EVERYONE'S TRUTH - BEGINNING

[vivariummods]

Since the second group's first Calhoun Hour, the mouse in question hasn't appeared in the warehouse for longer than 30 minutes at a time. He only arrives during the early mornings to tape a random fruit of the day (apples, oranges, and pears so far) before scurrying off with his wagon. He refuses to provide any sort of medical relief for any of the test subjects, and does nothing more but providing the bare minimum to survive. So, when Day 9 rolls around, three days since that faithful finger breaking/eye blinding experience, it's no different; Calhoun comes in, tapes up some bananas, then promptly leaves afterwards, all without a word. An hour after he leaves, though... The screen in the Greenhouse, up against the wall besides the entrance, finally comes to life for the first time. It flickers on and on, flashing brightly. At first, there's nothing but static. Soon enough, though, it stays a consistent green tint. A blinking cursor hovers at the bottom and stays there for a few seconds, before it begins to type. DO NOT DRAW ATTENTION TO YOURSELVES COME TO THE LOBBY AND GO THROUGH THE NEWLY OPENED DOOR I WILL MEET YOU THERE....... And it ends there...

Comments

[toybombs]

Eh--

[Wait, wait, wait...]

B-but... even if I did fit... [And she's not saying she will!!] C-couldn't that be really dangerous? We don't even know where they go! ...Or if they go anywhere!

[elliexir]

Yeah... You got a point.

[ She doesn't really like the idea of making Rio explore someplace alone. It's not like Ellie could exactly tag along with her... ]

Then scratch that, maybe we should peek into those rooms instead. There's that giant window behind that machine. It should give us some clues.

[toybombs]

[Phew... With a slight nod, she begins wandering timidly in the direction of the windows. Because at this point, it's not like anything will pop out at her, right?

...Right?

Well, anyway. What's up with the rooms over here?]

[elliexir]

[ Ellie has to prop herself up on the console's keyboard and all, in order to tippy-toe to look in. Hmmm. ]

There's this weird stand or pillar in there. No idea what that's for, but uhhh-- hey, I think I see a vent in there too!

[toybombs]

[If Ellie has to be on her tip-toes to see, there's basically no way Rio's going to be able to.]

Huh-? Then the vent goes inside there?

[elliexir]

[ Someone should have drank their milk while growing up. ]</small? I think so. The ones in here aren't so far away from the ones in there, so they gotta be linked, right?

[babel_hacker]

[Atsuro walks over and take a look as well.]

Hm... Possibly? So if one of us went into the vents and they can go in that direction, they would be able to enter that room.

[Most likely Rio, because she's tiny.]

[toybombs]

[She doesn't like where this is going...]

B-but the vent is so small, and--

What if it's dangerous in there?

[It's an empty room, but will it really stay that way?]

[babel_hacker]

[That's a point. He feel uneasy to let her go there alone. Would sending both Ellie and Rio there be safer? Who knows how long they have until their captors get to them--]

I don't want to send you there alone and, well. [He glances at Ellie.] I'd want one of us to go with you, but I dunno how well Ellie can...

[Um.]

Crawl through in the vents.

[Not like he's implying she might be too big but--]

[elliexir]

Wow, thanks.

[ Said in a more joking and overexaggerated tone. Ellie has no idea if she should take that as a compliment or what, like are you calling her fat, but she stops there. ]

Well, worth a shot, I guess... I can go in first, but If I get stuck, then I'm putting it on you for jynxing it, buddy.

[ Referring to Atsuro. Let's keep it lighthearted okay ]

[toybombs]

U-uuu

[She hugs herself, looking worried and guilt-ridden.]

I'm sorry Ellie... [Once again, she's totally useless.] B-but please, be careful!

[1st_response_is_anger]

Way to take it for the team, Ellie. *Yeah, no way Maria can fit in those vents either.*

[babel_hacker]

[Yes, he might have kinda almost somewhat accidentally imply Ellie might be fat but not on purpose he swears.]

Haha, got it! And if you do get stuck, we'll pull you out and I can, I dunno, take responsibility for jinxing it.

1/2

[elliexir]

[ it's slightly worse if it's not on purpose because that is one major foot-in-mouth syndrome you got there, atsuro. ]

You better take responsibility, jerk. [ She grins and goes back to the vent on the west side of the room to climb onto the wooden desk. ] But all right, back in a flash!

[ The vent is still slightly out of her reach, even with the desk, so she jumps up slightly and pulls herself up. It appears like she just barely fits in, so time to get to crawling! ]

[elliexir]

[ In a minute later, she finds herself on the other side. Luckily, there's another table for her to jump down onto. She coughs and pats herself off. ]

Oh man, that was so dusty. Gross...

[ She looks around then goes over to the window, that peers into the large room she just came from. ]

Hey!! Can you hear me?

[ The glass itself isn't exactly soundproof and there's that vent, so it hopefully shouldn't be too hard to hear her... ]

[toybombs]

Ellie!

[Rio runs along to the window, climbing up on the chair so she can see better.]

You're okay! Was it scary? And what's inside...?

[elliexir]

[ She tip-toes to properly get her head properly over the window. ]

Not scary, but just kind of dirty. [ Referring to the vent, but she turns around to look at the room she's in. ] Umm, there's not really a lot in here. There's a desk and a chair, but...

[ She walks over to the weird pedestal and looks it over. ]

Wait, this thing needs a key, like an old traditional kind. I think we can use one of the keys we found on this thing.

[1st_response_is_anger]

Go for it, kid! *Be the badass! Maria will patch you up if you get in trouble.*

[elliexir]

[ She fetches out the one key that she had (let's just say that she has it, handwave that nonsense), but before she actually puts it in... she looks past the window into the next room. ]

Hold up. The exact same thing is in that room too. Do I have to put the key in that too?

[ Does that mean she has to come out and go to that one after? Do they have to do it at the same time? What's the deal??? ]

[babel_hacker]

The exact same thing? Lemme check...

[Atsuro looks around and moves to the back.]

Like... the keyholder? Or this notice about turning off everything?

[elliexir]

The keyholder, I think? The one in my room has a place to put the key in and I think I can turn it off with it.

[ She looks around. ]

Don't see a notice or anything around here though.

[babel_hacker]

Hm... The notice here say to turn off everything at the same time.

[He looks over back at the large window.]

Let's try putting the key into one of the platforms and see what it does?

[toybombs]

[Oh nooo...]

Turn everything off at the same time... I-it's not going to fry her or anything if she does just one, is it?

[What a morbid thought.]

[elliexir]

[ Now that Rio said that... Ellie holds onto her left wrist, where it's still pretty badly burned from the last two times she got shocked. ]

... Yeah, I'd rather avoid that...

i live

[fushuuu]

[until now, kaidou has been happy to just watch and frown vaguely, but finally he pipes up, rubbing at his own wrist]

This place has never skimped on punishments. If it says the keys need to be turned at the same time, then you can count on a penalty if they aren't.

If you can't get to the other console, we'll have to find another way.