WEEK 5

[killerwaves]

WEEK FIVE

21 Vacationers

The weekend sure was something, wasn't it? Tempers flared, explosions burst, and some were treated to an immersive sand bath experience. Come Monday at least, things seem quieter though not in the unnatural still way—the distortions on the islands have receded sometime in the night (with some impressive firework-like booms that may have stirred your sleep, at that; and the waves seem a little higher this morning) and the various amenities on the island have been made orderly again. Though, as always, some traces remain in the landscape; the waterfall looks like it has seen better days, though it's no longer in danger of coughing up debris on your head if looked at wrong.

This week like the rest brings new locations for you to explore, on Kakapo's Nest though it seems like only one of them really fits the vacation vibe. Hope you like snow!

!

WEATHER ALERT:

Bulletin:
Starting Monday morning and continuing throughout the week, pollen counts will be elevated. This is expected to last until late Thursday

!

TASKS:

Breathe Freely:
Enjoy the great outdoors with a fellow vacationer! It's never too late to appreciate nature.
(REWARD: RARE!)

(( Yes, only one task this week which is memshare with someone else. Have fun!
REMINDER: Task submissions are due Friday by 9 PM EST/6 PM PST. ))

(( OOC: Murder proposals are due by Tuesday at 4 PM EST / 1 PM PST, for the current week's murder, which is the last week of standard murder, week 6 being endgame!!

Also, as always, your admins can be contacted for a chat. ))

MONDAY • TUESDAY • WEDNESDAY • THURSDAY

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TUESDAY

[killerwaves]

[divector]

[ After spending Monday exploring the new island and trying to make snowmen, Ibuki's back at the arcade on Tuesday. There are a lot of different genres in some of the ones he's trying now: Pac-Man, Streets of Rage, and Tekken 2. He's definitely a lot better at these than he was the first week the arcade opened, being a pretty regular visitor. He does have a tendency to pause to see what's going on at the TV if someone's playing there though.

But he does like being outside, so once he's all gamed out for the day, he'll be strolling around the entire island on a whim. ]

memshare container

[divector]

[ possible (sort of) general memshares in probable order of intensity
1. ibuki/nighttime curry: time for our usual dinner, and she's still avoiding me (cw: reeeally should stop bothering the girl)
2. ibuki/sneaking away: five year old on a mission finds treasure
3. moravia/onward to tau: three girls travel through a wasteland
4. moravia/research district: easy enough to deactivate the security system (cw: human experimentation, syringe, dehumanization)

anything else will have to be private, so contact as needed ]

4 (cw: human experimentation, syringe, dehumanization)

[divector]

[ You walk through the research facility of your youth, together with a young girl unsteadily following you with bated breath. So far, so good. It's easy enough to deactivate the security system and avoid everyone while keeping an eye on the girl — Yuuki. Even with their changes in security over the years, they never did amass the power or ability to stop you from moving as you pleases.

And now you're using your skills and knowledge to lead this girl to her best friend. What face will she make when she confronts the truth? You look forward to it, idly making sure the syringe case is still on you.

"Hey, are you sure this is the right way?"
"Don't worry. I can sense where they are."

You breezily answer the question, but Yuuki doesn't seem convinced.

"What does that exactly mean? I imagine there are people around, but how can you tell where Lize and the other injured people are?"
"Well, that's... Ah, look, here it is."

You almost answer, but you decide it's easier to show her first than immediately explain. Together, you enter a room. Many humans lie trapped on numerous beds, obviously drugged and restrained. You feel pity for them, but right now, you're on a mission.

"You asked about how I knew where they were. They're similar to Vectors, so I can sense them specifically."

As you talk, you dutifully try to look for Yuuki's best friend while keeping a careful eye on her expression.

"Vectors? But Lize is human."

Here we go. Time to tell her a little more now that she's willing to hear her out.

"For now, yes. But anyone attacked by a Vector will turn into one. Didn't you know that?"

After all, Yuuki, up until just before this, was in the employ of this very research facility. (Technically she still is, but details, details.) A so-called superhero. They should've told her, but of course they hadn't. You know what sort of people they are, and how little they changed. The ease in which she can infiltrate and the continuation of these experiments serve as proof of that.

Shocked still, she stares at you with eyes wide, visibly shaking. You want to give her more time to process, give yourself more time to observe her. But both of you shouldn't stay here for long if she really wants to save her best friend. And you promised to lend her hand to Yuuki—there's no room for failure.

"Well? Aren't you going to look for your friend? Time is ticking, you know?"

With all these people around, both of your eyes would be needed to finish this mission as quickly as possible. After a few more seconds, she seems to understand what you're saying.

"Ah! Right!" Nodding, she gingerly steps forward, her eyes flitting about the room as she continues to slide past the many injured.

Looks like it's time to follow her? ]

Arcade

[idologue]

[ Lacus still feels a little out of place at the arcade - she belongs in gardens, under the open sky, doing aesthetically pleasing things. But she's still been in here a fair amount in the last few weeks, mostly playing Mario Kart on a weirdly high level of proficiency.

Spotting Ibuki, she's approaching with a smile. ]

He infected you with his hobby too, huh?

[divector]

[ Ibuki looks up from whatever game he's playing and waves hello. While he may usually prefer wandering the outdoors, there's something about the charm and difficulty of retro games he's grown fond of over the last few weeks. ]

Hmm? [ He goes down a list of people in his mind who have talked about video games with him, but he decides that's not the important part of what she's asking. ]

Well, I do like new experiences. I've never played video games like this before we all arrived here. [ Like a lot of other things. And not counting anything done at the lab, of course. ] I think it's rather refreshing to have an obvious end goal.

i kept thinking i hit this already. arcade

[chosenwang]

[ He's going to lean in to see what he's been playing. Hello ye olde graphics of Tekken 2. ]

It's been a while since I've played a fighting game.

[divector]

[ He waves when he notices him, moving over slightly. ]

They're pretty fun, though it's tricky to remember all the commands. I feel like I whiff them half the time.

Arcade because shhh I didn't also forget to hit this

[dancing_flames]

[Shuda is also something of an arcade regular by now, though he isn't the sort of person to play most of the games. Today he's over at one of the DDR machines going through the songs on the highest difficulty levels as usual... only with a sort of obsessive intensity that hasn't been present on his previous visits here. He isn't even stopping to take breaks between songs, cycling through to a new one almost as soon as he finishes one and launching into it right away.

He also isn't missing a single step despite this. If it weren't for the fact that he's clearly unaware that he's being watched, it might almost look like he's showing off here.

... until the lack of breaks finally catches up to him and he does in fact stumble on a particularly tricky set of steps, letting out an annoyed curse in the process.]

Son of a--!

[divector]

Careful, Shuda, don't overthink the beat!

[ Yeah, when Ibuki notices him on DDR of all things, he doesn't waste any time in showing up to cheer (?) him on. He only wishes he had thought to bring more popcorn to the arcade.

Part of him does think he should try to stop him, but...well, they all have their own ways of doing things, right? ]

MEMSHARE CONTAINMENT

[finalforte]

[Did you miss her yet?

Comment here for a CYOA memory from Kanon. Please let me know if I need to avoid any of the following: bullying, fatphobia, child death, implications of child sexual assault, suicide and/or suicidal ideation.]

[stilllovesyou]

[She DID miss her, in fact. Good with any of the above.]

[finalforte]

[She finds herself in a bog-standard Japanese school building. Classes seem to be over with for the moment - there's still students milling about, but there's a relaxed air among them as they chatter among themselves.

One classroom in particular seems to stand out a little more clearly than the rest, but there's nothing stopping her from exploring the hallway and listening in on one of the many packs of students gathered in their cliques.]

Re: MEMSHARE CONTAINMENT

[butcherspice]

[Missed her so bad. Don’t pay attention to Billy.

I’m ok with any cws!]

[finalforte]

[He finds himself in a bog-standard Japanese school building. Classes seem to be over with for the moment - there's still students milling about, but there's a relaxed air among them as they chatter among themselves.

One classroom in particular seems to stand out a little more clearly than the rest, but there's nothing stopping him from exploring the hallway and listening in on one of the many packs of students gathered in their cliques. No one seems to notice or consider that he stands out here.]

Psyche Memshare Containment

[chrysaline]

[ If you want a memory writeup, here's a short list of possibilities! Feel free to hit me up either in requests or on Discord for something custom. These will be one-off writeups unless flagged otherwise, but you can reply to catch Psyche or PC me. ]

Basement - all your memories return here. There are no windows, but there are your books. (cw: child neglect; interactable optional for child Psyche)
Rival - the queen to your pawn. Your idol, strong and fearless and free-spirited. (cw: violence, misogyny)
Mystery - your father has been poisoned. The culprit is obvious, but that isn't the piece you play to capture. You need to make the whole board yours.
Ordination - a disaster. Dozens, maybe hundreds, are hurt or dying, and you are expected to simply watch. (cw: domestic terrorism, death)
Intrigue - scheming. An illicit meeting at the temple with a man who is, against his better judgment and rather against his will, your friend.

Memshare Requests

[chrysaline]

[ Drop a note here with what you're looking for + if you want it as a PC! If nothing listed suits, pick a theme or a tone and we can shake something else out. ]

[butcherspice]

[Mystery sounds fun!!]

Closed Memshares

[chrysaline]

Merlin - whole man disposal (cw: emotional abuse, manipulation)

[chrysaline]

[ For the observer, a beautiful scene:

The moon is full as the girl dashes her way up the hill. Her feet have carried her here so many times these past two years, but tonight her eyes are bright with tears rather than joy. The man waiting for her beneath the tree at the top watches her progress with interest; he flips back the hood of his cloak with a careless finger and smiles as she flings herself to the ground in front of him, her nails raking at the grass and dirt beneath them. ]

I was waiting for you. I knew you'd have something to say to me.

[ The things she wants to say are nearly choking her as they claw their way up from her throat, but what wins is: ]

Why did you trick me?!

I didn't trick you. I just didn't tell you.

How is that any different?!

[ It isn't, and he knows it isn't. But he looks at her with indulgence, as if she's the unreasonable one, and reaches out to caress her face. ] It's fine, Psyche. Nothing has changed— [ It is not fine. Everything has changed. For the first time since she's known him she bats his hand away from her. He is not entitled to console her for this choice he made himself, that he sprung on her like a trap. ]

But it has! Because of you, I... because of you, your highness, I've lied to Lady Medea. [ A misstep. She knows it instantly as the smile slips from his face; he's never liked their friendship. When he speaks again, it's cool and level, an adult scolding a child out of a tantrum. ]

You should be happy that your lover turned out to be the crown prince. What's with that attitude? Are you going to pretend that you don't know me now? [ His voice goes softer, more intimate. The coaxing voice he uses to whisper sweet things in her ear. ] I can play along… but remember the basement.

[ She does. No part of her can ever forget the basement. Her whole body freezes as a terror too old to be reasoned with sweeps through her, leaving her shivering and wordless. She can't draw breath to answer. The right move, this time. His expression gentles into a smile again. ]

You said that I was the one who saved you from that hell. Come here, Psyche. [ Does she obey? Or is it simply that her body collapses into his arms, a puppet with the strings cut? It doesn't matter. This time, either would be right. That smile presses against against her hair as he rewards her with a soft kiss to the top of the head. ] Good. Look at you. How could you go on living without me?

[ He's right. She knows he's right. Without him, all she's ever had is darkness. A god that does not answer. She can't go back, and so she holds on desperately, hiding her face against his chest. She can't go back, but how does she go on from here?

There is darkness in all directions. From one side wafts the acrid scent of disinfectant and from the other, the iron tang of blood. Which way, Magus of Flowers? ]

Wei Wuxian (cw: blood, eyes imagery)

[chrysaline]

[ You run. The pounding rhythm of your shoes against the cobblestones rings in your ears, too loud, echoing off buildings that are too tall, stretching up into a vast vast vast darkness. You've seen the sky in your books. There it's drawn beautiful, stars arrayed like the beads on your mother's embroidery, elegant and neat and brilliant. These stars shine like eyes. They watch your gasping progress as you stumble around the corner of an unknown street, waiting for the shouts of accusation to follow you.

(it's not right. part of you knows it's not right. the shoes are wrong; when have you had those, when it's always been the cool stone of the basement under your bare feet? the heavy braid flopping against your back with each stride is wrong. who tied that for you? the streets, the sky, the fabric of the skirts clutched in your small fists is wrong wrong wrongwrongwrong)

You're certain of the pain. The lancing ache in your side, the burning of lungs unused to exertion as you try to force yourself onward. The throbbing in your arm where it was seized in someone's grip earlier. (who? how? why?)

You're certain of the blood. The smell of it is thick on the night air, choking you. It's around every turn, matted into your braid, splattered on your dress, your hands, your face. The harsh iron taste of it is in your mouth with each shuddering breath. And sprawled on the stones in front of you is the reason why. You know it but your eyes refuse to make sense of it and you recoil, flinching backward from something you can't escape.

Remember anyway? ]

Billy/Open - Mystery!

[chrysaline]

Let's investigate what happened ourselves, before father wakes up.

[ You sit on the couch in a fancy parlor, your hands folded primly in your lap, and look over at the three servants you've called to assist you with this. You're all here to solve the poisoning of your father.

The case is very easy: they did it.

It makes their worried frowns towards you now very natural indeed. You're supposed to assume that they're worried for you. After all, you are frail and gentle. A delicate flower who hates the sight of people in pain and who has been known to faint under stress.

This is all true. You are also, at present, very angry. Your former fiance has been trying to kill you for months; you've had time to come to terms with this. In the framework your knight friend might use, there was at least a declaration of war. That the declaration was his first assassination attempt on you is rather beside the point at the moment. This, however, is outside the terms of engagement as you understood them. He's hurting the people close to you to keep you distracted and off-balance. It's unfair. It's cruel. It's cowardly. And you intend to make him regret it. ]

I heard he was found unconscious in the hall. That means the person was able to avoid being seen by the outdoor guards as well as everyone in the hall and the garden. The fact that it was an outsider scares me... if our security is that lax, I will not be at ease.

[ It's ridiculous that they expect you to believe that an outsider did this. But you have always been trusting — and so, they have no reason to doubt that you've swallowed their story whole. Your past foolishness hurts. But this, too, is something you can use. What they want is to appease you, to appear reliable enough that you'll make their work for their real employer easier. So they won't increase the guard, which would make it harder for Eros to excuse the next assassin he sends. What they'll do is...

It's a few days before they drag the young man before you, arms tied behind him as though he were a real threat. ]

He works in the laundry room. When we told him someone saw him sneak into the count's room, he confessed. His name is Lira.

[ You smile at the culprits. You give a gentle nod. And your heart races at the tiny victory. ]

Thank you. I can always count on you... I'm glad I entrusted you with this. I'll keep Lira by my side for the time being.

[ And you will. Every single person in this house belongs to Eros. The servants. The guards. In a sense, even your parents. But Eros has no loyalty, and neither do his people. They've shown Lira that he's disposable now; and if they're going to throw him away, that means he's yours. It's clear in his eyes that he hates you. But you can work with that kind of honesty. All you have to do is be patient, and wait. One day at a time, one opponent at a time. Until one day Eros will look up and find that he doesn't have a single piece left to move. ]

Memshare Containment

[hearnoplague]

[ Anyone unlucky enough to find these memories will be in the presence of a giant, demonic squid wearing a blue eyed crown. These are not going to be pleasant... For him. ]

[ Comment below for one of these general memshares or to request something else:

The Tower. Why the One Who Waits was chained, and an aftermath. (CW: Mild gore, dismemberment, Trauma on the ears, eyes, and head.)

The Moon. An attempt to seek guidance after the death of a brother. (CW: Mental issues, mention of genocide)

Death, reversed. Kallamar faces the Lamb one last time...? (CW: Body horror, unreality, time loops)

And a blanket content warning for all the cult stuff. ]

[necrotiem]

[Is it any surprise that Quin's been made quite happy by the appearance of the laboratory? It's well outside of her normal knowledge, but that hasn't stopped her from parking in there on more than one occasion. She's even committed at least one (1) sleep crime already, falling asleep slumped over one of the tables. Who will dare to wake her?

She can alternatively be found there very much awake, with both her grimoire and a chemistry textbook open in front of her at the same time, staring at the pages but not really reading them, it would seem, since she's been on the same ones for several minutes.]

memshare bucket

[necrotiem]

((I'll be dumping free for all memories down here unless the subject line otherwise indicates that it's closed. Take whatever suits your fancy! All non-interactable I'm baby.

If none of them really catch you, let me know, and we can work something else out! Please forgive any slowness on my part for it is not you, but me.))