THE MOCK WEEK

[grimgrinningghosts]

[You find yourself waking in a large dressing room, incredibly spacious, but in intense disarray. The bed is comfortable enough, and each room seems to be equipped with a working bathroom and shower, so it's at least livable. But aesthetically, the place has hit the floor.

The horrifying clock mounted on the wall reads 9 am. After enough searching, you'll find a large tourist-y map of the studio on one of the dressers. An ominous note attached to the map with a paperclip reads "12PM WAITING AREA". It's not like you have any choice in the matter, seeing as there doesn't seem to be any way out.

Upon exiting the dressing room, you note a crooked star attached to the door bearing your name. There are 24 others like this, bearing names that you may or may not recognize. A quick tour around the studio reveals it to be in a similar state of disrepair, but something doesn't sit...right with you. Though the place is certainly creepy, you get strange vibes as you explore the building. As you move about the dust-filled halls of the abandoned building, you may spot movement out of the corner of your eye, or hear strange noises from behind you. It's nothing to be worried about, though...right?

At the very least, you'll find some comfort. The projection room and attached theater still seem to be in working order, though you'll have to manually grab one of the reels off the wall and start the thing yourself. In addition, the waiting area and lounge are both filled with reading materials, and the later features a large stage and a microphone. The commissary seems to replenish itself with food whenever you take your eyes off of it, ensuring that we won't be going hungry anytime soon. There are also cabinets full of ingredients and a small kitchen should you not trust whatever your benefactor is placing out for you.

Fortunately for them, the smaller individuals amongst your party won't find a great deal of difficulty moving around. Though their beds remain oversized, there seem to be appropriately-sized staircases and escalators placed about in appropriate spots, so as to make their lives easier. After all, they can't just keep relying on the others to get up to the cabinets and such, can they?

While you're waiting to find out what the deal here is, you might as well come out and socialize.]

(ooc: Welcome to the Foolish Mortals Mock Week! Please follow us on Plurk at foolishmortals for updates, and if you're so inclined, please feel free to join your Discord-inept head moderator as he struggles to set up a Discord chat up for everyone.)

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MOTIVE: Back to the Future

[notjustanytoon]

[A formal announcement over the PA instructs everyone to gather in the foyer at 12:30pm. The judge has appeared there, and quietly waits for the crowd to assemble. His weasels flank him once more, though in light of their own incompetency, Judge Doom has decided to bring a sidearm of his own, holding a cartoony pistol in his other hand. He waits for everyone to gather before he speaks.]

In line with my previous suggestion of offering incentives, I have decided to offer you all one you might find to be quite tempting.

[He quietly addresses the crowd of onlookers, tapping his cane impatiently as he speaks. He points to a large clock in the foyer, which slowly begins to rewind on it's own as he speaks.]

Please excuse the crudity of this model, but what I am offering you now is a chance to change your past through otherworldly means. Perhaps you can undo your past mistakes, and rid yourself of the crimes that have placed you here in the first place. Or perhaps, you may utilize this opportunity to save a loved one. There are quite a number of things you could do with this opportunity, and is not my business to discuss what each of you would do with this.

I know some of you may think that this concept is quite "heavy", but rest assured, I have the power to make it happen for you. So long as one of you comply with my previous instructions, I will give that person a chance to have this happen.

Or you can choose to rot here with your peers for the rest of eternity. It is your own choice. I would suggest that you go back to the past, and change what was once set in stone. Your future hasn't been written yet - no one's has. Your future is whatever you make it, so make it a good one.

[And with that, the judge and his cronies move out the door, disappearing as quickly as he appeared.]

[hatesgreat]

Uhhhh? That's BORING. Everything I did was perfect the first time.

[Lord Hate kicks back, crossing his pair of sneakers over the back of the chair in front of him. He leans back and crosses his arms behind his head. This is not even a remotely true statement, but the cost of posturing is lying constantly.

Not that he even needs extra incentive to possibly murder someone if it means leaving this place. Really, he's just struggling with the part where he has to do it subtly.]

[worldstiniestviolin]

[Excuse you, Basil is just going to look disgusted and outraged]

[pardonmylanguage]

Nooooooo thank you. I've seen the trailer for The Butterfly Effect, I know how this works out.

[returntodarkness]

[ Ansem does contemplate this. Although not for any good means. No, the look on his face is a dark one. It can't mean anything food. He could alter things, come out on top with that wretched brat who ruined so much... Perhaps he could move plans ahead even more... So much possibility, but... ]

...Time travel like that is never without strings attached. Such is its very nature. It has rules. One would have to be a god to remove those rules or otherwise circumvent them.

[ Can you tell his canon point is 3D? Because it is. ]

[rollerscoater]

The man's utterly mad. Even if he could do such a thing...

[Though everyone here does seem to be from different times...?]

[returntodarkness]

[ Ansem would say "other worlds." ]

He cannot. The rules of traveling the river of time are such that you cannot alter the course of history.

[ilovepuppies]

[Star was ALL SET to call his bluff, what with being the resident Magical Princess and Expert on Magic Stuff, but he was gone before she could even open her mouth.]

Uh, wow, rude much? Anyway, he's totally bluffing. Trust me, I know.

[tonewlengths]

You know? [Rapunzel asks, from several steps away, because getting close to anyone after MURDER MOTIVES were just announced sounds dangerous.] How do you know?

[ilovepuppies]

Because! He doesn't have a magic wand! You can't do magic without a magic wand. And just look at him- if he could use magic then why doesn't he give himself a makeover?

[tonewlengths]

[Rapunzel uses magic without a wand all the time, but she can't say that out loud. This girl clearly doesn't know as much about magic as she thinks. That's too dangerous a line of conversation to pursue, focusing more on that last part, throw the kid off the scent!] He certainly needs one. He looks so creepy, anyone would have a grim attitude in those clothes. Maybe he'd lighten up a little if he introduced some florals into his wardrobe.

[hitontheheadasachild]

Change my past?

[She frowns. Its true, there's a lot she wouldn't mind changing. Stop Hans from threatening Elsa. Save her parents from the wreck. Prevent the event that caused Elsa to shut her door to her to begin with.

And yet. And yet. As much as the idea sounds amazing, to have her parents back and have a life where Elsa was always open and happy - she can't. She just...can't. She knows she can't. This guy could be lying, just as he lied about being a judge. Its clear to her.

Still, she's sitting, looking pensive, at the floor.]

[hedidit]

Change...your...past.

[Edgar, who has been a quiet bean for the past two days out of a combination of sickness and fear, immediately lights up. He has to repeat the words aloud to himself a couple of times to let it really sink in, but it does. Technicolor dollar signs flutter in his eyes.

All of them dollars....millions...]

[pardonmylanguage]

[Time to stomp on his foot.] No.

[pinkflip]

[Kim's getting incredibly fed up with this guy and had resolved the next time he shows his ugly mug, she was going to do something about it. However, the audacity of his offer just leaves her gobsmacked. He's out of there before she can even quip.]

That's- okay, no, that is bad news. Don't trust him, guys. Any gift from someone like that's too heavy to take. [That's besides the obvious...you have to kill someone to get it caveat.]

[whistlenotchirp]

[Well that's alarming.

His job could be in danger.]

Now hold on! Without your mistakes, you can't learn what's right and wrong! You'll just be coasting through life like a fool, without any trouble or strife! You don't want that, do ya?

[...Jiminy.]

[terribibble]

I'd say if a man's raised right he ought to know what's right or wrong regardless.

[Which is to say... he would really like to undo some of the things he's done. Do them better. Not pick up that phone. Stay in California. Killing someone is still too far to go for that chance but good lord does he wish he could have it.

He is also by this point resigned to the talking animals. He's seen them at the gatherings and they give him the worst kind of heebie jeebies, which is why he's only kind of looking sidelong at the cricket in the tailcoat and tophat. It's just one more thing he'll erase later. It's fine. He's got a backlog that's starting to weigh real heavy but it's fine.]

[whistlenotchirp]

You'd hope so, but fellas fall to temptation all the time. Gotta nip those behaviors quick before they become habits.

[terribibble]

I wouldn't describe murder as a 'habit' exactly.

[Because we're still talking about killing people, right? And not anything else.]

[defyingfrigidity]

[Gee, is it getting cold in here? It definitely feels colder in here, especially for the people are standing close to Elsa. Elsa who is standing very, very still as she listens to his words.]

That's...

[God, that's all she's ever wanted. To go back and make it so that night in the ballroom never happened. To go back and try and defy her father's orders to stay away from others. To at least open the door for Anna. To stop herself from freaking out during her coronation, running away, hurting Anna again...

There's so much she regrets in her life. So much she would give anything to change. But.... no. How could she even think about this? It's one thing for her to sacrifice something of her own, she'd do that in an instant. But she has no right to sacrifice someone else for her own selfish reasons!]

That's ridiculous! [She tries to sound firm, but her voice wavers ever so slightly, showing just as much as her magical flare-up how much this motive hit her.] Killing someone for your own goals... and for something you can't even confirm you can do. You say you can, but where's your proof?

[tonewlengths]

[Taking several steps back from the angry ice girl before registering anything she's saying. Sorry Elsa.] Um, w-we don't need proof, or anything, we can just not believe him right?

[defyingfrigidity]

[Elsa notices Rapunzel backing up, and instantly a flash of guilt crosses her face. Oh, no.... it's been a while since her powers went out of control, not counting how odd they were recently with her fever.

She takes a moment to breathe, and after she does, the temperature goes back up a bit. Not back to its usual level, because she's still pretty freaked out about all this, but it's something.]

Of course, I don't care whether he has proof or not. I can never imagine... [Not for the first time since arriving here she thinks back to her fight with Weselton's guards, to nearly skewering one of those men... she'd be lying if she said she didn't have nightmares over that.] Even if he's telling the truth, I would never attempt to go along with this.

[kindaruledatit]

[Wendy sticks to the back of the group, but she does listen, and her expression turns from frustrated to downright annoyed.]

Uggh, really? After everything we went through....

[She'd be lying if it wasn't tempting. Dipper had already explained to her that time travel was not only a thing, but he had experienced it himself... but it was useless to ask for it, wasn't it.

She kicks at the floor. Take that, floor.]

This is ridiculous.

[terribibble]

It's downright insane is what it is.

[He's still a little pissy after arguing with a cricket for a solid while there. He feels you on that mood, Wendy.]

[kindaruledatit]

Yeah, it's... [Oh.

Well, hello there, person she's been kind of pondering approaching for a couple days now. What can she really say to make this first impression... bearable?]

Youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!

[That. That's a start.]