(ROLE) CULT

[dormheads]

cult.

On Monday at 10 PM, Rupert and Otome receive an encrypted e-mail.

d4rkness@Wiwaldi.edu

Come to classroom 1304; see attached map. You won't like what you're going to learn, though.

Be discreet and don't tell anyone.

Chad

No one is in the halls as Rupert and Otome creep to the abandoned classroom circled on the map. The normally locked door opens, revealing the room inside.

There are no windows and the lights are off, leaving the room cast in near darkness. Only a handful of candles, in what's probably a fire hazard, keep it illuminated; the fog being emitted from a personal fog machine doesn't help with visibility. What was once the teacher's desk has been pushed to the center of the room, with chairs seated around it. For some reason, there are cat decorations everywhere, mixed in with various (garish) occult items and patterns.

There is a cat-shaped bulletin board hanging on the wall, which reads:

» This world is trying to assimilate all of you, who started this year, into its setting. If it succeeds, you'll remain trapped in this school, your souls drained until you cease to exist.

» Each week, this place will make active efforts on a few select students. Once the weekend hits, they'll all be beyond saving. However, if any one of them is killed before then, they'll all be freed from the link, at least for the remainder of the week.

» Death isn't necessarily permanent. Those who died can potentially be saved. However, no such option exists for the fully assimilated.

» At the start of the week you'll be informed if you may recruit one person to join the cult. Provide a list of 3-4 people you want to recruit and you'll be told which one of them is approved. If you extend an invitation and they accept, they will join the cult the following week.

» Preventing the assimilation aside, even the original cult was meant to be a secret, so it's important that word doesn't spread. If anyone else learns about your involvement in the cult or your task, whether from your mouth or another's, this world may enact consequences. No guarantee on who they might affect, so it's up to you to decide if risking harm upon another is worth it.

Comments

[momming]

[ She just kind of bleakly plunks down in one of the seats and looks at Rupert. ]

... What are your thoughts?

[heartlands]

[meanwhile, he’s just kind of... pacing, looking distressed. that carries into his tone, too, when he says:]

...If this is the only thing we can do to give them even a chance to come back - do we have a choice?

[shoving a hand through his hair]

This is insane.

[momming]

I don't think we do. Or at least, if we decide to go through it, I can take responsibility.

[ Rupert looks like he might shake apart and not in the fun way. ]

[heartlands]

—But you’re already hurt!

[momming]

I've managed with worse. Though not really a scenario like this...

[heartlands]

Still, that’s...

[he takes another second, glancing towards the ground.]

I don’t - want to hurt anyone, but I don’t want something worse to happen to them when I could have stopped it, either. So if we don’t find another option by the end of the week...

[momming]

... I understand. [ if he's close enough that she can reach for his hand, she will. ] And I won't let you take it on yourself alone, if it comes to that.

And if it does, we might want to discuss this recruitment thing as well.

[heartlands]

...Yeah. We can handle it together if it comes to that. But - I’m going to do my best to find another way.

[and find nothing, as is the mg way, but - he does take her hand.]

I... Are we sure we want more people to have to deal with this? I mean, I would want to tell everyone if we could, but telling them is different than - dragging people into it. Right?

[momming]

... Well, it sounds like we can at least issue the invite and they can make the choice from there. I'd like to give people that right, at least.

[ But the two of them trying to save everyone on their own is going to be difficult. ]

[heartlands]

...Right.

[he still looks a little torn, but he does nod.]

It said three or four, right? So... Maybe we can each pick two?

[momming]

Mm, I think that's sound. Did you have anyone in mind?

[ they're trying their best. ]

[heartlands]

[hmmmmmm.]

I guess... Byleth seems like she could handle it. [...] Luxanna, maybe? But they're both really nice.

[momming]

... You know you're really nice too, don't you?

[ pls ]

But Byleth is certainly competent, and Luxanna also seems like someone who might want to help.

[heartlands]

Yeah, but I'm already here, we didn't exactly have a choice about that. Anyways, it's not like I want to go for a bunch of awful people or anything, either, so...

[he sighs.]

What about you?

[momming]

... Claude and Beau, I think. Claude has a sharp mind and I think his knowledge of poison might come in handy, and Beau said her job was to handle corruption, so I think this is also something she might feel strongly about.

[ Time to think pragmatically. ]

[heartlands]

Okay. Yeah, I don't have a problem with either of them. So then we just need to, uh...

[pick a name out of the three. he hesitates before saying that, though.]

[momming]

Not Mabel.

[ instantly. ]

[heartlands]

—No, definitely not. Of course not.

[he is, unsurprisingly, completely on board with that. but...]

Lan Wangji is - he seems nice, but... [...] I wish we didn't have to pick anyone. Catra has rough edges, but - she's my friend, and Adora cares about her.

[momming]

... They're all my dormmates. [ quietly. ] But I don't want to do that to Catra and Adora... and Lan Wangji has been quietly agitated about having his abilities sealed and his friend being in danger, so I do think he'd understand what we were trying to do if we killed him.

... Even though I really don't want to...

[heartlands]

[his expression tightens a little, hearing that.]

...I'm sorry. I know you said you would help, but if he's someone you care about, you - I mean, you don't have to.

[not that he wants to do it alone at all, really, but it seems like the decent thing to remind her.]

[momming]

... Thank you. But I don't want to make you bear this on your own.

[ Sin it to win it!! ]

[heartlands]

...Okay. Maybe it'll help him to have you there, too, anyways.

[momming]

I wonder... well, there's no point in dwelling on it just yet.

[ IT'LL HAUNT HER LATER. ]

[heartlands]

...Right. I'm sure we can find something by Thursday.

[lmao]