Event: Mirror Image

[trainmasters]

Who: everyone!
When: Day 19 evening and on
Where: outside

[As darkness falls in the jungle, an unusually chill breeze rustles through the trees. In its wake is silence, the purified fauna going quiet as if in dread.

Is it just you, or is the night darker tonight?

You may find the cause if you leave the train. Those who are caught alone outside will see the shadows grow suddenly long. The darkness coalesces into a vaguely human form, vague and faceless but radiating cold.

Before you can react the shadows surround you. Deep within, your most bitter, unpleasant feelings rise up in your chest. It's overwhelming, threatening to consume you, but just before it can it suddenly stops. The shadows recoil, dissipating into the jungle.

You're safe, but those negative feelings might be closer to the surface than usual.

Good luck, especially if you're one of the newbies just waking up.]

[NOTES: This event will OOCly end on Wednesday, but feel free to ICly push time forward as much as you like. There will be a followup post at that time, and you can schedule player-run trials any time after.

The emotional effect of this event can be as severe as you want. Your character could just be a bit grumpy, or they could find their emotions totally out of control. The effect lasts a couple of hours or until the character counters it with happier feelings.]

Comments

[saddleclub]

...?

[That still doesn't explain but whatever.]

Hmph. Well I have no desire to be loved by anyone, in the sky or otherwise.

[playerkiller]

So you've never had a girlfriend.

[saddleclub]

That's correct.

[playerkiller]

[ squinting harder... tell him at least a— ]

Boyfriend.

[saddleclub]

[He might get a little redder.]

Not one of those either.

[playerkiller]

[ oh my god.


this pure kid. he's not sure what to think of this? on one hand, he hates it when romance gets in the way. it's a horrible distraction for anyone, and he doesn't like associating himself with people who are lovestruck for that reason.

(and he doesn't like getting them killed.)

on the other... he's a 28 year old esports gamer somewhere down there. that's pretty funny. ]

Isn't that a sad life...

[saddleclub]

Not everyone has the time to spend on dating, you know. I don't think my lack of romance has been any problem to my life.

[playerkiller]

That's what people say when they don't have any other excuse.

[saddleclub]

Honestly if I had all the free time to go romancing someone I could use it to sleep in, read books, go for leisurely rides... It'd be nice to be that idle.

If you're done blatantly looking for my weaknesses, you should probably learn to, I don't know, socialize with other people. Without murder on the table.

[playerkiller]

No. [ just. plainly. ] Don't change the subject.

[saddleclub]

Is it much of a subject? My lack of romance doesn't particularly bother me. It seems to perturb you more. Why, haven't you got a boyfriend or girlfriend if that's so important?

[playerkiller]

[ ah.



in this turn, he doesn't have a relationship.

the last turn was different.

he just kind of freezes, feeling like something is slowly ticking away inside. after a long moment, he's scowling. ]

It's no good to have attachments like that in my case.

[saddleclub]

Why is that?

[playerkiller]

Most planets are being watched, every second of the day. There's not many places the stream can't see you. Therefore, there's always a new scenario to defeat, and lives are snuffed out daily for the entertainment of others.

[ he's recovering a little, speaking simply—turns out when you remind him of his humanity, he acts better. for the moment. ]

[saddleclub]

That sounds horrendous.

[playerkiller]

[ ...honestly, not that he will say it, but the silence in his mind has been very welcome.

his own sponsor hardly ever spoke to him—once, in fact—but there was always someone making comments on what he was doing. someone who liked what he did, someone who hated it. ]

If you haven't experienced it, they just haven't found your world.

[saddleclub]

Hmph. Well they're not finding anyone's world with things like they are now, I imagine.

[playerkiller]

You seem pretty sure.

[saddleclub]

I am. The universe is destroyed or... Whatever. Something like that. We're the fished out souls from the ruins of the universe, reconstructed into bodies meant to restore it. Or so we're told.

Well, it seems true.

[playerkiller]

... it's not simple enough to understand, but I'm not shocked by this.

[saddleclub]

....It seems as if your circumstances are strange.

Well for the sake of cultural understanding, murder is not common sense here. Violence is not the best way to solve disputes or get things you want. Don't expect me to clean up any messes you make, and try to take social cues on how to interact from those around you.

It's not like you're the only weirdo here anyway, so as long as you don't go waving knives and pots around you won't stand out.

[playerkiller]

[ ... listen it's a little too late to house train him (mostly). ]

Thanks for the tip.

[ his tone probably does not inspire confidence. ]

[saddleclub]

[Well whatever I'm not this guy's babysitter.]

Try to not cause too much trouble.

[playerkiller]

If I cause trouble, I end it.

[ by killing, ]

[saddleclub]

Don't do anything with trouble. Live a peaceful existence.