Trash Squad Day 1 - GAME START

[chinhotta]

[ Maybe you were going about your business and blacked out, maybe you were dead. Either way, when you come to, you are in what looks like the entrance hall to a school, except for the very well secured front door. Before you can really get your bearings, a voice rings out on an the intercom. ]

Welcome, kiddos! —How does that sound? 'Kiddos'? Too daddy kink? Eh, let's go with it for now. Anyway, welcome to a once-in-a-lifetime chance at romance and passion, with fabulous prizes! Find love beyond the boundaries of time and space! Original concept, do not steal.

Pick up your tablets and get settled in! A little later today, we'll have our first heart-pounding get-to-know-you event!

—Oh, also, no violence allowed! I know some of you kids are into the murder thing, but that's not the kind of game we're running here.

[ In fact, there are several boxes of electronic tablets around the room. When you pick one up, it displays the gameplay and rules.]

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Game navigation

Comments

[purrtagonist]

["impossible to overcome."]

[it isn't Zen's fault. he's not shoving the barbs deeper on purpose. but the tenseness in Akira's shoulders doesn't lessen, and he has to force himself to breathe in and lout slowly to calm himself]

So far, this game isn't starting off the same way the last one did. We might be lucky. . . they might really have no intention of harming us.

[starinhereye]

[there's a faint empathetic wince, quiet while he sorts out how to respond . . . but staying focused]

Yes, I want to believe in that. If you see anything taking a turn, then I'd appreciate a warning. If you come up with any plans too, please.

[purrtagonist]

Of course.

[that answer comes quickly, with the upward tilt of his chin and a firm nod]

If there's anything I can do to stop things from playing out the way they did before, I'll do it.

[. . .]

[a dangerous line of thinking, considering what he did last time. but he isn't saying that]

And the only way we're all getting out of here is by working together in the first place.

[starinhereye]

Right. So, don't charge ahead on your own. You have new perspectives here that you didn't before. Maybe, we can manage something.

[purrtagonist]

[with a huff]

Do I seem like the kind of person who would charge ahead on his own?

[genuine question, actually!]

[starinhereye]

[softly]

You sound desperate. Desperate people can do a lot of things, even against their own interest.

[purrtagonist]

You're not wrong.

[but even so. . . he makes sure to keep his words steady and his voice firm when he next speaks]

I guarantee you that I don't intend to give in to desperation, though.

[not this time]

[starinhereye]

You can do it. You have enough people here to help you with that, too.

[. . . holding his hand out, handshake??]

[purrtagonist]

[he laughs a little, not mocking or anything, just impressed. he also takes that hand. handshake!!]

You seem like a good guy, Zen. If you ever need help, I'll be around.

[starinhereye]

[q-quirk when he's complimented, but keeping his tsundere in check]

That's why I came to find you actually. Kitagawa, is he always so tense?

[purrtagonist]

Yep.

[BLUNT]

He walks to the beat of his own drum, but his passion is one of the best things about him.

[starinhereye]

It's admirable. But he's going to spread his nerves around to everyone else like that. You don't know of a way to calm him down, even a little?

[purrtagonist]

Nnnnope.

[sorry there's a lilt of amusement in his words]

I'll talk to him. What has he done that's been-- ah. . . "tense," so far?

[starinhereye]

[more under his breath:] So, just that type . . .

I hope we both survive this, everyone is in danger, murder, and so on. We're all aware, but he's focused on it. I thought he was picking up on your tension and magnifying it.

[purrtagonist]

[and his expression softens again]

That might be part of it. He was pretty unhappy with the condition in which I returned home when everything was over.

I'l talk to him.

[starinhereye]

I can only imagine . . .

Mm, thanks. He came around when I talked to him, but you can probably do more than me. The calmer everyone stays, the better.

[purrtagonist]

I get that.

It sounds like you're used to keeping order in stressful situations.

[starinhereye]

Ah, yeah. I've had to a few times. It doesn't sound like I'm giving out orders, does it?

[purrtagonist]

Not at all.

[rather, Zen exudes a kind of. . . leader-ly aura? he's taking a situation by the horns and handling it in a calm and composed manner]

It's admirable, actually.

[starinhereye]

[small huff, slightly uncomfortable]

With experience comes ability . . .

[purrtagonist]

That's true.

[and judging by that outfit. . . nah, he won't call him out on it yet. royalty probably doesn't like being recognized as royalty]

Come to me if you need any help, though. I'll gladly offer it.

[starinhereye]

Yeah, I'll definitely be counting on you, Akira.

[purrtagonist]

And I'll be counting on you in return.

[SOUNDS LIKE A DEAL, SOUNDS LIKE A CONFIDANT]