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

[suddenlybees]

I said so many things to you! Which one are you yelling about?!

{ He can't even say he didn't lie- he does, all the time, but people don't usually get so worked up about it.

The last time he had somebody clinging to him who wouldn't let go, he managed to escape by drowning himself in the river, so that's where this slooooooooow crawl is taking them. ]

[heartablaze]

The note at the store! You said we could take whatever we wanted but that the note went missing, but Wolf-san said they didn't do anything like that at all and that we shouldn't be taking stuff without asking someone from the castle!

[At least she isn't hitting him or anything, that's rude... But she does let go of him enough to try to wrangle herself to sit on top of him, either on his back or his stomach while she's on her knees, arms crossed tight.]

You better go apologize!

[suddenlybees]

[ Oof, Kano manages to turn around so he's flat on his back, giving Hikaru a not very comfortable seat on his stomach while he stares up at the sky and wheezes. ]

Hey now, you're believing Wolf-san over me? Wow! I said it was the shopkeeper, didn't I? How's Wolf-san supposed to know if he can't remember anything?

[ None of those masked guys have any memories. Very convenient. ]

[heartablaze]

[She has suffered worse so he can keep on wheezing.]

I want to believe both of you, but I can't do that if you say different things, you dummy!

[She huffs out a breath.] They said there weren't people here before we showed up, so how could there be a shopkeeper? You said you got here early, too, but all the people that got here early are in the castle!

If you just didn't care and wanted to take things for yourself, then why didn't you just say that?

[suddenlybees]

Wow, yikes! Putting words into my mouth, aren'tcha?

[ He could say things about not caring, or about taking things, or about the fact that Hikaru wants to believe him? why.

But he doesn't. He reaches up and pokes Hikaru in the middle of the forehead. ]

Why are you so mad? 'cause you feel stupid for believing me? Lesson learned, right?

[heartablaze]

[She blinks a bit at the poke, her eyes softening despite how angry she still looks.]

No. I never feel stupid for believing someone.

I just feel bad that you couldn't trust me enough to tell the truth. Wolf-san and the others have to deal with what happened because of that. Part of that is my responsibility, and I'm gonna hold myself to that.

But if you're gonna cause trouble, I wanna know why.

[suddenlybees]

[ Kano scoff, a mistake because breathing back in is that much harder when you have somebody sitting on top of you. Taking responsibility, too, really... how stupid. ]

Too bad the world doesn't owe you answers, isn't it? Sometimes things just happen- sometimes people do what they want. Sometimes you gotta make things happen yourself. So what?

[ Who cares about rules. How are you supposed to make a flying fish if you're confined by all these rules. ]

[heartablaze]

[wow what is wrong with this boy

There's a flare of temper, but mostly she just feels a flash of something odd, something almost pitiful.]

You're right. Nobody owes me anything.

But that doesn't mean I can't ask, or try to understand. Even if people just do what they want, because they don't think anyone else but themselves will do it... that's still a reason. Sometimes it's a really good reason that no one bothers to listen to.

But that doesn't change that something this important can't be done by one person. And if you're gonna act like this to people... don't you know it'll make things harder for whatever it is you want?

[suddenlybees]

[ idk, what is wrong with this boy ]

Ha, good luck trying to understand... 'course I know what I'm doing. Do you think I don't? That I'm too stupid and thoughtless... yeah.

[ Yeah, yeah. He should've chosen to stay face down so he can drag himself towards the river and not have to look at Hikaru's face. ]

Hey, I'm gonna ask you, okay? Let me do what I'm doing.

[heartablaze]

[kagepro.gif]

...Who's putting words into people's mouths now, huh?

[It's a quiet response.]

I never said I thought you were stupid, or thoughtless. The fact that you can tell a good lie means that you're not either of those things... if anything, I think it maybe means you're hurting. People lie when the truth won't be nice to them, you know?

I wasn't planning on stopping you unless I had a good reason. I don't even know why you chose to do what you did. All I know is that what you did choose to do hurt people, even if just a little bit... and that wasn't okay. That's the part that was thoughtless.

...

My name is Hikaru. Shidou Hikaru. Can you at least tell me your name?

[suddenlybees]

[ What part of the lie hurt, besides making somebody feel stupid, even if they claim otherwise? Flying fish got made, Hikaru gets to play in the emporium guilt free for a little while, these end goals were achieved so it shouldn't have been a big deal.

He opens his mouth. Closes it. Neither "Baron von Sossenheimer" nor "Kano. Just Kano." leave his mouth, though both simultaneously struggle to blurt themselves out and shove themselves down his throat. ]

...You can read, can't you?

[heartablaze]

Uh-huh.

But if you think Wolf-san is lying, or wanted me to believe Wolf-san was lying... you could claim the PHS is all lying, too, if I look at that.

So I wanna hear it from you, if that's okay.

[suddenlybees]

[ Kano could also be lying? He should just lie, stare her directly in the eyes and lie to her face.

... ]

I'll tell you my name if you do something for me first. It's only fair I get something outta this in exchange, right?

[heartablaze]

Do something...?

[...

Even for Hikaru, trusting and idealistic Hikaru, several red flags still go up. But she blatantly ignores them, choosing stubborn belief over common sense.]

Like what?

[suddenlybees]

[ Hikaru, your flags ]

The worm.

[heartablaze]

The... what?

[suddenlybees]

The worm. Hajime can show you- she does a great worm.

[heartablaze]

...

Oh... Ohhhhhh, do you mean the dance?

I've heard about it a little - boys from America like it, right?

[suddenlybees]

Yeah, yeah, that's the one! So you do know it! Show me a good worm and I'll give you my name!

[heartablaze]

[i now have "the worm dance in 90s japan" in my google search history and i hate you]

...You promise?

[suddenlybees]

[ Hikaru's flags could've saved us but no... ]

Cross my heart and hope to die twice~

[ If his word isn't enough, then, what about a pinky promise? Sacred binding contract. ]

[heartablaze]

[Ah.

There's a fire behind her eyes as he holds up his pinky. She nods firmly before holding out her own and hooking it against his.]

Don't die until I earn your name.

I can't do a good worm - I don't think I know how to do it at all - but I'm gonna learn it. And I'm gonna show you when I do. I'll show you that you can trust me.

Okay?

[suddenlybees]

Haha, you guys are all piling pressure on me not to die, huh?

[ In that case, she should just spare herself the embarrassment and never learn his name. But their fingers are hooked and there's no backing out of it now. ]

But alright, okay. I have high hopes for you, Hikaru~

[heartablaze]

You too.

Until I learn your real name... can I call you Nico-kun?

[Is this the equivalent of calling him smiley boy? Yeah, what of it?]

[suddenlybees]

[ No... he doesn't want another name. He's barely keeping track of his Baron von something alias. ]

What a choice... Sure, whatever, do what you want.

[ Guess he is Nico-kun forever now. ]