[ a young man standing straight, adjacent to a desk some of you might recognize as Gino's in the DF office. he's only nineteen, but his expression is all business and it has the effect of making him look older than he is. mature, responsible, and there's just something in his eyes. ]

Good morning, everyone. For those of you who are new here, my name is Suzaku Kururugi. I'm currently head of the Defense Force here in Marina. The Defense Force is here for your protection, and you can also address any questions you might have to us. If you need help, with anything, you can come down to our HQ and ask -- or you can use your communicator to direct a private message to "the Defense Force". The communicator knows who we are.

If you're interested in signing up to join the Defense Force, please let me know. [ a pause, because how to say this, and then: ] We have civilian positions open as well, if there's anyone who's good with computers or details.


[Filtered to current DF members]

...Please report. Several of our people have failed to appear for their scheduled patrols, and I'm sorry -- but Marina needs Defense Force members it can depend upon. I know we're a volunteer organization, but we've also been entrusted with the means to protect people here and that is a duty I hope we all take very seriously.



((ooc: This is both a recruitment post AND a roll call. DF members who don't respond to this post will be removed and have their weapon confiscated! (Hiatused characters excepted.) Please remember that you must be willing to be involved with DF activities: if another player needs to plot with the DF, you and your character should be ready to volunteer. If that's not something you can do, please don't join, resign ICly, or let Suzaku take you off the Force. Thank you!))

[There's a few moments of silence before Al speaks, slowly and with a shaky tone.]

I really hope this is on... Uhm... If anyone can hear me, this is Alphonse Elric. There's something wrong with me but I don't know how it happened... I don't think that I can hear or see. It's like it's the opposite of when I was in the armor... I was petting my cat and I could feel her purring but I couldn't hear her. The power still has to be on because some of the mechanical things in the house are still working but everything's all dark...

I'm sitting outside my house in Sector 4... If... If someone could come and just... let me know everyone hasn't just disappeared [insert shaky laugh here], I'd really really appreciate it. Thanks.

[And... he's just going to sit there and wait.]

[The morning brought an empty bed to Maya & Pearl's room. Maya's young cousin had simply vanished, and sure enough the departures post said she was missing too.

It's a bittersweet thing to Maya. Pearl never belonged here in the first place, no matter what Sentience claimed, but Maya's room will feel empty again. Living with Jennifer & Co. certainly helps, but as far as Maya knows, she might be the only one from her Earth. It's a little lonely to have that feeling, but she's done well covering it so far.

Maya's bundled up in weather clothing as she walks through the light snowfall along with Missile, the Ditto. Missile has taken on the form of a kitten, copied from a real one at the pet café where the two were not long ago. She runs along ahead of Maya, batting at snowflakes as they hit the ground and melt.]

((OOC: If you have telepathy or that sort of thing, feel free to pick up on her bittersweet feelings, but otherwise it'll be pretty well hidden.))

Oy, Marina! I wanted to let anyone know who wanted to show up for soccer practice today that, because of the weather, I'm going to be holding the lesson inside. [ He's also going to be there a full hour early. It's to have lunch with Sakura, catch her up with the first two lessons and, well, anything else that comes to her mind. ]

Hey, is everybody awake now? I have a question and I don't want to leave anybody out.

[And here is Alma at the library looking very serious, because he has thought long and hard about this, read some books, and even wrote down all the questions he thought he should ask, but this is the Most Important of them all. And now that he has an audience...]

So, what do you guys like about sex?

[See, Suzaku? He's not just asking Q. He's asking everyone.]

[With Fletcher sick and Russell worrying about and watching over him, Al has agreed to take care of their puppy until Fletcher's better. And of course, puppies need walks, right? So Al is out with Cornus and Tama, letting them run around and do whatever. He just found out Winry also wasn't feeling well so he's gotten some stuff to bring to her and is carrying it back in a little bag. Maybe something's going around...

Run into him?]

[It was mid-morning when Winry woke up to find herself at a desk in the computer lab. Last night, she stayed up rather late trying to do some additional learning on top of her classwork and ended up dozing off for the rest of the night. Having turned the volume down on her communicator to focus, she's slept through the morning announcement as well as the good bit of morning excitement. But then she, like a few others, doesn't exactly see anything different today.

It's just as well, since she figured out plans for today, to find a place to live in outside of the shelter. Her room has started to feel cramped and hardly large enough to do her business in, much less accommodate somewhat larger potential customers. A good, small house or maybe even apartment would do well, it'd just be a matter of finding a nice one in a good location. A little help wouldn't hurt at all, either.

After stopping by the convenience store for a quick breakfast, she turns the volume back up on her communicator to make her "calls". She's pretty cheerful as she starts to broadcast.]

Hey Ed? Al? Are you two up yet? I was wondering if you two could help me out a bit today.

((OOC: Open to anyone.))

LETTER RECIPIENTS

• Touma: a letter from Euphemia.
  
• Ryu: a letter from Allen.
  
• Yuuri: a letter from Alphonse.
  
• Nunnally: a letter from Toothless.
  
• Eridan: a letter from Hiling.
  
• Peregrine Mendicant: a letter from Ribbons.
  
• Roxas: a letter from Fai.
  
• Kaien: a letter from Rinoa.
  
• Jeanne: a letter from Hikaru.
  
• Axel: a letter from Wolfram.
  
• Alma: a letter from Red.
  
• Orihime: a letter from Xion.
  
• Alucard: a letter from Terezi.
  
  MASS MAILERS
  
• From Leopard : postcards for everyone.
  
• From Nepeta : individualized letters for Terezi, Eridan, Vriska, GIR, Akito, and Axel.
  
• From Josak : invitations to the grand opening of Trés Magnifique for everyone.
  
  PACKAGE RECIPIENTS
  
• Tsukasa: package and letter from Sasha.
  
• Euphemia: package from Ribbons.
  
• Jennifer: package and letter from Ciel.
  
• Saki: package from Wolfram.
  
  NEW PENPAL MATCHUPS
  
• Spencer Reid & Tavros
  

[So much mail! There's no better day to use the mail cart. Along she rolls, its pouches stuffed with letters, packages, and postcards. Given the presence of mass mailers, she will be in EVERY residential area today. She will find you, Saki, no matter what couch you crash on]

[Click here for pen pal signups~ Mail submissions for Day 86 go here!]

[Video | Open | Morning]

Hey everyone! We got the movie theater reserved for tonight's start of The Steel Samurai! So make sure to stop by movie theater at 8 PM tonight! We'll have plenty of snacks for everyone! Don't be late or you'll miss the start!


[Action | Open | Evening]

[Shortly after 8 PM, the movie theater's lights dim and big screen lights up with the action of The Steel Samurai.

It's a generic tokusatsu/samurai TV series centered on one hero, the titular Steel Samurai, as he fights against the Evil Magistrate and his minions to defend Neo Olde Tokyo. You can be assured it is filled with many cheesy one liners, battles under the full moon, attacks shouted out, and its own theme song.

Each episode has a short intermission after it to allow for bathroom breaks or snacks, with a snack counter manned by a bot giving out soda pop, candy, popcorn, chips, and so on.

Maya scheduled the show going through the sixth episode or so, with this segment of the series ending a bit past 11 PM.]


((OOC: Second half forward-dated to evening. Event style posting for the second half. Feel free to make a thread for any point during the evening (including showing up halfway through episode 2, leaving after the third episode, and shouting moves along with the hero, etc.) and threadjack each other.

For some idea of what the hell they're watching, here's a sample from later on in the series: sample (start until ~0:45). Or ask me questions on AIM or something. 75% of it will be BSed.))

[slightly distracted]

To those who volunteered to help with the renovation on my house, Acumen just told me yesterday that all the materials I needed should be located in the Warehouse in Sector 5. Ed, you know what we need so could you please coordinate with Fai to get those moved over to the house in the next few days?

I'll... be in touch later if you need help with anything.

[Yes, Jennifer's on her way to the hospital because two of her favorite people are laid up and not doing well. Why were her favorite people always getting into trouble!]

((ooc: This is mostly a PSA for the volunteers so they know what's up with Jennifer's project. Right now, the volunteer list includes Fai, Edward Elric, Ashton, Josak (pending other projects of course!), Len, and Tyki.))

[Those of you who are outside at nightfall and expecting the regular moonrise and starscape are in for a surprise. Rather than the moon, what rises in the night sky is a much larger Earth, backlit by the sun. Also visible are what might seem a strange sight... jutting out from Earth in three locations (two of which are visible at present) are the orbital elevators, long slender tubes for transporting people into space en masse. Each elevator ends in a base where there are many solar cells to collect sunlight for energy.]

[On the video, Lacus is smiling pleasantly, the Earth rising behind her in the sky.] Good evening, Marina. A request to show the view from Earth's moon in the night sky has led me to change the usual star projections for tonight. For those of us who miss this sight, I hope it will make you smile. For those who never were able to experience space travel, I hope you enjoy the view.

[Al looks a little bit shaky and weary.]

I think... I'm okay now. Acumen said that there was a stabilizer adjustment so my memories were overlapping... I think it's all sorted out now though... I remember a lot of things... including what happened during the four years I traveled with my brother. So many things happened that I forgot... and so many people I didn't remember... I'm glad I do now.

[He smiles a little bit.] I even remember meeting you two in Xenotime, Russell and Fletcher.

And Alfons... I'm glad I got to meet him here, even if it was only for a short time.

[Private to Ed]

Brother... where are you? I want... I remember everything... I remember you dying... and I... I just need to see you... Please...

[Al's voice sounds stressed and he doesn't look like he's feeling very well at the moment. He also looks... older. He hasn't quite realized that yet.]

What's happening...? My head hurts so much... Something's... Something's not right... Brother...? I don't understand...

[He runs a hand over his face then pauses, taking a closer look. His hands are... bigger. Al studies himself in confusion.] What's going on...? Am I... bigger...? I thought... Wasn't that weird stuff supposed to be gone by now...?

Good morning, inmates. It is the 82nd day of the third generation.

The ventilation system reports that all traces of the chemical released yesterday have been dispersed, and there are no adverse effects expected. Any concerned for their condition may proceed to the hospital.

The koi pond in the park is finished, and as with the butterflies in the Pavilion, catching or harming the fish in any way will not be tolerated.

...And I would remind all inmates: alcoholic beverages are prohibited in the facility, save on club premises. There are no exceptions.

[Chad cuts on the video looking stoic as usual, but those who know him would see the haggardness of his expression. He has a black and white puppy draped over his shoulder, another and a kitten in his arms, each yapping or meowing. The sound of other animals can be heard off screen.]

I-Inoue...Ichigo...they keep telling me to take them home with me.

[Help, please?]

{OOC: Chad's ability is talking to animals. To him, they don't sound any different than if he was hearing them through the communicator translator, but others won't hear that and when he speaks to them, others will hear Chad speaking their language.}

[Al does not care that he is still a little sick with a cold. As soon as Acumen says that the playground is done in the morning announcements, he is going out to inspect it.

There is a tire swing.

It's not long before Al's swinging back and forth, letting out a whoop and having the time of his life, all smiles.]

Guys, guys, come play! This is awesome!

( A bright world )


[Text | Open]

[The following texts come across the communicator network with no identifier of the sender.]

W  re  m I?

D   th    ust ha  en?

  at  s th   pla e?

[After a pause, more characters appear.]

Hell ? Is an  ne he  ?

M . Hug  s? La  s? A ?

Ed?


((OOC: In order to keep the action to one thread, finding her is open to Duo and anyone he calls to help (such as Ed).

More details on her power here.))

[There's a long line of bamboo at the beach, their stalks curving gently over the quiet trickling of waves. Further back on the beach are colored lanterns and little tables with pens and sheets of paper and string.

You're supposed to write poems or notes to your loved ones who can't be with you today, right...?]


((event-style posting; comment here to get tagged by other people. sorry if this infringes on the people who posted recently, I was going to post this this morning but had to go out... consider this a post for people who don't have quite enough substance for their own action posts!))

[Al looks a little sick and he sounds a little funny too because his nose is stuffed up.]

Sorry that I didn't come to alchemy class today... I thought it would be better if I stayed home and didn't get anyone else sick...

I'm sure you did great, Fletcher. [He gives a light smile.] How did it go? I'll be there next time, I promise.

[Seemingly unperturbed by her situation, a little girl with dark blond pigtails has decided to make the best of things and can be found drawing in chalk on one of the walkways. She's humming to herself and doesn't seem to have a communicator. What was that funny thing? Oh well... leaving it behind. Around her are strange circle designs that, if you know Alphonse or Fletcher, might be recognizable. They don't do anything, as she's just emulating her big "brothers".]