Patrollogs
(Solomon's decursing attempt)
[Sat Jan 6 2024]
At the entry around STARBUCKS' barista counter
The brick and reclaimed wood from the outside continues to the inside, more polished here than the exterior. Tile flooring paves the way underfoot, and high ceilings with exposed beams make the building appear spacious without giving actual space. An ordering counter greets newcomers to the building with merchandise as well as baristas ready to take orders, signs posted behind it and above heads for easy viewing.
It is afternoon, about 37F(2C) degrees, and there are a few dark grey stormclouds in the sky.
"He'd understand," Avi counters Caelum's claim, and that offered hand turns into an offered arm for Tabitha. "You should learn to drive, it's not safe for a girl your age to be walking around alone."
An impassive visor veils Caelum in his humor, reflecting Avi right back. It doesn't hide the muffled chuckle though. He tips two fingers off of his temple, then heads out of the starbucks at once.
As the students go, Solomon turns to some small, internal project, bent over the table. "Good day."
Tabitha wraps her hands around Avi's arm when he gentlemanly offers it to her. "I hear that a lot, Avi. Where I lived before, I did not really need to. Everything was much closer to reach by foot than it is here in town."
Opening the passenger door of his SUV for Tabitha, Avi asks, "Welcome to Haven, unfortunately. Do you have everything you need for class by the way, or do you need to stop anywhere?"
"Nothing's more important than friendship," Rachel says, all innocence. She pulls the chair next to her back, and again, indicates it with an open palm. Siddown. Out of the corner of her eye, Angelique's watched. Just briefly. Back to Casey, in a matter of seconds. "And, uh, no one important."
"Hola, bellas," Angelique greets as Sienna and Charlene show up. "Come in, come in." She's perched on the edge of the desk, one ankle tuckled behind the other, a laptop set up, and a phone in her hand. Listening to the gossip with half an ear, she smirks faintly. "It was nothing that can't wait," Casey is then assured, before a quick check of the time is made.
"Hola, Caelum. Adelante," Angelique offers again, waving Caelum forward with a gesture that can only mean 'come in'.
"Pocket Rocket," Avi greets Alex as he holds his passenger door open for Tabitha.
"I'm good," Tabitha says to Avi, "I have my phone at the ready to learn all the new poses to make my cleavage more cleavage-y." She slips into the seat, and begins to pull the seatbelt across her chest and lap. "I've lived in Haven a while, and in the summer I don't really mind the walks. It's winter that is the problem." She looks beyond Avi to Alex, and her fingers wiggle once she's all clicked in.
Alex raises a brow at Avi when greeted and .reply with an amused. "Wildcat. How goes it?"
Hopping into the driver's seat of his Rover, Avi tells Alex, "It goes. We're on the way to class - want to come sit in? See what Wildcat life is like?"
Alex raises a brow at Avi when greeted and replies with an amused. "Wildcat. How goes it?" -re
"Well, she was kinda messed up all along," Charlene grins and sidles into a row of seats, peering up ahead at Angelique. "Hi, Miss Inigo. Happy new year. I tried to see if Liv would come to class, but I think she might be at work."
The whole room shakes.
Caelum breaks his stride upon entering. A pause long enough to catch Angelique's wave. The reflective helm nods, turns from her and away to the rest of the classroom - before he makes a slow beeline straight to the back of the class as well and take a seat. His phone is laid on the table, beside a notebook presumably to take notes. Then - as if realizing it just now, he tugs off his helmet and sets it under his arm.
confused Alex's brows furrow following a reciprocated twiddle of fingers at Tabitha. "Is that allowed for a non student? What's the class?"
"It's a social media class that's sure to be eye-opening, but we've got about one minute or we're going to be late, so hop in if you're coming," Avi urges Alex. "You're fine to come, you're with me."
"It'd give you a little insight as to if you want to enroll." Tabitha says to Alex. "And you'll be with us, so you'll be totally fine."
Alex says "Alrighty then!"
Carter quietly makes his way into the classroom, his gaze flitting over the seats before he decides on moving along to the back row somewhere in the vicinity of Sienna.
Speeding is the name of the game as Avi heads toward the campus. "I messaged Angelique and told her we'd be a little late," Avi says, double-parking once they arrive. "Let's go."
"Nice ride," Tabitha compliments Avi as they take the short ride, pouring out of the vehicle to take hurried, poised steps with him and Alex to the class. "Hopefully she will understand."
Alex says "Just blame me if you get in trouble."
Tabitha says "Done! "
Avi reaches into the backseat, pulling his Macbook out of a discarded backpack. "I don't get 'in trouble', I'm Avi Arkwright," Avi says as obnoxiously as possible as they set off.
Avi reaches into the backseat, pulling his Macbook out of a discarded backpack. "I don't get 'in trouble', I'm Avi Arkwright," Avi says as obnoxiously as possible as they set off. (re)
The artifact emits a flash of blinding light.
"This is the Spender Center, where most of the classrooms are," Avi says for Alex's benefit.
"Oh hey, Charlie." Rachel had somehow missed her. Her voice's lowered too, but with its intonation, unfortunately, it carries. "Thanks. 's new. Just picked it up. Part of Yasmin's Christmas gift."
"Hola, hola," Angelique greets the three latecomers. She's about to breeze on with whatever she's been saying when she pauses at the sight of Alex. "Ahh, the potential new one," she says, tipping a light wave with the hand that's not reaching for her phone again. "Hola, y welcome. I am Angelique Inigo. Today's instructor." That's said a bit wryly, as she eyes the group of chatty, texting girls. "Shall we?"
Carter clicks a button on the back of his phone to get his S-Pen free before he's unfolding it and laying it flat on his table, its screen split evenly horizontally between a note-taking app and the MyHaven app, occasionally resizing one or the other as he messes about. His eyes flit up towards Avi, Tabitha, and Alex - the last gets a slightly curious look, though a smile still, before he lifts a hand to wave once or twice.
Charlene grins apologetically at Angelique.
Rachel's not a chatty, texting girl. No sirree. Her lips are sealed, starting right now.
Though it would initially appear that Tabitha is heading to the front of the class to sit nearer to the front, she spies Antwon, and slinks toward him, should there be a seat for her. She pulls out her phone, a pad of paper, and a pen, leaving her tote on the floor at her feet. "Sorry we're late, Angelique," she says to Angelique, still rustling about to get situated.
Late, but barely, Avi heads into the classroom with Tabitha and Alex in tow, flashing Angelique an appreciative look as he takes a seat. "Whoa, teacher's kind of hot," he faux whispers to his classmates as he settles.
There's a seat, for sure: Antwon looks away from looking forward to look at Tabitha when she sits, reaching over to squeeze her hand briefly before he looks back at Angelique.
Alex follows in behind Avi, looking simultaneously awkward and curious as his gaze turns up to the latin inscriptions on the wall, then a nod is sent to Angelique before Alex tries to find himself a discreet seat. Carter is spotted and a nod is directed his way also.
"It's no problem, Tabitha. I am quite used to people running late," Angelique quips dryly, but not without some amusement, which of course grows with Avi's claim, so easily heard - who doesn't like to hear compliments aout themselves? "Pero si, we'll start now," Angelique suggests to the group, already slipping back into her lazy language habits, without qualm or apology to follow. "A simple question to begin: What social media do you use most often, and for what purpose?"
Growing air pressure makes your ear's pop uncomfortably and deadens all sound.
"MyHaven, obviously," Antwon tells Angelique. There's a look at Tabitha. "And only to find friends and hang out, you know?"
Charlene raises her hand, and after waiting long enough for Angelique to notice, she says, "MyHaven mostly, and Insta and TikTok."
Arms folded over his chest, Caelum appears absorbed in staring at Angelique from his far seat. He doesn't seem inclined to be the first to answer the question - merely lets narrow eyes gaze across the room, looking for that first hand- and there it is. Charlene gets a look that soon falls back to Angelique.
"Here, it's mostly MyHaven, but insta, TikTok, a little bit of X to keep up with the corporate stuff, but uh..." Casey says. "A lot of it is to keep up with everything that's happening. And I bet a ton of new apps will cuome up in the future. It's a matter of staying ahead of it all, right?" Casey says, fanning her hair out behind her head.
"Pornhub," Avi answers Angelique's question dutifully. "To connect with likeminded intellects," he claims.
"X," Rachel offers, waiting the requisite few answers for hers to be easily missed. "...As a substitute for news articles."
"Reddit, Discord, Instagram, TikTok, Linkedin, X, and MyHaven," Sienna lists off her social media platforms to Angelique at the prompt, a half-choked laugh barely smothered at Avi's words.
"Ew, quit using X. It's such a has-been," Charlene remarks and scrunches her nose at Rachel. "Do you start fires with flint, too?"
"You didn't answer the rest of the question," Avi nudges Sienna.
"If it worked for our ancestors," Rachel says, either about flint or 'X.'
"So did slavery," Charlene retorts wokely to Rachel.
All metal objects in the room are suddenly tugged violently towards the artifact.
" -- and for all the usual reasons; professionalism, gauging the competition, and all of that," Sienna tacks on after a beat. She can't help but look over at Charlene with that woke comment.
Tabitha side-eyes Antwon. There is a moment she's given him a narrowed eye, but it smoothes out to a grin. "Uhhuh," she teases. "I'm on MyHaven a little. Insta. But it is a rabbit hole for TikTok. I think it's a cursed app."
Avi gives Charlene a thumbs down at that.
"Umm.. Well, I guess MyHaven.. I've never been like, a super big social media type dude.. But, like, LinkedIn's nice for networking, and then I enjoy scrolling on TikTok too.", Carter considers, head tilted in contemplation; the answers others give has him considering further though. "Well, and then yeah, Insta's nice too, buuuuuut I don't know if I'd consider myself, liiike, a regular.", he supposes.
Angelique nods to Antwon. "Si. It is, after all, nice to have a connection in the town, without having to go and sit at bars or coffee shops to meet people by chance, or depend on friends to introduce friends," she agrees, gaze slowly scanning over the class. When Charlene chimes in, the Spanish vixen snaps her fingers in agreement, and points lightly to the brunette. "Charlie. What do you mostly use Insta for?" she queries, followed with a wink to Casey. "Y Casey, tell us about X, si?" she requests. Avi's claim is given a look that mingles amusement with irritation; how does the Arkwright do it? He isn't asked to explain further, however. She's about to speak further, before Sienna's offers have her nodding again. "Reddit is a fun one. Do you wish to explain that one?" she says mildly.
"I know that we all know the uses of these programs, pero we are going to be diving a bit deeper, in this class, than merely posting, si?" she explains. "So, first we need to get the reasons that people use them listed. So, if I haven't already asked you to discuss one, pick one to explain why people use it."
If Charlene's going to equate slavery with flint, Rachel will... do nothing. Angelique's lecturing again, and she'd just been accused of chattiness. She presents the image of utter attentiveness - except for that glaring side-eye she occasionally throws to Charlene.
"Are you sure?" Avi asks for clarity.
"To share pictures and, like, see what the famous people are putting up," Charlene supposes and shrugs noncommittally at Angelique. "It's where I get all my news from mostly."
For his part Alex stays quiet, arms folded over his chest as he listens to the discussion and sends frosty blue eyes surveying about the room, pausing on various elements of symbology about the people in the room with a pinched exrpression as though in intense thought.
Antwon says to Alex, "Sup. I'm Antwon," he says, offering a fistbump. "What your name? Ain't met you before."
"Not really. If no one's in here listing it, I really don't want to bring more attention to a platform that's already gone down hill because everyone and their mother is finally jumping on it," Sienna tells someone to Angelique as she leans back in her seat. "But Reddit is a collection of forums, or subreddits, that caters to practically whatever topic you can think of. If it's something people like, there's a place on it where you can share your thoughts with like-minded people. It's a good place to also trade information too."
"Not really. If no one's in here listing it, I really don't want to bring more attention to a platform that's already gone down hill because everyone and their mother is finally jumping on it," Sienna muses to Angelique as she leans back in her seat. "But Reddit is a collection of forums, or subreddits, that caters to practically whatever topic you can think of. If it's something people like, there's a place on it where you can share your thoughts with like-minded people. It's a good place to also trade information too."
With a final burst of power the curse on a bone dagger is broken.
Tabithas Decursing Attempt
(Solomon's decursing attempt)
[Sat Jan 6 2024]
At the entry around STARBUCKS' barista counter
The brick and reclaimed wood from the outside continues to the inside, more polished here than the exterior. Tile flooring paves the way underfoot, and high ceilings with exposed beams make the building appear spacious without giving actual space. An ordering counter greets newcomers to the building with merchandise as well as baristas ready to take orders, signs posted behind it and above heads for easy viewing.
It is afternoon, about 37F(2C) degrees, and there are a few dark grey stormclouds in the sky.
"He'd understand," Avi counters Caelum's claim, and that offered hand turns into an offered arm for Tabitha. "You should learn to drive, it's not safe for a girl your age to be walking around alone."
An impassive visor veils Caelum in his humor, reflecting Avi right back. It doesn't hide the muffled chuckle though. He tips two fingers off of his temple, then heads out of the starbucks at once.
As the students go, Solomon turns to some small, internal project, bent over the table. "Good day."
Tabitha wraps her hands around Avi's arm when he gentlemanly offers it to her. "I hear that a lot, Avi. Where I lived before, I did not really need to. Everything was much closer to reach by foot than it is here in town."
Opening the passenger door of his SUV for Tabitha, Avi asks, "Welcome to Haven, unfortunately. Do you have everything you need for class by the way, or do you need to stop anywhere?"
"Nothing's more important than friendship," Rachel says, all innocence. She pulls the chair next to her back, and again, indicates it with an open palm. Siddown. Out of the corner of her eye, Angelique's watched. Just briefly. Back to Casey, in a matter of seconds. "And, uh, no one important."
"Hola, bellas," Angelique greets as Sienna and Charlene show up. "Come in, come in." She's perched on the edge of the desk, one ankle tuckled behind the other, a laptop set up, and a phone in her hand. Listening to the gossip with half an ear, she smirks faintly. "It was nothing that can't wait," Casey is then assured, before a quick check of the time is made.
"Hola, Caelum. Adelante," Angelique offers again, waving Caelum forward with a gesture that can only mean 'come in'.
"Pocket Rocket," Avi greets Alex as he holds his passenger door open for Tabitha.
"I'm good," Tabitha says to Avi, "I have my phone at the ready to learn all the new poses to make my cleavage more cleavage-y." She slips into the seat, and begins to pull the seatbelt across her chest and lap. "I've lived in Haven a while, and in the summer I don't really mind the walks. It's winter that is the problem." She looks beyond Avi to Alex, and her fingers wiggle once she's all clicked in.
Alex raises a brow at Avi when greeted and .reply with an amused. "Wildcat. How goes it?"
Hopping into the driver's seat of his Rover, Avi tells Alex, "It goes. We're on the way to class - want to come sit in? See what Wildcat life is like?"
Alex raises a brow at Avi when greeted and replies with an amused. "Wildcat. How goes it?" -re
"Well, she was kinda messed up all along," Charlene grins and sidles into a row of seats, peering up ahead at Angelique. "Hi, Miss Inigo. Happy new year. I tried to see if Liv would come to class, but I think she might be at work."
The whole room shakes.
Caelum breaks his stride upon entering. A pause long enough to catch Angelique's wave. The reflective helm nods, turns from her and away to the rest of the classroom - before he makes a slow beeline straight to the back of the class as well and take a seat. His phone is laid on the table, beside a notebook presumably to take notes. Then - as if realizing it just now, he tugs off his helmet and sets it under his arm.
confused Alex's brows furrow following a reciprocated twiddle of fingers at Tabitha. "Is that allowed for a non student? What's the class?"
"It's a social media class that's sure to be eye-opening, but we've got about one minute or we're going to be late, so hop in if you're coming," Avi urges Alex. "You're fine to come, you're with me."
"It'd give you a little insight as to if you want to enroll." Tabitha says to Alex. "And you'll be with us, so you'll be totally fine."
Alex says "Alrighty then!"
Carter quietly makes his way into the classroom, his gaze flitting over the seats before he decides on moving along to the back row somewhere in the vicinity of Sienna.
Speeding is the name of the game as Avi heads toward the campus. "I messaged Angelique and told her we'd be a little late," Avi says, double-parking once they arrive. "Let's go."
"Nice ride," Tabitha compliments Avi as they take the short ride, pouring out of the vehicle to take hurried, poised steps with him and Alex to the class. "Hopefully she will understand."
Alex says "Just blame me if you get in trouble."
Tabitha says "Done! "
Avi reaches into the backseat, pulling his Macbook out of a discarded backpack. "I don't get 'in trouble', I'm Avi Arkwright," Avi says as obnoxiously as possible as they set off.
Avi reaches into the backseat, pulling his Macbook out of a discarded backpack. "I don't get 'in trouble', I'm Avi Arkwright," Avi says as obnoxiously as possible as they set off. (re)
The artifact emits a flash of blinding light.
"This is the Spender Center, where most of the classrooms are," Avi says for Alex's benefit.
"Oh hey, Charlie." Rachel had somehow missed her. Her voice's lowered too, but with its intonation, unfortunately, it carries. "Thanks. 's new. Just picked it up. Part of Yasmin's Christmas gift."
"Hola, hola," Angelique greets the three latecomers. She's about to breeze on with whatever she's been saying when she pauses at the sight of Alex. "Ahh, the potential new one," she says, tipping a light wave with the hand that's not reaching for her phone again. "Hola, y welcome. I am Angelique Inigo. Today's instructor." That's said a bit wryly, as she eyes the group of chatty, texting girls. "Shall we?"
Carter clicks a button on the back of his phone to get his S-Pen free before he's unfolding it and laying it flat on his table, its screen split evenly horizontally between a note-taking app and the MyHaven app, occasionally resizing one or the other as he messes about. His eyes flit up towards Avi, Tabitha, and Alex - the last gets a slightly curious look, though a smile still, before he lifts a hand to wave once or twice.
Charlene grins apologetically at Angelique.
Rachel's not a chatty, texting girl. No sirree. Her lips are sealed, starting right now.
Though it would initially appear that Tabitha is heading to the front of the class to sit nearer to the front, she spies Antwon, and slinks toward him, should there be a seat for her. She pulls out her phone, a pad of paper, and a pen, leaving her tote on the floor at her feet. "Sorry we're late, Angelique," she says to Angelique, still rustling about to get situated.
Late, but barely, Avi heads into the classroom with Tabitha and Alex in tow, flashing Angelique an appreciative look as he takes a seat. "Whoa, teacher's kind of hot," he faux whispers to his classmates as he settles.
There's a seat, for sure: Antwon looks away from looking forward to look at Tabitha when she sits, reaching over to squeeze her hand briefly before he looks back at Angelique.
Alex follows in behind Avi, looking simultaneously awkward and curious as his gaze turns up to the latin inscriptions on the wall, then a nod is sent to Angelique before Alex tries to find himself a discreet seat. Carter is spotted and a nod is directed his way also.
"It's no problem, Tabitha. I am quite used to people running late," Angelique quips dryly, but not without some amusement, which of course grows with Avi's claim, so easily heard - who doesn't like to hear compliments aout themselves? "Pero si, we'll start now," Angelique suggests to the group, already slipping back into her lazy language habits, without qualm or apology to follow. "A simple question to begin: What social media do you use most often, and for what purpose?"
Growing air pressure makes your ear's pop uncomfortably and deadens all sound.
"MyHaven, obviously," Antwon tells Angelique. There's a look at Tabitha. "And only to find friends and hang out, you know?"
Charlene raises her hand, and after waiting long enough for Angelique to notice, she says, "MyHaven mostly, and Insta and TikTok."
Arms folded over his chest, Caelum appears absorbed in staring at Angelique from his far seat. He doesn't seem inclined to be the first to answer the question - merely lets narrow eyes gaze across the room, looking for that first hand- and there it is. Charlene gets a look that soon falls back to Angelique.
"Here, it's mostly MyHaven, but insta, TikTok, a little bit of X to keep up with the corporate stuff, but uh..." Casey says. "A lot of it is to keep up with everything that's happening. And I bet a ton of new apps will cuome up in the future. It's a matter of staying ahead of it all, right?" Casey says, fanning her hair out behind her head.
"Pornhub," Avi answers Angelique's question dutifully. "To connect with likeminded intellects," he claims.
"X," Rachel offers, waiting the requisite few answers for hers to be easily missed. "...As a substitute for news articles."
"Reddit, Discord, Instagram, TikTok, Linkedin, X, and MyHaven," Sienna lists off her social media platforms to Angelique at the prompt, a half-choked laugh barely smothered at Avi's words.
"Ew, quit using X. It's such a has-been," Charlene remarks and scrunches her nose at Rachel. "Do you start fires with flint, too?"
"You didn't answer the rest of the question," Avi nudges Sienna.
"If it worked for our ancestors," Rachel says, either about flint or 'X.'
"So did slavery," Charlene retorts wokely to Rachel.
All metal objects in the room are suddenly tugged violently towards the artifact.
" -- and for all the usual reasons; professionalism, gauging the competition, and all of that," Sienna tacks on after a beat. She can't help but look over at Charlene with that woke comment.
Tabitha side-eyes Antwon. There is a moment she's given him a narrowed eye, but it smoothes out to a grin. "Uhhuh," she teases. "I'm on MyHaven a little. Insta. But it is a rabbit hole for TikTok. I think it's a cursed app."
Avi gives Charlene a thumbs down at that.
"Umm.. Well, I guess MyHaven.. I've never been like, a super big social media type dude.. But, like, LinkedIn's nice for networking, and then I enjoy scrolling on TikTok too.", Carter considers, head tilted in contemplation; the answers others give has him considering further though. "Well, and then yeah, Insta's nice too, buuuuuut I don't know if I'd consider myself, liiike, a regular.", he supposes.
Angelique nods to Antwon. "Si. It is, after all, nice to have a connection in the town, without having to go and sit at bars or coffee shops to meet people by chance, or depend on friends to introduce friends," she agrees, gaze slowly scanning over the class. When Charlene chimes in, the Spanish vixen snaps her fingers in agreement, and points lightly to the brunette. "Charlie. What do you mostly use Insta for?" she queries, followed with a wink to Casey. "Y Casey, tell us about X, si?" she requests. Avi's claim is given a look that mingles amusement with irritation; how does the Arkwright do it? He isn't asked to explain further, however. She's about to speak further, before Sienna's offers have her nodding again. "Reddit is a fun one. Do you wish to explain that one?" she says mildly.
"I know that we all know the uses of these programs, pero we are going to be diving a bit deeper, in this class, than merely posting, si?" she explains. "So, first we need to get the reasons that people use them listed. So, if I haven't already asked you to discuss one, pick one to explain why people use it."
If Charlene's going to equate slavery with flint, Rachel will... do nothing. Angelique's lecturing again, and she'd just been accused of chattiness. She presents the image of utter attentiveness - except for that glaring side-eye she occasionally throws to Charlene.
"Are you sure?" Avi asks for clarity.
"To share pictures and, like, see what the famous people are putting up," Charlene supposes and shrugs noncommittally at Angelique. "It's where I get all my news from mostly."
For his part Alex stays quiet, arms folded over his chest as he listens to the discussion and sends frosty blue eyes surveying about the room, pausing on various elements of symbology about the people in the room with a pinched exrpression as though in intense thought.
Antwon says to Alex, "Sup. I'm Antwon," he says, offering a fistbump. "What your name? Ain't met you before."
"Not really. If no one's in here listing it, I really don't want to bring more attention to a platform that's already gone down hill because everyone and their mother is finally jumping on it," Sienna tells someone to Angelique as she leans back in her seat. "But Reddit is a collection of forums, or subreddits, that caters to practically whatever topic you can think of. If it's something people like, there's a place on it where you can share your thoughts with like-minded people. It's a good place to also trade information too."
"Not really. If no one's in here listing it, I really don't want to bring more attention to a platform that's already gone down hill because everyone and their mother is finally jumping on it," Sienna muses to Angelique as she leans back in her seat. "But Reddit is a collection of forums, or subreddits, that caters to practically whatever topic you can think of. If it's something people like, there's a place on it where you can share your thoughts with like-minded people. It's a good place to also trade information too."
With a final burst of power the curse on a bone dagger is broken.