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

[bluediligence]

[ she's fine ]

[ this is fine everything's fine she's fine ]

You've had A Day, huh. Uhm. Do you wanna see a photo of the me you had in your heart?

[schrodingerscockroach]

.... [Listen, it was only after he said it that he realized how bad it sounded.] I had to make a call and I didn't know where I was.

....a photo.

[bluediligence]

Mm. I understand. [ sometimes you get thrown in at the deep end and have to ... make the best of it ]

[ by kneecapping some teenagers to save a mother and daughter and- ]

[ yeah, okay, no, she just can't right now. shakes her head, takes a deep breath, and just, squeezes his hand lightly, pulling out her chain with her free hand. ]

I couldn't resist getting a selfie with her. [ HERE, BEHOLD. ]

[schrodingerscockroach]

[He doesn't even feel bad about the kneecapping because H O N E S T L Y. That was karma and a lesson that needed to be learned and better him then dead.]

....of course not.

[But he'll look at the photo.] ....why is her hair blue?

[bluediligence]

I think that's because of the memory you got back of her — uhm, I mean, me, as an AI. "Aoko" and "Feather" were both names I used to go by.

[schrodingerscockroach]

.....wait, what.

[bluediligence]

Yeah.

[ yeah ]

That was probably a bodyswap thing, like that one we had a little while back. The "me" in your heart is called Feather, because Aoko, my past self, gave her that name.

[schrodingerscockroach]

What? There was another....bodyswap...

Which means Kyriakos is like this place.

.....

[Excuse him as he just....takes his hand away to put his face in his hands.]

[bluediligence]

[ ... ]

... Yeah. [ She lets him take his hand back, and just kind of ... very gently and tentatively leans her arm against his instead. ]

[ She'd honestly guessed as much anyway, but. Still. His reaction is a very understandable one. ]

Are you ... [ Obviously he isn't okay, Faito ] How can I help?

[schrodingerscockroach]

Three times.

I'm pretty sure I've been through this scenario three times.

I want to drink a gallon of hot chocolate.

[bluediligence]

Three? But-

[ ... ]

I- I'll go make you some.

[schrodingerscockroach]

80H called me Leo my first day here.

Finally figured out why she did and if I have the pieces right, there was another place like this. [ALSO I MIGHT BE DEAD.]

Thank you.

[bluediligence]

That ... that makes three places too many.

[ Up she gets, softly trailing her fingers through his hair as she heads towards the dining area. ]

I'll be back in a couple of minutes. Sit tight, okay?

[schrodingerscockroach]

It really does.

[Okay, but he leans into that touch because he....he does desperately want comfort even if he feels like he absolutely doesn't deserve it????]

[But he will wait for hot chocolate.]

[bluediligence]

[ It might take her closer to five minutes or so, but that's because, when she comes back ]

[ she's holding a mug this size, decorated with blue, red, and yellow cats, and of course it's filled with delicious hot chocolate. ]

Here, for you. [ solemnly holds it out like there's absolutely nothing strange going on ]

[schrodingerscockroach]

[HE WILL TAKE IT.]

You got that fast.

[But he is taking it and taking a far too long first sip.]

[bluediligence]

I didn't wanna leave you by yourself for too long.

[ Sits back down, mindful not to jostle him ]

[schrodingerscockroach]

Spark shop was quick for you.

[He's just gonna drink some hot chocolate. Curl up his legs some because god. GOD, he's tired.]

[bluediligence]

[ Settles in ... hesitates ]

[ Leans into his side again, settling as a warm and hopefully comforting weight. ]

Guess I got lucky.

[ For once in her life. ]

[schrodingerscockroach]

For once.

[He doesn't pull away from her, at least.]

You shouldn't have had to go through that.

[Staring at the screen.]

[bluediligence]

[ oh boy ]

... No. I shouldn't have.

[ She doesn't look at the screen, or at him, staring out of the window instead. ]

I'm sorry.

[schrodingerscockroach]

You don't need to apologize.

You wanted to help, do the right thing. Never apologize for that.

[bluediligence]

Well ... no. I had to try.

But I am sorry you had to find out about it like this.

[schrodingerscockroach]

....

Past few days have been a disaster of things I'm finding out. So at least it's with the rest of it.

[bluediligence]

Is that actually a positive ...

Last I heard, pile-ups were a bad thing.