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?

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

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

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?

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

...I knew not to trust this place... What the fuck is going on?

Who: Mazie and OPEN
Where: The Park
When: Early Morning

Mazie didn't really sleep like normal people did, so she'd been up long enough to see her pod's grafitti and decide to take a walk. Mostly it was just to try and focus, to try and clear her head. Normally, she would have taken to her computer, but she'd needed a moment. Maybe Tad was right? Maybe she was the driving force behind this?

If she was, she was determined to find the person responsible and have some very choice words with them. She could understand the outrage, the activism it spawned, but if their words had anything to do with the literal pyres in the park, Mazie wasn't sure words would be enough.

As she got closer to the fire, she realized that there were shapes of bodies inside each pillar of flames. "Holy shit..." Typing furiously on her wrist comm, she darted toward the fire. Maybe she'd instigated this revolution, but this? This? This was a nightmare.

This is your fault. My fucking pod. Oh my god, I didn't even know you could string words together like this and not curse and make me feel bad. Ugh.

This is totally your fault. You and your stupid revolution.

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 )

Who: Mazie, Tad, Clementine, and Cillian
Where: Clementine's pod

( is for suckers. )

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: Clementine, Cillian, Tad, and OPEN
Where: The Park
Warnings: Clementine is literally setting the park on fire - HELP!

The park was typically quiet, calm, and far less warm, but there was something happening. Something that had Clementine standing underneath one of the trees there, a lighter held above her head to light each individual leaf she could find on fire. She watched them burn, standing underneath them as the ash from the leaves fell on her like black snow.

Her eyes were glazed over, as if she was mesmerized by the flames on the tree. They grew and spread, catching neighboring leaves in the flame. When each leaf Clementine could reach was either burning or had burnt up, she dropped the lighter and lifted both arms above her head, swirling in a circle underneath the blazing tree. ”I wanna know have you ever seen the rain?”

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

It might make Tad a fool, but he did just as he said he would. A bundle of flowers, fresh from the looks of them, in bright purples and pinks, then a bottle of wine, and he was knocking on Anja’s door. Yes, the concern about the Connies was valid, especially if that nonsense was true, but he did have other things that needed to be dealt with. And maybe he could write this whole thing off as research.

Anja didn’t give a damn about the so-called Connies. It might be a rumor somebody made up to try and scare everyone, anyway, and until she saw some kind of proof, she wasn’t worrying about it. She had company coming, after all. She was curious about what Tad would bring over and what he would do, what he would say. This was the kind of intrigue that she was into. After she laid down her gauntlet, as it were, she changed into cream-colored leggings and a soft pink top. She wasn’t trying to be overly fancy but she did, as always, want to look attractive. Her manicure and pedicure game were completely on fleek, so she went barefoot as she padded to the door of her and Olivia’s pod to open it.

“Hi,” she said, giving him a smile not quite as warm as her usual. He was off to a good start, at least. “Come in.”

( steps in the right direction )

Saw you at the Thanksgiving party...but you didn't seem like you wanted to talk to me. Which is fine. But...it was good to see you.

What did I say about just posting shit and stirring up fear?

Best place to get plastered around here that isn't Room 101.

Ready, set... GO.

Who: Mazie and Tad
Setting: The New Eden Newsroom

Tad stopped for food, then set up at the monorail station, waiting on Mazie. He doubted she’d be as interested in what he found, but well, it was a big thing. Or at least for him it was. He saw it as a start, something new to try. He was pacing, wishing she’d hurry the hell up, but she’d get there when she got there.

She did get there when she wanted to. She hadn’t rushed because she was still a little pissed at Tad for the way he was acting in this place, regardless of the apology he’d given her. She’d made him wait a good fifteen minutes and then arrived, hands in the pockets of her hoodie with her backpack slung on her back and Gizmo trailing along behind her. “Ok Kennedy, spill.”

( At least it's better than the Daily Planet )

I found something. Meet me at the community hub / justice center stop on the monorail.

To Tad
Ha. You're gonna have to miss out on aaaaaall this *gestures to entire self*

To Haru
Hey, robot-smashing machine neighbor: apparently we're supposed to get dinner. I don't know your whole deal in all this but a couple things you should know about me:
1. I'm lazy as hell
2. I like chicks