[OPEN] October Information Meeting

[light_mischief]

Who: CALLING ALL PASSENGERS
What: It's a family meeting Information Sharing Event!
When: October 1st, from the afternoon on.
Where: The Library!
Warnings: None? (Will add if necessary)
Notes: The information learned here can be osmosed by any character on the ship, regardless of whether or not they actively tag into the event. Consider this a game lore catch-up! Top-level comments don't have to be exclusive to the library,; if your character is likely to run off to the bar for a drink, or contemplate jumping off the bow, then you can include that prompt here as well! Basically a catch-all post for any "reacting to our existential crisis" posts you want!

The Setup:
A few nights beforehand, everyone Skulduggery's ever texted will receive a simple message:

A long overdue information-sharing session will be held all day in the library. It's time we all get on the same page regarding our situation. 1st of the month (is it October already?), attendance is encouraged. Please forward to interested parties.

That's how word spreads for the most part; but there are also some neatly printed notes pinned up in heavily traversed areas with the same simple news: Discussion of Our Situation: 10/1, Library.

The Library:
There are too many people to comfortably fit in one room, which will make it difficult for people to discuss the information that's been gathered. The library, thankfully, has a nebulously existing front desk area that is... currently unattended by any ghosts? Weird.

Everything is mostly the same as you'd expect it, except the majority of the chairs have been pulled towards the front. A low table is settled there as well, with every copy of Battle Royale and Gil's Diner set out to read.

The front desk has an array of memo notebooks and flimsy Eterna branded notepads strewn across it, along with a variety of writing implements. As the day goes on, these notebooks and pads will be filled with more and more insights from other passengers.

There's a black binder sitting there too; this is full of the information Skulduggery specifically has to offer.

The Meeting:
"Meeting" may be an overstatement, when all's said and done. There's a bunch of information available to read, and a place to discuss and process with others. Some people may choose to try comforting those who are visibly upset. Others may want to read some of the books that inspired their previous ordeals.

At some point, the realization that the buffet is the only working restaurant will spread, and food may be brought down for an awkward potluck. Still others may begin to bring liquor into the library. It's really dealer's choice here, as far as coping mechanisms go.

One thing that can be taken away from the atmosphere of the room: be very certain you want to learn whatever's in that black binder.

Comments

[midnightroads]

[Bash makes a quiet approach when he notices Vance, literally coalescing out of a nearby shadow.]

Where's your head at with all this, lil bro?

[pinballer]

I'm alright.

[ He crosses his arms, leaning back against the wall. ] I mean, the part that's bad news for a lot of you is kinda good news for me.

[midnightroads]

It's not horrible for me. This is actually my second world-napping. I already sorta did the emotional work of accepting I'm never going back to my Earth. And this is...better than the last place I was, in a lot of ways. I can cope.

[He shrugs, sticking his hands in his pockets.]

Some people are gonna break down over this, though. Betcha anything.

[pinballer]

I figured I'd just go back to being dead when I escaped from here, so this is...better.

[ Not that he was really scared of the afterlife at this point, but now that he was somewhat alive he didn't want to think he just had to go home and die again. ]

I guess it'd fucking suck if you had a life you really wanted to go back to.

[midnightroads]

Yeah. It’s gonna fuck a lot of people up, I think. People like us who aren’t as knocked off our feet, we got an opportunity to help everyone else while they wrap their minds around this shit.

[pinballer]

We do?

[ Vance hasn't really helped other people like that before. Talking to him is a way to be put in a worse mood, not a better one. ]

Like, how?

[midnightroads]

People are going to lose their faith in the world, the sense that anything they do matters, because they can't go home. We need to be able to help them realize that what they do here doesn't count for nothing. That this is still a life, even if it's not the one they belong in.

[pinballer]

So, what? We tell 'em to man up and stop blubbering?

[ He's a jerk from 1978, that's the best he's got. ]

[midnightroads]

What? Dude, what the fuck, no. We listen to them and validate their feelings. Are you okay, seriously?

[pinballer]

Adults aren't supposed to cry. 'Specially the guys. You just shove it all down and keep going.

[ In other words, no, he isn't okay. ]

[midnightroads]

Huh. That's not how it goes in the world I'm from. A man who cries is one who's in touch with his emotions. You know, sensitive. Someone who you can trust.

[pinballer]

Yeah, sensitive's not a good thing where I'm from. Unless you're a rock star or something. Then you can sneak in one emotional song per album as long as you still look badass.

[midnightroads]

[Bash glances around, then back at Vance.]

We're not where you're from, in case you hadn't noticed. We don't need to apply those rules, here, if we don't want to.

[pinballer]

That's part of the problem. [ Vance also looks around, making sure as best as he can that no one else can hear them. ]

Back home if someone challenged my reputation I'd kick their ass, but there are people who can summon meteors here or whatever the fuck. I let my guard down for a few minutes and people're gonna start treating me like I'm a fucking kid.

[midnightroads]

Huh. I get where you're coming from, but puffing yourself up without being able to back it, that kinda also sounds like a route to looking childish, if you're not careful.

But like, I guess I'm maybe on the potentially dangerous end, so I might be talking out my ass. Still...

[Bash seems concerned.]

[pinballer]

Yeah, well, I don't have a lot of options. [ It's unclear whether he worries that people will mistreat him if they aren't scared of him, or if he just doesn't want to be coddled. A little of column A, a little of column B. ]

Besides, even if I can't win I can hurt 'em. I'm not afraid of dying again.

[midnightroads]

Yeah, you're really tough, I can tell that. I'm sorry that you've had to be.

[A small pause. Maybe if he gets Vance out of public, they can get a little more personal.]

Do you smoke? I kinda wanna go for a walk and a smoke.

[pinballer]

I've smoked like, three whole times. And didn't even cough that much.

[ Said like it's a badge of honor. But it's not like ghosts can get heart disease or anything like that, so what's a couple of puffs every now and then? ]

If you've got cigarettes I'll take one.

[midnightroads]

No cigarettes, just the cigars in Tauva.

[Is he corrupting the youth? Sure, but the youth is a ghost, the youth is never not going to be a youth.]

Walk with me?

[pinballer]

I can try one of those, too.

[ He shrugs. ]

Yeah, sure. It's not like I'm busy.

[midnightroads]

[Bash casually slings an arm around Vance's shoulder at they begin to head toward Tauva.

Like bros or something.]

[pinballer]

[ He flinches away at first. The only time most people touch him is if they want to hurt him.

Which obviously isn't what this was. ]

...Sorry.

[midnightroads]

[Bash blinks, then lifts his arm away and steps away, to make it clear he's not going to hurt the boy.]

No, I'm sorry. I should have asked first, that was kinda...dick move on my part.

[pinballer]

...It's alright.

[ He relaxes a little and keeps walking. ]

It's just been a while.

[midnightroads]

Ah, shame. Everyone needs it sometime. Here, you up for it again?

[He lifts his arm like a bird inviting a chick to snuggle in under its wing.]