(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

[dormheads]

... Yes. [sounding mildly surprised. nice catch, rupert.] The ones she didn't choose—they were the two in question.

I don't know for sure why they were outside, but it wouldn't surprise me if the world meant to separate them from the others to finalize the assimilation process.

[heartlands]

Jeez. Mabel's going to be so freaked out, and Catra's going to be so angry...

[but at least they will not be dead, he guesses. anyways. speaking of that.]

When you say we might be able to help the people who are gone - can you tell me more about that?

[dormheads]

... Sorry. I don't have anything concrete I can give you just yet, but if I do, I'll let you know. Just keep your ears and eyes open for now.

I probably don't need to say at this point that this place is capable of strange things. It's not out of the question to think that we can figure out how to use some of that for our own ends, as well.

[heartlands]

Yeah. Okay.

[thinking, thinking...]

Okay, last question, I think. If we do give the invitation to someone - how much information do they get?

[dormheads]

Once they're approved, you can explain everything to them. Just make sure they know to then keep quiet.

[heartlands]

Oh, so it's like - they don't get a generic note telling them to come to the classroom the way we did, we would just go and tell them what's up and ask them if they want to join, basically?

[dormheads]

I'd send them a message the next week, as I did with you. However, you can let them know ahead of time—and if after learning the truth, they'd rather decline being involved, then I won't.

[but it will still count towards your recruitment limit for the week, alas.]

[heartlands]

[nodding!]

So... We don't necessarily have to tell them anything, but - honestly, I'd rather they get the chance to know the situation before agreeing or disagreeing. So we just have to make sure it's somebody we trust to not tell anyone.

[dormheads]

...I don't disagree with that. If they don't want to get dragged into this, they shouldn't have to be.

[sorry that you two didn't, uh, get that choice.]

But essentially, yes.

[heartlands]

[he's just

getting a very pointed Look when he says that.]

Right.

[dormheads]

[look it's not his fault kaoruko didn't warn you]

[heartlands]

[it is not and yet the Look remains]

[dormheads]

[jiiiiii]

[heartlands]

[sometimes you just have to stare down someone in a panda suit]

Anyways. I guess... That's the only question I had left, unless there's anything else you want to tell me while we're both still here.

[dormheads]

That's all I have at the moment.

[heartlands]

Okay.

[...]

Actually - if we don't figure this out by Thursday and we have to... do what you told us, are you going to go missing again until Sunday?

[dormheads]

I just fell sick last time, so that shouldn't happen again. [a beat] Though I can't strike out the possibility of the school calling us in for more meetings, as they do like wasting our time with those.

[so many meetings last week...]

[heartlands]

You don't think you could skip out on a few meetings, given the whole murder thing?

[dormheads]

[tiredly,]

If the school insists and the others go, it's going to look odd if I refuse.