WEEK ZERO: ARRIVAL

[gatonina]

ARRIVAL

▽ FULL NAVIGATION ▽ LOCATIONS ▽ STATUSES ▽ IC PROFILES ▽ IC RULEBOOK ▽ MURDER PROPOSALS ▽ PCS ▽ CURFEW ▽ ??? ▽ ??? ▽ ???

PASSENGERS: 41 You know how the story goes by now. One minute you’re somewhere familiar, and the next you’re suddenly somewhere else. Unlike previous times before, the source of your rude awakening isn’t a mystery. A harsh jostle causes your body to lunge forward as a tire jumps over a pot hole in the road. Try as you might, it’s hard to ignore the steady thrumming of an engine and the gentle sway beneath you. The faint scent of gasoline seems to waft from the outside, but as you look around you’ll notice that the windows are locked, tinted, and impossible to see through. Likewise, the door ahead of you appears to be locked as well. Perhaps the scent is your imagination…? Regardless, though the lighting is a tad dim, it becomes apparent that you’re inside a large bus dotted with the occasional seat and amid a jumble of other bodies. The people you were last with may be among your fellow passengers. Perhaps they are not. But worry not; there’s plenty of time to look around and get to know one another on this long, strange trip. It may even be wise to examine the staircase at the other end of the bus. Who knows what awaits you on the other floors? Ah, but before you move too far it may be best to assess the situation. On the bright side, any injuries you incurred have been healed! Isn't it nice to have your limbs in place again? Miracles happen. But...what happened to your clothes? You’re fairly certain you weren't wearing this t-shirt before...and what's with the denim shorts? Maybe you were fortunate enough to get the knee-length version, but for those of you waking up in bootyshorts...well, we're sure you look great! And what better way to tie the whole look together than white socks and tan sandals? At least you'll be comfortable for the ride. Lucky for you, your new threads aren't the only gift you'll receive upon waking up. Attached to your waist is a high-quality bag filled with some fun goodies for every passenger! For those of you who unzip your bag to check its contents, you will find: -Dry shampoo -Wet wipes -Deodorant -Travel pack of toilet paper -Travel toothbrush + toothpaste -Poncho -A stylish travel guide No other items are on your person at this time, even if you were holding onto it as you began your previous departure. That's a bit troublesome, isn't it? Not really; it's still a bus. Be grateful for the extra elbow room, alright? Oh, and one last thing...on the wrist of every passenger is a small, equally fashionable white scrunchie. Not your style? Perhaps it's a good idea to give the travel guide another read. Searching the bus from top to bottom will net zero results in the way of an escape. All of the windows are similarly tinted and locked, and the only exit door appears to be the one on the first level that can't be opened at this time. But hey. You're all old pros at this, right? You know what to do next! Get to know the people around you, trade stories with your fellow passengers, and...well. Buckle up for the bumpy ride ahead.

Comments

[wisterin]

i. how cursed are we

[ When she wakes up, the realization sinks in quickly, and the moment she notices her outfit, multiple emotions cross her face in quick succession: panic, heartbreak, and fury. In a blink, everything is replaced by a smile, and her hair is tied back in the bunny scrunchie.

She faces anyone and everyone with a smile. ]

How much do you think we'll have to endure?

[ She appears calm? She sounds pleasant enough. She doesn't know what a bus is either. ]

ii. cooking mama or overcooked?

[ Unfortunately, Shinobu doesn't know what a video game is, but she is in the kitchen because she has to keep her hands busy.

She greets anyone who comes into this cramped space, still smiling. Has anyone seen her without a smile on her lips since right after they all woke up? Who knows? ]

If you know and want any Japanese cuisine, please tell me and I'll make it for you.

[ Please let her make something for you. ]

iii. wildcard

[ come at me with anything! find her at the reading corning, perusing as much horror fiction as she can, or maybe you saw her attack giyuu or something. it's fine. ]

ii

[wowcool]

[He blinks with some surprise when he sees her - he sincerely thought the last time they would see each other would be on the island. Looks like that wasn't the case.]

...Do you know how to make udon, Shinobu?

[wisterin]

[ Well. At least he isn't yelling at her or something. She's not surprised because she saw enough to tell that she probably would see some familiar faces. ]

I do. What kind of udon do you like? It seems like almost any ingredient can be found somehow.

ii.

[shortfornow]

[ There's a pause, because his mind thinks of the last two people who offered to cooking something for him. ]

...

[ There's a flicker of uncertainty, before he'll put on the fool's mask. Food is the furthest thing on his mind, but the last two he refused and he wound up attached. ]

What about inarizushi?

[wisterin]

[ She sees that flicker but doesn't comment on it. ]

If you don't mind waiting a while, it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

[ It's amazing that the fridge supplies the fried tofu for her? ]

It may be a little less than a while.

ii

[concasse]

-- Ah, you're also a chef?

[Listen, there are few things that would distract Sanji from looking for his baby tiger, but cooking is definitely one of them. He pokes his head into the kitchen, immediately intrigued]

[wisterin]

[ She smiles, but it's a little apologetic. ]

Not by profession, I'm sorry. Growing up, I had to learn how, but I've never heard a complaint against my cooking. I do enjoy it, though.

i

[applechemist]

[ Escha is not quite observant enough to read those emotions, so she's just left with the smile and the question. She sighs. ]

Just enduring this small space with so many people is a lot.

[ ... She's just trying to lighten the mood a little. ]

[wisterin]

Yes.

[ There's something else she can say here, but instead she opts for: ]

I hope there isn't anyone that's particularly claustrophobic. I'm afraid I wouldn't know what to do to help that.

i!

[overruns]

[ There's a face he hadn't anticipated seeing again. His eyelids flutter, stark surprise crossing his expression for a moment, but... he should've seen this coming, shouldn't he? Of course they'd both be here. If everything just started back over, reset in some way, didn't they deserve to be dragged along? ]

I don't know.

[ They both look pretty absurd in their 90s camp gear, which makes how somber he sounds kind of ridiculous, but he doesn't care about how it looks in the slightest. ]

Do you suppose we're here to atone?

[wisterin]

[ Shinobu is trying to ignore their outfits because it's just a reminder of her MISSING HAORI. This time around, she didn't have plans to approach Dimitri first, so it's more of a surprise that he decides to talk to her.

It's Dimitri who makes her smile soften into something a little more sad. ]

Is that how you viewed it?

[ She shakes her head. ]

No. Whatever wrongs you think you did and for whatever I've done, whatever is going to happen here likely won't be anything like that.

RUNS AT U FASTLY ii!

[givethemhell]

[Oh it's two people in the kitchen who haven't stopped smiling! IT'S A PARTY. Wei Wuxian blinks though, curious.]

Ah... I know I had a few things like that on the ship, but I can't remember the names of any of them. Could I leave it up to you? I like anything that's spicy! I can trade a dish for a dish, too, but I've been told my cooking is a little too spicy.

SLINGSHOTS YOU STRAIGHT TO THE MOON

[wisterin]

[ STOP. DON'T MAKE THEM KIN ALREADY.

She tilts her head, as she tries to think of a spicy dish. It's more like making a dish spicy. ]

I'll take that trade. [ Why not? They're stuck on this bus. If she dies from food poisoning, it's fine. ] I don't mind spicy, but I can't say I enjoy the sensation of my mouth burning, so let me try something that's mild for you.

[ Which she guesses is medium for most people, at the very least from the way he speaks. ]

ii.

[covenantal]

[ Ah! His face brightens at this, and he'll favor her with a small but warm smile. ]

I'm Japanese myself. I'm alright for now, but thank you very much for offering.

[ He'll offer a short bow, polite. ]

Narukami Yu. Could I ask your name, miss?

[wisterin]

[ What a polite boy. Her smile is a degree warmer, and she gives a short bow in return. ]

Kocho Shinobu. I hope we can get along despite wherever we're being taken.

ii

[haw]

.........I could go for some takoyaki, if that's up yer alley.

[ once again, he is weak for girl u_u ]

[wisterin]

[ That's quite the pause. ]

I can manage that, but if you're not hungry, please don't force yourself because I want to keep busy.

i

[fishingforcompliments]

[What the fuck even is a bus.



Flayn, for her part, can't muster up a smile. One of these days, Shinobu is really going to have to teach her how to do that.]

Any amount would be too much.

[wisterin]

[ A bus is soon toe become a murder vehicle.

One of these days, Flayn may learn she may not like the reason behind the how. ]

You're very right, Flayn-san. I, too, would like to throw myself against a window or door, but I can't close my eyes to what I've seen.

i

[hydrogenetic]

More than any of us should have to, but what else is new? [Let's just be a realist here. He's not quite returning her smile, but he looks equally calm.]

[wisterin]

not having to murder would be new

iii, yolo

[muragas]

[ yeah, she absolutely saw her attack Giyuu which, honestly?

nice. but just to be sure, she'll meander by a little while later and casually ask: ]

Oh, is he possessed again...?

[wisterin]

wish stabbing giyuu would solve all of this again

ii.

[getdrekt]

[he stares at he for a minute

then shakes his head.]

Your country is certainly a popular kidnapping target.

[wisterin]

we're all weebs