INTRODUCTION

[petoskeymods]

INTRODUCTION

A sound wakes you up, muffled yet somehow near - the sound of a trumpet being played, from somewhere outside the building you're in. There's no fog, no headache as you greet a new day - only the confusion of being in an unfamiliar cabin, lying on top of an unfamiliar bunk bed in somewhere that is certainly not where you last closed your eyes. You're also pretty sure you weren't wearing this outfit before you somehow arrived here - so that's an uncomfortable thought. Yet, the cabin you're in is comfortable, but looking in the steamer trunks near the bunks will only result in finding normal toiletry items and sets of underwear and more of the same strange uniform. Your personal items have been stripped away - well, in the cases they're not absolutely essential for you to live.

Stepping outside, you find yourself in a very forested (and ungodly humid) area, outlooking a wide lake - there's cabins and other buildings next to yours, but the main thing that'll most likely attract attention are the three adults standing out in front of the largest building, bearing the name 'LODGE' on it in large letters. A woman, an older man, and a man in full priest garb, tooting away on a trumpet - your wakeup call, apparently. Just in front of them is a picnic table littered with markers and 'MY NAME IS' nametags.

Maybe you should go and demand some answers? Or will you just decide to explore...and try to find a way out of this weird camp?

Comments

[stingingremarks]

Okay first of all, EW, why would you devour someone, there really is something wrong with you.

[HER FRENCH GOURMAND SENSIBILITIES ARE OFFENDED, SIR.]

Second, the difference is obviously that if you kill someone in a war, you're carrying out the orders of your government which has gone through all of the legal hoops to determine that it's necessary for the good of the country. Or if someone gets the death penalty, that was decided by a jury. Murdering someone on your own, because you wanted to for some reason, is evil. It's as different as night and day.

[Basically the more people approve of it, the more okay it is to kill someone! That's how the world works :)]

[velocirainbow]

... 'Cause I'm a demon. Dat's what demons do.

[ Eyeroll, as he listens to her prattle on. ]

So it's different when it's war, huh? Murder's only bad when you guys say it's bad? Or when a buncha people vote about it? What if those people wrong?

It's different when you can justify it to yourselves by dehumanizing de enemies? Even though dey all came from places jus' like you? Even though dey all got people dey probably care about too?

[ Finally, just... a laugh. ]

Must be nice. Hidin' behind otha people, instead of makin' your own decisions in life.

[stingingremarks]

Wrong. I'm just not either kind of killer. You got a problem with that?

[velocirainbow]

Nah. I just think... you lucky. You ain't had to do dat.

But don't go lookin' down on de people what had to do dat. 'Cause dat ain't always deir fault, sista. Dat's de point I'm making. You can't always judge people by de tough actions dey gotta take to survive.

[stingingremarks]

I'll judge people all I want if they're criminals. Just because you have absolutely no sense of justice, doesn't mean I have to be the same.

And besides, you're suddenly trying to make it about yourself when this had nothing to do with you. Why don't you butt out?

[velocirainbow]

All'a us here, we gotta work togetha, sista. An' frankly... I don't really give a damn about your misguided sense a justice. If dat's what gives your life meanin', den whateva.

[ He doesn't even flinch. ]

But you ain't gonna get very far if you keep on like dat. You oughta ease up, is all I'm tryin' to say.

[stingingremarks]

[She takes a dramatic step back.]

Is that a threat? Help, the cannibal with grape licorice for brains is after me!

[velocirainbow]

[ ... He just bursts into serious laughter. Oh my god. She thought that was a threat. Now he's dying. Send help. This girl.

He was trying to give you advice, Chloe. ]

[stingingremarks]

[Dramatic, Cielo. Dra-ma-tic. As in dramatized. She was making fun of him.]

Psh, whatever.

[velocirainbow]

[ Don't worry Chloe, he won't bug you anymore. But he will smile every time he sees you. All friendly-like. ]

[stingingremarks]

[THAT WILL BE PRETTY WEIRD ACTUALLY]

I SHOULD REALLY GO TO BED

[lovebun]

I think he just means not many people are going to like you if you keep on like this...

[ The world isn't black and white because here she is HAVING FLASHBACKS TO NEPHRITE AGAIN THANKS. ]

[stingingremarks]

Well, he's wrong. Everybody loves me, and if they don't, they're too lame and stupid to bother with.

[hair flip.]

[lovebun]

[ Okay, Usagi is going to get into Big Sister Slash Serious Soldier Mode. She's even pointing right at you so you're singled out. ]

Chloe, all you've done since we've gotten here is talked down to everyone around you. It's not endearing, and it's not cute. No one here cares about your name, and I'm betting you don't even have many actual friends at home, just people who kiss up to you because you're rich and powerful given the way you've talked. You're not a fun or pleasant person to be around, and unless you shape up, you're going to end up with no one really wanting to help you here because you treated them like garbage. You're acting like a spoiled brat who's never lost a thing she actually cared for in her life! And if you haven't, you're lucky, but you either need to shape up or shut up because you're not even helping yourself right now!

[ I'm so sorry Chloe but she wants to nip this in the bud. ]

[sophistryking]

Technically...It's not cannibalism if he's not human.

[He help?]

[stingingremarks]

Help, the purple people eater is after me. You happy?

[sophistryking]

Very much so. [Is that a smile...nearly.]

I think you're safe from him now though. He's too suspicious.

[love_seriously]

[ Floe hasn't exactly been trying to eavesdrop, but these guys aren't exactly trying to keep their conversation private either. And this is...NOT the kind of topic she needs to think about right now, on top of the stress of everything else. So hopefully Cielo isn't too terribly offended when- ]

Shut UP! Just- just shut up! It is different! It has to be! You just don't get it so shut up!

[ -this other little blonde girl suddenly snaps at him, fists balled at her sides and looking half furious, half like she's about to burst into tears. ]

[velocirainbow]

You don't think I get it, sista? When I been fightin' nothin' but wars since as far back as I can remember?

[ His gaze becomes kind of... cold, actually. ]

De same thing, every day. ... 'Cept... den we become demons. Den it changes. But not by much. We can't stop to think about it right then. 'Cause if we think about how deir Tribe might miss 'em, how could we get to Nirvana? How we gonna protect our own people?

[ He gets it. He's not stupid. ]

But I ain't gonna devalue all de lives I've wasted an' pretend dey weren't people jus' so I can be more comfortable. An' it... hurts. 'Course it hurts. If you hurtin' sista, dat's okay. Nobody said you can't hurt.

1/2

[love_seriously]

[ Whether he was trying to hurt her or not, Floe looks for all the world like he just slapped her in the face. She sucks in a long, shaky breath and holds it there, and for a moment it's unclear if she's about to yell some more, or break down crying, or try to slap him back- physically, this time. ]

[love_seriously]

...I don't care what you are. I'm not a demon.

[ Then she just spins on her heel and stomps away, shoving past everyone else crowded in the cabin to make her way outside, and slamming the door as loud as possible behind her. ]

[velocirainbow]

[ ... Well that's the second person he's upset recently, he guesses. Cielo is not looking so happy about any of this, that's for sure. ]

... Wasn't s'posed to be like dis...

[ Yeah he's probably. Gonna leave this meeting too. To go cry a little bit. On top of his Cabin. ]

[stingingremarks]

[NICE, a girl that's on her side!!]

Ugh, see? I'm totally right. And look at how you made her cry, you monster!

[Despite that, Chloe is laughing a bit because she is more happy about the Surprise Ally]

[velocirainbow]

... Didn't... wanna be responsible. For it... raining on her face. I wasn't trying to hurt nobody.

[ He does actually look quite upset. ]

[stingingremarks]

Yeah, well maybe you should think about what you say from now on.

[POT MEET KETTLE, but she's already on the flounce from Usagi so she'll continue on her way]