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

[chimericalclaw]

[His eyebrows rise momentarily. Though a part of him wonders what made the old one so terrible, the topic of the dream is really what he's been wanting to get to; he won't waste the chance now that he's gotten it.]

Only fine? That doesn't quite seem to match the enthusiasm of your tour.

[At least, the enthusiasm implied by the combination of Scott's behavior and the feeling that had been behind the dream, doing its best to impress itself upon him.]

[laserguy]

[Why does Altius always have to ask questions that lead to Scott talking about stupid mushy shit???? Guess he doesn't have to answer him and maybe that's the best option right now. Although, a stupid part of him doesn't want to just brush him away either. Why? Don't know, he said it was dumb, right?

.....

The mutant finds himself glancing off at a blank space on a wall as he gathers his thoughts. He'll just play it cool. Probably better than being defensive, because then it would be super obvious.]

It was just a dream. [Shrug.] Don't look too much into it. Pretty sure I had a dream about jumping off an airplane before.

[chimericalclaw]

No interest in sky diving at all, hm.

[It's a roundabout way of saying he's not falling for Scott's attempt to brush it off as meaningless. It's only fair; Scott didn't believe his "being fine" earlier, either.]

It was a nice thought, you know. I might have liked it there when I was your age.

[At least at the beginning. It would only have been a matter of time before that changed, he's sure—but none of that needs to come into the conversation.]

[laserguy]

[Scott stubbornly stays silent for a moment, but it's clear that Altius's words are slowly working through him. His jaw clenches and unclenches, like he's debating on how to go forward with this. How honest he actually wants to be; sometimes it's hard being like that, even after being in this place for almost two years.]

Yeah, probably. [If Altius admitted that, guess that means he also liked being there, huh? Even if it was just a dream. It's at least nice to think about, especially if he had a rough time elsewhere.] It's a place that makes it easy to feel that you finally belong somewhere.

[He's mostly just talking about himself and doesn't want to admit it. Although, given how perceptive Altius is, Scott already knows that he's probably not fooling him. Doesn't mean he wants to make this super easy for him though, gotta have some teenage rebellious fragments in there still.]

[chimericalclaw]

[Altius remains patient as ever, knowing it's just a matter of time until Scott speaks up. If he didn't want to talk, he could have already stepped out the door and left his office behind.]

I suppose that's why you thought it was the ideal place for all your friends.

[You can tsun all you like, Scott. He's dealt with far a far cagier teenager very recently. Ha—there he goes again, practically using his ward as a way to get what he wants...]

Did you dream there with many others?

[laserguy]

[Scott flinches upon hearing that question. It's something he's thought about a lot, guilt pressing in on him because yeah, he did dream there with others. Not just one or two or three...]

...Yeah, a lot of people appeared in my dream.

[He's not sure how common it is for that to happen or what it may mean if he drew in more people than most. Like did he wish and dream so hard for everyone to be living happily with him that he sucked in more of his friends? It's kind of embarrassing. Even if they had a relatively 'good' time in his dream, he still trapped them. Things could've turned bad.

He could've hurt them.

Scott grips his arm with his other hand, the teen shifting into something vaguely upset.]

Probably some stupid dream logic this place cooked up.

[chimericalclaw]

It's hard to tell if there's any sense to it, [he agrees, watching that uncomfortable shift. He doesn't have to guess at what Scott might be thinking. His gaze is a bit pointed as he continues, as if to confront that guilt without directly calling it out.]

But this world does a lot of things to us without our consent, doesn't it.

[laserguy]

[It's easy to blame everything on the machinations of this world-- this simulation. Blame the AI? Jerry?? And maybe he's not wrong to think that, but Scott can't help but return to the whole fact that he still drew in like a dozen of his friends. That many people could've gotten hurt.

He just doesn't know how he could've prevented any of it and that's the most frustrating bit. Scott doesn't think his desire for his friends to be happy is a wrong thing.]

...Yeah, it's pretty much the theme of this place. Like Disneyland, but it's the shittiest place on Earth.

[Aldrip. Whatever. His point still stands.]

[chimericalclaw]

[Altius scoffs at the idea of a theme park where the "theme" is crime and punishment. Absurd—but appropriate enough to describe this world.]

That and assigning responsibility to us for whatever it likes. Knowing that—we shouldn't let it convince us to blame ourselves for things that aren't our fault, hm?

[The parchments, the sentencings... Expiation does enough of that deliberately. They don't need to start giving it excuses or doing the simulation's job for it.]

[laserguy]

[STOP BEING RIGHT ABOUT STUFF GOD--]

...I guess not. [He's quiet, just a little glum, but at least Scott isn't trying to argue with Altius more. Well, not yet. It's just kind of nice to hear someone tell something like this to him-- an older figure, because he's sure that Altius would say that he needs to take responsibility if it was truly his fault. There's still some residual guilt, of course, but he can't let this place win. That much is the truth.

Not to mention that if it was anyone else, he'd tell them it wasn't their fault either. Yeah, it's not like he wanted to trap his friends in a dream, even if he wanted them to be happy.]

Just felt like I should've stopped it. Somehow.

[chimericalclaw]

[No. :)

Altius tilts his head, a clear question in the furrow of his brow even before he voices it. If his arms weren't already folded, he'd be folding them again now.]

And how do you think you would've done that? Do you believe if you'd just thought hard enough, the simulation would have acquiesced?

[laserguy]

[Scott's face twists, almost like he just sucked on a lemon or something as equally sour. Well, when Altius puts it like that, it just makes everything sound even dumber. That's so rude. Let him have his teenage angst dang it--]

Yeah, obviously. [He sniffs, deciding to take on an attitude about this.] That's my superpower. Like my new secret one. Congratulations on finding that out, old man.

[chimericalclaw]

[As if Scott's attitude is a surprise... teen angst can be appropriate, but it's all about the direction in which it's pointed. For him to blame himself is just a waste, even aside from being objectively incorrect.]

And here I thought it was your endless font of sarcasm, Mr. Summers.

[It's said with something nearing a sigh. But he's neutral as he continues, simply stating a truth he believes to be helpful.]

Not everything around you is under your control. Once you understand that, it's much easier to figure out how to accomplish what you want.

[laserguy]

[You're not his dad!!!!!]

Says the guy that runs his own company back home. [More grumbling, his arms crossing across his chest as he looks off to the side. He knows he's just being petty and everything, but he doesn't care right now.]

Look, I know that. [Maybe? Conceptually, perhaps.] I just hate the thought that I could've hurt so many of my friends.

[And Altius.]

[chimericalclaw]

[Don't test him, he knows the adoption process. Do you know how good he is at paperwork and talking to lawyers?]

A position I achieved because I learned where my limits were and focused on what I could control.

[See? Point proven. He raises an eyebrow.]

Well? Did you hurt anyone?

[laserguy]

[......]

No, but I was probably really close to doing that. Like if the dreams lasted any longer.

[Trapped forever in a dream, unable to wake up. That could've happened, right?] Look, aren't you supposed to be telling me to take more responsibility? I thought that's what all adults like to do. I've heard that lesson a dozen times in my life.

[chimericalclaw]

[Before he even says anything, a look of baffled near-offense comes to his face and he gestures with one hand palm-up in an incredulous shrug. Really?]

Scott.

[Has he given the impression of being like all adults, even if that weren't an overly reductive way of thinking?]

No one was hurt, and there's nothing you could have done differently. What exactly am I supposed to tell you to take responsibility for?

[laserguy]

I don't know! You're supposed to figure that out!

[A frustrated noise escapes Scott, before he just lets his arms fall to his sides. At least he resists the urge to just storm out or completely shut down, something he might've done before he arrived in this world. Maturity, sort of.] Never mind, forget it.

[Maybe it's best if they just move on from this topic. It feels like they're just going around in circles. If it helps, he's feeling at least a little less bad about what happened, even if it's because he's more frustrated now.] When am I supposed to start your delivery stuff anyway?

[chimericalclaw]

[Oh, Scott. Altius tilts his head with a little exasperation, a little fondness. He tries to defuse the tension with a quiet sigh and a smile as he leans forward, sympathetic to the young man's attempt to find something to do about the situation.]

That's my point—there's nothing for you to take responsibility for.

[With that said, he pauses only briefly before pivoting to the new topic:]

Now, then. [He pats the desktop to bring Scott's attention to it.] Come sit down and we can sort out all the details, hm?

[laserguy]

[He wisely chooses to keep his mouth shut about that, how it sucks feeling like he can't do anything more because he's sure that will just lead back to the whole thing about not being able to control stuff. Great. It's enough that he can't control his powers, might as well make his entire life a metaphor of it!!

But new topic, thanks.

With one last grumble, Scott slowly and maybe just a little petulantly slides over to the seat offered to him, before plopping down with a grunt.]

Cool, bring out the contract and everything.