redactable | WEEK ZERO: ARRIVAL

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WEEK ZERO: ARRIVAL

WEEK ZERO: ARRIVAL
(43 remain)

Whatever each character was doing—chatting with friends, going to bed, saving the world—ceases. In fact, it's likely nothing more than a groggy memory now, as they open their eyes to unfamiliar surroundings. Apparently, they took a nap right in the middle of a small town, plopped outside on the paved road. Ow?

Oh, but it looks like they've been given a goodie bag. Everyone likes gifts, right? Inside, it contains:

a single random one of the following headbands

a rock that resembles the galaxy

a single random one of these pillows

Should they boot up the device, the screen helpfully informs them that it's a Participant Help System (PHS). Not much on it, but it does have a few apps, including a memo one for taking notes. There's also a messaging system, though it's only capable of receiving messages, not sending any. As a matter of fact, there's an alert for a new message already. Maybe it'll explain what's going on.

Good evening, everyone. Uh, how are we sure they’re arriving in the evening? Just say “hello”! Or “greetings”! Greetings is fancy, right? Oh that’s true. Greetings, everyone. That’s better? Yes! Except maybe we take out the that’s better part in the final version. Will do!

We’re sorry that we’re not here jklk oh no how do i erase what i wrote. Where is the question mark. Help press backspace. What is a backspace it’s written on the keyboard. Do you even know how to read? right now. There are a lot of things happening that’s so vague? Could we maybe TRY to not be ominous, guys??, It’s going to be ominous no matter what we say, so who cares so we need time to best prepare for you all. We will greet you properly soon, so please make yourselves at home! There are a lot of places to explore, and the kitchen has a lot of delicious food. Please don’t be shy, but also, don’t damage anything. It’s a little inconvenient. They’re going to do it just because you sound so fucking whiny. I’m sorry oh this is how you write somewhere else. Please do not fight or do. We don’t control your life choices. No please do not fight how do i make an exclamation mark maybe we should’ve gotten someone else to write the draft of the message? No offense. I’m sorry Sorry stop apologizing. No one else volunteered. Maybe we’ll luck out and none of them know how to read

Thank you for your time! We’ll see you soon. Also, we promise you haven’t been kidnapped or anything!

Oh dear. I don’t know if this is going to be edited, so if it isn’t, then I do apologize to the participants for our lack of organization. We’re doing our best! Probably.

Er, what? Unfortunately, it seems as though that's the only info they're given for now. In the meantime, why not explore the surrounding area? A number of buildings are locked, and the Planetarium appears to be closed, but there's enough to keep the characters occupied for a day or two. They might even want to get to know their fellow "participants" better, while they're at it.

NAVIGATION

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

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[

Hua Cheng looks so absurdly fond of him, and holds out his hand. ]

Do you happen to still have the things from your blue bag, gege?

En! Just a second.

[ lifting his sleeve, he reaches up to dig around in the bottom of it, feeling around. ] I folded up the bag, it seemed a bit flimsy... what did you want to see, exactly? There was so many strange things.

[ Taking his other hand, he reaches into the chest of his own robes, low and close to his belt, to pull out his PHS. ]

This, if you don't mind. I'll show you something I learned, a little trick, though it was something I noticed by chance.

[ He noticed that the screen and the keypad were similar, mostly. ]

[ nodding in understand, he reaches for his device and pulls it from his sleeve, then scoots over close to watch hua cheng as he hands it over, curious. ]

Here...

Thank you, gege. Watch here. [ He takes it, and decides to test something first - since this is his first time with another one of these.

Reaching out with his own, Hua Cheng taps it against the keypad. Nada. ]

Mm, so mine won't work on your door. Reasonable. [ And then he takes Xie Lian's, and taps it. Tada! ]

Oh! San Lang, how clever of you to figure that out! Truly, I wouldn't have even noticed.

[ xie lian praises, immediately, because of course san lang figured that out! xie lian hadn't even thought of that. the door pops open, as easily as anything. ] The wonders of this strange place never cease...

[ naturally, curiosity gets the better of him, and he pokes his head into his room! there's another bed, a purple rock with something shiny on it (??) and a closet....?

xie lian glances at the rock. ] ...That must be for this ... 'Emet-Selch', person, whoever that must be.... such interesting names, don't you think? - Oh, wait, so, you have a room with your name on it too?

[ uuuuuu ]

It's no trouble, gege. Just a little trial and error. I was just fortunate enough to figure out that this device had information on it, and was figuring out my own door.

[ Hua Cheng glances into the room over his shoulder, considering the rock for a moment before he slips the PHS back into Xie Lian's hand. Hopefully it isn't misplaced, or damaged, but he has a feeling it'll probably be fine. ]

Emet-Slech... It certainly is unique. [ Weird af name but ok. ] En. With a young lady named Kasumi, as odd as that is itself. It's around the corner and down at the very end of the hall. Perhaps you have something as well, gege, on your bed or in the closet.

Still, still, very impressive...

[ xie lian praises him anyway, because of course he does, and tucks the device back into his sleeve, as he thinks about hua cheng's question. ]

Well, I found Ruoye before I was able to get in. [ xie lian lifts his arm - his spiritual device of sorts wiggles around his wrist, shimmying in greeting. ] It came out from under the door when I called for it, so perhaps that was it?

[ but!! maybe he should explore. he trots over to the closet, and opens it to find a familiar outfit and a set of sleeping robes. ]

...I see... [ xie lian didnt know whether to laugh or to cry... what is this doing here... ]

[ Without missing a beat, Hua Cheng gives Ruoye a small wave with his fingers against the crook of his elbow as he crosses his arms. It's part of gege, why wouldn't he?

Though he doesn't follow him directly into the room, he leans his shoulder in the doorway and just - watches him, relieved. ]

It could be. Ruoye does have a mind all its own, so it would seek out its master once able - [ ... oh. ]

... ah, how nostalgic.

I didn't think I'd ever see this again...

[ well hopefully he won't be hunting down any ghost brides. ] How odd, considering we were just with Xuan Ji.

[ once he's made sure there's not a terrifying wrath level ghost inside, xie lian releases the silk and sets it back in the closet, shutting the door. ] What a strange place indeed. San Lang, is everything in order with you and your things as well...?

[ Hua Cheng clicks his tongue softly. It is interesting to see again, after having just been with the actual ghost bride. Something that he'll set aside to dissect later, he's sure, but for now... ]

I don't have any spiritual energy here, or E-Ming, but I'm not particularly concerned about it. [ He is HELLA concerned about it! Mostly for Xie Lian's sake! How will he help gege if he is fucking useless. ] I did find something in my room, however.

[ ?!?!??!?!? ]

Wh - San Lang, your spiritual energy?! [ that just feels utterly impossible. the last time that happened... ] Is it Mt. Tonglu again?

[ iS HE GOING TO TURN INTO A CUTE LITTLE KID AGAIN i mean ]

No, I don't even feel Mt. Tonglu's presence. It's something akin to... background noise, especially when the Kiln is set to open.

[ Reaching up, he pinches the bead on his braid between thumb and forefinger, twisting it absently as he thinks about it. ]

It's all simply gone.

[ xie lian's eyes flick downwards, briefly, and he feels a surge of empathy for hua cheng, who will probably know exactly where his mind went. ]

...I'm sorry, San Lang. [ very, very earnestly so. ] I'm sure it's only temporary. We'll find a way to get it back.

[ he does - and Hua Cheng doesn't like it. With a soft laugh, airy and low, he swings his weight into Xie Lian's room. ]

En, we will. Don't worry, gege - like I said, I'm not too concerned about it. After all... [ He reaches into his robes, pulling something far smaller than the PHS out to pass to Xie Lian. ] We're here together, aren't we?

[ xie lian's eyes widen as hua cheng hands him the ring.

he gasps, shocked, and reaches up to to pat around his chest, realizing that the familiar weight of the chain is missing. ]

Oh - oh! San Lang...! Oh no, I'm so sorry - I swear, I've never moved it, or touched it, or even taken it off...! You've trusted me with something of yours and I've lost it so easily!

[ Fingertips against his palm, for a moment, he draws his hand away and leans down more into Xie Lian's space. ]

I know you weren't the one that lost it. With so many of our things gone, I can only assume this was misplaced by our, ah, hosts. So I'm more than happy to return it to you, so that you can make the choice of what to do with it.

Mm... [ he looks uneasy with that, for a moment, but nods, closing his hand carefully around the chain itself. make the choice of what to do with it... ]

...alright, San Lang. [ he'd said once it was nothing, but - it was from San Lang, so it was definitely not nothing!!!! xie lian reaches up to go ahead and put the chain over his head, back where it always resides between his collarbones. ]

I do think you're right, though. Perhaps they'll also know what happened in more depth to your spiritual energy...?

[ Honestly, if he had his way, he would probably lop off their, ah, hosts' hands for a myriad of crimes! Calm down, Hua Cheng, it's day one.

His expression is soft as Xie Lian puts the chain back around his neck, and the ring settles where - well, it belongs. ]

They honestly didn't seem to know much of anything, with the message I read on the device once I got it operating, however it works. They're... disorganized.

Mm...

[ a bit concerning, yeah. xie lian obviously hasn't had much of a chance to look through his own device, yet, but he's observant enough to understand that Shit's Weird. ] And there are many of us here, some entirely different than others.

...San Lang, I hate to say it, but it doesn't feel like we're... even in the mortal realm, anymore. Or, really, any of the three realms at all.

[ Gege always has a sharp eye. Hua Cheng cocks his head a little in consideration, reaching to fiddle with the bead again as he thinks. ]

No, I don't think we're in any of them, either. I'm not even quite sure we're adjacent to them. Even without spiritual energy, things feel - off. The people here are such an assortment that I wouldn't dare say we've all come from the same place.

En... and even things like this [ xie lian gestures to the device... and the door, while he's at it, ] seem wildly beyond the possibilities of almost anyone. Even the Heavenly Emperor couldn't have created such a thing.

[ so this is bad, actually. he doesn't know why, but he just has a bad feeling in his gut... and despite his bad luck, xie lian's danger senses aren't usually wrong. ]

What a strange situation. [ a beat, and then, he looks up at his companion, offering him a smile, a little sheepish. ] I'm sorry, San Lang, I'm sure you've ended up in this situation because of me...

Ghost City sees many strange things, coming and going, that are marvels those in the mortal realm could only dream of. None of it really hits the mark when it comes to the things here, and whatever does is purely magic in execution.

[ However these things are powered, it isn't with magic, despite what he would presume to be its presence in the barrier and the magic keeping them from the castle. ]

No apologies necessary, gege. [ He smiles, sincere. ] I would rather be here at your side, getting to the bottom of our situation together, than being somewhere where I couldn't help you. It's more fortuitous to me than not.

[ that's heartening. xie lian can't help but smile up at him, fondly. ]

That's a good point. Between us, I think we can figure it out! [ hopefully, anyway. xie lian's feeling cheered!

..... wait, isn't he forgetting something. ] ...Oh...I hope General Pei will be alright.

[ i'm sure he's fine. ]

[ For a moment, his smile grows to the point that his eye crinkles, gaze twinkling -

And then he snorts, then laughs, a little dismissive of the thought. ]

Nothing he's not used to, gege. It'll be fine.

[ eat SHIT pei ming]

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dianxias - 2020-09-27 02:26 (UTC) - Expand

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