Big City Living (Midpoint Mingle)

[midpointmods]

The town of Midpoint: called thus because it is at the exact center of the game arena, a busy little Western town full of strange people, many of whom don’t look remotely human, because this is where all the players gather and live. Midpoint Saloon: called thus because it is the only bar in Midpoint. It’s also the biggest building in town, four stories high, dotted with windows, painted a jaunty yellow and decorated with red and green flowers in all the window boxes.

This is where your veteran teammate points you. Or just stomps off to and hopes you follow.

Downstairs is a bar and tavern, Old West style, right down to the upright piano in one corner and a raucous crowd of locals - largely locals, but with a healthy smattering of unusual or downright alien faces that clearly indicate the presence of other Players - eating, drinking, gambling, and getting into trouble. There’s a broad, bearded man behind the bar, waving cheerfully at you as you enter.

The rest of the night and the next day is yours to do with what you see fit. Explore the town, take a long nap in your new room, try to get to know people... everyone is here for the next twenty-four hours before travel to the mission site, so it’s a good chance to scope out the competition, at the very least.

Comments

[worthallthis]

Yeah, not a single piece of that makes any sense. But after this many years since their death, Soldat is kinda used to that. "There's not a lot of nightmares here. Just people."

[chalicejoker]

"Is okay!" Ryo says. "New adventure! New friends! Even if Hajime isn't good at making friends!"

[worthallthis]

Soldat smiles a little. "I'm not very good at it, either. I understand." They used to be. There was a time when they had more friends than they knew what to do with. They have no idea how to get back to that, now. It's possible that they simply can't, not in a place where they have to kill each other all the time.

Ryo shouldn't be here. Jesus, the poor guy. "You seem like you'd be pretty good, though."

[chalicejoker]

"Am very good at it!" Ryo says proudly. Poor thing has no idea what's coming.

At this point, Hajime returns with his own bowl of peanuts. "Alright," he says, shoving a few into the pot (and then adding one more after Ryo immediately takes and starts eating one he just put in), "now I'm ready."

[worthallthis]

"I would have shared mine with you, you know, I've got plenty," Soldat says, sounding vaguely amused, mostly at Ryo's thievery. They set a small pile in front of Ryo, for eating, so he doesn't delve into the betting pool again.

Starting bets made, Soldat discards two cards, draws two more, and nods for Hajime to do the same.

[chalicejoker]

"It's the principle of the thing," Hajime says, maintaining his hold on his three threes and discards two of his own.

"Ooh." And fortunately for Hajime, Ryo's too distracted at peanuts to comment on the two new cards he's drawn.

[worthallthis]

"Funny principle if all of it comes from North, anyway," Soldat reminds him, still amused. "Ain't like we're betting something with actual stakes. I'll call. Any raises from you?"

[chalicejoker]

Look, Soldat, he just likes to win and he's got to do this competition thing right. Hajime looks down at his hand and grimaces. "No, no raises."

[worthallthis]

"Okay." Soldat puts their cards down, showing two pair, both kinda pathetic: twos and sixes. So does that beat Hajime's three of a kind? Hajime probably didn't get lucky and get a fourth three, not with that look on his face.

[chalicejoker]

Hajime's added a four and a seven to his three threes. "Three of a kind still beats two pair." He makes no move to stop Ryo when Ryo rushes over to collect all those peanuts.