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]

Awakening [...This is probably not the worst awakening someone could have, though it wasn't like Speedwagon had been looking for such a thing. The bare fact that he wasn't cold, couldn't feel the chill of the snow-coated cobblestones... well, it got his eyes open quick enough.

He feels the bed underneath him... boy, this was a nice bed. Straw, the odd hay bale, or even the ground, those were the things he had found himself so often resting on. But this... this had to be something only the most stuck-up nobles could call a place of rest. He couldn't even draw up full anger. It's soft, and maybe, just maybe if he slept here for a while... No!

He defies this bed!! Speedwagon leaps up, noticing for the first time the room he's in, and he recognizes absolutely nothing. So, the best thing to do is leap up - not too quickly - and head out of this strange room.]

....Bloody hell. [He just lets it slip out as he steps into the hall, rounding the corner.] I know some folks like to spring japes like this out of the blue, but doing it in the middle of a fight is just...!

[Auugh, he stops to clutch the side of his head, hat slipping to the floor.] ...How bad did that blighter strike me...?

Profiles [Speedwagon paces in front of the bulletin board, eyes running over every picture... leading up to his own.

He gives the glass a test, knocking on it a few times. would it break? Was it worth a shot? He seemed perplexed... and a little worried.]

What the hell?! This dreams just starting to cross over into a nightmare; first I wake up in a mysterious bed, now there's a mysterious picture of me!

Kitchen [However long they've been stuck here, Speedwagon eventually leaves the bulletin board to go investigate the other parts of this new area. Mostly, it was to search for an exit - a door, a window, he'd take a drain at this point, seeing as the stark concrete walls gave little to work with. What few rooms they had garnered some interest though.

Especially the kitchen area. Speedwagon almost looks like he's from another word, the way he moves around in it, poking at various things, opening the oven door and then the freezer.

When that happens, he steps back, as though he'd been struck.]

What the--! Just what is this...?

profiles

[ratingspoint]

I'd be more concerned about the mysterious information than I would the mysterious picture, darling!

[...says the robot, who is wandering back in after getting up for a while and generally speaking not helping at all.]

Unless the picture was taken on your bad side - in which case, go ahead and be upset, you deserve to be.

[isafraid]

[...The thing is, Speedwagon hadn't entirely connected the whole robot thing. So this might be a scene about to happen.]

How can you think about a bleeding decent photograph in a time like this? Can't you see we're stuck here with our information on display?

[...And it's not a bad photograph either, actually.]

I can't even remember where that photo was taken...

[ratingspoint]

[...It really isn't a bad photo. Good job, you photogenic bastard.]

Oh, believe me, I can see that just fine. It's also not like any of my information was anything scandalous.

[isafraid]

[Probably the first photograph in his life. And it's one he can't even remember. How's that for a kick in the face?

... No, really. A kick in the face and he's suddenly here. It's almost - no, it's pretty embarrassing really, when you think about it.]

"Entrepreneur" and a celebrity... you some kind of entertainer then?

[ratingspoint]

You are correct, gorgeous!

[Here we go.]

Singing, acting, dancing...you name it, I do it.

[isafraid]

Ah, an entertainer then. [Nodnod. No one would look that garishly pink if they weren't doing it for a reason.]

Unless you're here as a way of keeping us entertained, I'd figured you're stuck in the same predicament as we are.

[ratingspoint]

Why does everyone assume that I'm part of the setting?

[...Probably because you're a fucking mechanical person wandering around a bunker like he doesn't have a care in the world, Mettaton, just a guess.]

I woke up in the same sort of hideous little cell as you, don't worry. I've got no idea what's going on, but I'll make it work for me.

[isafraid]

Well, I can appreciate that. But you certainly look the part of being here, at least to me. [All that... metal. Hmm.]

That's an impressive costume, I'll say.

kitchen

[lackinginfaith]

It's called a freezer. They use these to keep food cool.

[Caren looks him over, almost as if inspecting for any sign of... what, it's not clear.]

Don't let all the cold air out. It'll run up the power bill.

[isafraid]

[There's not much to him, Caren. Just a very big thug-looking guy with a nice hat. He's also currently freaking out over a common appliance, so... not exactly the most thuggish person here.]

You mean it's like an icebox. [Woo! 19th century technology!] Now I know I'm dreaming, I've never seen anything of the like before now.

[...He could close the door, but he's a little interested in it still. Nuts to the power bill.]

[lackinginfaith]

I wouldn't think the first priority in waking up somewhere strange would be to get something to eat, especially something you're going to have to thaw and cook. So you're from a place where they don't have them?

[isafraid]

Trust me, Speedwagon isn't looking for a bite. [The knots in his stomach will keep him sustained for now.

...Though he is poking at some of those meats. Wow. There's a lot of them.]

There's nothing like this where I've been. Wherever we are, it must be under some rich person's control if they can have things like this.

[lackinginfaith]

I'd be more worried about how they have all of us. Or why. I don't know who anyone else is here.

[isafraid]

[...Alright, you're getting his attention now, Caren.]

Well at least we're both in the same boat on that. I've never seen anything of the like that this place seems to have. [He rubs his neck.] All I recall is getting knocked flat, and then I found myself on one of those fancy beds this place has got.

[lackinginfaith]

I don't even remember that much. Just picking something up off the ground... something I don't seem to have anymore, anyway.

[isafraid]

Maybe you dropped it while you were being kidnapped? [He's riding on this theory right now.]

kitchen

[capyper]

Looks like mysterious ice magicks to me!

[ ...... ] I'm just kidding. It's just for keeping food fresh.

[isafraid]

Can't say I like the idea of joking about magic, especially around here. Not like I understand a good bit of what's in this place. It's all too shiny and new.

[...In here, mostly. Outside of here sucks, but it also feels a bit like home..]

[capyper]

Right, isn't it?! This place totally has the smell of wealth to it! The shine of money! Whoever stuck us here is probably rich.

[ Important facts. ]

[isafraid]

[...the most important facts, to be honest. It's actually a statement that surprised Speedewagon. for all of a couple seconds. Then he's actually... smiling.]

Cor, I think you might be right. I've been spending so much time and worry about our situation, I've come to forget about the opportunity it's currently presented.

[capyper]

Well, now that we're on the subject! I might've felt a little bad if this place were a total dump, [ ... He absolutely would not have felt bad... ] but since we got kidnapped by a rich guy, I think... They can't complain if we eat all their food! And use up all the hot water taking a super long shower!!

[isafraid]

I guess that's one way of sticking it to the rich bastard. [Was their captor really liked that though...? It had to be something to that effect, or how else would they find themselves stuck in the grasp of an unknown and unannounced assailant?]

If it was such a dump, then we'd have to worry over getting out a lot sooner. Can't really say it's comfortable either way though.

[capyper]

Yeah, as nice as it is, I think I'm gonna get my ass kicked for up and disappearing from home, so... I'd kinda like to leave sooner rather than later. But until then...

[ WINK AND A PEACE SIGN... ]

Steak and ribs for dinner! No! Every meal!!

[isafraid]

You're saying all you're gonna focus on is what's gonna satisfy your stomach?

[No wonder he's worried about what his family might do to him before he goes home.]