video; un: ratchet (post attack on palace)

[neveroutwrenched]

[It's midday a few days after the battle when the feed comes to life. Ratchet is settled in the forest on the outskirts of the city, blaster pistol laid in the grass by his feet. Behind him, the trees are covered in scorch marks from his target practice... though truthfully, Ratchet was more interested in blowing off steam than working on his aim.

The race for a cure, the political intrigue, organizing a breakout... it was a lot of hurry up and wait while plans were worked out by those Orbers who'd proven themselves essential. The energy inside the palace walls was the taut, nervous kind that made Ratchet want to disappear into the middle of nowhere and shoot stuff until he got his head on straight.

He was still riding that adrenaline when he begins to speak, tail swishing involuntarily. Addressing a crowd -- even an invisible one -- wasn't in his comfort zone.]

Hey. Hi. [He waves.] Everyone's got a lot on their plates right now, so let me just say right off the bat: that this doesn't have to do with any of that. I promise, this is like... negative important. So if you're looking for the latest news on what's going on at the palace or in Yuryeong or whatever, you can probably skip this one.

[ There goes his tail, swishing harder. Yep, he was nailing this. ]

Anyway... We're dealing with a multiverse spanning AI here, right? Like, I get that part. But... isn't it a little crazy how many people here can straight up do magic? Like, is that a condition of admission? Because if it is, I think there was some kind of mistake when it picked me up. [It's a joke, but maybe not as much of one as he tries to make it sound.] I'm a great mechanic, don't get me wrong. I guess you could say I'm a wizard with engines, but I don't think that really counts when there are... actual wizards around.

[That wasn't offensive, right? "Wizard"? Sitting up a little straighter, Ratchet figures it's time to get to the point.]

So, I guess I'm trying to figure that part out. What did everyone on this team do, back on your worlds? Doctor? Culinary auteur? Unpaid intern? What do you think made the AI pick you for this?

... And if there's anyone else out there feeling a little powerless right now, you're welcome to come fire off a few rounds with me. [He holds up the gun with a lopsided grin.] It's not a magic wand or anything, but y'know. Still fun.

Comments

audio (un: major.yzak.jule)

[coordination]

[ Oh, it's this guy. TECHNOLOGY FRIEND. ]

Nobody would make a mistake in choosing me to help out with a mission. [ Because he is a leader! A brilliant fighter and beginning to prove his worth in the political sphere (by way of screaming at the idiot politicians there). ] And I'm not from somewhere like that, either. So you're probably fine.

—Actually. If you're as good with engines and the like as you claim you are, once we're back on the station that could be useful. After the trouble we had at the start, someone who could familiarize themself with exactly how things work could make it a lot easier if something fucks up again.

[callada]

It's not magic. We don't have magic where I come from.

[He says so matter-of-factly. All these other people keep saying they do, though, and what else is he supposed to do but accept it? Apparently magic exists some places. Sure. Just like spaceships.

It's also plenty evident that Ratchet seems to have dodged his question. He described his world, but not what he did in it. He'll come back to that if he doesn't get his answer, but there's no need to be impatient, he figures.]

There's a type of fruit back home that modifies lineage factors.

[See? Totally not magic.]

voice, un: ellie

[thevalley]

Technically unemployed but... survival is sort of the way things are back home. So maybe that's why.

[Not gonna get into the regrets.]

Also, you're a cat mechanic thing. Are you really gonna shit on magic?

audio; un: username

[skelepun]

[ Hey check it out, it's his favorite space alien. And he's talking about magic? That's his whole deal, bud. Just try hanging up on him this time. ]

I run an illegal hot dog stand. Don't tell the cops.

[silverneedles]

[ There's a pause before she responds, and when she does, her voice sounds flat; it's not an easy topic. ]

From your description, yes. It is possible to create fierce corpses. They cannot act fully on their own but it is similar.

[neveroutwrenched]

[That's the infectious confidence we love to see! He tips his head to one side, frowning at the suggestion.]

"Again"? Did you guys have problems before?

[neveroutwrenched]

Ouch, alright that's probably fair. Except I'm not a "cat", and there's no humans where I'm from.

[The implication being that humans are just as much aliens here as him. Except for that little fact that the people of Gyeongje were decidedly human, or very near to it. So...maybe not.]

What kind of survival skills are we talking about? Like, building fires, catching your own food, living off the land...that kinda thing?

[neveroutwrenched]

[Ratchet frowns.]

Does that hurt them? Being hot?

[neveroutwrenched]

Aha, real funny.

So, no one tells you what to do? No bills to pay? Just do whatever you want?

[scarcastically]

Payin' bills doesn't make me a slave to the system.

But yeah, I kinda do. Don't have a higher authority to follow up with.

[coordination]

We did.

The station lost power for a time - obviously there were backup generators for oxygen and the most important systems, because it'd be absolutely stupid not to have those in place.

We were lucky some more inclined to magic managed to help out with getting the power back on, but I don't think anybody was used to the specific mechanical setup. I only know basics myself, and that's just really where our mobile suit maintenance is concerned - I'm not a mechanic. So I didn't want to poke around with shit and end up making something worse.

Viveca only came back online just prior to this mission, too - she disappeared when that all happened.

voice; un: clarke

[romancekiller]

[talking animals? yeah that sure is a thing... but you know what, she will roll with it considering most things here seem impossible to her]

The fact people can do magic is definitely strange for me to get used since it's not something people are capable of back where I'm from. We mostly just had to worry about survival but I did have medical training so I could have been selected for either of those things.

[respirations]

Maybe? But who knows— they say the dead aren't supposed to have regrets, yeah?

( There's a sound but ultimately a hum. ) Then again you're also kind of put on the spot when you're bleeding out in a some weird hell mouth cave underneath your childhood town.

video; un: oswin

[bossily]

I know, right? I thought everyone here but me could do some kind of magic. It was starting to give me a complex.

[There's even a little frown on her face to accompany that complex.]

video; un: trashmouth

[longoverdue]

My best friend’s a risk analyst for some big finance thing, and I’m a comedian. The most magical thing either of us have seen is probably like, fuckin’—Little Mermaid. And that was a Disney movie, so.

[Pennywise doesn’t count. The clown was less magical and more utterly traumatic.]

I guess I just got picked ‘cause somebody needed to boost morale.

1/2

[skelepun]

[ In a single crystalline moment, Sans finds himself perfectly between hysterical laughter and true bafflement. Like straddling two sides of equally deep, dark canyons.

In less flowery terms, his face cracks. ]

2/2

[skelepun]

I, uh. Yeah, man, I... [ There was a joke Sans had queued up, before making the terrible mistake of looking at Ratchet's unassuming frown a second time. So much for the joke. It was gone now. Now, there was only laughter.

And that's just what Ratchet has to deal with now. A guy he's talked to maybe, like, twice, laughing with wheezing lack of control for an uncomfortably long time. ]

[testgasm]

Yes. Well, no. It's not like I had to entertain them, or anything. Just monitored. Made sure all the vital functions, were, uh. Functioning. Made sure nobody woke up when they weren't--weren't supposed to.

The facility, though, oh, that was the best part. Huge. Gigantic. Went down for miles, and I got to run the entire place. Absolute dynamite. So that's why I imagine I'm here, considering the, uh. Importance. And brainpower. That it took to be in charge.

[neveroutwrenched]

[Talking animals, magic, undead "monsters" harassing the town...they really had it all here.]

Yeah, it...definitely takes some getting used to. [Especially when you are one of those things that people need to get used.] So you were a doctor?

text, un; dustywolf (please tell me if this threadhop is not okay)

[softmouth]

hey! I grew up on a farm!

text, un; dustywolf

[softmouth]

I'm not sure I have any qualifications. I can turn into a wolf, I grew up on a farm so I can grow things and take care of animals and wrangle a tractor into working. and I'm a decent cook? I can do some first aid? honestly I've never had an actual job, and like all the people around me can also turn into wolves, but also have had actual jobs and are better at fighting than me so I have no idea

definitely no magic or special tech knowledge. I mean, I guess I'm the only person in the house who knows how to make the wifi work when it cuts out and can hook up a printer but I don't think that counts

[Don't mind him, he's rambling because he's freaked out. Getting a second bite-transmitted transforming disease will do that to you.]

[buoys]

[ another little laugh, but this time a little more subdued. he wishes he could say it was a life's dream for him or something, but war and loss can really... change people sometimes. ]

Oh you know... after you spend your formative years going around kicking alien butt, sometimes you just wanna settle down a little, right? [ once upon a time he'd dreamed of being a legendary pilot. and then it happened, and then people died, and so did his will to keep dreaming. ]

But it was mostly cattle, for their milk. Had a couple of chickens for their eggs, got a good harvest going for corn a couple of seasons. [ a slight pause. ] I spent a couple of years working on cultivating this flower from another planet. It worked out pretty well.

( more than! c: )

[buoys]

no kidding! bet i could've used your help a lot in the beginning
i had NO idea what i was doing lol

[neveroutwrenched]

Tell me about it. We're going to have to start a whole support group at this rate. "Magically Inept Anonymous".

[neveroutwrenched]

Does your best friend happen to be here too? Real nervous guy? High strung? Little sarcastic?