week 1

[airlockedmods]

Week 1

[After the reveal of their handsome and well-dressed but stern-looking Overseer on Sunday, the Champions were left to their own devices in investigating the mall to their hearts' content. At around 10 pm every night the lights in all the shops will go down and the sturdy metal grates over the doors of the restaurants will go down. The stores will remain unlocked, though.

On Monday morning, a buzzing alarm chirps at them again from their PIPs at 7 am on the dot. There's also a pop-up message waiting for them: a notice announcing Xander will be holding office hours

Enjoy your week, Champions.]

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Comments

[misanthropicprinciple]

Of course. That's how it always goes, isn't it? The Mastermind is always someone playing the game with you.

[He looks at the floor for a while, then shakes his head.]

Maybe we should get something to eat and sit down while we talk about this.

[scourgingstars]

...We’ve met.

[shikosuki]

[ the blankest most flattest of faces ]

No one bothers trying to tell us apart.

[ though considering their babby photos, can you blame them ]

CW: Torture mentions, racism, abuse

[desperateprayer]

...Only some of them are from childhood. "Demon child," they called me. Because I was... Different. The people of Elphegort all have green hair natively. Then there's me--a Netsuma. I was born in Elphegort. My birth mother died when I was too young to really remember her, and I had no father. Probably some Elphe man who took advantage of her.

[ ...If her hair were still long, she'd be fingering it. But she can't. ]

...The villagers threw stones at me. They threatened me with death, and nothing I did was ever good enough. The mayor tried to have me "work for my land fees at night" in his home. When he wanted to frame someone for a murder he did, he blamed me--and if not for a kind soul, I would have been dragged from my home and murdered horribly.

[ ...A deep breath. She's not really looking at Fukawa, but into the distance. ]

...It was April of Evillious Calendar 500. Suddenly, the neighboring country of Lucifenia invaded. And they began the systemic massacre of Elphe women. I only survived because I had white hair, but I didn't get out unscathed. You see, they were looking for a particular Elphe woman--one who had captured the heart of a foreign king. The princess and ruler of Lucifenia was to be his wife, but he rejected her for one who would never return his affections.

[ ...Mikaela loved her. She always had. ]

...Because I knew the location of this woman, who had been hidden, I was captured. And then I was kept as a "guest" of the dungeon keeper's for two months as the "interrogated" me. That is... Where most of the scars come from. But I... Refused to speak. I remained ever silent, no matter what they did to me. ...And when I was finally released because they had found her and killed her anyway, m home village had been wiped off the map and so many lives were lost that I swear Elphegortean flowers still bloom in shades of pink instead of white.

[serrata]

[ ... this entire scene feels somehow cursed.

Yuuri just watches for a long moment, not quite sure what to say or if she should even interrupt at all. She hasn't been to see him yet so this is the first she's seen of their stupid blonde beefcake captor since Sunday. And somehow, it's incredibly strange to see him bumbling around. Making coffee. Not stealing candy from crying children, or laughing while petting a cat. Like villains are supposed to do.

Finally, she just clears her throat, a little a-hem as if to say 'Am I interrupting?' ]

[scourgingstars]

[that...actually got a slightly bitter laugh out of him. weird.]

I suppose it seems impossible to most people, or they just don’t think it worth trying. Cruel, really.

[misanthropicprinciple]

Hmm.

Nephew? Cousin?

[serrata]

[ She gives him a grin and bats one of the balloons over to him. For all the popping she's been doing, there's still an uncomfortable amount of them spilling out from the kiosk so she's got plenty to spare. ]

I certainly wouldn't say no. I honestly have no idea how they expected us to sleep in a room full of these things. I was terrified of getting up in the night and popping one on my way to the door.

[ Speaking of which -- bang! There goes another balloon. ]

[kingshaming]

[he had been looking curiously at a can of whipped cream, seemingly unsure if it was food or something you put in some hole or another when she interupts.

The change is instant, the can dropped with a clatter, Xander turning with surprising speed-

-and the blade on his hip is out, huge and made of black metal and crackling with barely contained energy.

And while the counter and a good handful of feet is between them, it is still very clearly pointed at Yuuri]

[scourgingstars]

Neither. What does it matter to you?

[shikosuki]

It's definitely the latter. We're not exactly popular.

[ because you were asshole children that grew up to be asshole adults ]

We do wear different colours though to make it easier. I'm green, because it's the best, most soothing colour.

[daughterofthemark]

Sister Clarith, your profile claims you to be "of Caledonia," does it not? Were you a princess consort, I'm certain I would know.

[why do I hurt myself this way]

[scourgingstars]

Color coding does seem to help. [Laughing the concept off, Ardyn idly fidgeted with the orange scarf from Moonglow around his neck.] I suppose there are worse choices than green.

[daughterofthemark]

...is something the matter?

[desperateprayer]

I've never even heard of Caledonia, honestly. It's nowhere on Bolganio. But are you saying you're the princess?

[misanthropicprinciple]

We weren't selected for this "exercise" randomly. Whatever's going on with these mixed-up profiles, it may have been done to cover up links that do exist. Uncovering those--figuring out what it is they do and don't want us to know--could help us get to the bottom of this.

[daughterofthemark]

So you are not a princess, then? I thought perhaps some confusion on that subject had led to me being listed with your family name.

[tokencanadian]

[Oh dear it's the loud santa man]

T-the last thing I remember? [mmmm.] I was... in the middle of a battle with this evil woman. I was thrown against a wall, and that's it.

[daughterofthemark]

I am! Arianna, first princess of Caledonia, at your service.

[ratherdoweddings]

Have all of you seen this before!? It's not exactly a common thing.

[daughterofthemark]

I believe you will find it is the quietest place you may attempt to eat.

[Is that a threat? Maybe.]

[ratherdoweddings]

Nari-san, what's wrong? We're all just trying to figure out what's going on.

[serrata]

[ WOW GOODNESS ME, THAT IS A SWORD AND IT'S DOING A THING SHE'S FAIRLY SURE SWORDS DO NOT DO

Yuuri immediately throws both hands up in a gesture that's halfway between placating and 'about to put up fisticuffs'. She takes a short step back, just in case she needs to bolt... but it doesn't look like he's actually going to approach.

So of course, she starts spluttering indignantly. Sense of self preservation? Don't know her! ]

P--point that thing away from me, right now! What's the matter with you?!

[daughterofthemark]

...truly?

[How could people be so lazy it's not like they're probably absolutely identical]

[everylittlesecret]

You're not making yourself very likable at the moment. I just want food, not forced social time.