THE FINALE - 【 ZERO 】 ESCAPE

[vivariummods]

It's been ten days since the so-called "anniversary" on Day 90. Every single trace of a makeshift casino has been cleared out, leaving this suspiciously identical second warehouse empty (and the doors within that lobby locked), and Calhoun has mysteriously stopped dropping by as often as he should have. In the rare times he did drop by, he hemmed and hawed about what was happening and outright avoided answering any questions, shrieking that he's a busy mouse and he shouldn't be harassed by test subjects. Thus, for nine whole days, not a single particular event has occurred. No Calhoun Hours, Ambidex Games, or even a little announcement. It's not until the morning of the tenth day that something finally transpired. A loud siren goes off and the sound of a heavy door being slid open echoes from the second warehouse's lobby. Within seconds, however, both nuances cease and silence returns...

Comments

[babel_hacker]

A bracelet? [Atsuro's eyes glance over towards Snake's wrist, if he can see it. Is that a bracelet as well? And on his... right wrist? He glanced down at his bracelet on his left wrist. It seems to be a pretty minor difference.] Yeah, I do. All of us here do.

[It's safe to say it. Anyone with eyes can see it on them.]

[blind_badass]

All right, how much BP do you have on it? *A perfectly logical question. His bracelet is blank but not broken. On further inspection, it does have an extra button on the side.*

[babel_hacker]

... BP? [Atsuro sounds confused. He looks at his bracelet, touching it with his other hand. Is there a function in this? He looks back up at Snake.] What do you mean, BP?

[blind_badass]

You...don't have BP? *Well, color him surprised. He frowns.* You have a bracelet but you don't have BP? Did you have to vote in the Ambidex rooms at all?

[babel_hacker]

"Ambidex rooms"? I have no idea what you mean by that. [It seems like Atsuro doesn't know about them.] Can you tell me about them?

[The closest thing they have to a "vote" was that "Would You Ever" game. But he suspect it's not the same.]

[blind_badass]

He didn't make you do any of that? Strange.

*Well, since Atsuro is polite, he'll answer the question.* Zero designed our experience to be competitive against each other. Groups went into rooms to solve puzzles and afterward, our groups would go in separate rooms and vote either Ally or Betray. Each of us have points and if both groups vote Ally, we get two points. If both groups vote Betray, no points are awarded. However, if one group votes Ally and the other votes Betray, the Ally vote loses two points and the Betray vote earns 3 points. It was a lot about trying to figure out what the other person would end up doing. The idea behind it is called the prisoner's dilemma.

We needed to get a certain number of BP in order to get regular, if bland food and gradually more amenities, including sleeping in a bed.

[babel_hacker]

Nope. Most we get is being forced to play a game by Calhoun, but he didn't mention anything about BP.

[He's quiet for a moment during Snake's explanation. He can pretty much follow it easily enough. And promising things like food and other stuff is a good enough incentive to make people to consider to pick "Betray". Although...]

I can see how that can get tricky, especially if you don't know what others would choose. But... [Atsuto pause for a second, before he continues.] ... What happens if you lost all your points? Or went negative, if these bracelets can show it?

[blind_badass]

If you got a zero, you died. Fortunately no one's BP got that low, but some were certainly close. According to Zero, there are needles and very quick reacting drug inside the bracelets. That we did get a chance to witness. *At least Snake heard people pass out very fast.*

[babel_hacker]

[He looks at his bracelet. Does this work the same? He have no reason to believe it doesn't.]

To think something like that's inside these... I'd thought they're like, a fancy looking tracking device. [He pause as he thinks.] We don't know if ours function the same as yours, but it's simpler to assume they do.

[If the BP reaches zero... So it works by itself? Or can Zero activates it with his remote.]

Is there anything else about these bracelets we need to know?

[blind_badass]

The only addition mine has is an audio function so I can tell how much BP I have, since I wouldn't be able to see the display. *One minor helping point Zero gave him. The only one.*

[babel_hacker]

... Audio? [That's when he realises it.] You have bad eyesight? Blind?

[If he's blind, that cast some context over this group.]

[blind_badass]

Blind. *as an afterthought, he added* Before I came here, I assure you.

[babel_hacker]

Oh. If you haven't mention that, I'd ask if you lost your sight in a game.

[Ugh, his memories of blinding himself.]

Guess that means Zero doesn't discriminate who he picked for this.