WEEK ZERO: MINGLE

[retellers]

WEEK ZERO: MINGLE (43 remain) Rise and shine, gremlins. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and it's the start of a new week. Speaking of new, if participants turn on their PHS, they'll notice another section available. There's also an alert for a new message, titled TEAM ASSIGNMENT. Opening it will reveal which Leader they have been assigned to. Furthermore, at the corner of the PHS screen is an icon of an animal, depending on who their Leader is. It is visible only to them and no one else. That's not the only change, though. Participants may not notice at first—or perhaps they will?—but sooner or later, they may realize that they're... missing something? Strange. Three Leaders can be found around the area, open (?) to approach. If participants want to speak to them more privately, or to an absent Leader, it looks like they'll have to go through another channel. Which is to say, the Planetarium is now open! Finally, for the rest of the week, the participants will inexplicably have the urge to be physically affectionate. That person you just met days ago? Time to cuddle! This complete stranger you ran into? It sure is tempting to hold their hand. This urge can range anywhere from minor to impossible to ignore, depending on the situation. Enjoy your bonding!

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Comments

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[papasha]

[me having flashbacks to jiang cheng strangling poor ruoye

LUCKILY THIS TIME, there is none of that. Blanca is polite, if extremely confused by the state of... this... thing here.] Hello. [He's not even sure it will understand, but a greeting is fine.

He, um, clears his throat a bit.] Excuse me?

[dianxias]

[ LEAVE RUOYE ALONE ITS A GOOD NOODLE

luckily, there's no angry purple grapes to strangle innocent strips of fabric today, so!! with the taptap, ruoye ducks the end of its bandage like it's asking for pets. pet it.

...thankfully this tomfoolery is stopped by xie lian when blanca calls for his attention. ] Ah, yes?

[ ... ]

...Oh. [ ruoye wriggles, because it has done nothing wrong. ]

[papasha]

[Oh... Hm.

Well, nevermind that. He reaches up to, uh, pet the bandage despite getting Xie Lian's attention. Honestly, he has never had to pet a bandage a day in his life.]

Pardon me. I did not realize it was... sentient?

[dianxias]

[ congratulations! you are now petting the bandage.

it ducks underneath his fingers, accepting said pets. yes, thank you. ]

Well... [ he's not sure how to explain this. awkward. ] It is! More or less, anyway. It won't harm you, although it shouldn't be out without permission.

[ wiggle wiggle. ]

[papasha]

[Ah. It is strangely... endearing, he thinks? For what looks initially like a piece of cloth. Amused, he gives it a few more pets.]

It seems to be craving some attention is all, I think. I don't mind.

[dianxias]

It is acting a bit spoiled, lately...

[ xie lian is talking about ruoye like a fussy mother would talk about a child. don't worry about it. the bandage itself clearly seems to agree, and gives blanca's fingers a nuzzle, then twists over as if presenting itself for a belly (?) rub.

xie lian walks over to close some of the distance, giving blanca a small, sheepish smile and a duck of his head. ] Thank you.

[papasha]

[It's quite like a cat, isn't it? Is this the dreaded tummy trap cats set-up? Hmm. Well, he gives Ruoye's "tummy" some rubs.

The antics make him laugh gently, and he glances over when Xie Lian approaches.]

No need to thank me. I have just never seen anything like it. [He nods.] I don't believe we've met yet. I'm Blanca.

[dianxias]

Well met, Blanca! I'm called Xie Lian.

[ he gives a polite bow in greeting this time, fist to his hand as proper. ] Even in my realm, Ruoye is a bit unique, so there's no shame in that.

[ there is definitely only one ruoye. it does not attack his hand at all when it gets belly rubs, either - ruoye just kind of goes limp like it's enjoying it. ] ...really, it's a bit of a ham... I think it may be feeling lonely.

[papasha]

Sir. [He's very polite.] It's a pleasure.

[He returns a bow to Xie Lian from the shoulders up. The petting of Ruoye turns into--tickling? Is it ticklish? He has no idea.]

Ah, does it miss home?

[dianxias]

[ ruoye starts to lift up as if to also bow to blanca!

it then gets tickled, which makes it startle, totally straight, and then start to wiggle away!! noo, noo! ]

Perhaps. Lately, it's spent time with something quite similar to it, but that object is not here. [ somewhere, distantly, hua cheng: stinky. NAUGHTY. ]

[papasha]

[Yes, that's what you get Ruoye. Tickles. He keeps tickling for a moment or two, but then relents, especially when the wiggling away begins.

Blanca laughs quietly.]

Oh, I see. It's missing a friend. I imagine that would be quite lonely.

[me as hua cheng]

[dianxias]

[ nO!!!!!!

ruoye wriggles up to a "standing position" when the tickles end, wriggling cutely in front of blanca. yes. very cute. very lonely. love it. ]

Mm, indeed. They have not been friends very long, either...perhaps it's seeking new ones.