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

[technicolourdifficulties]

[It's not a long one, so he gets a bit more into improvising. Ris remains unnoticed for the moment.]

[higanbana]

[Well, then! While he's not paying attention, Ris will slip into a front-row seat... on the very edge of a row, to blend in just that much more.

She's smiling as she watches. She doesn't think she's ever seen someone have this much fun.]

[technicolourdifficulties]

[The blending in turns out to be fairly successful since RGB still doesn't notice his not-quite so imaginary anymore audience. There's one more round of tapping before he enthusiastically ends it off in a grand pose.]

[higanbana]

[And once he's done, Ris quietly rises from her seat, giving a dainty little clap and smiling. A standing ovation, just for RGB!

One that will likely scare the colors out of him, but you know, it's fine!]

[technicolourdifficulties]

GUH!

[And scare the colours out of him it does! Badly enough that the force of how hard he flinches in the opposite direction of her voice actually knocks him over, a few drops of yellow catching the light as they fly free from his screen, actually.

Fortunately, he does recover quickly, rolling to his feet and taking a theatrical bow.]

[higanbana]

[...Okay, she's laughing. Sorry, not sorry, RGB.]

Well~ A little less than graceful, there, but otherwise a marvelous performance.

[technicolourdifficulties]

[He can't really be mad. Madras would've laughed at him too, and cracked a joke at his expense at that.]

Heh. I must admit, I should have been paying a bit more attention to my surroundings. But thank you. I'm glad my self-indulgence was entertaining.

[higanbana]

[Ris is just a replacement goldfish for so many people. It's beautiful.]

Yes, well. It is not as if anyone is looking to drop a chandelier on you or anything, so far as you know, so it is probably fine~.

You are quite talented for simple "self-indulgence," though, I must admit.

[technicolourdifficulties]

[Don't be ridiculous, Ris isn't a replacement in this particular instance. Adoption material maybe, but definitely not a replacement.

...Though he does glance upward to make sure there isn't anything directly above him that could fall, because really, he knows how bad his luck is.]

Talented, and I've had a good deal of time to practice. A shame that I can't make a career out of it.

[higanbana]

[She notices that. Heh.]

Oh? Why not?

[technicolourdifficulties]

[He makes his way over to the edge of the stage and sits, legs dangling over the side.]

For most, the world I come from is a transitory stop, not unlike a train station, to borrow a metaphor. There's little call for proper careers that aren't mercantile in nature, I'm afraid.

[higanbana]

Is that so? Hm... I admit I know little about the business needs of any world, much less one that is not my own. I should have thought entertainment would always have a place.

[technicolourdifficulties]

How to put this...? It's less that there is no place for it, and more that we are - or rather, will be - entertainers of some stripe or another, down to the last of us.

[higanbana]

...You may have to run that one by me again.

It is rare to hear someone speak in future tense.

Spoilers ahoy

[technicolourdifficulties]

...This may seem a bit of a non-sequitur, but it is relevant to the explanation.

You are composed largely of what one might refer to as 'matter', correct? You might call it 'flesh and bone' in your specific case, but those are nevertheless still types of matter. I believe that is the case for most in our merry little band of prisoners.

Like everything in your world is composed of the Stuff called matter, each and every thing in my own is composed of a different sort of Stuff; one might refer to it as 'thought'.

[The way he bounces his legs very slightly to go along with the gesturing of his hands suggests that he's perhaps used to giving this sort of explanation while walking.]

[higanbana]

[She keeps her gaze on him as he explains, scarcely even blinking for how attentive she is.]

...I think I am following, so far.

[technicolourdifficulties]

Would you like another hint? My entire world is filled with interesting characters.

[If it looks like he just made a pun, he probably did.]

[higanbana]

Hm~. So, a bit more like a "story" than I would normally consider a world, that's what you're hinting at?