Week 1

[bathymetric]

Good morning, New Rapture. A new day is dawning.

There may not be much light to differentiate the days here, but the lights of the part of the city you're in change enough by the clock that you can almost believe there's a sun somewhere. It looks like Mayor Fontaine has no intention of going back on his deal, and for the time being? You're all stuck here. But there's plenty to do, and... maybe not plenty to see, but there's enough. There's something, at any rate.

Especially if you're willing to look beyond the surface.

And if you spend enough time around others, you might find something neat!

No matter what, it's time to start getting to know your fellow captives. You might be here a while.




MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY
FRIDAY | SATURDAY

[ ooc: Welcome to the first week of Unknown Seas Round 3! We're very excited to have you. Please make sure to mark any investigation toplevels accordingly, and you can reach either Mayor Fontaine or Eleanor for conversations! ]

Comments

[withagun]

[ Ah, the tell-tale CLUNK CLUNK CLUNK of our resident robot. ]

Huh- Misfire...-san? Do you think you can get it to respond? Is this a robot thing...?

[dullshooter]

The benefit of being a machine is that you get a pretty good understanding of how they work. And how to cheat them.

[Cracking his fingers, he gets down on one knee in front of the vending machine.]

This is a little trick I picked up in my many years of wanting to pay for things as little as possible. You can thank me later.

[And he just - yeah he’s just trying to shove his arm up the vending machine hole.]

[withagun]

[ ......... ]

Ah. I see.

[ HE'S HELPING I GUESS?? ]

[dullshooter]

[Look, expecting any better of him is a mistake on your part.]

Getting…there..

[He says, reaching up desperately despite his arms being literal rectangles.]

You know, I actually have a feeling that- once you’ve seen how it’s done - this might be a great skill for you, tiny-hands.

[On account of the tiny hands.]

[withagun]

Right. My...tiny hands.

[ Is he getting there. Is he...really... ]

Are...you sure you can, um...you know, fit in there...?

[ Spoilers: He super can't. ]

[dullshooter]

Absolutely.

[Definitely not.]

What kinda thing do you want me to root around for?

[There’s a horrible sound of metal-on-metal that sounds awfully like someone getting stuck but do NOT pay attention to it.]

[withagun]

[ Oh my god don't do this to the poor vending machine ]

Uh- I mean- I'm not really...looking for anything in particular, I was just trying to figure out if I could see...what's in it. Vending machines are supposed to show their products.

[dullshooter]

[He’ll get the vending machine some apology chocolates in due time.]

…Right. You just wanted to look.

[That makes this all kind of. Awkward.]

Maybe it’s more like a mystery prize draw type of deal - you don’t know what you get ‘til you get it?

[Misfire, cautiously, tugs his arm out a little bit. It makes a horrible noise. Like, just very bad.]

[withagun]

A gachapon? [ yeah have fun with that word that has no translation- ] Ehh I guess, but even those have some kinda indication...

[ He trails off as that horrible noise gets a little louder. ]

Ah. Um. Misfire-san...are you stuck?

[dullshooter]

[Misfire gives his arm another tug. Then, looks slowly from Hodaka to the machine.]

...

[He clicks his tongue.]

...Maybe.

[withagun]

Crap.

[ Yabai. ]

L- lemme try and... Maybe if I pull!!

[dullshooter]

Pulling first, hacksaw last.

[These are the only two options he can think of.]

[withagun]

Hacksaw never!

[ Hodaka tries to pull. He has muscles on his arms, surely, but compared to Misfire he is a little kitten (foreshadowing). ]

Nnngh... Hhhnnn...!!! I don't...think...I'm the right...person...!!!

[dullshooter]

[Oh, God. It's pretty endearing an attempt, but ultimately useless.]

...Maybe not. [He's pretty quick to admit defeat, but then-!] Wait! Maybe not for pulling, but what if you reached in yourself and got the part that's stuck un-stuck?

[It's a stupid idea.]

[withagun]

[ Oh that's a stupid idea! ]

In. Me, like- crawl in?! [ That's a stupid idea. Hodaka, don't- ] ...I'll give it my best shot...!!!

[ my god ]

[dullshooter]

Go, tiny-hands! Go!

[Is there not a single responsible adult that can walk past and stop this.]

[withagun]

[ Surely there is but they are not invited here.

With determination disproportionate to anything this plan deserves, Hodaka kneels down in front of the vending machine and tries to peer inside. It's best if he can get a look at Misfire's arm, after all!! But... Huh, he can't? Like, he can peer inside, yes, but his initial thought of literally crawl inside seems a lot less feasible. Is the vending machine flap slightly smaller...?

Oh well. In go those tiny hands, both of them, as he pushes himself flat against the vending machine for best reach. In theory, this means he could be able to wrap around Misfire's arm and tug it free. In practice, he's blindly pawing around until he starts thwacking robo-hand. ]

One, two...!!!

[ He pulls. And pulls. And pulls. And definitely smacks his chin on the vending machine while pulling. ]

[dullshooter]

[THERE HE FUCKIN GOES...!!!]

...Three!!

[Misfire does his best effort to pull at the same time as Hodaka, and with their powers combined, they actually get somewhere!

That somewhere being 'on the floor' for Misfire, because the frantic pulling combined with newfound freedom has him barelling backwards. He lies flat for a moment, then bolts up, positively beaming.]

You did it!! You saved me, tiny hands!!

[withagun]

[ Those tiny hands definitely feel a little sore after being stuffed into a small space with a metal man. And so do his tiny ass bones, as he also goes down hard on the floor, into what we're going to call an extreme sitting position. ]

Ow, ow, ow... Ahh- I did? I did?!

[dullshooter]

You did!!

[Misfire pushes himself up to give Hodaka a congratulatory pat. Sorry about your tiny bones, kid.]

And with that, you've just marked yourself as indispensible. Who else is gonna be able to save my arm if I get it caught in a vending machine again?

[withagun]

[ Despite how ridiculous this whole thing is? Misfire saying that, it seems to strike a chord in Hodaka. He raises his head a little, eyes lighting up. ]

Really? Indispensible?

[dullshooter]

Yeah! [How can he not give positive reinforcement to that face-] We’d be lost without you. Absolutely without hope. If you leave without us, we might as well give up right there.

[Okay so he’s being a little jokey but the sentiment? The sentiment is there and it’s real.]

[withagun]

[ Oh, but this is great. Hodaka, a little eagerly, responds: ] You don’t have to lay it on too thick. Or sugarcoat. If I’m not doing something the right way, I wanna know, to improve.

[ Like when he first joined K&A Planning. The first little slice of the world he carved out for himself. ]

I’ll do my best.

[dullshooter]

[Oh, he's so sincere. It makes Misfire's spark hurt.]

Don't worry, I'm excellent at drawing attention to the flaws of others. [After delivering that satisfactory reassurance, he gives Hodaka a thumbs up.] I know you'll do great. Or at least passable.

[withagun]

[ That may be discouraging to others, but not to Hodaka. It's probably the tone with which it's delivered, honestly. ]

Of course...! I'm a very hard worker, I promise!

[ ...What is it they're even referring to anymore, though...? ]