APRIL MINGLE

[etrayamods]

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⏴

Comments

[oblige]

You can, yes. They are frequently bred and raised as mounts.

[ Dion's reply came with the confidence of plain fact. He himself had a chocobo, as did many under his command. They covered ground far more swiftly than soldiers on foot. ]

They take to it readily enough, so long as you build some rapport.

[ And so, bribery in the form of greens. Chocobos bonded well once coaxed, so Dion had no doubt it would be a quicker and simpler task than teaching the bird to fetch... Though given time, he had seen similar done before. ]

[strumpet]

( that was all the assurance inara needed to go out and actually try to tame one of the birds for herself. normally she wasn't this reckless, but something about living aboard a ship with a crew full of nothing but reckless people began to rub off on her.

so she smiled politely at dion before she turned and began to walk slowly towards the chocobo, holding her hand out with the greens. at first the bird tilted its head at her, nearly threatening to run away before it began to approach her more closely. once she was close enough, she held her palm up for it to eat the greens before it sniffed it for a moment. inara was still a bit unsure how this would work, but eventually the bird relented and began to eat from her palm. )

Dion, would you like to do the honors? It might be a bit difficult for me to ride this with my dress.

( was it a bit bold, even crass to demand so much of a stranger? perhaps but she wasn't above using her feminine wiles to get what she wanted. even if she wasn't trying to get much more than a gift on the river. )

[oblige]

[ Dion spared her dress a glance, as though only then becoming aware of its existence. Yes, a dress could pose a challenge, especially in absence of a saddle for their new feathered friend. It was the briefest of looks, one that spoke only of practical assessment, before Dion nodded. ]

Of course. It may be helpful to see how it is done, in any case.

[ Not that Dion himself had tamed a chocobo, much less been the first to ride it. His own was bred and raised for his use, given his position, but he had seen his men break in new mounts. One of them was quite the avid chocobo fancier, in fact.

He thought back on what he observed and put it to use, coaxing the chocobo to bend and allow him to climb on. While he was more than capable of jumping, he hardly wanted to startle the bird. It took his weight well enough, flapping its wings with a loud kweh as it rose to its full height and brought Dion along with it. ]

A fine one you are.

[ He patted the chocobo reassuringly, hoping it wouldn't abruptly decide to toss him. ]

[strumpet]

( whatever reasoning he needed to be the first one to test it out worked for inara. she was more cautious about her person than most people and while she had no ambitions to continue her line of work here, she still wasn't sure when exactly she would be allowed to return home and the mechanics involving all of that. these were truly the thoughts and precautions that filled her mind as she watched the man before her get on the creature.

in the meantime, once he was on and saddled in, she moved away and forward, almost as if she were guiding them towards the river. )

I appreciate the help Dion, and I can assure you I don't take favors without giving. Once I get my hands on a proper tea set, I'd like to invite you for a service.

( it was one thing that did linger with her from her work― she never asked for favors without some kind of repayment to back it up. mainly to protect herself, and while she was sure the people here were going to behave given the reason they were here, one could never be too sure. )

Alright, towards the river and that rock, let's see what's in that box.

[oblige]

[ Dion understood entirely, at least in his own way. Whether others would require it of him or not, he always repaid them. The sense of lingering debt remained with him until he was satisfied that he had managed some suitable form of repayment. For some things, he felt he could not do enough, but he always tried.

On the other hand, Dion never felt all that pressed about what others should do for him. Still, he thought he understood the sentiment. ]

I'd never refuse tea.

[ He gently urged the chocobo forward using his heels and the bird followed Inara's lead at an unhurried pace until it reached the water. Then it jumped in with all the grace of an overeager child, dousing the both of them. ]

Well. [ Dion began, wicking water from his face with an open palm. ] I suppose I was to be wet either way.

[strumpet]

( as they made their way towards the water, inara made a mental note to either ask aurora for a tea set or try and find one herself around these parts. she was still so new to etraya but hearing in on the whispers of others and their idle comments gave her a general sense this was a place where things could be found.

as for actual payment and how things were paid for here? she wasn't entirely sure on that but before she could dive in too deep into what she was going to do, the water splashing up on her face and dress seemingly snapped her out of that.

she made a bit of a face, scrunched up before she simply laughed just a bit. no sense in getting worked up over it in the end. )

I'll go look for a towel for you, I'll be right back-

( and before he could protest, off she was, her flats clicking against the floor beneath her as she ventured out to try and find something for them to use. it seemed she would be leaving the actual gift-getting portion of this affair to him. )

[oblige]

[ Dion would have told her she needn't concern herself on his account, but Inara moved quickly. He supposed it was just as well that she get something to dry herself off with. It was his lack of familiarity with this variety of chocobo that led to them getting drenched in the first place, after all. ]

Let us finish our task before she returns.

[ He suggested this to the chocobo, earning him another kweh. The bird crossed the water swiftly, almost too swiftly, when prompted onward. First they breezed right past the rock, forcing the need for awkward correction.

Perhaps it was a mercy Inara wasn't around to observe, actually.

The chocobo circled thrice before Dion finally caught hold of the box, but with their quarry secured, they could at last return to shore. ]

[strumpet]

( whether or not he told her not to worry, she would still do it. it was because of her they both got wet and he was helping her with a task— regardless if he was a good person or not, helping her with some ulterior motive, she was going to repay back every bit of kindness. being alone in this strange world with no familiar faces around to rely on, she only had control at her disposition. if she could control little things like this, she would be fine.

soon enough she does return back to him, arriving in time to see the chocobo come walking back towards land. with a curious expression, she awaited with the old towel in hand [thankfully clean], and looked at dion with a softness in her expression. )

I'm curious what's in that box. Given the birds are from your world, do you think perhaps the gifts are also from each of our worlds?

( secretly she was hoping for a gun to defend herself with but that wasn't quite the proper conversation for a new associate to hear. )

[oblige]

[ Once clear of the water, Dion dismounted, giving the chocobo a pat. It did well for a wild bird, drenching aside. He couldn't have expected more or better really.

As for the box, he spared it a speculative look. ]

Some of them appear to be, from what I've observed. Others seem to hold no ties to any particular individual or world.

[ How curious, to speak so casually of other worlds. Were it not for his time in Aphaia, Dion may well have doubted the veracity of what they had been told. This place could have been some peculiar, foreign land. What he saw in Aphaia, though, was surely impossible in his own world.

In any case, he didn't tarry in offering her the box. ]

There is but one way of knowing.

[strumpet]

( in a sweeping move, inara gingerly took the box from him and handed him the towel, moving closer to the chocobo. with a soft pat of her own to the bird, she smiled at dion before looking down at the box itself. she wasn't sure what she was expecting to find in it, and while to most people it seemed pointless to even try and get the boxes in harder locations, there was something about this one in particular that seemed to draw her to it.

before she opened it though, she shook it a bit, bringing it up to her ear in a rather silly attempt to get a hint as to what was in there. finally though, it was like dion hinted—

she just had to open it. so she began to rip apart the ribbon on it, the wrapping paper before a long shawl [one that belonged to her] fell right out into her hands. )

Oh....what a shame. I was hoping for something more important to me than this shawl, but it's actually one of my items from my world. I apologize for dragging you into this little quest Dion, but....you do like tea right? I'll make up for it as soon as possible.

[oblige]

[ He observed without comment, only able to wonder what she may have preferred. Gifts this far seemed to be of some import to their rightful owners, but Dion could not claim it was some universal truth. Neither could he speculate what the shawl might mean to her.

In any case, it was not his business to pry into such matters. ]

I do, indeed, enjoy tea.

[ Dion confirmed with a winsome smile. It was one of the few things he could still indulge in while in the midst of one armed conflict or another, if and when his responsibilities allowed. Enjoying himself was never his foremost concern, but after a hard day after many hard days, tea had been a welcome respite. ]

But please, take whatever time you need.

[ If she was as new to all this as he was, no doubt she'd need time to settle in, or so he'd speculate. ]

wrapping this up here ♥

[strumpet]

( as he spoke, she threw the shawl around herself and gave one last bright smile to the chocobo. if she truly could, she would have offered more than the greens but even she was still establishing herself here in this strange new world.

at his words, she turned to face dion and gave him a polite nod in reassurance to his words. while she wasn't in a rush for his sake, she was for her own. tea and the preceding ceremony wasn't just a ritual for her clients-

it was a way for her to relax and ease herself into things. )

It's no trouble at all, for you see it's more for my sake really. Nothing quite eases me into welcoming a new day like a cup of tea. I appreciate your help by the way, even if the gift was a bit of a dud.

( she's far from upset by it really, still smiling at her new acquaintance. )

Well I should get going, that water really did seep into my clothes far more than what I was expecting. A pleasure again Dion, I'm sure we'll see each other again soon enough.