W̧E̷E̡̕K ͡3̴

[strangerpeople]

W̛E̷͞E̶̵K͏͘͠ 3̸̡

[You got a phone call that morning. It wasn't the realtor for the vineyard, like you had thought. Instead, it was a scientist.

She offered you something you hadn't ever expected: hope.

"I think I've pinpointed where this blight has come from, and how it became so virulent. You were among the first whose crop was infected-I wish to speak to you personally about it."

You meet in a car, and drive to an isolated road. She will not take any chance to speak publicly about it-not yet. She doesn't want to release the information until she is certain. But she felt honor-bound to explain to you, given your own importance in her research. You hadn't known she had sampled your dead and dying grapes, but she did.

"This blight..." She opens a folder, showing you the photos. "Started with a gopher, several years ago. I know, it sounds insane. This disease should only affect certain animal species. But one day, it jumped into vines...the original gopher died a long time ago. But not before it had eaten an entire cluster of grapes in one swallow. It ended up scratching itself on the trellis of the grapevine as it choked to death. Its blood, its body decayed, and helped to water and fertilize that strain of grapes the next year or so, and...well, the seeds from those buds that resulted were sent out to every farm in the area. Then, to every farm in the country, different regions..."

That sounded insane. This woman's theory sounded utterly bonkers. But you can't dismiss it out of hand-you have no better answer.

Before you can say anything more, the woman's phone rings. She answers, and you see her face turn white. You don't have to guess why.

Before, the theoretical gopher had infected the grapes with the blight.

Now, the blight had claimed its first human victim.


-


[The morning hurts. It hurts to know that, even dead, there was that final, terrible moment for the Embarrassing and the Nagging. It must hurt more to know that this will continue, and that there is something out there that is invested in ensuring each and every last one of the Strangers are, if not dead, than broken.

And then, there is IT. IT is the enemy, it seems. But...what is IT? Is IT the one truly responsible? How?

As you try to think on it, you remember your truths, and suddenly, you realize, another has changed:




[That you would. Can you? You know that, whatever your answer, you must find a way to the truth. The alternative is too horrible to even contemplate-if it is even possible to be comprehended. After all-if what you saw is what happens to the dead and condemned, what will become of the living at the hands of the terrible, unknown IT who is your jailer?

Hope that you do not have to find out. Hope there is an answer in the new floor that has opened up in the Building. Otherwise...otherwise you really are doomed.


There are 13 strangers in this place.]

Comments

[comesaround]

[ There was always the possibility he'd be hurt in some form for this little act of defiance, but he'd done so while knowing that risk.

At that question, though? It had Karma's eyes instantly lighting up and he nodded. ]

Of course. Like you had to ask.

[ Even as he spoke, he'd been already moving to climb down from his rooftop and managed to do so while being fairly quick about it. Soon enough he was down on the ground, coming up to the other while wiping off any little bit of dirt off of his hands. ]

Now seems like a good time so i'm glad you came around when you did.

[relieable]

[excellent! Osomatsu waits until Karma gets close, then he closes his eyes and shifts, becoming the taller weapon in a flash of light. don't let him drop?]

Go wild! Show me your power!

[comesaround]

[ He's got good reflexes, so he is able to reach out and grab the scythe mid-air with ease. Grinning wildly as he headed out to stand a bit out in front of his house so he can properly test the weight and feel of the weapon in his hands. ]

You got it.

[ Just like flipping a switch, Karma exhaled a breath and then immediately he began trying out different maneuvers with the scythe, swinging it out horizontally, shifting and then swinging it up and even once in a more circular, sweeping arc. ]

Heh. This's pretty nice and not bad to wield, in terms of a weapon! Not making you dizzy, am I?

[relieable]

Nope!

[he's surprised that he's not dizzy. maybe that just comes with being a Weapon. actually, it's kind of exciting, more so than usual. he was excited when Krone used him, as well. Osomatsu does not want to think about the reason why. he just wants to be happy.

so he will be, not making too many sounds to bother Karma, but maybe a few excited hollers escape him]

This is so cool!

[comesaround]

[ Hearing that Osomatsu was not getting dizzy through what he was doing was quite encouraging all on it's own. So he can't help but chuckle a little, even as he continued enacting different moves to test how well the scythe can swing and pleased at the nice momentum he was getting.

Clearly was approved by the other, too, if those excited hollers were any indication. ]

Definitely. I think it'd be even better to get to use this in a real fight.

[ Karma swung the scythe down and with precision, stopped just as the tip of the scythe's blade touched the grass. A knife was his go-to weapon but the damage he could inflict on an enemy with this was too good to ignore. ]

Depending on how things turn out here, maybe it'll happen. Think you'd be up for it?

[relieable]

Up for it?

[for an actual fight? Osomatsu thinks about it. he doesn't have powers or good fighting skills. but he has this. he can be useful to Karma, to the group, to himself. just by turning into a scythe.

after a second, he tries to nod. but then realizes that Karma would not be able to see that. so]

...Yeah. Whenever you need me, you can use me.

[comesaround]

[ Any person can just take a weapon and swing it around without knowing how to use it, but it was another to have someone in control who had some idea of how to use it properly. Maybe it was just his mindset here as the thought of going into a fight with a scythe just seemed like such a cool idea and was already very particularly biased to it. ]

Great! You're in good hands, I promise.

[ There's a level of seriousness in his voice, but also something confident and unwavering as well. He can't help swinging the scythe around at least a couple more ways before stopping. ]

Not sure if I have to let you go for you to turn back or anything, though.

[relieable]

Oh! I can do it.

[Osomatsu waits for Karma to hold him still, then changes back in a flash of light, standing on the ground and not even looking or feeling winded. his heart is racing, though, but Osomatsu doesn't know if that's a side-effect of being a weapon, or just being so eager to be handed by someone who knows what they are doing.

it's cool. they make a cool team. Karma is someone else Osomatsu wants to protect. he links his fingers behind his forehead, seeming pleased with the arrangement]

[comesaround]

[ Being able to turn into a weapon just seems so damn cool, all things considered. It probably shows on his face a little as he watches Osomatsu turn from a scythe back into a person so easily. ]

While you're here, though, how about we have another little chat?

[ He remembers the last one they had, and as such, feels like he has to add onto that. ]

Promise it won't get nearly as emotionally driven as the last one.

[relieable]

[can you really promise that, though, Karma? there's so much baggage between them.

but Osomatsu seems cheerful enough now]

Sounds good to me! You wanna find a place to sit down, or...

[comesaround]

[ He sure as hell is going to try. Keeping things light was key here. ]

We can walk around or find somewhere quiet in the Central Building where we can talk. Either one is fine with me.

[ For what it's worth, he's getting better at this whole socializing thing. ]

[relieable]

[hm. Osomatsu thinks about how there are eyes and ears everywhere here. right?]

Maybe we should walk around. That'd be better than sitting in one place.

[comesaround]

Works for me.

[ With that said, Karma starts off in a direction towards the main building, figuring they can walk around there since there was only so far around here they could go. ]

How about we start with an easy subject? [ He smiles a little as he looks sidelong at Osomatsu. He kept in mind what they talked about last time. ] Is there anyone out there who's caught your interest romantically?

[relieable]

[how was this an easy subject? Osomatsu follows along, his cheeks turning pink]

Wh-why would you wanna know that?

[comesaround]

Call it just a bit of curiosity.

[ To him it's an easy enough subject, or it will be until things are turned in his direction on this matter. ]

Your reaction tells me there probably is someone, I'd guess.

[relieable]

[a small smile. he doesn't mind talking about it, it's just... kind of a sore subject]

There is someone, I guess. But it wasn't like we had a lot of time to figure things out. Emotions were running high at the Mansion.

[comesaround]

Yeah? Even so, what are they like?

[ A pause and he debates something before adding on: ]

If you feel like sharing, I'll even do the same.

[relieable]

[he nods. Osomatsu will share, because he likes talking to Karma, and feels safe around him]

He's, like... really charming. Tall, well-dressed, the complete opposite of me!

[younger, too, but, then, Franciscus was "created" around the same time, Osomatsu thinks. that is complicated!]

We met in Cartesio. And, then, by some miracle, or maybe it was a curse, we were sent to the Mansion together.

[comesaround]

Hm. Well. They do say opposites attract, you know.

[ Sorry. Some of his usual humor and slight teasing has slipped in; a sign he considers someone a good friend, more than anything. ]

You had a little time to get to know each other, so that sort of makes sense. Bonding over your mutual experience in that other game first probably did help to an extent as far as feelings go.

[relieable]

[opposites attract! Osomatsu grins slightly, chuckling]

I guess. It happened really fast, but... It wasn't bad. We were just trying to make the best of a bad situation. Didn't really help us in the end, though...

[he trails off, his smile fading]

[comesaround]

At least you were trying. That's what's important, right? You guys made an effort to do something positive when everything else was falling apart.

[ There were times when he could be reasonably insightful, and now happened to be one of them. ]

[relieable]

[a sigh. Osomatsu supposes he never looked at it that way before]

So, yeah, he's the best friend I've ever had... He could be more than that. The feelings I have for him are pretty strong. Are they romantic? Maybe. I'd like to figure that out.

[under... normal circumstances. he'd like to not be rushed, but also he'd like to just enjoy his company more]

...That's why... I want to win against whatever we're facing. I wanna know if it's possible to see him again.

[comesaround]

[ Karma nodded, something kind of soft and understanding in his expression even as he gave off a soft chuckle. ]

For your sake, I'm hoping it is, too. So you guys can reunite and figure things out. [ Briefly he looked a little sad for a second before shaking his head. ] I'd like to hope that if it is possible, that I could see Akira again, too.

[ Not gonna go down that road before he brings the mood down any, since he wants to keep things light. ]

Since you shared, I suppose I did say I'd do the same, so... if you want to hear it... I'll tell you about the person I like.

[relieable]

[yay! more gossip. Osomatsu really enjoys this theme of sharing they've got going on in their friendship. even though it's a little painful, Osomatsu does like when he can get things off his chest. he's been holding in a lot]

Yeah! Tell me!

[comesaround]

[ This wasn't gonna be easy because talking about things like actual feelings was kind of embarrassing so he had to figure out a way to talk about it without becoming all stupidly blushy or anything. ]

His name's Nagisa Shiota. We met in the first year of middle school. He's small and somewhat unassuming with bright, sky blue hair and eyes.

[ Okay he could do this. Not embarrassing yet. ]

Don't let that fool you, though. He's probably the second most deadly assassin in training next to me, but still pretty stubborn and sometimes a little too nice for his own good. There's noone out there like him... and it was during my time in my first game at the mall that I kinda realized I liked him as more than just my friend.

[ Shut up he is not blushing. He will NOT admit that he is in any capacity. Shhhhh. ]

I meant to tell him how I felt when I got home but... circumstances weren't exactly kind and I never got the chance to.