WEEK ZERO: INTRO MINGLE

[probe]

POPULATION: 37

There's the soft, chiming ding of an elevator as you slowly grow conscious. You remember the sound of a voice whispering in your ear, and then a very gentle, easy darkness as you fell asleep.

Then the elevator jolts, and you promptly ram into some of the thirty or so other people also waking up from their nap. Time to trample people on your way out! Be careful not to rip your flattering outfit with light up furry ears of an animal of your choice. On this elevator there are a total of 10 buttons and they're all lit up! But they don't work. A shame. The elevator doesn't go anywhere else.

In any case, once you exit the elevator, you'll find that you have a decently wide area to explore. There doesn't seem to be any sort of exit to the outside world, but that's okay. You didn't want to leave without what you came for, right? Besides, it's wonderful here: the temperature is perfect, every surface is as soft as clouds, and the atmosphere is so, so inviting. The base itself is low-lit in fluorescent neon colors which shift and pulse over time, and there's a soft, reassuring humming sound under your feet. It would be comforting if you didn't feel like you were being watched every time you walk along the hallways.

But hey, don't worry about that! Maybe you should be more concerned with the phone in your pocket! The phones have a few functions, as well as a low pixel camera. Pictures are in black and white, so no brightly colored selfies for you. Oh, and while you're taking those selfies, you might notice the symbol of your Avatar tattooed and glowing faintly on the back of your hand. Hope you're fine with impromptu body mods.

Eventually during your wandering, you'll find your room with roommates included! On the floor of your room, there is a big gift box with your name on it. Upon opening it, you will be absolutely obliterated with glittery confetti. But once you manage to get past that, the gift box contains the following:

✦ your item from home
✦ a pair of boxer-briefs labeled "ball hammock"
✦ a stress ball that looks suspiciously like a boob
✦ a rainbow bath bomb
✦ a Polaroid camera with 10 instant film
✦ a frozen steak in a vacuum-sealed pouch
✦ a blue and pink dual flashlight; one end has a normal white bulb, and one end has a blacklight bulb
✦ a tiny crown

Welcome to your new home. Take some time to look around, talk to your fellow indulgers. All of you can see each other's symbols on the back of your hands - maybe it'll strike up a conversation. After all, there's no better way to get to know each other than talking about your sins on the first date!

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Comments

[kokytos]

[ Worst suspicions confirmed. Reformatting his entire approach. Still with the ease as he puts back the DVDs back into the cabinet. ]

I'm glad to have guessed right. I've actually met several vampires in my life, you know -- it would be embarrassing if I got that wrong.

[sistocracy]

Really?

[There's surprise in her voice. The faint smile on her lips fades into the slightest frown.]

Let me guess. They were monsters.

[kokytos]

[ There's a noted silence when she says that. It takes him a genuine moment to respond, it's a rare moment. ]

Yeah. I would say so.

[sistocracy]

[A delay... and then a sigh.]

... I'm sorry. I know what many of my kind are like.

[kokytos]

You're not responsible for the actions of others of your kind -- I'm self-aware enough to acknowledge that.

[ He just smiles at her instead in a walled off way, instead raising the remote to turn the television (and the weird KFC movie) off. He gestures towards the arcades instead. This is a tricky topic -- perhaps better discussed later in a settled environment. ]

You wanted to know about the arcade games?

[sistocracy]

You don't mind?

[They'll definitely need to talk about this later. But if she hasn't scared him away yet, and the offer is still on the table...]

Then... yes. Please show me.

[kokytos]

Of course not. I'm a civil man, and this is a civil space, at least so far. No point in drawing out bad blood so early between us when we'll be spending time together for a while -- may as well make it as amicable as possible for both of our sakes.

[ With that, he does languidly make his way over to the arcades, seeing if they work -- and they indeed seem to do. He sees a variety that you could typically see in your average arcade, though the game selection seems more international. ]

This looks to be a standard arcade. Though the entire place is called an "arcade", these machines here are usually what people envision when they say "arcade machine". You press the start button, and you can play a video game.

[ For someone who has little exposure to technology, though, arcade machines might be a bit hard to explain. He looks over at the air hockey table, instead... ]

Alternatively, there's less digital ones like that air hockey table. You can play a miniaturized version of sports, with that.

[ The image of a technology-blind vampiress lady playing arcade games................ ]

[sistocracy]

[It doesn't take long for Lenore to seemingly cheer up again.]

Where to even begin...?

[All she can judge by is the colorful art decorating the machines. There's a fighting game featuring half-naked men with rippling muscles (that's on the short list), a racing game featuring more machines she's never seen before, and...

What grabs Lenore's attention first is a game that seems to feature a princess held hostage by a beast at the top of a tower. Dankey Kang?]

Perhaps this one? Do you suppose it's beginner-friendly?

the way i laughed at "dankey kang"

[kokytos]

[ Oh? He comes over and peers at the game -- oh, yes. This classic. Granted, he's never actually played it himself, so... ]

Hm. I'm not sure, actually -- I never played much arcade games myself, even if I know about them. Why not give it a try?

[ He gestures to the "PUSH TO START" button! ]

[sistocracy]

[She presses a button to start! There's a little animation of the beast carrying the princess up the tower, and the game begins! She waggles the joystick experimentally.]

Oh, I'm moving this fellow? I can't play as the princess?

[Her character walks right into a rolling barrel and dies immediately.]

[???]

[kokytos]

[ Oh, did she want to be the princess character...? A little surprising twist. He watches as Lenore immediately eats it as a barrel runs into her, or rather, she walks right into the barrel. ]

Ah, you're supposed to jump over the barrel, with this button -- here. [ He'll give a demo, using intuition to figure it out. He walks, jumps over the barrel, gets to the first ladder just enough to show her how it is before he himself is also run over by a barrel. ]

Did you want to play as the princess?

[sistocracy]

Well, yes. [Duh. Who wouldn't want to be the princess?]

Let's try this again...

[She takes the controls again! This time, she presses the button he showed her and jumps over the first barrel! She even gets up a ladder and... dies from a poorly-timed jump.]

This is harder than it looks.

[kokytos]

[ He takes in her appearance, and thinks... ]

No pressure -- seems the arcade is free access and you aren't limited by how many plays you can do, it looks like. You'd have plenty of time to practice.

[ He takes in her garb, thinks about the general stereotype of vampires, the sheltered-ness of her... though the latter could just be that there isn't technology in her world, but still. ]

Are you perhaps a princess, or a form of nobility yourself, Miss Lenore?

[sistocracy]

Something like that, yes. You're very perceptive, Steven.

[She keeps trying! She's getting a little farther, but she still really sucks at this.]

[kokytos]

[ He just watches Lenore grind away at her Dankey Kang over her shoulder, a little bit absent. At least she's enjoying herself, he thinks. ]

You could say that. In my standing, it's important to be able to notice things like that. And, I've had my fair share of interacting with the noblesse.

[sistocracy]

[she's so determined to win this stupid game.]

Really? Sounds like you're a fairly important person, yourself.

[kokytos]

Haha, no. Surely not. Though, talking to important people is something I do often.

[ I believe in you so much Lenore. ]

[sistocracy]

Oh, I don't know about that. There's more to a person's 'importance' than things like social status.

[Oh? Oh! She's finally having a good run! She climbs up several ladders, jumping barrels as she goes. Is she going to make it to the top?

...Nope, she just barely gets clipped by a barrel and dies.]

--Oh, that is bullshit.

[kokytos]

[ Now that does get a laugh out of him -- a short and a little rough sound, but nevertheless a laugh. He wasn't expecting the swear, and why shouldn't have he, but it was just a funny juxtaposition between sheltered royal technologically inapt vampiress. ]

You'll have more chances to try and try again. It's not too far from the sleeping bay, I don't think. [ He says this as an encouragement. He seriously wonders if he's going to catch Lenore spending hours in the arcade getting good at them all. It'd be a kind of charming sight. ]

[sistocracy]

[She finally gives up, turning away from the machine with a sheepish look. Is she rage-quitting? Yeah, pretty much.]

That's enough of that for today. Thank you... for showing me around.

We'll meet again tonight, yes?

[kokytos]

[ How cute. ]

...Any time, of course.
Any specific time you'd like to meet up?

[sistocracy]

I'm sure we can play it by ear.

Until then... [She gives him a smile, then wanders off.]