[OPEN] catchall / dreams

[physix]

WHO: Akane Kurashiki and you!
WHERE: inside dreams
WHEN: July
WHAT: a series of escape room nightmares
WARNINGS: it's just mystery suspense thriller. I'll update this if necessary.


THE DREAMS

Escape room I - kitchen hell

[You're trapped with Akane inside of a seemingly ordinary kitchen. Looks like this place hasn't been used in a while. There isn't a lot of food down here to begin with.

Well, okay if you poke around a bit you'll find a piece of meat that doesn't even look remotely edible.]

You shouldn't eat that. I hope you aren't feeling hungry.

[Akane hasn't had much of an appetite lately. That may be for the best. What are you gonna do?]

Escape room II - main hallway

a. [So you've managed to escape from the kitchen! Cool. That didn't solve anything at all. Akane seems disappointing by that alone. It's like all they're doing is running around in circles. She looks at you in concern. ]

Haven't we been down this way before?

[Uh oh. They're lost, aren't they?]

b. [There's some announcement on the PA system. The voice is distorted so it's hard to make out who it belongs to.  Akane stops in her tracks once it starts up.  


I am [Zero]... The captain of this ship.  I am also the person who invited you here. I mean to have you participate in a game. Some of you, I know, are familiar with this game.The [Nonary Game]. It is a game...where you will put your life on the line.]

The Nonary game? Excuse me, do you know what they're talking about? What's all of this about?

[It's her own dream and she still has no idea what's going on.]

WILD CARD

[You're always free to make your own prompts! or bother me on presages  for something new.]

Comments

0716 Kitchen Hell + Wildcard LET'S SKIP A BIT BROTHER---

[unlightmusic]

[Yup, this is definitely a walk-in freezer, doing its job as a freezer and being freezing as fuck. Suzu's not actually sure what's happening, or why she's decided to go into a freezer, but she has the feeling she's supposed to be looking for something...

She feels something off about her left wrist and looks down. What's this? A watch? It's got the number 5 on it for some reason... She has... no idea... what's going on...

It's then her mismatched eyes catch a girl standing off in the corner of the freezer. In the back of her mind, Suzu knows that she hasn't seen her in her life, yet for some reason, her instincts force out a name from her mouth:]

Kanny---?

[A light thud interrupts her thoughts, causing her to turn around and---]

Ohhhhh shiiiiiit! The door closed!

[Letting out a rapid stream of "FUCK", she tugs repeatedly at the door's handle to no avail. Upon closer examination, it seems like a nearby pipe had burst, and the resulting frozen water has sealed the door shut.

Doesn't stop Suzu from still trying to force it open a bit longer, as her teeth start chattering. Summer attire is most definitely not freezer appropriate, even if 90% of it is black.]

Oh fuck, oh geez, aw shit, J-J-Jesus Christ, fuck, sh-sh-sh-shit...

OK!!!!!

[physix]

The door's frozen shut? S-Suzu, I can't feel my fingers. We can't get it open like this. Let's find a key or s-s-something.

[A key sounds too convenient. Maybe they can just blow the door open with magic. Thankfully Akane's wearing a heavy sweater, but she still feels slightly numb from the cold.]

How are you holding up?

[Are you still alive, friend? Hopefully you haven't frozen over just yet.]

[unlightmusic]

[Akane was right. Suzu was being driven by sheer force of will and rage, but it was then she realized how painfully cold the door handle was. Flinching away from the door, she gives one final "fuck" under her breath as she drives her boot into the door. Cathartic, yes, but ultimately a waste of energy. Wrapping her arms around herself in an effort to keep warm, she turns away from the door, resigned to the reality that force isn't going to get themselves out of here. Little by little, she's losing her sense of touch and movement.

... Ugh, at this moment, she wish she didn't cut her hair short.]

Just dandy, aside f-f-from freezin' my ass off. I don't think a key'll do us any good. We g-g-g-gotta b-b-b-b-break the ice somehow. [Was Suzu always this tomboyish? Questions for later. She shuffles closer to Akane, huddling in attempt to share body heat and prolong their demise.] Hah, okay, p-p-panickin' ain't gonna do shit here. I'm sure we can find s-s-s-somethin' here to help us seek a way out before we b-become p-p-p-permanent residents!

[Okay, okay. Keep chill and look around. Suzu eyes scan the tiny enclosure, and the first thing that she notices is the large cabinet on the left. Motioning Akane to follow her lead, she opens it and scans its contents. She takes out an odd, square-shaped sack, and studies it curiously.]

Hm? The hell is in this sack...?

I

[clothes]

[ what's akutagawa going to do? ...nothing, apparently. ]

I have no intention of so much as touching it. There are far more pressing matters at hand.

[ glancing around-- ]

Obviously, a killer is going to come for us soon. This is a cliche horror movie scenario; a man and a woman trapped in a musty, abandoned kitchen all alone. I'm sure this whole building is abandoned as well.

[ he's already hoping he can run faster than her... he is a bad person. ]

escape room ii b.

[odasaku]

[ the announcement on the PA sends chills down oda's spine. putting his life on the line? he's had more than enough of that for a while.

but, seeing akane just as confused makes him feel a sense of...duty? to protect her. ]

I don't know. [ what a good start! ] But we might be in trouble if this person is telling us to put our lives on the line.

[physix]

That's dry ice.

[Akane makes a contemplative expression and tries to keep herself from freezing to death. ]

H-h-hold onto it. Don't use your hands to touch the surface.

[Could be dangerous. Hm, Akane inspects the bag and it seems like that's the only thing inside. ]

Did you find anything else?

[EVEN ROTTEN FOOD WOULD BE HELPFUL AT THIS POINT. Better poke around like you mean it.]

[physix]

I haven't seen anyone else down here either. It's only us.

[Akane buries her hands into her face. She's so worried for the both of them. ]

Do you really think there's a killer near by? I don't want to die.

[Now she's like on the verge of sobbing loudly next to Akutagawa!!!! ]

[physix]

[Oda! She's glad you're here and safe. That announcement sent a chill down her spine. ]

Hey, what are the chances of it being a joke? It sounds so ridiculous that I can't imagine any of this being real.

[It'd be nice if this was some kind of prank by a child. Akane would be able to rest easier that way. She can't help but feel like this is all so very real though.]

It has to be another nightmare.

[So that's the conclusion she comes to.]

here we go (this thread now contains dirty meat-related jokes)

[unlightmusic]

[Carefully holding the bag of dry ice, Suzu checks the cabinet once again and---]

Erm... There's a chunk of frozen meat here.

[A giant... chicken leg, maybe? Turkey? Suzu pulls the meat out to examine it more closely, and is surprised by how much heft it carries]

Whoa, this meat's huge. It's... really hard. And stiff.

[What kind of monster chickens did they bring into this kitchen for this to be possible?]

[odasaku]

I don't know. I don't remember anything like this.

[ he remembers being a child assassin and dying in his best friend's arms. this? nope.

he knocks on the nearest wall, as if to check it's realness. ]

But all the times I've watched someone walk into my dream...they were seeing my memory. So if this isn't my memory... [ then it has to be yours ]

[clothes]

What else could this situation be?

[ he never quite knew if the other inhabitants knew they were dreaming. he never found it pertinent to ask, and ultimately akutagawa supposes it doesn't really matter. just because it's a dream doesn't mean he intends to die anyway, and even if he does somehow mess up, he probably won't die in real life.

probably. ]

Keep your head about you and we can escape. While I detest team work, I'm willing to trust you during this mission if you will do the same. Working together will be our only hope.

[ man... he just had to accidentally end up in a horror movie dream. why couldn't akane dream of something like

this instead?? ]

LORD

[physix]

Oh, hey. You're right. It's really hard.

[So now they've got a chicken leg and dry ice. Nice. ]

Were they trying to store this food for an emergency? Because I think this is an emergency.

[They're gonna use that frozen solid meat!!!! Hello, this is a mature thread with mature characters, doing mature things.]

[physix]

These are all my memories, aren't they? [Her expression dims and she stares at the floor.]

All this time I thought it was some kind of mistake. Now that you're here I know that's not true.

[So she has to admit that everything she's seen is real.]

Come on. Let's get out of here. We can't stay in this place!!

OH MY GOD that gif

[physix]

[She didn't dream of that image because...life is simply unfair.]

I believe in you!! I promise I'll do my best.

[Akane sounds scared, but there isn't anything to suggest that she's lying. She truly wants to escape from this place with Akutagawa. ]

Can I tell you something important?

[That this is probably going to end terribly? Yeah.]

[unlightmusic]

Yeah, this chunk of meat's rock solid. It's like a fuckin' hammer.

[Junpei, are you watching? Are you proud of them? The legacy carries on. ]

S-So... We got dry ice... and a chicken hammer. How the fuck are these gonna help us get ou----ACHOO☆ [What an unexpectedly cute and high-pitched sneeze. The question still stands, though. Got any ideas, girl who did better in science class than Suzu did?]

the dream everyone in retrospec wants but doesnt deserve

[clothes]

[ it's not like akutagawa particularly wants to leave her behind or use her as a meat shield, so he hopes akane isn't dead weight or can see through her tears. if the time to run comes though........... Bye.

speaking of Bye., he can't help but be apprehensive about this "something" akane wants to share with him, but his expression remains as taciturn as ever. ]

What is it?

2b

[wordcarvings]

No, I've got no clue.

[ This is a strange situation to be in for sure. It's like in one of those novels or movies where people get locked into a house. ]

I wouldn't say we were invited, either.. So it's something I'd rather not put my life on the line for.

II.b

[steadycourse]

[He's half expecting to hear a maniacal bear to laugh anytime now. But once a few seconds pass, he feels himself losing some of his anxiety.

Still, even with the absence of Monokuma, Ishimaru looks nervous as he scans his surroundings. What is this, why is he here? Another killing game? That's what it sounds like, but this isn't supposed to be happening now, not in this life.

M-maybe he's just overreacting though. It's probably nothing in the end, a not very funny joke!]

I-I'm not sure, I'm sorry! [He yells in response, his normally loud voice almost echoing through the room.]

[physix]

I think we can combine these two things together. How well did you do in science class, Suzu?

[Akane's got a plan but she's not entirely sure if Suzu would follow along with her.]

Were you any good?

yes..exactly

[physix]

[Akane shows Akutagawa a vial of what appears to be medicine. ]

I've been carrying this drug around with me for some reason. It's a strong sedative.

[He can take a look at it. She's not hiding anything.]

Do you think we can use this to defend ourselves? If we could get the killer to take it somehow...

[Then they can stop him or her without even having to fight too much.]

[physix]

The same goes for me too. We'll make it out of here alive, right?

[Akane buries her hands into her face like she's about to cry.]

Neither of us have to die in a place like this.

[physix]

[Sadly, Monokuma isn't lurking somewhere nearby but all of this should seem so familiar regardless! A closed room murder mystery!!]

It's okay, it's not your fault. You didn't do anything wrong.

[Akane takes in a few deep breaths. ]

What's your name? I don't think I know you. I'm Akane Kurashiki.

[unlightmusic]

Er, well... I... passed it in high school?

[This sort of answer wouldn't instill much confidence in any observer, frankly. Unfortunately, this edition of Suzu slacked off more in school thanks to mom being alive and her older brother not dropping out and being thug.

In fact, this contradiction of memories causes her to feel a bit woozy, but she tries her best to ignore it.]

Why? What does that have to do with dry ice and this behemoth of a frozen leg?

[clothes]

[ oh! a deadly and mysterious serum of some kind! ]

Yeah. Good ide--

[ ...WAIT A SECO-- ]

What? Why are you carrying something like that? Wouldn't a taser or those kitty brass knuckles be enough? You're old, but you clearly aren't that feeble.

[ yeah he doesn't want to be responsible for that thing right now, so he leaves it in akane's care for the time being. ]

I suppose it doesn't matter. Should the need arise, do not hesitate to use it. It's either us or the killer.

[ and akutagawa doesn't fuck with killers or getting killed!! ]

Now then, to our escape. Are you ready?

[steadycourse]

[What's he doing, standing around and acting all paranoid? Such behavior won't be helpful to anyone, especially himself! No, it's time to pull himself up and figure out what's going on... that seems right!]

We haven't met before, so my name is Kiyotaka Ishimaru. We may be strangers, but let's still work together, Akane!