I'm visiting family for the weekend, and have been sadly parted from my own computer. I can share the family machine, but I'll have limited access for the most part. Which, alas, means I'm going to be slow(er than usual) for the next couple of days. My apologies to anyone threading with either Yoruichi (godofflash) or Sam Winchester (neverreallyfit).

Also, AIM's a bit finicky on my family's machine, so while I'll try to get on in the evenings, I might be disappearing frequently, or not on at all if it decides to stop cooperating. Again, my apologies!

Hokay! Here it is! The Big Damn Field Trip Post!

First off, and I want to stress this, there will be staff everywhere in town. There will be nurses and orderlies at every turn, watching the patients. The same level of surveillance that there is during the day in the institute itself will be in the town. And misbehaving patients will be punished - there is a nurse who’s single responsibility is to stay on the bus with the misbehaving parties. ;)

The way this will be set up as far as posting goes is the same as Nightshift. There will be a single post for each place. Post titles work the same way, threading, etc. Everyone’s been through a nightshift, I believe, so you should be all set.

How the day will begin: your character will be woken up by a nurse as usual. But instead of being ushered to breakfast, they will be given a change of clothes (YES! REAL CLOTHING!) and a muffin and juice box and told to get ready for their trip. The clothes: think Goodwill Donation Box. Nothing fancy, nothing particularly nice, everything from our present day. They will be loaded on big yellow school busses and driven the short way down the mountain into town. I’m not entirely sure yet if we’ll be RPing the bus ride down or not.

They will also be given a small packet of coupons. The coupons are as follows:

1 Free lunch at Twin Pines
1 Free facial or massage at Mystic Healing Spa
1 Free manicure at Pearl’s
1 Free Tasty Meal and Ice Cream at Tasty Burger

Every patient gets the same packet of coupons.

I’m sure you’ve noticed these are all for things that cannot be brought back to the institute. And I’m sure you’re asking ‘but how can we get our hands on potentially useful gadgets?’. That’s for your characters to figure out. ;)

Citizens of town are the same as the nurses and doctors at the institute. Powers don’t work on them, they can’t be mind read, etc etc. All the same rules apply to them. But! Remember, these aren’t actually staff members, and therefore may possibly be more open to bargaining/sympathy/etc.

It will look and feel like mid-fall in town. Cool air, autumn foliage, etc etc. In fact, the town itself will be decked out for Halloween. (Nurse-provided clothing will be weather appropriate.)

The field trip will last the same length as a normal dayshift.

While patients won’t be able to post on the Institute Bulletin - what with not being in the Institute! - they can post notes on the Public Notice Board in Callahan’s Grocers. But remember, this is a much more public venue than the institute, and nurses will be extra-strict with what they allow to be posted.

The bookstore in town seems to have much in common with the Patient Library. There’s a strange lack of non-fiction, history, etc etc.

Megahits Movies also seems to have nothing but classic films and after school special VHS’s for rent.

Patients will be searched before getting back on the busses, so bear that in mind!

All patients will be going.

For folks who are hiatusing or won’t be able to post until later, you can just have your character sleeping on the bus until you can post. The nurses aren’t so cruel as to wake up some poor patient who really needs some extra sleep. ;)

I am sure there are things that you guys will think of that I haven’t, so do not hesitate to ask any questions!