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

[messianic]

[Oh... okay... Minato accepts the jelly tube, blankly.

And he opens it... because why not...]

Thanks... [He thinks.]

Why do you need those packet things?

[suddenlybees]

[ Yeah, you're welcome. Please drink actual water after Kano leaves. ]

Hm? You're not eating 'em all, are you? Or did you want them?

[messianic]

Oh, no, I was joking.

[Without any inflection whatsoever, which makes it a shitty joke.]

I thought you might be looking for them for a reason.

[suddenlybees]

[ We're going to have to work on that, Minato. ]

Yep, I was~ But, anyways, I can have 'em right? You don't want to keep any for yourself?

[ Is he going to tell Minato what he wants them for? Nah. ]

[messianic]

[He's so curious.

But apparently not enough so to ask.]

Yeah, you can keep them. I don't need any, as far as I can tell.

[suddenlybees]

[ Good. Let's keep it that way. ]

Well, if you ever need any in the future, you know who to go to! Don't throw any away when you find them, okay? I'll take 'em off your hands~

[ This is where he would offer payment, but... no... ]

[messianic]

[Nah... no payment necessary, really.]

So you're just going to be collecting them...?

[HOW...MYSTERIOUS.]

I don't mind bringing any more I find to you, but... [???]

[suddenlybees]

[ Kano nods, because... yeah. He's just going to be collecting them. They'll be important later, maybe. ]

But what? What's up?

[ Is he going to ask for payment, because Kano doesn't have anything to offer, so there was no offer in the first place. ]

[messianic]

[... hmmm]

Do you just like collecting stuff like that?

[suddenlybees]

[ He seems to think about it for a moment, before smiling and going ]

Yeah.

[ Minato gets no explanation. Just accept it. Don't ask questions. ]

[messianic]

[He does not seem to need any more explanation than that, for some reason.

He nods.]

Okay.

I'm Minato, by the way. So you can find me again if you need to, Gel-Packet-san.

[suddenlybees]

Good to meet you, Minato~ I'll stop by again! Oh- If you find anything interesting, hold onto it for me, okay? Yeah! Thanks!

[ He'll just agree for Minato, and also accept being Gel-Packet-san for the rest of his life. ]

[messianic]

[It's too long, so it's going to be shortened to something horrible eventually.]

... That's fine.

[SO... so okay with this, apparently.]

But what's "interesting", exactly?

[suddenlybees]

Hm...

[ Kano taps at his chin, trying to think about how to describe interesting. ]

Interesting's... anything you're interested in, I guess! But, like, for me and not you-- it should be interesting for me!

[ That doesn't help. ]

Ah, well. Just pick up stuff other people don't want. I'm okay with the leftovers~

[messianic]

[... That is so not helpful.

And yet he's in too deep now.

So.]

Leftovers, things that I'm interested in but not for me, and gel packets.

Got it.

[suddenlybees]

[ He was going to leave "interesting" up to you, Minato... that's about as easy mode as it gets. ]

Yep, that's it, you got it~ Oh! And shiny things!! Just think to yourself: "Would a magpie like this?" and if the answer's yes, then that's something worth picking up for Gel-Packet-san~

[messianic]

[It's so much harder if he has to think of it himself, and so much easier if someone just demands pine resin!!]

Okay, okay...

[He's thinking, but not about the new guidelines.

Instead:]

Gel-Packet-san is pretty long to say, though. Maybe GPack-san. [IT GOT WORSE.]

[suddenlybees]

[ If Minato finds pine resin, please give it to Kano. If Kano knew it would be easier, he would write up a whole shopping list for Minato; it'll be like a scavenger hunt as he travels through all the worlds. ]

GPack-san... GPack... Hm, maybe we can drop the -san? We're friends enough for that, right? Yeah! Oh— how about Gel-P? What do you think?

[ Terrible. ]

[messianic]

[He would do it, too, which is terrible.

Also terrible: this entire thing.]

Gel-P...

[Even for Minato...that's bad.]

Maybe you should just tell me your actual name.

[suddenlybees]

[ Is Gel-P not cute... ]

It's Gel-P.

[messianic]

[Deep in his soul, forgotten but scars not erased, it reminds him of something frightening.

He can't remember what, though.

Anyway, his tone is dry, but he's not going to argue it.]

Huh.

How lucky then.

[suddenlybees]

[ Oh my god. Gel-P has nothing against Elle-P. ]

Right? With that, we're first name basis! Gel-P and Minato-chan!

[ GREAT. This is how it'll be for the rest of the game. ]

Everything's good now, right?

[messianic]

[This is terrible, why is Kano like this.

"chan" again, too............ why.]

... Yeah. I guess so. [IT'S WHATEVER. Arguing either of those things sounds like a lot of wasted effort.]

And I'll remember to look for interesting things.

[suddenlybees]

[ He looks like a Minato-chan. ]

Great~ Awesome!

[ Minato is the best. Kano hops up onto his feet, pockets whatever gel packets there are left, and heads for the door. ]

I'll check back five times a day!! I'm countin' on you, Minato-chan!

[messianic]

[Five times a day........... Minato-chan....

... Life may as well be this way, huh?

Vaguely, he just lifts a hand out of his pocket to wave.]

Right... okay. See you later.

[WHATEVER.... it'll probably be fine.

(Famous last words.)]