Event || Terra Incognita

[melodiesmods]

Characters: Anyone who signed up for the trip!
Where: The Enterprise / Mysidia.
When: Starting from the 18th of November.
Summary: The first trip to the Continent of Ruins is finally happening! The Heroes of Light, the Enterprise Crew, Cid and O'aka are all onboard for the trip. What will the Heroes of Light find there? Will they come back alive? Feel free to start your own top-comment thread about your character exploring Mysida and its surroundings! For details regarding Mysidia, please click here.
Warning: Nothing (yes, they'll come back alive).

Open Mingle || The Enterprise
Event || Welcoming Committee

Comments

[charming_jerk]

Dude. Seriously. [Johnny holds up a hand telling Albel to relax. He's had to explain to a lot of people over the last two years how things like TV, movie and games worked, but this reaction was a first.]

Look, I can tell they ain't got anythin' like this where you're from. Those ain't real people or real anythings in there, okay? Just images.

[wickedone]

That's the kind of willful ignorance that gets people hurt -- or killed.

[Albel scowled at Johnny. Every assumption that the demon man made was offensive.]

You're right -- my people did not entertain ourselves by meddling in the lives of others this way. We were not so self-centered.

[charming_jerk]

Damn, man, what the hell is even your problem. Does it ever get lonely sittin' up there on yer high horse all the time? It's just a fuckin' game. And I'm done explanin' it. So if you wanna continue sounding like a lunatic over it to everyone else around here, be my damn guest.

[That's the last time he offers any good will to this guy.]

[wickedone]

My problem? My problem?

[Albel had tried to remain calm, angry but generally composed, but now he was losing it. After what he'd learned from Sphere, from Arkives, about Luther -- his entire world? He could not just walk away from this. He gave Johnny a strong, rough shove away from the console.]

Imagine yourself in their place! Your entire life a lie, a fabrication, manipulated by people who think nothing of you!

[charming_jerk]

[Johnny's eyes narrowed sharply at Albel, stupefied for just a moment that someone would try to start a fight with him over something like this. He gets right in Albel's face, and will try to explain this to him one last time.]

They're a bunch of pixels, you goddamn idiot! What do you think happens when they unplug these things? When they break? When they switch off the power at night? Does everyone just fuckin' disappear? Does their world come to an end? It's a game! It ain't real!

[wickedone]

You. Don't. KNOW!

[Albel shouted back, never backing down for an instant. He was nearly nose to nose with Johnny, and he'd go blade to blade if it came to it. Whether or not that was a smart decision...]

You don't know! You can't know!

[Perhaps that was the worst part -- the seeming paranoia. There was no way to possibly check, but after discovering the truth of his world, how could he possibly consider anything else? He had to leave the possibility open.]

[whereishe]

[They aren't being quiet and the loud shouting brings stares and one concerned sphere hunter over to the fray. Yuna's brow furrows as she tries to step between the pair.]

Hey, wait a second!

[She holds out one hand to Johnny, her fingers lightly resting on his and then holds the other to Albel's chest as her thin form slips between them.]

What's going on?

[charming_jerk]

[Yuna was definitely the best person to make Johnny chill out. Otherwise, he would have been fine to let it escalate. He huffs sharply as he takes a step back, still glowering at Albel.]

You tell me! I'm playin' a game, next thing I know, he's going off on me about treatin' the "people" inside the game like they're real, and he's ready to bust my head in over it.

[wickedone]

[Albel went to take a step forward, but Yuna was stronger than she looked. He growled and remained where he was, though he glared daggers at Johnny.]

And what if they are? It's somehow alright to manipulate them and interfere with their lives because it's just a game to you? Because you continue to delude yourself that there's no possibility your game is someone's world?

They can't be real because they aren't like you?!

[whereishe]

[Yuna is stunned for a moment. She listens to Albel’s words and turns them carefully in her mind, she’s heard of games before arriving here but she never thought she could be in one. Technically they could all be in one now but that sort of thought process hurt to think about for too long.]

Listen.

[She spoke softly looking between the both of them.]

There is no saying what these games are like or if they are connected to anything. They are something specific to this continent and it’s a part of their culture. [She’s used to going to different places.] Johnny, can you please leave the game on for now?

[Yuna doesn’t want to just dismiss either of their concerns though her gaze is steady as she turns back to Albel.]

Yelling isn’t going to change this place, you know? [Her voice softens but remains confident.] We can go learn more about these games. I’m sorry for any pain this has caused you but it won’t change that easily. You don’t know if these games are like that but I’m sure we can find out. I’ll help.

[charming_jerk]

Fine, whatever.

[Johnny wasn't about to apologize, not over something he thought was so stupid, but he'd back off for now due to Yuna's interference.]

There ain't no way to reason with crazy people anyway.

[wickedone]

[Crazy? Crazy? Albel bared his grit teeth. It took great effort not to gut Johnny like a fish, then and there.]

It was part of Arkives' culture, too. And they tried to kill us to keep it.

So yes -- I'm finished trying to reason with an ass.

[He pushed off of Yuna, frustrated, and left in the opposite direction, wanting to put as much distance between himself and Johnny as quickly as possible. Before he did end up drawing his katana and causing a real scene.]

[whereishe]

[Yuna watches after Albel feeling a pain of sadness. She has no idea what he's been through but she can tell that it's left it's scars. Her mismatched gaze then turns to Johnny, her eyes shining curiously in his direction.]

What was that about?

[Her tone is soft and she makes sure not to sound like she's accusing anyone.]

[charming_jerk]

[Johnny's still a bit fired up though.]

You tell me! I was just playin' a goddamn game when that asshole went off on me. Goin' on about how the people in it might be real, how would I like it if someone was doin' it to me, shit like that. Dude's out of his mind!

[whereishe]

[Yuna places her hand on Johnny's arm trying to pull him away from the prying stares of those around them. She doesn't think he wants an audience.]

That might be true but maybe that's because he's from a world that's actually like that. Johnny we all come from different places and we don't really forget our homes.

[She tries to find his gaze hoping that he might understand and calm down.]

[charming_jerk]

[If there's anything this guy's used to, it's being a public spectacle just by existing. He doesn't want an audience, but he's too riled up right now to care.

He forcefully points at the arcade machine.]

This ain't a world, it's pixels 'n electricity! Unless that asshole can prove he's actually 8-bit, I'm continuing to believe he's just crazy motherfucker.

[whereishe]

[Yuna looks up at him trying to find a way to rationalize everything.]

What if I was from a game?

[She tries to catch his gaze.]

Wouldn't you at least listen? [Because he isn't listening.]

[charming_jerk]

But you're not! You're standing in front of me as a whole person, not a pile of pixels or polygons.

[No, he's not listening. He's stubborn. And he thinks this whole argument is ridiculous.]

How could you even think something like this is a reality? Even the most realistic games where I'm from have their limits. And even so, they end! You turn the system off! They have shit like multiple endings and sequels - how can someone even think it's real life?

[whereishe]

[Yuna lets out a soft sigh.]

I don’t know. I guess I don’t understand it myself but you can’t go changing people’s minds by yelling.

[At least she’s never seen it work out that way.]

[charming_jerk]

[Well, his enthusiasm is gone for now, and he starts to walk away. He figured he wasn't winning this battle anyway.]

Whatever. I'm obviously not changin' anyone's minds here tonight anyway.

[whereishe]

[Yuna pouts but watches him walk off. She feels sorta bad about all this but she doesn't know what else to say. She knows that some people just dont get along but to almost come to blows in the middle of an arcade?

With a sigh she turns to leave as well. She doesn't feel like playing games anymore.]