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

[dianxias]

arts and crafts...?

[ while the festivities are rolling, xie lian disappears away from the main feast to go sit outside. it's a lovely night, and the moon is huge and bright overhead... based on the timing of where he was back home, and the size of it in the sky, well, maybe it's close enough, isn't it? it feels like xie lian should be doing a little something.

so! he's sitting crosslegged on the ground, holding a bunch of tissue paper from the gift shop in his hands and a pair of scissors, and trying to make... a simple lantern! he is terrible at it, so it's awfully lumpy, but he's doing his best. this probably will not fly, considering he doesn't even have a match.

oh well. it's the thought that counts, right? he's sure the heavenly emperor would appreciate it... he's trying to decide if he wants to light it somehow or not, at the moment, still sitting here surrounded by crafts. ]

or riddles.

[ after a while, looking very pleased with himself, he will have four or five small lanterns made, in varying degrees of ugliness. each one has something written on it, and if you approach, xie lian has a smile for you, and: ]

My friend, do you like riddles?

wildcard

[ various feast and affection sharing prompts... try to shove a drink in his hands, make him dance, whatever! ]

arts and crafts

[lecarre]

[He seems so focused, she doesn't want to disturb him... but she's so curious, too...!

So she's peering over his shoulder, head tilted contemplatively.

What is that??

Lantern??]

[dianxias]

[ when xie lian senses someone behind him, he doesn't move immediately, continuing his work laying the paper along the crude little frame he made for his lantern. it's not anywhere near perfect - very lumpy and crooked, actually, mu qing would be spitting blood if he saw it - and he holds it out as he finishes, tilting it from side to side. ]

What do you think, young lady?

[ it's. he did his best. ]

[lecarre]

[... it's. um.

... well.]

... You clearly worked very hard on it, sir! [ow]

arts and crafts

[reconnective]

[at an hour he's not busy shooting off fireworks, he comes across xie lian on the ground making something. for a moment, he's quietly watching but as soon as the shape is apparent his eyes light up in recognition.]

That looks pretty good.

[dianxias]

[ xie lian immediately stabs a hole in the lanter - no i'm kidding

at sora's voice, xie lian looks up, and then back at his lantern. it is. it's something. it's not even remotely good... the shapes are all crooked and weird and there are a couple spots where the papers aren't lined up properly. he's doing his best. ] ...I've never been very good at this sort of thing. Do you really think so...?

[reconnective]

[tHE LANTERN. in all seriousness when xie lian looks up he'll see that sora's grinning despite the fact that this lantern's a hot mess.]

It's way better than anything I could do. It's a floating lantern, right? The kind you light to send into the sky.

RIDDLES

[suddenlybees]

[ God, every time Xie Lian calls him friend, even though he calls everybody friend. ]

I'm no good at them, but yeah! I want to hear one! Is it a lantern riddle?

[dianxias]

[ kano is his friend? :( maybe ]

It is! [ he lights up, pleased at the recognition! ] I'm glad to hear you know of them. How nice!

Alright, let's see... "A thousand threads, a million strands. Reaching the water, vanishing all at once." What do you think that could be?

[suddenlybees]

[ This is not a lantern riddle, he has no idea what that is, he just thought the riddle has something to do with lanterns but it doesn't sound like that's the answer. ]

A spider web.

wildcard

[heartablaze]

Chijin-san!!!

[She has like three cookies in one hand as she swings the other around Xie Lian's arm in a half-hug.]

Have you seen all the desserts? Here, here, try one of these! They're really tasty!

[dianxias]

Oh? Well, if you insist!! [ holding his free hand out for a cookie!! xie lian will never, ever say no to free food. ]

What is it? It smells quite good.

[heartablaze]

I dunno! A cookie of some kind, but I don't really know the flavor. But it's really good.

[It's said before she sticks one of them in her own mouth.]

riddles!

[siblingless]

[She blinks, looking at him curiously.]

... I don't hate them. [But she doesn't really have a strong opinion on them, either.] Why do you ask?

[dianxias]

[ hello yoshizawa! xie lian has a smile for her in greeting, bowing his head. ]

It's a little bit of a game. A night like tonight - well, perhaps I'm not entirely sure what time of year it is, but in the realm that I came from, we were nearing the end of the fall harvest. It's a night where people send lanterns up to the heavens in honor of gods, and to ask them for prosperity and good luck moving forward.

There are many other traditions with it, as well -- eating mooncakes, and playing games like riddle games on the lanterns themselves. [ pat pat! ] Would you like to try?

[siblingless]

[She bows back out of politeness, smiling as well.]

I see!

[Time discrepancies... Wild...]

It was spring in my world. But I wouldn't mind trying if you'll have me. It sounds like fun.

riddles

[dawnblushed]

...I don't do them often, but... it could be fun to try.

[she looks curiously at the lanterns... are they part of the riddle?]

[dianxias]

I think...you will probably see the characters in a language that you understand...? It does take the riddle away just a bit, but that's quite alright.

Let's see. [ xie lian turns the surface of the lantern to her to look! there are some words written on it, in fact. ] "Two houses with doors wide open. They allow a million people in but can’t stand a tiny grain."

What do you think it is?

[dawnblushed]

Two... houses?

[hmm. she's thinking about it... thinking about it...

i'm crying because i'm pretty sure i know the answer but the number is too high for yona to easily go for "eyes" because her country is pretty small so she wouldn't immediately think about being able to see a million people.]

Um, let me think...

[infreefall]

[ dancing is nice and all, but there are still other things to see and do! like... xie lian making a lantern, apparently? she pauses, curious, and makes her way over to lean close, peering at the results of his efforts with her hands clasped behind her back. ]

A lantern, huh? Were you going to take it to the river?

[dianxias]

[ looks at all the tags i owe you im so gomen

anyway!! xie lian looks up at the familiar voice and smiles at ochako, though it's a bit helpless.... ] Ahaha... well, originally, I thought I might try to replicate a sky lantern, but it's much harder than it looks...

[ its ugly. and also will probably be set on fire. ]

[infreefall]

Oh! I've seen those before! I mean, only on tv, but still.

[ this one... does not look like the ones she's seen before. not much. hm. ]

Did you try making a structure underneath the paper first? What'd you use?

riddles

[discernments]

Yes— Oh, those look very nice.

[ She does, in fact, mean the various degrees of ugly lanterns, and she is, in fact, sincere. He put in the effort, which makes them very nice indeed. ]

Are the riddles written on them?

[dianxias]

[ jeanne... you're too sweet....xie lian seems a little bashful at the compliment, ducking his head as if to play it off. ]

They are indeed riddles! It wasn't the original purpose, but... well, I'm not sure that I can send these flying anywhere, exactly, so I thought it would be nice if they were used for something...

[discernments]

What was the original purpose?

[ She's curious. Even if she may have some knowledge of other cultures, she doesn't have much of the finer details, and learning about all walks of life is important to her. ]

If we need to, I'm sure we can ask one of the Leaders for a way to fly them.

[ Give them fire or give them death!

(they're going to get death.) ]