WEEK FIVE

[whimsicalism]

WEEK FIVE

There's one thing that belongs in Closetland: Monsters.

It was a monster that brought the students here to begin with, and it's a monster who controls their lives now. By now, some have even accused their classmates of turning into--or always being--monsters themselves.

The academy is just as cold as it was last week, autumn air seeping in through the unfriendly architecture and the artificial light seeming darker than before. The occasionally cloud of purple fog snakes through the hallways at ground level, a constant reminder of the new presence haunting the school and her role in the past five weeks of torment. Now that Kakuya is back in a body of her own making, the music room is silent, though the rooms and halls of the Academy themselves occasionally fill with a low, haunting flute melody. With the school's new overlord already wishing her ill, Nanami's already deflating power and free roam capabilities are more or less completely limited as well: She's just one more toy in the box.

The stairwell has opened into another new floor. Upon closer inspection, it seems to be the uppermost one. This is the top of Ira Academy, and while it likely bears some new answers and some new locations to try and find a solution to your plight, is there anything that can heal some of the rifts that formed from the accusations thrown at the last trial? Still, if you don't find answers, then you'll be here playing this eternal deadly game.

Is the devil you know better than the devil you don't?

Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday
Regains | AC | IC Profiles | Locations | Mystery Information | Sheep Contact | Nanami Contact | Kakuya Contact

OOC NOTES

Welcome to Week 4! Nanami has joined the party! She no longer has office hours but still be contacted privately, as can Kakuya, who is no longer stuck in the music room. New locations are now open, and some minor adjustments have been made to the IC profiles and rules. Please hit the mods with a ping in Discord and put INVESTIGATE in your subject line if you're interested in exploring a new location. The SHEEP are still taggable, though you may find them in a...different mood.

You now have a week to make sure your AC in for last week and to start collecting AC for this week. Remember to submit your regains, and sign up for a spot exploring this week's mystery if you want to!

Comments

MONDAY

[whimsicalism]

MYSTERY SIGN UP

[whimsicalism]

[Please respond to this comment if you wish to sign up. Sign ups will close at 9AM PST / 11 AM CST / 12 PM EST on Monday or when we have four players signed up. We'll be going back to trying to run by 12pm PST / 3pm EST for this mystery. Please note when you're most available after or around that time in your sign-up comment so we can try and work out scheduling!

If you've already participated in a mystery, please wait until 3pm PST / 6pm EST on Sunday the 11th to put your sign-up in to allow new folks a chance before we start taking reruns!]

Re: MYSTERY SIGN UP

[romancing]

SLAMS HAND DOWN

Re: MYSTERY SIGN UP

[lets_dewey_it]

I'm just assuming Sunday the 11th is a typo here so I'm going to clock into this mystery if that's acceptable orz
I'll be available 3 EST!

[copycut]

what's up fam

[violence_ensues]

Since no one else is signing up, I guess I'll take it

MYSTERY 6: What is Home?

[whimsicalism]

[Another Monday, another ‘game’ awaits the students… At the very least the identity of the ‘game master’ is known this time. Kakuya did promise one of her greatest mysteries yet today. For a few students, it seems she’s chosen them to participate. No blood drips from your ceiling, no screaming, or even shaking walls come with the silence of midnight as Monday slowly turns to Tuesday.

You might even begin to think that the fox-like trickster forgot. Yet, a small series of voices begin to sing a wordless tune. At first, it doesn’t seem that dangerous. Memories of a time outside of the Academy come to mind. Good, peaceful memories… maybe you think you’re still dreaming as you wake up.

Maybe those voices sound familiar, too: maybe a sibling or parent or a long lost friend from when you still didn’t know anything about Closetland. You could shake it off, of course, but what harm would it do if you simply listened to the song and followed it to the source? Perhaps Kakuya is going easy on you, if you think of your new captor at all in this peaceful moment.

The top floor of the Academy is beckoning to you, do you follow?]


((As with the previous mysteries this is a locked event. You may talk about the events after they happen, of course, but trying to wake up the other students isn’t allowed. If they try they’ll get a sensation that they just don’t have the time to spare. While you may respond to the event individually to put in your reactions since this an investigation, we prefer that you stick together for the duration. After everyone has put in a reaction to the mystery we will set up a comment order to go on.))

[romancing]

[ SHE ABSOLUTELY FOLLOWS and after a few minutes of listening to the siren song she starts to hum along with it. ]

What's~! Over here~! I get to go with and look around this tiiiiiime~!

Re: MYSTERY 6: What is Home?

[lets_dewey_it]

<sub>[...He's cautious about going out this late. But that lullaby... It beckons him.

Right now, he doesn't know what to expect. He's concealing the axe he owns under his skirt, keeping it taped on the inside as it knocked against his legs. At least he got a cover for the bladed end of it.]</sub>

[copycut]

[ The memory that rises to the surface of Kuro's mind is one most would lack the capacity to remember: her time as a babe in the cradle, swaddled in warm blankets as her mother sat at her side. Maybe that's the only reason for the aching beat of her heart as she sits up. ]

Mama...?

[ But, of course—Irisviel von Einzbern isn't here. She could never be here, in this land that only allows children and monsters. Her fingers tighten in her bedsheets, and then she pushes herself up, jaw tightening as she opens the door of her bedroom.

If this is the game Kakuya intends to play—

She won't be defeated by it. She'll follow her mother's voice to the top floor of Ira Academy. ]

[violence_ensues]

[Adorabat blearily looks around, rubbing her eyes with one of her wings, trying to locate the source of the singing. It sounds so familiar, but she can't really place it. It doesn't sound like Mao Mao or Badgerclops or even her daddy... Hmm. She blinks and notices that she's awake and brushes a wing against herself, checking it only to find no blood.]

mmmmmh?

[She flies down from the ceiling and orients herself right side up, exiting the door and looking around.]

[whimsicalism]

[There are three other students up today! It's rather late, isn't it? The song isn't over yet, though, and it draws you towards the stairs. Maybe whoever is singing is on another floor? It's rather distant so the final floor seems reasonable.]

[romancing]

Hey, hey, do any of you recognize that voice? I haven't heard it before!

[ happily skipping up the stairs ]

[lets_dewey_it]

Don't rush too far ahead. I smell trouble. _{[Once again, he's trying to take on a leaderly position, but he isn't exactly good at hiding his nervousness.]}

[copycut]

It doesn't sound familiar to you, Koishi? [ Sorry, Dewey, she's. Not really listening to you. Kuro moves at a very bold clip, Kanshou and Bakuya at her sides. ] At first, I thought I heard my mama's voice, but...

[violence_ensues]

[Adorabat flies to follow them up the stairs, confusion on her face as soon as Kuro says that.]

Wait, that doesn't make sense. If it's your mommy's voice, why is it familiar to me?

[whimsicalism]

[The voices don't answer. Why don't you join them? You want to return home, don't you? They seem to ask. It's been so long... please, come back to them. It's not safe.]

[romancing]

Huh? You guys hear your moms?

[ she seems confused at the idea ]

I mean, it kind of sounds like my sister, but my sister can't sing, so it's probably not her! I guess she does want me to come home...

[lets_dewey_it]

...Yes. _{[His hand keeps instinctively reaching for the axe as he steps in front of the group.]} Whatever it is, I don't trust it one bit...

[copycut]

That proves it, then. It's an illusion, and we're all just hearing what we want to hear. Dewey, stand back and let me take point.

[violence_ensues]

Yeah, it can't be my mommy.

[Adorabat gets a nailbat out, continuing to fly along with only one wing.]

Y'all think it's coming from the pool?

[whimsicalism]

[When you get to the final floor... that does seem to be the case. The pool room calls to you. Things seem calm in there but there's something glowing in the pool.]

[romancing]

Oooooooh.

[ Koishi respects the line order if nothing else. She very much wants to jump into the room and poke the glowing light but some of the others wanted to get in ahead of her, so!! She's just going to vibrate in excitement behind them. ]

[lets_dewey_it]

_{[Dewey gladly let Kuro go ahead, but he is pulling the axe out now because oh boy! There's something in there!]}

[copycut]

[ Great! Kuro does in fact take point, then! She steps into the pool room ahead of everyone else, a short blade held in each hand, and— ]

We know the game you're playing, so cut the crap and show us your true face!

[ If nothing immediately appears, she'll continue walking toward the water itself. ]