06 - week six

[afflictionmods]

WEEK SIX

Sunday starts with more aches and pains than you might be used to. Florence patched people up after Saturday’s lesson, sure, but it’s not a complete cure - not to mention it doesn’t ease the sting of betrayal. Some classmates that you thought would cooperate wound up breaking your trust in the end, and this week will be interesting with the fallout.

It’s hard to say what this week will have in store otherwise. Things are changing, and it’s not clear what this means for all of you. On the bright side, however, the creatures and places you once knew from home have suddenly disappeared, so that's less that you need to worry about. There are new areas for you to look at as well.

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

FLORENCE / LORELEI

FULL NAV

(CODE)

Comments

THURSDAY

[afflictionmods]

return

[afflictionmods]

[It might not be readily apparent, but in the middle of the night Flat, Julius, Marcus, and Phantom disappear.

They return around 3am, in a cozy little blanket nest in the museum, among the display of dinosaur fossils. Might be a bit of a spooky display at night, but hey! At least they're back.]

[festiverogue]

[All things considered and this place being certifiably bonkers, it's gremlin time. Madara can be found at the hardware store looking for improvised weapons (just in case), but also...]

Hey, you're strong. Wanna give me a hand with something?

[If you help him, great... because this leads to a 10 foot tall posable skeleton lawn decoration being erected near the dorms. He even put a big ESTELLINE U shirt on it, and it's holding a book. Don't ask how. Or maybe you helped with that too...? Wire is amazing.]

[cheerfuldays]

( that sure is a big friend! after a moment of staring, she looks over at madara. )

I think he needs sunglasses.

[festiverogue]

You're riiight, but...

[Where does one get sunglasses for a 10 foot tall skelefriend?]

Hardware store

[selfconcept]

[ This is Hien's favorite place to be because he can finally be a dad and craft wooden stuff, as it's a hobby. So when Madara asks for help, he follows. ]

Do you want me to operate a forklift...?

[festiverogue]

Forklift? Nope, too complicated. I need to get this box into the car!

[They arrive at the display skeleton, which looms gently near the other lawn decor. There is one whole boxed one left. Madara wants it.

Also what car? The one he hotwired.]

This place is great!

dorms

[partymagician]

[ Fai walks outside the dorms and is immediately met with the looming presence of the giant skeleton… which is slightly ruined by the book and the shirt.

Naturally, he loves the contrast. ]

Wow, that’s huge!

[sicklysweet]

[Ah. A giant skeleton.

At least this one isn't, you know. Because of Mithra. Just the fault of another redhead with green eyes that's taller and broader than Owen...

Hm. That explains a lot but we don't have time to unpack that.]

What.

[That's it, that's the reaction.]

[cloudalike]

[ Chongyun has recovered from Saturday - physically, at least. Mentally, he's... troubled. There's a lot on his mind. Is he angry about what happened? Yes, of course. And a little hurt. But does he blame anyone? No. He has his own views and morals, and surely everyone else does, too. Everyone has their own reasons for doing what they do. He doesn't agree, but that doesn't mean they're wrong.

But it would be a lie to say trusting some people here wouldn't be a challenge now. Maybe that's alright? He has to think about it. Or maybe talk to some people about it, find a way to calm the turbulent energy running through him.

There's also... He hasn't seen Kawase or Tamamori anywhere. He wasn't close to them by any means, but they had worked together multiple times and now... now... they're gone. At least, wherever they are, they're together. (He hopes they're together.) They had seem like close friends, despite the bickering, with the same lifelong fondness he shares with Xingqiu. If Chongyun should lose him...

So that gets him to act. He can't use his Cryo Vision here, but his carving skills remain. After a trip to the Home Improvement store for some small blocks of wood and what could work for carving knife, he seats himself at the Tea House and gets to work on a couple of amulets. It's a satisfactory system he finds because he can carve while waiting for the tea to completely cool. At one point, he loses track of time working on a particularly intricate pattern and yelps when he sips his still too hot tea.

Later in the day, when he's done and has cleaned up his station (of course!), he stops by his room to see if Xingqiu is around. If not, he hopes to catch him elsewhere.

In the evening, he can be found near the Camellia Facility. He seems to be carefully piling the leftover wooden scraps and blocks into a little mound with some dry twigs and branches. And then... he sets it on fire. He sits down a safe distance away and stares at the fire intently for long, long minutes. This is the only building he doesn't care for, so this is the best place in case the fire spreads. ]

him!!

[fabulation]

[ Chongyun finds (1) Xingqiu in their room...what is he doing?

It's reading a book! ]

Ah, Chongyun.

You look like you were searching for me. Would I be wrong in assuming that?

[ He says that despite not having looked right up from the book right away. But he certainly does put it aside right after he asks, though. Chongyun is well worth his time and attention and he can always revisit the story later. ]

him!!!!

[cloudalike]

[ Chongyun lets out a small laugh. ]

It's rare for you to ever be wrong. [ Which translates to yes, Chongyun was definitely searching for him.

He closes the door behind him, so they can have some privacy. ]

May I interrupt you for a moment? There's something I'd like to say.

Camellia facility

[selfconcept]

[ He spots... smoke. A fire? Hien is curious, so he walks over there and sees... Chongyun. ]

... Oi. What are you doing over there? Burning something?

[cloudalike]

[ Chongyun jerks his head up at the call, then his eyes light up upon seeing Hien. What a surprising but pleasing turn of events. ]

Hien, hello! To think you'd show up here, right at this moment... Wow, it's like fate! Ah - um - yes, it's just a little fire. [ "Little." It's big enough for Chongyun to already look like a sweating mess, with his face as red as a tomato. ] But I'm trying to take your advice and weather the heat rather than avoid it.

[ It only took actual weeks. ]

tea house

[partymagician]

[ The tea here is so much better than at the school, so Fai finds himself back at the tea house once again. He’s surprised to see Chongyun there the moment he walks in. Fai is content to leave him be until he finishes making his tea, but the he yelps. ]

Ah, Chongyun. Are you alright?

home improvement

[totalcatastrophe]

[ Luci can't help but draw his eyes to the knife in Chongyun's hand while loitering in the hardware store. The demon sneaks up behind the exorcist. ]

Who you murdering?

[ Asked at full volume with no seriousness, because it's a joke. He'd sound happier if he thought Chongyun was actually the type. ]

camellia facility

[pr159]

[ just... watches this... ]

What, last weekend wasn't enough fire for you?

network post

[totaltrashfire]

hey so what's everyone's hometown like?

mine's pretty small and kind of shitty but i guess it's all ive got? you have to drive like forty minutes to get anywhere to do anything fun. me and this girl used to put our feet on the railroad tracks and smash figurines under the wheels just for something to do. but there's always harfest in october and that's awesome! more awesome when i was a kid but still pretty good. i think. and me and my buddy gregg go out in the woods and just fuck around. like jumping on logs until they break. and me and angus would talk about DEMONTOWER. and i played bass in their band! good times...

oh wow i didn't mean to write a whole essay ok im just gonna hit post

[Mae is wondering if she's even going to get to see her hometown ever again at this rate. Is this a good distraction? Probably not. But it's out there in the world now, if anyone would like to indulge her.]

cw mentions of hallucinations, death, suicide incl assisted suicide for chronic illness I'M SORRY

[sicklysweet]

i wasn't born there [allegedly] but i live in a place called the forest of dreams in the north country
the blizzards get bad enough to cover the forest over night, which means the only time it's safe for humans to traverse the forest is the early morning before the snow melts
there's a tree in the forest that releases a powerful poison, so without magic protecting you you'll fall into the dreams of the forest before you eventually die
so a lot of people who are tired of living or sick or injured and won't get better seek out the forest to be their final resting place
so they can lose themselves in something nice before it's all over
even if the weather's just as awful as the rest of the north though
people probably die before they even make it to the treeline honestly

but before i was pulled here i was staying in the central country
the animals there are much nicer and much more gossipy
but there's also way more people

[cheerfuldays]

Shinjuku is a large city, but I'm lucky to be from part of the city where music thrives. There's two streets that are always full of street musicians and performances on the way to my school, and to one of the malls. There's an amusement park I used to go to with my little sister, too- and then with her friends, as a chaperone. It's mascot is a penguin-pheonix! They do stage performances all over too.

I can't say I know it too well, despite how often I go for walks. I'm no good with street names and directions. But it's beautiful, and every day I discover something new.

I'd love to be able to show you someday.

[partymagician]

Sounds like you had fun, despite how small your town is.

The place I grew up is called Celes, despite Valeria being listed as my hometown on our profiles. It’s a cold place, almost always covered in several feet of snow. But the people there are warm and welcoming, such that they would be more than happy to give you a place to stay should you need it.

I enjoyed my time there quite a lot.

[ Now is practically destroyed and desolate, but… he wants to reminisce on good times. ]

[pr159]

Duval was originally a harbor city, but the sea there dried up years ago, along with the livelihood of much of its population. It now has the dubious honor of holding the records for both the highest crime rate and lowest life expectancy in our world.

Better bars and curry than you'll find anywhere else, so there's that. Can't say I miss much else about it too terribly, though.

[catarou]

Shibuya is quite the bustling city. There's always something to do, whether it be events, or a new food stall opening up. Fashion is an important part of the culture; the people who live there are easily trendsetters.

It's also known as a center for the arts, so to speak. There are countless music stores, live houses, and art galleries, to name a few. Those who are especially passionate about fashion are akin to works of art themselves. I may be biased, of course, but Shibuya's style is unlike anything else. And for those confident in their abilities--or who simply think they've been blessed by Lady Luck--they spend much of their time in some of the many arcades.

That's not even mentioning the cafes. I have several I frequent, and each has their own character and draw. If you're looking for a more exciting experience, there are several butler and maid cafes. Beyond that... the people are endlessly fascinating and interesting.

When you're in Shibuya, you truly understand that every person who passes by has their own story. Why did they choose the fashion they chose? What prompted them to pick up that particular CD? What is it about the food they enjoy that made them want to indulge? While Shibuya does cater to a specific population, anyone who visits can easily find a place to fall in love with.

[kaientai]

Ah, Tosa is kind of like that! It used to take a month to walk from there to Edo and the place was never gonna change so I had to leave, but there are a lot of good memories too. I remember swimming in the river with my friends in the summer when it was really hot and then taking a nap out under a tree somewhere. I remember sword training with my sister and being miserable when she'd kick me into the pond but it still makes me happy to think about, so I wouldn't change a thing! Good times is right...

What made you think about this?

[goodfaiths]

Compared to everyone else's worlds, mine isn't that interesting. It's pretty normal, I think. But I'm enjoying reading about all of yours!