Zenith : In Character → Threads, Logs, Events

Who: Chase [Narrative]
Where: Cassi's
When: After the test. Late morning.

( The Power of Clothes Compels You )

Who: Val, Lana, and Kai
Where: Room 3
When: 9am

( find your center, stay balanced, don't fall )

Who: Billy, Noah, Owen, Cecilia
When: Zero hour 9 AM
Where: Room #2

( Bring it on. )

Who: Jack, Evie, Pam, and Tobias
Where: Room 5
When: 9am

( Maybe they would at least leave him one kidney. )

Who: Ariel, Juno, and Lennon
Where: Room #1
When: 9am

( As far as fuckeries go I've seen worse )

Who: Marco, Chase, Kiley, and Reginald
Where: Room #4
When: 9 AM

( Worst. Foot massage Ever. )

Day 11.

Weather: Clouds are rolling in and temperatures are cooling. Perhaps there’s a storm coming in the future.

Events: No one will wake up where they last fell asleep. Everyone will wake up at 9 AM, in a tiny little room containing nothing but a cot. There are fluorescent lights on the ceiling, no windows, and one door opposite the cot. Each person wakes up wearing whatever they were last, but their previously provided gym clothes are waiting in a bag on the floor. Each door opens into a small hallway, with bare walls, concrete floors, and more fluorescent lighting. Each hallway houses up to five other cells, but eventually opens up into a large room.

Here’s the deal. Everyone has been placed into a group, and each group’s destination room is different. Yes, this includes Tobias - who is brand spankin’ new to the happy family. Welcome aboard, buddy. Consider this your trial by fire.

There are five destination rooms, and thus, five groups. Group/Room #1 is Ariel, Juno, and Lennon. Group/Room #2 is Cecilia, Noah, Owen, and Billy. Group/Room #3 is Lana, Valerie, and Kai. Group/Room #4 is Marco, Chase, Kiley, and Reginald. Group/Room #5 is Jack, Evie, Pam, and Tobias.

Room #1 is a plain, undecorated room. More white walls and bare concrete floors, more harsh lighting. There are three treadmills, and a water fountain on the wall. Once all three leave their ‘cells’ and enter the room, a door closes behind them and a pre-recorded voice plays from unseen speakers.

“You will be taking an endurance test over the next two hours. We require that each of you get on a treadmill, and go as long as you possibly can. If you must stop and take a five minute break you may do so, but then you must try again. At the end of this time period, whoever does best may be rewarded. Those who refuse to cooperate will be punished.”

It’s not all easy and open to choice, however. If someone goes for ten minutes without stopping, getting off, or adjusting the speed it will randomly speed up or slow down with absolutely no warning.

Room #2 is very similar to room #1, save for the fact that it is a great deal larger. There are no treadmills, but the floor is covered with gym mats. Once all four leave their cells and enter the room, a door closes behind them and a pre-recorded voice plays from unseen speakers.

“You will be taking an endurance test over the next two hours. We require that each of you spar with one another, one at a time. You may fight until your opponent surrenders, or until a winner is clear. Each of you must face all three of your companions. When the two hours are over, whoever does best may be rewarded. Those who refuse to cooperate will be punished.”

Yeah. Precisely what that says. The group can choose their own order, but if they don’t cooperate, ZAP. What’s more, if anyone holds back (or say, throws their match without trying their best), ZAP.

Room #3 is a large room with a high ceiling. In the center of the room are posts, each about five-six inches diameter and five feet tall. Each post is surrounded by mats. Once all assigned to the room enter - you guessed it - the door closes and a pre-recorded voice plays from unseen speakers.

“You will be taking an endurance test over the next two hours. We require that each of you climb to the top of one of the poles and stand there for as long as you possibly can. If you fall, you must climb back up. Whoever performs best at the end of two hours may be rewarded. Those who refuse to cooperate will be punished.”

So, for Val and Lana that’s probably not so bad. A gymnast and a ballerina can hack that without thinking twice about it, right? Well, yeah. Save for the fact that once anyone hits the hour-mark, the poles are going to move. Randomly, swiftly, jerkily, up and down like pistons.

Room #4 looks, at a glance, to be a rather nice room. It is small, but clean and bright - with four cushy, comfortable chairs arranged around a large black panel in the floor. Once all four assigned to the room enter - holy shit! - the door closes an a pre-recorded voice plays from unseen speakers.

”You will be taking an endurance test over the next two hours. We require that each of you sit in one of these chairs, and remove any shoes and socks. Once this is done, the panel will open, and you will need to insert your feet into the space below. You must keep your feet submerged as long as you possibly can. If you panic and pull out, we require that you collect yourself and try again. At the end of two hours, whoever performs best may be rewarded. Those who fail to cooperate will be punished.”

Okay, here's where this stops being your average physical endurance test. Because this isn't physical at all. Once all four have taken their seats, yes, the panel opens, but they still can’t see where they’re putting their feet. Two small holes open up in front of each chair, each just large enough for a person to stick their feet through. And once they do, they’re in for a world of unpleasantness. They will feel vaguely insect-like things squirming and crawling over their feet, rising and falling water levels, slimey sensations, and the occasional bite. Are those really tentacles wrapping around your big toe? WHO KNOWS! Fantastic. And yeah, if you go more than five minutes without your feet in there, ZAP!


Room #5 can't be any worse, right? I mean, slimey things crawling over you and nipping your feet, that's the worst of it, yeah? Well, that depends on the person, because Room #5 is no picnic either. Again, it's a nice enough room, with comfy chairs and strange devices in each corner. Once all four assigned to the room enter - yeah, another pre-recorded voice.

“You will be taking an endurance test over the next two hours. We require that the four of you alternate between each station. At each station, place your arm through the circular opening in the device, and place your free hand on the red button near the base. That is your panic button. You are to push the button when you can tolerate no more. If you push the button, you must move to a new station and try again. Rotate stations as many times as need be. At the end of the two hour time period, whoever does best may be rewarded. Those who refuse to participate will be punished.”

So, what do the devices do? So glad you asked. Each has a different purpose. One will subject the arm to extreme air pressure, causing the subject to feel a great deal of pain and pressure that will gradually increase over time. One station is like submerging your entire arm in arctic ice, and the pain of exposure to extreme cold only gets worse at you go on. One station subjects the patient to heat - the device continues to warm on the inside until it feels as if your arm is burning. The final station deals out a continuous, low-grade electric shock. In theory, someone could leave their arm in there enough to do real damage to themselves. But will they? And you guessed it: go five minutes without trying, ZAP.

Each of the five rooms has a single exit, and that door opens at the end of the two hours. There, each room goes out onto a hallway that leads to elevator doors at the hospital. The same elevator doors that took them to their robot exams. The elevator will take everyone up to the lobby, but there’s no option to go back down.

The only other thing of note is that Tobias’ name has been marked on a door for him. Also, Alistair has been removed - but this is not announced in any way.