antumbrac | WEEK 6

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Five weeks. It's been five weeks, and twenty-seven has now dwindled down to eleven. And while only two passed this week, this trial may have been the most devastating in its own way, as threads of patience frayed and fragments of trust fractured. Nevertheless, if The Lady is to be believed, that may very well have been the final set of sacrifices that she was waiting for, so perhaps the end is in sight.

Of course, the fact that everyone is still stuck in Krakow means that it's not over yet, and who even knows what's happening over in the Twilight?

And so, some more changes are in store for this week, even if it may not be the same ones that you've gotten used to. For one thing, the fog stays put and no new areas of the city are revealed under the light of the lampposts. Secondly, The Lady is nowhere to be found in the city, with her bookstore office vacated and abandoned with nary a trace as to where she went. And third, the clock tower will no longer operate, which-- well. Actually that's not new at all, but it certainly may make it difficult to keep up with the facade of passing days. At least the moon still serves as a reminder of that, gibbous phase waxing into something fuller over the course of the week even if the color looks a bit off.

It may not be a fresh new start, but it's not time to give up yet, is it? After all, you are all Survivors.

[[Welcome to Week 6! Note that there are no new locations this week, but feel free to make top levels at your discretion, and remember to note it in your header if you plan on investigating any locations. As alluded above, The Lady will be unavailable, while Rembrandt will still be around on Monday and Tuesday before disappearing for the rest of the week.]]

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[ Cumore haven't you learned that this is how all the truly awful conversations start. ]

... I assume I am not the only one who Iago has been holding meddlesome conversations with.

[ LAYING THE GROUNDWORK. ]

Oh, positively not-

[...wait.]

What did he say.

[ The utter indignation over Iago's actions is at least reletable, that's good. Laying out common ground!! ]

Do you want a list or...?

...Start with whatever he said that inspired all of this and we'll see if I want a list after the fact.

[ He wants to ask if he wants the thing that was chronologically first or the thing that was the worst but that's stalling and he's not ridiculous enough for it. ]

He expressed his desire for us to be happy in your world in... certain wordings. Truthfully, he just acted very like he knows something we do not and it's... I feel like if there are implications they should be talked about.

[ This is not actually a good and concise statement but shh. ]

...I see.

[He says, in a way that strongly indicates that he does not in fact see.]

Do you consider there to be implications, Teru Mikami?

[ He knows this face and the way that last time this did not lead to any kind of efficient conversation. He can also feel Iago laughing in the background of this scene like some creepy ghost and that's just making him kind of mad.

... which is oddly motivating. No making imaginary Iago laugh!]

It's not about whether or not I consider them to be there, it's about if they are. That's the first step I want to verify.

Then ask me directly, if you want to know so badly.

[Come on, Mikami, aren't you into the whole unambiguous discussion thing?]

[ God, this sucks. He's basically pacing up and down between all the murder flowerbeds now. More movement, less eye contact, more... something. ]

Iago strongly implied, no, outright stated, that your interest in me from all the way back at that accursed first party game is in fact standing. If he was messing with me, I would like to know now, so I can put my mind at rest. If not, I would equally like to know.

[Okay. First of all, he strongly doubts Iago said anything to the effect of HEY SO YOU KNOW HOW CUMORE WAS TOTALLY COOL WITH THE IDEA OF FUCKING YOU

...secondly oh my god what the fuck is this.]

Don't you think this is a bit much just to get someone into bed?

[ This is where he just kind of deflates and looks so embarrassed that it might equal him being in physical pain. ]

Nobody said just! This isn't--- This doesn't negate anything previously discussed, I just appreciate clarity and your friend is a horrible gossip!

Yes, I'm aware!

[Ohhhh my god. He can't even do anything with his hands because he's handling plants full of poison, fuck his life.]

I'm not considering any possibilities too deeply right now. That includes whatever we're considering this. You want to know...what. If we're seeing each other now? I don't know. I haven't thought about it.

[ The option of simply already being in a state of seeing one another had yet to cross Mikami's mind and it's dropping him straight into what feels like a parallel universe. Yes, he did agree to basically spend his life with Cumore and accept considerable favors from him in exchange for counsel and company, but does that... oh god. What does that mean?

The idea of having unwittingly gotten into a relationship that neither of them knows is one is...... certainly present now. Do relationships even work that way? He didn't read the manual and he actually did read most manuals he encountered in his life simply because that's the kind of person he is. ]

That's-- That's... really all I wanted to know.

[ Because he hadn't known there were any options and he probably should have. ]

I don't know what to do with this either, just... I don't want to have discussed this, involuntarily, with a third party and not you.

...I can appreciate that much.

[Okay. That...happened, didn't it. He's gonna kill Iago later.]

If you're interested in such things that's fine. I'm hardly strongly opposed. I just haven't considered.

[ Killing Iago now is only divine retribution. ]

That's... along the lines of what I was going to say to you.

[ It's certainly more positively phrased because Mikami isn't exactly forward or, well, even experienced.

There's a short pause as he tries to recover his thoughts that are flying apart all over. This is such an utterly stupid distraction from anything they should be doing. ]

I want to say it is good to have talked about this, but in reality I'm just kind of dizzy. [ Speaking your mind is good, right? Except this was not a mind anyone wanted spoken and the side-effects are hideous. ]

He also very specifically mentioned his intent to fluster you, one way or another - if you want to complain, that detail might well be included.

I do intend to say something. Don't let it concern you too much.

[He's gonna punch Iago right in the shitty defense stat, okay.]

In the meantime, since you seem rather thoroughly like a person that's never been kissed in his life, let me know if you're ever curious about it, hm? Preferably not while we're surrounded by poison.

I have.

[ He's not 100 percent as pathetically virginal as you think.]

But before you ask it was once and then I stopped going out with people.

[Only 99 percent.]

You depress me sometimes. But I can work with that.

[ He actually rolls his eyes at that.]

You say this as if even the prospect of being the more or less first and only doesn't suit you just fine.

[ The most special so to say.]

Only "more or less"?

[He laughs a bit, though.]

Of course it does.

[ Mikami is starting to really hate how much better he likes it when Cumore laughs at him. Feelings are disgusting.]

Then don't call circumstances that benefit you depressing. That's just pointless.

[It's gross, isn't it.]

I'd think a good amount of what I do is already pointless to you.

Well, yes. But it's not like I have to mind it when it isn't making fun of my work focused lifestyle.

You aren't the only one who largely focuses on work, you know. And yet here I am.

[Having a life and stuff.]

[ Harvesting poison and stealing succulents? Collecting serial killer paintings? Oh come on. ]

We just had different priorities. If you saw my bookshelves... well, they're presumably removed by authorities now.

[ Ouch. That stings as a thought.]

The hypothetical counts.

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