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meadowlarklogs2020-02-15 11:16 am
- !arrival log,
- dc comics: cassandra cain,
- dragon age: marian hawke,
- kingdom hearts: riku,
- kingdom hearts: roxas,
- kingdom hearts: sora,
- original: ginia,
- original: hama sun,
- overwatch: soldier 76 (jack morrison),
- red vs. blue: agent carolina,
- star wars: jyn erso,
- the 100: clarke griffin,
- the magicians: eliot waugh
ARRIVAL LOG 018
WHERE: New Amsterdam
WHEN: March 7-8
WHAT: The eighteenth arrival
NOTES OR WARNINGS: Coercion, loss of autonomy, alcohol usage, and drug usage. Further notes at the end of log.
Awareness comes to you in blurred snatches, cloudy fragments of sound and light, color, sensation. Hazy and difficult to grasp on to, but slowly aligning into focus. A series of regular, rhythmic beeps. A medicinal, astringent smell. Your eyes are heavy, hard to keep open, but in the glimpses between slow, dark blinks you see a set of people in front of you: one dressed in a set of light armor, while the rest wear medical garb. The area around them is dim, and barely lit, as they set the newcomers up. There is a barely-present feeling of an IV pulled from your arm as you're left sitting up.
There is a sound of rustling outside, of rowdy people showing up for a special occasion. Once everyone's set up, the woman dressed in armor steps forward to give a spiel. "This isn't where I'd leave you, but apparently it's a 'special occasion.' Or an 'apology,' it's hard to say. Either way, don't leave the park until you're ready to head back to the safe place. Don't go looking for anyone to help you, unless they've come to find you. When someone turns up—and they will—ask them to show you the glow. Everyone out there will be too stoned outta their minds to notice it. Don't steal. Don't get into trouble. Avoid the drugs, actually, yourselves. Don't look for the cops." She pauses, looking at the medical people who are ready to leave. "Think that's got it covered?" She doesn't add anything more.
Just as they funnel out, there is a rhythmic thrumming in the distance—a sound check, as well as numerous people struggling to set up tents and campsites in the area around you. You try to open your mouth to speak, perhaps even to ask for help, but it's as if your tongue is coated in tar, and you manage nothing more than an empty parting of lips.
As the sedation begins to fade, you'll be able to take an inventory of your surroundings. You're in a bright yellow tent on a patch of green groundcover (some kind of Dichondra for those who are plant savvy). Clothing wise, you're dressed in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, as well as a large, oversized hoodie zipped up the center. There is also a heating unit built into the tent to keep everyone warm. You can get up and start to move, and even head out of the tent, but you'll find that you won't be able to betray any of the orders given by the guard on her way out.
Where are you? A music festival. Think 2512 Coachella.
◉ Though entirely capable of independent action and thought, new characters will find themselves completely, unquestioningly compliant to any verbal statement which could be taken as a command or request – and that includes the message passed on from the mysterious patron.
This time, the message doesn't come in from El, but by way of a ticket for the Stony Weather Music Festival being transferred to your ID, including access to the Main Stage. It seems there are different levels of these tickets, and these are definitely VIP. How did the Displaced, utterly unprepared to attend a music festival of this caliber, end up with these tickets? That's just another mystery for our oversized Scooby Gang to solve. Any information of what account these came from is seriously lacking. Want to make a quick buck? Selling your ticket could load up your bank account with plenty of credits.
The message itself is short and concise:
Find the yellow tent and enjoy yourselves.
- PM
The Stony Weather Music Festival is yet another one of the annual events that takes place in New Amsterdam. While it's popular among a certain demographic in New Amsterdam that includes those dressed to make a statement: bright colors, buckles, zippers and clothes that look impossible to move around in. Somehow, everyone seems to be managing despite their clothes, ready to dance. Tickets are hard to nearly impossible to come by for the average person. It doesn't help that attending is not the brightest of ideas considering the current weather patterns. It's bitterly cold at night, involves camping in one of three sky parks in the northern part of New Amsterdam, and at least one or two people (if not more) end up hospitalized because they don't make it back to their heated tents thanks to a massive amount of drug and alcohol use. And those tents? They aren't cheap or easy to come by, so there's sure to be one or two people who try to brave it without an especially well-heated unit.
Still, the festival is the place to be for those two days in early March. It always falls on the same days of the month, whether it would be a weekend or a weekday. Attending has been the spark to launch many influencers' careers. It's a combination of things: adding photos of the performances that take stage to their Cooltalks, the novelty of just being there, as well as the other influencers around. It's a way to be known, should anyone want to be known.
Of course, it's also a place to have a good time. There's alcohol and drugs aplenty even if someone doesn't know where to look, with dealers not asking too many questions for anyone who might be interested while shifting credits to different accounts. Many of the wealthier attendees will be eager to share what they have on hand, as well as any food that they get delivered from the local businesses. It's like a two day party, with people decorating their tents with any personal style that they see fit, producing a maze of a mishmash of camps that someone could very easily get lost in. There are people everywhere, dressed in everything from long, flowy dresses, the newest mid-calf boots, to various shades of blue lipstick. It's also a place where people don't seem all that shy to show their body modifications. Anyone deciding to attend might want to look the part to blend in. In the early mornings the outsides tents are covered in a thin layer of frost, glimmering without the need of strings of lights.
All you need to do to enjoy the show is make it through the bitterly cold nights. It's just one, really, unless you stay for the afterparty with the bands the second night. It goes until dawn!
One thing to note, however: no one's job is going to be keen to let anyone take these two days off. Better come up with a good excuse and hope you don't turn up on anyone's social media if you decide to play hooky.
The performances go on throughout the weekend between the three stages split between the sky parks, connected by temporary bridges strung with elaborate lanterns. The tickets that the Displaced have been granted allow them access to a stretch of land in the main sky park where the main stage has been set up. That bit of land is ready for them to set up tents if they should choose. There are some available for rentals on site, and for those who want something more upscale, more complex, heated tents can be purchased for a hefty sum. Incidentally, this stretch of land is right around the bright yellow tent where all the newcomers will sit sedated and waiting for someone to come get them.
> MAIN STAGE
The hardest place to get any kind of standing room to enjoy the headlining shows, included in the Displaced's special VIP access tickets. Anyone who's anyone at Stony Weather will want to be here, and will be vying for an opportunity to get some space. It's no time to care about body contact. Did you think mosh pits were done by 2512? By and large, they are for health and safety reasons, but depending on the band playing, the place closer to the stage has the opportunity to get high energy, and not far from a mosh pit. It's easy to get seperated, lost, and even stuck in the middle of crazy fans with no regard for others' personal space.
The one catch of the Main Stage is that there isn't a set schedule. When will one of the four acts perform? It's hard to say. Could be 8AM. Could be 9:17PM. They could even perform once or three times, depending on their whims.
THE NINE NINES
The Nine Nines are fronted by a set of twins—Lucy and Landon—who started out as social media influencers thanks to their mother's decision to start posting about them as far back as when they were six years old. For the next ten years, they gained a massive following around the world. Now that they're 21, both Lucy and Landon have escaped the clutches of their stage mother (both sentimentally and legally) and have been known as the face of The Nine Nines for the past year. While quite talented, music reviewers have stated that they've clearly not quite settled on a sound that suits them. They're a mixture of folksy rock and pop, without ever settling on one or the other. Their most popular song is "Mia," though most fans know that this song is actually about Makana—a social influencer who dated both Lucy and Landon and broke their hearts. This didn't happen simultaneously, of course—and Makana lost a lot of clout (and sponsorships) thanks to their choice to mess with the twins.
NEW NEW NEW
A ten member, always rotating boy band out of New Venice. Even 500 years into the future, boy bands are still a thing—in fact, they've perfected the corporate production and marketing of idol groups, to the point where it can almost be considered a conveyor belt industry. These pop stars are barely known beyond interviews and expertly crafted social media posts, and they're heavily monitored and controlled in their daily lives. New New New rotates out their older members for new ones when they reach the age of 22. Some of their most popular songs include a ballad called "The Breach," the guttural "My Heart is a Prison," and the recently released rap ballad "L U V."
ANOTHER META
Think One Republic meets Blink 182—pop music with an obnoxious, puerile edge—and you've got Another Meta. This group got their start playing esports events around the world, appealing to a certain demographic before their first big hit "Pop There IT IS" went viral. Originally based out of New Oslo, they now call New Prague home. They're loud, obnoxious, drink a lot on stage, and have a lot of fun. They have a very dedicated following of fans. Remember that mention of mosh pits? Another Meta's fans keep making an attempt at bringing them back.
CHERRY SENDER
"Cherry Sender" is actually a one woman act originally from New Tokyo, but she's known around the world for her Gothic appearance, operatic pop music, and incredible height (she stands at seven feet tall). Some people have said that Cherry models herself off of vampires, but she has been rather outspoken about the comparison, believing that it's more important to express herself how she looks best. Somehow, she firmly believes that people should embrace their vanity, and she does rock a mean white and black getup. Most recently, Cherry has done the theme song for the popular mecha anime, Vestica: Aeon.
> THE SIDE STAGES
There are few differences between Stage A and B, with the exception of the acts that are present. The side stages' attendees set up shop (so to speak) and spend much of the festival trying to find their way into the Main Stage area. The side stages are far more crowded than the park with the Main Stage, with facilities that aren't as up to par. Everyone here clearly used all of their savings to show up for the festival. There tends to be more socializing here, and anyone who wants to take a picture this may be the place to do it! The more elaborate fashions here are on display as influencers and attendees chat amongst each other. There are plenty of places to grab a drink or take a breath.
★ SIDE STAGE A
THE PADS ON CATS' PAWS
The Pads on Cats' Paws are an all female metal band based out of New Amsterdam. Although they've been together for just two years, they've put out six EPs, and have developed a cult following among those who enjoy the 2512 version of metal music. All of the women wear their heads shaved, and their heads are heavily tattooed. At some point, the lead singer had cybernetic surgery to alter her vocal chords, expanding her range. Their music is oddly bright despite the metal, with heavy violins coursing through their songs.
INFANTRY oracle
INFANTRY oracle are one of two acts that got into the Stone Weather festival thanks to winning the annual Stone Weather Premiere contest. It gives two bands every year an opportunity to get recognition on the big stage. However, INFANTRY oracle has been playing the club circuit around the world for the past decade, and only recently put together an EP that appealed to the Stone Weather crowd. Their music is largely EDM, and while they do have a following, they don't do a lot to stand out from the very cluttered EDM scene around the world.
THE CYBERNETICS BLINDNESS
In a world where masks don't serve much of a purpose, The Cybernetics Blindness are a group that goes all in on the masked appearance. Think Robocop meets Batman: they like a lot of faux-leather that's tight-fitting. Their music is raspy and eclectic, and surprisingly meaningful. They're based out of New Venice and little is known about the people behind the masks. There are suspicions for who's behind the masks—and obviously the cops and the UNA both know—but it's a surprisingly well-kept secret. It probably helps that aside from being musicians, they dedicate a lot of time and resources to PRESERVE.
BEEHIVE FUMES
Think blues and indie and Mumford & Sons all in one, and you have the Beehive Fumes. Unsurprisingly, their logo is a cartoonish beehive logo with a cute bee that's sticking out. They're a charming group fronted by two women and two men, and draw a lot of presentation inspiration from Fleetwood Mac (which had a resurgence six years ago, and inspired the formation of Beehive Humes). Despite their sleepy, unoriginal sound, they do put on a good show, and it'll be hard to find standing room when they're on. Another fun fact? Beehive Fumes are all married to each other, having enacted contracts 10 years ago (before they even started making music together!).
POSTmortem MALnutrition
Let's get political! What kind of show would it be without someone who is outspoken about the political mess that's very apparent in 2512. Rumored to be supportive of Morningstar—never in words, but with some of the imagery on their social media, subtle and inconclusive—they're recently railing against the government for claiming to have made peace on the Mars colony. Their message is that all of the colonies should revolt and break free. Their sound is eclectic, melodic, and they always tell a story—though their music is such that they change up the order of their songs, changing the story in the process. They're based out of New Lima.
★ SIDE STAGE B
GREEN MONSTER
An unusual all percussion band that focuses on reusability and sustainability based out of New Warsaw. All of their instruments are made out of recycled goods and handmade themselves. Sound-wise, they do a lot with what they have in stock, leading to a booming, exuberant experience. While they have been around for nearly a decade, they recently rebranded, with their entire message revolving around the image of the monster that hit New Amsterdam in June 2511. Their claim? The monster did damage, but nothing like what humanity does every day through carelessness.
SANDRA MCKLAINE
Sandra McKlaine is a trans woman from New Bangkok who specializes in folksy music. She actually got her introduction to the music business when she was fifteen years old as a member of the popular boy band Ocean Waves. Now that she's thirty and no longer crafted according to a certain image, Sandra has started putting out music again in the last six months. Her sound is mellow, welcoming, and chill.
Both LOBES
The other winner of the annual Stone Weather Premiere contest, Both LOBES are an experimental music group that changes their style of music every six months. Based out of New Prague, they've recently completed a tour opening for Another Meta—and many people believe that Both LOBES already got enough exposure before getting a chance on this stage. Their current style of music? Jazzy folk.
KURO COLT
Soulful and extremely attractive, Kuro Colt is a non-binary artist based out of New Beijing. Always flanked by a talented group of dancers, Kuro Colt (never just Kuro or Colt) defies the expectation of a stage performance. What does that mean? Outlandish, often dangerous special effects. Kuro Colt's on a side stage for a reason: they recently recovered from a long, long run of injuries, from which they showed a surprising reluctance to get any cybernetic limbs to help them progress (and an opposition to the medi-unit). Recovery took three years, but they're back and ready to perform! Are they any less bombastic in their showing? Not at all!
CHUBBY DOLL-FINS
Think Gorillaz in the form of the Muppets and you've got the Chubby Doll-Fins. Although they're rumored to be backed by the famous band Piers Grasp, they're a social commentary on the long-running tendency to put together boy bands. The thing about the Chubby Doll-Fins is that they're anthropomorphic and surprisingly attractive animals. They dance, they sing, they play instruments, and their music is incredible. Though there are hints of influence from Piers Grasp's mainline music, they're brighter and more sardonic in nature.
Located under an abandoned hover-bike garage, access to the safehouse is a hatch in the floor beside a rusted set of metal shelves that used to hold tools and supplies. The immediate area is similarly abandoned: full of rundown and dilapidated warehouses and forgotten businesses, where numerous people squat in hopes of having some stability because they can't afford a place themselves. Gaby will be around, ready to greet as many of the new arrivals as she can and get them settled in. Brusque and no-nonsense, she'll be open to questions, but will advise the newcomers to ask the people who brought them in for the beginning bits of information. Newbies can also contact El through zeir inbox, if needed.
The safehouse is a large space with multiple rooms for storage, with the largest of the rooms filled with rows of basic cots set up to sleep a large amount of people. Basic, but outfitted with everything necessary for daily life. A few doors lead to back rooms for storage, medical care and a large communal bathroom, and past the long rows of cots there is a communal kitchen, fully stocked, and an eating area. Privacy is at a minimum.
◉ New characters will be asked to pick their beds, and provided with a change of (second-hand, mismatched and somewhat threadbare) clothes and basic toiletries.
◉ There is a mini-bar set up in the kitchen. The quality of the alcohol inside is akin to what someone might get from the well at a bar, but it's well-stocked.
◉ While the kitchen has basic foods and necessities, anyone looking for a jolt of caffeine from coffee or tea will find themselves sorely lacking. The only tea present is herbal in nature, and caffeine appears to be almost nonexistent in most of the beverages lying around.
◉ Gaby will make it clear to all new arrivals that if they have any requests or queries, they should contact her or El. Either she or El will explain that they've been given a modest stipend of credits to help them get by until they can find a job. This will be enough to cover their living expenses for about a month while they hang out in the safehouse, if they're careful with budgeting.
◉ The drugs making new characters compliant will remain in their systems for a few hours after their arrival at the safehouse before finally beginning to fade. They will be gone entirely after a night's rest. In the meantime, they may want to be careful of what others say to them.
◉ New characters will be given rudimentary access to the network on arrival in the safehouse, but will not have their ID set up yet. They will be able to make posts and replies, but their messages will be anonymous and they do not have inboxes yet.
◉ New character do not have access to the internet until their ID is setup. They only have limited access because they're present in the safehouse, but they can't surf the rest of the internet, check out Cooltalk, or watch the equivalent of Netflix until their ID is made.
◉ New characters will not be allowed to leave the safehouse until MARCH 11 (FEBRUARY 23). These 4 days are for them to adjust, learn about the world they've arrived in from their fellows, and for El to speak with them and work on setting up their IDs.
You're now free to post to the network and logs comms. To reiterate, your characters will have no IDs or inboxes, nor be allowed out of the safehouse until MARCH 11 (FEBRUARY 23). At that point it's expected they'll have gotten a good idea of their new situation from their fellow characters, and will have discussed their background and job potentials with El in order for their false IDs to be set up.
If you have any questions or ideas about how you'd like to get your character involved in the world, please head over to the plot engagement post and drop us a comment! For questions specific to this log, there is a thread below.
Please check out our February calendar rundown for a look at things happening this month, as well as some additional notes from the mods.
As a reminder, Jenna will be posting a log for a charity and dating auction on February 29. We've pointed a few people that way via Plot Engagement, and there will be opportunities there to schmooze (off-screen or on) with some NPCs!
As a reminder, AC for new characters accepted in February will be 10 comments across 2-4 threads, while current characters will need to provide the full AC of 20 comments across 2-4 threads. AC will be posted on March 1 at 12 AM UTC and close on March 8 at 12 AM UTC. If you do not reply to AC, you will be considered idled and dropped from the game. We will not post a warning list.
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[Which is part of the reason she moved out pretty fast. She likes her privacy, even if it's a drafty room in an abandoned building.]
What kind of work were you doing then? I could throw some suggestions on where to look if you want.
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[ Speaking of!! ]
How do people figure out what theirs is, anyway? Is there some kind of test we can get or do?
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I found out in a fight and then asked him to punch me again.
[Her smile is a bit wry at the memory.]
Daisy Johnson is the resident power expect, she offers one-on-one training. Otherwise it's a mixed bag. Some people find out in a fight, or in another high stress situation. Meditating works for some people too? Keep an eye out for the glow if you aren't touching anyone.
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[ He's grinning back, eyes sparkling with amusement. ]
I'd rather avoid winding up in high stress situations but if previous experience tells me anything, it's going to happen sooner rather than later. I guess I'll figure it out.
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I asked him to punch me to see if I could stop him with the barrier. Got it right on the second try. We're good friends now.
[She grins and tilts her head toward the barrier.]
Feel free to touch it, hit it, do what you want.
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[ Drake reaches out and touches the barrier, finds it solid as a wall. He gets the feeling if he punched it he'd hurt himself, but he gives it a good whack to see if it shifts at all, how thick it feels. The answer is no, and very. ]
That's useful. I hope I've got something that handy.
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[Maybe it'll get more bulletproof. She hopes so. More range and mobility would be nice too. Five feet is a lot of range until it suddenly isn't.
The barrier vanishes as Ginia releases it, the glow from her chest blinking out too.]
Every ability I've seen has been useful. Maybe not all in the same way, but I don't think anyone was let in the dust.
[She pauses and makes a playful fist.]
I don't suggest it, but I could punch you and see if anything happens.
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Sure, go for it. Not the face.
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There's a fast left jab right into his chest. Ginia pulls her punch not wanting to hurt him, but those muscles aren't only for show either. Her form is solid and even pulling back, Ginia still hits hard.]
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Guess it's something else.
[ Or maybe he just didn't feel threatened? Hmm. ]
Thanks for trying.
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I'd go with the meditation route. Or talk to Daisy. She also makes weapons if you want anything.
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How necessary would you say weapons are, here? In Hadriel we got attacked by monsters or worse at least monthly, but this city seems in too good shape for that. From what I saw of it on the way here, anyway.
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It's complicated. First off, there's a flat ban on weapons of all kinds. The fact most physical goods don't exist is a statement on itself, but nothing that would be classified as a weapon is legal. So you can buy a kitchen knife, but box cutters don't exist, and no one is selling a switchblade. That said, there's a black market, because of course there is.
[You can always count on a black market existing wherever there's a disparity in resources.]
Are monsters a regular problem here? Are people even necessarily a problem? There are gangs, the UNA doesn't like us, but the day to day is pretty quiet. I'm from a big city. This place reminds me of that.
All this said? A bunch of us got kidnapped last week and dragged off to some ancient ruins and the ruins were filled with weird animal hybrids. You ever seen a hippodile? They're nasty.
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[ He listens to the rest of her explanation, and thinks that it sounds like a futuristic version of home... maybe the Door got confused. Maybe his orb is on this planet somewhere, confiscated by the people who experimented on them when they arrived. He doesn't know, and doesn't expect Angela to, but it's possible.
Then she mentions a hippodile and he can't help but grin. ]
I'm sure I've seen that kind of thing before, if not specifically a hippodile. And maybe worse. All kinds of shit came through the Door trying to kill us.
What's the UNA?
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[That so far she hasn't run into anyone from the UNA is a relief. And now that Ephemera has armor of his own, maybe he won't be so eager to pick a fight with them either.]
What was the Door?
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[ He nods at the advice -- steer clear, don't try to take them out -- and then winds up stuck on her next question. ]
It's... still out there, really, at least I hope it is. It was kind of sentient, and immortal, but not in a way that could communicate. Alien tech, or mystical energy, or however you want to think of it, that could reach through time and space and all known realities. It was trying to help the gods of its planet, I think, but it's what drew us in to Hadriel and it's what was meant to send us home.
I mean, I hope it worked for everybody else. I wasn't trying to end up here. My fiance and I were aiming for my home world.
no subject
Is your fiance here too?
[Somehow, that seems like the easiest thing to settle on.]
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[ At her question his expression falters a little. ]
Hm. Haven't found him yet, and nobody I showed up with remembered having seen him. I guess it's possible we were separated in time and he's been here for awhile or might show up later, but right now... I don't know.
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[There's no harm in doing so. She's offered for other people. To her, it seems tragic being separated from someone so close. Ginia is a romantic at heart and likes to see happy endings.]
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Sure, I'd appreciate it. He's my height, similar build... a little leaner maybe. Black hair, lots of tattoos, facial scarring and one false eye. He's hard to miss. Around new people he'd probably wear a hood and keep it up.
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Ephemera never mentioned being engaged.
With all the focus he has on his family, it feels like something he'd mention.
Yet it doesn't seem like Drake is lying either.]
I'll keep an eye out.
[Ginia lies like it's nothing. This feels like the worst one she's ever told.]
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Thanks. I'm not getting my hopes up or anything, but we've beaten the odds a couple times before. There's a chance.
So do you bring the newbies treats every time they show up? That's generous.
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Also though it has always been for the fun of the moment, they've flirt shamelessly with each other.
Drake isn't a threat, but he does feel like an upheaveal to the already delicate foundation of Ginia's life.
So the lie.]
I try to. I've only been doing this for two rounds, since I showed up. But as long as I have the money, paying it forward never hurts. The first four days are pretty boring.
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[ For someone as social and accustomed to this sort of thing as Drake, a small handful of shellshocked new arrivals he can't help yet is an unfortunate situation to be in. ]
I hear apartments are expensive around here, this is the only covered housing? How long did it take you to get out?
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[So it doesn't help the newcomers, but it'll help for the people staying long-term.]
It's expensive if you want privacy. If you don't mind dorm-like or capsule hotel situations, it's cheaper, but you lose privacy. I moved out within a few weeks, but I focused most of my stipend toward housing and found a full-time job as fast as possible. Picked up some side jobs too.
[Ginia pauses, mouth twisting into a self-deprecating smile.]
I also found a roommate right away who was also willing to work fast to get out.
[Two, actually. Blessed at the proactive.]
If you don't mind staying here, you can take more time saving up.
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