Event Log - Malnosso World

[lucetimods]

Who: Everybody!
What: A field trip for the entirety of Luceti!
When: October 27th, until the end of November 2nd
Where: The Happiest Place on the Moon, Malnosso World!
Summary: So you remember all those times Luceti was transformed into Luceti Land? Welcome to Malnosso World, Luceti Land's bigger, cooler brother. Be sure to keep all hands inside the rides at all times, and refer to your map if you get lost. Trust me, you'll get lost.
Rating: F for Fun!

Comments

[voiceinthedark]

We were all lucky. I definitely didn't get there by skill.

[He followed after Eugene as they headed over to the vendor.]

Look, it... it was months ago, okay? It's fine.

[z_jay]

[Sam still seemed tense, but Eugene wasn't quite sure what to do with a tense Sam, so he went to grab some more cotton candy and held it out to him]

You are really hard to compliment, you know?

[voiceinthedark]

[Sam blinked at the offering and took it, giving a small shrug and looking a bit sheepish.]

Sorry. It's not really... my family didn't really do compliments.

[z_jay]

I can tell.

[Unfortunately, he wasn't the best at consoling or making things much better without food and distraction, so he fell quiet after Sam took the extra cotton candy]

... I just keep stepping on these conversational landmines, don't I? You'd probably have more fun hanging out with Jack or Simon.

[voiceinthedark]

[Sam snorts softly, shaking his head.]

No, it's fine. I just spend so much time talking about missions and stuff... it's fine to talk about it.

[z_jay]

What happens?

[It's not exactly the best segway into his curiosity, but he, Jack, and Simon had been acting oddly around him.]

From the Abel you know.

[voiceinthedark]

[He goes still for a moment when Eugene asks that and lets out a soft sigh.]

We got attacked. New Canton tried to attack us but then a massive horde of zoms came.

...they had a rocket launcher.

[z_jay]

[Both his brows rose in surprise, not entirely sure he should believe what Sam was telling him. But Sam was a terrible liar, and he didn't seem to have that same evasiveness about him when he was lying...]

Did New Canton have pet zoms or... or was this someone else entirely? I mean, I seriously doubt zoms are going to seek out weapons of mass destruction on their own, primarily they're after brains...

[voiceinthedark]

No. It's someone else. He's called Van Ark. He was a scientist before the outbreak. Whatever he was researching, it's what caused the plague. And he can control them somehow. We think it's through sound.

[z_jay]

[Even thinking about zombies has been such a far thing from his mind since coming to Luceti that he can hardly believe what he's hearing. Though it's likely true, and Sam's in on the more vital need-to-know crowd than he and Jack...]

...Through sound? But-- you can't control a zom, they just... they're carnal, working off the most basic primal instinct to feed and get it however necessary.

[voiceinthedark]

Well, we didn't think that either, until a group of zoms blew Abel up with a rocket laucher!

We did a test. I mean, we've always known they're attracted to loud noises, but we found out that they'll actually follow certain noises preferentially. Especially the fast zoms.

[z_jay]

[It did seem like a lot to take in, the fact that zoms managed to fire a rocket launcher and aim it properly at Abel was-- oh.]

...Wait, how bad was Abel...?

[voiceinthedark]

[He winces at that, but well, it's not like it's a secret, not for him anyway.]

Bad. It was really bad. Most everyone's sheltering in New Canton, except for me, Janine, some of the military guys and Maxine. We're kind of back to barbed wire and fences right now and hoping the snipers can get anything that comes.

[z_jay]

That's... pretty dire.

[At least there were no minced words. But the core of Abel was still there, that's what was most important. He eased off a little, grinning in a little relief]

So... why are you, Simon, and Jack walking on eggshells around me?

[voiceinthedark]

Yeah. It isn't good, but we're managing. Rebuilding. Maybe it'll even be better than before.

[He's silent for a long moment when Eugene asks that. Then he sighs, shaking his head.]

It doesn't even matter anymore.

[z_jay]

Ah...okay, well then that's good?

[Really, he hated being kept in the dark and it was going to grate at him]

Sooo... no harm in telling me then? Because otherwise I feel left out and that's just not cool, Sam.

[voiceinthedark]

We'll see. We've still got to deal with the bastard who blew us up. And keep New Canton's Operator from trying to kill any more of my runners.

[He frowned over at him.]

I promised I wouldn't.

[z_jay]

[Well, that pretty much cinches it for Eugene that he's getting left out of something when they're all supposed to be closer than the rest of Luceti with each other. Even mention of working with New Canton didn't seem of interest to him, and he drew his brows together.]

Promised who? Y'know how it looks to be the only guy the three of you are keeping secrets from? What's there to keep secret about? Do I die?

[Which would be a very, very sobering reality, one that would give him even more reason not to want to return to Abel and his world.]

If I do, just tell me and get it over with.

[voiceinthedark]

No! [Sam looks up at him sharply, his eyes wide.] God, no. You're still definitely alive. No-one's died.

[He sighs softly.]

Simon's from further in the future than me, so he said it all works out fine.

[z_jay]

...So, you're saying, ask Simon if I want to know why you're being promised to not tell me things?

[voiceinthedark]

I... [He lets out a slow breath.]

After the attack, a lot of people went missing. Lost after they fled. And Jack was one of them.

But it's okay! You found him... find him? And it's fine!

[z_jay]

[Somehow that seemed like a lot of nervousness over something that was so benign, but he wasn't about to be disappointed with good news. So he rose a brow and grinned after a few moments, feeling a little sheepish]

Really? That's what all this secret keeping was all about? Are you and Simon trying to prank me? Sam, I'm... impressed.

[voiceinthedark]

[He'd been expecting more honestly. Some kind of reaction. But Eugene seems strangely fine with it.]

We're not pranking you. You thought he was dead, Eugene. Everyone did. And you... you kind of went a bit scary. Honestly I was worried for some of my runners when you were doing comms.

[z_jay]

[That revelation had him take pause, his smile fading in a moment's time and he glanced away, looking a but inwardly. Quiet, because if he had... thought Jack to be dead, then...]

What... did I do to the runners?

[voiceinthedark]

[That's more the reaction that he'd expected.]

You were... obsessive, I guess. And you didn't always watch out for them like you should have. Pushed them to keep going even when it's dangerous.