citylogs | [ OPEN ] July Catch-all!

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[ OPEN ] July Catch-all!

WHO: Midnight (

unreserving) & You (you)
WHAT: Midnight, please calm down, it's only been a week, you can't be this much of a disaster already.
WHERE: Lots of places! Mostly in outdoor or public spaces he hasn't been to yet. If you would like a closed or specific prompt, please PM me or take a peek at my OOC intro so I can get you set up!
WHEN: Pre and post Sylvain's shitpost. Probably mostly pre-event!
WARNINGS: Most definitely alcohol use! Some references to death and terminal illness. Will update as necessary, please see Midnight's content warnings for possible canon-typical content.

a. day (a local gym)

[ Generic workout routine. He does arms and legs on alternating days for about two to three hours there starting at about 7 am, then an hour (or however long he has at the end of the day until, uh, midnight) before showering and going home. He may also steal a practice room and swing around a stick he's found in lieu of his sword... He should probably think about getting a practice sword made, huh.

He's friendly, cleans up after himself, and will spot for anyone, but also feel free to accost him walking in or out of the facilities! But also, if your character needs... well, less of a personal coach and more of a cheerleader, he's there for you. Why'd you ask him for this? I don't know, but he's so there for you at this lateral press, bench, tiny silicone dumbbells, whatever. He is rooting for you! ]

Two more in the set and you're done. Don't think about it, just do it!

b. day (shopping center)

[ Midnight just needs to go clothes shopping. That's it. He'll carry bags for people, he'll help out with menial tasks. Look at this guy, do gooding.

Okay, specifically: ]

Do you think anyone would mind if I procured that?

[ He points at a neon sign, a bright Edison light, a small discoball, a chandelier. Something very bright, flashy, and... probably not intended for sale. ]

I mean, I don't suppose there's a manager, and I wouldn't like to interfere with their marketing, but I quite like it.

[ ... He rolls up his sleeves, drags over a chair, and begins climbing. He's decided he doesn't need an opinion anymore, or just straight up didn't wait for an answer. Look, sometimes a guy just desires a lava lamp. ]

c. evening (town hall)

[ Once the dust settles and everyone is perfectly happy with the distinct lack of helpful information in the help center, Midnight will still arrive there in the evenings, haul out a bunch of books into an empty side room, and flip through them, a plastic bag of assorted drinks at his side. (Mostly alcohol and water.)

Weird nightclub looking vampire here, books open on his lap, spinning a pen between his fingers. Occasionally, if someone walks by his room and doesn't look too busy, he'll get up, go to the door, and gesture to them, an open book in his hand. ]

Hello, love. Do me a favor and write anything you like here.

[ He clicks the pen in his hand and offers it. Man's doing some experimenting! ]

d. night (the park)

[ Remember the stick he has at the gym? He needed to find it at some point. During the evenings, but honestly any time he isn't doing something else throughout the first three or four days, he'll be poking around the park, searching for fallen branches long and straight enough to do the trick. It'll take a while, and he definitely looks like he's lost something! (Or feel free to assume that you've already joined the hunt. Find a bird's nest with no birds! An odd little gravestone! Get stuck up a tree! Help!!!)

If that is overly gung-ho Boy Scout behavior, feel free to catch him a little later in the night, either from 9-10 pm or 1-2 am, sitting at a bench, workout bag sitting at his side, his running shoes neatly tied by their laces and looped around the strap.

He stares out into the darkness. That's... sort of it. It still seems like he's looking for something, but not to the point where he's about to get up and look for it. If one would like to sneak up on him using the cover of darkness, his eyes will slide over and lock on a little more quickly than what should be natural. He sees you.

He grins. (Even if he isn't surprised, he grins.) ]

Hello, darling. Having a pleasant walk?

e. morning (everywhere!)

[ Remember when we said Midnight starts his workout routine at 7 am? He actually starts at 6 am with a jog. He'll be everywhere, just exploring, and he'll use most of the subway systems to make his way back to his gym of choice. He is... not shy at all about his body, so he'll probably pull off his shirt once the sun comes up so he can cool down a bit.

He is truly minding his own business here, but he'll pause his run for anything, even if it's just a short conversation. Or just feel free to wonder why there's a shirtless, sweaty vampire on public transportation at like 7 am. Where does he need to be? Where does anyone need to be??? ]

f. day (city hall, again, late July)

[ Midnight has a seat he's pulled up to the information kiosk, but he doesn't use it all that often. He only sits to add to a growing list in a book he keeps on his person. If one would peek over his shoulder, the list is composed of questions, some pertinent, some less so. Please feel free to make one up, but the first on the list is definitely "Are you single?", which should tell you how seriously he's taking this endeavor. ]

g. evening (shopping district)

[ Not much to this prompt either, he's just poking around. Poking around at the restaurants and bars in the area, his planner occasionally out as he takes notes on... something or other. He tries to choose establishments that see less traffic, so it's very likely that wherever he finds someone, they're the only two in the building. ]

Sorry to interrupt your meal. Mind if I ask you a few questions?

h. wildcard

Feel free to make your own starter, or PM for one! Will match prose and bracket text, please start however you like.

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[Without Feather to wake her up, Lucinda makes a pointed effort to get up in the morning to start her exploration of this mysterious city. Memorizing the streets and pathways is going to be important sooner than later and the practical agent in her hammers this priority into her mind.

But god, waking up before 8 AM should be a crime.

It's hard not to spot Lucinda on the subway. Along with her peony flower tattoos, her long dark hair hangover her shoulders and curtains her face since she's leaning forward in her seat and... Sleeping. Very soundly.

A Shirtless, sweaty vampire would be an alarming sight if she was awake. Maybe.]

Hmm, that would make sense. You like people.

[Daan goes to pick up his bag of bottles, appearing thoughtful for a moment.]

An interesting generalization. It seems you've had a few honest workers, or maybe they just put on a good face.

[He shrugs. It's a mixed feeling from him, but then that's a lot of Daan's views. Mixed and complicated.]

In any case, I would be willing to make you a drink sometime. I derive more pleasure from that than medical care.

[ ... Why does this woman insist on giving him horror movie vibes? At least the tattoos identify her far better than her eerie curtain of black hair.

Midnight watches her for a moment, sipping at his water, checks the time, then looks back at her again. Honestly wondering if he should just leave her there to rest. After all, it's not in his nature to disturb women unduly...

... But there has been a murder fairly recently. Best not to leave her alone, either.

He comes up to her when the train rolls into the last stop, nudging her gently in the arm with his bottle. ]

Rise and shine, Miss Lucinda. The morning sun will miss your beautiful face.

[Her fingers twitch ever so slightly. Maybe it's knowing that her ghosts won't be able to wake her up or maybe it's the ever-so-faint scent and the weight of his presence that kind of stir her awake. Lucinda moves so that she's leaning her back against her seat. She wills her eyes to open and hey, half-lidded, that's progress.]

... Midnight? Ah.

[Sluggishly, she reaches up to pinch the bridge of her nose as if that would extract the remaining sleepiness. Her voice is airy as she remarks on his state of undress.]

Am I dreaming or did someone take your shirt?

[ Midnight throws his head back briefly and laughs. ]

While I wouldn't wish this experience on her, I do wish you could meet my specialist. Dr. Warfarin thinks in much the same way you do.

[ Now that he thinks about it, most of the medical personnel who are a part of his life back on the landship are rather grim, jaded people. Perhaps solemn at best. Well... Maybe not the psychiatric department, but then again, Midnight does tend to avoid making appointments with the therapists onboard, so he really wouldn't know. At the very least, he's learned to take his medical professionals in stride. ]

Well, I'd ask for one now, but I don't think this really is the place or time. Raincheck? Whenever you're free, of course.

[ Ever so faint... Well, uh, it's plain sweat, but he does use deodorant and washes rather regularly, so it's not the worst smell in the world.

He grins, though, and lifts his arm. His t-shirt is wrapped around his wrist. ]

I took my shirt. Feel free to keep dreaming of me shirtless, though. I don't mind.

[ Midnight crouches next to her. ]

You all right, love? It's rather early.

[ confronting your biases, kaveh thinks. it reminds him a little bit of alhaitham, who has never erred from bringing that critical judgment of his on both external perceptions and his own. to conquer oneself, one must first know oneself. kaveh's own biases are clear, he knows. if the city were sentient, this would be a lot more complicated. something with sentience putting other creatures of sentience into the position they have been put in is an ethical judgment that kaveh doesn't think he has the capacity to produce without erring.

still, his lips quirk at that. ]

If there is time for confession, then I must add mine: that there are no right question to wrong people. There are only right people, and wrong questions. I hadn't gotten the sense that you were the wrong one to ask about this; you have a well thought-out perspective that shows your sense of practicality. You may have been in a position where a belief of spirits didn't help you all that much. [ because kaveh, who has known of the spirits of the forests, also knows - that those without wonder can no longer see them. that the world is made bare for it. the drunken midnight on the network and the midnight of today, the one holding open a bag for kaveh while sifting through his thoughts on sentience - both are of the same cloth, but represent perhaps different sides.

kaveh says: ] So I will be blunt with you: experimenting on your own may not yield the quality of data needed to have objective judgments on our current situation. Even without our primary occupations, your time and energy is valuable. If you have a few trusted individuals to help with this, or even myself, the going will be easier, and the quality of the experiment will help you derive the value you need for a piece of this collective puzzle.

[ his fingers skim the shelf. kaveh calls out, ] Oh, we might need a saw.

[ so off it comes from the shelf. kaveh looks between the bag and the midnight, and then holds the saw blade-down. ]

[Lucinda sighs, though not at his answer about his shirtlessness. She could do worse with morning sights. The medium runs a hand through her hair so it can go out of her face.]

That's the problem though, Midnight. It's early. I am, unfortunately, not a morning person.

[Huh, go figure. If she thinks that, then she's probably pretty smart, at least in Daan's perspective.]

Wise of her.

[Time or place? Well, whatever. Daan shrugs, not particularly bothered. If Midnight doesn't want one now, more for Daan, right?]

You know how to find me. Have a pleasant evening, Midnight.

[ Honestly, Midnight could get used to this, puttering around and letting someone else talk for once. It's nice. Less work.

(Not for the first time, and before he can remind himself that it doesn't matter, not anymore, he wonders what would have happened if he hadn't entered that host club all those years ago. If he'd taken simpler options. Did he enjoy conversation back then, or did he learn to love it, like alcohol or the taste of coffee? He doesn't remember anymore. It doesn't matter. The past is dead.)

He reaches up and pats the hand holding the saw. ]

Come down a bit, darling. I need to reach the handle.

[ He'll take the saw and just hold onto it. Kind of a happy serial killer vibe, honestly. ]

So, what you're saying is that I'll either need to get help or resign myself to the results of an imperfect experiment. [ Hm. ] How would you suggest I spend my time if I inform you that I'm not actually the type to lead an experiment, then? I'm the independent sort.

[ Midnight grimaces. A working woman's work is never done, but he can't help but feel for her. ]

That is a problem. What are you doing outside of your normal business hours? Shall we get you a drink?

And you, Doctor. Until next time.

[ Midnight has a run to get to, some errands, a bit of light snooping... He is actually rather busy. But he does intend on cashing that raincheck. Soon. ]

[ kaveh's mind on repeat: darling? darling. darling??? darling. the saw switches hands. kaveh looks. the incongruity of a smiling midnight with a saw balanced in hand evokes the imagery of something you might been in a darkened alleyway, possibly in fear of your life. he heard that wrong, kaveh thinks, as he carefully comes down from where he'd climbed half-way up a shelf so that he can dust his hands off. there really isn't much dust, is there.

the agreement, then, rounds off the odd trifecta of existential abnormalities that defines this entire situation. independent sort, midnight says, a careful definition that says little enough about quite a lot of things. he'd thanked sylvain profusely too, kaveh recalls. perhaps this agreement is coming a little too easily; kaveh supposes it's better than the alternative. but this, too, is not within the range of the unexpected. ]

Solo research projects. [ is what kaveh says. he does one last inventory of what they have, stepping into the space of the saw-wielding serial-killer vibes to poke his head down into the bag for a check, before nodding. the motion is conveyed with some finality. ] For example, unexplored buildings or tunnels that need exploration, or acting as a guard for someone who intends on exploring but isn't sure where they'll end up. You're holding that saw like a sword; there's a lot of value in that. Or at the bare minimum, keeping an observation log so that no phenomena goes unchecked. The sharing of information will eventually benefit the collective, but it can be done on your own perogative.

[ kaveh's head tilts. ] Come, let's head back. And don't take too much of what I'm saying to heart - I'm just a stranger making conversation who wants to see what's keeping that chandelier up. Tell me instead about this Miss Closure person and her robots. What do they do for her?

[She's just a deep sleeper, nothing to it. Though Lucy's co-workers back in the Esper Collective do find it the most annoying thing about her, for someone who's otherwise a very effective agent.

She stretches out her hands in front of her and blinks blearily at Midnight.]

A drink sounds good. Maybe even breakfast.

[His state of shirtlessness and the sweat finally registers and she tilts her head at him.]

Were you exercising? How diligent. You're just like the friend I lived with back in my world.

[ Midnight looks down at the saw in his hand, thinking about his grip, among other things. The amount of people who take Midnight's pet names to heart at the degree that they do is really a bit concerning. Have these people never been the subject of simple affection? All the more reason to do it, but really, Midnight has quite the labor of love (literally) ahead of him.

(He'd also find it a bit concerning that Kaveh had read deeply into his independence. Not that he's wrong, nor that Midnight thinks the man means any malice. He just has his moments where he enjoys being seen. People getting too close to the other moments means he's getting sloppy. He doesn't like being drunk, actually...) ]

I see.

[ Since he is not currently profoundly drunk, he just thinks about how nice it would be to touch Kaveh's hair instead of actually doing it. He basks in the thought for a moment before letting it go and walking alongside Kaveh instead, the happiest packhorse imaginable. ]

They're a public service for the landship I live in, little wheeled contraptions who perform menial tasks whenever we're short a hand. National treasures, each one. She has a handful of her own creations, and tends to outfit any capable drones or robots who come aboard the ship with voice chips and AI. They're quite the bunch. Different personalities to all of them. I'm rather fond of Lancet-2 myself, although that may be my bias speaking.

I was, though I don't mind putting my workout on hold to make sure you don't keel over. Come along, then. Ready?

[ Midnight tilts his head to the open doors. This train simply refuses to leave to do more eldritch loops with them still aboard, apparently. ]

Would convenience store fare work for you? The coffee should be decent, at least.

[ kaveh, who's concept of affection has always been conditional, considers the candid way midnight speaks about voice chips and artificial intelligence, and feels a terrible burning sort of envy in him. this, kaveh shows through something like wistful longing as he considers the path from the hardware store back to the clothing store where the chandelier is, falling into step just ahead of midnight at a considerate trot.

a landship - so a ship capable of traversing land. living on it suggests that the ship may be larger than the standard passenger ships that are fairly miserable to be on for elongated periods of time, not that that hadn't stopped his mother from getting on one to fontaine all those years ago. lancet-2, kaveh thinks. the '2' implies that there had been a lancet-1 at some point, possibly reduced to little bits of scrap metal, though that's a fifty-fifty guess on his part. and a lancet is... ]

A surgical robot? [ huh. ] Fascinating. And you say each has their own personality? Which means it's able to retain a precision in work while maintaining the systems needed to confer individualised responses. This Miss Closure of yours must be some genius - or are all individuals who work with robots at that level of understanding?

[ Seimei is a professional lounger, wandering around like a stray with no particular direction or purpose. He even has one of the cups from earlier with a drink of his own. This is all a nice relaxing time in his opinion. When he sees the stranger that is distinctly not what his average human man looks like, Seimei of course stops to investigate Midnight as well. He might have been caught thoughtfully eyeing him up, actually, but when he's asked to write in the book, he does incline his head with a polite bow. ]

Anything? All right.

[ When he takes the pen, he holds it like an ink brush, tip facing down from his fingers rather than pointing out. He writes a quick quote:

The village is quiet
eaves are deserted
waking from reveries, the air is bracing.

He even sketches a little sparrow in flight under the words. And then he gently sets the pen back into the nook of the spine. ]

Will that work?

[ While Midnight is a more than capable interpreter of words and body language, he can only do so much without much insight into one's personality. He looks at the back of Kaveh's head while they walk, and while the quiet conveys interest, conveys courtesy, it doesn't do much else without an expression. Honestly, Midnight is fine with that. He's learned not to assume too much. There's a courtesy in letting others have their secrets. To let others have their quiet moments until they understand it's safe to let go.

... While Midnight's quite looking forward to having that chandelier, he's certain that Kaveh would be much more excited to actually take the thing down than he is. It's nice to be excited about things. ]

Honestly, I've no idea. I've spoken to Miss Closure a few times, but our conversations tended to focus on business and a bit of shared heritage, not her creations. Lovely woman, though. Her passion for engineering is something to behold. She cares deeply about her work, and it shows in the way her creations support us, in the way she constantly refines them to make sure our needs are met. A profoundly beautiful soul.

So... I suppose I don't know much about genius or understanding. But passion, love, devotion... Those are certainly things I see. [ ... Midnight laughs. ] You've got quite a bit of all of the above to share, if I may say so.

[ Midnight turns the book back to himself, studying the lines briefly before he brightens, a smile spreading across his face. ]

Oh, that's lovely. It's more than enough, it's perfect. Thank you.

[ He takes the pen, writes down the current date, then closes the book before returning his attention to his gracious contributor. Oh, this young man's lovely, isn't he? ]

I've never heard of this verse. Is it yours?

That would be fine. I ought to pick up a few things from the store anyway.

[Lucinda gathers her bearings and stands up, rolling her shoulders, taking a deep breath, and then smiling at Midnight.]

I'm also up for cooking breakfast, believe it or not. I may not look the type but my cooking skills are well-honed. If you have a preference for breakfast, I can see what I can do.

Are you collecting words? It seems like these books need as many contributors as possible.

[ He's not sure the text will stick seeing as everything else seems to blur and disappear, but the intention is good. Seimei likes that effort. ]

It's part of a poem I read once, but it was awhile ago, so I probably remembered it wrong.

[ A nice way of saying "badly butchered" indeed. He's not sorry for it. He's always been more focused on play than being too serious. ]

Are you a poet? Maybe you can teach me how to do better.

[ There are time where trees are perfectly made to be sat in to pass the evening. Coincidentally it puts Lenore in the right time and place to be watching Midnight searching around. Really, she's not hiding her presence, so can it be considered sneaking up on the man at all when he just happens to have wandered closer to where she was dangling?

Lenore drops down from the branch overhead; nearly crumbling at the knees when her feet hit the uneven ground with a loud thump. Besides the brief groan of discomfort she readily snaps back up to a straightened posture to address him directly. ]

Good evening. [ A grin. ] Have you lost something?

[ Midnight doesn't like to be snuck up on, unfortunately; even more unfortunate is the lack of vampire senses he usually leans on to make sure people don't sneak up on him. Even more unfortunate is the fact that he'd actually noticed someone up this tree, but had banked on whoever it was minding their own business.

It's actually the kind of sad groan she gives when she lands that prevents a dart of white fire hitting her somewhere above the belt. Assassins dont usually give off the impression of bad knees. When she looks at Midnight, she'll find him already catching the flame back in his hand, putting it out, and shaking his hand to rid it of smoke. ]

Evening. Gave me a startle, there, love. [ Midnight gives a grin. To his credit, he only looks a bit startled. The greeting definitely helped calm his nerves. ] Trying to find something, actually. Enjoying the view up there?

Sorry for that. That's not a very good first impression, is it?

[ The very end of the the hand movement catches her eye even though the light sputters out quickly. It's hard to discern what that's all about but the fact that he's abruptly aborting the action paints a vague picture.

With that smile intact she clears her throat with a slender hand, the other is lifted in the universal gesture for capitulation. It all makes sense to her because most people could feel skittish at this time. ]

The view was nice but I can't say that I've spotted anything besides various kinds of foliage. What could you possibly be trying to find? Ah—! Not that you owe me any kind of explanation.

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[ OPEN ] July Catch-all!

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