[OOC][PLOT] The Fourth Thread of Planning for Arc 1 - Arrivals

[Rajvik]

I'm handing her over to Rob for costuming since he's handling a group of Rei expies

[robkelk]

Almost all of my people are doing straight swaps
Kaji  dresses up as Mal and vice Versace
Misato swaps with Inara
Ritsuko goes as Shepard Book and vice vera
Maya dresses as River,
River dresses as Rei, ( sorry couldn't pass that one up so yo have two Ree to add to your shenanigans)
Shinji and Wash
Asuka and Zoe
Hikari and Kailey
Toji and Simon
Kensuke and Jayne

Some material suggestions for lines.
Kensuke: Jayne, are you sure it's supposed to ride like this?

Jayne: Huh, I almost look wholesome like this.

River: I like blue...

Thanks, Rajvik.

Who's your SI going as?

[Bob Schroeck]

Why am I suddenly seeing Rei going as the Christina Ricci version of Wednesday Addams?

[robkelk]

Well, I was thinking of having her go as Yuki Nagato, but...

[Rajvik]

The villain in black

[Dartz]

Is No Costume an option?

Well, aside from on-stage wear - rather than going as someone or something else.

[robkelk]

Sure, why not? I just need to know.

[robkelk]

Headway is being made... slowly. Here's a teaser scenelet.

---

"They've got some good sweets at this party!"

"Pyuunyu."

They both reached for the same dorayaki.

Kero-chan glared at Aria. "You're a nice guy and all, but I saw that first."

"Nyuu!" Aria wasn't about to back down. Besides, he knew that he'd seen it first.

"This is your last chance --- Hey!" Kero-chan exclaimed when Sakura picked him up by the scruff of his neck.

"Kero! We're guests here! Be polite!"

"Yes, Sakura-san." When he'd been released, he turned back to the table... to see that the dorayaki was still there, President Aria guarding it (and looking contrite - apparently, Sakura's words had reached him as well).

"Pyuu!" He pushed the sweet over to Kero-chan.

"You're sure?"

"Pyu-nyuu."

"Let's split it."

[Dartz]

Although, Mark it official that I'd like their girls to be in their stage dress - similar to Priss from the opening of BGC if anyone needs an example. The girls will take requests - as their normal stock in trade might be a little too heavy. Sylvie will normally lead.

The girls being a discomforting presence would be amusing.

Propositioning the girls would be - amusing - also. They may agree - they may not. Lou will not.

One thing I would like to keep - they've been around longer than the other displacees if they've been here for a month. They may even have been the catalyst. 2 wishes at once entered into Yggrdrasil, that resulted in a shared memory access violation and the whole thing going whoohoo...

[robkelk]

...
Propositioning the girls would be - amusing - also. They may agree - they may not. Lou will not.
...

I wrote this bit a few days ago:

---

Shirou was in front of Kurz, blocking his path. "In the name of all that's holy, Weber-san, don't do this!"

Jayne was physically holding Kurz back. "What he said. Even I know it's just wrong. It's a whole other thing if she wants it, but they were sex slaves. They don't know any better. Don't fuck them around by fucking them."

Kurz stopped trying to get out of Jayne's grip. "They were slaves? I... I didn't know." After a moment, he added, "I'm sorry."

Jayne almost let go, but he kept one hand on Kurz's shoulder. "Let's go get a couple of beers. Away from the 33-Stars."

"Yeah."

---

Even Jayne realizes that's a dick move.

EDIT: If the girls proposition somebody, however...

[Dartz]

"Jayne, you have a moral compass"

"I got nothin against whores now mind, but that's a whore that wannabe a whore. A whore that don't wannabea whore is a whole different bunch a somethin."


Eitherway, Most of the attendees are kids, or spoken for.Would be an interesting conversation with Inara, if someone dares to go there.


"Inara and Sylvie sharing pointers in her private chambers?"

----- cut

"Emotionally, that can lead to insecurity and dependance, something that could be dangerous,"


----

[robkelk]

That's going into the story. Both the line and the conversation.

[Black Aeronaut]

Hey guys...

...I'm still working up the druthers to get back into this.  My state of mind has been real shitty lately and it's been very tough for me to deal with it.  You know how it is - knowing about it doesn't help much; it doesn't give you the motivation to fix it.

I really am sorry about how I've been towards folks here, and I'm honestly starting to feel like I shouldn't be the guy in charge anymore.  Not to give myself an excuse to walk away from this, but to prevent me from doing something idiotic.

At any rate, I've kinda been toying with the idea of kinda starting over again with this.  Not a total reboot... just going back and retconning some things so that people can go ahead and do what it is they wanted to do.  I've been pondering it over and I'm thinking that Dartz has the right of it - that we need those discordant bits if we're going to make this an actual deconstruction, and that there's gonna be no quick fixes for everything.  A few things, yes.  But it should rightfully be a tough slog for everyone.

I'll be busy the next few days, but I'll come by to check on things.  Please think it over and talk about it.  If you don't wanna do it, then I'm not going to force anyone into anything.

[robkelk]

Hey guys...

Hey.

...I'm still working up the druthers to get back into this.  My state of mind has been real shitty lately and it's been very tough for me to deal with it.  You know how it is - knowing about it doesn't help much; it doesn't give you the motivation to fix it.

I really am sorry about how I've been towards folks here, and I'm honestly starting to feel like I shouldn't be the guy in charge anymore.  Not to give myself an excuse to walk away from this, but to prevent me from doing something idiotic.

Are you sure about this?

I mean, really sure? You don't think you'll have any regrets next month?

Because I don't see a lot of options for who could fill those shoes, other than... well, me. Everyone else has either declared their intent to step back and be part-time contributors, or had an IRL disagreement here. If I'm wrong here, please tell me.

At any rate, I've kinda been toying with the idea of kinda starting over again with this.  Not a total reboot... just going back and retconning some things so that people can go ahead and do what it is they wanted to do.  I've been pondering it over and I'm thinking that Dartz has the right of it - that we need those discordant bits if we're going to make this an actual deconstruction, and that there's gonna be no quick fixes for everything.  A few things, yes.  But it should rightfully be a tough slog for everyone.

I'll be busy the next few days, but I'll come by to check on things.  Please think it over and talk about it.  If you don't wanna do it, then I'm not going to force anyone into anything.

I do want to see this continue...

[robkelk]

Hey guys...

Hey.

...I'm still working up the druthers to get back into this.  My state of mind has been real shitty lately and it's been very tough for me to deal with it.  You know how it is - knowing about it doesn't help much; it doesn't give you the motivation to fix it.

I really am sorry about how I've been towards folks here, and I'm honestly starting to feel like I shouldn't be the guy in charge anymore.  Not to give myself an excuse to walk away from this, but to prevent me from doing something idiotic.

Are you sure about this?

I mean, really sure? You don't think you'll have any regrets next month?

Because I don't see a lot of options for who could fill those shoes, other than... well, me. Everyone else has either declared their intent to step back and be part-time contributors, or had an IRL disagreement here. If I'm wrong here, please tell me.

Rajvik hasn't been on since I posted that, but all of the other writers have. So has Bob.

I'm updating my comment to "Somebody give me a reason to not take the reins here." Speak now or forever yadda yadda...

[Dartz]

A more important question is...

Do you want to? If you want to do it I have no objections.

If you don't, then please dont on anyone's account. This isn't an obligation

[Black Aeronaut]

I agree with Dartz here. If you really don't want/have time for it, I'll stick with it. This was mostly because I feel I haven't been doing an adequate job in making this a truly collaborative project by overriding everyone.

EDIT: The irony suddenly strikes me. In tapping into my depression and anxiety, I wound up letting it take control. This is will hopefully be a good learning experience for me, albeit a painful one. (Although these sorts of learning experiences are hardly ever anything but painful.)

[robkelk]

A more important question is...

Do you want to? If you want to do it I have no objections.

If you don't, then please dont on anyone's account. This isn't an obligation

I agree with Dartz here. If you really don't want/have time for it, I'll stick with it. This was mostly because I feel I haven't been doing an adequate job in making this a truly collaborative project by overriding everyone.

Hmmmmm.

<ponders>

The freebie wiki is at the point where the regular contributors are running the place now, and doing so better than I could. I have the time.

And I've already mentioned:

I do want to see this continue...

I think I can do this, both on sparing the time and taking the responsibility.

EDIT:  The irony suddenly strikes me.  In tapping into my depression and anxiety, I wound up letting it take control.  This is will hopefully be a good learning experience for me, albeit a painful one.  (Although these sorts of learning experiences are hardly ever anything but painful.)

And this is the only reason I see for not taking over the responsibility... unless you're saying that letting go is the learning experience.

[Black Aeronaut]

A more important question is...

Do you want to? If you want to do it I have no objections.

If you don't, then please dont on anyone's account. This isn't an obligation

I agree with Dartz here.  If you really don't want/have time for it, I'll stick with it.  This was mostly because I feel I haven't been doing an adequate job in making this a truly collaborative project by overriding everyone.

Hmmmmm.

<ponders>

The freebie wiki is at the point where the regular contributors are running the place now, and doing so better than I could. I have the time.

And I've already mentioned:

I do want to see this continue...

I think I can do this, both on sparing the time and taking the responsibility.

EDIT:  The irony suddenly strikes me.  In tapping into my depression and anxiety, I wound up letting it take control.  This is will hopefully be a good learning experience for me, albeit a painful one.  (Although these sorts of learning experiences are hardly ever anything but painful.)

And this is the only reason I see for not taking over the responsibility... unless you're saying that letting go is the learning experience.

No, letting this go doesn't have much to do with that.  Really, though, I feel as though this will be something that I'll come to regret if I do.  And I'm usually not wrong when I get that feeling. 

It's late for me, and I'm getting tired, and this is usually where I say something stupid, so take everything I say with a grain of salt.  I'll try and leave things as open ended as I can right now.

Trying to be objective about this, I think we need some kind of middle ground that's more in line with what I was talking about earlier - basically just letting people take their stories in the direction they want them to go, and trying to interfere as little as possible.

Me stepping down....  We can leave that as the metaphorical "Nuclear Option".  So, does anyone have any ideas?  I'm sure I could come up with something on my own, but it would take a lot of time with me constantly dwelling on the issue.  And I've been having problems with not having enough mental bandwidth to puzzle these things out on my own.

[robkelk]

There's one idea that's obvious to me, keeping in mind the concept of letting people take their stories in the direction they want them to go, and trying to interfere as little as possible.

Before the cooling-off period, we had two highly-active writers: Labster and me. Now, we have one: me. What will it take to go back to two? EDIT: Or more?

[Labster]

There's one idea that's obvious to me, keeping in mind the concept of letting people take their stories in the direction they want them to go, and trying to interfere as little as possible.

Before the cooling-off period, we had two highly-active writers: Labster and me. Now, we have one: me. What will it take to go back to two? EDIT: Or more?

Well, the easiest way to get back to two active writers is for me to rejoin the circle.  Remember, I didn't actually want to leave, but given the ultimatum, I decided it might make everyone happier and more productive if I left.  That obviously didn't happen, so it's time to try something different.

Trying to be objective about this, I think we need some kind of middle ground that's more in line with what I was talking about earlier - basically just letting people take their stories in the direction they want them to go, and trying to interfere as little as possible.

Me stepping down....  We can leave that as the metaphorical "Nuclear Option".  So, does anyone have any ideas?  I'm sure I could come up with something on my own, but it would take a lot of time with me constantly dwelling on the issue.  And I've been having problems with not having enough mental bandwidth to puzzle these things out on my own.

No, it's not really the a last resort "nuclear option."  It's what you're been doing for the last two months.  Leadership, first and foremost, involves showing up.  Second task is to communicate to others.  Third is to share your vision.  Since every small group like this is functionally an anarchist collective, work happens when people decide to work and leadership happens when people decide to lead.

Similarly, letting people write what they want is the natural state of an anarchist collective, so you just have to, well, let it happen.  Disagreement about the vision is the main thing that tears apart groups like this.  So clarity about the vision is key.

[Dartz]

The nuclear option is rm -rf /*

Don't particularly want that either.

I got involved to be involved in an active project like Fenspace used to be.

Anyway, my activity sort of dropped off because my creativity dropped off. Like completely gone. I suppose I'd have to find a new set of braincells somewhere.

[robkelk]

To be fair, nobody showed up for one month, after I suggested the cooling-off period be four weeks long... and people who hadn't chosen their characters' Halloween costumes started offering suggestions after I asked... oh, dear sweet Belldandy, I already am leading here, amn't I?

[Black Aeronaut]

You're more like a coordinator. Which I guess would make me the creative director.

I dunno.

At any rate, I'm going to be working on my contributions and making sure that things aren't so pat and easy for my characters.

[robkelk]

Well, if I'm going to be the coordinator, I guess I can coordinate an invitation for Labster to come back and write with us again.

How about it, Labster?

---

Speaking of writing... Another scenelet for the Halloween Party thread.


"Have you seen some of the stories that people here have written about us?"

"Donaldson-san doesn't like it when we go looking for such things," replied Kuroko as she shook her head.

"Not that sort of story." Tessa frowned. "Well, I suppose that sort of story as well," she continued, "but that wasn't what I meant. Apparently, some of us have much more adventurous lives in this 'fan fiction' than we do back in our home worlds."

"Did somebody say 'fan fiction'?" Yomi joined the conversation instead of heading back to her apartment-mates and friends. Putting a plate of chili rellenos down on a nearby table (seeing whether she could get Osaka to try one would have to wait) she continued, "What's with some of those? I can understand the ones where one of us falls in love with somebody she just met -"

"You can?" While her tone was polite, Kuroko's expression was clear; she didn't believe a word of it.

"It's wish fulfillment. Who wouldn't want one of us as a girlfriend?"

And Kuroko was enlightened. "Ah. Of course. Please continue."

"The ones I can't understand are where we get into adventures of some sort."

"For some of us, it's understandable," Tessa interjected.

"If you're in charge of a mercenary unit, or you're a powerful esper, sure, it's understandable. But I'm talking about stories where somebody like me or Tomo ends up saving everybody's lives while causing millions of yen of property damage -" (Halfway across the quad, Brent sneezed.) "- or somebody like the Sailor Senshi get into fights with some super-martial artists -" (At poolside, Rob sneezed.) "- or somebody puts together a harem that's also a strike force." (Near the buffet, Ben sneezed.) "Who'd even write things like that? And why is everybody suddenly sneezing?"

They all realized who just sneezed. They looked at each other for a moment.

"No, they couldn't have."