We're all in this train-gether 🚂

[adregem]

Who: OTA. If you’re a passenger with a ticket on this train, then you are most welcome here!
Where: Upper Music Car
When: Imagination 18, at around brunch.
What: Welcome to the train’s first ever community open forum. Come for the food, stay for the best discussions ever.
Warnings: Lots of top-levels for easy access to relevant topics to your characters, but apart from that, nothing right now! (Not a warning but a heads-up that one TL will be dedicated to the dissemination and discussion of the bonus trek during the last mission. For your OOC reference, please see here.)



Someway through the 18th of Imagination, an announcement for the already spoken for meeting is shared by the ICPs, giving people twenty minutes to come to the upper Music Carriage for the gathering. While the chairs mostly face the stage, they’ve been curved to allow people to face their fellow passengers too, so not to put the sole focus in one place.

This is a meeting for all, and everyone will have their chance to speak and be heard.

The promised snack table sits to one side of the room, and on the stage, the white board from the standard coach has been brought in, written on it bullet points for the planned topics. To assist in the flow of discussion, familiar moderators stand in place to help jot things down, carry conversation further should one idea end while another is ready to begin, among other such administrative tasks to organize the forum. Plus, the ICP’s are in constant use all throughout the meeting, with basic announcements about what’s being discussed now, and how more people are still welcome to catch up to the Music Car if they hear something that interests them.

Grab a plate, settle down, and let’s get to work.

(OOC: Specific top-levels will be set-up for ease of tagging. Select ‘Show Top-Level Comments Only’ if you would like to skip ahead! And as much as possible kindly keep to a single thread in that TL, unless a very special or private point has to be made with regards to the subject! :) Of course if you will be tagging the snacks table, the extra suggestions, or the meta-thread, this does not apply any longer.

Also, very important: Please see here for an example format of how documentation of missions can go! It is most relevant during the discussion on information gathering.)

Comments

CONTINUED: Squads Discussion

[blitzcheer]

Thanks for all the volunteers so far! [ Tidus speaks up, cheery as he does. ] We really appreciate it - Webs, er, the Spider too. Lea, Xion, Inigo - [ He's smiling, nodding his head. ] - it'll be great to have you onboard!

Speaking about the 'doing both roles' talk though... I was just chatting with Spider about it - [ what, where, when!? ] - and she's saying that anyone who's willing to do both should get the White Band. There isn't really a difference in 'em, see, how they work. They all work the same: Wear one, and Spider can find you. Then she move you. You don't need to be wearing one to get teleported though. It's handy for grabbing other people and moving them if they can't be in that team right then. So we want people to remember that!

[ It's a pretty important part about the teleporting! ]

Knowing who can heal from a band's more important than knowing who's a combatant, so that's why she's thinking about just keeping it like this.

[ He pauses, just for a beat, a hand slightly raised. ]

But, there is just another point... for any Team Leads, if it's possible, she'd like you to have a band, sure, we've been handing them out to the Leads, but we need people who'll always be with a team so Webs can find them. No matter where the squad's moving, or so on. You know?

A Team Lead's always going to be with their team... [ He trails off with a roll of his hand. But, that's basically the reasoning. ]

--oh yeah! [ He lifts his head. ] One last thing! So uh, if people wanna train or whatever, learn about defence and that? That's up to them. Spider isn't going to enforce anything, and anyway - we're gonna have a talk about training later. But, [ looking and nodding at you, Clef, ] I wanna know more about your armour and what you can do, when we get to it!

( note: here's also an OOC sign-up for anyone who doesn't have time for the thread! but please feel free to jump in. :) we'd love everyone to get involved! )

[myblueskies]

Can I help heal people, miss Spider?

[Romeo has been listening to the conversation and trying to think about how he could help people. He's not a doctor but...]

I don't got any healing magic but I can put bandages on people and give them potions and if I know your name then I can make you be invisible so the bad monsters won't be able to get you while we are making you feel better!

[kumoko]

[oh no, he's addressing her directly. Uh. She glances at Tidus and Roland, who've been accepting her whispered contributions so far with frankly relieving chill, but---

Sure, why not? Stealth's a good skill to have as a cleric, right? She shrugs assent, and gives him a double thumbs-up.]

[blitzcheer]

[ WEBS, TIDUS IS GIVING YOU A DOUBLE THUMBS UP BACK REAL QUICK. PROUD OF U.

And then, to help after-! ]

We've got supplies for anyone to use, so if you think you'd be good handing those out, and playing some defence? I'm game. Just as long as everyone remembers, we're all working together. So let's work and keep each other's backs.

...actually, [ since he's now thinking about defence for squishier healers FOR NO REASON AT ALL, ROMEO, ] a while ago, I did wanna get something called a Light Curtain to protect people. They'd be good for everyone to have a spare of, but maybe we can give them as priority to healers? And maybe people who don't have good ways of defending themself.

They're like... [ how to describe... ] You just hold them and want them to activate, and then they disappear, [ he raises a hand above his head; they disappear up, but he's not explaining that, ] but they surround you in a barrier.

This doesn't just need to be for White Squad, but. [ Hands held up. SHRUG. ] Just an idea.

[enthunder]

Yeah. I know I mentioned this already, but one of the drives I bought synthesises protective spells like that. If someone like Romeo wanted to take a Curtain or a manadrive, it'd give him - give you [ a quick, apologetic nod to Romeo as she switches who she's facing ] - something to do if no one was hurt - keep 'em from getting hurt in the first place. And we can buy more, or maybe someone's got something better back home.

[ That would be nice. ] Humans can't use magic back home, but that's what manadrive tech is for. Evening the playing field. Same idea with stuff like the Curtains.

[barenakedspirit]

Now that just sounds cool! And maybe we could get parts and build tools based on what people feel they need. Our, [Mad scientist.] Tech support back home did stuff like augment our equipment to suit the individual.

So like say someone needs more defense. Their gear would lean more that way? All this to say I think we got some good ideas here.

[guru_clef]

"Defensive gear is always a good idea when going into a dangerous situation," he agreed. "And they are easier to craft than weapons in some ways."

[hotheadwarmheart]

Good to be on board. [And yes, Xion, apparently Tidus at least heard you too, quiet as you are.]

And yeah, it's never a bad idea to have some defensive gear on you, even if you can hold your own without it.

[laurefindil]

[Glorfindel sighed.] I am not saying it is a requirement, Senku. I am saying it is preferred, just in case. Ideally any White Band volunteer who has no defensive abilities would be given equipment to counter that or be paired with someone whose duty is to keep them safe or to compliment them in the areas they lack.

[He smiled at Xion.] You and Lea make a fierce team, such as Ken and Wormmon; I'm sure that Amra would not separate you if that is your preference. [He's observant, you know.]

[nobodys_puppet]

She wasn't sure who or what Amra was, but she nodded a bit. so long as she could stay with Axel on missions she didn't care what the missions were. And it wasn't like healing was any harder than any other spell, so she could do it.

Plus with all this talk about buying stuff, they could buy elixirs to keep her mana up, right? Oh... was she going to have to spend her ice cream munny on elixirs now? They were better than buying potions, but still...

She looked down at her gloves, considering that.

[10billionpercent]

I'm just saying I know where my strengths are. None of that fits into them at all. I can run for my life, if I have to, a reasonable distance. That said, in a tactical battle, I'm not particularly worried. I can't outsmart a robot. [ He huffs. Unfortunately. ]

I am going to see about doing something to make me less vulnerable. I don't have a problem working with a partner, mind you my preferential choice is in the same position I'm in, so it'll have to be someone I may not be terribly well acquainted with.

[ That just means he'd have to get to know them. ]

[blitzcheer]

Equipment and protection's gonna be a discussion later, but anyone who's more in danger -- we'll cover them as a community, as best we can. White Squad or not. I mean, we'd want the same for the medics who aren't part of white squad.

[ He nods, knowing that's true. He's got a pulled brow though, still thinking, before a small 'ah', and he rolls a hand. ]

How about we make sure we call on a healer - or anyone really from anywhere - we be sure to say how dangerous it is. And be ready to meet them. I mean, unless we got a Squad member there already, Spider's gonna need to use a Team Lead's band to teleport someone to the place. So a Lead can have someone ready. Right?

[kumoko]

[ A thumbs up for Xion, though she doesn't look up in time to catch it. Oh well!

But hey, she's a fan of getting spoiled for difficulty levels. Three thumbs up this time! Or two thumbs and a lil claw, but who's counting. ]

[firewalled]

[Rich is kind of... a little lost here, but it sounds like they want to know who's vulnerable. Plus, training was mentioned as well, so he at least wants to get in on that.]

I... Uh, hate to admit it, but I came here from the hospital. I'm healed up now, but might need to keep an eye on me for a month before I know I'm good?

Besides that, who can we talk to about getting training? I want to get in on that so I don't have to be trouble on all these missions or whatever.

[adregem]

[ Roland turns to Rich immediately. ]

What do we need to watch out for, if you can share it with us? Regarding your healing and recovery, I mean. If you're more comfortable speaking with just one person about it, we can direct you to one of our medics. [ Even if he sounds serious, Roland manages to come across as sincere. He seems to care plenty about this for one reason or another. ]

[ He turns to the rest of the group after. ]

There are a couple of people here who might be able to assist you already, since they're signing up for White Squad.

[guru_clef]

"I can train people in elemental magic," Clef offered.

[firewalled]

There's not a lot, I don't think. I have burns on a good chunk of my body, but they've scarred over. Galo and Eight helped me out with that.

[He hesitates a bit before finally offering:]

I guess if I look like I'm zoned out, that's something to watch out for? Or maybe, uh, talking to someone who isn't there. I don't really want to go into details, but there's... something that I finally got rid of, and it might come back.

[Wow, super helpful, Rich. He tries to ignore that and turn to Clef instead.]

You can actually do that? Don't people need, like, inherent magic power to be trained in that?

[schrodingersghost]

Well, I mean if we're talking needing people who can move fast. I can fly and go through walls.

[A shrug.]

I don't really know anything about medicine, but I can probably get people to someone who does pretty fast.

[fashionably_strong]

[Bulla's been quietly standing back and letting others who have been here for longer talk, but she feels the need to pipe up here, just to put in an offer.]

I've basically got the same powers as Trunks, although we've had different training. I can fly fast in an emergency and I'm strong enough to carry people pretty easily. I can also share my energy to give others a boost, so if any healers are getting exhausted, I can help with that, even if I can't heal other people with my powers.

[She pauses, inwardly debating for a few seconds if she should share information that might not even be helpful, before deciding to go for it.]

I learned some magic on another world, but you kind of had to draw power from that land specifically. If we arrived in a place where magic worked like that, I might be able to use it again. No magic on my own otherwise though.

[light_of_willpower]

If you can teach me that sharing-energy thing, then I'd be grateful. I'm still new to black squad and was...not very effective this mission as I got bogged down fighting robots and arrived late to help deal with the cause.

[Something he feels guilty about, although he's trying to not let that on.]

For those who don't know my skill-set, I'm a trained fighter in hand-to-hand and swordwork, and adept at utilizing ki in various ways for attacks and defense. Like Bulla said, I also fly fast, and am strong enough to carry people easily in an emergency. I'm also familiar with basic urban survival, mechanical engineering and computer engineering.

I originally wanted to join Black Squad because I'm used to being one of the only lines of defense in a crisis--specifically a fight, and I want to go where I'd do the most good.

[blitzcheer]

If you were taking down the robots, then you were doing what someone on black squad does. We're just doing the work where we're needed - fighting where there's a fight. [ He shakes his head once, waving out a hand. ] Most of the fighting got stuck in one place for once.

But you know, [ he nods to Bulla and Trunks, ] you sound like you'd both be good at keeping an eye out for someone on the battlefield who's struggling. We're got a lot of fighters, but no one who can look up from above. That was our biggest weakness, right? It's not like we didn't do a good job fighting - it's just, we need some way of moving the people who shouldn't be there. And spotting them too.

We don't get stuck in a fight where we're all together at once. But if we did, would you two play lookout? Or in any fight.

[ He figures that's worth adding. ]

[najaran]

"Oh! I can help with flying!" Najaran said with a nod. "I can't show him off in the train because he's too big to have room in here, but Thunderbeak and I fly a lot on our missions."