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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.

You open your eyes and the inside of your left wrist is stinging; you stop scratching, pulling your other hand away before the angry red lines on your skin splits and bleeds. Somebody calls your name, just as you see a pan slide off the stovetop out of the corner of your eye, and the stinging on your wrist flares to a searing burn, hot oil splattering you and the person next to you.

You open your eyes. You're flat on your back in a room that smells of paint thinner, your chest is heavy, and it's so hard to breathe. Something is crushing your throat- a fluffy white cat with golden eyes, purring and kneading away, but then somebody calls your name and its fluff puffs twice its size in surprise, claws sinking into your throat, hooking and tearing as the cat scampers away.

You open your eyes. A kendo shinai comes down hard on your head, the one in your hand failing to come up quick enough to guard, your classmates groaning in sympathy all around you. Your head is spinning, you feel sick.

You open your eyes. You and a friend are seated side by side in the clock tower, back to the walls and feeling the resounding toll of the bell fill your entire being as the count reaches ten, eleven, twelve. The world turns to silence. Your friend opens their mouth to speak, but you cannot hear them. You cannot hear anything.

(tw: implied suicide) You open your eyes. Your classmate sits on the other side of your desk, a spread of sandwiches and juice boxes between you and the window to your side providing a clear view of the upper branches of the wisteria tree in full bloom. And the strangled look on an upperclassman's face as they fall headfirst from the sky on the other side of the glass, hurtling towards the pavement of the courtyard below.

You open your eyes—-

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 is an npc and will be available for threading in his toplevel during the vernal equinox and graduation day, but not during spring break. After the game opens, he will be available as a student for threading on the npc contact page. The graduating student will not be available for threading in this TDM.

✽ During spring break, all npc students and faculty will be absent from the school, with exception of one white cat and one black cat. For this TDM, in addition to the areas greyed out and inaccessible on the locations page, the faculty office and nurse's office are locked and unavailable, as there is no staff. The library and club rooms remain open, but supplies will not replenish themselves.

✽ 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.

Comments

[befreiung]

[ The fact that Noah can see him is a little of a surprise, as is his reaction - well, Ain supposes his deteriorated appearance would cause discomfort to humans. Humans feared what was strange to them. ]

Oh...

[ This doesn't deter Ain as much as usual, because horrific visions seem to be pretty much Henir's thing. He's been through them. However, this kid wants to prevent other humans from falling to the same fate, which he can understand. ]

Why not destroy it?

[ Because obviously the first thought of an angel would be to eliminate the threat. ]

[silentabyss]

That's the thing. It can't be destroyed. At least, I don't think.

[It seems risky to try, considering that just touching the gorinto ended with Noah being on the floor with false memories flickering behind his eyelids. Despite this other student having those awful marks all over him, Noah's not about to wish that same fate onto anybody. That shit sucks.]

I don't know how to destroy it without touching it. [His magic doesn't work in this strange school, so that's not an option.] That's the only reason why. If I could break this thing, I would've done it by now.

[befreiung]

[ Hm. Not only has Noah considered it, he's already tried it. That's really responsible of him; not something that Ain would have expected. ]

You're thoughtful.

[ An observation. Ain sighs, closing his eyes for a moment. He wouldn't usually care much about things like these, but he's also stuck in another dimension and also stuck with his Henir corruption, so he can't quite rule out the fact that this was done with Henir's power. ]

You don't remember how you were brought here?

[silentabyss]

...no, I don't. Do you?

[This guy is strange, is all Noah can think so far, having no other conclusion to come to. Strange, but he doesn't seem to be violent, at least not yet.]

I... I don't know about you, but I woke up with my head down on a desk like I had fallen asleep on it, to a bunch of students chanting about "getting rid of evidence". My memories are still a little bit foggy, but I'm certain I didn't just waltz in here and sign up for high school.

[He has better things to be doing.]

[befreiung]

[ What Noah says matches up with Ain's own experience. However, this isn't too out of line with falling into a Henir portal. The fact also remained that he saw people who definitely weren't in Elrios.

Ain falls silent for a few moments, looking to one side while he organizes his thoughts. ]

This is a different world.

[ That much he's concluded, given how he's already aware of Henir's power to transcend time and space. ]

It's not Henir's realm. It's outside of it. But I passed through Henir's realm before I was placed here.

[ The pain and fragmentation still remain with him. Whatever brought him here certainly didn't cure him of that. Maybe they couldn't. ]

[silentabyss]

[A nod. Noah clenches one fist at his side, not because he's about to strike anything, but more out of habitual nervousness.]

That makes sense. [About this being another world, anyway.

Ending up in Henir's realm isn't something to mention so casually, though. Finally, Noah's eyes turn back to Ain, taking in that degraded appearance and those unfortunately-familiar marks. With eyes narrowed, he asks,]

What do you mean, "passed through" Henir's realm? Are you with the Order?

[befreiung]

[ Oh. He was expecting this sort of outburst from Noah eventually, given his own appearance. Ain doesn't seem fazed by that hostility, though. He would have been more cagey about this if he was still serving the Goddess, but since she decided to leave him be, he doesn't see much of a reason to continue abiding by that code of secrecy. ]

I fell through a portal into Henir's domain and was trapped there for a long time. I've never heard of some Order or other.

[ It must be some human thing. Inside Henir's realm is only silence and the void. ]

[silentabyss]

[Sheesh, okay.

Noah isn't exactly inclined to believe this strange guy, and yet at the same time, he's not inclined to simply call him a liar either. As far as he can tell, Ain isn't telling a lie, but... he's also a paranoid kid with trust issues, rightfully so. The body corruption is definitely fault of the boundless void, though.

Well! That aside!]

That... sucks.

[Thanks, Noah, that's helpful.]

Uh... sorry that happened to you. [He wants to ask how, but he refrains.] At least... getting pulled here got you out of there?

[He'd would consider a mystery school with a weird memory-rock better than being trapped in Henir's realm any day.]

[befreiung]

[ Of course it sucks. It ruined is entire life and now he can't even fulfill the purpose he was created for. Someone will come and replace him eventually, and those humans wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

He looks down at the floor for a lengthy moment, his eyes closing. ]

It doesn't matter.

[ After all, he's just waiting for death. A pause later, he adds: ]

Don't come too close to me.

[ Void corruption is pretty dangerous to humans. ]

[silentabyss]

It... it does matter.

[Of course it matters. Getting pulled into Henir's realm is nothing to just handwave! Noah's not oblivious to the way this person's eyes close, the way he seems the least bit pained to talk about this, and while the distrusting part of him considers that this might be some kind of ploy to get him to lower his guard... the other part, the one that is kind and hates seeing people suffer...

That part wins in the end, and if this all turns out to be a lie then so be it, he'll learn the hard way.]

I'm not going to come closer, [he doesn't want to, to be honest] but... if you really were trapped in Henir's realm, that's a big deal. I can't imagine how much you suffered. I-I'm glad you're not there anymore.

[A weird high school that causes weird memory problems is infinitely better. Probably.]

[befreiung]

[ A human... giving him sympathy. Ain exhales slowly - it's certainly not something he expected to receive. Many humans were cruel and callous, but there were some that did not behave like that. He supposes Noah is one of them... ]

Why? Why do you care for me?

[ He looks up at Noah; his surprise being the first sign of emotion he has shown in their encounter. ]

[silentabyss]

Because it's... the right thing to do?

[The question clearly catches him entirely off-guard. Of all the things to throw Noah for a loop, this is it. Why shouldn't he care about someone else? In the end, people are people, and no one deserves to suffer.]

Have you not had someone care for you before?

[Noah always had Harque, and then Clamor and Yuria later down the line; he understands solitude and he's no stranger to it regardless, but at the same time, can this person really have no one?]

[befreiung]

[ What a good question to pose towards tools designed to be disposable. ]

... I'll never see them again.

[ He knew that he needed to leave the El Search Party to guarantee their safety. If he ever lost control, they would die before they were able to accomplish their mission. That was not something Ain wanted to be guilty of. ]

You should care for yourself first.

[silentabyss]

[Noah takes that comment to mean something else entirely.]

I'm sure we'll find a way out of this school somehow.

[It just makes sense, right? They woke up here, they'll get out of here. That, or it's all a bad dream. Maybe both?]

I am caring for myself, by the way. [Like, in a way that he's eating and stuff. Not mental health-wise or anything deep like that.] Are you caring for yourself?

[There's a challenge in his tone, the kind only a kid Noah's age could possibly muster. It's a genuine question though.]

[befreiung]

Doesn't matter. I'll die soon.

[ Which he says flatly, as if he didn't care - which he did not. He wanted to be cleansed of his taint, and now that he's accepted it will never happen, he merely shambles on waiting for the end. ]

As for you... you should be going home. I'll... help.

[ For some reason, he feels more sympathetic for this boy than other humans. Noah feels strangely familiar, almost as if there was a trace of the El on him... ]

[silentabyss]

But...

[That's kind of messed up. Die soon? To the Henir corruption, Noah supposes; is this person simply accepting his fate and that's why he sounds so uncaring or what? Either way, it doesn't sit right with him.]

...okay. [There's no use arguing with someone who seems so dead inside.] At least tell me your name first. I'm Noah.

[He makes a mental note to tell Clamor about this weird dead-inside dude with Henir corruption, and then thinks that maybe there's a way to cleanse it or something. If anyone knows a thing about that, it would surely be Clamor, right?]

[befreiung]

Ain.

[ He has a longer name, but it stopped meaning anything. The trace of El on Noah told Ain that he was also from Elrios. It wouldn't be remiss to stick around... or at least keep an eye on Noah, if the boy will let him. ]

[silentabyss]

[Ain, alright. A simple name, easy to commit to memory. Not like he'd forget it either way.]

S-so... um.

[The problem now? Socializing. The thing Noah isn't quite proficient at. How does one talk to others?]

You... wouldn't happen to know how to get out of this place, would you?

[That's as good a starting point as any.]

[befreiung]

[ A practical question. Ain inhales, then breathes out slowly, looking at his hands. They're blackened by Henir's taint and marked with circuit patterns. ]

No. This place... it prevents me from using any magic.

[ He could potentially just open a portal to Henir's domain and then leave through there, but that's not possible. ]

[silentabyss]

You too?

[Frustratingly, Noah's been locked down since arrival, and he's pissed about it for obvious reasons.]

That's the case with everyone here. Er... everyone here that has magic, anyway. N...not everyone does.

[He's not too sure what Ain has gathered about this place, and anyway, the dude seems about as antisocial as they come. That's rich coming from Noah of all kids. When he catches sight of the corruption staining Ain's hands, he looks away, if only to calm his nerves about that particular situation. Ain may not be from the Order, may not know of them as he'd said earlier, but that doesn't mean that Noah's calmed down about this entire thing.]

Not only can I not use magic, but everything I had on my person has gone missing, too. [A beat, and then,] What about you? Are you missing anything?

[befreiung]

[ Ain shrugs, letting his hands fall back to his sides. If he could access Henir's power and rip a portal through space... but he could not. ]

I didn't have anything on me.

[ Considering he was wandering aimlessly through Elrios and Henir's domain, whatever belongings he had would be lost or blown away. ]

Maybe they confiscated everything when you were kidnapped.

[silentabyss]

[That all checks out so far. Henir's domain likely would have ruined anything Ain had been previously carrying, and Noah's Moonstone is likely in the hands of whoever brought him here. He needs that back urgently, but he's not about to just spill the beans about having it or let anyone onto what it does.]

...you know, [he's half talking to himself,] I'm getting really tired of being caught up in cult activities.

[Because that's what this is.

His eyes dart back to Ain, and he continues,]

There's not another explanation for what's going on here. [Yes there is—] The Order probably picked us both up somehow, messed with our memories, and dropped us off.

[Which... doesn't exactly explain Ain's situation, but it's the best Noah has at the moment. Henir's Order goes to the void itself and yanks out a random person. ...yeah, no, okay, that doesn't track. Ain couldn't have possibly gotten out of the void on his lonesome, at least, Noah doesn't think so. That means that if he was a threat at all, they'd probably just leave him there.

...his head hurts.]

[befreiung]

[ Order or no, Ain feels like this isn't your normal Henir teleportation spiel. Though, he suppose he can only find out when he regains his link to the void's domain, so he doesn't voice his doubt immediately. ]

What will you do now?

[ Without any immediate way to break through the illusion, they can only bide their time. ]

[silentabyss]

...act natural, I suppose?

[It's what he and Clamor decided they'd do. Speaking of Clamor, he may want to meet Ain. Three heads are better than one.]

Which... I guess means going to classes and acting like I belong here. Oh, but I'm not doing homework.

[He's going to make this perfectly clear to everyone he meets. He has no interest in doing homework. There's better things to do with his time, after all! Like figure out how to get out of here and also pet the cats he keeps seeing around.]

[befreiung]

Why not? Won't you get.... punished?

[ Is that what happens to kids who don't do homework? Ain recalls doing fake homework in those fake implanted memories. He was reasonably good at it, which he considers useful. ]