002. [voice]

[xss]

[Now that Chihiro's had a few days to recover, lurk the journal a bit and later find her room, she's had plenty of time to do a lot of thinking. Mostly about what actually happened when she blacked out back in the school and about where she was now.

There's... still a lot that puzzles and bothers her to say the least but she feels bad about the other day now that she's figured things out. Time for a proper introduction.]

Um... h-hhello, I'm sorry about the other day- it looks like I made a mess on everyone's journals and worried a few people...

M-My name is Chihiro Fujisaki, a programmer, a-and I'm fine now, really! It looks like I'm a new arrival as well, but I think I'm getting the hang of how this thing works. There's still a lot of things I don't understand though, s-so if anyone would like to help me out a little I'd really appreciate it. If it's not a problem...

Erm... I'd also like to thank those who helped me the other day or who were worried about me. I-I hope I didn't cause too much of inconvenience...

Either way, it's... nice to meet you all.

...Ah! I do have one question I'd like to ask right now though.

Th-This... isn't the after life... is it?

Comments

[pint_sized_carnivore]

[Chie recognized that voice. It's that girl she helped earlier! Lifting her like that all of a sudden made her arms sore for a day, but she's fine now.]

Oh, hey! How are you feeling? I'm Chie Satonaka!

And no, we're all still alive.

[xss]

[OH CHIHIRO IS RECOGNIZING THIS ONE TOO!]

Oh! You're the girl that brought me to the clinic right?!

I-I'm fine! But what about you? You had to carry me that whole way...

[that distracts her from the answer to her question though]

[pint_sized_carnivore]

Yeah, that's me. I'm doing good. Even better now that you're up and running again!

[xss]

Thank goodness...! I'm relieved, I felt really bad after...

[mal_addict]

Definitely not the afterlife.

[xss]

...

...Y-You're sure of that? N-Not that I'm trying to question you I just... want to be sure.

[mal_addict]

Given some of us can't die, and definitely were not being killed regardless before we arrived here, I can say for certain it's not the afterlife.

[xss]

W-Wait... can't die??

[excuse you what]

[encryptedlock]

A programmer, huh? Pretty unusual in a place like this, but we're glad to have you.

My name's York. What would you like to know?

[xss]

Un...usual...? Not like... weird though, right?

Um... I guess a good place to start is I still don't really understand how I got here or what exactly this place is. I understand it's a castle called Paradisa but... not much else, I'm afraid.

[encryptedlock]

Weird doesn't really have a meaning here. We have a talking Easter Bunny, but it still seems like half the people here don't know what a computer is.

Well, let's start with the basics. Which sounds more plausible to you, a magic castle that kidnaps people from their home worlds or a dimensional anomaly that can randomly grab anyone in transit?

1/2

[xss]

[...SHE'S NOT REALLY SURE WHAT'S MORE WEIRD ABOUT THAT SENTENCE THE EASTER BUNNY PART OR THE HALF THESE PEOPLE NOT KNOWING WHAT A COMPUTER IS PART. But at least the talking Easter Bunny part sounds... really cute??]

...O-Oh. Really? [yes that's about all she can manage right now. Well, at least her hobbies won't make her the weird one like they often did back home at least! just kidding she'll still worry about that anyway what is self esteem]

[xss]

[but moving onto the more important stuff...]

Hmm...

Well normally I'd say the latter would sound more plausible but...

[she's... not really sure she should even be bringing this up to anyone yet. Would people even believe her? But...]

...After being kidnapped by a robot teddy bear and trapped inside a school with no apparent escape, the kidnapping castle doesn't sound too farfetched either. Save for the... magic part, I suppose.

[therealrisette]

[Oh! She recognizes that voice from last time it came over the journal!]

Chihiro-chan! Hi~!

[A beat.]

Um... we haven't met or anything, but I heard you over the journals a couple days ago. You sounded really shaken up...

[There's a tinge of regret there, but she heard Chie rush to help, and she didn't want to get in the way. Besides, Chihiro sounds like she's doing a bit better now! No reason to get all mopey about things as long as she got the help she needed!]

Anyway, I'm Rise! I hope we can be friends!

[xss]

[WHOA FORWARD. Not even Asahina called her by her first name, so that's a bit of a surprise to her initially! But as surprising as it is, it's still someone wanting to be friends * w *]

H-Hello...!! It's nice to meet you-- [oh no no last name given just play it as politely as you can cheerio] Rise-san!

And um... y-yes, I guess I was... [shaken is an understatement really but best not get too into detail] But I'm much better now, really!

[therealrisette]

[There's no need to be so formal, Chihiro! I've seen you nake- wait, no...

She'll let the "-san" slide for now! Give the girl time to get to know her a little better.]

That's great! I was kinda worried... but I knew Chie-chan and the others would take good care of you!

Are you settling in okay now? Most people have a lot more questions when they get here!

[xss]

You know Chie-san?

I suppose... I'm settling in "all right". I spent the time I had in the clinic looking through the journal and reading up on things...

Dictated

[wolf_of_war]

[Have a deadpan, robotic-sounding voice in the journal.]

It does not take long to find one's place in Paradisa, as abrupt as one's arrival is.

As for your question, this is not the afterlife, as far as I am aware. If it is, there may be some ethical questions, regarding my presence here.

[xss]

[is dat a robot

did she just hear a robot voice

mo__om]

Your... I'm sorry but... your presence?

[wolf_of_war]

Affirmative. I am an artificial intelligence, not possessed of a "soul" in the theological definition of the term. If this in indeed some form of afterlife, questions regarding the nature of AI and the human definition of the soul may be raised. Questions I am not qualified to answer.

1/2

[xss]

[...]

[xss]

You're an AI!? Really? Truly?!

[it's like her tone of voice did a complete 180 from extremely cautious and careful to the most excited child you've ever heard wow]

C-Can I see you?! Can I ask a few things?

[princelyspirit]

[Utena missed Chihiro's post, so she's a bit lost, but this sounds a bit... worrisome. Still, if she's new, the least she can do is help out. That should make things better for the girl, right?]

Hey, don't worry about bothering people - I mean, we were all new here once, and most of us needed help, too. So, if you have any questions, feel free to ask! But...

[Her cheer falters for a moment, as her tone turns serious]

I never really thought of that, but no, it's not the afterlife. Or at least, I'm pretty sure it's not. It's just... weird. Like, this isn't a normal castle, and I'm not just talking about the magic, either.

[xss]

But... if I wasn't so weak in the first place... I could've just helped myself instead of inconveniencing others... I can't even help myself when the time calls for it-- that's just pathetic...

[self depreciation time more like all the time. It doesn't help with what she does remember right before she blacked out back at Hope's Peak]

It's not just... the magic? What do you mean?

[princelyspirit]

Hey, don't talk about yourself like that! [She doesn't sound angry - more worried, than anything] Look...I admit, I don't really know what happened, but nobody can be strong all the time. Sometimes... sometimes mistakes just happen, no matter how strong or brave or smart you are. So, don't be so hard on yourself, okay? Besides, the castle-

[Oh, right, the castle. She was telling the new girl about that, wasn't she? TIME TO GET BACK ON TOPIC. When she talks again, she sounds a bit calmer]

...the castle - well, it kind of has a mind of its own, you see. But, it needs to eat to keep itself going. Not food, or anything like that, but emotions - the good ones, the bad ones, and everything in between. Or at least, that's how it was explained back when I was new. [Is that right? She thinks it's right, but...well, she'll just give Chihiro the guides she found, once things get less crazy] So, if you feel too down, the castle might just suck it up.