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

[cyclists]

Whether you believe me or not, we weren't made aware of the component of death any earlier than each of you. We discovered it mere hours before you did.

[on that first friday - and now this friday, it's just as much of an unfortunate surprise. lune will at least deliver the information calmly, preferring to take on ookurikara's sword when they are not the one grieving.]

There are people among you who possess freer tongues if they choose to use them. [and the'll bring their hand up to where their throat would be underneath their hood, where shadows were laced last week when lune tried to immediately move into trial] You need only but find them.

[unfriendliest]

[ He could believe that for the first time, but now that it's happened again? No, it's too convenient an excuse, no matter how they claim to be friends with any of the dead. ]

And how are we supposed to find them?

[ If they haven't spoken up yet, why would they at all? And staying quiet makes them just as complicit as Lune and Sol... What reason would any of them have to trust someone who's allowing this to happen? ]

[cyclists]

Many of you are suffering from the same ailment of distrust, are you not? While I cannot blame anyone, when the nature of corruption is to take over a person...

However that does not change that you will still need each other in order to learn information, and to help one another through this.

[unfriendliest]

[ This time Kara will take a small step back, clearly unsatisfied. ]

That's no more helpful than anything else you've said.

[cyclists]

[there is a moment where they thoughtfully regard kara]

... make an attempt, and I will find a reward for you.

Perhaps it is not as fruitless as you might think.

[unfriendliest]

[ ...Are they serious? When he speaks again, his voice is raised in anger. ]

I don't care about a reward.

[ Finally his sword lowers, grip tight as he holds it by his side. ]

If our only options are to die or find the source of this darkness, then that's what I plan to do. I'll choose where I die, not any of you.

[ He doesn't need or want a reward for that. ]

[cyclists]

[there is a shake of their head at that]

Allow me to rephrase - a reward needn't be monetary, or something of physical value. A reward may be anything that you seek.

But assistance, even in these frustrating matters, is not something that I am able to give without witnessing some effort exerted first. I cannot give as freely as I would like, but I do wish to help if you express initiative.

Consider it something closer to an exchange.

[unfriendliest]

[ While that is interesting, Ookurikara is still too angry to be persuaded just yet. ]

Aren't we already doing your work for you?

[cyclists]

I'm afraid you might misunderstand the nature of our work and your work -

But I can only repeat that we cannot directly interfere.

If it was possible, we would have. Neither the young one nor myself desire to see any harm come to you. However there are those of you who share the sentiments, and whose hands aren't tied like ours.

[unfriendliest]

[ There's no reason for Kara to believe them. They're supposed to be guides, or something, here, and yet all they've done is stand by as those people die, only offering vague promises or hints that don't actually seem to help at all.

But.

There's no reason not to try. He'll find out for himself if this is true, somehow.

So Ookurikara sheaths his sword, and turns to stalk out of the hall without another word. ]