[video] unresolved issues

[blue_ice]

[ From the gaming car, it's Kaiba. He's taken to tying his orange hoodie around his waist and popping the collar of his orange polo, in an effort to maintain the dramatic silhouette he loves so much. ]

Does it bother anyone else that the only glue holding this tiny slice of society together is the fact that we're trapped in a claustrophobia-inducing tin can rattling through the interdimensional void?

Think about it. We're from all walks of life. All different social structures. Predators and prey, haves and have-nots, all together and brought down to size. Homogenous societies themselves don't have a great track record of avoiding division and war, so the only thing keeping our tiny tube afloat and relatively at peace is the fact that there's no escape should we cause a big enough disruption.

Can alliances forged under these conditions truly be called genuine? Is it really what you call friendship, if such a thing exists? Or family? Would you accept someone who would be your enemy in any other circumstance? Who's committed unforgivable acts, and is still capable of doing so? Somehow I doubt it.

Comments

[runs_on_batteries]

Yes they can be genuine and it can exist.

[You dumbass.]

But to ensure that we have structure and a way to keep each other in check as 'predators and prey' as you so eloquently put it, we have two levels of government called the team leads and the council. They're here for the very purpose of keeping the peace and ensuring safety.

[blue_ice]

I have a hard time believing that.

[ There's some layer of genuine emotion in there, but buried. His main objective here is to ensure that his new friend will be safe. ]

And what would they do if...for example, we had a passenger who needed to eat human meat to survive?

[Video] Yes I logged back in just to make this comment. >.>

[unfavorableinstigation]

Yes. Most of the friendships I've made over the past few years, I could probably call 'fire-forged friendships'.

Making friends out of enemies, eh, it happened to me less often, but I've met a lot of people I didn't think I would get along with who I wouldn't consider life without, now.

[And then there was how Dairine felt about Roshaun...]

But, yeah, I believe friendship can come from anywhere, and stick around even when it can't be called a matter of survival anymore.

[Nita's even been compassionate towards the inventor of Death, so she kinda has a track record for this sort of thing.]

[runs_on_batteries]

That doesn't change the fact they're real, it just means you haven't been here long enough to experience it and no it to be the truth. Since coming here I've gained a daughter and a partner along with many friends. There are a few I might question if we'd really be getting along if we didn't have to but those aren't the majority. You'll know it when you find it.

[He makes a face at that question, but he does consider it.]

The train has been supplying blood for the vampires on board. I would really question if that person couldn't eat something else. Is this hypothetical or a literal need for human meat?

[blue_ice]

Is it really so easy to forgive your enemies?

[ Yugi had said something like that. He'd taken it to heart at the time...but he's never been one to trust completely. ]

People agreeing long enough to stick together. It seems like it wouldn't work.

voice;

[mimidaeia]

[the voice sounds artificial, if feminine.]

Does it matter?

[blue_ice]

A hypothetical, but that does answer the immediate concern.

[ He's not sure if he hasn't been here long enough to change. He has changed, in small ways...and the thought bothers him. ]

So people wouldn't have a logical reason to be afraid of this person, despite the lingering primal fear. It'd be difficult, but not impossible, to get along.

[ He has the emotional intelligence of a sack of flour please excuse him. ]

[blue_ice]

I suppose it doesn't to me. My interactions with others have been for business or competition. Nothing so mushy as what I'm describing. But I gather for most people it matters more.

[mimidaeia]

Yes, most humans have illogical and contradictory behavior patterns. It is a premise that must be worked with.

I have a question: what's a "genuine" relationship? Another question: What's the difference between the genuine and not-genuine relationship?

[runs_on_batteries]

[While Tony was growing to like Seto, he wasn't convinced his answer was completely true. There was likely a very valid reason why this was a concern but he hoped based on the answers he was giving, if there really was someone who ate human flesh on board, the young man would come to him directly for assistance to solve the issue.]

It depends. If the person in question is willing to not engage in their primal instinct to the best of their ability while we come up with a solution that will meet their needs and protect the people here, no they should have no reason to be afraid. If they attack someone and try to justify it later without attempting help, they would be met with severe repercussions.

Let's take the vampires for example since I already mentioned them. They're as protected on board as everyone else. [So don't hurt his Joss, got it people?]

If anyone else is listening, please come talk to me if you're in a situation like this. I get we're not all human here and you might need some extra help. If not me, then go to your team lead. That's the whole point of them!

[blue_ice]

Don't I know it.

A false relationship is based on what a person can gain out of it. Pretending to like someone so they'll do favors for you. Pretending to care about someone so you can mold them in your image. I'm of the opinion that true relationships, if they do exist, are very rare.

[blue_ice]

[ He nods. He can't say more without risking his contact. ]

That's all I need to know. Thanks.

[runs_on_batteries]

I appreciate you being willing to ask, kid.

Good luck.

[mimidaeia]

You know it? [this is exciting!! she's excited. this is a cool guy.] That’s incredible. Most people don’t.

To clarify: the false relationship benefits the people in the relationship, and the true relationship doesn’t? False relationships sound more beneficial, in that case.

[To be fair, SXT-2 worked in private enterprise before this. It’s not like she’s seen a genuine relationship in her entire life.]

[blue_ice]

Hmm. That would make sense.

But people talk about real love, genuine love, being pure and untarnished by concerns about what we can get out of it. That's why I doubt the sincerity when people talk about their bonds.

[mimidaeia]

Oh. I don't take those statements into account.... it hasn't affected my performance.

A sincere bond and a not-sincere bond are both "bonds". The difference I can recognize is between a bond and no bond.

Is that acceptable? It seems like people here don't get angry at others often, I've not been corrected for that understanding.

[blue_ice]

Well, at least that means we're not likely to be feuding. I don't need any more headaches daily.

But I guess it doesn't matter much, whether it's sincere or not.

[mimidaeia]

I've seen 0 feuds in the last 17 days. That's a really low feud frequency!

I've always wondered why humans emphasize so much on such things. "Sincerity". "Worth".

[blue_ice]

We want to believe we actually matter as more than means to an end. But it's probably better to embrace that we don't.

[mimidaeia]

... I still don't understand.

But that's okay. Humans are complicated.

[blue_ice]

[ A while later, he'll walk by and slip a small note under his door. ]

My concern was for another passenger who's a vampire. I'm fairly sure they're not a threat, they're more scared of everyone else than we likely would be of them. But they'll be glad to know that they're safe.

I just didn't want you worrying that I'm secretly a cannibal. I might be rude, but never that.

-Kaiba

[blue_ice]

You don't have to understand. I still don't.

[hashtagparkerluck]

[ Guess who no longer has web mouth! ]

Whoa dude, Dark much?

Anyways, I mean you could say the only reason some people are friends is because of the internet but that doesn't make the friendship any less valid. It doesn't really matter how the alliance happened, just that it did. I mean, back home there's probably no way I would I would ever be friends with a giant spider-I mean, I don't know that for sure but probably not-but here I am-I read her books and let her watch me play games and stuff on my laptop and it's good fun.

I think rather than look at it the way you are-you should look at more as you have an opportunity to make friends you wouldn't otherwise have back home.

...

Okay, so that didn't actually make a lot of sense but uh.. I mean, Loki tried to destroy New York once-which was hella rude but honestly- but I think if he wants a second chance he should be given one because people change. Like the people you meet and the things you go through change you so someone that might have done bad things back in their world might feel more inclined to take a different path here just because they have the chance to.

...I still feel like that doesn't make any sense. [ Dare he try again? ]

[blue_ice]

[ Tony was right about the chatterbox thing. Whoda thunk it. But he listens patiently anyway, and is surprised to learn a few things. He almost feels bad about participating in the grounding.

Almost. They're weirdly bound by that ritual, so he feels inclined to speak a little more. ]>

I've never had friends. I was in a unique position---anyone who wanted to get close to me likely only wanted access to my wealth and power, so I kept my distance. Here I have neither wealth nor power nor privacy, so you can see how that puts me in a difficult spot.

[ Oh yeah. Except for one thing. ]

And I'm not a nice person, so there's that. But I'll see about helping Kumoko play games with you if she'll trade that for clothes.

[hashtagparkerluck]

[ Peter just kind of squints because he's not really sure if he believes that or not. ]

That's a really depressing way to live. I mean-the power and wealth must have been nice but not being able to trust anyone? I went through a phase.. sorta like that-I just talk didn't talk to anyone. [ Now he talks to everyone. ] I mean-I grew up poor but that doesn't-uh... anyways.

Are you sure it's that you're not a nice person or is it that your position has forced you act in ways you're not so proud of? I mean-you didn't have to try and help me, but you did.

And dude-not for nothing but I'm pretty sure she'd give you like free clothes for life if you came up with a way for her to play video games. I'm pretty sure she almost cried when I showed her the SIMs.