revivalproject | [closed] A-MAZE-ING

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[closed] A-MAZE-ING

WHO: turtle bros
WHERE: the Warrens
WHAT: maze time!
WHEN: maze time!
WARNINGS: maze time!

If Leo's being honest, he doesn't have the best track record with mazes.

And he and Donnie haven't exactly been... okay, lately. And Leo is still worried about Donnie's leg.

So all things considered, maybe they weren't the best choice to volunteer to trek down one of the routes that opened after Keith's group went ahead.

But the thing is, Leo doesn't know if either of them would have been happy sitting around waiting for something to happen. Donnie always wants to fix things. And he would have gotten too anxious the longer they sat there.

So here they are, in the maze. Leo supposes, in good news, that nothing scary has happened yet. The maze isn't full of monsters or deadly traps. It's just big and confusing. The most dangerous hazard so far is the threat of running out of food, but at least they thought ahead on that front.

So they're exploring, and trying not to have to double back too much. This has been going on for awhile now. Leo hasn't been paying attention to how long, but he's sure Donnie knows. At least tech works down here.

"I wonder who built all this?" he asks. "Was it just for... a-maze... usment?"

This is hardly his first maze pun since they came in here, but now he's really stretching for what even counts as a pun.

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Sitting around when they're all the cusp of discovering something new? Of course Donnie wouldn't sit around for that! While he was greatly disappointed that he hadn't been able to go along with the main team, he hadn't felt entirely depressed about it, because Leo's still here with him, and he's glad that his brother hadn't thought to suggest that he stay behind once more opportunities for exploration opened up for them.

Getting down to the Warrens had certainly helped for a lot of things. Donnie's leg has felt considerably better, and he only wishes he could thank Lark for her magically laced bandages as he's sure that's helped to speed things up. It still twinges a little, but compared to the trip down, so much more bearable.

"Please tell me you're not going to do this the entire time we are down here," Donnie groans. The puns at the very least mean that his brother's in his usual spirits, the only thing really keeping Donnie from the outright urge to throttle him. Which at least would still be moving into normalcy.

"My guess though? The Atroma. The reasons still evade me, and even when I spoke with the Wanderer, he couldn't really confirm who established the cities. It sounded like they were built by drones, so whoever set up shop here has been very careful in not showing themselves."

At that question, Leo just grins cheekily.

"Who can say? It's as big a mystery as this maze!"

Leo listens to Donnie's theory, though. It makes as much sense to him as any other guess, and Donnie knows more about this stuff anyway, so Leo will trust him on it.

"So maybe they were hiding down here while they built the city with drones? Sounds like a lot of trouble to go to." Leo looks around, like maybe the tunnel itself will elucidate something. "Was it really all just for some kind of TV show?"

Have another groan for good measure, Leo.

He can't really argue that point though. There's definitely been a lot of effort put into...whatever this is.

"...I'm not sure," Donnie admits, as much as he hates to say it. "If it was, then that's a lot of a setup for entertainment. But the way it had sounded, these cities were built and then populated like they were zoos in a way. Just...for people, which is pretty messed up and more than a little creepy." He hasn't actually talked to anyone about it since he'd heard the specifics from the new plantkin, but doing so just makes it really sink in, the wrongness of it all.

"Someone went out of their way to bring foreign races in and then let them settle into their new homes, only to destroy it and try killing them off..?" He frowns. "I don't know what happened to the inhabitants of Sh'ka, but the 'lost episode' of the Fleet show that the Atroma were behind, showed the beginning of the destruction of Temba, and how the storms affected the Agrii who lived there so badly that they had no choice but to leave. Is all this here by the same hand or...are there different parties involved?"

"A zoo!?" Leo repeats, a little shocked. Wait, so each town is like... an exhibit?

Well that's pretty messed up.

He's still a little stuck on that point, but he tunes back in to listen to the rest of Donnie's musings. So maybe it was someone else who made this "people zoo", and then others wanted in on it for some reason...?

"You know, usually, in movies, when people want to drive everybody away from a place, it's because they want something that place has." This is also true in history, but it's not like Leo has learned much about anything before the 80s at best. "Like those energy crystals in Jupiter Jim Lost in the Martian Mines."

Donnie can only shrug, although he doesn't feel that much better about the thought that the cities might've just been glorified ant farms.

"Huh. Yeah, usually..." he considers, stroking his chin. "And it's not like this planet is absent of their own energy source. But could it be that simple..? -not that any of this is simple, but I guess if you want to milk things for entertainment and gain a planet-" He pauses, snout scrunching up. "But then why allow us to be brought in? The storms as they were previously didn't sound nearly as lethal as they seem to have become. Something's changed, maybe? But what..."

He drums his fingers against his tech-bō before giving a frustrated sigh. "Ugh, all this gets me is more questions."

Ah, he's probably right that it's not that simple. Leo listens to this, then steps over and gives Donnie a light smack on his battleshell.

"Well, hey! We found something new and we're exploring. Maybe we'll find some answers once we get... wherever this is leading us."

Which is hopefully not to a big dead end. He and Donnie could really use a win on the board...

"Right, right..." Donnie mutters, but he straightens up with just a spark of hope. They are heading into uncharted territory. Maybe they'll find something informative if not at least exciting and new.

"Well, at least this seems more like some kind of mysterious space exploration than poking around abandoned cities, right?" With this much potential hardware around them it has to be worthwhile. Maybe it's not a great idea hanging on so tightly to such a hope but Donnie's desperate for some headway of any kind.

Maybe it’s not a good idea, because if Donnie’s hopes are dashed again that will be devastating, but Leo can’t help but encourage hope where he sees it.

“I mean, it’s gotta mean something, right? They went to all that trouble to lock it up.”

It’s been a convoluted process to even get down here, and they may have to rely on Keith’s team again. Though, he hopes not. Cayde’s there, so that’s fine, but he doesn’t exactly feel excited to rely on Tony…

“Even if we don’t learn anything, we’ll probably find something cool!”

Donnie nods as he lifts his left wrist up to tap at his bracer, glad to have his own equipment back. So far they haven't hit any major turn-offs but he'd rather keep his map updated in case they did come across anything strange.

"And I'm fairly certain it needs not be said that being down here is far better than being stuck up there," he adds.

Things have certainly turned out more complicated than one would've thought. The whole process seems so specifically built to implement teamwork that Donnie wonders that this is also just another game they're playing into. The thought is a rankling one, but it isn't like they have much choice either. There's something to be found here, but if it's merely the value of friendship or something equally cheesy then he's going to have to kill something.

Well, he could always go out and kill a zombie!

Leo nods, even though it does go without saying. “Yeah. It was getting worse, or that’s what I heard.”

He didn’t go out in it, especially after he learned Donnie was hurt. So he never saw just how bad it got.

“At least it’s something to do.”

And hopefully isn’t just a big obstacle course for someone else’s amusement.

....he's had enough zombies for one pseudo-apocalypse, thanks.

Donnie grimaces as he wonders how things could possibly get worse when it had already seemed like it. He wonders if he should ask about Billy and Stu again, even as he simultaneously wonders why he even cares. But...idiots and jerks as they were, he remembers how terrified they'd been, just like anyone else, once Billy had gotten bitten.

He shakes his head, pushing on with a frustrated sigh.

"Well, at least things are working down here," he says, trying to focus on more positive things. He squints as the way ahead turns off abruptly.

"...you don't think a place like this would have its own version of those booby-trapped ruins in the movies do you..?"

Leo considers that.

“Mm, I’m thinking… like, a sixty percent chance?”

So saying, Leo leads then around the bend in the path… where a door slams shut behind them, blocking off the way back. There’s a large chamber before them, with three ways out, all equally blocked.

“…I might have lowballed that a little.”

"...."

Donnie looks behind them and then at the way before them, scowling.

"Guess we should've seen that coming," he says flatly. He walks up to the wall that's cut them off, running a hand along the edges although he figures there likely won't be anything to open it. He raps a knuckle against it, frowning. That'd take a while to cut through, if that'd even be possible.

"Looks like we're expected to keep going forward." He casts a bland look towards the visible yet blocked off possibilities. "Somehow. What're we supposed to do, find an invisible control panel?"

Of course even as he says this he's flipping his goggles down.

“Well,” Leo begins, grabbing his katana. “I could always… open a… portal…”

But no matter how much he slices, nothing happens. Seems whatever is jamming his powers above is working here, too. At least on his portals, if not anything else.

“Oooor not.” Leo sighs. “Do you see anything?”

Donnie’s goggles might be able to see that there are actually quite a lot of wires running just under the floor of this room, though most of them are currently inactive. But it seems like there’s one hotspot: a part of the floor just ahead of them, which seems to be waiting for them to step on it.

That...doesn't bode well. Donnie tries not to look too worried as Leo's portals don't seem to catch.

"But...that doesn't make any sense. If we were cut off again we'd feel it, right?" Or at least he usually does now that he knows how it feels being connected to his sibling. And he absolutely hated its absence as they ventured through zombie-infested territory, even when he could visibly see Leo right there.

"I don't- wait a minute." Donnie makes a face as he starts carefully forward, stepping alongside the wiring that seems to have power running. "Seriously?"

He looks towards the doors and then back to that one spot on the floor.

"Okay, so maybe I wasn't entirely off on that assumption," he says as he starts pointing things out for Leo, walking towards that area. "This whole area seems to have some sensor-based operating mechanism, except there's only one active at the moment and it would be ...right about here."

Leo does feel a bit cut off, but not as fully as he did when they were out in the storm. If Donnie can still feel it, that’s probably a good sign. But not being able to portal is a frustrating situation.

He never performs when it matters.

Any bad feelings he could be marinating in are cut off by Donnie explaining the mechanics of the room. But if it’s sensor based, then they probably shouldn’t-

Ah. Too late.

Leo hurries forward after Donnie, ready to block him from any danger, but the swinging blades or flamethrowers he’s anticipating don’t appear. Instead, the room’s lights dim a bit, a number of moodier spotlights turn on, and the wires under the floor spark to life.

There are now several sensor spots available throughout the room. A sound system sparks to life, playing classical ballroom music. And then, with a soft fizz, dozens of holograms materialize into being.

Most of them are paired, spinning about the room like dancers. These don’t seem particularly detailed; they wear matching outfits in different colors and don’t have any variation in their heights, like NPCs in a video game. But there are a few throughout the room who stand still near the sensor spots, like they’re waiting for someone to approach. These are much more detailed.

The most notable thing about them, besides being holograms, is that they’re all turtle-like - but wearing clothes, of course.

Leo looks around, surprised. “Whoa! Is this a turtle party!?”

Too wrapped up in the mechanics of the thing, Donnie hadn't even considered the potential of a trap despite literally suggesting it a few minutes ago. He blinks behind his goggles as Leo hurries over, and again when the lights shift.

"Wha..?"

He glances around at the sudden activity scattered around the room. "Is...this supposed to be some weird rendition of a dance game..?" He looks at Leo. "Sure looks like a party. Kinda...creepy that it's so very specifically populated though, don't you think?" He points at some of the figures. "There's more of those sensor spots by them."

“A dance game, huh…?”

Maybe he and Donnie will have to ballroom dance? But Leo doesn’t think either of them really know how. Sure, Dee likes to dance, but this isn’t really their family’s style.

But if it’s a dance game…

“Why are the sensor spots next to the ones that aren’t moving…? Maybe we should go over to them.”

Donnie shrugs, nudging his goggles up finally so he can actually see what things look like without the scanner overlays.

"Maybe they're waiting for a dance partner?" he suggests, although he doesn't sound entirely sold on that. "But there doesn't seem to be anything else to be triggered that isn't by one of them..."

He looks at Leo, gesturing then. Well, they may as well see what this is about, right?

They might as well! Nothing else they can do.

"Well, let's fill out our dance card," says Leo, stepping forward to lead Donnie on to the first sensor spot.

This hologram is a tall turtle man wearing a tailcoat and a top hat. Leo can't help but admire the fit, even though it isn't his style.

He steps into the sensor spot (though he himself can't see it), grinning winningly even though he isn't sure if the hologram is actually interactable.

"Heeello there! We're here for the party? Sorry if we're underdressed."

"Hah, not underdressed at all!" responds the hologram with a jolly laugh, answering the question of whether it can hear Leo or not. "Are you two here just to enjoy the party, or are you trying to make your way forward?"

Well, if they are suddenly in a death trap they can least try to have fun with it? ...wow that's a morbid thought- okay.

Donnie shakes his head, going along although he starts eyeing the holograms a little more suspiciously. He can appreciate the style but then he likes to dress up fancy whenever the chance came up, so that's probably to no one's surprise.

His eyebrows arch high as the thing responds, and he looks at Leo before glancing back at the holo-turtle.

"Interesting..." he murmurs out of the corner of his mouth. "Well, as much as we love a good party we are kind of working on a schedule." Kind of.

“A schedule!? Well, I’m sure we can accommodate that!”

The hologram claps his hands (with accompanying sound effect) and all three doors open at once.

“Oh, well, that’s nice of you!” says Leo. He thumbs towards the doors. “We’ll just be on our way then-“

“Now hold on, whippersnapper!” says the well-dressed turtle, holding out a hand to stop them. “One of those paths leads ahead. Two of them loop back to the entrance. And once you choose, the doors will lock.” He spreads out his hands. “So you just have to figure out which is the right one before you continue.”

“Oh, okay.” Leo glances around. “Soooo… how do we do that?”

“Oh, mingle! Introduce yourself!” The hologram waves him on. “I’m sure someone has the answer.”

Huh. Donnie blinks, about to pull his goggles down again when the hologram interrupts them.

"Wh- really?" That sounds annoyingly pointless. "Why can't you just unlock them again?" That seems the simplest thing to do, but he doubts this AI will do it if it's not programmed to. Maybe it'll just need some 'encouragement.'

"Mingle. Did you miss the part about us being on a schedule??"

“If your schedule is that tight, I guess you better hop to it!” The turtle waves them on again. “Go on now!”

And then he freezes back in his waiting position.

Leo looks around, at the other holograms frozen and waiting. “I guess this is some kind of challenge… but hey, how hard can it be? We just have to talk to some AI!”

Scowling at the now inert holoturtle, Donnie lowers his goggles to try having a look towards the awaiting doors.

"I guess? Just some weird interactive video game," he mutters with a shrug. "Well, each trigger is conveniently right in front of a hologram."

Maybe he'd enjoy this more if it weren't dependent on their progression. Tentatively he starts towards the next nearest turtle.

"Salutations, I've been informed that you might be able to lend us some assistance."

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