[Hiling didn't feel like going to bed just yet even after changing into her night shirt. She steps out and goes to get herself a snack. Spotting Cain in the hall, she gets distracted and decides to follow him. Maybe she'll go bother him instead. Just as he reaches the door to his room, she calls out.]

Hey!

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!))

[If you feel like wandering into the Shelter kitchens for a midnight snack, you’ll get a bit of a surprise: there are small tea lights scattered around on counters and floors, lending the dark room a soft, warm glow, and, just beyond the doorway, there’s a techpriest seated on the floor with her legs tucked underneath her. Her head is bowed towards the room’s interior, her hands are clasped in front of her face, and she’s softly reciting a prayer. A dish of incense burning close by is lending the kitchen (and even the hallway outside) a powerfully bitter scent.]

[How long has it been since she’s blessed the kitchens? Far too long, in her opinion. And with the Sanguinala approaching quickly, purifying the equipment she’d use to cook the holy meal was of paramount importance.]

[Sure, she can't access the post office, and the fact that everyone is in such close proximity probably means that no one will send letters today. PM can deal with that--there have been slow mail days even without extenuating circumstances, after all. Still, she needs to put in the effort.]

[Outside of the shelter room she temporarily shares with WV, AR, and her pet lobster Castell, she hangs a little sign:]

Temporary post office
Slip letters under door or knock for parcel service

[Never mind that putting tape on the freshly-cleaned door seems a bit rude. She'll just have to do her best to remove it later.]

[Since there is so little mail to be delivered, this is also in big part a general social adventure. PM leaves her uniforms behind in favor of a nice winter dress--though she still wears her Postal Service hat and badge--and sets out for a nice walk through the shelter to visit with whomever she can.]

[After she delivers the mail to Orihime and Sasha, that is.]

[Click here for pen pal signups which I will totally get around to cleaning up sometime soon. Mail submissions for Day 146 go here!]

[Graham's expression is serious, and understandably so. There's quite a lot to think about right now, and a lot to take in.]

To any comrades of mine who may have been brought alongside me here: this is Captain Graham Aker. I ask that you contact me as soon as possible.

[He would have ended this post right there, but he's been struck with another thought.]

To anyone else who may be listening... Do you accept this place as your rightful punishment? Or have you been wrongly imprisoned?

Would you say this is adequate justice?

[Incubator hadn't been made aware of this place before, so he decides to approach the situation with caution. Instead of joining the chorus on the communicator, the small fuzzy creature listened for a while as he examined his welcome basket. Then he paused, trying to psychically search for local magical girls, only to find that his telepathy was greatly limited. It was enough to make a decision or two about his immediate predicament, even if he would have to perform more tests too discern the extent of his new limitations.]

[Eventually, he abandons his basket on the walkway and climbs the nearest tall building with a set of deft jumps. He contorts his body so his paw can reach the communicator. Time for the first test--who can hear him?]

[Voice]

[QB speaks with a rather cute and upbeat voice, sounding almost like it might belong to a child--an effect ruined by his mature word choices. He doesn't address anyone in particular; he appears to be thinking out loud.] Of course there hasn't been a mistake. When every action is a crime, every person is a criminal.

This prison appears to be the result of an advanced culture lacking the ability to consider moral relativism. None of you should feel so alarmed by the accusations. What may have been acceptable on your world doesn't match the legal acceptability of this advanced artificial intelligence.

Committing crimes does not automatically make you a "bad person" by your standards, because your standards were never considered or applied to begin with.

[ As to why he had allowed to happen a second time, he doesn't know. In the midst of preparing for moving in temporarily to the Shelter the next day, Ribbons pads over to Hiling's room, tray of steeping hot tea and a pot, two cups and a bowl of fruit.

Without knocking, he steps into her room, places the tray on her night stand and sits on the edge of her bed. He reaches out to touch the lump under the sheets, approximately where her shoulder should be. While his voice is gentle, there is still that edge to it -- that there was was something that he had seen and he didn't like it. ]

Hiling? Would you like some tea?

[After Acumen’s announcement, Atsuro grabbed what he needs for the day, including his communicator. He’s also keeping an eye on Bad Haro as they leave the shelter. The haro is moving around near him, insulting as always and almost got into trouble with the bots. Thankfully, he manage to get him out of it in time.

Hm, he should find a place to stay at for when the cleaning starts... Well, he’ll figure it out.

He turns on the video and private setting for Hiling. Okay, he can do this.]

Morning, Hiling! Are you ready for the [date] day?

LETTER RECIPIENTS

• Kunihiko Moji: a letter from Kohran Li.
  
• Jeanne Francaix: a letter from Hikaru Hitachiin.

[PM steps out into the snow for the day's route, clothed well against the cold.]

[Although she doesn't exactly look different, the former mendicant certainly carries herself differently. She stands taller thanks to the disappearance of her habitual slouch, and she looks markedly wiser and calmer as she takes in the sights of the prison with different eyes. Still, despite the change in demeanor, the mail is going to get where it needs to go in as much a timely fashion as ever.

[Click here for pen pal signups. Mail submissions for Day 143 go here!]

[ While the previous classes since Ribbons' return had served to polish the waltz and give the students more ways as to how to embellish their routines, it was time to introduce a different kind of dance; still ballroom, but something livelier and something that can be a passe-partout with more upbeat tunes: the Swing.

The instructors are early, and whoever passes by will hear a jazzy tune -- warm for the otherwise cold weather -- and will see them reviewing their routine; something that hey did not do for the waltz. Students will be expected, and newcomers will be very welcomed. Curious eyes will be seen and might just be pulled in because the rhythm is going to get you~ ]


(( OOC: This one's long overdue, so tag in (before, after, during), dance among yourselves or have Hiling and/or Ribbons bother you X3;; ))
 

[It took him a lot longer than it had before but it's done. And Gear sits back to happily stare at the little, oblonged robot beeping at him. The red light of the single camera flickers, almost like blinking.]

You know, as satisfying as it is to build things and know you did it right...when you're done, all you can ask yourself is: What next? And there's plenty of time to wonder around here. There is such thing as too much time, man.

[Is that some bitter-sweetness from one Gear? Maybe, but he has just the idea to fix this!]

So a question, everyone. What kind of things would you like to see in this place? Any machines Acumen hasn't built? Appliances that your world has that this place doesn't? Toys that would make this winter more fun? An automated snow-blower for your backyard? [He chuckles a little after the last part.]

[Super-genius with boredom, what madness may come of it?]

Bastard! Bastard!

Hey, hold on! Just a little peek, please?

[Atsuro smile, not bothered by the insults, as he speaks without looking away from the Haro.]

So anyone missing a...Haro, I think? If they are, can I ask if I can look at him? If there’s no one, I guess I can take it under my wing! [♪]

Dumb kidnapper! Dumb kidnapper! [It flies around his head.]

Hey, I’m not one!

(ooc: Finally got it up. If anyone’s curious, got permission for it~)

Good afternoon, Marina! Ladies, it's that time again~ Yesterday was so stressful, and it's been a while since we all gathered together, so head over to the spa for a spell! [ Jeanne's enthusiasm isn't quite at the levels it normally is for these, but she hides it behind her newfound energy. ] Today we are doing things a little differently -- and by "we" I mean my new friend Inara and I! She has a world of experience in things I could only read about in magazines, so tonight is sure to be a real treat.

Come on down to the public bathhouse, let your hair down, and get pampered just like you deserve! Hope to see you all there!

---

( [ Action | Come one, come all! ] )

((OOC note: Post is NOT filtered, so "crashers" (read: boys) are welcome -- serious troublemakers will be escorted out, so please make an OOC note in your tag if you feel comfortable with that happening, or have someone planned to do just that. Otherwise there might be some female Defense Force members who will gladly do the honors~

If you want to answer the voice portion, just tag into this sub-thread for Jeanne only, otherwise mingle and tag around as you like. <3)

--- [ Action | Closed to Hiling ] ---

[ It was perhaps one of the few times that Ribbons didn't enjoy a holiday -- or even bothered to pretend doing so. Methodically, he took down the Halloween decor. He is in no hurry, really. All they have is time, after all. ]


--- [ Action | Closed to Setsuna ] ---

[ He needed air at some point; and so later in the day, a walk around the beach felt like a good idea. Might as well take advantage of the their living in Sector 4. ]


(( OOC: Action is closed to the above mentioned parties, but network calls -- voice and video alike -- are welcome and can be placed here in the case anyone needs Ribbons. :3 ))

[ there's silence for several beats, and then a soft, off-key huming. it goes on for maybe a minute, and it certainly sounds like a 'real' song -- but nothing any of you should recognize. it's an old, old lullaby.

finally, a husky feminine chuckle, and ]

Happy Halloween~...

[It didn't take her long to figure out the video function on the communicator. After the initial shock of finding herself in an unfamiliar place, Hiling can be seen exploring. She wanders the park, staring wide-eyed at trees, feeling the grass with her hands, and reaching into the koi pond only to recoil in surprise when they splash at her. Though she is aware of what these things are, she doesn't remember ever having seen them in person before.]

Wow look at all this nature! It's like I'm really on Earth.

[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... )

[ Good morning Marina~!

Were you sleeping alone last night? Well now you have company!

Were you sleeping with someone? Well, you're still sleeping with someone, but maybe you'd like to give it a look-see, before you get too comfortable.

Are you sure this is your room? You might want to check though -- who knows if you're using the same design of lampshade or if your bed really is set up against the wall...

Whether you are in your own room or not, one thing's for certain, you're in for a surprise this morning! ]


(( OOC: Many pardons for the late, but here be your Morning After Prank all-purpose post! Do your threads here if you are so inclined, or make your network freak-out posts~ Have fun!

ETA: I have used the reveal table as a handy Thread Index. I'll update this as the event rolls along [last updated: 22 October, 12:40 p.m. EST] ))
 

[After a nice long shower, for once Hiling is feeling relaxed. She dries off just enough so that she isn't dripping wet. Lounging around in her bath robe sounds like a good way to spend the rest of the day, but she doesn't want to spend it alone. She is going to have herself some quality time with her code-twin even if she has to drag him away from his work. Starting with the upstairs rooms, she goes looking for him. It's still strange for her not to be able to locate him through their connection.]

[The man looks into the communicator, and then stares down at the basket in front of him.]

A welcome basket, hm? I suppose I should be thankful. The pamphlet was helpful, at least.

[Still…]

I have some questions about this 'Acumen'. First… what is an artificial intelligence?

[Computers, they do not make sense.]

Secondly, how is it able to 'replace' people, and what makes it think that it knows better than us? Sometimes crimes are needed in order to do the right thing.

[… Hm. Okay, well, this question doesn't have to do with Acumen.]

Third… is there a Charles Xavier here?

[He's not even going to go into how insulting it is to have this iron ball around his leg. Metal. Around his leg. That he can't do something about.]