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

[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.