(even if you aren't vegan)
The Dream Machine/hub
Information
This room is a large, white room, with several beds lining the walls. The room smells of hospital-grade disinfectant. A large globe on the ceiling gives a foreboding presence...
Talk
HARMAN: Ladies, gentlemen... Welcome to the Dream Machine. Before we begin, I must ask you all to take a seat.
KYUBII: Umm... excuse me, doc? I have a question.
LEXON: A'ight.. {Sits down.}
HARMAN: Yes, Mr. Taiksune?
{Homestar tiger sits down with his little bro}
IM A BELL:{walks in with Sarah, sits down}
{marissa, maloa, and kalt walk in. they sit down.}
HARMAN: Nice to see you all.
KYUBII: If someone were to... y'know, die or something in the dream... would that person be dead in real life?
MALOA: I hope not.
HARMAN: ... I'd rather not answer that. I am uncertain. ... But this is why we have certain issues that must be attended to beforehand.
KYUBII: So what you're saying is that there is a chance that one of us could die?
IM A BELL: I may be able to test that. Sir, can you warp things in from the real world into the machine?
HARMAN: Mr. Bellstrom, I'm afraid I cannot allow you to test anything as of yet. Please sit down.
IM A BELL: Wait, are we just transported into the dream, or are we converted into dreams first?
HOMESTAR CUB: Sir, you didn't use bolts on the main inner plate, you used screws. You need to use bolts to keep the subject from getting squashed.
HARMAN: I will go over how this works, child. Keep your mouth shut.
{Dr. Harman clears his throat.}
HARMAN: Now, I must warn you all--this is only a test. Therefore, if something goes wrong, we may not be able to salvage it all. We must now go over safety protocol. Rule number one--never walk off. We must stay as a group in case things go wrong. Rule number two--do not interact heavily with the dream. Stepping on a blade of grass is fine--killing things is not. Rule number three--we must get in and out of the dream before the subject wakes up. If they wake up... we could be stuck... or not. Remember, I am prototyping this. ... Got that?
KALT: Can I bring in squids?
HARMAN: No. Now, about the machine itself... It is a globe on the ceiling that seems to do nothing... at first. However, it monitors the brains of everyone in this room, and creates an artificial environment that we can explore in... as long as the subject is asleep. As soon as they awake, the simulation will end, possibly trapping us... or not. There is no physical machine to step in, as you can see.
KYUBII: Ummm.... excuse me? I've been wondering this for awhile... who's gonna be the first subject?
MARISSA: Kalt would be a great tester. He is fairly small minded, and no one could get trapped in his mind.
LEXON: I'll volunteer! If you want me to of course...
HOMESTAR CUB: I'm mechanically inclined!
HOMESTAR TIGER: You should trust him. Replace those screws.
HARMAN: ... Sir, there are no screws, nor bolts. What you're looking at is the door.
KYUBII: Um... I'll do it...
{Dr. Harman takes some helmets from a nearby closet and hands one each to everybody.}
HARMAN: Please put on your helmets. We are about to test this machine.
{Homestar cub's helmet covers his whole head.}
HARMAN: ... I may have made them too big.
{Sarah puts on her helmet. Bell is trying to fit his on his bell}
IM A BELL: Ah, screw it. {rips off bell, revealing his true form, puts on helmet}
KYUBII: {Puts on helmet} Err, anyway, I volunteer to be the first subject...
HOMESTAR CUB: I'm second.
HARMAN: We already have a subject. Sir.
{Harman walks over to the wall, pulls a switch, and the whole of the room is shunted into darkness...}
{Harman takes off his helmet.}
{Lexon takes the helmet off, and has a smug smirk on his face.}
LEXON: I knew it!
HARMAN: True. The experience may be different for some--perhaps you forced it to end for you. Interesting...
KYUBII: {Scared out of his wits} ...IS IT TOO LATE TO NOT BE A VOLUNTEER!?
HARMAN: You can leave if you want. Therefore... we need a new subject.
{Sarah and Bell take off their helmets. Bell has a broken arm}
IM A BELL: Friggin' tight helmets...
LEXON: I'm ready for the next dream! Who's next?
HOMESTAR CUB: ME!
KYUBII: ...I-I'll do it.
HARMAN: Very well. Lay down on the bed, please.
KYUBII: {Lays down on bed} Okay, but this may take a while, i'm a ligh slee- {Falls asleep and snores loudly}
{Bell and Sarah put their helmets back on}
{Lexon puts his helmet on.}
