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

[electroburst]

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.

Comments

2!

[fluorite]

[ He's been watching Nanami gather up dishes and wipe down tables as he eats an orange, his legs stretched out in front of him as he relaxes back in his seat. Because he's been watching, Fai isn't surprised when Nanami eventually approaches him.

He grins, holding up an orange slice. ]

I'm almost done! Want this last slice?

[overtid]

[ The question of whether or not scopaesthesia is a legitimate phenomenon won't be solved today. Even a guy as uptight as Nanami could be compelled enough to, if not fully relax, let his guard down after hours of atmospheric merriment. Focused as he is on his self-assigned task, he's oblivious to Fai's attention.

But he isn't expecting surprise. He also isn't expecting to be offered an orange segment — it disrupts his flow, merits a blink, has him actually considering it.

Has him actually taking it. A small burst of citrus might be a decent palate cleanser after all that shitty beer. ]

Thanks.

[ Here, the brief interlude of popping the bit of fruit into his mouth. ]

[fluorite]

[ His smiles widens when Nanami takes it, and he dumps the rest of the orange skin onto his plate. ]

Of course. It's delicious, isn't it?

[ It's been a while since he's been in a world with oranges that were so flavorful. While Nanami is busy with that, however, Fai stands up and stretches before picking up his plate. ]

Want some help with tidying up?

[ There's a lot that needs to be done, after all. ]

[overtid]

It's refreshing.

[ Answered with enough intonation as to not land like a flat counter. The lift of assent. Oranges hadn't been hard to get in Tokyo — regardless of the season, global trade being what it was in 2018 — so though he'd admit Aldrip oranges packed a little more flavor, he speaks more for their (its) effect tonight.

Only pausing to eat the segment keeps him from, as Fai stretches, reaching for the plate with its curls of orange skin. Nanami doesn't shrug at the offer, but he shifts his attention to collecting a couple of abandoned plates a little further down, apparently indifferent. ]

The question should be whether you want to help. You'll be helping the staff, not me, and they probably won't pay.

[ Technically, yes, it would lighten his load. But he'd just started doing it without being asked or asking for a fee, and could stop at any point.

Now, glancing at Fai as he lifts a not quite tottering stack, ]

You've just arrived.

[ A little too matter-of-fact, but Nanami doesn't recognize him. He may not speak to most of the other Chosen with any regularity, but he keeps an eye out. ]

So you could think of this as a welcome party and take it easy.

[fluorite]

[ He tilts his head, smiling a little as he watches Nanami pick up other plates. With a small shrug, he follows suit, adding a few napkins and discarded glasses to his plate.

So this man is observant, is he? Maybe he shouldn't be surprised that some of the people here would notice a new face in their crowd, but he can at least be amused by it, which is obvious in his tone. ]

I may be new, but I don't mind helping out, even if I won't be getting paid. This is quite the mess and I did contribute to it, so it's only fair that I do my due diligence.

[ While Fai certainly didn't contribute as much as others have, he's also only just a hair tipsy, so he might as well use his high alcohol tolerance to his advantage and help the staff out. ]

Besides, cleaning is fun.

[ Not really. ]

[overtid]

Hn.

[ Almost a grunt, definitely noncomittal. Not minding something, the fairness of it — neither reaches the level of wanting to do it. Though that might be a matter of one's interpretation of want, or types of want, which Nanami would find a tedious subject even at a better hour, more or less sober.

This guy's chosen to help, already gathering glasses, so that's that. ]

Then, have fun.

[ Nanami won't thank him, but there's utility to making a good impression. ...on the staff. Not Nanami. He doesn't care.

When he pauses now, it's to regard a heap of napkins used to mop up (or hide) something that looks (and smells) like puke. On the table. Sighing, he takes a glass in one hand, plate in the other, and sort of. scoop-shoves the mess onto the plate. A nice thing to be doing when he speaks again. ]

Since you're helping out, let's introduce ourselves. Nanami Kento.

[fluorite]

[ He gives Nanami a salute—he'll definitely be having fun! Fai hums softly as he picks up a few more plates and glasses, straightening chairs by nudging their legs with his feet as he goes. ]

Fai D. Flowright. It's nice to meet you, Nanami.

[ Even if it's through cleaning up a messy bar.

It's not long before he's watching that lovely little scene of Nanami scooping something off the table. Fai pulls a face, but he quickly smiles. He's seen much worse anyway. ]

Need some spare napkins?

[overtid]

[ That's not the first gratuitus salute Nanami's gotten from a bright personality. Since the primary culprit's unfortunately in Aldrip as well, it also probably won't be the last — like all the rest, he ignores this one. ]

Yes, let's get along.

[ By rote.

And possible. Fai's quiet humming, which could have irritated, proves an agreeable backdrop after the volume of the musicians. Better than smalltalk, though the half-obligatory starter subjects of origin, any insight into this place, and adjustment, probably wouldn't constitute smalltalk.

He's handy, too, positoned to save Nanami a few steps. Cleaning rags would be wasted on this mess, and shoving it onto the floor might simplify things with sawdust, but it's already half-napkinned. ]

Please.

[fluorite]

[ crying i shoulda kept it ]

Here you go~

[ He grins, handing over a wad of napkins he’s collected across a few tables. He’ll leave Nanami to wiping it up, mostly because he doesn’t want to stick around and watch. While Fai may not be particularly bothered, it’s still gross.

At some point, however, he does glance over. ]

It’s really kind of you to help out, you know. Especially with the less desirable tasks.

[ Such as the one Nanami is taking on now. Even just a rudimentary cleanup should make the night a lot easier on the staff. ]

[overtid]

[ i believe in u: next time you leave out half the tag, you'll commit to it 👏👏👏 ]

Thank you.

[ Taking the napkins, wipe it he does. Though, yes, it's gross. He numbers among those who've seen (and had to handle) much worse, but that's not a meaningful comparison, given the very different contexts. Table vomit and cleaning it up is a uniquely foul experience in the mundane context.

Just about finished when Fai speaks, his eyebrows lift by increments. ]

Rather than kind, it's practical.

[ Gathering up the soiled napkins on the plates (now plural, doubled), Nanami looks back before heading to the kitchen to dispose of the totality. ]

Of course, by saying that, you've also called yourself really kind. Unless having fun nullifies any generosity.

[fluorite]

[ It might be practical, but the tavern will be clean in the morning whether or not Nanami decides to help—at least, that’s what Fai thinks.

But he can’t elaborate on that point when he’s suddenly caught off guard. If he weren’t tipsy, the delay between his eyebrows raising in surprise and the easy laugh he lets out would be much shorter, but alas. ]

Well, it wasn’t my idea, so I think all of the credit belongs to you here.

[overtid]

[ Had Fai elaborated, Nanami would have agreed. The tavern would likely have been clean by morning even if Nanami hadn't decided to contribute to the effort, making his contribution unnecessary.

Practicality, ultimately, served as dispassionate reframing of what had begun as that vague feeling: someone should.

He [doesn't think of himself as][isn't] a guy who goes out of his way, generally. But, sometimes, part of adulthood is stepping up even when not directly responsible.

Something like that.

Kindness doesn't have anything to do with it, and if there's reason to judge the pause between Fai's surprise and his laugh, he may have some resistance himself to that characterization.

But, because Nanami doesn't know him, he's unaware of any reason, and disinclined to make any assumption. ]

Credit is a separate question from kindness. Or, we could say that crediting kindness risks diluting it. I'm not interested in splitting that hair.

Excuse me.

[ Because he's also not interested in standing around holding these plates, Nanami moves into the kitchen to toss the slop. ]

[fluorite]

[ He grins, calling out as Nanami goes into the kitchen. ]

Aw, are you sure you don't want to have a friendly little debate!

[ But while he's in there, Fai sets down his little stack of plates to set some chairs upright again, fixing up the seating while he can. Much, much better.

...But this also calls attention to all the trash and debris on the floor, so he gets to picking that up too. ]

[overtid]

[ Given the facetiousness of the question and how clear his own position is, Nanami doesn't bother answering. After first shaking those plates over a trash bag that still has room, then scraping them, then depositing them into the overflowing sink, he grabs a few buckets of sawdust and returns to the main room.

Unsurprisingly, the righted chairs do make an immediate difference in the look of the place.

Setting the buckets down by that entryway, he moves to take the stack Fai had gathered, glancing at what he's now attending to. ]

There are brooms.

[fluorite]

[ Fai pauses when he senses Nanami's presence again, standing up straight and setting a mug that had been discarded on the floor onto the table right next to him. ]

Could you show me where they are, boss?

[ He supposes they're in a nearby supply closet, but it's more fun to have someone show him where they are than to look for them himself. ]

[overtid]

[ Whether or not Nanami suspects that Fai's having a little fun at his expense is immaterial. It's better manners not to go around opening doors at random, even in a public establishment while volunteering services. Nanami doesn't work here, hasn't at any point in the last two few months, but he's eaten and drank here enough to know where they keep the brooms.

Crossing to one such door, which does look very much like a door to a supply closet, he opens it. Reaching in with two hands to take a broom in each, he then turns and probably not seriously considers tossing one at Fai (more than suspecting that fun) before holding it out instead. ]

Here. Please don't call me boss.

[fluorite]

[ Fai takes it with a bit of a flourish. ]

Thanks, sir!

[ Is that any better than boss? Maybe, maybe not. But it might be clear that Fai's trying to figure out how much Nanami will let him get away with, because he leaves it at that and starts to sweep old napkins and crumbs out from underneath a nearby table. ]

[overtid]

[ Might be better, if not by much. At first, it looks as though he'll let "sir" go by without comment. Refraining from protest isn't acceptance, judging by the sigh that follows, exhaled as he leans the broom he'd taken for himself against the wall and again takes up the stack gatherd by Fai.

However, he's just at the entrance to the kitchen when he turns, not quite frowning. However fine the distinction between the suffix and the form of address, it's enough for clarification. ]

Nanami-san is fine. We're both helping separately, of our own volition. I'm not in charge.

[fluorite]

[ He doesn't want to push the buttons of someone he just met in a new world too much, so he'll take the clarification.

Fai grins mischievously as he gathers up a neat little pile of party debris with his broom. ]

No? Even if I created a little clean up club and deemed you the leader, Nanami-san?

[overtid]

I would resign immediately.

[ Spoken swift and decisive, without so much as a beat of hesitation, as he's pivoting back to the kitchen. Another quick thing: depositing that stack at the sink to return to, and take up, the broom.

Thinking better of it, he sets it down once more, moving now to lift one of the buckets of sawdust. ]

Please create that kind of club by yourself.

[fluorite]

[ Fai bites back a laugh as he watches Nanami move back and forth as he cleans, putting some of his weight against the broom as he leans on it. ]

Aw, come on, Nanami-san! Don't you think it would be fun?

[overtid]

[ Pouring out the sawdust as he walks across the main floor, once the bucket's empty, he starts by spreading it more evenly with vigorous, efficient sweeps of the broom. ]

No. What do you think would be fun about a boring club like that?

[ Sweeping — then pausing — ]

Sorry, since Flowright-san finds cleaning fun, there's no need to answer that.

[fluorite]

[ Fai joins him in spreading it around, his own movements just as sharp and efficient. ]

It's all about bonding~ Bonding through the hardships of cleaning.

[ He laughs, pausing for a brief moment. ]

Just "Fai" is fine with me.

[overtid]

[ Well, he won't argue that. In fact, most clubs must have that as a secondary purpose, whether spoken or unspoken. Indulging in a hobby one enjoys (or, in this case, seeking the "hardships" of it?) with others. That human connection. ]

I'm not interested in that, but if you want to start a cleaning cub, I believe Shiomi-san posted something about it. There's a club building, too.

[ Spoken so matter-of-factly, it's hard to know how he feels about the Chosen forming clubs as though they were in high school.

Possibly because he doesn't feel much about it, positive or negative. ]

Fai-san, then.

[ Too familiar for Nanami, but those who prefer use of their first names obviously come from cultures where that isn't the case. Simple to adjust. Obviously, that had been true in his world as well. ]

[fluorite]

[ He'll accept being called "Fai-san", giving Nanami a nod with a little smile. His focus shifts, however, as he leans on his broom. ]

A club building, hmm? I wonder if a cooking club has been established yet...

[ It would be beneficial, he thinks. But enough about his own musings. ]

Are there any clubs you would actually be interested in?