subdivided | week four: mingle

Week Four
22 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.

"We've been asked to open another gateway for you guys, but...it's funny. It sort of feels like things have calmed down. The corruption's temporarily evened out and the universe is stabilized for now, but that doesn't mean we should stop looking. Take a look and see what you can find on the other side. You might even get to learn something new."

When Sol finishes, they turn to face Lune, allowing for the other to speak for themselves.

"A bit of reprieve of welcome, isn't it? Please take this time to recover, even as you make steps forward to continue your good work. Thank you, thank you."

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 be able to hear each other's thoughts whenever they look at one another! They may not hear every single thought that occurs, but the link will partners to hear thoughts as though their partner is speaking out loud. The more private the thought, the more likely the partner will pick up on it.

Welcome to your week three mingle! As a reminder, this is break week! This means no murders and no trial! Your normal schedule will resume next week. We will still be hosting a laid-back mini-event on Tuesday, however.

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

main navigation.

locations ✧ powers ✧ profiles
private conversations ✧ audiences ✧ faq

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Miki has absolutely made a home for herself on the edge of the pool, towel wrapped tightly around her, with his legs dangling into the hot water.

The snacks are nearby too. Priorities. ]

... Ahh. [ It's just. A happy sigh. ] I haven't been here since we arrived, and now I think that was a stupid thing to do.

I can't imagine dealing with all the stupidity that we do without being able to pay a visit to the hot springs...

[Lili's already in the water? she's opted for a towel like everyone else, even though normally she doesn't care]

I usually just go to the library.

[ SURPRISE SURPRISE. ]

I didn’t really think much about coming here before, but this is nice.

Oh... I try to go once a week at least.

[it's the luxurious type of thing that lili likes]

You can come with me next time, if you'd like.

That'd be nice.

[ So?? Luxurious?? and dana gets the excuse to crow bar in girl talk in the future ]

These are nice hot springs. I'll want to keep coming back now I've actually been here and experienced it.

Good. They're refreshing, excellent for relieving stress, and can have good properties for your skin.

[she recites it easily as she settles against the edge, sighing]

My attendants would always insist that we go when we got the chance. One of them really enjoyed it.

They spout those health benefits everywhere, huh. [ She's heard about all the healing properties of hot springs back home. Apparently they remain similar everywhere. ]

... You have attendants?

Hm? Oh - yes.

Did I not mention that I'm the daughter of the leader of the Water Tribe?

[lili doesn't actually talk about herself much but oh well]

[ no... no you did not, lili. ]

... That didn't come up, no. You're royalty?

Not quite... I don't belong to the main ruling family. But aside from the people who reside in the Sky Tribe, the center of the kingdom's monarchy, there's four additional tribes. Water, Earth, Wind, and Fire.

I'm the heir to the Water Tribe... technically.

[just

casually]

[ ... Politics/geography 101 with Lili An. ]

Oh. So the main elements and the ruling one is named after the Sky? [ it soUNDS. LIKE A FANTASY NOVEL LILI WHAT THE HECK. ]

"Technically"?

More or less.

[it's why she's not super weirded out by some stuff here and their divisions]

... well, I was technically exiled for treason against my tribe. Father at the very least talks to me again now and hasn't said that I'm to be removed from the line of succession...

Not that he really has options either.

...

...

[ Um. ]

...

Sorry, you... were exiled for treason?

[having conversations with lili is hard]

Yes.

I stole the Seal of the Water Tribe which is meant to denote the leader's will and ordered soldiers in a town to mobilize so that the townspeople had support against drug traffickers.

[said in the tone of

wow did i forget to mention]

...

But you were helping your people. Or that's what it sounds like. How is that grounds for exile?

... well, I did steal it. [she'll admit that much] And then I ran away from the castle with it.

I was basically acting as if I had the authority of the General of the Tribe but...

[she sighs]

It's stupid, but it is what it is.

It is stupid.

[ wow she sounds Very Serious. ]

If you had a problem in your home and no one was fixing it, then that's on them. You shouldn't be punished for fixing a problem that was going ignored?

I don't think so either.

[lili is pretty much entirely in agreement? but she'll just sink further against the water, her gaze lifting up to the sky]

... but it's okay. I earned my freedom this way. If I'm exiled, no one can lock me up again.

[ Lili you can't just keep throwing out the curveballs like this?? Miki stares for a moment, before slipping into the water properly herself. ]

You were locked up beforehand?

[i'm sorry that she's like this

and she'll just sigh at that]

... I was. My father thought that it would be the best way to get me to cool my head at times, so I would be confined to my room.

[a lot

it happened a lot.]

[ are you really ]

...

People used to send their kids to their room when they misbehaved, back where I'm from. But not... literally locking them up, and usually only for a little while. How long did you stay there?