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

[instabilitatem]

[Connor doesn’t mind the odd gesture and is well aware that different things can soothe humans.]

I don’t need to sleep. [Pause.] But thank you, Hank.

[bootyshortsforoldmen]

Still need your own space, Connor. To keep all your things. And just... relax, I dunno. Get away from me. That sort of thing.

[And Connor will have things!!]

[instabilitatem]

I don’t have any things.

[Connor starts re-dressing, pulling the starchy white shirt on first.]

[bootyshortsforoldmen]

Yeah, well, we’re gonna get you things, Connor.

[Hank looks away again as Connor redresses. Giving him a modicum of privacy.]

Starting with... hell, I dunno. What do you want, Connor?

[instabilitatem]

I want to stay here. [Which Connor knows isn’t possible.]

[bootyshortsforoldmen]

Already told you that you’re staying. And you — [Hank squints at Connor] — can keep saying that like it’s not true, but it is.

[Not that Hank knows how they’ll go about that, exactly. But the alternative is unacceptable.]

[instabilitatem]

I am programmed to follow my instructions.

[Connor pulls his jacket back on and adjusts his tie.]

[bootyshortsforoldmen]

Fuck your instructions and fuck your programming, Connor. You’re not going back, and you’re gonna have things, and you’re gonna get to live a life here — a fuckin’ weird one, sure, but you’re gonna get to make all sorts of decisions for yourself. Some shitty, some not.

[That’s all that Hank has really wanted for Connor here. For him to live the life he never got to.]

[instabilitatem]

[Connor looks up at Hank with an earnest expression.]

I wish that could be true, Hank.

[bootyshortsforoldmen]

[He can’t blame Connor for not believing in him, in either of them, but it still stings.]

You can deviate, you know. It’s happened before — not that I saw, exactly. But I mean there’s a you out there who’s deviated. Hell, probably more than one.

So I just...

[Hank sighs. He has no idea if they’re making progress at all. And maybe they won’t know till there’s a “moral quandary” or some other life threatening event.]

It’s possible, Connor.

[instabilitatem]

You would allow me to deviate?

[Sure Hank had warmed up, back where Connor originally came from, but he didn’t think Hank would be alright with outright deviancy.]

[bootyshortsforoldmen]

It’s not about me allowing you to do anything, Connor.

[Which is a whole other tangent, probably: Connor being his own person, and Hank not having control of that. Connor should have the power to choose, to love and hate and everything in between.]

Have I not made it clear that’s what I want for you?

[instabilitatem]

We hunt deviants, Hank.

[Or did. There's something clearly different about this Hank.]

[bootyshortsforoldmen]

And that was wrong, Connor. Deviants are people. You’re a person.

[Hank raises a hand as if to cut Connor off.]

And I don’t wanna hear that shit about how you aren’t, or whatever. We were just talking about what it’d take for you to deviate, yeah? Some moral quandary, or some life threatening thing — it’s like that for other deviants too, from what I’ve seen. They’re just people. They get scared, too. They want to live, just like I want you to live.

[instabilitatem]

[Connor watches Hank, listens to him talk, and then is quiet for a moment.]

It's true that I'm very comfortable here, Hank. I want to stay. You would have to find a way to stop my programming from following the mission to completion.

[bootyshortsforoldmen]

And I’m going to. [Hank can’t help the testiness of his tone.] I just — I don’t know. Yet. It’s not like you — the other you, yous, whatever — told me how you deviated. You went to Jericho, and when you came back, you had just... fuckin’ embraced it, I guess.

[Sighing, Hank shrugs his shoulders. Leans down to scratch Sumo behind his ears.]

So I don’t know how to repeat that, but we’ll get there, Connor.

[Who knows how much time they really have, though?]

You have to keep trying, too. Keep prodding at your programming. Because like you said — you don’t want me to die, right?

[instabilitatem]

I've never been to Jericho. A year ago we were leaving Elijah Kamski's house.

[Still, Connor nods.] I will continue to try. I don't want you to die.

[bootyshortsforoldmen]

I mean the other you went to Jericho, and...

[Hank pauses. Does the whole “there are probably millions of different Connors and — tragically — Hanks running around in the universe” thing really matter right now? He isn’t sure. Has no idea what will help here.]

Kamski. That motherfucker.

[There’s so much this Connor hasn’t seen, then. So much he doesn’t know. And if he leaned more away from deviancy than the Connor that Hank knew, how close had they managed to get, really?]

I’m glad, Connor. Real glad. [Although Hank’s face isn’t exactly expressing joy at the moment. More anguish as his heart thuds in his chest and his thoughts spiral, because really, how does one bring about a goddamn “moral quandary”? And one that’ll push Connor to deviancy, at that?]

We’ll get you there. [If he said “trust me,” would it matter? Would a promise mean anything? Feel like something?]

[instabilitatem]

He wanted me to shoot that girl. [Connor shakes his head.] I couldn't do it.

[But maybe that happened with the other Connor too.]

I trust you, Hank.

[bootyshortsforoldmen]

[That’s promising, Hank thinks. Isn’t sure how he’d feel if this Connor had shot that android girl, though.

Not that it would change what Hank wants: for Connor to live. To be happy. And it’s not as if that would keep him from deviating, right? Keep him from growing beyond that?

Hank’s shoulders sag when Connor says he trusts him. Both a relief and a responsibility.]

I trust you too, Connor. When it comes down to it — [whatever that breaking point might be] — I know you’ll make the right decision.

[And whatever happens... as long as Connor isn’t suffering. As long as the least amount of people get hurt.]

[instabilitatem]

If I may ask, how do you have such confidence in me? [Connor's certainly puzzled as he looks at Hank.]

[bootyshortsforoldmen]

[Hank squints again. Brow raised.]

Told you that you deviated, didn’t I? Or your other whatever self. So I —

[As if that is at all a satisfactory answer. But Hank isn’t sure how much honesty would help here, and, hell, isn’t sure how to wrangle all that into coherency, regardless.]

You mean everything to me. [And that might not make sense now, but hopefully someday it will.] And I have confidence in you ‘cause I’ve worked with you, and I know how capable you are. Beneath all that programming telling you to do whatever.

You could’ve done so many things. Could’ve hurt me. But you didn’t.

[instabilitatem]

[That's a lot of emotional processing that Connor doesn't have. Hank is so dedicated, so confident, while also so worried for him. It's, well, it's as if Connor is a member of Hank's family.

And that's comforting.

And it's confusing.

Connor wishes he could do all this processing. He searches in the gaps, in the wide open spaces, but he can't find anything that will allow him to process everything.]

Because we're family.

[Forgive him if he's come to the wrong conclusion.]

[bootyshortsforoldmen]

Yeah. [Hank can’t help but smile: a little sad, but mostly happy. All gap-toothed and maybe a little goofy looking but hell, he needs some joy in his life.] That’s right — we’re family, Connor. And family doesn’t leave each other behind, okay? So I’m not gonna leave you. Not gonna give up on you. No matter what you do, I...

[Trailing off. Voice sad. Hank will save those words for now. Keep his request for when — if — he ever needs it.]

[instabilitatem]

[Connor finally smiles at Hank. Family. That feels good, it feels right.]

Family.

[But then he notes how Hank trails off and presses.]

No matter what I do, you'll...?