⇨ 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

[soft_focus]

It's so strange. Herbert said something about pain and such (and she shrugged, because not only has she handled pain in her opinion, but Herbert was just acting really weird in general). Everyone suspected pain actually. But trials were the way onward- the proof was in the colours.

And she wanted to be in that green group, because maybe then she could learn something and do something instead of picking weird fruits all day.

But this isn't pain. This is something else, something unexpected...and she feels rather numb all of a sudden.

Which is ironic, when suddenly Tanyuu's own emotions strike her like a siren from the side. Reira blinks, and stares a moment before looking at the woman- her equal in lab rank at the moment. "Ah..." Hmn. "...We should...pick fast," she says awkwardly, quietly wishing she had Penuel to hold. "...So that the one who goes down can get more work done..."

To her shock as she says this, her daemon actually appears. Blinking rapidly as a fox manifests, she puffs her cheeks and looks away. While Penuel shifts to their bear form to give the child a hug, she herself waits for what Tanyuu thinks.

[fourthscribe]

This is...not quite what Tanyuu expected out of this. Something more directly painful, a harsher punishment than what is handed to them. Oh, other circumstances would likely have the participants at each other's throats, but her?

The decision is already made.

Tanyuu kneels down next to Reira, hands folded and voice even, but she fairly radiates a nervous urgency. "I think you should take the promotion. I can work myself back up in their standings easier, but..."

She huffs out a sigh, looking to Penuel. She's been without them so long...Tanyuu can afford a few minutes of lagging behind for that.

"If I take the fall, you'll have to work hard, okay? None of us want to stay in the Farms, so we all need to do everything we can, right?"

[soft_focus]

It's quite easy to be distracted by the comfort of a daemon. The feeling that maybe everything will be alright, somehow- more than before.

It can't hide what must happen however, and Reira looks to Tanyuu with a start. "I-!"

...She's not. Stupid. Well, she might not know plenty or understand plenty but she isn't stupid she knows that. She knows working her hardest put her in Yellow. She knows at least a few adults working their hardest (?) in the lower rank went to red.

...she knows she can't afford that, and she anxiously puffs her cheeks before Penuel nuzzles her side. Because Tanyuu is right. And she knows she's right. Quietly she remembers Eden, when Lilith asked them about sins. Tanyuu tried to save her then too. And then it was a trick. Then there was no right answer. Cynically she wonders if it's like that. They choose and nothing happens.

...but while the technicians don't seem kind they don't seem mean either.

And Reira shakes. "...o...Okay," she says quietly. It should be easy. She wanted to get higher! To do more, learn more! And moving up and doing trials, well...that's what Strange, and Rita, what they all said would do it but...

...but... "...I'll go up. And...and I'll keep working hard," she stammers, swallowing. "So that...so that I can make it nicer for you, and for the others, and...and..."

She's crying, she realizes as Penuel bats her face. She didn't think something like this would make her cry.

[fourthscribe]

Reira's tears take Tanyuu off-guard, and she reaches to pull her into a tight hug--though not out of Penuel's hold. Petting Reira's hair, she murmurs softly.

"I know you will. You're strong, and you've done well so far on your own. I believe in you."

Pulling back for a moment, she presses a kiss to Reira's forehead. It's a gesture she doesn't even expect from herself, but...it feels natural. She smiles down at her, hoping her sentiment isn't taken badly.

"Just hold on tight to who you are. Okay?"

[soft_focus]

Reira doesn't expect it either- which is certainly not helping the tears. She wants to think that if it was just...someone else, maybe she'd easily be able to just nod, and agree, and move up in ranks. But this is Tanyuu, who put together a party for her not long ago. Tanyuu, who gave her a lot of cute things and new clothes, and helped her with her writing if she needed it. And the list goes on quite some ways, but in the end she simply squeezes tightly back to return that hug.

Those words are so very important, after everything she's been told, and known.

"...I wish you were my real mom," she whispers quietly, pulling back to wipe and dry her eyes. "Mnhh..."

"I... ...I'm going to become 'Epsilon' now..!" Reira calls out, swallowing. Time to make the decision.

[fourthscribe]

That murmur feels like a shot to the chest, a pain that grips her heart and squeezes and for a moment, she wants to selfishly hold the trial as long as she can, hold Reira tight and assure her that everything will be okay. But she can't and she knows it--neither of them can afford to waste time.

But before she lets Reira go and rises up, she murmurs back a response, "I would be proud to have you as my daughter, Reira."

With a deep breath Tanyuu rises up and looks toward where the door had been. "We have agreed. I will take the demotion."