WEEK 3

[strangerpeople]

WEEK 3



[The week begins as last week began. But there's is a great difference-murder. It has happened. Blood has been drawn; it cannot be undone. The Game has made itself known. The Game is paramount. The Game simply is.

As morning dawns, those who were not present with the DEAD lock will find that the doors that were locked are now gone-and a whole new area has finally opened up to them. They will also find that they remember something they had not been able to recall beforehand. The question is, was it worth it?

And-is it you, or is the ship getting...colder as the hours go by? No, it's not just you. By the end of Sunday, the ship has started to dip into freezing temperatures. It might be difficult for people to bundle up-unless you're Brain, who will find his closet inundated with winter clothing that fit him perfectly.

Yup. This is going to be a long week, as if last week wasn't bad enough.



There are currently 16 strangers in this place.]

Comments

[strangerpeople]

[The thing turns around, letting out a sigh. It pops up and down like a puppet as it speaks]

Yeah, yeah, I know. I get it all the time. Either people go "OH MY GOD YOU'RE A DECAPITATED HEAD" or they crack jokes like "Oh, were you head of your graduating class? HURRRRR."

Whatever, man, I'm used to it. Also, I'm a who not a what. My name's Junpei Tenmyouji, and...yeah. I was decapitated. It happens.

[godspiousjasper]

[ Oh dear sweet lord it's talking to him.

Okay. This is a legitimate thing that is happening. ]

M-My apologies.

[ Regaining his composure, he exhaled a soft, slow breath. ]

I assure you I will not make jokes regarding your condition, Junpei. I... admit I am merely curious to how it is you're able to function without the rest of your... ah... body.

[strangerpeople]

Now that's a story! You see, when I -

[ The robot trails off, then looks at something behind Roland. ]

Akane! Aoi! Stop doing that!

[ Will Roland turn around? ]

[godspiousjasper]

[ He was completely ready to listen to what Junpei had to say... that was until he recognized those names and frowned a little. ]

I get the feeling I will regret this.

[ A small exhale and he turned around, bracing himself for whatever was going on with those two. ]

cw: cannibalism

[strangerpeople]

Oh come on, Mister Junpei! You know we need to eat it for our growing bones!

[ Yes, it's a much younger Aoi objecting back at Junpei, while a very tiny Akane looks at Roland and smiles. She offers him some of what they're eating from a large bowl - it seems to be... brains? ]

It's very good! Have some?

[godspiousjasper]

[ After last week he'd nearly expected to see one of them on fire.

Those two... they were clearly children of the two on the ship with him. It's only as he spots the bowl and the... slimy pink stuff they're eating. A shiver went down his spine and he looked a little sick to his stomach. ]

Ah.. you're too... kind, Miss Akane. I just ate, so I couldn't.

[ This was extremely discomforting. What was going on, even? ]

Aoi... just why is it you both are eating that? Surely you don't have something else...

[strangerpeople]

Gee, Mister Roland! Don't you know this stuff makes you smart?

Nobody cared enough about him to feed him brains. [ Kanny looks... sad? ]

[godspiousjasper]

That's... [ Swallowing past a lump in his throat. He could do this. ] not due to caring enough but... perhaps they didn't see it as something that was necessary for us at the time.

[ Oh no. She looks sad. Small child.. no... ]

I'm sure there's... other... more nourishing things that will make you smart.

[15unknowns]

Yeah, I agree. Well, that and I have no digestive system to eat any brains even if I wanted to, so.

At least she's not on fire this time, right?

[godspiousjasper]

Ah...

[ He looked over to Junpei shortly. ]

...How do you know about that?

[15unknowns]

I was in the Nonary Game, too. I know what happened to her...but also, what didn't happen. It's complicated, you know? But...she doesn't like to talk about it. I understand, but...you know, it can be frustrating. Not knowing what she's gone through.

[godspiousjasper]

I... understand a little of what happened. She told me how she died... burned alive in that incinerator when she got trapped in there, and what those people running the game were trying to achieve.

[ That was a conversation that had almost hurt his head just thinking about, so it'd been a bit much. ]

[15unknowns]

I got better!

[om om]

[godspiousjasper]

Got better...? How...? You died.

[ Okay. EVEN more concerns to be had here. ]

[15unknowns]

I'm Schrödinger's cat.

[s m i l e.]

[godspiousjasper]

A cat...?

[ Darn. It's one of those things he doesn't quite know what it is since the term wasnt even invented until the 20th century. He just remembers what Akane said about the game and all that scientific stuff.. ]

That would be one of those... thought experiments isn't it? I'm afraid I'm not quite familiar with the term.

[ He's noted that smile though. It's the same one worn by that other Akane before she'd 'set' him on fire last week. ]

[15unknowns]

[The little girl nods.]

Yeah. It's about a cat in a box with radiation that is triggered to release. The basic question is, is the cat alive or dead inside the box because of that specific circumstance? Or, can both be true at the same time-the cat is alive and dead?

You can't know for sure, because you're not observing what's happening in the box.

[godspiousjasper]

Oh!! I see!

[ Realization sinks in a little, and his expression dims. ]

...So Miss Akane is... hypothetically both alive and dead? Is that what you're trying to say?

[15unknowns]

He's smart!

[Kanny grins as Aoi finishes the last of his brains.]

Jumpy, c'mon! I wanna pick someone else's brain!

Right, ok, you guys can go ahead of me. There's some brains in, uh. The Rec Room I think.

[Both kids go YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY as they run out the room, taking their empty bowl with them, leaving Jump Bot and Roland alone.]

[godspiousjasper]

[ Gods, he didn't want to be right on that but here we are.

He just frowned a little as he watched them go. ]

Junpei. You... said that you knew what happened to her and what... didn't happen to her. I want to know what that means... or just... anything useful you think you can tell me.

[15unknowns]

Right, well. It might be better if Akane tells you, but the long and short of it is that...Kanny is meant to be dead, but she found a way to live.


It's the Nonary Game. That's where the madness started for her. On the Gigantic, long ago. But...this game, this madness is different. It's an infection. It's hard to explain. I don't even know if I could really give a good explanation you could fully understand.

[godspiousjasper]

She's missing a lot of memories so that may truly be a little difficult, but thank you for telling me that much.

[ That's.. something. Meant to be dead but found a way to live. It's something that shouldn't be even physically possible. ]

An infection? [ He put a hand to his chest, frowning a bit deeper. ] Then it would be best to try and keep it simple. You said it was an infection, so does that mean everyone on the ship is sick with some kind of virus?

[15unknowns]

It's...not a sickness like you can get normally. It's a sickness of the spirit. A sickness which desires this kind of game. Kanny herself wasn't the carrier, at least.

But, because of that. There's One among you who is the cause of this game.

[godspiousjasper]

That's... it can't be. I know I certainly have no desire for this abominable game.

[ As those last words register, he blinked a couple times and he went a tiny bit pale. ]

...One... among us who caused this to happen...? So without them... this game may not have even happened at all?

[15unknowns]

[Well, if a decapitated head on top of a Tom Servo body could nod, it would.]