EVENT ▸ FINAL LOG

[futurologists]

RECOLLECTION DAY The next few days following Mission: Drakstaden sees Headquarters transformed into a celebratory atmosphere. Although the Cataclysm had been solved by the Merging, Hathaway's connection to ALASTAIR means that Recollection Day is still celebrated yearly: a festival honoring those whose universes were torn apart by the Cataclysm and the centuries of instability that followed. However, post-Merging, Recollection Day has taken on a different tone; instead of solemn and pensive, the mood is celebratory and triumphant, honoring the members of ALASTAIR who helped the multiverse merge. Accordingly, former members of ALASTAIR have been invited to Headquarters to be honored, so those who have been around for awhile may see some familiar faces. The statue honoring those who lost their lives during the war between ALASTAIR and Zymandis is wreathed in flowers, and the fountains in the promenade have been dyed so when the water jets up it's in a rainbow of beautiful colors. Apart from the decorations, there are food vendors throughout the promenade selling a variety of dishes from across the multiverse. You'll find something you like, make no mistake, but you might have to wade through weird alien delicacies before you find it! Inside the training simulator, the settings have been configured to resemble a pool party, complete with a swim-up bar (stocked with tropical drinks, pineapple, and coconuts) and tiki torches. The alcohol at the simulated party will get you nice and inebriated as long as you stay inside the simulator, though once you exit it, you'll instantly be sober. No hangovers! For those who aren't interested in the louder types of celebration, there is a gentler activity available: there is a new clutch of squidges that have arrived from planet Zeta-12. These alien babies are made of a transluscent material similar to gelatin, with beady black eyes and short limbs. The squidges communicate with wordless gurgling, weigh about seven pounds, and need lots and lots of attention. A small habitat has been constructed for them, with grasses and small trees to explore; it's big for a baby squidge but the size of a small playground for an adult, so if babysitting is what you're into, don't worry -- you won't get lost! Otherwise, the rest of Headquarters is open to explore. Some Hathaway employees might need help putting decorations up, others may invite you to try an unknown dish with them, and still others might want help finding a temporary place to train since the training simulator is occupied. There's plenty to do and plenty to celebrate, so get busy! ▸ EPILOGUE As the celebration winds down and partygoers begin to filter away and return to work, it's a perfect time for current and former members of Guild Ophelia (and the visiting members of the former Team Audentes) to reflect on this whirlwind adventure they've been part of. Countless worlds, timelines, and universes have been forever altered by your work; for better or worse, every member has left their permanent mark on the Timeline. As Headquarters drifts silently through space, stars and galaxies slipping past in the windows, word comes to some Ophelia members through their magitek: your incentive has been achieved, and you may leave Hathaway's employ with your earned reward. It might be sooner than expected (or very welcome news), but if you wish to end your multiversal adventure, now's your chance. Otherwise, you can decline and continue on with Hathaway for as long as you wish. For those who don't receive the message, it's business as usual. The party is over, and so it's back to work: there will always be trouble out there, and Hathaway will always be there to do what it can to help the citizens of the multiverse. ▸ OOC NOTES This is the final log of Futurology. We hope you enjoyed your time in the game! As stated in the SOTG post, characters who have been dropped may return for this log! Characters who did not permadrop are assumed to have been transferred to a different guild within Hathaway, and may therefore be present for the celebration. If they were permadropped/retired, you may handwave that they were invited back to Headquarters for the party. Journals will not be removed from the game communities; you are free to make logs, posts, or continue threading for as long as you like. The mod team would like to take this time extend a sincere thank you to everyone who ever played in Futurology. Without you, the journey wouldn't have been the same! ▸ State of the Game ▸ Mod Contact ▸ Hathaway Headquarters

Comments

Adrian "Alucard" Ţepeş

[reposing]

[It was time.

The resources for his army was gathered a little more swiftly than anticipated. The time to return to Wallachia is on the horizon, and so is the ensuing fight with his father. Despite everything, it is the fate of Adrian Ţepeş to help slay his father alongside Trevor Belmont and Sypha Belanades.

Afterward. After that--

He promised. He promised he would stay awake, to help the people, to live as long as possible to help humanity. It's what his mother would have wanted for him, undoubtedly.

Alucard does not seek out the festivities. There is too much on his mind as it is, but he knows he needs to do one important thing.

He needs to start saying good-bye to others.

Slowly, he approaches his guildmates, one by one.]

We should speak, you and I. [To you, that is what he says.]

sup

[heritors]

[ To think she would be back so soon.

Not that it's bad — but after a goodbye as final as the one she was allowed, it feels a little strange. She recognizes many of the faces, which is unsurprising, but she bides her time before approaching them.

Other times, she's the one that gets approached. ] Alucard.

[ Her tone smooth and even, but it's not hard to miss the warmth underneath it all. ] If you wish.

What is it?

[healstaffs]

[ Lissa, on the other hand, is all about parties. The sweets! The music! The mingling! All of it is an absolute delight to her and she's practically a blur as she moves through the crowds to say hello to friends, shove cake in her mouth, participate in party games, and coo over the squidges.

Of course, as the evening wanes so does her energy, and she ends up sprawled on the ground near the pool with her legs sticking out in front of her, a half-eaten plate of cookies at her side. Not very lady-like, but when has she ever been?

She looks up at Alucard's approach, and gives him a tired smile. ]

Hi Alucard. What's up?

[damnpire]

[D also doesn't pursue any festivities, but this isn't anything surprising. He's satisfied watching the celebrations from afar, quiet and statue-like in his haunting.

The brim of the hat lifts away from his eyes and face when he tips his head up at Alucard's voice. If he has any inkling what the conversation might be about, it doesn't show on his face. Of course.]

I'm listening.

[fourscores]

Not enjoying the festivities?

[Not as though he should talk, keeping out of the way of most of the celebration himself. Away from the food mostly because he doesn't want to deal with wrangling his poro from eating everything, and away from the crowds so he doesn't have to put on his act every few minutes.]

riza hawkeye (+ doge)

[strictdiscipline]

[ It's been some time since last she's attended a party.

She's never been much for parties, preferring the familiarity of whatever mission is at hand, but it would be inconsiderate to decline in the face of such celebration. More than that, she still harbors the hope that a return to Headquarters might coincide with the return of other teams, particularly those containing old friends.

With so many back for the festivities, it's near impossible to pick out any particular person. But when she catches sight of a familiar face, seen again for the first time in nearly a year, she's quick to approach and offer a small smile. ]

It's been some time.

[ Too long, in fact. At her side, full-grown and bright-eyed, Black Hayate barks his agreement. ]

jokes on you, wildcard

[heritors]

[ There are certain faces that Lucina has resigned to never see again — perhaps because they were important to her, their friendships something she keeps dear to her heart, and to try and seek for them wouldn't be doing their work or their friendship justice. ( Strangely, the ones she holds dearest are also the ones that were the most dedicated to their cause. A cause. )

So, there's little she expects as she walks about the party. The thought doesn't even occur as she leans over the food at a particular vendor, grotesque tentacles sticking out of a orange pastry ball. It looks interesting enough that she contemplates buying two, when a bark catches her attention.

She looks down, and her eyes widen, caught off-guard mid-sentence that leaves the vendor hanging. ] Hayate?

[ Which means— no time to apologize to the rando NPC, she's looking around the rest of the room frantically. ]

Riza—

-ish

[grunehexe]

[Isengrim didn't bark. Not like a true dog. Maybe it was a lack of vocal cords, Sieglinde loved him too much to vivisect him and find out, but either way... only the scuffling of claws on the ballroom floor give away his approach, tail wagging somewhat incongruously with his fearsome skull.

And a moment later-

Sieglinde slams into Riza from behind. Not in a fall, actually. Just a hug.]

Steven Quartz Universe

[jamminshield]

[It felt like a lifetime ago when he went on adventures with ALASTAIR and then was returned home. So much has happened since then...

...and now, here he is, at this party for the new group that isn't ALASTAIR. At least this time there doesn't seem to be any deadly missions or danger.

Steven Universe makes his way among the party, sampling some of the dishes and combining some of them in odd and unexpected ways as he seeks out any familiar face. The small boy will meekly greet anyone he sees!]

Hey there!

[mettacrusher]

Hello, Mr. Tiger Millionaire! [There's a cheeky, familiar looking man in a gaudy (and glittery!) purple suit. The reason why he's familiar becomes blindingly obvious with the way he's holding himself, at least: it's Mettaton (obviously), but less metal and more... fleshy.

It's not something poor Steven has seen before, and Mettaton's a giving man. How could he deny an old friend the chance to see his new form?

So he may or may not be literally dancing his way over to the kid. Okay, "may not" isn't really in the equation. He may. He is.]

No ukelele today? Whatever have we done for you to deny us a song, sweetheart?

Hayame

[kisha]

０１ ↣ 祭り ↣ FESTIVITIES

[Hayame had been more than pleased to get off Drakstaden and back into her proper shape, and though she'd been tempted to avoid the Recollection Day celebration... In the light of what she had been forced to confront under the influence of the truth spell, she makes an appearance, dressed in the formal wear she had procured in Hanabira.

She can be found wallflowering in the main area, slinking through the food stalls on the hunt for anything remotely familiar... and as the hour grows late... you might hallucinate her in the pool, by all appearances... very, very intoxicated.]

０２ ↣ さらば ↣ GOODBYES

[When it comes time to go... Hayame is among those who have accepted the offer. She'd never imagined that she might hesitate even a second for the chance to return to her world, to accept the aid ALASTAIR had promised her... and yet.

She pauses on her way to the transfer point, gaze drawn out the window on the side of the ship to the sight of the stars in the black that had once terrified her. That in a way, deep and unsettling... still did. Her original clothing was far too blood-stained to return home in, but she's changed to a look more fitting for her world, bow and quiver in hand, with two small baskets lashed to harnesses across her flanks. Spoils of war.

She was going home. Back to where she belonged. To where everything made sense. To where she now could actually do something honorable. Make up for what she'd done. See other jinba again.

But just for a moment... she reaches out, hesitant... before she presses her palm to the glass.]

０３ ↣ 鬼札を引く ↣ WILDCARD

[If there's anything you'd like to do before the end, here's your chance! Hit me up via comment or at stormcoming.]

02

[ofobedience]

[It's not the kind of moment she'd have wanted to share, perhaps. Something that looks, from his perspective, as though it's meant to be quiet and private, something meant only for her and the darkness beyond the window and all the experiences that had come between the moment of her arrival with ALASTAIR - now Hathaway - and this. Almost, he decides to slip silently away rather than make his presence known, but something prevents him at the last moment. Keeps him there against his better judgement.

Because this is likely the last time, isn't it? That they'll be here together like this, and no they don't know each other well, but they'd begun to share...what? The beginnings of an understanding? It counts for something. So many endings are sudden, jarring. Perhaps this one doesn't have to be.]

You got used to it then, in the end?

[His voice comes slippery-soft, a quiet insinuation. Trying not to surprise her.]

01

[mettacrusher]

I thought water wasn't for swimming.

[Yeah, he remembers Ms. No-Fun-or-Mercy-Allowed and their stellar holographic beach trip. He's sitting on the edge of the pool, arms crossed and swinging one foot under the water, tapping his heel against the tile.

He's grinning to himself. You know. Like an asshole.]

Did something change while I was gone, darling, or are these drinks stronger than I thought?

Sieglinde Sullivan ⚗ OTA

[grunehexe]

01 ⚗ GUESS WHO'S BACK, PARTY PEOPLE

[Sieglinde hadn't expected to come back here. To be able to. When she'd gotten the call... well, there was only so fast she could physically accept the offer, but. It was the easiest "yes" she'd ever said.

Time is a funny thing. It seemed like just yesterday, and maybe to them it was, but it's been nearly a year back in her own world. A lot has happened. She cut her hair. She finally started the growth spurt she'd been waiting for.

She also, at one point, appropriates the PA system near the food stalls for her own nefarious purposes, her voice coming on over the speakers.]

Will the friends and compatriots of the charming and lovely Green Witch, Sieglinde Sullivan, please report to celebration reception and collect her- ouch, unhand me, I am just making a single- fine, I am going- !

[Please come collect her. Or find her at the bar.]

02 ⚗ GOODBYE AGAIN, FOR NOW

[But as glad as she'd been to visit again, as heartening as it had been to see faces she'd feared she never would again, to once again sail the stars... it had to end soon enough. There was a world she had to return to, tasks left undone, and discoveries waiting yet.

Still, even as she readies herself to return... she knows now that there will always be Recollection Day. She's smiling.]

... until next time, then?

01!!! I DEMAND HAPPINESS

[predomination]

[It takes Urahara no time to come and collect her as ordered. Even if it hasn't been that long since her departure, he believed quite strongly that when they parted ways, it would be the last they ever saw of each other.

To have that not be true is a bright spot on this otherwise imperfect mission and makes this bittersweet holiday less bitter and more sweet. He swans into the appropriate area, grandly, throwing his arms out.] Yoo-hoo! I heard a certain green witch was requesting a pick-up service~ !

[apoptotic]

CLOSED TO FORMER CR.

[ hop up to a vendor and place an order and something strange happens: food or drink slides neatly across the surface, evading you. make a grab for it and it sails through the air as if tugged along on an invisible rail in a path culminating in anakin's gloved hand.

still wearing too much black and too much leather, though the jedi robes have long been set aside; a new lightsaber hangs from his belt. his eyes too are different, a subtle lightness about him, as if some monumental weight has been lifted off his shoulders.

the asshole smirk is exactly the same. ]

I see recruitment is still low.

[selfimage]

I see you're still insufferable. Some things never change.

[ it comes as an easy quip as he grabs the remainder: a lonesome paper cup filled with soda. he puts the straw to his lips and makes a half gurgle, half slurping noise to announce his mood.

but maybe there's an asshole smirk on his face too. ]

[bestaround]

[ I'm doing this nonsense again BUT wildcard toplevel is a go. Feel free to drop a prompt of your own, or slap down a comment if you'd rather I write something. Or just contact me over pm/discord if you wanna figure things out before doing a thread. I can roll with whatever! ]

[kisha]

[Hayame is returning home.

There were only three people that she had actually contacted to tell them as such. Only two people that she had told in person. Only one that she had spent her last hours with. But now... she is on her way, dressed in the clothes of her world, baskets of her accumulated belongs lashed onto the harnesses she wears on her lower half.

Yet there... she passes by a flash of color. Or rather, an absence of color, that she has come to recognize.

Slows.

Means to say something... but in the end, the words do not come.

What is there to say? She had never truly understood him, nor, she thinks, he her. Yet they have served beside each other on multiple missions. After the loss of her lord, the loss of almost everyone, over the months, that has grown familiar... he is something of a static presence.

Yet...]

Undyne | ota

[aspearation]

[ Throughout the party hall, and really, the headquarters in its entirety, a voice rings out, one that might be familiar to some older multiversal adventurers and other returning guests: ]

Hahahah! Guess who's back, nerds?!

[ Undyne can be found sporting her old ALASTAIR uniform, partaking in festivities maybe a bit too enthusiastically-- jumping on tables, tackling old friends (the taller ones) or picking them up and spinning them (the smaller ones); there is the occasional glowing blue spear sticking out of a chair or laying on the floor. Picking it up feels a bit like touching solid water, cold but not ice, and still wet.

Dogberry seems to be making his own rounds, but hangs out at Undyne's side for a good portion of the event, also sporting his dog uniform. ]

[twinpeak]

[ Perhaps he should have expected this. Dipper had been swiftly and suddenly hoisted up off his feet many times during his multiverse adventures, and ninety-eight percent of the time it was usually Undyne's fault.

Some things never change.

Dipper slips out an undignified yelp as she grabs and swings him around in lieu of any proper greeting. ]

—Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on! We're gonna crash into something!

[ It's sort of spacious, but still crowded... ]

simon jarrett | ota

[theseuschip]

a. party zombot prompt [ If you need a spooky diving suit robot, he’s crouched in front of one of the gelatinous little aliens in its habitat. He wasn’t quite this much of a wallflower in life, but parties are still a weird, uncomfortable reminder of all the aspects of the human experience he’s on the outside of, so here he is.

Patting a baby alien on the head. ]

Shouldn’t somebody be watching you guys?

b. aftermath [ The reminder that many of their teammates will be leaving Hathaway and returning to homes and friends and families, now that they have their incentives, is like a shadow of what the augmented truth bomb made Simon stare in the face, hovering around the aftermath of the celebration. That being human is not, in fact, somehow going to solve the “everybody is dead and the earth is uninhabitable” problem.

It’s easy enough to forget all that completely, now. To a bystander he probably kind of looks like he’s on space acid, fingertips against the window that separates the guild from the stars, other hand touching his face, hesitantly, afraid to let himself believe the reflection in the glass is real.

And if you don’t run into the weirdo staring at himself there, he’ll probably literally run into you later somewhere else. ]

3. wildcard

[ just anything man.... hit me

honchkrow i will write you a custom starter, For Real ]

🐝

[bestaround]

[ With the party dying down and the crowds dissolving, 9S is left to his own devices once again in the downtime. But it's been a lively day, and it hasn't been terribly long since they'd gotten back from Drakstaden, either; maybe it was time to take it easy until the next mission is announced, being one of those choosing to remain with Hathaway.

So after all the festivities and with little else to do, 9S decides perhaps he'll return to his room for a little while. Along the way, though, there's someone—a total stranger, as far as he's aware—staring through a window in... awe? Bewilderment? It's tough to tell, but in the end it's still a bizarre enough sight to catch 9S' attention. ]

Um... hello? [ He calls out carefully, as if he might be interrupting the moment. ] Is something out there?

keith | ota

[secondnature]

[Keith departs and returns in the blink of an eye. When he does return, he has an unusual looking wolf following him as he walks through Headquarters, taking in the different celebrations. He's been to Recollection Day festivities before, but he can tell this is different. It's not about what they must do: it's about what they've accomplished already. To some degree, Keith understands that more than anything.

When it's announced that they can return home, Keith feels ... at peace with the idea. Just days ago, he would have rebelled. He would have argued that he wasn't ready. He wouldn't have wanted to see if his future was just as Lotor and Allura described.

Now he doesn't mind it.

It should be said that Keith has changed—he's grown a few inches, and he looks larger than before, more muscular and filled out. He has a scar that graces his right cheek, and his hair is ... actually the same, as he hasn't been very good at great haircuts. (Needless to say, it can probably be inferred that Keith has been giving himself his own trims throughout the years.)

But he's changed in other ways. He's wearing his paladin armor as he seeks out his teammates ... and friends. It's time to say good-bye.]

[selfimage]

[ using various magic trackers, Loki has pinpointed the food vendors that he's decided to frequent. it makes it far easier to avoid the crowds and lines with the abuse of his reality warping abilities. he's wearing his hoodie and a pair of black pants (complete with his boots, because he never knows when he's going to need them), blending into the crowd while picking at a paper cone full of fries. they get eaten two—three—four at a time, getting a liberal dip in mayo before they're devoured.

he spots Keith before Keith spots him, and will his mouth full coos: ]

A man on a mission—why, it's a good look on you, Keith.

[ it's a comment with various meanings to take as he pleases. ]

Mettaton - OTA

[mettacrusher]

Honestly, can you BELIEVE the gall? "Of COURSE, Mettaton, we'll be here when you return for the next mission! Have fun, Mettaton!" And then they change their name, take over a ship, and move the whole party there!! I had a room on Oska! A very perfectly decorated room and--

[There's an android (tall, dark, wearing a sleeping black cat like a boa around his shoulders) complaining in a loud, overdramatic fashion in the middle of this luau. He's been doing so at some poor recruit for the past fifteen minutes, waving an empty margarita-glass around in his hand as he gestures to the intangible concept of how betrayed he is. As soon as he feels an extra presence, he hands the glass over to you without looking or stopping his whining, as if expecting it to be refilled.

...He is. He is expecting that.

At least he is until he finally turns his head and, like an actor dropping his performance, breaks into a wide grin as he takes in the familiar face.

Incoming robot hug. For the sake of the other recruit now sneaking away, an option to decline is not given.]

Darling! I didn't realize it was you!!