exsiliumlogs | (no subject) (part 2)

[Original log is here: this way]

First rushed like so much of a farmer's herd into the room, without so much say at all, no matter how much he tried to protest or ask questions, and then quite suddenly, they had been whisked off. Blue stretched over them, broad and without end, suddenly, and with it came the sweltering heat and the smell of dust and sweat, and horse manure. The latter two drifted in from the town nearby. Frodo's nose wrinkled.

The reaction was belated, but still strong enough; Frodo's stomach gave an uneasy somersault. This was not how anyone was meant to travel; one was meant to see where they were going, rather than just appear.

The town looked as if it had sprung up in the least desirable spot he could see. Very much, he thought, like a particularly insistent weed that was going to stay where it was no matter what Sam tried, for who would build their homes in the middle of such an inhospitable place? The town was not particularly attractive to him, but it was life that had taken to the desert and remained.

Now then. Who was Gerald Jackson and why should the others vote for him? It was not nearly enough for Frodo to be told that this was what he had to do; what if Gerald was a bad sort, the type to make those around him miserable for his own gain? Better to find out more about the town, its people, and this Moony Jackson first. And this was no unwanted task to the hobbit; looking around at the Big Folk wandering the street, the strange dress a good deal of them wore, the odd devices at a good deal more's hips, and the horses and coaches rattling around. This was a rare chance many hobbits wouldn't have.

[OOC: can be exploring the bars, trying to get a room, finding said room to big, ~~someone introduce him to cow tipping~~, etc! Anytime throughout the week, and either action or prose is fine]

[this space for Marjolaine/

sanscoeur

This space for Axel/

got_it_memorized

Edited 2013-01-15 01:56 (UTC)

[in response to Axel here]

A breath of night air would do him good, he decided. Better the chill than being stuffed away in that corner space of a room he had ended up with. And although it was a room for the Big Folk, there was not much to do at all in there. In the end, it left him feeling quite trapped. He hoped the others had gotten better luck. With some, like Strider, he wondered if he had bothered with a room at all.

The bar below was filled with all sorts of characters; men who looked like ruffians, men who looked even rougher than the ruffians but who eyed those first with dislike, and even odder folk. Lasses drifted in and out in their bustling dresses and necklines that were anything but decent. One or two eyed Frodo in a way that made him feel like so much meat for sale. His face pinkened. Oh yes, he knew full well what they meant by that look. But most lasses weren't so utterly shameless about the fact back home. Frodo quickly made his way through the crowd. Once outside, he touched the bracelet. The illusion of the Big Folk about him faded, and once again a hobbit stood in his place.

Frodo had only just taken a step down onto the road when he caught sight of one of the transports. And here was once such character out on business, and Frodo only had to take one look at look on his face to wonder what he was up to. This was, of course, years of dealing with his cousins, and growing a sense for knowing when mischief might be afoot. Axel was a bit better about it than say, Pippin; for all a hobbit knew, he might very well be out on a night stroll. With how hot it got during the day, it seemed night was the only time to do anything.

"Good evening, Axel," Frodo replied. "I agree; I had wanted for sun before, but perhaps, not so much of it! What are you off to?"

Pray that Pippin doesn't show up and make friends with Axel, Frodo, because that will only end in tears. Of hilarity.

Shoving his hands into the pockets of his coat, Axel grinned a bit.

"Thought I'd go see how the local livestock is doing," he said, eyes narrowing impishly. "Care to tag along?"

Axel had never actually tipped a cow before. However, he'd heard about it on a mission once, and this sounded like as good a place to test the practice as any. He figured having a witness couldn't hurt.

Frodo had seen that sort of grin before, on Merry or Pippin particularly and on their way to some trouble they had it in mind to get their hands in. The hobbit stepped down off the wood planks and onto the dirt road.

"A pressing need to see what livestock are doing, and at this hour?" Frodo had to wonder. He had a feeling this meant trouble, though what sort he had in mind and how it could involve the animals here, he had no idea. "Of course, if only to make sure you don't get trampled for it."

And to keep an eye on things. Certainly no small amount of curiosity either, of course.

"Well, no, logically I know what they're doing," he said with a snort of laughter. "Any animals that aren't nocturnal should surely be sleeping by now; that's what I'm counting on. I said I wanted to see how they are doing."

He waited for Frodo to join him in the dusty road before shoving both hands into the pockets of his coat and ambling along the street at an easy pace.

"Ah, yes, good, better we're both trampled," he said with a grin, a bit unsure how Frodo planned to stop any cows from trampling him should they be so inclined. "This sort of thing is rumored to be far more enjoyable in good company, though, so I hear. Are there cows in your Shire?"

"I should hope not! Better no one get trampled at all." He wanted them asleep? What for? For a moment, he had to wonder if he intended to cause a stampede or heavens above, try to make off with one. He hoped not. Frodo quickly joined him, glad that Axel set an easy pace despite those long legs. Oh yes, Frodo smelled trouble all right.

"Then of course, since you know that they must be sleeping, either laying down or standing up, it is, in fact, hardly anything to make a night trip out for to find out which," And here, Frodo did not do much to hide that he was feeling around, hoping to get an idea what Axel was up to. He didn't think that this was what he was going to do, but neither was he doing anymore than dropping hints. Worse, it was more than enough to rile up a good amount of curiosity on his part.

Soon, they drew to the very edge of town. "We do have cows back home, though hobbits of my family had little to do with them or their care."

Edited 2013-01-18 05:27 (UTC)

Axel laughed, giving Frodo a sidelong look. "That was sarcasm, Frodo," he said. Then he just grinned and turned his eyes back to the road. "For the record I don't plan to get trampled. But it's the sleeping standing up part that I'm banking on."

He didn't really offer anything more until they neared the edge of town. Casting a quick glance in all directions, Axel easily hopped over the wooden fence and then gave Frodo a look over the top.

"So I guess then, that you've never tipped one," he said, folding his arms on the fence and tilting his head, still grinning.

Frodo in return, had an exasperated look for him. "And that, dear Axel, was this old hobbit's way of trying to feel around for whatever mischief you are no doubt up to."

He could not conceal his relief when it seemed that at least Axel did not have getting trampled as part of the plan. It was not entirely comforting. Plans, as he knew all too well, had ways of not going just that, according to plan. At any rate, they had come at last to the pasture, or what stood for one. With how terrible the land was here, green grass stood little chance. Frodo remained behind the fence for now.

"I have never; what does it entail?" Though he had a sneaking suspicion what it might end up being, particular with Axel's remark about sleeping upright.

Edited 2013-01-22 13:45 (UTC)

Axel laughed; Frodo had such a quaint way of putting things that he couldn't help but be amused.

"Easy now; for the record the sort of mischief I am up to never involves getting myself trampled," he assured him. "Or maimed or mangled or particularly injured in any way. Frankly I prefer to avoid injury whenever possible, but we can't always get what we want, I suppose."

Leaning against the fence, he pressed his lips together.

"Well, honestly I've never done it either, myself," he said, "but I've heard about it." He twisted where he stood and pointed to where a solitary cow was standing, presumably dozing, and went on, "The idea is to sneak up on a cow while it is asleep, and tip it over." He turned his eyes back to Frodo and shrugged. "Doesn't seem so hard, really, but I'm told it's a show of merit and status to accomplish the task. No cows back in Exsilium, so I thought I'd take advantage of the setting and have a go at it."

"If that was your idea of comforting someone, I would hate to see when you were actually trying not to," exclaimed Frodo. Why, he almost made it sound as if possible danger was only a minor inconvenience, the same sort that came from taking the wrong coat for the day or forgetting one's handkerchief.

The cow itself was standing, head still, and not even a tail swiping at the air. Still, the cow itself looked sizeable to the hobbit (he doubted he could budge it himself, even if he had crept up on it!), and certainly of size to give a good attempt at a kick. Axel himself was not nearly so broad-shouldered as Boromir or Gimli, and maybe not so long and tall as Aragorn. Could he tip the cow over?

Frodo remained where he was, safely behind the fence. He had to admit himself that, though he was no longer a tween, a good deal of him he did want to see what would happen. "I shall never understand you Big Folk. But I think I have to see you try at any rate."

So far as Axel was concerned, possible danger was sort of par for whatever course life was going to have him play that day, and thus it tended to be treated like the minor inconvenience that it was. He shook his head.

"I don't really believe in giving false comfort," he said candidly, putting a hand on his chin and contemplating the best route to engage the sleeping bovine. "Consolation's never really been my strong point," he continued, approaching the cow and looking it over as if searching for an easy-flip handle; "I prefer to just call 'em like I see 'em."

He cast Frodo a questioning glance, as if to ask what he was still doing on that side of the fence, then supposed he was a bit small for this venture. Well, to each his own; he supposed he could lead a Hobbit to a water but couldn't make him drink.

Rubbing his hands together, he grinned.

"What's not to understand?" he asked with a fiendish grin. "This is apparently a local pastime. I'm just getting into the spirit of things!"

And with that, Axel marched right up to the cow, pressed his shoulder against its flank, dug his heels into the dirt, and pushed for all he was worth.

The cow didn't budge.

... Well, maybe he would have more luck from the other side.

(no subject)

iorhael - 2013-02-08 04:01 (UTC) - Expand

"Hey!" yelled Jr., barely managing to avoid getting run over as a grizzled, heavily tanned man with dust-caked clothes pushed his way out of the bar. "Watch where you're going!"

It was tough being four and a half feet tall.

He turned toward the first person he saw nearby. "Can you believe that guy? Jeez, some people have no manners at all!"

The Big Folk were both in a hurry, as it seemed they often were, but also cared little if they ran over people in the process. Any apology at all was a rare; if they even noticed at all. Frodo turned, just in time to see a lad, some inches taller than himself, nearly bowled over by one of the Big Folk.

"Manners are a thing lacking out here," Frodo replied. Lucky it had been a Man in a hurry and not one of those carriages with a good amount of horses drawing it. "Are you all right?"

"No kidding," said Jr., brushing some of that ever-present Black Rock dirt off his pants. "You'd think they could at least stop and apologize!"

"I'm fine, though, thanks for asking. My name's Gaignun Kukai, Jr." He gave Frodo a quick once-over, then extended his hand for a handshake. "You can just call me Jr., though. Had a run-in or two yourself?"

"From anyone decent, or at least, with a decent upbringing, but this seems no more decent than the Wild back home."

The desert stretched as far as he could see in every direction, with only the road leading out each way. It might as well be the Wild itself, and not its Edge.

Frodo held out his hand, and taking Junior's hand, gave it a firm shake. "All right, Junior it is then. My name is Frodo; pleased to meet you. I've had few near run-ins, but nothing so bad as those." And here he waved to one of the carriages before it rounded a corner.

"Well, I don't know anything about any Wild, but they do call this place the 'wild West'."

He gave Frodo an easy grin. "Anyway, nice to meet you, too. And yeah, getting run over by one of those carriages would be something to really complain about. Guess they haven't invented traffic laws yet."

Then he paused. "So, uh... you're not from around here, right? What do you think? Does this Moony guy stand a chance of winning?"

Frodo looked out upon one rowdy Man who had just been bodily pulled by several others to one of the horse troughs and dunked. He had seen some ways to cool off a hobbit who had had more than enough to drink, but this struck the hobbit as uncouth. Frodo sounded the slightest bit cool when he next spoke. "It certainly has earned its name."

"Better to avoid having the chance to complain about it, wouldn't you say? Though I imagine they have yet to develop any hobbit-sense. It seems everyone runs on according to their own set of rules, and woe to anyone caught in their way."

As if to prove his very point, one of the men on horses nearly collided with a carriage that had come out suddenly.

"I am afraid not. I think he may stand a chance, but our arrival may hurt more than it will help. How would it look to have so many new arrivals at once, and a fair number quite suddenly finding their support in him?"

Edited 2013-01-20 06:28 (UTC)

"I don't know anything about hobbit-senses, but yeah, that's pretty much how things used to work back then. There just aren't enough law enforcement officers to go around. Especially since some of us are adding to the load."

Jr. glanced over at the carriage, but luckily, it looked like no one was hurt. Which was extra lucky because he didn't really want to blow his cover here. "I don't know. That's the thing -- it would've made way more sense to just send a couple of people out here, you know? Then people wouldn't get suspicious about the sudden influx."

He stepped out of the way as a lady an in an expansive dress walked by. "Hope they don't think we're trying to stuff the ballot or anything."

Isaac was just as unsettled, though perhaps by different things. He was grimly exploring when he saw the small man not far in front of him. Scent confirmed what his eyes suggested might be the case. Another hobbit. Well, the first one he'd met had been delightful, and he was pretty sure that this one might be the one he was rooming with, even if he was still kind of avoiding the room half the time.

Curiosity helped ease the tension away a little, and when Isaac approached his smile was genuine. Perhaps a bit small, but he'd been cultured to not show his teeth.

"I don't think we've met yet. Anything I can help with?"

Five minutes out in this heat and Frodo felt like he had been out in the sun for a good five hours already! The hobbit followed some of the locals example, and ducked under one of the wood awnings. There, that was better already. The heat still pressed in, still felt like something very solid and heavy and dry, but bearable now.

And it appeared he had company, for one of the Transports was approaching with a small, friendly enough smile. Frodo nodded back.

"I don't think we have; my name is Frodo." The offer was very generous, especially to a stranger. "That's very kind of you. do you know anything about this place? Or this time?"

"Good to meet you, Frodo. I'm Isaac." It was a conscious decision to drop the doctor, but he wasn't in official capacity and if this was his roommate, being more friendly couldn't hurt. Eventually he'd need to figure out how they would react to a werewolf, because experience had proven that the secret was near impossible to keep in close quarters, but for now just introductions would work.

On the other hand, Frodo's question brought back all of his misgivings about this time and his expression clouded. "I do know a few things about the time, but less about this place in particular. It would be easier to answer specific questions, though."

It wouldn't do to burden a new acquaintance with some of the horrible things that had happened in the 19th century if he wasn't interested in those kinds of things.

"Well met." Though it seemed something Frodo had said had suddenly put Isaac ill at ease. Which had it been; the question of place or time, or both? But Isaac had asked, and the subject themselves were not entirely personal.

And better still if he knew more about either. Frodo went on. "Anything at all, even a little, is better than none. I wish I had more specific questions, but there is little here that is familiar to me. Is there anything I should know about this time? Anything to avoid?"

"You should be fine. But this time in history was a dark time for many people. I'll spare you the details if you don't want to know."

Isaac turned to look off in the distance. "I don't know about this place, or what role these people had on either side of the things that happened. But if the man they want us to put in power is someone who would support those terrible things, I feel compelled to do what I can to keep him from getting that power."

(no subject) (part 2)

Frodo Baggins | Lord of the Rings| OTA and ANYWHERE!

FOR Marjolaine

FOR AXEL

Re: FOR AXEL

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(no subject)

Re: Frodo Baggins | Lord of the Rings| OTA and ANYWHERE!

Re: Frodo Baggins | Lord of the Rings| OTA and ANYWHERE!

Re: Frodo Baggins | Lord of the Rings| OTA and ANYWHERE!

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about time Isaac met his other roommate

yep!

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