Week 5.

[trustfellowship]

WEEK 5 Another week has passed; another two people have died. Tsubasa Hanekawa and Nachetanya Loei Piena Augustra have joined the ranks of the deceased. Whatever you may have thought about them in the end, one thing hovers heavy over the group: the fact that neither their compassion nor their ambition was enough to keep them alive in here. Is yours? Saturday is given to regrouping and rest; the static blares out early on Sunday, but at least there are no bodies to find today - it seems you're safe for now. The night before wasn't necessarily a peaceful one, however; you'll probably feel a bit groggy when you wake up, and it seems you've regained something that you didn't realize you'd lost... And of course, with another successful trial comes a new addition to the building, another corridor opening up on the west side of the building. The doors leading to it branch off of the hallways leading to the second and fourth sections of the building; have those doors always been there? You can't remember... It's a new week. Of course, that means you've been here for over a month, and your stay doesn't seem to be coming to a close yet. PATIENTS REMAINING: 22

SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY
[OOC: Welcome to week five of Trustfell! Feel free to make as many top levels as you'd like and tag out to other characters! This post is for all of your interactions this week... at least until the weekend. Don't forget to save those threads for coins and the activity check!

If you'd like to get in contact with the Transmitter, you can do so through text or the phone in your room!]

Comments

[imaginex]

[... No one has ever asked her to put her relationship with Shinji in terms of "closeness" before, so Sakura's mouth open and closes like a fish before she smiles awkwardly and looks away]

I guess we used to be, when we were kids. Even though I never talked much, he tried... in his own way. [Her hands fidget in her lap]

Nowadays he gets stressed easily, so I try to keep out of his way. I figure that's the nicest thing I could do for him.

[cthulwho]

I see...

[He can't really say much on the topic of sibling closeness, aside from acknowledging Sakura's explanation.]

He...does seem stressed, in this footage. [Putting it lightly?!] Is that why you are concerned?

[imaginex]

[This is exactly why Sakura tells Lovecraft anything; he dodges the more incriminating questions, and she's thankful for that.]

Yes.

[But she doesn't mind elaborating here] He has trouble getting along with others when things don't go his way, and he'll say brash things when he's upset.

I suppose I wish I could apologize to everyone for his behavior, if that makes sense.

[cthulwho]

That explains his actions here. This is not the environment for him.

[Nor is it for anyone of course, but some handle the situation better than others. This seems to be the exact thing that would set the boy off.]

Hopefully the others will be able to work with him regardless...

[imaginex]

Y-yes!

[Beaming at that response. It's a Christmas Miracle whenever anyone just rolls with Shinji's behavior instead of immediately condemning it. This girl looks delighted]

I'm sure they will. And besides, there's two Senpai's there, so they'll be able to keep him in line.

[cthulwho]

[He works for a guy who solves all of his problems by throwing money at them. And if money can't buy what he wants, then he throws a tantrum like attempting to raze a city, apparently.

He gets it, is what I'm saying.]

Once he gets over the fact that there are two of him, I'd imagine...

[How would the Senpais even react to this? So many mysteries.]

[imaginex]

Oh-- right. That's true.

[Coming down from her "someone doesn't hate my brother" high]

Similar but separate dimensions are an established phenomenon where I come from, though passing through them requires the Second Magic... which I recall only one magician being able to do.

[Shaking her head a bit. Mages and their miracles.]

Nii-san might not know that, though I'm certain they'll explain to him they're from different realities... he might recognize the one with the red bandages, actually. He's from my timeline.

[cthulwho]

[Second Magic, huh... Maybe there's something to that. Or at least something similar? How else would the people gathered here make sense?

Leaving that thought aside, he turns his attention to the red bandaged Senpai.]

You are able to tell?

[Something that happened in Sakura's dreams, maybe?]

[imaginex]

Yes...

[But the memory of it isn't a happy one]

Something happened back on my world... and Senpai had to, um... take the arm of a Heroic Spirit. [That likely doesn't mean jack to Lovecraft, so she glances in his direction with an anxious expression]

It would be similar to taking even a portion of your mana, and fixing it onto a normal human being.

[Likely killing the human immediately, if they're lucky. Driving them slowly insane if good fortune isn't on their side]

[cthulwho]

[Actually, it does mean something to Lovecraft, and his eyebrows raise slightly when Sakura brings up the term.

He's able to follow the example well enough.]

Ah... I would think that the body would reject that. Or...the mana would reject the body.

[That's probably not the best thing to say since this is Senpai, though...]

[imaginex]

[Lovecraft has got it in one on all counts; there's only one reason Sakura isn't on the floor, a broken heap of tears]

Yes... b-but that's why the bandages are there. It's like a seal to keep the mana away from Senpai's body.

As long as he doesn't take off the bandages, he'll be fine...

[She says, both convicted to this claim and looking nervously at the screen, now that she's said it]

[cthulwho]

[He doesn't speak what his immediate follow-up thought is.

Hopefully he remembers not to do that. Curiosity is a powerful and destructive thing.

...Indeed, some gut reactions are best left unsaid.]

There is a chance that it might not do anything, in the event that the bandages get removed somehow. Abilities seem to be rather limited, here...and I imagine they are just as limited there.

[imaginex]

[Admittedly, that wasn't a point she'd considered at all. She's shocked before she's relieved on all fronts, nodding in agreement]

Yes. Perhaps the mana flow won't go anywhere.

[Humming a little]

I can still feel my own, but I can't access it. It's like it's sitting inside me... [Mentioned with something of a frown, in fact]

[cthulwho]

That is exactly how I would describe my current state as well...

[He'll even heave a sigh to express his displeasure with that whole situation.]

I've considered asking the Transmitter about it, but...I don't know. I expect a vague answer that isn't actually an answer.

[imaginex]

Lovecraft-san, you can't even fit inside the building...

[she's just saying, okay? His full form probably wouldn't be comfortable in this place, so what would he even do with all that mana?]

... And to be honest, I never considered just asking her. It seemed too good to be true.

[cthulwho]

[Okay fair. He'll make a noise in response, which could best be described as a reluctant admittance that Sakura's not wrong.]

Too good to be true...? Oh. The crest?

[She said something about her crest sometimes taking matters into its own...not-hands. He's not sure if that's what she's talking about but it's where his train of thought went.]

[imaginex]

[It'd be really impolite to laugh at that noise. Sakura is trying her hardest here... though nothing sucks the fun out of everything like her crest (quite literally), so she sombers up quickly and tilts her head]

My crest...? Oh-- well... the thing is...

[Her brows knit again]

Ever since coming here, I haven't been in any pain, so I'm not sure what happened to it. Transmitter-san doesn't really answer my questions when I ask, either.

[cthulwho]

It...causes you pain?

[Why is the Matou family like this. But he'll digress this point if Sakura would rather not explain.]

I suppose I shouldn't be entirely surprised that she didn't give a straight answer... But I don't see why it would be so bad to just tell you why.

[imaginex]

[... Did she really not explain the constant dose of daily pain? Yikes. Well thankfully it's partly a mage thing, which she feels less awkward describing]

All crests are painful, I'm afraid. Without a very specific kind of medicine, some mages will rip off the appendage the crest is attached to. [She is not even joking a little. Mages are a special brand of humanity]

And I think Transmitter-san is afraid of confusing us further... We weren't supposed to lose our memories, according to her, but it ended up happening by accident.

Giving us details might have unforeseen consequences in her eyes.

[cthulwho]

I...see.

[Just. This face for a second. He's definitely coming to notice this fact the more Sakura and Rin tell him about mage things.]

Oh, that...says a lot, when you think about it. The Transmitter makes it sound like it is connected to your memories. I...thought they might have done something.

["They" being the Risen.]

[imaginex]

[She's trying not to laugh at that face and probably... fails. At least one giggle escapes. Honestly, she's secretly happy someone finds the mage culture as ridiculous as it is]

No, Transmitter-san promised nothing was done to our bodies. So my assumption is our abilities are present... we just can't reach them.

[cthulwho]

[The laugh gets a look of curiosity from Lovecraft. Apparently he didn't realize what he did with his face.]

You are most likely right. I suppose I never considered what I do to be an "ability".

[imaginex]

You mean... transforming? [Is that even correct? Wouldn't this human form then be the actual ability? She seems to sink on that thought for a moment before replying]

We have a lot of people who'd be able to wipe everyone out if they didn't have some kind of handicap... it's likely to ensure this experiment doesn't end prematurely.

[cthulwho]

Yes. There are such things as "Abilities" in my world. In most cases, they work similarly to your magic, [...] But I don't possess something like that. I am simply...myself.

[Something entirely different, unbound to the rules that Abilities have.

That said...]

Wipe everyone out... Hm. I did consider that as well. Then again, they themselves have their own way of doing just that, should things end prematurely in a trial.

[imaginex]

Mmm... perhaps it's to make sure we don't have the power to fight back against them, then.

[... A head tilt]

Though Lovecraft-san, why do you appear human? Wouldn't it be easier to always be as you are in the ocean? [A hum] Or can you appear as anything, and just prefer looking like this for convenience?

[She's just saying. The human form being the only one she's familiar with, of course Sakura is fond of this tall man who looks like he needs a nap at all times, but it seems more a hassle in the long run]