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

[babel_hacker]

[Yeah.

Yeah, he knows where she's getting at.

Atsuro looks over at Rio.]

...Rio, can you go there?

[toybombs]

U-uuu...

[She looks around desperately, as though she may suddenly find a magical means of escape. But naturally, there is none.

When she finally realizes this, her head tips downwards and she holds out a shaky hand, presumably for the key. She really doesn't want to, but if it means leaving this awful place...]

[elliexir]

[ Ellie goes back to the window looking into the main room and tries the reassuring approach. ]

Hey, it's not going to be bad at all, Rio. I'm going to be right here in the room next to you, and it looks all good here! We'll stick it out together!

[babel_hacker]

[He gives Rio the key and, after a brief moment, place his hand on top of her head. Hopefully, it's reassuring enough.]

Yeah. You won't be alone over there. We just need to deal with this for a moment and we'll get out of here!

[fushuuu]

There's windows. So we'll still be in contact. It shouldn't take long.

[1st_response_is_anger]

We'll help your coordinate your efforts from here!

[toybombs]

[For the most part, the headpat just puts a stop to the 'uuuu'-ing. She still looks quite terrified, but if no one else can do it...

With an air of reluctance, she turns to the vent and climbs on up (potentially with the aid of an office chair). Here goes nothing...]

[vivariummods]

[ Rio will find that the vent leads exactly into the southeastern room, directly adjacent to the room Ellie currently is. Asides from the dust and occasional spider webs, she will have no problem getting through. Congrats? ]

[toybombs]

[So naturally she still finds a way to tumble right out in a somersault. Owww...

But, she's also quickly back on her feet, looking around dizzily for a moment before hurriedly running to the control panel. Okay, so she just needs to put in the key, right...?]

N-Now what?

[elliexir]

[ Ellie rushes over to the window connecting her room with Rio's. ]

Hey, you made it! See, nothing to worry about. [ More reassuring?? ] But I guess we just gotta put in the keys at the same time and turn?

[toybombs]

And then we turn everything off. Right?

[Uuuuu... But still, she gives a slightly determined nod. Or at least, about 30% determined against that 70% terrified.]

O-okay... I think I'm ready!

[Hopefully.]

[elliexir]

[ Ellie goes back to her little pedestal and gets her key ready. She puts it in the slot and looks over. ]

Okay! Then we turn right on the count of three, okay?

[ Do the honours of counting down, Rio? ]

[toybombs]

O-okay...

[DEEP BREATHS RIO, YOU CAN DO IT.]

Three... two... O-one!

[TUUUUUURN.]

[elliexir]

[ TURNING THIS THING AAAAAA ]

[vivariummods]

[ The keys turn smoothly and there is a small 'click' sound after doing so. However... nothing appears to happen. Asides from the newly turned keys, everything remains the same. ]

[ For a few seconds, at least. ]

[ Immediately, thunderous sirens blare throughout every single room. It's ear-piercing, to say the least, and would require anyone to yell in order to be heard. In addition, a loud scrapping noise accomplices the siren. The source of this sound? Large and heavy shutters coming down on every single window, vent, and door in the entire room. It cuts off the three rooms from each other, visually and audibly. In between the nonstop sirens and newly placed sound barriers, it will be impossible for the remaining group (Atsuro, Kaidou, and Maria), Rio, and Ellie to communicate between each other. ]

[ The screen on the computer changes slightly, now reading "LOCKDOWN MODE IN PROCESS - PLEASE ENTER PASSWORD". ]

[ What will you do, those of the remaining group? Examine the shutters? The console? The desks? Other? Whatever it is, better hurry before your eardrums get blown out. ]

[babel_hacker]

What...?!

[WHAT DID THEY DO. Despite the loud noises, Atsuro quickly read the screen. Lockdown mode? Password? He quickly head for the console to examine it, while covering his ears with his hands. What's the buttons/keyboard like, what does the password input screen looks like? ANYTHING WORTH FINDING HERE?

He raise his voice, trying to yell over the sirens.]

GUYS, LOOK AROUND FOR PASSWORD HINTS! OR ANYTHING!

[vivariummods]

[ YOU DID EVERYTHING WRONG ]

[ The console itself just appears to be an oversized computer. The keyboard is like an standard one and the password input screen is rather plain. It offers no clues and no hints, not even to how many characters are needed. Maybe if you start typing in random things, it will change, but asides from that, better look somewhere else! ]

[babel_hacker]

[HOW WOULD THEY KNOW

Typing things at random would take too long, and there's a chance they would make things even worse. Atsuro move away from the console and head towards the nearest desk. There's bound to be a hint somewhere, like "password is A + B" or something!]

[vivariummods]

[ THEY KNOW EVERYTHING ]

[ Unfortunately, there's nothing on the desk, at least not anything that would prove useful to the current problem. Should Atsuro check the other desk, that one has nothing as well. Check somewhere, buddy! There might be something new somewhere! ]

[fushuuu]

[what the hell is even going on here guys honestly]

[after tying his bandanna around his ears (not that it does much), kaidou goes to tug at the one of the window shutters, hoping it will do something.]

[vivariummods]

[The shutter budges--just barely--and while it locks back into place after only a centimeter of give, a worn slip of paper wafts out from behind it.

One side of the paper is creased with grease. The other side has some writing in slightly smudged pencil:]

yesterday's password was the same
today's password is different

[1st_response_is_anger]

*Wait...could it be that simple?* Guys, maybe this literally the password! Try typing "different"!

[babel_hacker]

[Atsuro doesn't believe it, it's way too simple.

But he's running over to the console and quickly type in "different" and submit it.]

[vivariummods]

[Once he presses enter, the cursor disappears, the screen goes blank for a beat.

Then, an unhappy message about how shutdown was not initiated properly and scanning would commence. The scan takes about five minutes, during which the computer does not respond to anything, and the sirens do not get any less loud and bright.

Then, finally, abruptly, they stop, the noise ceasing and the shutters slowly rolling back up. The sudden quiet leaves a loud ringing in your ears.

A single prompt displays on the screen:]

!! W A R N I N G !!

Generator shutdown process has been initiated; proceed with shutdown? Y/N

[fushuuu]

[kaidou looks around, a little off-kilter from the sudden silence (not that it seems quiet to him, hello, tinnitus)]

...It worked?

[he moves to the windows to make sure everyone's okay]