MAY MINGLE

[etrayamods]

WHO: Everyone!
WHEN: May 17th-31st
WHERE: On Etraya
WHAT: A mingle log!
NOTES\WARNINGS: N/A, please note any needed warnings in threads.

⏵ a hero's return ⏴ As champions exit the Labyrinth, they’ll find that their environment has gone through some fairly drastic changes. Where there used to be larger bodies of water is now thinner rivers going through land; the amount of bridges connecting landmasses has decreased, given what had been individual islands are now much more connected. In addition, Etraya is significantly more green; flowers bloom, birds chirp cheerfully, and there are numerous additional species of insects, mammals, and aquatic creatures throughout the lands. Baby foxes roam through forested areas, bees pollinate the flowers to spread them more thoroughly around the inhabited areas, and it feels brighter. Or perhaps that’s just in comparison to how the Labyrinth had been. There are more areas to explore, new facilities, animals, and Etraya feels significantly more settled than it had before. Aurora’s promise of renovations had been true. And if one looks up, they may notice a city bubble visible on the closest planet that hadn't been visible before. ⏵ coffee break ⏴ After hearing Clarke’s suggestion, Aurora sets up a new cafe close to the apartment complex, and sends out notices to individuals with mandatory coffee hour times listed for them to come to Corrine's Cafe and make a few friends. While the note does state that it is mandatory, there will be no follow-up from Aurora nor the companion bots to ensure those who receive notes do show. Given this is Aurora trying to take suggestions in mind and see how successful they are among the citizens of Etraya, however, following directives may not be a terrible idea. It's up like a modern-day, smaller cafe. One walks in through the front door, and is greeted by a companion bot behind the counter who offers a wave of their hand and a friendly “Welcome! Let me know when you’re ready to order”. The menu offers lattes, mochas, espresso, black coffee, several different kinds of teas, and a few drinks that are a little odd to find in a cafe; ale, canned sodas and coffees, numerous bottles of wine, but only pinot noir. Soft music plays in the background, impossible to place but it sounds as if it may be based on tracks that were popular in the early 90s. Tables and booths are set up to seat two to four, with packets of sugar and small containers of creamer set out towards the middle. There are charging stations set up at every table, which may seem strange considering phones and laptops aren’t widely available, but Aurora’s doing her best. There are also a few bookshelves full of the classics, a few historical fiction, and several written by H.P. Lovecraft. Each seat has a placard in front of it, with a name, and a ‘fun fact’. One might say “Hello! My name is Joe, and I like to paint!” Another may say “Hi, I’m Jill! My sister died tragically in front of me and I’ve never gotten over it.” ⏵ new horizons ⏴ Several of the new bridges found in Etraya now have signs posted just outside of them, and on those signs is a QR code that the earpiece’s HUD can scan. Scanning this with the HUD will bring up a scavenger hunt, listing several items and circling areas where they can be found. Some of these objects will be obvious: find Corrine at Corrine’s Cafe - the companion bot who runs the counter, find a delicious meal at Bangsan Market, break into S.T.A.R Labs, or find room 87 at Point Blanc Academy. Some will be less obvious, like locating a bat, becoming friends with an archer, find a pink shirt, open bagged milk without making a mess, or get a drink at the mutant-friendly pub. Please feel free to make up your own items to find around Etraya! ⏵ NOTES ⏴ Welcome to our mid-month mingle! Please feel free to use this to explore Etraya, put up wildcard prompts (you don't need to use the above!), or use the open prompts to assist in jumpstarting cr. This mingle covers the period from May 17th to May 31st. Our next mission (and next mod log) will not go up until June 7th. ⏵FULL NAVIGATION⏴

Comments

aerith | ffvii

[anciently]

❀ daffodils (sector 5 church)

[ To say that the labyrinth had been challenging - in any sense of the word - is an understatement. Having been quickly separated from anyone she'd attempted to partner up with, denied consistent use of the magic she relied on, and nearly impaled by a giant drill, Aerith is very grateful to see the end of it. The sweet freedom they'd earned while inside is made even sweeter by all of the greenery, the flora and fauna that definitely hadn't been there beforehand, and she takes a long time just standing outside in it all, breathing deep and...doing a bit of compartmentalizing.

After that, she starts to make her way back to the city proper, to the apartment she's currently calling home. ...Except, along her path is something too distracting to ignore, and she slows in front of it as if hypnotized.

An old church, perhaps not indistinct from others in some of the worlds of her fellows, here. But the facade is unmistakable to Aerith, whose huge green eyes reflect how deeply surprised she is to see it.

(She'd hoped, though. Because she knew it could be possible, but...well. If there are to be rewards for making it out of the labyrinth alive, this is one of the best possible results.)

Once she shakes herself from her stupor, the florist moves inside, trailing her hand along the doors, the broken pews, as if memorizing it again through her fingertips. Her flowers are there, too, all bright whites and yellows, healthy as when she'd left them behind in Sector 5.

It strikes her, suddenly, that before this, she hadn't been sure if-...when the next time she'd seen them again would be.

Alone - or, at least, thinking herself alone - she crouches in their midst. Listening. Maybe murmuring. ]


❀ back in town (coffee break)

[ After spending quite a lot of time in the church, Aerith does venture back out into the city, and comes across one of the other new additions. The smell alone draws her in, and before long she's settled into a two-person table with a placard. Anyone there when she arrives who watches closely will see her read it, causing the cheery expression to slip considerably, before she stows it in her jacket with a sigh.

Fortunately, it's easy to bounce back when there's coffee and croissants. At the counter, she places an order for a latte, which is presented with an adorable cat in the foam - ]

This is so cute! Wish I could do that. Though, I should probably start with how to make a latte to begin with.

[ - and a scone - ]

It's hard to pick just one, so I'll be back for sure!

[ - before returning to her spot and enjoying the treats. Based on the way she's glancing around the room, curiously and happily taking note of those who come and go, there's basically a neon sign saying "feel free to join me." ]

daffodils

[thinkerseven]

[ Lisa enters the church after Aerith does, and she doesn't expect to stay long. The plan is to survey the scene, draw what inferences she can, then move on to the next new building.

The place is beautiful, in the way old places are beautiful, although judging by the disrepair, it strikes Lisa that it isn't really being cared for. That's something to note. She doesn't really feel sentimental about it, one way or another. It makes those flowers stand out more. There's something about them - something to investigate. Maybe she'll stay here for a while and see what happens.

Lisa takes a seat in one of the more-intact pews in the back, and that's when the murmuring starts. It's something that Lisa would expect to aggravate her headache, but it doesn't. It's peaceful, something that Lisa can't figure out, and so she doesn't try. Instead, she draws her knees up to her chest, and before she realizes what's happening, closes her eyes.

If there's a break in the murmuring, Lisa will interject, her voice heavy with exhaustion. ]

Don't stop on my account.

[anciently]

Oh! [ At the sound of a voice, Aerith snaps up, surprised, but not alarmed. Quickly her expression is friendly, smiling, and she takes a few steps out of the center and toward the stranger. ]

It's okay: they're not going anywhere. [ The smile grows at her own little joke, and she clasps her hands behind her back. ] ...You alright?

[ Not just because it's generally people who're not okay in one form or another who find their way into this place, but also because of the tone, the expression. It's not her business, but Aerith is going to ask anyway. ]

[thinkerseven]

Peachy. Just a little bit of a headache.

[ Half of Lisa's mouth quirks up into something resembling a smile as she waves off any lingering doubts with a limp-wristed gesture. She feels like shit, but that's obvious, so why belabor the point? ]

Nice place you've got here. This kind of run-down Better Homes and Gardens shit would do numbers back where I'm from.

[anciently]

Hopefully you don't have any allergies, or it might get worse. [ Fortunately there isn't a lot of opportunity to develop seasonal allergies under the plate, where it's more concrete than anything, but some people might get sniffles around the flowers, she supposes. ]

And where's that? [ Aerith follows up curiously, with a tilt of the head. There's no comment about "run-down Better Homes and Gardens shit" because...while she can largely make educated guesses from the context, it's also somewhat mystifying. ]

church!

[stresstokens]

[ While Aerith walks slowly through the Church with the amount of spiritualism and respect it deserves, footsteps quiet and deliberate in the still air of the wreckage, light filtering through the hole in the ceiling, someone a little less respectful beat her there. With enough suddenness to startle even the most unflappable person, a green head pops out from where he'd been crouched behind the altar, inhuman and human all at once -- a short goblin boy with green skin and large ears, the oddity of his appearance mitigated by the tidy waistcoat and tie he's wearing, as though he'd dressed up for Church that morning. ]

Weird that they brought in a Church with a big hole in the roof, right?

[ His voice is overly loud in the still air, seeming to echo against the stone walls, and the obnoxiousness seems to reach his own ears as he claps his hands over his mouth. Quieter: ] Sorry. Were you praying? I can leave.

[anciently]

[ The appearance of someone, suddenly, may elicit a surprised gasp, but she has absolutely no qualms with how people use the place (unless they're damaging the flowers), and certainly has no ties to organized religion.

So, when Riz speaks up, she grins, glancing up at the hole. ]

Didn't use to be there, but - would you believe it? Two people fell through the same spot. [ So far. ] They were okay.

[ Well...they didn't get hurt from the fall, anyway. Aerith holds back a deep sigh, focusing instead on the question, her smile redoubling. ]

Oh, no. I just take care of the flowers here. [ To which she'll gesture, though it's unlikely he hasn't noticed them. ] They really benefit from that big hole in the roof - light and rain and all - but there's still manual work to be done.

[stresstokens]

In the exact same spot? Hell of a coincidence.

[ Which means it probably wasn't a coincidence at all. He settles a little, shoulders visibly relaxing as it becomes clear he's not interfering with someone's religious rituals and that he can continue snooping around the Church as an interesting building instead of the holy relic he knows it to be.

Normally, he'd assume that two people fell through since it came in here. But knowing what he knows about how the buildings in this place come to be and the lush flowers around this place means that the hole's been here for a lot longer than this building's been in this deserted city of theirs. ]

So... this building must be from your plane then, huh? [ He walks around the altar to where Aerith is standing, pausing to crouch in front of the bounty of flowers before them. He's not much of a flower guy, but they're nice, he thinks. It makes the Church look a lot more welcoming. ]

Is it exactly the same as you remember it? Flowers and all?

[ It's the details he's interested in. If this is a direct copy, if this is an attempt at a copy, or if the building itself was teleported over here. Someone who's familiar with those minute details seems like the right person to ask. ]

[anciently]

Yup - exactly the same. [ The similarities don't end there, of course, but there's no reason to go into all the details between Zack and Cloud.

At the question, Aerith bobs her head in a nod, linking her arms behind her back and glancing around fondly. ]

Sure is. It's not far from where I live, so I come here a lot. ...Or, is it "go there" a lot?

[ This isn't far from the apartment complex, actually, so she's in a similar situation. Having this place in the city is...a comfort she would never have expected. ]

And, yeah: there're no differences between the two. At least, as far as I can tell. I wouldn't say I've got all the nooks and crannies completely memorized.

[ Even as someone who spends a lot of time there. ]

So? What d'you think of it?

[stresstokens]

Weird, [ Riz breathes, taking a moment to look around properly, at every sign of wear and tear, at every leaf fluttering weakly along slender stems, at every single detail that's simply too minute, too lived-in to be artificially created. He wishes desperately that they could figure out whether it's a copy of the one back home or if back in their homeworlds, there are dozens of buildings that had simply vanished overnight, leaving yawning expanses of emptiness in their wake. He's not sure which he'd prefer.

The latter, he thinks. Then maybe people would know to look for them. Perhaps people wouldn't go looking for an old, beaten-down Church, but maybe they'd want to find that nice girl who helps take care of them. ]

What do I think of -- the Church? [ He glances around, this time appraising the building instead of scanning it for clues. Sometimes he needs to be reminded to look at things as they are and not as a means to an end. ] It's nice? [ He offers Aerith a hesitant, fanged smile. ] I'm, um, not very religious? So I don't go to a lot of churches.

[ He shrugs. ] The flowers are nice. I like those. What made you decide to take care of the flowers in the first place, anyway? Is it a form of worship? I can think of a few gods who'd appreciate that sort of thing.

[anciently]

Oh, me either. Not very religious, I mean. You just seemed more curious about everything than most people.

[ Aerith's smile persists, and she wanders a bit, moving to one side of the altar and peering at some of the familiar columns, the broken pews. ]

They usually just ask about the flowers, or the hole in the ceiling. Don't spend quite so much time taking in all the little details.

[ This seems to please her, though, from her expression. ]

...I'm happy to talk about the flowers, of course! But like I said, I'm not religious. This place was abandoned, back home, and...to be honest, flowers don't really grow well there. Anywhere in the city, really. So...when it seemed like the church was the exception to the rule, I started spending a lot of time there.

[ There's a pause, and she ceases her wandering long enough to squat beside the white and yellow blooms, reaching out to gingerly thumb the nearest petals. ]

I guess some people are kinda religious about planetology, back home? And the Cetra - my, um, ancestors - were really connected to the Planet. So that's its own kind of faith, in a way.

[stresstokens]

[ Riz smiles. ] I'm a curious guy.

[ That's the most polite way he's ever heard anyone put it. But admittedly, this woman hasn't heard him say a whole lot so far, so he shouldn't go prematurely congratulating himself on a social situation well navigated just yet. His eyes follow her as she walks around the Church with a sort of familiarity Riz thinks he'd recognize even if she didn't divulge that this place was from her home; there's a certain ease to the way that she steps along the cracked floors, a fondness to her expression, feet nimbly finding their way through the wreckage. ]

I think that counts. But only if you want it to, [ Riz says with a shrug. It's the sort of thing people would call holy back home too, but sometimes even someone of holy birth would rather shed that particular weight. With Aerith wandering freely through the room, Riz settles down long enough to prowl through himself, continuing to peer through every detail of the place. ] Sometimes you might just wanna grow some flowers for the sake of growing some flowers.

[ He eventually mimicks her, crouching in front of the flowers as well. His appearance is sharp, all teeth and claws and yellow eyes and narrowed pupils, but he tucks a clawed finger into his palm with practiced ease and brushes his knuckle against one of the soft petals. ]

I don't know much about planetology, though. If that's a thing we have back home, I've never heard of it. What were the Cetra like? Another kind of Human?

[anciently]

Well, I'm definitely interested in growing flowers for the sake of it. [ Aerith looks at the lilies in the center of the room with the proud smile of a mother observing her children. ] And why not? They're nice to look at, they smell good, and they just...lift your spirits. Y'know?

[ Especially in a place like Midgar, where nothing grows, and things are...tough. ]

Oh, I don't know how common it is. Planetology, I mean. It's a kinda...philosophy? Back home, that is. It's mostly focused on how people and the planet should live and work together.

[ Plus other lifestream-related stuff, but she's certainly not a practiced student of it. ]

The Cetra...hmm. They look the same as regular people, they-...we just have a connection to the planet that's unique. [ There's a small smile, one twinged with what might be wistfulness. ] I'm only half-Cetra, but my mom would tell me stories. She was really special.

[ "Was," spoken lightly, but with heavy implications. ]

Church~

[bad_habit]

[Church is so not Angels thing. In fact the whole concept of it usually pisses him off especially lately, given where he came from and just who and what he fought before coming here, but there's something different about this place and, well, its the flowers.

It had been years since he'd seen flowers like this and before he can even really think about it he's standing in the middle of them looking pretty overwhelmed, almost like they lured him there. This place hadn't really any plant life when they had first got here, it barely had buildings, and when the rains came there weren't any flowers really. Just... strange ferns, beefy green bushes, and lots and lots of vines, of all things.

But not flowers.

After weeks of dealing with the labyrinth and days of recovery where he doesn't really feel recovered its kinda nice to just... drink in the smells and sights of these flowers finding himself just sort of falling to his knees and reaching out with various hands to inspect the colours and styles of each one. He can't remember their names even if they were familiar and from earth, but that doesn't really matter. He probably shouldn't, but he even picks a few carefully gathering them in one of his hands to bring back to his room.]

[anciently]

[ When Aerith sees Angel seemingly entranced by the flowers, enjoying the quiet of the church, she doesn't interrupt. Not at first. In fact, she smiles, unseen, and keeps as still and quiet as she can to avoid disturbing him. People come to this place for a lot of reasons, and she's learned that though she can sometimes help, sometimes...they just need an environment to work stuff out themselves.

So, she'll give it a bit before making an approach, though still keeping a respectful distance. ]

Hey. You okay? [ The labyrinth had been rougher than anyone expected, and she knows Angel had been dreading it to begin with, when they'd been thinking of it as something more akin to a "camping trip." The florist tilts her head with the question, searching his face, then glancing down to where he's holding a few flowers in his hands.

Her smile grows. ]

They're pretty, right? [ She asks gently, before crouching down beside the nearest blooms. ] Being here always cheers me up.

[bad_habit]

[There was a part of him that knew the start of their labyrinth adventure was going to be easy, but he just didn't realise just how easy it was going to be in comparison to the rest.

It had ruined him a little and as she asks if he's okay all he can to is release a huge amount of air he hadn't realised he'd been holding back and just sort of work the flowers around in his hands.]

Y-Yeah. I could use some cheerin' up. [A pause, and then a meeting of gazes.] I can't remember the last time I seen flowers...

[anciently]

Well, [ Aerith begins, looking up at him from her position. ] you're welcome here whenever you want. It doesn't belong to me or anything, and the flowers love company.

[ Assuming you're not an absolute jerk, or Shinra. ]

And take some home to cheer you up there! They'll grow back. [ She doesn't know that 100%, since she doesn't know for sure the way the church came to be transplanted here in the first place, but she does believe her own words.

Aerith straightens up again, linking her arms behind her back. ]

Wanna talk about it, or just hang out? I can also give you some space if you want: just say the word.

[bad_habit]

[Well Angel is usually a jerk. But not right now. Right now he just sort of looks lost.]

I forgot what they looked like. Flowers and all. [Its a good thing he has permission cause even without it he was planning on running off with a couple of handfuls. His room is boring and sad.]

Are these from your world? What kind are they?

[anciently]

Well, I'm glad you've got the opportunity to be reminded, then. [ Sensing there might be some unpleasantness from home beneath the surface, she doesn't push and ask why he'd nearly forgotten what flowers look like. ]

Mm-hmm. Where I live, flowers...have a tough time growing. Except these, really, and the ones at my mom's house.

[ Thanks, Lifestream! ]

They're lilies. [ She replies simply. ] If you're into this kind of stuff, they're supposed to symbolize-...well, a lot, actually, but 'rebirth' is a common theme.

coffee break

[retribue]

( she'd been very grateful to aerith showing her around, helping her to get a slightly better understanding of what this place was that they'd been whisked away to, even if the young woman was also rather new to it. which is why she's pleased to see her again when they're corralled to the coffee shop, especially when elisabeth's card is placed opposite aerith's )

They may be willing to show you both.

( she's never had a latte before, nevermind seen anyone make a cat out of foam, and whilst elisabeth herself is interested in a tea she hasn't ordered one just yet )

[anciently]

Hmm...think so? [ Aerith looks encouraged, even as she glances to the counter and takes in the...not-insignificant line queued there. ] They seem pretty busy, but maybe there'll be a lull?

[ She's in no great hurry, so...

In the meantime, the florist wraps her hands around the drink and hums happily. ]

What're you thinking of ordering? Doesn't seem like you can go wrong with anything from this place!

[retribue]

Perhaps, though I hadn't yet decided what interested me.

( though that was covering for the fact that she didn't know what many of the things on the menu were. and that she was still concerned with being able to pay for them )

You'll have to tell me about yours first.

[anciently]

Best way to combat that is to choose randomly. Then at least you'll have a point of comparison in the future.

[ Better, or worse than triple-berry scone? (It'd be tough to be better.) ]

Well... [ When the conversation turns to her own choices, Aerith's smile peaks as she glances at the cup in her hands. ] I've got a vanilla latte - with the cute cat art, though I've kind drunk it away...sorry, little guy - and a berry scone. Want to try?

[ At which point she'll offer both the cup and the nibbled pastry to her companion (along with a small, unused napkin). ]

[retribue]

( though elisabeth looks curiously at the cup she doesn't take it, instead using a knife to take a small section of the scone, sliding it closer to her with the napkin )

What made you choose these?

( a moment before she tries it. the berries she expects and expects to enjoy, the scone... she's unsure on )

[anciently]

Oh! I dunno... They sounded good? [ Aerith laughs a little at herself, shrugging helplessly. ] Guess I was just in a "vanilla and berry" mood? Got a bit of a sweet tooth, if I'm honest.

[ She lifts her brows expectantly as Elisabeth tries the scone, awaiting judgment. ]

So? Thoughts?