#001 - VIDEO

[flambage]

[It's night time. Anyone sane wouldn't be caught outside. Sanji isn't anyone sane, though, and as his face appears on the NV screen, he looks downright pissed. He doesn't even know he's on video, he's basically just punching the buttons on this thing that at least looks to him like your every day phone snail, except it's made of gold.]

OI! Where

Comments

[frosty_mind]

You've been kidnapped by the Core into Siren's Port. Your friends are where you left them. They will be in the same place if and when you're sent back.

There are worse monsters out in the Darkness than the one you just kicked. You should head back towards the place you arrived and go into the big building and stay there until dawn when the monsters vanish for the day.

[flambage]

[Aaaand depanicking! No idea who this is, but she sounds like- well, a she, so it's confidence time.]

Cores, Sirens, monsters? I ain't afraid of any of that stuff! Just tell me how to get back to Ryugu Plaza and save them, and I promise, I'll come back for you, too!

[frosty_mind]

No one has found a way to leave except for the Core's whim, or even any way to influence the Core's whims.

I'm in a building the night monsters can't enter. Please, get somewhere protected from the darkness; you can decide that you're willing to fight the darkness monsters tomorrow night after you've had time to find out what they're like. The simplest way to get inside darkness proofing is to go back to the field you arrived in and go to the big building nearby.

[flambage]

...Where the hell were they even hiding something like this?! I was in broad- well, not daylight, but it was light out just a second ago! Am I even still on Fishman Island, can you answer me that?

[Oh wait, he's getting cross with the nice lady. He can't be having that.]

I ain't worried about the monsters, miss. I can handle anything coming my way. Why don't you just tell me where the biggest is, I'll pound it into submission, and then we can go find Shirahoshi-chan before all of us get flattened! That big boat ain't staying in the sky forever.

[frosty_mind]

You are not on Fishman Island. You are not even in the same world you left. Time isn't passing for your home and the friends there while you're here. Everything for them will be the same tomorrow, and as long as you're here, as it is now.

[A sigh.] The monsters did not bring you here. The Core brought you - and the monsters - here. The monsters will recover from whatever you do to them overnight, so please don't risk your life fighting them tonight: there's no point. And the last time the Core was successfully hurt, over fifty years ago, it became insane and created the monsters.

[She looks at the landmarks from the NV feed, trying to judge where he is. So tempted to try to direct him to a much bigger monster.]

[flambage]

But I was- but we- how does this even-

[It's not like he thinks this nice lady is lying to him, but wow, that's. That's insane, and that's coming from someone that redefines crazy. He doesn't know what this Core thing is, but it sounds like a jerk that needs a good, solid smashing.]

There's gotta be something I can do! What if you're wrong, huh? About time not passin'? I've never heard of anything like that before, I can't take the risk! We got minutes at most back there!

[frosty_mind]

[A soft sigh.] I know that it doesn't make any sense. But for several reasons there's nothing you can do about it tonight.

If it helps, my student - more of an adopted daughter, really - has been sent home and pulled back again, and reported that no time passed there while she was here. Others have said similar things.

[flambage]

But... damn... [It's physically paining him not to get running like mad to where he can make a difference and save the day, but changing directions to- wherever, somewhere with light, is probably better for him right now.]

I sure as hell hope so. If I'm not there, all hell's probably gonna break loose, and a whole lotta people are gonna die. Not acceptable, I'll get back there soon enough and keep all of them safe, I swear it!

...But in the meantime, you doing alright tonight, miss?

[frosty_mind]

I'm fine. My home is well-protected against the Darkness. Can you tell me what the street signs say where you are?

[flambage]

Street signs? [Squintin' around.] Can't read anything in this darkness, I can barely make out the buildings.

[frosty_mind]

Do you know your way back to where you started?

If you, you should look for a bus stop. [She'll describe the Siren's Pull bus stops - I don't know how much glass vs. metal they are.]

[flambage]

Yeah, certainly, I can find the way! My sense of direction is top-notch!

[And he's off, yup!]

A bus stop? Huh. I'll see what I can see, but it's really dark out here...

[frosty_mind]

Can you see the moon?

[If he can, she'll tell him which way he's facing based on the time of night.]

[flambage]

Yeah, 'course. It's pretty hard to miss up there.

[Hold on, he can click this. He's a smart one.]

Hey, can you navigate by celestial objects, like Nami-san?

[frosty_mind]

I can tell which direction I'm facing by celestial objects, yes.

Do you remember which way you turned when you left the grass field?

[flambage]

Ah, you're a navigator too, like Nami-san! That's great! We can always use more people like you!

[Thinkin' like a pirate, yep.]

Uh... I just ran straight out when I landed... I think the lights were to my back and on the right?