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!

NAVIGATION locations ₓ˚. statuses *+:｡ ic profiles :ₓo ic rules ･ﾟﾟ･｡ audience requests murder proposals ｡✧o private conversations ･ﾟo｡ curfew ･ﾟ✧ memories

Comments

[heartablaze]

Yeah!!! I wanna see how big it is inside, and that's a lot better with someone else...

[Ah. She pauses a little when she notices the lack of a finger underneath her grip, looking more surprised than anything else.]

Oh, um, does it hurt or anything? We can switch hands if you want!

[stillnot]

[ Clementine thinks scouting is usually easier alone, so she is mildly confusion, but - she doesn't dislike having company! so she nods agreeably to that. then glances down at their hands. right. ]

It's fine. It was a long time ago, so it doesn't hurt or anything.

But we can switch if it weirds you out.

[heartablaze]

[She shakes her head firmly, braid whipping at the motion.]

No, not at all! One of my brothers said once that a healed injury is a sign that a warrior learned a valuable lesson with the luck not to lose their life, so that they could teach someone to be wiser for it.

I think he was just saying that to try and sound really cool when I skinned my knee once, but I still think it's right!

[stillnot]

Ha. That's pretty cute. [ what a nice brother! ]

I guess the warrior's lesson I learned from this one was: don't let a car door close on your hand.

[heartablaze]

[She visibly winces.]

Gah, that sounds awful...

Did it just happen while you were going somewhere??

[stillnot]

Sort of. I mean, I'm always going somewhere.

I was trying to hunt a rabbit.

[ she says this as if it all adds up. you know. rabbit hunting. famous for the presence of cars. ]

[heartablaze]

[uh]


Um... Why were you hunting a rabbit from a car?

Wouldn't that go really fast? You wouldn't be able to see the rabbit, right?

[stillnot]

It was just an abandoned car that happened to be nearby.

[ this really is not enough of an explanation i'm sorry ]

[heartablaze]

Do rabbits usually go inside cars? I thought they didn't like roads.

[what a weird rabbit]

[stillnot]

No I... I put [ she hesitates ] something. In the car for a minute while I was hunting. And then when I went to get it back, I got attacked, and the door got slammed on my hand.

[ trying to simplify is always kind of a hinderance, but she thinks going into too much detail would just be A Lot. ]

[heartablaze]

Attacked... Oh no, by what? Was there an angry cat or something?

It had to be really startling if you closed the door that fast, right?

[stillnot]

By walkers. One of them fell against the door while I was trying to - get something out of the car.

[ she doesn't know if startling is the right word, but she can tell that Hikaru is very sincerely concerned, and that's sweet... ]

[heartablaze]

Walkers? Is that like a jogger, or...

[She's picturing a really, really lazy jogger honestly. That's rude to slam a car door on someone that's inside of it!!!]

[stillnot]

Monsters.

[ that's the safest explanation. ]

[heartablaze]

[Ah.

There's a flicker of understanding across her face.]

You have monsters where you're from, too, huh...

[She squeezes Clem's hand, even as they come up to the Planetarium doors.] I'm really glad you're okay.

[stillnot]

[ everyone has been really nice so far, but there's still something so jarring about that kind of sincerity from a total stranger. ]

Uh - yeah. [ she gives an awkward laugh. ] Me too.

[heartablaze]

[She just smiles simply, content.]

What's your name, by the way? I'm Hikaru!

[stillnot]

[ oh right.

clementine pushes open the planetarium door for them, kind of. blocking the way while she peers inside. and after seeing that it's empty, she steps aside so hikaru can enter first. ]

It's Clementine. [ and she has not said this to many people after introductions, but: ] Nice to meet you.

[heartablaze]

Nice to meet you too, Clementine-chan!

Isn't that a fruit or something? It's a cute name, I think...

[She'll take a second to be heavily distracted, though, because whoa...

Look at all the stars...]

[stillnot]

... Uh. Yeah. Thanks?

[ she hasn't gotten that in a while, so she's embarrassed - it's good that Hikaru is distracted by all the stars. clem tips her head back to look up at them, too. ]

It's pretty cool, right? I haven't been to a place like this since I was really little.