WEEK SEVEN: MINGLE

[retellers]

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.

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[retellers]

[ As we have oocly established because I don't know words, they're all at the baseball field, but on different sides of it I guess. It's fine. But the young man who is Kyon I don't care anymore, falls quiet. This time, the girl with him (Yuki) speaks. ]

The one known as-- [ she pauses, looking at the two of them. ] It would displease Suzumiya Haruhi if she's not returned to us.

[ kyon just makes a face like "why do you have to say it like that"

The older Rabbit tilts her head. ]

I think it's just something to think about, after everything you have all been through. I'm not sure what I would do either. Am I brave? Would I find the strength to step forward and do something that I really rather not? How can we really know how we have all changed, even in a place like this where so many things aren't real.

[chanteuser]

It would make us pretty unhappy too. We want to get her back, and then she can come home too, for real this time -- to you guys and your club, I guess?

[ IS THE BUN HERE? IS SHE? WHERE'S THE BUN FRANCY. ]

[lecarre]

[... Ange just nods quietly at that, casting her eye over the baseball field.

Can she even see Hilda and Jeanne? Hello rest of the squad.]

... The goal was always to go home. For us... and for her as well. It is time to bring her home.

We will do whatever it takes to make that happen. [Because Princess, too, is waiting for her at home.]

[axecessory]

If it's you, I think you'd be able to do it.

[ hilda is selfish—whether or not she could risk her life for someone is arguable. but rabbit has always been kind to her, supportive and hard-working even if she cried at every other thing. ]

Even if the circumstances aren't real, the things we go through—our experiences are genuine to us.

[ the growth they have as people, the losses they feel, their victories. it's real enough. ]

[discernments]

Haven't you, week after week here? Cycle after cycle that we've been here, haven't all of us shown some bravery at one point?

I think all of us has done one thing we'd rather not, and I think we all have changed in our own way. It's a part of being with others. So long as you are not alone, as long as you are not completely alone, there can be change.

Even if this place isn't real, we are. And isn't that enough?

[ That's something she believes in.

why did you make me protag adjacent speech at the last fucking hour ]

[retellers]

[ They can see the others. Kyon and Yuki start heading to the other group, and the wave of sleepiness hits them again, a little more heavily, but still not enough to knock them out completely. Yuki falls quiet, but Kyon speaks again. ]

You know, ever since I got caught up in this crazy club, my life hasn't known peace. It's just been aliens, and time travelers, and espers, and the end of the world, and how Haruhi may or may not be god. And then you guys show up, and saying even more outlandish things... I just want a normal life, you know?

[ Meanwhile, older Rabbit listens to them speak, and she just smiles. Whether or not she agrees with them is hard to say, especially since at that moment, the other group joins them. Jeanne and Hilda get to listen in on the second half of Kyon complaining via speech. ]

But I'm starting to get the idea that there isn't anything that's actually normal anymore. What is normal? Going to school? Being a secretary for a questionable group? Being a spy? Is your normal any different than mine? Is me accepting that the cute girl who wears maid outfits and brews tea, who's from the future, and is also apparently caught up in something much bigger with you guys, something that's normal?

[ a pause. ]

Let's get her back, while Itsuki is distracting Haruhi.

[ he's looking at the four girls. ]

[chanteuser]

Normal depends on the individual, I think. My normal is very different to other people's but... it's mine. And that makes it precious to me, and everything that makes it what it is.

[ and she nods. ]

Yes. Let's go.

[lecarre]

[I'm going to be totally real here, Ange is just kind of like "who is this guy and why should we care", but. Ange is bad. Ange is useless and does not belong in this big damn heroes moment.

Anyway what matters is... they're making some sort of progress. And progress is what they really, really need.]

What do we have to do? [She's pretty sure all four of them are ready to do whatever it takes.]

[axecessory]

[ ange be nice to kyon, he's doing his best. they all are, despite the situation. it's nice to feel like they're a little closer to their goal, even if she doesn't know how they'll get there in the end.

at least kyon understands the chaos of their latest, jamjar life. she gives him a slightly sympathetic smile as she grabs her ridiculous, bloodied guitar in case they're in for a fight. ]

Well, at least it's not boring.

[ she could do with a little less excitement, though. hopefully they'll be done soon. ]

[discernments]

Normal is relative, you know.

[ She says that cheerfully enough. Normal and ordinary are two different things to her. ]

I'm ready to get her back.

[ Let's do this, whatever it is. ]

[retellers]

[ Yuki raises her hand and starts speaking, extremely quickly to the point where it's impossible to actually understand anything she's saying. It's hard, at first, to get what's going on, but then they'll realize it fairly soon: their memories are coming back. Things that they've forgotten can now be remembered, people or names or events, suddenly back within their grasps. And as this happens, they will finally fall to sleep again.

And then they'll wake up in a baseball field at night. But it's a different one--there's still a school there, but it's not the same one as before. Yuki and the older Rabbit is gone, but if they look, they can see a younger version of Haruhi and Kyon on the field talking.

There's also another figure sitting on the ground, leaning against a fence. ]

[chanteuser]

[ this sleeping thing is getting very, very old. alex sits up, rubbing at her eyes and seems to remember, little by little what was going on -- ]

Ah--!

[ who is that figure? over by the fence?! ]

[lecarre]

[Yeah Ange is so over it.

But like.

What else is new. She gets up immediately without a word, dusts herself off, and heads to check out that figure!!]

[axecessory]

[ the first thing hilda does when she wakes up is look around—like maybe she could see the professor again. remembering her again is sudden and strange, just as disorienting as being back on her feet after another dizzy, sleepy spell.

but there's someone else who she needs to find, so it's time to walk onward! ]

Rabbit—? You there?

[discernments]

[ More time travel. She slots away what she can now remember to ponder over another time.

Jeanne keeps somewhat of an eye and ear on the younger Haruhi and Kyon, but most of her attention and focus is on that figure against the fence. She goes to see.

Is it who they're looking for? ]

[retellers]

[ And it's a Rabbit, the version that they know, fast asleep on the ground, as Kyon and Haruhi go and jump start the plot of their series over there.

She is not waking up, but she is here. ]

[chanteuser]

Bunny!

[ she's absolutely legging it over to her and dropping to the ground next to her, gathering her up and half hugging her. ]

Bunny? Come on Bunny, wake up.

[lecarre]

[They did it!

Alex has got it covered and so do Hilda and Jeanne she's sure so.

Ange is here!! Present!! Not doing much though.]

[axecessory]

[ ange is their resident babysitter now that she's gone full spange.

hilda, meanwhile, follows suit with alex, immediately dropping beside them both. the fact that they found her at all feels impossible having gone through space and time to be here at this exact fence at this exact time, but hopefully... things are right now.

bunny needs to open her eyes first, though! ]

Is she okay!?

[discernments]

[ Jeanne rushes over but tries not to crowd. She hovers, her concern clear, waiting to see if Rabbit will open her eyes.

Please let Rabbit be okay. ]

[retellers]

[ She doesn't open her eyes.

There's a moment where nothing happens, and then from behind them, Kyon approaches. He glances at the group, before letting out a small sigh. ]

Asahina-san has a lot of good friends.

[ and then he goes back to where Haruhi is, because she is yelling.

Another moment passes, and slowly, the girl's eyes open. She blinks blearily, looking at the group before sitting up more properly and says in a sleepy voice, ]

Good morning...

[ It's not morning. It looks like there's something else she wants to say, she opens her mouth to speak again, and then... they all, once again, fall asleep.

And that's it. ]