etrayalogs | APRIL MINGLE

APRIL MINGLE

WHO: Everyone!
WHEN: April 25th - Early May
WHERE: Etraya
WHAT: The arrival of newcomers, spring activities, and feathered friends!
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.

However, if they are arriving from Aphaia, it's a little different, though mostly through means and familiarity. They will still show up in the hospital of course, but how can vary. Either through Aurora offering a portal for escape, their own demise (however it might have happened), or even a simple blink of their eyes and they're in the hospital. They had been given the briefest explanation last time they were here, but at least Aurora can better answer their questions now. No time constraints nor rushing them off to a dying world, this time!

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, spring is sprung, it is warm and comfortable. Flowers have bloomed, and everything is in a sharp contrast to Aphaia—there is life within the bubble, and even the myriad wildlife seems to be basking in the glow of it all. Almost as if a celebration of that life itself.

Bees are buzzing, birds are—warking?

⏵ Birds of a Feather ⏴

Etraya has always had its interesting assortment of critters, but there seems to be a particularly colorful array of birds wandering around. Those familiar would know they are named Chocobos, those less so familiar, well, these are some strange looking ostriches, or whatever large bipedal bird equivalent fits. While the birds all seem to be of the same species, there are certainly some variety in their features. Some with friendlier faces and others looking a bit more eagle-like.

They are not particularly congregated in any one spot within Etraya, seeming to stick to groups, while others don't, yet even some are accompanied by newly hatched chicks. The observant might be quick to notice that their colors dictate some level of behavior, or even where their little groups mingle:

Colors	Behavior and habitat
Yellow	Can be found just about anywhere in Etraya, they don't necessarily stick to self-made groups, and typically are more likely to be friendly to people. However, if they are in the company of a newly hatched chick, they can become wary, though easily won over with some greens.
Green	These Chocobos are mostly found in grassy or woodsy areas, almost always in pairs, and sometimes found in the trees themselves. They are more wary than their yellow brethren, though if they see someone struggling or in danger, they are quick to offer assistance in what way they can. Doting like motherhens.
Blue	Most often found by bodies of water, these Chocobo seem content to keep to themselves. Three to a group, they are not so easy to approach without being noticed. Their skill and love of water is clear, however, and it's not unusual to find them flapping about or swimming. Though they may flee to the water if you spook them.
Brown	The most skiddish of the Chocobo, they can be found throughout Etraya, though further away from anything occupied by people. They stick to groups of four, though they have a clear leader who sports blue and green feathers, but seemingly is not of the other two types. Should they catch sight or sound of someone approaching they are like to run off, or they might attempt to defend themselves.
Red	There seems to be only one of these running around. Highly aggressive to anyone who dares to approach it. Best to avoid it. Very likely to hurl comet-like balls of fire your way. Untamable.

The birds all favor these strange cabbage looking plants that can be found out and about in the wilds of Etraya. Some proving a little overeager in their voracity to eat the leafy greens. One should be careful, with those large beaks of theirs.

⏵ Gift Hunt ⏴

It isn't only the birds that have shown up out of nowhere. Small to medium sized boxes, wrapped as if they should be under a tree, and maybe not hidden in a tree, have also appeared. For whatever reason (possibly the same reason eggs were given out over winter) there seems to be gifts hidden all over Etraya! Some in more difficult to find locations (in trees, on top of a roof, on snake island), while others look as though whoever "hid" it gave up halfway through and simply dropped it on the ground and put a leaf over it.

For those who need a little extra help, well, certainly your fellow Etrayans could lend a hand, however there are also perfectly capable birds about for those still left wanting. Certainly that blue chocobo could assist with crossing the river to obtain that perfectly balanced gift on a rock! Or what about that green chocobo roosting in a tree not too far from that gift stuck in the branches because it has entirely too many ribbons?

With that said, there might also be some dangers in trying to take one of the myriad gifts from a chocobo's nest, especially if there's a chick presently sleeping next to it. Perhaps befriending them would be a good idea first, besides, isn't friendship with a big bird the truest gift of all?

On the tag of each and every gift box says the same thing:

To: You
Love: 💋

Each gift has a random assortment within. Some contain candy, others contain alcohol, make-up...maybe even a pair of socks, very perfunctory gifts with very little thought or feeling put into them. However, there is at least one gift that is personally relevant to each character in Etraya. This item will be the equivalent of a 5 point AC reward, and does not have to be found by the person it is intended for.

What better way to break the ice than to give someone their gift which you opened!

⏵ NOTES ⏴

Welcome to Etraya newcomers and happy spring to everyone!

It appears that someone is trying to correct her previous mistake of handing out eggs during the winter holidays, and now there's a hunt for gifts accompanied by a bunch of lovely birds to help out!

Some notes in regard to Chocobos:

-Each color can be tamed except for the red one, he's a free spirit. Should someone wish to harm or attack this chocobo, let us mods know. There is only one of him, after all.

-The others will just take various amounts of work to win over, however, but they are loving and cute companions for those who are willing to put in the effort! And who knows, maybe more colors could arise with time and patience...

-Feel free to pull from all the designs of chocobos throughout the Final Fantasy series. If you fancy FFXII's, for example, there are some that look like that. Variety is the spice of life!

Concerning the personal item, be sure to plot out and get permission when finding someone else's item. This is meant to encourage possible new CR and mingling, but the choice of the item should ultimately be within the hands of the player who is receiving it.

If you are uncertain if your item is appropriate for the reward cost, feel free to ask here!

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⏴

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

[Patiently]

That's not what I mean. It's not about you not trying hard enough. How is it possible to work harder when you don't even have the right tools to start? This stuff isn't easy and it could take a good while before you come even close to figure it out.

[Jason shrugs]

Took me years and by then I already built a body count.

Edited 2025-05-03 20:51 (UTC)

[ he acts as if he's going to dodge, but allows the other to believe he's caught him before he had time to move. hand around the neck, pressure applied, and shadow is sent towards the ground with heavy impact, he shrugs it off at best, one foot brought against their chest to push them off.

as long as they're off, the hedgehog flips back onto his feet, one foot faced forward, and his fists tight before his chest in case he needs to block. ears twitch... listening.

how annoying. annoying in the way that they keep coming after him despite shadow's unwillingness to fully engage in what they want. all it'll do is cause the other to feel worse because between the two, the older hedgehog knows he can win, the other is naive and uncoordinated. his control over his body is lacking, all he does is hunt and throw punches with no strategy behind it. ]

What are you fighting for?

[ what is there to achieve. ]

[Years. It might take years. Jason huffs out a sigh before shaking his head.]

I'm not waiting years.

[ It leaves him feeling like a ghost all this moving around in a place that used to be so bustling with life. To have watched it go from a peaceful church sanctioned military academy, and home to the knights of Seiros; to absolute destruction and Ailell fire; then to this empty pristine desolation… ‘Haunting’ is the only word he has for it.

He’s made it all the way to the cathedral before he finds another soul. It’s poetic, if Dimitri thinks about it. Still, he hadn’t expected another person to be there and he’s taken by surprise when the serene, if chilling, silence is broken. It comes just as his hand alights on the anonymous advice box near the front exit of the cathedral.

Startling, Dimitri retracts his hand back to his person and spins to face the woman. With bright blue eyes wide and eyebrows raised his hand goes to his chest. He’s surprised further that she isn’t one of his ghosts, but Dimitri regains his composure quickly. ]

No, please, there’s no need to apologize. [ he shakes his head ] It’s… I find myself rather grateful to see someone using this place.

[ The cathedral, after all, could likely host everyone in Etraya at once plus a couple hundred more. ]

[ Bruce frowns. He always frown. But this is deeper, harder set of his mouth. A reaction and not just the look of his face. Anything with the League involved wouldn't be a good development. ]

You were used by them.

[ It's what Ra's does. It's what Talia does. And if they knew Jason had been one of Bruce's? They'd use Jason against him. ]

[ Surprise flits across his face, but it’s difficult to keep his other emotions from showing back up. It’s anger warning with melancholy and anger has been winning more often recently. Dion is being kind and keeping both Dimitri and the birds safe for which he is grateful… it’s just difficult to feel grateful in the mood Dimitri finds himself stuck in. ]

I see… I suppose the others I encountered did look a bit different.

[ He takes a deep breath in hopes of calming himself down some. ]

I’ve never seen animals such as these before, have you?

[ Dion may have found out their temperament by accident recently and could be trying to prevent others from making the same mistake— this is what Dimitri is supposing. ]

"This is medical supplies, it is meant for anyone who needs it. And you should hope that nobody does need it, if you are collecting this much."

Is he leaving some behind for the rest of them? That's more her concern right now than exactly what he has, but she's sure she's got a pretty good idea of what's going on in this stash for right now. She'll pull herself up to her impressive three foot tall height for the moment.

Then she takes a look around, arms crossed.

"First of all, discard that plastic cutlery. Surely you can retrieve something better if you're patient. Next, you've overlooked toiletries. You should look for toothbrushes, paste, and soaps as well."

Things she imagines should be here, at least, unless he wants to stink.

[ what he says is true, but before she can manage to agree—once again, blaze is relieved that she's become so used to the workings of sonic's world when she catches that slight jolt from dion. her smile is sympathetic, as she remembers feeling quite similar before, and she accepts her drink gratefully when it's offered to her before taking a tentative sip of it. ]

Hmm...

[ the sprinkles is an interesting choice. honestly, she'd been bracing herself for worse, but actually? ]

It isn't bad. What do you think?

[ the cherry is a bit strong, but that's probably to be expected. ]

[ so cute... and a little overwhelming! blaze finds herself a little flustered as the birds crowd around her, and those greens are gone in the blink of an eye, replaced by feathers and beaks nuzzling against her. at least, until their attention is pulled away by something else.

blaze watches as they, one by one, move to follow shadow. she stays where she is, doubtful that he wants her to come any closer. ]

I've never seen such loyal, friendly birds of this size before. Have you?

[Jason looks uncomfortable at that statement. It's understandable where Bruce is coming from and there's no doubt that the League saw Jason as a useful tool. A broken Robin ready to lash out and do whatever it takes to get back at Batman? How perfect it is for any rogue.

But even after all the therapy and reconciliation Jason has worked on, he's still not entirely sure how many of his sins were because of the League's manipulations and how many were coming purely from Jason embracing his darker impulses. There are still plenty of days when Jason questions if he's really a good person and not just some angry man ready to hurt whoever he likes]

Talia funded everything for my training and gave me access to whatever teachers I wanted to... to fight Batman. It took a few years until I felt ready to give Gotham a new kind of order. I wanted to prove to my Bruce a more effective alternative and so the Joker can finally be finished off.

You might not have a choice in that.

[Jason hates to say it and he's anticipating another lash out. But he can't downplay how hard it can be to heal]

The odds of me listening to you correlate directly to how receptive you are.

[ But Tim hasn't been shot at yet, so considering how he first the man that this person is too similar to for safety's sake, this is going well. ]

I'm only chirping at you, Mister...?

[ blaze isn't even trying to talk to him. she's just standing back, arms crossed, as the bird rushes forward to greet him, chirping and whistling all the while as he steps right in front of him.

blaze is more interested in the surroundings. what's got shadow acting up? ]

( The moment Jason's in, he pulls away from the curb and starts driving, keeping it relatively normal. No speeding here as of yet. Eyes ahead, he licks over his lips. )

You're staying at the apartments here?

[ one of the places that had drawn blaze's attention as she acquainted herself with her surroundings is the monastery. is that what it is? its towering silhouette is striking, and—honestly, in some ways reminiscent of a home she hasn't visited in some time. not since her arrival back in sonic's work for a 'vacation'.

but there's a type of vacation where one stays home too, she's heard, and she can't help but be drawn in by its walls.

but ever practical, the place where blaze finds herself lingering is the greenhouse. she has a sense of what it is, and is quite impressed by the blossoming flora inside as well. perhaps she should invite silver to see, just as an example of what he can do. at least that's what she's thinking until—

footsteps.

her thoughts are abruptly cut off, turning towards the entry at the ready, but what she sees immediately has her relax some. ]

... Dimitri? Is that you?

[ she's a very polite girl, isnt' she? once again, blaze is reminded of someone special to her—a girl who isn't too far from fio in age, but she pulls her mind back into the present as fio chatters on, listening attentively. she smiles at that imitation too. in part amused, but also, just pleased to see that fio's been enjoying herself in this strange place. it's more than blaze can say about herself.

her attention piques at the mention of her gifts though, blaze's ears perking up and her attention returning to the cape that fio wears. ]

Darkie...? I see, that was quite kind of him.

[ blaze has no idea who darkie is, but their intentions seem to be good enough, offering fio gifts like these to keep her warm and make her happy. to tell the truth, she does recognize that familiar fuchsia trim of the cape in particular, and the high quality of the fabrics too. ]

Those are wonderful gifts. I especially like the cape, and in fact, I think we even match.

[ which she isn't lying about, but blaze will stand herself, coming next to fio so that she can show off her tailcoat—specifically the matching pink trim for the other to see. is she partially doing this to confirm whether this is where her gift went? perhaps, but she has no intention of taking it from fio. ]

[All manner of logic had left this hedgehog. His actions were powered only by hatred and pain. Feelings he never took a moment to understand, when everything just kept happening all around him. All he could do was bottle it up, kept too long and it got shaken up one too many times the moment these two met. And he could never really close it back up since.] What does it matter to you!?

[Just as the other kicks him off, he's grabbing them by the head to bring them along with.] Don't act like you give a damn! [He proceeds to toss them back into the ground.]

[ it's not that he's acting up, per se. this is just a place that suffered some damage, but nothing that accuses him of doing something now. he notes the way blaze is looking at the messed up ground, and some of the walls suffered damage.

it's a few days old. ]

...You won't let up. What do you want?

[ as if asking the bird will tell him anything. ]

Not planning on it. [Jason sighs and shakes his head. Why stay somewhere so easily traced?]

Well fuck that.

[Jason shakes his head with frustration.]

Got somewhere in mind?

( It's certainly not the manor or the tower, of that he's pretty damn sure. )

[Lucky for Tim, this Jason hasn't picked up a gun yet.]

Todd. Jason.

[Jason rolls his head to look at Bruce before shaking his head.]

Like I'd tell you.

Would it really be so bad having someone know where you are? In case anything happens — in case they need to get in touch with you.

( He glances over to Jason momentarily as he asks. Eyes need to be kept on the road after all. )

You're wasting time fighting me.

[ could the same be said about his previous advances, probably, but to him there are circumstances that have led him to be the person that he is. the look in their eyes could never match the one he's had himself. he hasn't experienced the true horrors.

one hand switches to grabbing their wrist, holding on tightly to try and pull it from his head. what he finds is that they won't let him up from the ground, maybe they enjoy looking down on him, but even though his own crimson eyes stare up, there is a bit of annoyance as though the other has one more time to make the same mistake. ]

Is this what makes you happy?

[ he knows asking these questions won't help, that it'll only make the other even more upset, but its not like they see what they're doing.

blinded by rage. ]

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APRIL MINGLE

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bought one of these so i'd know what to think here 😭

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monastery / now i can tag you here 😊

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