[Joseph stands off to the side of the gathering place for the party, a frown on his face, watching-but-not-really watching the crowd.
Here he thought that man needed help or had some kind of emergency going on. Turns out, the emergency is a steel shelving unit absolutely full to the brim with glass jars of good old-fashioned homemade hooch.
Though Jesus, is he grateful for it. After the day he's been having, he expects to partake in a few glugs before he tries to sleep tonight. That might keep the nightmares at bay.
He's not convinced this isn't another nightmare in itself. It doesn't have the twisting, blurry, tenuous environment of STEM, but he felt as real and solid and conscious there as he does now. The presence of all these people, unaffected, unaltered, untormented... that has to mean something. Either he's found a pocket within where he's safe, where there's no longer that voice in his head egging him on, coercing him to let go, cackling with that horrible, twisted version of his own laugh--
Or he's out. And there's something else entirely bizarre going on.
Joseph leans on the nearest wall and rubs his eyes beneath his glasses. Time to stop ruminating for a while. Time to find someone else to focus on, someone who might need this mind of his to do something more productive than panicking. This is a party, after all. Not that he's been to one of those in many, many years. He couldn't be more uncomfortable here if someone tried.
The jar of hooch is tucked into a cloth sack beside him, along with his other provisions and his newly-returned notebook. Joseph picks it up and tucks the strap over his shoulder, then heads through the crowd in search of someone to talk to.
Quietly.]
How are you holding up?
B. Sound Eaters
[At first, Joseph thought this might all be some kind of weird religious cult or other strange commune (barring the time he spent/still spends thinking it might all be a mass delusion caused by an ill-advised technological brain experiment... but that's another story.) He's been leaning that way in his notes, at least, as he's spent nearly all his spare time glued to his notebook. After the morning partner patrols, he's a little less sure of that theory.
When they announce the presence of Sound Eaters-- honest-to-god monsters, from the description-- he has no idea what to think.
(Ruvik doesn't work like that. Ruvik doesn't play the long game. These people have been living like this for ages, and it's not because of Ruvik...)
It looks like Joseph is barely listening through the meeting, as he writes down notes at a rapid pace. Only once it's adjourned does he close the notebook, relishing in the sound of other voices, even if they're quiet ones. He indulges himself in a little talking of his own, though mostly to himself.]
"Taking us to meet them." Then they know where "they" live.
The Sound Eaters? Or someone else?
C. House Three
[Congratulations/condolences on your roommate, House Three.
Joseph makes himself available in the kitchen late at night on the first evening, opening his jar of pickles in the manner that someone pops open a bag of chips at a housewarming party. He's seen most of his housemates earlier and shot brief introductions to them via device, but this is the first chance he's had to actually converse with them, between moving furniture, attending weird "parties," and attempting to sleep, which ended in horrific nightmares that nearly had him screaming when he awoke.
In the interests of not repeating that, he's chosen to forego sleeping for now.
He greets any comers to the kitchen with a nod, an offer of communal pickles, and a message on their device.]
Do you have everything you need? We can go get more furniture tomorrow if we're missing anything.
D. Out in the Streets
[During the day, Joseph can be seen walking through the settlement, sticking closely on the sandpaths, of course. Notebook in hand, he concentrates deeply on sketching, occasionally stopping to get a more detailed sketch of whatever it is he's working on.
Then he's off again, around the perimeter, over and over again, silent as can be.]
Joseph Oda | The Evil Within
A. (After) The Party/The Man in the Hat
[Joseph stands off to the side of the gathering place for the party, a frown on his face, watching-but-not-really watching the crowd.
Here he thought that man needed help or had some kind of emergency going on. Turns out, the emergency is a steel shelving unit absolutely full to the brim with glass jars of good old-fashioned homemade hooch.
Though Jesus, is he grateful for it. After the day he's been having, he expects to partake in a few glugs before he tries to sleep tonight. That might keep the nightmares at bay.
He's not convinced this isn't another nightmare in itself. It doesn't have the twisting, blurry, tenuous environment of STEM, but he felt as real and solid and conscious there as he does now. The presence of all these people, unaffected, unaltered, untormented... that has to mean something. Either he's found a pocket within where he's safe, where there's no longer that voice in his head egging him on, coercing him to let go, cackling with that horrible, twisted version of his own laugh--
Or he's out. And there's something else entirely bizarre going on.
Joseph leans on the nearest wall and rubs his eyes beneath his glasses. Time to stop ruminating for a while. Time to find someone else to focus on, someone who might need this mind of his to do something more productive than panicking. This is a party, after all. Not that he's been to one of those in many, many years. He couldn't be more uncomfortable here if someone tried.
The jar of hooch is tucked into a cloth sack beside him, along with his other provisions and his newly-returned notebook. Joseph picks it up and tucks the strap over his shoulder, then heads through the crowd in search of someone to talk to.
Quietly.]
How are you holding up?
B. Sound Eaters
[At first, Joseph thought this might all be some kind of weird religious cult or other strange commune (barring the time he spent/still spends thinking it might all be a mass delusion caused by an ill-advised technological brain experiment... but that's another story.) He's been leaning that way in his notes, at least, as he's spent nearly all his spare time glued to his notebook. After the morning partner patrols, he's a little less sure of that theory.
When they announce the presence of Sound Eaters-- honest-to-god monsters, from the description-- he has no idea what to think.
(Ruvik doesn't work like that. Ruvik doesn't play the long game. These people have been living like this for ages, and it's not because of Ruvik...)
It looks like Joseph is barely listening through the meeting, as he writes down notes at a rapid pace. Only once it's adjourned does he close the notebook, relishing in the sound of other voices, even if they're quiet ones. He indulges himself in a little talking of his own, though mostly to himself.]
"Taking us to meet them." Then they know where "they" live.
The Sound Eaters? Or someone else?
C. House Three
[Congratulations/condolences on your roommate, House Three.
Joseph makes himself available in the kitchen late at night on the first evening, opening his jar of pickles in the manner that someone pops open a bag of chips at a housewarming party. He's seen most of his housemates earlier and shot brief introductions to them via device, but this is the first chance he's had to actually converse with them, between moving furniture, attending weird "parties," and attempting to sleep, which ended in horrific nightmares that nearly had him screaming when he awoke.
In the interests of not repeating that, he's chosen to forego sleeping for now.
He greets any comers to the kitchen with a nod, an offer of communal pickles, and a message on their device.]
Do you have everything you need? We can go get more furniture tomorrow if we're missing anything.
D. Out in the Streets
[During the day, Joseph can be seen walking through the settlement, sticking closely on the sandpaths, of course. Notebook in hand, he concentrates deeply on sketching, occasionally stopping to get a more detailed sketch of whatever it is he's working on.
Then he's off again, around the perimeter, over and over again, silent as can be.]
E. Other?
(Anything you'd like to do? Hit me!)