11calls: Shakespeare is better than you, Richard (I can be pretentious too)
[personal profile] 11calls
[The post that appears first is a picture of poor Cameron Waltz from the Arts party. Where he's crying after his fantastic boyfriend Jeff has just serenaded him in public. Anyone who knows Alex knows that she's not the person who would put it up, and as soon as someone mentions it to her, it comes down and is instead replaced with an audio post.]

Yeah, sorry about that. [She assumes people 1. know that she wasn't the one who did it and 2. that the person who did it is gonna hear holy hell for it. Hear holy hell and also do penance which is what the rest of this post is about.]

While I've been living in America since college, I'm definitely a Canadian at heart. And in Canada, we have a proper Thanksgiving Holiday while America is celebrating Columbus day. [Yeah, the distaste in her voice for that "holiday" is totally palpable.] And before anyone makes a crack about copying America, our Thanksgiving started in 1578 and was made an official government holiday in 1879. For Americans playing along at home, that's 50 years before Plymouth Rock, and something like 90 before it became a federal holiday in America.

So, I'm inviting people to stop by tomorrow for turkey and stuffing and all the stuff that goes along with a proper Canadian Thanksgiving. We're not going to do a sit down dinner, not really, given that it's a Monday, but we're gonna have food and proper pumpkin pie which is not custardy and Nanaimo bars which are. I'm making them. I'm making them right now actually but don't worry, I've been making them since I was like ten. It's the only thing I can make other than coffee.

[Literally the only thing, because Alex burns toast.]
enveloped: (77)
[personal profile] enveloped
[It's that man in the suit again, broadcasting live to you from a room currently being decorated with tables, lights, and tasteful decorations.]

Hello everyone,

To any newcomers, my name is Cameron Waltz, and I'm currently serving as your public representative. It's been a pleasure to get to know so many of you over the network, and I think we could all stand to get to know each other even better in person.

I'd like to extend an open invitation to the "Bring Yourself" arts and culture event this Sunday at Riverside Community Centre. This will be an exhibition of all the different cultures and people Riverview has to offer. Whether it's food, artwork, music, or a story, everyone has something of value to contribute, no matter where you're from, so I'd encourage everyone to bring a little piece of home to share with others. If you can't think of something to bring, or simply don't have the time or energy, bring yourself. You're from somewhere else too, and I guarantee you bring something interesting in just being yourself.

The walls are empty, the stage is free, there's an open floor for dancing and more active demonstrations, and the venue is booked for from 5pm-12am. Come when you want and wear what you like. Refreshments will be provided. I'm happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have on this post.

Please come. I'm well aware of the current going ons in the city, many of which are incredibly stressful, which makes coming together as a community and expressing yourself in a safe space even more necessary.

[Passing a few volunteers, Cam walks to the only wall with anything on it. A mixed series of artistic ink calligraphy prints in a variety of different languages.

Cam stops with a slight clearing of his throat, and a very casual gesture towards the prints. Very casual. Which he is not looking at. A tight, shy smile at the camera.]


And I will be putting myself out there right beside you.

[Bring whatever it is your character has to offer that they'd want to show, whether it's a martial arts skill, artistic ability, performance, food, an interesting object, games, there's nothing that doesn't go, characters are free to take the stage/set up a booth/do whatever they want in terms of display, and can drop pieces off or set up in advance! Feel free to be utterly ridiculous.

Event log!]
shoplifter: (Default)
[personal profile] shoplifter
[It's been... a hell of a last two weeks for Laura. She had woken up with a chunk of memory inexplicably gone, uninjured as always, and yet — the faintest scent of blood under her scrubbed nails. She wasn't in a hospital, but some big room with heavy doors and Linda the social worker; her head was bandaged, her look one of bone-deep concern as she sits beside the girl.

Oh. The memory of her recapture sits heavy in her gut. The collar, the chair, the network recording, just before everything vanished from her mind. Linda runs a hand through her hair and explains things basically: Shiloh came, he took her, and he used something on her to control her. But it's fine now — all fine, his body was found, he can't do anything anymore.

Laura looks tiredly skeptical at the whole thing. She asks if she killed anybody. Linda dodges the question, which is answer enough. "We just... what he used might still be in effect, so we're making sure you're back to yourself." Linda knows her bad history with rooms like this. Maybe it's why it's so big and spacious.

But she stays, and days pass, and she's not sure what happens outside. She just knows people are dead, and she hasn't any clue who. There's something terrifying about not remembering if you took a life, even if such an act is too easy for someone like her.

When she's finally cleared to leave, there's a paranoia in her that maybe she isn't.

So she steers clear and packs a bag and runs away into the woods. But she at least leaves Linda little note this time, so she doesn't pull her hair out panicking. Out there where she can find comfort in isolation, she makes herself known on the network; she doesn't use text. It feels like an easy out.]


I do not remember... what happened. I know a man did something to make me hurt people, but...

[A pause, heavy and unsure how to proceed; but the guilt is there to carry her forward.]

I am sorry for any pain or suffering I caused.

I will be staying outside the wall for a little while, to make sure I am not a danger.

[She thought she'd maybe figure out something to say after that, but...

Her mouth just sort of freezes there.]
madeupnames: (pic#12588925)
[personal profile] madeupnames

[There's a muffled and pained groan, one of a boy who has made terrible mistakes and is suffering horribly for it.

... And also a clear sound of someone sliding out of a bed and thumping on the floor — blankets and all, legs barely hanging onto the lip of the mattress.]



I am so, so sorry.
childofaxios: (easycompany-chyler-136)
[personal profile] childofaxios
MISSING








Belgian Malinois, approx five months in age, answers to the name "DOMITIUS/DOM."

He is trained not to approach or allow others to approach him when I'm not present. Disappeared from the Perimeter Guard facilities approx four hours ago. Vigorous search of the area has yielded no results.

Reward offered for any information leading to his return.

I would

I would like

I would appreciate it if someone with an understanding of magic might be able to determine if he still exists.



[ OOC NOTE: What happened, basically, is that someone decided Dom looked expensive enough to steal, and drugged and took him. Which means they now have a very angry Belgian Malinois on their hands, or with his teeth sunk into their hands. Feel free to have your character have seen him/heard him, and the more adventuresome could try to catch him. GOOD LUCK. ]
madeupnames: <user name=touchstoned> (pic#12281839)
[personal profile] madeupnames
WOOOOOO—

[THUMP, CLATTER, A CURSE WORD THAT STARTS WITH 'MOTHER' THAT COMES FROM A POLITE LITTLE VOICE.]

Wheeew — Helloooo Riverview!

[There's a shuffling of feet as the familiar voice carries further away, like he's walking away from the feed. Someone calls distantly: 'Enjoy your glory years, kid!']

Thank you, sir! Where's the tram...? Which street again — Oh! I dropped my — [Dropped his phone. Oops. Right! He picks it up, squinting into the feed; Peter looks — well, drunk. He's very drunk. He whispers a little lower:] Hey, sorry, oops — sorry, it's late and I'm kinda noisy. I'll shut up. Shhhh.

[He staggers sideways in his attempt to sneak quietly, so there's that.]

Guys, I was, like, so worried about drinking? But I feel great! Mr. Wilson, thanks for helping me loosen up a little; I dunno why I was even nervous. I even did the karaoke thing on my own. Like, the thing on my bucket list? Man... It was so fun... I don't think I had that much fun in... I don't even know when. Heh. I love you guys. [He whispers in a giggle to himself, looking around and ignoring the feed for a moment:] I have noooo idea where I'm at... Oh, wait! that's Centerfield Lane, I'm doing great...!

But where's the tram again? Shit. Iiii mean 'crap'. Crap is what I meant.

Uuuuh. Hold on. [The feed blacks out again, and there's the telltale sounds of someone clearly climbing up a fire escape toward someone's roof. He's very coordinated for a drunk teenager.] There we go! I seeeee it now. Cool, awesome. Cool.

[He looks at the feed again, the background higher up.]

So I was thinking! I've been spending soooo much time moping about stuff I can't, uuuuh. Do anything about, so I was figuring... why not relax a little? I got this To Do List thing I wanna get done, and I was wondering if anyone wanted to help with it? It'll be fun!

I got stuff like — [He counts off on his fingers.] learning how to kniiit, surfiiing, learning origaaami... Holding a really big snake? When I was a kid I always wanted to face my fears and hold a snake, and I almost got a chance to, but then I remembered how scary snakes are and chickened out...!

[He waves at someone down below, sounding so happy.]

Heeeey! You wanna hug?! I have 'give a stranger a hug' on my to do list!

['Dude, what are you doing on a roof at eleven at night?!' the teenaged kid calls back.]

I'm drunk!

['I guess I can hug you?!' Peter fist pumps.]

Awesome!

[The kid down below yells back from cupped hands: 'Hey—! You're gonna break your neck up there! Get down!']

It's cool, I've got really good balance!

[He gives the guy a thumbs up. This is all still recording. Save him.]
gristle: (7)
[personal profile] gristle
[The voice you hear is a teenage girl, and she sounds a little disgusted. Whether or not this post was an accident is up for debate. But she'll respond either way.]

What the fuck kind of place is this? I thought the adults were supposed to care. Sure doesn't look like it.

I need a cigarette.
11calls: When did I start working for you, exactly?! (Researching)
[personal profile] 11calls
[Hey look, it's yet another post that does not happen at three in the morning. It seems that Alex is actually sleeping for the most part. It's kind of amazing. And she's also sounding extremely chipper, even if there is the faintest of whispers of 'Richard' from somewhere behind her. Look, she locked the thing in the drawer of her desk and it still keeps saying the name of the person she has a crush on. It's all Jeff's fault. But she's not going to mention it at all. Nope, it's not even happening. Instead, she's focused on something else.]

So I was talking with a friend recently, or at least recently-ish anyway about games. Like board games and things like that. Did you know that dice and games were used before recorded history on Earth? And that dice were found in tombs in Iran that date back to 2800–2500 BCE? So honestly, playing games is like something that really seems universal and kind of timeless as well.

Which brings me to my next question, and trust me I really do have a point. What sort of games did you play at home? Do you have copies here? What sort of games do you want to see if you have copies of?

I'm putting together a game night, either renting out a cafe, or if need be the school, and I'd like to include something from everywhere if possible. Board games, dice games, card games, it's all going to be welcome here. If nothing else, it'll be a nice distraction from everything else. [Everything else here meaning all of the love festival stuff that's going down.] And the goal is to play five games you've never played before, so come on down.

I'm not even limiting games like Monopoly or Uno or whatever. [Even though she probably should just based on her experience. She's also definitely not bringing Mario Kart. Alex does have some sense of fair play and wanting to keep friendships in tact. For now anyway.]

Also hi if you don't know who I am. I'm Alex. Alex Reagan. Welcome.
nobasisinfact: (64)
[personal profile] nobasisinfact
It seems someone felt it appropriate to put some sort of concoction in my tea. While not completely debilitating I find the results, irritating.

I'd appreciate it if someone happened to know exactly what idiotic concoction of the month is supposed to cause color blindness. Complete color blindness.

[There's a grumble after a few seconds.]

Because of course, this place would do something this stupid.
bardish: 40s; SCD (to-scd-170)
[personal profile] bardish
[ Here's Jeff Calhoun, wizard dad/teacher of youths, broadcasting live from his classroom at Gramarye. It looks a bit... chaotic right now, as there are winged origami hearts flapping around, and some kids equipped with butterfly nets and... y'know, magic, trying to round them up.

Amidst the chaos, the hearts are chirping out what sounds suspiciously like people's names, which the kids are reacting to with various degrees of shouted denials and peals of laughter.

Meanwhile, Jeff looks about as harried as if he's reporting from a warzone. But he puts on a nervous smile and waves at the camera. ]


Hey-- hi! Uh, so... one of my students got a little too into the spirit of Dragosta and brought these [ GESTURING TO THE BAT-WINGED MENACES. ] lovely cards in to share with his classmates and--

[ NO, he can't keep the charade up! ]

Okay, look, he pranked the class. And it's gone totally out of control! A batch of these little fuckers-- [ Cough. A student mock-gasps, 'Language, Mr. Calhoun!' Cue: adolescent giggling. ] --little... scamps... flew out the window, so if you see any? Don't be alarmed, and for the love of god, don't throw rocks or anything at them! If you miss, that projectile of yours will come crashing down on some innocent bystander, and I can't have that blood on my hands, because it's totally my fault for leaving the window open in the first place and failing to rule my classroom with an iron fist and--

[ BREATHE, JEFF. It's just, look, he's pretty sure this is some kind of karmic retribution for all the teachers he terrorized as a teenager, himself. ]

Uh, so just. Ignore them! They're harmless, really. All they do is follow you around shouting the name of whoever you might have a crush on.

[ Hence the kids' reactions to the various names the cards are shouting. Their secret crushes, revealed! It's totally embarrassing! ]

The enchantment should wear off in a couple of days!

[ Meanwhile, one of the origami hearts from hell lands on his desk and starts to chirp a name... but all it manages to get out is a 'CAM--' before Jeff's swatting it with a notebook. SHUSH, HEART.

...

Gosh, he actually feels kind of bad for smashing it with a notebook. Poor enchanted bat-heart... Jeff seems to remember he's still recording, so he flashes another nervous 'EVERYTHING'S FINE' smile at the camera. ]


Okay, that's all, I gotta get back to cleanup-- Bye!

[ But hey, FEEL FREE TO SAY YOUR CHARACTER'S BEING TERRORIZED BY ONE OF THESE HEARTS AS WE SPEAK. ]
happiertimes: (herbskillz-da-cullen-57)
[personal profile] happiertimes
I understand that there is a festival focusing on romantic love going on right now, but I was wondering if there's anyone who would like to go out on a small journey to check on the fences with myself and a few others.

This person should be relative tech-savvy, as most of us are from a world where nothing of this magnitude exists. I've heard that the only requirement is that you be willing to sit for a day of learning. Of course, you needn't only apply if you are. A healer would be nice as well.

Feel free to contact me if this interests you.

Thank you.


[Yes, Cullen is trying to get away from the happy parts of the Quarantine for reasons. Yes, this is a genuine offer.]
madeupnames: (pic#12442280)
[personal profile] madeupnames
[The feed is mostly full of textbooks, the spines all turned enough that they're legible; it's math, chemistry, social studies, all the fun things nobody misses from high school. And on the right side of the screen is Peter, sitting with his cheek on his palm and his elbow pressed beside a blank page of paper. He looks kind of sleepy, like he'd just nod off if he didn't have the feed to focus on.]

So I've got this essay I need to write by tomorrow, and I'm having a hard time getting — personal, and all that. The prompt's asking about what inspires you, specifically. [He looks to read it word-for-word:] 'What motivates you in your day to day life?' And I mean, I've got a lot of motivations, but trying to put it to paper is giving me a wicked case of the fogbrain.

[He tucks his pen under his nose, holding it with his upper lip for a moment before letting it fall pitifully to the table. He sighs.]

What motivates you guys? Into doing what you do? What makes you put your shoes on in the morning, huh?

And don't just say 'to avoid stepping on pointy stuff barefoot'. That's a cheap and obvious answer—

[Peter startles violently as birthday music blares behind him, so much so that his pencil goes flying through the air and RIP's somewhere off-screen. Pam the pancake making robot seems to be flying onto the scene in the background with freshly made pancakes and festive lights blinking all over her.



A little lighter arm pops out, preparing to light a lone candle on the stack of flapjacks.

Peter mutters, mortified:]


...I thought I disabled Birthday Mode for repairs...

[He looks back at the robot with his hand pressed to his temple, and clears his throat.]



... Pam, uh. My - my birthday was two days ago. Two days. It's August 10th. And, uh, it's... it's the 12th now.

[Peter watches as the AI seems to try to process this, tapping his finger on the table and thinning his lips at the awkward silence. Pam's little plate-holding robo-arms lower slightly, the generic birthday MIDI file slowing to a depressive stop as the party-themed lights and lighter are shut off together. A pause of nothing. Then she turns and dejectedly wheels away into the community kitchen with her plate of pancakes.]

Wait, Pam — Aw, c’mon, I can still eat them! Hey—

[Peter drops his arms.



... Note to self, fix her internal clock...]
shoplifter: (pic#11316477)
[personal profile] shoplifter
[Laura has not really been on the network much, since the kidnappings had happened. She had been scarce in general; just because she was held captive all her life, after all, did not make it any easier to be thrust back into that terrible sort of world. But now she's back and has at least had some time to try and heal from those nasty little metaphoricalwounds, chewing on her pencil thoughtfully before lowering it and smiling a little from where she sits at a table in the community housing..]

I am twelve now... I have never had a birthday before, so I am not sure what to do other than to say so; since I have been here for a year now, I have decided that August is my birth month.

[She grins a bit, rather impish.]

And since I do not have the exact day, I guess every day in August will have to be my birthday. Gracias.

[LAURA NO

Oh, the feed ended on that note.

Guess August is National Laura Month, so sorry.]
godslay: (084)
[personal profile] godslay
[ Hey, you know who hasn't graced the network in a while?

This tiny monster.

You know who understands how the network works and thinks it's neat?

That same tiny monster.

When the camera clicks on, Groot is standing way too close to the screen, and all that can be seen are his gigantic, black eyes. There's a muffled, "I am Groot?" and then he's setting the communicator down and taking a few steps back until he's mostly visible from the waist up. He waves cheerfully at the camera, and then reaches offscreen to produce...

This bad boy.

He waves it around effortlessly; even if it's already extended, it's clearly near weightless. An excellent blade, all around.

Not excellent for children, however.

Offscreen, Gamora's voice sounds distant:

"Peter, have you seen my—"

Her feet appear in the camera's view, followed by a sharp, reprimanding, ]


Groot! Give that back! You're going to hurt yourself!

[ And she's stomping over to snatch away her sword.

Groot whines when Gamora takes Godslayer, and after a brief pause, the sapling is bursting into immediate, earsplitting bawling.

Sorry to anyone next door or on the adjacent floors. ]


Ugh.

[ She scoops up her communicator, too. It takes a second for her to notice that Groot turned it on, but then she clicks off the feed. ]



[ Following after that disaster: ]

Who has experience dealing with tantrums?
madeupnames: (pic#12388915)
[personal profile] madeupnames
[ >> VIDEOS SUCCESSFULLY UPLOADED TO NETWORK.

PAM — TEST VIDEO ONE

There is a sooort of human-y shaped... robot... in the screen? No, well, it has an apron on. That's literally the only remotely human-y thing about it, with it's multiple arms and little cute wheels and the pans and interesting funnels and — oh, that's a spatula in one hand! Cool. Peter has adjusted the camera feed to record it, clapping his hands together and backing away in the screen. He's got a dope shirt on and his signature hoodie and cuffed pants, and he's ready to LIGHT SHIT UP.

"Okay, here it goes — Hey Pam?"

"Yes, Petey Parker?"

"Wait, wait, I said Peter, Peter is the — did I screw up the voice recogn—"

The video stops for a second.

"Hey Pam?"

"Yes, Sweety Parker?"

"Oh my god no no no, Peter, it's—"

The video stops for a second.

"Hey Pam, can you make some pancakes?"

"Of course, Sweety Parker," she says, and then whirs to life. Peter has apparently given up on trying to make her get the name right, but that's — you know, that can be fixed later. Batter from the fixture on her back moves through a tube and into a funnel and — proceeds to overfill the pan underneath it, getting batter all over the kitchen stove.

"Oh crap!"

PAM — TEST VIDEO TWO

"Hey Pam, can you make some pancakes?"

She gets through the batter funneling thing okay, but then when it's time to FLIP the pancake, it ends up flying up and sticking to the ceiling. Peter stares up with a slack jaw for a moment, and then rubs his face with a groan. Don't worry, he'll crawl up the wall to get that off, but only when the video's off and nobody's around. Cool.

PAM — TEST VIDEO FIVE

This time will be different! Pamela's been fitted with a new arm, and the idea is she flips the pancake from one pan to the other, so both sides can be heated. Peter is much more covered in flour and pancake mix than the last few failures. The only problem is that the piston is too overpowered the first time, so when she flips the pancake onto the other pan, the two pans just VIOLENTLY SMASH TOGETHER AND THE WHOLE ARM COMES OFF.

"Oh my god Pam, are you oka—"

"The pancakes are complete—"

PAM — TEST VIDEO SEVEN

The pancake is thrown unceremoniously at Peter's head. 

PAM — TEST VIDEO NINE

Peter hides behind a table he has flipped over for protection. Pamela starts speed-making pancakes. There are too many pancakes. TOO MANY PANCAKES OH MY GOD THEY'RE FLYING NOW—Also note to self, Pam's ability to process the human language is way worse than Siri, because 'Stop making pancakes" apparently sounds like "Top the pancakes", so she shoots blueberries into the mix from the secondary container on her back. It's terrible. But Peter does eat the berries off the counter.

PAM — TEST VIDEO TEN

Pam wheels around in a circle to move towards Peter at the table.

"The pancakes are complete."

Her wheel gets caught on something and she topples completely over, sending pancakes flopping across the surface of the table. Peter winces, looking over the edge and at the fallen machine.

"... Thanks, Pam."

From the floor: "You're welcome, Sweety."]


[Live VIDEO.]



[Peter sits at the table, red in the face with his hands on his temples.]

... That supposed to be a video invitation thing about Bad Movie Night.

Those're — um. Just. Ignore those. Those're just a, a thing for robotics, um. I'm just ironing out the kinks with the AI programming and the... anyway. Since things have been so stressful lately in Riverview, I thought maybe... you guys would like to rent out a school room and watch awful movies next weekend? Just let me know if you wanna hang out there with us, I'm kinda just leaving it an open invitation kind of deal. 

I've got Plan 9 From Outer Space? And Birdemic. And you can bring whatever bad movies you want, too. No pressure, though. I've never really done one of these, I usually just watch them with my friend back home, but I figure... spread the love, right? Because man, we can all just take a little break—

[There's something whirring to life off-screen. "Processing command...! Yes, Sweety Parker, I will make the pancakes."

VrOOM SHE'S WHEELING OFF IN THE BACKGROUND, and Peter nearly knocks his chair over to follow her. He slaps for the network device, mostly-offscreen.]


Nononono, Pam, I didn't say

[End feed.]

((OOC: Action for Communal Kitchen Floor 2 is also totally fine, if you wanna drop in on Pam and Peter, maybe try to get some free pancakes.

Bad movie night might have a log this Saturday, so stay tuned for that possibility.))
pinkyswearing: (157)
[personal profile] pinkyswearing
[ There are certainly more important things going on but Kai is never one for caring about the appropriate times to ask things. ]

What are you most afraid of, citizens?
indigobird: (2)
[personal profile] indigobird
[Hawke's been thrown her fair share of curveballs by life, but this? This is... different. Okay, that's putting it delicately: this shit's weird, as Varric would probably say. And as someone who's seen a LOT of weird shit, that's saying something. It's a lot to take in, but Relm, despite being rattled, doesn't let it show. Her usual snark hides the nervousness she's feeling at being in a new place and far away from the familiar.

At least there's a way to get back... though Maker knows how long it'll take. And honestly? She's not in much of a rush. If it weren't for Carver and her friends, scattered as they are, she probably wouldn't be inclined to go back at all. Not that she'll admit it.

With a little introduction and instructions, some money and a pat on the back to send her on her way, Relm finds herself wandering the city. Sure, she could go to her new place (ugh, communal living) but instead she winds up sitting in some grass in a quiet location, just trying to get her thoughts together. And it's then she remembers the little... phone, they called it? She could talk to a bunch of people at once with it. They even showed her how to use it.

A big mistake, as they'll all discover.

Well, if she's going to be here for Maker knows how long, might as well introduce herself and get a feel for the others here.]


Oh I do love it when life keeps reminding me that it's capable of surprising me. You'd think by now I'd have learned my lesson, but oh no. Foolish, foolish me.

[It's all said in a joking, almost laughing tone.]

Riverview. Quaint name. Not so quaint city. The ridiculously high buildings are going to take some getting used to. It's all so... clean. A laughable complaint, maybe, but well, I'm going to complain anyway.

The oh so lovely people at the gate gave me the basics, but there are a few horrendously pressing questions I do have for you lot:

One, where are the best places to drink? Two, what's the general view about mages and magic here? And three, where does one acquire... let's say art supplies? Paper or parchment, ink or charcoal, and the like? Maybe even paint if I feel so inclined.

[She almost goes to end it there, but, well, her mother didn't raise a complete barbarian.]

Oh, yes, introductions. My name is Hawke. Hopefully my reputation didn't precede me here.