldn't have bothered to put up a shelter?

[Later that day, after he's settled (after a fashion), Barnaby can be found in the shops around the plaza, gathering his few belongings and proper furnishings for his new flat, or holed up in a quiet corner of the library to peruse both his journal and any informational book that he could find. He just couldn't trust any of the evidence he had, not when it was so blatantly absurd.

It'd be wise to avoid mentioning any large, stuffed pink bunnies that he might be seen with that day. He couldn't just leave it in the shops for anyone to take!]

Comments

[Action]

[windandrain]

[Saori, quite...tired of everything going on in her life for the moment, had found herself on the beach when the storm broke overhead. Well that was a nice treat, a storm. The water didn't even touch her, so she lay in the sand and just...fell asleep.

Of course, to anyone unfamiliar with just how odd she was, it might appear as though she had washed ashore, fainted, or otherwise been incapacitated while being stuck in a thunderstorm!]

[Action]

[tsunderebunny]

[...somehow, the fairytale grew more complex.

Barnaby stopped his trek along the shoreline, searching for some sign of civilization in the wild chaos that nature decided to throw at him, and quickly dropped to his knees at the sight of the unconscious girl. Retired or not, it was only his civic duty to help someone in need-- especially if he was able too.]

Miss. [His voice was soft but insistent.] Miss. Can you hear me?

[Action]

[windandrain]

[She stirred at the sound, eyes flickering groggily. Who...was this man? Why was he disturbing her? Weird. He didn't have a shirt.

Whatever. She groans and doesn't get up, or move. Almost like she's in pain. Or...just tired and feeling a bit lazy.]

[Action]

[tsunderebunny]

[He heaved a sigh of relief. At least she was alive, which was a start. He was tempted to stay there until he found a way to call for help, but he had no way to because of his conspicuously missing bracelet, among his other belongings.] I'm sorry, Miss.

[Gently, he lifted her head to slip an arm underneath-- and that was when he noticed the brush of something against his shoulders that wasn't his hair. Barnaby looked back, and frowned in utter disbelief.

First a beach. Now wings?

This clearly was a trick of his mind. Wings weren't possible.

He huffed; it was no matter, not with this woman lying unconscious. He slipped his other arm under her knees and stood, lifting her up in his arms as if she were a blushing bride being carried into the honeymoon suite by her newly wedded husband. He was astonished by how light she was, and he made certain to keep a firm grip to protect her from being carried off by the wind.

Once more, he gazed askance at the barren beach.]

...I'm going to file a complaint with management.

[Action]

[yourfononsarewhack]

[Jade quickly notices the newcomer leaving the shop. There is one detail he focuses on quite quickly - and points it out.]

Excuse me! Are you aware that you are carrying a large, pink stuffed rabbit?

[Action]

[tsunderebunny]

[Barnaby glanced at the man and slowed his pace, but didn't even make a move to touch the offending bunny. Flight or pushing the plush deeper into his bag would only make the situation look more awkward than it already was.

There was only one choice.]

No, I wasn't. It must have hopped in on it's own.

[Action]

[yourfononsarewhack]

[Jade leans over to examine the bunny more closely, in an exxagerated sense, with one hand on his chin, as he goes on drolly.]

Such an unusual phenomenon. It's best be careful - it could be seeking a host body.

[Action]

[tsunderebunny]

[Barnaby peers down himself in distant, pedantic interest.]

Oh? I thought you knew? Rabbits of all kinds have special properties. Why do you thing magicians use them?

action

[deadlyjuliet]

[Rain or no rain, Grell is out. She has a pretty red umbrella to make her absolutely conspicuous as she sits on the edge of the item shop's roof, and she's simply watching who is coming or going when she notices the blond man with a giant pink bunny.

That.

Is such an image ruiner.

And speaking of images, she recalls that face from an earlier post made in the rain.]

I never would have guessed that the handsome voice from before could have been such a stuff animal lover. What they say about appearances being deceiving must be true.

action

[tsunderebunny]

[Barnaby stepped out into the rain and had just started to unfurl his own umbrella-- also red-- when he heard the woman's teasing voice. He kept his reaction in check, fully aware of the image he must have made for her.

His friends had the strangest tastes sometimes.

Sighing, he looked up and smiled for the woman.]

It's nothing like that at all, Miss. It's a gift from my friends back home, and I didn't want to show them any disrespect by leaving it here.

action

[deadlyjuliet]

Well then...Please forgive me my rudeness. A man loyal to his friends is a lovely man indeed.

[Barnaby is being too kind in calling her Miss already, but Grell will run with it. She's always glad to see people who have such sensibilities to them.]

I see you've come in out of this nasty rain as well. Find the shelter you were looking for?

action

[tsunderebunny]

[Grell was by no means as overt as some of his friends. As long as she didn't come on too strongly with her flirtations, she'd be fine.]

...You heard that?

[He hadn't been aware of the book at that time, and still wasn't fully aware of all of its capabilities. Barnaby huffed and looked away.]

I'm going to have a talk with Management about that problem.

action

[calmbeforethe]

[On this auspicious, thunderstormy day, Ororo returns from her mission. She had spent the last week and a bit with non-powered individuals from other enclosures, many of them women, of varying ages. She wasn't very used to teaching people without any special powers, but she'd done her best. And after so long of that, she welcomes the thought of coming back to Luceti, to people she knew. For most, being greeted by such weather would be terrible luck. Not for Ororo, who welcomed the rolling thunder and heavy rain like old friends.

She emerges from the tunnel entrance in the plaza and takes a moment to pause, right there in the pouring rain, eyes shut and a peaceful smile on her face.]

action

[tsunderebunny]

[Barnaby, once more wearing his own clothes and carrying an umbrella to guard against the rain, stopped and silently watched the woman as she emerged from the ground. Once more, this place -- Luceti -- greeted him with something unknown.]

Excuse me. [His voice was calm and carefully controlled,] what's down there?

action

[calmbeforethe]

[Ororo's slow to turn and face the new voice, caught up as she was with the familiar, comforting thrum of a thunderstorm. So it takes a moment or two before she glances at the newcomer, blinking rain away from her eyes belatedly.]

... Ah, I'm sorry, could you repeat that? [She smiles apologetically.]

action

[tsunderebunny]

That door. [He gestured toward it with his free(er) hand, though he was careful enough not to get his bag (or the bunny inside) wet.] What's down there?

[etherealblast]

[Fayt was browsing the shops a bit himself, looking for anything interesting, really. Summer was coming, too, so it was probably a good idea to get some summer clothes, right?

And while normally he didn't stare, that large pink bunny was.... something, certainly. Hope you don't mind a decently long glance your way, sir.]

[tsunderebunny]

[Barnaby, currently seeking out an umbrella and a change of pajamas for later, stared right back at the blue haired young man.]

...May I help you with something?

[etherealblast]

Nice rabbit. [Well, it's not like he could hide the fact he was staring.]

[action]

[strangelyliteral]

[Settling into Luceti is something that isn't coming easily for Anya. Sometimes she wanders, restlessly, feeling stifled with the lack of a purpose. The shops are little comfort, but she tends to gravitate toward them anyway.

However, seeing a man pull out a giant stuffed bunny out from one of the nearby bins as she steps inside the building, elicits a jump and a shout of surprise from the bewildered woman.]

Aaugh! What are you doing with that thing?!

[action]

[tsunderebunny]

[That was the strangest reaction he had heard yet. Barnaby nonchalantly settled the embarrassing gift into his shopping bag and glanced at the woman, curious about why she reacted like that.]

What do you think I'm doing?

[action]

[strangelyliteral]

I don't know, but - I doubt it's anything good! Or - or legal!

[ action - library ]

[universal_charm]

<sub>[ Don't mind this guy, he's just come to the library for more research materials. Well, not materials, more like a few books on theory he may or may not have to get Spock to explain to him. He was smart, sure, but some things went over even his head and he wasn't scared to admit it. It really made him wish for Scotty at times though. They guy had figured out that teleportation equation and -

What in the hell? ]</sub>

I don't think I've ever seen anything quite so pink before.

[action - library ]

[tsunderebunny]

You've obviously haven't met many young girls then.

[Many of them tended to like pink, in his experience.]

Re: [action - library ]

[universal_charm]

No, I tend to like my women a bit more mature, and Star Fleet doesn't do pink. Red's fine and dandy though.

_{[ He comes closer, a physics applications book under his arm. ]}

Should I ask why it's a rabbit?