afflictionmods: (Default)
affliction mods ([personal profile] afflictionmods) wrote in [community profile] theafflicted2022-06-11 10:58 pm

04 - week four

WEEK FOUR
Saturday comes to a close, and it’s time for some rest and recovery. Perhaps the TLC you deserve will come this week, or perhaps the nightmare will continue. It’s hard to say with things being so strange around you, from Wei Wuxian’s disappearance to the sudden addition of objects and places and creatures from your homes. Who knows what this week will bring? Nothing ordinary, that’s for sure.

You wake up on Sunday to an increase in those little glimpses you saw yesterday. What were snippets of songs, locations that might’ve seemed familiar, and creatures that were dormant, are now all alive and whole. When you go to the karaoke bar, the songs you once knew are there. Monsters and animals are alive and sentient. New business are abound. Vehicles are operable, and perhaps some of your old belongings are back, too.

However, some of these things aren’t even things that should exist outside of your dreams. They may be far too strange and unusual to be real, or just things you don't remember ever seeing. The only thing you remember about these things in particular is that they were, quite literally, in your dreams this week.

That being said, every few hours, all of these things from your homes and dreams fade out and get replaced by new sounds, places, beasts….only to maybe come back again at another time.

Well. At least there's one constant here: You’ve got a handful of new locations to look at, with the fog having spread once more, and they aren't going anywhere. There aren’t as many new places that are native to Estelline this time around, but that may be for the best, considering everything going on.


SETTING TRACKER

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

NEWSPAPER SUBMISSIONS + EDITION #1

SAGE / FLORENCE / LORELEI

MEM SHARE DETAILS



OOC NOTE
OOC: Details on this week can be found here!

Also, we have a lot of participants for the news activity from last week. Neat! Everyone who participated in some capacity will have a small polaroid camera delivered to their doorstep. There's limited film, though - 10 photos per camera. It doesn't seem like there's any extra film at this time, either.

Finally, there will not be any weekly tasks this week. You guys are going to be busy with memshare and dreamscape stuff; instead, enjoy the Estelline University Newspaper!





cloudalike: (040)

rio - either/or for affliction madara being present!

[personal profile] cloudalike 2022-06-16 05:47 pm (UTC)(link)
[ This one had also seemed normal enough at first. When the young man begins to sing, it's a surprise - but a pleasant one. Chongyun listens intently; the lyrics call to him. They're thoughts he's never had the words to express, at least no words so beautiful, no meaning so poignant. ]

Incredible...
festiverogue: (heroic?)

present it is! but he's lurking for a minute

[personal profile] festiverogue 2022-06-16 06:10 pm (UTC)(link)
[The younger Madara in purple hears that he's not alone and turns around with a start. The controller sits near his feet, and the view on the other side of the computer screen--grainy, from a drone camera--is nothing but footprints on a beach and the ocean.]

Wooow, I really thought I was alone! Did I wake you up? It's early!
cloudalike: (039)

[personal profile] cloudalike 2022-06-16 06:24 pm (UTC)(link)
No, I'm always up early.

[ Actually, though. ]

And I'm glad I did get here early today. Your singing was - [ He closes his eyes briefly. ] - amazing beyond words.
festiverogue: (heroic?)

[personal profile] festiverogue 2022-06-16 06:34 pm (UTC)(link)
[Somewhere around the corner, the "real" Madara's eyebrows arch. He's... not sure he's ever had someone compliment his singing quite like that. Of course, he's an idol, and he has fans who say kind things. And of course, he's always good at anything he puts his mind to, so he is a good singer. But this is so sincere, he's a little taken aback.

It's hard to wallow in the moment he just relived when someone's reacting like that.

But he watches for now.]


Ahaha, thanks! I'm just out here singing to myself~
cloudalike: (012)

[personal profile] cloudalike 2022-06-16 11:59 pm (UTC)(link)
Not - not just the singing! Not only that, but the words! How did you know?

[ Oops, too excited. He takes a deep breath to chill out for a second. Then continues with 75% less stumbling and excitement. More cool - in tone, at least. His words, on the other hand... ]

It is as though you reached into my heart and captured all my feelings.

[ Anyone else would probably die of embarrassment after saying that line, but Chongyun means every word. ]
festiverogue: (heroic?)

[personal profile] festiverogue 2022-06-17 12:29 am (UTC)(link)
[The Madara in purple looks a little ashamed for a moment, looking down to the computer, but he straightens back up and reaches out to settle a hand on Chongyun's shoulder.]

That's what idols do! Whenever you feel like things are hard, when you don't know what a hero is anymore, think about this song. It'll give you strength.

[He beams.]

My name's Madara Mikejima. I hope you'll support me from now on, when you see me around.
Edited (oops html) 2022-06-17 00:29 (UTC)
cloudalike: (037)

[personal profile] cloudalike 2022-06-17 12:42 am (UTC)(link)
Idol?

[ Ah, even he's heard of Barbara from Mondstadt and how inspirational she is. So this is why. ]

I see! Surely, only fools would refuse to support such insight. [ And Chongyun is only a fool sometimes...! ] But again, how did you know? I can understand that it's what you do, but these feelings - sometimes they're so much.
festiverogue: (he's got a gun just sayin)

[personal profile] festiverogue 2022-06-17 12:51 am (UTC)(link)
Ah, well...

[The real Madara finally steps out, albeit quietly, as the purple-clad memory falls silent. He smiles flatly, bemused, unsure what to say to Chongyun in his own distress.

Then the real Madara touches the purple one's shoulder, and in a swirl of star-kissed light, only one Madara remains. The real one. Clad in purple, though, and looking down at the outfit.]


Now thaaat's nostalgic.

[Back to Chongyun.]

Sorry, I was having a hard time back then, so I'm sure it would've been hard for that me to explain. Thought I'd take over. [A more sincere smile.] That song's a little older one, actually. It's by an idol unit from Japan called Ryuseitai. I was in that unit back then, so that's how I knew the song. I couldn't forget it even if I tried.

[He sings a few lines, less tremulous than the memory did.]

Idols kind of have this way of speaking right to your heart. Especially when you resonate with the type of group they are. Ryuseitai's a hero-themed unit, so if you're the supportive type, you know everything we sing will be what you wish you could say. And it's easier to sing it than to say it, isn't it?

[There's a thought. Madara holds out a hand.]

Do you want to try?
cloudalike: (049)

[personal profile] cloudalike 2022-06-18 09:13 pm (UTC)(link)
Ah - I'm... not sure if I would be any good at it. When I don't concentrate on stabilizing my emotions, I easily get overwhelmed and stressed out.

[ It's not a "no," but... He tilts his head. ]

You were having a hard time back then? [ And yet he was still able to sing those words with such emotion. ] Are you alright now?
festiverogue: (softly gently)

[personal profile] festiverogue 2022-06-19 01:55 am (UTC)(link)
Music's good for that, actually. It'll make you feel better when the whole world's getting away from you!

[He smiles, dropping his hand. He should know. Even when nothing else brings him joy, music centers him and helps him make it through the day. Being an idol is a privilege, and he knows it.]

Yeah, I think it's better now. [He points to the computer screen.] You probably didn't see who I was talking to, but... Right here, where you are now, is exaaaactly on the other side of the world from where those guys were. And they were in some pretty bad trouble, in my opinion. Some people were trying to hurt one of them with everything they had, and I had set up a whooole thing to help him get away. Well, unfortunately that kind of didn't work out, and all I could do was send my feelings across the world to him and hope they got away okay.

[It sounds kind of dire when he puts it that way, so he clarifies.]

It was a like... mostly social thing, mind you. Not a life-or-death deal, I guess. But it sure felt like the end of the world to me at the time. That was a few years ago, though. I'm right as rain now! And those two, they're best buddies. So maybe it wasn't so bad, after all!
cloudalike: (039)

[personal profile] cloudalike 2022-06-19 10:00 pm (UTC)(link)
[ He's always been anxious about too much of a good thing. Wouldn't music be the same? It might help him at first, but if he got too into it and felt too much, then...

But he could try to control his music intake, too. Though that would defeat the purpose... Relying on music when he's feeling overwhelmed, but not too much music or else he'll get overwhelmed anyway. Ugh...

He'll give Madara's suggestion some thought another time. ]


You still did your best back then, didn't you? It's easier to think that, if we had just done things differently, we would have done a better job at helping someone dear to us. But we can only work with the resources and knowledge we have at the time, and that is always limited I think. Trying to help despite those limits, that's something to commend.

[ He shakes his head a little ruefully. ]

I don't know your friends, but your feelings must have reached them, I'm sure it did. All this time later, it has reached me, someone from a different world. The other side of the word is but a short distance away compared to that.
festiverogue: (mama loves sea life)

[personal profile] festiverogue 2022-06-22 02:53 am (UTC)(link)
[Idols are supposed to bring hope and joy to people with their music, so even if Madara doesn't have any plan to be a totally "normal" idol, he still believes in the power of his music and performance to reach people. Every idol has to believe in that, really, to get the job done every day. It's the one constant. There will always be MaM fans, as long as he keeps working hard.]

That's one of the nicest things anybody's ever said to me.

[He smiles, and it's a little sheepish now.]

If they could walk a little taller because of that song, I'm happy. They took up the torch of the group after I left, and made it better than ever. I'm gonna let myself take a little credit for that, just because you gave me permission!