At least there's no elevator music...

[thespaceopera]

[At least two weeks have passed since the Drift Fleet passengers woke up on this strange wing of the Marsiva... Some new passengers have even joined the group instead of being Shuffled off to a fleet ship! The large monitor in the central room remains quiet for now, so how is everyone holding up?

Have you been relaxing? Enjoying the Earth media? If you can even remember them, how have Calibrations been treating you? Has anyone started getting a little stir-crazy?

Don't worry... This ship has no shortage of mysteries, and you'll be seeing a few more soon.]


ooc: here's another mingle for the current game event! players can start or continue threads here from any point during the event. the additional setting information is still being postponed due to sickly mods, but y'all are welcome to post additional topcomments for reactions and investigation once it's up!

Comments

[experiencepoints]

[Oh, god, it's another kid. Why are there so many kids here? Nightingale approaches to see who this kid is- At least this one seems a little older than the other one, but...]

What's that?

[empireofmymind]

A video game.

[ That's what it professes to be, anyway. Ken turns the cartridge over, then offers it to this woman in case she's interested. ] There's a variety, actually.

[ And that has him extremely confused. Past world-hopping experiences have all served a purpose, so what's going on here? ]

[experiencepoints]

Yeah, they're all pretty... weird.

[She was going to call them bad, but if this kid likes those sorts of things, better not to insult them.]

Do you like these sorts of things?

[empireofmymind]

[ Ken looks away. He's not really sure whether he does or not, and in these circumstances....

The cartridge goes back on the shelf. ] What else is there to do?

[experiencepoints]

Well, I've been reading the textbooks around here, but... Well, there isn't much but wait.

Are you new here, then?

[empireofmymind]

[ He nods. ] My name is Ichijouji Ken.

[ Who is, for the record, rather tense. Worldhopping, okay. Worldhopping at the whims of an untrustworthy puppetmaster - even that isn't new to him, though it makes him angry. Worldhopping at the whims of an untrustworthy puppetmaster who sees fit to stick things in the back of his head - now they're just mocking him by mimicking stuff that's happened before.

But then why isn't it clearer what purpose all this serves?? ]

[experiencepoints]

Nightingale. It's nice to meet you.

You... arrived at a bad time. Not that there is a good time, but this is especially bad. Sorry.

[empireofmymind]

[ Ken inclines his head, not about to debate the point. ] Has anyone mentioned why we've been gathered here?

[ "Here" in this world or "here" on this ship, if this isn't how it usually goes. Either's fine. ]

[experiencepoints]

... Well, we've sort of figured it out by now, but... You might want to sit and get comfortable, it's not a good story.

[empireofmymind]

I'm listening.

[ Intently, if the look on his face is any indication. ]

[experiencepoints]

... I guess, the most important question is, have you been in an interdimensional sh- uh, prison, like this before?

[empireofmymind]

[ "Prison". That's a good word for the impression Ken's been getting. ] Not without a way home. I've visited other worlds...

[ He shifts, feeling his Digivice in his pocket. He hasn't always ended up in the specific world he wanted to visit, or known what he was doing, but the fact remains: the one who'd opened the gate was him. ] But of my own volition.

[experiencepoints]

... I'm going to need to hear more about that later.

For now, we're in this world as entertainment. The Atroma are watching us, and claim to be broadcasting what we do here as reality TV, though I don't particularly buy that. I don't know what their real purpose is, but that's what we're told.

We're gathered on this specific ship for... They're called 'Calibrations' here, but the last place I was at called them 'heart games'. You end up in a place that's basically a manifestation of someone's heart and mind. It... isn't always good.

[empireofmymind]

[ Ken makes a faintly noncommittal sound in his throat at that first bit, but listening is more important. (And really, what harm could sharing his experiences do...? But that's not the important part right now.)

He's a good listener, nodding along, studying Nightingale's expression. ] Someone's heart and mind....

[ His chin dips at that and he tries not to let his reaction show on his face. ] That's unforgivable.

[experiencepoints]

[... well, at least she can get a feeling for what kind of person this guy is.]

You're a good kid, huh.

You're right, it is. Right now, just be careful if you end up in a weird room, okay? If you're suddenly somewhere that doesn't look like part of the ship, the safest thing to do is probably to just sit down and not touch anything.

[empireofmymind]

[ Ken sees the logic in that, so he turns his earlier attempt into hiding his face into a slow nod. ] Will it end on its own?

[ He doesn't want to linger intrusively any more than he wants people lingering - even if it's not their fault they're there. ]

[experiencepoints]

... After a few hours, yeah. So you might be bored for a while.

[empireofmymind]

[ When intrusiveness is the alternative, Ken has no problem with that. ] Thanks.

[ A pause. ] ....Will I know when people are....visiting?

[experiencepoints]

If people go into yours? Yeah.

... It might not be pleasant, especially if you have a lot of bad memories.

[empireofmymind]

[ Ken doesn't reply. Unless blinking really hard and looking away counts as a reply.

...It might. ]

[experiencepoints]

[... Ah. She recognizes that look. She has no idea what this kid's been through, but it's the same look she's seen on... a lot of people, back at the castle. It's the same look she's worn herself, not rarely. What can she do for a kid who's been through too much?

Magpie did tell her one thing, once...]

... It's a little off the subject, but are you hungry?

[empireofmymind]

...Eh?

[ Yeah, Ken has no idea where that came from. He blinks again, but has successfully been roused from his funk. ] ...Somewhat.

[experiencepoints]

[She turns around and starts walking, then.]

You can't take in all of this on an empty stomach. Come on.

[empireofmymind]

[ Ken stares, debating whether he should protest - but that would be ungrateful. And that explanation does make good sense, so after a moment he smiles and follows Nightingale. ] Thank you....

[ He's still taking a careful survey of their surroundings as they walk. ]

[experiencepoints]

[Just leave the video game behind, Ken.]

By the way, which name should I call you?