enchanted forest . mingle

[misconceived]

WHO Forest planet occupants!
BROADCAST N/A
ACTION Enchanted Forest / Spa Time
WHEN Upon reaching the system (Jan. 4) to leaving it (Jan. 31)

[ It's another day, another planet for the Drift Fleet to explore. Whether it be relaxing in the landing field, checking out the spa (and subsequently getting urged to enter the woods), or taking on the Enchanted Forest's game, there's enough to do for stir-crazy Fleet members.

Just remember one thing: make it look good. ]

Comments

Spa!

[blindoptimism]

[Nunnally had been skeptical of the spa when she first saw it. While it sounded nice, it seemed like a place where she would require a great deal of... "help". She was pleasantly surprised when she found the robot helpers within the facility. While for most patrons their services seemed to end at dispensing luxurious bathing utensils, a small but deceptively strong spindly robot emerged from the depths of the facility to help her. She was moved from her complicated motorized wheelchair to a simple wooden one-- one that wouldn't suffer ill effects from all the water in the place.

So instead of the usual whirr of a motor, Shirley will hear the clacking noise of wooden wheels turning as Nunnally rolls to the hot spring. She pauses when she sees someone else in the tub, and adjusts the towel that is wrapped around her body]

Hello. Do you mind if I join you?

[hearsthesea]

[A chair on wheels? She's never seen something like that before...how interesting. The girl asked a question, though!]

No, not at all. I'd love the company.

[blindoptimism]

Thank you. [she taps on the robot who is assisting her, and whispers something to him. The robot lifts her up, and places her in the water. But not...gently. She winces a bit not in discomfort, but at the splash. looking over towards Shirley, she apologizes]

I'm sorry, I hope I didn't splash you? [she doesn't quite realize from her perspective, but she wasn't put down near enough to Shirley to actually get any water on the other girl]

[hearsthesea]

[Shirley shakes her head, getting up for a moment to move a little closer. Seeing Nunnally and the robot makes her a little curious...]

I'm just fine. Is that automaton yours?

[blindoptimism]

[whew, she looks relieved, and shakes her head at the question]

No, it seems he was provide by the spa. [she taps her chin] I suppose they place great importance on customer service?

[hearsthesea]

I'm not sure, with the way he seated you. But I am surprised that he's here at all.

[There isn't exactly anyone here beyond those who came down from ships, so seeing even automata to help out is unexpected.]

[blindoptimism]

[hehe, she giggles lightly and shrugs]

I am too. When I first entered I thought that I would be unable to enjoy this place, but as I was about to leave, he appeared!

... Maybe he was being stored somewhere in secret? [she looks up at the robot, now unmoving as there is no task to perform] It seems a little sad.

[hearsthesea]

There's nobody here but everyone like us. Maybe he hasn't had anybody to help in a while.

[That is pretty sad, if it's true.]

[blindoptimism]

[she briefly wonders if they could take him with them. But he'd have no way to show if he wants to go or not, not to mention he likely wouldn't want to be separated from what he's designed to do? Oof, too much to think about]

Well... if lots of people really are watching us, maybe they'll see how nice this spa is, and travel here.

[hearsthesea]

That might work. If it's true, I wonder if we'll see anybody else while we're here.

[blindoptimism]

I don't know. They claim that this show is incredibly popular, but we've never actually met anyone who has seen it. Do you think they specifically attempt to keep us separated from those who watch it?

[as she ponders, she ducks down so that her hair is submerged in the warm water for a moment, and then sits up straight again]

[hearsthesea]

I don't know. You've never met anyone who's seen it at all? This is the first planet I've been to, so I don't know what it's like.

[blindoptimism]

To be fair, I haven't been to many more planets but... [she shakes her head] No one has heard of this program.

[hearsthesea]

Nobody? But how can that be?

[That doesn't make sense. If this is a show, then surely someone's watching?]

[blindoptimism]

I'm not sure. As I said, maybe they do that on purpose. They only bring us to sections of space where they do not broadcast the program?

[hearsthesea]

Perhaps.

[She can't think of anything that's really more compelling.]

Then maybe they'll come once we've left. It seemed like somebody really wanted this place to be seen...or the satellites around it.

[blindoptimism]

It's true! [she nods, she's been researching that musical signal for the last week...]

I'm quite sure that strange music on the communicator is coming from inside there. Whatever is there, it must be very interesting.

[hearsthesea]

Inside the forest?

[That definitely gets her attention. She's still curious about how she could have heard Ferines music, but then her crew's experiences call that into question.]

So you heard the music, too? What did you hear?

[blindoptimism]

I did. It sounded like a choir singing an old song of my homeland. [she remains decidedly neutral as she recounts it, but then looks genuinely curious as she asks]

What did you hear?

[hearsthesea]

It was a song I was taught when I was young, in the old language of my people.

[Shirley's smiling, clearly nostalgic from the way she's talking.]

I wonder how we heard these things. Maybe the answer is in the forest...

[blindoptimism]

[she nods!] I think it is.

I was using my ship's machinery to track the signal, it's coming from the center of the forest. My hope is that we can find answers to this mystery by adventuring inside.

[hearsthesea]

Really? I wonder what it could be, then. What could help us hear all these things...

[Some sort of artifact? A mysterious person? She's never encountered something like this before.]

[blindoptimism]

[she shakes her head] It's hard to say. This entire planet seems... magical, but fake in a way. [like a pristine city park made of plastic plants] I wonder if it's all some large trick?

... I suppose there's no way to tell until we venture inside.

[hearsthesea]

My crew and I thought it could have been made, somehow. Artificial. But perhaps you're right...if there's an answer, it's probably inside of the forest.

[blindoptimism]

Whatever my crew finds, I can pass the information on to you?