reverielogs | ( 0 0 1 » ENSEMBLE ) welcome to the inaugural log

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( 0 0 1 » ENSEMBLE ) welcome to the inaugural log

» WHO? everyone
» WHEN? may 1 onward
» WHERE? all over the station
» WHAT? introductory log feat. waking up, exploration, meeting over food and noises in the walls
» WARNINGS? potential for body horror, psychological horror, hallucinations, physical injury

( 0 0 1 ) » WAKE UP

Were you asleep or were you unconscious? It doesn't matter: when you come to, there's an odd taste in your mouth and there's a low-level mechanical hum in the air. Your head hurts and you feel nauseous. You aren't anywhere you know: everything around you is metal, from the floor you lie on all the way to the ceiling. You are dressed in a jumpsuit you definitely weren't wearing before.

"We tried to save the world. I think— I think we did the opposite."

The message repeats on a loop. If you look for its source, you find a comms device on the floor next to you. The logo on its wallpaper says REVERIE TERMINAL. Upon closer inspection, you find the same logo on your jumpsuit.

Welcome to your new home.

( ♪ )

( 0 0 2 ) LOOK AROUND

You've woken up — but where have you woken up? It may be time to explore your new home. Rifling through a crew quarter will make the room's terminal lock to the comms device you're carrying; the room becomes yours. That includes everything in it, from the additional jumpsuit to the two extra sets of underwear. In some quarters, you may find remnants of whoever was here before you: a book on the nightstand, a coffee mug still on the table, a lonely sock on the floor.

A look around the shared areas will reveal the bar, some of its bottles already open, the mess hall, observation deck and the gym area with its dirty pool. An even closer look around these areas might reveal basic first aid kits as well as basic tool kits and fire extinguishers. The kits are located near the fire extinguishers in compartments in the wall that are not immediately visible. Hopefully, nothing's on fire and no one needs first aid... but that tool kit might come in handy.

Every now and then, as you explore, you might find yourself standing before a door that is locked. Try as you might, you will not be able to get it open.

( ♪ )

( OOC: What items characters find of those who were there before them is up to players, but please limit it to a single item that is mundane and somewhat useless in nature. )

( 0 0 3 ) HAVE A BITE

Sooner or later, all characters will have to make their way to the mess hall if they want to eat. In the mess hall, here are a number of replicator-like devices that sometimes work and sometimes don't— but after a recent malfunction that some characters may have noticed, they seem to work just fine... or at least as well as ever: nothing is particularly palatable, but at least it's nourishment, right?

So why not sit down at a table, whether it's already occupied or not, and have a meal. Maybe use it as an opportunity to introduce yourself, or just to complain about what passes for coffee around here.

And if coffee isn't your preferred beverage, well. There's always the bar.

( ♪ )

( 0 0 4 ) NOISES IN THE WALLS

For some, it's been over a week on the station. For others, merely a day or two. For all, things are starting to change: maybe you were asleep or maybe you weren't, but surely the scream that reverberates through the station will startle you. Was it human? Whatever it was, it seems to be coming from the walls of the station. Banging, clanging, then more screams.

Are you going to chase the sounds? Hide away from them? Try to investigate?

If you follow the sound of screams through the station's corridors and halls, you might feel someone - or was it something? - grab you from behind and pull hard. But when you turn around or turn your head if you've fallen, there's nothing and no one there. If you investigate and perhaps put your ear to a wall to see if the noises really come from there, or bang on the wall, you might hear something other than screams and clanging. Strain your ears and you might hear nothing at all — or you might be able to make out a soft "help me". It's barely above a whisper. Did it sound familiar? If you try to take apart the wall, two things will happen: you'll feel uncharacteristically weak and lethargic all of the sudden, and you'll find nothing at all but wiring and more metal.

Whatever you do, you'll find that the noises stop after a while, with no discernible source other than "the walls". And then hours later, they'll start again. Stop again. Start again a day later— and then stop for good.

( ♪ )

( O O C ) ACTIONS

Hello Reverie Terminal Operators! Welcome to our inaugural event. We hope you'll enjoy it!

To help exploration and interaction with the station, we have put together ten (10) 'actions' that you can request. These actions range from very minor, such as receiving a small piece of information about the station, to major, which may be a more vital piece of information or something far less pleasant, and are completely opt-in. These actions can help get your character involved in the plot, jump into the plot and its mysteries, and have more of a personal prompt to jump off of if you so wish.

Please note if you would avoid particular kinds of consequences (for example, if you'd rather your character not be injured), and we'll try to accommodate that, but please be aware that heavy themes are in play and the actions may feature body horror, injury and hallucinations.

If you'd like to receive an action, please reply to this comment with the following:

In the future, actions such as these may be "bought" with bonus AC.

Please use content warning in your top-levels wherever necessary.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The observation deck is a long shot, but it's worth a try. She'd found some interest in her namesake as a kid - looking through a telescope, seeing something so huge on such a small scale. It was enough to make her feel a little important, right up until the she looked up a size comparison for the planets, and the deck feels kind of like that part: trying to wrap your head around seeing just how small you really are for the first time.

Of course, Jupiter isn't in there. She never really expected Jupiter to be in the first place. But she does at least find another living being (more and more common over the past few hours): a tall blonde, staring down at the planet below. And since she is likely to be here just as long her fellow captives, and since she is lonely enough to want human contact and kind enough to not mind the questions, she makes her way in - her footsteps soft, but unguarded enough for anyone who's listening to hear. She clears her throat, too, as she approaches - she's acutely aware of her own presence, and what it can mean for others.

"It's a lot to take in, isn't it?" Her voice, a high tenor, is soft and kind - as warm as the light her body gives off. "Just... all of this."

"It is, yeah." Steve looks out at the space around them. He'd honestly never expected to find himself this far from Earth. Even the moon had seemed impossibly far away back home. Tony, he could see in space with all his technology always reaching forward, but Steve belongs on the ground and that's where he feels at home.

He turns his head and catches sight of the light glow off of her, but the light looks stable and she doesn't seem threatening in the least, so he doesn't comment on it. He's seen enough to not be afraid of someone just because they seem to have powers. It's the reaction he would want to see others give Wanda, at least.

"I have a feeling most of us haven't been to space before."

It's nice to have people that understand - and even if they don't really get it, it's nice to have people who are willing to look the other way. Venus smiles, shaking her head at his words. "It's not exactly Kansas, no. I guess this is how Dorothy must have felt, huh?" It's a bit outdated, but it feels appropriate.

She steps forward until she's beside him - maybe six feet away, not far at all - and takes a look out the window herself. It's not the first time she's seen it, not even the first time this hour, but it's still almost too much to process.

"Can you imagine looking at Earth like this?" She laughs softly, crossing her arms and holding herself as she takes it all in - the planet, the moons, everything. "It really... I don't know. Puts everything into perspective, I guess."

Steve's smile widens into something a little warmer at the reference. He's caught up on quite a bit in the years since he'd been unthawed, but he always has a soft spot for references he always would have gotten.

"I honestly can't." He sighs. "It's beautiful, though, whatever planet it is."

Then he turns to her a little more fully and offers his hand. "Steve Rogers."

Ha - a smile! It's nice to see people smile even after all of this. Venus is smiling too, by the time he responds, and she can't help but offer her own thoughts in return. "It really is. But... it doesn't really seem like any planet would be ugly. Not when you're looking at it like this."

He steps towards her and offers her hand, and when she slips her palm into his larger one instinct kicks in. She nearly grips back, tries to do what nearly two decades of socialization have forced into her... but mind wins out over muscle memory, and she lets her grip stay gentle. "Venus," she says, and a soft exhale - something almost like laughter - escapes her. "It's nice to meet you, Steve. Even like this."

"You, too, Venus." There's something sad bubbling up under the smile, but he doesn't let the smile fade. "I wish it was under better circumstances, though. This must be scary for you."

She looks young. He can't presume to know anything about what her life is just because she's glowing a little. Powers don't make someone good or bad and they certainly don't prepare anyone for a situation like this. None of them are really prepared from what he'd seen.

"For me?" For a moment, she's actually at a loss as to what he might mean. For a girl? For a devil? For someone who can't fend for herself? But she puts it together quickly enough, looking over his height and build. He's old - at least, older than her. She might as well be a kid to him. And he's, well, he's ripped. She's not actually sure if she could arm-wrestle him, even like this.

Not that she really wants to. Even though he should be intimidating, he just seems... kind, so far. Like a person who legitimately wants the best, and doesn't just say that they do. So she laughs, and she shakes her head as he releases her hand.

"It's... it's definitely not the best place I've been." That goes without saying, she almost feels. "But it's also not the worst either? I mean, so far nobody's tried to hurt me, or even made fun of me. So honestly, it's kind of a step up from summer camp."

Not that she'd mind going back to summer camp now - now that it was full of devils like her and the others. But, well. She doesn't need to mention that right now.

"But... what about you?" The question's posed innocently enough. "You're human, right? You probably have more to worry about than me, so..."

So she isn't human. He files that information away for later. It could be important and he wonders how many people here aren't human or might not be from anywhere like Earth at all. Maybe this isn't as jarring for them. Maybe there are people here who's spent time in space already. He'll have to look into that.

He shakes his head, though. Out of his depth as he is, he's keeping his head together here so far. "I just want to get everyone home safely."

Keeping everyone safe while they're here is also a huge priority for him. He wants to do his best, but given all the threats that have been thrown at them already, he can tell that he'll need some help with that, more than just what Wanda and Bucky can give him most likely.

It's nothing that she wasn't expecting, but it still brings a smile to her face to hear him say it. It's possible he's lying, of course. It's possible he's just saying what sounds good, or just trying to impress someone, or something like that. But it's not like thinking about that kind of thing has ever helped her in the past, right? It's easier to just accept what people tell her - even if it goes against everything she believes.

And in this case, she's got no problem thinking it. So she just nods, and laughs, and adds in her own two cents. "I don't really know if everyone wants to go home yet. You know? I mean, there are probably people who were in worse positions than me. Like, way worse." But she's not one of them, and after a moment she adds almost mischievously- "Although I'm not sure how much worse it gets than the food from the cafeteria."

Steve honestly hadn't thought of that, but maybe he should have. He doesn't know what kind of home everyone has to go back to, but this station isn't safe and they can't just leave people here to suffer because the rest of them find a way back to where they came from.

"Then we'll find a way to bring those people back with one of us or to another safe place. We don't leave them behind." Steve can't. It's not within him to just leave people here. He can't leave anyone behind again.

We don't leave them behind. It's a good sentiment. It's a sentiment she hasn't heard from good people in as long as she can remember. It's something she associates with the devil, now - god leaves behind those who aren't willing to help themselves. The devil takes them in.

"I believe you." It's a bit awkward, and the moment she says it she realizes just how awkward it sounds, but she gives him a nervous smile anyway. "But... shouldn't we try to make sure no one's in danger here first?"

It's not that she wants to stop people from going home. Far from it - nobody should be cooped up here if they don't want to be. But also, if things are exploding and the walls are screaming, she feels that maybe that's a priority to focus on.

"If what I've seen is anything to go on, we're all in danger here." His voice is strained, like he's trying to hide just how much that fact bothers him.

They have an unseen enemy to fight here, someone or something more powerful than any of them as far as he can tell. They haven't even been here long, but so far nearly everyone he's spoken to has experienced something disturbing and impossible to explain, including him.

"We have to keep each other safe, but we can't lose focus on getting people out of here." Even if Steve has to stay behind to make it happen. He's done it before and he'll do it again. He's going to get them all to safety because he sees no other option.

"Well... yes. But there's ways to stop that, right? Usually."

Of course they're in danger here. Maybe even more than back home? Venus isn't sure of that much yet. But it's clearly bothering him, so she just takes him at his word and lets him speak. And then, when he's said his piece, she finally voices the thing that's been bothering her this whole conversation.

"I guess I don't get it." And just like that, she's gone against everything he said. She hurriedly tries to add more words on, to explain why she's disagreeing. "I mean, is all this... really worse than Earth so far? The people here have been nice. The screaming is weird, but that sort of thing happens all the time. You know? It's not... hm."

It's a twisted, sad sort of perspective - one she's not even fully aware of. She turns back away from Steve, looking out the great window once again.

"I think I'd rather stay here than go back to some of the places I've been."

Steve frowns and turns to study her for a moment. Earth has its downsides. He's seen firsthand what horrors men can inflict on each other. It's one thing to abstractly understand that Steve fought in World War II and another to really know what he saw. Out of everyone in his life, he thinks only Bucky really gets that. He's seen the worst mankind has to offer, but he can't write off humanity for it. He's seen the best, too, and that's what he chooses to believe in.

"The Earth I'm from is a hell of a lot better than this place. I'll find a way to take you back with me and my friends if you'd prefer that."

"Haha. If you say so." It's noncommittal, but not meant to be rude in the least - she smiles gently, even if she doesn't quite turn to face him. That's not her decision to make, after all. Not until she finds Neptune and Jupiter, at least.

"You've got a lot to go back to, right?" This time she does face him, her eyebrows raising as she asks the question. "And it's safe, there? This kind of thing doesn't happen?"

He hesitates. Does he have a lot to go back to? Not really. He has a few people. Bucky and Wanda are here, but Sam and Natasha are still back there and there are still fights worth fighting.

"I've got something important to go back to. Bad things do happen, but most people are living safer lives than what we've been seeing here."

"My friends aren't most people." This time, it's said as a joke - less interjection and more attempt at comedy. Still, she listens to his words and mulls them over seriously. Most people... Well, that's probably true no matter how you slice it, right? That's never been the question. Most people are better back where she's from, too. It's the bad kids she's worried about, the girls on god's shitlist.

"But... I'll let them know." And she means it. If this guy - Steve - does find a way off the ship, it's something they'll have to think about. For now, they can enjoy what freedom they have one day at a time.

Neither are his, Steve wants to say, but he still thinks they're safer back on Earth. Even in hiding, Bucky's safer in a place where the ship isn't trying to torture him. Steve's friends have, for the most part, put themselves in harm's way out of choice or necessity. He knows there are others out there in danger that they didn't chose. That's what keeps him fighting.

"I promise you that I will do my best to get you to a place that's safer than this."

"Okay." It's not the most enthusiastic choice of words. She can't really help it: as weird as this place is, it's still honestly an improvement over... well, almost everything. It's better than home. But he's trying his best, and she doesn't want to punish that - not now, not ever. So she forces herself to brighten up, and smiles, and keeps talking. "And... I'll do my best to get you back home, too. It sounds like you've got a lot waiting for you."

Jealousy doesn't really cross her mind as she speaks. He's got people to go back to, that's true, and that's something she really doesn't have. But she's got people here. Neptune scouring the ship along with her, and Jupiter... well, Jupiter's somewhere. She knows that much.

What does she have to be jealous about? Everything she wants is already here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

( 0 0 1 » ENSEMBLE ) welcome to the inaugural log

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