USERNAME: huntsman (VIDEO)

[dishearten]

( it's been awhile, right? last time Graham showed up on the network, it was for a purpose. to make sure nobody assumed the wolf was dangerous, and that he'd see to them finding consequences if they forgot. so far, it hasn't been a big concern, which is a good thing. the wolf is doing great, all things considered... a lot better than Graham himself.

he's not happy with what he's come to know about ALISTAIR through the cavalier attitudes of the individuals responsible for the Oska simulation. and it's discouraging to know that he's saddled under another enterprise that cares so very little for the individuals forced into its employ. he can't do anything about ALISTAIR, or the cruel individuals that seem responsible for reinforcing their goals. what he can do, is reach out to the people just as trapped as he is. )

Those of you that made it through the simulation and the subsequent reveal to its circumstances, I'm sure I'm not the only one unhappy with how this place is keen to treat us. ( he didn't butt in on any conversations, but certainly most of the team had not been pleased. ) They refuse to admit fault or mistake but the fact is they use the idea of a 'test' as an excuse to harm and starve us. It doesn't matter to me that such things can be amended now that we're out of it, it gives a clear idea of the people we're forced to work for.

( not positive, basically. )

The rest of ALISTAIR has done little to earn our trust, in fact it's done much to spurn it, but we all have worked together for at least a few months now, some of us longer. I think it would be wise to unite, not for the sake of their demands, but for the sake of each other. I think it'd be a good idea to make note of our numbers and what we can give contribute to our team. We'll be better able to manage our resources if we understand what all we have to offer. ( and unfortunately, that requires talking about himself. )

If we've not been introduced, my name is Graham. I was a sheriff back home in Maine, so I know a bit of law enforcement. I'm also a good hand at hunting and living off the land. I know a fair amount about survival and hand self-defense, and I'm a decent shot with a bow. If you have need to learn any of those skills, let me know. I'd be happy to show you what I know. I have a tamed wolf with me often, you can call him Brother if you like. ( is that a name? not really. but that's what he is more than anything else. )

I know that it can be intimidating to offer information to someone you don't know, and if you would rather not I've no way to make you. I just hope that if anything, we can learn from this experience and protect each other, since we've proof that ALISTAIR cares little whether we suffer or not in our work for them.

( ALISTAIR may not care, but he does. he's met good people forced to work for a way back home. if this helps to protect them, then he's willing to go out of his comfort zone to make it happen. )

Comments

voice, @TARANTO

[heavyhitter]

Just speaking for myself here, but I'm pretty happy getting paid in real beds and fresh food and basically free money. It was a shitty camping trip of a week, but hey, I lived.

[ or maybe her standards are just really low. basic accommodations wins her over pretty fast. ]

Anyway, uniting, I guess not an awful decision. Quick question though, what kind of a cop uses a bow?

[dishearten]

Considering we didn't ask to be here and are given little choice in leaving, I find it discouraging that our hosts do not treat us with more consideration. ( he doesn't even care if the place gives him a bed, he'd rather have respect. )

I know how to run a revolver but doesn't seem to be a particularly useful skill here. ( he also doesn't like guns so even if it was, he'd rather not. ) It's something I learned before I moved to Maine.

[heavyhitter]

Okay, so you're not like... bow-cop. That's good. That'd be really stupid.

Also, have you seen the kitchens here? Holy shit, I wouldn't leave if they paid me to!

video; un: king

[agrizzlysin]

[The face that meets Graham's is young but grimly set.]

The test wasn't their mistake. It was bringing me here in the first place.

[After all, King is known as an infamous criminal back home. Not exactly hero material. Also, he has his own war to fight back home. Still pretty freaking sore about being pulled away from that.]

If this is how they raise their heroes, I'd hate to see how they treat their enemies.

[dishearten]

I can't argue that, either.

( he doesn't know exactly how people are dragged from their world to this one, but the word is it's accidental. of late he's wondering how much he believes that. )

They seem to care more for the mad king that was lying to and murdering his people than they do us, so I'm not sure it's terribly worse.

audio; un: 82736775

[ricksybusiness]

Uh, I don't trust any of you. At least ALASTAIR is straightforward about their shit. [Which is not to say that Rick is straightforward about his shit. He wouldn't trust himself either, though.]

Anyway, where the fuck did you get a wolf? Some Game of Thrones shit up in here.

[dishearten]

Are they? I don't see anything straight-forward about an abilities test buried in a doomsday simulation.

I met him when he was young. ( so many details there, slow down Graham! ) I'm not sure how he ended up here, I imagine ALISTAIR had something to do with that, too.

user name: sakurakinomoto

[keystaff]

A bow. I guess it couldn't hurt to try learn that too. I mean, I'm getting better using the Sword, but....

[Longer range weapons aside from the cards themselves could be useful. And Graham of anyone would surely understand the need for Sakura to be able to defend herself, when she keeps stubbornly insisting on throwing herself headfirst into these situations wanting to help.]

That test felt pretty real at the time though. I'm not sure what to think yet. Ah, but wouldn't they be listening?

[These are the communication devices, the jewelry provided by ALASTAIR, after all.]

[dishearten]

I'd have to make a smaller one for you, but I'd teach you if you'd like.

( he knows how to run a sword, too, it's just not his preference so he won't claim to be a skilled teacher when there are likely better around. )

I'm sure they are. They cared little for my complaints when I last raised them, I don't suppose they'll care much more for them now.

video | un; sieglindesullivan

[grunehexe]

And we shall add a much stronger case for "first-aid" for you soon enough!

[As soon as she tests your medical herb identification. ... But that's just what she says because it's hard to approach the other topic. That "test", and their new situation now.]

... I've let it be known I am a healer. Hopefully some of the new recruits possess similar abilities.

[It seemed like they were going to need it.]

[dishearten]

I don't doubt that.

( Sieglinde does keep him on his toes learning the medical purposes of herbs, and he appreciates what he's already learned. he's probably never had a test before but hey, heartless guys probably don't get horribly nervous under pressure. )

It is good to have as many as we can, considering our numbers and the fact we don't have traditional resources in the field.

video | username: dagny

[dagnyology]

Hello, Huntsman! I hope I find you well. My name is Dagny--I, too, am a member of ALASTAIR. I also helped create the simulation! I assure you, it is a perfectly normal training procedure, and although you may not believe it now, you will be thankful for it in the future! I was.

We are just like you, ALASTAIR recruits. You are not in our employ, only the Timeline's, and we wish you nothing but good health and happiness. [ Except the cats... ] I wish you nothing but good health and happiness. I hope that, with this, I can assuage some of your concerns. If you would like, we can speak further on the matter! I would very much like to see Brother, oh, I'm certain he's adorable!

My people [ She tucks her hair behind her ear, revealing their pointed, elven appearance. ] were skilled in herbology in my homeworld, and I keep their traditions alive by studying it still. I've also learned much about weaponry and survival skills in my time at ALASTAIR, and I specialize in diplomatic relations on my own team. Oh!! And I have stickers. Would you like any?

[dishearten]

I don't mind training. I understand you have a center for just this purpose. Your teammate also assured me of the necessity of a blind trial, but I do not agree with your methods.

( he probably won't ever, either. he appreciates the different tone, though. )

I'd like that, if you are willing. Here or in person? ( if she knows more about this place, he's got a lot of questions. he's been here long enough to accumulate quite a few. )

It's good to know we have others with skills in herbology. As for me, I don't need any stickers. Perhaps Sakura might like some. I think she'd enjoy them.

voice | un: BIG DEAL

[reconditioning]

Hey, I'm with you. [More than Graham could possibly know - or vice versa given the circumstances.

In truth he knows it could be worse: he could be dead, he could be back on Starkiller or stuck in some mindless loop under the First Order's sway-- Rey and Poe-- a thousand different scenarios he never wants to consider. So maybe he owes ALISTAIR for that, but maybe there's also the fact that Kylo Ren's here, too. Maybe there's the idea that he's tired of being everyone's go-to soldier when all he wants is to just live.

It's not really fair.] And speaking as somebody that had to get dragged around in the rain for three days straight, I'm not really feeling the hospitality.

[dishearten]

No, to be thrown in at the very start with no warning is about the worst welcome you can get, though mine wasn't a great deal better.

( he's also technically better of here than he does back home. here at least he's alive, heartless or no. still, he'd rather be dead than work for people that don't care about the safety of those that have no options but to help them. )

They've got a habit of throwing us into situations without telling us what we're meant to do.

( it goes about as well as a blind person trying to describe a color. )

video | un: beloved

[dailydouble]

The problem is not necessarily offering information to you, but to anyone else who might be listening.

[ Not that Ahad finds offering information about himself comforting in any circumstances. ]

[dishearten]

We could likely arrange a meeting for similar purposes, but I'm fairly sure ALISTAIR would keep tabs on that as well.

( it seems unlikely that they'd let their workers have free reign, especially here in Oska. the chances might be better a little farther out from headquarters. )

video| un:terios

[chaoscontrol]

It was an efficient way to test our skills in a controlled setting. Had we been informed of the exercise in advance, it would have tainted the results. In the end, no one was seriously hurt. [he shrugs] I believe the expression humans like to use is "no harm, no foul".

However, I am still not happy about what amounts to all of us being drafted into an interdimensional task force. If asked, I might have actually said yes.

[dishearten]

( he'd find speaking to an animal stranger if he hadn't met Leonardo. now, well, now it's hard to surprise him, apparently. )

Speak for yourself. I don't believe the exercise gained anything, and even if an injury is easily healed with magic or other means, that doesn't make it unimportant.

I might have as well. I'm happy to help other worlds, but less so when this is how it happens.

video / un: melanblue

[ninmu]

[ he remembers this human and his wolf; they helped him back on Chantes. ]

Graham. It's good you are unharmed. [ spoken with the same straight face and flat tone as everything else he says; nonetheless, he's being honest. This man seemed like a worthy ally, or, at the very least, a decent human. The same couldn't be said of all of his kind.

The uncertainty about their captors - or employers, rather - is something he shares, but not to the same extent. He still lacks the humanity to be worried about what's happening to him here. ]

Our knowledge of ALASTAIR is limited. However, they control the means of returning me to Earth. That is something I need.

[dishearten]

It's good to see you are well, too.

( and he means that, too. he remembers the faces he meets and sees no reason to wish harm on any of his teammates, at least so far. )

Supposedly they do. I hope they do mean to send those that want to return back once all this is over.

video; un: coolskeleton95

[boneafide]

We're staying positive, remember, Graham?? Stay positive! I think if we were in any real trouble, the ALASTAIR members running the simulation would have helped us out!

I know you already know me, but I'll introduce myself again anyway for everyone else who doesn't! I am the Great Papyrus, and I am a skeleton monster, and I use magic! Also, I am very Great. That part is the most important part to remember. Other people from the same place as me that are here are my brother, Sans, and my friend, Undyne!

[dishearten]

( sorry, Papyrus. he's not got it in him to be positive about ALISTAIR right about now. )

I'm trying to be positive in bringing our team together. ALISTAIR reminds me too much of the last individual I worked for, if I'm wrong surely they will prove it to me.

I haven't heard about this friend of yours. Did Undyne arrive recently?

voice

[hsalf]

ALASTAIR has never been trustworthy Mr. Graham. Your experience in the simulation doesn't really shed any new light on that. Likewise, we shouldn't blindly trust one another either.

[dishearten]

I'm not asking for blind trust. I'm asking we help each other, since nobody else intends to.

( he doesn't think that's foolish, and if it is, he'll be a fool. )