week three: mingle

[cyclists]

Week Three
24 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. I wonder if you'll find the skyline familiar? Do try to be kind to those you find on the other side."

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

"You guys did great minimizing the damage and working together...so keep it up."

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 begin to experience the emotions of one another. The clarity of these emotions enhances with proximity, and they will be able to feel the emotions of their partner's intermingling with their own.



Welcome to your week three mingle! As a reminder, murder proposals are open. We will also be having another CYOA this week! Sign ups are here and will close on Tuesday at 8 AM PST.

In addition, ensure that all of your week two private conversations were reported on the page, and your week three 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

[stillstands]

...

[ Yes. Sacrifice your ankles, Val. ]

If they don't realise I'm right behind you, I guess? Maybe I should just make a break for it.

[omegathree]

[He's a demon, and the skeletons aren't stronger than him. The grabbing really doesn't bother him.]

If you want to avoid it all together, I believe the term is piggy-back ride?

[If he's asked, he'll help.]

What were you trying to do here? Explore?

[stillstands]

[ Onwards, vampire steed! After it's offered, Miki nods, a little tentatively. ]

Okay.

And, yeah. That was the plan. I didn't account for something like this though.

[omegathree]

[He'll walk closer up to her and allow her to secure herself to his back.

At least this isn't exceptionally weird for him. He's done plenty of carrying in his day.]

I suppose most graveyards don't involve grabbing skeleton hands.

[stillstands]

[ Koala!Miki, go. She's quite light, so it shouldn't be a problem for him as a pro-carrier. ]

No, usually whatever's underground stays underground.

[omegathree]

[Val doesn't even seem to slow down as he bats away the skeleton hands with his feet and cane.]

That's the case for humans.

[stillstands]

[ What a good vampire. ]

Mm. [ ... ] It usually is, isn't it?

[omegathree]

Usually.

Have you had to deal with people coming back?

[stillstands]

As skeletons grabbing at my ankles? No.

[omegathree]

I'm more used to fighting undead than skeleton hands.

[He keeps kicking and stabbing the skeleton hands with the cane until he's made it out of the grave yard, kneeling down to let her back on her feet.]

[stillstands]

Fighting them?

[ She slips off and back onto solid ground a little tentatively. ]

How?

[omegathree]

[He turns to face her.]

With weapons and magic.

[Like any reasonable demon would.]

[stillstands]

And you haven't been infected? If you're fighting them as often as you make it sound...

[omegathree]

[He looks confused for a moment before he points at himself.]

I am a vampire. I can't turn into a zombie.

[stillstands]

... and that stops it. Entirely?

[ She just stares for a moment, before looking away. ]

But other people can?

[omegathree]

I can't turn you into a vampire, it doesn't work that way.

[He closes his eyes before responding. There are so many similar names for different things.]

Where I'm from "Undead" is simply a class of demons. It's not something infectious and I can reason with them.

[stillstands]

I'm not asking you to.

[ Vampires... probably have their own issues. She doesn't want any part of that. ]

...

Reason with them... that sounds impossible.

[omegathree]

[He's also a demon vampire, so who knows what normal vampires would be like.]

What are they like where you're from?

[stillstands]

[ val... please... ]

...

They were all humans, before they were infected.

[omegathree]

... That's not how it works where I'm from. Humans stay human.

[Barring specific circumstances.]

There's no way to turn them back, is there?

[stillstands]

We haven't found one yet, no. Once you're infected, you ... won't be human anymore. It can be slowed, or the infected can keep control of their minds, but they'll grow weaker.

There's only one example of that though. Everyone else just turned into monsters.

[omegathree]

That explains your avoidance of the skeleton hands.

One example... I imagine there's quite a lot of infected now. Are they a friend of yours?

[stillstands]

[ She’s quiet for a moment. ]

Yes, my senpai. She’s... still herself, but she’s growing weaker.

[omegathree]

How long has it been?

[stillstands]

I don't really know.

[ ... ]

Maybe... a little under a year? Somewhere around that, I think.