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

[ignihidden]

[Prompt 1 is more goal-driven as you'll try to calm or exorcise the spirit of a bride that wants to take Idia with her on her happy ever after... Prompt 2 is more for casual chatting.]

1. Ghost Marriage

[Idia Shroud has been... kidnapped! That's one of the first things that's made clear when stepping into this memory. The first part takes place outside, near Mr. S's Mystery Shop. The headmage, a flambouyant looking man in a mask, is trying to assure a robot boy that everything with definitely go to plan.]

[... a video monitor nearby implies otherwise, though, with a bunch of students in uniform laid out on the ground, stiff like logs. Close examination shows their lips moving, though. They're not dead. Just paralyzed on the ground. And in the cafeteria-now-marriage venue, Idia is having a time.]

"You! You'll help rescue my elder brother, right," [The robot boy has zoomed up in the face of the unlucky memory walker,] "... name not found in Night Raven College student database. Please register name and then save him!"

[The headmage isn't sure about allowing non-students into this situation (who might be part of the press) but... well, he's magnamimous enough to forgive it, provided they're able to make sure Idia Shroud is returned safely!]

2. Dance and Wishes

[Welcome to the Illustrious Night Raven College! It seems like there's some special celebration going on? Everyone is crowded around a large tree that lit up with these magical, star-shaped baubles. Many people are chattering and quite a few seem sure that the event's not going to go on. After all, check out all those storm-clouds...]

[Still, the performers take the stage. It's up to the beholder if it's cool or not but the three on stage are certainly doing their best.]

[The final performer seems to be- a boy? a robot? Either way, over the course of the dance, he flies up above the clouds. With a beam of light-!!! He creates an atmospheric altering event?! The clouds warp and then seem to be blown clear away from the area around campus. In the clear night sky that is revealed, dozens of shooting stars begin to descend. And, of course, the headmaster will say this was all planned.]

[Inevitably, if you've been drawn into this memory, your feet will find themselves pulled to one Idia Shroud, fresh out of participating. He's looking a bit pitiful and sweaty but looking up at the sky he can't help but smile a little. When he notices you, though,]

Eek! Uh, ah, that- N- Non-students aren't s-supposed to come to this area...

[Yeah, it's still Idia, after all. Still, the theme of the whole event is wishes and the stargazers are supposed to collect wishes... you could bully him into doing some overtime.]

[Or, maybe, if you search long enough, you'll find the current Idia hiding amongst the crowd. He's marginally easier to talk to.]

1

[selfconcept]

[ Hien really hopes he doesn't give off the image of being the press, considering he has no mic or recording device on him and he looks so... bland.

Anyway. What in the fresh hell is going on here-- ]

Name's Hien. Where do I go? Actually, what's even happening...? Does he not like his fiancee or something?

[ignihidden]

"Mr. Hien NoEntry, registering."

[It doesn't have the same cadence as [full name]-san but, look, we make compromises when roleplaying in the English language.]

[While Ortho is quickly creating a file, the headmage, a completely trustworthy looking man, will explain.]

["Rather than an agreed upon marriage, young Idia Shroud has ended up coming to the attention of a certain reoccuring ghost of ours. It's a portentious event occuring once every hundred years so it's never actively harmed a student... ... yet."]

"If she completes the ceremony with my elder brother, she'll take him to the land of the dead!"

[selfconcept]

[ Hien gives Ortho a dead look, but. Huh. He kinda resembles Idia. Just a little? Maybe it's the hair. ]

Okay, well... show me where he is. I dunno this place.

[ignihidden]

[Of all the currently living people in the world, he definitely... most resembles Idia. Judging from the other people around in the rescue squad blue fire hair isn't a common trait.]

"Mr. Headmage! Requesting permission to escort since so many of the students have failed so far!"

[Ortho turns and waves to the headmage who... doesn't seem great on the idea. "We didn't send you in for a very specific reason, young Ortho."]

"I promise not to detonate until every student and Mr. Hien NoEntry has failed."

[detonate, huh...]

[selfconcept]

I know I just came in, but like... have some faith in me. Lead the way, Ortho.

[ Rude!!! ]

TUXEDO SHIZUKU i mean. 1.

[cheerfuldays]

( shizuku blinks for a moment, taking everything in- oh boy. ohhhh boy. this is... a lot. especially now that the little robot boy is pulling her into everything too. )

Ah... my name is Shizuku Hinomori. Though... I'm afraid I don't understand what's happening. I arrived here by chance.

( it's not a 'no', just a polite request for more information. )

this. this is for us.

[ignihidden]

"Ms. Shizuku Hinamori, please, if she kisses my elder brother he's going to have to go with her to the land of the dead!"

[And he's not! being allowed! to solve the problem with lasers! The young-looking robot certainly mirrors some of Idia's features, with his firey hair and golden eyes, but he's a lot more... forthright. The headmage holds his chin in his ornately clawed hand.]

["Sending in a maiden... I see, there is a certain progressive angle to that. I have heard many a woman declare that, should it be possible, intermingling with the same sex would be much easier. Still... the issue here is that the ghost bride is looking for her ideal prince!" he points dramatically.]

[excuse him as he turns to sam and starts discussing if they have appropriate costuming]

"We have an item called the binding band. If Ms. Shizuku Hinamori can put it on the ghost bride's finger, she'll be forced to move on."

we deserve an treat

[cheerfuldays]

( shizuku listens carefully, eyes growing wider by the word- what the actual heck is idia's life?! but then... hm.

well, she certainly can't let anything happen to idia. but if it's a prince the ghost bride wants... with a determined look, she nods. )

I understand. As a model, I'm used to wearing different styles, and part of my job includes charming others. Please tell me what mistakes to avoid, and help me find an appropriate outfit!

[ignihidden]

[While Idia was distinctly magical-looking he sure didn't talk much about how magical everything is. It's the weird side-effect of talking mostly about idols instead of what he considers "normal."]

"A model.."

[Ortho echoes along with the silent implication of well, we sent a model, and he didn't do it either, but... meanwhile, in the background, we have confirmation of:]

["IN STOCK NOW! Feel free to use the shop as a changing room, then." Sam, a man with a roguish look, gestures to the small building's door.]

"If you need any help getting ready, please let me know, Ms. Shizuku Hinamori! Rest assured, all of my recording functions can be temporarily disabled."

[cheerfuldays]

( vil may be beautiful, but he doesn't have shizuku's sweetness.

but she nods, smiling and politely thanking sam before turning to ortho. )

I've never worn a suit before, so if you don't mind checking for me once I'm done, that'd be a great help to me.

( and then she's going to step in! she thinks she's seen this store around the town earlier this week... well. they've got work to do, don't they? hopefully she doesn't take too long.

when she steps back out, she looks positively dashing. )

How is this?

1.

[escardos]

Oh, hello! Are you an AI? You are, aren't you?

[ with his powers back on, flat can finally see his surroundings with ease. he looks around, nodding in interest. ]

Does he not like his fiancée? Oh, could it be that this is an arranged marriage?

[ignihidden]

"My body is advanced construct my brother made me-"

[but, like, it's question time before Ortho can go off about how wonderful his brother actually is]

"My brother's not supposed to be getting married right now! He was stolen!"

["And now," the headmage notes, "we have a certain kind of shotgun wedding. Very nontraditional but the motif of the shotgun yet remains."]

[escardos]

[ woah, what?! ]

He was stolen?! That's not good! We should object! He should only get married to the love of his life or someone that has a lot of money and power!

[ignihidden]

["Everyone we've sent to repel her has been... repelled. And sadly she doesn't seem to be listening to young Mr. Shroud's objections. Which he is saying. Loudly and frequently."]

[As much as we would love to blame Idia for being unable to "excuse me I asked for no marriage?" his way out of this.]

"The ceremony is going to happen at midnight. So, I should begin charging structural detonation beam at 10:45!"

2

[magicam]

[Oh, hey, school, how are you? And it's the wishes event, huh?

...Well, at least he doesn't have to bullshit another wish, and no one's especially bothering him for being here (or in two places at once, as the case may be!), considering. Well. You know.

Anyway.

Since this particular Cater knows this is all an illusion put on by the place they're in, he doesn't spend a whole lot of time watching the event itself - he's seen it, three years in a row, in fact, and while Ortho's display had been super cool, he's more interested in finding the Real, Actual Idia, hiding in the crowd.

And, you know, for old time's sake - there'll be a double grabbing each arm when he does find him, though one disappears after the initial surprised reaction.]

There you are~ You didn't get to watch much when you were in it, did you~?

[ignihidden]

[The two of them were protected by the fact this wasn't real. Idia had his hood up but, in reality, no one was going to point out "another Idia Shroud" was there. Which is good because he absolutely yelps loudly when a double grabs each arm and then is gone before he can finish the sound.]

[he swats and both his jacket sleeves like a bug might be on them before realizing what happened]

Eh- heeeeh- [dipping his head down a bit]

If I'd have known this was what was happening, I wouldn't have come... I'm not some kind of narcissist who likes watching myself or some masochist that likes to relive being humiliated...!

[magicam]

Ehh, but you're totally a super proud big bro.

[And he doubts he got to actually pay too much attention to Ortho's part of the performance while drumming away.]

But... since this is totally just all in the past and forgotten for you...

[He schemin.]

[ignihidden]

[Idia blinks for a moment, like it hadn't even dawned on him- after all, he can so many calculations to make sure Ortho could accomplish this that he hadn't really thought about- that Ortho had done it. That there was a different in the projected versus the joy of seeing it in the moment.]

[It makes him feel a little less proud of himself.]

... e- eh? [wait, this is no time to be depressed, the extrovert is thinking]

Wh- What are you thinking? [does he have to protect his past self?!]

[magicam]

[The extrovert is thinking! Watch out!]

Well, when you were wearing that, you totally had a jammer with you, right? I couldn't get aaaa~aany good pics! Not even of Trey and Deucey performing! Super mega rude of you!

[Do you. Do you get the implications, Idia.]

2

[partymagician]

Oh, they aren't?

[ Well... hm. Fai wants to stay in this memory a little longer, though, so he doesn't make a move to leave. ]

I just wanted to tell you I enjoyed the show.

[ignihidden]

[With the Idia here, there had been some amount of ease. They at least had shared circumstances and he was trying. The Idia from the memories is a little more shut off. Especially since Fai is functionally a stranger to him.]

Old-fashioned... ... unnecessary... ... retire it...

[The ceremony was so super old-fashioned with the dancing and the taiko drum, why was it even necessary for people do to it when we have recordings? Honestly the whole thing? Retire it.]

[... ah! This person was still here.]

... Th... thank... you.

[In words intended for people to hear, he's more polite but slower and with less enthusiasm.]

[partymagician]

[ He just laughs. ]

Not a fan of the whole ceremony?

[ His mumbling would certainly suggest that he isn't... ]

[ignihidden]

[He's definitely not!! But the headmage keeps going on about how important and weighty it is... despite also totally being willing to cancel it for a storm...]

... not that wishes aren't important just... ... lame... isn't it?

[and his shoulders are exposed!! even though it's such a little chunk of skin exposed that makes it feel like more!]

[partymagician]

Hmmm, I think wishes are fun.

[ Even if there's a price to them! But he doesn't think Idia's school would go so far as to require a price... ]

There's opportunity to make them fun, that's for sure.