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!

✨ FULL NAVIGATION ✨
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Comments

[toesies]

option a: awakening

[Welp. Sorry but not sorry for stepping on at least ten people on her way out of the elevator, with all the grace of a monster truck. Upon freeing herself from it, she does a baby spin while staring at her ass. Jingles a little. Lifts a hand to touch the coyote ears on her head.]

Well, this is tacky. Who— [... and then her eyes land on the tattoo.] —Whatthefuck?

option b: common room

[Much later, Sheila can be found lounging on one of the couches, still wearing her Ariana Grande outfit and working it. Gently scrolling through her phone, she is apparently reading the welcome document because you will soon hear her say, in a mocking, babyspeak-like tone of voice:]

"Indulgence: verb." [HUFFS.] Like I don't know what that means. Bitch.

[Watch purple NPC be a sweetheart while Sheila is out here shitting on them. Terrible.]

option c: rec room

[There is a button.

She is going to smack the button with all the self-restraint of a 5-year-old child. That's it. That's the prompt. Goodbye, gravity. Sheila glances at whoever happens to be in the room with her. And then softly, with feeling:]

... Oopsie?

wildcard.

[Remix one of the prompts above or come up with your own! You can also hmu on plurk or discord if you want to hash out something specific.]

c

[housewolf]

[Oh he was not expecting that to happen. Goodby gravity, goodbye ground.]

I can't say I was expecting that.

[Nor does he know how to move around in zero gravity.]

Ever experienced anything like this before?

[toesies]

Nope.

[Just kind of. Wobbling and spinning around. Unintentionally. Terrible.]

Surprisingly, this one's a first for me. I'm guessing you're not astronaut material either?

option c

[shiftingwinds]

[well, someone walks into the rec room just in time to get accosted by antigravity!

could be worse, though. shi qingxuan doesn't look too bothered, and instead just giggles as they drift aimlessly.]

Well, that's unexpected! How fun.

[toesies]

[Wobbling and spinning in place. Thank god she doesn't get motion sickness.]

Right? I thought it would be the light switch, but this is so much better.

A.

[headmt]

[Someone may or may not have noticed the new tattoos yet, because he's already got a bunch. Nothing out of the ordinary there. Also jingling a little, mostly because he just got stepped on. Doesn't seem too put out by it though.]

Really? I think it's pretty flattering on you, in fact.

[like i was gonna let someone else be the first to hit on sheila]

[toesies]

Aww, that's so sweet of you!

[Smiling! Then, in the same breath:]

I'm married, by the way. And why are you purple?

[Sheila, you can't just ask someone why they're purple.]

a

[gamerbrain]

It's like a uniform. You look good.

[toesies]

Aw, thank you. But I'm not sure I support whatever this uniform represents?

[Why are they all slutty furries? So rude. What if she wanted to be a slutty normie instead.

Anyway, there is a beat. And then she takes a better look at Aoi.]

Wait. How old are you, sweetie?

common room

[bonetiddies]

They aren't giving us the answers on purpose.

[She's just listening to Sheila read it outloud from where she's exploring - she's mostly keeping away from people like an awkward weirdo, but she'll chime in like an even more awkward weirdo when Sheila speaks.]

Unless it really is as simple as "do what you feel like doing." But my guess is there's a deeper meaning we're meant to find out for ourselves.

[toesies]

[If she minds someone chiming in on her commentary, she doesn't show it. She sets down her phone and sighs instead, glancing up at Harrow.]

Well... They do mention death more times than is necessary? Which is, you know, zero times. So I'm not sure I like whatever that's leading up to.

a

[niceguyferatu]

Mmm. I can't say I'm a fan of the sudden tattooing myself.

[ He gazes down at the hand in question, flexing it as he speaks. ]

Ah, but such is the price we pay for our greatest desires, isn't it?

[toesies]

[Just. Stares at him after listening to him talk.]

... Wow.

[That's it. That's the tag.]

[aubins]

[ oops, there goes gravity. and yuri.





he just kinda drifts, arms folded. ]

Well, someone was bound to press it at some point.

[toesies]

[She

awkwardly shrugs while aimlessly floating.]

Better to find out now than latter?

c

[enfangs]

[SCREAMING AS HE FLOATS—]

WHY THE FUCK DID YOU DO THAT!?

[toesies]

[Sheepishly:]

I thought it was the... light switch?

[Sure. Let's go with that.]

b

[liuli]

I think 'indulgence' was one of the last words I needed them to define for me.

[ hello sheila. gu yun's sprawled out on one of the couches, feet propped up on the end, holding his bizarre device (???) in his hand way too close to his face. ]

"Waffle" or "Ghostbusters", or "meme", maybe. Quite a bit being said without much being said at all, it seems.

[toesies]

[Gu Yun has said so many things. But truly, the most important one is—]

You don't know what a waffle is?

c

[mukagen]

[ He really wanted to see what the switch does!! So he's here! And when she throws all caution to the wind, he waits!

... Blinks once, twice. ]

We're floating.

[ Aaaaaaaah? ]

[toesies]

[Floating... She solemnly nods and then tries to reach for the button again, only to wobble in the opposite direction of it. Oh. Hm.

...]

Crap.

b

[alteracion]

Right? They're acting very high and mighty about questions they asked themselves.

[ grace is in her regular outfit. but with the tiny crown they got here, because it's important. ]

[toesies]

I know!

[So offended!!]

Newsflash, asshole. We couldn't have asked any of these questions when you haven't even showed your face.

c;

[nodo]

[ thank you for this.

but here they both can be slowly floating in the air and he'll just have his arms crossed against his chest. there's a look of disappointment on his face as he's still dressed up in the ariana grande nightmare. so, maybe there's a loss of whatever "threatening" aura he might have thought he had. ]

[toesies]

[Bold of you to think she can be threatened. She frowns back at him.]

Oh, don't look at me like that. Someone was bound to press it.