Edward sat at an empty table in the mess hall, prodding with a fork at the glob of slop slowly congealing on his edible tray. He was a big eater, sure, and not too picky about most foods (save one), but this?

He let out a loud, exaggerated sigh, sprawling out across the bench. The red cloth of his coat fanned out on both sides of him, slithered down to touch the floor. He hadn't been able to find any of the others, which meant they were still in the pods. At the very least, he'd been assured that Alphonse's soul would be safe. As long as he was in stasis, anyway. That had to be the one bright spot in this nightmare.

Come to think of it, the whole last day had been like being a front-row spectator in an inevitable, slow-motion car crash. Sure, there was stuff here he couldn't explain. And everyone seemed to believe, to varying degrees, the whole Ohm story. But then there was the mention of mysterious meetings and shadowy enemies and the laughable (to him) reassurance that as long as they played by the rules, their universes could be 'restored'.

By who? And how?

He glanced back up at the slop and made a face. At least the water here was normal.

[Ed's open to conversation, but at this point will probably be hostile towards any mentions of previous Edwards on the ship. Fair warning!]

The rest of the crew assembled on the Observation Deck to meet the latest editions to their numbers.

Several people are set up near the doors to provide the new people with omnicomms and comm rings. They are also told they must read information about their current situation and a survival guide with their new omnicomm. New crewmates might see a tall dragonish guy with wings (but don't call him that), a large afro attached to a smaller girl, and talking ponies among their number. There are also several authoritative-looking figures ready to introduce themselves.

There's a lot to tell the new people. It's going to be a lot to take in. But thankfully this time, there's a system that was set up to aid the new crew members with a few more experienced ones.

[ooc: Only new characters and Command Staff can start new threads for introductions, to limit the number of threads. Everyone else, just tag in and have your guys greet the newbies. Big brother/sister, there will be a thread for you as well!]

[Instructions: Post your character with one post establishing them as being podpopped. Tag each other in groups of 2's, 3's, and 4's, to get some interaction to start with. If a thread doesn't already have 2 or 3 people tagged in, tag it with your character's podpop popping near the other people, rather than making a new subthread. If you would like to play out them talking to the AI, please send an email to the mods making the request--we do this only by request. Then move onto the big Newbie Meeting. Once your character has gotten the rundown from the old crew, you may start posting entrance posts and freely tagging.]


||Pod Release Protocols Initating|| Stacy's familiar voice sounds out to all the podmates through the ship.

In the Pod Caverns, there are the sounds of: Pop. Pop pop pop. Poppuhpoppoppop. KASCHUNKhiiiiiiiissssss.

There is condensation and mist spraying out from cracks in the pods, as the people inside slide out onto the floors, covered in slime.

--


( There was nothing... )

The rest of the crew assembled on the Observation Deck to meet the latest editions to their numbers. After the revelation that their worlds are gone, many of them are even more eager to see people they knew from home.

Several people are set up near the doors to provide the new people with omnicoms and comm rings. New crew-mates might see a tall man in green armor and snake girl among their number. There are also several authoritative-looking figures ready to introduce themselves.

There's a lot to tell the new people. It's going to be a lot to take in.

[ooc: Only new characters and Command Staff can start new threads for introductions, to limit the number of threads. Everyone else, just tag in and have your guys greet the newbies.]

[ooc: Newbie Helpers List | Instructions: Post your character with one post establishing them as being podpopped. Tag each other in groups of 2's, 3's, and 4's, to get some interaction to start with. If a thread doesn't already have 2 or 3 people tagged in, tag it with your character's podpop popping near the other people, rather than making a new subthread. If you would like to play out them talking to the AI, please send an email to the mods making the request--we do this only by request. Then move onto the big Newbie Meeting. Once your character has gotten the rundown from the old crew, you may start posting entrance posts and freely tagging.]


||Pod Release Protocols Initating|| Stacy's familiar voice sounds out to all the podmates through the ship.

In the Pod Caverns, there are the sounds of: Pop. Pop pop pop. Poppuhpoppoppop. KASCHUNKhiiiiiiiissssss.

There is condensation and mist spraying out from cracks in the pods, as the people inside slide out onto the floors, covered in slime.

--

( There was nothing... )

Ed, despite his recent de-GlaDOSing was feeling extraordinarily good about life in general. While the mazes were an actually welcome distraction from the ridiculously mundane slump he had gotten into, the real kicker was that Stacy had deemed him worthy of the REST of his memories.

So as such, he knew what the Promised Day entailed. He knew how it ended. And he knew everything that happened later from about a year before setting out on his trip to the West while Alphonse went to the East. And yes, he still had his alchemy and Winry's arm and leg which was a double bonus for him.

So as such, he was relaxing near the Kohaku River with a fishing pole, whistling to himself with his leg propped up and a wide brim hat he had transmuted. The pole too actually. There were no fish in the water obviously, but it was part and parcel. And he had a slice of cake next to him, ninjaed from the Lounge as well, the very last one no less.

And a glass of milk too which sat untouched, just because he could. But maybe, just maybe he'd choke it down for old times sake.

Yeah, Ed was feeling really good, and he kind of hoped his girlfriend would show up. Winry knew she couldn't wait for him anyhow, and the feeling was mutual.

Vivio wasn't in the best of moods.

That was probably an understatement right there - she was downright crappy. After her argument with Sherry, Vivio had retreated into the Sensoriums, mostly to work out her frustrations the best way she could - by training.

Bringing up a training room and setting herself up for practice, Vivio began by striking a punching bag, fists and feet flying as blow after blow connected. She could feel herself slow just a bit - Sherry's punch still stung. But, it was probably worse than that.

It's just that you're so stupid sometimes I can't stand to be around you!

Sherry hated her for a reason more than just being there. Vivio's reaction to that proved it, but she couldn't understand way.

Stupid...? Vivio mused to herself. H-How am I stupid? What have I done to make her think that?

As Sherry continued on, the words kept ringing through her head, kept calling her "stupid". Her face contorted in rage before, briefly, she took up her adult form and struck the bag hard enough to knock it off its chain before returning to normal.

"I'm not stupid! I'm not! You're the one who's stupid! You always will be!" Vivio shouted to no one in particular before slumping to her knees, sniffling as she did.

Once Domalai made sure the crew was fully informed of what was expected of them in the upcoming rituals, he showed them over to where the Rituals of Judgement and Joining would be performed.

As they neared the gate that led into the city of Orongo, they could see many other people milling about, waiting for their turn to undergo the rituals themselves. The crew, of course, being a special case, are moved to the front of the line. Thankfully, everyone seems to be in a good enough mood that no one puts up a fuss about it.

The first area they were brought to had a simple stone circle, around which were three smaller circles. Two Moai priests were waiting there as they approached, and Domalai moved over to join them before speaking up.

[ooc: wait for subthreads to go up]

[ooc2: Ready! Tag away!]

Ed was in the Obs that day, feeling a little melancholy at best as he sat in what he termed his "thinking chair". True it looked like every meaty chair in the ship but this chair had memories of when he first popped.

It was here where he sat, waiting for people to come talk to him, and where he sat without an arm and a leg. He had a feeling Winry had finally been returned to the pods, for he hadn't seen her in ages. But the lingering doubt that she ever existed there wasn't there if GlaDoS had taken her. Still he had no PROOF and right now he wasn't feeling up to the task of finding her.

Not yet anyhow.

He looked up at the lights ensconcing the meaty room as he stared out into the bleed, those eye-like ports displaying the swirling lights outside.

Damn it was just a day to feel melancholy wasn't it?

Ed had some time to think after meeting certain people as he shelved a few books. He had noticed the way some people looked at Precia Testarossa, and while he had his own opinion formed of the slightly distant woman, he wanted some time to think.

Something about her hung a cloud that he couldn't help but see hanging over himself at times. And thus, avoiding the sensoriums especially with THAT NIGHT fresh in his memory, he was shelving and organizing the library.

He hadn't expected to run into someone who was also on the fence with her own opinions of Fate's mother.

This was an illusion. Precia knew that; she herself had been the one to program the parameters for this particular place. Still, as she sat with the (false; she knew it was false, even if it felt real) sun at her back, a warm breeze blowing through the grass, it was all too easy to let herself believe it.

She smiled, picking daisies and braiding them together. "Alicia? Here you go." A small girl with blonde hair came over to her, and Precia crowned her with those daisies. "My pretty princess."

This couldn't last forever, she knew that perfectly well. But...as it was, she could stay a while longer.

It was a mutual decision that Rein and Ed would be passing customers back and forth between each other. Everyone liked clothing and people liked trinkets being made right? As thus being said, they had put up banners and a nice post with "Atelier Elric" <--- and "Stormwind Clothiers" ---> scribbled on it in fancy Crannagan script. Perfectly legible by anyone who knew at least English.

It was here both were getting ready for receiving customers and it was hoping that they would come and use their businesses wisely.

(ooc: easy enough. Put either Ed or Rein in the subject line so I know who you want, and they'll get something created for you, either it be trinkets/small items/etc or clothing. Both have cookies so drop on by. Repeat customers are certainly welcome.

PS: I am feeling much better this morning.)

The rest of the crew assembled on the Observation Deck to meet the latest editions to their numbers. After the revelation that their worlds are gone, many of them are even more eager to see people they knew from home.

Several people are set up near the doors to provide the new people with omnicoms and comm rings. New crew-mates might see a tall man in green armor and snake girl among their number. There are also several authoritative-looking figures ready to introduce themselves.

There's a lot to tell the new people. It's going to be a lot to take in.

[ooc: Only new characters and Command Staff can start new threads for introductions, to limit the number of threads. Everyone else, just tag in and have your guys greet the newbies.]

It had been the usual mission briefing, not that any of them remembered it. The crew knew they were gone and had no idea when they'd be back, and likely wouldn't attempt rescue for quite some time, especially with Stacy considering the mission "ongoing."

They had no idea when they'd be back, either, namely because they never remembered being on the ship in the first place.

It was home. It had always been home.

Welcome to Fairplay, Iowa, folks, happiest little town in the Midwest.

[ooc: Read this before tagging.]

When he had decided to relax a little and read a bit, he hadn't expected someone to come along with him, such as one of his newer friends. So deciding to make a day of it, Ed had created a simulation in the sensoriums of Central, and had come up with a little cafe that had been recommended to him.

"Is this okay?" inquired Ed curiously of his companion. "Didn't want to overdo it or anything."

Who knows why the ship was doing this. Maybe it was some kind of social experiment. Maybe Stacy was feeling festive and somewhere, out there, it was Halloween. Maybe the players just wanted to have Halloween fun. No one would ever know, would they.

In any case, what better place for a Halloween dance than a graveyard? In an area in the center, clear of headstones, there was a dance floor, and there were seats and tables with skeletal frames. Somehow grisly carved torches and jack-o-lanterns of varying sizes and shapes, cast enough eerie light to light up the place, despite the fact it was night. There were places to bob for apples, popcorn balls on strings strung up for people to try to eat for games involving that. The food tables will full of Halloweeny snacks and candy.

Far off, there was a haunted house, decrepit and foreboding. It seemed people could look into it if they dared sent down the dark trail to where it was. [ooc: Haunted house post link forthcoming].

Creepy--but danceable music was playing, from nowhere.

Perhaps most notable was the fact that the moment someone entered the Sensorium, they would find themselves in a costume. Sometimes these costumes would be what the character themselves would choose, but sometimes they'd be dressed as something strange, embarrassing, or just something they wouldn't even recognize. Leaving and coming back wouldn't fix the problem, in most cases. The costumes wouldn't change, and if they did, it wasn't guaranteed that they'd change to something better.

Whatever the case, party hard, Meatship. Somebody's got to teach the Vikings, draconians, aliens, and other sundry people to Thriller dance.

Ed was up and about and puttering around a small building that he had found. It was a fancy little thing that looked like it stepped out of a French boutique. Inside he had found a workspace, like it was a mechanic store, but there were vials everywhere and other assorted items. One of the rare few places that still retained some presence of the former owners.

As such, he had come up on an idea while getting better: a store for Alchemy. Not just any store, but a store designed to make little things for people that were within the realm of transmutation.

Thus, gathering loose items such as ores, junk, broken toys (he checked to make sure they weren't alive like Woody), and other such brick-a-brack, he had placed them around the shop to make it feel more welcoming.

Finally he was done, and with it came a name. The faded sign read Atelier which meant an artists studio or workroom. Thus being said, he was pouring over a list of possible names for his store, keeping in the tradition of Atelier something something.

In his haste to keep the items together, he had left the door open, awaiting visitors.

Exhaustion. Exhaustion coupled with incredible stress from overwork and a long-lasting incubating bug from Zokez. That was medical's diagnosis for him. Coupled with getting hammered by the previous rage virus, it had driven Ed into a state of misery as he was laying in bed, curled up with several layers on him.

Currently, Ed was staring into the ceiling counting the star patterns that were embedded into the ceiling. Once in a while, a sheep would meander by, and he would add it to the tally. He was up to fifty by now. An untouched bowl of now cold soup was next to him as the last attempt to eat had caused him to stumble to the bathroom.

As such, the small alchemist was too weak to even wear his automail, as it was too heavy for his weakened state. His good hand was holding a small pocket book where he was reviewing notes.

"So bored," grumbled Ed.

It was night on the ship - or at least as close to night as the ship ever got.

But while most of the crew slept, something had been released from within the ship. Something invisible, something undetectable, and something very, very dangerous.

If you passed through parts of the City, you might start to feel a little sick...

 Nanashi had been pushing her students daily, training them rigorously in all sorts of basics, but finally she had come to the end of what she had been formally trained in. It was here that she had lost her teacher to the war. The rest she learned years later on the battlefield.

Of course, this would reflect in her teaching. Her students just didn't know quite yet. She sat cross-legged on one of the chairs in the entrance hall, waiting for Katara and Edward. She had a few training swords made from wood a while back when she had dropped off the junk furniture at that craftsman's place. She had them using their steel weapons with protective seals on the blades for that first part of training, but now they would be turning their blades on each other, and she had to keep in mind that if something was chopped off, it could not be stuck back on and held there to heal. Hence the wood swords.

With that prepared, all there was left was for her students to arrive.