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wake up

You open your eyes. And then immediately squeeze them shut as a cloud of chalk dust gets clapped in your face, the student next to you looking surprised— but the sort of surprised as if they're faking it, barely suppressing a laugh. "What're you dozing off for, transfer student?" they ask, going back to wiping clean the chalkboard you two are standing in front of. "The sooner we get everything cleaned up, the sooner we can go home!" Another classmate tosses a wet rag at the side of your face, laughing as if a joke— if it weren't strangely warm to the touch, with dark red stains smelling strongly of iron.

All characters open their eyes and wake up in one of the classrooms around school. Whatever they remember last, it's lost in a thick, sleepy fog, the drowsiness still wearing off and making it difficult to reconcile the fact that they've never seen this classroom or these people in their lives, but somehow, it feels like they've been here forever. The other students all act familiar towards you, calling you by name and encouraging you to help clean the classrooms as part of observing the Vernal Equinox. Buckets of soapy water are set on the desks around the classrooms, light pink suds spilling over the sides, and both students and faculty can be seen hard of work scrubbing dark, stubborn stains out of the walls and floors. "It must be absolutely spotless," they murmur under their breaths. "All evidence must be erased."

You don't have to stay and clean. You could throw the rag back into a bucket and flip these strangers the bird and exit the classroom. But those who don't help clean even a little will find that they leave sticky red footprints wherever they walk, creating more work for everybody else and becoming very easy to track down and """accidentally""" knock over the backside of the head with a mop handle. Besides, it's not like you can walk out of the school and get back to whatever you were doing before. Your feet may bring you to the front door on autopilot, but the doors do not open for you, and neither do any of the windows no matter how hard you try to pry them open or kick them in.

Careful, though. On some windowsills, particularly on the third and fourth floors, rests a stack of five flat stones one on top of another: a gorinto to those who recognize such a thing, a pile of rocks to those who do not. The stones are all damp with water, topped with a scattering of wisteria flowers, and flanked by cheap packaged snacks. Whether on accident or on purpose, the moment you touch any of it—-

wake up

You open your eyes. The last thing you remember is touching a wet stone or trying to swipe the rice cracker beside it, and in the next moment, you're somewhere else inside the school. Characters who touch the gorinto or its offerings will find themselves pulled into a memory of high school life, one that feels like theirs, although they recognize that that's impossible. There's the feeling of being classmates with the other characters- perhaps two characters are seat partners, or best friends, or rivals, or club members- but despite the familiarity, do not know each other's names or recall ever seeing their faces before. Essentially, live your pre-established cr high school au dreams.

The memories fade in and out of different scenarios, but they all start off the same: You open your eyes.

(tw: implied suicide)

You're standing in front of a window, cold fingers wrapped around your wrist and pulling it away from the pile of stones. Perhaps another character has come to your rescue, or else one student in particular who shakes his head, whispers "don't," and walks away.

wake up

You open your eyes and wipe a bit of drool off the corner of your mouth. There's really no shame, when half the students sitting around you in the auditorium are half asleep as well. As if coming out of a dream, the characters don't remember getting here, just that they are now- sitting in uncomfortably hard plastic chairs in the back rows in the auditorium, the school principal's flat, droning voice reverberating oddly off the walls of the large room. No matter how hard you try, you cannot get up out of your seat.

"...and now, let us congratulate the graduating class," the principal says, stepping back from the podium. A single student rises to her feet and meets the principal at the center of the stage, her long dark hair falling across her face as she bows and receives her diploma. "Congratulations, graduate. May your life be full and prosperous. Please, if you would say a few words..."

The girl straightens and pushes her hair out of her face with one hand— she has no other hand, the entire sleeve of her right rolled all the way up to the shoulder and pinned flat. She forgoes the podium and the microphone, but somehow, her voice rings out clearly and reaches all the way to the back of the room: "Keep your eyes open."

With that parting message, she steps off the stage, disappearing into the mass of students who stand and fill the room with applause, drawing the graduation ceremony to a close. Characters find that they can now get up and move, which is a good thing because the other students are all pushing and shoving to get out of the auditorium and out the front doors, phasing right through the closed doors. Like a sieve, the school empties out, leaving behind the dregs.

wake up

Your eyes are open and the school is quiet. None of the students or faculty remain in the school, and all the staff— the principal, faculty, nurse, and counselor's— offices are locked. A skinny black cat flicks its tail from where it sits on top one of the lockers, where characters can find a copy of the school calendar showing the next two weeks to be spring vacation, with the school being closed for the holiday.

At least, with school vacated, it's clear from those left who's in the same boat and allows the chance for exploration away from prying eyes of the other students and staff. Introductions are probably in order, a discussion of what the fuck is going on, maybe also a plan of attack— or a plan for survival, at the very least, because there is no way out of this school. What ingredients are left in the home economics kitchen is going to have to last everybody the next two weeks. The student store is already empty. The water runs pink. The vending machines don't respond to jostling or being kicked over and brought to the ground, only the last dozen "merit points" on your PDA that you can't earn any more of, with class out of session. The snack you've been hiding in your locker should probably be saved as a last resort. The cats are starting to look tasty.

Hang in there. School will be starting again real soon.

OOC

✽ Characters experience the recurring feeling of drifting in (school life) and out (canon life) of sleep up until the graduation ceremony, after which they will have full awareness and come to their senses. Pre-established cr is possible to some extent, as a varying degree of familiarity may remain, but all characters will be strangers to one another unless they know each other in canon. All npcs will know the characters' names, but characters will not know each other's names until introduced.

✽ The second prompt occurs upon a character touching a gorinto or any of the offerings surrounding it. While touching it, characters fall into a trance and experience different scenes of high school life, with examples given in the prompt but players are free to play out any aspect of normal school life taking place at any time during the school year.

stopit

npc contact page

locations page

✽ As a reminder, all doors and windows leading outside are locked and cannot be broken. From midnight until 6AM, all sound disappears from the world. Characters are free to use their PDA as a network, but it is text (and shitty touchpad art) only and all threads are public.

✽ TDM threads may be used for bonus activity after April AC is submitted.

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[That makes him chuckle again.]

Not anything as special as all that... I just like being able to help if I'm working hard anyway.

[It's embarrassing but it's a nice feeling... It's what he's always longed for, after all - being important to someone.

...Oh? Is this... Did she...]

...Oh, wow. [He looks over her sheet with wide eyes and a broadening grin.] You... I can't find any mistakes. You really did get the hang of it! Well done!

And that makes you good. But you're still also the best.

( as he checks her work, she leans over a bit, as if that will help her see what he's thinking. at his announcement, however, she throws her hands up into the air with a cheer, almost tipping her chair back- that could have been bad! )

It's all because of you!!!

Now you're just flattering me.

[Hinata snorts, but it's mostly to cover up how his face is a little pinker than it had been previously.

But his hand is still quick to shoot out and grab the back of her chair, huffing out a breath of relief once the wooden legs are back on the ground. But even with that, it's hard for Hinata to lose his cheer.]

I still only helped, it was you that did it. But... I'm glad I could. It makes me really happy to see how far you've come.

It's not flattery if I mean it!

( nene's giggling is light and innocent and sincere. even when she nearly tips over she's beaming up at hinata, both amused and thankful. )

No one's made it so easy to get though. ( for shame, teachers. ) Besides, I like working with you! Y'know, I bet you'd make a really good teacher...

I... guess that's true. [Hinata rubs the back of his neck. He's actually going to end up blushing if she keeps that up.] ...Thank you.

[Hinata's still kind of embarrassed, but he's honestly surprised too - he really would've thought that someone would've tried to break it down for her. He doesn't have any memories that stand out of his teachers in the past, but he knows there at least had to be one that broke things down enough for him to understand. The thought of Nene not having that makes him feel a little sad...

But that just means he'll have to do what he can to help her from now on, right?]

I'm only able to do this much because someone else showed me how first. [And now, he has that groundwork to help him work as hard as he can.] But... I guess I've thought about it a little. Being a teacher, I mean. I guess it could be nice...

[For a second, he gets a little lost in thought about it. That would be really nice, if he could grow up and then get to help other students like Nene. That's a person he thinks he could be proud of.

But he shakes that off. No daydreams yet!]

I-In any case... You worked really hard, so how about we take a break and grab something from the vending machine as a treat?

( all these times he's helped her, and he still sells himself short like this- how many times had she come running to him with such heavy anxiety and homework in her hands only for him to brush it all away? the audacity, honestly. but that's what she was there for.

oh but then he mentions snacks, heck yes! nene stands up excitedly, before looking unsurely at her homework and everything. ... no, she's not risking it. everything is quickly packed back up into her bag. )

Okay! Let's go!!

( careful not to race on ahead of him, she makes her way to the classroom door, blissfully unaware of the creaking sound from a bookshelf nearby. after standing unbalanced for who knows how long, it was finally reaching it's limit, leaning forward--

the cascade of books and the crash of wood against desks and the floor leave nene white as a ghost, whipping back to watch the dust settle. she had been right by it!! )

A-ah-- that was... really close. Did someone bump it earlier...?

[The fond feeling of watching Nene gather her things so cheerfully gets forcefully chased out of his head - because panic is there to quickly take its place.

Hinata's heart pounds in his chest, hard, as he holds onto her arm firmly. If- If she'd moved even a second later-

Worry explodes out of him.]

Are you okay, ▓▒▓▒▓▒-?!

[Wait.

That's.

Ah?]

Why... can't I...?

[A strange, anxious feeling seizes his heart. He doesn't understand. Why can't he say her name? Of all people, of all the people that are important to him, why-

No, there's no point in thinking of that now. It's better not to hang around. Even if the other bookshelves probably aren't going to randomly start falling... he has to get her somewhere safer.]

...Come on. [He doesn't say her name this time, tightness in his throat. But he does gently tug her towards the classroom door.] We shouldn't hang around... We won't be able to lift it on our own anyway, but we can a let teacher know if we see one out in the hall. Maybe somebody just hit it by accident.

Ah... ▓▒▓▒▓▒-nii... ( after that scare, it seems like words are a bit of a struggle at first. but he's got her arm, like he can pull her away from anything else dangerous. and he would, in a heartbeat. she knows this. so although she's horribly rattled, she offers up a smile anyways. ) I-I'm okay. It just scared me.

( she lets him lead her out, and admittedly with the much emptier hallway it's... far more reassuring. nothing to tip over or collapse out here! but it seems as though she hasn't noticed the... oddity, when they try to say each other's names. maybe it's the shock of everything? )

Y-Yeah. Those things are heavy- I hope nothing broke though...

[Some of the tension unwinds from his shoulders. It's okay. She's safe. He doesn't have to worry, she's safe...]

I'm glad you're okay... That could've been really bad.

[Worse than he even wants to entertain thinking about.]

Probably the best thing to do is let one of the teachers know... So I guess that means a trip to the faculty office before the vending machines. [Hinata shoots her an apologetic smile as he starts moving in the general direction of the staircases.] But we can go right after.

No, it's okay. ( and frankly, she might need the time to calm down a little- her stomach feels like knots. leaving the area will probably help! right?

maybe she sticks a bit too close to hinata, but- well. she ran off ahead and a book case fell over. you know? as they approach the stairs, she can't help but think of that rumor... well, more of a scary story, that she'd heard. the fourth step of the staircase- in twilight you could see the blood of its victims, for if you stepped on it you would be taken to the other side, and torn apart.

she remembers telling it to hinata and- ... and... who else? there was more than one... ... right?

they called her silly, or... did they tell her to stop spreading scary rumors like that?

lost in thought, nene follows. )

[He gives her arm a squeeze, half to reassure her and half for himself. Just that she's there, that she's okay, everything's fine now...

They come up to the stairs, and unprompted, he's reminded of a story Nene told him once - about the stairs you aren't supposed to walk on, or you'd be spirited away to be torn asunder-

He shakes his head, hard. Stop. He's stressed out, so he's thinking about it now. That's all it is. Everything's fine, no one's hurt. Reluctantly, he lets her go and grabs the banister.]

If you need to stop for a second, let me know, okay?

Oh- ( oh, she spaced out- what was she thinking about? she couldn't remember now. gosh... the bookcase rattled her too much. despite everything, nene tries to give him a reassuring smile. ) I'll be okay. Thank you.

( she doesn't mean to stop paying attention to where she's going- maybe if she'd not looked up at him, she'd have seen the spill on the fourth step, but she doesn't. and, well, the school shoes really don't have a lot of grip. even as she falls, it doesn't quite register, not enough to let out more than a dazed "ah?"

there's a sickening crack when she lands, limp and bruised, hair hiding her face... though, with that angle, it's clear already. )

[Hinata watches her, like he's in a dream.

"I'll be okay."

There's a soft feeling that sweeps over him, like relief, just hearing her voice tell him that. It stays there up until the moment he watches her tip backwards.

"Thank you."

A numb feeling spreads from his brain, to his fingertips, to the rest of his extremities. It isn't a dream. It's a waking nightmare.

He takes the stairs one at a time, around from the spill now that he knows it's there. Then two, as he feels something building up in his throat, waiting to explode.

I'm in hell.

Hinata doesn't remember actively dropping to his knees - just feels the connection to the ground as he hits it. He turns her face, gently, chest full of pain and affection. Like her hair got in her face while she was bending over her homework.

"You're really the best!!"]

No... [It's a broken sound that makes its way out of him.] No, no, nononono-

[She died, she died, she died, it's my fault my fault myfaultmyfault-

The girl he couldn't protect.

The name he can't say.

▓▒▓▒▓▒-

Hinata Hajime wakes up.

He wakes up, touching a gorinto on the fourth floor.

Hinata wakes up. And finally, he screams.]

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they're so cute.........

they are... and I'm so sorry to them for their near future

don't be ridiculous! everything's going to be fine. :)

yep. yep............. thisisfine.jpg

everythings going to be OKAY!!! the danger's passed :)

haha yep... it's all good from here :' )

gosh yama idk why you're so unsure!!!

I dunno my gut just feels weird I guess ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

CW: DEATH

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