003 - Gathering

[kokuyoyo]

Who: Any and all Awakened characters
What: An invitation for a meeting of the Awakened in anticipation of the newest countdown.
When: June 23/24, especially during the latest applenet post
Where: Chikusa's school apartment at Green Valley
Other: Consider this a mingle log for all Awakened characters to talk freely about the newest batch on the app, the new countdown, and when they get their sweet new duds again!


Ciro Bonavida's apartment is rather easy to find. Not only are the instructions left at the pawnshop written in a neat and clear hand, but the school apartments have a directory of their own, of course. While some of the older members of the group might normally draw a raised eyebrow, well... It's Solstice. The apartments aren't as filled as they normally might be in some areas with their occupants out partying, and the parties that are happening inside draw all sorts. No one, in this particular instance, will look twice.

As a bonus to make sure there's no doubt at all, the door on Ciro's apartment has a small paper sign taped to the front. My roommate is OUT! Around it, small happy sheep are drawn. Apparently he's taken inspiration from someone...

Any one of the Awakened who come over can do so as early as they like and stay to the following morning, if they want- Chikusa is fairly certain that Ciro's roommate is going to stay out for a good long while and isn't worried. Still, for anyone staying overnight (a necessity if they want to stay up for the app post to come up), he'd rather it if you went to crash at one of the many parties going on in the apartment buildings... He doesn't have room for everyone, you know, especially since none of you jerks are coming into his bedroom if he has any say about it.

As a bonus, every Awakened is treated to hot chocolate, tea, coffee, or iced tea in one of Ciro's many... many... mugs. Enjoy.

Comments

Koujirou Genda ll OTA

[beastfang]

Pre-App 1[A]

Genda had not told anyone he had followed the vague instructions by Astaroth regarding going to the 'fun' Baalberith. Mostly due to the fact if this was not what it seemed and was a trap for unsuspecting people, then it would hopefully just be him sacrificed and not someone of importance. Though he also had prepared just in case it actually was as it seemed and had came with a rather large box of various baked goods that had been made when his 'mother' had noted that some of the fruit they had was about to go bad and thus on a rare day off had roped him into helping bake them with the blessing to take them with him one day to school if he wanted to share with any friends.

Those and the large container of freshly dried tea leaves were at least an acceptable gift by the standards of his family back home, and not here in Eddan, when entering a house as a guest for the first time. He also had his backpack filled with more of the sheep he had left with his clue for that scavenger hunt the new Marchosias had proposed. A burden he easily will hand off to whoever is willing to offload the foodstuff from him.


Pre-app 2 [B]

After settling in a corner and out of the way of most of those coming and going. While mostly absorbed in observing and writing down things in the small spiral notebook he had brought, the thing that might catch most people's attention is the open backpack and the many possibly familiar looking plushies if they had played the question game from earlier. What is different from the ones before is are the small ribbons in various colors around their necks with either the crossed sword or wheel symbol from the applenet app. If asked he'll explain the meaning behind such things and the change for these ones. If someone asks.

Outfit swap [C]

It was the moment metal and leather suddenly encased his hands that Genda realized something was not following the script from before. There's only a small sigh as the almost fifteen year old is seen attempting to pocket his phone without cracking it or breaking it on accident due to the gauntlets around his hand. Then there's a few moments him staring at the metal trying to figure out how to get them off before turning to someone close by for help. The hat of his black uniform shadowing his eyes until he looks up at a specific angle to be seen past said shadow cast by the brim of his hat.

"I do not think I will be capable of removing these on my own."

The fact said gauntlets are being held on by leather straps buckled securely shows that to be true, considering the sharp claw like fingers encasing said hands. Help him maybe?


Wildcard [D]
[Want to do something else, maybe commute buddies or people sharing the same piece of floor for the night after the app shenanigans? Hit me up. I'll also match your style of brackets or prose.]

B

[kokuyoyo]

As Genda is scribbling in his notebook, a shadow falls over him- in the mundane way and by no means the more terrifying ones that now threaten them all. Chikusa had been mostly quiet after he'd double checked Genda's identity, accepting both tea leaves and pastries well enough. Now that he's back here, however, neither is in his hand. Instead, there is a tiny white sheep plush held up. Genda can recognize it as his "beta" sheep.

"So it's you, then...?"

[beastfang]

There is only a brief movement of Genda's head tilting slightly to the left in acknowledgement of that statement. He had not been subtle at all regarding every aspect of the process regarding those 'beta sheep'.

"It was better then allowing someone to stupidly attempt to use certain other symbols that would likely catch their attention in time, if we are meant to fight against another force."

Genda could only mentally wince at the thought of someone believing they were being clever spray painting the applenet logo or the username symbols all over the city and bringing unwanted attention via mysterious graffiti artist in the news.

[kokuyoyo]

"Well.... I'm not disagreeing there." Crouching down, he starts to shift through Genda's bag with the tips of his fingers to get a better look at the small flock that's been stuffed inside.

"An inside joke is safer than anything else..." He tilts his head slightly. "...But you've gone and changed them..."

[beastfang]

There isn't much of an acknowledgement of the sudden shifting through the bag happening right in his normal space bubble. He had prepared himself for such when he had decided to do this.

"The first set were easily placed where those not among either group could take and spread them."

He had seen a few children snatch some up and some girls from Green Valley that showed no sign knowing anything regarding the app, but had talked about how 'cute' they were and 'hey free things'.

"Which means if ones more specific started showing up, it just looks like some new fad or novelty item. No one will now look twice if people start to customize them."

[kokuyoyo]

There's a quiet noise of acknowledgement. That's actually pretty clever... Spread out a small army of decoys, and anything with meaning is more subtle. Even if the newest group hasn't been exactly raising his spirits (although much wouldn't), Chikusa has to admit that he's fairly relieved to know that there are others with smarts involved in this.

"Do the different colors have any meanings? The symbols are obviously meant to mimic our own assigned ones..."

[beastfang]

"At our current point no. Mostly it's just to aid those not capable of lying if asked regarding said accessory."

Because being able to state honestly you like a certain color was easy to use as a deflection if anyone questioned the little ribbon accessory. Hopefully in time people would start customizing on their own so as to draw attention away from the symbols on said sheep.

"In time colors could be used by others to organize and identify easily outside of the application if people are willing to be marked with such."

C

[sociallyarcward]

Jaune had noticed the young man from the blue office space earlier in the evening. They hadn't spoken much yet, though Jaune had at least acknowledged his presence and they had exchanged a few words or participated in other conversations. Jaune was dozing lightly when the change happen--though of course he'd been stirred earlier with the app's buzzing and then his own change in clothes.

It was a little strange to be wearing the armor again. Of course, he'd worn armor like it regularly back home--but this armor was a little bulkier and not quite the same. Mostly it was the color: predominately gold instead of his familiar white and gold. But it was also certain design elements that made it a bit more cumbersome than he was used to. All in all, he definitely looked like he'd stepped out of some book about knights or paladins.

He looked over when he heard Genda's observation. He stood up, setting his own phone aside. "Here, I can help," he said.

[beastfang]

Considering some of the outfits that had popped up since the moment the app became active again. Genda only gives a brief pause when he notices exactly what Jaune is wearing. At least it's functional protection wise then some other choices among them.

Instead of any comment on that he instead slightly twists and flexes until he finds a way to show the three buckles holding each gauntlet in place without the sharp edges of fingers and knuckles potentially slicing open Jaune's hands during this entire process.

"Thank you."

[sociallyarcward]

"No problem. These aren't exactly the most functional pieces," Jaune admits. He'd seen some pretty far-out armor among Huntsman in the past, but usually they came with ways to retract blades and sharp edges for removal purposes. No one wore their armor all the time.

Still, he supposed this was a little different. This armor wasn't forged by someone--it appeared. Unless it WAS forged by someone, but that raised questions that Jaune wasn't sure he was ready to think about, considering how many layers of messed up everything already was.

"I mean, don't get me wrong, they look cool. But the fact that you can't take it off without hurting yourself seems like a bit of a problem," Jaune added--not wanting Genda to think he was dissing the armor. He decided maybe to stop talking and just work on removing the buckles so that Genda didn't take someone's eye out.

[beastfang]

"I would gladly change their design if given a chance."

They really are far too impractical for anything outside of one function, and it wasn't a function Genda was not keen to be reminded of every time he looked down at his own hands or heard the distinct sound of metal moving against metal as he fingers twitched or flexed.

"Aesthetics is hardly a priority if functionality is sacrificed for it."

Luckily though the buckles are simple, large, and easily manipulated so they don't actually take long to undue. So long as you have the basic dexterity for them.

[sociallyarcward]

Oh, so apparently Genda wasn't a fan of them anyway. Jaune didn't feel quite as badly then. Well, at least not about what he said. Now he felt bad for the kid who had gauntlets that were clearly just made for battle and not for use outside of that without risking injury.

"True. It's not like we have a black smith just down the road or anything," Jaune replied with a smirk as he got the first gauntlet off. He carefully set it aside, and then glanced at it, "Maybe...we should put that somewhere where no one is going to hurt themselves with it."

[beastfang]

Genda takes a moment to flex the free hand. The creak of the leather glove and the clink of the snake scale like armor covering his forearms is ignored for the most part, in favor of the new dexterity.

"It's not deep enough to close but there's a box of first aid supplies in my bag that is likely long enough to hold them if we use the lid as a shield and place them out of the way until they decide to go back to wherever they came from."

Worse comes to worse they just block them off from people being idiots.

b). (yourr e ufucking dead kiddo)

[blackdogdown]

Guts has been mostly spacing in and out of any discussion that didn't involve him, slouched at the table like a particularly grumpy mountain.

He slouches backward and sighs, sipping some horrendous black coffee mix out of a shitty paper cup. No cute mugs for Gattsu. There are a lot of kids here, more then he would have expected. That's...worrisome. Luci would involve kids in such battles? His eyes slip down to the bag beside the kid sitting near him and he nearly spits out his drink.

Guts likes kids far to much to get actively angry about this boy carrying around mementos from that night but it sure won't stop him from glaring at Genda for the rest of the night when he thinks the kid isn't looking.

(It's for a good cause)

[beastfang]

(Un)Luckily for Guts, Genda is used to being glared and stared down for various reasons back home. Especially when he was placed on the main soccer team instead of within the reserves. So for a few moments the stare is ignored as he finishes the last of his notes. Notes that if Guts looks down at during a few moments when the notebook is placed down now and again when someone speaks to Genda or so he may see some familiar names from the app and some random observations about them.

Though after a while Guts is treated to Genda looking up at him with a slow blink and a look one might find on a bored cat.

"Glasya-Labolas with number indicator five?"

(nothing is worth this)

[blackdogdown]

"Its Guts." Thats as much of a confirmation as you're getting. He takes a sip of his coffee to hide a scowl. He looks at the sheep. He tries to resist asking about the sheep.

"You taking notes? Little creepy. We all just met you know. "

[beastfang]

"Better to prepare now in regards to who works well with another or who may not be as seamless as a unit without a foil between them. Knowing everyone's preferences, personality, and disposition now means better tactical awareness if what we experienced becomes common in our future."

It's no different then learning who works well on a team in soccer or exposing a weak link due to infighting in an opposing team.

"Much like using even a negative for something productive."

[blackdogdown]

Gut's eyes widen and he shakes his head with a chuckle. "Yikes kid. Aren't you like twelve? I'm sure we all appreciate a tactician, but that's a little...effed up."

He leans onto a hand. 'Whats the verdict then? You've gotten a dream team assembled yet?"

[beastfang]

"I'm a support. I do what is needed to make certain the tactician can keep their eyes trained where they are most needed and to perform whatever duty is needed of me by their orders. This is just data compilation and personal notes regarding any strained interactions noted."

He's not really going to comment on that age thing. It was likely more just an observation about him being young, which isn't that uncommon to those that didn't know of Teikoku's education program.

"It's not my place to decide who is an ideal team."

b

[foxhands]

He hadn't played the question game, but the dolls catch Naki's attention nonetheless. A whole backpack full of them! Are those app symbols around their necks? Did the kid make them? Did he find them? Is there a reason there's so many?

Rather than asking though, he just walks over to peer curiously down at the open bag. His gaze occasionally slides over to the owner of the collection, but he doesn't say a word.

[beastfang]

Genda waits a few moments to finish writing a line of observations before turning his attention towards the other, after it seems there is no attempt to ask him about such.

"I attempt to create enough color choices to appease most people."

A slow blink and a tilt of his head to the left in question.

"If all of a certain color you are looking for are out, I have extra ribbons I can swap if need be."

[foxhands]

Well. That answers at least one of his unasked questions. Naki blinks back, processing this, before nodding and looking back at the sheep again. He picks out one with a yellow sword ribbon, turning it around, examining it, squishing it curiously.

It's not a fox, but it's cute.

He looks back at the owner of the collection, sheep held up in front of his mask-covered mouth.

"Why?"

[beastfang]

"An easy to recognize symbol that wouldn't cause too many questions if seen out and about. If need be later custom call signs can be made for individuals to give out info with a simple glance."

That's about as close as Genda gets to offering a stranger in making something unique for them if they don't want a sheep personally.

[foxhands]

Another nod, looking down at the sheep. He has a good number of questions, still, but...hm, what to say? Call signs, custom signs, sheep as the symbol of their...group. They're nice signs. Or symbols. Or both?

"...What sort of...custom signs?"

[beastfang]

"Mostly colors and patterns. Though other animals if they have a simple basic design are also an option. Sheep were mostly picked due to how often they seemed to come up somehow in that application."

And the fact they were a very easy to design to hand sew if he needed to finish a few more while in transit.