First Cup

[mighthaveknown]

[Andrew has wandered out of his room into the hallway. He read the sticky note, but frankly, he hasn't the faintest idea how to work a computer, so no network for him.]

Excuse me?

[A bit louder:]

Excuse me? Is anyone here?

Comments

[designingly]

[Shiki spends a lot of time out of her room. And, while walking, hears a voice and rounds the corner.]

Uh... is something wrong?

[mighthaveknown]

[Oh, there's a girl! Is she going to a fancy dress party, or is she just eccentric? He is learning not to ask.]

Excuse me, but am I in hospital?

[designingly]

Er... you're not in a hospital. You're on a ship. [She thinks for a second; must be new.]font>

Did you just arrive here?

[mighthaveknown]

I don't know. I was- I was asleep for a very long time, I think.

I can't be on a ship.

[designingly]

[she frowns a little; was he hurt?]

Well, uh... you are on a ship. It's called Vardskepp. You... you signed a contract in your dreams, I guess.

Or, well... that's what everybody says.

[mighthaveknown]

[Very quietly:]

I wasn't dreaming.

No, you don't understand, miss. I'm fairly sure that I was d-

[And then it begins to make sense.]

[designingly]

... Well. Sometimes our Host talks to the uh... gone, too.

But you're here now! Think of it as a second chance.[she smiles; distract from the sad things, right.]

[mighthaveknown]

[Andrew looks horrified.]

But I- I don't want a second chance. That's not how- Oh, this isn't what was supposed to happen.

[Purgatory, then. Well, he thinks, at least it isn't forever. He'll manage. No, no, really, he will.]

Oh, damn.

[designingly]

[Which leads to a pout.]

Why wouldn't you want a second chance? It's a new time! You need to make the best of it.

[mighthaveknown]

I would have liked to have done it right the first time.

[designingly]

Well... just because you're here doesn't mean you didn't do it right the first time.

Our Host brings all kinds of people here. Trust me, some of them are really nice.

Sorry for the short tag.

[mighthaveknown]

[He smiles patronizingly at her.]

Well, I know.

Our host?

It's fine. ♥

[designingly]

Then you don't have anything to worry about, right?

And our Host, uh... Karsaburo. He runs the ship and brings all of us here.