Week 6.

[trustharder]

WEEK 6 The number of Survivors left is dropping at a quick pace; the King got what he wanted, for better or for worse; Tarrlok and Lynne were victims of both fate and some sort of magic that most in the Vault still don't quite understand, and Misa Amane has been executed, not for her particular brand of "justice", but for murdering two innocent people. It's been a bad week. However, Saturday is given to regrouping and sleep; there aren't any bodies to be found on Sunday morning. But that doesn't mean the night was uneventful - it seems something else may have brought you some newfound clarity. Or perhaps not... Once again, that spiral staircase leads farther than you remember, clear up to a previously inaccessible sixth floor. Go ahead and explore as much as you like; you've done well. You've earned it. SURVIVORS REMAINING: 14

SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY
[OOC: Welcome to week six of Trustfell! Save your threads for coins and the coming week's activity check; don't forget to check in to this week's activity check and submit your memory regains!

The text and calling posts are still active, for the sake of contacting the jerk who's keeping you here, to be used at your leisure!]

Comments

[amygdalae]

[("You want to protect the world, but you don't want it to change."

"There are no strings on me."

"Really? That's it? You just roll over, show your belly every time somebody snarls?")

Red. So much red everywhere. There's no more green but red, red the color of spilled blood as it spreads across the kitchen tiles--

("You're stronger than her. You're smarter than her. You're Bruce Banner.")

People screaming. Running from him. People hurt, injured--dead.

All because of him.


When Bruce wakes up this time, its with tears in his eyes and a heavy, leaden weight in his stomach.

There's no real way he's in the mood for breakfast, not with the latest dream playing out in his head over and over again. He hasn't felt this shaken up in so long - not even anything that happened here had affected him this badly. He wants to tell himself they're just dreams, they're not supposed to be real, but--

What if, his mind tells him. What if.

It's not a line of thought Bruce wants to continue on.

For better or for worse, the sixth floor this time seems to be full of rooms that hold his interest - between the chemistry lab and the infirmary Bruce seems to be able to sufficiently occupy himself well enough to not let his thoughts stray too far. In both rooms Bruce is equally busy looking through everything and taking stock of whats in said rooms, only really coming down to the dining hall to eat in the evening after spending most of the day up at the new floor.

...and then after nighttime Bruce is back at the incinerator room once again, giving Stan's punching bag a good workout once more. As much as he tries, this time its not going to be easy to just shake off what he had dreamed.]

dining room

[prismbloom]

[ Aqua admittedly hasn't really explored the sixth floor--she usually does, but not today. It's been a bad night of sleep, and she can still hear Ven's voice in her head, calling her awful. As her time in the vault stretches on, her heart feels ever heavier.

At least there are good friends here. She looks up at Bruce, her hands wrapped around a big mug of tea. ]

Anything interesting on the new floor?

[amygdalae]

Ah... yes.

[Bruce sounds fairly distracted, but he does his best to focus on Aqua. His mind is still whirring with countless thoughts, and its hard to keep them silent.]

There are some rooms of particular interest.

[prismbloom]

I haven't had a chance to investigate.

--Have you had lunch yet?

[amygdalae]

[The question takes a moment for Bruce to sink in because he honestly needs a few seconds to recall if he has.]

...no, I don't think so.

[He's pretty sure he hasn't eaten since he woke up. It's hard to really want to eat right now.]

[prismbloom]

[ ... yeah, she's not surprised a lot of people don't have an appetite. ]

I could make you some broth, if you'd like. It's not too heavy.

[amygdalae]

[To be fair Bruce's main reason for not having an appetite isn't what most people would be thinking. Even if it is still part of the reason.]

...I wouldn't mind that. Thank you.

[He does his best to smile to show his appreciation.]

[prismbloom]

I'll prepare it as quickly as I can, then.

[ And she goes to the kitchen, returning several minutes later with two cups of broth--vegetable, of course.

She offers one to him after she sits down. ]

[amygdalae]

Thank you.

[He says that again once he has the cup of broth, taking a small sip of it.]

Mushroom? [He remarks after taking said sip. He thinks he tasted it, but he could be wrong.]

incinerator room

[notjustawriter]

[It's not the first time Gabriel has shown up in this room just to work out. It is, however, the first time he's run into Bruce here, and he pauses awkwardly at the door for a moment before walking in.]

Seems like we're all under too much stress now.

[amygdalae]

[...well considering the time and everything, Gabriel is more or less going to see Bruce wearing nothing else besides his Hulk pants because he's pretty much sweating a ton now after letting out all that frustration on the poor punching bag.

Bruce turns to look at Gabriel when he speaks, only pausing for a moment before he sighs and glances away.]

It's been a while since I had to do something like this again so soon after the last time.

[Because he certainly had to do this last week, with King dying and everything. It wasn't very pleasant.]

[notjustawriter]

[Oh, don't worry. Gabriel used to go to the gym with his buddy. He's seen people sweat a whole lot before. He doesn't look too uncomfortable. Or, well, he's uncomfortable about interrupting someone clearly letting out some pent up anger, but not much else.]

It's getting to all of us. I don't know how the hell we're supposed to stop the Kingmaker, but this can't be allowed to continue.

[amygdalae]

It can't, but we're still just as in the dark.

[Sure they have some things now, but it isn't leading them much. It's just scraps that they can't put together.]

I know we're all doing our best, but-- [A frustrated sound. They may all try to not do the murder thing, but as said before--it just takes one person desperate enough to do it.]

[notjustawriter]

[He leans against the door frame, folding his hands across his chest, nodding.]

How the hell are we gonna stop desperate people? If people would only stop listening to him, we'd all be able to work together without any paranoia.

[amygdalae]

We need to be able to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that he's not as capable as he portrays himself as.

[Bruce is pretty sure the Kingmaker isn't even being truthful about what he offers, anyway, but the important thing is being able to convince others too.]

Once everyone knows he actually can't do what he says, then the illusion shatters.

[notjustawriter]

I don't know how to do that, when he's so uncooperative when he talks to people.

We need to find somethin' to convince people he's full of shit. At this point, I'd say it's clear even if he does have the powers to do what he claims, he isn't about to give anything to anyone.

[amygdalae]

He's already proven himself to be very unhelpful, so that's one thing... but I agree, we need to show fully that he's not going to do anything for our benefit.

[Once they can show that, then it will be much easier to get everyone to work together.]

[notjustawriter]

It's just a matter of makin' sure he can't get away with telling any more lies.

[amygdalae]

More or less. Once we can show that his words hold no meaning, then the threat of all these incentives and murders will be significantly lessened.

[notjustawriter]

I wonder how we're supposed to do that. Desperate people do desperate things, as we've seen time and time again.

[amygdalae]

If we uncover the secrets to this place, I think it will help with proving that.

[It's just a gut feeling that he has.]

[notjustawriter]

We're running out of time.

We need to discuss how we're going to prove he's full of it. Maybe with a handful of people at some point, I don't know.

[amygdalae]

We just need one thing that can get us to unraveling the mystery. [But exactly where they can find that one thing is the question...] We should discuss with the others what they think should be the best places to search. I'd like to go through the entire place personally, but being short on time means we need to focus our efforts better.

[notjustawriter]

Yeah.

I hate to say it, but our best bet on findin' things might not even exist yet; we haven't found an exit. Not even something that looks like a boarded up door.

[amygdalae]

[A pause, and Bruce nods.]

...yes, I agree. [They'll keep an eye out still, of course, but... its probably better to focus on something that seems more plausible right now.] When the time comes we'll discuss with everyone on what is the best course of action.