taxonomites | now i rock a house party at the drop of a hat.

now i rock a house party at the drop of a hat.

It's around five o'clock in the morning when the citizens of Taxon find themselves inexplicably transported into rooms within the Sanctuary. Doors are left open and beds unmade, food abandoned and lights left on, still shining brightly for those who were awake and are no longer present. The Extras don't seem to notice the captive population's sudden disappearance, continuing on with their business as usual.

For those relocated, though, it's an entirely different story.

They find themselves in rooms with white, alabaster walls that gives them an almost too-clean feeling, as if the entire place was sanitized prior to their arrival. The room assignments are seemingly random, people placed on floors with those they don't know and don't like, people they would rather not be within twenty feet of. It matters not, for what's done is done and cannot be undone. For those who happen to have pets, they'll find them waiting for their owners in the rooms as if nothing is out of the ordinary.

The only thing the captives have managed to bring with them is the clothes on their back and the tablets. On them, they find the following message:

SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE PLEASE ENJOY YOUR STAY WHILE WE ADDRESS CERTAIN TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES

Unfortunately for those who try to find a means of escape, they'll discover there is none. Leaving the Sanctuary will prove to be as difficult as leaving Taxon itself. However, if one heads down the right corridor and the right floor, they'll find something else entirely lurking in their midst...

( ooc | sorry for the delay in posting! your mods were otherwise occupied with things of the irl variety this morning. THIS BE A PARTY POST, Y'ALL. room assignments are here, and refer back to the sott post proper for any additional information. please contact us with any questions/concerns you may have in regards to this plot. ♥ )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

River's drippy appearance gives Kaylee a welcome distraction from her dislocation puzzle, and she peers at the screen curiously. Somebody found the pool, maybe? Kaylee isn't sure she wants the exact details.

River's concern snaps her right back into her own, and she nervously grips at the sheet around her. "Here? Ain't left, that I can remember. Was goin' to bed one second, then woke up here." A month later.

"You skipped," she says after a moment, shock melting back into seriousness. It's what happened to her last year, skipping ahead and missing time. The fact that this happened to Kaylee on the other side doing the skipping is more disturbing than being stuck in the Sanctuary.

Give her a minute, she'll be knocking on Kaylee's door shortly.

Kaylee nods. She isn't quite sure what to make of the situation, not when she doesn't even have a clue as to what went on in that time. "Seems that way," she chokes out. Not a good day in Hamsterville when you can't remember what's happened.

"What'd I miss?"

"Vampires," which is an accurate if woefully condensed answer. "Jayne is an inefficient guardian."

Also true.

The elevator dings to a halt and River begins the complex task of keeping the doors open, holding her tablet, and carrying two buckets of lobsters. During the ensuing visual acrobatics while the tablet moves from hand to hand Kaylee might notice both the lobsters and River's current lack of pants.

Vampires...probably a pretty bad glitch, thank you Taxon. And the Jayne comment is, well, a Jayne comment. He's good in a pinch, but that doesn't mean he's always reliable.

Oh, but lobsters, there's something Kaylee didn't expect. She stares at the tablet for a moment, as if debating whether or not she should ask, then shakes her head. "Might I ask what you're doin', mei mei?"

"Transferring refugees. The fifteenth floor isn't suitable. Hazardous."

Hopefully Kaylee won't mind them finding a temporary home in her hallway while they reconnect. River even manages to get them off the elevator and set down beside Kaylee's door in what could possibly be record-lobster transferring time.

Knock knock knock.

There isn’t much to be said on the subject of refugees. River’s probably stolen them from a kitchen somewhere, and Kaylee’s not about to tell her it was wrong of her to do so. The lobsters will live to lobster another day (because who knows what lobsters actually do all day, really?).

Kaylee has already moved to the door, and by the third knock her hand is on the doorknob and the door is being flung open. The mechanic stands there for a moment, quietly taking in River and her buckets, before stepping back to allow them into the room. “C’mon, ‘fore they come bangin’ down the door to find where their dinners went.”

"Damon is singular," she explains quickly before pulling the lobster-filled buckets inside with her. Not that the door could stop him, but River neglects to elaborate on that point.

Instead she sets the buckets down and gives Kaylee look-over, checking for irregularities and changes.

Finding none, she frowns.

"I didn't see."

Kaylee isn't sure she can place who exactly Damon is. If she's interacted with him at all she can't recall, but hopefully he isn't someone who's going to want to start a fight over a few removed lobsters. "Before he comes bangin' the door down, then."

Thankfully, there aren't any changes to be seen. The mechanic has already checked herself over a couple times, and there's no sign of what might have happened.

She shakes her head. "Neither did I, when it happened to you." It's beyond troubling.

River will point him out eventually, complete with a vague warning. Once they're out, she'll have to get Kaylee a vervain-something, too.

But she's inside enough that the door can close, and she's looking at Kaylee with a mix of relief and apology, with just a hint of anxiety floating around the edges and hooking in her eyebrows.

"They meddle." What was once benign uninvolvement and the safety in distance from the monsters back home is quickly worrying itself away into a familiar rut of distrust.

There isn't any guarantee that Kaylee would heed said warning, but if she can get some idea of who he is and what all he gets up to it will make keeping an eye on River's doings much easier.

For now, Kaylee closes the door behind them, and takes a moment to check over River. An entire month missed, but she doesn't seem to have any limbs missing.

She nods. "More'n meddle, I'd say." Especially if their sudden life in the Sanctuary is any indication.

No limbs missing, no new scars. Which is exceptionally good considering the current vampiric mess going on around them.

River frowns, mutters, "They hurt," as a quiet clarification as to the aliens' meddling, and starts to take off her vervain necklace. Kaylee might need this later more than she will.

It's good enough for Kaylee, at any rate. As long as River's in good condition, she's happy.

Kaylee offers River a small, if shaky, smile. "Do at that, sometimes, which's why we just gotta look out for each other."

No worse for wear, all things considered. General verdict (excepting lingering tiredness from sleepless nights and missing doses) is: okay, thumbs up, right-o.

"Here," and River is holding out the locket (http://ny-image3.etsy.com/il_570xN.199036283.jpg) in her fist for Kaylee like she's offering her a popsicle. Her face gone pinched and concerned, that this is important look. "It's magic," is her belated half-truth of an explanation.

Kaylee stares at the offered necklace for a good ten seconds or so before looking back up to River's face. Magic, of all things? For River to say something is magic...

"What's it for?" she asks, reaching out to let the locket rest in her hand as she inspects it. She won't take it, not until she knows what it is and what put the idea of it being magic into River's head, but a look doesn't hurt.

River has been in Taxon a long time and seen a lot of usually unexplainable things. She's also lying, but the second point doesn't negate the first.

She pauses, chooses words very carefully.

"Protection." Breathe, weigh options, continue, "From tampering. It's important."

Lying would probably be a better explanation for River's words, but Kaylee doesn't exactly know that. The struggle of choosing her words is as close a glimpse as Kaylee gets.

"Tamperin' from who?" Because if it's from the hamsters? Kaylee's probably going to insist that River keep it. Hell, she'll probably insist that she keep it no matter what. River does tend to get herself into more trouble.

She shakes her head, no not hamsters. "Reaching in," is her first attempt at clarification.

Then, a little more anxious and a lot more insistent, "I can't make it tea. Won't last that way. Has to stay a defensive maneuver."

'Reaching in.'

Helpful, River. That whole thing is just...obviously beyond helpful.

Kaylee just keeps on frowning at the thing. It isn't likely that they've found something to keep the aliens from messing with them, but River is putting so much importance into the gorram necklace that it has to be something just as, if not more, useful. "River, mei mei, you're gonna have to give me more'n that. And couldn't we hatch another one, if you're lookin' to share?"

Hey, she's trying, and looking utterly frustrated with her own attempts at explanation. It's taking all her focus and determination to not waver, and the effort might not be able to last much longer.

"Temporary precaution. You need it."

It doesn’t explain anything, but River is adamant, and Kaylee finally takes the necklace with some hesitance. She’s probably got a good reason for it, even if her explanations make no sense whatsoever.

“How long do I need it for?”

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

now i rock a house party at the drop of a hat.

[ visual ]

[ visual ]

[ visual ]

[ visual ]

[ visual ]

[ visual ]

[ visual ]

[ visual ]

[ visual ]

[ visual ]

[ visual ]

[ visual ]

[ visual ]

[ visual ]

[ visual ]

[ visual ]

[ visual ]

[ kaylee's room ] PRETEND IT'S SAID THIS FOR A WHILE...

[ kaylee's room ] lmao I kept meaning to do that XDD

[ kaylee's room ] lol we are so retroactively swift

[ kaylee's room ] obviously we are boss 8)