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theafflicted2022-06-11 05:38 am
afflictionmods) wrote in theafflicted2022-06-11 05:38 am
03.50 - week three, saturday
W3 SATURDAY
Another Saturday rolls around. Some of you had an… interesting night, perhaps, but that’s still no excuse to sit out on your lessons. There’s another announcement, another time to meet before your lessons start today. This time is just a bit different, though. This time you’re not meeting up at campus. You’re told to meet up at the park in the Museum District - and, as always, you’re expected to show up. How you get there is irrelevant, but you better try to be on time.
Florence is waiting at the park, and behind them is another dark, ominous orb. Even as far away as you are, you can hear its whispers. It’s calling to you with promises it can show you a new life, a better life, it can make you someone better… But then Florence is speaking, as if they cannot feel the hear the whispers.
“I will be accompanying you on this lesson, as I said in the brochure I handed out on Thursday. I will do my best to assist you.” There is a pause, though their face voice remains emotionless. “It is hard to say what it will be like inside - however, your goal for this lesson is to close this place for good. I may be unable to assist with that personally, so we are relying on you.”
They take a step back, turning towards the orb.
“I would advise you to do what is asked of you while you are in there - and a word of warning. Through our observations, we have noticed something strange. This seems capable of creating replications of those who enter it.” They let that information hang for a moment, before continuing. “We are unsure what these replications are truly capable of, but please be careful.”
Then Florence gestures for you to follow, and they’re stepping into the orb.
Florence is waiting at the park, and behind them is another dark, ominous orb. Even as far away as you are, you can hear its whispers. It’s calling to you with promises it can show you a new life, a better life, it can make you someone better… But then Florence is speaking, as if they cannot feel the hear the whispers.
“I will be accompanying you on this lesson, as I said in the brochure I handed out on Thursday. I will do my best to assist you.” There is a pause, though their face voice remains emotionless. “It is hard to say what it will be like inside - however, your goal for this lesson is to close this place for good. I may be unable to assist with that personally, so we are relying on you.”
They take a step back, turning towards the orb.
“I would advise you to do what is asked of you while you are in there - and a word of warning. Through our observations, we have noticed something strange. This seems capable of creating replications of those who enter it.” They let that information hang for a moment, before continuing. “We are unsure what these replications are truly capable of, but please be careful.”
Then Florence gestures for you to follow, and they’re stepping into the orb.
THE RINGMASTER
The inside is still the same park, but it has been transformed into a carnival. There are booths with games and food set up everywhere, a large ferris wheel, a tent. It will be a familiar carnival, to some of you, but all the lights are off and there are no people there. There’s a tug, a pull, that draws you towards the main tent - to center stage. Stepping inside you will be greeted by someone dressed as a ringmaster, whose voice is lively and energetic despite how hollow they seem on the outside:
“Hello and welcome! It’s time for your performance! And every good performer wants to do what the people want, don’t they? There’s a list on those little tablets of yours, and you need to do whatever’s asked of you!”
The ringmaster laughs brightly, and it echoes throughout the tent. “The more you do, the more we’ll all enjoy it, and the better chance you will get to stay you! But if you refuse… Well, that won’t be any good, right?”
The ringmaster makes a wide, sweeping gesture with their cane.
“We’re very generous here, though, and realize some things are easier to do with others! That’s why one refusal won’t be an instant loss. We’re assigning task cards, you see. Kinda like bingo cards! Each time you do a task for someone or someone does one for you, you get 50 points! The more you do, the higher the score, and once you reach 200 points, you're capped! But every time you refuse to do something people ask you to do, even if you're at 200 points… you lose 100 points ! And if you don’t do anything, well, you get no points and you lose automatically! You also can’t just sit around doing the same thing with the same person over and over again! Gotta spice it up! The same thing over and over again is just boring.”
There’s a click, and noise starts up outside of the tent. It sounds like the carnival’s come alive.
“Your little tablets will track your points. I really do recommend playing along, because if you fail… You’ll lose something. Something that makes you you! A memory, a precious item, something that makes you who you are and can’t be replaced so easily… Who knows what’s at risk, here! Though who am I kidding, it might be more fun to see what you'll lose. Don't ya think? Maybe you should just give up now and we can all laugh about it!
Anyways, all you gotta do is live until the timer runs out. The timer, by the way, is gonna be at the top of your tablet thingamajigs.”
There’s a tip of the ringmaster’s hat. The timer reads 90 minutes.
“That’s all for now! Go find that pesky little robot who’s been snooping around if you want more answers, because I am very busy.”
“Hello and welcome! It’s time for your performance! And every good performer wants to do what the people want, don’t they? There’s a list on those little tablets of yours, and you need to do whatever’s asked of you!”
The ringmaster laughs brightly, and it echoes throughout the tent. “The more you do, the more we’ll all enjoy it, and the better chance you will get to stay you! But if you refuse… Well, that won’t be any good, right?”
The ringmaster makes a wide, sweeping gesture with their cane.
“We’re very generous here, though, and realize some things are easier to do with others! That’s why one refusal won’t be an instant loss. We’re assigning task cards, you see. Kinda like bingo cards! Each time you do a task for someone or someone does one for you, you get 50 points! The more you do, the higher the score, and once you reach 200 points, you're capped! But every time you refuse to do something people ask you to do, even if you're at 200 points… you lose 100 points ! And if you don’t do anything, well, you get no points and you lose automatically! You also can’t just sit around doing the same thing with the same person over and over again! Gotta spice it up! The same thing over and over again is just boring.”
There’s a click, and noise starts up outside of the tent. It sounds like the carnival’s come alive.
“Your little tablets will track your points. I really do recommend playing along, because if you fail… You’ll lose something. Something that makes you you! A memory, a precious item, something that makes you who you are and can’t be replaced so easily… Who knows what’s at risk, here! Though who am I kidding, it might be more fun to see what you'll lose. Don't ya think? Maybe you should just give up now and we can all laugh about it!
Anyways, all you gotta do is live until the timer runs out. The timer, by the way, is gonna be at the top of your tablet thingamajigs.”
There’s a tip of the ringmaster’s hat. The timer reads 90 minutes.
“That’s all for now! Go find that pesky little robot who’s been snooping around if you want more answers, because I am very busy.”
THE AUDIENCE
Once the ringmaster’s done with their speech, you’re free to travel around the carnival and explore it. It’s an eerie, quiet place, but… you’re not alone, and it won’t take you long to realize that. Those of you who had seen this carnival before - Miach, Shinei, Herlock, and Xingqiu - probably won’t be surprised when the doubles show up. They’re near perfect recreations of you - but near perfect doesn’t mean perfect. Their mannerisms might be odd, or their movements might be jerky and uncanny… but at a glance, it’s impossible to tell who is the real one and who isn’t.
And this is something that makes these doubles very, very angry.
They want you to fail, and they’ll do anything they can to ensure that happens. They’ll sabotage you - or your partner - all in an effort to make you lose points. They'll taunt you if it seems like you're ready to open up, they'll tell you about all the reasons why being honest is a bad idea. For physical prompts, they'll taunt you, call you a monster... They also seem to believe that if you fail, they’ll get to replace you. They will get a chance to get out of here and be the real one. They’re not always convincing, but they are dangerous, and there’s just as many of them as there are of you.
And this is something that makes these doubles very, very angry.
They want you to fail, and they’ll do anything they can to ensure that happens. They’ll sabotage you - or your partner - all in an effort to make you lose points. They'll taunt you if it seems like you're ready to open up, they'll tell you about all the reasons why being honest is a bad idea. For physical prompts, they'll taunt you, call you a monster... They also seem to believe that if you fail, they’ll get to replace you. They will get a chance to get out of here and be the real one. They’re not always convincing, but they are dangerous, and there’s just as many of them as there are of you.
OOC NOTES
OOC: Here are some important things to note for today’s event:
- A simple breakdown of the rules is as follows:
- The cards know, meaning that they'll know if something is not answered earnestly. Prompts that are answered falsely will not go away on your tablets. They will only go away if they are answered truthfully.
- Failure is NOT a bad end! In fact, we have some plans in the instance where not enough people pass the exercise. If 5 or more people fail the exercise, that is considered a group failure. Those who failed individually will face the consequences of losing the important memory/item/etc.
- We are asking people to make their own task cards. Here is a list of prompts:
You may also add one custom prompt tailored to your character, if you wish.
Please toss the prompts into the textbox at the top of this site. Under "Configuration Options", the card size should be 3x3 and the center space should have Normal selected. All characters will get a total of 9 prompts on their cards. It is okay to have prompts that your character would not do; it would just increase their chances of failure.
- A simple breakdown of the rules is as follows:
You cap at 200 points, but you must maintain those 200 points until the timer runs out.
Mutual agreement on completing a task nets each person 50 points.
Getting turned down or refusing to do one makes you lose 100 points.
You cannot use the same person to complete all your tasks. You must have only one prompt per character that you cooperate with.
- The cards know, meaning that they'll know if something is not answered earnestly. Prompts that are answered falsely will not go away on your tablets. They will only go away if they are answered truthfully.
- Failure is NOT a bad end! In fact, we have some plans in the instance where not enough people pass the exercise. If 5 or more people fail the exercise, that is considered a group failure. Those who failed individually will face the consequences of losing the important memory/item/etc.
- We are asking people to make their own task cards. Here is a list of prompts:
You may also add one custom prompt tailored to your character, if you wish.
Please toss the prompts into the textbox at the top of this site. Under "Configuration Options", the card size should be 3x3 and the center space should have Normal selected. All characters will get a total of 9 prompts on their cards. It is okay to have prompts that your character would not do; it would just increase their chances of failure.
no subject
Interesting.
[Well, nothing to do but go ahead, then! Having read the prompts and making sure he still has the gauze he bought from the store, SHolmes decides to get started. It's time to tackle this stuff.
Concession Stands
There's Sholmes, rooting through the skewers of what seems to be a skewered meat stand. He has turned on the flame, and is heating up the tip of the skewer]
As far as lasting injuries go, burns tend to be among the easiest one to cause. It doesn't need to be deep or excessively painful, too. At best, it will leave a scar. However...to allow yourself to suffer a burn, even if it's half a centimeter long, continues being a daunting task. [Sholmes looks up] But in comparison to many other options, it still is the least grave one.
[He doesn't ask yet, because getting refused takes points away, so instead he's floating that information. It's pretty clear to see where he's going with this]
Of course, this is also your chance to vent about me. Would you like to insult me? You need not hold back, I guarantee I won't care what you say.
[Sholmes touches with a fingertip the heated up wood, testing the heat. Wood is pretty bad at conducting heat]
According to my chart, I also should talk about myself to other people. I abhor having to do so-- [Perceive his work, don't perceive what's underneath the surface of who he is, is what he likes] --however, if you're willing to listen, I could say something.
[Sholmes places the skewer on the fire again]
Unless you have a task of your own you'd like to fulfill with me?
TAKEN
Tell what he thinks is your worst attribute --- Shin
Tell what he likes of you --- Mae
Tell secret --- Ace
no subject
[....... I mean I guess insulting people is kind of his default when it comes to people like Sholmes. Maybe???! He doesn't even come with a proper preamble, just launches right into it, gesticulating all the way.]
Your face is funny-shaped! Your jokes are terrible, the timing of everything you say needs work, you get your hands into the stupidest things and don't properly clean up after yourself!! [he is pretty sure there is still glitter in the common room, are these all extremely petty complaints?? yes, he's a petty guy] Mm, also you don't seem all that good at solving things.
no subject
[Oh...oh no. Oh dear, this is...not terribly great. He left himself open for insults and the result just makes Sholmes kind of sad for Tamamori's efforts instead of insulted. He drops the skewer and just...hides his face for a moment in disbelief]
We could have gone for an easier task for you.
[Apparently Sholmes is disappointed with the insults and far from angry, haha]
no subject
[.......... instead of making Sholmes angry I guess Tamamori is now the one angry. What else is new. He's got his cheeks puffed up in annoyance and looks like he's still searching for words, like he might be trying for a second round of insults... can he do it.....]
Y-You're the worst person at taking pictures I've seen!! Your sense of fashion is worse than my grandma's! Also Sherlock Holmes is a hundred times cooler than you, so take that.
[I have no idea if they've talked about Sherlock Holmes before this but I guess this was inevitable.]
no subject
[Apparently also passable enough for the tablet, it seems, because it awards Sholmes the points. He doesn't seem exactly insulted, but hey, to someone who is really proud of his exploits, this Sherlock Holmes certainly is something that annoys him a little, haha]
no subject
[He's interrupted by the thing apparently going through, Tamamori gives an irritated huff -- perhaps he's just out of practice, or in reality he doesn't usually spend a great deal of time or thought outside of his limited circle, so insulting someone off the cuff is a little more difficult than expected.
He makes a mental note to prepare better next time(?).
Still, his hackles continue to be up for various reasons--]
Well, you'd better thank me, even if I doubt you understand the greatness of Sherlock Holmes and his adventures in deduction and the solving of all manner of cases! Just because you can claim some convoluted happenings to your name...
[Why yes, he does remember the pep rally but also, the shoes of
ShoelockSherlock Holmes are vast.]no subject
[Therefore he already is above the exploits of this Sherlock Holmes, as far as he's concerned]
no subject
And this is why you don't understand! A giant in literature never dies, but lives on as an eternal concept, resurrected over and over in the minds of readers, critics and even filmmakers and other writers alike! Why, even I--
[Actually, he pauses for a moment, as though to re-calibrate. This happened on the first weekend, too, though this time he doesn't slap a sleeve over his mouth; it's a smaller recalibration, perhaps.]
A-Anyway, that goes to show what you, a non-reader, would know. Despite how it looks in The Final Problem, there was such an uproar over the supposed death of the extraordinary Sherlock Holmes that some time later, the author was obliged to resurrect him and continue his tales!
no subject
[At least with someone as detail-oriented as Sholmes he feels less at risk letting him poke and prod with a hot stick than answering questions.]
... as long as it's not my hands o- or my face, I don't really mind it. The burn.
no subject
[He beckons Idia closer]
Would a shoulder be acceptable?
no subject
[And he believes him in regards to quick and minimally painful, which is worth slightly more than nothing. He shuffles over and shrugs his jacket down to be hanging off his elbows instead of his shoulders.]
[Then, he hooks a finger under the hem to pull it sideways and expose pale skin.]
... I'd say to go through the shirt b- ... but it was a gift, technically, so I guess... I shouldn't get it damaged r- right away...
no subject
[Aaaa-ha! Sholmes wastes no time -- he reaches forward with the hot skewer and sticks it against Idia's shoulder, pressing it. As far as things to get burned with, this is almost mild, but when he removes it, there's unmistakably a burn. Bam! A mark!]
There you go! It will be gone in matter of days. I'm surprised you allowed this, Mr. Shroud!
[He has to admit he expected nobody to let him burn them, even if it was a little bit]
no subject
Eh? ... [oh! oh, the pain thing,]
... w- well, I caused you some trouble last week. [with how he was freaking out on last Saturday]
And I'd already paid you back for the trouble in the first week, s- so...
[he starts ticking off on his fingers, like a mental balance book, before realizing that was kind of silly!]
... R-Regardless of favors it was just something I could do.
no subject
[Well, it also is kind of an offer out of gratitude for letting him have fifty points. Truthfully the possibility of losing something is distressing! He can only imagine what he could lose! So that Idia got him a step farther away from such scenario is something to be grateful about]
no subject
W- Was there a horrible malpractice incident that ended your career there early and sent you down the path of a detective?
[It's not exactly a kind thing to ask but it's the first thing that comes to his mind.]
no subject
[Sholmes seems to have found it hilarious, and waves a hand]
No, not at all! I met my friend and partner while I was there -- he was looking for housing and I offered him a place to stay. He was a visiting student back then, coming to study forensic medicine. After he commented to me about some suspicious circumstances he noticed during his studies, I began investigating and uncovered a grisly murder case. Such was the beginning of some great years alongside him!
[Yeah, his world's version of Watson, yup. Meeting him was lifechanging for the both of them]
no subject
[He listens, and... despite, you know, the grisly murder, it sounds nice. A friend and partner, uncovering cases, some great years! He smiles a little.]
I see. Well, it suits you! I- I wouldn't mind reading a story like that.
no subject
I don't think there's any need to get dramatic! Or more importantly, burn anyone with a meat skewer!
[Or okay, maybe there is a need to do that, but not specifically, to Mae, thanks. Instead, she looks at her own card...]
Why don't we do something nice? Say what we like about each other!
no subject
[Sholmes, quite relieved he doesn't have to do this, leaves the skewer back on the fire]
Gladly, my dear madam! Allow me to stroke your ego.
[Posing, Sholmes says:]
I find admirable you do what you want and don't let trifles get in your way, whether it's stealing from convenience stores or gathering junk only you will love, you do it and that's to be admired.
no subject
She can't help but get caught between a smile and a grimace at first - she's into the ego stroking, but does he have to announce it in this way?
(But she is a little happy he found something to say.)]
Yeah, I'm pretty rad. [She says it in a way that is clear she means it mostly as a joke, but she's still pretty pleased by it, nonetheless.] Thanks, though. Most people would think picking up junk is weird!
[But fair is fair - time to return the favor.]
Now you! [She'll point!] Being a detective is pretty cool. You're proactive in finding a solution! [Even if that solution... is a skewer...] And you're curious, which is a good thing! Usually.
no subject
[Still, Sholmes nods, incredibly pleased. It's easy to stroke this man's ego]
no subject
[She speaks from experience here. Curiosity and cats, etc.]
But it's pretty satisfying when you learn what's going on!
no subject