week zero: mingle

[cyclists]

Week Zero
32 in Competition

On Monday morning, the sun rises on the sleepy village, and when the first ray of light touches the gates at each corner of the village, the previously tightly sealed doors open.

The barriers around the village fall, and leave it entirely open. Each cardinal direction will have a path exiting the village, taking the curious explorers who follow it on an adventure to new territories to be explored. They’ll find that each location that they arrive in appears to be associated with one of the elements. As the Signs had explained the day before, each of the participants in the game possesses an elemental assignment, whether they are aware of it or not.

When they approach the elemental areas, they’ll find themselves more in tune with their new powerset, as if the location invites them to take them out for a spin. The new areas appear to be perfect for training and learning how to use the new skills, or maybe if you’re curious you can discover which of those listed powers you’ve been granted.

Just try not to hurt yourself while you’re out there.

In addition, it seems now that more pieces of the core are being revealed, the river that runs through the village will begin to be dotted with small lanterns floating on the water. Some of them seem to be holding small notes. Try as you might to grab one, they’ll always just barely float out of reach.

Perhaps try sending one yourself and see what results you might get?

Occasionally in the village, you might hear the sound of drums and flutes - is that festival music? - though no matter how you search, you can’t find the source… yet.



Welcome to your tutorial week mingle log! Please see all the links within the log to check out the new updates. In addition, your status page has been updated. In case you missed it, please report all item theft to this top-level where all comments are screened. Private conversations are also open and should be reported under the Week 0 top-level.

A mini-event will also be posted on Wednesday, June 5th, so please keep an eye out for that!

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TALK TO LUNE;

[cyclists]

[Lune will sit quietly and contemplatively, their usual air of lightness gone. However, at some point they will conjure up two small sake cups, a sake bottle, and sit kneeling in front of Tsurumaru's coffin. They'll fill one cup to place by Tsurumaru and then sit there to drink their own, as if having a silent conversation with the deceased.

Then they will rise and resume availability for questions.]

[nonbelligerent]

[yo.

he glances at the the glass box, before turning to lune.

...]

Any explanation for what just happened?

[cyclists]

It would appear as though our tasks have even delivered to us.

[lune speaks calmly, as if reflecting on some new information]

Corruption has found a way to manifest in this world.

It sought fit to remove one of your number.

[nonbelligerent]

That's all rather vague-sounding, if I may.

So, what now?

[cyclists]

[lune is quiet for a long moment, though there might be the sound of something muffled from their hood -

until there is only another pause, followed by a sigh]

.... tomorrow, we discover who is at fault.

[another pause, as if testing the words]

The young one and I will aid you.

[nonbelligerent]

[...]

Who is at fault?

[cyclists]

The instability, on its own, does not possess a physical body.

[there is another pause - another muffled noise from the hood

another breath]

.... mm, this will prove more complicated than anticipated.

Do you trust that I would tell you all that I know if I could?

[unfriendliest]

[ ookurikara immediately storms up to lune, drawing his sword as he walks to point at the darkness under their hood. he's not even trying to hide how furious he is as he speaks through gritted teeth. ]

What happened to him? Where is his sword?

[ there's no trace of it here, but ookurikara needs to see the sword to believe it. he needs to see for himself if tsuru's been broken. ]

[cyclists]

[lune will turn to ookurikara and compared to the rest of their chats, the lightness is removed from their voice. only somber reflection remains]

It is—

[a muffled noise comes from underneath their hood, as if suddenly interrupted

there is a pause that follows]

.... currently unavailable. You may collect it tomorrow, as you all discover more.

[unfriendliest]

[ his grip tightens on the hilt of his sword because that? is unacceptable. ]

I need to see it now.

[ he refuses to believe tsuru is really dead until he does. ]

[cyclists]

You are his comrade, correct? As such, if he is departed, his belongings ought to be delivered to you - given that he never provided me additional instructions in the event of his passing. That is what I believe.

[lune will bow their head to kara momentarily]

At this time, I have no ability to present it to you.

It must be found tomorrow, along with who intended for him to suffer this fate.

[unfriendliest]

[ as his anger grows, small flames come to life at ookurikara's fingertips. he doesn't bother trying to stop them. let lune know exactly how he feels about this. ]

Why tomorrow?

[ he has no patience for these games. ]

[cyclists]

[lune can hardly blame him. there's a moment of pause, and then lune will bring their hands up to the edges of their hood, revealing the bottom half of their face. a prim frown rests on their features and they speak evenly, their voice remaining distorted.]

Very well. Then we shall begin tod—

[before the word can be completed, darkness suddenly wraps around Lune's chin and jaw. like shadowy fingers, they interlace over his mouth and prevent him from speaking further, constricting around their throat as if to silence them completely -

up until lune's mouth behind the shadows ceases moving, and the shadows recede with a put upon sigh.

the hood is readjusted and the entirety of their face is covered once more]

... as much as I would like to, I cannot give that directive.

[compendiem]

[ Minato is going to talk to the right person this time; I triple checked that this is Lune's thread.

He doesn't say much the entire time they've filtered into the meeting hall, hanging around in the back while he watches everybody around him. Like always, he feels numb, silent as ripples of anger and fear pass through the crowd.

He walks up to Lune first, bows his head briefly in front of Tsuru's coffin, and then looks to Lune. ]

How do you feel?

[cyclists]

[minato is a good boy and lune is thoughtful at the question. in truth, they feel a great many things, but two feelings stand out in particular - ]

... as though as I have lost a friend. And had my first bout with failure.

[so not great. their tone seems as even as ever, though not without some effort this time.]

And yourself?

[compendiem]

[ Minato's silent for a moment, voice quiet when he speaks again, and mostly to the ground between their feet. ]

That I lost a friend. But I've also failed lots of times before... [ It doesn't get easier, watching people die, mind buzzing with all the different ways he could have done something but it's futile, as nothing can turn back time. ]

It doesn't get easier.

[cyclists]

Mm. Certainly it does not.

Though... it does not mean that we ought to stand still, and allow the failure to overtake us.

[do they really believe this? or is it what they believe they need to say in this moment when being observed by so many?]

With failure comes the opportunity for redemption.

[compendiem]

[ It's much easier to say than to do, to keep going after being reminded yet again that he is weak and powerless, can't save the people right in front of him. But Lune is right; time marches on, and so must they. ]

Redemption, huh...? For something like this... we're all at fault, aren't we?

[ Though he wants to believe that it was an accident, that bears will be bears. ]

[cyclists]

Oh?

How did you reach that conclusion?

[to place the fault on everyone present... lune is a little slow to agree to that]

[autocatalysis]

[ He knows what the look of someone grieving is when he sees it, however quiet, so that enough would normally be sufficient for him to leave Lune to it.

... That said. He does end up making himself available, and there are other people asking already, and, well. ]

... Corruption, you said?

[ What does that mean. ]

[cyclists]

That is correct.

It would appear that the instability of this place has taken the form of corruption. Darkness. Malicious intent.

... you may pick whatever name for it that you wish.

[they had one in mind but they suppose it's not entirely universal]

[autocatalysis]

[ Hm. Don't like that. ]

So there is a something or someone being corrupted, is what you're saying.

[ Implied to be the latter, from the comments about who's at fault. ]

Are you unable to give further details on the nature of the corruption? And... What do you expect from us?

[ Are they to purify, or. Purge? ]

[cyclists]

I expect that you discover what happened to him. Or rather... that is what I hope for. The choices remain yours.

[that is what they'd been encouraging all this time, wasn't it....

lune is thoughtful]

The nature of the corruption is still an unknown. The young one and I only arrived here shortly before each of you.

Once we are done here, we will further investigate.

[autocatalysis]

[ He manages to keep his expression schooled, even if an unhappy twist tugs at the corner of his mouth. 'Would you be satisfied simply with knowing,' 'but can they remove the corruption from whatever it has decided to infest, or is the only way of excising it to destroy the host entirely;' Lune's answers continue to be unhelpfully vague even though Julius is doing his best to roll with the blows and try to help, go along with this apparent universal mess.

He doesn't end up asking or saying any of this. Instead: ]

So the universe rests its fate on those it would rather keep blind. Do you think you'll have findings to present tomorrow, then?

[fujino]

... Oh. Someone's gone?

[The reality doesn't sink in yet; the fact that they could actually die here was now solidified by the passing of this individual who had been among them. Fujino eyes the coffin silently before talking to Lune.]

I heard screaming. Was this supposed to happen?