October Event

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10/02 06:12

✽ Silence lifts at six in the morning, and there is still quite a bit of time before classes start. Early risers who decide to return to school from the dorms cross the courtyard and open the double doors and—- something cold and wet drips down onto their head: old blood from the torso of a student(?) bound by rope and strung up above the doors to the courtyard, body burned black and cut in half at the waist.
The air is heavy, and the entire school smells of blood.

Hope... month...

✽ A large poster advertising the student store has been tacked up on the bulletin board. For October, store hours are now 6AM to 8PM Monday to Saturday, and noon to 4PM on Sundays. Outside of those hours, the shopkeeper is occasionally in the shop and will leave the door propped open if they are, but more often than not, the door is closed and there is no answer when knocking on the door. Laundry tokens can now be purchased at a reasonable price. The rock gacha machine is now located just outside the door so it can be played at any time. Please continue to spend your hard-eared points on plain boring normal rocks.
✽ In the dormitory, the construction paper covering the oil paintings start to soak through with blood, causing the papers to grow heavy and fall. The distorted faces in the paintings seem to be bleeding from their open wounds, the canvas wet to the touch and smelling of blood. Blood dripping down the walls and on the floor do not cause the dorms to change, nor do the splatters of blood seen on the glass over the star dormitory rooms occasionally throughout the month, as if it had rained blood in the darkness and silence of night, although no other evidence is seen elsewhere in the courtyard.
✽ The wisteria tree slowly continues to lose its petals, and the area roughly ten feet around the trunk of the tree has become completely dead and barren, leaving dry dirt underneath. Despite shedding its petals, new buds are becoming noticeable now too. The spider lilies that bloomed during the autumnal equinox remain, still covering the rest of the courtyard and extending into the forest surrounding the school. Outside, the air smells faintly metallic at all times.
✽ Occasionally throughout the month and increasing in frequency and intensity towards the end of the month, characters with 13 or more tallies will find themselves sensitive to sunlight and loud noises, prone to vertigo upon standing or turning too quickly, and suffering ice pick headaches throughout the day.
✽ Characters with 5 or less tallies will hear faint white noise during the normally silent hours of midnight to 6AM, but no other sound.
✽ The class roster on the bulletin board acknowledges class 1-D for leading the rest of the classes in rank, being the first to reach 100. All characters in first year classes and #-D classes will receive 500 merit points and will be able to exit out the front door to the school. They will be able to make it up to the front gate, but will find themselves growing lightheaded and about to pass out if they try to squeeze through the bars or climb over the gate itself. Please contact me privately if they would try to get out anyways.
✽ The void in the auditorium continues to grow, and (pending character interaction) by the end of the month will encompass the entire right wing of the first floor past the lockers, the home ec cooking room on the second floor, as well as the art club room on the third floor.

Exchange Program

✽ On October 11, students participating in the exchange program are given one pocket knife each and sent out the front doors, upon which they will find themselves in that canon location as if they had stepped out of any normal door in the area. For characters who visit their own canon's location, they will find all their friends and family alive and happy— except for the one person they are closest to, who will be absent. Nobody there will recognize your character or the person they are closest to, regarding both as complete strangers, as if neither have ever existed in the first place. But otherwise... think of it as canon good end, in contrast to elevator bad end.
✽ There is no bus to take them back to Yogen and they can stay as long as they'd like, even forever if they feel like it. If they wish to return to their real home, though, they would have to first return to Yogen and figure things out from there. The first time they open the pocket knife, they will find a piece of paper tucked between the blade and the handle reading "Use to return." If they use it on other people, that's the local law enforcement's business. In order to return to Yogen, perhaps remembering Natsume's presentation mentioning how they got there in the first place, they will have to use the knife on themselves, or otherwise die by happenstance or, eventually, old age. Two weeks after their return to school, they will find one additional tally on the inside of their wrist.
✽ In return, Yogen receives three exchange students: two familiar and one not.

OOC

✽ The first prompt leads into this month's mini-event, which is becoming a misnomer, maybe they should be called murder events instead.
✽ All students leaving on the exchange program will icly be gone for at least 10/11 - 10/17, although they will be able to return at any later date in October, at the player's discretion, regardless of how much time they experienced on their trip. Just like in the bad end elevator and the void school, nothing physical can be taken back from the exchange trip, but characters can at least drain their bank accounts eating good food and exploring town before coming back.
✽ The new exchange students are former npcs Kouji Seki and Chiaki Kudo, as well as a new student ???. They can be interacted with in their corresponding toplevels below, after 10/11.

Comments

[crystallomancy]

( a. familiarity )

( Every so often during class, people either skipping class in the dormitory or by going to the dormitory will find all of the lights... off, the window curtains drawn, at least in the non-room areas.

That seems to be the only difference, though the lightswitches are taped down (???) so they can't be so easily flipped up...

Investigate? Or--




or wait until the person responsible for it knocks his knee into a table and lets out a very unpolite and unrefined swear, oops. )

( b. svrs )

( kind of a shame he can't play with his system himself anymore, but it's fine.

he's set it up in uhh whatever room the game club uses i can't remember off the top of my head, everything pushed to the side to give the maximum amount of room for virtual reality adventures. it looks like your usual vr system aside from the SVRS logo on it, and if anyone comes peeking around natsume'll wave them over hello, )

Interested in being spirited to another WORLD? There's no fee this TIME.

( while he's still working out how to make it demand merit points for microtransactions. )

( c. wildcard )

( shoot me anything. natsume's not going on the exchange this month, but he'll be around and practicing magic, making adjustments on his vr system, working on his blindness training from helena... spending a lot of time on the rooftop.

he starts being available from October 4th on btw, )

for stephanie

[crystallomancy]

( Sometime between the exchange program and him waking up again... the 7th is fine, let's go with that.

He doesn't want to wait for them to just happen to run into each other again at some meeting or event, especially since this time, it was... him who left, who couldn't handle something he couldn't agree with being thrown in his face. The little shopkeeper, fey they might be, was nice enough to get him a watermelon cutter in the shape of a certain cute kitty's face, as long as he brings them watermelon-cuts made with it.

Today, it's been using to stamp out a number of different fruit slices into Miss Kitty's face, from pears to apples to yes, watermelon... if it's a fruit you can get a good cut out of he has done it. And he knows where she's staying too, so he knocks at the door of Sun 3 with his plate of fruit-peace-offerings, and waits. )

[closewithnewintown]

[she frowns at the sound, trying to figure out why anyone would have any reason to visit her... but, hey, even Komaeda coming in to be weird about something would be so much better than calculus.]

... Come in? [she hasn't said that in a while. huh. it's nice to have some kind of privacy again.]

[crystallomancy]

( and natsume will peek in, slowly at first... then push the door open more and stand. kind of awkwardly in the doorway. she told him he could come in, but that's because she doesn't know it's him, but— )

Would you like some FRUIT?

[closewithnewintown]

[for a moment, she just stares at him, pencil still poised above the textbook in her lap, though it drops and rolls off onto the papers spread over the bed after a second. she blinks, slowly, her eyes going back and forth from his face to the plate, and back again.]

... Oh.

[and then she immediately bursts into tears.]

[crystallomancy]

( OH GOD HE FUCKED UP

what will fix this. leaving??? he backs out of the room a step, realizes that anyone can come by and hear their favorite child crying her eyes out and see that He's There, and immediately steps back in, shutting the door behind him. the try of fruit, that, that— that can go to the side, somewhere, the first level place he can put it he does, and he

stops short of her, not sure if he's allowed to hug her, but he'll kneel and take her hands. )

—Please don't CRY, Stephanie-chan. ( that isn't what you say to people who are crying, but the number of times he's actually had to deal with this is extremely small, and none of them have been because of him specifically. ) Would you rather I LEAVE? You can still have the fruit—I know it won't go to waste on you—but—

( hhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeee fucked uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuup )

b.

[commences]

( the question causes komaeda to keep quiet, eyes looking at the set up to figure where the tubes to lay in happen to be — of course, it doesn't work that way, but old habits die hard, and so he's used to the usual. )

Will it upload our consciousness, or do you only use a headset?

( he's used to the latter, but that doesn't stop him from keeping a smile on his face as he walks over. he won't touch anything yet, but he's thinking about what sort of worlds they can go to — he wonders if there's a certain code they have to put in, or would it be a yogen variant, and what their characters would look like inside the world. he remembers when nanami made a game where they all had to work together to get to the end, and if one of the units died, it was a failed run. )

[crystallomancy]

( ...he's going to up the difficulty on whatever game komaeda picks, he's decided. )

Just a headSET. Consciousness is still currently beyond my abiliTIES... As well as most of the world's technoloGIES. ( the type of stuff that's still in science fiction. would be extremely fun if he could, though. ) What type of game are you interested in plaYING?

( there is a game where you pollinate flowers, a dating sim because i say so, and something called SHINSEKAI. frankly natsume doesn't remember the last one but you know what? it's fine )

[commences]

You'll learn.

( it's komaeda telling him it's possible, and could be if hinata wasn't the way he is right now, but listen... can't blame him at all. instead, he'll walk over to see what games they have to offer. )

I want a game where we play together... so a Fantasy RPG could be fun... but you're a support class, aren't you?

( going to look at him because then they'd both be supports. anyway he's chosen what he wants, so put them in some bootleg genshin impact or spyro game.

[crystallomancy]

( BOOTLEG GENSHIN IMPACT OR SPYRO GAMEEEE crying, shinsekai is the closest we get to bootleg genshin so there we go. )

You misunderSTAND. I have to stay out here to monitor you—staying too long in the virtual world can damage you irreparaBLY, and it's up to those managing the system—me right now—to ensure no harm comes to those using IT. I'll still be in contact THOUGH. ( he has his ways. ) You won't be completely aLONE, Nagito-kun.

[commences]

No...

( is it because of the name or everything else? like that's not how it works, as if he knows how this works, and he doesn't know how this machine works because he's not familiar with it. it doesn't seem like the machines back home, nor has he had enough practice on it to ensure good things will happen from him tinkering around with it. )

I'm already damaged goods. ( reassuringly, but with a smile. ) Does the game not have a backdoor for us to use. Hypothetically, if something was to happen to the person that man's the controls?

( he hums, canting his head to the side. ) How does one get out?

a

[samuraiwomen]

Language!

[ Swearing is no longer allowed. Sara forgot her calculator in here and got excused to go grab it only to find...all the lights off? Yeah, no way is she walking across this room in the dark.

She's trying to flip them up, but the tape is making it hard. She's be swearing herself, if she wasn't so vehemently against it. ]

[crystallomancy]

( pspsps sara come on....... swear a little...... let it out— )

SorRY, I hadn't realized anyone was aROUND. ( He needs to do better... He needs to hone his listening more. Frustrating, but he sighs and carefully starts his walk again.

...At least he makes it to Sara, his hand finding the wall and sliding to touch hers—cover it, using his thumb to break the tape with some difficulty so they can flip the lightswitch Together. Romance.

Would be more romantic if he weren't wincing at the brightness even with his eyes closed, but he squints after a moment to let them adjust as he steps away. ) Shouldn't a model student like yourself be in CLASS, Chidouin-san?

[samuraiwomen]

[ No...her parents...they wouldn't approve of that!! ]

Around? Look, if you want to practice walking in the dark why are you using the common room?

[ She clicks her tongue, jamming her thumb up against the lightswitch again. Seriously, he has his own room. This is a common area, and while she's glad people are using it, it still feels kind of annoying she has to work this hard when she should be in class.

Then Natsume's (probably very nice) hand touches her...Sara lets out a pretty undignified yelp. She just wasn't expecting it! Someone, touching her hand...in the dark! He's practically holding her hand, without even asking!

The lights coming on to show Natsume's squinting face does ruin the moment...but Sara still looks flustered. ]

Ah! Um! Er...well its embarrassing to say but I forgot my calculator?

[crystallomancy]

( ..............She's so cute ♪ )

I'm using the entire dormitoRY, personal rooms aside—it's important for me to know my way aROUND.

( not TOO big of a secret he's going blind since he said it at that meeting like a month ago or whatever, but, yeah. )

And... I SEE. That's unexpected of YOU, but I find that type of thing rather charming from girls who seem so put-togeTHER.

[samuraiwomen]

R..right. Excuse me if I was rude, Sakasaki-san. But it's a bit of a tripping hazard, isn't it? If anyone gets hurt, that won't be good.

[ Going blind..yes. Ah yes...the log I totally read, because I'm a good rper who reads all the meeting backlog ;w;).............. ]

Seem...? [ Torn between being flattered she seems put together, and the implication its all an act. It isn't! She works hard!] How its it unexpected? It's a simple mistake everyone makes! I thought it was in my bag but its probably on my desk.

So, you see. I have loads of better charming traits, thank you! [ Subaru made a whole post. ]

for aira

[crystallomancy]

( a few days after the presentation, a few days after natsume wakes up to find two people he was fond of dead and seven more he cared less about but were no less important to their own friends, too, he makes two cups of a savory and cinnamony hot chocolate, and he returns to their room.

for date's sake, let's call it the 10th. sunday, so aira is in, no classes or distractions.

natsume nudges aira's shoulder with the hot chocolate, smile half-there when the other looks. )

I made an extra cup on acciDENT. Mind taking it off my HANDS?

[auditions]

( so it's sunday and he's doing homework... depressing. it's depressing, but there's really not anything else to do if he wants to keep his nose out of all this gossip about dead bodies and ghosts and everything else he's been trying really hard not to think about. the other students, they don't talk about those things, so aira's been acting like he's one of them instead. even now, he'd made a deal with a classmate of his that they can split the homework, and it feels like he should at least try to hold up his end of it... but yeah, that all goes right out the window the moment natsume checks in on him, hot chocolate in hand.

he's a bit slow on the uptake, truthfully — a few seconds of lag as he blinks up at natsume, then down at the cup.

... )

Lucky me ♪ I needed a break anyway, these problems make noooo sense at all~

( a bright smile, looking almost relieved as he turns properly and reaches out to take the cup in both hands — sleeves pulled over his fingers so that he doesn't burn himself when he touches it. )

[crystallomancy]

That's because they're years behind what we're being taught in school nowaDAYS, though all education is the same mediocre attempt to brainwash children into behaving like perFECT, obedient little dolls who memorize what they're taught and punished for thinking too far out of the BOX.

( .....................

anyway, he'll go to sit on his own bed, gingerly sipping his hot chocolate. not too sweet, just the way he prefers it. )

It's a shame you came during what's turning out to BE, for lack of a better WORD, "exciting" season for the SCHOOL. ( bodies and revelations and ghosts and all other things. ) The beginning of the year was tamer comparativeLY.

( dead stuco pres aside. )

...I felt like I should check in on you for that reaSON. ( they aren't close, but natsume is technically the senior most member in their room, and the only unit leader even if at its heart sora is the one guiding switch. he feels like it's his responsibility. ) I'm experienced in listening to people's worRIES, so you needn't hold anything back just because I'm your senPAI.

[auditions]

( ah, yeah — natsume is getting right to it, isn't he? he is that type, in his own way. aira's smile slowly begins to fade as the topic dips into the sort of thing that you shouldn't really smile at, but he'll properly hold natsume's gaze as the other offers to hear him out. )

I'm okay. I mean, it's not like I really knew any of them and, anyway, it's like you said before: we're all already...

( can he say it?

...

no, he can't. he just kind of grimaces, tucks a strand of hair behind his ear and continues without meeting natsume's eyes. )

Of course, I was really caught off guard by that at first, but everyone else is doing totally fine, so.

( aira shakes his head, and the smile comes back, if a little weaker around the edges. glances back to natsume from the corner of his eye. )

But, um, thanks for checking in on me, Sakasaki-senpai. You... really are a kind person, you know that?

( even if saying it like that actually makes him a little sadder too, in a way. )

[crystallomancy]

( he's not—

natsume sips his drink again to keep from refusing the words. he isn't kind, not really. he doesn't think so. )

They're not doing as fine as you think they ARE, and if they are—it's because they've already thought or known it was possiBLE, and they've already had time to reflect on IT. You've had neiTHER.

( so it's... fine, if aira isn't fine. )

...Most of them will just throw themselves into other things so they don't have to think about IT. That's a natural response to unexpected news—to stressors and other things that might give one an emotional SHOCK. ( he's not really a stranger to it, either. ) It isn't a terrible thing; it gives them time to distance themselves from how they felt when it first happened or they first learned about IT, and they're able to consider it better with a clearer MIND.

As long as they don't ignore the truth completely and act as if everything is perfectly FINE, just turning a blind eye to what's happening around them or information given to THEM, then it isn't wholly a bad THING.

( ... )

That goes for just about anything realLY, not just being DEAD.

a... i feel so late

[mermaidcursed]

Is everything okay?!

( because that's the first thing that comes to mind at that swear- not 'why does this dingus even have the lights off to begin with' or anything like that. sometimes you have to vibe in the dark. it happens.

but what does get her is the fact that she can't flick the light on at all- what the heck. )

The switch isn't busted, is it?

YOU'RE GOOD DWBI

[crystallomancy]

I'm fine— ( by some definition of it, really. ) Ah... No, it isn't; I've just taped it down to keep anyone from interrupting my pracTICE, and to dissuade myself from just flicking it back up when things get too diffiCULT.

( if she picks at it she can get the tape off and turn the lights on... won't be too hard. )

You're the second person I've scared doing this—sorry about THAT, Little Lamb.

im gonna go into overdrive ive got a month to make up for theyre too important

[mermaidcursed]

Na- Sakasaki-senpai?

( it's not the first time his name has almost slipped out like that- but it's the first it's happened in front of him. he can't see how she flusters, at least, and she can at least distract herself by trying to remove the tape. )

What are you even doing?

[crystallomancy]

You can call me "Natsume" if you WANT, Little Lamb. I don't MIND.

( his year back home is a mix of people calling him natsume and sakasaki, so. as long as it doesn't have -chan on it and it isn't cutesy, he doesn't care too much. )

And I'm practicing navigating the dormitory with my eyes CLOSED... Or raTHER, in the DARK, because if I know the lights are on then I'll be tempted to open THEM. It's to help hone my other senSES, since they're all I'll have in a year's TIME.