entranceway | eighth galaxy [video]

[The camera opens on Shepard standing against a display wall, with a bunch of chatter going on behind her. There's some text displayed, but it's too big to be seen through the limited scope of the video. She smiles, and mock salutes with two fingers.]

Gotta say, out of all the things Wonderland could've drawn from for me, this is probably the best end of the deal. So hey everybody, welcome to the Citadel. Yes, you're in space. No, you don't need a suit unless you wanna go outside, and I wouldn't recommend it.

[She swaps the video feed for a few moments to outside her surroundings, showing a crowded view of the Silversun Strip, and then back to her face.]

The Citadel's the hub of galactic government in my universe. Lots to do, lots to see. You've probably all got omni-tools, but they're pretty basic to learn. In general, try to stay away from any places that look seedy, and if it's illegal where you come from, it's probably illegal here. Otherwise, go wild. If you need directions, the holographic terminals are VI information guides. Ask 'em whatever. Or, y'know, you've got the extranet in the palm of your hands, so you can just search it yourself.

[She looks like she's gonna stop, and then grins a little bit wider.]

Oh, and one more thing...

[She steps away from the wall to show she's standing in front of a display sign. A very particular display sign.]

I re-maxed my high score at the Armax combat arena. I'll buy anyone who can beat me without cheating a free meal. Good luck.

[She winks, and cuts the feed.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[It's the little things about this event, Shepard realizes, that are getting to her. Seeing Toriel in the middle of the Citadel, turning to face her and smiling as she feels her heart skip. It's the few moments of forgetting her mission, her troubles, and pressing her nose towards Toriel's and just feeling happy. For a few days, they have this future she could never dream of. For a few days, she can really be home.]

Nothin' beats it. I think it's only sweeter for me because I get to see you. How do you like the Citadel?

[Toriel laughs pleasantly, and gives Jane a small little smooch on the cheek for that comment- it was just so sweet and adorable, after all.]

I think that I like this section of it a bit more! It is very open, and peaceful, and the scenery really is gorgeous- especially now that you are here.

It is somewhat difficult to believe really, that this is all an artificial structure. I feel a bit lighter than usual, but this place feels so... natural, otherwise. The plants, and all that water... It must be very difficult to take care of.

I wonder if there are any fish in it.

Well, everything's gorgeous with the two of us in it.

[Can't resist giving a little compliment to herself. She can't help but laugh when Toriel asks about the fish, though.]

Interestingly enough, there isn't. Apparently it's the water supply for most of the station, after getting filtered and cleaned before it comes out of the tap. It took me a surprising amount of time to find that info.

[Those krogans mentioned it in passing and she just Had To Know.]

There's a lot of processes in place to make the station feel as much like a planet as possible. Lots of people live here full time.

[She laughs a bit, waving her hand in an 'Oh, stop' motion- and blushing ever so slightly, because it's just so nice hearing her girlfriend be so sweet.]

Hm. I figure there are not any bugs, in these patches of plantlife either, then? A shame- I have to admit, I was a bit curious how alien snails might taste.

Though ah, I doubt you are very interested in that sort of thing! Either way, it truly is a marvel. We constructed aquariums for aquatic monsters back in the Underground, and even without the problems caused by people living in them, the challenges of keeping them in order and ensuring the water stayed fresh and clean were quite difficult!

I cannot even begin to imagine what it would take, to maintain this much water, in a wholly artificial place, with no easy access to natural resources. It strains the imagination, to try and envision how something like this could be constructed.

Toriel, I'm interested in whatever you want to find here. I'm sure we could find somewhere that sells snails, though I'm not actually certain if they exist other places than Earth.

[Frankly, all of this biology stuff just goes right over her head.]

There's people whose whole jobs it is to make this place run in ways that the Earth does naturally. I don't understand how it works, either. All that science... that's way past me, too. I can't imagine comprehending worlds like that, as strings of numbers and chemistry. It's just... remarkable. You know?

Well, yes, but I am certain they have some form of insects, right? I would imagine so, at least.

I simply meant that you would most likely not be interested in that sort of food, though. Most humans do not enjoy it. ...Most varieties of monster do not, either, actually.

[It was mostly just her family that visited the snail farm run by all those ghosts, after all.]

It is never something that I really understood. The advanced science of today's age- or, well, the today of my age, at least- has never been something that I have been able to wrap my head around. So the today of your age... I could not even begin to comprehend it. This is why we had to appoint a Royal Scientist- and why I mostly just let them do their own thing.

Never tried it, but honestly, I've eaten weirder. I'd at least be willing to give it a shot.

[Snails were like, a human delicacy in certain places. Sometimes? At least she can describe herself as the adventurous sort.]

Frankly, it's kind of the beauty of this whole thing, you know? That no one person is... completely self-sufficient, I guess. That we're all really helping each other get by.

Though I guess you could start studying science, if it really interested you. There's plenty of information out there, and you could start small with whatever you wanted. But even the best tech should be usable by people who don't understand why it happens. It's not good design if it's not accessible.

If you are certain about that... I suppose that it has been a while, since I made any snail pie! If you would like to try some when we are done here!

[Toriel nods, smiling.]

I, certainly, have always done my best to be as helpful to others as I can. Standing by and doing nothing has never been in my nature.

I have been reading up, actually! Nothing too advanced, yet, but small things. I have a lot of free time, after all, and the library is quite extensive. Little books of fun facts are a favorite choice of mine to pick out. Small, easy to digest bits of information.

Sounds good. And I'm glad. We all have stuff to keep us busy in Wonderland, but I guess if there was ever a time to pick up a new skill, this would be it. The downtime between events is literally all free time no matter how you slice it.

[Even if everyone might be better off using it to like, figure out ways to escape. But the last few attempts have been disastrous and frankly she's not the person to be asking about that. She's the muscle and tactics gal. Let her know when the tech works, and she'll move the people around it.]

I should probably take my own advice on that, actually. I don't really have much of a hobby to speak of, still.

[She's like, effectively out of model ships to build.]

I could always teach you about baking. Or knitting, perhaps! I could probably spin you quite the yarn about how relaxing it has been for me!

[Really, escaping isn't something that crosses Toriel's mind very much- probably because she's pretty sure she'll just cease to exist and resume being dead, if she stops being in this place.

She really, really tries to avoid thinking about it.]

Or, well. With as big as a place this is, I am sure there are plenty of things to find for us to spend our time together doing!

You know, I might actually take you up on cooking, as long as you promise not to laugh at me for how bad I am at it.

[She's great at small, finessed movements, but like... I dunno, man, cooking has just never come easily to her.]

For now, though, you got anything in mind? I know a good lunch spot around here, if you're hungry.

eighth galaxy [video]

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