etrayalogs | FEBRUARY MINGLE

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FEBRUARY MINGLE

WHO: Everyone!
WHEN: February 14th - March
WHERE: Etraya
WHAT: The arrival of newcomers, a mini mission, and some new city features!
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.

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, the last remnants of snow are melting in the sunlight as the weather begins to warm up. It's still chilly enough one might want to put on a coat, but not so cold a jacket is necessary for wandering around without freezing off one's fingers.

We hope you enjoy your stay.

⏵ heroes return ⏴

As the Quantum Rail train glides to a halt, returning passengers step out onto familiar ground - the train station, right where they had initially begun their mission. When exiting the station, their earpieces vibrate, indicating the automatic download of a detailed map which highlights key locations, transit paths, and notable landmarks. As Aurora promised, she had been working on a few renovations around Etraya! A sleek trolley system now winds through Etraya, following clearly marked pathways through the city bubble to make travel across the city smoother. However, the trolley only moves one way, eternally following the loop Aurora has set it on. And because of this, it takes six hours to complete it's loop all the way around. Don't miss your stop!

Pets and animals have been returned to their usual preferred areas, some awaiting the arrival of their owners, and others keeping to themselves in the forested areas throughout Etraya.

Beyond the small upgrades, things seem relatively unchanged - until one familiar sign catches the eye. One marked by four vertical lines, methodically crossed out one by one: the final slash has now been drawn through. The tally is complete. What it indicates has yet to be made clear, but it has to mean something, right? No one would go through the effort of making an ominous-sounding sign without following through.

⏵ love in the air ⏴

This Valentines Day, Aurora and the companion bots have opted to try something a little different: they have scattered mystery valentines across the city. Hidden within mailboxes, tucked into cafe menus, slipped under doors, on the outside of high windows for those wall-crawlers to spot. There are countless of these little slips of papers, strewn throughout the city. And within each valentine, is a challenge or gesture to complete. Please feel free to make these up yourselves as long as they fit in with the theme!

Some examples include:

Deliver a flower to a stranger.
Write a heartfelt poem for someone.
Share a box of chocolates!
Confess your feelings for another.
Play matchmaker for two people - this can be platonic, or romantic!
Gift a friend with a stuffed animal.
Give five different people a genuine compliment.

While not mandatory, completing five tasks will earn an individual an additional ten points to use towards anything they would like!

Each little Valentine is signed "Your Secret Admirer. ♡", and some of them may even be addressed to specific individuals. Don't be surprised, Eddie, if you see one or two that are specifically addressed to you lurking around your collection of chicken friends!

And while most of these are harmless, some of the valentines cards come with effects for those who come into contact with the paper. Perhaps they thought it was a piece of garbage, or were just kicking it out of the way rather than intending on taking part. It doesn't matter! They get to join in on the fun, too.

Heart Eyes - your pupils literally turn into hearts for a few hours, making it hard to focus on anything other than things (or people) you find attractive.
Love-Struck Stammer - You can only speak in poetic compliments or romantic declarations, regardless of whom you're speaking to.
Chocolate Bliss - Everything feels good. Simple. Easy. As if there's nothing in the world to concern yourself with. You feel happy, without any concerns or worry.
Rose-Tinted Vision - everything looks soft and romantic, as if you're in a romance novel. You know the ones.
Magnetic Attraction - regardless of what you had been doing, you suddenly find yourself unable to leave the side of the person closest to you. Had you been eating chocolates while walking down the street? Well, have fun getting stuck to the guy who'd been out for a jog!
Serenade Syndrome - you find it impossible to resist the urge to sing your words, turning all conversations into love ballads.
Heartstrings - A thread appears, connecting you to someone close by who you share many similarities too. Perhaps you had never met this person before, but the threads tied around your pinky fingers that refuse to let go until you allow yourself to open up to them clearly means you should be a little more familiar with them.

Love is in the air—or maybe just a bit of well-intended chaos! 💕

⏵ NOTES ⏴

Welcome back from the mission, and welcome to Etraya for our newcomers! We've tried to keep this log simple for an easy introduction, as well as some downtime for our mission-goers who worked hard to solve the Quantum Rail mystery.

There is something else going on, but. . . well, no one seems to know what! The computer that had been on the lower floor of the hospital is now missing, and Aurora may seem a little flustered as she flits around Etraya, in search of something.

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⏴

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( Hands in his pockets, he stands there and listens to her order, glancing around as she does. He’d intended to take his americano along with him and deliver the hot chocolate to his son, but. It’s not as if he’s in any rush and it doesn’t take him all that long to get back to where he needs to go with his transportation. Besides, being off that train now is something he can’t help but feel appreciative of.

A glance back to her once she’s gone and ordered what she wants, he stares in silence for a moment before he’s ducking his head some, a few strands of hair falling in front of his face as he does. )

Sure you’ll have room for dessert?

[ Her hand chases his just slightly when he pushes back the apple. He says he's had his fill, but he looks like he could have it a few more times over. But, she also knows he's stubborn. She bets there's only so much pushing she can do on one issue before the window closes on another. Pick your battles.

She doesn't do it consciously, but she turns her body, opening toward the forest in front of them so they're no longer directly face to face. Instead, they are side-by-side, facing the same direction like they would in the front seats of the rig or charging in to tackle something together. She glances over softly and quickly, first at his face, then to their hands hanging at their sides, hers still clutching the apple.

She's not sure who he thinks she might tell. He is the only one she knows here, but more importantly, even from everyone from their world, he is among her most trusted. She bumps her knuckles against his. ]

Promise.

[Vincent wouldn't like to be touched, would he? or maybe be shown any affection. that makes sense. seems just like him. but she can't say she cares. right now this is about her and she wants to hug him.

it's surprising he does return the gesture, as little as it is. not like he's holding her or anything. one might consider this the bare minimum but even James never did this much.

the comment he makes is just so sad. not that she'll comment on it. Vincent will go on some spiel about how loneliness doesn't matter because he has his god. affection and friendship mean very little when you have the glory of god. hallelujah and all that crap. no, not going to say anything.

but to his question, she sighs and pulls away from him. if she stayed any longer then it would be awkward.] Be kind of messed up if I couldn't make the wishes of a dying man come true, don't you think? I told you I would keep her safe and I did. We stayed away from the action. We didn't die and so what you did wasn't in vain. [she sits at the seat across from him and she is very overdressed for this cafe. for Vincent. but it's fine.]

Are you really okay?

[Flashes of a place away from here cloud his thoughts for a moment. New experiences, new unpleasant memories, gashes against an already tumultuous psyche. And yet... it was a place that was so much like home, there were days he would wake up and not realize he wasn't dozing off in the rubble of the Wastelands. Furiosa is a trusted face standing among a sea of distrust, born from another long year of surviving instead of living.

He sighs through his nose, as he watches a bird land on an almost bare branch. It jumps back and forth, looks at the two strange giants below before it flutters away.]

... Etraya isn't the only city.

I was taken to a different one. Called Solmara. Lot like home... Nothing but sand n' old cement in some directions. [He looks down, one hand fidgeting with the red string that still refuses to let them go.] Bad there. Real bad. Someone controlling — someone like yours took over, pitted the people against the AI.

I, ah... Managed to get a motorbike working. Stayed on the outskirts. For a while.

[So, not much different from home. If anything... he's at least glad he had the experience. Would have been nice to show up in Etraya instead, though.]

I'm a nice girl, no worries. I know what it can do to a man after he's really gone all out to try to give a lady a nice time. You're in excellent hands, I promise. So far, one of the better dates I've had in a while. We're off to a great start. [though it was very hard to do any worse than the hell she'd come from. and not like the only company she'd had was a good date choice. but Vander didn't need to know that.]

Hey, when you know what you want you have to go for it. Take your chances!

[Maria can see it's a hard thing for him to talk about and she does feel sympathy. it's the only time her smile has faded around him so far. she wasn't going to dig any further into it. did she really have the right?] Then I'm honored. Thank you. [Vander doesn't know what a good feeling it is when he tells her she's her own person though and her smile is back, bright and happy.] Time for me to confess to you, then, huh? Ready?

Or that! I would know it wasn't going to waste then.

Thanks.

( that's all she can really say to his kind words, a soft blush taking over her face as awkwardness settled deep within her. it was strange to admit it but it was kinda nice being so vulnerable with someone and having them care about you―

she didn't want to say it was a new thing, because her father had done that for her, but gorgug knew of the abuse she had gone through and this was nice to have in her life for once. especially when he remembered the little details about her. )

Yeah actually I started kinda scribbling the little details, key events. I'm just...wondering how much of it I can write before it starts sounding like some kind of fantasy novel you know? The poor guy...he also went through a lot with that cult.

( as gorgug made his way down next to her, her pet rat kept a focus on the flowers for now. )

Edited (hit submit too soon orz) 2025-02-20 00:21 (UTC)

Yeah, he's. He's totally lost, now.

"Are you asking if you can give me flowers? Because, uh, I guess?"

"Well, I can't really blame you, given that I did set my croissant on fire."

Quentin has absolutely no ground to stand on when it comes to judging other peopl for being anxious. He has the prescriptions to prove it.

"That was. Really cool? The fireball."

Fair enough.

( she doesn't really need to know about the complications involving consenting adults and their affairs by any means. it was just an idle thought she heard someone else ask once before, and although she was sure there was at least something brewing....

she just didn't need to know. )

It's not like that....I mean....I find boys and girls cute sure but...I just...anything beyond just holding hands or a kiss seems stupid.

( she isn't sure how to verbalize it really, but she's really just here to make friends. she won't turn her nose up at a date but... )

I just mean this whole holiday is dumb you know?

"They're pretty much all over the place? I just kind of picked it up."

Did he pick, just... entirely the wrong person to give it to? But if he can smell it, then he can probably still enjoy it. To an extent. "It said to pass it on, so."

Good. Was half expecting you to, I dunno, vault your ass off the couch and bust out the door, as if I were some kinda —

[“Enemy,” he doesn’t say. But it’s true at a base level, regardless. Connor’s programming is telling him to get the whatever-thing that would damn Etraya.

And Hank just wants Connor safe. Happy. Is that too much to ask for? No, he thinks. Not at all.]

Then me and ol’ Sumo — [the dog relaxes at the sound of his name, resting his head on Connor’s thigh] — can watch over you.

[Although Hank isn’t sure what to do about the fact that Connor is effectively trying to kill him, albeit unwillingly. Trying to kill everyone here. And Hank actually gives a fuck about some of the people here, and all the rest might be strangers to him, but it’s just like his dilemma with the whole “save your Earth” bullshit. It’s too much of a burden. There are too many lives at stake.]

[Hank isn't wrong. The programming does have Hank labeled as an enemy, a person of interest, someone to watch in case he tries to deter Connor from his mission. Still, with Sumo on his lap and Hank present, maybe Connor will be able to push.

Simply not today. Androids can't get tired, but Connor's programming has had enough with the fracturing of important parameters.

There's one more thing, too. His appearance.]

I apologize for my appearance while I'm here.

[Hank squints. Shakes his head in disbelief.]

Why would I...? You don’t hear me apologizing for my appearance, do you?

And besides, that’s not your fault. I’m just worried. Don’t want you to be in pain — that’s what matters. You could look like that everyday, Connor, and I wouldn’t give a fuck.

[It’s unsettling, sure. But Hank would get used to it. Because it’s Connor.]

As long as you weren’t hurting.

I'm not hurting at this moment, Hank. [Connor pats Sumo's head with his mismatched fingers.] It would make me happy to stay with you as long as I can.

[Connor pauses before tagging on,] Before I have to leave.

[The squeezing in Hank’s chest eases somewhat when Connor says he’s not in pain.]

That’s good — that you’re not hurting. Real good. It’d make me happy to have you here too, Connor.

[Happier than you could ever know.]

And what did I say about all that? You’re not leaving. Jesus.

[Hank isn’t irritated, really. But if he says this enough, maybe Connor will accept it. Push him toward deviancy. Helping him realize how wanted he is.]

[Connor nods, glad that he has a place at Hank's, with someone he knows. Even if it has been a year since he saw him. It will be nice to catch up, to feel like a unit again before Connor activates for his mission.

He just hopes it doesn't happen too soon.]

I don't want to leave, Hank. I would rather stay.

Yes, let's never mind that today has been completely spontaneous for the both of us, and we're just living up the moment. It's sad your bar is so low that walking with a guy and his arm is around your shoulders is already a better date. [He smiled warmly at her. He was completely willing and capable of vetting out any future dates that weren't him. It was a service he provided free of charge.]

My thoughts exactly! Life is too short not to pursue a good time and good people. You miss every swing you never take.

[He nodded his head, and he composed himself again as he wasn't willing to let the mood dampen of a dead dear friend.] Maybe someday you can meet her. If not, I'm happy to tell you more about her. [Just, maybe not right now when they were both still trying to slide over the hump of the train mission.] Oh, my body is definitely ready. Lay it on me.

Fucking hell, Connor. You’re not gonna...

[Hank wishes he could hug him. Knows he can’t.]

This is your home. Sumo’s your home. I’m your home — [looking away now, rubbing the back of his neck] — if you want that, anyway.

I want that as well.

[He wants it so bad, Hank. He wants to stay here, with Sumo, with Hank, living together. There's something about Hank's posture that tells Connor he's practically on his toes.]

Would you like to see where it is safe to touch me, Hank?

[Hank looks back at Connor. Nodding.]

Yeah. Of course. I remember you saying something about where your skin is still intact, or something — right?

[Gorgug, such a bro. thank you for your service in getting Maria points.]

I can never tell. Do you think you're supposed to know? [she has truly just been hoping for the best here.]

[Connor nods in return and then pulls off his jacket. Then, as he begins to remove the starchy white shirt underneath, it's easy to see where the plates end and the black underwiring begins. There are spots on his shoulders, a large swatch on his back, and the mismatched sections of his fingers run up his arms in places.]

Is this helpful?

Thank you. If anybody tries to make me, I'll let them know you told me that. [she's smiling and she already likes this girl. that's been decided.]

And as a deal, I'll only have the ones you don't like. How about that?...unless you like all of them? Then I'm out of fair deals.

Yeah. It’s real helpful, Connor.

[Hank sucks in a breath. Swallows thickly. Connor’s damage is even worse beneath his clothes, understandably. But it hurts to see.]

Jesus fucking Christ. Those stairs really did a number on you, huh?

[Trying to crack a joke because this is just so much. Too much.]

I’m sorry I wasn’t... there to protect you, Connor.

[As if Hank could have done anything, probably. But at least he would have been there, by his side, and now Hank is mad at Aurora-Echo and Solmara’s whoever all over again, because why did they make Connor suffer like this? Why couldn’t they have been together, at least? When Connor needed him most?]

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FEBRUARY MINGLE

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cw: light csa mentions

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yodeling irl