Let's all hold hands and sing Kumbaya

[notzubats]

Who: Everybody! It's a planet mingle!
Broadcast: If You want!
Action: On the Holding Hands plant!
When: From June 23 until whenever we need a new mingle.

[At long last, the fleet has arrived to a new planet. This means it's time for a mingle guys! Get in! ]

Comments

[huaaaaagh]

We have those, yeah! That's a good way to describe it, then. I kinda like that sound, actually- it feels lively.

[Dangerous, granted, if you're too close, but after two years in a medieval setting makes you appreciate good ol' electricity.]

[flickerflash]

Like something's going to happen? You wouldn't want to be too close if something does, probably, but it'd look pretty from somewhere else.

[I am in no way referencing exploding power plants.]

[huaaaaagh]

Oh geez. Maybe the tree's gonna come alive and start kidnapping people into its branches. Or the base could open up into a final dungeon!

[That would be a little too familiar to him.]

[flickerflash]

Do you think so? [She looks hopefully down at the branches.] I suppose you could drop me in there and see if it tries to eat me. Especially if there's dungeons!

[huaaaaagh]

No way! I'd never leave somebody hanging like that. If there's a dungeon, I'm totally going, too.

[flickerflash]

[You're her kind of guy, Kirito.]

We could explore it together!

...I wonder if there is a door hidden in there somewhere. That would be fun.

[huaaaaagh]

Well, let's start at the top and work our way down.

[Speaking of, the sky breaks and they're there! He holds her in place above the tree for a moment, taking in the view.]

Whoa... it's taller than I thought, now that I'm seeing the whole thing.

[flickerflash]

[She hadn't realised how huge it was, and Katie is uncharacteristically silent. It's nothing more than that she's appreciating the view. Kirito might hear a really faint wow after a moment.]

[huaaaaagh]

[He is 100% with you right there, kiddo.

With a bright smile he flies them a little closer, until they're level with one of the sturdier-looking top branches.]

Wanna try to climb down, see how far we get? I'll totally catch you if you fall.

[flickerflash]

Oh, well as long as you'll catch me. [She tilts her head up to grin at him mischievously.] Are you very fast? I might be terribly clumsy.

[huaaaaagh]

I can go pretty fast in a pinch! I've caught people before, so don't worry about it.

[flickerflash]

I feel much safer, then. What if I jump deliberately?

[Innocently.]

[huaaaaagh]

[u punk shitstarter. he loves it.]

Then I will deliberately let you fall until it puts the fear of god in your heart, and then catch you at the last second like the coolest hero ever.

[flickerflash]

Oh, well then.

[She waits until he sets her down on the branch proper, then links her hands behind her and... steps backwards off the ledge. Bye!

She'll shriek all the way down, just for you.]

[huaaaaagh]

[you

horrible gremlin of a child

Kirito lurches, wings flailing to catch up to her head start. There's only a little bit of panic until he catches up to her, honest.

Once he does, though, all bets are off.]

Hahaha... I can't believe you really... oh man. So how's the view?

[He'll ask whether she's still screaming or not.]

[flickerflash]

[She stops screaming immediately, peering up (down?) at the ground.] Very blurry! But if you give me a minute I'm sure I can take a closer look--

[Are we playing chicken because at some point she'll end up saving herself. But he caught up so fast she's genuinely amazed. And amused. Grin.]

Help?

[huaaaaagh]

I dunno, you don't look particularly god-fearing.

[The ground is coming up, though - even kids fall fast, and the tree is tall but not that tall - so he closes the distance between them and grabs her hands, flapping his wings and aiming them upwards to slow her descent.]

[flickerflash]

[She might have been holding her breath at the end there, letting it out with relief as he finally slows her down. I mean yes, she can stop herself, kind of, but where would the fun in that be?]

I'm sure I'm terrified of God. He's very scary and his voice makes my ears ring. [She sounds a bit winded, but giggles even so.] That wasn't fun at all. I've learned my lesson.

[huaaaaagh]

I'm not sure I believe you.

[He floats them back over to the tree and deposits her on another branch, then perches next to her, rolling his shoulders a bit.]

[flickerflash]

[She's not kidding about the God's voice thing, though she told it in a skewed kind of way. There's an echo of memory there-- of a modern enough church under a dark grey sky, tolling for mass. She'd had to tear her hands away from her parents and run, hands cupped over ears with a small shriek because it hurt it was loud, and maybe it's hysterics that make her think God is rejecting her, but when she pulls her hands away they're covered in blood.

It doesn't bother her now that she knows why, but sorry. She didn't mean to share. Katie settles on the branch and won't jump again. Once is a prank and twice is just mean.]

Thank you for saving me. My hero!

[huaaaaagh]

[Whoa, whoa, hey. That... was kind of disconcerting. He glances down at his hand, then at her, then back to his hand, and then finally the tree. This thing again... geez.]

Er... right. Yes! Hero. I'm very heroic. Um.

[Should he ask about that? Maybe he shouldn't. The hand-holding thing is kind of invasive to some, isn't it? THIS PLANET...]

[flickerflash]

Are you okay? [Headtilt. You're acting kinda weird.] Did you go too fast for your headspace? You should sit down.

[huaaaaagh]

Yeah... haha... yeah, maybe.

[He sits down, because his head is just fine, but that's a convenient excuse.]

What about you? Any problems? Weird... flashes?

[flickerflash]

No. I'm used to falling out of trees. Sometimes I even hit the bottom.

[#clueless]

[huaaaaagh]

[Okay, well... that's a bust. But he should at least be grateful she didn't get any of SAO out of him.]

That doesn't sound particularly safe.