August Mingle Log

[sphererpmod]

Who: Everyone
What: The open August log.
When: The month of August.
Where: All over.
Notes: Fireflies.

August Open Log

innnnnnnn summer

So, someone seems to have gotten the idea that summer has kicked into high gear. Or at least it would if there were seasons here other than the artificial ones. So the party this month definitely has a large summer bent to it! Instead of the main party being held in the merchant dome, which has another purpose right now, the party is being held in the Rec dome. More than that, it’s being held around the swimming area. The swimming area consists of three pools and smaller communal bathing areas. The large pool is Olympic sized, and is a sparkling blue. It’s fresh water, and probably clean enough to drink. I still wouldn’t drink it. The second pool is slightly smaller and more kidney shaped with a gradual sand mound at one end of it. This pool is salt water and looks a bit more like a beach than a pool.For those who are missing the actual sea, the pool is a wave one, the highest wave cresting at about four feet. The third pool is a kiddie pool, complete with a splash pad, that’s running. Buckets drop, it’s got one of those mushroom things, and sprinkler jets.

Set up between the pools is a brightly colored tent, and there’s massive grills going behind it. These are definitely the sort of grills that one uses to feed the sort of crowds that would be at old timey Church socials. Every sort of meat is being grilled or smoked on them that you can imagine, right down to an entire suckling pig on one end. Veggies and corn and potatoes in foil are at various stations, and locals are pleased to hand you some of whatever you want before directing you to the cold salads stations or to the long picnic tables covered in red and white checked tablecloths.

On a different long table is beverages of every sort: wine, beer, sangria, sweet tea, lemonade from ice-cold carafes. They’re being served in red solo cups, going along with the theme of this being a picnic. Strangely enough, there doesn’t seem to be any desserts anywhere. You’re gonna need to go elsewhere for that!

For those who didn’t bring a bathing suit or a towel (or a cover up if you’re feeling modest) they will be provided in the changing rooms along with flip-flops. The changing rooms also have volleyballs for the volleyball net, and an assortment of sand toys and beach balls for people to play with. There’s also various local bands playing music, and a temporary dance floor for people to jam on.

Additionally, the baths are still present! There’s a large bamboo building near it, and inside are various sets of hot and cool pools, sauna and steam pools, a masseuse and other spa treatments and the like. There are three options for these times. 1.Strictly bathing suits, 2, strictly mixed nudity/ bathing suits and 3. Strictly separated nudity. No one below the age of eighteen is getting naked in the baths, sorry kids.

ten million fireflies, i'm weird cause i hate goodbyes.

Someone, somewhere during the movie night said that they missed nature, so the Sphere has provided. As the “sun” in the rec dome starts to “set” people will notice something odd. Small, fluorescent bugs appear seemingly out of nowhere. It’s just one or two at first, but then they almost seem to fill the sky, creating an internal galaxy. The bugs are entirely harmless, and will land eagerly almost in cupped hands, and form crowns in people’s hair. They’re listless and practically tame, but will only be here for the night, so enjoy them before they disappear in the morning.

oh so the cake is not in fact a lie

Several weeks ago now, Carol and Alex got started talking about desserts and baking. Alex, being candian mentioned that the one thing other than coffee that she can cook is Nanaimo bars which are a no bake dessert. Carol ran with the idea and the two of them went to Max with the idea of having a no bake no sale. So, they opened it up and main street too is set with those red and white table cloths and picnic tables, and are strewn with lights and there are many many no bake desserts set out. Basically anything you can imagine is there, from Alex’s Nanaimo bars and Carol’s Chocolate drop cookies, to any varieties of cheesecake, mousse, tiramisu, pudding, rice krispy squares and so on. There’s also more beverages of every variety here in those red solo cups.

For those more health-conscious there’s also a variety of fruits and cheeses around. There’s also more music and a variety of card games. Of course betting is surely optional but no one’s really looking all that hard are they?

exploration: teeth and bones. (yes again)

After what had happened, there really is no putting back the seals on the doors to the places that were opened up, even though the council has tried with some of them. There are some doors that are deemed too dangerous to let anyone go inside of (lava and ghosts are not good things to let loose inside the Sphere, no matter how fun it would be at the time) but the door in the infirmary (in the morgue) needs to be open for practical purposes. Which may not be great for people who work in the infirmary, but there it is.

Once people drop through a hatched hole in the floor of the morgue, there’s tunnels extended out for several hundred yards, into the dark. If you have a flashlight, it’s clear to see that here and there the walls are etched with Latin, carved into the stone of the tunnels themselves in what looks more than a little bit like scratches rather than anything that resembles tool marks. The words are repeated at first, over and over: ”cave veniunt!" And "ossa et dentibus illius ruminandum!" Along with the repeated: “cave.”

The skeletons inside are supposed to have been all taken care of, but you can’t help the uneasy feeling that moves down your neck in the darkness, or the way that you can swear you can hear more than a little bit of a hiss of bone. There are things discarded here on the floor of the hallway, gathering more value with the deeper that you go, but is it worth being down here in the dark with the dead for that?

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Loki Odinson | OTA & Closed

[itsnothingpersonal]

Iiiiin Summer ~ The Pools; OTA

At a pool party in a facility under the sea, someone like Loki was in his element, moving through the crowd, tall and lithe, with practiced grace, pausing here and there to listen to a conversation, hoping to catch wind of something interesting, worth investigating, or that could be used to his advantage. He'd opted for something more casual, though he was still slightly overdressed for the environment. He had no intention of swimming of course, and was more here to mingle.

With a cocktail in one hand he moves from one gathered group to another, not spending too much time with one or another unless something interesting comes up. When he joins, he smiles pleasantly, raising his glass slightly, and saying before taking a sip, "It really is quite the party, isn't it? To summer."

EXPLORATION: TEETH AND BONES; Closed to Charis

Tales of the cursed vaults beneath the infirmary were enough to catch Loki's attention weeks ago, and with curious backup secured in the form of the Goddess of Vengeance no less, he was finally ready to go. He was, of course, fully confident in his own abilities, but it would be nice to have a distraction along while he gathered things, or studied them. He was curious what technology those who'd used the abandoned facility had left behind, but more than anything, he wondered what lay in wait so absolutely that it required necromantic protection. People didn't just curse a hold for no reason. It was a waste if resources.

And where had the skeletons come from? Were they the remains of those who'd come before them? Every question gave way to 100 more and he intended to have them. That and it was something to do. He'd quickly trusted Charis, at least as much as he ever trusted anyone. If nothing else, her desire for adventure matched is curiosity enough that they could rely on one another in this.

He waited for her at the trap door leading to the sealed vaults, clad in dark leathers and having left his helmet in his pod. He had a feeling space would be tight below and that would just be embarrassing in front of a woman so graceful, experienced, and short of attention span. He did have standards.

"Ready then?"

pools

[toivory]

Sansa gives him a sly smile as she raises her own cup and drinks deeply. Sangria, she was learning, was incredible, and so easy to drink. "To Summer." She winks at her Frost Giant friend, embracing the irony in their words.

"What're you drinking?"

[itsnothingpersonal]

Loki returns her smile with one of his own, mischievous (unsurprisingly). "A 'margarita', lime flavored. I like the way the sweet tartness mingles with the liquor." And he motions to her drink. "You?"

Team Winter tho

[toivory]

"Sangria- wine, some sweet liquor and fruit. You must try some-" She holds out her solo cup to him. "You're more than welcome to try mine."

Go Team Winter!

[itsnothingpersonal]

He raises an eyebrow but takes the offered cup, offering his glass in exchange. "Cheers."

And he takes a drink, and has to admit it's pretty damned pleasant. He smiles and nods. "Quite nice, actually. And this is your first, I take it?" He's pretty sure it isn't.

[toivory]

"Cheers," she echos, taking a sip of his offered cup. The lime was tart, bringing a purse to her lips. The salt off-set it nicely, the right amount of salty, tart and just a bit sweet.

"Yours as well! Perhaps I'll have my own margarita next- that should be my third drink today." She drank the fresh water here, as well, eating a few bits and pieces of food as necessary to keep herself from losing herself to alcohol completely. She liked to keep her wits.

Re: Loki Odinson | OTA & Closed

[elevatorisnotworthy]

Thor emerges from the water, wearing a pair of swim trunks someone had given him after he had tried to go into the pool naked. Not caring too much for the clothing, he still wore the very loud colored fabric as he stepped out of the water, opting for the pool with the sand that made him feel like he was home on Asgard. The beach sand beneath his feet felt good. Reaching up, Thor brushed some of the water out of his eyes, missing his long hair. He tried not to dwell on it, but he had loved his hair very much.

Moving over to the table of goods, he picks up a drink and sips it. It is not ale, not something of his world, and yet he doesn't hate the taste of it. He smiles, making his way through the people, but still there was something off. He didn't talk to his brother, knowing Loki would be able to see how his smile didn't quite meet his eyes.

It was easier to pretend everything was okay when it was with strangers.

[itsnothingpersonal]

It really wasn't possible for his big brother to emerge from a pool without being noticed. It was as though he had some sort of beacon all women, and some men, were drawn to and Loki couldn't help but roll his eyes as Thor rose from the water, shaking his head. He'd always been the one who demanded attention, even as he feigned ignorance.

Or maybe it actually had been ignorance. After their little talk, he was willing to give his big brother the benefit of the doubt. He was, however, pleased to see Thor had come along, with the way he'd been moping, and he approaches the Thunderer with a glass of sangria.

"You came. I'm surprised."

[elevatorisnotworthy]

While men and women may have been staring, Thor paid no attention to any of it. Sadly, Thor was not the same Thor that Loki had grown up with. Things had changed for him. And while he was happy, having his brother back in his life, there were still hints of the past. There were glimmers, failures that he didn't want to discuss. This Thor was a god with insecurities, for the first time in a long time. How he wished he could have a conversation with his mother.

Hearing Loki approach, Thor snapped back to reality and smiled at his brother. "You did make it sound like I could not stay away," he teased, leaning over to nudge his brother in the shoulder playfully. "If you would like, I can leave so that you can have all the attention to yourself."

Thor winked at his brother. Yes, he would leave if his brother wished it. And yet, he knew that he shouldn't need to. His brother could command attention from anyone and should not feel threatened at all by his brother's arrival this day. "And what is that concoction that you be drinking, Loki? You didn't enchant the punch again, did you?"

[itsnothingpersonal]

"Again?" He looks slightly offended but laughs after a moment. To anyone else, it might have been an offensive question, but Loki won't deny it's warranted in his case. "Not yet, brother, but the night is young."

He grins broadly, offering the glass of iced green liquid to Thor before conjuring another from a nearby stall to his hand.

"It's called a 'margarita' and it's surprisingly decadent." He motions to the glass he's just handed his brother. "Go on, then. Try it."

[elevatorisnotworthy]

Thor takes the drink from his brother and he sips it, frowning slightly. "An odd wine," he murmured as he handed the drink back to Loki. Like his own beverage, he wasn't opposed to it, but it was not the ale that he was accustomed to. It was sweeter, with a tang to it that he could not put his finger on. "Decadent is one word for it."

He would tell his brother about his drink, if he knew what it was.

"This is an odd place, brother. I think I am settling in, and yet I wish I could just return home. In truth, you are the only thing I find favorable about it so far," he murmured.

The Pools

[minus1twin]

It was easy to spot the flittering social butterfly that was Loki, Asgardian Prince and declared God of Mischief. She waited until he was in between conversations before stepping forward to capture his attention, her light green eyes curious as she approached him. He didn't look to tense which meant that he probably hadn't realized that more of the Avengers had appeared in the Sphere.

"You look like you are having fun." She didn't mean to sound surprise but Wanda wasn't always good at hiding how she felt. Not when it came to things like this.

"I thought you would be worried."

[itsnothingpersonal]

He smiled at Wanda's appearance, an eyebrow arching slightly in curiosity. "And why should I be worried, Wanda? I've done nothing wrong." He takes a sip from his drink, though, with a questioning look on his face.

"Unless, of course, you know something I don't."

[minus1twin]

Wanda laughed softly. "Well, that is true but more Avengers have arrived and I know that you were not on good terms with them." Specifically it was Tony and Steve, two of the people whom Loki had fought against during his attempt to take over the world.

"I wanted to make sure you were doing alright."

Wanda, worried? What is this craziness?

[itsnothingpersonal]

He made no effort to hide the frown of his confusion. It wasn't easy for Loki to process random people giving much concern for him, let alone an Avenger.

"I've been on bad terms with people in the past. Somehow I think I'll manage."

[minus1twin]

"If you say so." Wanda saw his confusion and it made her smile. "If you end up needing help, you can come to me."

She didn't know if the tight confines of the domes would make it more difficult for Loki but she hoped not. He seemed to have a good thing here and she wanted him to be able to continue down that path. Wanda didn't believe that Loki was a bad person.

Selfish. Maybe. But he wasn't bad.

[wasinnocent]

For her part Charis didn't really trust Loki. Like she'd said though she was intrigued by him. The cursed vaults were also another point of intrigue. Not to mention it gave her something to do that might present some excited. Or a challenge. Or, if she was lucky, both. It would also give her a chance to get a better feel for Loki and the situation in general. If they encountered a difficult situation it would let her judge the abilities of at least one other person in this place.

Or maybe she was just making excuses to go do something reckless and fun.

When she walked up to Loki she had on her stealth suit and both her swords sheathed on her back. Nobody could say she didn't com prepared.

"Always. Anything I should be extra prepared for or are we going in fully blind?"

[itsnothingpersonal]

Loki, however, appeared unarmed, though he didn't lack for confidence. He didn't really trust anyone. Well, until recently he trusted his brother to be the blindly faithful moron, but that had been betrayed as well.

He rolled his shoulder in a shrug, motioning toward the trap door.

"The entire area has been cursed and the animated skeletons of the long-dead walk, but while they patrol, they don't seem to be aggressive. I've never seen magic quite like it before. Expect anything."

[wasinnocent]

"Sounds like fun." She gave him a smirk and then pulled the door open. Then without much in the way of hesitation she turned her back to him and walked down. The gesture was meant as a display of trust, though it wasn't a very honest display. It wasn't like she had to see someone to know if they were going to try to stab her in the back.

"So what is the curse?" Magic wasn't precisely her expertise but she'd always thought that curses were specific. "Is it just reanimating skeletons or are we going to be turned into frogs if we stay past midnight?"

[itsnothingpersonal]

He smiles in response, nodding. "Oh, I do hope so. This place is far too...well, droll really. Hopefully, when we peel back the layers, that will all change."

"I'm not sure." Though he can't help grinning at the thought. "Though now I'm going to have to work out how to pull that one off. Giant frog skeletons if the time limit is exceeded." He shrugs. "My hope is there's something more entertaining than the undead, but the night won't answer our questions for us." And while he had many racial gifts going for him, seeing in the gathered gloom here wasn't one of them.

It was silent save for their quiet steps and the scraping of bones against one another with no connective tissue for padding, the animated patrols. He raised a hand and formed a faint glowing ball of energy in his palm. "Shall we?"

[wasinnocent]

"I for one hope you can figure that out. Frog skeletons are something I actually haven't seen." The list of things that Charis hadn't seen was very small and there was actually something almost exciting about the idea of new things. Oddly enough she found all of this exciting in a way she hadn't felt in more time than she cared to admit.

She'd started down before he fully finished making his own light source. For her part she actually could see well enough to not require one and she turned her head to look at him with a smirk.

"Handy." She gestured for him to move forward in her place. "Guess you get to be the flashlight." At the sounds of the bones she put a hand on the hilt of one of her swords. "They're not too far off. We should move around them for now." After all there was no need to fight so early into things. Besides, they had no idea what else they might alert to their presence if the sounds of battle were picked up.

[11calls]

Alex has a drink in her hand when Loki comes up to her and mentions Summer, and she's had enough in her that she looks amused rather than annoyed. Of course the last time they'd spoken, she'd slapped him but Alex knows that she wasn't at her best or her most rational (She also knows that Richard and Simon both would probably say that she's never rational) so she does have the good grace not to actually bring it up to him. Instead, she just raises her own cocktail in the toast to summer, and can't help but also be amused that he's going with the Richard Strand way to formal for this.

It's a pity, they probably are both way more alike than they realize.

"You don't look like you're planning on partaking in the festivities though." She just gestures to his outfit with her solo cup.

[itsnothingpersonal]

"Oh, I believe I'm partaking just fine, really. There's plenty of observe if one knows where to look." Or knows what it is they mean to watch, but that goes without saying. He is pleased to note there seems to be little to no hard feelings, though it really was all in good fun in the first place.

Alex, you're far too sensitive. "Everything settled down, then?"

[11calls]

"Observation isn't doing." It's something pretty close to what she said to Richard earlier, and it makes sense given the parallels that Alex has already drawn between the two of them. Still the words aren't any different than her normal tone of voice and definitely don't have the angry Alex undercurrent to them that had been there the last time that the two of them had spoken.

Still, she does raise a brow at the mention of that last time. "Yes." It's simple, but it's a forceful word that definitely doesn't welcome questions in response to it.

[itsnothingpersonal]

Keen eyes watch her for a moment. Oh the tone of that 'yes' was telling, certainly. Terse without being overly offensive. No questions, then. Perhaps an olive branch, instead.

"I know what is to be reminded your place, Alex. Forgive me any offense." Was it sincere? That was open to debate.