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

[brat]

( a nod of his head, and damian turns to head straight towards the cave, which is where he'd left his uniform. or, the clock in the main study where one of the entrances is hidden behind. he changes the time on the grandfather clock to 10:48, which causes the panel to unlock and open, and damian grabs onto one of the two poles leading down into the cave to slide down to it. like it's another ordinary day-time activity, because - well, it is.

heads straight over to where his uniform has been stored, so he can start pulling his tunic on. if they're heading out, they're clearly heading out as batman and robin, not bruce and damian wayne. )

[batsymbol]

( he's not entirely sure how to handle this. not entirely sure what it is damian needs right now. again, he figures a distraction might help in keeping his mind focused on other things, but. when it's all said and done and they're back here at the manor, he'll be right back where he was before. that's usually how it went with him after all.

damian goes ahead first and he lingers back for a moment. considering. then follows along down to The Cave where he finds damian over by his uniform. he stands there, quiet. hands in his pockets. moves over to him after a moment then. )

Titus and Goliath will be fine if we leave them behind?

[brat]

( damian is half into his uniform, and bruce is still wearing casual clothing. he isn't sure if it's intentional, but it's enough to earn pause before he pastes his domino mask onto his face. keeps it in his hands as he focuses on bruce. )

Titus and Goliath are used to being on their own for short periods of time. I am. . . trying not to visibly have Titus out with me when I am in uniform. I walk him in the mornings and evenings without it, it would be a shame if one were to connect who I am due to the low number of Great Danes wandering Etraya.

( he does the opposite for goliath; easily takes him along when he's robin, but avoids being in places where others could catch them together when he's damian. )

Are you intending to stay out of uniform?

( should damian remove his tunic and put on a turtleneck instead. )

[batsymbol]

( bruce stands there, hands still in his pockets, and stares to damian. quiet. contemplative. just... needing a second. )

No.

( the word finally comes. soft. )

I, uh... ( a pause, his brow furrows for a moment. ) I just want to make sure you're up for this. We don't have to.

[brat]

( his brow furrows when bruce says make sure you're up for this, because he's - reconnaissance isn't difficult, of course he's up for it. but damian also understands where bruce is coming from.

he's trying. damian understands the weight of that. he's been trying for years. to please his mother, to fit in with the rest of the wayne family, to - be a better person, a robin. and now: he's trying not to give in to anger. not at grayson, not at his father, but at aurora for forcing them into scenarios where they had to put their lives on the line, even if it hadn't lasted. )

I'm alright. ( the domino mask raises, and damian presses his thumbs along the edges of it to get it to stick to his face. reaches for his boots next. ) This isn't the first time I've been trapped in a Labyrinth, or had one of my - siblings die. Grayson made his choice.

[batsymbol]

( standing there — biting the inside of his cheek, he looks down. takes another moment. then slowly makes his way over to damian, hands in those pockets. )

It's ok to be angry. ( he gently reassures. ) To feel... a lot of things about what happened.

( too many to really name. )

[brat]

No, it's not.

( his voice is steady, tone even, as he turns his head towards bruce. the whites of his lenses block his eyes, but his mouth is still curved into a noticeable scowl. one that mirrors bruce's, when he's angry himself. )

Getting angry will not help anyone, nor will it fix our situation. It will not prevent Grayson's death, and I cannot afford to lose control over something I can't undo.

[batsymbol]

That doesn't mean it hurts any less.

( he looks up to him. looks to him. searching his face despite the mask he wears. looking for... similarities. for himself, even, in this version of a son of his. )

Doesn't mean you don't blame yourself.

[brat]

( his voice raises. goes from the quiet, almost growl-like tone damian usually speaks into something a little more high-pitched, louder, closer to what one would anticipate from someone his age. )

Because it's my fault! Grayson died because of me! I am the one who caused his life to end, I am the one who was unable to save him, this falls on me, and it - it shouldn't.

( not because dick made his own choice. not because they were low on options, not because of any of the normal reasons one would think another wouldn't take the blame, but because, )

I was - ( no, not that. not now. his lips press together, and damian shakes his head. reaches for a boot. ) Grayson had faked his death once before, and that was difficult enough. I can't live in a world where he's gone. Where he's dead and it's my fault. I can't live in a world where he is no longer alive.

( he came back, this time. but it doesn't mean there isn't still the trauma of dying. damian still has nightmares about his death, he knows that what happened, it's - it's going to weigh on grayson for the rest of his life. )

[batsymbol]

( he lets damian shout. lets him get out whatever he needs to. stands there and watches him — lets his gaze drop to the floor. when all is said and done for the moment from him, bruce finally looks up and it's with such sympathy there in his eyes. )

You don't want to and I get it.

( he doesn't like living in a world where his parents are dead. where they were murdered when he was a boy and there was nothing he could do to stop it. to save them. even now, as batman, nothing matters and he can't ever bring them back. so he gets it. understands that sort of pain in ways no one— no child should. )

But it's not your fault. These things... they happen sometimes. Prepared or not. What matters is that we don't let it happen again.

[brat]

You don't understand.

( because damian has intentionally never explained it. because he's avoided it, told his father no, he's not talking about it, and bruce hasn't questioned him since. it's not a matter of wanting, it's--different. )

Your parents raised you with love, as his parents had. They raised you kindly, gently. I was bred to be perfect and raised in the League of Assassins. I was given no quarter and learned to return the sentiment to everyone I faced. Father showed me a different way, and I wanted it. But he couldn't teach me. He did not have the patience. Every ounce of compassion, empathy, kindness you see is due to Richard Grayson slowing down to show me I could be something more.

[batsymbol]

( hm. )

Sounds like you should be with him then.

[brat]

( also not what he was getting at. but the response is enough that damian's - clenching his jaw tight, before shoving his boot on the rest of the way and getting up to his feet. )

I'm going out, alone.

[batsymbol]

Fine.

( he turns to head back upstairs. damian's capable of handling himself and doesn't want to talk about it and... he doesn't know how to fix it anyways. aside from a distraction. )

[brat]

( he could fix this, still. could apologize to bruce, climb into the passenger seat of the batmobile, and let him drive them around etraya for a little while. use it as a distraction.

but damian is so angry with himself. full of guilt and hurt and pain over what he perceives as his fault and there is no fixing that. so he doesn't say a word as bruce turns to walk away. instead, he's turning away from him, away from the manor, to head out one of the other exits. )