Week 3

[airlockedmods]

Week 3

[Two weeks in, and all at once four people are dead. Chitose, Miki, Lucina, and Tsurugi - whatever the circumstances, however any of you may feel, their rooms are just as empty at the end of the week. If you check your P.I.P.s, you'll find that their pictures on the profile page have gone monochrome.

C.E.C.E.'s morning announcement comes like clockwork on Sunday. This time, though, there's an addendum to her usual message:]

Congratulations, Champions! By surviving your first trial, you have unlocked the second floor of the ship. A new mini map has been added to your P.I.P.! To access the second floor please stand on the teleporter and select the floor you wish to be teleported to.

[In addition to the new floor, the Champions will find that they've gained another memory this week.]


Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday



(( Welcome to Week 3! Don't forget to check in and submit your memory regains! Turn in your benefactor threads for sweet loot, too! ))

Comments

[karappo]

[Karamatsu has a terrible nightmare.

"Stop it."

"Wh-what are you...hey, let go of me, Shittymatsu! Hey!"

"I'll kill you! I said let go!"

He wakes up in a cold sweat, and for a long while he doesn't entirely remember where he is. But then it sinks in that he's still in space...in room 23, sharing it with Osomatsu and no one else. Osomatsu, who is still asleep next to him...he tries to drift back to sleep, but every time he closes his eyes he sees it happening all over again. A fight of a different kind breaks out in the Matsuno home, ending with Karamatsu knocking Osomatsu to the floor and dragging him outside to calm down. Choromatsu would move out the next morning...finding a job, leaving their home after so many years of nothing. Osomatsu had not been handling the news well. Then Todomatsu would leave...then Karamatsu.

And so on.

He wants to believe it's a dream. But even as he leaves his room before Osomatsu, he can still feel the cold chill of the concrete against his forehead as he bows in a pleading gesture, begging Chibita for someplace to stay. He knows he'll need to talk to Osomatsu about it, but...not right now. He doesn't have it in him.

What Karamatsu finds in his dumbwaiter before he steps out, however, honestly causes him to cry. He has to kneel by the wall and just...cry until he's feeling more or less spent and like he didn't just wake up before he leaves and heads for the Cafeteria. There is another floor today, but he will look at that later. For now...he sits in a chair by one of the walls with a guitar resting in his lap, one he spends several minutes tuning before he actually tries a few chords. Eventually, people walking in and out of the cafeteria will hear Karamatsu playing a song on it, singing softly under his breath. It's not his own song...but it is from one of his idols. And he has to get out this stress somehow.

Later on in the day, Karamatsu treats himself to dinner in the new Diner. He'd been growing very tired of the pre-packaged, canned, and freeze dried foods, so this place is a blessing from God, honestly. It's very American...and instead of disappointing him, it's actually very exciting. He's always wanted to visit America, and he very much appreciates American food. So you might find Karamatsu eating a steak nicer than any he's ever had. Plus a chocolate milkshake, of course. If it's going to be free and he's trapped here, then why the hell not.]

[Closed to Yuri]

[Karamatsu heads back to his room early, and he'll be alone in Room 23 until Osomatsu comes by later to go to bed. He's left the door ajar though, feeling a little too cramped in there otherwise. He's got his guitar out again, idly plucking at the strings.]

cafeteria

[keepmeinyourheart]

[Admittedly, after that dinner show a while ago, Lunafreya wasn't sure what to expect when she saw the guitar. Something ridiculous, most likely. Yet the song sounded rather nice and she finds herself pleasantly surprised as it goes on. She'll wait till it's over before clapping.]

That was rather lovely.

[karappo]

[Nah, they're done being silly...at least to that extent. This weekend saw to that.

He'd mentioned wanting to play for people, but he also didn't think he'd get his guitar back so soon. So this was the best he could do on short notice...and when he hears the clapping, he looks up with mild surprise.]

O-oh- thank you.

[He dips his head a bit to Lunafreya in greeting.]

This is, ah...a song by one of my favorite musicians. It was one of the first I learned to play.

[keepmeinyourheart]

[Maybe something will come along to make them feel okay about being even just a little silly again. Laughter is needed in this place more than ever now.]

So you are quite familiar with it. Is it one of your favorite songs or just the one you played first?

[karappo]

[One can only hope...]

Both. A bit of both. It is the first "real" song I learned. I am not sure how real one would call "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star", but that is the actual first thing I learned to play.

[keepmeinyourheart]

[........]

I'm not familiar with that song... It sounds like the title of a child's song?

[karappo]

It is a child's song, yes. It is a lullaby of sorts. Would you like to hear it?

[quadjumps]

[ never mind that osomatsu's coming by soon, yuri's gonna peek inside of room 23 and see karamatsu.

that's when he kicks the door open, phone in hand and grumpy cat in the other, and then makes his way over to karamatsu's bed where he'll just. plop down. without a word. ]

[karappo]

[Karamatsu is startled from his reverie when Yuri suddenly enters the room, unceremoniously taking up a spot on his bed near where he's already sitting.

He blinks a time or two, lifting a hand to tilt his shades down so he can look at him over the brim.]

Yuri-kun?

[quadjumps]

[ yuri lies there without saying a word for a few moments, playing with his phone. and then... ]

I'm hungry.

[karappo]

[Karamatsu gives himself only a moment to be confused. Honestly, he appreciates not being totally alone right now. It's been a bad time for everyone.

He shifts forward a little, letting his arms hang over the body of his guitar.]

I have some fruit baskets that I received that I have not opened up yet, if you would like something from there.

[They could always go to the Diner too, but he's pretty sure Yuri doesn't feel like leaving right now.]

[quadjumps]

[ why is yuri here? w h o k n o w s ]

Fine. That'll work.

[ just...food. he didn't eat properly after the trial...and space food isn't all that tasty. ]

Just give me whatever you don't want.

[karappo]

Wait here.

[Karamatsu sets his guitar aside and heads for the foot of his bed, opening up the trunk so he can dig around inside. The fruit baskets had been hard to figure out what to do with since he'd received so many, so he pulls one out randomly and stands back up with it in hand, moving to sit back down on the edge of the bed.]

Help yourself. I am glad I am at least receiving different food...I am not sure how much longer I can last on freeze-dried things.

Cafeteria

[theworldsliveliestcorpse]

[Zombina looks like an shambling movie zombie as she shambles her way into the Cafeteria. That was an bad idea drinking so much last night. She pauses and blinks idly at Karamatsu playing the guitar. It takes a minute for it to register what she's seeing. She's quick to get over and take a seat to listen once she realizes what it is.

The readhead waits until the song is done before clapping loudly.]

You're as good as I'd thought ya'd be Kara-kun!

[Baaad idea. Hangover. Ugh. Just... push through it.]

[karappo]

[Reasons why Karamatsu didn't drink himself silly last night, as much as he really wanted to. Though that might change today, who knows.

He smiles and dips his head since he can't bow while standing up, resting his hand along the frets of his guitar to cause the last sounds of it to muffle and die off so he can speak.]

What did I say, Zombina-chan? I would perform for you all if my guitar made a return...and now here she is. Though I still intend to actually write something proper, as opposed to playing what I already know.

[theworldsliveliestcorpse]

Well, ya sure kept your word!

[Zombina grins. This'll be a huge mood lifter for everyone hopefully.]

I'm sure whatever ya try, that it'll turn out awesome.

[Now that she thinks of it.]

I wonder if anymore instruments will come outta the dumbwaiter. With your guitar and a few other things, it might be possible ta try and play something together. Like, I gotta Trumpet today. And a buncha us got Vuvuzelas last week, but uh, probably should leave those out of consideration.

[karappo]

Ooh, a trumpet? An actual one?

[He assumes she means an actual one and not, like, a toy.]

[theworldsliveliestcorpse]

Yup! In perfect condition too as far as I can tell! I ain't got any idea how ta play one, but now's as good a time as any ta pick up a new hobby!

[The overseers will regret giving her it.]

[karappo]

[They absolutely will, dear god.]

If it helps, most instruments are never too terribly difficult to pick up. Perhaps if you have never played one...but if you are at all musically inclined, you will soon find yourself getting the hang of it with time.

Cafeteria

[in4apounding]

[Have some applause, Karamatsu. It's much less enthusiastic than the last time she clapped for him, but given what's happened since then is it really that surprising?]

That was very nice, Mister Karamatsu.

[karappo]

[Not at all, but he nods his head in acknowledgement all the same.]

Thank you, Penny-chan. Do you have any requests?

[in4apounding]

I was going to ask if you still had Miki's shovel- ...oh, you meant for the music. Whatever you'd like? I'm sure it's all lovely.

[karappo]

I can do that much, at least.

[He plucks the strings lightly as he talks.]

And I do...I have it in my room. Did you want it? I have not much use for it, myself.

[in4apounding]

Yes, thank you. She left letters, for everyone. Or, um, for a lot of us. She asked me to take care of it.

[karappo]

Ah, did she? I...I did not realize.

[He'll have to look, just out of curiosity...and then find her letter for him and cry a lot, probably.]

Then the shovel is all yours. It will be in good hands.