bus

[mgtropes]

BUS? A BUS???

The wheels on the bus (don't) go round and round...

You wake up on a bus.

It's a very nice bus, though. Luxurious, even! The seats are comfy and can be used as beds, with pajamas also available for you to change into. It's stocked with enough food and drink to last a week or so, along with a bathroom that also has a shower and free toiletries to use. The downside, however, is that apparently you have to share—as you're not alone when you awaken.

It seems like you're not where you should be, either. The bus comes equipped with TV screens, but rather than any movie or show, it's reality TV in the most literal sense. You might even recognize a few faces over there in the terminal, but either way, you can watch the participants go about their day. You're as equally confused as they are, after all, even if miles (?) separate you.

For that matter, that's pretty much all you can do. You're stuck on this bus. You can't access where the driver's controls would be, and there's no driver to begin with; in fact, the bus isn't even moving. The doors are shut, and any attempt to break the windows will send you bouncing back. Opening the shutters will treat you to the enticing sight of... outside airport scenery. You're on airport grounds somewhere, but you can't tell anything other than that. If you do some digging around, though, one compartment on the bus contains a random assortment of card games and board games for you to entertain yourselves with.

Better get cozy, because you might be here for a while.

RUNDOWN

• This will be your one mingle post until next Friday.
• You do not have any personal belongings on you. Unlike the other players, you also don't have a phone. Sad.
• The W0 weekly effect, once revealed, will apply to you as well.
• Your characters are able to see anything that takes place on the public mingles, including network posts, via the bus TV screens. You may also handwave them being able to see the initial notification that the players all received on their phones.
• We will have a small, pseudo-mini-event for you on W0 Wednesday at 12pm PST/3pm EST.

NAVIGATION; (FULL NAV)

INFO

PLAYER STATUSES IC PROFILES MURDER PROPOSALS CYOA SIGN-UPS

SETTING

NPC AUDIENCES LOCATIONS ROOMING CURFEW

REPORTING

PC TURN-IN MOD REPORTING EVENT TURN-IN VOTING

Comments

[feminitis]

Seems so. I suppose it's only fair to give people a chance to ask questions... or rather, as "fair" as any of this can be.

[tactic]

[ STARING VERY HARD AT THESE MOSAICS ]

I wonder if we know any of them.

[feminitis]

It's not impossible. In the past, when the players have been through these experiences before, the facilitators have, too.

...granted, that was just twice that I know of. It's possible this could be different. [...] I suppose we'll have to see if more things line up.

[tactic]

You're our expert.

[ Soaks up all this information like a sponge and then perks up at what he hears on screen. ]

Looks like we missed out on a team competition.

[feminitis]

[she is clenching her fists, particularly when she hears this.]

Some of us have already succeeded for a second time! Ugh, I wish the auditors would show up so I could teach them a lesson!!

[uuuuuughhh.]

That explains why they're here, but it doesn't explain why we are, or what we're supposed to do other than wait.

[tactic]

[ Looking between the TV and Sei... ]

Back in Scawwy, I didn't have opportunities presented to me until a few days after I arrived in the separate place. Maybe waiting is all we can do for now.

[feminitis]

I know these things take time, but...

[uuuuuuughhhhhhhh... she really wants to punch an auditor right now]

[tactic]

[ Cheer up, little mans. ]

Hey, look on the bright side. If we really are dead, then it sounds like we'll return to life if everyone on that side reaches these so-called benchmarks.

[feminitis]

We should still try to do something, in the interim. It may be the case that their success will mean our escape from this, but given that the auditors apparently aren't certain they earned their rewards from their experiences, I don't trust them not to say we didn't earn our revival if we don't try to take some kind of proactive action.

[tactic]

[ Pats his shoulder... ]

No disagreements from me. I'm not the sort to sit on my hands and do nothing. My ending was deserved, and I have every intention of returning to it.

[feminitis]

Right! We'll show these auditors it was stupid to even question it!

[she gives a huff.]

I'd like to see how they'd handle themselves in situations like this!

[tactic]

Ha! You're raring to go, aren't you?

[ And then he's returning his attention to an interaction on screen, and Aventurine droops his shoulders in relief. ]

One less thing to worry about.

[feminitis]

[WHY DID THIS JUST GET POSTED AS ITS OWN TOPLEVEL ORIGINALLY]

Well, of course I am! None of us are just going to take this lying down.

[though she heaves a sigh of relief at that intereaction.]

Oh, thank goodness. I did not want to have to explain it to my superiors if it seemed like I'd abandoned my duties for two months.

[tactic]

[ IT JUST SPRANG OUT OF CONTAINMENT ]

You know, an unaccounted absence isn't so bad. The last time I disappeared for two months and returned home, I was given a promotion.

[feminitis]

Unfortunately for me, abandoning the troop would have me sentenced to seppuku under the troop regulations.

[so there's... that...]

A promotion? What sort of job do you have?

[tactic]

Just a humble merchant trying to make ends meet.

[ Anyway, ]

Your turn. What's 'seppuku'?

[feminitis]

[sei looks briefly surprised that he doesn't know, since she grew up surrounded by people who knew what it was, and then reminds herself that he looks like a white guy so it's probably natural for him not to know.]

...ah. Um, it's a form of ritual suicide.

[so. capital punishment for desertion, basicallyy.]

[tactic]

[ OH ]

... Fascinating. Well, I'm glad you won't have to commit to such an end upon your return.

[feminitis]

You and me both! I may be prepared to put my life on the line for the troop's cause, but surviving something like this just to go home and die would be so pointless.

[tactic]

Have you ever been given the option not to return home after your many experiences with this sort of thing? To travel elsewhere?

[feminitis]

It's been an option more than once, but I could never abandon the Shinsengumi. So it's always been a relief that time has stopped and I wouldn't have to come up with some explanation for why I was gone for eight weeks, because... honestly, I'm not sure anyone who hasn't experienced this sort of thingw ould even believe me.

[tactic]

Rather dutiful, aren't you?

[ Both relatable and unrelatable... ]

We'll find our way back one way or another.

[feminitis]

No more or less dutiful than any samurai who has sworn their life to a cause ought to be.

[also, like, where would she even go if not back to kyoto? she's been with the shinsengumi for so long that she really isn't prepared to live any other sort of life.]

Yes, we will.

[tactic]

[ QUEEN SHIT....

we can end this one too i just wanted to voice my support for Her ]