INTROS + MONTHLIES

[trainmasters]

Who: Everyone
When: Day 59, morning
Where: the Aurora

[It's morning, though you might not know it from the darkness that remains outside. But there is an annoouncement on your Chain to brighten up the day regardless:]

WELCOME NEW HEROES

[This round's newbies are waking up in their rooms, in the usual nondescript undies or team pyjamas. They'll get their basic welcome message and a prompt to view the IC Guide.

As you go out to greet them, you might find that the entire train has been decorated! By whom is not readily apparent, but there's streamers and heart-shaped balloons adorning all the hallways and many of the additional cars besides which. It's festive!

You know what else is festive? The candy hearts sitting in bowls around the place. They all have generic, cute messages on them like "I ♥ You," "Be Mine," "Text Me," "Forever," etc. Try one out! Though you might find they carry some effects when you try one out....

♥ Pink Hearts These hearts will cause an empathetic bond! For the next few minutes/hours/rest of the thread, you'll find yourself connected with the nearest person in arguably the most intimate of ways....

♡ White Hearts You just can't help it after you chomp down on one of these hearts-- you've got a song on your lips bursting to come out! You may even feel up for dancing. Go forth and be your best, most musical sellf!

♥ Green Hearts You know what that person you're talking to RIGHT NOW needs? A hug!!! At least, that's the urge you'll get the moment you pop a green heart into your mouth. Although handholding also seems to get rid of the compulsion, so hey, there's options!

♡ Blue Hearts The very next thing you say after you eat one of these bad boys comes out in poem form! It doesn't have to be good poetry, mind you. Limericks, haikus, anything goes! At least it's mercifully brief?

And so it goes. Enjoy your icebreaker and make that fresh meat feel welcome!]

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

Comments

[terribletwos]

Not... entirely. But I have a replica body now so it should work mostly the same? The guys who helped me get it didn't have a lot of time to explain.

[ They were kind of in the middle of a war between Light and Darkness...

Also, he basically has only ever eaten ice cream so...]

What I used to be is even more confusing. It can wait until after we save everyone.

[ Because clearly they're going to do that RIGHT NOW. ]

[schrodingerscockroach]

So clone body. Right. [Hopefully their clones are better than his clones. He wonders if he could get 80H to subtlety check? She'd definitely help out?]

[Or would she?]

[....later.]

That's going to take time. I've been here a few weeks. Aurora has been functioning about two months.

1/2

[terribletwos]

Yeah, I think it's something like that. It's all really new. Like a day ago.

[terribletwos]

Two months? Have we saved anyone?

[schrodingerscockroach]

...Jesus Christ, the timing. [S I G H.]

We saved a planet a few days ago.

[terribletwos]

[ But his friends weren't on that planet... ]

Right...

Is there any way to save people faster?

[schrodingerscockroach]

Supposedly if we save these prisma stars, that should save everyone. And unlike all our homes, that's only a handful. But it takes time. They've all been overtaken by darkness.

If there's a faster way, we don't know about it yet.

Charging off on your own definitely isn't it.

[terribletwos]

So if we save all the stars... everyone will be all right?

[ There's that innocent plea again. Is this really the only way to see them again? ]

It's not like I can go anywhere without a ship.

[schrodingerscockroach]

That's the plan.

....but like I said, you're not the only with friends. A lot of us have friends we want to see again. A lot of us have done crazy, impossible things.

And we're in this together. We're going to get your friends back. It just takes time.

[terribletwos]

[ Time is another weird concept to him. Everything has always seemed so transient. Even if he wanted it to last more than anything.

Now, he wishes for once that he could speed time up. ]

I'll do whatever it takes. To get everyone's friends back.

[schrodingerscockroach]

...

[And he smiles. Just a bit. It's tired, he's obliviously exhausted, but there is some emotion there.]

And we'll gets yours. Okay?

[terribletwos]

Thanks...

But you really should take it easy. You look worn down.

[schrodingerscockroach]

[He chuckles.] Yeah, I think I'm gonna hear that a lot.

We'll see. Right now, this is easier than most things.

[terribletwos]

I guess having something to focus on keeps you grounded.

I don't like stopping either.

[schrodingerscockroach]

It really does.

Neither do I. Trust me, I get wanting to rush. But a lot of the time with things like this, there is a whole lot of waiting.

And then rushing when it all likes to explode.

[terribletwos]

... how did they get inside your heart? Only wielders should be able to do that.

[schrodingerscockroach]

Wielders?

[terribletwos]

Keyblade wielders. The Keyblade is connected to hearts.

[schrodingerscockroach]

....what.

[terribletwos]

[ Shrugs ]

That's just how it works. I guess that's why it's the only thing that can really free hearts captured by Heartless. And why everyone's after it.

[schrodingerscockroach]

....okay, if that has to do with Darkness, I think Malice is a different thing. Because that's not the only thing that causes Heart Games.

[Pauses.]

Because it was....a Heart Game....

[terribletwos]

But what caused it? If it wasn't a wielder?

[schrodingerscockroach]

A trial runner. This....time?

[Why does that concept sound so FAMILIAR?]

[terribletwos]

This time? It's happened before?

Where do these runners come from? And where are they now?

[schrodingerscockroach]

Maybe? That....the concept should be alien, but it's not. And usually when it's not, it means I've experienced it.

[And boy....boy, does he hate that thought.]