WEEK 1

[strangerpeople]

WEEK 1

[Awaken.

Fifteen strangers have been gathered to the Depths.

When the strangers awaken, they will feel nauseous in their stomachs. No doubt confused. Maybe a little sick, Perhaps, even terrified. And certainly, there is a good reason for it - they are not where they were before. If they had powers back where they came from, they seem to be all gone. And it appears that someone has left...guidelines for them. All of them addressed to a specific Title.

Their Title. Somehow, each person knows, upon seeing this, this is their Title, even if it seems to make no sense whatsoever. And its clear that whoever wrote these things knew it as well. Who was it?

Its uncertain. So far, there seems to be no one else save for them, and those who dare to venture out of their rooms - save, for some reason, the individuals in rooms 1, 8 and 7 - in this hot and stuffy place. No...'intercessor' to be seen yet, certainly. No outward signs that there's anyone else aside from the people with 'Titles'.


So, Titled: welcome.

There are fifteen strangers in this place.]

Comments

[defriendestration]

BUT DOING IT FOR EVERYONE IS WHAT I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WOULD DO!

I, BEING THE GREAT PAPYRUS, CALL MY SELF THE GREAT PAPYRUS BECAUSE...WHY NOT? WHO WOULDN'T WANT TO BE WONDERFUL AND COOL AND AMAZING? TO HAVE LOTS OF FRIENDS AND BE THE ABSOLUTE BEST THEY CAN BE AND INSPIRE THE MASSES? WHO WOULDN'T WANT TO BE GREAT!

JUST LIKE MYSELF. I DO WHAT I CAN, OF COURSE!

[Because he's such a great guy. So amazing! Why wouldn't he share that with everyone?]

MAYBE ITS NOT POSSIBLE TO BE AS GREAT AS ME, HUMAN. AND FOR THAT, I'M SORRY! BUT I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, CAN HELP YOU ALL BECOME A VERY RESPECTABLE SECOND PLACE!

[defriendestration]

OKIE DOKIE THEN!

[Man, such a good person to eventually feel like giving back his puzzle stuff!]

[intercessing]

...You mean...

[It seems like the Intercessor is trying to struggle with something. To try and word something without seeming...rude.]

...you consider yourself to be man.

[That is the best they can think of.]

[carries_war]

Well...not myself. I'm a weapon. But my father is human...and I'm pretty sure a lot of the other people here are, too.

[carries_war]

Really? All of the URTV units have numbers, but only me and the other two Variants have names, so I thought the name was cooler.

[carries_war]

[His eyebrows furrow slightly in confusion.]

You hold a knife different when you're not using it to fight with?

[Weird. But he does as he's told...though he jumps when he tries to taste it.]

Ow!

[intercessing]

But, your ancestry is that of a man.

...Then there is much I will need to discuss with those who brought you and I here. If they deign to tell me the truth this time, of course.

[Flopping back onto the couch.]

[intercessing]

[The Interessor is a silent, for a moment, before they speak.]

...As I said, I will try. Even for you.

[carries_war]

[Next he offers a blank sheet of paper and whatever writing implement a generic request would've gotten him.]

Can you try to write something in that same language?

[carries_war]

Did they tell you we were Realians or something?

[A pause as he remembers people here don't know what Realians are.]

That's like a sort of artificial person that's made instead of born, so they don't have any parents at all.

[defriendestration]

OF COURSE!

[What magic is this!? Hmmmm! Well, there's only one thing to write!

And that, naturally, is "I AM A COOL DUDE".]

WOWIE! I WROTE SOMETHING IN SOMETHING I NEVER KNEW BEFORE TEN SECONDS AGO! I REALLY AM A COOL DUDE!!

[carries_war]

[Pap. Pap plz.]

I think looking at these books transmits new languages into our...minds.

[Do skeletons have brains?]

So we can't read them at first glance unless we already know the language, but when we look at them again, we know how to read it.

[defriendestration]

[Can't stop won't stop and YES THEY MOST CERTAINLY DO PAPYRUS IS CLEAR PROOF OF THIS?]

HEY! THAT IS NIFTY AND COOL! READING A BOOK AND INSTANTLY KNOWING EVERYTHING WOULD SOLVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS--

YOU THINK THERE'S A BOOK ON HOW TO GET OUT OF HERE, THEN?

[Of course! Discover magical reading powers and find the right book to exit before someone dies!

Such a clever twist on the part of the ones responsible for all of this! It makes too much sense!!]

[carries_war]

[But brains are soft tissue, and...]

I doubt it. The Intercessor said they're here so they have something to keep them occupied while they keep an eye on us.

[defriendestration]

[Papyrus would say 'it's magic we don't have to explain it', except 1. There is kind of an explanation that involves the magic, and 2. Papyrus is not the Monster to explain it.

His explanation would be to ask sans only to remember sans isn't here.]

HMM, A FURTHER FIENDISH TRICK TO KEEP US HERE, THEN! THAT OR THIS IS THE WORST PUZZLE EVER. HOW CAN YOU HAVE A PUZZLE WITHOUT A SOLUTION DIAGRAM TO ACCOMPANY IT?

[intercessing]

No. I've never heard of...Realians before.

...

But...I have heard of creatures such as what you have described.

[carries_war]

Is that what they told you we were?

[intercessing]

No. They...those creatures are not anything like you, if you are in any way artificial.

[socialhacktivist]

Alright then. Let's go.

[...she says, but she's waiting for him to lead the way.]

[zephyranthe]

[Well, he believed that surprisingly easily. Fie's not going to complain since it's less hassle for her, but that doesn't solve the main problem since she fully expects him to stay there until everyone else bypasses him. As much as she'd love to go back to sleep, she's pretty sure he'll just wake her up again with the noise, so she might as well get some food.

Or maybe he'll give up if she actually humors him... so yeah, she'll actually navigate that maze, although she'll step over traps if they're too closely bunched together. Success......?]

[carries_war]

[He tilts his head curiously.]

What are they like?

[zephyranthe]

Didn't seem like they were told much about this to begin with. Probably no point in telling him much in case we try to go the interrogation route.

[socialhacktivist]

The relief she feels is almost instant. Wiping away traces of tears that had tried to form onto her sleeves, she straightens back up. This is still so messed up in so many ways, but-- it's a very important start. But that means that she has a good bit of explaining to do.

"I guess until we figure out what's going on, I'll have to fill you in on some things."

She crosses her arms over her stomach. Where to begin...? She could start with Makoto, but that would probably be a little much. For now, it's probably best to keep it simple. Who knows-- maybe he'd get his memory back yet.

"...for starters, my name is Futaba Sakura. Try not to forget it this time, alright." She's joking this time-- mostly. "Uh... I'm like the group's Navigator and tech support. I was watching you guys for a while before that though. The guy who's looking after Joker is my legal guardian."

She drops her hands and shrugs.

"If you have any questions to ask me though, I'll try my best to answer them. Other than that, it's prooobably best you try and figure it out on your own."

[intercessing]

I have only heard furtive stories of them, even before I arrived. It is said they are little more than mindless constructs with little agency of their own, in the end.

But their creation is still far beyond anything other civilized peoples I am aware of can truly fathom.

[intercessing]

...Because I and beginning to suspect I have been lied to as well.

[Seriously. Children.]