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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MONDAY, 12PM

[cluedin]

[As the static clears, a low, drawling masculine voice begins to speak.]

"The house, of course, fit my needs perfectly. Though I could hear hinges creak in rooms that lacked doors and strange sounds seemed to echo in the halls, I knew such were the perils of its older roots. Even the slightest breeze outside could make candlelight flicker despite the air seeming still. I worried not. How could I? There was no turning back. Every day seemed better than the last as I prepared the house at my leisure. The cleaning took some time, and I grew accustomed to the strange noises and shadows that came in the night. It was knowing that I could not trust my senses during these times that allowed me to disregard them. I walked to my chambers one such night as the wind howled in such a manner as to cause the entire house to shake. Foundations, I feared, would need to be strengthened. There was no light as I ambled on save for the flicker of the lit candle in my grasp. I missed the stars of my home.

The mirror in my chambers reflected me, as it always did. The shadows cast by my light seemed to exaggerate my features. My eyes did not glow so, nor were they so sunken. I let out a yawn and paused as I stared at myself. My reflection smiled at me. No, my teeth were not that sharp. Still, I smiled back. It was only polite.

The light of my candle went out."

[stormsoff]

a thing.

[ Isaac kept to himself on Sunday, staying out of public areas as much as possible and trying to avoid most people. Come Monday morning, though, and he can no longer avoid being seen. Should you run into him early in the week, you'll notice ... something about him.

Which is that someone apparently kicked the shit out of him. There's a large, painful looking bruise on his head just beside his temple. Both his hands are a complete mess, the knuckles of both black and blue. Most noticeably, his right arm is in a sling. A beautiful, fancy, purple sling. How lovely!

He doesn't really want to talk about it, but you can sure ask! ]

exploring.

[ On Monday, and on other days throughout the week, you can find him in the library, continuing to search for answers. He'll also be seen in the conservatory, checking out the locked door ... or just smelling the flowers bUT YOU WON'T CATCH HIM ADMITTING HE THINKS THEY SMELL LOVELY!! On Monday only, past noon, he'll be in the study muttering to himself and taking copious notes. ]

Eyes didn't glow... wait, no, they did? And they were sunken... sharp teeth... rrgh!

[ It's hard transcribing from memory.

To be honest, though, he doesn't get much moving around done, because unless he leans on a wall as he walks, he keeps tripping on nothing and eating shit on the floor. Which definitely isn't exacerbating his injuries at all. It's like he's lost his sense of balance. Weird! Sorry about when he falls flat on his face in front of you. Or directly into you. ]

everywhere, all week.

[ You can also, at various points, just find him lying on the goddamn floor wherever the hell staring up at the ceiling like it personally slighted him. This is just his life now.

Approach and he'll just kind of lift a hand without looking at you and go: ]

Sup.

[kazokun]

i.
[ Ayabe starts off the week with two sets of bruises on his face and a faint smudge of blue ink on his cheek he's having trouble scrubbing off. It sure was a weekend. He's tired and looks even more so while he listens to the announcement playing overhead. SO TIRED. ]

What... was that? A story?

[ Some sort of weird horror story isn't what he was expecting, and for a moment he thought maybe it was somebody narrating their journal and somehow had it broadcast on accident, how embarrassing. ]

ii.
[ I never did a profile reaction toplevel so I'm doing it now, Ayabe just never read any of this until Monday, it's okay. He lingers around the three staff profiles, mostly, because they're the more important people to know in this place, but does a —what's meant to be a quick scan of the others, but, you know. Thief. Drug dealer. Assassin. SENSELESS SLAUGHTER jfc. ]

Ha ha. Funny.

[ For better or for worse, he doesn't believe any of it. ]

iii.
[ ??? if you want to catch him anywhere, your best bet is the conservatory, writing in a notebook at one of the tables, or his room upstairs just sort of deadeyeing the ceiling. But past Wednesday, if you call out to him, he'll completely ignore you. He's going to lose his hearing gradually at first but then be completely deaf by Wednesday, which is fine because then he can just sit there and close his eyes and pretend everything is just fine.

In the meantime, imagine him just speaking increasingly loudly to make up for it, like an old person, until he realizes what's going on and he'll shut up. ]

[dressupqueen]

monday;
[Happy Monday! Nikki is out and about, wandering the house as she thinks over that strange announcement from before. Strange - but even stranger is how her attention focuses suddenly on something down the hall that you can't see. She picks up the pace a little to try and get a closer look, and her hand hits the wall, but she doesn't seem to notice -

And then stops, frowning.]

...I'd never wear something that clashed so horribly... my mind must be playing tricks on me.

tuesday;
[Another day, another outfit. Tuesday finds her in the conservatory, taking stock of the flowers in the vases and pausing every so often to breathe in their scents.

"Stop and smell the roses" is a saying for a reason, or something. She's even holding a rose that she's managed to take out of the vase! If nothing else, it's at least a little relaxing, and the rest of this situation is anything but.

She'll take small victories where she can get them.]

wednesday - cw: self harm/burning;
[If you give Nikki a wardrobe full of fancy clothes in her size, she will wear them. Wednesday finds Nikki at one of the candeholders, reaching for one to pick it up - apparently she needs some extra light for... something?

But she pauses as her hand nears the candle. Something seems to be occurring to her, and a moment later she shifts her sleeve further up her arm and puts a fingertip directly into the candle flame.

She doesn't bat so much as an eyelash, watching the fire on her skin, and pulls it out a few moments later. Her finger is a little red, now, and she frowns at the sight of it, but doesn't seem to be in pain.]

...well, that's odd.

wildcard;
[Want something else? Hit me with whatever, or hit me up at britt#1723 or bloodthirstiest to plot! I'm open for PCs, too, if you'd like one. Just let me know which day it's happening on because I am absolutely committing to the shitpost of "making new icons for new outfits, not new expressions"]

wednesday

[kazokun]

[ Odd-- that's not ODD, that's just downright STUPID and Ayabe stomps over to snatch her hand out of the fire. He's completely deaf and also shouting at the top of his lungs and won't be able to hear her, but. ]

What are you doing?! Don't play with fire like that- we're getting this iced!

[ Hand on her shoulder to turn her around and march her out of the room, we're going to the kitchen, missy. ]

[dressupqueen]

[Well, see, here's the deal. She doesn't feel it when he snatches her hand, either. She does see it, and she hears him yelling, but here we go.

Nikki doesn't really put up a fight when he starts marching her toward the kitchen, because he has a point.]

It doesn't hurt, though.

exploring, monday

[kazokun]

[ Ayabe was headed for the kitchen for a glass of water when Issac nearly crashes into him, but Ayabe's able to lunge forward and catch him before he does that. Which might hurt his arms more than faceplanting would, but. Anyways, Isaac is clearly drunk off his ass and needs a glass of water more than he does. ]

Hey! Be more careful!

[ On the account of being slightly deaf, he's speaking slightly loud, sorry. ]

[kazokun]

[ He's so focused on getting her to the sink that he doesn't even notice she's speaking to him, he just continues his little ranting lecture that he can't even hear himself, but he's not the person who needs to hear it. ]

What were you even thinking? You grab candles by the base, not from the top-- you need to be more careful so you don't get hurt-

[ etc etc ]

[stormsoff]

Jesus--

[ haha holy shit this dude grabbing him jars his shoulder super bad and is actually REALLY PAINFUL, but other than a sound like ghrk he doesn't give any sign. Just tries to steady himself, but he's wobbling on his feet a little. ]

I'm trying, I'm trying! I don't know what's wrong. It's like I can't walk today! And why are you talking so loud?! Turn it down, dude!

[goldpeony]

a. library

[Jin Ling actually wakes up here, hm. So feel free to have seen him bunched up in one of the leather chairs bright and early.

Right now, though, even before breakfast, even before anything, he's currently grabbing books off the shelf to flip them open and race through the pages. And then he drops them on the floor by his feet.] What... is going on?! [His pace is frantic, and rather than grab books in order, he simply picks and choose, opens them, flips through the pages, and then angrily tosses it on the ground.]

b. the stairs

[He's got a death grip either on the wall or any railing. He's taking the steps one at a time, but not necessarily slowly. Each footstep down is heavy and disjointed, like he hasn't become use to how tall each one is yet. Halfway down the stairs, he freezes in surprise, head turned to the opposite side of the stairs. His size? Looks like long black hair...?]

...Lan Sizhui...?

[No, nothing on them is white enough, he thinks. He'd definitely at least be able to tell the blinding white. He's not sure what the figure is doing...? But it's not answering him which is terribly creepy.] Go away! [he says very suddenly, and then starts racing down the steps. Very badly.]

c. wildcard

[WILDCARD ME. Jin Ling will be trying to get around, as I've taken his sense of sight, though everything is very immensely blurry rather than total darkness. I'm also down for PCs!! Hit me up on discord if you wanna do something!]

[kazokun]

I'm not—

[ They are both shouting and it all sounds like normal conversation to him, but never mind Ayabe becoming old and senile, he instead focuses on Isaac and gives him a look down.

A sling.

Ayabe continues to talk loudly. ]

What happened? Did you get knocked in the head? If it's a concussion, don't go walking around like this, you need to lie down.

stairs, monday

[kazokun]

[ It's a new week and everybody is suddenly drunk.

At least Ayabe appreciates people having no indoor voice now that he's hard of hearing, standing at the bottom of the steps and staring up at Jin Ling. ]

What? No, I'm not going away. I need to get upstairs.

[goldpeony]

No, I'm coming down!

[Without stopping, Jin Ling barrels down the stairs and right into Ayabe, unable to make much out of where the wall and stairs end and where Ayabe begins.

For a moment, he latches to Ayabe's shoulders, jerking his head around to look back up the stairs, eyes squinted heavily. Nothing there...?! But he just saw...!]

You think I'd fall for that prank?! You were just on the stairs!

ii.

[madburnout]

[Well, he mostly came over here to talk to the dude who passed out and caused a big ruckus, but he looks back and forth between him and the profiles for a moment.]

Is it.

[Is it????]

1/2

[stormsoff]

[ ! ]

[counterclocked]

i

[Today, if you're walking down the hall or in any public area, you might catch a certain redhead walking straight into a variety of objects. Oops! A table in the dining room, a bookshelf in the library, or he might even walk straight into you. If he does:]

Oh, shit - are you okay? I'm sorry, I don't know what's up with me today...

ii

[About halfway through the morning, he's had a chance to check out the new placard. He glances towards the nearest clock to see how long it'll be until lunch is going to be served, and pauses. It probably shouldn't be taking him this long to determine what the clock says? And yet, here he is, still squinting at it.

After a good few seconds of staring, he looks towards whoever's closest with a frown.]

...What does that say?

[Did he lose his ability to tell time, too? Haha, weird.]

wildcard

[If none of these prompts work for you or if you'd like a PC, hit me up on discord or at incendiary!]

[kazokun]

[ Who's the one who caused a big ruckus??? Lio got outed to him, so Ayabe does freeze and looks like he wants to turn around and walk away, but hasn't finished reading all the profiles and doesn't want to be chased off until he does. ]

It's sarcasm. Of course it's not funny, and I doubt half of this is true.

[stormsoff]

N-nothing happened-- I'm fine! ... it got looked at, and anyway, it's not as bad as-- just... don't worry about it, alright? And you're still shouting!!

[ They're both shouting, it's fine. ]

[unanswering]

[Happy Monday afternoon! If you weren't awake already or woken up by the odd message and you can still hear, you may be woken up by a series of sounds from the Cobalt room: there's a thud, followed by a terrified wail and slightly muffled scuffling sounds.]

HELP! Help me, I'm under attack-- please, let me go!!

[If you come to check this out, you'll find the door unlocked if you try it? Turns out a couple rich guys are bad at security, damn. Nie Huaisang also hasn't been seen outside their room at all today prior to this.]

[voidbreaker]

[ he just keeps walking past the room ]

[kazokun]

What? Are you blind?

[ Granted, he was on the first step on his way up, but had stepped back down onto the ground level once he realizes Jin Ling isn't going to stop until he's bodily throw Ayabe halfway across the hall away from the stairs for whatever inane reason he needs Ayabe to be away from them. ]

What prank? Let go of me!

i

[shortforever]

[Oh, his handiwork lingers, good to know.]

It sounds like just part of a story if it's one.

[And those details make it sound like it's going to become a horror story.]

[madburnout]

[He doesn't actually want to terrify this basket case out of a room, so he keeps his distance.]

I believe it is mostly true. Simply framed in a way to make us question others. [Shrugging.] The same tactics have been employed against me before.

ii

[shortforever]

It says...

[Look at Chuuya, squinting up at the clock. Luckily his eyesight is going a lot more slowly, so he can still read the clock with some effort.]

...10:35. Why?

ii, monday

[kazokun]

[ Is he like Babo Kim who never went to school and thus Ayabe can't be disappointed in him for not being able to do something simple like tell time... Every day Ayabe lowers his standards for people. ]

It's around 12:25. Half past noon. See the small hand? That's the hour hand, pointing to the twelve. The longer hand is the minute hand... There are sixty minutes in an hour, so the five means it's five twelfths of an hour, or twenty-five. Does this make sense?