bluesclues | WEEK SIX: MINGLE

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!mingle

WEEK SIX: MINGLE

WEEK SIX

OCCUPANCY: . . .

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...

...a silence lays over the house.

For anyone who ventures into the ballroom, a new change may become apparent. Should you choose to look at the plaques, those of the dead have gone blank. The images that were once there have been covered, though the information is still there.

Additionally, the house rules have been removed.

Odd, isn't it? Where are those strange effects you've grown accustom to over the last several weeks in this house? Your body is as it should be (except for those of you who have lost limbs...you know who you are...), your mind is sound and stable, and there are no strange urges or instincts arising within you.

The mansion is in prime condition. All of the rooms (except for Master Blue's and the servants' quarters) are unlocked, and nothing seems out of place. Perhaps you'll have a chance to relax this morning?

Well, it was nice while it lasted anyway. 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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[The timers steadily tick, the bustle of the city continuing on as they decide what to do. They won't have to wait long though because a few things happen all at once.

One: a figure in a red hoodie (hood up) appears in the entryway of one of the alleys.
Two: the cell phone Ash took begins to ring.
Three: a sudden weight appears in all of their pockets, just barely there but noticeable.
Four: three red, floating skull-esque shapes begin to circle them.

Hm. Bad?]

Dunno. Luck of the draw, maybe...?

[ and then like. everything happens all at once? holy crap. what's he supposed to be looking at first? ]

...

[ well the floating skulls can wait, he has a phone call? ash flips the phone open and just holds it to his ear. they can talk to him first, he doesn't trust cold callers. ]

There could be two different paths we're meant to take?

[ and then everything happens? since brilith doesn't know what a phone is, she just gives ash a quizzical look before moving to stand between the reaper and the other pair, staff held in one hand as she carefully reaches into her pocket for whatever that weight is. she doesn't trust it! ]

...I don't like the idea of splitting up, though. [ they can't protect luna and hunter that way? ] Have any of you seen something like this before?

Yeah, I agree with Brilith. Let's not split up if we can help it.

[All of these things are very alarming, but the skulls are probably the most off putting; he's raising the shield as soon as they start circling, but when it becomes apparent they aren't going to immediately try to hurt them, he's clicking fishing in his pocket to grab whatever's causing that new weight.]

You mean the skull things? Yeah, uh, can't say that I have.

Right. Even with a time limit, we... we need to try and work together.

[She jumps a bit at the sudden changes, her hand slipping into her pocket, first for the rabbit's foot, then an envelope she still hasnt opened... before closing her fingers on whatever this new third item was. She... really, really does not want to use the chainsaw in her other hand.]

The city is one I... I think I've seen before in pictures, but... the rest is... [Alarming? Why would floating skulls be normal? Hewoo?]

[Ash will hear an answer soon enough. It sounds like a low, gravely voice:]

Unleash the dog from Cat Street and walk him back home. You have 70 minutes.

[Helpful. Vague as usual! That's great! The cell phone also blinks and provides Ash with a map.

The Reaper folds their arms over their chest and watches them closely. As for the weight in their pockets, they will find five small pins, buttons they can wear. These buttons vary with pictures (cans of cola, shards of ice, fire balls, etc). However all of them will have one pin in common. A black one with a white skull.

The red creatures float ominously]

Release the dog from what---? [ Immediately, he thinks of Missile, but Missile isn't in this group, right...?

When he pulls the phone away from his ear to look at it, he's surprised to see the icon pop up for the map and quickly opens it. For a guy with no actual cellphones, he sure knows how to work a cellphone. Thanks ARCUS. ]

Whatever it is we're doing, we've only got just over an hour to do it in. So, what? We smash through these skulls and crack on with it?

[ There's a pause, before he adds: ]

Splitting up might be tougher, but you guys'll have tasks as well, won't you? If we're in duos, it makes sense we'll have different stuff to do. We'll really have to hustle to get it all done.

"Release the dog?" [ what the heck does that mean?? and what's with the pins?? ] But if "releasing the dog" is one task, then we'll still need to find out what the other is... and where to find this dog.

[ ash didn't share the map so she's just assuming it isn't missile, since they left him behind... she considers it all for a moment, eyeing the reaper thoughtfully before stepping forward. those red skulls aren't going anywhere on their own. ]

Then we shouldn't waste any time. Be careful, you two.

[ if there is a way around the red skulls, she's going to try to use it. otherwise, she'll use the staff to try to whack one out of their way. ]

Well, releasing a dog shouldn't be that hard, right? Unless it's under, like, heavy lockdown, but I don't see why a dog would be.

[While Brilith does that, since Hunter has the shield... He's going to step forward to try and get past them as well, holding it up to protect himself in case they do something. While he does that, he's looking towards Luna and Ash.]

You want to get behind me?

[Since he has the shield.]

It could be a metaphor as well. Finding Cat Street should be a priority... a-and anyway, splitting up should be the least of our worries. Until we have a better idea, I... I really think we should stay together.

[She's going to take a careful look at those buttons as she graciously steps beside Hunter, her gratitude quiet.]

[The skulls will swarm immediately, but if they're fast enough they can dodge! Touching them, however, will lead to teleporting Brilith and Ash to somewhere else out of sight. If Hunter's shield touches another skull, he and Luna will also teleport elsewhere. Hm. Be careful.

The pins are as follows:

Ash: Velocity Crash, Force Rounds, Rock Bind, Aqua Barrier
Brilith: Flame Core, Vortex Saber, Entanglement, Cure Drink
Hunter: Earthquake, Frostbite, Patrol Rounds, Healing
Luna: Nexus Ray, Time Bomb, Summon Rhyme, Subconscious

They will have to wear the pins to gain understanding of how to use them, and will be good for a number of hits before they will need to recharge.

The skulls will loom and some will follow, but the group is capable of dodging. Will they approach the Reaper himself, fight the skulls just to clear them, or find another way out to Cat Street?]

[ Ash opens his mouth to say something, probably about the map and where Cat Street is on it but -- haha there's a skull looming right at him, so he pitches sideways to avoid it. The pins remain unnoticed for the moment, but he knows there's something new hanging out in his pocketsies. ]

Then I suggest we get moving.

[ There's a pause, as he dodges another skull emblem, and then he nods at the Reaper just casually hanging out in the background. ] Maybe see what the creeper in red wants while we're at it. They're watching us. [ Anyone else get the feeling no one else is watching them, despite them showing up like a carnival of weirdos with literal weaponry to hand? Ash does. ]

If Ash and I are partners, they may want you two... or they'll know where we need to go.

[ brilith may not be physically strong, but she is pretty fast. dodging is a piece of cake, even as she attaches the pins near where the star charm hangs at her waist. and when she does... ]

...Put the pins on, too. [ does she sound a tiny bit excited...? maybe. she has fire! ] Some of them have magic.

[ anyway, approaching the reaper cautiously now: ] What fo you want with us?

[ maybe a hello would have been nice but eh ]

[Hunter follows along with Ash and Brilith as they go, holding up the shield every time the skull shaped try to come towards him and Luna. At Brilith’s request, he puts the pins on as he waits for the figure to answer. As she asks that more pertinent question, though...]

What’s your name?

W.. why would they give you two something on one device and leave us in the dark, though...?

[It's a quiet question, one that falls behind the rest of the group. As Brilith seems to be taking the lead, Luna's mouth snaps shut, slowly slipping the pins onto one of her sleeves.

how does magic work for a robot, who knows]

[They manage to dodge the skulls and they seem to evaporate. As they approach the Reaper, the man gives them an unreadable look before shaking his head.]

Not you. Them. [He nods to Hunter and Luna.] Reclaim the high score at Tipsy Tose Hall. Eliminate..."the haters." You have 90 minutes. [Their tone is completely deadpan.] Blockades are up. Three choices before you pass: eliminate the Noise in the crossing, or eliminate the disorder amongst yourselves. Come see me when you're done.

[All four will feel an electric jolt of the hand again as the timers begin to count down, an invisible sheen appearing in front of all of the alleyways. The skulls respawn a little further away, but that isn't their only option. It seems they may clear the way, too, by simply clearing the air of the issues among themselves.]

[ Ash gives the pins a very slow stare when he digs them out of his jeans, before clipping them onto his shirt. And, seeing as he already has his assignment, he's just gonna look at that map again and figure out which way is the best way for Cat Street.

But he's still listening, so when the Reaper's done, he fiddles with one of the pins. ]

I figure beating stuff up'll take less time than airing out 20% of the stuff I already figure some of you are dragging around, but they wouldn't ask if it wasn't gonna be significant or come back to bite us in the ass.

"Trust your partner", remember? So. Up to you guys. I can get my stuff over with pretty quickly if you want.

I trust you, Ash. And I agree. We're on a time limit, and it will take far less time to clear those things out than to talk. Unless you two disagree.

[ glancing at luna and hunter, but she's already preparing herself for a fight. ]

It sounds like they may have more time than we do, though, so it should be fine if they stick with us for these missions, right? We can find this... Tipsy Tose Hall along the way.

—No, hang on. I don't think we should decide based on what'll take less time.

[He's saying that immediately as he looks at them both, frowning.]

What have the sisters and Blue been telling us this entire time? That the most important thing here is trusting each other, and working together. They keep saying nothing in this place is easy, either, so even if fighting would take less time... Didn't Akechi mention during the meeting that the solution to all of this would be friendship?

H-Hunter is right... working together doesn't mean choosing the easiest option. How will a conversation be more work than using powers we only just received...??

[PLEASE CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG... She's still not even running at full capacity aftwr what happened over the weekend, so the thought of fighting fills her with dread.]

Besides... [She'll take a look at the reaper.] You... you mentioned three options, didn't you?

What was the third?

Edited 2020-04-01 17:29 (UTC)

[They're all having a nice conversation that for a moment the Reaper doesn't seem to think anything of it. However, Luna asks the question then and the Reaper pauses.

Luna may even be able to look into their face under that hood and recognize traces of someone...particular, messy black hair peeking out and the left eye watching her critically. It's a face much younger than what she might most recently remember, but you can't deny that jawline.]

The third is a test of will.

Wow. That's just vague enough to be completely plausible as an alternative.

[ Ash. ]

Time's tickin'. You gonna elaborate or what?

[ okay yea so maybe they've got a point that the house is likely to use their thoughts about each other against them, but you know? magic? is great?? a brilith with magic is a happy brilith, and also she just hates talking about emotions, especially out in the open in front of other people, so she is! more than a little irritated with hunter stopping her!

but she does stop without a word. she's confident in her and ash's abilities to carry the other two through a fight, but. whatever! fine! we'll do it their way! stop wasting our time and fess up, mister reaper! ]

[can't believe this group has two weak bitches who aren't down with murder

Either way, he's looking towards the reaper as well, frowning.]

Yeah... I kind of want to know what the test of will would be, too, before we decide.

[Luna, meanwhile, catches one look of the reaper's face -- of the hair, the jawline, the right eye mysteriously absent... and her entire body goes rigid, a cold grip tightening against her chest.]

K-- [A choking noise. No... no, it isn't Kyle.

So.]

Sigma...

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