eighteenth jump;

[mathematically]

CHARACTERS: any and all
LOCATION: Gravity Couches and beyond
WARNINGS: maybe some swearing, or even some violence, and more than likely some implied (and possibly explicit) nakedness.
SUMMARY: Another month, another jump, another round of new faces.
NOTES: Keeping up with the tradition and copy pasted like always from the last one 



You wake up in darkness.

There's a breathing tube jammed down your trachea, and you're suspended in a tube of clear blue fluid. Upon registering your level of consciousness, the gravity couch drains the fluid surrounding you and retracts the breathing apparatus; the doors in front of you open, and you're deposited on the floor of a stark, sterile medical bay.

You are not alone.
There are others who have come before you, others who are awakening beside you. Some may be familiar to you, perhaps even friends. Others have much less amiable plans. Some are merely alien and inexplicable, but there are always those who might mean you harm.

After you catch your breath and your vision returns, you notice a number on the inside of your forearm. Maybe it's a familiar number. Maybe it means something. Maybe it's just a number. But the number—completely unique to you—is a tattoo, and it does not come off.

If you enter the room adjacent to the medbay, you will find a small locker with your number on it, surrounded by rows upon rows of identical lockers. Inside, you will find a few of your personal items, a communications device, and a ship's uniform in your exact size. The comms device is fully powered and connects directly to the ship's network; it's your only means of communication beyond physical conversation. Upon turning the device on, a neutral, automated voice will say, "Please take the blue lift to the passenger quarters." Any other attempts at communicating with the rest of the network are met only with static.

This is your welcome party.

Comments

[ironsights]

[ god, that's disheartening -- the fact that takeshi's so sure of the necessity for fighting. kazama's expression darkens visibly, and he seems to be thinking over his words for a moment. ]

... you should --

[ he starts talking, but stops abruptly. because as much as he wants to tell takeshi that he should trust other people, that he should also allow other people to protect him -- that might be bad advice, if takeshi's from such a rough place that he knows the necessity for combat already. in the end, kazama just sighs, and gives a halfhearted nod. muttering, ]

-- keep it up. You're strong already.

[throwsdown]

[Despite Kazama's displeasure at the idea of him fighting, Takeshi's face brightens at that reply; it's good to know that you're strong. And it's good to hear someone say to keep it going... Just a moment before, he was scared that Kazama would be mad at him. He can breathe a little easier as he looks back to the punching bag and hits it one more time.]

I hope... when I grow up, I'm still strong enough...

I wanna protect my dad.

[ironsights]

[ it's admirable resolve, especially for someone so young, especially when it's so focused on protecting other people, not himself. all the more reason that other people have to look out for takeshi. ]

... you'll be able to. Your dad'll be proud.

[ kazama watches that punching bag sway and thinks back over just how strong takeshi is with that suit of his. and tries not to think about how dangerous his world must be, if even that strength of his doesn't feel like enough. ]

[throwsdown]

[He looks undeniably proud to hear that. Of course, Takeshi's protected his father before — but he doesn't see it as that. He just remembers trying to. And then failing, almost gobbled up until his father came and saved him. His dad was... really amazing.]

You should meet him. He's got a serious face, too! Like you!

But he's nice, too.

Like you.

[ironsights]

[ he cringes visibly at that. while he doesn't care so much about being called 'serious,' he's not sure what to think if takeshi thinks he's 'nice.' it feels like he's been lying to a child. ]

I'm -- [ an awkward pause. ] -- I'm sure he's nice.

[ it comes out stiffly, and kazama looks markedly uncomfortable. shifting on his feet and making a clumsy attempt to change the subject. ]

It's good you've got people to look after you.

[throwsdown]

[He nods.]

Yeah — and then I can look after them, too.

Do you got people like that, Kazama??

[ironsights]

... no.

[ he's never been that good of a liar in the first place. the last thing he wants to do is lie to a kid, lie to takeshi. there's a tense, uneasy exhale as kazama looks anywhere but at takeshi. ]

I shouldn't need people like that.

[throwsdown]

[Oh, Kazama. It's never that easy; looking away, making your discomfort obvious, it doesn't really work on the wide-eyed kid watching him. He just wants to know] Why's that...?