New Eden - City of Tomorrow!

What's going on? I heard somebody say people were stuck up on the surface, and it's pretty clear the monorail isn't working. Where are you guys?

So I guess I have these spa tickets, which means I guess I'm going to the spa? I am not a spa person, though, so if anyone here is and doesn't have a ticket...you can have all of mine.

Um, what am I supposed to do with a spa day? Crap.

Anyone want to go? I have three passes and... what?

So apparently the town has decided to 'apologise for the inconvenience' of the death threats and vandalism and given me an all inclusive spa day for myself and three others. You guys being those three others.

I say we take them for everything they can offer. You game?

Who: Tad and Anja
Where: Anja's pod

Tad was still anxious, but seeing Anja felt more important. With talk of leaving, of going back to New York, he was starting to realize his time with her was limited. She’d get home, realize that they didn’t belong in the same world and he’d never see her again. The thought alone made him ache. He didn’t want to lose her. Not now, now then, but he had no idea how to keep her.

When he got to her place he let himself in, toeing out of his shoes and setting down his bag. “Anja?”

( there were times when everything felt strange )

You still okay?

This is going to sound insane and he's going to kill me for it, but...can you convince Tris to stay with you for a few days? He won't stay with me and... I dunno. I don't want him at his place if someone thinks he's a robot and wants to follow through on the message the left on his walls.

This may not be a popular opinion, certainly not with the person or persons that desecrated several homes last night, but - does it really matter?

Apparently, there are people among us that, under their skin, are actually robots. Seemingly their disguise is good enough that not only are we not able to tell that they are human, but they themselves may not even know.

Surely that brings up a whole host of arguments about what makes someone human.

So - does it really matter, what they are? And, if it does - can someone explain to me why is matters?

Nico

You okay, princess? Things are...rough over here.

Okay, guys - I am not a robot. Really sure I'm not a robot. This is some kind of sick joke, right?

Who: Anja and Tris
Setting: Anja's pod

( pizza )

Who: Anja and Tad
Where: Anja's
Warnings: NSFW

Tad didn’t really realize it, but he’d started spending more time at Anja’s than his own. Whenever her sister wasn’t there, which was a lot, he was crawling into her bed or lounging on her couch. Even now, he’d been at the Gazette all day and come home to her, not his own place. He kicked off his shoes from his spot on the end of the bed, watching her get ready for sleep. “Hey, you never told me, how’d the dinner thing go with your brother?”

Anja was sitting on the little padded bench she had in front of her mirrored dresser, delicately rubbing night cream into her skin. She’d finally gotten past her reluctance for Tad to see her without makeup on, because she sure as hell wasn’t sleeping in it. At least she had a clear complexion and dark lashes and brows, so she didn’t look like a ghost without it. “It was fine,” she said with a languid shrug. “A little weird. Ethan has been dating this dude for a hot minute and decided me and Liv needed to meet him. I’m not holding my breath for a save the date card though.”

( talking in circles, then not )

Anyone up for a Mardi Gras party in the park?

Plan to be there on Fat Tuesday, February 28th!

Who: Ethan, Blake, Anja, Tris, Christians, Olivia, and Jacob (and anyone else?)
Setting: Ethan's Pod, a couple of days after the casino night

Ethan ordered too much food. He could tell that looking at the trays set up, the variety of options. But hey, Blake was a tall guy. Maybe he ate a lot. Maybe Jacob did. Tris probably could. Ethan moved things around again, making sure that everything was in the right place, then shifted it all over two inches again. Why wasn't Blake here yet?

Ethan went and grabbed himself a drink, pouring a little too much vodka into a glass and sipping on it, leaning back against the counter. Someone should be here soon. Hopefully they were hungry. Hopefully this wasn't a mess.

Family dinner soon?

I think you guys should meet Blake.

Ok, who is coming to the casino with me?

It had better be most of you.

MABEL alerts all citizens of New Eden that for one night only, there will be a casino in the town center. One of the larger bars has been entirely converted, red carpet running through the front doors, welcoming people inside. Bright lights, loud music - the works.

Run entirely by robots, it looks like something straight out of Vegas. Everything from gaudy slot machines, to high end blackjack and roulette tables. There is even a show playing throughout the night in one of the back rooms. It's really quite something.

Who: OPEN to Tris, Anja, Olivia, Ethan, Christian (and anyone they may have invited!)
Where: Tris' pod

Tris wondered what moment of madness had actually compelled him to do this. He was an idiot for thinking he could actually host Christmas. Even though the place looked stunning - thanks to Anja - and was smelling amazing - thanks to Ethan. Plus sounded great - thanks to Christian's perfect Christmas present of the record player, which actually had the capability to allow Chris to plug his iPod into it. Tris, though, felt like he was watching everything come together around him, an unsettling feeling of helplessness, even though nothing was actually wrong.

Who: Tris and Anja
Where: Tris’s pod

Anja had pressed a couple of robots into service to carry the numerous decor items she’d picked up over to Tris’ place. Go figure, those lurky hunks of metal had come in handy for something after all. She’d carefully loaded them down, carrying only the lightest bag herself. Shopping had been reasonably fun, particularly since she’d had company for a while. Anja didn’t mind being alone sometimes, but it was nice to have another person to talk to. She knocked on Tris’s door and then began unloading the robots, placing bags on the porch to be carried in.

“Did you buy the whole store or something?” Tris asked, taking in the bags with a laugh as he opened the door. “I… would never have thought of this much stuff.” Then again, that was why he’d wanted help with decoration. If it had been left up to him, there probably would have just been a small tree in one corner and not a whole lot of anything else.

( that's why you have me )

Who: Cillian and Anja
Where: Christmas Shopping

Last Christmas Cillian had set up a little tree in his apartment. It had been about two feet high and didn't require more than a dozen ornaments to look complete. It was the most he'd ever decorated on his own, but he and his suite-mate had been happy with it, knowing they'd both go home for Christmas to the decorations that their families set up.

This Christmas, Cillian was all on his own and had decided to throw a party, which meant that a little two foot tree wouldn't suffice. He'd picked one tall enough that he needed a ladder to reach the top, sent it to his pod, then went about raiding the rest of the decorations. There were lights and ornaments, stockings and garland, wreaths and wrapping paper. He found himself inspecting everything, picking up a little of this and that, not even sure where it would go, but sure he would find a place. And if he couldn't, hopefully one of his new friends could figure it out.

( Read more... )