The Fifteen Strangers Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
strangerpeople) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
15strangers2019-07-15 07:18 pm
strangerpeople) wrote in 15strangers2019-07-15 07:18 pm
WEEK 1
[The train wouldn't stop. Not until very early the next morning. The few who might have been awake would be able to exit the train, entering the cool twilight of the dawn. The star is dark, and few stars can be seen in the sky as a cold breeze begins to blow from the mountain beyond. You can see some chunks of rock floating idly nearby, far away from the station that it won't hit trains, but near enough that one can see they are larger than the train they just disembarked.
Lastly, laid out in front of them, the first port of call: Menahoven. The mountain: The Throat of the World.
But which world? Who knows. Not any of yours. Maybe it doesn't matter. Not when you are so far from home. Not when you have no way to get off this rock without the aid of the trains-and they will not let you pass.
It looks like you're stuck here until the Conductor decides to leave. In the meantime, everyone will need to get comfortable.
There are fifteen strangers left in this place.]
Gift Shop
Are those items what a place like this normally contain?
[ he's never heard of those in his life ]
no subject
They are. At least, that's how it is back on my world. I suppose I shouldn't assume anything based on it, though.
[Mithos looks pretty lost, so Proto will try to elaborate.]
Small, often cheaply-made little knickknacks that you buy either as a souvenir for yourself or as a gift for someone you know back home. Something to show that you thought of them, even while you were apart.
[...Huh. That was more sentimental than he expected from himself.]
no subject
I've ... never heard of such things. So what kind of ah ... knickknacks are there. I believe you said one was a snow in a globe?
[ Mithos..... ]
no subject
[He's trying not to be too tactless, but it's harder than he expected.]
Snowglobes? Maybe in some worlds they contain real snow, but the ones I'm used to have to make do with glitter or some other white material. How do I... well, picture a clear glass ball that you can easily hold in your hands and that a miniature... let's use the Pyramid as an example, has been placed inside that ball. Are you with me so far?
[He gestures to estimate the approximate size Mithos should be picturing.]
no subject
[ not with what's going on in the world. and he's not exactly privileged to go places that could possibly be tourist attractions for long soo....
anyways onto the explanation of the snowglobe!! mithos takes a moment to try to picture what as said so far before nodding. ]
Yeah. A globe with the pyramid inside.
[ So far so good ]
no subject
[Okay, great. Moving on...]
Now you add the "snow" part. Like I said, it's generally something white that won't fall apart over time, or sometimes it's glitter to make it sparkly. The pieces should be a little bigger than, oh... coarse grains of sand. Then you need to fill the globe with liquid. Finally, you attach the whole thing to a base so it doesn't go rolling away when you set it down.
Now that it's done, you shake the globe and watch the "snow" come falling down over the little pyramid inside. Practically speaking, it's fairly useless, but charming enough.
no subject
[ at all. but great yes let's move on ]
It sounds ... interesting. I guess it would make for some good decoration for around someone's home ... Is that what many [ ah what's the word-- ] "knickknacks" are?
no subject
Pretty much. Having too many of them can just clutter up a room, but they can also serve as physical reminders of places you've been or the people who gave them to you. And sometimes, that's all it really needs to be.
no subject
Items that contain memories within, I believe it is? Having something to look at and remind you does ... seem nice. You might even be able to consider those who can have sentimental items lucky.
no subject
[He absently touches his throat, reminded of his missing scarf yet again.]
Maybe if we are lucky, we'll be able to see something that can trigger some of the memories we've lost.
no subject
[ beyond possibly not even existing in his world at all but shh. ]
Maybe. But what if they are memories that are better off forgotten. Then would we truly be so lucky?
no subject
This may just be a difference of opinion, but personally, I believe that a person's memories are what make them who they are. So getting those memories back just means you're regaining more of your identity. You may not necessarily like what you find, but it's better to face the truth than to hide from it.
no subject
[ mithos no one asked for anymore of your opinions ]
no subject
It's up to you if you look at it that way or not.
[He sighs.]
Look, the idea of losing memories is... touchy, for me. I wasn't intending to make you believe you were a shadow of yourself or anything like that.
no subject
It was ... simply a thought based off what you had said, sorry.
[ ... ]
Have you dealt with memory loss before, if I may ask?
no subject
[......]
There was... a procedure I was meant to undergo that posed the risk of completely wiping my accumulated memories and personality. I decided I was better off leaving home before that could happen.
[Proto is conveniently leaving out several very important details, but he isn't technically lying.]
no subject
[ Since is that really a risk anyone would be willing to take? ]
I take it that's why you are on the road a lot. [ ... ] I understand.
no subject
Thank you.
It sounds like you've had a hard decision of your own to make at some point.
no subject
Several.
[ ... ]
I also no longer have a home I can go back to. Though for ... different reason.
[ Maybe it's because Proto doesn't look human but he feels like he could say at least that much ... ]
no subject
But he's already burdened Mithos with part of his past. He can't very well just leave things so unbalanced.]
...What happened?
no subject
... My sister and I were expelled from our village. Blamed for something that wasn't our fault.
no subject
...Proto was built partly to help humanity, but sometimes, he really just wants to shake them all by the shoulders.]
I'm sorry. No one should have to endure that, especially not so young.
no subject
It's ... alright. It's no worse than what you had to go through. I ... I at least had my sister.
[ even if no one else would accept them they had each other ]
no subject
[He cuts himself off and takes a moment to force himself to calm down.]
...I'm glad you weren't alone, at least.
no subject
[ mithos takes a deep breath before another, though a bit of a forlorn, smile ]
Yeah... she's someone that, despite how bad things get, she would always find a way to smile and see the good in the world.
(no subject)
(no subject)