mayfield_rpg | 2 Things To Fight For.

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2 Things To Fight For.

[1 - Hastings Boulevard - Morning before school/work.]

[Fang's taking to running laps up and down the street bright and early every morning as she can't stand being cooped up in that house. She's never done well staying in one place too long and Mayfield is going to be no exception to this. She didn't like Cocoon for a plethora of reasons but one of the main ones was the artificial environment it had. Mayfield isn't quite as bad as Cocoon but it's bad enough that it's still making her feel like a tiger trapped in a cage. Thusly, this is one of her coping methods. It's not as great as the weapons practice she's started up doing in the house and in the backyard but there's only so much of that anyone can stand.]

[2 - Mayfield High School - During the school day in the halls.]

[So apparently, she's a, uh... Teacher? What the hell. Not like this place made much sense anyway and at least it's a subject she can... Mostly handle. Though what precisely she'd supposed to do with these kids is still a little trying in a place like this... Either way, she's been making it through the classes without looking like a complete buffoon which counted for something. Now though it's between classes and she doesn't have anything this coming period but she does the period after. What the hell is she supposed to do with herself until then?]

[3 - After school - Leaving school grounds/Way home from work - Starting at school and walking streets of Mayfield back to Hastings - Reasonable that she may get lost and not realize she's lost.]

[The day was over. Kids were wondering about here and there, some lingering around the school grounds and others running away as quickly as possible. Fang couldn't blame either set. She'd stick around for a little bit in case anyone had questions before heading out herself. While she learned quick, she was still getting a feel for the town and all it's possible short cuts and cross streets. The alphabet was similar enough that she was able to read it, or maybe she just magically learned how to read is since being teleported here. Who knew but either way, many streets would be crossed before figuring her way back 'home'.]

[4 - Phone Open to all - Evening.]

[She's pretty sure she all ready knows the answer to this but... She's just gotta try.]
No one's 'appened t'see a fair skinned, cheery girl with pigtails an' red 'air runnin' about, yea?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[And Gat continues!]

First thing that happened after th' machine was taken out, folks in town started "regainin'" injuries. If you were ever injured in town, at all, them injuries would come back all of a sudden. Lotta folks got it bad. Some died, others got medical help before it was too late—but even then, I'd hear of injuries comin' back.

An' it still got worse. Some woman I ain't heard of before got involved. Ain't sure what she was doin'—but folks were gettin' kidnapped an taken to a factory that appeared on th' edge of town, gettin' repurposed as a hospital.

[His tone of voice belies how unsettled he is by all that he's recounting.]

What they were doin' there was beyond any kinda medical experimentation I'd ever seen. Folks were comin' back with bizarre alterations to mind an' body. My coworker—they amputated her hands an' replaced 'em with assault rifles. An' her body had a mind of its own—kept tryin' to kill anyone she saw, no matter how much she wanted otherwise.

I didn't find out 'bout this until one of th' other folks livin' in this house told me ... 'cause Dakki didn't come home 'till it was all over. Someone killed her back then. A mercy killin'.

[Gat pauses enough for Fang to react, or comment, if she wants.]

[Fang made a note to herself that staying away from that hospital as much as it could be helped was probably ideal. Fang would remain silent, letting it sink in. She knew about mercy killings, perhaps a bit too well for someone her age... Or at least understood the concept and had the drive to follow through with them if she had to. Strangers would be easier than some of the other situations she'd been involved in most likely. Though, if there was any truth to how this town worked, it was unlikely anyone would stay a stranger for too long.]

These things still goin' on at the 'ospital?

Naw, far as I've seen, that hospital-factory's been shut down. Thankfully. Took 'em a week or two, but apparently what that woman was doin' was botherin' even th' other folks in charge, which is sayin' somethin' considerin' what all they're willin' to do to us.

One of 'em asked us to provide a distraction while he dealt with her an' fixed that broken machine. Things went relatively back to normal after all that.

—Well, "normal" as they get 'round here.

Ya coworker still got guns for 'ands or'd those get removed when she came back? [Fang would fall silent for a moment, giving him time to answer one question before she asked the next.]

An' what 'appened t'the woman that was runnin' things? [Another pause would be given before the third question.]

Didja get anythin' outta workin' with 'em?

Naw, once she came back, Dakki didn't have a trace of them experiments on her. From what I'd seen, once they got that place shut down, all th' changes that woman made to people wore off or disappeared outright.

[And question number two!]

I ain't sure. I ain't heard any word on what's been done with her, or if anyone's ever seen her 'round town. Maybe some of th' people who've been 'round these parts for a few years would know.

When they announced they'd finally caught her, I recall they were callin' her "Doc Johnson," but it ain't a name I'd heard before.

[And the last question ...]

Y'mean th' Postman sendin' things from home? I didn't, but I saw other folks gettin' packages, so I reckon so.

[The first response she'll remain silent for, simply processing the information. This town was starting to sound more and more horrible with each second ticking by.]

Mm. [ There's some thoughts and opinions here but she needs more time to mull them over first. Plus? Who knows what the drones in the house might do if she says those things out loud.]

Sendin' things from 'ome? [It quite clearly sounds like she wants elaboration on this.]

[Gat pauses ... no one's told her about that yet?]

Yeah. Y'know how you arrived here without a thing from home? An' if you ain't human normally, th' town turned you into one? Over time, th' Postman sends out packages containin' things both tangible an' conceptual, usually for makin' it through one of th' town's nastier periods. Most folks jus' call 'em "regains."

Mm. [Is the confirmation she'll give to his line of questions before falling silent to listen again.]

Do ya get t'pick what ya get?

Naw. I ain't sure if it's random or if th' Postman's pickin' what we get back, but we don't get a choice.

Any otha' ways t'get stuff? Aside from dealin' with the town's problems.

[Gat feels sorry for Fang—no one's shown her Dist's letter judging from these questions ...]

There is, but I ain't gonna recommend it. You can go to th' Post Office directly an' ask th' Postman for your things. In return, though, you'll be givin' up somethin'. Could be body parts, memories, or exchangin' one thing from home for another.

Some folks think it's worth it, but I don't.

[She'll fall silent for a moment.]

We get t'choose what we give or they jus' take sumthin'?

That, I don't know for sure. You'll have to poll th' town on that, get some input from folks who've done it.

Mm. [Another pause.]

You've been a lotta 'elp, anythin' I can do t'repay ya?

It weren't no thing. Helpin' folks is what I do back home; y'don't gotta repay me.

[He takes on a midlly joking tone.]

Money ain't got much worth in a town like this, anyhow.

If'n y'ever need help with somethin' else, though, don't be shy. Me an' my coworker live over here on 458 Stone Street.

No but sumone 'avin' ya back in a place like this takes on a lotta worth. [As much as he's joking, she's quite serious.]

Might not be a l'Cie but I still know 'ow t'fight.

Y'got a point there. I'd be much obliged to work with ya when another crisis comes 'round, then.

[Something about "l'Cie" reminds him a lot of Aurica and the names she dropped for things from her world.]

Do them l'Cies got anything to do with a place called "Ar Ciel," by any chance?

[Figuring the matter was settled for the first part she'll only go on to answer the second.]

Don't think so, least I don't recall eva' 'earin' about that in our legends. [Maybe it was a Cocoon thing.]

Got sum people I know that might, I'll ask 'em when I see 'em next.

Alright. For a lil' while we had a girl in this household sayin' she was from a place like that. A tower that was one of th' few places on her planet that ain't wrecked.

[There's a beat before he continues. His voice is a touch more somber.]

Th' town permanently droned her 'bout five months back.

[Fang will fall silent once more for a moment before continuing a bit gently.]

'eard about that permanent dronin' thing. [Another pause before she carefully comments.] What's that about?

I ... ain't sure why it happens. Folks 'round here've got a lot of theories about what's really goin' on in this town, but we ain't got much hard data to confirm what's true and what ain't. One idea I've heard is that if'n you're permanently droned, you're gettin' sent back home an' th' town's jus' left a thing that looks like you takin' your place.

That's th' most optimistic one, though.

An' what's the least optimistic one?

[A beat.]

Well, there's several.

One is that we're all jus' copies of our real selves, runnin' on a virtual simulation. "We" were never here, an' we're jus' data that gets reprogrammed when th' town's done with us.

An' th other—we are here, an' th' town's takin' th' souls of its captives to continue powerin' itself. Folks that're permanently droned don't go anywhere; their souls're taken from 'em as a power source.

[Fang's... Not even sure where to begin with this. The first option seems, strangely enough, more baffling than the second to her. fal'Cie sucked all the hope and fight out of you to turn you into cie'th, why couldn't some other thing turn you into something else.]

So... Eitha' we're not really 'ere or the town's slowly killin' us? [At least... That's what she was guessing he was saying. It seemed an appropriate summation but it was hard since Gran Pulse wasn't as technology crazy as everywhere else seemed to be at this rate.]

Somethin' to that effect.

Pardon if I ain't explainin' it too clear—I know this town takes folks from every time an' place, an' I've met plenty folks who got no clue what androids or computers are.

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Ack, sorry! Census distracted me.

No worries! I still need to do that. >.>;

Not sure if Dakki ICly got her regain yet, was double checking first!

That's always useful~

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Oops!

Lol, this thread gives you all the issues, eh?

I'm bad about getting it right the first time! I have no edit button and I must revise. XD