WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE

[maskormods]

WHO: ImPorts!
WHERE: All four cities.
WHEN: May 18-25
WHAT: Mayhem strikes as people get trapped in elevators, have to help out drowning, spoiled party people, rescue escaped zoo animals and have a ball with some unwanted song and dance. Have fun, everyone!
WARNINGS: None anticipated; let us know if this should be updated!



MAY 18 - 25
STUCK IN AN ELEVATOR
THE LOVE BUNNY
DE CHIMA

Wherever you happen to be in De Chima, as long as there's an elevator around, it's fair game. Are you visiting a friend in an apartment complex? Visiting a set of offices? Getting your teeth checked out? Or maybe there's a really rad, hidden comic book store you heard about on the top floor of the highest building in town! Whatever the reason, in the lobby, you'll see someone who looks like she's cosplaying, and having an absolute blast doing so. It's not entirely clear what she's cosplaying as, but nobody would dress like that on an everyday basis, right...?

If you write her off without thinking much about it, that wouldn't be much of a surprise; she's as innocuous as they get. She's a young, blonde woman - probably a teenager, though it's hard to tell - with her hair pulled into high pigtails, bangs pulled back with a headband with two bright pink bunny ears perched atop her head. The rest of her outfit is just as outrageously pink, a tight corset over a white t-shirt, a pleated pink skirt, go-go boots and thick black leggings with a bright pink wand (complete with a plastic bunny head attached to the tip) clutched tightly in one hand. Honestly, she looks to be a bit of a wreck, but that's only to be expected from someone young flexing their costume making skills for the first time.

It's only after you glide past her and onto the elevator that you realize that something's wrong. Halfway through your ascent or descent, the entire thing shudders, the lights flicker, and the gears slowly grind to a halt. The speaker in the elevator comes to life, somehow, and a bright, cheery giggle fills the elevator.

"Stop in the name of love! You've been caught byyyyyyyy... The Love Bunny! Cute, right? Just like me! I wish you could see how cute I am, but that would defeat the point, so you'll just have to take my word for it. The world's become such a dreary place, hasn't it? We spend so much time staring down at our phones that we never take the chance to look at each other, and find our one true loves!" She sighs, a dreamy, faraway sound. "Oh, but don't worry - I don't expect you to have to kiss. All sorts of love is beautiful, even if romance is the pinnacle of all love. I'm not letting you out, so you might as well try to get along! Toodles!"

If your characters don't manage to get out by the one hour mark, the speakers will come to life once again, this time with a distinct pout in the Love Bunny's voice. "Oh, poo, you're no fun. But I'm a hero, not a villain, so it's not like I'd trap you in there forever. Go on, and live your sad little loveless lives - just know that I'm rooting for you! Bye-byeeeee!" And with that, the building's electricity will come back to life, and your characters will be freed once more.


MAY 18 - 25
MUSICAL MAYHEM
The Copacabana Conductor
Maurtia Falls

Feel that fascinating rhythm moving to your feet? Feel your ass gyrating to that titillating beat? The answer is yes, yes you do. Whether you wanted to or not. The normally dangerous streets of Maurtia Falls have taken on an even more treacherous edge (for your dignity, at least). It started with a sudden, sharp up-tick in what appeared to be street performers. Then a couple acapella flash mobs. Some questioned whether acapella flash mob is even a thing, but who knows? Maybe some particularly deranged imPort brought the craze with them. The strange man skipping around in spandex with hand-drawn musical notes all over it seems suspect, especially since he's always clutching that tacky little recorder close to his chest, but it’s hard to tell these days. The middle of the month always has so many odd new imPorts arriving.

Towards the middle of the day, the news has changed from reporting these sightings as some strange performance art in the city to declaring them a clear act of super-powered malice, accompanied only by - you guessed it - the shrill piping of a recorder, inducting all around them into spontaneous song-and-dance. ImPorts with particularly good hearing may hear a shrill voice cheering, "there's no day but today for this!" or "enough of the classics; it's time to get thoroughly modern!" or, particularly irritatingly, "All I ask of you is to stand up!"

The fact the news anchors sing this report just underscores the present menace (you know what we mean). The majority of people seem to be performing their day to day while acting out numbers based on famous musicals, but any tune and dance sequence people can manage (or not, as the many petty thieves singing to Oliver! horribly screech as you pass by) is fair game, from country to pop to Klingon Opera.

Particularly news obsessed imPorts may notice that all this musical fanfare was first reported happening near the Maurtia Falls City Stage Theater. Investigators better be ready to put on their best Javert, however, as there’s no avoiding facing (and joining in) the music as you get closer to the heart of the problem.

MAY 18
ZOO(TLOOSE)
Doctor Dolots
Nonah

Police sirens aren’t that uncommon a sound, unfortunately. However, the occasional lion’s roar and outraged peacock squawk piercing through the familiar noise is a new one. Hover cars have surrounded the Nonah zoo, as much keeping the gawking public out as they are trying (and often failing) at keeping the loose animals in. Only imPorts are allowed to pass the tape line to approach the unusual threat. Known unregistered and even vigilante or villain imPorts are given the side-eye, but not questioned (what, are they going to give the tigers nightmares?), but registered imPorts are giving a bit of a heads up by the local civil servants. They aren’t sure if it’s a victim or the cause, but a lieutenant heard loud sobbing from inside the cave of the black bear enclosure before he was forced out by a crowd of vengeful lemurs. Anyone that doesn't want to have to directly deal with Nonah’s finest and head into the zoo itself still has plenty to do, however. Only a fraction of the animals have successfully been kept inside.

Behind the tape and in neighboring areas of the city everything is, well, a zoo. Animals are running everywhere. Elephants are competing with orangutans for fresh boiled peanuts, while otters have taken over public restrooms and are having the time of their lives playing with the automatic toilets. There has also been a disturbing team up of lions, tigers, and polar bears, while cheetahs race past them towards the most appealing prey of zebra, moose, and people.

It will be better for imPort public image to capture rather than harm the animals, but at the end of the day the choice is yours.

MAY 25
WATER WORLD
Marina
Heropa

Sun and fun often bring shouts of delight, but the cries ringing out over the waves are from panic. The equipment keeping the Oceania party platform and artificial reef has malfunctioned due to the excessive weight — social scenester Evan Caulfield's party has way too many guests to celebrate his 25th birthday, it seems! A few nearby pleasure craft approach the site of the sinking soiree, but they just don't have the capacity to bring everyone aboad.

Word quickly reaches the shore, filtered through social media from all the selfies attendees are taking — #sinking #help #thewetlook — and emergency services urge any heroes in the area to come and help.

The scene is chaotic, but just off the shore, a tall, muscular Hispanic woman in her early 40s climbs to the top of a yacht and shouts to get everyone's attention. Decked out in a bright wetsuit that could be a superhero's costume or a fashionable diving outfit, she pumps a fist into the air. "Come on, everyone! We've got to come together and save these people!"

With that, she dives into the water and starts swimming freakishly fast toward the disaster site. She never seems to come up for air, but when she does surface to aid the bewildered partiers, she does a great job making sure they don't go under.

Well, hero? What are you waiting for?

Comments

Yusuke Kitagawa | OTA

[lempereur]

elevator - locked to sansa stark.

[ Yusuke's first trip to De Chima was for a work assignment. Running designs to the De Chima office, the sort of manual drudge work that was easy enough to shove off on the new imPort. It wasn't exactly what he envisioned when he was told he would be going to work designing for a game company. He figured there would be a lot more...designing.

Nevertheless, he wasn't yet in a position to do anything but what he was told. So Yusuke and his tote bag full of finished designs and supplies hopped onto the elevator, being nowhere near well-fed enough for a thirty story climb. The only other occupant was a striking young woman, her long red hair catching his attention for perhaps a bit longer than appropriate. He corrected his gaze quickly enough, keeping to himself until the elevator skids to a stop, and "The Love Bunny" relays her message.

Nothing uncomfortable about this. Not at all. ]

...well, then.

yusuke cried all through la la land.

[ Why did everyone tell him that Maurtia Falls was shady? It was the exact opposite: it was bright and it was beautiful! Yusuke had rarely been overcome with such joy the way he had when he arrived here for the first time. As soon as his foot hit the ground, it was tapping to an unknown beat, until the inexplicable urge to move spread upwards through his hips and all the way to his head.

It seemed like the entire world felt the same way. What a sight to behold.

Yusuke forgot exactly what his destination was supposed to be, but you can find him twirling his way there, channeling Astaire down the sidewalks. ]

[turned_to_steel]

Hello.

[ Forever polite, Sansa had greeted the young man when he stepped into the elevator and took a spot beside her. She even offered him a polite smile that briefly softened her features until she looked away and pretended not to notice that he was staring at her for a bit longer than he should.

In fact, it seemed like that was all the interacting she was going to do...until the elevator came to a stop and the obnoxiously cheerful voice came over the speaker. When the voice cut out, Sansa stared upwards at the ceiling of the elevator for a moment before dropping her gaze to him, her eyes wide. ]

Did she really just say we're trapped in here?

[lempereur]

That is what she said.

[ Along with some nonsense about romance. Was trapping two strangers in an elevator really someone's idea of a helpful match making trick? Absurd.

In a single stride, Yusuke crossed over to the elevator's control panel. Lit by the red glow of the emergency light, he pushed his hair behind his ears and began poking at the buttons, none of which are responsive.  The emergency call button clicks uselessly, but none of them light up. ]

I think...that we should just wait here. If the elevator's stopped working, maintenance should be notified soon, if they have not already.

[ He lets his bag slide off his shoulder, and delicately places it on the floor. They might be here a while, so there's no use in carrying it. ]

I've forgotten my manners. My name is Yusuke Kitagawa. I'm sorry we had to meet under such awkward circumstances.

[turned_to_steel]

[ Sansa is doing her best not to think about the romance part and what it could possibly mean at the moment. Honestly, it puts her a bit on edge but she hides it as she moves to watch him while trying to make it seem like she isn't hovering. Which feels like a nearly impossible feat in such a small space. ]

There is no button we can use to make it move? Is there any way to call her back and make her listen?

[ This is certainly not how she imagined her day going. ]

My name is Sansa Stark and, really, you don't need to apologize.
It's not your fault. [ She hopes. ]

[lempereur]

None of the buttons are working. I've tried them all.

[ Yusuke steps back to lean against the wall of the elevator, and lets himself sink to the floor, defeated. ]

I am not very technologically inclined, unfortunately, so you are welcome to try. But I think we may just have to wait.

[turned_to_steel]

I am not used to things like this.

[ Sansa admits with a slightly defeated look of her own. Then she turns, scanning the small space before moving to lean against the wall to his left where she sinks down slowly to sit as well. ]

We don't have things like elevators back home, not like this.

[lempereur]

Really? Mine is mostly the same, in terms of technology.

[ There were mysterious phone app portals to alternate worlds, but nothing like the Porter here. He turns to Sansa with a smile, genuinely interested. ]

What is your world like, then?

[turned_to_steel]

I have heard people describe it as medieval whenever I tell them about it.

[ Sansa offers a small smile in return. ]

We don't have cars there. Everyone uses horses to ride on or to pull a carriage. Right now I live on a farm but I grew up in a castle.

[lempereur]

And I thought I had a hard time adjusting.

[ This is as good a time as any to pull out his sketchbook, he figures, it's not like he's going anywhere fast. Yusuke reaches into his bag and and pulls it out, along with a few pencils of various shapes, and whatever snacks he has stashed in there. Green tea pocky and coffee flavored caramels. ]

It sounds romantic. Like a fairy tale. Probably not to you, if you grew up there, but I've always wondered what life would be like somewhere like that.

[ There's a rip of cardboard, as he opens up the pocky and extends it out for Sansa. ]

Would you like some? I think we might be here for a while.

[turned_to_steel]

I've tried my best.

[ There might even be times when she almost fits into this strange world but she is pretty sure that her speech and mannerisms give her away at times.

Then she looks at him again when he comments that her world sounds romantic. ]

I used to think it was.

[ She looks down at the pocky with a curious look, grateful as well for the distraction. ]

What is it?

[lempereur]

It's just a biscuit stick, with frosting. 

[ He listens to what she has to say intently. The novelty of other worlds, even more different from his own than the one he found himself in, still held his interest. ]

You used to? Why do you say that?

[turned_to_steel]

It sounds delicious, thank you.

[ She is careful, almost dainty, in taking one of the sticks before settling back. ]

There has been a lot of fighting back home lately. It can ruin the romantic feeling of almost anything.

[lempereur]

Hmmm.

[ Yusuke mulls that over as he chews. Almost everyone here he had spoken to at any length had been part of some kind of problem back home. A war, a rebellion, a world threatening supernatural phenomena. He was no different. ]

Sansa, do you think there's any rhyme or reason to who gets brought here? So many of us have suffered through battle, or injustice, or abuse. Are there any imPorts leaving behind an ordinary life?

yusuke cried all through la la land.

[glassfall]

[Cinders' voice was tired out. Fortunately, her feet worked just fine. So when she saw her strange new friend dancing - well, up she danced, too, in a manner strangely reminiscent of ballroom dancing.

Whoops?]

I 'm so sorry. I have no idea why I'm doing this.

[lempereur]

[ Ballroom dancing? Not a problem, despite having never learned, he was more than happy to adapt. Yusuke is graceful enough to wing it without anyone noticing, so he slows his pace, takes Cinders' hand for a proper dance.

When he speaks, he can't help but do so in a sort of sing-song cadence, barely  a step removed from actual belting. ]

Nor do I, but not to worry!
Whatever your heart compels you to
Is good enough for me!

[glassfall]

[Well, at least this is almost sort of nice - if embarrassing. Cinders doesn't know what's going on, but hey, Yusuke's a good dancer! However, there's still the fact that she's doing this against her will.]

It's not my heart, but someone else's!
Who got us in this mess?
There has to be a sign of one
Who's put me in distress!

[Oh, great. That's back.]

[lempereur]

[ Maybe she's less enthused about the whole thing than he is...but have a twirl. Twirling fixes everything, right? ]

Ah! You have a lovely voice.

[glassfall]

[Twirling makes it a little better.]

Why, thank you. The songbirds are new, though.

[Yeah, she's got no idea why they seemed to like her singing so much.]

[lempereur]

They are the perfect complement!

[ And a surprise dip! ]

[glassfall]

[Cinders finds herself laughing, delighted. She'd forgotten how wonderful dancing could be.]

Maybe so, but do they have to follow me everywhere?

[Maybe they're affected by all of this, too. Here, Yusuke, have another twirl.]

[lempereur]

Are they bothering you? Maybe we can scare them off...

[glassfall]

No, it's alright. I'm sure once all of this wears off, they'll go back to normal.

[lempereur]

If you insist, my bewitching dance partner.

[glassfall]

[Another laugh.]

I'm still fairly certain you're quite the charmer, even if you insist on stating otherwise.

[And now it's time for another whirl!]

[lempereur]

So I am told. For a while, at least. People lose interest quickly.