redactable | WEEK SEVEN: MINGLE

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mingle

WEEK SEVEN: MINGLE

WEEK SEVEN: MINGLE
(21 remain)

Rise and shine, gremlins. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and it's the start of a new week. To the participants, yesterday's events may seem distant now—albeit not as distant as their life before this. Whether or not they notice, they will have lost a memory upon waking up.

As usual, the participants will find that their lodgings have changed, and should anyone check their PHS, Chiron, Ochako, Soo-won, and Dorothy's profiles have been removed. They may also find that they have difficulty recalling complete details of the past weeks.

Furthermore, it looks as though the rules have updated.

Not everything is the same as the previous pattern, though. The barrier to the north is back up, and once more, what lies beyond is an empty field. In contrast, however, participants may notice that they can finally access a place they haven't been able to before...

Additionally, it looks like the Leaders aren't around. No matter where the participants look, they're nowhere to be found. Should anyone try calling for them in the Planetarium, there will be no response—not even a message telling the participant that they're busy.

Finally, everything around the participants begins to... glitch? Buildings may suddenly blink out of existence and then back in, random items like chairs or cups may suddenly distort even while they're being used, and looking at any particular thing for too long may give someone a headache. It's worse than it was that one week, though: participants will find that it's happening to themselves as well. Body parts might suddenly glitch out of existence then back in, and there will be a shot of pain when it occurs. It'll happen randomly, but it also seems to occur more often if they're touching something or another person.

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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[while he glances over the contract, frowning, he tries to wander out of the alleyway... but when it proves impossible to get anywhere else, he sighs.]

Well, if you have another way to move on, let us hear it, but it seems you may have to risk that second head.

[Sorry, boys, everyone said for him to take care of y'all, but he's already popped the pill into his mouth once he finds that they just keep looping around and around in circles.

Haha.]

I'll go first? Wish me luck.

[He has something strapped to his back, but who knows if it'll even be of any use!

Guess he puts his John Hancock on the paper. F.]

[ Glad Blanca is yoloing it up. Nothing immediately happens to him after he takes the pill, though he'll feel himself grow drowsy—enough that he's bound to fall asleep within the next hour.

The world waits patiently for Emet-Selch and Hansa. ]

[Just. Deadeying the gun on Blanca's back.]

Well, I guess you had to use it sometime.

[But he sighs. Might as well. He raises the pill like he's raising a toast.]

To hopefully not growing a second head.

[He signs with a quick flourish and...down the hatch it goes!]

Edited 2020-11-17 02:01 (UTC)

I suppose the good news-- or bad news, depending-- is that it is certainly not instant death.

[thanks for that, blanca!

emet-selch gives blanca's gun an approving look, good choice blanca-- then he too is signing the contract and taking the pill. time to see what this place wants.]

No time like the present.

[He waits for them, but waiting means he realizes he feels sleepy.] Well, I'm getting drowsy. [So they know what to look forward to if it's the same.] I guess we've been roofied. [That's just great.]

Maybe they're into older men.

[ STOP THIS.

Eventually, all three of them will fall asleep... in the alleyway, which is awkward. But in their dreams, they'll experience nightmares, and very specific ones at that. They're all of things that have happened in the Realm: Virid killing Pikachu during the trial, Virid being beheaded via guillotine, the crocodile clamping its teeth around Shima and pulling him under the water, Bucky being shot repeatedly by his own bullets, Dorothy struggling in the water. ("What about Kano" I promise he isn't being randomly excluded.) Throughout the dreams, a sense of nausea permeates their senses, as if having to watch these horrifies them.

When they wake up, they're... much younger? While each of them is still mentally the same, they're all physically about 17 now. Also, they're now in the streets of a city very familiar to at least one of them... ]

...Ugh.

[What was all of that? It was like Murder Movie Marathon except....bad. Hansa groans, pushing himself off of the ground to a sitting position...and his eyepatch jostles. Its a bit too big.]

[He frowns, pulling it off, blinking - and then looks down at his own body. Well, he's definitely...smaller, and with both of his original eyes intact.]

What the hell...? [He turns to the rest, frowning.] Wait a second...you guys are like, super young now?

[A beat.]

Well, it's better than growing a second head, I guess...

[the sense of nausea is, honestly, the strangest part of that montage. these didn't bother him to watch the first time, so for it to feel that way now...

well. it's an odd feeling.

but then he returns to awareness, frowning over at hansa and blanca.]

I suppose you were wrong after all.

[nothing to do with older men, clearly! but he gives himself as much of a look-over as he can manage, after hansa's comment. emet as he currently stands is still tall, but definitely does not fit his frame quite as well as he did as an adult... there's no white streak in his hair, either.

the more pressing matter, however, is where they are. as soon as he gets the chance to glance over their surroundings-- he just stops short and ignores them, looking up to the taller buildings, then wanders nearer to the closest one to touch it, as if making sure it's actually solid.]

[Wow. Emet-Selch isn't wrong, the nausea is the weirdest part of that when he's spent so long being desensitized. Groggily, he sits up and blinks between Hansa and Emet-Selch.

They...? Man.

He glances at himself, looking somewhat like this but still even younger, and without the sultry tone he's use to having. He's at least decency tall, though?]

Young men then.

[The sniper rifle is even more massive on him now when he stands. He offers Hansa a hand up. But he notices Emet-Selch's sort of fascination with the buildings.]

Have you ever seen this place before, Emet-Selch...?

[ Blanca will also find a phone in his pocket, though if he turns it on, there's only one contact, █████-san.

The building is solid. Everything looks and feels as though it's real, just as Emet-Selch remembers it.

... Well, except for that one adult who's peering at them, before they comment— ]

Shouldn't you three be in school?

[ Teej is about to tell me that Ascians didn't have school, but too bad, it exists now! ]

[He takes Blanca's hand, brushing dust off himself. If he remembered he was a cyborg, he'd probably make a comment about it, but as it stands, he just finds it kind of surprising to be back in such a young body.]

[The voice catches his attention, though, and he turns.]

...Uh. No? We don't go to school.

[they're REBELS. DOWN WITH THE SYSTEM. 2 KOOL 4 SKOOL. don't look at one of them having a sniper rifle]

[before they're interrupted, he has just enough time to tell blanca:]

I know it, yes. This is- my home, as it was once.

[he doesn't turn around to say that, still fully occupied with his surroundings...

but the arrival of that adult pulls him out of it, as does hansa's answer. emet-selch doesn't know how much this will be like the city he knew, how much about its workings has been reconstructed with it, but he quickly steps over to hansa to take him by the arm.]

There you are-- pray forgive him. We have been looking for this one, and will be on our way in but a moment. How many times must I remind you not to try to wander off...

[and then he's leaning in to quietly, rapidly murmur-]

Do not argue it.

[look, he knows that if it's anything like what he knew, they probably should not cause a scene running away. best to leave and then figure it out.]

Your--?

[Oh no. A adult. Wow, yeah, please ignore the large sniper rifle on his back. It's fine. He keeps facing forward.]

Just--ah, calling a ride for school? We... [Does this place even have public transportation?] ...uh, missed the bus?

[He grins sheepishly and calls whoever the hell this random contact is, sorry. He lifts the phone to his ear while backing up with Hansa and Emet-Selch.]

[ Well, Teej? Does this place have public transportation?

Blanca will find that he has a signal, but the other person isn't picking up.

But yeah, time for all of you to go to school! Chop chop! Assuming they start heading towards... wherever it is, at some point they're going to find themselves all dressed in this, like every single person around them, because fuck you and your individualism. ]

That's just me! Just your friendly neighborhood troublemaker!

[He just sticks out his tongue playfully, but he goes along with Emet-Selch regardless, nodding to him. Blanca's phone gets him to frown - why does he have THAT? - but he doesn't have a chance to ask before he looks down at his new wardrobe.]

...Oh, no. [If this is Emet's home, then this is...he looks over with concern at the other two, but especially the one who knows what this is about.] Hey, I bet this is Realm nonsense again, but...stay close to me, you two, okay?

[everyone here is magical as fuck, jan, they do not.

but nobody here has magic so LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE WALKING. fortunately, emet-selch knows where to head, unless the layout has changed.]

-if anything, I should think the two of you ought to stay with me-- but you are correct. Do not get separated; the city is large.

[it'll be hard to find each other again, if they do.

he's not at all bothered by the wardrobe change either, comfortable enough in it-- why would he not be? he almost seems more comfortable, honestly.]

Oh. They aren't answering...

[Sad.

He wil try again later. Maybe they will play phone tag. He glances down at the... robe... and then back up between the two of them, a bit bewildered as he walks along.

The robe at least covers the rifle. Small miracles!]

As someone who has had the unfortunate experience with certain indoctrination, I'm hoping this means we're going to Hogwarts and not that you were a part of a cult...?

[ Damn, time for all of you to get your exercise.

Along the way, Blanca will receive a text message from his sole contact: In class right now. Stop calling this poor fuck when they're busy, wow.

Assuming they make their way to the school eventually and get into ushered a classroom... Well! It's probably hard to properly make out their classmates' faces given that everyone is wearing the robe, but if Hansa and Emet-Selch are looking closely, one of the faces looks familiar...? Depends on how much attention they were paying attention to anyone who wasn't their kid during those fake ten years they spent together, but one of the people here sure resembles a somewhat gloomier-looking version of that Hishi girl, aka Alyssa and Hilda's daughter. Wow, weird. Probably just a complete coincidence.

Meanwhile, I hope Blanca put away his phone. ]

[Well, they're in monk class, now.]

[Hansa makes his way to sit down, tugging Emet's sleeve and Blanca as well so they can sit together, and...]

[Oh.]

[That look. Hansa stares at her for a long time, before turning back to Emet-Selch, whispering.]

...Hey. Doesn't she...look like that girl? The one who liked Kaiza?

Of course it is not a cult.

[maybe slightly offended, there. this is just how his society worked, blanca, don't be rude.

anyway, school!

it's probably pretty easy for emet-selch to tell facial features, considering how long he lived like this-- so yes, he definitely notices, already casting a sidelong look her way to try to peer over there without being obvious.

he nods to hansa, keeping his voice quiet.]

...she does. Do you think-?

[if they run into a kaiza lookalike i am going to die. me, personally.]

[He, uh, is in school with a gun. It's fine.

He texts back, Oh, sorry. Going to class now too. Wow, this is amazing? He is a millennial and did not have cellphones like this in school.

But he does put it away in class. He's a good boy? Maybe he forgot to silence it.

And he unfortunately doesn't have ten year long child cyoa trauma so he just waits, and then leeeeeeeeeans over closer in Hansa and Emet-Selch's direction to hear what they're saying.

He whispers in a way that says he has no idea wtf is going on:] Who?

[ would i, an innocent mod, do that to you teej

Also, Blanca is killing me right now. Anyway.

It's time for class introductions! Do they do this in monk class? Probably not, but for better or for worse, this is not a faithful rendition of Emet-Selch's school days. Everyone stands up, one by one, and gives a short spiel about themselves. Sooner or later, it'll be these three's turns. Introduce yourselves to the class! ]

...God, I hope not. [And to Blanca.] Long story. A girl who liked our son. Real long story for...later.

[Which he can't share now, because its introduction time! Hansa has never been in. Any kind of school like this, but its fine. He's not a nerd, after all.]

Okay. [And he stands, giving a wave to everyone.] I'm Hansa Cervantes. I like good movies, quiet nights, and fighting things bigger than myself. Or fighting anything that can put up a good fight. I used to have a really cool eyepatch, but I guess its too big for me now. Anyways, uh...that's it, I guess!

[oh. hm. WELL.

the thing is that emet-selch is a well-known title in this city that nobody should believe he has, right now? he has no idea whether to expect this to be a way in which it aligns with his memory. the other thing is that he does not remember his original name. the third thing is that he ALSO does not remember the name of the vessel he's been occupying this whole time.

....he's gesturing for blanca to go ahead of him, please, he needs to come up with a fake name very quickly. they can probably tell from the briefly blank look he has at first that something is up, here.]

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