etrayalogs | JUNE MINGLE.

WHO: Everyone!
WHEN: Late June into Early July
WHERE: On Etraya
WHAT: A mingle log!
NOTES\WARNINGS: N/A, please note any needed warnings in threads.

⏵ arrival ⏴
Maybe your arrival goes as anticipated. Characters awaken in the pristine, new hospital, greeted by Aurora and potentially getting a rundown of what's happening depending on their approach to being dropped somewhere new. The door to their room opens, and new arrivals are left free to explore their new environment.

Or perhaps you started in space. Perhaps you were stuck on a space station, trying to escape a black hole for who knows how long. Time isn't consistent there, not like it's meant to be.

And then you're here. Maybe you stepped foot into an odd hallway, which broke off into an escape pod which promptly disappeared entirely and ended up docking on the Southeast part of the city. Perhaps you had been walking through the hallways when suddenly you felt a pull. A tugging sensation in your gut, moments before the floor dropped away and the air was stolen from your lungs. It almost, almost feels like dying - like drowning but without the water. Stars flash before your eyes, and a warm sensation begins spreading from that tug. Right when it feels like it's beginning to get too hot, you're suddenly too cold.

And standing in front of Corrine's Cafe, drenched in fluid that's a little too gooey (don't put it in your mouth, Connor) to be considered water. Maybe don't think about that too hard.

A few companion bots swarm the area before long, bringing towels and apologies for newcomers. This isn't how you're meant to arrive, but at least they got you off that ship! They'll hand over an earpiece, but rather than earpieces that are not yet programmed with names, the companion bots have taken it upon themselves to give names out to the newcomers. Some may be closer to an average name, like "Jimmy Smith", or "Arthur Pendragon" (that's normal, right?), or they may be something a little more nonsensical, like "CHEESE IS DELICIOUS".

If they make their way to the hospital, Aurora will give something closer to her normal spiel. Those who don't may want to ask some of their newfound friends because there's no explanation given by the bots working the cafe or those who have come to help. Maybe the others who have been here longer will have a better explanation.

⏵ friendship bracelets ⏴
On July 1st, Aurora sends out a message to everyone through their ear pieces:

Hello, Citizens of Etraya.

I am glad that you enjoyed your coffee break. Given the success of this previous endeavor, I have opted to try another experiment. This mission is optional, you are not required to complete it. However, the successful completion of this mission may aid in assisting me in assigning similar missions in the future. I would recommend, if you enjoy the task, to make an attempt.

My companion bots will be handing out ten beads to each participant along with a piece of string. You will each receive one red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, pink, silver, and black bead. The goal of this mission will be to assemble a bracelet that is one color, by exchanging beads between participants. You may choose what finished color you would like to aim for. Given the limited quantity of beads, you will want to ensure you are choosing a color that has not already been widely chosen.

I would like to see twenty completed bracelets. Once completed, you may return them to any companion bot. I have set up the Diner to accommodate this, but you may participate from anywhere on Etraya.

If I receive at least twenty bracelets, I will provide two of those who complete theirs the opportunity to assist me in choosing not the next mission, but the one after that.

Thank you,
Aurora

As stated in Aurora's announcement, the Diner has been set up with numerous "friendship" themed party banners. There are cookies and cakes out on the tables, although they may not be to everyone's tastes: some of the flavors are a little outrageous, while others are more generic. Just don't expect that cookie that looks like it has pickles in it instead of chocolate chips to be anything but a pickle cookie. Because it is one.

⏵ nova city ⏴ The Southeast of Etraya had been relatively empty; Wolf Cove has overtaken the southernmost bit of land with its own little environmental set up: instead of the green grass featured in the rest of Etraya, it's covered in snow. But Wolf Cove isn't the only new addition: Nova City has overtaken a large portion of two massive islands. Numerous skyscrapers stand tall enough that their rooftops almost hit the atmospheric bubble Etraya has surrounded itself in.

The buildings themselves, however, are empty. There is no furniture, no signs of life, no dust, even. These facilities were not put here to use the insides of the buildings, but for the sake of having buildings.

But like with all new additions to Etraya, new buildings also mean an array of new creatures. Birds of all shapes and sizes flock to the empty city, enjoying standing on top of street lamps, stray cats wander through alleyways, rodents of all shapes have begun appearing and making themselves comfortable. But those aren't the issue.

It's the massive snakes that take up almost entire alleyways as they make their way between buildings, attempting to devour any creature small enough to fit into their mouths that happen to come across them. The green dragon that has built a nest on one of the taller buildings, and has a habit of swatting at anyone who comes near her - or worse yet, when she's particularly in a foul mood, breathes fire on them.

Aurora has asked for those capable, to try and handle at least the snakes. They're fine while they're in the city, but there is no guarantee they will stay there. The dragon at least seems content staying right where she is.

⏵ NOTES ⏴

To report a completed bracelet, please reply to the bracelet turn-in comment. Given the fifth mission is scheduled in September, we will continue to accept submissions for this through the beginning of August, at which point we will randomly select two characters.

For any questions relating to the contents of this log, please reply to our mod queries comment. All other questions can be directed to the FAQ.

⏵FULL NAVIGATION⏴

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Well, the other words I'd use are not so nice.

[ shy seemed nicer. ]

And? Use them.

( don't hold back on his account, aang. )

No way.

Goliath's here. I wouldn't say mean stuff in front of him.

[ not because aang is scared but because it's rude. ]

Goliath has heard far worse than anything that may come out of your mouth.

( if he were in any more of a mood, he'd antagonize aang further into saying whatever those words are. as it is, his meeting with appa has softener him up a little.

just a little. )

I sincerely doubt your vocabulary is any worse than my brothers'.

Nah, I wouldn't say words like that. There's a difference between being rude and being rude.

Then say it. Goliath will take no offense.

( unless damian does, which - maybe he will. maybe he won't. maybe he just wants to see what aang would say. he remembers aang's whole spiel about being angry earlier, which damian would argue is inaccurate but isn't--wholly so. )

Your being polite will get you nowhere with me.

[ hmm. aang pokes damian's side for a moment. ]

Okay. Your people skills suck and sometimes you come on real hard on stuff like this.

You're like my friend Zuko. Who also needs to loosen up.

( aang pokes at damian, and damian jabs a finger into his ribs in return. )

I don't need people skills.

What are you talking about?

If you want to defend the people, you need to get how they are? And work with them?

I know people. I know how to work with them. I have organized teams back home, and have proven myself to be a competent leader.

( it's relatively true, which is good enough for him. )

And I can do all of that, be all of that, without needing to pretend to be personable.

[ aang frowns. it is possible, but it feels . . . lacking. there's more to leadership than competence. and strength.

but maybe it works fine in damian's world. with masks and secrets. ]

If you say so.

. . . I have a friend, who assists in covering what I am lacking in.

( jon is good with people. too good with them, damian would argue. it's him and his stupid kentness that he shares with his father: the belief in people that makes others want to believe in them, too. but he has his mother's attitude, too, which damian can respect.

and it's--nice, to have a friend who can understand his circumstances. jon was raised much differently, his family isn't nearly as messy as damian's, but he knows what it's like to have big shoes to fill in. to have expectations constantly weighing down on them, regardless of if their parents had intended for it to feel that way. )

You remind me of him, to an extent.

[ he brightens. ]

Hey, so we both have friends that reminds us of each other!

Do you miss him?

I miss his capability of knowing how to properly handle unexpected situations.

( misses jon, too, because--a lot of things here would have been significantly easier to handle if damian had a friend he could talk to. one who understands him. he doesn't feel as if he has that luxury currently. )

We're partners, much like our fathers are.

Partners?

[ the only context he knows is appa and himself. ]

Partners.

( how does he explain a concept like that to someone. it's not necessarily difficult, it's just - he's never thought about it before. )

We're a team. We work together. He's able to do things I cannot, and I cover for his shortcomings as well.

A partner, huh.

[ aang hums. ]

Sounds special. I'd love to have something like that.

You have Appa.

( it's close enough to the same thing. maybe even better: appa can't verbally call aang out for being short. )

Mm. Appa's my partner. We understand each other completely.

But he can't do the stuff I have to do, as the Avatar. The Avatar is alone. There's only the one.

Alone in what you can accomplish does not necessarily mean alone while accomplishing it.

( grayson is better with these things than he is, but this is something damian has learned also. )

[ he smiles. ]

That's true. I have Sokka, Katara, Toph and Zuko. Suki too.

And me, here.

( just in case he forgot. )

[ aww. ]

Yeah, and you! I know that.

JUNE MINGLE.

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