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

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Oh, no. I was just contemplating the forest. Nothing I can't do later.

[in fact, he'll turn and give her his full attention--because that's polite!]

So, what do you think?

[hearsthesea]

Of you, or the forest?

[She giggles.]

Well, you're taller than I thought you'd be.

[And that's no joke: Robin has a good ten inches on her.]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Ah-- [he's surprised! was that humor? he chuckles into a little bow.] Well, you're just as I'd imagined you. You're very cute.

[hearsthesea]

[Wow, what a charmer. That gets a blush out of her, although Shirley doesn't say anything more about the compliment. Rather, she's not entirely sure what to say.]

Are you thinking about going into the forest?

[birdsbirdsbirds]

I was.

[he turns back to look at the trees again--he will also completely drop the previous bit, even though he toootally sees her blushing.]

It seems like a terrible idea, though.

[hearsthesea]

[Not a word.]

Everyone on my ship is still considering it, too. You haven't heard if it has a name, do you?

[A name like "Forest of No Return" would probably be too telling for Robin to be debating it, but it's worth a shot.]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

I think the ads up on the station were calling it "The Enchanted Forest", or something just as vague. Whether it's a good kind of enchanted or a bad kind of enchanted... That's up for debate.

[he pauses, absently fidgeting with his gloves...]

And I don't know this game well enough to guess if our hosts would ever send us into something life-threatening.

[hearsthesea]

They don't have measures to protect people, do they?

[Shirley can fend for herself, but it's not probable that the same goes for everyone here. Though surely they wouldn't let anybody they went to the trouble of kidnapping and supplying to die just for their inexperience?]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

I don't know. [he can only shrug.] The whole thing is still a big mystery.

[hearsthesea]

It probably isn't a good idea to go in now, then. Although...

[She looks around. Forest, field, spa, forest, forest, forest--]

There don't seem to be many other places here, either.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Well, Miss Shirley, I'm sure that some other people will go rushing in before long, and we'll get to hear all about it... [he smiles at the trees, thoughtfully.] And then we can decide if it's worth it.

[hearsthesea]

Is that really a good idea?

[For them, maybe. But for the first people to go in...]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Oh, yeah. It'll be fine for those guys. Brash young explorers, probably, ready for anything.

[he waves off at the forest entrance like it's no big deal.]

[hearsthesea]

[Shirley's not sure whether to believe him, but then again she knows exactly the kind of person who could run into the forest haphazardly, get horribly beat up, and come out still alive if worse for the wear. She also knows the kind of person who would push the first guy in to observe the results, and it's worked for him. So, she goes with it.]

I do know people like that. It's impressive, in a way.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Isn't it? I guess there are those kind on every world...

[he suddenly breaks away from his own thoughts, stretching his hands up towards the sky with a big yawn...]

Ah, I'd offer to take you somewhere in the meantime, but there really isn't that much to do down here.

[hearsthesea]

I'm glad just to be able to talk to you. It is nice, doing it in person this time.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[oh, that makes him chuckle.]

Yeah? That's very nice of you to say, Shirley.

[hearsthesea]

It's just the truth. Those communicators are helpful, but I don't think anything could replace just talking face-to-face like this.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Ah. Do they have a lot of technology like this where you're from, Canary?

[hearsthesea]

[Canary? Shirley doesn't say anything directly, but the surprise is visible on her face. That's...new, or at least coming from him it is.]

No, they don't. Do you?

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Oh, yes. They used to, anyway, but my homeland has been going through some changes lately...

[he will say absolutely nothing about the nickname, of course.]

I was just curious.

[hearsthesea]

Oh. One of the people on my crew knows a little more about it, so I thought you might come from a world like his.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Maybe I do. Who's your crewmate?

[hearsthesea]

His name is Chris. Um...he's tall, with dark hair. I think he's in his twenties.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Oh, I think he's from the world of Earth. [he makes... a bit of a face.] I'm not from there, but a lot of other people are.