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]

They lean a little into her hand, but don't move their own yet, looking back down and putting their palms to their eyes. "No lantern. Older. Different paint job." (Said "fuck". You are never gonna let that go, are you? Not for a while, anyway.) Then the worst part, said kind of sadly: "Didn't know me."

[shadowsran]

"I'm so sorry." There's no increase of pressure, though she does slide a little closer. Proximity, rather than contact. The illusion of a side hug. "That's...I can't imagine. Didn't know you, or didn't know Beacon at all?"

[worthallthis]

"Neither. He's a version who never died." Which Soldat is aware of. There's a version of them somewhere out there who never died, that Sam knows. They're okay with that (if kind of jealous). It's harder coming at it from the other direction.

Good thing Sam didn't actually like his version of them, so he's probably okay.

[shadowsran]

"That's something to be a little happy about, maybe? Bittersweet, but this is someone that's gotten to live. That's a good thing. Sad, but good." They were closer than she could claim, which would by why her focus centers primarily on anchoring his reaction. She'll...manage. Work through it at her own pace, through her own mental roundabouts to do with death. "How is he holding up, here?"

[worthallthis]

"As well as anyone would. He is older. A little less. Naive, maybe." They shake their head a little, scrub at their face, and finally sit back instead of leaning over their knees, so they can see her and she can see them. "Not happy, though. None of them are. Nobody is, at first."

[shadowsran]

"They're tough, they'll adapt." Not happily, no, but they can come around to it. There are...worse places. At least some choice, here. Her smile is gently reassuring. "He managed fine in Beacon. And he's got a great introduction here, you're a good teacher."

[worthallthis]

"Ugh." Soldat rolls their eyes a little at the compliment, leaning their head back on the back of the skinny little couch. "You know I have a reputation here for being standoffish and uncommunicative. Right? Not the best traits in a teacher. And I hadn't done the new-person shpiel in. A long time. Not counting Sam." They definitely didn't do a great job with poor Inara. Then again, maybe there really is no good way to explain this situation.

[shadowsran]

"Reputations don't mean anything. Actions." She's never had a positive reputation in her life and she's a goddamn delight, thank you very much. "You're fair and you're patient, doesn't matter if you're not in a great spot for rambling. You're safe. That's shit people need."

[worthallthis]

"I'm bad at talking and just about had a panic attack when I saw Daylight," they counter, but it's weak and weary rather than an actual argument. "Not looking forward to having to. Tell people what to do, on this mission."

They lift their hand to wrap around her wrist, there by their shoulder. "Tell me about yours. You had a mission too. You and Sam went off in the same direction this morning."

[shadowsran]

"He and I, two new people. Robbing a stagecoach, just trying to puzzle out who we're against now. Everyone seems cooperative, I think we'll manage alright. Sam's got a good head on his shoulders. Ought to work out something good." His shoulder receives a gentle squeeze for the trouble. "So we're gonna be fine."

[worthallthis]

That Sam is on a team with Misty makes them feel... relieved. They'll keep each other safe. "Either Rocket and Groot, or Fuwa Isamu," Soldat guesses, running their thumb over her wrist, but not letting go. "They both left in different directions this morning, too."

Which, honestly, it strange in and of itself, that four teams are going out, with only a handful of current players between them. If Sam can even really be counted as "current", with only one round behind him. Soldat frowns a little, into the middle distance. "There are more new people than usual. A lot more. And a number of people have gone missing, to need replacing."

[shadowsran]

Any contact is good contact, so she does little but enjoy it. "Christ, I hope it's not Rocket I'm up against." Both because he's the worst, and because she's kind of acquiring the taste. A passable worst. Of course, what he chases it with sounds much more pressing.

"Does that mean anything? Anything bad?"

[worthallthis]

"I don't know. The last time this many new players came in at once, we all waited to see if something would happen. Nothing did." Soldat shakes their head a little. "Nothing that we could see, anyway. Might just mean the game makers were bored and wanted to shake things up."

Having three people appear in three rounds that Soldat finds familiar is also kind of alarming. Other people have friends (or enemies) show up from their world, but it's never happened to them until now.