WEEK THREE MINGLE

[potatomance]

ᯓ⭐ WEEK THREE MINGLE

Happy third week, lovebirds! Here's to hoping you're riding high on the wave of success of one whole pair being correct! Surely you must have an idea by now how to win this thing!

Probably?

The good news is that you're not going to have to find yourselves in any weird clothes this time around, except maybe that just leads to a strange sense of foreboding for a future scenario...? Who knows. You can't quite brace yourself for it this time.

But don't worry, it's not like there's nothing happening. On the contrary!

For the entirety of this week, you'll find yourself feeling... clingy. It's going to start feeling very strange if you're not leaning on someone, holding their hand, cuddling with them, sitting in their lap, stealing a kiss, or engaging in some other form of affectionate physical contact. And if it's someone you're already feeling fond of OR someone you actually can't stand, guess what?

That feeling is doubled!

You may realize this is an unusual feeling, but so what? Trying to ignore it is only going to make it feel stronger and do you really want to make yourselves feel miserable?

Shut up, masochists.

FAQ ⭐ Truth Booth Voting ⭐ Mysterious Thing ⭐ Sex Dungeon ⭐ Perfect Match Voting

Comments

[hearthwarming]

[ Handing him a glass of booze. Posthaste. ]

T-That was very brave of you to share with everyone, Maruki...

[ You know what. GO TEAM STEAMPUNK. ]

Um... My friends and I sort of kidnapped a princess, once. Made a magical clone of her and sent the clone back to her father who was looking for her. Ahaha...?

[psychs]

[ Thanks, he is just gonna take one hell of a swig from that bottle, thanks, Ori. He's already questioning it, but what's done is done... ]

What... happened to the original?

[ Hello??? ]

[hearthwarming]

[ Perhaps out of empathy, concern, and a wish for some contact, Ori reaches over and pats him on the back. There, there. As for his question: ]

Oh. She traveled with us for some time... She wanted to find out what happened to her mother. But the simulacrum wasn't enough to fool the King, soooo...

[psychs]

[ As she pats him on the back, he leans against her side and nestles there, still frowning into his bottle. ]

So she wanted to be kidnapped? Or found it advantageous, at least. [ He remembers something like that happening in a video game he played once... ] Did he come after you and the real princess?

[ Also just taking the fact that she's hanging out with kings and princesses in stride. ]

[hearthwarming]

[ Taking another stiff drink, before she leans against him, too, pressing her warm cheek to the top of his head. What he just confessed to will warrant some discussion (laugh track) from the others especially, she thinks, so for now she's happy to talk about her and the Alchemighty's early misadventures. ]

He sure did, haha... He sent guards and mercenaries after us! The latter being... the group I used to be in, with my sister. The Fangs of the Fox... with my sister leading it. It really was quite a situation, back then!

[ is it sounding more or less like a video game to you Mister Maruki ]

Huh... I guess that might count as another secret from me. I used to be a mercenary.

[psychs]

[ Some might say that sounds more like a situational comedy than a video game, but imagining it wins a genuine chuckle out of him, despite his confession that put them in this situation in the first place. ]

Really? I have a hard time imagining it. Not because you don't seem capable, or anything...but more because you're tenderhearted.

[ To be fair, mercenaries aren't really a thing in 20XX Japan, so all he has to go off of what he's learned through fiction, but they tend to be rough and careless, only in it for the money. However, that doesn't sound like Ori at all. ]

Then again, maybe that's why it's a "used to be"?

[hearthwarming]

I appreciate the vote of confidence, Maruki. [ Genuinely. ] I'm... capable, but you're right. I could never... Put my heart into it? My sister and I were orphans, though, and mercenaries always have a use for my kind.

[ Which is to say, yes, that's why it's a "used to be." ]

Say, Maruki... After all is said and done here, what do you plan to do?

[ Especially given that he's airing a lot of his stuff out... will he be able to return home? ]

[psychs]

[ So it was a path chosen out of necessity, but as such, he's even more glad to hear that she's been able to leave it behind. To do something with her life of her own choosing. Even, yes, when that includes kidnapping princesses.

His slight smile falters at her question, and he takes another swig from his bottle. ]

Truthfully, I'm...not really sure. I've been a little aimless since I abandoned my research, which is partly why I wanted to come here. [ To shake things up, to find a new light to move towards. ] After all this, I don't really want to go back to driving cabs for a living.

[ At least he's relatively sure he won't be arrested for, you know, trying to change reality. The only people back home who would even believe something like that is possible already know and were responsible for stopping him. ]

What about you?

[hearthwarming]

[ Driving cabs... she has no idea what that means. But she gets the feeling it's not the kind of thing someone with as dedicated and sharp a mind as Maruki does would take to well.

But as for her own plans... ]

I think... Well, I'm starting to think... that it would be nice to go about traveling again. But before I do anything like that, I'd... like to reach Juniper again, somehow. Just to tell her that I'm sorry.

[aureated]

[omg

She's laughing at that.]

How bold! You're quite the daring adventurer, Oriphi.

[hearthwarming]

[ She's quick to shake her head. ]

Ahaha, no, no, not at all! I was just going along with some very strong-willed friends. And making sure nobody died in the process!

[aureated]

It takes courage to take that step, even if you were the more sensible, concerned party involved.

[You were cool, Ori!!]

[hearthwarming]

[ Miss Aurelia... you were taken from us too soon 🥹

Having had a few drinks, she just chuckles at Aurelia's comment with a wistful tone. ]

All of that feels so long ago... We used to be a bunch of bumbling chucklefucks back then... [ LANGUAGE!? ] But now we're a bunch of chucklefucks with important roles or whatever...

[aureated]

[omg!!! It's probably just because of the alcohol, but...! She laughs at that, leaning back on her hands in the pillow fort.]

I have to say, this is a good look on you. You're always sincere, but now you're refreshingly candid, too.

What sort of important role did you end up with, Miss Chucklefuck?

[hearthwarming]

[ She smiles broadly at being called "Miss Chucklefuck." That's so funny... she didn't think Aurelia would call her that, but it's so funny (everything is funny right now). ]

Ehe...The role of mother, of course!

[ She looks proud! And then she sort of slumps back into whatever comfy position she'd taken amidst all of the blankets and pillows. ]

But nothing as fancy as prince or chief archivist or village head or whatever...

[aureated]

[Ori says that that's not nearly as fancy, but--]

Perhaps not as "fancy", but as far as I'm concerned, the title of mother is far more prestigious. Only the strongest of people are suited to it, after all.