[Open] There's a Point Where It Tips, There's a Point Where It Breaks

[zerotohiro]

Who: Everyone in Cerealia who figured out the code words for this meeting
When: Evening of IC 5/31, after Hawke's network post
Where: Sanctuary
What: "A pizza party" aka a meeting about the new masked figure that appeared.
Warnings: N/A, maybe some talks about what Alien-kun had to say, etc.


[It's evening by the time Hiro gets to the Sanctuary. Anyone who had seen him this morning will have spotted him with Baymax, both of them sans their normal armor and Baymax carrying what looks like a giant box. They had preparations to make, after all. He makes his way in and out of the building a few times but by the time the first of their guests arrive, everything's set up.

Upon entering the Sanctuary, Baymax moves to stand guard and collect your CereVice in a box at the door. Please don't cheat, he doesn't like when people aren't playing fair. In exchange for the CereVice, you will receive a form and a pencil before Baymax cheerfully waves you away.

Hiro's sitting on a table at the head of the lounge watching people come in. Hawke had promised these people pizza and cake (Hawke why) and he's delivering on that promise. The stack is about as tall as he is, more than enough to feed everyone who's shown up. He waits until a majority of the people show up before he clears his throat to gather attention.]

...uh, hey! [Well. That's a great, confident start.] I know this was sort of last minute and everything, but I really appreciate all of you coming by and actually listening to Hawke. [Sorry Hawke. But there's a grin which says he's more than appreciative.] I know you're probably here for free food, but there's a couple of things you should know. [Sliding off of the table, he moves to stand in front of what looks like a small mechanical box.]

When we all got back a few days ago, I started thinking about the fact that CERES can watch us from...pretty much anywhere. So I took some plans for something else I've been working on, improvised a little bit and created this thing. It'll deflect the signal from our implants and block them out completely as long as we're in this room. I've tested it out a couple of time already, the whole thing gets thrown off. It's...why I wanted to meet here! Because that sort of leads right to my next point.

[There's a small sigh as he paces the room, Baymax waddling after him. He moves back to the table he'd been sitting on to pull up the mask he'd been given a while ago.]

All of you probably received one of these either from that fortune teller, Aria, or it just showed up. And while we were out there? Some of you probably found the terminal like I did and spoke with a masked figure. [A beat.] I'm starting to realize that it told all of us something different, but the most important part is that it's with the Flamine Federation. You know. The guys who supposedly destroyed our planets. Baymax gave all of you a form--um. [And here he pauses, unsure if it's really appropriate to be ordering people to share information but then again that's what they all need. He's always believed everybody needs to be aware of what's happening.] Basically I guess just...answer what you can and tack it up on the board--[A gesture to a large bulletin board he pulled from who knows where.]--and talk amongst yourselves about what happened out there? Alien...the monsters, that weird altar? A bunch of you saw that, right? What was that about?

[Dear god somebody help him.] ...look, I tried. There's free food. This is about all I could throw together so fast before something else happens here. So...yeah. Let's just start figuring out what's really happening here, okay?

[Vague hand gestures? Vague hand gestures. He shuts up after that and sort of shrinks back into his hoodie, jumping back up on the table to hand out food and keep an eye on the room. All right, colonists. You know what to do.]

[ooc: Welcome to the info-sharing mingle! The idea behind this is for characters to ICly fill out this form (coded by the wonderful Fidgey/Katsura-mun) and have it displayed for everyone to view that information. You can post your sheet in your comment or link it to a post elsewhere in your journal, or even post it in the post I made that the form's posted into. HOWEVER this is open to everyone even if your character didn't speak to the alien and just wants to check stuff out! As a note: characters will start to feel sick after about two hours in the Sanctuary due to the frequency deflector. Sorry about that! Any questions hit me up via PM or plurk at alternatively]

Master List of Forms

Comments

[zerotohiro]

...I didn't even think about it like that. [And with that in mind it's much more understandable. Korra may have already been taken there. He knows some of Minato's friends had trinkets sprawled on the altar as well. The idea of what had been done to those people is enough to make his stomach bubble and his chest to tighten up.]

CERES hardly cares about us either beyond whatever gain they can get. But now with the Flamines involved you gotta wonder just what kind of game they're playing with us. Are we tools? Pawns? Helping? What?

[faithfulflame]

Both, probably. Honestly, I feel like CERES wants to use us against the Flamines, possibly as foot soldiers. They owe a debt, and they don't seem to want to pay. So, that's where the song and dance about the Flamines comes in.

[zerotohiro]

Right, and the Flamines just want CERES to pay them. So when you look at it that way it's almost like the Flamines actually aren't that big of a threat. I actually had a pretty decent conversation with our masked friend. ...kinda sounds like not everybody did, though.

Rei can I ask you something? What'd it say to you about your mask? Anything?

[faithfulflame]

I certainly did. He was fairly easy to talk to. Not...friendly, but I doubt his species is, by nature. We talked about some things that I'd rather keep separate from the colony at large. I'd like to compare notes on that privately if you're willing.

As for the mask? I asked him the meaning. He said it was something old and powerful, something ancient. Something his people have no longer.

[zerotohiro]

According to some of these notes he was calling himself a Friendly Face. Gotta appreciate a hint of irony. [There's a firm nod.] But yeah, definitely. There...are some things I don't really want to talk about quite so openly either. We'll compare, it'll be fine.

[That's perplexing though.] But they're feathers. [He scratches the back of his head as he thinks.] All of you had the same mask, right? That's what Yu told us that this girl he knows told him. [...wait.] It was said that the masks are our histories and actions and stuff. Do you think maybe he was talking about...[Their ability to transform. The fact that they're magical girls, stuff like that. But he won't say it out loud, hoping Rei understands.]

[faithfulflame]

[Rei shakes her head and pulls out her mask. It hadn't vanished as far as she was aware, so...]

Feathers symbolize other things. Like the divine, or light magic. Angels and the like have feathered wings, so maybe it's got something to do with that?

[She lowers her voice.]

We're not the only ones with spiritual talents I figure he probably was talking about that stuff though.

[zerotohiro]

Good to know we're both on the same track with that. [He leans in a little closer to look at her mask again.] So if his people don't have stuff like that anymore...and we found that altar...that kinda ties into the idea that the sacrifices were being made for that spiritual energy.

Why would spiritual anything be considered ancient? Just how old do you think this galaxy is?

[faithfulflame]

It does, yes.

[Spiritual energy being gathered for some sinister purpose, taken against the will of those...]

Spirituality is often considered a frivolity or false by a supposedly enlightened and advanced society. It does tie into religion, and I've found very few people even in my own time who are true believers. That changes, of course, in the future when Earth becomes a dieocracy, but for now? There's just to many 'rational' people who won't accept the supernatural and spiritual. [Sorry, she means scientists.] Who's to say the Flamines are any different? They're certainly a technically advanced civilization.

As for the age of the galaxy I have no idea. I wouldn't even begin to guess, but it's at least four billion years old, since the Sol system is a part of it.

[zerotohiro]

[He gets the implication and settles for shaking his head. She's not entirely wrong. Prior to coming to here, he'd never really believed in magic or the supernatural. It's a lot harder to discount that now that he's seen it up close and personal.]

It's possible that they're exactly the same and really set in their ways, but it makes it sound like it's something to be protected than something to be ignored.

And while that's true, we also don't know if their history's been butchered, too.

[faithfulflame]

We don't. We know next to nothing about them or their society.

[Which says a few things to her.]

I'd like to know why they use masks. Why they insist on them. That's a really interesting thing to fixate on so heavily.

[zerotohiro]

What's weird to me is that in our culture, masks usually symbolize something to hide behind, right? To these guys it means being completely open and honest. The alien said that they showed everything but...it also said that mine in particular meant that I had a price tag that meant I had some worth. What that really means, I don't know yet.

There's also the part where some people found masks at the bottom of that lake in the caverns. [Like Mikleo.] What were they doing there?

[faithfulflame]

We'll find out in good time, I'm sure.

[As with all things, patience. Mentioning the mask gets a nod from her.]

I found one myself. Or rather, Ami did. She was more at home down there. The why though, as always, I can't answer. [She laughs softly.] I wish I could, but we'll figure it out in time I'm sure.

[zerotohiro]

You know how good I am at waiting, Rei. [Which is to say he's really bad at it.] What can we do in the meantime until we figure out everything?

[faithfulflame]

Stockpile tools and equipment for our eventual conflict? That way we'll be prepared.

And make ready for new arrivals soon, too.

[zerotohiro]

Man, is it that time already? [There's a heavy sigh.] I'll keep an eye out. As for stockpiling, I mean...we can do that, but how can we guarantee we'll be able to grab everything when the time comes?

[faithfulflame]

We can't, unless we keep it near. I mean, my emergency kit I keep next to my bed. Since us getting grabbed aa we get up is a recurring theme.

[zerotohiro]

As much as I totally don't want it to be. [He rolls his eyes.] Tadashi and I were just talking about how we should be making emergency kits right before we got dragged out of the colony. Guess we should've moved faster. I'm just lucky I could grab my weapon before then.

So think about this. There were two months between being pulled to the jungle and being pulled to the dark area. Think we're gonna go another two months before it happens again?

[faithfulflame]

Two instances isn't really a pattern. But I think it's got potential. We can always keep track and see. And yes.

I have a small list of essential tools, if you'd like me to send it to you, by the way. I've refined it a little after the jungle and last week.

[zerotohiro]

I'd really appreciate that. I have ideas of what we should put together but I mean...you know me. This kind of thing isn't exactly my forte. Tadashi and I can use it as a base for putting stuff together.