WEEK 1

[strangerpeople]

WEEK 1

[Well, this is...happening. This is a thing. This is your life now. The Commander is expecting you to just up and kill one another, and then try to get away with it. No big deal, right? You guys can handle this. You won't fall for what she has. She's clearly an idiot. A loud idiot, but still an idiot. She's not going to get one over you.

...Right?

In any case, the Commander's quarters are now open for anyone who decides they can actually stand to be in the same room as her, but beware - any favor you might ask of her is going to come at a price, and who knows what she'll ask you to do if you decide to gain a boon from her. Unless you're a suck-up like Baku - then she'll apparently be flattered. Maybe that's a good tactic to use?


Whatever you do, try not to murder the bread again. The Bread Did Nothing Wrong.


There are fifteen strangers in this place.]



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Comments

[stealsyourduelist]

Hm, sounds like the sort of fare that Lord Stanley would keep at his castle. But this says it is made with cream...?

[He can't imagine what a cream-based nonalcoholic cider or wine would taste like at all.]

Shall we try some?

[earietale]

...that's...wow.

[So the regular future seems nice. Good to know.]

So, basically...you could communicate with someone...all the way across the world...if you wanted.

[backuphero]

All right, then!

[So with permission, we can assume Jonathan shepherded Yurick back to the kitchen proper, and grabbed a couple of bowls, and spoons, and served up some of that strawberry ice cream.]

So... dig in. Trust me, you're going to like this.

[He gives the overwhelming impression that were he a dog, his tail would be wagging enough to knock something over.

[stealsyourduelist]

So you're familiar. Then it's simple. The monsters of Egypt had all originated from a person's Ka - their double self and life force.

[stealsyourduelist]

... Why do you make such a face? We have a winery, after all.

[stealsyourduelist]

[Staring at him a bit.]

Then what do you seek to accomplish by announcing it so frequently?

[backuphero]

[Jonathan grins, in the manner of one fiercely clinging to what joy he can find.]

Sure thing. And if that's anything like cream soda back where I'm from, it'll be good! You've tasted vanilla before, right?

[...he really didn't pay attention in World History, okay?]

[stealsyourduelist]

[Yeah, he's about ten years too early for that. He just pauses.]

...I suppose that will be another new taste experience.

[He's not going to have any idea what these flavors are, is he. But whatever, he's adventurous. Time to pour this soda and watch in mild fascination as he always does whenever there's liquid dispensed from a machine.]

[backuphero]

[Well, he's standing by the thing anyway, might as well press the triangle button - whoa okay that really did start up quickly - and then he's going to dash over to where Angela's sitting, and sprawl on the couch next to her.]

Do all these things make a noise like that when they start up?

[He's referring, of course, to the COMING ATTRACTIONS doomchord we all remember from the 1990s. What trailers does this have on it, anyway? He's not going to be quite used to that....]

[backuphero]

You definitely can't. And shy monsters that're as smart as humans are better to deal with than the kind that notice you, trust me....

[backuphero]

It's good, don't worry. Sweet, kind of... warm? But not spicy warm, like... curling up in a blanket warm, but as a taste.

[Hey, he's in good company, Jonathan only recognizes a few of them himself. He can definitely understand the fascination at a machine dispensing soda basically on its own, too... that's just straight-up science fiction.]

[backuphero]

[He can't help but snicker at that.]

She was launched into space by the combined fury of thousands of librarians!

[backuphero]

Yeah... it is, isn't it.

[He's reminded of Dracula's Castle, for some reason. Sure, all the accounts he was told described it as a living creature of Chaos, but surely the place hadn't really put itself together so... no. No, he is not thinking about this. Not when - the most important person in his life after Mom is stuck there with nobody but a cheapskate priest and a dead man in her corner.]

[beguiledcard]

[ Goodness. ]

I look forward to being surprised, then.

[illusionarymelody]

Never heard of them, but you make me want to find their work just so I can sing it for you.

[She gives a wink. Definitely sounds like she's flirting again.]

[stealsyourduelist]

I believe I can imagine it. [It's a bit of a strain but look, he's not an old man, he can be flexible.] Still, that's quite the leap in ability... Is the technology here actually outdated?

[What a disgusting notion!! Even if he teaches himself to use all the systems here, he'll still be behind... let's go back a bit, he doesn't want to think about that. Besides, he was making an unusual face when he first started talking about the coffee guy.]

I wonder if a lack of guidance now brings you unease. It seems as though you are missing a mentor in this man... not to mention the chaos that your previous experience in this situation must have been. You are still quite young, after all.

[Should he be concerned.]

[illusionarymelody]

I definitely am one of those who has no way to defend myself. Another here told me to scream and run if someone tries to hurt me and that's the best I can do. But what if an attacker is faster than me? Or prevents me from screaming for help?

[illusionarymelody]

[She smiles in response.]

Thank you! My, you seem quite skilled with that sword. I imagine you must not be too worried about that rule saying to kill someone then?

[illusionarymelody]

Oh, so like mercenaries?

[beguiledcard]

[ He frowns. ]

As unsurprising as it is, that means... if someone does give in...

[ So much frustration is slipping through the cracks. ]

... Well, it means what I'm sure you're expecting.

[beguiledcard]

[ His expression softens... ]

... My mother used to make me hot cocoa in the morning, if she learned I had a nightmare.

[ Then, things changed. They always do. ]

Anyway, that sounds like it must have tasted pretty good. My-... Someone I knew before liked tea a lot. He's, uh... the reason I was staring, earlier, in fact. [ which... ] Sorry about that.

[ It's rude to stare, after all! ]

[mementodagger]

[Yurick pokes at the pink stuff with his spoon first before taking a tiny bit. He can't help staring at it as he brings it to his mouth, lips pinched together briefly before he finally opens up and crams the spoon in.

His eye widens comically after a few seconds and he sits there, frozen.]

[mementodagger]

What's the point of taking pieces of our memories, though? Is it just one more thing to hold over our heads? And what kind of sorcery did they use? I've never heard of magic that could do this, certainly not with such precision.

[mementodagger]

[Yurick blinks at the thought of this small young-looking man being over a hundred years old, but he makes no mention of it. It doesn't have any relevance to their situation.]

Did any of the dates seem significant to you otherwise? Perhaps dates of significant events from your past? They have other information about us in the computers, after all.

[mementodagger]

My comrades and I always worked in pairs or groups. But that requires trust, something in short supply here. If your chosen partner decides to betray you, there'd be little you could do to stop them.

[Yurick shakes his head.]

I know it sounds fatalistic, but it's the truth.