[GAME] ⇡ S/p/l/i/n/t/e/r/s ⇡

[SHIVERS]

 

---

Okay so New Forum Game thing.
(This is pulling heavily from Mortis's The House forum game, so go check that out if you haven't (you probably have))



Without giving too much away yet, the basic gist is:
This is essentially a mini Quest with different methods of participation than the usual ones I tend to make.
(Also a bit more casual because I'm tired and this is mostly for writing practice + fun.)

It has a Currency/Point system, but itll be separate from the Forum Cash system
(To make sure anyone who wants to can participate, to not detract from other forum games, and for balance reasons.)
You'll get a certain amount of points to start, as well as more for doing certain things within the quest.





You won't be able to spawn a character whenever you want (regardless of points)
BUT
you CAN make it happen in other ways throughout the quest. (youll figure it out :])



When spawning a character:
Character Species, Morph, Pronouns, etc. will all be rolled at random.

You WILL, however, be picking their ROLE from a short list of options (roles determine some of what they can/can't do; think RPG classes),
as well as a suggestion for their NAME,
and then optionally: VIBES.

Not all of this may be DIRECTLY used,
but I WILL use some or all of the stuff y'all send to inform the character creation + their personality + background and all that.








Anyway, that's all you gotta know right this second.
The rest will be introduced piecemeal as we go.

Sound good?
OK, let's roll.
















 

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FOR YOUR INITIAL POST, DO THESE THINGS:






1. PICK A NICKNAME FOR YOURSELF.
Yes, for You, NOT the player character you're spawning!


2. PICK TWO COLORS.
Nothing fancy, just basic stuff like "red", "blue", "chartreuse", etc.
Don't worry about what this will be used for (because you won't be able to guess.)




3. CHOOSE A ROLE FOR YOUR FIRST CHARACTER.

Here are your options:








4. PICK A CHARACTER NAME.
Can be anything, just so long as it's a name that someone in Morbit might have.


5. SEND VIBES. (Optional)
Can be whatever you want: 
An image, a song, a moodboard, a phrase, a poem, a sentence; pretty much anything within reason.

[skinstealer]

nickname: mort
colors: black/gray
role: patient
name: darner
vibes:

[knux400]

Nickname: K4
Colors: Dark Red/Silver
Role: Mechanic
Character Name: Socket
Vibes: Old, worn-down toolshed

[Lilium Mortem]

Nickname: Lilly
Colors: green and pink
Role: Patient
Name: sprunk(totally valid morbit name if you ask the gremlins)
Vibes:

[King-Clod]

Nickname: Kicks
Colors: Dark green and gold
Role: Researcher
Character Name: Scattershot
Vibes: (@teaganwh)

[Blue_Fox]

Nickname: Fox
Colors: Tan, Pale Yellow
Role: Researcher
Character Name: Cloth
Cozy vibes perhaps?

[palencorgi]

Nickname: Shimmer

Two colors: Blue, Yellow

Role: Patient

Character name: Scroll

Vibes: Future on hold.

[AceOfNothing]

Nickname: Ace 
Two colors: Blue and gray 
Role: Researcher 
Character name: Wilt 
Vibes: fuck around find out

[skinstealer]

posting on behalf of zen who is at breakfast

Nickname: Scrimbob
Colors: mauve and aubergine
Role: Mechanic
Character Name: Scrimbob II
Vibes: minestrone soup

[ThreadLurkingComorant]

Nickname: Commissioner

Two colors: These Two

Role: Mechanic

Character name: Boxer

Vibes: Fisticuffs.

[MarxzVulpez]

Nickname: MZ

Two Colors: Turquoise and Orange

Role: Mechanic

Character Name: Stranger Mosaic

Vibes:

[SHIVERS]

Glowing, red-orange dots burn dimly in a gas mask,
the eyes half-open; groggy.









Seconds later, the chorosy groans as it lifts its head.

"...oouuouugh... god..."





musta had
waaay too much, last night








It finds itself sprawled out on an old mattress, in a dimly-lit room.

The only light comes from a flickering lightbulb on a string up above.



In the chorosy's brief, dazed glance around, it looks like a mostly-empty basement.








It attempts to sit up, only for something to tug on its arm.







It squints.














The chorosy's left arm is stuck in the hole of some kind of pedestal - its material unknown, 
looking like something between stone and metal, with vertical black ridges.

The hole pulses with an eerie, red-orange light, a low hum accompanying each glow.





The chorosy gasps awake,
pulling harder at its arm,
straining.








Eventually, it comes loose, the chorosy stumbling to a standing position, 
backing away a few, disoriented steps.
 
The pedestal's glow immediately fades to a dull white, no longer pulsing.
The humming noise persists, but drops in volume and frequency.

A tingling sensation ripples through the chorosy's left hand, making it shudder before the sensation dissipates.
It takes a look at its hand,
finding a marking there - an 'X' with two lines, mirrored on both the palm and the back of the hand.

It's black, but looks somewhat like a scar, or a burn. 





a tattoo? or... 

hell, i dont know











It checks over the rest of itself, just in case...












ROLE: MECHANIC
NAME: Docket Boxer II
PRONOUNS: [it/its]
SPECIES: Chorosy
MORPH: Flameproof








...but finds everything else to be about average.










The chorosy looks back at the pedestal.


It speaks quietly under its breath.

"...the hell is this thing...?"

Show ContentNEW INFO: ACCESS POINTS:

Access Points are places for your Bound to Rest and ????.

Your Bound will need to Rest periodically.
Resting can ONLY take place at Access Points.

Prolonged activity without Rest will slowly result in worsening fatigue, eventually leading to your Bound fainting after an extensive amount of time.

However, you cannot Rest at any time.
You must:
- Be at an available, working Access Point.
- Have fulfilled Meal requirements (typically eating a single Meal).
- Made tangible Progress of some kind (such as finding a situationally-relevant Tool or useful information, reaching a new ????, solving or circumventing a ????, etc.)

Resting without making Progress and reaching Meal requirements will result in ????.

must be 

a prank? or somethin'?





" . . .


...Hey, n--"

The chorosy takes a step and stumbles, metal clattering on the floor.

It looks down, finding its usual work Bag with its Toolbox poking out,
as well as the Heavy Wrench it usually kept in its truck.






this ain't funny, man

...somebody Drag me all the way down here?
they knock me out?

...not gonna yell, case they got some other stunt planned
they got another thing comin'






Docket reaches down, zipping up the Bag with the Toolbox and slinging it over its back,
keeping the Heavy Wrench in its hand, gripping it tight.









Checking its surroundings,
it finds that the basement has some moldy boxes in the corner - sunken in, looking devoid of much -
but other than those, the mattress, the strange pedestal, and a nearby wooden table, the basement is empty. 


There's a heavy, iron door at the far back, feeling ominous.


A set of wooden stairs leading up to a slightly open wooden door are on the other side of the basement.





morons left th' door open.
...or they did that on purpose.

either way, just need outta here






The chorosy steps carefully towards the stairs.













 

---

You are NOT Docket.

You are an IMP - a Realmic creature adjacent to fairies.

You can Channel REALM ENERGY (RE) to influence the life and actions of the person you're Bound to (currently, Docket.)

You receive 100 RE to start.
More can be gained when your Bound successfully Rests, and when they solve or circumvent a ????.

You will find your current Channeling options, as well as your personal RE totals and Bound info down below.
More options will be available as your Bound progresses.

Show ContentBOUND INFO:

ROLE: MECHANIC
NAME: Docket Boxer II
PRONOUNS: [it/its]
SPECIES: Chorosy
MORPH: Flameproof

ITEMS: Bag, Toolbox, Heavy Wrench




LAST ACCESS POINT: FOREST LODGE - BASEMENT

PROGRESS MADE SINCE LAST REST: INSUFFICIENT
MEAL(S) EATEN SINCE LAST REST: 0/1

CANNOT REST SAFELY.

Show ContentCHANNELING:

[GIFTS & NOTES]
Gift: Basic Tool - 75 RE
Send a single, simple Tool to your current bound. A Tool is any object of practical use, such as weapons, medical supplies, a lockpick, a rope, a camera, etc. Extremely valuable tools (such as a rocket launcher, chainsaw, railgun, flying drone, etc.) as well as very large objects (vehicles, furniture, etc.) are not allowed. Tools sent this way will also be generic, meaning specific items such as keys/keycards, computers with specific software, cannot be sent using this method. Try to think creatively with simple objects. 
Gift: Food - 50 RE
Send a food item, enough for a single Meal. You may choose the food, as long as it is edible.
Gift: Miscellaneous Item - 10 RE
Send a miscellaneous item to your current Bound. This would be items that don't have practical use and are not typically edible. Think trinkets, non-valuable jewelry, novelty items, etc. These will be generic and cannot be customized.
Deliver: Note - 15 RE
Send a single-sentence Note to your current Bound.

[SPAWNING & EVENTS]
???? - ?
Spawn: Access Point - 100 RE
    Create an Access Point very nearby to your current Bound. Must be releatively far from other, already-discovered access points.
Cause: Random Event - 50 RE
    Cause a random event to happen to your current Bound or nearby their location. Could be helpful, detrimental, or neutral.

[ ? ? ? ]
???? - ?
???? - ?
???? - ?

[OTHER]
Suggest: Character Action - FREE
Make a suggestion at what your current Bound should do in the present situation. They may or may not follow your suggestion.
Suggest: Perspective Change - FREE
Make a suggestion to try and change how your Bound is thinking about something, ideally with your reasoning for the change included. They may or may not follow your suggestion. Reasoning that appeals to your Bound may increase the chance of success.
Examine: Thoughts - FREE
Briefly examine your Bound's current thoughts on any subject of your choosing. Your Bound might choose not to think about the topic, however, typically if it's a difficult and/or personal subject.
Recall: Memory - 15 RE
Your current Bound recalls a memory. May follow along lines of something suggested on your part, may be relevant to the current situation or recent events, or may be random.

Show ContentCURRENT TOTALS:

Ace - 100
Commissioner - 100
Fox - 100
K4 - 100
Kicks - 100
Lilly - 100
Mort - 100
MZ - 100
Scrimbob - 100
Shimmer - 100

[skinstealer]

gift food: a small bag of tasty cookies :)

[Lilium Mortem]

Suggest: Perspective Change
Denial won't help, something is deeply wrong, Treat the situation as deadly serious

[palencorgi]

Though it's already done, I think the food idea is smart to do early each cycle. It's probably gonna be important to have at least one Imp provide a meal so that we aren't caught at 0/1 when we need to rest...

I'd like to Suggest:

• Investigating the ominous door at the back of the room. Just to know what it is, lest we need it later, for escape or info
  
• Leave a note for our Bound to tell it, that You've got some help, in case you get in trouble (Or just need another to talk to)
  

[skinstealer]

i am glad to be the designated cookie imp

[Zenthis]

Note: "Hi, the name's scrimbob, hope this helps! ?"
Then cause a random event.

[knux400]

Examine: Thoughts
What makes you think this is a prank? Do you really believe that?

Suggest: Character Action
(after shimmer's suggestion of investigating the ominous door is resolved) Cautiously step out the wooden door and examine surroundings.

[Lilium Mortem]

Though it's already done, I think the food idea is smart to do early each cycle. It's probably gonna be important to have at least one Imp provide a meal so that we aren't caught at 0/1 when we need to rest...

I disagree, we can always have someone save points for a meal, but Docket might be able to find provisions on it's own. then the points that you would have spent at the beginning of the cycle could be wasted.

[skinstealer]

consider: it is nice of me to give docket cookies

[Lilium Mortem]

consider: it is nice of me to give docket cookies

yeah that's fair. maybe I'm overthinking this in terms of strategy.

[skinstealer]

no you should definitely be thinking about this strategically. it's a good plan
but also i would like to make sure docket knows we are friendly (at the very least us operating as mort)

[Blue_Fox]

Recall Memory: Why are you down here?

[SHIVERS]

EXAMINE: THOUGHTS
'What makes you think this is a prank? Do you really believe that?'


gotta be a prank. has to be.
had some of th' guys at the old garage pullin' stuff like this.

well-
nothin' like this but 

i dunno. messin' with me





...better be that. 





not ready to deal with if it Isnt







...i dont wanna die man i need outta here









RECALL: MEMORY
'Why are you down here?'

Docket places a claw to its temple as it nears the stairway.

things're

fuzzy still. why'd-




right
rightright i was on a job

thats why i had my tools


some guy - sounded like some fancy too-good-for-you kinda prick
wanted me to come out to his lodge. fix


fix Somethin'


paid extra to have me come out to his place
or some he owns i think

a lodge
way the hell outta th' way of all my usual jobs



ol' truck barely made it out here




my TRUCK-jus' need to get to my truck, n' im gone.









SUGGEST: PERSPECTIVE CHANGE
'Denial won't help, something is deeply wrong, Treat the situation as deadly serious'



The chorosy's chest pounds.



this





oh it's bad.






i was k-



kiddin' myself about th-

nobody would toss me in here and hook me up to-


oh hell.     man, i-




Breath comes faster through its gasmask.

Its knees shake as it leans forward,
supporting itself on the bottom of the stairs.

Its eyes stay locked on the wooden door above.




c'mon




go.


GO, DAMMIT.





god i dont, i d-






i dont wanna know what the hell's up there-gotta GET A GRIP, oh

C'MON--









Something small appears on the stairs a few steps up from the chorosy's position.

It jumps, reeling back onto the floor.















When it gets a better look,
it cocks its head to the side.





A small, black box wrapped in a grey ribbon sits on the middle of the step.





The still-shaking chorosy


cautiously

steps forward - too curious Not too examine it further.






It spies a tag attached to the bow of the ribbon.







Leaning in, it reads it.




TO: Docket
FROM: Mort







The chorosy steps back, shaking its head.




"...Uh-uh.
Nope. I don't-

Who the hell is...?"

It goes quiet,
glancing around the room.





is

someone fuckin'
listening In???



















The chorosy avoids the box entirely for the moment,
giving one last glance to the door at the top of the stairs.






Docket turns around, pacing momentarily between the mattress and the stairs,
nervously adjusting its vest.








SUGGEST: CHARACTER ACTION
'Investigate the ominous door at the back of the room.'


It takes notice of the iron door.




With a quick breath, it steels itself, walking over.



It sees the door a little better the closer it gets:
The door has a metal handle--







Something pops up in front of the chorosy,
startling it once again.

"fUCKI N--"











It's a blue note with yellow text, attached to the ceiling via a thin string.

The note bounces and swings gently, its movement quickly slowing;
as if it'd been freshly hung and dropped from above.





The chorosy looks between the note and the ceiling, squinting to try and discern anywhere it could've come from.

Seeing nothing, Docket rubs its face;
hesitating, but ultimately deciding to step closer and read the note.





You've got some help, in case you get in trouble.
- Shimmer









" . . . "








screw it.

It pushes the note away dismissively.

dont got time t' figure this out im done Im Done i am Gone man
















SUGGEST: CHARACTER ACTION
'Cautiously step out the wooden door and examine surroundings.'


Docket makes its way back to the stairs.




It watches the present.





nah dont- do Not mess with that 
theres gonna be like a viper in there
gonna bite my face. 
or like a bomb thats set to go off when i open it- i am NOT about to deal with that

Still shaking its head, it gently nudges the present aside with its boot,
leaving it on the stairs as it continues up.














It nears the door.






















A mauve note on with aubergine text bounces down in front of its face,
loosing another gasp from the chorosy,
followed by an annoyed grunt.


this is gettin' Old REAL fast



It grabs the note.









'Hi, the name's scrimbob, hope this helps! ?'
- Scrimbob





The chorosy pulls the note down with ease and tosses it aside onto the basement floor.










Undeterred as it reaches the door.

















CAUSE: RANDOM EVENT















A thunderous, cacophonous CRASH sounds somewhere through the wooden door.

Docket freezes in place, shoulders up,
wrench raised defensively.













Its resolve comes through,
an unsteady claw reaching out




opening the door as quietly as possible -



wincing as it Creaks.













It peeks its head out.



















It finds a long hallway, with many closed doors:
One straight across the one it's at,
one across, but further down the hall to the right,
and another at the far right end of the hall.



To the left, though,




it can see Far down the hallway, where it seems to end in a big room.

An uncomfortable-looking, decorative couch is visible; green with a brown-gold patterning.

Red curtains cover windows behind it.







Most dismaying, though,

is the front door.




The heavy, wooden door has been crunched into a leaned position, broken in half,
pushed into itself.

The force of the presumed blow that struck it had dug it into the floor, 
messily ripping and impaling the doormat.





It stands open - entirely motionless,
smashed into place; snapped and pulverized like a limb wrenched backwards.











Docket can see straight outside.

A dim, yellow porch light lights up the entryway,
a few steps leading down from the rather spacious porch.

Trees are visible past it, branches swaying audibly in the soft, night breeze.


















The chorosy can't think to move.

It can't think to do much of anything, at the moment.




It's claws grip the doorway with supportive force,
as if even the slightest movement would draw in the culprit of the break-in.














i could






i could run for it, i-






get to th' truck. if the truck's out there then i can high-tail it the hell outta here and

and i wont look back. and ill get home, and ill go to bed and this w-

and this wont be Real anymore. probably isnt, theyre-
someone's tr-


tryin' to






It grips the doorway tighter.








whos 


gonna run the shop if

















no


nope i can



i can, make it















Keeping as silent as it can,


it takes in a slow,

steady

breath.








on



on 3.



then i book it






Docket crouches ever-so-slightly,
taking a running stance.

Show ContentBOUND INFO:

ROLE: MECHANIC
NAME: Docket Boxer II
PRONOUNS: [it/its]
SPECIES: Chorosy
MORPH: Flameproof

ITEMS: Bag, Toolbox, Heavy Wrench




LAST ACCESS POINT: FOREST LODGE - BASEMENT

PROGRESS MADE SINCE LAST REST: INSUFFICIENT
MEAL(S) EATEN SINCE LAST REST: 0/1

CANNOT REST SAFELY.

Show ContentCHANNELING:

[GIFTS & NOTES]
Gift: Basic Tool - 75 RE
Send a single, simple Tool to your current bound. A Tool is any object of practical use, such as weapons, medical supplies, a lockpick, a rope, a camera, etc. Extremely valuable tools (such as a rocket launcher, chainsaw, railgun, flying drone, etc.) as well as very large objects (vehicles, furniture, etc.) are not allowed. Tools sent this way will also be generic, meaning specific items such as keys/keycards, computers with specific software, cannot be sent using this method. Try to think creatively with simple objects. 
Gift: Food - 50 RE
Send a food item, enough for a single Meal. You may choose the food, as long as it is edible.
Gift: Miscellaneous Item - 10 RE
Send a miscellaneous item to your current Bound. This would be items that don't have practical use and are not typically edible. Think trinkets, non-valuable jewelry, novelty items, etc. These will be generic and cannot be customized.
Deliver: Note - 15 RE
Send a single-sentence Note to your current Bound.

[SPAWNING & EVENTS]
???? - ?
Spawn: Access Point - 100 RE
    Create an Access Point very nearby to your current Bound. Must be releatively far from other, already-discovered access points.
Cause: Random Event - 50 RE
    Cause a random event to happen to your current Bound or nearby their location. Could be helpful, detrimental, or neutral.

[ ? ? ? ]
???? - ?
???? - ?
???? - ?

[OTHER]
Suggest: Character Action - FREE
Make a suggestion at what your current Bound should do in the present situation. They may or may not follow your suggestion.
Suggest: Perspective Change - FREE
Make a suggestion to try and change how your Bound is thinking about something, ideally with your reasoning for the change included. They may or may not follow your suggestion. Reasoning that appeals to your Bound may increase the chance of success.
Examine: Thoughts - FREE
Briefly examine your Bound's current thoughts on any subject of your choosing. Your Bound might choose not to think about the topic, however, typically if it's a difficult and/or personal subject.
Recall: Memory - 15 RE
Your current Bound recalls a memory. May follow along lines of something suggested on your part, may be relevant to the current situation or recent events, or may be random.

Show ContentCURRENT TOTALS:

Ace - 100
Commissioner - 100
Fox - 85
K4 - 100
Kicks - 100
Lilly - 100
Mort - 50
MZ - 100
Scrimbob - 35
Shimmer - 85

[skinstealer]

suggest: finding a safe place would be smarter than running. think of the shop.

[knux400]

Suggest: Perspective Change
Freaking out won't help. You need to think this through calmly and rationally if you want the best chance of escape.

Recall: Memory
Something comforting, preferably opening presents on a birthday, holiday, or other such event.

[Lilium Mortem]

Suggest: Perspective Change
you need all the help you can get, try to see us as what we are and not what you fear us to be

[MarxzVulpez]

Suggest: take stock of what you have. You're a mechanic, a problem solver. While running can be a viable solution, doing so without a course of action, or a good bearing on your resources in mind, especially in a strange place, could wind up putting you in a bad place later on. Also you now have a song stuck in your head, sorry

[SHIVERS]

SUGGEST: CHARACTER ACTION
'Finding a safe place would be smarter than running. Think of the shop.'

SUGGEST: PERSPECTIVE CHANGE
'Freaking out won't help. You need to think this through calmly and rationally if you want the best chance of escape.'




fuck




god dammit, man

Docket sloooooowly pulls back,
not shutting the door so as not to make noise,
but getting it almost closed,
backing up on the stairs as quietly as possible.

cant. cant do it.
too risky, need t' think. Hate This





SUGGEST: PERSPECTIVE CHANGE
'You need all the help you can get, try to see us as what we are and not what you fear us to be.'

The chorosy glances back at the present on the stairs.









fine.

screw it.

only cause im over a barrel and this might be like a revolver or somethin



It takes a few steps down, then sits in front of the present.

TO: Docket
FROM: Mort


It lifts the lid off, one glowing eye shut,

revealing a sealed, opaque plastic bag simply labeled 'COOKIES'.














 . . . 






Docket puts its head in its claws.














...............yea im gonna die here




It leans its head back, eyes closing.








It nearly tosses the cookies across the room,
but pulls back.

The chorosy breathes out, leaning forward with a resigned shoulder shrug,
and bags the cookies in its bag.



maybe whatevers 'bout to try n' gnaw my face off can be distracted with off-brand cookies
maybe monsters like generic flavor.


at least itd be funny 'fore i get mauled or somethin'













RECALL: MEMORY
'Something comforting, preferably opening presents on a birthday, holiday, or other such event.'

Docket stares down at the now-empty present.

In its attempts to quell rising panic, its eyes unfocus . . .


























































































Highways and rivers whizz past the car window.



The flameproof chorosy in the passenger seat stares at the top of the gift box in its lap.

"...How d'you want me t' label this one?"

The car radio faintly plays in the background.
The driver - a moto chorosy - glances over for only a moment, keeping her eyes on the road.

"That th' one to y'r cousin?" 
"Uh-huh." 
"Auntie Nina's fine." "...He still calls y' Auntie?"
"'Course. Y'r the only one that stopped." 
"I'm way too old." 
"A seventh grader?" 
"Yea, too old." 
"Yeaaah, sure."

Docket writes on the label.

"'Kay, got it."

The labeled present is placed into the backseat, where Docket grabs another one.



"...Ain't gotta do that the whole ride home."
"I'd get it done faster."
"Y' got three whole days! C'monnn. 

You're always wantin' t' see me when I'm busy with th' shop. 
Now I got a day off, and y'r in my car, 
and we're not even gonna hang out for a li'l bit?"

"I guuueeessss." It says, feigning disinterest.
"Oh yeah? You guess?" "Uh-huh." "Why's that?"
"Well y'r like. Really, really old; 
like seventy... five or somethin'.
Don't wanna hang out with some ol' lady, y'know?"
"Yeah-?"

She reaches over with a claw, her other on the steering wheel, eyes on the road,
and 'ruffles' the chorosy's firefighter helmet.
"HeyhEY--!" "I'm forty-one ya li'l punk!" Docket can't help but giggle, Nina joining in infectiously.
"Y' said you were forty-three last I heard!" "Oh-Well-Now don't listen t' that."

She moves her other hand back to the steering wheel.

"Sometimes I just say things, y'know?" "Uh-huh." "Just comes outta me." "Right." 
"...Like I'm possessed-" "PossES--" Docket doubles over, snickering. "Yeah!
Possessed, y'know like those guys on them shows, th' Spirit Mediu-ums--" Nina can hardly keep a straight face either,
starting to crack up again. 
"-Alright, alright.
Gotta be serious, can't keep- I'm gon' laugh so hard I tear off the road and kill us both."
"Yea don't- don't do that. 
Drive better." "I'll show ya drivin'."





The moment hangs, only faint radio and muffled highway noise.





"...That'd be one hell of a present though, right?" "Oh my GOD."
"'Sorry granny, gramps, I sent us both t' the afterlife-'" "-H-HUSSH--" "'Happy Holidays, get yer cheer on.'"
Docket snorts, busting out laughing, leaning against the window as Nina struggles to contain herself.

"...Ohhh, man."
"Y'r terrible. That ain't even funny." "You love me, ya li'l monster." "Yea that's a likely story. Prove it." "A-pfffft.
I ain't gotta prove- 
...Oh, shoot--"



Apparently hearing something, she reaches over and turns the radio up, 
starting to snap her claws as the song fades in.


 

♫ Heavy Chevy - Alabama Shakes

"Ohh, I 'member this one."
"Yeah? Prove it, punk."
"...nah, I'm- I'm not gonna Sing."

She shrugs. "Yer loss."





Nina inhales.

"...Well, you know she ain't the one.
You got to RUN, boy, RUN!" She drums on the steering wheel with her thumbs.

"HOOO!"

"Oh c'monnn, now." Docket rubs the back of its head.

Nina ignores it, continuing.

"Now why you wanna do it dirty?
If it was me, how could ya hurt me?
Oh baby, please, please, please!" Nina taps its helmet. - - "Nnnot gonna sing, forget it."
"How could-you-keep-me down here on my knees?
Well, you know she ain't the one,
You got to RUN, boy, RUN!"



"Can't beliiieve y'r leavin' me hangin' here."
"Nope. No way."
She shrugs. "Suit y'rself. Missin' out."

"Ooh, move daddy, move!
You know my heart's not outta room!
You wanna love that little girl?"
"By all means, honey, do..." - - "...AAAAAAHAHA, knew ya would!" "Hush."
"Well, you know she ain't the one-   C'mon, let's hit it."



"He said, Now, lemme take ya out." 
"Buy you new appliances." - - "Buy you new appliances."
"I wanna take ya out." - - "I wanna take ya out."
"Better home and sciences." - - "Better- ...shoot--"

"I wanna take ya out!" - - "I wanna take ya out!"
"I wanna meet ya kids." - - "I wanna meet ya kids."
"I wanna take you home, baby--" She points at Docket.
"--tell me where it is." - - Nina gives a thumbs up.

"I come back when I want," - - "I come back when I want,"
"And don't you ask no questions!" - - "And don't you ask no questions!"
"Me and you, forever, baby," - - "Me and you, forever, baby,"
"You and me together, baby!" - - "You and me together, baby!"

"I said I lo--" The smaller chorosy starts laughing again, interrupting the song.



"Nah, c'mon gotta keep it up!" "I'm done! 
I'm done, can't take- can't take anymore. I'm gonna keel over!" One last giggle as it regains its composure.

"'Nother time, then." 
"Nah, never again." 
"Come onnnn." "Nooo, nope. Sung my last."







"...Fun, though, right?" "...maybe juuus' a li'l bit."

Nina gives a long sigh. 
"Whoof. ...think I needed that." "...Me too."





The radio station turns over to another song.
 

♫ Horses - Night Moves

Nina reaches over to turn it down.

"Hang on. ...Think I like this." "Yeah?"
She puts her claw back down as Docket nods.

"You got it."






























SUGGEST: PERSPECTIVE CHANGE
'Take stock of what you have. You're a mechanic, a problem solver. 
While running can be a viable solution, doing so without a course of action, or a good bearing on your resources in mind, especially in a strange place, 
could wind up putting you in a bad place later on. Also you now have a song stuck in your head, sorry.`





The last radio song thunders in its head.



Docket stands up, rubbing its face, sniffling.




screw it.


not gonna die here. quitter talk.








just gotta stay calm


i got this







A quick breath, and it steps back up to the door, again, leaning through carefully.











...th' front door.



busted in like it is
 
either its a person and theyve never heard of jus' breakin' a window
or its an animal or creature or somethin', and it probably can't jus' Open a door like a person



if its th' second thing...





It glances to the door across the hall, and the two down the hall.





both intact.

pretty good bet that thing aint thru either of 'em,
unless some other place in here connects to 'em - which... gotta take that chance.

this things probably somewhere else in th' house
probably towards th' front, or... think i remember it's got a second floor

bet its up there
some animals like to be high up right? safer?

...think i remember that




so... i can jus'


move REAL quiet down th' hall

make it thru one o' those doors,
then look for a window, backdoor, whatever     some other way outside.






then


if it doesnt hear me

doesnt see me thru a window or the open front door

and it isnt Still Outside by my truck or anything




Then



im golden.


start th' truck, get the Hell outta here








...itll probably come runnin' when the truck's started


maybe, anyway. hopefully the noise'll scare it.



...not like it can outrun a Truck anyway right










It looks back over at the beyond-destroyed front door.








...god i hope not


























Docket takes a silent breath,






then steps out the door into the hall.






baby steps

cant go TOO slow - longer im out here the more it could see me

jus'

careful, quiet






It takes steps as Slowly as it possibly can - mindful of the noisy toolbox in its bag - 
heading further down the hall,
away from the front door.



dont take th' door right across

further back ones means theyre further away from this thing

should have a harder time hearin' it



It gets to the end of the hall, passing the door on the right.



back one might
lead to a backdoor?
maybe? hopefully?



It reaches for the handle.

Turning it in tiny increments.



...if this is a storage closet im gonna combust--










The door opens.

A small room is inside.
It has a tiny horizontal window - far too small to fit through -
a wooden door on the left,
two sets of bunk beds at opposite walls in the middle of the room,
and a heavy-duty wooden door on the right side, past the bunk beds.







Docket blinks.






 . . .



...backdoor.

BACKDOOR.


LOOKS JUST LIKE TH' FRONT DOOR HELL YES- OH GOD STAY QUIET.







It very careful steps inside,
keeping the doorknob turned with one claw as it does so,
before grabbing the knob on the other side of the door.

It pulls the door to a closed position,
the gradually lets the doorknob turn back to closed.










Docket breathes the tiniest sigh of relief,
shaky hands rolling down its face.








It walks to the door at the right,
opening it with care.


A screen door is behind it.

Night-time bugs chitter audibly on the other side.




YES YES YES YES YES I KNEW IT


IM SO GODDAMN SMART

GO TO HELL YA FUCKIN CRYPTID WHATEVER




ok ok alright settle down








The screen door is soon open,
Docket stepping out into the night air, onto some laid stone, 
quietly closing both doors behind it.

There's some chairs arranged around a fire pit to its left,
and a partially tarp-covered barbecue grill just ahead, at the corner of the building.

Not too far beyond the lodge, in every direction,
are numerous trees, marking the edge of the forest.







alright gotta


orient myself here




so im





at the back of th' lodge



lets call it the South side of th' lodge




so im facin'

West, right now, ill say.




my car would be at th' Front
kinda like... north-northeast
somethin' like that



so if i head
East,
around the East side of th' buildin'

then ill be real close t' my car



but--





It takes a few steps forward, looking up above.






looks like theres-
thats right theyve got a Huge balcony on this place

runs all the way around 180 degrees on th' second floor,
from the South here above me,
all the way to above th' front door



and theres windows that into th' house th' whole way 'round




so

if this thing's Actually upstairs, then...



...that thing'll have a Way better chance of seein' me.




It puts a claws onto the side of its gasmask, 
creeping forward to peer around the west side of the building.





no windows on this side,
least not that i c'n see

so it wouldnt be able to see me on the west side of the buildin'

but id have to cross past the front door when i get t' the front of the house,
to get t' my car












hell




need to




Think.








 

Show ContentBOUND INFO:

ROLE: MECHANIC
NAME: Docket Boxer II
PRONOUNS: [it/its]
SPECIES: Chorosy
MORPH: Flameproof

ITEMS: Bag, Toolbox, Heavy Wrench, Bag of Cookies




LAST ACCESS POINT: FOREST LODGE - BASEMENT

PROGRESS MADE SINCE LAST REST: INSUFFICIENT
MEAL(S) EATEN SINCE LAST REST: 0/1

CANNOT REST SAFELY.

Show ContentCHANNELING:

[GIFTS & NOTES]
Gift: Basic Tool - 75 RE
Send a single, simple Tool to your current bound. A Tool is any object of practical use, such as weapons, medical supplies, a lockpick, a rope, a camera, etc. Extremely valuable tools (such as a rocket launcher, chainsaw, railgun, flying drone, etc.) as well as very large objects (vehicles, furniture, etc.) are not allowed. Tools sent this way will also be generic, meaning specific items such as keys/keycards, computers with specific software, cannot be sent using this method. Try to think creatively with simple objects. 
Gift: Food - 50 RE
Send a food item, enough for a single Meal. You may choose the food, as long as it is edible.
Gift: Miscellaneous Item - 10 RE
Send a miscellaneous item to your current Bound. This would be items that don't have practical use and are not typically edible. Think trinkets, non-valuable jewelry, novelty items, etc. These will be generic and cannot be customized.
Deliver: Note - 15 RE
Send a single-sentence Note to your current Bound.

[SPAWNING & EVENTS]
???? - ?
Spawn: Access Point - 100 RE
    Create an Access Point very nearby to your current Bound. Must be releatively far from other, already-discovered access points.
Cause: Random Event - 50 RE
    Cause a random event to happen to your current Bound or nearby their location. Could be helpful, detrimental, or neutral.

[ ? ? ? ]
???? - ?
???? - ?
???? - ?

[OTHER]
Suggest: Character Action - FREE
Make a suggestion at what your current Bound should do in the present situation. They may or may not follow your suggestion.
Suggest: Perspective Change - FREE
Make a suggestion to try and change how your Bound is thinking about something, ideally with your reasoning for the change included. They may or may not follow your suggestion. Reasoning that appeals to your Bound may increase the chance of success.
Examine: Thoughts - FREE
Briefly examine your Bound's current thoughts on any subject of your choosing. Your Bound might choose not to think about the topic, however, typically if it's a difficult and/or personal subject.
Recall: Memory - 15 RE
Your current Bound recalls a memory. May follow along lines of something suggested on your part, may be relevant to the current situation or recent events, or may be random.

Show ContentCURRENT TOTALS:

Ace - 100
Commissioner - 100
Fox - 85
K4 - 85
Kicks - 100
Lilly - 100
Mort - 50
MZ - 100
Scrimbob - 35
Shimmer - 85

[skinstealer]

examine thoughts: what docket knows about animal behavior, especially in regards to safety

[knux400]

Suggest: Character Action
Whatever's (presumably) up there won't be able to see you if you stay directly underneath the balcony. Hug the wall on the east side, try to duck around any windows that are there, and when you get close enough to your truck, sprint the last few feet.

[Lilium Mortem]

Gift: Basic Tool
Bear Mace(or morbit equivelent, strongest stuff we're allowed to gift as a basic tool)