Lost Carnival Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
ringleaders) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
lostcarnival2018-10-03 07:46 pm
ringleaders) wrote in lostcarnival2018-10-03 07:46 pm
Entry tags:
⇨ POLARIS
Who: Everyone!
When: Days 102 - 109
Where: Polaris
What: With the Ringmaster kidnapped and the rest of the carnival imprisoned, characters find themselves at the mercy of a Winter Fae called the Mother of Invention.
Warnings: Graphic experimentation in places.
When: Days 102 - 109
Where: Polaris
What: With the Ringmaster kidnapped and the rest of the carnival imprisoned, characters find themselves at the mercy of a Winter Fae called the Mother of Invention.
Warnings: Graphic experimentation in places.
TRIALS & TRIBULATION↴ After a day of cleansing and processing, where all the belongings and attire of their old lives are stripped away and replaced with something newer and more form fitting, the former members of the carnival will find themselves let loose into the Farm for the first time. A sizable green area, filled with orchards growing inorganic looking fruits and field ready for tending, the Farm is where they will be spending their days for the forseeable future. Food and drink are no longer needed, and so every day is an endless cycle of work. Technicians are seen only when necessary, and when being taken from your place of work to your lonesome cells at night. Every day, there are new postings on the "Production Board", where various dire sound scientific trials ask for subjects. The majority won't be forced, at least not yet, but the system is at work to push its participants to the brink and force their hand. After all, volunteers make the best subjects. ► PRODUCTIVITY: As explained elsewhere, characters will be forced to compete to attain enough Productivity Point to be considered Satisfactory. There are literally not enough points to go around for everyone to attain this, which means that at least some people will be deemed "Below Expectations" by the end of the first four-day cycle. What this means has yet to be discovered, but the Technicians have grimly warned against it. Productivity involves many tasks, including orchard picking, tilling, planting, harvesting, watering, maintenance, and more. Any task you can think of that would take place on a plantation is applicable here. Beyond that, the Production Board awaits you, offering precious Productivity Points in exchange for your cooperation. How you become Satisfactory is up to you, but it's every person for themselves. Only one person can turn in the credit for harvesting or preparing fields, and while you can certainly try to help others by letting them take credit for your work, it's a sure fire way to fall behind the herd, especially if you are already in a low Classification. Fruits and fields will miraculously grow overnight, and will be ready for a new day when you are. You've been told not to eat anything you harvest, but right now you aren't hungry anyway. ► POLARIS BY NIGHT: During the night, you are left alone to your thoughts and maybe an annoying roommate. Solo or in pairs, the entire night will be spent in small sleep pods, as shown on the locations post. Is it possible to sneak out? It doesn't seem like it is, but who is to say? The real question is if you want to dare to try. There is one hour of rest before and after seven hours of darkness. Even if you don't usually have to sleep, you'll find yourself oddly weary and inclined to rest. Supernaturally, almost. ► PARTICIPATION: Sometimes participation in experimental trials is manditory, sometimes it isn't. You are free to handwave your character having been pulled aside for minor examinations, such as blood tests or aura scans. Each time, you will be pulled into a separate part of the station and analyzed by a Technician and heavily automated machinery. Anymore more complex than basic check-up level tests will be posted about in a section called "TRIALS" in the body of the post below. |
⇨ INVESTIGATION THREADS
DON'T BE VAGUE. If you are having your character investigate something, you must explain what your character is specifically doing to find out information. Don't just say "I investigate the Twelve." You have to be more specific, by saying what your character is doing, such as "My character is going to ask the Honorables that brought everyone in who the Twelve are." The more specific you are, the better info you will get in return.
You can also confront NPCs by this method, and you'll get summary posts in return explaining how the situation will unfold based on your actions. Investigation is important for this plot! Various boons and advantages will be given out for characters who make a difference.
Please restrict all investigation actions to one or two actions at a time. Please don't give me a laundry list of the five different things your character is doing, because it makes everything too time-consuming to get through. Stick to one main thing your character is looking into per tag.
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⇨ THE WHITE RABBIT (AMETHYST, CHILDERMASS, GONGENZAKA, YUYA)
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Night 108
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⇨ TRIALS BY ICE
Both mandatory and volunteer scientific trials will be posted here. For ones that you can volunteer for, please reply to the comment expressing your interest. For mandatory trials, please reply with the character requested so that I can give you the low down over what is happening behind closed doors. Trials will be posted with what date they take place on.
For those that have requested Magitek modifications, those threads will be started beneath this header as well. Reply to the prompt, and I will explain to you what happens.
VOLUNTARY TRIAL SUBMISSION: DAY 103
VOLUNTARY TRIAL : TEST GROUP 700
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VOLUNTARY TRIAL SUBMISSION: DAY 104
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VOLUNTARY TRIAL SUBMISSION: DAY 105
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VOLUNTARY TRIAL SUBMISSION: DAY 106
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VOLUNTARY TRIAL SUBMISSION: DAY 106b
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VOLUNTARY TRIAL SUBMISSION: DAY 107
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MANDATORY TRIAL SUBMISSION: DAY 107
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VOLUNTARY TRIAL SUBMISSION: DAY 108
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VOLUNTARY TRIAL SUBMISSION: DAY 108b
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VOLUNTARY TRIAL SUBMISSION: DAY 109
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Re: VOLUNTARY TRIAL SUBMISSION: DAY 109
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Peridot | OTA
If there is a single bright side to this situation, it's that there are far worst things that these Technicians could be forcing Peridot to spend her time on than farming. Farming is straight up a hobby of hers, a special interest she picked up back during her time on earth for being similar enough to kindergartening gems without the whole icky 'sucking the life out of the planet' side-effect. It's a method of creating life that feels karmically inverse to her previous job on Homeworld, and it usually, doing it is a comfort to her.
Unfortunately, Peridot is not prone to feeling grateful about much of anything at this point in time. No one in the carnival is happy to be here, of course, but she was feeling broken before the Huntsman even showed up at Shabon, and she's feeling exponentially more broken now. The Ringmaster is gone. She's gone, and she's not coming to save them, and once again Peridot feels it has been cruelly demonstrated that she can't actually rely on her role-models for shit.
She's coping with the sickening, soul-gnawing hopelessness the only way she knows how: By farming, and by bossing people around. Those who are having visible difficulty performing the tasks provided may be interrupted in their efforts by some unsolicited, brusquely delivered advice. The Engineer knows her way around a garden, and she's not afraid to tell you exactly what you're doing wrong. Some of her advice is genuinely helpful, but, while she's not exactly being cruel, it's not delivered in a friendly manner either.
B. Comedy = Tragedy + Time
As if there wasn't enough eating at this poor gem, the removal of certain powers is a consistent and unwelcome reminder of just how helpless they are here. She can live without her magic! Sure, she earned those powers, she enjoys having them, and she'd prefer to have access to them, but she can more or less go about her daily life without them.
No, what's really getting to her is the removal of her ability to manipulate metal, precisely because she hadn't realized just how much using it had just become second nature. The result? At numerous points throughout the work day, like an astronaut recently returned to Earth who has yet to adapt to gravity being a thing again, she keeps taking various metal tools that she's holding and, without thinking, absentmindedly holds them out to the side as if she intends to make the object hover next to her while she frees up her hands. Naturally, the second she reaches the point where she would normally release her grip and let the metallokinesis take over, the object instead simply clatters heavily to the ground, making the poor gem flinch in surprise. Invariably, each time this happens, she turns and scowls down at the object with the most venomous glare imaginable, as if this simple garden tool is solely responsible for putting them all here in this prison.
If you're lucky, you aren't standing immediately next to her when this happens, and you DON'T get a shovel dropped on your foot/tail/whatever.
C. Courtesy Call (Semi-Closed)
It kind of just adds insult to injury that there's something going on in this facility that compels her, a gem who doesn't need sleep and rarely partakes in it, to rest at night. It's infuriating. Night time is supposed to be the only free time she has for scheming her way out of here, and they're forcing her to waste it on pointless rest!?
If you wind up rooming with Peridot on any given night, you'll find her stubbornly trying to resist the call to slumber, alternating between pacing the tiny floor space of the cell and crouching in the corner, peering out into the halls while she keeps flexing her right hand over and over and over.
[ I have five nights in the first week where Peridot isn't yet slated to room with anyone specific, so if you'd like to get stuck with her, hit me up on the LC Discord or on my Plurk. Priority goes to previous CR for this prompt! ]
FIRST NIGHT
Or at least it would be silent if Peridot was capable of being so, but as it is she's stomping all over their shared sleeping cube like she has a real axe to grind, with someone other than herself. Sans is, admittedly, in grim anticipation of the moment that her aggression gets directed towards him, again, as it so often has. It feels like every time things are at their worst, he end up catching the brunt of it from Peridot somehow.
He doesn't really need it right now, he thinks. He hates everything about how he handled the Hunt, and in the hours afterwards, he's not sure how it even happened. It was like he was drunk or something, everything just rolled out and mashed together into an incoherent series of events that makes his heart turn even now.
He's honestly just trying to ignore Peridot, right off the bat. He secured the top bunk mostly to keep out of her way, and is bundling himself up in his two sets of arms and freshly capped tail, trying to figure out how to react to this absolute clusterfuck of a situation.
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SECOND NIGHT
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evening of day 106
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Night 109 | Closed to Jasper
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Reira | OTA
THE FIRST FOUR DAYS
As expected, Reira has no fucking clue what's going on. All in all, things didn't go too badly after the Huntsman 'won'. Yes, all of her things were taken. Yes, that included her small sparrow...and yes, for whatever reason, she hadn't been able to summon her daemon since. But they patched up their injuries, and whatever else happened she wasn't feeling hungry.
So there's that. The 'Technicians' are eerie, she observes very quickly. Not because of their monotone speech and silence- no, that would be hypocritical after all.
She was like that once.
It's...the feelings. They're gone. Initially, she thinks that it's because they...really are like how she was. The emotions locked away, for their own good.
She figures it out once they're let into the 'Farm' area. And when she does, she stands stock still with shock.
"..Quiet..." she manages, shivering a bit in place as her eyes widen.
"...Why can't I feel them..!?"
[DAY 103 | NOON OF THE SECOND DAY]
She doesn't have much of a choice, other than to 'get over it' when it comes to the lack of empathy. Apparently that's some sort of magic in itself, and that's probably why it's gone. That's the theory everyone has, at least. But Reira is determined not to let it pull her back. The fact is, whatever dangers this place has aren't coming from the people with her. The Technicians, she's certain, are exactly what the surface shows. Unflinching, unyielding, and blank.
Like she was, once before. Perhaps there was a strength in that, but it isn't a strength she needs now. What she needs now is to focus on the work around her.
And that work doesn't need the feelings of others, it needs the strength of her hands. Small as she is, she can at least busy herself with various tasks at ground level- perhaps the area of garden that needs weeding was left suspiciously bare of people...perhaps not. But regardless, she gets to plucking with relative diligence and harvests the root vegetables or gourds (at least, she thinks they're gourds, they're quite blockey) or similar with just as much ease. Thanks to the size of her hands, she might not be able to carry much heavy objects but she can at least carry a lot of things...
So off she goes. Briefly after dropping her latest harvest off in a collection pile, she has to stare and turn to someone.
"..............what do they do with these?"
[DAY 104 | DAWN OF THE THIRD DAY (CLOSED TO YUUYA)]
It's day three of this mess, but Reira doesn't show any signs of slowing down just yet. One would assume literal hours of task work would be a drain and drag back...but nope. She simply chases after something new and launches into it.
To be fair, it's only been two days at this point. Today however, she plans to work entirely in the orchards. Start to finish! She's determined. So as soon as she's in, and as soon as she's looked over the 'Production Board' (none of these things look much like anything she would be any good at, she thinks, but maybe she'll ask a Technician later), she's off to find something to pick fruit with.
Rather, to put picked fruit in. To the orchard with her! ...With a large basket, held up above her head!
[DAY 105 | EVENING OF THE FINAL DAY]
Reira is a little...stunned, today? It really wasn't much that she was led off for, but the fact that she WAS led off early into the day is strange in itself. Something about an 'aura scan'. She's heard a bit about auras, and she certainly trails gold dust behind her when she walks, but it's nothing she can really identify enough to parse what on earth the scanning is about.
As it is, she's returned relatively quickly, and seems rather stunned for a good moment or so. Nothing major happened, naturally. Why, she'll explain what happened easily if asked! It's just.
Well it was unexpected, see. "...Haaaah." she finally breathes, trying to shake herself off and orient herself. Right, well. Where to.
[SEMI CLOSED | NIGHT TIMES - FOR THE ROOMMATES]
Seven hours is an optimal amount of sleep for most adults and near adults. An hour before and after no doubt, is just to ease any waking up and turning in for each night. That or give everyone time to think about their lives.
It's an hour after all.
Reira won't spend much of those hours awake however. Certainly she wants to consider the day, and anything she might have learned (either academically, or toward some sort of escape)...but for the most part?
"HHhhaawwwuuuh..." As soon as the door closes, Reira's roommate for the night is going to witness a long yawn, the girl ready to curl in for sleep.
For someone her age, nine hours, is optimal. So most of those extra chunks of time in the cells is being spent in bed, thanks.
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Day 104
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Day 102
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ROOMIES
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102
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DAYS 108 - 109 (AFTER THE SOCIAL EXPERIMENT)
SLEEP IS FOR THE WEAK
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Sleep is for the weak
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GONGENZAKA | OTA
THE FIRST FOUR DAYS
It is sheerly because of what he learned on the day they were processed, that Gongenzaka is at all calm. The suit isn't 'uncomfortable' exactly, but rather odd. His claws are covered, as are his boots, and it wraps neatly around all of the branches at their rising points seamlessly. He almost wishes Carly had been able to tailor things for him that well. Maybe he could wear more coats, or similar.
Of course, these mean he doesn't have to eat so that is probably part of how it works so well. Regardless- he's looking a bit different. The suit goes right through the hole over where his heart would be, for starters. But even more notable is the sudden...Lack of leaves along his back. It's as if he were given a brush cut- for good reason of course, as a number of leaves had been struck horribly with herbicide- but his tail is thin and much shorter, and the 'bushes' along his lower back are perhaps as tall as unkept grass on a lawn.
It's to the point where, as much as there is enough up at his head to make something of a starting mane, nothing comes over his shoulders as it used to. In fact, so little goes down his back at all that you can still somewhat see through the hole.
It's taking a bit to get used to.
[DAY 103 | Stop Being Tall, Guys]
Gongenzaka is frankly massive, and it's coming in handy with his work. He's not made for weeding, or root harvest of course...but when it comes to the orchards, he's got things under control. Nesting a basket upon his back, it is easy work to use his flexibility in order to start loading it with fruit from both hands. Even more interesting a display is that later on, he simply has the basket held with his fore limbs...Rearing up on his hind ones in order to pick at the taller branches of the trees.
Being nine foot already gave him an unfair advantage here, but this takes the cake!
[DAY 104 | Forecast Says...]
"...Blood test."
That is what he repeats, questioningly, to the technician who comes to him in the middle of the fourth day. He goes without question of course- he can't afford to make a mess of everything- but after he comes back he cannot help but seem a bit distant. Not long after that in fact, Gongenzaka can be found walking to the Production board to frown rather heavily at the listed trials for the day.
"Hhhnnnn...if something was not 'right' already, it is not 'right' now..." he mutters- wishing, for what is far from the first time, that he could summon his daemon.
[DAY 105 | DIY FIELD WORK]
By the fourth day, he's leaving the orchards to those who need it. Plenty of people can climb a tree and pluck fruit.
Not a lot can plow a field, however. Gongenzaka can be found ripe and early in the 'work day', pulling out a plow and a harness as his upper half twists right around to face his own taur-back. "Hnnn...." He studies the straps, squinting. "Sahh, now how do I tie this..."
Nothing better than steering your own plow to raise those scores, right?
[SEMI-CLOSED | THE NIGHTS | ROOMIES ONLY]
Night time. The fact that they have an hour before and after 'lights out' is a blessing to Gongenzaka frankly, or at least enough of a blessing to him. More of a blessing perhaps is the look of the room before him. Not because of the size- evening one, where he was alone, worked well enough for that. Close as quarters were, the bed was adequately sized for comfort...rare indeed.
No, what takes his attention is that he is not alone. There is a ladder at the side that goes up to a (much smaller) bed, and more importantly...
Gongenzaka turns to the other who has now been locked in the room with them. "...How are you?" he asks honestly, with an edge of concern in his tone.
roomies
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Wildcard 108
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Rita | OTA
Days 102-105 | OPEN
As they're set to work in the fields, Rita moves about in an almost lifeless manner. There's very little effort in her work, but she sets about doing some of the tasks laid out for them at a steady, unenthusiastic pace.
But soon, it becomes apparent that there's no one actually enforcing whatever level of productivity is expected of them... and Rita's work slows to a halt. She turns in the basket she's filled with fruit, then goes to find a ledge to sit on and just... stares into space. At times, her eyes follow the other captives, watching them work, or just looking to see who's there. But for much of the time, she seems almost like she isn't here at all, and her mind's completely wandered elsewhere.
[day 103 - taking a fall]
Like the previous day, Rita works, but doesn't seem to be all there. She doesn't talk to anyone for the most part, and doesn't seem to give much thought or care to what she's doing, but her hands and feet keep moving as she earns at least a minimal portion of those coveted points.
That is, until late in the day, when it seems her body isn't willing to keep up with everything she's doing. As she's hauling a basket of what looks like some kind of crystalline carrots to the hand-in location, her legs buckle, and she falls over forward. The basket tips over and rolls off to the side, spilling its contents on the ground. Rita doesn't make a sound. She simply lies there on her stomach for a few seconds, then starts making a half-hearted attempt to push herself up, though she doesn't seem able to muster up much strength in her arms, either.
[days 104-105 - taking it in stride]
At some point, there's been a change in Rita's approach. She seems to have found some motivation, and she's actually focused as she works. As soon as the day starts, she's already decided where she wants to go and what she wants to do in order to maximize the points she'll gain.
Even if she knows that rising in the ranks here won't necessarily be a good thing... she has to try. It has to be better than doing nothing.
Using her wings to fly over an orchard full of large trees bearing some kind of oddly shiny citrus fruit, Rita makes for the high branches, grabs them, and gives them a shake, causing a rain of fruit to fall down. Fortunately, she's already ascertained that the fruit won't be damaged in the fall, and can be easily collected after the fact. Not-so-fortunately, she didn't check to see if anyone was walking under the tree before she decided to knock all those fruit down on their head.
day 102
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Day 103
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for yuya
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another one for yuya, night 107
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Yuya
Day 103-105
Yuya comes around a little later and without a lot of fanfare, the way that they're all immediately put to task. He finds Gongenzaka, first, and after that it's the long and grueling grind of land maintenance. Yuya doesn't have practical experience with farming, specifically, but it's simple physical labor and that he has no trouble following through with actual tasks. In fact, he works through with an oddly dazed determination--his head's not in it, but he'll keep pushing his body until they're told to stop.
He's so caught in the haze of his own emotions he doesn't actively seek out other members of the carnival, but as he sees them he gravitates his work closer, closer, closer... until he's pulling down a fruit to offer for their count or helping lift a heavy basket.
[Day 105 | Exhaustion]
Yuya's in good shape, but even he has limits that he's pushed by burying himself in repetitive tasks and helping everyone else, if only so he doesn't have to think about their reality. Even with the influence in the cells, he struggles to sleep, and by his third day he's unsteady on his feet.
It's no excuse not to be farming, though, so he's still knee deep in bushes to pick fruits, or digging up weeds. Tasks that he doesn't have to exert everything for. And even that's a struggle, with at one point Yuya's knees buckling to just kind of slouch against the heavy basket of fruit he's gathered. He just doesn't have the desire to try. What future is waiting for them here?
[Night]
It's not like there's much to explore in their tiny little box, so Yuya doesn't bother. Once he's let in he always makes a move right for the top bunk, throwing himself onto the bed with his face smashed into the pillow. After a moment he'll turn his head sideways just enough that he can actually breathe, staring dully at the wall on the opposite end. This is horrible.
NIGHT 104
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Day 105
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WILDCARD -- Day 107
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Day 109 | Closed to Rita
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Jonathan Strange | ota
As soon as they heard the phrase 'Mother of Invention' for the first time, Strange's face got a little pale. In between the new people, the returning people, and the people who simply don't pay attention, he honestly doesn't know how many people know about her. But considering that Strange has a little bit of information gleaned from gossip and from reading relevant fragments in the Athenaeum, he can at least managed to spread the word about how fucked they are.
And he can spread the word while 'being productive.' He doesn't exactly know how farming works, but that's okay. He tried to run an estate for all of three days, he can at least bullshit the basics! So, for anybody who looks like they've just finished with a task, Strange approaches, trying his hardest to seem a little chipper despite the crushing depression of...well, everything.
"Here's an idea," he starts, as he approaches someone. "Why don't you dig the holes, and I'll plant the seeds and cover them up? That way, we'll get this done faster and can have some time to chat while we do so."
b: world's worst testing subject
Do you know what doesn't help when people are running blood tests on you for the first time? Having a thin layer of mirrors cover useful things like 'veins.' That blood test has gone horribly wrong, especially considering that it took way too much time to get a needle through his mirrors. Strange is fairly pissed off as he returns from the blood test, awkwardly holding his arm: the healing technology spares him from the gauze and bandages, but he's moving his arm in a way to suggest that it's a little bit bruised.
That little bit bruised is only going to be worse as, without really looking where he's going, Strange catches his foot inside a hole in the ground, trips, and just wipes out, eating dirt and conveniently landing right on that goddamn bruised spot in his arm.
Don't mind the grownass adult just hanging out on the ground for a moment or two.
c: roomies, semi-closed
When he returns to his assigned room, Strange just collapses on the bed. He's obviously thinking about something as he just stares at the ceiling, tuning out the world around him. It's only when someone else enters that he makes a noise of acknowledgement...before going right back to staring at the ceiling.
He's not used to manual labor to begin with. He's especially not used to manual labor on top of the nonsensical feeling of somehow failing Ignatius and the very real worry that he'll never get back to England again. He doesn't know what to do or how to deal with this yet. He'll think of a plan, though. He's been in worse situations than this before.
"My hair's still on fire," Strange muses, with a little frown. "It's not blazing up like it's done before, but it's still there. Maybe I could...I don't know, set off the sprinklers or something like that."
( There's a few nights where Strange doesn't have a roomie: hit me up via plurk or PM if you're interested in roommate sadness! )
B
"Are you okay?" All his focus is on worrying about Strange, because if he tunnel visions on the immediate he can't think of everything surrounding this.
(no subject)
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C: FIRST NIGHT
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A
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A | SCREW IT, REIRA TIME...
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A
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A
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a
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DAY 107 - 109
Day 107, evening
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Day 108
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day 108
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closed to lambert
What happened at the end of Shabon...what happened with her and the Hunt...she didn't sign on to worry about dying or being stabbed! She just wanted to help save her school! This is way different from what she wanted!
She's lost in thought as she fills up a watering can and starts moving it towards one of the rows. However...it's heavier than expected. Her arms give out a little and Hanamaru drops the watering can, water splashing to the ground near Lambert's feet. "Oh geez, zura!" she starts to apologize. "I—"
But then she looks up and sees it's Lambert. And, for the first time, realizes that the new set of ram's horns she grew after being revived by the Huntsman, look oddly similar to Lambert's set of ram's horns. Her words die in the back of her throat, but there's no hiding the scared expression on Hanamaru's face.
no subject
Considering the circumstances they last parted ... it's not entirely surprising Hanamaru's looking alarmed to see him. He hadn't actually taken note of her himself since they got here, but he does now, looking at the ram horns and frowning slightly. Yeah, those look familiar. All too familiar.
All he ends up saying, though, is, "Here. You can use this one." He offers her one of his cans, which is a little lighter from him having poured out about half of it already.
(no subject)
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childermass, ota
With the realization that they've all been captured by a Winter Court faerie, Childermass has, essentially, shut down. He spent the first night alone and, when finally released into the farm along with the rest, he hasn't bothered trying to drum up any conversation or seek out anyone in particular. He pretty much just listens to what they're meant to do and gets to work...
Which isn't to say he avoids everyone outright. He may not be interested in chatting but he does set aside his own work for a moment to help whoever's closest and struggling.
Having trouble lifting something up? He's there picking it up with them. Something too high up? Well, he's a tall guy, so it's nothing for him to step up and reach for a branch that's just a bit over someone else's head.
the (not) magic life
There are, over the first few days, times when Childermass will also vanish into the orchard trees, only to be found sitting behind one further in. It isn't typical of him to slack off, no, but it's less slacking off and more him making an effort towards something else. It's about the only thing he's done so far that deviates from the gloom that's overcome him since their capture.
He's stretching his hand out towards the shadows gathered around the roots of the fruit tree, brow furrowed and scowling. It'll all be for nothing, though, because those shadows aren't budging. He keeps on trying for a bit longer before finally giving up and dropping his arm back to his side with a sigh.
and the nightlife (semi-closed)
The upside to being stuck in a cell for the night with Childermass is he's quiet and won't pester anyone. The downside is that he's a tall man and still takes up a lot of space that way, even if he does opt to sit on the lower floor and rest with his back against a wall rather than bothering with sleeping in the bed up top. There'll be a lot of staring blankly at the wall ahead, waiting for sleep to overcome him. Not a lot of fun, huh?
(Childermass is alone night 1 and has a few other days open to roommates if anyone is interested; just hit me up via pm or plurk if interested.)
no magic really sucks
He's looking a bit defeated as he walks back towards the entrance...and spots Childermass stretching his hand out towards the shadows. Almost instantly, Strange realizes what he's doing. After all, he was pretty much doing the same thing. He watches a moment, only to scowl a little when nothing happens.
"I hate this," Strange grumbles, as he walks over towards Childermass. "That's the most unbearable part of this, not having my magic at my fingertips."
(no subject)
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No magic
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they hate the nightlife, they don't want no boogie
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wildcard day 106 -> leading into night 106
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wildcard! day 109, morning
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Anode | ota
days 102-105
She clocks in at about seven feet tall, and she is most definitely a sentient robot. Unlike the carnival subjects, however, she's not working in the Farm. She's mostly found indoors, pushing a broom or a mop, or sometimes polishing the occasional window, although not very well. Either she's kind of a shitty janitor, or she's really half-assing it. You won't find her in your rooms, either -- she's been demoted down to the lowest rank, and her behavior probably makes it apparent why. She is not...the most cooperative person with the technicians, on the rare occasion she might be seen with them, and while she's not exactly mean to any of the carnival folk, her disposition is distinctly irreverent.
She seems somewhere between ambivalent and curious about the rest of them. The curiosity wins out, though, because this place is life-suckingly depressing, and her current roommates aren't any good for conversation. Maybe some of these guys will. She's starved for it, frankly. She's pretty sure a little piece of her is literally dying every day. The most entertainment she gets is antagonizing the technicians, and that comes with serious backlash.
She can be found hanging back at the edge of the Farm, deliberately loitering on the job, or you might run into her somewhere else in the complex, pushing a mop or cleaning up messes left by other subjects. If you're passing by, she probably can't resist a chat, opening with something like, "Hey, newbie, enjoying your stay at the world's most rubbish getaway resort? Five-star place, this. Seriously, the amenities here. It's absolutely wild."
DAY 102...
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Day 104, evening-ish?
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Ginko | OTA
days 102-105
At times like this, Ginko has taken to reminding himself how much other crap the Carnival and those within it have survived already. But that’s… less helpful right now, in what he thinks might actually be straight-up the worst off they’ve been in the time he’s been working here. Which is pretty impressive, all things considered.
For better or worse, though, he refuses to dwell on that. If he’s worried about his fate and that of his co-workers, the best thing to do about it is to stay focused. If he can do that, he may be able to get into the good graces of their captors - and maybe, if he’s lucky, help in finding a way to get them out of here.
So he works. His experience with manual labor, hiking through mountains and tending to the menagerie, comes in handy here, and he seems to be able to stay focused for quite some time without faltering, only pausing in between finish tasks - though how much of his intention is to rest and how much is to give others a chance to get some work in, it’s hard to say.
Of course, it’s nothing new for Ginko to throw himself into his work like this; what’s more unusual is a particular change to his appearance. Thanks to the confiscation of all his own clothes, his eye patch is nowhere to be seen; most of the time, he seems to keep his left eye closed, keeping the solid-black pit of his eye socket hidden. Whenever he’s paused his work, though, he tends to end up with a hand resting absently over it, in something between an attempt at obfuscation and a strange sort of self-comforting gesture.
Either way, at least he seems to be keeping it together decently well. In theory, at least.
B
As time passes, Ginko… okay, well, he does not seem to loosen up, he’s just as tense as ever. But, little by little, he at least starts talking more. It’s still not much, given that he’s Ginko, but he’s not just working in silence until approached.
In fact, he’ll start stepping up to others between his own tasks, whether they’re working or taking a break themselves - and especially if they seem to be struggling with something. “You doing alright, there?”
(( OOC: I’ll be making a separate log for roommate talk so I can do individual prompts over there, SO if you’ve got rooming plans with Ginko you’ll probably be getting pinged on a link to that before long!
Meanwhile, over here, feel free to hit one of these or to toss something unrelated to the prompts at me. I’m at
day 105
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whatever day before the breakdown
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b - 105
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104 B
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Tyki Mikk | OTA
Night 101 + Full Days 102 - 105
Nothing mattered and yet everything did. Caught within his own thoughts most of the time, the usual talker that Tyki was had turned into a quiet and focused individual. Maybe it was the fact his he felt ordinary, the dull thrum of boredom seeping into his pores without his powers, or maybe it was the way his skin had bled into its actual color, umber grey from head to toe with stigmata running across his forehead without his glamour. He'd rather the cramped trailer, his regular clothes without the fine material over this suit, and a whole lot of other necessities it kept to keep this pampered noble well in the state of pleasure. He had been truthful, honest even during the interview, except for one little lie.
Now he was working, from digging into the soil to helping out with the tall orders of trees and hedges. Not shy to hard work, he would even set down upon his knees to grapple through the dirty when necessary. Even with or without instruction, he utilized his above average strength and stamina to his advantage. Even limited as he was without his Dark Matter, he worked hard, without considering the plight of others around him. It was time to survive and he could think on the possibility of anything else later. Trapped in this constant state of focus, he might only notice someone talking to him if they get too close.
[Calling]
Behind the mind of this calm individual laid a lot of conflicting thoughts. He never doubted himself, nor who he was, for the length of his life. Even after becoming a Noah everything was clear, concise, laid out and planned by the Earl. He was a good lackey, an exceptional soldier, and a firm manipulator. He had banked on the Ringmaster and now that she was not with them, likely a prisoner without any means to get to them, he had a lot to think about.
It's why he's calling, out to anyone or anything that can hear him. Mostly using his inner Noahspeak, he's searching for other Noah, mostly the impossibly mysterious Earl, in case they were pulled here from their own world, searching for anyone that could tune into this special family frequency. It's foolish, he knows, but he almost looks calm while doing it.
The only problem is where he chooses to do it. When he's working, sleeping, in the middle of a hallway, occasionally zoning out to do so any spare moment he gets. It might look odd that he just stops short suddenly while walking. He just wants someone to answer.
[Lights out - Semi Closed - Nights 1-5]
The 1st Night was humbling as most of the evening was spent being shoved around here and there, poked and prodded, stripped and redressed, feeling dull and irritated at the same time. The nights that followed consisted of aches and pains that didn't heal as quickly as they should. After a rough day's work he didn't have the multiple of pillows that formed his bed, the discreet hideyhole he had made out of the bunks in his room, lavished in comfort and a well induced feeling to sleep. Here it was just a small room, exposed and open to the rest of the facility, with a roommate or not depending on what time of the night it was.
Whether he's being joined or joining someone else, Tyki will be trying to extra fluff his pillow or trying to get comfortable enough. The suit was getting irritating, given he usually slept nearly naked at night, and he just wanted to breathe. Either way he'll look up and raise a hand of greeting.
roomies!
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hey roomie
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calling, FINALLY HITTING YOU UP AFTER FOREVER
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CARLY | OTA
THE FIRST FOUR DAYS
Carly doesn't know what to do. She doesn't know what to do at all. She woke up on fire, was shuffled around for 'processing' (while discovering that much of her fire doesn't actually burn anything anyway and thank god), and now this.
So there is a keening, quiet laugh from the woman, who now stands about three inches shorter than 'typical' at 6'4'', her feet flat on the ground.
"Hhhhhhhahahahhaaaaa.... oh no..." They're so fucked, guys.
[DAY 103 | EVERYONE'S A CRITIC]
"Are they serious..!?" Carly is already semi-struggling to lug around a sack of what could be cuboid potatoes. But when she hears a few mutterings about the 'trial' announcements and stops by the board, she drops it fast.
And gestures incredulously. "'Further Resurrections'..!? Really!?"
[DAY 104 | CLOSED TO YUUSEI]
She'd been complaining that the trials seemed ridiculous. She was standing by that even now, looking at this...Limbs study. At least it was voluntary. She wasn't getting a lot done, sure, but she was managing with help and that was alright. But a few hours pass into the day, and Carly sees a familiar face in the distance.
"Ah...Yuusei!" She waves, feeling at least slightly invigorated. "Yuu-"
...uh
"...HEHH!? Where on earth is your tail..!?"
[DAY 105 | A TOTAL ECLIPSE (of the heart)]
Carly is fading. Really, she's been fading the whole time. She took orchard work this morning, but it doesn't matter that it's an easy, monotonous task. She's tired. She's used to pausing through the day to drain pots of coffee and plates of snacks in order to 'refuel', and now that she's being denied that aspect of her day her boundless energy she's crashed.
And she's crashed hard. "Hahhh...." Sleep won't help. She can't bring herself to sleep anyway. Her limbs feel numb, her head feels dizzy, and her basket has maybe three polygon pears in it. She's tired.
And scared, because if she slides off that slippery slope of ranks, how can she be expected to help the others?
[Goodnight Sun, | SEMI-CLOSED, ROOMIES EACH NIGHT]
It's going to be a bit awkward, tonight. The bunks presumably make things easier- but the top is where Carly should probably go for one reason and one reason only. Sure, she might not burn anything right now by touching it. But, well...
"Ahe....I..." The woman of light coughs. "...At least my body is covered..?"
Her wings and tail still give off the flames and constant glow of sheer light, and they'll want to cover that, whoever is in here with her. "...I. ...I can't turn this off."
Hmm,
NIGHT 01
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103
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Rooming
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105
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roomy time
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105
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100 years late with Starbucks
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THE SECOND ROUND [106 - 109] boy now i extra gotta fix these icons
EVENING 109 GIVE IT UP FOR EVENING 109
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day 109!
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strolling in laaate
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Day 109 | Hi again Mom
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Papyrus | OTA
Days 102 - 105
SHRIEKING SKULLS | Day 102
And so the first day of confinement, as everyone's released into the Farm and given instructions what they're supposed to do, there's still two of Papyrus. They've split to far sides of the Farm and stay that way, working separately at the new chores for lack of anything else clear to do. They don't seek people out, preoccupied with the question of whether they should bother reforming now. Everything is terrible, half figures, and being in two halves means twice the productivity, the other thinks. Maybe not, but the hurt of being here is too fresh for anything else.
SELDOM LET YOU SNOOZE | Days 103 - 104
But eventually Papyrus gets himself back together. And working hard at these productivity tasks is easier than anything else - for Papyrus - so he keeps at it. Farming and tilling, cleaning and generally helping, he moves around and checks on people with an energy and interest he's not shown much the last few months.
He checks in on peoples' baskets to see if they're okay or need some more produce gifted to keep up with others like himself. Asks around if they're doing okay (for the circumstances, he admits). With people who seem to be struggling, or who he knows them well enough to suspect they're struggling, he offers encouragements. And late in their third day in the Farm, Papyrus goes away for one of the trials... and doesn't return.
SHOCK YOUR SOUL | Day 105
That is, not until the next day. He's still tired, sore, and a bit off after his trial - and after dying multiple times. The (still unsettlingly sleepful) longer night than usual helped with recovery, and he's functional enough to be about and conversational and even work a bit, but not great. And if that's how badly his study went, how badly did anyone else's go?
SPOOKY SLEEPY SKELETONS | Nights 103 - 105
Even with the mysteriously enforced nightly lethargy, Papyrus still doesn't sleep as much as most people. A combination of natural energy, bad dreams, and long habit. While his roommates are awake, he prefers to chat, to check on them and keep them grounded through this latest upset. And while they sleep, or when conversations die down, he turns to the question of whether he can still detach his bones - and if there's anything he could do with it.
[At the time of this posting, Papyrus still has Night 5 free; if you're interested, doublecheck the schedule spreadsheet.]
NightTime
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103
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105, day
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NIGHT 103
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Day 105, toward the evening
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Beau | OTA
Days 102 - 105
Nobody's particularly happy to be here, but Beau's feeling especially put out. She went from a comfortable prison / lab, to freedom and free rein to run around a city-sized resort... to imprisonment again. Without the comfortable amenities, instructed to do pointless repetitive labor, or else unspoken consequences.
It hasn't even been a month.
So the first half of the first day, Beau takes her frustration out on the farm area. She throws a few fruits before deciding not to waste the finite resource... maybe at someone else's encouragement. She digs horrible off-center lines and throws the dirt around. And, whatever she works on, it's not for long before she drops off with a steady stream of cursing about everything and anyone who comes near her.
Halfhearted Efforts & Follow-up Questions | Days 102 - 105
After she blows off some of the initial frustration, Beau looks into what she can do to get some control of the situation. The obvious two ways are, playing along enough to get points so they don't decide to worsen her condition, and gathering information on their situation. It's hard to stay productive, even when she's trying, because though she's fit she's easily bored by all this. Without a keeper, keeping her on task... Well, she wanders off to chat, or do some push-ups, or something.
A lot of the times when she sees people returning from the examinations, Beau quits whatever she's doing to go up to them with a litany of questions. Where did they go, did they get brought to the same place as usual, were there any new tools in the process? What did the technicians do and say, did they give anything away? Come on, give her something.
Nights 101 - 105 | Semi-closed
And every night, they're herded into the small sleeping chambers. It's cleaner and more comfortable than some accommodations, but it's still pretty unmistakably cages. Unless her roommate is up for chatting, Beau dives into the nearest bed and just tries to sleep it out.
[At the time of this posting, Beau's night schedule is still pretty clear! If you're interested in a night thread with her, doublecheck with me, and we'll add it to the schedule spreadsheet.]
nighttime slumber party
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one of the days, /hand wobble
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Alphys | OTA
Days 102-105
Alphys knows this is bad. They're all captured, the Ringmaster is nowhere to be found, there's no telling what these people are going to do to them, but
but science.
Alphys spends most of the initial processing staring in awe at her surroundings. Everything here is so much more advanced than anything she's ever seen or even read about. The first night, she spends her time thinking of how to make a good impression. Maybe if she behaves and does well enough, they'll let her push a button.
Yeah. That'd be cool.
But the moment they're unloaded into the farm, she realizes that's going to be harder to do than she thought. Alphys has never done a day of manual labor in her life. Even her duties at the carnival are more cerebral than physical, and having lived underground up until joining means she has no idea what to do with any of this stuff. Needless to say, she spends the whole time tripping over tools, falling into holes, knocking stuff over, and generally being a nuisance. She mutters a "s-sorry" if she bumps into anyone, and it's not long before she looks completely exhausted.
"H-how long do we have to do this...?" She mutters to herself.
Experiment B: Day/night 104
And then this happens.
In an attempt to save face after being a total failure at farming, Alphys jumps at the chance to do some of the voluntary trials. Blood tests and aura readings can't be too bad, can they? Unfortunately, she doesn't read the fine print before signing up for this one in particular, and by the time she's released from it, well... let's say she had a bad time.
Alphys stays huddled on her bunk the entire rest of the day, occasional shudders the only sign that she's still awake. By night, she's sitting up, but she's staring intently at her hands as if she's expecting them to do something. If anyone approaches her, she shrinks back like a frightened animal, which is... not that unusual for her, but there's real, genuine terror in her eyes for a moment, and it's clear she's been crying.
Experiment C: Day 105
Unfortunately, she signed herself up for another test and even though this one involves less death, the methods involved start to feel frighteningly similar and she's essentially having a panic attack throughout the entire thing. When it's finally over and she's shuffled back to the farm, she doesn't even attempt to work, and can instead be found hiding out where she belongs: the trash. In the middle of disposing of any weeds or other refuse, you might just lift a lid and reveal the Anxiety Lizard in all of her 'glory', huddled up in a little ball.
"Oh, hi. J-just go ahead and toss that in here."
Experiment Wildcard
[For anything else and/or roommate shenanigans!]
105, in the right subthread this time
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Day 103, but after the trial signup was posted?
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Day 105
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⇨ PRODUCTIVITY RESULTS (DAY 105)
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(no subject)
Herbert West
OPEN TOP LEVELS
The previous day, other (former) Carnival members might have seen Herbert not particularly putting much effort into the work. Why bother asking him for his previous experience, he wondered, if they just intended to have him to do physical labour? He's disinterested and despite a vague awareness that compliance is what makes you look like a good patient, he couldn't bring himself to comply. In psychiatric wards, compliance looks more like endless stretches in rooms, like allowing yourself to be strapped down and shocked. Not gruntwork.
But today, their third day of captivity, Herbert is much more active. Possibly unnecessarily so. He's absolutely going to town tilling some soil, teeth gritted as he swings down again and again with a hoe. If anyone tries to interrupt for whatever reason, he swings around on them, snapping, "what?"
Day 105
Herbert disappears into a Trial for a great deal of Day 104, and when he comes back he's acting...honestly vaguely familiar to anyone who saw him in the Prince's Dungeons. This is the highly requested and anticipated return of Onion Guy.
Constantly running his hand through and grabbing at his hair, looking around wildly and occasionally chuckling to himself. Sometimes he remembers to pick some crop or another and put it in a basket he's dragging around with him but he has a random assortment of all the weird crops at this point because he keeps losing track of what he's doing.
Eventually he just ends up slumped down against a tree, looking up along the trunk and into the leaves. He's trembling gently.
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NIGHT 107 | its time for brat
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Syrlya
Day 102 - 105
[Day 105 | Ouch]
Part of not falling behind is trials, however, because it's obvious the farm is only so profitable for their efforts. So on day 103, he steps aside to sign up for the trial of the day. He definitely saw the 'further resurrections', but the danger of the trial just means it's better he do it if he's capable and those (like the children) can take over farm work.
Of course, then it's delayed, and he disappears again on day 104, and doesn't return until 105. By then he's... well, a little more tense and less talkative than before. He approaches farming eith a little moves harshness, and occasionally stops and absently rubs his neck.
[Wildcard]
[For night threads and stuff.]
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Day 106 (WILDCARD) -- lmk if this works
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wildcard, day 108
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night 108 (it's another wildcard)
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STEVEN UNIVERSE | OTA
DAYS 106-109
Anyone who looks at the job board can see that there is a very particular 'voluntary' trial listed on it - one that calls out Strange and Steven's classification numbers in particular. Steven, for his part, does his best to ignore it. It's voluntary right, supposedly? If that's what it is, he should be able to ignore it.
Some part of him suggests that it won't really work that way, but the rest wants to be contrary just due to the principle of the thing. If it's voluntary, it should be voluntary.
That ends up biting him in the ass when another trial appears the next day, calling out his number specific. Only, this time it's mandatory.
Steven panics. There haven't been any mandatory trails up till now, and he has no idea what being singled out like this could mean. Before he talks to any technicians, he seeks out anyone close to them, sputtering about a mandatory trial and begging for some advice or consolation.
"What if they're mad I didn't come before... what are they... oh no," he rambles to whoever he manages to catch. He doesn't want to go. "Oh no, this is my fault." He puts his head in his hands. "I'm so dumb."
► SEPARATED (EVENING 107, FOR LAMBERT)
Steven hasn't felt this chewed up and spit out since the Rose Queen got ahold of him. Maybe even worse. At least that had ended on a high note, with him somehow powering through her will, somehow tearing himself free. This was hopeless, from start to finish, and as he finds himself alone in a cell, he doesn't even know what to do.
He's arrived in the cell a bit earlier than all the others, finished with his trial too late to go back to work but too early for the rest to be done. He can't manage to make it onto the top bunk, so he flops onto the bottom one, feeling sore and shaken to a degree he doesn't really know how to articulate.
Even with the suit back on, he can feel what's missing. One of his pinkies and the entire segment of his arm connected to it, harvested like a sprig of herb, and the gaping hole in his gut. He never really thought about how deep his gem went until he saw it removed. Where did he keep his stomach, he wonders? He never had to think about that before.
What is he going to do? What are any of them going to do?
By the time Lambert arrives, Steven has been alone and crying for a while already. It's probably the last thing he wants to see at the end of a long work day.
► CREDIT (DAY 107-109)
The worst part is how he won't even get any credit for them cutting him open and stealing his gem. Maybe if he'd gone voluntarily he would, but now... nothing. It just happened. He didn't even get any in return. It doesn't seem fair, but it's his own fault.
Steven looks like a ghost when he shows up at the Farm, going to work with a numb expression on his face, his hand constantly clutching at his belly and visibly missing a finger. He tries to harvest things low to the ground, to make it easier to himself, but it's slow going - mostly because he keeps zoning out and staring into space mid-stride, forgetting what he was doing.
He stares at a piece of fruit he picked, taking in its weird, unnatural facets, thinking about the human zoo that Pink Diamond kept. He remembered how shocked all of those humans were, when they experienced rejection for the first time, baffled by the idea of emotional or physical pain.
He feels kind of the opposite at the moment.
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no subject
[They don't have any real options or information yet, so Yukio works tirelessly with a smile. Better to make a good impression and keep watching and observing than to try and fight back, especially this early in the game.
If he sees someone struggling, he'll offer a hand and a friendly smile.]
Do you need help? I'm not too busy. [He is, but "being willing to assist others" might be part of the grading rubric.]
105-107
[He has to keep working. Yukio, newly tailless and stumbling with the loss of balance, keeps working. He's slower, more cautious, but he's trying not to let that bother him.
There's even time for gentle smiles and offers of help, because Yukio is nothing if not "a charming, polite boy". He's doing his best to seem like he isn't affected at all by this trial.
But it's hard to keep pretending, and at times it's completely impossible. The itching and prickling twists into actual pain, stabbing through the tail he doesn't really have anymore, and he chokes on a scream as he drops what he's carrying and collapses to his knees, clawing at the dirt.]
Nights
[Yukio has never really been exceptionally healthy, but he's always been able to make up for it by hard work, specialized training, and sheer determination. But this kind of non-stop manual labor is a lot for him. The first few nights aren't bad, though he does rest when night sets in. But after he loses his tail, he winds up just smiling politely at his roommate, curling up on his bunk, and sleeping. If his roommate needs him, he'll be fairly easy to wake up.]
NIGHT 107
Just what would they need that they don't already have anyway...
[She's yet to realize who she's rooming with.]
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Night 105
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Night 106
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Yugo | OTA
Day 106 - 107
[Yugo was a part of the group signed up for the trial taking place today. Like the other angel-touched folk suffering from what turns out to be their second major weakness, he doesn’t seem entirely coherent when they’re all allowed back onto the fields.
......
..... .... Working around here was important right? Yeah.
......... .... Yeah...
... He walks along as if to maybe start doing something simple like pick fruit from the trees- wait didn’t he need a basket or something for that...?
........ .........
.....
But honestly, the teen is nowhere near in the condition to be working and he may or may not maintain the sense to know that. It’s almost familiar, a bad kind of familiar. Did he get himself spiritually eaten again? They definitely stole a piece of him. Is that bad when you’re one fourth of a person? But he’s whole and not like…. insane enough to destroy a world or anything.
Maybe he bumps into you suddenly while trying to walk along. Or once he gets tired of attempting to find a work rhythm, you’ll see him slumped against a tree since that’s the best solid thing to sit against and half the time his spacial awareness is shot.
The only upside Yugo can find if he thought hard enough about it is that he can barely feel that new gnawing in his stomach kicking in soon after the trial.]
B - Night 106 (Closed to Yuya)
[Near the end of the day, the technicians send for the Portland-affected subjects and eventually Yugo gets released to his sleeping quarters for the night.
But he intends to sleep off the rest of his pseudo-lead poisoning, so he doesn’t really notice if he has a roommate or not. Yugo crawls into the bottom bunk if it’s not taken. He’s used to it and it’s the easiest bed to get into versus having the climb the small ladder.
The most he says is mumble something irritably.]
C - Day 107
[Contrary to the previous day, Yugo is entirely recovered from the simple experiment. And since he’s starting to properly feel the punishment for being ‘below expectations’ settle in, Yugo’s a lot more motivated to be ‘satisfactory’ at minimum.
The mind game sucks, but it’s the game they have to play.
Of course, if anyone that saw him yesterday wants to ask him about what happened (instead of say... Sans or Joker), they’re free to do so. Occasionally he stares at the cube fruits they’ve been harvesting…..
....But he’s not that desperate.]
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⇨ VISIONS AND SHIT
AMETHYST, CHILDERMASS, GONGENZAKA, YUYA (DAY 106+)
Maybe the arrows are being shot at you, maybe there is a mysterious golden arrow road sign, or maybe there is simply an arrow stuck in a nearby wall in a completely unrelated scenario. As the days pass, these dream arrows will become more and more relentless.
Whether or not your character does something about it probably depends on how good of a lucid dreamer they are.
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RITA (NIGHT OF DAY 108)
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Joker - ota unless stated otherwise
Day 106
So he works hard, being able to do so with an able body and experience in being put to work, and he keeps an eye out on a lot of things. The state of the living quarters, the constant changing, the farm they're forced to work in, the technicians... and the trials that are put up for them all to take a risk in.
Scientists plus explicit consent to fuck around with their bodies sounds suspicious all on its own, and that's ignoring the rest of their situation.
...But it's a good way to keep one's head above the water, or get past it.
So, after a long while of watching the various trial offers that go up, Joker finally bites himself for the one explicitly calling out those who have been changed in certain ways by- and oh there's a name- Portland. Suspicious? Absolutely. But he signs up anyway. He does his best to get in as much work as he can, really hustling for it, before he's finally pulled away for the Trial.
The good news: he doesn't come back horribly mutilated.
The bad news: he is 100% mentally absent.
A - Eyes
What's most immediately apparent has to do with Joker's eyes. Unlike his usual quick and sharp gaze, befitting the antsy nature of a bird, he's a lot slower to look around. In fact, he hardly seems to look around at all, just sort of... walks forward after he's been released. He hardly seems to show any awareness of his surroundings. Instead, he's focused on what's ahead of him... or what should be ahead of him. While people are trying to work, they might see Joker nearby coming abruptly to a halt. His face crumples up, eyes squinting- sometimes not at the same time. Is he trying to look at something...?
B - Legs
Of course, walking is only good if you can do it properly. Joker clearly is having some problems with that today. As far as anyone can tell from his body suit, Joker is healthy and not overly changed. However, sometimes he stumbles, or suddenly starts to tilt to the side to the point that he almost falls over... or actually does. This doesn't seem to surprise him, exactly, but he does look dazed and confused.
C - Antlers
With both of these factors combined, it should be of no surprise that eventually things just... happen. To be more specific, things happen which have lead to the current scenario of Joker with his antlers stuck in some low hanging branches.
He's... kind of given up right now. Seriously. He hangs limply from the branches, the opal in his antlers shining faintly among all the leaves, and his feet drag against the ground. His wings? Completely drooped.
Someone should... probably at least get him out of the way.
[ooc: TIL lead is spiritually bad]
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Day 108 - Papyrus
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