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

[goldpeony]

I practice all the time!

[Wait.]

I can't practice here if I can't use any of my qi! That's why I said something had dampened my cultivation! There's something off about this place, and not just because we all woke up here!

[kazokun]

[ Ayabe's trying so hard not to shit on Jin Ling's fake cultural beliefs, he's telling himself to just leave it, it's not harming anybody, don't ask what cultivation is and why can't he practice whatever he need to practice, he doesn't want to get dragged into all of that. ]

Mammon said something like that, as did another girl I talked to a while ago. Do you think it'll be better if we were able to go outside?

[ Get some fresh air. Breathe. Cálmate ]

[goldpeony]

That isn't going to change anything if we've been dampened. It's--ugh! You wouldn't understand anyway. The dampening could be on us, not the building.

[His face sours, fingers curling into the paper a little.]

Besides, all of us have tried to get out already. There's some kind of barrier tossing us back inside. [He glances down, even if he can't see shit all.] Have you talked to those three girls since?

They have to know more than what they were saying.

[kazokun]

[ He doesn't understand at all, that's true. There's nothing to dampen... he goes and fills up another glass of water and hands it to Jin Ling, so he can grip the cup instead of the paper. ]

I've spoken to Plum and Pumpkin. Plum's been accommodating, and it sounds like they're just very insistent that we stay for this event, whatever it is.

[goldpeony]

[Frowning, he refuses to let go of the paper. Instead, he pushes the water back at Ayabe, lips thin.]

That isn't comforting! That's suspicious! People were saying something about "different worlds" and now there's an event? I can't use my cultivation, and I don't have my sword, or my bell!

This is a trap! We can't go along with this!

[kazokun]

[ You wanted water like five minutes ago, you brat-- He leaves it on the counter, but out of arms reach so it doesn't accidentally get knocked over. ]

Not letting you have your sword is reasonable... Have you opened the wooden box in your room?

[ There are four bells in there, Jin Ling. In different colors, too, he knows they're not quite the same but maybe Jin Ling can take comfort in them anyways. ]

[goldpeony]

[Yeah, he's just like that. Very cat-like and finicky.]

No one is allowed to touch my sword but me! [HIS SWORD.] The what...? No... [He's trying not to feel guilty or stupid about this, so shut up.]

Why? That girl already brought me one of the bells out of it. That's not my YunmengJiang bell. None of those are. This bell is for calming your mind and focusing. It keeps you from ever turning into a fierce corpse.

[kazokun]

[ Thank god Jin Ling is blind so Ayabe can just make this face at him. ]

[kazokun]

[ Ayabe places a hand on his shoulder. ]

It's alright. You're not going to die. I won't let you die here.

[ Poor kid is scared he's going to turn into a corpse, somebody give him back his comfort object. ]

[goldpeony]

[Oh my GOD. Jin Ling just looks at him like he's stupid, making this exact face in return.]

I don't plan to die here! Dying is the last thing I'm doing! I'm going to find out what's going on, and I'm going to put a stop to it! I'm getting my father's sword and my bell back! And my dog! And I'm going home because there's unfinished business!

[kazokun]

[ If he's not going to die, then why worry about the bell!!! ]

That's the spirit.

[ Ganba Jin Ling. Ayabe gives his shoulder a squeeze before yelling go and, yeah, taking a sip from Jin Ling's water. ]

As long as you don't lie down and give up, you'll be fine.

[goldpeony]

[IT'S SENTIMENTAL AND IMPORTANT TO HIM.]

Who would ever bother lying down and giving up?! That's stupid!

[kazokun]

Your sect leader...

[goldpeony]

[WHAT]

He isn't my sect leader! He's the leader of the Nie sect!

[kazokun]

[ NONE OF THIS MEANS ANYTHING TO HIM ]

But you still call him Sect Leader. What is he to you? I thought you looked up to him.

[ Or respected him or something. ]

[goldpeony]

[AYABE PLEASE GET WITH THE ANCIENT CHINESE PROGRAM]

I don't look up to him! [EW] You always refer to sect leaders as Sect Leader and their family name! He's leader of one of the Four Great Sects.

The only person I look up to is my uncle, Sect Leader Jiang!

[kazokun]

[ Don't EW in brackets, Nie Huaisang is going to cry ]

If he's a leader, then he should be somebody respectable. Out of anybody else here, he should know about your bell and the seals, right? It would be good to rely on him more.

[goldpeony]

[He's ALWAYS crying.]

Ugh! Sect Leader Nie doesn't even want to fight, or anything! All he wants to do is paint, or collect fans! His brother was meant to be the sect leader, but he died. Sect Leader Nie doesn't even want the title. I can't rely on him for anything!

[kazokun]

[ Don't be the reason for it!!!

Also, not fighting and just painting and collecting fans makes him sound like a pretty nice guy, according to somebody who has no idea what a sect leader does in the first place. ]

I'm sure he has skills that will come in handy...

[ He can't think of how any of that will help, though, so he leaves it at that. ]

What is your sect leader like?

[goldpeony]

Perhaps if there's a need to paint fans, or look at dirty books...

[He opens his mouth, and then he quickly shuts it. His face levels into a scowl.]

He's my uncle. On my father's side.

[kazokun]

[ What was that-

He won't ask. It's none of his business. ]

So he's family. [ That's bias, dude. Nie Huaisang never stood a chance. ] Were you always close?

[goldpeony]

[LISTEN.]

He gave me my dog, Fairy, when she was a puppy.

[kazokun]

[ He's so biased!! Cute. ]

I can tell how important she is to you. How long have you had her?

[goldpeony]

[NO, STOP. Uncle Jiang is the superior sect leader!!]

...Since I was young. Her name was Little Fairy, but she's bigger now, so I can't call her that.

[kazokun]

[ Jin Ling is biased and Fairy must be old by now, dogs only live like 10-15 years and she's not going to have much time left. Sorry about your dog, Jin Ling, she's going to die. ]

When you grow up with somebody, they'll always be little in your eyes. "Little Fairy" sounds affectionate.

[ Call her Little Fairy!! She should always be Little Fairy ]