october 2019. welcome to the void.

[modblob]

Who: Everyone in Anchor.
What: Fourth Introductory Mingle
When: The Month of October 2019
Where: Around and outside the city.
Warnings: Please add any warnings in the subject lines.

Redshift: Welcome to the v͖͕̺̲̘̱̜͎o̴̦̣̠̦̘̹͞i̯̖d̛̪̬͈̱̦̝͍̕.

Click here to read what characters will experience when arriving in Anchor.

a. sini express delivery service.

There's something odd rolling through Anchor. Whether they wake with it next to their beds or find it sitting neatly in some corridor as if placed there just for them, characters will start finding items that are distinct and unique enough that they have to belong to someone. But where are they coming from? And whose are they?

The easiest way to find out is probably to walk around with the item held high yelling "Does this belong to you?" but that's not a good way to cover a lot of ground.

Don't worry, though! There's someone (something?) to help you. Chiming in periodically from communicators or intercoms across Anchor comes a voice that might sound a little familiar to anyone who made it as far as that spaceship wreckage in the wasteland. Softly laughing and humming, this some-one-thing will cheerfully coax characters in the right direction, giving tips and offering little clues to anyone who might be confused about whose item they have.

Characters struggling with identifying whose item they got might hear a helpful voice whispering out of their device as they move around the city - "Warmer, waaaaarmer...oh no! COLD!" They might hear a laughing voice coming out of a nearby speaker, giving tips or riddles about the person the item belongs to - "Her eyes are grey!" or "What kind of spider is sweet as pie?" Sometimes, it'll just be amused giggling at the efforts of those trying to find their object's owner. That bubbly voice is everywhere, encouraging residents to solve the riddle because "It'll be wooooorth it. Pinky swear!"

And no matter what, it can't be turned off or muted, and it doesn't respond to any direct attempts to communicate in return.

b. flu season.

No one probably takes special notice, at first. It's a sniffle here, a cough or chill there. 'Tis the season in some universe, after all, and even the advanced decontamination process isn't completely flawless. But what starts as a tickle in the throat gets a little worse over the span of a week, or in some cases a lot worse.

Whether laid up for a few days or longer, afflicted characters can expect to feel a few consistent symptoms. Dizziness, lightheadedness, chills and fever, coughing and sneezing (that kind of sneezing that comes in annoyingly long bursts and makes you feel like you've shot your brain out of your nose).

Oh, and hallucinations. Mild ones! Nothing to write home about! (If you even could, anyway.) Hallucinations are the last stage of this mild interuniversal flu, an annoyance more than anything...

And it leaves some people immune, and some people even more susceptible to what might follow.

c. harvestival festival.

Something good is happening in the agricultural sector. Weird, right?

But lo, the whole place has started to bloom seemingly overnight. Tiny fruits become noticeable, then large. Edible vegetation is flourishing, and you can tell which vegetation is edible thanks to the flocks, gangs, and small herds of creatures that have emerged from the still-wild depths of the sector. None of these creatures are aggressive except as a means to protect themselves when scared. Unused to strangers as they are, they'll probably let you get pretty close! Which means you could hunt them, I guess, or try to lasso and bring home some critters to the farm and fenced areas.

The food varies wildly. From electric pink berries the size of a pinkie to giant purple melons nestled in beds of vines. The tastes are as exotic and strange as the fruits themselves. A few people might even recognize some kinds of fruit from home. The root vegetables, squash, and edible vegetation is as colorful as the fruit, though a little more weirdly shaped. Why does that carrot-seeming thing look like a coiled spring? Who knows? You can't judge its life.

The culinarily inclined can take harvested goods to the kitchen areas and start experimenting, but beware! Even plants that look like they could be from Earth or other areas that the residents of Anchor know probably taste a little weirder or more intense than normal. Your best bet for a good recipe is to taste a little bit of everything before you get started. The spicy, the melony, the crunchy, salty, and sweet. There are no available records of what any of these things are, so you'll have to make it up as you go! The only consistent thing across all the agricultural sector's bounty is that NONE of it is poisonous. And none of it will get you high, Klaus and Kabal, so don't get your hopes up.

Navigation.

Comments

QUESTIONS

[modblob]

Please ask any mod questions here!

[superposition]

Would footage from the security cameras reveal anything about when and how the packages were delivered?

[itsnotaonesie]

HELLO we were wondering if we could get that space ship NPC to pop into this thread for a bit? Or if you don't have time to do a whole thread, a quick rundown of the kind of stuff Peter and Scaramouche can learn from it would also be excellent <3

[livingdeadgirl]

Among the weird fruits, are any of them weirdly smiley and jittery?

ITEM PAIR-UPS

[modblob]

Item Recipient

Item Owner

Peter Parker ➨

Elleru

Finnick Odair ➨

Kieran Duffy

Cho Takahashi ➨

Onni Hotakainen

Onni Hotakainen ➨

Garrus Vakarian

Cole ➨

Peter Parker

Rufina Shepard ➨

Carlisle Longinmouth

Loki ➨

Eudora Patch

Eudora Patch ➨

Qubit

Genji Shimada ➨

Ben Hargreeves

Reynir Árnason ➨

Cho Takahashi

Klaus Hargreeves ➨

Cole

Ami Aihara ➨

Klaus Hargreeves

Kieran Duffy ➨

Finnick Odair

Kabal ➨

Rey

Ben Hargreeves ➨

Ami Aihara

Annie Cresta ➨

Reynir Árnason

Deputy Pratt ➨

Annie Cresta

Rey ➨

Rufina Shepard

Carlisle Longinmouth ➨

Kabal

Garrus Vakarian ➨

Deputy Pratt

Elleru ➨

Loki

Qubit ➨

Genji Shimada

We've done our best to not pair up any character with another character played by the same player, or anyone that we know of who has close CR already. If we've messed up, please let us know in the mod questions thread and we'll figure something out!

Peter Parker | Open

[itsnotaonesie]

1: WHO WANTS TO GO ON A SHIP TRIP? (Backdated to late September)

Heading back out to investigate that ship a little better, anyone interested in coming with can meet me in the hangar in liiiiike, an hour. Two hours? I'm flexible. -Peter

[Anyone who feels like going on a field trip to the creepy ship from a couple months back can indeed meet Peter in the hangar, and after a good figuring-out-a-gameplan huddle, our little group of adventurers are OFF,

For his part, Peter is mostly interested in seeing what sort of things can be salvaged. At first, at least. He spends most of his time on the ship creeping around in the dark corners, lifting heavy debris out of the way and looking for a way to get further into the ship . Once he does find a way inside he'll be doing much of the same, but it doesn't last for long once he hears creepy child noises. He kind of already regrets coming here because noooooooooope.]

2. DELIVERY SERVICE

[So speaking of creepy child noises, Peter awakens with a start and nearly flips right out of the web hamock he'd set up in his lab when this fucking terrifying child giggle (it's not that terrifying peter calm down) comes from his communicator. He untangles himself from the webs very ungracefully and scoops the sat phone up, fully intending to just pitch it at the wall because how dare you startle me, but then it actually starts saying words. Even if he's annoyed that the place is haunted again, he's just curious enough to listen.]

On the table, silly spider!

[NOPE HE STILL WANTS TO PITCH HIS PHONE, but he does glance over at the table while he's winding up to do just that. The book he finds there is just goddamn ridiculous looking enough to make him once again stop in his tracks. It's. A romance novel about a bear. Okay. Okay, fine, he picks it up to examine it, nearly throws it across the room after he reads the horrible, pun-filled tagline, and ultimately decides "fuck it". Time to go out and see who this belongs to. He absolutely plans on doing this by holding the book up and yelling, but the spooky kids have other plans.]

Something old for someone new! Look for red combined with blue!

[He pitches his communicator into the floor and just shatters the fucking thing NOW THE GHOSTS ARE DOING RHYMING RIDDLES AT HIM AND HE JUST CANNOT WITH THIS DR. SEUSS SHIT RIGHT NOW. Sigh sigh.]

3. FLU SEASON

[Peter doesn't get sick. He just doesn't, not since before the spider bit him. He hasn't so much as had a cold for years now, so when he starts to feel a tickle in his throat, he figures he might have just swallowed a cat hair or something and doesn't think anything of it. Aaand then a couple days pass and he realizes that he must have caught something, but also he has literal super powers, surely his body can just fight off whatever this is on it's own and he'll be fine. But it's outer space, and even his cranked up immune system isn't invincible.

He manages to make it into his lab eventually, but uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh. Yeah man it's obvious that he shouldn't even be out of bed, much less trying to work. One day he doesn't even manage to get out of bed, and finally someone has probably convinced him to visit the medbay. Gee Peter maybe if you hadn't been overworking yourself so much lately you wouldnt be in such horrible shape right now, huh.]

4. WILDCARD

[You know how these work. hit me at mummifiedsalarian or mummifiedsalarian#0939 on Discord if you want to hash anything out, otherwise I will roll with whatever <3]

Delivery Service - just winging it that Peter is out looking for her

[birdical]

[While Peter is out looking for someone with red and blue combined, there's a very tall lady with a whole lot of lavender hair searching for her own recipient. Elleru's phone chimes at her as she makes her way toward the lower levels:]

Look out for a man of tricks, and to his arm this piece affix!

[And tucked in the crook of her elbow is a leather armguard, one with a lovely blue ribbon tied around it. Clearly, she thought it important to make this gift presentable, whether she knew who it was for or not. It is how the uprights do, after all. She seems a little frustrated with her communicator though, pursing her lips as she gives it a hard look.]

I would like another clue. There are many floors, and there could be many men of tricks. How will I know which one?

[The phone buzzes again, the singsong voice responding.]

Who can help you find this man? Turn around, 'cause that kid can!

[Elleru turns and looks behind her, her magenta eyes landing right on Peter. Ah, a much better clue indeed -- she puts on a wide smile and makes her way in his direction, her eyes trailing downward as she closes the gap between them. Goodness, he's cute. So small, too. Or is that normal height for uprights? Given she towers over him by several inches, she cannot tell. She greets him with a bow of her head.]

Hello, little man. [Her accent is thick; perhaps she did not mean that literally. Or maybe she did, since she's 6'4" and he's definitely littler by comparison.] Can you help me?

Delivery service: Some time in the month

[killedwithlove]

Cole ignores anything the voice says, because when he picks up the parcel, he knows. He finds a strange package in his storage room, touches and it and he knows where it should be. Where it wants to be.

So he picks it up and he sets off to go find Peter, fingers moving restlessly over the surface.

1

[numerouno]

[voice to text | @SCARAMOUCHE]

Count me in, babe

*

[Scaramouche's face brightens inside his helmet as they pass a feature of the landscape he created: the tyre marks that were left by the jeep he drove out here recently. It copped a beating from the wind that day, ending with him being put on the back foot and having to reverse the thing all the way back to Anchor. It's the only evidence of one of his many failed attempts at making it out here on his own.

Soon, the marks in the sand are behind them. The crashed ship casts its shadow over them in no time.

Scaramouche alights the vehicle, all hopped up and ready to go. He's bombed enough solo attempts at making it this far (not that he cares to admit it) to let the radiation suit distract him from this triumph. He just has to make it work! Keeping a firm grip on the sheathed dagger that's lowered at his side (someone will have to slice off his hand if they want it in theirs), he moves farther into the crash site, the larger blade inside the scabbard on his back clanking against his suit with each step.

Once they're inside the wreckage, Scaramouche basks in the eerie ambience, smiling in spite of their grim surroundings and its terrible sights, smells, and sounds. Any light that shines through is eventually swallowed up by the darkness, and the number of robot corpses grows with it.

He does some heavy lifting of his own. He's hoping it won't be long before they find something useful to take back with them; anything that might help to get him on his way back to Earth.

They start to hear the faint echo of laughter and song.]

Wait, what's that?

[There's a slight smile in his voice. The bot straightens and turns his luminescent eyes to the pitch blackness ahead.]

Garrus Vakarian | Mass Effect | Open

[dispenserofjustice]

( A. Delivery Service )

[ First of all Garrus doesn't really know too many people just yet. So getting up to start his day and finding this god-awful shirt that clearly belongs to some human with no taste? Yeah he has no idea who it could belong to or how it got here. It might not be anybody's at all and personally? He thinks he might be doing everyone a favor by using it as target practice or by burning it. ]

No, no! This won't do! You must find out who it belongs to!

[ Hearing any voices at all has the Turian immediately reeling. Where is that voice... Then there's another giggle and he's reminded that there are ghosts or something to that effect and he just groans. Already this day is starting to take shape into something of an annoyance. ]

Now now don't despair. Here's a hint so you can get out there.

[ Garrus is debating over his choices... With a sigh he goes out to start searching.]


( B. Flu Season )

[ It had been bound to happen sooner or later, really. All it takes is one little thing getting through and an entire settlement could be at risk. So when Shepard approaches him, talking about people coming down with symptoms, he is vaguely reminded of Omega. She hadn't brought him along to go and track down Mordin. Garrus hadn't been happy about that, even if the plague hadn't effected humans.

There is absolutely no way he is going to let her refuse his help and company this time. That's just not going to happen. So during this outbreak, Garrus is located in the Medbay. He is helping out any way he can and is permitted. ]

( C. Wildcard )

[ I am game for just about anything. Feel free to hit me up on plurk @ jardaan if you want something. ]

[theweakhavepurpose]

[Everyone in Anchor including the Deputy himself would be fine with that shirt being burned.

Pratt is blissfully unaware that his atrocious piece of clothing has reemerged here. He's currently upstairs in the agriculture levels digging trenches around the small vegetable beds he's making, a helpless victim about to be re-traumatized with flamingos and bad taste.]

There aren't any sirens, he's missing his gun, but he still wears the uniform as if he was one.

[At least it's clean as he's been washing it..]

Colder colder! That's the wrong way, you need to look where the deer and the antelope play.

flu season - GENERAL OPEN

[queenofthegirlscouts]

Even before her video post to the network, Shepard has been preparing. She keeps the infirmary neat as a matter of course, but now she's made up a few more of the beds and double-checked what stocks of medicine she has. These types of things are usually mild, but the operative word is usually. So many people, from so many different backgrounds, with so many different levels of tolerance and weakness to illness, is not a good situation for a closed community when illness strikes.

And usually mild or no, the flu can still make people feel pretty damn miserable in the meantime. Which is demoralizing all on its own.

There's a sanitizer dispenser at the infirmary's door and Shepard is going to remind everyone who enters or leaves to clean their hands. She's taking this seriously, and if she isn't checking on people who are here or in their quarters, she's writing notes on her omni-tool.

(The hallucination phase is going to get a lot of question marks in her notes. Why is this a thing. )




[OOC: This can double as a catch-all for the more serious cases in the infirmary to gather for anyone who wants. Just say if you're after Shepard or other character in particular, and if you're up for thread-jacking!]

i'm comin for u Shep

[itsnotaonesie]

So the spider caught a bug, which is a joke Peter would absolutely make if he didn't feel like a total garbage fire right now. He doesn't come in looking for Shepard specifically, figuring he can work this out on his own because he's developed a bad habit of trying to do everything on his own. Unfortunately, he's hit the dizziness and lightheadedness phase pretty hard, so the most he manages to do is stumble into a table and knock over tray of medical supplies like a clumsy asshole. Sooo that's where he is right now, crouching down to try to clean up after himself before anyone notices. Sup.

[superposition]

Qubit's one of the earlier cases to stop in. He hoped it'd turn out to be a 24-hour bug, but when the second night hits and he's feeling more wretched by the hour, he finally makes the call to close up shop and get himself to the medbay. You know, while he can still walk unassisted.

He's stubborn, not stupid.

So, here he is. For now, he still looks marginally better than death warmed over (death microwaved, maybe? or is that worse?), but it's not a comfortable margin. He's visibly fatigued, he's sniffling ineffectually, and his hands are tucked into his armpits for warmth - but other than that he's the picture of health, right?

He nods halfheartedly when he spots her. "Shepard. Fancy meeting you here." Not too ill for sarcasm, apparently.

shep!

[circumitus]

One good thing about having her father's immortal genes running through her veins -- Rey doesn't get sick. Seems that applies to whatever bug is going around at the moment. That said, that isn't the reason why Rey finds herself heading towards the infirmary: A few days ago, she stumbled upon a set of dogtags that weren't her own, though it had been enough to give her pause.

R.S. Rufina Shepard. Definitely not one of Rey's past selves, and the tags don't look like any branch of military she has ever seen before... and she has seen a lot. Travel around living as many lives as Rey has, you kind of get a sense on how the world does things. It's one of the reasons why she hasn't quite found it in herself to settle down anywhere yet, opting to move from place to place like a damned vagrant.

In the case with the dogtags, that serves as an aid. After so many days of having this damn thing in her possession, the obnoxious voice chiming in from her comm device has her thinking that keeping it isn't even remotely worth the effort.

'If you're hurt or have a cold; perhaps find the place where medicine is sold?'

'That name's not yours, as you know; to the sickbay you should go!'

"All right, all right, you've made your damn point," Rey grumbles under her breath, hearing the last of the clues pelted out from her phone the closer to the infirmary she gets. Eventually, she's walking in, dogtags in hand... with her own danging around her neck.

[kaballin]

A. Delivery Service
Kabal never sleeps well, and today is no exception to that. He groans as he wakes up sitting on the edge of the bed that's sagging dangerously under his weight, life is rough when you're built like a linebacker and everything else in the world is not. But this morning he's caught off guard by a soft "mrrp" sound next to him and stares at the.... cat? in his bed.

"What the fuck?"

But of course the cat doesn't respond, laying there in loaf format and watching him intently with one big eye. Okay then. That's.. that sure is a thing. Great. He doesn't want to take care of a cat. Can he just open the door and boot it outside to fend for itself?

"Don't let it out! It can't go far, find the one who ran the bar~~"

"No one asked you," said to the intercom on the wall as he pulls on his jacket and swords, scooping up the cat and trudging outside. If a disembodied voice wants him to go to the bar at eight in the morning who is he to argue?

B. Harvestival Festival
If the fruit can't get you high then what is even the point?

Kabal can be found collecting some of the more brightly colored fruits in the vague hope they'll be either super flavorful or hallucinogenic. He'll be disappointed but once he tries them out he'll go dump the rest in Cho's kitchen so at least he's still kind of helping. Sorta.

He'll be in the bar every night drinking himself into oblivion because that's the only way he's found to be able to get himself to sleep. It's not a long-term sustainable option and even he knows it. But hey, if you ever wanted to see what he looks like under the mask, nows your chance.

Bar

[abheirrant]

"Here's a gift and here's your task: find a fellow in a mask!"

After four days of that singsong voice chiming in from his phone, from the intercom, from everywhere, Carlisle has had enough. He tried arguing with the communicator that he is wearing a mask and therefore qualifies for the answer, only to be giggled at; he buried his device and the necklace in a drawer and ignored them for an entire day, only for the voice to start blaring through every intercom he passed. He hid in the park, away from most of the technology, only to hear the laughter and rhymes echoing from the levels above.

"Hey, here is another clue: go find a guy somewhat like you!"

It was as maddening as it was inescapable.

So here he is, phone back in his satchel and necklace hanging on the outside, finally looking for someone who even vaguely fits the clues he's been given so he can get the peace and quiet he so desperately wants. The device beeps at him, faster and faster as he nears the bar, coming to a sudden stop the second he crosses the threshold; however, it's not the sweet relief of silence that gives him pause. Carlisle feels a familiar tingling at the back of his neck, a chill that shoots through his fingers, up his arms, into his shoulders, and down his spine, landing heavily in his gut. It's identical to what he feels when near the Whole Foods, what he felt upon waking once more in Bear Den.

There is an undead here.

He brings his eyes up, searching the room for who it must be. On this particular night, assuming the construct behind the counter isn't reanimated, there is only one logical option: the sole fellow sitting at the bar, having himself a drink. However, as Carlisle swallows down his immediate fear and steps into the bar, the sensation dissipates. He... he did feel the presence of an undead just now, did he not? Why would he detect one, only for them to vanish?

Untying the necklace from his satchel to give himself some time to think, he gives the stranger a cursory glance. He doesn't look undead from a distance, but appearances can be deceiving. It then crosses Carlisle's mind that his ability to sense them may have, much like the rest of his abilities, shifted with his undeath, and therefore might be a bit unpredictable. His detection of the undead worked as it had previously thus far, but given how many of his prior gifts hadn't since his reawakening... well, it wouldn't be entirely surprising.

He shakes his head as he crosses the room. It's nothing, then. Something to be frustrated about regarding his current state later, but for now, he has a necklace to get rid of, as his phone so casually reminds him with another, single beep.

"Excuse me," he starts, "but I believe I may have something of yours."

a.

[circumitus]

How does that saying go? 'It's five o'clock somewhere'? Well, it's morning now, and when you don't really have anywhere else to go, an unattended bar sounds pretty damn good.

After more whiskey sours than she had any intention of counting, Rey slumps over a seat in a booth off in the farthest corner overlooking the room, nursing a headache with another bottle of bourbon. Because painkillers are overrated.

Despite not being the same bar-running individual from his particular reality, a certain tripedal kitty will nevertheless be excitedly hobbling over before long. At first Rey will do to just ignore it. She's already dealt with one strange talking alien creature lately, and that's more than enough to fill her quota for the week.

Not that she has any say in the matter.

Qubit | open

[superposition]

01 | findUserByPhoto();

[ Since the whole thing with the cameras, Qubit's taken some measures to improve security in his lab. Perimeter sensors, heat and motion detectors, something to tell him if the door's been opened - pretty much everything he could think of, if it was in his capacity to make. So you can imagine his surprise when, one morning, he wakes to find another object planted on his workbench.

Okay! Cool! Good to know none of his precautions worked! Chalk another one up for justifiable paranoia!

The offending object is a picture frame, glass cracked, containing a photograph of two young men, neither of whom he recognizes. He turns it over in his hands a few times - no name, no identifying marks. Also, it doesn't explode, that's a plus. Just a mysterious photo, presented without context. He's about to set it down and go check his logs when his comm emits an odd noise... one that's familiar, since he's already been on Peter's salvage expedition by this point. Childlike laughter. He curls his lip at it; was that supposed to intimidate him? ]

Yes, very funny. Followed us home, did you? What's the meaning of this?

[ The childish voice, disjointed, overlapping itself- ] "It's a gift! No, not for you, silly. For him!"

"Him"? [ He glances at the image. One of the two depicted? The pieces start to come together, and the voice adds a singsongy clue: ]

"The man who's a puzzle with the pieces all mixed... but there was one thing even she couldn't fix."

[ The rest, you can probably guess. Qubit tries to get more answers out of the mystery voice, but it doesn't respond, and there's nothing in his logs to indicate what's causing this, apart from some colorful interference he can't identify. In the end, he takes the photo with him as he goes about his day, on the off chance it actually does belong to someone - but he's not about to drop everything to play courier for a ghost in the machine.

He can be found anywhere in Anchor, typically performing some kind of inspection or maintenance... in spite of the creepy voice hounding him about its asinine riddle every few minutes. ]

"Colder! Warmer... warmer, warmer! Cold..."

[ He's trying to ignore it, but it's visibly getting on his nerves. ]

02 | throw new ImmuneResponseException();

[ This may come as a huge surprise to absolutely no one, but Qubit's not big on the whole "downtime" thing. Apparently, the only thing that can make him stop working for a day or two is if he's physically unable to continue. Which he is, now! Thanks, space flu.

The bug gets him good; he'll be laid up in the medbay for the better part of a week. So anyone who happens to be there could easily spot him at some point, either asleep or wishing he was. Occasionally he tries to get some work done on his tablet, but... for the most part, it ain't happening.

"Whoa, Qubit's finally getting some rest? Stop the presses!" Yeah, yeah, get your jabs in while you can, assholes. ]

02

[itsnotaonesie]

[Yo dog I heard you had the flu so I sent you a little buddy who also has the flu so you can sit here and bitch about having the flu together.

Naturally Peter's been spending most of his flu time pretending that he's totally fine because he's a super hero and super heroes don't get sick goddammit. Except for when they do, and Peter's not exactly known for taking the best care of himself in general these days. Totally burning the fuck out was bound to happen eventually. He's been having a hard time focusing on anything ever since Cole gave him these mystery glasses anyway, so maybe a break was for the best.

Said mystery glasses tucked into his shirt pocket, Peter eventually stumbles his ass back into the medbay for some medicine or something. He doesn't see anyone around who would try to convince him to stay, and as far as he can tell, Qubit seems to be asleep. Well shucks, that means Peter definitely can't stay here, what if something needs to be fixed? Guess he better hurry up and fiddle with this medicine dispenser so he can get back to work. Except as soon as he leans over to do something, the glasses fall right out of his pocket and clatter to the floor, so now he's over here swearing and scrambling to pick them up and he sure did knock the whole dispenser over with his ass KERSMASH good morning Qubit.]

Kieran Duffy | Mostly Open

[sleepyhollowed]

[A] - [FINNICK ODAIR]
[Kieran’s not sure how he came across this particular item, but, here he is, standing in one of Anchor’s expansive hallways holding a shell necklace. At first, that soft whisper coming out of his device unnerved him—it still does, to be honest—but it’s at least been proving somewhat useful so far. That said, each one of Kieran’s steps is hesitant, as he can’t be sure if the voice is leading him to whoever the true owner of the necklace is, or if it’s just leading him somewhere to get dragged off and brutally murdered. Either is entirely possible, as far as he’s concerned.]

[Eventually, it starts cheerfully chirping about how Kieran is almost there, and how the person he’s looking for is just under his nose!!! Really!!! So close!!!]

[He looks around for any other person in the immediate area and, spying someone he’s never really met before, he calls out.]

H-Hey, uh, you got a minute?




[B] – [OPEN]
[Kieran has been sick plenty of times before. In the 1800s, a strong chest cough could mean a lot of things anywhere from the common cold to a bout of uncurable tuberculosis. It really depended on your luck.]

[Kieran’s luck, to be blunt, sucks.]

[So, when he first starts feeling that tickle in the back of his throat, he does what he can to ignore the potential of a deadly illness work through it—in every sense of the word. He’s busy with his jobs on the ranch, feeding animals and watering crops as needed. But, eventually, it gets to the point where breathing is tough and lifting heavy things is tougher. The chills running through his body don’t help much, either.]

[Thankfully, his hammock is comfortable, and even though he hates the idea, Kieran can afford to take a day off. Maybe your character’s caught wind of his sickness over a video conversation, or from working with him on the ranch, or from a missed meet-up. A visit sure would be nice!]

[Otherwise, they can catch Kieran warming up some soup for himself in the dining hall, huddled up in a corner seat with a thin blanket from his ‘room’ wrapped around his shoulders. Because, you know, that’s not suss at all.]




[C] – [OPEN]
[It’s been a long time coming for Eavan to properly learn how to carry a person on her back, and what better occasion than a bunch of critters showing up around the agricultural level, ripe for herding?]

[Her saddle isn’t anything special, rustic and clearly made by hands that are inexperienced but that knew enough to put together something usable. Kieran can’t claim to be an expert on making horse tack, but he’s taken care to keep Eavan’s comfort at the forefront of his thought process. During her time wearing the saddle, she hasn’t shown any signs of chafing or irritation. As long as that continues, it’s good enough for him, even if there’s not quite as much padding to keep him at that same level of comfort.]

[As Kieran eases Eavan into a trot and eventually into a gallop, your character may notice some glowing blurs out in the distance. He may not notice them right away, though, since his sights are set on some potential new additions to the slowly but steadily growing ranch.]

B - dining hall

[birdical]

[Kieran doesn't remain alone with his soup for long. Despite the fact there is an entire room to eat in, Elleru beelines for the lonely fellow in the corner. If her bright hair and tall stature aren't enough of an announcement of her presence, her voice may be. Her tone is melodic, her accent thick as she addresses him warmly.]

Hello! May I join you?

[At least she remembered her manners this time rather than just making herself a new friend, whether the other person wanted to be her friend or not.]

Ben Hargreeves | Mostly OTA

[benhargreeves]

A. DELIVERY SERVICE [Closed to Genji]

[ Ben has not yet heard any cajoling from his device, despite having already found a bullwhip in his bedroom one day, totally unexplained. He figures, perhaps understandably, that it is Klaus's, and he's just not yet ready for the 'please don't leave your weird sex stuff in my room you're my brother and I'm begging you' conversation.

So he isn't expecting any item in return. He's not on the lookout for something that is his, when he spots Genji just outside the mess hall, holding something. A book? Ben, who has not seen this guy in the library, glances at what the book might be, curious. When he recognizes the cover, his stomach drops. It's a little like having a bucket of ice water thrown on him out of nowhere. ]

Where did you get that?

B. THE CURE TO THE FLU IS REFUSING TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU HAVE IT

[ He's not sick, okay? He's not!

Ben Hargreeves can be seen well after Shepard's PSA going about his usual business, just a little slower and a little more stiffly than usual. He might be pausing now and then to cough, big hacking awful loud things. And maybe now and then he just has to stop and sit and shiver some. That flushed look is totally normal, though. Nothing to see here.

Sick days just weren't a part of the plan at the Hargreeves household, back when Ben was a kid and still had a body that could get sick. He wouldn't even know where to start when it comes to taking care of himself. If someone feels like chiding him to bed, now would be the moment... ]

[arcadedragon]

[Strangely it takes Genji a moment to realize that Ben is talking about the comics, he's so prepared for someone to ask if he's a robot for the three hundredth time that he almost responds to that instead. But right, he's holding a stack of comics while the sing-songy voice in his helmet keeps saying super helpful things like:

Those aren't yours so give them back, or else there'll be an octopus attack!

Find someone who used to be masked, they won't show off their powers so don't even ask!]

They were in my room yesterday morning when I came back from getting something to eat. I don't know why someone was in my room and left their things there..

[Not to mention the super annoying voice that appeared at the same time.]

Reynir Árnason | Mostly Open

[braidmage]

A. DELIVERY [Closed to Cho & Annie]

[ Back in his own world, a lot of cryptic and inexplicable things happened to Reynir. He had visions and saw omens that made no sense - at least, not at first. But he has learned to accept them as part of being a mage, and to do his best to solve whatever mysteries the gods place before him.

So when he comes across a jacket and a sweater laid out just outside his bedroom door, he stands there blinking at them for a few moments, wondering. He tries praying a little, to see if that will yield any guidance; after a few seconds of that, though, he gets bored and takes a more direct approach, searching the clothing for any signs that might tell him what he's meant to do with them.

He jumps a little when a voice comes from the communication device he has been using in this place, telling him: ]

Someone is missing those!

[ That is all the prompting Reynir needs. He sets out into the more commonly-frequented areas of the Anchor, brandishing the garments and asking basically anyone who passes: ]

Do these look familiar to you?

[ He isn't totally naive; he intends to ask anyone who answers 'yes' what is in the pockets, to confirm they aren't just lying to get a nice coat. Once he encounters a few people who tell him this has been happening, people receiving items that belong to others, the weird cryptic hints and encouragements from the laughing voice, he wonders if maybe someone has something he is missing, too.... ]

B. FLU

[ Reynir has always been fairly healthy. Of course he's gotten sick a few times in his life, but not often, and not very much. Mostly they were sore throats or sniffles that he ignored as he kept on working; farm labor doesn't stop for something as small as a runny nose.

But this illness begins differently. He just feels cold, and weak. It's difficult to notice at first. He thinks perhaps he just hasn't had enough to eat, or gotten enough sleep. It's the clumsiness he notices, first. Then the shivering, and trembling, and overall exhaustion. He keeps needing to sit down in between tasks, keeps thinking about how nice it would be to lay down on his bed and sleep, even though it's the middle of the day. He pulls on two more thick sweaters and keeps on with his day, tending to the crops he has planted, prepping the soil in a new area for more, going to the mess hall to clean up after anyone who hasn't cleaned up after themselves.

He doesn't quite realize how bad he looks, too-bright-eyed and flushed, buried in all those layers, shuffling around and just trying to get some dishes washed. The ache in his head comes on so slowly he hardly notices it, but a furrow of pain settles in to his brow, as he pushes on, just trying to get through the day so he can rest. ]

C. HARVESTIVAL

[ Reynir is delighted by the unexpected harvest. What better treat, after laying around in bed feeling useless and sick and miserable, than this bounty?

He wastes no time in making his way to the agricultural sector, picking what feel like a ripe sample of each of these new kinds of fruit and placing them all in a large basket. He finds a nice cozy spot, spreads a blanket on the ground and sits there, a little paring knife in hand if he needs it, just sampling the different fruits.

Once he has a good sense of how they taste, and how to gauge when they are or are not ripe, he gets to work. Fresh fruit is great, but so is not starving during the months and months that may come after this sudden bounty. For Reynir, drying, preserving, and/or canning vegetables and fruit is like second-nature. He is working with slightly different different tools, here, but he's adaptable and has no real trouble in getting himself set up in the kitchens, half a dozen pots bubbling away, jars and other containers spread out around him, working away for hours and hours to get as much of this important harvest stored safely as he can. ]

B.

[scowlish]

[It's one thing that Onni and Reynir have in common, that probably most people from their world do, and that's not being sick often and tending to work through it when they are. He's been feeling a bit under the weather, mostly nauseous and a little too warm, but been ignoring it for most of the day. It isn't too bad, after all, and he has things that he needs to do.

Near the end of the day, he's heading toward the kitchen with a rabbit he'd hunted up in the Agriculture area, already skinned and cleaned, feeling a little overwarm and tired, but better, he thinks, than he had when he woke up that morning. Slipping into the kitchen, he narrows his eyes and looks around to see if anyone is there, and spots a familiar long red braid. Making a soft hum in his throat, he puts the rabbit down on one of the counters and starts looking for a the items he needs to prepare it in companionable silence.

At least until he looks at Reynir more closely and sees how slowly he's plodding through the dishes, how many sweaters he's wearing, the redness on his cheeks, the furrow in his brow - it's obvious he's sick, maybe feverish. Onni has seen that look before. Sighing, he puts the rabbit down on a cutting board and walks over to the younger man, frowning a little. Lifting a hand, he presses the backs of his knuckles against Reynir's forehead and makes a noise of disapproval in his throat.]

You're sick.

[He says it simply, just stating a fact, and he tugs at Reynir's sleeve.]

Sit down, if you're going to have a fever, you shouldn't be doing other people's dishes.

Deputy Pratt

[theweakhavepurpose]

Closed to Annie - Delivery Service
So the octopus hadn't belonged to Ben, which.. Pratt sorta figured. But it was kinda funny in a terrible sort of way. It belongs to someone though, and the chipper voice on the comm isn't going to leave him alone until he finds them.

This octopus is lost it seems, but a district of fish fill its dreams.

Yeah sure, he doesn't know what that means. But he sets off to walk around the housing area with the glass object held in his hands like a dowsing rod. Hopefully the voice will tell him when he's getting close....

Flu Season - Open
So it's been a long, long time since he's gotten sick. Long enough that he's forgotten what a whiny baby he is about being ill. He's still in his room, apparently too sick to even reach for his comm or anything, but Princess Thug is out and about on errands for him. Bringing him food and bottles of water from the cafeteria because he is absolutely going to die of this man-cold.

Delivery Service

[treadswater]

The voices are driving Annie to distraction. For a woman who can have an issue with reality, who can have details and sounds suddenly grab her or can hear things that aren't there, all the little riddles and taunts have been demanding her attention. It's even worse when they overlap, which isn't unusual with all the people walking this way and that trying to get rid of the voices.

So it's not that she doesn't notice Pratt, it's just that she's noticing so many things that he's part of a detail-filled background.

Until the chirpy, robotic voice starts talking about fish.

"Who belongs with the fish? Sometimes the octopus!"

For a long moment, all Annie can think is that someone has received an actual, living octopus. Which at least they could eat, she supposes, so she stops to look around, trying to find who is the person stuck with an octopus.

Ami Aihara

[livingdeadgirl]

[ prose or brackets welcome! ]

01. good spirits (for klaus) | cw: blood, ghost child

Ami's been feeling a lot better lately, since Cole and Ben helped her untangle some things in her head. Not all of them, of course; turning into a troll is still going to be a wild ride. But at least now she's pretty sure she won't become a homicidal maniac or anything, so that's nice! Plus, she's got her whip back, so she feels a little safer gallivanting around the station without using the buddy system all the time. Not totally safe, but safer.

Over the last week or two, word has gotten around about the mystery items folks have been finding, and in fact that's how her whip found its way back to her. But now, it seems, she's found one that's meant for somebody else - if the delightfully spooky voices are to be believed. The item itself is a little strange, though - a battery pack? That could belong to anybody.

Fortunately, the voices have given her a hint. "Who knows the girl in the red red dress? Who else can help her but you?"

Okay. So, she should find a girl in a red dress, right? It's not as easy as it sounds, though. There aren't a lot of girls in Anchor to begin with... at least, not among the living. But eventually, wandering the halls on the lowest level, she finds one among the dead.

The girl's dress is actually white, or at least it was, before the wounds that killed her stained it red. Ami's glimpsed her once or twice before, but only at a distance. Up close, the girl's even younger than she thought. She can't have been more than six. Poor kid...

Ami decides to follow her, a little ways behind. The girl doesn't seem to know where she's going, though; she keeps choosing rooms and hallways at random, stopping to look around uncertainly whenever she reaches a junction. How long has she been doing this? Ami wonders. Probably decades, right? Decades of wandering, lost and scared and alone...

... and here she is, just following her around and gawking.

That's not right. Ami makes up her mind. She's not sure how to help, but... she ought to at least try, right? Who else can help her but you? At the next junction, she catches up.

"Um, hey," she says - and she's a little surprised when the ghost actually turns her white, empty eyes upward in response. "Are you lost?"

The girl hesitates, then nods wordlessly.

"Looking for someone?" Ami tries, and the girl nods again. Okay. Ami smiles down at her, sympathetic. "My name's Ami. I'm looking for someone, too. Why don't we look together?"

So they do. They can't really hold hands, but they walk side by side, Ami slowing her pace to match the little girl's, but chattering away in a one-sided conversation - since the ghost, it seems, is voiceless. "I think we already went this way." "How old are you?" "Why don't we try this room?"

She's still holding the battery pack and all, but that quest has sort of taken a backseat to this one. She just really wants to help this poor little ghost right now, you guys.

02. down with the sickness (ota)

Like practically everybody else, Ami catches the space flu, too. Her case is pretty mild, though; it only knocks her down for two days or so, and she barely hallucinates at all.

Once she's better, though, she's quick to lend a hand to other patients! Even ones she doesn't know well (yet). She'll be checking on people, bringing them soup, and so on, all the things you do to help a sick person. Were you expecting her? No? TOO BAD.

03. wildcard

[ you know the drill guys, hmu at caturday or Kae#6067 on Discord if you want her for anything in particular, or just surprise me tbh I'm probably down with it ]

good spirits

[substances]

Klaus hears them before he sees them, or at least he hears one of them, sorta like she's talking on a phone or something because he can only hear half the conversation. It doesn't really seem like a big deal at first, especially because he's mostly invested in getting down to the spa before something awful can happen again. The less of his precious bath time disrupted the better, as far as he's concerned.

But when he rounds the corner and sees a teenage girl walking along beside a ghost. He knows it's a ghost because she's not screaming or crying but her dress is covered in blood and she occasionally glitches like static on a TV.

Welp. No thanks.

For just a moment, he stares at the duo, then turns on a heel and heads straight back the way he came.