hugtopia_logs | ♥ September Intro Mingle Log

♥ September Intro Mingle Log

a park scene in autumn with a lake, trees, a bench, leaves on the ground

September Intro Mingle Log
Welcome to Hugtopia, and to the city of Havenwell. This mingle is meant for new arrivals to get settled and meet the other inhabitants. New characters should be the only top-levels but everyone should feel free to tag around and make new friends. Who knows, you may find that Perfect Hug in here. You can use the prompts here, or create a wildcard of your own.

ICly, this takes place from the 2nd to the 16th and then we'll have a shiny new event post up for you all soon after that date range. The prompts below are optional, but are a way to get you started if you wish. To help you create your own prompts, please take a look through our Settings and FAQ. Click on each prompt's title to see the text. If you have any questions, feel free to direct them to the FAQ or to the Mod Question thread below.

❥ PROMPT I: Awakening

When you awaken, you're in the last outfit you remember wearing, three of your belongings laid nearby or your animal friend curled up by you, waking as you do. It's not the most comfortable place to sleep, a stone slab, but once you're awake, a humanoid-looking robot comes in and explains you're in Havenwell and leads you out of the room and into the main portion of the temple where a welcoming committee of similarly humanoid-looking robots hand over a clear smartphone-sized tablet, some starting funds, and explain their dilemma. Then they release you into Havenwell to pick your new home from free housing in the city and give you the chance to settle. It might be a bit disorienting, but thankfully there seem to be a lot of robots and even some non-robots around. Maybe ask them for help?

❥ PROMPT II: Buddy System

two fingers together with smiling faces drawn on

With all the changes going on, it might be hard to be a new arrival to Havenwell. The natives understand! Sort of. When some new arrivals begin to appear at the temples, receive the welcome speech, get their communicators and the simple map of the city, they get taken to the front of the temple by a helpful robotic priest. Rather than turn the newcomers loose right away, they pull someone seemingly at random off the street and push the two people together with a cheerful, "Here's your guide to Havenwell! It's dangerous to go alone, so be buddies!" before going back inside.

They try to place a new arrival with one of those who previously arrived, but who can keep track of all that, right? Characters may find themselves thrown together with an actual veteran or with another new arrival who only came here a day or even just an hour before them! Good luck helping each other out, offworlders, and don't lose your buddy!

❥ PROMPT III: Weather Wildcard

a vertical slice of several different weather conditions, from sunny to storms

Havenwell's weather is generally so well controlled, with beautiful blue skies and temperate climes that it's hard to remember that there's a whole world out there that might not be so nice. Every so often, however, the controls break and something not so nice and temperate comes through. Pockets of unpleasant weather happens all over the city at random intervals and new arrivals might find themselves and others caught without warning. Is that a snowstorm with green snow? Sure is. A windstorm that only seems to affect three streets? Yup. Did a deluge of rain just pour the equivalent of an Olympic sized swimming pool of water on you? Uh-huh, sure did. A deep cold fog that suddenly rolls in and blankets your entire area? Yeeaaah... hopefully there's someone around to help you get about and find shelter or just dry off and get away from it all. Good luck, offworlder.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Drenched or no, he isn't about to deny the one person in all of this world who means more to him than anything. Once he has Astre back in his arms again, it's like they've come home. It has been for a long time now. One hand lifts after a gentle squeeze to reach up to that damp, dark hair and runs his fingers through it as if they'd been there always.]

They let you keep those, did they? I was allowed my death scythe this time, if you can believe that. To what end, I haven't yet discovered, but we'll see. We always do.

[The fingers in the boy's hair keep brushing, working carefully through the length of it.] They put me in a temple for some god named Ohma, whatever that means to them. I hadn't planned on staying there, but seems they don't want me there anyway. I've been told where to find housing for us. [The "us" is intentional.] I don't suppose you've found anywhere yet you like, have you?

[It really is like they’ve come home. He can tolerate everything else this place throws at him, even the nearly freezing rain, so long as he has this waiting for him. And he can feel some of his anger at being pulled away again just melting a bit. The way it had, a bit, with the little girl he’d met.]

Maybe they knew how hard you’d worked to keep your scythe. Somehow.

[Hopefully his having it didn’t speak for what this world had waiting for them. He only had the rabbits, no weapon of his own to defend himself with.

That wasn’t so important as the rest of Undertaker’s words though and he just looked up at him before shaking his head.]

I hadn’t even started looking yet, really. I was just wandering until the rain started. And finding a bag to put the rabbits in. [A little shrug to shake up the messenger bag he’d found for them.]

[Home, as long as they're within the same city. He can deal with this, with knowing that if he isn't at least within eyesight of his Earl, then he can get back to him easily enough. As capable as the boy is in their own world, with title and land and authority, he doesn't trust that any of that will carry on over to any other place.]

[In truth, he doesn't know if he can protect the boy here, but he has his full array of powers now, and it's a comfort just as much as is the warmth of the body in his arms.]

Perhaps. I'd not leave it to their guesses, seeing as how we're meant to save this world and how. But it shouldn't be a problem, what with how we are.

[Home or no, he has his partner in cuddle crime and they need somewhere to stay. He grins down at the bag, only able to see a hint of what it contains.] I see. Well, how about we get to it, then? Feel like a stroll in the rain, or should we wait it out and keep each other warm?

[Really, he's alright with having no authority anymore. His brother could have it all, so long as he could keep this happy, peaceful, little life they'd made for themselves. Much as it surprised him now, he really didn't mind. When had that happened, he wondered?]

No problem at all. [There's a little smile, and he says curled in those arms for a moment more, considering. There's no telling when this rain will end, suddenly as it started. So it would probably be pointless of them to stay hidden there until it passes. At the same time though, he's loathe to get soaked.]

We could keep each other warm if we go out into the rain. Just have to hold onto one another until we find someplace we like. Hopefully there will be a fireplace or something so we can dry off quickly.

[He'll find that pleasant enough to hear, but the truth rings between them without voice. They're both more comfortable now, happier with what they've found in each other without having the burden of trial and chase and dispute. There has only been one time when he himself was happier, and those are days long gone.]

[He'll content himself with this still, glad to have what and who he does, and he'll count himself lucky with it to be left with anything at all in the end.]

A shame we don't have an umbrella yet to really enjoy it all. I don't imagine with these people as they are, all metal and whatnot, that they'd have an abundance of towels and fireplaces around in their otherworldly housing for guests such as ourselves, but we never know. Would you like to chance it anyway?

[And that's almost entirely thanks to circumstances and Undertaker's immeasurable patience. He knows that he was always a bit of a brat, stubborn and cruel. A far cry from the child his parents had left behind. And he wonders how much he'd broken the reapers heart, and Tanaka's, when they'd realized which he was and how much he'd changed.

Not that it would be a problem ever again.]

I'm willing to brave it, if you are. [He grins up at Undertaker, still leaning close against him but turning after a moment, slipping a hand into his. They're supposed to keep contact, right?

Maybe not constantly but what was the harm in it now?] We won't get anywhere if we just hide from the rain though.

[The cracks in his heart are many and deep, but those are his to bear and the boy doesn't deserve his pain. There is too much pain in Astre's life already, way too much for someone so very young - or at all. For now, he is simply glad to have the Earl in his arms - Astre will always be an Earl to him, though the boy has relinquished the title long ago - and to know this Phantomhive is safe.]

[If he can find Ciel now and convince them to live together in harmony, he will consider himself fortunate. For now, he keeps his fingers curled around Astre's smaller hand, giving a gentle squeeze.]

Not at all, but it certainly is nice, isn't it? [He looks up and down the road, as far as he can see.] So then, where should we strike out to begin our search?

[In both of their hearts, but Undertaker has healed the cracks in his. As much as they can be healed, at least. He's been a welcome balm and a comforting companion. Without Undertaker- well, he wouldn't fall back into his old ways but he would be lesser for it. Less willing to spend time around new people but completely avoidant. ]

Housing has to be close, I would think. Near enough the temples to walk to and shops in case we need.

[That squeeze feels nice and he smiles to Undertaker.] Even if it's wrong, it's a bit of an adventure. They gave me a bit of money, so we can stop for towels or blankets or something hot if we need to.

[They're both broken and bruised, but what they lost in that, they gained in each other, and he'd have it no other way. He owes this boy happiness, and every smile gracing the skies is another soothing touch on his scars.]

Oh? They were as generous to you? That's good to hear. I'm not sure how far it will get us, but perhaps an umbrella, if they still know what those are, and a cup of tea before we find residence and take stock of what we really need.

[Toiletries, food, soaps, and tea... and, if they have time, a book or two, fond of them as they both are. He has his heart set on that, if nothing else.]

It's only a guess. [He says it softly and smiles, just for Undertaker. And then lean into his side for a moment with a content sigh.]

They can't possibly expect us to cross the entire city to visit the temples, after all. We'd be too exhausted to do anything. [Not most people but he can't imagine everyone would feel inclined to get physically affectionate or hold hands after all that.]

Tea sounds perfect right now. And an umbrella. [Not that the umbrella is an after thought. Not at all.]

[He has those arms around the Earl already, but it's an easy thing to shift with him, moving as if he already knew what the boy was going to do. They know each other so well by now.]

Maybe not the entire city, but we'll give this place a chance. What other choice do we have? Might be we even like it here well enough to call it home home. Wouldn't that be nice, tea and umbrella aside?

[Oh, he thinks it would. He's sure of it.]

[That they did. It's no wonder he was so comfortable with Undertaker. He and his brother may have been 'two peas in a pod' but he feels like Undertaker is as important to his life as his twin, as important as his limbs. Just as irreplaceable.]

Not much choice, but that's alright. It seems nice, for what little I've seen. [The thought, he can't help a smile.] It would be so nice. No matter what, we could make it home. Blankets and books, the smell of good food and hot tea, some cocoa too. A skeleton to keep us company. I'm in love already.

[He lets out a soft laugh, straightening up a little and giving a little tug out towards the rain.]

Let's go find it. If we find an umbrella, we could consider it a bonus.

[It isn't much of a tug needed to get him to go wherever the Earl leads them. Rain or no, they can warm up and deal with the damn clothing later.]

You've already got this worked out, haven't you, milord? It's not like we haven't already done this twice over, I suppose. Practice and all.

[It's that much easier now, to run out into the rain with the boy, knowing that even if he does fall ill again, it won't be something they can't handle. They're no longer in a world where even common illnesses are an almost certain sign of an impending funeral.] Have you any map we might reference for this? You know I'd love to go exploring with you, but for now, I find myself a bit more curious as to what they have for tea in this place.

Not hard now. Especially since, you're right, we're pretty practiced at this. And it looks easier here than in the fleet.

[At least, he hopes it will be. No drifting and waiting to find new planets to get comfortable clothes and soft blankets and pillows. And tea, especially tea.]

I didn't get one when I left but maybe we could get one on these devices they gave us? Or we can stop somewhere and ask.

[In some ways, the rain is refreshing. It serves to remind him that he isn't dreaming, he and Undertaker really are still together. In others, it's chilly and he hates wet socks, and he hopes it will end soon.

His hand stays wrapped in Undertaker's as they walk, even as the rain turns to more of a drizzle. So they can better enjoy their search for tea. Hopefully good tea.]

[They'll have to wait and see, and he hasn't been crazy about the way this world seems akin to the Fleet they just left with the food being what it is. But at least it's more readily available, even if different than what they miss from England.]

That, it is, and I won't miss that place. Some of the people, perhaps, but if they land here, they'll be a welcome addition. With luck, they went home, or wherever they wanted to go.

[Those fingers around his own aren't missed, but the boy attached to them would have been if he'd arrived without the Earl. That... He could have lived with that. It wouldn't be the first time he has suffered a loss, but he's grown tired of it all.]

Mm, maybe. Right now, I'm enjoying the stroll, rain or no. Seems as if it's letting up, in any case.

I can't help but agree there. Some of the people were great, if a little odd sometimes. I wonder though if we almost ended up home. And the gods here grabbed us at the last minute.

[Or whatever happened. He only remembers the fleet, then here.

That hand isn't going anywhere though. Undertaker's is warm and comforting. And makes him feel more solidly connected to their new reality.]

So am I. I don't think I'd mind if we got lost like this- though we should try not to. [He laughs.] I'll keep an eye out for tea while we go if you watch for somewhere cozy to make our own?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

♥ September Intro Mingle Log

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