collectedlogs | INTRO LOG #1

INTRO LOG #1

Welcome to Collected’s first Intro Log! The information we’ve provided about the setting is not exhaustive - feel free to interact with the setting as you see fit. Rather than have specific prompts, our event posts throughout the game will generally have information listed out like this and players may come up with their own prompts.

If you have questions about the setting or the intro log, please ask them HERE in the comment thread! And most of all, have fun, shoppers.

PROMPTS

The first thing anyone does is gasp for air.

It’ll feel like the first breath you’ve taken in years. That’s right; before you can even become aware of your surroundings, the most immediate thing they’ll process is that you’re in water. Foul smelling water - like rotten eggs and decay. It’s pitch black, and you’re swimming in it with only your head above the surface. If the smell doesn’t deter you, the longer you stay in will; the water stings to have on your skin, chemical in nature.

So - you need to get out. This water can’t be okay to stay in. Once you’ve gathered enough about your surroundings, you’ll see that you’re inside a mall, of sorts. There’s a large (non-functioning) escalator in front of you that will lead you to the semi-safe havens of the second floor - but be careful, because everyone’s going to be gunning for that only exit.

» Once on the second floor, exploring will lead you to a few notes of interest: Long windows and tall glass doors show the conditions outside. The sky is a burnt orange, and there is a thick sort of fog on the horizon. Nothing for miles in every direction - just an empty parking lot, completely devoid of life or any sign that anyone has come across this place in many years. Even so, you’ll find the windows and doors unlocked, so getting outside is easy… the problem is what’s out there.

A trip outside will make it instantly clear why you see no life outside the mall’s walls: exposure to the radioactive sun outside causes your skin to bubble with welts, and the thick, toxic air of the outside is impossible to inhale without keeling over. It’s blistering hot, too. Even non-organic creatures would melt or be eroded by the sun’s radioactive qualities. One thing is abundantly obvious: you cannot survive outside. Not now, at least. Those who receive a burn or other damage from the conditions outside will discover that strangely enough, upon returning inside the mall, the wound begins to heal up on its own. Slowly, and extremely painfully, but it’s healing. That’s strange…

» Another thing of note is that there’s a food court on the second floor. There, you’ll find a variety of abandoned restaurants that have varying amounts of non-perishables inside - canned vegetables and preserved meats, as well as dusty old jars of sauces and the like. There are a few walk-in freezers with hefty locks on them, but if the locks are broken or picked, there’s actually some frozen rations, as well! Many of them are not labelled, so the dining experience will be pretty hit or miss. None of the stoves or cooking appliances in the food court work anymore, either, so you’ll have to get creative when it comes to cooking up these ingredients. (Or just, you know, eat them cold.)

» Throughout the mall’s bathrooms, water fountains, and gym showers, you’ll find that all the water in the mall is suspiciously clean. Like, way too clean to be normal in a place as run-down and clearly abandoned as this. You’ll find that toilets flush completely fine, and shower water heats up (eventually). Should you be grateful, or concerned?

» There’s an electronics store on the second floor, as well, along with a internet cafe. Should you try to turn on the computers in the internet cafe, you’ll find that it only opens to the same forum page: a site called Mall Watch. It’ll prompt you to make an account and password if you try posting to it. In the electronics store, you’ll also find that any phone you forage for and try to boot up will also only open up to this forum page. Weird!

» If you’re looking for a place to sleep, the department stores of the mall still have a variety of furniture sets collecting a lot of dust. Then again, no one’s around to tell you where to sleep - and maybe you don’t trust all these new faces you arrived with. If you’re okay sleeping on the floor of a random store, more power to you.

» You’ll probably want to do something about your clothes that were stained by the black water on the first floor.. try foraging for some clothes! Looking around, you’ll find that some clothes stores have some stock left over, though everything’s generally a mess in clothing stores - it’ll take you some time to find anything that’ll fit you. Looking around enough on this second floor, you might end up stumbling across some of your own belongings or clothing, or those of your peers.

More than anything, the longer you explore and scavenge the mall, you’ll recognize how eerily silent it is. If not for you and your peers here, this place would be totally desolate. Clearly, there’s no one around for miles, and as far as you can tell, you’ll only be able to survive here for as long as the supplies here last. No one’s coming to save you - no one even knows you’re here. In every sense of the word, you are alone.

For now.

NAVIGATION

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ "I'm fine. I nearly had a heart attack..." Eichi. Only Eichi. ]

Oh, this? This situation is nothing for someone like me. Now that you are safely across the gap, I can focus better.

[ So please, please relax. He really needs him to relax for a moment. Just go back to sitting in the underwear for a few minutes while he figures out something for himself.

Jumping is... doable, he thinks. There's a few pieces of metal bar sticking out that would be good handholds if he were to mis, but at the same time... they could also be dangerous. There's also some cable hanging from the floor towards the water, and while he thinks there's probably not much power going through it... he doesn't want to electrocute himself. Not to mention, it's probably not the most secure hold, either.

But the rebar he's on... it's sold now because it's closer to the base. As he moves his weight out into the center, it's likely that it will snap under him. So... ]

Ah, I've got a good idea. I'm going to walk across as if it's a wonderful new stunt, but then I'm going to surprise our audience [ there's no audience, he's just Saying That. ] by flying across the rest of the way, straight into your arms. How does that sound?

[ If it helps, he is pretty confident about this. ]

[Honestly he might be having a heart attack right now? He's constantly in pain anyway, but the whole being dumped into acid water and then shock after shock is taxing. Now he's worried about Wataru... Even if he wishes for him to relax, how could he?

That plan sounds dangerous, but looking at it, it's not as if he can come up with anything better. Wataru would work his hardest not to cause any frowns, so... Eichi holds his arms open more insistently, looking determined. He'll catch him!!

Though he doubts that's the reality of what's going to happen, but he'd like to be able to close his fingers around Wataru and pull him close again, like when they were dancing. He'd feel a little better, crumbling floor aside.]

So long as you absolutely avoid falling into that water, then it's fine by me. Actually, I'd rather you avoid as many surprises as possible, so come straight into my arms.

[Hurry up!!!]

[ Under no circumstances whatsoever will Wataru ever fail to leap happily into one of his favourite people's arms. Absolutely not. That is a certainty of life, right up there with water is wet and the sky is blue.

So he carefully moves closer, delicately picking each step, one foot in front of the other—and then when he feels the bar under his feet begin to bow under his weight, he jumps.

It's like he's jumping into a bouncy castle, with how excited he looks about it. A big grin, arms outstretched, just like he's flying—landing a foot away and using that step to go forwards while avoiding just... tackling him. Then he's right there, flinging his arms around Eichi's neck and hugging him tightly. Not too tightly, since he's in the middle of dying and everything, but tightly enough that he feels real again.

He probably should have hugged him earlier, actually. ]

Edited 2020-07-05 22:24 (UTC)

[ Thank goodness. Eichi had been holding his breath the whole time Wataru was running and jumping and in the air, but now that he’s stepping forward and into a hug, he breathes out with a soft laugh at just how over the top it was. So like him, to be happy and excited even in a situation where you might want to cry or scream or fret.

Eichi squeezes tighter than he’s ever bothered to before. Going from one moment of wanting to keep this feeling for all time, to having it all at risk... He wanted this hug, too.

Even if they’re probably only irritating each other’s skin more. It’s temporary. ]

What an incredible trick. Even in a terrible scenario like this, I find myself at ease as long as you’re here, Wataru.

[ He pulls back just enough to view him, and to step back further from the hole in the floor. Tugging Wataru with him, of course. Mind the pile of lingerie and spilled clothes. ]

Ah, my heart is beating so hard... I really was worried. I suppose I should examine my surroundings more before moving forward.

[ It's... a relief to hear that. The very last thing Wataru wants is someone worried about him, and while he understands that it's going to be an uphill battle to keep that going while in this sort of unknown situation... he's going to try.

The burn and itch digging into his skin doesn't matter, suddenly, when he can feel something much more important right here in front of him. ]

All we can be certain of is that everything is uncertain right now. I also thought the floor would bear the both of us at first. [ He steps around a bedazzled bra, though he's similarly not letting go of Eichi.

But there's something he has to address first. A few minutes... it hurts, but it's probably alright to let him relax for a short time. ] Should we take a moment before continuing on? I'll gather up everything that had to go flying for our adventure across, and you can take a short rest.

[ His own clothes pile is kind of bundled up awkwardly into a messy ball now, but Eichi's is still... everywhere... trapped between the thongs. ]

[Fingers lift and press one by one against the back of Wataru's jacket uncertainly. Rest? He knows why he's suggesting that, and it makes him feel as bad as always, even if he can be thankful for the worrying now.]

As much as I'd like to keep pressing forward and find a way to wash this from our skin, I suppose I'm in no place to push myself. I'd hate to trouble you, after all. [Eichi sighs, clearly troubled, and steps further away from the unsturdy floor where he can have a sturdy seat. He still doesn't let go of Wataru just yet, though, staring behind him at it, and now at all of the lost items and. Lingerie.]

It won't have to be long, so gather them quickly. I am fine, you know.

[ It's hard to know what to do in this situation. Even in a place where he's comfortable and not in a hell mall with an uncertain future, Wataru isn't the best at navigating complex emotions and the turmoils they bring. But he's getting better, and in some ways he succeeds at it, and even excels.

So he knows that treating Eichi too kindly will do him no good, but he also can't help but worry about him. Similarly, Wataru despises the idea of being a burden on anyone, and figures it applies to Eichi here, too. And also... Wataru needs him. He's an individual who is prone to loneliness—whatever skills he may have acquired in the past, even if he learned them specifically to impress others, is less effective if he's alone. That's just how it works.

It's hard to word "we are a family now, so your presence makes me feel like I can do anything!" so he's just going to work on that for the future. Right now, he uses his hold on Eichi to gently try and guide him towards the counter. ]

I know. [ He sounds confident in it. Like he's worried about him, but also—he knows.

For now though, he's going to try leaving him. There's probably some returned sets of lingerie on the counter if he's got nothing else to look at. Unless he wants to watch Wataru collecting their poor scattered loot. ] By the way, Eichi... I didn't notice before, but you landed in quite a lavish pile! If such things were left behind by others in such a great quantity, they must not have found much use for them. You know the quality must be good, if they're still so sparkly!

[ Clearly the way to pass the time spent demanding Eichi rest is to talk about the bras and how people must not have prioritized them when raiding the rest of the store. ]

[It's strange. This is a horrifying situation, if he steps back to think about it, but the shocking terror of it alternates with a strange sort of comfort at having Wataru here. If he were alone, he wouldn't have been able to deal with it like this. He's aware of that much now. He'll never forget the importance of friendship like this again.

But... Even as he breathes out a laugh about the lingerie, he wonders what might be coming next. He wants to keep his eyes on Wataru no matter what. But he can still pick up this flashy bra that got stuck to a button on his uniform and set it gently to the side.]

I can't imagine that there's much use for things like this currently. Or do you think there might be?

[Go on and tell him, he's listening. Listening and leaning back against the counter.]

[ Halfway between delicately picking up the pieces of ~~his life~~ the pieces that were flung out, in an attempt to continue to not dirty them any further, he pauses to think about it. ]

Ehh... think of the movies you've seen in this kind of setting. Some of them have had romances blossoming within their story lines, no? Fufu, at times it seems quite out of place.

[ Ahem. He's putting on A Voice. ] "Who would have the time—no, who would even consider love in the apocalypse?! They have so much to worry about already! There are zombies knocking at the door and you expect me to believe that the main characters just want to kiss?!"

It's quite a common review for stories like that... but don't you think that under times of high stress and fear, people are often brought closer together?

[ It's time to pick up a clothes hanger and brandish it forwards. It's at least one of the more modest things here—it would be a bathrobe, except it's pretty sheer and lacy. ]

When love grows among the cracks of a ruined world, surely couples would have need of such things! It's a spot of colour in their drab lives [ but the robe in question is black this time... ] as well as a dab of normalcy—a precious, intimate time once thought lost, and now returned to them, albeit for a brief moment... ♪

[ Well anyway, there's his sexy romance narrative. ]

Edited 2020-07-11 05:01 (UTC)

[So is he going to like, take that with him too, or...]

Is that how it works? I can't say that I understand anything of couples, but I suppose I could grasp that concept. [That high stress and fear lead to closeness. He may have had a hand in things like that. Multiple times.

His breathing is steadying, even if he feels hyper aware of the stinging. A glance down at his wrist shows that he thinks it might be making his skin red...? His skin is sensitive, but he tries to glance back at Wataru to see if he can gaze at any wet skin from here.]

Do you expect romance to bloom even in a place like this, then? I may be the person criticizing those moments in movies, but I can at least feel that it is nice to grasp this normalcy with you.

[How he can say these things in the same breath casually without thinking it implies anything at all... He's busy looking for welts on Wataru's beautiful skin, but it's kind of hard from this distance. Long sleeves and all...]

[ ...that was certainly a thing Eichi just said.

Well... he's a baby in some aspects. It already feels like it's been days since he's called him that, and yet it's only been a couple of hours. ]

Hmm... I don't know if I will expect it, but I will not be surprised to see it if it does. [ He's stepping closer, but only to place Eichi's half of their treasures on the counter, and then to put the robe away to the side. It looks like this sort of thing will be meant for another time, perhaps another person, even. ] I have already been surprised many times, so I would even say that anything could happen... ♪

[ Now that he's closer, Eichi can see that while it's definitely smeared onto his skin, there's not a lot of redness visible. It only looks like that, though—it's quite painful now, as well as itchy, and more than ever he's eager to finally get it off.

Stepping to the side, Wataru sweeps an arm out towards the doors they've been seeking. ]

Shall we?

[Anything could happen. He hears those words as he inspects Wataru from this close, and he thinks he has to believe it fully. Really, honestly, anything could happen. Isn't that wild? They've entered a whole different world, like this...

He's relieved that Wataru's skin isn't very red, and blinks to look where he's gesturing now, standing up from the counter with a weighted sigh. He's tired, and maybe after all of this time, he can let Wataru see it a little.

Just a little. They're both making their own sort of steps, aren't they?]

Let's. [Eichi gathers up his pile in his arms once more, too worried about being separated from them somehow to leave them behind like he normally might. He has to think differently about this.

Moving forward, the back room is something that looks like it was once used for extra stock that was returned and meant to go back, inventory, and so on. But there is a visible unisex bathroom, and Eichi moves towards it slowly, this time.

Things were certainly rummaged through even back here, but there's a sink...]

I wonder if the water is even running, with how it's flooded and acidic downstairs.

[ His tiredness is noted, but it looks like... they've found what they were looking for. That's a good point though, isn't it? Wataru doesn't want to get either of their hopes up so he hums, thoughtful. ]

Water sources are usually from the ground, aren't they? Well, let's take a chance. [ If there's no water here, they won't be able to stay in the building. It's as simple as that. There's no magic trick in the world that can produce clean water from a poisoned source. ] I can't help but wonder why it was here that we ended up. Was it a wrinkle through time?

[ Well, they may as well go for it. He's reaching for the cold water tap and turning it on.

There's a second where there's nothing, and then... water, streaming out as if it was just another Saturday at the mall. The pipes don't even groan. ]

It may be something like that...

[Setting his clothing pile on the floor right there, he inches closer once he sees the water and sticks his hand forward without warning, to test it himself. Otherwise Wataru was just going to, right? It's the same thing.

But it feels like water. Scrubbing his hands together seems to help get rid of the acid muck, and there's some stinging from red irritation already left behind, but it's much better.

But this is such a small sink meant only for hand washing...]

It seems to be clean water.

[ He's right, it's the only thing Wataru could have thought of to do too... knowing how to tell clean water from dirty water is something beyond what he'd care about in class. If it's even taught in class. Anyway, it wouldn't have been interesting or relevant enough for him to pay attention to or to put any deep thought into.

Then again, he was a tiny bit concerned when he stuck his hand in, just in case. ]

That's quite promising, then. I don't know how long we would last here without it. [ Wataru hasn't even looked outside yet. If the main floor is flooded with that sort of water... hm. ] Ahhh, it's too small for us to both crowd in here, so you should wash off as much as you can while I take a look around out here.

[ The best possible scenario would be finding a bar of soap. The second best would be finding something he can use as a towel. Also... he should probably give him some privacy to change. ]

[The way Eichi looks from Wataru back to the sink shows such heavy reluctance. He'll have to strip down in the middle of all this, wash himself in a bathroom sink, all while dealing with the worry of the floor crumbling beneath him?

But it's not like he has the option to be vain right now. It's more than that. And Wataru is the one who's volunteering to walk around with that burning stuff still on him while waiting for him...

He undoes the first button of his jacket, but tosses one more look to Wataru. He's going to start with his face, but it feels like it'd be easier to just get everything that's burny off of himself first.]

I'll do my best, but try not to stray too far. You should also wash yourself as soon as I'm out of the way.

[ With a bright smile: ]

I will, Eichi! [ And a bit muted, as he's begun to walk away... ] Fufu, you really sounded like you were talking to someone in your family there... ♪

[ Is he going to let go of this "fine is your family now" narrative? Absolutely not. Wataru is even waving at him with his fingers before ducking out, just to really hammer in that he'll be alright. While he's gone, he can even hear him shuffling things around, picking them up and opening boxes, sometimes putting the boxes back if there's nothing of use.

After a couple of minutes, a tiny packet is being shot under the door towards him. It's soap! The... kind, as well as size, of one you'd get in a hotel, or would take for travel, and the corner looks suspiciously chewed on, but he's found it.

In a few hours they'll probably find the showers with actual shampoo and stuff but look, it's like they're actually surviving on their own right now. ]

[Family... He smiles automatically at that, even if the word "family" doesn't mean anything warm on its own. In the contest of fine, of Wataru and the others, it can begin to, and he thinks he's finally understanding that. They're precious comrades, friends, but also more than that...

He feels warm, thinking of that and hearing Wataru shuffle around as he washes himself as best as he can. He even dunks his whole head into the sink and tries to rinse his hair so more of that acid water doesn't drip down onto him. It's when he pulls up from that that he sees the soap, and ripping open that package means he can use it on his face and as much of the rest of him as he can.

He saves half of it on the sink for Wataru, squeezes his hair out as best as he can, and then steps into the best combination of clothing he can find from this pile. Baggy, strange colors, but he makes it work, somehow.

Curiously, he peeks out from the bathroom door, the remainder of his scrounged up clothes in his arms.]

Wataru? I left my stage outfit in there, though I've soaked it to rid it of that acid water enough that we can carry it. [He doesn't know how to properly wash it or anything... He just hopes that was a fair idea? Anyway, cleaned off, but still damp, it's clear his skin is very irritated, some sensitive areas even having a welt or two, but otherwise he's completely fine! It's probably for the best they cleaned asap rather than waiting for showers.]

[ Two arms deep into a box, Wataru looks up when Eichi finishes. He isn't laughing at him, but the sight is... cute, so he can't help but grin at him. It's gap moe. The sight is a bit tarnished by his irritated skin, but the sight of him like is relieving.

He leaves what he was rifling through to the side and comes back over, leaning over to start peeling his shoes and socks off. ]

That's a good idea. That should lessen the chance of it staining, at least. [ He hopes, anyway. The thought of having these outfits ruined is painful—they aren't even their usual ones, but that doesn't really matter. Very little here is actually familiar. ] Aha, I have so much more hair, this might take awhile. Try not to grow bored while you wait, hm?

[ ...this is his way of asking him to not wander away too far, too.

Before he even closes the door, he bunches up his hair and drops the whole pile of it into the sink. It... overflows the small sink and the sight is pretty funny to him, but it won't do to have the drain plugged up by long silver hairs, so he takes it back right away. ]

Fufu... I'll do my best.

[He understands, of course. Quietly, Eichi watches the hair mishap from the doorway before shutting it and slipping away, taking his own time to poke through the returns. Nothing informative... most things are eaten up by rodents or bugs, or are downright useless. Eichi doesn't wander far, spending more of the time sitting than anything else.

If he's rested by the time Wataru is done, then it's probably more useful than poking around this garbage anymore. They can look together once they keep moving.

Or, that's what he thinks before something vaguely familiar catches his gaze. Reaching up to a higher shelf, Eichi nudges a box aside to find the item behind it, pulling it closer. It's...

His Eichi-kun gauge...?]

[ His hair is truly the worst offender here. Though he's quite efficient about it, he still ends up taking a solid minute or two longer than Eichi thanks to the length of it. He feels better pretty quickly, and a quick look over himself reveals no real damage; some redness along the insides of his wrists and the back of his hairline that remain a little itchy, but it's already calming now that he's cleaner.

At least, he's fairly confident that he's got the worst of the acidic water out, off of him, and redresses himself in the nonsense he'd gathered earlier. Including the boa.

It's quite a sight, coupled with his hair a few inches longer and several shades darker while wet over one shoulder. But there he is, opening the door and sidling up next to Eichi to look over his shoulder. ]

Oh, did you find something interesting?

Something from long ago.

[Eichi hasn't even turned to look at how Wataru looks right now, busy pulling the device down and resting back on the flats of his feet as he holds it up to his wrist. Even without tying the band, it registers his heart beat, and a little meter shows 60%. Not as bad as it could be, honestly.]

This is something I haven't carried around since before fine was what it is now. I don't understand how it could end up in a place like this...

[Now, he looks up and over at Wataru, and— oh. Wait, it's so much cuter when he's like, normal water wet instead of disgusting muck acid water wet. His hair while wet in general is a sight he hasn't ever thought about in any detail, and yet...

Eichi's heart rate spikes comically and the gauge goes down 5%. It's probably a coincidence. Who dokis over a clown in a boa, right??? Anyway.]

[ Wataru looks down at the thing, then back up at Eichi. ]

Oh, is it for keeping track of your health? [ He's snooping, peering closer. ] Fufu, it's a little cute isn't it?

[ The clown in a boa is hovering over him now, trying to lift up his wrist so he can get a better look at it. ]

It's strange to find such a thing here... could they be quite popular? Would it be someone else's? Ah, but it seemed to recognize you right away...!

[ Recognize you.......... is a way to put that for sure. ]

I don't find it very cute at all, though that may be because I recognize it entirely. Though there are similar devices on the market, this one in particular was programmed to send alerts to my family and doctor the moment this bar dropped below a certain percent. Because my health was poor, my movement was limited, so...

[He frowns at it, even as Wataru takes his wrist. He can look, Eichi won't stop him even if he did have a heart rate spike.]

The moment something like that happened, I'd be forcibly extracted from the school. It would be nice if the signal were to reach now, but it's outdated, so I'm not sure my parents would even pay attention. I live away from them now, after all.

[ Eventually, Wataru might think something like this is useful. For now, he just looks it over and lets Eichi take his wrist back.

The way he talks about his family... he understands the situation, but it still doesn't bring him any happiness to hear. Now, more than ever, he wants him to remember that the rest of his new family is waiting for them. He can't say anything heroic like "your parents would definitely notice you" after all. ]

Our disappearance has likely already been noted, at least.

[ He's not exactly happy to think that they've left that to the others, under the assumption that those two are not also somewhere here. Still, they were moments from performing. Someone would have noticed that half of fine was gone. ]

But as for your device, unless something happened to it after you stopped using it, I'm not sure how it would end up here. Though, it's not as if we can guess how we got here ourselves, either. Hmmm, it's a mystery once more...

[ But it's especially strange, he thinks, that an item like that would be here as well. ]

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