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sexyspace2018-06-25 07:10 am
zhautasmods) wrote in sexyspace2018-06-25 07:10 am
Entry tags:
TEST DRIVE MEME #2
Awakening
The multiverse is sick. It’s dying. And it’s up to you to save it. Or, at least, that’s what the Zenith Corporation had told you when they announced their search for a cure across the multiverse. They hand-picked individuals to be "volunteers" for the next stage of experimentation. Maybe they made it sound dire, maybe you already had your mind set to help, or maybe the specifics of how you could help was vague. Considering the alternative was wasting away on your home planet with no promise of when this cure might actually come to fruition, it ultimately wasn’t much of a choice either way.
Everything comes to life the more awake that you start to feel. "Good morning, volunteer," sounds a synthetic, feminine voice in your ear. That must be one of the fancy features they advertised about the chip that was injected just beneath your skin. A projected HUD above your torso displays and scrolls through several readings about the state of your being. "A scan of your vital signs show that everything is functioning as normal." There’s a small pause. "Wait-" The spike of alarm that should follow that single, distressed-sounding word is accompanied by a light chime. "Emotional responses are still accurate, too. Thank you for your cooperation!" Without any further explanation or allowing for protest, she continues on. "I hope you enjoyed your nap! We’ll be descending to planet #05031941 - common name designated as Zhautas - in approximately three hours. There will be a brief orientation for all volunteers exactly one hour before landing. Due to potential unnatural stress levels upon awakening from stasis, I suggest a relaxing trip to the garden beforehand."
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.
My name is R.O.S.I.E. and, on behalf of all of us at the Zenith Corporation, we’re happy to have you aboard.
Code CreditMy name is R.O.S.I.E. and, on behalf of all of us at the Zenith Corporation, we’re happy to have you aboard.
Say Aloe (Prospective Players Only)
Red lights lead the way to the gym, green will be your path to the gardens, ostignuh is- Wait, what do you mean the color ostignuh is burning your eyes? Huh. They must have over-corrected for your species. Oh, well. They’ll fix that for the next trip. For now, don’t worry about it. It probably didn’t lead to anything important anyway!
- The staff is much more attentive this time than they were with the first wave of volunteers. Poor feedback and the threat of losing their jobs if they don't improve their standing will do that! Unfortunately, it isn't just the colors that have been over-corrected. Despite how many times you tell the very helpful staff member that you're fine, they won't leave you alone. Are you sure? They can walk with you if you'd like. They can even hold your hand if you're overwhelmed! If there's anything you need, they're here for you.
Maybe if you find a buddy to walk you to your destination they might divert their attention to a different volunteer. The buddy system is pretty fool-proof, after all. - As you draw closer to the gardens, the lights in the hallway begin to dim. In fact, the only available source of illumination for a small distance is the thin green line across the floor guiding your way. Careful not to trip! There's handy railing to hold onto or maybe you accidentally grab the arm of that (hopefully) cute person nearby. It's kind of hard to tell and green isn't really a flattering color anyway.
Suddenly, you're stepping into a wide open space of twilight. Iridescent flowers dot the landscape for as far as the eye can see. They come in all different shapes, sizes, and glow softly in this simulated night-scape. Trees of shining magenta leaves and blue bark wind up to the stars. Or, at least, the viewing panels that allow the stars to be seen from inside the ship. Not to worry, it's entirely safe and beautiful!
The featured flower of this month is the Nykt Blossom. Be warned, however, that inhaling its pollen causes increased levels of oxytocin. This will cause you to feel compelled to bond socially with others. That is, you might find yourself a lot more friendly than usual! Maybe a little too friendly, even, if you're especially susceptible to its effects. - It's very easy to miss the warning signs in this dark as you step into the section of the garden that houses the more alien plant-life.
They'll fix that for the future, of course, but for now many volunteers are likely finding themselves subject to the same unfortunate circumstances. Coitendrils are in abundance here; they're a pretty touchy feely species.
It's a plant that thrives in warm conditions and grows at an incredibly fast rate to seek out these cozy spots. As it turns out, your body warmth is the highest temperature around and exactly what it's looking for.
Before you know it, long green tendrils are suddenly growing around your arms or legs in speedy spirals. They get everywhere in a matter of mere seconds. Their growth is aggressive, finding ways beneath the fabric of whatever clothes you happen to be wearing and to the skin below. The only way to reverse their growing hold is to cool yourself off and fast. Maybe someone can grab you some ice?
Orientation (Prospective Players Only)
Around an hour before landing, an announcement is made to everyone aboard the ship. It’s time to find your way to the amphitheater for orientation. If anyone gripes, they are reminded that it has mandatory safety information that the Zenith Corporation is legally required to cover. In fact, there's even a quiz at the end to make sure you understand all the technical ins and outs! The Zenith Corporation only has your best interests at heart. They also can’t afford another lawsuit or PR nightmare but who can, really? It’s only a half an hour long and R.O.S.I.E. reassures everyone that it will go by faster than they think.
- Are you way too cool for school? If you try to play hookey, the crew members of the spaceship are already on guard. You're not the first one to try this and they doubt you'll be the last. Try as you might to super sleuth your way around, there’ll be someone at apparently every single turn and twist you try.
It’s also very likely that in scrambling to find a place to hide you’ll run into someone else breaking the rules! Perhaps great minds think alike and you decide to try to defy the system together. Or maybe they’re totally just getting in your way and you decide instead to throw them to the wolves to give yourself a better chance at escaping certain boredom that is an informational seminar. The choice is yours, volunteer! - Whether you come to the orientation willingly or are dragged in by one of the staff, you’ll quickly realize just how bad R.O.S.I.E. lied. A half an hour feels almost like ten hours instead. The last time you checked your watch, it was somehow later than when you check it now. Is time going backward? It sure seems like it the longer you listen to the monotone voice read over colored flavor text clearly meant to engage but missing its mark stupendously. Even the motivation of a quiz at the end that needs to be passed in order to disembark seems to do little to nothing for your dwindling attention span.
Finally, there’s a break in the bureaucratic monotony. The faceless, droning voice introduces one of the staff currently on Zhautas, Jeneviere. He's assistant to the head scientist, Professor Quintalian, and freshly assigned overseer of new volunteers. He also looks like he absolutely doesn't want to be the one doing this seminar.
"Come now, Jenny," says a masculine voice off screen. "You promised."
"I know what I said," he snaps, glaring off camera and not seeming to care much for the fact this is a live feed nor that these new volunteers are expecting something a bit more professional.
"Then what's the problem?" the voice asks again. As it does, a tentacle wiggles into view and gives a reassuring pat on the deerman's shoulder. "I know for a fact that you like being filmed, Jenny, so really this shouldn't be so daunting-"
As he speaks, Jeneviere's cheeks suddenly burn red hot. He stands forcefully out of his chair and uses one of those hoofs to kick harshly at the source of the tentacles. There's a very undignified squawk at the attack before the video feed cuts out and a technical difficulties sign is displayed.
"... Right," the narrator from before says to break the undeniably awkward silence. "Just give us a moment, volunteers, and we'll get a pre-recorded seminar ready for you instead. In the meantime, let's open up communications with the facility and allow you to discuss with those already on the planet about what they've enjoyed most about their time on Zhautas so far?*
- Hopefully, you didn't forget about the quiz! The staff certainly didn't. After the pre-recorded seminar is run, papers are handed out. A quiet shuffle carries through the room as people pass them to and fro down the aisles. It all seems rather arbitrary and tedious but remember! You have to pass in order to disembark.
It isn't too hard. Or maybe it is. Perhaps it's just the pressure that you only have fifteen minutes to complete it. What was the professor's first name again? How many research facilities are there on the planet? Staff are scrutinizing your every move now, it feels like. Do you take the risk and try to whisper for help to the person next to you? Pass notes? Do what you must to succeed! ...Or you can just shamefully take the quiz again and again and again until they're legally obligated to let you off board. - Hopefully, you didn't forget about the quiz! The staff certainly didn't. After the pre-recorded seminar is run, papers are handed out. A quiet shuffle carries through the room as people pass them to and fro down the aisles. It all seems rather arbitrary and tedious but remember! You have to pass in order to disembark.
Welcome to Zhautas! (All Players)
Finally, it's time to disembark at the research facility. This time they have the right coordinates so it's as easy as stepping off the ship and to your new home away from home. Or, at least, it should have been that easy...
There's an awful lot of construction going on around here. Several beings with hard hats, power tools, and ridiculous amounts of glue are rushing about. They're shouting orders and saying "excuse me" where they remember to. Still, it can be hard to get a word in edgewise about the fact that you're new volunteers here to check-in. In addition to the construction, there's also an awful lot of important-seeming people walking throughout the facility as well that staff are far more attentive to than you.
In short, it's borderline chaos as you try to get your bearings.
- "Bad news, new volunteers," says R.O.S.I.E. in the midst of all the commotion. "We have your housing assignments but there have been some... technical difficulties in preparing the new rooms." There's actually been a lot of technical difficulties, period. Maybe you've already noticed with the lights randomly changing color or dimness, the vending machine that launched your drink at you, or R.O.S.I.E. herself glitching out periodically when responding. The problem with the rooms is that the doors won't open. Or they won't stay closed. Or that they open and close constantly and forcefully so it's a safety hazard. As if everything else going on with all the construction isn't.
"We're working on it as fast as we can, but for now, we've set up a temporary sleeping situation until its resolved." Everyone will be directed to one of the larger common rooms in the east wing of the facility while the rest of the volunteers are still awaiting their new housing as promised.
Mattresses are laid out in rows on the floor. There's plenty of blankets, pillows, and even some LED lights strung around the room to provide some nice ambience.
Additionally, there's a screen covering one of the walls for a movie to be projected on before bed. R.O.S.I.E. has chosen a thematically appropriate film that was approved by Professor Quintalian himself. Snacks are provided too! It's an old-fashioned sleepover, volunteers. Make a blanket fort, enjoy what's on for your viewing pleasure, and have - most of all - have fun. - What's a sleepover without scary stories? Flashlights have been provided and it's time to get spooky. Here's your chance to share that real thriller that you know from back home. Maybe another world has a similar tale! Either way, there's nothing like bonding over a little healthy fear. Right?
Or maybe terrifying strangers isn't your idea of a good time and you'd rather make shadow puppets instead. That's also an option! In fact, some people are trying to start a contest out of it to see who can cast the most creative shadows around. - The night staff comes around for one last security sweep. Get some sleep, they say. It's been a long day. Tomorrow might be even longer if they still can't figure out the rooms or where to put all these new volunteers for the time being.
As nice as that sounds, it's a little easier said than done. Whether it's the construction noise, the person next to you snoring, or late night existential thoughts it's difficult for sleep to find you. Maybe talking to someone might help? Or maybe you just need to go to the bathroom. Good luck crossing the swath of bodies, in the case of the latter, and who knows! You might find someone else having as much trouble sleeping as you that you can commiserate with.
Or maybe you're the one snoring. Do you happen to kick in your sleep? How unfortunate for the person assigned to the mat next to you. They might be courteous or they might tell you just how obnoxious it is. Whatever the case might actually be, you're likely in for a long first night here at the research facility.
Network/Bangr (All Players)
During all the goings-on, R.O.S.I.E. will prompt you to set up your presence on the network. Pick a username, a profile picture, and commence to shitposting immediately if you so desire! Additionally, if you want to get a headstart on your contribution to the volunteer program, why not set up your Bangr? R.O.S.I.E. even has an icebreaker question ready for you! They change every month. This month's question is:
(*Despite what you might actually put, know that R.O.S.I.E. is a little glitchy. What you wrote might not actually be what's displayed! I.E., you can totally use this as a misfire type deal in case your character wouldn't answer this question.)
bangr
Professor Quintalian | 35
Wake-up sex is the best, in my opinion. Hormones are more haywire first thing in the morning; it's just scientific sense to get your bang in during wake-up time.
| ✓ | ✕ |
| YES |
NO |
Extra Notes
- The BANGR code only works in comments, there is a separate code for entries!
If you're testing this code before posting it here please do so in a comment to an entry for accuracy! - TDM top levels are allowed for current characters and/or new characters!
However, current characters can ONLY interact with the following prompts:
WELCOME TO ZHAUTAS where new characters are on the planet AND/OR the network options available if they want the thread to be considered game canon.
III
Of course he's going to take advantage of sleeping somewhere a bit more promising, people or no people.
As luck would have it, the screech shakes him out of his sleep easily. Grumpily he shifts from side onto his back just in time to feel someone stumble and fall onto him. Noiz practically snarls as he attempts to curl into a sitting position (with or without success, it's hard to say) and knee the offender. "The hell do you think you're doing," he growls.
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Hair, clothes, someone's blanket, whatever.
Gives whatever it is a shake and shoves it away so that he can flatten his back against something cold and solid. It's a wall. His sniffnodes are full of unfamiliar smells, but a recent memory tugs away the veil of sleep, a little.
It's.
His heels shove at his ganderbulbs, and Karkat looks again.
He's human.
"Did you just kick me?"
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The darkness of the room doesn't help.
Now half-seated and sort of upright, Noiz glares at the offending person who clearly has... horns?
"Yeah. Too bad it didn't get you in the bulge."
Having previously diddled around with an Alternian troll several weeks back, Noiz is well aware of what trolls call their junk. This guy's probably a troll too. It's a little hard to tell but he's guessing based on the presence of horns and those sharp teeth.
I meant to write the heels of his palms but fuck words ig
Fortunately for Noiz, Karkat is Earth years past reading too much subtext out of dismissive, platonic disregard.
"Not utterly hopeless, for a human," he grumbles, glancing down at - and ultimately shaking off a strand or two of pale hair from between his gray fingers. The instinct to push back instead of roll over will serve the rest of his kind well to get through their porous cranial-WAIT, "Where the fuck did you hear that?!"
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"What, bulge?" It's short and sweet, but he can't fathom what else the troll could be asking about.
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Yes, he means bulge.
And since this guy was able to identify the word so readily, that just means one thing: the guy knows trolls. And if he's here, he's another volunteer. And THAT means... there are other trolls here, or at the very least people who know them.
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He pauses. "I know because I fucked a troll from Alternia here."
OK I NEED MORE THAN 15 ICONS THIS IS BULLSHIT
Or why his gray face steadily darkens in what is unmistakably a blush of humiliation, embarrassment, shock or all of the above. It's just too dark to really see what shade is doing war with all the gray.
"I could have gone the rest of my miserable and assuredly brief existence without ever knowing the details, or the existence of your concupiscent fraternization with a member of my species. But thanks for the adding fuel to the ceaseless parade of pointless fucking nightmarish drivel that's bound to march through my slumbering mind until my aggravation sponge is thoroughly saturated in only the most choice of human lumpsquirt fantasies!"
He takes a breath.
"What do you mean, from Alternia?" It's long gone.
there there
"It wasn't detailed at all." Cue eyeroll. "He said he's from Alternia." He keeps it brief for the time being. What if there's more than one planet with such trolls? It's hard to tell why this guy is asking what he means.
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With the rude interruption over, one of the other volunteers rolls over to go back to sleep. Karkat watches the motion warily, his blood still curdling with paranoid hyperawareness. He sinks to the floor, pushing his palm over his own cheek as he hunkers down there against the wall. That helps somewhat, even if the self-soothing is cringe-inducingly pathetic.
"...I fucking hate time shenanigans," Karkat concludes, sounding more exhausted than venomous. "Besides the obvious sample bias for human subjects," a gray hand flippantly gestures at the room, "I don't see any missing limbs, so I'm guessing it wasn't a troll on the upper end of the Hemospectrum."
It's his turn to roll his eyes, "I didn't miss that whole festering heap of hoofbeast shit."
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"If there are others besides the two of you, I haven't seen any."
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In spite of the sharp teeth and the angry glower, the troll manages to look somewhat less threatening this way. This conciliatory/defensive posture is the only charitable gesture he's willing to give, but this seems to put other bystanders at enough ease that they stop paying too much attention to their conversation.
A long moment passes, occupied with the troll glaring at Noiz, until he's done sizing him up.
"What the hell do you want?" He says, "You gave me information," explains the troll, adding a begrudging, "Pretty useful information, actually? Even after I drubbed you with my high-tier pratfall," he grumbles, "So out with it."
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Then, the words the troll spills make him pause, gears moving in his mind. Ah. The guy seems to think he only gave the information with the expectation of gaining something else. Noiz hadn't divulged it with the explicit intention of doing so, but like hell will he let this opportunity go to waste.
"I can't say I care about a random troll's opinion of me," he quips in effort to shoot down the strangeness of his giving of information. Moving on.
"What can you offer that's of any value?" Value to him, at least.
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Or, apparently, not defaulting to a transactional, suspicious relationship with strangers.
Karkat clicks his tongue against the back of his sharp teeth, having decided that he's probably got something of value filling up his sylladex. Sweeps worth of junk has been captchalogued and he's never really bothered to empty it out lately. He unfolds himself enough to push a hand into a pocket of his gray jeans, "Fucking typical. Yeah, sure I got something in here-"
In his palm rests a gray square, roughly about the apparent size of a deck of cards, if the cards were a bit wider than your usual playing cards. A thumb twitches across it and five white squares slide out to the right. The troll's jaundiced-looking eyes go wide.
He swipes again, but the next five squares to slide out and replace the first series are also the same, blank white.
"What, no. No. No, no, no!"
He flicks his thumb over it again and the deck seems to cycle over to a different one. The Strife deck, too?! "How the hell could this happen?!"
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Whatever it is, the troll appears to not like what he's seeing.
Noiz's brow furrows. "What happened that has your panties all in a twist?" Just get to the point.
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The wide-eyed look he gives him isn't too unlike flustered panic, until he twists it into something a little more furious. He shoves the square away into his pocket.
"Nothing!" That's obviously a lie. "It's just-" FUCK. "Apparently these handsy assholes decided to shake me down for everything I had in the admission process?" So... he has absolutely nothing to pay him back with, is the short version.
no subject
Noiz submitted his set of rabbit cubes as his personal item. There were a few telltale items on his person that he was able to fit into his pockets, such as a keychain, handherchief (yeah, he still hasn't ditched that childhood habit), Coil cable, a couple small tools, etc. His Coil also apparently didn't count against it. They in fact modified it for his network communication device to make it compliant with the network. But beyond that, nope. Not even his rough knuckles, which he totally could have fit into his pockets but they said no.
Cue eyeroll. He lets out a heavy sigh.
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Ok. Ok, it's fine.
He'll just owe the asshole.
"I didn't think they'd clean me out, dickbag," he retorts defensively, "Amazing they didn't try to abscond with my horns while they were at it! Incredible show of restraint there!"
The sarcasm is palpable. His shoulders rise as he tucks his chin, eyeing Noiz off. Maybe he'll surprise him by being as charitable as most humans tend to be, in his experience. Well, compared with his own species.
"Consider this an IOU." From a member of the transient alien volunteer pool. Yeah. Come on, Noiz wasn't born yesterday.
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"An IOU. I suppose that's acceptable." For a moment he considers whether to ask about limitations and what might be off-limits, but ultimately shoves that aside. Nah. He's too tired to go negotiating the details. The troll sure is expressive, too, and overreactive, so it might prove more entertaining to blindside him with a request he'd balk at.
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The scientists here seem pretty dedicated to their search for a cure. They can all thank their lucky somethings that all they're being asked to do is fill some pails. It could be worse. A lot worse. They could get taken apart to see what makes tick the ones who haven't gotten sick yet, for example.
Good, he thinks, the human's willing to cut him some slack.
"At least that's settled," he grumbles. "...See you around maybe."
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Less prone to kicking at things or people underfoot.
"Easy," he huffs, "I wasn't going to stiff you. You got somewhere to put this?" If he has to write it down, he will, but he'd prefer somewhere to type it. Alternian alphabet is, uh... not easy to learn.
Turns out it's carcinoGeneticist.
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At least he appears very comfortable with computers.
"There," Karkat announces, slouching as he turns from it, stepping over Noiz's legs as he prepares to go. "Happy?"