Post Crossing Meeting

[knockingatthedoor]

WHO: Kel and anyone who wants to discuss The Crossing
WHAT: Second 'Town Meeting'
WHERE: Oasis
WHEN: A bit after the crossing, when everyone has time to calm down and breathe.
WARNINGS Talks of death, definitely, mention of blood and wounds, other CWs to be added.

[Kel has seen people scatter around and, despite still acting like a foolish fool around Mari and Sunny... he is doing his best to try to coordinate things as he can. Armed with a set bright of pink pencils, definitely merchandise of the Sweetheart brand from his place, he prepared a whole wall in one of the shelters to work as a rough chalkboard and, written on it, there are his few observations from staying behind.

- Nothing beside the wraiths did show up. What are we running from?
- Ferryman honest or not?
- When you don't pay the tool, you may still lose memories
- Our bodies can get hurt as if we're still alive.
- Discussion About Crossing from both sides?

It's not much but try to get stuff to appear properly on a blank wall when all you have is a bunch of pencils that don't even write that well. He's trying, though, he really is. A message is sent out to everyone after he's done gathering enough pillows for everyone to sit in, inviting people to come and share experiences, and... that's all. He did, at least, prepare water for everyone to drink.... it's somethin, right?

"Why, thank you for coming! Take a seat, mingle and let's get down to businesses!"

OOC: This is a mingle thread. Feel free to interact with each other and have discussions about things. The 'chalkboard' will be updated if anything is brought up to Kel's attention, I'll leave an open post for that.

Comments

[marblenest]

"I'm a doctor, yes, but my specialty is in the field of Thanatology, I'll have you know that I was making great strides. I even have successfully revived dead human tissue before."

He crosses his arms as he speaks, he's so smug about his work, but there's also genuine pride there.

"Nevertheless, I don't see how my work is relevant. I have no way to continue my research now."

[blindluck]

"What someone chooses to study says something about them, don't you think?" Nagito says with an easy smile. "Thanatology isn't something that exists in the way you're describing it in my world, though. Care to elaborate?"

Nagito is making an educated guess here, but given the pride and smugness, he's pretty sure Dankovsky would very much care to.

[marblenest]

"We aren't here to study me. We're here to make sure everyone has the same information about the crossing." Dankovsky says, frowning, "Besides, I don't know what else Thanatology could be used for, other than the study of death."

He would like to. Though there's hesitance there too, he also likes being secretive, you see, he already feels like he's told way too much about himself in one sitting.

[blindluck]

"Well, where I'm from, I'd assume they meant it philosophically, psychologically, or forensically." Whatever they're here to study, Nagito seems willing to press the issue a bit. "But you don't even think you're dead, so those areas must be lacking where you're from!"

[marblenest]

"I am the only person here with any common sense." He huffs, seeming really irritated about being poked where it hurts the most. "And yes, those fields are thriving, if you must know. I've heard rumors of a man in the east who's making great strides in the field of psychology in particular. Sigmund Freud, I believe it was?"

[blindluck]

"Ah, that puts you about a hundred years out of date compared to me, then!" Nagito chirps, pleased with being able to squirrel away just a bit more information. "What's your theory for the variety of places we're all from, by the way?"

[marblenest]

Dankovsky looks like he's about to pass out on the spot.

"One hundred years? I don't- I don't understand." He literally looks like he's paling as he speaks, "That's certainly not a funny joke, Komaeda."

Though from the way the Bachelor speaks, his uncertainty? He can tell that Nagito is not joking. Is everyone here insane? Is he himself insane? Daniil Dankovsky has finally lost it? The papers would have a time of this, he can see the headlines now...

[blindluck]

Aha, progress. Nagito raises his left hand, wiggling the fingers of his prosthetic. The mechanics inside whir as he does so. "I didn't exactly bring a newspaper, but this counts as proof, right?"

[marblenest]

Of course! That hand.

Of course nothing from his own time could produce something that advanced.

It all makes sense.

Dankovsky shuts down abruptly, taking a seat in his chair as he does. Thoroughly bested by Komaeda Nagito.

"I must be dreaming..." He mumbles to himself. "First the plague, and that wretched town, and now this...? Maybe I'll wake up if I pinch myself."

He tries. It obviously doesn't work.

[blindluck]

A very satisfying reaction. Nagito is thoroughly pleased with himself. He waits until Dankovsky pinches himself before speaking up again. "I'm sure if a little pain was all it took to leave this place, you'd have gotten out when you got attacked by wraiths."

[marblenest]

"I know." Dankovsky snaps back, but it doesn't have his usual venom. It's weak. He's weak, like he's lost all will to argue, "You can't blame a man for wanting this all to be a horrible dream, can you? I am asking for very little to want even the barest of facts to be true! Time travel doesn't exist! It shouldn't! It's just a made up thing from cheap novels!"

Boy wait until the Bachelor finds out about television.......

[blindluck]

"Oh, I don't know about that. The Time Machine is pretty influential, after all, and there's nothing cheap about Charles Dickens, right?" Nagito says thoughtfully, apparently fully willing to wander off on a literature-related tangent in spite of Dankovsky's distress. "But anyway, if you're going to be useful to the rest of us, you need to be willing to accept basic things like this, I think."

[marblenest]

I mean, yes, Charles Dickens is a great author. Daniil is just upset! Which means even Dickens nor H. G. Wells is safe.

"You know nothing about me, nor what I can contribute. You know nothing of my accomplishments. I am a celebrated doctor where I come from, a celebrity for my work in defying death. I'm certain I would have gone on to destroy death entirely, you act as if I'm insane, but I had an entire laboratory with several individuals just as accomplished as I working under me!"

He won't have anyone telling him that his accomplishments don't mean something. The Thanatica was his. Even if he hadn't successfully destroyed death or the sand pest he had come close. Even if his vaccine had been in vein he had helped Burakh formulate a panacea, right...?

Was he just trying to convince himself that his life meant something by yelling about it?

[blindluck]

Nagito sighs, running a hand through his hair. "Even if I believed you could do that, you haven't, right? If you had destroyed death, you wouldn't be here. Going on and on about something you failed at... Well, it's a really hopeless topic, you know?"

[marblenest]

"How dare you tell me that I've failed! Who are you to decide anything about me?" The Bachelor carries on, he's irate at this point, and has likely derailed the entire meeting, "Just because you don't appreciate my genius doesn't mean I've failed. Things happened. More important than staying in my laboratory. I wouldn't expect you to care."

To be fair, curing the plague was infinitely more important than even his own research. And the Haruspex had accomplished that in the end, hadn't he...? He had to believe he did, even if he wasn't there to see it through.

[blindluck]

"If you had talent, it wouldn't matter what sort of things happened," Nagito replies, completely confident. "But fine. I suppose anything might have happened in your world. You're here now. I suppose all this is just a side quest? You'll go back to your lab once you're done?"

[solitarynote]

Sunny had mostly been keeping quiet through the meeting… except when Dankovsky and Nagito started to seemingly argue…

“U-umm…” Against his better judgement… Sunny made his way towards the two, notebook clutched to his chest.

Screw taking notes for the moment, were they going to throw down or something? (His town has way too many throw downs to decide things among the youth)

[marblenest]

Dankovsky's entire demeanor changes when Sunny approaches the two. In fact, he almost entirely forgets how Nagito just insulted him. Again. He manages a shaky smile. It's not really fooling anyone, but it's for the kids!

"Ah, sorry, I got a bit carried away, didn't I?" He says, and forces a chuckle. It doesn't sound right, "Don't worry Sunny, we're done here! Aren't we, Komaeda?"

[blindluck]

Nagito observes Dankovsky's shaky smile and shakier chuckle. His own smile doesn't look as forced; either he really changed moods on a dime, or that particular smile is nearly always fake. "Yes, we should really be focusing on what we've learned about this place and the Crossings! But, Sunny-kun, this is a lesson, you know? This is another difference between people with hope and people without it!"

Oh no Nagito XD

[solitarynote]

Some nervous tension, like invisible eggshells being swept away, seems to leave Sunny’s shoulders at Dankovsky’s reassurance.

Oh, they weren’t fighting. Or if they were… it wasn’t escalating. Good.

Nagito’s own cheerful tone has him convinced… but then he tilts his head slightly in confusion. “A… lesson…?”