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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Comments

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.