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sexyspace2018-07-03 08:30 pm
zhautasmods) wrote in sexyspace2018-07-03 08:30 pm
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TEST DRIVE MEME #2.5 (OVERFLOW EDITION)
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. - THIS IS AN OVERFLOW POST FOR NEW TOP LEVELS
feel free to add a link to your previous top level if your threads reach captcha
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But the room situation is pretty atrocious, admittedly. Can't anyone be organized and have their shit together for once?
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Have you actually been to limbo?
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I don't think we'd be having this discussion if I had been. I'm good at this, but I'm not Cobb.
What happened? On the third level, I mean.
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Dunno, seems like a risk we're going to have to take. Haven't had my customary 3 shot so anything would be better than nothing at this point.
See you there in a few.
[ Always one to be punctual, he isn't going to waste time in an attempt to find what passes as a cafeteria here. It's an open space but the tables and chairs are cramped together. There's coffee though, or something close enough, and he'll be stirring it distractedly at one of the tables whenever Ariadne shows. ]
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fifteen minutes late with Starbucksa few minutes later, looking around for Arthur. When she spots him, her expression brightens. She didn't exactly realize how isolated she felt out here, waking up in an alien environment -- like the first day of grad school in Paris, far from home without any friends.She grabs coffee -- it's fast, whether or not it's good -- and picks her way through the tables and chairs to Arthur. ]
Fancy meeting you here.
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And here, far away from everything, having a familiar face is a relief. A welcome sight, one he smiles at once Ariadne has a seat. ]
Us, near the coffee? Who would've thought?
[ It was basically a regular haunt. There'd been a cafe around the corner from the warehouse and more than once they'd bumped into each other while grabbing their morning brew. ]
It's good to see you. Maybe not good under these circumstances, but, you get it.
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[ She settles in with her hands wrapped around the warm cup, studying him. ]
It's definitely weird. But a good weird.
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Something new for you to learn at any rate.
[ She'd been voracious once introduced to the PASIV; he doesn't think she'll apply herself any less to their current circumstances. ]
What happened? On that last level. I asked Cobb, but he got all evasive and changed the subject.
[ At that, he frowns, reliving the disappointment of that particular conversation. Arthur had followed him around the world for two years– the least he could do is tell him the story straight. ]
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[ But that isn't fair, she knows; having seen the trains, the memories he kept Mal alive in, the crumbling city they built together, how can she not be a little sympathetic? It's all so big, she barely knows where to start explaining it, and she didn't live with it all for years. ]
Limbo is ... I mean, you know what dream creating is like, that simultaneous inspiration-creation thing. I swear you can feel that even stronger than when you're just in the PASIV. And it's huge. Most dreams you can kind of feel the edges, you know? The boundaries? But there are no boundaries down there. It's a whole world waiting for you to fill it.
It's kind of a recipe for agoraphobia, if you ask me.
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Reality warps enough using the PASIV on regular dream levels, but hearing Ariadne describe limbo? Seems like all the warnings are true. It'd be easy to lose yourself in a place that made you something akin to a god. ]
Did you have to deal with any projections? I know Eames said they were particularly aggressive on that last level. And that Mal showed.
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No, not really. It was actually pretty empty.
But Mal was there. And, I mean. You've seen her in action.
[ Was Mal gorgeous and apparently talented and tortured by a delusion? Yes. Is Ariadne still kind of holding a grudge because of that time Mal stabbed her? And then went out of her way to ruin the inception job by shooting the mark on the fucking head? Also yes!
Which actually means she's holding a grudge against Cobb's trauma, but you know what, let's move on. ]
She found Fischer before we did. I don't know what she was planning to do with him -- I think she just wanted to bait Cobb.
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[ It's a subconscious– albeit the deepest level– and the mind has a tendency to fill in spaces with things it knows. Or things it would like to see. He's just imagining a flat land, a desert stretching out; that's what empty feels like. ]
She's been baiting Cobb ever since she showed up, in increments.
[ It just got worse and worse as time went on. Sometimes he swears he can feel the twinge in his leg where she shot it clean through.
(The mind likes to play its tricks). ]
I could never figure out why, even if I had my theories.
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[ She stops, frowns, sips her coffee. ]
It feels kind of weird to talk about it. Because -- it was this world they'd built together. An abandoned city falling apart from neglect.
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It's been two years since Cobb fled the states. Two years and some change since there'd been a closed casket funeral. And all that time he processed, re-processed. Never fully because he'd needed to keep it together for Dom, for them both.
He sighs and takes a sip of his drink because he definitely needs to be more awake for all this. ]
Right, whoever was there last brings it into whatever dream they're in.
[ On some level, he wants to know what it was like, before it fell apart. But some things are better left alone. ]
You don't– you don't have to keep going.
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It's fine, it's just strange. It's all this stuff that . . . obviously he thought he should keep private.
[ Which is why they ended up with a train in her city, COBB. In retrospect they're probably damn lucky a steam enginge didn't come barreling through the hotel lobby, too.
Point being, she didn't have a lot of patience for Cobb's secret keeping before, and it seems silly to keep all of it from Arthur, especially here and now, light-years from anyone it could affect. ]
Did you know Mal before she died, at all?
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[ Dom was brilliant. Is brilliant. He's extremely good at what he does when he puts his focus on it. Which, before extraction? Was building. Architecture, both in reality and in dreams. He could spin a gothic cathedral out of nothing, make an office building so beautiful you'd weep.
But once the shade started figuring out the layouts, they'd switched tactics. Extraction only and he'd been brutally good at that too. Though he'd sunk into himself, spoken less, smiled infrequently. It'd felt like he'd lost Dom too, for a while.
He wants to be mad at him for all the shit he caused on the job, for all the secrets, but all he really feels is relief. ]
I did. I knew her before I knew Dom. Her research lab is why I got to continue on with dreamshare after the military axed the program.
[ For a second, he hesitates. Talking about this is odd, after so long. ]
We ended up as friends, really good friends. She taught me French– every dirty curse word she knew– and we used to get sloshed on wine and talk about dream theory.
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Oh man.
This was weird before but it's awkward now. ]
You know, I wish I could've gotten to know her, and not the scary fucked-up version Cobb kept living in his head?
[ She means that, genuinely. Hearing Arthur talk about her adds new facets to the ghost that Ariadne never would have imagined. That loaded gun of a woman, wine-drunk and swearing? Who'd have thought?
(Side note: Arthur sloshed on wine and swearing? She'd have to see it to believe it.) ]
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[ He believes that, wholeheartedly. Mal would've loved Ariadne's brilliant mind, how she questioned everything. Years ago, their talks about dream theory had been near exhaustive. Putting Ariadne and Mal in the same room? Theories would've been out of control, for how much they both liked to build, how they intrinsically understood the levels.
He takes another measured sip of his coffee, feeling a bit lighter. ]
If you end up in one of my dreams, one not built for a job, you might run into my projection of her. She's much lovelier, promise.
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Jesus. I hope so.
The thing is -- I mean the thing is, I guess, that I never met her. And I get that, I get that I was seeing Cobb, really, all that guilt he was hanging onto about how she died. But it's . . .
[ She trails off, not sure herself what it is, trying to think it through. ]
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It's not reality.
[ Because while projections of people they know (or knew) in the real world can be somewhat true to nature, it's never the real thing. It's how they've perceived them, how they remember them. A projection is simply a personally filtered version and no matter how many qualities Mal would retain in his head, she'll never be exactly how she was. ]
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