15strangers | (no subject)

WEEK 2

[The unfortunate death, and subsequent execution, has no doubt weighed on everyone's minds since. The dam has burst, and now, the idea that someone may kill another in this place is not just a possibility anymore. It is reality, and a very terrifying reality at that.

Yet, there is a strange side effect to the murder's aftermath. When the Titled go to sleep on Saturday evening, they will dream, even if they don't normally do so. When they wake up, their dream stays with them, and a thought comes to everyone. A realization.

Their dream had been a memory they lost. Now, they have it back, as if they had never lost it.

Nor is that the only change. They also feel just a little more confident in their power. Confident enough that they find that their ability has evolved to become stronger. Whether that's a good or a bad thing, well...

Soon enough, too, the Titled's phones start pinging, and when they open up their LIME app, they receive a simple message:]

Your Mall Map has been updated!

[And indeed, those who go to check the Food Court will find an elevator on the eastern end which leads to a brand new wing that had previously been obscured by the barrier.

Dio and Wake's information is also slightly different from before on the LIME app, but...maybe it's best not to think about it. Last week had been...disheartening.

Hopefully, this week will be better, right? Surely, this week, temptation won't win out again....right?

Well.

There's only one way to find out.

Welcome to Week 2, Titled.

There are thirteen strangers in this place.

This week's crab is Dungeness.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Joey will leave out any references to sounding like the bad guy in a Japanimation being surprised at the hero's presence. She knows what LC means.]

A little bit of it. You're pretty good. I'm not entirely sure what it was, but you're definitely passionate about it.

[She still frowns, though, trying to figure something out.]

[If only this was a dance battle anime!! LC folds her hands in front of her, sensing the other teen's nervousness.]

Is there, like, something on your mind?

I'm just...confused. You seem like a decent person. Honestly, you seem even better than that. And I can't really tell if that's an act, or if you don't realize two people have been murdered in the last week and you're an accessory to like fifty felonies, or if there's something going on here I'm not getting.

[Let's just put all that on the table where we can see it.]

I really want to believe it's not an act, but it's bugging me. It bugs me when I don't understand what someone wants, I guess.

[LC nods. This is completely understandable to her. But it's complicated to talk about, so there's a finger at her cheek.]

It's not, like, an act... I'm being my real self now, I totally promise. I don't wanna, like, say you're not getting something either, since it's not like anyone's filling you in.

[She does look a bit crestfallen at that.]

It's not that I'm, like, happy about all of the suffering you guys are going through here. I just have a totally different perspective on life and death than you guys, and...

[The Life Coach's head raises, as she balls her fists.]

I believe in my bosses. Even the sadist one, um, is probably just trying to get this over with faster.

[Probably. Not enough that she won't feel any tension though... she releases it then, deciding to flutter further into the room (so Joey can come in while still keeping that wide berth she is probably giving LC.)]

...If you wanna know why I can still dance like this... I guess I'm just, like, too used to this kinda thing. I was totally like this even before someone brought me here. Cause it was already, like, my role to guide people who were probably gonna stop existing. But I couldn't just, like, give up on things! And anyway, this game is actually a little better than that! [And she does smile there, which is... probably the deepest sign that she truly does view things in a really abnormal way.]

...huh.

[She does step into the room, and does let herself get a bit closer at that.]

I don't know whether you're crazy and I should feel sorry for you, or I'm missing something big and you should feel sorry for me. I've got no reason not to believe you, though.

[She rubs her hands together, thinking.]

I'm using that justification a lot lately.

[Still, though.]

So what were you doing before you came here? Are you like a career "Life Coach" for this kind of thing?

It's okay. It's not, like, a bad thing to believe in people...

[She raises her hand to her chin (the one she'd offered to Wake) and gently tilts her cheek into it.]

You could totally say that, yeah. There were pros and cons. Here, at least one or two people, like, could always survive by rule 7. Where I was just before, it was suuuuper rare for anyone to make it through at all... I totally cried a lot more back then, but like, there were just really not more second chances there.

[A sheepish laugh as she reminisces.]

But sometimes you'd still, like, meet someone awesome that totally could do it. I wasn't actually supposed to be, like, nice to them there, so I'd kinda, like, help them buy stuff in secret if they were totally serious... but here I'm allowed to help, like, upfront. It's most important when you're, like, solving cases, but asking me stuff like this is totes fine too.

Edited 2017-12-06 08:53 (UTC)

Hm. Sorry, hold on a second. Math puzzle time.

Either one killer makes it out alive, or...you couldn't really do this with three or fewer people, could you? People A, B, and C are alive, B kills C, A and B have an automatic hung jury at the trial unless one sacrifices himself. If the rules stay consistent forever, either one person makes it out, or three people make it out because that last week would be pointless.

[She shakes her head.]

I'm...gonna be honest and tell you I don't want it to come to that. If I can figure a way out of here, for everyone, I'll do it in a second. I like to think it's the same way for everyone, but your bosses seem to be experts in making people feel desperate.

Oh, two was like, if two people killed the max two other people at the same time and somehow got off. Jeez. It would totally suck if it came down to that...

[Well, from their perspective a whole extra person surviving is good, but what a painful slow burn to get there.]

But I also think, like, if there's an "infiltrator" the way you guys thought, they probably have been like, promised their life as well... Anyone who could, like, be given a reason to do that doesn't also have a death wish. So that would be another two. [She winces.] Unless you're totally right about them being threatened and they're ok dying for whoever they'd be trying to save. But personally, I don't think it's, like, come to that.

I must've missed the rule that two was the hard limit. Then again, I've been trying to ignore those rules completely.

[Hm.]

So...if we're assuming there's an "infiltrator"...what could they want, anyway? I guess your bosses are pretty good at being owed favors if you're working for them. Is there anything you can say about who they are?

Your bosses, I mean. I don't expect anyone to make figuring out who the spy is that easy.

Edited 2017-12-07 21:38 (UTC)

Uhmmm... [The Life Coach seems to be trying to think of an acceptable bone to throw, scratching at her chin as she often does.]

Well, my bosses are from, like, pretty different backgrounds? They're like you guys in that respect!

They probably ordered you not to give away too much, huh?

[She pauses and thinks.]

So...are any of them...local? To where we are here, now? Are any of us?