OCTOBER MINGLE

[etrayamods]

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⏴

Comments

[100more]

They've both been here long enough that it's difficult not to get attached to others. Hob already grew attached to several people, but they left. That was hard. It doesn't make him want to stop getting to know people, though, especially not Loki.

He reaches to gently take the glass of wine from Loki's hand and sets both of their drinks down on a nearby table.

"Why don't you start, and I'll take the next one?" One dance has already become two.

[abit_ofboth]

That is a way in which Hob is a much stronger person than Loki and it is something he really appreciates in him. Perhaps he will take a page out of his book and make more of an effort with some of the others here. He has had pleasant enough conversations with a few others at least.

Loki hands over the glass, smiling at Hob as he then holds out his hand so he can lead him out to the dance floor. “That sounds like a good a plan as any.”

Loki’s dance still is rather old fashioned to most, and he hopes it is something Hob knows, though he trusts he can lead well enough for Hob to follow.

[100more]

Hob is definitely accustomed to old fashioned. So long as the dance is something that resembles what they do on earth, he should pick things up quickly. He has lived through many centuries where dancing has changed, but nothing beats a slow dance close to his partner, in his opinion.

"Did you do a lot of dancing back home? I'm sure there must have been parties."

[abit_ofboth]

The dance is fairly simply and similar enough to a basic waltz. All it really requires is for Loki to hold Hob close, one arm around his lower back and the other holding his hand. Maybe, if he's feeling bold (which he usually is) he might try to spin his partner or even give him a dip.

"When I was younger, yes," he replies, leading Hob out onto the dancefloor. "There were many feasts and celebrations I was," he pauses, "required to attend. Duties of a prince and all that. But that was quite some time ago now. And none of my dance partners were quite as nice as you."

It occurs to Loki that he can't quite remember if he mentioned being a prince to Hob before. It's a part of his past he doesn't think much about anymore, even if he thinks of his family more than ever.

[100more]

The fact that Loki is a prince was shared, not that it mattered to Hob. Prince or not, he thinks Loki is pretty spectacular. Still, he figured a prince would have to attend the occasional party.

As they move together, Hob's hand on Loki's shoulder and the other held, it's hard not to spend time admiring how handsome the god is up close. The compliment gets a smile from Hob.

"If I told anyone I ever knew that I'd one day be dancing with a prince, none would believe me." Hob can hardly believe it, himself.

[abit_ofboth]

Hob not caring about such things might be one of the reasons Loki is so drawn to him. His former title makes him feel a little awkward now because it’s a representation of who he once was and is so different from who he is now. Princes and Kings and ruling this place or that had once been something he found very important, but since taking the multiverse on his shoulders, he’s found all that to feel almost foreign to him now.

But Hob, he doesn’t mind or care about any of that frivolous stuff. There are some, he assumes, who might think him more important than he is simply because of his former title, and Loki doesn’t really know how to react to that sort of thing.

Loki can’t help but smile at Hob. It’s nice to be this close with someone. And not just anyone. He really thinks Hob is someone special. After all, it’s not like just anyone catches his attention. And as much as Loki has tried to keep everyone at arms length, he simply hasn’t been able to do so with this extraordinary man.

“Oh? Are you sure they wouldn't be more impressed with you dancing with a god?” His smile and his tone are a bit teasing, but there’s also a fondness there. Besides, Loki still uses the moniker of ‘god’ as opposed to prince.

[100more]

Four hundred years ago, Loki's status probably would have mattered a great deal. Hob has had plenty of years to grow beyond the mortal obsession with wealth and status. He's seen how quickly one's fortune can take a turn. In the end, it's not all that important. What's important are people, and Loki is a person Hob has grown very fond of.

"They wouldn't believe that, either. Unless they mistook the words as my way of complimenting you." A god. A prince. But in truth, the real thing and not a figure of speech.

[abit_ofboth]

That kind of lesson is something that can only truly be learned with a long life. Things that most mortals would find important suddenly do not feel so important when you live many of their lifetimes. It could be why he did not appreciate the lives of humans for so long, but really that would just be an excuse. Loki knows that there was much more to how he used to feel about other species. He's glad he's grown since then though. There is much to be learned about life and people in general, and he's glad he has been given such a chance.

Without it, he never would've had the chance to meet Hob, after all.

"Well, I hope I one day get the chance to show them the truth of it, though I would not mind the compliment either." He smiles at Hob, a glint of mischief in his eyes, and an honest smile on his face. He swung Hob around then and dipped him slowly before drawing him back up, his smile widening into a grin.

[100more]

Hob knows Loki has a past, but it would be hard to imagine him so callous towards others. Not when he's been such a warm, lovely person since Hob met him. Hob finds the man endlessly charming in a way he's never experienced before. It's hard not to keep smiling around him, especially as they dance.

When he's dipped, Hob's face turns red with a blush, his arm securing itself around Loki's shoulder some more. When he's lifted up, his hold has them very close, his other hand on Loki's chest.

"It wouldn't take much convincing once anyone meets you. Though, I don't really have anyone to brag to these days."

[abit_ofboth]

Knowing Hob thinks of him like that would actually be a bit of a relief. Loki is confident in how much he's changed, or he was with his TVA friends. But now that he's back out in the real world, for lack of a better term, where he could and has met people who knew him before, but obviously not after could cause him much strife. Warranted strife, he knows, but the idea that someone who didn't know all the details about what he's done sees him as good in any way is simply wonderful.

Loki laughs good-naturedly at Hob's blush. He did hope for a reaction and what he gets is so much better than he imagined. Once again a voice in the back of his head says he shouldn't be doing this, shouldn't be flirting or really getting close to anyone, but he simply can't help himself. Hob is irresistible.

"I suppose it is a good thing I don't require such attention anymore then. Though I admit it would likely be amusing to see the look on their faces if they were to meet me."

[100more]

"I'm certain the look would be jealousy. They'd wonder what someone as incredibly handsome as you were doing hanging around with me." Hob doesn't think himself ugly by any means, but Loki's looks are on another level entirely.

Hob is quite common in many ways, but that's part of the reason why he was chosen. He can't really represent humanity unless he's a lot like the rest of them.

[abit_ofboth]

Jealously Loki can completely understand, though he thinks it might be turned the other way. “Are you sure it would not be more that they wonder how I scored so much above my station?” Of course, station for Loki has nothing to do with being a prince or a god, but rather is more about just being a good and likeable person. When it comes to that, he thinks Hob is way out of his league.

Though he understands why Hob would be selected, Loki doesn’t believe him to be common at all. He doesn’t know all the answers, at least not yet, but he does know that there is something special about Hob. Something that has drawn him in, in such a way that Loki is very much not used to. Though that isn’t to say he doesn’t appreciate it. Loki feels incredibly lucky to have met him and he wants Hob to know that, even if he isn’t quite sure how to say it.