W͜͏̶Ę͏E͝͠K͝͞ ̧1̵͟

[strangerpeople]

W͜͏̶Ę͏E͝͠K͝͞ ̧1̵͟

[The national council just announced the blight to the country.

There was no sugarcoating it anymore. This was a critical time. Saving all of the vines is paramount, but what does one do when the blight hits? It keeps encroaching on the grapes, day by day. Entire clusters, entire bunches, dead and rotting, while allowing the blight to spread, and the leading botanists and viticulturists cannot identify the origin or the cause. They can't even successfully isolate the culprit in their labs; it seems to disappear like air no matter the precautions taken.

It is a catastrophe that seems to be beyond science, and it will result in the complete collapse of the entire country's wine industry. Already, embargoes on this year's crop have forced other grape-growers to close shop for the year after they'd sold their previous stock; it is all too possible that no grapes might ever be grown here again if a cure cannot be found. The tourists have stopped coming. The towns have grown silent.

You, meanwhile, are devastated. With the way your business is going, it will be on the brink of bankruptcy within the year. You will soon have no choice but to close shop and let every grapevine die, let the land go fallow. There must be a cure for this, there must be. Yet everything that can go wrong is.

Then, as you watch the news, it happens. Breaking news. The blight has been found in another country.

It is a pandemic-and it is only getting worse.


-

Well. This is...what else can can anyone say? You all know the deal. You all know what situation you're in. All that is left is to figure out what you can do about it. If there's anything that can be done.

You still feel that compulsion to distrust. To know you cannot win. To know that only the hosts have your best interests in mind. It would be easy to just do all that. But would it be the right thing to do? You can't be completely sure. Indeed, nothing is certain here, except for that damned ticking sound. If only you could stop it.

But you can't stop it. It is inevitable.


There are 15 strangers in this place.]

Comments

[backuphero]

[House 7, once again. Jonathan must have gotten over here pretty early, because he's got the front door propped open, and anyone peering inside can see he's moved most of the living room furniture up against one wall.

If you're not just wandering past, he's going to end up knocking at your door.]

I'm here to haul off the TV and the radio, if you want them gone.

[After that's all dealt with, he'll be in The Central Building for a while - grabbing a change of clothes and a shower, and then at least trying to get some food from the kitchen. He's familiar enough with the concept of an automat, he's been to New York City before, but...]

Seriously? Even the soup tastes like this?!

[...if you happen to meet him in the Dining Room, whether or not he's already slumped down against the table in despair, it's pretty plain this one's no Horn & Hardart.]

Door

[incendiarize]

[Arthur isn't sleeping in House 2 anymore, but it was his idea and he'd intentionally not suggested his own house as a vacancy. Maybe it would be better, since it's a corner and thus is adjacent to only one house, but they can deal with that later if they have to at all.]

Yeah. Though, you're gonna need to tell me what a radio is. I think I figured out which one's the teevee.

[backuphero]

If it's like the one I had, it'll be a smaller box than the TV, no glass on the front, with a round dial at one corner. If you can carry it, I'll deal with the other one, okay?

[incendiarize]

Got it, I think I know what you're talking about. I never messed with it. [He's used to Old World tech that still functions being ready to destroy towns, okay.] I should be able to carry it fine.

[He props the door open and goes to grab the radio.]

[backuphero]

Definitely a smart move, and all right, then! We're doing this!

[If he just keeps talking like everything is fine it eventually will be, right?]

door

[poorlovefool]

[Eric answers the door reaaaally hesitantly, but then there is one quick twinkle that rises up from his head at the offer of help.]

Oh! Of course! Let me just... get 'em out from where I shoved em'...

[because he definitely went with the closet suggestion until he figured out where else he was going to put it.]

[backuphero]

[That whole sparkling thing is surprisingly endearing...]

I can help, if you're okay letting me in the house?

[poorlovefool]

[it is as long as it doesn't hurt your eyes with how ~pure and bright~ it is. But since Mira likes seeing his feelings in shiny form, it's somehow become a second nature way of emoting. In any case, this offer of help makes him pause.]

Um.

[nnnghhh the trust inhibitors is making him unsure about this. but then again, all of the houses are probably the same, what's the worst that can happen if he's watching him.]

Yeah, fine. That'll get it out faster, anyway. Where are we taking it?

[backuphero]

Number seven, where I woke up. I cleaned the place up a little, so... it should be fine, right?

[He waits a moment before stepping very slightly closer, and keeps speaking, more quietly.]

Easiest way to fight what they want us to do is the little things, right? Like getting comfortable going into somebody else's "territory".

[poorlovefool]

Of course it's fine. I wouldn't mind if you buried this fucking thing in the backyard.

[even he realizes this is excessive when they have a perfectly fine spare house though.

he'll just nod at that, figuring it's quiet for a reason... do the hosts have ears in their homes? it's possible.

although it's not lost on him that jonathan is also saying this while in eric's 'territory.' he wouldn't have let him get any closer than that. he's not fighting the ingrained suspicion very much - it's business as usual really.

anyway, he's pulling open the closet now and stepping aside.]

You grab the front, I'll grab the back?

Dining room

[illusionarymelody]

[Well, Vita sure isn't going to like seeing her husband slumped down like that and looking upset without trying to do something. Sneaking up behind him and kissing him probably would surprise him a bit too much even if the thought is tempting.

But she can sit down next to him and take his hand.]

So which do you think is worse, my cooking if your mom isn't supervising me or this?

[Her cooking might be bad, but at least it has taste. Maybe the thought of it will help cheer him up.]

[backuphero]

[Jonathan is in rare form as being overdramatic goes. He takes Vita's hand, and then shifts so he can turn and look up at her, the very definition of pathetic. ]

Darlin', at your worst you're a divine cook compared to whoever they've got making this. A burnt salad would taste better. Supposed to be chicken soup and it's like water with sand in it....

[illusionarymelody]

It is definitely nice to know I am not the worst cook there is. Maybe they should hire me to cook instead.

[backuphero]

[He's still leaning against the table, still looking up at her, but Jonathan can't help smiling mischievously.]

Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll steal Marie's idea of a cooking contest... you'd get a chance to shine.

Door

[byanyother_name]

By all means, I'd rather have them far away from me. Is... everyone accounted for?

[Kurama will see about getting those things out of the closet. Quietly, as he thinks and fights the distrust. Jonathan is the only other one this has happened to so far.]

It's still there, at the back of my mind. What the TV did to me. It's hardly irresistible but it's still in me.

[backuphero]

That - it didn't let go of you? How - why the hell would it have let me go and not you?

[As perhaps stupid as those questions might seem, the worried tone of Jonathan's voice is something impossible to fake. He's genuinely baffled, and genuinely concerned.]

I mean, I know there's no easy answers here, but still... anyway, I've still got a few sets to go.

[byanyother_name]

[There are no stupid questions only stupid answers.]

Two main possibilities come to mind. One is that the TV and the radio operate at different strengths, which I am not about to ask anyone to test.

The other is that something in our reactions to it was different in a way that allowed it a foothold in me but not you.

[Kurama pulls the TV and radio out, looking at them with a tight expression.]

Would you mind letting me know once you're done, then? Even without a motive, it would ease my mind to know nothing's happened.

[backuphero]

No problem. I don't think anybody is going to fight to keep theirs or anything like that, it's no trouble to just come by and say I finished up.

[We can assume he did, of course.]

Different strengths makes sense, but maybe different frequencies, too? If it's a science thing and not a magic thing.

Door

[unwittingking]

Ah, right, just let me get those.

[He'll leave the door open as he goes to his closet to grab the electronics. Feel free to come inside, he doesn't mind.]

[backuphero]

I can get the TV, just point me at it.

[Of course he'll step inside. He's not about to make a guy who isn't all that much taller than the television move it any more than he already did, after all...]

[unwittingking]

Thanks. It's not impossible for me to move it, but it is a pain.

[He opens up the closet to reveal the radio and the TV, the latter covered by a blanket. He picks up the radio pretty easily, before waiting for Jonathan to grab the TV.]

[backuphero]

No problem. I volunteered, didn't I?

[First task is making sure the cord's coiled so he won't drag it, and then just lifting the thing. It's simple, even if he needs a moment to make sure he doesn't drop it.]

Right, then, just down the block... I've got the door propped open....

kitchen/dining room?

[necroyalty]

...you're honestly better off with the pills.

[ She puts her glass of water down and looks at him, an impassive expression upon her face. ]

Not the most exciting fare, but nothing is still better than abject suffering.

[backuphero]

[He looks right back at her, glum disappointment practically radiating off him.]

That seemed a little too "Amazing Stories" for me, but... you're right. At least those you don't have to taste.

[necroyalty]

If I'm going to be honest, I never ate for pleasure anyway. Most days I just did what was necessary to keep myself alive, so this?

An annoyance, but there we are.