# Zero Divide - Episode #1 - "Looking Glass"



## Vanifae (Jan 6, 2008)

*The Estate*

_10:20 AM, Date is Unknown_

It is late morning now, the sky is clear with minimal cloud cover.  The air is crisp and clean, and there is a peaceful air about the Estate.  It is an old Victorian style home, with dozens of rooms.  There are three floors to the building, the bedrooms are on the second and third floors, and the first floor has a large kitchen, dining hall, and large den/common room.  Two dogs walk the halls, both pets of Vanessa, Krishna and Arjuna; both powerfully built mastiffs.

Vanessa is sitting in the second floor study reading a book, the Bhagavad-Gita; she reclines in a chair a glass of tea sitting on a table.  There is a large garage attached to the main structure, various vehicles of unknown makes and models populate the interior in varying states of repair.  Several faded posters in French, depicting stylistic artwork dot the interior of the garage.

A pool and pool house are in the back of the building, and  garden to its right with bountiful flowers and fresh food ready to be picked.  The high walls are made of stone that surround and make up the perimeter of the Estate.  Each individual has their own room, a large bed, closet, and wide window all to themselves.

Dee stands near the pool looking out over the still waters, a knife in hand as she slices up an apple to eat.

_Feel free to describe where you are and what you are doing._


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## Shayuri (Jan 6, 2008)

The woman who has named herself, sarcastically at first, 'Facade,' wakes up late...at ten in the morning. She's a night owl, she's found. Stays up late, gets up late. Has she always been?

She showers. It's a habit. Habits are about all she has left. Standing under the stream of hot water, she makes choices about her body.  How big around should her waist be? Chest? Hips? What shade skin? Hair? Eyes? Male? Female?

She's found she prefers female greatly. Hopefully that's because that's what she is. Otherwise...well, what difference did it make?

After the shower she brushes her hair slowly while staring at her face in the mirror. It's not HER face, strictly speaking. She made it up. Making up faces wasn't easy, but she seemed pretty good at it. Oh, at first there'd been some weird cheekbones, jutting chins, unibrows...but with a little practice...she could whip up anything from a nondescript middle age matron to a stunning supermodel. Or imitate faces. Or entire bodies.

Right now Facade sported a rather cute, if mousy, face with long straight brown hair, a spatter of freckles, and wide blue eyes that looked like they needed spectacles. She called it 'the Librarian.' The Librarian's body was slim and petite...a little tall for her proportions, but not overly so. Small hands, small feet, small bust... In the 'wild' she'd wear dresses with long skirts, and lace on the hems and around the wrists. She'd attend church religiously, but not because she was religious...rather because that's what was expected of her.

Staring at her, Facade wondered again if she might BE the Librarian. How else could she know so much about her? She could hear the voice, knew the turns of phrase...the little likes and dislikes. And yet none of it was really a MEMORY. It was all instinctive somehow. Like knowing how to drive.

Not for the first time, Facade reflected unhappily on her situation as she got dressed. The others lacked memory too, but at least they knew their -faces-. The problem with having amnesia and having the power to change your appearance was that...you had no idea which appearance was your "real" one. Maybe that's why she was so restless here.  Maybe that's why she kept having niggling thoughts about seeing out, going out...just to see, even for a moment. To chase her past, wherever it had fled.

One thing was certain...it wasn't waiting here in the Estate. At least, nowhere she was allowed to go.

Finally Facade was ready, and about a half an hour after waking up, she headed out of her room and down the stairs to see if there was any breakfast still floating around in the kitchen or dining room.


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## Velmont (Jan 6, 2008)

Ian was in teh garage. He had been working on a car that was out of function. He always wondered how things could come so easily to him when it was time to repair that car, but it worked. The motor was working again, but teh elctrical system had still some difficulty. He was sitting on the passenger seat, trying to make the right speaker work.

One thing that make him happy to work on that car, it is the feeling on his hands of the metal, plastic and rubber. After the first day he remember, he had always been wearing gloves. He remember that first day when he was presented to all teh inhabitant of this Estate. He had shooked hand with most of them, and everytime, he had felt the same feeling he had felt when he had awoke: confusion, anxiety, fear... everyone here had lost there memory. He was not the exception, but strangely, each time Ian touch someone, he sees and feels a moment of great emotion that person had lived.

In Vanessa's estate, where no one remember anything form outside the walls, very few moments of emotion have been lived, and no one remember what happen before they came here. So the most emotive moment everyone has lived is the moment they woke up and found they had no memory. Ian has lived his own moment, and didn't liked to lived the one of the others. So he is wearing leather gloves almost all the time.

As he was lost in his thoughts, the song _The Unforgiven_ of Metallica starts to fill teh car. the speaker worked. _One down, three to go._ thought Ian. He stared a moment at the poster. It was written _Tournée du Chat Noir de Rudolphe Salis_. The black cat on it was interesting, but he was wondering what was that show. After a moment, he open the door and stop the CD that was playing. He put back his gloves and start to put back his tools in the case before going to eat something. He start to be hungry.


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## Shalimar (Jan 6, 2008)

The blue haired teen named haven looked like a little cherub as he slept, his right arm and leg hanging out mournfully over the side of his bed.  the sheet was tangled up about his waist yet still managing to reveal a long line of naked thigh.  With his eyes shut and his mouth in a peaceful smile he didn't have the almost omnipresent mischevious expression he wore when he was awake.

Haven had found that he couldn't help himself, he always had to be flirting, always had to be easing tensions with a joke or by striking a ridiculous pose, or with an outrageous comment that couldn't help but bring laughter.  Every one was so serious all the time, but that wasn' for him, what good could it do?  Regardless of who they were before they were all in the same boat now and they might as well enjoy it, and really, what could possibly be better than sex?  He couldn't remember anything, but he was dead sure that sex was the most fun a person could possibly have.

*Crash* Haven had rolled off the bed, and grinning laughed at himself as he rose, sliding on a robe so he coul take a shower.  Left to his own devices he thought he might have just gone naked even with the house this full, but he had been told not to.  It wasn't sexual, it was just being comfortable in his own skin, and if anyone was that, it was definitely the guy with hair matching the cookie monster.

After a quick shower, taking no more than five minutes using the toilet and brushing his teeth included, Haven was back in his room throwing on a pair of jeans.  Once he had his jeans on he headed downstairs for breakfast, rubbing at his bare tummy, his pleasantly hairless and six-packed tummy.

"Morning sexy, want to check my library card?"  he flirted with Facade good naturedly, aware of what she called this form.  It didn't particularly bother him that Facade could actually be a guy.  Smiling at the mousey looking woman, he picks up an apple and bites into it.


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## Hammerhead (Jan 6, 2008)

After a quick shower in the morning, the young man walked a perimeter of the Estate, breaking into a quick run whenever his legs became restless. He kept his right hand trailing along the wall as he walked, occasionally glancing upwards at the high walls that kept him in and others out. He didn't remember much of anything, except that his name was Michael, or something like it. 

His daily ritual ended at the back of the manor house, where he caught sight of Dee, one of the others like him. Someone with no memory, no past, and only the barest scraps of an identity. While the young woman looked out over the pool, Michael conjured a duplicate of himself with a slight effort of will. Although only composed of ethereal shadowstuff, the duplicate was indistinguishable from the real him, perfectly replicating his athletic build, unruly blond hair, and roguish face marred slightly by a nose that had been broken once or twice. 

While his duplicate ambled towards a nearby apple tree to pluck a fruit for breakfast, Michael sidled behind Dee, then spoke his first words of the morning. "Good idea," he comments, nodding towards the knife in her hand. His duplicate, upon finding a fruit ripe for eating, tosses it towards Michael, which he catches handily. "You never know when the apples might try and fight back. Good morning, by the way," he adds with an easy and practiced smile.


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## James Heard (Jan 6, 2008)

*The Night Before*

He woke up again in a cold sweat, and darted his hand out to the nightstand to gulp greedily at the tepid water next to him. The dreams, always the dreams... Every night was a disaster waiting to happen, the monsters of his unknown past lurking in the corners of his mind waiting to prey upon him.

What was worse, he wasn't sure if he was the monster his dreams were warning him about or if the monster was out there waiting. Fickle things, were dreams.

Sitting up, he ran his fingers through his hair and stared across the bedroom at the mirror in the pale moonlight streaming through the window. Was his hairline always this high or was it receding? This place was maddening, the staff friendly but less than helpful. He couldn't remember his own name, for crying out loud.

Other issues were less distracting on an emotional level, but only because of the dark shadow of lack of information cast over him because of the amnesia. Whatever else he didn't know, he was fairly certain that loss of memory wasn't normally accompanied by... spontaneous knickknacks. Sheets of paper, countless combs and cutlery, a hammer and a glass figurine - objects of his ordinary dissatisfaction fell from his fingertips sometimes, dream-like victims of his frustration.

The other day he sat for four hours tapping out stacks of pennies, just to see if there were some cosmic piggy bank he were robbing that would eventually run out. He couldn't. Nor could he summon a driver's license or a high school yearbook, a picture of his mother, the address of his first girlfriend, his dog, or a pony.

Not that the pony wasn't interesting, made out of who knows what and starring at him with a fixed baleful eye that any wax museum curator would jealously curse over. And once done, to smoke, to the ether, to elsewhere, where? He stared at the empty glass and watched it vanish into nothingness and then twist from that nothingness whole again and full of water.

He sipped the chilled water. "Drink Me," he thought. Reflecting on the rabbit hole, he put the glass down and rolled over to try to sleep.

*Walking through the Looking Glass*

He stared at himself in the mirror, willing memories to come to surface in what had become his morning ritual. He checked his teeth, the rings under his eyes, his profile, all to see if today was the day when something new would happen that would reveal the slimmest clue to his former life. God, he'd cut off an arm for the recklessness to have gotten a tattoo when he was younger, or perhaps to have robbed a bank. 

Then there'd be somewhere to start, someone looking for him. Instead, there was only this: He looked over the spare room with its polite wallpaper and lace throw tossed over the recliner in the corner. He frowned at the white sheets stained with sweat rumpled across the bed before frowning deeper as he simply...thought at them and they vanished before another _push_ and they returned, heavily starched or something like it, crisp and laid out like a geometric design tight across the bed.

There were stranger things than a house full of amnesiacs in this place, and deeper mysteries than magic sheets. 

He shook his fist impatiently until the razor appeared and scraped the dark black stubble from his face. A name. Everybody had a name, right?

*In A Pool of Tears*

Reluctantly, he made his way out of his room to join the others. Their hosts, or gaolers, depending on how you looked at things, were already up. Even the _dogs _had names, he acknowledged with a nod as he passed the door where Vanessa sat reading. Maybe I should pick some pithy descriptor like the others? He looked at his empty hand, closed it, and opened it to reveal the delicate silver fork before shaking his head and closing it once more to make it vanish.

Nope, _The Human Fork_ sounds ridiculous.

He continued down the stairs and toward the kitchen, pausing to nod noncommittally at the new face there while digging for food in the icebox. 

"Do I know you?" he asked, before segueing into "Scratch that, do you know me?" he said hopefully.

He reached across the table to shake her hand, wincing when another fork appeared and fell to the table with a clatter. That's it. I'm going to be the fork guy. The #$%ing fork guy.

#$%.

"I don't even know what day it is."


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## Vanifae (Jan 6, 2008)

*Haven, Façade, & Fork Guy*

The kitchen is large with a central island for the stove and suitable cutting and preparation area.  Pots and pans hang from the ceiling, and it smells clean, almost antiseptic in here.  Plates sit on the island with eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, and fruit.

There is an open cereal box that reads Omega Fruity Flakes, with a silly parrot eating the “delicious sugary fruitastic flakes”.  Arjuna gnaws on a bone in the corner of the kitchen, upon seeing both individuals enter she saunters over haunting their steps and basically making sure that the two notice her.

*Michael*

“Good morning,” Dee replies, “if the apple did fight back it would make this dull life a little more interesting.  I wonder sometimes how long we have been here… and why we are here, I mean I don’t even remember coming here.  Maybe we should try and contact our families, if we even have families?  But surely one of us has to have someone that is looking for us.”

She eats a slice, “It just bothers me.  What bothers me more are these powers… abilities I guess we have.  Maybe that is why we can’t remember anything, maybe something happened to us, and now we are freaks?”

*Ian*

The radio/CD deck in the vehicle turns off, the old vehicle is dusty on the inside.  But the tools are clean and immaculate, and although cobwebs cover the vehicles the work benches and tool boxes are clean and in good order.

As he starts to pack his things up, he hears static from the radio; he was sure it was off.

_ … “Oh my god… are you getting this… we shouldn’t be here.  We… don’t touch… so beautiful…”_ the static continues for a moment then the radio goes dead.  But the voice, it was his own voice.


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## Shalimar (Jan 6, 2008)

Haven patted the giant dog around her shoulders and neck before ruffling the fur on her head.  "Well hello miss, were you getting a bit jealous of the attention I was giving Miss F?"  he asks, kneeling beside the dog and giving her her due attention.

Rising to his feet again, the good natured flirt digs into one of the plates on the island, eating hungrily but not touching the sausage.  He wasn't sure why he wasn't until a bite later he confirmed that he did not in fact like sausage, at all.

Once his plate was safely in the dishwasher the teen, or early twenty-something, reached for a bowl for cereal.  There was something about the cereal, something he couldn't place.  He shrugged, it would come in time or it wouln't, no need to stress over cereal.


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## Velmont (Jan 6, 2008)

Ian stared a moment at the car. He was standing next to the work benches. He was trying to understand what he has just heard. He felt his stomach was asking for food. He awoke early this morning and he hadn't eaten anything. But it wasn't enough to give him hallucination.

He open the toolbox and grab his electronic kit. He sit back into the car and look at the radio. It still seems off. He grabs a screwdriver and start to remove the radio from it sockt, but keep it in connection with teh only speaker that work. 

Once removed, he try to find out how it had could work for a moment, and where did the feed was coming from. The radio? Why his voic would be transmit on some radio wave? The  CD? The CD that was in was the _Black Album_. He has listen to it so many times, he had only ten CD in his collection, so he had quickly listen to them all. The Tape? Was there only a single tape in this estate? He wanted to find if it was a glitch of the radio, or one of his memory.

_Craft (Electronic) +3, Knowledge (Technology) +4_


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## Shayuri (Jan 6, 2008)

Facade gives Haven a stern look and actually reaches up to push her glasses back...only to realize she isn't wearing any. The persona of the Librarian dissipates in the ensuing dissonance, and she shakes her head with a sigh and pours herself some cereal.

"Good morning," she says to the shirtless boy. 

When they're joined by the 'guy who makes things,' whom Facade has already mentally labeled "junkyard,' she nods at him wearily.

"Yes, we know each other. I'm just trying on a new face today. And no, neither of us remember anything besides _here_."

The last word is laced with unintended, but heartfelt, venom as some of her pent up frustration vents. She sits down hard in her chair and starts eating with short, petulant movements of hand and spoon...then pauses as her eyes rove over the cereal box.

Why did that word tickle? Facade puts her spoon down and picks up the cereal box to hold it closer...as if filling her field of vision with the word would somehow make its secrets easier to plumb.


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## James Heard (Jan 6, 2008)

He listened with disbelief as the woman across from him declared that she was the woman from yesterday once more, before marveling further at her as stared at the cereal box as if it were a precious archaeological artifact trying to rudely disengage from conversation with him.

"Hel_*lo*_? Earth to Wonderland?" he said, annoyed.

He looked over at the dog.

"How long have _you_ been living in the rabbit hole? Long enough to make breakfast?" he said conversationally to the animal, " Or was that you?" he said to the others, standing up to lean over the lip of the cereal box to gather the new girl's attention.


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## Vanifae (Jan 6, 2008)

*Ian*

_Craft Electronic roll is an 18, Knowledge Technology roll is a 19._

Ian easily removes and takes apart the car radio, it seems to be a simple device typical of its type, and it seems strangely antiquated as he looks at it.  He can’t place his finger on it, but the parts seem in some way crude, or maybe it is the dust and the lack of care these vehicles have received before he started his spending his time here.

By the time he has finished he can feel his stomach rumbling.

*The Kitchen*

Arjuna barks at the attention her tail wagging quickly, thumping legs as the mastiff sniffs each person in kind.  The dog saunters over to her dog dish and sups on some food content that the people know to lavish her with attention, she fills her stomach.

*Façade*
[sblock]For a moment you feel a shiver up your spine… the touch of cold liquid against your skin.  You shiver, and just as quickly as the wave hits you, it is gone.[/sblock]
Vanessa enters the kitchen, a glass of tea in her hand, “Good morning everyone, I was beginning to wonder if I had made breakfast for nothing.”  Vanessa’s kind face surveys the room as she leans in the door way.


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## Shayuri (Jan 6, 2008)

"Huh?" Facade looks up at Junkyard and blinks. What the hell was HE so mad about?

"I just got up a little while ago, so it wasn't me..."

She nods at Vanessa. "Morning. Guess that solves the mystery, eh Junkyard?"


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## Vanifae (Jan 6, 2008)

Shayuri said:
			
		

> She nods at Vanessa. "Morning. Guess that solves the mystery, eh Junkyard?"



Vanessa takes a sip of her tea, "How are you all feeling, anything coming back to you?"


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## Shayuri (Jan 6, 2008)

"Not really," Facade says, putting the box back on the table. "Maybe it'd help if we had some contact with the outside. Field trips or...or...things to read. News and current events and so on. Every day here's the same as the one before. We need something new."


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## Shalimar (Jan 6, 2008)

Haven let the stern look roll off his back, it didn't really matter, and truth be told Librarians were hotties, knowledge being power and power being sexy and all.  That hadn't been actual serious flirting, and he had at least gotten a reaction so he let it alone.

"I don't know this for sure, but I have the impression that I could burn water, so it definitely wasn't me."  Haven said to the other guy.  "Whoever did make is soo the girl for me though."  he jokes.

When Vanessa comes in and lets them know that she had made the food, Haven dropped to one knee in front of her taking the hand of the woman who was at least twice his age.  "Please say you'll marry me,"  the blue haired man asks, not the least bit seriously, an impish glint in his eyes.  "I'm not asking because of your looks which are stellar, or your personality which is killer, but because this was the best meal I have ever had...at least I think." the last part showed that he could make a joke out of anything, even the amnesia.

(Diplomacy +10 for those who like guys, +6 for those who don't)


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## Victim (Jan 6, 2008)

Ashley - at least it vaguely felt like people had called her that before, so it was probably her name but everything was so hazy - drops roughly but safely from a nearby tree, spilling some of fruit she carried.  "Good morning," the girl calls out to Dee and Michael while picking up the lost pieces of her breakfast.  She's still sweaty from her early run.  _I don't belong here.  No.  This is a safe place; it's calm and relaxing.  No; tame.  If you wanted relaxing and easy, why climb for the fruit on high branches instead of plucking the low hanging ones?_ 

"Do you remember something indicating that our abilities are in some way unusual?  Perhaps everyone has an ability.   Maybe we're in a safe, isolated place because our abilities are too weak," she replies to Dee, heeding an inner warning not to confess her own doubts.  _What bothers me most isn't having an ability, or even not remembering the past.  My power seems useful.  And I am full of energy; I can make myself a new life even if old memories never return.  But only if new experiences actually stick, if time doesn't keep slipping away, if everything didn't blend together into a fuzzy, indeterminate now.  Memory loss shouldn't be on going.  Should it?_

"And, umm, what was your ability again?  I sort of forgot."  She eyes Dee's knife uneasily, but covers herself with a smile.  _Thrusting upwards with a knife delivers more force than swinging it downwards.  ???  Yeah, I guess peace isn't for me._


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## Hammerhead (Jan 6, 2008)

"Hmmm," Michael thinks, absently biting into his apple. "Well, it can't be that we're here against our will or anything. I mean, no one would kidnap us and then put us in a place like this." The place was quite resplendent in its own way. And..."

Michael is cut off by the unexpected sight of the girl dropping from the tree, reflexively taking a step backwards. _That girl seems a little bit unhinged._ "I don't know. I'm not sure if Vanessa has an...ability or not. Why were you climbing the tree, by the way?"


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## Vanifae (Jan 6, 2008)

Shayuri said:
			
		

> "Not really," Facade says, putting the box back on the table. "Maybe it'd help if we had some contact with the outside. Field trips or...or...things to read. News and current events and so on. Every day here's the same as the one before. We need something new."



Vanessa responds, “A field trip?  Well maybe, I do need to head to town eventually to get some groceries, feeding you all is something of a full time job,” she jokes.

_haven rolls a 29 total roll on his Diplomacy check, changing her attitude from Friendly to Helpful for Haven._

Vanessa blushes and looks rather shocked at haven’s display, “I… uhh.. well thank you, I didn’t go to much trouble at all.  It was nothing,” she pulls her hand back too quickly looking rather flustered.

Arjuna growls pacing behind Vanessa, giving Haven a glare, or as much as a dog could muster a glare.

“Relax Arjuna, these are our guests.,” she kneels down and gently pets the mastiff, “I was afraid you would all get stir crazy, maybe this evening we can head into town, I suppose it is safe enough?”

*Ashley & Michael*

Dee shrugs, “It just does not feel natural, but maybe I am just over reacting.  Sometimes I feel like maybe if I did something extreme… maybe that would jog my memory… maybe then I wouldn’t feel so lost.  Not knowing who I am, who any of us are… it eats at me.”

She turns her attention to Ashley, “Well Ash let me show you.”  With that she stabs her knife into her forearm.  But the sharp edge does not pierce her skin, in fact the blade begins to bend the point jammed against her tanned skin.  She shows knows discomfort, and then goes back to cutting her apple, “I tried drowning myself last night… or maybe this morning, it’s hard to drown when you don’t need to breathe.”


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## Velmont (Jan 6, 2008)

After having look at the radio, Ian is annoyed to not know what is wrong with it. _Oh well, I'll look at it later, it's not like I had so much thing to do._ he thinks as he put the radio on the workbench. He put back his tools in the toolbox, making sure he doesn't lose something and once that done, he head toward the kitchen, in hope to have something eaten quickly before his stomach auto-digest itself.


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## Vanifae (Jan 6, 2008)

Hammerhead said:
			
		

> Michael is cut off by the unexpected sight of the girl dropping from the tree, reflexively taking a step backwards. _That girl seems a little bit unhinged._ "I don't know. I'm not sure if Vanessa has an...ability or not. Why were you climbing the tree, by the way?"



"I don't trust Vanessa," Dee adds.


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## Victim (Jan 6, 2008)

"I was getting my breakfast, of course."  She glares at the handsome duplicator.  _Don't look at me like that. I'm no worse off than you.  Right?_



> She turns her attention to Ashley, “Well Ash let me show you.” With that she stabs her knife into her forearm. But the sharp edge does not pierce her skin, in fact the blade begins to bend the point jammed against her tanned skin. She shows knows discomfort, and then goes back to cutting her apple, “I tried drowning myself last night… or maybe this morning, it’s hard to drown when you don’t need to breathe.”




"Yeah, it's kind of like that for me too," Ashley says distractly.  _Ash!  Ash?  That sounds so odd to hear.  Maybe it's the familiarity implied?  It'd be bad to appear concerned about that.  Maybe._  She babbles on to cover her discomfort, "I mean, I ran around earlier through brush and with bare feet but there's not a scratch on me.   I never tried not breathing though.  Do you still need to breathe to talk?  Maybe it's a matter of not pushing hard enough with the knife."


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## Shayuri (Jan 6, 2008)

"Why wouldn't it be safe?" Facade asks curiously.


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## James Heard (Jan 6, 2008)

"Maybe we could do it this afternoon? We should get some more cereal while we're there. Something a little less spooky sounding than 'Omega' flakes."

He pauses.

"The cereal is freaking me out. _Clearly _we need to get out the house."


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## Shayuri (Jan 7, 2008)

"Maybe," Facade remarks, looking back at him, "it's a cereal killer. Then you should be freaked."


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## James Heard (Jan 7, 2008)

He looks steadily at the shapeshifter.

"Some of us need it more than others."


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## Shalimar (Jan 7, 2008)

Haven was amused at the affect of his absurd proposal, it had been meant as a joke, he hadn't thought it would make Vanessa so self-conscious or he wouldn't have done it. He was all about getting people to relax and have fun.

"Wow, that really was bad, we need to get out of here just to get you guys some better jokes...cereal killers...heheh." Haven commented looking back and forth between Facade and whats-his-name.

"I call shotgun."


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## Vanifae (Jan 7, 2008)

James Heard said:
			
		

> He looks steadily at the shapeshifter.
> 
> "Some of us need it more than others."



 Vanessa looks confused and picks up the cereal box, “Omega?  I am not sure what is so spooky about Odie’s Fruity Flakes but I will make sure not to get it next time if it causes you a problem.”

The box reads Odie’s Fruity Flakes.

“As far as leaving this afternoon, I am not even sure everyone is up I wouldn’t want to leave and have someone wakeup and I wasn’t here.  You are all in a fragile state right now; and the outside is a little dangerous for you… not everyone is as nice as I am,” Vanessa finishes.

*By the Pool*

“I don’t need to breathe, sometimes I catch myself not breathing, and I actually have to think about it at times, if only to seem normal… if that makes any kind of sense.  Maybe I am just being a little paranoid,” Dee finishes.

*Ashley*
[sblock] The smell of sweat and blood, conflict is in the air.  You’re hurt, blood dribbling from a wound in your shoulder, a bullet wound?  You wish you had time to figure it out.

“Ash!  Ash! Are you there?” her voice fills your ears.

You hear yourself respond, “I’m not dead yet.”

“You should be, I am not sure how you survived that blast,” her hand grabs your good arm…

“Lucky I guess,” your voice responds breathing in the acrid smoke.

Then you see movement, you shove her out of the way and take aim?  Is that your weapon?  Is that a child?  It’s a blur, the air brightens, you feel your fingers squeeze, then your vision snaps back to the now…[/sblock]

Dee adds, “Maybe we should just leave?”


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## Vanifae (Jan 7, 2008)

Shalimar said:
			
		

> "I call shotgun."



"Now wait a second we are not leaving right now, finish eating, we will leave in a few hours okay?" Vanessa replies and then turns to Fork Guy, "So have you got a name yet?  Do you recall anything at all?"


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## James Heard (Jan 7, 2008)

The stout amnesiac snatches the box and stares at it. _Sonofab..._ He stood up and slams his hands on the table in annoyance.

"That's *it*, the sugar pops are _haunted_," he closes his eyes and shut his eyes as if to dismiss the bizarre world around him.

He jabs a finger accusingly at the other two patients at the breakfast table.

"_Please _tell me I didn't just go do a Damien McEvil and hoist a Freudian slip onto the breakfast cereal? We're at an old house, if we're going to have ghosts we're supposed to have dead girls in mirrors and witches in the belfry."

He sighs.

"DO WE EVEN _HAVE _A BELFRY?" he shouts to the ceiling.

"That was rhetorical. I don't even care if we have a stupid belfry, unless the witch in it has a flying monkey with my driver's license on him. Which would be stupid. Like freaking out over the breakfast cereal. Excuse me, I'm a little tense just now, it might be my blood sugar."


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## James Heard (Jan 7, 2008)

Vanifae said:
			
		

> Vanessa replies and then turns to Fork Guy, "So have you got a name yet?  Do you recall anything at all?"




"Apparently I am a complete freaking idiot," he says mildly in reply.


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## Vanifae (Jan 7, 2008)

James Heard said:
			
		

> "Apparently I am a complete freaking idiot," he says mildly in reply.



Vanessa shakes her head, "It is fine, you are not an idiot this is a difficult for everyone."


----------



## Shalimar (Jan 7, 2008)

"Hi complete freaking idiot, I'm Haven, nice to meet you."  The blue haired guy says grinning and offering his hand to CFI with a grin.  It wasn't intended to be mean, and didn't come off that way, more as a tension release valve letting off steam, you had to be able to laugh at yourself, otherwise whats the point?



> "Now wait a second we are not leaving right now, finish eating, we will leave in a few hours okay?" Vanessa replies and then turns to Fork Guy, "So have you got a name yet? Do you recall anything at all?"




"I know, but I figured I would call it for later.  You need to loosen up, worrying about everything wont help."  Haven points out to Vanessa.  He was curious about the Omega..or rather Odie Os, but he figured the others would figure it out and that he could enjoy himself while they did th brainn sweating.


----------



## Vanifae (Jan 7, 2008)

Shalimar said:
			
		

> "I know, but I figured I would call it for later.  You need to loosen up, worrying about everything wont help."  Haven points out to Vanessa.  He was curious about the Omega..or rather Odie Os, but he figured the others would figure it out and that he could enjoy himself while they did th brain sweating.



Vanessa replies, "I am just concerned with your well being."


----------



## James Heard (Jan 7, 2008)

Shalimar said:
			
		

> "Hi complete freaking idiot, I'm Haven, nice to meet you."



He glumly accepts the handshake and returns it.

"I don't have a name, but apparently, barring special deliveries from flying monkeys, if I stare at the breakfast food long enough it will send secret coded messages at me in Greek, one letter at a time," he jokes.

He looks over at the evil box of cereal again briefly.

"You want to go see if this place has a belfry, or maybe a secret door leading to a mad scientist's laboratory or something? Maybe we'll run into a bald guy petting a cat?"


----------



## Shayuri (Jan 7, 2008)

"I have no idea what any of what you're talking about means," Facade says mildly, "But I think Junkyard is a good name for you. You keep...making little trinkets appear after all."


----------



## James Heard (Jan 7, 2008)

"I was thinking you could call me Sue, that way I won't get too attached to it," he says mildly, raising his eyebrows.

"Besides, how do we know it's me? Maybe it's the ghost in the cereal box or something? Do I look like a Junkyard? I was thinking that I looked more like a Tom or a Bill, but I don't _feel_ like a Tom or a Bill. A guy named Junkyard...that just sounds like I should have on leather pants and be chewing on a toothpick all the time, if you see what I'm getting at."


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## Vanifae (Jan 7, 2008)

James Heard said:
			
		

> "I was thinking you could call me Sue, that way I won't get too attached to it," he says mildly, raising his eyebrows.
> 
> "Besides, how do we know it's me? Maybe it's the ghost in the cereal box or something? Do I look like a Junkyard? I was thinking that I looked more like a Tom or a Bill, but I don't _feel_ like a Tom or a Bill. A guy named Junkyard...that just sounds like I should have on leather pants and be chewing on a toothpick all the time, if you see what I'm getting at."



Vanessa questions, "What name do you feel like?"


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## Shalimar (Jan 7, 2008)

"I take it I'm not the only one who thought the cereal said Omega Os?"  Haven asked curiously, and then shrugged.

"Maybe we can call you Shirley?"  Haven jokes.  "Whats wrong with leather pants?" he asks with his eyes wide looking about as innocent as a baby.


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## James Heard (Jan 7, 2008)

Vanessa said:
			
		

> "What name do you feel like?"




"The real one, of course."

"Who am I? It's one of the most basic questions, because it doesn't just answer the question: it places you. It's not just one thing, it's the beginning of *all *things - like where did I come from and where have I been? And, apologies to those of you who've felt comfortable being arbitrary, I just don't think it's entirely appropriate to just assign myself an identity arbitrarily like I'm some figment of my own imagination. That's a dangerous place to go when," he closes an empty hand over the other and a steady stream of sand pours from the closed fist into the open hand, "what is real that _isn't_ you is already pretty much up for grabs." The sand quickly piles itself into a cone-shaped mound at his feet, before he toes it with his right foot and it scatters into nothingness.



			
				Haven said:
			
		

> "Whats wrong with leather pants?"



"Chaffing. Some nasty skin infections. The risk of looking like a bad hair metal band reject."


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## Shayuri (Jan 7, 2008)

"Well, sorry, _John_," Facade says from her chair.

"But the REAL names aren't here right now. So, in the interest of having something to call each other, and ourselves, besides, 'hey you,' we made up some replacements. Is it a great thing? No! We'd ALL rather know who we were. But we're getting by as best we can, so pick a name or have one picked for you."


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## James Heard (Jan 7, 2008)

"_You _can't even decide which boobs to wear each day, and if that's fine by you then fine. Excuse me though, if I'm not going to _make up_ an identity just because it inconveniences you. No one asked you to talk to me anyways, so why don't you just go grow a moustache and leave me alone about something that doesn't concern you."


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## Shalimar (Jan 7, 2008)

"I like leather."  Haven says mildly.

"What does it matter who we were?  This is a chance to choose who we want to be.  I mean we could have been all sorts of bad.  We should just enjoy what we have now since we could remember at any moment and it would all be over. We would be back to being whatever, whoever we were before...and what if thats a bad thing?"

"We should just enjoy things as they come."



> "You can't even decide which boobs to wear each day, and if that's fine by you then fine. Excuse me though, if I'm not going to make up an identity just because it inconveniences you. No one asked you to talk to me anyways, so why don't you just go grow a moustache and leave me alone about something that doesn't concern you."




Haven listens wide-eyed as the jerk lashes out Facade.  He really didn't have cause to be nasty, and no one should ever dis boobies.  "Well we know one thing about you at least, your an ass."  Haven says totally dead pan.

"Stop projecting your issues on us.  We just wanted to know what you wanted to be called.  Since you don't want to pick I dub thy Melvin."


----------



## Vanifae (Jan 7, 2008)

James Heard said:
			
		

> "_You _can't even decide which boobs to wear each day, and if that's fine by you then fine. Excuse me though, if I'm not going to _make up_ an identity just because it inconveniences you. No one asked you to talk to me anyways, so why don't you just go grow a moustache and leave me alone about something that doesn't concern you."



*Fork Guy aka Junkyard*
[sblock]Your voice responds, “We have no idea what could be in there.  I know that-”

“Alan I didn’t bring you here to talk ethics, the decision is clear this is the future of humanity we are talking about.  History will be made here, now do you want to be apart of that or not?” the man replies.

“The people need a doctor, I have patients through next week, this facility is under manned as is,” you reply.

“VSC pays your bills, not these people, keep that in mind, Alan,” the man replies.

A woman speaks up her face shrouded in your vision, “I need a doctor for the team.”

The man shrugs, you think his name was Isaac, “Guess that settles that.”

Somewhere deep in your stomach, you feel a knot.[/sblock]
Vanessa speaks, “Maybe everyone just needs to calm down a moment?”


----------



## Velmont (Jan 7, 2008)

Ian enter the kitchen. He throws a look at the others. "Good morning." he tells politely, but he doesn't seem to want to enter the heat of the discussion. He walks to the fridge and open it. He grabs the cranberry juice and close the door. 

He stops a moment and look at his hand. He feels the freshness of the bottle, and the smoothness of it. He had forgotten his gloves on the workbench. _Oh well, just don't touch any of them, or you relive there anxity when they awoke. I hate that._ he thinks ot himself.

He takes an empty glass on the table and fill it with some juice. He then takes some fruits, two toasts and some bacon in his plate and start to eat.


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## James Heard (Jan 7, 2008)

Shalimar said:
			
		

> "Stop projecting your issues on us.  We just wanted to know what you wanted to be called.  Since you don't want to pick I dub thy Melvin."



"Look,  I'm not bitching about whatever you guys want to call yourselves: Rainbow, Moonbeam, Wally One-Eye, whatever. But I'm not going to get in the way of _my _rehabilitation by establishing false preconceptions about my identity based upon the ill-established 'needs' of complete strangers. Now, you and Miss Sunshine-Passive-Aggression can get over it or leave me alone. The only reason I'm here is because I'm sick, and my recovery isn't dependent on holding anyone else's hands to make my sickness easier for them to cope with. Screw that."

With that, he throws up a conversation stopping hand and walks away.

"I'm going to go look for secret laboratories and Isaac," he says as he walks away, and up the stairs to the second floor study, looking for the book that "Vanessa" was reading.


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## Vanifae (Jan 7, 2008)

James Heard said:
			
		

> "I'm going to go look for secret laboratories and Isaac," he says as he walks away, and up the stairs to the second floor study, looking for the book that "Vanessa" was reading.



Vanessa follows him, "What about secret labs and Isaac, is that your name, are you Isaac?"


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## Shayuri (Jan 7, 2008)

Facade regards Junkyard throughout his hissy-fit, not seeming overtly upset, though she definitely looks annoyed. She glances at the others and shrugs.

"I was just saying, if he didn't pick a name, we would. Fairly warned be he, say I."

She pauses, then adds to haven. "I saw Omega too."


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## James Heard (Jan 7, 2008)

"No, I'm not Isaac," he says without pausing.

"Where is that book you were reading earlier? Do we have another copy of that? We're going to need that book I think, if we're going to find Isaac and figure out what's she's done to the team."


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## Velmont (Jan 7, 2008)

Ian looks a moment at Vanessa leaving, following whoever he was. "I think I miss the event of they day." _And I will probably see it sooner then I wish... well it will make change of this anxiety of awakening with amnesia._ he adds mentally to himself. He takes a piece of apple and start to eat it.


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## Shalimar (Jan 7, 2008)

Haven shrugs when Facade comments on Melvin's hissy.  "Dudes gonna blow an artery if he stays that uptight." the blue haired teen says without much feeling either way.

"So what do you think is up with the Omega Os.  I mean I am more than willing to accept that I'm crazy, that wont stop me from having fun, but if its more than just me thats important to know too."


----------



## Shayuri (Jan 7, 2008)

"I think it's...important. That we all saw it in the same place at the same time, that means a lot," Facade answers. "That means it's not a hallucination unless someone's a closet telepath sharing their delusions."

She looks at the cereal box again.

"It changed back when Vanessa came in, I'd bet dollars to dimes."


----------



## Shalimar (Jan 7, 2008)

"I guess so."  Haven agreed.  "Well, the mystery will either be solved in time or it wont."   The blue haired teen added.

"I can't wait to see whats outside the estate when we got out shopping later, no offense to you or the other girls, but its always nice to see new scenery."  the flirt says with a grin.


----------



## Victim (Jan 7, 2008)

Vanifae said:
			
		

> *By the Pool*
> 
> “I don’t need to breathe, sometimes I catch myself not breathing, and I actually have to think about it at times, if only to seem normal… if that makes any kind of sense.  Maybe I am just being a little paranoid,” Dee finishes.
> 
> ...




_What was that?!  Did I just ... shoot a child?  That doesn't seem right.  Maybe... I must have had.  No.  I'm not going to get wrapped up into a specific interpretation of this; I don't need to justify actions I might have once done.  I need to consider this carefully.  And I should be careful.  If nothing is wrong, keeping things close won't be a problem.  But if something is wrong..._

Ashley zones out for a moment, then shakes her roughly.  "Sorry, were you saying something?"  She lies, "I think I'm getting a headache; must not have drank enough water during my morning exercises."  (Bluff +2/ +6 with Attractive)


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## Vanifae (Jan 7, 2008)

James Heard said:
			
		

> "No, I'm not Isaac," he says without pausing.
> 
> "Where is that book you were reading earlier? Do we have another copy of that? We're going to need that book I think, if we're going to find Isaac and figure out what's she's done to the team."



Vanessa responds still following, “Sure you can have my copy, but I am not sure how much it will help you?  What did you see, why the sudden interest, I want to help you, but you need to start actually telling me what is going on, okay?”

She puts a hand on his shoulder, “Look I understand you are frustrated and I want you all to remember exactly who you were, and are.  I think that what you said makes sense, and I agree with you.  But just help me out a little bit okay?”

*Back by the Pool*

Ashley rolls a 15 Bluff check, Dee gets an 8 Sense Motive check; she seems to not notice anything is amiss.

“Well maybe we should head inside and see if people are up yet, not like we have anything else better to do.  Let’s head inside,” Dee says gesturing as she turns to head into the kitchen.

*In the Kitchen*

Arjuna barks pacing back and forth as the group considers the ramifications of the cereal box.  Was it just a trick of the eyes, did they see what they wanted to see, or was it something more?  Maybe the Estate really is haunted, nothing makes sense here; or maybe it all makes sense.


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## Velmont (Jan 7, 2008)

Ian takes another bit in his toast and listen to Facade and Haven. "Hallucination? What are you talking about? And some people are going shopping? I think I'll come with you, I need some electrical parts for the old Mustang I try to put back in function. The engine work well, but I have no light in it and the radio is doing funny things."

Ian takes a small pice of bacon and gives it to Arjuna.


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## Vanifae (Jan 7, 2008)

Velmont said:
			
		

> Ian takes a small piece of bacon and gives it to Arjuna.



Arjuna eats it up happily, Ian now being her new favorite person.  She turns to look at Haven and barks bounding back and forth, its tail wagging.  Before turning to pace around Ian, in a protective fashion, her tail slapping Ian’s leg firmly and repeatedly; she tries to get at the plate of bacon and sausage on the counter and although tall enough on her hind legs the plate is just far enough in that she can’t reach it much to her dismay.

Crestfallen Arjuna paces back and forth stalking the plate of food.

The group notices a magazine sitting on the counter which would not seem so out of place if it were not for the cover.  On the cover is the girl that the group has come to learn as Ashley, although she looks a little older, at least you seem to think that was her name.  She is wearing some kind of uniform and saluting, it is a Time magazine; the cover tag reads “Hero of the Ikus Insurgency, Mankind at its best!”

The magazine is dated June of 2164.  The interior is nothing but blank pages.


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## Velmont (Jan 7, 2008)

Ian strokes Arjuna as she turns around him. When she tries to reach the plate of sausage, he stands up and take one. He cut it in two, kneels and gives an half to her. "Here girl. But don't tell Vanessa." He then takes the other half and eat it.

As he stands up, he look at the magazine. He takes it and look at the cover. He then open it. "What is that. Is Ashley trying to write down a magazine where she is an hero?"


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## Vanifae (Jan 7, 2008)

_I didn't mean to confuse you Arjuna is the only mastiff, I just meant to describe her as crestfallen, as in sad she couldn't reach the sausage sorry for the confusion... I looked at what I wrote and saw the confusion. _


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## Velmont (Jan 7, 2008)

_Oops, I am not familiar with the term Crestfallen, but I remembered there was two dogs in the Estate. I just look again and his name is Krishna. I edit my last post to correct it._


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## James Heard (Jan 7, 2008)

Vanifae said:
			
		

> Vanessa responds still following, “Sure you can have my copy, but I am not sure how much it will help you?  What did you see, why the sudden interest, I want to help you, but you need to start actually telling me what is going on, okay?”
> 
> She puts a hand on his shoulder, “Look I understand you are frustrated and I want you all to remember exactly who you were, and are.  I think that what you said makes sense, and I agree with you.  But just help me out a little bit okay?”



"Of course it makes sense, as much sense as anything makes sense. Which, granted, isn't saying much."

He pauses, and then wheels around.

"So what's your last name? _Why _do you want to help us? What's the connection?"


----------



## Vanifae (Jan 7, 2008)

James Heard said:
			
		

> "So what's your last name? _Why _do you want to help us? What's the connection?"



Vanessa pauses at the question, "Well I... I was like you once, I had a terrible accident and I lost my memory due to head trauma... it took me eight months to piece out who I was... what I had lost, and I still feel like there are pieces missing.  So I decided to help those that have suffered like me."

She smiles, "My last name is Tighe, Vanessa Tighe, I was a doctor, but don't call me Doctor Tighe, that is just too weird.  I was kind of like a brain surgeon," she jokes.

*Ian*

Arjuna eats the sausage and barks her approval of the young man.


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## Velmont (Jan 7, 2008)

Ian, stroke the dog on the throat. "Good girl." He then he returns to his seat and finish his breakfast. He put the magazine in front of him and look at the cover as he takes another bit in his toast.


----------



## James Heard (Jan 7, 2008)

Vanifae said:
			
		

> Vanessa pauses at the question, "Well I... I was like you once, I had a terrible accident and I lost my memory due to head trauma... it took me eight months to piece out who I was... what I had lost, and I still feel like there are pieces missing.  So I decided to help those that have suffered like me."
> 
> She smiles, "My last name is Tighe, Vanessa Tighe, I was a doctor, but don't call me Doctor Tighe, that is just too weird.  I was kind of like a brain surgeon," she jokes.



"Why is that weird? he asked absentmindedly while quickly scanning through the book.

"So, what do you do now? Are you still cracking skulls or are you just waiting for someone to start pulling the rabbits out of the rabbit hole," he joked. Unbidden, his hand searches his scalp for any tell-tale scarring left from a craniotomy.


----------



## Vanifae (Jan 7, 2008)

Velmont said:
			
		

> Ian, stroke the dog on the throat. "Good girl." He then he returns to his seat and finish his breakfast. He put the magazine in front of him and look at the cover as he takes another bit in his toast.



[sblock]You can feel it's excitement through your touch, but a dog is obviosuly different from a human and the emotions are different much more immediate much more focused on the now derived from senses that humans don't rely on as strongly or as intently focusing on smells and body language.  But despite all the differences the feeling is hollow... fleeting, as if the dog is trying hard to be a dog.... if that makes any kind of sense.[/sblock]

*Fork Guy aka Melvin aka Junkyard*

Vanessa shrugs, "I gave up that life, I do more theoretical research now, so yes I am _still_ a doctor but I don't practice anymore; it just feels odd to hear it outside that setting... I just want to be Vanessa in my own home."

She smiles at his actions, "Don't worry I have not done anything to any of you, not with a scalpel anyway.  If you want I would like to try a little experiment with you, it could be helpful."


----------



## Shayuri (Jan 7, 2008)

On seeing the magazine, Facade raises her eyebrows in surprise, then asks, "Is everyone here seeing the cover of this magazine the same way? I see Ashley on an issue of Time..." She trails off, hoping others will supply other details, thus confirming it's not just her.


----------



## Shalimar (Jan 7, 2008)

"I see it, not sure I take it seriously, but I see it.  Guess this means I shouldn't flirt so much if she could kick my ass."  Haven says irreverently, probably meaning that the threat of getting beat up could be a turn on.

"Well, we'll find out for sure when Vanessa takes us into town.  If anyone recognizes Ashley then she's a big war hero that us peons can tease mercelessly."


----------



## Hammerhead (Jan 7, 2008)

"You tried to kill yourself," Michael asks Dee. _Shocking. I mean it's a little boring here, but still..._ "Did you think about what would happen if it actually worked?" Michael keeps silent on  Dee's idea to leave the Estate. It was worth considering, at least.


----------



## Vanifae (Jan 7, 2008)

Hammerhead said:
			
		

> "You tried to kill yourself," Michael asks Dee. _Shocking. I mean it's a little boring here, but still..._ "Did you think about what would happen if it actually worked?" Michael keeps silent on  Dee's idea to leave the Estate. It was worth considering, at least.



 “I tried, and failed.  I guess I was testing my limits, I _accidentally_ fell off the roof… and nothing.  I hit the ground and was fine, I didn’t even feel hurt.  I should have at least bruised myself if not broken a limb right?” Dee replies.

“Maybe it was a little extreme but I had to know, and the fact that I can’t hurt myself… the fact that we have these abilities…” she pauses.  She searches for what to say then speaks, “Maybe none of this is real; maybe this is some really elaborate delusion or dream… I am not even sure how that would work.  I get the feeling if we tried to leave here we wouldn’t get far.  This place is a prison, I just feel it.”


----------



## Hammerhead (Jan 8, 2008)

Vanifae said:
			
		

> “I tried, and failed.  I guess I was testing my limits, I _accidentally_ fell off the roof… and nothing.  I hit the ground and was fine, I didn’t even feel hurt.  I should have at least bruised myself if not broken a limb right?” Dee replies.




"Yeah, probably. But I'm glad you're not walking around with a broken leg."



			
				Vanifae said:
			
		

> “Maybe it was a little extreme but I had to know, and the fact that I can’t hurt myself… the fact that we have these abilities…” she pauses.  She searches for what to say then speaks, “Maybe none of this is real; maybe this is some really elaborate delusion or dream… I am not even sure how that would work.  I get the feeling if we tried to leave here we wouldn’t get far.  This place is a prison, I just feel it.”




_If this was some kind of dream, that would explain the surroundings. Beautiful and picturesque...I don't think that most of the world was like this._ "Or maybe this is just a peaceful and relaxing setting, the perfect place for us to relearn who we are. Either way, prison or paradise, maybe we should see about answering some of your doubts."


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## Victim (Jan 8, 2008)

"If you're going to test out your durability, do it in such a way that you can gradually increase the force.  That way, what you learn covers a range.  Plus you can back off when you reach your limit."  She takes a huge bite and licks the juice off her face.

"The kitchen is fine, I suppose."  _Being outside feels better than being inside though._


----------



## James Heard (Jan 8, 2008)

Vanifae said:
			
		

> Vanessa shrugs, "I gave up that life, I do more theoretical research now, so yes I am _still_ a doctor but I don't practice anymore; it just feels odd to hear it outside that setting... I just want to be Vanessa in my own home."
> 
> She smiles at his actions, "Don't worry I have not done anything to any of you, not with a scalpel anyway.  If you want I would like to try a little experiment with you, it could be helpful."



"No, thanks. The team has been experimented on quite enough I think. What _have_ your treatments consisted of then? You know, ethically we'd have to provide consent. That might not mean much to the company as a whole, but I expect more from a doctor. We've taken oaths," he keeps flipping through the book, scanning the pages as he talks.

"Where are we? I mean, in what context is our perception now - outside of the Estate.?"


----------



## Vanifae (Jan 8, 2008)

Hammerhead said:
			
		

> _If this was some kind of dream, that would explain the surroundings. Beautiful and picturesque...I don't think that most of the world was like this._ "Or maybe this is just a peaceful and relaxing setting, the perfect place for us to relearn who we are. Either way, prison or paradise, maybe we should see about answering some of your doubts."



Dee nods, “I am sorry, I didn’t mean to freak you two out, I sound like a total psycho I am sure.”

*Michael*
[sblock]“Georgy, would you like a drink… they say this Ikusian wine is a little touch of paradise, no?” the man pours a drink.

“I didn’t come here for drinks,” you reply.

“Well why did you come here?” the man replies pouring himself a glass.

“The investigation is moving forward, the company won’t be able to protect you any longer Samesh,” your voice is even and cold.

“I don’t need there protection, if anything my friend, VSC will most likely push for me not to testify, for a considerable sum I may consider it,” Samesh grins.

“I see,” you nod.

“I will be rich and silent, I even have the perfect place picked out my friend,” Samesh pours another glass.

Two light taps of your finger on the trigger.  No sound, clean, and methodical and right to the point.  Samesh collapses.  He died quick, once the _accidental_ fire sweeps through the building little evidence will remain.

The vision fades.[/sblock]
From their vantage point you can see Ian, Façade, and Haven in the kitchen.  

*Fork Guy*

Vanessa furrows her brow, “All I have done is observe, I haven’t actually done anything to anyone here… and I am not exactly sure what company you are referring to; maybe you are confusing your memories with reality?”

With his second question Vanessa responds, “Perception is an interesting word to use.  Do you think that knowing where you are will improve your chances of regaining your memory?”


----------



## Shayuri (Jan 8, 2008)

"2164," Facade reads, then looks around. "Vanessa must be into the retro look. And anyone else catch how she was intimating that outside the Estate would be dangerous for us?"

She stands up.

"I think I'm going to look around and see if anything else around the house is 'out of place.'"


----------



## Shalimar (Jan 8, 2008)

"Do you want some company, or is this solo exploration?  I can always go talk to Ashley if you want."  Haven offers.

The blue haired teen rises with Facade and puts his dishes in the dishwasher.  The blue haired guy lounges easily against the island looking scrumptious in a GQ punk sort of way as he waits for his march orders.


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## Velmont (Jan 8, 2008)

"What are you talking about?" Ian asks Facade. He opens the magazine to a random page, but it's look blank. "You see, it is not even a true magazine. It must be Ashley who wanted to see her face on the top of the magazine, or someone here who is dreaming about her. It must be that computer geek... what his name? Oh well... it doesn't matter much." Ian takes his last bite of his toast and quickly finish his juice. "I think I'll go back to work on the Mustang. If you go to town, warn me, I would like to buy a few parts. I think in less then two weeks, I can put back on track that old car." He grabs an apple and a piece of bacon. "Arjuna, you want to come?"


----------



## Shayuri (Jan 8, 2008)

Facade gives Ian a look and shrugs.

"You missed the cereal Anyway, you'll be in the garage then?"

She motions to Haven. "Come on, lets get started."


----------



## Shalimar (Jan 8, 2008)

"Your the boss."   Haven agrees with an amused grin.  He follows Facade along easly, just being pulled along by the force of her personality.  When you were just a leaf fluttering on the wind, even the smallest of breezes could send you in any direction.

"So what is it we are looking for mon capitaine?" he asks padding along gracefully in her wake.


----------



## Velmont (Jan 8, 2008)

"What?" Ian looks at the cereal box. "Nevermind. yes, I'll be in the garage." 

_What is taking all these people. What are they thinking? That we are in a virtual world and our body is feeding some mainframe of some robot society... Let's go back to work._

Ian returns to the garage. As he arrives, he stares a moment at the radio that is on the workbench. _It seems working on that car might help my mind to remember. Let's try out._ He takes the radio and starts to take a closer looks and see if there isn't a way that it could have worked with the button at off. Some kind of bad connection that would allow the radio to work or anything like that. Ian want to be sure it was a blink of his mind, and not that radio that his voice came from.


----------



## Shayuri (Jan 8, 2008)

"More...anomalies," Facade answers. "Words...pictures...things that don't seem right, or that seem familiar. We've already seen two...lets see if we can nail this down. If you see anything, let me know, but don't tell me what it is exactly. Then we can compare notes and make sure we're really seeing the same things."

She starts at the front door, the foyer, to take a look around before continuing the tour of the first floor.


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## Hammerhead (Jan 8, 2008)

"Good morning," Michael remarks to the emptying kitchen, serving mostly to conceal his shock at the vision. _Did I kill that guy? That couldn't have been me, could it? I'm a nice guy, not some cold-blooded corporate hitman. Is that why I'm here?_

"You don't sound psycho at all, just a little reckless. Which I guess seems a little natural, since this place is a little boring." _Should I mention VSC? It sounded like some kind of corporation. It sounded like I worked for them. No, I can't risk mentioning it; if that vision was real, I'm a killer._

Michael sat down, pouring himself a bowl of cereal to supplement the apple he had recently finished, reaching for the magazine off-handedly, then discarding it upon noticing the blank pages. "So where do you suppose the others left to in such a hurry," he asks Dee, not noticing the interesting cover to the blank magazine.

_Bluff +4/+8 to remain composed during and after the vision. Go Attractive go! _


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## James Heard (Jan 8, 2008)

Vanifae said:
			
		

> *Fork Guy*
> 
> Vanessa furrows her brow, “All I have done is observe, I haven’t actually done anything to anyone here… and I am not exactly sure what company you are referring to; maybe you are confusing your memories with reality?”
> 
> With his second question Vanessa responds, “Perception is an interesting word to use.  Do you think that knowing where you are will improve your chances of regaining your memory?”



"Is anyone certain that their memories are reality? At least in the context of the illusion though, it helps to see. One hand clapping and all that, first you have to assume that you have a hand before you can imagine what it sounds like. I could assume that none of this is real, or some of it - but how do you wake from a dream except by dreaming?"

He stops his furious flipping through the book to turn to look at her.

"Call it an epiphany if you will. It is not the entirety of a thing to name it and place it in the world, but it's _one _thing. We've all had our eyes closed for some reason, and I think it's important that we open them up just as wide as we can possibly manage."

He frowns and then shrugs.

"Maybe it's just rationalizing. Maybe it doesn't matter even if it is rationalizing. I need to exist though, even I only exist as a fiction. I can be without knowing who I am being I suppose, but frankly that's a little deep... even for the rabbit hole."

"Have you observed anything unusual about any of us, beyond the obvious? Any nonstandard pathology? Are we infectious, have fragile immune systems or anything like that? Has anyone taken DNA samples to compare with criminal databases and the like? Something like this, and I've been assuming we all have something in common unless the rest of the world outside is all wandering around with no memories as well, if someone did this to us it's likely unethical as hell - even if we're serial killers and mass murderers."

He looked down at the book.

"Maybe I'd be better off with something more Taoist, except for the dogs. I need to know everything about the dogs...

He starts flipping through the book again, looking for the names of the dogs.


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## Victim (Jan 8, 2008)

"Do I look freaked out?" Ashley smiles at Dee.  _You seem like a mirror of our? my? doubts about this place/life.  I'm not sure I like that.  Or trust it.  If you had a group of people with memory loss, would it be so hard plant someone who's only pretending in them to monitor and influence them from the inside?  Or several someones?_ 



> Michael sat down, pouring himself a bowl of cereal to supplement the apple he had recently finished, reaching for the magazine off-handedly, then discarding it upon noticing the blank pages. "So where do you suppose the others left to in such a hurry," he asks Dee, not noticing the interesting cover to the blank magazine.




"You must have scared them off," she jokes, pouring herself a glass of juice and sitting down.  _Why are all those pages blank?  Is that a journal or sketchbook?  The cover was what?_  She tries to catch the magazine as Michael slides it away from his place, and then sweeps it into her lap.  "I think everyone has their own comfort zones.  Umm, Ian? works on cars or something.  I like to be outdoors."  _That admission should be trivial, but still honest._  Ashley continues, "Since those sorts of feelings are all we really know about ourselves, it makes sense we split up to pursue those feelings, right?"  She drains half her glass, then leans down to look at the magazine.

(OOC: Sense Motive +7.  Shouldn't have passed on Sleight of Hand.  )


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## Vanifae (Jan 8, 2008)

Hammerhead said:
			
		

> Michael sat down, pouring himself a bowl of cereal to supplement the apple he had recently finished, reaching for the magazine off-handedly, then discarding it upon noticing the blank pages. "So where do you suppose the others left to in such a hurry," he asks Dee, not noticing the interesting cover to the blank magazine.
> 
> _Bluff +4/+8 to remain composed during and after the vision. Go Attractive go! _



_Michael rolls a 16 total on his Bluff check, Dee seems oblivious to anything being amiss._

Dee shrugs, “Maybe they just don’t like us.”  She takes a piece of bacon, “Anything interesting?” she says referring to the blank magazine.

_Victim I am not sure what the Sense Motive roll is for._

*Ian*

Arjuna barks her approval and follows him back to the garage.  It is quiet just like before with the same faded posters.  But Arjuna seems ill at ease, she paces back and forth her ears alert, before settling on growling at the backdoor which is slightly ajar.

*Haven and Façade*

The foyer seems normal nothing is out of place, or at least looks so obvious that it would be out of place.  The living room is adjacent to the foyer and is large and spacious with a fire place off to one side and a large coffee table at its center, with large sofas surrounding it.

A deck of cards sits on the table unopened.  A portrait sits over the fireplace of Vanessa and her two dogs.

*Fork Guy*

“Arjuna and Krishna?  I got the names from that book my father loved that book, and I sort of named them in his honor; they are my companions and I love them very much,” she responds as if on cue Krishna pads up from around the corner.

“Krishna here is the more stoic of the two, he isn’t as excitable as Arjuna,” she smiles petting her dog.

She allows herself a moment to think before responding to his words, “I wouldn’t say that your abilities, creating items from nothingness, creating full body clones, and even limited invulnerability is expected and the fact that each of you display these abilities is curious which says to me that in some way either you are all linked in some way; but your abilities are not my focus only your memories.”

Vanessa gestures to the book, “You are right without your memories without knowing who you are, you are just fiction; but as far as being criminals, or your DNA yes tests were done and for the moment I don’t have the results but I expect them back soon.  The tests were done before you came here.”

[sblock]”Did you-” you hear your voice.

A woman’s strained voice, “Alan stop… badgering… them.  You…” she grits her teeth even in pain her British accent is charming.  Her hand grips yours tightly.

It hurts, if only the shock of the sudden squeeze.   You feel your heart beating, it feels like it is in your throat.  Despite your years of practice and education, it still does not prepare you for the reality that you are moments away from…

“I see the head… push…” the man that is not a man says.

Your wife, you assume she is screams as she does what the doctor says… It is over, all the hours of worry, stress, and anticipation end.  The blank aces are unnerving, perhaps the memory is incomplete, as it blurs but one thing is clear, like seeing the world for the first time through a clear lens.

At some point you are holding your daughter, your wife looks up at you with a tired smile.  She raises a hand, “Good morning Vanessa.”[/sblock]
“Rationalizing is perfectly fine in your situation, I am sure as these memories come back to you more confusion and doubts will follow.  Of course you could just tumble down the rabbit hole forever,” she smiles.


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## James Heard (Jan 8, 2008)

Vanifae said:
			
		

> *Fork Guy*
> 
> “Arjuna and Krishna?  I got the names from that book my father loved that book, and I sort of named them in his honor; they are my companions and I love them very much,” she responds as if on cue Krishna pads up from around the corner.
> 
> “Krishna here is the more stoic of the two, he isn’t as excitable as Arjuna,” she smiles petting her dog.



He nods.

"That's understandable."



			
				Vanifae said:
			
		

> She allows herself a moment to think before responding to his words, “I wouldn’t say that your abilities, creating items from nothingness, creating full body clones, and even limited invulnerability is expected and the fact that each of you display these abilities is curious which says to me that in some way either you are all linked in some way; but your abilities are not my focus only your memories.”
> 
> Vanessa gestures to the book, “You are right without your memories without knowing who you are, you are just fiction; but as far as being criminals, or your DNA yes tests were done and for the moment I don’t have the results but I expect them back soon.  The tests were done before you came here.”
> 
> “Rationalizing is perfectly fine in your situation, I am sure as these memories come back to you more confusion and doubts will follow.  Of course you could just tumble down the rabbit hole forever,” she smiles.



"I actually wasn't talking about the Wonderland abilities, just that there might be more uncommon traumas that simple amnesia. Where were we found and who did the initial medicals on us? If we could get copies of those records..."

He shakes his head.

"As for the rabbit hole, that's not really an option, is it? If Alice simply disappeared down the rabbit hole it would be less than a fiction, a simple note leading to oblivion. Instead, understanding the nature of rabbit holes Alice eventually climbed out and into the place she was before. The same, but different. Curiouser and curiouser, until it all starts making sense I suppose. Even the illogical follows patterns, even chaos has a name and definition. We impose our own limitations, that's the nature of free will."

"I'll want to double check anyone's tests against the ones taken before we came here, in case they've changed. Do you have the facilities for me to do that, or know where I can use someone else's?"


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## Velmont (Jan 8, 2008)

As Ian takes a look at the radio, he hears Arjuna barking. He stops and look at her. She seems to act strangely. He garbs his gloves and put them, making sure he wouldn't have to touch anyone. He takes the piece of bacon he had brought and a wrench and walks next to Arjuna. He kneels next to her. "Good girl" he whispers to the mastiff, giving her the bacon. He then walk quietly to the backdoor and open it cautiously.

_Move Silently: +1_


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## Vanifae (Jan 8, 2008)

Velmont said:
			
		

> As Ian takes a look at the radio, he hears Arjuna barking. He stops and look at her. She seems to act strangely. He garbs his gloves and put them, making sure he wouldn't have to touch anyone. He takes the piece of bacon he had brought and a wrench and walks next to Arjuna. He kneels next to her. "Good girl" he whispers to the mastiff, giving her the bacon. He then walk quietly to the backdoor and open it cautiously.
> 
> _Move Silently: +1_



_Ian rolls a 20 on his Move Silently check._

Ian moves silently to the door, opening it cautiously.  He sees nothing and then turns his head another way and comes face to face with a young woman, she shrieks and falls back on her rump… one headphone dislodged from her ears, loud music of some type pouring out.  She has dark hair in twin pony tails and bathing suit top with shorts on and flip-flops.

“Oh my god, you scared the crap out of me,” she says sitting on her butt looking up.

*Fork Guy*

“Maybe, you tell me why you think you are suddenly qualified to have access to that kind of equipment and I can see what I can do.  Do you at least remember a name?” Vanessa asks.


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## James Heard (Jan 8, 2008)

Vanifae said:
			
		

> *Fork Guy*
> 
> “Maybe, you tell me why you think you are suddenly qualified to have access to that kind of equipment and I can see what I can do.  Do you at least remember a name?” Vanessa asks.



"I'll never know how qualified I am to properly utilize the equipment until I have access to it, will I? You want to sit me down and test me for certification? I could do that. What was your father's name?"


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## Velmont (Jan 8, 2008)

"Sorry. Arjuna was nervous and I wanted to know why." Ian offers his hand. "I don't remember your name. Have we met yet? My name is Ian." Ian tries to identify the music she is listening.

_Notice +3_


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## Vanifae (Jan 8, 2008)

James Heard said:
			
		

> "I'll never know how qualified I am to properly utilize the equipment until I have access to it, will I? You want to sit me down and test me for certification? I could do that. What was your father's name?"



Vanessa furrows her brow in confusion, “Your train of thought can be difficult to follow… curious.  But to answer your inquiries about the lab, I do have access to a lab obviously on site, it doubles as a medical facility as well; I converted the basement for my purposes.  And yes it is secured, I have the only access to it, last thing I want is one of you down there making a mess of things.  I promised the rest of them a trip into town later, afterwards we can work in the lab, and will that suffice?”

She throws in the last part, “My father’s name… my father was Alan, Doctor Alan Tighe; he was the inspiration for me to pursue a career as a doctor.  But he died when I was very young.”

*Ian*

Ian rolls a 7 Notice, he can’t make much sense of what she listening to.

The pig-tailed young woman takes his hand and stands, dusting off her bright yellow shorts, which match her sandals.  She gestures to the door, “So do you live here?  I always thought this place was like abandoned or something?  And have we met, umm I don’t think so… I thought there was a pool here?  Is this your dog?  Oh,” she pops some gum, “my name is Mira, nice to meet you Ian.”

“So do you live here by yourself, you must be rich?” she marvels peaking inside the garage.


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## James Heard (Jan 8, 2008)

"I suppose Alan is as good a name as anything else - inspired by your father then? Indeed..."

"I want to go on the 'field trip' as much as anyone else. I have a lot to catch up on. Why don't you go check up on the others and let sit down with my book? I promise I'll try not to break anything while you're gone if you don't."


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## Velmont (Jan 8, 2008)

"I'm please to meet you, Mira. No, this is not my home. It's Vanessa house. That women decide to take care of a bunch of people who has lost memory... yeah, I am among them. And this his her dog." Ian walk to the dog and stroke Arjuna. "Calm down girl. There is nothing to fear."

Once the dog has calm down. "Please, enter. This is the garage. I was working on that Mustang. I'm trying to put it back on track. The engine is working, but the electrical system is still not working. So, you come from outside the wall? I haven't left the estate since I remember, which is not that much time... a week, maybe a bit more, i didn't really kept track of the time. You wanted to take a dive in the pool?"

_If the dog doesn't want to calm down, Ian will lead the mastiff into the house and close the door of the garage, to not scare Mira._


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## Victim (Jan 8, 2008)

(I wanted to oppose Hammerhead's bluff check)

"It looks like it's blank.  Maybe it's somebody's journal.  Or sketch book, since the pages aren't lined."  Ashley holds up the magazine with its blank pages fanning outwards, bending the covers inward.  While letting Dee look at the blank, she examines the front page.  (It's still the same, right?)


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## Vanifae (Jan 8, 2008)

Victim said:
			
		

> (I wanted to oppose Hammerhead's bluff check)
> 
> "It looks like it's blank.  Maybe it's somebody's journal.  Or sketch book, since the pages aren't lined."  Ashley holds up the magazine with its blank pages fanning outwards, bending the covers inward.  While letting Dee look at the blank, she examines the front page.  (It's still the same, right?)



_It is the same, and sorry I didn't pick that up on the opposed check.  Michael rolled a 16, Ashley got a 23; she notices that something is troubling him, or was troubling him._


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## Vanifae (Jan 8, 2008)

James Heard said:
			
		

> "I want to go on the 'field trip' as much as anyone else. I have a lot to catch up on. Why don't you go check up on the others and let sit down with my book? I promise I'll try not to break anything while you're gone if you don't."



“Well as long as you behave,” Vanessa replies with a curt smile, “I need to finish a few things upstairs as is; I just wanted to make sure you were okay, Alan.”

Krishna remains following Alan around.

*Ian*

“Are you kidding me this is the garage, I would have never figured that out from all the cars and tools.  So wait you live here with this Vanessa who is taking care of you because you don’t have any memories or something so you got like amnesia?  Yeah I thought the place was deserted so I figured I would sneak in and sunbathe, maybe dip in the pool if it wasn’t too dirty… but if you are offering and if we have finished the grand tour of this piece of junk,” referring to the Mustang, “I would like to see the pool.”

“So basically you don’t remember anything?  What a bummer, it would totally suck to not remember the last time you had sex?  Do you even remember that?” Mira asks sitting on the hood.


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## Shayuri (Jan 8, 2008)

Facade picks up the deck of cards distractedly as she looks around. It was...a house. Even without memories, it was easy to recognize. Very houselike. House-esque, you might say. TOO house-like? 

"Haven, since you've been here, have you met any servants? Maids? Anyone like that?"

She goes to the portrait and eyes it critically as she awaits his answer.

(I guess I should ask, as long as I'm at it...have we? )


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## Vanifae (Jan 8, 2008)

_The only "people" in the house besides Vanessa would be the amnesiacs and Krishna and Arjuna._


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## Velmont (Jan 8, 2008)

"Nope. I don't remember my parents, my first day of school, my first date, my first night with a girl, the first time I took some drugs... For what I know, I could be an orphan with no formation who had never a date and never tried any drugs." As he tell that, he starts to put back the tools he had taken into his toolbox. "I'll just take care of my tools and then I'll show you around. But I warn you, many of the others who have amnesia have turned paranoiac today. They might asks you a few quetsions about what is outside this Estate. Also, I don't know what Vanessa will think of someone coming uninvited, but I don't think there will be any problem."

_My last sexual relation... I never thought I could have a girlfriend somewhere out there._

As he finish to clean his workbench. "As you seem to like that much this garage, I won't make you wait anymore. But these cars seems to be the only thing that tied me to my past. I don't know where I got those skills, but I understand the smallest things about these pieces of junk, like you like to call them. It is one of the few things my memory have kept. It's the only thing that doesn't make me feels empty."

Ian grabs the apple he had brought and take a bite. He leads Mira inside the Estate. "Come on girl!" he tells to Arjuna, asking her to follow and stay near him. As he enters the kitchen, he sees Michael and Dee. "Good morning you three. We have a guess. This is Mira" He turns to Mira. "This is Michael, Ashley and Dee. Do you want something to eat of drink before going to the pool?"


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## Hammerhead (Jan 8, 2008)

"I suppose I could split up, see what's up with the rest of them. But they're probably suffering from the same restlessness that we have." He looks up, seeing...Ian, wasn't it? The mechanic. 

"Hey Ian. Nice to meet you, Mira," Michael says, rising out of his chair and extending his hand in greeting. "Wow, this amnesia thing must be some kind of epidemic. I take it you've already met Vanessa."


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## Shalimar (Jan 8, 2008)

Haven thinks about the question for a minute or two and then he shrugs.  "No I haven't met anyone here but Vanessa and the other people like us.  The dogs too, if they count, but no I haven't seen another soul."

"Kinda weird boss lady."


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## Velmont (Jan 8, 2008)

"No, she hasn't, and she has more _souvenir_ then all of us together." replies Ian, with a little French accent on the word souvenir. "Mira come from outside the Estate. She thought the Estate was abandoned and she wanted to take advantage of the pool." he tells poiting in direction of the pool. "Have you met the newbe? He seemed upset. Kinda of paranoiac. I don't know which bee have sting him. It must be how he handle his amnesia."


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## Vanifae (Jan 8, 2008)

Hammerhead said:
			
		

> "Hey Ian. Nice to meet you, Mira," Michael says, rising out of his chair and extending his hand in greeting. "Wow, this amnesia thing must be some kind of epidemic. I take it you've already met Vanessa."



“Yeah I don’t have amnesia,” Mira responds smiling at Michael, “Michael right?”

Dee looks at Ian, “So where did you meet your new friend?”

Mira continues talking to Michael, “I haven’t met Vanessa yet; I didn’t even know anyone lived out here.  You know for a guy that can’t remember anything you are kind of cute,” she grabs some grapes from off the counter, popping one into her mouth.

“So you just stumbled in here not knowing who lived her, sounds like breaking and entering to me,” Dee adds with a sidelong look to Ashley.

Mira rolls her eyes at the statement, “Ian has the right idea let’s take a dip in the pool.”

*The Living Room*

The portrait is fairly realistic and well done, although kind of soulless and banal.  Victoria is seated in a black gown, with her dogs flanking her.  The backdrop is actually the garden outback you recognize the Gazebo in the picture.

Haven notices a picture on a table of a woman and child.

*Haven*
[sblock] “I will be home before Christmas baby, how is Sam?” your voice replies as you pull a shirt over your head.

A woman’s voice replies, you think you recall the name, “Sam is doing fine, if he would sit still for more then five minutes he might actually get some homework done.  He misses you though.”

“Well I miss him too, is he there now?” you reply.

“No, he just left for baseball practice, you know his coach says he is doing really well,” Tina, that was her name, replies.

“I saw the last game you sent me, I was impressed, it looks like that practice we did over the summer paid off,” you smile genuinely putting on your uniform.

“Are you sure you will be here for Christmas,” Tina questions.

“I got the time all scheduled, I have some routine thing with some researchers to do later this week, and then I am catching the first hop back home Tina.  Trust me,” you adjust your clean and pressed uniform.

“Okay, you know I trust you silly, I just don’t want Sam to be disappointed,” she answers.

“Hey I have to go, baby I love you,” you finish.

“Love you too,” Tina replies.

You turn and see the mess of your bed and sigh.  Then your sigh turns into a frown, your little indiscretion from last night is still lying in bed.  What a mistake that was, some pretty little thing; vapid, easy, and devoid of substance.  You couldn’t wait to get home to a real woman…[/sblock]
Another look at the picture, and it is just blank.


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## Shayuri (Jan 8, 2008)

"Kind of," Facade agrees.

She trails a finger along one of the end tables and inspects it for dust. After a moment she opens the deck of cards, takes one out and puts it on the couch...then puts the deck in her pocket.

"The strangest thing of all is how 'not-strange' this feels though. Big walled off house, no one around but one gal, her dogs, and a bunch of amnesiacs...each of whom has abilities the others don't. When you say it, it sounds bizarre. But living it...I guess it comes from not remembering how anything else has ever been. Who am I to judge what's normal...?"

"Want to head upstairs next, or outside?"


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## Hammerhead (Jan 8, 2008)

"I'm sure as hell not named Ashley," Michael answers with a smile. "And it's probably more like trespassing, instead of breaking and entering. But we really don't mind. Do you mind if we ask you some questions? We're all very curious about what's going on outside."

_She doesn't seem like a very skilled burglar or anything. Other than having a really high wall, the security here can't be that great. If the three of us wanted to leave, I'm sure we could sneak out undetected._

"Which one is the new guy, Ian? We were kind of wondering why everyone left the kitchen just as we were all coming in from our morning exercise."


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## Victim (Jan 8, 2008)

"Satisfied?"  Ashley returns the magazine to her lap.  _Was that me?  The picture seemed older.  Maybe a relative?  Time was the name of the magazine, presumeably.  2164 was the year it covered, but that doesn't mean anything without more memories to tell the meaningful difference between 2164 and 1864 or 2464.  Ikus?  A place?  A movement/group?  Was it part of larger war(s)?  Which side was this person (me?) on and who was winning?  If that's me...  I don't know if I like this.  Being the tool of some organization, a symbol to celebrate a victory.  Or was it to rally spirits by focusing on the successes of an individual instead of overall setbacks?  Either way, it's propaganda to play up one side, it feels like I - this person - was being used somehow.  But then... why the best of mankind?  Does that mean that the other side was not mankind?  I want to study this more, maybe later.  Maybe it's not even real._  She looks down, trying to study the uniform on the soldier.

She curls up the magazine as Ian? and some other girl walk in.  _I don't think I know this person.  Should I?_  "Hello, Mira."  _Some people apparently talk too much._  "I'm not sure if I met this upset person or not.  By the way, did someone drop a book in here earlier?"

"If you didn't think people would be here, then why would you think the pool would be in good condition?" she asks, trying not to pry too much.  _This could be incredibly useful.  If it's legit - why come here?  How'd she get past the wall?_  "You don't mind our questions, do you?  It seems reasonable that we'd be rather curious."


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## Shalimar (Jan 9, 2008)

"Uh...Yea."  Haven says, sounding shaken for a second, and then he souunds like his normal self agan, if anything could possibly be called normal without actually knowing about more than just 1 emotion.  "A pretty lady offering to take me upstairs?  Of course we go up."  the frat boy says with a grin, though the grin isn't at 100%.

What was that, he wonders.  If he had a kid...and the kid was old enough to be playing baseball, then how old was he?  As far as he could tell Haven was only in his late teens, so the memory couldn't really be right, not exactly, it didn't make sense so he had to just keep it to himself.  Plus that guy was a total dick, it was fine to flirt and have fun but you don't mess around on your family, even he knew better than that.


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## James Heard (Jan 9, 2008)

Alan continues to the study, book in his left hand and the other silently stroking the dog. 

"Krishna and Arjuna, huh? So where's the big guy," he says conversationally to the animal. He looks over the other books in the study, to see if they're of a similar vein.

_What happens when you step through a doorway and only your shadow follows?_

He shook his head. Too many cobwebs still.

"Doorway, doorway, where is the door?"


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## Velmont (Jan 9, 2008)

Ian answers Micheal question "Well, the one who didn't choose his name yet, he seems really upset and Vanessa have followed him. If he is like I think, Vanessa is surely still talking with him and trying to calm him down. Facade decide to give him Junkyard as a name, nothing to calm him down. I don't know what so funny about these name. They should have chosen something more usual. Anyway, that's there choice."

He then correct Dee. "Trespassing could be more appropirate. Anyway, I'm the one who open the door. She was wandeing outside with her headphone with volume at maximum. She didn't even heard Arjuna growling or me coming. I even scared her."

As people starts to ask her questions he turns to Mira. "I told you. You'll be the new attraction of the day."


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## Victim (Jan 9, 2008)

"That's right; people will be looking for you to fill in some of the pieces they're missing.  Perhaps it's best that what's-his-name isn't here then, if he's easily upset."  _And he can be keeping Vanessa busy a bit longer.  Otherwise I think Mira might be evicted before we can find out much.  Hmm._


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## Vanifae (Jan 9, 2008)

Victim said:
			
		

> "That's right; people will be looking for you to fill in some of the pieces they're missing.  Perhaps it's best that what's-his-name isn't here then, if he's easily upset."  _And he can be keeping Vanessa busy a bit longer.  Otherwise I think Mira might be evicted before we can find out much.  Hmm._



“Wow you guys are all way too serious,” she turns to Ashley, “and you’re right I didn’t think the pool would be clean but it was the first thing I could think of, I didn’t think anyone lived here.  I was going to look around and probably sun bathe by the pool.  So yeah maybe I was trespassing but it wasn’t like I was going to steal anything.”

“Okay, I am game, what do you guys want to know about the _outside_ world,” Mira grins.

*Alan*

Krishna shrugs, or at least maybe the dog shrugs, it could have just been adjusting and just follows him.  The books are on various topics, and if anything the book in your hand seems out of place; as most of the books are medical journals, science reference materials, and a healthy amount of cookbooks.

Krishna lies down by the reading chair.


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## Velmont (Jan 9, 2008)

Ian takes the last bites in his apple and throw what reamin of it in the garbage. "Hmmm... I don't know. If you know something about me, that would be interesting me, but I think it is the first time we meet. Oh, I was wondering today, what date are we. I never cared about it before this morning, not that will change my world either."


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## Vanifae (Jan 9, 2008)

Velmont said:
			
		

> Ian takes the last bites in his apple and throw what reamin of it in the garbage. "Hmmm... I don't know. If you know something about me, that would be interesting me, but I think it is the first time we meet. Oh, I was wondering today, what date are we. I never cared about it before this morning, not that will change my world either."



"Well despite the retro look you got going on around here, its," she taps what looks like her headphone a blue _holographic_ display forms in front of her eyes, "June 16th, 2170."

The display dissapears, "Hey you guys got any beer?"


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## Velmont (Jan 9, 2008)

"Yeah, I agree that we could believe we are two century ago here. It is at least that old is the Mustang I am working on. Once working again, it will be quite a piece of collection." Ian walks to the fridge and open the door. He takes a look to see if there is any beer left in it.


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## Vanifae (Jan 9, 2008)

Velmont said:
			
		

> "Yeah, I agree that we could believe we are two century ago here. It is at least that old is the Mustang I am working on. Once working again, it will be quite a piece of collection." Ian walks to the fridge and open the door. He takes a look to see if there is any beer left in it.



_There is beer in the fridge._


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## Velmont (Jan 9, 2008)

Ian takes a bottle of beer and remove the cap. "Here... do you want a glass?" He hands the bottle to Mira.


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## James Heard (Jan 9, 2008)

Vanifae said:
			
		

> *Alan*
> 
> Krishna shrugs, or at least maybe the dog shrugs, it could have just been adjusting and just follows him.  The books are on various topics, and if anything the book in your hand seems out of place; as most of the books are medical journals, science reference materials, and a healthy amount of cookbooks.
> 
> Krishna lies down by the reading chair.



"OK, they aren't here, I think," he says to himself, thinking aloud.

OOC: Unless there just happens to be a copy of the other Mahabharatas that didn't get mentioned.  

Or some medical text auspiciously labeled as "Property of VSC" on the spine or some such? Barring that...

Picking up the religious text, he wanders out of the upstairs study and begins to look in earnest around the house for the references he thinks he seeks, along with any personal items of the late, aforementioned father of Vanessa.

"Come along, Krishna. We're going to find the rest of you too."


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## Hammerhead (Jan 9, 2008)

_2170? Wow, this retro look sure fooled me. Good thing that the angry new guy is keeping Vanessa busy...if she wanted us to know all these details, she probably would have told us herself, right? _

"Well then, what country are we in? And what's going on in the world these days?"


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## Vanifae (Jan 9, 2008)

Hammerhead said:
			
		

> _2170? Wow, this retro look sure fooled me. Good thing that the angry new guy is keeping Vanessa busy...if she wanted us to know all these details, she probably would have told us herself, right? _
> 
> "Well then, what country are we in? And what's going on in the world these days?"



 “What country, are you kidding me?  Wow you guys really are out of touch huh?  Well,” she takes a drink of her beer, “considering you guys are being so nice to me I guess I can tell you we are in the United States; and what is going on in the world, what do I look like CNN?”

Dee turns to Michael, “So a better question is why Vanessa has gone to so much trouble to keep us in the dark about the outside world?  I am beginning to doubt the benevolence of our caretaker.”

Mira shrugs taking another drink, “Sounds like a typical parent to me.”

*Alan*

Krishna follows Alan into the hallway, and he checks another room.  Inside though is a woman in a cream nightgown, with cinnamon colored skin and curly hair.  She is standing in the entrance to a balcony, outside it is raining and the sky is dark… a night sky.

She turns, somehow you feel it, this is or perhaps was your wife. Arianna.  You felt like you just called her Ari… but when is this?

Ari turns a cup of warm tea in her hand she smiles at you, “I was wondering when you were coming to bed, I put our little girl to bed, I just wish she could stay a baby forever.”  Her accent is charming, and very British, at least you assume it is British…

Krishna walks into the room and hops on the bed, finding himself a nice spot to rest.  Ari smiles shaking her head, “Have you even packed yet?”  She walks towards Alan.


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## James Heard (Jan 10, 2008)

Vanifae said:
			
		

> *Alan*
> 
> Krishna follows Alan into the hallway, and he checks another room.  Inside though is a woman in a cream nightgown, with cinnamon colored skin and curly hair.  She is standing in the entrance to a balcony, outside it is raining and the sky is dark… a night sky.
> 
> ...



"No, I haven't. I'm still not even sure I should be going. Do you think Isaac would forgive me if I just stayed home instead?" He smiled with amusement, stepping inside the room.

"I feel like I'm lost already," he says with chagrin.

"The others don't understand. They'll never understand. Wherever I may go, the best part of me is _here_, right now. Tell me again why I'm doing this?" He sits down on the bed, running his fingers through his hair after casually tossing the book on the covers. Absentmindedly, he strokes the warm fur of the dog beside him.


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## Victim (Jan 10, 2008)

"Why would you say two centuries ago, as opposed to some other time?" _Sounds like someone has access to more information than the rest of us._  "So if this place is retro, then what sorts of other common technology do we lack here?  What else can your headphones do?"

"And what's CNN?  We're almost completely lacking in context."


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## Hammerhead (Jan 10, 2008)

"The United States, huh?" _That doesn't really seem to mean too much to me. Damn._ "And where's the nearest city from here?"

"It could be for our own good, I suppose," Michael answers Dee hesitantly. "Then again, I want to see what's outside these walls as much as anyone here." He turns back towards their guest. "Do you know if certain people outside have weird gifts or talents or anything?"


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## Vanifae (Jan 10, 2008)

Victim said:
			
		

> "Why would you say two centuries ago, as opposed to some other time?" _Sounds like someone has access to more information than the rest of us._  "So if this place is retro, then what sorts of other common technology do we lack here?  What else can your headphones do?"
> 
> "And what's CNN?  We're almost completely lacking in context."



“Umm CNN is like the news… you know you watch it or read…” Mira looks surprised, “Well these aren’t called headphones, its called an Interface, most people just call it a _face_, it connects to the GALnet, receives messages, stores information… mine just has mostly music and video… you know normal stuff… or maybe you don’t know,” she says a little overwhelmed.

“This place is just dead, it doesn’t seem to be connected, and no internal network, no grid… this place is totally dead.  I can’t believe people lived like this,” she smirks.

Dee turns to Michael, “Maybe we should access this CNN?”

*Haven and Façade*

The two head up the stairs and see Vanessa walking toward them, she smiles, “Hey you two, you guys ready for the trip to town later?”

*Alan*

“Isaac,” she sighs sitting down, “he gave up his love for pure scientific discovery long ago, he is a company man, through and through.  He relies on people like us to provide him with the big ideas.  Isaac needs you because he knows you can get the job done.”

“VSC and the UN Space Consortium are throwing around ridiculous amounts of money, they have commissioned four new ships with my new Reactionless Ion Drive system, that isn’t cheap, with that kind of money they want the best Medical professional they can find, and I am not sure who would be better then you.  Although I am not sure how you will get used to supervising a staff, knowing you, you will be doing everything yourself,” she smiles.

“But that is why I married you, that and your boyish good looks,” she kisses his cheek.

“And why you are doing this?  Well because you wanted to be apart of something that will be forever remembered.  I don’t know maybe you just have some hidden sense of adventure under that doctor exterior.  I would like to think because you feel you can make a difference,” she says laying her head on his shoulder.

Krishna looks up at Alan resting his head on the soft bed.

Ari smiles, “I just wish you were not going for so long, but advancing the future of mankind has its sacrifices I suppose.  By the time you get back Vanessa will be nearly two,” you will hardly recognize her.


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## Vanifae (Jan 10, 2008)

Hammerhead said:
			
		

> "The United States, huh?" _That doesn't really seem to mean too much to me. Damn._ "And where's the nearest city from here?"
> 
> "It could be for our own good, I suppose," Michael answers Dee hesitantly. "Then again, I want to see what's outside these walls as much as anyone here." He turns back towards their guest. "Do you know if certain people outside have weird gifts or talents or anything?"



"Well the nearest place is Jonesville, just up the road... you know where I live," Mira remarks.

"I am not sure what you mean about talents, like a musician?" she adds.


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## Shalimar (Jan 10, 2008)

"I'll go on one condition."  Haven says sounding serious for perhaps the first time since he woke up.  "You have to hold my hand when ever we cross the street and in the parking lot, and I get to ride in the shopping cart." the blue haired teen says, the serious face cracking as he speaks and then shattering into a good natured laugh.

"Is Melvin ok, or did you send him to his room for a time out?"   Haven asks, the laughter stiill audible in his voice.


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## James Heard (Jan 10, 2008)

Vanifae said:
			
		

> “*Alan*
> 
> “Isaac,” she sighs sitting down, “he gave up his love for pure scientific discovery long ago, he is a company man, through and through.  He relies on people like us to provide him with the big ideas.  Isaac needs you because he knows you can get the job done.”
> 
> ...



"Me? Adventure? Hah. My sense of adventure is an extra dash of hot sauce and short sleeves in a brisk wind. I don't know, Ari - it just seems like there's already something wrong. You know me. I don't jump at shadows. The past, present, even the future? How am I supposed to heal others when my own mind is so conflicted? I just need to find my balance I guess, before I wake up on this trip and find myself in the rabbit hole."

"Are you sure you don't want to call up VSC and tell them that we've called the whole thing off? We could go on a vacation, just the three of us. Someplace nice."

He leers with mock enthusiasm.

"Someplace warm, maybe. You can wear a bikini and I'll buy a ridiculous straw hat."


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## Hammerhead (Jan 10, 2008)

_I bet if people could duplicate themselves, or fall twenty feet without injuries, or change their shape, she would know about it. I guess that answers my question._ "Well, we have one guy upstairs who is a genius with math," Michael lies, shooting the others in the kitchen a significant look. 

_No need to show my hand for now._ Michael rises from the table, excusing himself as he walks out of sight from the kitchen into a hallway. He creates two duplicates, who split up to find Haven and Facade, wherever they went off to, and one to find Vanessa. With luck, the Junkyard guy was still throwing a fit and keeping her busy, but there were no guarantees. 

"Sorry about that," Michael says as he returns. "Both this CNN and this interface thing sound pretty handy for finding out about ourselves and everything else. It might take us a little while to figure out how things work though."

*Haven and Facade*

"Hi there," Michael calls, when he finds the two of them chatting with Vanessa on the stairs. "I heard that our nameless friend got pretty angry, huh?"


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## Victim (Jan 10, 2008)

_You're warning me about giving away unnecessary information,_ she thinks in reply to Michael's glance.

Ashley considers the Interface device.  "Your 'face' does sound useful.  I guess you and other people use it all the time?  If this house isn't connected to the network, then we probably can't look things up here.  What does the gal in GALnet mean?"  _It certainly does sound useful.  A little too useful, too easy perhaps.  Wouldn't the subtlies of the world be lost in the noise?  How can a person actually think for herself if she's constantly blasting herself with music and video?_


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## Vanifae (Jan 10, 2008)

Victim said:
			
		

> _You're warning me about giving away unnecessary information,_ she thinks in reply to Michael's glance.
> 
> Ashley considers the Interface device.  "Your 'face' does sound useful.  I guess you and other people use it all the time?  If this house isn't connected to the network, then we probably can't look things up here.  What does the gal in GALnet mean?"  _It certainly does sound useful.  A little too useful, too easy perhaps.  Wouldn't the subtlies of the world be lost in the noise?  How can a person actually think for herself if she's constantly blasting herself with music and video?_



 “GAL… gal… oh yeah Galaxy, it stands for galaxy network thing, I don’t know I am not a computer chick, I just use it, you know?  Oh crap you probably don’t even know about that first contact thing, do you?” Mira asks.

*Haven, Façade, and Michael*

Vanessa shrugs, “No he was upset but Alan is going to be alright.  He and I talked it out and I think he is going to be much better.”

*Alan*

Ari smiles shaking her head, “I want you to stay I don’t want you to go halfway across the galaxy just to prove a point; but I also know that they will need the best and brightest people possible there… at least initially.”

“But honey if you don’t want to go-”

*Elsewhere*

The lab is clean, antiseptic, and white with bright panels depicting various scenes throughout the Estate.  Two women stand looking at the various monitors a very professional looking Vanessa and a much more conservative looking Mira.

“That isn’t following protocol Mira,” Vanessa remarks looking at a monitor depicting Alan, and then another depicting the kitchen.

“You forget we need results to keep funding?” Mira responds, “My way is getting results, we have a breakthrough with Subject 05.”

“Subject 05 is showing signs of spontaneous memory development but with outside coercion, this could corrupt the findings; and I am quite sure inserting yourself into the Estate will alter the parameters of the research,” Doctor Tighe responds.

Mira scoffs, “But we have results this proves that your theory is correct, right?”

“We need to verify the results, we need to start from the beginning; I need conclusive evidence before moving forward,” Doctor Tighe counters.

“Subject 04, and Subject 06 both are showing results, I think the Board could accept that your ideas work,” Mira replies gesturing to the monitors.

“Not good enough, I want a complete restart,” Doctor Tighe turns to her assistant, “do it.”

“But?”

“Do it, Mira,” Doctor Tighe commands.

“But Subject 05… I mean we have a breakthrough,” Mira pleads.

“I should not have to repeat myself, you work for me, now initiate Restart protocol," Doctor Tighe demands.

_There will be Will saves made, you can spend a Hero Point to have that roll rerolled, if you succeed, well you will see, if you fail you will gain 1 HP.  You can respond here or in the OOC thread if you want a reroll.

Ian rolls a 13.
Michael rolls a 22.
Façade rolls a 21.
Ashley rolls a 21.
Alan rolls a 15.
Haven rolls a 10.

That ends those scenes preceding this.  Oh and if you want to fail the Will save on purpose you get 2 HP, yes I am open to bribes _


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## Shalimar (Jan 10, 2008)

Haven will fail on purpouse.


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## Hammerhead (Jan 10, 2008)

_I figure someone has to make their save; I'm happy with my result._


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## James Heard (Jan 10, 2008)

OOC: My character will fail on purpose as well.


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## Velmont (Jan 10, 2008)

"I'm speaking of two century ago, because the Mustang I am trying to repair is a model of year 1970. If you know a little about car, you can easily see that. And also, while I works, I am listening the music of the Black Album of Metallica. The label is telling it was registered in year 1991. Vanessa seems to have quite a collection of antiquties." answers Ian to Ashley.

_Ian will fail on purpose. He has soften and like his way of life so he is not in the paranoid mood of the other._


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## Shayuri (Jan 10, 2008)

(I'll keep my roll, but won't fail on purpose)

"Alan?" Facade asks Vanessa. "Is that his name? He seemed so adamant against choosing one at random. Is there some kind of breakthrough we should know about?"


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## Vanifae (Jan 10, 2008)

*Haven, Alan, and Ian*

It’s morning, you wake up in your bed; just another day if only you could remember what a normal day was like.  But the details of how you got here elude you, but you do at least remember that you are not here alone there are others like you, and they are in the same boat as you… no memory of what came before here.  It makes it hard to remember how long you have been here… maybe a day, a few weeks… perhaps months?

You have your name, or at least a name you think could be yours… maybe it was given to you maybe not.  But you can smell breakfast downstairs.

_I believe all of you opted to fail on purpose; each gaining 2 HP.  You are back at the exact same point you were when you woke up yesterday, no memories… everything that just happened is now gone to you._

*Michael, Façade, and Ashley*

Your eyes open and you realize this is not where you were, moments ago.  At first it seems like a dream… maybe this is a dream within a dream but you *remember*, and that is chilling enough.  It seems scrambled, but you remember… something isn’t right here, how did you get in your bed, why do you have this headache that rips through your mind.  Why does it feel so easy to let go of what you have learned, but for some reason you cling tightly to it… it is all you are.

It is morning again, is it always morning here?  How many times have you woken up here… it starts to bring things into focus, you *remember*, yesterday… or today was not a dream… it sends a shiver down your spine what else have you forgotten?

_You remember all the previous events that just occurred for your character.  You also gain 2 PP of skills from the reserve pool to spend as you like, in the rush of retaining memories, new links are formed._


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## Velmont (Jan 10, 2008)

Ian awakes early in the morning. All seems blurry in his head. He remembers very few things. But the first thing that come back in his mind, it is the Mustang he was working on. He remembered he had fixed the engine but the electrical system need a good load of work before the car can work out properly.

Ian get out of bed and put some jeans and a shirt. Both are not pretty looking, but as he will get dirty working on the car, he doesn't mind much. He doesn't even mind to take a shower now, knowing he will need one after he finish to work on teh car. He climbs down the stairs and walk through the empty kitchen without taking any food. That early in the morning, he is really nt hungry. He sees by the window that the sun have come up, but it is pretty low in the sky. It must not even be 7 o'clock yet.

He enters the garage and see the old Mustang. On the workbench, all his tools are in the toolbox and the few CD he has are there.

_What should I listen today... Metallica would be nice. It's been a time I havn't listen to it._

He put teh CD in an old CD player that is on the workbench. 

_It would be fun to listen it on the system of the Mustang. Let's work on the speakers._

He skips the songs and stop on Nothing Else Matter, his favorite. After all, when he is working on that care, he really feels like nothing else matter in life, and the ghost of his amnesia is far away from him. He grabs his electronics tools and open the passenger seat. He then take a look at the radio/CD player and also at the speaker and will try to repair it.

_Craft (Electronic) +3, Knowledge (Technology) +4_


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## Hammerhead (Jan 10, 2008)

_I feel like hell...damn it. I remember. Yesterday.

But that's impossible. It's morning again. I was talking to Vanessa on the stairs, and was questioning Mira in the kitchen. Okay, think. Maybe this has happened before, but this time it didn't work, or I'm developing some kind of immunity. Is someone erasing my memory? Is that even possible?

Some*one* is doing this. Only this time it didn't work; either a gradual resistance or a lucky fluke. I'm going to leave the Estate, and I need to do it soon. Before things reset again, and I lose everything. Maybe some of the others remember too. Should I do something straightforward right away, like running for the exit? Or try and subtly remind the others, and see what I can learn from Vanessa. Or maybe something radical..._

Groaning, Michael finally rises from bed, showers, and dresses himself in jeans and a shirt. He creates two duplicates, who stare at themselves for a few minutes. One of the duplicates steps outside, waiting in the hall; the second exits the house, staring at the pool while looking into the breakfast room. The real Michael, as his normal habit, begins his walk/jog around the interior walls of the Estate.


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## Vanifae (Jan 10, 2008)

Hammerhead said:
			
		

> Groaning, Michael finally rises from bed, showers, and dresses himself in jeans and a shirt. He creates two duplicates, who stare at themselves for a few minutes. One of the duplicates steps outside, waiting in the hall; the second exits the house, staring at the pool while looking into the breakfast room. The real Michael, as his normal habit, begins his walk/jog around the interior walls of the Estate.



Michael sees, or at least his double by the pool sees Ian moving towards the garage, while his other double in the kitchen sees Dee pouring herself a glass of orange juice.  She rubs her head, “Morning,” she says tersely, “ever get that feeling that every day is exactly the same?”

*Ian*

The garage is quiet and still as he starts to get to work.  Ian spies Michael by the pool, and then also sees Michael walking towards the perimeter of the Estate, it must be odd being able to be at two places at once.

_His Craft check is a 19, and his Knowledge check is a 22; so he is doing well._

Ian makes some progress on the equipment.  He hears Arjuna enter through the open door the dog investigating what he is up to poking her nose into the work and basically making a nuisance, in a fun way.


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## Velmont (Jan 10, 2008)

Ian was absorbed in his work when Arjuna come and starts to lick him. "Hi, big girl. How are you today?" asks Ian. Wearing his gloves, he strokes the mastiff. He takes a moment and looks at the two Michael.

_It's hard to tell which one is the true Michael. I wonder if he knows himself. And if the _true_ one know exactly what the other are doing?_

He is used to work longuer, but the distraction Arjuna have created during his work remind him that he hasn't eaten yet. He decides to finish what he is doing. If he can make this radio work before going eat something, it would be great.


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## James Heard (Jan 10, 2008)

Vanifae said:
			
		

> *Alan*
> 
> It’s morning, you wake up in your bed; just another day if only you could remember what a normal day was like.  But the details of how you got here elude you, but you do at least remember that you are not here alone there are others like you, and they are in the same boat as you… no memory of what came before here.  It makes it hard to remember how long you have been here… maybe a day, a few weeks… perhaps months?
> 
> You have your name, or at least a name you think could be yours… maybe it was given to you maybe not.  But you can smell breakfast downstairs.



*Walking through the Looking Glass*

He stared at himself in the mirror, willing memories to come to surface in what had become his morning ritual. He checked his teeth, the rings under his eyes, his profile, all to see if today was the day when something new would happen that would reveal the slimmest clue to his former life. God, he'd cut off an arm for the recklessness to have gotten a tattoo when he was younger, or perhaps to have robbed a bank.

Then there'd be somewhere to start, someone looking for him. Instead, there was only this: He looked over the spare room with its polite wallpaper and lace throw tossed over the recliner in the corner. He frowned at the white sheets stained with sweat rumpled across the bed before frowning deeper as he simply...thought at them and they vanished before another push and they returned, heavily starched or something like it, crisp and laid out like a geometric design tight across the bed.

There were stranger things than a house full of amnesiacs in this place, and deeper mysteries than magic sheets, right?

At least he had a name.

*In A Pool of Tears*

Reluctantly, he made his way out of his room to join the others. He looked at his empty hand, closed it, and opened it to reveal the delicate silver fork before shaking his head and closing it once more to make it vanish. _Curiouser and curiouser_, or so the saying goes.

He continued down the stairs and toward the kitchen...it was a pleasant house, that's for sure. He paused with an errant thought.

"I wonder if this place has a belfry?"

He shrugged and continued his way down to the kitchen.


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## Shayuri (Jan 10, 2008)

Facade opened her eyes. For a moment, the world seemed skewed, twisted. Hadn't she been standing? Hadn't she been saying something? It seemed oily now though, vanishing like smoke, like dreams.

But this time she held onto it.

On the stairs. Vanessa. Junkyard AKA Alan. She'd -just been there-. 

That made no sense. Dream? Facade considers. It was surreal enough, with odd images and glimpses of things on cereal boxes and magazines... But no. She was sure of it. It had been as utterly convincing as where she was now. As well to say the bedroom was a dream.

...and who was to say it wasn't?

_We'd started remembering things. Alan had mentioned names, and even Haven had a poleaxed look. We started remembering, and then...whoosh. Back to the start._

What did that MEAN though? If it was all real, it meant Vanessa had absolute power over time and space, essentially. She was God. If it WASN'T real, if this was some kind of dream...maybe a controlled one via electronic implants or chemicals...then it made more sense. As did other things. 

She'd have to play it safe. See if anyone else remembered. Tip the hand, and there'd just be another flash back...and Facade wasn't sure she could hold onto the memories every time. To see if anyone noticed the repeat, she 'dressed' in the Librarian again, even in the same dress...then headed downstairs.


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## Vanifae (Jan 10, 2008)

Shayuri said:
			
		

> She'd have to play it safe. See if anyone else remembered. Tip the hand, and there'd just be another flash back...and Facade wasn't sure she could hold onto the memories every time. To see if anyone noticed the repeat, she 'dressed' in the Librarian again, even in the same dress...then headed downstairs.



Façade walks outside and sees Michael just standing in the hallway, outside his door.  Alan or the man that was Alan walks outside and sees Façade and Michael in the hallway as he makes his way downstairs for some breakfast.

*Ian*

The radio seems in good order by the time he is done with it.


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## Shalimar (Jan 10, 2008)

The blue haired teen named haven looked like a little cherub as he slept, his right arm and leg hanging out mournfully over the side of his bed. the sheet was tangled up about his waist yet still managing to reveal a long line of naked thigh. With his eyes shut and his mouth in a peaceful smile he didn't have the almost omnipresent mischevious expression he wore when he was awake.

Haven had found that he couldn't help himself, he always had to be flirting, always had to be easing tensions with a joke or by striking a ridiculous pose, or with an outrageous comment that couldn't help but bring laughter. Every one was so serious all the time, but that wasn' for him, what good could it do? Regardless of who they were before they were all in the same boat now and they might as well enjoy it, and really, what could possibly be better than sex? He couldn't remember anything, but he was dead sure that sex was the most fun a person could possibly have.

*Crash* Haven had rolled off the bed, and grinning laughed at himself as he rose, sliding on a robe so he coul take a shower. Left to his own devices he thought he might have just gone naked even with the house this full, but he had been told not to. It wasn't sexual, it was just being comfortable in his own skin, and if anyone was that, it was definitely the guy with hair matching the cookie monster.

After a quick shower, taking no more than five minutes using the toilet and brushing his teeth included, Haven was back in his room throwing on a pair of jeans. Once he had his jeans on he headed downstairs for breakfast, rubbing at his bare tummy, his pleasantly hairless and six-packed tummy.

"Morning sexy, want to check my library card?" he flirted with Facade good naturedly, aware of what she called this form. It didn't particularly bother him that Facade could actually be a guy. Smiling at the mousey looking woman, he picks up an apple and bites into it.


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## Vanifae (Jan 10, 2008)

_I have come to the conclusion that BLUE on black is painful to read.  I will use red for all future memory buttons._


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## Shayuri (Jan 10, 2008)

Facade whirls and pins Haven with a glance. Time to start pushing on the edges and seeing if something gave.

"What would you do if I said yes?" she asks. "In fact, what would you say if I said forget the library card...you can check me out whenever you want?"

As she spoke, she changed...becoming taller, fuller, more curved and shapely. Her plain/pretty face shifted slightly to a rounder, classically beautiful configuration that highlighted smoldering green eyes, sleek nose, full rosebud lips. The increase in size and measurements made the dress, once quite modest, considerably more daring. All in all, she now looked more like a sexpot wearing the Librarian's clothes for an alluring Halloween costume.


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## Shalimar (Jan 10, 2008)

Haven smiles, "I would say lay on MacDuff and damned be he who first cries 'hold, enough'."   The blue haired teen certainly looks eager enough, with a slightly cocky grin, and beneath it a bit of lost little boy peeking out.  That was his charm, why women found him so attractive, he was cute but underneath all the flirting and joking around there was a lost little boy that also appealed to the mother in them.

He moves forward, bring his lips to hers, or rather bringing his lips almost to hers.  There was still enough room that the kiss would definitely be her choice, but it wiuld only take a negligible movent.  Haven waits for her to take the lead, feeling the warmth of her breath along his cheek.


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## Shayuri (Jan 11, 2008)

_Interesting. So it's not just an act. Good to know._

She doesn't quite kiss him...instead slipping a finger between their lips and using it to gently push away.

"On the other hand, until we get our memories back, it might be best not to do anything we can't take back. Thank you for satisfying my curiosity though."

She resumes her previous, much less voluptuous form, pats Haven's cheek, and continues down the stairs, her face cloudy as she returns to the real question at hand...for her at least.

_How do I crack this enough to see through the holes, without them switching us back to the start again....?_


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## Victim (Jan 11, 2008)

_But I haven't seen anything with a date on it around here, with the exception of the strange magazine,_ Ashley thinks in reply to Ian.  _Wait, I'm in bed?  I was in the kitchen talking with Ian, Michael, Dee, and the stranger Mira.  And I was holding something that might be important._  She flips off her sheets and looks at her empty hands; it was gone.  _This explains why each day blurs together and I can't keep track of how long I've been here.  They can't seriously think I'm going to stand for this.  I have only a limited window to act, but being too precipitous could provoke them - Mira's intrusion may have prompted some kind of response.  Or perhaps Michael noticed that I remembered something; he seemed to get a funny look shortly after my experience._

Ashely throws on a baggy T-shirt and shorts, then bounds downstairs and into kitchen.  _This is happening somehow.  Something in the food or drink?  An ability?  Some advanced device using 22nd century technology - if Mira had been truthful, then her captors may have lots of advantages, especially in surveillance.  Well, if you waited for 100% certainty, then you'd never do anything, right?  Maybe not eating will make a difference. _ 

She comes in as Haven? and Facade? just ceased being very close. "Good..."  _Umm, awkward.  It doesn't really have anything to do with my current goals anyway.  And so what if I might be a little envious?_  "... morning."

_If we collapsed from being drugged for a day, there might be some indication. Ian is pretty big._  She studies the kitchen and her fellow amnesiacs for bruises or dents.


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## Shalimar (Jan 11, 2008)

Haven kisses Facade's finger when she pushes it between their lips as a quick show of what she was missing but alows her to push off from him.  _Tease,_ the flirt thought with a grin as the shapeshifter continued on.  It was all just part of the game, but boy it was hard sometimes.

Shaking his head Haven continues on to the kitchen and grabbed an apple to munch.  He leans against the Island and chews thoughtfully on his apple.  "Morning Ashley."  the blue haired teen says, "Whats hot?"


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## Vanifae (Jan 11, 2008)

Shalimar said:
			
		

> Haven kisses Facade's finger when she pushes it between their lips as a quick show of what she was missing but alows her to push off from him.  _Tease,[/] the flirt thought with a grin as the shapeshifter continued on.  It was all just part of the game, but boy it was hard sometimes.
> 
> Shaking his head Haven continues on to the kitchen and grabbed an apple to munch.  He leans against the Island and chews thoughtfully on his apple.  "Morning Ashley."  the blue haired teen says, "Whats hot?"_



_
 Dee looks to see others congregating in the kitchen and nods to the others.  Everyone looks fine, and despite morning hair, or wrinkled clothes everyone seems normal.  Krishna is lying in the corner of the kitchen, his ears perked slightly as he rests.

Dee yawns grabbing some toast, “So how did everyone sleep, about as crappy as I did?”_


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## James Heard (Jan 11, 2008)

Alan shrugs noncommittally. 

"I guess I can't complain. Not without knowing more about what I should be complaining about, right?"

He sips his coffee with amusement.

"I just can't believe we're not in some database somewhere. It's like we dropped off of the face of the Earth along with having our heads screwed up. Isn't there anyone out there looking for us?"

He looks over at the dog.

"Has anyone fed Krishna yet?"

He leans over and rubs the dog's head vigorously with a smile, balancing his coffee in one hand high above him.

"Maybe later on this afternoon we should go check up with the police about our situation?"


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## Victim (Jan 11, 2008)

Ashley looks Haven a level look.  "Hmm, I wonder?  Shapeshifting perhaps?"

"I don't know; it's hard to say how well I slept compared to other nights or compared to you."

_Well, nothing obvious on that front.  One of those stupid animals is here.  Shouldn't it be outside or something?  Like food._

"Wouldn't that have already been done when we were first found like this?  Besides, it seems like a bad idea to reveal our vulnerability to outsiders like that." _We'll probably be knocked out again by then, so it doesn't make a difference._  "I was thinking of heading for a walk soon.  Anyone want to come?"


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## Vanifae (Jan 11, 2008)

Victim said:
			
		

> "Wouldn't that have already been done when we were first found like this?  Besides, it seems like a bad idea to reveal our vulnerability to outsiders like that." _We'll probably be knocked out again by then, so it doesn't make a difference._  "I was thinking of heading for a walk soon.  Anyone want to come?"



Dee nods, "Sure lets get outside."


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## Shalimar (Jan 11, 2008)

"Well, shapeshifting is always hot."  Haven says innocently. "If I could shapeshift, I'd never be board.  I think I would put on a new face everytimeI got up in the morning just for the variety."

"Why be so worried about everything?  Things will work out and we'll get better, or they wont and in the mean time we should just enjoy ourselves as much as we can,  We aren't really alive if we aren't having fun, we'djust be surviving."  the blue haired teen says with an easy shrug and movs to follow Dee and Ashley.

"I think I'll go with you guys, it'll be nice to be outside, to take in the beautiful scenery around the estate."


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## James Heard (Jan 11, 2008)

Victim said:
			
		

> "Wouldn't that have already been done when we were first found like this?  Besides, it seems like a bad idea to reveal our vulnerability to outsiders like that." _We'll probably be knocked out again by then, so it doesn't make a difference._  "I was thinking of heading for a walk soon.  Anyone want to come?"



"What vulnerability? We're sick, not fundamentally fundamentally broken. That would require some sort of massive head trauma. It might even be psychological."

"Sometimes people in authority positions...they need to be kicked every so often to do their jobs properly. A bunch of head-sick people probably don't warrant a lot of interest from anyone, unless we're rock stars or politicians. I haven't seen any groupies yet, I don't think."

He scratches Krishna under the chin with a smile on his face.

"Are _you _a groupie?" he asks the dog amusedly.

"I think I'm to explore the house more, unless we're all going out on the town or something. This is a really _weird_ place to put patients of any sort. Not enough nurses. Not enough locked doors. It's like someone's house, and that would mean we're all a related case or something. Beyond the amnesia, I mean. Maybe we were all on the same bus and got exposed to something that did the same thing to all of us?"


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## Velmont (Jan 11, 2008)

Hearing the music again from the radio, ian take a minute of rest. "Arjuna, don't touch that." He quickly jump out of the car and catch the matsiff. It takes him a minute or two to finally get the tool she had in her mouth. He bring it back to his toolbox and put evreything in order. He closes it and removes his gloves a moment. He put them in his back pocket and head for the kitchen, feeling his belly grumbling under the lack of food.

"Come on girl" tells Ian to Arjuna. Once in teh kitchen, he sees the others. "Good morning." He walks to teh fridge where he grabs the cranberry juice. He then take a glass and serves himself a large glass. "Someone else want a glass?"


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## Victim (Jan 11, 2008)

Shalimar said:
			
		

> "Why be so worried about everything?  Things will work out and we'll get better, or they wont and in the mean time we should just enjoy ourselves as much as we can,  We aren't really alive if we aren't having fun, we'djust be surviving."  the blue haired teen says with an easy shrug and movs to follow Dee and Ashley.
> 
> "I think I'll go with you guys, it'll be nice to be outside, to take in the beautiful scenery around the estate."




"Eat, drink, mate, and be content?"  Ashley sneers at the cute boy.  "Yeah, that's really being alive.  As an *animal*.  Human beings should have a higher purpose than merely satisfying basic instincts."  



> "What vulnerability? We're sick, not fundamentally broken. That would require some sort of massive head trauma. It might even be psychological."
> 
> "Sometimes people in authority positions...they need to be kicked every so often to do their jobs properly. A bunch of head-sick people probably don't warrant a lot of interest from anyone, unless we're rock stars or politicians. I haven't seen any groupies yet, I don't think."




"When did I say we were broken?  We're lacking information.  That's going to make us easier to manipulate.  And if the authority figures are only doing their job because of harassment, then I doubt their help will be particularly useful."  _And it suggests some serious problems overall._ 

"Has anyone seen Vanessa?"


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## James Heard (Jan 11, 2008)

Victim said:
			
		

> "When did I say we were broken?  We're lacking information.  That's going to make us easier to manipulate.  And if the authority figures are only doing their job because of harassment, then I doubt their help will be particularly useful."  _And it suggests some serious problems overall._
> 
> "Has anyone seen Vanessa?"



Alan looks the woman blankly.

"If we're banking on easier to manipulate, which I'm not sure I agree with, then we need to get out and interact with as many people as possible, and get our faces out there for as many people who might recognize us. The longer we stay in a controlled setting the easier it will be to control us through our environment. The police, or whoever, don't need to be competent for that. They just need to dilute the influence of anyone else who might be manipulating us, or creating a bias in our environment to take advantage of our illnesses."

He runs his fingers through his hair thoughtfully.

"On the hand, you realize you're taking a big step into crazy, don't you? Paranoia? Thats a path you can walk down and start rationalizing just about anything. Why would anyone conspire against _us_, anyways? Unless they're prepared to kill us as part of the conspiracy they'd already be in bad shape by letting us all communicate and collaborate together, and the fact that they'd hadn't would suggest that they want or need something from us."

He looks at everyone assembled.

"In which case they'd best step a large step livelier on the comfort scale for some of you guys at least...Before you start attacking the guards and orderlies, I guess."

He rubs his nose at the bridge, then loudly sips his coffee with a certain amount of delicacy.

"If it were a conspiracy, I mean. Maybe I was a politician, or a radio announcer before this all happened. I certainly can talk an ear off, can't I?"

He shrugs in embarrassment and puts his cup down.

"Anyway, it was nice to meet you all. I'm going to go explore the house like I mentioned earlier."

With that, Alan leaves the kitchen and starts up the stairs.


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## Victim (Jan 11, 2008)

Ashley listens as Junkyard - she hadn't caught any other name - makes his argument, smiling slightly.  _They don't care if we talk or collaborate since they're planning on putting us to sleep and erasing our memories again.  I'm not sure why that would be done, however.  And we should go forth and interact - it's just that when we do so, we shouldn't advertise a weakness right at the start.  And it's not paranoid to recognize that the most fundamental part of life is conflict - you can see just from the different ideas interacting here._ 

"Well, it's unforutunate you're not coming with us to continue this discussion.  With luck -" _and Will_ -"we'll be able to resume it later.  I hope you find something to jog your memory.  Goodbye."


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## Shayuri (Jan 11, 2008)

Facade came to a decision, finally.

"Hey Ash, wait up. I'll go with."


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## Hammerhead (Jan 11, 2008)

*Kitchen*

"You guys seem to be a little paranoid, no offense. But I'm already outside, and some more fresh air could clear the headache I woke up with. I must have slept funny or something. Besides, I'm a little bored."

"One of me is going to stay inside, in case Junkyard changes his mind or anything." _And to keep an eye out for anything suspicious, maybe distract Vanessa if I have to. Like I planned to last time. _ As the others leave, he cracks open the silverware drawer, palming a butter knife and slipping it up his sleeve surreptitiously. Michael then jogs to catch up to the others, throwing out a few idle comments to the others as they walk. 

"Ashley, you didn't seem to eat anything at breakfast. Are you holding out for food that makes you break a sweat?"

"Facade, is that your real form, or just your favorite? You seem to like it."

"Set any swimming records lately, Dee? I seem to have some vague recollection that you like to do some reckless stuff."

_Damn it, I can't remember what Haven was doing, or any other detail of what he did yesterday. Well, assuming they've also retained their memories of the previous morning, then my comments should provoke some kind of reaction._ 

His real form, walking around the wall, sees the group coming and raises a hand in greeting. 

_Bluff +6/+10, Sleight of Hand +10_


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## James Heard (Jan 11, 2008)

Hammerhead said:
			
		

> *Kitchen*
> 
> "One of me is going to stay inside, in case Junkyard -




"Alan, the name's Alan," he interjects confidently. 



			
				Hammerhead said:
			
		

> changes his mind or anything."




"Honestly, I don't know where you guys are coming up with all these nicknames. Are there comic books in your rooms or something?"


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## Victim (Jan 11, 2008)

Before leaving: "Ian, would you like to come?"  _I think he'll say no.  And didn't ...Alan not have a name yesterday?  Maybe he remembers something too._

After getting a response from everyone in the kitchen, Ashley heads off, setting a fairly gentle pace.  She focuses on her flashback from the day before, _Hmm, in the vision/memory/trick yesterday, I was injured somehow in a fight.  Then some woman talks to me and pulls me to my feet.  A possible enemy - or child - appears, I shove her out of the way and then attack.  I should have seen more of what she looked like - face, clothing/uniform, anything.  I don't want to just imagine things to fill in the blanks though._  She rubs her head.

Ashley replies absently to Michael, "Something like that, maybe."  His further remarks make his intentions more apparent though.  _Oh.  He's trying to see if we remember yesterday.  So he must remember too._ 

She practices her throwing; scooping up small rocks or fallen branches and then launching them with her power.
--------------------------------
Are there any animals on the grounds besides the dogs - that she can discern anyway?  Survival +8.


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## Shalimar (Jan 11, 2008)

Victim said:
			
		

> "Eat, drink, mate, and be content?"  Ashley sneers at the cute boy.  "Yeah, that's really being alive.  As an *animal*.  Human beings should have a higher purpose than merely satisfying basic instincts."




Haven only shrugged, "Its not like humans aren't animals, we do do all of those things just like other animals.  I'm not saying we should never try to be more, but we should enjoy what we have while we have it because it would suck to not haven enjoyed something once you've lost it."

Haven listens to Michael's questions abit perplexed then he shrugs, it was a weird way to flirt, but he was trying to at least.  He was curious what the answers would be.


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## Vanifae (Jan 11, 2008)

Shalimar said:
			
		

> Haven only shrugged, "Its not like humans aren't animals, we do do all of those things just like other animals.  I'm not saying we should never try to be more, but we should enjoy what we have while we have it because it would suck to not haven enjoyed something once you've lost it."
> 
> Haven listens to Michael's questions abit perplexed then he shrugs, it was a weird way to flirt, but he was trying to at least.  He was curious what the answers would be.



“Yeah,” Dee adds incredulously, “Anyway, I want to do more with my day then talk about how we are or are not like animals.”

_Michael gets a 21 on his Bluff check, assuming to send a secret message; Dee rolls a 19 Sense Motive check and discerns it; those that remember don’t really need a roll since it seems pretty obvious.  He gets a 19 Sleight of Hand and easily palms the knife without notice._

As the group congregates outside Dee turns to Michael, “No records yet, but maybe today will be better then yesterday, right Ash?  Oh and Ash if you are finished with that magazine I would like to read it later… you know whenever you have time.”

_Bluff check of 16 and a 20 for anyone attracted to females to send a coded message, obviously without memories it makes the context of the message pretty damn difficult to follow.  But welcome to try.  Meaning a Sense Motive check is not needed for those that remember._

The only animals one could see are birds in the trees and the dogs, which are both inside currently.

*Alan*

The house is quiet and nothing is out of place, with many what you figure must be old antiques and keepsakes.  Upstairs he sees Michael standing around on the second floor.  There are stairs leading to a third floor, but not much goes on up there… or at least you think not much goes on up there.

You could be wrong.

Both Michael and Alan hear Vanessa’s voice, “Hey is anyone down there I could use a hand!”


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## Velmont (Jan 11, 2008)

Ian finish his glass of cranberry juice and look at Alan leaving. "I think I miss the event of they day. What were you talking about? Why is he talking about conspiracy?" he asks Ashley.


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## James Heard (Jan 11, 2008)

Vanifae said:
			
		

> There are stairs leading to a third floor, but not much goes on up there… or at least you think not much goes on up there.
> 
> You could be wrong.
> 
> Both Michael and Alan hear Vanessa’s voice, “Hey is anyone down there I could use a hand!”



Alan follows Vanessa's voice to its origin. 

"Sure thing. Hold on, this place is like a museum!"


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## Vanifae (Jan 12, 2008)

James Heard said:
			
		

> Alan follows Vanessa's voice to its origin.
> 
> "Sure thing. Hold on, this place is like a museum!"



_Assuming Michael's double and Alan head up..._

Vanessa is precariously holding up a large bookcase, devoid of books, struggling to try and move it and seems to be in the bad position of possibly being crushed though not to death but to some harm if not helped.  She looks up, “I guess I got a little carried away?”


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## Shalimar (Jan 12, 2008)

Haven may play dumb to be cute and endearing sometimes, but he wasn't actually stupid, he got that something was going on from the conversation, but he didn't know quite what, and playing dumb would only hinder whatevr was going on so he simply listened as the women and Michael spoke in some sort of elaborate code.


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## Shayuri (Jan 12, 2008)

Facade watches them both, a little smirk playing around her lips.

"Well, that answers that," she says cryptically. "Look...not to be the dead squirrel rotting under the floor of your cabin, but now that we've worked out the basics, lets see what happens if we discuss it openly. What do you guys say?"


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## Vanifae (Jan 12, 2008)

Shayuri said:
			
		

> Facade watches them both, a little smirk playing around her lips.
> 
> "Well, that answers that," she says cryptically. "Look...not to be the dead squirrel rotting under the floor of your cabin, but now that we've worked out the basics, lets see what happens if we discuss it openly. What do you guys say?"



 Dee glances at Haven, "It really does not matter, idiot boy wouldn't understand either way... my suggestion is to take it slow... the first time I did something rash... and I was right back in bed."

"I am not sure how long this has been happening but, this isn't the first time I can recall it happening... this would be the third time for me," Dee adds.


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## James Heard (Jan 12, 2008)

Alan gestures a couple of support beams into place.

"What are you doing?"


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## Shayuri (Jan 12, 2008)

"Interesting...this is the first time that I recall. Not that that means much, it seems."

Facade takes a breath.

"Lets compare notes. That way if any of us forget again, only one of us has to make it through."


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## Shalimar (Jan 12, 2008)

"I may not know what you are talking about but that doesn't make me an idiot, just uninformed.  Its like I am missing part of this conversation, you guys are remembering things that I don't but its not like we don't all have memory holes to one degree or another."


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## Shayuri (Jan 12, 2008)

"He's got a point," Facade concedes. "This is a good opportunity too. Lets see if we can get him to remember. If we can, then we'll know...if one of us remembers, we can all get it back. Each time. That should make it a lot harder to do whatever it is they're trying to do...which will hopefully get a new response."


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## Vanifae (Jan 12, 2008)

Shayuri said:
			
		

> "He's got a point," Facade concedes. "This is a good opportunity too. Lets see if we can get him to remember. If we can, then we'll know...if one of us remembers, we can all get it back. Each time. That should make it a lot harder to do whatever it is they're trying to do...which will hopefully get a new response."



 Dee turns to Facade, "Yeah because you don't think I have not tried that already?  Whatever memory exists for us does not exist for him... it is like it never happened, today is probably the first day he can actually remember without some hazy I may have been here for awhile..."

_This is true._

"But collecting ideas is a good start if anything this affects him as much as it does us..." Dee adds.  Dee draws her knife and runs the blade along her wrist, "Personally I have been considering just killing Vanessa... but I am pretty sure that would just cause another blackout."


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## Vanifae (Jan 12, 2008)

James Heard said:
			
		

> Alan gestures a couple of support beams into place.
> 
> "What are you doing?"



 "Moving my bookcase," she says sheepishly.


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## James Heard (Jan 12, 2008)

Vanifae said:
			
		

> "Moving my bookcase," she says sheepishly.



"That sounds rather sudden? Why?"

On a lark, he sees if he can dismiss the offending bookcase the same way he can objects he knows he's created.


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## Shayuri (Jan 12, 2008)

"Have you considered the idea that this isn't real?" Facade asks Dee. "I was thinking before the last...setback...that it felt kind of dreamlike. Magazine covers with blank pages inside. Cereal boxes changing logos. What if Vanessa has some kind of power like we do? She could make us see things...see, hear, taste, feel...smell...everything. Manufacture a complete reality for us. I'm not sure how that ties into the memory thing...but it just seems to me that if this IS real, then I can't explain what I've seen. If it's not...things get easier."


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## Velmont (Jan 12, 2008)

"Wait a second. Are you telling that Vanessa would be manipulating our mind and we are just... laboratory rats for her?" asks Ian, surprised by that paranoia. "And what do you remember that make you think that?"


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## Victim (Jan 12, 2008)

"I'm not sure where the magazine is now.  I wonder where it even came from; Alan - he makes things, right?  How's his hold on his power?"

"It may unsafe to assume that we're free from monitoring even in the woods away other people or obvious devices.  So discussing future plans may be unadviseable." Ashley comments, thinking of Mira and her advanced technology.  _If that was real - or at least conveying real information, then they'll be able to do all sorts of things.  And if she was more like some odd manifestation, then that's not conclusive either way._

_If Vanessa is responsible for our wipeouts, then killing her would help - if it could be done fast enough.  With Mira, there were some minutes before we were brought back to our beds somehow.  Naturally, violence would almost certainly warrant a faster response.  It'd be better to work backwards from her, though.  It seems highly unlikely that she's doing this all by herself._


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## Hammerhead (Jan 12, 2008)

*Outside*

"Tomorrow Haven might be the one filling us in, while the rest of us are acting clueless. So let's be nice, alright?"

"What we *know* is that someone is taking away our memories. The last thing I remembered, before the blackout, was a stranger called Mira coming in and telling us about the outside world. And I'm with Dee...I don't trust Vanessa, but killing her...or anyone...is off the table." _For now. And if we are still being monitored, better they think they're safe. _

"Also, I think I remember something of who I was. I was involved in a lawsuit against a company called 'VSC,' does that ring any bells? If I don't remember anything tomorrow, try and jog my memory with that."

"Anyway, we need to get the hell away from here. If this world isn't real, then it must have boundaries. And if it is, well, we're free. We can come back and help Alan later, once we've figured out what's going on here. Haven, you think you can do something to get us out of here?"

While talking, Michael's duplicate walks towards the wall, pulling the butter knife out of his sleeve and scratching into the stone, forming the word "REMEMBER."


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## Hammerhead (Jan 12, 2008)

*Upstairs*

Michael heads upstairs when Vanessa calls for help, putting his strength against it, trying to set it right. While doing so, he looks around the room, trying to ascertain something of its function or character. "Just redecorating," he asks casually. "Or are you up to something more sinister: trying to get us to start reading?"


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## Victim (Jan 12, 2008)

(I'm not sure if we'd have reached the wall yet, but if so

Ashley grabs a rock and launches it up and over the wall - at least that's where she's aiming.  "Hey, are you the real Michael, or a copy?"


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## Hammerhead (Jan 12, 2008)

Michael pauses for a moment to create another copy, who walks forward. "I'm certainly not the real one. What's the plan?"


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## Shalimar (Jan 12, 2008)

"So our memories are being wiped out everyday at the the end of the day to keep us continuously foggy and in the dark?"  Haven asks.

"Thats just not ool, I mean what if any of us got togeter?  Would we just all forget it the next day?  That is so wrong."  the blue haired teen said, sounding serious for the first time.

"Do you want me to just rip the wall out of the ground?  I can do it and we could walk out at any time."


----------



## Shayuri (Jan 12, 2008)

"It seems more like they blank us when we start to challenge this place, or when we seem to learn, or remember too much," Facade says. "At least, that's what it seemed like this last time."


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## Velmont (Jan 12, 2008)

"Wait a second... what magazine are you talking about? And who is Mira?" asks Ian, confused by all these inputs. "And why Vanessa would be working against us... or on us. She's been helping us since we arrive. She tries to help us remember. It make no sense she want us to forget."


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## Vanifae (Jan 12, 2008)

Velmont said:
			
		

> "Wait a second... what magazine are you talking about? And who is Mira?" asks Ian, confused by all these inputs. "And why Vanessa would be working against us... or on us. She's been helping us since we arrive. She tries to help us remember. It make no sense she want us to forget."



_His words make sense to Haven, Vanessa has never been any but nice to the group, it just does not make sen for her to be doing this..._

Dee looks at Haven, "You really are an idiot, do you think that ripping the wall down and walking out of here will solve this, by the time you break the threshold see some freedom we will be right back in our beds.  Perhaps then none of us will remember... and we will right back to where we were.  I am surprised that something has not happened already.  Maybe it is a defense, it relies on actual action, I mean let’s assume that they can hear us… they know we are conspiring but unless we act on it, the defense will do nothing.”

When Ashley throws the rock over the wall, it sails over and lands with a soft thud on the other side.

_When Michael mentions VSC, it rings a bell for everyone… though you are not sure why.  But the word/name sounds familiar.  Maybe it stood for something?_

Dee nods, “Yeah VSC sounds familiar to me… not sure why though.”  Dee then adds with a look to the Estate, "Maybe it isn't Vanessa... maybe it's one of us..."


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## Vanifae (Jan 12, 2008)

James Heard said:
			
		

> "That sounds rather sudden? Why?"
> 
> On a lark, he sees if he can dismiss the offending bookcase the same way he can objects he knows he's created.



The bookcase is still there.

Vanessa shrugs, "I just felt it would be better moved over there," she gestures, "people rearrange their homes all the time."


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## James Heard (Jan 12, 2008)

Alan laughs.

"At least we know you're a fully functional female. The next thing you'll try to sell us on is that "three hour shopping trips are completely normal, even if we don't buy a single item."

Alan shakes his head in amusement and goes to help everyone moving the bookcase, dismissing his impromptu supports when everything is in place.


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## Shalimar (Jan 12, 2008)

"Fook that then, you are saying that we hav to stay here making ourselves miserable because you are convinced that anything we do to get out will just mean that we have our memories reset again.  You are pathetic Dee." Haven says, with a growl.

"You are convinced that we have to get out, and yet you refuse to try and do anything because you are afraid they will fiddle around with our memories.  So you want to stay here locked up afraid forever without ever doing anything.  I don'tbelieve you about Vanessa, but if I did I wouldn't be too afraid to do anything.  From what you have said all they do is blank your memory, if thats true then there is no harm in trying other than the benifit of not having to live with the memory of this paranoid little get together."  the blue haired teen says.

"If you are so convinced that people are playing with your memories, leave yourself clues as to whats going on, grab a notepad, write it down and hide it.  Make alterations to this place with your powers and if the alterations are changed back in the morning then they have complete and utter control of this place and we aren't getting out so we would know just to enjoy our time here since it will be pretty much unending.  Like so."  and matching word to gesture Haven reaches out with whatever it is that makes him able to control earth and stone and pulls a bit of the thickness off of the wall to give him something to work with.  He reshapes the stone into the form of a flower molding it with his hands as if it were clay.  He presents it to Facade with with a grin.

Next the blue haired teen begins to work on something far less intricate, taking a bit more of the stone, he shapes it into a set of rings, one for everyone in the house, including Vanessa.  He would have to size the ring for each person, but at least it would tell them something if Vanessa wasn't wearing it tomorrow.  "If your theory is right, and I'm not saying it is, more like just humoring the hottie, then somehow we will wake up tomorrow and not know why we are wearing these.  If some of us remember why and others don't it can be used to help those who do remember bring this up again.  If after I use my powers to put them on and we are somehow not wearing them tomorrow and we still remember this it tells us they can control our surroundings at their whim."

"Also, if Vanessa isn't wearing hers then it means she expected us to have forgotten them.  It would let us know if she expects us to forget everyday or if its something else."   He said not really believing Vanessa was doing anything wrong.


----------



## Victim (Jan 12, 2008)

Vanifae said:
			
		

> _His words make sense to Haven, Vanessa has never been any but nice to the group, it just does not make sen for her to be doing this..._
> 
> Dee looks at Haven, "You really are an idiot, do you think that ripping the wall down and walking out of here will solve this, by the time you break the threshold see some freedom we will be right back in our beds.  Perhaps then none of us will remember... and we will right back to where we were.  I am surprised that something has not happened already.  Maybe it is a defense, it relies on actual action, I mean let’s assume that they can hear us… they know we are conspiring but unless we act on it, the defense will do nothing.”
> 
> ...




"The idea that we *could* leave if we so desired is a tool for keeping us here.  'It's just a wall.  I could get past it if I wanted to.  So I must want to stay inside the Estate.'"

"So Ian, tell us about yesterday.  Or the day before.  How long have you been here?  We're less remembering, and more forgeting.  Even if you assume benevolence on her part, her aid seems rather ineffectual and possibly counterproductive."

_Why assume that only one person here is involved?  But still, with kind of trick we're talking about here, setting up Vanessa to draw our suspicions would be pretty easy.  If it is one of us - or if all our discussions are monitored - then it'd be best to feign ignorance each day while working things out on my own.  If Dee can last 3-4 days, I should be able to as well._

"Depending on where the bounds are drawn, it may be feasible to throw someone into a position where they can see outside, but can't actually leave."


----------



## Vanifae (Jan 12, 2008)

Shalimar said:
			
		

> " that then, you are saying that we hav to stay here making ourselves miserable because you are convinced that anything we do to get out will just mean that we have are memories reset again.  You are pathetic Dee." Haven says, with a growl.
> 
> "You are convinced that we have to get out, and yet you refuse to try and do anything because you are afraid they will fiddle around with a memories.  So you want to stay here locked up afraid forever without ever doing anything.  I don'tbelieve you about Vanessa, but if I did I wouldn't be too afraid to do anything.  From what you have said all thy do is blank your memory, if thats true then there is no harm in trying other than the benifit of not having to live with the memory of this paranoid little get together."  the blue haired teen says.



Dee scowls, “Pathetic, you son of a bitch… how dare you call me pathetic… you don’t think the first time I woke up and remembered I didn’t jump this fence and run as far as I could.  Yeah I ran, it seemed like quite a while… and then I was back in my bed, and I remembered that too.  It was like a nightmare!”

She puts her free hand on the collar of his shirt and pushes him back towards the tree, “The second time… I though maybe this was a dream… a freaking nightmare… I tried to kill myself maybe shock myself into being awake… yeah hard to do that when you can’t cut your own wrists, survive forty feet falls, and can’t even drown yourself… you think I like living in this in hell.”

“For all I know you could be the one doing this to us, acting so smug pretending to be an idiot all the while laughing at us at some kind of personal joke.  Then you want to give us rings to keep tabs on us maybe?  Maybe you are working for them…” she slams her knife into the tree above Haven’s head.

She steps back seething, “But I honestly don’t think it is you doing this to us… does not seem like your style.”

Dee then turns to Michael, “Leaving clues could be a good idea though… if it works.”

*Michael and Alan*

“Watch yourself,” Vanessa chides with a shake of your head, “we women are a delicate species.  I might actually think you are trying to insult my fair gender,” she jokes.  She turns to Michael, “I am glad you came to my aid though.”


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## Shalimar (Jan 12, 2008)

"Somebody had their Psycho Flakes this morning."  Haven says dryly, shifting to look up at the knife that could have killed him.  "Dee, its against my nature to hurt a lady, but if you ever even try to do that again, well I wont kill you since you may or may not be immortal, but I will bury you down so deep that it wont make any difference."  Haven said, his voice soft, but still carrying far enough for everyone to hear.  He was an easy going guy, he would go along with pretty much anything, but once you got to his limit of what he was willing to accept he would be as hard and unfeeling as the stone he controlled.

The determined expression lasted for only a seond, long enough to make its point and then it was as if someone had flipped a light switch and he was all smiles and friendliness again.  The tension that had filled his body and made him look like violence ready to spring while he spoke was simply gone in an instant and he was all relaxed again.

"So, who wants to wear my ring?" he asks dropping to one knee in front of Ashley and Facade, grinning.


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## James Heard (Jan 12, 2008)

Vanifae said:
			
		

> *Michael and Alan*
> 
> “Watch yourself,” Vanessa chides with a shake of your head, “we women are a delicate species.  I might actually think you are trying to insult my fair gender,” she jokes.  She turns to Michael, “I am glad you came to my aid though.”



Alan snorts at the comment about 'delicacy.'

"In a while I think I'm going to go and talk to the police and maybe see if I can't get the media interested in our problem. Waiting passively for our memories to return isn't the way to do things. We need to find people who know us, our families maybe, and who can help set us up in familiar surroundings."

"Speaking of delicate, we won't break, you know? Well, at least anymore than we have already," he smiles.

"I think a respectable amount of caution is a good idea, but fear, fear paralyzes people. I might not know who I am, but whoever that is I never got to be that person by letting myself be afraid."

He looks around.

"Where are the books for these shelves?"


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## Shayuri (Jan 12, 2008)

Facade shakes her head.

"Leaving clues won't help. Think about it. It's not just memories that are getting reset."

She waves a hand at the house.

"Clothes, my shape, memories, changes we made to the house...like moving stuff around, getting food out, eating...it ALL changes. That's why I said I wasn't sure this was real. It's not as simple as us just periodically falling asleep and losing our memories. _Reality itself changes_ each time it happens."

"I know tensions are running high, Dee...Haven...but lets keep things civil, all right? No threatening with knives...no threatening with eternal imprisonment. We have MORE than enough to deal with without us being at each other's throats."


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## Velmont (Jan 13, 2008)

Ian answers Ashley "Well, I awoke a week a go from my amnesia... or it was more then that? Anyway, I have been working on the Mustang and I've repaired the engine during that time..." an hesitation can be heard in his voice... "What was the problem of the engine again?"

"Ok, my memory is far from being correct, but it's been not even two weeks I'm here and I don't know a damned about amnesia. I have no more reason to trust Vanessa then any of you. But you know what, I do. I trust her because I have nothing that even give me a doubt about her good intention." tells Ian. 

"But I have no reason to not trust you too... but I don't what to think about that. You are talking like if there was a conspiracy against us. But the problem, we don't even know who we are. I don't know you and I don't even know myself. All I wish for now, it is to fill that hole, and the only thing that give me that impression, it is working on the Mustang. If you have any new things, come see me in the garage, until then I'll leave you to your conspiracy theory."

Ian leaves the other and returns to the garage. With one speaker working, he decide to see if he could make teh radio work and catch some radio station. He might eb able to learn something about the localisation of this Estate... What the others were speaking about worth to take a some time to validate. Anyway, he had all the time he wanted.


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## Vanifae (Jan 13, 2008)

James Heard said:
			
		

> Alan snorts at the comment about 'delicacy.'
> 
> "In a while I think I'm going to go and talk to the police and maybe see if I can't get the media interested in our problem. Waiting passively for our memories to return isn't the way to do things. We need to find people who know us, our families maybe, and who can help set us up in familiar surroundings."
> 
> "Speaking of delicate, we won't break, you know? Well, at least anymore than we have already," he smiles.



"I understand Alan," Vanessa nods, "and I have taken care of that, but I am not sure if we want to get the media involved just yet the last thing you need in your condition is a media frenzy... and I do enjoy my privacy out here."


			
				James Heard said:
			
		

> I think a respectable amount of caution is a good idea, but fear, fear paralyzes people. I might not know who I am, but whoever that is I never got to be that person by letting myself be afraid."
> 
> He looks around.
> 
> "Where are the books for these shelves?"



"Who said anything about being afraid?" Vanessa questions, "As for the books, they are down the hall, you want to help me move them?"

*Outside by the Tree*

“The funny thing is you bury me here, chances are you will just wake up, and nothing will have happened and you had better pray that I don’t remember it… but Façade is right we got more things to worry about then trying to kill each other,” Dee quips.

*Haven*
[sblock]”I don’t like this,” you hear yourself say, “Why the hell do we need her of all people… talk about ice cold bitch.”

“You have a problem with me Vargas,” you curse your luck, of course she would be in ear shot when you decide to vent.

“Me Lt. Commander Reese?  Of course not, never a problem with you, I was just talking to my friend here about some other ice cold psychotic bitch,” you can feel the smile in your voice.

You turn as she walks forward, United Alliance uniform in perfect order, it disgusted you for a reason.  She speaks, “I looked into your records you did two tours with the UA Marines, you were at Ikus…”

“That I was ma’am, course I got the hell out of dodge when I was done, signed my walking papers,” you were pretty proud about leaving after the leaving the debacle that was Ikus… although at the moment you were a little nervous, she had that knife out… just like she did back then.

“Coward,” Commander Reese counters.

You shrug, “I don’t mind paving Humanity’s future but not at the expense of civilians, you were there Denise, you know what we had to do… what we did to those _insurgents_.  Looks like you came out pretty well, a few medals… not as many as Ash…”

There is a fire in her eyes as she hisses, “Yeah well she is a coward too… but at least I trust her.”  She slams the knife into the wall right next to your face.

You reply, “Don’t worry about me Dee, the only thing I want to do is finish this mission and get home to my son.  Now back up, I don’t want to have to hurt you.”

She dislodges her knife, “Sure thing.”

You smirk as she starts to walk away, “Somebody had their Psycho Flakes this morning…”[/sblock]
Dee watches Ian leave, then turns to Façade, “You got a point this whole reality I guess seems to change back once we all black out… I am not even sure how that is possible?”


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## Vanifae (Jan 13, 2008)

Velmont said:
			
		

> Ian leaves the other and returns to the garage. With one speaker working, he decide to see if he could make teh radio work and catch some radio station. He might eb able to learn something about the localisation of this Estate... What the others were speaking about worth to take a some time to validate. Anyway, he had all the time he wanted.



Arjuna follows Ian back into the garage.

He hears a voice coming from the radio, "Can anyone hear me?"  The Mustang is not even turned on...


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## James Heard (Jan 13, 2008)

Vanifae said:
			
		

> "I understand Alan," Vanessa nods, "and I have taken care of that, but I am not sure if we want to get the media involved just yet the last thing you need in your condition is a media frenzy... and I do enjoy my privacy out here."
> 
> "Who said anything about being afraid?" Vanessa questions, "As for the books, they are down the hall, you want to help me move them?"



"You're not _listening _to me Vanessa, I _am _going to go to the media._ I_ want the media involved. The sooner this is resolved the better, and I can get back to my life.

He winks at her.

"I won't mention you anymore than I need to, but this has to happen. How am I doing the world any good stuck inside this place, when there might be someone outside who's missing me, needing me?"

"I'm sure you mean well, but no matter how many holes there are in any of us I'm sure we've got responsibilities. Hell, even if we _don't_ have responsibilities we have a duty to find a place inside of each of us to make them. I'm not an invalid. What good am I if I'm not doing my best to make the world a better place?"


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## James Heard (Jan 13, 2008)

"But the world can wait until after I help you move your books, I suppose," he says with a wry smile.


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## Shalimar (Jan 13, 2008)

Haven has a far away look in his eye for a moment, then he laughs.  "Somebody had their Psycho Flakes this morning." he repeats with a grin.  "I knew I had said that before, and now I remember who I said it about too."

The ground beneath and around Dee reaches up to sink her into the earth up to her waist.  (Snare +5,  Attack +5, with Indirect 3 on it it should be a surprise attack so she loses all dodge to defense and takes an additional -2 on top of that.  I will spend a HP if I have to on this.)

"We've had that little dance before Lt. Commander Reese.  You act all Psycho with your little knife and then I have to back you off.  Everyone only gets one chance to test the boundries, and you already had it.  I'm not going to bury you since didn't remember the first time...but I will only be pushed so far before I push back."


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## Vanifae (Jan 13, 2008)

Shalimar said:
			
		

> Haven has a far away look in his eye for a moment, then he laughs.  "Somebody had their Psycho Flakes this morning." he repeats with a grin.  "I knew I had said that before, and now I remember who I said it about too."
> 
> The ground beneath and around Dee reaches up to sink her into the earth up to her waist.  (Snare +5,  Attack +5, with Indirect 3 on it it should be a surprise attack so she loses all dodge to defense and takes an additional -2 on top of that.  I will spend a HP if I have to on this.)
> 
> "We've had that little dance before Lt. Commander Reese.  You act all Psycho with your little knife and then I have to back you off.  Everyone only gets one chance to test the boundries, and you already had it.  I'm not going to bury you since didn't remember the first time...but I will only be pushed so far before I push back."



 Dee hisses as she struggles half submerged in the ground, "You son of a bitch... I don't even know what you are talking about... but you are dead."


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## Vanifae (Jan 13, 2008)

_*Ashley* recognizes the name Lt. Commander Reese as well... seems like a familiar person to her._


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## Shalimar (Jan 13, 2008)

"Would you rather I just plant you 100 feet down instead?"  Haven offers. 

"I remembered something from before the mansion, from before all this.  We have already had the conversation of you planting a knife into a wall right next to my head, you were a psycho back then Reese, and you are a psycho now.  You get off on killing and hurting."

"I may not have remembered my name, or rather all of my name, but I do know yours Dee.  Yours is Denise, Denise Reese.  You like knifing up civilians, you and Ashley were the reason I quit the United Alliance Marines after the Ikus campaign."


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## Velmont (Jan 13, 2008)

Ian walks to the Mustang and looks at the radio. _What happen with that radio? It is off? And it seems to catch short wave not public long wave..._ Taking a look at the radio, he ears himself telling "Yes? I can hear you? Who are you?"

_Am I becoming a fool? I'm talking to a radio who has no mic to speak in it... it is a car radio._ thinks Ian, waiting a moment to see if against his expectation, someone would answer.


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## Shayuri (Jan 13, 2008)

"Christ Haven...relax!" Facade snaps. "Look, our memories have been messed with...erased, uploaded downloaded, God KNOWS what! Are you SO SURE of what you think you remember, that you're willing to -bury her alive-?"

"And honestly, even if you're right, does that give you the right to condemn her to a fate worse than death?"

"Just ease off. And Dee...please let this end here. None of us are going to get anywhere if a third of us are constantly having to keep another third off the last third's necks."

"Lets just take a deep breath...then Haven, you bring her back up...and Dee, you're not going to try to hurt him. If you want to stab something, stab me."


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## Shalimar (Jan 13, 2008)

"I am willing to bury her alive if I have to.  I told her now as I have told her in the past when she has pulled this exact same stunt of shoving a knife in my face that I will not tolerate it.  Now she knows what I will do when she does it again, so she can factor in my response and decide whether or not being a psycho is important enough to be buried over."  There is absolutely no give in Haven's tone, this is 100% how it will be, she screws around like this again and she will be buried. Period.  No discussion.  Nothing is going to dissuade him.

"If she could die, then yes, I would just kill her instead the next time she does it, but it doesn't look like she can die, regretful, but I will not be threatened like that.  I want no misunderstandings, no protests of I'm sorry, or I didn't know.  That goes for anyone Reese, you touch anyone and the result will be the same."

"If you understand the rules Dee, can I let you out or do I need to keep you down there until you calm down?"  Haven asks, readying himself to raise up the earth he is standing on up out of Denise's reach if she comes at him.


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## Shayuri (Jan 13, 2008)

"Then you're a bully, Haven...no matter how 'right' you are, no matter how much you might think you're acting for the good. You're just a bully, and unlike her...who we have no real evidence did anything wrong...you're proving it right here and right now."


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## Vanifae (Jan 13, 2008)

Shayuri said:
			
		

> "Then you're a bully, Haven...no matter how 'right' you are, no matter how much you might think you're acting for the good. You're just a bully, and unlike her...who we have no real evidence did anything wrong...you're proving it right here and right now."



_Dee attempts to break the bonds, the snare has a total save of +5, the snare rolls a 9, and is *Disabled*._

Dee forces and arm free and rises slightly from the earth, nearly free of the bonds, she grits her teeth, “I think we know who the real psycho here is; as far as what happened in your past, I don’t think you have the whole story.  Now let me go, I won’t agree to your demands but I have no desire to get into a pointless fight…”


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## Avalon® (Jan 13, 2008)

Waking up with a ray of sunshine in his face, Surge sits up groggily as he tries to get into a more coherent state. He stretches his entire body while emitting a loud yawn and that seems to do the trick.

He gets out of bed and lets the blankets covering him fall to the ground. He slowly makes his way to the bathroom to take a bath.

He comes out of the bathroom around 10 minutes later and notices that his laptop has gone into sleep mode on a table next to his bed. He goes over to it and taps the enter key to make it go back online.


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## Hammerhead (Jan 13, 2008)

*Outside*

During the confrontation, Michael stepped back, having no desire or inclination to intervene. _Best to have these two sort out whatever issues they have between themselves. _

"Good thing they didn't get into a pointless fight then," Michael mutters under his breath. While those two argued, his duplicate near the wall finishes scratching "REMEMBER," into the wall, now scratching on "VSC."

"I guess we got some good news, people. If Haven's memories are correct, then the three of you were in the military together." _If Haven is willing to hold Dee responsible for whatever disagreements they had way back when, threatening with knives or whatever, then I can't let them find out about my record as a murderer. They'd probably try and turn me in._

"So at least something, no matter if it's unpleasant, is coming back. But we shouldn't let these memories of who we were, and how we may have treated each other, define who we are now. We're all in this together," he adds, shooting a look towards Facade. _Less name-calling, please._ 

Michael's newly created duplicate speaks up, turning towards Ashley. "If you can lift me, throw me towards the wall. Even if exiting the Estate triggers a blackout, I might be able to hold onto the edge and see over the wall."

*Upstairs*

"I'm not sure going to the media is the best idea either, Alan. But we don't even know how long we've been here. Has it been a week? A year? It's a little troubling. Maybe this nice, peaceful environment is the wrong idea. Maybe we need to try and go back to our old lives, or just experience *something* new. I know you want the best for us, Vanessa," Michael continues, grunting as he pushes the bookshelf into its new position. "But I'm not sure if your current approach is entirely working."


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## Victim (Jan 13, 2008)

"I'm throwing you as far up as I can.  Get a good look around."  Ashley touches copy-Michael lightly on the chest, then snaps her will around him like a bubble, the energy field forcing them just apart.  She hefts his weight experimentally a few times, then concentrates and throws him skyward with a grunt.

(Pick up copy Michael with TK +10, then concentrate and throw as a full round action (so it takes two rounds) to get the +5 STR bonus.  That gives her 55 effective STR for throwing.  A < 200 pound Michael is thrown 5000 ft; < 400 lb is thrown 2500 ft.  She's aiming mostly straight up, but is angling slightly back towards the Estate to hopefully avoid inadvertently crossing the Wall.  It'd be reasonable if there's a penalty on the distance for throwing straight up, though.)  

She says to the original quickly, eyes following the copy's progress, "Is it necessary to catch him?"

-----------------------

If yes:  Ashley takes off like a shot, running and jumping in an effort to get into position underneath the falling Michael and then catch him with her power.  (Attack bonus +4, TK +10.)

If no (I hope so): Ashley whirls on the struggling pair.  "Haven.  Dee.  Enough.  Your argument serves no purpose, except perhaps to distract us from our other problems."  She points at Dee, "Don't make pointless threat displays."  And to Haven, "Don't be so quick to judge based on fragmented memories.  You don't even know your own past self, so whatever opinions you once held are unreliable.  However, that name does sound familiar to me, so it may be helpful if you can precisely and quickly relate the details of what you remembered."  _Of course, if the ability to alter memories exists - which it must - then might our flashbacks be fabrications as well.  A blank slate would be easier to write upon._

She gets a hard look and continues, "Since I may have triggered the reset, I suggest focusing your minds to prepare for the possible attack."  She concentrates.


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## Shalimar (Jan 13, 2008)

"You seem to think I am arguing, or negotiating terms or something like that.  I am flat out stating if she comes at me again with a knife I will bury her.  She knows what she has to do to avoid it.  She is warned."  Haven says with a shrug.

"Facade, you seem to be of the opinion that I should just let her keep coming at me with a knife and never react.  I will defend myself and I have that right no matter who I was and no matter who she was.  I am merely telling her ahead of time how I will defend myself the next time she comes after me.  If she pushes the button its on her.  This wasn't pointless whatever you may think, becoming informed is never pointless, and now she is better informed." he says with a shrug.

Extending his hand toward her, Dee rises out of the ground until what was a pit ulling her down becomes pedestal that she can step off of with easy.


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## Vanifae (Jan 13, 2008)

Shalimar said:
			
		

> "You seem to think I am arguing, or negotiating terms or something like that.  I am flat out stating if she comes at me again with a knife I will bury her.  She knows what she has to do to avoid it.  She is warned."  Haven says with a shrug.
> 
> "Facade, you seem to be of the opinion that I should just let her keep coming at me with a knife and never react.  I will defend myself and I have that right no matter who I was and no matter who she was.  I am merely telling her ahead of time how I will defend myself the next time she comes after me.  If she pushes the button its on her.  This wasn't pointless whatever you may think, becoming informed is never pointless, and now she is better informed." he says with a shrug.
> 
> Extending his hand toward her, Dee rises out of the ground until what was a pit ulling her down becomes pedestal that she can step off of with easy.



 Dee smirks, "Idiot, yeah I am better informed that you like burying people alive."


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## Shalimar (Jan 13, 2008)

Haven justs sighs at Dee.  "Its not about liking it or not, and in point of fact, I think its reprehensible and would hate to do it, but I wont let you keep pulling knives on me and threatening my life with them.  If you do it again I will have no choice but to see it as you trying to kill me, and I will respond to that by stopping you as best as I can, and you said it yourself so far you haven't been able to scratch yourself let alone injure or kill yourself.  If I can't do any of that then the only thing I could do would be to bury you."

"My desires have nothing to do with it.  I'm not up with the laws around here, but I'm fairly certain what you did would get you arrested and put away for a couple of years.  Attempted murder...that could be life in prison, or at least a couple of decades."  the blue haired teen says with a shrug.  "Enough about this.  You know what I will do if you threaten me again with a weapon, so there is nothing further to discuss about it."

"Who wants the rings to help with memory in case we are reset again?"  Haven asks the rest of the group.  He quickly shapes the word Vargas into his ring, and the name Ashley into Ashleys, as well as the name Lt. Commander Denise Reese into the ring he offers Dee.


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## Vanifae (Jan 13, 2008)

Velmont said:
			
		

> Ian walks to the Mustang and looks at the radio. _What happen with that radio? It is off? And it seems to catch short wave not public long wave..._ Taking a look at the radio, he ears himself telling "Yes? I can hear you? Who are you?"
> 
> _Am I becoming a fool? I'm talking to a radio who has no mic to speak in it... it is a car radio._ thinks Ian, waiting a moment to see if against his expectation, someone would answer.



“It’s me Mira, you probably do not remember me… if you do then this will make it easier, this may be strange for you to hear but bear with me, I am trying to help you.  I don’t think I have much time…” the voice responds to Ian.

*Surge*

The laptop turns on but isn’t connected to any network.  As long as he has been here he hasn’t found any network connections but he really can’t decide if that is odd or not given the circumstances.

Smells like there is breakfast downstairs, and he can hear people upstairs.

*Outside*

Dee waves off the ring, “Did you not listen to Façade; reality itself changes when we black out, when we wake up the rings will be gone.”

Michael’s double goes sailing in the air and gets a good look of the land, there is a single road leading off to the north it seems with tall trees flanking both side, and the Estate is surrounded by temperate wilderness for as far as he can see… rolling hills with forests.

_Not sure if the double will be caught or not…_

Dee looks up as the double sails in the air, “That looks like it will hurt.”

*Upstairs*

Vanessa nods, “I agree maybe we need to try new experiences to jog your memories, it can be a slow process though either way.  Where are the others, are they downstairs eating?”

She starts walking down the hall into a room with books piled on the floor, on tables covered in white sheets, and other covered furniture.  She sighs, “Most of these belonged to my parents, and they were both bibliophiles… I enjoy a good read myself, but they gathered entirely too many books.”

Vanessa starts gathering a pile of books.


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## James Heard (Jan 13, 2008)

Vanifae said:
			
		

> *Upstairs*
> 
> Vanessa nods, “I agree maybe we need to try new experiences to jog your memories, it can be a slow process though either way.  Where are the others, are they downstairs eating?”
> 
> ...



Alan helps her transfer the books.

"I think they said they were all going for a walk."


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## Shayuri (Jan 13, 2008)

"You're completely wrong, Haven," Facade replies. "I have no problem with you giving her a warning. She was out of line, and she knew it. But giving a warning doesn't mean plunging someone into the ground. You were out of line too."

She pauses, then shakes her head.

"Whatever though. It's over, so it's over. I'd like to drop it now, before we get into another cycle of 'he did, she did.'"

"But Dee's right. When we woke up this time, our appearances reset too. I was in a dress last time. I woke up in my PJ's. It's not going to be as simple as just handing each other trinkets."

"But I have an idea," she adds...looking almost surprised at herself.

(Edited to reflect Shalimar's clarification. Thanks, Shal. )


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## Shalimar (Jan 13, 2008)

She was not buried up to her neck, I said specifically she was only going to go down to her waist.  It is obvious from what Haven said that he wasn't trying to bury her at all.  From his abilities if he really really wants to push it to the limit via extra effort and spending his concentration on it he has a heavy load of 200 tons, his normal heavy load is 50 tons, if he had wanted her buried she would be.


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## Vanifae (Jan 13, 2008)

Shalimar said:
			
		

> She was not buried up to her neck, I said specifically she was only going to go down to her waist.  It is obvious from what Haven said that he wasn't trying to bury her at all.  From his abilities if he really really wants to push it to the limit via extra effort and spending his concentration on it he has a heavy load of 200 tons, his normal heavy load is 50 tons, if he had wanted her buried she would be.



_I think you need to let it go, the scene is done, no one died... and it sets up conflict for later._


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## Vanifae (Jan 13, 2008)

Shayuri said:
			
		

> "But Dee's right. When we woke up this time, our appearances reset too. I was in a dress last time. I woke up in my PJ's. It's not going to be as simple as just handing each other trinkets."
> 
> "But I have an idea," she adds...looking almost surprised at herself.



"What's the idea?" Dee asks.

*Michael and Alan*

There are several reference books and science fiction novels, many of them older first editions, from many "classic" authors.  Vanessa says to the two, "You are all welcome to read the books if you like, maybe they will spark some memories or at least subject you to some new experiences... possibly."


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## Shalimar (Jan 13, 2008)

"Whatever, I'm out of here."  Haven says and points at the wall, and suddenly the earth around it and underneath it is flowing upward until there is a 100 ton ball of earth floating above the wall blotting out the sun.  Moving it with his will the blue haired teen dropped gently over th wall creating a ramp up the inside of the wall and down the other side of it.

Once the earth had settled he walked up to the top of the wall (and if there isn't an automated reset the instant he hits the top, he will slide down the other side and replace the dirt.  Once that is done he will sit down with his back up against the stone to brood about the memory flash.

If he had served two tours as a marine and had a son that would mean that his memories were from a self that was quite a bit older then he was now, and he wasn't sure what that meant.

(OOC:  Haven will concentrate on his move object to give himself the temp bonus.  He goes from 50 ton heavy load to a 100 ton heavy load.  Yes, he is being childesh to show off.)


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## Shayuri (Jan 13, 2008)

"It's kind of...weird. But just hear me out."

Facade looks around.

"If we accept that this is somehow not real...that either by means of some power being used on us, or some kind of chemical or electronic means these images are being displayed to us, then it suggests a course of action."

She looks back at the others.

"We overload it. We try to bring it down."


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## James Heard (Jan 13, 2008)

Vanifae said:
			
		

> *Michael and Alan*
> 
> There are several reference books and science fiction novels, many of them older first editions, from many "classic" authors.  Vanessa says to the two, "You are all welcome to read the books if you like, maybe they will spark some memories or at least subject you to some new experiences... possibly."



Alan shakes his head in the negative.

"I don't think I have time to get into a book today. I need to look up where the police station and someplace where reporters might hang out are, and then figure out how I'm going to get there since you don't want your name involved.


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## Velmont (Jan 13, 2008)

"Mira? That name is not familiar to me. Should it be?" asks Ian. _Am I a fool or sane?_ He is a bit confused and feels a bit ridiculous to speak to a car radio, but with so many blank in his head, and maybe feed by the paranoiac ideas of the others, he thinks it might worth something to see what that Mira has to tell.


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## Hammerhead (Jan 13, 2008)

*Outside*

"What the-," Michael explains as his duplicate goes flying into the air; once the duplicate reaches the top of his 'flight', he's going to dismiss him. "I thought you were going to throw me to the top of the wall, not into the damn stratosphere." He sighs, composing himself. "Lots of trees, with a single road heading north."

"Sorry Facade, but the fact that you woke up with different clothes isn't really much evidence. Drugs to knock you out, drugs to take away the memories, someone to change your clothes. It wouldn't be too hard. But assuming you and Dee are right, how would I go about overloading it? Should I stick a paper clip into every electrical outlet?"


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## Hammerhead (Jan 13, 2008)

*Upstairs*

"Thanks. Your parents are quite the collectors," he says, eying the titles. He starts putting them on the shelves alphabetically. "But I don't think sitting here reading books was what me, or most of the others, had in mind. Seriously, Vanessa. You have to know how long we've been here," looking up at her with imploring eyes.


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## Shayuri (Jan 13, 2008)

Facade wrenches her eyes off the spectacle of Haven floating off on a mountain of dirt.

"Huh? Oh. Right."

She shakes her head. "Probably not much of an issue now...if that doesn't provoke a reaction, hard to imagine what will. Anyway, my idea was that if this isn't real...if this is being created for us and somehow implanted in our brains, either with some kind of magic power like we have, or some other process...it's very likely that we can overload it by changing how we perceive things."

She looks back up at Haven's retreating form.

"We're truly aware of so little of our environment. We naturally reduce information that's normally useless into sort of...mental icons. When we look at a tree, we don't really SEE the tree. We see a placeholder that represents 'tree.' Saves us time that we need to pay attention to important things, like each other and so on."

"But any technique used to fool our brains into believing in a false reality would probably depend on that kind of perceptual filter to reduce its need for resources. Regardless of whether a person or machine is providing this information to us, there have to be limits to the amount it can provide at once. If we force the system to this limit, or even close to it, it may no longer have enough resources to operate correctly. We could expose flaws...gaps. We might even be able to cause enough problems to force it to stop, thus letting us return to real consciousness."


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## Victim (Jan 13, 2008)

Ashley grabs at a tree temporarily displaced by Haven's earthbending and props it against the wall to make her own ramp.  "If I had wanted to get to the top of the wall, I'd have done it myself.  Like this."  She climbs on up.  "Anyway, any response back at the house?  We have to assume that this will provoke a response, so I think we should leave and split up - numbers don't seem to provide an advantage."

"Unskilled observers see the world that way; that's why people are often so easy to fool.  How would we go about reaching the limits?  Especially in a way that could still be effective and moral if what we perceive is real."  _For instance, setting a big forest fire might be effective at overloading the ability/system, but could place other people at unncessary risk.  It doesn't even really sound like she has an actionable plan._

She holds the tree steady at the top of the wall.  "Whatever you're doing, hurry up."


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## Vanifae (Jan 13, 2008)

Hammerhead said:
			
		

> *Upstairs*
> 
> "Thanks. Your parents are quite the collectors," he says, eying the titles. He starts putting them on the shelves alphabetically. "But I don't think sitting here reading books was what me, or most of the others, had in mind. Seriously, Vanessa. You have to know how long we've been here," looking up at her with imploring eyes.



Vanessa smiles, “Of course… I want to-” 

Her eyes glaze over and she collapses at Michael’s feet.  She starts to convulse, speaking in tongues nothing makes sense.  Nothing she says makes sense, and the whole estate shudders with a groan.

*Ian*

“It shouldn’t be familiar to you,” the voice replies, “I am not sure how much time we have… too many of you are fighting the system… it is creating vast instability… inevitably it will collapse and when it does you could all die…”

She pauses… every car horn in the garage goes off at once.

“Instability is already manifesting, you have to listen to me Ian,” the voice speaks, “if you want to survive this you must listen to me.”

*Outside by the Dirt Mound*

Dee watches the pile, “Well I am sure that won’t…”

A whole section of wall collapses… and the forest bursts into flames, the sky turns black and then back to day… 

Dee looks over shoulder at the group, “I got a bad feeling about this.”


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## James Heard (Jan 14, 2008)

Vanifae said:
			
		

> Vanessa smiles, “Of course… I want to-”
> 
> Her eyes glaze over and she collapses at Michael’s feet.  She starts to convulse, speaking in tongues nothing makes sense.  Nothing she says makes sense, and the whole estate shudders with a groan.



Alan rushes over to Vanessa and immediately begins giving her medical attention.

"Quick! Something's wrong! Give me a hand!"

OOC: If he needs surgical instruments then he'll spend a hero point to use his Create Object power as an AP: Equipment or else get the feat Improvised Tools. He'll also spend an hero point to automatically stabilize her if she's dying.


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## Shalimar (Jan 14, 2008)

Haven jumps to his feet and yells out a few choice expletives.  He throws up a ramp of earth and runs up to the top of the wall.  "I think we have a problem.  We need to get everyone together so we stand the best chance of..." he wasn't quite sure what they would stand the best chance of, but leaving people alone didn't seem like a good idea.


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## Hammerhead (Jan 14, 2008)

*Outside*

"Good news," Michael says with a smile towards Facade. "It looks like you were right, and we just broke the system. Vanessa collapsed, by the way."

"Now why is this bad? This is what we wanted. Thanks, by the way," he says to Haven. "I think your display was the coup de grace. 

*Upstairs*

"Yeah...I really can't give you a hand. I'd guess she's in shock, but I'm no doctor; nor am I a nurse, paramedic, or someone who actually completed a CPR class. Try and stabilize her or something, I'm going to go get Ian." The duplicate then runs downstairs, jumping from halfway down each staircase and sprinting until he reaches the garage.


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## Shayuri (Jan 14, 2008)

Facade looks around, obviously taken aback.

"Huh. We hadn't even started yet," she says mildly. "Maybe just us being aware of the situation is enough to set up some kind of...feedback. Vanessa collapsing could mean it IS her that's creating this, and the strain grew to be too much for her...but then we should be out of it. Or if she's some kind of watchdog, it may be that she had to go deal with things happening in reality because of this. In that case, she'd no longer be controlling her representation here..."

"This is a bit more dramatic than I expected...but one way or another, it looks to me like we're going to get some answers."


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## James Heard (Jan 14, 2008)

Hammerhead said:
			
		

> *Upstairs*
> 
> "Yeah...I really can't give you a hand. I'd guess she's in shock, but I'm no doctor; nor am I a nurse, paramedic, or someone who actually completed a CPR class. Try and stabilize her or something, I'm going to go get Ian." The duplicate then runs downstairs, jumping from halfway down each staircase and sprinting until he reaches the garage.



Alan looks over his shoulder at the retreating form with a curse unspoken on his lips.

_Everyone wants to help, except when there's a life on the line and blood on the ground,_ he thought bitterly. He returned to trying to save the young woman's life.


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## Victim (Jan 14, 2008)

"The problem is that the instability seems somewhat hazardous, even if it is a success for us.  We should disperse to prevent any local, extreme shift from wiping us all out.  Vanessa's collapse probably means that 'she' is part of the manipulated environment, which is no collapsing."  _Come on, Dee, you said you wanted something to happen._

Ashley runs off along the wall, leaping over gaps.  _The road seems better than the burning forest, right now.  _


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## Shalimar (Jan 14, 2008)

"The problem is that its crashing and we don't know whats going to happen."  Haven answered.  "I mean we could all die when it crashes, and that would be a fricken crime since for all we know we are all dying as virgins." he says sounding supremely pained by the thought.


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## Shayuri (Jan 14, 2008)

"That's always been one of the risks," Facade allows. "I was going to bring it up before we started trying to bring it down, in fact. I didn't expect this to happen so fast."

"Since we're not DOING anything, I don't know how to stop it either."


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## Velmont (Jan 14, 2008)

"What's the thing?" tells Ian, becoming nervous after the horns having 

_Let's hear her before seeing if I can trust her._ thinks Ian, but with things going too wierd around him, he felt he will want to believe her.


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## Avalon® (Jan 14, 2008)

Vanifae said:
			
		

> *Surge*
> 
> The laptop turns on but isn’t connected to any network.  As long as he has been here he hasn’t found any network connections but he really can’t decide if that is odd or not given the circumstances.
> 
> Smells like there is breakfast downstairs, and he can hear people upstairs.




With a sigh, Surge's face takes on a crestfallen look. It was the same every day. There wasn't a network connection to be had anywhere. _Maybe this time..._, he thought.

Tapping a few keys, Surge tries using a program to look for any kind of network connection. Anything at all would do, be it a wifi node or a satellite uplink.

The smell of cooked food made Surge hungry so he decided to go down and grab a bite in the kitchen. Maybe he could then help out Ian with that Mustang.

He was halfway down the stairs when it seemed all hell broke loose. With a surge of adrenaline, Surge loses any thought of food he was having and tries to look for any of the others.

He goes to where there was most certainly another resident. He tries looking for Ian. "What the hell is going on Ian?"


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## Vanifae (Jan 14, 2008)

Avalon® said:
			
		

> He goes to where there was most certainly another resident. He tries looking for Ian. "What the hell is going on Ian?"



Surge gets to the garage just as Michael does, the two nearly crashing into each other trying to find Ian who is sitting in an old beat up muscle car.  Just as they arrive the Estate itself burst into flames, several windows bursting out with flames!

Mira speaks, “Ian listen to me, you need to get to the basement, it is safe there; the instability should not affect it.  If you want to survive you need to get to the basement, get the others there.  If you can bring a radio with you.”

*Alan*

_Alan spends an HP and stabilizes Vanessa._

Alan feels heat, the sound of cracking wood and flames fill his ears, and smoke is filtering up to cloud his vision.  Vanessa grabs him, “I don’t… understand… not… error… daddy… no… die… error, I don’t…”

She relaxes his breathing slowed, “Dad I am sorry, I didn’t mean for this to happen.  But you can’t stay here, you need to get to the basement, it is imperative.”

*Outside*

Dee looks around, “This isn’t good we need to find some kind of shelter…”

The Estate bursts into flames, windows shattering exploding outward from the structure, “Where are the others, we need to get together and fast.”


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## James Heard (Jan 14, 2008)

Vanifae said:
			
		

> *Alan*
> 
> _Alan spends an HP and stabilizes Vanessa._
> 
> ...



He nods, hikes her up over his shoulder in a fireman's carry, and makes his way toward the basement.

"The basement! Everyone in the house to the basement!" Alan shouts, hoping that if there is anyone left inside the house they can still hear him.

OOC: I have no clue how much Vanessa weighs, obviously. Alan's max heavy load is 260lbs, if he needs to then he'll spend a hero point on the Rage feat to gain him an extra four points of strength though. That will push his max load up to 460lbs, in case she's been swallowing rocks or if I need to knock the encumbrance down so that he can move quickly enough to survive whatever imminent collapse that has been caused.


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## Shalimar (Jan 14, 2008)

"Where exactly do you think there is cover out here?"  Haven asks, hopping down from his the wall.  "I can wrap us in a cocoon of earth, but that would just pprotect us from physical danger, what do you do when reality itself is breaking?"

"Maybe someplace in the house?  I mean, if that is the center of the program, then the house itself would be more stable than the further edges out here, but the place is on frikken fire...unless I smother it which could just make this worse."


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## Hammerhead (Jan 14, 2008)

*Outside*

"Mira's on the radio, talking to Ian," Michael informs the others. "She's telling him that the basement will be safe against the instability. I'm not sure exactly what's going on, but I guess someone figured Mira's voice would be one we'd trust. I'll go tell Ashley," he says, the real Michael sprinting towards the estate while his butterknife-wielding double running after the departing Ashley, screaming "Stop!"

*Garage*

"Vanessa's injured, upstairs by the third floor," Michael informs Ian hurriedly. "Are you heading to the basement right away, or do you want me to head back up and bring her there?"


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## Shalimar (Jan 15, 2008)

Deciding to risk it, Haven reachs out to the earth in front of Ashley, raising it up in a solid wall the height of the stone one she is paralleling to stop her foward progress so that Michael's clone can catch up.

"Lets more it people.  Down to the basement."  He orders, his playfulness gone in the crisis.  He grabs facades arm and runs, pulling her along in his wake as he runs towards the house.


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## Velmont (Jan 15, 2008)

"Michael, can you duplicate and tells the other to go to teh basement, quickly!" Ian tells to Micheal while he picks a tools in his toolbox and quickly remove the radio from the socket, making sure to bring the only working speaker with it. "Ok, I'll bring the radio with me, Micheal will make sure the other are coming. So tell me, what is happening?" asks Ian to Mira's voice.

_I am trusting a voice coming from an old radio that has no power feed._

"Bring her down. I'll take care of her. Are you near everyone or someone is missing?" he adds to Micheal.

_Craft [Electronic] +5 (Including mw tools bonus, which I forgot with all the other rolls). He will take 10 on that roll, using Skill mastery feat._


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## Vanifae (Jan 15, 2008)

Velmont said:
			
		

> "Bring her down. I'll take care of her. Are you near everyone or someone is missing?" he adds to Micheal.
> 
> _Craft [Electronic] +5 (Including mw tools bonus, which I forgot with all the other rolls). He will take 10 on that roll, using Skill mastery feat._



_Michael’s duplicate rolls a 24 reflex save, Ian gets a 23 total reflex save, he takes 10 on his craft check and gets a 17 total, and he succeeds in removing the radio.  Ian rolls a Toughness save of 16 and is bruised and injured; Michael’s double rolls a 24 and is unscathed._

Michael’s duplicate dives for cover as a tree and debris smash through the roof, ripping the walls and structure asunder.  Ian is not so lucky he dives into the old Mustang for safety but glass and debris scratch his face and exposed limbs… but thankfully he is alive… though currently trapped inside the car.

Michael’s duplicate can’t see if he survived or not, dust is in the air the tree and roof cover the vehicle.

_Surge rolls a 6 total Reflex save I will wait to see if he wishes to use an HP or not._

*Alan*

Adrenalin pumps through his body as he lifts Vanessa over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry.  He turns to the stairway but it collapses under the stresses of the fire and a collapsing tree.  The room behind him has a window he could possibly make or he could drop down through the dire and debris a story or two to the ground floor…

_He uses a Hero point to gain the Rage feat for his next action._

*Outside*

Ashley is brought up short by a wall that rises from the ground just as high as the  original walls.  A tree tumbles down just as Ashley looks up the looming shadow giving her pause…

_Ashley rolls a 6 reflex save but…_

Dee shouts, “Ash!” she rushes forward using a Herculean effort and knocks Ashley out the way at the last possible mount sending her flying into the wall with a thud as the tree crashes down on top of the hopefully invincible young woman.

But even with that threat gone for the moment… the earth shifts… as if a terrible earthquake is striking the Estate.

_Michael rolls a Reflex save of 9, Ashley gets a 12 for real this time, Façade rolls a 12, and Haven gets a 16 on his roll; I will wait to see if anyone uses an HP.  Please post your characters in the Rogue’s Gallery thread here: http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?p=3985648 if you have not done so already._


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## James Heard (Jan 15, 2008)

Vanifae said:
			
		

> *Alan*
> 
> Adrenalin pumps through his body as he lifts Vanessa over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry.  He turns to the stairway but it collapses under the stresses of the fire and a collapsing tree.  The room behind him has a window he could possibly make or he could drop down through the dire and debris a story or two to the ground floor…
> 
> _He uses a Hero point to gain the Rage feat for his next action._



Utterly fearless, and knowing that his female charge is stable, Alan pauses long enough to gesture tough straps connecting the two of them and a rough circle of ...something fire retardant? He hoped. Kicking it off before him like some strange surfboard, he drops off into the flames hoping that Vanessa will be OK.


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## Vanifae (Jan 15, 2008)

James Heard said:
			
		

> Utterly fearless, and knowing that his female charge is stable, Alan pauses long enough to gesture tough straps connecting the two of them and a rough circle of ...something fire retardant? He hoped. Kicking it off before him like some strange surfboard, he drops off into the flames hoping that Vanessa will be OK.



_He rolls a 7 Toughness check, and a 12 Fortitude check including the bonus from Rage.  Let me know if you wish to use an HP, Alan has used 2 thus far._


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## Velmont (Jan 15, 2008)

"Everything's OK." shouts Ian, looking at the different possible exit.

_When you tell he is trap, what that mean? Is both door closed and blocked? Is both windshield blocked too? All windows too?_


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## Vanifae (Jan 15, 2008)

Velmont said:
			
		

> "Everything's OK." shouts Ian, looking at the different possible exit.
> 
> _When you tell he is trap, what that mean? Is both door closed and blocked? Is both windshield blocked too? All windows too?_



_Means he will need help to get out..._

The doors of the vehicle are crushed in and in no working order glass is all over the seats and the tree blocks the majority of the windshield opening.  Getting out will be tricky and take some time short of brute strength or exotic abilities…


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## James Heard (Jan 15, 2008)

Vanifae said:
			
		

> _He rolls a 7 Toughness check, and a 12 Fortitude check including the bonus from Rage.  Let me know if you wish to use an HP, Alan has used 2 thus far._



OOC: He's going to keep his last hero point in reserve in case he needs to recover, or stabilize Vanessa again (or himself)


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## Shayuri (Jan 15, 2008)

"Wah?" Facade blurts as she's grabbed by Haven. "I have legs!" she yells...but is suddenly called on to use them as the earth shifts and shakes.

"The house is on fire! The whole thing's going to collapse into the basement! How is that any safer than out here?" she yells over the noise of rumbling and fires.


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## Shalimar (Jan 15, 2008)

OOC: I wont use a hp


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## Velmont (Jan 15, 2008)

Ian tries to open teh door but he sees he is stuck in it. Luckily, he has teh radio now. "Micheal, I'm stuck in the car. I need Ashley to get out of here." shouts Ian. He sits in the passenger seat and put both his legs on the tree that his blocking the windshield. "Mira, what's happening?!?" He then put all his strength to push the tree. If it seems to have some effect but doesn't move enough, he will use Extra Effort to push it out of the way.


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## Victim (Jan 15, 2008)

"C'mon.  Dee!"  Ashley stoops over her fallen comrade and tries to throw the tree on top of Dee off to the side.  (TK +10: 12 tons heavy load).  Then she checks her injuries (if there are any).  "I'm tough too, no need to be protective." 

"Haven, what are you thinking?  Do you really think the house is going to be safe?  Isn't that more of their conditioning; another trick to keep us in line?"

(Not spending a hero point so far.)


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## Hammerhead (Jan 15, 2008)

*Outside*

_Michael won't spend a HP for the Reflex save...I'd prefer to save it for the Toughness save._

"Mira-the voice on the radio-said that the basement would protect us from instabilities. This reality seems to be going to hell on the double. Mira, whoever she really is, is the one who gave us information, and she warned us that our lives were in jeopardy. Do what you guys have to, but I think I'm safer in the basement," Michael's duplicate calls, as the real one continues to make his way as best as he's able to the Estate and the 'safety' of the basement. 

*Garage*

"I'm already talking to the others, and I'm not sure if Ashley's coming," Michael calls into the chaos of the garage. "Do any of these cars work," the duplicate asks frantically, searching around the garage for chains, a power saw, anything. 

"I don't plan on leaving without you," he growls, abandoning his investigation of the garage to momentarily to help push the tree off Ian. "Umm...computer guy?" Got anything?"


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## Vanifae (Jan 15, 2008)

James Heard said:
			
		

> Utterly fearless, and knowing that his female charge is stable, Alan pauses long enough to gesture tough straps connecting the two of them and a rough circle of ...something fire retardant? He hoped. Kicking it off before him like some strange surfboard, he drops off into the flames hoping that Vanessa will be OK.



Alan drops down, his “shield” protects him from the flames on the way down but the force of the fall cracks something in his left leg… shooting pain courses through his body if it were not for the rage and adrenalin he would be down for the count.  But he remains steadfast even with the stinging smoke and heat…

_Alan fails the Toughness save by 11, the damage is Lethal; will update when I have my book on hand.  He does not fail the Fortitude save though._

Alan sees the entrance to the basement adjacent to the kitchen… he just has to cross a flaming room and avoid fallen debris and he is home free, the damage to his left won’t make it any easier…

*Outside*

Ashley throws the tree off Dee, and then loses her footing as the ground shakes sending her tumbling to the ground!  Dee looks fine, her clothes are shredded and torn, but she looks like fine besides the dirt and grime…

Haven is able to maintain his footing but loses his grasp on Façade as she tumbles to the ground in the chaos… Ashley and Michael as well fall to the ground as the ground shakes violently.

_Haven succeeds at his Reflex save, everyone that fell is at a -1 to their next action, and are also prone._

*The Garage*

Between Michael and Ian’s surge of strength, the two are able to move the tree enough to pull Ian to some modicum of safety. 

_Ian uses Extra Effort to push the tree out of the way with Michael’s help… or at least his duplicate._

Mira speaks, “You don’t have much time… get to the basement as quickly as possible.”


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## Velmont (Jan 15, 2008)

"Come on. To the basement." tells Ian, leading the way there. "Do you have a duplicate bringing Vanessa or you need help?"

_Extra Effort to boost strength doesn't necesserly need an Hp to be spent. It only give fatigue. But as I want to be able to run, yes, I'll spend an HP._


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## Vanifae (Jan 15, 2008)

Velmont said:
			
		

> "Come on. To the basement." tells Ian, leading the way there. "Do you have a duplicate bringing Vanessa or you need help?"
> 
> _Extra Effort to boost strength doesn't necesserly need an Hp to be spent. It only give fatigue. But as I want to be able to run, yes, I'll spend an HP._



_LOL you are correct, and noted; Point spent for the running not the Extra Effort._


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## Velmont (Jan 15, 2008)

Vanifae said:
			
		

> _LOL you are correct, and noted; Point spent for the running not the Extra Effort._




_To be precise, HP spend to erase the fatigue caused by such effort._


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## Avalon® (Jan 15, 2008)

I will not use a hero point


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## James Heard (Jan 15, 2008)

Vanifae said:
			
		

> Alan drops down, his “shield” protects him from the flames on the way down but the force of the fall cracks something in his left leg… shooting pain courses through his body if it were not for the rage and adrenalin he would be down for the count.  But he remains steadfast even with the stinging smoke and heat…
> 
> _Alan fails the Toughness save by 11, the damage is Lethal; will update when I have my book on hand.  He does not fail the Fortitude save though._
> 
> Alan sees the entrance to the basement adjacent to the kitchen… he just has to cross a flaming room and avoid fallen debris and he is home free, the damage to his left won’t make it any easier…



Unable to take any further actions because of his Staggered condition, Alan forms a "safe tunnel" of seamless stone from his and Vanessa's position to the entrance to the basement and the position they are in now.


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## Hammerhead (Jan 15, 2008)

*Inside the House*

"She had some kind of injury, so I went to go get you instead. Between the two of us, Alan and I should be able to bring her to the basement. Just stay there," he calls, running back towards the stairs, witnessing the destruction. _Damn it._

_What exactly does Michael see from his perspective of the chaos on the stairs and Alan's 'tunnel.'_

*Outside the House*

"Come on," Michael calls to the others, picking himself up off from the ground, scrambling to find surer footing. His duplicate, further back than the real Michael, calls to Ashley "The house is burning, trees are falling! I think we might need your help in here after all!"

_About how far away are our characters from the house?_


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## Vanifae (Jan 15, 2008)

Hammerhead said:
			
		

> *Inside the House*
> 
> "She had some kind of injury, so I went to go get you instead. Between the two of us, Alan and I should be able to bring her to the basement. Just stay there," he calls, running back towards the stairs, witnessing the destruction. _Damn it._
> 
> ...



_He can see Alan's tunnel from the kitchen door, and the characters outside not in the garage are about 200ish feet from the Estate._


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## Shalimar (Jan 15, 2008)

Haven pushes outward with his power, trying to move not the earth itself, but those resting on it.  Pushing himself hard, the blue haired teen uses the earth as if it were an escalator to transport his companions towards the relative safety of the house.

He runs along as fast as he can move, use his pull over the earth to increase his speed as if he is riding a wave of earth.

OOC: spending a HP to get an AP off his Earth Control.  I have 16pp for this,

Telekinesis +7 (Extras: Area, Selective Flaw:Medium (earth), Flaw: Only horizontal 
movement; 14pp)

Speed: 2 (2pp)

Standard action to move the others towards the house, and move action to run himself towards it.


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## Vanifae (Jan 15, 2008)

Shalimar said:
			
		

> Haven pushes outward with his power, trying to move not the earth itself, but those resting on it.  Pushing himself hard, the blue haired teen uses the earth as if it were an escalator to transport his companions towards the relative safety of the house.
> 
> He runs along as fast as he can move, use his pull over the earth to increase his speed as if he is riding a wave of earth.
> 
> ...



_How far does that move them?_


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## Shalimar (Jan 16, 2008)

OOC: The throwing rules are a mess (which is what this uses...I don't know why), but they will be moved 100 feet, with a little more or less depending on their weight.

I did miscalculate though.  It will take a HP for the AP itself.  I will then Extra Effort on top of that to surge, this leaves Haven Fatigued.

Standard Action: Move the others towards the house (100ft)
Move Action: Move myself to the house (250ft)
Surge Action: Move the others the rest of the way (200 ft total)


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## Victim (Jan 16, 2008)

(It should be 100 feet for characters weighing less than 200 lbs, IIRC.)

Ashley climbs to her feet, extending a hand towards Dee.

(Acrobatics +6 to attempt a DC 20 check to stand up as a free action.  If she fails, she'll spend the move action to stand up.)

"If the house is on fire and has trees falling into it, then how is it safe?  Your best bet would to head into a more open area."  She pauses, "But if they need help getting out of the house - or into the basement - then I'll go help."  Ashley thows Haven a glare: "but it's their choice which way to go."  She's obviously not pleased by Haven's uses of his powers to contain or control her movement.


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## Shayuri (Jan 16, 2008)

"None of this is real," Facade gasps as she gets to her feet unsteadily.

"Conventional logic...may not apply. The basement's probably as good as anywhere..."


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## Victim (Jan 16, 2008)

Shayuri said:
			
		

> "None of this is real," Facade gasps as she gets to her feet unsteadily.
> 
> "Conventional logic...may not apply. The basement's probably as good as anywhere..."




"If you're thinking metaphorically, then the basement is considerably worse than anywhere.  Why bother struggling to remember and break free if you're just going to run back to a promised place of safety.  Of course leaving the Estate is dangerous - even without the earthquakes and firestorms, there's a whole universe of potential trouble out there.  But can't we overcome hazards?  Even if it's not safe, don't you want to experience it anyway?  Even if our memories stay lost, we can just look at the world with new eyes - the wonder of children with the sense of adults."

Ashley encompasses the chaos around the group with a sweeping gesture: "Isn't this what we wanted?  Why are we running away from our decision?"


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## Vanifae (Jan 16, 2008)

Victim said:
			
		

> Ashley encompasses the chaos around the group with a sweeping gesture: "Isn't this what we wanted?  Why are we running away from our decision?"



“I wouldn’t say this is exactly what we wanted,” Dee replies, “But I do agree, this could all be an elaborate trick to get us under control… of course if one of us is inside then we have little choice but to help them… well I don’t… I won’t leave Alan inside in that inferno,” with that she rushes inside.

_Ashley rolls a 14 to get to her feet on the Acrobatics check, she fails and simply stands._

*The Garage*

Ian gets himself free of the wreckage, even as another tree slams through a wall and window sending glass and debris across the room; Surge is unable to avoid the worst of it.

_Surge rolls an 11 Toughness save, let me know if he wishes to use an HP._

Arjuna barks pacing back and forth in front of the open doorway.

*Inside the Home*

Krishna barks at Alan, rushing up from the basement, the doorway open; the normally stoic canine is quite animated.  He tugs at Alan’s pants, even as the young man strains under the pain.  

He also sees Dee stepping through the flames unscathed she shouts, “Alan are you okay?”


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## James Heard (Jan 16, 2008)

Vanifae said:
			
		

> *Inside the Home*
> 
> Krishna barks at Alan, rushing up from the basement, the doorway open; the normally stoic canine is quite animated.  He tugs at Alan’s pants, even as the young man strains under the pain.
> 
> He also sees Dee stepping through the flames unscathed she shouts, “Alan are you okay?”



"I'm fine, Vanessa's having some sort of seizure. I've stabilized her but I'd like to get her on some ethosuximide or primidone. Does she have a history of epilepsy?"

He talks as we carries Vanessa to the basement, looking kindly down on the barking animal.

"All hell's broken loose outside, you'll want to come with me into the basement before I drop this barrier.


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## Velmont (Jan 16, 2008)

With his toolbox containing teh radio in one hand, he rush toward the open door. "Arjuna, go to the basement!" he then spot Surge who got many debris. "Are you ok? Let's not waste any more time." If Surge is on his feet and can run, Ian will lead the way to the absement. If Surge is stun or worst, he will help him to progress toward the basement.


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## Victim (Jan 16, 2008)

"Not all of us our fireproof, so I'll try to do something about that."  _I think I'd be protected, though._

Ashley takes a detour and stops by the pool.  _Is this going to work?  I don't need leverage so why should I even really need to grip it?  The important part is Will, wanting it to move.  I think._  She dips a hand in the water and tries to exert her power to pick up as much water as she can comfortably carry.

(TK +10 on the water, going for a light load)


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## Shalimar (Jan 16, 2008)

Haven was breathing hard from the exertion by the time the others made it back to their feet.  He had never done anything like that, and the stress had left him feeling like he had just run twenty miles.

"Lets get in to the shelter."  He says, pushing his way after Dee, following her towards the basement."


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## Hammerhead (Jan 16, 2008)

*At the Stairs*

Michael pauses, staring at the tunnel, thinking._Alan made a tunnel, instead of a fork. The stairs must have broken while he was on them, then he made the tunnel to the basement for protection. So he made it. _ Michael then turns around, heading towards the stairs to the basement. 

*Outside the House*

The two Michaels follow Dee and Haven inside. "Once more, into the breach," he mutters. _I hope we make it out, with our memories intact. It would suck if Ashley was right, and we just woke up again. It would pretty much be my fault. On the bright side, no one would remember to blame me,_ he thinks with a smile.


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## Vanifae (Jan 16, 2008)

Victim said:
			
		

> "Not all of us our fireproof, so I'll try to do something about that."  _I think I'd be protected, though._
> 
> Ashley takes a detour and stops by the pool.  _Is this going to work?  I don't need leverage so why should I even really need to grip it?  The important part is Will, wanting it to move.  I think._  She dips a hand in the water and tries to exert her power to pick up as much water as she can comfortably carry.
> 
> (TK +10 on the water, going for a light load)



Ashley gathers up some water using her telekinetic prowess; meanwhile Dee assists Alan by taking his load, if he allows Dee to do so.  She speaks, “I can hold her Alan get yourself to safety…”

Krishna barks his approval and then heads down the stairs.  The rest of the home comes apart around the group.  Flames, heat, and smoke fill their senses, and although there is a relative area of safety it won’t last forever…

*The Garage*

Arjuna barks at Ian, and stays close to him, as if trying to protect him… though it seems that her help may be quite futile since it seems like reality itself is falling apart around them.


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## Shayuri (Jan 16, 2008)

Facade tries to stay close to Ashley, or if that's not possible, Dee. If something went wrong, she reasoned, the super strong one or the indestructible one would be most likely to be able to help her out.

Beyond that, all she can do is pull her shirt up a bit to cover her mouth and nose, and stay as low as she can to reduce smoke exposure. Even as she does, the cold voice in the back of her head points out, _why so worried? It's not real, right?_

That didn't make it not dangerous though...


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## Victim (Jan 17, 2008)

Ashley takes a deep breath before trying to head into the garage, pushing the ball of water in front of her to hopefully dampen the heat before she and Facade move through the area.


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## James Heard (Jan 17, 2008)

Vanifae said:
			
		

> Dee speaks, “I can hold her Alan get yourself to safety…”
> 
> Krishna barks his approval and then heads down the stairs.  The rest of the home comes apart around the group.  Flames, heat, and smoke fill their senses, and although there is a relative area of safety it won’t last forever…



"I've got her. You'll need to get downstairs and stay with her though, while I go back up here and help the others."

Alan takes the limp figure of Vanessa down into the basement, looking for some ready place to place her before he goes back upstairs.

_Gotta get back up there and open things back up, maybe see if I can't do something about the house,_ Alan thinks, steadying himself through the pain.


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## Vanifae (Jan 17, 2008)

_Just waiting on Avalon, I will press forward by this afternoon._


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## Avalon® (Jan 17, 2008)

Surge will spend a hero point on his toughness save.


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## Vanifae (Jan 17, 2008)

Avalon® said:
			
		

> Surge will spend a hero point on his toughness save.



_Surge uses an HP, he rolls a 19 Toughness save and is unscathed._

Surge shields himself with some cover and avoids the worst of the damage, receiving only superficial scrapes and injuries.  Nothing that would impede him as everyone makes a run for the basement…

*The Basement*

The stairs leading down are crafted in the Victorian style, the exterior of the door is solid wood, but it slides away to reveal a white clean room with stark white walls and a large monitor with various views of the Estate, though most of the images alternate between static and stable images.

Inside standing before the monitor is a woman in a black dress suit, with thin black rimmed glasses and pigtails.  Her blond hair is neatly arrayed and she turns as the group enters, haggard, injured, and smelling of smoke and fire.  Those that can remember, instantly recognize the face of that of Mira, the wayward girl from the _day_ before.

The door closes behind the last of you, sealing the basement.  Arjuna and Krishna pace back and forth but stay quiet in this strangely white room.  Mira speaks, “Good morning, obviously you must have questions; I can answer the more obvious ones for you though you may not fully understand them.  Though I will caution you that our time here is short as some of you have hypothesized the Mental Construct reacts to certain actions with safety protocols, but this current state of instability is from an external security breach.”

“External?” Dee questions while helping Alan with Vanessa.

“Yes in the event of an external security breach the Mental Construct purges the system of all information.  Although you didn’t realize it your brains were being deprived of oxygen, a security protocol to prevent an information breach.  This room is separate to the Estate, as you may have surmised this is not the actual basement of the Estate.  Given that, by retreating here you will survive the purge and auxiliary systems should be kicking in to prevent you  suffocating, which would mean brain death.  I have not isolated the source,” she turns back to a holographic keyboard looking object floating in front of the monitor, “which means that they must have control of the security network.  I would not worry about Vanessa, she is just a facilitator program designed to keep you at ease and under control.”


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## Velmont (Jan 17, 2008)

Ian put his tollbox on the ground. "You are Mira, the one speaking with me through the radio? Thanks for the warning." He looks around and the level of technology of this place. "So, you are telling this is just a virtual world, a large system which our brain inteface directly to it. What we have been living, seeing today is just a kind of dream for us?" He takes a quick moment to think about the situation. "So, the amnesia we have actually, is it just some kind of refresh of memory, a kind of formatting of an hardrive, an hardrive which is our brain? And the power we have, are they simply functions that we have within this world? This sytem we are part of, what is it actually? What it does and who possess it? And above all that, how can we disconnect ourselves from it and return to the real world? How can we get back our memory, our identity, our lives?"


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## James Heard (Jan 17, 2008)

Alan's eyes narrow dangerously.

_This lady is off her rocker,_ he thought. 

"Golly. That's swell. Uh huh," Alan nods his head as if the crazy lady admitting to torturing everyone were sane. At least he tries, not very successfully.

"Mental constructs, yep. External threats? You don't say?"

Alan drops bowling balls on crazy lady's head.

OOC: Hey, it's the attack listed in the book. Don't blame me.


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## Victim (Jan 17, 2008)

Ashley struggles with the door sealing them inside.  _As expected._

"Your security system is supposed to kill us or inflict brain damage in event of a break in?  Telling," she remarks, whirling towards the girl.  _That, at least, would be a dumb thing to lie about it._


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## Vanifae (Jan 17, 2008)

James Heard said:
			
		

> "Mental constructs, yep. External threats? You don't say?"
> 
> Alan drops bowling balls on crazy lady's head.



The bowling ball falls right through the woman’s image, revealing it to be a sophisticated hologram.  She glances over her shoulder, “Anger is an understandable if futile emotion, as you can tell I am operating this construct remotely, and thankfully so; without me you would most likely be dead.”

Mira responds to Ian, “Yes, I am Mira.  This is not a dream this is a controlled environment adapted from a system used to rehabilitate mentally unstable patients.  Your memories will return perhaps in time, we are not responsible for the loss of your memories; but I also cannot divulge the full particulars of our research, classified of course.  I am sure that is an answer you will not agree with but it will have to suffice.”

Mira turns back to working, “You are already disconnecting from the system; I am just trying to salvage what I can.”

Dee echoes Michael, “So this brain thing was going to kill us?  Who do you think you are?”

“Yes,” Mira shrugs, “I didn’t design the system, but in the event of corporate espionage or sabotage we have to protect our investment.  But as you can see I have erred on the side of humanity, perhaps I assumed that you would be somewhat grateful, but I understand if you have some outrage at what you are hearing.”


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## Hammerhead (Jan 17, 2008)

"What!" Michael explains, turning towards Alan. "You hit her! Why did you hit her?" _An external intruder? Maybe someone we knew, trying to find out about us or get us back? Someone who did their research, and is trying to silence us? Or maybe something unconnected to us, or at least with no real personal stake in our survival?_


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## Hammerhead (Jan 17, 2008)

Vanifae said:
			
		

> “Yes,” Mira shrugs, “I didn’t design the system, but in the event of corporate espionage or sabotage we have to protect our investment.  But as you can see I have erred on the side of humanity, perhaps I assumed that you would be somewhat grateful, but I understand if you have some outrage at what you are hearing.”




_She didn't answer Ian's question about our powers. Interesting. And since the system was adapted from technology used to treat crazy people, it means that we aren't in it as some kind of criminal rehab._

"I think you can understand why we're so angry, but we're not really angry with you. At least, I'm grateful as hell to you. Thanks, Mira. We appreciate you breaking the rules to help us...but aren't you worried you'll get in trouble with the company?"


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## Shayuri (Jan 18, 2008)

Facade leans against the wall and works her shoulders.

"Confused and scared and lashing out, I'd say. Lets concentrate on the essentials first."

"What can we do to live through this, and what's going to change when we 'disconnect?'"


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## Shalimar (Jan 18, 2008)

"Wait, so this thing can simulate whatever you want?  Exactly how is this marketed?  I mean, this all feels real...Who wants to bet this was first developed by the porn industry?"  Haven jokes, trying to relieve some of the tension, but he is visiby tired and the joke wasn't really ne of his best.

"So what is going to happen to us now, are we going to be let out?"


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## James Heard (Jan 18, 2008)

"This has got to be the most sadistic, unethical, professionally inappropriate form of therapy I've ever heard of. I don't care if you're trying to help us, I hope you and whoever set this up burns in hell. This is just...wrong. On so many levels, so very wrong."


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## Victim (Jan 18, 2008)

Vanifae said:
			
		

> The bowling ball falls right through the woman’s image, revealing it to be a sophisticated hologram.  "without me you would most likely be dead.”




"In our position, we have little ability to verify that statement.  I'm sure you can understand if we defer our gratitude until we're in a position to do so," Ashley says flatly.  She gestures towards Ian and Surge - _was he here yesterday?  I don't think so, but I didn't meet Alan then either_ - "You two are technically inclined, correct?  Pay close attention to her use of the computer."  _I'm sorry that I'm not grateful that you stuck me into a brainwashing machine and think of me as an investment.  Come on, Michael, draw out the information about who's in charge of this thing.  She seemed to like you the other day._


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## Vanifae (Jan 18, 2008)

James Heard said:
			
		

> "This has got to be the most sadistic, unethical, professionally inappropriate form of therapy I've ever heard of. I don't care if you're trying to help us, I hope you and whoever set this up burns in hell. This is just...wrong. On so many levels, so very wrong."



“Nothing I have done is illegal is here,” she responds, “although you may not believe that now, this is the truth.”  Mira turns to Façade, “You should survive the final dump unscathed once you _wake_ up so to speak, you will be disoriented… I suspect that a cleaning crew is working their way through the facility.  Most likely they will do one of two things, silence you, or capture you… depending on their numbers.”

*Micahel*
[sblock]Cleaning crew, the words strike a chord with you.  You think you were once on a  cleaning crew, a term that for you brings back memories of silencing potential security threats, cleaning facilities, and internal corporate security.  If this woman is speaking the truth then these people are professionals that will act first and ask questions later.  They don’t care about secrets they only care about keeping secrets.  Teams are rarely large and if a cleaning crew is on site everyone on site has just been handed their pink slip at the end of a barrel, or by ways of industrial accident.  It is a bloody business but sometimes a necessity to make sure that the bottom line is protected.

It is a little scary that you know this.[/sblock]
Mira continues, “Once on the outside I have arranged for someone to meet you, they should be waiting for you in Tram Station B3, this may not make sense to you now but you will be looking for Veranthian, blue skinned sentient by the name of Talos.  Once you are safely away from this facility we may be in contact again.”

Vanessa stops breathing, going limp.

“The system is nearly done purging itself,” she sighs as the dogs bark.  She looks over her shoulder surprise on her face…

*Breaking on through…*

You fell like you just fell into a poll of freezing water.  You grit your teeth, you shake and fight that your body is restrained, you try to open your eyes but nothing… then you feel restraints popping and your body falling onto a metallic and now slick floor.

You try to breathe but find your lungs filled with liquid… you hack and cough up this substance as your eyes try to take in your surroundings… this is not where you were, the room is dark, and you shiver… a gray featureless body suit covers your body, leaving your hands, feet, and head bare.

You smell ozone, the sweet smell of the liquid on the floor, and the musk of stale air.  Across the room a light flashes, but your head throbs… behind you is the tube that must have kept you alive all this time, you see several tube housings some with bodies still inside… you can only wonder.

_Everyone is at -1 to all actions for the duration of the next scene.

Those that remember, still remember everything, those that lost their memories on this *day* only have the current memories.

*This ends Episode #1*_


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## Vanifae (Jan 18, 2008)

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=216778

*Episode #2*


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