[ Opening Mingle ]

[randomly_modding]

[Everyone will wake up suddenly, as if having drifted off -- while sitting upright in an uncomfortable office chair. In one hand they're holding the communicator, and in their lap is propped a clipboard with a job application (standard, looking something like this; it requests up to ten years of job history, ) and a pen. The waiting room is also fairly standard, except for being empty.]

[The communicator's lock screen reads, Complete the job application. Time limit, twenty-four hours.]

[There are magazines, fake plants, and computers. There's a staff lounge with food -- tupperware that might have belonged to some of these nonexistent workers, popcorn and cocoa packets, vending machines -- and restrooms. There are exits, but characters will be unable to use them... or make their own, or escape in any way.]

[So the characters are stuck here, until tomorrow morning. Set up a comment telling everyone what your character is doing, and thinking, whether they're obeying the task or not, at any time during the day. Then tag other people! Be sure to check back later in the week, when people are encouraged make threads for the evening as well as the day! Characters that have been claimed are also welcome at this point to join the community, and will be able to make their own posts, which can be tagged by anyone taking part in the event.]

Comments

[everwalking]

[Allen wakes up with a start, and looks around, wide-eyed. he looks at the phone in his hand... at the clipboard in his other hand... and he's confused. and he's lonely.] [just when he was getting used to the idea that Johnny would stay with him, that Kanda, for mysterious reasons unknown to him, would stay with him... just when he was getting used to the idea that he might need them to. now he's alone, somewhere completely mysterious, without even Timcanpy.]

[he gets up to make a quick survey of the place, searching for anyone, anything, familiar, but eventually he investigates the communicator in his hand, and then settles back down to frown at the job application. five minutes later, he is deeply embroiled in it, muttering to himself]

What do they consider a "felony"? They really need to be more specific... That depends on what country we're in.

[would you like to say hello to one of the weirdest-looking people int he room?]

[disinherited]

[ YES. :D ]

[ Yomi wastes no time invading his personal space to peek over his shoulder at his application. She's got a friendly enough face and a perfectly human soul, so there's no need to be afraid... unless she decides you're adorable, Allen. ]

The seven deadly sins might be a good start.

[everwalking]

[eh? he glances at the girl over his shoulder, eyes going somewhat wide again. you're all... right in his personal space...]

--Well, I've had a little bit of experience with them, and I've never seen anyone get arrested for sloth or pride. Usually it's the end result that's the problem. [lipquirk] [yeah, Cross would have been arrested for every one of those]

[disinherited]

[ She eases back once she has his attention. ]

Maybe they're recognized no matter what the culture, [ Yomi posits, her tone not losing its cheer. She really has no place commenting, considering how her crimes would include copious amounts of murder and property destruction if she didn't have a government benefactor.

Then, perhaps a touch abruptly: ]

Do you know what job we're applying for?

[everwalking]

I don't know... I wasn't really looking for a job... [scratching behind one ear, somewhat awkwardly]

Wait, are you actually here to apply for a job? [blinks at her] [why else would you be so calm about it]

[conglomeration]

[Oh let's challenge that "weirdest-looking" thing, shall we?]

[The first thing Zelgadis did, upon finding himself decidedly elsewhere, was drop the clipboard like a hot coal and try to push his chair backwards to vacate it. Not used to wheeled chairs, and it not used to the unbalanced weight or strength of a stone man, it toppled backwards and sent Zelgadis into a backwards roll.]

[Which of course, got his hair stuck in the carpet.]

[He's making quite the ruckus between the crash and all the murmured cursing.]

[everwalking]

[he jolts out of his own seat at the crashing, poised and ready for anything-- or so he thought, until he sees the... rock elf magician that appears to be stuck in the floor] [what]

[but he recovers smoothly!! because you look like you're in need of assistance] Ah. Let me help you up! Are you hurt? [going to crouch near him]

[conglomeration]

[Trying to look around only has the carpet making a loud tearing sound, so Zelgadis resigns himself to the possibility of agreeing to be assisted by a stranger he can't even see.]

[Somewhat begrudgingly, he decides it beats having a hunk of rug in his hair.] I'm not hurt. Just stuck. [And now he can't really give a hearty yank because then he could spear helpful-guy through the face, not to mention pull a neck muscle.]

[everwalking]

[yikes. he is briefly grateful that he can't literally tear furnishings with his hair even with its tendency to spike up. okay, let's gingerly reach down there with his Innocence hand to try and get the stiff strands detached]

How did you end up embedded in the floor, exactly? I wasn't watching.

[conglomeration]

The chair fell over. [one might be able to see the tips of Zelgadis' ears turning red as he halfway admits to freaking out and falling over. But at least his hair seems to be getting free.] What is this place?

[And who are you? would be the next question, but even to a heartless jerk it's considered rude to say that to a guy who's helping you.]

[everwalking]

I haven't the faintest idea. [confessing, a little heavily. nothing looks even remotely familiar. even simple things like desks look completely bizarre and foreign, like this] [he'll probably remember to introduce himself in a minute]

I just woke up here a short while ago.

[conglomeration]

[With a few ripping sounds, his wire hair finally tugs free. Zelgadis sits back on his heels and starts fussing lightly with his bangs to make sure there's no tufts in them, at last getting a peek at the guy who seems to be in the same boat.]

[Huh, white hair. Well, he's seen worse -- he is worse.] Same here. I've never seen anyplace like this.

[everwalking]

I imagine not... [wow, he really was not mistaken, you are all rock, aren't you? he rests his elbows on his thighs, sitting back on his haunches] Where are you from, if you don't mind my asking? I-- [ehe] I was in Belgium the last I checked... [and there weren't any. you know. rock people there]

[maidenlysense]

[Petunia has been in a complete dazed state during the first hour, but Allen's comment snaps her out of it. 'That depends on what country we're in' depends on what country we're in, she hadn't even thought of the possibility that she wasn't in Melbourne oh NO]

[So she slowly turns to Allen, eyes wide]

We're -- still in Australia, aren't we?

[everwalking]

[he looks up at the girl, surprise written on his face as well. Australia? of course we're not in--] [are you a criminal]

I shouldn't think so. I've never been to Australia. You don't... Well, I suppose it may not be someplace in Europe after all. [he gives the office a deeply uncertain glance. what even is all of this stuff. and those plants aren't even real]

[maidenlysense]

Europe... [She follows Allen's gaze around the room before sinking into the chair next to him. Suddenly all of her worst fears are confirmed... She's been kidnapped overseas into an office full of fake plants.]

That's -- really far, isn't it? From Australia, that is. [she may be on the verge of a freak out]

[everwalking]

Well, yes, but... [no, you're not a criminal. you're just a young woman who is as lost as he is, and you're upset] I'm sure it's just temporary. [temporarily... far from Australia?]

[maidenlysense]

[Allen, you are the best at comforting. She glances at the 'time limit' on the communicator. Temporary... ]

M-maybe we'll get to go home if we fill this out. [and maybe this is just a really vivid dream]

[everwalking]

Right! There's a time limit and everything. I'm sure that this will all be over soon, and then we can go home.

I promise. [promises cost nothing!]

[maidenlysense]

Oh. [she does look relieved, but WAIT] But would it be as easy as that?! You don't kidnap people and just let them go! [remember when you thought petunia was a criminal allen...]

[everwalking]

Well... No one has ever really tried to kidnap me, so I couldn't say, but... I they just want us to fill out this job application thing...

[impaledcandles]

[He may be the weirdest person, but he's the best weirdest person! At least, that's what Road thinks as she makes a beeline for him.]

Allen!! [suddenly being stuck in this stupid room without the ability to use her doors doesn't seem so exasperating anymore!!]

[everwalking]

[he's focused on his clipboard so he doesn't notice her until she calls out his name, and then -- he jerks up, rising to his feet, eyes wide] Road!

[he thinks... he might be... happy to see you!]

[impaledcandles]

[She'll take what she can get, okay. She'll even bounce over and aim for his middle.]

I've missed you so much! [even though she burst into sparkles a while back] Are you here to rescue me?

[everwalking]

--You're okay. [he eases up a tiny bit, and -- and he even wraps his arms around her. warm. alive and real and almost human, the way she always is. she's okay. it makes a tiny bit of the unhappiness that's been lurking in him for months start to ease]

I wouldn't... say rescue, but... [but he is here!] Have you been here long?