[open/mingle] a light in the darkness

[orphne]

Who: any and everyone!
Where: astralin's farmhouse
What: mingle log for post-blackout!
Warnings: y'all tell me, please be good and don't break the house :(

If she hadn't been at the party, Kotone wouldn't have even known about the extent of the blackout. Sure, it's inconvenient, considering a lot of the lights are electric, and the fridge is, of course, powered by electricity as well, but the farmhouse she'd taken over from Astralin is an older and more traditional building. The main heat sources are the fireplaces strategically placed throughout the building -- a large one in the living space, a smaller one in the kitchen along with a wood-burning stove, and another large central one upstairs to help heat the bedrooms -- and the geothermal hot springs on the land. With the cold weather and snow on the ground, it's easy to take the food from the fridge and leave it outside in a locked box away from wild animals, but aside from the inconvenience of resorting to the candles and lanterns that were stockpiled in the basement, the farmhouse itself survives relatively unscathed!

Therefore, not long after the blast, Kotone sends a video message over the (charm) network inviting anyone who wants to take shelter from the cold, or even just cook some food, to come to Astralin's farmhouse on the edge of town for as long as they want or need.

She won't even make anyone help out on the farm. Probably!

1. Rural Snapshot
Power might go out, but life on the farm doesn't stop for something like that! The old wood stoves in the barn need to be cleaned up and made ready for use to keep the animals warm, and the animals still need to be taken care of. Goats, sheep, cows, chickens (a particularly big and brave one has the tiniest leather collar and a tag that says her name is "Scramble," and her friends Benedict and Sunny aren't far behind. They are Not For Eating (though their eggs are!))

Kotone won't make anyone help her with the farm chores of cleaning the barn, feeding the animals, or generally keeping things up and running, but she definitely won't turn down the help, either, giving pointers so the new folk don't completely muck it up (sometimes literally).

With the snow and general chill, there's not much to do with the crops themselves. Everyone is safe from the fields for now!

2. Potluck and BYOB (chef's recommendation: hot cocoa)
The farmhouse is not the inn -- Kotone has some food prepped and stored, with preserves from the fall harvest one of the key features, but it's not meant to feed the whole town. Thus, Kotone's going to request that anyone coming to stay at the farmhouse bring either raw ingredients or something they've made to share with any other hapless souls. Feel free to use the kitchen to cook, or get some help from someone else with cooking!

The wood-burning stove in the kitchen is perfect for heating up cocoa or wine, and there's room to get close with someone in front of any of the fireplaces. Like, it's encouraged to get close. It's a big farmhouse, but not that big. Make a friend! Share some warmth! The couches are cozy and comfortable, and if someone dozes off, well, Kotone won't be the one waking anyone up.

If someone would prefer to sleep in a bed, there are some bedrooms upstairs! One is, of course, sharing the room with plants. They're benign, normal plants, from potted flowers to hanging vines, but they are everywhere. Kotone herself doesn't have much of a green thumb other than keeping the plants watered and in view of sunlight, but the plants themselves seem to be flourishing throughout the farmhouse either way. It's almost as if someone (Astralin) had used magic to keep them growing strong and healthy, even indoors.

Oh, and speaking of sharing, again, the farmhouse isn't the inn. Expect to be sharing a space with someone else. Maybe a few people! Cozy up and make a new friend. It's better than freezing to death, right?

3. Hot Springs Episode
There are natural hot springs on the farmland that have been developed to mimic a Japanese onsen in places. The air might be cold and dark, but there are candles and lanterns around the springs to light it, and the water is nice and warm, perfect for those chill nights.

There are rules posted -- namely, clean yourself before going to soak -- and while there are separate bathing spaces for genders, Kotone doesn't really care too much about mixed bathing as long as everyone is respectful about it. Others may not be so casual about it, though, so one has to venture across at their own risk!

[ooc: This is a mingle! Feel free to use these prompts as inspiration or make your own. The only request I have is not to completely destroy the farmhouse or harm the animals -- anything else, go wild!]

Comments

[invinciblemikey]

(listen, he doesn't even think it's a poison thing, he thinks it's a taste thing, what if it's burned, or horrible, then he would be bitchy about it. the admission is what convinces him to, taking a gulp. he's tiny, so his feet dangle happily from the chair he's currently sitting in.)

It's perfect like this. Could have more sugar, even.

[memori3s]

[ Minato blinks. He's the sort of person who'll eat anything without much complaint, but even he'd consider more sugar to be overkill.

Either way, he's nevertheless content that the other boy is satisfied with the drink. ]

If you like it, I guess that makes it okay.

[ It's not like Minato had made the hot chocolate for himself. If the recipient enjoys it, that's what matters. ]

[invinciblemikey]

(sorry, his ego heard it as 'since you like it, then it's okay', and it makes him smile a little as he takes another sip. wonderful boost of sweet, he's actually pretty happy.)

Tell me your name.

[memori3s]

[ That's fine too. Minato takes another sip of his own drink, albeit a little more cautious about it compared to the other boy. ]

Minato Arisato, but just Minato is okay.

[ Why does it feel like he's about to get recruited into something... ]

[invinciblemikey]

(nah, you need like, credentials for gang business. right now, he's just being himself.)

Manjiro Sano. Mikey. You came with the last round?

[memori3s]

[ Oh good.

In any event, Minato's committing all three of Mikey's names to memory. He responds to the question with a tacit nod before taking another sip of his hot chocolate.

"Last round," he'd said. Which means... ]

...does this happen a lot?

[ Just how many "rounds" of people has this place acquired? ]

[invinciblemikey]

(the hot chocolate is done for in mikey's hands, in a gulp, it's over. it might have burned his mouth a tad, but sugar will always win against his best judgement.

it has been so long and yet not long at all that he has been here that he sort of forgot how it felt like when he arrived. the anger, the confusion, more of the two mashed together. at least this guy doesn't look half as mad as he was.)

Every Chosen came in one. Some have been here for like, a year, I heard. I've been here for a couple of months, although I was told I was here with them too a long time ago. Crazy shit.

[memori3s]

[ Minato, on the other hand, is only a third of the way through his hot chocolate.

All things considered, Aldrip's not a terrible place for him to end up. It could certainly be worse. Minato's unflappable in that way though, quietly accepting whatever life chooses to roll his way. ]

You don't remember the first time...?

[ First the electronics all die, and now there's memory manipulation afoot? Interesting. ]

[invinciblemikey]

Nope, but it seems like I wasn't here long, anyway. You here alone?

(it's always a good thing to know. if he is, so is mikey, and that sucks and he knows it. if he isn't, well, that's also good, but in a way, it also sucks.)

[memori3s]

[ There are at least two others who've made their way here. He's met one, and the other's existence is alleged, but Minato doesn't have any reason to doubt that information. He'll run into Mitsuru eventually. ]

No, a couple of my senpai are here too. ...Aragaki Shinjiro and Kirijo Misturu.

[invinciblemikey]

Oh. Kototan's people. Let me guess, you a Persona user?

(99.9% of the people he cares about are one, after all. his knowledge is still muddy, he knows about wildcards, the idea behind it.)

[memori3s]

[ "Kototan"? A nickname, which means Mikey must be one of Kotone's pals. ]

Yeah.

[ There's a part of him that's a little relieved Mikey's already familiar with the vocabulary. It means he won't need to explain it if it ever comes up between the two of them. ]

[invinciblemikey]

You and plenty of people. You're definitely not alone.

(he's not going to expose anyone either. it's no secret here, but some of these things, he'd rather to come from the people who hold them.)

[memori3s]

[ Let's see... There's Kotone, Aragaki-senpai, Kirijo-senpai (wherever she is...), Yu, and Yosuke. That's five so far. And based on Mikey's choice of the word "plenty," it sounds like there's even more out there. ]

Oh.

[ It's simply a matter of fact, neither reassuring nor discouraging to Minato. Though he'd ultimately learned to look to others for strength, actually leaning on them, even just a bit, remains a foreign concept. ]

That's good.

[ But it's spoken in a flat tone, an acknowledgement of Mikey's words as opposed to genuine gratitude. He's thankful, but Mikey's not obligated to share any of this with him. ]

[invinciblemikey]

(manjiro is not really different. he's a president, to be leaned on rather than leaning, so if it were the other way around, it would be too similar - minus the demand to see them, because he is... firm.)

Is it?

(the way he sees it-- it can suck.)

[memori3s]

[ President of a gang... hm. Did that mean Manjiro had to win an election? Were there biker gang elections?

But in any event, it seems maybe they share something in common without even realizing it.

Minato offers Manjiro a bit of honesty: ]

...I don't know.

[ Because to him, it doesn't actually matter either way. ]

[invinciblemikey]

I think nobody does. Come on, let's go get warm.

(wherever that is. he wouldn't be mad to soak in the hot spring again. the huge dojo he lives is now emptier, with the other resident having gone home, but he won't be anywhere else.

might as well enjoy the people for a while.)

[memori3s]

[ Manjiro's response is oddly refreshing. Hearing from someone else that there's no need to be so decisive about something for once is nice, actually. ]

Yeah. Good idea.

[ The hot chocolate's gone lukewarm by now. Minato finishes it off in a few gulps before holding a hand out. ]

Your mug. It needs to be washed first.

[ Maybe it'll give Manjiro time to figure out the best way to get warm. Hot springs? Camping by the fireplace? The possibilities are endless. ]

[invinciblemikey]

(by all means, enjoy washing it. he doesn't enjoy doing these sorts of things, so, the hand out is a blessing... he offers the other as he stands, stretching his back with his arms above his head.)

Here, dude.

[memori3s]

Thanks.

[ He accepts it without further words and disappears to the kitchen. They're guests and it's probably the polite thing to do, but Minato's also made a habit of minimizing traces of his own existence. This apparently also means making sure he washes all his used dishes.

Both mugs are cleaned and set aside to dry. Only then does he return to where he'd left Manjiro, offering the other teen a curious look.

Where to, fearless leader? ]

[invinciblemikey]

(outside, it's freezing. during days like these, he rode. the snow made for an extra layer of danger, lack of helmet meant that the wind could nearly cut his skin, but it was wonderful back home. here, he tends to take the bike at night. the sound it makes is awfully specific, one can follow the sound to find him at any given time.

the bike is where he is at now, grimacing as he removes his scarf and accessories and shoving it into a bag.)

I'll go to the dressing room in a bit, I'll meet you soon at the springs. Too many layers.

[memori3s]

[ Minato responds with a nod before heading straight to the dressing room. If nothing else, he's always been good at following instructions.

He initially hadn't believed that there were hot springs at the farmhouse. Why would that be at a farmhouse? But once he realized it wasn't the weirdest thing he'd ever come across, it was very easy to accept.

He leaves his clothes behind folded neatly on one of the shelves before wrapping a towel around himself. Minato hovers at the edge of the water, crouching down to dip his fingertips into it. He's not about to climb in without Manjiro, not when it feels a little like eating your food at a dinner before your company's dish has arrived as well. ]

[invinciblemikey]

(fuck a towel, we die like lightning mcqueen. once the (actually very jacked) blonde arrives, he can't wait to get in. the cold burns, and he craves for the gentle embrace that only thermal water can provide at a time like this. so, once he is close enough, he comes in almost way too fast - minato's hand taken in the process so he can come with, even though manjiro doesn't pull.)

[memori3s]

[ It's a good thing that Manjiro doesn't pull because Minato needs a second to get rid of the towel. He uses his free hand to loosen it and set it on the edge of the water.

He submerges himself in the water up to his neck. The hot chocolate was nice, but yeah. This is way better for getting warm. ]

...maybe the farmhouse was built here because of the hot springs.

[ He's mainly speaking to himself. ]

[invinciblemikey]

(for a moment, only the big eyes are above surface, lightless and hollow and perhaps just a tad creepy, almost doll-like. he's enjoying the embrace of the water, pinkish golden strands floating around him before he decides to float for a moment.)

I don't really know, it was already here when I got here. Shit just pops here, though. You seen a huge ass dojo on your way here? That's my actual home from... Home.