Week 1 [Day 1-Day 3]

[calloperators]

[After a long stressful day like this has been, maybe you want to curl up in bed and try to sleep this whole thing off, or maybe you stay up all night desperately trying to find a way out of this town. Whether it be asking the cops for help, trying to steal a car, or just simply trying to walk out of town, you will unfortunately find your attempts to escape fruitless.

Even with it being obvious something strange is going on, no one has shown their face yet to even hint that they're the ones behind it. And you have no idea if or when they will.

However, in the very least you have a whole town to explore, and at the start of each day, and the beginning of every night, no matter where you are, you'll suddenly hear a radio crackle to life. Whether this is comforting or unsettling? Well, that's up to you to decide.

Just have a good time and try not think about the letter you got earlier, okay?]

< LOCATIONS | REGAINS | TAKEN >

[ DAY 1 (SUNDAY) || NIGHT 1 (MONDAY) || DAY 2 (TUESDAY) || NIGHT 2 (WEDNESDAY) || DAY 3 (THURSDAY) ]
((OOC: Welcome to Week 1 of Hotline! As you can probably tell by the fact that Day 2 and beyond are frozen, we will have no grace week so we can get right into the murder!

And if you want to investigate the town, you just need to write INVESTIGATION in your header! Have fun ;) ))

Comments

[gether]

[Ray frowns, and gently places a hand on Venkman's shoulder.]

You got the phone call too, didn't you?

[neverstudied]

[He visibly tenses, before relaxing into the touch.]

... Yeah. Guess everyone did.

[Venkman sighs, leaning against the arcade cabinet.]

Trying not to think about it. Not going great.

[gether]

[Ray looks downcast as he speaks. He was affected by the call pretty badly himself, but he has to be here for his new friend.]

I'm pretty sure no one's taking this well.

[...]

Want me to play with you? Maybe not being alone would help!

[neverstudied]

Didn't think anyone would. Unless they don't have anyone or anything that matters to 'em.

[He manages a weak grin.]

You just saw me punch a hole in the wall and you still think hanging around me is a good idea, huh? You've got taste.

[gether]

[That gets a laugh out of him.]

At least I apparently have some taste. You'd be surprise how often my partner says I have no taste in anything.

[>:( Damn you Venkman.]

Now what game should we pick... oh! I know there's Polybius here!

[Great date idea: Drive you and everyone else around you to death.]

[neverstudied]

Polybius? You sure about that?

[He looks skeptical, but intrigued- and way less like a depressed disaster of a man.]

My partners've been trying to find it for years. One keeps nearly getting scammed by people advertising that they have a cabinet for it. Never found the real thing.

[gether]

[Ray grins from ear to ear.]

I'm not lying, the real thing is here! Let me show you.

[And Ray just freaking grabs Venkmans hand to drag him to Polybius.]

[neverstudied]

[There's something very familiar about the hand in his, and there's a moment where Venkman can't think about anything except how warm it is. He squeezes it, briefly, light enough that Ray might miss it.]

How'd you know it's the real one? People've made tons of mockup versions of what they think it looks like.

[gether]

[If Ray notices, he doesn't let on.]

I can just feel it, you know? My heart tells me this is the real deal.

[A pause, before Ray sheepishly responds.]

I feel like your partner and I would get along. I hate to admit it, but I've been scammed by those people before.

[Ha ha...

Oh! Here they are!]

See? Doesn't this look just like the real thing?

[neverstudied]

Great. You'd get scammed together and go broke together.

[Venkman looks the Polybius cabinet over with a critical eye.]

I mean. It definitely looks like some of the versions I've seen people make. Can't tell ya if it looks like the real thing or not.

[Still... Venkman can't deny that the energy around this machine feels different. His heart begins to beat a little faster, the air feels a little colder, and while he doesn't look at his arms to check, he's pretty sure he's getting goosebumps. Venkman really wishes he had a PKE Meter right about now. Or Egon.

... It's weird, but it almost feels like the cabinet is alive.]

Have you tried playing it?

[gether]

[Ray, meanwhile, is positively beaming]

Not yet! But I can try it right now and see how it effects me!

[:D]

[neverstudied]

[Ray's getting a look.]

That's... probably not a great idea.

[He's not sure if he should stop him or not. Venkman'd rather not have the guy he's been flirting with get wildly fucked up from a video game, but at the same time... how else could they even be sure this is the real thing?

And at the end of the day, he doesn't know this guy too well yet. Doesn't even know his name. It's not like he's one of his actual partners.]

[gether]

C'mon, what's the worst that could happen? If I start showing symptoms, I'll just stop with the definitive proof that this is the real deal?

[He grins innocently at Venkman.]

[neverstudied]

I dunno, man. [A beat.] And even if you start having a reaction, could always be a sort of placebo effect- you expected the symptoms, so you got 'em.

[Eventually, though, he relents.]

Fine- just don't say I didn't warn ya.

[gether]

I'll be fine, don't worry!

[Ray pops in a quarter and begins playing the game.

Well the game sure does look... like Polybius. Ray seems very intent on playing but he soon gets a game over.]

Aww dang... lemme try this again.

[Ray digs into his pocket for another quarter... and then dies quickly again.

This might be a cycle if you don't stop it, Venkman.]

[neverstudied]

[Venkman just kinda watches this for a bit. Idly, he realizes his joke from the other day came true- if this could be considered a second date[and if buying batteries could be considered a first], Ray is the one paying.

Eventually, though, he does have to speak up-]

Any symptoms yet, aside from being bad at the game?

[gether]

[Ray gives Venkman a Look. It was clearly meant to be a glare, but he's smirking too much to pull it off effectively.]

Well, I haven't died or gotten a heart attack, so that's a good sign. No signs of seizures, but I never was susceptible to them in the first place...

Oh! I guess I'm getting a bit of a headache, that's a good start!

["good start"]

[neverstudied]

[There's a hint of a frown when Ray mentions dying.]

Maybe this really isn't a good idea. I mean, if this game really does mess you up-

[If someone really wanted an easy target to murder...]

We can come back to this later. Maybe you'll be able to actually play this game properly and stop wasting quarters if you warm up with some others, first.

[gether]

[You angst, Venkman, but Ray's just sad about not playing more cursed games.]

Aww, but I think I was starting to get good at it!

[He really wasn't.]

What should we play, then?

[neverstudied]

[Continuing the trend of me only allowing Venkman to angst if the circumstances are at least a little dumb.

Venkman looks around the arcade for a bit. He hasn't been in this part of it before- which is why he hadn't seen Polybius until Ray pointed it out. A lot of the games are unfamiliar to him.

But finally, out of the corner of his eye, he spots it. His jaw drops for a moment.]

Oh my God.

You have got to be kidding me.

[gether]

[Ray’s eyes positively light up when Venkman points out the game, immediately forgetting about the cursed game.]

No way! I didn’t know this existed!

[Ray runs over to examine the game, seeming to muse to himself before he starts frowning.]

Huh, that’s weird.

[And then, to himself but definitely loud enough for Venkman to hear:]

Is that supposed to be me...?

[neverstudied]

Ugghhh. The gameplay on this thing is attrocious, I-

[You can almost hear the record scratch as Ray's words actually hit him.]

... Can you... repeat... that?

[gether]

This guy.

[Ray points right at, well, the picture of Ray on the corner.]

I can’t figure out who else this is supposed to be. But he looks nothing like me.

[He smirks as he looks back at the picture, and points at the one of Venkman.]

Please don’t tell me that’s supposed to be Venkman. I was going to theorize that they weren’t allowed to use our likeness, but with how Peter looks, I guarantee you he had a hand at this.

[And then he looks right at the real Venkman.]

He looks more like you than anything.

[What an idiot.]

[neverstudied]

[Venkman looks like he's about to have a fucking stroke.

There's a part of him that wants to scream. For a few different reasons. He can't believe this. He shouldn't believe this. This guy- he's gotta be fucking with him, right? It's a joke, a stupid joke that's way sicker than he thinks it is, because Venkman's been driving himself up the wall looking for Ray everywhere, and this-

But God, wouldn't it be fitting for them to have both been so fucking stupid as to miss the obvious right under their noses? Isn't it just like the universe to do this to them?

Universes. Oh God, if he's right- it's universes.

Very slowly, Venkman crosses the room to this stranger, and, standing in front of this stupid Ghostbusters arcade machine, he clasps the other man's hands in his. Hard. And stares into his eyes.]

I need- I need you to tell me something. Right now, ok? i should've- God, I've been so fucking stupid, I should've asked you the other night-

Tell me your name. Please. Don't- don't fuck with me, ok, tell me the truth.

[gether]

[Well

That’s unusual.

Something in the back of Rays brain realizes that something is up, and he quickly eyes the arcade cabinet. He’s an idiot, but he’s not stupid. Something strange is going on, he’s not sure what, but something is going on here.

He is momentarily distracted, however, when he realizes that he never gave this man his name.]

Oh god, did I not tell you my name? Sorry, I really should have told you the other day.

I’m Ray Stantz, nice to meet you!