newbie breakfast

[sancrimony]

Who: 3+1 babies + sensitIVs
Where: @ sensitIV
When: Day 172, morning

[ for those who have lived in sensitIV for a while, they'll wake up (if they slept) to the familiar smell of herb and butter bread: lucifel's probably the only one who uses the tandir oven but he uses it pretty extensively! there's also the smell of toasted cinnamon, which is actually fairly unique to today, but maybe it has to do with how cold it is, and if anyone ventures in the kitchen when lucifel's not there, there's guymag in a large pot available for anyone to have a bowl to warm themselves up with.

of course, for the newbies, those are all probably new to one degree or another. hey, where the fuck are you?

+ there's also a cottage probably somewhere around sensitIV, in some corner. every sensitIV will have gotten a text on the night of 170/morning of 171 to inform them that lavender is spending a few days with them, and that the cottage is hers, so it's not alarming to anyone except those who didn't get the text. which would be like, three of you, so, ]

Comments

[nihilmancy]

Being forced into games where we must vote against the other units, and the losers are temporarily "killed" before being revived, scarred or maimed, temporarily or permanently, afflicted with diseases, and so forth. In just one game I experienced frostbite, hunger, and tuberculosis.

But, there are always reprieves. And chances to rest, and to join with one another, even those that we just the other day were voting to have killed or maimed. So. It is a strange situation, for us. But I cannot forgive the indignity and injustice of our captivity.

[bondsofsuffering]

[He literally asked for this information, so he's less surprised and more... contemplative.]

Revived... I guess if we're in hell, that doesn't seem so far-fetched.

[Everything's already insane, what's one more?]

So basically, we just need to remember that it's not really us against each other - it's us against the people putting us through this.

[nihilmancy]

[She nods emphatically.]

Even the people that act really aggressive, in games, well, that's their survival strategy. That doesn't mean never hold people to account for their behavior, of course, and sometimes it can be hard not to be, um, somewhat bitter but... our enemies lie elsewhere. That's what I think. Many people from each unit came together to give us the information in that book.

Of course that doesn't mean to be a pushover, or excuse everything bad done by a fellow idol either.

[bondsofsuffering]

--Book?

[That's what catches his attention first, since he hasn't actually found it yet.]

[nihilmancy]

We have a copy somewhere- It's full of information about our predicament, but ah, make sure not to mention any of it outside the dorm. There's no surveillance in here, you see.

[bondsofsuffering]

[He nods, looking serious for once.]

Do you mind helping me find it? It sounds pretty important.

[nihilmancy]

Not at all. I know where our copy is.

[She fishes around a bit, and produces a hardcover book. It is none other than the Imeeji compendium.]

[bondsofsuffering]

Thanks. Mind if I read it now?

[It's not the lengthiest book, but someone who's reading isn't the best of conversation partners in the meantime.]

[nihilmancy]

Not at all. I urge you to familiarize yourself with it.

[bondsofsuffering]

Thanks!

[And with that, he'll begin reading through it. He's a pretty fast reader it seems, because he flips through the pages rather rapidly - slow enough that he's definitely doing more than just a skim, but still fast.

This also means he's done with it in a fairly reasonable time, actually.]

Phew. That's a lot to take in.

[nihilmancy]

Oh, I thought I was pretty fast, but that was quite impressive.

Yes, it is quite a lot, isn't it? But it is the situation we find ourselves in.

[bondsofsuffering]

-I guess it was? Maybe I read a lot before.

[What a nebulous timeframe, though.]

It'll take a while to digest, but... I'm kind of curious about what's outside the dorms. If we're all in the same boat, it'll be important to get to know everyone else, right?

[nihilmancy]

Probably. I'm pretty certain that I did, and I'm a quick reader myself.

Right. You'll want to familiarize yourself with the people and places.

[bondsofsuffering]

The profiles gave me a start, but they don't have too much information. Anyone I should look out for in particular, besides the ones mentioned in this?

[Waving the compendium.]

[nihilmancy]

BARiTONES and ☆ZRAEL have been known to play very hard. I'm not very clued in on the latest inter-team conflicts, though, I'm afraid. We are allies with Wild City. We used to have a rather bad reputation for various reasons, but we're rather well liked now.

[bondsofsuffering]

Various reasons, huh...

[That's a little ominous.]

So I guess I should keep an ear out for inter-unit politics...

[nihilmancy]

You definitely won't be able to stay up to date on all of it. But be aware that it exists.

[bondsofsuffering]

I'll give it my best shot! It's good to stay informed, after all.

[nihilmancy]

Um, best of luck, but really do not pressure yourself. Be social and active, and learn what you need to know, and, ah... I hesitate to say you will be fine, because nobody is exactly "fine" in Tokyo-F, but you'll get by, and sometimes you'll even be happy hopefully.

[bondsofsuffering]

Based on the kind of stuff they've done to everyone here... Yeah, I can see how most people would just be focused on coping.

[Still... now he's curious.]

What kinds of things make you happy here?

[nihilmancy]

Um, cooking, gardening, books... I-I have a girlfriend, and um, several friends, too! Despite the environment, many friendships have managed to bloom.

[bondsofsuffering]

Ehh, a girlfriend? [He seems to really perk up at that.] Is it someone I should expect to see around here often, too?

[nihilmancy]

[Oh no, stop it, she's blushing!!!]

Um, h-her name as Shrike, and she is on Avante, ah, she's tall, with white hair, and um, s-strong and beautiful.

[bondsofsuffering]

[Awww cute. Blade just continues to look pleased.]

Sounds like she'll be easy enough to spot. I'll have to keep an eye out for her. I wouldn't want to cause any trouble for a teammate!

[nihilmancy]

We, ah, don't have any sort of formal alliance with Avante, but for the time being at least, we get along pretty well with them.