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

[isafraid]

....A lobster?

[He sounds so... confused. First this little... person walks up, he looks human, sort of. It puts him on edge, for a reason he can't understand. ]

I think if you're looking for any sort of sealife, you'd best be looking in the kitchen.

[cherryblooded]

That's possible.

[But he really doesn't care for the implication, so...]

She's more likely to be making breakfast than on the plate. ...Unless you have a very large plate, and even then, my Doloz isn't food.

[isafraid]

A lobster making breakfast...? [He states it lightly, directed more to himself then this new fellow.]

I guess if they could do that, no wonder some people like eating them by the netload.

[cherryblooded]

If you could not talk about eating my wife's species, please.

[He's even asking politely.]

[isafraid]

You're... wife?

[.....um]

Wait. Don't tell me... you married a fish? [There's probably a lot of things Speedwagon could question, but he'd rather not let his thoughts stray in that direction...!]

But that's insane!

[cherryblooded]

A crustacean.

[The difference is subtle, but there.]

Is it really that strange? I'm a crustacean myself.

1/2

[isafraid]

[isafraid]

A crustacean? No, hold on that can't be right! [At least he didn't say it sounded fishy?

Though, what could Speedwagon really say to that admittance?]

You can't just call yourself that... it ain't possible. I may not be a true scholar, but even I know that's a load of bollocks.

[cherryblooded]

[Wow rude.]

What exactly about it makes it impossible?

[isafraid]

What exactly... [Well]

It goes against the whole of nature! A normal human can't breath underwater as much as a fish can't live on land!

[cherryblooded]

...Have you heard of amphibians?

[Friend. Pal. You've got some news coming.]

[isafraid]

Oi! You know what I mean.

[...probably. Maybe. He had a point somewhere. And Speedwagon is now trying to find it again.]

I'm saying the whole story just sounds like something in a dream.

[cherryblooded]

Maybe you're dreaming? It would explain showing up here.

[Cherryblod now you're being deliberately unhelpful.]

[isafraid]

[It's what he would expect by this point.

He waits a couple seconds.]

Cept in those instances, you usually wake up right after someone says that. I just can't think of another explanation for this mess.

[cherryblooded]

Well... I have been toying with the idea that we're from different worlds. Would explain why half the people here have never seen a shrimp.

[isafraid]

You're kidding... alternate worlds... [HE IS UNPREPARED FOR THIS IDEA]

Well... you'd think I'd have seen a shrimp walking around like a person before, if they were commonplace in Britain. [He crosses his arms, shrugging at this new information. It'll take some time to accept.]

And just why would a group like this have to be gathered together and shoved in a cage?

[cherryblooded]

That's something I don't know, but I'm sure we'll find out soon. Kidnappers usually make their goals known quickly.

[Sort of pointless to kidnap people, otherwise.]

[isafraid]

Guh, now I know I got hit harder then I thought. [Kidnappings, shrimp people... it's all becoming a little much to handle.]

You're right though, a kidnapper won't take too long before he decided to make an appearance. Then we'll see if we can't get a reason out of them.

[...uh]

Pardon me for asking, but... your wife is an actual lobster then?

[cherryblooded]

Yes, she is. My sweet Doloz. Our daughter is also a lobster, though she looks more like me than her.

[In that she has a human form at all.]

[isafraid]

Right. [Right. Okay. This is something he's coming to deal with today. Alright.]

...If you're unable to find her here, maybe it's just that it--she's not around? Might be lucky for her, of course.

[cherryblooded]

If that's true, then she must be back home, worried sick.

[isafraid]

[hhhhhhmmmmm]

Well, I still can't say I understand most of it. But I'm no different for missing family.

[cherryblooded]

Sorry to hear that. Hopefully, we'll both be reunited with our families soon.

[isafraid]

...Right.

[. . . ]

Say, if I see any sort of giant lobster, I'll let em know you're about here. Maybe that'll help.

[What is his life.]

[cherryblooded]

[As weird as hell.]

Thank you, I appreciate it. If she knows I'm here, she'll come running.

[She's a devoted wife like that.]