[mingle] the space (april).

[fracturamods]

interim mingle

( WELCOME BACK, TRAVELERS. )

There's nothing but the clatter of train tracks, and the odd feeling of almost floating.

When you wake, it's hard to tell exactly what it is that you're missing - only that you are. There are pieces that aren't quite right, even if you're not sure where those pieces would normally be. Pieces of what, exactly....? Well, if you had to put a word to it, it would be - yourself, probably. Or did you get something back recently? In addition, characters will find that they've been allowed to bring back souvenirs from this most recent trip - trinkets, nothing violent, but items that can fit in your character's pockets, whether that be sentimental or otherwise.

The place you've found yourself in is strange, certainly. It's probably worth exploring a bit. For those who have been here a while, they might notice some expansions. Though it just as easily seems that the only form of welcome or explanation that you have, comes from nothing more than a slab of marble.

It might've changed since the last time you saw it. Today it reads:

(*´ω｀)o That wasn't so bad, was it?
Hey, you know how that old song goes?
Do you believe in magic? (☆▽☆) Do ya?

Hope you found what you were looking for!

You might have changed since the last time you saw yourself too - perhaps with a new emblem on your clothes, or a portrait on your skin. In addition to that, it seems like Home Base is on the fritz again…?

It seems that suddenly and at random, characters will be able to suddenly see visions of memories that aren't their own flash before their eyes. Pieces of your lives or where you were before this will suddenly slam into other's heads, as clearly as if they experienced the event and the feelings themselves. You might have an inkling of where your memory went and what it was - but you'll need to talk it out with that person in order to recollect it in all its strength back to yourself. Don't you want to keep those precious parts of yourself? It's best if you don't fall more to pieces while you're here. (Memories that have been lost in fragments cannot be sent to others - that's more fun for the future!)

There's no need to fret that much though. You've already gone through the ordeal once, and you might be able to see results from it. Or maybe you'll get a glimpse of where you're going next. Even so, it's best that you don't get too comfortable, because there is still the unshakeable feeling:

There's still much more ahead of you.

Comments

[disreguarded]

[ welp ]

... Kind of? I think it's more like you go to sleep and then you can astral project. [ squint. ] Do you not know you can do that?

[counterclocked]

Uh, I'm pretty sure I've never done that once.

[...]

Wait, I have powers?

[disreguarded]

[ it makes her laugh! hunter is a dork. ]

Yeah, you do. Or at least, the you I know does. Maybe that's something you forgot, or lost. Sounds kind of... like something you'd keep in your soul, right? Powers? [ she's really trying not to hope that the memories of the mansion is something he forgot. that'd just - hurt, if it never came back. ]

[counterclocked]

That's - so cool, though! I mean, I never thought I would be able to do anything, like, superpower-y, you know? How did it work? I mean, I know you mentioned astral projection, but...

[A pause after that, as if he's suddenly realizing he's rambling. Ah.]

Sorry. I don't mean to, like, go on.

[disreguarded]

[ she's grinning, though. ]

Nah, you're good, I like it when you do. [ it's endearing!! ] I'm not exactly sure how it worked. Just that you could walk around while your body was sleeping. We were hoping we could use it in the mansion somehow - I always thought it'd be cool to use during curfew.

[counterclocked]

[His expression makes it clear how cool he thinks that is, but—]

Curfew?

[disreguarded]

[ a beat. ]

Yeah, we were forced to go to sleep at eleven every night and the monster of the week would just destroy shit. The two of us wanted to have someone stay up so we could see who the monster ended up being, so maybe we wouldn't have to do the whole trial.

But we got forced to sleep, so.

[counterclocked]

I guess it kind of backfired when it was me, too... Sorry about that.

[He's a little bit curious about it, though, so:]

Was it just random, or...?

[disreguarded]

Yeah. It was random.

And it's alright, we fixed it in the end. You know that room I said you came out of that fucked you up? You and some others found an antidote in there. We got to use it on you that week.

[counterclocked]

...Sounds like a pretty happy ending.

[It makes him smile, though it's brief, because—]

Or... it would have been if you didn't come here instead, I guess.

[disreguarded]

It was gonna be, yeah. [ she sighs, scrubbing at her face. ] It's okay. I'll figure this one out too.

I gotta get back to all of them. [ to you, too, she thinks, but doesn't say. ] I didn't have a whole lot of shit going for me in Exandria, so.

[counterclocked]

Well... Hey. I'll try and help make sure it really is this time. Sound good?

[As always, he's disgustingly earnest.]

[disreguarded]

[ ugh, gross. beau really wants to hug him. but she doesn't - she twitches like she wants to come over to him, but instead, she clenches her fists and rests against the wall. ]

Yeah. Sounds good. [ beau says, softer. ] Thanks, Hunter.

[counterclocked]

For now...

[Hm.]

Did alternate me ever show you what pizza is? Because if not, I have a new priority.

[disreguarded]

[ she finally smiles! it's small, but it's there. ]

I've had it before, but you've never shown me it, no. Tell me the pizza secrets.

[counterclocked]

You know about pepperoni and italian sausage, right?

[The pizza lore...]

[disreguarded]

Pepperoni, yeah, but - uh. What's Italian?

[counterclocked]

Oh, it's a country. Well, Italy is a country, Italians are the people who live there. But - italian sausage is basically just a kind of meat that tastes really good.

[disreguarded]

[ ah. makes sense. she nods. ]

Hey, I trust your judgement. [ come along, hunter, we're going to get pizza. ] Maybe there's other people I know out there, too.

[counterclocked]

...Thanks.

[Given how well she knows him, the light surprise at her telling him she trusts her judgment probably isn't surprising. Still, his expression is sincere.]

I hope you find someone else.

[disreguarded]

I hope so too. [ she says, with her usual touch to the beanie on her head. ] I made a lot of promises to a lot of people.

[counterclocked]

Maybe you can tell me more about it over that pizza...?

[He's curious!]

[disreguarded]

Sure. [ she glances at him. ] Like I said, I'll tell you whatever you want. It's all a hell of a fucking story.

[counterclocked]

Sounds good. Probably easy to start from the beginning, right?

[Off they go to the food court, though!!]

[disreguarded]

[ off they go! it's very difficult for her to not just lean all over him like she used to, but she manages. anyway - any questions he has, she'll answer, though she's very careful about it. there's some stuff hunter doesn't need to know. ]