adsum: (Default)
adsum ([personal profile] adsum) wrote in [community profile] yogen2021-06-05 07:54 am

June Event


hello

You open your eyes.

And you scream.

Four long gashes tear your sleeve to ribbons and arm to searing pain, something sharp clamps down on your ankle and sinks into flesh and bone, down the hall another student dangles half a foot off the ground with their hair slowly separating from their scalp, and littered across the floor are bodies pooling blood and occasionally twitching— not in a last bid for life, but in the way strips of skin and muscle and fabric pull away from a person's limbs when several dozen invisible hungry imps have decided they don't want to be banished and would rather feast on the blood of their enemies if that's what it takes to survive.

For every instance of blood that touches the floor, the school pitches and transforms into a dilapidated version of itself, what npcs that were in the hall with you turning into shadow versions of themselves and taking hold of the fallen bodies to drag them to the auditorium. There, the empty room is pitch black. There, the threshold at the doorway crumbles and expands with each shadow that stands and feeds the void another sacrifice. In this school, in its darkness and its silence and its faceless students that cannot be touched, you may at least find some reprieve from the imps that do not exist, find fresh water flowing from the bathroom sinks, and scenes of normal school life playing out in the cracked mirrors that if you break even further you find that you return.

You open your eyes, and no time has passed. Something invisible tears open a student's throat, so close you can see their vocal cords bright white and vibrating as they scream. Blood splatters on the ground, and the school pitches and turns once again.

hi

For each fallen student, a new one transfers in to replace them. Between the student council election and the imp infestation, more and more you seem to be surrounded by unfamiliar faces. The contrast is stark between those veteran students with bandaged arms and a limp to their stride and long sleeves and pants despite the growing heat, and those students with bright and smiling faces, the ones who coo over the cats and share their lunches with anybody who looks hungry and sit in small groups outside by the wisteria tree to chat during breaks, ignorant of what keeps it fed.

With all the new transfer students, many teachers have decided to assign group projects for their classes: poster presentations on their favorite myth or legend, short skits portraying famous historical scenes, and, everybody say thank you Cain and Kelly, taking care of flour sack babies. Projects are by homeroom and can be done in groups of 2-4, because sometimes a family is a dad and a dad and a wine aunt and a dog. The projects are all due at the end of the month, and if you're able to keep your flour sack baby from being turned into a cake or torn apart by imps, you may notice that they start to feel... warm... after one week. At the end of the second week, they begin to make short, quiet noises— a gurgle, a breath, a whine. At the end of the third week, while you're cradling the sack in your arms, you swear it moves. At the end of the fourth week, well. The project is over. Maybe it'll hatch? Let me know if you make it.

can you hear me?

The veteran students don't seem very keen on working with transfer students who make excuses about not wanting to work outside of school, but newer students are more willing, eager to meet people and get to know them and learn about the school. They gravitate towards the bulletin board to check out the class ranks, new clubs, a new section on the board with several dozen slips of colored paper tacked onto it and a little container below containing blank slips and a pen so you can add your own wishes:
"I want to be normal. --XX, 1-A"
 "I want to live. --XX, 2-B" 
 "I want my friends back. --XX, 3-D" 
 "I want life to go back to normal. --XX, 2-A" 
 "I want my brother back. --XX, 2-A" 
 "I want more power. --XX, 1-A" 
 "I want to be loved. --XX, 1-B" 
 "I want to fix the past. --XX, 2-A" 
 "I want to find my family. --XX, 3-B" 
 "I want to be loved. --XX, 2-A" 
 "I want a normal life. --XX, 1-A" 
 "I want my brother back. --XX, 2-B" 
 "I want to see my family. --XX, 1-C" 
 "I want to die. --XX, 2-D" 
 "I want my friends back. --XX, 2-D" 
 "I want to fix the past. --XX, 3-D" 
 "I want freedom. --XX, 1-D" 
 "I want to live. --XX, 1-C" 
 "LUNCH DATE WITH IZUMI SENA!!! --XX, 1-A" 
 "I want to be strong. --XX, 2-E" 
 "I want freedom. --XX, 3-E" 
 "I want to live. --XX, 2-E" 
 "I want to die. --XX, 3-E" 
 "I want to remember. --XX, 3-C" 
Wishes are meant to be granted, but... Some of the newer students make an attempt at being a little more realistic and add things like "I want the answers to next week's math exam" and "I want a pony" and do check the board occasionally, so it never hurts to leave a wish of your own.

That's certainly the thought as the month goes on and there are more and more wishes for the construction in the clock tower stairwell to hurry up and finish already, as the entire month of June, from 6AM to 6PM, six days a week, the sounds of drilling and hammering and screaming and sawing can be heard in the stairwell despite no construction workers being seen entering or exiting the school. The clock tower itself is inaccessible while the stairs are being taken down and replaced with a brand new elevator— veteran students are particularly grateful, because it's hard to climb stairs and go to class when your shin is splintered and a thin layer of bandage is the only thing keeping your guts from spilling out onto the floor.

In the evening after the npcs leave, characters are able to open the doors on the second and fourth floors to find... that nothing looks any different. On the first floor, however, a set of elevator doors has been installed right by the front doors, and while the button to open the doors don't work, they can be wrenched apart and entered, revealing a barren space with metal walls, a clock hung on the back wall that ticks backwards, and too many buttons on the panel by the double doors. Most buttons are white, numbered -6 to 27 though out of order and not all the numbers are there. Some are black, one is red, neither colors having symbols etched into them. None of the buttons work when pressed.

Not yet.

it'll be alright

Until then, the clock tower can be reached as normal up several flights of stairs, the room at the very top bright and sunny with clock faces in the glass on all four sides, floorboards stained copper red and the air thick and difficult to breathe. For some, it's still worth it for the view of the wisteria tree in perpetual bloom in the courtyard below, especially as the heat and humidity of summer approaches and with it comes clouds of gnats that have taken up residence in the courtyard, hovering over puddles of light pink water left over from watering the courtyard overnight. Classes are no longer held outdoors, as teachers find it impossible to speak without gnats entering their mouths at any given opportunity, and the heat inside the school becomes near unbearable towards the latter half of the month as there is no air conditioning and teachers hesitate to open their windows. The homeroom teachers in 1-B, 1-D, and 2-C made that mistake once, opening the windows facing the courtyard and the gnats had gotten in, little homing missiles to their favorite food: blood, sweat, and tears. But if you don't cry, sweat, or bleed and aren't afraid of the gnats squeezing their way through the mesh screen in the windows, it can be nice to sit by the window and hope a breeze comes your way.

Those in classes 3-A, 3-B, 2-C, 2-D, 2-E, and all of the first year classes can find that they're able to open the windows in classrooms 1-B, 1-D, and 2-C to enjoy the breeze, but find an invisible barrier blocking their way and preventing any part of them from reaching out into the open space. 3-A, 2-C, 2-D, 2-E, 1-B, 1-D, and 1-E are able to remove the screen and exit through those windows facing the courtyard, keeping in mind it is the 3rd and 4th floors and they will have to climb back up to reenter the school. 2-C, 1-B, and 1-D can go a step further and find that the front door to the school opens for them, except when they try to leave, they run into an invisible barrier, unable to take another step out the door. But they can stand there and take in the sight of the school gates in the near distance, of the forest just beyond, of the npc students slipping past them on their way to and from home. At this threshold it is chilly despite the heat that smothers the school in waves, the air is fresh, invigorating, and when the sun passes overhead you swear you can feel it staring.

OOC

✽ Sometimes you summon murder imps and you gotta get rid of them yourselves. The imps are invisible unless supernatural sight (eg Nene, Clamor) or form (eg Moriarty, Sherlock) is regained, or are seen through an adder stone (possessed by Arthur, Gundham), but can still be fought either way through physical or magical means, or banished with the proper materials. They will NOT be rampaging and attacking everybody all the time, so this prompt is avoidable if you'd rather not, but they will gravitate towards 1) students who are alone, and 2) areas where there is already bloodshed happening.
✽ For the flour sack group project, groups are by homeroom and can number between 2-4 students. You may also assume npc students are part of your group if you wish.
✽ Characters may notice that physically, an elevator can't make sense without demolishing the first floor locker area, and they will have to accept the fact that not everything will make sense, and that sometimes, Ori just does not want to redraw floorplans. The elevator will be functional starting next month, maybe.
✽ Only windows in classrooms 1-B, 1-D, and 2-C can be opened by characters in classes that have gained at least one class rank to date. Those classes that gained at least one class rank last month are able to exit out the windows facing the courtyard only. Those classes with 30 or more ranks are able to open the front door to the school but not exit through it. To anybody else watching them open the door, they will see that character turn into a shadow and go through the motions of opening the door without exiting, exactly how npc students appear when they enter and exit the school.
elevelvetor: (30. eight of wands)

[personal profile] elevelvetor 2021-06-15 01:32 am (UTC)(link)
( Oh, she's been caught! If she remembers right... He's on the student council, correct? Elizabeth bows with her hands folded in front of her, straightening up and raising one palm-side up. )

Welcome to the Velvet Room! ( She pauses, then laughs as she lowers her hand. ) Pardon me. I am simply role playing a former occupation of mine. I saw the elevator and felt like doing so.
moraloutrage: (listening carefully)

[personal profile] moraloutrage 2021-06-15 04:13 am (UTC)(link)
[He stands there sternly, with his arms folded as he stares into the elevator room. A confused eyebrow raises.]

The- the Velvet Room...? [He shakes his head at her antics.] Well I have to say that this sounds quite reckless! No matter what your past job may have been, this is an unfinished elevator room. It could be dangerous to be here!
elevelvetor: (34. knight of wands)

[personal profile] elevelvetor 2021-06-20 02:17 am (UTC)(link)
We're on the ground floor, my good gentleman. It isn't as if it can fall or anything... Ah, and the buttons on the side don't yet work.

( she has TRIED. )

The fact that this one is purely stationary is rather alarming, however... The one I worked on was ever moving.
moraloutrage: (much thought)

[personal profile] moraloutrage 2021-06-20 03:20 am (UTC)(link)
[He's reluctant to cool down so easily! He looks on with an uneasy frown.]

I- I suppose you have a point. Still, you did not know for sure what would happen before you entered this space! Who knows how dangerous an unfinished elevator can be?

[Ishimaru keeps himself from actually setting foot into the elevator room, as if he'd be no better than her if he did so!]

...Ah, but your problem is a simple one. This elevator is not active yet. Of course it will not move at the moment!
elevelvetor: (ⅩⅢ. the death)

[personal profile] elevelvetor 2021-06-20 04:26 pm (UTC)(link)
( Hmmmm... Hmmmmmmmmmmm. )

You're on the student council, correct? Do you happen to know when it might become active?
moraloutrage: (at attention)

[personal profile] moraloutrage 2021-06-20 08:00 pm (UTC)(link)
It is supposed to be finished sometime next month. I am not privy to an exact date, but construction is expected to continue throughout the month. So please be careful in the meantime!
elevelvetor: (ⅩⅢ. the death)

[personal profile] elevelvetor 2021-06-21 02:45 am (UTC)(link)
( Oohhh, next month... How does she timeskip to then, c'mon. )

Wonderful. I shall prepare a multitude of decorations, as well as party favors, to celebrate its awakening. Would you like to assist me?
moraloutrage: (you must be mistaken)

[personal profile] moraloutrage 2021-06-21 04:08 am (UTC)(link)
A... a celebration? [He responds a little sheepishly while he feels himself getting roped into this.]

I suppose that celebrating its completion could be an event worthy of observing, and it may help to boost morale. As long as none of the preparations disrupt the construction team's work, I may be willing to help you out!
elevelvetor: (58. eight of cups)

[personal profile] elevelvetor 2021-06-22 01:15 pm (UTC)(link)
( YESSSSSSSSSS sucker. )

I'll wait until the elevator is more or less complete before putting them up. The hardest part is making enough to show how happy we are that it has been added... Do you suppose three-hundred bows is enough, or shall we need more?
moraloutrage: (frantic)

[personal profile] moraloutrage 2021-06-22 02:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Th-three hundred?! That much alone might be far too excessive! I can understand wanting to show one's appreciation for something so convenient, but that many sounds far too wasteful! Do we even have enough resources at our disposal...
elevelvetor: (ⅩⅠ. the strength)

[personal profile] elevelvetor 2021-06-22 02:58 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm certain we do, and that we should go to such an extent. That isn't the least of my plans, anyway... I suppose if we must sacrifice some bows in order to make ribbons, party hats, those adorable favors one can blow and spook one's friends and family with, paper flower necklackes, banners, bracelets, party games, and adorably colorful outfits... Then we may do so.
moraloutrage: (if I must)

[personal profile] moraloutrage 2021-06-22 07:08 pm (UTC)(link)
I see. I see...

[He nods along as he takes in her points.]

If some of the bows can be utilized to make those other party-related items, then it certainly seems far less wasteful! Yes, this course of action is starting to sound feasible.
elevelvetor: (ⅩⅥ. the tower)

[personal profile] elevelvetor 2021-06-27 06:00 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm glad you agree. We should get started right away, else we run the risk of others taking our valuable materials...

( .............. )

If you would, please, fetch me as much as you can carry of the following: construction paper, scissors, glue, and string.
moraloutrage: (errrr)

[personal profile] moraloutrage 2021-06-27 09:53 pm (UTC)(link)
R-right away?!

[He sweatdrops. But he quickly regains his composure.]

Well, I do believe that we should leave some for others who might need them... but I can grab a substantial amount of those supplies for you!
elevelvetor: (23. two of wands)

[personal profile] elevelvetor 2021-06-30 03:41 pm (UTC)(link)
Then as much as you can carry... And yes, right away. If we dally, then we won't have as many supplies as we need.

( THAT MAKES SENSE...?? )

I shall be awaiting your return.
moraloutrage: (intense salute)

[personal profile] moraloutrage 2021-06-30 09:33 pm (UTC)(link)
Understood! [He salutes. He might not understand the urgency of this, but now he has a task to complete!

It takes some time for him to return, going up to the third floor and back. When he does appear, his arms are full with construction paper and string. A few containers of glue are sticking out of his pockets, and two pairs of scissors are being held very delicately in his hands.]


I have returned!!