Event: Consolidation Theory, Part One and Two

[snowblindmods]

Characters: red-marked characters
Location: ???
Date: Morning & Day 353
Summary: You wake up in a cell.
Warnings: general horror warnings; please note in subject lines for anything specific that comes up

Consolidation Theory OOC Post
Part Two OOC Post

Comments

[thewarningafter]

[Stephen's eyes go to slits, the skin of his face reddening. Thanks, kid.]

No. No more singing.

[He's back in the present; intends to stay here. But....]

Not for now. Not unless you've got any favorites you'd like to share.

[darkincrement]

[ That's what he's there for. Leaning his back against the barrier. ]

I think I'll pass.

[ Not that he even knows any songs before coming here. Unless you count It's a Small World. ]

Maybe we can ask Miller when he's feeling social.

[thewarningafter]

It's the least he can do. Wonder if he'll actually show his face around here.

[darkincrement]

Would be nice to show him the same hospitality that he's shown us.

[ Tipping his head up to look at the ceiling. ]

Probably won't. He would rather have others do his dirty work.

[thewarningafter]

What others? It's only him and --

[Stephen's brain stutters to a stop. America dragging him out of the cell, strapping him down, those first cuts --

With the nanomachines in all of them, anyone with control over the network doesn't have to look far for accomplices.]

What did he say? Earlier, he said something on an intercom, didn't he? What did he say?

[It's a sign of how completely derealized Stephen had been from his surroundings that he can't remember something like that.]

[darkincrement]

[ Good news, one convert from the building was trapped as well? ]

It's just us.

[ He says the words sternly, trying to keep Strange here instead of there. ]

He said he was going to fix us.

[thewarningafter]

[Stephen lets out a shaky breath, not reassured in the slightest by either pronouncement. He shuts his eyes for a second to calm himself -- but no, he has to open them again, press himself harder against the force field to prove to himself where he is, to remember what's different this time.]

Bullshit. Why does he suddenly care what state we're in?

[darkincrement]

Strange. [ He takes on a sharper tone. ] We aren't in the building. It's nicer here. [ Not the right setting for breaking people to convert them. ]

The paranoia must have gotten to him.

[thewarningafter]

[Stephen's gaze grows sharper in response, less friendly.]

Nicer.

[Still a cage. Still at the mercy of someone who's going to try to "fix" them, make them conform to whatever standard he's decided is correct.]

He shouldn't be susceptible to the same alterations in perception as the rest of us. He's supposed to be quarantined.

[darkincrement]

Much. As in they actually want us alive.

[ He knows it was different in the building. He remembers feeling it...being scared of what would happen to Gabriel. ]

Looks like he's not as quarantined as we were lead to believe.

[ He actually laughs at this. Because he's a strange snow flake, but it's the detached kind of this is fucked up kind of laughter. ]

At least they are safe.

[thewarningafter]

Not once I get out of here, he's not.

[An empty threat against an absent party.]

[darkincrement]

Get in line. Besides, aren't you one of those hero types?

[ Vanitas can get his hands dirty without the guilt. ]

There's working water. Maybe they'll let us out if we flood it.

[thewarningafter]

[Shut up, Vanitas. Stephen's voice goes light and sarcastic.]

Oh, and maybe we can pretend one of us is sick so they come open the cells.

[darkincrement]

[ Snickering. ]

Maybe add in a snake being in the cell.

[ They will definitely believe that. ]

[thewarningafter]

[Snort!]

...You going to flood it?

[darkincrement]

Maybe when I get desperate.

[ He wants to see what they have in store for them first. ]

[thewarningafter]

Might be too late by then.

[darkincrement]

It's already pretty late. [ Someone already handled them to get them in new threads. Springing up to his feet smoothly. ]

Guess it won't hurt to try.

[ Countdown until the spiders attack. ]

[thewarningafter]

[Stephen's mouth curls in a ghost of a smile.]

Actually, I'm interested to see whether the barrier is watertight.

I asked the mods if they could flood the bathroom so waiting for that

[darkincrement]

Good thing I'm in a good mood.

[ As good as he can be while kidnapped. ]

I'll play guinea pig.

[ Getting up to his feet. ]

[thewarningafter]

I'll watch. And if that doesn't work maybe I'll fake the flu.