Newbies + Monthly Prompts!

[trainmasters]

Who: Everyone
When: Day 47, morning
Where: the Aurora

[It's that time again: this morning, you're awoken by the jingle associated with an official message from your Chain -- the usual "newbie time" balloon animation and text:]

WELCOME NEW HEROES

[This round's newbies are waking up in their rooms, in the usual nondescript undies or team pyjamas.

Outside, the cold snap has broken. It's back to jungle warmth, though the sudden change in temperature appears to have caused a thick fog. So thick, in fact, that you can't see more than a few feet in front of you -- and it doesn't burn off with the daylight.

For the next few days, Origin Star will be lost in the mist, and should you venture too far, you may be too. Because out there in the humid dim are willow-the-wisps, faint lights in the fog that will lead you to perilous terrain or into the jaws of beasts.

Sometimes, you may also hear a voice -- a distant song from across the sea, in the direction of the corrupted island. If you get too close, long and spindly arms will reach out of the water and pull you down, for a kiss from a scaly human-like being that sucks all the emotion out of you and leaves you feeling hollow and lacking empathy for others. The cure is time -- you'll be better in a day or so, but you can speed it up by basking in the warm feelings of others.]

[[OOC NOTES: As the monthly prompts, the fog and mermaids will continue until next month's placements. If you have any questions, please ping the mods via the q&a. Thank you!]]

Comments

[comingstorm]

I see.

So a noble idiot. I don't hate that sort.

[schrodingerscockroach]

[Shrugs.] I know the things I agreed to were stupidly dangerous and I suffer the consequences of it.

But if it helped the war effort at all, then it was worth it.

[Worst part it really didn't help.]

[comingstorm]

I don't hate your sort, but I don't like it either.

[schrodingerscockroach]

Fair. I know it can be a frustrating sort. [He knows.]

What about you?

[comingstorm]

What about me?

[schrodingerscockroach]

Were you military?

[comingstorm]

Yes. Captain of a special unit.

[schrodingerscockroach]

What was special about it?

[comingstorm]

Many things. Though from a military perspective, being recruited as children and raised together might be the first oddity.

[schrodingerscockroach]

Ah.

[Face goes blank.]

Why did they do that?

[comingstorm]

[Hm, he examines Dusk.]

The idea troubles you.

[schrodingerscockroach]

I've seen the enemy destroy a planet. I can see why I agreed to highly questionable experiments. I know those experiments also involved definitely killing people to achieve the results they needed.

There were other Projects doing other things. Questionable things. Evil things. I'd be surprised if kids weren't involved in at least one. More adaptable, better conditioning, things like that.

All 'necessary evils' to deal with a force determined and very capable of killing us all.

Doesn't mean it's not evil. But sometimes people will commit evil even when it's not necessary.

[comingstorm]

... Suffice it to say we were not ordinary children. I do agree, children are not soldiers. But we were raised by a kind man. Too kidn, perhaps.

Regardless of one's moral stance on our inception, I could not ask for a better squad.

[schrodingerscockroach]

....not ordinay children? [GDI is this like Five and his family?]

[comingstorm]

Yes. But the particulars of my squad aren't too relevant here and now.

[schrodingerscockroach]

Just bringing up a disturbing trend of children dealing with shit they shouldn't have. Even if they're not children anymore.

[comingstorm]

Hm. The world isn't a fair place. It doesn't magically become so for children. No world has ever been so ideal that I know of.

[schrodingerscockroach]

Saying the world isn't fair as an excuse to accept things without question just means it'll never be better.

[comingstorm]

Did I say I accept it? But fact is fact. Getting maudlin about it won't change it. Doing what you can with what you have is all one can do.

If you can do that while your heart bleeds than fine. It takes all sorts. I find that kind of philosophical morosity distracting at best.

[schrodingerscockroach]

Compartmentalization is a hell of a skill for maintaining a bleeding heart. [Or love for your friends while you're on a revenge quest.]

It's also something to keep track of because like I said, emotionally stunted people can make the working together thing really frustrating. Easier if I can figure out where they're coming from.

[comingstorm]

[Waves a hand.]

If it doesn't hinder you who am I to say compassion is bad? The world would be better for more of it.

[schrodingerscockroach]

It would be.

[And if aliens had it.]

[Sighs and gestures at him] Seen the list of ways to earn Sparks?

[comingstorm]

Be sappy and demonstrative, yes. As I've said, I've whored myself in worse fashions.

[schrodingerscockroach]

There's also the team bonds?

[comingstorm]

Persuasion. Yes. I suppose that's workable.