WEEK 0 — ARRIVAL

[cartesio]

Week 0: Arrival

When you wake up you immediately feel something’s off. You sit on the bed and find it’s not your bed, and this isn’t your room either. You seem to be in a rather normal-looking motel room. To your side there’s a trunk, if you open it you’ll find a military uniform, the key to your room, a set of rules and a debit card. Don’t lose those items! Or do lose the rules, you'll find a brand new copy the next day under your pillow. There’s also a calendar on the wall, you can see today’s date. The year is unreadable, but the month and day are very clear:

March 28^th
There it says ‘Meet the Sergeant at the Lodge, 9:00 AM’. There’s also a circle around March 31st, with the word ‘END’ scrawled there.

For now leaving your motel room would be a good choice. When you reach the lobby, you see the receptionist’s desk— no one’s manning it. There’s a rack filled with maps, marking several locations in the town.

There are also many strangers here – and you’re one more. For now it may be a good idea to take a map and explore the town.

After all, looks like you’re stuck here in the boonies for a while.

Links

IC Rules
Room Assignments
Locations
Tasks (LOCKED currently)

March 28^th
March 29^th
March 30^th

Comments

[paciscere]

"Rei"? [ that draws a blank. ] No, I'm sure I've never met you before.

[ he makes a thoughtful noise as he enjoys his soft serve. ]

I suppose you aren't acting like a typical youkai, but I can't exactly take your word for it, can I?

[intentus]

[ do most youkai even bother hiding what they are? in his experience, most of them just assume you know without being told.

not that he hasn't been deceived, but... suddenly, he feels like sighing. at least this guy doesn't know him. that puts his mind at ease, even if it isn't by much. ] Would you take anyone's word for it?

[paciscere]

Don't worry, I'm not. [ what kind of clan heir would he be, if he did. ] That leaves us with a problem, however. I can sense you. Why is that?

[intentus]

[ sense him? how is he supposed to know... actually, the thought of another human "sensing" him is a little creepy. wait...

come to think of it, does this person have to be an exorcist? maybe they're looking for other youkai—it wouldn't be the first time he's heard of one using brushes and spells. did he make another mistake? ]

Maybe... [ should he ask? at this point, might as well. this conversation isn't going to end anytime soon. this time, he does sigh. ] Um, is it because you're a youkai? If you are, you should have told me sooner.

[paciscere]

If I were a youkai, I would have eaten you right away probably. You don't look like much.

[intentus]

Then I would have had to beat you up.

[paciscere]

Sounds interesting. Are you saying you're that strong against youkai? I wouldn't be a mere middle rank one, you know.

[intentus]

[ why is this person bragging about a hypothetical rank? no, that's not the only strange thing. this person, they...

natsume turns his eyes upward and gazes at the sky, contemplating something. ]

Maybe you'd find out if you were one. [ but they're not, he feels pretty certain of that again. he looks back down and shows a smile lacking in warmth. ] If we keep talking like this, your ice cream is going to melt.

[paciscere]

Thank you for your concern. [ he smiles back, equally fake. ] I'd like to keep talking actually. If that's rude, my apologies.

[ but he's still going to follow this other boy and talk to him. ]

[intentus]

I don't think it's rude, but... [ he doesn't understand why either. ]

[paciscere]

[ he doesn't need to, and that's not a no - not that matoba would listen anyway. ]

Then that's settled. What's your name, Maybe-Youkai-san?

[intentus]

[ giving his name out to this boy might not be a good idea. but, as usual, when asked an easy question he finds it hard to reject someone. there's a short pause before he answers. ]

Natsume.

[paciscere]

[ if that's how they're playing it. ]

Matoba.

[intentus]

M-Matoba?!

[paciscere]

Good, so you've heard of us. I'm the next clan head.

[ well, he's clan heir now and not guaranteed to be head, but who's cunning enough to oppose him? ]

[intentus]

[ it really is the same clan!! that's too much of a coincidence. but, wait. what? ]

There's already someone ready to take Matoba-san's place? [ he can't help himself—he takes another look at this boy. he guesses, age aside, there are some similarities. both in looks and demeanor, so... a younger brother, probably.

matoba-san has a younger brother, huh? it makes sense he didn't know, but he still feels a little strange hearing it this way. ]

[paciscere]

[ he laughs. ]

The current clan head is getting on in the years. It's only a matter of time.

[intentus]

[ "getting on in years..." isn't he close to natori-san's age? and, honestly, if it were him he would be more worried about matoba-san's enemies getting him than old age. that guy seems like the type of person to make enemies wherever he goes.

well, with that personality it's hard not to. ]

That doesn't bother you?

[paciscere]

[ no. ]

Why would it? ... Ah, if you're wondering what will happen to him when he's no longer useful, don't worry. I won't let anything happen to the clan.

[intentus]

You really are related to Matoba-san.

[paciscere]

[ ah, what a compliment. ]

It's hard to tell because we don't look anything alike. [ shrug. ] You're even more interesting than I thought if he deigned to meet with someone like you.

[intentus]

[ what part of you doesn't look alike? in a few years if you add on an eyepatch and grow out your hair, you'll practically be identical. ]

... It's not like he asked me to meet him. We just happened to run into each other. [ and he was choked. hold on. come to think of it, matoba-san mistook him for a youkai too, didn't he?

... seriously, what part of them isn't alike? ]

[paciscere]

[ that doesn't sound like the current head, however. it's rare for the busy man to make an appearance anywhere, old as he is. it's usually nanase-san who goes out to represent him, or another senior from one of their minor clans. on occasion, they send matoba in his stead.

to chance upon a meeting with him - well, stranger and rarer things have already happened. still. ]

Hmm, is that so... I'm curious: what kind of impression did he make?

[intentus]

[ that's a hard question to answer. any response he can give isn't one he wants to—saying how he really feels about matoba-san aloud to a relative of his, even one that doesn't care about him, isn't something he can do.

honestly, matoba-san really has a cruel brother, although it seems like maybe that's how the whole family is. for a second, he doesn't know which one of them to feel worse for. ]

Matoba-san was— Well, if I had to put it into words, I guess I'd say he's a lot like you.

[paciscere]

Should I be happy about that, I wonder? [ ... he's a little insulted, honestly. the edge of his smile, stiff. ] I don't think he's anything like me. He's a coward. He's given up on all the other exorcists - but I never will.

[ one day, he'll contract a proper ayakashi. and when that happens - he stops that thought and sighs. ]

That was too much.