FEBRUARY MINGLE

[etrayamods]

WHO: Everyone!
WHEN: February 14th - March
WHERE: Etraya
WHAT: The arrival of newcomers, a mini mission, and some new city features!
NOTES\WARNINGS:

⏵ arrival ⏴ Welcome to Etraya! Arrival goes as expected - characters awaken on hospital beds and are offered an explanation of their situation: that they have arrived in the city of Etraya, and they are their world's only hope. They are welcome to wander the hospital if they would like to - the upper floors are mostly empty, full of pristine hallways and numerous rooms filled with supplies, cots, and things one would expect from a relatively average 21st-century hospital. In the hospital's lobby are several party tables set out with miscellaneous baked goods: croissants, cookies, breads, cake slices, as well as tea and coffee to accompany them - or hot chocolate, for those who are opposed to the other offerings. Outside the hospital, the last remnants of snow are melting in the sunlight as the weather begins to warm up. It's still chilly enough one might want to put on a coat, but not so cold a jacket is necessary for wandering around without freezing off one's fingers. We hope you enjoy your stay. ⏵ heroes return ⏴ As the Quantum Rail train glides to a halt, returning passengers step out onto familiar ground - the train station, right where they had initially begun their mission. When exiting the station, their earpieces vibrate, indicating the automatic download of a detailed map which highlights key locations, transit paths, and notable landmarks. As Aurora promised, she had been working on a few renovations around Etraya! A sleek trolley system now winds through Etraya, following clearly marked pathways through the city bubble to make travel across the city smoother. However, the trolley only moves one way, eternally following the loop Aurora has set it on. And because of this, it takes six hours to complete it's loop all the way around. Don't miss your stop! Pets and animals have been returned to their usual preferred areas, some awaiting the arrival of their owners, and others keeping to themselves in the forested areas throughout Etraya. Beyond the small upgrades, things seem relatively unchanged - until one familiar sign catches the eye. One marked by four vertical lines, methodically crossed out one by one: the final slash has now been drawn through. The tally is complete. What it indicates has yet to be made clear, but it has to mean something, right? No one would go through the effort of making an ominous-sounding sign without following through. ⏵ love in the air ⏴ This Valentines Day, Aurora and the companion bots have opted to try something a little different: they have scattered mystery valentines across the city. Hidden within mailboxes, tucked into cafe menus, slipped under doors, on the outside of high windows for those wall-crawlers to spot. There are countless of these little slips of papers, strewn throughout the city. And within each valentine, is a challenge or gesture to complete. Please feel free to make these up yourselves as long as they fit in with the theme! Some examples include: Deliver a flower to a stranger. Write a heartfelt poem for someone. Share a box of chocolates! Confess your feelings for another. Play matchmaker for two people - this can be platonic, or romantic! Gift a friend with a stuffed animal. Give five different people a genuine compliment. While not mandatory, completing five tasks will earn an individual an additional ten points to use towards anything they would like! Each little Valentine is signed "Your Secret Admirer. ♡", and some of them may even be addressed to specific individuals. Don't be surprised, Eddie, if you see one or two that are specifically addressed to you lurking around your collection of chicken friends! And while most of these are harmless, some of the valentines cards come with effects for those who come into contact with the paper. Perhaps they thought it was a piece of garbage, or were just kicking it out of the way rather than intending on taking part. It doesn't matter! They get to join in on the fun, too. Heart Eyes - your pupils literally turn into hearts for a few hours, making it hard to focus on anything other than things (or people) you find attractive. Love-Struck Stammer - You can only speak in poetic compliments or romantic declarations, regardless of whom you're speaking to. Chocolate Bliss - Everything feels good. Simple. Easy. As if there's nothing in the world to concern yourself with. You feel happy, without any concerns or worry. Rose-Tinted Vision - everything looks soft and romantic, as if you're in a romance novel. You know the ones. Magnetic Attraction - regardless of what you had been doing, you suddenly find yourself unable to leave the side of the person closest to you. Had you been eating chocolates while walking down the street? Well, have fun getting stuck to the guy who'd been out for a jog! Serenade Syndrome - you find it impossible to resist the urge to sing your words, turning all conversations into love ballads. Heartstrings - A thread appears, connecting you to someone close by who you share many similarities too. Perhaps you had never met this person before, but the threads tied around your pinky fingers that refuse to let go until you allow yourself to open up to them clearly means you should be a little more familiar with them. Love is in the air—or maybe just a bit of well-intended chaos! 💕 ⏵ NOTES ⏴ Welcome back from the mission, and welcome to Etraya for our newcomers! We've tried to keep this log simple for an easy introduction, as well as some downtime for our mission-goers who worked hard to solve the Quantum Rail mystery. There is something else going on, but. . . well, no one seems to know what! The computer that had been on the lower floor of the hospital is now missing, and Aurora may seem a little flustered as she flits around Etraya, in search of something. 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

[brat]

You're on the trolley.

( damian is now, too, after climbing up onto the roof and settling himself on the edge. )

I would say the rules do still apply.

[theroadwarrior]

[He shrugs.]

M'not in control of what anyone does. Just observing.

[It's not like he doesn't get it to some degree. Nobody likes the idea of their safety challenged, or the safety of people they're unwise enough to care about so deeply. (Says the man who would rediscover someone he cares deeply about soon.) People similar to this guy, they're a sad thing to witness — because Max is wholeheartedly sure that his nice demeanor and hopeful sense of peace will probably be ripped out of his grip sooner than later. Not the kindest way to think, but... Max's positivity is an atrophied old muscle. Gives off dust and webs when it moves these days.

He clicks his tongue against teeth, trying to think of something less unpleasant.

It's not easy.]

At least you're not all trying to maim or kill each other.

Seems. Mn.

Calmer.

[See? He can do... positive.]

[brat]

Drake already knows. We had a - discussion.

( there was a lot of yelling. some hitting. crying. usually it doesn't get that far with drake, but he'd been a safe person to scream at. up until he wasn't. )

Grayson and Gordon will know the moment they see me. Todd doesn't need to know anything.

[sortie]

"Fair enough." It's a better plan than standing around, Lars has to agree. He tucks his hands in his jacket pocket and falls into stride behind Sephiroth. While it may not be at all crowded now, people have a way of popping up out of nowhere, and he's not keen to bump elbows.

"People usually are wherever food is." The logic's sound, and it'd apply back home too. The mess hall was often crammed full of soldiers when they weren't busy doing drills or battling for their lives. Lars usually stuck to the periphery, focused as he was on his goals for the longest time. "Some of these stops have to be near restaurants or something."

Hunting people down for some bizarre social endeavor is a new experience, but at least this silver-haired guy treats it like business. An assignment. A mission proper. Lars can deal with that.

LARS JOINED THE PARTY

[cantilevers]

[She definitely had all the skills of a dancer, balancing and moving in a sultry way that captivated his gaze. He couldn't help himself as his hand finally left her hip so he could cup and roll her breast in his palm and he continued to admire the way that she moved.]

You're the one who offered an encore...

[He sat forward, changing the angle of his thrusting as he freed up an arm to slide around and up her back, splaying his hand between her shoulders and thrust vigorously. He took her noises and words as encouragement, of course, doubling his efforts to work more noises from her before they inevitably saw an end to their date.]

immediately rummages through Lars' inventory

[miniroth]

"I've found two so far, I'm certain there's more. All of it seems.. suited to industrialized tastes." Which is a nice way to say heavily processed and incredibly greasy. Sephiroth suffered terribly from mixed feelings on it. On one hand, the taste was amazing. On the other hand it tended to make him ill. But fried cheese sticks were created by gods as proof of their love to humanity, he's sure of it.

The space between them is noted, and he doesn't say a word. If he said something that space might suddenly disappear, and he preferred a little bit of distance. "The map doesn't help much on that front."

wise move, his inventory has: swords

[sortie]

"They don't make them like that where I'm from," Lars says by way of agreement as they make their way toward the trolley car. He was accustomed to maps that were more comprehensible than what they're provided here. That's how he'd put it anyway, unaccustomed as he is to the visual style of it. Paper, please.

The food too is foreign, both in its make and ingredients. Meat was a luxury due to the unending conflict, much less anything other than chooped up scraps dumped into something else in an attempt to mask that it was akin to chewing leather. Everything here is curiously plentiful. Overwhelmingly so. "I know there's a place with coffee a few stops off, if nothing else. People mingle around there too."

He's long accustomed to some black, bitter swill his unit had called coffee. The appeal still eludes him, but Lars can choke it down to make a point.

[clavesregni]

Someone with your breadth of knowledge would be a phenomenal resource. There are so many unsolved crimes in the undercity...

[It occurs to Caitlyn as she says it that Sevika, as much as she may enjoy 'shop talk' when it comes to decades-old mysteries, would probably not be interested in incriminating herself or any of her contemporaries. So she rather awkwardly finishes:]

...from before your time.

[levindicated]

Let’s be clear. I’m being facetious about the rules. There aren’t any rules. None of us is in charge of the other.

[As he just watches him crawl onto the roof.]

[stresstokens]

Oh, great. Talking. Just what I'm good at, [ Riz says faintly, rocking back on his heels. He's lived a colourful life, one filled with violence and adventure, grand feats and enticing mysteries! But when tasked to actually talk about it, he finds that his brain is distressingly empty. ] You sure I can't just interest you in a protein bar instead?

[ He has a whole box of them in his briefcase! ]

Um. [ He taps his lip. ] I can tell you about the most... interesting place I'd ever visited. In the middle of the Celestine Sea, there's an island built up on thousands of shipwrecks. Pirates made their home there, and it exists totally outside of the law. It's the kind of place where you can do what you want, when you want, wherever you want it, so long as you're okay with the fact that everyone else can do it too.

[ He raises his exposed forearms, both covered with tattoos -- mad tattoos, really, words that make no sense, strange patterns, diagrams. ]

It's where I got these. They frown on tattooing minors back in Elmville. But I also got super shot in the face there so I don't really recommend as, like, tourism. They do not like Goblins there, and I kinda doubt they'd like you much either.

[ ...whatever this guy is. He hasn't figured it out. ]

[stresstokens]

Oh, you're new-new.

[ And paranoid. Which is usually a trait he likes in a guy, but it's presently put a thorn in things, mainly in that he wasn't expected to be asked any further questions. ]

It's controlled by the same people who brought us here. [ He nods at the trash. ] Whether you eat it inside or out of the trash, you're eating the same shit. There's no farmlands or processing plants or anything here. It's probably just magic.

[leewards]

[Now he's just insulting Ithaqua, constantly guessing other things as if the beast's words are unreliable. As if this were a game.]

I have already told you that it was either a wolf or a bear and you still believe it's something else entirely? Go away, you useless bastard, before you make more attempts at impugning my dignity.

[imperatour]

[ She can do that. Furiosa's intact hand grasps Sevika's arm at the elbow. She even nudges her nub towards it to give it an extra point of contact and keep it from moving out of the angle she's chosen. ]

How long have you been stuck here?

[ Small talk is not exactly one of Furiosa's well honed skills, so this conversation just jumps right into questions that can help gather more information. If Sevika wants her to buzz off, Furiosa is pretty confident that she'll tell her. ]

[stresstokens]

No, you friggin' racist! I'm small because I'm a Goblin, not an Orc, and I didn't attack you 'cause being born green doesn't mean I go around attacking strangers.

[ He jabs an accusatory finger in his direction. ]

But one of my best friends is a Half-Orc, and he's one of the gentlest guys I know. You can pull that shit on me, but if you do it to him, I'm gonna shoot your dick off!

[ And that's that on deescalation!

Okay, he may have failed at deescalating. This appears to be something that he only realizes after the fact, fierce expression diminishing as he weighs the odds of this actually going well for him. ]

[snapp_crackle]

"All right, all right, enough about red hot macho beef for now." Popp laughs at his own stupid joke, but does move on to more practical topics.

"That building with all the white? Also good to know, even if I don't think I'll get hurt poking around-"

He sits up and looks at the next stop on the map, to see what's coming up.

"Snake Island?!"

[leewards]

Human settlements? I'd more consider that a horror story. [Because those things are death traps for people like them.]

[hyphanated]

[Ooh, an easy feelings question! He thinks on this for a moment before replying:]

A little confused...but alright, otherwise. I've been noticing a lot of these cards around, for some reason.

[Luckily he only picked up one more! Which he will also dig up for you. It says to gift someone a doll?]

[heavensnight]

[it ain't much of a response.

Maria isn't sure she understands that response really. what's wrong with Gorgug? that is her buddy, Vincent.]

No, share with the class. You have me curious. He's been helpful to me and is good at getting information. I asked him to be helpful with you purposely. [she gives him a smile, just a little sarcastic.]

You're welcome.

[heavensnight]

He's a good guy. I don't think anything could be shared with him that wouldn't be genuinely helpful to the rest of us if he acted on that knowledge.

[she has a lot of respect for Harold and she knew he was always trying to help others out.]

If you wanted more advice, I think he's a good one to go to.

[heavensnight]

Mm but it's a two person show here...[she sounds distracted as her head rolls back, pleased sigh as he feels her up. it felt good to be touched like this, wanted like this. she wished this moment didn't have to end.

when he begins to thrust up into her so earnestly, Maria gives him the sounds he wants. it's a stream of moans, sighs, and whines. at this point, can they last any longer, she wonders. Vander has a better grip on her now so she can use a hand to play with her clit since her partner in this dance has his hands full. and besides, maybe he'd like to see her play with herself anyway. Maria didn't know all the things Vander liked but she hoped she could learn them.]

I'm so close. [a warning, almost a permission. he can let go if he can't keep on anymore.]

[lastonetodie]

I am an artificial being - a construct. [ He tilts his head. ] Are you unfamiliar?

[cantilevers]

I'm committed to this show as long as it goes for... [And he meant it. It seemed obvious that this wouldn't be their only time engaging in these activities tonight, and he was all for losing himself in that.

As her head falls back, he was so tempted to lean in and kiss her neck, nip her throat even with the choker in place - or encouraged by it - however, he was enjoying this show. Each sound and feel of her against his body caused that heat to pool bigger and hotter than before, encouraged noises of reply from his throat that were distinctly animalistic, his thrusting starting to lose some of the smooth rhythm as he chased the climax rising between them.

He nodded head, finally giving in and lean in to kiss her neck, suck on the corner of her jaw and breathing his hot breath against her skin as his blunt nails dragged down the smooth expanse of her back and his other hand pinched and worked her nipple and breast in hand.

He was so close, teetering on the edge, feeling her hand bump and caress his belly where she was stroking herself. He thrust up as he felt her walls baring down on his cock, fingers clinging her to her back as he let out a loud groaning growl as he was pushed over the edge and came inside of her.]

[heavensnight]

[Maria wonders if they continue on, what their other times might be like. the sounds he makes are so arousing, how he growls, and she enjoys that. thinks it would be good if he really fucked her. but also it might be nice if they had something softer, sweeter. that was comforting.

her own movements lose all grace the quicker she comes to her climax and it's just a frenzied pace to chase that pleasure. his hands and mouth on her certainly help with that. when he is releasing inside of her, it is only a short moment she follows after him with a long cry. her eyes are closed and she stays frozen in the moment, trying to enjoy this while she can. there will be other times, surely, but one doesn't forget their first with another person. that was special in its own right.

when her body calms down, she lifts herself up to let his cock slip out so she can lie down on top of him comfortably. laughing and nuzzling his shoulder with her cheek, she can't remember the last time she ever felt this good.]

That was nice.

[cantilevers]

[The first time was always the most memorable, especially with a person that there was fondness with. He was not likely to forget this, how the date came to them both with seeming randomness of a piece of paper to the end point of sex in her apartment. This place had a funny way of throwing people together.

He ground his way through his orgasm, shuddering as she followed suit and that cry was like music to his ears. He slowly relaxed as the orgasm ebbed away, his hands slowly releasing their grip as he prepared to settled back on his elbows again and allow his breathing to calm back down. He watched Maria of course, perched on his hips like that even as he softened and she moved off of him gracefully.

He released his elbows and lay back on the bed completely as she came to join him, securing a loose arm around her waist and stroking random patterns against her skin. He turned his head to kissed her hairline, tasting beads of sweat as a result of their activities.]

Just nice? I was going to give it a twelve on the one-to-ten scale, but to each their own. [He was teasing and made a point of stretching out, his lower half of his legs hanging off the bed.] Thankfully I didn't have to fight off your suitors in the middle there.

[heavensnight]

Twelve, huh? Glad to know I beat my own expectations. But honestly, probably would have fought them off myself. I wouldn't have let anybody get in the way of that.

[right now there was no other place she wanted to be at this moment. being here with Vander was comfortable. the afterglow of orgasm making everything feel so distant and lovely.

even if it may not be for poor big Vander and this bed not being built for his size. but he isn't complaining and she can't see herself complaining any time soon. ever turning down a chance to repeat this experience.] No, that was really good. Thank you. [her tone is genuine and she turns his head so she can press a kiss to his lips. similarly chaste like the very first they had shared. she wanted him to know how much she had loved this moment between them and this seemed like the best way to do so.]