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

[cantilevers]

[He didn't care about her inspection, and he still had a satchel against his hip that had other gifts that he was intended to deposit to their respective owners. This was just one stop on the line of many, and yet he considered this one of utmost importance as his presence was guaranteed to annoy her. Sometimes, it was the little things to get through the day.

Vander made a point of raising an eyebrow as she struggled to describe her living situation. Friend, huh?] Ah, I can understand that. So you'll be staying here a few weeks at minimum if his temper is anywhere close to what it used to be when he's rackled.

[He nodded simply, understanding the situation. He knew Silco well, and it actually added up why the other man had been texting him more frequently. Needed an outlet for rage and hurt. Vander had always provided that in his own way; good to see that some habits died rather hard.]

I doubt you were expecting any different. So, are you a traitor for working with them or is he mad that you did what he couldn't? Maybe a combination?

[ascarylady]

Traitor, mostly. Like I haven't heard that one before.

[ Traitor her ass. She's always been loyal to only one thing and that was Zaun. It wasn't as though she stopped hating the council, the enforcers, Piltover itself; the indignity after indignity they heaped upon the undercity was beyond recompense.

Sevika sighed as she went on, turning her attention down to the gift box in hand. Another grimace at all the little cutesy drawings on the name tag, but she worked on opening it. Whatever was in it felt light and didn't rattle like a weapon might. She couldn't hear any telltale rolling of a glass vial, either, so not Shimmer. What else could it even be? Cigars? More cards? ]

I did expect it... but I'd hoped for a lot more. We've worked together a long time, but even after all of that? He can't accept that all the leadership fell to me. Not sure what he expected me to do. Nothing? That seat offer was going to someone even if I turned it down.

[ A scoff. ]

Should have just let the Firelights take it. He'd be losing his shit over that in a whole other way if I had.

[cantilevers]

So he's real mad if he's resorting to calling you traitor.

[Vander knew that Sevika was probably the least traitorous among them, given her established history of fighting for Zaun in whatever means necessary. She had outlived the rest of them, and while he didn't find their conversations about the future that insightful as he wasn't apart of it, he observed how she kept nudging their old dream along.

He shook his head in disagreement, waving away her words about Silco. She knew him, but maybe she didn't know him at the base of himself. Silco layered himself in finery, but that deep kernel was a small man who had been treated as a filthy nasty little creature who deserved all the despised opinions. Silco has made no habit of dealing with his traumas and there were a lot of those.]

You being offered and taking the seat probably has little to do with why he's upset. He's mad because it's out of his control and the fact that he's dead. I expect the manner of his death just compounds his issues, and I'm sure you've noticed that he's the leader of 'not dealing with stuff'.

[In hindsight, he was just as guilty, but they weren't talking about him. Everyone had problems; everyone dealt with them in their own way or not at all.]

You were the best person for the job. Don't second-guess yourself on that.

[ascarylady]

Hm.

[ It was neither an agreement nor a disagreement on that point.

Only a noise, an acknowledgment. Maybe she was the best person for the job... at the time, anyway. There was a younger generation to look to eventually, but that would be a problem for her future self, who she had no words of thanks for after the mess she'd gotten her into. Sevika couldn't even recall what her future self had spoken of, yet she still held the blame, apparently. It may have all been made-up bullshit considering the world they'd been on. ]

If he would just talk to me about it... But he won't. He thinks everything he fought for is for nothing now, all because he checked out. [ Not by choice, but it never is. ] Or that no one cares that he died. Asshole.

[ She finished prying the package open and found a familiar bit of home inside: a rebreather, exactly like the one she's used in the past, exactly the kind seen around Zaun so often. Huh. Useful. She was quiet a moment, looking at it, and then she put the box top back on and tucked it under an arm. ]

As if I wouldn't give anything for him to come back. As if Jinx wouldn't.

[ Although, Jinx would feel the same about Vander while Sevika hardly did. She couldn't take back what had happened any more than she could the bullets that had killed Silco. ]

[cantilevers]

[Vander regarded her for a quiet few moments, assessing her expression and body language as she spoke about Silco. Her loyalty and her buy-in to the other man was obvious, and he felt a momentary flare of frustration that, as usual, Silco was so far up his own ass to see it. Typical though.

So, instead, he shrugged his big shoulders.] He checked out when it wasn't his choice and outside of his control, if what I've been told is true. And he can't blame Jinx for it, so it becomes everyone else's problem. It makes him intractable and entrenched.

[He watched her open the package and said nothing about the item that he saw her produce. It would come in handy in certain situations, and it was better than another biting pet.

He took no offense to her wanting Silco back. Nor the idea Jinx did. He had made - somewhat - peace of his own demise and that his legacy did not require a wish for his return. It didn't matter, and he wasn't here for a popularity contest.]

Jinx can grow into her own person when out from under him. I have no doubt she misses him deeply, but the point of parents is to let their children grow up and move on to live out their own lives. Silco doesn't seem capable of allowing that with her.

[ascarylady]

Yeah, well, there's only so much parenting advice I can offer him.

[ Sure, Sevika had her own problems with her dad, but they were different problems. In some ways, she could offer insight on Jinx to Silco, as a daughter, but beyond that? Her experience would begin to thin out. Those two had dependency issues that she sure couldn't help with... ]

Just so you realize, all that? Goes for you, too. She needs to become her own person outside of either of you. Both of you being here, picking at one another, you're just making it harder on her at every turn. She isn't going to choose one or the other. That'll just make her blow up instead.

[ Only now this is turning into being all about Jinx, and that picked at a completely different wound that hasn't quite healed. It's always Jinx this or Jinx that, and here she is, doing it, too. Sevika grimaces, annoyed, her lips twisting in a dissatisfied way at where the topic's landed. Box under one arm and her other hand coming up to rest on a hip, she eyes Vander. ]

Not that it's any of my business. So, there you go. You dropped off the box. Now you know where I'm skulking about and why. You can leave now.

[cantilevers]

And he's not currently in a mood to listen, so that point is moot.

[At least he knew why she was out here, and while he had no interest in meddling in her affairs when it came to Silco, he expected that she would force the issue eventually. After all, it wasn't like Silco was capable of any kind of apology and the other man was so stuck in on himself that he'd never extend the olive branch either unless it was truly desperate times.

Even then, Vander thought it might be a 50-50 chance.]

I didn't come here to listen to you tell me about my interactions with Jinx. She and I are still working things out between us. [Yet, the subject of Silco and him combating each other was even less a subject he wanted to discuss.] As for your boss, you have less than any right to talk to me about that. You picked your side, so if you want to lecture someone about their behavior, I assume you still know where your bolthole with him is.

[As far as he was concerned, he was very much on the outskirts of all of this and doing his best to cope. She didn't care about him, and he didn't care about her. They met up on occasion then he'd try to charm her then she'd tell him how much she didn't give a shit and then she'd tell him to piss off and he would. Rinse and repeat.]

Yeah well, good luck groveling for a spot back next to his elbow when you decide to go back. You know he's on the verge of a complete meltdown, right? He's got nothing going for him, and that guy being aimless means he'll just lash out over and over.

[ascarylady]

[ In the end, Sevika simply knew better than to fall for the man's charms. Unlike the rest of Etraya, she knew better, and she wasn't fond of having him throw the thought that she "picked" a side in her face. There was a flare of temper, a snarl, and she stepped up to him, closing what little distance had already been between them to ram a finger into his chest. ]

What I picked was Zaun. Your side, his side, that never mattered, but you know what did? When Silco walked back in from the fucking dead and told me it was you who tried to kill him. Not an enforcer, not any damn topsider, but you. I can't believe you had the audacity to mourn the man you tried to murder with us... to let us all think it'd been Piltover who was at fault... for all those years?

Don't give me that "I picked a side" bullshit. You picked it for me, and I'm not going to abandon him like you did.

this wasn't tl;dr enough, sorry

[cantilevers]

[He didn't give any ground when she closed the distance between them, staring her down and his expression blanked when she jammed a finger in his chest. The only indication that she had hit any kind of nerve on him was a slight flare of his nostrils and set of his jaw.]

I never said it was Piltover. [No one had asked. Just as no one had asked why he had knife wounds or bullet wounds either. The Day of Ash and its aftermath had broken a lot of people.] But yeah, I murdered a lot of people back then. I've got blood on my hands same as him, same as you, same as everyone that was invested in the nation of Zaun. [His tone was tense but calm. Like he'd had this argument with himself for a long time.] Is that the big betrayal? You found him, and suddenly I was a weak dirty failure?

[Yet, the abandonment shot hit. Hard.

No one outside of Benzo knew how many hours, days, weeks that he spent looking for Silco after the fallout. The only reason he had stopped was because of the infection of his own injuries. Only he knew of the apology, pathetic though it was. He thought Silco was dead until the whispers began. He had tried to find him again, but there had always been places in the undercity where people could hide and never be found. He knew what was coming for him someday, and it did arrive similar to how he imagined.]

Get out of my face, Sevika. [It was her only warning.]

[ascarylady]

[ Like hell no one had asked. She had. She had looked. She hadn't found him, either, but she sure hadn't been looking in the same places Vander had, the places she didn't know about; she'd been looking at Stillwater, she'd been stalking guards from there, enforcers, roughing them up, demanding to know who did it. No one knew. It made sense at the time.

Who would keep track of which trencher trash they had killed, right? ]

You didn't have to say. It was so easy for you not to, to just let people assume what had taken so many people away already had gotten him, too. Right? Just slide on by? You think Felicia would have let you walk for that, huh? Or if the roles had been reversed, would you have killed her for Silco's death instead? Huh?

[ She wasn't getting out of his face. She hadn't even when she'd been down an arm and now she has both back. She's even less inclined to. Who cares if it wakes up Vanessa? They won't fight in the house. It'll be fine. ]

Don't play it as "we're all murderers here". I know we are. The difference is I'd never killed someone who trusted me before... who I trusted... someone I cared about... until you. Silco showing up was the last straw, but I noticed your deals with topside. I tried to make sense of it. I tried real hard, Vander, but then it comes out you were the problem the whole time. The problem that was keeping Zaun weak.

[cantilevers]

[Vander shook his head, knowing he was replaying it in his head as he had for years. His jaw worked under the weight of her fury, and he stared her down as she was doing him without even flinching. He narrowed his eyes as she named dropped Felicia, and it was one name that he didn't speak of often. It felt like ripping open the wound of her death.]

You're right. I did let it slide on by because he was dead by all accounts. I directed the undercity fury forward; we had lost so many. I made the choice, but I never forgave myself for what happened. [His voice was cold and calm, unwilling to rise to her own tirade.] And the situation at the Pilt wasn't anything Felicia would have done in a role reversal. She didn't have that kind of rage. [Silco's unending rage that made the man both brilliant and perilous.

It was his turn to step up because this was undercity mannerism in their fullest. Neither of them willing to back down and lose face, but also, beating the shit out of each other was probably the only way to expend the energy.]

And how did that make you feel, hmm? You didn't watch me die, but you definitely played your part in the lead up. Was it your idea to lure the kids in? [He leaned down so they were nose-to-nose.] Killing me wasn't the point that day, was it? You, him, that little gang was there to expose me to the new revolution, maybe convince me by force to join up? That your play?

[He laughed and it was humorless.] You don't know half of what I did behind the scenes. You don't know what I had with topside, but sure, blame me for Zaun's weakness. It's a pretty package that way, isn't it?

[ascarylady]

No one needed to lure your damn kids in. They would have marched straight into Stillwater for you just the same if Grayson had taken you instead.

[ Expecting them to act as intended was hardly some nefarious scheme. Sevika didn't care if they had showed or if they hadn't. The only difference it made was when Jinx decided to fuck it all up, which was the only point no one was willing to address. Ever.

With the two of them face-to-face, not even an inch apart, headbutting the bastard in the nose would have been the easiest choice. It would have been expected, too, which is why Sevika doesn't follow through. ]

I know you were fine letting them put a leash and collar back on our city. You know what? It's a good thing, isn't it? That you died before Vi and Jinx got old enough to realize how much of a disappointment you are.

[ And it was on that note that she moved. Ducking down to put a shoulder in his gut instead of a fist to the face, and now with two intact arms, she would put the effort into hoisting him off his feet to throw him. Preferably, straight at the towering stone townhouse's wall. She never had a chance to show off just how strong she'd gotten since that day Vander had died, the fight they had before being a desperate one with a heavy handicap.

That was no longer true. It was time for a real fight. ]

[cantilevers]

And yet that seemed like the plan. Plenty of opportunity to off me; you didn't even need me alive to have the kids to march in, as you said.

[He had been playing it out in his head for days, weeks, months after all. Some conspiracy theories sounded better than others, so this was what he had settled on as the most logical part of Silco's plan. Guards everywhere to the lot in hiding and Silco making that grand little entrance. It didn't even matter, but he gnawed on the details like a dog with a bone.

Vander had enough height that headbutting was an interesting prospect, and it was one that he was also not afraid to use himself. His expression tightened as his gray eyes hardened at her barb.]

You know nothing of the aftermath. You're prattling details when you weren't even there. You know better than that, Sevika. [He barked a humorless laugh.] You think they weren't aware of it and loved me anyway?

[He expected her to escalate, and he braced as she set into him; he was not expecting to be lifted. That was a rarity aside from certain men. Yet, years of combat experience had him raising an arm and slamming his elbow down against the back of her head. He was thrown backwards and skidded to a stop just before he impacted with the wall.

His eyes narrowed and he snorted humorlessly.] Fine, let's get this over with. Show me how much of a big tough woman you are. [He dropped the satchel of gifts off of his shoulder to the ground and stepped up immediately. He might be considered weak by everyone from Runeterra, but he could still kick the shit out of some upstart.

He moved in to close the distance between them, walking almost casually as he studied her stance. They were both improved from the last time they had thrown down after all.]

[ascarylady]

[ Sevika grunts, stumbling a step from the elbow to the head, but it didn't stop her from flinging the massive man. It took every ounce of strength to do that, even with the help of the chemtech arm, but damn if she didn't still do it.

See how strong she's gotten, Vander? Yeah, she will. Showing him exactly that was the plan now. She straightened up as she turned to face him again, keeping her stance loose and unreadable as he approached.

Two beasts trying to size one another up. That's what this was. ]

No, Vander. What I think is that they already thought the world of you, and wanted to ignore how much you'd fucked up, just like I did.

[ Right up until it was no longer an option. She has to wonder: did he or Benzo ever trust her? Or maybe she was just so hopeful hanger-on from the resistance to be given grunt work and otherwise disregarded all that time. Never truly on the in-group... never important enough... Why even bother calling everyone together at all? ]

[cantilevers]

Yeah well, you're not the first, and you won't be the last. Neither will they be.

[There seemed no point in talking any longer when they would let their bodies and their violence speak the words that went well beyond skin deep. He expected he had made a mistaken not bringing her deeper into the fold, but the deal with topside was like a sliver under his fingernails, a constant irritant. It was need-to-know and she too keen and smart to not risk it.

Still, she had always been the diamond in the rough. She'd done wonders with just a small gang. No wonder she thrived under Silco's keen mind and tactics.

With the last two steps, he suddenly charged so he could attempt to plow his shoulder into her chest to knock her over. Yet, he knew better than to rely on that bold move, already moving to lift a fist at the same time to try to punch her in the cheek so he could take advantage of his longer reach.]

[ascarylady]

[ Sevika had kept her own posture unreadable, but she'd been paying close attention to Vander's own. Moving on the last two steps makes it impossible to avoid both moves; she could either duck the swing and take the shoulder or do the opposite. She chooses the first.

She ducks the swing and throws her own weight forward against the shoulder as it blows into her, moving herself just enough so she takes the shoulder against her own. Not the chemtech one, unfortunately, so the slam still rattles her bones and bruises flesh, but she digs in to keep herself from being bowled over. Oh, he still pushes her back from the sheer amount of weight he has on her. There's no overcoming that.

But she isn't toppled. It locks them in a grapple if anything, but she knows exactly how to get him to back off. There's a quiet shing of metal scraping against metal as her chemtech arm's sword comes out. It doesn't need shimmer to be dangerous. Even without it, it's still a sword, and it's still sharp.

Unless Vander breaks off from being up in her personal space, he's risking a sword to the gut. ]

[cantilevers]

[Vander was not Vi; his style was different regardless of similarities between them. He had a bigger and wider stature, and he relied on power and natural talent to best most people as well as his ability to soak damage. He had also had been watching Sevika scrap for a long time, though the chem-tech arm a new and unknown factor in her style he would have to learn through experience.

And boy was it an experience. The quiet courtyard allowed him to hear the sleek slide of metal on metal as the sword was discharged from the forearm. It was too bad he didn't have time to be impressed by the technological advancements of prosthetic limbs. He thought she played her hand too fast though.

Vander moved to avoid whatever metal she was discharging, grappling her non-metal shoulder and trying to slid his other arm around her neck as he moved into the spot behind her so he could try to control her head and thus some of her body motion but also making it hazardous to swing wildly behind her where he had moved to reposition himself.

He came to know how dangerous it could be, which meant he had to deal with it promptly if she was going to try to gut him already. His hand reached to try to control the mechanical arm at the elbow if he could.]