dramatispersonae | Naoto's Heart

Naoto's Heart

You find yourself falling through a black abyss, the air cold around you, although not bitingly so. Just as your eyes begin to adjust to the darkness on every side, you're dropped through a chute and tossed out into a brightly-lit area...

((#hardwired))

Threaded | Flat

At first glance it seems as though the area you've landed in is the interior of a clock tower, or something like it. The walls are exceedingly tall and lined with cogs and gears, apertures and wires—some big, some small. What's most noticeable is how they're all turning or shifting, some working in tandem with others, some moving independently. The ground is expansive and circular, with more gears twisting and turning underneath your feet, although it's all protected by some kind of clear plexiglass. Behind you is the chute you came in through, and in the middle of the area is what appears to be a metallic manikin… or part of one, anyway. It's missing some parts. There are four doors on the wall side opposite you, each circular in nature. Aside from the occasional creaking from the walls, everything is completely silent.

The doorway leads you down a long, dark hallway into a brightly-lit classroom. There are rows of desks, several bookshelves lining the walls, a chalkboard with writing on it, a safe, and a projector pointing at a screen at the front of the room.

Naoto is standing in front of the chalkboard with her back to you, occasionally writing on it and then erasing. You’ll notice something is different about her right away. Although she’s dressed androgynously as usual, in a simple high school boy’s uniform, her right sleeve seems to be missing, exposing a metallic arm that moves with a strange, mechanical noise as she writes.

However, she doesn’t seem to notice you.

The doorway leads you down a long, dark hallway into a brightly-lit room with checkered floors. It looks very much like a typical police station; there are a few long desks with uncomfortable-looking office chairs next to them, along with filing cabinets and papers strewn about everywhere. An old television set sits on top of one of the filing cabinets. Some telephones lay strewn about, ringing endlessly both on and off their hooks. There’s a small lobby to your left, with a few chairs and things. On the wall to your right is a large signboard, and next to it is what looks like an interrogation room (the windows are all foggy). However, you can hear someone in there, yelling in anger.

The doorway leads you down a long, dark hallway into a brightly-lit room resembling a laboratory or a medical room, of the exceedingly shady sort. There’s a sickly green hue to everything, bright liquids splattering the floor and walls and a few large drill-like devices that look like they could eviscerate you cleanly. On a table lie some hacksaws, scalpels, clamps, surgical gloves, and an orbitoclast. The exam room lights are focused on an operating table in the middle of the floor.

Lying on the operating table is a mechanical torso, but were it not for the clearly visible wired interior, it would look entirely human. There’s someone bent over it, drilling something into place with the loud whirrrrrr of an electric screwdriver. Their long, oversized white lab coat trails onto the floor behind them.

The doorway leads you down a long, dark hallway into what appears to be a replication of the Ring in Three’s Cove. There’s a wide-screen HD television in the middle with a remote sitting atop it. There are several paths to take: to the right is a small pathway leading to a cabin; next to it is another path that seems to lead into a very dark swamp; to the left is a path that leads into a hedge maze; and next to that is a path that leads into a street.

The path to the swamp is dark, musty, and lined with trees. As you approach, you’ll notice two things: a rowboat resting on the shore, and a small stone figure sitting on a rock in the middle of the water. There are fireflies flitting about, giving light to the area… but it’s still very dim.

You jump in, and very quickly you’re sliding down a hollow chute. (Keep your hands and feet close to your body at all times until the ride is over) You’re moving very fast, and the wind is harsh enough to sting your eyes. There’s a light at the end but you can’t quite make it out until—

Well, at least there’s something soft for you to land on, because you’re getting tossed. Feels like pillows?

Threaded | Flat

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