[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

[lightmage]

[ She nods... She wants her emblem back... ]

Spirited away? What does that mean?

[suddenlybees]

Like, poof!

[ It's more of a blink, a "one second you're here and one second you're somewhere else" but poof works too. ]

Sorta like how you found yourself here all of the sudden? You were somewhere else before, right?

[lightmage]

So we're brought here to be brought other places?

Where?

[suddenlybees]

That's right, that's it~ But, ah, we sorta just go where the wind takes us, I guess? Nothing really happens— you just sorta sit tight until you're yanked out and plopped somewhere else, so you might as well make yourself comfortable and enjoy what's there when you can.

[ This is how Kano can be the way he is, leaping off moving trains and squeezing ketchup into snowballs. ]

[lightmage]

And in doing so... We can repair ourselves?

I don't understand. What sort of places? Places like this?

[suddenlybees]

[ ... ]

Places like this! Yes, absolutely~

[ He can be very generous with his usage of "like" and it works. ]

Repairing ourselves is sorta... mm... Say, you've read the message carved into this huge slab of rock, right? With the faces?

[lightmage]

I've read it, but it doesn't make that much sense to me.

[ And she's only just now figuring out Oooooh those were FACES, okay. ]

[suddenlybees]

It's the very last line! The last one~ If it hasn't changed, it was something like... "Laugh! Cry! And Murder~!!" or something? That's what you gotta do~ Which one do you want to do first?

[ They have to do all three! Surely he remembered right and this isn't misinformation. ]

[lightmage]

[ Hm, that's not a question she wants to answer. ]

I thought that it was a joke. In poor taste, certainly, but given the tone of the rest of the message...

[suddenlybees]

Whoever wrote that went out of their way to carve their message into a rock, right? That takes tons of patience... so I think we should give them the benefit of the doubt and give it a try! What do you say?

[ Laughs, cry, or murder? He's sure they can fit in one or two before they get flung across dimensions. ]

[lightmage]

[ You know what, she's going to assume he's at least kind of joking. ]

Well, I can't cry on command, and it would be foolish to get violent for no reason at all.

... But I don't feel as if I have much to laugh at, either.

[suddenlybees]

So, out of the three, murder is still the easiest, huh? I guess we can work with that...

[ The other two is basically what Kano does all the time, effortlessly faking for no reason, but it's going to take some extra special effort for him to fake a murder. ]

Well! If looking foolish is your concern, don't worry about it! No one here to judge you but me~ [ And he will judge her. ] I can give you a reason to be violent, and we can go from there?

[lightmage]

No - that's not what I meant.

[ Why is he like this!!! ]

Forcing laughter would be a much better alternative.

[suddenlybees]

[ Kano immediately wraps his arms protectively around his stomach. ]

Ehh, tickling to force laughter might as well be murder... I gotta pass on that one! Unless you want to hear a bad joke?

[lightmage]

[ Not to worry, Lux keeps her hands to herself. ]

I would rather hear a good joke.

[suddenlybees]

Dunno how much I can help you there, then! But lemme give it a try, I'll give you the best one I know:

Why did the chicken cross the road?

[ Please know what a chicken is. ]

[lightmage]

[ She knows what a chicken is! ]

I don't know. Why?

[suddenlybees]

[ There are people out here who have never had chocolate before, so it never hurts to check. ]

Because it wanted to~!

[lightmage]

[ ............... ]

[suddenlybees]

[ .................

Come on, at least force the laughter. It's a good bad joke. ]

[lightmage]

[ There was no punchline!! ]

[suddenlybees]

[ That was! the punchline!! ]

...It crossed the road 'cause it wanted to, see? The chicken. It's no good if I have to explain the joke...

[lightmage]

[ She still doesn't get it! ]

It wasn't good before you explained, either.

[suddenlybees]

Haha, is that so?

[ Try harder to get it! But okay, okay, ]

Oh well, I tried my best! Now it's your turn! Hit me with your worst joke!