closedish to cool guys having chill day

[megatheorem]

Who: a bunch of funky friends invited by Viktor and Palamedes*
What: Having a Party in a field with Fireworks
When: the second week-ish in May
Where: (the field outside of) Pal and Viktor's bunker in Gaze

Content Warnings: alcohol and teens drinking it, irresponsible use of explosives, see threads for anything else that comes up

*If you have friendly CR with Palamedes please feel free to handwave that he mentioned this happening, also if your character has CR with a Pal Friend (a pal^2) who would invite them along, he's broadly allowing this. It's not a formal affair in the slightest lmaooo

--

afternoon/evening.

Earlier in the morning on the day of The Fireworks Field Party (tm), Palamedes makes sure to send a quick location ping to anyone who's never been to the Sixth bunker (also tm) before, because it is, indeed, just in a field somewhere in Gaze. The treeline is comfortably distant from the door to said bunker, which is the only real indication anything is out here besides a few "big rocks" that he names, in his message, as landmarks.

As an afterthought, he has set up a little trail of mason jars containing glowing mushrooms to lead the way to The Field, helpfully. The Field is what it sounds like: a dang field, just slightly ominous in the Gaze fashion, although besides the usual somebody's-watching feeling, it's grassy and spacious for kitschy lawn games. Among the things Palamedes has provided (upon recommendation of a shopkeeper, so like, do not perceive his choices, they were made for him) include:

1. Just a load of blankets, big cozy ones dutifully spread out for chilling on, on the ground.

2. Throwing game Crossbones, definitely chosen because of the bones (they are wooden sticks), and just kind of left sitting there waiting because your host does not know how to play physical games.

3. beanbag horseshoes because it rocks

4. Just, like, a specific blanket that has pencils and blank paper sitting on it... This is a free station, no one will question what art happens here.

Harrow has also provided bone chairs for alternate seating, which are precisely what they sound like.

Eventually, the field will also feature a snack table, which is a community effort, and a booze table, which is slightly supervised in the way that your esteemed host(s) will not permit booze and cherry bombs at the same time.

And, because it's an open field in Trench, there is also a table where emergency incense is waiting. Wandering too far from the space immediately around the bunker (which, it's a big space, you'd have to go far) will eventually lead you to blood wards on the ground, on the trunks of a few trees, etc. Don't touch these. Don't be gross.


the fucken fireworks.

It's fireworks. Once it's dark, there are even more glowing mushroom jars and homemade alchemy glowsticks from Waver to be passed around, somehow, and at least some of the little beanbags glow in the dark, ooh!! Viktor has provided cherry bombs to be used with at least a little caution, for god's sake. There are also some slightly larger fireworks in much shorter supply, from a shop, that will be closely guarded until someone with pyrotechnics talent convinces Palamedes they deserve one. Godspeed.

Broadly: this is a fireworks party (tm) for individual wee ones you can throw around on your own, with only a brief smattering of the big ones that light up the whole sky above the field. It's a chill time for cool buds, fire safety is encouraged, so is vibing on the blankets and enjoying a nice evening.

At various times, local dope musician Anna Amarande will be providing some light musical entertainment, for vibes.


the bunker i guess.

The party is not in here, but for reference:
-it's locked via numpad and neither of these stickbug nerds are giving out the code but they'll open the door if asked... you don't have to leave the place to go to the bathroom lmf
-it's a bunker. it's one room and a bathroom in the back. it's full of disorganized nerd stuff and an oversized moon orb and pal's mean omen, rocky the cool rat (harpy eagle), who will aggressively flap at anyone with sticky fingers until they leave
-the code is 69420 so if you're super funny like gideon you COULD guess it

Comments

[tealeafs]

Yes, thank you.. [ She takes the pastry from him, still thinking a little about the way he spoke about Viktor. Mostly just because it's so.. cute, Chizuru thinks. She has heard that there are a lot of couples here, but it's not too common for her to see them in person, so she's soaking in the opportunity and warmth of hearing about Palamedes' affection. It's not like men being romantically involved with each other is a strange concept to her, so that doesn't even stop her.

Instead.. it's just nice.

She's drawn out of those thoughts though by the next question, turning to look the man in the eyes. .. the actual eyes, that is, because she's still trying very hard to ignore the other ones to keep herself from getting too awkward again. ]

Um, it's been about a few months for me now. To me.. it feels like a long time. [ Especially for a girl who spent most of her life living in one house and not going out too much... ] But from what I understand, other people have been away from their homes for much longer now, so I don't think I should say it's been very long.. I don't want to invalidate anyone else's struggles by making mine seem more important, you know..?

[ Maybe it's a little too honest, but it's just the way Chizuru is. Especially since she wants to provide some honesty as repayment for Palamedes being so kind and patient with her.

And giving her a pastry, which she's slowly eating now. ]

[megatheorem]

[Oh— hm. Something about the way she immediately demurs into lessening her own struggles sits poorly with him, although he doesn't visibly react. He picks at his own pastry some more, never seeming to get more than a whole bite in, and wonders if it's too far outside his business to say anything.

To his credit, he wonders this for a whole couple seconds before he decides, nah, he definitely should say whatever he wants, so:]

Did someone accuse you of doing that? [mildly, because what a concept if they did-] I don't think admitting you have struggles is denying anyone else's. People having struggles aren't mutually exclusive, after all.

[It's not a contest, and so on. Ah, and he holds up a hand like, buuut-]

Not that I'm trying to overstep and tell you how to feel. Can you imagine? Telling you how to feel about how you feel; I'd be the worst kind of asshole. [off topic palamedes] But just to be clear, I didn't think you were invalidating anyone. A few months can be significant— a few months can be life-changing.

[She's Valid, tada!!]

[tealeafs]

[ ...

Hold on.

Chizuru just stares at Palamedes, blinking, like her brains need a moment or two to process everything that just happened and came out of the other's mouth. It's just.. A Lot, and it's not something people have told her very often, so it's definitely something she needs a moment to get used to. ]

Ah, no, I-- I just.. didn't want to make anyone else feel bad by talking about my problems, that's all.. [ There may be some Issues here.

It's okay. ]

But, in this case.. um, I'm glad it's not a problem then. It does feel like it's been kind of life-changing.. I don't even know how I'm going to tell anyone back home about this if I do return there.

[megatheorem]

[Ah, perhaps he leaned in too much. He gives her a quick smile, reassuring - much as he tries not to call attention to this kind of thing, it seemed like it could help? But he doesn't like to proselytize or make people feel uncomfortable, so— he's said his piece, he can leave it at that.

He shakes his head, though. Okay, one last thing;] Anyone who feels worse for themselves about your problems is, pardon, an asshole. Really, don't worry about it.

[As a professional not-an-asshole, himself, Palamedes knows the score. He's practiced in the art of not letting his personal feelings ooze into other people's problems to make it all about him; comes, perhaps, with the territory of leadership, but also - well. He's been a part of the "I don't want to burden anyone" song and dance before, and never on the end that feels like a burden.

So it's fine. She can call Trench a horrible shithole full of idiots, and he will let her (and god, that would be funny).]

It is pretty unbelievable, isn't it? Sometimes I feel like a fool not to write everything down, but then I'd never get anything done.

[He shrugs! Pros, cons.]

Most of my people are here, though. Conveniently, depending on who you ask. We're numerous.

[tealeafs]

Here..?

[ Forget all the burden talk. It's in the past now, clearly - if not temporarily. Because Chizuru's attention is entirely taken up by the last thing the other says, her eyes growing wide as she just stares. ]

That many of you? [ It's mostly surprising to her because Chizuru hasn't really seen it before. Sure, some people seemed to know at least one person here who came from the same place as them, but it's the first time she's heard of this many people here coming from the same world.

And.. well, with her being the only person present in this place out of the entire circle of people she knows back home, it's just even more surprising to her. ]

.. it must be nice! Having that many people you know around.. It must make this place feel just the tiniest bit more like home, even if it's not like home at all at the same time.

[ It might make things a bit more familiar, she means. Which might be her projecting a little bit, since to Chizuru this place feels so strange at least partially due to the fact that no one here seems to be like her, or familiar with the way she lives her life.

Still, she's not the type to get jealous. So instead she just smiles, seeming genuinely glad for Palamedes to have familiar company here. ]

[megatheorem]

A few— some of them are here- there, you see the short one, surly, pretending not to have a good time? [He points, indicating Harrowhark, who is definitely all of these things although perhaps "pretending" is Palamedes' personal interpretation of how much Harrow enjoys crowded parties.

He looks around and points to Gideon next, who is surely doing something boisterous and rowdy.]

And her, and there's a third from their House somewhere around here... [Wherever Ortus is lurking, being all reasonable and adult and talking about poetry.] Bless them, they showed up for this thing and I only had to ask the one time. That's not all of us, but it is the ones I'm willing to invite to my home.

[Ahem... Just leaving that out there where everyone can hear it, whatever. He chews another corner of pastry, considering home here in this field and home on the Sixth, and how little he's thought about one since coming to the other.]

You never know; maybe we keep washing up here because our world is... [worse, unfathomably] struggling.

[Never mind that. More gently, with a shade of sympathy, he asks,] Your people haven't come ashore yet?

[tealeafs]

[ Chizuru makes sure to look along as Palamedes starts pointing out his friends in the crowd. Looking at them, Chizuru doesn't recognize any of them as people she has interacted with before - though she figures that maybe she should change that, considering how kind Palamedes has turned out to be as well, despite looking like an intimidating eyeball person. It must mean that his friends are nice too, right..?

.. though then there's that question. The one that makes her slowly shake her head. ]

No.. I'm the only one. [ There's definitely some sadness in her tone as she says that.

But on the other hand, Chizuru knows there's nothing to be changed about that. And it's probably better for no one else from her world to be here, so it's fine. She'll just have to bear it. ]

It's better for everyone back home though. [ Re.. lat.. ively speaking? At least people don't usually change shapes involuntarily there.

Usually. ]

So maybe that's the difference that brings more people from the place you come from here than from mine.. [ Her expression turns sympathetic. ] I'm really sorry to hear that about your world though. If you want to talk about it, then I never mind listening..

[megatheorem]

[Ah, so she is alone. He thinks that kind of makes sense, given how nervous she seems to be at the slightest- anything, but then he thinks that's probably ungenerous of him to think and privately walks it back. Still, he wishes she could have a little more comfort from home, whether that be a person or something else.

Probably a something else. Palamedes has decided he likes it better here, but there's only one person he'd actually ask for; it doesn't sound like she wants to subject her people to this place at all, even if she's lonely.]

That- hm. That's kind of you. Maybe not at this party, but one day— most people find it kind of interesting, in a strange way.

[The entertainment value of his incredibly strange home, it's alright.]

If you ever want to talk about yours, I'll offer the same.

[tealeafs]

Honestly, I'm not sure how much there is to say about mine.

[ Especially since her world is so normal to her. Chizuru isn't even sure what she'd say about it, what she'd have to convey to give any other person even the faintest idea of what it's like to live a normal life in her world. (Though, then again, it's not like her 'normal' life is really all that normal, now is it.) ]

There was a war going on, so.. things were a little tough. [ Perhaps a tad underplayed there, but that's just how Chizuru works. She's trying to at least share her burden here, since Palamedes just told her that she shouldn't underplay her own for the sake of others', but it's a faint attempt.

Still better than Chizuru would usually do though.

The girl stares downward, rather than looking over at him. ]

But that's the reason I'm extra worried about everyone who's still back home. I have no way of telling who might get hurt or worse in that war while I'm here. People very important to me are out there fighting.