[open] there's a patch of snow on the ground

[5055034455]

Date & Time: December 9-12, various times
Location: Around Winter Wonderland Exsilium; options within!
Characters: Saul & YOU!!!
Summary: A defense attorney adapts to his new environment.
Warnings: Stupidity and probably also feelings, but nothing out of the ordinary. Will update if needed.

[OPTION A, out & about —

Saul spends the bulk of his first two days planetside getting familiar with the new landscape as best he can. This involves a lot of walking and a lot of talking to people who seem entirely too suspicious of him; he can't blame them, of course, so he tries to look as non-threatening as possible.

For him, this is not difficult.

The information he gathers from those who give him the time of day is scarce, but it's better than nothing — and it leads him to the important conclusion that re-establishing the Department under the New Initiative is, perhaps, not the wisest decision right now. A lot of things are up in the air; with timeline-changing missions still in the works, he wonders whether or not it's worth the trouble.

...and then there's the little problem of so many of them still being on the moon...

He winds up dedicating a lot of his time to hanging around the building housing the Transport Pad. Mostly, he wants to keep an eye out for anyone he might know who hasn't yet decided to make the trip down (and spend some time checking in on the people who have via text), but part of his reason for being there so often is that it's warm and convenient and feels a hell of a lot safer than traveling by sled team or on foot in yeti territory.]

*

[OPTION B, along the river Thames —

All things considered, the moon is still worse.

"All things" being the relentless cold, the seemingly bottomless snow, and the angry walrus charging after him on the frozen Thames.

Fun fact: Walruses can move as quickly as a man can run. So it's a good thing Saul's on ice skates, but even that isn't enough to make him feel any better about the fact that he somehow managed to piss off a two thousand-pound tusked beast and now it's out for his blood.

But Saul! you say. What about your stupid anime powers? Surely you could take this creature down!

To which he would say, Screw you, the last thing I need to do is freak out the locals.

Not that anyone's impressed by his current display as he races down the ice, but. Details.]

*

[OPTION C, for his family apartment-mates —

It's weird.

Saul's thought of this place as home for a while; he's pretty sure he started using that word when his relationship with Jesse solidified and things were, for the most part, okay. And then Steph came along and it felt more real, and then they found their way to the moon and to each other and ever since then, he's known that this is where he needs to be.

But something about living in an apartment with her and Ahiru and Dick is just —

It's weird. He doesn't really think of Ahiru the way he'd think of, say, a daughter, but he knows he has a tendency to treat her that way. And when it's just the two of them, it's fine, but when Steph's around, it's different. Awkward, almost. It's nothing Steph can't defuse with a bit of playful joking, though.

But then there's Dick, who he's pretty sure hates him.

That's less weird; Dick has a perfectly valid reason and Saul hasn't tried to convince him otherwise just yet, mostly because neither of them have crossed paths at a convenient moment.

Saul finds himself home alone often, keeping the place tidy and monitoring the network and thinking. Planning. Pacing.

He needs a job, but this is the deal for now: he cleans, he cooks. He tries not to let himself get too comfortable in this new setting of theirs, because he knows better. It's difficult, though.

And weird.

Don't forget weird.]

Comments

c obviously!! let's say theeee 12th

[quackery]

[She's been taking walks more lately, leaving the apartment to go explore.

It's cold outside, but the snow is beautiful as well. That's not the primary reason she's been going out, though. As wonderful as it is to finally feel comfortable somewhere the way she does in the apartment, staying with people who care about her and whom she cares about in return, there's a part of her that's a bit fearful of it as well. She knows how quickly she could lose this, and even though she's not aware of it, part of her wants to distance herself to avoid that pain again.

Still, she doesn't let that fright control her, nor to let it show; she's seldom gone for more than an hour at a time, and she always gives notice when she's about to leave. After one such trip, she walks into the apartment, trying to brush the snow out of her hair and knock it off her shoes before she enters.]

Anybody home?

[She doesn't wait for an answer before she walks in, seeing Saul, and smiles.]

Hey! Do you need any help with that? [The cleaning, that is.]

[5055034455]

[Here's something she's going to get used to real fast: Saul's finger, pointing at her in an attempt to stop her in her tracks.]

Nuh-uh. Shoes.

[As in, Shoes off in the apartment, please and thank you.]

[quackery]

Wh-- oh!

[She hurriedly takes them off, shedding her coat as well, though she keeps that held in her arms.]

Sorry about that! I'll make sure to remember next time. Anyways, um, do you want any help?

B and... 11?

[falla]

[ This was definitely stupid, Charlie decided three seconds after she sped by the walrus, spraying the animal with a mouthful of ice right in the face, causing the majestic (and massive) animal to trip over itself and roll in the ice for a moment, before deciding that the skinny redhead was a more satisfying target.

At least Charlie was faster. She waved at Saul, prompting him to get as far as he could, as fast as he could. She was so going to have words with the man once she tired the walrus going after her.

Dammit Saul. ]

[5055034455]

[He's not sure this is the best idea.

Also, Charlie is faster right now, he'll give her that. He could probably go much, much faster, but therein lies the danger of wiping out spectacularly.

So he only picks up speed a little, just to catch up with her.]

Hey!

[A greeting.

Because this is so totally not a big deal.]

[falla]

[ [ANNOYED HAND MOTIONS] ]

You had th-that speed all the t-ti-time!?!?

[ GDI SAUL. ]

B no wait i lied the 12th if it still works for you

[tilallisoverused]

( Rodimus has long given up trying to make the locals feel comfortable around him. Sure he's taken his holoform out for a spin a few times, but apparently it wasn't dressed appropriately for the weather and people still gave him strange looks.

So he's taken to driving up and down the Thames in his alt-mode, drifting and showing off to anyone who'd be watching. Just in case anyone was watching. It was only fun for a little bit before he got bored, but it made him think. About what to do about Nova Prime and everything back home. About the quest, everyone who died, and-- and Drift.

But seeing someone - a familiar someone at that - running away from another organic creature is a welcome distraction. So much so that he puts on a burst of speed, sliding in between Saul and his large tusked predator. And sure, he might obviously be a car that doesn't look like it belongs on earth - it's red and orange and yellow and there are flames on the hood - but it's a car and it can keep the walrus at bay while one of the doors slides open. )

Hey, Saul. Need a hand?

( The voice should be vaguely familiar, if metallic and tinny and male. )

that means this happened 2 days in a row, color me unsurprised

[5055034455]

[IS THAT A TALKING CAR?

A TALKING CAR THAT KNOWS HIM?

And yes, the voice is familiar, but he's a little too distracted to ask questions right now, so he wastes no time in hopping inside and —

Wait.

Is he supposed to drive, or...?]

Go!

saul you need to look at your life and your life choices

[tilallisoverused]

( The interior of the car certainly doesn't look like it was meant for anyone to drive, so it's just as well Saul doesn't try. The door slams shut behind him, and Rodimus puts on a burst of speed that - for the moment - just spins the tires pointlessly. )

C'mon, c'mon, come on.

( Who the hell thought a road of ice was a great idea? Not Rodimus, that's for sure. It's only when the walrus throws its weight against him that his wheels catch on something and he rockets down the river. )

What was that?

A, we'll go with the 11th!

[vaccination]

[Things down here aren't too bad once Ellie and Joel find their own place to settle down in. It's not perfect, but they've had worse, and Ellie is just glad to be on Earth--which is a thing she never thought she'd be glad for, because she always thought she'd be on Earth. Once upon a time, anyway.

She's taken to wandering when bored, and today she comes across Saul. From what she heard from Jesse, he didn't exactly do much to help with that mess on the moon. So, Saul just gets a look as Ellie moves to step around him.

And she had just been thinking he was kinda cool, too.]

[5055034455]

[There was a friendly greeting on the tip of Saul's tongue, but when he notices the way Ellie all but ignores him, he frowns.]

Hey, what gives?

b

[fullmeasure]

[Mike's seen a lot of stupid shit.

This? He isn't sure if he should laugh or just turn around and walk away. Maybe pretend he didn't see anything at all. Or even, remember it for some point in the future where he could bring it up to use it against Saul somehow (hey, you never know)

Instead, though, Mike stands just on the edge of the ice, watching Saul skate by with a walrus hot on the heels. Even if he did decide to do something, he still needed a moment to process this scene that is dumber than anything else.

Congratulations, Saul, you top the "weird shit I've seen" list]

[5055034455]

[Saul would know that bald head anywhere, so when he goes whizzing past it, he makes a point of turning around and skating backwards for a few feet just so he can flip Mike off and yell:] You're fired!

A, 10th

[alittlesweptup]

[People coming and going from the transporter pad is hardly strange, but for most there's probably something unsettling about seeing Charlie Cutter - and big man that he is, it's hard to miss him - making his way through the snow towards the building housing the tech. Strictly speaking, the general sentiment seems to be that he's not even allowed in the same building at the equipment (though it's clearly not one he shares). --Not that he appears especially heavily armed or anything, unless the skis and poles across his shoulder count.

Charlie slows his stride just slightly when he catches sight of Saul loitering near the entrance.]

[5055034455]

[It isn't hard to miss Charlie, no.

For the moment, Saul has no intention of moving or even speaking — he just watches Charlie, expression neutral, waiting.

He's not sure what it is he's waiting for.

But he's sure it's something.]

Let's say the 9th

[legal_eagle]

[She's prepared herself for the cold best she can - scarf, gloves, coat - but it's still sort of a shock. It's not unwelcome, though. She hates the cold, normally; she was born in the summer and she'd live in the summer if she could. But fresh air - not recycled, crisp and light and breathable - is such a change that, soon as she steps outside, she just takes it in, savoring the ache in her sinuses.

Then she starts forward through the snow. She doesn't walk well; she can deal with cold, but snow is a mystery to her.]

[5055034455]

[She has bad timing. Saul's on his way out of the building, too, but they manage to miss each other by a few seconds.

So he winds up trailing her for a few feet, steps slow and quiet.

And unless she has some supernatural sixth sense, it's unlikely she'll detect the snowball he's about to hurl at her until it hits her in the back and explodes in a puff of loosely-packed white fluff.]

THE 12 BC I CAN READ; also option b.

[lucency]

[ hey guess what it is belle's first time ice skating!!!

okay. that's kind of a lie. they had something similar back in the enchanted forest (and by similar, i mean the exact same thing), but she hasn't been since she was a child. and add that to the time she spent locked up while time stood still -

hey guess what it's belle's first time ice skating in about 40 years!!!

of course, she knows better than to piss off any walruses, but the fact that someone apparently doesn't takes its toll on her as well, and saul zooms by her. even though he doesn't knock into her entirely, the shock of it sends her spinning around to see what the problem is, and it also knocks her into the snow nearby.

at least it wasn't the ice.

she stands up, brushing the snow off of her arm, glaring after him and - wait. that sure is a walrus. hold on. ]

What did you do to it?!

[ and then she's following after him, skating as quickly as possible. or as quickly as she feels comfortable. ]

♥

[5055034455]

[The good news is, "as quickly as she feels comfortable" is fast enough.

The bad news is, the walrus is still angry.

And here Saul thought yetis would be his biggest worry...]

Nothing!

[This is a lie.]

C!!

[pixieboots]

[ Steph would know in a heartbeat to check for the grooves along the outside of the window if she went looking, and the moment he’s tugging it open with his fingers and sliding inside there’s that reflexive pang of guilt all over again. Ahiru hasn’t been here to catch him yet, but it’s her room too which means it’s probably only a matter of time. One more thing he’ll have to find a way to explain away to a stranger.

It’s weird, feeling so wound up about coming back here. Coming back to a place he knows he should feel grateful to have, even if it is just for now. There’s a heater he didn’t have to jury rig himself and a blanket he didn’t have to work for weeks to pawn off someone. He has a dry place to sleep. Food to eat. All things he hadn't had back in the old Exsilium.

And Steph cares and that means something. Of course it means something that she'd even want him here.

But it’s weird. It’s weird because it isn’t just Steph now, it’s Steph and her old, old boyfriend who doesn’t know the real secret and who knows what he’ll do with it if he ever puts it together. What he might do to Bruce, now that Bruce is finally here to protect for real. And that’s- Bruce is still something he hasn’t worked out yet, and the more he thinks about it the more he can't anymore without wanting to burrow under his covers and cry.

And that makes it worse than housing ever was. Worse than living with Edgeworth, because at least Edgeworth wasn’t a creep with his hooks already in Steph.

When he hears movement outside the closed door he rubs at his arms instinctively, wincing at the way his body still jumps at the sound. He sheds outer clothing he rubs his face next, and hopefully that’s enough to drive away the cold flush in his cheeks. Finally he slides the door open a cautious inch, listening for clues to who’s out there. ]

[5055034455]

[Saul used to care about secrets. Now? Not so much. What Dick does is his own business; God knows Steph does enough worrying about that kid for the both of them and then some, so he's been content to let him come and go as he pleases and ignore Saul to his heart's content.

But Saul's not stupid.

He's around the apartment often enough to know that, angsty though this young boy may be, he's not spending all that time locked away in his room. Saul also knows when he's being watched and when he's being listened for, except that's more a default behavior of his — assuming he's being paid undue attention for whatever reason.

So there's no attempt to hide the fact that he's the one in the hall near Dick and Ahiru's bedroom, even going as far as clearing his throat to signal his presence.]

It's me. You hungry?

a; 10th

[mallarkey]

[ Okay, so it's cold. It's really goddamn cold, but it has one major thing going for it which is that it's Earth and that goes a long way, even in frigid temperatures with Wayne -- Doug -- having nothing warmer than the suit he arrived in.

Minus the jacket now. He gave that to Dahlia when the move down was decided, she needs it more than he does (though his toes have lost all feeling).

When he notices Saul he waves with a very stiff hand -- his fingers are fast going the way of his toes, though, so after waving he folds his arms over his chest for heat -- and walks over. ]

Hey!

Where the hell are we supposed to be living now, in igloos?

[5055034455]

[The beaming smile on Saul's face fades as soon as he realizes how poorly-equipped Wayne-Doug is, and then he just looks critical.

Really, dude?]

I'm not sure if I should hug you because I'm happy to see you made the trip down in one piece or if I should hug you just to share some body heat. Didn't anyone remind you about the snow before you left?

A

[worldswillburn]

[Kerrigan had a rough time deciding between staying behind on the moonbase or heading back down to Earth. Mostly because both options sounded pretty terrible. Ultimately, she figured that going planetside would lead to less grief.

At leas, she hoped that's what ended up happening.]

Hey, Saul.

Had enough of life on the moon?

[What you'll probably notice, Saul, is that a certain feature of Kerrigan is conspicuously missing. Instead of her usual "head quills" she actually has some regular red hair going on.

Aren't holographs great.]

[5055034455]

[When Saul looks up from his tablet, he expects to see his psychic pal Sarah Kerrigan, because that's whose voice he hears.

Except when he looks up, he sees someone who looks like Kerrigan but has red hair and is suddenly infinitely more attractive and slightly less terrifying. (Slightly because she's probably still psychic. And that's the worst.)

So.

That's a thing.

He grins, cool and easy, then shrugs a shoulder.]

It was fun for about a day, yeah. What's with the 'do? Holograph, or did I miss something major?