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

2

[redheadcarrier]

[ Asuka makes her way through the coffee hour with a mug of some atrocious mocha whip combo and she pauses a she sees an familiar face and a sign. She eyeballs her for a moment with a bit of a smirk. ]

Well, the sign is right. Seems like fire is all you know how to do, huh?

[ Is she trying to pick a fight?

Well, she's not not trying to pick a fight. ]

[myagic]

[She notes someone stopping near her, and rather than ignore the presence like she would've done once upon a time, she looks up (see how much she's grown!) and-

Ugh, her expression immediately turns displeased.]

Oh, because you're just full of bright ideas of your own, huh? What does your sign say about you?!

[redheadcarrier]

I wouldn't know, I don't have one.

[ Well, not that she's carrying around anyway. Maybe she can find it if she looks. ]

Looks like you made it out of the maze. Somehow.

[myagic]

Maybe you're just not important enough to warrant one.

[Is it petty? If it is, Rita doesn't care.]

Anyway, a maze is no match for my genius. I'm surprised you made it out at all.

[redheadcarrier]

Well, it's easy when you're a prodigy.

[ Even if it had been a nightmare, she's not admitting that. Not at all. ]

Your lack of faith in me is wounding.

[myagic]

What, are you calling yourself a prodigy? How pathetic!

[No it's not the same when she calls herself a genius, shut up. Also--yeah, she's definitely not admitting having any troubles, either, at least not to Asuka.]

I bet you just got lucky.

[redheadcarrier]

I don't need to call myself one, I know I'm one.

[ She sniffs dismissively. ]

Luck has nothing to do with it.

[myagic]

Hmph--said like any idiot with an overinflated sense of self-importance.

[DEFINITELY not the pot calling the kettle black!!]

What are you of all people supposed to be so great at, anyway?

[redheadcarrier]

I'm a pilot, a prodigy, a university graduate at age fourteen... A wonder-child, if you really have to know.

[ Hmmph. ]

[myagic]

A--pfft.

[Okay, she's still annoyed, but she's never heard anyone call themselves a wonder-child before, and, well.]

Wow, you really just sound like mama's little girl, don't you?

[redheadcarrier]

[ Asuka's expression twitches a little and she leans over the table to get into Rita's face. ]

My mother has nothing to do with it. It's just a fact!

[myagic]

[She notices the sign that she hit a nerve of some kind-

And she proceeds to cross her arms and double down.]

You mean a "fact" your mama told you. Hmph, how childish!

[redheadcarrier]

Shut up.

[ Asuka retorts, her voice just barely held in check. Rita's definitely hit a sore spot. A few months ago, maybe Asuka would have been able to shield it a little better or would have just scuttled off. But after everything, she's on edge and tired and her own trauma over everything is boiling close to the surface. ]

Don't talk about my mother-!

[myagic]

I'm not; I'm talking about you, mama's girl! Or is it papa's girl, maybe...?

[She voices the second question as though it's unlikely. Mama's girl already clearly on something, after all.]

[redheadcarrier]

[ Asuka lashes out. Her hand comes up in an attempted (slap). ]

My mother died when I was a child.

[ Asuka spits the words out in a low, venomous hiss. ]

[myagic]

Ow--you-!

[Rita's head jerks to the side with the force of the slap, though she just as quickly whirls back towards Asuka, fury in her face and a fist clenched to relatiate-

The words just make her stop. Though the anger doesn't go away when her cheek still stings.]

I--idiot, you should've just said so instead of--this!

[redheadcarrier]

I told you not to talk about her.

[ Asuka replies, voice still low. ]

I warned you. And you kept going.

[myagic]

And how the hell was I supposed to know you weren't just being a big baby, idiot?!

[DEFINITELY NOT THE WARNINGS or anything like that, right...]

[redheadcarrier]

Do you want another one?

[ Asuka grips the edge of the table, her eyes boring into Rita. ]

[myagic]

[Rita scowls, half-rising from her seat, fist clenched.]

I dare you to try. But you'll be dead if you do.

[It's an exaggeration, but Rita has always been a little dramatic on the smack talk front.]

[redheadcarrier]

Dead? You don't scare me.

[ Asuka sneers. ]

I've seen worse than you.

[myagic]

And you think I'm scared of you? You're just a brat with attitude!

[She scowls right back. It's definitely not a description related to herself, at all, in any way!!]

[redheadcarrier]

Do you ever stop talking?

[ Asuka gives the table a shove and then steps back. ]

No point in this. I'm not sticking around to give you more attention than you deserve.

[myagic]

Hmph! You're one to talk!

[Rita settles back in her chair with irritation, crossing her arms. Her stinging cheek is red from the slap, but she just scowls.]

Getting even with you would just be a waste of magic.

[redheadcarrier]

Oh, sure, what're you gonna do? Throw a fireball at me in the middle of a cafe?

[ WELL... ]