⇨ 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

104

[reflash]

Yukio is looking the board over as well, trying to come to a decision.

"I wasn't expecting them to ask for volunteers." He says, as a quiet comment to Gongenzaka's statement.

'when u write a prompt and fail to realize that a trial will be delayed'

[betheman]

Gongenzaka snorts. He already has a feeling that those technicians will soon be back for the 'real' trial he's meant to take after all. Volunteer? Hah.

"Hn! I, the man Gongenzaka, suspect that they have their ways of making certain that they get what they wish. To request volunteers... ...it is a chance for cooperation, is all that it is. If they so desired, they could no doubt force us into numerous tasks- I, the man Gongenzaka, suspect doing so would be considered...'distracting' to them. Better to put all of their energy into their 'studies', yes?"

He clearly isn't a fan.

[reflash]

"I would rather volunteer for a 'trial' than know that someone else was forced into one because they didn't get enough volunteers." Yukio fully understands that everything is horrible and that fae are no better than demons, but if the way that will make things easier for everyone will also help him make a good impression, he'll take it.

[betheman]

"Hmn! As would I," he acknowledges.

"...And I, the man Gongenzaka, have no doubt that they expect such people within our 'group'." The distaste is heavy- more for the outright manipulation and gridlocking going on than anything else. "...One wonders how much it would take to at least ease matters for the others beyond that..." A good impression isn't really on Gongenzaka's mind. Keeping others- particularly Yuuya- safe? That IS.

[reflash]

"There's no way to know yet. The most we can do is sign up for these trials and put in as much effort at our work as possible. It might be best for the people in the low ranks if they volunteer as well."

double checks dates like 'oh ok so that one wasn't up yet,'

[betheman]

"If they can qualify," he grumbles. "All of the listed trials thus far have 'qualification' limits...not to mention numbers," he remarks with a deeper frown. Wait until that Ignatius trial shows up Gon, whoo boy. "The low ranked ones have a hurdle to pass regardless."

[reflash]

"All of us have hurdles to pass. It's likely that the people in the higher ranks will be judged more strictly." There's a lot to stress about here.

[betheman]

"If not at an entirely separate scale all together," Gongenzaka huffs. He wouldn't know- but Yukio likely would, given the Epsilons should have at least been told about the existence of 'suitability tests'.

"I, the man Gongenzaka, highly doubt those in 'Epsilon' are considered through workload." At the very least, he did hear that the rank beyond is with the Technicians.

[reflash]

"It's too soon to say, and I doubt we'll ever be told exactly how their grading system works." Yukio, for one, is assuming he's being graded on his work ethic. "If I were trying to decide who would be suitable for promotion up the ranks, I would monitor their work performance. Someone who slacks off on manual labor is likely to be undisciplined when it comes to more intellectual work as well."

[betheman]

"If that is so, then someone who fails to properly manage their energy throughout may also be in danger- it is important to maintain a steady pace," he reminds, nodding. "Not a 'slow' one, certainly, but to simply rush without care simply leaves an exhausted finish. A productive start but a far from productive end," Gongenzaka huffs.

Considering his own methods still get him to Epsilon later, maybe they both have something going.

He very quickly grimaces, muttering. "...I, the man Gongenzaka, am still not entirely certain how much chance I stand from there, as a middle school student..." Would they be pulling guards from this? He isn't sure. He sure can't voice that worry to Yuuya though.

[reflash]

"Precisely," Yukio says, completely unaware of the irony. He's not rushing, he's just continuing at a solid pace, putting everything he has into it. There will be time to rest later, and he knows how to keep working through the burnout.

At Gon's mutter, Yukio gives him a slight smile. "I don't think they're too concerned about age here. I'm just a first year high school student, and I was placed in Epsilon."

[betheman]

Gongenzaka raises his brows.

"I, the man Gongenzaka, doubt this was based on your schooling, as opposed to perhaps your position in the medical team."

He makes a good point- they probably find medical experience a plus.

[reflash]

"All that means is that the Ringmaster wasn't concerned about age either. It seems like the fae will be looking more at ability than at experience."

[betheman]

The frown isn't budging.

"The Ringmaster has a far wider variety of tasks, which indeed, even fools can attend to. Given what 'trials' have been performed, I, the man Gongenzaka, stand by my words; they will certainly find more merit in those with medical, or scientific experience."

Though even saying that, he does pause.

"...though...there were, perhaps, guards..."

[reflash]

"It is a possibility, if you want to try and achieve that level of trust here." That's what it is. It's trust.

[betheman]

"It would be trust enough to do something toward an escape after all," he mutters quietly. "Security would imply access to other sections, resources..."

The gears are already turning in his mind, it seems.

[reflash]

Yukio nods. Gon's going to be a good resource if they need to break out. But Yukio doesn't want to be too obvious about his prompting, so he'll let Gon work things out himself.