An Outpost Visit (11/8/22)

Violet lands at the outpost but she has some trouble landing as she gets used to her wings again

She brushes her gray hair out of her face as she looks around the outpost, expecting the smell of weed to hit her face due to what she has read about the locals here

As Violet lands on the outpost, a... tornado siren goes off? It's loud. Violet can hear someone scream "BREACH! BREAAACH!" as multiple people crowd Violet. They don't sound happy.

"Woah woah woah! Hey I'm friendly! I talked with Otto! That should count for something?"

Violet puts her hands up in a non-threating way

Someone taps on Violets shoulder.

Violet turns to look to who might be standing behind her

"Sup." 

They try to hit Violet with a metal baseball bat. Hard enough to knock Violet out, not enough to do too much harm.

"Wha-?"

Violet is completely caught off guard, as she was not expecting a fight when she landed or a bat swing to her face as she goes down for the count

"Fuck... Take 'em to the interrogation chamber."

That's the last thing Violet hears before she's fully out. 

After a while, she wakes up in an almost fully concrete room. Some of the walls have blood stains.

Her leg's cuffed to her chair, which is bolted to the ground.

Someone's sitting across her, writing stuff on a clipboard.

"Owww..."

As Violet comes to and sees the blood stains she panics and try's to stand as she struggle due to the cuff on the chair as she realizes the person sitting across from her

"Hey what the heck dude?! That was totally uncalled for!"

"Oh, shit- You're up early."

They extend a hand.

"Hey there."

She is too panicked to anything but shake a hand

"Can I have an explanation to what is going on? I just came for a visit! I did not expect a mob to try and attack me?!"

"Oh, uh, just our security system... We installed it after the last police raid. It's been useful since this whole apocalypse thing started, so we kept it around."

"So then can I be unbound from the chair?"

"Eh... not yet. Why are ya here?"

"I was DMing Otto and they said I could come and visit? I wanted to check this place out and it's research. Besides; I wanted to see anything here about Raine and what they did here."

"Oh... You asked Otto? Fuck, we weren't notified... Uh...I'll take you out, just... ignore everything in the room once you're out and done!"

They grab a key, get up, walk over to Violet, crouch, and remove the cuff.

"Thank you? Wait- who even are you?"

She stand as she looks around the room for a moment

There's a bloody axe, bloody chainsaw, gloves, trash bags, ice bags, a ton of shit in the room.

"We prepare for the worst. Hah... Sorry!"

"Thats... alright. Just can I get out of this room? That would be great." 

"Yeah, yeah, just... Leave the room, second door to the... left? Should lead to the hatch."

"Thanks... never caught your name?"

"Yup, uhh, just get goin' now! Mhm! You? Out. Yep."

"Fine."

She leaves the room without another word

Violet climbs out a hatch back to the outpost. Everyone looks over, notices it's Violet, and that her kneecaps are still there, and resume to doing whatever they were doing.

Violet looks confused as she looks around for a map of some kind or some place that seems to hold files

There's a large cluster of treehouses. Through the windows Violet can see several bookshelves.

It looks empty.

Violet makes her way to the closest treehouse listening for any movement before heading inside

Violet can faintly hear someone going "Fuck... What if that was her dude?!", followed by a "Eh, she'll probably get out."

Violet opens the door anyway

"Hello?"

"Oh, hi? Are you the Violet I talked to on Discord?"

"Yea that's me! You must be Otto?"

"YES! I AM SO-SO-SO-SO SORRY FOR WHAT HAPPENED IT'S JUST OUR SECURITY SYSTEM-"

"Oh my Gaia Otto, shut UP."

Violet giggles

"Your fine your fine. It just slipped your mind I bet!"

Violet turns to Melanie

"And you are?"

"Melanie. I do archival here at the outpost."

"Oh? Well then you and me are going to get along swimmingly. Tell me Melanie, do you know where I can find info on Raine Evens? Or perhaps this Null or Source you all speak of?"

"Archives on Raine are blocked. Null and Source are available at the third floor."

"Mel, I asked you if we could get another sample and-"

"AND FUCKING WHAT, OTTO. YOU SAW WHAT FUCKING HAPPENED. NOBODY IS GETTING ACCESS THERE ANYMORE. OKAY?! NOW SHUT UP ABOUT IT."

"So it was that bad huh? The tic-tacs? Truthfully I'm not surprised."

"Why? You know anything about 'em?"

"I might, I might not. Truthy it is hunch on what they are... but I know what Raine has made in the past, and I know how dangerous it can be."

"...interesting? Wanna elaborate?"

"Raine has made a pill in the past called R053... it... it changes a person, makes them forget everything about ones self and replaces it with a different personality completely, for the worse manly."

"Oh shit... I was talking to that dude earlier cuz like, Lud was dm'ing him on my account-"

"And how do you know this. For all we know, you could be one of his friends that came here to destroy our samples."

"I done extensive research and for myself... I have taken R053 in the past. Granted I was not proud of my past actions but I have gotten help to where my R053 only is activated when I see a sewing needle and deactivated, so to speak, when I see a flower."

Mel looks at Otto. Horrible timing for this. Oh fuck.

"Well, that's... interesting. Even then, I can't allow you near the samples. Most I can do is show you source and Null research."

"That is fine... do you have any journals or papers that I can see that Raine wrote? No need for samples."

"They're... kept with the samples. Can't show you them. Sorry."

Otto nods panicked.

"That's fine with me... then if it is alright I'll love to see the source and Null research!"

Sigh of relief. "Go up that ladder, and then the other one, and look for the Recent Research shelf. You should be able to find it."

Violet nods

"Thank you both so much."

Violet follows the directions and heads up the ladders

As Violet leaves, Otto and Mel are panicking.

"Is your sewing shit still up there?"

"Fuck... I-I don't know?!"

"THIS IS WHY WE TELL YOU TO DO YOUR PERSONAL SHIT IN THE FUCKING ROOMS!"

"I KNOW OTTO, CAN YOU PLEASE JUST SHUT UP?!"

"WELL I'M SOOOORRY I DON'T WANT TO SEE WHAT THAT DRUG DO!"

"AND IT'S MY FAULT?! YOU INVITED HER OVER!"

"AND YOU'RE AN UNORGANIZED BITCH!"

gasps in archivist "ME? UNORGANIZED?! I'LL SHOW YOU WHO'S UNORGANIZED YOU MOTHERFU-"

a fight breaks out.

Violet continues to look for the Recent Research shelf

As Violet looks, she notices a hoodie sitting on top one of the reading desks on the floor she's on.

She try to keep looking for the Recent Research shelf and if nothing she will lift the hoodie to check for files or folders

Nothing.

"Where in the world could it be?"

She keeps looking, going up and down ladders trying to find any files or folders

The more she looks, the more she feels lost, I mean, it's not some weird endless bullshit, but it sure feels like it.

She stops on the floor where Melanie said the files on Null and source should be again.

Meanwhile, on the ground.

Melanie and Otto stop fighting. They notice the, well, lack of noise coming from upstairs, so they decide to slowly climb up. Otto decides to delay a bit to get a baseball bat, just in case.

Violet double and triple checks the floor for files and folders

"Where could they be?"

Violet has checked everything except the hoodie.

Violet checks the hoodie

There's some files under it! 

And a sewing kit.

"Cool! SEWING KIT!"

Button's looks the sewing kit like a child a she grabs it and sits on the floor as she starts to sew with what she has in the kit

Melanie makes it to the third floor. She looks at what she thinks is Violet.

"Uhh.. hey Violet?"

"HELLO?!"

GASPS

"New person!"

Buttons jumps to her feet as she spirts up to Melanie and grabs her hand and shakes it hard

"Hello! Hello! HELLO! Names BUTTONS! Pleasure to meet you!"

Oh fuck. Oh fuck she wasn't lying. Oh sweet Gaia oh fuck. "Hey there... B-Buttons? Uh... I'm Melanie, my friend Lud is gonna come over in a bit... Uh... What're you doin' here?"

"I have no clue! Last I remember I was driving a car and- NOW I'M HERE! YIPPIE!"

She jump up and down excitedly

Otto climbs up to the third floor, Melanie signals for him to hide the baseball bat before going up fully.

"Uh... You alright Violet?"

"Who is Violet?"

Buttons lets out a big laugh

"Who names their child after a color?"

Otto looks at Melanie. He tries to signal for Mel to distract her and she nods.

"Hey, Buttons... uh, look, there's a drawer with some... y'know... buttons? Over here...?"

"REALLY?!"

Buttons looks for the drawer of buttons immediately

Mel signals for Otto to strike, and he does as such. Same deal, hard enough to knock out, not hard enough to cause brain damage or whatever.

"Wait a minute- there is no but-"

Buttons fall to floor with a THUD

Melanie picks her body up.

"Fuck... D-Do we just show her a flower or something or-"

"Are you kidding me? We can test that fucking pill shit out. See what actually happens... Send her to the interrogation room, I have a plan."

Second first, same as the first.

Cuffed by the leg to a chair that is bolted.

Concrete room with blood stains.

Someone sitting in front of Buttons with a clipboard.

Buttons wakes

"There was no buttons."

Buttons gives a pouty face. She seems more upset about that then the fact she is chained and was knock out cold

Otto puts the clipboard down. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Let's start from the beginning. Who are ya?"

"Buttons!"

She raises her hands like a cheer

"When were you born?"

"Christmas Eve!"

"...like, last years christmas eve?"

"Yep!"

She gives a thumbs up

"...so you're not even a year old?"

Buttons try's to do math which hurts her head

"I guess so!"

"Oh my- Where are ya parents?"

"My Doll Makers? There at the church silly!"

"What church?"

"Lucy's and Blossom's Church!"

"Who?"

"You ask so many questions! It is located in Nashville, Tennessee! Maybe they can help you!"

"And we're in Meridian. I ain't going out of state for this."

"Oh is that where we are! Cool!"

"...so, can you tell us more about those doll makers?"

"Well Lucy is cool and she makes funny black tentacles come from her back! Blossom is very kind and will help you anytime in need!"

"I'm.. tentacles?"

"Yep!"

She gives a big smile

"...okay, can you like... explain a bit more about the church?"

"It's big and has an amazing arts and crafts area!"

Buttons looks to Otto with a smile like she is done talking, she seems not to know much

"I... I see. Tell me Buttons, have any of your doll makers, mainly whoever Lucy is, killed... someone?"

"Oh course not! That would be absurd! Lucy protects Buttons and Buttons protects Lucy!" 

"So, if I were to say that I would... harm Lucy. What would you do?"

"I would have to kill you!"

She gives the biggest smile

"Have you ever killed someone because they threatened Lucy?"

"I have tried!"

"And never succeeded?"

"They captured me! Then I woke up in a nice room!"

"...are you talking about us?"

"Nope! This room was cleaner and had a bedroom and a nice living room!"

"I. Okay. Sure. Can you tell us more about yourself though?"

"Why so many questions! UGHHHH"

She gives like a pouty face like a two year old

"I like buttons, sewing needles, and dolls!"

He slams the table. "HEY. Don't complain about the questions, m'kay? And... What about flowers?"

"Flowers? I have heard of them but never seen them before."

"Do you wanna see one?"

"Sure!"

She looks happy with a smile

Otto prays to Gaia that this works. And if it doesn't she's right next door anyways so whatever.

He pulls a flower out.

Buttons looks at the flower as Violet gives a big sigh as she relaxes in the chair

"I really hate Buttons so much. Sorry you had to deal with that."

"You're good. We got... some info."

Violet Spirit — 11/08/2022 8:41 PM

"Well glad you got some info... can I just... Sigh see the Null and source files without getting turned into a child?"

"...listen, you wanna know about the Null?

"All you have to know is that it exists. It's not really something to be learned, it's something to be seen."

"If you really wanna learn about Null, or source, reading it won't result in any knowledge gained."

"I see. May I see it then?"

"You're lucky."

Otto pulls out a case and taps on it.

It slowly opens up and there's a blue-ish crystal sustained by metal framing.

It feels weird to even be in the same room as it.

"What is it?"

Violet looks at it with curiosity

"Null. Pure, solid Null."

"It's beautiful. What can you do with it?"

"Once you manage to harness it? Mold anything really. It's a bit fragile though. Not the best for weaponry."

"That's incredible! I'm curious, because I like asking weird questions, what if you ate it?"

"...your stomach would probably turn in on itself. Infinite folding. Eventually your entire body would be filled with your stomach."

He coughs. "It reacts weird with acids."

"Well we don't want that."

Violet looks at it

"Could I hold it or would that be to dangerous as well?"

"Without proper safety equipment, it could make your limbs go numb forever."

"So that's a no. What about Source?"

"A bit easier to handle. Not lethal when touched so that's good. Don't have a sample on me."

"Well that good that it's not lethal, anything else you can say about the two?"

"They say alchemy was a gift from God. And we've, in a way, become our own Gods. We've managed to bring life from nothing, just by harnessing the pure energy around us. Every THING, every WHERE, every TIME, can be used as a vessel for both of them. And even we aren't aware of the true power these things behold."

"I figured something out a while ago about source. It's fuel not only for machines, but for minds. It presses that big green 'Go' button that tells you to create. We've managed to write an entire bookshelf worth of research from one paper alone because of it."

"The Null is different in the sense where it's a weird example of how time and place affect an object. It's everything in one, compact object. Yet, at the same time, it's nothing. The first time we made Null, the treehouses multiplied. Almost infinite. An endless stairwell of faux knowledge and material that it provided to us somehow. We stored it, and we kept it under lock and key. We've been leading our research with what we found. It's... a mess in general. Just know it's a lot of stuff, yet nothing."

"Fascinating. What do you think is out there. What other powers do you think are out there that have not yet been found or discovered?"

"No clue. There's probably enough we didn't find. Some stuff we skipped. Who knows."

He sighs. "I'll let you go. I need to shut up and just... try to understand everything with Raine now. He's messing with MY Ludwig."

"What do you mean he is messing with Ludwig?"

"I... I don't know yet. He's just been very weird recently and I found out he's apparently talking to him. I'm gonna try to keep shit sane." 

Otto uncuffs Violet.

"I'm just... Just scared to lose him. Especially right now."

"I've talked to Raine too. He seems to be alive but I know he is not. Maybe he is some ghost? I signed up for his therapy thing so we will see how that goes."

"...mind if you dm me the link to the sign-up as well?"

"Of course!"

Violet gets on her phone and DMs the link to them

"Thank you. I'll fill it out later. You should get going, it's getting kind of late."

"I will. Thank you Otto."

Violet leaves the room and climbs out a hatch, back to the outpost, as she flies back home