vivarium | DOUBLE BLIND

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DOUBLE BLIND

Shortly after the conversation with Zero ends, Zero opens the doors of the Garden and allows everyone to leave. However, the rest of the warehouse isn't better than the Garden:

The lights are still off, leaving everyone surrounded in darkness. The temperature just keeps on dropping, reaching near freezing point. The air feels more and more polluted, making it difficult to breathe without coughing, and nothing seems to be working as they should be. The electronic doors refuse to open without any power source, cutting off access to the cafeteria and dorms. At the very least, Zero has managed to open all the doors leading to puzzle rooms and has informed the group that new areas are now accessible to them, but they're on their own should they want to enter any other rooms.

Before the screens in the Garden turn off, Zero finally informs them that a new feature has been unlocked on their bracelets: any test subject wearing a bracelet may communicate with one another with the bracelet acting as a communication device. Holding onto the left button will enable the line to open just like a walkie-talkie. As long as test subjects are in the warehouse, they will have no troubles speaking with one another. What if they wish to talk to Zero? Zero's time is not be riffled, but they were generous enough to appear whenever anyone found a screen and pressed the on button a total of three quick successions.

And with that, Zero disappears from the grids and finally leaves everyone in complete darkness, leaving only one last piece:

"Best of luck, Test Subjects."

BASIC INFO ✖ MISSIONS ✖ MINGLE

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Something tells me that all we're going to find is junk, unless you remember where Zero left a couple of door-opening tools around here.

[ He doubts it, since if there were any, then it would have made it a lot easier to break into locations earlier, but he'll go along with it if either Hershel or Ema think it's a good idea to grab something. Also, taking notice of that arm rubbing and pausing for a split second before taking off one of his jackets and just... tossing it/draping it over Hershel's head. (He would have done it over your shoulders but honestly, it'd probably just fall). He also tosses Ema his pair of giant leather gloves, after seeing how she's using that Godforsaken sweater as some mittens. He grabs his finger-less ones from his pockets to put on. ]

... Here.

I thought there might have been one in one of the rooms, but if you think you can hulk out and bust through the doors without, let's do it. Best to check out what we're up against, anyway.

[she hesitates, frowning at the gloves]

You realize these are like five sizes too big. And that I have at least some degree of cold preparedness, unlike some kids. [an exasperated look for Hershel, no one is safe] At least you've got the equivalent to a warm hat with all that hair.

Ema, don't encourage him to break his fingers- though I suppose she has a point, we might as well go see what we're in for. Maybe we'll be lucky and won't need to... what was it? Hulk out? [Americans.]

[anything else he had to say was smothered by Jake's coat in his face- not a surprising method of handing something over by any means. why pass something when you can just throw it over the person.]

It's not- [Still muffled, have a long suffering huff but okay he's got it off now, excellent.] It's not my fault, there's no bloody way I was going to keep that sweater. [fucking inappropriate christmas sweater he sort of destroyed for spare cloth. he puts the coat on, probably looking absolutely ridiculous because he doesn't have the shoulders of ten quarterbacks. hey, it's warm though, score. his gratitude is sincere.] Thank you very much, Jake.

Edited 2015-02-11 21:44 (UTC)

Glad to see how much you trust me.

[ He is totally not going to break his fingers, he did it plenty of times before. I mean, have you see every single time he opened doors with Sherry? They're professional door kickers/priers, but c'mon, follow him. He'll lead the way downstairs to the cafeteria. ]

You sure do like complaining about everything, don't you? [ Referring to Ema, not responding to Hershel's thanks because he's a monster like that. ] Learning 'thank you' might be helpful.

[ Not said with any malice or anything. You know, his usual teasing self. ]

[she doesn't sound too fussed about it, following down on lookout for whatever might be down here as they approach the cafeteria door, last time they were in the dark it was filled with robots and that was pretty shit]

Maybe, but I think I'll stick to complaining about trying to work these Truckasaurus fingers. Don't want anyone to think I might've gotten a virus too. And don't let your fingers freeze either, that won't be helping our door-opening chances very much.

...You realize, Hershel, if you'd kept that sweater you'd have a pair of gloves of your own right now.

[following too, also vaguely uneasy because agreed, last time dark and robots happened was bullshit and he was quite done with that.]

[also trying not to openly smile at jake's expense at 'truckasaurus fingers,' rude ema.] I think complaining about things like this is Ema's way of saying thank you. [he offers jake with a smile that is surely not at the expense of either of them.] So this is when you make some sort of monosyllabic grunt as a you're welcome.

I did keep it to make gloves, I'll have you know. Well, more like mittens I guess, and they were a gift to Heiji, who I hope is actually using them given the circumstances. [even if they looked like absolute shit.] Ah, it looks like the cafeteria itself is open at least... [the door was being deceptively helpful. he approached suspiciously, walking in to find that nothing tried to kill him. good start. there didn't seem to be a scrap of food around though.]

Edited 2015-02-11 22:36 (UTC)

...That was simple.

[of course the room seemed extra echoey and cavernous now that it was empty and unlit. ema unconsciously drops her voice, since nothing about this seemed ominous at all]

Now, there should be an extra supply room in the back, right?

[ Oh, well, that was anticlimactic. He was kind of hoping for more, since he likes a challenge and all. He takes a quick look around then approaches what appears to be the door. ]

Looks like this is it.

[ He examines it (hmm, maybe he'll be able to hulk this open), then notices the panel. He points at it. ]

Want to give this a try? Before I take a crack at it.

[touches the panel gingerly?

...though nothing happens so perhaps it was just way too gingerly. so she touches it again, with considerably less ginger and more force]

[ ... just watching. ummmm ]

Are you trying to break it?

It seems pretty well broken by itself, it's not doing anything!

[Hershel just watches this display thoughtfully before moving forward to take a look at the panel. Yeah, he's got nothing, this doesn't look like anything some random teenager would know how to deal with.

He turns to them, about to suggest they ask Zero about it just to see before stopping again. Still not a good idea, probably, at least not until they've exhausted every option.]

Maybe we should just try prying the door open some more. If we can make it budge just a bit at least Ema or I could slip through and pass some food back out, if there is anything in there.

Or so you say, but guess it's my turn.

[ Said with a shiteating grin because haha you couldn't figure it out, excuses excuses, but he steps closer to the door. He traces his fingertips over the edge of the door, trying to see if he can get a good enough grip on it. It's tricky and difficult, but he eventually manages to open the door slightly. It's one of those annoying doors that try to close on their own when you pull them apart, so that was definitely going to be a problem. After keeping it open a slight amount, he lets go and the door slams shut. He then looks back at Ema and Hershel. ]

Slip through as quick as you can. I'll follow in after. You can't leave me out of the fun.

[ And if there's some robot nonsense on the other side, he dooooooesn't really trust these two to handle it on their own. ]

[that is ridiculous, robots don't even eat food]

All of the excitement of a trip to Acme... Okay, I'll go first, hopefully there'll be something we can prop the door with, just in case.

[she's not holding her breath...at least not any more than what's needed to squeeze through. surely this is a great and 100 percent safe endeavor they are embarking upon]

[Hershel follows quickly after, not entirely convinced of his own suggestion here but seeing little else the can do that wouldn't involve just beating the screen up. Once on the other side he pulls the oversized jacket closer because, shock of all shocks, the refrigerated room is pretty fucking cold.]

Looks safe enough. [helpful comments ahoy] No robots guarding the frozen dinners at least.

[ Once those two have passed through, Jake maneuvers getting himself through as well. He pulls away his hands as he does so and the door slams shut with a large clank, echoing throughout the room. He stands up straight and shakes his hands, looking around. ]

Any idea how we're going to carry all this out? [ Turning to Ema. ] Don't suppose you got a shopping cart under that ugly sweater of yours.

I was kinda hoping the door would stay at least somewhat open. Then we could just roll the stuff out. ...Guess we can put it in my pants.

[she starts shucking off her sweater and the second sweater under that]

Put it in your-- what?

[ he doesn't understand you, ema. he'll grab her sweaters if she manages to take them off because ??? ]

Keep your clothes o-- you know there's probably something we can use instead, right?

[when the door shuts hershel goes to examine it, looking around to see if there was some other panel or anything that might give them a break here. didn't look like it from what he could see, and sighs when he turns back to-]

What are you two doing... [whatever if was the adults of this room were doing. yeah, he had nothing.]

I nabbed a jumpsuit from the room with the maze. I assume it could carry a decent amount, I just have to take it off first. But if you have other ideas, I'm happy to hear them. Preferably before I turn into a giant ice cube.

[...] Well, I can't say that I do at the moment, are you sure you won't be too cold without that though? We may be stuck in here for a while.

[ if only Jake had an icon like Hershel had right there because that is what I would be using in response to Wonder Woman Ema... He looks around though to find something then. ]

There's a door over there, probably a supply closet so you want to check that first before stripping?

[the flattest of looks (it'd be superman for the random stripping, doesn't Wonder Woman just spin around a lot?]

…You realize I have another layer on underneath this, right? Stop dreaming, it's like 2 Kelvin in here.

[she checks out the closet anyway; if there are useful supplies that don't involve sacrificing clothing that is a definite bonus]

[there's probably buttloads of trays, plastic plates, bowls and utensils, but in the corner there may be one of those wheeled buckets and mop for janitors. probably useful? maybe?]

[of course hershel doesn't see that because he's not going to crowd the closet like an asshole, and just sigh softly to himself before turning to get a better look at the actual food. he picks up a pair of cans that don't seem to have any marking on them, turning back to jake.] It's a bit like what's it called, russian roulette? Who knows what you'll get. [and he pauses.] I suppose it's not like russian roulette at all, really. I hope these aren't just filled with gruel.

Edited 2015-02-13 21:06 (UTC)

Who knows how old this stuff is. Might end up as Russian roulette after all.

[she seems in good spirits though, emerging from the closet rolling a mop in a bucket with a handful of utensils and stuff in it. She looks over another shelf of...TV dinners??? Well, something frosted over in a flat foil package]

What is all this stuff?

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