vivarium | CALHOUN HOUR

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CALHOUN HOUR - CHOICE

It has been two and a half days since the end of the virus takeover. The power, lights, and heating has been turned back on. All the newer areas have been sealed, BP is once again required in certain rooms, and it appears that everything is returning back to normal.

Asides from Calhoun.

Whether characters have chosen to give pieces of Calhoun to Zero, to hold onto them, or to destroy them, it does not matter. There has been no indications as to when he would ever be back, so there has been a robotic mouse void within the warehouse. Zero has refused to leave any information as to the status of rebuilding Calhoun, but they have left this one message for everyone shortly after the power restoration:

"While you may be left alone to your devices, do not trick yourselves into thinking that there is a way out of here, or that you can do as you please. I will always be watching."

It has been two days since Zero has left these parting words before entirely disappearing. When attempting to call for them, everyone will only be responded with silence. It's clear that they're still watching over the facility though, as any kind of rule breaking or suspicious activities would automatically be rewarded with an injection of Soporil β. True to their word, Zero is somehow monitoring the behaviors without saying a single word.

It is not until the morning of Day 72 does everyone hear again from them again, through the speakers throughout the warehouse.

"Good morning, Subjects. Today, you will be partaking in another experiment of mine. It has come to my knowledge that my assistant has been throwing these so-called "Calhoun Hours" every three days to keep everyone stimulated between his rooms. Don't assume that I will do anything similar of the sort. This activity has far more care and thought put into it than this camping nonsense, so let us begin."

"The rules are simple: every test subject will be paired up and placed against each other. The collective will then have to vote for one of the pair. The one with the fewest amount of votes will be subjective to a punishment of my choice. The one with the most amount of votes will continue their dull experimental lives until the next set of events."

"Any petty attempts of rebellion will be met with serious repercussions, so I would suggest that you rethink any sort of plans."

"Now, best of luck, Subjects. We will talk again soon."

BASIC INFO ✖ MINGLE ✖ VOTES ✖ RESULTS

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"Nah, everything went pretty, um... smoothly..." Heiji quickly ducked his gaze to the side, look at this absolutely smooth operator, nothing out of the ordinary here.

"How you doin', Hershel? I can kinda guess what you'd want me to do, but I thought I'd come ask anyway."

"Oh?" Have a raised brow, what's that behavior, Heiji... "Well, as long as you promise you aren't hiding some great injury. We get enough of that around here."

He sighed, rubbing the side of his neck as he took a seat by the plant again. "You know what I want, yes. It doesn't matter who it is, don't vote for me. I'm one of the few people without any fading or recent injuries, you know." There's a glance at your leg at that, Heiji. "I'm alright, I suppose. I'll be less alright once this is over I'm sure, but for now there's no reason to fret over it. In times like this you need a clear head."

Nothing, he wasn't blushing either, everything was fine everything was under control. "You know I don't do that kinda thing, Hershel. Sheesh, you're just like a mother cat. Or maybe a hen?"

"That might actually be somethin' I can do. Clive wanted me to do the same thing, but his knees are wrecked right now, and he can't even walk! He said somethin' like he ain't want to slow anyone down, but that reasoning's just..."

Uh huh... "I hope you don't, you might be better at hiding it." Hershel said a tad dryly. "Are you sure you're alright? You seem a little flushed." Maybe he was just imagining things...

He shook his head. "I already planned on voting for Clive in most scenarios. I'm sure he'll be cross but I worry he doesn't realize just how much all he's already gone through here has effected him, not to mention his injury." He stifled a sigh before glancing to Heiji again. "I assume you'll want me to vote for your partner no matter what? I can't promise I will but I'll take that into account."

"Y-yeah, I'm fine." Totally imagining things, Hershel.

Heiji laughed. "Nah, you just do what you think is right. But, um... if it's between me and Snake, maybe you could vote for Snake? I don't want him to get hurt if I can help it."

Wow how embarrassing, what a pile of moe garbage.

"Hm..." Have a look that does not believe that at all. He stared at Heiji with his beady, soulless bird eyes for a moment before apparently deciding to let it go. "Well, if you're sure. Here, have some water just incase." He handed over his water bottle, drink up, bud.

Hershel regarded him a moment more before his expression softened some. "Alright, that I can promise. I doubt he'll be happy about it but-" Well, Heiji was kind of his best bro so sorry Snake, he gets to make requests like this and have them kept. "-hopefully whatever happens we'll be alright. I hope this doesn't pit anyone against each other once results are out."

"Yeah, I'm sure he won't be," said Heiji, taking the water bottle. Why this sudden interest in hydration, Hershel?

"Fact, he might even be really mad about it. But I just... I don't want him to get hurt, but I especially don't want him to get hurt on my account." He'd even fallen through a glass floor for Snake, can't change course now.

"I hope it'll all turn okay. But y'know... it's not really anyone's fault what happens. Except for Zero, that is."

He doesn't realize you're being moe and not coming down with a cold, rejoice that he hasn't realized yet. Hershel seemed appeased that Heiji took the water at least, so excellent.

"I understand. If he's mad then I'll cross that bridge when the time comes. I won't let him know you asked." No need to get Snake potentially mad at Heiji too.

And he glanced away, back to the plant. "I know. I don't plan on holding any grudges over it, no matter how much I disagree with some choices. That's exactly what Zero would want, I assume." Not that he won't be upset in some cases, but that's neither here nor there. "I never thought I'd miss Calhoun somewhat, I'll say that. At least he wasn't so... cold, I suppose."

That made perfect sense, being moe was basically like a disease anyway. He took a drink of British water, are you happy Hershel.

And then he smiled. "Nah, you don't have to keep quiet for me. I asked you to do it, so let me take the heat. He'll just have to deal with it!" YEAH. HEIJI CARED ABOUT YOU, SNAKE. DEAL WITH IT.

"I ain't like either of them -- Zero or Calhoun. But I guess... I dunno. At least some of Calhoun's stuff wasn't too terrible. Speaking of Calhoun, I found a couple of his parts. Before we give 'em over, though, don't you think we owe him a bit of a parting present?"

It really is, a potentially dangerous one. And he's very happy, he'll practically do a british jig chip chip cheerio old bean.

Hershel had to laugh a little at that. "Alright, if you're sure. Hopefully he won't be too cross if that is the case. It would be very much like Zero to pair you two just to be unpleasant."

"Oh, I saw some pieces too- a paw and Sasuke found his head." Don't ask what happened to the paw. His brow raised at this 'parting gift.' "I admit, I'm intrigued. What did you have in mind?"

"Don't worry. If that happens, we'll work it out." Weird, he looked a little flushed again. Maybe he should drink more water. Did you just say chip chip cheerio old bean, that's what the people really want to know.

"Well, I think we should put those sewing skills of yours to good use. Maybe we can give Calhoun a pair of angry eyebrows. Or give him little pawpads shaped like hearts."

Or a cutie mark.

Absolutely I did, I'm a professional British translator don't you know. Have that weird look again, hm, hm, looking a little sick again... "I know it's an unpleasant topic but what do you think these 'punishments' will be?"

Hershel stared a moment before he couldn't help covering his mouth to muffle some laughter. That was brilliant. "Pawpads shaped like hearts or angry eyebrows? Well... actually that wouldn't be too difficult at all. We could even make them bright red if we use a bit of that ludicrous maple leaf costume of yours."

100% behind this plan.

"Ugh... well, we really don't know that much about Zero at this point, do we? Or what he'd consider fitting 'punishment' for whatever it is we're supposed to be punished for. We do know that he has access to our memories, and a whole bunch of ways to make our lives less pleasant. Electrocution, gas, Bluebells..."

"Let's do it." This was a go, it was an absolute go. "I'll go get my costume right now."

"No, we really don't. Calhoun we could probably guess at, but Zero..." Hershel sighed, shaking his head. "Maybe it really is better not to dwell on it. There's nothing we can do at the moment."

There were way better things to be focusing on, obviously. Hershel stood, pulling his bag with him. "Where- ah, here we are." Hello sewing kit. He's so ready for this. "Do you have the pieces with you?"

"Yep, here we go!" A paw and a leg, how wonderful....

"Here, I'll cut some hearts outta this costume." Heiji applied himself to this task with surprising zeal, yeah you were going to have some new ridiculous pawpads you jerk. He was even humming a little as he did so. Honestly, Heiji didn't have have a lot of opportunity to pull old-fashioned practical jokes on people these days, so this was something of a treat.

Hershel shook his had at Heiji's enthusiasm- he couldn't blame him, it was pretty hilarious and harmless enough. Picking on Calhoun without breaking any rules was fine by him.

He regarded Calhoun's paw as Heiji cut the hearts up. "I wonder if Calhoun will remember all this. I can't say I'm his biggest fan but I hope not, it was all pretty disturbing to live through I imagine."

Heiji practically harrumphed at this. "After what he's put us through, he ain't exactly got room to complain." He started putting the little red hearts next to Hershel, enjoy that man.

"This machinery doesn't look like anything I've ever seen, though. I don't know who made him, but whoever it was must've been on the cutting edge."

Hershel started work, placing the fabric and carefully getting the sewing going. It probably wasn't what he was used to sewing but hey. First time for everything, right. "Maybe so, but I can't say I'd wish that on anyone, even him or Zero."

"I can't say I can tell." He turned his head a bit to get a better look at the arm. "It does looks surprisingly compact for how complex he must be. I wonder how much he cost Zero."

Heiji, on the other hand, was totally okay with robot violence. Zero he'd be happy to see in jail.

"Wonder if that's why he wanted us to collect the pieces and bring him back. It'd be a pain to rebuild somethin' like this..." Not that that was his problem. "Wish we had someone who could take this apart and tell us somethin' about it."

"It would be useful to know how he works." Sew sew sew. "Blimey, it'd be useful to have someone of the medical profession too, the way things go. Can't say I have a lot of hope for the next set of puzzle rooms if Zero's to be our gracious host."

The heart is now on the biggest pad of Calhoun's paw, and he shows it off to Heiji. "What do you think? Very bold statement from Calhoun, I'd say."

"Yeah... at this point, I'd even settle for a black market surgeon. Or at least someone who could take a look at Clive's knees and tell us if he'll be okay." The next set of puzzle rooms... ha. Ha. Heiji cut out a big old pair of angry eyebrows.

Yes good clearly Calhoun would be super pleased by their alterations and not pissed at all. Heiji laughed like it was going out of style. "That's perfect! I can't wait to see his face!"

"I'm really concerned about that, it seems like he can barely move his one knee. If something's broken or dislocated..." Deep, motherhenly sigh. "He's a bit stubborn about it too, can't say I'm surprised though. How do you think he's really doing?"

At least they had stupid heart paw prints. Hershel stifled a laugh as he continued. "He probably won't be very pleased, if Zero doesn't remove them. Let's hope doing so is too much extra effort."

"He's okay enough to get around in that chair, at least. I found him sound asleep in it earlier. I carried him over to a bed, but he's still sleeping. Must be exhausted." Not that he could really blame Clive, of course. No doubt it was hard work, trying to get up and down stairs in a squeaky chair.

"Can't imagine him sittin' there with a seam ripper," said Heiji, reaching over to grab a piece so he could start sewing things on, too. "Anything else you want to stick on him?"

"I hope he can walk by the puzzle room, even if it is poorly. Things could be difficult if he can't." The last thing Clive needed was getting some bullshit trap sprung on him or having to squeaky wheel away from robots.

Hershel considered, hm. "I'm not sure, this is rather lovely." Calhoun was the prettiest princess now. "The eyebrows really bring the look together."

Heiji took Calhoun's head and lifted it up, talking in a squeaky, unflattering imitation of the robot's voice. "I'm Calhoun and I work like a hundred times more than you lazy test subjects! You're all terrible and I'm the best! Pay attention, or I'll inject you with drugs!"

He waved an arm with heart-shaped pawpads angrily while he spoke.

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