WAKE UP TIME

[strangerpeople]

WAKE UP TIME

[The first thing you feel when you wake up is...nothing.

You don't feel much different at all when you wake up, no doubt from a very pleasant sleep, even if you may not remember what you dreamed of. If anything, you would have thought it was another normal day.

That thought would have vanished the moment you took in your surroundings. This is not your bed, this is definitely not your bedroom, and well, this is definitely not your home. In fact, this place isn't anywhere you've been before.

Before you can question anything much further, your cell phone starts beeping, flashing a message on the screen for a good several minutes, before flashing your profile, also for a few minutes. Yes, now you have a Title, and a power, even if you've never had one before. And yes, you have a cell phone. Even if you didn't have one, and don't know what the hell a cell phone is. You get the feeling you'll need to keep it on you.

The profile fades back to the home page of your phone - don't worry, you can still access your profile, and everyone else's, on that little lime icon if you really want - even though you have so many questions now. (The help button may... attempt to be helpful in that case.) Where the hell are you? Why do you have a Title? And can you get out?

Perhaps, if you're strong enough. But, in any case.

Welcome, Titled.

There are fifteen strangers in this place.]


((OOC: Welcome!

If you haven't filled out the resident profile or current residents information yet, please do so!))

Comments

[beguiledcard]

awakening

[ Over in Room 14, a certain groggy high schooler finds himself staring up at the ceiling for a moment. For a moment, he can't help but appreciate just how well-rested he feels. It's nothing like how he feels after late-night text messages or sudden visits to the Velvet Room.

It's after sitting up, taking a moment to... stare, he hears that beep. And the message that he sees is certainly... uh...

... colorful?

Honestly, it's a little difficult to take it seriously, until his eyes land on the mention of-... ]

!?

[ Murder...??

Even the profile has him staring, in spite of his mind being stuck on that last page he saw. Granted, as he's looking at the other profiles, doing his best to memorize which names go to which faces, he suddenly freezes. Goro Akechi, too!? So, there's even someone he knows stuck here??

An unpleasant, burning, anger wells up inside; he's skimming through the profiles even quicker than before, eyes peeled for any other familiar faces. In spite of the heavily lingering feelings from this entire situation, there is some relief in not seeing any other people he knows...

But, this is... definitely a situation he needs to get out of ASAP, though it seems it won't just be himself he's getting out of here. He has fourteen other people to worry about. Fourteen people he will need to locate and talk to.

And, so... after taking some deep breaths, composing himself, and exploring his room... he heads outside. He'll be hanging around those bedrooms for a bit, eyes alert as he searches for any other people that might be around, before moving on in his exploration. For a victim of kidnapping, he seems pretty calm...

It's after this, he will be exploring Yotsukoshi, actually... eyeing some of the items that appear to be useful as weapons.

Look, he's just... fascinated...?

He wouldn't dare consider getting himself something to be useful in the event he needs to be ready to protect himself! Who said anything about that?? ]

various places!

[ There's no chance he will be impossible to spot -- after a conversation with the good detective, there's a chance he will be approaching someone else the second his eyes land on them.

It's going to be pretty much the same with each person: his name, followed by a question of the last thing they remember. He'll be pleasant and polite, his tone carrying some level of reassurance to it in the event the person clearly... needs reassuring...

He's going to be circling the entire place, stopping in all of the stores, scanning the place for any faces he remembers from that phone app.

... Then he finds himself in the food court, where he eventually finds himself in a place with lots of cats. Huh.

Well, he's earned a break, right? Interviewing people in such a stressful situation is actually proving to be a tiny bit exhausting, so he could use this pick-me-up...

So, yes -- he sure is kneeling down and petting any of the cats that approach him. He'll even be wearing a small, albeit tiny bit weary, smile...

... Are his friends really okay? Boss? He's sure they are, but he can't help worrying. ]

inquiry but also the cat cafe

[steelmagnolias]

[ Well, as fate would have it, the place that Akira finds Ren is, in fact, the cat cafe! He's taking small sips of that virgin banana daiquiri he ordered when he remembers he actually has a drink, but for the most part, he seems more interested in the cats.

Apart from the fact that he's got that pimp-ass mahogany cane in his hand and his suit is just a tad more timelessly stylish than most, he probably doesn't look too different from your garden variety Dumbass Businessman in a Suit that's all over the place in Tokyo.

He does, however, look like an absolute dork scritching that cat's belly. He doesn't even stop when Akira questions him. ]

...I was on a plane.

[beguiledcard]

[ He's gladly joining in on giving these cats attention; he's enjoying luring some of the cats into chasing a toy mouse on a string. One hand is propped in his free hand as he receives that answer.

Hm.

A plane...?

He makes a very solid note of that, even opening the app with his free hand just long enough to double check the name that goes with this face. He'll properly jot that down the moment he gets the chance -- with all the practice in memorization, he's sure he should manage storing it in his mind for now.

... Granted, he probably should question that, considering how messed up his memories are right now. ]

Do you remember where you were coming from and headed to?

[ He's pausing in playing, expression serious as he tilts his head to look at his fellow cat-lover. ]

[steelmagnolias]

I was leaving from Kotobuki.

[ That's probably not a city that Akira is at all familiar with, but "Fantasy AU Sapporo" is not in this guy's lingo. ]

Where to...

[ ... ]

Shit.

[beguiledcard]

[ He... does recognize "Kotobuki" but... um????

... Well. At this point? He's kind of starting to accept just about any and everything as a possibility. Maybe this is yet another thing the memory alteration gave him. ]

Can't remember?

[ He might be sounding as though he kind of... expected that. ]

[totalbullshit]

I was in the hospital with a mild concussion, sitting on my bed. If I fell asleep, I forgot about that.

[ She shrugs and raises her eyebrows. ]

First that detective and now you, is this going to turn into an interview series?

[beguiledcard]

[ Oh...

... His expression softens a little at that first part, though the second has a hint of sheepishness ghosting over his face. Eheh, so has Akechi already talked to her? ]

Do you mean Goro Akechi?

[ He isn't going to jump into asking about her hospital stay. Best to find out if he should even bombard her with more questions in the first place. ]

[totalbullshit]

Yes, we had a run-in earlier and got sidetracked by the fact that we remember city names differently.

Mandela effect, one might hope, or we'd have something a lot more complicated at our hands.

[ She fidgets with the hospital bracelet around her wrist. If this isn't Neo Yokio, then rescue would be a lot harder and as much as she doesn't want to return to the city, she doesn't want to die either. ]

[beguiledcard]

That sort of thing usually happens with him.

[ ...The getting sidetracked thing. Is that really the detail to focus on first? Probably not. In any case, there's a quiet, thoughtful sound. ]

Would it really be complicated, considering the situation itself?

[ Not to say he's actually disregarding the theory. ]

They're able to mess with our memories and abilities, on top of creating barriers and knowing a considerable amount of information on us...

[ It's said almost as though he's simply listing off everything as a simple thought. He's sliding his hands into his pockets, gaze shifting to the side in thought... ]

I was considering that as a possibility after talking to some of the other victims.

various

[theirmagic]

[ She's... searching through beauty supplies, at the moment. You see, you've caught her staring at a bottle of hydrogen peroxide and picking it up. ]

O-oh, um...

The last thing I remember...? I... uh. ... An old... friend of mine... helping stop a revolt.

[ Her words say friend but her face says concern. ]

[beguiledcard]

[ Okay, so... said item has him blinking softly...

Then, mentally shrugging it off for now. With how many questionable items he made a habit of buying, that actually seems pretty... normal... to him. (Or maybe the better wording would be for him, but. Details.)

An old friend, huh? His eyes narrow ever-so-slightly. Actually... if he recalls correctly, one of her likes (and... dislikes???) matched one of the names of the people currently here.

Interesting.

But, know what else is interesting? ]

A revolt?

[theirmagic]

... Yes. The fairies on our campus had a strike. They quit working. Our new... Professor... solved the problem.

[ She doesn't sound very happy about it, though. ]

[beguiledcard]

[ Ah. Darn those fairies and their not wanting to work.......

He's actually lifting his eyebrows a little. He does remember the mention of the whole... being a witch thing. He hadn't known exactly what to expect, but...

... okay. Guess this is a thing that is part of his life now. ]

Were they not happy with the work environment? [ The most important detail here. ]

food court

[pinnately]

[ Hello fellow food court inhabitant, Torri has only been up here for a few minutes before she makes a beeline straight to the cat cafe. ]

The kitties are really cute here. They seem to like you, too. [ She kneels down to pet the kittens, this is really great. They should have one of these at the academy, except then she might never leave. ]

[beguiledcard]

[ He offers her a smile at those words.

Two of the cats are asleep in his lap and one is in his arms and batting at his glasses -- at least, it's trying very hard, in spite of them being just out of its reach. He's momentarily resigned himself to his fate of being trapped here by the feline captors. ]

It's all part of their strategy. [ His voice is light. ] I fought valiantly, but their numbers worked to their advantage.

[ Three-against-one? Absolutely unfair. Of course, the smile is lingering as he glances down to witness one of the kittens decides to join the sleeping pair. ] I guess they think I'm all right... for a human.

[ He tilts his head as he glances back over at his future fellow Catptive -- Torri Feiij, if he remembers correctly. His expression shifts to something more serious. ] Mind if I ask you a few questions?

[pinnately]

They must be very smart, like Star Children. The parents of the kitties must be really proud, they're smart and cute! Winning when you're at a disadvantage is hard, but I think you can do it. [ ...she seems to have taken the strategy part somewhat literally, somehow. She settles, content with petting her one kitten which is a blessing as she might have asked him what else he could be, if not a human.

Getting sidetrack happens often with Torri, but she does look up at the question. ]

Questions? OK. Can we take turns asking? I think that would be better.

[eyesofdespair]

[Well, Akira will find Loewe looking curiously at the window of one of the clothing shops. He seems to be finding the rhinestone clothing at Rhinestone Cowboys to be weird, that's for sure.]

Nothing out of the ordinary. Karin just brought me lunch and Joshua ran off with his puppy to chase a butterfly after we finished eating.

[beguiledcard]

[ Oh.

Well.

... Okay then.

He's giving a thoughtful, quiet hum. ] That's about as normal as mine was.

[ He's lowering his gaze. Honestly... he's not surprised that none of the people he's talked to so far can remember anything suspicious. If their kidnappers were able to... somehow... wipe some of their memories, it would make sense that they took the memories of their actual kidnapping...

So... it might just be a matter of trying to figure out what method they used to take away the memories... ]

Do you remember seeing anyone watching you?

[eyesofdespair]

Not at all. It's a small village I live in too, so if anyone strange was seen someone was bound to see and comment on it and no such thing happened.

[Because seriously, small towns and their tendency to be in everyone's business. Very few secrets existed in a place like that.]

Cat food!

[foolishjustice]

[Akira isn't the only one getting a little bit distracted by the food court. While he's giving one of the cats attention, he'll hear a familiar chuckle from the entrance to the cat cafe. Although, Akechi sounds a little worn out himself...]

akechi plz. don't u judge him

[beguiledcard]

[ He does, indeed recognize that chuckle, and he doesn't hesitate to glance over to the detective. Initially, there's an urge to throw some form of friendly sass Akechi's way for that sound of amusement... though that sound of weariness doesn't slip his attention. Which is namely due to how worn out he feels, himself...

Though, even if he's managing to conceal that within his own voice? The look in his eyes isn't exactly doing him any favors. That conversation with the "Life Coach" (he's actually even annoyed by the irony of that supposed... title, or whatever the hell it's supposed to be) drained him of quite a bit of energy... ]

Penny for your thoughts, detective?

But ur being cute!

[foolishjustice]

[Oh yeah, he can tell Akira's tired. He gives a sympathetic look, before crouching down to pet one of the cats that's come to investigate the newcomer.]

Ah, and here I thought they'd be worth a little more than that.

Joking aside, I've...learned a few rather unsettling things, even aside from that meeting with our supposed Life Coach. Kurusu-kun...do you believe in alternate universes?

More cats!

[byanyother_name]

It's draining, isn't it? The uncertainty and fear people seem to be feeling.

[It should just be noted that he is not actually trying to startle Akira with suddenly voice. He happens to move really quietly but that just comes with the territory. The redhead moves closer with the same silent tread, crouching down to coax one of the cats closer.

His is one of the faces from the app. His profile lists him as Shuuichi Minamino.

For him, the strain mostly shows in the eyes.]

so many cat people... akira is pleased

[beguiledcard]

[ There's a light blink, but... fortunately the time he's spent in the Metaverse has him experienced to some degree with surprises. Granted, he does glance over his shoulder a bit quickly, with just the hint of a guarded look surfacing.

Ah... He remembers that face. Red hair isn't exactly super common where he's from -- not to say this was the only redhead he saw. It takes him just a couple of seconds to summon up the name, though he can't be... one hundred percent he's remembering it with total accuracy. As for his name? He's listed as Akira Kurusu -- which... he doesn't think will matter as much as being listed as Leader of the Phantom Thieves. After all, it probably isn't going to earn him points in the trust department...

He's quiet during that brief moment of contemplation, his gaze lowered. After glancing back up at the redhead, one corner of his lips lifts a tiny bit as he nods. ]

I'd consider that an understatement.

[ The kitten is now batting at his finger; he glances down with a small smile, wiggling said finger a couple of times. Which earns him the reward of a tiny claw piercing his finger. One eyes closes briefly, though that's the extent of his reaction. In fact, his focus is immediately returning to Minamino. He'd noticed that strain... ]

Taking a break, too?

Foxes are just the canine version of cats anyway, lbr.

[byanyother_name]

Mmhmm. Not even my first, to be honest. I was down here earlier.

[He's watching Kurusu back, though he glances away for a moment to gently pet a cat that meows at him for attention. Kurama's expression is gentle and amiable in a way that might be a little familiar.]

If I might ask, are you and Akechi-san already familiar with each other? I've noticed interconnections in some people's profiles.