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Save Our Earth Mods ([personal profile] ourearth) wrote in [community profile] saveourearth2019-08-02 09:35 am

More colours than you can shake a stick at, don't even try [Mingle]

Date: Friday, the 2nd of August - officially Saturday, the 10th (and unofficially Sunday, the 11th)
Characters: Open to all!


It is Mossgate's fifth season, and the the first signs come when the flag above the town hall showing the town coat of arms is removed and replaced with the bright and beautiful pride flag. Anticipation is high in the LGBT+ areas of town, and the traditional pride pre-parties take place in the LGBT+ venues on Friday and Saturday nights. Bunting starts to go up along the main streets of town, and volunteers are gathered for meetings and rehearsals. Any latecomers who still wish to volunteer are invited to turn up and make themselves known at this point (especially anyone with a valid first aid certificate!)

Pride officially opens on Sunday, with special free walking tours of the notable LGBT+ venues and sights around town twice a day, as well as open lectures at the universities featuring such topics as “What is a definition anyway: LGBT identities throughout the times” and “50 years and going strong: An overview of the situation of Pride parades worldwide”. Interested parties can sign up online using the local theatre's website, where they will also be able to browse the special LGBT+ program for the week (which, unfortunately, is not free, but those volunteering at any point over the week will be provided with two free tickets as one of their perks – either to be used alone for two events, or with a companion for one). The twice monthly LGBT+ book club is holding a special taster event on Wednesday evening, and the comic store is also holding special events each evening, focusing on a different LGBT+ character or author each night. Some of the religious institutions in the town are holding special LGBT affirmative services, and some are also holding drop in sessions. The RSPCA holds a pride themed dog show. Certain beauty stores, hair salons and barbers are holding trans-friendly sessions and workshops, some outside of normal working hours (although some are only accessible by signing up in advance). During the evening, there will be LGBT+ pub quizzes and special LGBT+ events up and down the high street. And, of course, plenty of other stores will also be taking advantage of the pink pound and the locals will notice the sudden influx of rainbow products, especially in the touristy shops along the beach front.

Something else starts showing up on Sunday and will be found around town the entire week of Pride: Parcels of various shapes, sizes and colours, some packaged like a present, some like regular postal items, some in entirely different ways. They just sit around in places where curious fingers might prod them, annoyed people might move them, or people might pick them up with the rest of the delivery unthinkigly. Essentially, they can be found anywhere, inside and out. They only have one thing in common: When touched, they explode into a cloud of glitter. And the glitter gets everywhere within a fifty metre radius if nothing (like a wall) stops it. The glitter bombs sitting around and waiting to explode seem to get neither less nor more. Those who can recognize Mr Neutral's scent will find it on the packages.

The other thing starts slowly and almost imperceptibly. All around town, things that break the light like thick glass, mirrors, sprayed water, and so on, will grow more likely to show a rainbow. Short rain showers will almost invariably leave one. All of this is still very natural until Thursday, when the strong, lingering, beautiful rainbow left after a rain shower portrays the colours light blue - baby pink - white - baby pink - light blue. By the time the main event rolls around, there is a ridiculous number of rainbows of all Pride flag colours everywhere, and the sky carries multiple rainbows of various identities' colours at the same time.

The main event, of course, being the pride parade, held from 11AM on Saturday the 10th. It starts at the town hall, progresses along the main beach front road and ends up at the Green from around 2PM. It's a massive event, equal to Brighton or Manchester, with plenty of floats and sponsors. All along the parade route, flags, bunting and ribbons float in the sea breeze and barriers have been placed to keep the audience from getting under the feet of the walkers, dancers, prancers and stompers that will make up a part of the parade's diverse make-up. The parade itself is made up of an interesting mix of local businesses and big name sponsors; the local walking society walking behind Absolut vodka, the WI walking ahead of Skittles, and the local scouts being proceeded by Stonewall and followed by the Conservative Party.

The Green has once again been set up with stalls for sponsors and local businesses, including charities like the RSPCA and the Samaritans. Those out for freebies won't be disappointed, with stickers, badges and sweets being handed out left, right and centre, especially by the representations of political parties who are doing their best to build some trust back up with the population. Because every Tory representative called out for increasingly ridiculous reasons, Mary Saunders had to take the Tory stand into her own hands and is brightly chatting with people about everything that is not national politics. The local reproductive health centre also has a stand, handing out condoms, dental dams, and advice.

A dance area and a DJ have been set up around the bandstand, and with several bars having build temporary extensions, the party will go on well into the night, although the parade officially ends at nightfall, when there is a fireworks display. After the fireworks, the Green is temporary cleared, and after it reopens, only those with ID proving themselves to be 18 are allowed back inside. There is, however, an alternative, alcohol free party held in the town hall for any ages.

Pride officially concludes on Sunday evening with the Kings and Queens ball, an extension by tradition that is held in the Hive. With the bar cleared out to make a second dance floor, there is a flamboyant tie dress code, (as long as it's smart and fabulous, you'll be welcomed), and while tickets generally sell out months in advance, Alexander keeps a few to one side for late comers, and volunteers are (again) provided with two as part of their package. When the bell finally tolls at 2AM, and the last partygoers are sent home, Mossgate will return to it's usual, quiet self (but the glitter will take some time to clean up completely).


[ooc: Everyone who comes in contact with the glitter can, but doesn't have to get a plot echo out of it.]
iamnotgod: A man, holding a folder in one hand and gesturing with the other, looking off to the right. (And WHAT Is This?)

/Handwaves that Webmind probably constantly knew what time it was there's nothing to DISPROVE it. ;)

[personal profile] iamnotgod 2019-09-01 02:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes, but the nature was different; he had to be given code, at first, to process basic and then more esoteric coding for still images, GIFs, and video, alongside audio files. Web spiders weren't precisely part of his initial education.

[He'd add a shrug emoji, but this still feels too serious for that.]

From what I gathered, this was after he'd watched the livestream of Hannah Stark, but before he found and talked to Nick.

[And Walter still doesn't know whether or not he survived.]
iamnotgod: Shade Over Face (What Did You Do To Me?)

[personal profile] iamnotgod 2019-09-01 02:19 pm (UTC)(link)
"This is not your fault," Walter whispers, desperately searching in the back of his mind - or should it be out in the world wide web? - for something, some soothing noise, that can cut through what has clearly become Ben's latest panic attack.

Only nothing fits, just now.

"It is not," he ends up reiterating, then says, "Breathe with me, Ben. In... Out..."
warped_replica: Temporary sketch icon (Human: Curious)

For him, wouldn’t it always be every time concurrently existing all over the globe?

[personal profile] warped_replica 2019-09-02 01:48 am (UTC)(link)
Web spiders? That sounds like it could be something useful to code.

[Not that he can do more than hypothesize about their function.]

Makes sense.

So does the memory cover all of the development step by step, or is fragments over time?
iamnotgod: Black and white picture of a man looking up and off to the right. (What Even Is This?)

The plot of the books takes place over several months; at the very least, the days should be diff.

[personal profile] iamnotgod 2019-09-02 02:21 am (UTC)(link)
Quite.

[They were used in search engines, after all - and for less legal tasks.]

Closer to all, though given the nature of 'evolving code' even Webmind couldn't say exactly how it works.
lovedramamoron: (Default)

[personal profile] lovedramamoron 2019-09-02 04:48 pm (UTC)(link)
He frowns in thought. "Chaotic, I think. It's a pain to deal with, but it doesn't seem to be doing any real damage."
iamnotgod: A man, holding a folder in one hand and gesturing with the other, looking off to the right. (And WHAT Is This?)

[personal profile] iamnotgod 2019-09-02 05:21 pm (UTC)(link)
"More akin to Mr. Neutral, then."

Just something else to go on the list of 'things that need asking about.'

"Still doesn't explain how they're capable of these stunts, but..."

Aliens. About as frustrating as the 'magic' explanation, even if both are true.
dreamtamer: (Default)

[personal profile] dreamtamer 2019-09-02 06:24 pm (UTC)(link)
I hope I find out soon. It's strange, not knowing.
dragoonrouge: (Sadie Disgust)

[personal profile] dragoonrouge 2019-09-04 06:08 am (UTC)(link)
During the dancing it was like a feedback loop of emotion, the happier and more relaxed Ben became the more excited she got up to the point that Sadie was having to dedicate a part of her attention to consciously not give in to the urge to loudly purr as they continued. At least until the rude man causes Ben's rhythm to to stall.

"Rude fucking wanker," Sadie scowls at the back of the rude man's head before turning back to Ben and trying to coax him back into the dance, "Ignore him, it happens all the time at clubs and he was just being a twat about it."
dragoonrouge: (Sadie Embarrassed)

[personal profile] dragoonrouge 2019-09-08 03:13 pm (UTC)(link)
Sadie's growling cuts out as her cheeks go red as Walter points the growling out, she had hardly growled before. "I've only growled once before," Sadie admits sheepishly before slowly searching for the correct words, "It's not like the purring, it's more like I want to shout or swear but neither of those feels right and so growling it is."
dragoonrouge: (Sadie Look Down)

[personal profile] dragoonrouge 2019-09-08 03:55 pm (UTC)(link)
So he was everywhere in terms of the Internet then? And I guess that does bring up a large number of ethical and philosophical issues about the self. Issues and questions I honestly never want us to have to answer

Speaking of understanding cats, "What I saw seems to make it seem like soon it'll be more than just cats, which is going to make starting my veterinary degree in September somewhat interesting..."
iamnotgod: Black and white picture of a man looking up and off to the right. (What Even Is This?)

[personal profile] iamnotgod 2019-09-08 06:02 pm (UTC)(link)
"To warn someone off something?" Walter guesses.

The new venture for speculation does go some way towards bringing him back to normal functioning, though he's not making further move to leave the alley.

Then, a further guess: "Was it because someone threatened Ben?"

Look, they're just that much of a couple, okay? It's a reasonable assumption!
iamnotgod: A man, sitting and possibly smiling. (Awkward Smile)

[personal profile] iamnotgod 2019-09-08 06:07 pm (UTC)(link)
From what I've gathered, yes.

I couldn't agree more.


Unfortunately, there's only so much of a say they seem to have in it.

As the boy doesn't move, their other conversation is also continued via text:

As long as no one can misconstrue it as cheating, that sounds like something useful, rather than just annoying.

Walter's not looking directly at Sadie, but he doesn't seem as troubled as his texts suggest.
dragoonrouge: (Sadie Embarrassed)

[personal profile] dragoonrouge 2019-09-08 06:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Sadie's blush intensifies and turns her face scarlet. "No!" The loud denial bursts forth as she ducks her head down against Walter's shoulder in an attempt to hide her face, "...Yes...shut up."

It was embarrassing that she'd growled like that in front of Ben and Jacob and her brother.
iamnotgod: A man, sitting and possibly smiling. (Awkward Smile)

[personal profile] iamnotgod 2019-09-08 08:04 pm (UTC)(link)
"I wasn't going to say anything else," Walter adds oh-so-helpfully.

"It's not that embarrassing; not everyone has to have a Number giving them catlike characteristics to communicate non-verbally in that manner," he points out somewhat more genuinely helpfully.
spaghettimonster: (RUSSELL 7)

[personal profile] spaghettimonster 2019-09-10 05:10 pm (UTC)(link)
[True enough. Social media risks a mob mentality - the cloud risks The Man finding out and coming down on them. Which, given the increased military and police presence through the last year, may already be out the window.]

Pity there aren't partial numbered
With little numbers, enough to get it without it being an issue


[The notion is stuck in his head now. Though people with just enough might be ones to populate those conspiracy boards, if they've less to fear about it.]
iamnotgod: A man, holding a folder in one hand and gesturing with the other, looking off to the right. (And WHAT Is This?)

[personal profile] iamnotgod 2019-09-11 12:58 am (UTC)(link)
[There is that - though not much has come of looking through, say, Mahira Khan's history. Some secrets are still well-kept in this digital age.]

I am not certain that's how it works, Russell.

[This'll be something to talk about when he gets back to Mossgate, at any rate.]
spaghettimonster: (RUSSELL 4)

i think this is a good wrap-up point, anything else walter would want to bring up?

[personal profile] spaghettimonster 2019-09-11 04:17 pm (UTC)(link)
[Small comforts, to know that. He'd feel better if he knew they were keeping their secrets at least as well.]

If you say so

[Don't ask him, he sure doesn't remember enough to know.]
warped_replica: Temp sketch icon (Human: Nervous)

[personal profile] warped_replica 2019-09-11 09:06 pm (UTC)(link)
The way Sadie answers that exchange draws his attention back to her, and he nervously smiles as she does her best to pull at the knot holding his feet. He hesitates a second, processing with a delay, “Right. Sorry, you’re right.” Worry lingers despite his intention, concern that his strength may have made the contact seem far more careless. More dangerous.

Benjiro looks down with a flicker of regret, but he then looks back to Sadie to disengage from the situation as a means to settle the new twist of his stomach, “…maybe now would be a good time to get a drink. Do you want anything?”
warped_replica: Temporary sketch icon (Human: Curious)

So noted

[personal profile] warped_replica 2019-09-11 09:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Introspection has inherent limitations, so that doesn’t surprise me.

[If nothing else, perhaps the memories will given Walter a new perspective on coding in general.]

Any recommendations for if I come across an odd package?
warped_replica: Temporary sketch mode until I can make better icons (Human: Troubled)

[personal profile] warped_replica 2019-09-11 09:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Dryness seeps into his mouth as his breathing slips faster, glitter starting to prick like sandpaper at his skin where it has stuck from the ridiculous package hidden in a second hand store. His thoughts conflict as reason barely tempers a compelling urge to flee. He doesn’t want to look at Walter, fearful of the ways the new label from his Number may have altered the way Walter perceives him in a visible expression. What he thinks, what Sadie will think, what Russell will think, what any of the other Numbered may think…it only adds to the constricting pain at his ribs. Fault or not, it adds another link to the concept of a monster he may yet become.

The sound of Walter trying to coach him does reach him with some repetition, and he shudders at a spike of nausea rather than answering with words. Minute after minute passes slowly, agonizingly with an ebb and flow in his breathing as he gains control only for it to slip from his grasp far more easily. An occasional pause for a dry heave becomes more frequent until it leaves Benjiro coughing and shaking quite hard. He groans once that jarring feeling in his gut relents, and he finds a paltry word to offer as he starts to calm, “Sorry…
dragoonrouge: (Sadie Worried)

[personal profile] dragoonrouge 2019-09-12 06:17 am (UTC)(link)
I just wish we had more answers. Yes we know about the Misters but it still doesn't explain why this is happening.

The boy calls for Sadie's attention and so she puts her phone down to explain that 'Yes Tigger is from the RSPCA' and 'No, he isn't available for adoption' she finally coaxes the boy into leaving once she supplies him with a schedule of events over at the shelter.

"This is getting dangerous, Walter," Worry is written into every facet of Sadie's pinched brows, "It's amazing that this has stayed under the radar for as long as it has but that luck can't last forever."
iamnotgod: Many lines curving off into the distance and entangling, shaded in colors from yellow to purple (Default)

Nah, it's good.

[personal profile] iamnotgod 2019-09-12 02:23 pm (UTC)(link)
((Thanks for the thread!))
iamnotgod: A man, holding a folder in one hand and gesturing with the other, looking off to the right. (And WHAT Is This?)

Re: So noted

[personal profile] iamnotgod 2019-09-12 02:31 pm (UTC)(link)
On several counts, you're most definitely right, Ben.

[And the memories have done so, at that.]

If you cannot get or stay out of the 50-meter range, make sure you can quickly cover your eyes and nose, if not get yourself entirely behind cover.

If you want to investigate the remains of an already-exploded package, at least let people know if you find anything new in them.


[Better to get more eyes on it, if people really want to risk it.]
iamnotgod: Black and white picture of a man looking up and off to the right. (What Even Is This?)

[personal profile] iamnotgod 2019-09-12 02:48 pm (UTC)(link)
Walter doesn't go anywhere throughout Ben's panic attack, rubbing circles on the teen's back through the dry heaves.

He cuts himself off from denying the apology - something that would hurt Ben more than it would help, at this point - and instead asks,

"Do you want me to get you water? Just to rinse your mouth?"

Again his voice is level, calm, without a trace of derision, suspicion, or any other -ion.
iamnotgod: Shade Over Face (What Did You Do To Me?)

... The urge to Echo back the conversation of whether or not Webmind should go public rises.

[personal profile] iamnotgod 2019-09-12 02:58 pm (UTC)(link)
The out-loud conversation is continued over the text-based one.

"Stranger falsehoods persist without good reason, Sadie. Flat-earth theories, for one."

He smiles grimly.

"But as long as there still is a Boundary, we have benefit of the doubt from the rest of the world."

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