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

Hallway

[cherryblooded]

Afraid I don't know either of those things. I've seen some signs calling it 'the Vault', but that's about as much as I can tell you for certain.

[Kingmaker is a stupid, tryhard name for a person in charge and he'll gladly ignore it.]

[devastation]

... A costume? [Or at least that's her first assumption when looking at Cherryblod here, but then she shakes it off--it's not important enough to distract from the matter at hand.]

You said that this place was called "the Vault"? [or at least it is according to some signs apparently] I don't think I've ever heard of such a place...

[cherryblooded]

Neither have I. Certainly it's not anywhere near my home.

[It'd have to be underwater, to be in the Sea Kingdom, and he knows the surrounding islands well enough to safely say it's not on any of them.]

[devastation]

[Well then, this is quite the situation they've found themselves in, isn't it?]

I... don't suppose you've spotted an exit anywhere nearby, have you?

[If this is indeed a kidnapping, then the answer is probably no, but still--]

[cherryblooded]

Afraid not. No doors, no windows, no obvious weak spots.

[Sorry, miss.]

[devastation]

I was afraid you were going to say that...

[And now she begins toying with the short strands of her hair as she thinks.]

Then... what are we supposed to do here? [What's our reason for being brought to this place?]

[cherryblooded]

Wait, I suppose. Kidnappers usually make their goals known early.

[This is what this looks like, no doubt.]

[devastation]

I suppose... [But simply waiting makes her feel pretty useless, so for a moment her hands tighten around the ribbons of her dress, thinking about what to do.]

Um... what is your name, if you don't mind my asking?

[There's no harm in finding out the names of who she's stuck here with, is there?]

[cherryblooded]

Cherryblod. May I have yours, miss?

[It's more polite to find through real introductions than just reading them off a bulletin board.]

[devastation]

Megumi Sakura. [This is accompanied by a polite bow.] It's unfortunate that we have to meet under these type of circumstances, but I appreciate that there's someone like you here to help us out.

[cherryblooded]

[He bows slightly in return.] You're too kind, miss. I'm only a homemaker, I don't know how much help I'll be.

[devastation]

Oh, I can't say if I would be any more useful in comparison, speaking as a high school teacher myself.

[Maybe it's a little self-deprecating to think that way, but...]

But... as long as we all work together, I'm sure we'll figure out what to do here?

[cherryblooded]

Now, now. I'm sure the teenagers here will appreciate your presence.

[Teachers are an inspiration, or a support, or at the very least good to have in a crisis.]

[devastation]

That might just add more pressure to being here, honestly.

[...She's joking. Mostly.]

[cherryblooded]

[Oh noooo.]

I'm sure you'll do fine, Miss Sakura.

[devastation]

[ahaha]

Thank you for the encouragement, Cherryblod-san. [wow, that's a mouthful of a name to have to say, but she still smiles anyway] I know... they may not be my students, but I'll do my best to be good role model for them.

[though, there is something she's curious about now]

... Ah, I don't mean to be rude though, but I was wondering... were you wearing that costume before you arrived here?

[so guess who hasn't realized yet that the shrimp tail is in fact real]

[cherryblooded]

[Oh, right. This conversation. He swishes his tail behind him as he answers.]

This may come as a surprise, but I'm afraid I'm not human and this is my real tail.

[devastation]

[what]

Um... I'm sorry, I must have misheard--did you say that was a real tail?

[you must be joking, right]

[cherryblooded]

That's exactly what I said.

[It's moving around like one, anyway.]

[devastation]

[it sure is moving like a real tail, but...]

But... how is that even possible?

[we're so sorry cherryblod but we might need a moment here to process this]

[cherryblooded]

Where I'm from, probably very far from where you are, there are all sorts of people who aren't human.

[devastation]

Oh, I... see...

[... welp, guess we might have to take back that award we gave zagi for being "the strangest person we've met here" and passing it over to cherryblod because really how do you compete with the person who is actually some kind of shrimp creature

There is the possibility that maybe she's just been dreaming this whole time and that would explain this, but... well, dream or no...]

If that really is the case, then... ah, I'm sorry for being rude and referring to your appearance as a costume?

[cherryblooded]

No offense taken. You didn't throw anything at me, so it's certainly not the worst reaction I've gotten today!

[He's smiling. It's a joke. Feel better?]

[devastation]

Someone actually threw something at you?

[who was it, was it one of the teenagers do they need a stern talking to]

[cherryblooded]

[Stan Pines: actually secretly a teenager.]

I'm sure he was just surprised.