intro log.

[fracturamods]

welcome mingle

( AND SO IT BEGINS. )

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.

The place you've found yourself in is strange, certainly. It's probably worth exploring a bit. 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.

Well - that, and all the people who seem to have woken up alongside you, lost and also probably Doing Their Best™.

There's no need to fret that much though. It's hard to say exactly where you're going next, even though some places might feel a little bit more like a clue, but what you do know is one unshakeable thing:

There's still much more ahead of you.

Comments

[survivaltricks]

[who the fuck even knows with them]

Senpai.

[a beat]

Kidding, you don't have to call me that. It's Akira Kurusu.

[messianic]

Nice to meet you, Kurusu-senpai.

[This is BACKWARDS, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE.]

I'm Minato. Minato Arisato.

[survivaltricks]

[THE DYNAMIC HAD TO BE SWAPPED AT SOME POINT!!!]

Nice to meet you too, Arisato-chan.

[oh fucking no]

I'd ask what brings a pun master like you to a place like this, but. . .

[they both know why he doesn't ask]

[messianic]

[He... mouths "-chan" to himself with faint puzzlement, but otherwise does not protest.]

... But you don't believe my answer will be very exciting?

[survivaltricks]

[if it helps, Akira's eyes are sparkling with a bit of mischief when he says "-chan." he's awful]

Iiii don't think it'll be anymore exciting than my own answer to that question.

Unless you know something I don't.

[messianic]

[The pause in response to that is a tad bit too long and a tad bit too heavy.

... He doesn't think... this is the afterlife. He shouldn't be in the afterlife either way, but he doesn't think--

He's pretty sure, from talking to some other people here, that they aren't in the same situation. Something else weird is happening here, right? That has to be the case, because he doesn't want to believe all of these bright souls are also...]

... No, I don't think I know anything else, unfortunately.

We're all in the same boat of just wandering around and trying to learn something useful.

[survivaltricks]

[. . . Minato's a fool if he thinks Akira, for as lighthearted as he's been so far, doesn't notice the weight in that pause. the longer the silence stretches on the more curious his gaze becomes, eyes locked on Minato's features, studying him carefully with eyes that are surprisingly sharp for how hidden they are by his glasses]

[what was that for. . .?]

[. . .]

[there's no way to get an answer now, is there? they're all new here, and he barely knows who this person is. Akira isn't the type to press; he prefers people to open up to him on their own time. by their own choice]

Damn. And here I was hoping you were secretly an insider.

[oh and now we're back to verbal shitposting]

[messianic]

[Yeah, he's glad to roll with the change in subject back to verbal shitposting.]

Like a mole or a spy...? Wow, scary.

[He clearly does not think that's a Thing.]

[survivaltricks]

I was thinking about interrogating you for the identity of the person who wrote the message on that slab, but I guess that'd be pointless.

[he was not thinking about that at all]

[messianic]

I guess you'd better tell me what your interrogation tactics are, so I can brace myself for the future.

[you'd better!!]

[survivaltricks]

Well.

I'd start off with tickling the bottom of your feat with a feather.

[TERRIBLE]

[messianic]

[SO TERRIBLE.

A fake, bland gasp.]

How horrible.

How could you think of such terrible things.

Oh no.

Spare me.

[survivaltricks]

And then. . .

[he mimes twirling a VILLAIN MUSTACHE as though it adds to the effect of the horrible things he is listing]

I'd make you eat a whole slice of chocolate cake.

Without icing.

[messianic]

[....... As if on cue.

Minato's stomach grumbles.

How does this happen when he already ate a shitton of snacks?

We just don't know.]

Ah.

.... I'm hungry.

[survivaltricks]

[oh]

[oh no. . .]

Ah.

You have your stomach trained.

[he sounds so amused but also, yes he is going to suggest they go get some food from the store. just give him a minute]

[messianic]

[And plaintively:]

You were talking about cake... and I've been walking around for what feels like a long time...

[DON'T JUDGE HIM...]

[survivaltricks]

[huffs a laugh and, sympathetically]

Come on. There's plenty of food in the store.

[plenty of food]

So long as you don't mind shopping for an entire year.

[messianic]

An entire year... well, we can make it work.

[Or, for Minato, three days.]

I wonder if they have anything fresher than just packaged stuff.

[Time to find out!!]

[survivaltricks]

[huh. good question]

What did you have in mind?

[btw he is totally pushing the cart of cat ears as they head back into the store]

[messianic]

[No judgement. Minato is still wearing his.]

Hmm...

[Contemplatively:]

Like gyudon, or something. Pre-packaged, but still fresh food.

[survivaltricks]

. . . aren't "pre-packaged" and "fresh" mutually exclusive?

[messianic]

You know what I'm talking about, right...? Stuff you'd buy at a conbini, where it was made that day but then shoved into plastic and wrapped up to be sold.

[survivaltricks]

[oh]

That kind of fresh food. We should check the deli.

[is that where they keep it?]

[messianic]

[Makes sense to him.

He looks around the massive store.

...]

Which way is the deli...? I only managed to find toiletries and also the athletics section, last time.

[survivaltricks]

[uh]

. . .

Spin around and pick a direction?