expiationlogs | OPEN MINGLE ✤ GOLDEN WEEK PICNIC

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OPEN MINGLE ✤ GOLDEN WEEK PICNIC

Who: Everyone!
Where: One of Aldrip's garden areas
What: A simple barbecue picnic meant as a welcome to newcomers and a chance to relax for the Chosen veterans.
Warnings: None for the general prompts and themes of the log! If your thread goes places, be sure to include warnings in the subject line!

1. In full bloom

With the spring in full swing now, it's a perfect chance to stop and take a look at the flora that Aldrip has to offer. The park area might not be the most well-tended greenery spot out there, but it's still a nice place to spend some time at. Like promised, Mitama has brought and set up multiple blankets, and there are even several hammocks hanging between the trees. Anyone is welcome to sit down, have a meal, chat with others or even take a nap ─ how you want to spend the time here is entirely up to you! Overall, you'll find some lovely scenery here, with flowers blooming and sun shining. What better place to have a picnic at?

Of course, the pretty sights might start causing some trouble once the pollen is taken into account...

2. Food for thought

Now, for the real reason you've all come here: free food! There are several tables, barbecues, and even a fire pit set up for all your picnic needs. That includes both ingredients, in case the last month's cooking adventures weren't enough for you, as well as pre-made dishes for everyone to enjoy! Some of them are store-bought, but others look a little... suspicious. They look more or less like they're supposed to, but the colors, the texture and the choice of flavor combinations are... questionable, to say the least. That's right, Miss Coordinator herself has decided to double-down after her lack of success in the competition last month and brought something... new and exciting to the table. We're talking absolutely smashing offerings, such as sausages with peanut butter and raspberry jam, rice balls stuffed with tuna and chocolate, and the exclusive mustard and banana pancakes. If any poor soul feels brave enough to try them, they're free to do so, but those who prefer to survive this picnic are recommended to pick something else.

Some simple utensils are provided, too, along with drinks ─ but sadly no alcohol, you're gonna have to bring that yourselves.

3. It's all fun and games

But what's a picnic without some entertainment? Aside from food, some tables also feature a selection of books, chess and board games to engage all you nerds─ I mean, intellectual types. For those who'd prefer to take advantage of the sunny weather to spend their time in a more active way, there's a small variety of sports equipment (think dodgeball, soccer, jumping rope, maybe even baseball if you want to get fancy) available to get you moving!

All of the equipment is provided free of charge (gasp), but there are notes asking to take care of it properly and make sure it remains usable and available for other people. So please don't get any silly ideas about those baseball bats. Miss Coordinator will know.

wildcard

Got any other ideas? Want some more activities? Go wild! The above are just suggestions, but as this is meant to be a mingle for everyone, you can come up with anything you'd like.

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one | in full bloom

Jim wanders into the picnic on accident, though he can't say he's not pleased to be there. Despite how stressful this entire situation has been (he is resolutely NOT thinking about that damned piece of paper, nope, no) - there are worse ways to be imprisoned, and far worse places to be stranded. Take it from him - he knows.

And he has a dog now, which is kind of awesome, and his reason for being out in the park in the first place. He's a golden something - a mutt, though Jim's betting on a Border Collie/Retriever mix - but very sweet, so far, anyway. He hasn't faced Spock about his recent dog acquisition, but he was hoping if he could train the dog a little, it might come across as better planned.

(It wasn't. He saw dog, monkey brain went cute, fluffy, now he has dog.)

So Jim is hanging out by the picnic blankets, throwing a frisbee for the animal, who excitedly runs after it. He still hasn't named it yet, although he's pretty sure it's a forgone conclusion - Bones is a hilarious dog name for a number of reasons.

three | it's all fun and games

When Bones eventually tired, downing a bowl of water and passing out for a nap at Jim's feet, he'd taken up at one of the tables, examining the books and games laid out there. Physical books were something of a luxury in his time, and each one is treated with reverence and interest. He'll definitely have to visit the library; he'll probably geek out, but it's fine, no one has to know.

Jim starts up a chess game with himself, frowning at the board as he plays out a version of the Grünfeld Defense against his rusty Russian System. He's absorbed in his play, practicing strategies and looking for holes in the defense to push his pieces through - but he probably wouldn't mind an actual chess partner, if the opportunity presents itself.

[Caitlyn is never against a day to get out and enjoy the sunlight. Even if Piltover had more greenery and fresh air than Zaun, it still had its limited space. She had always enjoyed the outskirts of the city, hunting and riding and enjoying the freedom of the wide, open space. It's no different now, just with the added bonus that Vi enjoyed it even more, since she had grown up in Zaun and spent so many years confined to prison.

It was Caitlyn's idea to come out today, and while dragging Vi wasn't easy at first, the promise of free food did make it that much easier. But food has been eaten, and the redheaded woman is zonked out on one of the blankets in the sun, so Caitlyn took the opportunity to explore the selection of books and games that had been set out for everyone to enjoy.

It's as she's perusing that she sees the man playing a game by himself, moving the black and white pieces around in a game she's never seen before. It's curious, but has her interest, as she tries to decipher how exactly the game works. She's not going to interrupt, just watch curiously for now.]

[ Jim enjoys the quiet atmosphere of the park today - it reminds him of sprawling summer days in San Francisco, on the Starfleet Academy campus. Jim didn't exactly have anywhere to go during the summer months, so he stayed; it gave him the chance to accelerate his program with extra classes, too, so it wasn't like he was complaining.

It takes him a second to realize there's someone next to him, absorbed as he is shifting the pieces; he moves his knight to C2, then cuts off the move with the opposing bishop to E4. He plays the move out to the end, exhibiting the moves of a handful of other pieces - the rook, a few pawns, finally manipulating his queen into position to take out the opposing king. He knocks it over with a final move, sitting back, satisfied.

Jim leans back, stretching his feet under the table after sitting in one position, finally addressing the woman next to him, quietly observing. ] Do you play?

a. food for thought

[well, he can definitely tell that Mitama's been cooking. despite his massive crush on her, he still isn't all that keen in trying her cooking -- it's very reminiscent of what the girls at home would come up with. and... he remembers very well trying to get himself out of it.

if he sees anyone getting to close to the "creative" foods (that isn't Mitama herself of course), he's going to clear his throat.]

You... might not want to eat that.

b. in full bloom

[after eating some of the safer foods, Yosuke's starting to feel kind of lazy. so he finds himself in one of the hammocks... starting to doze off.

but then he shifts a little too much, and finds himself falling out of it. because his life doesn't generally suck enough!!]

Ow!!! What the hell-??? Does the hammock have a hole in it or something??

[because it's clearly the hammock's fault.]

Edited 2024-05-06 15:00 (UTC)

[A warning. From what looks to be the a friend of her sister's guest. Hrm. Elizabeth was hungry, but unsure about the food selections, still she didn't have the experience to know a trap from perhaps an ethnic oddity. Humanity was so odd about its foods anyways. Still she looked over and nodded.

Setting her compendium on the table she eyes the questionable food thoroughly.]

"So this is not a challenge of one's resolve then Captain? Is this some sort of test then? To see if someone can overcome the yearnings of their stomach?"

[....... Yosuke frowns, and shakes his head.]

I don't think it's that deep. I think there's just some people who...

[he looks around, trying to see if Mitama might be lurking. he pitches his voice low after that, just barely above a whisper.]

Just can't cook.

Can't cook? Don't people need to eat to live? Elizabeth doesn't in any way understand how someone can't do something they need to to in order to live.

Still she whispers, "Is she courting death? Is that why she has not learned how to sustain herself? I was under the impression that mortals needed food and if she can not produce food that will not poison her...."

She frowns and shakes her head, no no no. Not an Erebus link, not here, not on her watch.

[mortals? he takes a better look at her... even though she looks human herself. but there's so many different kinds of random people here, it can be hard to tell.

so it's not really something he's going to remark on right now.]

I mean, she eats some of it... somehow. And she's... uh, very well fed.

[he's obviously not calling her overweight, but... he motions curves to Elizabeth.]

So she's not going to die easily.

So it is a challenge, just one that she is unfamiliar with. Is she in fact being challeneged to a challenge, or is this something that perhaps she is best to avoid for now.

"I see. She gains strength from courting death. Fascinating, perhaps there are other ways to become more formidable than slaying shadows."

She looks at the food and rubs her chin slightly, "Now I find myself curious about this ordeal. Or is this an ordeal of this world?"

[. . . . . . . .

Yosuke gives Elizabeth a long, contemplative look. why were girls so weird?? but then he thinks about what she said again, and it makes him pause.]

Wait, shadows? What kind of shadows?

[he's gonna ignore all this other stuff for now lmao]

Elizabeth tilts her head, what kind of shadows? That is a rather odd question, after all, most shadows differ from ordeal to ordeal still..

"Well, generally they collect in the sea of the soul, birthed from the negative feelings and disappointments of humanity. In some ways they are tied to demons, but generally that is a complex link that is not interesting to go in. Some are even persona gone berserk, though those ones tend to declare they are someone's true self, and not simply repressed feelings."

She opens her book and flips through it, "They generally are associated with the tarot, and as such when defeated can offer persona to a wild card user, but that is another story."

She then looks up at Yosuke, eyes glinting golden as a somewhat manic smile forms on her face, "They are also quite fun to smash. Why? Are they here as well?"

[Caitlyn's gaze stays intently on the game as Kirk continues, not realizing that he's noticed her yet. She's just trying to figure out the moves and what it all means. Certain pieces he moves one way, and others are completely different. She's guessing as to what it all means, but then it's done and over with, and-- oh. He's addressing her. Whoops. She didn't mean to linger and stare.]

No, I don't. I've never even seen such a game. It's interesting.

[ahhhhh. he even flinches when he hears her say something about a Persona-- his eyebrows rising. even though he doesn't really look alarmed, at this point.]

So... you know about Personas too, then. It was just kind of a hunch that you were talking about those kinds of shadows.

[especially since there seems to be so many of them here. which he still isn't sure he quite understands.

even though he's not sure about the look in her eyes.]

Uh... I haven't really seen any, yet. There were some like it in a maze, once... but it's been quiet since then.

There is a flash of disappointment for a second when Yosuke mentions it has been quiet, but she tilts her head at the maze comment.

"Was the maze a school festival? Or a giant cinema?"

She then bows, "I am Elizabeth, formorly from the Velvet Room. I believe you.... Worked with my sister's guest. The Sister Complex Kingpin of Steel was the name that the bear gave him... But it may not have happened yet. Time is complicated and something I am still adapting to."

It's called chess. It's a strategy game. [ His explanation is given with no judgment or surprise; Jim is used to cultural differences, living on a Starship with so many other Federation species. He picks up the king piece he just knocked over and begins resetting the board, arranging the piece back into formation. ] I like it because it changes, based on the person you're playing against. Everyone has a different style. Even multiple matches against one person can be different, depending on how someone chooses to play.

I came to that assumption. [She could definitely tell it was all strategy dependent, but it was a little confusing, with him playing it all himself. Still, it seems interesting. Strategy was right up her alley.]

Can you teach me how to play? I.. think I picked up some of it, just from watching, but I'd love to actually learn it. If that's alright with you, of course--

Sure, happy to have a new opponent. Pull up a chair. [ Jim finishes setting up the pieces, then moves to rotate the board, so Caitlyn is able to play as white. ] And induct people to the wonderful world of Chess. I'm Jim, by the way. Nice to meet you.

The White player always goes first. [ He scoots his chair forward, picking up one of his Black pawns.] The objective is to capture your opponent's King piece, while protecting your own. Different pieces have different ways they can move along the board. Pawns, for example, can move up to two spaces on their first turn, and only one space after that. They capture pieces diagonally, and they can't move backwards.

No... it replaced the whole city. We couldn't really get out unless we seriously wanted to.

[... ??? at her next words, he realizes he has no idea what she's talking about. the bear could be... Teddie? maybe?

other than that, who knew?]

Your sister's guest? And what's a Velvet Room? [a beat.] Are you talking about Yu?

"The Velvet Room is the place those who signed a contract can come to merge persona into new ones. I do not know the Sister Complex Kingpin of Steel's name."

She taps her cheek a bit, "He is tallish, with silver hair and wielded the persona Izanagi. I believe I saw you with him in that television realm Captain. When fighting the talking Bear shadow. From what I understand, my sister was his attendant in the Velvet Room."

[Caitlyn nods with excitement, pleased that he agreed to teach her. She does as he asks, pulling up a chair to sit opposite of him.]

The pleasure is all mine. I'm Caitlyn.

[She listens intently as he explains, nodding as he points out the specifics for the King and Pawns.]

I noticed that these [she points to the Rooks.] moved horizontally and vertically, while these [she points to the Bishops next.] moved diagonally. I couldn't quite figure out what movement it was the ones that look like horses did.

Rooks, or castles, depending on your preference. These are the bishops - ah, yes, the knights. [ Jim taps each piece as he names them, and bites back the etymology trivia he's so used to spouting off with his typical chess partner. ] Knights move in an L shape in any direction - three spaces, then two.

[ Jim picks up the piece to demonstrate, showing off the different directions it could go from the current position. ]

The King and Queen can move in any direction - but the King can only move one space at a time. Your Queen is your most powerful piece. [ Jim taps his Queen with one finger, then holds up another. ] But all of your pieces have value. Pawns are the weakest piece in terms of maneuverability - but if you manage to get one all the way to the other side of the board, you can trade it in for a piece of your choosing - you could end up with two Queens that way.

[..................................... there's so much of a long silence, and he blinks in confusion. he blinks a lot in confusion, actually, before he figures out something to say.]

Is that how Yu gets so many different Persona? Is this all some sort of weird memories shit that I'm going to get confused about?

[what are you talking about she loves etymology please share!!

she's such a nerd, she's exactly the person that would love to hear more, but since she doesn't know she's missing out on that, she's just going to nod and continue absorbing all the information he's giving her about how the game is played.]

The Queen is the most powerful piece? That's... unexpected. [she's certainly not mad, and finds it rather interesting, given it seems like patriarchy is more common across worlds than not.]

[ Look, he's used to nerding out with the Professional Nerds, AKA the nerds stupid enough to sign up for life on a Starship, but Jim knows as well as anyone that the average person isn't signing up for that kind of word vomit. But maybe she'll really love the game - or perhaps, simply give him an opening he can't resist.

Like that, actually, and his eyes light up with amusement. ] You know, it's funny - chess is a strategic game, with perfect information. That means - no dice rolls, no elements of chance or hidden rules, right?

But real feudal society, [ Jim gestures widely to the board, their two courts at opposite sides. ] Didn't work like that. Lies, deception, all part of it, right, of keeping power.

The king, [ He taps the piece absently again, propping his chin in his other hand. ] He can only do so much, because he has hard power. The ability to enforce economic sanctions, military power, shows of force which, in excess, prove ineffective. But the Queen - she has soft power. The ability to meet in secret, to gain access where others can't.

Those who underestimate their queen, [ Jim shrugs, resetting the pieces all back to their original positions. ] They don't play a very good game, then or now.

Elizabeth nods, "Yes, that is where other persona come from. As for weird memories shit."

She ponders, head tilting back and forth then shrugs, "I have no idea!"

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OPEN MINGLE ✤ GOLDEN WEEK PICNIC

Jim Kirk | OPEN

it's all fun and games

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Sorry about the delay, getting used to the new job's hours.