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

[dianxias]

Ah?

[ oh! there's someone else there. please give him a moment. xie lian wiggles a little and pops his head back out of where he was looking! confetti in his dark hair and eyes wide, he blinks at this person across from him, and then gives her a sheepish smile. ]

Oh... um, just... looking for scraps?

[ well

he was. ]

[evocationary]

[ this guy is a disaster. ]

My god. [ she says dryly. she scoots across the room, pulling her hair into a ponytail. it goes really well with the sunglasses and the pink heart headband. ] Okay, well. We're not going to do that, okay? Are you hungry?

[dianxias]

Erm... a bit, yes. [ what a fashionable lady? she has a headband like the ones that were in his goodie bag, which is at the moment around his wrist. ]

Are you the owner of this establishment? I don't really have any money...

[evocationary]

[ ... ]

Yeeees. I am definitely the owner of this establishment and my first decree as queen of weird Not-Fantasy-Disneyland is you keep out of the trash. [ sniff. ] And it's fine, you can just work off your debt.

[ what debt. ] Come here, you're going to help me make some Bouillabaisse.

[dianxias]

Bouilla... [ ????

xie lian understood maybe five words that she just spoke.

hm. ] ...Ah, I don't mind paying off anything, exactly, but I'm not sure if cooking is a good idea, your highness... [ he just? took her word for it? ]

[evocationary]

[ get ready for that to be a trend whenever he talks to the twins, honestly. ]

It's fine, a toddler could make this stuff. [ a toddler could not. ] Go check the fridge for seafood. Clams, fish, anything.

[dianxias]

[ xie lian, who is useless in the kitchen, is fairly sure he could not, but.... okay. sure! he can try and help gather ingredients at least.

there's a beat. ] Um, your highness?

....What's a 'fridge', exactly?

[evocationary]

[ she is getting a kick out of being called your highness. stop, this is bad for her ego. ]

Oh, honey. [ she says, peering over at him. ] You're one of the Ye Oldes, huh?

It's the big box that you open and it's cold on the inside. [ she gestures in the direction of the two fridges. ]

[dianxias]

[ he's suddenly reminded of ling wen.... "dianxia, no one reads that kind of poetry anymore"... ]

...perhaps I am a bit behind the times.

[ he's become so old fashioned... these kids and their devices and their fridges!

anyway. xie lian is at least smart, so as directed, he goes to the fridge and opens it, making a surprised noise. it's cold! wow, fascinating... give him a moment, before he eventually successfully coming forward with a package of something that looks like a filleted fish wrapped in something! (the wonders of plastic!!!) ] Would this suffice?

[evocationary]

[ it's actually kind of adorable. she's endeared by this trash man. ]

That'll do. Who knows what kind of quality we're looking at here, but I guess beggars can't be choosers. [ she takes the fish and sets it on the counter. ] Get me some butter, too. Tomatoes, onions, garlic, potatoes, annnnnd shrimp, actually, if you can find that in the cold box.

[ she's gonna prepare this fish. ] Oh - what's your name, garbage boy?

[dianxias]

[ what the heck is a tomato... or potatoes....

the rest of that he can manage, though. onions, garlic... shrimp, yes. he mouths the names to himself as he's gathering things in his arms, and returning them to the counter where lup is standing. ]

Ah - it's Xie Lian. My apologies. [ with a polite bow of his head! ] And your name, your highness...?

[evocationary]

No apologies, my dude. [ she waves a hand, as she's cutting the fish. ]

It's Taako. [ it's not. ] Queen Taako, diva of all divas. Nice to enlist you, Xie Lian.

[dianxias]

It's an honor to meet you, Queen Taako.

[ i hate this so much. just so you know. ] What color is a "tomato"?

[evocationary]

[ that's my goal tbh ]

Red, bud. [ she's so amused. ] You don't know what a tomato is?

[dianxias]

[ with a shake of his head, xie lian makes a soft "mn-mn" noise while he's hunting. red, red... that's an apple, those aren't right... he pulls out a bell pepper and regards it for a moment like it's an alien species, because it is. ]

Or a ... a potato, you said? I've never heard of them. Or a bouil... [ ...... ] ...the dish that you're making.

Perhaps I'm even farther behind than I thought....

[evocationary]

Bouillabaisse.

[ he's so distressed by bell peppers that she can't help but gigglesnort at his face. ]

Potatoes are brown and smell kind of like dirt. [ she starts mincing garlic. ] You might not be behind, you might just like, not be from the same world as me? That's happened before. Fuck, what kind of world is a world without potatoes?

[dianxias]

An alternate world...

[ hm. sounds pretty messed up.

eh. why not? he's not going to question it, after eight hundred years of existence. he just kind of stands there contemplating the pepper and his own existence, and how there could be thousands of worlds in thousands of different places ...

...and then just sets it down. anyway!

xie lian successfully finds a potato, after sniffing a couple different vegetables, and brings it over to her. garlic is familiar, at least! ] Here you are. It's alright; I think even in my own world, if there are so many others, I'm a bit old-fashioned. "Ye olde", you said...?

[evocationary]

[ xie lian just faithfully bringing her vegetables... this is cute. ]

Yeah, ye olde. Like with the E on the end and everything. It comes off of you in waves. [ she glances at him. ] What does old fashioned mean in your world?

[dianxias]

Well... I think I'm a bit out of touch with the latest trends. For instance, there are all kinds of books and things that people seem to be interested in nowadays, and no one solves problems using the same remedies that I always did anymore...?

[ he's so uncool now :( gosh... the youths are so beyond him. ] I haven't really lived in a city or anything of the like in some time now, though, so, I guess that makes sense.

[ returning to his vegetable dig, he pulls out the bell pepper again, and then a big, round tomato, holding them both up for lup... i mean taako's inspection. which one. ] Is that what makes me seem so 'ye olde' as well, to you?

[evocationary]

Oh, dude, samesies on the city thing. [ she says, casually wiping the knife off so she can cut onions, now. ] Trends are only important when you've got someone to impress. Don't worry about it.

[ she points to the tomato! good job. ] It's just more the way you're dressed? And your vibe. You have an old timey vibe.

[dianxias]

Well, I don't have many people to impress. [ xie lian replies, with a little bit of a laugh. samesies... he's learned so many words today.

he returns and sets the tomato down for her to add to her vegetable pile! he fetched so good! quest complete. ]

I see...well, you don't seem at all 'olde' to me, so I'm certain you must have an... um, ye new vibe?

[evocationary]

[ she - cackles, at ye new vibe. ]

That's it, you nailed it. [ she says, leaning away from the terrible onions. ] I don't know. I'm from nowhere. I don't know what vibe I give off.

I'll take ye new, though. It's close.

[dianxias]

Well, whatever it is, I think it's quite nice, your highness.

[ he smiles, kind as ever as he comes over properly to watch her, hands in his sleeves. does xie lian have any idea what a vibe is yet? no. does he think this queen taako person is nice? he does indeed. ] I'm from something of nowhere too, so I think we will have that in common.

[evocationary]

Aw, bud, that's nice of you.

[ clearly she thinks garbage boy is also nice. ] Something of nowhere, huh? Like peasant status, or more like my whole planet got vored nowhere?

[dianxias]

[ what does vored mean..... ]

...Peasant, I think. The village that I currently live in is quite small. [ not to mention, he does have the entire peasant aesthetic going on. up close it's pretty obvious that his robes aren't the nicest quality in the world. ]

Did something happen to your world?