week two: mingle

[cyclists]

Week Two
26 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 Lune who speaks up first this time.

"Good morning, good morning. You've done well to purge the corruption in the previous gateway - allow us to assist with the finishing touches. For the time being, it would appear as though we've been able to locate another. The land might appear a bit familiar to some however... I only advise you watch your step."

When Lune finishes, Sol chimes in from their place at Lune's side.

"The corruption is still out there, and we're going to do all that we can to find a way to contain it. But until then... stick close to others this week. Do your best to protect yourselves and look after each other. Okay?"

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.

The only oddity is that throughout the week, in a noise that extends past the portal but seems to resound even through the village, there will be the occasional, resounding call of a war horn.

In addition, as the week goes on, partners will find ever-growing feelings of anxiety and nervousness dwelling within them the longer they are separated from one another. They will feel compelled to be very close to their partners at all times, and will be on edge if separated for more than an hour by the end of the week. Welcome to surprise codependence at its finest.



Welcome to your week two mingle! As a reminder, murder proposals are open. We will also be hosting a mini-event on Tuesday, so please be on the lookout for that.

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

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[globs]

[ as soon as they hear that snap, they immediately know what's happening. ]

-- Wait!! Get back!

[ but it's too late. For one thing, their lunge forward to grab him doesn't work because they have one leg - they just fall forward with a yelp and thankfully don't break anything else. The other thing is that Cinnabar's leg probably weighs around 100 pounds if Minato's lucky. Don't break a finger trying to catch it... ]

[compendiem]

[ Minato does not break a finger. He manages to catch the chunk of rock, but, because I am a terrible human being and it's a Monday, he hears a second snap and the strength in his arm fails, arm breaking and Cinnabar's leg... also breaking... when it hits the ground. Sorry.

Small mercies is that the knives just drop harmlessly to the ground. ]

[globs]

[ well at least nobody got stabbed!! That's the only good thing about this disaster!! They know the sound of their leg cracking as soon as they hear it, and they groan -- not even knowing that their helpful human also broke. ]

It broke, didn't it? I knew you'd make it worse...

[ crawling over on hands and... knee... towards Minato. Time for a damage report. ]

[compendiem]

[ Yeah, bleeding would be bad because Minato wouldn't know how to get the blood back inside himself, but at least the bone is all there? Just a little splintered.

Minato doesn't answer right away, waiting for the wave of nausea to subside and the endorphins to kick in before he attempts to speak through gritted teeth. ]

Yeah, it broke. I'm sorry. I really thought I could save your leg and keep it intact.

[globs]

[ they make it over to him soon enough - and pick up quickly that something is wrong just based on how he sounds. ]

-- What's the matter?

[ did the poison come back?! They don't really know how to look for injuries in a human... ]

[compendiem]

[ Minato swallows own the pain, taking a few deep breaths before lifting his chin to look over at Cinnabar. ]

I broke my promise... [ also his arm, but he doesn't think that needs saying. ]

Sorry to ask more of you, but... can you reach that tree branch? I think... I can use it as a splint.

[globs]

[ it does need saying, because Cinnabar doesn't know what's wrong - or what a splint is. At least the branch is easy to reach now that the whole limb is on the ground (no pun intended) - they nod once, crawling over and snapping it off with ease. ]

Here. [ they hold it out to him, still not sure what he needs it for. ] What happened? Did you break somewhere?

[compendiem]

Yeah, my arm.

[ He carefully shrugs off his jacket, moving as slow as he can so he doesn't jostle anything but that's too slow and he decides to just yank his arm out of the sleeve in one swift motion and close his eyes at the wave of pain until it goes away.

The bruising is all along the length of his right arm, though he can't tell whether that was because of a break or because Cinnabar's leg had slammed into it from 20 feet in the air. But it's definitely broken, as Minato points at the part of his forearm that juts out underneath the skin instead of being straight like it's supposed to. ]

Yikes... Right here.

[ "Yikes" is really all he has to say about that as he tries to push the bone back in place with his hand. It's not working very well. ]

[globs]

Inside...?

[ well. they don't know how to fix that at all!! But it sounds bad. They know animals can't just be glued back to normal like gems can. They've seen some animals regrow limbs, but that was only when they'd been lost. Will this even heal itself?

It doesn't seem like a fatal wound, at least. Cinnabar's demeanor calms down as they realize he's not dying - then, predictably, shifts into angry. Again. ]

You really are an idiot... This is why I told you to go away. All you did was break things even further.

[compendiem]

[ Clearly, the solution is to rib Minato's arm off so it can regrow.

At the anger, Minato can only smile, awkward and sympathetic. ]

Yeah... [ stares at the sky ] If Akane asks, this was entirely my fault, okay?

[ Like he doesn't need to tell Cinnabar this, but he's going to anyways. ]

[globs]

What does she have to do with any of this? Like I care... I don't want to talk to her, anyway.

[ they growl in annoyance, then shuffle over to start gathering up the pieces of their leg. Hopefully, there aren't any small shards that will be hard to find... ]

[compendiem]

Why don't you want to talk to her? I like Akane.

[ As if that matters. Minato slowly rises to his feet and collects his knives. Hopefully he doesn't step on any shards and crush them into powder. ]

[globs]

[ they WILL kill you minato.

Cinnabar, unfortunately, doesn't really understand pain or the nature of Minato's injury. If he's moving, they guess it's not that bad. Now they're more worried about figuring out how to get home like this. It's going to be impossible to carry all these crystal pieces and balance on one leg to make it home.

They could ask for help... but they're Cinnabar. ]

She's annoying, stubborn, and self-centered. She doesn't understand the suffering of other creatures... Or the meaning of the word "no." I'm not surprised someone like you likes her.

[compendiem]

'cause I'm also annoying, stubborn, and self-centered, huh?

[ Yeah... yeah he is. His greatest flaw is his inability to accept "no" for an answer, especially from somebody who obviously doesn't like him. With his knives safely packed away and his arm feeling like it's on fire, Minato wanders over to their side and holds his bag out. ]

You can drop them in here, and I can carry them. Anyways, sometimes suffering is hard to tell when people keep it inside. If you're suffering, I'd like to hear.

[globs]

[ they stare at the bag for a few seconds. It is an excellent topic to use to avoid talking about their feelings. ]

It'll ruin your bag.

[ all the pieces of their leg are leaking mercury, even as they speak - there's a puddle of it on the ground where it shattered, and another one forming under Cinnabar's arms as they hold the pieces. ]

[compendiem]

[ Minato takes the bait and looks down at his bag. ]

I can always make a new one. I can make one for you too, if you give me a couple days.

[ There's like... a notebook, a pencil, and some apples inside along with his knives, but most of those things he can carry in his arms while Cinnabar gets the bag. ]

[globs]

Don't bother... I'll just ruin that, too.

[ they're still sounding touchy, but at least this time, there's a hint of melancholy in it, too. He really doesn't care if they get his bag filthy? It's true that it's the best option right now... After a long few seconds of hesitation, they gingerly hold an arm out, pausing yet again before taking it delicately in one hand the way one might handle a wet painting or a nice photograph. Something of value they don't want to ruin. Not that they have a choice - they dump the leg-shaped bits of red and white crystal in the bag. ]

I'll carry it. You already hurt your arm.

[ how will they walk?? who knows... they don't, either. Which is why they haven't gotten up yet. ]

[compendiem]

[ Being told not to do something, Minato just sees it as a challenge. He'll find a way. Kaoru might know. ]

Thanks. Can you stand? You can lean on my shoulder.

[ and crush the entire right side of his body before the war destroys the rest ]

[globs]

[ they give him a "are you serious" look. ]

You got broken just trying to lift my leg. You really think I can lean on you?

[ they don't want to touch him, anyway. Getting his bag dirty is embarrassing enough. ]

[compendiem]

[ Yes, but Cinnabar isn't going to lean on him going 1234094853 mph ]

Worth a try, right?

[globs]

No way. You'd get the toxin all over you, too, you know.

[ frankly, the idea of touching somebody like that is extremely spooky to Cinnabar... but they have to admit they're not coming up with any other way to get home. ]

[compendiem]

[ You don't want to hear Minato's other bad ideas about how to get Cinnabar out, and this feels feasible enough for him, at the moment. ]

Clothes can be changed. As long as I don't lick it, I'll be fine, right?

[globs]

-- Why would you lick it?!

[ they sound completely repulsed... understandably.

However, they can't think of any other way to get home, outside of crawling all the way there on their belly, which is a hundred times more humiliating than going back with Minato is. After a few seconds, they sigh, reaching into a pocket and pulling out their gloves to begin slipping them on. ]

Fine... But only because there's no other way. Don't do anything stupid. I'm not going to help you again.

[compendiem]

[ How else would you get poisoned?? Minato carefully holds his tongue and doesn't say anything, just sliding his right hand in his pocket so that broken arm doesn't jostle around, and steps closer to Cinnabar. ]

I won't do anything stupid. We'll take it slow and easy back. Just let me know any time you need to stop.

[globs]

[ cinnabar does not want any licking of any kind to occur

they set the bag on one shoulder - for how heavy it is, they seem to be carrying it easily - then, after a great deal of hesitation, they hold a hand out to Minato, looking away as their cheeks color faintly. ]

You take it slow. You're the one who already got broken trying to carry just a part of me.

[ they're hoping he'll tug on their hand and see how much he can handle before trying to hold up all of them - but they will start carefully getting to their feet (or foot, rather) once he takes it. ]