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

[edealistical]

If they've got candy, maybe I can even melt it down and make some omelettes...

[Edea will murmur to herself as they head out the door, leaving it questionable what exactly she thinks an omelette is.]

I'm sorry if I seemed out of sorts earlier, by the way. I'm afraid our situation hasn't left me with a positive impression...

[harepiece]

[CANDY OMELETTES...

Oz would try them.]

You don't need to apologize! It's definitely an unpleasant situation... [TO SAY THE LEAST.] But we'll find our way out soon enough, so it'll be all right.

[edealistical]

You're awfully positive!

I've tried going near the fence - I'm sure everyone has - but I don't know what that beeping is supposed to mean. Either way, we're not getting anywhere until we get these things removed... I wish I had my White Magic still; it would be a cinch then.

[harepiece]

Well, negativity won't get us anywhere but frustrated, right? [ETERNAL OPTIMISM.]

But— White Magic? [???] Would you really be able to take these things off with something like that?

[edealistical]

Well - the White Magic would be to heal myself afterwards.

[She's not sure there's any kind of magic that can remove things embedded in your skin.]

I'm afraid I never learned as much as I ought to have... Agnes is the one who can practically revive the dead.

[harepiece]

[His brow furrows upward a little at that, because honestly, just being able to heal herself is something that he finds pretty impressive.]

If you know that much, it's still pretty helpful! Ah— well, I mean... Even if you can't use it here, I'm sure that we'll find a way to fix that, too. [Because he doesn't want her to feel useless or something just since she doesn't have access to her healing!!

Either way, by the time they get to the tracks, the little train is already puffing along toward the platform.]

[edealistical]

I hope so! Things would be a lot easier if I could get any of my Asterisks back... even just something like the Performer would be nice.

[It's so hard having hundreds of different abilities and losing them all at once alas. Edea will pause at the train station as the train comes along.]

How do you think they get this to operate when there's no one actually here? It's a little mysterious, isn't it?

[harepiece]

A lot about this place is mysterious. Like... if it's been abandoned for so long, how come there are still some fresh fruits and vegetables in the kitchen? And how does that voice speak so loudly that everyone can hear it?

[Oz does not know what an intercom system is. The struggles of being ancient...]

Anyway, I'll help you look for the things you're missing if I can. Ah— My name's Oz, by the way!

[edealistical]

Oh, that's right - there must be people who come in to restock some of these things! If we eat everything in the pantry, we'll be able to catch someone red-handed!

[New plan, 100% chance of success.]

My name is Edea Lee. It's nice to meet you, Oz - I've lost a bunch of things that look like little... spheres, but I'm guessing they're going to be hard to find.

Anything of yours gone?

[harepiece]

I hope they wouldn't just leave us without food, if we did that... [THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THAT PLAN, EDEA.]

Miss Edea, then? That's a lovely name. I'll keep an eye out for anything that seems like a missing sphere, though! [He will find the thing for you new friend. Except for the part where he won't, but he'll sure try...]

Mm... I think that there might be. I only woke up with my pocket watch.

[edealistical]

[She just suffered a head injury OK her critical reasoning might not be up to speed yet.]

Hmm... And what do you usually have on you? I'll help you look, too!

[Cute little boys just have like marbles and gum and things right.]

I guess if we're listing everything that's gone, I don't have my sword, Ise-no-Kami, either. But I'm sure they got rid of that entirely.

Oh -- here.

[She'll help him on the train if he needs it before climbing in herself.]

[harepiece]

Thanks! [He'll take the offered help, stepping up onto the train and grabbing onto a rail so he doesn't go flying off when it jerks to a start again.]

What does your sword look like? I'll look for that too, just in case. [Like someone's just going to have left it under a shelf in the candy shop or something...]

...I guess I don't really have much besides my watch. One thing can't be found, either. [Because the things that he is missing are not really marbles or gum OOPS.] But thanks for the offer!

[edealistical]

It's a long blade, slightly curved. It's a type of sword called a 'katana'. I think it's unlikely we'll be finding any swords in this place, though, to be honest.

[Choo choo goes the train as she looks out at the environs.]

...This place is really... melancholy, isn't it? The whole atmosphere just feels sad.

[harepiece]

I haven't seen anything that looks like a weapon at all, so you may be right...

[He directs his gaze outward when she makes that comment, though. It's true that the air of neglect really brings the place down a few notches... Not that anyone would be able to tell Oz agrees just by enthusiasm levels alone.]

Because it's abandoned, right?

[edealistical]

Mm.

[Something else altogether seems to pervade the air, though, besides the general feeling of neglect. Edea is caught up in the atmosphere for a moment as she muses dreamily.]

...It feels like a place where things are lost. Memories. ...Dreams.

[People.]

And swords and Asterisks.

[Then she'll come back to herself.]

Heh, sorry! I guess I'm getting a little too romantic.

[harepiece]

[He shakes his head once at that, smiling in a somewhat reassuring way. He doesn't want anyone to feel silly in his presence!]

I don't think that's too far off the mark. It definitely has a strange air to it, doesn't it?

[edealistical]

There's some sort of mystery here for sure. I'm only really interested in the mystery of how we're going to get home, though, to be honest.

Is this where we get off?

[They're approaching the area closer to the entrance now.]

[harepiece]

Me, too. [He can't leave his dumdum servant alone for too long...]

Ah— yep, that's it! Hang on to one of the poles, though. [And why he says so will become very clear, since the train kind of lurches when it eventually comes to a stop at the platform. Oz, being prepared, will bounce his way right out and hold a hand out for Edea if she needs one.]

[edealistical]

What?

[Edea will promptly bounce into the wall in front of her.]

Ow.

[Making a great impression on the ten year old here! She'll rub her head a little as she gets out with a small cough of embarrassment.]

OK! Almost there, right?

[harepiece]

[Oz will do the polite thing and not snicker at her sad sad self...]

It's just down this street! [Of creepy pleasantville-ish houses. He'll lead the way to the candy store yeaaah which is probably looking much more empty at this time of day.]

Ah, it looks like a few people have been here since I was last in...

[edealistical]

What?

[There was more? Edea will just... half-run, half-walk inside so as to get her share before it's all gone.]

There should have been a sign directing us here in our rooms! This is clearly the only place of any interest in the whole park!

[...]

I mean. We have to... identify the places where we can obtain sustenance.

[good save]

[harepiece]

[SMOOTH... he will once again wisely not comment.]

It would have saved a lot of time and effort, you're definitely right about that! But it's a good thing that we haven't been beaten out to the rest of it. [Go friend go, collect the rest of the candy...]

There seem to be a lot of people here that have a sweet tooth, I think!

[edealistical]

Well...

Sugar is transformed immediately into energy, you know! It's important rations for missions.

[If you constantly feed yourself sugar, you'll never crash it's true. Edea will just... abandon some pretense and begin to scoop up handfuls.]

It's definitely not fair to take everything, but... I think this should be closer to the dorms so people have easier access.

[So Edea will leave like three pieces of candy in the mess hall.]

[harepiece]

[clearly it's everyone else's fault for not getting here sooner, okay!!]

Ah, that's a good idea! Traveling all the way out here by train every time someone wants a candy is pretty impractical. I should have brought a bag to carry this all back in...

[he will sadly stuff a few pieces into his pockets instead.]

[edealistical]

[finders keepers losers weepers is a good attitude to live your life]

Exactly. We should move it to a place that's convenient for everyone.

[Wait until she discovers cotton candy...]

I guess it's OK to leave some here in case anyone needs a snack as they walk by... I wonder how they refill this stuff. It doesn't seem like there's enough food in the mess hall to last us all very long.

[This is probably the point where she should have realized they were going to be horrifically murdered.]