04 - week four

[afflictionmods]

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!

FULL NAV

(CODE)

Comments

[goodfaiths]

a.

[ This memory starts in a small arena. There are only a handful of other people here with light sticks in their hands, and there are seven different colors total. What this is for is unclear, minus the quick clip of Riku in the portal, but once the lights turn on, Riku is front and center.

Welcome to IDOLiSH7.

The song begins and it's upbeat. Riku and the other boys on stage are performing, singing, and they look like they're having the absolute times of their lives. Literally nothing bad happens in this memory, and after the concert ends, Riku can be found taking a breather backstage.

He looks thrilled. Way more thrilled than anyone in Estelline has ever seen him before. ]

b. cws: alcohol

[ The next memory is in a dark room. There are two people in here: Riku and another boy around his age. They resemble each other quite a bit, and you appear to be an awkward bystander to their current conversation.

The look on the other boy's face is stern, directed entirely towards Riku. ]

You can't keep promises. You haven't until now, and you can't moving forward.

[ Riku's expression is absolutely disheartened.

The conversation fast forwards and escalates. There's discussion about how this person – Kujo Tenn – would never disappoint his fans. How Riku would only make himself and his fans disappointed, how he's second-rate, and if he wants to sing with his friends, he can go to karaoke instead. All of this hits Riku very hard.

It jumps ahead again. Now it's Riku's turn to talk about how he thought Tenn had "left" because he thought Tenn had "hated having to take care of him". Discussion of family abandonment ensues...and then a bunch of noise from outside. They aren't alone in the house. There are drunken idols downstairs; some of them are looking for a cat, apparently; there's a guy delivering soba; it's kind of chaotic and it looks like Tenn's getting agitated. Riku has no response to any of this despite looking extremely upset, but it's clear the conversation looks like it keeps getting interrupted.

Stop the weirdos downstairs? Encourage Riku? The choice is yours. Sorry that you got pulled into family drama!! ]

[ OOC: These memories are able to be interacted with but the outcome of them will not be changed. Affliction!Riku can also make an appearance later on in either of these memories; just put in a request for him and I'll have him show up later in the thread! ]

b

[catarou]

[ His eyes have to adjust, but in the meantime, he hears a voice that's surprisingly familiar. Gentaro is quiet, and once he's able to see marginally better--

Ah. Riku. He doesn't like that look on Riku's face one bit. Try as he might to resist, Gentaro's grown fond of several people here. Riku is one of them, and he feels something squeeze in his chest, especially as the redhead starts to speak. It's a terrible thing, to feel like a burden.

There's a commotion elsewhere. Gentaro at least registers it, but his focus is solely on the twins. It's difficult to miss the resemblance, after all.

Gentaro stays quiet for a moment more. ]

I can only speak for myself, but Riku hasn't disappointed me. Therefore, I must respectfully disagree.

... Well, that was a lie. There is nothing respectful about my disagreement.

[goodfaiths]

[ The sudden appearance of mysterious man in their room gives both Riku and Tenn pause. They both stare at him with wide eyes, zero recognition on Riku's end, and while the most realistic thing for them to do here would be to call the cops...this is memshare and we aren't going there, so! ]

Um...

[ Tenn narrows his eyes. ]

Who are you? If you don't know the situation, please don't comment on it.

[catarou]

You can consider me a friend in Riku's future. I am a Phantom come to visit through time and space.

And you can also think of me as a cautionary tale.

[ He addresses Tenn directly. ]

I know what it feels like to lose a twin. I know it far too intimately. If you continue treating your twin this way, it will bring nothing but devastation. Even if your motives are born of good intentions... once you lose that other half, you may lose them forever.

[goodfaiths]

[ This mysterious Phantom is on his side. People aren't always this kind towards him, this direct towards Tenn without getting angry. Tenn's gaze is cold, but he does seem to consider this for a moment.

Then: ]

I'm trying to keep that from happening. Riku can't continue down this path any longer.

[ Riku, as expected, looks extremely offended by this. ]

You're wrong...

[catarou]

You misunderstand.

[ Gentaro is as calm as ever, but he raises his eyebrows. ]

I mean that if you continue to discourage him instead of supporting him, your relationship will be irreparably broken, shattered into too many pieces that make it impossible to put together. Even if you remain in each other's lives, it will never be the same.

Would you risk that? Risk watching Riku's back as he walks away from you every time, unable to reach or catch up to him?

[ He turns to Riku now. ]

Riku. It's your dream to sing with your friends, to stand on stage in front of your fans and listen to their cheers as you lift their spirits, correct?

a, gimme affliction riku some time

[selfconcept]

[ It's a small arena for sure, but when Hien finds himself here, he decides to stick around. It's a wonderful show. Very lively. When it ends, he wanders the backstage. He's been using his powers to give himself normal-colored eyes in black and the distortion and static has been taken away from his voice. ]

Rikkun, right? Nanase Riku? That was a great show.

[goodfaiths]

[ Affliction!Riku will appear later; for now, this is solely canon Riku, and he looks over at Hien with a smile on his face as he wipes his forehead with his towel. ]

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it, it was a lot of fun!

[ Even though there were only...9 people or so, everyone seems pretty satisfied.

One of the members, Mitsuki, looks over at Hien before turning to grin at Riku. ]

Look, Riku! You have a fan already.

Heh, I guess I do. It's nice to meet you!

[selfconcept]

Your singing was really nice. Of course, the other members all had something to show too--it was really fun. Can I have your autograph?

[ He gets out... uh. What does he have in his bag--

Okay, he finally pulls out a notebook and pen, flipping it to an empty page. ]

Here you go.

[goodfaiths]

An...an autograph!

[ He brightens when the stranger hands him the notebook and pen. Riku nods enthusiastically before he moves to sign it. ]

I've never given anyone my autograph before, so you're the first person. I practiced a bit, so I hope it looks okay!

[selfconcept]

[ He looks over at the signature. He can read the "nanase" part well, and he figures "riku" is in here too, but he doesn't... see it. Kanji is so hard for him when it comes to names. Regardless-- ]

It's a very cute signature. Could you make it out to someone? And... a short encouraging message, if you can. I hope it's not too much to ask.

b;

[sicklysweet]

[Owen steps through just in time to watch this argument between brothers starts, and he raises an eyebrow at the expression Riku makes.

He presses his lips together.

And then, because it's Owen, the first words out of his mouth are - ]

You should kill him for speaking to you that way.

[is this a serious suggestion or not...]

[goodfaiths]

...

[ Ignore the fact that a strange cryptid is here. Both Riku and Tenn look at Owen incredulously, and they say in unison: ]

What is wrong with you?!

[sicklysweet]

[The answer to that question is way too long for this tag.]

I'm just offering advice. If you don't want to keep fighting like this, just kill each other.

[goodfaiths]

No!

[ They're so in sync with their responses, it's no joke. But, strange man, what the fuck is wrong with you. ]

I'm not killing Tenn-nii, don't you know how to use your words?!

[sicklysweet]

I do. Why do you think I'm joking?

[help]

a.

[iubar]

[ He's no stranger to musical performances, but it's not like he's normally seeking things like this out. And it's a little different of a feeling than what he's tended to see.

After the show is done, he'll be wandering toward the area that he saw the idols leave the stage, particularly to check on how one person's doing specifically. ]

[goodfaiths]

[ Riku sees a figure approach at the corner of his eye. He turns to look at the newcomer, fully assuming this is a new fan – he saw him in the audience! – and he looks at the stranger with a bright smile on his face. ]

Hello! Did you have fun tonight? Thanks for coming out!

[iubar]

It's my first time at a concert like this.

[ While it's not his normal style... ]

It wasn't bad.

b for the irony

[mirrite]

[... well, this is awkward. It's none of his business and Marcus knows this, but at the same time he can't just stand by and listen to Riku getting chewed out without even really attempting to defend himself. All of those accusations of disappointing people and needing to be taken care of... they hit a little too close to home for Marcus' comfort, and so after a few minutes of listening he can't help but speak up.]

Sorry to interrupt this incredibly productive discussion, but you might wanna save the rest for later. Unless you like trying to out-yell those guys downstairs, that is, but from the sound of things they're winning that competition right now.

[goodfaiths]

...

[ Riku seems too deflated to really answer, too upset and caught up in his own thoughts. Bless Marcus, though, because his statement at least gets Tenn to stand up. Wordlessly, he walks towards the door and opens it; he closes it surprisingly gently behind him, leaving Marcus and Riku alone for the time being. ]

...Um...who are you?

[mirrite]

[That worked better than he thought, go him. But it's pretty clear from appearances alone that the two of them are related, so he suspects that probably played into it at least somewhat... he can ask about that part later, maybe, if Riku seems up to it.]

Marcus. Marcus Grimm. And if you're wondering why I'm here, don't worry, I don't have much more of an idea than you do. I don't make it a habit to pop into peoples' private conversations like this.

[goodfaiths]

I guess both of us are pretty lost, then...

[ He can't even muster a smile right now, but hello, Marcus. He looks up at him. ]

Sorry... I don't know what's going on, but I'd offer to make you tea or something if Tenn-nii wasn't out there. I can't look at him right now.

[mirrite]

[That earns Riku a laugh, but it's not unkind-- more amused that Riku would be offering to make him tea after all of that, as though he's an invited guest or something.]

Thanks, but considering I sort of barged in uninvited, it'd be pretty rude of me to expect something like that. Besides, I'm not the one who looks like they could use some tea right about now...

[He sobers up a little now.]

More seriously though, you okay? He was laying into you pretty hard there.

b for brothers....

[vivens]

[ well given the fact that riku had told him about the issues he had with his brother, seeing this memory makes him wonder about a few things. rather, it certainly puts things into light and despite the many questions he has for riku and this tenn person, he keeps things pleasant and starts off calmly. ]

I'm sorry to interrupt, however I was wondering about this "promise" that was brought up.

[ he steps in politely, lower his head at tenn and riku both. sorry to suddenly making himself known! but he just had to, okay? ]

As an outsider I won't want to pry too much, but as an older brother, I know I'd want the best for my siblings.