abraxaslogs | INTRO LOG #2

Intro Log #2

It has been two months now since the initial group of summonings first took place. Castle Thorne, or at least the part above ground, is buzzing with a vibrant air of hope following the 'success' at the Singularity. Eager smiles and excited chattering are to be found in nearly every corner of the castle and surrounding town. The honored guests may find grateful looks turned their way more often than not. A new and brighter day seems to be dawning on the kingdom.

In the dungeons it's a different story entirely. The mood is somber and uneasy. The prisoner taken for trial has yet to return, and no word has come regarding her or her fate. There has been no mention of any further trials as of yet and guards seem to have little patience for unruly behavior or even conversation. Some seem to not even look at or acknowledge the prisoners at all.

[ Feel free to continue threads from the TDM here or start your own! As cell and room assignments will be short-lived due to this month's event, you're free to assume whichever cellmates and roommates you like instead of officially signing up as long as there are ICly no more than four people in a cell or room at once. ]

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It's been a few days since the new arrivals started trickling in, enough to nudge Majima out of his self-depreciating mood at least a smidgen because he can't help but be curious or to have to talk to some of the more chatty prisoners. It's not really a bad thing considering how easy it is for his mind to go down into the dark places. It doesn't mean he's quite ready to accept it.

However, if there's one thing that can catch and hold his attention for more than two seconds it's a person in distress more than himself. At first his curiosity just has him watch from afar. But after a day or two, he realizes that the girl isn't getting much better, she isn't adjusting to the new situation all that well. Not that he can blame her. Most people don't expect to get kidnapped out of the blue one day much less end up in a jail on a completely different planet from where they originated. It didn't help that some people were pulled right out of distress from their own world and life back home. For all he knew, she was still in shock from something completely unrelated.

Either way, he felt a tug towards her. Helping someone else was always a damned weakness of his that he couldn't quite shake. And women and children that weren't used to such bad scenarios particularly pulled at his heartstrings.

So one day as she sat curled up in the courtyard, watching everyone else move about like a mouse ready to get gobbled up by something larger, Majima made his way over towards the same wall as her. He kept a comfortable amount of space between them but soon he was sprawled out on the ground in a similar manner with his back against the wall but one leg stretched out and the other only half bent just so he could rest an arm there. He didn't look at her when he spoke, instead keeping his one good eye out on the crowd (though he did specifically sit on her left side so he could see her out of the corner of his eye). It was obvious he wasn't talking to anyone else though, and (hopefully) not just to himself.

"First time in a dungeon I take it," he said casually as if it wasn't his first (spoiler: it actually wasn't). "It's kinda hard, huh. Trust me though it could always be worse. You're doin' a fine job keeping yer head down and not drawin' too much attention to the guards at least so that's good." He cocked his head to one side, still not quite looking at her. "Maybe not so much the prisoners though. A little too hopeless lookin' there. You gonna be all right, little missy?"

She's kept an eye on him while she's been trying to work out whether the prisoners that are bigger and stronger than her are likely to hurt her or not. With the way he deliberately leaves the space between them, doesn't make eye contact to imply he's not a threat, Abigail feels reassured enough to put him into the second category for now, though she doesn't let her guard down.

She shrugs at his question, honestly not sure what it would take to make her all right. "I mean, I'm still alive, right?" She even sounds uncertain of that. "Any tips on keeping it that way?"

"Hmm. Stayin' alive's the easy part."

He finally glanced her way but didn't make eye contact. It wasn't that he was meek but rather that he was only judging her appearance for a moment. And still making it obvious he meant her no harm.

"Keep clear of the guards, don't start fights with the other prisoners. But that's all obvious stuff, ain't it? There's more to survivin' than all that if ya really want it. So the question is, what do ya want while you're here? To stay alive or to survive while you're at it?"

Abigail takes a moment to consider the question. There's a part of her that feels she should stick with what she's been doing, keeping her head down and making herself as invisible as possible. But she knows it's probably only a matter of time before someone tries to take advantage of that, and she'd have no way to defend herself. She's determined to leave here in one piece, and she'll have to do more than the bare minimum to be assured of that.

"Survive. But I'm not exactly built for this kind of place."

"There are other ways to survive... it's just a matter of whether you're willin' to take 'em or not. Ain't always pleasant."

If it sounded like he was implying things, well, he might very have been. Might as well have been. He didn't sound cruel when he spoke; if anything he spoke quietly, subdued about it, as if it disgusted him to say it. He certainly didn't want it. He was just being truthful about things.

Then his pitch changed entirely. It broke two octaves higher than it seemed possible for his deep voice and yet sounded perfectly normal, cheerful even. "Unless ya find a better way ta be useful! Ain't nothin' stoppin' ya from makin' it yer own way, little missy. Just remember that when ya get down, yeah?"

Then back down an octave. "I'm just sayin'... don't let anyone ever tell ya what ta do. I can give ya advice if ya want, but that ain't gotta be the be-all, end-all."

It wouldn't be the first time she'd done unpleasant things to ensure her own survival. Abigail feels a twinge of guilt as she reflects on that, knowing she should be glad that her actions in her own world have prepared her a little for the life she'll have to face here, but instead just feeling resentment that she's unable to shake off her past and start over in a new world.

"I'll do what it takes. I'm just not sure exactly what that would be yet, especially since magic seems to be a real thing here."

"Ah, yeah. Little unsettling learning 'bout stuff like that," he said, referring to her mention of magic being real here. He was in a similar boat on that topic. "Not really used to that being real but I've seen it work. Not just how we got here, but an acquaintance from the topside showed me what he was learnin'."

Which could be useful. It was something to consider for when he got out of prison. He didn't really think of it as an 'if' because that way of thinking wouldn't do him any good. Besides, he'd done a stint like this before and gotten out alive against all the odds so he was confident he could do it again. This wasn't even as bad by comparison.

"...there's always more than one way to skin a cat. But, you know, it's mostly us out-of-towners here in these dungeons so maybe it ain't gonna be as all bad as I make it sound."

There were some really nice people here as strange as it sounded. And many of the welcomed showed an interest in helping out those that were less lucky upon arrival here.

INTRO LOG #2

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