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

[evocationary]

Dude. Sweet eyepatch.

[ what the fuck she loves this pirate man ]

Keychains, duh. What's your name, thug, let's get you one.

[supremity]

[ What are the words coming out of your mouth, but, yk, thanks for the opening - ]

Thanks, I'm a pirate. [ Deadpan, as he crosses his arms. ] It's Hua Cheng, though somehow I doubt you'll see it - but who knows? I've never seen trinket keychains like this before.

[evocationary]

[ she flicks through the spinny display, and sure enough: ]

Oop, there it is. [ she comes on and slams the keychain right into his hand. here you go. ] Looks like most of us kidnappees are on this thing. Foreboding, right? Spooooky.

[supremity]

[ Wow, shocking. Hua Cheng takes it without missing a beat, and then turns the spinny thing out of vague curiosity. Xie Lian...... ]

As a ghost, I feel the need to argue against the "spooky" comment. [ Is he shitposting again? Is he serious? Is this something to be worried about? Yes. ] Foreboding, though, maybe.

[evocationary]

Holy shit, you're a ghost and a pirate? How come mom lets you have two badass states of being?

[ it's fine, she takes it incredibly in stride. you are not the strangest thing she's ever seen, hua cheng. ] You don't seem super stressed.

[supremity]

She didn't, I had to go out and get them myself.

[ All right, you funky little lady, he can roll with this. Banter is easy as hell, and he's just as willing to take things in stride. ]

Neither do you, but I have a feeling that's an everyday state of being for you. [ What the fuck is a Roman alphabet, he's just looking through this until he finds gege. ] I don't tend to let things stress me out.

[evocationary]

[ she enjoys a dude who can dish it out - banter is fun! she actually laughs at that first part. ]

Eh. You see a century or so of daring-dos and adventure-ho and you get kind of used to ending up at Fantasy Six Flags, you know? [ she's bored of the keychains so now she's trying on new sunglasses. ] I bet ghost pirates deal with a lot of bull every day, don't they?

[supremity]

I have no idea what Fantasy Six Flags is, frankly. [ Because he doesn't - ah, there he is. He plucks up the keychain and pockets it. ] But centuries of dealing with daring-dos and adventure-ho do tend to just make everything else just another day, yes. Even without the ghostly piracy.

[ There's no point in any of these knickknacks but especially the sunglasses.

Still going to look at them, though. ]

[evocationary]

[ it would be both mine and lup's greatest joy if hua cheng wore sunglasses over his eyepatch. ]

What a fabulously vague answer. [ she remarks, amused. ] Which keychain did you just take, Huarr Cheng?

[ still proud of this joke ]

[supremity]

[ flappy you know I can't say no to you. ]

According to the information on that PHS device, I'm "probably" 817 years old. [ It's public, so he doesn't care. ] The 800, at least, is right. Not sure about the 17 - I lost track long before that point.

[ The joke makes him snort, but amusedly. ] I was lucky enough that someone I know is here, as well. It's for him.

[evocationary]

[ sparkles ]

Probably. Wow, you're old as balls, huh. [ tease, tease. ] Lucky or unlucky, I wonder. Which guy? Is it one of the other eyepatch dudes? Did you form a squad?

[supremity]

[ fucking christ the slang he's going to pick up to take back to ancient fantasy China. ]

Not old as dirt, at least, like some of them here. [ clicks tongue ] No, it isn't, but I did notice that. Should we be forming a squad? It does seem like there's a lot of people here with eyepatches. It's almost excessive.

[evocationary]

[ hua cheng like "old as balls" as xie lian dabs in the background ]

It just makes me wonder if whatever brought us here has an eyepatch fetish? Like not gonna yuck anybody's yum here but really, make it less obvious.

[supremity]

[ I personally hate this in every perfect way possible ]

It is suspicious. I'm not particularly interested in being someone's fetish. [ why did I type that with my own two hands ]

[evocationary]

[ she - splutterlaughs? wow, congrats hua cheng. ]

Jesus. Yeah, no, I'm with you there, bud, I'm also not interested in that. [ she pulls a pair of sunglasses off the rack. ]

Here. These'll work.

[supremity]

[ Score. Not that he was trying, Hua Cheng is the master of just saying shit and not even batting a, well, eye. ]

Ah, what I've longed for for hundreds of years - two, matching eyes. [ Still, he accepts them.

And puts them on. ] A perfect disguise.

[evocationary]

[ THESE ARE THE MOST AWFUL THINGS SHE'S EVER SEEN. it's incredible. ]

Yeah, now nobody will ever get their rocks off to your one eye. [ lup, please. ] I forgot to mention there's a rule that I found that says you, specifically, have to wear these glasses around the village or you're fired.

[supremity]

[ Can't wait until he can show gege these godawful things. ]

Ahh, I see. [ Unfazed by the fetishization of his impairment and just trucking along with shitty puns and the driest tone. ] Considering our current positions, I can't exactly object and face losing the only employment I have.

[evocationary]

[ honestly, they can just show each other the awful things they acquired from lup back and forth. ]

Attaboy. [ she says, laughing. ] Why do you think we're here, anyway? Any ideas?

[supremity]

[ "look at this absurd shit and these slang words I learned today from a weird girl" ]

That, unfortunately, I don't have much insight in. [ He reaches to take the sunglasses off, folding the arms one at a time against his chest. ] I'm almost not sure if our hosts do, either.

[evocationary]

Hah. You've got a valid point. Obviously they don't know how voice to text works, so.

Whatever or whoever they are, they're pretty powerful. If they're the ones who brought us here.