05 - week five

[afflictionmods]

WEEK FIVE

Come Sunday morning, the portals around Estelline fade away, but not all of the oddities hanging around disappear so quickly. The recreations of your dreams and memories are still around, ever changing and shifting. Whatever it is that brought these things here hasn’t ended, not yet.

You don’t have time to worry about all of that, though, even if you know you should exercise caution once two of you found yourselves on the bad end of a monster’s claws. The course still isn’t over, though, even if the portals changed lesson plans. Everything continues on, with new places to explore as the fog pushes back once again. This week still feels a little more like what you’re familiar with, though, after Saturday’s lack of lessons.

...For now.


SETTING TRACKER

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

SAGE / FLORENCE / LORELEI

CYOA SIGNUPS
Due Saturday at 8pm EST

FULL NAV

(CODE)

Comments

[vivens]

Is that so...

[ hmm. well, sabo is pretty sure kyle wouldn't be able to tell a believable lie even if costed him his life so— ]

Would you say that your situation is only marginally better than our's?

[afflictionmods]

W-well, I mean, probably not because I’m not… You have those bonds that means when someone else gets hurt you feel it? That’s probably worse even if things overall are pretty… bad?

[vivens]

[ oh? what were you going to say there kyle?? still sabo has to laugh at the mentioning of his bond. ]

It's only bad if your partner is a reckless idiot.

[ said with all of the fondness in the world. ]

Say Kyle, does the word "kiznaiver" mean anything to you?

[afflictionmods]

[🌈 happy pride 🌈]

Kiznaiver…? No, I’ve never heard of anything like that before.

[vivens]

[ 🏳️‍🌈happy!! pride!!!🏳️‍🌈 ]

I see; so that's unfamiliar to you.

My apologies, I've unintentionally asked you plenty of questions. I don't want to have you getting in trouble for anything.

[afflictionmods]

I'm... sure answering questions won't get me into any trouble?

[He sure hopes, at least! Because he's not getting paid for this!]

As long as I provide insight into this program there's nothing to worry about.

[laughtrack.wav]

[vivens]

[ kyle you suffer and for what!!! ]

If you say so, then—are we the first group that you've done this experimentation on? Or will we be a baseline for future experiments depending on the results.

[afflictionmods]

This wasn’t something my department covered so I… don’t know? The results will probably decide if there will be any future iterations of the experiment, yes, but as for if this is the first version…

[shrug!]

[vivens]

[ hmm. ]

And what is the name of the department that you work for? If you could tell me.

[afflictionmods]

Regulations? S-so, you know, I don't do a lot of... field research...

[vivens]

Mind if I ask what changed to have you come out here and speak to all of us? I can't imagine it's too comfortable for you.

[afflictionmods]

It's... fine.

[until it isn't]

I think it's just a matter of it's been a while and there hasn't been any... reports on progress...?

[vivens]

If you're not used to doing things like this, then I'd say it's pretty brave of you.

[ it's always "until it isn't"... but have some confidence! maybe? ]

Oh? Is Lorelei not sending anything back to you all? Or is this more of an independent sort of situation—if that's something you're allowed to divulge.

[afflictionmods]

W-well, I didn’t have much choice, but that’s… Um. Okay.

[Moving on!!!!]

I don’t really know many specifics because I was just sent here, but… I think it’s the latter? Maybe? Probably…?

[vivens]

You're still performing it well!

[ until the whole truth serum bit but this is before that. i'm sorry kyle. ]

Probably? Have you been on the project for very long?

[afflictionmods]

[oh no is he being Praised???]

W-well, I've been in regulations since I started working at Camellia, so... no? This is my first time actually dealing with this project specifically.

[vivens]

[ yeah he is.

also sabo is suddenly Very Interested in this new information, thank you. ]

Is it? What project were you working on previously then? I know this is unrelated to your survey, but I'd be interested in hearing about it.

[afflictionmods]

[Oh No, His Weakness!!]

Well, it's less... a project and more I'm supposed to m-make sure we meet compliance and follow safety regulations with our projects, but it just kind of... ends up being a lot of paperwork and checking on procedures... and it's not even what I studied in school...

[vivens]

[ sabo is a good boy and won't exploit it. promise. that said though: ]

Don't downplay yourself. All of those things are important to ensure that no one gets hurt and that project like these run smoothly. The people I work with could complain about the way I turn in my reports.

[ with all of the energy of, "oh please tell me more"/"i'm listening". ]

What is it that you studied in school, Kyle?

[afflictionmods]

[Mhmmmmmmm.]

I… suppose… Maybe…

[He’s being played like a fiddle.]

I studied, um, computer engineering, so it’s… pretty different. B-but it’s work, so…

[vivens]

[ sabo is a good boy...promise... ]

Computer engineering?

[ maybe so, but sabo is going to be genuinely impressed with this. this soft boy with his snek friend a computer nerd. maybe makes sense on some level. ]

That certainly is different than what you're made to do here, though since I'm not from around here, what does that entail exactly? Would you know how to program certain devices to do this and that?

[afflictionmods]

[Doubt...]

Y-yes...? I mean, it would depend on the device... I'm not sure if it's, um, something from your home if I could do much of anything with it? I'm not sure of it would be possible to make them compatible.

[vivens]

[ which part are we doubting!!!

and during my walk home i began to despair bc sabo doesn't carry electronics with him because why would he!!! that said and maybe against better judgment, he's going to show kyle his tablet. ]

Could you mess with this?

[afflictionmods]

What do you... want me to do, exactly?

[...]

I mean, sometimes these things, you know... take time and all that?

[vivens]

It was given to us by Lorelei when we arrived here so I was wondering if this is something familiar to you. I'm not sure if it has any "hidden features" but we've found some pretty interesting stuff all over the city so far.

[ ...

looks at my hands. ]

If you want, you could borrow it for a while.