1st Snowfall

[stringmods]

Who: Everyone
Where: Everywhere
Summary: The first snowfall of the year!
Warning: Only if you hate snow and fun

After the (mostly) harmless chaos of Halloween, the city lies dormant for a few days in the aftermath. Otherworldly quests, demonic pranks, and of course, the continued threat of the 13th Hour has no doubt worn down both citizens and Visitors alike. It's time for a bit of R&R and good old fashioned fun. Early the morning of November 4th, the first snowflakes begin to drift gently to the ground as the weather eases gently into the winter months...

By the time the city awakens, a light dusting of snow already lies upon the streets. Responsible citizens emerge to shovel the walkways, but it's soon evident that their efforts are of little use. The snowstorm, though not fierce, continues unabated throughout the day and by early afternoon, a good foot of snow covers Hinoto-Ri. Most have given up on accomplishing anything useful, preferring to wait out the storm, and the majority of shops and businesses unceremoniously remain closed.

The weather clears enough by 2PM to become the perfect atmosphere to enjoy a day off. Laughing children emerge to hold snowball fights in the middle of the streets, snowmen and sleds appear all over Capricorn, and the general atmosphere is congenial, relaxed, and soothing. Feel free to participate in the games or simply to sit with your friends by a cozy fire, playing board games or reading books or drinking a mug of cocoa. If you're particularly altruistic, you may even get a jump start on shoveling off the streets. The first snowfall is always a magical time of year. You almost can't help the feeling that it's... too peaceful.

Comments

[electricyousei]

"My modifications were to access data networks, not for endurance. One of the Nadesico's suits, with a full charge of its food and water system can keep someone enclosed for a week. Still, I don't think that's any way to live."

[greyerrant]

"I've fought like that, and fighting is one of the most primal expressions of life. Mostly because you're trying very hard to keep someone else from ending yours."

He pauses, almost as if he'd made a joke.

[electricyousei]

"I've fought quite a bit too, though I suspect fleet battles are very different from man battles. Most of the time it ended when I broke into their computer systems and told the life support systems that they really wanted to watch Gekiganger III instead of pump oxygen and heat ships."

She shrugs again.

"I... Don't really like combats and killing. Even if I find those people I won't kill them."

[greyerrant]

"You shouldn't. The moment you start enjoying the blood you spill is the moment you need to pull yourself back from the abyss, because you're on the verge of becoming something... inhuman."

He considers for a moment if he loves battle. He considers life without it, and loken finds he can no longer comprehend it. For him, there is only war, with immortal enemies scattered across the stars.

[electricyousei]

"Yes, I know. I've seen the Jovian forces. Some were able to use their love of justice to step away from that brink and some.... Well, they're monsters that revel in chaos, even if they think its just a war against injustice."

She closes her eyes and sips her tea.

[greyerrant]

Loken is quiet for a moment, and then says,

"The young like you... I always feel shame when I see you being used in such a way."

And he honestly means it. He considers the scout program rather different, not the least because hypno-induction and genebulking turns them from fragile-looking children into superhumans. Ruri is still a tiny, delicate thing.

[electricyousei]

"Honestly, it was either this or not be allowed to live. I've seen terrible things and been apart of them, but I've also seen wonderful things and had three very wonderful years."

She shakes her head.

"And its better to have a purpose than to just aimlessly flail about."

[greyerrant]

"There is always purpose in service, and if we're lucky, a destiny." He shifts slightly, looking at Ruri more closely.

"even so, I would be completely inhuman if I said the idea of people such as yourself being forced to battle didn't disturb me."

[electricyousei]

"I was given an opportunity to walk away. I'm not forced, its just better to serve than to end up a useless draw on humanity."

She looks up at the sky, "That and someone had to take care of Omoikane. He'd get into no small amount of trouble without me. I'm not even sure if he'd listen to anyone else at this point."

[greyerrant]

"Do you really think your life has no value outside of that sort of thing, though?"

He pauses, when she mentions OMoikane. "What's that?"

[electricyousei]

"The Nadesico's computer. I was engineered to interface with him and he was built to interface with me. As for the other, I could return to my genetic parents and be a princess, but I dislike the lies that go with politics, I could move into the private sector and develop computer systems, but those would probably be used for terrible things."

She shrugs a bit, "No, its easiest to be on my ship of fools, at least we're all trying to make the worlds safer."

[greyerrant]

"Politics are a nasty and brutal place, but in the end, I wonder if they're not a better end for humanity than war."

He considers the idea of a cogitator built to interface with one particular person, then nods. Seems like a custom machine-spirit to him. Such things aren't unknown to him, though they are unusual.

"A lot of people say that they're trying to make the world safer. Few succeed."

[electricyousei]

"We've kept Mars space fairly free of pirates while I've been handling the Nadesico. I'm by no means perfect, but we haven't lost any more colonies."

She shrugs a bit.

"I guess I could go off hunting the Martian Successors directly, but that's one ship against a fleet and silly, that and ultimately it wouldn't serve any purpose unless they were all dumb enough to be in one place."

[greyerrant]

"Do they have a leader?"

Loken clearly is still thinking in the old Luna wolf way of the speartip to the throat.

[electricyousei]

"They're the shattered remains of a fallen military organization. Their leader has been in prison since he tried to take over the Jovian government in a coup. No, they're idiotic fanatics who are a step away from being pirates themselves."