week one: mingle

[cyclists]

Week One
30 in Competition

As the sun rises on Monday morning, all participants will find themselves awakening with a sense of purpose. Regardless of where they slept the night before, they’ll find themselves compelled to return to the main meeting hall first thing in the morning.

Approaching the hall, however, they will find a large, swirling mass grey in color looming near the sakura tree. This swirl cannot be approached just yet, but seems to be locked and waiting for something more.

As the last member of the village enters the hall, they will find Lune and Sol at the head of the room. Though they’re together, it’s Sol who speaks up first this time.

“Last night, Lune and I were finally able to get some answers. Or, at least, something we can do to help. The core’s still experiencing fluctuations and some instability, but we’ve figured out a place some of it might be coming from.”

They stop, excitedly holding up a scroll.

“This core is connected to several worlds out there. It’s the heart of the universe and everything that happens here can be affected by the outside, and can affect the worlds you come from. We found somewhere that seems to have a source of darkness lurking around…if we find it and clear the corruption, we can help stabilize the core a little more and help protect yourselves while you’re here.”

With that, they seem to lose steam just a little, looking back at Lune for a moment before nodding.

“So, uh…we were able to open a gateway for you to this world. Checking it out might help us pinpoint the source and get this done faster, so…leave whenever you’re ready. There’ll be another gate on the other side to bring you back here.”

That seems to be it, though Sol looks back to Lune again. “Anything else?”

"Look after one another," they repeat again. "And do not believe it is possible to be over-cautious."

The moment participants leave the hall, they will find that the gateway has changed from grey to white, the opening widening enough for multiple people to step through. The Signs will soon take their leave, and all will remain peaceful once more.

In addition, as the week goes on, partners will find that a simple touch (even accidental) may incite the bond between them to grow stronger for a moment. They will experience a swap of memories through their connection, taking a moment to see a piece of their partner's past without any control over what exactly is being shared.



Welcome to your week one mingle! Please note that as of this week, murder proposals are open. CYOA sign-ups are also live, and will close at Tuesday, 8 AM PST. They will be running on Tuesday afternoon and evening, so please be mindful of your own availability!

In addition, ensure that all of your week zero private conversations were reported on the page, and your week one private conversations are reported on that page. If you'll be taking anything from locations, please report that as well.

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Comments

[coastal]

[hm i do hate this but she did want his opinion! and the fact that he'll offer without her having to come up with some sort of excuse again

actually gets her to smile]

Mm. Good.

[but otherwise she's going to lOOK AT THE ABURAGE INGREDIENTS TO MOVE US RIGHT ALONG]

Is there anything I can do?

[unfriendliest]

[ ofc he's focused on cutting the tofu so he doesn't see it ]

Heat the oil.

[ he'd consider having her make the marinade for the tofu, but kara still doesn't trust 99% of the people here in this kitchen. so. just the oil. ]

[coastal]

Ah... how much?

[she's

really working from the basics here, kara. but she'll at least grab the oil and the -

the pan? did he get a pan?? she's grabbing the nearest pan regardless]

[unfriendliest]

[ and this is exactly why he doesn't trust anyone but nana for this stuff

with a roll of his eyes, he'll glance to see which pot lili is grabbing - and nod. good enough. ]

Fill it halfway. Medium heat.

[coastal]

Don't be rude. I don't even know this recipe.

[shE SAW THAT EYEROLL

but otherwise she'll move as directed!! as long as she has some instruction, it's not going to all go to hell]

[unfriendliest]

[ that was aimed at like everyone in the village but lili can take offense if she wants, he doesn't care ]

It's just fried tofu.

[ which he's done cutting, so he'll set the pieces over by the stove and move onto making the marinade. they've got the dashi, the soy sauce, just a bit of sugar... basic, but it'll do. he starts mixing them all in a small bowl. ]

Put the tofu in when the oil starts to bubble.

[coastal]

I wasn't given permission to enter the kitchen... and no one cared to teach me.

[she's DEFENSIVE but she also figures he doesn't care. but at least she's trying her best to learn?

she watches him once she's done with her own task, tilting her head.

ao will hop from her shoulder onto kara's now]

[unfriendliest]

[ hello again, ao... he can't pet her while cooking, but he's glad to have her anyway. she gets a small smile from him before turning back to the marinade. ]

What you cooked before wasn't bad.

[ basic, but he'd already given his criticism on that, so he won't repeat it. once the marinade ready, he'll set up the rice cooker before moving back to the stove. ]

[coastal]

[oh.... hmm, she's a little proud of that, but.]

... I'll keep getting better.

[she'll keep watching him even as she makes this promise because she's gotta learn somehow, and watching nana and kara do it has been pretty much her education alongside cookbooks]

[unfriendliest]

[ there's not much kara can say to that, so he simply focuses on cooking instead. it doesn't take long for the tofu to finish, and then it gets scooped out of the pot and set on paper towels to drain of oil.

then he'll reach for a second pot, fill it with water and set that on the burner to boil, adding the tofu to that when it's ready. ]

[coastal]

[she's WATCHING thoughtfully

ao is also watching thoughfully

making squirrel chatter noises and then sniffing the air because she's hUNGRY]

[unfriendliest]

You have to get all the oil out.

[ he explains absently as he stirs the tofu, eventually dropping them in a strainer once it's been cooked long enough. then he'll rinse them with cold water and wave lili over. ]

They need to be dry.

[ which means squeezing the water out by hand, apparently, and guess who gets to help! ]

[coastal]

[UWOH

LILI GETS TO HELP and she'll - uhhhh fucking make sure to rinse her hands again, just in case. and then go to help]

... you knew how to do this just because your former master could?

[that's pretty interesting, she thinks.]

[unfriendliest]

[ the question makes him pause as he wrings out one of the tofu pieces. has masamune ever made aburage...? if he has, kara doesn't actually remember. ]

...No. I learned this after.

[ at least, he thinks so? it might have been something he picked up at the citadel, to feed all those foxes. ]

[coastal]

Mm... I suppose it seems like it would be easy enough to collect ingredients for.

[she'll watch him closely for a moment before her fingers go to do the same thing, gently wringing out the tofu piece to remove the water]

I only ever find Nana making sweets...

[unfriendliest]

[ aburage is pretty simple overall, so he'll just nod and continue their task. they aren't done yet, though - there's still the marinade, and the rice... ]

If sweets are what you want, you're better off asking her.

[coastal]

They taste good, but we can't eat just sweets...

I'd rather learn to cook things that are sustainable. My attendants would always find a way to procure enough ingredients for delicious foods no matter where we are, but it's not like I'd know how to cook them...

[she's trying to be realistic even though all she knows is being pampered, send help]

[unfriendliest]

[ hm. kara can appreciate that, but he wonders if she ever thought to ask...? ]

Aburage won't help much with that. It's just a snack.

[ and once it's all dried, he'll pour the marinade in a pan and carefully add the tofu so it doesn't spill. ]

[coastal]

[kara actually ask about lili's backstory challenge

anyway.]

Mm... then what do you recommend? What should I be learning?

[she's at least a willing student, looking up at him only briefly before returning to watching his steps in preparing the food]

[unfriendliest]

[ he leaves the marinade to boil to check on the rice ]

If you can learn how to season the meat and vegetables well, even something basic will taste good.

[coastal]

[following!! and probably peering around him to try to see everything

ao might be trying to climb down kara's arm to get closer to the food...]

How do I do that? What should I look for...?

[QUESTIONS]

[unfriendliest]

[ i don't fucking know the answer to this so HANDWAVES MIGHTILY

also he's going to gently deposit ao on lili's shoulder and go wash his hands so there's no squirrel fur in the food ]

It depends on what you're cooking. Sometimes you have to taste it yourself before you find the right balance.

[ he stirs some rice vinegar and a tiny bit of salt and sugar in with the rice, and once it's done he takes a handful of the mixture into a small ball - just enough to fit inside the aburage, when it's finished. lili is allowed to help with this too, as long as her hands are clean. ]

[coastal]

[oh - ao will just chirp a little bit and lili will smile at her briefly. though she'll watch him before going to make sure that her hands are in fact clean and then assist with what he's doing. she watches him do it once more before doing the same.]

I see...

Then I will practice that as well.

[she's doing so much learning here]

Thank you for showing me.

[unfriendliest]

[ he just shrugs, setting the rice ball down on a paper towel and starting a new one. this will continue until they finish with the rice - the marinade will take some time. ]

You wanted to learn.