ARRIVAL LOG 018

[larkers]

WHO: Everyone
WHERE: New Amsterdam
WHEN: March 7-8
WHAT: The eighteenth arrival
NOTES OR WARNINGS: Coercion, loss of autonomy, alcohol usage, and drug usage. Further notes at the end of log.

> ARRIVAL LOG #018

Awareness comes to you in blurred snatches, cloudy fragments of sound and light, color, sensation. Hazy and difficult to grasp on to, but slowly aligning into focus. A series of regular, rhythmic beeps. A medicinal, astringent smell. Your eyes are heavy, hard to keep open, but in the glimpses between slow, dark blinks you see a set of people in front of you: one dressed in a set of light armor, while the rest wear medical garb. The area around them is dim, and barely lit, as they set the newcomers up. There is a barely-present feeling of an IV pulled from your arm as you're left sitting up.

There is a sound of rustling outside, of rowdy people showing up for a special occasion. Once everyone's set up, the woman dressed in armor steps forward to give a spiel. "This isn't where I'd leave you, but apparently it's a 'special occasion.' Or an 'apology,' it's hard to say. Either way, don't leave the park until you're ready to head back to the safe place. Don't go looking for anyone to help you, unless they've come to find you. When someone turns up—and they will—ask them to show you the glow. Everyone out there will be too stoned outta their minds to notice it. Don't steal. Don't get into trouble. Avoid the drugs, actually, yourselves. Don't look for the cops." She pauses, looking at the medical people who are ready to leave. "Think that's got it covered?" She doesn't add anything more.

Just as they funnel out, there is a rhythmic thrumming in the distance—a sound check, as well as numerous people struggling to set up tents and campsites in the area around you. You try to open your mouth to speak, perhaps even to ask for help, but it's as if your tongue is coated in tar, and you manage nothing more than an empty parting of lips.

As the sedation begins to fade, you'll be able to take an inventory of your surroundings. You're in a bright yellow tent on a patch of green groundcover (some kind of Dichondra for those who are plant savvy). Clothing wise, you're dressed in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, as well as a large, oversized hoodie zipped up the center. There is also a heating unit built into the tent to keep everyone warm. You can get up and start to move, and even head out of the tent, but you'll find that you won't be able to betray any of the orders given by the guard on her way out.

Where are you? A music festival. Think 2512 Coachella.

◉ Though entirely capable of independent action and thought, new characters will find themselves completely, unquestioningly compliant to any verbal statement which could be taken as a command or request – and that includes the message passed on from the mysterious patron.

> STONY WEATHER MUSIC FESTIVAL

This time, the message doesn't come in from El, but by way of a ticket for the Stony Weather Music Festival being transferred to your ID, including access to the Main Stage. It seems there are different levels of these tickets, and these are definitely VIP. How did the Displaced, utterly unprepared to attend a music festival of this caliber, end up with these tickets? That's just another mystery for our oversized Scooby Gang to solve. Any information of what account these came from is seriously lacking. Want to make a quick buck? Selling your ticket could load up your bank account with plenty of credits.

The message itself is short and concise:

Find the yellow tent and enjoy yourselves.

- PM

The Stony Weather Music Festival is yet another one of the annual events that takes place in New Amsterdam. While it's popular among a certain demographic in New Amsterdam that includes those dressed to make a statement: bright colors, buckles, zippers and clothes that look impossible to move around in. Somehow, everyone seems to be managing despite their clothes, ready to dance. Tickets are hard to nearly impossible to come by for the average person. It doesn't help that attending is not the brightest of ideas considering the current weather patterns. It's bitterly cold at night, involves camping in one of three sky parks in the northern part of New Amsterdam, and at least one or two people (if not more) end up hospitalized because they don't make it back to their heated tents thanks to a massive amount of drug and alcohol use. And those tents? They aren't cheap or easy to come by, so there's sure to be one or two people who try to brave it without an especially well-heated unit.

Still, the festival is the place to be for those two days in early March. It always falls on the same days of the month, whether it would be a weekend or a weekday. Attending has been the spark to launch many influencers' careers. It's a combination of things: adding photos of the performances that take stage to their Cooltalks, the novelty of just being there, as well as the other influencers around. It's a way to be known, should anyone want to be known.

Of course, it's also a place to have a good time. There's alcohol and drugs aplenty even if someone doesn't know where to look, with dealers not asking too many questions for anyone who might be interested while shifting credits to different accounts. Many of the wealthier attendees will be eager to share what they have on hand, as well as any food that they get delivered from the local businesses. It's like a two day party, with people decorating their tents with any personal style that they see fit, producing a maze of a mishmash of camps that someone could very easily get lost in. There are people everywhere, dressed in everything from long, flowy dresses, the newest mid-calf boots, to various shades of blue lipstick. It's also a place where people don't seem all that shy to show their body modifications. Anyone deciding to attend might want to look the part to blend in. In the early mornings the outsides tents are covered in a thin layer of frost, glimmering without the need of strings of lights.

All you need to do to enjoy the show is make it through the bitterly cold nights. It's just one, really, unless you stay for the afterparty with the bands the second night. It goes until dawn!

One thing to note, however: no one's job is going to be keen to let anyone take these two days off. Better come up with a good excuse and hope you don't turn up on anyone's social media if you decide to play hooky.

The performances go on throughout the weekend between the three stages split between the sky parks, connected by temporary bridges strung with elaborate lanterns. The tickets that the Displaced have been granted allow them access to a stretch of land in the main sky park where the main stage has been set up. That bit of land is ready for them to set up tents if they should choose. There are some available for rentals on site, and for those who want something more upscale, more complex, heated tents can be purchased for a hefty sum. Incidentally, this stretch of land is right around the bright yellow tent where all the newcomers will sit sedated and waiting for someone to come get them.

> MAIN STAGE
The hardest place to get any kind of standing room to enjoy the headlining shows, included in the Displaced's special VIP access tickets. Anyone who's anyone at Stony Weather will want to be here, and will be vying for an opportunity to get some space. It's no time to care about body contact. Did you think mosh pits were done by 2512? By and large, they are for health and safety reasons, but depending on the band playing, the place closer to the stage has the opportunity to get high energy, and not far from a mosh pit. It's easy to get seperated, lost, and even stuck in the middle of crazy fans with no regard for others' personal space.

The one catch of the Main Stage is that there isn't a set schedule. When will one of the four acts perform? It's hard to say. Could be 8AM. Could be 9:17PM. They could even perform once or three times, depending on their whims.

THE NINE NINES
The Nine Nines are fronted by a set of twins—Lucy and Landon—who started out as social media influencers thanks to their mother's decision to start posting about them as far back as when they were six years old. For the next ten years, they gained a massive following around the world. Now that they're 21, both Lucy and Landon have escaped the clutches of their stage mother (both sentimentally and legally) and have been known as the face of The Nine Nines for the past year. While quite talented, music reviewers have stated that they've clearly not quite settled on a sound that suits them. They're a mixture of folksy rock and pop, without ever settling on one or the other. Their most popular song is "Mia," though most fans know that this song is actually about Makana—a social influencer who dated both Lucy and Landon and broke their hearts. This didn't happen simultaneously, of course—and Makana lost a lot of clout (and sponsorships) thanks to their choice to mess with the twins.

NEW NEW NEW
A ten member, always rotating boy band out of New Venice. Even 500 years into the future, boy bands are still a thing—in fact, they've perfected the corporate production and marketing of idol groups, to the point where it can almost be considered a conveyor belt industry. These pop stars are barely known beyond interviews and expertly crafted social media posts, and they're heavily monitored and controlled in their daily lives. New New New rotates out their older members for new ones when they reach the age of 22. Some of their most popular songs include a ballad called "The Breach," the guttural "My Heart is a Prison," and the recently released rap ballad "L U V."

ANOTHER META
Think One Republic meets Blink 182—pop music with an obnoxious, puerile edge—and you've got Another Meta. This group got their start playing esports events around the world, appealing to a certain demographic before their first big hit "Pop There IT IS" went viral. Originally based out of New Oslo, they now call New Prague home. They're loud, obnoxious, drink a lot on stage, and have a lot of fun. They have a very dedicated following of fans. Remember that mention of mosh pits? Another Meta's fans keep making an attempt at bringing them back.

CHERRY SENDER
"Cherry Sender" is actually a one woman act originally from New Tokyo, but she's known around the world for her Gothic appearance, operatic pop music, and incredible height (she stands at seven feet tall). Some people have said that Cherry models herself off of vampires, but she has been rather outspoken about the comparison, believing that it's more important to express herself how she looks best. Somehow, she firmly believes that people should embrace their vanity, and she does rock a mean white and black getup. Most recently, Cherry has done the theme song for the popular mecha anime, Vestica: Aeon.

> THE SIDE STAGES
There are few differences between Stage A and B, with the exception of the acts that are present. The side stages' attendees set up shop (so to speak) and spend much of the festival trying to find their way into the Main Stage area. The side stages are far more crowded than the park with the Main Stage, with facilities that aren't as up to par. Everyone here clearly used all of their savings to show up for the festival. There tends to be more socializing here, and anyone who wants to take a picture this may be the place to do it! The more elaborate fashions here are on display as influencers and attendees chat amongst each other. There are plenty of places to grab a drink or take a breath.

★ SIDE STAGE A

THE PADS ON CATS' PAWS
The Pads on Cats' Paws are an all female metal band based out of New Amsterdam. Although they've been together for just two years, they've put out six EPs, and have developed a cult following among those who enjoy the 2512 version of metal music. All of the women wear their heads shaved, and their heads are heavily tattooed. At some point, the lead singer had cybernetic surgery to alter her vocal chords, expanding her range. Their music is oddly bright despite the metal, with heavy violins coursing through their songs.

INFANTRY oracle
INFANTRY oracle are one of two acts that got into the Stone Weather festival thanks to winning the annual Stone Weather Premiere contest. It gives two bands every year an opportunity to get recognition on the big stage. However, INFANTRY oracle has been playing the club circuit around the world for the past decade, and only recently put together an EP that appealed to the Stone Weather crowd. Their music is largely EDM, and while they do have a following, they don't do a lot to stand out from the very cluttered EDM scene around the world.

THE CYBERNETICS BLINDNESS
In a world where masks don't serve much of a purpose, The Cybernetics Blindness are a group that goes all in on the masked appearance. Think Robocop meets Batman: they like a lot of faux-leather that's tight-fitting. Their music is raspy and eclectic, and surprisingly meaningful. They're based out of New Venice and little is known about the people behind the masks. There are suspicions for who's behind the masks—and obviously the cops and the UNA both know—but it's a surprisingly well-kept secret. It probably helps that aside from being musicians, they dedicate a lot of time and resources to PRESERVE.

BEEHIVE FUMES
Think blues and indie and Mumford & Sons all in one, and you have the Beehive Fumes. Unsurprisingly, their logo is a cartoonish beehive logo with a cute bee that's sticking out. They're a charming group fronted by two women and two men, and draw a lot of presentation inspiration from Fleetwood Mac (which had a resurgence six years ago, and inspired the formation of Beehive Humes). Despite their sleepy, unoriginal sound, they do put on a good show, and it'll be hard to find standing room when they're on. Another fun fact? Beehive Fumes are all married to each other, having enacted contracts 10 years ago (before they even started making music together!).

POSTmortem MALnutrition
Let's get political! What kind of show would it be without someone who is outspoken about the political mess that's very apparent in 2512. Rumored to be supportive of Morningstar—never in words, but with some of the imagery on their social media, subtle and inconclusive—they're recently railing against the government for claiming to have made peace on the Mars colony. Their message is that all of the colonies should revolt and break free. Their sound is eclectic, melodic, and they always tell a story—though their music is such that they change up the order of their songs, changing the story in the process. They're based out of New Lima.

★ SIDE STAGE B

GREEN MONSTER
An unusual all percussion band that focuses on reusability and sustainability based out of New Warsaw. All of their instruments are made out of recycled goods and handmade themselves. Sound-wise, they do a lot with what they have in stock, leading to a booming, exuberant experience. While they have been around for nearly a decade, they recently rebranded, with their entire message revolving around the image of the monster that hit New Amsterdam in June 2511. Their claim? The monster did damage, but nothing like what humanity does every day through carelessness.

SANDRA MCKLAINE
Sandra McKlaine is a trans woman from New Bangkok who specializes in folksy music. She actually got her introduction to the music business when she was fifteen years old as a member of the popular boy band Ocean Waves. Now that she's thirty and no longer crafted according to a certain image, Sandra has started putting out music again in the last six months. Her sound is mellow, welcoming, and chill.

Both LOBES
The other winner of the annual Stone Weather Premiere contest, Both LOBES are an experimental music group that changes their style of music every six months. Based out of New Prague, they've recently completed a tour opening for Another Meta—and many people believe that Both LOBES already got enough exposure before getting a chance on this stage. Their current style of music? Jazzy folk.

KURO COLT
Soulful and extremely attractive, Kuro Colt is a non-binary artist based out of New Beijing. Always flanked by a talented group of dancers, Kuro Colt (never just Kuro or Colt) defies the expectation of a stage performance. What does that mean? Outlandish, often dangerous special effects. Kuro Colt's on a side stage for a reason: they recently recovered from a long, long run of injuries, from which they showed a surprising reluctance to get any cybernetic limbs to help them progress (and an opposition to the medi-unit). Recovery took three years, but they're back and ready to perform! Are they any less bombastic in their showing? Not at all!

CHUBBY DOLL-FINS
Think Gorillaz in the form of the Muppets and you've got the Chubby Doll-Fins. Although they're rumored to be backed by the famous band Piers Grasp, they're a social commentary on the long-running tendency to put together boy bands. The thing about the Chubby Doll-Fins is that they're anthropomorphic and surprisingly attractive animals. They dance, they sing, they play instruments, and their music is incredible. Though there are hints of influence from Piers Grasp's mainline music, they're brighter and more sardonic in nature.

> SAFEHOUSE

Located under an abandoned hover-bike garage, access to the safehouse is a hatch in the floor beside a rusted set of metal shelves that used to hold tools and supplies. The immediate area is similarly abandoned: full of rundown and dilapidated warehouses and forgotten businesses, where numerous people squat in hopes of having some stability because they can't afford a place themselves. Gaby will be around, ready to greet as many of the new arrivals as she can and get them settled in. Brusque and no-nonsense, she'll be open to questions, but will advise the newcomers to ask the people who brought them in for the beginning bits of information. Newbies can also contact El through zeir inbox, if needed.

The safehouse is a large space with multiple rooms for storage, with the largest of the rooms filled with rows of basic cots set up to sleep a large amount of people. Basic, but outfitted with everything necessary for daily life. A few doors lead to back rooms for storage, medical care and a large communal bathroom, and past the long rows of cots there is a communal kitchen, fully stocked, and an eating area. Privacy is at a minimum.

◉ New characters will be asked to pick their beds, and provided with a change of (second-hand, mismatched and somewhat threadbare) clothes and basic toiletries.

◉ There is a mini-bar set up in the kitchen. The quality of the alcohol inside is akin to what someone might get from the well at a bar, but it's well-stocked.

◉ While the kitchen has basic foods and necessities, anyone looking for a jolt of caffeine from coffee or tea will find themselves sorely lacking. The only tea present is herbal in nature, and caffeine appears to be almost nonexistent in most of the beverages lying around.

◉ Gaby will make it clear to all new arrivals that if they have any requests or queries, they should contact her or El. Either she or El will explain that they've been given a modest stipend of credits to help them get by until they can find a job. This will be enough to cover their living expenses for about a month while they hang out in the safehouse, if they're careful with budgeting.

◉ The drugs making new characters compliant will remain in their systems for a few hours after their arrival at the safehouse before finally beginning to fade. They will be gone entirely after a night's rest. In the meantime, they may want to be careful of what others say to them.

◉ New characters will be given rudimentary access to the network on arrival in the safehouse, but will not have their ID set up yet. They will be able to make posts and replies, but their messages will be anonymous and they do not have inboxes yet.

◉ New character do not have access to the internet until their ID is setup. They only have limited access because they're present in the safehouse, but they can't surf the rest of the internet, check out Cooltalk, or watch the equivalent of Netflix until their ID is made.

◉ New characters will not be allowed to leave the safehouse until MARCH 11 (FEBRUARY 23). These 4 days are for them to adjust, learn about the world they've arrived in from their fellows, and for El to speak with them and work on setting up their IDs.

> FINAL OOC NOTES

You're now free to post to the network and logs comms. To reiterate, your characters will have no IDs or inboxes, nor be allowed out of the safehouse until MARCH 11 (FEBRUARY 23). At that point it's expected they'll have gotten a good idea of their new situation from their fellow characters, and will have discussed their background and job potentials with El in order for their false IDs to be set up.

If you have any questions or ideas about how you'd like to get your character involved in the world, please head over to the plot engagement post and drop us a comment! For questions specific to this log, there is a thread below.

Please check out our February calendar rundown for a look at things happening this month, as well as some additional notes from the mods.

As a reminder, Jenna will be posting a log for a charity and dating auction on February 29. We've pointed a few people that way via Plot Engagement, and there will be opportunities there to schmooze (off-screen or on) with some NPCs!

As a reminder, AC for new characters accepted in February will be 10 comments across 2-4 threads, while current characters will need to provide the full AC of 20 comments across 2-4 threads. AC will be posted on March 1 at 12 AM UTC and close on March 8 at 12 AM UTC. If you do not reply to AC, you will be considered idled and dropped from the game. We will not post a warning list.

> NAVIGATION

Comments

[unlucky7]

The carob isn't bad, when it's the readily available option, but it's not the same as chocolate, that's for sure. That said, there is someone around with the power to change the taste of food. Silena Beauregard, really nice. She'd be happy to hook you up if you get a craving.

[Because this is the reality they're in now, talking about powers like it's nothing unusual. Well, it isn't and better to get on the ground running with that.]

The big food difference is are the bug products. Most common form of protein, followed by chicken eggs and seafood. You're not going to find a lot of meat or poultry unless, again, you really shell out some money.

[leaderboards]

Duly noted.

[ good things to know all around, but she's not thinking too much about powers right now. it's still too strange, too much of a deviation from what she's used to. she's paying attention, though. she needs to. ]

And I'll be honest, it's nice to see fresh produce, so I can probably ignore the rest. Good produce has been hard to come by, the last few places I lived.

[unlucky7]

There's something nice about fresh fruit and vegetables. Honey is pretty readily available too if you like things sweet. There are travel options if you want to see what the other regions have.

[Which is a conversation topic entirely of its own and something Ginia is still figuring out for herself.]

I'm Angela. Only been here a month so I'm not as rooted as a lot of others, but I'll answer what I can.

[leaderboards]

[ she nods along before offering- ]

I'm Carolina. It's nice of you to help out when we're all still trying to get our feet under us. It's... quite the situation, isn't it?

[unlucky7]

It's definitely a lot. I can throw a guide your way that covers most of the history of this situation. Some good information, good reading material since there isn't much outside of the network.

[And the network has a lot of good gossip and information, but it's still lacking in ways too. Not a lot of broad world history, for example.

And Ginia sure is skipping over the compliment. She's paying it forward, helping others out because people did the same for her. It's not anything really praise worthy.]

[leaderboards]

I'd appreciate that. That's probably easier than trying to hunt down someone who knows what's going on whenever a question comes up.

[ if there's a frequently asked questions, she'll take it, basically. for now, she steps away, just long enough to grab herself a chair and pull it over, sitting across from ginia but out of the way enough that someone else approaching won't be entirely put off. ]

You mentioned travel, though. Just Earth and no North America, right?

[ it's what she's heard, but she needs confirmation. ]

[unlucky7]

If you need help navigating the technology, let me know.

[Otherwise a few seconds later, Ginia throws open an overlay up with the guide and a link for downloading a copy to her own implant.]

There are space colonies, but it's a little more long-term than a weekend trip there and back.

[Lunar might be a quicker trip there and back, but it's a cost Ginia hasn't looked at given all the other settling in she's doing.]

The official story is North America is destroyed and there are no known routes there. If some among the Displaced are looking for a way there, it wouldn't surprise me, but I don't know any official expeditions planned. For all of the other cities, there's a train system connecting everything. You'll need travel documents.

But since we're Displaced and we're already breaking plenty of rules, there's a travel hub in the cave systems below New Amsterdam. All you have to do is go there, think about which city you want to travel to, and it'll warp you to the hub wherever you want to go. Your chest glows for a few minutes so be careful when you leave. Or layer up. But since you won't have travel documents or anything, be careful.

[leaderboards]

[ carolina's quick to download the guide, glancing over the first few pages while her implant translates the rest of ginia's offer. the technology isn't that much different from what she was used to operating within in her armour, now that she's adjusted to it. she just has to focus, pretend to have some manners instead of getting lost reading the new document. that starts with a brief nod. ]

Right, the... glowing. [ visibly uncomfortable, she leans forward, arms folded on the table. protecting her chest- or subconsciously hiding it. ] It's not just me that finds that weird, right? Other people aren't used to the empathy and all that where they're from?

[unlucky7]

I haven't met anyone that has something similar to the empathy bond from where they're from. But I would say most people find it weird or uncomfortable.

[Ginia pauses, considering how her week has gone. She's not looking to hold hands with people left or right, but her kidnapping to New Cairo helped a little. After having rage burned out through the empathy bond a few times, and holding hands to solve puzzles in the pyramid, casual contact is less of a problem as long as its on her terms.]

I got used to it, I guess. But long sleeves and gloves are the way to go if you want to avoid any accidental contact.

[leaderboards]

[ there's another nod, a little more tentative, carolina considering something. ]

That makes me feel wildly unprepared, at least. [ it's less awkward if the other kidnapping victims have the same struggles, right? her lips quirk a little, but it's obvious she's trying to make light of the moment, of her own anxieties. ] I do hope everyday gloves are fashionable in this version of the 2510's.

[unlucky7]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. The empathy bond is only with us Displaced so you don't need to worry if you accidentally bump elbows with anyone else. The fashion is pretty good though.

[Says the person who almost exclusively wears a t-shirt and cargo pants.]

The biggest thing is try to avoid glowing in public or at least make sure you're covered up. A jacket or enough layers works. Also not talking about anything that would make you stand out as not being from this world. In public and online.

[leaderboards]

[ more nodding, her attention briefly on someone crossing the room - irrelevant, but she can't just ignore movement in her surroundings like that - before her gaze goes back to ginia. ]

And how much do we trust the encryption on the network Morningstar has us on?

[unlucky7]

I think the encryption is solid. Almost a year in, no problems from the UNA or anyone else. It was useful for communicating while we were all spread out at the gate locations too.

Is it safe from monitoring by Morningstar? [Ginia shrugs. Her feelings on Morningstar are still largely mixed. Not negative, certainly better than then UNA, but still rooted in caution.] I don't doubt at all El monitors everything. Less certain about other Morningstar personnel. But the public network is even more heavily monitored and a lot more is tied in there.

The securest conversations will always be in person in secured locations, but I wouldn't avoid the network entirely. People share a lot on the network, and it's the fastest way to get in touch with someone.

[leaderboards]

That's... good. [ for some really low value of good. she pauses. ]

I'm sure the guide covers it, but we can't track one another's locations through the network, right? We would still need to share a nav point or something. Willingly, I mean. I don't care if Morningstar knows where I am at this point.

[unlucky7]

[Actually, the guide could stand to go into way more about the neural implant's functions, but that's beside the point.]

You're right. The only way to track someone is if they gave you their location. Maybe there's an app for that on the broader network, but that's probably stalking.

[There's a twitch of a smile.]

Please don't be a stalker.

[leaderboards]

[ it's not really a laugh, carolina too wound up for that, but the harder exhale sounds amused, at least. she's half smiling. it's getting there. ]

Don't worry, that's the answer I was hoping for. There's just somebody here who really doesn't need to know where I am, for personal reasons. I wanted to be sure.

[unlucky7]

[There's another brow raise and a bit more of a pointed look. It's not her business, probably not the first time someone's shown up and realized they recognized someone, for better or worse.

It's not her business, but Ginia isn't the kind who lets people get hurt either, stranger or not.]

Daisy Johnson. She makes good weapons if you supply base materials. Made a baton for me without a question. I can also point you toward some solid abandoned buildings or cheap housing if you want to leave the safehouse once your ID is ready. You'll need a job to find something more sustainable once your stipend runs out, but it's not too hard finding work.

[leaderboards]

I've got a reason to stay in the safehouse for now, but...

[ the hesitation, uncertainty here is obvious. where she sleeps at night depends entirely on how close to wash she can be in case of an emergency. weighing being easy to find against keeping her teammate safe isn't easy, but she's taking her chances. ]

Thank you. I'm going to need a weapon at some point, so it's good to know what's available.

[unlucky7]

Weapons as a whole are illegal in this world. It means you're not going to find anything in an open market and you'll attract attention if you're seen carrying anything. It also means there's a black market.

[Is it dangerous telling this information to a newcomer? Sure, but it's also information people gave Ginia right off the bat, before she had a chance to prove herself one way or another. People believe in the greater good, and though it hasn't been her life experience, she's trying to do the same.]

You're new, we're strangers, I'd turn this down offer down if our situation was flipped. But a lot of people offered me help when I arrived because they could. So if there's a problem you need help with, let me know. Us Displaced can't count on anyone else.

[leaderboards]

I appreciate that, Angela.

[ she doesn't want to seem ungrateful, with an offer like that. ]

But he was here first and he almost definitely wants me dead, so the fewer people that get involved in that, the better.

[unlucky7]

[Ginia sits back in her chair and studies Carolina. A month ago, when she arrived, Ginia knows she shrugged off most help or considered everything a debt to balance out. Had an enemy from her world been around - and there are so, so many - she would have dealt with it on her own. Especially because she wouldn't want anyone else to get hurt.

It says a lot about Carolina's character.]

Just because he was here first doesn't mean he has the right to hurt you. It doesn't work that way here. Who is he? Maybe I know him.

[leaderboards]

[ it's a long moment of weighing her options, of every stubborn part of her insisting that she can handle this alone even though it's probably not the case. not this time, not here, not like this. eventually, carolina closes her eyes, exhales. ]

His reasons are valid, though. We were on opposite sides of a conflict and my team did terrible things to his. [ her attention goes back to ginia's face, waiting to watch for recognition. ] I think he goes by Ephemera.

[unlucky7]

[Goddammit.

A very slow exhale escapes. Ginia keeps her composure, maybe even walls up a little more, but there's a flicker of recognition in her eyes. Hurt even, because Ginia knows very well what Ephemera's feelings are. And though Carolina says the reasons are valid, Ginia knows well war is a complicated, messy, affair, and things are rarely simple.]

Ephemera is my roommate. My best friend.

[So. There's that. Her signs are steady, expression leveling. Now it's her turn to watch Carolina's reaction.]

He told me he's hunting down the people who killed his family. That there were two left.

[leaderboards]

[ and this is what she gets for trying to trust people.

carolina's expression falls more than she wants it to, brows furrowing as she looks away again, uncomfortable with the eye contact. uncomfortable with not just being safe and hidden in her goddamn armour, like she's supposed to be. ]

Well, that's me.

[ just her. one of two. if wash has kept up only being david here, she'll play along until this is resolved. if it ever is. ]

I wish things hadn't happened the way that they did, but I understand how hurt he must be.

[unlucky7]

He's deeply hurt. That doesn't mean I'm going to let him hurt you.

[Because revenge has a way of being so empty. It changes nothing. It won't bring his family back and it's going to drive him down a path he can't come back. And Ginia already told him she will pull him back from the edge. They promised each other that.

But that was an easier promise to make when Carolina wasn't around.]

Does he already know you're here?