ARRIVAL LOG #030

[larkers]

WHO: Everyone!
WHERE: The Insomniacs' Ball, the city of New Amsterdam.
WHEN: September 7th and onward.
WHAT: The Insomniacs' Ball is taking place, if a bit delayed, and the city of New Amsterdam is in a state of flux.
NOTES OR WARNINGS: Coercion and loss of autonomy; alcohol and drug use.

> ARRIVAL LOG #030

Awareness comes to you in blurred snatches, cloudy fragments of sound, light, color, and sensation. It's hard to grasp onto anything but a series of rhythmic beeps, a medicinal astringent smell, and the sensation of movement beneath you. Your eyes are heavy and you struggle to keep them open, but in the glimpses between slow blinks, you see a man in front of you dressed in all white. There isn't any other visibility. Not yet.

You realize there are a few others with you who are dressed the same as you. Most notably, all of you have button-down print shirts, the prints being different types of… birds? To your left there's an armored interior door, two more people visible, and large, hulking buildings passing by through the window. You try to open your mouth to speak, but it's as if your tongue is coated in tar, and you manage nothing more than an empty parting of lips.

When the vehicle stops, a nurse steps into view. His jaw is set as he pulls the IV out of your arm, but there's a practiced way in which he does this, as if this is nothing more than business as usual for him. As if he's done it before.

The nurse opens up the van's door soon after, and he steps out, monitoring the way the two heavily armed soldiers escort out you and the others. Once all of you have left the van, they get everyone lined up. "We'll keep this short and sweet," one of the guards says as she looks you all over with little more than a passing interest. "Go around the corner and into the sports bar. There, you'll find people like you. With the glow. They'll take it from here."

With the orders given, the guards pile back into the van and pull off into the sky, hitting the road. The road, of course, is in the sky. For the newcomers, it's better to head into the bar like directed. Well, it's not like you have any choice in the matter. Besides, it's hot as hell outside and the sooner that you can get away from the punishing sun, the better.

◉ 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.

Moments before the drop offs occur, a message comes from one Jacob Harold in the inboxes of all of the current Displaced. Strangely enough, it reads like a manufacturing message from Giles Bell's warranty department.

Back to business as usual, huh? I kinda wanted to drop the newcomers off at the ball again, but apparently dropping drugged people off in a nightmare setting is frowned upon.

So, um, this! Sorry for the cloak and daggers name. I'm experimenting. Not everyone has AI on their side to help them out. Could you have one of them let me know how secure this is? The endgame being to give you all a direct line to me, as requested.

That's all!

Oh, before I forget. Do you like their shirts? Should I buy some for all of you?

— JH

> THE STATE OF NEW AMSTERDAM

Out of the alley and around to the front, the newcomers will find a city that is in the process of rebuilding itself. While New Amsterdam has seen better days, it's starting to regain some of its more pristine gleam that it especially tends to acquire in the summer time.

Despite that, New Amsterdam has been through a lot—so much that it's almost impossible to summarize it all. The city's seen a lot of tragedy between giant kaiju attacks, EMP that killed lots of people, a vengeance-driven simulation put on by a very angry AI, and an additional monster attack, though this one was worldwide. Oddly enough, New Amsterdam fared the best throughout the attacks because of the intervention from the strange people with the blue glowing chests (known to each other colloquially as "the Displaced"). Most recently, the entire population of this world was pulled into another universe, their minds altered to believe that they had always lived in this strange place called The Aerie. With an overpopulation problem that was solved via monthly battle royales starring anyone who broke a law, it was not an easy place to live for many. Now that everyone's returned to the real world, they still have memories of that other life layered on, and it's a lot to process. So if people seem unwilling to talk, or off in any way, there may be a reason other than big-city unfriendliness.

And what of the Displaced? These people have had a presence in New Amsterdam for a while. First, they were the weirdos who inspired messages from the NAPD to remind people that vigilantism is a bad idea after they took out a kaiju all by themselves. Later, they were creeping into medical wings and heading up into the floating pyramid outside of the city to help bring the environmental grid around the world back online. After the simulation where their powers were key to causing little glitches throughout the experience, the Displaced became more widely known, a pattern that has only continued as some of them were quite high-profile in the Aerie as key members of the ruling class or repeat victors of the battle royales. The very same bar that everyone got dropped off at today is also one of their bases of operation.

There has been a group that has quietly appreciated the Displaced for a while. Around September 2511, little shrines started sprouting up around the city depicting the Displaced. While many of these shrines were simple in nature, made up of candles and a piece of art portraying someone with a blue shape coming out of their chest, others were beautiful murals, lavish in every way. These murals sell for a lot of money, but the people buying them don't seem to know why these paintings are a big deal.

Are the Displaced worthy of shrines and attention? Debatable. The people connected to the shrines think they're either touched by god, gods themselves, or carrying something god-like within them. And as it turned out? They were right. These people tend to be marked with sacred geometry tattoos. They aren't in the majority in the city by any means, but they were the first "fans" of the Displaced. Now that the Displaced are becoming known, their shrines are getting more notice. And with the existence of gods becoming a reality rather than a belief, other religious groups are cropping up as well, strange in a world that was once purely secular.

Along the way, the Displaced have made some enemies, and the fact that all of the Cardinals in the Aerie were Displaced isn't helping matters. The UN, the most powerful governmental force in this world, has made little secret that they're not fans, and now they're taking additional steps with a newly announced Task Force that will be investigating all of the strange goings-on of the past year or so — much of which revolved around the Displaced. (More on that below!) Thankfully, the governor of New Amsterdam, Joseph Lynch, has at least spoken out in support of the Displaced.

There are also the corporations, the most notable at the moment being Riverstone. A former entertainment mogul in the 20th and 21st centuries, Riverstone eventually began to broaden their interests prior to World War III. Most recently, they offered to perform tests on the Displaced in exchange for some information. Riverstone has a mild presence in New Amsterdam, but has a symbiotic relationship with the United Nations in their capital city, New Beijing.

It feels important to note that it's hot in New Amsterdam right now, hot and humid and sticky, with frequent downpours. There is also water rationing going on. Despite that, the city of New Amsterdam continues to be overgrown with plant life and greenery that clogs up plumbing everywhere. What's that about? You guessed it, it's another weird Displaced-caused thing.

> RED WINGS
The newcomers were directed to head into a bar that is on the other side of the alley, and there is only one available: the Displaced-run Red Wings. While Red Wings has looked worse for wear thanks to the semi-recent monster attack, it's starting to look like its old self again. Bright red lights welcome the newcomers inside. The windows have been repaired, and the bar looks like it's in better shape. Thanks to the attack, there are still some cosmetic changes in progress to freshen up the place, getting rid of the booths and replacing them with tables, but the majority of the clean-up work seems to be done now.

Business has slowed a bit at Red Wings since Stephen Strange returned to work. Given his role as a Cardinal, the fanfare for the business has died down a little. While it's not possible for any of the newcomers to see because their implant hasn't been activated yet, there are various baseball and soccer games from around the world playing on projected screens. Too bad there aren't as many patrons watching. The good news is that there will be plenty of room to sit down and have a meal before heading off to the safehouse across town.

> THE INSOMNIACS' BALL

Once again, word of the Insomniac’s Ball spreads through rumors and snatched whispers. It seems that, despite the state of the city and its resources, the infamous event is still happening.

The Ball is a week long event, considered an urban myth by most and an unobtainable bucket list item for the rest. The timing changes every year, and the location is a closely guarded secret, but one thing remains consistent—it’s an all hours party that disappears as mysteriously as it appears. This year, it's widely known that a new showrunner is in charge after the previous host passed away. Though the old host kept his identity a secret, the new one, Nirvana, hasn't bothered. To a degree, this is her coming out party in her new role.

Thanks to leaks of information within the Aerie that were a little too on the nose, Nirvana has now been outed as Legion: the Banksy-like figure who's been painting murals all around New Amsterdam for the last year. Before this reveal, Nirvana was known as a standoffish member of the upper, upper class: primed to step into an executive position at Pulsar once she was ready. Her family, the Maree family, are a part of the capitalist oligarchy that rules the world, and they have a firm grip on their place in it. All the gossip surrounding Nirvana now is that she's been disowned by her family for her vandalism and association with spiritual occultism around the city. Most people assume that while Nirvana wasn't responsible for the spiritual surge of interest around the city prior to the Aerie, she was in league with the man responsible because of their close ties since childhood. Instead of wallowing in her exile, she seems to make it her own, embracing it.

For anyone who searches for her social media, there will be nothing but the standard run-of-the-mill CoolTalk. She likes to keep to herself, and coincidentally, that's not possible anymore.

> INVITATIONS
But how do you get in? This year, the Displaced aren’t getting a special invite, and so they’ll have to vie for their spot just like everyone else. The goal is to make waves in claiming New Amsterdam. Nirvana never does anything small.

◉ One way is to make an impression. Are you an artist? A musician? Can you create something that elicits a strong emotional response from your audience, for better or worse? This year, artists and performers of all stripes start receiving invitations to the Ball after posting their work on social media, and soon enough, a frenzy starts. No one knows what the shared thread is here, and no one knows what Nirvana is looking for, but if you can grab her attention and generate some buzz with your work, receiving an invitation is inevitable.

◉ Another is to take a big dare. Just like last year, this is the choice for the brave, or those who just love an adrenaline rush. Sometimes they’re simple—burst into song in a crowd, or declare yourself the most beloved celebrity in New Amsterdam to anyone who will listen. Sometimes, they’re more dangerous. Can you climb the vines twisting to the top of that building? Can you tiptoe across a steel beam connecting two stories-high skyscrapers? Are you willing to show off your powers? Steal a hoverbike? Play chicken with the NAPD? Whatever you do, the idea is the same—get Nirvana’s attention, get an invitation.

◉ Lastly, there's always word of mouth. It's possible that you overhear someone talking about the Ball. While no one will outright speak about it for fear of the shut down from law enforcement, however if you lean in just right, you may have the possibility of being lucky. It's also possible that you may know someone who's already got an invitation—ready to be a +1?

Before long, a rumor spreads: Nirvana is looking for a bit of Shakespearian inspiration in the execution of the dares. Wherefore art thou courage? Who cares if "wherefore" means "why"?

Once an invite is secured, those who have been to the Ball before will realize this one is in a new location—a warehouse in an industrial section of town owned by one of the Maree family's associated companies, Prism LLC. From the outside, the building would be easy to miss. It’s boxy and gray, bland to the naked eye. Inside is another story.

> 24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE
The entire interior has been sectioned off into a maze-like combination of corridors and rooms, one leading into the other into the other. With the windows blacked out, it’s easy to get lost, and easier to lose track of time. This Ball doesn’t feel like a Ball at all, but a disorienting combination of art festival, installation, rave and concert. Unlike past events, Nirvana has chosen a theme for the evening: Star-Crossed Lovers. Fitting the theme, there are snippets of oratories from Romeo and Juliet that play throughout the Ball, cutting through the eclectic scenery.

Some of the hallways are long and expansive, lined with artists in the middle of painting walls and canvases, some switching and painting over the others' work in a grand display of creative freedom. Some are narrow and winding, with strobing lights and splashes of neon color, leading into rooms that seem to have no common theme. Some are bright and colorful, filled with strange, playful objects that make them feel more like giant cartoonish playgrounds. Some are disorienting, with dark mirrored walls and lights that make them feel like an endless field of stars. Some are stately galleries, art carefully hung on the walls. The art is all inspired by paintings from the 16th century—with a 2512 flair. As tacky as this merger could be, it seems that the curator had a talent for avoiding the more gaudy and out of place works that could have appeared. Some are intimate concert spaces where musicians play to a small crowd. And, of course, some take full advantage of the implants and VR, turned into interactive experiences where attendees are as much a part of the art as the sculptures and paintings.

One of the more unique settings to this modern world is the library-like installations throughout. This unique place is lit only by candles hidden behind glass paneling on the makeshift walls, concealed from disruption (and kept safe to prevent any kind of fire hazard). Most of the books were published in the mid-21st century, just prior to World War III, and they show the signs of wear and tear typical to most books in the 26th century: missing pages, notations in the margins, as well as covers that only hold on thanks to long-degraded masking tape. All of the authors are from the 16th century (Shakespeare, Marlowe, Luther, and more), and it seems likely that they were pilfered from a private collection once held very dear. Their presence here and out in the open, left carelessly for any attendee to touch is a sign of quiet, candlelit rebellion.

And then, of course, there’s the party. DJs are just as ubiquitous as the crooners with acoustic guitars. Food and drink is plentiful, despite the water rationing outside. Wine is the alcohol of choice (with other accompanying hard liquors and beers), all on display in casks or kegs covered in artwork by local artisans. There's even a few curious containers that have some unique markings that don't seem to be just part of the artwork. Excerpts from Romeo and Juliet that may glean knowledge to their contents. Give them a small sip and find that each is imbued with different psychotropic substances. You can't go far without being offered something, either.

Attendees show up to impress, some wearing nothing but complex, glowing body paint, some wearing elaborate, hyper-detailed costumes. If you showed up a little underdressed, there will certainly be someone willing to pull you aside and give you a mask, or spruce you up with some over-the-top makeup or help cover you up in nothing more than body paint.

> A GRAND EXPRESSION OF MOVEMENT
Want to get involved? There aren’t any rules here. An artist or musician can plant themselves wherever there’s space and to express themselves to their heart’s content. Some of the installations encourage this, asking attendees to draw on the pieces or even interact with each other, taking quizzes that seem to make no sense or solving puzzles together. Paint and artist implements are plentiful, being offered to anyone who'll take them. Acrobats tumble and contortionists twist themselves into impossible shapes. Street performers and illusionists feed off of the energy of passersby, pulling you into their performances without warning. They were all either invited, or had found a way in due to their talents, weaving their way into the masterpiece.

> LIKE FIRE AND POWDER
After the Ball comes to a close, everyone will be cleared out. By then, the warehouse is unlikely to look like it did at the start: repainted and reimagined, a piece of collaborative art in itself, having now dragged everyone back to a simpler time. There will be sober people passing between the walls time and again to ensure that everyone's out. Once it's done, the warehouse will implode: it's a planned and controlled demolition, and a middle finger to the parent company that owns the warehouse itself: Pulsar.

◉ The Insomniacs' Ball and the related methods of gaining an invite will last for one week, from September 7-14.

◉ We will not be dictating set pieces of the invites or challenges—these are left to player discretion as to what your character would have realistically managed to complete! Feel free to be creative.

◉ The invites themselves are business card sized pieces of metal with an intricate geometric pattern etched on one side, and an address on the other, as well as a quote from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The address leads to a quick series of clues and locations which will take characters to the door as described. Any written clues appear in iambic pentameter.

◉ The same geometric design will be present throughout the ball, worn by some of the guests and doorpeople, and integrated into most of the art. Those who aren't wearing it may be painted with it, glowing with various alchemic and sacred symbols.

◉ While in the Ball, Nirvana will be circulating throughout. Unlike the previous host, she does little to hide herself. That doesn't mean she's inviting anyone to come closer: from the look in her eyes and the bright paint she wears all over her body, she's here for the party as much as anyone else. She may dance with the Displaced, or be approached for a chat here. Keep in mind she's also inclined to ditch someone or walk away in the middle a conversation.

> AROUND THE CITY

Of course, not everyone is going to have the skill, idea, or inclination to attend the Insomniacs' Ball. There's plenty of other things going on around New Amsterdam other than the exclusive party, however.

> SPECIAL INVESTIGATION TASK FORCE
With the entire population of not just New Amsterdam, but the whole world, still reeling from what happened in the Aerie, most people are hungry for answers. What whisked them away into that other world, and why? Was someone or something in particular behind it? With the existence of the Displaced becoming more and more known, there are plenty of people who believe them to be involved in some way, and the UN is perpetuating that belief.

Their new task force isn't just about investigating the Displaced, but they are looking into all of the strange occurrences that have usually revolved around this group of extraordinary people. If someone were to assume that all roads lead back to the Displaced, they wouldn't be wrong. Given that so much of that was based in New Amsterdam, a good chunk of the task force's personnel and resources will be funneled into this particular city.

What this means is that even just going about one's daily life, it will be hard to shake the sense that there are people around watching everything with a close eye. The secret police, many who served as Shrikes in the Aerie and therefore have specialized training, will not be overt in their surveillance. However, if someone does something that is out of the ordinary in some way, whether it's accidentally (or purposefully) using their powers or causing any kind of ruckus, they may be stopped for questioning.

It won't necessarily go any further than that (and if it might, please let us know so we can field your questions!), but everyone's going to feel like they need to keep checking over their shoulder.

> NEW RELIGION
While the cult described above in the State of New Amsterdam section has been around for some time, they're no longer the only religious group that exists in this city. With the Aerie also came the confirmation the gods are real, and there are various groups that have sprung up, sorting out how they want to worship these mysterious figures.

Their creeds and ways of worship are in the fledgling stages, not fully formed and running the full gamut. Abandoned buildings have been repurposed into makeshift chapels or shrines, and in some cases there are even would-be pastors giving sermons. Some of it is apocalyptic, speaking of how the end is near and how everyone must repent before the precious little time that is left is up. Others are much more hopeful, discussing how one might appeal to one of the remaining gods for their assistance in healing the world.

And then there's the straight-up weird. One of the gods that's now known, Gold, was behind the monster attacks that almost leveled so many cities. Some people have managed to hold onto monster body parts and are now worshipping them as holy symbols. Others are finding ways to refine and ingest said body parts, using them as a way to get high and go on some kind of spiritual journey. There's a lot to interact with here, for better or worse, but these newly-sprouted groups can also be intercepted and influenced.

The Displaced have a piece of a god inside them, after all.

> THE KESTRELS
The Kestrels were a rebel group that existed within the Quarry, as they were determined to fight back against a broken system that only seemed interested in making people suffer. They are now exerting themselves within the real world as well, with many of those ideas and beliefs transferring over, as the oppressive corporations are not truly so different from Parliament when you get right down to it.

This rebel group is not particularly well-organized as of yet, but that won't stop them from taking radical actions not just in New Amsterdam, but other parts of the world as well. Unlike Morningstar, they have no compunctions about resorting to extremist measures to get their point across. What might this look like? Well, the Kestrels in the Aerie got their point across by setting off bombs, and while they no longer have the resources to do anything too flashy, they might still try their luck where they can. So smaller explosions that aren't going to do a ton of lasting damage, but will still get some notice and news coverage.

Their target? Well, any corporation they see as corrupt and taking advantage of the little guy. Granted, with the UN's task force out, it's likely that some of these over-ambitious rebels are going to get arrested in short order. It's up to the Displaced if they want to provide guidance or aid, or if they want to condemn the Kestrels and their extreme methods.

> WORK OPPORTUNITIES
For both the newly arrived and anyone else who might have found themselves out of a job for whatever reasons, there's plenty to choose from within the city.

◉ As the food and restaurant industry in New Amsterdam gets up on its feet, there will be a special call for temp jobs! Anyone who needs some quick extra credits can pull their weight at a warehouse, in one of the hydroponic gardens (or regular gardens, for that matter), or helping to prep food at one of the local restaurants.

◉ The Department of Wildlife Protection and Services is a newly-minted department within city hall which has been established to make sure that the new animal life that's popped up within the world is… well, protected. If anyone has a passion for this, they could see about tossing in an application for an entry level position.

◉ Want to start exploring space? The colonies will be calling for people to help them to help foster their independence. That includes scientists, those competent in law, and those willing to lend time and resources toward their independence. This is still a potential player plot! El and Cassius will also be willing to help in this regard, as they're still quietly supporting the colonies, and can assist in finding the Displaced ways to get out into space.

◉ And plenty more! Feel free to look at the SETTING and JOBS page for any other ideas.

> SAFEHOUSE

Not long after their arrival (so within a few hours), the new Displaced will be brought across the city to an abandoned hover-bike garage in a neighborhood that's clearly seen better days. This escort will come from their fellow Displaced, those who've been here for some time now and know the way arrivals usually play out. If there's a situation where they wouldn't go to the safehouse willingly, the compliance drug will be in place, but this is naturally something that can be plotted out specifically with other players!

Located under said 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 won't be around this time to help out, so the Displaced will have to handle her usual duties, but newbies can 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 number 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. There was a VR system for anyone who'd be hanging around the safehouse for a long time, but it's currently still out for repairs. Unfortunately, the partitions that were setup were destroyed by some viciously digging moles, so privacy is back to being nonexistent down in the safehouse.

◉ New characters will be asked to pick their beds, and be 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 pretty much nonexistent in most of the beverages lying around.

◉ Along those same lines, newcomers will find that this is a world that is steeped in sustainable choices. Paper is a thing of the past. Ever used a bidet regularly? This world gives everyone a crash course in exactly what that feels like if they haven't done that before.

◉ With Gaby out, shortly after their arrival, El will message the newcomers to explain the basics. Ze 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.

◉ It will be made clear to new characters that in this world, everything is reliant on the implants and their associated IDs. Without them, new arrivals can't do anything—no buying anything or even opening doors. Without IDs, people stick out like a sore thumb, and with certain powerful entities in this world gunning for the Displaced, this could be incredibly dangerous for 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 characters 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 cannot leave the safehouse at this time. The hatch won't open for them, not because it's locked, but because no IDs means no doors will open at all. This will make it impossible for them to get out for the next four days until their IDs have been finalized by El. There won't be any immediately obvious ways to cut their way out through turning off the power, either. Not everyone loves the safehouse system, but it's the best they've got for now and current Displaced will usually come by to help newbies pass the time and answer their questions. Time to sit tight.

◉ As a note, if any character does manage to leave the safehouse because someone let them out either accidentally or purposefully, we need the players involved to drop us a line! For further details on the current safehouse procedures and how they came about, please see this post!

◉ New characters will not be allowed to leave the safehouse until SEPTEMBER 11 (FEBRUARY 20). 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.

> FINAL OOC NOTES

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 to roam free until after those initial four days have passed. Until then, all characters will appear as @anonymous on the network. While sitting down in the safehouse, it's expected that 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.

If you'd like to have your character bump into Nirvana at the Ball, check out the thread below. Please keep in mind these will not be fully RPed scenarios and that Nirvana (who's a touch colder than her deceased bestie, Ball) is both blitzed out of her mind and far less likely to show protracted interest in the Displaced. Meaning: she might just ignore them.

The February CR meme for the month is here.

Please check out our February calendar rundown for a look at things happening this month.

AC will remain halved for the foreseeable future. New players will only need to provide at least five comments across two-four (2-4) threads, while older players will only need to provide ten comments across two-four (2-4) threads. Please let us know if you have any questions about this!

> NAVIGATION

Comments

[mahem]

[ he's just intriguing for her on so many levels, really, because she'd seen the way he fights — and he can fight, something brutal and ferocious in how he'd gone after those guards. she remembers seeing the blood in his smile and that look in his eye, and now she knows what rests just below the surface, wonders if it would show up if she reached out to touch him.

she won't chance it now, here, but they're close enough that either of them could touch if they shifted in a little more.

she shakes her head slowly, lips peeling back into more of a grin. he's on the money with his instincts, but she's going to keep teasing him anyway. ] Gee, don't I look like I'm a virgin to this whole thing? And yeah, I guess there's technically rules, but from what I've seen, this crowd likes it even more if you fight a little dirty.

[ she turns to address the bartender on their approach, batting her lashes. ] Whatcha got that's sweet and fruity? Somethin' like that. And then whatever he's havin' too. [ she jabs a thumb over towards amos. ] Put it on mine.

[baltimores]

[ The thought hasn't crossed his mind - it doesn't usually, considering how adverse he is to the empathy bond in general, only trusting a very small handful of people with it to begin with - but he's still in that pleasant fight aftermath cool down. He'd taken his gloves off for when he was in the ring; hasn't bothered to put them back on yet, bare but comfortable with that in the present moment, proximity be damned.

Harley's just. Really fun? The complete opposite to his overall lower key, sometimes-faux-sometimes-not amiable nature. There's something of an admiration there, a wonder that a person could just be like that, but it feels natural for her. Suits her. He really likes that authenticity, feels drawn to it in a way he could never replicate.

Though there's something genuine in his smile as she watches her, looks up at the bartender. ] Whisky. Thanks. [ A bit more inflection in that last word, to the bartender, mostly for Harley. He nods appreciatively when he gets his drink, angles himself back towards her now that they're back to their own little space amid all the activity surrounding them. ]

Sure, it's a good crowd. [ It is decidedly not a good crowd, but he's pretty happy with the overall reception he's gotten since coming here more and more, so nah, it's a good crowd. ] You got any good tricks up your sleeve? Or am I just gonna have to wait and see?

[ He's never really been in the position of looking forward to seeing someone else fight, so the curiosity is surprisingly earnest. It's nice to get to be so open about all this. ]

[mahem]

[ the likelihood of her forgetting about the empathy bond and reaching out to touch someone regardless is pretty damn high; she's been lucky that most of the people she encounters are either wearing gloves, fast enough to dodge her, or manage to have on something that means she doesn't make direct contact with skin. she's keeping to her own personal bubble now, but that might not always be the case.

still, she glances over, finds him looking at her, and her mouth curves up in a slow smile, something that isn't for show and maybe curious too. he doesn't seem like the kind of guy who emotes a lot, either, aside from very certain reactions, so she feels like she's catching a glimpse of something that not a lot of people get to see. ]

What, you think I'm gonna show my hand now? Ruin the surprise? I don't think sooo.

[ she clucks her tongue against her teeth faux-disapprovingly, shaking her head enough to make her earrings sway; since she still doesn't have all of her hair back, she's been wearing dangly jewelry to compensate, even if it doesn't really feel like pigtails in the same way.

but their drinks come and she collects her own, bright umbrella adornment and all, and wraps her lips around the straw sticking out of it, trying that first sip. ] Oooh, this is yummy. You want some?

[baltimores]

[ By all accounts, Harley should not be eliciting this sort of reaction from him. There's a part of him that vaguely recognizes that, too; how he's initially been standoffish with most people on first meeting and with her it's... something entirely different.

Probably easy enough to chalk it up to beating the shit out of other people. No time for conversation at first, just violent instinct. The kind of relationship he'd have forged in Baltimore, except Harley is decidedly nothing like anyone he knew back there, and it's definitely for the better.

He smiles, teeth on display, but more than happy to lean into the mocking. It's like it's a part he's playing, only this one feels more honest than the shows he'd put on in polite society whenever he cared enough to bother. ]

Yeah, kinda figured.

[ Good humour in his voice. He watches her earrings move about; takes his own first drink at the same time as her. Amos raises an eyebrow, sets his drink down at the offer, but he'll try whatever. ]

Sure. [ He takes it at her offer, collects a small sip from the edge of the glass, umbrella adornment safely on the other side, and his eyes widen slightly in surprise at the taste. ] God damn, that's sweet.

[ Not a hint of disapproval in his tone. More astonishment than anything, really. He'd have more but. It's not his, so he passes it back over to Harley. He can take a moment to process the sugar before going back to his own drink.

And a little less animated, more thoughtful, taking into account everything he knows about her so far, ] Suits you, really.

[mahem]

[ there's definitely kind of an unspoken thing happening here, and it might have to do with how they'd met, forged in blood and pain and whatever the hell else. you get to know somebody a lot quicker once you find out how they handle themselves in a fight, and she'd seen glimpses of something honest there, even though she'd noticed how much more controlled he was up in the ring earlier. slower, but also confident, like he knew he was going to walk away from that match-up just fine.

for a second she's half-convinced he'll turn her down on the drink, but then she watches with a lift of both eyebrows, an amused tilt of her mouth, as he ventures that first sip. ]

Good, though, right?

[ she exhales a chuckle when he gives voice to that comparison. ] If that's your takeaway after meetin' me I'm gonna have to start bein' a lot meaner to you. [ but she's more amused and surprised, even, before jutting her chin in the direction of his drink. ] Guess yours kinda fits you too, though. Straightforward, simple. No bullshit. You know what you're gettin' with a drink like that.

[baltimores]

[ He really can't help the full-blown grin at the idea of Harley being mean. Now that'd be interesting to be on the receiving end of. So far it's been nothing but good times with the suggestion of viciousness lurking around the edges. Kind of an ideal feeling, really.

Maybe shouldn't be kind of an ideal feeling, really, but it is what it is. ]

Not gonna lie, kinda would be interested in seeing that.

[ Like he's interested in seeing her in the ring when it's her turn. Like he's interested in her in general. The empathy bond was annoying before, but now it's really a pain. Just adds a completely unnecessary layer to a whole lot of possible interactions.

He considers her when she gestures at his drink, though, and picks it up, looking at it before knocking a bit more of it back. His expression smooths out, something new here to consider. ]

Hadn't thought of it like that before, but you're right. Things are just simpler this way. It's better like that.

[ Although, taking a second to consider, lingering sweetness still gracing his tastebuds, ] Yours was good though, yeah. Could always stand to mix up the order every now and then.

[ Okay, so he's being completely literal there, talking drinks only. He's pretty set in his actual ways of going about life already. No bullshit is good. Helps him properly navigate. Kinda necessary for him. ]

[mahem]

Oh, yeah?

[ there's a slow, creeping nature to her grin, like it shows up before she can even fully control it, curving up the corners of her mouth and making her brighter, the gleam of her teeth apparent in the darkened interior of the club.

she's not going to be even this polished in a little while — her lipstick tends to be the first thing to smudge when she's in a fight, makeup smearing across her pale skin like the colors are melting right off of her — but right now, she's only leaving a little behind on the straw as she drinks from it. ]

You're makin' it sound like I might be rubbin' off on you already.

[ even though she figures he isn't making some big metaphor, she still has to tease him about it, because apparently they've fallen into this habit already, him saying something fairly straightforward and her leaning into the lightheartedness. still, she appreciates how blunt he is in saying what he means, cutting through the waffling that so many other people like to equip. it's refreshing. no surprises. ]

Maybe I'll let you try some more.

[ although she thinks she would get a kick out of watching him order one of his own, brightly colored with a little umbrella sticking out of it. it's such a choice that looks out-of-place with who he is, that brick house body and dark clothing, that it delights her just to picture it now. ]

Or you can hold onto mine while I get up there and kick somebody's ass. [ the fight happening now is wrapping up, which means it's almost time for her to get in there, and she reaches up to take each of her earrings off, setting them down on the bar. ] Make sure nobody swipes those, will ya?

[baltimores]

[ He doesn't think he's smiled around someone so much in his life ever before. It'd almost make his face hurt if it didn't feel so natural. And it should probably concern him - he tries to picture Harley getting along on the Roci and it's difficult, but not impossible - but the openness of someone whose morality is probably pretty close to his, based on initial impressions? It's refreshing. Like his oxygen had slowly been running out and just being around her replenishes it, lets him gulp down air, live. ]

Maybe you are.

[ Can be kinda hard to turn it off sometimes, when you spend most of your life looking for people to rub off on you. There's no teeth to his grin anymore; fuck it. He can present a subdued sincerity. She makes a strong impression, the kind he can easily be drawn into. It's fucking awesome. He can think about what that means later.

Gives a soft laugh as he becomes the guardian of a drink and earrings. ]

Yeah. They'll be right here when you get back.

[ His eyes are bright; he's not going to hide how much he's looking forward to seeing this. His attention was kinda divided with his own end of things the first time he saw her fight; this time it'll be pure and concentrated. Something a little feral slips into his tone. ]

Go fuck 'em up.