etrayalogs | OCTOBER MINGLE

Entry tags:

OCTOBER MINGLE

WHO: Everyone!
WHEN: October 25th - Early November
WHERE: Etraya
WHAT: The arrival of newcomers, and some holiday fun!
NOTES\WARNINGS: Supernatural elements, temporary physical alterations, mild horror and jump scares, spooky scary skeleton robots, mild suggestion of compulsion or loss of control, mild body horror.

⏵ arrival ⏴
Welcome to Etraya! Everything is fine now. 😊

Arrival goes expected - or it does for the most part. Aurora greets newcomers in the hospital as they awaken, offers a brief explanation and gives them their earpiece so they can communicate with one another.

Around the hospital and outside of it, Companion Bots are hard at work decorating the city for Halloween—complete with festive touches like pumpkins, cobwebs, and glowing ghost decorations. The atmosphere is fun, light-hearted, and maybe just a little spooky. 🎃👻

Some carry buckets of candy, and offer those they come across a trick or treat. Except both options are, in fact, treats. 🍬 Tricks are treats specifically wrapped in a green wrapper that very clearly declares that they are tricks. Treats are wrapped in orange, and labeled with treat! Companion bots will recommend that those who do want to take a trick take them when they're beside their friends. There won't be any permanent effects from these, nor will they be terrible tricks - just fun ones! All effects last roughly 24 hours.

Giggle Drops cause uncontrollable giggling that bubbles up randomly, even during serious conversations.
Beasty Bites cause characters to grow small fangs, and they will begin craving red foods - apples, cherries, etc.
Bat Gummies cause small, bat-like shadows to follow characters around wherever they wander. These shadows are harmless, and super cute.
Pumpkin Puff is a cotton-candy-like treat, that causes their voices to change dramatically. Either becoming significantly deeper or perhaps very high-pitched, as if they've recently inhaled helium.
Floating Fudge gives characters the ability to float in the air! Just a few feet off the ground, but it's still fun. Right?

⏵ getting spooky! ⏴
Etraya is embracing the season - and maybe even going a little overboard.

Around the hospital, a few small pop-up shops are manned by festively dressed companion bots. They offer samples to everyone - although sampling isn't really necessary. After all, everything here is free!

Candy Shops: Perfect for stocking up on sweets and treats for the upcoming trick-or-treating event. These will not stock the tricks the companion bots offer around Etraya, but instead only carry harmless sweets. They do take custom requests, too, and are happy to create the treats others want!

Costume Shops: Find the perfect costume for Halloween! But beware... rumor has it, if you wear a costume, you might become whatever you dressed up as for a few hours. Those who put on vampire costumes may find themselves suddenly craving blood and growing fangs - those with werewolf costumes may find themselves feeling a little wolfish. These effects may last a few hours, up to a few days.

⏵ masquerade ⏴

In the spirit of mystery, Etraya will be hosting a Masquerade Ball outside the hospital through the nights of October 26th and 27th. Dance anonymously with other attendees and make new friends under the cover of your disguise. Everyone receives a single rose they can exchange with someone else throughout the evening. At the stroke of midnight, the roses will reveal the true identities of your masked dance partners. 🌹

⏵ all hallow's eve ⏴

On October 31st, multiple companion bots set up shop along one of the walkways through the larger island towards the center. With chairs and small booths set up, they offer candies out to trick-or-treaters who wander around through the first part of the night. Some of them will request trick-or-treaters to do a trick for them, to earn a bigger treat! They may ask characters to dance, sing, or show a talent unique to them. Can your character bend themselves into a pretzel? They want to see it, and will offer them a nice bracelet in exchange! Can they whistle super loud? Maybe they'll get a nice piece of kevlar armor after showing off. This can be anything within reason - bike parts, small weaponry, armor pieces, toys, canvases for painting. Please request these items HERE.

Not everything is as light-hearted as it seems, however. Aurora issues a warning to the citizens of Etraya: Do not stay outside after midnight. Strange happenings have been reported, and those who disobey may start seeing visions of past loved ones. The visions are compelling—guiding people away from the safety of the buildings and into the mysterious mist surrounding the outskirts.

But be careful, these spirits may not be as friendly as they seem.

If you come into contact with these ghosts, you’ll feel a chilling cold, leading to hypothermia-like symptoms. The longer you’re exposed, the worse it gets. Treatment? You’ll need to be warmed up quickly.

⏵ skellys! ⏴

The Companion Bots wanted to join in on the fun, so they painted themselves with glow-in-the-dark paint to look like skeletons. But in the dead of night, for those already suffering from the chilling touch of the ghosts, seeing glowing skeletons approach from the darkness might not be the most comforting sight. 🤖💀

Stay safe, warm up, and enjoy the festivities!

⏵ NOTES ⏴

For all questions relating to this log, please refer to the mod queries comment. All other questions can be directed to the FAQ.

⏵FULL NAVIGATION⏴

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ John is trying to remember the last time he met someone so... chipper? Nice? Friendly? He always meets people in danger, always suspicious circumstances, just by nature of his job. It's not like he goes out to make friends, either. Some part of him is worried that this might be some sort of trap, or test, but— he genuinely doesn't think so. Kara has told him off for trusting his gut before, but he really just thinks that she's a nice kid. His heart hurts a bit, thinking about her bright smile and the horrors he's heard about. ]

It's nice to meet you, Hikaru. Have you been here long?

Hmmm....

[Oh that's a tough question. Between Tokyo and Cefiro, it's kind of gotten difficult to keep an eye on time disparity, and then not knowing how this place's time fluctuates...

She looks deep in thought for a moment.]

A little over a month? I think. I've met some others who have been here for longer though.

[ So, long enough to have been through some of the bad things that happen here. ]

Things are dangerous here sometimes, right?

[ Kids don't like to be talked down to, to be treated like kids, but. She is just a kid. He wants to know that someone has been looking out for her. If not... well, he's probably equal to the job. ]

[The question catches her a little off guard - dangerous. She thinks back to last month, the different things happening around. She had only seen a few glimpses, but between Gorgug not being himself and Riz's weird situation, she'd gotten her hands full pretty quickly.

Even then, it was only a taste of worse-]

Sometimes, I think. I think for some, it's more than they're used to so they get a little freaked out. But most of us should be sticking together so it isn't as bad.

[ That's an optimistic view based on what he's heard, especially from Krouse. Maybe she hasn't been here long enough for the monsters. ]

Well, if there's any dangerous situation, like if there's monsters, you can find me. I'll help you.

What?

[Oh that catches her off guard - she's gotten so used to her friends all being able to fight, and then here everyone else she meets being able to handle themselves as well.

It's sort of lost sometimes that there are some out there who think she can't. Which is. Probably fair, considering her stature.]

Thank you, I think it'll be okay though. But I'll definitely call if I get in over my head.

[ That's kids for you, always thinking they have things under control. Though, considering she was chosen as a representative of wherever she's from, maybe she can. That's a thought he doesn't enjoy. She seems like such a nice girl, he'd hate for her to know, well, any kind of hardship. He'll just have to make sure to check in on her if things get rough. ]

Hopefully it doesn't come to that. But even if it's not that serious, if you need an adult for something, you can call on me. [ He adds, after just a moment: ] Reese. John Reese. In case there's other 'John's here.

[He reminds her a bit of Satori-nii, which is a good thing really. He's already slotting into that place in her mind.

The thought quickly rises to ask if he has a business card, because Riz gave her a business card and it was the coolest thing ever.]

I'll remember that! Thank you. If you ever have any questions about anything, I can try to answer or find someone who's been here longer who can. I know a few guys who know a lot about the place! This place is kind of confusing sometimes, but it's definitely easier with someone who knows what's going on.

[ John doesn't have a business card, but she should meet Harold, who does. Either way, he'll be reporting back on this conversation to Harold. He thinks Harold will approve, though it's not a motivating factor. ]

I've gotten a lot of my questions answered already, but I'll keep you in mind. Thanks for the offer.

[ She's just offered him free information, he should be taking every advantage he can, but— she's too sweet for him to use her like that. He'll find other methods of information. ]

Actually, I do have a question. What do you do in between missions? When there's nothing to do?

Oh! That's easy.

Usually I'm talking with people and visiting the shops, or trying to keep up my training. I have to make sure I'm ready any time.

[And trying desperately to find a way back but y'know she's starting to think this place really is part of the Road.]

[ Of course she would have friends to visit in her down time. That's not something John envisions for himself. He'll have to figure something else out, he can only run for so long, can only do so many push ups. ]

What kind of training do you do?

Kendo. And I guess more general sword training as well...

[Her own sword isn't really meant for kendo, and it's hard to use it for that purpose. But she can at least keep up the motions and exercises.]

[ John knows enough about kendo to have an idea of what she's talking about. ]

Do you have a real sword here? Or just a training weapon?

[ Given the dangers of this place he's half hoping she does have a functional weapon, but on the other hand she's just a kid. ]

[Well, if he thought she was tiny and innocent before, she does puff up a bit. But it's hard to tell if it's pride or something else behind her eyes.

(John would recognize it. Guilt. Something she's tried to ignore and move on from for months now.)]

A real one! I've used it for a while now, so no worries there.

[ A real sword is good. The complicated emotion in her gaze is less good. He wishes someone her age didn't have to go through whatever it is that put it there. Kids should be kids, though he's well aware life doesn't always work out that way. ]

I'm glad you can protect yourself. But I meant it when I said you can call on me.

[She glances up at the man again and settles for simply nodding for now.]

Thank you, I'll remember that.

Did you only just get here?

Only been here about a week. Still trying to get settled.

[ He's found that he's not settling... at all. Every day he wakes up restless. Goes for a run, does exercises, tries to bother Harold and stay out of his way in equal measure. John really isn't enjoying his time here, so far. ]

Hm...

[She thinks on that... Only here for a week, and he seems pretty withdrawn and relying on his own skills, whatever they might be. Concerned with others however quiet he is about it, given his repeated offerings to help her if she needs and probably (rightfully) seeing her as a kid.

Lantis-coded.]

There's a network a lot of others use if you wanted to ask questions there. I don't really get it, but it might help.

[ Oh John has been reading the network. It's been very informative. ]

Thanks, I'll make sure to keep an eye on it if I have any questions. Do you not use it?

[Hikaru does, at least, look a little embarrassed.]

I've been trying, but I don't think I really get it yet. It's still new to me. I've only looked at it a couple of times before I got confused.

Nothing wrong with that. It's not too different from what I have where I'm from, maybe I can answer some questions if you have any.

[ There's nothing quite like the network, but it's close enough to social media or forums that he understands how to use it. Plus he's not that technologically illiterate, even if Harold does most of the research. ]

Really? I think my friends back home would probably get it a lot better than I could.

[Umi and Fuu would absolutely get it, for different reasons. But all the same: they aren't here, and she is. So she should learn.]

I'll ask if I think of something that doesn't make sense.

Alright, I'll keep an eye out for any messages.

[ John has nothing better to do, regardless of his willingness to help.

But, he's held her here long enough, has offered his help as much as he can, both with trouble and the network. He doesn't really have any good topics of conversation with kids. ]

I'll see you around, Hikaru.

[Oh-

Right, adults like this have things to do. She's kept him long enough, he probably got those walkie-talkies for a reason. She smiles with a little half-bow before waving.]

Thank you for letting me look at those! Good luck, John.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

OCTOBER MINGLE

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omg I swear I replied to this tag... I'm so sorry

it's ok this whole week has been GESTURES VAGUELY

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