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

One

[cherryblooded]

Yours is comparatively unflattering, isn't it? 'Temperamental.'

[Please don't mind the person with the pink shrimp tail and the antennae coming up to approach you. He's read the profiles already, or at least given them a once-over, and that had stuck out among the pictures and descriptions of people he didn't know.]

[amygdalae]

[Ah.

Hm.

He's seen the photo, of course, but to see the same person(?) in real life is... well.

Bruce can say he's seen strange things in his life, but this is pretty high on the list.]

It's a... strange choice of a word. [Of course, Bruce has a good idea why, but its not really something he'd like to talk about as much as he can. Besides, there are more important things at hand. Like this entire situation.] I wonder what are these so called 'Titles' are for.

[cherryblooded]

[Why is everyone questioning his personhood??]

We'll find out sooner or later. I doubt they're just for flair.

[amygdalae]

[You do have questionable... appendages coming out of you.]

Then it begs the question of why we were even given these 'Titles' in the first place.

[cherryblooded]

[They're not that weird.]

I don't know. If they're for identifying people, why bother telling us everyone's names?

[amygdalae]

[People don't have antennae and a shrimp tail.]

It does more or less nullify the need for a 'Title'.

[Why give it when they're already going to know each other in the first place?]

[cherryblooded]

Then maybe it's part of the mini-biography? 'Welcome to the Vault, here are your new friends'.

[He's read those rules. Including the ones about getting out.

Maybe it's a joke to call them friends.]

[amygdalae]

[Perhaps its said in jest, but Bruce can't say its hard to deny the possibility. Perhaps these profiles are to help people in exploiting others in the best way possible. It wouldn't be too much of a leap.]

It's not a very warm welcoming method in that case. [There's just a small hint of dryness in his answer here, this time.]

[cherryblooded]

I agree. I'd rather introduce myself the old fashioned way.

[He extends his hand for a shake.] Cherryblod. Nice to meet you.

[amygdalae]

Bruce.

[He extends his own hand after a moment, taking... Cherryblod's hand and giving it a polite shake. All things considered, at least that part feels relatively normal. The handshaking, that is.]

[cherryblooded]

[What did you expect, something damp?]

Pleasure to meet you. Shame it's in these circumstances.

[amygdalae]

[You can never be too sure.]

Things really could be better. [He withdraws his hand and lets out a small sigh.] Though I suppose its a comfort in a sense to know you're not the only one.

[As unpleasant as that is.]

[cherryblooded]

True. Small as the place is, I'd rather not be the only one here. I'd go through the library in a week.

[...he doesn't really want to spend a week here.]

[amygdalae]

[Bruce has been in worst places (or well, smaller) places so he's not too bothered. Its the things that come with it that bothers him more. Like those 'rules'.]

It wasn't a very large library.

[He had only been in there briefly. Hm. Maybe he should check it again later.]

[cherryblooded]

Exactly. And there's not much else to do.

[No games, nowhere to exercise, and without anyone else to have tea with, practically nothing for entertainment.]

[amygdalae]

[But the necessities are here, so it makes their intention to remain here quite clear indeed.]

I can't say I'm too surprised, but it does bring up a few more questions.

[cherryblooded]

Questions like...?

[Go on, new friend.]

[amygdalae]

What was the original purpose of this place? Or was this built specifically to contain us?

[It doesn't look new though, if that's the case.]

And why were we addressed as 'Survivors'?

[cherryblooded]

[If it's new, they need a bigger budget.]

What exactly did we 'survive'? It's a good question... One I don't have the answer to.

[amygdalae]

'Surviving' connotes that something disastrous happened beforehand, so--

[But as far as Bruce's tried, he's got no answers of what could have happened.]

Clearly something must have happened. And perhaps that something relates to--us?

[It's hard to be certain though when there's nothing to go off on.]

[cherryblooded]

If there was something noteworthy that happened, I feel like I'd remember it. Something more important than going to bed and waking up here.

[He frowns at the profiles again. The Red Sea, maybe...

But he's not underwater, and they're done and dealt with, so it's not them.]

[amygdalae]

And if something did happen, why do we not remember it?

[Bruce has his own discrepancies with his own profile too, but he can dwell on that later himself.]

[cherryblooded]

Kidnapping is one thing, but messing with memories is something else.

[Even witches powerful enough to cause this kind of mess can't always do that.]

[amygdalae]

[It shouldn't be possible, at least from what he knows, but its clear that some things aren't the same here already - Cherryblod is showing that much to him.]

I think more information is needed before we can actually conclude anything. There's too much we don't know.

[cherryblooded]

Right. For now, the best we can do is wait and get our thoughts in order.

I haven't even gotten to meet everyone yet.