Welcome.

[trustharder]

You last remember feeling safe.

You don't know what caused that response, now that you think about it; you can't remember what you were doing before the warm, comfortable feeling came over you, a sensation somewhere between relief and the light contentment that comes with the knowledge that you're safe enough to sleep and god, are you ready to. It feels like you may have been sleeping for a while before this, even; your limbs are heavy in the memory, and you recall how difficult it was to open your eyes.

Turning your head is likewise difficult, it feels kind of like it's full of sand. Weighted-down by sleep. It's so much easier to remain still, and so you do, and before you haze out again you can vaguely hear a voice.

It's no one you recognize, and it sounds strange and vaguely distorted as you start to drift off again.

"Everything'll be fine."

There isn't an answer that you can hear; the voice speaks once more.

"...you ready?"

You don't remember what you wanted to say to that. Always, maybe. Or Ready for what? Or perhaps What's happened to me?

But none of it matters, because consciousness slips away from you too quickly for you to respond.

---

You wake up some time later; the comfortable, safe feeling from earlier certainly isn't dampened any by the bed you wake up in. Whether you like it soft as a cloud or firm enough to support the most finicky of spines, the bed you're in is nice, and it's pretty much exactly what you've been looking for in a mattress.

Shame the rest of the room is probably going to be a bit jarring when you wake up properly.

The room you're in is completely unfamiliar, all concrete and steel and almost nothing that makes it yours - but there's a trunk near the bed and there's what looks like a smartphone sitting on the trunk, and you might want to grab that before you leave the room. Trying to text or call out won't do anything for the time being, unfortunately, but it's something. A lifeline, maybe.

If you're looking to see if anyone is here with you, maybe you can find someone as you wander through the main corridor; after all, there are a few places to explore here, even if the bulk of the place is pretty much a straight shot down the center. If you're looking to gather, the dining hall is probably the best place for it, as it's large enough to accommodate all of you.

Wherever you choose to go, however, there are a set of rules posted in every room; the far wall of the dining hall, across from the entrances, also has a bulletin board with twenty-seven pictures, along with some...interesting information, posted on it. The board is large enough for all of you to look at it, but you might not want to try to get at anything posted there; just like the rules, there's glass in front of it, and it's looking to be extremely shatterproof.

Sorry about that.

There's one more thing you'll notice on your wanderings through the corridor – there are no windows, and there are no doors that can possibly lead outside.

Looks like you're trapped. Might as well get to know those that are here with you.

Comments

[bloodisthicker]

[...why does this man have antennae and a tail.

...is this just the Spirit World? why didn't he ask the head of state to ramble on about spirits and actually listen.]

...No, I... really haven't. How big are we talking, exactly? Just... larger than normal or something that would be absolutely impossible to miss?

[cherryblooded]

Thirty meters long, give or take a centimeter.

[It's hard to measure somebody that big. She's not that good at holding still.]

[bloodisthicker]

...I'm not even sure if this entire place is thirty meters long, unfortunately.

[...he's not that good at distances, but holy shit]

Well, I'm sure there must be some way out so you can see your...

[...what relationship should he even assume here.]

...lobster again.

[cherryblooded]

My wife.

[Probably that would not have been his first assumption.]

Certainly hope so, I don't want to worry her.

[bloodisthicker]

...

[...he... he tries not to think about it. spirit marriage is not a thing he wants to be thinking about. does this happen. how. why. no.]

...well, yes, that makes it even more urgent, then. Is she the type to come rescue you, or...?

[cherryblooded]

[Even spirits need love, Tarrlok.]

If she could, she certainly would. Depending on where we are, we may be out of her reach.

[Such as: not underwater.]

[bloodisthicker]

Well, that's definitely a shame. I'd certainly think that if anyone could easily break into a place like this, it'd be a gigantic lobster woman attempting to save her distressed husband.

[...the more he thinks about it, he's less baffled and more amused.]

[cherryblooded]

My wife, the hero of the day. [He's practically sparkling.] That would be worth getting kidnapped to see.

[bloodisthicker]

It would definitely be an experience, that's for certain. ...of course, while I typically wouldn't mind being somewhere underwater, my current circumstances are less than ideal.

[cherryblooded]

Oh? Why's that?

[He looks human enough...]

[bloodisthicker]

Well... where I'm from, people known as benders can control one of the four elements, and mine is water. So I'd likely be better in that sort of situation than, say, a person with no abilities like that whatsoever... but I can't actually bend here.

[cherryblooded]

Ah, I see. That's a useful talent to have, in most cases.

[bloodisthicker]

I know, right? Even in more mundane situations, I'm really missing it. You won't believe how long it takes my hair to dry now that I can't just bend the water out of it.

[cherryblooded]

I can believe it. Though mine's usually wet all the time, for obvious reasons.

[bloodisthicker]

I'd really be surprised if it wasn't, honestly. You'd have to have some weird substance in your hair that would literally repel all the water... and could you really call it dry then?

[cherryblooded]

Much too complicated. Easier just to let it soak.

[Though it never exactly looks like wet hair...]

[bloodisthicker]

I... guess it's a little different for you in the first place, though, given that you're a spirit and everything.

[...that is what you are, right]

[cherryblooded]

[...Pause.]

I'm not a spirit, though.

[bloodisthicker]

...Oh.

You're not?

[cherryblooded]

Pretty certain I'm not.

[bloodisthicker]

...Well, I've probably encountered stranger things today, so I don't really have any choice but to accept it.

[cherryblooded]

Glad we cleared that up.

[Being a spirit would be weird!]