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

Cidolfus Telamon | OTA | Will match style

[levindicated]

Trolley Ride, nearly stranded in Nova City

This new trolley has Cid curious. He can’t help but hop on, even noting that it could be outpaced with a light jog. Still, it had never been convenient to move between the islands before, and who is he to pass up something new? He gets on the Blue Loop with a packed lunch and a notebook. Sure, the HUD of the map can be accessed through his earpiece, but he wants to take notes of the trolley itself and the new landscape!

Once he recognizes the new location of the Kwik Trip he pops out for a case of beer and goes back to wait… And soon begins to wonder and worry if this is a once-daily thing like a ferry.

…So he gets it in his head that he might be able to catch up with it. Cid starts running on the tracks heading south.

He does eventually catch up after the next stop- and any new riders will be greeted by a case of beer being tossed onto the trolley, followed by a man climbing aboard and coughing blood.

“Ah, fuck’s sake!”

Drunk on Love

After an eventful loop through the south islands, Cid comes up to the interchange as the other trolley for the Red Loop pulls up. He hurries over to it, catching it just as it departs northbound… Towards Stonhyrr.

His first ride yielded a stack of Valentines that he’s now thumbing through for clues… and absorbing their many effects on top of his inebriation.

Do you dare talk to this man?

ooc: Open to any kind of wildcard as well! He’s all over the City, do stuff to him if you want!

Drunk on Love

[cantilevers]

Vander was marveled by the new trolley. This wasn't quite a novelty, given topside and bottom had the bathysphere which was notoriously slow. This was smooth on tracks, which might have been why he had decided to spend some time riding on it and people watching.

He was seated nearby when the other man settled down and was clearly absorbed with leafing through those slips of paper that had appeared all over the place. He seen and heard some of the effects and steered mostly clear of them personally, but his curiosity was piqued at the sight of this guy simply going through a stack as if there were no effects.

"You're a daring fellow, aren't you?"

[levindicated]

Cid looks up from his Valentines with a lopsided smirk. He hadn’t noticed the other passenger, somehow. He stands, clearly drunk, though he seems to never miss a step. He’s light on his feet and sure-footed, certainly. He comes over with abundant confidence, though that’s impossible to tell if he just had already.

He sits down next to the other man- even if he’s on the aisle seat, he’ll just sort of swing his ass over his lap to land. Otherwise, he’ll throw an arm around his shoulders.

“Darling fellow- Well! Aren’t you the charmer?” There’s beer on his breath and smoke on his clothes. “When did you get here, eh? Fancied yourself a little ride on this- what’d they call it… Trolley. Right, yes.”

this is going to be so dumb. thank you for that

[cantilevers]

Vander had encountered more than his fair share of people that could keep to their feet even while deep into their cups. This guy fit that bill well, and it amused him. After that whole train incident, this was actually a welcome sort of interaction which he considered light hearted and harmless.

Fortunately - or unfortunately - he was the kind of guy who was big enough to take up most of the seat, so his new found drunk companion ended up half in his lap. He lifted an arm to steady so there would be no pitching back against the window or forward off the seat.

"I have been told I have rugged charms, so glad of you to notice," he replied, smiling his best charming smile and relaxing into the seat. This did not bother him at all. "Almost two months ago now," he added to the question. "Trolley is what they called it. This is a novelty. We don't have these where I'm from. This your first time?"

anytime

[levindicated]

“Us neither. Well, not in the present day. I’ve seen some evidence of it in ruins, but not like this. Same concept, however.”

Cid chuckles as the other man catches him. He does not move off of his lap.

“I know a handsome mug when I see it, and I’m not afraid to say it,” he says with a tilt to his head. “Two months… Poor sod. Barely had a chance to get your bearings before all that other mess, eh? Well. I’ve been about for a while longer than you. …I don’t know everything, of course, but I know some folks, and I’ve seen how this place works.”

Cid taps Vander on the chest with a couple knuckles. This guy is just really handsy, apparently.

“Name’s Cid. And yourself, handsome?”

[cantilevers]

"We have trains, but I'm rather tired of trains right now. This is an interesting alternative."

Well, it seemed that they were playfully - and one of them drunkenly - flirting with each other. This was so low stakes that it was an excellent distraction; back home, very few people would dare flirt with him aside from the usual innocent passing comments now and again. There was something innocently fun about this happening.

"It seems to me you're currently wearing your drunk goggles," he replied with good humor when it came to being called handsome. Ah back in the day, that was a constant comment. "Have you? Maybe you can break it down for me since we're on this trolley for about... well, six hours if we do the entire loop."

His arm moved up from Cid's back to lightly drape of his shoulders. It was more a securing gesture, but he also wasn't above shameless flirting right about now.

"Vander. A pleasure to have you fall into my lap. Care to share a drink?"

[levindicated]

“Oh, but of course… How rude of me-” though the case of beer was slightly out of reach. Well, for his arms, but-

Cid sticks one long leg out across the aisle, ending up much more on Vander’s lap as he snags it with his heel and brings it in close to them. He fishes one out of the torn cardboard and pops the cap with the buckle to his sword belt. He seems not to mind the bit of foaming spillover at all as he holds it for the other man to take.

“Nice and cold, still,” he offers with a wink.

Drunk on Love

[odinpusrex]

He can sense him. Even in Stonhyrr, as the trolley meets the island on its tracks, the presence of Ramuh is clear to his mind and senses. He knows not what Cidolfus wants, though he can hazard an accurate guess, and while there's a chance it has to do with the foal he's saddled him with, he has his doubts.

Instead of allowing Cid the chance to "surprise" him, he takes it upon himself to surprise Cid. While his ex-Lord Commander is fussing with one of the letters, Barnabas subtly and silently materializes through a swirl of dark aether in a seat behind Cid's own.

He can smell the alcohol, and he crinkles his nose for it.

There he sits as he bores holes in the back of Cid's head, waiting in silence as the trolley gets closer to the stop. But he makes sure it isn't too close before he speaks up. When he does, it is a single word, laced with annoyance and disapproval.

"Cidolfus."

[levindicated]

Cid just about jumps out of his own skin. He was so immersed, the noise of the trolley and the alcohol blotting out his awareness just enough. He throws the letters and they scatter all over the trolley.

“Odin’s black bumhole, Barney!” Cid exclaims as he stands up, heart racing. He looks between the approaching stop and Barnabas himself.

“Was that really necessary? What- what is it?”

[odinpusrex]

Barnabas' expression grows all the more flat with that swear of surprise, but it's hardly a noticeable difference. Though he does look to the letters as they scatter everywhere, his brow furrowing slightly, before he looks to Cid once more.

"I was under the impression this is a public service. Take you issue with my presence on the trolley?"

[levindicated]

“Not exactly- But if you knew I was here, all you had to do was wait,” Cid crosses his arms as he stands. “… Unless you couldn’t wait to see me.”

Between the booze and the spelled love letters, Cid had something about him. His expression softens quickly, and if Barnabas were to look into his eyes, he would even see hearts.

“Is that it? Eager?” his words are irritatingly soft and smug.

[odinpusrex]

There is a rough couple seconds where Barnabas considers how much damage Cid might suffer if he were to be forcibly ejected from the trolley. His gaze staying on the man unblinkingly as he debates this possibility with himself, and ultimately decides that Cid remaining on the trolley is the best course forward.

"I simply wished to use the trolley." He says plainly, more stiff and cold than usual. "You reek of alcohol."

[levindicated]

Oh, but Barnabas’ barbs were so sobering.

“That’s because I drank alcohol. Fine… Hold on,” Cid waves a hand as he fishes a cigarette out of his pouch. He puts it in his mouth and swings over to sit next to him, smoke held between his teeth.

“Light it for me, lover?” Cid’s brain still somehow believed the flirt was on.

How Many Beer Runs This Man Gonna...

[hammerbearer]

Gaia had hopped on at the last stop. She's sitting at one of the seats, a bag of snacks and drinks to take her through the rest of the six hour loop she'd decided to explore. It had not been her job to warn some stranger who jumped off the trolley to make it into the Kwik Stop that the trolley waits for no man, even one on a beer run.

While she had been out here exploring, Gaia had considered getting off at this next stop; the Junkyard would be interesting to peruse for useful things since she's not quite out of the mindset of 'salvage and recycle what you can' of her last world. And she didn't know what a 'Bounce Castle' was but certainly wanted to see it.

Just as she started to get up, a case of metaphorically slams into the floor of the back of the trolley, followed by the man who had tossed it in.

Who then abruptly started swearing and coughing up blood. Or was that the other way around?

Gaia is immediately on alert and is that a hammer in her hands that wasn't there before?! Please give her the grace of understanding. She's also not entirely free of the notion that the world is bloody dangerous and she shouldn't be ready to fight at a moment's notice. And a panicked looking man is coughing up blood so clearly there is an enemy involved right? Did you use any aether on your run, Cidolfus? Because you better believe she probably discerned that approaching the trolley.

"Hey, get away from that opening! What's chasing you?" She'll give it a very bad day whatever it is.

[levindicated]

He did indeed use plenty of lightning aspected aether to catch up to the trolley. He finishes coughing before wiping it away on his trousers.

“Just hubris. And I can never seem to stay ahead,” he laughs dryly despite himself and stands up. He pushes the case of beer under a trolley seat before dropping himself into it, stance wide, sweat on his brow.

“Don’t mind the blood, lass. It’s nothing,” he says as he eyes her conjured weapon. Now, wasn’t that something? He only knew one guy who could do that. “…But I appreciate you hopping to my defense. What’s your name?”

There’s still blood around his mouth…

[hammerbearer]

While it's true there doesn't seem to be anything now, she's sure she sensed something. Without the approach of anything sudden and lightning aspect in the wake of the man sitting down, her suspicions will rightfully turn toward him instead.

"Hubris? Hah!" And then he follows it up with more typical words. "'It's nothing' is what people say when they drop dead two minutes later because they're too much of a hero, busy trying not to worry the people around them."

'Hero' is said with all the grace and aplomb one should apply to 'idiot'. Letting the hammer drop from her fingers, it vanishes in the same way it came. Puff of dark, smoke-like aether.

"I'll have you know you're out of luck because I don't really know any healing spells. Just what is it you just had to obtain to push yourself to catch the trolley for this? "

Cid, you better say something good. She's pulling out a handkerchief. It is also black like much of her clothes. She approaches and holds it out to him. Despite her tart words, there's signs of concern in Gaia's eyes.

[levindicated]

That plume of dark smoke is uncanny, but he keeps his mouth shut about it for now.

“Why am I on trial all of a sudden-? I’m not going to drop dead. Save your magic, eh? I’m just a little old, and that’s how it is when I exert myself sometimes.”

This is like, a solid 30% true, and he says it with ease. He pushes the beer further under the seat with his heel, not mentioning it.

“Now, I appreciate the concern, and I apologize for ruffling your feathers…” He looks at the handkerchief. Ah. He thought he still smelled blood. He wipes his mouth and his gloved hands, then looks at it. It seems wrong to give it back, stained with blood. But to keep it also wasn’t quite right. He folds it, for lack of anything better to do.

[hammerbearer]

Gaia waves off any hesitation over the handkerchief. She is not going to take it back at this time. Cid needs it probably and seriously. He can wash it first if he wants to return it that badly. Later.

But his... probably rhetorical question is met with a somewhat reproachful stare. She might not know exactly what was in the case but she does recognize the man from the Kwik Stop. That store was pretty amazing by her standards but it also was not, in Gaia's opinion, a place that had anything worth burning one's lifeforce for in order to get to sooner.

"Are you seriously saying that?" Why is he on trial... honestly. The petite teenager can't be more than sixteen, maybe seventeen max but here she is trying to dress him down. Her hands fall to her hips and she studies him for a moment.

There's a suspicion that he's not taking her seriously because of her age.

"What's your name?"

[levindicated]

He tucks the kerchief into his jacket, making a mental note to return it. He sighs and pats his thigh as he resumes the battery of questions. He asked her name first, and she hadn’t answered! Oh well. Girls.

“Cid. I’m Cid, and you still haven’t told me your name, for all this excitement.”

He finds it in himself to chuckle, easing his posture. “Come now. I promise, it looks worse than it is. Let’s just sit and chat, eh? No need to get all worked up over it. You’re an interesting one yourself, aren’t you? Conjuring things out of the darkness without batting an eye…”

trolley ride

[brat]

( the new trolley system is absolutely useless as far as damian is concerned. not for everyone, but specifically for him. there's a motorcycle in the tower with his name on it that goes significantly faster.

and yet here he is, fully geared up in his robin uniform, standing close to the edge of the trolley cart when a man jumps onto it and begins hacking up blood. while damian just. watches. )

Ah. It's you.

( no further context is given. he's aware they haven't been formally introduced, but etraya is only so large. )

[levindicated]

Indeed, it’s me.

[Cid clears his throat and wipes his mouth as he slings the beer with him as he takes a seat. He immediately cracks into the cardboard case of beer and pulls one out. With a little crackle of energy, he flicks the bottle cap off with a satisfying carbonated hiss. He takes a hard and noisy slug of it before he sits back and sighs.]

… You want one? [As he gestures at the boy with the neck of the bottle, still sweating.]

[brat]

( he's witnessed terrible coping skills in adults numerous times, this is no different. except the man is asking him, robin, to join in.

now would be an amusing time to ring in todd. he'd either laugh over how ridiculous this is or it'd set off his already famously short fuse. )

Hand me the case. ( it's not an ask, but a command. robin extends out a hand, and waits for the order to be followed. )

[levindicated]

What? Absolutely not. You can have one. Two, maybe. You’re pretty small. I’m sharing. No need to rob me.

[Cid scoffs and takes another swig of beer.]

[brat]

My tolerance for beverages with such a low alcohol content may surprise you.

( his mouth twists into a frown, but damian resists the urge to fight him for it. well. yet. his hand remains out, waiting to see if this idiot will make the smart choice and give him what he's asking for, or if this is going to turn into a public brawl when damian should really be attempting to keep a lower profile.

attempting. because he's never really good at it, and doesn't intend on improving on that particular skill-point here and now. )

[levindicated]

Well, the Kwik Trip’s back that way. If you hurry, it should only be a light jog for you.

[Cid is not making a move to hand over his beer. Why should he?]