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

Chikusa Kakimoto - ota

[kokuyoyo]

A - Pre-App
Ciro- or Chikusa, now, to those that know, which should be everyone coming into this apartment- makes sure that everyone is who should be coming here. Inbetween answering the door and doing checks, however, he's a rather lethargic as he shuffles about to get drinks or just sit with his back against a wall.

Occasionally, however, he brings one of two topics up.

The first is to anyone else who attends the school and is near enough in grade level. "Rommy.... isn't at the school anymore." It's a quiet observation, and he seems to be waiting to see more what the reaction is than anything.

Second is more general, to anyone near enough. "Thoughts on the second batch...?"

B - 2am Outfit Swap
As everyone's phones flash with the sign of a new post to the app.... Well. That's when a strange thing happens. One moment, he' in a simple pair of pajama pants and a moon graphic tee, the next he's wearing the black and white long coat that he once wore a good few weeks ago in the dead of night when they were all fighting for their lives.

His eyes dart around quickly, taking stock of the situation in a more alert way than his sleepy disposition throughout the day might have hinted at, and it's only when he's certain nothing bad is going to happen that he looks down at his new clothes. Curiously, he pulls down his glasses which have also changed.

"....That's unnecessary..."

C - General
[Since this IS Ciro/Chikusa's apartment, feel free to bring any prompt of your own to the table. He's not going anywhere. He might even kick your character in the ankles if they overstay their welcome.]

A

[sociallyarcward]

It was nice to have tutoring and studying as a back-up excuse most of the time. It meant John could leave before sunset and just tell his mom that the study session ran a bit late. He's not sure what to make of this get together--but he wants to be there in case someone's figured out something to share or just to see if anyone else has folded.

He sits on the floor near the couch, sipping at a hot cup of tea from a stranegly adorable bunny mug. "Hm? What do you mean he's not at school anymore?"

[kokuyoyo]

"He's not in his classes. I couldn't find him practicing CT." Slowly, his gaze flicks over to Jaune. "I asked around... but he wasn't anywhere. Not even at his apartment. I thought the worst might have happened..."

He trails off, trusting Jaune to know exactly what he means considering the things they've seen, before he speaks up again. "I checked the news reports but no murders were found, either."

[sociallyarcward]

That's pretty serious. The city doesn't shy away from reporting on murders, so unless it just hasn't been found yet it's unlikely he was killed. John thinks about his text conversation with Sakuma.

"Maybe...maybe he folded. That can happen after awakening. It's...it apparently happened to Mako."

A.

[draculabackwards]

Adrian (or Alucard for those in the know) is sipping hot chocolate from a mug with a bat wing as a handle. Because why not at this point?

He considers Chikusa's comment with a thoughtful look on his face. "It is interesting with how things are now. We know information, yet cannot give out as much as we'd like. Wherein we probably do not sound like the most trusting group of individuals to people who need aid the most."

[kokuyoyo]

"If they don't believe our hands are tied while the information blocks are in place, then that's their problem," Chikusa says bluntly. Then again, as shown on the app, he's been a rather needling presence instead of necessarily helpful. Perhaps this is why Luci is like they are...

....Or maybe Luci is still just an asshole, there's that too.

"Anyway... They wouldn't believe us if we tried to tell them the outcome, would they?"

[draculabackwards]

"Probably not. The only way for them to believe would be if another event were to occur. Overall, I think there are more younger users and less adults. That's just based on the people I've talked to and the information I can tell from chat so I could be a little off."

Being a child or a teenager didn't seem to matter in this scenario, as long as they were strong enough to resist getting their hearts torn open.

[transient_specter]

A - Pre-App

Gen - Makoto - is here, of course. It's not unusual for him to be in this room, after all. His 'brother' lives here. He's leaning against the wall near the door, watching the people who come in. No one asked him to play bouncer, but he totally will.

... Still, he'll give people a brief nod as they come in. Most people. If you've gotten into a stupid fight with him he'll let you in, but he'll glare.

B - Magic Time

Makoto's still hanging around, of course. But when 2 AM rolls around, his clothes change to a long jacket, a dark blue robe underneath, and a horned mask over his face. He pulls the mask up and attempts to keep his scythe from bumping into anyone.

C - Wildcard

[Need him for something else? Here you go.]

B

[kokuyoyo]

For the most part, Chikusa has been quiet while letting Makoto guard the door. While their relationship is still a strange one to him, that much is probably an idea for the better. You never know what kind of people end up in their group, after all. So he leaves him some tea and then leaves him alone.

That much remains true when their outfits suddenly change, weaponry fitting into their hands neatly. Chikusa, from his spot across the room, seems mostly apathetic to it, instead preferring to flick through the app. If Makoto checks, he'll probably even see his responses to a couple of people.

But....

At one point, the boy goes absolutely still, expression hard to read as he looks over the app with a bowed head before hastily going to hide in the hallway leading to his room. He doesn't come back for a couple of minutes and, when he does, he lingers awkwardly as he looks over in Makoto's direction.

Ciro's memories.... tell him of an older brother he was able to go to, to confide in, even if in recent years teenage feelings had made him a little more reserved in what he shared. Such a thing is foreign to Chikusa, and yet he can't say he'd hated it. So he just lingers and.... stares, unsure of what to do.

Don't mind if his eyes are a little red, this is fine, he's fine.

[transient_specter]

Makoto does check, skimming the app. There's no new names that he recognizes. Much as he'd hoped for the comforting presence of Takeru or Alain - hell, he'd even take Onari at this point - there's none. So it takes him a few long moments before he glances up from the app to see Chikusa.

... Who looks upset. As he heads into the hallway, Makoto flicks through the app responses, looking for Chikusa's name. And he finds it, and reads both it and the person he responded to. ... And then he gets it.

He doesn't know who this person is, but he understands the sentiment. Someone for whom he'd take their place in hell... he has several of those. Carefully, he keeps flicking his gaze towards where Chikusa disappeared, concerned both from a teammate level and... the memories of being Gen still haven't gone away. So when Chikusa reappears, Makoto goes over to him, grabbing the mug Chikusa had been using and filling it with water. He presses it into the other's hands gently, and reaches out to turn him away from the people. His voice is low when he speaks.

"... Is this someone I should be concerned for you to be around or not?"

b aka :3c(tm)

[blackdogdown]

Nearly immediately after Makoto transforms, a very familiar person comes storming over.

"I recognize you." Or rather, he recognizes the mask. He'd remember this guy anywhere. Luckily, this magic seems to regenerate his metal arm for the night but he wont take that as an excuse.

He angles a finger at Makoto and glares. "You owe me a new arm dip-" Kids. "You know what I mean."

[transient_specter]

... Why is he here? He must have wandered in when he was in the bathroom or something.

Makoto lifts his scythe, resting it on his shoulder. "No. It's payment for putting everyone in danger." So shut your face, Guts.

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.

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."

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?"

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]

a - before

Nakigitsune wasn't a particularly social person back when he was Natsume. He's even less so now, though for rather different reasons. Still, coming to this meetup sounded like the thing to do, so here he is! Standing off to the side, wearing a medical mask, staring into his cute fox mug, like he's pondering whether hot chocolate is worth the risk of taking off his mask. (He'll give in eventually, chocolate is hard to resist.)

While he's doing a pretty good job of playing mute wallflower though, this doesn't mean Naki isn't paying attention; he's listening to the conversation around him, looking around at all the people, making mental notes on who his new comrades are, that sort of thing. In fact, you might even notice him staring at you! Just because you caught him doesn't mean he'll stop staring.

b - after

He's in the middle of a yawn when his outfit suddenly changes - black gloves, a fox-eared jacket and a black lacquer mask replacing the much less noticeable ensemble he'd had on before. He stares down at his hand for a moment, raising it up to touch his mask...this is fine.

The jacket kinda makes him sad, though. He misses his fox. There's a frown beneath the mask (his mouth is actually visible on this one) as he tugs at it, but otherwise he continues not to say anything.

[blackdogdown]

A: Pre-App

Gut has finally relented into selecting a mug after his styrofoam cup broke after his sixth refill. He looms way to tall for Ciro's table and has resigned himself to slouching all night to make up for it. His incredibly masculine purse rests on a chair beside him, begging anyone to take it. It takes a while for him to finally speak up.

"We got lucky last time." His voice is heavy but quiet. "We and the group after us, were not prepared for that battle." He takes another sip and nods at Chikusa. "People are disapearing still. We need a plan of attack."


B: Post-App

When the clock strikes 2am, Guts suddenly recoils with a shout hand flying to his face. A stabbing pain shoots from his eye and when he stands, his outfit has changed from a normal black hoodie and jeans to dark black and brown armor with a flowing black cape. A giant black sword hands to his back. Oh, and he's missing an eye.

"Ow f-" There are children here. "-rick..." He taps the sealed spot where a perfectly healthy eye used to be and winces. "Hrgh. Did this happen last time?"

b

[foxhands]

Nakigitsune is in far less pain, having transformed into a harmless-looking fox-eared hoodie, with a katana strapped to his side. Not as much of a battle outfit as Guts and his armor, but it works. He looks up at the giant man, tilting his head curiously, and makes a questioning foxhand (though it might not look particularly questioning, aside from the matching tilt).

"You're hurt?"

[blackdogdown]

The hand comes down streaked with red but an additional poke reveals the eye doesn't seem to be activly bleeding. Years worth of battle experience inform Guts the loss of an eye is usually messier. It's simply as if his had up and vanished.

"Doesn't seem like it. Just an old wound catching up with me." He wipes his hand on his cape awkwardly and looks Nakigitsune up and down.

"Don't think we met during the battle. Who 're ya?"