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!

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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!

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INVITES AND INSISTENCES

[It was almost as though some power had heard her thoughts on the HHA. No sooner had she started investigating than this- a trap, maybe? Or some good force helping her along. Whatever it was, Agatha took a deep breath and jumped into the deep end.

After agreeing to go, she joined in inviting others to the event.

Agatha goes door to door, to neighbors old and new, and knocks to extend the invitation in person. Determined to make a good showing, she'll knock longer than is considered polite, and even go so far as to start looking in to windows to see if you are home if no one answers. This may be her only chance, after all.]

OTHER

Agatha will be at the luncheon and mingling around, feel free to tap her shoulder or hit me up on

thepenguinred to plan something specific!

[ huh.

daylight returns to their shared house after a long day of skittering around the town, dropping packages for people left and right.

when he pops into the kitchen to see what he can make for him and agatha for dinner, a stack of... something catches his eye when he passes by the counter. he gets closer to it and the huh in his head only intensifies. ]

Agatha? [ he calls out to her while picking up the now identified stack of luncheon flyers in one hand, his expression an undeniable show of confusion and puzzlement. ] Did we get a truckload of those HHA people swing by or something?

Why do we have so many flyers?

Ah, Daylight. I trust your afternoon is free?

[She yells this down from their bedroom, where she currently has every piece of clothing that this world has given her laid out on the bed, puzzling.]

We must make a good impression on this association.

-You mean the HHA, right?

[ he calls out his question while he jogs up to the direction of their bedroom, taking one of the flyers/invitations with him to see if this is the association she's talking about.

she had to be because who else would go out of there way to- oh hey that's a lot of outfits on the bed. ]

Huh. [ he blinks, standing at the doorway for a second as he examines what he thinks is their bed hidden under the pieces. ] Looks like you're being pretty serious about this.

[ after a moment of silence on his end, daylight gestures to a particular outfit. ] I think this would fit the occassion if you want a second opinion.

[ finally, all those hours of spending time with auntie imogen is paying off. ]

[She grins at him and accepts the dress. It's all nonsense to her, even if it had been her time period nuns weren't known for their cutting edge fashion. Then, outfit chosen, she goes about putting everything else away.]

Indeed I do mean the HHA. They seem to wield an amount of power in this town- and better, do not appear to be drunkards. I should like to know them better.

[Then, while she's facing the closet.]

We also have a more personal matter to discuss.

[ daylight tilts his head when agatha makes her last comment. he looks pretty puzzled but also very interested about this. ]

Something personal? Sure! We can have the chat that while we're both getting ready for the party. [ though daylight will find himself pretty distracted as he goes to his own closet, trying to find suitable clothes for this luncheon.

had something happened while he wasn’t looking? did agatha learn something about the hha, hence her interest and her commitment to getting to know them better? he had been hoping to learn something from the luncheon himself ever since the chat he had with papyrus but—

well! colour him curious, ladies and gentlemen and distinguished people in-between. this setup has his attention, pricked ears and all. ]

[Once all the clothes are put away she hesitates for a brief moment, then lets out a breath and marches over to the kitchen. No time like the present, hm? She's done what she can to hide it until now, but it was time to face facts and create a back-up plan.]

Meet me in the kitchen when you have readied yourself.

[Ready for the party or for the talk, it could be taken either way. When he enters, he'll see two glass milk bottles filled with blood sitting on the table between them.]

Ummm... Okay? I'll meet you there in a few minutes.

[ a little weird that they don't simply discuss it there and then but daylight has always been a go-with-the-flow guy. maybe she needs to prepare for something.

-and he isn't wrong when he comes in the kitchen, dressed for the party, and sees what's been placed on their table. ] ... This is new.

[ yeah. that's the only thing he can say as he looks at the bottles of blood and to agatha. then looks at agatha to back towards the bottles of blood. when he finally gathers his wits, what he says next is, in a way, rather hilarious simply for how confused he sounds: ]

Excuse my literal French and I'm kind of sorry to my mom since this is her langauge but- Ç'est quoi ce bordel?

[She smiles a little at the french, tilting her head slightly in a (brief moment) of amusement]

It defeats the purpose if we both speak the language, no? But I have a confession to make. Have you ever heard of Lord Dracula?

[It seemed wise to check before jumping into it all, since apparently someone had written a (very inaccurate) account of the matter.]

Lord Dracula?

Um— [ a little thrown off by the turn of events and the question, daylight needs a second to bring his thoughts together. ] Um... Hang on: You mean the vampire, right?

The one that turns into a bat? Can’t cross water? Ground from his home needed to sleep in his coffins?

[ yeah... the details are coming back to him now. it was one of his great-grandpa’s favourite stories, something he would read out to daylight when he was strong enough to do that.

it was a shame the story was never finished. he wondered what happened to the group when they decided to chase after dracula and wait a minute.

wait a minute.

wait a minute.

he stares at agatha as an idea clearly dawns on him: ]

 Are you Dracula?

[ ... daylight is trying. ]

[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?

Mr....Fell, I take it?

[It was the same house she had been to before, with the other Mr. Fell, she was certain of it. She had expected a wife or child, but it only gives her pause for a moment. There are far stranger things in this (and any) world than two men in one house.]

I am Agatha Van Helsing. I've come to pressure you into a social event.

[He wrinkles his nose at the address, not quite approving. It's not strictly accurate by the rules here; the locals call him Mrs. Fell regardless of whether he's wearing a dress or trousers, and it certainly isn't accurate to their situation, considering Fell isn't even Aziraphale's name.]

S'just Crowley, if you would. You're the nun, aren't you?

[Aziraphale mentioned her once or twice.

He's not going to address the social event thing just yet, though he does admire the honesty.]

I am, indeed. If that should offend, you would not be the first to feel so.

[There's only so many professions women of her era could do. Nun was the one that involved the least annoying husband.]

Are you going to invite me in, Crowley?

Nah, love a nun, I do. Met plenty of great nuns.

[Somehow it's equal parts amused and genuine. He has met plenty of great nuns, it's just that some of them were Satanic nuns.

And others were perfectly normal Christian nuns that he may or may not have tempted into breaking their vows. But hey! That's neither here nor there!]

Might do, but you did just warn me about your plan to pressure me into a social event. It's not a tupperware party, is it?

As I haven't the faintest idea how food storage becomes a festivity, I certainly hope not. No, it is a gathering of the home owners association for a meal and to raise funds. I wish to make an impression on the host, and so I am attempting to assist and recruit more of us into intending.

[The facts were usually just so much easier than a lie, both for her and her time.]

[Crowley listens intently, his expression carefully neutral, since he doesn't see the point in revealing that he and Aziraphale have already decided to attend.

It was mostly the angel's idea. There are endless breadsticks, after all.]

It's a multi-level marketing scheme. The tupperware parties.

[Which is not the point at all.

He steps aside, opening the door further and gesturing for Agatha to come in.]

I'll pop the kettle on. Or d'you prefer coffee?

[There is was, like a restraint had been lifted. The invitation in. Agatha followed after the man, making sure to wipe her feet and all that neighborly business as she entered.]

Tea would be a welcome relief. My 'husband' attempts coffee every morning. To unexpected results.

[How close to a solid can coffee be? Daylight seems to be on a quest to find out.]

[They're generally a 'shoes off' household now that their shoes don't deign to clean themselves upon coming inside, but not so much that he's going to make someone else take their shoes off.

Especially not when it encourages people to linger.]

Oh, you've really got to train them better than that.

['Them' being husbands, naturally.

He checks the kettle, deciding there's a suitable amount of water still in it, and sets it on the burner to heat.]

Coffee isn't hard, anyway. How does someone even cock it up that badly?

I have no honest idea. Still, it is a thoughtful gesture.

[Ah, the pictures, same as her house, of memories that didn't exist and events that never happened. Don't mind her as she openly snoops at them.]

Were you raised Catholic? Few people here seem experienced with the Church.

[He had briefly toyed with the idea of taking them down all the ridiculous pictures, but he'd made the argument to keep them for appearances sake, finding some comfort in the domesticity of it all.

The question startles him and he pauses in reaching for the cups, before he shakes himself and gets back on task.]

In a manner of speaking. I'm afraid my relationship with the Almighty is a difficult one.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

FEBRUARY 2021 EVENT: PART ONE

CHAPTER TWO, PART 1: A LIGHT LUNCH

Good times, great olives, Uliveto's.

INVITES AND INSISTENCES

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BISQUE AND BREADSTICKS

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FONTINA AND FOCACCIA

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MUNDANITY AND MISHAPS

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OOC INFO

Agatha Van Helsing | OTA

( prompt: invites and insistences. )

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//i can get back on top of things-

invites

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