[ open ] jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock

[lyingheart]

WHO: OPEN.
WHERE: De Chima.
WHEN: Saturday, December 13th, 2014.
WHAT: Earlier in the afternoon, there will be base-jumping in elf costumes. Later on is the charity silent date auction and different performances by USA celebrities fundraising for charity this holiday season. OOC information post here.
WARNINGS: None now, will update later. To avoid seeing all the silent auction threads, simply press on the (Hide ## comments) under the header comment for the auction section!

[ BASE JUMPING from TARTARUS TOWER ]
For those imPorts who volunteered to jump from Tartarus Tower, arrivals for fittings into their costumes begins at 2:00 PM sharp. Each costume comes with a name-tag attached, and make-up artists are on hand to help affix elf ears to participants and work on their eye make-up for the ease of the cameras catching all this live.

The jumps will start at 4:00 PM, and after all imPort elves have jumped and successfully reached the ground, they'll join the bus transporting presents and Malik to the De Chima children's hospital to deliver gifts to the children in the cancer ward (and elsewhere). ImPorts will then be transported over to the main facilities for the fundraiser event as a whole, invited to attend the Silent Date Auction as well as listen to any of the various performances occurring over the course of the evening.

[ CHARITY SILENT DATE AUCTION in DE CHIMA ]
Starting at 4:00 PM, the doors to the conference hall made available for the ImPort Charity Silent Date Auction will open. Live music will be provided, along with refreshments and catered hor d'oeuvres, and televisons displaying both the news stories and live coverage of the fundraiser events occurring over the course of the evening. ImPorts will be encouraged to attend any of these performances in person, but will not be required to leave the conference hall unless they wish to do so.

There is lounge seating available, and free wireless throughout the building. Different conference halls are hosting different events in this event center, and the largest productions are happening on a built stage outside. There's a massive lit tree in the central front courtyard of the event center, and many small stands selling hot drinks, good foods, and wares outside by the stage and surrounding streets, all with a portion of proceeds going to various named charities.

Please comment to this log with your own starters! Only the Auction Thread will be set-up under its own sub-thread, for ease of tracking. Auction Threads can be threaded in, but initial comments to those threads should be the bids that a character is placing on someone else (or themselves). Bidding will close OOCly by this time next week (or when a player states bidding is closed on their character - send me a PM to close that thread, or comment to close it on your own). ICly, all bids close at the end of the night.

Comments

base jumping

[bratziska]

a) before the jump: ( Franziska's all dressed up in her base-jumping costume, and being less than five feet tall, almost looks like a suitable sized elf. While the smattering of make-up she's wearing makes her look a little older than she usually does, she still very much appears thirteen. Her name tag, affixed to her front, reads 'perfect elf'. While she's extremely excited, she's also a bit nervous, and she's hoping that it's not showing on her face (too much).

She decides to tackle the problem the way she usually does: by seeking more information. She starts to approach the other jumpers, far more politely than she usually does. Without her riding crop, she tends to be less derisive. )

Excuse me, but I was just wondering if you've done this before...?

b) after delivering the presents: ( While Franziska's feet are firmly planted on the ground, her spirit is still somewhere in the skies. She looks completely exhilarated, and only a third of that is caused by Christmas joy, honestly. She fell through the sky. And now she wants to fly.

This time, she seeks out her fellow base-jumpers with a slightly different question. It would sound foolish if she was back in her own world, but this wasn't the America she was used to. )

Do you happen to know anybody who can fly?

b

[attainment]

[Barnaby turns to look at the girl, having finally put his glasses back on now that their jump is over. They haven't spoken any before tonight, but he has to admit he's quietly impressed that someone so young would willingly make that sort of jump. When he addresses her, his tone is as polite as always.]

Someone with powers, you mean? Why do you ask?

[bratziska]

( Franziska is more than happy to be polite in return, especially to someone who seems to be taking her enquiries seriously. )

Yes. The dossier I received when I arrived here claimed that I had such powers but I haven't tried using them yet. I wouldn't know where to start. That's why I'm looking for someone to teach me.

( A beat. )

Why, do you know someone?

[attainment]

Not here, no, but I'm sure you could easily find a few people over the network.

[A beat.]

Technically, I can jump about as high as someone who flies, but that's probably not what you're looking for.

[bratziska]

... You jump right up but fall right back down again? Hmm. I'd like to avoid the falling. Perhaps I will have to enquire over the network after all. ( It's a bit more public than Franziska would've liked but if it was the most effective option, what could she do?

It takes her another moment to process the meaning of what else the man had said. )

So, you knew people with such powers somewhere else. Back in your real home, I assume.

[attainment]

I can usually stay suspended in the air for a brief amount of time, but, yes, inevitably I fall back down. [It's a little more involved than it sounds. The fact his powers only last for five minutes means he has to be careful.]

Something like that. The person I'm thinking could control the wind and possessed the ability to float. He used a jet pack in order to amplify his speed.

[bratziska]

It seems that this ability and other ones like it can manifest themselves in different ways. I was hoping that to receive some inspiration during the jump but... ( She trails off. It couldn't be helped. ) This is all very new to me, you see. We didn't have anything like superpowers where I'm from.

[attainment]

[Inspiration? That's an odd word choice. The ability to fly sounds like a relatively straightforward power to Barnaby, albeit one that might be difficult to control at first. But, a lot of times, mastery requires self-discipline and practice above anything else.]

You mentioned you haven't tried using your powers yet. I take it they haven't accidentally flared up, either?

a;

[somethinghidden]

Hm? [ Simon turns to face the... perfect elf... behind him, his name tag revealed as "adventurous elf". ]

Uh, not exactly this, but something like it, yeah. What, have you... done anything like it? It can't be all that bad.

a;

[bratziska]

No, I haven't, but I thought it would be a good opportunity. ( ... to see what flying is like, to make some cash, and also to terrify her brother when he finds out. ) I'm sure they wouldn't be letting us up there ( she gestures in the direction of the building ) if it were unsafe.

What have you done before, then?

[somethinghidden]

[ If he'd known her thought process, he could agree with her on the first two points but wonder about the last. Alas, he doesn't know that.

Instead, he wonders how to best answer this without seeming like a complete nutter. ]

Walking the edges of rooftops, sometimes dangling over the edge.

[bratziska]

( That... doesn't sound very majestic. Her answer is short and clipped. )

Why?

[somethinghidden]

[ He smirks. ] The thrill of taking a chance, taking a gamble. It's part of why I signed up in the first place.

[ Well, in addition to the first two points he would've agreed with if he could read her mind. ]

[bratziska]

You think something's going to happen? ( That's... all the sense she can make of him. )

[somethinghidden]

[ Smon shrugs. ] You never know. It should be all right—you said so yourself. What matters now is taking the dive and having fun, yeah?

And, I guess, looking good, too. They are shooting us live, after all.

b

[yatagarasu]

[Kay turns. Her face is the face of exhilaration; she is almost glowing with happiness from the base jumping and the distribution of presents. There was thrill, and there was the joy of helping out. Her nametag reads, "Enthusiastic Elf".

At Franziska's question, she takes a moment to think and go over several people she knows.]

Hmm...it's been a while since I last saw her, but I think Power Girl can. I don't know her secret identity, though.

[bratziska]

( Franziska's eyes light up when she notices Kay's presence. Although she doesn't know the woman that Kay's become very well, what she does know is enough to tell her that Kay's nametag suits her as perfectly as Franziska's fits her. )

Hmm. So 'Power Girl' is her civilian identity? What a strange name.

[yatagarasu]

Oh...no, that's her superhero identity. I dunno her civilian one. [She shrugs...not knowing that actually, she does, but hasn't pieced them together as one person.] Anyway, there might be others, you could ask on the network.

[bratziska]

Indeed. I might make that plan B. Good thinking, Kay. ( She offers the older girl something that is scarily close to a genuine smile. ) I just thought that perhaps people with suitable powers would have volunteered for this event... do you think that the novelty of flight would wear off after a while?

[yatagarasu]

Thanks! [SCORE ONE FOR THE ENTHUSIASTIC ELF.] And...if I were you, I don't think I'd get tired of flying. You could always find new places to fly around in, maybe even race the rest of the high-flying heroes...

[Kay would popcorn that so hard. AIR RACE!]

[bratziska]

( Competition. Franziska likes the sound of that! ) Winning such a race would be quite exciting. However, I will have to master my power first. ( And you know, learn the basics, but details. )

a;

[clinomaniac]

Jumping?

[He recognized the girl but hadn't approached her initially, focusing more on his own attire and equipment for the time. She seemed pretty capable enough, and also like someone who'll know to seek people if she did need help. As long as she could admit to that, anyway (he knew a thing or two about kids who didn't ask for help).

But here she is, and he looks up from the edge of the roof he'd found a spot to idle around sitting by, swinging his legs over the edge while holding on to the nearest railing.]

Not really. I mean, not at all.

a;

[bratziska]

( Franziska's eyes narrow suspiciously as she eyes the boy. )

I remember you. Minato Arisato... ( She draws out his full name mostly because she likes the way it rolls off her tongue. ) You're here too.

( A beat. )

What did you mean by 'not really'?

[clinomaniac]

[... The way she says his whole name is kind of nerve-wracking. What is she, Mitsuru? Times a hundred?

In mini-size? Jesus.]

I've been this high up before. Never jumped it, though. You okay with heights?

[bratziska]

( She smirks. )

What's there to be afraid of?

( Falling is the obvious answer, but that's definitely going to happen in a controlled and precise way. )