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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[townmusician]

[new week who dis

This time he's not going to spend it all moping! He's determined! (He'll immediately regret this once he starts experiencing the memories of other people!) But he's survived another week, which means he needs to stop being a baby and not be so anti-social this time!

This place would be great, except for the seagull on the beach that's swooped down and stolen his breakfast.]

memshare containment zone

[townmusician]

[I'll be posting individual memories in reply to this for anyone who wants a memory! If we haven't talked about things (or we have talked about things and I just forgot), feel free to hit me up for a bespoke memory!

Or just use one of the below and assume your character saw it. Anything goes!]

lacus

[townmusician]

[You’re in an office in Tokyo, standing around as the company president looks at an article detailing a show you were on with one of your group members. He looks disappointed, frustrated that it wasn’t an utter disaster.]

Even though that TV show was supposed to be punish you…

[Your manager sighs, and your other group members seem to have had a good time with their own bit, as well. You can’t help but feel irritated when Minami speaks up, and the blond seems to notice. Touma is exasperated, wanting you to make up already, and Tsukumo picks up on it immediately, his mood immediately picking up. His motions are as exaggerated as they always are, but he’s delighted by the opportunity to watch you tear each other apart.]

What what? You had a fight? Let’s do it like a witch’s trial and everyone can attack the one who did the worst thing!

[Just ignore him, just dismiss him, he wants you to fail and you all know this, but you can’t help how annoyed you are with him and everyone else in the room.]

Boooring… I wanna do a good job at making you feel bad after all. Say, what do you guys dislike?

[A lie, even though Touma doesn’t get it. The redhead is too honest, too earnest, especially for the likes of the rest of you. It’s not going to change anything, with the festival in Denmark coming up. A total sham, so Tsukumo can see you humiliated and be done with you, ruining your reputation just like you helped to ruin TRIGGER’s. You stay quiet as Touma tries to encourage Minami and Torao, somehow deluding himself into thinking idols can succeed at a metal festival, but it’s pointless. You’re quiet until Tsukumo brings up letting you have the week after the festival off - maybe he’ll send you somewhere nice, like Hawaii, but you know there’s a better place for all of you.]

…Is somewhere other than Hawaii okay, too?

[He seems baffled by your suggestion of Northmeir, and you ignore the look on Minami’s face. It has nothing to do with him and the fact he studied there, you say, because the Midou’s have a hotel there. Torao will put you up for free, and Tsukumo laughs. The tension still builds, though, with Torao snapping at him.]

I didn’t come along to be tormented. If you don’t change your attitude, I’ll qui—

Quit if you want. It’s not like I need you either. Clap clap, job well done.

[You’ve had it. You’re so tired of all of this fighting, this back and forth, the whims of someone only using you to get what he wants and everyone around you acting like children.]

Ryo-san, Torao, shut the hell up!

[It’s a pointless fight, and no matter how much you beg for attention you will never get it. You will always be compared to the likes of Kujou Tenn or Nanase Riku and be found lacking, no matter what you do, and Tsukumo will ignore you and dismiss you. You’ll never be number one, or important at all.

Tsukumo leaves with a parting demand for Minami to write a new song for the festival, and the attention turns to you. Torao tells you not to cry, and you scrub at your face.]

Shut up! Saying you quit like it’s nothing! Idiot! You’re an idiot, Torao!

Isumi-san, please calm do–

[You cut Minami off, gesturing wildly.]

And you too! Even though we talked about Northmeir for your sake, you act like it’s a bother! Then tell us what you want us to do - and if there’s nothing, then don’t act so upset! Even though you’re an adult, what’s with all of that?!

[You take a breath, but it doesn’t help.]

I hate all of you!

[idologue]

[ There is such mundane cruelty to this memory. Something about that makes it hit harder. There is no death here, not of the literal kind. It's all just people being horrid to each other and unearthing raw emotions in doing so.

It makes her sad in a very heavy, mundane way.

She really hasn't talked to Haruka in forever. And even if she's not sure he wants to talk to her either, it feels... rude to receive a part of him and let it pass without comment.

It is time to wander the islands on the look-out for her fellow idol! ]

wwx - cw emotional abuse, gaslighting, family illness

[townmusician]

[There’s a pep in your step as you walk into the office, riding off the high of your successful performance. You were the star of the musical, and everyone was impressed by your talent and dedication even though you’re so young. Good enough to go pro, even, and that’s what’s in the back of your mind.]

Kujo-san, did you see the musical I starred in?!

[He doesn’t seem moved, even though he says he heard the praise from your teachers. You’re still so excited, and he’s always like this, so you don’t let his attitude bother you. You’ve worked so hard - harder than everyone else. You’ve done everything Kujou’s said, and you’ve pushed and pushed yourself.]

Did I manage to become your ideal idol?

[You have to have, right? You’ve worked so hard! You’ve followed every piece of advice and you’ve worked yourself to the bone to become his ideal, and then once you’ve proven yourself… You can finally be a family. He promised, after all, that he’d be your new father. You’ve never had one before, but you’re still thinking of all the ways it’ll make your grandmother happy.

Then, he sighs.]

No… I doubt you ever will.

[It feels like you’ve had a bucket of ice water dumped on you.

Huh…?]

It’s not your fault. I was using the wrong methods. The audience will never be moved, no matter how amazing you are, because you feel nothing for the audience.

[He’s disappointed. Truly disappointed, this time, not like the time he said it was just a lie.

Unless… Unless that wasn’t just a lie…]

You’re kidding, right…? I mean, that’s what you told me to…

That’s true. I apologize. I was raising you the wrong way.

[It’s hard to take in - you did everything right, you did everything that was asked of you, you went above and beyond, so why…?]

What are you going to do?

[What?]

Will you return to Japan? You may continue your lessons, but you’ll never succeed. It’s best to quit while you’re ahead.

[Wait, wait - what did you do wrong? Is there something you failed at and didn’t realize? Can you fix things?]

I’ll do it properly this time! I’ll even retake my lessons! Please give me another chance!

[He turns away, dismissing you entirely.]

Sorry. I don’t want to look at a failure like you any longer. Idols who feel nothing for their audience are such a twisted, sad, and irritating thing.

[Kujou sighs, shaking his head.]

I thought you were no good, and it seems I was right. Tenn really is the only idol for me.

[Who…? You’ve never heard of you before, and Kujo seems to take pity on your confusion. You wish you hadn’t. You wish you never knew.]

He’s an idol you’ll never surpass. My beloved son.

[But you were supposed to be his son! That’s what he said, all those years ago! Has he been lying to you this whole time? Everything he said and everything you’ve done, all of it means nothing. You’ve just been thrown away, just like that?

A failure. You’ve failed, but you don’t know what you’ve done wrong, you don’t know why you don’t get a second chance. Kujou leaves you, and you have no idea what to do with yourself.




You… you should call your grandmother. You’ll be back in Japan soon, so she should know. You can just… you can just pretend that everything is fine. The truth will only hurt her, and the whole reason you’re here is to make her happy. You can’t ruin all of that now. So when she answers, you lie, saying you’ll be coming back with your dad and little sister. You’re fine. You lie to her and tell her you’re fine, pretending your best.

You wish you had never called at all.]

What do you mean you were hospitalized? Why didn’t you say anything?!

[She didn’t want to get in the way of your dreams - your dreams? That’s not the point of all of this! There’s no reason for this if she’s not happy! All you want to do is make her and Kujou and everyone else happy, but you’ve managed nothing at all.

All you’ve done is lose everything.]

hi :)

[plunges]

[ If Xiao weren't in Haruka's shoes right now, he'd be silent. And, perhaps, he is, as he lets the scene play out. He experiences the pain, resentment, and the gaping hole in Haruka's heart that was left by someone who was supposed to be his parental figure. Then, Haruka calls his grandmother, tells her that he's fine when he really isn't – and boy does Xiao know how that goes – but the pain that follows the phone call is immense. It's heavy.

It takes a lot for Xiao to get angry. But after the memory ends, he feels it. He feels like he's seeing red, and judging by how his hands are balled into fists at his sides, he has yet to make an effort to hide how furious he is at the person who mistreated Haruka.

But when he sees the memory owner himself standing next to him, Xiao closes his eyes, forces himself to calm down. This isn't about him. ]

...

[ His expression still looks pained, but he looks over at Haruka. ]

I'm sorry. What you were put through...is simply incomprehensible.

[townmusician]

[Haruka is quiet for a long, uncomfortable moment, struck with the realization that Xiao has seen one of the worst moments of his life. It pales in comparison to what he’s seen of Xiao’s own, even if it still hurts to see it again.

He catches sight of his balled fists, and he thinks… that might be the first time anyone has been angry at Kujou on his behalf. Ryou had simply used his own hurt and anger to convince Haruka to sign on with Tsukumo, and everyone else… Either they didn’t know, or they didn’t care.

He looks away, feeling too much shame to look at Xiao.]

…It’s not that big of a deal.

[He was just the first person to use and abandon him. It’s just how things are.]

It’s my fault for even believing him anyways.

[What happened to him… it’s not that bad. It hardly compares. Kujou was just a selfish man, that’s all.]

[plunges]

It isn't your fault.

[ His response is immediate, and he steps closer to Haruka. He doesn't touch him, not yet, out of fear that it might push Haruka further away. He hopes that his presence will be enough. He, too, was once afraid of getting too close to people...but it took someone stubborn, understanding, and patient enough to get Xiao to reconsider things. That someone was Aether. He hopes that he can show Haruka the same kindness that the Traveler showed to him. ]

He was someone you trusted, and he took advantage of that.

[ Xiao looks at him, dispelling the anger in his gaze in favor of showing compassion, instead. ]

It isn't wrong to have faith in other people. If there's something I have learned from being here, it's that I've gone too long without doing just that. I hope that reliving this experience won't erase the kindness you have in your heart. ... I am fortunate, to have received it from you.

[diabolizes]

[ ...There are a lot of things he can say about this memory, about the shitty way that man treated Haruka, about the way he's been pushed to not care about his fans while still caring about everyone else in his life...

But where can he even start?

When the memory dissipates, he looks for Haruka, whether he's right next to Wei Wuxian or not. ]

Haruka.

billy - cw emotional abuse, gaslighting, groom....ing...?

[townmusician]

[You’re distracted, even though you know you’re meeting Kujou-san today. You can’t help it, unsettled by the conversation you had with Aya.

Better to ask, you think.]

Kujou-san… Acchan - Aya said that you were her adoptive father…?

[The man nods, seemingly unbothered by your nerves and your question.]

Yes. Aya is a talented girl, after all.

[There’s a sinking feeling in your stomach, and you fidget. You adjust your ponytail, even, trying to keep yourself occupied.]

What… What happened to making me your son…?

[It’s an important question, probably, considering you’ve been studying and training for years now. It’s been so long since you’ve left Japan, and you’re not sure how much more you have to do until you become Kujou-san’s ideal idol.

Kujou-san looks at you finally, sighing softly. It’s too soon, he says, just like you knew he would. It’s - fine, though. All you have to do is work harder, and prove that you’re capable of being the best, and then you can finally have the family you never had, right? It won’t be just you and your grandmother anymore.]

Alright! I’ll work even harder!

[You nod to yourself, feeling your resolve return. You don’t have that much further to go, right? You’re so close to your musical debut, so you’re that much closer to going pro.]

...Truthfully, you’re a disappointment.

[It’s said with a sigh, and you can’t keep the alarm from your face as your attention snaps back to Kujou-san. He looks at you for a moment, before grimacing.]

That was a lie, I apologize. I have great expectations for you, Haruka. Keep working hard, I’m rooting for you more than anyone else.

[You believe him. Of course you do, he’s the man who’s been raising you for years now. You feel so relieved that it was just a lie - probably to prepare you for the fickle reactions of fans, you justify to yourself. So you nod again, determined to work even harder, and you thank Kujou-san profusely before you leave his office.

You have so much to be thankful for, after all.]

cw physical & emotional abuse, alcohol served to minors

[butcherspice]

[Oh. Billy knows what this smells like even if the person he's looking through the eyes of doesn't. It's obvious that he's being lied to, and blatantly so. The desire for approval just feels so foreign in his chest that he might get sick from it.

"You're a disappointment" and "I have great expectations for you" being put in the same sentence does give Billy a sense of familiarity though. The constant uncertainty he held growing up--his own father was an obnoxiously inconsistent man. Beating the shit out of him one day, calling him a real man and offering him a beer despite the fact that he was barely sixteen the next.

So, once he's looking back at Haruka, Billy gives the same sentiment he'd held towards his father.]

You oughta knock that old cunt on his ass next you see him.