WEEK ZERO: ARRIVAL

[retellers]

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 and sparklers - packets of tea - one unlabeled pill - a rock that resembles the galaxy - if they're of age, a mini bottle of alcohol; if they're underage, a can of Mountain D*w Baja Blast instead - a singular condom - a single random one of these pillows (how did this fit?) - a handheld device 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

Comments

[showyourself]

[ALL THE MOLES???

elsa gasps—but only for a second—and then all but throws herself on to the machine, aiming to take out all the lines at once—one with each arm, and any remaining with her hands and mallet!

frankly, the moles (and the machine itself) gets off easy, because if elsa had her powers, it's doubtful there'd be much of a machine left, encased in ice as it would be.

anyway.

elsa got the moles. eat it, moles. she withdraws from the machine, hands clenched—and pumps a fist at their extremely highest score.]

Yes! Hah!

[reconnective]

[the game dings and lights up to declare them winners, their high score flashing in big bold numbers and as sora sets down the mallet he gives her a wide grin.]

That was great! Nice job. [they did it! whatever it is, they sure did it! thank god elsa could not freeze the machine, but moving right along.] What'd you think? It was fun, right?

[showyourself]

You, too! [returning the mallet, she beams at sora, dusting off her hands.] I'm not sure I would do it every day, but... yeah.

[she's nodding, clearly still satisfied with herself, despite the exertion.]

I enjoyed it. Are they all like that?

[reconnective]

[down the mallet goes and he folds his hands behind his head to smile a little wider.]

I don't think they're all like that, but some of them require a lot of moving. Like air hockey, or that dancing one! [he points to ddr.] There's all kinds of games here to look at.

[showyourself]

[dancing? air hockey?? she follows sora's hand as he points, blinking at each one.]

Goodness. [what was that thing olaf kept saying about technology? was this is??] What a variety.

Do you have any favorites?

[reconnective]

Yeah...we have a ton to pick from. Guess they didn't want us to be too bored while we waited. But I don't think I have a favorite. I haven't played a bunch of these either. Like that one. [he points at knock-off pac-man.]

[showyourself]

Oh, is that one just buttons? How do you play it?

[after the workout that was macmole, she's ready to... not.]

[reconnective]

Buttons and a joystick, looks like. Let's take a look. [let's go play pacman, elsa. he's watching the intro screen for a minute and he points at one of the little ghosts.] I think these guys chase you, and you have to try and outrun them while eating everything on the screen. And you steer with this stick and use the buttons to eat fruit.

[showyourself]

Eating...?

[she stares at the demo screen. it. seems. easy enough? so she steps up to the joystick, and wiggles it, pushing a button with her other hand, starting the game up!

the stage starts, and



pacman is munching into a wall for a good five seconds before she figures out how to turn his little body. but she's getting it! she's going up and down, left and right, but keeps. stopping, staring quizzically at the screen.]

Where's the fruit...?

[reconnective]

I think you have to keep exploring the map. [he leans in from the other side to try and see how this is going.] Try going up to the corner and see if it's there?

[showyourself]

[waka waka waka

she follows sora's directions, and gets

stuck on another wall.]

Hold on—it... isn't very responsive, is it? [not like he can tell, he's not playing—and she just sucks.

and here comes the ghosts........]

[reconnective]

--the ghosts are catching up! [noooo the ghosts. also he's not much better since he's a.) not helping and b.) bad with directions here.] Can you go sideways and then down? You can throw them off that way. And there's a cherry down there.

[showyourself]

Oh! Where did that...?

[she's squinting at the screen, trying to manoeuvre downwards. this is level one? so she has a little time, but the ghosts are making a steady headway. the cherry! they need! the cherry!!

but before that, she manages a power pellet? and all the ghosts are blue, now??]

Did you see that?!

[reconnective]

[see he honestly thought the fruit would help them defeat the ghosts so now he's trying to figure out what the heck he's looking at.]

They're different now...go after them! Maybe you can get rid of them while they're a different color.

[showyourself]

[and so she's reversing after them, and... more or less having the same issue as she had going towards the cherry. which is now. gone from the screen again? it's fine.

she does manage to catch one ghost, rendering it down to its eyes, before they turn back to their normal colors.]

I don't know what caused that... where did that cherry go?

[reconnective]

[why is this game so rude? he watches the shaky eyes of the ghost disappear and zip across the screen before the ghosts flicker back to their original colors.]

I have no idea. It's just gone. [pac-man is very confusing.] But check it out, your score's getting higher every time you eat the little dots. I think you need to collect all of them and run away from the ghosts.

[showyourself]

[SAY NO MORE FAM

elsa isn't getting, like, good? but she's getting into it, which means that more dots are getting eaten, and more ghosts are going blue. she's doing it! kinda!! the joystick isn't the best really!!!

the cherry is back, and she beelines for it—this is it!—

and EATS IT!!]

There!

[she takes her hands off the controls, foolishly assuming that. that is that?]

[reconnective]

[pacman is a terrible game! the dots are eaten and the cherry's also eaten which clearly means they win!]

That's it! [except. it's not. one of the ghosts immediately turns around and sneaks up behind pacman, eating him and ending the game.] Huh? Wait! I thought it was over?

[showyourself]

...Well, it's certainly over, now. [she chuckles, an exasperated sound, and shrugs.] Oh, well.

Your turn.

[reconnective]

You sure? [but he's already stepping up to the game cabinet to look at the screen and the joystick.] We could try something else if you want. [he doesn't want her to be bored just watching....]

[showyourself]

I'm happy to watch. I'm got a lot of watching experience, you could say.

[hahahaha.]

[reconnective]

[elsa???? no don't tell him that!!!]

Well...it's nice to be free to do whatever you want now, isn't it? [with that said he does start the game and pacman immediately runs into a wall. at least elsa doesn't suck, the game's just faulty! (they are both bad at this.)]

[showyourself]

[he's just gonna. keep dropping facts like he saw her entire life stream by in ahtohallan or something huh. real terrible. but she's practically used to it now, and determined to maintain the ruse to not break his heart, so. sure. this might as well be happening.]

...It is.

[it's somehow satisfying to know that the machine is broken for both of them (it is definitely the machine, they are videogame whizzes, did you not see their mole scores??)

she points at the screen.]

Cherry.

[reconnective]

[he will never know. ever. but that's okay because the focus here is that this game is busted and he's doing his best to try and get pacman out of a corner.]

I'm on it. [he's turning around and nabbing the cherry, but he also overshoots and ends up eating a power pellet on accident. the ghosts turn blue and the screen flickers.] There it is again! [this game is more confusing than their moles, noooo. but time to nom some ghosts and try not to die.] Am I the only one confused here?

[showyourself]

No, no. I can honestly say I have no idea what's going on.

Is this when we eat the ghosts?