acatalepsy_rpg | ᴏᴏ2 ( ᴠɪᴅᴇᴏ ) | Mᴏɴsᴛᴇʀs ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ Dᴀʀᴋ

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ᴏᴏ2 ( ᴠɪᴅᴇᴏ ) | Mᴏɴsᴛᴇʀs ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ Dᴀʀᴋ

[ lotor is in the lounge area, and seems to have found the video games. he's not playing them, but he seems to be considering it, fiddling with one of the controllers as he speaks. and, for someone stuck on an abandoned spaceship, he doesn't seem to be too entirely bothered by the whole stuck thing.

outwardly, anyway. inwardly, lotor is suffering psychologically just like everyone else, but he does a good job at pretending he isn't. he is a professional liar, after all. ]

All of this exploration and chatter, and no one has come together to wonder what is making that noise?

[ he doesn't sound bothered, by the ever-present rumbling underneath their feet, but he does sound curious. like this entire thing is academic, rather than, you know. a dead ship prison. ]

I was born on a space station, and I have to admit, I have never heard something like that. And, as Sheryl has already pointed out, we are not moving. We seem to be stuck in stasis, hanging in nothingness, while something, or someone, is making that dreadful noise.

[ he tosses the controller onto a nearby couch. ]

The closest thing I can think of is that it almost reminds me of the planet destroyers, in my own corner of the universe. Giant creatures that wander space and time, eating dead planets. It is a remarkable function, and interesting to study -- an intergalactic recycling center, ensuring that the universe does not get overly cluttered. Or perhaps it's a malfunction of the mechanical variety, or maybe the noise is simply in our own heads, a figment of our imagination.

[ lotor pauses before shrugging, and inclines his head toward the screen. there is something, in the glint in his eyes. a need to be distracted, a need to talk to someone, a need to not feel trapped on this ship going absolutely nowhere.

being stuck is the thing lotor hates the very most. ]

Does anyone else want to add to the baseless guessing, or would someone like to join me in a game of flight simulation?

ooc: threadjacking is always welcome in my posts. :)

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We can share all the guesses we want, it's not the same as making progress if they're all equally baseless. Maybe that's why people aren't.

You aren't curious?

[ it just strikes him odd, that no one seems to be openly theorizing. or maybe people are, and are keeping it quiet. to each their own. ]

We'll figure it out along the way to figuring out what we really need to do here.

[Optimistic for such a grumpy reply overall, but hey.]

Right now, if I claimed it was the restless spirits of dead crew members, nobody would be able to disprove it. It would just be pushing assumptions on people. It might even turn out to be misleading.

Far more likely to be some furious species of alien beast than the restless spirits of dead crew members, but I appreciate your imagination.

[ the discussion is ludicrous, but distracting, which was lotor's true goal. and ghosts are easier to talk about than the reality of the situation, which is they're stuck on a space prison. ]

Alternatively, the engine is malfunctioning, and that's what the racket is . . . do you honestly believe people will believe ghosts are to blame? I would hardly call that level of speculation misleading.

Ghosts are real in other worlds. Why not this one? It was just an example.

[He's not going to be stubborn about ghosts under circumstances like these! ...he thinks, stubbornly.]

Are they real in yours?

[ sounds fake but okay ]

Does it matter? Or, I guess, does it matter more than you continuing to talk to yourself?

You'll come to find most of the communication that happens on this network begins with talking to yourself.

[ but it's a fair point, not that lotor will admit that. ]

And it matters, if only to talk about something other than the pointless journey the witch has sent us on. Do ghosts exist, or do they not?

Yes, they exist.

[There's a small delay after that, but it's not because he's typing an explanation.]

Honestly, I don't think the noise is related. But, since spirits are just as chaotic as living people, there's no strong evidence against it yet, either.

[ interesting. ]

A haunted spaceship is just as terrible as an alien monster-infested spaceship, I suppose.

You speak with some level of familiarity, with spirits. Are they truly that common, in your world?

Yes, that's what I was implying. They're a fact of nature to me. But space travel this advanced isn't, and yet here we are. It doesn't mean anything.

I'm of the mentality that every piece of information available to us matters to a certain extent, and knowledge of each of our worlds combined may prove to be the solution to whatever is set before us.

I was born on a space station, so this world feels familiar to me. But others may not. You have certain strengths and weaknesses, as do I -- and the existence of ghosts in your world, whether significant or not now, may be useful at some point in the future.

If that's the case, what are your strengths and weaknesses? Just as a point of comparison.

[Edgy. But hey, dude isn't necessarily wrong about how useful it might be to know.]

Of course; I give information freely in exchange for the same. It's only fair.

I am the Emperor of a space-faring race, charged with ruling a rather large portion of the galaxy. I would like to think, by the same token, that I am a good leader, and I have made more than my fair share of difficult decisions in the name of the greater good.

On a more personal level, I consider myself adept at swordsmanship, translating ancient texts, research, flight, and I enjoy strategic board games.

[ the last part is a bit sarcastic ~~OR IS IT~~. ]

[sup it's ya girl.]

It certainly does not sound mechanical in nature, which...I cannot say is less concerning.

But whatever it may be, it must be connected to why this ship is abandoned.

[ best girl. ♥ ]

Do you think so?

[ mulling it over. ]

If that is the case, where are the bodies? There are only a few instances of actual struggle . . . and it hardly looks like a chaotic evacuation.

Then do you believe it may be something taking up residence sometime after it became abandoned?

[GUESS WHO DOESN'T WANT TO THINK ABOUT THERE BEING BODIES or a lack thereof.]

That girl...Violet. Has she said anything further about the nature of the ship's abandonment?

I am not entirely sure what to make out of it, just that none of it makes any sense.

[ but at the mention of violet, lotor allows a soft sigh to escape. ]

She claims this ship was a part of a settlement effort from Earth. The planet was overtaxed, and so humanity spread. I haven't been able to get out of her what, exactly, happened yet.

[she's visibly concerned. clearly empathetic towards Violet's plight.]

Do you believe it is because of trauma she does not wish to say? Or...something else...?

It could be both.

[ with a slight shrug; allura is optimistic, and lotor is not. she's more inclined to see the good in people, whereas he's far more realistic about their situation. people are bad, more often than the good people would like to believe. and so lotor is naturally suspicious. ]

But it is hard to say, necessarily, without questioning her further. And I don't want to press someone who has clearly been through an experience, even if I don't believe she should be given the benefit of the doubt.

When I spoke with Violet, she mentioned that this ship was attacked by a creature larger than the ship itself.

[ a 'hrm' sound escapes his lips, but lotor doesn't look too shocked. ]

Then where is the damage, and where are the bodies of the people who presumably died? There are only a few signs that something terrible happened here . . . certain instances of conflict, but nothing grossly suspicious aside from what has been uncovered by the Circle.

[ rooms torn asunder, blast marks . . . what exactly happened? ]

She mentioned that the creature was akin to those depicted in the works of a philosopher from her world, and that in those works, the creatures were capable of driving people to madness.

[She doesn't like dealing with hypotheticals like this, but she does come from a world where magic is real and mages are hired to defeat monsters attacking towns on occasion. It's at least vaguely possible... She twirls a lock of her hair around one finger idly in thought.]

If we accept the possibility that this creature has that ability, then perhaps the damage was inflicted internally by the crew, courtesy of hallucinations or paranoia.

{ aha. there's a sudden understanding, in lotor's eyes, as ikaruga continues speaking, and he mulls that over for a long moment. ]

They got rid of one another, then. The creature only forced them to do it, and has been laying roost ever since.

[ there's almost a beauty, in that type of warfare, but it makes lotor's skin crawl uncomfortably. ]

No wonder we have all felt as we have; it is slowly driving us mad.

It seems to be the most reasonable explanation for everything. The whispers afflicting everyone certainly support the theory.

[It's not great news, but better to have some idea of what's going on than to be clueless, frightened, and succumb to madness even faster.

Which brings her to her next point.]

It might be best to think of ways to preserve our sanity, considering our current predicament.

I've come to find that keeping oneself grounded, in times of questioning your mind, is harder than it sounds.

[ it's a terrifying thing, to lose your own faculties. that being said: ]

But focusing on what is real, and what is not, is a decent start. We know one another exist outside of this world. Relying on one another for support seems to be the first step toward ensuring our safety.

Mental exercises may be beneficial. Simple things, focused on facts and logic rather than emotion. Such as trying to think of as many words that begin with the same letter.

[Anything that lets them mentally detach from the whispers and general feeling of dread, even if only for a few minutes.]

Are you suggesting sitting around the proverbial campfire and trading tongue-twisters, Ikaruga?

[ he almost sounds amused, at the thought. ]

[Well, now that he's said it, she can't help but have a little fun with it. It's better than dwelling on some of the more horrifying things to come in the near future.]

We mustn't forget singing songs. Or braiding hair.

Why not both?

[ with half a laugh; indeed, far more enjoyable to focus on that, than anything else. ]

Simultaneously, even. You know, I once started a society for the fine arts.

[Largely out of boredom. There was only so much training one could do in a day.]

Perhaps I should do that within the Circle when circumstances are less dire.

[ ikaruga is certainly an interesting woman. ]

Perhaps.

[ entertained, by the thought. this much, at least, is distracting. ]

Do you consider yourself an artist?

Not professionally, but it's a hobby I possess some skill in.

[Prideful as she is, she's not deluded enough to consider herself a master. But she also knows she has enough skill that no one would look at her art and call it shoddy and amateurish, either.]

A good way to relax while simultaneously training the eye and fine motor skills.

[ interesting tidbit. ]

I, too, can draw, but I confess I am out of practice. It's something I used to do as a child, before life took a different path.

[ read: his dad is the worst. ]

But I appreciate art, and the skill it requires. It's the perfect blend of subjectivity and technical skill.

Did you also enjoy music when you were younger? If so, I may have to insist on singing and hair braiding.

[She's only half joking about this. Her curiousity as to whether or not he can sing is genuine.]

Airplane or spaceship flight simulation? ...Aaaaand chatting or playing-- which would be more fun for you?

Edited 2019-03-04 04:28 (UTC)

Truthfully, anything sounds fun in comparison to sitting around and listening to that noise.

[ he pauses, though, as he glances over the video games. ]

And it appears to be a spaceship.

GREAT! I love spaceships! [Sudden explosive enthusiasm! Though it does down pretty quickly:] Ah, I mean...more like spaceships for exploring and research. I've kind of had my fill of migratory spaceships and ones that eat people.

[Insert background noise of her jogging through the halls to get to the lounge area.]

[ oh boy, this child sounds like they have A LOT of energy . . . what did he get himself into. but what she says does sound interesting, and so -- ]

I think we have all had our flil of the latter.

[ spaceships that eat people, that is. ]

Do such things exist, in your world? Spaceships, and the like. Or are they matters of fiction?

[She may have a lot of energy, but she's also the kind of ~~animu~~ woman who can trip over her own feet...Such as right now, when the sound of her footsteps stutter before returning to a steady rhythm.]

Um, it's a bit complicated. My original world had spaceships, but people didn't travel outside of our solar system. Then I get sucked into a different world with a migratory spaceship...And the world I ended up in before this one had very limited technology because the planet was mostly wiped out. [Girl lives the isekai life.] I-I guess I'll be jumping to more worlds through Astoria now.

[ . . . about half of that makes sense to lotor, but he doesn't seem to be too puzzled or lost, at the concept of skipping through dimensions. par for the course, both here and at home. ]

Then you should be considered the resident expert.

[ appreciatively. ]

Not very many contain a wealth of information concerning trans-dimensional travel, before coming here. And, in the end, isn't that all this is?

[Another great point about Ionasal is that she sometimes slips into long rambling. Lotor should be happy that it wasn't a long-winded friendship speech.

Her jog slows down as she takes a moment to contemplate his last comment. Because, in all honesty, she has a deep-seated anger about being dragged off to different worlds so suddenly. The fact that he can spin a positive note is rather surprising.]

I suppose so...Though I really wouldn't wish this situation on anyone. [There's another pause before she asks in a quiet, tentative way:] Do you know if anyone is not in their original body?

[ it's a matter of perspective, really. the circle is lotor's last chance at life, which may be the same for other people . . . so being here isn't the worst thing in the world, to him, though he keeps that to himself. it's the next question that causes him pause, and he arches his eyebrows slightly. ]

This is the only one that I have known.

[ referring to him, anyway. ]

And I haven't heard anyone complain about being "body-swapped," but I suppose nothing is outside of the realm of possibility, when it comes to the Circle . . . why?

[Well shit, now she probably looks rude. Ion has a mental stutter as she catches herself--]

Er, I-I guess I mean more like I wouldn't want people kidnapped from their regular lives... [That's reasonable at least, right? And now she's simply too flustered to really explain such a bizarre question.] Um, it's nothing big! If it hasn't been an issue, then that's a good thing!!

[ . . . right. ]

"Body-swapping" seems to be a fairly "big" issue.

Is that something that occurs, in your world?

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ᴏᴏ2 ( ᴠɪᴅᴇᴏ ) | Mᴏɴsᴛᴇʀs ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ Dᴀʀᴋ

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