Nena Trinity has returned, and this time Michael has arrived as well.

[Short. To the point. He wouldn't expect a response from anyone who didn't want to. He was just warning everyone so there weren't any surprises later followed by angry misunderstandings like last time. Though, it wasn't like Nena and Michael had been very secretive about their arrival.

His tone also left no question as to his feelings on the matter. He was not a happy camper.]

[ Whoever this is, they're testing out all the features of the communicator. There's a lot of silence but for the sound of moving - but there's a few flashes of bruised hands, and a pale face framed by white hair that is just as vividly bruised.

Duke studies the device, expression bland despite the fact that he looks like he should be feeling pained. And then he decides he doesn't want to use video anymore, and there goes that. ]

A prison. [ The voice that goes with that pale face... is most definitely a males. ]

Unaware of the level of technology to build such places under water. Agrees with the unfamiliarity of the name of the ocean above. [ Silence like that's all he's going to say. ]


treats...

Uu...Uuu...

[The soft, muffled sound of sniffles floats in the air, voice feminine as the young brunette draws in a shaky breath. Sitting on the cool cement, slumping forward she cries openly into her hands. Long hair shakes, falling over her shoulders as her pale palms grow moist with her own tears. Beside her, a discarded basket sits untouched.]

Wh-what now?

[Hopelessly scrubbing her eyes with the backs of her hands, tears trickle in endless, cascading waterfalls down her cheeks. Her gaze never lifts, the weight of it too heavy beneath clear depression. Her brown eyes shimmer, lashes clumping as salty droplets gather to cling wetly before joining the rest. Her voice cracks, barely above a whisper as she speaks, brokenly.]

I really screwed it up this time. A-And now...I can't even contact them. Ohh...

[Head shaking, she once more buries her head into he palms on a high pitched sob, crying just that much more than before.]

[Today is quieter around the shelter -- and there's less food. It's getting kind of cramped in here, isn't it? And boring. There are plenty of games and entertainments left over from the party, but everyone is gathered together and... finding things to do.]

[So what are you doing?]

[the breath whooshes out of Roxas audibly as the video clicks on. he's on top of a low building, maybe three stories tall, outside the dome, and he directs the video to look out over an almost completely unfamiliar landscape, piled so high with unbroken white snow that it seems barren and surreal]

It is really cold out here. Look at all that snow.

[he directs the video down again. --directly underneath his position, there's a big hole in the snow, showing how deep it is]

It's taller than I am. [wryly, reaching down to brush it off his black leather coat] I was going to offer to get anything anyone needs from their place, but I'm not sure I could find it in -- this.

But I'm glad I got to take a picture of it. [so that he can keep the memory of this, even if he doesn't remember]

I've been taking a lot of pictures lately... and I was wondering if anyone would be interested in teaching a class or joining a club about photography. [looking into the video again now, smiling a bit] What do you guys think?


((ooc: Roxas is going to bamf back inside in a few moments, so if you want action for some reason, just say so in the header))

Good morning, Marina! [Have a very smiley pink haired girl on your video feed!] For anyone I haven’t met, I’m Lacus Clyne and I’m very glad to meet you.

It seems as though we’re all going to be in the shelter today, so we should make the best of things. I was thinking that we should get together and have a big winter banquet! Anyone who wants to help cook should please feel free to come to the kitchens and assist, and if not you should still come and enjoy the food with us.

Dinner will be served at 5 in the main cafeteria, and after that maybe we could have fun playing games and watching movies together. I hope everyone has a good day, and I hope to see everyone at the feast!

[A few minutes later]

I just learned that today is also Ritsuka’s birthday! To celebrate there will be a cake and some special desserts and decorations. [as many decorations as they can find without access to the store.] Everyone please, stop by to wish him a happy birthday!

***
((OOC Notes: Mingle post, open to all! Reply to Lacus by [video] or there are several action options: [cooking] any time before 5pm ICly, [dinner] a huge buffet of almost anything you could want, or [after dinner] for card games, board games, and movies throughout the cafeteria and nearby common rooms! Your character is in no way obligated to be at all of these, but they could be if you want~

Also! A link to Ritsuka’s birthday party will be added once it goes up. There will be cake and lots of special desserts and pretty decorations in one area of the cafeteria.

If anyone wants to intentionally or unintentionally sabotage the food, please contact me OOCly before you do so. Thanks and ENJOY!))

[ video; filtered from Tieria ]

Good day. This is just a small request and reminder...

Mew! Mew!

No, Spot... [ ahh, getting batted by a tiny kitty who wants to play ;A; ] —Wait. [ He closes his eyes, raising an open hand gently as if to gesture, "PAUSE, PAUSE" to his little friend there. (He's sorry, Spot. ;; He can't play now.) Though, poor Setsuna looks tired. What has he been doing until now? ]

Today is Tieria Erde's birthday. [ And raising a photograph of his pretty best friend— ] If you know him, please send him a wish. [ ... especially you, C.B. people. :'D ]

Mew! Mew~ Mew~ [ ffff ]

[ Though, Setsuna shortly comes up with an idea, and folds open his milk carton. Upon catching the sweet scent of milk, Spot walks over to it and starts drinking it contentedly. Afterwards, the kitty happily jumps unto Setsuna's head, and just kind of nests there! ... Well, at least he's relaxed now. ]


[ action ]

[ Setsuna was secretly busy ever since last night, preparing everything that he needed for this evening's dinner. While Tieria is out, he does the final arrangements, running about back and forth all around their apartment.

Checking on the food, doing a little extra cleaning... And all this time, Spot remains nested on his head. Anyway, he didn't forget anything, right? ]


[ ooc | Action is closed to Tieria and Moji. But! If your character wishes to personally drop by at their apartment, they can do so. (Just in case anyone wants to talk to Tieria to wish him happy birthday/give him a present/whatever.) No need for permission, just indicate so. ♥ Setsuna might even invite them to stay for the birthday dinner.

edit; Tieria mun said that Tieria will now be answering birthday greetings or such in this post. Feel free to call him here! All calls meant for Setsuna are automatically filtered from Tieria, still. But if it's directed at Tieria, then Tieria will answer. c: ]

[The feed shows Oz, just sitting there in what looks like the cafeteria. Nothing spectacular or overtly interesting to see here really except that his hair happens to be extra red today. Of course those who know Oz know that his hair can change color from day to day depending on how motivated he is to do it. Let's just say someone got a hold of some cherry kool-aid mix. Anyway, it's just Oz.]

Anyone interested in meditation classes? [Yep, that's all he has to say with one curiously arched brow. Nothing more and not exciting or interesting at all.]

[Sector 5 sees a lot of people over the course of a day. Many live there in houses or apartment complexes; many come there to shop for food or clothing; many come there to relax and have a meal; some even come for the entertainments offered by the bowling alley, the ice rink, or the Devil's Compass.]

[Everyone who might have passed through Sector 5 today is invited to thread out a chance encounter here, or a date, or a gathering of friends. Just tell everyone where your character is and what they're doing, and go!]

[the clothing store is busy today! there's a gaggle of girls in here, trying on prom dresses, cute flowy tops, winter jackets, tight jeans... it's a montage from every girly movie you've ever seen, for half the day.]

[if you come by to get some winter gear or any clothing, maybe you'll catch Orihime trying on yellow sundresses a little wistfully. mmm. it's not... quite...]

[...this is a silly idea. she laughs sheepishly at herself and moves to find something else]

Setsuna! Stop stealing my cigarettes! Damnit! It's not cool!

[ooc: Someone's having unintentional withdrawal because of Setsuna. He meant to send this just to Setsuna... Have fun]

[Not having Lyle home last night, combined with Anew's irritation (she can't really call it anger), resulted in a lot of baking. Her kitchen is so full of cakes and pastries and cookies that they're bleeding into the small dining room and even the living room coffee table -- where one of them has a distinctly haro-shaped dent in the top. At least the resulting pictures improved her mood.]

[Sighing, she slides the third loaf of bread into the oven and decides she's going to have to make a trip to get rid of all this stuff. The shelter certainly could use some of them, and maybe the coffee shop? At least they won't go to waste.]


((OOC: You can catch Anew on her way to the shelter common rooms or the coffee shop with a cart full of impressive looking baked goods! Castmates and boyfriends who need to APOLOGIZE, ahem, can go ahead and see her at home. ~_^ ))

[ When the broadcast starts, the camera is propped up on a shelf in a closet. There is a small hill of cloth that blocks the bottom half of the video, but what can be seen is the top of someone's back. It must be a woman's, because of the straps of a black sports bra that can be seen -- well, it's either that, or Neil has started cross-dressing.

And people will recognize it's Neil (or Lyle, to those less observant) because of the distinctive long brown hair, or just in the voice that calls out. This was not an accident. ] Alright, Marina. You win. [ His voice sounds a bit... higher. A touch softer. Though it could be because he sounds like he's in a great mood. ] This is hands-down the weirdest thing to ever happen to me.

[ He turns then, to face the camera, and it's then clear what he was talking about. His lean, muscled chest has two new additions held back by that black top, there are distinct curves to the hips and waist showing above the belt of his jeans, and there are even subtle changes to the angle of his chin, nose, and--

No, that casually amused grin is still his, even with slightly fuller lips. ] How long do you think I'll be like this? A day? Two? [ A little laugh. He grabs a light blue shirt off of another shelf and pulls it on. It's a little tight for obvious reasons. ] ...think I should get a new wardrobe? Lacus' dresses aren't exactly my style.

[ Then, hands on his hips, he twists so he can look down at his backside. ] At least the jeans still fit. [ If quite snug. ]


((OOC: Open to action for anyone at home, or visitors. There are decorations outside, so trick-or-treating is encouraged -- but Big Sis Neil will only be passing out homemade goods and none of the tainted candies.))

[VIDEO]

[That talk with WV about pumpkins really gnawed on him - SO shortly after Acumen's morning announcement you get a second, more specific request.]

Oi. Anyone thinking about carving pumpkins - do me a favor and save the waste. You know... seeds, guts, rinds, whatever's left over. You can either drop it off in the Shelter kitchen or tell me where to pick it up.

Thanks.

[ACTION - NOON ONWARDS]

[Curiosity shrank the eggplant. The thing about eating memory-erasing jawbreakers is that they continuosly make you forget why you're supposed to stop eating them. And if you top that off with another magical piece of candy (like you do) you'll get... well. A nine year old blond thing scurrying around the Shelter trying to 1) not freeze his ass off and 2) find clothes that fit him better than the over-sized shirt he's currently stuck with.

tl;dr - jumping on the de-aged-memory-loss bandwagon. Sanji's nine in every aspect. ]

[A bit before "sunset," a softly smiling Lacus appears in the video.]

Good evening, Marina. Thanks to an inmate request, tonight we are going to observe a lovely meteor shower in the night sky using the star projector. I have arranged viewing areas on the beach with some light refreshments. However, you should be able to see the meteors from anywhere in the dome.

If anyone would like to see star patterns or other sky-scenes from their own worlds, please don't hesitate to contact me. If you have photos or descriptions I can make a program for the projector quite easily.

I hope everyone has a pleasant evening.

( And about a half-hour after dark... )

[Oz is sitting on the sand on the beach in Sector 4 watching the faux sunrise. His legs are crossed, his hands rested on his knees and his eyes closed in full meditation pose. He looks completely relaxed and calm... maybe even at peace. Any onlooker might be able to see a slight sway to him even, moving with the sound of the water as if it and he are one entity.

Feel free to come across him and interrupt him if you like.]

[Lyle's used to someone else being in the bed with him so he is completely unaware that something was different as he sleeps. He should have been considering something had changed quite a bit between when he had fallen asleep with Anew and now. For the moment though, he is blissfully unaware]

[ooc: closed to Anew and Subaru]

Upon entering Sector 4, the very large tent that stands framed by the beach is quickly noticeable. Closer, one can see colors dancing upon the white sheets, like opalesque spires under the moving onyx sky. As you enter one of the wings of the tents, grass give way to wooden flooring, and chains of white blossoms and gold ribbons line the sides. The open dance floor in the center bids one to look up to whimsical white-gold lamps, balls of light dancing in seas of violet, blue, green and pink organza. The fabrics fall down pillars adorned with leaves and flowers. Tables set in white and gold with jewel toned flowers sit at the four wings surrounding the dance floor.

... but it is far too early to take a seat. Smile and greet your fellow attendee, take the hand of a friend, and dance to the music.



There are large tables with finger foods and punch (not spiked -- save it for the after-party!), and very little space near the walls (sorry, wallflowers! You won't get away so easily. ♥ )  After a large number of people are gathered together, Jeanne stands up on the small stage set to the side of the dance floor and taps on the microphone to get everyone's attention...



OOC STUFF
+ Info post / thread index (please read this first!)
+ Jeanne's greeting speech!
+ Prom King and Queen announcement. (Spoiler: It's Euphie and Kanda.)

[Anyone who was anywhere near a communicator would have heard Anew shouting at Ribbons, which was what she thought she would have wanted. For everyone to know what he really is. To finally stand up for herself. Some would have called it long overdue.]

[And yet as she sits on a quiet, mostly isolated part of the beach, hiding beneath the shawl around her shoulders, the only feels drained. Not vindicated, not satisfied... just empty.]


((OOC: Anyone who wants to use [voice] and either pick up where Ribbons hung up or call her afterwords, go right ahead!))

----- [ Action/Closed ] -----

[ Just less than a day before the Talent Show and right after comes the prom. The invites have been delivered to the Post Office first thing that morning -- that was the first order of the day. The second one was to look for something matching to wear with Hiling.

The third, he was somewhat expecting, but is always a pleasant surprise. He thinks he does owe Jeanne the favor of helping her choose something as well, after him asking her to pick a tie for him... ]


----- [ Voice/Open ] -----

Good day, Marina.

I would like to inquire as to who is now taking care of Trés Magnifique -- the fashion boutique opened by Josak Guerrière, as I will be requesting for a bit of help with regards to clothing alterations.

Thank you most kindly for your time.