(no subject)

[therewerefifty]

Who: Makie and you guys
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: Marsiva
When: This evening


[Makie wakes feeling more relaxed and a lot clearer than she has in a long time.  It's enough that, for a time, she just stays in bed.  An odd bed, a very soft one.  Given she'd spent a year sleeping on the floor-- and her last memories-- it's a luxury she indulges in.

She knows this is an unfamiliar place. She just doesn't care. 

Eventually she pushes the coverlet back and stands, collects her shawl from the stand nearby and settles it across her shoulders.  Her clothes are clean and in good repair.  That's interesting.  The shamisen is there and she picks it up, freezing for a moment as she registers the difference in weight.  Notes it, dismisses it.  She doesn't...need it here, does she?

It's not until she explores that she begins to feel the first confusion.  This is not at all what she would have expected, alien and unfamiliar walls and machinery.  Not only that, the more she exerts herself the more the heaviness in her lungs becomes more pronounced, and eventually she sinks into a nearby chair to get her breath back.  She's better than she was by far, but she's still sick. She shouldn't still be sick.  Surely. 

All right, then.

After a while, unnerved by the silence and emptiness of the place, she begins playing her shamisen.  If she'd explored a little more, she might have found others, but she's tired.  If there are others, they can come to her instead.]

---------

[Eventually, a broadcast.  It's short and to the point and delivered in a thin, tired voice by a Japanese woman in a kimono with exceedingly pale skin.]

I understand this is no longer Adstringendum.  [She still stumbles over that name, even after a year.  Too many damn consonants.  And then her tone turns wry.]  It is also very clearly not the land of the dead, and this communicator is... familiar.

I apologise as you've no doubt heard these questions many times before, but I should like to know where I am and why.

Comments

[video]

[imahologram]

[She's told people the explanation before and likely will again after this. It's a basic courtesy and--though it's something small--a kindness that's easily granted the new.]

You're correct. This is a group of spaceships called the Fleet, and we're far away from the people you would have known at home.

[Which is what Adstringendum is, right????? RIGHT.]

[video]

[therewerefifty]

[RIGHT. She kinda prefers Adstringendum to home by a long shot.

Makie smiles faintly when she sees the video switch on. She wasn't wrong, then-- this is like the comms she's used to. But it fades into confusion soon after; being far away doesn't surprise her, though she feels a pang of regret, but...]

I'm afraid I don't know what a spaceship is. Are we on the sea?

[imahologram]

...You've never left your planet before, have you.

[It's not really a question--she's getting used to the idea that so many people have yet to explore beyond the ground beneath their feet, but it still isn't her first assumption.]

When you were at home, and you looked up at the sky, and saw all the stars... [Please don't have come from an underground society.] Well, that's where you are now. Somewhere among them.

[therewerefifty]

[...oh.

Huh. She hadn't thought that was possible. A ship in the stars. But then again, she knows how many centuries are ahead of her own, and some of the most bizarre concepts are fact for some people. Sam or Castiel might be more familiar.]

I see.

[That's all. Accept it along with the rest.] Thank you. Should I assume I cannot leave again?

[imahologram]

It sounds like you've done this before.

[After all, her own first reaction to all of this was more along the lines of now let me out of here.]

There's no way to leave that I've found, or I wouldn't be here. But plenty of people are looking.

[Video]

[honorbends]

[ -- !! ]

Adstringendum?

[ what is with all of you fucking weirdos that he doesn't know jesus christ ]

[Video]

[therewerefifty]

[Don't be hatin' Zuko.]

That's right. You know it?

[Video]

[honorbends]

I was there before I was dragged here.

[ it had been involuntary but the past few days have put him in a relatively decent mood. ]

You don't look familiar, though.

[Video]

[therewerefifty]

I didn't know a great many people. But I suppose we could also have lived there at different times. [She'd certainly remember Zuko if they'd met. The scar alone. Also the matching hair It does make her wonder, though.]

What was... the last memory you had of Adstringendum before you arrived?

[Video]

[honorbends]

I don't remember the city changing, if that's what you mean.

[ nami sort of spoiled that for him oops ]

There are a few people here that do, though.

video

[effluent]

[Hm... on the other end of the video feed is a bored looking blonde girl. The way that her chin is propped up by her hand, and she seems to be slouching makes her look very small in the video feed. Her expression doesn't change when she finally talks]

You're on a space reality show made by assholes. It's not as glamorous as it sounds.

video

[therewerefifty]

[The hair colour has Makie look sharply at Sarah for a moment, but after one searching look she shakes her head slowly.]

It rarely is. Though I'm afraid this is my first encounter with space reality shows. [Leia has told her enough she can sort through what that's even meant to mean, though five minutes ago you'd have gotten a blank stare.]

We're here for their entertainment. Are we required to do anything in particular?

video

[effluent]

[hm, Sarah takes note of how well she rolled with that]

Not really. The rumor is that if we cause drama we get paid more, so you can go get into a fist-fight. Might help your chances.

But before we get off the topic... you came from some other crazy place like this one?

video

[therewerefifty]

[...lmao she's not sure what's less tasteful to her, the idea of starting a fight for funsies or her initial thought that she'd been dragged here for, uh. Sex. (Yeah, Makie has issues.)

Still, putting the whole notion of drama (?) aside, she gives a thoughtful hum.]

I suppose I did. Though the land I just came from doesn't seem nearly so bizarre as a space reality show. [And we had psychotic evil clouds and everything. There are just some things Makie understands better.] It was a ruin. People weren't taken there by force, they just accidentally fell in.

video

[effluent]

[she raises a skeptical eyebrow]

Just "fell in"? What does that mean, you fell in a hole?

action

[monolike]

[Sorey and Mikleo spend very little time apart, and always within sight of each other but when he comes over to Makie Sorey is alone. Not that it seems to matter; nobody around can see or hear Mikleo anyway.

Still, he stands nearby with his hands behind his back, listening to her play before coming closer and pointing at the ground nearby, lifting his brows in question. Can he sit and listen?]

action

[therewerefifty]

[Makie's gaze fixes on him when he comes into view, though her playing doesn't slow. It's measuring and a little cool, and relaxes by degrees as she decides he's probably, y'know, not one of the people responsible for her being here.

At the silent request, she inclines her head, even smiling faintly. You're more than welcome. She's used to playing for an audience, she can manage one listener.]

action

[monolike]

[Sorey eagerly just drops down right where he is in the middle of the walkway, grabbing onto his ankles and leaning forward to listen. He closes his eyes, smiling as he soaks in the sound. He'd heard string instruments before, but never something that sounded like this; the style of music is just as new and interesting too. While he'd never been a musician himself Sorey recognizes the importance of music and instruments to culture, and he is big on culture.

Only when it seems like she's winding down does he finally speak.] I'm not an expert on this, but you sound really skilled! Thank you for letting me listen. Do you play a lot?

action

[therewerefifty]

[...she has legit never met such an eager person when it comes to her music. Her smile is a little warmer this time, gently settling the strings with her fingers.]

I do. I enjoy the sound and it's relaxing. Normally I would sing along, but I don't quite have the breath for it these days.

Thank you, though. It's good to have someone to play for.

action

[monolike]

[She doesn't have the breath? That sounds bad. Gonna shelve that for a minute.] Really, you're doing me the bigger favor. I'm a fish out of water here and listening made me feel a lot better.

Are you doing okay with adjusting?

[video]

[collegedropout]

[Hey, wait a second here —

He knows very very few depressing, sickly Japanese women in his life, okay.]

Makie?

It's Sam. You're definitely not dead, but I'm thinking you're getting that idea already.

[video]

[therewerefifty]

[Who are you calling depressing I AM A DELIGHTFUL-- okay no you got a point.

His being here has already been spoiled by Zuko, but Makie peers back at Sam with some surprise, anyway. That's... well, it's a pleasant surprise but she's not sure how that even works.]

No, I assumed as such. [Y'know, because still dying. She studies him for a moment, then smiles tentatively.]

You look... much healthier.

[How. You were an underfed rake like yesterday.]

[video]

[collegedropout]

Thanks. I had a lot of Sanji shoveling food at me to get back into shape.

[Ah, wait a second.]

What do you last remember?

[video]

[therewerefifty]

[She's quiet for a moment. Sanji was-- Sanji went home. Did Sam go home? She was sure he'd been there at the time...]

Shadows broke into our home. I was... too ill for such a task.

[Shying away from outright saying she died. But unless Lilly somehow managed a miracle, that's what happened.]

[video]

[collegedropout]

[Whoa, wait.]

Makie — you mean...

[Ah, shit. He rubs a hand over his lower face, thoughtful.]

You're from earlier than me.