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vault1132023-04-10 05:36 pm
WEEK 1 MINGLE
As you sleep, you find your mind plagued with strange dreams. You’re still trapped, of course, there’s no way to avoid that, even in the comfort of your own mind, but you’re alone. Utterly alone. The radios and jukeboxes scattered around the place all spring to life, as if they’re speaking to you directly. On the other end, you see people talk about you. From your own perspective, it can’t have been more than… 48 hours since you were taken. From the perspectives of those on the outside, the times don’t match up nearly so well. It might have been days. It might have been weeks. It might have been months.
The voices discuss you. They discuss the way things have changed. They talk about how you just suddenly disappeared without a trace. Maybe they’re glad, glad that you weren’t around to see what happened without you. Or maybe they’re angry. Maybe they know that it was your fault. If only you’d been there, none of this would have happened. If you’d met up with that friend, they wouldn’t have died. If you’d been there to save her, things would have been different. If you had apologized, maybe… or if you hadn’t abandoned your responsibilities…
You don’t get the specifics either way. Your dream - or vision, it leaves your imagination to do all the work. But there’s one thing you can be absolutely sure of.
You are running out of time.
Well, what’s there to be glum about? The vault is your home now, lovingly prepared by Vault-Tec™! Who cares what some ghosts from the past have to say about you, eh? It’s not like you’ll ever see them again.
And no matter how deeply you were sleeping, The Overseer’s voice sounds out on the intercom and seems to wake you immediately.
“Hello, lovelies. We’ve decided to be extra generous to all of you, so we bring some good news for a change. I’m sure in the last few days, you’ve gotten pretty sick of that walled off little cellblock you’re cramped in, so you’ll be positively giddy to learn that we’ve prepared and unlocked the rest of the first level for you all to explore to your heart’s content. If you’ve given up on ever getting out of here, make yourself at home. If you haven’t, well, there’s plenty of fun and interesting tools to integrate into your work whenever you decide to take advantage the former group’s complete lack of initiative or willpower.
Oh, and before I forget… check the common room before you go.”
With that particularly nasty announcement, you will find that the doors that locked the rest of this floor off to you have all been opened up. And in addition to that, the profiles have been made public, joining the rules as framed pictures in the common room.
And if you wish to contact your Overseer or her robotic assistant, you are free to stop for a chat.
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Almost. [ She takes his hand again, lets him bring her back up to her feet. ] Would you show me again? I don't want to mess it up.
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This is a good throw against people taller than you. You know we have some giant guys here. [ there’s the offered hand to help her up. ] Do you just have crazy body control? You didn’t fight me at all - it felt almost practiced.
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[ 'Shadowhunter', for example. She takes his hand once more and rises to her feet lightly. ]
I was a pageant girl when I was a teenager. You get used to being moved around. Then there was dance, and roller skating - and ice skating, of course. Everyone would skate on the canals in the winter.
[ She eyes Finn, calculating, and then begins an attempt to mirror the throw in slow motion: under the arm, press against his side, reposition her leg, take hold of him, and -
She's not as strong as he is, and she's gone too slow. She doesn't have the momentum, so stops short, not wanting to risk dropping him on his head. ]
Where did you learn this?
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[ certainly a higher grade than he got in school. it's impressive how much she got right on her first try. when he was learning from chris, his senior had some choice words about finn's intelligence. ]
All your movements are right, so don't hesitate. I can handle some bruising. [ he reaches down to adjust one of her hands, moving it off his back and to his lower thigh. ] You can position your hand like this, too. I had it on your back to catch you, but this way, you don't have to worry so much about strength. You can use both hands to knock me off my balance, or both hands and your leg. Or just one hand and a leg.
[ it's up to her. ]
At this point, all of my weight is anchored on one foot, so that makes it easier to knock me off balance using the other leg. [ he taps her other hand to demonstrate and guides her arm back, so that she's pulling his leg toward her rather than lifting, leaving the bulk of his weight is still on him to manage. ] And any more than that and I'll fall on my ass.
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[ It'd be easy for that to sound like a jibe, but it's not. Finn's practiced and confident in his instruction. If she knew anyone had ever doubted his skills, she'd roll her eyes at them - but since she doesn't know, she just pays attention, her hair falling in a loose veil around her face as she tilts her head. ]
Okay. One more time.
[ She disentangles, resets, centers her gravity, balances her weight evenly in her feet. It's been a while since she last wore flat shoes. She's smiling, and she's not really thinking about what her smile looks like.
This is fun.
When he looks ready, she'll make the attempt to throw him in seriousness, following the adaptations he demonstrated to make it easier for her. The safest way to complete a movement like this is to commit, in her experience, so for that last 20% - she hopes she doesn't actually leave him bruised. ]
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he shifts onto his back, and from the ground, he claps. he'll give himself a moment before sitting up to avoid vertigo. ]
Wow, I think you're a genius. Ever consider the extralegal secret organization life? [ he asks the question like a joke. ] Bet you got more serious bruises trying to ice skate. I hear that's a brutal sport.
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Klaasje runs a hand over her hair, smoothing down flyaways, and leans over to offer Finn a hand up in turn. There are spots of color in her cheeks not entirely merited by the exertion she put in. Or maybe they are. It's also been a while since she did anything more strenuous than lifting a glass. ]
Cutthroat. [ She tells him, deadpan. ] I didn't see a reason to join underground fight clubs after all that.
And if you think I'm a genius, you should have higher standards. But thank you.
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Being quick on the uptake is a damn good skill to have. [ and he believes that 100%. ] We dunno how long we'll be stuck here. If anyone messes with you, now you have more options. You can do a - uh - quadruple axel flip thing, or throw them on their ass.
Or both. Why pick?
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I don't know if I still have a quadruple axel flip thing in me.
[ She doesn't squeeze his hand, which would be embarrassing for both of them, but she does press her thumb lightly against the side of his palm before she lets go. ]
Are you worried someone's going to try to mess with me, Mister Finn?
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Back - [ no not home, but ] - at work, Leo's always scolding me for being reckless and not considering the safety of the people around me enough, so I'm giving that a try.
How am I doing so far, Miss Klaasje?
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[ What he just showed her could come in handy, if she remembers enough to try it. She's also always liked people worrying about her, a little. ]
I'm hoping I stay out of trouble, but if I can't - I do feel better about it. For one thing, I know you're out here looking out for all of us.
[ Their local knight in shining yellow. ]
Is Leo your teacher?
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[ the face he makes hearing that. ]
Leo's a little 14-year-old punk who's, uh, the manager of our branch. He makes me and Chris sit on our knees and scolds us like we're three. As if he's any better!
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I'm sorry. He sounds awful.
I've had managers like that. Not ones that made us sit on our knees - but they would've if they could have.
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[ the list seems to go on. ]
I gueeeeess his heart is in the right place sometimes. And he likes hotdogs - [ though it's like pulling teeth to get Leo to admit it ] - man, why did I start complimenting him?
Whatever! I hope you can meet him someday. I think you'd honestly give him a run for his money.
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[ Klaasje sighs, shaking her head, her smile unrestrained. Finn might deny it all he wants; he likes the brat.
And then he has to go and say something like that, and she doesn't even the choice to be wistful about it in the face of that enthusiasm. ]
I bet I could have him apologizing to you in fifteen minutes, if you wanted. I used to be a terrible brat. I know how they work.
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[ fifteen? finn's thinking ten or less.
what does he have to bet with though... he digs through his pockets and pulls out some ketchup packages. no mayo because who the hell eats hotdogs with mayo?? ]
Uh, how about... my shoes. Yeah, I'll bet those. How're you gonna make him apologize?
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What am I going to do with your shoes?
[ It's not really a rhetorical question. She's open to ideas. ]
And let's see... [ She cocks her head thoughtfully. ] The first thing you have to do is make them think that you have something they want...it sounds like he wants authority, respect, right? And then I'd make him think he can have my respect if he does what I want, which is apologize to you.
That's really all it takes with most people.