lusi | MINGLE 001

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MINGLE 001

MINGLE 001: FOOD, FUN, FUCKING

Guests are 'gently encouraged' by enforcer robots to gather into what appears to be a central gathering place in the middle of the settlement area. Attendance is quite mandatory. Once everyone has gathered, holographic emitters kick on and display... static. Loudspeakers tell the captive audience to prepare for an important announcement, and moments later a proper but mechanical voice chimes in:

Greetings, organisms! R̷e̶j̸o̴i̴c̷e̸, for the portents foresee a time of glorious providence! We have recorded your actions a̵n̸d̵ ̴o̸u̶r̵ ̵c̶a̵p̸a̷b̷i̴l̸i̷t̵i̶e̸s̶ ̴have upgraded accordingly! The fabricator general automata grant you a boon, and shall provide much glamorous f̷i̶x̴t̶u̶r̶e̴s̷ ̴to aid in your future acts. Frolic and make merrily, all!

To honor your contributions and celebrate your arrival, you will be invited to attend our first sultry salacious soiree. Join your fellow chosen and f̵u̶l̵f̴i̵l̸l̵ ̵y̸o̷u̶r̷ ̷f̸u̴n̴c̷t̷i̶o̶n̶!

And with that, the display ends and characters are allowed to go as they please.

Upon returning, characters now find that dormant manufacturing robots have been reactivated, and will accept requests to build certain household fixtures, i.e., bedding, couches, loveseats. Because who wants to bang on a dusty cot, right? The quality will not be high. Imagine low-end IKEA. Build quality also varies dramatically and seems to depend on how old and corrupted the machine is. (As with all things in this world, quality is improved with intimate acts.)

But what is this celebration you've been invited to? That much is simple as sin. It's a mechanically sponsored party. Of particular note to hungry newcomers will be a fully stocked banquet ample spirits and naturally, a dedicated area for an all-out orgy. It's a good old-fashioned party, Roman style!

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These are no hospital rations. This is a full-fledged feast. It's no less dangerous, though.
Naturally, the robots have seen fit to add a little bit "extra." Some offerings are entirely innocuous, while others have bevy of effects that you'll soon discover.

You may find yourself only able to speak the truth, or maybe after one bite you find yourself instantly smitten with the next person you see. Some foods incite obedience, others rebellion. And some... well, you can't have an orgy without some good, old-fashioned aphrodisiac.

The music has been modulated to change the way you think. Of course it's electro-synth, what else would robots play?

Slower music induces sleep; maybe you fall into a cuddle-puddle with some of your fellow kidnappees. Faster music encourages you to dance. And some music? That's what upstairs is for.

Speaking of upstairs, what's an orgy without the orgy? You may find yourself auspiciously able to fill your decadent A5 squares. In a large room that seems unusually renovated, as if the robots had given it special attention just for this day, a floor covered in pillows awaits the beast with two backs. No one is turned away, and those attending will get a notification from their devices that they have received... additional credits? What could this mean?

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N A V I G A T I O N

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I've had my fill.

[ the rooftop population has been exploding recently. vidar has also met someone that way, though to be fair, the other man he spotted first from his gundam. this time around, he just wanted air, having been stuck down the gathering for far too long.

vidar's voice is altered by that mask; it sounds robotic, just shy of being human. at his question, he tilts his head, his mask gleaming in the light. ]

What kind of answer are you looking for?

[ It's okay. The last guy didn't want this accursed fruit, either.

Lelouch nearly mistakes him for a part of the robot population with a mask like that, the metal of it scintillant, adding to disconcertion rather than subtracting from it. All at once, he's listening intently to the crisp modulation (voice changer?), half-expecting him to remove it and find himself staring back at some kind of automaton.

But this stranger's already spoken of more than the auspice that comes with sexual depravity, so naturally his thoughts drift to Zero. Zero, and the mask he'd donned once, the painstaking lengths he'd undergone to conceal his identity. It's a conscious effort on Lelouch's part, keeping his posture open and relaxed when he's instantly on-guard. ]

Whatever answer you're willing to give.

[ Anything goes. ]

Edited 2020-06-01 22:53 (UTC)

How curious.

Whatever's down there, I guess. People, buildings, places. The layout of the land.

Anything different would require a substantial shift in the kind of person you can be.

What do you see?

[ vidar just watches. it's curious how much effort he puts in on being open and relaxed. he'd like to establish himself as not a threat, but that kind of thing doesn't always go well. after all, not everyone has that luxury.

so he keeps it simple. hands where they can be seen, even if vidar himself isn't as open and welcoming like most. he lost that ability a long time ago; now, he's just a ghost. ]

That's a very logical answer.

[ Black-and-white mentality, emotionless or putting on the airs of emotionlessness. Lelouch watches back, like this is some sick ouroboros between them, one reaction feeding into the other, speaking from one ghost to another. The absence of expression removes a degree of certainty, but plenty of people can wear masks without having to resort to the physicality of one.

Like now, the glint of his eyes far too keen, serrating the ploy of complacency. From the beginning, he's never been able to fully master the act. ]

The same thing as you, at first glance. [ What a tepid response. ] Though what I really see is a puzzle. I thought I'd be able to figure it out if I kept staring.

[ He'll invite him over for the threat that he is with one hand, gesturing out over the railing. Lelouch has his handgun on him, the same one he carried with him that fateful day, but he isn't expecting to pull it out here regardless. ]

...they act without rhyme or reason. I imagined observing them might yield some clues, but no dice.

[ Never mind that he's already dismantled one, sorted through its innards to no avail. It's not worth mentioning, better a secret he keeps to himself. ]

What brings you up here?

It is what it is. [ vidar shrugs. ] If you wanted something else, specify ahead of time.

[ a puzzle, huh. you're one of those. vidar is unfortunately familiar with the type. ]

It's too early to establish patterns at this rate.

And it's certainly not something one can do by themselves. Analysis is only as sound as the people you have with you working to process it.

[ invited, he moves forward towards the railing. vidar is taller, certainly, but his uniform betrays nothing much about who he is -- not his rank, nor his profession. just the mark of the seven stars on his chest, gleaming in the dim light as he watches the wasteland. ]

Curiousity is why I'm here.

It seems that this is a popular place for some to hang out. I met a guy who's as antisocial as they come hiding here, the first time around.

You're certainly chattier, and that's much appreciated.

Who says I'm acting alone?

[ A tad on the nose, though his one ally here isn't well-suited for tactfulness. His witch would've made for a far better accomplice, but there's no begrudging his lots with Suzaku. He zeroes in on the medals, the uniform, the militaristic air about him, then back to the mask. ]

I've yet to come across a reason why I shouldn't, for that matter. Gathering info is arguably the most important part of this equation. Deciding how best to proceed from there can come afterwards.

[ He's been hesitant to voice his concerns over the network for that reason, given the high likelihood of monitoring if not the risk of corrupted data, but his lack of a pen has greatly undercut his efforts to record his findings in the journal he arrived with.

Lelouch skates the subject of talkativeness to get right to the heart of the matter: ] Why don't we make a deal?

Already?

You barely know me.

[ that seems to be a recipe for disaster, but vidar is more amused about it than anything else. what an impulsive guy. he guesses he's not normally like this; it's likely that the situation itself has made him consider certain things. ]

Perhaps start with a name, before you go casually propositioning strangers in masks.

You can call me Vidar.

[ how do you think he recruited his freedom fighter group... like a diplomat or like a teenager on a power trip.......... he might've conquered the world once, but he's still wet behind the ears. ]

Alright, Vidar. Lelouch Lamperogue. [ He'll need to check his bracelet later for contact details should the need arise, but for now he's content to lay out his intentions. ] I'm killing time. You haven't heard my terms yet.

[ Hopefully Vidar doesn't think this is a proposition for something truly horrific? Lelouch could do that, but ideally, he'd prefer to focus on matters far more pertinent to his vested interest in ensuring Suzaku's survival and escape. Such as a very, very benign request. ]

Don’t make things complicated, Lelouch.

Small talk doesn’t have to be the equivalent of killing time. You’re not exactly going anywhere else here.

[ a true child. vidar feels like he’s back at the arianrhod ship again, talking to iok and julieta at the same time, with rustal elion’s eyes boring into his skull as he says without saying the things he’d rather avoid talking about.

vidar isn’t really expecting much from him, as a result. and maybe there’s a bit of freedom in that. if nothing else, he just continues to speak to him in that matter-of-fact tone. ]

State your terms. I will consider it.

[ That's for him to decide? He can walk off, as tyrannical as he is incredibly petty, but circumstances being what they are mean that his frown is very short-lived, replaced in broad strokes by a straightening of his shoulders.

This condescension, though. Lelouch continues staring deeply in a way that could be misconstrued as vehemence if it wasn't just his annoyance coming through in the tilt of his head. ]

Should you find a working pen, I'd like to strike a trade with you. I can't offer anything but information I've learned regarding our current whereabouts, but you're welcome to do what you will with it after.

[ Distribution, parceling it off to sell, withholding it. The offer sounds so childish in hindsight, but Lelouch isn't backing down. ]

Is that disagreeable?

[ Not much of a deal at all, actually. More like a slightly impolite favor. Ransacking a whole block of buildings has turned up nothing in the way of even pencils to jot down his notes with. ]

[ vidar smiles, though it's hidden behind that mask. ]

Well, it might just be your lucky day.

[ he produces a pen from his pocket. it's one of those pens that some corporate venue always gives whenever they have events, and gjallarhorn has no shortage of merchandise that one gets sick of it often. he has fifty of these on his desk back in the arianrhod ship.

so, there you go. a cheap Bic pen, with the insignia of gjallarhorn marking it down the barrel. it writes blue. ]

As for your deal, I reject it.

Information regarding the world should be freely given, considering all of us are thinking of survival, in our own ways.

If you'd like to keep it to yourself, that's on you; but if you're going to use that as a bargaining chip, then it should be better than what I have, or something that I haven't heard before. If you can't guarantee that, don't make the offer. Keep it for next time.

Convenient. [ Odd how so many feelings clash in him in this moment, lectured but freely offered an object he's sorely needed since his arrival. Pragmatism is what Lelouch assumes at last, encumbering Vidar with the sudden intensity of his stare, like lasers cutting through glass. As if he could cut through that mask to the truth that surely lies beneath. ] I never planned on keeping it to myself. It isn't prudent to list out what I've learned over an interface that's likely tapped, for example. Word of mouth is what I've chosen to rely on for the time being, however ineffective.

[ Distrust in the system and doubt for those around him, whether their intentions bode well or ill, has always existed in Lelouch. Of course it could only be this way with him, too furtive for his own good. ]

A debt is the last thing I want. Therefore, I can't accept this pen without a proper trade.

[ It's always his pride that gets in the way. Stepping close, Lelouch's ego is too prohibitively grand for humility; he isn't nearly as tall but he demands attention like it's owned to him, insists upon it unflinchingly. The royal bearing he was born with has never left him. He holds his head high. ]

Share all of your findings as it concerns this place with me. I'd also like to ask you questions regarding your circumstances before arriving here. I understand how absurd this appeal is, but I have my reasons.

[ Whether or not that rationale should prove beneficial is another matter, but Lelouch's gaze strays once to the seven stars emblazoned on Vidar's uniform and tellingly lingers before he points to the bracelet fastened on his arm. ]

You've seen the benefit of playing along with this farce, correct? In return, I'll fulfill one request on your card.

.... Honestly. You are too blunt with your desires.

As with all things: I will consider it. I am not a patient man, however, so ask meaningful questions, and I'll pick a square from your card.

[ blunt like the lance that he bears. maybe it's youth, maybe it's inexperience, maybe it's the privilege of being royalty that he can see in his bearing. it is .... very familiar, and although lelouch might perceive it as mocking, it is anything but; really, he's hit with nostalgia more than anything else, despite the mask and the voice. vidar laughs. it sounds like the rattling of iron against hot pavement with that autotuned voice. he is much taller, so he can afford the privilege of looking down and acknowledging the little lord that has suddenly made his presence so visible before him. ]

But if you want information about this world, I will give it to you freely.

In that regard, there is no debt to speak of, because I don't recognize it as such to begin with. I understand your pride, but keep it for the things that matter.

I see. Then I'll start with your circumstances and go from there.

[ More like not blunt enough, if they still need to talk about this in a way that's somewhat contrived, somewhat demeaning? Lelouch's attitude is so testy and prone to rile sometimes, haughty as they come, and all the vindictive pique or charisma in the world can't help him overcome the conceitedness.

His grip over his own self-restraint is so unsteady sometimes, especially now when gazing up, but it helps to put things into perspective that he has nothing left his life. Not even his life, forfeited over well before he arrived.

His gaze also keeps trailing to the pen still in Vidar's hand for obvious, obvious reasons. ]

Do you know by a man by the name of McGillis Fareed?

[ He can be even blunter. Possibly, is Vidar this man? Probably not. Though the height is somewhat reminiscent, that's where the similarity begins and ends. Lelouch's memories of that party are disjointed, fuzzy around the edges, but he remembers tracing his fingers over the seven stars on that lapel while halfway out of his own mind, so it bears mentioning. ]

[ well, it's bound to come up sometime soon. to his credit, vidar doesn't even blink when the name is mentioned. but he spins the pen in his fingers, carefully considering how best to answer that as he gives a thoughtful hum. ]

The Brigadier General.

We work for the same organization, though he commands a different fleet.

Edited 2020-06-03 01:26 (UTC)

[ Good thing Lelouch literally can't see beneath that mask. His eyes casually follow the line of movement offered by the pen. ]

And what organization would that be?

[ He already knows; McGillis told him himself, so this is just confirmation if they're either liars, truth-tellers, or work on a basis similar to the relationship he and Suzaku share.]

That'd be Gjallarhorn.

[ though he strongly doubts mcgillis didn't mention that even once, considering how he is, so he deduces that lelouch is just confirming claims. he wonders what mcgillis has told him.

that being said, this line of questioning is interesting to him, so vidar will allow it, until he thinks lelouch should stop playing the game. ]

[ Irreverence spills into the bluff that Lelouch calls. If bluntness is required, then he'll do what's necessary, as his ambition compels. ]

For what purpose? You mentioned a fleet, but nothing of the designation.

[ Air Force, naval, military, an institution that'd liken itself to the Black Knights. Avoidance hints at unwillingness or intentional deflection, an aspect he presses on as he might exacerbate an injury. ]

Brigadier-General Fareed commandeers the Outer Earth Orbit Regulatory Joint Fleet, a fleet that guards Earth against any threats that may enter its atmosphere.

[ and also, hilariously seen as inept compared to the fleet that vidar works for. ]

[ All of this incredibly world-specific jargon goes right over his head. Understanding each word individually doesn't help him when altogether it begins to sound like gibberish. ]

So you safeguard the Earth from... meteors? [ His voice sounds so implacably flat. ] Do you both work from space?

[ Looks like NASA has been incredibly busy since he's been dead. Lelouch doesn't remember asteroid-blasting being a part of an astronauts's job requisites, but he wasn't expecting to end up on sex island either, so. ]

[ that makes him laugh. ]

Alright, let me explain.

Gjallarhorn has three main spheres of influence: the moon, Mars, and Earth, including the space colonies in between.

Not everyone, of course, gets along. We are all tasked differently depending on which sphere we're assigned to.

The Brigadier-General divides his time in all three spheres, because he's a busy man.

For myself, I belong to the Arianrhod fleet. It is an elite moon-based unit tasked with intercepting any threats to the Earth Sphere. It is also involved in the day to day monitoring of the various space colonies and keeping the peace within them.

Edited 2020-06-03 21:19 (UTC)

[ So much of it is difficult to take in.

As always, he isn't quick to believe at all, but if given irrefutable proof he'd fold, mostly because an overly elaborate pretense requires more to prove. As his father's demonstrated time and time again, lies operate best as a reminiscence of the truth, never as something formed in isolation. None of this is verifiable, but none of it immediately strikes him as a falsehood, either.

He could frame his next question around the juggernaut of the powers of a peace-keeping schema, the delicate trifecta of the celestial planets above, all of it affairs he'll never be able to involve himself in. ]

What was space like?

[ Not a substantial or particularly profound question. Just the idle curiosity of how it must feel to be close enough to behold the stars, unmoored by gravity, floating along in the darkness of something that may as well have been eternity. ]

Cold. Dark. Lots of debris.

[ not very interesting, and vidar isn't a romantic, though perhaps, once upon a time, gaelio might think it pretty. ]

[ So unromantic. Here's this question, courtesy of Lelouch's bluntness: ]

How would you define your relationship with the Brigadier General?

[Even more unromantic, but also intrusive and completely out of left field. He's a busy man says a lot without having to say anything. Lelouch can fill in the blanks from there. ]

[ vidar gives him a strained pause.

it'd be easier to run away.

the way he flips that pen in his fingers doesn't stop, but behind the mask, his facial expression sours and turns into something ugly. how should he describe it? complicated doesn't even cover it.

but he can already see mcgillis' face the moment it gets passed onto him that vidar, the great vidar who is completely able to wreck him and ruin his day, ran away from a stranger's perfectly reasonable question, given their shared backgrounds. and shared backgrounds is a perfectly reasonable way of explaining things. more than that, there is a competitive streak in him remaining as gaelio bauduin that would not allow mcgillis to have the upper hand in these kinds of scenarios, at all.

so all he says is, ]

... the Arianrhod fleet is traditionally noted as being more efficient than the fleets of the Outer Sphere.

This is because in general, within Gjallarhorn, the Outer Earth Orbit Regulatory Joint Fleet is viewed as redundant, and unnecessary in its function, considering The Arianrhod fleet's rapid response time and general success in eliminating threats to begin with.

That being said, once he was assigned as commander of that fleet, they have definitely transformed into a more competent fighting force. He has that ability.

So, to answer that: we work with each other, and have similar spheres of interest. Both of us have extensive combat experience, though he is the better pilot. The Brigadier General's rise is unprecedented back in our world. He is a very tactical, ambitious man, capable of scouting exceptional talent and bringing out loyalty and devotion from the people who work for him. He reforms and shapes units to fulfill his vision of order. As his work ethic is exceptional, you can imagine the kind of people he commands. I'd say they're lucky, but who knows. You're certainly not using your vacation days when you work for the Brigadier General, or so I heard.

In general, Gjallarhorn, as keepers of peace and order, doesn't like surprises at all. [ a wry smile, though it's not seen behind the mask, vidar tilts his head like a bird of prey. ] Then again, that's why the Arianrhod fleet exists -- to eliminate threats before they even begin to make themselves known.

You have one more question left. [ vidar is going to put a stop on this, gently, before it turns into a disaster, though he'd argue he'd been more than fair to mcgillis despite any and all conflicting feelings regarding the man. also because he already knows how mcgillis would respond to having been found out like this, and forcing his hand to be equally magnanimous in a place where it doesn't even count is hilarious to vidar. ]

Edited 2020-06-04 13:46 (UTC)

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