citylogs | [MINGLE, ESPECIALLY TO NEWCOMERS] ROOFTOP FESTIVITIES!!!

[MINGLE, ESPECIALLY TO NEWCOMERS] ROOFTOP FESTIVITIES!!!

WHO: All!
WHAT: Rooftop festivities!
WHERE: On a rooftop of an office building in the second open district!
WHEN: 8/14, evening!
WARNINGS: alcohol, tba as it goes

Banner displayed inside the train station, outside city hall, and on the most used residence buildings.

Follow the arrows.
So you're unaware. Maybe new. Or maybe you just didn't care the first time you saw it. That's fine. Between the banners hanging around key areas, and the flyers quickly drawn up in a similar fashion scattered across the city, it's hard not to know something is going on -- and there's helpful arrows, chalked on building walls and the streets the day of the party, to let people know where to go.

The Rooftop

A splendid scene awaits those who travel heavensward. Fairy lights connect the corners of the roof access building to metal poles at the corners of the building itself, lifted by cylindrical supports where needed, each one held straight by pots filled with well-packed dirty and stone. There's multicolored stars hanging from some of the lights, while various painted flowers hang on others, and what greets the ears first is some royalty free party music played from a CD player off the the side.

There's a long folded out table in the center for those who'd like to share cuisine, just set and serve yourself! Nearby is a space for Daan to do some bartending as well, a man who can make a multitude of cocktails and mocktails for those who want something less alcoholic. Also, pints of various ice cream flavors in a cooler!

Don't worry -- they won't have any odd effects on them, Don verified the lack of them herself. Not all of them are normal. Think loaded baked potato weird.

For those who'd like a quieter space, there's beanbags and a swirly, fuzzy carpet to sit on more away from the center of the party area. This'll be a great time to play some games, such as truth or dare, spin the bottle, and... whatever else you play at parties. Get to know your fellow man and such. Play the violin.

Naturally, no party... hosted... by Don Quixote would be without a space to fight, if one wishes to show off a little! It's also taking place on a swirly fuzzy carpet, just so no one smashes their head in, and there's a neat little banner hanging down from a string of lights that says thus:

WIN THREE MATCHES AND A PRIZE AWAITS THEE!!!!!!!
- NO KILLING
- HANDS ONLY

What the prize is, no one knows. But come find Don Quixote with your battle scars and she'll grant it -- and stick around a while, 'cause this party's gonna end with a bang... that is, with homemade fireworks donated by "a friend" through Junpei.

Anyway, have fun!!! Share words about your worlds!!! The society your characters are from, the cuisine they've brought, how they're working out in the city -- help the new kids along, too. There's more vets here now than there were a few months ago, after all.

Navi: Truth or Dare - Two Truths and a Lie - Hydra Storytelling w/Junpei - Drink Up With Daan - Qixi Festivites

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[ Not his face going slightly pale at the mention of coffee—but it's fine, this isn't the Express, he isn't going to be haunted by Himeko's coffee any time soon. (Hopefully.) ]

If they're drinking to excess - and drinking cheaply at that - then I can see why you'd think that. But there's more to alcohol than cheap beers and watered down wines.

[ He nods towards the drinks still being carefully mixed and crafted. ]

Made properly, a good drink can be just as satisfying as an expensive dinner at a nice restaurant. If you've never had one before, there's no harm in trying just for the experience.

( not how he might be the first person to convince her to drink one... because if that's true, then maybe there isn't any harm in trying one. just a sip of one, maybe.

maybe. )

I wouldn't know what to ask for. ( angela links her fingers over the book in her lap. ) If you were going to order something, though, I'd appreciate the opportunity to try some of it.

It would go against the spirit of this party if I kept it all to myself, wouldn't it?

[ Said with a smile. Why not celebrate the original intent of the party while they're both here, if not with stories and food then with drink? But...hmm. He eyeballs the various bottles on display. ]

Are there any drinks you do like? Or flavors you prefer?

[ He has his own preferences, of course, but surely even amongst those he can pick out one that's better suited than the others. ]

( ...erm. )

I've discovered I like mild things, while I've been here. ( she didn't need it before, and she couldn't taste things before either... everything she knows she likes taste-wise she's found out here. ) Nothing too sweet, too spicy, too bitter.

( that food roland introduced her to earlier... the dipping sauce... )

I'm fine with sour flavors, as long as they aren't too overpowering.

[ Hmmmm.... His own alcohol tastes have always trended towards the simple - a glass of whiskey at home, a mug of beer when he's out with friends - so it's with a good amount of thought (and a solid stare at the lineup of bottles on the table) that he finally settles on a whiskey sour, casually called out towards their hardworking bartender for the night. ]

Not a fan of strong flavors in general? Or does it only apply to drinks?

I'll find out in time. ( cryptic as hell, angela. she isn't going to immediately elaborate on it either, more than content to lean just enough to watch her whiskey sour get made.

despite her disapproval of certain habits in the library, she has to admit. she's a little excited. this is is her company's fault entirely. ) ...I shouldn't let the anticipation of a new experience ruin my manners. I am Angela, and I appreciate your help tonight.

[ Truly cryptic as hell.... Which gives him a little bit of pause, because all the people he's had to deal with in the past with a penchant for the mysterious have always been up to no good.

Maybe this woman is different though. He'd like to give her the benefit of the doubt. ]

Welt Yang. [ He offers one hand for the standard handshake greeting. ] It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. If there's ever anything else you have a question about, feel free to ask.

[ He may not have the answer but he'll certainly try his best! ]

( oh, manners. angela doesn't get shown these often--but she'll shake his hand after a moment, yes. being human is a little great. )

You shouldn't offer me the courtesy, Welt Yang. My curiosity is insatiable.

( but she's pleased and grateful regardless, evidenced by the smile that tugs at the corner of her mouth. )

That sounds like a challenge. [ One that he is willing to step up to (and lose). ] I used to be a teacher before this. If you're as curious as half my students, I'll be impressed.

[ The minds of children and the youth are truly incomprehensible things. And maybe there's a small part of him that's missed it, digging into esoteric topics and one-off fringe cases fired at him with the intent to stump rather than interest.

But there's a momentary break in the conversation when his ordered drink arrives, and he slides it her way. ]

If you don't like it, I'll finish it.

( he was a teacher? they never had one of those visit the library. technically.

she accepts it gratefully, raising it up to just... look at it for a moment, take it in. it isn't small enough to drink in one go, so she takes a small sip—her eyes widen a fraction.

not quite what she expected, but then again, she hadn't known what to expect. )

...Thank you, but that won't be necessary. ( she's determined to finish what she's started. ) I like the taste, but the texture caught me off-guard. It's very...

( ...she goes in for another sip. little bigger this time, and she looks more like she's some sort of sommelier than someone just trying alcohol for the first time. she's committing it to memory—it's something that will fail her in time, but for now... )

Different. ( once she's swallowed. ) Not in a bad way.

[ He's realizing the error of his ways now, she with a drink in her and he with absolutely nothing. It's awfully rude of him to make her drink alone. Maybe if things turn out alright and she doesn't push her drink away after the first few sips. ]

The texture? [ He repeats the phrase after her, amused. The texture of what, liquid?? ] Do you prefer other drinks usually?

[ Maybe she's a juice drinker? A smoothie-only kinda gal? ]

I don't usually drink.

( ...wait, she should clarify further. sometimes she'll have tea, if binah offers, and sometimes she'll have champagne on rare special occasions... but overall— )

That is, I didn't need to prior too being here. I've had water since... ( but water is tasteless and sort of just there. this one has flavor, and it's... smoother, easier to drink than expected, maybe? it feels different in her mouth is all, or maybe that's just because she's just hyper-aware of it... ) It's a long, boring story. I'd rather not get into it.

[ Didn't need to? What an odd choice of phrase. Not many people need to drink alcohol but most people do need to drink water in order to survive. But she doesn't seem keen on pressing the topic further and Welt withdraws, lifting one hand in apology. ]

My apologies. Though I doubt the story is as boring as you believe it to be.

[ He'll refrain from asking any further. It's not like he doesn't have plenty of his own secrets he'd rather keep then let loose into the wild. He can respect her desire for privacy. ]

Are there other things you're looking forward to trying here then?

( her gaze skirts to the tables of food— she's partaken in a lot of it, but she still feels as if there's more yet to experience... )

New foods. New hobbies. Dreaming. ( or will they be nightmares? every time she closes her eyes, memories rising up from the depths, and— ) Other simple pleasures. Anything and everything at all, I suppose you could say.

( ...she promises it is a long and boring story. to her, at least. it's an incredibly painful and uncomfortable story for other people. )

Edited 2023-08-29 02:16 (UTC)

[ He can't help but tip his head curiosly as she lists off her answers for him, curiosity growing in his gaze. They're certainly not the normal answers he would have expected - dreaming? - but neither are they so far-fetched as to be completely illogical. In some ways, they're akin to the type of answers he would have expected ADA to give, very human answers from someone (something) entirely artificial in nature.

His smile stays where it is on his face, a little puzzled, a little amused. ]

Did you live a particularly sheltered life before this? [ Or, hm, does that still count as prying overly much? ] Regardless, it sounds like you'll have plenty of time for new experiences in this city.

[ Maybe too much time... ]

( is it overly prying? angela weighs it in her mind, sipping her drink in the meanwhile. well... it isn't, no. it's a safe question, and she has a safe answer for it... and he's wishing her well besides.

not that that means anything, but-- )

I was very sheltered, yes. This--being here in this city--is my first time outside.

( like, entirely. her smile curves around the glass, and she watches him. thinking on it. and then she lowers her whiskey sour, cupping her hands around it, enjoying the chill. )

...I worked in a laboratory, then my library. I wasn't able to leave either for important reasons, but that's in the past. When I return home, I'll be able to leave and travel the city if I so choose to.

( if she chooses to. )

[ The more she says, the more his curiosity really is piqued. But more than the circumstances of her life are the settings she's been in. A laboratory, a library. Places of learning and information. The types of places he would have immersed himself in had things turned out differently in his youth.

Well, he still does, to an extent.

There's no hiding his interest in her words, or the way he leans forward, eyes wide in attention. ]

Did you enjoy what you did there? You must have amassed quite a bit of knowledge after working in both places.

( Ah, so he's that type... Angela almost wishes she could share his passion, but instead her smile almost disappears save for the most polite wisps of it. Cordial. )

...I did learn quite a lot, yes. ( No comment on if she enjoyed what she did— that's on purpose. She's not interested in answering. ) Some of it's been more useful than others, but I wouldn't say any of the knowledge gained has been a waste.

( The time, on the other hand. )

[ Unfortunately, he is that type. And while he's not a well-practiced extrovert, able to read people as easily as others might read a book, he can sense the shift in atmosphere as she answers, and politely pulls back from that line of questioning. ]

Not knowledge to your preferred liking then? [ Well, past this one comment, apparently. ] I suppose there's nothing holding you back here from choosing your interests as you please.

( Thanks, she's also going to take advantage of that and continue to not answer— )

I learned a great many ways that humans can suffer and die from. ( Apart from that comment, which she... shakes her head at, sigh curt. Angela holds her drink up thoughtfully, watching someone else, as they say, pound it back, and mimics them.

This was a mistake. Her face screws up, but she keeps it all down, and she sets the glass down very delicately. ) ...I am going to be quite happy to learn things that aren't so horrible, yes.

[ —Well then.

Both the answer and the abrupt chug of her drink, downed all in one go, have him leaning back in surprise, eyes widening as his mind tries to play catch-up with everything just thrown at him. It doesn't take too long - his mind's always been sharp, a byproduct of operating as the Herrscher of Reason for so long - but his body's slowed down with age, and it takes a few seconds before his shoulders are relaxing again as one arm reaches out to flag down their bartender for the night.

For a glass of water, it turns out, which he slides over to her. ]

And yet you downed an unfamiliar drink with seemingly little regard to the consequences. You could have saved that experience for something more enjoyable.

I consider that action much more enjoyable than my previous ones, thank you.

( This misdeed is PEANUTS compared to her other ones!!! She's grateful for the water though, and his reaction's-- made her smile a little, something she hides in sipping her drink. Maybe that was saying too much, but it isn't anything unusual in certain parts of the City, either. )

What were you up to prior to... ( A vague gesture at the party. More largely, she means "being kidnapped to here", but-- ) All of this?

[ What was he doing before being kidnapped by this place? Being kidnapped by another person, honestly.

Not that he says as much, because they really don't need another downer after the string of downers they've already paraded. Instead, he digs around for something a little lighter, a little more family friendly. Even if his company for the night would probably understand.

He rests his palm against the countertop, appreciating the cool wood underneath his warm fingers. ]

Traveling, mostly. I spent a lot of time seeing the universe and some of what it had to offer. My father [ and there's a little twist in his heart still at the mention, even after so many decades ] was a researcher by trade. You could say I inherited some of his traits.

[ The thirst for knowledge, the desire to explore and understand and observe. ]

( Traveling... Her heart pangs for it--twists--she's jealous. And the universe at that? She only ever wondered at what could lie beyond the prison she was in, what was in the City. She never thought about what was beyond that--

Granted, on the land it's "the Outskirts" and she has seen a little of what those offer. She's not that interested in it. Terrible place. )

I see. My... ( Is that man her father? Does a creation have one? The feelings she held for him weren't daughterly, on either side of the spectrum, but only half of those were really hers. Someone else's memories don't count, maybe. ) I don't know how to qualify our relationship, but he was a researcher as well. Was your father kind to you? And what sort of places did you visit in this universe of yours?

[ While she asks, he asks for a drink of his own. Nothing fancy, just straight whiskey on the rocks. It's been a long time since he's drank, lacking both the time and the company to do so. Might as well enjoy this brief semblance of normalcy while he can.

Once the initial hump of discomfort's been crossed, he finds it's easier to discuss his past, voice growing in fondness the longer he speaks.]

He was a pretty busy man, actually. Not as busy as my mother, but his work kept him away from home for long stretches of time. [ Which might sound like a terrible time to anyone ordinary but— ] It wasn't so bad though. I spent a lot of time with several of his coworkers in their laboratory. They were always kind to me, and let me play with their latest inventions.

[ Truthfully, those had been some of the best days of his life, back when the biggest concerns looming in his mind were the math quizzes he'd never bothered studying for. ]

As for my travels...all sorts of places. It would take up a lot of your time to talk about them all.

(no subject)

worldexecute - 2023-09-14 03:08 (UTC) - Expand

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