[It's good news when Jesse's looking unremarkable. Neither high nor sick. Just casually smoking a cigarette.]

Talk about the month from hell, yo, I mean seriously.

Anyway, it's getting close to the day so this is the usual announcement or whatever. For you guys that don't know: a bunch of us get together on the last day every month to bake cookies for the new guys, then we set up a tent outside on the 1st and give 'em out free. It's fun, we put on some music and relax and so on. Anybody who wants to come and help out is welcome. I got all the supplies and stuff here. If you wanna bring your own stuff too, that's cool.

We meet at my room - 409 - and then split off to different kitchens from there 'cause we usually need a lotta ovens. It'll be all day on the 31st. Um, but if you came last time, don't feel like you gotta come every time. It's like low commitment, you know? No pressure.



(( No baking log this month since I'll be busy, so handwaving that, but here's an example of what the newbie log thread will be like. No need for permission to participate! Jesse lets everyone help out and teaches anyone who doesn't know how to bake. ))

( private filter to ─ nathan drake, chloe frazer, charlie cutter, victor sullivan )

We're all alright, aren't we?

( /end filter )

[ God she's tired, it is obvious in her voice and the very fact she hasn't much to say. But some things just need to be said, right? Even if they are nothing but words and words can't bring back the dead, nor can they bring back an entire world. ]

To the residents of that world, I am sorry for your loss. [ Sorry there was nothing anyone could have done to stop it. ]

[Because the last post of him wasn't dramatic enough, he has to show his ugly mug again on the network. Don't worry, he's wearing clothing this time, what with his big fur coat and all. He's currently lounging on the bed clipping his finger nails which are pretty much rat-bagged from his chewing on them.]

So this city turns out to have just as shitty prerogatives as my world, and they're just as successful at carrying them out too. Pisses me off watching gifted people like ourselves be ruled by a slack-jawed inferior bunch of idiots. Why are we fighting? Well, my world isn't actually worth shit, not sure about all of yours.

Gotta wonder how bad the UE really is and if we're really 'free' at all. Maybe we're all just fucking guinea pigs for their amusement. Maybe the Initiative is just a covert branch of the United Earth, drawing us away from our worlds so it's easier for the takin'. Lots of questions, not a lot of answers, folks.

[He pauses to glance at the camera, holding his nail clippers poised. He frowns, considers in silence for a moment before going back to his nail clipping.]

Shitty place this is. Maybe we should consider asking ourselves some harder questions. It's not about peace, love, harmony and holding hands around a fucking campfire. Some war this is when we're housed on an isolated island surrounded by polluted wastelands. How many wars you all heard of go like that, huh?

[He twitches his shoulders and sucks on one of his fingers where he's cut the nail too short. He pouts and shakes his head a bit before changing topics.]

On a lighter note, I'm looking to acquire a wig for my woman. Her ears are getting cold in all this rain and misery, and I hate sleeping next to someone rubbing their cold ears on me at night. It's a goddamn travesty. Anyway, couldn't find one at the market, and the kid with the lemming didn't seem keen on giving up the brains of his operation. I'm willing to pay, possibly even with services rather than money, and these good looks aren't all I have going for me.

Be seeing ya, kiddies. [He smirks before clicking off the camera.]

[ action for roommates / anyone who wants to stop by room 905 ]
[Bolin has been holed up in his room, recovering from his injuries and working on this little stunt for Pabu. Pop by for a visit?]

[ video ]
[For anyone who's seen Bolin since he fell victim to Adam's rampage on the 21st, the teenager is looking...better. Not great, but no longer at death's door. He's doing his best impression of chipper.]

Wow, yeah, so that whole thing was kind of......terrible. Talk about your terrible awful no good very bad day. [The fake cheer fades, just a bit.] I'm really sorry, Elmer. And anyone else whose world that was. And....just...everybody.

SO I FIGURE WE COULD ALL USE A LITTLE CHEERING UP. [Smile for long enough and the smile becomes real, right? That's how Bolin's gotten through life.] Which is why I present to you the one, the only, the AMAZING Pabu --

( cut for sfw images )

The end of the month is days away. Besides playing music and filling the new recruit's stomachs with cookies, what else can we do for them?

[ Especially after what had happened, Conner figures that the moment the new arrivals step one foot outside they might end up losing their cookies. ]

I'm sorry to interrupt the, ah... that is, this isn't about any of — you know, the recent...

[ well this is a terrible start. A pause, an audible breath out, and he starts again. ]

I'm going to need... a programmer, I think. Anyone good with systems. That sort of thing.

[ LONG PAUSE. ]

Possibly Sollux. [ oh god kill him now. ]

[Kang is sitting at the desk in his sparsely-decorated room, carefully putting together what some may recognize as a handmade miniaturized catapult. The bowl is just big enough to easily fit the little worn minotaur doll also lying on the desk, next to an equally worn copper dragon twice its size. There are no instructions; he's building it entirely from scratch, and from memory. It's highly detailed, and the angle of the arm is adjustable.

He pauses after making a small adjustment to one of the pieces of wood with his dagger.]

I know these are considered to be outdated weapons by most here. They remind me of home, though. I made one a little bigger than this for my children last spring. In hindsight, it probably wasn't the best of ideas; they took to knocking things off of shelves from a distance. My mate was not very pleased with me.

[He smiles wryly.]

I'm sure we've all been thinking of home lately.

[The dagger, held in his right hand by only three of his fingers, is set down. It has a wicked wavy blade on it, clearly meant for battle rather than whittling.]

This isn't going to be some sort of speech about whether we should or shouldn't help the Initiative. There's been more than enough of that already.

It's simple curiosity about other people's homes. Do you live in the mountains, the forests, a city? What do you do for a living? Who do you have waiting for you?

[He shrugs.]

It wouldn't be fair to ask without talking about my own. Many of you are aware that I am the Lord-Governor of my kind's nation, Teyr. There are mountains to the west and south, and marshes to the east. Most of it is savannah, with the city proper near the middle. It was originally an old dwarven kingdom, abandoned long ago. We've nearly finished rebuilding it, and we have begun building a road from one of our smaller towns to the port city of Kalaman in the west.

[A pause, and he picks up the dagger again, nodding at the sword leaning against the wall.]

I would also like to remind everyone that I do offer training with blades, particularly swords, and hand-to-hand.

[And, private to Crucible:]

I would like to speak with you, in person.