Rainy Day Meme

[dontneednopants]

Rainy day meme


You've cross-indexed every weather report and they all call for rain.
Use the RNG to randomize, or pick a prompt yourself.



Stay Dry:
1. Umbrella-ella-ella: A rainbow of colors, from black to red and leopard spots and clear.
2. Raincoat: You've got your raincoat buttoned up--but what about your friend?
3. Staying Inside: You're not going anywhere. Hot tea/cocoa/coffee/bloodwine/whatever, a blanket, and maybe a good book or someone to chat with. You can watch the rain from here.
4. Under an awning/outside: No umbrella, no coat, but maybe these shopkeepers won't mind you standing here until it eases off.
5. Tree: Probably not the best idea, but it's not a thunderstorm, so you might be dry, if it's a big enough tree.


Getting wet:
6. Puddle splashing: Put on your galoshes and have some fun! Or maybe the puddles are just too big to avoid...
7. Let's Play! are you one of those strange people who think the best time to go out and run, bike, or play sports is in the rain? Garden? Fly kites? (Please try not to imitate Ben Franklin.)
8. Work or Duty: You're not out here for fun--you HAVE to be out here. Too bad the weather's so awful
9. Unprepared: The trees are all drippy, the wind gets under any awnings you can find, and finding a dry place to stand for a few minutes is nigh impossible.
10. Umbrell-eh? You thought you were all prepared for the wet weather. And then your umbrella broke, your raincoat sprung a leak, and the gutters are overflowing.


Extreme:
11. Thunderbolts and Lightning! Very very frightening? Or maybe you're reveling in it? Telling scary stories to make it worse or soothing frayed nerves with a lullaby?
12. Blow Blow Thou Wind: It gets into everything! Blowing you off course, small dogs away from owners, and whatever else it can get at. Or maybe you're smart enough to watch the blasts from inside.
13. Water's Rising: Is it just me, or are the creeks getting a little high? Or maybe it's just your waterlogged yard or gutters.
14. Freezing rain: oh well now THIS is fun. Leaves everything in a coating of ice. Slick, brings down powerlines--but you can sled on it (if you don't value your skull much).


15. Wild Card Is it raining frogs? Cats and dogs? Storm of the year? Just a drizzly mist? Rain that lasts for about 5 seconds and then it's sunny again? Whatever floats your boat, so to speak.

Comments

[myownhand]

[Floods rarely affected Castle DunBroch. Though it was above a large body of water, it was elevated enough to escape most of the damage.

Other villages close by were another matter.

The rain hadn't stopped for days now, hard, cold, and wet. And now the lower lands were being evacuated, by order of the King and Queen. They had requested every able-body man and woman go out and inform the villagers, come to the castle for temporary shelter and they would look to rebuild after the storms.

Merida, of course, wasn't supposed to be apart of that team. But she knew of a few outliers, people who weren't on the map and just happened to be on her riding routes. People whom she had waved to and known her entire life-- they'd certainly be skipped over. And she couldn't let that happen.

She's just finished her last round up-- riding hard on Angus, soaked to the bone, cloak sticking to her as she grips the reigns-- when she spots a strange silhouette, standing awfully close to the river. Someone she hadn't seen in these parts before.

And while Jack and the wisps stood out clear as day as "spirits", considering they looked entirely different from the environment or people around them-- Pitch almost blended in to the murky background.

She cocks her head, trying to examine the stranger further-- but the river is about to break, the water is pouring around them. Right now wasn't a time to be cautious about who she meets.]

You there! There's been an order t'evacuate t'high ground! Straight from the King and Queen!

[She bellows out. Voice holding firm, just as she was taught.]

D'you require any assistance?

[She's not afraid, not yet at least.]

[rideofthefearlings]

[ Pitch half-turned, golden eyes settling on the girl astride the massive horse. ]

I decline. I'm rather enjoying the view.

[myownhand]

[Well that will send a shiver down her spine.

It's just now that she notices the fact that the water doesn't seem to be affecting him at all. Like he was floating above it all without a care in the world.

Angus unsettles beneath her. He neighs and snorts, pacing back and forth. The message is clear. They shouldn't be near him.

But it's best not to turn away from a bear, at least once it's eyes are on you.]

Who are you?

[The question is spoken cautiously. At least then she could verify with her parents if he was one of their own.]

[rideofthefearlings]

I have many names.

[ Pitch turns to face Merida, an oily smile stretching across his face wider than should be possible. ]

With that accent? I suspect you'd know me best as Am Fear Liath Mòr.

[myownhand]

Th'Greyman?

[She's almost happy for the pouring ice cold rain. Her face couldn't pale any more. And as the rain slicked down around her, body sore from all the riding she had done today, she realizes that she was definitely in a beast's trap now.

She swallows, hard, sitting up a little higher on Angus.]

What are y'doin' on these lands? We aren't anywhere near Ben Macdui.

[She wonders if the disappearance of Mor'du has anything to do with it. While he was a danger to her people, he had kept many things away from DunBroch.

Her mind wanders, momentarily, to Jack. But she doesn't dare try to scare this man off. Especially not using specific names.]

[rideofthefearlings]

I'm not bound by any one place, girl.

[ Muddy water lashes up the slope of the bank, the low tearing sound as the earth is being pounded away by the angry river and Pitch beckons to her. ]

Come and see it.

[myownhand]

[She frowns. Stubbornness has her hold her ground. Fear makes her not just ride away.]

Why should I? I like it right over here.

[rideofthefearlings]

Because people should learn to appreciate what's around them. That's part of your duty, is it not Princess?

[ yeah he knows who you are ]

[myownhand]

[This time she allows Angus to back up a bit. She tries thinking back to their conversation, there wasn't any hint of who she was. Sure she had mentioned the king and queen but--]

How d'ya know who I am?

[rideofthefearlings]

We always know.

[ a sly smile ]

Weren't you told? Or did he keep that from you?

[myownhand]

[She glowers at him; She thinks about denying or trying to play dumb, because they both know SHE knows who he's talking about. But that's not a good idea. Not at this point.

A deep breath. She should get out of this situation. The quicker and more smoothly, the better.]

I never thought t'ask.

[A huge huff of breath]

Now, if you'll excuse me -- [At this point she's turning Angus around, getting ready to ride back to her home. As quick as possible.] -- I have places t'go.

[Try to ride away from a supernatural being. Good job, Merida.]

[rideofthefearlings]

Or maybe you simply didn't want to know the answer.

[ When she wheels Angus around, he sinks into the ground and reappears right in front of her, blocking her path. ]

It's very rude to leave mid-conversation... you should really know better.

[ He grins at her, all razor sharp and appearing deceptively concerned. ]

Besides, aren't you going to warn the rest of them? You missed a few, you know. Transients moving through from the eastern highlands.

They're still your purview, aren't they?

[myownhand]

[She resists the urge to yelp once he does that. No matter how surprising it was, she wasn't about to let him have that satisfaction. Her lips pull into a frown, eyes glowering, hands tight on the reigns. He's right in the fact that she can't leave anyone behind. But she didn't like the way he talked--

It wasn't like Jack, who despite being a complete ass sometimes was always earnest. At least, she thought he was.]

I can take another route. [A huff of breath, Angus becomes a bit more unsteady under her.] Besides, what does it matter t'you?

[rideofthefearlings]

[ affecting a look of surprise ]

Why, I thought you'd appreciate the assistance.

[myownhand]

I don't need assistance from th'likes of you.

[Her voice is almost a growl. She wants to just charge past him, but she's not sure that would work at this point.]

[rideofthefearlings]

I see... then I suppose I'll have to go and find them myself. I'll be sure to give them your regards, princess.

[myownhand]

[She bristles at that--]

Our kingdom doesn't need your help. I can find them with out you. [She does her best to try and sound intimidating, she knows it won't work but at the very least she has to try] Leave us be!

[rideofthefearlings]

Is that an order, princess? Has our dear Winter Prince been giving you the wrong ideas, that ones such as us can be commanded?

[ With a swept arm, black nightmare sand swirled up and formed into a black horse whose size rivaled Angus'. ]

Unless your concern is that you simply can't keep up.

[myownhand]

[Ooooh. Her eyes flash as she watches Pitch move. Afraid or angry she's not sure any longer--]

I could keep up with th'likes of you any day.

Hee-yah!

[And with out further word she's off and racing. She knew these lands well, even with them drenched in rain water, mud making trails slick. She knew the quickest ways around, where to find people hiding. ]

[rideofthefearlings]

[ Pitch urges the demonic stallion after the princess with a "ha! across the swampy ground. Sharp hooves tore the grass where they landed, but neither its speed nor its agility exceeded that of a living horse -- for the moment. ]

A MILLION YEARS LATER

[myownhand]

[She knows he's on her heels, trailing close behind. Her mind flickers with how she is going to explain this to Jack-- if she should try to explain it to her mother, her father.

And how that led to an avalanche of trouble.

Where she had been, what she'd been doing, why hadn't she told them.

Mistrust compounds with lies and she knows there's no way around it.

She tries to keep focused on the task at hand, though. Dodging through trees and branches and underbrush. Fighting the winds and the rain.

She's checking the hiding holes, the places people normally went to. She won't miss anyone, leave them behind. Everyone on the land of DunBroch was important to her. And like hell was she about to let Pitch get to them first.]

LOL S'OK

[rideofthefearlings]

[ Though he might never admit it aloud, Pitch is actually enjoying himself, the chase, the competition (he's letting her win, he tells himself) and it's only a thin and reedy stream of fear that pulls him up from the hard ride to glance around. There are no logical places for anyone to hide here, this is low land and will probably flood before too much longer, particularly if the river breaks the western bank before the eastern.

His mount snorts, shaking its head as ribbons of black sand and shadow escape its mane so Pitch urged it forward a few more steps, scanning the marshy land. ]

[myownhand]

[She doesn't want to stop, but as it stands she wasn't making progress searching around aimlessly. Oh good, she'd have to ask for help.

Pride of DuBroch be swallowed.

She brings Angus to a halt in a clearing, waiting for the Fear King to catch up. She's trying to remind herself to not sass him, don't be rude-- don't be rude--]

Well, y'seemed t'be misinformed. [Whoops.] I don't see a soul around. Unless y'know somewhere else t'look.

[Well, there's Merida's of asking for help.]

[rideofthefearlings]

[ Pitch gestures impatiently at Merida, quick, dismissive. His bearing has changed and become more alert, almost military. ]

There was fear but it's gone now. Something else has...

[ There's something spooking the horses now, causing them to shy. ]

Something ate it.

[myownhand]

[She notices the change in demeanor. It's much like her father's. She won't be telling him how much that alone puts her more on edge.]

...Ate?

What eats fear?