[ somewhere from downstairs, in time with a yelp: ] Fucking fuck!
[ kon also isn't given long to dissect that, because there's more meat! in the fridge! with bugs that are now all over his shoes! he slams the fridge door shut, backing away and kicking his feet out one, then the other, to shake the dead critters off. ]
This house is a nightmare, what the hell. Why is this place supposed to feel homey? [ no, he's leaving the kitchen and following manwol to at least the dining room, nudging alphinaud to come with them and abandon the pile of buggies on the kitchen floor. he has to yell at bradley for not cleaning the freezer - no he doesn't - but the feeling of no family left behind can stay. ]
[ Alphinaud still has this phone. With Kon and Manwol with him, he seems to remember that Kon had been talking about buying a new phone recently. Maybe this is it? Does he:
> Ask them about the texts. > Do something else. > Sleep. Sleep. Just sleep.
For Bradley, it will sound like something is slamming against the wall. There's no rhythm to it, and it's hard to tell if it's something large or if it's just hitting it hard. All he can tell is that it's in the wall of the closet. Does he:
> Keep inspecting the noise. > Check something else. > His eyelids are so heavy.
The dining room has a long table, with enough chairs for six people. There's some papers stacked in front of one of the chairs, and they will know no one usually sits there unless there's guests. To the side if a large cabinet, filled with the fine China. They've been in the family for a long time. Does he:
> Look at the papers. > Look at the cabinet. > Sleep.
The first floor bathroom is neat and orderly. There's no shower here, only a toilet and sink, but Manwol will see that the sink is running? How long has it been running? Their water bill. The water is also... well. Black. Does she:
> Look more closely at the water. > Poop. > Close her eyes and rest.
[ Ew, ew, ew. Gods, he is unbelievably grossed out. Sick to his stomach, Alphinaud follows with haste. ]
No, it is...
[ It's something getting the better of them, nudging their thoughts and wills toward... he doesn't know what, but it's difficult to say so aloud, let alone think of it for long; Alphinaud's mind swirls, and for some reason, he returns to thinking about the phone. Its texts, how old it is by now, and what a hassle it's been to use lately as a result. And its battery life? Awful, too. They really need to hurry up and buy a new phone. ]
By the by, Kon—have you checked the texts lately?
[ Alphinaud lifts the phone. The words come out of his mouth before he realizes what he's said. ]
[ they really need to clean up the table, kon considers for a moment as he rifles a little through the papers, tapping the toes of his shoes into the floor like he's making sure that there's no more lingering bugs. even if no one sits here usually -
fuck, stop. alphinaud draws his attention. ]
... the texts? [ it sounds right, but the logical part of his brain that's battling with the constant, lingering thought to sleep, to close his eyes, to rest - on top of the supposed normalcy of this place - picks out how that sounds weird, too.
he'll take the phone to look at the texts, abandoning the papers after that cursory glance. ]
[their water bill!!! See this is why they're driving such boring cars, all the money in this family keeps on going to needless expenses (except for her stuff obviously)
As much as Manwol wants to REST she should probably try to turn the sink off, right? Also look more closely at the water because it's BLACK. Maybe they can sue the water company. What water company? Whichever company they're paying in order to live in their homey, bugfilled home --]
[ The master bathroom is filled with, for some weird reason, a lot of garbage bags. There are just piles and piles of empty garbage bags, and he'll have to step over them to get anywhere. Besides that, it's normal. There's a sink, toilet, and shower/bath combo. The water here is also normal. He can also hear the noise from here, but it's not as loud. Does he:
> Take a shower. > Check something else. > The urge to sleep is so much higher.
The papers that Kon go through look to be hastily scribbled notes. They're mundane things, like grocery lists and budgeting for bills. There's also a very detailed schedule for one of their neighbors? The time the lights in their house goes on in the morning, when they go out to walk their dog, when they leave for work, what time they return. There's pages and pages of it.
But when he is handed the phone, it rings again. Alphi will recognize it as the same number that rang before. Does Kon:
> Look at the texts. > Answer it. > Take a nap with Alphinaud.
Looking closely at the water, she'll notice that is actually smells nice? Fragrant, really. It's so nice that... maybe she should drink it? Does she:
> Drink the water. > Check something else. > How are you not resting? ]
It means there's an incoming message - not a text one, but a call where you speak to one another in real time. Our phones from Wiwaldi can't do this.
[ even in this weird place, his auto translate for ye oldes and fantasies kicks in. he wants to look at the texts, and he's not sure what'll happen if he does answer the phone, but - maybe they'll learn something.
he thumbs the button and brings the phone up to his ear, shifting closer to alphinaud. he will not sleep, but maybe the proximity will help. ]
[look Manwol learned her lesson the last time she drank a funky liquid, she refuses to indulge here. Also, she's pretty sure everyone else will judge her for drinking sink water!!
She'll head back into the dining room instead and sit at the table, at the side she usually sits. She's just sitting. Not resting!!!]
[ The second bathroom looks normal! There's no garbage bags, and also the water doesn't seem to be any weird color. He will hear the sound again, but much more distant this time. Does he:
> Brush his teeth. > Check something else. > It's so hard to keep his eyes open.
Meanwhile, the downstairs group are all together as Kon answers the phone. The voice is unfamiliar to them. ]
Hey. Am I next? Are you going to get me next? Am I next? Am I next? Am I next? Am I ne--
[ The call cuts off as the phone dies. Do they:
> Look for the charger. > Check something else. > Sleeeeeep. ]
[ He mutters out, both because he's so confused and genuinely too exhausted for this. They haven't even been here for long... No, that's not true, he hasn't left home today. Why's he so tired? Maybe he didn't sleep well last night.
Manwol joins them, and Alphinaud is inclined to follow suit; he pulls out a chair—his usual spot—plops down, props his elbows upon the table, and leans his forehead into his hands. ]
I have my doubts that pinching will answer any of our questions.
[Since he is blissfully unaware of whatever the fuck that phone call was about, or that it even happened at all. He moves into the closest bedroom. And what is in here?
He's digging his nails into the palm of his hand. No, he is not going to sleep. He doesn't feel like it. He's the lord of the night*.
[ he holds the phone away when it cuts out, staring down at it, before echoing: ] Yeah. Seven hells.
[ no. no he's not going to sit down. he's not going to sleep. he's going to go and look for the charger, and he's going to make this difficult for whatever force is trying to control them. ]
[can't believe no one pinched manwol now she's DEAD!!!
Manwol sinks down in her chair in an effort to kick Alphinaud in the shin from wherever her position is relative to his. there's less power behind it because Alphinaud is Family, and Manwol is soft for family somewhere in her prickly ghost heart. Her instincts are warring between "we gotta stay awake" and "whoever just prank called asking us if they're next is now next on our apparently detailed list".]
Look in the china cabinet. Maybe Bradley stuck the charger there.
[She'll look underneath the table to search for a charger in the meantime]
When Bradley walks into the room, he'll know that this is his shared bedroom with Alphinaud. No one can escape bunk beds. But besides that, there's the computer at the desk, an older laptop. Two different drawers are against the wall that separates their belongings, as well as a TV.
Nothing stands out. Except for the odd smell coming from under the bed. Does he:
> Look under the bed. > Check something else. > His bed is right there.
Kon and Manwol will search for the phone charger, but it doesn't seem to be in this room. Do they:
kon glances back at alphinaud, brows pinched because - again, it sounds right, but also not - but he does move into the living room to try looking there for the charger. there's unanswered texts, and maybe he can... call that number back.
... actually. ]
Hey, Alph. Did you see who those texts were from? [ he is so tired. ]
[violence always works, in this domestic fantasy AU and in real life. Manwol wants to help, but she refuses to go back to the kitchen where there are bugs. and she doesn't want to go back into the bathroom. so she in fact just sits at the table and mirrors Alphi's pose.
it's only to help keep him awake, she reasons. which she does by poking him in the side so that he can answer Kon's question, because that's important too, right? for some reason?]
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[ kon also isn't given long to dissect that, because there's more meat! in the fridge! with bugs that are now all over his shoes! he slams the fridge door shut, backing away and kicking his feet out one, then the other, to shake the dead critters off. ]
This house is a nightmare, what the hell. Why is this place supposed to feel homey? [ no, he's leaving the kitchen and following manwol to at least the dining room, nudging alphinaud to come with them and abandon the pile of buggies on the kitchen floor. he has to yell at bradley for not cleaning the freezer - no he doesn't - but the feeling of no family left behind can stay. ]
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Manwol will immediately head into the bathroom. there better not be more bugs in there, or meat.... please.....]
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> Ask them about the texts.
> Do something else.
> Sleep. Sleep. Just sleep.
For Bradley, it will sound like something is slamming against the wall. There's no rhythm to it, and it's hard to tell if it's something large or if it's just hitting it hard. All he can tell is that it's in the wall of the closet. Does he:
> Keep inspecting the noise.
> Check something else.
> His eyelids are so heavy.
The dining room has a long table, with enough chairs for six people. There's some papers stacked in front of one of the chairs, and they will know no one usually sits there unless there's guests. To the side if a large cabinet, filled with the fine China. They've been in the family for a long time. Does he:
> Look at the papers.
> Look at the cabinet.
> Sleep.
The first floor bathroom is neat and orderly. There's no shower here, only a toilet and sink, but Manwol will see that the sink is running? How long has it been running? Their water bill. The water is also... well. Black. Does she:
> Look more closely at the water.
> Poop.
> Close her eyes and rest.
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No, it is...
[ It's something getting the better of them, nudging their thoughts and wills toward... he doesn't know what, but it's difficult to say so aloud, let alone think of it for long; Alphinaud's mind swirls, and for some reason, he returns to thinking about the phone. Its texts, how old it is by now, and what a hassle it's been to use lately as a result. And its battery life? Awful, too. They really need to hurry up and buy a new phone. ]
By the by, Kon—have you checked the texts lately?
[ Alphinaud lifts the phone. The words come out of his mouth before he realizes what he's said. ]
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So he'll look at the master bathroom instead. What's going on in here? ]
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fuck, stop. alphinaud draws his attention. ]
... the texts? [ it sounds right, but the logical part of his brain that's battling with the constant, lingering thought to sleep, to close his eyes, to rest - on top of the supposed normalcy of this place - picks out how that sounds weird, too.
he'll take the phone to look at the texts, abandoning the papers after that cursory glance. ]
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As much as Manwol wants to REST she should probably try to turn the sink off, right? Also look more closely at the water because it's BLACK. Maybe they can sue the water company. What water company? Whichever company they're paying in order to live in their homey, bugfilled home --]
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> Take a shower.
> Check something else.
> The urge to sleep is so much higher.
The papers that Kon go through look to be hastily scribbled notes. They're mundane things, like grocery lists and budgeting for bills. There's also a very detailed schedule for one of their neighbors? The time the lights in their house goes on in the morning, when they go out to walk their dog, when they leave for work, what time they return. There's pages and pages of it.
But when he is handed the phone, it rings again. Alphi will recognize it as the same number that rang before. Does Kon:
> Look at the texts.
> Answer it.
> Take a nap with Alphinaud.
Looking closely at the water, she'll notice that is actually smells nice? Fragrant, really. It's so nice that... maybe she should drink it? Does she:
> Drink the water.
> Check something else.
> How are you not resting? ]
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[ Once more, he's distracted by the phone. Alphinaud glances at it, then Kon. ]
That... ringing. What is it?
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[ With the constant cloying need to take a long rest, they's no way he's going into that shower.
To the bathroom in the hallway. What about this one? Is it also covered in garbage bags? ]
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[ even in this weird place, his auto translate for ye oldes and fantasies kicks in. he wants to look at the texts, and he's not sure what'll happen if he does answer the phone, but - maybe they'll learn something.
he thumbs the button and brings the phone up to his ear, shifting closer to alphinaud. he will not sleep, but maybe the proximity will help. ]
Hey, it's Kon. What's up?
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She'll head back into the dining room instead and sit at the table, at the side she usually sits. She's just sitting. Not resting!!!]
Someone pinch me.
[she's too tired to do it herself???]
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> Brush his teeth.
> Check something else.
> It's so hard to keep his eyes open.
Meanwhile, the downstairs group are all together as Kon answers the phone. The voice is unfamiliar to them. ]
Hey. Am I next? Are you going to get me next? Am I next? Am I next? Am I next? Am I ne--
[ The call cuts off as the phone dies. Do they:
> Look for the charger.
> Check something else.
> Sleeeeeep. ]
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Seven hells.
[ He mutters out, both because he's so confused and genuinely too exhausted for this. They haven't even been here for long... No, that's not true, he hasn't left home today. Why's he so tired? Maybe he didn't sleep well last night.
Manwol joins them, and Alphinaud is inclined to follow suit; he pulls out a chair—his usual spot—plops down, props his elbows upon the table, and leans his forehead into his hands. ]
I have my doubts that pinching will answer any of our questions.
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He's digging his nails into the palm of his hand. No, he is not going to sleep. He doesn't feel like it. He's the lord of the night*.
*citation needed.]
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[ no. no he's not going to sit down. he's not going to sleep. he's going to go and look for the charger, and he's going to make this difficult for whatever force is trying to control them. ]
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Manwol sinks down in her chair in an effort to kick Alphinaud in the shin from wherever her position is relative to his. there's less power behind it because Alphinaud is Family, and Manwol is soft for family somewhere in her prickly ghost heart. Her instincts are warring between "we gotta stay awake" and "whoever just prank called asking us if they're next is now next on our apparently detailed list".]
Look in the china cabinet. Maybe Bradley stuck the charger there.
[She'll look underneath the table to search for a charger in the meantime]
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When Bradley walks into the room, he'll know that this is his shared bedroom with Alphinaud. No one can escape bunk beds. But besides that, there's the computer at the desk, an older laptop. Two different drawers are against the wall that separates their belongings, as well as a TV.
Nothing stands out. Except for the odd smell coming from under the bed. Does he:
> Look under the bed.
> Check something else.
> His bed is right there.
Kon and Manwol will search for the phone charger, but it doesn't seem to be in this room. Do they:
> Check something else.
> Sleep. Rest. Do it. ]
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Except Manwol gives him a gentle kick, which startles him. He lifts his head just in time to see her ducking underneath the table. ]
I am fine. Give me but a moment.
[ He rests his head again. ]
Bradley was up most of the night—I hardly slept a bell...
[ Wait, what. ]
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He doesn't use a bed, he has never used a bed. If he has to sleep he'll use a couch. He has an aesthetic. Stop saying these things are his.
He'll check under the bed, since he's already here. What's that smell?]
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kon glances back at alphinaud, brows pinched because - again, it sounds right, but also not - but he does move into the living room to try looking there for the charger. there's unanswered texts, and maybe he can... call that number back.
... actually. ]
Hey, Alph. Did you see who those texts were from? [ he is so tired. ]
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I knew it. Knock him unconscious next time.
[violence always works, in this domestic fantasy AU and in real life. Manwol wants to help, but she refuses to go back to the kitchen where there are bugs. and she doesn't want to go back into the bathroom. so she in fact just sits at the table and mirrors Alphi's pose.
it's only to help keep him awake, she reasons. which she does by poking him in the side so that he can answer Kon's question, because that's important too, right? for some reason?]
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> Inspect the bucket.
> Check out something else.
> Go to sleep.
Downstairs, Kon won't find the phone charge in the living room. Does he:
> Check somewhere else.
> Get everyone to sleep. ]
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[ dammit manwol let him rest ]
Sakyou, Nier... I did not recognize the other name.
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What's the bucket got going on? How much is he going to regret looking at this?]
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