[mingle] the space (january).

[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?

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

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.

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. 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

[suddenlybees]

[ This... time. Okay. ]

Hm, that part is unclear, but the word on the grapevine is that someone's out here stealing away all sorts of people trying to gather up something... y'know, souls to power up a nefarious world ending machine, human brains to scoop out and snack on, that sorta thing! It's a good thing some of us aren't human, but man, to be caught up in this sort of mess...

[suddenlybees]

[ Say goodbye to your emblem. If Kano ever comes across it first, she can also say goodbye to it. That said, not everybody is terrible like he is, so there's still a ray of hope. ]

Well, let's see cross our fingers and hope some good Samaritan's returned it to a lost and found somewhere. I think the airport would have something like that? No point in giving up so early~

[lightmage]

[ She looks embarrassed to ask, but: ]

Airport?

[supersoldier]

[That's far more common than Sephiroth would have imagined if he had ever been told to envision what a separate world and their horse-population looked like.

The faintest cinch of his brow, barely there.]

And chocobos? What are they used for?

[lightmage]

[ She can't imagine a world without horses??? Does everyone else's world just have trains all over the place???? ]

I'm... Unfamiliar, I'm afraid.

[suddenlybees]

[ It's okay. Kano makes it worse by snickering, then full on laughing. ]

You don't know what an airport is? That's okay, it's okay~

[supersoldier]

[No, they have chocobos!!]

A species of bird. Large, usually yellow, and can traverse even difficult terrain depending on the breed. [This is just common knowledge, really. He's looking for any kind of recognition on her face.] They're prevalent, especially outside of the city.

[lightmage]

[ She shakes her head slowly. Nope, never seen anything like that. ]

... I've never seen anything like that in my travels. But - there are still many places I've never been before.

[lightmage]

[ Frowns!!!! ]

[suddenlybees]

[ It's okay!!! Give Kano a couple seconds to catch his breath. ]

Haha, whew! Okay! That's settled, then, we're going to the airport! It's gotta be that place, yeah!

[ Alright, let's go. Kano is going to pick one random direction and walk along the train tracks, because who knows where the airport is, but they'll get there eventually somehow. ]

[lightmage]

[ She follows. Because what else is she going to do.

Besides POUT!!!!! ]

[supersoldier]

I see. Interesting.

[Odd, but interesting.]

You mentioned magic. Is that uncommon in your world, too?

[suddenlybees]

[ She could do the smart thing and not follow him. Or wait until they see a train coming and shove him down on the tracks.

Having somebody behind him where he can't see is always weird, so Kano slows down enough that they're walking side by side instead and he can see the look on her face. ]

Aw, you're not bothered by what I said, are you? Sorry, sorry~ It's just surprising, you know? Some people have never seen a train before, either! Imagine that.

[lightmage]

That's hard to say. There are many who are afflicted, but we weed them out more and more each day.

At least, within the kingdom.

[lightmage]

[ ....... Awkwardly looks away because she had never seen a train before, either. ]

Then this sort of thing is... Common, where you're from?

[bakaomi]

Up there?

[ that's funny, actually ]

Most of us got the train.

[bakaomi]

The holiday? With Santa Claus?

[ SANTA!!!!

he pauses ]

You don't have Christmas where you're from then?

[quickpersuader]

[There's some resistance at first, but they allow him to move their arms after that brief moment. Even if he takes his hand away, they're still very o: about this.]

Oh. It's a face and arms?

[bakaomi]

In here?

[ he glances around ]

No. I think it's new.

[quickpersuader]

[Shaking head.]

I haven't heard of it from any of the other countries I've visited, either.

[suddenlybees]

Yep, you got it! Now hold that pose, and go ahead and read that first line!

[ The cursed hewwo ]

[supersoldier]

Afflicted?

["Weed them out". Her choice of wording lends itself to some very strange context.]

So they're unwanted.

[twitter]

[ no matter what they open the door to, even if it's just a bathroom, hajime lets out an impressed squeal before moving onto the next compartment. ]

Wow... this is some train! It's so big! I wonder how many people it can seat? How fast does it go?

[suddenlybees]

[ Wow. Kano smiles in delight at that reaction. ]

Depends on what you mean by "this sort of thing" but yeah, for the most part! What, the place you live doesn't have train tracks crossing the air like power lines? What's your home like?

[twitter]

[ she is definitely living her best life

but she's also not rude, so once she notices there's someone else here, hajime will pause in her running to trot over. ]

Hiiii!