2 ★ [video]

[darkinferno]

[Hello, Retrospeccers! This sure is a video post meant to get your attention. Dante and Arlene are sitting next to each other somewhere on R.U.'s campus, making a joint recording. Give Dante a moment to make sure that it’s recording, and he’ll begin:]

Hey, this is for all the college students on the network--or at least, those of us around that age. Let’s say those of you 17, 18 to 22 or 23. In case you haven’t met me, I’m Dante.

I’m Arlene. You might have seen me in the Founder’s Day parade. [She winks, offering the camera her best royal wave.]

Now, there are a lot of us here to keep track of. Unless you’re in the same major or gen-ed classes, it’s pretty hard to meet up and recognize each other around campus. So Arlene and I came up with the idea--

I mean, I did, he kind of got involved by accident--

--to have a party where everyone can get to meet each other.

Mingle, have a good time, dance--I can assure you we have an excellent playlist lined up--everything you’d expect.

BYOB, bring your IDs, this is a public network so let’s not give the RPD a reason to come down on our heads. No bullshit or you’ll be thrown out.

[Does he mean that? Hell no. But he’s already tested a few of the police department members between commenting to them on the network or misfiring texts or, in that one case, running into them in person… so sure, he’s not above paying some lip-service to pretend he’s going to play all of this by the rules.]

Message me or Arlene for an invite and location or if you want to know anything more about it. Even if you don’t like us--hell, I don’t like her--

Excuse you. [She gives him a playful shove in the arm. At least, that was the plan, but there’s a sudden small flash of arcing electricity that seems to startle her as much as it does him. She takes a step back, her hair bristling with static, looking at Dante like this is his fault somehow, while Dante stares at her in apparent bewilderment. After a moment, he seems to remember that they’re still recording, and turns back to the camera, finishing:]

--there should be enough people there to avoid people you don’t want to talk to. It’ll be a good time.

You don’t want to miss out. Dante, a word?

[End video.]



[[ooc: As mentioned before, there is going to be a party log going up this Friday night for the college-aged Retrospeccers! Dante and Arlene will both be top-leveling below, so feel free to ask them for details and invites! (Discussions may be taken to private inboxes if they approach topics best kept off the network, such as drinking, and it can be assumed that they sent the location and instructions on how to get there to private inboxes as well--they really don't want random people crashing!)

This event is open to anyone of college age on the Retrospec network, as well as older high schoolers that might have an older friend willing to help them get in. Unfortunately characters that are obviously younger won't be able to get in, as just getting to the party involves a small amount of trespassing (it's an old abandoned warehouse on the fringes of the city), and there will be underage drinking (your party hosts are not very good role models) and they don't want to risk getting outed.

Any questions should be directed to the ooc planning post and DC and I will do our best to answer! Alternatively, use the post to make plans for what you want to happen! It'll be a big mingle post and will hopefully be lots of fun.]]

Comments

TALK TO DANTE

[darkinferno]

dante here

if you've got questions about the party or want an invite hit me up

[And ignore that he just got shocked on RetrospecTV.]

[heiroglyphs]

Hey Dante :))
I'm not really a drinker
but this sounds like a fun night.
Mind if I stop by?

[darkinferno]

hey vera, you're definitely invited

and not being a drinker's fine, like i said we're not providing to anyone underage so that shouldn't be an issue

[Which is, of course, a lie bUT DAMN IF HE ISN'T GOING TO COVER HIS ASS IN PUBLIC. In private he'll ask her if there's anything she wants him to bring.]

i'll shoot you the location and see you friday night

maybe get a round two on that spar from the other day

[heiroglyphs]

Oh right.
I keep forgetting that I'm underage in this country.
My German ID has to count for something, right?

And you're totally on.
Usually when I kick someone's ass they don't ask for another.
But I guess that means you're special. ;)

[true_noir]

Are you quite alright? [No such luck on ignoring.] It sounds as if it will be a fun night, though.

[darkinferno]

what, from that bit of static electricity? of course i am, it wasn't that big a deal

as long as people show, it'll be a good time

[true_noir]

Oh, good. It was just a little alarming is all. But, I am decidedly looking forward to this. It will be good for unwinding, I think, which a lot of us are in desperate need of doing.

Re: TALK TO DANTE

[gnasher]

so it's cool to invite guys that don't go to RU?

[darkinferno]

yeah that's fine

we just don't want it turning into a bunch of high schoolers sitting around playing truth or dare thinking that "give arlene a kiss on the cheek!" is pushing the limit, that's all

[Rin will also receive a private message telling him to make sure whoever he invites isn't going to go running to the cops, but otherwise Dante's not opposed to more people in the least!]

[gnasher]

[uhhh truth or dare is hardxcore??? i'm 12 and what is this]

right. no, the guy's graduated, he's just not enrolled yet.

sounds like you guys are planning a pretty wild night.

[is legitimately worried about makoto being a narc, but does not share this]

TALK TO ARLENE

[twelfthspark]

Hey, it's Arlene ⚡ Any questions?

[heiroglyphs]

Uh just one.
What the fuck was that?

[twelfthspark]

Not a mind reader, princess~ You'll have to be more specific.

[Of course she knows exactly what Vera meant.]

[heiroglyphs]

You know what I mean.
Did you spend all day rubbing on a shag carpet?
That was too ridiculous to just be static.

[true_noir]

I am in, but ... how did you do that? With the electricity?

[twelfthspark]

Still figuring that part out.

[true_noir]

I will politely and with what I hope is a bit of wisdom not inquire further just yet. This is meant to be fun, and we will have fun.

Your hair does look funny though.

action for dante

[twelfthspark]

[Yeah, about that. As soon as he puts the phone down, Arlene turns to Dante, still as bewildered and staticky as she was a few moments ago. It looks like somebody rubbed a giant balloon over her head; it's kind of ridiculous. She brushes some floating strands out of her eyes before she speaks up.]

What just happened?

[darkinferno]

[She'd barely even needed to ask him for a word; Dante is just as bemused as she is. Once he's gotten the post safely added to the network, Dante tosses his phone back to the table and turns around to look at her. Both eyebrows go up at the sight of her staticky hair, but when she asks what happened he folds his arms, leaning back against the table before answering.]

I was hoping you could tell me that. You look like you're about to shock anyone that gets close to you.

Do me a favor and go touch something metal to get rid of all that excess static electricity. That almost hurt.

[Almost as an afterthought, he rubs at his arm where the electricity had connected. It still stings, but only just.]

[twelfthspark]

Only almost?

[But he can probably tell her heart isn't really in teasing him at the moment; the words are stingless, sounding like a habit. She bends down, reaching under the table to touch the metal pole supporting it, and the buildup discharges almost before she makes contact. Arlene swears under her breath, yanking her fingers back from the stinging touch.]

That was, uh. New.

[darkinferno]

Twice in a row, huh?

[He frowns, folding his arms. He's probably paranoid now--he's certain he's paranoid now--but with everything that's been going on and the weird stuff that happened with his fighting tests last week...]

Have you noticed that happening a lot lately?

[truedetective]

A reminder that underage drinking is still illegal.

Just so that you can't say you weren't warned.

[darkinferno]

yeah that's why i told people to bring their ids and warned them they'd be thrown out if they start causing trouble, i don't feel like landing my ass in hot water because people don't know how to party without booze

[He is the biggest hypocrite ever and he knows it. But hey, nobody can say he isn't covering his ass here!]

anyways what are you supposed to be some sort of junior officer

you seem a little young to be lecturing us all on the law

[truedetective]

For your information, yes, I do work with a local city precinct. The law is what it is regardless of age.

As long as you keep things legal, then there won't be any problem.

[darkinferno]

[There's a very, very strong urge to respond to her with "okay, kiddo. thanks for the warning, but we've got it covered."

But no. No. He's trying to be good here and not goad people into trying to get the cops to bust them. Responding like that is just gonna give this kid every reason to do so.]

well what do you know, i never would've guessed

at any rate i've already said twice now that we don't have any plans to do anything illegal and are planning on kicking anyone out if they try to get around that so i don't know why you're repeating yourself like this

[He's holding himself back from saying anything more, because there's definitely a part of him that's itching to pick a fight here. Her words almost sound like some sort of a warning, a warning that she might make trouble for them if things don't stay on the straight and narrow, and Dante doesn't take well to people trying to make threats.

He controls himself here. But you can bet he's studying Naoto's profile, then looking her up to see what information he can dig up with a quick search. If this guy comes sniffing around, Dante's going to make sure he's kicked right back out before he can run off tattling to the cops.]