notagain | WEEK FOUR: MINGLE

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mingle

WEEK FOUR: MINGLE

WEEK FOUR

▽ FULL NAVIGATION
▽ LOCATIONS
▽ STATUSES
▽ IC PROFILES
▽ IC RULEBOOK
▽ MURDER PROPOSALS
▽ PCS
▽ CURFEW
▽ AUDIENCES
▽ CAMP STORE
▽ REPORTING

POPULATION: 29

Rise and shine, everyone! At 7:00 AM on the dot, those who are asleep will be roused from their slumber by the sound of a bugle call. It seems that breakfast is now served in the Mess Hall. How nice! It's up to you to decide if you want to continue sleeping or not... But maybe it's a good idea to grab a bite and explore your surroundings. After all, it seems the fog has receded enough to reveal a few new locations.

Regardless of what you do, be sure to check the weather before stepping outside. You never know when you might need an umbrella! Once you're up and at them, though, there are a few points of interest this week.

If you swing by the Director's Office, you will find Purple Heart manning the receptionist's desk or flitting in and out of the rooms down the hallway. This week's tasks are now available, and you can check them out on the announcement board in the waiting room. Should you visit the Camp Shop, Winter Wizard will be handling all transactions at the checkout counter. Even camp directors hold down normal jobs, you know. Strangely enough, Black Shadows doesn't seem to be stationed at any set location. Maybe it's their week off? Oh, well. Seems like if you want to get ahold of them, you'll have to pay your respects to the bunnies.

As you explore the camp, however... You may find yourself confronted by scenes from a not so distant past. Or, perhaps, the so-called-movies playing on the big screen are completely foreign to you. But that's not all you will have to deal with this week. Continue skimming the edges of the forest, and you will find yourself going down memory lane. Literally.

After the events of last week, perhaps you yearn for privacy. Unfortunately, it seems that though your past will no longer be put on blast, your feelings will be made known to those around you instead. Should you come into physical contact with somebody else, you immediately become aware of whatever emotion they are feeling and vice versa. The feeling will linger for five seconds after physical contact has been broken, at which point it will fade. But the knowledge will remain with you. And even worse, it doesn't necessarily have to be skin-to-skin contact like in your first week. As long as you are physically touching them, that will be enough for the effect to take place.

Whether you want to or not, it seems like this is the week to wear your heart on your sleeve. Good luck.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[flayn sees the dvd coming.

however, she does not see it coming with enough time to dodge. it's too fast. she flinches back, bracing herself for a hit that never comes, and then slowly looks up to see yin yu holding the offending dvd case.]

—ah. Yes! I am. Thank you.

[ yin yu looks back at flayn to make sure she isn't being accosted by any other random dvds from where he's standing, still holding the offending movie in hand. (it is, apparently, about scary clowns.)

he gives her a little smile, mouth curling up, and nods his head. ] Of course. I'm just glad I was able to catch it in time.

Do you need help, my lady? I can assist you with the task if you wouldn't mind the company.

I love your company, Yin Yu. You know that.

[or at least, she hopes he does! Anyway, they'd better get to work. Since he's got that pesky DVD and it's not trying to hit them, she'll hold out her hand to take it so she can sort it where it seems to belong.]

Are these organized by title, or by subject? These... "clowns" seem quite odd.

[ predictably, his cheeks turn a little pink, and he ducks his head, a little bashful at such a sweet compliment. ] That’s very kind of you. [ it’s very mutual, too! but we all know he’s not going to say that.

he offers the case to her when prompted. ] I believe they’re all some sort of horror.... but beyond that I’m not sure.

[ and leaning over to peer at it too. ] it just looks like a ghost mask. Then again, I suppose I have a strange definition of “scary”...

[ to say the least. ah - he hears a whizz noise and reaches up to catch another case without much effort, setting it down, too. ]

[she looks between the clown face on the cover, and the mask on the side of his head. (at least i assume it's on the side of his head, since you mentioned his cheeks turning pink.]

Hmm... I think I prefer your mask. This one [she taps the cover] looks a little odd.

[there's the whizz of another case yeeting itself at them, but flayn doesn't look at all bothered by it, because she's confident he'll catch it. and he does! so. her faith was obviously not misplaced.]

...pick whichever of these looks as though it would be most similar to something you would see in your world, and we should watch it! Perhaps it will be unexpectedly frightening.

[ yeah he pretty much never wears it around flayn. actually, he's been wearing it less and less, lately... slowly, yin yu's coming out of his shell.

the makeup on the strange 'clown' is odd. yin yu doesn't even look as he hears another case, and his hand snaps up, catching it without a worry. ] - I didn't choose one that was very flashy. Often they're used in operas and plays, so this sort of thing would fit right in.

[ he glances briefly at the case in his hand. the exorcist... his nose wrinkles. really, all of these films just make a mockery of things that are truly scary, don't they. ] I can look. [ so! give him a bit. it's quiet as he pulls a stack of dvds from the shelf, reorganizing them to keep them from flying off of it immediately, catching the occasional wayward movie.

the first cover that sticks out to him is this, but it's not because it's scary; there's a twinge of amusement on his face as he reads the title. ] The Ghost Bride. I wouldn't say that it's scary, per se, but a story of similar origins is what started off the past few months or so for myself and Chengzhu back home; it is how he was able to find Taizi Dianxia.

Do you know, my lady, it is common for brides to wear red? [ as he hands her the film to look at. ] It is a color for happiness, luck, prosperity, fertility...vitality, and many other things. For it also to be the color of blood does make for a good story, I suppose.

[good!! the further he comes out of his shell, the more friends he can have. flayn would like to see that happen, thanks.

anyway, she can't help but look intrigued as he picks out another dvd - and she takes it when he offer sit to her to look at.]

What a beautiful dress...

[the poor girl on the cover looks terrified but she's got really good taste in clothes. anyway, she looks up at him. it's obvious that she's pretty curious about the story of how a... ghost bride...? helped reunite two people, so it's probably not surprising that what comes out of her mouth next is:]

Could you tell me about it? About how he found him?

[ honestly, he could have predicted that question coming out of her mouth before he even finished his sentence. lady flayn's love of these kinds of stories is quite familiar to him, now, and he turns his head when she looks to give her a gentle smile.]

I can tell you what I know: it will most likely be a bit clinical, since I only reported on it after he left the area. [ i can't believe you're reading the novel and I have to summarize this for you icly now. ]

When Taizi Dianxia reascended, he went back down to the mortal realm almost immediately to try and help solve a problem at Mt. Yu Jun. [ the ascension is how they were able to find him. yin yu has been tracking taizi dianxia's whereabouts just as much as his master, but they were never successful...until then. ] For over a century, brides who were going to get married in the area were vanishing without a trace. Supposedly, the mountain was haunted by a 'ghost groom', who was making the brides disappear. Taizi Dianxia and two other heavenly officials moved in to catch the ghost groom--they believed he wouldn't come out unless it was for a bride, which was a fair assessment. So, Taizi Dianxia dressed as a bride, and went undercover in a sedan to lure the ghost out.

[ he pauses in his storytelling, absently catching another dvd that sails by, and huffs a quiet laugh. ] Chengzhu left Paradise Manor in quite a storm to receive him. It was the first time we'd heard any mention of him in eight hundred years... and he was dressed in such a way.

[ it's.. kind of funny, now. chengzhu is someone who seems infallible, and yin yu would not dare assume anything otherwise. but also, in his heart of hearts, he knows his boss has a deceptively pea sized brain when it comes to taizi dianxia. ] He returned briefly not long after, but then left to travel the country at Taizi Dianxia's side.

[haha suffer]

He must have been quite surprised to see him dressed that way...!

[but if it was a fair assessment, that the ghost wouldn't come out except for a bride - does that mean he made a convincing bride, himself? flayn really can't help but wonder what he looked like.

she can imagine the outfit, at least, but she doesn't know xie lian's face.]

...what happened next? Did he help to catch the ghost groom, or...? Where else in the country did they go together?

[ he also did not see xie lian dressed as a bride, but he knows him well enough. despite his strength...he's quite delicate looking? kind of a pretty boy. very suited to the heavens. chengzhu must have been losing his mind. ]

It turned out the ghost groom was a ghost bride, herself. Or, rather, a ghost general - General Xuan Ji. She had been trying to catch the attention of General Ming Guang, one of the most powerful martial gods in the Heavenly Realm. He...has a bit of a reputation with women.

[ he is ~~dana core~~ the worst playboy in all of the three realms, is the truth, but yin yu doesn't say that because he is polite. ] And she was rather jealous of women who got to get married, because she loved General Ming Guang when she lived, and he... did not return the favor. When she died, she became a Wrath-level ghost and came after his temples... and the brides who died were collateral damages of her jealousy.

Taizi Dianxia and the others were able to take her prisoner and stop her from killing anyone else. [ and... hm. he taps his chin, thoughtfully. ] As for my master, he went to Puji Village, where Taizi Dianxia made his temple, disguised himself, and proceeded to accompany him throughout the realm. Taizi Dianxia is a kind person, and has done much work in helping others, often stumbling onto trouble and helping without reservation. Chengzhu accompanied him pretending to be a young master named 'San Lang'.

I only ran into Taizi Dianxia myself outside of observation in the Ghost City. I still don't know how he managed to make it there [ with a huff of a laugh ] but by that point, Chengzhu resumed his original form and the two of them have been nearly inseparable since. I only see them when Chengzhu calls for my assistance.

[...a bit of a reputation, huh. For a moment, flayn pictures someone she knows from the monastery, but as yin yu continues, she discards that mental image - sylvain isn't nearly charming enough to inspire a woman to such jealousy.

(she thinks, anyway.)

her eyes are wide as she listens to the tale. the situation with the ghost bride certainly sounds dangerous, and she shoots a look at the dvd case - maybe they should watch it, to see how it compares. the rest of what yin yu is saying sounds better, though.]

...they must be very happy together, to be so inseparable! How lucky for them. [she smiles] I am glad to hear that they were able to find each other. ...does he call for your assistance often?

Mm, as much as it is necessary. I usually am only there for a moment or two, or it's when Taizi Dianxia is asleep.

[ as ever, yin yu is one with the shadows. he fades out of sight so easily, no wonder it took xie lian until only just a few days before he arrived at the island to eve know his name...not that yin yu made it particularly easy on him. ]

But, they are. As far as I can tell, anyway. Chengzhu has been searching for him for so long, I can't imagine anything else. [ they're actually a little gross with how utterly in love they both are but he's discreet and would never say that. even if you'd have to be an idiot not to notice it. (or xie lian, apparently.) ]

In terms of stories, it's certainly a happier ending than this one. [ with a small tap to the ghost bride case. ] And the story with General Xuan Ji as well. I imagine it won't be the last that we see of her when I return.

[gross....... but it's cute, and flayn can't help but smile, imagining it (even though she doesn't know what either of them looks like).]

I hope they remain just as happy as they are now for many years to come.

[centuries, even, if their lives will span that long. from the sound of it, they will.

flayn's brows furrow slightly as he taps the cover. not the last they've seen of her, huh... it's unsurprising, from the sound of it. but it also sounds dangerous, and while she knows yin yu is incredibly capable (the way she hasn't had to worry about a single dvd hitting her since he showed up is proof of that), that doesn't mean she likes the thought of him leaving here and walking right into more danger.]

...but you said she was taken prisoner, was she not? So she should not be able to do any further harm to anyone...

[ yin yu gives a nod of his head in agreement to that, a little fondly. he's sure if it's chengzhu, they will manage to make such happiness last.

as long as they can solve all the problems in his world currently. it bothers him to not be there: logically, it is fine, but he was with them just before he came (and with yizhen, but he tries not to think about that), and things were not great. with the eruption at mt. tonglu... they could easily be caught in a similar situation to the one yin yu is in right now.

he hopes not. ] ...She was, yes. But, she is quite strong, and things are a bit. Ah, busy, at the moment, particularly for the ghosts and those close to those places. It wouldn't surprised me if she makes an appearance again. We can only hope that the Heavens were infallible in their capture.

[ he highly doubts it. ]

...

[no one is ever infallible. not even gods. that hope doesn't really make her any less worried, so.]

...if something does happen, and you are asked to assist... you will be very careful, correct?

[it's hard, to think about a time - hopefully in the not-so-distant future, since that would mean everyone was safe - that he might be back home, facing danger, without anyone here beside him.]

[ with a nod of his head. ]

Of course, my lady. For as long as Chengzhu has need of me, I have no intention of recklessly endangering myself.

[ xuan ji, qi rong... both very strong, but neither very smart. in a pinch, he would be able to outsmart them and escape from a bad situation, were one to happen. yin yu wouldn't be surprised, with the way things are going in his world right now.

...hopefully he can return, soon. ]

Good. That puts my mind at ease.

[for a moment, it looks like she's going to say something else -

but then three dvd cases yeet themselves at the pair of them at once, from three different directions! oops.]

--Ah! [ oh, shit. yin yu's reflexes are quick but not that quick -- he makes his decision in a split second, half jumping off of where he was settled in a crouch to pick up the first few. he grabs the case from the right, first and pivots as quick as he can. the momentum from grabbing the first case lets him swing it at the one incoming from the left to bat it down, which just leaves the back. he's already put himself in the right spot with the pivot though, dropping his other hand down on the ground, since flayn is so small -

he's able to cage over her protectively, and with a thwack, the case hits him right in the back of the head.

ouch. ]

[it takes her a moment to realize what's happening - and by the time she's processed it, he's already taken the hit for her. she flinches, then shifts to look up at him with an expression of concern.]

Yin Yu—! Are you okay...?

[ once the danger of flying dvd cases seems to have (temporarily) stopped, yin yu peeks back over his shoulder. ]

...I'm fine, I'm fine.

[ ow, his head. he reaches back to touch it through his dark hair... it was more of an annoyance than anything with actual substance, but still. ] This room is ridiculous. Nothing hit you, right?

No, it did not.

[he'd made quite sure of that. she can't help but feel a little bad that he's gotten hurt - or even just mildly inconvenienced - because he was protecting her, though.]

I never seem to be in any real danger when you are near.

I'm not sure if this counts as real danger...

[ he couldn't protect her from being suddenly stabbed during the first trial! he also couldn't protect her from her wound reopening on their break in... or from dying back at the island. really, in terms of protection, he's batting pretty low.

a dvd case seems to about be the extent of his success actually. man that sucks!

luckily, any annoyance from being whacked seems to subside fairly quickly, and he straightens again, looking back over his shoulder. ] I wonder if there's something we could block the shelves with. Black Shadows should consider investing in a cabinet.

[ smh. ]

[he hadn't been able to protect her from it - but she had been able to survive it. the trial had been one thing, but the break-in -

had she been alone, flayn is very sure that she would have been dead. she'll never forget that he saved her life, and that she owes him for it. what she wants more than anything is to be able to protect his life in turn.

(too bad she won't! SISI.)]

...that might not be a bad idea. [blocking them off, that is. as he straightens, she gets to her feet to look around for something they might be able to use on the dvds.

she does not notice when one of the cables shoots out to trip her.]

[ (seteth voice) lay down your life for my beloved sister

anyway!! yin yu is about to turn when he sees movement out of the corner of his eye. he's going to be too late to actually catch the cable, considering it's small, quick, and he wasn't facing the right way, but these well trained martial reflex of his are going to save him somehow. ]

Lady Flayn- [ he lunges forward, immediately, to catch her the minute she trips on the cord. he is not about to let her hit the ground because of some cursed object either!!!! this cabin is going to give him a heart attack and they haven't even watched a horror movie. ]

[it happens so fast.

yin yu notices what's about to happen even before she does, and she isn't falling for long before he's lunged forward to catch her.]

Oh—!

[once they make contact, he'll feel a rush of shock, warmth, and - gratitude! ...he really does always look out for her. there's an undercurrent of anxiety, too, but that's... pretty normal for this place, and it's overshadowed by what him catching her is making her feel.]

...thank you. Again.

WEEK FOUR: MINGLE

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