alteracion | catchall vira

[ grace... actually looks like she's thinking that over? ]

Some kind of illusion, maybe? I can't see you in any of these, so it's clearly an eye of the beholder thing. [ she taps? the glass? ] To freak us out?

[ Her gaze travels from tube to tube, trying not to linger too long on any one of them. It's unsettling to see herself inside. ]

That's possible. I don't see you either...

[ Maybe they can only perceive their own bodies, or maybe it's all fake. ]

I have to question why anyone would seek to frighten us, though.

Why anything in this station so far is kind of the question. [ but grace does look away from the tube people because, hm, yikes, let's go with yikes ] This room might be part of a bigger puzzle. Maybe it'll change when something happens?

[ She turns her attention to some of the various machinery and stuff. Because. Yeah. Bad tubes bad news. ]

There does seem to be something behind all this besides simple indulgence.

[ A bigger puzzle... ]

I feel as though we haven't been shown the entire picture here.

We haven't. [ point blank? and grace joins vira at touching machinery. "vira was just looking" touch ] Not that there's much point obsessing about it until we know more.

[ sometimes you are both laissez-faire and a realist. it's fine ]

[ grace what have we already learned about touching machinery.

oh well. vira wants to know what's going on too, though this technology is a bit beyond her, so she mostly watches for now. ]

No, I suppose the important thing now is to indulge so that we don't fall behind.

[ even if she is wary of the situation. ]

I admit I'm surprised you're so relaxed about this, though.

[ honestly. grace has no idea what she's touching either, but she's got gloves on, so it's fine. that's how that works. but she looks back at vira with a smile ]

I've seen a lot of weird and dangerous situations back on the train. It's always better to keep a level head.

[ no grace, that's not how it works, the mods are going to attack us with goo again ]

Indeed it is.

[ vira seems relatively put-together, though even she has to pointedly look away from her own 'clones.' ]

...What sort of train could be so perilous, though?

It's not a normal train. It's special. [ she looks almost smug saying this? it's fine ] It's infinite, and it makes no stop. Each car is its own world with its own rules. They move around when there's no one in them, too, so you never know what you might find. Cool, right?

[ is it. ]

[ it. sounds more dangerous than cool. vira stares at her with an expression of muted concern. ]

Ah, so you don't know what sort of threats are in each compartment. It makes sense that you'd be prepared for anything here.

[ hm. ]

But if it doesn't make any stops, how did you end up a passenger at all?

It picks up people sometimes. People who are special. [ she twirls a little in place, gesturing at herself, because? clearly. but then she shrugs ] Not all the cars are dangerous, either. It really could be anything in there.

[ special... grace does seem one-of-a-kind. ]

That must've been quite the adventure. Have you experienced anything like this place before, then? As much as I hate to admit, even the technology here has me at a loss, so I've been looking for people to teach me.

A lot of it is similar, but I don't think I've seen a space themed car before. [ it's pensive, though, because sometimes things blur together. it's fine. ] I'm not much of a tinkerer, but I can probably help with most of it. Nothing we need to work with seems too advanced right now anyway.

[ is it fine. ] I appreciate it. Venturing into space is something I can barely imagine...

[ it's a long way from something like an airship, so she's just getting used to it all. ]

Ah, but maybe you're enjoying this place? It must be just another new 'car' for you.

Well... for the most part. [ she smiles, but it's a little awkward ] I'm a bit worried about my friends on the train.

Oh, yes—of course. [ right, friends. they'd all rather abruptly left people behind. ] At least if all goes well here, you can assure their safety. Though I understand it must be frightening when we don't know how long we'll be here.

[ or maybe it's more that she misses them? ]

If I'd known I'd be away from them, I might not have agreed to come here. I never wanted to leave them.

[ so, worried seems about right ]

[ her voice drops to something quieter at that. ]

I'm not sure any of us knew quite what we were getting into. I don't regret being here yet, but it's difficult to be apart.

[ this place does feel alienating, so far from home and full of strangers, their worlds hanging in uncertain status. she smiles, more wry than friendly. ]

I almost envy people who are comfortable enough to start enjoying this experience right away.

[ grace's answering smile and wink is definitely in jest ]

But only almost, right? Because the ones who are totally comfortable seem kind of... [ she makes a vague gesture that is up for interpretation. dumb? horny? you decide ]

[ both. ]

Salacious and stupid?

[ she has a smile on but her words are casually sharp. sometimes people are just dumb! ]

I shouldn't judge, but [ she will ] I won't be entirely comfortable until I understand what's going on.

You said it, not me.

[ but grace is smiling right back, clearly loving the mean girl vibes ]

But I agree. It's one thing to go with things until we can learn more, but that doesn't mean they should be totally unaware.

[ all the girls here enable each other to be mean i am crying ]

Precisely.

[ though speaking of figuring things out, now that they've been poking around a bit, there is a series of three buttons here. ]

—Hm? What might these be?

[ ah.

it's grace's turn to look, and she hums a little, looking wary ]

My first guess? It's either a puzzle or a trap.

[ ... but she's not like, moving away from the buttons and is instead coming closer to peer at them, so ]

[ vira stays hovering too, mostly because they really know so little. she's okay taking a risk for progress.

still, she's cautious as she reaches out at the first one. ]

Only one way to know for sure. Keep an eye open for anything that might happen.

[ she gives grace a moment to brace herself before pressing it. boop! ]

[ and... boop! there's some hissing. grace looks and walks around the whole room, frowning ]

Uh. Well, I can hear something, but there's no source or anything?

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