April event

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04/04, 23:56

M.Arisu

hey... anybody who's awake to see this. hope you're not having too much trouble sleeping.
get rest when you can. work together when you can.
all we can do is keep trying, but i'm hopeful for this year.
feels weird to say... but it's all going to be gone soon, so...
anyways.
see you at school tomorrow.

Any replies on the forum go unresponded, and at the stroke of midnight, the past year's worth of messages are completely gone from the PDA forum, including any sent over spring break. Hope you have a good memory if you were in the middle of a conversation! Though you should really be in ...whatever you've managed to make your bed... because tomorrow is a big day.

04/05, 06:00

The silence continues until six in the morning with the toll of the clock tower bells, and anybody near the locker area will hear two women in mid-conversation as they phase through the front doors, heels clicking on the ground: "-—didn't even have the decency to finish the job! And now I have to— oh, stop crying, for goodness' sake! I swear—" It's a one sided conversation, mostly, and one that stops short the moment the women spot the students lingering around. While the younger woman, recognizable as the assistant principal, hurriedly scrubs at her face with her sleeves, the unfamiliar older woman with the oddly dissonant voice scowls intensely. "I don't need this on the first day of school! Students trespassing over break! I can't believe it! I don't have time for this—" she huffs, shaking her head and stomping down the hall towards the faculty office. "Miss Nene, I expected better of you! And you! Miss Ritsuka— the two of you shall report to the faculty office after the entrance ceremony. I expect a full report of everybody involved. Now behave yourselves and go to the auditorium."

Goodbye...

The assistant principal is left behind and looks confused and distraught. She sniffles and ducks her head a little, draws a shaking breath and stands a little taller. "I'm so sorry. I'll hear you all out after- after this is done. Alright?" She too heads towards the faculty office, trying her best to smile at those she passes by. While they may be followed, they seem to phase through the faculty office doors which remain closed and locked, and cannot be interacted with until after the ceremony.

Until then, other students start to filter through the front door, seeking out friends and chatting about their breaks, remembering about homework and asking if anybody actually did it so they can copy off them before classes start, laughing at any mention of being locked inside the school all break because what?? that's silly. A handful of students wear yellow armbands on the left sleeve of their uniform, marking them as members of the student council, and these student council members go around finally removing the gorinto from the window sills, tossing the rocks into a bag without any apparent ill effects, and collecting the snacks in a separate bag— though they'll offer the food to anybody they pass who looks hungry enough. Which is a lot of you. One or two might give a short lecture about the importance of eating breakfast to start the day off right. Other student council members busy themselves in the locker area, posting the new homeroom assignments and updating the school calendar to reflect exam dates and breaks for the coming year, or help setting chairs out in neat rows in the auditorium in preparation for the entrance ceremony.

04/05, 08:00

The opening ceremony starts at 8, with students and staff moving to the auditorium to sit with their homeroom class, calling characters out by name and dragging them over to their seat— physically if need be, and they're much stronger than they look. Unlike the graduation ceremony, characters are not forced to come to the entrance ceremony, but the moment they take a seat, they find that they can neither speak nor get up again until the ceremony is over.

The assistant principal stands behind the podium on stage, looking rather nervous as she glances down at the watch on her wrist for it to be time, and clears her throat before addressing the room. "Yogen High welcomes you, all our new students," she pauses, beaming at the row of first year classes before her gaze sweeps over the rest of the student body, "our transfer students, our returning students, our... repeat students..." Looking at you, Norton, Gawain, Abel... "I, um. You may have noticed that I am standing in for our principal today, who is currently... unavailable... and didn't exactly leave any notes to go off of..." She wilts a little, but trucks on nonetheless and continues the address, promising that the teachers will pass along any important announcements, expressing her belief in the potential of young minds, and wishing everybody a fulfilling school year. The ceremony concludes in a little under an hour, and the spell binding the students to their seats is broken, allowing everybody to rise and leave.

School lets out for the rest of the day with classes starting the next morning, and while many students take the opportunity to leave, some linger around the school. Gossip is flying already with news of the transfer students caught breaking into the school over break and what punishments they might get, rumors of what happened to the principal ranging from a family emergency to hospitalization to death, complaints about the water pipes not getting fixed over break, and general excitement over upcoming events listed on the bulletin board by the lockers, in particular new club advertisements, fortune telling ads, and a Charity Auction to be hosted the Monday after Golden Week next month.

April

School is school... The first thing teachers ask at homeroom Tuesday morning is for students to hand in their spring break homework. Didn't do it? You're on their shit list now. Characters are not forced to attend class, but patrolling faculty and student council members will heckle any truant students into going and can be a pain to deal with. Classes aren't taught terribly, though. The second year math teacher has a knack for easily digestible explanations, even if she writes and erases the board a bit too quickly to copy. The third year literature teacher combines weekly analytical essays with film studies, and is showing Child's Play, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Silence of the Lambs, and Where the Red Fern Grows this month. The first year biology teacher brings eyeballs and frogs and rats for dissection during anatomy lessons, and if you have a special request for a specific eye color, give him a day or two and he can deliver. 2-A's homeroom teacher can be seen stealing chalk from each of the second year classroom she rotates through and is offering extra credit to any students who sneak her chalk without asking questions.

New students will quickly learn that merit points are awarded for a full day's attendance, turning in homework, participating in class and clubs, scoring 80% or higher on quizzes and exams, etc. Less predictably, the PDA may sometimes ping for a single merit point when hanging out with a friend or arguing with a classmate, with stronger emotions (positive or negative) when interacting with somebody else more likely to trigger a point, and if students are abusing this system, it's kept out of the faculty's eyes. As the month goes on, sometimes a student comes to class with a cut eyelid, or a busted lip, or bandages wrapped thick around a wrist, but they always deny anything more than clumsiness or an accident or having pets who very aggressively show their love. Sometimes it's harder to hide, when a bloody nose drips onto the ground or bleeding knuckles brush against the wall, and those near enough to see blood touch the building will find that everything sort of... shifts... Just for a second. The feeling of vertigo that stops almost as soon as it begins, the world tilting without slotting back into alignment. You feel a bit nauseous. Just a little.

You go to the bathroom to splash water on your face and the pink looks a little darker, a little more solid. On the fourth floor, the water has stopped running in the bathroom sinks altogether, and students are told to go downstairs to do their business so that they may wash up after. With more students milling around the bathrooms, it's much easier to notice that people's reflections in the mirrors are just a bit off, lagging that split second long enough to be impossible to ignore once aware.

Every day you have homework. A new essay for something or other is assigned each week. Nobody wants to do group projects with a slacker who can't promise to meet up after school to get it done. Like clockwork, the school empties out at 6 PM each school day, leaving those behind to their own devices. There is no school on Sundays. Golden Week marks the end of the month, and guess who's going to be stuck at school for an entire week with only vending machine junk food to live off of if they aren't able to make progress concerning their living situation? Yeah.

Charity Auction

At least students have the charity auction to look forward to and work towards. Information about the auction set on May 10 can be found on the bulletin board, and appears to be put together by the student council as an annual event and an incentive for students to start the year off strong in earning merit points. Both students and staff are encouraged to donate to the auction, with the items collected and put on display in the auditorium behind locked glass cases. On May 10, students will be able to bid on items using their merit points, those who donate will receive 10% of the winning bid towards their item, and the school will match donations 100 to 1 point with proceeds going towards the "Save A Brain Foundation."

Throughout the month, glass cases lining the walls of the auditorium start to fill up with donations. The most popular donations seem to be physical items: possessions such as jewelry or gaming consoles, or artistic creations such as hand sewn clothing or paintings. There are placeholders for things that can't be put on display all month, such as placards with a picture or description of homemade food that won't be prepared until the auction date, or the promise of fishing lessons with the guidance counselor or a dinner date with the school principal (pending availability). At the back of the room stands the largest case, with the skinny black cat often found lying on top of it as if guarding it, although it will run away when approached.

Inside the case is a body.

OOC

✽ Refer to the npc contact page for which students and faculty are currently available for interaction. The assistance principal will do what she can to accommodate the characters stuck inside the school, but the extent of her help will depend on what is asked of her and how interactions with her go.

✽ The body does not seem to change or rot inside the case, and most npc students will unconvincingly express their belief that it's just a very life-like doll. Closer investigation of the body will not be available until next month, if a character manages the winning bid. Merit points earned are handwaved at player discretion, within reason.

✽ The plot will only move forward as things are discussed and acted upon, and clues distributed during app acceptances are meant to be shared and connected, so don't be afraid to ask questions and dig into things! I am here to enable.

Comments

Nene Yashiro | Jibaku Shōnen Hanako-kun | OTA

[mermaidcursed]

[ a // but she's a good girl! ]

[ Nene blinks owlishly as she's scolded- that. Had clearly not gone as she'd hoped. Like, at all. But it... confirmed something: the faculty had no idea that students were trapped, and were unprepared for it. Now the question was if they would believe them? Unable to hide the pout at being scolded, Nene sighs. ]

We might need to think of a cover story...

[ b // after the entrance ceremony ]

The principal didn't show up... I wonder what happened?

[ She doesn't dare bring up the fact that they could not move, could not speak-- it felt like they were all dolls arranged for playtime by a child's imaginary school. They could fidget at best, and that was it. To those that realized it, they didn't need the reminder. To those that hadn't, they didn't need the realization. So instead, she stays for a few minutes to engage in... 'gossip'. ]

[ c // worrying observations ]

Hey, have you noticed that the others are coming in in... kinda bad shape?

[ As she speaks, she's watching one of the local students shrug off a cut matched with a rather nasty bruise. More and more, with slowly increasing severity. but she doesn't know what to make of it. ]

[ d // mirror, mirror ? ]

[ At some point in the month you might notice Nene walking out of the bathroom a shade paler than usual. It turns out that when you're used to haunted bathrooms and mirrors, you pick up on some things fast. Part of her had expected her own displaced reflection to reach out and grab for her... ]

Um- have... you noticed anything weird about your reflection?

[ e // is it a body being discovered if it's on display? ]

[ When the body is first put up on display, her breath hitches in her chest. For a moment she sees Ala- where did she go, after that first day?- but it becomes clear that it... isn't. It isn't. She feels horrible on some level for being relieved. Though she takes on a frightful pallor, Nene is able to make her way out of the auditorium and by God she wishes she could leave and get some fresh air. ]

T-they look so real... I've never...

[ She's seen people (Aoi) turned into dolls. She's been in dangerous situations. She even knows... she... ... She's friends with ghosts. But she's never seen a body like that before. And it's... for sake. ]

[ f // wildcard ]

[ Take a look at my plotting post or throw an idea out! You can also hit me up in a PM or at amity_rose if you want. ]

C

[closewithnewintown]

[just casually doodling in her journal.]

Yeah. It's really weird. But... it's weirder that they're acknowledging it, right? I mean, they completely ignore all the other weird stuff; why do they ignore some things, but make excuses for others?

... They are humans, right? Like us, but this place made them weird. [she's not really sure anymore.]

children!!!!

[mermaidcursed]

I think so. But there's something keeping all of us stuck here, but letting them go freely. Maybe it's because they're native to this city...?

Maybe something's going wrong outside the school, but because we're here we haven't heard about it.

[ Nene, have you been reading your horror manga again. ]

[closewithnewintown]

Oh, that'd be so sad! They could be in trouble just as much as we are, if not worse... We'll have to help them, too.

[hmm...] There is that one weird kid that's a little different than the other ones. Seki. He might know something.

😊✨🍳

[nortonnnn]

( to be honest, getting proper meals around here has been pretty difficult; norton's been pouring merit points into the vending machines like they're going out of style. he does try to make use of the home ec room, it's just... whenever he happens to have the chance to pass through, it just so happens to be cooking club hours. or maybe a teacher is taking a break, quick to shoo him back to his classroom when he tries to skip out. it's all just bad luck. today, too, he's going to give dropping by a shot—it's just not sustainable to keep burning merit points like he has been—and find himself face to face with... well, face to face with nene.

she got here first, so he's not about to intrude whatever meal she seems so absorbed in making. instead, he'll just lean against the doorframe, waiting his turn. for now. )

cute....

[mermaidcursed]

[ Fortunately for Norton, it's hard to miss a whole entire adult man in a school uniform. (At least the ones here were tactful.) And Nene's a good kid, one who's thrown herself completely in trying to care for the other transfer students. ]

Oh! Um, hello. You're like me, right? I was just about to check the new ingredients! C'mon in.

[ The transfers had to stick together, after all. ]

nene sure is!!

[nortonnnn]

( norton may be a clear stand-out but, to be fair, nene? not necessarily. it takes him a few moments pause to figure out what she means by "like me" in this context. nene, like five feet tall, cute, student-aged, girl. norton, like six feet tall, un-cute, grown-ass, man. his head tilts to the side for a second, and he doesn't sound so sure of himself, but he'll step inside a little. )

Ah, maybe...

( "new?" )

Is there anything out of the ordinary?

E

[loyalbreed]

[ He was not quick enough with the want to cover the case from the younger individuals eyes. Unfortunately, he manages to watch as Nene scamper out the room looking far paler than when she entered in. He follows her slowly, cautious that his demeanor would frighten her further. After a moment and some wandering, he sees where she has went and without much hesitance. Kneels beside her, offer her his hand. ] Are you unwell?

Re: E

[mermaidcursed]

I- [ She freezes, voice caught in her throat before she forces herself to look up at Gawain. ] T-That's not a real person, right? I-I thought it was Ala for a moment-

[ And where has Ala been since the start of this? It wasn't like they had the freedom to do whatever they wanted. Surely she would have seen her at some point during the break after night one. ... Fuck, this line of thought isn't helping- ]

[loyalbreed]

It is a real person. [ Gawain states plainly, he leans down to take her hand from her sides. Attempting to keep her grounded with the touch of his hand - he is here. She is here, he does not want to lose her in the depravity of a persons death. ] Was it Ala?

c

[cicadashell]

[Jiro follows Nene's gaze to the student. He sees nothing abnormal about this really. He's looked like those kids most of his life, always covered in bruises and cuts as a younger kid, and even now, they weren't at all uncommon.]

They're fine if they say they are. Kids fight.

[He sounds bored if anything, and goes back to picking at the sweet bread recently obtained from the vending machine.]

ouo

[mermaidcursed]

[ Nene doesn't seem so sure! But she hardly knows the local students, and given that the transfer students are quickly growing more... hm. Uniquely aware, she can't help but feel like there's a gap between them. ]

I guess... but with everything else weird happening, it just... doesn't sit right with me.

[cicadashell]

What are you gonna do about it?

[He seems more interested, holding out the bread should Nene want some.]

Follow one of them until they get hurt again?

a

[rhymed]

[ Hajun takes all the scolding in stride; he's been spoken to worse, and with much more malice laced in their words, so he can easily shake this off. ]

Did you have an idea?

Re: a

[mermaidcursed]

Of course not, I'm an awful liar. But if we can't get out of the building today, we might get into more trouble.

[ If you haven't seen her stammer her way through a "No, I'm not doing anything", you're probably better off. ]

[rhymed]

I guess trying to explain that we were doing club activities would just draw more suspicions. [ Hajun sighs, running a hand through his hair. ] Honestly? I say wait for tomorrow to come and see how they respond.

A

[dereban]

... If it comes up with that, I'll figure something out.

[It absolutely would not be the first time that she's had to smooth talk her way with the faculty in the past.]

Re: A

[mermaidcursed]

[ Her voice is quiet as she speaks, just in case. ] I'm thinking about hiding in the clock tower in the early mornings, if we still can't leave. It doesn't seem like a place that will be checked too often.

[dereban]

[Inaba lowers her voice as well, keeping her volume down.]

That doesn't sound like a bad idea, actually... although I'm definitely expecting us to continue to have the inability to leave for quite some time.

[There's confidence in those words of hers, in spite of her grievances with the possible idea of being unable to leave.]

d, i told you id come

[commences]

Yashiro-san.. I know there's nothing appealing about me to look at, so I'd rather not break any mirrors..

( he doesn't know what will happen to him if he does that, considering he's already lost a fingernail due to taking a book out from the library. truth be told, komaeda hasn't really stopped to look at his reflection in the bathrooms, so he can only look down at her face trying to figure out what could have happened to her. )

That said.... did something happen? You look like you're about to drop dead.

( he extends his hand juuuust in case she's about to fall over, he can be normal on good days. )

holds my arms out to you

[mermaidcursed]

You shouldn't talk about yourself like that. Besides, you're plenty handsome. [ It's just that he's Like That. But like, you can't just say that. ] You wouldn't do anything of the sort.

[ At his question though, she looks back at the bathroom. She knows what she saw, but... ]

I know this is going to sound weird, but. It's like my reflection was slower than I was.

picks you up bc im extra taller than you

[commences]

Ah... I don't know what to say.. I've only been called that once.. and it wasn't even by my parents.

( actually, mikan said that komaeda was rather clean and lacked any spots of blood which he thought was calling him beautiful. even then, he still hasn't had anyone to genuinely say that to him until now, but he thinks that nene doesn't mean it. when his hand isn't taken, komaeda now crosses his arms as he watches the female trying to explain her side of the story. )

... Have you ever been to an amusement park? ( what a change in topic... despite that, he's walking towards the bathroom's entrance as he glances back to make sure nene's following along. )

b / / launches myself at you

[futurebullets]

[Hinata's shaken enough by the inability to move that he's still stuck behind trying to gather his bearings even after the ceremony has ended. He knows that panicking over what just happened won't solve anything, but... The fear and anxiety from it is still there. It's why when he hears that inquiring voice, he grasps onto it and responds immediately - anything to break through the fog in his head.]

Maybe something came up, or he wasn't feeling well today? From the way the assistant principal talked, it sounded like she had to deal with everything really suddenly...

[Hinata trails off. Confusion floods through him, but... There's a warm feeling, too. Why does this girl make him feel that way?]

Hey, do I... Do we know each other from somewhere?

CATCHES U AND SPINS

[mermaidcursed]

Both suddenly and for a while... I hope everything's okay.

( that sort of reaction didn't come from a 'one day only' replacement run. that came from 'a lot of responsibility just got forced upon me and we don't know for how long'. poor vice principal...

and then the other asks, drawing her attention from the podium finally. his voice had already been comforting, truthfully, but now- she's seen him. everything's a bit fuzzy, like a dream, but...

nene stares for a moment, before pointing somewhat dramatically- but not maliciously, at least? )

DIVISION!!

WHEEEEEEEEEE

[futurebullets]

[Something dark and cold had begun to creep up the back of his neck, trickle through his stomach - like fear, like anxiety, because for some reason the sight of this girl instills that in him. Not through fault of her own, but because he-

Those thoughts, as well as any comments about the principal, are quickly flung out of his head because. Well.]

Huh?! What?! Why are you yelling about...

[Hinata trails off, eyes going wide.]

...No. I do know you. I tutored you, didn't I? I helped you learn your math homework.

[A lifetime ago, with a sea of regret in between.]