theairlock | the mock mingle

[An hour ago you woke up in a bed that wasn't yours, awakened by a chirpy, feminine voice coming from the device on your non-dominant arm. The voice cheerfully requests that you exit your sleeping quarters and to please make your way to the the main deck of the ship for a debriefing on your circumstances.

It was around this time you might have noticed the clothes you last remember wearing are gone and replaced with this little number. If you take a moment to check out the Personal Identification Program on your arm, you'll find a touch screen with a few icons that lead to a series of 21 profiles and a series of apps that lead to note-taking functions and a number of customization appearance screens. The profiles all contain a photo of each Champion, their name and title, their age, species and world of origin.

As you stumbled out of your chrome-y quarters (into an equally chrome-y hallway), with every step the floor lights up under your feet, illuminating the dark ship a little at a time. On one side of the hallway are a series of mechanical doors with screen pads embedded on the walls next to them. A quick flash of your PIP will open them for you without hassle. On the opposite side of the hallway are a long string of windows showing nothing but vast amounts of stars and the deep, dark blackness of deep space. Once you reach the end of the hallway you'll find a large central living space with 20 other people, the same people from the profiles, either there already or filing in along with you. Floating well above everyone's heads in the middle of the room is a large computer screen. Once everyone piled in, the screen blinked to life and the same voice from your PIPs greeted you in the same peppy tone from before.

The voice introduced herself as the Champion Excellence Control Environment or C.E.C.E. before welcoming you to the Deep Space Champion Excellence Program, explaining that you were selected for this program based on being the best in your particular field in your particular world, hence the title of "Champion". In this program you will be expected to live communally together here on the ship for as long as possible. The ship is fully-functional and fully-stocked for an extended stay.

Oh? You don't want to stay and participate in the program? That's alright, there's an easy fix to that! All you have to do is kill one of your fellow Champions and not get caught. That is easy enough, right? Right.

When the debriefing is complete, the screen dims but doesn't turn off completely. If need be C.E.C.E. is available to answer any more questions you have throughout the week. For now, you're free to explore the ship as you like. There's the communal dining hall, a zero gravity room, a kitchen, a holo deck, the central living area and the personal quarters everyone woke up in.

Go make some friends, dears, you may be here a while.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Nero is frustrated, yes.
But Nero is often frustrated, and has let off steam by trying to get rises out of other people. And now, he is sort of slumped in the living quarters, making notes on his strange wrist device. (God, he missed his own. It'd been with him! But then again, so had his armour.)

What sort of notes? Mostly writing down what the hell he's seen and learned so far. And trying to keep himself calm due to his 'oh god this is really space'. But not with that swearing - no, he's writing in code. Because why should he let people watch him and understand what happened, huh? ]

[Writing in code, man, you have way too much free time, Nero--

Tamamo, who is always having a little (a lot) of trouble grasping the whole 'IT'S FUCKING SPACE' thing, has been trying to do her own investigations. Of course, there was the Moon Cell, but this is... space. Stars. Planets. A whole different frontier, really. And so, when she sees a man who seems to know what he's doing, she decides to walk up to him from behind. She's not exactly trying to be quiet, but a lady shouldn't make noise when she's walking, so he might mistake it for her creeping up on him when she suddenly puts a hand on his shoulder and leans over him.]

Oh! What's this? What's that you're writing? [Though everyone can magically understand each other's language, code isn't exactly translated. That would defeat the purpose of a code, wouldn't it?] Is it a secret plan?

[Tamamo, intruding on personal space is bad...]

[ He doesn't flinch - he's used to morons interrupting him. But instead, he closes his eyes - and simply moves one of his hands to shove her away. ]

It's none of your business.

[ He's even gone to stand up. But stop for a moment as his eyes are caught by one of the windows. Wow, it's... amazing, still. To even consider. ]

[REJECTED. Tamamo doesn't generally deal with unreceptive men, but in a murdergame, she needs to know as much as possible about everyone. And, well, writing in code sends off alarm bells.] Hey! Is that how you treat a lady? It takes guts for the woman to be the one taking the initiative, you know.

[Jokingly lewd implications aside, she leans further over the sofa he was recently sitting on, before accidentally falling forward to lie all over it. She wags her fox tail menacingly (?) in the process, as if that'd do anything.] And don't walk away!

[Still, she should sit straight and properly. She gets up and crosses her legs.]

[ Oh, he's trying his best to figure out people for this murdergame as well - see who will go after him. Who can defend themselves. But he is not the sort to share his notes.

But he quirks an eyebrow, looking back. And noticing the tail, expression turning to disgust again. ] I'm not here to be lectured by a Miqo'te. I'm here as a Champion.

[ smug smug smug ]

And besides. Does it matter if you're a lady? You're no boss of mine.

Oh, yeah? I'm a Champion too, you know! Champion of all the Furries.

[.............................................look, if you don't know what 'furry' means, it would imply generally any furry creature, and being the champion of ALL with fur is pretty damn huge]

And I'm no mi-ko-tay, either. I'm a kitsune! Men back home would bow to us for our wisdom and power! [Or kill her. Either way.] Don't you realize how blessed you are, that I've graced you with my presence?

[b u l l s h i t]

So, if you're making some kind of secret plan, it won't be long till I find out, you know!

[She may or may not be asking to team up. It depends on her mood.]

[ yeah it really is. it makes him think of a god though. is he. talking to an Eikon. And not being tempered?!

...His eyes narrow. ]

...Kitsune, then. Believe it or not, power means nothing here. It's quite disgusting. [ even if he didnt have powers oops. nero can pretend okay. try and be smug. ] You're a far way from your home.

[ But he quirks an eyebrow, with his smugness. ] Are you another... who's not seen this environment before?

D-disgusting? [Whew, not the first time she's been called that, tbh.] I'll have you know I can function perfectly well without my powers! A lady should have more than one trick up her sleeve.

[And-- okay, it's pretty obvious Tamamo hasn't seen space, if anyone pays attention to her. The first idea she got was to break the windows and fly out. She not only lacks the knowledge of space, but the general knowledge of elementary-level science as well.

BUT THAT WON'T STOP HER FROM PRETENDING.]

Oh, the last time I saw this was quite a long time ago. Truly, the view hasn't changed at all over the eons. [MAKE SOMETHING UP, TAMAMO, YOU'RE A SPLINTER OF AMATERASU] Yes, I am far away from home, and in the stars, it's hard to find anyone else in this vast abyss... if this is your first time seeing it, then I must say, if only it came without such terrible circumstances. It makes things harder to appreciate!

Really. So you did have powers, then - strong ones. I'm sure you'll manage, with murderers around who don't need to adapt.

[ he is not planning murder.
he really isn't. But he needs to keep being tough. He lets out a snort, walking towards the window more, placing a hand to it. ]

The closest I've seen it from is Dalamud, I'm quite afraid to say. [ (Well, actually standing on the fallen Dalamud. But it sounds better to say that he was actually on the second moon.) ] The view is quite different - not one I'd disagree with seeing for quite some time.

Oh, I am no stranger to improvising, you know. [That... is true. But of course, she also had those aforementioned powers which makes killing a lot easier.

She tilts her head, walking up from behind, standing next to him.] I've not heard of that place, I'm afraid. But it seems that even if we are, well, literal worlds apart, the skies above are still the same. Surely, it must be someone of incredible power who arranged this, launching us into space and taking away our own abilities...

[She shrugs.] Well, the powerful always like to play a fool, too. And they make a mess in the process, too! This flying ship in the middle of nowhere is the perfect stage to put on a show for them.

[Implying... what is she implying?]

[ He lets her stay next to him at least, as he's stopped writing for now - looking over his notes. ]

I'd not know of having powers locked away. [ Nero admits, with a snort. Garleans - pure blooded ones - don't need magic to be strong. He's got his hands. ] But perhaps that's why they took my dear toys from me.

[ But, a pause, as he begins to grin. ]

A show, you say. Yes... there could always be some entertainment for our invitees. After all... they gave us these titles.

I think they'd appreciate seeing my... joy at such a droll title.

[Toys... sound menacing. Kinda. He probably isn't the type to go GATES OF BABYLON or anything, but people who know how to fight physically are at the advantage right now. That's bad for her.]

Well, Champion of-- witty rhymes, I believe-- [rude] --no one is hopeless here. If we've been handpicked for this, then they're probably on the edge of their seats already. But, with what I know of these type of games, it's not the strongest in bodily strength who wins.

[A Holy Grail War kinda counts, right?] It's an advantage, but everyone knows that someone who can do only that is going to run into a wall eventually! No one wants a brute to be the winner, after all. They want to have someone worth rooting for. Someone intelligent, quick on their feet, admirably cunning and charming at the same time...~

Of course, I am the perfect audience favourite! ...If there even is one.

the mock mingle

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