ya gotta wanna be a battering ram

[headandhand]

WHO: The entire dang city.
WHAT: Dualis Days, a week-long summer celebration.
WHERE: Central Square Park and the rest of the city.
WHEN: June 17-23.
WARNINGS: Terrorist violence, likely some blood and injuries. Please warn in individual threads!

June 17; Central Square Park.

Every year for as far back as anyone can remember, the start of summer is heralded by the week-long festival known as Dualis Days. This celebration officially kicks off at midday in the middle of Central Square Park with a commencement speech by the current mayor. This year marks Marcelina Dubanowski's third term as mayor of Dualis; she is an average-sized, middle-aged human-presenting woman with blonde hair styled in a short bob and a plastic, toothy smile that never seems to turn entirely off.

"Welcome, one and all!" she begins, with the practiced cadence of someone who is quite comfortable with public speaking. She invites all citizens, new and old, to spend the next week indulging in festivities in all districts of the city and getting to know their neighbors a little better. This is a joyous time of celebration, and the crowd responds with enthusiastic applause as the mayor finishes her speech and introduces this year's parade marshall, Peshtigo Tengfei.

Tengfei blows a whistle six times to signal the start of the parade - and this is where the celebration goes sideways.

A loud explosion tears through the air, and it's followed by panicked screams and the sharp screech of microphone feedback. A bomb has gone off at the platform where the mayor was standing, collapsing the wood and tearing it to splinters and dust. Chaos erupts in the gathered crowd, and as the people shift in all directions to get clear of any possible additional bombs, a loud siren cuts through the cacophony, calling attention to the sudden crackle of video feed present on all television screens throughout the city, including those set up in the park to broadcast the mayor's speech for those standing far from the stage. The picture is plain, a black background and bold white block letters filling the screen:

WAKE UP
WAKE UP
DON'T BELIEVE THE LIES

The final image is an anatomical graphic of a human heart, displayed for about three seconds, and then the feed goes black again.

Confused murmurs sweep through the crowd as citizens resume tending to the injured and evacuating the area until official first responders arrive.

June 17-23; aftermath around the city.

Dualis Days continues as scheduled, though Mayor Dubanowski is unable to enjoy the festival, as she is spending the week in the hospital recovering from her injuries. A team of Iterations guard her door - no visitors allowed - but the news media frequently report updates on her condition. Nothing to worry about, folks! Return to your celebrations, and don't mind the increased visible presence of the Hand as Iterations are stationed every few blocks throughout the city. It's only for your protection, after all.

Comments

[scathefires]

[same billy. it's a relief, really, and even though he's still a little surprised by the hug, he doesn't fight it, because it's more than welcome. jason even manages to hug billy back for a second before he breaks away.].

What I've been hearing that friends are for is telling you that you're an asshole when you do a dumb thing, [he says, smiling sheepishly.] It's kinda nice to hear a different take.

[demiurgency]

I mean, they're pretty good for that, too, and believe me, it's a super useful ability, but sometimes you need hugs, too, and I figured you had enough of the other thing, really. Especially considering last night. Not that I know everything, just Nida mentioned a police station, so--

[He's babbling. He knows he's babbling. It's a terrible habit, one you pick up when everyone around you also tends to be one with the witty banter, but he's also aware it's a bit Much. Stopping, he pauses for a second, looking Jason over, then offers a small smile.]

I'm glad you're here. And in one piece. How are you feeling? Aside from the obvious, I guess.

[scathefires]

[billy's glad he's here. jason wishes he could say the same.]

Aside from the obvious? [he shrugs and shoves his hands into the front pockets of his jeans.] I dunno ... still trying to wrap my head around it all, I guess. Bit different than the last time this happened.

[and there's no sense in upsetting billy any further about all of his uneasiness with being alive again, in a strange, overwhelming city, so jason bites down on anything else he might want to say on that subject.]

Yeah, I got picked up by some jackbooted thug-bots. Total misunderstanding, but we sorted it out with minimal casualties.

[jason doesn't think it's a good idea to mention what happened between him and nida. introducing friction between a sweet kid like billy and his boyfriend is a dick move billy doesn't deserve.]

What about you? Any thoughts on being dropped into an actual city again?

[demiurgency]

Yeah. Yeah, I guess it would be. Sorry.

[Jason's being cool about it, but still--that's twice now Jason's died and been brought back without anyone even checking to see if he wants that. Maybe he wants to rest. It would be more fair to ask...but life isn't ever really fair, is it? At least that's a universal constant.

Still, he's here, and Billy's not gonna deny he's glad to see him.]

Glad it all got sorted out. I mean...jackbooted thug-bots and explosions aside, I'm honestly pretty psyched about it? Electricity and running hot water and actual, real, live coffee? It honestly feels like I'm home again. Maybe a little more because of the explosions, honestly. Does that sound a little too first-world?

[Listen, he just...missed starbucks and the internet, ok...he's a simple boy...]

[scathefires]

[billy is correct, no one consulted with jason on whether he wanted the resurrection treatment, and if they had? jason honestly isn't sure he would've said yes. he's glad to be reunited with his friends, of course, but ... there's a sense of wrongness to being alive again when he shouldn't. he felt it the first time he came back to life and it's even stronger this time. but that's something jason can keep to himself, for now - he already expressed his preference on staying dead to nida, and that was under stressful circumstances.]

Don't worry about it. [jason forces a small, wry smile.] I tend to land on my feet - acrobatics training and all. Just need a couple days to adjust.

[the smile warms a little as billy goes on with his enthusiasm.]

Nah, I get it. This place is ... actually a lot like Gotham. After the Village of the Damned and Wonderland before that, it's nice to see skyscrapers and neon lights again.

[and to have tall, tall buildings to climb and sit on the roof and brood. maybe find a new gargoyle to befriend.]

[demiurgency]

I feel you. Looks like we might get a couple of days to catch our breaths after that entrance, I'm pretty sure security is gonna be too tight for anything else for a little while here.

[Which brings its own set of qualms, but.. it's fine. He'll keep quiet about that, for the moment, and instead snort about 'Village of the Damned.']

Yeah. I mean, the village had its moments, but I was born and raised on the Upper West Side, so really I'm a city kid at heart. This feels more comfortable, explosions and all.

Hey, here--

[Billy fishes in his apron pocket for a moment, before pulling out a round disc roughly the size of a poker chip the same green as the drink in the cups on his tray.]

Free drink token. Have a coffee. Not much of a welcome-back gift, but y'know.

[Listen, he really is genuinely happy to see Jason, that's all.]

[scathefires]

[jason takes the token and stares at it sitting in the palm of his hand for a moment. it may be a small gift, but it's unexpected, shockingly so. when he looks up to billy again, his smile is much more warm and genuine.]

Thanks, Billy.

[there's probably more he should say; billy has been more kind to him than most, and for very little reason on jason's part. he's offered friendship and emotional support, two things jason's lacked for most of his life, so it means even more. they come from vastly different worlds, but it doesn't matter as much to jason as it might with someone else. he's glad to call billy a friend.]