Week 8.

[trustfellows]

WEEK 8 Regardless of what you think of the most recent deaths, four more people have died this week. Milla Maxwell, Angel, Susan Ashworth, and Aligula are gone now, leaving you with about a quarter of your original number. Thirty-five down to twelve - this can't keep going for much longer, can it? Is there anything you can do? Saturday is given to regrouping and sleep; come Sunday morning, the clock chimes the hour at seven o'clock and there are no dead bodies to be found, so it can be assumed that all of you are safe for the time being. That said, you'll be feeling a little groggy when you wake up; it seems you've regained something that you didn't realize you'd lost... Unlike the previous weeks, however, it seems that either you've reached the end of the line or Jericho has decided to stop rewarding you for your effort; where there would usually be a stairwell to a new floor, you're met with nothing but solid wall. Perhaps it's distressing; perhaps it's a good sign. Only time will tell, and time isn't something you have a lot of around here. PARTICIPANTS REMAINING: 12

SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY
[OOC: Welcome to week eight 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 Coordinators, you can do so through private meetings with Hilda!]

Comments

[matchbreaker]

On the contrary, I'm expecting a lot from them. If they're in here with us, they can look through those hidden rooms and the office with impunity. Hell, the victims of old games might be there, not to mention Alena.

[ She walks over the fridge now, and then makes to duct tape a note to the fridge. It's Milla's last note to everyone. ]

[chessturner]

Do you have experience with ghosts and how they work?

[May as well ask that. Also do vampires leave ghosts behind? Is that a thing?

Kyrie reads Maxwell-san's note. 'Believe in yourselves', she says...sure, alright]

I guess with people like Maxwell-san are on that side they may actually manage to find something useful.

[matchbreaker]

Secondhand, mostly. My youngest granddaughter has a really tremendous spiritual sense to her, she keeps a small army of the things in her doll and stuffed animal collection.

[ Shrug, like that's normal. ]

[chessturner]

...are you aware how little sense that makes?

[You're totally telling weird stuff nonchalantly to freak her out, aren't you, Elda?]

So those spirits inhabit the stuffed animal and...they move? Am I understanding this correctly?

[matchbreaker]

They can, yeah. Well, most of them can't move that much, unless they're particularly potent. Like her favorite doll has a serial killer in it and so he can actually talk and wave his arms around with impunity.

[chessturner]

I fail to see the use of having a serial killer's spirit in a doll. That sounds like it'd bring a lot of trouble.

[...]

Do you know how to do that? We could try to host our departed peers in dolls.

[matchbreaker]

Oh no, no, I don't have half the spiritual sense of the girl! But... then, I don't really know her motivations there. Eleven year olds can be so strange, you know?

[chessturner]

Yes, I think trapping spirits in dolls falls under the scope of 'strange'. I should consider myself lucky my daughter won't ever do such a thing -- because she can't do anything like that. Who knows if she would do it if she could.

[matchbreaker]

... Oh, that reminds me.

[ Elda is going to rummage in her notes again and she produces a certain drawing. One that she got from the vending machine earlier. She pulls it out and hangs it over for Kyrie. ]

That's you, right?

[chessturner]

...yes, that's...I recognize this drawing. [Kyrie takes the drawing, looking at it with an expression that is hard to read. Maybe it's because she's not the type to be gushy] My daughter, Rudolf and I. She made it not too long before I had to leave her to go to the island. I didn't think I'd see again something she made...thank you, Marker-san.

[Something cold flashes in her eyes while she puts the drawing in the pocket of her coat]

It's almost cruel you found this now and not earlier. After the latest memory, this is like rubbing salt on the wound. That vending machine sure is untimely...

[matchbreaker]

[ After the last memory, huh...? Elda glances down and then looks back up before putting her elbow against the counter.

The island. ]

Things went badly for you guys, I'm going to assume.

[chessturner]

Yes, it did. The island exploded and there's only one survivor -- one of my in-laws. It's a long story, and it's not fun to tell. Sorry.

[She sure is taking rather well the deaths of her husband and the son she wanted so much]

I think Ange will be well taken care of, but knowing who is likely to adopt her, my odds of seeing her again are pretty much zero. I'm all by myself and with nobody to have by my side. It's depressing.

[matchbreaker]

[ Exploded? Holy shit? ]

... A...ah? Can't you just go to her once we survive this?

[ She's not sure what to say, but. ]

[chessturner]

Not really. I pretty much relinquished any rights to Ange to her right before the one survivor killed me. By now she must be gone with her somewhere far away, there's nothing left for them where we lived.

[...]

If my birth family doesn't meddle first. More complicated stuff. It's better for Ange to be far away without leaving any clues behind.

[Even though Kyrie trusts Elda more than she trusts most people here, she's not willing to reveal the ugliest sides of her life and actions]

[matchbreaker]

[ . . . Um? ]

... I don't think I understand that, honestly. You're saying it's better for your daughter not to be with you, even if you have, obviously, survived?

[chessturner]

...when you put it like that I sound like the most insensitive mother in existence. No, that just won't do.

[Way to trap her with your expectations of Kyrie being a good parent]

You're right. I should see what I can do to get her back -- if I get out of here alive.

[matchbreaker]

Of course I'm right. No parent should abandon a child.

[ She hangs her head and... ]

I am sorry, about your son and your husband.

[ And yourself. ]

[chessturner]

Thanks for the condolences. Don't get me wrong, I'm distraught over that, but it's for the better if I hide it. [She points upwards] That guy would use something like reviving the dead as a motive...and frankly, that'd actually be tempting.

[matchbreaker]

[ She nods, solemnly. Some of the other incentives have bordered on that before now, after all. Or could have had that as the practical reality of it.

She considers a moment, looking Kyrie over.

... She really does an impressive job of holding it in, then. She glances at the drawing in the woman's hands and then...

Reaches out to take one of the woman's hands in both of hers. ]

It's true. But if you want to allow yourself to be upset, I shall be here for you.

1/2

[chessturner]

Marker-san...

[Of all things that could have happened, this wasn't one of them. For a moment she actually feels a pang of guilt. You're being sincere about this, Elda? She almost can't believe it, that Elda really would make such an offer -- even though Elda had already shown willingness to listen and what not. Yeah.]

I...I'm not sure...what to say. Marker-san, I...

[It should be easy to laugh it off or pretend the offer wasn't made, but something about the offer actually manages to strike a chord in her. For a moment she looks like she's going to say something more, but she takes a deep breath, steeling herself]

2/2

[chessturner]

Thank you for the offer. I guess maybe someday I could accept it, but for the moment I shall hold myself back. It's for the better.

[matchbreaker]

Of course.

[ She squeezes the woman's hand once, and then she nods, releasing it. She doesn't know what compelled her to do that. Maybe it's just... how she's operating now. Maybe it's some responsibility. After all, ]

Just don't forget I am your senior. Everyone's, at this point.

[ There's some irony in her saying that while wearing one of Aligula's lolita outfits. ]

[chessturner]

Spoken like a true grandmother. [The moment of vulnerability is gone. The usual composed and calm Kyrie is back] You can be quite reliable when you want to.

[matchbreaker]

Oh, thank you? Well, I mean, I do have a lot of people to look after.