video; un: otoproxy [backdated to August 22, before the rainfall]

[ends]

[ as tempting as simply using text would be to send out what amounts to little more than an advertisement, Otonashi comes to the inevitable conclusion that the subject requires more care than a faceless message. despite sporting the “perpetually exhausted” look, the redhead on the video feed offers a warm, weary smile. ]

Right, hey... I figured this is as good a time as any. I pitched an idea a while back about an informal, survival support group. I know for some people, this place is a respite... for other people, it’s hell.

[ those parameters, too, are subject to change from month to month. taking a deep, steadying breath, Otonashi forces himself to maintain focus on the video. ]

No matter how you see it, one thing is true for everyone: you have to connect to survive. That’s easy for some of us, but all of us have stories from home, and not all of them ... make this whole “hey, go touch other people” thing very easy.

I want to hold meetings around the 20th of each month in the Level 2 community center, after the moons’ effects are gone and before anything else starts up, since... that seems to be the trend. There are no requirements to join. This is a way for people to look out for each other... either as friends or as a mutual way to get needed chroma, no strings attached if you’d prefer that.

[ brushing at one of his eyes, he glances over to a small, paper enclosure with a few origami animals in it, deliberately placed in the feed: a paper bunny, a frog, a cat, and a few others that are more difficult to distinguish. ]

But I want everyone to know that they don’t have to fight alone. We’re all sharing this world whether we like it or not. I’ll be offering “SSR club patches” for anyone who wants them, and... origami animals in honor of someone who isn’t with us anymore. And food! A season’s end meet-and-greet picnic, maybe with marshmallow toasting and campfire stories. Something easy to start. I’m open to having one this month if people are interested, even if it’s a bit last-minute...

So, please consider it. If you’re alone and you’re feeling lost, then... come, and don’t be for a while.

Comments

text; un: otoproxy

[ends]

yeah, I thought about it. I figured I’d announce it this first time, then scope out newcomers, set out advertisements.

I’m no artist but I can at least get the point across.

are you interested?

[rediscovering]

not sure. but I'm surprised it's not a public service provided a long time ago. it seems crucial. like the next best thing to a welfare program, seeing as we have so little control.

[ends]

that’s fine. my goal is for it to always be open as-needed.

[ so he won’t press the issue further. interest in participating can come and go. ]

it’s not even just the chroma generating, though that’s a big part of it. it’s also for support through the world events. stuff that influences our minds, or leads to groups of us getting kidnapped and going missing... things like that. I haven’t been here very long, but there’s strength in knowing there’s someone looking out for you.

[rediscovering]

those are very good points. some people are doubly vulnerable here in ways. we need to look out for each other as a society, even if we're a society by force. i haven't been here long either, but i'm sure there are people who have been here longer than me who are struggling more than i am.

what work needs to be done for your meetings?

[ends]

right. for every person that comes from a war-torn world or comes pre-packaged with supernatural power, there’s... a civilian that got kidnapped here straight from their cafe job or something.

I’ve got a rough date and location for now, but being able to have our own space eventually might not hurt. like you said, advertisements would get the word out too. newcomers seem to start arriving around the 15th, so scoping out for them would be a good way to get people set up before they get into trouble.

I think keeping a log of people attending meetings would be smart, too ... in case someone goes missing. got any other ideas?

[rediscovering]

all excellent points. my roommates and I have a similar dynamic as you describe, so I know this is a very real concern.

It could be useful to have home calls for those who miss meetings — maybe they have acclimated and don't need the meetings anymore, or maybe the meetings themselves have become intimidating. just to check in. we'd need a small group of volunteers as coordinators.

could also be a good idea to keep a floating fund of donated Chroma for members who may find themselves in emergencies later on.

text > locked text

[ends]

home calls, I like that. check-ins. as long as we’re keeping an eye on who is coming, it should be easy to reach out if they’re still in this world.

[ it’s the fund idea that has Otonashi switching it over to private. ]

a fund like that can save a lot of lives. I’ve nearly lost more than one person to a severe deficit of it ... that’s a great idea and I hadn’t even realized it was possible to keep a bank of it readily available.

so consider it done. thank you. I’ll try to have a last-minute first meet set up if enough people are interested in just trying this out, and next month we’ll be official.

[rediscovering]

People can sign in each meeting so we can keep the roster easily — maybe we can incentivize writing their names down with a random tiny raffle, like each meeting someone goes home with some cookies or something like that, a small prize that's easy on our part, you know? i dunno, just an idea to make it seem less weird and formal signing in.

i've heard you can store extra chroma in crystals of some kind. I don't know how it works, i'm still kinda new. But I've definitely seen a bank walking around town so it must work somehow. We can figure out that element, but it's best to keep the fund with the group and not in the bank itself if possible. don't trust banks with charity.

i'd rather be involved in coordinating like this. as just a member i was on the fence at first, but as we're talking, i feel like this could be a crucial service and i'd like to help you establish that. i bet i can get other people on board as coordinators, too. it's sort of like... a grassroots social security program, by the citizens, for the citizens. i think that's something that can have a real ripple effect.

[ends]

might be a little challenging to set it up incentive this first time, but I'm happy to ask what kinds of things people might like. I can craft trinkets... and I've got a ton of origami animals and patches to hand out already.

plus the food I have to bring along. so, one of those might work... right?

I'll look into the chroma crystals. I didn't have any intent on sourcing it out to the bank here... if it's a donated fund, then we should be responsible for it. everyone who wants to be. not the government, not the bank system ... us. it's ours. we're a team.

it was kind of an ambitious project when I conceived it, but I'm really glad to see people so enthusiastic about it. please, by all means. I'd love to have your help! this whole thing is bigger than just me, and it should outlive me if anything happens.

my name's Otonashi, by the way.

[rediscovering]

people would like those things. or like a small basket of groceries or toiletries or other cheap necessities everyone can always use. just a little something to make signing in seem less... creepy and stuffy, I dunno. people are more willing to write their name down on paper if there's something in it for them, right?

the first meeting can just be a soft run, refreshments, whatever. but I think you're onto something wanting a community space and stuff eventually if we can get it organized enough. it is a big project and an ambitious idea, you're right. but I think with enough people on board it could really be helpful in more areas than maybe at first anticipated. there are a lot of different ideas to be born from it, especially as more people get on board. i'd be honored to get involved and help expand it.

my name's Zuko. nice to meet you. well, sort of meet you. you know what I mean.

[ends]

since it’s last minute, it’ll have to be soft and I’ll stay away from making any big announcements to a group until I see the turnout, but the way I see it— there’s no reason to be against something like this. even if you don’t want to join up.

I’m honored to have you, Zuko. I hope we can make something special out of this. I’m shooting for tomorrow, still on Level 2... so I hope to see you there. we can meet formally and talk more about it.

if nothing else, we can see how people feel in person.

( I have something super casual over here if you’d like, I’m also totally happy to edit in prompts and such! ♥ )

[rediscovering]

it's an honor to help, thank you for opening this up to everyone. I'm looking forward to it actually. we'll see how it goes the first few meetings, first-go of anything tends to be shaky... so we can try to get more traction and spread the word before we'll get an idea of what this might grow up into. but I agree, as long as enough people show up, we could definitely make something special out of this eventually.

( Aahhh, that's awesome! Thanks! How will it work? Should I post like... my own top-level for others to mingle with Zuko too, like in the TDM or something?? Or just respond to the prompt I wanna do with Otonashi as coordinators? I've been out of the rp biz for a while, so haven't tackled any bigger group event logs like this in a while, not sure what the "etiquette" is these days cuz I'm a lil grandpa haha )