WEEK ZERO: MINGLE

[cluedin]

WEEK ZERO

OCCUPANCY: 36

For those of you counting along, you'll find that it's been three days since you've arrived at Master Blue's mansion. On this lovely Monday morning, the weak winter sun shines in through the spotless windows. The curtains in the ballroom have been drawn closed and cannot be moved away from the back wall during the daylight hours. The scent of a hot and delicious breakfast wafts from the direction of the dining hall at 7am, and small creaks and groans in the house urge you to awaken.

Perhaps you're a late riser though. No matter! There's still plenty of food you can make for yourself and ways for you to amuse yourself. Though the decor's been taken down, leftover Valentine's candy remains abundant, and a chilly breeze drifts through the halls. Best of all, all damage inflicted on the house has been repaired. In addition, a new placard has been mounted in the entryway.

As you carry on with your day in the mansion and explore the rooms provided, you may come to find that starting today it will appear as though you've all lost the use of one of your senses. Your vision may have grown dim, or maybe you really can't smell the enticing treats in the dining hall after all. How unfortunate.

Then again, something doesn't seem quite right. Walking through the halls, nothing seems terribly out of place. However, turning the corner or entering a room you will find someone who looks a little too much like yourself behaving in a fairly inappropriate manner. You would never read something so lewd. Who would ever think that you would wear something so pink? These mannerisms may seem innocent to others, but you can't help but disapprove.

Too bad no one else can see them.

Come Monday at noon, you will also find a new surprise. The wooden box with your name on it can now be opened, and a rustling crackle of static can be heard from overhead. Try as you might, you won't be able to find the speakers but this message will play loud and clear for all.

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Comments

[kazokun]

[ The misunderstanding is both a relief and an irritation. ]

Because you should be sleeping at night, not worrying about other people's problems.

[ Nobody here has a serious enough illness that they would die overnight just because she took an 8 hour break like any normal human being like she assuredly is. ]

i

[kazokun]

[ Ayabe gets punched in the face. He is so sick of being hit in the face. This is the third time in less than a week. ]

[brokethefirst]

[Ah. Her look softens considerably.]

I don't mind. I've, um... always kept very odd sleeping hours, regardless. I promise, I'm not trading my well-being for it.

Besides... helping people is what I want to do. I don't think I could forgive myself if I didn't at least try to do what I could.

[mammoney]

Yes. Every word that comes out of my mouth is important. You should be HONORED to hear stuff from me.

[onedirectionlaugh.mp3]

[He feels for what he thinks is a counter (it is!) and leans on it, letting out a sigh.]

Man, this all really is a mess, huh? First, we get kidnapped, and then, we start losing senses...its like some kind of curse.

[madburnout]

[ARE YOU SURE just

GESTURING at the bare feet.]

You're going around without shoes?

[mammoney]

...

Maybe its a curse that the witches put on me for not paying my debts back fast enough...

[You tell yourself that, Mammon.]

[commitaphobe]

[ Haruka looks between the two of them, suspicious. ]

You two seem oddly familiar.

[ Haruka almost barks, in the direction of their new companion. ]

How do you know her?

[kazokun]

Oh... Ling said that too, that this is a curse. We tried to draw purification seals or something.

[ Some sort of magical seal that he entertained for half an hour to keep Jin Ling occupied. He doesn't believe in magic, but he's willing to play along when there's no harm in it, so with Mammon claiming to be a demon... ]

Do you know anything about breaking curses? Or just casting them.

[ Being a demon. Demons curse people, they should know how to remove them, right? ]

[kazokun]

[ Odd sleeping hours means he'd better not see Luna wandering around the other 16 hours of the day, but between him being in his room a lot and not particularly caring to keep tabs on people, he'll miss her anyways. ]

You sure are dedicated. Do what you can, but don't overdo it, or other people are going to worry for you. Isaac was.

[ Ayabe too bUT HE'S GOING TO THROW ISAAC UNDER THE BUS INSTEAD ]

[allfornone]

Oh, Peach-san is in the charge of the kitchen, isn't she? So most of what's coming out of there is going to be her doing... I wonder if she has some idea of what's happening to her food?

[Something to check in with Peach, maybe, if it gets through the whole froth of other stuff that needs all their attention. It sure is some kind of start to the week.]

You're not the first one I've run into with a problem like this one? Though you're the first one to complain about the official menu. Um... [he kind of looks like he was hoping to keep talking, but after a moment he gives a silly shrug and finally addresses the pool cue he's got leaning against one shoulder] I keep picking up things and then not being able to return them. That's probably my version of this problem.

[mammoney]

Purification seals? What is he, some kind of witch?

[He rubs at his forehead, exasperated. With the mention of curses...it could be that, actually. It feels a lot like that. And yet...]

Yeah, I can put curses on people. I can even break a few. But it depends on who's gone and cast the thing. Like if it was my brother Lucifer, there'd be no way I could remove that. As far as any regular witch...sometimes I can, but it's easier said than done, with some curses.

[goldpeony]

[Yay! Teamwork!

Not that it's going to do a goddamn thing in this place, but they had a great team-building exercise.] Well? Are you fi-- [STOP.

He snatches the notebook, or the paper, or whatever and jerks it down to carefully hold it between both hands. His thumbs feel over the top of the paper, even if he can't exactly make out any ink lines or anything. Despite having it written out, whether perfect or horribly, he... can't feel any connection at all to anything. Something inside of him just isn't lighting up like usual.

He frowns at the seal.]

[commitaphobe]

[ that is exactly what she will do or die trying to do. ]

Well you can try. He's kind of a cagey fellow. But maybe someone as charming as you will have more luck than me.

[ Authors note: Haruka has not once attempted to get to know Jin Ling or his preferences before she did this.

More importantly. ]

That's Russian isn't it? Were you born there– in Russia, I mean.

[kazokun]

[ Is Jin Ling a witch? Jin Ling believes rice is comparable to modern medicine, so he's very likely a witch. ]

Do you have to know who did it, or can you try to break the curse regardless?

[ The person who placed the curse was probably Master Blue, who Ayabe would really really love to believe is a normal human being, no witches or demons involved. ]

[mammoney]

You can brute force it, sure, but some curses are built in a way that makes them pretty impossible to crack unless you do something to their maker, sad to say. It's a real headache!

[So yeah, he'd like to throttle Master Blue for this, since he's likely to have cursed them all, but...haha, like that's going to happen.]

[kazokun]

[ It was the entire notebook that he smooshed up against Jin Ling's face, because it it were the paper, he'd worry about it being torn. ]

...Is it no good? I can press harder so you can feel the backside of the page to make sure everything in the proper location.

[gitalong]

[ you are absolutely supposed to talk to a doggo, ignore anyone who tells you otherwise, Luna. ]

I came from the hall! And before that... the stick room!!!

I heard you earlier! You were talking about everybody getting sick or something, right?

[brokethefirst]

[There's an odd sort of sadness that enters her smile, if only for a moment. She didn't hear like, hardly any of that. But she heard overdo, and she heard worry, and she heard Isaac, and that's all she really needs to hear.]

I appreciate it. Both of you.

...Really, I'll be okay. It's my job for a reason. I told the same thing to Isaac as well. No one should have to feel guilty just for needing help. I don't ever feel burdened for giving it.

[commitaphobe]

[ Ah, Haruka is a big enough slut to know when she's being checked out.

She chuckles, amused and seemingly charmed. ]

Well, if you happen to know of anyone in that age and weight category who's looking for a date send them his way.. or mine. It might be better if I set this up.

[ Haruka leans down a bit, cupping her hand over her mouth like she's about to share a secret. ]

Between you and me, I think he could use a bit of companionship. He's wound up pretty tight.

[goldpeony]

[Damn. Uncle Jiang would know what to do, he thinks. Uncle Jiang, or even that damn Wei Wuxian. He frowns again, but for a different reason this time.]

Forget it.

[He almost wants to crumple the seal, but no. Putting the notebook down, he rips the page out, quickly and carefully along the edge.] It’s like the cave... There’s... some kind of cultivation dampening...

My sword is gone, the seals don’t work, I can’t feel my core...

[sadiskick]

Unfortunately.

[ She hates it, thanks, and isn't do anything to hide her displeasure. ]

It's unpleasant. I doubt it's a disease, too, since I usually can't be affected by normal ones.

tuesday

[mammoney]

[Hey, Luna! It's your favorite greed demon, who...just wanders over, squinting at a point over her shoulder. He frowns - he heard Luna's announcement earlier, and hey, why not, might as well share what's going on with him.]

Hey...human, that you? Luna?

[Just. Giving her a wave in front of her face.]

I can't see ya that well, so sorry if this is someone else...

[brokethefirst]

[There's a small flicker of surprise, but really, the fact doesn't throw her for a loop.]

I was wondering, honestly. The best I could figure from first glance was that your limbs were a cybernetic enhancement, though the shape is... um... a little unusual.

Could... I ask whether you're human or not?

[photorealism]

[ now he doesn't have a camera or a pen!! ]

You think I haven't tried that? As if you could offer any advice I have not already tried.

[kazokun]

[ Ayabe's eyebrows furrow when he listens to Jin Ling speak about this ...metaphorical cave, something about dampening. From the sense of it, a place where he felt suppressed and hopeless, and this situation is reminding him of his dark past in that """cave""". The core must be something like the heart or soul, the will to keep going, and when he says that, Ayabe reaches forward and touches the tips of his fingers to Jin Ling's chest, right over his heart. ]

Your core is right here. It will never leave you.

[ DON'T GIVE INTO THE DEPRESSION, LING. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF LIKE AYABE BELIEVES IN YOU. ]