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[strangerpeople]

WELCOME ABOARD


[The first sensation you feel is a headache. It's brief, slicing, sharp. It passes soon after you wake up, but it is there nevertheless, and the pain is not easily forgotten. Perhaps your eyes also blur as if roused from a deep sleep; perhaps your tongue also feels off, like you swallowed a bug. It's not pleasant.

More unpleasant, though, is the second sensation that dawns on you all-this is not your bed. This, in fact, is unrecognizable. It is not anywhere you recall coming to, willingly or otherwise. It's a room with a bunk, and there is a strange smell in the air that is hard to ignore.

No, you are no longer home. Any possessions you may have had on you are gone, save your clothing and a strange watch you can't get off, no matter how hard you try. And when you run into the hallway, well-you might find yourself running into others who might be just as confused and scared as you are as the area around you slowly sways, up and down, left and right.

What is this place? Why are you here? Who are all these other people?


What is going on?]

Comments

[yesorwoof]

for bunk 14

[When Akane comes to her senses from her position in the top bunk, she will see a slightly older woman sitting on the bottom bunk. The woman has her back very straight, hands tightly gripping the mattress, and seems to be almost literally trying to glare a hole into the wall with her eyes, golden and marred with thin red rings. The better for focusing on her target, perhaps. Her expression is matter of fact, the focused gaze not forming wrinkles in her forehead. At length, the woman acknowledges Akane (perhaps scooting out to address the top bunk if necessary - she must not have missed even the tiniest signal, like the sound of breathing, to notice someone was there) and offers a thin smile, with a shrug that makes her braid fall behind her shoulder.]

Hello. You can call me Makima. It looks like we've been kidnapped.

for one (1) brave stranger

[Makima walks down the stairs into the incinerator with purpose, her strides making her long black overcoat flutter very dramatically. She walks in a circle around the perimeter of the room, looking up at its industrial ceiling with wide, dull eyes. Then she walks to the center console, squares her hands by her sides, and says something in a clear voice, much closer to "loud" than she's gotten in a while.]

Come save me, Chainsaw Man.

[The sound of the swaying ship is the only answer.]

for anyone

[Makima is sitting on a chair in the mess hall, hands folded in her lap, expression placid. She's conducted diligent patrols and now she must see no more efficient option than waiting for something to happen...]

Well, I certainly hope we won't be stuck here long enough that we have to bring our food all this way from the kitchen. Did you happen to spot any kind of cart?

((OOC: you are also welcome to wildcard Makima walking all around the ship and cordially saying hi.))

one brave stranger

[unpossibilities]

[Kaito's just been wandering around until he's encountered...that. A girl, alone in this room, asking for someone to come save her. His throat goes dry. But he responds, instinctually.]

...Chainsaw Man...?

[His voice is weak. That's not him. He's not who she's asking for, but...if someone needs to be saved, that's a hero's responsibility, right...?]

[yesorwoof]

Yes, haven't you heard of him?

[She clasps her hands around her back and turns around to peer at Kaito with a tilted head, braid swaying.]

I really must not be in Kansas anymore.

[Though her shoes are sturdier than heels, her light voice a bit flatter than these cloying gestures.]

[unpossibilities]

[He clears his throat, shaking his head.]

Guess not. But he sounds cool, though. Some kinda superhero?

[She's got an aura about her that really can't be described. It's somewhere in the area of Maki - there's some kind of hidden danger about her, maybe? But she was asking to be saved...she's just got a presence.]

Couldn't tell ya where we are, and I don't have any weapons, but...hey, if you'd like someone to help ya out in this situation, I'm your man.

[He can almost subconsciously hear Kokichi's voice screeching that THIS IS A BATTLE OF WILLS, KAITO, AND YOU TOSSED YOUR STUPID HAPPY-GO-LUCKY ASS ONTO THE WHITE GODDAMN FLAG WILLINGLY! but, predictably, he ignores it. It's almost not even there.]

[yesorwoof]

Yes. It's rather dangerous to be around him when he fights, because the chainsaws are so sharp, so I tried to make sure I was alone when I summoned him.

[This much... seems to be true? It's not like she lured Kaito down here with her maneater perfume to get him alone and hurt him. Without making a move as she easily could have by now, Makima listens to Kaito's bluster with a faint smile, blinking gently.]

Are you sure about that? I may look like this, but I deal with danger and confidential information on a regular basis. I have no need for halfhearted helpers I can't trust, only comrades who follow me to the end.

1/2

[unpossibilities]

I...can imagine, yeah. [That seems like a pretty bloody hero. But...hey, Kaito doesn't judge. As long as he's helping the people, he's a good person! Still, this girl's words have a certain power behind them. He listens, then--]

Some sort of secret agent, I take it? Is that why you've got the whole black tie look going on?

[Maybe she's the head of one of those superhero organizations.]

2/2

[unpossibilities]

[so...he gives her a smile. And a thumbs up.]

Well, hey. If it's for the good of everyone else, I'm your guy. Kaito Momota. As a true hero, I'll be your 'comrade'!

[yesorwoof]

How did you know? Even the matter of my given name is classified. You can call me Makima. I'll be in your care, Momota-kun.

[She nods, not really bowing, giving him a brilliant smile that feels like it's just for him with the unique angle of looking up at his full height. If her face is shrouded in shadows... so what? Isn't it cast by the man's taller, broader form, leaving her slivered teeth a white star in the night sky?

Makima fingers her tie.]

I'm flattered you think it suits me. Without the power of my organization backing me up, the uniform was almost starting to feel meaningless...

[Before Kaito came along.]

[unpossibilities]

Lucky guess, if I'm bein' honest. [That, and heroes always have a secret organization backin' 'em up!

But she's on the shorter side. She's very petite. Gentle. Grandma and Grampa always taught him to look after people in need - especially women, that's just polite - so he'll take care of her. He's a hero. Maybe if he does good enough, she'll even let him into her secret organization!!!]

It's not! It represents your ideals being carried through you, and now through me as my promise to you, Maki Roll!

[...why did that nickname come to him so immediately?

Why?]

Together, we'll make it through this situation...even if it might be life-or-death...

[yesorwoof]

That's rather familiar, but I can't say I mind it.

[She is smaller than him for sure but still 5'8" and... Well, she's lucky her unreplenished makeup hasn't washed off on the second day of kidnapping yet, then she might really look 25. But there's a smallness to her face and hands, a doll-like quality that can't be denied. Her skin is pale even though she works in this field - maybe at night?]

I don't work in Public Safety - the Devil response force - just for the excellent benefits and vacation time. I truly believe that the people are safest with their lives in the hands of those appointed by the elected government. So I'm reluctant to make big decisions on my own, but I suppose with Momota-kun and our other comrades by my side, it's easier to remember that the people are what matters.

[But... It might be life or death... She's not so much ignoring that as saying her piece about her ideal so that Kaito can encourage her more.]

roomies

[exequte]

[Akane wakes up with a stinging headache, feeling flushed and terrible and-

And not where she'd been before.

Her wrists feel heavy, as though weighed down with manacles, and she jerks up a moment later, eyes that are wide with confusion flickering around the interior of the room.]

Wha-? How- how is this... possible? Where...?

[yesorwoof]

[Makima stands up, taking care to not jostle the bunk bed with her weight, clearly a slight inconvenience. She looks at the slight lady by the ceiling.]

I don't think "how" is particularly strange. Being injected with a fast-acting tranquilizer is within reason, even before taking into account other methods. That you and I are unfamiliar with each other and with this location raises more questions, for me.

[exequte]

[She shakes her head, looking confused and overwhelmed.]

No, that's.... This is where I was before. But... it's different. And we'd already been.... Everyone who was with me....

[yesorwoof]

Oh?

[Makima extends a hand.]

Do you want to come down and get a better look at what you recognize? I'm not sure you should descend the ladder like this.

[exequte]

I'm sorry. I'm sure I'll be all right. It's just...

[She holds up both hands, bewildered, and looks at them herself before displaying them to Makima. Each sports a near identical bracelet, one in red and one in gray, the digital faces 14 in magenta and 6 in blue.]

This is... it's the second time this has happened to me today.

[yesorwoof]

Today, you say?

[These filler syllables are apparently the way Makima allows herself of emphasizing the statement instead of shouting a question that is extremely merited like, What on earth.]

Magenta...

[Makima says, showing her own magenta "5", as she manually inspects Akane's gray-backed bracelet first, then the red one, and gives a comforting pat to this wrist before she lets go and looks back up at Akane.]

You poor thing. Let's just hope this is a sign that our new troubles won't last an entire day.

[exequte]

[She shakes her head a little, more in disbelief than disagreement, and finally starts scooting towards the edge of the bed and carefully climbing down the ladder.]

This looks almost the same as where I woke up.... earlier. If it is still today. I guess there's no way to tell, really.

Are we locked in this room?

[jinglebros]

I didn't. Basically, we need to find and recruit a strong man to help us.

[ Hey, Aoi's not carrying anything. ]

[yesorwoof]

That seems a little extreme. I don't think we need quantities that an average girl would find prohibitive.

[jinglebros]

See an average girl around here?

I sure don't.

[ Down, Blue. ]

[yesorwoof]

["are you fucking kidding me" smile]

If you're going to follow up with an invitation back to your place, I'm not going to be very impressed by a bunk bed.

[jinglebros]

God, no. You're a classy lady, I wouldn't insult that.

1/2

[yesorwoof]

And you're a bit of a dog. But I like dogs. They're hardworking.

2/2

[yesorwoof]

[Makima looks into space somberly again.]

I actually own quite a few of them. I might be late to feed them at this rate...

[jinglebros]

I'm a dog, huh?

Are you going to feed me, too?