Mingle ∞ Log
No Lifeguard on Duty
Summary
What's going on?
An
unexpected heat wave in mid-June, coupled with the cycling shutdown of all air conditioning units in motels across the Blocks, has made the summer unbearable. Meanwhile, the ever-eager
storm chaser,
Felix Bjurstrom, has uncovered a
fancy resort with a pool in a diffusion zone only 1 hour out from Panorama. Lucky, right? Well...kind of. It's got some quirks.
When is this happening?
June 10 - 30
What should I know?
- This area is one of many diffusion zones that appear throughout the planet.
- A storm chaser is someone dedicated to studying the cosmic phenomenon in the Diadem. Felix is a pioneer in his field.
- A winding highway filled with old empty barrels will take you to the zone.
- Characters can travel with a friend to save on gas! Parking's limited, so it might not be a bad idea.
- At any given time, there's max several dozen visitors. Most work long hours, some are traveling through the diffusion zones, and others prefer not to risk the drive or waste precious gas, so it won't draw a huge crowd (but there's still a crowd!).
- This is a mingle rather than an event. Plot-heavy elements will be minor. The game's first proper event will be posted in July!
What does my character know?
- Having lost his phone, Felix will spread the word using good old-fashioned printed posters that he's put up around Panorama. A young woman is seen helping him. They appear to be close. Some say that's his daughter.
- Though the timing is impossible to predict accurately, Felix believes that due to this zone's unusual proximity to an anchor point, it has a high chance of persisting for 2-3 weeks.
- Directions are printed on the posters, though characters are also free to stumble across the zone by accident.
∞ Links ∞
Introduction
The resort looks like your typical upscale vacation spot: a beautiful pool, lovely cabins, and plenty of pool chairs. The sky is
perpetually nighttime and there are
two moons. One moon is smaller than its sister and glows purple. The other looks like the Earth's moon. The weather is
pleasantly warm. In fact, conditions are almost
too perfect.
Other
fluxdrifts are here, too, and you might come across them, all of whom are taking advantage of the pool. They'll converse superficially with you and will come and go randomly. You'll want to keep a close eye on your belongings. Other than cooling off, this isn't a bad place to start making connections. Life in the Diadem is better when you've got allies if not friends.
Just outside the resort is a
spacious parking lot, designed for visitors. Nobody's following parking rules so put your car anywhere it fits. If you get blocked in, well, that's a problem for when you leave.
At the end of June, the diffusion zone will flicker and morph into an unremarkable overgrown park, long abandoned to the decades.
Prompts
As you wander around, you discover deactivated androids in many of the poolside huts. These androids cannot be mistaken for any organic species: their chassis is metal, and their heads are shiny. Circuits and wires are visible. But each is dressed distinctly human in a way that borders on disturbing. You spot lipstick drawn on some of the metal faces, as though they're playing dress up...or as if they don't realize they aren't human. One android is frozen in place with a diary clutched in its hands. Another has a hairbrush for its nonexistent hair.
Something seems to have destroyed them—perhaps a powerful EMP wave that knocked them all out. All except one.
The Bartender
The poolside bar is at the eastern end of the resort. There are plenty of seats. A few are occupied by deactivated androids. The bartender is also an android and appears to be the only functional one in this place. He speaks with a modulated voice and has a neutral accent. He exhibits the following behaviors if you sit at his bar:
- Icebreaker. Whether you're alone or with a companion, he'll try to get you all to be friends, asking random self-generated icebreaker questions. He'll be visibly disappointed if you don't play along.
- Bartending. While cheerful, he can't make the correct drink: it's always too strong, incredibly weak, added salt instead of sugar, messed up the ice. He's obviously doing his best, but it's just not working. The harder he tries, the worse he performs until it becomes a comedy of errors with stuff falling over, ice dumped in your lap, champagne corks flying, and any number of slapstick mishaps. You can help him out by mixing the drink yourself.
If you're nice to him, he'll introduce himself as Thomas Lustras. He's happy to
tell you about his son. Strange, you think, but who says androids can't have paternal instincts? Yet, when the android takes out his wallet to show you a photo of his son—named Edward Lustras—the picture is that of a
human child, roughly 5 years old, in the arms of his
human father.
The driver's license in the same wallet confirms that Thomas is (was?) a real person. The picture on the license matches the human male in the photo. A half-scorched business card states that Thomas was a consultant at Outer Rim Resettlements. Thomas believes he's on a company retreat and wistfully declares he's eager to return home to his son.
Maybe don't look too closely. After all, this place will soon disappear. And so will he.
The Grill
It's not a vacation without a grill! Not a grillable item is in sight, though, so you'll have to rely on what you can bring out of Panorama. Some of the visiting drifters will pitch in to share, unloading hotdogs (some synthetic, others authentic, and some far past expiry), burger patties (same) and buns, and "kebabs" made of blocky frozen vegetable squares. The squares vaguely resemble corn, mushrooms, and pineapple. The texture is passable, like a flavor-infused block of tofu.
Fire up the grill and take turns grilling. You'll also have to manage the propane. The grill's also prone to sputtering out, requiring regular minor repairs to get it back up and going. Any loose bolts or screws can be taken out of the dead androids to replace the rusty ones in the grill. You're unsure if you should feel uncomfortable doing that or what, but it is a solution.
Parking Woes
Like any crowded event, the parking lot can get chaotic, and the lawlessness of the diffusion zones doesn't help. While some are happy to help barbecue, others are more interested in picking fights over who got to the parking space first. It won't take much for a fistfight to break out, and a knife fight isn't out of the question, either, though nobody'll be killed (this time).
You can let the troublemakers beat each other, or you can try to intervene if somebody who doesn't deserve it is getting harassed. Just avoid causing too much of a scene. Breaking noses is acceptable; gutting someone head to toe is not. There are Enforcers visiting the zone, and if you interfere with their nice pool time, they won't hesitate to haul away everybody involved and make you sit in jail for a few days.
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thediadem) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
diademlogs2025-06-08 10:11 am
no subject
It's funny, though, in almost a sad way, that of the two men it's Logan he expected to be more antagonistic, and in the end it was Scott, a man he had hoped could become an ally, perhaps even a friend, that ended up nearly attacking him unprompted. Well, unprompted by him, in that precise moment. He's almost afraid to know the details of all the shit his (potential, possibly erased) future self did to earn that level of animosity.
He breathes out when Charles expresses his sympathy. Anyone else, he'd likely tell them to spare him pity, that he's perfectly fine on his own, he's done well enough without anyone else and it would be no different here. But it's harder now, saying that, when he's experienced having those connections; and it's nearly impossible to claim such a thing to Charles of all people, when he was the first person he forged such a connection with, a connection that remains the strongest to this day. ]
You reap what you sow, I suppose. [ Granted, not all of it was him, but they both know it: the potential is there. Maybe that's more than enough for Scott to know he can never trust him, or even stand to be near him. And maybe that will be equally true for any other X-Man that comes to this place.
He doesn't know what he's going to do from here on out, really. The inclination to just isolate himself is still there, and he doesn't know if he won't fall into that temptation, but for now he sets those thoughts aside. It's all too fresh, and he needs time.
He turns to Charles then. ]
Show me this cabin of yours, then.
no subject
Yes, you do.
[ Reap and sow, everyone does, but Erik especially. Him being so aware of it is one of the reasons that Charles feels positive about the direction that they're heading in. Erik could have reacted to all of this in a troubling way but he's handling his emotions and being more disappointed than reactive. It's a good sign. He tilts his head up when Erik says that and he smiles for him, genuinely.
He leads him toward the living areas where people have claimed rooms and cabins for themselves while this place exists. Charles snuck one himself, a cozy two-bedroom with a reasonable living space for him to live in luxury for a few days. He did find a key for this one and locked it; certainly people could have tried to break in, but they haven't. Luck or possibly felt there wasn't anything worth pilfering.
It is clean and not looking particularly lived in given that Charles didn't have belongings to bring here. There is a few glasses and a bottle of whiskey on the main table, and one of the bedrooms is slept in, plus the wardrobes appear to be open and if Erik peeks, he'll see there are still clothes in there that are up for the taking. Charles is currently wearing some that fit him. It's nice to have more than one or two sets of clothing, that he came with and that Logan had to get for him. ]
My abode is your abode. For just a short time, I'm pretending to be on vacation.
no subject
There's really nothing he can do about it now. Charles is right, it can't be fixed overnight, and trying to do so now would only make things worse. Best to let sleeping dogs lie for the time being. Maybe there will be a way to remedy the situation one day, maybe not— but today is certainly not that day.
So he resigns to setting that aside for now, following Charles through the rows of cabins, surprise expressed more clearly on his face as they approach the one Charles has claimed for himself. It is, by far, much more impressive than the dingy motel rooms they've had to settle with back in Panorama, and when he steps inside, the sheer size of it makes Erik's eyebrows shoot up as he looks around. ]
You really have taken to this place.
[ It's not a criticism, necessarily. Maybe it's just what Charles needs, after the difficulties he's been through. But Erik still worries if having this and then seeing it gone won't do more harm than good in the long run.
Nevertheless, he steps further inside, not going into any of the rooms right away, instead keeping to the main living area. The level of comfort is impressive, considering the difficulties they have to deal with back in Panorama, and it prompts the question of how these diffusion zones can even come to be in the first place. ]
You know those clothes you've found might vanish when this place does.
[ He's not sure, really, it's just a possibility that's worth considering. That anything they try to claim might not outlive whatever phenomenon has brought them into existence. ]
no subject
It is very indulgent to be here and Charles knows that, but he cannot resist it and he doesn't intend on it. Eventually, yes, he has given himself a cutting off date when he must force himself to go even if it is still there for quite some time afterward. He wheels over to the living room couch and pushes out of his uncomfortable default seat for a more comfortable and plushy one. The discomfort of his wheelchair has been an ongoing frustration but not one he speaks out loud. ]
I have, but I know it's temporary. I've given myself four days and then I will leave and not come back to avoid temptation. Otherwise I'd be here until it disappears.
[ And possibly disappear along with it. Charles has no idea about the details as he hasn't gone investigating, but he suspects this is the wisest move. It only just appeared so from what he's told, it is likely to be around another week or two. He reaches over to pick up the whiskey he's stored here and pours two glasses, setting one down on the table for Erik to take at his leisure.
He snorts at that, resting back against the softer couch cushions. Anything is possible but he is fairly certain that is not the case. Still, it's amusing to think about. Humiliating if it truly happened, although perhaps in Charles's state of mind, he would go 'this may as well happen' at the time. His pride has taken a beating lately, it fluctuates. You would think the arrival of people who adore him would feed it, but it only makes him more anxious.]
Then some people are about to get a surprising show.
[ He says dryly, watching Erik closely. It's quiet in here and in this place so he is not as tense as he was during their first trip to the supermarket. He is blissfully at ease with his mind here. When he goes back, he'll have to adjust again. ]
Henryk? Why a false name here?
no subject
Four days seems reasonable. Some time to not struggle with the difficulties of the city, in a place where his mind gets a break. He knows that's a good part of the reason why Charles wants to stay here, and while Erik can't begin to imagine the constant noise in Charles's mind, he can certainly understand seeking peace and quiet.
Erik doesn't take the drink right away, still walking through the room, stopping near a window and looking outside. People milling about, in swimsuits and summer clothes, a surreal sight after just leaving the city. These diffusion zones really are something. ]
It's the name I took, before I came here. [ He glances back to Charles. ] I wasn't sure where I was when I got here, if all of this was even real or whether or not I was still on Earth. It seemed... safer to retain my human identity, I suppose. Just in case someone showed up, or something happened.
[ But then Charles showed up, to add to Raven, and once he saw the dangers of this place, he knew he wasn't going to be able to hide anymore, so. Seemed pointless to cling to it.
He takes a seat next to Charles eventually, picking up his glass on the way. ]
In hindsight, it probably was a pointless idea, but maybe it's for the best that Scott didn't know right away who I was. He needed a place to stay and he wouldn't have accepted my help, had he known who I was.
no subject
[ They became their identities entirely the more they slipped into the roles of mutant terrorists. Charles is certain that he at some point mentioned their names, but he likely didn't call them so familiarly with his students. ]
They didn't know how close we were. Or that Raven was my sister. I guessed that by that time, the distance had been so great and our paths so diverged that it hurt for me to talk about it, so I never did. My role as their leader didn't seem to include much space to be a peer or person.
[ Charles is not surprised given that he put distance between himself and them even in the ten years that they were apart. It all came crashing back the moment they were in his area again, since he was far from over the love he shared for them, but after a few more decades apart, with so much violence and disconnect on top of it? Charles can see why he didn't get deeply into his own pain and struggles, not when he had to be their professor and leader and put his students first.
He was in his old mind briefly and learned a great deal from that encounter about himself, but also about how important his role had been for the X-Men. He can see why he would prioritize that, make that his life and purpose, and accept that the love he once had for them couldn't matter more. It's a tragedy, and he was sad to hear it, especially with Raven, but it lined up with what he could see. He must have stopped trying to reach them. ]
If our plan succeeded and we changed the future, perhaps that went differently. We have no way of knowing. But I'm hopeful.
[ He reached Raven. That could have changed her path. Erik himself left and decided to start a new life, as he's told Charles here, and the Henryk he was going by. The alteration could mean that decades from now, it could be a different story for the X-Men. Charles likes to think so, at least. That's the optimist in him.
He takes a sip of his drink and turns his body toward Erik, closer than he expected to have him, but it feels natural, easy. Perhaps he wants to hope that this could be replicated too. ]
Scott reminds me of myself. I can see that I put a great deal of weight on his shoulders as the field leader of the team.
no subject
I'm sorry to hear.
[ It is equally unfair to Charles, too. The sacrifices he's made in this future for the greater good, for the cause he dedicated his life to. It's all the sadder to think of him not even talking about Raven, or telling others about her. That's the future Erik was going to build, had he kept on that path.
He hold his drink in his hands, tucked between his legs, but doesn't drink. He doesn't even glance over at Charles when he turns to him, his gaze just lingering, unfocued, on some spot across the room. ]º
Your plan. [ Not Erik's plan. His plan would have only made their future even worse, if anything. He is relieved, for once, that he was stopped before it was too late. ]
He's clearly very loyal to you. So is Logan. [ It speaks volumes he didn't come at Erik when Scott mentioned the stadium incident, for one. Erik's lips curl faintly then, and he finally looks over at Charles. ] It's well deserved.