vivarium | welcome to round two

T H E W A R E H O U S E

Welcome to the 【 Warehouse 】.

Or at least, another side of the Warehouse. While unknowing to the new batch of test subjects, it's almost identical to the first group's. There are a few elevators (obviously shut tight), every window is bolted shut, surveillance cameras in every corner, and there's a giant door with a 9 painted on it. There are noticeable differences and one of them is just how dark it is.

The only source of artificial illumination in the lobby are a panel of florescent lights above the elevators, and the occasional flickering of the camera's LEDs. A few scattered and dying fire pits help provide a greater sense of visibility, but just by a slight margin. However, it's obvious to see (and to test) that all the doors are sealed tight and that there doesn't appear to be any apparent exits, which is quite a shame, really, considering that an exit would be quite desirable after noticing all the weapons littering the floor.

While they're not your typical weapons (no guns, no swords, no axes), all the items on the ground seems heavily used and splattered with blood: a shovel, a pitchfork, a rake, trowels, scissors, knives, and such on. Some have seen more bloodshed than others, but regardless, none of these items seem particularly new. They have all seen better days, and the same could be said about the test subjects.

Each and every character will awaken with various scrapes, bruises, and dried blood. The degree of injuries they may have on them will vary from character to character, but no one character will be unharmed. On top of that, they will all find a bracelet wrapped around their left wrists. It looks a lot like a digital watch, but characters will suspect it is broken, as the face is completely blank. There are two buttons on the top, but other than producing a satisfying click, pressing them does absolutely nothing. Trying to take it off is a futile effort as well, as they do not have a visible clasp for the characters to undo.

To make this entire situation worse, test subjects will recall nothing.

They may find objects that may resonate with them, that feel familiar in their hands, along with having a general idea of knowing just who they are (names, likes, dislikes, peeves, etc), but trying to remember what happened? Why they're here? Where they even are? It'd all be one giant blur and trying to force a memory only leads to a headache.

So, well, test subjects, better start figuring things out. Relying on your memories clearly isn't helping.

BASIC INFO ✖ FIRST GLANCE

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[And now the scream is just a bit louder, good going indeed Kaidou.]

Aaah! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!

[...What is she even apologizing for?]

Please, don't hurt me-!

!

[he rears back, redfaced and startled]

I--I wasn't-- I just wanted to know what was wrong.

[She peers up at him, still clearly quite scared and not entirely convinced.]

Everything hurts, and I don't know what's going on, or-- or who anyone is, or anything! I'm not sure what happened, but...

[It's evidently too much, because she finally begins to cry outright.]

I-- I'm sorry, I just-- I'll do whatever, so please don't hurt me!

I'm not going to hurt you!

[because yelling that is totally convincing. to a crying woman, at that! What a cad. At least he seems to realize that was a top class dumbshit move, and immediately deflates, looking away and letting out a long hiss of breath. After a brief moment of fidgeting, he unties the bandana from his hair and slowly, unthreateningly(? he's trying?) offers it to her.]

I'm not going to do anything. So stop crying. ...Please.

[She flinches when he raises his voice, covering her head with her hands as though fearing an attack. But then he... doesn't? And is actually trying to hand over his bandanna, too?

Cautiously, the hands slide from her head as she reaches up with both of them to accept it.]

U-uuu... Th-thank you...

[The gesture seems to calm her somewhat as she dabs delicately at the tears. Possibly because the bandanna probably isn't the cleanest thing around, but hey, it's the thought that counts.]

[his hat head is really bad? so he probably looks silly? ...but also scowling (which apparently is his default expression) and with a large bruise over his cheekbone, so maybe more on the menacing side of silly...never mind in that case.]

Crying won't help anything. We have to figure out where we are and how to get out, first.

...Are you injured?

[That would be the logical course of action to take, wouldn't it.

After some hesitation, she nods.] I think my legs are all bruised... and my face hurts, too.

[She raises a single hand to gingerly touch the cut across her cheek. At least it doesn't seem particularly deep?

There's one other strange pain, around her ribcage, but the pain there is manageable at least. She's also not entirely sure she wants people checking her too thoroughly, whether it's out of concern or not. Those injuries should paint the picture of a pathetic enough girl as it is; she can already work with this.]

You're bleeding.

[he lets out another long, hissing breath]

It seems like there was some sort of fight. Do you remember anything?

[She lowers her hand, her eyes widening a fraction at the blood before she looks to her clothes as if trying to find a good place to wipe it off. Considering her winter coat is a nice pearly white aside from smudges of grime here and there, she sort of just. Lets her hand fall, dropping the bandanna into her lap as she holds loosely onto her wrist.]

No... I don't remember anything. [That's probably the most honest she's been this entire time. Her head aches whenever she so much as tries to think about what might have happened before.] Do you...?

No. No one else does, either. It's--irritating.

[irritating to say the least. but he'd already stated they didn't have time for those feelings yet, so Kaoru doesn't let himself think about it any further. Of course, it begs the question 'what next,' and with no answer forthcoming, he stuffs his hands into the pocket of his windbreaker. Not even a spare wet wipe, how uncivilised.

[...well, that's something. he gestures vaguely towards Rio's hand, and the bandanna]

You can use it, if you want.

[With a mild start, she glances at him, and then the bandanna.]

Oh... no, it's okay. You might need it for... something else. [At least she seems to be calm enough to consider the potential for other more serious injuries needing tending to? But her tone carries a heaviness with it, as if admitting that much has only just proved that everything is terribly wrong. There's no going back anymore.

She holds it out to him again with a solemn expression.]

If... If we're all here, and none of us remember what happened... What do we do?

[he hesitates then takes it, his expression contemplative as he considers a response]

...Someone has to know how we got here. Just have to figure out which of them it is, and make them undo it.

Which...?

[She glances around nervously, her eyes alighting on each of the others in the room.]

Y-you mean... the one who did this could be one of them...?

Someone had to have done it. Show me your wrist.

My wrist?

[...Which one? She holds them both out, looking puzzled. Of course, there's that weird watch-shaped thing on one, but it's not like she has any point of reference for what she should or should not have on her right now.]

Oh, you have one, too.

[He sticks out his right arm, showing that he also has the weird watch-shaped thing.]

The loud girl and the woman also have them. I thought it might mean something.

[Oh. She looks down at her own watch-thing curiously, pushing at the buttons without effect.]

Is this the only thing everybody has?

So far as I can tell. Most people are keeping things secret.

Keeping things secret...? Like what?

welcome to round two

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