[DECEMBER INTRO LOG | WORLD TWO]

[spellbindmods]

Who: All coven members, especially new folk!
Where: In and around the new world’s apartment building where the coven is staying, as well as the rest of Shehui
When: Day 160
Open/Closed: Open to All

How did you get into this building? This apartment room? What the fuck is going on? Let's refer back to this page for a semi in-depth, wow so detailed, explanation of your current situation. Are you up to speed? Great. Now, here's the question of the hour: what are you going to do about it? A ▢ Unlike the other coven members, the newbies are coming into the apartment building with non-empty apartment rooms. Depending on how polite or cautious you are, your first instinct may be to find your apartment and knock on the door. But it is your apartment now, too, and you do have an ID card that'll get you in. What horrible calamity will you walk in on? What eccentric roommates will you happen upon? The wacky situational comedy scenarios are ENDLESS. B ▢ One of the jobs on the job board this week is fundraising -- neat, right? Before you even make it up to your apartment, you may be accosted by an excited citizen -- coven member or no -- that is trying to push something onto your character. Chocolate bars? Cheese logs? Cookie dough? Some other luxury item or overpriced snack food? Because this fundraising task is based on commission, the citizen in question may be a bit pushy...or you may be inclined to buy ridiculous amounts of goods and not know what to do with yourself.

New coven members showing up today are in luck. This week, Shehui is celebrating a Keep the Community Clean event. It's rare that they force jobs on people, but there has been an influx of new citizens and the population growth is leading to more trash. Fulfill your assignment and you'll be rewarded 1,000 credits. Don't? Be fined 500. Everyone has been sent a job to their ID, be it collecting trash, cleaning their apartment building or holding up signs/handing out literature about recycling. Sweeping, bagging...it's dirty work, but someone has to do it. C ▢ Cleaning up trash on the street might be hard, but it's fulfilling! Okay, that's a lie. It's demeaning and a lot of citizens don't really care about the minimal littering credit deduction as they toss trash from their cars or miss throwing it into bins. Volunteers are outfitted with gloves, vests and a roll of trash bags, but it doesn't prevent them from being rudely splashed with snow or having to pick up nasty things. Have fun! D ▢ For those who decided to pass out literature, you did pick the better job! It's a lot easier to avoid getting nasty, but it's also awkward...having to hand out fliers, be cheerful, regurgitate boring facts about recycling. Please sir, stop and listen to this exciting speech about why should put your cans in the red bins, not the blue ones! E ▢ There is a bright side to these jobs: local businesses are getting in on the outpouring of people out and about to try and get them into seats and buying things. Free samples are abound! There's a local coffee shop, Mooncents, that is handing out free small drinks to anyone who is actually working today. Come inside, regardless if you "volunteer" or not. It's warm inside with all that snow out there...

Speaking of snow! Most businesses and buildings in Shehui have paid to have snow falling every other hour, which coats the city areas in a fine, powdery dust of snowflakes. You may be familiar with snow, or maybe you've never seen it in your entire life! It's unavoidable either way, so you're going to have to deal with it. F ▢ Children in Shehui are usually in a school building somewhere, but snow days call for some leniency. School is pretty come-and-go anyway, so don't be surprised that there are quite a few kidlets out and about on the streets. They're also fully into the spirit of snow, throwing snowballs at unsuspecting strangers. Will you get in on the action, or will you plan the murder of innocent children today? G ▢ While it's unadvised to just go lay out in the street and make snow angels, there are plenty of parks in which to examine or play in the snow. You won't be the only one acting like a fool -- it's Shehui. You're allowed to live a little! H ▢ Finally, Coins! has bought the most snow as a means for their seasonal activity -- snow paintball. If you're looking to have a good time and enjoy Shehui for what it is, you'd best be inclined to sign up. A massive field with snowbanks and excellent areas for hiding, snowball paintballs that hurt twice as much as usual. What more could you ask for? I ▢ Wildcard! How will your character interact with this new and unusual world?

Comments

[idolpedia]

[She blinks.]

I'll always be myself. You don't need to worry about that.

[This Dia hasn't thought about wanting to make the bond even closer yet. But just you wait Chika!]

Are you settling in well?

[heartholder]

I'm doing the best I can! It helps to have you and Riko-chan and Ruby-chan here with me...

[idolpedia]

To tell the truth, it was a little strange not having you around.

[It might be Dia's way of saying she missed Chika? Yeah, likely.]

[heartholder]

[ chika knows. of course she does. ]

Dia-saaan...

[ with trembling lips, chika throws her arms around her, the fliers scattering in the snow. dia probably won't approve, but chika doesn't care. ]

[idolpedia]

[In fact she lets out an undignified "PII-GYAHH". Something she doesn't make a habit of doing. It seems Ruby isn't the only one that can make that kind of noise.]

Chika-san!

[Yup, there's the old Dia.]

[heartholder]

[ chika just laughs, loud and bright, and nuzzles dia's neck. ]

I missed you, too, Dia-san!

[ never mind that dia never went anywhere. ]

[idolpedia]

C-chika-san!

[How can she even be mad.]

Speaking of...Chika-san. Did we disappear from home? Riko-san, Ruby, and myself. Did we go missing?

[heartholder]

Nope! Everyone was there. I would have been so worried if any one of you guys just up and disappeared! We were...

[ chika's smile wavers. ]

... all preparing for the Love Live together. We made it past the prelims this time, remember?

[idolpedia]

Chika-san? What are you talking about? We were preparing for prelims. We haven't... not yet.

[Now Dia might actually be concerned Chika is hallucinating.]

Are you sure you didn't bump your head on the way here?

[heartholder]

What?

[ chika blinks, her eyes wide. ]

No, we... We're one of the top contenders! We're way past the prelims!

[idolpedia]

Are you saying we made it, Chika-san?

[Even if she can't recall that. Because it hasn't happened for her yet. She wants to believe Chika. They've all been working so hard.]

[heartholder]

We did!

[ chika grasps dia's shoulders, her confused expression replaced with a wide smile. ]

We struggled and struggled, and we did it! We came out on top!

[idolpedia]

That's... if this is true. I'm glad to hear it. But you would think I could recall something like that.

[Dia is confused and happy? She thinks that Chika wouldn't lie to her. She was too open for that.]

[heartholder]

[ chika's expression turns into something thoughtful. ]

I think...

[ she hesitates before pressing on. ]

Between you, me, Riko-chan, and Ruby-chan... I think we might have come from different points in time. Or something.

[ aaand immediately chika is holding up her hands, waving them frantically. ]

I know that sounds crazy! Trust me, I know! But... Riko-chan didn't remember, either, and I haven't talked to Ruby-chan about it yet. Isn't that the only explanation? Nothing makes sense here at all.

[idolpedia]

It does sound insane. But we have traveled worlds, I have met people who claim to be anything but human... we have powers— magic! Granted to us.

[Dia finds all of this exhausting. But she has to keep it together. Really she's been keeping it together for months.]

It is the only explanation that would make any sort of sense in a world that makes no sense.

[heartholder]

Right? That's exactly what I was thinking. It doesn't make sense, but nothing makes sense here in the first place, so doesn't that cancel it out? Then it does make sense.

[ ... hopefully dia gets what she means. ]

All this is starting to give me a headache.

[idolpedia]

Nothing makes sense, so it makes perfect sense. I guess I can let you get away with that roundabout way of trying to understand things.

[Can Chika tell Dia has Given Up trying to understand?]


We should still train hard here though, right? I won't let you slack one bit.

[heartholder]

[ chika gives dia a mock salute. ]

Right! No slacking off! We have to be in top shape when we get back!

[idolpedia]

That's the right attitude!

[Dia gives her a small smile.]

Do you want to give a performance here? I know there are only four of us...

[heartholder]

I do! Riko-chan suggested the idea, too. It'll be tough, but...

Nothing is impossible, right? And I don't think the others would want us to slack off, either.

[idolpedia]

So we're going to keep moving forward, even here.

[Though, Dia sounds a little sad? She really can't imagine moving forward without her two best friends at her side. But what can she do?]

[heartholder]

Dia-san...

[ that sadness isn't lost on chika, and she knows exactly why it is. ]

We have to believe that we'll see them again soon. It's the only thing that will keep us going. They'd want us to keep moving forward. They'd want us to smile! Mari-chan and Kanan-chan and everyone...

We can't let them down.

[idolpedia]

[She places a hand on top of Chika's head, patting her. Maybe trying her best to smile.]

You're right Chika-san. I can't let myself or any of you get into a rut. Our friends would be disappointed in us.

We won't let them down, and when we get back? We're going to show how bright we can shine.

[heartholder]

[ a long pause, and then chika's lips curve into a soft smile, something like a warm glow. ]

Thank you. I'm glad we can always rely on you to hold us together. I don't know what we'd do without you, Dia-san.

[idolpedia]

Well! It's nothing really! I'm just doing what any reliable friend would do.

[Dia might be blushing just a little bit.]