vivarium | THE HEART OF THE MATTER

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THE HEART OF THE MATTER

Sometime early in the morning (or at least what feels like it, considering that there aren’t any clocks around), Calhoun will scream into a megaphone to wake everyone up. He won’t explain what’s going on, but he will say that he has a surprise for everyone. What is it? Well, they won’t know until they get up! So, everyone line up by the hallway’s door!

He’ll be calling everyone into a “☆ SECRET ROOM ☆” one by one, and spending a few minutes with them. In this room, it’ll be nothing but a table, two chairs, a metal cabinet, and a lone lightbulb hanging from the ceiling. Anyone who’s seen enough cop shows will notice that this is an interrogation room. Granted, there’s a sleeping pod in the corner of the room (rather similar to the same device that returns memories) and this room is a pretty fictional interrogation room as the real things aren't so hardboiled, but Calhoun is a fan of cop dramas and he only has so much power, so this is what he went for.

Anyway, in here, Calhoun will do one of two things:

1) Reveal an unpleasant secret about them. Of course, it might sound fictional at first, but then he’ll go into his little cabinet and pull out a folder to back up his claims. These reports don’t look fake, and well, just think of what the others might think if they heard of this. Sure, you can deny it all you want, but what about your fellow test subjects? How can they ever see you in the same light again? Even if you attempt to convince them otherwise, this will forever linger in the back of their minds. They might even start turning against you, and while Calhoun’s a pretty nice mouse, he can’t do anything to stop you silly test subjects from doing something dramatic.

2) Grant them the fragment of a memory. What a kind mouse Calhoun is being, giving you a freebie! They’ll be placed in a pod, as per the usual, and given part of a memory. The problem is this freebie cuts off at the worst possible time, and any begging, threats or inquiries into the matter are only going to be met by Calhoun’s snickers. It would be awful if something happened and you could never find out if your dear friend Timmy ever got out of that well, right? A real tragedy. Oh well, too bad for you, buddy.

Once Calhoun has called everyone one by one into this “☆ SECRET ROOM ☆” of his, he will gather all the test subjects up, stand on counter of Calhoun’s Corner and make an announcement.

“Listen up, test subjects! While yesterday’s round of Bingo was all fun and games, it’s time to spice things up around here! This is starting to get really bland, like oatmeal bland, and my Master has given me the go ahead to shake things up.”

“Some of you, I've told you a dark, spooky secret, while for the rest, I've shown you a little memory! Who got what, though, no one knows! But you know who you are and you know what you have to lose.”

“So what was the point of all this? Welllllll, like I've said, it’s so boring here, that I’m giving you the chance to redeem yourselves of this sinful dullness. How, you wonder?”

“Give me a show.”

“I think you all know me well by now, what entertains me and what I like to see. So, give me the performance of a lifetime by the end of the next AB Voting round! Of course sooner is better, because you never know if I’m gonna like these plans of yours, but go ahead, take your time! I mean it’s not like there’s much I can do, excepppppt…”

“I can just reveal those little secrets of yours to everyone! Don’t think you can just shrug it off as something I've made up too. I’ll spread out those reports and all the evidence for everyone to see, and we’ll see how long it takes for them to turn on you.”

“And those with a memory, don’t sigh in relief, because you’re not safe either! I’ll ensure that you will never get the rest of that memory I showed you. You can wonder for the rest of your lives what really happened. If you think it’ll be as simple as just asking around when you get out, think again. You’ll never know the whole truth unless you remember it yourself, since this mouse can get his paws in the outside world’s evidence.”

“What if one of you manages to entertain me? Well, not only will you get your full memory back, but everyone’s memories and secrets will be safe! They won’t be getting anything back, but maybe one day, and you’re the one who did all the work, those ungrateful cads!”

“Well, I think that’s about it. Toodles! You know where to find me if you have any questions or love letters for me.”

He winks at the crowd (looking at you, Zelos), then hops off the counter, back into the safety of his shop.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I don't think there is anything we can do that wouldn't be just... worse.

[and another long pause and staring ahead sort of blankly before he looks at her.] He told me I killed someone. If... well, maybe now it's more like when, when that comes out I doubt many people in the game will be willing to trust me again. Frankly if it's true I'm not sure I could blame them in the slightest.

[have a pretty defeated look because at this point he just thinks yeah, this is it, they did what they could but failed and it sucked.] I wouldn't blame you either, of course. For what it's worth thank you for trying so hard to stop him.

...

[then, they weren't that different after all...

...except for one, small but important thing, she couldn't believe he'd do anything like that for a minute.]

He's lying, there's no way that could be true, not intentionally. Only an idiot wouldn't trust you after an obviously false accusation like that.

[she hesitates, then lightly touches his arm]

You're a good man, Hershel... Don't let them--don't let anyone make you think otherwise.

[Hershel regards her for a few quiet moments before offering a strained but totally sincere smile.] Thanks Ema. All this time you've been talking about moving forward and not focusing on our memories. maybe-

[And he cuts off like he isn't sure how he wants to finish that. He shakes his head.] Please don't do anything else to get yourself hurt for this, Ema. Whatever he told you, it can't be worth... [you know. dying. he shuts up.]

[she echoes a faint smile of her own, hugging her arms around herself]

...when it's for some people, it's a lot harder to remember that.

Do as I say, not as I do, okay?

[you're a stubborn chick, ema. fretting has cranked up to ten] Ema, please, tell me you're not going to try anything else.

[she shakes her head, feeling fuzzy again]

...I'm going to try to make it to the cafeteria.

Ema... [You're killing him. He sighs, bracing her arm.] I'll take you. [aka i don't trust you alone anymore because who knows what you'll do next???]

[probably pass out

which is why she doesn't complain at all (also because she is feeling rather poorly and also because she's grateful he's around all, even if he didn't even a little bit assume she'd make anything but the worst decisions, sometimes she just makes only the second-worst decisions you know)

but yeah, she'd rather pass out in the cafeteria, fewer people there, also, maybe there's an ice machine or at least some frozen grey meat or something, hope springs eternal]

[it's almost as though she has a record of making the worst decisions?? how presumptuous of him though.

and of course he helps her, leading her as gently as he can to the cafeteria, even going out of his way to try and avoid people since she didn't seem like she was in any shape for being grilled by a passerby about why she looked like death warmed over.

as he walks he tries to think of something nice to distract her with, like a story or a puzzle because really WHO wouldn't want a puzzle right now??? no one.] Um, you know I thought of a nice puzzle the other day, would you like to hear it? [no????????????]

...?

[well, that's not a no???]

[it's probably the closest yes he's ever going to get. he looks a bit embarrassed but goes for it.] Um, well, just they can be fun when they aren't- you know, awful and deadly.

Anyway... so the distance three racehorses can run around the racetrack in one minute is as follows:

Horse A: Two laps.
Horse B: Three laps.
Horse C: Four laps.

The horses line up at the starting line and start running in the same direction. How many minutes will pass before all three horses line up at the starting line again? [blatantly steals a puzzle from one of the games, also probably closing in on the cafeteria now]

[she is trying to be fast for you hershel, look at her, thinking and walking and not stabbing anyone it is hard okay]

...

...

...One?

[he's never been more proud of you. have a fairly warm smile, yeah puzzles rah rah.] That's right, you know not many people would get that so fast, given the state you're in. You must be good at working under pressure. [or horrible injury and pain]

[yay smiles yay. have the most tiredest-looking smirk]

It tried to be sneaky, but it didn't know who it was dealing with.

[now, let's get into this cafeteria so she can lie down on a bench and lie there]

[truly puzzles were the best apparently.]

I'll have to think of something harder next time. [And hurray the cafeteria, Hershel's going to help her take a seat before stepping back.] Let me go get you some water at least, ok? Would you like to try to eat something? [cluck cluck motherhen]

Only if it's ice, alcohol, or stitches.

[Food was pretty much the last thing on her mind, somewhere just above 'another pepper spray to the face' on the list of 'things I want right now'. Still, if you had ice, you could survive in a bathtub having a kidney removed! and she was pretty sure she hadn't lost a kidney, so she was already doing better than someone out there.

...Speaking of other unfortunate people.]

Could you get my coat? I think it's still in the lounge.

[With Snake. /o/]

Well, we have the sewing kits but I'm not sure normal thread is really a good idea to stitch someone up with. [maybe it was??? he had no idea you're the maybe doctor here ema.

but he nods.] Alright, I'll be right back- [Off he goes. Well, no he stops to bring her a cup of water but then off he goes to the lounge to get her coat. In a few minutes he'll come back, hoping she didn't run off to do something even more dangerous because boy would he not be happy.]

[maybe if you boiled it?? spoilers, if I was a doctor I am doing even worse wrt Hippocratic oath

and you know, maybe it's not that she is looking for danger, maybe the danger comes looking for her, did you think about that??]

[yeah stabbing two people isn't. the most doctorly thing. also i googled it apparently thread is probably not the best, surprising...

say that when you can answer hershel's 'please don't do crazy harmful stuff to yourself' with an okay i won't, ema... but here, he puts the coat over her shoulders.] Here you go- this coat always made me wonder if you were a doctor, I guess now it seems more likely you're a scientist, doesn't it? [scientifically speaking]

[you realize this only happened because we couldn't buy jake those dora the explorer bandaids.

and look, she just doesn't want to lie to him, shouldn't he be happy she respects him enough to not lie to his face?

...but yeah, she seems happy enough to have her coat back, or at least no more miserable and somewhat less cold]

Can't think of any decent theories I've proven, though.

...Was anyone in there?

[if only they had the foresight to petition that from calhoun's shop, so much bloodshed could have been avoided.

... well. i guess. that's good. and Hershel takes a seat next to her, sighing.] Heiji and Snake were there- I should have probably guessed you had help with this.

He seems alright though, at least Heiji is taking care of him.

...

[she looks as though she wants to ask something, and also not ask about something, so in the end she just stares at her incredibly fascinating cup of tepid water. among other things, she wasn't really looking forward to the yelling that was most likely in her near future, possibly deserved or no]

[totally deserved you stab happy nerds. Hershel's not going to do any scolding now at least, he will glance at her before offering a tired smile.] Heiji's not happy, you're probably going to hear an earful from him soon. I think he's too busy fussing over Snake for it to be tonight at least.

And you?

I'm a British gentleman, Ema, it would hardly be fitting for me to yell at someone who was in pain. [teasing, he's trying to cheer her up and ignore the shitty situation.]

[he does sigh though.] I'm certainly not happy, of course, but I don't know your reasoning behind doing this, or what Calhoun is holding over the two of you. Without the full story it's a bit hard to make any judgements besides that I think your lives are far, far too important to do something like this.

THE HEART OF THE MATTER

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