driftfleet | am I loud and clear, or am I breaking up?

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am I loud and clear, or am I breaking up?

Who: Axel and anybody
Broadcast: Fleetwide Video
Action: Tourist kitchen if anybody wants
When: Thursday afternoon, 21May

[Axel looks caught somewhere between deep contemplation and outright indignation. He's also occasionally prodding at a shiny new eyebrow piercing he got on one of the waystations; it's his newest fidget, it seems.]

So is anybody else just dying to know whatever it is we shouldn't do no matter what? 'Cuz, I mean... I think that's a pretty important detail, and I personally would really like some clarification. Just to be safe, I've quarantined all the teriyaki anything on the Tourist.

[Actually, he took a page from Fenris' book and jettisoned it out the airlock. Can't be too careful.]

Has anybody's kitchen exploded or anything? Ugh, the teriyaki was the best flavor, too.

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They never make it easy on us, do they?

Maybe they wanted to make sure we didn't let it spoil . . .

[He sounds doubtful, though.]

. . . or maybe it's getting infected with magic? I had to deal with a possessed breakfast once, it was pretty awful.

I guess if they made it easy then it'd be too easy. [Siiiiigh.]

Does it spoil? I kinda thought it was, you know... like kinda indestructible anyway. Like Ladon microwaved a block of it for like half an hour and it didn't even really melt.

[Possessed breakfast?]

You always seem to have the most unusual adventures. Pink lions, possessed breakfast... Coolest thing that ever happened to me when I was your age was the time I went to the store to buy a pack of gum and it came with a free sticker of a guy riding a dinosaur.

Oh. I wondered why it was floating past the window.

I doubt it has anything to do with the teriyaki.

That planet, however, it might.

I'd rather have that, dude, dinosaurs are awesome! And I had to make my breakfast all over again afterwards . . .

That does tend to be the progression. Nothing weird has happened to my crew yet, at least.

_{[ Vanyel came into the kitchen just in time for this little announcement, intent on making himself a light packed lunch to take down for another go at the planet - during the day, of course, he did not wish to be caught again past nightfall. At least the ache of Gating was gone now, replenished by the magics of the sphere that was causing so much of their troubles. ]}

Should our kitchen exploding be a concern for the foreseeable future, captain?

I'm a little worried about the teriyaki, too. I smelled it and it seemed fine, but I don't know.

[She sighs.]

I made some curry, though. Found some good stuff on the Waystation. Want me to send some rescue food over?

So far I've noticed that most of the weird stuff doesn't actively happen to people so much as it's just there for us to experience. Which I think is better, in the long run, really. At least then the weirdness is kind of... equal opportunity.

Man, having to make breakfast twice is the pits, especially if you had to get up early.

So how did you, ah... defeat the possessed breakfast, anyway?

Well, I figured if it was gonna explode or something, it'd be better if it did it not in the kitchen.

Yeah, the planet definitely has a bit of a creepy vibe to it, I'll admit. The magic just feels really potent somehow. And the trees are spooky, man. I kept getting almost lost, and I have a great sense of direction. Those woods are haunted, I'm tellin' ya.

[Axel turns when a voice pipes up behind him, and he gives Vanyel a thin-lipped look.]

I hope not; I kind of like this whole being separated from the freezing vacuum of space thing we've got going on in here.

[He leans on the counter then.] How're you settling in?

I dunno, man, I don't really trust what the Atroma Goon Squad has to say, but if they're issuing warnings and talking about our bizarre foodstuffs in the same sentence, well... I'm not taking any chances.

[He looks intrigued then.]

Ooh, if you're offering, I'm happy to invoke that Never Turn Down Free Food stipulation.

_{[ He chuckles at the joke, though it was somewhat morbid in his
estimation. It still struck him as quite odd, traveling through space in
little more than a tin can. ]}

I was more worried about how we planned to feed ourselves if it did, but that is a valid concern too.

_{[ He crossed his arms casually, leaning back against the door frame
leaning into the kitchen. ]}

Well enough. Space is still daunting, but I am adjusting. I've added some charms around the ship I hope shall help in the case of another attack, but perhaps I should add a few more in case of kitchen explosions.

That doesn't surprise me, magical places are known to change their layouts at a whim.

[Though he also just...has a bad sense of direction. Still! Magic you don't help.]

I only got within orbit, but I know there's something about the planet that makes people with...other forms...they lose ability to keep those forms in check. [Especially if what Dr. Crusher reported about the dragon was true]

The last time I saw magic like that, people got eaten.

And what happens if we choose not to experience it for too long? It's gonna reach out eventually.

That would be for the best, yes. I have some whiskey stashed there, it would have gone up like a bonfire.

[Fenris stop leaving your booze around the ship.]

[A laugh.] Goon Squad? I guess that's a good term for it.

I'll send it over. [She smiles.] It's not as spicy as I usually make it, though. I wasn't sure if the people on my ship were picky eaters. Maybe next time.

I threw it in some lava! Garnet had some in her room, so I pushed it in, and then it died.

Charms? [He looks intrigued.] So that's like... luck magic, or something?

It is magic, but not quite luck. It is an encouragement for something to perform as it should or better. Armor will repel steel better or arrows shall fly wide. They are limited in their ranges and uses, but I thought it best to give our home as much advantage as possible in the case of emergency.

I... hope that is acceptable? I can remove them, if you think I should.

Well that's a nice creepy way to think about it. [He gives a shudder, complete with the sound effect of a shiver.] I guess I'd rather put it off as long as possible, in that case.

You... threw it in some lava... that was in your friend's room. [He sort of stares, then laughs helplessly.] Sounds like you keep interesting company, Steven.

How does breakfast get possessed in the first place, for that matter?

I was wondering whose that was. [He holds his hands up.] Don't worry, I didn't touch it. I'm not much of a drinker, myself.

That's so cheating, though, changing up the layout.

[His expression takes a serious turn then.]

Is this related to the whole dragon incident? 'Cuz personally I'd like to avoid an encore of that.

Huh. Never used any magic like that, myself. Sounds handy!

[He shakes his head then.]

No, no, it's fine! I'm all for encouraging the ship to survive any future attacks, so go for it. [He gives him a curious look.] So there's magic where you come from too, huh? What sorts? We don't have anything like those charms where I grew up; I kinda like hearing about other worlds, it keeps things interesting.

Sweet! Delivery service and everything! You're the best.

How's things going on your ship, anyway? You seem to be getting along with your crewmates well enough.

I would have noticed, if you had. [He gives a shrug. His drinking habits are...not the best. ] That is probably for the best.

_{[ He settled against the counter, wondering how best to explain the
rules of magic in his world. ]}

In my world, "magic" is more often called "Gifts". Different Gifts allow someone to perform a different skills. The magic I perform is called the "Mage Gift", but I have all of the Gifts known in my world - Mage, MindSpeech of both kinds, ForeSight, FarSight, FireStarting, Healing, Bardic, Fetching, Empathy, and Projecting. Usually a Herald has only one, but I am... unique.

_{[ It is not said with a bragging tone, merely a factual statement of
the way things are for him. He had never wanted what it was he had become,
but the Goddess had dealt him his fate, and he had come to terms with that.
]}

That's magic for you.

[Bit of a cheat, really. And there's a pause, then a frown.]

...Which dragon incident? [THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE NOW]

Oh, yeah, they're great. The pilot reminds me of a friend from home... who's actually here... so it's easy to get along with him. And the girls are nice. [Mostly. Sonata's kind of a brat, but it's nothing Sheena isn't used to with Genis.]

What about you?

[Axel looks impressed as Vanyel explains, and when he's done, he just gives a low whistle.]

Real Renaissance Man, you are. I can guess what most of those do, but... 'both kinds' of Mind Speech? [He makes a gesture near his temple.] I mean I can kinda garner that's like telepathy of a sort, but there's two kinds?

Oh, got a friend from home here, eh? That always makes things a little easier.

My crew's not too shabby, to be honest. I was a little unsure about them at first, but after getting to know them, they're pretty all right. [He even gets along with Fenris these days. Who'd'a thunk? It's almost like getting to know people changes how you feel about them.] We've all got our quirks, but it keeps things interesting, I think.

--Fair enough, I guess there've apparently been a few. I mostly meant the situation on Mor.

Would you believe me if I told you it was all an accident?

_{[ It really was, Axel. Seriously. A terrible, horrible accident, but
an accident. ]}

There's sensing thoughts and there is projecting thoughts. I can do both kinds - read a person's mind as well as send my own thoughts into theirs. If someone shares a similar gift we can speak in such a way. I only use it if I have permission though with those without such a gift, or if there is no other option in an emergency.

[He looks a little surprised.]

Must'a been quite the accident, to get the whole ball of wax like that.

[And then he frowns a bit, almost comically so, and brings his hands to cover his ears like that might stop his thoughts from being heard. He pulls them away then, when Vanyel says he never reads minds without permission, but he still looks a little unsettled.]

One mind-reader is weird enough... Trust me, you don't wanna hear my thoughts. Most of the time, I don't even wanna hear 'em.

[They usually involve him feeling like he's the worst of the worst for making all the mistakes he has, for lying to his friends, for making bad choices. Inside Axel's head is a tangled mess of self-deprecation and guilt complex; not exactly good reading material.]

_{[ He chuckles, not seeming offended. He understood the worry - he had
had his own brain ransacked once by a dark wizard, and never wanted to have
it done again. ]}

Frankly, I don't want to hear anyone else's thoughts either. Not to mention such an invasion of privacy is completely unethical, and just... wrong. As I said, I only force my way in if there is a true cause - such as there not being any other way to communicate in an emergency over distance.

_{[ He could be there with you on guilt, Axel. Guilt for the death of
his life-bonded, though recently he had found healing for that guilt he'd
carried so long. ]}

A couple, actually. I know I'm really lucky this time around. [Lloyd can get them through anything, she's sure-- and with Colette? Yeah. They'll be able to handle everything that comes around. It's not just her and Kaneis anymore.]

I like it that way. It'd be boring if we all just ignored each other. We're living in the same space, so teamwork is... a thing.

Oh...no, I don't know much about what happened there.

[Dragonslaying wasn't really a thing he did.]

This was at another place. There was a man who had the ability to control demons. This place had a fair number of demons and similar kin too. Some bad, but most just trying to live their lives in peace.

One day, he decided to make all of them, good and bad, go berserk and attack anyone around them.

I don't really either, to be honest, but I heard it was... quite the spectacle.

[Dragonslaying really isn't his bag either, though he might make the exception for Maleficent.]

Oof, now that's just rude. Brainwashing perfectly reasonable demons into attacking people is just uncalled for. [He's being a little sarcastic, because really, he's never even met a demon, let alone a peaceful one. The idea of an everyman working demon just trying to get by in life is kind of a funny mental image, though.] How'd the situation get wrangled back under control?

[ Let's be real, slaying the Maleficent dragon never gets old. ]

[He can tell it's sarcasm, but he not remark on it. He's used to hearing much worse than sarcastic little jabs about demons. Instead he pauses, trying to think of how to phrase it]

...I heard someone killed the man responsible, and that broke the spell. But not before a lot of damage was done.

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am I loud and clear, or am I breaking up?

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action for the kitchen?

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action!

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Re: action!

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sorry this is so late!!

All good!

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I THOUGHT I HIT ENTER FOUR DAYS AGO!!

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