Week 4

[thecastle]

Week 4

Sunday - Thursday

You've lost four in the past week—Machias, Vanitas, Natalia and Edna. Just in time for the fourth week to roll around, for those of you who are superstitious. But it really isn't like you could forget that death is a common occurrence in this castle, whether you believe in legends or not. Some of you might find solace in the chance to recuperate and move on, if you're still up for companionship with your fellow warriors.

Either way, dawn is soon upon the castle and like it or not, you will all have to face whatever comes this week.

Like before the pattern repeats itself, with new areas revealed for you to explore. It may be that something worth discovering lies in wait to be found, or you can simple enjoy the new additions for what they are. Distractions are most likely welcome, regardless of your feelings of the past week.

SURVIVING WARRIORS: 21

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SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY

(OOC: Welcome to Week 4 of Ukimiya! Feel free to comment to the weekly top levels and thread as you like, and redeem coins at the wishing pool.

You can contact the sage with your pendants here, and the teishu here.)

Comments

Incentive

[thesage]

If you would all please gather in the Great Hall.

[ Like clockwork, the Sage's voice emanates from the pendants. However, unlike the previous one, there's no rush, no hurry, and no unnecessary prodding on his end: the Sage's words are even and cool, without a hint of tension or strain.

Even without his reminder, everyone should be familiar with this routine. All this message shows is, in this place, there are cordialities to be kept. Especially on Tuesdays.

As soon as everyone enters the Great Hall, letters form together in green, glowing brightly and vibrantly. ]

Succession
Some among you have begun to waver when it comes to the challenge—or should I say some of you had no intention of participating from the very beginning? There are a number of you who thought themselves above these "games", while others believed themselves too weak or too dim to be little more than a sacrifice. For those of you who have had neither hope nor a reason to fight, allow me to inspire you.

I request you take a look at the pendant hanging from your neck. Many of you have questioned their purpose, how they work, and why you've been given these specific gems. Allow me to shed a small amount of light on these pendants—and one of the many functions they serve. The pendants keep a tenable connection to your world. They are what will allow us to return you safely from where you were taken. The longer you wear them, the more they attune to you and the easier it shall be to return you to the precise moment you were taken. However, through this process we've found something... interesting.

Though I can't say why or how—those who you have strong bonds with have become candidates for the challenge. These candidates can be easily plucked from their worlds to replace any Warrior here who fails to perform their duties.

I should mention, each of you has only the one replacement. They cannot be exchanged for anyone else's, much as you might wish that were the case.

[ As if to prove his point, the pendants against everyone's chests glow faintly. An image of an individual floods your vision; it could be your best friend, a sibling, a lover, a spouse, or even just someone you feel a deep connection to. The image persists briefly, just long enough for you to recall the life you were swept away from. Then, it breaks. ]

Last week, the more skeptical among you failed to take me at my word. The threat to your lives and worlds proved to be too much for you to fathom, and I fear today's incentive shall meet the same fate.

That is why should any of you require something more substantial than my word... I shall provide it.

[ A long wooden table shimmers into existence containing a whole menagerie of items. Most of them might not make sense to you, but don't worry. As you gaze over the objects, your eyes will settle on one that should stand out to you—it's an item that belongs to the individual you saw in your vision.

These items are very much real (though there are no weapons or any other dangerous objects), and you're free to take them and keep them. Think of it as a gift, or perhaps a friendly reminder of what's truly at stake here. ]

If this challenge fails and none of you are willing to battle the corruption, your loved ones will become your substitutes. Continue rising to the challenge, else we won't be able to guarantee the safety of those you witnessed.

Their lives are in your hands. Have a good day, my warriors.

[ Following his words, the letters dissipate into nothingness, leaving everyone with the distant memory of those vivid images. ]

[divertimento]

[Nervously, Elliot approaches the table, scanning over the items until his eyes rest upon something familiar.

With trembling hands and his heart beating out of his chest, he picks up a small recipe book, flipping open the cover. The name printed inside makes his heart drop into his stomach like a ball of ice.]

No...

[knockemdead]

Ooh!

[Joker is quick to take the bright yellow belt that ends up on the table and clip it on to his waist.]

Look at me, everyone! I'm Batdork!

[pseudoregelia]

[Hiyono strides over to the table, picking out a rabbit-shaped backpack from the pile. But rather than distressed...]

Ah, this could be useful to keep.

[...Yeah, no, sorry, she's still not too worried about this.]

Re: Incentive

[devilsphysician]

[Georik growls at the implied threat, but he pales as the images came to him - his sister, laying helpless in her current state, sweet gentle Germant pouring over blueprints, and there's the proud and mercurial Mikhail, then he stops the items making little sense, but what appears to be a snuff box with the initals s.GC catches his eye, and he picks it up with worried hands, as he opens the lid, seeing it filled with caramel candy - confirming his worst fear]

Don't you dare bring him in!

[fedorascout]

[For the first time, Kizakura isn't flippant at all. He approaches the table and picks up a black glove, turning it over in his hand.

After a moment he leaves without saying a single word]

[godinsolitude]

[Ayumu spots the item on the table almost immediately, stepping forward to pick it up with a pale face.... a slim Harmonica. White knuckles grip it tightly, a variety of emotions playing across his face. Sadness, regret, anger--

He won't be answering any questions if he can help it. As soon as they're allowed to leave the great hall he's making a beeline to his room.]

[pseudoregelia]

[His strong reaction, especially in comparison to her own catches her attention immediately. Her eyes settle on the harmonica for the brief moment it's in sight, and she hurries after him, her own expression solemn as understanding hits.]

Narumi-san, wait!

[She won't try to make him stay, won't try to make him talk. But she's not letting him go alone.]

[godinsolitude]

[Ayumu keeps walking quickly, though after a moment he slows down just a tad to let her catch up.

It's as much permission as she'll be getting, unfortunately. He can't even pretend to be ok, right now.

Not for a second time.]

[browbeater]

[that... is not reassuring. In fact, just like last week, Mako looks really, really bothered. And when he gets to the table he sees all the confirmation that he needs: that the sage was threatening his little brother.

This poster is laid out. Including the stupid message his brother gave him. He grabs it and looks it over, before crumpling it up.]

You've got to be kidding me.

[originallutece]

Ah.

[It's breathed out, and Rosalind darts forward, grabbing her item immediately. It's a piece of paper, and if you're quick, you might be able to see that it's covered in neat, flowing script. But you'll have to be quick, because she's grabbing it and tucking it away as soon as she can.]

[buddyoldpal]

[ For Nishitani, well, Majima is already here. But he's not surprised to see a certain police badge appear before him. He picks it up and flips it open. Obviously it'd be Billiken's. Obviously. His smiles is warm, though. ]

Ya'd all deserve 'im if I get fucked here.

[ I mean, like Nishitani, Billiken is dead. So if he dies and Billiken gets a second chance? That's fine. ]

[aumygoddess]

[ Ah. She had expected it to be someone from her past, or maybe a different version of Rika, but of all the people she loves, it's Rena she sees. Why her? Because she was the one who so fervently believed in Oyashiro? Because she knew what it was like to apologize for something you can't change?

Hanyuu goes quiet, that is...until she sees the item of Rena's. It's a goddamn life-sized doll of Colonel Sanders. ]

...Kenta-kun?

[ jesus christ guys ]

[devilsphysician]

What the hell is that?

[professionality]

[ Rhoda nervously picks up a frilly, frilly white cravat. She holds it like she's not sure if she's allowed to touch such a personal item, fingers shaking a little. ]

I'm sure Mr Edgeworth would be of use here... but you can't bring him into this. He's a much too busy man, he...

[bratsitter]

[What a low blow, Yukimi thinks, as he approaches the table and picks up the tan hat.

Yoite is a capable fighter, and few can best him even on a bad day. He isn't good about taking care of himself, however. And the "bad days" have increased exponentially recently. With his luck, he'd keel over dead long before anyone else got the chance to act.

The brat doesn't deserve to spend what few days he has left cleaning up Yukimi's mess. That's unacceptable.]

[notimmortal]

[Jansen just busts out laughing at this. Though yeah, he's going to grab one of the items, it's a set of silver bracelets that match perfectly and look very well made.]

Oh that's rich. Like you can harm someone who can't die.

[gyakusatsu]

[By now the Sage's weekly posturing on Tuesday has become a distasteful routine - something to be thoroughly ignored and scoffed at once the Sage was done talking. Misora really doesn't expect this particular gathering to be any different. Even when the Sage calls her along with others who share a similar mindset out indirectly, she merely raises an eyebrow, but is otherwise impassive. She could more or less predict where the Sage's needlessly long winded exposition was heading - what it implied - but even then, the instant the pendant shows her his face, Misora isn't able to keep herself from mouthing his name in silent horror.]

Raye....

[Without wasting a single moment, she marches over to the table to find a long, grey coat. One that Raye favored... one that, when she holds it close to her, still smells like him. In this context, it's not even remotely comforting. Though she sees how this may still be yet another empty threat, this one actually gets her to grab her pendant and speak in icy tones.]

If you involve him in this, I swear I'll see that you get what you gave Asch and the others.

[professionality]

[ Rhoda is very worried about Edgeworth, but hearing this, she is even more worried about Naomi. Cravat in one hand, she walks over to gently place her other hand on her friend's shoulder. ]

... don't threaten them, please. They'll just... I don't want you to get hurt.

[irrationalities]

[He's listening to this one with a frown, and it morphs into a scowl when the items appear before them. Mahiro silently picks up the blue flip phone and flicks it open, revealing a black screen. There's no sign of life as he tries to turn it on, but his expression doesn't change; it wouldn't be that easy, would it?

So he simply pockets the phone and leaves the hall. For once, it doesn't seem like he has anything snide to say about the motive.]

[blacksong]

[Zero is, for so many reasons, utterly baffled by the images that come across her pendant. Accord isn't someone she'd say she has a "strong bond" with, no matter how much she tries to vaguely meddle in her life. Nevertheless, she ends up lugging off the giant suitcase off the table.]

The fuck am I supposed to do with this now? [Feel free to ask her about it, but honestly, she has no idea either.]

[maddogs]

[ majima grabs a parka that looks like it was worn by a huge dude and pulls it on. whatever about the temperature man this thing is damn comfortable. ]

[tangas]

[ miyamura immediately picks up a thick red ribbon with the initials LM embroidered on one end. he holds it close, like it's precious, expression conflicted and worried - though anger is steadily overtaking both. and when it does -

bam.

he kicks the table hard enough that it shudders. would kick it again if he didn't want to kick someone else more. and so he directs his comment at his pendant, voice low and brimming with anger and a little bit of something else. (betrayal maybe?) ]

Some reward this is, Sage-chan.

[ then he pockets the ribbon and makes for the exit. ]

[hoodini]

[ More than anything else, he's confused. Not upset, not disturbed, not even indifferent. That's his "replacement"? That—doesn't make any sense!

He looks around for a couple seconds in search of a face that's as baffled as his. No one else, huh...? Not even the yakuzas. That's crazy, and he doesn't know what to make of it (is his bias really this strong?). As he heads to the table it dawns on him he has no idea what he's supposed to be looking for. He has every intention of waiting until the room clears and most of the items are gone before looking around, up until Miyamura's outburst startles him out of his thoughts. Shit.

How sad is it that he's shaken more by Miyamura's anger than anything the Sage said? With shaky, hurried movements he starts picking up the more generic looking items until he finds a wallet. As soon as he opens it up, he dashes out of the room and after Miyamura.

This might not be a good idea when Miyamura's upset, but this is important. Or he has to believe it is. ] W-wait! We need to talk!

[coinflipped]

[A pirate hat with a large feather jutting out the back of it is all he needs... He makes a bit of a hum before grabbing it and leaving without much of a reaction.]