WEEK 2

[grimgrinningghosts]

[One week. One week spent in the Haunted Mansion, and nothing seems to have changed. The hinges still creak in doorless chambers, strange and frightening sounds still echo through and you still occasionally catch a flicker of candlelight out of the corner of your eye. You might be slowly becoming familiar with the mundanity of this communal life, and we've recognized that possibility.

Something has to give.]

[SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY]

{ooc: Don't forget to turn in your week 1/intro AC! As per murdergame tradition, this begins our new weekly schedule - Tuesday and onwards are locked for the motive. Everybody's just working for the weekend.

Additionally, a few people this week are going to get tagged by...something. If you'd like to opt out of this, please let us know.}

Comments

[sixfingeredstan]

I—suppose so, yes. [You're asking the wrong old man, here. He grins and snatches up that sweet, sweet tuna sandwich.] Excellent.

[He begins to eat it, chewing and swallowing, his stomach grumbling happily now that he's finally feeding it.]

Pimentos are good. Especially in olives.

[aboyandhiscar]

Good to know! I'll have to try that tomorrow siiiince, I used up all the olives. [Those heroes to the side? All have olives stuck on top with toothpicks. Whoops.

But he is noting that eagerness to food as he continues making more sandwiches out of whatever ingredients are left.]

Hungry much, dude? You've been eating, right?

[sixfingeredstan]

[Ford shrugs his indifference, already halfway through his first sandwich and contemplating another.]

When I have to. I'm too busy to worry much about things like eating, to be honest. But every now and then I do have to give in.

[aboyandhiscar]

Dude. [WHY ARE GENIUSES LIKE THIS... he shakes his head as he slaps together some kinda pastrami and mustard.]

If you wanna keep the smarts sharp, don't skip on the meals. S'all free, anyway. Though I'd love to hear what's keeping you busy.

[sixfingeredstan]

I'll have you know I'm healthy as a horse. [Look at him, he lifts so many weights.] I've been busy interviewing our housemates. I'm trying to determine whether there's a common thread in our lives that explains why we've been chosen to come here.

[aboyandhiscar]

Totally healthy! 'Cept I've never seen a real horse before. [ARE they healthy?? Eh probably. He shrugs.] The little bio thingies don't tell you enough about folks? Though I guess there's not much else to do here but talk.

[sixfingeredstan]

They're not that impressive. But the metaphor still holds salience. They're very strong. [He scoffs.]

Not nearly enough! There's no way to sum up a lifetime of experiences in a few sentences. I've learned quite a lot this past week from these little chats.

[aboyandhiscar]

Well look at you, Mr. Social. I just kinda figured what you see is what you get.

Does that mean you've shared some phd getting, dimension hopping stories?

[sixfingeredstan]

That kind of thinking is the exact opposite of my entire life's work. What you see is very rarely what you get, scientifically speaking.

[He waves a hand.] A few, here and there.

[aboyandhiscar]

Scientifically speaking. . .I'm totally not a scientist, haha. I'll take your word for it.

But c'mon, man. You can't talk about learning all this stuff about folks and then give such a wishy washy answer. Let's hear some stories. I'll swap you a tuna salad sandwich. [it's basically just tuna and mayo]

[sixfingeredstan]

Probably the wise choice. [He has 12 PhDs, ergo, he is usually right.

He shrugs.]

Sounds like a fair enough trade. What would you like to hear? Action? Adventure? Romance~?

[aboyandhiscar]

What, you don't have a story with all three? Surprise me, Pops! [he's gonna slide that sammich right on over]

[sixfingeredstan]

Oh, I'm sure I can dig something up.

[Ford polishes off his second sandwich and starts in on the third. Clearly his appetite was more voracious than he thought.]

Hmmm. Let's see...

[He takes another, thoughtful bite, and decides on a story that does indeed combine all three. It's got swashbuckling, exploring, laser guns, and a love interest that Ford does not specify the gender of, because they were an alien and really it's none of anyones business what their gender was!]

...And that's how I saved Universe 35-C.17.

[aboyandhiscar]

[Holy shit it's like listening to one of Tex's crazy adventure movies and a nerdy podcast all in one. Which is to say MIKE IS IMPRESSED. Intrigued enough to finally stop sandwhich stacking by the end of it, even. He listens with a grin, eyes wide with genuine excitement.]

Dude. If it weren't for the fact we're standing here right now, no way would I believe all that! It's a dang miracle you're alive, but you got that happy ending.

[sixfingeredstan]

[Ford chuckles and waves his hand, but he looks pleased that Mike seemed to enjoy his story.]

Only one of many. Of course, they never last, but I've had enough unhappy endings that the rare happy one is like a ray of sunshine.

[aboyandhiscar]

Even on victory can make up for a dozen bad ends, dude. It's no wonder you're on top of things here, bet you've pretty much seen it all by now.

[sixfingeredstan]

That is very true. I've lived a long life of adventure, but this? This is definitely the most...twisted thing I've encountered.

[At least Bill was just straight up insane and maniacal. But a murder mansion...there's just something sinister about it.]

[aboyandhiscar]

Yeah? Is it the ghosts or the expectation to just hurt a bunch of random strangers that amps it up to twisted for you?

[sixfingeredstan]

[Ford gives Mike a very wry smile.] Ghosts, I've dealt with. It's most assuredly the latter.

[aboyandhiscar]

And here I thought you'd say it was both! Should have known. [Ghosts and magic, all still BS to him, and he's hoping that never exists back home, dang.]

The latter's bad, yeah, but...in a way, I'm not surprised. I mean it's screwed up, for sure, but folks with power always get a kick out of setting folks on one another.

[sixfingeredstan]

That does tend to be the way the world turns, no matter what world it happens to be.

[Ford has seen it in countless dimensions. It's unfortunate.]

[aboyandhiscar]

Good to know evil and big bads are universal across dimensions.

Now I'm curious--what's the biggest jam you've been in before coming here?

[sixfingeredstan]

Ah—

[Ford hesitates. Maybe if he just avoids specifics...]

The worst would have to be the time I may or may not have accidentally allowed an interdimensional being to create a rift in reality and invade my town with monsters and nightmares and turn the entire town into stone.

[See it's fine.]

But, ah, we fixed that. It's fine now.

[aboyandhiscar]

[jeezus.

That gets a LOOK for a moment.

but like ford said its fine now!!! right??? yes.]

Uh. Wow. That's highly specific and exceeds my expectations soooo. Cool?

Guess you're one heckuva hero, Pops.

[sixfingeredstan]

[He's gotten plenty of Looks in his day. He's not fazed by it.

He gives a gargantuan shrug.]

I don't think fixing your own mistakes makes you a hero...but thank you.