Welcome To The Village

[number_2]

Who: Everyone who was signed-up for the excursion
What: The Village December Excursion
When: Dec 1st - Dec 23rd
Where: The Village
Warnings: Involuntary capture and confinement including immobilization and restraints, violence, injury, maiming, possibility of death, torture, coercion, gaslighting, mind control, drugging, scientific experiments, and extremely inaccurate depictions of mental health facilities/hospitals, among other potentially triggering themes. Please mark all threads appropriately.




"Good morning, good morning, good morning!" A voice that sounds very similar to Friday's chirps over a loudspeaker outside your character's home. Yes, their home.

Overnight, all the passengers who signed up for this excursion have been transported to their very own personal cottages. They will awake in a bed that is familiar to them. While this home of theirs does not necessarily have to resemble the place they were born or raised, it will be a perfect replica of a place they truly thought of as their home, down to the most minute details.

The cottages are self-contained, the size of a large studio apartment so, in some cases, they may only resemble the bedroom and living room of a person's home with a shrunken-down kitchenette and bathroom adjoined. But the heirlooms of their past are here. A favorite doll? A treasured family portrait? Trinkets you have long forgotten about? All of them will be here, somehow. (All except for weapons, that is.) They are indistinguishable from the real item, down to the molecule.

After that wake-up call, the voice continues on to express that the weather will be warm and sunny, with no rain forecasted. A brass band concert is announced, to start at noon on the lawn next to the living chess set. And once that bit of news is wrapped up, lively marching band music will begin to play. And it will continue to play. All day. From every speaker...including the ones hidden in their home.

Welcome to Your Village

It only gets stranger from here. Characters may be dismayed to find that they are without any of their original clothes or belongings. They awake in conservative button-up pajamas. The closet in their home is full of the latest Village Fashion to choose from. Everything is The Village label brand, including the tin cans of food that stock the kitchen and any of the groceries you could get at the General Store.

Your ship phone rings. When you answer it, you will be greeted, once again, by the voice of Friday. "Your number, please? Of course, you have a number. Look at your badge." If they look down at their chest, they will discover a small round number badge has been pinned to their pajamas. Was that there before? It bears the symbol of a Penny-farthing Bicycle, with a number in the spokes. This is their number.

"No names here," the voice of Friday chides, "Only numbers. Number 2 would like a word with you at the Green Dome. He requests you come for breakfast. Thank you!" Before they can protest further, the line goes dead.


Some Notes:

No matter how many times your character tries to take off and disregard their number badge, they will always find it re-attached to their clothes again the moment they look away and look back.

Your characters still have their phones but now they can only make calls instead of sending texts. They also do not take or store photographs anymore.

If your character destroys or damages anything in their home, or in The Village it will instantly repair the way things used to on the Serena Eterna.

The noise from the speakers can be muffled by covering it with pillows or other creative items, but cannot be stopped entirely. (Sorry Phil)

Comments

Flan | OTA

[yourexoduslaughing]

Town Square, Day 1

Shortly after she wakes up in what is a perfect recreation of her old apartment (right down to the bong water stain on the floor and the couch with a missing right leg that was replaced with various books), Flan decided to see just how big the world is. After all, the most fun part of the expeditions she's gone on so far have been getting to stretch her legs a little and zip through new airspace.

Still in her PJs, she makes for the furthest point her mind can find-

-and not much longer later, around the time that others would be going for their pre-breakfast talk, a huge white orb rolls into town, an air of menace about it only made worse by the threatening noise it makes. As it moves over the ground, it leaves behind a now unconscious Flan with a bruise developing on her face, number pinned to her PJs despite everything.



Home - All Event Long

Flan's door is open often, and she's quick to invite anyone passing by to come in and hang out with her. The apartment inside, though rather chaotic, is also obviously the home of someone who has never worried about money in her life. Even missing a leg, the couch is incredibly comfortable, as is her bed, stacked high with pillows and blankets. The bong-stained rug is a well-worn Persian that's very comfortable to lay on, and that's where you can usually find Flan as she stretches out and occasionally goes through yoga poses in the most flexible village clothes she can find.

New friends are invited to grab a seat and relax, go run the popcorn maker, yeah the village popcorn is actually pretty good all things considered! Very good friends are invited to crash in the bed and just hang out until they're sent back to their own 'house' for the evening.

Town Square, Day 1

[astrogator]

Ari Tayrey has no intention of playing along and attending this breakfast. She's leaving her ersatz starship accommodation to go exploring again when she hears a strange noise. As soon as she catches sight of that great white blob, she ducks behind a wall and keeps very still. There's no reason it should be coming for her, but there's no reason to draw its attention, either.

It passes by, and she's relieved until she sees Flan there on the ground. Tayrey rushes over, crouches down beside her. She's still breathing. That's a start. 'Citizen Flan? Flan, can you hear me?'

She's not as frail as she was after her injury; she'll probably be able to carry Flan to safety if she needs to - but she's hoping not to have to put it to the test.

[yourexoduslaughing]

Flan is slow to wake up, groaning but not opening her eyes for a few minutes. When she does start to stir, eyes slowly opening, she's clearly confused and disoriented, slurring her words some. "Wha? ... Ari? Wait, why- why are you here?"

Because if there's one thing Flan's learned about Ari Tayrey, it's that she doesn't do expeditions.

[astrogator]

'Tayrey.' Yes, she's going to correct that even if you were unconscious four minutes ago, sorry Flan.

That said, she does look concerned. 'Let me get you inside first, and then we'll talk.' She extends a hand to help Flan up, ready to provide as much support as is needed.

'They made the place look like parts of my starship,' she adds, as if that'll be an inducement to go with her.

[yourexoduslaughing]

"We gotta get on a first name basis, girl." Flan mumbles, managing to get Ari's hand and needing a little help getting up. Her head aches and she stumbles a little as they walk.

"Oh shit really? Oh my god that rules." She ends up having to sling an arm around Ari's shoulders to keep from falling over. "Mine looks like my apartment. I didn't get a chance to dig through it. I wanted to see uh... how big this place was."

[astrogator]

'It sounds too strange,' she mutters as she helps Flan up. 'My father's the only one who calls me Ari now.' She'd been Tayrey since she went shipside.

They walk together to door number 27, and it slides open, revealing the little corner of the starship lounge. Dim lighting, shiny metallic walls with painted arrows and symbols, a large holoprojector, a table, chairs - and a dark, angular sofa, low to the floor, covered in padded fabric. It's this she leads Flan over to. The place has the same minimalism as Tayrey's cabin on the ship. No clutter, everything neatly packed away in cabinets, or zipped pouches attached to the walls.

'It isn't convincing,' says Tayrey, offhand. 'It doesn't sound right. Or smell right. And they left out the drinks cabinet.' She crosses the room, opens up a pouch and sticks her hand inside. 'You'll let me treat that bruise? I'm guessing the great white blob didn't appreciate your explorations.'

[yourexoduslaughing]

"Ooooohhhhh, dad stuff, I got you." Flan is quickly distracted by Tayrey's cabin, and even while still getting herself together, her eyes move this way and that. "Holy shit, nice. I mean, too bad it's bullshit though. God my booze is probably gone too. I didn't even looooook."

She sits on the sofa and gives her bruise a poke. "Ow. Oh my god yeah, please, if you could. So hey, uh, something fun? To think about? However this place is set up, it's got uh- it's not hard boundaries, that's- that's what I find everywhere else. I just was zipping along, seeing how far out this place went and I got- I just fell out of the sky. I mean. Y'know, like. Like I fell, like usual, but then I couldn't fall anywhere else, I could only go straight down, and when I hit the ground, the ball came at me."

Tayrey gets a nervous grin from Flan. "I had to run on foot. It was sooooooo weird and scary."

Home

[theweakhavepurpose]

Pratt doesn't even wait for an invitation, he just wanders in and .

It looks even more dramatic considering he's wearing a green cape over his fashion disaster of black pants and red stripey top. Sort of like if Freddy Krueger became a super hero.

"I hate this place." muffled and spoken directly into the carpeting but probably easy to understand just from the general vibe going on with him right now.

[yourexoduslaughing]

Flan rolls out of her headstand, flopping beside Pratt on the floor and giving him a cuddle. "Aww baby, I'm sorry. They're ultra fucking with you this time."

She gives him a kiss on the back of his head, glad that she figured out how to use some of her huge stash of blanket and pillows to muffle the worst of the speakers in her place. "It blows that you can't just stay here and you gotta go back to your torture dungeon at night."

[theweakhavepurpose]

"There are so many speakers in there. And they never. shut. up." But at least he kind of turns his head to the side so he isn't having this conversation with the floor. Mostly because he has to breathe and his nose has been broken too many times to enjoy being mushed against the ground.

"Your place is nice. I wish they made candles of this scent." A new line at Bath & Bodyworks: Bong Water and Forgotten Taco Bell Wrappers.

[yourexoduslaughing]

"Yeah your place is suuuuuch a nightmare." She's popped her head in a few times now and it ultra sucks. Especially the noise. It's honestly a miracle that Pratt's as cool and chill as he is considering everything.

She just pets his head and nods. "Oh my god right? They totally should. I forgot how much I missed this smell until I got back here! Maybe when we get back, Sundries will give us both candles of this smell."

[theweakhavepurpose]

"Oh man that'd be great." He manages to sit up, leaning into those head pets like a sad dog at the pound. "I don't even get the point of this place. Other than my shithole, everyone else seems to just have gotten normal rooms. So like... what's the deal?"

[yourexoduslaughing]

Oh he's soooooo cute when he's all traumatized and eager for human contact. No wonder those weirdos kept him for so long and kept messing with him. Flan ends up shifting behind Pratt, encouraging him to lean against her so she can just keep petting his hair and let him still relax.

"I dunno! It's weird. I think a lot of people got like, whatever they'd consider their homes? I got my apartment, and Tayrey got her ship quarters but she says they didn't get the smell and sounds right, and oh my god you should see what April got. But some guys got weird super hostile shit too, just like you. I think it's like how the ship picks on some people harder than others. It's bullying you." She slings her other arm around his chest. "It's emotionally beating you up so they can steal your lunch money."

[theweakhavepurpose]

He is just utterly pathetic at times. Really the marching band music should change to sad Sara McLanahan songs.

"What they consider their homes???" He groans and flops against her, he just needs to bury his face in some titties right now. "That's some bullshit if they think my home is in Jacob's fucking office. Why can't it just stuff me in a locker and be done with it?"

This sucks and he hates it.

"What did April get?"

[yourexoduslaughing]

Flan just rubs his back, and nestles him in her tits. It can't solve everything, but life is better when you're between a pair of good boobs. "Yeah, like, no matter how you stretch the definition of home, there's no way that place is more of a home than anywhere else you ever lived. Anyway, they just pick on you 'cause you're funny and your dick is good."

"Oh my god, okay so at first, I thought it was the place April and I used to live in, but then I actually walked in, and it's like one of those show-homes, except it all just feels like reeaaaallly familiar and also off-putting. And THEN, if you go into the bedroom? It's just a photo darkroom with a bed!" She's more than happy to tell Pratt about the weird shit going on with April.

[theweakhavepurpose]

"It almost sounds good when you say it like that." who knew being charismatic and knowing how to use his dick would come back to bite him.

"So a stepford house? Everything perfect but also a little to the left or whatever? The pictures came with the frame." He's been in a ton of unsettling houses and there's nothing creepier than going into someone's home and them having zero personal items and it looks like a hotel.

"Uh. Okay that's weird. Does April need to be developed in a vat daily?" It's a joke because he has no idea about the paper thing. Little does he know he's accidentally uncovered a cryptid secret.

[yourexoduslaughing]

"Almost! But it still sucks for you, even if it just makes you even more fuckable." And she gives one of his pecs a honk.

"Not anymore!" Flan says cheerily, enjoying his joke even if it's pretty close to the truth. "They're pretty private about that stuff, and like, you never want to ruin the mystery for a friend whose whole thing is mystery so I'm only a liiiiittle nosy about it instead of a lot. But they do totally have like, little scraps of photo paper on the floor near the bed, so I'm like ooohhh is that decoration or are you shedding? They totally won't tell me so I'm going to have to sit on it and wait for like, a good moment to tease 'em about it so they yell out the answer at me. Anyway, April's all weird all the time but that's just part of the territory when you're not human!"

[theweakhavepurpose]

He gives one last nuzzle into the titties before sitting back.

"So what you're saying is when Christmas rolls around I should get them a nest of Polaroids?" He's not even gonna question the not human thing because he only vaguely remembers what April looks like anyway, maybe they have three heads for all he knows. His memory is terrible and that's fine, definitely no other reason he can't place their face.

"What about you, assuming I survive this place without going on a murder rampage or getting murdered by the Stepford Townsfolk? Got a Christmas wish list?"

[yourexoduslaughing]

"Oh my god they'd looooooove that!" Flan beams, and also has a moment when she realizes that huh, right, time has passed, Christmas is coming up real soon. "Wow, Christmas! I haven't thought about it at all until just now! Oh god, great question."

She pats her hands on Pratt's thighs as she thinks about him. "Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm oh! Yeah okay, I got some ideas! I'd love some night out where you dress up, and eat a good dinner, and maybe see a show? Or a pjs-and-movie night with popcorn! I'd also totally be up for a picnic kinda thing! Honestly, just some sort of fun experience! Or like, a threesome if we'd be up for that? We both like Max! What about you? You got a list? Also, if you do go on a murder rampage, like let me know and I'll come join you okay?"

home visit

[myagic]

Rita, passing by in her homemade frayed shorts, ends up stepping in when Flan calls out to her. With a glance around and a nod at what she believes is perfectly organized chaos, she raises an eyebrow to Flan. "Are you always this excited on excursions?"

Sure, she's heard the bunkercasts (it's not like anyone had a choice), but she still has to ask.

[yourexoduslaughing]

"Rita!!" Flan rolls out of the headstand she's doing, hopping to her feet with a burst of excitement. "Oh my god, absolutely! I'm pretty much this excited all the time, but it's a break from the ship, somewhere new to visit, with new people to bother! Have you seen all the vandalism going on? It's crazy!"

[myagic]

She winces just a little as the greeting drowns out even the speaker music. Otherwise, though, she knew more or less what she was getting into saying hi to Flan! Mostly. She gives a little wave--hi there, former dance partner!

"Yeah, I'll say," she snorts at the vandalism comment. "It's almost too easy when everything's so pristine, you know? Pretty sad when he's supposed to be the one inflicting the suffering, huh?"

[yourexoduslaughing]

"Oh that's all old evil guys! Oh my god like, every time my uncle took me to meet his weirdo friends group, we'd always meet at one of their houses or lairs or whatever, and it would be aaallllll the same! Just all these like perfectly placed curios and trinkets and plates and everything was white or breakable or both! Oh my god, they love it so much." She tucks her hands in her outfit's pockets, glad to have them even if she misses her overalls. "Anyway like, the real secret is that they do it all on purpose. They want you to mess things up, 'cause even if they're evil, they like an excuse! They could just hurt you anytime, but it's more fun for them when they feel like they're punishing you!"

[myagic]

So much for knowing what she was getting into with Flan, because now Rita crosses her arms, brows furrowing skeptically. "Your uncle's friends had...lairs? What, did they think they were supervillains or something? Anyway, this Number 2 guy sure is a pompous jerk, but he's hardly evil overlord material. He's a bit too pathetic for that."

Look, the brainwashing can make her want to live here; it can't make her actually respect Number 2.

[yourexoduslaughing]

"Yeah pretty much! I mean like, there's no superheroes in my world so I'm not sure if they can be supervillains without those, but it's basically the same idea! Kidnapping people, putting them into their horrible little torture-domes and eating their fear, rinse and repeat!" Flan just nods to her front door - and to the torture-dome they're in right now. "Number 2 would fit right in with all of 'em!"

And she lowers her voice a little, putting a hand to the side of her mouth as she stage-whispers. "And they gotta have something pathetic about 'em, or they wouldn't be like this, y'know? They'd have regular hobbies and other ways of getting their fix."