meadowlarklogs | EVENT #006 AFTERMATH LOG

Entry tags:

EVENT #006 AFTERMATH LOG

WHO: Everyone
WHERE: New Amsterdam
WHEN: December 19th to the end of the month.
WHAT: Event aftermath, Winter Solstice, Christmas.
NOTES OR WARNINGS: Character death, self-sacrifice, drug use. Further notes at end of log.

> EVENT #006 AFTERMATH LOG

Zerzura's demise is a very near miss. Three out of four of the bombs detonate, with numerous Mycenaean guards' lives taken as a result of the assault. It's probable—even likely—that numerous Displaced were injured as a result of this attack. Just as the last bomb seemed likely to go off, everything stopped. As in: the scene ended, shifting, putting all of the Displaced to sleep. Zerzura won't end. Or will it?

The return from Zerzura will feel like waking up from a long nap. Instead of anyone waking up in their beds, they will find themselves on the ground beside the man-made river that runs down the center of New Amsterdam. The ground beneath them will be moist with recent rainfall. Anyone who was still in the throes of a fantasy and believing themselves to be a part of Zerzura will find themselves tossed out of that existence. Anyone who died at the precipice of the spear will still recall their actions vividly: their mind and body hitting a point in which it was finite, slipping away. There may be some room for doubt regarding their deaths. After all, they're very much alive now.

There are two constants among the Displaced when they observe themselves and others: that all of their chests are glowing with that familiar blue glow, and they'll all experience a feeling of serenity. This feeling won't come from any of the Displaced themselves. Much like the intrusion of the empathy bond, it will feel as if it's coming from elsewhere. The problem is that it's always there: there is no way of disconnecting, at least for now. The good news is that the serenity will begin to fade within the next day, and with it, the blue glow will go away as well.

All of the Displaced can't remain at the riverside. If they linger too long, it will begin to rain again. The rain itself will only be a light misting against their faces at first, before turning into a heavier downfall. If they're wary of returning to their lives initially because of the blue glow, they'll soon find that the people of New Amsterdam seem to look away from them as they trot through the city to return to their lives. This is a temporary sensation, seeming to have overtaken the city's citizens for the time being. Within a day or two, the blue glow will be met with the same paranoia that was fostered by the UN following the abduction of Kurt Fischer.

What can they do now? Aside from the feeling of serenity, little will have immediately changed for the Displaced. The best thing they can do is try to return to their lives as if Zerzura never happened.

Some things to check in with, though?

WORK. Upon realizing that the Displaced disappeared yet again, El worked overtime to make sure that all of the Displaced wouldn't lose their jobs. After all, that would mean they'd likely have to give up their housing, and Morningstar would need to financially step in to help. Not all of the places of employment will accept these excuses, especially since El can't put together a doctor's note without it promptly being verified as falsified. It's ultimately up to anyone's discretion over whether their character lost their job.

CHANGES. Some of the changes will appear out of nowhere: a dream that's shared, or a memory that's passed on rather unwillingly. It's time to explore what's happened, and even theorize as to why this has happened. And those objects that were the core of remembering who they were, back in Zerzura? They're permanent fixtures from now on. And what about those Union Attacks? For now, they may have an interesting place in the fighting rings. Time to convince the people running those shows to start including doubles matches.

PLANT LIFE. All around New Amsterdam, plants will begin to grow. These plants are varied, and they'll make an appearance anywhere that they might be allowed to grow. Is that a sink that's frequently full of water? Now it's mysteriously stopped up by a plant that's growing through the pipes. While all this plant life may seem like a miracle, having plants growing in every part of the city will quickly prove to be a problem.

HOLIDAY SEASON. The good news about everyone's trip to Zerzura is that they didn't miss Christmas—or rather, the December 25th edition of it. The city is still covered in Christmas trees and ornamentation. The stadium is still hosting a holiday market.

> WINTER SOLSTICE

In the days leading up to the Winter Solstice, there will be an uptick of paintings around New Amsterdam hinting as to where this year's party will be held: Sunpeak Garden. While there won't be any official notice, anyone interested or curious is free to visit this location on the day of the Solstice (December 21st) to see what's going on, and it will go on for the next three days, ending on the morning of the 24th. As they draw closer to the location itself, they'll find the botanical garden secured by a large, overarching tent, preventing rainfall from getting into the garden itself. On the air, there will be the scent of something being smoked—which they'll soon learn is a set of goats that seem to have been acquired by whoever put on this shindig.

Unlike many other events around New Amsterdam, this seems to be more private in nature. There is an unspoken understanding that beyond the paintings, there will be no social media posts. Inside of the garden, there will be a lot of plants and decorations carefully molded into sacred geometric shapes. Despite the unofficial nature, whoever put this event together definitely spent their time doing it. This Solstice party isn't a spontaneous thing, and anyone who goes will hear about the previous parties and how the proprietor does his best to make everyone happy.

Anyone who went to the Harvest Festival or Insomniac's Ball will see a lot of the same people working it, complete with some familiar tattoos. They'll be eager to welcome in any of the Displaced, especially any of the ones who tend to be featured in the shrines around the city.

Once everyone's here, they're welcome to enjoy themselves. Under some of the canopies of trees, there will be beds and futons, giving people places to rest. Some of these will be claimed, so anyone who's eager to stick around for a few days might want to get dibs. Otherwise? It's time to enjoy what's been put together:

FEAST. There will be a feast for the next three days. Aside from the smoked goats, there will be a lot of goat cheese and vegetables. These are the people who put on the harvest festival, after all. There will be a lot of pickled vegetables out on tables, salads, and everything else. Aside from cheese for snacking, anyone can partake in some delicious berries (strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries) and nuts (walnuts, pecans, peanuts, and almonds—despite the difficulty in getting most of these in New Amsterdam). There will also be figs, because of course there are figs.

FLOWER CROWNS. To go with the more laidback flair of this event, there will be flower crowns available for everyone. They will look more Christmas-like in spirit, like small little wreaths to go on everyone's heads.

ALCOHOL. Of course, what kind of Solstice or Yule event would it be without alcohol to imbibe? There will be mulled wine available, as well as the delicious apple-flavored beverage of wassail. It seems as if these two things never run out. For anyone avoiding alcohol, there will also be some sparkling grape juice and apple juice.

PSYCHEDELICS. Undoubtedly also inspired by Yule celebrations of old, anyone can partake in some species-specific (and at a safe dosage) amanita. Primarily available as a tea, anyone can drink this pleasant beverage and have a good time together.

MISTLETOE. There will be spots all around the botanical garden where the decorators took good care to make the mistletoe stand out. Surrounded by little lights, no one will be able to miss them. That means they can be easily avoided, if that's what someone would prefer!

BALL PROPRIETOR. While he's not hiding that he put this on, he's just as mysterious as before. If anyone wants to catch his eye at this event, they can. They'll need to stand out to get him to talk to them. To do this, reply below! Ball will definitely be interested in any Displaced trying to catch his eye, but it's still up to them to go through the motions.

> CHRISTMAS

As the Solstice party comes to an end, it'll be time to focus on Christmas itself. Around New Amsterdam, this is a deeply commercial holiday. Since most of New Amsterdam's citizens prefer to celebrate Sinterklaas, the day of Christmas itself largely emphasizes purchasing access to Christmas movies and giving gifts to anyone who had been forgotten earlier in the month. For new couples, Christmas Eve acts as a romantic occasion, giving them the chance to spend some time alone. Restaurants around the city will have Christmas Eve and Christmas Day specials and feasts—though these will be very expensive to enjoy.

> GRINCH INTERLUDE

Once reports start to hit the news about the rapidly healing atmosphere, a strange cypher begins to appear in the replies of people's posts on Cooltalk. This misfire appears at random and without a pattern. While some of the Displaced will get hit on their Cooltalks, they won't be among the majority by any means. How to get ahold of 100342? A reply might do the trick, or it might not. Drop a message in the questions thread with ideas!

Then again, this message more of a simple response to a slight than anything else, most likely recognizable to the displaced, who are familiar with the cipher's formula:

200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518

> FINAL OOC NOTES

Welcome back to the world of New Amsterdam proper, Larkers! This will act as the mingle log for the month of September since we didn't receive any applications this month. In order to plot out some aftermath, please head over to the CR Meme for the month of September! Our September calendar and Event #006 Aftermath are also up for perusing.

If you'd like to get your character in touch with Ball, please reply to the comment below with how they'd like to stand out! Ball, like all of our NPCs, will act as a means to an end to uncover plot details. With the gates excursion on the horizon, we wanted to make him available for all of the playerbase. Due to time constraints, this means that Gaby won't be available for this log.

If you have any questions about event aftermath, please hit the thread on the Aftermath Post here. If you have any questions about this log, go to the questions thread on this post!

> NAVIGATION

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Her partner, ( it's said with a polite ducking of his head, the corners of his mouth plucking upward in a smile that's deceptive in its warmth as he extends a hand toward her to shake.

let it not be said that he doesn't know how to acquit himself, when necessary. even if he's quietly grateful for the gloves that keep him from actually having to touch the woman in question. )

Kylo Ren. A pleasure.

[ The woman introduces herself as Saraja, warm brown skin contrasted by the white of her dress, immaculately pressed. Her grip is firm when she shakes. ]

Kylo. Yeah.

[ There's a flicker of something in Rey's eyes as she repeats it, like she'd maybe hoped or expected him to finally be 'Ben.' But he can't, of course. There are IDs to consider, here. She drops her gaze, redirects, then smiles at Saraja.

Saraja apologizes for the discomfort of being here so early, empathizes with how hard it must be. But she does it in a way that makes Rey think maybe she's feeling out for weaknesses. It's at odds with the office environment, where everyone seems laid back, but it's always the people in power who are most keenly aware of who might try to threaten it. ]

No. It's great. I've been so happy. Everyone's so nice. [ Saraja asks Kylo, then, what he does. ]

I'm a courier with RCS.

( nothing in his tone suggests the least bit of shame about this, particularly when the work had been enough to keep him fed and clothed for the duration of his stay in the city. it had even allowed him to pay off the lease of his bike — which is just as well, as he's certain that he's burned away any residual goodwill he might have had in their most recent disappearance.

this was not something he'd mentioned to rey yet, not wanting to concern her. )

But I'm considering looking into something a little more stable. ( a meaningful look is shot rey's way. )

[ 'Well, lucky you've found Kira.' The implication, of course, being that a partner with a stable and high paying engineering job would no doubt give Kylo the room to explore whatever folly he liked. Rey's expression hardens, at that, but Saraja keeps going. 'We've been so impressed with her skills here. She really is a natural. I hope you've been enjoying what we have to offer, too.' ]

Yeah. Yeah, of course. Everything's so ... [ She fumbles for the right word. ] Uh. Clean.

[ It's not a normal compliment, and there's a slight twitch of Saraja's expression that suggests Kira is a fucking weirdo, but she lets it slide with a pleasant smile. 'Glad you could make it tonight. We would have understood, of course, if you hadn't come.'

Now Rey is wondering if she shouldn't have at all. But before she can pursue that thought, Saraja is drifting to another pocket of employees. ]

( saraja departs and his mouth pulls down in distaste. this isn't the first time he's encountered someone like her. the first order is crammed with bitchy middle-managers and social climbers, whose ambitious outweighs their competence. )

Charming. ( he reaches for a plate, intent on piling it high with as many buffet pastries as he can manage. ) I've met Hutts less oily.

Are you sure the hutts didn't just look clean by comparison?

[ She can't resist the barb. He wouldn't love her like he does if she weren't the type to take every shot she can take at the First Order. Rey looks guileless in making it when she glances up at him. ]

Most of my coworkers don't seem to be like that. A bunch of them warned me that there's all kinds of downtime. I think she probably just wants something to do to feel important. [ The more that she's in New Amsterdam the more aware Rey becomes of the fact that some people, absent life-or-death stakes, need ways to keep themselves busy. Some people pick ruthless gossip and manufactured conflicts. ]

( he arches an eyebrow before his expression falls into something akin to his usual placid indifference. she’s needling him because she’s rattled, he thinks, nervous of this new place and its new people, feeling like she doesn’t belong.

that and perhaps she just enjoys getting a rise out of him. )

Are you saying I’m filthy? ( he deadpans. he has been called a lot of things in his life, many of them far from favorable, but that’s certainly new. there’s also the underlying implication, not quite an innuendo but near enough if you squint and tilt your head.

gnawing on a creampuff that’s mercifully lacking in insects, kylo’s expression doesn’t shift as she mentions the excess of downtime, though she must know what he’s thinking. he doesn’t want to seem desperate. )

Splash around in the mud long enough, and no one could come away clean.

[ That clarification feels important. The First Order is oily. The Hutts that the First Order apparently sees fit to deal with are oily. She's told Ben too many times that he doesn't belong among them for her to genuinely worry that he thinks she's saying he does, now. But the effect remains --

And it's true for her, too.

No one comes away from Jakku pristine. ]

It's not all bad. In some ways, I think you could stand to be filthy more often. [ She reaches up with her thumb to wipe away stray cream from his lip. Then she sucks at it on her thumb to be rid of it. ]

I used to like splashing around in the mud.

( when he was five and hadn't needed the defensive shell of armor and robes to keep him separate from the rest of the world. new amsterdam had forced him out of some of those habits, but not all of them.

and he's vain enough to admit that he enjoys the form-hugging properties of his biking leathers.

rey catching the stray fleck of cream on her thumb breaks his train of thought, eyes following her finger as she presses it to her mouth and sucks. a soft noise follows, confused in what it intends to be ㅡ though there's a liberal sprinkling of intrigue in there. )

[ She laughs when she says, ]

I really wasn't thinking about your childhood.

[ A laughable juxtaposition against her lewd thoughts. The blue light of the empathy bond that had only started in a brief flare when she'd touched his mouth vanishes now that they're separate. It might be the only thing making her behave. A good thing, really; jumping him is, perhaps, not the most effective and sustainable method for grappling with her nerves. ]

I know.

( even without the empathy bond to bridge those gaps, he has spent enough time in her company ㅡ and has experienced, firsthand, the extent of her hungerㅡ that he could just imagine where her thoughts had been heading.

another cream puff is plucked from the plate and offered to her. )

Granted, another thing I enjoyed was running around without any clothes, so perhaps some things are best left in the past.

Oh, I don't know about that.

[ She takes the cream puff from him, delicate enough to look fascinated with it. She's had plenty of desserts, by now, but these are exceptionally strange. Airy. Insubstantial. She takes a bite out of it, the cream erupting as she jerks her chin forward to try catching it. Her tongue flicks out to catch stray smears. ]

Let's not be too hasty in burying everything from the past.

( kylo arches an eyebrow before his expression falls into something akin to a smirk. he'd thought she'd enjoy that anecdote, gratifying as it was to hear her response. )

Mm. ( his teeth sink into the pastry of another creampuff, chewing. this time, when the cream erupts he is there to catch it himself, sucking the pad of his thumb into his mouth. )

Perhaps you can give me a compelling enough reason to keep up that particular habit.

I haven't already?

[ This is nice.

Easy.

It forgets the grief of what had happened in Zerzura, and before. In some ways, this is the false life, isn't it? New Amsterdam. Settling in and pretending to be anyone but the Jedi-Killer and the Last Jedi, pretending like the war can't find them here, accepting their circumstances as they are now. It's necessary to survival, but it's also just ... a pleasant escape.

Rey retreats into that flirting, grateful for reprieve. ]

If by persuade you mean helping yourself to the greater part of my wardrobe.

( he's not complaining.

if he were complaining, he'd have made a greater effort to stop her but the long and the short of it is that while he's less than thrilled about her leaving his apartment for the apartment with dany, he at least has the satisfaction of knowing that she'll be going with things that will force her to think of him. )

I think I'm down to four.

Shirts?

[ She does not obscure her delight. ]

That's not fair. I brought them all back. [ When she moved in, at least. Temporary though it was. She finishes her drink -- a fruit cider, non-alcoholic, which had given the impression to everyone there that she was some kind of prude, probably. She'd picked that up since arriving in New Amsterdam -- most people drank. Most people who drank wanted everyone around them to drink too. Except for that beer at Daisy's, Rey seldom did. She sets her empty cup aside on a table. ] Take me back to your place. I'll help you find them.

[ She won't. She'll help him out of it, though. ]

Then clearly the apartment must be haunted? That happens, apparently.

( kylo informs her with faux severity, thinking of riku's peculiar text message during that week where the city went straight to hoth. he'd never followed up with him, never learned if there was any truth to his speculation.

he also isn't about to do that now. not when they could be passing the evening doing something far more satisfying. )

As the lady wishes.

( his plate is set beside her cup, though he plucks the two remaining creampuffs from it, offering one to her. )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

EVENT #006 AFTERMATH LOG

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject