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

[assistance]

lobby

[ hewwo murderfriends. it seems that the less-than-cushy awakening has had no effect on one alyssa zaidelle, who nyooms right to the inn to start sleuthing around for answers as soon as she's given herself a thorough patdown and assured herself that she is in one piece (for now). she can be found inspecting the reception desk, rifling through the papers, trying to turn on the computer, pocketing some pens, but all to no avail...

at some point, she gives up and takes a seat on the desk—not on any of the chairs like a civilized person, mind you—as she pulls out her mysterious handheld device. she soon starts fiddling with it, first by familiarizing herself with its functions as she swipes at the screen, then taking a closer look at the device itself... ]

Hmmm... I'll be the first to admit that comm devices aren't my forte, but there has to be some way to reverse-engineer this thing... logic would say that if there's a way to receive messages, there should also be a way to send them, right?

kitchen

[ once she's decided she's had enough of trying to mess with technology, alyssa can be found in the kitchen, poking through the walk-in pantry with her back turned to the entrance. she's so into inspecting the various goods and ingredients that she doesn't notice that she's not alone, and she suddenly startles once she realizes. as she turns around, it'll also become obvious that she's holding... a knife! ]

Wh-what do you think you're doing, sneaking up on a girl like that? [ she looks at them. looks at the knife in her hand. looks back at them. then holds her hands up in the "i'm innocent" sort of gesture, which is only slightly compounded by the knife still in her grip. ] Don't look at me like that, I'm just taking precautionary measures! I know it doesn't look great, but—can you really blame me in this situation?

wildcard

( yall know the drill, hmu on discord or just yeet a random prompt here if neither of the above suit your fancy! )

kitchen

[supremity]

[ Looking completely unbothered by the fact that he snuck up on someone, Hua Cheng looks at Alyssa. Then down at the knife. Then back at her. In tandem, eyebrows raised lazily. ]

My apologies. [ Unapologetically. ] Though I can't blame you, considering I had the same thing in mind.

[assistance]

You mean munchies or self-defense?

[ these are two very different things, hua cheng. ]

[supremity]

[ He tilts his head one way, then the other, like he is actually thinking about his answer. ]

Yes. [ God I hate you. ] Though, good to know that there's actually a useful kitchen in this place.

[assistance]

[ all that happens is that she nods back. big mood, hc. ]

Even an unfortunate spatial displacement has some silver linings, right?

[supremity]

[ Ah, good, he's glad they understand one another. ]

Not much else seems to be of use here, in whatever this "displacement" has brought us to, so I'll take the apparent silver living.

[ He hums, reaching to slip a knife free of the block rather than investigating the pantry. ]

kitchen

[recrowns]

[A KNIFE!

soo-won jokingly raises his hands up behind his head, even though he doesn't seem all that threatened]

Mm, you're right! I'm glad that you're looking after yourself. Might you have training on how to use that to your advantage?

[assistance]

Um... with all due respect, are you asking if I know how to stab somebody?

[recrowns]

I am.

[he keeps his hands where they are, canting his head to the side]

For two reasons. The first is that not all stabs have to be fatal, and the second is that an inexperienced hand on a blade can lead to self-sabotage.

I fully believe your intentions are good - and I'd like to avoid a situation where they lead you astray.

[assistance]

You're making a heck of a lot of assumptions there, mister... but to answer your question, yes, I'm trained in some self-defense. Usually not with a kitchen knife, obviously, but sometimes you have to improvise.

[recrowns]

Well, they are assumptions in your favor.

[but he'll drop his hands then]

Good, then! I hope you never have to use it.

lobby

[reconnective]

Uh...[well. alyssa is saying words while sora's walking past and if she looks up she'll find a boy who absolutely appears to not know a single thing she said.] Is that possible? I thought these things were kind of designed to only do whatever they were made to do.

[assistance]

[ i'm so sorry in advance for your half a braincell, sora ]

We don't know if it's possible, you're right. But by that same train of thought, we don't know that it's impossible, either!

[reconnective]

Okaaay...so let's say it's possible. What would you have to do to make it work that way?

[assistance]

Well! If I could learn how the devices receive messages, then I might be able to trace them back to the source. From there, assuming all these devices share the same network, it should just a simple reworking of the code to allow two-way communication! Maybe even communication across the network itself!

... In theory, of course. Like I said earlier, this sort of thing isn't my area of expertise.

[reconnective]

[...yeah she lost him. sort of. because if he thinks about it in a different way it makes a little more sense and it's in that moment he seems to be making other connections.]

Is it possible for the source to change into something else? Like, let's say it was one thing, but it combined with another and became something else. Would that source be the same, or would they be two different sources?

kitchen

[suddenlybees]

[ Yikes! Kano blinks in surprise— and almost belatedly puts his hands up like he's supposed to when held at knifepoint. ]

Aw, and here I thought I could sneak up on you. But, wow! Haha! I could've gotten stabbed just like that, huh? Really too bad~ Would've ruined your knife and everything.

[assistance]

[ to be fair, she never actually pointed the knife at him! just, you know. kind of waved it vaguely in his direction. but once he establishes that he's not a threat (for now), she lowers her hand... she's still holding onto the knife tho. ]

First off, why were you trying to sneak up on me at all? There's such a thing as just asking politely what someone's up to, you know.

[suddenlybees]

Um, hm. Social ineptitude?

[ Has Kano ever said "please" in his life... Doesn't matter. His hands drop to get shoved into his hoodie pockets while he tries to peer around her ]

So, like, what're you up to?

[assistance]

[ just... quietly whispers "wow" to herself before properly replying: ]

Looking for something to eat that doesn't require a ton of prep time. I know I can't exactly be picky, but I'd rather not spend all my time making food when I could be trying to figure out what's going on here.

[suddenlybees]

No prep food... You're gonna want, like, ketchup packets or something.

[ he hasn't even thought about food; it's kind of hard to think about food in a place and situation like this ]

kitchen

[cuedoves]

[ what do you have there.. ]

There's no sneaking involved. I just walked in here.

[ he responds, irritated!!! even though he was definitely walking softly. he doesn't seem judgmental, though. ]

Not really. But you could stand to be a little less jumpy.

[assistance]

[ it's easy to mistake irritation for judging, though, which is why she responds to him with a little bit of a huff. ]

Can you really blame me for being jumpy, given our current circumstances? I'm honestly surprised that more people aren't on edge.

[cuedoves]

What I mean is, you should pay more attention to your surroundings so you don't get caught off guard when someone walks in the room.

[ this isn't helping with the 'seeming judgmental' thing... ]

[assistance]

[ for a moment, she continues to frown at him... before something comes to her, apparently, as she pounds her fist against her other hand like an epiphany has just hit her. ]

Ooh, is this how people feel when they think I'm lecturing them?