GRAVEYARD ✨

[probe]

POPULATION: GHOST TOWN

You die - and then you wake up.

For a second, it feels as though you can't breathe, and then your head breaks the surface. You crawl out of a pool of blood and into a large, crystalline room. Moving images play across the crystal walls, and if you watch close enough, you'll realize that you're seeing the land of the living; a familiar space station with familiar faces. You can watch these images for as long as you'd like - there are several very large benches (as in, you have to climb them to sit on them) around the room for you to rest on while you do.

Regardless of how you died, it seems as though you're not quite gone completely. You're in one piece, at least. That's good news. However, your surroundings are not exactly what you remember.

When you exit the first room, a bleak, empty city sprawls out ahead of you.

The city itself is large. The framework of it seems to tower higher and higher than you can see, up into the black opal sky that shivers and curls every so often. A river entirely made of blood runs through the city, winding around buildings and ending at the crystal room. The most noticeable thing about the buildings themselves is the fact that thorny vines made of pure white steel dig into the walls and floor, cracking the foundations.

The residential building is worn down and old. It's two floors, and has a few small studio apartments built for one or two people to live in. The beds are extremely uncomfortable. It has a communal area downstairs, but the TV is broken, and the couches are torn apart. Sometimes, this building feels obscenely hot in temperature, and smells like rotten eggs.

The grocery store is your typical convenience store. There's a large selection of food in this area, but it all tastes the same - like chalk. On top of this, every so often there will be bloodstains on the walls, the floor, and the displays. They change in size and location, each time you enter the store.

The clothing store is thrifty in nature. All the clothes here are uncomfortable and scratchy, and don't fit quite right. While you're here, time feels... weird. Distorted, almost dreamy. As you're picking out clothes and trying them on (no money needed, just take what you want), you swear you can hear a gunshot in the distance.

Enjoy your time in this city, and remember...your story isn't quite over yet.

✨ FULL NAVIGATION ✨
🌙 Locations 🌙 IC Profiles 🌙 Statuses 🌙 Private Conversations 🌙
🌙 Audience Requests 🌙 Murder Proposals 🌙 Indulgence Reports 🌙

Comments

[probe]

When they activate a pink e-reader, text rapidly scrolls across it before the screen becomes blindingly bright. Once they can see again, they will abruptly find themselves... not in the city at all? Their surroundings have changed, and they will be in a romance novel setting! You can choose the scenery, but wherever they go, one thing holds true: the NPCs present in the setting behave exactly like the two of them are romance novel protagonists. They're ready to swoon, be swept off their feet, or even to pop up at convenient times for added drama! Additionally, they will both find they can suit whatever tropes are necessary-- if they decide they're rich, for example, the setting will provide. They won't want for anything to enable some indulgence here.

[kokytos]

[ Wow the worst (Steven other groups are dealing with giant fire-breathing dragons and killer robots and more) THE WORST. It looks like the two of them get to be very nice socialites, probably on some quest about learning to be less of a money-having dick and love someone from the average populace because love is worth more than money. Or something like that. Barf.

They're at some kind of nice charity event. Steven blearily blinks down at his casual graveyard uniform being replaced with a snappier suit than usual, and at the white cloth-covered table with the ridiculous cocktails and donation signs next to them. He glances and squints into the crowd. He catches some random girl staring at him, who immediately turns cherry red and looks away. ]

What in the fresh hell.

[brightred]

[Grell makes a startled noise at the shift in scenery, as her suit transforms to a more setting-appropriate red dress.]

What the hell! [She says, nearly in unison with Steven, as a man who looks like he probably has more money than sense looks her over and raises his glass to her with a little nod.]

Ugh, do they expect us to socialize? [She has not been feeling socializing this week. She's been feeling "lie on a couch and complain about everything" this week.]

[kokytos]

I don't know. [ He runs a hand through his hair -- wow, slicked back and neat. They really are just taking away all of his casual rights. He doesn't particularly like wearing his hair like this because it definitely makes him look older, but if the stage demands it... ]

I don't know. Looks like we're some kind of big shots, here. You think if we just chat and ignore everything, it'll go away eventually?

We don't exactly have a clear goal.

[brightred]

Well, we are supposed to indulge. [And she's absolutely looking him over right now. He's not a bad-looking man, that's for sure.]

[kokytos]

[ Sorry Grell, but the Weekly Effect and the circumstances of his death have still got him down. He's still annoyed and irritable, so it's a slight hurdle. ]

Indulge in what, is our goal supposed to be that we're supposed to seduce [ he did not say "romance" ] one of these people... is that it?

You did pick Lust. Figure the goal would be to do something about this scenario they gave us, because if it was with each other, then we could do that whenever in our own free time.

[brightred]

I was hoping for something that would help, [love hotel with a hot guy? Yes please.]

If we're supposed to seduce one of these people, why send us in as a pair? [Wait she has an idea. She grins.] Unless we're supposed to turn this place into one~ big~ orgy~

[kokytos]

[ Steven looks like he has so many things to say about that. Big orgies are not on his list of things to do in life and it is not a kink of his, please, the less people the better Grell!!

Thankfully, he is interrupted by a pair, a man and woman set similarly to Steven and Grell, though the girl seems awfully awkward and shy like she's not quite used to the expensive and fancy dress, and the man seems almost cocky in a weird jock way. Stereotypical romcom roles, or something.

"Excuse me, but me and my friend were wondering! She's new to this whole scene. It looks like you two are acquainted, may I ask how?"

Steven represses the need to close his eyes, instead immediately putting on his most winningest smile!!! ]

We just met ourselves. [ General first-time meetings don't include suggestions of orgies but hey. This romcom hasn't gone R-18 yet. ]

[brightred]

Really, [Grell says, smiling.] It's important in a place like this to just pretend like you know what you're doing.

[She turns her attention to the woman, looking her over.]

For example, dear, you should at least try to look more confident!

[kokytos]

To an extent, anyway. People in the upper class are like sharks, the moment they smell a weakness, they'll be at your throats in the blink of an eye. [ Stop Steven try to be comforting. Somehow, though, that line and Grell's just makes the girl turn a bit pink in the face, and blurt out:

"I'm not not confident," in a most, while indeed not not confident, speaks of an unruly wild young woman who is being shoehorned into acting prim. ]

Now, Miss Sutcliff. He said she was new. Can't expect everyone to know how to act right off the bat. Why don't you go around and show her the ropes? [ Shirking responsibilities. ]

[brightred]

[Grell's spreading grin is absolutely reminiscent of a shark as she reaches out to offer the girl her hand.]

I'm sure we can find a few things to talk about~

But do you really want to separate from your partner so soon?

[kokytos]

You can handle yourself, can't you? [ He just sets a hand on his hip and looks at Grell. And then he has a thought. ]

Wait, Fukuda said you're a serial killer. [ WOW!

Can the Romance Trope algorithm even handle Steven saying such a thing out loud. Is Horror Romance a thing? ]

[brightred]

.... that bastard! I told him that in confidence, one serial killer to another!

[Those NPCs are managing to look concerned.]

[kokytos]

[ They sure aren't sure if we're being serious about this or it's some kind of weird bougie people lingo. In fact, the guy is slowly backing away a little, and the woman is using the moment to slip out of Grell's company, also putting space. Though, it's hard to justify "I'm a serial killer", without a follow up of "of hearts", or something like that.

Unfortunately there is none here because Steven does not give a shit about those NPCs. ]

Oh yeah, he said it at some point midway through the trial. It sparked an entire debate about whether your death was maybe instead caused by self-defense.

[brightred]

Self-defense? That woman hunted me down! I was the only one acting in self-defense!

[kokytos]

Right... Miss Azelhart.

[ While this conversation is happening, the pair from earlier do a big old nervous laugh. This really is starting to get 50 Shades of Grell. Good old curse of being a character in a romance, where the end goal of "love" triumphs all despite several red flags.

"Uh, I'm sorry, but you guys are -- you guys are kidding, right?"

Steven doesn't even hesitate to raise a hand to him and nod. ]

Right, sorry. It's a inside thing. She's an actress, and I was making a joke. Bad taste, I understand. [ He glances at Grell though. Shrug? ]

[brightred]

[She huffs, flipping a loose strand of hair over her shoulder.]

Really, you shouldn't bring my career up like that! You'll scare everyone off!

[Then, as an aside to the NPCs...]

Really, the man has no sense of appropriate timing.

[kokytos]

I hate this, get me out...

Romance interests never have any appropriate sense of anything. [ He is Disgust. He just looks at the nice watch they provided for him that's on his person and shakes his head. Unfortunately, this is geared to make sure everyone is interested in them in the weirdest way possible, so now the pair only look more intrigued at the notion that Grell may or may not be an actress with a dangerous flair.

Hopeless. He just gestures at Grell a little. ]

Well, as long as it ends this event, I'm down with whatever idea you've got going on in your mind at the moment. [ Except the big orgy, he mouths that silently with a squint. ]

[brightred]

[Steven. Do you really want to go along with whatever idea is going on in Grell's mind at the moment?]

Really, dear, where's your sense of adventure? [She's taking his hand now. You asked for this.]

I'm sure these lovely people wouldn't like to see you leave so soon. [She turns her attention to the npcs.]

You wouldn't would you? [They shake their heads. No, they'd both just love it if Steven stuck around for a while.]

[kokytos]

[ Ugh. Uuuuugh.

The look Steven has on his face is almost hateful for a moment, directed mostly at Grell, just a little bit inward at himself. But fine, if Grell is suggesting he stick around, either for some kind of foursome (threesome? Steven will decide how he's feeling later), or... if she's just going to end up committing violent murder.

It's not in the realm of things he typically does because he wants to, but enough in the realm of things he will do to get shit done.

So he smiles. It's got the air of "fuck this" energy written subtly under it, but apparently it just comes off as dangerous mystique. ]

While the night is still young, Miss Sutcliff, but not too late if you would. I have places to be.

[brightred]

You shouldn't have signed up for this if you weren't interested. [She shoots back.

Come on, there isn't any better place than this! says the man. The woman nods, shy again.]

You heard them. Enjoy yourself a little bit.

[kokytos]

I was enjoying myself perfectly up until this past Thursday, dead of the night, thank you. [ Nothing here is going to compare up to what promise he had up until his, frankly, extremely suckish murder. ] It takes a sort to be as carefree as you. But I can act well enough, so if that's what you want today.

[ Ever the smiling socialite, an easy persona he slips into once he sorts out his deadpan feelings. He's chilling out (forcibly), until he can smoothly extend a hand out to shake their companion pair's each. ]

What counts as "enjoyment" in a charity event?

[brightred]

I am an actress, Steven. [If she can't put on a bright face in the midst of despair, she couldn't call herself an actress at all.]

And really, with new friends as handsome as these, we don't need to be overly concerned with this event itself. I'm sure there are other, more interesting places we could go~

[kokytos]

Yes, we did discuss that, didn't we. [ He looks around the place. A nice grand hall, pretty and spacious. A balcony outside to look over the city, have a smoke or look out into the night. Otherwise, the hall doesn't seem exactly rife with privacy nor anything really... interesting. ]

I don't think we're needed here at this event. We could just take a walk outside.

[brightred]

[Grell takes the woman's arm, guiding her towards the outside.]

A walk in the moonlight sounds lovely. See, Steven? You can be romantic, when you put your mind to it!