driftfleet | Action | Bloodsport is such a violent name, gosh

Hmm. [Vash scratches at his cheek as he thinks about that for a moment. As if he'd never considered it before.] Well, there are probably others on the fleet too who'd be better at it. Like my Captain Ino or Allen and there are others who woke up the same time I did here. As I've never been very great at information gathering and sharing. But in this room? [Vash grins as he notes the empty kitchen.] I suppose that's true. What do you want to know about?

[omg stop breaking her timelines vash]

Everything.

[Duh.]

Everything? But everything is such a lot! I'm not even sure where to start!

Um, well, I guess we all woke up on the ship like you did. Then after a week or so - poof! We all wound up on different ships. And have been traveling around space since stopping at different planets and space stations now and then.

[There. That's all you need right?]

Uh huh. No fancy weird events I should be aware of? No talking to you from on high from supposed people in charge? [Eyebrows raise.] Nothing at all?

Events? I don't think so. Attacked by some other ships before. That sure was an event I guess, but not what I would call fancy. [But no need to dwell on that! It's not important!] And there are a few "hosts" that talk to us now and then to let us know about changing crew mates and other things, but they aren't usually all that helpful. That and it's more talking at than to when they do speak up. Lately though since we got to this planet it looks like they've been having trouble getting their usual signal to us.

Yeah, I noticed that. Do you think that might be because the ships are damaged?

That or it seems we went through an odd cloud that knocked out most of our communications for a bit. It could be they're trying to reach us through that. Hard to say really as it could be either option.

...are we still in the cloud?

[She didn't think so, but to be fair she hasn't paid much attention to the outside world. Doesn't seem much point when she's not attuned to it.]

I think we're out of it now since we've been on this Planet. Unless it can move, er, float? around.

Well, if communications are down as a result of going through the cloud-- [Nebula? Someone called it that--] then that just comes under ships being damaged. I don't think it'd stop them now as a separate problem.

[Of course, what does she know? She slumps a little at the table, chin in her hands.] It'd be nice if I knew anything about space at all before I got here, of course.

[Nebula is a big word. Vash is trying to simplify things.] You're not the only one who had little to no space knowledge of space before showing up here if it helps.

No, I get the impression a lot of us don't.

So maybe you can answer a few more generic questions for me. I already know time doesn't pass at home. Is death permanent?

[Odd question, if she hadn't just come from some place that coincidentally seems to follow the same rules.]

[Wait. What? Vash stares at her for nearly a full minute before speaking.]

Yeah. Last I knew dead means dead. I've never met a dead-live person before.

And ah, sorry, think I miss heard you there for a second. I thought you said time stood still back on our home planets. Hahaha! How silly of me. [You crazy lady talking about death not leading to well... death. She must have been joking. Those two statements are just so ludicrous.

Yet, Nami looks completely serious. So, perhaps, she's not joking?]

[Nami's eyebrows raise to the heavens. She's not sure whether to be amused or kind of irritated.]

You've been here for such a long time and you've never heard that particular tidbit? Maybe it just never occurred to you to ask, I guess. I came from a cute little place like this. It follows the same rules.

My doctor's sister went home recently and he's at least relieved she won't miss him. So either he's mistaken, or this place has a few weird things going for it that you're not aware of.

What!? [Sorry, for someone who has never heard of something like that before. It's a lot to take in.] So- the whole planet? Time just stood still and people came back from the dead?

Wait, do you mean Zombies? I've read about zombies once.

[And he thinks he knows who you're talking about.] Do you mean, Simon? I didn't realize he knew for sure where she went. I really hope he's right. As I thought we had to win to get sent home. Although maybe she won?

[And then Nami looks unsure. She hadn't asked that, she'd just assumed. But the way he spoke sure sounded like it...]

It's not zombies! [Uncertainty makes her irritated, because seriously? Seriously?] People died, they woke up a few days later and didn't much like the experience. Up until the very end, anyway.

[Silly, Nami. Don't you remember how unbelievable it felt the first time you were told that death was just a temporary inconvenience?

And CAN skeletons poop? Did you ever answer that question?]

Sorry, I have to admit. That's a bit hard to wrap my mind around.

I mean, nothing changed? Even if someone died from injuries? Wouldn't say... lack of ahhh... a heart? [This is so weird. He can't really believe he's even suggesting this right now.] Stop them from coming back?

[No man she's an expert now THAT MEANS EVERYONE ELSE SHOULD BE NO EXCUSE--]

You have to remember something-- wait. [Nah I'm just kidding with that last bracket.] Look. The last place I was at, there were-- we were there accidentally because someone used a machine that kind of shattered their world, and we all fell in through the cracks. There were places we couldn't even travel because the landscape was so unstable. We were never sure whether the fact we didn't die permanently was a result of that, or the fact that some very powerful godlike spirits also got trapped with us and were bored.

I finally found a way home and ended up here instead-- in another little terrarium where you can't leave, and if it follows the same rule of thumb when it comes to time not moving at home because we've been shunted kind of sideways, then I'm having real difficulty believing this isn't the same place after all and probably with the same rules. Do you understand?

Remember something. [Vash stares quietly at Nami while she goes through her spiel. Mouth falling open slightly the further she goes.]

So... you think that you're here... because of that machine?

And time stands still, because we haven't really left where we are. More like, ah, we're in limbo with each other. If feels like time is moving but... it's not? Just around us? In like... a small pocket?

[He's trying so hard to understand.]

I don't know if I'm here because of the machine or where I was is just another place the Atroma run for kicks or whether they're entirely separate. I'm saying it's possible. And it's really unlikely that they're not connected in some way.

...but yeah. I guess you get the general idea.

That's good, because following that was nearly impossible.

And if I hadn't woken up suddenly and without warning on a space ship I probably would have called you crazy.

Edited 2015-11-08 21:42 (UTC)

I think that's the sane answer from just about anyone here.

[You look frazzled. Here, have another drink.]

So you thought you found a way home and showed up here. I'm assuming it was some other way then winning some unknown television show?

Yeah. Like... one of the residents had power enough to create a ritual that would send us all back to the places we were meant to be. The only thing stopping us was a pretty homicidal entity that was more powerful than he was.

We dealt with the entity, we did the ritual. Problem solved. Supposedly.

And then you wound up here. [Vash lets out a large sigh. Not really wanting to touch the idea of having enough "power" or what had to be done to "deal" with a powerful enemy.]

Well, at least there's alcohol here? [He raises his glass to toast against her's if she's willing.]

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