CHAPTER 7 ; MINGLE

[themodsgrimm]

The Story Continues... CHAPTER 7 - WEEK 715 Narrators Remain ; Just before Narrators awake, those who are still attached to partners will dream of the two of them together – and then the sudden snap of a red string that connects the two of them. Once they awake, they’ll find the entire section of the rulebook pertaining to Partners has disappeared entirely. Apparently the time for partnerships is over. In addition, the castle has begun to empty out. Perhaps Narrators will notice it now especially on this morning, as their footsteps echo and the halls lack the familiar faces they’ve come to know. Upon entering the dining hall, the tapestries of Evan Hansen, Lord El-Melloi II, Natsuo, Fon Master Ion, Fane, Varian, and Zelos Wilder will all catch flame and disappear as the fire engulfs them entirely, leaving nothing behind. Yet one oddity seems to have enchanted the castle this week – there are the sounds of running footsteps and the familiar laughter of those who have departed. Should you choose to follow this noise, you’ll be led to the Puppet Room. The door will shut behind you – you’ll catch be movement out of the corner of your eye. Yet instead of a puppet entering the stage and re-enacting a dramatic scene, it will just suddenly appear… closer to you. It lingers there, and makes no other move. Welcome to Week 7, everyone! We would also like to remind players to submit all of their Chapter 6 PCs and new PCs at the Private Conversations page and review the weekly ooc notes for important details in the castle. Something odd will be arriving on Wednesday, July 25th so keep your eyes peeled for that as well. full navigation. locations taken (statuses) stories (profiles) info & faq wishing well private conversations

Comments

[nivation]

monday, foyer:

[ There is no rest for the wicked, as Britt likes to so kindly remind us. There is definitely no rest for Kyouka once she finds out the Partner section of the rulebook has disappeared. It sends her in a mental frenzy.

That's why, sometime on Monday, people may hear the sound of something shattering.

Investigation will find broken plates at the bottom of the staircase, and Kyouka halfway up the stairs. She'll make eye contact with anyone, unashamed. ]

My name is Kyouka Izumi. In six months, I killed 35 people. If any of you harm Nico di Angelo in any way, the 36th will be me.

[ Her voice is deadly calm for someone making such a deadly irrational statement. Cardia's important statement? The leather bound book's claim of trust and teamwork? She can't recall them. This is obviously how you win the third Hunger Games.

She's 14, desperate, and panicking. I'm very sorry. ]

any other day, menagerie

[ Kyouka obviously needs to find some chill, so if no one wants to deal with her tantrum above, they can find her being less irrational with the animals. Her favorites are anything similar to rabbits or cats, so that's where she'll gravitate. Every once in a while she'll take out a letter or two and then put them away, like she's forgotten what they said or like she can't quite believe what they say. Other times, she'll just lie down and let all the animals climb on top of her and not move.

If anyone wants to notice her inching away from an animal, it's most likely a dog. ]

wildcard

[ you know how it goes. i'm open to w/e, pcs, etc. ]

monday i cry

[sanguinairy]

[This is not how you win the Hunger Games, Kyouka!!!!

Souji definitely went over to investigate the ominous sound, and once he sees what's going on over here and hears Kyouka's very dangerous threat, he just... soundlessly kneels down, first, and starts to pick up the shards of broken dishware. No one else needs to cut themselves on this.

He's also just looking real fuckin tired, as exhausted dying men do, but he won't address her just yet. And when he does, it's just a measured, quiet:]

...Kyouka.

[nivation]

[ Tell that to the simulator!!!

I can't believe Souji is going to make Kyouka feel a little sorry in one comment when she wasn't going to be sorry at all. Stop this!! The broken shards serve as a good distraction, and some guilt creeps in when she watches him pick up her mess. ]

... It's all I could think of to do.

[ He makes her lose some of the fight in her, but she meant to do it, so she's not backing down. ]

[sanguinairy]

[The simulator was a prediction machine aLL ALONG...

Anyway can't stop won't stop!! He's here to make people regret their reckless bad life decisions, shoulda killed him sooner so he couldn't keep coming out of his well to shame mankind!!

Except he's not here to shame Kyouka. He doesn't even look angry, really - not much at all besides tired. He lapses into silence again as he collects as many pieces of plate as he can fit in his hands, carefully making his way up the staircase to where she stands. The little pile is set off to the side; he brushes his hands clean of any porcelain dust and small droplets of blood that may have welled from any cuts. Then, he just pulls her into a loose hug. She seems... like she could probably use one, okay.]

[nivation]

[ NO SOUJI FOR ENDGAME OR KYOUKA WILL RIOT

She should have put Souji in her yan ultimatum, too. She indirectly hurt Souji, and now she wonders what else she could have used to cause a loud sound. Maybe she should have caused an explosion? (No.)

Kyouka is stiff when he initially hugs her, but she relaxes after a moment because it's Souji. ]

You should bandage your hands.

[sanguinairy]

[ONE PERSON IN THE YAN ULTIMATUM IS ENOUGH!! And plates are definitely better than an explosion, he'd much rather deal with that, okay.]

They're fine.

[Unlike! Kyouka!! Who has clearly just been having one big nonstop Moment™ since Jae-ha died. He wishes he could be better at helping to hold people together, but this is about the best he can do for now. Just helping to clean the messes she may make and offering what little support he can.]

Do you intend to stay here?

[How long is Kyouka planning on loudly threatening people gosh.]

monday obvs

[resumed]

[Nico, Sunday night: everything will be fine
Nico, now: it was not fine...

So yeah. He'd chosen to sleep in (and probably slept like the dead for once in his life on this fine Monday) but he still hears the shattering even from inside his dorm. As such, he gets up and shuffles his way out of the room and toward the stairs and spots Kyouka.

He's sleep-rumpled and confused, mostly just staring at her while he registers the words he'd heard while going to collect his partner. Who cares if the rules don't exist anymore, she's still his.

It's also why he doesn't say anything immediately and stares at her with half-lidded eyes before pointing at the spot next to him a few stairs up. "You. Here. Now."]

[nivation]

[ Nico, you should've stayed asleep.

Kyouka doesn't see why she shouldn't obey Nico's request, so she walks up the few steps to stand next to him. ]

That wasn't rash.

[ She is pretty sure.}

[resumed]

[He should have stayed asleep but now he's aware and will be for the next like four days. Irregardless he gives Kyouka a quizzical look even as he just. Kind of sighs.]

I suppose not given you at least gave some warning. [Still rash tho.] What did I say yesterday though?

[Don't be a target!!]

[nivation]

Unless someone changes their faction, it's fine.

[ She's not worried. Someone can try to call her bluff, and who knows what will happen then? ]

[resumed]

[KYOUKA!!]

Don't give them a reason to, alright? [It's around a yawn though and his free hand runs over his face and through his hair. He's not really a morning person.] But I promise I'm not going anywhere. Do you believe me?

monday

[vigilantics]

[ it would be very simple to get annoyed at kyouka's selfish reaction, but instead steph is just... sad. this is what the game does to you, and taking away the partnerships destroyed one of the last safety nets people had for the ones they cared about, especially for the villains. ]

No one will go after him, Kyouka.

[nivation]

How do you know?

[ That's fear talking, as much as it is paranoia. She can't just believe it when anyone can be a target at any time. ]

[vigilantics]

Because I don't think people will go for the innocent kids first.

[ she has to add in "innocent" since they sure did went for varian.

she's only a little bitter. ]

[nivation]

[ only a little, huh ]

I want to believe that, but...

[ She looks at the ground where all the dishes are shattered. ]

I'm scared.

[vigilantics]

It's okay to be scared. I think we all are, Kyouka.

[ steph knows she is. ]

We just have to keep believing despite that. It is possible to overcome your fear.

tuesday

[discardia]

... Kyouka?

[ look, she saw her tantrum, but she at least wanted to wait until she calmed down, and what better time to check on someone than when she's hanging out with bunnies? ]

[nivation]

[ That's smart of Cardia. Bunnies are the ultimate calming force for Kyouka, and she's holding one live bunny and two plush bunnies.

She holds them out as if to show Cardia. ]

I'm trying to see if they'll be friends.

[discardia]

Is it working?

[ It's hard to tell. ]

[nivation]

They're not hopping away or screaming.

[ So Kyouka is assuming it's a yes. She hopes it's a yes. ]

[discardia]

Then I'm glad. I think you're doing a good job.

menagerie for flavor

[fonlines]

[ well, he wasn't unaware of her yan ultimatum; either he heard it as she made it or souji relayed it to him later, but there's nothing he could really have said to her that wasn't simply repeating things he's already said.

so instead, he's going to come across her in the menagerie, flanked by a few young ligers that thankfully seem even-tempered enough to not want to eat people straight off. to the dog, then: ]

Shoo. Go on, there are plenty of other people here to play with. Find one of them to bother.

[nivation]

[ i'm going to assume those are abyss ligers and then cry about arietta

Thankful for his presence even if her face doesn't show it, Kyouka inches towards Ion and his retinue, smooth and slick as can be. She isn't nearly as concerned by those young ligers as she is by the dog...

The dog whines. ]

... I don't want to make it sad.

[ But also, she doesn't want it to stick around? A problem. ]

[fonlines]

[ they are absolutely abyss ligers and yes good, join me in crying about arietta because to this day abyss wrecks me

The ligers seem not to mind her presence- one even brushes against her ankles as the other watches on. as for the dog, however... ]

Oh, I doubt it will be sad for too long.

[ he says, leaning down to present a slightly more welcoming figure to it. come here, poppet; if he pets you, will you leave Kyouka alone? ]

They have to be able to entertain themselves somehow when we aren't here.

[nivation]

[ it's been 10 years since i last played abyss but i could never forget how much it smashed my heart to pieces

Kyouka has one eye on the dog still, but the liger is more her speed. It's adorable, and she reaches out to pet it, hoping she'll be allowed. ]

I don't like dogs, and it'll forget me soon enough, but... [ What is it that bothers her exactly? She can't put her finger on it. ] It hasn't done anything to me.

[ Ion looks like he's promising pets, so yes, the dog instantly focuses on him. Please!! All the pets!! Love!! Attention!! The tail wags happily. ]