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.

NAVIGATION locations ₓ˚. statuses *+:｡ ic profiles :ₓo ic rules ･ﾟﾟ･｡ audience requests murder proposals ｡✧o private conversations ･ﾟo｡ curfew ･ﾟ✧ memories

Comments

[antaressnipe]

Given the alternative, I will gratefully take what we have.

[There's a slight uptick in his smile as the other approaches. Not that Chiron was ever lacking in calm, but his manner is more a reflection of how he once was, back when this entire mess all started.]

How long have I been gone?

[arkitect]

Hardly any time at all, by our standards-- but quite long enough.

[it's the closest he will get to hearing he might have been missed.]

[antaressnipe]

[his tail still gives a pleased flick to the side. tragic.]

For my part, I missed you all, though I hardly spent much time in purgatory -- immediately we were sent by Goat to find our way back here.

[Death really didn't stick.]

Much as I wish to celebrate the achievement, I must ask if the virus was taken care of while I was away.

[arkitect]

I did not doubt it would fail to hold you.

[but the second part... hm. he considers a moment.]

But I do not believe we can say with certainty that anything has been done about that yet, no.

[antaressnipe]

... So we are not yet finished with the Realm and our duties.

[He doesn't sound tired, just... unsurprised.]

[arkitect]

I feel as if we would know, if we were finished.

[chiron might not sound tired, but emet does.]

But then there is yet time left to us here.

[antaressnipe]

[Yes, he... hears that note of exhaustion, and that answers one of the more subtle questions Chiron had thought to bring up. His eyebrows knit]

Mm... though at least for tonight, I think it acceptable if we rest, yes?

[Please, Emet, take a nap]

[arkitect]

Mayhap it would be. We do not know of aught else we must do for the moment, after all.

[he just might accept it.]

[antaressnipe]

[Oh he brightens into an immediate smile then.]

Ah, and here I worried I might have to bribe you somehow...

[arkitect]

[stop smiling at him like that...]

Well, if you had one you intended to offer, then far be it for me to stop you now.