Video

[theweakhavepurpose]

[The video opens on a pile of wood, sticks, shrubbery, and chunks of what might have been siding, all piled into a very obvious pyramid surrounded by rocks.]

So everything has sucked recently. Back home in Montana, when shit got rough we'd always get together and have a big bonfire. Get drunk, make s'mores, all that stuff. It didn't make things better but at least you forgot about it for a little while.

Worth a try right?

[He sounds like he's honestly asking. He's trying really hard to be positive for once.]

I've got some graham crackers, chocolate, and other things for roasting. No marshmallows though so if anyone wants to come through in the clutch it would be appreciated.

I'm lighting this up tonight at dusk, so if you want in, be there. I've only got so much to burn and it might not last more than an hour or two.

((OOC: Feel free to use this like a log and make top levels and do action things. Go forth and get some bonfire mingling on!))

Comments

[audio]

[circumitus]

[S'mores? Rey might have been able to try a lot of new things she never got to experience or appreciate before over the last few years, but times like these she's reminded of how she's still got a long ways to go when it comes to catching up on the simple things like camping the staples.]

Ah. Could probably help keep the fire going.

[It's pretty easy when you're a walking torch.]

[Video]

[theweakhavepurpose]

If you have more things to burn, bring it over. We could use it. I didn't really want to knock down a whole building for kindling to make some s'mores.

action;

[dedikated]

( She misses the announcement, but it's hard to miss the signs of fire when you're outside as the sky gets dark. For a brief, panicked moment, the thought which flashes through her head isn't bonfire but simply fire, because that's exactly what this city doesn't need right now.

And the world has a way of making the one thing you don't need be exactly what happens.

But the smoke doesn't thicken, doesn't intensify as she follows a winding path towards the source, finding—

Ah. The not shit version. This? Not so bad. )

Trying to keep warm?

( You're not funny, Kate, no one thinks you're funny. )

[theweakhavepurpose]

Sorta.

[He's involved in the very laborious process of skewering some mushrooms onto a stick to roast.]

More thought it would be nice to unwind, you know? Relax for a bit?

[The calm before the storm if the Null attack.]

[action] OTA

[onlyanautomaton]

[The tactile sensation of heat that living creatures experience isn't something Oscar can feel. His own experience of heat is different; he appreciates the warmth being emitted by the great fire before him, and not just for the obvious and observable effects it has on organisms in this glacial landscape. He detects the motion of his gear circuits becoming smoother. The higher air temperature in this sub-zero environment has something of a calming effect on him.

Mr. Pratt has lit the bonfire a safe distance away from vulnerable structures. He has also chosen a night with low wind. It would seem that the man has identified and duly managed the major risks involved in starting it. The risks of incident and injury are all that remain.

Oscar stands by the flames in silence.]

[theweakhavepurpose]

Don't suppose you were able to find any marshmallows?

[Not that he thinks the automaton would have actually looked for any, Pratt is assuming he can't eat.]

[synthedick]

[If Oscar waits long enough, he'll find himself joined by a fellow machine, the two of them silhouetted against the fire burning brightly before them. Aside from the nod in greeting, Nick remains silent for several seconds, just listening to the crackling of the flames in the night air.]

Hell of a month, huh.

[Spoken like a man who doesn't really know how to put what he's feeling into words.]

[circumitus]

[Rey isn't actually cold. Her lack of proper winter wear is testament to that, protected only by a hooded vest over. She figured this was one reason to get out of the city again, at least.

[Hands tucked into the pockets of her cargo pants, Rey finds herself near Oscar. She double-takes when she notices him, as he doesn't strike her as someone enticed by warmth or s'mores.]

Didn't think you'd be here.

[Speak for yourself, Rey.]

video---->action (OTA)

[toiletseat_girl]

All you had to say was fucking s'mores. I'm in. And I will fucking turn the stores upside down if that's what it takes to get some marshmallows.

[and she turns up, not dressed for the weather at all, but bearing four bags of marshmallows]

Found 'em hidden behind some cans of lima beans. Probably why no one else found them. Oh, and . . . don't go to the store near the second spiral of houses. I kind of fucking tore it apart.

[theweakhavepurpose]

[Oh, she meant that literally. He.. wasn't expecting that.]

If it gets us s'mores I'm not going to complain. We fucking deserve it.

[He has a bowl full of crackers and another full of chocolate pieces. He's clearly pulled these all out of something else and unwrapped them, but hey - it's chocolate.]

For all the shit we put up with here they should be giving us monthly s'mores rations.

video

[roseofthetyrells]

Might I ask what a s'more is?

Video

[theweakhavepurpose]

Chocolate. Marshmallows. Roasted and mushed between graham crackers. It's delicious. Trust me.

video---->action (OTA)

[outofthefire]

I haven't been to a bonfire since I got here. They're fun, even without the treats. See you there.

[and along comes a teenage girl wearing an obviously eighties sweater set and kilt under a long, white coat and white mittens. once she gets to the fire, she takes off her mittens and holds her hands close to the flames]

This is real nice, mister. Thank you.

action (OTA)

[unphase]

[she can hear the attempt at optimism and she's so glad to hear it! it doesn't hurt that she thinks this is a great idea, even if no one finds any marshmallows.

she arrives in a fluffy white sweater, black skinny jeans, and a pair of black knee boots.

when she arrives, she immediately goes over to Pratt, saying] This is great. It really is. Thank you.

[later, she can be found mingling in the crowd with a warm smile on her face, open to all who approach]

[theweakhavepurpose]

Figured we needed to do something to let off steam other than shooting at targets. Everyone's been on fucking edge lately.

[He means himself. He's been on edge.]

I hope someone comes through with marshmallows.

video---->action (OTA)

[theladyofhighever]

[the expression on her face is far away. she's thinking back to the fires they'd make at camp and how warm and comforting they were.

she just stares for a moment, before speaking up]

Yes. A bonfire would be good.

[shortly after dusk, a teenage girl arrives wearing a thick black fur cloak over her armor. she sort of . . . hangs back from the crowd.

someone drag her in, please?]

[shithefuckup]

[Alas, Zack is not the kind of person to drag someone in, as he also is someone who'd rather keep from the crowd. Probably a lot more further, if he can help it.

Yet, he's here, hands stuffed in his pocket and all. In an effort to not look at the fire, he turns his gaze somewhere else, right to where she is.]

...you don't like fires too?

Video

[utulien_aure]

You have chocolate?

[Has there been chocolate here all this time, and Fingon just hasn't noticed? Elbereth that's depressing news.]

[theweakhavepurpose]

I ripped open about twenty MRE's to take the dessert parts out, but yeah. Kinda.

[ACTION]

[itsnotaonesie]

[Normally, Peter probably would have been one of the first people to show, and he definitely would have been totally pumped to mingle with his peeps like the unstoppable social butterfly that he is. After this month's absolute shitshow and all of the kind of horrible things he'd done while under Rage's influence though, the last thing he wanted to do was be social. He'd more or less hidden in his room ever since George snapped him out of his little psycho rampage, and in that time he's managed to convince himself that everyone he'd encountered must hate him. Or at the very least be terrified of him, which was almost worse. Yeaaaaah, it was probably best if he just avoided all human contact for the rest of his life.

Except that he's here at Pratt's little get together, probably after being convinced by someone to stop fucking moping all goddamn day and get his shit together. He's trying real hard not to look completely uncomfortable about being here, but judging by the way he's awkwardly keeping his distance and just standing there with his hands in his pockets, he's not exactly doing the best job. Maybe you can catch him before he just up and chickens the fuck out and climbs on top of the nearest structure to ESCAPE.]

[toiletseat_girl]

[yeahhhhh, you thought you could avoid her, didn't you? hiding in your room or the lab at all hours, being emo, the works.

George ain't having that shit.

so she just saunters on over and says] Hey. There are marshmallows. I found 'em.

[Video]

[shithefuckup]

Okay, but how big is this fire going to be, and what if I just want to eat the crackers as is instead?

[theweakhavepurpose]

You can but I mean.. they're just crackers. They're way better with all the s'mores stuff added in.

Normal bonfire size. Like five feet I guess?

[Audio]

[hoperulesdespairdrools]

What a wonderful idea! Bringing people together and filling their hearts with hope after such a terrible ordeal!

[theweakhavepurpose]

That's the idea. We'll see if it works.

[he doesn't sound very confident that it will.]

audio -> action

[aroundthecoroner]

[Hey, Pratt gets audio! That's a privilege. He's not much of one for social gatherings but... there were s'mores mentioned. And more importantly:]

Oh my god you have chocolate. I'm on my way.

[And true to his word, he does show up, shuffling around the edges of the gathering, hands in his pockets. Until he spots Pratt.]

You, uh, got the goods?

[theweakhavepurpose]

Do you want me to pass this to you in a shady back alley from under my jacket?

[But he does have a bowl of chocolates. They're little squares that he unwrapped from dozens of dessert sections of MRE's, but they are actually chocolate and though they're designed to not spoil for decades, they don't taste that bad.]

[action]

[synthedick]

[It's later on by the time Nick rounds his way over toward Pratt. The fire's still going, kept alive by folks like Rey and donations to the flame. Nick himself brought that wobbly chair from the Guard HQ, figuring it's better off as firewood than furniture. He sighs, thinking of all the folks who used to sit in that chair, people who haven't been in the city in some time. Soon it'll be gone, just like them.

But he's not here to reminisce about the ones who contributed to that chair's wobbly state. He's come up to Pratt for a reason.]

Hey. Thanks for putting this on.

[theweakhavepurpose]

[Pratt's sitting close enough to feel the heat from the fire, but far enough back to not be in anyone's way. He's eaten his fill of marshmallows, well, not really, but he's eaten enough and there wouldn't be any left for anyone else if he ate all he wanted.]

Figured we could all use something that isn't batshit bananas like what's normally happening around here.

It'll be nice for a while anyway.

[Sometimes all you have is the memories you cling to.]