dualislogs | ya gotta wanna be a battering ram

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Squall reels back a little when Billy suddenly rises. Oh, lovely, another heroic stranger. He folds his arms near his stomach defensively, frowning.]

Don't bother. I'm fine. [He just needs to get back to the dorms, regroup and come up with a better plan than subject himself to even more of the whims of the city. Even if the plan ends up being subjecting himself to the city health system.]

[A stranger? Yeah, sort of. Except...well, okay, yeah they'd still been strangers, even back in the village; he'd made friends with Rinoa, but Squall had vanished before he'd had a chance to get to know the guy. Even so...well, Rinoa might be back home now, but that didn't mean he could just pretend that Squall wasn't hurt and that he didn't know exactly who he was.

Billy at least has the grace to stop moving, lifting his hands into the air, the expression on his face a little hesitant, more than a little concerned, and even more rueful.]

Yeah. People bleed all the time. It's nothing to worry about, I'm sure. But if I don't at least offer to take a look, your friends are gonna kick my ass.

[Not to mention his girlfriend, even if she is in another dimension.]

I know who you are. Not in a creepy way, I swear--I'm friends with Seifer and Nida. My name's Billy?

[Maybe he's run into one of the others by now? Maybe they've mentioned him. Maybe not. But hell, it's worth a shot.]

[He can't help but stare at Billy, only with mild suspicion though. He's only run into Seifer so far but has gleaned enough info to not find it too bizarre that someone would know Seifer and apparently by extension Squall. That said, Nida is here too??]

... I don't know you. [It's almost dismissive. Almost.] I got hurt in the blast. I'll take care of it. Seifer and Nida don't have to know.

[There. Billy has an out now.]

You should worry about yourself. [Because he so isn't the one who dropped to the ground just a moment ago.]

[Billy knows he doesn't look like much, especially right now. Average height, dancer's build, covered in dust and a couple minor scratches, hair a mess. But he knows what it means to be sized up and he doesn't flinch from it, or back down.]

Me? I'm fine, just a little tired. It's been a while since I've used that much of my magic.

[He hesitates for a second, but he pushes onward anyway.]

Listen, I'm not gonna push and maybe make it worse because you have to pretend you're fine. If you don't want me to look at it, I won't. But you really need to get that looked at by someone, whether it's me or one of the licensed medical professionals in this city. Because whatever caused that could be carrying who knows what from the explosion, or just the general environment, and you do not wanna be playing with sepsis, trust me.

Rinoa would be so pissed if you just went and died on an alien planet, you know.

[Yeah, maybe it's playing dirty, but he really is worried.]

[The mention of Rinoa makes him twitch and scowl, anger creeping into his tone. He shifts forward and lowers his arm to sweep it before him, grimacing when it jostles the injury again.]

Don't use her name like that! [He sinks back against the billboard, arm back over his front and ducks his head.] I'm not going to die. I have to go home. [He can't catch a break. It sucks. And now he's thinking about Rinoa not finding him in the morning and he looks up again, pained.]

I'll go after. When things cool down. [And he's looking away again.] It's no coincidence an explosion happened as soon as a group of us arrived. I'm not about to trust their emergency team.

[Billy lifts his hands again, a gesture of surrender.]

Okay, okay. Fair. But...she was in the last place we were in, too. Me, my brother, Seifer and Nida. She was one of my closest friends there. And maybe I didn't know you, but--she talked about you a lot. So, I just...want to help.

[He's sincere about that. All of what he's said, it's written all over his face that it's the truth, and that he really does want to help. And also he's got no doubt that if Squall keels over for something this dumb Rinoa could totally bust through dimensions to kick his ass, and then Billy's.]

You're not wrong. I don't know if it has to do with us, exactly, but...there's a lot going on in this city, and it's not all good. Please, just...let me help you.

[Dammit, he's weak against sincerity like this. Squall covers his face with a hand and sighs.]

You can help me find the dorm.

[Still not getting medical attention but he's letting Billy help now at least.]

You can rest there too.

[With an ulterior motive.]

[Yessss his puppy eyes still work for something. A walk to the dorms isn't a total win, but it's something, and it'll give him more time to talk Squall into something more. And if he passes out along the way, he's gonna forfeit his opinion, anyway.

Climbing to his feet, Billy nods, offering the water bottle still in his hand.]

Sure. I can do that. Here, do you want the rest?

[It's probably fine??]

[Wow. He's not going to pass out!! Don't be rude, Billy. Squall eyes the bottle leerily before reaching for it and downing the rest of it. The thirst hitting him now that water was brought up. It's been hours since he got here without eating or drinking anything.

He wipes at his mouth with his forearm before handing the bottle back.]

Thanks.

[He'll pick a random street to head down after. Center of the city can't be that hard to find right?

Billy might need to make sure he doesn't end up taking the long way though.]

[Says the guy with blood all over his shirt, gosh!! At least he's replenishing his fluids. It's something, Billy will take it. Although he shakes his head at Squall offering the bottle back.]

Keep it, I can get another one. It's not a big deal.

[Squall picks a random street, and it's fine for now, but Billy does have to course correct a few times. At least he doesn't try and make Squall talk too much on the way, but he does have to ask--]

So...what's the last thing you remember before you woke up here?

[It's not that bad!! (It is...) Squall shrugs and just holds on to the bottle until he polishes off the rest of the water and tosses it. The question has him look just a little glum. Mostly because he was trying to get some well-deserved rest after a relatively good day. Figures he can't have something good for long.]

Going to sleep in my room after a party.

ya gotta wanna be a battering ram

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