(no subject)

[strangerpeople]

W̡͜E̶EK ̵̕2̕͠


[The blight would not stop.

The world's leading experts have been trying to find a cure, to no avail. Th blight keeps changing, keeps foiling all attempts at being fully understood. It's almost sentient, or at least more sentient than any disease that's been encountered before. People fear the disease jumping from what's left of the grapes into other plants, into animals, or even humans.

You can only watch as entire economies and ecosystems collapse. You can only bury your head in your hands as your own business comes to its end. The destruction of the clusters of grapes has not simply destroyed the wine industry, either-other businesses are being destroyed by the plague. Food, transport, retail, nothing is untouched.

You look on your own vineyard, its yield almost entirely blackened and dead.

This can't keep going on.


-

A week has passed since everyone's arrival. No one has died, yet. But surely no one is holding their breath to see if they would survive this unscathed. They are veterans of the game, and they must know that whoever it is that is in charge demands their pound of flesh. The question is when it will happen.

It is the second week, after all-and when the second week of the game comes, death is not far behind. Not even when you wake up, feeling something different in your mind as you remember the truths you originally woke up with, deep in your mind. You feel...lighter, somehow, when you realize there is a change.


Even so, there are 15 strangers left in this place.]

Comments

Kitchen

[byanyother_name]

[Hmm. That's more than a little concerning. He supposes it's back to the sand food since this doesn't say good things for the safety of the pills.]

They're a very good time saver but I have to say, there isn't much pleasure in it.

[Mild. Pleasant. Conversational.]

[champion_link]

Well, it’s delicious to us. You don’t find it tasty?

[mermaidkin]

[This is exactly the question Hiyori wants an answer to; his mild face peers at Kurama eagerly.]

[byanyother_name]

They don't really seem to have a taste at all to me. Sadly, tasteless still makes them taste better than the actual food.

[champion_link]

Well, maybe you just don’t have our refined palates.

[byanyother_name]

Maybe I just don't have something in my head telling me it's delicious.

[Drier than the food tastes but still polite.]

[mermaidkin]

Of course they don't, Link. Some of these people are even from worlds where it's not common to overthink what food you eat to replenish your stamina from combat and the like.

[Hiyori looks back to Kurama.]

You just need to get into the right frame of mind. Want my advice?

[byanyother_name]

[Some of these people are from worlds where they don't want the mother making their meals to know they've been in combat, thanks.

Kurama tilts his head slightly, examining Hiyori.]

I somehow suspect it will involve allowing myself to be subsumed but by all means, advise me.

[champion_link]

It is fastest with the red mist, but there are other ways. You just have to allow yourself to join us. It is for the best that you do.

[byanyother_name]

[Something edgy and snappish, like a cornered fox, creeps into Kurama's eyes at the mention of the red mist. But his voice is still calm and polite, carefully controlled.]

I value my individuality greatly. If you want to convince me, you'll need a very strong argument for why it's for the best.

[champion_link]

... I know you are stubborn, so how about this? Watch the television at 9:04 AM tomorrow.

[byanyother_name]

...the television that dug something into my head last time I turned it on.

[This carefully empty tone is pretty telling in itself. See icon keywords. But.]

I'll consider it.

[mermaidkin]

If you just want the pills to taste better, take it down with a glass of whatever and listen to the radio for a couple minutes.

But that's just for personal enjoyment. The TV broadcast is going to be important.

[champion_link]

Very important. It'll be rebroadcast, but it's best to catch it bright and early!