expiationlogs | (OPEN MINGLE) Ain't no party like an Aldrip party

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(OPEN MINGLE) Ain't no party like an Aldrip party

Who: The Chosen
Where: Aldrip inn
What: Open mingle log (with mod approval)!
Warnings: Nothing major anticipated, other than light (underaged) drinking and comic mischief, but PM me if any warn-worthy things happen and I can update this space.

Feel free to use this log as a completely open mingle for all characters new and old! There will be a few prompts below the cut, but you're free mess around with them or come up with your own ideas for toplevels, and tag around as you please.

Nestled in the heart of the quaint town of Aldrip, the inn, formally known as The Inn, has housed the Chosen of Expiation since their initial arrival. In spite of the occasional influx of new Chosen, they've dedicatedly provided rooms, food and drink, and basic amenities without buckling—even during the food shortages and other issues that have plagued the town. Of course, the Chosen have been no slouches themselves, repaying the hospitality with mercenary work, hunting and fishing, cooking, completing odd jobs, and much more to help bolster the economy. Even those, er, less magnanimous sorts have benefitted from this give-and-take, although there are those that prefer their living space to be a bit more solitary (or perhaps cave-ier) that might not have noticed as much.

In the days to follow, most won't be able to recount exactly how The Party started. The true story is that one particular new arrival, after having spent a day or two scouting the area out and, deciding it's chill enough, opted to do what he does best: be a public menace. What is known is that rounds of drinks start getting ordered and handed out, and soon platters of cheese, fresh bread, and other victuals make the rounds as well, appearing on tables that quickly begin filling with people. Somehow, someway, local musicians are pulled in to play and given a striking, energetic setlist to set the tone. The word gets out—party at the inn!

And boom: just like that, it's a party, and everyone's invited.

Early on, the offerings are relatively meager. The inn's food stores aren't completely bottomless after the shortages, to say the least, and there are a sight more Chosen (and local residents who also join in on the fun) than there is free food to toss at them. The drinks range from milk, water and juice to scuzzy, pisswater beer, which is a bit more plentiful. As the tavern portion of the inn fills with people, the music relatively ambient so that you can still hear the people at the table next to you talking, others bring their own food and drink, adding to the options on offer.

Others bring things like cards to play with, or dice and coins to gamble with, and set up spaces at tables toward the back. There's even an amateur fortune teller, heavy emphasis on amateur. Maybe you've got some party games of your own in mind, or you're a natural-born performer and want to hit the stage. Maybe you'd rather just grab a pint and lurk in the corner doing some people-watching. Or maybe you're just hungry and want to stuff a bunch of cheese in your pockets for later. Either way, there's something here for everyone.

As evening wears on, the peaceful inn party blossoms into a proper block bash. Even if you're not the partygoing sort, it'd be a little difficult to ignore the sheer ruckus going on downstairs while you attempt to read quietly in your room. The music, chatter and laughter carries on down the street, attracting even more people. By this point, it seems as if the food and drinks have multiplied, thanks mostly in part to others showing up with their own offerings, Chosen and local alike. It's getting rowdy in a few places—the music's louder and livelier, people are dancing and singing, and the gambling/party games' stakes seem to just keep climbing higher and higher. It's a good time all around. If you're not the quiet, loner type, anyway.

Thinking of sitting this one out? Think again: somebody starts going around to all the rooms and knocking on the doors, calling out to come join the fun. By the time you get to the door, though, whoever's up here disturbing the peace is gone, but maybe you can track them down by their voice at some point and wring their neck later.

In addition to the escalating merriment, all this imbibing also has the added benefit of loosening a few lips. Now's your chance to pick up the latest Aldrip gossip! You might even hear tell of a few pesky monsters that need slaying, so if you want to jump on that bounty before anyone else gets to it, you better act quickly. (But maybe don't run out into the woods in the middle of the night to fight monsters while inebriated... or do, nobody's stopping you.)

Late into the night, the festivities are still going, and they're... messy. Fortunately the drinks and provisions seem to have run to the bottom of the barrel, so those that've been partying hard for hours are getting cut off whether they like it or not. The band's getting tired, the tempo of the music fluctuating. Some people might like to go to bed sometime soon, so maybe now it's time for the voices of reason to tell those still dancing on top of the tables to get down. And why is there a chicken in here? ...And oh no, somebody tell those guys to take that swordfight outside!! Yeeaaahh, maybe it's about time to shut this production down.

Or maybe not. Let the good times roll until the sun comes up! That's up to you.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Ever since visiting the farm and seeing just how much land there is out there, Mizuki has always kept her eye out for a place of her own. Anywhere that she doesn't have to share a building with Him. Seeing as how these sorts of things don't just happen overnight anymore than they do in Japan, however, of course she finds herself back at the in beside her roommate, Vi. ]

Still not sure it's supposed to be jail...

[ There's a mug of beer that sits in front of her, untouched. ]

[it's kind of nice, not being alone in a place like this. even though she normally likes being a loner, Caitlyn bullying herself into Vi's life at home had Done Something to her. awakened something, in which she realizes she craves some sort of companionship.

but she'd never admit that.

she raises her eyebrows at the comment, and then shrugs into another guzzle of the beer.]

Who knows. So long as I can get beer, we're doing okay.

[she points to the mug.]

You gonna drink it? You could bear to loosen up a little.

. . .

[ Are they really okay, though? Mizuki herself still doesn't know whether she's okay. She probably has had nightmares about that cat, and about the little piglets, but at least she doesn't have to worry about them, for now.

She makes a face as she stares at the beer like she's having a staring contest. ]

Dunno. Looks like piss. [ Piss with ink— ]

That's pretty much all beer. If you want something that doesn't taste like piss, you should go for some wine or liquor. But some liquors just taste like battery acid.

[doesn't that just sound awesome!!

but the thought starts to occur to her:]

You ever had anything like that before?

[ Yummy, truly. Mizuki just looks unimpressed. She doesn't want to shake her head but the answer is clearly no. ]

Mm. Always felt off limits to me. Plus I'm usually riding my bike with no one to drive my ass home, but...

I didn't want it to turn into a Thing if I said no. [ It just kind of happened. Thus, she has piss beer. ]

[Vi's quiet for a few moments, and then she looks back over at the mug.]

Eh, we can always walk the bike home. Try it, 'cuz you keep eyeing it.

[there's another pause.]

But don't feel like you have to.

[ So which is it, Vi, do you want to be the worst influence or don't you?!

...Mizuki just sighs. What does it matter, anyway? It isn't like Boss is here to scold her, and certainly that douche Date isn't. She only wishes Bibi was here, but for now, she just lifts the mug and guzzles about half of the piss bear. As she brings the mug back down. gravity happens and slams it harder back onto the bar than she probably intended.

She starts coughing a bit, maybe even gagging. What else did she expect? ]

Gross.

[she wants to be a bad influence, but it's just beer!!

but then when Mizuki finally gives in, Vi grins.]

Yeah, it is. Too bad I can't get you anything better than piss beer yet.

[eventually.]

[ Mizuki waves a hand dismissively, staring at the remaining beer she has while willing the distaste to fade. ]

It's okay. I mean, apparently we're going to be here a while, so.

[ There'll be other chances. She doesn't mean at the party either, which she'll probably get bored/overwhelmed with before long. She just means Expiation in general. Mizuki isn't the worst small talker, especially with someone she's warming up to simply by virtue of being roommates, so she continues without too much awkwardness: ]

Were you a big drinker back home?

Looks like it.

[she pauses, and rolls the mug around in her fingers, feeling the liquid slosh around in it while she does.]

I snuck some when I was a kid. My... [fuck.] the person who took care of me always found out. Couldn't help it that we lived underneath a goddamn bar.

[those were good times...]

Jail doesn't have booze, as you'd figure. I had a little after that, but... I wasn't out for long before I came here. It was just a few days.

[ There's something about the way she hesitates in that brief moment that resonates with her, but she doesn't have the time to follow up on that. Instead, she continues to listen while nursing her mug, though the slower she goes, the worse it seems to taste, and it doesn't feel like she's getting close to the bottom.

She can't imagine what it'd be like to have access to this stuff 24/7. Dangerous, probably, with someone like Date. ]

Shit, I didn't know you went to jail.

Yep.

[she draws the word out, and then holds up her arm, showing her tattoos.]

That's where I got those. And this. [she waves to her face and neck.] And... well, all of it.

Let me tell you, it wasn't as great as it is here.

[ There is something like admiration in the look she gives her, which is probably not Good, but what does it matter? She's not going to be arresting anyone here. No comment on Expiation being better than anything, but she'll still ask: ]

What'd you do?

[Vi leans her head back as she looks at the ceiling. she doesn't like thinking about it -- that night, when everything went to hell.]

That's the funny part. It wasn't even over anything I actually did. I think... [she squints.] Terrorist attack in the undercity or something. They said some shit that made me sound like a rabid dog.

[she rolls her shoulders.]

So, I became what they clearly wanted me to be. I certainly didn't do any favors in there, beating the shit out of anyone who turned traitor against the guy who raised me when they also inevitably got arrested.

[ "Funny part," yet Mizuki isn't laughing. Terrorist attack strikes a little close to home in a way that feels like her heart's just been stopped on, but she does seem to crack a smile when she continues. ]

I knew you were my roommate for a reason.

[ A grin. She's probably having more fun swirling her remaining beer in the mug than drinking it. ]

I'd fight, too. [ Though she wonders if she is even half as loyal to Date as Vi is to... whoever it is. ]

[Vi looks over at Mizuki and grins a little.]

Like calls to like, am I right?

[it's been nice, having a consistent friend for so long...]

Hopefully you're never put in that position, though.

[ Somewhere, in another timeline, in another life, perhaps, she has. A murky, staticky image appears in her head where she is surrounded by SWAT, their protective gear making them look way bigger and menacing than they actually were. Somewhere behind her, there's her friend Genny, who literally envelops her in his shadow, and beside here, there's... Amame. Who'd reached into Mizuki's holster and stole her Evolver.

... Before she can lose herself in such things, she shakes her head, bringing herself back into the present. What was that...? ]

Yeah. [ ......The strange memory wears off, and so does its hold on her. All she's left with is a feeling of longing; she never thought she'd miss Genny's cooking so much. ] People like that make it hard to trust. [ Traitors. ]

[Vi hadn't gotten into it extensively with Mizuki, but she feels like she's definitely seen some shit. now's one of those times she feels like this is true, but she doesn't know how to ask about it. in fact, she kind of feels bad for making her lose herself to her thoughts.]

You got that right.

[she swirls the drink some more before finishing off another mug.]

You gonna finish that, or play with it?

[SWERVE subject change!!]

[ Smooth. But she gets the hint, and smirks as she swirls the mug and takes another chug. Glug-glug-glug until she can see nothing but the little bubbles at the bottom.

And another gentle slam onto the counter. ]

There. Happy?

[ Her head feels just a little heavier for a second, but that moment seems to pass as Mizuki steadies herself. ]

A little. Feel anything yet?

[not that she'd only really had a little bit, but... she's still curious.]

Uh...

[ She looks to the left, then to the right, scanning the party. God, where is Aiba to tell her what's going on in her body right now? Her fingers tense a little, like she feels anxious, but then she takes a breath to relax. ]

K-Kinda woozy for a second, I guess. Otherwise... [ ??? Should she be feeling anything. She's not going to start acting like an idiot like Date and Ryuki. ]

[she shrugs.]

Depends on how much of a lightweight you are. Since you're small and haven't had alcohol before... I figured you would be.

But this is kind of diluted too, so that kinda throws it all off.

. . . . . .

[ There's a hard stare before that expression melts, and her slightly mischievous smirk returns. She then picks up the mug and chugs until she can't taste anymore piss draining from it. She lets out a satisfied ah, then tries to hide it when the taste hits again and she winces. ]

Well, you're not wrong. But I should still be offended that you thought that. [ No, she shouldn't. Her tone is pretty obviously playful, though. ]

[she grins.]

What can I say? I can read people, sometimes. Doesn't mean you have to like it.

[ Mizuki shrugs, placing the mug back onto the counter and pushes it away from her slightly. She doesn't notice when the bartender quietly takes it away. ]

Eh. Might be piss, but at least the company's not bad.

[ At first, she was just going to indulge Vi for a while. She was already low-key looking for excuses to drag her back to the room, or at least excuse herself, but suddenly she can see herself staying for a little while longer.

Mizuki will stay until Vi is ready, which may just involve her passing the fuck out, but not if Mizuki can help it. Either way, who knows if Vi will remember any of this the next morning. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

(OPEN MINGLE) Ain't no party like an Aldrip party

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