(OPEN) There's always more to you than there are of them

[armd]

WHO: Abby n' pals
WHAT: Catch-all open log for the month
WHEN: September
WHERE: All about
NOTES: Will update as needed. If you'd like something specific, hit me up and I'll write you a starter!

𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐝𝐮𝐭𝐲
Abby is stationed out on the docks this evening, a posted sentry in charge of Riftwatch's section of the piers on an unusually still night. The air coming in off of the ocean is cool. The weather could stand to be a lot worse, but it's not the most exciting job to have been assigned. She's been standing here for an hour already with a few to go, whiling away the time by idly stretching, and shadowboxing the space in front of her when nobody is around to catch her doing it.

It's odd, not having to stand around and specifically listen out for sounds of infected. Abby keeps thinking that she'll hear one, the old expectation lingering in the back of her mind. Maybe it's for that reason that a sudden stagger of footsteps has her reacting instinctively, defensively.

She draws her sword. It's nothing fancy, basic issue, and she has only half of her armor on for this watch: a cuirass on over a long-sleeved, quilted shirt to keep her warm.

"Who's there."

𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦, [𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝]
It had seemed like a good idea at the time. Leave a little something, nothing– exorbitant, or dramatic. It gave Abby time to sit down and pen a few things to people she has been deliberately keeping herself from thinking about and it helped in the smallest of ways to get it out and then leave it behind.

It takes a few days after the disastrous run in with Ellie for Abby to realise that what she's left there could be read by anybody passing through, but she wouldn't– would she? The possibility clings to her anyway, and makes her feel self-conscious. Those words weren't meant for anybody else.

So she trails down toward the courtyard the very same day the moment dusk falls to retrieve them, but– well, she didn't mark her notes on the outside and a lot of people have been here both before and after her.

Abby has to search, painstakingly careful with the folded pieces of paper that don't turn out to be hers.

𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐝
(If you feel like writing your own: Abby is usually found in the library, the training yard, out doing menial Gallows work for the Forces division, or exploring Kirkwall. If you have a dog fork it over)

Comments

[voidtransport]

He's honestly relieved to see her shake it off without much of a problem - but there's no guarantee it will be that way every time. These spells can take a toll and even being distracted for a moment can put you in immense danger. It's good training, doing this, but at the same time after reading her reaction it's clear that whatever it is she saw was truly terrible and he dreads the thought of making her see it again just for preparedness-sake.

"Are you impressed?" He tries to be lighthearted about it instead of a big old 'I told you so' since, well, it's Abby's first time with this kind of magic. Then, after a moment he says, "Try to keep your environmental awareness up if you're able to resist the spells effect, alright? Paying attention to the illusion is what an enemy wants."

[armd]

"Yeah." She is impressed, and she can admit it while catching her breath, one hand dropping to her hip as she stretches, still processing what she just saw. That was– from the day before she arrived in Thedas through the rift. Months ago now, the image still so visceral in her mind.

She's nodding now as she shakes the last of it off, returning to her usual stance with the sword in her hand. What Allumin is saying makes sense. Abby had seen through the illusion at the end, almost to Allumin standing across from her in the training yard with his staff raised, but she didn't know magic could pull from her own experiences in that way. She doesn't like that he essentially just dipped into her head, and pulled something out to use against her. That doesn't feel good. That could be dangerous.

"Did you see it too?"

[voidtransport]

"No - only you can see it, if that's any comfort?"

He can imagine a certain anxiety in others knowing what your fears are, a concern that they're projected out there for all the world to see. Allumin wouldn't want people to see his, that's for sure.

Watching her return to a readied position, he takes some time to consider how he might be feeling were he in this situation. Trying to be more aware, more empathetic... Were he on the other side of this, how would he hope his training partner would approach this?

"Do you want to take a short break before trying again?" he asks after reflecting on it.

[armd]

"It is. For you, anyway."

He's so lucky he didn't have to see that thing... Allumin really should find comfort in that. When Abby ran into it she was so scared she could barely fucking think, or breathe, she just had to get away, run as fast as she could in the opposite fucking direction. Hope against hope it wouldn't catch her up.

And then it did. She shivers in disgust, shifting her weight restlessly from side to side.

"Nah. Hit me." She's good for it. That, and she doesn't want to have any down-time if she has to look at the Rat King again before the day is out. Better to keep it fresh in her mind so it doesn't seem too horrifying... maybe... surely that's how it works?