day zero

[guestcontrol]

dreamland day zero 42 players remaining. [You wake up in a temporary barracks set up behind an amusement park. The weather is chilly but pleasant, and there aren't any lines for the rides - in fact, it seems you have this place to yourself. The entire park appears to have been abandoned some years ago, and though everything is in working order, it is overgrown with plants and seems rusted and unsafe. As for you, something has happened, though you aren't sure what. There's a throbbing pain in your head, and you can't focus, as though you're coming off heavy pain medications. However you think you should look, you look like a human now. Under the bandages wrapped around your temple, old and smelling like blood, you'll find a recently stitched up scar wound and the inability to focus on your memories. You have no knowledge of how you came to be here; you may even have forgotten certain aspects of your life, or feel confused about them. The fact of your missing memories is obvious, a dark blank spot. Under the bandages around your wrist, you'll find a brightly colored bracelet, decorated with the face of the smiling cartoon animal on your wall, embedded into your flesh. It beeps a merry tune and welcomes you to DreamLand Fun Park. Just then, a voice comes over the loudspeaker.] "Good morning to all of our new guests! The park is now open! We'll get started later, but for now, have a magical day with your new friends! Oh, and there may be a few nasty side effects to your medical condition. If you meet someone having trouble adjusting to reality, please be polite!" [In your room, you'll find a small box containing several personal items - no weapons, magical items, or technology advanced beyond the early 21st century, and nothing dangerous, but otherwise anything you would ordinarily find on your person is there. Of course, nothing with cell reception or internet connectivity can manage to pick up a signal. If you swipe your bracelet against the steel door, it unlocks. You may now explore your accommodations, or venture out into the park.] profiles character statuses setting This is an IC mingle covering the first day! Night roles will go up Monday at 4 PM EST, but you are welcome to continue to thread here once that happens. Make sure to follow any updates on plurk!

Comments

Kaoru Hitachiin | Various

[crueltobekind]

Barracks:

[Kaoru's tense from the moment he steps out of his room. He's already discovered the strange scar on his head and the even more alarming bracelet embedded in his wrist—both terrifying on their own—but he has much more pressing concerns. He moves from one room to the next, knocking and calling out in desperate tones]

Hikaru! Hikaru, are you here?



Outside

[When he can't find his brother in the barracks he turns his attentions to the rest of the park, hurrying anxiously from one area to the next looking for him.]

[cakelover]

[ Well, it's definitely not Hikaru, but... ]

Kao-chan?!

[ When Kaoru hurries past the candy shop, a familiar senior should be coming out, and Honey will scurry over to loop his arms around one of Kaoru's. ]

Hey, hey, are you okay?

[crueltobekind]

[He stops short, backing up a few steps to get a good look at him like he can't quite believe his hearing.]

Honey-senpai . . . ? No, my head hurts, and I can't find Hikaru!

[cakelover]

Eh...you too?! Bend down, okay?

[ Or he will have to climb you like a tree, but by gestures, it's clear he wants to see Kaoru's head. Is there a surgical scar like he and Mori had? ]

[crueltobekind]

[He crouches down obediently, turning his head so Honey can get a good look at the stitches]

There's something on my wrist too . . . I can't get it off.

[cakelover]

[ That at least confirms that, after which Honey will step back, an uncharacteristic frown on his face. ]

Surgery...Takashi has the scars on his head and the wrist thing, too...

[ Which is...you know, crazy... ]

[crueltobekind]

[That's not worrying at all or anything. Kaoru crosses his arms uneasily, resisting the urge to fidget with the strange bracelet again]

They got him too . . . ? Have you seen anyone else here?

outside, in the central area of the park!

[terci]

[Dipper was in a slight state of panic himself, looking around here and there. He noticed Kaoru seeming the same, and he got a little curious. Was this person missing someone or something important?

After watching him for a few more seconds, he hesitantly approaches him.]

Uh, are you okay...?

[crueltobekind]

[He turns sharply towards him, pretty clearly winding up to snap in frustration or anger, but whatever he was about to say comes out as a startled noise when he sees who's talking. Just a kid??]

I'm . . . uh. I'm looking for my brother. That's all.

[terci]

Oh... [Wow he is not "just a kid" thank you he is a MATURE kid]

What does he look like? I mean, I'm looking for my sister too so maybe I've passed by your brother..?

[crueltobekind]

We're identical twins, so he looks like me. What does your sister look like?

[terci]

...we're uh. Identical twins, so she looks like me, too. [He smiles and shrugs a little.]

[crueltobekind]

[. . . Squints at him.]

You can't be identical if you're brother and sister.

outside

[glasshole]

[He doesn't seem surprised to run into him, out near the entrance. Just looking up from his cell phone and raising a hand to get him attention.]

Kaoru, a moment? And then you can go back to running about.

Re: outside

[crueltobekind]

[Kaoru isn't sure whether to be relieved or even more alarmed to find Kyouya here. If someone can kidnap an Ootori they can do anything.]

Kyouya! How are you here? Do you know what's going on? Have you called your police yet?!

[glasshole]

[Irritated gesture with the cell phone in his hand.]

They've jammed reception, but I'm confident a search is already underway.

Anyway, I'm here the same way you are, aren't I? It's a kidnapping, but as for their demands, they haven't bothered to tell me. Now, calm down, this is no time to panic.

[crueltobekind]

I know, I know. But when we got the kidnapping talk they didn't say anything about weird bracelets you can't take off.

[He gestures at his wrist, almost (but not quite) tapping at the bracelet embedded there.]

[glasshole]

Tracking devices, likely with some sort of embedded security device preventing escape. Trying to contain such a large number of people in this sort of space wouldn't be feasible with a physical security force. The risk of losing control would be too high. The tracking device ensures they can retain remote control from a secure location.

[Spoken with a disturbing amount of confidence.]

But there's some interesting information available if you look through the files. I take it you haven't noticed yet?

[crueltobekind]

Noticed what? I was busy looking for Hikaru.'

[He lifts his wrist as he speaks, starting to actually look at the bracelet's interface now]

Outside!

[uncoincidental]

[Well, Sheba definitely isn't Kaoru's brother, and she's definitely not Honey, either, although she is short and blonde...

She is staring up at the ferris wheel with an expression as though she might be contemplating trying to climb it in spite of the sign proclaiming that it's closed when she hears Kaoru's footsteps; she turns and her expression becomes one of concern when she sees how anxious he looks.]

Hey! ["Are you okay?" would be a dumb question; waking up with stitches and a bracelet embedded into one's skin is the opposite of okay.] Do you need help looking for something?

Re: Outside!

[crueltobekind]

[As focused on finding his brother as he is, he nearly passes her by entirely. It isn't until she speaks up that he seems to actually notice her.]

Ah—yeah. Have you seen another guy that looks just like me around?

[uncoincidental]

[She thinks back, but unfortunately, she has to shake her head, because... well, she hasn't.]

I'm sorry. [She sounds genuinely apologetic, at least.] I haven't... This place is pretty big, but it's also enclosed, so if there is someone who looks like you around here you're bound to find him soon.

[crueltobekind]

[His shoulders slump, but it's hard to tell whether it's from relief or dejection.]

I don't think I really want to find him here anyway.

[uncoincidental]

[She can understand that, definitely. Still, it's nice to have familiar faces around in dangerous places, if only because you know there's someone you can trust to have your back.]

If he's not here, he's probably much safer. So you'll just need to focus on keeping yourself safe so you can find a way back to him.

[After a moment, she offers him a small smile.]

...what's your name? Mine is Sheba.

[crueltobekind]

[He nods along with her reasoning, but he looks a little numb, trying to just ignore the panic that he can't shake.]

He'll be looking for me too . . . Maybe we'll get found soon.

[The smile he gives her in return is shaky. Not really surprising.]

I'm Kaoru.