when tomorrow comes [mayor plot - opening ceremony]

[d7m fraser birk ♚ frankel]

PARSON CHAM

Today is the riskiest day in Parson’s career. He has hundreds of opening ceremonies and speeches under his belt but this one feels like he is facing the firing squad. Not everything will have one hundred percent approval ratings, it is impossible to please everyone. Except there is a sense that not even twenty percent approve this. He has been assured though. Just some of his council have assured him. The Capitol’s money bags are assuring him too.

It is the tape cutting ceremony of Fenwick’s Hospital expansion. The teaching hospital has already been a success for many years now. This new facility is research based; it will bring the innovation that Parson has promised. But he has heard so much questioning of its true purpose, all of it he has dismissed.

”It is all about Capitol favour.”

It is what he tells the people of District Six, the voters he promised. Promises of turning this District around. A promise to rise the workforce that has fallen to its knees.

”This new building will bring new opportunities and breakthroughs for this District…”

Parson is leading the opening ceremony. Hundreds are gathered at the square outside of Blessing Fenwick’s hospital expansion. The high councillor shares the temporary stage with the mayor. It is just an ordinary spring Thursday afternoon. There are Peacekeepers posted around the event, a little more than usual but security is another thing that Parson promised. Especially with Six’s past. Parson left Georgie at a school friend’s house, the Ursas are here and what’s left of the Garners.

It is just an ordinary spring Thursday afternoon.

”I would like to introduce District Six’s High Council Liaison, Doctor Blessing Fenwick.” Parson hands over the stage after drip feeding a speech that is making the faces in front of him a little agitated. Perhaps it is the chill in the air, or maybe they’re eager to step inside and see what the Capitol have planted in their District.

”We don’t want you in our District!” [Spoken by Karl Amos – Union Leader]

The mayor turns his back for just a second, he has barely found his seat on the stage and the agitated crowd grows restless. More heckling is thrown across the crowd. One by one, the Peacekeepers pull out their batons, there are even guns aimed at his citizens.

”Come on now, there is no need for this! This facility is going to improve our District, if you have any concerns, we can get feedback in a more orderly way…” Parson rushes to the edge of the stage, trying to calm down the frustrated crowd.

”It is too late for order, Cham! The Capitol have the strings so tight on you, it is time us real citizens took back control of this District. We don’t need no underqualified zombie for a mayor!” Karl Amos shouts from the crowd and the citizens that surround him call out in agreement.

”Underqualified zombie?” Parson’s own frustration levels rise, he has been called worse but not in front of hundreds of people, his citizens. ”We’ll see whose the fucking underqualified zombie when I see you in the detention centre!” The kid he was before becoming a zombie is suddenly slipping out of him as he shakes his fist at the guy who is standing up to him in the crowd.

”We need to strike. We need to take back our District. Stay out of our District!” Karl begins a chant.

Chants build across the crowd but so does the Peacekeepers’ retaliation. The citizens outnumber the armoured keepers, some begin to climb up onto the stage. Someone pulls at Parson’s arms. He is dragged from the stage before he can get the others to safety…

Mayor Parson Cham has lost control of his District. But has the Capitol?

ELEGANT

This event may escalate as much as you'd like for your character. You may roll the below dice to see the outcome of your protesting citizen but this dice roll (1-30) is optional. There will be other events for this plot in coming days.

1-10
Your character is arrested by Peacekeepers at the opening ceremony event. They may be taken for questioning or placed in the detention centre or sent to the experimenting facility!

11-20
Your character is identified as a protester at the event. They manage to escape but they're now wanted by the Peacekeepers. They should be careful when out in the District as Peacekeeper patrols have tightened up!

21-30
Your character manages to escape the event without any consequences.

[d8 🐀 setta furey]

AODHÁN CASSIDY

Aodhán's heart is in his throat. He's never been this close to rebellion. In all of his years of talk, talk, talk, he's never been apart of the action. This is different, of course, and even still, in a way he's undercover here. Shoulders back, head held high, eyes doing their best not to lock onto Karl Amos in the crowd. Look forward, he tells himself, in every sense of the words' meaning. Remember who you're here for. His son isn't in the crowd today. He's sixteen, with little to no interest in his father's extracurriculars. That's not right though, not exactly. He's not uninterested. He'd sit there and listen to Aodhán talk, just so he could roll his eyes at the end. He rebels in his own way, against his dad, against his own best interests. Aodhán has to do this for him. He won't do it for himself.


He's heard everything Parson Cham has to say already. Capitol favour. The first time he heard those words, Aodhán was stunned beyond violence, knocked into flat silence. He knew instantly that day: Parson Cham did not care about District Six. Oh, Aodhán could believe that Cham believes in himself. Believed, maybe. It's hard to put any faith, even fake, in the man being swallowed up by the makeshift stage in front of the hospital. He thinks he cares, Aodhán is sure. Parson Cham regurgitates the speech he's been fed. A headache pinches at Aodhán's temples, squeezes harder with every word.


Karl Amos' voice rings true above the murmuring crowd, above the microphone feed from the stage. Aodhán puffs out his chest. For the time being, Aodhán is standing with his colleagues from pediatrics. He's spent a lot of time working his way up in the department. He needs to push his long suffering coworkers further. He looks back and forth, brows furrowed, trying to read their reactions, peeking at the faces of the other departments' members around them. Still, his heart thumps, pushing up his throat, wanting nothing more than to burst. His duty here is to convert those remaining unconvinced. He needs them to see how this will play out. When they do, they'll come to him. Aodhán Cassidy, everybody's lover, everybody's friend. Finally, it'll all come to some good. Some of the people around him are gasping. One woman has her hand over her mouth. Another shakes her head. A man scratches at yesterday's stubble. Good. Good. Good.

And then Parson Cham explodes. He swears at Karl, and by extension, at the crowd. He watches what remained of their goodwill drain from his colleagues' faces. When the chants start, they're nervous, thinking of the decades of work the Peacekeepers are ready to bludgeon out of them. But not Aodhán. A warmth, his namesake, burns in his core, and his heart pops between his teeth.

"Strike!"

Lo and behold, the chant spreads like a ripple throughout the crowd around him. Their allies are elsewhere in the crowd, detonating at the same time as him, gathering voices one by one. It's terrible, terrible and sublime.

ELEGANT