etrayalogs | November Mingle

November Mingle

WHO: Everyone!
WHEN: November 22nd - Early December
WHERE: Etraya
WHAT: The arrival of newcomers, and an unexpected guest!
NOTES\WARNINGS: N/A, please note any needed warnings in threads.

⏵ arrival ⏴
Welcome to Etraya!

Arrival goes as expected - or it would, except it is not just Aurora that greets the newcomers as they arrive. Certainly they receive their earpiece so they can communicate with one another as those before them have, however there is what seems to be a woman waiting for them that is of a more flesh and blood persuasion as they leave the hospital. She carries an air about her that isn't quite like the newcomers themselves, but she is decidedly not one of the companion bots, nor Aurora.

She has bone-straight blonde hair reaching past her shoulders, with a straight-cut fringe hanging above her eyes. The black dress that ends just before her mid-thighs also has a rather revealing neckline, though the sleeves which cover her arms almost feel like a mockery of modesty considering the rest. She is also wearing black stockings and black pumps, and the red of her lipstick is striking against the extreme contrast in shades she otherwise holds.

As each newcomer independently files out of the hospital, she makes certain to garner their individual attention, either with a wave of her hand, a wiggle of her fingers, or directly calling them over. She is persistent, and with being so new, it is wise to heed her. Not that anyone can force one to, if they choose to walk away, nor does she seem interested in trying to, but she has her means for those proving stubborn.

However, those who aren't...

“Hey! I know you’re not just walking past me. I’ve got- you know, plot relevant, written all over me. I picked this dress out just for you, you know?’

“C’mere, listen up. Mama’s got a little bit of homework for you, but it’s gonna help you, too, okay? I need you to go find the hot goss, the piping hot tea on the street for me. Find out what everyone’s saying about the people we’re stuck with, okay? People are a lot more relaxed and honest when they talk about others, right? This is about efficiency.

Efficiency, honey.

Don’t worry, I’ll be in the trenches, too. But make sure you come find me again. I’ll be around here, okay? I know you’re as confused as I am. Well no. I’m much less confused than you are. But if you can tell me about the people here, I’ll tell you more about where you are and what this is about.”

For those who ignored her, or those not newly arrived, they will receive a message through their earpiece:

“Girl. Hey. Listen. I’m kind of in a pinch, okay? I need like… a little favor. But its a fun favor! I need you to get your girl some info. I need the word on the street, honey. I need the tea piping hot- I need you to go talk to your friends, enemies, frenemies, butt buddies, cousins, and have them tell you about anyone they know. I need straight facts and good gossip on everyone here. And then get back to me. Kisses.

And this isn’t something for nothing. If you bring me some good goss, you’ll get some good info in turn about your whole situation. Cause that’s what you’re missing most besides home, right? Context.”

⏵ spill the tea ⏴

Tatianna having now tasked everyone (new and old) with finding out more about their fellow inhabitants—if not for their sake, for her curiosity—and in exchange she will give them valuable information that may aid them with acclimating here, or something far more valuable depending on how hot the goss is! However, she will not just hand out her secrets so easily, and so she will need one piece of gossip about each inhabitant. So she expects everyone to get mingling and talking, she isn't a charity here!

To assist in this, the companion bots have set up cozy little wicker daybeds around the main hub of the city. All of which are suspiciously cozy and warm once you have sat down on them, but especially so with the accompanying aroma of the tea wafting from the kettle which rests on the center table, accompanied by sweetmeats. The tea itself also stays warm despite the cool autumn air, and so long as you stay within the daybeds, the biting chill won't reach you either.

However, the tea is not only perpetually the right temperature, but it seems to have a way of loosening one's tongue. Especially the more one imbibes it. Did you mean to share that secret that might not have been yours to begin with? Or that personal detail about your best friend that wasn't meant to be known by anyone but who they themselves have told? Probably not, but the cat is out of the bag now, isn't it? Well, hopefully word won't get around...after all, it isn't likely who you are talking is going to tell everyone else, right? Right?

Adding to the oddity of it all, the tea one drinks might not be the same tea that their companion is drinking, despite it pouring from the same kettle. What might be one person's earl grey, is another's pumpkin spice chai. Whatever it may be that pours out, it certainly seems to be to one's liking, or its closest approximation. There's probably some deeper meaning in that, some sort of symbolism one might surmise from the nature of sharing gossip and it being tainted by personal bias, but who cares about navel gazing about such a thing?

After all, this is meant to be an enjoyable endeavor! Getting to know your fellow inhabitant should feel as comfortable as catching up with an old friend. What better way than to do it by sharing tea you both will enjoy? ☕

⏵ close knit ⏴

As the tail end of November draws nearer, people will have already begun to see the first flakes of snow. It grows colder, and while there isn't quite a blizzard or a snow storm happening, the snow does not seem to let up with its descent. It doesn't quite get so cold that it is untenable, of course, but it would be advisable to bundle up! In fact, the companion bots seem to be on the case with assisting in just that!

Around the city people will find groups of companion bots busily knitting sweaters, scarves, gloves, hats, and so forth. In fact, the moment they see someone they clock as not quite bundled enough, they will insist on supplying them with whatever they deem as being without. Are you already wearing a scarf? Well, clearly you need two of them! How about the gloves? Couldn't hurt to have several pairs!

However, that isn't all that's available to people, after all there are cafes out and about where one might get a hot beverage to help fight off the cold, but for those less inclined for such establishments, the companion bots are here to serve! There is at least one companion bot per knitting group that seems to have hot cocoa on hand. If they see someone who is looking particularly cold (almost everyone is, the companion bots aren't particularly keen on the signs of successful temperature regulation), they will have a paper cup of hot cocoa imposed upon them that has their name on the side.

Or, sort of. It is at least a close approximation of their name, or maybe it is an alternate spelling? Really, who can blame the bots for getting confused, there are so many of you!

⏵ snow more games ⏴

The snow is here to stay, but that doesn't mean that it has to be a bad thing! With everyone well supplied in their winter garb, the companion bots have set up spots for fun activities! Perhaps the inhabitants would enjoy a fun snowball fight, or some sledding? Some of the waters have frozen over, so ice skating is always a possibility too. Though one might want to be careful if they are to venture past what the companion bots have marked as safe.

Some of the companion bots are trying their best at making a snowman, but all their efforts seem to come out rather...square. They're trying their best, but maybe they can learn by following the inhabitant's examples. There are others that will offer gold star stickers to those who seem to dominate in the snowball fights, but unfortunately the stickers don't stick too well with all the snow. Well, they tried!

People will still find bots out and about with nice warm beverages available to fight off the cold, too. That service will continue to be available for the foreseeable future. Similarly, if someone comes out who is a little too under-dressed for the weather, the bots might have to pick up those knitting needles again, so be sure to put on your winter clothes..!

⏵ NOTES ⏴

To report information to Tatianna, do so here! She will only give each person their rewarded information once she has a bit of information on each character in the game. Each bit of gossip does not require a thread to count though it should be IC knowledge gained through IC means. Try to check what gossip has been given to her already, because doubling up will not yield results! Good luck!

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 absolutely the only person that could ask him that and get a real answer. Harold contains his irritation at the whole subject and responds fairly. ]

All I have so far is speculation, but I'm inclined to believe its primary purpose is to look after us and keep us complacent. In that capacity it would believably be limited in what it could do.

I doubt Aurora could return us, or determine the fate of our worlds, [ there's a note of skepticism there in the concept, ] or even bring us into contact with Echo. But its nature and function may provide some clues.

[ John notices that Harold uses "it" whereas everyone else uses "her". It's the kind of distinction that Harold would make. John doesn't care either way, so he'll just use "it" when talking with Harold. (Which I will inevitably forget about later.) ]

Do you think it's in charge of deciding things like bringing the Library here?

[ That's quite the mystery, though John isn't really complaining. Though he was disappointed to discover all his weapons were... replaced. ]

[ Harold has conceded to using she/her pronouns with everyone else since that seems to be the convention, and defying it is only going to open him up to a multitude of questions he doesn't want to answer. Sometimes lying really is just the easiest approach. But with John, unique among everyone else, he can espouse his real opinion:

That he's not certain yet Aurora merits the anthropomorphization. ]

Perhaps. Either it puts in requests to be approved by some other authority, or it has direct oversight over resource expenditures within Etraya. I'm inclined to think the latter, though.

It would be quite tedious for some administrator to be approving each individual request we make. The scale of a building versus, say, Bear, is not really so consequential once we get past the initial hurdle of interdimensional travel in the first place.

[ That actually leads to a question that John has pondered since Bear's arrival. He knows that buildings are identical, but is Bear... Bear? John had searched him, had catalogued all the little identifiers he knows, and Bear certain has acted no differently than usual. ]

Is Bear our Bear? Or is he a replica like the buildings?

[ Are they buildings even replicas? Or is there now a library missing from New York City? Are they missing? Is this just a frozen instance of time? He doesn't think Harold will know, but he's curious for his thoughts. ]

[ Harold's whole expression scrunches up momentarily, the question causing a veritable explosion of thoughts he has to reconcile and run through various filters. What are his thoughts? How can he explain them without going off on a rant about theories of four dimensional universes and closed timelike curves? How is what he says going to affect John, who always takes things so closely to heart despite his affectation otherwise?

It's pretty obvious he's struggling for a few seconds before he finally speaks. ]

That's a very complicated topic, Mr. Reese. The buildings may not be replicas either. If you'd like to know what my thoughts are, I think we are ourselves. Bear is Bear and you are you.

[ John can read the silence and "that's a very complicated topic" pretty well. Harold has made a calculation of what he should say, tried to make it come out just the way he wants. John is curious, he wants to ask more questions, but he doesn't think Harold wants to talk about it more. There's a certain "subject closed" to the way Harold said it. And, well, if that's what Harold thinks then John will trust him. ]

I'm glad he's here with us.

[ It's not like him to offer up a feeling like that, but there's something about being here in the quiet snow, just the two of them, that prompts him to share. And he is. Not just because Harold has his guard dog in a potentially dangerous place with potentially dangerous people, but John likes Bear. Likes having him around, likes playing with him, likes having his solid warmth. Getting him had been a spur of the moment decision and he's not regretted it since. ]

[ Opening up John Reese to extended metaphysical questions about the nature of time, reality, and perceived existence seems like a mistake. Harold respects John greatly, which means he respects his intellectual capacity to grasp such a topic -- but he also knows John can get stuck on things, to put it charitably.

The uncommon admission earns a sideways glance from Harold, but he's not going to outright comment on it for fear of discouraging future such admissions. Instead, he makes one of his own. ]

I'm glad I have a computer again, [ he says with true fervent relief. ] What are you thinking of asking for next? I'm trying to decide if putting in for a bodega is too frivolous, or a requirement for our continued sanity.

[ What is he asking for next? He's put some thought to it, given how much time he has to think. What he really wants is one of those "get out of death" rewards for Harold. Originally he had considered just getting the mission one, but he's since determined that there's just danger here anyways. Dangerous people. He's not sure Harold would like hearing that though. ]

Maybe some of my arsenal. Having just the one gun is a little limiting. Something long ranged would be nice.

[ It's said a little flippantly, since he knows Harold doesn't like talking about that. It's partially true but also good for getting Harold from digging into the topic too much. ]

My distaste aside, [ he grumbles, ] it is a sensible request. You might consider some way of manufacturing bullets as well.

I can help you set up the mechanism if you take on the actual work. I'd still-- well. [ Harold hesitates before phrasing it vaguely, ] I'd rather not.

[ Harold's put considerable thought into this prior to this conversation, and he thinks this will serve several ends. Practically, they need some way to replenish John's ammunition supply, and it would be better if they weren't dependent on anyone else. Mr. Thistlespring had been rather less helpful than advertised in that department. (Not that it was his fault; Mr. Thistlespring was also a teenager with an unduly horrific educational history.)

They're left needing a renewable way to keep John in weaponry, unfortunate as that is, and John himself needs something to do. It's physical and gun related, ergo, Harold is confident he could help set things up and then get him going.

He just doesn't want to-- participate directly in making bullets himself if he doesn't have to. He's aware that's absurd and a luxury he has only because John is there to indulge his distance from violence, but he still, as he'd said, would prefer not to. ]

[ It's not a bad suggestion, though John is well aware of the limitations of production. Even if he gets as detailed as to cast his own casings, there's some things like the primer he can't do himself. Still, he hopes that the materials will cost less in bulk than straight up ammunition. And then where to put it? Perhaps they need to make an addition to the Library: a workspace for his tools and a real kitchen. He can only do so much on the single burner they have there and the trek back to the apartments is tedious. ]

It's a little more complicated than that, but I'll consider it. We should also get a real kitchen.

[ He can hardly say he wants to stay out of it and then contest John's expertise in the area, so he only nods. Suggestion made, he won't press; he'll support whatever John wants to do. ]

A valid point. It's not strictly necessary, but if we're going to be stuck here, I'd like to have some semblance of normalcy. Not to mention creature comforts. This is no statement on your company, Mr. Reese, but I feel like I'm living in a dorm.

[ Maybe he'll ask for his clothing wardrobe as well... Hmm... ]

[ John can't picture a younger Harold, a Harold living life in a dorm. But surely he did at some point? A younger Harold, perhaps more free, perhaps offering smiles like in the photo he found. He can't imagine it, but he wants to see it. ]

I'll get you your suits if it makes you feel better.

[ Said in John's light, joking tone. ]

[ He huffs, ruffled and mildly embarrassed like a bird puffing up its feathers. It would make him feel better. ]

And some for yourself, I hope, [ he says pointedly. John probably has only the suit he'd arrived in, and Harold isn't going to say directly that he prefers seeing him in what he'd picked for him, but. It would make him obscurely sad to see the one he has eventually ruined from whatever antics John inevitably gets up to. ]

[ John does have a tendency to go through suits so it's not exactly economical that they cost so much, but it's Harold's money and he hasn't made any comments about it, so he must not care. But he also didn't exactly turn down John's offer, so John makes a mental note to do that, even if it feels a bit... embarrassing? Over stepping some unspoken boundary. He'll have to think about it. Maybe Harold will just do it himself and spare them both the conversation that would arise. ]

I was thinking I should get a long range weapon instead. There's some people here who are risks and I know of at least one who I couldn't best in close quarters; a surprise shot from the distance might be my only chance.

Under the circumstances, I can hardly advise you otherwise.

[ It's more disappointed in tone than grumbling. Harold really wishes he was able to expect more, that he could find a kind of life again that wasn't riddled with violence, but this is what he has. And he can't say he hasn't earned it.

At least he has John. No small consolation, that. ]

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November Mingle

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wrapping this up here?