cuddlecity | EVENT: SHAKE THINGS UP.

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EVENT: SHAKE THINGS UP.

It starts with a roll of thunder.

At least, that’s what you think it is—a low growl through the atmosphere that seems to echo deep and low in your chest—as you turn over in bed, or perhaps as you’re finishing your last drink at a local pub with some new acquaintances, or even as you’re walking home on otherwise safe streets, lamps and moonlight guiding your path. All’s well that ends well: the city is your haven, it’s been sold to you as such, and a little stormy weather never did much harm.

You close your eyes. You take a drink. You turn the corner.

But the sound continues, the vibration grows more oppressive, and you may think to yourself:

Thunder shouldn’t shake my nightstand.
Thunder doesn’t send a pulse through the tequila in a shot glass.
Thunder wouldn’t compel the asphalt to rumble and churn beneath my boots.

It all happens very quickly after that; things fall apart.

The cheers of late-night partygoers tumble into a minor chord, sliding into screams—a party of five has just lost sight of two of its members as Main Street splits itself in zigzags rippling out from the city’s center. One side surges into the air as the other half plummets several feet down, small ravines forming along the thoroughfare. The damage replicates itself like dominoes, and citizens new and old alike cry for help into the empty night.

Someone is hanging onto the edge of one jagged, yellow-striped mound of asphalt, fingers slipping, grip temporary.

Do you know them?
Do you help?

Within minutes, buildings begin to buckle under the stress of the earth shifting. Metal and concrete siding, roof tiles, window panes—what first sounds like cannon fire clearly presents itself as establishments crumbling while panicked citizens race to covered positions or out into the chaos of the openly shaking streets for any semblance of safety.

“Earthquake!” You hear. “Cover your head!”

The tallest buildings suffer the most damage (the bigger they are, the harder they fall). At the city’s heart, the clock tower sinks almost gently down as if feeling faint, seeking solace in the skirts of its foundation. People blink in shock as the dust rolls over them moments later.

Victims covered in soot and debris, looking for all intents and purposes as if they’d been disturbed from their graves, disperse across the city, trying to reach the authorities, to find their loved ones. It’s clear that amidst the rubble, both formed and newly falling, some of these loved ones are trapped. You hear desperate, muffled calls, buried beneath layers of shattered stone and cement. Voices struggling to be heard through the ongoing shriek and groan of the earth… still… shaking. One of these voices may even be your own.

Are you near? Can you lead someone to safety?
Can you pull victims from the rubble? Are you, yourself, in trouble?

The city bank’s vault is loose, no doubt. The shops are in trouble, security gates destroyed.

Do you take advantage while you can?

Whatever you decide, watch for the emergency vehicles and fire trucks barreling their way toward the center of destruction, rescue crews ready to spot those in need. Perhaps you can help them. Perhaps they can help you, instead. (Perhaps they can apprehend you, too, if you misbehave and don’t cover your tracks.)

The rumble continues, curls its way like a fist further out towards the city limits, losing ferocity as it does, but it takes the temporary housing district for its final victim. The city’s newest arrivals won’t get much sleep tonight. Rifts in concrete walls crawl their way from the ground floors, up, all vine and sinew and spider web. Some are more severe than others. While the first floor rooms may find more damage to their walls, bedroom windows bursting as foundations tilt, the upper floors will see things end up just a hair off in balance—askew. Put a glass of water on the table, and it may not stay in one place for long.

Surely the building isn’t safe enough to sleep in, not now.

Can you make it safe? Can you reach out to your neighbors? How do you manage?

Three hours after the initial disturbance, long after earlier news programs had urgently advised all city dwellers to take due cover during the apparent earthquake, a crackling message filters through across television screens, electronic billboards, and on your city-issued devices. Mayor Drake sits in full view in front of the Energem, the symbol of the city, its life force. It is in one piece, from the looks of it, and so is she (if understandably haggard and dark around the eyes).

“Citizens of Cadelle, as you know, we’ve suffered quite the seismic anomaly this evening. Tectonic plate shifting is not abnormal in a city so near the coast, but we had yet to experience an earthquake of this magnitude in all our recorded history. Although most of the damage was focused towards the city’s center, that center was hit hard.”

The side of her mouth twitches minutely, as though she is biting back further words, and instead, she plasters on a smile of pure grit.

“Our top tier seismology center is already on the case, and the administration will keep you informed of any significant findings. In the meantime, we wish to thank all our rescue workers and volunteer citizens who helped our loved ones find shelter and safety. Please be advised we will begin reconstruction of our Community Housing Facility immediately. Volunteers to assist with this project, and with the restoration of privately owned establishments along Main Street, are welcomed, even encouraged. After a more in-depth assessment, we may be able to create paying job opportunities for the duration of this project. Please stay tuned.”

A constructive spin on this tale couldn’t hurt, could it?

“For now, we wish for you to stay safe. Food and shelter accommodations at the public gymnasium are being made ready for those of you currently left without rooms. We apologize for the communal nature of these accommodations, but it is the best we can provide on emergency notice. We appreciate your patience, and your help.”

And with that closing remark, the feed cuts.

Mayor Drake’s shoulders slide out of their poised position, and she bows her head, hand over her brow.

Behind her, unbeknownst to anyone, the Energem flickers—just once.

On the far side, beneath the cover of the protective wall, a small fissure has formed in the crystal surface.

A kinetic rift.

For more in-depth information about this event and how it affects your character, to ask event-specific questions, and to plot with your fellow players, please visit the event's OOC PLOTTING POST.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

a. ( ʟᴀᴅɪᴇs ᴀɴᴅ ɢᴇɴᴛʟᴇᴍᴇɴ ᴛʜɪs ɪs sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴄᴀʟʟ ᴀ ɢʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ʙʀᴇᴀᴋᴇʀ. )

( She isn't expecting it. For the most part, every single time she's felt the earth shake beneath her feet it's been because of something other than an earthquake. Such is the peril of being a SHIELD agent, people are often destroying property and trying to knock you on your ass. So it surprises Daisy, when the starting vibration of the ground reaches her, a drink halfway to her lips and a conversation she'd been involved in failing to reach her ears.

Her first thought is that she isn't wearing her gauntlets, her second is that no one else seems to notice the rumbling.

She's turning instinctively, surveying the weak points of the room, the crowds that are still gathered. There are too many people. And it was stupid of her to think she wouldn't need to be Agent Johnson here. It was reckless to put Quake aside, hanging it up like her leather jacket. She needs to act and she needs to act now. ) Get away from the windows! ( The music drowns out her shout, and Daisy doesn't stop to think before she's sending a blast through the DJ set. It explodes, but at least she's got everyone's attention. ) Get down. Now.

( And then the bar starts to tremble in earnest, glass rattling on the shelves, chairs skittering across wooden floors. Daisy grabs whoever's nearest and drags them behind the bar. ) Cover your heads! ( She sinks to her knees, palms pressed to the ground as she tries to take most of the impact. The pain rattles through her, bones bearing the brunt, but it's not enough, she's not reaching far enough. )

b. ( ʙᴇꜰᴏʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ɪᴛ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ's ʀᴜʙʙʟᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴜsᴛ. )

( Once she's managed to get everyone clear from the bar and away from any buildings, Daisy heads into the city properly. She uses her powers to hurtle herself into the air, taking massive leaps over collapsing buildings before landing where she's needed. By now she's sure she's fractured her arms to hell and back, the teeth gritting pain of it a constant niggling distraction.

If Jemma were here then she's had several colourful ( well, for Simmons at least ) words to shout her way. But she's not, and people are hurt, so Daisy isn't exactly thinking about herself. Throwing herself into action, Daisy directs her tremors towards the falling chunks of debris that are about to take someone's head off, shattering it into tiny pieces. Or maybe she's finding people who're trying to take advantage of the chaos around them, pulling them back from expensive looking building fronts as unstable foundations still shiver. )

You see anything that's bigger than you are? ( Are you listening? She's very tense. This is a very stressful situation. ) Stay away from it.

c. ( ɪ ᴘʀᴇᴅɪᴄᴛ ᴀɴ ᴇᴀʀᴛʜǫᴜᴀᴋᴇ ᴜᴘ ɪɴ ʜᴇʀᴇ. )

( It's safe to say she's not exactly feeling peachy keen by the time she finds her way to the gym. Daisy's spoken ( read: argued ) with anyone who decided to stay in their buildings, picking up stragglers and panicked citizens on her way, and now all she really wants to do is sleep. Or maybe find somebody to fix the broken bones in her arms. Yeah, she should probably do that before the sleeping part, if she's honest.

She can't help the feeling though, that people are looking at her a little funny. Anyone who saw her in action during the moments leading up to the earthquake are giving her a wide berth, whispering under their breaths as she passes. It's enough to make her neck prickle and her stomach twist, because honestly? She's a little done with being seen as the bad guy. Whatever. They're just going to have to deal with it as she finds a way to a cot, arm cradled carefully in front of her. Daisy's eyes close when she sits, head falling back to rest against the wall with a thunk. Just a minute, she'll move in a minute.

It doesn't take long before she feels someone approach. Daisy heaves a tired sigh without opening her eyes. ) This better be important. It's been a long day.

d. ( sᴏ ʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴇ ɢᴏ ᴡᴇ ɢᴏ. )

( Find me at athosing or here for plotting purposes. )

[robbie'd spent the vast majority of his evening shuttling people to safety, often having to argue with stubborn manly types who felt like they were more than equipped to handle falling debris and downed power lines. more than once he has to bite his tongue to keep from saying a smug i told you so to someone as a lamp post falls over or a crack in the pavement widens considerably. needless to say, by the time he makes it to the community center, he's bone tired. his hair, skin, and beloved leather jacket are coated with dirt and dust, and robbie swears he can taste smoke lingering on his tongue. he wants to just pass out, wake up tomorrow feeling refreshed, and continue on with the rescue efforts.

there's a gash on his cheek, a present from a piece of exposed rebar that he'd run into while saving a small child earlier in the evening. it's not bleeding anymore, but he's waved off anyone who has bother to ask him about covering it. there's no need, come tomorrow, it'll be gone without a trace. he meanders his way through the crowded mass, in search of a free cot where he can lay his head down and catch a few precious hours of sleep when he finally sees her. he'd recognize that head of hair anywhere. daisy's eyes are shut, one arm resting limply at her stomach, and the other is bent behind her head. he lets out a sigh of relief, a breath he hadn't know he'd been holding in. robbie drops to a kneel beside her.]

Glad to know you're not still out there... [trapped or worse dead is what he doesn't say, but thinks in his head, brow furrowed as he catalogs her appearance.]

( Strangely enough, it's his voice that has the tension finally leaving her shoulders. Daisy cracks a smile without looking at him, voice lazy and slow, as if she's just taking a nap and not contemplating the metaphorical truck that's apparently run her over. He's safe, that's all that matters. Besides, it doesn't sound like he thinks she just up and decided to go all supervillain, therefore he's the only one currently allowed to be in her space. )

Well, Mother Nature really stole my spotlight. I figured I'd lay low, lick my wounds, and wait for round two.

( She does open her eyes then, expression turning a strange mix of relief and concern. While she knows there's not much that can take out Robbie Reyes, she still doesn't like to see him hurt. )

You okay?

[he most definitely doesn't think she's to blame for their current predicament. thanks to the rider, he's seen the very heart of her, knows she's made mistakes, that she's capable of hurting things and people, but robbie knows that she's a good person. he knows that there's absolutely no way that this could be her fault. she helps people. she helped him afterall, even when she had little reason to believe that what he was doing was for the betterment of the world. so, yeah, robbie reyes is probably the only person in all of cadelle who is still team daisy right now, which suits him just fine. he'll glare at anyone who looks at her funny. the flames in his eyes will definitely deter anyone from bothering her.

but for daisy, all robbie has are soft, fond gazes and the comfort of his hands atop hers.]

Can you tell if there's gonna be a round two? [there's some hope in his question, as if her abilities mean she's a human seismograph or something. maybe she is. he certainly doesn't know how her powers work any better than he knows how his do. to her follow up question, he nods.]

Got a little scratched up, but you know how it goes. Wake up right as rain. How're you doing?

I didn't even know about round one.

( She should have. Daisy's power is meant to work that way. It clearly troubles her that she didn't, her brows knitting together, mouth twisted in a frown. ) I barely even had any time to warn people. ( And in trying to help she made it look like she was the one at fault, so. It's been a bad day. ) And it's not just that, either.

( Part of her would like to pretend everything's fine. And maybe a few months ago she would have kept silent, kept it all in. But Daisy trusts Robbie, and maybe she doesn't want to keep this weighing her chest down. Her voice drops to just above a whisper, conspiratorial and meant to be just between them. ) There's something weird going on with my power. I can't reach as far. I tried to absorb it, but it was like there was a barrier. I couldn't get any further than it. I don't know what happened, but it's new.

( Roughly ten metres. She must have missed the memo.

But when he asks her if she's hurt she shrugs, then winces as the movement rattles through her fractured bones. ) You know, the usual. I'm going to have to dig out my gauntlets in the morning. How's the Charger? Still in one piece?

[he feels more than a little unsettled by the news that daisy didn't know beforehand that the earthquake was coming or that she's having a hard time using her abilities to her fullest extent. it makes him wonder if it's temporary or if they need to worry about her powers diminishing over time. his mouth settles into a line, clear displeasure at the news.]

Hopefully, it's just temporary. Real hard to be a superhero when you can't use your skills.

[and then concern blossoms on his face as she winces while she moves, mentions her gauntlets. she must be in a hell of a lot of pain. ]

Charger's fine. a couple scuffs on the quarter panel. Even if they wouldn't heal by morning, I could probably buff them out. I'm more worried about you, Daisy. Should get some medicine and supplies for your arm. [cause this feels a whole lot like deja vu. she's hurt and they're currently going through a disaster. he lays a hand on her knee, a gesture she'd done for him once. it seems fitting, somehow.]

( She looks down at the hand on her knee. Despite everything it brings a small smile to her face, features softening. )

I was thinking maybe more of a nap, but sure.

( Her gaze sweeps across the crowded gym. There are medical supplies, she knows that much. She's been sending the stragglers there all night. Part of her still thinks there are other, more important uses for them but she doesn't want to argue and besides it hurts like hell.

What good will she be if she's wounded on top of all the other shit? She's just never leaving the apartment without her gear again. Daisy rises, but the way she stands means she's half expecting Robbie to come with her. It's presumptuous, but even here she can't shake the feeling that he belongs by her side. They're a team, or at least, she'd like them to be. ) So it hasn't happened to you? You're still firing on all cylinders? ( It's not easy to navigate the crowded hall, so she moves slowly, taking in everything around her. Part of her's still itching to act, but she's never been much of a nurse. )

You know, I actually thought I'd treat this like a vacation. I should have known something was going to go down.

First aid then naptime. I'll make sure no one gives you anymore crap.

[he's not joking on that part, either. there's a part of him that can't help but be protective of her, that is truly bothered by the fact that someone would dare blame her for this unfortunate event. robbie knows that even with her powers dampened she's capable of protecting herself, that she's a force to be reckoned with, but god help him he cares.

so as she stands to head toward the med booth, he follows dutifully. there's nowhere else that he'd rather be.]

Haven't actually tried everything, to be honest. I'm pretty sure that they don't exactly want me burning someone's face off. But I don't feel that off though.

[they arrive just as she makes mention of wanting to have treated this like a vacation. he motions for her to have a seat as he goes to grab pain medication, compression bandages, and some rigid material for a splint. he offers her the pills first when he returns.]

I'm just happy I'm alive. Before this, I didn't think I'd make it. But a vacation would've been nice. [he pauses, awkwardly holding the supplies in his hands.] Maybe after they finish rebuilding we could go do something, just the two of us?

( She's not exactly used to people trying to take care of her - her team does their best, but Daisy's happiest when she's forging forward on her own. So when Robbie motions for her to sit, she offers up a little bemused smile. Thankfully, she's not really interested in arguing. She's in too much pain, and Robbie's weirdly a special case. )

Please, no face burning. ( Sinking into a seat, Daisy takes the pills and swallows them dry, hoping they'll take effect pretty quick. ) At least, not unless they deserve it.

( Which is Ghostrider's style, anyway.

Daisy pauses when he says he didn't think he'd make it, having forgotten for a moment he wasn't from the same place. She'd been so relieved when he'd shown up again, a feeling coursing through her because even though she'd known, or hoped, the irrefutable proof had helped. ) Yeah? Sounds like it could be fun.

daisy johnson ( ota )

c.

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b

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i'm so sorry for her pt 5000

no it's okay i love her.

i can still be sorry tho

then i accept. :c

<3

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c

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