⇨ POLARIS

[ringleaders]

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.

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.

Comments

[ringleaders]

There is a feeling of acceptance and confirmation in response to her thinking about Ignatius, a nonverbal equivalent of 'yes'. Anger flashes through the connection shortly afterward, though, like frustration has boiled up at the thought of that hotness. That hotness that is somewhere it shouldn't be.

A feeling a violation follows, lurking humiliation, desire for vengeance. Yet, any hope of action rams up against those same feelings of isolation, helplessness, and fear. Like it's something that is constantly being pushed down, but keeps bubbling up through the cracks.

[anti_nonsense]

Those feelings only end up mirrored and bolstered by Rita's own, similar emotions. Frustration, violation, anger... She feels it too. She wants to scream, she wants to fight, she wants to blow everything up and burn it all down, and she can't.

But there's a lingering, desperate hope amidst it all.

Think. Fight. Don't give up. There has to be a way. You're not alone.

It's possible that she's trying to convince herself as much as she wants to convince him.

[ringleaders]

As their emotions connect in that way, she'll find that the fire feels a bit more natural within her, a bit easier to manage. It's been settling in slowly, and when the fire flares with her anger and desire, it feels more like it's her own at the same time that it's his.

The feeling in itself seems to inspire some uncertainty from the other side, flickering feelings of fondness, discomfort, and regret coming to the surface. Again, those emotions are quick to pull away and steel themselves, with the notion that they are something that should be hidden.

He pushes back again with that shared feeling of anger, giving the impression of something that burns so hot it is barely being contained. Freedom that is almost within reach but that is being continually kept away. Something sapped, stolen, taken away. Over and over.

[anti_nonsense]

There's something empowering, exhilarating about this feeling. It's hers, this anger, this fire. It makes her feel more like herself.

...But what was that hint of 'fondness' just now...?

No, more importantly, she'll focus on the matter of his power. It's being sapped away from him...? She can relate to the powerlessness, but it feels like hers is different. The power should be there. She just can't seem to reach it, can't touch it, can't will herself to use it... She doesn't understand why it doesn't work.

[ringleaders]

There is a pause, and then the thread of their connection pings - a fragment of what she felt him exert the other day, as part of that trial. The will of a fae upon her, but only a fragment, just enough to give the impression of his meaning.

It's that sort of thing holding her back, is the idea. It's will enforced over her own. It could come from him, but right now, it comes from the Mother of Invention. Ownership, is the concept he pushes across.

But, he doesn't belong to the Mother, yet, so his will can go against hers, when he's strong enough. Uncertainty, dread. He doesn't know how long he'll be able to fight back.

[anti_nonsense]

Yet... That feeling of dread echoes in Rita's mind.

No, that can't happen. Idiot. You're stronger than that. Don't you dare...

But it's clear that they have to do something, figure something out, and soon. Hurry. Think. What can they do? What do they have to work with?

Ownership. What if someone has two 'owners'? Can Ignatius use his 'ownership' over Rita, somehow? She wonders, cautious, uncertain.

[ringleaders]

It feels like the communication of concepts is getting easier and more clear as the conversation goes on, like there is a learning curve to sorting through the material, or perhaps like Ignatius is feeling stronger and more mentally focused. Either way, he seems to understand what she is asking.

He presents the concept of the new heart she has, and indicates that its made their connection easier. He can push power through it, though there is uncertainty in that concept, with twinges of worry that it may be too much for her to take.

She can feel the mental effort he has already gone through, trying to enable the magic of the others he has a contract with. He thinks it might be working, but only temporarily, at the height of his strength before the sapping, painful, helplessness happens. What exactly that combination of concepts is, is yet unclear, because he can't use simple words to describe it.

[anti_nonsense]

He's tried it...? Rita has mixed feelings about that. She's glad he did. But it doesn't sound like it's enough...

But maybe... with this heart, something can change.

She's worried, too. She isn't used to the heart yet. It's still uncomfortable, sometimes too hot...

But if there's a chance, they should try it. She'll try to force away her uncertainty, her fear... and focus instead on her determination, her resolve... and her trust.

[ringleaders]

There's an odd feeling in reaction to that, one that she might not have the context for. It is, in short, the sensation of handling something delicate, that you shouldn't be holding in the first place. Not literally, but emotionally. It's wariness, it's apprehension, and it's a bit of shame.

Yet, he also tries to push onward. He pushes the image of the trial Rita experienced, with the group, where the connection to him was tested. He felt that, but since then, there have only been a few of those connections he's managed to latch onto at any point. He thinks that he can do better, if the will to act goes both ways, and if he can fight back against what's happening to him long enough.

Again, there's feelings of being caged - blind, deaf. Yet, even power he can give them no use if it doesn't have a focus. What can they do, he wonders? There is a need for cohesion, for structure.

[anti_nonsense]

He's right... They need a plan. Simply having their powers back won't mean anything when their captors can still overpower and contain them.

She'll try sharing some idea of what the rest of them have been doing until now. Because the ranking system is a fairly complex idea to get across, she's not sure she can actually communicate it... but she'll try, focusing on the notions of hierarchy, of being judged, of moving up and down.

Some of them might move up soon. Rita might move up. Maybe those who move up can reach Ignatius, maybe they can interfere with what's suppressing him...

[ringleaders]

He seems to understand what she means, at least in general terms. There is some surprise and suspicion at the idea of them being allowed any kind of power. How they would allow Rita to move up in the system when she is connected to him like she is.

His doubt is uncertain, far from concrete, but he is clearly paranoid of whatever the Mother of Invention could be intending.

Yet, the idea that she might soon have more to work with is a positive thing. He tries to focus on that. A pulse of warmth in her chest will easily tell her what he'd like to do if he was free enough to act, but there is a lurking worry alongside it - he doesn't know where he is. He's alone. That feeling comes through with genuine dread. He could burn it all down, but then...

Familiar guilt. Apprehension. The only nearby presence he is certain of is the impression of someone who must be the Mother of Invention. Artificial. Controlling. Disgust, violation, disgust. Fear.

[anti_nonsense]

Rita's apprehensive, too... She's hopeful about advancing, about the opportunities she might have... but seeing the emotionally repressed Technicians, she wonders, were they like her when they started out? What happened along the way?

But that's the path she's set on for now, and she refuses to waver.

An isolated place, a place where the Mother's presence can be felt... Rita will remember that. She'll find him. He's not alone, she'll try to tell him. She's here, and she's coming. He needs to endure, to hold on to hope... because there is no way in hell that she's letting this all end here. Not like this.

[ringleaders]

It's around midnight, she would estimate, when her connection to him starts to waver. He accepts her assurances, and despite the fact that he's clearly a stewing pot of wariness and pain for various obvious reasons, there is still enough determination there to fight. If Rita is still fighting, there's no good reason for him to beg giving up.

Yet, it's not long after that exchange that his ability to reach out to her falters. There's a sudden jolt of pain through him, a feeling not entirely dissimilar to one Rita will recognize - the feeling of having her heart removed. Except, there is no anesthetic protecting him from this, and at the same time, his strength is violently ripped away from him.

He tries to communicate to her while this happens, as if he's trying to communicate the cause of it, but nothing makes it through clearly. What does come across, however, is that this has happened many times before already.

With a feeling of profound weakness, his presence fades from her entirely.

[anti_nonsense]

Rita tries to hold on to the connection, even while her body shudders as she perceives his pain. Once it's lost, she tries to reach out a few more times, but it isn't too long until her own exhaustion catches up with her, and she drifts into sleep.