Midpoint Mods ([personal profile] midpointmods) wrote in [community profile] midpointsaloon2020-06-14 12:52 am

What's up Chicken Little (Midpoint mingle)

PLAYERS: Everyone!
LOCATION: Midpoint, and the Lucky Break for a precious few
GOAL: Wind down and gear up for next round
WARNINGS: None
OTHER: Have fun!

Ten people wake up in the morning to find notes on their bedside tables, coffee tables in the suite, next to their bathroom basin, or even on their pillow next to their face. One wakes up in a cool jail cell with sand, dust, and the distant whistle of a steam engine for her alarm.

For Soldat and Jo, the note reads: Round 86 begins in three days. Your briefing will be delivered tomorrow morning by Nicholas St. North. Be prepared.

Taako, Hajime, and Yoda, get a similar one: Round 86 begins in three days. Your briefing will be delivered tomorrow evening by Nicholas St. North. Be prepared.

For the rest - Fuwa, Inara, Sara, Irene, and Misty, the note reads: Round 87 begins in three days. Please pick up your final teammate and your briefing from The Lucky Break.

North has no information for anyone just yet, but for half the players active this round, there’s nothing to do but loaf around town waiting, and trying to casually suss out who might be on their team and who they have to fight, until the next day when they get their instructions. This has happened before, older players will assure them: if there’s no new players, sometimes they don’t make you trek all the way out to the jails for your briefings.

For the other half of the active players, there’s a new teammate and information to pick up. Who wants to make the trek and crowd into the small jail to free them?

And of course, there’s the expected couple days of chatter as every player, active or not, crowds into the saloon to see who’s getting sent out this month and who isn’t. North has plenty of food for everyone, as usual; there’s a series of shows playing all day at the theater (which turns out to be the Adam West Batman); and everything makes merry the best they can, up to the time people have to leave to get to work entertaining the masses. Good times, right?
resignedcheetah: (all business)

[personal profile] resignedcheetah 2020-06-17 03:28 am (UTC)(link)
Ah. This kind of person. She just leans against the table, not breaking eye contact. She has no reason to act submissive to him, and better to act like you have confidence than be pushed around for meekness in this kind of situation.
chalicejoker: (Standard Expression)

[personal profile] chalicejoker 2020-06-17 03:54 am (UTC)(link)
Hajime absolutely isn't going to break eye contact either, because she started it, and he's very mature like that.

He is even going to keep this up while Ryo, who has been trying to get his attention about something, starts crawling on his face in a bid to get said attention, darn it.
resignedcheetah: (glancing up)

[personal profile] resignedcheetah 2020-06-17 03:57 am (UTC)(link)
There's the barest hint of a smile, and she rests her elbows on the table. ... Fine. She'll be the first one to break the silence.

"Do you have a problem? Other than a giant bug that you seem unconcerned about?" It's concerning to her but she's also dealt with weirder stuff.
chalicejoker: (Standard Expression)

[personal profile] chalicejoker 2020-06-20 03:37 pm (UTC)(link)
"No, no problems here." She had started the staring, dammit. Hajime's forced to confront the more pressing issue of Ryo clinging to his face, and there's a sigh and a paternal-sounding, "Ryo, what did I tell you about the face thing?"

"Don't do it!" Ryo says cheerfully. There's a pause. "Ohhhh..." And at least he climbs off. "Ta-da!"
resignedcheetah: (Default)

[personal profile] resignedcheetah 2020-06-20 05:08 pm (UTC)(link)
She blinks in surprise at Ryo. "... You talk?" She should really be asking 'how', but this place is already weird enough that she's not sure she wants the answer.
chalicejoker: (Ryo)

[personal profile] chalicejoker 2020-06-21 02:42 am (UTC)(link)
"Of course I talk!" Ryo tilts his head to one side. "Why wouldn't I talk?"

Humans: they're silly!
resignedcheetah: (glancing up)

[personal profile] resignedcheetah 2020-06-21 02:43 am (UTC)(link)
"I've never known a grasshopper who could talk. Just a Kamen Rider themed after them." Which is strange, because grasshoppers aren't exactly known for their fighting skill.
chalicejoker: (That Shirt Why)

[personal profile] chalicejoker 2020-06-21 02:46 am (UTC)(link)
Ryo puffs himself up a bit. "Am mantis! Not grasshopper! Am much cuter than a grasshopper! Don't spit like grasshopper!"

"You'd be surprised what some bugs can do, really," Hajime says. That's good; let Ryo be all distracting.
resignedcheetah: (smug)

[personal profile] resignedcheetah 2020-06-21 02:49 am (UTC)(link)
"I'm not exactly a zoologist, I'm an engineer." She eyes the bug carefully - ah. Right. It's more vertical than a grasshopper, isn't it. "Though no bugs are known to talk where I'm from." Not with human speech, at least.
chalicejoker: (Ryo)

[personal profile] chalicejoker 2020-06-21 03:09 am (UTC)(link)
"Trains not have a lot to do with bugs, but different bugs are important!" Ryo has a different concept of what an engineer is, okay. He hops up and down. "Am from Questing Country! Mantises talk when they're from Questing Country!"

Hajime's very content to sit back and see if she spills any more details other than being an engineer. Is this what being subtle is like? Has he finally figured that out? Amazing.
resignedcheetah: (free thinking)

[personal profile] resignedcheetah 2020-06-21 03:11 am (UTC)(link)
"That's.. not the kind of engineer I meant." She sighs and glances at Hajime. The guy doesn't seem like he wants to explain anything. "I've never... heard of Questing Country."
chalicejoker: (Just brooding)

[personal profile] chalicejoker 2020-06-26 08:11 pm (UTC)(link)
"There are other kinds?" Ryo tilts his head to one side. Hajime makes no effort to explain, because Hajime knows what's coming as soon as the woman mentions Questing Country.

Ryo perks right up. "Questing Country! Is magical land of wishes and dreams and adventure!"

Hajime still makes no effort to explain. It's far more entertaining watching people try to hold a conversation with Ryo that makes any sort of sense.
resignedcheetah: (all business)

[personal profile] resignedcheetah 2020-06-26 10:45 pm (UTC)(link)
She just keeps looking at Hajime. "... That sounds absolutely ridiculous."
chalicejoker: (Casual)

[personal profile] chalicejoker 2020-07-01 02:10 am (UTC)(link)
Hajime shrugs. "It's where he's from."

"Was born there when Hajime came to Questing Country for the first time!" Ryo bounces up and down. "Helped Hajime fight nightmares and other bad monsters!"
resignedcheetah: (unsure...)

[personal profile] resignedcheetah 2020-07-01 02:43 am (UTC)(link)
"... That sounds like a very strange world you're from. And I suppose you must be very strong to fight things like that at your size." Look, she's not trying to be insulting, just realistic.
chalicejoker: (Ryo)

[personal profile] chalicejoker 2020-07-06 01:54 am (UTC)(link)
"Am very strong! Very fast!" Ryo hyperactively air punches a bit to illustrate this. "But Hajime does the work! I'm cheering section!"
resignedcheetah: (all business)

[personal profile] resignedcheetah 2020-07-06 02:00 am (UTC)(link)
"I would imagine he does." What is her life why is she talking to a bug. "He doesn't seem like the sort of person who's a huge fan of a cheering section, though..."
chalicejoker: (Casual)

[personal profile] chalicejoker 2020-07-06 02:34 am (UTC)(link)
Because the bug's seemingly-human partner is just kicking back and watching the show, really. It's so much easier letting the bug do the talking. "Ryo's cheering's different." Because nope, he's not going to let the little mantis even approach being upset again if he can help it.

"Is very important job," Ryo says seriously.
resignedcheetah: (smug)

[personal profile] resignedcheetah 2020-07-06 02:36 am (UTC)(link)
"I've never felt much of a need for a cheering section, but I suppose it might be different for your or depending on what you're fighting."
chalicejoker: (Casual)

[personal profile] chalicejoker 2020-07-13 03:47 am (UTC)(link)
"Hajime fights all sorts of things!" Ryo says proudly. "Monsters and nightmares and other Undead and one time this one guy who tried to mug him in an alley and had a bad time after and just anyone who needs to be fought to protect other people!" He's very proud.

Hajime is aware that this is probably the weirdest first impression, but how do you even redirect Ryo? You don't.
resignedcheetah: (Default)

[personal profile] resignedcheetah 2020-07-13 03:47 pm (UTC)(link)
"Ah... we tend to fight Humagears that go berserk." It's not like it's a secret where they're from.
chalicejoker: (Huh)

[personal profile] chalicejoker 2020-07-17 03:05 am (UTC)(link)
This actually gets Hajime's interest, and of course Ryo's chatty as ever. They ask at the same time, "What's a Humagear?"
resignedcheetah: (injured)

[personal profile] resignedcheetah 2020-07-17 05:36 am (UTC)(link)
She frowns, opens her mouth, and sighs. Right. Of course. "They are synthetic artificial intelligence androids produced by Hiden Intelligence. Originally, at least - the rights were transferred to Hiden Manufacturing after ZAIA Japan bought out Hiden Intelligence."