[action] Top of the world, looking down on creation...

[neverforgets]

[ On one section of the beach, about twenty feet from where the sand gives way to jungle, someone has planted a giant mallet head into the sand. A bright, red scarf is tied to the handle. The handle sticks straight up--

And up--

And up--

And up into the sky. If you're good at estimating height, you might guess it's two hundred feet up above the ground. And at the very top, you can see the shape of a person up there. ]

Comments

[everwalking]

[yeah, he recognizes that tiny figure in the air, and after a disoriented moment -- he wasn't sure anyone would be with him when he woke up alone in the shade of a tree by the beach; he didn't see anyone on his trek down the shoreline -- he lifts hands to cup around his mouth] Over here! Lavi!

[sublimating]

[when Bruce sees the tentpole propping up the tiny figure, he thinks to himself -- that's a suspicious sight. that's got to be someone who brought them here. who organized all this. who's responsible for them being here. keeping watch on them from hidden high above, maybe]

[that makes him angry]

[but he's just going to keep calm and take a light run to find whatever's at the base, and maybe kick it a little spitefully. take the edge off with some good old-fashioned pettiness]

[maidenlysense]

[of all the things Petunia expected to find, she is certainly not prepared for this. for anything really, but much less for the upside down hammer and the person...?? in the sky. was it really a person? Is it possible for a person to get that high up just by clinging to the handle of a giant mallet?]

[was it an angel]

[maybe this whole thing was a mirage. that would make sense. Petunia edges towards the hammer and slowly reaches out to poke it.]

...It's real. [it's....real???]

[cleanedslate]

[ he's good at estimating height. and interested. he circles the pole once, head tilted back, then looks at the base.

it's like a giant... what are those things called? you hit the little balls through the arches.

hmm.

he kneels down, runs a finger lightly up the handle. ]

[scealu]

[ illyria approaches the enormous weapon with less caution than might be advisable. peering upward, she figures it might be tactically smart to remove any threats early on.

she's not sure she possesses the strength to push it over, but it's worth a try... ]

[neverforgets]

[ It takes a moment for him to hear the voice calling, but he wouldn't mistake it for anyone else's. Lavi takes one more look around at the island from this vantage point, and then -- with great concentration -- pulls the end of the handle back toward the ground. ]

Allen! You're here too, huh? [ Waves a little, and when the distance is only a few feet, he drops down off the handle--

And stumbles a little on the landing. ]

[neverforgets]

[ The hammer doesn't move an inch, but Bruce's foot might hurt from kicking it. Up too high to hear or feel vibration, Lavi only realizes someone is down below when he starts easing the handle down. And then he sees an older-looking man... who does not look very happy. ]

Hey. [ Doesn't get all the way to the ground, sits up out of the man's reach while he tries to figure out what's going on. ]

Sorry, man, am I in your spot? [ Wipes his forehead on the back of his hand. For all the sweat and heat, he looks a little pale. And there's a trickle of drying blood along the side of his face, up under his headband. ]

[neverforgets]

[ Aloft long enough to get a good bird's-eye view of the island, and long enough for the pounding behind his eye to be a real discomfort, Lavi begins his descent. He notices someone just in time to keep from dropping down on top of them. ]

Look out below! [ Calls and then slides the rest of the way down. He sits on the hammer's head, and closes his eye for a long moment, as his stomach churns. ]

Didn't hit you, right? [ Slowly looks over at... her. She sort of has hair like Allen's. ] There a story behind your hair color, man?

Iron Hammer needs an adult!

[neverforgets]

[ On his way down from his perch, Lavi notices a person hanging out by the base of the hammer. At least he knows now he's not the only person hanging around here. Or only one of a pair; he'd seen someone out on the rocks just offshore. ]

Careful, it bites. [ Calls down with not-entirely-fake good humor, but any stranger is cause for caution, especially when his vision blurs every so often. So he lingers just out of arm's reach and gives the man a wave. ]

[neverforgets]

[ The hammer doesn't topple, but it does shift, prompting a strangled shout from aloft. ]

The hell're you doing?!

[ Lavi descends quickly, holding tight to the hammer's handle and looking about ready to throw up. ] If you wanted my attention... could've just yelled, man. [ Closer up, he looks pale and bloodied; a hand-shaped bruise stands out above the collar of his jacket. ]

not yet

[cleanedslate]

Yeah? That doesn't seem like a desirable trait in a hammer.

[ his eyes are still on the hammer, not you; he's contemplating the elastic quality. definitely no hinges or anything that he can see, so it's just a property of... whatever material it's made out of. which is interesting. ]

[neverforgets]

[ Not sure whether to be relieved or not that he gets so little attention; though an akuma wouldn't be able to touch the hammer without injury, so... could just be good old human curiosity. But he still stays where he is for now. ]

Little-Big Hammer's special that way. Best buddy a guy can have.

[maidenlysense]

[Petunia can't help jumping back as Lavi slides down the handle like a fireman because she's far from prepared to converse with strangers who were in the sky with the help of a giant hammer!!! except he doesn't look so good either, so any thoughts of him suddenly whapping her on the head fly out of the window]

[But then he asks her about her hair which is usually a light pink, but looks white thanks to the direct sunlight, and her hands instinctively move to her head, confused]

What's wrong with my hair?

[cleanedslate]

Pretty sure that's actively sad. And this is coming from me. [ he scrapes a nail over the surface; pretty unyielding, as far as that goes! ]

What's your best buddy made out of?

[neverforgets]

[ Shakes his head, and as he climbs up off the hammer, it shrinks to a very portable palm size. But... he doesn't holster it just yet. ]

Nothing. Got a friend with hair like yours. Just wondered if it was natural, or there was a story to go with it. [ Slight grin. There is a trail of drying blood along the side of his head, and bruises around his throat. ] I'm a big fan of stories.

[neverforgets]

[ Just laughs. Of course he was kidding. A book is a guy's best friend, duh. ]

S'called "Innocence". Given by God and all that.

[cleanedslate]

[ yes, but books can't bite you in apparently fun sexy ways! ]

Yeah? Any god in particular, or just Brand X?

[neverforgets]

[ Someone hasn't been reading the right books.

Lavi eases down the rest of the way, planting his feet firmly on the hammer's head. And the comment gets a grin out of him. ]

The god of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; "I Am Who Am", an' all that. [ Leaves off "nonsense", but it might still be audible. ]

[cleanedslate]

Old Testament or New? [ still not so much looking up. he doesn't believe you, though he's amused by the idea. more aliens duping people into worshiping them? awesome. and this god was never the nicest guy, either. ]

[neverforgets]

[ Observes the man as he keeps examining the weapon, kind of amused. Though if Gramps hadn't told him all about Innocence before they had joines the Order, he probably would have behaved the same way. ] Old one, far as I know.

Mine's called Iron Hammer.

[maidenlysense]

[her eyes grow comically large as the hammer shrinks, maybe she can survive a whapping of that size]

Um, it's natural. I have the same color as my mother... [trails off because wait that's not important right now!!] Are you -- are you a magician?

[cleanedslate]

Because what's more innocent than an iron hammer, right? [ vague. he adds ] So, when God gave it to you, was that like... FedEx, or in person? Maybe there was a burning bush or two involved?

[confiscate]

[ She has no idea how he did it (some sort of shifting molecular base, perhaps?) but Gwen has to admit, it's a good idea. ]

Excuse me, hey! [ Sounding as polite as she can for someone having to shout, Gwen waves to try and get his attention. ]

[neverforgets]

[ It takes a moment for her voice to reach, but when it does, Lavi peers down at the tiny person on the ground. ]

Yeah? What d'you need? [ Calls back as he begins to slowly shrink the handle, making his way to the ground. ]

[confiscate]

[ A coconut toddy from Sri Lanka. ]

[ Gwen is sure she had a more practical question to ask. What comes out is: ] How do you do that?