towerofanimus | 2/ Establishment of Routine II

Entry tags:

2/ Establishment of Routine II

Characters: Kohaku, Urotsuki, and ~~prospective measuring sticks~~ you.
Setting: Anywhere not obviously dangerous.
Format: Starting action, either's cool.
Summary: After deciding to enter into a 'settling in' competition, they need to find people to compare so that they'll know what being accustomed to the tower is and isn't. Any volunteers~?
Warnings: t-two threads in a row combo?!

Good.. I'm guessing it's evening! Would you mind telling me how long you've been in this place?

[Variations on that question will be flung at anyone Kohaku can capture the attention of, in a serial string of interviews across the tower - she has an accomplice (

chainsawn ), as well, the circumstances behind their team-up as mysterious as what the purpose of their question might be.]

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Hm...? A couple days at most.

[Yeesh, he actually leaves his damn room for the first time and already he is running in to people. This place is annoyingly populated. Oh well, time to put on the innocent face.]

Why...?

[ Urotsuki is standing there, almost half-hiding behind Kohaku yet not entirely. She knows this girl better than the other people here, after all, so it's nice to have something to cling to in a way. ]

.. It's the new person sample. [ She's saying it more to Kohaku than the guy, but instead of her earlier blank tone she almost sounds a little more.. excited and surprised now. ]

So we got lucky right away ☆!

_{[There's that implausible star again.]}

Ah, to explain.. my friend and I have a little bit of a bet, and we need to compare a few people in this tower side-by-side to go through with it. Would you help us?

A bet~? ☆

[OH NO THE STAR IS CONTAGIOUS-]

I'd be happy to help any way I can. [The boy seemed to brighten away from his visible uncertainty, anyway.] Are you both new as well?

... A bet?

[ She's repeating it in the hope of being able to do the star too.. but nothing happens, sob. WHY DOES THIS FEEL LIKE SOMETHING EVERYONE BUT HER MASTERS. ]

Yes, we're new though. We met a little bit ago. [ and yet she's already sticking by the girl's side, apparently. ]

A bet.

_{[She pauses after affirming the bet, either for dramatic emphasis or to shake herself out of the near-loop.]}

Alright, then, new-kun. Please stick with us while we find the next vi.. participant!

Oh-- um... Six months or so, I guess?

[Willow's startled to be addressed so abruptly, but she answers willingly enough. She just hasn't been keeping careful track since it's been so long now.]

[ Welp, there's another girl popping out from behind the first. She eyes Willow a few moments as if she's observing her, as if she's supposed to see something about her, and then she turns her head to look at Kohaku instead. Apparently she trusts the other girl enough to let her make the decisions here. ]

Is that long enough..?

I'm not sure.. it might make a good intermediary example, though. You never know, if we pass up 6 months, everyone else we find might only be 3!

_{[Compared to the newbie, this lady had obviously startled.. maybe a 'settled in' indicator is antsy-ness at being approached?]}

Thanks for telling. Could you help out with something else, too?

[Willow's eyebrows are raised. What exactly are they up to? It mostly seems kind of silly, so she's willing to play along. Even if she is a harassed over here.]

Um... sure? I like to help. What are you guys trying to do?

We're having a bet. [ A slightly determined nod. Apparently this bet is very much serious business to this girl. ]

And we need some people as examples of that. You are one of them now, congratulations.

We're comparing the length of someone's stay here to their, ah.. attitude, I suppose. Your role will be as simple as standing within a small group. Nothing that'll take all day.

_{[Kohaku's trying to make it sound like something like and simple. C'mon, you got time, right~?]}

That's... interesting. [But probably harmless, so she continues cheerfully enough.] Hey, I'm always up for frivolous distractions and amusing interludes. Lead the way.

Oh, and, my name's Willow. Why exactly do you have a bet about this?

Urotsuki. [ She's pointing to herself, so she probably means that's her name. Her expression is still a little on the blank side though. ]

Would this be an 'amusing interlude'..? I haven't thought of it that way yet.

And I'm Kohaku. Maybe it'd be an amusing prelude for you and me, Urotsuki?

_{[Couldn't really escape that exchange without giving a name herself, sooo~.

Kohaku indeed starts leading the way as asked, giving a bit of an offhanded explanation -]}

This is actually the first part of a bigger bet. It's "Who can settle in to the tower first?"

[That surprises her into a short giggle, which she tries to hide behind her hand.]

It's an amusing something, that's for sure. I guess that's one way to entertain yourselves. What are you going to be using as the criteria for settling in? [It's such a vague concept, they'd have to pin it down in the concrete somehow, right? Otherwise it'd be an impossible to judge contest.]

An amusing prelude, hmm.. [ she seems to ponder it to herself (even humming a little) as more talking happens, but near the end she seems to return to herself and the conversation at hand. ]

We're trying to figure that out now. We're both new, so we don't know what settled people are like compared to us. We thought we might be able to see like this..

That's right! There's some things that you can discern about people from a glance, and we thought the criteria could be derived that way. Ah, that's also why we've tried to gather a few extra from just one newbie and one veteran. Control groups, you know.

Very scientific, [she agrees, mock-serious.] You'll need something objective. We don't use subjectivity in real science.

How about... Knowing which floors have hidden dangers? That's a pretty sure thing to know if you've gotten settled, but not if you're new.

.. There's floors with hidden dangers? [ see, this whole fact is already new to her.. which makes her realise she might be behind in the race already!! ]

I mean-.. I knew that, of course. [ a small nod. ] I'll hurry up and find all of them if that's what it takes.

That seems like the sort of thing you'd learn best by trial-and-error.. _{[Welp, walking face first into near-certain hidden danger. Sounds like a great way to spend a weekend.]}

[Willow instantly switches to concerned exposition, like flipping a switch. She's always ready to advise on safety.]

A ton of them have hidden dangers. Like if you get lost in the art gallery, there's some pretty horrifying stuff back there, or-- sharks in the aquarium one. It goes on.

I seriously don't recommend trying to find them all yourself. It's not a fun family outing, that's for sure.

[ .. Wait. Ignore everything else said by the other two, at the words 'art gallery' the girl's eyes grow wide as if in surprise, and she almost seems like an animal perking its ears. ]

There's an art gallery here..? [ The same as the one she always saw in her dreams, with-- ] Where is it?

[ She looks almost ready to run off, regardless of her whole attempt to find people with Kohaku here. ]

Wow, you sure do know how to get to the point! I though you humans had introduction etiquette or something.

[She rolls her eyes, shrugging.]

Anyway, I've been here almost an entire one of your earth years.

A year is long.. [ Don't mind the second girl here, she'll just be pondering to herself about it for a few moments. She might also be wondering if she really should've introduced herself, but like this is fine, right?

... Yes, she'll just look at Kohaku instead as if seeking help. She's pretty dependant. ]

It's long enough, isn't it..?

Well, I did say good evening. Next time, I could make some smaller talk.

_{[Well, it was the first time she'd spoken to one of the less human looking residents, but so far Kohaku's not feeling particularly impacted. 'Your earth years..' It sounds a little like something out of one the Sci-Fi B-movies she'd catch on the long nights she couldn't sleep through.]}

Yup, it's the jackpot. If someone's been in a place for a year it's impossible not to be changed by the atmosphere!

So, veteran-san, will you lend us your experience for a short while?

I meant names, not greetings. But whatever.

[She shifts her gaze between the two of them, brow arched.]

You interrupt me and then expect me to help you out with something? I'm not made of time, you know. Do I look like a hero of time to you? Give me a good reason I should waste time doing you a favor when I could be tending to my own irons.

[ At least the differences between how she looks and a human does don't seem all that surprising to Urotsuki - she just remains there calmly and a little quiet as the two speak, as if she's lost in her own thoughts instead. She's seen worse in her dreams. When she hears the last part though she finally speaks up again. ]

It's for a bet. .. An important bet. [ Clearly this is the best reason. It is to her, okay. ] If we can't borrow the experience, then we will never know..

..it'd be a real pity not to find out. You might not be a time hero, but you could be a hero of bets!

Hm.. I could even help with your own, ah, irons, later. If they're real irons, though, I'll have to get something heat resistant to wear first.

_{[Kohaku you really do not want to owe Vriska a favor--]}

[Magic words have been used. Vriska is never one to turn down a bet, and being the hero with all the luck, well. She's used to winning bets too.]

A bet, huh? What are the stakes? I might be able to spare a minute or two.

[ Urotsuki catches onto it, just a little - enough to realise this girl seems interested in the bet. Even if she doesn't know whether it's just this specific bet or bets in general, but even so it seems a little interesting.. ]

We're having a bet. .. About who can settle in the quickest here. So we need to make sure to do it right.

The stake's so far only been decided as the joy of victory or the sting of defeat. I'm not sure what else I could wager.. all I have are flowers.

_{[Unless there's secretly some currency system here that she's yet to discover.]}

Lame! What kind of wager is that? It just sounds boring. And besides, who would actually want to settle in this place?

[ She might look a little disappointed once she hears Vriska's judgement on the whole deal - she thought it was interesting, okay.. ]

Isn't it normal to settle into a place once you arrive there..?

Do you have a better suggestion?

_{[Her tone's sweet, as honestly imploring as she can make it - which isn't all that very.]}

No? What are you, stupid? This place is nothing but some messed up science experiment, and we're the ones being fucked with and jerked around for some petty amusement. What you should be trying to do is figure a way out.

That would be a better bet. Who can find the exit first. Or who can fuck more shit up first.

[She's from a violent race ok. Don't judge her.]

[ Hey, Urotsuki has quite some violent tendencies herself, she sees no problem with the suggestion in that sense at least. ]

How do you know if it's a messed up science experiment or not..? Did anyone tell you about that?

[Oh well you look fairly unassuming and innocent and not in the position to try to kill him... then again, there were the teddies.]

You must be new, cherie... I am quite the opposite. Thanks to keeping record I know that I have been here for nearly ten months now. [sighing internally at that one. he would take being stuck in Siberia over this place] Ten very long months...

[ It's since Urotsuki doesn't have the chainsaw out yet. Or Kohaku the drugs.

She stares at the man for a moment.. and then she slowly nods to herself. ] 'Cherie' is French. [ She says it almost proudly, things she remembered from school indeed. But okay, back to the important part-- ]

There are a lot of people who have been here for a long time, I think.

_{[The weariness this man is carrying... it's something she'd observed in a few other people already, and Kohaku wonders if that's the REAL indicator of a tower old-timer.]}

Huh, is it..? _{[Playing dumb dot exe.]} First six months, then a year, then ten.. Could you put your ten long months to helping us with something, frenchman-san?

[He would much rather watch his world explode for the next month and a half than be here for ten years and that's saying something. Something about that makes him pause, raising a brow in question]

You are incredibly nonchalant about this... ah, call me Francis. [chainsaw or not, he kind of likes the proud tone. Ego-- he's got it still. Teasing, for a moment:] I am quite French, yes.

What do you need help with?

[Maybe he sounds a little concerned. He is.]

Now, if you would all please line up, single file! We're alllmost done here.

_{[Participants acquired. Now to analyze their temperament and body language!]}

[if you've not posted here yet and still want to be a measuring stick, that's fine~! this is just for consolidation.]

[ She's just waving a little, as if to beckon everyone over. She's not as much of an attention puller as Kohaku, but she tries..!! ]

Yes, this way, this way.. Just line up, thank you.

[Yeah, he's just going to stand here and tap his toe. Boy is a bit impatient to ~~prove he's better than oldbies~~ see what's going on, here.]

[ She notices the tapping after a moment or two - so she slides over while Kohaku is busy with some of the others. ]

... Is something wrong?

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2/ Establishment of Routine II

anywhere, what is setting

who needs setting also I'll go first in threeway thread I guess..

setting in an ephemeral, useless concept~

setting is a state of miiiiiiiindddddd

setting is the power that's trying to take over our freedom!!

DOWN WITH THE SETTING

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whenever, wherever, shakira shakira

WE'RE MEANT TO BE TOGETHER now it's stuck in my head

time for emergency earworm surgery, then

Nobody can get dem hips from their head

COMPARING MEASURING STICKS: THE ULTIMATE SUB THREAD

OOC NOTE:

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