Gumball Wishes and Taxicab Dreams

[thespaceopera]

[On today's episode of the Drift Fleet:

The cargo holds are full of mysterious crates! The crews are filling beyond capacity with new faces! Official alerts are informing the passengers that they are signed to contracts that they've never agreed to! They are docking at the dazzling FS Starlight, but are flat broke!

What are they going to do!? Stay tuned to find out!


...Meaning, this is a kickoff mingle for you all to enjoy the beginning of the latest plot setting. This is a convenient place to start threads relating to the first week of the event-- meeting new crewmembers, reacting to the mysterious cargo, arriving on the station and discovering that you're all broke, etc.

Tag around, start whatever you'd like, have fun. And, as always, feel free to make your own posts and mingles from here on in, as this will be the only mod-posted one for this event!]

Comments

[save_the_souls]

[At first it's almost as if Allen doesn't take any notice that Mikleo's there, he's far too distracted by whatever he's seeing. But he'll speak up]

I'm sensing a...large presence of souls- enough for an army. But how is that possible here...?

[He takes a couple steps forward, as if he's trying to get a better look. Except when he does, he suddenly grabs onto his head as the source gets loud enough to start to hear the chattering of thousands of souls]

Nngh-!

[nerdeology]

[Whoa, okay, that's not good. Mikleo tries to follow, but getting closer to the source of the problem only makes his chest hurt. And without Sorey nearby, it feels too risky to approach.

Instinctively he backs up a step, reaching out to grasp Allen's shoulder to try and pull him along.]

This is bad. We should get out of this area...

[Wait, this malevolence... it's familiar.]

[save_the_souls]

But-!

[He resists that pull for a moment, feeling really torn. He wants to get closer, to figure out the source- to possibly put a stop to it here and now. Whatever this is, it's an abomination that simply shouldn't be.]

[But when he takes another step forward, it only makes the voices get louder, and more numerous. The sheer number of voices that were now speaking at once it almost an indistinguishable sound- it was enough to make Allen's head feel like it was splitting open. His eye meanwhile was trying desperately to sort through these masses of souls to pinpoint the souls- but it's like digging through quicksand]

Shit- [He takes a step back so he's closer to Mikleo again, feeling sick to his stomach.] Maybe you're right...

[nerdeology]

Are you alright? Can you walk?

[He'll carry you if he has to, dude, but it'll look pretty silly.

This is actually, legitimately concerning, though. How is it even possible for a human to have a worse reaction to malevolence than a seraph? Clearly there's something else going on here.

He remains close, ready to support if need be, trying to ignore the ache in his chest. Yeah, he definitely knows this feeling, now.]

[save_the_souls]

[Well it's what happens when you're 11 and screw up as much as Asbel ok]

Ha...it'd look very strange if I got out of here without walking myself, wouldn't it?

[A dry joke, he hasn't forgotten that Mikleo is invisible. But he tries to collect himself. Come on, no need to be a weakling right now, he's dealt with worst right? Ugh...]

I'll try to walk. Just lead the way please? My eye keeps trying to go back to that... [So seeing straight really isn't an option]

[nerdeology]

[Mikleo merely nods, reaching down to grasp Allen's hand, and quietly guides him back down the way they'd come. He knows he's going in the right direction, as the oppressive feeling of malevolence gradually decreases the further they travel. It's slow-going, and it hurts, but thankfully it doesn't seem to be spreading too fast for them to escape it.

He'll keep going until he can't feel it anymore, though- best to play it safe.]

[save_the_souls]

[Allen's quiet as they walk, still trying to use every moment they have to try to pinpoint the source of all these souls. But with that many in his view, it's too hard to be specific. The best he can gather is that they do all seem to be coming from a single source........]

[But eventually, they make it out of range and the sounds and visions stop completely. He lets Mikleo walk a bit further just to make sure they are at a safe distance before speaking]

I think we're out of range now.

[nerdeology]

[Mikleo nods, releasing Allen's hand and crossing his arms over his chest. He can't feel it directly anymore, though the sense of it still lingers a little.]

You said that felt like... souls, to you?

[save_the_souls]

Ah...yeah.

[His eyes are back to normal, from the looks of it. Doesn't stop him from reaching up and rubbing his forehead though. Ugh, that's a headache he's going to feel awhile]

I have an ability that lets me see trapped souls...souls that've been bound to people or things that they shouldn't be. It's usually only done by the darkest of magics....and usually not in that high a number either.

[nerdeology]

[He feels you, bro.]

It's not just souls. All I could feel from that was malevolence... a lot of it.

[A combination of souls and malevolence? Sharing one body? Definitely familiar.]

[save_the_souls]

I'm not sure what malevolence is exactly, but from the sound of it I'm not surprised.

[Especially if Malevolence was like dark energy. He glances back in the direction he sensed it, even though it's out of range. There's a worried expression on his face.]

The last time I sensed something like that, it was a Lich King. But surely Atroma wouldn't be mad enough to bring one of those here... [Yeah okay, even he knows Atroma was pretty reckless in their thinking but still....]

[nerdeology]

And I don't know what a Lich King is, but I doubt he's the king of anything, for all his posturing.

[Mikleo crosses his arms over his chest, frowning tightly. Does his malevolence really spread that far? That's not good.]

I'm almost positive that was my ship's captain.

[save_the_souls]

[He was about to explain what a Lich King was, but Mikleo second comment catches him off guard]

Your ship's captain? [SOMEONE LET THAT BE A CAPTAIN] Isn't that Greed? You think he's the source?

[nerdeology]

It feels the same way he did. It was less prominent on the ship, but that might have been due to the nature of our conversation.

[When they'd spoken, Greed's "conscience" had been taking the reins, initially. He's not sure if that additional presence up front had helped or not. Greed is like no hellion he's ever met.]

[save_the_souls]

I see....

[....]

[Okay, he might be judging a little. Seriously, you can sense that and you still want to be on that ship? Crazy man]

Well, he seems too lively to be a Lich... [Hrm] Did he say what he was?

[nerdeology]

He wasn't specific about it. He did admit to having another voice in his head. Ling. Called it his 'conscience', but I have no idea what the nature of their existence is.

[save_the_souls]

[Now he crosses his arms as he scoffs]

A thing like that with a conscience? That's a new one. [his tone is dry, like he really doesn't believe it. Allen was normally pretty good at being understanding and accepting. But this? Was a bit too steep of a thing for him to accept right away. The amount of souls connected to this Greed was on par with Arthas, or the Earl. Monsters, in every sense of the word.]

[nerdeology]

I doubt that it's literal. More like a secondary being living within him, who can speak up with his own voice if need be. The first time I met Greed in person, his 'conscience' was the one who sensed my presence and tried to communicate with me.

[save_the_souls]

[He considers this, mulling it over in his head.]

So he either has multiple personalities, or he's a host.

[Not sure which is a better situation. Allen mulls it over a little, almost more talking to himself than anything. Exorcisms always come before socializing- especially when he senses something like that running around.]

Well, either way...it's not like I can get near him without risking my own sanity. [There's no way he'd be able to function with that many voices screaming in his head] And even if I could and he was a threat, I know I don't have the power right now to fight someone being fueled by that many souls....

[Allen's been an Exorcist long enough to know when wasn't a good time to rush in, when something is a suicide mission- and possible futile, if this place revives the dead like Paradisa did anyway. And it's not like he had any hard evidence Greed was a threat to the fleet.]

[...Still, he really hates this. He hates the idea of something like that running around. So:]

Ugh.

[nerdeology]

[Mikleo's leaning towards the latter, truth be told- it felt more like a twisted version of the Shepherd-Seraphim relationship, multiple presences in a single body. If those additional souls are the equivalent of the malevolence he can sense from the man, then there's a lot that they don't know about him yet.]

He's strong, and pretty aggressive. It's probably best to avoid a confrontation for now.

[He could use artes, but he's not as strong without Sorey. And considering Greed is his captain, he'd prefer a good working relationship for the moment. Unless he starts acting legitimately dangerous, picking a fight feels like a terrible idea.]

[save_the_souls]

Yeah...

[He gives a little huff. It is the wise decision, but he hates it. He hates thinking how something like that is in their fleet, and there was nothing he could really do about it.]

[But he gives himself another moment to wallow before finally deciding to put that aside. He'll finally look at Mikleo and give a sympathetic, apologetic smile]

Ah...sorry. I know you were just trying to explore the station. I didn't mean to ruin that.

[nerdeology]

[Psh.]

I'd hardly call it ruined. I felt it as well, so whether I had been alone or not, it wouldn't be safe for me to keep going that way. It just means a change in direction.

[He shrugs. Why make a big deal of it? The station's huge, and there's lots to explore.]

[save_the_souls]

Ha...good point. I think that direction is the Red Light District anyway.

[So...probably not a place you'd want to go anyway.]

Then, let's just pick another direction!

[nerdeology]

[Whew. It's so much easier when humans are cheerful, so this is more familiar territory. There's no sense in encouraging pointless worries- he doesn't want to unintentionally cause malevolence to form in his allies or something.]

Were you headed anywhere specific before you found me? I was just wandering, myself.

[save_the_souls]

[Don't worry Mikleo- he's long learned how to internalize his pointless worries. THATS totally healthy right................]

Ah- not really. I just wanted to go for a walk to get off the ship and get a feel for this station. It's massive...