WEEK 4

[bathymetric]

Another trial, another week, and still you're probably running lower on answers than you'd like. And on people - you lost three since last Sunday. By the end of this week, you'll have been here for nearly a full month, yet still the days crawl on.

You wake up Sunday, again with no memory of Saturday, but this time with a simple message on your devices: You may resume requesting items, if you like. Enjoy. Guess it really was just a stealth motive after all, but at least it's being communicated that it's over! That's something, at least.

And when you leave your rooms on Sunday, there's another new area to explore! This one is... certainly more ambitious in its construction than the last one, to say the least. But hey, you have a pretty neat place to host parties, if you feel so inclined! That's... fun...

Hey, you gotta find the fun in situations like this where you can! Silver linings, right?



SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY

[ ooc: Welcome to Week 4! Remember to turn in AC here, threads for regain coins here, and if you feel so inclined you can visit Angel's office hours over here! ]

Comments

[nothingcanstop]

[ Excellent! Excellent, it feels good in her hand. ]

Mm... Kind of. Bears, dogs, cats, rabbits... They all get pretty normal, the more well-traveled you are. Honestly, what most prepared me for this was...well, meeting the moonlanders.

[mouflon]

[ uh ]

"Moonlanders"?

[nothingcanstop]

Yeah. Moonlanders. ...You know, people from the moon?

[mouflon]

No?? Nothing lives on the moon. [ ... ] Well, there are those AI the Moon Cell generates, but that isn't the same thing.

[ CLEARLY, THAT IS MUCH MORE NORMAL ]

[nothingcanstop]

That's what I thought! They keep themselves hidden, I mean, I was there for ten-- [ Record scratch. ] Excuse me. Did you just say AI?

[mouflon]

You're telling me that you have people who live on the moon, but AI is a step too far for you?

[nothingcanstop]

It's not too far, but there was a lot about that I didn't get, like- like the Moon Cell part. You live with some aliens for several weeks and you get used to them, alright?

[mouflon]

I guess that's fair. It's amazing how much a person can adapt to, when you get right down to it.

[nothingcanstop]

Sometimes you just have to. [ She's...smiling a little sadly? ]

[mouflon]

Don't worry, I'm well-aware. [ ... ] Not that it's anything I want to talk about.

[ You know, before Della gets any funny ideas again!! ]

[nothingcanstop]

Of course. [ Look at her, not pushing! Not pushing at all! ] Anyway. Want a player 2? Watch your back from the zombies? ...Huh, wonder if Brian finds this offensive...

[mouflon]

I guess it would be, for him? But you can't really fault the game for coming from a world where people like him aren't... You know, people. Anyway, if you want, sure. A lot of these things take way more bullets than I expect them to...

[nothingcanstop]

Difficulty in virtual aiming. That's what I'll chalk it up to. These arcade games, they're designed so it's not really easy to win.

[mouflon]

Is that so? Well, I guess that's one way to keep people coming back.

[ ...Yeah, Rin hasn't ever been to an arcade with real coins credits, so the monetary incentive doesn't immediately click for her. ]

[nothingcanstop]

It's a business plan thing. Uncle Scrooge would probably have a lot to say about it.

[mouflon]

[ A quiet laugh escapes her. ]

Well, when you put it like that, I'm a little curious. What is there to say?

[nothingcanstop]

Alright, so you can't have the games so hard people never come back. But if they're paying for the experience of coming in, playing a few games, they can't be easy either. Otherwise, why come back, if you can beat the big names in a snap? You gotta practice. Practice, practice, practice, and eventually, it's not even about beating it anymore. You just keep having fun, and that brings you back.

[mouflon]

Right. I guess that makes sense... I've never really had time for games, so I don't know a lot about playing them, to be honest.

[nothingcanstop]

They can be real fun! A good way to blow off steam. If we're being honest, I'm really glad to see some here. It was kind of my go-to, if I was all...hopped up on adrenaline and had nothing to do.

[mouflon]

Honestly, I can kind of get where you're coming from now... If you can't put your energy toward real violence, you might as well put it toward fake violence instead.

[nothingcanstop]

Exactly! It's, uh...better than anything else getting caught in the crossfire, that's what I say.