etrayalogs | FEBRUARY MINGLE

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FEBRUARY MINGLE

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⏴

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Connor registers that yes, that is quite fucked up Hank.]

It will be easier to interface with others with all my parts where they should be.

[Pause.] And I would be whole and happy and healthy.

[Which makes thinking about the mission all that harder.]

[Hank hmms.]

There many people to interface with? Here, there.

[Another soft smile on Hank’s lips.]

See? We’re gonna get you all fixed up.

[He holds his burger with one hand now, awkwardly starting to reach across the table as if to pat Connor. But then he thinks of Vincent, with his piece of Connor that he’s probably going to use for something weird, and Hank scowls.]

[Connor smiles right back ! ! Well, until that scowl takes over.]

Is something wrong with the burger?

What? No, no — it’s great. You did great. Just thinking about... Vincent.

[As if that makes much sense without context. He doesn’t want to lie, though.

Then, an attempt to hide his slip up as he takes another bite:]

A guy could get used to this. You’re spoiling me, Connor.

Is there something wrong with Vincent? [Connor had gotten the impression he's an... interesting person, if a bit odd in terms of human behavior.]

I'm glad you like the burger. I'll make spaghetti tomorrow night.

[Which is also a promise he'll be here tomororrow.]

What isn’t wrong with Vincent? [Hank rolls his eyes — not at Connor. Just the memories. Especially of Vincent here a few weeks back, sitting at this very table.] It’s just complicated. We’re... something, all right. But like I said: be careful around him.

[He cottons on to the promise of more food...!]

Yeah? How ‘bout the day after that? Got a meal plan for then?

You're dating? [Vincent may be an odd duck, but if he takes care of Hank and makes him happy, Connor has no objections.]

What about barbequed pork? [There's all kinds of food here, based on his scans.]

[First Hank had a panic attack, and now he’s choking on his burger. Went down the wrong way. Hank is spluttering, coughing, until he can finally muster:]

Jesus Christ, no.

[Raising his hand as if to say: hold up, gimme a minute.]

It’s complicated, but it’s not — no. You really think I’d date someone I was here warning you about? Someone who’s probably got a weird altar set up for that piece of your plating, worshipping it like a weirdo?

[And dating Hank — here on Etraya, at that — comes with a whole other slew of issues. Unimportant now, though.]

Haven’t had barbecued pork since... hell, can’t say I even remember. That would be great, Connor — if you’re up for it.

... you're not dating Vincent. [Connor's confused now.]

I'd be happy to cook it. I'll get a recipe. [Not from the internal network, though. He doesn't want Aurora in his programming. Not like-- not like that.]

No, I am not dating Vincent. Jesus. We’re just — he helps me out with a thing, and he likes doing it. Makes me food sometimes. [Or once, really. But if Hank whined, maybe he’d do so again.] We just have... an understanding.

Think you’re the second person who’s asked that.

[And the thought makes Hank miss Castiel. He’s always reminded Hank of Connor.]

We’ve got a library here. That probably has cookbooks, if you want. Not that you gotta go to all that trouble — but if you want. If it’s somethin’ you enjoy.

It sounded as if you were dating. I ap-- [Hank told him not to apologize so Connor catches himself.] I can cook for you now.

A paper library? [It will take him slightly slower to read everything, but why not?]

I enjoy cooking.

Yeah, well, we’re not. [And Hank can see where he fucked up. He doesn’t want to flat-out lie to Connor, but he should find a better explanation for Vincent, probably.] He’d be stupid to date me, anyway.

Yes, Connor — paper. [Hank grins a little gap-toothed smile.] The horror.

Edited (DW ate part of the subject title yeehaw) 2025-02-24 04:12 (UTC)

[Connor files away the information on Vincent. An interesting but strange person.]

I think I'll enjoy turning pages, even if it's efficent.

(ooc: Like we might end up wanting to do a timeskip for this thread or something. I’m good with whatever but I’ll keep it in mind! And lmk if anything sounds fun for you. c:)

—

Yeah, that’s one nice thing about reading physical books. The smell, too. It’s a whole experience.

[The thought of Connor having to read books like a human is endearing. He imagines him at the library, browsing shelves.]

Can try out other books, too — gotta find what you like.

(ooc: ooh i do like the idea of a timeskip and coming back before he's repaired!)

Then we should go to the library tomorrow first thing in the morning. [As it's starting to get dark and Connor is confident in his abilities to be an alarm clock.]

A library would have many subjects I can explore. [With his goofy voice and all that.]

(ooc: Could use the opportunity to have them in another location, or back at the apartment! And is there anything in particular you might want to keep/not keep from the library thread? We can discuss that on Plurk if it’s easier. c:)

—

Eager, huh? [Connor’s finding things he enjoys, and things he wants to do, so Hank is all for it. As long as he’s being good to himself.] You gonna get me up at the crack of dawn?

[Hank is whining, but he wouldn’t mind. Much. For Connor.]

[And Connor is there at the crack of dawn to knock at Hank's door. To rouse him from slumber so they can investigate the library. Except this library has pearls. And spiders. Connor is left in a bit more pain when they reach the kwik mart, his thirium levels lower and he chooses to fill up back at Hank's place instead.

By the time they're both behind a solid door again, Connor is getting desperately low on thirium. His movements are less fluid, his multi-colored hands twitch every now and then.

Perhaps worst of all is how when Connor sits, he doesn't move for a minute or two.]

[They are, apparently, magnets for disaster. But they’re together, at least, and they have the thirium Connor needs — and more.]

Jesus Christ. Jesus fucking...

[Hank sits beside Connor on the couch. Hands shaking both due to stress and uncertainty. Awkwardly holding a pack of thirium because fuck if he knows how to do this himself. Hank can’t remember where exactly Connor is injured on his arms, and he doesn’t want to hurt him more.]

C’mon, Connor. You gotta work with me here.

[Every minute of stillness feels like a stab to the heart.]

[Connor's programming is forced to shut down unnecessary functions, to route the remaining thirium into his core now that lower-half mobility is no longer needed. It takes that minute or so of stillness to make choices and then push Connor back into full consciousness to take care of himself. Connor's head snaps up and he starts pulling his jacket off in uncoordinated movements.]

The inside of my elbow. There's a nozzle.

Yeah, okay. I’ve got it. Got you.

[Hank doesn’t, really, but it helps to keep talking — as if things will be okay if he just fills the stillness with his yammering.

He opens the thirium, pressing it to Connor's elbow. Getting it all slotted in, he thinks. But is it going in? Is it working? He’s tapping his foot on the ground, trying not to freak out because that’s not going to help Connor. Not going to help either of them.]

[Connor is so grateful for Hank's help right now. The thirium clicks into place and then begins to depress as the new thirium mixes with the old. Connor's eyelashes flick once, twice before he sits up properly and takes in the sight of Hank.]

I'm sorry. I didn't anticipate the scale of the spiders in the spider section.

I know. I shouldn’t have let you go in alone. [But then maybe they both would have gotten trapped. Who knows?] I wasn’t thinking. But you’re all right now, yeah? You’re gonna be okay.

[Hank leans in to touch Connor but can’t remember where on his shoulders is safe, so he pats Connor’s head.]

I'll be alright. [Or as alright as Connor really can be until he's repaired.

While Hank may worry about touching Connor, Connor isn't. He leans against Hank so his body can shut down one more system to focus on thirium circulation.]

Yeah? [It’s a question, almost: wanting Connor to assure him that everything will be fine.

Hank stiffens as Connor leans against him, but only for a second. He’s worried about accidentally hurting him again, but he avoids the wiring as he pulls Connor toward him. Hand still on Connor’s head.]

Yeah. I’ve got you. [This time it’s not a question, and this time Hank means it. He almost starts rocking him unconsciously, but again, not wanting to hurt him — instead, he brushes his fingers through Connor’s hair. It comforts himself too, but he hopes Connor can feel it as the thirium works its way through his system. Hopes he can feel that Hank is here with him.]

Edited (a smol “s”) 2025-02-24 06:17 (UTC)

I'll be alright. [Connor nods and then settles again against Hank. One bag of thirium drains away as he leans, as Hank runs his fingers through Connor's hair.]

That feels nice.

[He feels... comforted? Safe? Connor isn't sure he's ever felt like this and is having trouble putting his finger on it.]

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I love Connor omg

he's a helpful boy

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do you want to set the library visit after this? (albeit with a few changes?)

sure!! I’m down to incorporate the other thread however c: (Etraya also has a normal library!)

or we can wait until after deviation? up to you!

good question!! 🤔 we could wait and see how we feel?

sounds good!

hell yeah!!! I can write the timeskip bit or you’re welcome to whenever you want

o7 lmk if anything isn't okay with the summary!

it’s great! :D thank you kindly

o/

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cw: mentions of spiders

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