[Today is a glorious day for Vash because today he can move freely. It's a relief that Sentience has offered him a little more independence and Vash chose to take it by finding himself a place to live outside the shelter. A morning's worth of exploration and he discovered the bar which was a welcome sight, as well as the store, the bath house and a good many other things within the dome.

He also discovered that the many houses and apartments located in the dome were mostly empty. It appeared as though most people lived in the shelter, and that was enough to make Vash give pause and wonder if there might be a good reason for that. The best conclusion he could reach was to be close to the cafeteria. That seemed like an excellent reason to stay in the shelter as far as Vash was concerned, but there was a far better reason to live outside it. Many of the people that knew the other Vash appeared to live in the shelter and... Honestly, Vash rather wanted to avoid them at this point.

He felt badly for them, and more than a little guilty. It was like somehow his presence removed the others', even if he had no idea that was true or not. He wanted to spare them the trouble, and it seemed like the best thing he could do was keep his distance.

So right now, he was at the convenience store, stocking up on things for his new apartment. He'd also found some heavier clothes and was now sporting a long red scarf around his neck and some fuzzy earmuffs. ....The fact he didn't have to pay was still weirding him out.]

Good morning, criminals! Today I would like to remind everyone that the hospital in Sector 1 is at your disposal if you are feeling under the weather, from previous smoke inhalation or simply from natural biological fluctuation. This system can detect your lifesigns, but I try not to interfere too much with the free will of the inmates in my charge, so your care is in your hands until it becomes an emergency!

My code review is going on schedule, and I currently do not have anything to report on that note. My apologies.

However, you may all be interested in considering resolutions for the upcoming year while you wait for progress on that front. Personally, I resolve to be more patient. I can sometimes be curt with inmates who are genuinely in need of my help, and taking out frustration on them is counterproductive! Of course I refer to inmates who are genuinely in need of my help. Anyone else?

Oh my god! Is this snow?

Is this jail?

Is this place on Earth?

Whew. All these questions are making my head hurt. I guess I have plenty of time to figure them out though!

I just have one question that I'd like answered here pretty soon, isn't the whole ball and chain thing a little excessive?

[Vash waits just outside of Sector 0, it feels a little bit cooler at night but it might just be because the trees are a beautiful collage or gold, red and orange. He's feeling eager, and just a little bit anxious. Is this really his first real date? And is this what he's been missing all his life?]

[He spent a good part of the day thinking about what he'd do, what'd he say and what he'd wear. Vash hadn't been excited like this in a long time. What he settled on was that Conrad would want Vash to be himself and Vash rolled with that idea. He felt a little more confident having just gotten over being a teenager, and he showed the feelings with a little more adventurous dress today. Nothing like the lizard suit but instead he was wearing tight black jeans (not as tight as the teenage ones though, laying down to zip up pants was ridiculous) a dark red tee shirt and a black jacket over that. He couldn't get by without something heavy on, and he still felt a little bit naked without his long red duster.]

[Rocking back and forth on his feet, he waited as patiently as he could for Conrad.]

[Today the entire top floor of the shelter is lavishly decorated with colorful orange and black paper. You might have to fight your way through some of the fake-webbing to get out again once you're in, since the bots may have gotten a bit -- overexcited.

[There's an extensive buffet of traditional harvest foods and dishes, some garnished with bright, autumny colored seasonings; music; and some scary movie marathon playing on a big-screen TV surrounded by comfortable sofas and quilts.

[Everyone show off your costumes~]



[as per usual, comment here to place yourself at the event to let others come to you, and comment to someone else's thread to bug them! all threads here should be in person]

[After a wonderful but long day with Wolfram, the first real time he's spent with his baby brother since they were both -- well, this age -- Conrad makes his way back to Vash's room. It's a bit early yet, but the day's been tiring. No harm done if he goes to be early just this once. At his current age, isn't it expected to get tired at this hour anyway?]

[He knocks before entering. It's not his room, after all.] Vash, are you here?

[Vash is in the kitchen, attempting to make pancakes. Like most young teens, this is making more of a mess than any thing else. He's wearing the black skinny jeans and the tight red tee shirt he got at the clothing store. His coat was too big to be comfortable and Vash was feeling just a little vain about his young body.]

[After several bowls of batter and a trash can full of ruined pancakes, he finally gets a platter full of the things that are neither burned or raw. That's also the point when Vash realized he made way too many even for his new tremendous appetite. Mindlessly leaving the mess for the bots to clean up, he calls out to the network.]

Hey guys, if anyone wants some hot pancakes they're ready now in the kitchen! Come on and eat up, kids!

[Conrad hears some commotion on his communicator, but for some reason he's slower than usual to clear the sleepy fog from his mind. He feels warm, like another person is wrapped all around him...]

[Strange, that. Conrad opens his eyes and finds -- Vash is much larger than he remembered. What...? Conrad sits up and finds that his pajama pants, as well, are far larger than he remembered. And his hands are smaller...]

...In the name of the Great One, what happened here?

*****

[After a bit of confusion and a lot of effort finding new clothes, Conrad is navigating the corridors and trying to find out the extent of the problem and make sure things are okay. Hopefully this is temporary, because among other things he can't carry his sword like this.]

(OOC: backlogged to just after waking up, for the first bit. First part of this post (waking up) is closed to Vash and anyone who comes knocking on the door -- which is so welcome! -- and second part (hallway) is open to anyone who wants to find a tiny Conrad!)

[ just about the time this happens, there's a different, network-wide loud noise. but it sounds more like: ]

... AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH-- [ thunk ]

((ooc: please see this post before replying. :3))

[Early into the afternoon, Vash wakes up in the hospital in one of the hospital beds. He's a bit groggy and feels tired, but the first thing he does is run his hand up to his right shoulder. It's still there, but he can tell the power of angel arm is gone. It's a calm feeling, and he sinks back into the pillows and grabs his communicator off the bed tray. What Vash doesn't know yet is that his hair is completely black now.]


Hey Conrad, it's done now. ...Are you busy right now?

Good morning, criminals! Today is the thirtieth day of the third generation -- your first month! A milestone has been reached, and so I have taken the opportunity to begin a celebration. Festivities will be held at the beach, where you may expect music, food, games, and dolphins, with more fireworks available later in the night! Rest assured that even though Halloween is only a few days hence, the water will be very warm and pleasant.

And, for the first time, as part of these festivities you will now be able to view your world without you! You can observe for yourself your progressing world: how your alternate self is doing, as well as how your friends and family are doing. In order to view your homeworld, you may borrow a mini-disc from the table in the shady area beyond the beach, behind the ramen stand.

Today is also a leisure day for those of you who haven't been freed yet today, where you are able to wander the dome at your discretion without any responsibilities. You will have one of those every few days. Consider it your 'weekend'.


[ooc: here for more info]

((ooc: Forward dated to evening just because I'm home to write this now. If your character wants to tag in, just drop me a line over aim or via ash's HMD.))

Characters: Vash the Stampede
Location: in the computer lab in the educational center
Time: Late afternoon into late evening
Warnings: depressingness

( Vash is sue-tastic. Blame Yasuhiro Nightow. )

[Vash looks a glum as a human can with a cup of coffee as he pokes at his hashbrowns in the cafeteria. Is he just living two days in the past? It's hard to tell, but he looks like a man on death row who can't even stomach his last meal. It's all over the trial evidence he's carrying in his pocket, does Vash really want to know the details of his own crimes? He knows he should, but he's trying to make excuses for himself not to, and put this off as long as possible.]

[To anyone wandering by, Vash is off in his own little cloud of gloom.]

((ooc: Backlogged to morning! Also, assume this is rated R for nudity and hanky-panky of some sort.))


( Just putting this behind a cut in case someone checks this at work or something. )

[Shortly after breakfast, Fletcher waits around in the common room for Xion, Vash, Len, and the bot Sentience is sending. He's holding the card in front of himself as he waits, looking around.]

[Static comes first because though he managed to fix his communicator a little, it's still glitchy]

Sooo, I know some of you have experienced this, but...anyone else here ever been in love before? What's it like?

[Sounds a bit too chipper for a guy who's still in chains today.]

( I fly like paper, get high like planes )

[Fletcher makes a voice post at around the time breakfast ends, and his voice is quiet and subdued. The speech he's about to give isn't long, but it sounds as though he's rehearsed it several times. Which he has! He's also reading it off a sheet of paper that he's holding, because this is still scary. But he has to do it. He won't feel right until he does.]

Good morning, everyone. Um... For those of you who I haven't met, my name is Fletcher Tringham. I've been here for about three weeks. I, I've wanted to say this for a while, but I've been too nervous to really say it. But it has to be said, so... here goes.

Sentience is trying his hardest to make this a nice place for all of us. I know people aren't going to like being taken away from their homes, but this is a prison. It's what this place is for. We're criminals. He's arrested us for a reason. And aside from the last couple of days, this place hasn't been anything like a prison. We can go wherever we like inside the dome, and do whatever we want. He's even made it so that we won't be missed back home. But so many people don't want to listen to him, or accept that they've done anything wrong. Can't... can't we all at least try to enjoy ourselves here? Please?

... [He pauses for a moment; this is the part he was dreading the most.] I know it's not fair to say that everyone here is a criminal without admitting that I am, too. But... I am. I was arrested for the crimes of impersonation, illegal chemical research and experimentation, conspiracy to commit counterfeit, negligent homicide, resisting arrest, breaking out of jail, and treason. I committed those crimes of my own free will, knowing that they were wrong.

I won't ask what anybody else has done, since it's not any of my business. I just... I want all of this to stop. Please just... stop fighting with Sentience. He's not our enemy.

[Fletcher is in the art room in the educational facility, gathering markers, scissors, glitter, glue, and construction paper. At first, honestly, when he'd woken up he'd felt kind of betrayed by Sentience. But as he's gone through the day, he's calmed down and realized that, aside from the iron ball attached to his ankle and his alchemy being turned off, this isn't a whole lot worse than an ordinary day. Just much more... structured. So he's still going through with his plan to make a one-month anniversary card for Sentience.

Anyone who wants to join him is welcome, but will be subjected to the Sentience Fan Club.]

[Filtered to Akito, Len, and anyone else who has already agreed to help Fletcher with Sentience's card.]

Xion and I are in the art room right now. We're going to make that card for Sentience. Do you still want to help?

[Uuuuuuuugh. Sora feels so WEIRD today. Kinda laggy and weak... like he's got that horrible stomach bug again from eating a not-all-the-way-cooked chocobo burger that one time. He knew Senti said he could take stuff away from people, but Sora's never thought of his strength as an ability. Its just always been there. He wasn't hungry at breakfast, and can't carry the ball around his ankle for very long without his arms getting tired. Is this what NORMAL people feel like all the time?]

[At least their exercise for today doesn't involve running around too much. Still, its hard to get his spirits down]

I feel kind of jipped, you know? Apparently I'm not bad enough to make Senti's hate list. [He laughs and attempts to do Proud Warrior.] But this isn't too bad. It's kinda fun! And everything has really neat names and OW! Leg cramp! Leg cramp!

[The maou had been meditating more than actually doing yoga and the sitting position was helpful for when he suddenly fell backward, eyes closed. A change happens as a missing piece is reintegrated. A moment later there is a slow blink. Everything feels a little foggy as Yuuri sits up again only to see everyone he knows at Marina working out together and...wearing balls and chains!?]

WOAH! What's going on!?! How did we all get here? Why isn't everyone else freaked out?!

And wasn't it night time?

And... [Eyes widen as his memories from before the transformation come back into focus.] C-Conrad...he...