idolpro | Serenity's Heart Game

[ The haze begins to clear. As you lay on what seems to be a very simple but comfortable bed, you open your eyes to the rest of a small bedroom. The curtains are drawn and yet a small stream of light slips through, allowing you to slowly get your bearings.

As you do, you notice the creeping hints of plant life throughout the room, small blossoms of yellow and white peaking through tiny cracks in the walls and floor, clinging to everything they can get a hold of. In fact, as you look down at yourself, you will see that the yellow variety has crawled up the legs of the bed as well.

They’re trying to get to you. It is not a voice, as much as it is an idea placed directly in your mind. Yet there is a lingering warmth-- a feeling of love and caring coming from the one who put it there.

It’s early morning-- 7 AM, according to the basic clock on the wall next to the bed. But with the hoard of yellow flowers growing around it, you almost have to wonder how much longer it will work.

Looking further around the room will show that the room itself is rather sparsely decorated, if you don’t include the intruding plant life. First you have the bedside table next to you

There is also a desk with a few framed photographs on it -- those have been completely overwhelmed by yellow flowers -- as well as a closet with a uniform hanging on it’s doorknob, all ready to go; neatly pressed and wrinkle-free. That is, if these white flowers were not clinging to it

...oh and don’t forget the bathroom.

When you're ready to leave, the exit is just across the room from the bed. ]

[...sits up and carefully untangles his legs, looking around... what he can see of the architecture feels familiar, but it's hard to make out with the flowers exactly why.

he heads for the pictures.]

[ Of all the plants in the room, the ones here are the thickest and most numerous. All of them are the bright yellow variety, with their dark-colored spots.

There are several photos lined up neatly, despite the plants clinging to them. However, the plants make seeing the individuals in the pictures difficult; crowding their faces as if they’re trying to get at the real thing somehow. They’ve caused those parts of the pictures to become somewhat discolored and faint. There are photos of family, of friends and of co-workers.

It feels like… if left to their own devices, these plants will completely eat away at these photos, until Serenity is the only one left in them. ]

...Yeah, that's no good.

[he'll be clearing the plants away from the photos fastidiously.]

[ Depending on how long his hands linger on the plants, he will feel the flowers trying to reach something inside of him.

And he will hear their voice, unsettling and distorted--

D̴͔̼͕͆̓͝e̴͉̼͍̾̈́͠v̸̫̻̙͋͌̕o̵͉̫̿́̈́͜u̴̞͓̙͘͝r̵͕͚̔͘͝...................................................... ]

[NOPE DON'T LIKE THAT

being harsher with the flowers, clearing them away from the whole surface the photos were on.]

[ They can be cleared by force-- rather easily. But that feeling will only get worse the longer he's in contact with them.

As he keeps in contact with them, it will become increasingly obvious that the thing it is after is a particular bond. An emotional link it seeks to destroy.

But hey! The photos are cleared off! And you will see that they are pictures of Serenity with people from back home! Her friends, family, and... some people he knows very well-- the S.S.S. ]

[don't torch the flowers don't torch the flowers don't torch anything in towee's heart--

he lets go as soon as he can, and focuses on the photos.]

...Huh. Guess that's why.

[thanks for elaborating, randy. but he makes sure the photos are upright and nicely arranged and flower free, then steps back to peek into the bathroom.]

[ Torch the flowers-- okay maybe don't.

There is also an envelope next to the flowers, but it hasn't been taken by flowers yet. It's sealed up on purpose, most likely to keep it safe.

The bathroom on the other hand-- is fairly flower free for a change! But then, that's likely because there's not much personal in here. A few cute towels, standard hygiene products.

Almost as if on cue though, something in the bedroom starts beeping. ]

[okay nothing to snoop about in the bathroom, backs into the bedroom again. WHERE BEEP.]

[ The bedside table, it looks like!

On the bedside table there are a few items yet untouched by the flowers, including a device specially fitted for you. Next to the device is a wallet. And underneath both of these items is a neatly folded map of what one would hope is your current location. If he didn't recognize it before, the map should make it clear. ]

Aw, Towee...

[checking out the arcus, and his quartz. entirely workable, nice. wallet goes right into pocket. map gets... mmmyep, he thought so.

now to check out that envelope.]

[ First, the ARCUS II has a message, special for you--

I’m sure you’ve already noticed, but things are pretty not great right now. And saying “please don’t worry about me” probably won’t help if you’ve already come this far. I’d rather you didn’t put yourself in any more danger than you had to, but-- since I can’t guarantee you’ll do that… I prepared this for you.

Hey Randy. If you’re reading this then… I guess I got you involved too. I’m really sorry for causing so much trouble. I’m doing everything I can to get things under control right now, but at this point it’s starting to feel like a losing battle.

Because you’re someone special to me, there’s an even greater risk that whatever’s inside me is going to try that much harder to come for you.

Please don’t do anything reckless for me. I need you safe.

So I’m going to do everything I can to make sure you stay that way, at least until I can get you all out of here. I can’t get to where you all are right now, but I can make sure you don’t have to do this alone. ]

Re: SPECIAL SUPPORT SECTION BUILDING (BEDROOM)

crimeson - 2021-01-23 20:51 (UTC) - Expand

Re: SPECIAL SUPPORT SECTION BUILDING (BEDROOM)

overworker - 2021-01-23 20:53 (UTC) - Expand

Re: SPECIAL SUPPORT SECTION BUILDING (BEDROOM)

crimeson - 2021-01-23 20:57 (UTC) - Expand

Re: SPECIAL SUPPORT SECTION BUILDING (BEDROOM)

overworker - 2021-01-23 20:58 (UTC) - Expand

Re: SPECIAL SUPPORT SECTION BUILDING (BEDROOM)

crimeson - 2021-01-23 20:59 (UTC) - Expand

Re: SPECIAL SUPPORT SECTION BUILDING (BEDROOM)

overworker - 2021-01-23 21:00 (UTC) - Expand

Re: SPECIAL SUPPORT SECTION BUILDING (BEDROOM)

crimeson - 2021-01-23 21:01 (UTC) - Expand

Re: SPECIAL SUPPORT SECTION BUILDING (BEDROOM)

overworker - 2021-01-23 21:04 (UTC) - Expand

Re: SPECIAL SUPPORT SECTION BUILDING (BEDROOM)

crimeson - 2021-01-23 21:08 (UTC) - Expand

Re: SPECIAL SUPPORT SECTION BUILDING (BEDROOM)

idolpro - 2021-01-23 21:09 (UTC) - Expand

[ Ordine sits up in the bed, looking around for a moment to get his bearings. ]

You know... pretty sure this isn't how you're supposed to grow flowers.

[ Despite the smart-aleck comment, he can pretty immediately tell they're going to be a problem. So he gets up after a moment, heading towards the desk to free the framed photos from flowers. ]

[ Of all the plants in the room, the ones here are the thickest and most numerous. All of them are the bright yellow variety, with their dark-colored spots.

There are several photos lined up neatly, despite the plants clinging to them. However, the plants make seeing the individuals in the pictures difficult; crowding their faces as if they’re trying to get at the real thing somehow. They’ve caused those parts of the pictures to become somewhat discolored and faint. There are photos of family, of friends and of co-workers.

It feels like… if left to their own devices, these plants will completely eat away at these photos, until Serenity is the only one left in them.

But he will find quickly that touching the flowers is an unpleasant experience itself.

A harsh, distorted voice rings inside of his head--

D̴͔̼͕͆̓͝e̴͉̼͍̾̈́͠v̸̫̻̙͋͌̕o̵͉̫̿́̈́͜u̴̞͓̙͘͝r̵͕͚̔͘͝...................................................... ]

[ He pulls his hand away, grimacing. ]

Not gonna be that easy, huh?

[ He's going to look around the desk to see if there's anything he can use to address the flowers without touching them with his own hands.

[ He will note that it felt like the flower was trying to reach something in particular inside of him, although what... well, since it was so brief, it's impossible to tell.

Next to the photos is an envelope and, coincidentally, a letter opener. The latter might be of some assistance against the flowers! ]

[ He does take a mental note of that, but for now he's grabbing the letter opener and going to attempt to cut through the flowers threatening to choke the photographs. ]

[ They fall away fairly easily, revealing that they were in fact pictures of her with people from back home-- friends, family and the Special Support Section. ]

[ That's better, but it's likely the problem will return unless he takes care of it at the source. He's making a mental note of that, but for now he's moving to approach that uniform with the letter opener and attacking the flowers clinging to it. ]

[ These flowers are a bit different-- smaller and white. But just like the others, they are no match for your letter opener! ]

[ He examines the uniform critically for a moment. ]

....You should really consider a shorter skirt. Show off those legs!

[ And with that out of the way, he heads towards the bathroom. ]

[ ...as if in response to his words, something on the bedside table starts beeping. ]

[ ....Well okay, he'll follow the sound of the beeping. ]

[ On the bedside table he'll see an ARCUS II, along with some other items, including a wallet and a map.

The ARCUS II has some messages on it, hence the beeping. ]