WEEK 1

[strangerpeople]

WEEK 1

[Well, this is...happening. This is a thing. This is your life now. The Commander is expecting you to just up and kill one another, and then try to get away with it. No big deal, right? You guys can handle this. You won't fall for what she has. She's clearly an idiot. A loud idiot, but still an idiot. She's not going to get one over you.

...Right?

In any case, the Commander's quarters are now open for anyone who decides they can actually stand to be in the same room as her, but beware - any favor you might ask of her is going to come at a price, and who knows what she'll ask you to do if you decide to gain a boon from her. Unless you're a suck-up like Baku - then she'll apparently be flattered. Maybe that's a good tactic to use?


Whatever you do, try not to murder the bread again. The Bread Did Nothing Wrong.


There are fifteen strangers in this place.]



MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY | FRIDAY | SATURDAY

Comments

[beguiledcard]

[ It's not until everyone has had a moment to talk a little before Akira finally moves closer and addresses everyone at once: ]

A few of you already know this isn't my first time in a place remotely similar to this.

[ He still looks uncomfortable - tense, his jawline tightened whenever he's not speaking... ]

The last place I was in, they gave rules similar to this one, and we all had titles. Even though this is similar, though, it doesn't feel the same as the game I was in before. The last place was so that we could... save the multiverse?

[ Just... scrubbing a hand through his hair. ]

Anyway, Tuesday was the day they'd give us a motive, but we didn't even have that this time. I'm not sure if she's waiting to see if someone will crack early on, or what. But...

[ And now he's shifting in his stance, looking particularly frustrated. But, he pushes it all aside, saying the next part with more... desperation, than conviction. ]

The fewer people who die, the bigger our group remains. And the bigger our group remains, the more of a chance we stand at fighting this thing... right?

[illusionarymelody]

So that's why you asked me if this was my first time. Did you also gain some power you didn't have before?

[beguiledcard]

[ A nod. ]

I did. Last time, I was The Nagging [ har har ] and my power was to draw people and things into a vortex.

[ His brow tenses. ]

There was exactly fifteen of us last time, too...

[illusionarymelody]

[Se snickers at that title.]

Were any of the powers similar or the same as the ones we have?

[losergod]

... I agree. We all have powers now, or our powers have been shifted, in some of our cases, like my own. It would be wise to work together, rather then trying to hurt one another.

[ He pauses. ]

What more can you tell us about the last time you went through this? You mentioned incentives; what were those like?

[beguiledcard]

I can't remember anything that happened during the first week, but I remember that the motive involved... money.

[ YEAH...... ]

The second week was that everyone's darkest secret would be brought to light for the public to see. The third week was for the sake of saving our world. It was the first one to match with the point of the whole game.

[toushiro]

Is there any proof that these people would actually make good on their word if someone had gotten away with a successful killing?

[earietale]

So, what you're saying is...we just need to try not to die, and not get tempted by any of these motives? That...doesn't sound too hard.

[What's the worst that lady could do? Yell at them more?]

[beguiledcard]

[ The wry smile doesn't reach his eyes. ]

Right.

[ He holds a blink. ]

Honestly, like I said, there's no proof either way. [ a tense sigh ] We just have to believe that we can find a way to defeat these people before they can go through with any threats.

[earietale]

Well...what about these powers that everyone keeps talking about? Do you think any of them might be useful?

[She thinks she knows hers and is really hoping everyone else's are better.]

[fashionfever]

Okay, they might give out motives but... that doesn't mean people take them, does it?

[beguiledcard]

Every week...

[ He's not looking at her as he says that. ]

Someone went through with it every single week, in the mall.

[fashionfever]

Fifteen people... and three of them... were killers?

[to say nothing of... at least three people dying at their hands... this is a lot to take in and it's clearly not happening, the surface of her face like a block of hard ice]

[stealsyourduelist]

[Rosenkreuz doesn't trust anyone here as far as he can throw them, but pretty talk has its merits, so he listens to the speech thoughtfully. He can at least humor it.]

What, then, do you propose? Shall the stronger of us guard the weaker?

[He sounds incredibly ambivalent on his own suggestion there, like it was just an example that he realizes could go pretty wrong.]

Either way, if we are to cooperate, we will need to know what we are working with. Perhaps formal introductions should be in order, ones that preferably leave nothing out.

[Which he doesn't necessarily believe will happen but hey, his roomie was pretty up front about being a monster, so why not ask.]

[beguiledcard]

Well, we're already paired off, so they essentially took care of the Buddy System for us.

[ He gives a small, thoughtful frown at the mention of leaving nothing out. ]

By "leave nothing out" I assume you're not asking for things like... family history and things that would have us here all day. [ a sigh ] Either way, that's asking a lot, considering everyone here has gaps in their memories, as far as I've heard...

[ Geez, Akira, you almost make it sound like you're against something called Opening Up A Little. ]

[stealsyourduelist]

[Sure does. Even though it's Rosenkreuz, he's staring a bit thanks to that rationale, but he rubs his chin, not missing a beat.]

I would not mind learning about everyone's families. The bonds of blood are profound... It may even be quite important to know one's next of kin. [This is just a dark joke but his face doesn't even move.]

However, I admit I was referring more to occupation and ability than anything. The profiles only detail our new powers and physical features.

[tiefleaf]

Mollymauk Tealeaf, from the Fletching and Moondrop Carnival of Curiosities.

Though, we kiiiiiiiiiiind of fell on hard times. [ that may or may not have had anything to do with a frog fiend thing ] Most of us went our separate ways, y'know, doing odd jobs, some of us formed our own acts.

[stealsyourduelist]

[Rosenkreuz is sighing quietly to himself because now even the purple guy is apparently talking about concepts that have sprung up in the future.]

Forgive me for not knowing what 'Carnival' means in this case... Where I am from it simply refers to a celebration period between Lent and Christmas.

[Though there's a Mardi Gras-ish thing that happens in Venice, but still not quite the same thing, or if it was he'd expect the guy to have a mask]

What do you actually do then?

[backuphero]

Sounds like a plan to me.

[Yeah, desperation is the order of the day. The special, served with a side of anger-blatantly-born-out-of-fear, and garnished with fists clenched so tight they're shaking.]

I trained - I was taught to fight monsters. Monsters, not people! I couldn't even kill a damn vampire when I had the chance, she looked human, and something... I just... I froze -

[It isn't that he's deliberately cutting himself off there, his voice just gave out, having sounded more and more strangled as he spoke.]

[losergod]

... You have trouble with your profession, Mister Morris?

[ He seems curious. ]

Most monsters come in human skin.

[backuphero]

You think I don't know that? You think I just kept my eyes shut while they were smuggling us into Romania, you think I never turned on a radio or picked up a God-damned newspaper anytime in the past three years? Jesus Christ, of course they do! That's why people like me exist, to keep the ones that ain't catchable by laws or other men in check!

[This time, he does deliberately cut himself off, realizing that he started midway through that outburst to advance towards C like he was about to try and deck him. He steps back, forcing himself to lower his fists, shaking his head slowly.]

Least that's why we're supposed to exist. "Trouble", ha... there's an understatement. "Heir to the Belmont Legacy" is the emptiest title in the world....

[fashionfever]

That's a GOOD THING, JOHNNY!

[ANGELA AGREES WITH HIM SO MUCH SHE'S JUST SLAMMING BOTH HER LITTLE HANDS ON A TABLE]

People aren't monsters! Even self defense or justice or whatever... we at least shouldn't be happy to kill! That's creepy!

[backuphero]

[HE KNEW HE LIKED YOU FOR A REASON, COFFEE LADY]

Creepy's an understatement, but thank you.

[tiefleaf]

...yeah, okay.

[ You know, as the one obvious xeno in here, he's just gonna. Listen to this, only kinda-sorta paying attention, leaning against the wall. ]

[backuphero]

[It's only after the panicked fight has gone out of him that Jonathan catches sight of Molly standing there against the wall, looking like he's heard this all before... right before a kick in the teeth.

So he does head over, looking decidedly ashamed.]

I didn't mean... look, like I told the guy who eats nightmares, we're all stuck here together, and... you're a person, even if you're not human. I could've said that all a lot better than I did. I just... go off sometimes, I don't think before I say things.