MarinaNova Asylum

[Sector 0 or Sector 4 | open]

[Today, Bonnie is a girl on a mission: she'll be hitting up Bulls-Eye and, as usual, levitating objects down to her petite height so she can actually see them. She's also dropping by Nine White Orchids for flowers (a girl's apartment can never have too many).

Or she may be taking a break in Sector 0, taking forever by those street food stands and deliberating on what to eat. What should've taken her five minutes is taking her twenty-five...

OR maybe she's lost. That happens. A lost girl on a mission is still a lost girl, so don't mind the one walking ten paces and then doubling back five. She's got a sense of direction. It's just not very accurate.]

[Casa Salvatore | closed to Damon]

[Every girl's bedroom needs a personal touch. Over the past few days, Bonnie's added bits and pieces to the space to make it feel less like a spare room and more like hers. A new teddy bear - a black one named "Daylight" - to echo Ms. Cuddles; new comforters and pillows; and even a small collection of old books along a bookshelf levitated their way in, bit by bit.

As she's hanging up a painting of a forest landscape, she stops to admire her handiwork. It's not until she turns back towards the door that she notices her observer.]

Hey. You're back early today.

[Or maybe the time flew by; she's not really sure which. Bonnie beams, gesturing towards all her little touches.]

Well? What do you think?

[Video]

[Nathan doesn't look exactly like Nathan today. He looks like a kid who occasionally sees the sun, eats regular meals, and even sleeps. Weird, right?]

Is anyone else normal today?

[That's it. That's all he needs to know.]


[Action]

[This is not a Nathan who skulks and stares and wanders aimlessly. This Nathan is actually going places. The pet store, the arcade, the library, the Daffodil Dive... he can even be found out in one of the parks enjoying the sunshine and doodling in a sketchbook.

He's still shy—odds are good that he won't approach anyone he doesn't already know—but he's not unfriendly.]

[Around the Dome]

[The worst thing about this prison—besides, obviously, being stuck in a universe without all of his friends and family—is all of the free time. Felix likes working. Loves it, in fact, and the lack of time that he devotes to having fun has made him the butt of any number of jokes on the Sphaira, not that he cares. He's excellent at what he does, and his recent promotion to captain makes all of the crap he gets from his peers worthwhile. Who needs friends when you can have inferiors?

Except he hasn't entirely bought into that and, without work to do and jerks to feel superior to, MarinaNova is getting kind of lonely. He's met a few people, sure, but what he needs to do is get out there and try to have fun. Fun people attract company, and he'd like company.

And so Felix, armed with a camera, spends a good part of the day taking a leisurely stroll through the dome's streets and parks. Wandering around and pausing to snap the occasional photo might not be the kind of madcap adventure that his peers at home might find amusing, but it's different enough from work to make him think that it falls within the realm of fun. As long as he's enjoying himself, it feels like it must count.

And he is enjoying himself. Photography was one of his many hobbies before he devoted himself to science and the Colonial Fleet. He doesn't know if he's any good at it, but there's something satisfying about looking for exciting angles and plays of light and trying to frame things just so. Although Felix focuses on architecture (another interest that fell by the wayside), he does try to get the odd inmate into his shots.]

I'm sorry, but could you hold still for a moment?


[Lyrical]

[Evening—or what passes as evening in an underwater dome where days are delineated by dimming and brightening artificial light—sets and Felix has tasked himself with finding a new kind of fun. This workless wasteland has presented him with an unparalleled opportunity to explore all of the hobbies that he stopped having time for at home. Hobbies like singing.

And that is why he is at Lyrical. Felix has skipped the drinking part of the karaoke bar (he'd like to keep his wits about him while he's enjoying himself) and is going through the selection of songs to find something he knows. Singing in front of strangers is fun, right? Right?

He might need encouragement.]

[Video]
[Now this machine is completely different from either of the communicators that she had been given before. More complex in design, but thankfully simpler, at least in her opinion. Much few buttons to navigate. The person coming onto the video is pale, long dark hair—sorely in need of a good washing—falling about her face, left eye covered by an eyepatch looks a bit worse for wear, if usable. She’s smiling, unsure, but hoping she comes across as genial.]

Ah…hello? I don’t know how many people there are here already, but um…it’s nice to meet you all. My name is Miranda and…I’m not quite sure how these crimes are possible. I haven’t quite had the time to be a criminal and some of these ah…incidents were not intentional in the least. But as I doubt there is much I can do to change the mind of the wardens…do they um…allow us to do things...on our own?

[It’s been so long since she had a good bath and even longer since she had any kind of privacy, but if this place is anything like where she’s been before, she doesn’t expect that. She's trying to sound calm and easy, but her voice wavers just a bit.] If so, I-I would be very grateful if someone would direct me to the nearest washroom...an-and the stairs if you don't mind. I can't seem to find any and the door won't open.

[Someone maybe woke up floating on the island.]

[Action]
[She wants to learn her new surroundings, so completely different from where she's been recently that it's a bit overwhelming at first. She stands and looks and doesn't know which way to go in. But once she's moving it's like she has to see everything. She is moving all over the dome, stopping at the various places that she has access to. There's a beach, a library, a museum, and even a store full of animals! And she will be definitely taking advantage of the hot springs. The spa seems a little too...fancy for her, but hot water and a good soak help her feel a lot better about the situation.

It's when she sees the graveyard that she takes a pause, standing at the end of the area, but not entering. Considering how vast this place is, she's not surprised as she should be--not anymore--to see one, but it makes this place all the more...real. This isn't a dream. It's not another experiment by Val or the scientists. If it was, there would be so many more gravestones, she would think.]

(OOC: PLEASURE PRISON EVENT)

[Damon is bored. BOOOOOOOOOOORED. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORED. Which is why he posts this video from the Blood Shack.]

Well, since the whole point of these social networks is to whine about your stupid problems, I guess I might as well join the "cool kids" [exaggerated air quotes] and complain about the shitty service we've been getting. Where are all our little robot slaves, picking up the trash? And why didn't anyone tell me they were cutting off my blood shipments?

Speaking of which, the Blood Shack is hiring. Servers. [There's a bit of a fang in his smile; you can probably guess how exactly you'll be serving.]

[posted a few minutes later]

I can't believe I forgot to post a pointless picture of my lunch that nobody cares about! Here it is.




Hashtag Delicious.


[ open action ]
[Damon is hanging out at the Blood Shack, bored and restless and cranky. Bother him at your own risk.]

Just as it was nearly every day, Zero was out and about around the Dome. The need to keep going could be accredited to constantly being busy back home. Although that was mostly work, and not having any time for leisurely things. So he'll fill his time here with whatever.

One of those things was of high priority: The stables. He doesn't even always take one of the horses out, instead just relaxing or napping, much as he'd do at home. Sometimes - like today - he'll have a bag of apples and carrots. He'd come to favor a white one, and while she ate, he continued to brush her.

The arcade was another place. The video games were all more or less new to him, and not something they really had back home. Of course it was any of the games that involved a gun that caught his interest first, even if they proved to be almost too easy eventually. Skee-ball was also something he automatically excelled at, given his marksmanship skills.

In general he can be found around and about anywhere. Be it at Raw enjoying a (huge) bowl of ramen, picking up ingredients at the Convenience Store, or shopping around at Bull's Eye, etc etc. Feel free to come across him!

---

( for Yuuki )
( No green thumbs here )

---

( for Ichiru )
( You can only run so far. )



[OOC: DREAM AFTERMATH STUFF IS MORE THAN WELCOME. Please feel free to switch to action/brackets, I'll follow. Also he has a red bracelet which I'd love to exploit. Just saying. :''') ]

a) Sector 4

[Bonnie had to admit, prison wasn't where she expected to end up, much less an underwater one. Breaking out doesn't seem to be an option - not an obvious one - so she decides to take that map with her and explore a little.

Clothing's a first, so she heads to The Row and stares longingly at an oversized sweater that is hung up far higher than she can reach. A normal person would've called a bot over, but Bonnie? Nah, Bonnie stretches out her hands and murmurs,] Motus.

[Doesn't even budge an itch. So she tries again,] Come on, Motus.

[Looks like she'll have to settle for something that's well, actually in her reach. Once that's taken care of, she heads off in search of adventure. Quatro Park, the Art Center, and honestly - anywhere in the dome, she'll be around.]

b) the Blood Shack

[However, she can't resist dropping by the Blood Shack, given the name. If vampires are around, then maybe they've heard of her friends from back home. So once she's gotten dressed, she heads inside and takes a long, sweeping look around.

The stench of bourbon is painfully, painfully familiar, and she'll gulp down her hopes as she sits at the bar. There's no way Damon would be here - why would he? - but it feels too much like him for comfort.]

[ Click. Have a very pretty teenager wearing the most affably self-deprecating smile you've seen recently, Marina! ]

Thank you very much, Wardens Verdical and Conscienti, for the spirited welcome. [ A chuckle; casually pushes his bangs out of his eyes. So harmless. ] I'm sure we all feel much better for it.

[ Lelouch holds eye contact with the video a moment more; violet and intelligent and watching you for any sign that you might not have felt better, because he has doubts, you see -- but perfectly normal, and normal even without the contacts. Which is not acceptable, FYI. ]

Well! As bracing as this morning has been, [ His smile shifts ever so slightly. ] it's no excuse to take leave of one's manners. My name is Lelouch. [ Just... that, for now. ] I'll be looking forward to meeting you all.

Ah, and I do have one question, if any of the veterans are feeling generous enough to answer it...

[ Gesturing eloquently. ] These... "rehabilitation points". I've never heard of a prison putting a numerical value on something like that before! [ Smile! Even more affably self-deprecating than the first. ] An example would be appreciated.

Um. Hello there. I’m Marinette. You all must get these posts a lot, but I’m new here and I just wanted to introduce myself.

[She gives a small wave to the camera and a careful cautious smile.]

I’m not sure what really got everyone here, but I’m looking forward to meeting you all and making friends.

[Of course, she was also eager to meet people and see if anyone had escaped from here, but she couldn’t just go blurting that out. This was a prison after all, and being that bold could earn her unwanted attention from the wrong people and the powers that be.]

I was a little in shock when I first arrived, so I didn’t catch a lot of the information that was transmitted. Is there anyone that has some time to give me a quick run down? I’d really appreciate it.

Oh! If there is a bakery somewhere maybe we could meet there?

Thanks in advance.

[Marinette gives another smile, more warm than the cautious one when she introduced herself. With a small self nod she ends the transmission.]

[Your eyes are open, but there's nothing to see. The darkness is absolute. Your other senses strain to make up for the lack of visual information. More nothing.

The silence builds until it's a palpable pressure, and all you can hear is your heartbeat (is it speeding up?) and the blood rushing through your veins and arteries (did you know that had a sound?). Panic builds in the back of your throat. You need to run or scream or do something to escape the sensory vacuum, but your legs refuse to listen and you can't make a sound. Why should you keep trying? There's no one to hear you. There's nowhere to run.

Your heartbeat is the only thing in the universe. It's too loud. You're too aware of it, and that increased awareness makes you realize how fragile hearts are. It's just a muscle—a fist-sized, fluttering thing in your chest.

Blood roars in your ears. Your heartbeat falters, and you wonder if you're dying.

Something touches your arm and it's like surfacing after being held underwater. Sounds—indistinct shuffling and scraping, but sounds nonetheless—return and you can see just well enough to determine that there's someone next to you.]

It's okay. [It's Nathan. He doesn't sound as if he believes himself.] Are you okay?

1: Face of the Enemy

[You're in a tent. The worn canvas does little to keep out the biting cold, and the dim light provided by a number of candles does even less to chase away the darkness creeping in from outside. A threadbare rug covers the dirt floor—a futile attempt to make a hovel feel like a home. Gaeta and a young woman are silently pulling on frayed clothes. The rumpled blanket on a nearby cot hints at what took place before your arrival.]

[The young woman finishes buttoning up her blouse and turns to Gaeta, a sad smile on her face.] I'll try to get more of them out. Do you have another list?

Yes, I... [Gaeta shuffles through a stack of papers on a low desk to find a list of names. Last name first, alphabetized. He offers it to her with considerable hesitation.] This is it.

[She takes it, touching his fingers with hers and lingering a bit too long.] You can trust me, Felix. We'll get as many of your people out of detention as we can... together. [She leans in to kiss him. Everything about her is sweet and gentle.] Trust me.

I do. [He squeezes her hand and escorts her to the door.] I'll see you soon?

Soon. [She drops his hand and turns to exit the tent. Her smile twists into something darker as she walks into the cold night.]

[Gaeta runs a nervous hand through his hair and smooths out the wrinkles in a shirt that will never be unwrinkled. He notices you for the first time.] Frak! [Clearly, you were not expected.] What are you doing in here? It's after curfew.


2: Collaborators

[The halls of the Galactica are rusted and dented and covered with the kind of dirt that accumulates with age and never scrubs off—a far cry from the sleek spaceships on television and in movies. The lights are low. The battlestar's low hum is interrupted only by the occasional footsteps on metal flooring...]

[...and, now, an angry male voice. It comes from the launch bay to your left.] Turn around! On your knees!

[You follow the noises into the bay. Gaeta kneeling on the floor, hands ziptied behind his back, looking up at the six people circled around him with equal parts shock and resignation.]

Felix Gaeta, you've been tried and found guilty of crimes against humanity by a circle of your peers, as duly authorized by the President of the Colonies. [The woman sounds impatient. These words don't mean anything; everyone knows how this ends.] If you have any words to offer in your own defense, now is the time.

[One of the men in the circle—the only one who looks like he would rather be anywhere else, doing anything else—glances over at you. He's desperate. For what, you don't know. An ally? Someone to help him put an end to this?]

[What do you do?]

A. Hak and Soo-Won
( Hak age 9 )

B. Hak and Yona
( Hak age 15 )

[Comments will come from bittyraijuu

( unwilling vampire )

[A rather young-looking Zero, around the age of 13, has been wandering the Dome for some time, now. He has no real destination in mind, but instead is just trying to figure out where he is, in general, and how he even got here. It hardly takes much for him to grow frustrated; upset, as well, but that part won't outwardly show.

All he knows is that this place definitely is not home.

At some point he winds up near the Blood Shack. It's as if on instinct alone that he finds the place. He's already keen to the presence of blood in the air as it is with being a vampire hunter. . . . Only, it's been hardly a month since he was turned into a vampire— the very thing he now loathes with every fiber of his being. He still keeps a bandage wrapped around his throat, while also in part to hide a rather large "tattoo" on the left side of his neck.

The very heady scent of blood in the air affects him belatedly, hitting his senses like a ton of bricks. And immediately is he both desperate and hateful. He initially can't even breathe, trembling where he stands with a hand clutching his chest over his heart. The desire to enter the Blood Shack to ease just how much he's physically aching is overwhelming. His other hand moves to claw at the side of his throat where that woman sank her fangs into him. Turning him into an unforgivable monster.

. . .So he turns to run, scrambling to get as far away as he can from such horrible temptation.

He isn't fully paying attention to anyone who might be in the area, only glaring at them before sneering. His eyes are a brilliant and bloody red, unbeknownst to him.]

What are you looking at?

[ OOC: Replies will come from hatefully! Also, Zero can sense vampires, just as an FYI to any who might comment. ]

// TO CARRY ON, FORGET KRYPTON, AND KEEP GOING //

[ kara dreams of only one thing tonight: home.

not the earth that she came from, the job and post she's effectively abandoned, but home. her real home. the world that was lost. the one she can't go back to.

she dreams of a krypton that's still intact; of long talks with her aunt astra while waiting for her mother to come home from a long sentencing, and especially of running through the long, winding halls of her home, hand-in-hand with a boy of about ten or twelve, laughing all the while.

the boy lets go and darts past her, rushing ahead. ]

Kal-El, wait—!

Warning: Cut for descriptions and linked images of (child) abuse and violence.
_______

( Taking away someone's freedom is the ugliest thing one can do in this world. )

[It's weird. As desperate as Damon has felt for company, now that he has it ... it's overwhelming. Which is ridiculous, because it's not like there are even that many people in this stupid prison place, but there it is. So he doesn't actually venture outside much.

But he still craves company. Which brings him, once again, to this stupid social network.]

So. A petting zoo. Is this a prison or pre-school? [God, he sounds like Seinfeld right now. What has his life become?]

[ video ]
[This has been an ... interesting day, to say the least. Damon's mood has been spiraling between rage, confusion, despair, a weird giddy joy that at least there are other people around, and guilt. It's made him pretty tetchy.]

Okay, first of all? This little headset here? It’s stupid. The douchebags who wear bluetooth earbuds would look at this and go “Well that looks dumb.” Whoever designed this thing doesn’t deserve to live.

[You’ll have to forgive him; he’s in a bit of a mood. Watching your best friend sacrifice herself so you could escape a prison world and reunite with your girlfriend and then finding yourself in a different prison world instead will do that to you.

But now it’s time to get down for the real reason he’s wearing this ugly headset and posting to this stupid prison social media thing.]

Secondly, I need a witch. So if you are a witch, or you know a witch, come find me.

[Objectively speaking, he knows he can’t compel anyone by video. If that was possible, there would be a lot more vampire politicians. But fuck objectivity, he has to try. If he can’t get out of here and reunite with Elena, he at least needs to rescue Bonnie from that psychopath.]

And Bonnie Bennett? If you’re here, I’m going to kill you for screwing that spell up.

[God he hopes she’s here.]

[the video goes to black, then clicks back on again as Damon remembers something]

Oh, and if you've seen some naked chick with dark skin and black eyes, responds to the name "Ao", let me know that too. Or just go tell that Goku kid.

[Looking for that kid's friend will get him karma points, right? Right. Of course it will. Look at him, doing a good deed. Yeah he still doesn't know she's a squirrel.]

[ Chuck appears on the screen, with a slight, nervous smile. ] Day 371, huh? Wow. So... ah, I guess this is "hello" again! Geez everything's so different. I stop paying attention for a minute...

I'm Chuck, and this isn't my first time in prison. [ Pause, that sort of sounds wrong. Or does it? Clears throat. Intones: ] "I should like to say that I make no assumptions about your occupation nor your ways--" [ Back to normal voice. ] -- and I'm okay with any sort of supernatural creature. Er. Person. Supernatural person.

Except bad vampires. Or, you know, people who kick puppies. Ehehe.

Oh! Um, I used to work for the defense force, on dispatch. Any chance I could have my job back? Is there still a defense force?

I guess that's it, except for one thing... how do you ask a deaf person if they want to buy a duck?

[Bruce is not amused for a variety of reasons not least of all that he has more important things to be doing. Whatever that person showed him, the future, a dream, he isn't sure what but something's coming and he needs to be finding the other people like Diana to help.

But instead he's here. In prison. He's usually the one putting people in prison. (Well, Arkham is more of an asylum than traditional prison but close enough.)

In any case, he puts on his public persona before opening up the video, at least it's a mask he's used to wearing.]

I have to wonder if everyone's list of crimes are quite as colorful as mine is -- if I didn't know better I might think someone was trying to slander my good name.

[Actually, most of them are right but people don't need to know that. Bruce Wayne is totally not Batman.]

Perhaps you've heard of me, Bruce Wayne, the owner of Wayne Enterprises in Gotham City. I will admit I've had a shall we say colorful reputation over the years but I would hardly think it warrants being imprisoned.

I'd ask how one gets out of this place but if that was possible I'm sure none of you would be here still. Of course, if I'm wrong in that assumption, please let me know. I have things I need to attend to back home.

[There's a smarmy sort of smile as he thinks of how to end this message. ]

If there's anything you think I should know about this place, please enlighten me, I'm all ears.