WEEK 2

[strangerpeople]

WEEK 2

[It is again early morning when the train docks next. This time, however, the dock is not as busy. There are few trains to be seen, and even fewer people. Only a man stands at the dock, teeth sharp in his smile, scelera a deep gold as he stares beneath his fedora.

"Unexpected," he said with a smile. A two-dimensional dog with the head of a scribbled black cloud hops by, ignoring him. "But not unwanted. Do make yourselves comfortable."

This new place is known as Victoria's Chasm, named after an Empress. No, not that one. Her Thrice-Renewed Majesty is quite comfortable on her Throne, and rulled for much longer than 99 days, thank you very much.

In the distance, black begins to erupt like tendrils. Lightning flashes through the clouds. This is the land of monsters; tread carefully. And do not despair, whatever you do.


There are fifteen strangers left in this place.]

Comments

[eternaldivide]

Really? And here the train was new to me ... What other kinds of technology does your world have?

[ It might be good to hear more about this good tech! ]

... Huh?

[ His eyes widen slightly, before he tilts his head some ]

A lot like... who?

[biddentodance]

All kinds. Computers are probably the biggest deal, but... Phones, TV, video games, air conditioning...not sure if your world has radio or fridges... Basically anything that makes life more convenient either has been invented or someone's working on it.

[He's a lot more willing to talk about that, and there's a long pause before he answers that question.]

Like.... Ken-kun.

[eternaldivide]

Wow ... I find it ... hard to imagine a world where technology makes things more convenient for everyone.

[ again, considering the state of his world ... ]

Like ...

[ Mithos is quiet for a moment. ]

Ken-kun ... that's ... who you mentioned when we first met...

[biddentodance]

There's weapons, too, but most technology helps people.

[Tech is way more comfortable than Ken, ha ha ha.....]

Yeah....smart kid. Strong, too, and younger than you. But....always trying to be more grown-up. Never showed when something hurt him. ....Can't really blame him for not trusting anyone, but....

[eternaldivide]

You use it a lot, right? What's... your favorite, if you have one. Or your most used, if not favorite.

[ Let's just... try to keep that conversation going because that other one

Mithos falls silent again, this time a bit longer. Wow ... not only does he sound like Ken he ... ]

I ... I understand ... How he feels, I think...

[biddentodance]

Easy, my mp3 player and headphones. For music.

[He hates that he doesn't have that familiar weight around his neck. He wants! His tunes!]

....kind of do, too - there's..... Orphans aren't well-liked, in Japan. So I get it. But....can't help feeling like I could've done more.

[eternaldivide]

Oh? I take it that's.. not an instrument? But something else?

[ Music is very much a thing for Mithos but something that records and plays it? Not so much? ]

So you're an orphan as well? [ and ... ah ... he doesn't like the sound of that next sentence ] I'm ... sorry... It must be hard for you.

[biddentodance]

MP3 player is....hm. Kind of like - if you could put music in a book, the actual sound not the sheet music, and each page held a different song, except the book is about the size of a finger.

[Such contrast with these two conversations... He brushes past the question about him.]

Harder for him... He's the one who-- ......

[eternaldivide]

Are you able to play the sound off the player once it's on it?

[ very contrasting wow ... and don't worry it was more of a ... rhetorical question if anything. mithos didn't actually expect an answer or was going to push for one ]

..... You don't ... have to say it ... if you don't want to. I must've brought up enough bad memories already.

[ Sounds like Ken and apparently is a lot like Ken? Wow what ... a bad combination, really ... ]

[biddentodance]

Yeah. Some have their own speakers, but mostly use my headphones so I don't bother anyone else.

[He's quiet for a long moment... In the end? Maybe it'll be better to say it.]

....if I spoke to him more, if...I could've gotten him to open up, maybe he'd still be-- ... [No. Minato knows. He wouldn't be.] .....maybe he......wouldn't have died....

[eternaldivide]

Hmm... if by chance you receive something like that from the train, could you show them to me?

[ he's very much interested in this device, as someone who can actually play an instrument.

mithos is .... very quiet for a long time after that. so that's ... that's why minato said he shouldn't take this on alone.

but he's still afraid. so very afraid that it might backfire on him. that in the end he might just get rejected and she's not here to comfort him ... ]

... Maybe. [ ... ] It's ... hard for people who can't find themselves to trust others to open up. It's not something you should blame yourself for, as the fault lies within their own unwillingness. No matter what you do, sometimes they ... just don't change.

[ is he talking about humans? himself? honestly .... who knows ]

[biddentodance]

Sure.

[But the....more serious conversation is kind of taking over, and maybe it has to. Because this isn't about Minato's issues blaming himself. He's responsible for his actions, he has to be, that's his contract.

This is about Mithos. He doesn't want to see him tumble down the same hole Ken did. And....with the way he talks about humans..... Well, it's more than a little worrying.]

.... [He's trying not to think about the possibility that maybe no one in SEES ever trusted one another as much as he thought they did... They certainly had more than enough arguments.]

Saw the signs....and let him be. And then he- ....Just don't want to see that happen to anyone else.

[eternaldivide]

The signs?

[ Admittedly that got Mithos just ... a little bit curious. What exactly were these signs of Ken. Are they signs that Minato is seeing in him, as well?

After a beat though Mithos shakes his head. ]

I'm sorry. You really don't have to answer that.

[ Unless he wants to, anyways ... Minato is really putting so much out during this conversation that Mithos feels a little guilty. Maybe ... maybe he should say something, but he ... doesn't know exactly what Minato wants, and until he's sure that fear is keeping him from saying much more. ]

[biddentodance]

[He shakes his head, ignoring the hard lump in his throat. Not... This has been enough. Talking, remembering, has been more than hard enough, and he doesn't think pressing the matter is going to do any good.]

Sorry-- that was...heavy. Didn't mean to burden you.

Ferris wheel?

[eternaldivide]

[ Mithos shakes his head ]

Please, don't apologize. I believe I was the one burdening you by causing you to remember in the first place.

[ And for ... not saying more. Maybe one day he'll be willing to, Minato ... ]

Yeah, Ferris Wheel.

[biddentodance]

Nah. Not your fault, I can't forget.

[He still hears gunshots ringing in his ears, during quiet moments when he's alone.

To the ferris wheel! Oh boy he hopes they can ride it.]

[eternaldivide]

... I understand. Something like that would.. be hard to forget.

[ Still, he feels bad. But yes! To the Ferris Wheel to hopefully ride! ]

[biddentodance]

[And it seems they can in fact rode the ferris wheel! Whee!

Once they're settled in a car...]

...not scared of heights, are you?

[eternaldivide]

[ Mithos shakes his head at the question. ]

Not at all. This looked pretty tall, but I'm fairly certain that I've been somewhere higher.

[ he'll find out when they reach the top, but he sounds very certain about it either way ]

[biddentodance]

Alright. Hanging from above bothers some people.

[Dangling is a fun position, right? The wheel begins to move, carrying them up....]

[eternaldivide]

Hanging? That's ... an odd way to put it.

[ Though Mithos has... hung upside down before in the air but that would only lead to many questions so let's not ... say that out loud ]

[biddentodance]

Easiest way to keep the cars upright while the wheel moves.

[eternaldivide]

Ah, so that's what you meant.

[ Hm ... thinking about it ... ]

This does feel different than standing on a ledge, or on top of a tower. Less .. in control of what you can do.

[biddentodance]

....? Think I meant something else?

[We are talking about ferris wheels bc those are happy and distant from sensitive subjects.]

Yeah. Nothink solid below - like a boat, except not even supported by water.

[eternaldivide]

Ah-- no. I just didn't... think the Ferris Wheel itself.

[ But yeah let's ... continue to talk about Ferris Wheels ]

It's ... nice though. Give people the idea of how birds see the world.