Big Trouble in the Big House

[divus]

Comments

[tootsiepop]

[Hello, murder children. It's a lovely Tuesday evening, perfect for making A Mistake^TM.

Which is to say— After planning what will probably turn out to be an ill-advised expedition, it's finally time to try and break into the blue house in the east wing. Connor's shooting both Zoe and Ray a glance as the approach the front door, makeshift lockpicking tools in hand.]

Are you both prepared? If we're successful, there's no knowing what we'll find inside.

[selfimmolates]

[ray has his gun out, so there's that.]

Yeah. Be careful, you two.

[he's just here to make sure zoe and connor don't get themselves killed, because he's pretty sure that they'd do this even if he declined to join them??]

[requiemed]

I was planning on it, thanks.

[That's to Ray, but she gives Connor a nod to indicate that she's ready. Let's get this breaking and entering show on the road.]

[divus]

[As they approach the house they'll find that the area is strangely quiet. The house itself is a bit away from the main portion of the camp, and the porch wraps around to provide a nice view of the forest. Everything looks nice and normal on the outside except for a lock that seems to be glowing juuuust a little bit as though it's tempting them to try and break in.

With the tools Connor has, he may be successful. On the other hand, there are also four windows they could try if that fails, too, wrapping around the house itself. There's an overhang above them, roofing over their head that serves as a landing pad for the second floor but that would require yeeting.

What will they try first?]

[tootsiepop]

[... Hm. This seems fine.

Connor squints at the lock for a moment, tilting his head ever so slightly. After a beat, he helpfully(????) points out:]

... The lock appears to be glowing. [Calmly. Politely.] I would advise against touching it.

[And then

he's just going to




go ahead and mess with it anyway. What's up, lock. How you doing. Are you in a mood to be picked.]

[selfimmolates]

... He says as he touches it...

[he takes a step back, though he doesn't leave in case the door does something weird and they need to rescue connor??]

[requiemed]

Glowing? Wait, maybe we shouldn't—

[She says, as he immediately starts trying to pick it anyways. After a second, she follows in Ray's example and takes a step back.]

Cool.

[divus]

[The lock glows even brighter under Connor's touch, and maybe it's a good thing they let him take the door because it begins to smoke under his hand. Apparently this isn't the best way to break the lock? It'll do, but they should maybe work fast.

Also, one by one the shutters of the windows begin to slam shut. So. They should probably hurry it up and get inside.]

[tootsiepop]

[WELL. Sure is a good thing androids can't feel pain, because Connor doesn't even blink as the lock starts to smoke. There may or may not be a faint smell of plastic in the air, but. You know. It's fine? He'll work as quickly as possible until the door is unlocked, completely unbothered by the fact his fingertips are getting a liiiiittle bit melty in the process.

Anyway— Time to get inside? Let's go, go, go.]

[selfimmolates]

Hey, your hands—!

[but okay let's get inside before connor's sacrifice goes to waste. he'll go in before zoe, just in case.]

[requiemed]

Uh, if just trying to get in is going to do that, maybe we should avoid touching anything else.

[But she's coming in regardless of that concern, especially when she hears that shutter doing it's thing.]

[divus]

[With that said, once they're inside the house they'll find that the windows stop freaking out and the door shuts and locks behind them. Looking around, the group will find that there's a door down the hall that's shut, another door off to the side that's slightly cracked open, and a set of staircases that lead upward. It's hard to see, but the house seems to have four stories to it.

The interior's nice enough, well furnished and homey but also very 1980s. The house feels strangely welcoming despite the fact the door wanted to kill them, lights on and bright. Even though the windows aren't open, the group will feel a breeze that smells like strawberries, and they'll hear a faint purring noise from the room with the slightly open door.

That's probably fine.]

[tootsiepop]

[... Hm. This sure is fine.

He's taking a second to check up on the state of his fingers once they make it through. They're, uh, kind of charred. Some iPhone white plastic visible where the illusion of human flesh is no longer existent? But it's fine? So, taking a glance at their surroundings—]

Two doors, and one set of staircases. [Thank you, Nancy Drew.] Where would you like to begin our investigation?

[selfimmolates]

... Whatever's making that sound. If it's dangerous, I'd rather know what it is sooner than later.

[watch it be an innocent cat.]

[requiemed]

[She pauses, then nods.]

Just don't shoot at it until we know it's actually dangerous.

[divus]

[Once the group makes their way over to the door, it will be a simple push to get it to open.

Inside, there's a living room, except that there are grapevines curving around the walls and the ceiling, ripe, red grapes for the taking. Leather couches are scattered around the room and there's a stone fireplace that isn't lit. In the corner there's an arcade cabinet that beeps on and off by itself, and as they look up on the wall they'll find...masks....

Mardi Gras masks, Venetian Carnevale masks, wooden masks, etc. But the grand prize of the room is a large, stuffed leopard's head mounted above the fireplace, eyes staring straight at the group.

Explore?]

[tootsiepop]

... Whatever it was, it's stopped.

[This seems fine.

He gives the room a cursory glance, taking in the grapevines, the fireplace, the wall of masks... He's not going to touch anything right away, but he will keep his eyes fixed on the leapard's head as he carefully moves around the room, feeling just a teensy bit paranoid by the way it's staring straight at them.]

Do you think the masks the gods wear served as inspiration for the [uh] decorations? Or, the other way around?

[Since some of the wings have been based off stuff the gods previously experienced, or whatever.]

[selfimmolates]

No idea.

[ray will keep his gun trained on the creepy ass leopard's head, thanks.]

Don't touch the grapes. That seems like a trap, at least.

[requiemed]

...It might be the other way around.

[She doesn't clarify that, though, as she looks around. She gives a short glance to everything, but it's the arcade that makes her curious. Without coming close enough to touch it, she approaches to see what kind of game it is.]

Give the creepy leopard head some space, too.

[divus]

[The grapevines seem to snake their way around some of the masks, too, and the arcade game beeps again as Zoe gets closer. It's Pac-Man, weirdly enough. It looks like it's free to play, too.

The masks are still looming overhead, but no matter where they go in the room it feels like the leopard's eyes are watching them. There's a low rumbling coming from somewhere though, almost too quiet to hear. The vines slink to the floor, growing a little inch by inch as bushels of grapes burst from the vines themselves.

Watch your step.]

[tootsiepop]

[Hm. Don't like that!

He's about to ask Zoe for clarification, but. Uh. He stops midstep, still keeping an eye on the leopard, and holds up a hand.]

Wait. Quiet. Do you hear something?

[selfimmolates]

[it's a bit awkward, but ray adjusts his gun to grip it with one hand, as he withdraws his dagger with his other hand. (how many weapons does ray have on him? don't ask.)

he nods, quiet.]

[requiemed]

[Whispered, once she hears it as well:]

Maybe we should go.

[divus]

[The vines continue to creep along the floor, sliding around their shoes and their ankles.

Purring intensifies.

Zoe maybe has a good idea, but the vines will begin to tighten and root them into place.

Hm. Bad.]

[tootsiepop]

[Oh.

This is fine.

Connor is going to try yanking his feet out of the vines' hold, but when that obviously doesn't work—]

—Shit.

[The one (1) time he'll ever curse.

Anyway, a little help from the local braincell?]