[OPEN] Prick your fingers, it is done, the moon has now eclipsed the sun

[manufactured]

WHO: Albert Wesker (eventually) and whomever decides to join him (presumably you!)
WHERE: Dreamscapes.
WHEN: Slightly backdated to 8/24.
WHAT: Dreamdiving.
WARNINGS: Medical experimentation, brainwashing, child abuse, violence, body horror, depictions of self-harm, a general blanket warning that Wesker has been through Some Shit and as such this is probably going to suck on several levels.

[It's cold.

It isn't the familiar drop in temperature that might come from the weather, but a sterile, artificial chill, the sort associated with medical work - hospitals and laboratories and other places that bring with them a sharp, chemical smell and an unpleasant sense that you don't really want to be there.

Of course, the metal table against your back probably isn't doing much to keep you warm, either.

Trying to sit up will be a bit of a problem, given the heavy restraints locked around your wrists and ankles, your hips and your upper body; they're a combination of metal and leather, old-fashioned and imposing, clearly designed to restrain something very, very powerful, and they're keeping you from going very far. You can look around enough to tell that where you are is...probably not somewhere you want to stay for long - it is, in fact, a laboratory of some sort, full of instruments and vials and jars of things that don't look very nice, the metal walls giving way somewhere just on the edges of your line of sight, turning into something else - a sort of open entrance to what looks like a cave of some sort. Either way, it'll probably take you somewhere that isn't here if you follow it. Tipping your head back will show another potential exit to the area - a metal door in the wall near all the instruments and materials.

Of course, you can't really utilize either route if you're bound down, now, can you? You should probably work on figuring out what you're going to do about that, first.]

Comments

[thesettingsun]

[That sounds like nobody Shuji wants to meet, especially while strapped down.

Once Shuji has a grip on the book, he transforms it into its scythe form. There's no way to get a decent swing with it in this position, so he settles for a sawing motion on one of the wrist restraints. If he can just get one wrist free, he'll be much more able to get everything else off.

He's probably not going to get it off before that guy drops in, though.]

[manufactured]

[...Probably not. Points for creativity, though?

The door opens easily enough - say what you want about the weirdness of this place, but it's definitely well-oiled and not unnecessarily badly-kept-up for the sake of being pointlessly creepy - and the person who walks in is possibly familiar to Shuji in some way, actually; at the very least his voice probably is, seeing as he's someone from Wesker's nightmares in October. His hair is a dark dirty blonde, and he's perhaps surprisingly nondescript; he looks a bit tired, maybe, but as appearances go he's just very average-looking, the sort of guy that wouldn't be out of place living in the suburbs with his dog and his wife and his kids, probably does some golfing on the weekends. You know the sort.

That said, he's got some sort of clipboard with him as he comes in, and he's still reading it and kind of muttering to himself before he looks over at whatever noise Shuji is producing and - ]

...Wh...at are you doing?

[It's not exactly sharp, it's more genuinely confused than anything. Probably because he has never seen anyone try to use a damn scythe that way, holy shit.]

[thesettingsun]

[Shuji is still trying to saw when the door opens. When this guy speaks to him, he freezes, a chorus of 'I'm So Fucked' playing in stereo in his head.

He can't think of anything to say but-]

Trying to escape?

[-an honest answer.]

[manufactured]

[Well, that's. Something? Let's leave it at "something" while this guy turns that over in his head a little.]

...Having much luck?

[oh my god this is going to be social ineptitude central for a while here buddy i am so sorry]

[thesettingsun]

It's slow going.

[Shuji's just going to... start sawing again...]

[manufactured]

[He'll just...watch for a moment before leaning back against one of the walls, crossing his legs idly at the ankle in a manner that's almost casual, going back to looking over his notes on that clipboard.]

You know it's probably a lot safer for you in here than it is out there, right? No one really likes having outsiders running around.

As it is, I'm still trying to work out what I'm supposed to do with you.

[thesettingsun]

Sorry if my assumptions about what you were going to do with me weren't exactly pleasant.

[Still sawing... he almost has the one wrist restraint off.]

If you have something else in mind I'm all ears.

[manufactured]

Well, it probably wouldn't be anything you like. It's almost never something the subjects like.

[He says, casually.]

Looks like the guy I'm working with is pretty fond of you, though. Weird, because he's not usually like that. But he's put a hold on most procedures, it looks like.

[thesettingsun]

[Somehow Shuji is not surprised.

But when Birkin mentions the guy he's working with... Shuji stops sawing.]

You could have said Wesker was in charge sooner, I wouldn't have damaged your equipment so much.

[manufactured]

It's seen worse.

[...HE SAYS, CASUALLY, DESPITE THE NEARLY-SAWED-OFF FUCKING RESTRAINT.]

We're pretty used to having projects that are a little on the hostile side. You get it.

[thesettingsun]

I entirely believe you and I sort of wish that I didn't.

[...at this point he's pretty sure he could get the restraint off by pulling hard enough, but that sounds like hell for his wrist so he won't.]

So I guess we just make awkward smalltalk until... what?

[manufactured]

[He kind of smirks a little at that, though he's still not looking up from his notes.]

Good on you. Not too many pointless questions. I've always kind of hated that sort of thing.

Wesker's around here somewhere, I'm pretty sure. You going to try to find him?

[thesettingsun]

Of course.

[Like, why wouldn't he go looking for Wesker in a probably dangerous environment? What a weird question.]

[manufactured]

He's not usually too crazy about being found when he wants to be alone, you know. Even I can't get too close to him if he's in a mood, and I've known the guy for years.

[thesettingsun]

Yeah, I know.

[A little bit more sawing, and snap goes the wrist restraint.]

I'm still going.

[manufactured]

[That snapping noise gets his attention.]

Hey, it's not like it's my neck on the line. He's planning on leaving, anyway.

[thesettingsun]

Good. This place isn't anyone's ideal career.

[With one hand free, he can actually swing the scythe with some amount of force, which means it's not going to take nearly as long to get the other wrist restraint off.]

[manufactured]

It's not like it's-

[oh, jesus, that gets him to jump a bit - ]

...Okay, okay, um, it's still not my neck on the line but please try not to break anything with that thing? That's all I'm asking for.

[thesettingsun]

Breaking something is kind of the point. Unless you want to just let me out yourself?

[Swing, swing... and now the other restraint's broken.]

[manufactured]

It's more the research itself that I'm worried about. You can break that all you want, it's not like Lisa doesn't do it all the time.

[We have a budget allotment for Lisa Trevor.]

[thesettingsun]

[That's a familiar name, and Shuji decides he doesn't want to ask about it at all.]

If you'll excuse me, then.

[With the wrist restraints done, it's onto the ankle restraints...]

[manufactured]

[You know, as long as you don't turn any of that on the specimens or research in here - or, you know, him - you are officially Less Interesting Than His Notes because Birkin is just sort of like this as a person. That said, he'll still comment because this is a thing that's happening over there.]

...Your aim is better with that thing than I'd think.

[thesettingsun]

[He'd have to finish with the restraints first before he could attack Birkin.]

It's a stupid weapon and whoever first decided to use it as a weapon was a moron, but unfortunately it's the weapon I have experience with.

[One ankle free...]

[manufactured]

It's the one your past life used, I'm guessing? That entire line of study is a fascinating thing, if you ask me. Not that Wesker's been taking it very well.

[thesettingsun]

Can you blame him? Some of us lost the past life lottery. Maybe he'd be more fascinated by it as a line of study if it didn't suck for him personally.