semi-closed ❖ it's bingo time

[daemonized]

WHO: Ardyn Izunia and many others.
WHERE: All over Recolle.
WHEN: All throughout July.
WHAT: Mostly bingo! But a catch-all for the month in general.
WARNINGS: Stupidity within.

((ooc; This is a catch-all for the month of July for Ardyn, but there is mostly... going to be a lot of bingo threads in here! For reference, this is Ardyn's bingo card, filled with those I've already plotted with so far. I am still willing to fill out his empty cards if anyone needs any of these, or just doubling up on prompts in general.

Hit me up at aurajen if you have any questions or just wanna plot with me further!))

Comments

BINGO

[daemonized]

GRELL / create a scarf outfit (center square)

[daemonized]

I do hope you’re proficient at sewing. [-he says to Grell, one day soon after they’ve all received their bingo cards, having knocked on her apartment door and greeting her with a lopsided smile. He has a bag or two slung over his shoulder, the sort that looks like it might be carrying all manner of clothes within — instead, they’re filled with nothing more than scarves of all kinds.

Colorful, patterned, plain. All meant as a sad sacrifice for the sake of bingo, though Ardyn doesn’t seem terribly upset either way. He looks amused, and having told her about this (very briefly) on the way over via text, she at least has a small idea of what to expect today.]

[erythristic]

[the bingo card had an impossible demand in the middle of it, but Grell thought to escape it through a convenient loophole. she can spend the day not caring about her appearance if she spends the day alone. and yet, this has to be the day Ardyn wants to come over with a lot of scarves in tow for some kind of project.

...fine. she warned him, and life could never be that easy. mainly she's smothering anything that tells her to care under the fact that she's comfortable right now, listening to music at a soft volume, and generally relaxing. and seeing him...that stab of self consciousness comes back, but she'll attempt to deflect.]

Should I be concerned about whatever you're planning to need sewing skills for?

PROMPTO, KAIBA / ice cream

[daemonized]

[It’s easy enough to find an ice cream vendor, selling their wares in the heat of the summer season. The line’s a little long, because it appears that everyone else has the same idea, but Ardyn’s a patient man. He stands, waiting, and while he digs into his pocket for his wallet, he turns a little over his shoulder and says to the person behind him:]

What’s your favorite flavor?

[crushcard]

Any flavour works?

... I don't actually like ice cream.

[ He was literally just passing through? But it's crowded enough that he's close enough to be considered in the line at the ice cream vendor.

If it was anyone else he would probably have walked past them but this is Ardyn so he kind of feels obligated to stay, especially since if he knows Ardyn well enough (and he thinks he does), Ardyn will just insist on getting him one anyway. He's like that. ]

(ZORO + FAWKES) / human pyramid

[daemonized]

[Ardyn might have more patience than most, but even then it’s a limited resource. He wonders just how much of this patience will be spent trying to create a “human pyramid” with another Retrospec user, and just how much more will be wasted attempting to do so with a vaguely familiar face he sees across the way.

He has half a mind to keep walking, but the idea of a missed opportunity is just enough to change his mind. Ardyn approaches Zoro, a relatively forced smile on his face — obvious by the way it’s a bit sharper, a bit thinner, than his usual.]

I assume you’ve a bingo card as well?

[Hi, it’s your favorite person.]

[stopbleeding]

[No.

Whatever this is, no. He doesn't want it. With a parting scowl, he walks away. As far as his feet will carry him. So far. Miles...

He only manages a few yards before turning around. That damn incentive is too tempting to ignore.]

What do you want? If it's anything embarrassing, I'll cut you.

[With what? Fuck if he knows. A seashell? He'll make it work.]

(PROMPTO, DANTE, TOGUSA, GRELL) / sandcastles at the beach

[daemonized]

[Ardyn’s shed his layers for the beach, which is a miracle unto itself. In fact, this is probably the most layer-less most will ever see him, given that he’s dressed in beige linen pants and a loose, button-up white shirt. (Light colors! The world must be ending.) One can blame the bingo cards; Ardyn never finds himself here on the beach for terribly long, and thus never dresses for the occasion, but the man isn’t so stubborn as to wear his usual when he knows he’s going to be here for an extended period of time.

And so, instead of dying of heatstroke, he’s going to attempt to build a sandcastle. Somehow, he’s ended up going with a group of people — Prompto, Dante, Togusa, and Grell — which at least makes this an entertaining little outing. The boys have already started building their castles, and he eyes their work critically on occasion, but doesn’t say anything just yet.

He will allow himself a complaint against the sun, every once in awhile.]

It’s unbearably bright— [he says, leaning back with his palms in the sand] —and I should have brought my umbrella.

[THE SUN!! He hates it.]

The GitS Beach Episode We Never Knew We Wanted

[standalonehuman]

Why can't all of Retrospec's little games turn out like this? Because this is downright fun, which Togusa hasn't had enough of in the last few months. He truly does enjoy hanging around all of the people here, when the stakes aren't so damn high. So, a day where he might be able to forget about everything that's happening? Sold. Especially since Togusa has lost one of his personal reminders of this strangeness.

Every once in a while, Togusa can get a message across in a subtle way, which he is today, because of course he wouldn't be wearing a shirt on the beach, would he? It looks completely normal, but also calls attention to the fact that the gunshot scar that everyone here has either seen or heard about? Is missing. There's not a mark on the man. But he has kept his manner completely casual, intent on enjoying the day.

Togusa looks back from his spot in the sand to grin at Ardyn's discomfort. "You'd be more used to it if you got out of the University more often. Another in the list of reasons I'm glad I took a field job."

ROSALIND / sandcastles at the beach

[daemonized]

➥here

LUCIAN / seashells

[daemonized]

[He’s still at the beach, though this activity seems more calming than the last. The waves lap at his feet as he walks along the shore, appearing to look for something in particular. Instead, a few minutes into his trek, he spots a familiar face in the distance.]

Ah, doctor! [He calls out, drawing closer. When he’s within earshot, he continues.] Don’t tell me — you’re looking for seashells. Hm?

[accordance]

[ It is rare to see Lucian out in the daytime, but here he is - dressed in a polo shirt no less, showing pale skin and a faint scar curving around one arm. ]

Perhaps I am. [ Slightly amused, a smile offered. ] I came to see the sea.

KAIBA / sparring

[daemonized]

Mr. Kaiba. [-says Ardyn, quite at a loss about what he should do. He had spoken with his ex-student about him helping him with this square prior, though to be honest he has no idea how to go about it. Ardyn is not much of a fighter, and while he’s never a man that truly lacks any confidence, he also knows quite clearly when he’s at a disadvantage.]

You’ll go easy on me, won’t you? [That grin of his, wry and facetious, reveals that he likely doesn’t care either way. For the sake of getting the this checked off of his proverbial list, he’ll do what needs to be done.]

PROMPTO, FYNN / chocobo race

[daemonized]

[Now this will be fun.

Holding on tight to the reins of the chocobo, Ardyn has the advantage of his memories making him very familiar with how to ride a chocobo, and even how to race one. He reaches out a hand to pat at the neck of his bird, fingers running through large, soft feathers, as he looks at his “opponent”.]

Doing all right over there? [There’s the intonation of a laugh intwined in his words, not even bothering to hide it. They've managed to secure a "route" for their chocobo (a particularly clear trail through the forest) and Ardyn is eager to get started as soon as the other is ready.]

KARKAT, AINSLEY / buy something for Jim at the Towers

[daemonized]

[Scrolling through the registry is easy enough, though Ardyn does it with an obvious dearth of enthusiasm. What’s here to buy that he can twist into something sarcastic and passive aggressive? What can they render utterly useless, and send it to Jim that way to show their appreciation?

He continues scrolling. With the lilt of something sardonic in his tone, he asks:]

Stop me when you see something you think our dear Jim would really appreciate from us.

OPEN / Pizza Port, take me to your leader

[daemonized]

[This isn’t exactly a venue that Ardyn visits all that often, but he has to admit that the space theme is definitely eye-catching. It’s busy, but not so crowded as to not have breathing room, and the man is currently trying to spot a familiar face—

Well, he sees someone at any rate, familiar or not, in the distance. He can only hope that this other individual finds a vague amusement in what he was about to do.

He approaches, and clears his throat when he’s close.]

Excuse me. [Hi. Turn around, won’t you? If you do, you'll be met with a man wearing an outfit made of nothing more than scarves, which will lend well to the question he's going to ask you.]

MARI, ARANEA / Carolling Never Gonna Give You Up

[daemonized]

Poor Mr. Astley, do you think he ever intended this song of his to become nothing short of a joke?

[He muses with his singing “partner”, lifting a brow.]

I’m not sure this is exactly the way I’d wish for my own work to be immortalized, but who knows? Maybe he finds some amusement in it.

[He looks down wherever it is they’ve decided to start their caroling adventures, a particularly busy sidewalk, street, idk whatever it is you like basically. Either way, there are crowds that will definitely notice them singing once they start — good thing that the spotlight was never something that bothered Ardyn.]

You know the song, I assume? Or do we need to go over the lyrics?

SOUJI / yoga in a fast food joint

[daemonized]

[What coincidence that Ardyn has found his nephew here, in a little burger place at the corner of a busy street. He could make a joke about him not eating something rotten for once, and while he may save that quip for later, right now he has other priorities.]

Souji! What are you doing here? Certainly not to eat normal food, is it?

[…okay, no, he had to make the joke first.]

Or, maybe, is it to indulge yourself in a bit of yoga? I hope so.

[No context. W…at.]

ARLENE / using powers around someone new

[daemonized]

[He hadn’t intended on filling out this particular square of his card. It required someone to actually be hurt, after all, and Ardyn does draw a line that he won’t cross, when it comes to playing Retrospec’s games.

It’s convenient, then (though he’d never think of it that way), that Arlene already seems to be sporting an injury. He frowns at her, concerning filtering its way into his expression, as it often does when faced with someone who might need his help.]

What have you gone and done?

DANTE / slap someone who broke into Retrospec

[daemonized]

➥here

GRELL / start a rumor and spread it to at least 5 people

[daemonized]

Now then, the question is, who shall we start a rumor about, and to whom will we spread it to?

[There’s something slightly devious in his tone, rare that it is, but it’s born of amusement and nothing else. Starting rumors… what did Retrospec think they were? High school students? Nattering old women? Well, it didn’t matter — Ardyn is strangely eager to do this, impulsive and often times playful man that he is.

He digs into his pants pocket, pulling out his phone.]

And shall we spread them via random calls? Or do you want to take a stroll around the city, whispering lies into the ears of random passersby the old-fashioned way?

ROSALIND / share a difficult Retrospec memory

[daemonized]

[At some point during the day, he’s found Rosalind in her office. Ardyn appears in her doorway, knocking gently at its frame.]

Knock knock.

[His usual grin is still plastered onto his face, but there’s something about his words that imply this might be a bit more serious than the rest of his bingo shenanigans he’s indulged himself in so far. A “difficult” memory, after all, usually meant that others weren’t always inclined to share it.

He’ll not force her, of course, and it would be a two-way street, but… Well. Ardyn doesn’t exactly hesitate, but there is a moment of silence that passes before he says anything else.]

Been bothered enough by those requesting help with their cards yet? Or do you have time for one more?

[This would be easier, he thinks, with a friend than a stranger. Thus his appearance at Rosalind’s door, uncertain whether his timing is inconvenient or otherwise.]

DIRK / share a memory you’ve never shared before with a stranger

[daemonized]

[Finding a stranger is easy enough; sharing a memory with them is perhaps… a little harder, but for a man like Ardyn, he at least shows less hesitation than most.

Dirk is his unfortunate(?) victim today, catching him walking along the sidewalk in one of Recolle’s busier areas. Instead of letting him pass next to him, like strangers walking by often do, Ardyn instead spins on his heel and lightly taps him on the shoulder.]

Excuse me! I think I’ve seen your face before.

[On the network, is the implication. You’re an unwilling Retrospec user, too, he means.]

Does, ah, bingo mean anything to you? I assume that it does, given certain current developments.

[Wanna help him with his square, stranger?]

YEAGER / duel of choice with a stranger

[daemonized]

[Yeager is still stranger enough, as they’ve only interacted twice, and briefly over the network at that. But enough for him to recognize the man’s face as he passes by, and Ardyn grins, attempting to catch his attention.]

If it isn’t my fellow fashion connoisseur. [ARYDN YOU ARE NOT A FASHION CONNOISSEUR…] Fancy meeting you here. What brings you out and about on a dreadfully warm day like today, hm?

[Are you perhaps… looking for a stranger to duel with.]

NOCTIS / spend the day with a friend of a friend

[daemonized]

[How they ended up here is of no consequence, okay. At some point, bingo cards were talked about, and Noctis fell into the category of a “friend of a friend” quite easily — and so, here they are. Ardyn and Noctis… standing in the middle of an arcade together.

Ardyn straightens the hat on his head, eyeing the sounds and flashing lights surrounding him. He’s hardly put off, instead finding all of this quite entertaining, but this isn’t exactly where he spends even a modicum of his free time. He can only imagine that Noctis is far more comfortable here than him, and he looks over at the young man with a skeptical raise of his brow.]

Well. I leave it to you to choose what game you wish to play.

[There’s several cabinets around. Big, giant screens of more “modern” games, old arcade cabinets for those with more retro tastes, and even a few air hockey tables nearby. There’s also a claw machine with several plushes stuffed into it, just adjacent to the air hockey tables.]