HAVE A NICE FLIGHT

[strangerpeople]

HAVE A NICE FLIGHT

[The thing that jolts you awake is the sudden drop.

Maybe you gasp. Maybe you hold onto your seat as tightly as you can. Whatever you do, it doesn't help your stomach, or stop the overwhelming scent of flowers from tickling your nostrils. Nor does it unbuckle your seat belt, as you are strapped into a seat that is...well, it's comfortable, but not helpful when you don't know where you are.

You'll figure it out soon enough. You're inside a strange room of some kind, and opening the windows reveals nothing but clouds, lightning flashing across the sky...and a moon as red as blood. Its light seems to be much stronger than any light that comes from within the place you are now, which seem to flicker and lose power at the worst intervals.

Not only that, but you're not alone. There are 14 others with you, and only those 14. And--you have power. You don't know what it is, not yet. But instantly you know you have a power. It's just a matter of you figuring out that power, since the doo-hickey you find in your room doesn't help you figure it out.

And yes, you're flying. If you don't know what an airplane is, well. Welcome to the future, friend. It's looking to be a not-so-great one so far.]

Comments

[stavros]

Operetta? Operetta!

[Her communicator is missing and the phone's got no signal, but Kokoro yells at it regardless, then scowls when it doesn't work. She shakes her head and grips the phone tightly.]

Truly my fate has dealt me cruel circumstances... I shall persevere. There is no other option.

[As she keeps telling herself that, she walks carefully through the plane, hands at her sides.]

I hope it's okay to assume she's made her way back to Premiere Class and they're meeting there?

[backuphero]

Well, that's one way to deal with this mess... I ought to be thinking the same way.

[The blond just down the aisle raises one hand in what might be a wave, or could just be a way of showing he's not armed while keeping his balance with the other. His voice hasn't quite gone to gravel and smoke yet (he's nowhere near old enough for it to have even started), and he's not wearing a brace on one of his legs not that Umbra of Sorrow is real canon or anything but the narrator's rather fond of that design... so it's probable that he doesn't sound or look like the old man in any records she's seen from the latter half of the twentieth century.]

Any sign of anybody besides... all of us just fumbling around here, yet?

Works!

[stavros]

[She shakes her head seriously; she doesn't quite recognize him from the records, but still does a double take. And hey, it's not like Otomedius is real canon either.]

Unfortunately not. I cannot reach anybody on the outside, either.

[backuphero]

Damn. Figures they'd have phones and radio blocked, I guess, but... well, no place to go but forward.

[He pauses, and shakes his head slightly.]

I mean, not literally, that's where we all woke u - are those stairs back there?

[stavros]

So it would appear. I must admit I've never seen a luxury plane like this, though I've heard of them.

[backuphero]

We, uh... haven't quite hit the point where things like this exist yet, where I'm from. My wife's home has airships that are more like flying cruise liners, but this is -

[He cuts himself off, briefly pressing a hand over his mouth... and when that moment of distress is past he shakes his head, slowly.]

It's like they tried tacking all the surface gloss from the Queen Mary onto a completely normal airplane, and all it did was muffle the engine noise and make it less cold.

[stavros]

An apt comparison. The luxury arrangements are far from the biggest problem, but it does cause me to wonder what sort of person would do this.

[backuphero]

Last time something like this happened, it was an egomaniac who just wanted to see what would happen if she forced people to do horrible things. Something tells me that's probably the type -

Oh, Mother of God....

[He's looking even less well, and has grabbed on to the nearest chair as though it's a life raft in the middle of the ocean.]

I swear I think I can explain, I just... I just need a minute, sorry....

[stavros]

That is fine. If destiny has dealt something so concerning, I can wait.

[backuphero]

Right. Right. Anyway, last time I woke up somewhere disarmed and alone, nothing good happened. I mentioned it earlier, but... that was the last time I was somewhere like this. The crazy lady in charge there announced herself straight off, though, so this is different. Worryingly different.

I mean, at least this time I can remember Charlotte's name, that's something....

[stavros]

Something affected your memories the previous time?

[backuphero]

Our... charming hostess altered them. I don't think that's happened this time, though. Yurick just seems to be from a few months ago.

[And wow does he look utterly crushed by that. It's only for a moment, though. No point in dwelling on what you can't change, that's right....]

She used it to manipulate us.