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 | Flat

I | hospital happenings

a. Pending, as the ominous, glowing letters in Aphaia's sky so aptly opted to name them, had made a fucking bee line toward the portal that appeared. It was the same shit that got Knife into the mess, so the faster it was approached, the faster they could get out!

And out they got!

Back into the fucking white room!

Fuck!

This time, at least, Aurora isn't immediately accosted by hidden blades, but she doesn't get too far into an explanation before Knife's impatience fizzles out in the face of so many wrong answers (no, Soliton isn't here; no, this isn't your world; no, you're not going back yet) before they're grabbing up pillows, yanking the pillowcases off, and stuffing them full of assorted items in the room like it's Halloween, petty theft edition.

"Okay, yeah. Okay. Don't--don't talk to anyone about me, thanks. Bye. I'm--"

They're swinging open the hospital door very quickly...

...and likely directly into someone.

"Woops."

b. The half-orc is standing, facing a wall in the hospital, holding a defibrillator paddle and squinting at the labels inside the rest of the stowed mechanism.

"What is this even for," they mutter, loud enough for passers-by to hear.

They already have one defibrillator in one of the pillow cases they're carrying - clearly debating stealing another one, but hindered by not knowing what it even is. Other things appear to be stuffed in there: first aid kids, kitchenware, someone's socks (your socks??)...

Doomsday prepper? Hoarder? Kleptomaniac? Who's to say - maybe it's worth investigating.

II | bridge troll antics

a. Near and around the hospital, Knife-as-Pending is staggered by the scale and variation of the place within view. On the plus, it smells way less shitty than Aphaia, but on the other...it's so fucking...open...Like, do people not fear getting fucking jumped here or something? And if that's the case, are there guards?

They need a place to hole up. Maybe they should've asked Aurora about that...as if they'd willingly accept free digs from a ghost-lady! Fuck that, she just wants to keep tabs on them (she can totally keep tabs on them)! No - no, they need to sort this out on their own terms an--

Hey, free loot.

They already pilfered a bunch of junk of varying value out of the hospital, but Knife is going to make do trying to shove a few of these discarded boxes of whatever-and-such in pillowcases and their satchel or pockets as size allows, not even bothering to find out what's in them before doing so. Free is free.

"This yours?" They ask, already bending near your feet to pick the box up. Yoink.

b. Knife is standing near the base of one of the many nearby bridges with their dragon's hoard of junk, ripping open gift boxes and making piles of Keep or Trash. Upon discovery at this moment, they have just popped open the cork on a bottle of expensive-seeming champagne and, after sniffing its contents and wrinkling their nose, proceeds to dump that shit out on the grass.

This could be very tragic-seeming to boozehounds and liquor connoisseurs. If they are not stopped in their evil, they will then proceed to squat down and...and fill the bottle up with river water. Normal.

III | the planchette

One lucky winner of the gifting will find a planchette in a giftbox. Just the planchette - no game board, no instructions. It's fancy enough, but...what is it for?

Looking through its glass bubble will be a trip: The planchette can detect latent magical energies (which can manifest stronger or weaker depending on the wielder's affinity for magic) and detect ghosts (if any are nearby)! Freaky!

This is FCFS; just drop a comment here calling dibs and you can have it............and I can mark you as a target for Knife to jump later to get it back B] (we can plot it out for later here!)

IV | the wildcard

[free space! if there's something funny u wanna do set it up!

things Knife is doing/prioritizing: collecting free-seeming stuff, eating, scoping shelter (under bridges, alleys, the catacombs, empty rooms, etc)
they won't be near the busier/louder spaces

if there are cars, they might almost get hit by one; sideswipes are always a fun first encounter]

Edited 2025-04-25 20:32 (UTC)

>>Arrival

[By the time Jason arrives in the hospital, he's pretty sure that this is all one weird hallucination. Maybe Rachel's powers went awry again or maybe someone slipped him something in Aphaia. He spends as little time as possible in the hospital itself before venturing out onto the streets. There's green everywhere, which tells him that this isn't Gotham. Nothing green ever seemed to last long in Gotham.

He tugs his black hood up over his head and tries to make his way to somewhere quiet, somewhere he can get his bearings (and maybe avoid the other version of him).]

>>Birds of a Feather

[Of course while he's trying to avoid things does he run into weird giant birds. The first one that leans down to him gets a shove and he gets a peck to the head for his efforts.]

Ow, hey! What the fuck!

[The bird leans in again and Jason gives it another shove.]

Fuck off!

>>Gift Hunt

[Jason's journeying farther and farther from Etraya's center when of course there's something else in his way. Not in his way, specifically, but enough of a distraction that he groans. What is it with this fucking place?

He reaches up for the package, without any indication that it is safe to do so and pulls it down, glancing at the tag.]

From what?

— birds of a feather/gift hunt

( despite being brought to aphaia first, inara was quite relieved to realize that situation was only temporary and that there could be some level of peace and tranquility in the strangeness of etraya. while she was still a bit unnerved about being brought to this world without much warning and pulled from her own, in a way it left her wondering many things.

mostly—

did he even miss her? yet in quickness of everything there was very little time to truly think. all she could do was move forward and try to find her bearings here. what she wasn't expecting was to come across such strange birds and gifts scattered about but they were beautiful and delicate, easy to tame and approach. perhaps this distraction wasn't the worst.

so eventually she found herself seated by the river, eyeing a gift out in the middle of a lake. a blue bird had approached her, resting its head on her shoulder until the sounds of someone rustling nearby made it nervous and caused it to run off. )

Well that certainly lasted longer than I expected. It's a shame you had to scare it away....we were getting alone quite splendidly.

( she wasn't quite upset, but clearly she was working up to something here. if the gift in the middle of the river was any indication. )

— thrifting (all over etraya)

( the moment inara found out about the very strange and primitive bartering system used in this world, she almost felt a sigh of relief. she certainly had no qualms about the work she did given it granted her a large number of liberties and privileges but that left her with a whole new predicament.

she was brought here with nothing more than the clothes on her back and forced to start her life anew all over again. the first time had been quite difficult, banished from the companion house madrassa and forced to find a way to provide for herself with new clients and having to travel to them.

there would be no clients here, not for the foreseeable future at least but she needed things. she had grown used to the creature comforts that came with her lifestyle. the luxury tea set she used early in the mornings, the abundance of incense to tranquilize the mood in her shuttle, and the endless comfortable robes and jewelry she adorned for her work. while she could certainly live without the jewelry, she could not fair well without the clothes, tea, and endless books she had access to.

one thing at a time though and that's what brought inara all the way out to quiverfields after learning the layout of the land. she was thrifting and shopping in general, but clearly she needed help. so anyone who happened to be in the same vicinity whether at the roxx or any other of the many stores in etraya, she was immediately approaching them with a soft and friendly demeanor. )

Well I certainly wasn't expecting our gracious hosts to allow us the privilege to shop. I was nearly expecting them to have us run around in a uniform or at worst....naked like wild animals.

— wildcard

( opt-out/info | kept the prompts short this month as I'll be tagging out with inara and heather. feel free to hit me with a wildcard prompt or if you prefer a closed starter feel free to reach out to me. )

Edited 2025-04-25 22:13 (UTC)

1) arrival

[ he had said before that he wouldn't return here, but there were few choices presented before him, and this outcome feels selfish. shadow had said that he would return both him and maria home knowing what awaited them both, but maybe things could be different if he uses etraya as a medium to keep her alive while trying to save their world. it'd be like a second chance, maybe maria would live regardless.

or so he thought. ]

a) [ within the hospital, the hedgehog notes that he's come back alone, and that it must be the same for everyone. maria's not in good health, she needs someone to support her, and he wonders if arriving in a place like this is a cruel joke. what if she's bedridden, what if she's by herself, lost and confused and doesn't know what to do. he wastes no time moving from room to room, peeking inside, and even pushing open doors that are probably locked for a reason in search of her.

it's when he finds a robotic assistant that's moving throughout the hospital that shadow tries his luck there. unfortunately, luck has never been on his side, and as someone is passing by the door... luck is on their side as they barely miss this android slamming right into them, or maybe they're not on luck's side as it does slam into them.

either way, as the hedgehog walks out the room of where the robot previously was, and his attention on the person instead. ]

You're in my way.

b) [ no matter where he searches, he doesn't stumble upon her at all. that's when worry starts to sink in, maybe he's done something wrong, and maybe this is karma for his previous actions. his steps have turned into a run as he zips through the halls, papers flying off tables and various items crashing onto the floor.

he doesn't really care about the mess he's making once he finally reaches the lobby. zipping from one spot to another, it's hard to keep up with the hedgehog until he stops in place, head tilted forward with a fist under his chin in thought. as much as he hates it, the hedgehog will accost the first person that he sees, dashing forward at an unbelievable speed to cut them off from leaving. ]

You. [ this is the hardest thing to do in his life. ] A girl with blonde hair and blue eyes, where is she? [ it sounds almost accusing, but this is how he is, it's the most important question he could ask, and then against his better judgement with a groan. ] Or something that looks like me.

2) birds of a feather

[ it's been like this for the past few hours, one of those annoying chocobos has been following him nonstop now, even as he puts distance between him and it, and he's safe from it for maybe thirty minutes to an hour... the bird inevitably finds him again.

annoyed, the hedgehog stands there with a frustrated expression on his face as the chocobo walks over and snaps at him, trying to bite at one of his quills. he's quick to grab the bird's beak, holding it shut and then stretching his arm out so that it doesn't try again. it's the closest person he notices that he's giving them a task ]

This nuisance belongs to you.

[ it's not exactly tamed, but shadow has it's beak confined by his strength where it's unable to leave from out of his grip, no matter how much it flaps its wings. releasing the bird, its wings spread out, feathers fluttering everywhere as it stomps against the ground, and again trying to snap at shadow's quill. the hedgehog quickly dodges, dashing right behind the person he had just spoken to, and the smell of lavender fills the air with the hedgehog so close by. ]

3) wildcard

[ are there things you want to do with shadow the (meaner) hedgehog through plotting and planning, hit me through pms. do you have an idea already that you want to roll with, then hit me with what you got! as for the gift selection, if anyone wants to find this photograph and give it to him, or if there's anyone that wants him to find their gift and give it back, i can make a starter for it. ]

Birds of a Feather

By this point, traveling to and from Etraya periodically has lost a lot of the allure. The hospital is just a quick detour so she can score herself a cup of cocoa and a slice of coconut cake before seeing herself out.

Outside, she pauses for a moment to sip her cocoa and just take in the sight of the place she's called home for the past little while. It's a little hard to believe that it's been almost a year since she did this the first time.

She's approaching a deserted trolley stop, listening to the birds singing when she glances up in time to spot a large yellow bird that kind of makes her think of an ostrich crossed with an eagle. Puzzled, she stops and waves the cup of cocoa in an attempt to get the bird's attention. If nothing else, sneaking up on such a large bird seems like a terrible idea.

When it turns and looks at her, Chrissy smiles. "Hello, birdy. Where did you come from?"

Gift Hunt

There's something oddly satisfying about seeing how many gift boxes she can spot as she goes about her day. The egg hunt had always been one of her favorite parts about Easter when she was younger. It's probably the same for a lot of people.

This is definitely the first time she's taken part in a gift box hunt, though. The handful of ones she's spotted are all addressed to "You" rather than any one specific person, and there's no name or other indication of who they're from either.

Naturally, she's curious enough to open a couple. Her efforts are rewarded with a pair of thick, comfy looking socks and a bottle of cheap champagne. All in all, her haul could be a lot worse.

Etc.

[Feel free to catch Chrissy snooping around pretty much anywhere in search of more funny birds or gifts. I'm also open to someone finding the gift with her name on it or her finding someone else's. Her gift will likely be her copy of The Princess Bride from home.]

Arrival: Hospital

[The clinical smell of chemicals is nostalgic. Crane inhales and appreciates the antiseptic and disinfectant dominating his senses. Their odour makes him remember home. They remind him of power and control. They make him feel safe.

But is it his imagination or is he being followed?

Crane monitors the danger while occupying a table in the cafeteria: a dining table with a fantastic view beyond the window. He nurses his shot of espresso while monitoring the entrance, observing everyone who arrives and leaves.

Someone might want to lock him down before he can target others. Someone might notice him reading in silence. Someone else unfortunately has no other choice for a seat.]

Arrival: Poisoning Pigeons In The Park

[All his world had seemed in tune. The criminal swamp of a metropolis had been home, where but for the anxiety and constant rain, the sun had been bright and everything had seemed all right.

But now he is strolling outdoors, a stranger in a strange land, inhaling the scents of flora and enjoying the warmth of the sun.

Perhaps his arrival here is a boon. Perhaps he had become too comfortable.]

I think the loveliest time of the year is the spring, don’t you?

[Crane asks everyone who approaches the same question. His bright smile complements the warmth of spring but he enjoys their company for colder reasons. People see him coming but always swallow the poison he has to offer.]

Gifting: Pattern Recognition

[Crane has a deeply rooted suspicion of gifting because people always want something in return. Some people desire favours. Others hunger for his attention or affection. More crave his praise. What are the expectations of the individual offering him this present?

Their motivation for gifting others never comes to mind.

Crane unwraps his package and is favoured with an antique chess set. The impassive expression on his face nearly turns cold. He returns the pouch of pieces to their home inside the frame, closes the lid and gently slides it across the table.]

A - [Arrival] [CW: Suicidal ideation]
[White ceiling. The hospital ceiling that Shadow has been staring at since he was forcefully returned to Etraya. It's unknown how long he had been staring, but there was no sense of urgency to go anywhere from him. He can hear Aurora explaining what had happened, inquiring if he had any questions or something. He wasn't really paying attention. It was silence between him and the hologram, with only sounds out in the hallway filtering in. Eventually, Shadow decides he doesn't want to keep staring up at the dull ceiling and leave the room.

Whatever he had been doing prior on Aphaia has left his appearance rather disheveled. A few quills out of place, some grim and dirt. If one were to examine him more closely, there were also mysterious dark stains that blend into his fur. None of it seem to bother him as he wanders the halls, tuning out everything and anyone trying to get his attention. Why did he come here? The point of it all? It doesn't matter where he goes, what he does, what happens to him. Nothing matters.

He halts in front of a doorway. The room within isn't one of the rooms the guests would normally wake up in. It was a supply room. Equipments like scapels, needles, bandage rolls and cabinets full of medicine. Just about whatever the nurses, doctors or whomever would need in here to get themselves patched up.

...

He walks into the room, looking around, seeing where everything was, if there was anything in the medicine cabinets.]

OOC: I'm limiting characters who find him in the supply room to at most, two. In case it goes into darker territory. Catching him around the hospital does not have a limit who runs into him.

B - [Birds of a Feather]
[Upon leaving the hosptial, Shadow makes a beeline towards the outskirts of the city. At least somewhere with more cover and less foot traffic, a forest. It's quiet, someplace he won't be easily bothered. If one travels further in, one can spot signs of where he's been. Uneven earth, turned over trees, rocks that have been split apart. The reason for this becomes clear when they can find Shadow. He keeps rolling up into a ball and smashing into things. Sometimes he hits something, sometimes he misses his target entirely. Sometimes he just tumbles out of formation before hitting anything. Might be confusing why this furball is trying to spin around as a ball, but that's what he's practicing to do.

---

When he's done and over with the ball games, he's resting down by a lake. He won't be alone, but the company is not a bother to him. Chocobos! Of the blue and brown kind are wandering around, playing in the water, eating some greens, seemingly unbothered by Shadow's presence. Likely because he's leaving them be. The only time he interacts with them is when they came up to him. At first, there would be a standoff, but both sides eventually learn neither actually want to start a fight and just tolerate each other's presence. The brown ones at least are good at signaling danger, or when someone is approaching. At that point, Shadow is getting up to confront whomever or hiding himself to see who is coming.]

C - [Wildcard]
[You can hit me up at

noletters, PM or Game discord if you got something else you want to do with the fluffy Shadow. I will say fighting the Red Chocobo and getting his personal gift have already been called for.]

I. Birds of a Feather/Gift Hunt - NETWORK video, un: strife

[The video opens on a chocobo chick that might look a little weird to people who have seen them from other worlds, but is still clearly a young chocobo. Anyone who's seen Cloud around Etraya since the eggs hatched has probably seen him with this lil guy at least once or twice.

After a few seconds of the camera adjusting, Cloud walks into frame. The chick does a happy little dance about it, and Cloud pats it with a slight smile before focusing on the camera.]

Hey. Cloud here. Figure most of you probably aren't too familiar with the big, flightless birds showing up everywhere, but I grew up with 'em. They're chocobos and they make great mounts for riding and racing. The different colored breeds have different specialties and abilities. If you wanna learn how to tame, handle, and take care of 'em, could do a lot worse than Gaia's own chocobo racing champion. Drop me a line or come by apartment 707 and we'll talk compensation.

[There might not be any gil in this place, but he's a merc, dammit. Even if he makes thinly veiled exceptions all the time and only pretends to be a hardass about it. Who knows, maybe he'd accept random gifts you've found lying around as payment?

Then the chocobo chick cheeps and runs off-camera, only to come back pushing an already unwrapped gift box onto the scene.]

Oh, right. I also found this "hidden" behind the cat tree in my apartment.

[He tips the box to show its contents to the viewers.]

Looks like it might belong to somebody, so if it's yours, let me know.

II. Wildcard - ACTION

Cloud can be found driving his motorcycle around Etraya, interacting with chocobos in various ways, doing odd jobs for people (including fighting dangerous creatures and whatnot), looking for sparring partners, checking on the Sector 5 church, accompanying Rufus Shinra somewhere as his bodyguard, or otherwise keeping busy as best he can. He is available for giving people rides to places and making deliveries, as well.

[OOC: for the network prompt, I left the size and contents of the gift vague so it can be a prompt for multiple people in that fudged, timey-wimey way - so if you want Cloud to have found your gift, you can specify what it is in your reply!]

Edited 2025-04-26 05:46 (UTC)

⏵ Arrival ⏴

[The shabby-looking Max Rockatansky is not a new arrival. He's a handful of months into his stay in Etraya, in fact — and when you throw Solmara into the mix, he's been around another year more than that, too. He's not particularly friendly looking as new people filter through the lobby, with the month-old scruff on his face, a rifle on his back, a handgun holstered on his thigh... and an ever vigilant, hyperaware look in his eye. You'd think there was a looming threat on the horizon with the way his eyes dart to land on new faces as they pass. It's as if he's looking for... someone. Something in the new visitors. Perhaps... familiar faces? Someone from a place that isn't home, isn't from this city.

People newly arriving wouldn't know why.

He's not actually here to only monitor the new arrivals, though. At some point he vanishes into the hall and reappears with a small paper bag in his hand; inside the bag, the telltale sound of pills rattle around in their bottle. He doesn't appear to have much intention to welcome anyone around him. He just stacks a bunch of bagels together and walks off with them toward the exit.

But feel free to nudge him into giving you any kind of information he might have anyway.

It's what he gets from trying to steal all of your bagels.]

⏵ Birds of a Feather ⏴

[The 'chocobo' thing is pretty interesting. Max has seen his fair share of wildlife between Solmara and Etraya, but ridable birds of this size weren't among the bestiary here or back home that he often avoided (unless he was hungry). The brown skittish ones seem a lot smarter than the yellow ones, because the latter approaches pretty quickly when he holds up one of those half-eaten bagels.

Thoughtfully, as the bird pokes its beak at the offering:]

... Wonder if they taste good.

[Do not let him eat the chocobos.]

⏵ Gift Hunt ⏴

[He makes good on his usual avoidance of anyone and everyone whose name doesn't begin with F and end with uriosa. For the most part. The last mission had taken a lot out of him — he's only a normal, unpowered human being, after all, with no magic in his world to speak of — and he frankly would prefer to eat, doze, and survey multiple city points to look for any disconcerting signs of trouble.

The trouble he ends up saddled with is social interaction, turns out.

He is at Furiosa's apartment when the first gift box shows up.

He smacks away the first one with a stick, rattling around something inside (and potentially breaking it) in the process. Nothing dangerous happens after this. He also throws one out of the window at one point too, when he's not sure how it ended up on the window pane. That one definitely broke after it tumbled onto the cement below.

But then, things kind of piece together. Names are written on there.

These are presents to other people being unceremoniously left in his care by some horrible being that he would very much like to hit upside the head with a club. After a long wait (and a potential nudging to just be social for five minutes to return people's small treasures), he grumbles to himself and proceeds to swiftly seek out the person who the gift belongs to.

It probably goes a little something like this:]

Mmm. This yours?

[Followed him thrusting the small present box at the person in question.

There is a 10% chance your item was the one that fell out of the window.

Hopefully it's not broken.]

⏵ Wildcard ⏴

[You know the rules; hit me with something not listed above! Please keep in mind Max's permissions and that he may at times have hallucinations or behaviors that align with someone who has long-persisting PTSD from a pretty tough survivalist life. I'll keep it low-key for the most part, but if any of that worries you please hit me up and let me know you'd like to avoid that side of his character!]

Edited 2025-04-26 07:37 (UTC)

I. Birds of a Feather
[ Chocobos are hardly foreign to Dion, though he has never concerned himself with catching one. That isn't necessarily changing on this day. At least, it's not his intention. Rather, he can be found seated on a small hill overlooking the position of several brown chocobos and their more colorful leader as they hover around a small parcel festooned with ribbons.

By all accounts, Dion is observing. That box down there must be intended for someone, but he knows well enough that rushing in is liable to start an altercation, and wounding the poor birds isn't something he wants to add to his tally of causes for guilt.

When someone tries to pass him, his halberd swings out to bar their path. It will not harm them, but the startling part may be that he doesn't have to look away from the birds to manage this. ]

Hold a moment. They're the skittish sort.

[ Sure, there's courting them with greens, but a quartet of chocobos doesn't make that a tidy solution. ]

II. Gift Hunt
[ It hasn't occurred to Dion that any of these gifts peppered throughout wilds and urban areas alike are going to be for him. He simply doesn't entertain the thought of it, but he does make the connection that some of these items are unique among the bunch and therefore must be intended for a specific recipient. Unaccustomed to the concept of the network as Dion is, he goes about this the old fashioned way.

So it is that Dion will march right up to someone and simply ask outright, proferring whatever box he has at the time. ]

Have you any idea who this would belong to?

[ Nothing wrong with the direct approach, right? ]

III. Tea Break
[ When Dion has had his fill of doing the non-existent Etrayan postal service proud, Dion's travels bring him to one of the local cafes. Everything about this place far outstrips his world in terms of technological innovation, at least in the current era, and this building is no exception.

Rather than step right up and place an order, Dion takes the time to peer around the counter at the machinery like some tourist having sighted a local attraction. He's never seen the like of these gadgets before, he can't help that he's curious... Though he may or may not be holding up the line. ]

IV. Wildcard + Personal Item
[ ooc: Have other ideas for Dion here? Feel free to throw down a wildcard starter. Someone is welcome to find his personal item, which is a purple flower native to his world, but I ask that this find its way to him. ]

A. Arrival

[ Amy doesn't expect to wake up back in the hospital again, but that's suddenly where she finds herself, blinking as if waking up again and staring up at a white ceiling. At least she has a better idea of what to expect this time, talking a bit longer with Aurora to answer some of the questions she hadn't been able to ask last time, not that the answers really help all that much this time around either.

Regardless, once she's satisfied with the information Aurora's given (or at least, she's sure that the AI isn't going to give her anything else that was useful), Amy makes her way to the hospital lobby. Seeing the food spread out on the tables has her stomach growling, and suddenly realizing that she isn't sure when she'd even last ate, she fills a plate with a few baked goods and grabs a cup of hot chocolate.

Because wow does she need something warm and comforting right now. ]

B. Birds of a Feather

Awww...! You're so cute!

[ Is the sight of a pink, talking hedgehog snuggling up to one of the yellow Chocobo a strange sight? Depends on what you're used to, really, but regardless that is the scene that one might come across, as the Chocobo nuzzles its head against Amy, who responds in kind. ]

Aren't you so sweet! [ Both Amy and the Chocobo glance up as a few more pass by, though none of the other Chocobo seem bothered by Amy's presence. ] Wow, there are a lot of you guys, huh?

C. Gift Hunt

Heads up!

[ The voice seems to be coming from above somewhere, and whoever might look up will see Amy high up in one of the trees, holding a small wrapped box in one hand. She waves down below at her fellow Etrayan, before jumping from the branches, flipping around in the air a few times before landing squarely on her feet, as if she hadn't just leapt from several feet up in the air. ]

Sorry about that! Just wanted to give you warning so I didn't scare or land on you or anything. [ With a smile, she then focuses on the box in her hand, unwrapping it and opening the lid. Then she frowns and sighs softly. ]

Nope, not this one. [ Glancing at the nearby figure, she holds up the box for them to look into. ] Maybe it's yours?

D. Wildcard

(( Want to do something else with Amy? Go for it, or hit me up at usamichan13 to plot something! ))

A. Cats and Canaries

So, Sleeper was definitely interested in the new giant birds. Of course, they had certain feline inclinations to lean into, which might have lead to a bit of a mishap. They'd known better than to go after the chicks, but a lone chocobo as just asking for it, right?

Well, they hadn't quite realized the rest of the flock was only a wark away. The result is one cat at one end of a field with the distressed chocobos at the other end. And several adult-sized chocobo feathers stuck to the somewhat chagrinned-looking feline.

At least until they realize they have an audience. Then they put on an air of utter intention that belies the lack of full belly.

"What? They just look so tasty! Think they taste like chicken?"

Seriously. Cats are expected to have certain priorities. Maybe next time they'll be successful.

B. Venom-Horse better watch out, it's Sleeper-Chocobo!

The quest to eat one of the giant, squawky birds has been put aside for now in favor of befriending one to take it on a very important mission. Luckily for Sleeper, all it takes is a few of the weird veggies and the chocobo is ripe for the taking.

So they don't normally go in for taking a host, but these guys can really run. And Venom can't get to be all the fun animals, right? Now the yellow chocobo is inky black with red eyes, beak and talons, and some yellow accent feathers here and there. It's a look, but Sleeper has an image to keep up.

"So, how do we look?"

C. Presents

The boxes are interesting, but Sleeper in their usual form lacks the type of appendages needed to actually do much with the boxes. Sure, they could play Lassie, grow tentacles, or even shift to their more humanoid appearance, but all of those things seem like work. A four-letter word Sleeper is rather opposed to.

Instead of trying to match boxes with owners, they instead looked for the perfect-sized box. Knocking it over and batting out whatever the gift inside was without a care for who it was intended for, Sleeper opts to perform a perfect "I fits, I sits" meme in their new nap spot. With an overly dramatic yawn, they glance at the person nearby.

"Take a picture, it will last longer."

D. Dealer's Choice

[None of these prompts strike your fancy? Want to meet the cat in a different situation, hit me up! I am available for plotting via lurking on discord or on plurk (

Bugly42) or just give me a starter. I'm very flexible. No chocobos were harmed in the making of this post, although you're welcome to have seen the cat go liquid and ooze over their new host.]

:BIRDS ARE WARKING:

[ Henry had never seen birds quite like this, and they resembled birds but also horses; honestly they were the cutest and coolest creatures he'd seen in a very long time, second only to short little pug-faced hooded creatures from a space-opera fantasy movie series that he could not for the life of himself remember the name to. And there were many different colours too, the sort of colours that were almost like a rainbow.

He quite liked that.

The blue ones were perhaps the ones that fascinated him the most. He came across them as he was heading to one of the swimming areas to make sure that he was maintaining some semblance of a fitness regime-- at his approach they flapped their wings in a way that was 'somewhat' wary? He dipped his toes in the water and decided to give them a wide berth. They resumed their very important blue chocobo routine and he resumed his though a few after having observed him for the space of a half hour was attempting to drift by closer.

Maybe he resembled a yellow chocobo with the way that his blonde hair was sticking up a'la Cloud. Soon they were gliding through the waters and floating alongside Prince Henry; he was not disappointed at all, they were actually pretty pleasant and relaxing to be around. And it was almost like they understood each other, that strange sort of companionship that two introverts could mutually agree upon. There was the sound of running and then Henry attempted to warn whoever by straightening up in the waters and calling out ] Do not scare the Blue Birds, it took me forever to come to a peace with them.

[ Oh, he hope he called out in time-- the birds have already flapped their wings in a gesture meant as part warning and part retreat. ]

:GIFT-HUNTING:

As far as the eye could see there were gift boxes like how one saw in moves; boxes that were big-- some were small, some were even gift bags with bright colourful bows festooning down from the pinched top. It was like Christmas, and as he glanced around he could see that there were many people were out and about searching for gifts. There was someone a distance away who took the top off of a waist high gift box to lean in and tug out a potted plant, another had found a bag of M&Ms that seemed to be have been rebranded for this world.

He had never really had a whole lot of excitement for holidays; his father had made it enjoyable and so when he had passed away-- the entire thought of them had been something to get through as opposed to an enjoyable time with family. It was enough that him and Bea had retreated to the kitchens to have a cheese toastie feast. Next to them, there were some others who were assiduously searching. ]

Would you care for a partner in the hunt?

WILD CARD

Hello everyone, I am Nia (zauberdecke) and I'm ready to get into the heart of Etraya! This Prince is friendly but definitely an introvert, which is me going "please harass him in the best possible way". He is willing to help people with anything, including hunt for their special treasures and/or attempting to make friends with the local chocobos.

(While he is not a big FF person, I am)

Feel free to choose one of the above prompts or toss me something new, I am just excited to be here! I also kept the prompts to a small margin because I want to tag out some interesting people as well!

⏵ Arrival ⏴ (Peter Parker)

[Peter figures it would be in his best interest to get out there and meet the new people, especially when he's made the very unnecessary choice to keep an eye out for people and make sure they've got moral support. Or, uh, literal support, if that's something they may genuinely need. Point is, he's here at the hospital lobby, with less sweet options — paninis and toasted bagels, wrapped carefully in brown paper bags.]

Hey! Welcome to Etraya. Sorry you're here. I mean, unless home wasn't so great... then just — welcome! I'm Peter, and I'm here to help with anything you need. If you need to know where to go, or you've got questions that Aurora didn't answer... or if you just ignored Aurora completely and came out here... Anyway. Bagel? It's an 'everything bagel' from the cafe...

[Sorry, he's worse at this than he thought he'd be; he's gonna just ramble.

One may also notice the other tray of baked goods he brought. Very, very dark brown chocolate chip cookies. Any glance toward them will immediately make him wince.]

Ummmm — don't. You don't have to touch those ones. In fact, just ignore those. They were an attempt to...

...

They were an attempt.

[He baked them himself. Burned most of them, actually. It's fine.]

⏵ Birds of a Feather ⏴ (Spider-Man)

Ooooh, man. Okayokayokay, don't panic!

[The sound of Spider-Man's voice (which sounds like the emotional equivalent of a man biting his nails in worry) is punctuate by the very muffled WARK WARK sounds of a chocobo. Anyone who decides to follow the sounds of distress will find an... interesting sight: a young man in a blue and red superhero onesie, hovering worriedly over a chocobo whose head is in the ground.

Or rather, a chocobo with very few braincells who decided to explore a large gopher hole and has now gotten itself extremely stuck. Spider-Man had heard the poor thing's cries from a distance away and had only just landed to offer his assistance.]

Alright, buddy — we've totally got this under control-!

[He narrowly avoids the large bird's foot as it kicks out in a blind panic.]

⏵ Gift Hunt ⏴ (Spider-Man or Peter Parker)

[Operation: relocate the gifts.

Outside of the suit, Peter had started noticing the strange little boxes showing up in the weirdest places. One in an empty bowl in an alley, with a feral cat pawing at the obstruction in their dish. Another was in Kwik Mart, stuffed under some party favors that clearly say they're for the year 2136. The weirdest location was definitely the one behind the glass at the cafe, where the gift was saddled between nice-smelling doughnuts.

Anyway. He's gonna just collect these and start looking for the people they're associated with.

Some of them will have to ultimately be found by Spider-Man — in fact, he pokes his head out from the roof of the hospital and holds up a nicely-wrapped box for all to witness.]

Heeeey! Are you missing one of these?!

⏵ Wildcard ⏴

[I'm game for wildcards! And if anyone would like to find one of Peter's gifts, please let me know; his primary gift is a framed photo of him and Tony Stark, which he will be muy happy to receive. ♥ But also down for him to get a gift of something super random like socks or a single test tube or something like that. Hit me up at plurk if you wanna plot it at

simpledog.]

⏵ Arrival... (ft. chickens) ⏴

You're new.

[Laura says it to the nearest new arrival, of course. That is, if she's never had the chance to meet them just yet. But her 'welcome wagon' is not quite the average welcome wagon — she's actually in the middle of pulling a small red wagon down the street, just outside of the hospital doors. In the back of of it, two brown chickens are nesting comfortably in a thick pile of straw she'd put into it. And under one of her arms, she's holding another chicken of a more cream-colored variety.

Laura lets go of the handle to her wagon to push her glasses up on her face. Assessing them in the same methodical way you'd imagine a metal detector looks for any trace of dangerous metal. Despite the bombastic side-eye, she casually goes back to picking up the handle of the wagon.]

Did you go to Aphaia, too?

[Of course, if you already know her, feel free to approach anyway. She always appreciates new and old company to keep, even during... whatever it is she's currently up to.

... She may or may not have stolen a few of Eddie Brock's chickens out of his petting zoo for a small field trip. One of these alleged bird-shaped students lets out a lovely clucking noise, but are otherwise shockingly tame in her company.]

⏵ Everything Else / Wildcard ⏴

[This is but a small snippet of her daily activities, so feel free to find her lingering outside of the little deli shop Maria and Heather work in, or one of the many trees that are scattered across Etraya. She enjoys people watching when she's not chicken babysitting, as it just so turns out. She takes the time to quietly enter the library that Accelerator had told her about, which she is particularly excited about, because books have been a surprisingly pleasant escape these days. When she's not there, she's even possibly working on a drawing done in chalk on one of the many sidewalks in town.

On closer inspection, it seems she's drawing childishly simple portraits of different people present in Etraya.

She's very pleased with herself.]

I
[Arrival is a strange experience.

Her time in Aphaia had been… stressful, to say the least. Learning of a world that Claudia could not save, no matter how desperately she wished, had been something of a nightmare. She doesn’t think the people of the world saw it that way, as committed as they were to drag each other down into oblivion. But it still left her shaken, to see how little life was valued.

Without the ticking clock, she speaks for a while with Aurora, if only to confirm what Alessa told her upon their meeting.

That all worlds are in danger.

And she remembers what Vincent told her, too.]

This world… it’s so full of life.

[Her duties as high priestess meant she never had a chance to truly enjoy downtown. She sits on a bench, content for the moment just to take in the sights.]

II
[The strange birds are hard not to notice for Claudia, whose exposure to large wildlife and animals in general is relegated to animals like horses and deer. She isn’t even entirely certain what to call such creatures, but it’s only after spending some time outside, marveling at how, well… alive Etraya seems to be, compared to the last world she was in, that she comes across a particularly enormous specimen.

It's nearly twice as tall as her, preening at its golden yellow plumage, apparently oblivious to her presence.

Despite the fact that the creature’s clawed feet are bigger than her head, she’s stuck by the desire to reach out and touch it. It seems gentle enough, though that beak does make her wonder if perhaps it eats meat.

Anyone nearby will earn a question from her with a very quiet voice.]

Do you think it’s dangerous?

III for Vincent
[Presents for her, so soon after arriving at the Etraya base she learned about? Claudia isn’t certain what to make of it. The Order doesn’t believe in material possessions. She owns very little; she doesn’t even own a pair of shoes. As a priestess, she doesn’t wear them.

But she does at least open the letter gifted to her curiously… before making a face.

No, this does not belong to her. It doesn’t technically belong to Vincent, either, but she doesn’t want it in her possession. Despite not seeing him since he gave up his hearing to tell her about the state of their world, she still tracks him down.]

I believe I was given something meant for you by mistake.

[She hands him the “letter”.

Despite their many disagreements, she doesn’t gloat about it being a formal complaint against his conduct. Claudia doesn’t entirely care, truthfully.]

IV
(wildcard! come up with your own prompt)

hungry chocobos ;
[ Curious and always eager to learn about local flora and fauna, Ororo had picked up an armful of the leafy greens with the intention of figuring out if they could re-plant them somewhere around the Institute grounds. She used to keep a greenhouse, and maybe she could do that again some time soon. They couldn't always rely on the "always free" food and items in town, could they? "Teach a man to fish," and all that.

But some yellow chocobos have come closer, curious about the vegetables in her basket, and she returns the level look they seem to give her. She doesn't feel like she's in danger, but... one could never quite tell!

Ororo slowly offers a leaf, mindful of that great big beak and how quick it might move. ]

I do not mind sharing, you know. But I would rather have all my fingers intact after you take these, please.

Gifts to Keep or to Return to Owner ;
[ Ororo totally ignores all the gift boxes. She's been in enough wild simulation runs and not-simulation runs done by the likes of Mojo and Arcade and Viper to know better. But somewhere out there, there will be some gift boxes with earrings: some lightning bolts, some hoops, and maybe one or two pairs of ornamental gold with a splash of color. Feel free to keep them, or give to a friend!

But if a pair of very large lightning bolt earpieces show up, gold and very flashy, they may or may not be engraved with Storm or House of J. Carnation on the inside. ]

drinks 🍻 ;
[ Being back is a lot, and the institute being so full now is also a lot. When Ororo finds it too crowded and too full, she finds herself stealing away into the familiar brews at Harry's Hideaway. The beer always seemed to be a brew that someone else liked, but that's how she likes it too. It was a nice way to unwind after a long day, loosening her thoughts and remembering people who may not be around... But the memory of them always made for very good company. ]

Edited 2025-04-27 02:46 (UTC)

Birds of a Feather (in-person)

[It was on her way out of the bookstore that Mayuko first noticed the new avian arrivals. The way over, she had been concentrating on her route: following the red-route trolley tracks eastward and using them to cross the rivers between the islands while watching out for the cart itself. But now, books acquired, she was at leisure to survey the surroundings.

It was the sounds that carried over the wind that made her pause. Kweh? Wark? It took her back to years ago on another world, when there had been a small barn with big birds housed within. A scent on the breeze only confirms her suspicions--chocobos can't help their aroma. Anyone is the vicinity is free to follow her as she drops her bag of books and follows the noises to a pair of green chocobos in a grassy field.]

Oh... I can't believe it. I'm not seeing things, right? There're really chocobos out there?

[She might be crying. Just a little bit.]

Birds of a Feather (network, text; un: tsundoku)

okay, did someone requisition a chocobo mega-ranch over the last few days? or is this Aurora's doing? because there are a ton of birds out there, along with the greens they like. it'll be nice if they stick around....

Gift Gacha

[In the course of chocobo watching over the next few days, Mayuko has stumbled across a trove of gift boxes. Rather than open them all herself, she recalls a game she played with a merchant alien.

She sets up a table with the help of a companion bot, over her Santa-sack of gifts. The sign taped in front reads:

GIFT SWAP! TRY YOUR LUCK!
1. Bring unopened gift box and reveal contents
2. Watch as two other gift boxes are opened
3. Keep your original prize OR swap for one of the new prizes!

Mayuko's stash seems to be mostly smaller boxes, with only a few medium ones. The question is: Do you feel lucky?]

Wildcard/Gacha Note
[ooc: Feel free to toss wildcard starters my way--just no harming the chocobos! Also for the gacha, I have a ~selection~ of d100-generated things BUT if you would like your character to find their personalized gift, please do let me know! My plurk is librarydragons, I am in the Discord, or at a pinch you can PM the welcome_summer journal. I'm happy to work it in.]

Chocobos

[Rufus can't remember the last time he's seen a chocobo in person in years, but one of the yellow ones decided that they would be friends, whether Rufus wanted to or not, moving in almost instantly once Cloud had left him.

The bird bumps its head against his shoulder again, more forcefully, trying to nudge him into accepting this new friendship for a reason Rufus honestly couldn't understand.

The last time he remembers seeing a chocobo in person was when he was a child - he remembers it nipping at his hand and when he pulled back with a wince of pain his father had laughed, chiding him for being ridiculous and childish.

But there is no hesitation as he lets out a sigh, finally letting the chocobo close enough so he can reach up to scratch the side of its neck.]

If you insist on being friends, you'll need a proper name.

[The bird nudges him affectionately before flapping its wings, startled by someone else approaching.]

I don't suppose you're good at coming up with names. Something suitable for a troublesome bird.

Wild gift hunt

[No matter how Rufus tries to discourage the bird- now affectionately named Cloud Jr- from following him around, the chocobo is not only glued by his side but seems to be eager to nudge him along in a seemingly random direction.]

Alright, we're going your way then. [It was easier to go along with the chocobo at this point, and letting a large bird decide where they were going wasn't even remotely near the top of the list of most ridiculous places things he's done in his life.

But it seems the gamble pays off when the bird excitedly starts nudging Rufus even more as they come upon a wrapped box. There is no name on it other than the 'with love' note, no indication of who it belongs to.]

I don't suppose this is yours?

[What's in the gift? Who only know where it's something if his or if he's stumbled upon a gift intended for someone else.]

Wildcard

[Want to plot something else? Hit me up and we can come up with something]

Birds of a Feather

[ Of all the weirdness that this place likes to pull, getting surrounded by large, misshapen chicken-things is far from the worst that’s been inflicted lately. Even so, Carver has no desire to interact with the damn things. Maybe he’ll hunt one down and make it lunch later on, but he’s not in the mood right now.

Unfortunately, a group of green ones have decided to follow him on his morning run and shouting at the damn things has not deterred them at all.

He rounds a corner and skids to a stop, considering his options. ]

I will eat you fuckers, go away!

Gift Hunt — Closed to John

[ somewhere, somehow, there’s a box tucked away in a nest with a photograph inside. A battered little polaroid depicting a woman with reddish hair and a boy around six years old, both of them smiling at the camera. There’s nothing written on the back, no indication of who either of them are except for the recipient’s name on the gift tag: Brandon Carver.

He’s not in the photograph. But he took it, years and years ago. ]

Wildcard

[ Hit me up at

mirrorfaded if you’re in the mood for something else. ]

Birds of a Feather

[Those were big birds! That they came in different colours wasn't a surprise, and he had mostly observed them at first, marveling at them. Then he had spotted people trying to feed them and even tame them, and Vander was curious enough to inquire to the specific food types. Plants were varied and lush here, which was vastly different from his own home after all.

He stared at the green in his hand, turning it over. It didn't look like much, and he went so far as to sniff it as if some particular odor might be an attractant. Nope, smelled earthy and fresh?]

Okay and you just hold out your hand and offer it to them? They'll actually take it and maybe let you touch it?

[He sounded skeptical, glancing to the side at the unfortunate person who had been roped into this situation with him. Pets were luxury that most in Zaun couldn't have, yet it was important. They tended to be cats, dogs and rodents though.]

I've never tried to tame a bird before. Are we sure this is safe?

Gift Hunt
Giving

[Vander had made a point to pick up any gifts that he happened to find around town on his usual rounds. He had a cross-body sack by the time it became apparent that there were plenty of gifts that needed people to be found. It was like a scavenger hunt but for people, and he considered it an excellent way to strike up conversation with random strangers that might otherwise consider it odd.

Between collecting giftboxes, examining the name on it, he walked around town to people he didn't happen to yet know and held up a hand in greeting.]

You wouldn't happen to still be needing the location of your gift, would you? I've found some around town and might be able to assist.

Receiving

[He had been keeping his eye out for names that he recognized so that he could deliver them to the appropriate person. He had a vague thought that there was likely a gift for him, though the select items that would fit into a small box were few. He did long for little trinkets from home, of course, because who wouldn't? He was also uncomfortable with what it might be too.

So when he spotted someone who had more than one package in their grip, he approached them to inquire with a list of names of people who he considered important and he could direct them to the appropriate person.]

Say, friend, you know who those are to be delivered to? Oh. [He spotted a name amid some of the others.] That one seems to be for me. Are you going to make me work for it? [What was it? Who was it from? Was he about to make a scene in the streets?]

Rocky's Barcade

[Vander had delayed asking for a bar job, but now that Jinx had forced his hand, he was pleased that she did. It felt familiar and comforting to be behind a bar again, even if it wasn't his own. For months, he had been on the other side ordering and consuming drinks, not making them for customers. It was like slipping into a pair of well-worn, familiar boots again.

He was wiping the bar with a cloth to keep it clean and remove any spills or staining, smiling at every patron who entered the place. He made a point to lean his forearms on the bar and chat up people who came in to make inquiries of the place whether it was recommendation of a drink or about the arcade in the basement area.

He moved out from behind the bar to collect pitchers, glasses and plates to. Between wiping tables, he approached tables where people's drinks appeared to be on the low side.]

You folks need anything?

➤ birds of a feather.

[ the mission in aphaia comes to an end and in an instant they are back in etraya's hospital. it was something which octavia kind of had some mixed feelings about but she knew that they couldn't overstay their welcome there given the circumstances of the world dying and all that.

she can be found making a brief stop in the lobby picking up some of the various baked goods from the party table into her bag to take on the go. not long after, she ventures out of the hospital and immediately heads on her way back to the dropship camp mostly because she lives there and also she was eager to check in on helios especially after how long they'd been gone on the mission. at some point, she spots a couple of ( insert color of your choice ) chocobo up ahead right along the path she was going. she has never seen or read about anything like them so it was a new sight. she can't help but watch from a distant while addressing whoever happens to be there with her] Those birds are new. You think they're friendly?

➤ gift hunt.

[ it feels like deja vu because the last time there were gifts packages scattered throughout etraya in this type of fashion for anyone to find, they were linked to secrets to match to a person. it was just over a year ago that happened but octavia is still a little wary.

a. there definitely isn't any shortage of gifts to be found so when octavia happens to pick one up, she can be see examining the box with the cryptic label. she doesn't really have much in terms of material items but she tears up the wrapping and opens it up in the of chance it would have something she would recognize, it doesn't really occur to her the box could just as contain generic items that are intended for anyone. if you happen to pass by, she doesn't hesitate to call out] Hey! Is this yours? Do you recognize any of this stuff?

b. alternatively maybe you have something she recognizes or she is just being nosey and wants to see what other people have ended up, either way she approaches without much preamble ] What did you get?

➤ wildcard.

[choose your own adventure! octavia can be found anywhere so if you're feeling something else other than the prompts, i am absolutely open to plotting out something else or want a closed starter, feel free to hit me up through pm or plurk! for the gifts, she is getting a copy of the iliad that belonged to her brother. let me know if you want her to have found yours or just roll with something generic!]

Edited 2025-04-27 19:40 (UTC)

[ By the time Fio returns to Etraya, she's changed out from her old white thin tattered dress to something more high quality, but also in white once again (which will quickly get dirty once she goes out exploring.) It's simple and as close as she can get to feeling like "herself." Plus a pair of boots to walk around more comfortably, hopefully. The only old accessory she hasn't bothered to switch out is her black collar and cuffs. One accessory that sticks out like a sore thumb is a pair of expensive-looking red and black flowery hair clips in her hair that she was given while in Aphaia. It doesn't quite match with the rest of her, like she's not sure how to dress... ]

I. flowers

a. [ In the middle of a grassy area, Fio kneels down before a bed of wildflowers. She doesn't have all the proper materials for flower cutting and pressing. A knife would be easier to cut the stems, but the only tools she has are her hands and a heavy book from the library. So, she uses her fingers to clip the flower off, tucks it into a book, and stuffs it into her supply bag. She's not sure of the flower names, so she makes a mental note to try finding an encyclopedia when she's finished. If only she had thought of that earlier, but she can always go back.

She does not pick too many, only picking about one or two, and moves on to search for different flowers. ]

b. [ A handful of green chocobos linger by the trees. Some perched up in the branches. Though initially wary of Fio's presence, the birds have learned the child is no threat after observing the girl remain preoccupied with the colorful flowers. While they mostly mind their business, they keep a protective eye out like watching their own chick. Anyone approaching her could potentially be mistaken as danger... ]

II. library

[ Fio feels fortunate to have discovered the library shortly after her arrival. It's most likely going to be one of her favorite places to be spending time at for the duration of her stay in Etraya. When she isn't outside, poking through the dirt and petting large birds, she can be found tucked away in a quiet corner of the library. She keeps the area around her tidy, a neat stack of finished picture books in one pile and ones that she has yet to start reading in a second pile.

One might find her reading silently, completely engrossed in a story or admiring the illustrations. She's careful not to be too loud, moving her lips to mouth out the more difficult words on the pages. Or she can be found fast asleep on the floor, drooling on one of the pages...

On some days, she might be curled up, napping underneath a cape... ]

III. network/audio (un: fio)

[ This must be what Lars meant when it's usually peaceful. She's been wondering how else she can prove her worth, to save her world and everyone else's. Back when she had to protect the Cage, there was always a sense of urgency and she was almost always on her feet. It's jarring that she has a moment of respite, while knowing more worlds are bound to be destroyed like Aphaia. She's been enjoying her moment of rest, but she wonders in what other ways she can be helpful. ]

Um... hi everyone! My name is Fio and I'm new to Etraya.

[ She doesn't think about how anyone would react to a very young voice speaking over the network. She opts to use audio, because it's easiest. Her typing still needs practice. While she's been given a walkthrough on how to use it by one of the companion bots, she needs more time getting used to the technology. ]

I wanna know more about what the other missions are like and I wanna know what I can do to be better prepared, so I can help everyone. Thank you.

wildcard

[ I'll try to work with whatever you toss at me and feel free to change up the prompts to better suit your needs. If you're not sure, you can PM me or leave me a message on my ooc intro post. I'd say Fio mostly sticks around near the apartments/library area for now, but can wander off anywhere distracted by flowers, gift boxes, or giant birds. ]

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