One would imagine that it would be easy to meet new people in a game where the purpose was to meet and also kill new people. One would, apparently, imagine wrong. The last person Marion had seen was Nadine. The last time Marion had seen Nadine was a couple of seconds ago, as they shared a look before Marion scuttled forward and checked the area for people. While the short time period between now and then theoretically could have meant Marion had met a lot of people in-between when she had talked with Laura and when Marion and Nadine shared a look before Marion scuttled forward and checked the area for people, the safe assumption would’ve made a halfwit of everyone present. Ask the same question to Marion each and every second after she and Nadine went her separate ways, the continual answer would’ve been “Nadine, Nadine, Nadine, Nadine, Nadine.” The short of this was that neither Marion nor Nadine had met everyone else on their trek across the jetties and into the cruise ship. The long sentences all bunched together restating that fact over and over again were merely an attempt to set the tone of the scene. Make clear what had happened between then and now.
That was not to state that Marion felt like she and Nadine were the only people in this arena, though. There was evidence to the contrary. Voices — or, at least, noises that sounded like voices — in the distance. Gunshots in the distance. Gunshots in the not-so-distance. Any noise like that would provoke the two of them to talk about what to do. In the case of the former, they would agree to approach the noise, but find that by the time they made it there nobody was there anymore. In the case of the latter two, they would both find fairly quick agreeance to get away from the noise as quickly as possible. They did not have much conversation aside from that. Nadine was terse and not generally talkative, even in the best of times. Marion knew that not-talkative people were generally not interested in talking, thus, talking didn’t happen until it was needed, or when it otherwise seemed like a good time to ask Nadine one or two questions.
This specific scenario lied under “[when] it was needed],” and even then, they didn’t have to say much. They were walking through the middle floors of the cruise ship when they saw a door open outside, somehow. They decided to do the thing they did every time they wanted to enter a new area: have one of them check the area, see whether it was safe, then signal for the other to follow.
Which Marion did, just now. She walked outside and saw the pool right in front of her and the ice-cream machine to her side. She moved it around the room, checking the place for any other landmarks or people or otherwise notable things for around ten seconds. Once she was sure nobody else was her, she turned around and stepped out, placing her attention on Nadine.
“I think we’re alone, for now,” Marion said. “Do you want to stay here and rest? I… don’t think it’s a particularly smart idea to go swimming, but this place seems secure.”
9 PM, Day 1 (open, if you're interested in joining TEAM ESCAPE)
((Marion Rosales, continued from [url=http://sotfmini.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=332&t=2583]☪[/url]))
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Wham Yubeesling
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almostinhuman
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(Nadine Flores continued from ☪)
On their journey from the ruined old ship to their current spot, Nadine was struck by the relative lack of other people. Owing perhaps to her lack of interest in and experience with the show, she'd expected the boats to be crammed with other students. At the very least, she'd expected to see more people on the cruise ship, given its size and central location. But while they could certainly hear evidence of others, they had yet to happen upon anyone through both the outer walkways and the cruise ship itself. That they'd managed to avoid conflict was reassuring; that they could clearly hear the sounds of conflict elsewhere was a lot less so. Still, it seemed her concerns that the ship would be a hotbed for hostile encounters was unfounded.
Marion ushered Nadine out onto the deck. It was dominated by a massive pool, likely the one Laura had mentioned before they'd parted ways. Like the rest of the cruise ship, it was in remarkably good shape, especially compared to their previous vessel; it looked as it probably would if the ship was actually operational, minus all the tourists. Marion wanted to stop for the moment, which seemed a sound idea. Even as an outdoor area, it was high above most of the rest of the arena, so the chance of anyone spotting them was minimal.
"Yeah, this should do fine for now," she replied, laying her bag on one of the pool chairs before awkwardly sitting on it herself. She already felt a bit winded even in the short time they'd been walking; it was nice to get a quick moment to catch her breath.
Of course, this also meant sitting around for an extended period of time with Marion. This was near-certain to lead to talking, which Nadine was anything but an expert in. It wasn't so hard to be in a conversation when you had someone like Laura around, who could practically hold an entire conversation by herself. It was harder with someone like Marion; she seemed the sort who expected her conversation partner to actually engage a bit. That wasn't going to be fun.
The alternative would be to say nothing and just sit around quietly. That would probably be even worse.
Nadine looked up and Marion and gave a drawn-out "Sooo..."
On their journey from the ruined old ship to their current spot, Nadine was struck by the relative lack of other people. Owing perhaps to her lack of interest in and experience with the show, she'd expected the boats to be crammed with other students. At the very least, she'd expected to see more people on the cruise ship, given its size and central location. But while they could certainly hear evidence of others, they had yet to happen upon anyone through both the outer walkways and the cruise ship itself. That they'd managed to avoid conflict was reassuring; that they could clearly hear the sounds of conflict elsewhere was a lot less so. Still, it seemed her concerns that the ship would be a hotbed for hostile encounters was unfounded.
Marion ushered Nadine out onto the deck. It was dominated by a massive pool, likely the one Laura had mentioned before they'd parted ways. Like the rest of the cruise ship, it was in remarkably good shape, especially compared to their previous vessel; it looked as it probably would if the ship was actually operational, minus all the tourists. Marion wanted to stop for the moment, which seemed a sound idea. Even as an outdoor area, it was high above most of the rest of the arena, so the chance of anyone spotting them was minimal.
"Yeah, this should do fine for now," she replied, laying her bag on one of the pool chairs before awkwardly sitting on it herself. She already felt a bit winded even in the short time they'd been walking; it was nice to get a quick moment to catch her breath.
Of course, this also meant sitting around for an extended period of time with Marion. This was near-certain to lead to talking, which Nadine was anything but an expert in. It wasn't so hard to be in a conversation when you had someone like Laura around, who could practically hold an entire conversation by herself. It was harder with someone like Marion; she seemed the sort who expected her conversation partner to actually engage a bit. That wasn't going to be fun.
The alternative would be to say nothing and just sit around quietly. That would probably be even worse.
Nadine looked up and Marion and gave a drawn-out "Sooo..."
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Wham Yubeesling
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“Hm.”
‘Hm,’ in this case, was a better word than ‘um.’ The latter made clear to the other person that the current conversation was fated to die sooner or later. It betrayed the implication that there truly was nothing that one could say — that everything that came out of Marion’s mouth afterward was merely an attempt to relight a fire that she had only just peed on. The former, at the very least, gave hope that perhaps it was just on pause. Gave clear image that Marion was just thinking of what to say. Consideration, for how they both knew that Nadine wasn’t quite that talkative. Time, for Marion to actually think of something to say so that she could cease delaying the inevitable with this.
She did not. That was fine. Nadine liked silence. If that was what her companion wanted, Marion could get used to silence as well.
“I think a good idea would be to wait here, at least until the announcement happens. We have a couple of hours, and I think people are bound to come through here, so...”
She gave a smile. She wasn’t quite sure whether it looked natural, but she gave it anyway. A smile was what those previous sentences called for.
“We can rest. Think about what we want to talk about in the meantime.”
‘Hm,’ in this case, was a better word than ‘um.’ The latter made clear to the other person that the current conversation was fated to die sooner or later. It betrayed the implication that there truly was nothing that one could say — that everything that came out of Marion’s mouth afterward was merely an attempt to relight a fire that she had only just peed on. The former, at the very least, gave hope that perhaps it was just on pause. Gave clear image that Marion was just thinking of what to say. Consideration, for how they both knew that Nadine wasn’t quite that talkative. Time, for Marion to actually think of something to say so that she could cease delaying the inevitable with this.
She did not. That was fine. Nadine liked silence. If that was what her companion wanted, Marion could get used to silence as well.
“I think a good idea would be to wait here, at least until the announcement happens. We have a couple of hours, and I think people are bound to come through here, so...”
She gave a smile. She wasn’t quite sure whether it looked natural, but she gave it anyway. A smile was what those previous sentences called for.
“We can rest. Think about what we want to talk about in the meantime.”
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almostinhuman
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"Right... right, of course."
It was clear Marion wasn't really in the mood for idle chatter. Nadine understood that feeling; she was almost never in the mood for it. Under any normal circumstance, Nadine would be fine with the mutual silence. But these circumstances were as abnormal as it could get, and silence would leave her with little to do but contemplate the show, her place in it, and the likelihood of success on her current path. All of them were, frankly, rather terrifying to consider, the last of them most of all.
Nadine gently shoved her pack off the pool chair before adjusting herself to sit in it properly, leaning against the mostly-upright back of it. She hoped that announcement was close.
"Any idea of the time? They said these announcements happen every twelve hours, right?"
It was clear Marion wasn't really in the mood for idle chatter. Nadine understood that feeling; she was almost never in the mood for it. Under any normal circumstance, Nadine would be fine with the mutual silence. But these circumstances were as abnormal as it could get, and silence would leave her with little to do but contemplate the show, her place in it, and the likelihood of success on her current path. All of them were, frankly, rather terrifying to consider, the last of them most of all.
Nadine gently shoved her pack off the pool chair before adjusting herself to sit in it properly, leaning against the mostly-upright back of it. She hoped that announcement was close.
"Any idea of the time? They said these announcements happen every twelve hours, right?"
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Wham Yubeesling
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“I believe… they’ll be at nine PM?” A part of Marion had wanted to mention how she thought they’d happened at seven, but she didn’t really see any real good reason to add that to her sentence. Or, well, any reason that wasn’t bad. Perhaps it would have made Marion feel more relatable. Most likely, though, it would have her seem ignorant. Un-knowledgeable about where she was. Unfit to lead what she was ideally about to lead. Perhaps Nadine would not have minded either way, but she wasn’t quite the intended audience. Marion was. The people watching were. Loathe be it for Marion to rely on the people about to watch her die, but it was a sort of… verisimilitude. The more confident they seemed in her that she could achieve her goals the more confident she herself became. It was a feedback effect. She got her voice out there and all the microphones picking it up made it louder. It was simple. Like a math equation.
Like one of the ones where she hadn’t been given any sort of tutorialization beforehand.
“We woke up, right about then, and announcements are around every twelve hours or so, so…”
So…
So…
So they — Marion and Nadine — would find something to talk about in the meantime.
And they did. It wasn’t much — mostly just things about Nadine, what both their perspectives of being in the school orchestra was like — but somehow between the two of them one topic was able to lead into the other, and it lasted enough for five hours to feel less like five hours. Nadine seemed… enthusiastic, in a sort of way. Not like someone who naturally loved and flourished in conversation. More like someone who saw the opportunity for a conversation and leapt into it, mostly because the alternative of not having conversation was somehow worse. Which, in this situation, was fair. Marion was not going to begrudge Nadine for doing something she obviously didn’t want to do. Nor would she urge her to do what her heart really wanted, mostly because this did seem to be what Nadine’s heart wanted. The wallflower urged into talking with a talker. This game truly did change people.
But the point of this was that the two of them had stayed here for five hours. Near-sunset had become night. Nobody had come here in that time. The crackle of the loudspeakers told the two of them that announcements were going to start. And they did. The two of them listened. The lady told them about the five deaths, about the five killers who went along. She signed off. The island went back to silence.
And Marion had sat there the whole time. Her mouth had not opened. Her face had not moved.
Not to say that she did not know the people called on the announcement. Nor to say that she did not care about their deaths. She knew their names. She knew more than their names, but she knew that she wasn’t allowed to show that. The likely reason that she was chosen was because she knew everyone else here. Because she’d cry over their deaths. The people behind those cameras were waiting. Watching. Hoping for a reaction. Hoping for something to be betrayed.
Which wasn’t going to happen. Instead, Marion turned her attention to Nadine. Looked at her.
“Did you know any of those people?”
Like one of the ones where she hadn’t been given any sort of tutorialization beforehand.
“We woke up, right about then, and announcements are around every twelve hours or so, so…”
So…
So…
So they — Marion and Nadine — would find something to talk about in the meantime.
And they did. It wasn’t much — mostly just things about Nadine, what both their perspectives of being in the school orchestra was like — but somehow between the two of them one topic was able to lead into the other, and it lasted enough for five hours to feel less like five hours. Nadine seemed… enthusiastic, in a sort of way. Not like someone who naturally loved and flourished in conversation. More like someone who saw the opportunity for a conversation and leapt into it, mostly because the alternative of not having conversation was somehow worse. Which, in this situation, was fair. Marion was not going to begrudge Nadine for doing something she obviously didn’t want to do. Nor would she urge her to do what her heart really wanted, mostly because this did seem to be what Nadine’s heart wanted. The wallflower urged into talking with a talker. This game truly did change people.
But the point of this was that the two of them had stayed here for five hours. Near-sunset had become night. Nobody had come here in that time. The crackle of the loudspeakers told the two of them that announcements were going to start. And they did. The two of them listened. The lady told them about the five deaths, about the five killers who went along. She signed off. The island went back to silence.
And Marion had sat there the whole time. Her mouth had not opened. Her face had not moved.
Not to say that she did not know the people called on the announcement. Nor to say that she did not care about their deaths. She knew their names. She knew more than their names, but she knew that she wasn’t allowed to show that. The likely reason that she was chosen was because she knew everyone else here. Because she’d cry over their deaths. The people behind those cameras were waiting. Watching. Hoping for a reaction. Hoping for something to be betrayed.
Which wasn’t going to happen. Instead, Marion turned her attention to Nadine. Looked at her.
“Did you know any of those people?”
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almostinhuman
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Time had passed with few problems as Nadine and Marion waited on the pool deck. While Marion said people were likely to pass by, they spent several hours there without anyone else showing up. Instead, the two of them spent the hours waiting for the announcements out in the cool evening air, all the while engaged in casual banter. It felt relaxed as it could be in the circumstances, and Nadine could've easily forgotten what they were waiting here for in the first place.
Then the announcements came on.
Each name that came up - both the dead and their killers - was at least a little familiar to Nadine, even if only in passing. Some were more than familiar, even; Timothy was someone she genuinely liked, someone she'd even shared her writing with when she was still unsure of sharing it with anyone else. A pang of guilt slipped between her ribs as she listened to the casualties. Now, no matter if their escape happened or not, it would come too late for at least five kids, a number that was only going to increase the longer it took them to figure something out.
Marion asked Nadine if she'd known any of the kids from the announcements. Her face gave no hint of reaction to the news that five of their classmates were dead at the hands of five more of the classmates. She wondered if if Marion truly felt so calm, or if it was merely an attempt at putting on a brave face.
"Yeah, yeah I did," she muttered. She paused for a moment, then started rising from the pool chair. "We've been too idle. I wanna get through this hearing as few of those as possible."
Then the announcements came on.
Each name that came up - both the dead and their killers - was at least a little familiar to Nadine, even if only in passing. Some were more than familiar, even; Timothy was someone she genuinely liked, someone she'd even shared her writing with when she was still unsure of sharing it with anyone else. A pang of guilt slipped between her ribs as she listened to the casualties. Now, no matter if their escape happened or not, it would come too late for at least five kids, a number that was only going to increase the longer it took them to figure something out.
Marion asked Nadine if she'd known any of the kids from the announcements. Her face gave no hint of reaction to the news that five of their classmates were dead at the hands of five more of the classmates. She wondered if if Marion truly felt so calm, or if it was merely an attempt at putting on a brave face.
"Yeah, yeah I did," she muttered. She paused for a moment, then started rising from the pool chair. "We've been too idle. I wanna get through this hearing as few of those as possible."
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Wham Yubeesling
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“...Right.”
Note to self: Nadine was on Marion’s side. Consider what she has to say. She would almost certainly help with the goal of gathering people and overseeing an escape. She might also help with the other, not-yet-stated goal. Both were pointed in the same direction. Both plans were against the same enemy, it was only natural they would intersect. It was only natural that Nadine would be a true ally through all this.
“Shall we move, then?”
Note to self: Nadine was on Marion’s side. Consider what she has to say. She would almost certainly help with the goal of gathering people and overseeing an escape. She might also help with the other, not-yet-stated goal. Both were pointed in the same direction. Both plans were against the same enemy, it was only natural they would intersect. It was only natural that Nadine would be a true ally through all this.
“Shall we move, then?”
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almostinhuman
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"We probably should, yes. It hasn't done us a world of good to stay in one place for several hours."
Nadine awkwardly rose to her feet from the pool chair and scooped up her backpack before looking back to Marion. As long as they were focused on more serious matters, Nadine figured it was a good time to tackle something that had been nagging her since they left the ghost ship.
"While we're at it, we may wanna workshop an actual escape strategy. Right now we're just two idiots on a boat talking about how cool escaping would be."
Nadine awkwardly rose to her feet from the pool chair and scooped up her backpack before looking back to Marion. As long as they were focused on more serious matters, Nadine figured it was a good time to tackle something that had been nagging her since they left the ghost ship.
"While we're at it, we may wanna workshop an actual escape strategy. Right now we're just two idiots on a boat talking about how cool escaping would be."
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Wham Yubeesling
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“I’ll… try and see.”
A part of the past five hours had been spent doing what Nadine had just asked, if primarily internally. That part of the five hours… were at least well spent if it meant that she was able to rule out all the obvious ideas. Now, were she to do it again, she could at least place her mind on more feasible avenues of how to get these things around both their necks off.
Only more feasible avenues, though. Nothing definite. Nothing clear.
“We can talk about it on the way,” Marion said, standing up. “It might take a bit for us to find people here. Surprisingly.”
She looked at Nadine. Waited. They’d go as soon as she was ready.
“I should say, though, I'm not an idiot, thank you very much. Neither are you.”
((Marion Rosales, continued elsewhere))
A part of the past five hours had been spent doing what Nadine had just asked, if primarily internally. That part of the five hours… were at least well spent if it meant that she was able to rule out all the obvious ideas. Now, were she to do it again, she could at least place her mind on more feasible avenues of how to get these things around both their necks off.
Only more feasible avenues, though. Nothing definite. Nothing clear.
“We can talk about it on the way,” Marion said, standing up. “It might take a bit for us to find people here. Surprisingly.”
She looked at Nadine. Waited. They’d go as soon as she was ready.
“I should say, though, I'm not an idiot, thank you very much. Neither are you.”
((Marion Rosales, continued elsewhere))
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almostinhuman
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It may have been true that Marion didn't feel like an idiot, but Nadine felt like a colossal one. She'd chosen to escape, to help others escape, and spent the first several hours doing nothing. While she was engaging in banal conversation about being in a school band, a bunch of her classmates had died. She knew, objectively speaking, that there was little she could have done to stop any of it; nonetheless, she'd felt guilty as the announcements came and casually rattled off the names of the dead kids.
She'd have to remain focused going forward. For all that she felt foolish right now, she felt certain she could figure something out. She just might need help figuring out what.
"Right, I'm sorry," Nadine replied. "Let's head out. I'll follow you."
(Nadine Flores continued in cheesed to meet you)
She'd have to remain focused going forward. For all that she felt foolish right now, she felt certain she could figure something out. She just might need help figuring out what.
"Right, I'm sorry," Nadine replied. "Let's head out. I'll follow you."
(Nadine Flores continued in cheesed to meet you)