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

[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]

[elliexir]

[ Oh thank fucking god, that's over with... Ellie can be seen through the windows, hands over her ears. She keeps her hands there, even after the sirens stop, then drops them a few seconds later. The ringing in her ears is making things super awful. ]

Holy crap, that was awful. I think my eardrums exploded.

[ Well, looks like she's okay. How're you all doing after that mess ]

[babel_hacker]

[He looks up from the console and direct his gaze at everyone in this side.]

It seems so? [He calls out louder, so Ellie and Rio can hear him.] Okay, guys. I'm proceeding with the shutdown in a moment! But are you two okay?!

[He gives them a moment to hear what he said and understand it, before he can do it.]

[elliexir]

[ Ellie looks up and walks over to the window, just nodding a bit, still slightly dazed from the whole experience. ]

Yeah! I mean, I'm now deaf, but totally okay and alive. [ Might be a little dramatic but looking over to Rio's side. ] Rio? Are you okay in there?

[toybombs]

[There's no answer. In fact, glancing inside will only reveal the room is empty.










Just kidding, there she is crouched in a shaky pile on the ground with her hands clasped over her ears. It doesn't look like she's heard the others, what with being busy shaking and sobbing in a little pile, as could probably be expected of her.

Carry on, folks.]

[elliexir]

Oh man...

[ That doesn't look good... A wave of guilt overcomes Ellie once she sees that. She goes right up against the window and bangs on it twice, trying to get Rio's attention. ]

Hey, Rio!

[toybombs]

[She visibly starts at the banging, slowly raising her head even as her arms remain protectively by her face.]

E-Ellieeeeee...

[This is the most awful thing in the universe and they're probably going to die and she got trapped in a room and she thought she was going to die then and she's probably too shaky to even get herself back into the vent to leave.]

[elliexir]

[ Well, the banging might have not been a good idea, but at least she got her attention so... reassuring powers, goooooo?? ]

Hey, look, everything's back to normal, so nothing's wrong, okay? Nothing else to worry about.

[toybombs]

U-uuuu...

[She doesn't seem to agree. But she does slowly pick herself up, arms nearly hugging herself as she keeps her gaze low. This is just awful, awful, awful!]

[elliexir]

Can you go through the vents again? I can meet you back in the main room with everyone else.

[ Or she can take the long way and go over to where Rio is, help and comfort her if needed... ]

[toybombs]

I-Is it safe to do that...? I might get stuck-!

[And oh gosh is that the last thing she wants right now.]

[babel_hacker]

[Atsuro raise his voice.]

Don't worry! If you can go through the vents in the first place, you can go through them again and back to us!

[Hopefully, that's reassuring enough?]

Once you guys are back, I can initiate the shutdown.

[toybombs]

U-uuu...

[Definitely crying even more now. But shakily, she does eventually begin to walk towards the vent, making a very pathetic climb up and into it.

W-will she even be able to make it out? It seems to be taking a while...

Aha, there she is. She just sort of tumbles out again, although this time she just lays in a heap once she hits the ground, trembling like a leaf.]

[elliexir]

[ Ellie has made her way into her own vent once she saw that Rio climbed into her. She doesn't have a stellar landing either, she nearly trips on the desk and falls, but she catches herself. She heads right over to Rio and tries to see if she can help her up. ]

Hey, we made it! That wasn't too bad, right>

[toybombs]

[Nope, sorry Ellie, too busy 'uuuuuuu'-ing and otherwise being a pile on the ground.

Just do whatever, she's done, she doesn't want to deal with any of this anymore.]