WEEK FOUR: MINGLE

[cluedin]

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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Comments

[infire]

He is the god of fire in my world, who I summoned as priestess. You'd know him better as Babo Kim.

[ "idiot smith." a fitting name, for the willfully blind. ]

[shortforever]

Oh. That guy.

[...]

How the hell did a literal god get trapped in this house?

[Chuuya you can't talk there, you're in the same situation.]

[infire]

[ she shrugs. ]

The same way as the rest of us, I suppose. He's been stripped of his powers, too, so he's no stronger than any ordinary human now.

[ funny how that works. ]

[shortforever]

[It actually is, given how Chuuya snorts at the idea.]

How's he taking that?

[infire]

Oh, he's fine. He embraced the life of an idiot and a bum years ago.

[shortforever]

Are most gods like that, or is he just special?

[infire]

A number of them actually take their jobs seriously. He just likes pretending to be stupid so he doesn't have to work.

[shortforever]

So you talk to more than just him? Are you one too?

[infire]

No. Even with all of my memories, I have always been a mere human.

...But there are other gods around, and I have spoken to some of them. He lets himself be distracted easily, when it comes to certain things. The others aren't always so easily swayed.

[shortforever]

Man, sounds like a pain. Why'd you summon him in the first place?

[infire]

You don't know the half of it.

[ HE'S SO FRUSTRATING, CHUUYA. ]

I needed help to become the next priestess. Agni was the one my mother summoned, and I had the right attributes, so the choice was obvious. I didn't know what he'd be like when I first summoned him, though.

[shortforever]

Your mom didn't warn you about him, then?

[infire]

No, not at all. She didn't really speak to her family much, once she became the priestess. Most of what I've learned, I had to learn through experience.

[shortforever]

Why's that? I mean, I don't have a mom so I'm not sure what it's like, but I thought moms were supposed to at least talk to their kids.

[infire]

She did, before she was priestess. But the role means taking on a lot of responsibility, so she was always busy attending to her duties. Part of it may have been that she was a master of silent magic, though. Mastering silent magic means losing part of your humanity, so it makes sense that it would make her more detached.

[shortforever]

Oh. Geez, that sounds like it sucks.

[He's trying to be empathetic, promise.]

[infire]

I don't know. I considered myself lucky for even having family, and my world was fine. It could have been much worse.

[shortforever]

But there's still parts of it that bug you, huh?

[infire]

...Maybe. It's all lingering resentment from this life, though. There's no need for me to hold onto it now.

[shortforever]

[Okay, that? That makes him frown a little.]

"There's no need for me to hold onto it now" is bullshit. If it bothers you, then it bothers you. Don't force away your feelings in the name of being 'above it all' or whatever.

[infire]

...I've never thought I'm above feeling upset about anything like that. All I meant is that parental neglect is nothing compared to some of the other things I've been through. It's far from the biggest problem I've faced, and even if it was, she's already gone. What could I do about it now?

[shortforever]

As long as you don't feel like that, then good.

[It seems that Chuuya has A Thing for people thinking they're 'above' things that are human.]

I guess it's inspiration to not be a shitty mom, when you're a mom? Like a 'I can do better than my parents did' kind of thing.

[infire]

[ hey mood ]

I don't think that was ever in the cards, for this life. [ she can't help but smile, though! ] Though I'd hope I could do better, if it were. Knowing all the places where my mother failed would make for an easy road map.

[shortforever]

Eeh, maybe in the next one then. The point still stands.

[That's the nice thing about multiple lives, you can just try again next time.]

[infire]

Mm... I probably wouldn't remember before that happens, though, so it wouldn't make a difference. I don't control when I awaken - if I could, I probably wouldn't allow it.