bluesclues | WEEK FOUR: MINGLE

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!mingle

WEEK FOUR: MINGLE

WEEK FOUR

OCCUPANCY: 25

Rise and shine, little monsters. A new week is waiting just for you. The events of yesterday may have been hard to stomach, but time heals all wounds, after all. The damages the house has incurred over the last week have been reverted and the staff is hard at work fulfilling their roles in this mansion. A piping hot breakfast is served in the dining room promptly at 7am, every square inch of floor and furniture has been cleaned spotless, and Pumpkin is...probably around tending to the animals outside. As you exit your rooms on this lovely morning, guests will find that the barrier leading upstairs has diminished, and a new floor has been opened to explore.

For anyone who ventures into the ballroom, a new change may become apparent. Should you choose to look at the plaques long enough, three images will flicker and change sporadically. While Subete's portrait remains the same, on occasion it will change to an image of a disembodied head, expression frozen in shock. Likewise, Dazai's portrait looks just like himself, though if you blink you may miss it changing into a hulking, dark nine-tailed fox with blood glistening in its teeth. Finally, Anya's portrait reveals a picture of the young girl, but every now and then a blossom of red appears on her pristine outfit as the light fades from her eyes. There is no rhyme and reason for the change...though perhaps it serves as a reminder to those who remain.

Additionally, the house rules have been moved from the ballroom and back into the hallway, mounted in the entryway as they were.

After weeks of getting to know each other, you may believe you have learned the most important things about them. You've seen their memories, you've felt their emotions, and you've shared their pain. But even so, some of you continue to hide your true intentions. Starting today, from the moment you wake, a mask will appear and cover half of your face. Each mask is different and though you may not understand what it means yet, each design implies something about you. Those who have experience within the supernatural world might have a white feather pattern across their mask while those who have powers associated with a certain element may find their mask changing color and temperature. Some masks may reflect bloody handprints to reflect the sins of a killer while others will appear black and cracking for someone who has died before. Those holding back a big secret will find their mask slowly covering their whole face and others still will find their masks reflecting anything from acts of betrayal to hidden romantic feelings. Though all are unique to each guest, all will find they are unable to remove these masks.

Some of you may wear your mask proudly as you have nothing left to hide, while others of you may become desperate in your attempt to remove it. Feelings of anger and aggression may bubble up to the surface this week over the smallest problems even for the most calm of people. As the sun sets, you may find that you don't feel quite like yourself, opposite personality trades coming to light. Luckily for you, you may not have to worry. Every now and then you may find a gap in your memory, temporary amnesia removing an embarrassing incident or two.

You may experience only some of these events. Then again, maybe you're unlucky and you're experiencing all of these events at different points in time. Time is of the essence, however, and come Monday at noon a rustling crackle of static can be heard from overhead. Try as you might, you won't be able to find the speakers but a message will play loud and clear for all.

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[. . .]

[his shoulders slump, features still furrowed in guilt under his mask. but. . . obligingly, he takes the DVD from her and holds it carefully in his hands]

[he says nothing, but there's still an apology in his eyes, clear as day. even with the mask obscuring everything else]

[She meets his gaze... and her eyes soften at just how apologetic he looks, the color of her mask evening out.

She'll reach out to rest her hand against one of his wrists, her expression tired but almost unbearably patient.]

...Have a seat in the theater, okay? I'd like to talk to you about something.

[he blinks a few times, but the apology in his eyes doesn't fade]

Mmm. All right.

I'll wait for you to get back.

[and then, with his eyes flickering down to where her fingers touch his wrist, he pulls back to take a seat. like a properly scolded child]

[zoomity zoom

She'll return in a short while with a broom and dustpan, setting it by the mess leaned up in a way that hopefully no one would walk through it... but she slips into the theater proper soon after, carefully approaching.

There's a hesitation, unsure if touch is truly a good idea right now. But Akira will still feel a hand against his shoulder, looping around to take a seat next to him.]

...Are you feeling a little better?

If talking isn't okay... I don't mind sitting here with you instead. I just want to make sure you're... okay.

The Akira I just saw... That didn't seem like you.

[it startles him, the pressure of her hand on his shoulder, and that shows in the way he jumps slightly as she takes a seat. but he's quick to relax when he sees that it's her, at least]

Yeah. I'm okay.

[his fury from earlier has calmed into an easily manageable simmer, but he's still a bit embarrassed by the outburst. as she says, it was so so unlike him, and he isn't completely sure where it came from]

Sorry. I'm not. . . entirely sure what came over me. I was just so angry, and--

[it had seemed like a good idea at the time]

Maybe it's like what happened two weeks ago, where we felt emotions that weren't quite our own.

Though... given the nature of what was talked about on the speakers, I think you might have every right to be upset. [She dreads to even look at her own. It's blackmail, complete and utter provoking for the sake of spilled blood... why?]

It's so... unbearably cruel.

It's--

[not quite that, is it? the anger was definitely his, just. . . blown way out of proportion, urging him to react in a way he normally wouldn't. Akira gives out a small sigh and pushes that aside for the time being as he toys with Luna's DVD between his fingers]

I shouldn't have watched it.

[his gaze is affixed on the shards of his own DVD that are still scattered on the ground]

It was stupid. I should've known better.

Is that really a good reason to call it stupid, though?

Someone, truthfully or not, threatened something dear to you. Wouldn't willful ignorance be a more foolish option?

[She lets out a slow breath, her voice lowering.]

You wouldn't blame anyone else for making the choice you did, Akira. Be kind to yourself.

[Luna. . . well. he has no arguments for that, does he? with a breathless huff that sounds almost like a laugh, he looks up from the floor to her, his smile rueful]

It was my best friend from back home. Ryuji. That's his name.

["best friend" almost feels like it doesn't describe how he actually feels for Ryuji, though]

If anything ever happened to him, I'd--

[. . .]

[...hm. computer, what is a best friend?

Still, Akira being tongue-tied is starting to become a tell of sorts. Luna lets the silence stay, just to let Akira collect himself, before she reaches out to put a hand against his knee, her touch careful.]

...

Would you tell me more about him?

[that seems to make him smile; both the hand on his knee (which is warm, soothing, almost electric in its touch) and the question about Ryuji. his gaze lingers on Luna's hand for a few brief seconds, before he looks up]

He's--

[gosh. where does he start?]

He's a complete idiot.

[BUT HE'S AKIRA'S IDIOT!!!]

[Ah, to have the most important person be a giant bag of rocks. Big mood.]

That doesn't seem very nice of you. [Quiet, almost jokingly. To hear him throw an insult seems out of place, after all.]

How did the two of you meet?

[BIG MOOD]

We met on my first day of school in Tokyo. We sort of-- [wags. . . a hand. how does he explain what happened when they fell into Kamoshida's castle without having told her about the Metaverse, oops??] -- we sort of stumbled into something weird together, and we had to rely on each other to find our way out again.

[another pause; his voice is oh-so fond]

He was the first person to treat me like a normal guy, despite my criminal record. The first person who called himself my friend.

[and at the time. . .? that was the number one thing Akira needed. someone to call him a friend]

[This is what happens when you do like thirteen threads at the same time. Don't do it, kids.]

He's someone you must really trust, then. To have someone open-minded enough to not judge you for who you are or what you have or haven't done... I think that would be something to really cherish.

[NO DO DO IT ESPECIALLY WITH NIK BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL GOOD THREADS u_u]

Yeah.

[he lifts a hand to his chest, placing it over his heart as he does so]

He saved me. [oh. that's. . . an incredibly strong way to put it] When I was at my lowest, when everything around me was dark. . .

He was the light that brightened up my life.

[Saved him... There's a fluttering of green, like spring leaves, etching their way onto the edges of her mask. It's a feeling that she understands, one that makes her happy in a way she can't quite describe.]

I'm so glad...

Someone like you truly deserves to have someone there to believe in you, no matter what. I... I think life would be so lonely without it.

[and Akira nods, because. . . he knows exactly how that feels]

It is lonely. I've been there. I've been there, and I hated it.

[a small sigh]

So that's why I got so angry. Even though logically, I know he's way too tough to get himself captured like this.

[The green flickers with a darker blue, muddled together in a mix that's hard to read on her face, bittersweet and empathetic. But she doesn't say anything else, only lowering her gaze to her hands.]

So the announcements were telling the truth, then... at least, from the perspective of these discs. They... really want us to think that important people are in danger.

[...

She looks at the disc he holds in his own grip, then back up to him.]

You're positive it was him?

[well. at that, Akira shakes his head vigorously, eyes flashing again]

They want us to think it, but I believe that these DVDs are a lie.

[and he says that so firmly, almost like he's trying to convince both her and himself that it's true]

. . . I'm positive that it was his likeness on the DVD, yeah. But I don't believe they really have him captured.

Another ruse, then... [Her eyes flicker back down to the DVD. Does... she really even want to take it back? There's a definite conflict, worry occasionally pinching her features together.]

...

Okay. I... imagine it was realistic enough to upset you, given what happened with the popcorn, but...

If you really don't think it was him... then I'll believe you.

Mmm.

[it isn't as though Akira is denying the reality of the DVD just because he doesn't want to believe the contents are real]

Do you remember what Lio said? About someone planting illusions in the mansion to trick us?

I just. . . I just think these DVDs are another layer of that.

That's all.

[he watches Luna carefully, studying the conflict on her features. if she decided to watch hers, he wouldn't blame her. after all, he gave into temptation himself. even if. . . in the end. . . he refuses to let it control him]

[She'll give another nod, though it's weak.]

Illusion or not... if they are tailored to us, then I know who will be on mine.

I...

[She swallows, before shaking her head.]

I really don't think it would be wise.

[his mouth twitches, almost apologetic even though he knows the DVDs aren't his fault. and carefully. . . he places his hand on top of hers; the one resting on his knee]

Do you want me to break it? Or. . .

[or would she rather he didn't? just in case she changes her mind later on?]

[Would she? Would she bother, for a chance to see his face again, even if it was just to watch in horror the whole time? It's a gaping hole in her heart, one of the only people she feels she's ever come close to knowing in a friendly way... but...

...]

I... I don't know.

I miss him. I miss him so much, I can hardly think. But... I...

[Her voice cracks a little, despite herself. The deep blues of her mask darken, her hand curling to a fist underneath his palm.]

I-I don't think I could bear to see him in pain.

Hey.

[his grip on her hand tightens just a little bit, a comforting amount of pressure]

There has to be another way for you to see him again. A better way.

[one that doesn't hurt her heart, or make her cry. a way for her to see him again in a good light, with nothing but positivity surrounding the interaction]

WEEK FOUR: MINGLE

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