singillatim | [open] General Store

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[open] General Store

WHO: Louis de Pointe du Lac and YOU (new players welcome too)
WHAT: Opening the General Store!
WHEN: throughout February (at evening/night if you want Louis) + party on an Aurora night second half of the month
WHERE: General Store, Milton

Feel free to also use this setting as open starters or closed to characters other than Louis! Just indicate it if you do! His general store? No... Our general store...

A. Home Improvement

CONTENT WARNINGS: a little bit of vampire blood, talk of hunting animals for food

It started out of the practical need to store and barter goods. Louis's home is not a fit place to entertain anyone other than rats, and he doesn't want to disturb the people who live in the Community Hall.

Louis turns his attention to the thoroughly-looted husk of the General Store. Louis feels oddly shy about starting up anything, self deprecation rearing its ugly head. Lestat called his business back home a "human hobby."

He needs all the help he can get. There's the plumbing and leaks from the recent storm, trash to throw out, walls to paint, shelves to fix. He'd like to make arrangements for daytime hours when he can't be there. And finally, putting a new coat of paint on the GENERAL STORE sign with an addition:

Marché du Lac

How handy is he? Louis did small repairs at his club when a handyman wasn't available at night, he's fairly nimble... and he's never done construction in his life. But any fool can board up a broken window and repair shelves, he reasons.

"Fuck!" he hisses when he hits his thumb with the hammer. He automatically puts his thumb in his mouth, and the taste of that little bead of blood is shockingly good. He must be hungry. Time for a break.

He slips his hammer into the loop of some scavenged cargo pants. He might be terrible at construction, but at least he looks good doing it.

...Why is he working at night?

B. Having a Few People Over

To celebrate the reopening of Milton's only general store, Louis invites the town for food and drinks on the next Aurora night. At the risk of being accused of living in it, he wears his best 3-piece suit, the gray one from home. The place is well-lit, both due to the Aurora and every light source Louis could get his hands on. It's a myth that vampires don't like light. They just have a sun allergy.

Louis used to run a club, he knows how to plan a party. He doesn't know how to cook; he enlisted help for that. Among as much variety as Louis could get, the caterer Lalo Salamanca made a mushroom stew. Delicious--but watch out! A few special mushrooms may have found their way into the batch, possibly into a few bowls, and Louis has no idea...

He puts jazz records on and opens the doors. Empty shelves have been pushed out of the way for mingling or making music--he sorely misses live music. Louis would only request that it be good. (Louis reminds himself to explicitly instruct Lestat not to eat any musicians he deems bad.)

C. Open for Business

It's little more than a single counter and a few shelves worth of stock. Louis contemplates trying to bring in people to sell their own wares just so the rest of the shelves won't look so empty.

He arranges the odd collection of whatever he could scavenge and make presentable: dry goods, cans, candy, alcohol, cigarettes. The storeroom is depressingly half empty. The freezer, moved to an unheated room, is surprisingly full of meat.

In the window he puts up a passable copy of Tim's missing bunny poster. He sets up a little seating area where people can eat and drink if they wish. (It feels odd not to place the round little tables and woven chairs outside like at home, where the weather was mild enough.)

Louis emerges from the back room in an apron at the sound of the bell over the door. His suit and tie are so people won't mistake the owner/manager for a lowly clerk... as much as anyone can "own" anything in this scavenged town.

"Evenin', what can I get for you?"

D. Back in 15

Louis expects at least one teenager to take up loitering... Big mistake. If any hapless souls hang around too long and are trusted not to steal, Louis simply takes off his apron, dons his coat, and says without warning as he leaves,

"Mind the counter while I'm gone."

Congratulations, you now work here until he returns. He'll be back in a few minutes... right?

Do you:

Invite friends and avail yourselves of the candy, booze, and free aprons
Actually tend the store

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B (open) [cw: loss of sensation due to Mushroom Problems]

[As previously demonstrated, Chloe can’t miss out on a party, even if a Louis party promises to be a little buttoned up and lame. Besides, as a connoisseur of Salamanca’s cooking (from stealing his food, whatever) it's good and she won't even have to climb out a window afterward.

She's sitting at one of the tables, eating a bowl of warm stew and chatting with the person sitting across from her, when she hears a splash and looks down in surprise: her spoon had dropped from suddenly numb fingers into the bowl without her noticing.]

Wait. What's happening...?

C (for Louis) [cw: bullying semi-innocent vampires]

[After everything’s blown over, Chloe has to come by and actually check out the store. She's got to admit that he's got a decent setup in here; more stuff than she would have expected.

And there's the man himself, behind the counter.]

A store, huh? Okay, Mr. Monopoly. Do you barter or what?

Edited 2024-02-06 06:04 (UTC)

A (for Louis)

[The days are getting longer, but not so long still that Randvi doesn't occasionally find herself returning from a hunt after dark. She's a bit surprised to hear so much noise and cursing from one of the buildings as she passes and goes to investigate.]

Hello? Are you all right?

B (open) [cw: altered mental state]

[After helping with the construction, of course Randvi is at the opening, to enjoy the fruits of her labour. And it's nice… she's eating the mushroom stew and it's all so nice, everyone has helped her so much and she's so happy. She giggles quietly to herself and leans over against whoever is next to her.]

I'm so happy you're here!

B (open) [ cw: hallucinations, bad trip, altered state due to mushrooms ]

[ Sometime later, the party is in full swing! Everyone should be enjoying themselves, right? Hopefully, everyone is!

Not Lalo, though. He'd be cheerfully hobnobbing with everyone an hour or so before. Clapping men on the shoulders as he walked by, giving flirty smiles to the ladies.

Now, though, it's almost night and day. Lalo is sitting against one of the walls with his legs out, and his face tilted upward at the ceiling. His eyes, also staring upward, having a thousand yard stare like he's seeing something nobody else can.

Get close and you might see him shudder, and gasp for air, almost like he's drowning. Or he might jolt forward and suddenly look up at you, but it's with an expression of sadness or terror or deep anger, not the friendliness most people are accustomed to from him.

If you're really lucky, you might even notice him acting like he's burning up, possibly trying to take his shirt off, revealing the white undershirt underneath. ]

Edited (Deleted first prompt! ) 2024-02-08 15:02 (UTC)

[ Lalo runs over to Chloe, eyes wide like he's seen a ghost. In a sense, he kind of has. A single curl of hair falls into his face. ]

What the hell did you do to me?! Answer me! Did you poison me?!

[ He looks absolutely wild. ]

Levi does his patrols well into the night, and sometimes extra early in the morning, so its not odd for him to be out when Louis was working. He finds what Louis is doing odd, though, so he stops near by.

"What are you doing?"

Unfortunately for everyone involved and a fair number of bystanders, Tim Drake has been drafted into the war after an attempted break-in before opening hours. The only truly unpredictable thing of this entire escapade has been the very limited protest, and maybe the fact that the boy goes as far as to tie the apron around himself after he's found himself well and alone at...

his first ever job?

i. Come find him (attempting to) sweep the floors.

ii. Come watch him stare blankly behind the counter after many failed attempts to actually open the cash register. (Wait, is... is he asleep?)

At some point, someone has got to notice there's a hand-sized... something... wiggling under his shirts, just at his belly.

iii. "Bienvenue to... Marché du Lac! I'll be right... with you!"

If it sounds like he's dying it's because there's two wholeass empty shelving monstrosities in great peril of falling over, and Tim is trying to not let that happen. Under the apron, his stomach jiggles in distress, which prompts Tim to hiss, "I know, it's not my fault!"

It never is.

As much as a part of her would rather have Bruce living free than facing life as a brood (bunny) mare in the attempts to breed rabbits for Milton, Kate accepts they need to find the missing bunny in question. She's been out looking these past few days, even enlisting the help of Diefenbaker in tracking Bruce down.

The only problem with that is Diefenbaker is still a wolf, and sometimes you end up having to negotiate with a wolf in order to get said bunny back (and not have her end up as a wolf-snack). But it's a successful negotiation, and the wolf gives up his dinner (hostage), with no casualties.

Which brings her to trying to find Tim. Someone had mentioned to her he's at Mr de Pointe du Lac's store, working. Which is... new? Bruce tucked up safely against her stomach under a couple of clothing layers, hands holding her there in place, she carefully makes her way there. Diefenbaker follows at her side, still interested in the bundle against her, but patiently waiting for his end of the deal.

She shoulders her way into the store, quickly looking around for the boy and blinking in surprise to find him sweeping, apron and all. Diefenbaker is less than thrilled to see the boy, uttering a soft grumble, but doesn't move from Kate's side.

"... Wow, you actually got a job?"

How the hell could I have poisoned you, you made this! What did you do?

Lalo, still deep in the grips of the world's worst trip, sees the thing moving under Tim's shirt and his mushroom-addled brain processes it as something pulsating, tentacles slipping out from under Tim's shirt and threatening to reach out for Lalo and, maybe, engulf the entire world.

He looks Tim, face pale, shaking and confused. He can tell Tim is struggling with the cash register, but he can't figure out why that's such a focal point for the kid, when he's clearly got an eldritch abomination about to erupt from his body at any moment.

He points at Tim's chest. "What is that, amigo?" he asks. His voice is deceitfully calm, but he looks like he's about to be sick.

Edited 2024-02-08 15:03 (UTC)

"'Course I barter, money don't exist here. No different than before, except now I got a roof when I do business. You lookin' for anythin' specific?"

He steps away from the counter over to the wood stove and gestures to the kettle of water kept warm on top of it.

"Tea?"

He missed offering beverages to humans. It's nice. He can fool himself, for a little bit, that he's king of his own little empire.

Just a matter of time before someone checked out the construction on a public building. The noise rings out especially loud in the quiet countryside nights. Louis turns, the offending hammer bumping against his leg a little.

"Just hit my thumb is all, ma'am," he grumbles. There is a wounded dignity in his posture. (He covers his thumb, as if the red is obscene, though vampire blood is red like human.)

What a way to ask.

"What's it look like I'm doin', hittin' my thumb with a hammer," Louis grumbles. He shakes it a little in the cold night air to numb it before covering it with his other hand. For decades, he did not bear the marks of such trivial injuries that healed too quick to stay. Now it almost feels obscene.

"Evenin', Levi. Or should I say, mornin'." He frowns up at the sky, as if it gave him personal offence, marking the position of the moon and stars. Many nights he went to sleep hungry, but this would be unusual in that it was due to distraction, not lack of hunting skill.

Levi looks up at the sky for a moment and shrugs. He doesn't know what time it is and he doesn't care. It hardly mattered here, at least aside from 'light' and 'dark.'

"Well I can see that. But why? You're fixing up the buildings?"

The store is vulnerable during the day unless Louis can get someone to do that shift. But at night, Louis is boss and security all in one. He nearly showed some fang, but--aw hell, it's just Tim. Breaking into his place again, as if that wasn't how they first met.

So, service is a fitting punishment, Louis thinks, even as he double-checks his (admittedly small) inventory again to make sure nothing is missing. Tim is in a stupor it seems, but that doesn't matter so long as he watches the counter while Louis is in the storeroom. And it'll keep him out of trouble.

Louis emerges to see Tim's stomach coming alive. The predator's nature in Louis salivates even as he frowns and speaks in the genteel tones of a well-lit New Orleans parlor.

"...I take pride in keepin' this place pest-free, Tim. What have you got in your shirt?"

Randvi approaches the man, still a bit concerned. Unlike many here she still mostly wears the clothing she arrived in, blue wool layers and fox fur cloak, but augmented with a toque, gloves and winter boots scavenged from the community hall. She's wearing an ornate war hammer at her belt and a bow on her back, and carrying a blue nylon child’s backpack.

Up close she can see that the injury is minor, and the man seems more affronted at the fact of the injury than anything else, but she asks anyway, “Do you need help?”

“Mostly just came by to see what you've got. It seems pretty wild to have a functioning shop under these circumstances.” No judgment (or at least not too much) but it had definitely made her curious. With a wink, “What would you recommend, shopkeeper?”

At the offer of tea, she smiles. “Sure. What’s on offer here, more pine needles?”

[ Lalo knows, on some level, that she's right. That it makes absolutely no sense for her to have been behind this on some level. But that also makes him angrier. He doesn't want this to have been his fault. He can't figure out how it could be his fault! It's not like he fucked up the stew on purpose. And through the paranoia of his hallucinations, what "makes sense" has become hazy.

In front of him, Chloe has morphed into a being of pure fire and angry, her words angry words reflecting on him like real heat. He stares at her, wide-eyed, and takes several steps back. ]

cw: mention of fatal gunshot wound, mention of parasitic alien (which this character comes with by default), mention of feeding from animals (but needing to feed from humans...)

[ Ever since his arrival to this place, Konstantin has been keeping a low profile, mostly staying holed up in the little cabin he shares with Vasiliy Ardankin, on the outskirts of town. There's certainly been necessity to that — he's been in the process of recovering from a shot straight to the stomach (even if this place wouldn't let him die from it), and his condition is consistently bad, his body not able to handle its extraterrestrial infestation as well as it had back at the facility, with the aid of advanced medical care and stability. There's also the fact that the alien being doesn't seem capable of healing itself (or him) here... and that it hasn't fed on a human being in several weeks, only relying on animals for sustenance, making its condition (and therefore his) even weaker.

Needless to say, Konstantin's been keeping a wide berth around most people, exploring here and there when he's able, but generally avoiding larger crowds or too much interaction. However, when news spreads of a little get-together happening at the freshly re-established general store, the cosmonaut finds himself perking up at the thought. He misses being around people, the liveliness of sharing energy with a room, meeting new faces.

To be sure, there are concerns (namely, that his little alien problem might decide to make a direct appearance. The thing is nocturnal, and if it's going to emerge... it would be when it's away from the painful sunlight, in the dark safety of night. There's the worry that its hunger might rev up in the presence of others, that it might get desperate enough.) But it hasn't been coming out very much at all in this place, seeming to have an extreme aversion to the cold environment, and he and Vasiliy have been very careful to manage keeping it fed regularly with the grouse... It might be all right to show up for just a couple hours.

He can be found at various places throughout the evening — more often than not, it's with Vasiliy Ardankin (

m1895), Milton's resident EMT. They show up together and Konstantin sticks close (there's necessity to that, too; if something goes... wrong, Vasiliy's the only one here who knows exactly what lives inside of him and Konstantin trusts the other man to be able to keep people safe.) But for a little while, he lets himself enjoy the moment too, and that means hanging out with a friend! Enjoying his company! It's nice to be out of the cooped-up cabin and mingling with people, even if his housemate is less overtly extroverted than the cosmonaut with the personable, charming grin. He's happily bringing Vasiliy along with him, one hand clasping the younger man's shoulder to give a soft squeeze as he approaches a new face to make introductions, or catch up with someone he might've bumped into before. Or maybe they're spotted standing off together chatting and someone else does the approaching. Konstantin will be happy to offer anyone a drink and welcome them in to join their little circle. ] NOTE: this is the option for three-way thread shenanigans with Konstantin & Vasiliy / replies will come from them both!

[ At other points throughout the evening, Konstantin does detach momentarily and could be found anywhere — looking around the place in seeming interest, standing and listening to the music with a drink in hand that he weirdly never seems to actually drink from (Konstantin has learned in all the worst ways that the extraterrestrial inhabitant of his stomach is not a fan of the harsh sting of alcohol), or walking around to approach people, wearing a friendly (and often disarmingly so) smile, dark eyes bright. He might offer you a bowl of that mushroom stew (again, weirdly, he doesn't seem to have one for himself...) Hope there's no ill effects to be found in yours!

Despite what's so wrong in him, and the lingering discomfort that comes with being around people now, he genuinely seems to be enjoying himself. It's fun just to engage, to be as much a part of things as he can, even if it can never be fully. The cosmonaut couldn't be considered a young man — on the cusp of forty, his dark hair is greying at the temples and with flecks of white and grey throughout, and there are crinkles at the corners of his eyes even when he isn't smiling — but his demeanor is light-hearted and energetic, someone used to living an athletic and sociable lifestyle. Even if his drink goes untouched, he holds it like he's done it a million times, been to parties just like this time and time again; he seems comfortable.

For a little while, he can almost be the same person he used to be. ]

[Oh. Oh shit, Chloe recognizes that look: this guy’s tripping balls. It's hard not to think about the way that Charlie had looked that time he’d been dosed on the job in Syria, the fury in his eyes, the white of his knuckles as he’d tried to strangle the life out of Nate. And he’d been their friend! With the numbness in her fingers even now creeping up her wrists she's not sure she can defend herself.

Her tone immediately turns conciliatory.] Hey, you're okay. You're fine. What's going on?

[Since the last time Chloe had spoken with this man, her world’s gotten a little bigger and a lot bloodier. If he's like her - or like one of the others she's met in the interim - she's willing to let bygones be bygones. And what better time to get reacquainted than at a party?

Chloe approaches the cosmonaut and his friend with a drink in hand and a big smile on her face.]

Hello again, Commander Veshnyakov.

[ Yeah. He doesn't look good.

When Lalo starts gasping for air, Hickey gives him a worried little frown, making sure to keep a bit of a distance between the two. He doesn't want this rando bothering him! Or touching him! ]

You alright?

[ Please don't make him do anything. ]

He doesn't really know how he feels about there being a store, but Levi has shown up at the grand opening anyway. He's not good with crowds, but he has at least a passing knowledge of most of the people here so that makes it a bit easier. And the chance to get some food that's just not just whatever he's roasted over a fire or heated up on a stove was a plus.

So he's got a bowl of stew and he's...socializing? Seems to be having an easier time talking to people and not wall flowering like he often does. Why not chat him up?

[Levi shakes his head to Konstantin's offer of a bowl of stew.]

Oh, no, that's okay. I ate already.

[He is still kinda hungry, though. If Kostya insists he might just take the bowl anyway.]

Are you, um...

[No, probably not a good idea to ask about whatever condition this guy has.]

...s-settling in well?

To Louis, the difference between light and dark is being burned alive by the sun. He's become familiar with the night sky.

He sighs. When he injures himself or goes to his coffin after a long night of hauling debris, sometimes he wonders if he shouldn't just give up.

"I want to be able to barter in my own space out of the cold. I don't want just anyone to know where I live. Why not fix up the store?"

She's like a medieval noble who happened to scavenge a few items in town. From where... Germany? Scandinavia? Louis doesn't make much note of historical dress other than what's showing at the theater. A weapon though, that's unusual, and not something usually given to women in these plays. Randvi smacks of the real thing, in other words.

"With my injury, no. I have a kit. Do you know how to use a--well, not a hammer like that, but the tool kind, miss?"

As he listens for her answer, he picks his way over some debris to just inside the side door. There he opens his first aid kit and applies what he is sure is the first of many band-aids. He's always fastidious about controlling his bleeding, however little.

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Page 1 of 19

[open] General Store

A. Home Improvement

B. Having a Few People Over

C. Open for Business

D. Back in 15

B (open) and C (for Louis)

A (for Louis) and B (open)

B (Open)

B!

A

D (ota) (general cw of shroom!Amnesia)

i

no subject

ii (cw: altered mental state, hallucinations)

only semi-innocent...

no subject

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no subject

ii

no subject

no subject

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B — party times! (ota)

no subject

Vasiliy is welcome here if he wants to hop in

no subject

B - open

no subject

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no subject