MISSION: RELEASE THEM BACK INTO THE WILD

[initiates]

Date & Time: April 27th - May 1st
Location: Wollongong, Australia, 2464.
Characters: All voluntary transports + maybe a few drafted ones.
Summary: Make those stay-at-homes leave their nerdcaves! My god, do they even know what sunshine looks like???
Warnings: none planned, will be updated accordingly!

The city is old, dark, and very, very quiet. A good deal of the buildings are crumbling and old, but the ones that are actually inhabited glow like candles in the dusk the Transporter has dropped you into. All of these buildings are infested by wiring pouring in from every angle, ensuring that each inhabitant in his or her little block of a room has every modern convenience available in 2464.

There is no one on the streets, no public transportation, and even cars look scarce. But that doesn't mean there's no movement. Maintenance drones, controlled remotely, run deliveries or work repairs. Armed law enforcement drones patrol on rounds through the city, although their mechanized attention is mostly turned outward. Still, they might come to investigate a ruckus within the city limits. And if the persons causing the ruckus don't respond to peaceful attempts to get them to cease, the drones might attempt to subdue them with paralyzing technology and haul them in for a night in the city jail — another dark, unused place.

If you get hungry, there are entire warehouses dedicated to the production of foods. It can't be that hard to sneak in and collect a meal, right? Or you can hack into the system and order whatever you want, if you're good with that kind of thing. Or you can just scavenge—or fast for four days, maybe—if thieving and hacking aren't your style.

And somewhere around here, in those glowing, secluded towers, behind the legions of automated drones, live the reclusive citizens of Wollongong. The methods are up to you, as long as you can get them to come out and breathe the fresh air somehow.

[[ ooc; Mission details are here! This will run from 27th of April to May 1st, with those on the mission returning to Exsilium at the same time that the new arrivals show up. It's an optional mission, but if you'd like your character to go along that would ICly sit it out, feel free to say that the Initiative drafted them for this one.

There aren't any teams or structured threads to this one, so go wild! ]]

Comments

[duplicitoussight]

[He, too, rolls onto his back, turning away from her, resting his hands on his chest.]

Maybe I'm not as sad as you want to make me out to be. It could be as simple as that. [It's a mean thing to say, but it leaves his mouth before he can stop it. It's become an instinct to push people back, even Kido, when they probed him like this.]

[concealingeyes]

[Maybe. He lies enough that she can't tell how bad or good anything he really feels, so of course she has to read into it. It's his own fault. If he wasn't so difficult...

She tightens her hands over her hoodie.]

Sorry.

[duplicitoussight]

[He doesn't answer for a moment. He looks up at the sky where they had traced their constellations together, frowning beneath the cover of his illusion. He doesn't mean to say things like that.

He's a liar. He lies, whether it's out of fear or worry or anything, from the most trivial things. And she knows that.]

... you shouldn't worry so much over my happiness.

[concealingeyes]

It's your happiness. Of course I'm going to worry over it.

[Even though she says it in a firm voice, she still won't look at him. If she was a better leader, a better friend, she could think of what to do to help.

Since she can't, she can at least stick by this one thing.]

[duplicitoussight]

Even though I am happy? [He gives a small laugh.] Well, that's to be expected from a stubborn person like you!

[concealingeyes]

Right, got it. You want me to leave you alone.

[She sighs. Just because she's stubborn doesn't mean she can't wear out trying. Not when he pushes it back on her.]

[duplicitoussight]

[His mouth will get him into trouble. He's heard that a million times. But he always forgets that it can hurt those around him to, when he speaks with sharp words. He doesn't want her to see that hurt part of him, that's all. But he doesn't want her to stop caring, either.

He's not very good at this. And he doesn't blame her for not wanting to put up with it.]

... sorry, sorry. But it's the truth. Leader's worrying over nothing.

[concealingeyes]

[This time he doesn't get a response. It still stings and she can't bring herself to put the kind of focus into him that it takes to push even the smallest truth out. He's still lying right now. He even has the nerve to say it's the truth, like he's justified in telling her off.]

[duplicitoussight]

[He lapses into silence. He's messed up, as usual. What else was new? It's right that she's upset at him. He bitterly smiles at himself.

After a minute or so:]

... hey, hey, Kido.

[concealingeyes]

[At least she responds.] What is it?

[duplicitoussight]

Don't those stars over there look like an ugly face? Ah, it reminds me of the face Mary makes when she's mad.

[concealingeyes]

And you wonder why she freezes you all the time...

[duplicitoussight]

She's too sensitive, that's why!

[He points to another cluster.] But look over there--see, there's a cat. Doesn't Kido like cute cats?

[concealingeyes]

I don't particularly like animals, you know that.

[But she looks anyway.] How does it look like a cat...?

[duplicitoussight]

Can't you see its ears and whiskers? [He traces it.] 'Miao miao! I'm a cat.'

[concealingeyes]

[She sighs. He could just say he was sorry...]

Yeah, I guess it does look like one.

[duplicitoussight]

[He drops his hand.] You were right--you can draw anything you like. Maybe we could take some pictures before we go home.

[concealingeyes]

[That reminds her of what's in her bag. She hesitates for a moment before nodding.] You should. I'll look at them later.

[Well, even if she isn't agreeing to go with him for it, she still wants to see them.]

[duplicitoussight]

[He looks over at her, hopeful.] Really? You'll look at all of them?

[concealingeyes]

[Ugh he has to make that stupid face that means she can't be as mad at him as she wants to be.] Yeah, yeah, just don't go overboard.

[duplicitoussight]

[Success! Just as he hoped.] You don't have to fret~ I'll only send you the best! That's a guarantee.

[concealingeyes]

[She gives up and rolls back over to face him.] This is basically a vacation so it's fine....

[duplicitoussight]

If it's a vacation... [He brightens up.] ... ah, then vacation photos are in order!

[concealingeyes]

Vacation photos? Like what? [Is she going to regret this.]

[duplicitoussight]

It's exactly what it sounds like! We act like tourists and we pose in front of different things. That's how it works.