INTRO LOG #2

[bequiet]

INTRO LOG #2
Put a Sock in It
Content Warnings: Disorientation, memory loss, confusion
Themes: Arrival, survival, exploration, horror

You wake, standing. A thick, muddy red dust coats your skin and clothes - it sticks to your tongue and blocks your vision. Inhale and it chokes you, exhale and your breath puffs out in front of your face in a transparent maroon cloud. It tastes of copper, tangy and harsh. Movement is difficult, every limb tingles and aches. Look to your left, your right. Evenly spaced in each direction stands another person indistinguishable in every way from the next. You're disoriented and lethargic, unable to grasp onto a single thought. A pinprick of light blooms ahead and grows steadily larger; a door has opened.

Hands grip your wrists, push at the small of your back and guide you out of the darkness into a room with four walls and a thin, sagging ceiling. The plaster is peeling, the air is musty, and the floor is slick. White plastic piping juts up from the center and curves into multiple spouts, clean water flowing in uneven streams. Those hands pull your clothes off and clear the dust from your body, redress you in handsewn jumpsuits. By the time they’re through, you will have begun to come back to yourself.

A finger is pressed to your lips. Kind eyes meet your own and a single word is whispered - hush.

Led out of the room in a line, you’re taken down a short hallway and into another, much larger room. There’s a woman waiting for you there, a child hugging her leg, and a cloth bag in her hands. She reaches in and pulls out a device, passes one to each of you. Once finished, she begins to move both hands in graceful gestures, a language. One of the people who helped you lifts their device and the screen lights up, tracks the woman’s hands. Letters appear on the screen and you understand the device’s purpose. She tells you what she knows and it’s not much.

This world is haunted. Noise attracts them, so it is not allowed. Communication is through body language, soundless writing, and the device. She tells you that your feet must be light and your mouth never used. There is a community outside these doors, where you can survive together, but only if you agree to one thing: complete and total silence. You'll have time to talk it over. You may ask one question and receive one answer.

Acceptance allows you to journey outside. The ground is marked in pathways of sand, lining the paths to each building and everywhere in-between. You notice that the locals hold their devices always, aloft and glance to it often. It will not vibrate or make a sound to signal a message. Notices appear. Rules. Guidelines. Feet on the sand and never anywhere else. To open a door you brush your fingers along the hinges - oiled and you may enter. If not, take the brush from the can sitting nearby and coat the metal with the dark liquid.

Now, you're to settle into your new home – with or without the help of those who have come before you.

The Place Inside
Content Warnings: Disorientation, hallucinations, body horror
Themes: Plot, exploration

Have you been to hell. And more importantly, have you been back. We all know this pain but are too scared to recall. This horror controls us, pulls at our strings to ensure how our life plays out. So, let me rephrase my question: have you been to Ile Lacrox. And more importantly, can you come back.

In the community, if you hear something you're not supposed to hear, you learn to look the other way. If you see something you're not supposed to see, you pretend it never happened. If you feel disappointed, you learn to never ask for more. So, through good times and bad, famine and feast, the natives held fast to their rules until one common day a sly wind blew in from the south...

That same red dust twists through the streets, curling up in faint, little plumes of familiarity. The farther south you go, the thicker it becomes. Those willing to explore far enough will find it coming from an island in the middle of the river. Once there, doting every available surface is the evidence of Sound Eater births, and the closer you are to the island, the harder it is to avoid being coated in red. Even if it's not rubbed into the skin, it doesn't take long for the effects to take over. Every sound is amplified. Your breaths are deafening, the slightest step echoes. But no Sound Eater attacks. Your vision blurs, and it's as if your mouth is sealing itself shut. Those you traveled with seem to be similarly affected, and you know you have to be quiet. Anyone who brought supplies with them might discover that a drink of water subdues the symptoms.

OOC: Only characters who entirely submerge themselves in water will be free of the dust effects. Just remember that noise will attract Sound Eaters.


Liplocked
Content Warnings: Violent tendencies, mind alteration
Themes: Love, romance, obsession, sex

The natives are of French origin, and with that comes a love of romance. Residents will find treats and valentines at their doors. That same night, there will be a small, red-glowing fire built near the fountain. There will be jars pressed into the dirt and filled with a sweet, red liquid. Some natives can be seen drinking it and being very affectionate with one another. Anyone who drinks this is inspired to show endearment or lust to others, and it will wear off after sleeping.

There's also the noticeable addition of a new arrival. They came through the Reset Room just like everybody else. They understand the rules and follow them to a tee. They are the perfect example of what the natives want in their residents. They are charming and captivating. They say nothing, and they don't have to. When your eyes meet, you feel seduced. There's a nervous flutter in your stomach. You can feel your heartbeat in your throat. Pounding, constricting. They smile and then turn away.

As they're walking, you notice you're not the only one looking at them, and in their expression, you see your own mirrored. What started as sweet infatuation and longing dissolves into a jealousy unlike any you've ever known. All you understand now is that to win their affections you have to come out on top—so you're the only one they see. Your actions are not your own, but they're still yours.

OOC: There are two ways to break the "spell". Your character fights it out with someone else who is feeling the same way OR they're approached and physically touched by someone who isn't affected by the newcomer. A third of the community will be completely unaffected (everyone else is affected unless the player is uncomfortable with playing out the scenarios). The newcomer can be of any gender the player wishes. For those partaking in drinking, the players can choose what effects it has; it can inspire feelings of lust or boost paternal/maternal instincts or devotion towards friends.

OOC
From your mods:

Please be mindful of content - if something triggery comes up or if it goes up a rating to say, something sexy, mark your threads in the subject line. We're very flexible and allow any material; we just want our players to be respectful of each other. If you have questions, pp the mod account, use the faq or comment to the appropriate post below. Have fun!

NAVIGATION

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Comments

[clussy]

(Eddie raises his hands in a 'yeah I know but still.' He really wasn't expecting any different of an answer, but you try and look someone who deadass has the face of your best friend without asking some weird questions.

That's a development that has Eddie staring a bit longer, a bit harder, because what?

Normally it was Eddie declaring friendship. People didn't usually decide to be friends with him. Especially not after witnessing him being a royal spazoid.

Sorry Mike but Eddie's loosely gripping the back of your jump suit. Mostly because he really did still feel really off, and a bit too dizzy to trust himself not to fall back over.)

Uh. Kind of. It could shapeshift and It usually used like, your fears, but sometimes It used other ways to fuck with you.

(Normally Eddie's not quite so blunt, but at the same time, It targeted children specifically which meant Eddie was normally more honest about it with kids his own age. Besides, Mike was helping him. He deserved to know.)

I can tell you more about it after I bathe if you really want.

[353]

[ Mike doesn't usually decide to be friends with anyone outside his friendship circle (Eleven being an exception), but he's gotten better here. Besides, something about Eddie reminds him of Will in some ways...

Probably how tiny he is.

He thought the Demogorgon was bad, but what Eddie described sounded way worse. ]

Holy shit. I thought the monster in my town was bad. [ Clearly his friends had it easy...

Does Mike really want to hear Eddie's horror stories? Apparently so, because he gives Eddie a nod. Later. ]

Weird question - [ now it's Mike's turn ] - but you're doing a lot staring? At me. A lot. Is there something on my face?

[clussy]

(Maybe it was like how things had been with the Losers. Some people just seemed to be meant to align together, their edges matching up exactly right. For Mike to go out of his way to help Eddie and then offer him friendship like nothing?

That was pretty special. Mike looked a hell of a lot like Richie, but something about him reminded Eddie of Bill. That certainty that some boys just seemed to have.

Eddie's eyes widen fractionally and his head is turning to stare even more at Mike.)

Okay. Yeah. We're talking monsters later.

(Compare notes. But truthfully, Eddie hadn't meant any other kids his own age who had rallied off against monsters yet. Well- Max hadn't exactly talked about things with him, so he didn't realize Max and Mike were from the same place. Or Will.

They'd all get there eventually.

The question makes Eddie go a little red, and he immediately stops looking at Mike, because yeah, he was definitely staring again. He lets go of Mike's jumper and focuses instead of flicking around on his device, sniffing softly.

Finally he turns his picture around to show Mike a dumb picture of Richie and himself that he'd taken only a night or two ago. The picture was a tiny bit blurry since Richie was laughing hysterically in it, and Eddie mostly just looked annoyed, but it didn't require a high definition picture to make it clear that Richie was a spitting image of Mike.)

That's my best friend. You look identical to him- and sound it too. I thought you were him when you first got me. The only difference is like. Glasses and your hair I guess.






And personality. Definitely personality.

[353]

[ Mike wonders what Eddie could possibly want to show him, then his mouth proceeds to gawk as he stares at the photo. It couldn't be him because they'd never met before... There was a kid out there with his face.

Or was Mike the one wearing Richie's? He could feel his brain start to hurt. ]

What's his personality? Evil?

[ That's what media has taught him about twins. There was always an evil one. ]

[clussy]

(There were a lot of things to be said about Richie Tozier, but the idea of him being able makes Eddie come to a complete stop and stare at Mike like he might as well have just sprouted three extra heads. Half of him automatically feels defensive, and it shows in the temporary glare that lifts into his eyes, but another part of him realizes how Mike must feel seeing his own face on someone else.

So he calms himself down before responding.)

He's not evil. My best friend wouldn't be evil.

(Duh. He takes in a small breath and reminds himself that this kid just saved his ass.)

He might be an asshole but he's definitely not evil. He's like one of the best people I've ever met in my entire life. I'd die for him. He's not evil, okay? Trust me. I've seen evil and it doesn't look like some dork with glasses.

[353]

[ It's probably the same look Mike would give anyone for calling Will evil, to be honest. He gives Eddie an apologetic look, like he didn't mean to offend him.

So Richie wasn't a cooler version of himself, then. He was just an asshole dork with glasses. He's almost... disappointed, by how normal he sounds. He's pretty sure if he had abilities like El, Eddie would have mentioned it by now. ]

I wonder if we were separated at birth or something.

[clussy]

(Thankfully for the both of them, Eddie wasn't too offended. He appears a little calmer after Mike sends him an apologetic look, giving a firm nod. Truthfully, Richie was the coolest. But Eddie did his best to not gush about his best friend all the time. It would get to Richie's head- especially coming from Eddie.)

Maybe. When are you from? Like, time period? I'm from 1958. but Richie's from 1980-something. Weird, I know. But we remember each other and all- just. Kind of different backgrounds? Are you from either of those periods?

[353]

[ Mike just looks very confused to hear they're from totally different time periods when Eddie made it sound like they were from the same place. ]

I'm from 1984. [ It's definitely sounding like they were separated at birth now. Mike knows Will is from the future, but he hasn't actually met anyone from the past here before. ] This is so freaky.

[ After a bit more walking, they've made it to house nine and Mike gestures for Eddie to follow him to the bathroom. He runs the tap in the bath as quietly as he can and grabs Eddie a towel. ]

Do you want some privacy? [ Mike doesn't know how Eddie wants to do this - if he's going to completely strip off or just down to his undies or if he wants Mike's help and doesn't mind him staying. ] I can wait outside?

[clussy]

(It's a very fair reaction. The exact reaction Richie and Eddie themselves had when they had discovered it. They are from the same place, and - well.)

Jesus. I have no idea. How old are you? (It ....The problem was it wasn't impossible. Especially knowing what he knew about Richie's parents. His mom could barely stand having one son. Let alone two. If any of the Losers' parents would have given up a kid gladly, it would have been the Toziers.

So Eddie pales at the thought, because Mike didn't need to say it out loud for Eddie to be thinking the same thing all things considered, and he feels something vile twist inside of him.)

Yeah. It's really weird. Richie's really awesome though. Like, yeah, he can be a jerk, but I love him so whenever you meet him, make sure you don't make him overthink shit. He's dumb and totally will and will probably think he's like lesser than you or whatever.

(It's ...definitely oversharing, Eddie realizes this entirely, but he cares a hell of a lot more about Richie's feelings than he cares about seeming overinvested to some kid he barely knows. Richie was his best friend, and Eddie would gladly put himself on the chopping block to make sure he was okay. He knew how Richie's brain worked, and knew that he'd probably think dumb, incorrect things about this whole situation if left alone with it. Or if he's told the wrong stuff.

Once they're at the house, Eddie's a little grateful to see that he hadn't been lead off to some crack house. Not that Mike seemed dangerous, but you never know.)

I don't care.

(And he didn't. Though as Eddie puts a hand under the faucet to feel for the temperature, the water goes red and looks a little too much like blood. Eddie feels something tremble inside of him and recognizes it as the shape of fear. He dries his hand off and takes his device back out.)

Actually. This sounds kind of weird, but could you stay? I'm not gonna be naked or anything.

[353]

13. I have two sisters but I always wanted a brother. [ His friends became like brothers to him instead.

It amuses Mike how much Eddie calls Richie a jerk or an asshole but still seems to care about him - that was true friendship. ]

He's got nothing to feel lesser about. There's nothing special about me. [ Or so he thinks. If you ask any of his friends, they'd probably talk about how smart, creative and kind Mike is - a real leader. (And sometimes he's an asshole too.)

He nods at Eddie's request and moves to lock the bathroom door. He finds a sponge Eddie can use to help scrub off the red, but he notices Eddie looks a little on edge, which might have something to do with why he asked Mike to stay. ]

What's wrong?

[clussy]

Oh. Richie's thirteen too. (This...was definitely starting to feel more and more like possible situation and Eddie honestly didn't know how to feel about that. More than that, he had no idea how Richie would feel about it. He can't help but stare a little harder at Mike and he might be looking for a difference in freckles.)

Well if you're even partially related to Richie I really doubt that.

(That and frankly, Mike was a real nice guy for helping out Eddie so much without knowing him at all.

Everyone could be an asshole. Even Eddie. Sometimes especially Eddie.

He takes the sponge from Mike with a small nod of appreciation. Eddie glances at the question. He doesn't answer right away. Instead, he shakes his head before stripping out of his jumpsuit. He remains in his underwear and steps into the tub. The more the dust comes off into the water, the more it looks like blood, and Eddie feels a little queasy.

Eddie turns against the side of the tub and reaches out to dry a hand on his jumpsuit. He taps a bit shakily onto the device.)

It just looks a lot like blood.

[353]

You're doing it again. [ Mike points out when he feels Eddie studying his face again but there's a hint of a smile on Mike's lips, like he's getting used to it and doesn't actually mind as much now he knows why Eddie is doing it. It makes sense. When Mike didn't know the reason, it just came across as creepy.

It's a sign Mike hasn't gone through nearly enough trauma to not be immediately reminded of blood when looking at the red water - now he can't get it out of his head after Eddie mentions it. Jesus, what happened to him for his mind to go there? ]

It's just water, okay? [ He gives Eddie a reassuring look before picking up his jumpsuit for him, putting a towel on the edge of the bath for him to wipe his hands with instead when he wants to use his device. He tries shaking some of the red dust off the jumpsuit, but from the way it sticks, it's probably worth washing it. ]

I don't think you should put this on again until it's clean. I've got some spare clothes you can borrow to go back to your house in. They'll probably be a lot bigger than you though. What's your house number?

[clussy]

(Somehow, that makes Eddie feel oddly better. He doesn't laugh outright, but he makes this breathless little amused sound. A near laugh, his mouth curved in an open-mouthed grin. He shakes his head.)

Sorry, man. It's SUPER weird. You guys even have the same freckles, I think.

(Because it's totally normal to look at your best friend enough to know that. In Eddie's defense, they had been friends since they were like five. There was very little he didn't know about Richie Tozier. If their positions were switched though and someone was staring at him, he'd totally find it creepy at first too.

The amusement dies pretty quick though, and he gives Mike a tiny nod. Just water. Stan wasn't floating in this tub. And neither was Georgie's arm or anything else, for that matter. It was just water.

He sponges his body and ducks his head under the faucet to get it off his face and out of his hair more thoroughly than when he had used a water bottle. He wipes his face and hands off on the towel and looks at Mike's device right after.)

I can clean it when I get home. Thanks Mike. Probably a little, yeah. I'm over in House 11. I didn't see where we were- what house is this?

[353]

[ The same freckles? How was that possible and how did Eddie know his friend's face that well? Mike touches his face at the mention of them, rubbing at them a little, as though to rub them away. He's hardly a fan of them. It's simply another thing for assholes like Troy to tease him about at school. It's bad enough that he resembles a frog, or so he's been told. ]

This is house 9. [ So they were quite near each other, then; Eddie wouldn't have to walk far to get home. Something about Eddie being just a couple of houses way makes him smile too, reminded of back home, having Lucas just next door. Sure this place sucked with its monsters, but at least they had a community and kids that looked out for each other within it. ]

You know where to find me if you need my help. Or someone to talk to. [ Well, the closest thing to talking, for them. Maybe it's worth mentioning to Eddie: ] There's a class here every week to learn sign language. [ Far quicker than typing. Mike was currently learning. ]

[clussy]

(Eddie had known Richie since he was like, five, and the two idiots had had a hell of a lot of staring competitions growing up. That and he had sent Richie more prolonged stares of irritation than was probably healthy for a kid. But Eddie had always liked them just fine. The freckles on his face were way worse anyway.

He gives a small nod. House nine. Okay. That was close enough, and easy enough. Even if Eddie had been distracted on their walk over, he knew the entire neighborhood by heart by now.

What surprises him is actually the offer to talk. Eddie stares for a second because truthfully, beyond his group of friends, most boys his age didn't seem too interested in offering...That.)

Not that im not glad. but why are you being so nice to me?

oh. thats. actually good to know. i was trying to copy the natives but its hard when you dont really get it half the time. i dont really like typing on these so ill probably be seeing you there.

[353]

[ Mike isn't like most boys, but he does think about Eddie's question for a moment before answering. Back home he was fairly content with the friendship group he had. He's making more of an effort here and as well as other kids not shunning him for being weird, he's met a surprising amount of adults he respects, who treat him with respect.

So why is being so nice to Eddie? Because something about him reminds him a lot of Will and it's in his nature to look out for The Little Guy. And then there are other factors... ]

I don't really have a lot of friends back home. Other kids at school see me and my friends as freaks but that's okay because they're mouthbreathers anyway.

You don't seem like a mouthbreather. You seem cool. Us kids should probably stick together in a place like this. We could probably figure shit out quicker than some of the grown ups. They pretend like they know everything and that they're right all the time but they're not.

But if you want me to be mean to you, I can be mean. [ That last part is a joke, Mike dipping his fingers into the bath water to flick some at Eddie with a grin. Yeah, real mean, Mike. What a dork. ]

[clussy]

(It would have been easy for Mike to go off and get one of those adults that he trusted when he first saw Eddie struggling. It would have been real easy. Eddie wasn't used to this kind of generosity from strangers. So he stares at what Mike has to say on it. It winds up with Eddie smiling rather broadly.)

Trust me im really NOT cool. im the super opposite of cool. back in my hometown, me and all my friends are huge fucking losers to everyone else. i dont have any friends except for them.

or i guess, i used to not have any friends except for them.

(He thinks, maybe, now that's changed quite a bit. People seemed to like him better than people did back in Derry. Eddie still doesn't get it, but he wasn't going to complain either.

But what really gets his attention was Mike's insistence of sticking together. It reminded him fondly and instantly of Bill, again, and he knew he liked Mike quite a bit right then.)

anyone who realizes adults arent worth trusting is a-ok in my books. Already means you're a hell of a lot smarter.

They're not right all the time. not at all. most of the time they're just lying. so yeah, we should stick together.

(The last bit reads as a surprise, and Eddie's large eyes swing up to look at Mike because what.

Then suddenly he's getting some water flicked at him and Eddie jumps in surprise. For a second, his expression is openly shocked. Because did that seriously just happen? Then all at once Eddie's head is bowing and soft, breathy sort of giggles were escaping from him before he could help it. He covers his mouth and flicks some water right back at Mike.)

youre gonna have to try way harder than that to be mean.

[353]

If everyone else in your hometown thinks you're a loser, you're cool to me. [ Mike doesn't want to hang around with the Cool Kids. He'll never be one of them. He can already tell Eddie is much more like his friends, not the mouthbreathers he despises.

Mike thinks maybe he did the wrong thing when Eddie looks surprised at first - he had no idea how the action would go down, not really knowing Eddie or his humor. It's a risk, but Mike is all about those. Then comes the giggles - silent ones thankfully - and Mike squeezes his eyes shut in time for the water that hits his face, but it only manages to wet his cheek. He opens his eyes again with a grin. ]

Can't right now, too much noise. But next time it rains you're soooo gonna get splashed hard. [ The significance of the rain might not make much sense to Eddie, so Mike adds: ] The last time it rained, we could make noise. It was awesome. I had nonstop puddle fights.

[clussy]

(Eddie grins broadly at that. It's along the same lines as what he had said to Max originally.) if that's what you think, then i'm thinking you and I are gonna be friends just fine.

(It felt good to make a new friend. It always did, but kids his own age were far and few between and he ached for that connection. Some adults were pretty cool, he has come to learn, but there was just something different about hanging out with other kids. It felt like he could be more honest a lot of the time.)

i'll make sure to be well stocked with water balloons when the time comes. you'll live to regret the day.

(Lord knows Eddie wouldn't be that good at it- but it'd be a blast having an all-out water war between the kids.

And maybe some of the adults who would want to have fun. Adults were way too stiff sometimes, and sometimes Eddie wondered if that's why so many of them were so miserable.)

god that sounds awesome. I hope it rains soon then.