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

[daughterofthemark]

Of course you may have breakfast, but you are injured! You should be in bed!

[I mean she's clearly in good enough condition to make it all the way to Starbucks on her own but shh.]

[serrata]

I can't spend the entire day in bed. I'll go insane.

[ did you think this would be easy? you fool. ]

I'll go back in the afternoon but I don't want to be cooped up in that horrible little room any longer than I have to.

[daughterofthemark]

At least don't wander around alone.

...I had intended to bring you a get-well-soon gift, but you've caught me unprepared.

[serrata]

[ She can't help but smile. It's been a while since she was on the receiving end of good-natured fussing like this and though it feels a little strange, she can't say she's inclined to dislike it. ]

If you're so worried about me being alone then would you like to sit with me for a while? Just until you feel better, that is.

[ unspoken, but obvious: Yuuri would like Arianna's company just for the sake of it, too. ]

[daughterofthemark]

That is what I shall do, then.

[Arianna you are excessively happy about this invitation. She sits.]

How is your hand?

[serrata]

It's a little sore, but I think it should heal fine. So long as I look after it.

[ things yuuri wakasa has not been doing: see above. ]

I'm just glad it wasn't worse.

[daughterofthemark]

...indeed. For a moment I thought you'd been seriously hurt.

[she sure picked the right time to pop into that thread]

[serrata]

What happened... afterwards, exactly? All I remember is touching Nari-san's hand and then nothing else until I woke up today.

[daughterofthemark]

We found rubber gloves to use in tending to Dame Nari, then brought all three of you to your beds. We've heard naught from Sir Xander since.

[serrata]

So, he's hiding, then. Like a coward. I can't really say I'm surprised.#

[ damn, Rii-san, that was cold. ]

I wonder when he'll show his face again.

[daughterofthemark]

...I find him difficult to predict.

[She sure didn't predict he was a torture asshole!]

[serrata]

I think most of us do.

[ She sighs and tips her head back, squinting her eyes against the garish overhead lights. ]

... I talked to him on Monday, you know. Just before the lights went down in the food court.

[daughterofthemark]

[Arianna tenses up immediately.]

What did he say?

[serrata]

Do you want the long version or the short version?

[ because the long version means admitting she almost got stabbed by a magic sword. ]

[daughterofthemark]

[part of me wants to spare arianna that information but:]

Please, any detail might be crucial.

[serrata]

Well, it was late and I was in the food court with all my notes. I didn't want to go back to that little kiosk just yet so I was trying to stay awake as long as I could. And while I was there, I heard someone sort of... sneaking their way into Starbucks.

[daughterofthemark]

[She... actually brightens up a little at that.]

Sneaking? Sir Xander?

[serrata]

Well, not sneaking exactly. But you know the way someone walks when they're doing something they think they're not supposed to be doing? They're not creeping along exactly, but they're obviously trying not to get caught.

I couldn't tell who it was, so I came over and peeked inside. And he was stood right there [ she gestures to the bar ] making a drink for himself. ...It was a bit surreal, honestly.

[daughterofthemark]

So, he didn't want us to know he enjoys coffee? What an odd secret to maintain.

[serrata]

I think it's more that he was worried about running into one of us. We hadn't exactly made him welcome, had we?

So I just... spoke up to ask what he was doing and I spooked him a little. He, um. Pointed his sword at me.

[daughterofthemark]

He what?!

[serrata]

[ Thaaaat's about what she expected. ]

He pointed his sword at me. There, um. There were flames.

[ she's very sorry, Arianna. ]

[daughterofthemark]

You could have been--why didn't you tell us?

[serrata]

Because I wasn't. And I didn't want anyone to be worried.

[ a little late in the day for that, of course. ]

He calmed down once he realized I wasn't there to pick a fight and I got the chance to ask him a few things.

[daughterofthemark]

[yeah good job rii-san now we're just worried differently]

...actually, I have asked him some questions as well. We should pool our information.