turnout | week 4

week 4

WEEK FOUR

road trip!

As the doctor mentioned, the next leg of your trip is quite long, so walking isn't advised; hopefully, you've all secured alternative methods of travel between the abandoned cars and the wild pack of horses you found last week.

These cars are long abandoned, and most of them still have things like CDs and magazines in the gloveboxes and trunks - so at least you’ll have some entertainment for the trip! Conveniently, music you can find comes from the year 2024 and earlier, because in the Turnout universe, CDs were still widely a thing in modern times because I said so.

Be aware that there are not enough cars and horsies for everyone to go solo; you’ll need to group up and decide who’s driving! And, more notably...

Your drive won't be entirely peaceful! There are bound to be some zombies littering the street, which characters will need to clear in order to keep going. Whether that's through running them over, sniping them with your newfound long-range gun skills, or doing it the old fashioned way by hopping out of the car and beating them to a pulp, they've gotta move! Be careful not to let the horseys get bit.

respite

Whether or not you were suspicious of whatever the “SAFE” marked on the map was supposed to mean, when you come to the coordinates that are marked, you’ll be in front of a door that opens down into the earth — it's a bunker. The entrance is slightly hidden by foliage, seemingly intentionally so.

Inside, it’s obvious this place is not like the places you’ve been traveling to thus far. It’s clean, well stocked, and nicely furnished. Judging by the pictures on the wall, it’s a safe house that’s been used many times by Dr. Bei and her five associates. So, it was built by a bunch of super nerds surviving the apocalypse, meaning that it's pretty well fortified and self sufficient. It seems like the Doctor must have been here at least a few weeks ago, judging by the dust levels and quality of the food.

That means there’s clean running (and hot!) water, as well as a freezer that’s stocked up with some raw meat, vegetables, and a rare ice cream treat. Also in the kitchen are some seasonings and other staples: flour, rice, etc. There are cooking utensils too, of course! Characters well versed in cooking may just be able to throw together a nice feast for everyone.

There’s also, you know. Alcohol. Not a ton of mixers, though!

It seems like the nerds had simple things for means of entertainment: there are some party and card games hidden away in drawers — think pictionary, uno and twister, or other such party games. Of course, only your imagination is holding you back: while you have a safe place to rest, it might be easier to let loose and have fun.

The six rooms in the bunker all have one bed and a connected bathroom - each one is identical but decorated with sparse things, like stray trinkets or a picture frame. Only Dr. Bei's really has anything different about it, because in it, there's still a working computer.

Characters will be able to open basic programs like wordpad, MS paint, or iTunes for music purposes. Like everyone who had iTunes, she has U2 songs on there. There's still no internet, but there are some saved messages from her and another colleague using an alternative connection method.

While exploring, characters can discover a chat log between ♛, which appears to be Dr. Bei's display name, and ♝, another user.

Aside from the beds in the six rooms, there are also sofas and armchairs to rest on.

oops all memshare

While within the safe house, your bracelets will start acting strange. It might have to do with being underground, or perhaps just the highly advanced technology at work down here, but at inopportune times, you’ll find your mind linking with other party members’, especially when initiating physical contact.

When connected to another survivor, you may exchange memories, which may come with 1) the physical sensations you felt at the time, 2) the emotions you felt at the time, or 3) the thoughts you had at that time. Players can be creative with this mechanic and have the memshares be like watching a movie, or physically acted out — whichever is your preference. There’s no prerequisite on the type of memory that might accidentally spill over, and characters may share multiple memories with one person.

According to the map's schedule, you have some time to rest your weary feet from the long ride… you’re not scheduled to leave for two or three days. It seems the Doctor might want you to fill up and face the second half of the trip with your most well rested selves. So, why not relax while you can? What’s the worst that could happen???

code

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

[After hitching a ride on the Zombie Crusher 500 with Ninety-Nine at the wheel and exiting the vehicle as necessary to kick some zombies aside, Reiju freshens up at the bunker. As usual, what scrapes she might have sustained during the scuffles in which she's taken part healed not long after the fact, leaving behind unblemished skin. Now she finds herself in the middle of the kitchen, where she stares at the counter, arms folded, with a ruminative look about her.

Eventually she pours herself a glass of something lightly alcoholic and sits with one long leg crossed over the other on an armchair. While she keeps to herself, she flashes a polite smile once someone else settles down in the lounge.]

Have you stocked up? If we're on track, we should be about halfway there.

ia. road trip - the preparation;

[She assumed that people wouldn't want to be locked in a moving hunk of metal with her, so it's a surprise that Ninety-Nine seems have secured a few passengers who are ready to get into one of the (barely) repaired cars with her. There's no way she can get next to a horse, so this is for the best.

Anyone who isn't signed up for Zombie Crusher 500 might get caught by Ninety-Nine before they leave. She might have a jar of water or an extra gun from the dilapidated western town to hand out; the guns might need some fiddling before they work, she she can only do so much.]

I'll try to clear the way. Don't stop unless you have to. [And, still assuming that most of the people have nothing still to say to her or are still suspicious, she will turn to leave just like that.]

ib. road trip - the zombie crusher 500;
(seats available! pipe up in plotting channel if you want to ride along! feel free to to do group car threads here, too)

[Ninety-Nine drives like someone who can drive, who understands the workings of a vehicle and how to make it bend to her will...but not someone who received any particular education in doing so. Like most things she does, it's rough around the edges. Needless to say, this ride is equally rough. The good news? She doesn't care about the center console, so you can fight over the music or the air conditioning with other passengers as much as you want.

That is... until the first pack of zombies that can't be circumnavigated is encountered. She idles for a moment, then cuts the engine so the noise won't alert them.] I can go through, but they'll follow. [We need backup fire.]

iia. respite - the misteak;

[There's food. In the house. A lot of food. Everyone has been struggling with meager supplies, and Ninety-Nine's power burns off more energy than she can reasonably take in with what they have stored.

That's how she ends up trying to cook some of the meat from the freezer, despite having struggled with every cooking lesson she's ever received. It's possible to encounter her with the following: a hunk of red meat, on the stove, on a very high heat. No seasonings. Nothing to help the sear. Possibly also no pan, if you've caught her before she put one on and is instead hanging the fileted portion over the burner like it's a campfire.

Help.]

iib. respite - the left behind;

[Hopefully after she's been helped with having a nice, real meal, Ninety-Nine might be found prowling around the house, investigating what Dr. Bei and her fellows left behind. She pokes at the computer and the games with curious interest, but it's the pictures that get her first actual comment.]

There were more of them. [She doesn't say anything else, but some of her questions are in her voice. Did they separate? Why? Was Dr. Bei the last alive? If they left this place with so much left intact, were things much better then?]

iii. obligatory wildcard;

[Teach Ninety-Nine to play Twister! Make her a drink! Feed her! Just slap me with a comfy safehouse memshare while people are chilling and drinking! Whatever, hit me up.]

Edited 2024-07-20 23:56 (UTC)

a. the before

[Kotoha is... here! She's here, tied up, gagged, and probably sitting someplace comfy because I doubt this group would've just dumped her onto the floor even though it would've been funny.

Just lemme know if you want a memory or come say your farewells. It's pretty obvious that things are not going well and just getting worse; she has fits where she's clearly not herself, even if she is, at least for now, kept from harming anyone.

In very rare moments, you might even catch her huddled in on herself, crying.]

b. the deed - closed to gojo and soujuurou

[In the end, Kotoha knows that she has to take matters into her own hands.

Her condition is deteriorating, and the only way she's able to keep everyone safe is by being tied up and gagged. She's already dead weight for everyone as it is, but there are flashes, longer and longer, where she's no longer herself.

Flashes where she thinks... she might be turning back into that person she was when she first Fell, when she hurt so many people. She can't be that person again. She doesn't want to be a mindless, shambling, stumbling zombie of a human being.

It takes her most of the week to finally come to terms with it. It's so, so difficult, and there are so many loose ends to tie up before she can.

But ultimately, she tries to catch Gojo's eyes across the room. He'll get it. He'll understand, right? So... she'll start there.]

I. kitchen

[ Did you come to the kitchen to get something, only to have the realization that someone has been standing there forever, taking up space?? Well, that's because Hella has been squinting hard as fuck at the back of a microwave dinner for like, ten minutes, refusing to ask for help from anyone. There are also a lot of other random things she pulled out of the freezer while she was at it, like frozen hamburger patties and popsicles, as if she was just haphazardly picking out whatever looked good, but her focus right now is fully on her frozen block of lasagna. Or, rather, struggling and failing to read what the package of lasagna says. ]

Heat until... heated.... thorough?

[ But then, she can feel your gaze near the kitchen, and she suddenly hugs the (very cold) package to her chest, face turning beet red with embarrassment. ]

What are you looking at!? I'm just — ! Trying to eat like anyone else!

II. underage drinking 😏 (unless)

Heh, and we don't even have to pay.... serves that stupid asshole right.

[ She humphs as she picks the cap off a bottle of beer, looking very pleased with herself to crack open a cold one . ]

Aren't you having any?

[ They say drinking can make you forget, right...? She doesn't want to think about the tonal dissonance of some of the things going on in this "safehouse," Kotoha's deterioration chief among them. ]

III. memory grab bag

( these prompts are if you'd rather just hop right into memshare! otherwise, you can just tell me you'd like memshare in another thread and i can hit you up with one of these or a unique one there. just lmk!! )

a. the experiments at parma (cw: torture)

[ In this memory, a younger Hella is strapped down to a what looks to be a hospital bed in a dark laboratory — all the scientists standing around the table are in white coats and dark masks. They talk amongst each other as if she isn't there, giving out orders to ensure the experiment is timed, and to record the rate and speed of recovery.

From there, the process starts. There's a strange metal instrument, almost like a brand, that's glowing red from heat — and it's quickly pressed into the bare skin of her inner wrist, audibly searing the flesh there. At first, Hella only breathes out a wheeze, but as the brand is kept there and burns her to the bone, she starts to yell through clenched teeth, squeezing her eyes tight. No tear ever sheds from her eyes, but her face is pale and drenched in sweat from the pain, as if there were many of these similar "experiments" prior to the memory's beginning.

The scientists continue to chat as they burn her over and over again, sometimes in the sme place, and sometimes on other parts of her body. Yet not a single mark lasts for long, otherworldly regeneration reversing the damage of each burn in record time. The burnt sinew and skin visibly knits back together as if urged along by a supernatural force.

Judging by the litany of tools for various types of harm near the scientists' trays — pliers, needles, blades, hammers... there's no end to this in near sight. ]

b. execution (cw: blood)

[ The first noticeable thing when you link minds with Hella is the smell of gasoline. The next noticeable scent after that? Blood.

The source of it is Hella: she's laying on the pavement next to an overturned car, a knife deep in her gut, and blood smeared all over her face and dress. It's obvious she's been beaten quite badly, bones surely shattered and several chunks of flesh torn open. Standing over her is a maniacal Ninety-Nine, who's crimson eyes show no signs of rationality.

The authorities try to intervene to no avail; bullets are useless on Ninety-Nine, and each time Hella clings to her to hold her back, she's eventually beaten down again, dangerously close to slipping out of consciousness.

But she never stops telling everyone else to go away — that I can handle this. I can make Ninety-Nine control herself... she's determined to bring her back from the brink, even if she has to get beaten to hell and back to do it.

The memory ends abruptly and brutally when Ninety-Nine swings a metal rod at her, knocking her out cold. ]

c. first meeting

[ i'll show mercy to myself and just link this one, it's ninety-nine and hella's first meeting ]

IV. wildcard

( anything else goes here.... i'll be tagging around too so just hit me up if you want smth diff and we miss each other! )

[ It's a good thing other people than Hella were in charge of setting up Kotoha, because Hella certainly would have been against tying her up like this... she has a unique sense of what's safe for everyone, perhaps because of her own sturdiness. The fact remains that Hella doesn't like to see any one of her friends in such a state, no matter the reason. Her base instincts tell her she should be breaking Kotoha free...

Whether or not Kotoha is giving involuntary tremors and fits, Hella approaches her with no fear. If she can't free her, then the least she can do is spend time with her, and show her that none of this changes how she feels. Wherever Kotoha's currently sitting all tied up, Hella sits next to her, being careful not to jostle her or press up against her too much. ]

Hey. [ She hums, conversationally, pulling out some trinkets from her pockets and setting them aside: it's some paper and pencils, a deck of cards, as well as some of the nifty trinkets she stole from inside the other rooms. ] I thought you might be getting bored over here... so I brought some cool stuff.

[ She tries to meet Kotoha's eyes, hoping she can glean some kind of sign that it's okay for her to stay from her gaze alone. ]

[ Hella's cheeks are flush with drink, but only slightly — now that she's had her fill, she's returned to lingering close to Ninety-Nine's side, content to follow her along while they explore. Of all the things here, she expected her to take interest in the pictures of the other scientists the least. ]

Fat lot of good that did them.

[ Hella says, bluntly and a little too loudly, as she rubs at one of her eyes. Her head feels heavy. With a bit of incredulity, like she can't believe it: ]

I mean, they had this awesome place and still couldn't figure things out?

a. road trip from hell

[ Whoever has the misfortune of getting stuck on a car ride with Gojo better hope that he's driving, because if left as a passenger, there will be no end to his whining and "are you there yets". Despite the fact that he...hasn't actually learned to drive. It's fine! He picks it up quickly, making a point to sling what remains of his amputated arm over the back of the seat as he reclines and drives one handed. Because that's all he can do...

...Yeah, even this is still a yawn fest. ]

Wahhh...I'm boooored! Tell me a story, or else I'll fall asleep at the wheel.

[ It better be a good story, too!! Later, assuming he did not, in fact, fall asleep at the wheel and winds up as a passenger instead, he may at certain intervals reach over and yank the steering wheel to jostle the whole car. ]

Hehe. There was a zombie!

[ Was there actually a zombie?! You decide... ]

b. rest & relaxation(?)

[ Much as he might want to keep pressing on until they reach the end of their journey, even he is feeling the extent of his limits, and his body demands real rest, even if his mind insists otherwise. Continues to insist otherwise, even as he takes the best shower of his fucking life and passes out in one of the beds for a solid 12 hours.

His long sleep hasn't completely recharged him, however; instead, it leaves him with a dull ache behind eyelids, the kind of mental overload that isn't uncommon with his Six Eyes, but is usually mitigated by use of his sunglasses. That's not always the case, however, and maybe he should just be glad he got stuck in migraine hell while somewhere safe, but —

He sure as hell isn't glad for this.

He'll find whatever dark corner of the bunker he can, as far away from the noise from the others as possible, but if someone should take up the dubious task of seeking him out to check on him, they'll find him reclining with his head tipped back, a cool washrag over his brow with his fingers pinched over the bridge of his nose. ]

Ehh. The least you could do is bring me some ice cream.

[ He knows it's in the freezer but he hasn't been feeling well enough to have any. :( ]

c. obligatory memshare prompt

[ At some point after recovering from migraine hell, Gojo scrounges up something to eat in the kitchen, and in so doing, he finds some tea leaves and a kettle. Some tea sounds nice on his still-settling stomach, so he brews up a pot on the stove, and out of utter habit prepares two cups, before he even realizes he's done so.

...Dammit. This is just cringy and embarrassing, so he waves down anyone nearby, picking up the extra cup of tea and holding it out to them. ]

Oi. Drink this. I made it for youuuuu~

[ He sure didn't, but you wouldn't disappoint a one-armed tummy ache survivor, would you? ]

[ He'll understand.

And yet, he doesn't want to understand. In a twisted sense, he was fortunate that his zombie bite had been somewhere that was able to be amputated, and grisly and life-altering as it was. Since Kotoha was infected, he's asked himself that very question: if he had been bitten like where was, somewhere the infection couldn't be cleanly cut away, what would he have done? What would he want?

...What-if's aren't a game he likes to play, but he knows, he knows he would not have accepted the possibility of turning, because if he did, he would have killed all of them. He would have killed Shoko. It would have been a big, fat game-over, any hope of a cure gone. So, that would leave him with one alternative.

Well. It's not hard to imagine that Kotoha is facing that very ultimatum now. Choose her own death, or risk turning into a mindless creature with immense power at her disposal. And yet, Gojo can't help but hope she'll continue to delay that choice, that she'll turn slow, that they can get her to the cure before it's too late, but it's swiftly becoming apparent that that won't happen. That they are running out of time. Kotoha is running out of time.

And just as before, he can't save someone who doesn't want to be saved.

Even so, when she catches his gaze, a beat of apprehension strikes in his chest, and he crosses over to her, reaching to tug away her gag with far more gentleness than is typical of him. ]

What's up? You hungry? Heh, I'll make you some lunch, but you'll have to ask suuuuper nice.

[ Maybe not the right question to ask a budding zombie but his nerves that buzz just beneath his skin get the better of him. ]

[ There's been a lot of tension in the air since they ran into those kids in the desert, and Kotoha getting bitten not long after has only made things so much worse. Soujuurou still persists though. As long as even one person is able to make it across the finish line, then all their sacrifices will be worth it. This is the truth he has chosen to hold onto.

But, that doesn't make the looming air of death hanging over the group any better. Kotoha's condition has been rapidly deteriorating and they all know it. The only options they have are either to abandon her, as they did the doctor, or put her down. Soujuurou tries not to think about it - he fails.

He's sitting nearby Gojo when the boy suddenly gets up and walks over to where she is. Soujuurou just twists his body in spot to watch, trying his best not to let his expression show concern. He wants to volunteer his help, offer to spoon feed her if she wants to be tied up still, but he chooses to bite his tongue. There's no need to overwhelm her. The last thing she wants right now is pity. ]

a. ROADTRIP

[ Haru would rather go with the horses, honestly, she's quite fond of them--but Haru also knows how to drive, so she's hopped behind the wheel this time and hopefully you're a bit of a thrill seeker because something seems to Seize Her the instant she wraps her fingers around the steering wheel.

Something... quite unlike her usual sweet-tempered personality.

Which is why I hope you're holding onto something (or each other) for dear life as she floors it, when she slams into a zombie and you see them soar majestically into the air--

She perhaps also has the need for speed. ]

b. FOOD PREP

[ Well! She can cook, at least! Perhaps not as skilled as her friend back home, but he's not here now, so Haru is at least working in the kitchen in a way that is nowhere near as terrifying as her driving, hair pulled back in a little ponytail. She seems to be happy just... well. Doing something simple. The smells coming from the kitchen should be tantalizing!

If she spots you, she smiles. ]

If you'd like, I wouldn't mind having a taste-tester.

c. TOWEL

[ Listen, sometimes you have been going through it and doing your best to hold it together and then you take a hot shower and that is the most normal you've felt in a hot second and you kind of start to feel like you're having a meltdown.

Because Haru has not really cried yet, despite wanting to Multiple Times thus far, and perhaps you're just randomly walking into one of the bedrooms or actively looking for her, but there's just a figure seated in the corner with a towel draped over her still damp hair. Her features are obscured, but she looks like she's fighting to not just huddle up entirely, breathing shaky. ]

d. WILDCARD

[ Anything! If you'd like a memshare while cooking or dealing with Haru's inner towel turmoil, just let me know! ]

Maybe they were the ones who were trapped after long enough.

[For anyone else, Ninety-Nine's observation might carry with it a bit of dispassionate sympathy. For these scientists, each of whom she believes is responsible for the suffering the entire group is facing, there's only cold, violent intent.

Maybe she's only looking at their faces to memorize better, so if they ever meet any of them still alive she can kill them on the spot - anything that might free the group.]

When we leave it will go to waste. [How long could they stay here if it didn't matter? Not long enough, and it still feels like a bitter insult to have this here and now. At least she can be grateful for a safe place for them to sleep while she keeps watching, vigilant as an ever-burning, slowly dying flame.]

[Despite what should be a huge wave of relief now that they’re hunkered down in a place that actually seems secure, Suzuha can’t quite get herself to relax, not fully. Food, shelter, and a zombie-free environment go a long way, sure, but…

But, well. It’s hard to miss how quickly Kotoha’s been unraveling over the past few days. They’re going to have a zombie in their midst here before long, whether they like it or not.

She’s trying to put on a brave face about the whole thing, because the last thing Kotoha probably needs is anyone panicking around her when she’s trying to hold it together through this. It has to be on her mind as much as it is the rest of the team’s—the calculations of how quickly she’s succumbing to this illness vs how much traveling they still have ahead of them. The answer doesn't seem favorable.

When she goes to check in on her, maybe gauge what sort of appetite she may have for whatever big meal some of the others are whipping up in the kitchen, she’s only half-expecting that she might be somewhat lucid. What she finds instead is her curled up—asleep, she thinks at first, but then—

Oh. She’s crying.

Whether privacy is a concern for her in this moment or not, Suzuha can’t help but quietly limp her way over to sit next her her, reaching out to place a comforting hand on her back. Kotoha had been there for her weeks ago at the mall when things had gone bad and she’d been scared out of her mind; the least Suzuha can do is return the favor.]

[Ok but even if I picked the towel meltdown, I hope we can say they raced cars and mowed down zombies together and also that Haru fed her at some point. Just the full Haru experience.

Ninety-Nine might not be the best person to find anyone who needs emotional support and comfort, but she is well-equipped to find missing party members or ones who are acting differently from normal. She's taken note of their footsteps and the pattern of their breaths, and it helps her see the dark shape slumped in the bedroom for what it is.

Hesitating in the bedroom doorway - what if she makes it worse? What if the girl flinches away - Ninety-Nine waits silently a moment, then walks in to squat down on her heels at Haru's side.]

You're not well... I could hear it in your breath. Are you feeling sick? Did you get injured? [Give that she can't sense the metallic sting of blood in the air, she probably already knows the answer, at least in part.]

Edited 2024-07-22 02:08 (UTC)

[They had so much fun(?) in the Zombie Crusher 500! The car's a little worse for the wear, and she doubts it'll be able to go much further, but when Ninety-Nine approaches Reiju in the kitchen, she seems very much the same. This must be her indomitable toughness in action. Seeing the evidence of her imperviousness to injury and quick healing piques her curiosity and teases up her hunter's instincts: It's a fascination, willingly or unwillingly.

But Reiju is also acting...weird. Ninety-Nine sets some water bottles on the counter after pulling them from her (now very grimy) S*nrio bag, her head cocked to the side as if she listening for whatever's got her looking so defensive and contemplative.] What's the problem?

[ Absolutely they ran over zombies and Haru made sure Ninety-Nine had a proper meal made with love and care. We're capable of multitasking in this household.

Thank goodness Ninety-Nine is not a bloodhound (maybe) and can't scent emotions (hopefully), because the guilt is palpable in that instant. Haru lifts her head, eyes large and dark from beneath the towel, as water trickles down her face.

From her hair, not from her eyes. Not yet. ]

No, I'm--I'm all right. I'm healthy and uninjured, I simply...

[ ... ]

Felt slightly overwhelmed, I think.

[They had a lot of fun(?). For once, they had the clear upper hand.

Ninety-Nine's voice snaps Reiju out of her reverie, drawing her attention. There's nothing out of the ordinary about the kitchen, and Reiju is back to comporting herself with rehearsed grace.]

Nothing. [Aside from the obvious concerns. Personally, she has no complaints to file on her end.] I was just thinking about how much work goes into preparing a meal.

Did you? How kind of you.

[Reiju has the feeling that he didn't, especially since she just dropped in, but far be it from her to turn the offer down and give him a reason to get worked up after all he's endured so far. She steps forward to accept the tea, smiling wider once her fingers graze the cup.]

Thank you.

[Presumably Haru showed Reiju the basics of cooking at camp after the group's reunion from the hospital and mall. Although a careful and inquisitive learner then, Reiju hasn't asked for more lessons since.

Still, she's more than willing to help however she can—as she is now, faced with a delightful aroma and how happy Haru looks.]

I'd like that. Can I do anything else to help?

[ It's true, Haru has made several journeys to ensure that Kotoha is comfortably settled and has things like pillows and all of this is terrible, actually? Kotoha is suffering and she knows it, and they all know it, and there's nothing they can do for her while her condition worsens.

So Haru just visits when she can, sitting down beside her and catching her up on everything.

Such as now, or so she thinks, but...

... ]

Kotoha-chan...?

[ Is she crying...? ]

[ That ruthless malice towards the people in the photo gets accepted as easy as anything by Hella; it's just another thing the two of them inseparably bonded over, leaving no room to question or doubt the feelings in each other's hearts. Hella would never take away or look down on Ninety-Nine's right to feel the way she does towards people like these. ]

Probably.... damn, this could've been the perfect place to shack up. All we need is a lake.

[ For it to be like the Barbie dream house they'd thought up together a few weeks ago. It doesn't have windows where they can watch the sunrise from... but it's pretty cozy, she has to admit. If only there was a stupid portal here, they could escape away to this place whenever they wanted, and return to the MBCC whenever needed. ]

Maybe there will be other ones like this on the map? [ Probably not, but... if she pretends there are, it'll make this whole journey that much less painful. They all deserve a safe place to sleep and a meal that didn't come from the trash. ] We should hide it again when we leave, so it doesn't get ransacked.

[ in the event they get stuck here for longer, perhaps.... ]

Normally I’d say drinking while in the middle of a mission sounds like a disaster waiting to happen, but…

[But really, this whole time have they had anything but? They’ve been through the wringer, are still dealing with ticking time-bombs (she’s trying very hard not to think for long about Kotoha and subsequently Mark, who might not have gotten as bad as her so quickly, but still hasn’t gotten any better), and they still have weeks to go. This is probably the most secure reprieve they’re going to have during this whole thing.

So she sighs, leaning forward to hold an expectant hand out as she nods toward the collection of bottles gathered at the other end of the table.]

I guess it can’t make things any worse. Pass one over.

Don't go getting all rulesy on me now. Aren't you supposed to be a badass fugitive rebel?

[ Rulesy is definitely not a word... but it is in her mind palace. Without missing a beat, she passes a beer Suzuha's way, all while taking a big swig of her own. In Syndicate, sometimes you need to drink just to stay warm — but it's not a pastime Hella really participated in much, especially after living with the ever hot running Ninety-Nine. ]

It seems pretty safe down here, anyway. If anything had ever gotten in, there'd be signs.

[ ooc: because my time is a little tight, I'm splitting my toplevel into reg open prompts and memshare. the latter will go up first and I'll work on the former later tonight 🫡 ]

[ ooc: following jams' idea on this, grab whichever one you want your character to see and let's skip to the part where it gets seen. i'm ok with exchanging memories too if you'd like. and if you prefer something a little more lighthearted than these then you can let me know via pm or in the discord and i can whip up a "soujuurou slice of life" moment for you. the second and third have endgame witch on the holy night spoilers. ]

i. exiled

every day of the boy's life was the same. he wakes up at the crack of dawn, at the same time the other dozen boys and girls on the compound do. they eat breakfast, go to hunt for food, learn to fight, eat their dinner, and then sleep. all the children lived for that one single day, and then moved onto the next. as such, no one ever looked forward to the end of the month, nor the week and not even tomorrow. when every day is the same, there is no expectation that the next will be any different.

then one day, at the end of the sixteenth autumn he's lived through, he noticed someone in his group was missing and went to go look for them. after following tracks carefully concealed, the boy found that person's corpse at the bottom of the cliff. but none of the others were concerned when he told them what happened. it was simply an event of the day and nothing more. the next day came, and then the next, and life moved on.

but not for him.

"You must leave," decreed the elder.

the boy's reaction is muted, surprise flickering in his eyes but nowhere else. "Why? Have I done something wrong?"

the elder chuckled. "You have begun to question your purpose here - am I wrong?"

the boy's face went blank with realization, eyes only on the elder sitting across from him in a private wood cabin. it was true: without even knowing when it started, he began to wonder what tomorrow would bring. in a world where everything was the same each day, the boy wished for something new.

"This is a grave sin. It means you no longer belong here," the elder explained, expression wry and voice bemused. "We will bring you down the mountain and give you a new identity to live with. Do not speak of this to the others, or they will be forced to leave as well."

that was harsh, but fair. for all the years he has lived here, they have never exchanged beyond what was necessary. he knows the smell of the animals and the berries he should eat by sight better than he knows any of them. it would be wrong to pass his sin down. the decision has been made for him - exiled from the perfect world he has only ever known. so why isn't he upset?

"......Soujuurou Shizuku. That is the name you will be granted. Commit to your heart as though it were branded. We will take you down the mountain tonight after dark."

he nods, accepting his fate.

ii. grendel and beowulf

"Glad to see you still have some fight in you, Aozaki"

upon the clearing at the top of the hill, five actors play their role. the heroines, a sharp blue eyed brunette (aoko aozaki) and her doll faced companion dressed in black (alice kuonji), have been struck down by their enemies. drenched in their own blood, stitched wounds reopened, they lay immobilized on the precipice between life and death. their enemies, the red mage in green (miss touko) and a golden haired child (he doesn't know who this is) in an expensive white coat, look upon them knowing their victory is but a stone's throw away.

and then there's him: soujuurou shizuki, only a man among goliaths with power that should solely exist in human imagination. when aozaki tries to ask what he's doing here, it's barely above a murmur, her body is failing rapidly. he explains, without a hint of fear, that he's here to step in.

the golden boy laughs with vicious glee at his next meal. soujuurou doesn't even look at him.

"Something reeks... it's like rotten meat," soujuurou sighs, voice dismayed with disgust and full of contempt. "This is why I hate dogs."

what happens next could only be a story from myth itself. the boy transforms in a fiery gale, growing larger and larger with golden fur taking over every inch of his pale skin. in but a moment, the boy is now in his true form: beowulf, the noble werewolf, the infallible beast.

"Amazing," Soujuurou breathes, but not with awe - exasperation. "You really are a dog."

deathly silence overwhelms the clearing, the three women's ears burning and their expressions stunned with disbelief. is he an idiot? miss touko commands beowulf not to kill soujuurou, but her order falls on deaf ears. pride and dignity stripped away, the beast lunges for the kill.

beowulf swings his massive claw and soujuurou side-steps, betting his entire life on three paces of perfect timing. but not evade - to position himself in the spot he needs. with one mind, one breath, soujuurou counters with a punch powered by all his feeble human strength into the chest of the beast. his left arm explodes, the impact with a mythic beast destroying it instantly. then, as the beast begins to collapse, he whirls around to reach the monster's back and drive his right elbow - penetrating the exact spot his fist went into from the other side.

the werewolf falls, choking on his own blood, gasping for air. felled in three seconds. beowulf the great legend defeated by a mere mortal, his perfection denied on the conceptual level. and above him the mortal stands, expression dark and empty as if he were a statue.

iii. a chime

"I'm glad that went well."
"Don't you dare say you're happy we're alive or I'll be so pissed."

aoko aozaki, the blue eyed magus, glared as she sat up on the ground covered with her own blood, daring soujuurou to find a bright side to this. her school uniform is more crimson than beige now, clinging to her life by a thread as her body attempted to start rapid healing. soujuurou was somehow in even worse shape: his arms both broken, one of his legs damaged so badly it's a miracle he could still stand, internal organs ruptured, spine nearly collapsed. a bird with clipped wings, his body would never recover the way hers would.

what exactly went so well, she asks with an exasperated huff.

"Because I was finally able to keep my promise. You held up your end of the deal, but I hadn't delivered yet. That always bothered me. I'm so glad I got the chance to set things straight."

she was astonished in a way she didn't think she could muster up again after watching him defeat the werewolf that bested her in a single move.

"You're the one who taught me that promises are things you make to yourself, Aozaki. So as long as you keep your word, I need to keep mine," he sighs audibly, smile happy and tired. "What a weight off my shoulders."

sincere as ever and she could barely muster a proper response to the audacity of it. he was a complete mystery to her, as if the simplest problem was the hardest to find a solution to. all she can do is grumble back that she's the one who owes him now. soujuurou reaches out his right hand to her, ready to go back home together.

"You really are hopeless," she utters and reaches her hand to take his.

then a bell chimes, the air whips, and the girl's fondness instantly turns to horror.

"Sou... juurou..."

her quiet voice is the last thing he hears before his body is cut in two. everything goes dark, and he dies.

Humph... did you?

[ She raises an eyebrow suspiciously, smiling wickedly like she knows that he absolutely didn't — Gojo's second to last on the list of people she thinks would give her a free cup of tea, with Leontuzzo being dead last. It's not like they're on bad terms, but they did have a rough start. But, Hella can be gracious. She takes the tea, swirling it around. ]

You didn't put anything weird in it, did you?

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week 4

respite

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memshares on request!! just hmu

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can i have a memshare before kotoha bites it (🥁) PLEASE

iib

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b.... u_u

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a. memshare? we can gamble on the vibes idk

c! and i will take a memory, of course

kitchen!

but of course, would you like heartwarming or horrendous

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c

b with a tablespoon of memory, please

a

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II

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memshares!!

c!