WEEK ZERO: ARRIVAL

[gatonina]

ARRIVAL

▽ FULL NAVIGATION ▽ LOCATIONS ▽ STATUSES ▽ IC PROFILES ▽ IC RULEBOOK ▽ MURDER PROPOSALS ▽ PCS ▽ CURFEW ▽ ??? ▽ ??? ▽ ???

PASSENGERS: 41 You know how the story goes by now. One minute you’re somewhere familiar, and the next you’re suddenly somewhere else. Unlike previous times before, the source of your rude awakening isn’t a mystery. A harsh jostle causes your body to lunge forward as a tire jumps over a pot hole in the road. Try as you might, it’s hard to ignore the steady thrumming of an engine and the gentle sway beneath you. The faint scent of gasoline seems to waft from the outside, but as you look around you’ll notice that the windows are locked, tinted, and impossible to see through. Likewise, the door ahead of you appears to be locked as well. Perhaps the scent is your imagination…? Regardless, though the lighting is a tad dim, it becomes apparent that you’re inside a large bus dotted with the occasional seat and amid a jumble of other bodies. The people you were last with may be among your fellow passengers. Perhaps they are not. But worry not; there’s plenty of time to look around and get to know one another on this long, strange trip. It may even be wise to examine the staircase at the other end of the bus. Who knows what awaits you on the other floors? Ah, but before you move too far it may be best to assess the situation. On the bright side, any injuries you incurred have been healed! Isn't it nice to have your limbs in place again? Miracles happen. But...what happened to your clothes? You’re fairly certain you weren't wearing this t-shirt before...and what's with the denim shorts? Maybe you were fortunate enough to get the knee-length version, but for those of you waking up in bootyshorts...well, we're sure you look great! And what better way to tie the whole look together than white socks and tan sandals? At least you'll be comfortable for the ride. Lucky for you, your new threads aren't the only gift you'll receive upon waking up. Attached to your waist is a high-quality bag filled with some fun goodies for every passenger! For those of you who unzip your bag to check its contents, you will find: -Dry shampoo -Wet wipes -Deodorant -Travel pack of toilet paper -Travel toothbrush + toothpaste -Poncho -A stylish travel guide No other items are on your person at this time, even if you were holding onto it as you began your previous departure. That's a bit troublesome, isn't it? Not really; it's still a bus. Be grateful for the extra elbow room, alright? Oh, and one last thing...on the wrist of every passenger is a small, equally fashionable white scrunchie. Not your style? Perhaps it's a good idea to give the travel guide another read. Searching the bus from top to bottom will net zero results in the way of an escape. All of the windows are similarly tinted and locked, and the only exit door appears to be the one on the first level that can't be opened at this time. But hey. You're all old pros at this, right? You know what to do next! Get to know the people around you, trade stories with your fellow passengers, and...well. Buckle up for the bumpy ride ahead.

Comments

[survivaltricks]

[. . . !!!!]

[and he immediately looks up at her, his slack and frustrated expression shifting into something more hopeful]

-- 45? Is that you?

[recrypt]

Unfortunately~

[ it is the most saccharinely chirped out word, yikes ]

Hope you weren't expecting someone else!

[survivaltricks]

[god. poor 45. but her whole attitude is a Big Mood]

I was hoping for somewhere else, actually.

[HHHHA]

I'd say it's good to see you, but those sandals don't flatter anyone.

1/2

[recrypt]

Aww, you don't think this outfit brings out my eyes?

[ bats her lashes exaggeratedly

no, the blue does not complement the gold at all. and the socks with sandals? can't believe the mansion was better than this. ]

[recrypt]

Oh well. Can't say you're looking all that sharp yourself, Akira, but then again, who would in a situation like this?

[ NONE OF THEM WANTED THIS. ]

[survivaltricks]

[a soft snort, his mouth twitching]

I don't know. I think we all looked pretty nice back at the mansion.

[the MURDER GOD (??) MANSION]

[recrypt]

The mansion had a very different dress code in its favor.

[ they all had fancy. of course they'd look good. ]

Which is about one of the only nice things anyone should have to say about it, but that might be digressing?

[survivaltricks]

From ballroom appropriate to summer camp chic. . . it's a pretty large change.

[ha ha]

And you're right. It's digressing. Which is also, in some circles, called "coping."

[recrypt]

Hmm, that doesn't seem to match my internal definitions of the word. I'll have to update them, apparently.

[ anyway

pause

emphatically, once more for good measure: ]

Fuck.

[survivaltricks]

FUCK.

[a beat]

Therapeutic. . .

[recrypt]

[ she hums a little, noncommittal. well, a number of the people here already know she isn't quite as entirely n_n as she makes herself out to be, so- ]

Just to make sure, the last thing you remember was also the mansion, correct? Communication crystals and green orb portals to go home and everything?

[survivaltricks]

Got it in one.

[some of the people here also know that she is a wonderful and kind person!!!]

I was just saying by goodbyes to the sisters and Blue. I'm not. . . really sure what happened that I wound up here instead of back home.

[recrypt]

Tsk. Well.

[ counts offhandedly on her fingers. ]

Either we all lost time somewhere between then and now; some other soul devouring entity with much poorer taste decided to be an opportunist; our souls decided to accept another invitation on our behalf without us realizing; or d, some mixture of or none of the above, but it's something just as ridiculous. At this point, who even knows.

[ because statistically if the house was only one member of its species then who's to say that there aren't other individuals like it out there somewhere in the multiverse. ]

[survivaltricks]

[. . . a small whine]

45 I don't waaaaant to solve mysterious murder mysteries again.

[recrypt]

[



pats him? gently? on the back? it's not your roomba but it's a roomba??? ]

Maybe it won't be murder mysteries. Maybe it'll be terrible bonding activities where the least popular person gets kicked off the island.

[ actually. ]

Have you read our travel guide yet?

[survivaltricks]

[roombas are good people 8(]

. . . no. Is there a rule about murder in it yet?

[he knows that rule didn't appear until the end of week one back at the mansion]

[recrypt]

No. Right now, it's just about keeping things clean, keeping ourselves clean, and making sure not to take the scrunchie off because apparently it's unsafe if we do, and no one can be responsible for any injuries that might occur as a result of taking it off.

[ which. hm. ]

... Well. It's almost certainly a bad idea, but I wonder if I can say that I might want to try something?

[survivaltricks]

[huh. well]

[Akira holds up his scrunchie wrist, head canted to the side as he considers it curiously]

[. . .]

Are we in this together?

[recrypt]

I was actually hoping that one of us could spot for the other, in case there's any perception differences.

[ trust no appearances of bup. ]

Or, you know, shove it back on, just in case.

[survivaltricks]

[that's an INFINITELY better idea, and Akira drops his arm to his side]

Well. . .

I'll gladly be your spotter if you want to experiment.

[wags his fingers at her]

I'm trustworthy; I promise.

1/2

[recrypt]

[ au where taking off the scrunchies made them both just immediately pass out so they couldn't put them back on and immediately died w0. ]

Haha. I know, I know. You were one of the most trustworthy busybodies back in the mansion, after all.

[recrypt]

[ but anyway as it turns out

as soon as she takes it out of her hair and makes it so that it's no longer on her person, the bus will hit a pot hole. which may or may not be the cause of a kitchen knife going flying, and thereby lodging itself in her arm. cool.

she's just going to uh, pull the knife out, try to work her free hand a little while grabbing the scrunchie from where it fell, and. ]

...... I might need your help putting this scrunchie back on.

[ what the hell. sure is a good thing she did it instead of him? ]

[survivaltricks]

[wh]

[what the fuck]

[just happened]

[Akira jerks back when the knife embeds itself in 45's arm, and he'd be more horrified about this if she wasn't-- you know. a roomba!!]

What the-- is that--

[was that the lack of the scrunchie's doing or???]

[ANYWAY HE IMMEDIATELY SCOOPS THE SCRUNCHIE UP FROM WHERE IT FELL AND TRIES TO. . . idk. put it back on her wrist]

[recrypt]

[ thanks akira, you're a bro. ]

--Probably, but I'm not about to try my chances with keeping it off and hoping that it doesn't get progressively worse.

[ and now she's just going to hiss a little, because ow what the fuck. that was so out of nowhere she didn't even think to catch or dodge it??? and also great, now she's down the full use of uno hand, time to retcon all my mingle threads or just henceforth not mention her left hand ever until this gets fixed. ]

If you or someone else wants to experiment with it, be my guest. ... Preferably with first aid equipment on hand, if you must.

[ she's not luna, but that last sentence is still a pretty clear 'don't fucking try it' unless i missed a wholeass first aid station somewhere in the setting or writeup. ]

[survivaltricks]

Hey-- let me see. Are you okay?

[and he reaches out to take her hand, because he fixed Luna's arm, so surely he can fix 45's hand!!]

I have a hard time believing taking off a scrunchie would cause a freak accident like that to happen.

[but. . . it's not outside the realm of possibility, is it?]