Induction.

[antitrust]

You've all had some time to get to know each other; whether or not you're all getting along is another matter. Either way, one thought pattern seems to be pretty prevalent, no matter what you think of this entire situation – Where, exactly, is the Conductor? That question isn't going to be answered in full, even now; if you were hoping to work out exactly who the Conductor is...well, that's not going to be readily answered, either. What you are going to get, however, is the sound of that public address box mounted into the wall somewhere above your heads crackling to life; it's staticky and a little grating at first, like someone's fiddling with the volume control somewhere, but eventually it clears up. "Ah, is it..?" It's a little uncertain at first, but that, too, clears up soon enough; it's a male voice, at least that much is discernible. "Greetings to the lot of you, the new class at Graceside Academy; I trust you've familiarized yourself with the rules. "You can call me the Conductor."

[OOC: You can be heard just fine through the PA system, so feel free to ask any questions your little heart desires; brackets are fine, you don't need to use prose!]

Comments

[forcegalactic]

[There's a few questions Mordecai has.]

Right, then. Mr. Conductor, just what is it you're plannin' for us to do here? I never signed up for no "trainin' exercise".

[antitrust]

[...Well, yes, understandably so; it'd probably be more of a surprise if everyone didn't...]

You didn't sign up, no. To be blunt, none of you did - the Academy selected you, you didn't select it.

[openterrain]

[ Intercoms and PA systems aren't something that Jean has in his world. The crackle of static has him looking about in confusion, and the sudden voice has him giving a surprised jump and not entirely dignified yelp. He stares up at the intercom like he expects it to bite him, eyes slightly wide. ]

What the hell...? [ He's figured out where the voice is coming from. what he can't figure out is how. A moment passes, and then Jean crosses over to the box, stretches up, and cautiously taps on the speaker. ] Hello?

[antitrust]

I can hear you just fine, Ascendant.

[...Well, then.]

[zomgboom]

The Conductor? What is this, a train? Ugh, can't you at least pick a cool name?

[Tabby asks only the most important questions, obviously.]

[antitrust]

[...Tabby, why.]

Ah... My apologies for not suiting your particular sense of aesthetics, but I like it well enough, thank you.

[nankurunaisa]

[The Conductor? No, he's the Pervert-Stalker. Hibiki is minding her own business when the PA goes on, and her heart almost stops. Greetings? What a load of crap. There's nothing friendly here.]

It's him! It's the creepy stalker!

[She isn't aware she can be heard yet.]

[announcemyvictory]

If it's to do with those profiles, they weren't even accurate, so he's a poor stalker, if that's what he is.

[perpend]

You'd better answer who the hell you are! Why did you bring us here?!

[antitrust]

What good would knowing who I am do you? I doubt it would be much, unless you think you know me personally. If that's the case, judging by how many perfect strangers are in this building, I'm quite well-connected indeed.

And to answer your other question, I believe the rules made that clear...?

[crimsonchin]

[ ...Great. She sort of figured their host wasn't going to be showing his face... ]

Just cut the fucking crap and tell us what the point of this whole farce is, will you? I'm already getting sick of this.

[antitrust]

Did you not acquaint yourself with the rules any...? You've had ample time to do so, unless you're the sort that likes sleeping in.

[housenurse]

Conductor-san, Conductor-san!

[has her hands cupped around her mouth and is shouting and everything. just to make sure he can hear her. because she has a very important question.]

Did you bring us here to chop up our bodies and sell us as marital aids on the black market, Conductor-san?

[crimsonchin]

[ ...Jesus Christ. ]

You have one hell of an active imagination, don't you?

[withabigsmile]

Excuse me, Mister Conductor~!

[There are twenty different questions she could ask- where are they, why are they here, won't he show his face- but those aren't going to get her very far, are they?]

The rules you explained were all pretty clear! Well, except for the last one. Can't you tell us a little more about taking responsibility for our actions? Pretty please? ♥

[Christ, the pleasantries have dialed up to eleven, haven't they-]

[antitrust]

[...child, you are so full of shit. he likes you.]

That depends on what it is you want to know. It's fairly straightforward in most senses of the term.

[I mean, liking you and giving you actual information is kind of not inclusive by necessity.]

[announcemyvictory]

...Sir? [She clears her throat.] We aren't a class -- no, of course you know that. Do you expect us to... well, to go through that escape plan on the signs, or to stay here and prevent each other from doing so? To be honest, I'm not sure anyone will agree to either. We do have obligations.

[antitrust]

You can do whatever you believe to be most conducive to your own personal agenda. It's not my place to dictate that for you.

I can only tell you that you will be provided for, and that I wish you the best of luck, whatever you decide.

[icysemblance]

Why are we here? Why us? Where is --

[Weiss is just going to stop that train of thought right there, before she blurts out 'my sword'. She doesn't need to tell everyone she's missing a weapon.]

-- this place?

[antitrust]

You've been personally selected by the Academy. Is the location of said Academy really all that relevant?

[...As though that explains everything.]

[moonflute]

Hello...?

[ She feels a bit silly saying hi to the box on the wall, but she supposes their kidnapper can hear them. ]

Are you the person that brought us here? [ May as well start off with the most basic question. ]

[antitrust]

[Oh, look, this one has manners.]

I am, yes.

[rickdiculous]

Yeah, so. I've got a little question here. Just a...just a little one. No biggie. Gotta get it answered because it like - it totally changes what's gonna be happening here for the next 10 minutes.

[rick no stop]

What's stopping me from just, you know, killing everybody here except for me and my - my grandson. I mean, you said that death would end the exercise early so - so, you know, I just gotta figure out my options here. 'Cuz there are a lot.

[forcegalactic]

[PLEASE DON'T BE SERIOUS.]

[midnightsea]

I'd sooner call you useless.

[Hands on his hips, Dio narrowed his eyes at the unknown device and its disembodied voice.]

There's no point in asking what the purpose of this absurdity is, as you've made some semblance of an intent clear already. Asking 'why' would earn nothing but the parroting of such a pointless concept. 'Who' would also simply give the answer of 'the Conductor', as you've just introduced yourself.

So instead I'll start with this: why choose involuntary subjects in whatever poorly-structured game you choose to play?

[antitrust]

Do you really want an answer to that, or do you want to keep putting words in my mouth...?

While we're at it, I'm thinking of a number between one and two hundred.

[blazeit]

New class? What happened to the old classes.

[ ...

... ... ... ]

Also, are you the fucker assigning arbitrary adjectives to us.

[antitrust]

I don't know; I wasn't the one overseeing any former classes that may have been held.

Did you find your title unsatisfactory...? Because I can assure you that they aren't arbitrary.

[samsa]

[At the sound of the voice suddenly issuing into the foyer, Kaneki knows right away that this 'Conductor' will likely be bombarded with questions. Many of them will be questions that he himself has, and honestly? He's fine with the louder ones taking initiative.

But he does have one pressing concern.]

I want to know how you got all of that information on us...but I don't think it will be as easy as just asking.

But...you know that some of the profiles aren't accurate, right?

[antitrust]

What...?

[That...there's a pause.]

No, I can assure you that they are, in fact, accurate.

[heymcfly]

[ Marty frowns. That's...kind of weird. ]

Hey, asshole! I want to go home!

[antitrust]

That's unfortunate.

[ninehundredlives]

Were you just talking to someone in there?

[Maybe he was just speaking aloud, but if there's more than one of these people she'd like to know about it.]

[antitrust]

I have a habit of talking to myself sometimes, as I believe everyone does from time to time. No one is in here with me.

[So maybe, maybe not.]

[becauseicould]

[...Hmm. There is something she needs to ask, actually. Two things, but let's get the first thing out of the way.]

Hey, Conductor! What exactly are you, anyway?

[antitrust]

In what way do you mean?

[Undyne, holy shit.]

[mortyfied]

[Well, most of his questions have been asked already but there was something he was curious about. It's not really important or anything, just.. pure curiosity.]

U-um... i-is this - you called this a trust exercise, right?

[antitrust]

[...oh, look, someone else who's less of an asshole than everyone else. yay!]

I did, yes.

[charcoalfeather]

[Rakka's gaze drifts upwards, towards the ceiling as though that's where this voice lies.]

Umm, excuse me? Can you please tell us what's going on? Why can't I remember anything?

[antitrust]

I think what's going on is fairly straightforward, actually.

As for your memories, I...have theories. But I don't know for sure. I imagine that will be made plain to me within the next while or so, however.

[hashtagafreakingghost]

[Well, after freezing up and catching about half of the conversations going on around her- Ashley looks up at...something, oh, she doesn't like having no face to look at because even if this is not Hannah's voice it makes her feel like she's talking to a--]

C-Conductor, sir, are- are you, um... A-are you a ghost? Because I did not mean to s-summon anything or do anything to disturb you or make you unhappy, I swear!

[It starts off a little soft and stammery, but she gets more insistent with every word.]

[antitrust]

...No?

[What in the actual world, child - ]

I can assure you that I'm still among the living, and I'm not any sort of supernatural being, either.

[sunsong]

[ Okay, a lot of the questions she had have already been asked. There is one thing she really wants to know, though: ]

Hey! Train guy! Did you or someone else hurt people back home when you dragged us here?

[ And why the fuck can't she remember. ]

[antitrust]

I can't speak for anyone else. But if anyone was harmed in the place where you came from, it wasn't my doing.

[swirlied]

Why do you want us to kill each other? Why even call it a trust exercise?

[antitrust]

There's nothing in the rules that explicitly requires you to kill one another. It's an option, of course, but it isn't mandatory for you to turn on one another.

[clearasmud]

[ Okay. Okay. The talking box is incredibly freaky, and honestly, the main reason why Youko had said nothing up until now.

The main reason. Not the only reason. Things were somewhat chaotic, but she'd been trying her best to listen to as many as the other conversations as possible. The questions mattered just as much as their answers. Even if she'd figured out nothing, she at least had a few fresh points to start from. ]

Excuse me - how did you get all that information on us? It's all rather specific, even with the concerns about accuracy.

[antitrust]

It wasn't particularly easy. I can assure you that I haven't been stalking you for years or anything crude like that, however.

[oftheland]

...Well, this is all a bit intense, really, and I certainly have a few questions about the exact terminology, but I do have a question to start out with. Namely... well, I remember having some objects on my person that I don't have right now. Did you appropriate them, or were they missing when you picked me up?

[antitrust]

If you're referring to the items that I believe you're referring to, those have been appropriated.