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

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inn

[supremity]

[ The thud is what gets his attention, and Hua Cheng slowly looks up at the ceiling. Eyebrow cocked, he moves to go - investigate, or something. Maybe someone broke down a door and he can take advantage of it. He's so kind.

That plan sure gets scrapped (ha ha) the second he sees the white robes, the bamboo hat, the brown hair - ]

Gege?

[dianxias]

[ !!!!!!!!!!! ]

San Lang! [ oh, xie lian just sounds utterly relieved, lighting up immediately at the familiar sight of his companion; he jumps up to his feet, and immediately gets confetti fucking everywhere. ]

I was wondering where you had gone. You don't happen to have any idea where we are, do you?

[supremity]

[ !!!!!

... ???? ]

I'm glad to see you - I was hoping to find you. [ What the fuck are you covered in. Hua Cheng closes the space between them in two, easy steps, with his stupidass long legs. Just so he can reach out and dust some confetti off his head. ] But apologies, gege. Even I have no idea where we are. At least, not yet.

[dianxias]

[ xie lian smiles up at him, completely allowing this for a moment. ]

That's alright. I suppose we'll have to figure that out together, no? It could be an illusion...

[ ??? ] Though, I'm pretty sure it isn't. [ as he reaches to pick another piece of confetti out of his hair and let it drop. ] Everything's quite solid. Have you seen General Pei? Or Xuan Ji, or Yin Yu...?

[ ... ] Or Qi Rong... [ ugh. ]

[supremity]

No, you're right, it's all fairly solid as far as things go. Especially considering the... message I read. [ INCOMPETENCE. It's fine. ]

Yin Yu would be of use, but no, I haven't seen him. Or - [ He waves his hand, dismissive, before making a face at the mention of Qi Rong. Ugh. ] Anyone else, besides the other people wandering around.

Was that you, making that noise?

[dianxias]

Ahaha....

[ yes. ] Well, this room had my name on it, but I couldn't figure out how to open the door, so I thought I'd break it off, but...

[ he tried to punch it. yea. ] It was strange - there must be a curse or something on the other side of the door.

[supremity]

[




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?

[dianxias]

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.

[supremity]

[ 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. ]

[dianxias]

[ 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...

[supremity]

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! ]

[dianxias]

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?

[supremity]

[ 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.

[dianxias]

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... ]

[supremity]

[ 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.

[dianxias]

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...?

[supremity]

[ 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.

[dianxias]

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

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 ]

[supremity]

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.

[dianxias]

[ 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.

[supremity]

[ 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?

[dianxias]

[ 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!

[supremity]

[ 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.

[dianxias]

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...?

[supremity]

[ 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.