FEBRUARY 2021 EVENT: PART ONE

[robbies]

 

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

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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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Comments

( prompt: bisque and breadsticks! )

[inpersonation]

[ oh hey, someone else who is annoyed as fuck over the fact people cannot fucking stop petting/touching them. the number of people who have reached out to pet her hair or touch her cheek has noelle left with her skin in a state of perpetual goosebumps and her contempt at an all-time high.

noelle nods, feeling vicious vindication to hear her complaints being aired out by someone else. it allows her to feel agreement with someone, especially with how its aired, and gives her a chance to stretch out her acting chops.

she affects a sheepish pout and nods in agreement, looking at him from the corner of her eye like she had caught his comment by accident. ]

It's rather rude. No matter how much I ask them to stop, they keep treating me like I'm a child. [ fucking please. she sighs, looking at the menu with interest because she's already wondering how she can bring this back home in her pockets that are already filled with breadsticks and other snacks being offered. ] All I can do is hope it'll at least stop during the meal. Can you imagine if someone tried to pat you on the head while you're eating?

[oldmanfive]

I don't want to imagine that. I just want this hour to go faster, so I can get the hell out of here.

[ He replies in a low voice, not even bothering to keep up the facade for the moment. He fucking hates this place and if this woman is expressing displeasure with the amount of touching the 'adults' like to do, he's going to assume she's not really one of them. ]

This is only my fifth day in town and I can't express just how much I loathe this place.

[inpersonation]

You're new as well...!

[ noelle acts like she's trying to keep her excitement and surprise in check. she's already caught on that there are multiple individuals stuck in this weird fuckfest like her but that's noelle. blossom will always act like it's a delight and a surprise to find someone else in her miserable circumstances.

misery loves company, after all.

she holds up her menu a bit higher now. not enough to make it obvious but trying he best to cover her face so people can't read her lips or better hear what she has to say next: ]

Perhaps we can leave the occasion sooner? [ she smiles, making sure to put a bit of mischief and desperation in the smile. ] I have an idea but it requires two actors for this skit I have in mind. Are you interested in leaving as you say you are?

[oldmanfive]

[ Instinctively he picks up his water glass and takes another sip from it. As much as he would like to just get the hell out of there. He knows it is not a good idea. The Stepford Wives were pretty insistent that he come despite them just thinking of him a kid. He's heard some stuff that makes him hesitant to fully show out. Call it paranoia.

Lightly he shakes his head, taking another drink of the water. ]

I would like to leave, but it's too risky. Besides they might say something of use at some point.

[ God he fucking hopes there is a point to all of this. Otherwise he is going to be seriously pissed. ]

[inpersonation]

[ she smiles, nodding in seemingly understanding. fuck- there goes her chance to leave before someone else tries to pet her head again. looks like she's gotta endure this as well because noelle doesn't want to leave unless she can convince someone else to tag along. helps keep all the attention off of her, you know?

but something he said does get her attention. ] You think they'll make an announcement of some sort? Or attempt to speak with us, directly? Hmmm... That could happen.

I've noticed a lot of activity from the volunteers and a table they keep heading towards in the last few minutes.

[ she noticed it mostly because she was trying to give a subtle stink-eye to the volunteer who had the gall to pinch her cheek and call her cookie. trying to be subtle about it, noelle feigns a yawn and tilts her head towards the direction of the table she's talking about. ]

[oldmanfive]

[ He simply offers a nod as the biddies were too excited over this fundraiser. He feels it in his gut that they might say something, whether or not it will be useful to him is still up in the air though. ]

Possibly. They went to a great amount of trouble to get us here. They didn't just want my 'parents' [ He makes the air quotes when he says the word 'parents'. ] to come. They insisted I come too. Why?

[ There just has to be a purpose outside of annoying the fuck out of him with random people in his personal space. His eyes subtly move in the direction that Noelle indicates with her yawn and head tilt. He inwardly frowns, but covers for it, picking up his water glass and taking another sip. Definitely something is up.]

The ringleaders maybe?

[ He suggests as he takes another sip of water. ]

[inpersonation]

[ she gives him a sympathetic look when he mentions the volunteers insisting he come to the luncheon. the fuckers wouldn't take no for an answer when she tried to politely turn them down and noelle couldn't keep saying 'no' without making blossom look like an asshole in the process.

so here she is, at least sharing a moment of commiseration with someone who has more than two brain cells in their head. thank the fuck god for that. ]

Possibly. [ she puffs out her cheek and pretends to try (and fail) to get a sneaky look at the table in question. ] Whenever one of them at the table speaks, it seems the volunteers are hanging on to every word that's said. So either the heads of this event or the heads themselves.

It's strange they didn't come and greet us when we came in, don't you think? The leaders, I mean. [ noelle had one of the volunteers - a betty, she thinks - all up on her ass the moment she set a foot in the restaurant. no need to worry about betty trying to welcome her with open arms. ]

[oldmanfive]

[ From his position he can sneak glances a little easier, but he tries to keep his glances as subtle as possible. He takes note of the fact that one of the ladies is writing things down in a ledger ever so often. God what he wouldn't give to get his hands on that little bit of information. Possible clues as to what is going on in this bum fuck town? Maybe. Keeping his water glass near his mouth, he speaks in a low voice.]

It looks like they are making notes in a ledger. So at the least organizers of this event. [ He takes another sip of his water as he puts the glass down and looks more directly at Noelle. ]

I find it stranger that they haven't gotten up to greet anyone in particular. Usually head organizers will make time for their most generous benefactors at the least.

[ But they haven't made any sort of indication that there is anyone present that could be considered a cash cow in this town. Which is strange to him, given they are at a fundraiser. There were always types like that where he came from. ]

[inpersonation]

Really? They do that in these, um, events? [ huh.

noelle genuinely knows jackshit about how these functions go. not a surprise with the life she’s lived so far so— if the guy says that’s what they’ll do, she’s going to have to roll with it because what’s the point of lying about crap like that?

she frowns, tilting her head to the side. ] Hmmm... I guess them feeling shy isn’t a good excuse, huh? Why hold a luncheon in the first place? Or share it with us? There must be something else happening like you said.

[ looking away and frowning, as if ashamed by a thought that comes to mind, noelle looks back at him with wide eyes and asks, ] Do you think...

Do you think they have any involvement? With us being here? [ a stupid as shit question, noelle knows, but it’s the type blossom would ask: a painfully naive question, like she couldn’t imagine a group of friendly mostly-ladies and men being involved in their current hostage situation. noelle knows by now that you have to be suspicious of anyone, especially those belonging to a large group that has a lot of members and resources seemingly on their side.

and, judging by the constant movement of volunteers and members around them, and the endless breadsticks being placed on the table, the hha have both. ]

[oldmanfive]

Generally. [ He says with a nod as he still remembers the marketing that his father had done with him and his siblings. He continues to keep his water glass near his mouth, taking small sips here and there to keep his mouth partly hidden as he shrugs in reaction to her questions. Certainly her last question is stupid, but it is not as if he could comment on it at present. ]

I wouldn't be shocked if they were. [ He states simply, taking another sip of water. It makes perfect sense for the HHA to have something to do with their imprisonment and the lives they are being forced to play along with. They wouldn't push so hard for them to keep up appearances, if they weren't involved in some manner. It's just a matter of figuring out if the HHA are willing participants or if there is someone else pulling their strings from the shadows.]

In any case, it best to be cautious around them.