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

[ino]

Mm ... yeah, I guess you could say that.

[ She's got a secret little smile on her face, twirling a piece of her ponytail in her finger as she pushes the meat around ]

[experiencepoints]

[She opens her mouth to say something, then stops, looking away.]

Ah. Well, the Atroma did say they aren't broadcasting what happens here, so I guess if you wanted to do that sort of thing, this is the time for it.

1/2

[ino]

Eh?

[ It takes her a second. ]

Oh. Oh! Not that. I mean, it kinda is, but --

[ Not that that's ... not happening, but it's not what she's happy about. TMI, though, Ino, come on. ]

[ino]

[ She just clutches her cheeks, and ... is she blushing a little? My god. ]

He said he loves me ...

[experiencepoints]

Okay, that is really cute and all, but weren't you already dating? Or did I get that mixed up...

[ino]

Eh? You can date someone without being in love with them.

[ Even though these nerds were grossly infatuated with each other from day one .... but you know. ]

[experiencepoints]

... Really? Like, willingly...?

[ino]

... Yes?

Is your world the type of place where you court someone and then marry them right away or something?

[experiencepoints]

What? No. I don't think so, anyway? I just don't know why you'd date someone you weren't in love with, unless you were tricked into it...

[That's a little specific, Nightingale...]

[ino]

Well, I liked him. We were attracted to each other.

[ Also she has a whole host of issues revolving around her love life but you know what? This is a good thing and she's not going to ruin it ]

[experiencepoints]

Well... That's good, and it worked out, too... Uh, congratulations, I guess? Is that the right thing to say?

1/2

[ino]

[ She giggles ]

Thanks!

[ino]

[ But hey, wait a second. ]

... Did someone trick you into dating them?

[ THAT SOUNDED AN AWFUL LOT LIKE A THING YOU HAD PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH. ]

[experiencepoints]

Uh- No, of course not, I have no idea? Amnesiac, remember?

[Not that she even knows if she told Ino that part. It's amazing how she only mentions that part when it's a convenient excuse for something she doesn't want to talk about. And it's not convincing at all, anyway.]

[ino]

... No?

[ She squints at her ]

It was just kind of a weird, specific situation to bring up.

[experiencepoints]

It's a very long story involving an asshole ninja, you probably don't want to hear about it.

[ino]

[ She flips the meat out of the pan onto a plate, and then leans against the counter, chin in the palm that's not holding her fork ]

I've got nowhere to be.

[experiencepoints]

... That's the line that means there's no way I'm getting out of this, isn't it.

[ino]

Yep.

[ Pops a piece of meat in her mouth and chews. Do go on! ]

[experiencepoints]

... Right.

[Okay. She can't lie worth a damn, and Ino is smart, so she'd pick up on it right away. How does she honestly make it sound less worse than it was.]

My parents decided it was time for me to get married, so they sent me on a date with this one guy without telling me what it was, apparently hoping we'd hit it off, only the guy was... well, kind of thick-headed, and a ninja on top of that, so we didn't even have anything in common. And I'm not even interested in men, so...

Anyway, that's all it was. Not a big deal.

[ino]

Ahh, the whole arranged relationship type of thing ... That sucks!

[ She'll poke at another piece on her plate ]

I didn't know you didn't like boys.

[ Ino, no, don't go down that path, nobody else wants you setting them up with anyone ]

[experiencepoints]

It- It wasn't that bad, really.

[Yes it was.]

Really? I guess that makes sense... I've pretty much given up on romance. It never works out when I fall for someone.

[At least, she seems pretty oblivious to whatever Ino is thinking. Good luck.]

[ino]

Hmm ...

[ She looks Nightingale over for a moment ]

What sort of girls do you like, then?

[experiencepoints]

I guess, ones that...

[She starts to answer, then trails off, and turns very red, quickly aborting what she was going to say.]

Um. Smart girls? Ones with... a strong sense of justice, I guess?

And judging from my past record, apparently, straight ones.

[ino]

Ah ... so that's why it didn't work out, huh.

Well, you don't have to worry. I don't think there's very many people here who only like the opposite sex.