cartesianism | April 7th

April 7th - Welcome Party

Welcome Party

Though you've never seen the casino before, it is easy to find today. This is partly attributable to the music spilling from open doors right into the town. The people of Cartesio have made good on their announcement - doubtlessly, there is a party going on here.

Anyone entering will be confronted with a friendly citizen pulling them aside to inform them of their dress rental service. Though it is called 'rental' there is no actual fee to be paid. The townspeople have simply brought a collection of suits and cocktail dresses into the casino foyer and they are offering to lend them out for the occasion. A folding screen to get changed behind is provided as well.

Once you venture deeper into the casino, you'll find yourself in a surprisingly spacious room. Tables that might normally occupy the open space have been pushed to the wall and filled with various buffet foods. Though you might be tempted to spend your whole afternoon trying out the various local specialties, the rhythmic music from the speakers tries to lure you to the dancefloor. A few locals are already swinging their hips to the beat.

Though if you're simply looking for the main highlight of a casino, you won't have to look long either. Across from the buffet, you will find a wide variety of game machines. Pachinko, slot machines.... even a few odd-one-out games that look like they should rather belong in an arcade. Try your luck, try your skill! If you prove successful, an employee is waiting to hand out various fun goods to you.

There are quite a few townspeople in attendance on this party, but there is a silent understanding that you tourists are the VIPs here. Anywhere you go, any game you want to try, the citizens are quick to move aside for you and let you have the maximum amount of fun.

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[Well, hot damn. That's different, indeed!]

You don't?

[She blinks confusedly at Nine, then turns her eyes back toward the machine.]

...Yeah. I do. I didn't know not remembering was an option?

Kinda wish I could. Probably would've made my job easier...

[ He thinks about it. ]

Yeah, that was the best part about it, yo. You weren't weighed down by their deaths if you knew them. [ Then his voice goes quieter as he looks at nothing in particular. ] It just leaves you feeling empty. Like you're missing something important... you know? [ Then he'll shake his head, as if to shake off the feelings that inspires. None of that is important now anyways.

Though there is something that clicks in about her job... ]

Let me guess, you got stuck with the dirty work?

[Millium is quiet at that, thoughtful.]

Mm. When you put it like that, I'm not really sure if it's better or worse. Maybe just the same. I just wish my chest would stop feeling weird about it at all.

Rean says it's normal, and I should be proud of these feelings. But I think they just kinda get in the way of my work. I know that's what Gramps would say, anyway.

[...Oh. That's a question.]

No, I didn't. I prolly woulda had to had we caught him before he went n' shot Gramps, but he got away on that one.

He was helping us at the end, but then the big demon Knight went n' stabbed him through the heart. Even the witches couldn't do anything, so we just kinda had to watch.

[ It paints enough of a picture of her world that he can see the similarities. ]

I guess it's because it's proof that you cared or something. I don't know, I don't think I could really keep going if I remembered all of those deaths...

[ He remembers seeing the numbers, but wrapping his head around it? It's way beyond him. ]

Might be good in the end. You know he had your back in the end, right?

Yeah. It's really weird...

I didn't really care that much when we thought Gramps was dead? Like, yeah. It was sad, I guess. Claire was really shook up over it. But it wasn't enough to make my eyes leak or anything like that, it just kinda was.

But it's not like we really have much of a choice but to keep going now that he's gone, y'know? Especially when that's what he asked us to do.

"Keep movin' forward. Relentlessly."

It's easier for me to do that than it is for anyone else, I think. Even when I watched him go it didn't really make me tear up or anything. But I know that's all that's keeping Rean going.

[A sigh.]

Yeah, he did. I think that's what makes it hardest, though. It's easier when you can just say someone's your enemy and not think of all the fun times you had, too.

Is your Gramps even related to you guys or just your boss?

[ He sounds like a hardass from what she said just before. ]

You know... none of them are around here. If you wanted to tear up or yell about it, you can. [ Would anyone even hear in a casino with the chatter and game sounds? ]

Just my boss. [That's quickly answered, without any feeling to it.] He gives me a place to say between missions and buys me teddy bears n' stuff if I do a good job, but we're not related.

'Bout the only person that really is is Al, n' that's only 'cause we're part o' the same series.

[Nine's not wrong about "Gramps" being a hardass. That is, in fact, probably one of the nicer words that could be used to describe him.]

...Yeah, I know that. I don't really want to, though.

It just makes my face hurt and my head pound. It's not gonna bring Crow back or get any of us out of here or let me go back to school. These kinds of feelings, they just get in the way of my work. That's all.

[ Just going to shift to plant his chin on top of her head and throw an arm around her. Cinque likes hugs when she feels down. Or liked hugs. ]

Sounds like a lot of adults that I knew. They didn't really reward us for doing a good job though. Only Mother really cared about any of us.

[ And... someone else who he can't really remember. ]

It's not about like fixing anything. Just sometimes you need a relief, yo. Like to scream or throw things until it's all out.

[Millium likes hugs, too, as it turns out. She doesn't bat an eyelash at the motion, just moving her hands up to grip onto his arm.]

"Mother," huh? I don't know what that kinda person is like.

It's not like the other Ironbloods don't care. I know they do. N' even if they didn't, Rean n' Jusis n' everyone else, I know they do. They wouldn't let me forget about that part.

But I'm an Ironblood, at the end of the day. We all are. N' if our mission means Gramps wants one of us to kick it, that's that.

[...]

Does that kinda thing really work? Does it really get it out of you?

Mother found us all over and brought us together to train as one. She was the only one I could remember actually giving a damn. Her and the rest of Class Zero. I guess it's like you and the other Ironbloods.

[ The whole kicking it when ordered to... well... their last orders were to choose how their story would end. It was like she was telling them to go die, but... she knew.

And they all knew she meant well in the end.

We love you. ]

It won't get it completely out. Think of it as a starting point. Keeping it all in can't be good for you.

[ Though Nine's way of getting stuff worked out is beating things or taking things apart until it makes sense? ]

Yeah, that sounds about like it, when you put it like that.

[She closes her eyes thoughtfully. Maybe not with her so much, but with what she knows of Claire and Lechter... yeah, that's about it.]

...huh.

Right now... I still don't think I wanna. But I'll keep it in mind. 'Kay?

[ He'll just stay there, even if she doesn't want to cry. ]

Whenever the hell you feel up to it, you can find me. Maybe by then I can have my spear back. I'd let you throw it a few times.

[ Let the child handle the weapon that's like 7' ]

[That's fine. She likes the hugs.

It's been a while.]

Okay.

If I ever get Lammy back, maybe I can have you and him play, too.

[And let Nine have the smashing robot. Because these are both GREAT ideas.]

[ The best of ideas. He reaches over with his other free hand to press the buttons. Let's see if they win anything while they are there. ]

Hey, if you're bored of this we can ditch to do something else.

[Lo and behold, Nine's random pushing actually nets them a tiny win! Looks like Lady Luck is on their side today, after all.

Still...]

D'you wanna go play some of the other games? I dunno how to play any of 'em, really, but they look fun.

[ Giving her a pat as he lets go. ]

Yeah, we can. We can figure out how the hell they work together.

[ Or see if kicking them works. ]

Let's pick out whatever one looks the loudest.

[I can't believe these two idiots are going to go kick the heck out of a pinball machine. Except I totally can, because they're idiots.]

Hehe. Sounds like a plan! [Aww, she's cheering up already.] Those big long ones with the flippers have all sortsa bells n' whistles.

[ They aren't shaking the machine, honest. Just trying to beat it until the ball goes into the machine...

He'll look over and then give a grin. ]

Hell yeah. That one does look fun.

[ Just going to lead her over there by the hand. They can each be a paddle or something? ]

[The machine can cry TILT all it wants. They're going to win, or break the machine trying.]

Awesome!

[She runs over to one side, poking at the flipper button to get a feel for it.

And then continually poking it, just because.]

[ He takes the other side to press it. ]

Alight, we got this yo. Let's see how we do!

[ Yeah, strategizing or learning patterns isn't his job, so... he's just going to keep button smashing. ]

Yeah! Let's do it!

[Spoiler alert: rapidly smashing the buttons does not make you win.]

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April 7th - Welcome Party

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the spoiler train goes on

and on and on

and on and on and on and on (weeeee are the chaaaampions. my friiiiends)

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the CS2 spoilers are no longer vague

Re: the CS2 spoilers are no longer vague

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type-0 spoilers

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