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.

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Rocket (and Groot) | MCU | Veteran player(s)

[quitsmiling]

I. Arrival - Closed to Taako, Yoda, and Jiro

Riding along on Groot's shoulder, Rocket is surprisingly dust-free after traveling all day across scrub desert. Groot can't say the same, but since he's basically made of living wood, it doesn't look like he minds being a little dirty.

"Okay," Rocket says, standing up on Groot's shoulder and pointing at the biggest building in town, as they head in. "That's where you eat and live and drink. You got all day tomorrow to do whatever you want. But you'd better be down there for breakfast the day after, or I'll have to hunt you down."

"I am Groot," Groot puts in.

"Yeah, and you ain't gonna like that."


II. Saloon Time

While he's hard to find during the day, both nights Rocket's in the bar portion of Midpoint Saloon. Despite his rude demeanor, he's cheerful in a kind of manic way, drinking and laughing and playing cards, hurling amiable insults on other older players. Or newer players, for that matter. Groot leans over his shoulder, smiling contentedly, not nearly as raucous as his little friend.

Rocket pokes somebody near him. "Hey. You gonna eat that?"

II

[ragingwolf]

This isn't the first time - nor the fifth, he's pretty sure he's lost track - that Rocket has tried to schmooze up to him. And it's always the same reason.

He shifts in his seat, casually checking the weight of his ShotRiser in his inside coat pocket.

"Go bother North if you want more food, not me."

[quitsmiling]

"If you're not eating it, then why bother North?" Rocket counters. He might be a little bit drunk. "It's just gonna go to waste."

[ragingwolf]

"Because it means you're not bothering me," he grunts. And pulls his plate closer to take a defiant mouthful of steak from his plate.

[quitsmiling]

Rocket laughs, and prods Fuwa's shoulder. "And I thought I was an asshole." This does not appear to be meant as an insult. "What's got you grouchier than usual today, huh?"

[ragingwolf]

He glares flatly at Rocket like the scuffed bruise on his cheek isn't obvious. (In fairness, though, Fuwa tends to get beaten up a lot.) "Because I'm on a bodyguard mission with someone who plans on running off to fight someone else at the first opportunity."

It's not a lie, but it's not the actual reason.

[quitsmiling]

Welp, looks like Fuwa's not Rocket's problem this round. Nice. "So forget about him, let him go get his tail kicked, and do the job without 'em. Nobody gets points for a win they don't help with."

[ragingwolf]

"I know that," he grunts. "But we get more if we do work together. I don't want him wasting our chance."

He's unwinding a little, now that it seems like Rocket's just being an asshole and not a thief.

[quitsmiling]

Technically he's both, but right now he's not stealing anything. Right now.

"Eh. They pretty much don't let us out of here until we start getting boring, or they want to cull the herd, anyway," Rocket shrugs. "Pretty sure all that buy-your-way-out crap ain't real."

[ragingwolf]

"Yeah..." If a guy like the sniper could still be here for five whole years, plus people like North and Soap who were still in despite not playing...

...it just made him want to destroy the people in charge all the more. "We just have a find a way to make them let us go."