APPLE ORCHARDS AND TORN DREAMS [OPEN]

[cordibus]

Who: Open Log (All)
Where: Around the city (one prompt at the Green Valley school
Summary: Welcome Ceremonies, Dreams, Stirring a shadow hornet's nest. No big deal.
Warnings: N/A

"Are you ready my black lambs? Let's get to work..."

Apple Picking (General Prompt)

As September begins, the apple orchards of Greenfield Valley school are bursting with thousands of apples of various flavors and colors. There's even an experimental breed that's blue!

Those who have been attending the school know that this means a few important things. The first (and most important of course) is that it means that fall vacation is coming in just a few weeks (despite school having started just a few weeks ago), the second is that the school's menu is going to have a high number of apple-themed dishes until winter, and finally, the opening ceremonies.

The opening ceremonies are - well - one would consider them mostly boring for typical schools. And truth be told, Green Valley is not an exception. A single camera posed at the school's main gymnasium, a large podium in the center. For those who can't be physically there, the school's televisions all synchronized to a live broadcast as does the audio feeds. You can't quite escape it. Yet most people don't - after all it's one of the rare times of the year where the principal appears to wish students good fortune.

The person who stands in the front, Ms Michelle Andersen, is the very definition of an ice queen. Her face is perhaps locked forever into an emotionless stare. Bright blonde hair with blue eyes, both contract to her orange and black outfit.

Behind her, three men, the vice principals, who tend to play the good cops to her bad cop routine and insist that most students call them by their first names unless something really bad has happened; Norman (the most average man on campus that no one would know who he was if it wasn't for his name tag), Jeremy (the tallest staff member standing at over 195cm, thin, a bit of a lisp but he always means well), and Felix (possibly the hairiest man on campus as far as the rumors go, muscular, and a black beard that matches his scowling face when he isn't laughing - which is usually all the time. In fact, he's holding back himself from doing so when Ms. Andersen speaks.)

The presentation is short, as the Principal wishes all the students a great year, gives a bit of data on the number of students (they are up 300 new students from last year), the number of important guests that have passed, then as quickly as she was there, she leaves, explaining that there are additional meetings and events she will explain in greatest detail in the upcoming months.

Afterwards the students are treated to the vice principals singing a welcome song (it goes as well as one would expect it to go), telling the students that they are free to pick as many apples as they want as long as they all get eaten, but everyone is limited to two of the new apples and report to the hospital wards if any of them feel anything unusual after eating them. Just in case.

When the ceremonies are done, students and staff can return to their day...although some of the staff can be heard commenting that the Principal seemed even more...cold this year. Of course asking them for details would just cause them to shoo anyone away and pretend they didn't say anything.

[OOC: Players are welcome to speak to themselves or go have some apples. It's a general school mingling prompt! Additionally, it will be possible to email the vice principals during that week should the characters want to talk with them or ask school questions. Typical school stuff.]

Sound the Rebellion

(Special Prompt for the Unawakened, Monday the 4th)
The school's opening ceremonies aside, the Unawakened’s Monday was rather...strange. The night was plagued with restlessness as they heard the voice of someone laughing. Waking up feeling 'odd', although that differed between all of then - some would feel sick, others have a headache, or some just deciding that wearing a piece of clothing they haven't wanted to worn would look great right now. Perhaps they got a few comments from their relatives about how strange they were acting that day, or a worried glance if they felt sick. It might get dismissed with a wave of a hand.

After all, how can you explain that when they sometimes look upwards, they hear the sound of a child laughing and briefly see a symbol above their heads? Or that this somehow feels...fine?

Maybe in their new state of mind, they might not even notice the people that keep following them around...

Better than a GPS

(Awakened prompt, Monday 4th, day and night.)
"Alright Lambs, time to get to work."

Luci's voice echoed in their phone, laughing. Was he doing a peace sign?

"There's only a few but they'll be useful. I want you to find them and see what you can do. Who knows! Maybe you might be better at this than me, although I doubt it heh heh heh…Now remember what I said! You have to get them to fall asleep...but there's no real rules for that!"

For the Awakened, the symbols above the Unawakeneds’ heads will be as clear as day - Luci will even go so far as play little musical tunes when the characters are close by or distract them using electronics. "Come on! Stop wasting time and do something!"

For the Unawakened who have a relative, it will be somewhat easy. It is the others that will be a pain. Maybe that's why Luci asked for help. Or maybe he just wanted to see his 'lambs' struggle. "Get them to bed! It's not that hard! If you have trouble, just show them the program I've put into your phone and toaster! Or knock them with your toaster first if you want, I don't care! Just go in teams when you go after them, got it?"

It's obvious that 'sleeping' as far as Luci is concerned, is when someone is unconscious - he seems to almost want someone to knock an Unawakened out and then drag him into a room and let themselves go to sleep.

Once the task is done, and the place is secure, the characters will have to do the same. While the hypnotic wheel from the program is the easiest way, there's no hard rule about knocking oneself out either.

MINDJACK
Once the characters get inside, they'll be in the person's mind and dreams. Eddan's memories are predominant, and the unawakened will be standing there wandering around. It will be up to the Awakened to peel back the fabric of reality, much like curtains and show them the true memories of their past...

But beware. Shadows lurk here, and transforming will be necessarily. And if a character dies in someone else's dream...they might never wake up. So be careful...

The main mission is to showcase the person a few memories. Give them an idea that something might be amiss...it can be a little or a lot. Just be careful that the more memories, the stronger the shadows become... When both are done and awaken, ten minutes will have passed. Perhaps it will be time for question afterwards.

[OOC:The Unawakened characters need to be isolated for the program to run, and so do the players, so half the 'fun' will be setting up the traps so that the characters will be alone.

Awakened might decide to have someone stand on guard while the others go to sleep with the Unawakened, or just all stupidly go together, or find an area where they won't be disturbed - everything is up to you.

The dreamscape can be anything the Unawakened desires! It could be good memories of their time in Eddan or bad memories, a mixture of both, or just silly dreams. Whatever it is, the Awakened will need to 'peel' those memories away - for example showing them that their mother was someone else in their other life, or even directing the person to a mirror so that they can see their true selves. But for each memory - both good or bad, shadows will start to attack both the Unawakened and Awakened. Be careful and let the mods know if a mission goes REALLY bad.]

Comments

[miseris_socios]

I - On Campus

Riki is incredibly uncomfortable during the opening ceremonies, and as soon as he's allowed, he moves out from the crowd, heading towards his class. The uniform is too stiff and too uncomfortable. He'd had to go to school when he was at the orphanage, but he'd hated it. Too many people, too many sad looks when anyone found out where he lived. And now?

Now it's even worse, because it's a new city and his 'father' supposedly is looking after him. What a joke. What an absolutely ridiculous thing to think of. He's got no family. Not anymore.

Riki can be found in the halls of the Primary Cycle buildings, lingering near the club sign ups, or out near one of the trees on campus, trying to get rid of this headache. Why won't it leave? It's like he's dehydrated, but no... he's had enough to drink.

II - Off Campus

Riki doesn't want to go home. He wants to run away, but he's not sure where to. There's no point. They'd just find him and drag him back or something like that. So instead of trying to make his way out of the city, he heads downtown, moving past people and trying to ignore anyone's stares. He doesn't seem to care that he's a kid on his own.

It starts getting later. He needs to head home. He doesn't head home. Instead, he heads towards Hagu, not caring about the fact that he's way too young for most of these place.s They wouldn't let him in, even if he wanted to go in. He doesn't care. They can stare at him all they want.

III - Home (closed to Guts)

It's late. He's finally gotten home, just ahead of curfew. He's not afraid of some random person killing people. Maybe he should be. Maybe he should care more about his own life, but there's just... something. He wouldn't normally be so flippant, but today he just feels... more dull than he usually does.

He lets the door slam behind him as he takes off his shoes and starts towards the room that he's been told to live in. It's not 'his room'. That would imply that he wants to stay here.

Hopefully his 'dad' isn't home.

IV - Sleepytime Junction

It takes a while for him to finally fall asleep. When he does, though, he's in front of a ruined building. There's a car embedded in the front of it, and it looks like... it was some kind of horrible car accident, where the car plowed into a house.

Riki doesn't move, just stands there and stares. He's used to this. He's used to seeing this in his dreams. It never lets him get any rest.

... Though there's something dark moving in the corners of the scene. Riki hasn't seemed to have noticed yet.

[voodoo_revenge]

1. Opening ceremonies and Orchard
Natsu stood next to Karen with their class while the principal talked. It was just words though, you could tell the woman who called herself principal didn't care. Which bothered some people but Natsu was chuckling to herself while she watched. "Do you think she has to say it?" She asks Karen, holding out a hand for the nail file her friend had pulled out of her bag and starting to file down a jagged edge where her nail had caught earlier that morning.

"Who's going to make that lady say anything?" Karen asked with a snicker and then groaned when the woman disappeared and singing started. Laughter erupted around the hall. "Do you think they're experimenting on us? Letting us try those new ones when they don't know if they'll make us sick. Adults are such hypocrites."

Natsu admired her nails and handed the file back to Karen as the students started filtering out toward the orchard. "Everyone is, aren't they?" Her gaze scans the students as the girls start walking out joined by a third, "Where were you Tara?"

"Getting Trevor's wallet." She replied airily, holding it up between her fingers then passing it over to Karen who slipped it into her bag, laughing merrily. "We should make Alice climb the trees and get us apples." Tara continued as they made it out into the orchard and looked around. "She didn't call out sick already did she?"

Natsu pulled out her phone, "Why don't you ladies go find her. Make sure she's wearing her uniform." She watched them wave and wander off in two different directions, pausing to lean against a tree as her head pounded for a minute or so. Once the pain had passed she sighed in relief.

2. After School Shopping

After a day busy with making other girls shimmy up apple trees in skirts and framing them for stealing classmates money, stopping by a food stand for fried Oreos with friends was a delightfully horrible indulgence. She'd never had them before and they looked like a heart attack in a basket. They were perfect and the girls groaned as they ate them. "Why are they so good?!" Tara wanted to know to which Karen replied with unintelligible words and a full mouth that set all three girls into fits of laughter.

"I'm never eating them again and that makes me sad." She finally said after swallowing. "Hey Natsu, what's wrong? Did something fall?"

Natsu had dropped the cookie in her fingers and was looking up into the air and wincing all at once. But the thing she'd seen before the headache hit was gone again. Had she really seen it? She looked down when Karen called her name again. "I'm just… going to go to the restroom," She replied, "headache." She turned into the nearest cafe and made her way back toward the bathroom, frowning because she's pretty sure that person she'd been seeing all day had come in behind her but the headache was too strong and she couldn't focus on that right now.


3. Dreams are the payback your heart gets

It's dark and the sounds are muted in the space she finds herself in. And cold, like a reflection of her own personality in the world she currently knows. Something hollow that tries to fill itself with anything just to make it not seem so empty. Natsu sits up and frowns at the darkness then climbs to her feet and walks a few feet in one direction. She can hear soft noises at the edge of her hearing but nothing else. It makes her stop walking though and look in one direction then the other trying to figure out what the hell is going on.

Light starts to filter in and she finds herself walking across wooden floorboards, fingers brushing against soft fabric which would explain why almost everything is muted, the curtains are heavy and go much higher than she can reach to feel them. "Hello?" Even her voice is muted, and the feeling is odd.

both open

[sociallyarcward]

(ooc: If you want Jaune to be your "designated Awakened mindjacker" just let me know. Otherwise these can just be open prompts to interact with Jaune aka John).

I - On Campus, Post Ceremonies
John passes two teachers, overhearing the conversation. He debates asking, but decides to drop it for the moment. Perhaps it's something to investigate, but right now doesn't seem the time. Besides, if past experience has taught him anything it is that he'll just be waved off or dismissed or, even worse, simply ignored.

Instead, he makes his way towards the orchard. It feels weird being back there, and honestly he'd been avoiding this place for the past several weeks since their first fight. However, like all the other events that occurred since then, there was no trace of the violence or fighting. The trees were fine and full to bursting with apples. He briefly thinks back to another grove of trees and an assignment to collect produce of a different kind...but he shakes his head of the memory. He rests his hand on a tree, "I can't believe it all started here."

Perhaps the fight, he knows technically that the whole app and memory regain started before they set foot here. Still, it's weird being back and he's feeling a little nostalgic...for two different reasons. The distracted thinking doesn't last long...because a few seconds later he's tripping over someone's basket of apples, which sends the contents sprawling everywhere. John isn't far behind, and lands on his face in the grass, his feet tangled in the basket's handle.

Who claims it? Will there be yelling? At the moment there are only some groans as John sits up, "Sorry..."

---

II - Library, Monday

John put his phone away, tucking it under the cover of a book he had opened at a study table. Afterwards, he placed his head on the book and groaned, "I can't believe he's making me do this." John wasn't too sure he was up to knocking people out. Neither he nor Jaune had ever done anything like that before. Yet, this is what it had apparently come to. How was this even going to work? What if he was caught? He honestly never thought he'd say this, but he missed the old method.

Sure, it was a pain in the ass as well. But at least then he hadn't had to knock anyone out or try to force them to look at some stupid hypno wheel app. Of course, maybe he could get out of it--so far no one had responded to his text to meet at the library and try to scout out any of the UnAwakened they were supposed to be looking for. Of course, that could change since he HAD only just sent that text out.

John lifted his head from the book and looked around once more -- so far the coast was clear. He could focus on studying for at least a little bit longer.

[sharktrash]

I: WHEREVER

Naturally, with a celebration more or less centered around apples going on, the coffee shop is getting ready for the season. Cesare half-listens to the briefing (fucking old hipster Matthew should retire, that's what he should do, not come up with 101 ways to ruin coffee with apple flavors), but no amount of loathing can save him from taking the shift, and that's what he does.

In other words, there's a particularly sour looking barista practically framed between two blackboard signs, one of which says THIS ISN'T FUCKING STARBUCKS while the other has a drawing of suspiciously Starbucks-y looking mug and says TRY OUR NEW GREENFIELD SPECIAL: APPLE SWIRL! DELICIOUS LATTE WITH REAL CREAM, CINNAMON AND APPLE SLICES!.

Talk about mixed signals, right?


II: ALSO WHEREVER

After work, Cesare takes the long way home. The weather's nice and he enjoys the city, from the parks that start getting colorful to the goddamn traffic. He's crossing a small park when he first thinks he sees something overhead, but when he looks up, there's nothing but trees and clouds.

And some fucking creepy laughing, which isn't particularly creepy in the middle of a city since there's a whole bunch of super mommas taking their spawn out for strolls at this hour, but it's somehow different. He's seen The Shining enough to know that random kids can't mean anything good, and picks up the pace.

Unfortunately, even after a mug of espresso made using whiskey instead of water, the looming feeling of weird does not go away. Perhaps he should try talking to someone...


III: METAPHYSICAL MINDSCAPE

Cesare doesn't dream much, or so he thinks, and even then, his dreams are usually simple. Cars, bikes, hot chicks and dudes, all of them together, occasionally something that puts him in the shoes of an adventurous main character of some show he's watched recently.

It's not particularly different this time. He finds himself walking down the street. It's late, and there's few vehicles or people around, but after turning a corner, the city suddenly bustles with life. He recognizes the faces of some racers doing last-minute check-ups, the layout of the starting positions. Further away, a crowd gathers to watch a biker jump through a flaming ring. Amateur acrobatics. He picks up the pace, it's his turn and he will show them how it's done --

The surroundings feel distorted for a moment and he stops mid-step, feeling a phantom ache in his left arm.

[secretmakesawoman]

1. At the School

Christina takes her place with the rest of the staff during the opening ceremony. Despite the rather chilly vibe that the speech gives off, she is having trouble focusing. Perhaps she had trouble sleeping last night and doesn’t remember, but her mind keeps wandering.

Once that is out of the way, Christina returns to the staff room to check over her schedule. Drama classes are spread out over the week for different grade levels, so she’ll need to plan accordingly. She also hopes to push more theater performances, but first she’ll need to check the students’ interest. The theater club might have ideas.

Wait, her focus is slipping again. She pinches her forehead and sighs. Maybe it’s time to look into a new mattress.

2. Ran’s House

The restless feeling hadn’t faded once school was out, so Christina decided to make an overdue visit. Getting out of the house could only help, right? She certainly hoped so.

Of course she wasn’t about to show up empty-handed. After some preparations, Christina makes the familiar trip to her brother’s door. She rings the doorbell with her free hand, the other holding a covered dish.

3. Into Dreams

Less than an hour into her visit, Christina starts to feel more exhausted than ever. She might just nod off right at the table. After the fourth yawn into their conversation, Christina excuses herself with a simple request.

As Christina walks by the living room, she pokes her head in to check on Ran and her guest. She smiles, though it does not have her usual energy. Combined with the dark shadows under her eyes, it almost makes her look more haggard than before.

“Hey, I’ll be using the guest room for a little while. So if you don’t mind…?” Christina holds a finger up to her lips with a wink, an unspoken appeal for silence.

[mirrors_wish]

1 - OTA

Since it was the new school year, of course Mira Glazier could be counted on to cover the opening.

Of course, having her true memories, "Mira" felt especially uncomfortable taking photos of Ms. Andersen's emotionless face.

"Something about this doesn't feel right..."

She really shouldn't be saying this out loud, and it's only after she does say it that she looks around to see if anyone heard.


2 - Other Awakened

With the ceremonies concluded and her notes stuffed in her backpack, Yui began picking ripe apples off the trees, smiling gently until she came to the blue apples.

"...Are these really okay to eat? I'm almost scared to try."

[foeyay]

i. apple nabbing

So Reid wasn't enrolled at the school. He hadn't been for quite a while now. Apparently that wasn't enough to stop him from jumping the gates for a breakfast of champions.

Reid rarely woke up this early. First he'd beaten his alarm, and now he was slinking through the apple orchard before school hours. His mother had even tried to feel his forehead before he could escape the apartment, certain he was running on some sort of fever energy. If only that were the case. He'd bolted as soon as he could, determined not to let his mother discover that strange symbol he'd caught floating over his head in the shower. She was a worrier; he wasn't going to let her worry about him today. Hence, he grinned triumphantly as he picked a pink-green apple, he should enjoy a full and complete breakfast free of charge.

ii. crowd control

Playing security guard for the underground clubs of Hagu was difficult even on a good day. Today was not a good day. It wasn't even five, and he was already sporting a bandaged hand and fingernail scratches above his left eye. Some group of angry pretty boys hadn't shown up at their scheduled concert time, and well... People could be downright terrifying when they were denied their refunds.

Now that he had a fifteen minute break before working the main evening attraction, he was using it to do some stretches behind the club. A little hand-stabbing wasn't enough to take out Reid Blair! He could still flex his fingers even! Tonight's gig was going to be a piece of cake.

"...Dammit. Now I want cake."

iii. unawakened nap time

He could hear rain even though he couldn't feel it. It took him another moment to realize that was because he was inside, looking out the window into a mess of soaking wet alleyways. Despite the bleak scenery outside, this room was warm and comforting.

Two voices carried down the hallway. It must have been his parents, though they didn't sound quite right. The woman's voice was too weary, the man's too gruff. They might have been arguing, but they were quiet about it. Their words devolved into unintelligible whispers. Then, total silence. Even the rain hushed its rhythmic pounding, and the world stilled.

Reid tip-toed out of his room. Something bad was about to happen. He didn't know what or why or anything else. He just knew it was going to be bad.

"Mom! Dad! Why'd you-?"

His words caught in his throat. On his mother's bed dripped a pool of blood. In the front doorway lay his father's severed arm. A little girl was screaming, crying. The rain stung him mercilessly, like frigid needles against his skin.

Reid didn't remember running outside, but he was there now, and he was shouting.

"Come out, you fucking bastard! I'll kill ya!"

[megacurious]

I. Campus or Office [OTA]

[Before he was Awakened to the truth of Eddan, he would usually greet the student after every opening ceremony with a smile while occasionally give some advice to them. But now that he has his true self and memories returned to him, Augustine is completely conflicted at how he should act towards them.

Whether if he is staring at the window next to the entrance of his homeroom or just trying to sleep on his desk at the office, Augustine will be too busy thinking about the Awakening and contemplate the things Luci explained to him. Not to mention the cold look on the principal's face.]

II. Into Slumber Land [Unawakened]

[Just when he thinks he got out of his office for while, he just has to be assigned to put an Unawakened to sleep and attempt to film while he is mind-jacked into someone's dreams. But knocking them out either by force or with a special hypnowheel on his phone makes him feel unnerving.

Though, just for the sake of recruiting more "Rebels", he might as well try to help out. Whether it is an old companion, a student, or a colleague, he just approaches them with a calm, but reluctant demenour.]

Bonjour. May I ask you a favor? I promise it won't take long.

III. Mindjack

[If you want for Professor Sycamore to mind jack your dream, just PM me or hit me up on Discord so we can plot about it.]

[whitefox]

𝒮𝒸𝒽ℴℴ𝓁: ℐ 𝓀𝓃ℴ𝓌 ℐ 𝒸ℴ𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝒽𝒶𝓋ℯ 𝓈𝒶𝓋ℯ𝒹 𝓊𝓈...

From the moment he'd woken up that morning, Kit had felt strange. After showering, he'd spent an unnecessary amount of time staring at his reflection in the bathroom mirror pondering the reason, but he looked the same as always, with bright green eyes, vibrant red hair, and many faint scars all over his body from all the altercations he'd gotten into in the past. It wasn't until after he'd gotten dressed, collected his belongings, and made his way to opening ceremonies that he'd noticed something truly bizarre.

He'd first caught sight of the symbol hovering nearly a foot above his head when he'd come to the dorm building's exit, its appearance ensnaring his attention as it was reflected in the glass. No one else seemed to see it, but it's presence (until he'd looked and it was gone again) had made him so uneasy that he'd found himself on edge the rest of the day: through the garden club and martial arts club meetings, as well as through all of his classes — or those he'd bothered to attend.

Anxious for the school day to come to a close, when he's not in class he can be found in the orchard sitting beneath and climbing trees, reading and occasionally scribbling notes into a pocket-size green leather notebook.

𝒪𝒻𝒻 𝒞𝒶𝓂𝓅𝓊𝓈: ℬ𝓊𝓉 𝓌ℯ'𝒹 𝒽𝒶𝓋ℯ 𝓃ℯ𝓋ℯ𝓇 𝓀𝓃ℴ𝓌𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒹𝒶𝓎...

By the time evening has rolled around, Kit is filled with so much restlessness he ventures as far from Green Valley's pride pursuing leads on missing personal effects for his side job. It's the one thing he can do to combat the uneasy feeling that has stuck to him like glue since that morning, but this time...

He can't shake it.

Much like the headache wearing away at his temples like a jackhammer. In fact, it's so familiar that he's reminded of the uneasiness and discomfort he'd felt at the Leviathan Habitat, only this time he's certain he saw someone following him when he turned around to look...

Has the hunter become the hunted? He thinks not.

"Let us do this face-to-face like civilized people, shall we?"

𝒟𝓇ℯ𝒶𝓂: ℐ𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒾𝓈 𝓌𝒽ℯ𝓇ℯ 𝓌ℯ 𝒽𝒶𝒹 𝓉ℴ ℊℴ, 𝓌ℯ𝓁𝓁 𝓉𝒽ℯ𝓃 ℐ'𝓂 ℊ𝓁𝒶𝒹 𝓌ℯ 𝓌ℯ𝓃𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝓌𝒶𝓎...

It's dark here inside Kit's dreams, but that should come as no surprise. For those that are familiar with his reputation, they'd know he'd once been something of a nocturnal creature, preferring the cover of the night to the illuminating light of day.

The scenery changes often, rotating between gardens teeming with iridescent flora, countless families with blurred faces, and even glimpses of his time in juvenile detention. The room he'd shared, who he'd shared it with, and all the feelings he'd learn how to force down at that time. The mask he'd made and learned to wear...

In all, his dream isn't terrible, nor does Kit regard it as such as he strolls through the familiar memories of the past. He ought to be scared when he sees himself give the order for a traitor in his old gang to be dealt with, but he doesn't bat an eye. He ought to be sad when he sees his friend trapped beneath a car that had pinned his friend's leg under its unmovable weight, ought to be sad when he sees himself abandon them, but he doesn't flinch.

It isn't until something out of the ordinary happens — a strange flickering that doesn't belong there, like movement in the tiniest of cracks — that Kit's composure wavers. With interest, he pursues the movement, the memories of Eddan getting further and further behind, until at least something can be seen...fluttering ahead in the black void. Something bat-like. With one eye.

The mere fact that it appears more real for a split second than anything else he has seen so far should also frighten him, and it does, but this time he hides it well. Or tries, but his forward steps have certainly come to a stop. There's hesitation now in his eyes. But that's just smart when dealing with the unknown...isn't it?

"I feel like I've seen that before..."