open 🌌 today's crime: soliciting

[chimericalclaw]

Who: Zekarion & YOU
Where: YOUR HOME, Aldrip Post Office, and assorted locations
What: Expiation, say hello to centralized mail services! Also there is an extremely tired man to bother.
Warnings: references to game-induced visions of violence and such, probably.

One day early in February, the people of Aldrip will find a letter delivered to their residence—sitting on their doorstep, on a nearby table or surface, slid under the door, whatever possible to make sure that you get your very first piece of public mail!

Inside is a typewritten letter headed with a letterhead seal proclaiming its origin as the Aldrip Postal Service. The letter describes the marvels of the mail service such as the founder is familiar with them: daily deliveries to and from the convenience of your home, local experts already familiar with recipients' addresses, the versatile nature of physical communication and lack of electricity requirement. Privacy is a promise, and the Aldrip Postal Service will send any and all mail... that isn't an active physical danger to those delivering or receiving it. Not that anyone would try such a thing! :)

The letter also brings up the upcoming Day of Devotion—for those romantically inclined who may want to send surprise or secret packages of flowers or sweets or love letters, anonymity is guaranteed. The delivery people don't even know where they came from without a return address!

The letter concludes with a note that the office is seeking organizational staff, couriers, and trainers to help handle their carrier pigeons to make the mail as efficient as it can be.

If you'd like to officially request your own mail box (it's free!), look into the job offers, or simply take a look at the post office itself, the address in the heading is repeated at the bottom of the letter. The founder only signs ZA at the bottom, so you'll just have to go in person to find out who's sending you mail now.

(Regardless of who it is, they're not responsible for any unwanted chain letters or advertisements received. If someone wants to reach out about your carriage's extended warranty, the mail service will not discriminate.)

⬬ some kind of trouble on the sensory screen | post office

[The brick and stone building, situated right near the middle of the city not far from the inn, has a few entrances, one under a set of arches, another under a covering supported by pillars. A couple of people in blue uniforms stand outside each one, offering informational fliers about what one can expect from the mail service. One of said people is dressed slightly differently, however; a tall man with dark hair wears a blue suit and tie to match the other workers, answering questions and encouraging people to step inside.

If anyone approaches closely enough to be heard with a normal conversational tone, he'll offer a greeting appropriate to the time of day.]

Have you gotten one of our letters yet?

⬬ clutch at plausible deniability | cafe/inn

[He can't spend all his time doing that, though. He's only one man, and he has other endeavors to work on. Endeavors such as trying not to look too exhausted over the coffee he's nursing at the local cafe or inn, or sigh too loudly over it.]

⬬ some kind of drama live on satellite | elsewhere/wildcard

[ooc: interested in something else? plot with me here or at lumieresdedragon!]

Comments

post office

[theskyaccepts]

Uh, yeah, I did.

[He cocks his head.]

So you can just, start a post office?

[chimericalclaw]

Ah, wonderful.

[That will cut down on the explanation a bit, then. Altius smiles pleasantly at the young man, though there's a little pride in it as well.]

I've heard no word of protest from anyone yet. [Well, maybe some of the locals got annoyed at the idea of a Chosen-run mail service, but they quickly "forgot" their issues after meeting him.] I'd think if the powers that be wanted to prevent it, they would have had plenty of opportunity to tell me no in some form or fashion before now.

[But they didn't and now it's here. :)]

[theskyaccepts]

I guess that make sense. I just always thought post offices were always a thing, like grocery stores.

[A child of modern convenience.]

Although, I don't know if I have any mail.

[chimericalclaw]

[Altius has to chuckle at the remark, tilting his head quizzically. This all just got started, of course he doesn't have any mail. Nobody does yet! That was the problem he intended to solve, even if it takes time.]

You might not yet, but that will change.

[Somebody's going to send him something, even if it's just some local trying to rope him into a sale or whatever.]

Everything has to be started by someone. Apparently who- or whatever's responsible for designing this place didn't find it important enough to create a mail service themselves.

[theskyaccepts]

Yeah, I guess that makes sense.

[It's just, not anything he's had to think about before. Though he is a little skeptical. Most of the time when he ends up with mail, it's rarely lead to anything good.]

Wait...so you just found this place?

[chimericalclaw]

[He raises his eyebrows.] Found? Oh, no. I had it built.

[Finding it would have been fine too, sure, but there's some satisfaction that he actively brought it into being. Or his money did, anyway. That still counts for something!]

I was referring more to the design of this world in general. It's a haphazard sort of city, isn't it?

[Modern electricity and horse carriages...]

[theskyaccepts]

Oh! I...didn't know that you could do that. Either.

[Not that he's really had the need to have anything built.]

But yeah, it really is. It's really weird.

[chimericalclaw]

Have you not heard of other Chosen building their own businesses?

[It's a neutral question; he simply wonders what this young man might have been doing to keep him occupied, is all.]

For as unpleasant as they've been as of late, the locals were surprisingly agreeable to my request. I have to assume it's been the same for the others who've taken advantage of the opportunity.

[theskyaccepts]

I mean, yeah, I have. I just figured they took over pre-existing spaces and stuff.

Not like, built from the ground up.

[Not that he pays a lot of attention to construction or anything.]

But that's good. Maybe that means they're warming up to us again.

[chimericalclaw]

[Ah, he supposes that makes sense. There have been a number of them that the Chosen have taken over, after all, like Plantagenet's new management over the Inn. He nods his understanding.]

We can only hope, hm? But for the time being... I'll continue to offer other Chosen the option of being paid by someone whose opinion of them won't change on a whim.

[Y'know. Just in case. He's glad to use his abilities as a buffer between them.]

So—what part of my letter brought you here, sir?

[theskyaccepts]

Oh, uh, well, mostly I was just curious.

[It is something to change up his routine, if nothing else.]

But, I guess having a mailbox would be kinda cool.

[Not that he would expect any mail.]

[chimericalclaw]

[That can always change, Tsuna, you never know! Get a pen pal! Those are fun. Hm, maybe he'll set up something to encourage that...

Altius gestures towards the door, friendly but not too insistent.]

We'd be glad to set one up. Why don't you come inside and I can get that started for you?

[theskyaccepts]

[A Pen Pal could be fun. He's never had one of those before.]

Oh, uh, sure!

I've never really had a personal mailbox before. Just the one on my house back home.

[Which, you know, you never knew what you were going to find in it. Likely dubious flyers for tutors.]

Is it easy?

post office;

[laserguy]

[That sure is a piece of mail on his doorstep. And huh (give him a few minutes to read said mail).

...

He sort of forgot that Aldrip didn't have mail-- at least until now, obviously. He's just sort of gotten used to communicating through the tablets all the time. It's quick and easy and it's not like he really got a lot of mail back home. He wasn't the type to write letters and any mail was usually addressed to his parents. So, this is a change, and one that obviously someone set up.

But call him curious, because he sort of wants to see the person who even thought of making a postal service here. Might be nice to have a mailbox too anyway, especially since he owns a house. It's not like the American Dream or whatever if his house doesn't include a mailbox, right? Sure.

So, he makes his way to the new building, after parking his motorcycle nearby and pulling off his helmet (he got bitched enough about that). He takes note of the people already working there, and--]

Oh my god, you set this up?

[It's Altius!! Because of course it is, ZA makes so much more sense now. Well, it's honestly not too surprising that he created this since Altius is a businessman. And that's what they do, Scott guesses. They make a post office. Sure. Nonetheless, Scott almost looks exasperated, but guess this is fine.]

[chimericalclaw]

[Altius greets Scott with a smile. Look, it's his favorite motorcycle deliveryperson! He hasn't yet gotten around to reaching out to discuss, ahem, potentially building on his responsibilities, but it looks like the lad has saved him the trouble.]

Were you expecting someone different?

[laserguy]

[...You know what, fair. It really is sort of hard to imagine anyone else setting up something like this. Maybe that Silco guy?? Jinx's father? But guess he doesn't believe in the mail or whatever.

Nonetheless, Scott lifts one shoulder in a half shrug. He appears normal, mostly handling the aftermath of all that dream stuff, but it's not something he really wants to talk about either. Although... seeing Altius as a teenager may be too difficult to pass up, even though something in his chest still twists thinking about all that. Time to cover all that up by giving him attitude--]

At least wear the mailman hat.

[chimericalclaw]

[Ha.]

It would look terrible on me, I'm afraid.

[Altius doesn't quite know if there's anything to that vague pause, so he simply pivots to what he was going to do anyway, and gestures with one hand towards the door. They can talk in private soon enough.]

Why don't you come in and I'll show you around.

[laserguy]

[Figures that this stuffy guy in a suit would refuse to wear the hat.

Scott almost smiles about that, but it's kind of awkward when the last encounter that you had with that person was when you almost broke down crying while spilling your guts out about wanting impossible dreams. Yeah, sort of embarrassing, especially since something in him was deeply comforted by Altius' hug, because it was something real, unlike... unlike the hugs Alex gave him in that dream. Just figments of his imagination, essentially, and it hurts thinking about.

Not to mention that he trapped so many of his friends in his dream. He didn't want any of them to leave him and knowing this place, it would've been real bad if they remained stuck there forever. He feels like he should apologize to all of them, even though he knows that it's not entirely his fault either. It's this place being stupid, like normal, but it would be good to talk anyway.

Still, this whole mail service thing is a good distraction.]

Wow, my own personal tour of the post office. It's what I always wanted. [He feels so special!! But he goes over to the older man as instructed, stepping inside the brand new building.]

[chimericalclaw]

[He openly laughs at the sarcasm as he turns to lead Scott inside. He's taken note of that shift in expression, but—later, later.]

Perhaps I can get you a commemorative plaque to mark the occasion.

[Altius guides him through the entrance lobby, pointing out the desks for customer service and the drop-offs for packages, but he figures Scott has either been to one or seen enough of them in movies or television to not need any in-depth descriptions about the front end.

No, the more interesting part is stepping further past all that, into one of the sorting halls with aisles and aisles of wooden cubbies all labeled with individual addresses, empty canvas carts between them waiting to be filled with mail. Sadly, it's empty for now for the most part, but a few local employees mill about, checking the labels and sorting through a small handful of letters.]

It gives me a different sense of the city, looking at it all like this.

[laserguy]

Wow, you're full of jokes now.

[Does Scott always need to get the last word in? Maybe. Just for Altius. Besides, if the dream was accurate at all, he used to be a punk himself. Someone with an attitude and a chip on his shoulder. So, he gets it, surely, even if he's an old man now.

But the mutant actually pays attention to everything that he's pointing out, noting the desks and everything that would make a post office... a post office. Not exciting, but guess it's kind of cool. Sort of like 'cool that you made this happen' and now Aldrip has an official place that can deliver mail. At least it's familiar to Scott and he can appreciate that.

The sorting hall is definitely a little more interesting though. Not like he gets to see the 'back room' all that much, except in movies here and there, and it's where all the... magic happens. Even if said room is pretty bare. Scott makes a small sound, one that's indecipherable, before he shoves his hands inside his pockets like normal.]

It gives you a sense that no one uses the mail yet? [....] But you got several addresses already, so guess it will only grow from here.

[chimericalclaw]

[If Scott is so determined to have his witty remarks, fine, fine, he can have them. He's being much less humorous when he continues, though still lighthearted:]

Just making up for lost time.

[Because, yeah, now that Scott knows how much of a humorless ass he was at Scott's age... and, maybe he can understand why Altius is so patient with his sass. Most of the time.

He doesn't know if that reaction to the sorting is one of a lad who's impressed, but he's not picky. He hasn't built all this for his own ego.]

That's not quite what I meant, but—you're right. [A pause where he takes a breath, folding one arm over his chest and bringing the other hand to his chin.] I was thinking about the people who live here. Maybe they're not as—well-defined as we are, but they still take up so much space, with their own routines and personalities...

[He hums in thought, wondering how deep it goes. Wonders not for the first time if they may have once been Chosen themselves, as he's heard of some of the other populations in this world.]

But I won't bore you with that.

[Instead! He takes a few steps forward to explain the sorting systems in place and the general flow of the mail, the differences in the process between letters and packages. He expects to lose Scott's interest if he goes on too long about it, so he keeps it to the point.]

[laserguy]

[It takes Scott a moment, but he figures out what Altius is saying. The locals. They're part of the simulation and sometimes they don't really feel real, but they still exist in their own way? And they could possibly be more? He has complicated feelings about them, honestly, but if Altius wants to provide an extra service for them, there's really nothing wrong with it. Kind of nice of him, really, his opinion of the man growing ever so much, especially after how he comforted him in the dream.

Which. Still something to unpack, but later!! LATER...

Because he continues to follow Altius as he explains the sorting systems and everything and... okay, this is definitely nice and all, but this is really going in-depth into something that he probably doesn't need to know about. At least he doesn't make the explanation too long or else Scott would've really spaced out.]

So, uh, is there a reason why you're telling me all this? [Is Altius really that proud of his post office?]

[chimericalclaw]

Am I losing you?

[His steps pause as he looks back, a look of good humor on his face.]

But yes, you could say that. I'll show you my office and we can chat.

[If Scott follows after him, he'll climb a set of stairs to the second floor, a space that's mostly an external hallway around the main sorting area cut out and railed off to see what's happening below. The door he comes to is framed by windows to allow those inside to see anyone's approach, and from those windows they can see the ones that look out onto the street as well.

It's not an ostentatious room; larger than the other individual offices at best, lined with filing cabinets along one wall, simply furnished with a small couch under one of the interior windows, and so on, and so forth. It's still strange to Altius that he has neither a computer nor a phone at the desk, but it is what it is.]

You can sit if you like. [Or not, whatever. Altius isn't sitting down himself yet, so Scott can even cheekily take the chair at the desk if he wants.]

[laserguy]

No. [He's not defensive at all, what are you talking about!! Scott huffs, trying not to look embarrassed about getting caught. In fact, he's just going to double down now.]

I just wanted you to get to the point.

[Because Altius was yapping so much! But miraculously, Scott doesn't add any extra comments from there, following the older man up to the second floor as they head towards what the mutant would call 'the head honcho's office.' The fact that they had to climb a flight of stares and there's windows looking down at the people below definitely screams that. Besides, Altius himself just said that they're heading to his office. Scott has to instinctively push back a couple of older memories where he had to walk to the principal's office after 'acting out' again or whatever bullshit.

At least this doesn't really feel like that. Maybe it's because it's just the post office and not a school, but honestly, it's because he kind of actually like Altius, unlike the adults at his old school. So, Scott's less defensive, although he can't help but look just a little more serious too, as they step inside.

Probably the only reason why he doesn't immediately steal his chair.]

...What did you want to tell me anyway?

[Okay, maybe he can't fully hide some of his awkward behavior, Scott shifting where he's standing in front of the desk as he look at Altius. It's clear the teen is trying to play it cool, but he really can't remember a time when someone 'invited' him to his office for a good thing. Did he disappoint the older man in some way?]

[chimericalclaw]

[As honed as his senses are to other people's moods, he catches onto Scott's shiftiness easily enough, and he turns with a raised eyebrow as his humor apparently fades. Arms folded, he sounds fairly serious when he says:]

I'm afraid I'm going to have to put you in detention, Mr. Summers.

[He only lets that hang in the air for a single second before an easy smile returns to his face that he hopes is reassuring.]

You can relax, Scott. I was only going to ask if you'd be interested in delivering for the post office. I wanted to check in with you, too; we can have a little more privacy here than out in the middle of the building.