saveourearth | Let's proudly not melt, shall we? [Mingle]

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Let's proudly not melt, shall we? [Mingle]

Date: 31.8-9.9.2018

Characters: Open

With the end of the eternal summer ~~heat~~ in sight, the last gasp of summer festivities start in Mossgate. 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 “Defining ourselves: deconstructing LGBT+ labels” and “Not just Stonewall: a brief history of LGBT+ activism”. 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.

The main event is the pride parade, held from 11AM on Saturday, starting at the town hall, progressing along the main beach front road and ending 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.

There is one unforeseen thing happening this year though that will be throwing everyone into a tizzy for a bit: In between the last security check and the head of the pride parade arriving at the spot outside the town museum, someone has managed to sneak a giant cake in the way of the parade. The parade will come to an abrupt stop for almost half an hour while rumours run wild about the reason for which the parade has stopped, ranging from a terrorist attack to a romantic proposal. Eventually, the cake turns out to be entirely harmless, is removed and the parade continues. But news of it spread soon, and it is moved to a square where people are allowed to take pictures with it. It is, of course, heavily advised against trying to eat from it. Just that it doesn't explode doesn't mean that it meets food safety standards...

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. 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: Eating from the cake will give characters a plot echo. It will also make them high and give them indigestion the next day.]

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Following the chat discussion along with watching the video, Benjiro raises a brow at the joking comments, and verbally hints at a warning, “Nationalities aside, it’s an old video broadcast from the crew of the Apollo 8 mission back in 1968. A big deal back in the day.”

Benjiro cues it up for the stream to play the video, the quality acceptable enough to play out for the sake of history that inspired the game they were preparing to embark upon.

If someone had guessed at the real reason Walter hadn't seen the video, he'd have been a lot more worried.

As things are, he's able to shrug it off - at least until the video starts playing.

That sense of hollowness hits again, and Walter does his best to not look away from the screen, to play it off as just finding it fascinating-

Because he is watching this in another time, through another's eye - eye, singular, because only one has the implant that lets him see as she does, can now. Because for all her life she had been blind, and he had known little sensation at all...

This time around, the Echo serves as a literal echo of the video in front of him. When the sensation finally dies away, he's blinking back tears - and, trying to cover for himself again, manages a small smile.

"Oh, wow..."

It's a deliberately understated reaction.

Jim cackles, delighting in the frustration he's causing.

"Eat dirt, sis," He says without thinking about it too much. I mean he has a sister already, right? ~~No. He doesn't. Sam ran away when Jim was eight and never looked back. He was the only child left of Winona and George Kirk-~~.

He's sure that Barb wouldn't mind.

"Whatcha gonna do about it? Sssssclaw me?" He's tempting fate, and he knows it.

Eat dirt? Eat dirt?! Jim is the height of rudeness and riles Sadie further, so much so that her next swat is accompanied by a loud and unexpected hiss, that cuts off abruptly as it makes Sadie jolt in shock and slap her hands over her mouth.

"...Jim..." Wide blue eyes start to mist and her face crumples,Jim is once again about to have a crying Sadie on his hands.

"Not if they think they're going to be eaten or carried off or breathed fire at," Sam says grumpily. He really hopes he's not going to turn into a dragon, that's just... a big mess. A very big mess. Dragons aren't small, he's pretty sure.

That gives him pause. A slightly alarmed pause, especially given the few things he's remembered so far. "Shit. Really?"

Naturally more interested in the reaction of his friend than the video he has seen before, Benjiro notices the intensity of the struggle to cap the emotional response. In front of the webcam, he dare not say or do anything to draw notice to the shine of his eyes, but knowing Walter, it seems off that he would be so struck by the message. He will definitely have to ask after the stream is concluded.

As Walter works to pull himself together, Benjiro calls for attention away from Walter, “It’s better if you can imagine what it might be like sitting around a small home television set or shoppers crowding at a store front to see this in their last minute rush. Space was, and still is, a big deal!”

Skainsmate pipes up again, “This does help you appreciate the advancement in technology. Even the text game has better graphics.”

Sharcade and Benjiro both laugh at that, and she replies, “Speaking of which, I have 3%....2......aaaaaand 1. Done! Let’s go gather some grey moon rocks with rovers!”

Benjiro switches the feed back to the loaded game and sets about inviting the other two into a multiplayer game, then turns control of the keyboard and mouse back over to Walter after one last sly glance of concern, “All yours. I’ll try to stay out of this and let you figure it out as you go.”

Walter, too, manages a smile. He breathes deeply, rolls his shoulders back, and with one quick swipe of a sleeve across his cheeks he looks ready to get back into things.

"Thanks," he says, with just a touch of wryness for the audience's benefit.

Out of sight of the webcam, Walter gestures for a piece of paper; he could just turn the mic off, but that might draw questions from his new gaming companions - not to mention any clever-eyed viewers.

"And let's try to avoid the airlocks when possible, hmm?"

Readily recognizing that alarm incited by the potential, he provides a limitation to it with an empathetic hint of a smile in his speech, “I’m not the only one who has undergone a change, but they’ve been fairly minor and something we can hide.” His happens to be the most obvious cover.

After erasing the network number from his notebook, Benjiro closes it up to hold on his lap.

Attentive to the position of the webcam, Benjiro keeps his head still even as he looks down at the gesture, catching it initially in his peripheral vision. He then glances towards where the gesture was aimed and understands the idea. Waiting for Walter to begin making choices in selecting a character, each offering various stats and the personal goals, he reaches one hand over out of sight to retrieve the notebook and pencil he had kept nearby. Pencil tucked into the pages, he slides it over to rest in Walter's lap below the desk as he shuffles his position in his chair to help disguise the movement.

Skainsmate and Sharcade both hold off on selecting a character until after Walter chooses one, discussing the benefits of various combinations of their favorite characters. Benjiro adds what he can here, knowing it won't affect Walter's choice and should help keep them focused on the game.

Well, Walter's response isn't all that enthusiastic, Russell has to admit to himself. Could be better.

But it's enough to work with, and he nods.

"Brilliant."

Russell heads off to get the shower going, with half-formed plans of getting together food and beverages to replace whatever vomiting

Walter min-maxes as much as the game allows - mostly going off both the streamers' and viewers' reactions.

And to create a character that is both silly and believable.

He grins at Ben in thanks once he gets the paper, and switches to typing one-handed - which barely makes a dent in his speed.

With one hand, he writes, Had a flashback. Apparently whoever I was has seen that video, too. Through someone else's eye.

Walter is slow to follow, wincing intermittently as one after another more kernels of memory go off.

People aren't supposed to remember their whole lives like this...

Now, perhaps, is not the best time for thought, let alone coherent thought, but he can't stop himself from trying.

"Why..."

Don't ask about the past, about the Echoes. Anything except what's on your mind.

"Why do you have so many stencils, exactly?"

Sadie frowns, deep in thought. "So you're gonna end up like that one chef guy? You know who turns people into a Marks & Spencers Food Advert?" Hannibal. She's thinking of Hannibal.

"And not all dragons breathe fire! Some breathe ice instead. And some are really small." She counters. "Besides, you're still going to be a person even if you don't look like one, do you want to carry people away and eat them now?" If he says yes she is leaving.

Edited (html muckup) 2018-10-21 12:18 (UTC)

Sam is silent a moment, looking troubled, before confessing, "I had a vision of flying. With wings and everything. Maybe more changes than that, if I wind up turning into whatever that thing I was in that vision was."

"Of course not. I've got standards," Sam snorts, only about half-joking. He's not joking at all when he adds, more candidly than he normally would thanks to that dumb cake, " ... but if I'm turning into a dragon like you're turning into a cat, what if that changes?"

Stream viewers are more than delighted by the oddball creation and begin to flood the chat unprompted with naming suggestions for Walter’s character. The other streamers of course also set to work on their entries, taking cue from Walter to play up the funny. Specific character goals will be assigned secretly once they enter the game with some variation present to each base as dictated by the skewing of stats, and Walter’s goals will be shown in the stream as the host. Thankfully, Sharcade and Skainsmate can be trusted not to use the stream feed to cheat.

The fluid switch to typing one-handed is impressive, and it speaks to the potential Walter must possess in terms of the upper limits of his capability. Noting that in passing, the teenager focuses on reading the written message once Walter shifts it to an angle where he can see it without making an obvious glance downward. A frown furrows his brows slightly with the thinning of his lips unseen behind his mask, concern mixing with curiosity. Walter had not seen the video before, but whomever he connected with, had done so if in an unsettling manner.

Unable to address it further while being recorded live, he consciously relaxes his shoulders and his expression, and puts the majority of his attention to the game.

Not calling him 'Spacey McSpaceman', but apart from that - or anything that violates basic decency - I've no real limits, went Walter's main textual clarification on the requests.

Which basically meant 'no slurs', but in this chatroom in particular it was hard to imagine anyone would seriously propose one of those.

Explanation given, and knowing he won't be able to discuss it more just now, Walter shelves the details in the general hope that he won't forget them soon.

He doubts that he can, but one can never tell.

Instead, it's back to the game, humor not entirely belying slapstick or a sense of going slack on not achieving his character's goals.

If it wasn't for his perception of time, time would definitely be flying with the fun he's having.

"Hmmm?"

Russell pauses at the bathroom doorway, leaning back to hear the question and any follow-ups easily enough.

The stencils in question, taped to the wall in various patterns, show varying levels of use and age. Some are fresh from the box, but most have residue of inks or paints splattered around the edges of the shapes, long since dried - some to the point of cracking with age.

"Oh, you know... Backdrop designs, some of them. I think? Did I borrow some...?"

Some are labeled with Mossgate Theatre, various names of shows, or so on.

Wings. They don’t sound half bad at first blush considering they apparently allow for flight, yet, that’s not something that can be covered as easily as the movies would suggest. The notion is met with a raise of his brows before he hums softly. Tongue sliding against the back of his sharp teeth with his mouth closed, Benjiro considers carefully before he reaches up to unhook his mask from behind one ear. With the cover still held in place, he speaks, “I remember things that aren’t human too, but for now, it’s not bad.”

He lowers the mask, keeping his lips closed to cover his teeth as he looks to Sam. For now, he can pass as perfectly human if he’s attentive, and even with the change there below the surface, it’s not discernable. The teenager covers his mouth once more with the mask before he speaks again, “It’s just my teeth, and with any luck, that’s all it will be.”

"D'nno how I'd know," Walter replies.

He keeps himself from looking back at the stencils, in case what he'd see would somehow be too vivid or trigger another flashback.

He doesn't need that right now, no siree.

"I'd expect yes, though."

A sense of exhaustion is creeping in - and, yes, numbness; at the moment, he feels that can only help.

Sadie goes very, very quiet at that, shuffling her legs so that she ends up hugging her knees to her chest.

"I think it already has." Comes the sullen admittance from the teenager. "I have memories of how to hunt, rabbits, sheep, birds. And how to gut and eat them. It makes volunteering at the RSPCA difficult sometimes 'cause it becomes really loud in my head."

"Can I see them?" Sam asks, expression sober. "I don't think there's anyone else around close enough to see. If you'd rather not show me, though, that's fine." They still have a little while before class starts; they're just the early birds.

"Do you want to gut and eat them, or do you just remember doing it, somehow?" Sam asks. "Because those are two very different things."

"No? But it becomes all I can think about, lots and lots of memories of hunting, and then knowing how I could do it in that situation."

"...Don't like it..." She sulks.

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Let's proudly not melt, shall we? [Mingle]

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Since this IS before the Echo of Memory Capacity...

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