theafflicted | 02

02 - week two

WEEK TWO

When the glitter settles and everyone returns to their dorms - or wherever they intend to sleep for the night, if you’re planning on sleeping at all - your first week of school officially ends. Perhaps it was better than you expected, perhaps it was worse.

Hopefully you learned a bit more about teamwork and school spirit.

Still, this course is going to run for longer than a full week, and come Sunday morning you’re still exactly as you were when you settled down for the night. Still in Estelline, still with that mark on your wrist, still connected to your partner. There are some changes, though. The bookstore has received quite a few books, and those of you who added to the bulletin board and pep rally tasks in the first week will find an envelope taped to their dorm door (or themselves, if they spent the night elsewhere). Inside of the envelope is some kind of voucher! Furthermore, the common area is covered in a bunch of glitter.

Also, there are a ton of eggs in the kitchen – at least 10 dozens.

Florence or Lorelei are still available, should you wish to speak to them.

Finally, you've got some new locations to explore.

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

TASK LIST

CLUMSINESS AFFECT DETAILS (BEGINS TUESDAY ICLY)

W2 CYOA SIGNUPS
CYOA Signups for Week 2 close Sunday, May 29th at 6pm EST.

THREAD SURVEY
Google form for partner threads, due by Friday, June 3rd at 6pm EST. Optional.

W3 CYOA SIGNUPS
CYOA Signups for Week 3 close Friday, June 3rd at 6pm EST.

OOC NOTE

OOC: Anyone who performed in the Pep Rally (Sabo, Madara, Riku, Shizuku, Herlock, Idia, Flat, Miach) task will be able to redeem a voucher for a prize with one of the NPCs. This can be handwaved, and the prize selection is below.

-Single-serve coffee machine wither a selection of creamer. Comes with packs of coffee beans.
-Popcorn maker and kernels.
-High-quality tea kettle with a selection of just as high-quality tea.
-Carbonation machine (think Sodastream, etc) with flavored syrup.

Any coffee, tea, popcorn, etc. will last characters up to two weeks.

Anyone who participated in the Bulletin Board task will receive a voucher for your choice of two pairs colorful socks with cute animal designs. (Worry frog design available.)

FULL NAV

(CODE)

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[ bless this progress. ]

I'd like to get to know you better and perhaps compare our stories. You're trapped in the mall because of the fog, right? Shizuku and I don't have the same limitation. We're able to leave the mall and can bring you supplies.

[ hmm... what to barter.... ]

Like freshly prepared meals to eat.

Or fresh clothes, perhaps?

( she noticed a distinct lack of clothing stores at this mall (sideeyes mall quality tbh) after all! and wearing the same thing day in and out is... hmmmm. how do you say.... fucking crusty. )

[ There's a pause as she considers this. ]

...Fine. If I tell you one small thing, bring me something small from somewhere that isn't this mall. A shirt or something. Deal?

Deal. I'm sure Shizuku can find something nice for you to wear.

[ since sabo has his very obvious style of dress and he's certainly no idol. as for the question to ask.....

god that's so many that are worth asking, sadly he doesn't have the knowledge about the spheres from shizuku's newspaper but maybe npc-chan will be kind enough to allow a gentle two-part question?? ]

Now then, I hope that you could tell us a bit about why you've barricaded yourself in this room. Is there something out there we should be aware of?

( shizuku looks up at sabo as he speaks and then gasps- )

Those spheres mentioned in the newspaper...?

( ...less an intentional two-parter, honestly. )

...Yeah. I suspect those have something to do with the weird shit going on with people hurting each other or getting down on themselves. Almost got me, too. It kinda almost tempted me to wander into it, but I -- I was strong enough to deny it. Not everyone is.

[ She sounds pretty down when she says it. ]

I don't know. I was just here, in this mall, having a good time when everything started happening.

[ blinks.

he'll turn to shizuku for a moment because?? ??? newspaper?? spheres?? but npc-chan apparently knows what that's about so he'll keep that for later and let her drive that boat. ]

Do you feel comfortable enough to elaborate a bit more? If nothing else, if you could tell us how many people were with you...

( she holds up one of her newspapery gains!!!! ... but also looks up sheepishly like. whoops. sorry sabo. she'll show you in detail in a moment, we're getting other lore right now.

ahem.

actually no her follow up question is a little different from this, she doesn't want to distract too much she'll be good and wait. )

I can tell you how many people were there, I guess. Four others.

[ She doesn't see this question as a big deal. ]

You said that others... wandered into them? And that you were tempted as well? What do you mean, exactly?

( don't worry npc-chan she's gonna bring you so much stuff. )

[ he'll just squint at the newspaper for a moment. inside he weeps but also he's happy that she found something else that's useful to know. it certainly made conversing easier.

though there is something interesting that she says. ]

Four? Then it was just the five of you who experienced this?

[ that's...not a lot of people compared to their, what, 30? if he's understanding it right anyway. ]

[ She grumbles. ]

You guys owe me big time for this.

[ Rude. Anyway: ]

It just feels like it pulls you in...makes you feel like you can fix things. Sometimes the environment here makes us feel things but I've never felt anything like that before.

[ To Sabo: ]

No, it was whoever was in the area but it seems like its spread is bigger than that. Me and four others happened to be hanging out when it went down. Thought that's what you were asking.

Edited 2022-06-01 22:19 (UTC)

We'll bring you anything that you want within our capabilities.

[ very sincerely. honestly, he'd offer to bring her back with them but looks around. will something like that even happen? ]

Sorry, I should have clarified. [ whoever was in the area is a broad enough statement and the newspaper seemed to imply it was a lot of people so... ] Then the people you were with succumbed to the things that you've mentioned.

[ the whole hurting one another and all of that...hm. ]

Is it fair for me to assume that they're no longer living?

( oh... shizuku looks away at sabo's question. what a horrible possibility... ... )

... What kind of foods do you like? And what size do you like to wear?

( as opposed to what size she is- after all, one of her friends likes to wear slightly too-big shirts, for airy comfort. and whoever this girl is, she deserves some good things right now. )

I want to be able to bring you things you'll truly enjoy, not just... something different than this.

I don't know what happens in there, so I don't know what happened to them.

[ It's said hurriedly, like she doesn't want to talk or think about it before Shizuku speaks. ]

Medium size in everything, and just grab me a quick meal. I'll be fine otherwise. But I...appreciate it.

[ he'll nod and won't push her beyond that. what she doesn't say speaks in enough volumes for him that he doesn't need it to be spelled out for him. ]

I see, thank you for answering our questions. [ spoken softly and earnestly. and even if she can't see it, he'll give the door an earnest bow at the waist. ] If you could just answer me one more thing—two more things. First, what do you mean by "fix things" and second, can you tell us your name?

I'd like to be able to address you properly.

( no, npc-chan is getting a veritable feast. but she has nothing much else to add. )

Alright. I'll get it back to you soon, I promise.

Fix yourself. Fix your life. I'm pretty sure that's all bullshit, but who knows. It's probably baiting you to take the leap.

[ ... ]

My name is Sage.

[ blinks wildly at this information... not sabo. me, naru. ]

Then I'm glad that you didn't take that leap, Sage, as it's been a lovely time being able to speak to you.

[ he means it in full earnest and he doesn't want to leave the conversation there. it feels wrong to leave the conversation there. there's so much wrong about all of this. who knew simply going down a door would lead to this? imagine not that long ago he was kicking a claw machine...

well, if there may be one final, final thing worth saying: ]

...if [ hm. no, let's try this again. ] Once things have settled and both the mystery around those events and the fog has been lifted, I'll come to get you. Will you meet me?

I'm sure you don't want to live in this room for the rest of your life.

[ alone, scared, and hiding away from threatens them... trapped in a place were they don't know what freedom is. these are the people he has vowed to help. ]

( shizuku gently places a hand against the door, clutching her pendant in the other. )

You're not alone anymore. We can't always be here, but we'll come back.

...

[ She listens to both of them. Their words are kind and comforting, something she didn't realize she needed all this time, this badly.

The door cracks open. Sage emerges. She lowers her arm; that hand is holding a knife, but she's not attacking. She just looks tired. ]

Thanks. I'd like that a lot.

[ there she is. our girl.

should he be worried about the knife?? shizuku is the closest to sage who is brandishing the knife so probably, but given everything that has been exchanged he isn't. ]

You're very welcome, and thank you for trusting us.

( if the knife worries shizuku, she certainly doesn't show it. all she does is smile sweetly, stepping back a little to give sage some space. )

It's nice to see you properly. I promise I'll be back soon, alright? Is there anywhere you want me to meet you when I come back?

( she can sneak back here again if it's necessary- the others are exploring too, after all. )

You can just come back here. I'm in this room most of the time.

[ She's been holed up in here for a bit...so it doesn't seem to be an issue. ]

Just knock and say you're Shizuku and Sabo. I'll lower the barricade.

Noted.

[ but also cute... they have rights to see her whenever. ]

We'll be sure to come back with plenty of the things that we said we'd bring. If there's anything else you end up wanting, don't be afraid to ask.

[ so, i guess this means sage is getting a small feast and a decent selection of clothes. ]

(no subject)

cheerfuldays - 2022-06-02 02:55 (UTC) - Expand

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