[KATSUMORI]

[detentionroom]

[You needed an escape.

For a moment– however brief, or however not– you longed to get away. Perhaps you envisioned a vacation upon sunny, beachy shores, palm trees at your back and seagulls floating in the air. Perhaps you envisioned nothing at all, and merely accepted that anywhere but here would do. Either way. . .?

You blink. . . and you wake up slouched on a school desk, arms folded with head resting between. You lift your gaze and realize that you've woken up in the middle of a classroom, seated in one of the. . . uh, very few functional desks that remain. The others have been broken into pieces, with legs and splinters of wood scattered across the floor. Deep claw marks decorate the walls, having gouged the sheetrock with jagged, violent gashes. The window curtains are closed, but they too have been torn and ripped to shreds, with holes showing a dark and unidentifiable landscape beyond the four walls which trap you.

And written on the blackboard, in large, white letters that seem to glow in the midst of the dim room lighting, is a warning]

DO NOT GIVE THEM YOUR NAME.

[. . . you are not alone]

[Each and every new arrival awakens dressed in a high school-issued track uniform. The design is up to the players, but each uniform is already color-coded to match the group at large. Somewhere on your body is a new marking: a mysterious floral design shaded the same color as your track uniform. It is glowing very gently. And in your pocket you feel. . . something warm. Further investigation reveals a tiny little omamri, tucked away in your outfit, for safe keeping. Huh! What a nice gift!]

[For now, the front door to the classroom is locked. No matter how hard you try– with physical prowess or otherwise– the door cannot be opened.]

[But hey! You can poke around the area, if you'd like! Maybe get to know your new classmates. . . ? Try not to panic. For now, everything is. . . calm]

Comments

[ARRIVAL MINGLE]

[detentionroom]

Re: [ARRIVAL MINGLE]

[presgarddihellis]

[someone is very used to play-acting still being out of it so he can scope out what the fuck is going on.

and the what the fuck going on in his head only gets louder as he registers his current condition and the condition of this place but worst of all is probably the bit of familiarity with this kind of setting--not even because he's been in a setting like this, but he's watched things with such a setting.

the WHAT THE FUCK?? levels are going off the charts here, actually--oh, he's reflexively moving his hand to his face because it feels like his appearance may be slipping a little, ahhhhhh no no no now's not the time to lose it. deep breaths.]

Wha...?

[candlestick]

[ Zuo Le is used to dealing with people who have... unparalleled abilities to say the least. This is not the first time he's joltingly found himself suddenly in a setting entirely different from the one he was just occupying. The difference is in entering one of Dusk's paintings he at least knew it was coming and was awake and conscious the entire time.

Here...

Zuo Le had gotten up immediately, tried the door handle first thing, and has been pacing around the room for a few seconds when he hears someone else stirring. ]

Sir? Are you alright?

Re: [ARRIVAL MINGLE]

[darkholder]

[there is a young woman who seems much too calm for the present situation looking around the area, before carefully standing. she moves towards the wall, and there's a glowing tattoo of green tinted asphodel visible on her forearm as she carefully places a hand on the scratch marks clawed in there.]

...Strange.

Re: [ARRIVAL MINGLE]

[presgarddihellis]

[he's got a hand to his face because something seems to be squirming a little under it, but he's looking over hearing someone speak--

looks a little blank-faced at registering he does not recognize her at all.]

Ah. Hello?

[candlestick]

[ At least that makes two of them. Zuo Le seems more confused than panicked himself as he tries to get a better understanding of the setting he finds himself in, and tries to recall what in his previous actions might have led to this.

The weirdest part to him is the collection of unfamiliar faces around him.

He's currently parked back in the chair he woke up in, the side of his fingers pressed to his lips as he tries to work out this puzzle that is missing several pieces. ]

I'll say.

[candlestick]

[ Is anyone else still sleeping? Here's to hoping they aren't, or at least are very heavy sleepers if so.

After a preliminary attempt to open the door the normal way, and a few circles around the room to case the place as best he can, he's made his way back to the door. There's a few seconds of standing there silently contemplating it, before--

The sound of Zuo Le's shoe making contact with the door knob is loud. Loud enough to really resound throughout the classroom. Definitely loud enough to sound like he might have done some actual damage here.

And yet as he lowers his foot the door is still firmly intact, and Zuo Le's brows are knitted together in confusion. ]

[laevateinns]

[ akechi doesn't jolt at the loud noise- but it's a close one.

he pauses in his own investigation, eying zuo le warily. ]

Nice try.

[laevateinns]

[ the teen snoring in the corner takes a little while to wake up.

but when he does- ]

Fuck. Fuck.

[ he's kind of crashing out. ]

You've got to be kidding me.

[ he kicks at his desk, eyes wild. ]

[presgarddihellis]

[looking over from where he is near the book, desk leg in hand.

...

mood?

in fact?]

[darkholder]

[looks over for a second but doesn't say anything just yet! she is minding her own business and staying in her lane...]

Re: [ARRIVAL MINGLE]

[ungovernanceable]

[ WOW A REAL ADULT MAYBE

It's been slumped on a desk, the ports on the back of its neck wreathed by the bold petals of a green sunflower. It doesn't startle, but it does snap immediately into action, standing so quickly that the chair it was in crunches into the wall. ]

Re: [ARRIVAL MINGLE]

[ungovernanceable]

[ well, after a little small talk and mysterious voices, Captain Private Moon is going to give the door a few good body slams. It doesn’t really expect that to work but ya know. It’s something to do. ]

[THE JOURNAL]

[detentionroom]

[Sitting atop one of the desks is a simple hardback journal with a cute, bright green bookmark, inscribed with the following: "To all who enter here. . . we wish upon them success and victory, so that all of life's endeavors may produce fruit."]

[You may open it to read what is written inside]

[Alternatively: perhaps you'd prefer to examine the yearbook instead! It includes pictures and brief profiles of everyone on your team only. Isn't it fun to snoop??]

Re: [THE JOURNAL]

[presgarddihellis]

[Forbidden knowledge?

that's never once stopped him. he's SNOOPING...]

[ROUND ONE]

[detentionroom]

[A mere few minutes after you awaken. . . a soft, sing-song voice suddenly wafts through the PA system, crooning at you in gentle, encouraging tones]

Oh dear. . . you must be so confused. So lost! Such wayward children. . . I would like to help you. I can help you, if you'd give me the chance! Would you not like to go home. . . ? To fall asleep and re-awaken in the comfort of your own bed?

I can help you. Won't you please tell me who you are? Won't you please give me your names?

[The speakers go quiet, and any attempt to address the voice with questions or inquiries will be met with silence. But you have been given a choice]

[Whom do you oblige. . .?]

[DECISION]

[detentionroom]

[This is a team decision! You either give all of your names, or none of them. No halfsies! Please bear in mind the consequences of divulging names to game NPCs and know that obliging the voice will result in future consequences.]

[Please have your decisions submitted by Sunday, July 20 at 8:00 a.m. MT. Timezone conversions are in discord!]

[laevateinns]

Please. How stupid do they think we are?

[ he asks, crossing his arms and leaning against a desk.

he looks everyone in the eyes, as if daring them to say otherwise. ]

[candlestick]

[ As the speakers fall silent, Zuo Le's gaze cuts to the blackboard with the clear warning written on it. ]

Not exactly helpful to receive opposing requests.

[ Especially when they have no reason to believe one command over the other request.

Though... Maybe it was the sing-song quality of the voice that felt too cloyingly playful in a situation that does not seem fun or funny to him. ]

However, I'm not overly inclined to give out my own name in this situation until I know more.

Re: [ROUND ONE]

[presgarddihellis]

This time it's plural...

[muttering it to himself because HE DID NOTICE THIS.]

So it's every name that's a danger?

[hmm... to test or not to test...]

Re: [ROUND ONE]

[darkholder]

[listens to the others as they answer]

It sounds like we're largely in agreement... I don't have any inclination to give mine.

[ROUND TWO]

[detentionroom]

[Your refusal is met with silence. Complete and utter silence. Then the PA system begins to crackle with white noise. It starts off soft, but grows louder with each passing second. The noise scrambles your thoughts. Makes you anxious. Sends your heart thrumming wildly against your ribs as you begin to break out in a cold sweat.]

Ehehe. . . oh. . . so you refuse my assistance, do you. . .? I see. . . I see. I see! I see I see I see I sEE I SEE i sEe i sEE I SEE I SEE I̴̼̜͇͕̦̦̻̅͑̈́̊̑̒͗̍͊̈́̕ͅ ̸̧̪͖͚̳̙̪̦͎̙̩̮̂̍̚͜͝S̷̢̢̢̢͇͕̗̰͍͉̗͚̙̙̲̼̱̓́̍͊͘͝Ȩ̸͙̭̀͑Ḙ̷̢͕̎͂̈́ ̸͕̖̻̳̲̖̻͙̠͛ͅI̸̡̫̗̮̠͈͈̠̗̰̺̓̊̊͝ ̸̡̝͉̟̦̹̫̙̭̫͎̀̆͜ͅS̵̩̤̠̈̋̌͊̊͒̊̒̆̚͘͠E̷͈͍̺͎̹̯̍̽̾̉Ḛ̸̛͉̺̦̤̦͎̞̀̀͂̂̇̉̽͊̔̀̑̍̕ͅ ̶̡̛̮̞̜̹͚̘̮̰̮͕̈́̉͛͝ͅȊ̷̧̡̱̭̥͉̞̣̗͎̩̼̠́͜ ̵̮̅̀͋̽̓S̶̰̳͖̮̯̖̖͍͕̍̂́̇̃͐̉͆̿̿͒̕̚͜͠Ȇ̷͉̅̑E̴̢̘̠̺͕̔̉̓̎̕͜͜ ̴̢̥͓͍̾̂̀̂̿̂͠Ỉ̶̢͕̺̤͕͚̝̐̒̾̏̏̏̚ͅ ̸̡̪͇͚̝̘̝͕̦͇̆̆͒̎̇͒́̆̈́̋S̷̛̝̼̫̫̈́̿͌̑̒̒͊̾̇̈̏̈́͝͝E̴̟̟̫̣̩̩̰̳͎̬̯͕̱̣͛͋̉̃̈́͋̋͛̈́͛̒̈́̕͜E̴̢̨̗̜͍̜̝̥̽̀̀̅̃̋͗̄́̽–


[-- the voice and the white noise suddenly and abruptly stop, just as the lights around you go out, plunging you all into complete and utter blackness]

[They flicker on a second later, now tinted a deep, blood red, painting the entire room in shades of scarlet. Where there was nothing before there are now hundreds of thin. . . strings? Long stretches of wire? They cling to the corners of the room like spiderwebs, and are draped across the desks and blackboard like ominous stringy curtains. Some even dangle from the ceiling, perfectly within reach, if you have the inclination to touch!]

[From some of those wires hang porcelain dolls, strung up by various limbs. . . and sometimes their necks. Each one is dressed in a tattered kimono, and their faces are cracked or– in some cases– outright shattered. Even more dolls are seated against the walls, some positioned upright while others have fallen over.]

[The window curtains have been pulled open. An ominous shadow looms in the distance. A single bell tolls.]

[Something is coming]

[INSTRUCTIONS]

[detentionroom]

[The words on the blackboard– DO NOT GIVE THEM YOUR NAME-- have been replaced with something new: FIND THE KEY]

[There are seven places where you may search for the key:

1) Underneath a spaghetti-like pile of string in a corner
2) Inside a cracked doll's face
3) Inside a cubby hole stuffed with shoes
4) Behind a broken wall clock
5) Underneath the teacher's podium
6) Inside the supply closet
7) The dangling strings from the ceiling]

[You may search a total of three times. Characters may poke at places not included in the list above, but they will not find anything of note (though they may find something spooky)! If the key is not found after three attempts. . . well. . .]

[. . . good luck!]

[OOC NOTES: I FORGOT TO CW FOR SPIDERS (NO PICTURES JUST WORDS), IF YOU ARE ARACHNOPHOBIC PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU SUBMIT AND I WILL BE KIND!!]

[Please also note that the character who submits the search will be the one doing it ICly! I need to know this for. Reasons.]

[DISCUSSION]

[detentionroom]

[DECISION]

[detentionroom]

[you can submit all three decisions here! NOT AT ONCE, THOUGH. please wait for a response to the previous search before submitting a new one!]