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

[axecessory]

[ they're not going to find a skunk in the emporium okay!! she shoots ochako an amused look at being called goneril by a peer, but anyway it sounds like they're making process. sort of? ]

Did you guys lose something important already?

[ damn, sucks to be bagel barnes. also, the piggy bank is ahead, stuck in a tree. ]

[infreefall]

Not that I know of. But maybe I just forgot?

[ it's an attempt at a joke, but, ]

[frostythehitman]

[ Reluctantly: ] Yeah. I forgot my name.

[ He squints at the spot of pink in the tree. ]

Think that's one of our items up there. I can get it out, but someone'll need to catch it.

[ Thankfully, it's not so high up in the tree that he can't reach it. He doesn't even have to climb the tree for it--he just detaches his left arm and uses it as basically an extra long stick to poke the piggy bank out of the tree. ]

[axecessory]

[ is he... kidding. he doesn't seem like he's kidding. hilda gives him a look, but before she can ask how that works, she stops in her tracks and watches the arm come off. it's surreal.

anyway, she screams? just a little? ]

Put that back on!!

[ she's definitely not getting that piggybank bro ]

[infreefall]

Eh? But your name's right on the profile, Bucky-saaaAAAAH?!

[ she's. also screaming a little? and clinging a little tighter to hilda's arm, rip. ]

You never said anything about your arm coming off! At least give us a warning, Bucky-san!

[frostythehitman]

[ Well, since neither of you freeloaders stepped forward to catch the piggy bank, ????? has to do it himself. And to do it, he needs a free hand--so he tosses the arm away.

Specifically, he ends up tossing it right towards them. Not that he realizes it.

With his right arm free, he's able to catch the piggy bank as it falls out of the tree. Now that it's secure in his grip, he can respond. ]

It's just a prosthetic, get a grip, you two!! You almost let this thing break!

[axecessory]

[ get a grip... is that a pun. she makes a sour face, scowling a little. ]

Oh you are not blaming us for this!

anyway, she is not grabbing his AMPUTATED ARM. but since ochako is holding onto her, she feels the need to knock it away to protect her. so there goes his arm. bye!! ]

[infreefall]

[ well ochako would've tried to catch it actually, but there it goes... rip hilda's hand. it startles her off of hilda's arm, though, so there's that! not sure if that's a win or not. ]

Goneril-san! Are you okay?!

[ like, okay, definitely didn't expect an arm coming off anywhere today, but that was metal? ow?? ]

We should probably get you some ice or something when we get back.

[frostythehitman]

[ He sighs longsufferingly and glares at the arm, wherever it landed in the grass after that punch. But nothing happens. So he sighs again and trudges over to grab it and jam it back into his shoulder. ]

Alright, well, there's your warning. I've got a prosthetic left arm that I can detach if it's helpful. Okay?

[axecessory]

[ hilda mostly—shakes it off? she looks more annoyed than hurt. ]

A little late for that!

[ she'd definitely apologize if this guy weren't kind of a grumpus about it. (she should still apologize.) in any case, she smiles at ochako. ]

Thanks, Ochako. I could really use a break... but there's something shiny where the piggy bank was. Maybe Mr. Mysterious over there can use his weird arm to pick it up.

[ there's probably a bunch of coins they need to gather... ]

[infreefall]

Sorry, Bucky-san. It just surprised me, is all.

[ detachable arms are fine? she's seen weirder? but it helps to know it could happen, haha. ]

Something shiny, huh...? Oh, do you think there was money inside it? It must have fallen out.

[ time to circle the tree! a reflection catches her eye, and when she checks under a leaf... ]

Yes! You were right, Goneril-san! There's gotta be more coins around here.

[frostythehitman]

My name is-- [ wait, shit. He huffs angrily.

Instead he follows Ochako's lead and finds a few more coins, dropping them into the piggy bank as he goes. He offers the piggy bank up to the two of them (with the right, fleshy arm, if you girls are gonna be so squeamish about it) to drop in any coins they might have picked up too. ]

[axecessory]

[ Weird how these memories work—does that mean she can just call him whatever and it works?

Anyway, Ochako is a good girl and deserves better. Hilda toes around the leaves a bit reluctantly, picking out a coin or two out of the brush and depositing them in the bank with a satisfying clink. ]

This... might take a while.

[ How much money was even in that thing? ]

I can't tell if this is supposed to be something that saves the known universe, or some kind of weird group bonding activity.

[infreefall]

Why not both? There's no rule saying that they can't make saving the world fun.

[ clink clink, into the piggy bank ]

I wonder if there's a way to tell if we've found everything.

[ can't wait for it to just disappear in bucky's hands ]

[frostythehitman]

well, being responsible for saving an entire universe makes the bonding a hell of a lot less fun.

[ Which is his mild way of saying "combining universe-saving stakes and group bonding is just torture." Although these two aren't so bad, other than their little freakout at his arm. ]

Are they really expecting us to get every last coin that fell out of this damn thing? Because--

[ In that moment, as he slots a coin into the piggy bank (the last coin!), it vanishes right out of his arm. He almost loses his balance in surprise and makes an undignified noise. ]

[axecessory]

[ It's nice they have one good girl who enjoys things like icebreakers where they all end up looking stupid. Hilda, meanwhile, just sort of laughs at Bucky. (It's not totally mean, at least.) ]

Smooth.

[ She gives him a little, comforting pat on the shoulder before hopping along. ]

I guess that means we're done with one! [ wahoo! ] I take it back, that could've gone worse.

[ The arm incident is behind them. The little pokeball innocently rolling out of the brush is their nemesis now. How did it get there? Hm. ]

[infreefall]

You don't have to be so serious all the time, Bucky-san!

[ ochako snorts.give her a miment gotta suppress the laughter before she speaks again. ]

That's as good a sign as any. And - hey, that's thr toy we were supposed to find, isn't it?

[ what if she just goes to scoop it up, surely there are no wild animals near this brush ]

[frostythehitman]

Stop calling me that!

And that's--don't just pick it up!

[ He reaches out to stop her because, really now, another one of their items conveniently rolling into view right after the first one? That's hella sus. Who knows if he's quick enough to catch her, though! Not I, certainly! ]

[axecessory]

[ Oh, she's not stopping any of this. She's not getting involved in the slightest. Hilda is perfectly happy to stand exactly where she is and do what she's best at, which is jack shit.

Anyway, a cute little skunk pokes its nose out of the brush, following its toy ball! ]

[infreefall]

Eh? Why not?

[ which order is she referring to, I don't know. either way, it surprises her enough to make her stop short and glance back in confusion.

then a rustle pulls her attention back to the pokeball. ochako is halfway through thinking this little critter is cute when it dawns on her what it is, and with a yelp, she nyooms several steps back.

its all you, bucky-san! ]

[frostythehitman]

[ Well. Now both the girls have stepped back from it, which means ????? is in prime position to get utterly blasted.

Which he does. By the skunk. With the stink.

Never let it be said he doesn't make sacrifices. ]

[axecessory]

[ why is bucky punished for being the only useful character in this thread

anyway the poor skunk is rustled by all the commotion and now all of them must suffer for their poor life decisions. ]

Wha—

[ she's interrupted by some truly bizarre mix of a squeal and a hiss and now everything is TERRIBLE. she joins in with a noise somewhere between a scream and ughhh??? ]

Oh, Sothis in heaven—get the ball! Get the ball!!

[infreefall]

Ahhhh, they never said anything about skunks!

[ whiiiiiines this sucks!! but she'll dart in and grab the pokeball, pinching her nose against the smell. ]

We'll get you some tomato juice later, I promise.