Starting with a Bang

[onetrippony]

Who: HSS & Anyone Incoming
Where: HSS Dorms
When: Day 138 Morning

[ Good morning HSS! I hope you like being woken up by loud crashing noises because that's what's happening this morning. Inspection of the room where said crashing occurred will yield you one heavily tattooed adult (??) with his foot tangled in a blanket, looking sheepishly at his tipped over and mildly destroyed bed. To vouch for his adultness and newbieness, he's wearing a t-shirt and pajama pants. There's a flaming pony on his t-shirt. That's an important detail. ]

Ah jeez... I hope that wasn't expensive.

Comments

[onetrippony]

My room is definitely out to make my start a little rougher.

[ Curious glance but taking the arm, he seems steady? Look at him normal walking. ]

[mapsio]

[ YOU READ THE DORM DESCRIPTION. Also (x) doubt on standing up straight.

She's taking him to the main room, where...there are a bunch of panels and junk....a table with spinny chairs-- and a mattress pile? A mattress pile. ]

So...our unit's "aesthetic" is that we are heroes. I guess, hence the name. We can buy abilities that are specific to our unit.

[onetrippony]

Heroes, huh? That's a really big title to live up to.

[mapsio]

[ ...there is a tired laugh. ]

Definitely. Especially when everyone’s definition of hero isn’t the same.

[onetrippony]

Hah, well... everyone is someone's hero in some way, I think.

Is there some kind of outside expectation on us to really be heroes? Or is that just the image aesthetic?

[mapsio]

Honestly, the outside expectation is that we will throw games to save other people.

[ Shuffling her feet a little. ]

[onetrippony]

That doesn't really sound like heroics to me... That sounds more like expected sacrifices.

[mapsio]

And when we try to change that, it just feels bad to throw someone else under the proverbial bus. The producers do this on purpose though, they make those decisions deliberately hard.

We’re all...just kids here.

[onetrippony]

Mm... I can't speak very much to whether or not you have to 'throw someone else under the bus' just to survive, but I don't think that sacrificing yourself is the only way to be a hero... I don't think doing that's any way to live a life, honestly.

But either way... that's a really rough decision to force onto a group of kids.

[mapsio]

[ Man thanks for giving her a small crisis.

Not a bad one? Just. Hm. ]

We’ve had a terrible week making that decision. It’s been a terrible week overall. Needlessly dying and suffering has been a theme.

[onetrippony]

Sounds like you guys could use a break from the theme.

How often do these games happen? Anyway you can take a break before the next one?

[mapsio]

It’s random. Those last games I mentioned? One day apart on each.

Sometimes the games are nice. So...if one happens soon. I’d like it to be a nicer one.

[ Sighs. ] Apologies for bringing down the mood so much. I’d just rather be honest.

[onetrippony]

It's fine. I appreciate the honesty, I'm more worried about how worn out you guys seem to be.

[mapsio]

Understatement almost.

[ Everyone is so...so tired. ] We can pick up the pieces, the goal is to settle you in.

[onetrippony]

Well, if it counts for anything, I do feel welcomed with all the help and information you've all given me.

[mapsio]

I’ll say it counts for something.

[ Deep breath. ] Is there anything else I can help answer for you?

[onetrippony]

Well... is there anything I definitely need to know for sure before leaving this building?

[mapsio]

Not every unit is friendly, and while you will inevitably make off unit connections...it definitely won’t spare us come game time.

[ ...it’s only fair so: ]

We had been playing games too soft, you might say. Trying to be a middle ground. Save us, save others. But it’s not always going to work that way. We’ve made the decision to try and always play to save ourselves, but...I can understand if it isn’t something you know if you can agree with.

[ AND FOR FUN: ]

At the very least, we have a lovely cafe and an onsen just a train ride away.

[onetrippony]

... I don't know if I have enough information yet to see all sides, but I don't really see anything wrong with wanting to make a decision that preserves yourselves. Particularly if these other units have been doing just that while placing an unfair expectation that this unit behave differently because of a theming that, as far as I'm aware, you guys didn't pick.

I also have no idea what an onsen is.

[mapsio]

It’s because some of us want to save everyone. Here? That’s never going to be possible. It’s a nice thought in theory. Also, no. We definitely didn’t pick this theme, or this weird expectation that we would always lay down our own lives with no good cause.

Onsen are wonderful. It’s a large open air hot spring!

[onetrippony]

Huh... sounds like a pretty deep topic to get into some day. But ah- maybe not today? You've had a tiring week already, how about telling me more about the wonderful onsen?

[mapsio]

We can go, if you like. Whenever you want. The water is very relaxing. And it’s a good place to chat and relieve your stress. The beach is good for that too!

[onetrippony]

There's a beach here too? Don't these things sound more like a vacation spot than where we are?

[mapsio]

Well, yes? We can enjoy those things in the interim. Would you like to go see the beach later? I think we were planning on going out there as a team at some point.

[ Yes, please encourage these kids to Rest.... ]

[onetrippony]

That sounds like it could be fun. But how about the local area first to start?