chapter 003 | [video]

[bibliophilism]

[Michelle is at the gym today. Behind her is a target peppered with paper arrows, clustered in the bull's eye or around it, and she is proudly holding her paper bow.

She sits down in front of her communicator primly with a smile, and her paper bow falls apart into individual sheets that zoom straight up the sleeves of her usual white, black and green dress. One piece of paper remains in her hand, however, and she begins folding this slowly and deliberately in front of the screen.] 

Good day, everyone! For those who don't know me, I'm Michelle Cheung, and I'm part of security. [She pauses from folding to wave cheerily, with a little chuckle.] That means if you're ever lost, or you need someone to protect you, or just someone to talk to about the strange things that have been happening around here, you can call me, or any of the other members. Or, if you need a big sister, I'll be your big sister!

[Michelle does not realize how out of place it is to suddenly offer being a big sister as a member of SEC, and even looks excited at the prospect of sister-ing others on the ship. And she'll just continue to fold.]

Now, as some of you might have noticed, paper is in very short supply here. [Duh, Michelle.] I use paper to fight and do my job, so it's very difficult to conserve the paper I already have. So I've been thinking about learning how to use other weapons - real weapons. Perhaps I could start with a real bow, or a gun, but I'll try anything. If anyone has a spare gun or anything they can lend me, or spare time to teach me how to use other weapons, I would appreciate it.

Thank you very much! [A short bow, as she ends the transmission. But it's not quite finished yet. What's finished is the paper crane in her lap, fully formed.]

[Filtered to SEC]

I'd like to practice and train with each and every one of you. Not all at once, but I'm sure you know what I mean. I think it would be very useful to learn how to work with everyone in the department.

Comments

voice

[idkmybffbloodwing]

[You know, he's tempted to offer, because she seemed nice enough, just misguided during the circumstances of their meeting. But...]

Extra guns aren't too much of a problem, here, an' I bet you'll find plenty who're willing to offer. Extra bullets, though, are in even shorter supply than your paper.

voice

[bibliophilism]

[Well now, there's a voice she never thought she'd hear today.]

Oh...I wonder if there are any guns that don't use bullets.

voice

[idkmybffbloodwing]

Not that I have on me, though I've used guns like that before.

I'll make you a deal, though. You find a source of bullets I can use, an' I'll help train you to use a gun. Won't find a better marksman on this ship than me.

video;

[lacksgrace]

How do you, uh, use that stuff to fight?

[ This is seriously need-to-know apparently. ]

video;

[bibliophilism]

I just do. [This is a knowing smile, from her to you, Bells.] I have power over paper.

[And to prove her point, she lets the paper crane glide up from the palm of her hand to float in front of her face.]

[video]

[wolfdreamer]

You can't fight with paper.

[video]

[bibliophilism]

Yes, I can. [It's not insistent, it's a matter-of-fact tone.] I've done it for quite a while.

security filter;

[angerissues]

Gunnery might have a gun you could use. [ As for the rest: ] What kind of training are we talking here?

security filter;

[bibliophilism]

Any sort of training! We can think of strategies and plans and backup plans, and learn from each other. Perhaps we could have exercises where some of us pretend to be the bad guys, and the others try to form a plan to capture them.

[Michelle, this isn't camp.]

video; filter

[learnedtosmile]

[He's just going to ignore the fact that she apparently uses paper as a weapon. There are weirder things on this ship.]

Can you fight without a weapon? You know, hand-to-hand. I don't like guns, personally.

video; filter

[bibliophilism]

Um...that's more of Anita's strength than mine. [Anita being her little tsundere spitfire of a sister who kicks Michelle when the latter isn't acting her age.] I'm not very good, [Michelle depends more on her paper skills, really. That's how not-very-good she is.] but I'd like to learn.

security filter | Audio

[ghostthatlingers]

'Big sister'? Are we supposed to be their counselors? [Because she was certain she saw something not long ago for another group that was available for that.]

Do you have any experience to start with for other weapons?

security filter | Audio

[bibliophilism]

No, no, just...be a big sister to anyone who needs one. Be there for them, listen, talk to them and tell them everything will be okay...

[A beat.]

I use a paper bow and arrows most of the time, and I can throw paper blades. I'm typically a ranged fighter. But I can fight in close range with a blade if I have to; it's usually more troublesome.

[sec filter]

[jurisimpudent]

I don't think a gun is the right choice.

[sec filter]

[bibliophilism]

Why not? I'm a ranged fighter, so I might be better with one.

But I guess bullets are hard to come by on this ship...

video+text

[mikelo]

[a youthful looking teen with a mop of reddish-blonde hair appears on the screen, appearing rather curious. He gives her a cheerful wave in greetings, before going to type.]

Weapons out of paper really sounds interesting. [a bit of a pause; so there's a shortage of paper? He's been wondering a bit. . .]

So there really is nowhere for me to pick up a few notebooks?

text

[bibliophilism]

Well, you could ask if anyone has some spare notebooks, because sometimes, after each jump, you get things in your locker. It's worth a try.

text

[emerges]

you fought with paper?

text

[bibliophilism]

I still do. I'm a Paper Master, which means I can control paper in just about every way.

audio;

[salads]

Paper.

[ Pa... per, right. He clears his throat. ]

Do you have any experience, other than... paper? [ He didn't mean to pause like that, but it's hard not to. ]

audio;

[bibliophilism]

[He wouldn't be the first to have all the unsures, anyway. At this point, Michelle has pretty much gotten used to everyone giving her the unsures.]

Not a lot. But I could adapt to weapons like blades, or a bow and arrow.

[thatsaflaregun]

I could teach you how to use a gun. Probably best for emergencies and the like, but you never know with what's out there, yeah?

[I am totally responsible.]

[bibliophilism]

And I can't depend on every jump to give me a new supply of paper.

[northerner]

I'd be more than pleased to teach you how to use a sword, when you've the time for it.

[bibliophilism]

I've never even used paper to form a sword before; that could be fun! I would love to learn.

[Gonna learn all the weapons. All. The. Weapons.]