video; un: ihavequestion

[emyoji]

[ Seimei is relaxing in one of the restaurant booths, apparently having a hot cup of coffee when he decides to pop up on the network. ]

Hello everyone! Has anyone figured out if we can go through the top yet?

[ Since powers all seem to be dampened and no one he's met yet can fly, it might actually make sense if the city had an opening above them. Well, it's at least worth setting that thought out for the public. They might get a chance to test it eventually. ]

Ah, but for an empty city, it's strange how consistent this place is when it makes us food. You would think that we would get some bad cups of coffee at least. It's more strange that it doesn't make mistakes.

[ He takes a sip to demonstrate. See? Perfect every time! ]

Since I'm talking about weird, my friend said that the only people brought here are strange ones. I thought it sounded like a good theory, so I want to ask: what is your strangest experience? Yes, we're all different from each other, but are you different from the people you came from? Or if we see things that are strange, sometimes we attract more things... Or maybe you're completely normal and this is a fluke?

I just wonder if this is really the first time something like this happened for all of us.

[ How many isekai veterans are in the city? This is important. ]

Comments

audio; un: loveless

[limbical]

And how do you propose we go up? We seem to be lacking in any aircrafts. I'd be curious to know the results myself.

Though to your point about food: I wonder where the meat comes from, exactly? Presumably from livestock, not that we've seen any.

[As for the last part of the post... Daan conveniently decides to just avoid it.]

[emyoji]

[ The response may be only a call, but he'll take it. At least it's a reply. ]

Well, we might not get whole people up at first, but that's where the strange part comes in. I'm sure at least some of us have experience related to just such situations. If there are enough of us with some ingenuity, we could work together and figure out a plan, right?

That's why I'm asking which of us is the strangest.

[ Perfect logic. ]

There might be a farm or something similar outside of our current boundaries. I'd like to try finding out more about that possibility as well, but it seems a bit harder.

[limbical]

I think you need to specify by what you mean by "strange." Either way, I suppose if we had an engineer to make something like a balloon or whatever go up into the sky, I could see the merit. Though frankly it wouldn't shock me at this point if there were people capable of flight or something, too.

Yes, it's a thought. It's not exactly on the top of my questions, but you have to wonder how they end up with such immaculate produce and meals. Maybe they just have very good chefs, or some kind of spell or whatever.

text | @stray

[kampfgeist]

at least the food is good?

[ it could be consistent and shitty! ]

[emyoji]

What a positive way of thinking!

[ Oh, he likes that answer. ]

So you're getting along comfortably, then? Have you found a home yet?

[ With a username like "stray", he has to ask. ]

[kampfgeist]

[ that's heine for ya, a real half-full kind of guy. (he wishes.............) ]

yeah i'm good, took over one of the apartments
nobody else there to be bothered about it so

[ really more of a metaphorical stray than a literal one! ]

no interest in finding out if we can go out the top though

text; un: susuwatari

[catmemes]

[ It takes him a moment or so to decide if he's the friend. Does Seimei have other friends? It sort of sounds like something he remembers, so maybe close enough? Except... ]

That is not what I said.

[emyoji]

Ah? Isn't it? I'm pretty sure it's what I remember!

[ He's putting in an amount of amae there. Come on, big brother. ]

[catmemes]

[ Sir why are you like this. ]

If you want to ask questions, you could just ask them.

video

[aceslow]

I can't speak for anyone else, but personally speaking, I'm quite normal.

The consistency that I found was that people are from violent lives, not that they're particularly unusual in the context of their hometowns.

[emyoji]

Oh? I don't think I'm from a particularly violent life.

Although violence could be considered unusual as well in some cases. It's a disturbance of balance, before groups have found an equilibrium with each other. I'm just wondering if everyone's "normal" is the same. Maybe your hometown's normal is actually really weird!

[aceslow]

Oh, there are differences from world to world, to be sure. I'll admit being the odd one out when it comes to geography, and some people here are dealing with entirely different versions of reality -- but I don't think that reflects much on me.

Though if you think that weird is the underlying similarity between us, what makes you so strange?

text post; un: peerless_cucumber

[xiaoxiuya]

I think I've been fairly open about the fact that this is my second time being abducted to another world. However, I understand that the network can be quite crowded at times, so it's understandable if you missed it.

I'm happy to answer questions, but I'm afraid my prior experiences are only slightly applicable to our current situation. I've come to believe that our current captors are entirely new to me, and either have no ties with my previous abductor, or are determined to conduct themselves in as differently a manner as possible...

I do think you might be onto something though, with your theory about only strange -- or perhaps interesting would be a better word? -- people having been brought here. I have a theory of my own that our captors are trying to study us in some way, or maybe just manipulate us for their own entertainment, like a child playing a game with dolls. Hence the strange questions from our phones when we first arrived, and the odd sightings in the bowling alley.

[Shen Yuan has not yet had the "fortune" of trying the ice cream yet, but it wouldn't disprove his theory anyway.]

Naturally one would prefer interesting toys to boring ones. Perhaps we were selected on the basis of how much amusement we would provide...?

[emyoji]

Mm, I think there's an advantage to talking to people. I'm sorry if you often repeat your story already, but I do feel that every connection is valuable. I hope you'll be patient with me!

[ He's cheerful as he says that in answer to the text. ]

Interesting is a great word! I think the people here must be interesting to the mystery source that brought us, which is why I'm asking this now. At home, maybe it's more subtle or a feeling that doesn't often arise, but since we are all here and we're quite a collection, isn't part of the question why so many people we know weren't picked? That's information too. I wonder if we share some trait that would qualify us for attention over others? What are the chances you or I or someone else would be picked over all of our neighbors?

Saying we're especially amusing could be a good start and we might not even know it! That's why I want to know what makes your life unique to you.

[xiaoxiuya]

That's a good point, actually. Now that you've brought it up...I assumed my roommate and I were brought here because we both had some experience with interdimensional travel, but there was another person in our world who also had that experience, and yet...He's not here.

[If he WAS here Shen Yuan would feel honor-bound to beat the crap out of him, but that's not the point.]

I can't even honestly say I'm objectively more interesting than that person either, because he had experiences I don't. So why was I brought here and he wasn't? I don't have an answer to that, but now that it's been brought up I suppose I have something to think about and worry over all day XD

What about you? What do you think sets you apart from the people you knew in your world?

text; @harls

[nutbuckets]

here we go!

strangest experience has gotta be fighting a giant walking starfish in corto maltese.

I'm different from EVERYONE back home, ain't no one like me. but I guess what you mean is not a normal human? powers and such? I ain't got none of those but I know folks that do back home, none of em are here though. I'd say even without powers I'm kinda different from everyone too

[emyoji]

Mmm, that's not that far off!

[ See, he knew there were people with good answers around. He just has to be able to talk to them. ]

Sometimes being strange is not doing what others are doing. That can be a stand out skill of its own. In a world of demons, wouldn't the human stand out?

[ And therefore she must be unique just like she says. ]

What would you say is your most distinctive trait? I have been wondering if part of all this is our perspective.

[nutbuckets]

yeah that makes sense, but I'm not sure that's how I stand out either, because I sure do do stuff
maybe it's more like I do stuff other people don't

hmmmmmm...my sparkling wit, I think

text; un: desserts

[oversize]

it's my cousin~

you know, you can't just ask for something without offering something in return.
what's your strangest experience, first?

[emyoji]

[ He's still displaying video on his end, reading the text, when he nearly chokes on his next drink of coffee. It takes a few seconds for him to stop coughing, and he looks at the phone's camera incredulously. ]

Offering?

[ Excuse you, sir! ]

I won't ask an exchange for nothing. What do you take me for?

[ There's an exaggerated, watery eyed stare from his end. ]

If you want a trade, then shouldn't you be the one giving his offering first? I was just making friendly conversation.

[ Under that animated protest, he still manages to take another sip, somehow meeting Gojo's eyes through two screens and a blindfold. Since they're "cousins" now, he can play a game. ]

[oversize]

friendly conversation, or pointed conversation~?

i can't think of the absolute strangest thing. but i've got a couple to offer.

i'm too shy, though, i have to hear yours first~

( stubborn meets stubborn, game meets game. )

video; un: yomiko

[blackwaterchild]

[The stupid bank has had her telling everyone and their mother this so why the fuck not.

She raises her hand like she's in school]

My mother is a human and my dad's a spirit. I was born half-dead and I'm like, half-spirit or whatever I guess.

[emyoji]

[What a perfect, shining example!]

Ohhhh! Such a strong lead! More people should be like you and give good answers. Are there other people like you that you know of? That seems like an uncommon trait.

[Or not? Maybe.]

text — @bodaiju

[gurge]

Well doesn't this sound suspicious.

[emyoji]

[ His eyes go wide, but the attempt at shocked and slandered innocence is undercut by the hint of delight in his voice. ]

What? You're not talking about me, are you? I'm asking for everyone's benefit!