theafflicted | 07 - the final week

FINAL WEEK

You returned safely from the island, with fresh fruit and plenty of seafood, and your Saturday comes to an end. There was much less betrayal, much less turmoil, this past lesson… but does that mean you’ll have time to relax?

The fog has pulled back, revealing the rest of the university’s campus. ... Actually, the fog is completely gone. Interesting, that. You'll also notice that at night, there are no orbs to be found. It looks like Lorelei was true to her word regarding Saturday's activity being the final orb.

There are also, occasionally, other figures that come into view when you look around. Other figures that look like...people. People you haven't seen before, roaming the streets. Some of them look like they're seeing Estelline for the first time in a long while. Others look like they're exhausted and seem to be making their way towards the Residential Area, presumably to rest. There aren't many of them, come Sunday...but they're here.

The end is finally near – and Lorelei confirms that with another 8am announcement on Sunday. She is also, notably, wearing a more visible set of earrings.

"Good morning, students. I would like to formally congratulate you on surviving these last few weeks. This week should be your last, and I will be dedicating it to your evaluations. I'm aware that you know the nature of this "course" by now, but you will be able to return home soon. Regardless, I thank you for your participation.

You are free to contact me through the phone booth for the next few days. Thank you."

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY

FLORENCE / LORELEI

FULL NAV

(CODE)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[At noon on Monday, every student’s tablet starts to ring - someone is calling. Even if you decide not to answer, the call connects regardless. The voice coming across the speakers is loud and clear, no matter your volume settings - and it’s also entirely unfamiliar.]

Well, hello there. This is my first time getting to address you guys… and I have to say, I’m pretty underwhelmed. Lorelei had such high hopes for this little experiment of hers, and for what? Maybe she just picked the wrong test subjects, or maybe her idea really was just terrible! Well.

[The person on the other side of the line laughs.]

Calling it “her” idea might be generous, but who cares! The point is: you failed. I mean, I already knew that when I sent that guy… what was his name? Caleb? Out to check on things, and you decided to tie him up. He was so scared, but totally worth it! One of you guys did give him this fancy new tablet, after all…

[Wonder who that was…]

Anyways. You failed. Hard. You’re all worthless. All this has done is that prove that at the end of the day, people can’t be trusted to control themselves or their emotions - and they’ll bow to those emotions at the end.

We’ll be getting rid of you soon - and moving on with our next project. The one good thing this project did is show us how we can get infinite subjects without having to worry about any governments getting on us over pesky ethical violations - because who cares about people from other worlds? Your homes are all pretty fucked up, so you can thank me later for what happens in phase two.

[And the call ends.

Then it reconnects.]

Oh, and Lorelei can keep that Florence model. She totally ruined its coding and I can’t even touch it anymore, so now it’s worthless too. Bye bye!

[This time the call is over. Again. There’s no number or name or anything to tie the call to anyone - not that it’s much of a mystery as to who it could be - and there doesn’t seem to be any way to call back so you can yell at the guy, either.

But now you've finally got a bit of an idea of what's going to happen next, for better or worse.]

Edited 2022-07-04 16:01 (UTC)

[ If you're in the courtyard when this is playing you may hear Miach's sarcastic clapping. ]

Could've told you this from the start! Of course I'm as worthless to you as I am to my world! That's just how humans are!

[ there's....a lot to unpack here with that. ]

( 'you can thank me later for what happens in phase two'. she

does not like those implications. especially not with knowledge of the suppression chips. and then the talk of florence, and- everything really-

shizuku's stomach is churning with anxiety and. oh. oh wow, is this what anger feels like? no thank you!! )

...

[He hears that message, and all he feels for a moment is bitter resignation... until he gets a jolt of emotion from Shizuku. Then he tracks her down as quickly as he can.]

Shizu...

Ah- Madara?

( she hadn't been paying much attention to much after that message- thankfully, she'd been sitting down in the courtyard (the kalimba beside her suggests she was going to play up until...) so she wasn't able to wander off and get lost, but she clearly was out of it. after a moment of surprise, her heart aches and she glances away for a moment before pulling him closer. )

... I... we were never going to 'pass', I think.

[Seeing her like this hurts him. It makes him wonder about a lot of things... whether it's worth it to care, whether he should be worried about Kohaku... He's a mess of concern, though he doesn't show it.]

Yeah. I'm pretty sure we're just scapegoats at this point.

Edited 2022-07-04 17:46 (UTC)

( she nods and... squeezes his hand in hers briefly, looking back up at him- afraid and almost helpless. )

They're going to go after our homes.

[He brushes her hair back with one hand and looks at her gravely.]

I'm gonna try to stop them, you know. If I can.

I know.

( inhale, exhale...

there's still a hot pit in her chest, because- because how dare they talk to the group like this, confirm they don't care about how they were treated, that they want to do worse to other people from other dimensions- that they'll go after their homes, and that something is wrong with florence?

after a moment, she sighs and flumps against him. )

I've never felt this way before. ... I don't like it.

[And he's unceasingly felt this way since he was a young child. So he just holds her.]

You have to turn it into something productive or it'll make you bitter.

[A smile, as he strokes her hair.]

You never got mad at your old group?

Not really. Hurt, yes, and disappointed but not mad.

( his hand in her hair feels nice though. soothing. )

You're deeefinitely a better person than I am.

[She's everything, and he wishes he could really tell her that without regrets.]

I'd tear your old group to shreds, you know.

I know you would. ... Airi wanted to, too. But I don't think it really mattered in the end. They'll learn, or they'll destroy themselves. And I will sing anyways.

( it's not as nice when put into words, but. well. it's the truth. )

I know you will, but it sure would make me feel better. And again, I'm begging you, tell Airi she's a badass.

[He chuckles faintly.]

Sorry. We both love you a lot, huh. Are you ready to see her again?

I'm hoping you'll be able to tell her yourself.

( she leans against him, looking downward almost. )

I am. I just... I want you to be there too. And I want to see you meet Kohaku again.

( she just doesn't want this to be wishful thinking. )

07 - the final week

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