FEBRUARY 2021 EVENT: PART ONE

CHAPTER TWO, PART 1: A LIGHT LUNCH

Good times, great olives, Uliveto's.

INVITES AND INSISTENCES | BISQUE AND BREADSTICKS | FONTINA AND FOCACCIA | MUNDANITY AND MISHAPS

INVITES AND INSISTENCES

After a fairly low-key January, you start hearing the buzz on February 1st: The Happy Homes Association is inviting you to a luncheon on Friday! Stylishly dressed women in coats and hats are inviting everyone they know in the neighborhood, coming up and knocking on your door to invite you personally to come along. “Noon on Friday at Uliveto’s,” one of them tells you with a bright smile. “There’ll be food and drinks, and the whole community can get together and mingle a bit!”

Whether you’re home to answer the door or not, you’ll receive a small card advertising the event — it’s a fundraiser, after all, and they need your help! Pay just $3 and your food and as much as you’d like to drink are covered.

But some of the HHA members are a little more insistent, roving the neighborhood in search of anyone who’s just moved to Santa Rosita in the past few months. Their almost too-wide smiles and slightly-vacant eyes are a dead giveaway that these neighbors aren’t all at home, and they aren’t willing to take anything less than a “Yes” when they ask you if you’re coming. You’ve got to wash your hair? They know a hairdresser over at the salon on Main Street who can fit you in today. Groceries? Why, their daughter can take care of that for you in a jiffy! No excuse will fly with these Robbies; they’ve always got an answer and a way for you to make an appearance.

It won’t end once you’ve agreed, either (even if you just agree to get them off your back!). With the promise of another guest at the luncheon, the Robbies are quick to suggest that you should help them! There are so many people in the town, after all, and with more people volunteering to spread the word, they can make this the most successful fundraiser ever! (Or, well, at least the most successful since last year’s Little League candy sales!) Look, there’s another of your new neighbors over there — why don’t you go and invite them now? Your new friends from the HHA will be right here to support you and help you out!

↑ back to top ↑

BISQUE AND BREADSTICKS

On Friday, February 5th, Uliveto’s is easy to find — just follow the train of cars headed to North Santa Rosita, where the restaurant sits just off of Main Street with a parking lot that’s packed full. Hopefully you’re willing to walk, because it looks like the luncheon is in full swing! But as you get closer, you see that the ladies of the HHA have things down to a science as they welcome neighbors, invite them to join one of the many tables set up in the half of the restaurant they’ve taken over, and integrate newcomers into conversation.

“Oh, hello!” one of the ladies gushes as she spots you. “I’m so glad you could make it! It’s a little cold today, but you should try the tomato bisque — it always warms me right up! Come with me and Betty can get you all set up with your meal voucher; have you ever been to Uliveto’s before? It’s just divine; the salad and breadsticks are all you can eat and the pasta — golly, my mother never even tried to outdo it. We’d just come here instead!”

Before you know it, you’ve paid your entrance and have been shown to one of the large party tables (or maybe they’re multiple tables pushed together? What restaurant normally has tables that seat 20 people?), a waitress offering you the drinks menu and asking if you’d like to start with a glass of (nonalcoholic, of course!) wine. Once she’s gone, you’ll finally get a chance to look around the interior of the restaurant. The walls are a warm yellowed beige, and fluted columns break up the space with clinging ivy and grapes hanging from planters near the top. A mural is painted on the far wall of a terrace looking out over rolling hills and vineyards, and the soft music of an accordion reaches your ears…

“You all right, hon?”

One of the ladies at your table is looking at you expectantly. Don’t forget, you’re here to mingle and socialize! Time to break out that small talk!

↑ back to top ↑

FONTINA AND FOCACCIA

As the luncheon continues, you may be able to notice some of the HHA volunteers scurrying back and forth, taking turns manning the doors and the small table where Betty’s taking donations and issuing meal vouchers. Watch long enough and you’ll be able to see that all of them are ultimately reporting to three ladies who confer at a smaller table set back from all the mingling, talking amongst themselves and from time to time making notes in a small ledger.

At about half past noon, one of the women stands, calling out, “May I have your attention, please?” She has to repeat it a couple times to be heard, but after a minute or two everybody settles down. The woman nods toward all of the guests, then turns back to the table, allowing one of the women to stand and make herself known. Tall, graceful, and neat, she takes a look around the room as she speaks — does her gaze linger a moment on you?

Good afternoon, everyone. For those of you who may not know me yet, my name is Rosemary Craven, and I’m the head of our local Happy Homes Association.

A small wave of applause breaks out from some of the ladies; Rosemary seems to indulge them for just a moment before she lifts a gloved hand to quell it.

Please. I can only manage what I’m given, and the fine women of the association give me plenty to work with. Their efforts to organize this luncheon for all of us today showcase the dedication we should all strive for. Ladies, please stand and be recognized.

Today’s fundraiser is to benefit our town as Founder’s Day approaches in April. We’ve got big plans for the funds we raise — who knows? Perhaps we’ll be able to afford some yummy treats for the children. Who doesn’t love an ice cream cake?

Your generosity today makes all of this possible. You’ll forgive me for not giving you hard numbers, but I’d hate to be so gauche in such a lovely restaurant. Let me assure you, though, that the Happy Homes Association is here to help you in whatever way we can, whether that’s by helping you redecorate your homes, bringing over home-cooked meals, or teaching you some new skills — and speaking of new skills, I’d like to invite all of our new neighbors to talk with me personally if you think you might be interested in helping us out from time to time. Sewing might not be your forte, but everybody’s got something they’re good at, and we can always use the extra hands.

I’ll let you all get back to your meals. If you have any questions for me, please seek me out. I’ll be sitting just over here with Maude.

↑ back to top ↑

MUNDANITY AND MISHAPS

After the luncheon, things in Santa Rosita continue on as normal. The weekend comes and goes, the work week begins, and the cold February wind blows…

But when you wake up on February 10th, some of you are missing.

↑ back to top ↑

OOC INFO

Welcome to the first part of February’s event! You can use this entry to top-level for the event, but feel free to utilize the log and network communities as well. Sign-ups to have your character abducted are located here; please fill out the form provided along with any other pertinent details.

You may play with the townsfolk NPCs as necessary in your threads; non-Robbied neighbors will be cordial and happy to make small talk and will try to maintain the pleasant atmosphere. Robbies will, as always, be mindlessly optimistic and complimentary about everything—you may find that most of the Robbies have congregated at their own table and are bubbling with excitement over just about anything.

There will be a top-level posted for Rosemary below. If you would like to have your character interact with her, comment with your starter there. The mods will respond to tags for Rosemary until February 15th.

Any questions can go in our FAQ thread below. Try to check and see if your question has already been answered on the plotting thread first here.

Remember — part 2 of this event is coming February 15th!

▶ NAVIGATION ◀
COMMS	logs \| network \| ooc \| memes
OOC INFO	premise \| rules \| faq \| taken \| applications \| hiatus/drop/canon updates \| activity check \| reserves \| mod contact
SETTING INFO	calendar \| setting \| housing \| npcs \| death and tranquilizing \| the story so far \| event suggestions/engagements

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Blush to the cheeks and nose, perhaps. Appearance of a fever is typically enough to keep wandering hands at bay. A cough, if required. Sniffling leads to them attempting to wipe your nose.

[While as an adult Agatha doesn't suffer from such attentions from the other woman here, she had been a child once herself- one that had preferred to be alone.

Her reply is not muttered, but is lowered enough that hopefully others at the table cannot overhear her crisp, Dutch accented voice.]

[ whatever!!! ]

I am not giving you your bisque, is what's happening.

A man who can't be trusted with breadsticks doesn't deserve a second helping of delicious food.

[ and yes, he's new. not that he cares, his soup bowl being on the other side and far away from him now. ]

[ The safest bet imaginable is that Levi is nearby wherever Erwin is. That's the whole point. Even if the locals would have hunted him down and hassled him anyway, it's a particular obligation that has him here.

When Rosemary starts in on her speech, his focus is particularly fixed. He doesn't like that look in her eyes, or whatever it is he thinks he saw there when she'd been looking around. Maybe no less dangerous than that drunk pig police chief or the creep mayor, but they'd have to see. Shifting in his chair, arms crossed, he turns his attention to the Falco. "Mister" still sounds damn weird, but he's not going to bitch about it. ]

Hm? There a problem? [ Other than all the obvious shit. ]

[The offense — !]

I can be more than trusted, dear boy. I am allowing them to fulfill their God-given purpose: to be eaten.

Bisque and Breadsticks

[ bruce returns the smile to his table guest and replies politely before the bisque arrives at his table. for anybody watching, he remains enthused until he's left alone at his table, time enough to slip away and unceremoniously dump the soup-- bowl and all-- into the trash. his smile vanishes, revealing the much more cunning (and exasperated) underbelly to the well dressed man in the black suit. later, when he returns to his table, the smile returns and he touches lightly at his stomach. ]

So good I could barely put it down.

Fontina and Focaccia

[ when rosemary speaks, bruce is quiet and studious, examining her mannerisms and speech patterns until she finishes and the applause starts. he, of course, rises and claps as well, though it's perhaps more short lived than the others. while the remainder of them are still occupied with their forced praise, he quietly jots something down in a small notepad and slips it back into his jacket pocket just as quickly. like the mayor and harding, he suspects she's not quite like the others. that trend seemed to match with others in a position of power throughout the town, which made him wonder, briefly, about the recently deceased school principal. was he one of them? did he unknowingly raise the ire of the others? enough to get him killed? or was he just another one of the town's mindless slaves. ]

Wildcard

[ if these short little prompts don't give you much, throw anything at me or message me at

BATGUY or batderp#3666 on disco! i'll write you a closed prompt, or we can plan whatever you want. ]

Oh er, ahaha! He's doing fine, he's such a good boy!

[ Who just happens to be maybe one or two years younger than her at most. Totally normal stuff. But actually, the mention of her "son" gave her the perfect opportunity to ask her questions without being too direct about it. ]

Speaking of my son actually. Last day I was thinking back to his childhood when I realized something pretty amazing. If we go strictly by our ages, when I gave birth to him I was probably... Roughly one-year old? [A pause. That's awkward.] Ahaha...! I'm not a doctor so maybe I'm wrong but don't you think it's kinda weird?

Hard to pinpoint the trope at first glance, but she would place her bet on him being real for now. He sounds like a normal person who's trying very hard to not get killed by the emotionless NPC besides him. Video game writers are so bad when it comes to writing transvestism, transgender people and the like— Therefore, he has to be real since he sounds actually well-written.

Or maybe she's just grasping at straws.

"Oh, I see!"

Well, it looks like he might need freedom. Going by the assumptions those Robbies are NPC-like... It's a simple matter of manipulating the script to write them out.

"I would be happy to, yes! Actually, why don't you come over to my house? I'm new here and I'm going to need assistance to be ready. It would be very bad if I wasn't properly ready in time." She looks at Ethel, "Can you continue passing on the message to pass on the message while he helps me get ready please? That's the most efficient way, ahaha!"

Huh-huh.

[ Deflecting blame. Avoiding unwanted topics with his charming facade. Trying to be mildly funny to hide it all. So far so good. That's more interesting than the usual charmer archetype. In a visual novel he would likely be the love interest that ends up revealing he's actually not okay at all behind his facade but he keeps it up because he doesn't want anyone else to bear his burdens. Alternatively, he could also end up being an abusive douche who turns out to have been the villain the entire time.

Time will tell, right?

She was starting to feel like a machine with how she tried so hard to analyze everyone. Yet again, she was an AI in a way. So perhaps she was being true to her nature... And that's a depressing thought. She sighed. ]

Well, alright then! Would be a shame to lose a new friend over something so silly, heh? [She was a "mother" here, she had to act like it. Pettiness was for children. Speaking of which—] You're a child here, right?

I suppose that's quite true. We are a rather eclectic bunch. Still, it's only natural to ask when hearing of a new place.

[Though she can offer a little more reasoning than chalking it up to generic human nature.]

Not to mention it does help with painting a better picture of where people are brought here from. Though it does seem like it's still quite the wide net.

[Across time and space and who knows what else, really? If it wasn't so different, she'd compare it to Chaldea's summoning system, but that doesn't really work. ~~Or whatever or whoever brings people here is really into whaling every other month~~.]

"Maybe not one of everything," Huaisang replies, with a bright little laugh at Angelo's extravagant suggestion. "But we can always come back here, if we like the place. And we can absolutely try a few different desserts. I love desserts. You know your mother's sweet tooth."

Shooting a playful wink at his 'son', Huaisang turns to the dessert portion of the menu, but he doesn't understand it any better. "What's 'tiramisu'?"

[ That's Cassandra's companion, he realizes, though he hasn't had any reason to deal with her directly before. He lifts his head, looking over at her. He's not offering her a friendly expression or anything, but that's really just his face. ]

That's a popular question. [ He glances around towards the people that seem to belong here. ] But who's going to have a complaint?

[ From the sound of it, he actually has several. ]

(Ah, and the facade starts to slip, from cheer to something shyer. It makes Claude's eyes soften just a bit. He's sympathetic; it's difficult keeping up an act, especially when that act involves pretending everything is fine when everything in the world feels off,)

Moving to a new place is always stressful. (He says, like they had a choice at all. They didn't. But if anyone else is listening, they'll never be able to tell from him.) Figuring things out, learning how things are done, making friends... all of that takes time and it feels like forever when you're just getting started from nothing.

But the best thing to do is take things one step at a time and keep our eyes and minds open. It's how we'll find each other.

(And he smiles lightly, encouragingly.)

We'll have this plcae all figured out in no time.

(Claude is the most okay protagonist in his canon, thank you very much. Which is setting the bar kind of low, admittedly. But that's all in the past now and he only has now and the future to work towards!!)

Exactly. The bonds of friendship aren't so weak they can be broken by something as minor as a bad cake...

(They're on the same page. Except not. Claude isn't foolish enough to think that Monika isn't going to forget their first meeting. Man, talk about first impressions, right? He'll have to repair his image.)

I am. (He nods and looks Monika up and down. She isn't dressed like the other girls his age. In fact...) I don't think I've seen you at school...

(Small talk is an important life skill when you're a noble. Everything is about impressions; saying and doing the right thing. Silences is the worst when you're with others and so often misinterpreted, he'd rather use his words and instead. )

It's probably for the better. (That she isn't usually around places like this.) These places usually attract some of the worst people. Stuffy, boring, old fashioned...

(Truly the worst!)

It's nice to find some good company. (And he smiles! He's charming? He's being friendly,) As long as I have that, it'll anything taste bearable.

... Except for this.

(And he twirls his wine glass? It's a lost cause. He'll probably just end up plugging his nose and knocking it back later.)

Hey, there's nothing wrong with wanting to know more about where people are from. (Really, and Claude gives her a friendly smile. Look, he really doesn't mind!) In fact, I'd be happy to talk about Fodlan some more... but maybe somewhere else.

(He rubs his hands together.)

Like when we're out of the cold.

(It's not... as cold as it could be and it might even be a nice day for those used to this sort of weather but Claude is not used to it.)

Maybe you can tell me about where you're from too...?

(That's her cue to tell him something? Maybe? A name?)

That's to be expected.

(That people would applaud no matter what. The audience is human, too, after all. No one wants to sit awkwardly in silence after a mediocre or poor speech. Most people will be polite and offer a round if only to get the person off the stage. He keeps these thoughts to himself, though.)

Huh? You met the mayor? (A bigger leader figure! Color Claude intrigued,) That must have been exciting.

"Yeah? You stashing a flash in one of those ruffles?" Carmilla inquires with a perfectly shaped brow. Look, she appreciates the moxy, though honestly she would probably avoid drinking at one of these shin-digs. She isn't confident enough about her standing here nor her ability to handle alcohol in a newly humanized body.

"Oh," she muses, going right back to pushing her salad around her plate. Perhaps there should have been more astonishment or bewilderment there, but her sister is from the 1700s, so she's used to ageless and endless. She's at least used to magical and ridiculous shenanigans, which would have to be involved with a sudden transplant of ancient cultures into a sleepy stepford in California.

Carmilla is fittingly dressed, though she's less inclined to smile and laugh to blend in. It's not to say she can't. She just doesn't want to. "It's noodles with stuffing inside, like a ... shui jaio? Only they put a tomato sauce on it."

[Saturdays should be for lazing about, in Crowley's opinion, not for insistent knocks at his door. In other circumstances, he might ask Aziraphale to get it, but the angel has popped out to the library for the morning, so he has to haul himself to his feet.

It means his expression is a little annoyed, as he opens the door.]

Can I help you, ma'am?

Can't say I'd care, but I don't disagree. [ Levi's not much for alcohol, and he's operating as if he's on duty as it was. With that thought, he glances in Erwin's direction just to keep tabs. It's brief, but then he's turning his attention back to the kid that had addressed him.

Hell, he'll talk to him if it'll keep any of the creeps around here from acting like he ought to know the first thing about football. ]

If they drank themselves stupid around here, it'd be a different kind of problem.

She's had lots of practice tempering her reactions, and not showing when something hits too close to home. It's better when people don't know, they learn to use it against you. Still, the whole married to a man thing is a pretty fresh wound. Her lips press together, just a moment, like she's fixing her lipstick. And then it's gone.

"And it would do to expect them to open their wallets without the slightest inkling of what they're spending it on?" Honestly, truth be told, she doesn't care that much about the money or where it's going. Her bigger beef is something else entirely. "Especially considering I didn't get much of a choice in attending this quaint little party of yours. Those gals you have running invitations sure don't like taking no for an answer."

I've not met him, alas. [For once his monotone was intended on the last word. He wasn't sure if meeting the man was a good thing or not. Or if he did in fact meet him once and forgot... or was made to forget.]

I've only seen him in passing at the 'Christmas' celebration where he gave his speech. [The word 'Christmas' was still strange to him and it was clear in his hesitant pronunciation.] He is, ah... quite the busy man.

That bad?

( Peter doesn't have the utmost experience in wines to begin with, back home he was not of Legal Age and thusly, if he was going to sneak in something alcoholic, it wasn't going to be a pinot noir. he hasn't tried the fake wine, but since it is fake wine, he's not going to bother.

not to mention Peter is WAY too nervous in an environment like this one to drink anything. the townies weird him out. )

Um. Maybe the Spaghetti and Meatballs... ( food here is always a dangerous game, but Peter is Hungry because he always is, and maybe it's not entirely questionable. there's a ton of people here, right? what's the chance of things being made of styrofoam or hiding bits of wire? maybe it'll be okay... ) Whatever they'll bring me the most of, probably. See endless soup and salad on there anywhere?

( Peter, that's Olive Garden... not a fancy italian restaurant in the early 60s.... .. .. )

Oh, so you were the man gracious enough to offer his help with the trees at the lighting ceremony. [There's a smile on Rosemary's face; of course, the HHA reps at the ceremony had told her someone had stepped up to help!] I'm afraid the women you spoke to then were in such a tizzy from all the interest that they weren't able to agree on exactly what your name had been. We would have liked to thank you properly.

If your offer of help is serious, I'll certainly take you up on it. While we have a thriving membership, I'm afraid the men are far outnumbered by the ladies, so we have to rely on them for some of the heavy lifting... tell me, where do you think your skills lie? I see you're good at delicate work --[She nods toward the small bouquet.]-- would you consider yourself a man of many talents?

Oh, my!

[Rosemary's hand flies to her breast, shocked. And then:] Please forgive me, Mrs. Kesi, but I hadn't expected your question to be about... that.

Are you feeling quite well? I can ask one of the servers for some ice water, or tea, if that might be better. I seem to recall that Shinjiro was a step-son, of sorts -- but I do so hate to pry into family business.

There's a distinctly pleased smile on Rosemary's face as she takes down Agatha's information, neatly writing down her contact information before closing the book. "Oh, no, Mrs. vis Lornlit. The pleasure is all mine. I'm sure that the skills and knowledge you can bring to our association will be most enlightening."

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Page 4 of 26

FEBRUARY 2021 EVENT: PART ONE

CHAPTER TWO, PART 1: A LIGHT LUNCH

Good times, great olives, Uliveto's.

INVITES AND INSISTENCES

↑ back to top ↑

BISQUE AND BREADSTICKS

↑ back to top ↑

FONTINA AND FOCACCIA

↑ back to top ↑

MUNDANITY AND MISHAPS

↑ back to top ↑

OOC INFO

I

no subject

no subject

no subject

Bruce Wayne | OTA

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

invites

no subject

no subject

no subject

there wasn't a federal drinking age until '84, catch up santa rosita

no subject

no subject

no subject