From being an Abandoned who had rarely left the Hollowed Grounds, to embracing the call of adventure, to dying and being reborn first as an Ascended and then as an Ancient, Maea has gone through quite the amount of changes in her life. One thing remains common, though, in her attempts to find out just where she belongs; she’s always had a craving for knowledge which has brought her to so many places and to meet so many people here in Caido. We can’t wait to see what else is in store for her!
Congratulations, Maea!
Credits
Court of the Fallen was created in October of 2018 by Odd, Honey, and Crooked.
Skinning and hosting by the epically talented Kaons, and functionality fanciness by the coding magic of Neowulf. If you ever see either of them around, make sure to show them some love!
With Harper taking on half the weight of ruling, Hadama had finally had a little more time to spend in his personal haven and guilty pleasure: the Tide Pool Bar. The little cafe on the beach, with half of its tables in a widened-out tide pool and the other half on dry sand, catered to both Merfolk and humans and served a mixed menu that took inspiration from both cultures. It was a modest little restaurant under its sturdy palapa, known primarily for its excellent breakfasts and brunches and fresh fruit juices mixed with a bit of bubbly.
And today it was covered in thick, sticky webs of spider silk.
When Hadama had received the panicked message from the morning staff he'd aquaported over immediately and reluctantly ordered the cafe closed for the day while he surveyed the damage. The winds and waves over the night had blown the drifting mess straight into the cafe; blanketing the tide pool, clinging to furniture, and clogging the cooking surfaces in the open kitchen.
In short, it was a mess and was going to take some help to clean up.
If only some kind souls would come by who would be willing to lend a hand in exchange for a free meal!
This is a PQ to clean the spider silk out of the cafe - and meet some new people while we're at it!
We all make mistakes sometimes We all have failed where we stand tonight
Was George a kind soul? Debatable.
Was he willing to do a lot of things for a free meal? Yup.
The Tide Pool Bar was a popular destination for humans and Merfolk alike, well-known for excellent breakfasts and brunches and touting an impressive selection of fruity beverages. It was somewhere that George had liked to eat for as long as he could remember whenever he visited the beach - which, admittedly, was not as often as he probably should. People just didn't tend to bring their valuables along when they wanted to soak up the sun and play in the sand and surf, and he was therefore the beach was remarkably useless to him under normal circumstances.
On this particular day, it had occurred to George that perhaps some business owners might need some assistance with the spider silk that had increasingly become a problem since the start of Leafchange. And in return for assistance, he thought, they might be willing to cut a few deals, offer a few freebies. Not that he was trying to take advantage of people in their hour of need, but he was absolutely trying to take advantage. He was a thief, after all. And if the person he was taking advantage of was the King of the Merfolk? Well, it would never hurt to have someone in power owe him a favor, now, would it?
George strode up to the bar, whistling, his hands in his pockets, and looked the place over. "The spiders are making a mess, aren't they?" he called to Hadama, who he knew by reputation. "Need some help?"
Look past, learn, and move on We're all here; you're not the only one
Let me uncover the silver in your dark hair The weight of your bones
In contrast to George, Jude is almost the opposite of food motivated and couldn't care less about edible rewards, but he is very helpful. He also knows Hadama as more than just a ruler given the Tidebreaker's friendship with his father, so when he sees the havoc being wreaked on the restaurant he immediately changed direction to head towards the mer-King with a concerned set to his expressive face from where it peeks out beneath a wide-brimmed sunhat.
"Do you need some help Hadama? I didn't come very prepared but I'm happy to give some extra hands." Meaning he has no supplies but is able-bodied and ready to be directed and put to work if the merman has need of it. He doesn't really recognize George, so he just averts his eyes to focus on Hadama, self-conscious.
I want to witness the beauty of your repair the shape in which you've grown
Hadama did not know George by reputation. Which, given the man's occupation, was probably for the best. Instead the King inclined his head in gratitude at the stranger's offer. "Yes," he rumbled, taking a break from helping the morning cook with mixing up several spray bottles of vinegar and coconut oil. "I am Hadama." It seemed rude to just assume that people knew who he was on sight, so the King tried to be mindful about introducing himself, and offering others the chance to return the courtesy. "I can offer a meal in exchange for your help." And of course, this being Torchline, laying out the contract for a favor first was only good manners.
A familiar face arrived soon after, and the mermanta's stoic expression softened a little as he greeted the kindly and well-mannered young man. Thank you, Jude. Your help is most welcome," he accepted. "Hands are enough. And there will be brunch when we are done." He was always happy to feed his friend's son. It was the least he could do for the lad, given his situation at home.
Swimming over to the counter that divided the dry side from the wet side, he handed the full spray bottles to each man. "This should dissolve spider webs," he explained. Or so the cook had claimed. Though these webs were much thicker and stronger than the usual kind... "The kitchen was hit worst." In the center of the Tide Pool Bar, in the middle of the dividing glass-block half-wall, a yin-yang style open kitchen swirled, allowing both Mer and human chefs access to all of the cooking and prep surfaces. Webs had clung to the low shelving and glued cabinets shut, and the oven's chimney had become clogged with webbing.
Round 1: Clean up the kitchen!
*The spray bottles will help to weaken the cloud spider webbing but will not be able to dissolve it entirely. Feel free to use other methods or a combination!
- Clear the webbing out of the oven's chimney
- Get the webbing off of the cabinets so they can be opened
- Clean the webbing off the shelves with the alcohol bottles (careful not to break any!)
- Hadama will scrub the counters!
We all make mistakes sometimes We all have failed where we stand tonight
"I'm George," the thief said easily, reaching to offer his hand to the merman for a shake. A boy arrived not long after, and George looked him over briefly; he didn't recognize the kid - Hadama had called him Jude - but Torchline was a big place. He simply nodded a greeting before turning his attention back to Hadama, who was giving instructions.
After accepting a bottle of the cleaning solution, George turned his attention to the kitchen. There was the oven, the cabinets, and the shelves with the alcohol bottles. "I'll take the oven and the cabinets, if you'll deal with the bottles?" he offered to Jude. In truth, he just didn't have the patience to clean carefully between each and every bottle whilst being careful not to break any.
With that decided, George made his way to the oven, which was clogged with spiderwebs. He'd never been a huge fan of spiders, and he fought the urge to wrinkle his nose with disgust at just how much of the webbing had spread around the kitchen. He sprayed the cleaning solution into the chimney, then across the face of the cabinets that had been all but glued shut, hoping that by giving the solution time to sit, it might work better. After a few moments, he came back through with a cloth, hoping to wipe away the dissolving spider webs from the chimney and the cabinets.
------
George tries to clean the chimney and cabinets by soaking the webs with cleaning spray, leaving it for a few moments, then trying to wipe them away.
Look past, learn, and move on We're all here; you're not the only one
Let me uncover the silver in your dark hair The weight of your bones
Jude smiles at Hadama, reserved but not quite shy given he knows him far better than the stranger - who introduces himself as George. Brunch isn't required to entice him to work, but he appreciates the offer itself and is clearly ready to put himself to work. He's not anticipating the other man to speak to him, but Jude is a biddable young man who has no qualms with being instructed or offered advice.
"That works for me," he agrees, and sets about looking over the alcohol bottles. Given their positioning he's certain they'll be at risk if he cleans them where they are, so Jude begins carefully pulling them out of their spots and onto the prep counter before spraying them - and their backdrop - liberally with the solution Hadama had supplied. Only then does he go in with a rag to clear off the other half of the counter to provide him somewhere to shuffle the spirits. Then he sets about picking up each bottle one by one and setting it to the opposite side only after it has been cleaned.
- - -
Jude sets the liquor bottles on the prep table carefully since cleaning them in place sounds bad. He cleans a section of the table then hand cleans each bottle to transfer them to the clean side.
I want to witness the beauty of your repair the shape in which you've grown
"A pleasure to meet you, George," Hadama greeted with his usual stoic courtesy, but there was genuine warmth in his eyes as his own damp, webbed fingers gripped the human's in a firm shake. The mermanta was glad for any help that he could get.
A feeling that only continued as both men got to work with a will. By a fairly prodigious flexing of biceps and the use of a metal spatula the Tidebreaker was able to scrape the webbing from the counter with the help of the vinegar spray. He collected the mess in a burlap sack as he went, his expression unreadable as he peeled bits of sticky webbing from his callused fingers and shook it off. "Will you tell us about yourself?" he asked George , seeing no reason to work in silence and curious about the stranger.
Who was not having the best time of it, unfortunately. George's success was mixed, but at least it wasn't all bad. The cabinets relented under his mix of spraying, waiting, and scrubbing and soon their interiors - blessedly web-free - were accessible again. But the oven... Well. Maybe it was because the webs were thicker in there, but they just would not budge, even after letting the spray soak in for a bit.
Jude , on the other hand, was meticulous and careful and it paid off. Hand-cleaning each one both removed the spider webs and kept the bottles safe. Perhaps the glass made it harder for the webs to attach, but regardless his task went both faster and more smoothly than the others.
Soon enough he and Hadama had their hands free and the mermanta looked around to see what else needed done. "We will need to clean the furniture as well," he rumbled, looking out over the chairs that had become stuck to their tables with thick, sturdy ropes of sticky silk. "I will clean the water side, if you can work on the land side. And the oven still needs work."
Round 2!
Feel free to switch up tasks or double up! There's lots of furniture to un-stick, or maybe two sets of arms will be better than one on unclogging the oven!
- Keep working on the oven
- Start unsticking the tables and chairs from each other
- Hadama will clean out the tide pool water
07-11-2023, 09:34 PM (This post was last modified: 07-15-2023, 09:09 PM by George.)
We all make mistakes sometimes We all have failed where we stand tonight
"Me? I'm nobody interesting," he said smoothly, turning to his task. Still, he needed to give them something if he didn't want to raise suspicion, and so he added, "I've lived here all my life, I just don't get out much. I work with Flora at the Hanged Man." A white lie, since he technically didn't work at the Hanged Man, but rather out of the bar's back room - but one that he didn't mind vocalizing to the King of the Merfolk. It was better than shouting, I'm a thief from the rooftops, in any case.
The silk covering the cabinets relented readily enough, and George scrubbed away the webs with a smirk of satisfaction. The oven, though, was another matter entirely, and a frown slipped onto his face as he tried in vain to unclog the chimney. Muttering a string of curses, he sprayed the webs again with the cleaning solution as he looked for something to shove into the chimney, hoping to break through the think knot of webs rather than just wiping them away. Finding a spatula nearby, he used the blunt end to try and poke through the chimney-webs.
------
George keeps trying to clean the oven chimney!
Look past, learn, and move on We're all here; you're not the only one
Let me uncover the silver in your dark hair The weight of your bones
Jude would be happy to allow George his privacy - more due to his introversion than any sort of respect for George's anonymity - but Hadama is unsurprisingly courteous in his small-talk, so Jude quietly listens from where he is cleaning the bottles. George's reply is lackluster, but Jude's life is equally boring on paper so he doesn't judge the man for it. Instead he merely toils away, only looking to Hadama for guidance once his task is complete and being quite grateful that the Tidebreaker does not hesitate to give it to him.
Perhaps the kind thing would be to help George, but Jude decidedly does not want to strain his social muscles over something so minor, so he indulges in cowardice and instead sets to work trying to pry the furniture apart. Again he uses the solution, spraying each one by one and advancing down the line so that the solution can soak and set in before he returns to the first one to try pulling it apart, hoping letting it penetrate longer will ensure his wimpy arms have a chance at separating them.
- - -
Jude soaks all the furniture one by one then returns to the first, hoping letting it sit will have helped so his noodle arms can pry them apart.
I want to witness the beauty of your repair the shape in which you've grown
Hadama tilted his head curiously towards George as that little piece of information slipped out. He visited Flora at the Hanged Man regularly, though he was unfamiliar with this particular face behind the bar or waiting tables. He kept his thoughts on the matter to himself, however, especially since they all had work to focus on.
Take Jude for instance. He had the right idea with the spray, and it did seem to be working, but he needed the leverage a second pair of hands would bring to anchor the furniture on one side while he pulled the other piece free. With only his two noodly arms he couldn't quite get enough force to pry the chairs off of the tables. While he worked, Hadama turned to him next. "Will you introduce yourself?" he asked the young man, voice holding a trace of warmth for his friend's son.
The King's own efforts were significantly more effective as he used his Water Manipulation to swirl the web-strewn water into a vortex, balling the disgusting substance up as it tangled together with itself and then freezing it into a hard ball that he sent sailing down the beach. Later it could be set on fire to properly dispose of it, but for now just having it out of the cafe was enough.
And then there was poor George. His attempt to use a spatula was undoubtedly a good one and it even worked - to a degree. Unfortunately, when he poked the wooden handle inside the oven and started winding the webbing up it was enough to disturb the very irate mother cloud spider who had been happily building a nest full of eggs in the oven's chimney. She scuttled down to the chimney opening and launched herself at George's face!
Round 3:
No posting order!
Let me uncover the silver in your dark hair The weight of your bones
Jude is so focused on working at the tables and chairs that he startles when Hadama speaks directly to him, expression hunted and reluctant the moment the question sinks in. Admittedly no, he'd rather not introduce himself. But he's an obedient young man by habit if not virtue, so he ducks his head and submits himself to the idea all the same.
"Um, I'm Jude." What else is he supposed to say? He's not exactly interesting. "I'm Harper's son." There we go, throw his dad under the tide as a sacrificial lamb.
George still seems to be having quite the difficulty, so Jude sends Hadama a slightly pleading look. "Can you help me pull these apart please?" He has no illusions of his noodle arms being any more successful with time.
- - -
Jude asks for Hadama's help with pulling apart the furniture.
I want to witness the beauty of your repair the shape in which you've grown
We all make mistakes sometimes We all have failed where we stand tonight
George recognized that the young man seemed to be uncomfortable with the notion of introducing himself, so he decided not to put the lad on the spot any more than Hadama had already done. "It's nice to meet you, Jude," he said with a friendly smile. It wouldn't hurt to be kind to their other king's son, after all.
Returning his attention to his work, George was satisfied when the webbing gave way, rolling neatly around the spatula's handle. What he was not expecting was for there to be a live spider building a nest in the chimney, and as the creature flew from the opening directly at his face, George cursed and jumped backwards. "Fuck!" He swatted at the spider instinctively, hoping to get it away from his face.
Look past, learn, and move on We're all here; you're not the only one
Jude was, indeed, a quiet young man, but Hadama had found him kind. Given who his father was it was perhaps unsurprising that he was uncommonly well-mannered. They were all a rather terse and quiet bunch it seemed, and he didn’t press his friend’s son further when it seemed as though Jude was uncomfortable with the attention. ”And I am the owner of the Tide Pool Bar,” he finished the round of introductions with a nod. Given that both men were locals there didn’t seem any need to mention his other position within Torchline.
Having finished his own task, the mermanta had just turned back to see how the other men were doing when Jude made his request. ”Yes,” he agreed willingly, swimming over to the counter that divided the wet side from the dry and leaning over it. Before Jude could bring the furniture over, however, George cried out as he was attacked. The Tidebreaker paused to make sure he wasn’t hurt, but when the only visible issue was a small (relatively speaking) spider the Mer King relaxed. Once Jude had pushed or dragged some furniture in reach he grasped the table legs to hold it steady while Jude was able to put his full body weight into pulling the chairs apart from it. Between spray, muscles, sweat, and stoicism they were able to free the furniture from its tangle and get it separated out into distinct pieces again.
George, on the other hand, was waging an epic battle against his tiny assailant. His swat managed to protect his face, but the floaty spider only bobbed away instead of going splat. It retaliated by twisting around and launching a web from its butt spinnerets towards the human’s face, making tiny angry chittering noises that were too small to hear. But it was definitely upset as a gust of wind blew it out from under the palapa and out to sea, making rude gestures that only another arachnid could understand.
”…” Hadama paused in helping free the furniture to watch the end of the encounter, but his face remained stoic without even the hint of the smile that might have been lurking in his calm emerald eyes. ”I will start a fire in the oven to burn out the rest of the webs in it,” he stated. ”Before I start the food. Could you scrub the silk off the dishes that were left out? And scrape the last of the webbing off the chair seats?” The dishes had been clean the night before, at least. A little spray, soap, and elbow grease would clean them right up. The chairs had been separated from their tables but webbing cross-crossed the seats, making sitting in them a rather unpleasant option. But at least those looked like the last of the webs in the little café!
Last round!
Wash up the dishes and scrub the rest of the furniture off and then you can eat!
We all make mistakes sometimes We all have failed where we stand tonight
After the initial surprise wore off, George had to admit that he probably looked like a complete idiot, cursing and swatting at a relatively small spider, and as the little creature spun to shoot silk at him, he began to laugh, holding up his hands to protect himself from the last of the encounter. "I think it's safe to say that the spider did not appreciate our efforts," he said wryly, glancing rather sheepishly towards his companions.
George took his spray bottle and went toward the dishes, carrying a pile over to the sink, where he could properly scrub them of any lingering silk. Taking one at a time, he sprayed them with the solution, scraped off the silk, and then washed them like normal with soap and water to remove any lingering debris. When he'd finished, he looked around to see if Jude or Hadama would need any help.
------
George cleans the dishes!
Look past, learn, and move on We're all here; you're not the only one
