Event Log: Party Royale

[hadrielmods]

Who: All characters participating in the event
What: The event log for the Party Royale event
Where: All over the city!
When: September 22nd-29th
Warnings: Paintball, loss of consciousness, and partying!

As is par for the course in Hadriel, at some point throughout the day- waking up, making breakfast, doing laundry- you find an item. This isn't just any item though, it's a tried and true paintball gun, shining and just waiting to be picked up. This gun never runs out of ammunition, never malfunctions, and almost always hits the target that you're aiming at, so say hello to your new best friend for the next week.

Touching or picking up the gun will fill you with a competitive surge, which will likely increase when you find the note that's left with it, saying nothing more than be the last one standing. With instructions like that, how could you lose?

Well, you could lose if someone else shoots you. But never fear, there's a plan for that too! Even if you embrace the throes of unconsciousness, the gods have got your back and will eventually teleport you into a grand party where prizes will be handed out based on how long you survived. Awesome! At this party is also the traditional copious amounts of food and drink, as well as everyone's favorite goddess Delight and everyone's slightly-less-favorite goddess Rage!

Happy paintballing, and may the odds be ever in your favor!

► This log covers September 22nd-29th.
► Feel free to make your own logs as well
► Please tag headers of threads with content warnings where they apply
► Please put your character's name and open/closed in the subject line of your starters!
► If you fall and break your neck or something because you can't die in paintball, please let us know here.

Comments

[lifetothefullest]

Because it just is. Not using her name is part of it, although there's also the fact that telling someone who you very much dislike that you're fond of their friend can come across as vaguely threatening.

[Those are the main things setting off the creep factor.]

[circumitus]

She ignores him at first; she ignores pretty much everyone if she can help it, since Rey is feeling less than sociable despite the scene. But, hey it isn't like she asked to be here.

Her look express all the awe one would grace a shit beetle.

"Good for you," she retorts flatly. "Wasn't trying to shoot anyone, and don't care if you did."

Rage's games suck. End story.

[circumitus]

While considering a similar fate for the rubber duck, Rey had another idea. Maybe the dumb fish could do with some company, or the cat could use something to chew on. At least someone can get some use out of the damn thing.

Maketh shows up, and Rey isn't surprised to see that she is equally as cheerful as she is. Or, rather, a lack of cheer between the two of them. She does relax a little as the other woman takes a seat, offering the bottle, which Rey takes.

"Thanks." She hesitates before taking a long drink, straight from the bottle. Her throat burns, and it trickles down into her stomach. "Been some shit week."

What was fun and games for many was a great deal of concern to Rey. They risked a lot just to have a few days of fun. Risks that they shouldn't be taking, regardless of which god is in need of power.

[puzzlingly]

「 Atem cannot help but to compare these events to a Shadow Game, a very unfair one, at that (because Shadow Games are not unfair at all, what are you talking about?!). He muses about it for a brief moment before he's asked the question.

He gives a little nod. 」

Yeah, with the last batch. What about you?

[puzzlingly]

「 There is not reply coming from this one at the taunt.

...but that sounds somehow familiar... huh?

He's got no time to dwell on that! He's gotta move! Now that he's located her, Atem risks to sprint from tree to tree, trying to get closer. If only he were a bit more used to well, being alive, you know, it would be easier, but he doesn't mind the pressure in his chest, his lungs begging for a bit more air nor the sweat on his forehead... Yeah, it's been a while, and while he wasn't exactly bodiless for the last years, this one is completely his, sure it feels lonely, it feels... different, but it feels... amazing...

Hell, this is fun! Much more fun than running away from giant beetles and ridiculous fires. If his afterlife could be just games, he might... not complain much. 」

The bigger they are--!

「 Surprise, bitch! He's closer than she might want him to be aiming at her with a huge grin on his face. 」

[ghostlocked]

[Oh, good. It's this guy. That asshole. You know the one. He's like the last person Harlan wants to talk to right now, especially about his stupid consolation bear. Ugh. He should just toss the thing, but he's saving it for a friend.]

Shut up. [...] Where's your prize?

[notimpervious]

No, you are not. You are... in my field, to an extent.

[Now she's sort of, kind of trying to apologize. Maybe. In her own way, at any rate. It was less that she was having a bad day and more that she was working on a task that needed to be completed by the end of the day, so she had been disinclined to deal with obstacles, which in her mind is exactly what he had been, down to standing in the doorway when she needed to get through.

Her logic wasn't the problem. It was excluding the human element. She is still working on that.]

Neither am I. My colleagues and I go for drinks when we close a case. It is something of a tradition or ritual for us. I intend to drink what Delight has offered us, rather than open this bottle now.

[If that comes off rude, that was not her intent. It is just her usual bluntness coming through.]

The unconsciousness aside, I find that this event was quite enjoyable.

[therewillbeorder]

Fairly well, it seems no one wanted to shoot at someone who would actually shoot them with a real blaster. [It goes without saying that he would have shot to kill, he doesn't bother to play nice when someone shoots at him.]

You seem to have done well.

forever lamenting how hard it is to write how she's saying every little thing, weh

[notimpervious]

I help the clinic during new arrivals day, so I don't think I will need to use it then.

[She shrugs, checks to make sure the gun is not loaded, and then puts it in her jacket pocket.

And then, despite herself, she thinks about the event -- about the game she has been saying was fun. She can say that because no one died during it, but what if they had? She would not have known until she shot someone. And then what? She has shot and killed before when her life or the life of a loved one was in danger, but this was different.

She sobers from the pride of liking her prize as well as the one Sweets has shared with her, picking a stick of something that looks like celery off her plate as she thinks for a moment.]

I am... glad that those who were shot were only rendered comatose. I would be-- significantly less pleased with the outcome if it had been the result of shooting to kill.

man I don't envy that struggle; for lance it's all the thinking ugh

[lifetothefullest]

[Lance is quiet, watching her reactions, and so isn't too surprised when what she says next is more serious. He lets out a slow breath, nodding a little, going more somber once again himself.]

I'm really glad too. If it had actually hurt someone, it would've been...

[Really bad. He doesn't take the whole coming back from the dead thing lightly; even if people live, that doesn't make the experience of dying less traumatic, and the last thing he wants to do is cause anyone physical or emotional pain for any reason other than self-defense.]

I've never been affected emotionally by one of the events, at least not to this extent.

[Maybe slightly during the party hard event, but even then he's not sure it wasn't just his own emotions going a little haywire considering how much stress he was under at the time. This event had definitely been different and the compulsion very strong, so much so that it had dampened his concern over the fates of those who lost at the game to an almost frightening point.]

[lifetothefullest]

[That makes sense and explains why Atem is unfamiliar; Lance hadn't gone into the arena this month, due to being low on bullets and having been injured the month before. At least winning this event had eliminated the bullet problem, though, and he'll probably go into the arena this month.

He has to think for a moment about the answer to the question, though.]

Five or six months?

[He must be nearing his birthday, he realizes, at least in terms of time experienced. How weird.]

What's your name?

[puzzlingly]

「 Atem hums at the answer, it does seem like a lot of time, and yet, not really.

When he's asked his name, Atem's face brightens a little and yet there is something of a bittersweet nature shadowing his features. To say his name, it still fills him with joy and pride and it will probably never get old, but it is also a reminder, that he is just by himself and himself only. 」

Atem. My name is Atem... Yours?

[evocation]

Shit, that's a good idea. It only lasts a minute—it's a really simple spell. Just kid stuff. You really think I could charge people for stuff like that?

rip in pieces us

[notimpervious]

This is my first time being compelled.

[She doesn't like it now that it's over. She doesn't like that she was able to rationalize following the compulsion when she wasn't completely certain about the end result for the people who got shot.]

Do you think it gets easier to resist the longer a person has been here?

[evocation]

Yeah, yeah, okay. Just don't take all the good stuff.

[Kyna's essentially doing the same thing, just with a plate instead of a bag.]

Why can't all of the gods' bullshit be like this?

[muchadoabout]

[Nothing is not good at competitions or sporting events in general. He was the type of kid who'd hide a book behind his baseball glove if he bothered to show up to P.E., the type of kid who had no interest in seeing how he measured up against others.

This time was different, although he didn't really understand why. From the moment he'd picked the gun up he'd wanted to use it and the idea of stopping seemed unthinkable. He was fast and he was quiet, which served him well. It was the outshooting people that was an issue and so he's taken to finding high ground or a good hiding place and doing his best to snipe the players going by. In other words: camping.

The area Annabeth was in sure looked deserted, and Nothing wandered through it gun propped against his shoulder as he scanned the horizon looking for a good spot.]

[lifetothefullest]

It's possible. Being able to recognize the influence, and having practice controlling it, might make it easier for some; kind of like if a person is prone to anger, but learns to understand and control it in themselves.

[Except for one very big difference--]

But since this is external, not internal, it's still a very different situation. We don't know if they're amplifying parts of us that already exist or if they're imposing new effects on us; either way, if they're actually changing our brain chemistry or responses, then there's only so much someone can do to resist it.

[Which is something he doesn't want to think too much about, and isn't his area of focus at all, but maybe one of the psychiatrists here could figure it out.]

And that's all, of course, ignoring that some people are naturally more prone or resistant to these sorts influences and manipulation, some people have different or altered mental responses to certain factors due to mental illness or trauma, and a multitude of other factors to consider.

[It's a mess, basically, and there's no simple answer.]

[hellosirs]

I... didn't say you were?

[ Angus tentatively lowers his hands, glancing towards the food table. Oh jeez, oh jeez, what did he do wrong, why is he so bad at interacting with other kids...! ]

Um... I'm pretty sure the food is free, in fact! And if people have been partying here for like a week straight, they must have some way of regenerating the food? So you can probably have as much as you like.

[toiletseat_girl]

I'll leave stuff behind, promise. But that bottle of scotch is mine.

[great minds think alike?]

With free food and a party at the end? Probably because some of the gods are dicks and like making us miserable.

[yearrounder]

[What is he doing? Wandering around right in the open? That's a great way to get shot. Killed, too, if this had been a more dangerous game. Although, judging by the way people fell over when they got hit, maybe they were being killed. She really could not say. Not yet anyway.

She did struggle a little with deciding what she was going to do--that stupid overly competitive feeling, plus her own competitiveness (if this were Camp, she'd have shot without asking questions) but eventually she ducked behind a wall and pulled her cap off so she could peek over it at the boy with an exasperated look on her face.]

What are you doing? Get behind something at least.

2

[fracturedbeauty]

[Yukari had been stalking Kain for some time, a devilish smirk on his lips. His eyes showed little light, as if he wasn't all there. No, Yukari's been on quite the high since this little event started. And his next target was someone so familiar to him. A person who, the last time he saw, had struck a chord he wanted no one to see. And, well... mercy killing wasn't exactly payback, now was it?

When Kain becomes alerted to his presence, Yukari is quick as lightning, quickly unsheathing his sword and charging at Kain, where he'll use the blade to deflect any bullets and even shove the gun aside as he gets uncomfortably close to the knight, giving the man enough of a close up of Yukari's face to show the psychosis taking over.

Oh, and how glorious this all feels. As he presses the tip of the paintball gun under Kain's chin.]

Well, hello, Knight-chan. I've been waiting for you~

[The lilt in his voice is even more chaotic than usual.]

[hellosirs]

Thank you, Miss Fangbattle!

[ Angus gives her a big gap-toothed grin and goes in for that high-five, because unlike three dudes he knows who shall remain unnamed, she isn't the type to jerk her hand away at the last minute and go 'too slow!' ]

I teamed up with Taako and Lup, I was a sniper!

[hellosirs]

[ Angus gives a guilty start and whirls around, almost dropping the (thankfully unloaded!) pistol in his surprise. ]

I-I was just...! I didn't think they were gonna give these things out as prizes, sir!

[mismanagement]

[Maketh's frown deepens.] That is foolish. Not to use her title would be disrespectful. And I dislike a great many people, you among them. If I meant to threaten one, you would know.

[lifetothefullest]

Thanks.

[It's very dry, not even sarcastic, just the only thing that's appropriate to say to that last part.]

And you can call it foolish all you want, but if you want to use her title and for it not to sound creepy, Dr. Brennan is the better way to go about it. 'Good doctor' is generally not used where and when we're from except sarcastically or pointedly.

[This is an... Almost normal, casual conversation to be having, somehow.]