TOURIST INFORMATION.
Directly to the southwest of City Hall, you notice a building. It looks welcoming, with an inviting glass facade and a sign above the entryway announcing it as the "TOURIST CENTER." It's a humble building with a receptionist's desk on the back wall opposite the entrance, empty magazine shelves lining the side walls, and a few spinning brochure racks full of blank pamphlets. Anyone is welcome to peruse the tourist literature, though they won't offer much information, being primarily filled with pictures of the surrounding area—City Hall, the park, a statue garden, and the surprisingly heavily-featured cemetery. There are a few sentences sprinkled throughout about basic offerings of the city, such as apartment complexes and office buildings, as well as a few maps with the same limited scope as the larger version on the wall behind the receptionist's desk.
The main feature of the tourist center is the interactive kiosk installed dead in the center, right in the middle of a few rows of uncomfortable chairs that fill the small room. It's noticeably in the way of any would-be foot traffic through the tourist center, and something about the technology seems a little more modern than the computer behind the desk or the landline phone on the wall. The kiosk is a tall silver rectangle, about average adult height, and the upper half is a screen welcoming visitors to touch it to activate the kiosk. If you were to touch it, the screen would come to life with simple dialogue inviting visitors to ask it their questions.
However, residents should note that the kiosk is only programmed to assist with exploration within the available areas of the city. It may not be able to answer every question, and tampering with the kiosk may result in unreliable or inaccurate answers!
The kiosks are styled after this kind of interactive directory and will display text in whatever language the player character speaks, with optional text-to-voice for characters who are not able to type. (For vocals, think of the flattest, least affected robot voiceover you've ever heard.) The kiosk is programmed to answer questions related to tourism in the city, and can be asked for food or lodging recommendations, directions to various shops and locations in the district, and basic information about the city itself. Characters are able to ask as many questions as they please, but should note that not all questions can be answered in full by the kiosk system and overloading it with questions may yield interesting results.
Attempts to hack the kiosk will result in a twenty-four hour shutdown to reboot the system. During the reboot, the kiosk will not be available for further questioning or hacking attempts. Should characters pry the kiosk casing open, they will find the insides completely empty of any mechanical, electrical, or computing components.
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NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK.
It's a brand new day, a mostly-sunny June morning. The sky is blue except for a few straggling white clouds, the sun is warm, and there's a welcome party being held at City Hall. Come on down!
There are quite a few activities set up in the plaza just in front of city hall, immediately to the northwest of the subway station. Although there is no one there to man it, there is a barbecue and accompanying table of foods–burgers and hot dogs that stay warm, ice pops in a bucket of ice that never melts, sides and drinks that never go stale. Towards the southwestern side of the plaza is a bouncy house shaped like a carousel ride, and no matter how many people enter at once it never seems to get full–isn't that fun? There are balloons and pinwheels decorating the picnic tables and chairs and a "WELCOME TO THE CITY!" banner hanging from the entryway of the City Hall building.
No music plays in the air, but is an old boom box tucked under one of the picnic tables, and to the right of the building's entrance is a raised dais containing the instruments belonging to a string quartet–although where the quartet is themselves, one couldn't say for sure. Still, they probably won't mind if someone takes over their instruments for a little while. There is also an electric keyboard for those inclined, and although it doesn't appear to be plugged in anywhere, it will still turn on.
Other knick-knacks and odds and ends offered by the organizers of the party include sidewalk chalk–partygoers may find it especially difficult to remove–bubble wands, and maybe even a few pairs of rollerskates hidden around for those who are especially interested in finding them.
The welcome party will be set up by sunrise and will stay through the entire weekend. Characters are welcome to eat the food, drink whatever they want, play music (if they brought a CD or cassette tape, or know how to play a stringed instrument) or play in the bouncy house. Any food or beverage consumed or decorations removed or destroyed will reappear when no one is looking.
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LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED.
The party continues inside City Hall, with a large room just off the main hallway being dedicated to the occasion.
Just like the tables and chairs outside, the tables inside City Hall are decorated with champagne glasses and balloons, and there's sparkly confetti dusted along the tablecloths and on the floor. This is where the alcoholic beverages are, bottles and glasses stored on a table toward the back wall. There is, of course, no bartender, but as long as you're of age you're probably welcome to pour yourself a drink, right? (And if you're not of age, well–who's going to know?)
There's also a large open space at one end of the room, clearly meant for dancing, although just like outside there's no music playing. But just because there's no music doesn't mean you can't dance, right? And the more you drink, the more you start to feel like dancing might be pretty fun. The party will go all night, so grab a partner and put your best foot forward!
Just like the party taking place outdoors, the indoor portions of the party will be set up by sunrise and will continue through the weekend. Inside is the more "adult" party, with tables for conversation and alcoholic beverages readily available. Characters are welcome to take glasses or bottles with them, but should they put them down anywhere outside, they'll be able to find their bottle or glass inside on one of the decorated tables. Characters do not need to get drunk in order to dance, but optionally may feel that drinking more makes them want to dance.
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WILDCARD.
The city is by no means small, and there are plenty of things for you to see. There's no rush in exploring, so feel free to take your time looking around and peering into various nooks and crannies and alleyways—and don't worry, you're not very likely to find anything peering back.
If none of the above prompts appeal, feel free to check out the Locations and Maps pages and write your own freestyle prompt using one or many of the available locations.
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citylogs2023-06-19 09:02 pm
barbecue
Uh? Really?
[He one hundred percent believes that statement.]
Is there something wrong with it?
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( he should feel a bit badly that he's taking someone like this for granted: they don't exactly look like they belong here, or that they understand the sort of food that's on the table in front of them. he shifts his weight back and forth, from where he's lounging in the grass. )
You haven't seen Snow White? She eats some apple and then drops dead.
( that's not what happens at all... )
You must be hungry, though. Brave enough to risk it?
( he'll let him know it's all safe once he's had just a little bit of fun. it's really harmless--says his ego. )
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[But it doesn't actually matter if he does or not. The idea is self-explanatory, and Lan Xichen is already having enough of a dilemma after living under the strict rules of the Lan sect, where only mild food was ever prepared. The excess of meat and strong seasonings might just do the job, because he's not used to living outside of his familiar territory.]
...I am hungry. I was thinking that it might be rude to eat without the company of our host. Perhaps we should wait? I don't think they mean us harm, but we should still use self control and not be too reckless.
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( now that's interesting. with a bit of a crooked smile, he tilts his head, indicating a space on the grass next to him. )
Here, come sit down. At least if we eat it together, we'll die together, and that's pretty romantic, right?
( it's obvious he's teasing, a little: but he wonders if this person knows a bit more about this place than he does. )
What's your name? Wait, before you sit, grab another hot dog. Those long things, in the buns.
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And he does it while teasing, which Xichen's strict upbringing can't allow to pass without a blush despite knowing full well he's being mocked. Romantic! How do some people manage to say things so easily? He looks like he wants to protest, but instead he obediently fills a plate with several of the weird looking sausages and brings them, sad and naked (because he was not asked for anything else) to the grass. In his pristine white robes, he absolutely hesitates before kneeling on the ground, offering the plate out to Gojo with both hands. ]
I am Lan Xichen of Gusu's Lan Sect. I arrived in the train beneath the ground. Do I assume correctly that this good gentleman also did the same?
[ Laying the courtesy on thick, yes, but he's pushing back against being teased. How dare you, sir. ]
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well, that's on him. karma got him in the end: should have specified they come with the weird looking bread, not just naked and sad and alone.
the man kneels on the ground, offering the plate out to him with both hands; straightening back up again, gojo pulls his long legs in, sitting cross-legged and setting the plate on one knee. that way, there's clear access for the both of them. )
Good gentleman, huh... ( there's a slow grin at that.. ) You're correct in that. I'm Gojo Satoru of the Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical College.
( what a mouthful. with a laugh, he reaches gingerly for one of the hot dogs. )
You ever eat something like this before, Lan Xichen? It seems a little out of your taste range.
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I... have not. We don't eat much meat in my sect, and none of it has looked like this.
[ Why is he so cheerful about it? Xichen hesitates, unsure how he's supposed to eat anything without utensils. ]
Ah, Gojo-gongzi, you- you're not worried about being harmed?
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Of course I'm worried. Absolutely terrified. That's why you're gonna taste it first, right?
( his lips press together, trying to affect some sort of look of worry. )
Just take a tiny little bite off the end. Here, I'll hold it for you.
( he does, in fact, straighten out the hot dog a little more--mostly for ease of the other to try it. )
If you feel anything strange, I'll help.
no subject
When Gojo turns the swinging sausage toward him, he draws back as if it were a live snake, giving the stranger a look of incredulous dismay. He wants him to eat that? ]
You- [ How dare you, sir. ] How will you help? If there is something wrong with this food, would it not be better to throw it away? We should warn people, not take risks by eating it ourselves.
[ Not to mention he doesn't know what to do with the idea of eating that weird offering out of some other man's hands. He's clearly torn, because courtesy is also telling him not to be rude, but self-preservation is reining in his sense of obligation. And then, very, very slowly, reason and doubt start creeping in. ]
I- are you really going to be so reckless? Or... is it that you don't think anything is actually wrong?
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( he can't help but grin--and yes, he's feeling a little sorry for this poor man, stuck with him here, tortured between teasing and the true horror of the situation. if the food is poisoned, then it would be smart to warn everyone, and he would have done so if it had been a real threat; he appreciates that this man appears to be the same kind of person, willing to stick his neck out for the sake of others.
with a slow breath, he flicks the hot dog back in his own direction, giving a very theatrical gulp, a swallow of feigned worry. )
I guess there's nothing to do but see what happens, right? ( his lips part, slipping the naked hot dog past them; he takes a sizeable bite, chewing, considering with a tilt of his head before he sets the remainder of the sausage back on the plate.
then, there's a long moment of silence--where he swallows, licks his lips, and--
nothing happens. with a warm, pleased grin, he leans back on his hands again. )
Okay. Your turn.
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He just couldn't bear it if something were to happen.
And Xichen does breathe out a visible sigh of relief when he sees Gojo is okay. It might just be a fun game from the other man's perspective, but Lan Xichen still takes him seriously. ]
You really are too bold. What if you were risking your life just now? I'm not a healer.
[ But he still draws in his breath again as he mentally steels himself and picks up one of the other hotdogs primly. After a doubtful look, he takes a decent sized bite and chews, wincing slightly as the gummy texture goes down. ]
Is... is that meat?
[ He wouldn't know, but the taste is decidedly questionable. ]
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( well, putting it that way makes him lose his appetite, a little. mildly, he sets the half-eaten hot dog back down on the plate, reaching out a hand to lightly wipe his fingers off on the other's leg in lieu of a napkin. that will just have to do. he could've used the grass beside them, but he feels more at ease, like this.
still, his new companion makes a good point. what's the use of being bold, here? would it matter? does it matter? with a soft hum, he tilts his head back, almost like a cat sunning itself--through the blindfold, he can still see the sky above him, but it's muted. )
You don't think we're already dead? In this place. If we're already dead, I wouldn't need a healer. Or, well, I wouldn't need one anymore.
no subject
At least it doesn't appear to be poisoned. He's actually about to say as much when greasy fingers smear hot dog juice on his white robes and he makes a noise in his throat not unlike a dog yelping in surprise. He looks completely shocked by the offense unable to imagine anyone having the audacity to just reach out like that. ]
I- [ He's still recovering from that surprise, trying to straighten his clothes as best he can to preserve them. ] I don't believe so.
I believe we are all alive, and that now that we are, you should try your best to take care of yourself.
[ It's a bit firm, not quite a lecture, but he can't keep from frowning at the casual way Gojou leans back and casually talks about his hypothetical death. ]
Your life is valuable. In any situation, it's better to try to live, isn't it?
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( he isn't particularly surprised by the answer--but he isn't disgusted, either. he's seen the depths of depravity in the world, and more than that, he's looked death in the face multiple times; there's virtue and value to the way his new companion speaks, to the conviction in his words. he hasn't given up despite everything that's happened: there's almost some stubborn little piece of him that refuses to let himself lose all hope, no matter how hopeless.
there's a silent laugh, just a slight chuckle, that shakes his shoulders. your life is valuable. now isn't that something that's been jammed down his throat countless times? it's almost bemusing to hear a stranger say it too. )
You said 'now that we are'. You don't mean that you died, do you? ( it's a long shot, but it's a terribly interesting way of putting things. ) Are you taking care of yourself, too?
( one hand lifts, waving idly at the plate. ) If you really want to take care of yourself, don't eat that. It's gross, right?
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And even more than that, he feels for others. Even strangers like Gojou. It's just his fate. ]
No, I have not died. But... I believe this place can- It might not be impossible to change what happens here.
[ Isn't that question proof that Gojou is kind-hearted? He can't be angry or offended by someone like that no matter how hard he tries. Smiling gently, he sighs as he realizes his frustration is already fading. ]
I'm not really supposed to eat meat. I just thought that if you were risking yourself, then it would be shameful of me to watch without accompanying you. If you choose to be reckless, then at least make sure someone stays with you, okay? If there is no one else, you can call on me at least.