Fantasy Welcome to Forest Glade (IC)

[TheSpeck]

(Welcome to the IC thread! Before we start, I'd like to go over a couple rules! First of all, there will be no posting order or anything like that, but please keep other people in mind when posting. If you and another person you interacted with has posted twice in a short amount of time, consider waiting for everyone else to post at least once before posting again, so they don't have trouble keeping up. Also, if you want to leave the rp PLEASE let me know. It makes things very confusing when people ghost, and it won't hurt my feelings at all! That being said, have fun with this rp! I trust all of you to understand basic RP respect rules, and feel free to ask questions if you ever have any!)

IC STARTS HERE
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Bloop

Bloop

The only sound that accompanied him was the light noise of his own eyes blinking. It was one of those rare times when Avi was completely alone. The silence gave him an interesting feeling. He enjoyed it- enjoyed it a lot - but he knew he wasn't supposed to be alone for more than a short amount of time while he was on the job, which was almost always. It didn't make him feel very good. It was like he was constantly being watched. Avi almost wished he could just hide somewhere and never be seen again. What a dream… one that would never come true, unfortunately…

He should probably get back to work.

Sitting up off the dirty floor of the cleaning closet he went to when he needed to calm down, Avi brushed himself off and took one last moment of silence to try and make the quiet last just a little longer. He had a feeling his day was going to be a hectic one. Avi had an assignment to meet up with another guard- Mr. Jenkins - and escort all of cell block B’s residents to the temporary containment unit that was generally used for emergencies or as a waiting room for testing. Apparently there was an attempted breakout by a few of the residents in cell block B, and Forest Glades sponsors were concerned about the integrity of the building. Avi wondered how close the residents got to actually escaping, especially considering the immediate panicked reinforcements the higher ups of Forest Glade decided to build in cell block B... That was none of his business, though, so he would probably never know. What was important was not being late to his job. It wouldn't end well for him.

Avi swiftly exited the cleaning closet, walking down the crowded hall towards one of the conference rooms that were placed in the far corner of the building- away from the cell blocks- and near the staff cafeteria. He was supposed to meet Mr. Jenkins there.

Making sure he kept his eyes glued to the floor as he walked so he wouldn't anger anyone by looking at them, Avi fidgeted with the tight id tag around his neck, trying to get it to stop rubbing so much. He hated the thing. It was more like a collar than anything, and sometimes it burned. Avi wasn't allowed to take it off though, so it was just something he had to live with. Maybe one day if he stayed on good behavior they'd give him one that wasn't so tight…

Before he knew it, Avi reached the Conference room, and he went inside to wait for Jenkins. He could swear he recognized the name of the guard, but he couldn't pinpoint exactly from where. Avi didn't think he ever worked with a Mr. Jenkins before… Maybe he'd just heard the name in passing conversation?

 

[Ferol Casto]

Tory Jenkins stood outside the heavy metal door that opened to Jack Kol’s office. After the breach, security staff were needed to guard the on-site Administrators, and, Troy being his lucky self, got assigned to Mr. Kol, aka the “Spender”, among security and military staff at Forest Glade. Why would they call him that, you may ask? Because he would use as many troops as needed to stop breaches or attacks, no matter what risky strategy he picked. And it was never a safe one.

A few more minutes passed, and Troy looked down at his watch. 5:36 p.m, they were already six minutes late for the meeting. Then, suddenly, the door clicked and Jack Kol stepped out of the room, looked at Troy, and said, “Let’s move.” And then took a few large strides towards the main hallway, and Troy jogged behind him, recovering from his shock.

Troy walked into the meeting room, where a bot sat. Troy was briefed on this, the bots name is was Avi, and was a former human, and, if he attempted a breach, he was to be shot on sight. Of course, Troy had no reason to hide his M4A1 to Avi. Tory swore he had seen Avi before, before the attack, perhaps? No, that was impossible.

Jack Kol sat down at the large meeting table, which had over 20 seats, which only 4 would be in use today. 2 for Troy and the other guard, 1 for Avi, and one for Kol.

“Let’s start.” Kol said, carelessly, as this was probably just another hour of time for him. And another hour of boredom for Troy.

 

[phibglib]

Abby sat in the corner of her dimly lit cell, the stark, gray walls closing in around her. The only light came from a small, barred window high above, casting long shadows across the room. The air was heavy, filled with the scent of antiseptic and despair. Her cot, a thin mattress on a metal frame, was pushed against the wall, covered with a scratchy, worn blanket. On the opposite side, a small table held a few personal items, a reminder of a life once lived.

Around her, the faint hum of the facility was ever-present, a constant reminder of her imprisonment. But today, that hum was punctuated by distant sounds of commotion, stirring a sense of unease within her. The recent attempted breakout in cell block B was the talk of the institute, a desperate cry for freedom that echoed in Abby's own heart. She knew the guards were tightening security, a suffocating grip on their already limited freedoms.

Sitting there, Abby's mind raced with thoughts. Her brilliant, analytical mind dissected every possibility, every outcome of their current situation. Her empathic abilities, usually a source of connection, now felt like a burden, the weight of everyone's fear and hopelessness pressing down on her. She clutched at the silver streaks in her red hair, a physical manifestation of the change that had brought her here, yet also a symbol of her unique strengths.

Despite the overwhelming sensory input and the ethical turmoil that plagued her, Abby's resolve hardened. She couldn't let this place break her, not when others looked to her for guidance, not when there was still a chance for freedom. She knew the risks, the potential cost of their actions, but the alternative — a life confined to these cold, unfeeling walls — was not a life at all.

As she sat there, planning, strategizing, a faint glimmer of hope sparked within her. They had to escape, not just for themselves, but for all those who had been forgotten, lost in the bureaucratic nightmare that Forest Glade had become. It was a daunting task, but Abby Frost was no ordinary woman. She was a survivor, a beacon of hope in a world that had turned dark. And she would do whatever it took to lead them out of the shadows.

 

[monkeydoll555]

/* ------ left side ------ */

/* ------ left side info ------ */

mood very bored

location forest glade institute

outfit as seen above

power energy manipulation

tag n/a

cliodhna badica

/* ------ right side ------ */

Cliodhna sighed, staring at the wall of her cell once again. Once, she had been lucky enough to call it a room, but now? Now it was definitely a cell. Despite her attempt to cover the grey of the walls with photos and movie and TV posters from the cheap magazines she managed to get every now and again, it still covered a modicum of her room.

Truth be told, it was disgusting.

She sighed, glancing at the clock that sat on the opposite wall from her cell. Soon it would be lunchtime, a time to just chill out, maybe say hello to everyone else in this hellhole before she was inevitably shoved back into the pit of hell that was this room, and this room specifically.

It was admittedly strange to her, though, that the entire institute seemed... vaguely silent today. And not in the normal "only the guards could be heard" sort of way, she quite literally meant there was no sound. No guards, no alarms, no nothing. Maybe this had to do with that weird alert thing that had happened a while back? She wasn't entirely sure what had happened, but it hadn't ended well, according to the hushed whispers going around the facility at the time.

But that, she figured, wasn't exactly her business. What was her business was when she was going to get food in her belly, and what the hell was going to happen to her next once everything had turned back to normal. Probably the usual schtick of needles and poking and prodding and a lot more, if she was honest. It made her skin crawl, and she shivered at the thought of going through all of that again when things went back to the same old.

She had to get out of here, of that she was now sure. But certainly no one was feeling the same way.

Were they?

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.

 

[MoonLegend101]

Within the shadows cast by a sickly white light, standing out starkly against rusted metal and slate gray stone, was a pale white lily of the valley.

Its petals were drooping and slightly frayed at the corners. Several leaves at its stem were shrunken and withered. The flower appeared as if it could crumble to dust at any moment, and yet it remained in place, gently cradled within the hand of a boy. As he carefully clutched the plant in his hand, he stared down at it for a long moment, before closing his eyes. The petals quivered, but Caspian took a deep breath, and tried his best to focus on the outward sights and sounds of his prison his home.

After listening for several seconds, he heard the chirping of a bird - a meadowlark, he was fairly certain. It was difficult to remember anymore, and it sounded so ephemeral and echoey that he wasn't sure whether or not he was dreaming. But it had to be real... it had to be. Caspian's mouth slightly opened, air brushing up against his cracked lips, as he cheerfully whistled a reply. Tensed shoulders relaxed, his eyes growing half lidded, as he felt the day's worries slowly melt away. Gradually, he became aware of soft green leaves brushing up against his skin.

Opening his eyes, he was greeted by little hints of foliage that were beginning to shoot up from the ground. Vines curled around the crevices in the cracked walls. Tinted artificial light was replaced by a large window that appeared on the wall, allowing daylight to pour in from nowhere in particular. Several little potted plants were placed on the windowsill, basking in the false sunlight. A small green bird seemed to materialize out of thin air, speedily flying to perch on his shoulder. The boy looked at the unattended cot in the corner, bits of cotton bursting from its dusty seams. After he blinked, faded blue blankets had suddenly appeared on top of it. Caspian made his way over to the bed, flopping down onto it and trying to ignore the hard mattress that still dug into his back. Refocusing his attention onto the lily of the valley, he carefully plucked some of the dead leaves from its stem. He glanced around his room again, absentmindedly wondering where he should put it. Direct sunlight would be best, if he could just find a place outside...

It was that thought, along with the sound of loud footsteps rushing down the hall outside of his cell, that caused Caspian to falter.

His eyes widened. He could hear distant voices, most of it sounding urgent and harsh. The alarms from earlier were just a distant memory, but the footsteps just kept coming. How long until one of them came to his room? What if everyone was punished for whatever the disturbance had been? He could feel the tension creeping back over his body, causing a tightness in his lungs. He tried not to think about it, but it was no use. Caspian protectively gripped the flower in his hands... only for it to wither in his grasp. A light fog started to spread throughout the room.

Abruptly, the window in his room that was supposedly letting in light abruptly vanished, leaving slate gray stone in its wake. Thorns sprouted onto the vines that had been splayed across the walls, which only seemed to grow, until they became an entangled mess of withered overgrowth. The bird on his shoulder chirped in concern, before disappearing from sight in an instant. Caspian's breathing grew increasingly uneven, despite his best efforts to control it. He looked down... only to see the metal of an examination table instead of his cot. His heart dropped in his chest, his face turning more pale than usual. He jumped to his feet and stumbled back, until his back slammed against one of the walls. The boy began desperately searching the wall with his fingers, until he eventually came across a crack in it. Reaching into the crack, he pulled out a faded red feather: the one remnant of the outside world that he still had left.

Gripping the feather tightly, he sank against one of the corners, staring at his cell in resigned horror. Some of the thorny vines had turned into the kind of restraints that were attached to the examination tables, and the rough leather straps were beginning to slither across the walls and floor, making their way closer. Large eyes appeared on the wall, sliding open and staring at him intently. By this point, his panting had reached a feverish pitch. Everything was falling apart, and he was the only one who could actually save himself. Squeezing his eyes shut, he ran one finger over the feather that he still held clutched in his hand, his voice leaving in a faint whisper. "I'll be fine. The rest isn't real. It isn't real. It.. it isn't..."

Caspian remained curled up in that corner as the disturbing illusions of eyes, withered plants, and cold scientific contraptions grew a little bit fainter, but still terrorized his cell. As he turned the feather over in his hands, the boy forlornly wondered if he'd ever be able to touch anything else that he actually knew was real again.. either inside this horrible place, or outside of it.

 

[TheSpeck]

A few moments passed. Avi fidgeted with his sleeve, scratching at one of the buttons lousily sewn on with thin string. They were late, like usual. For some reason anyone with a little power was allowed to be as late as they wanted, which was a little annoying, but he couldn't do anything about it. Instead of lingering on his irritation, Avi looked around the room, examining the dull gray walls and furniture as if he could find any beauty in it at all.

After a few minutes of waiting, a small group of people walked in the room, taking seats at the large table. Avi recognized two of the people in the room- one was Mr. Kol, why wouldn't he know who that is- and the other was one of the guards. The moment he saw the guard he grew a little more uncomfortable. He knew that face. The man was one of the many people who just watched when Avi needed help.

Avi stared at the guard just a beat too long, and quickly looked away after he realized. According to his name tag, the guard was Jenkins, which meant Avi had to work with him. Which was…. Alright, he guessed.

Soon after everyone was there, the meeting started, and all his instructions were explained to him more fully. He had to retrieve the residents in cell block B, restrain them all, and bring them to the temporary containment cell where Avi and Jenkins would watch them until some construction was done in their cells. Avi wasn't to let them leave no matter what, even if it took drastic measures. Soon after he was given instructions, he was told the hazard of each resident he would be dealing with, then he was dismissed to get started.

Avi left the room as soon as he could, moving to cell block B without speaking to Jenkins. Guards seemed to get irritated when Avi ever started conversations, so he’d gotten used to staying silent until spoken to.

When he arrived at cell block b, Avi immediately started knocking on each door,

“Residents of Cell Block B, please prepare to be removed from your rooms when the doors open. When the doors open, you are to walk out and stand directly next to your door to await further instructions. You will be restrained. If anybody makes any sudden moves, you will be shot or worse.” Avi said loudly in a stern voice, getting restraints prepared. He didn't enjoy having to act like he was scary. Avi was the opposite of scary, if anything he was scared. One day someone was gonna find that out and it probably wouldn't end very well for him.

After his little speech, Avi went by and unlocked the doors, waiting for the few residents to come out of the cells so he could restrain them.

___
Mentions:

Ferol Casto

Related:

Everyone

 

[phibglib]

As Avi's voice echoed through Cell Block B, Abby's heart raced, a mix of fear and defiance coursing through her. She pressed her ear against the cold metal door, straining to pick up every nuance in his tone. It was stern, yet there was something in it that didn’t quite align with the harsh words. A hidden tremor, perhaps a hint of reluctance?

Abby took a deep breath, steeling herself for what was to come. As she stepped out of her cell, her eyes quickly scanned her surroundings, taking note of the other residents. Some looked scared, others defiant, but all were united in their uncertainty of what lay ahead. She gave them a reassuring nod, her presence alone a source of comfort.

The increased security presence didn't escape her notice. It spoke volumes about the institute's fear of their capabilities, a fact that both worried and empowered her. In her mind, gears turned, analyzing every possible angle. How could this change be used to their advantage? What did it mean for their escape plans?

As she was gently ushered into line, Abby’s gaze fell upon Avi. His discomfort was palpable, almost vibrating in the air between them. In that moment, Abby felt her empathic abilities stir, a soft wave of understanding washing over her. She caught his eye for a fraction of a second, a silent message of kinship passed between them. She didn't know his story, but in that brief exchange, it was clear they were both prisoners in their own ways.

She moved forward as instructed, her mind racing with plans and possibilities. Now was not the time for drastic actions, but for observation and strategy. Abby Frost was not just a resident of Forest Glade; she was its quiet rebellion, biding her time, gathering her strength. And when the moment was right, she would be ready.