[IC] OBLIVION

[Gisk]

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WILLIAM BISHOP █ act one: way down we go ▸Ritman High Football Field ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔

"So, uh...." Marco seemed to decide that Billy was a safe bet, and approached. "Billy. How's it going with the band?" "Ah, man, great! We have a tour coming up in August. Got a lot of momentum we don't wanna lose after Godsend." He took a final drag on his cigarette, and pitched the butt carelessly as he looked back toward the break in the fence. Jack and Sara finally showed up, and Meir ran off briefly. Billy thought it was to help them, but when the three came back, Sara and Jack were lugging a keg alone, and Meir had the time capsule. Billy assumed Jack had waved off his help, though the two looked like they were struggling a little. Billy moved forward to help, making an awkward triangle around the keg, and then got the first cup out of it. "Cheers!" he said, knocking back half of it in one go. He gathered around with the rest, a little jittery with anticipation, as Meir forced the capsule open. And nothing. Well, not nothing. A book that Billy(and apparently everyone else) had never seen before. As Meir flipped through the pages, to see that most were even blank, Billy put a hand to his face to stifle a giggle. “The fuck?” Dante astutely summarized what they were all thinking. “Where is — who put the Necronomicon in here?” At that, Billy's laughter broke over, and he took a step back. After a moment, he got some words out, "I'm sorry, it's just… we all came here to face awkward shit from high school, right? Only, the awkward shit from high school couldn't even be bothered to show!" He cackled again. "For real though, what's this book? C'mon, nerd," he said, jokingly, as he nudged Meir gently with a boot, "What’s it say? Can you read it?" ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔

I

[Benzaiten]

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MELANIE CAVILL █ act one: way down we go Ritman High [Football Field] Interacting with everyone ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔

As the group continued to grow, some people seemed more chatty than others. Melanie let her eyes trail over the group and its individuals, trying to place people she couldn't quite recall as they got wrapped up in conversation. More often than not she found herself leading her gaze in the general direction of Natalie which would have been less obvious if the woman wasn't standing right next to her. She couldn't help it. It still felt like a fever dream to see everyone again, and as excited as she was to finally get to lay eyes onto Dante again after so many years, Natalie Miller engulfed her senses. Melanie was content with letting others talk, listening in and getting acclimated to her surroundings, she'd exchange a few words when addressed but didn't make an attempt to insert herself into the conversation otherwise. It shouldn't have surprised her and yet it did when Sara and Jack showed up carrying a keg of beer between the two of them before a third party offered help. That was also the point in time when Meir returned from his excursion to retrieve the forgotten time capsule. Aren't they all already drunk? Melanie had not expected people to bring a whole ass keg to the football field. She'd expected multiple packages of beer and maybe some other alcohol produced from backpacks but this? This seemed excessive and a waste of energy when carrying six packs would be so much easier. Billy seemed enthusiastic enough about the provided beverage and poured himself the first drink. Melanie's eyes fixed upon the time capsule in Meir's hands as the young teacher began to ty and pry it open. It took a bit longer, dragging the anticipation out as though in a movie scene, but eventually he managed to open the metal grave of their old high school memories. Curious Mel tried to peer into the capsule. It had been years since she saw that miniature she had put into it. She was hoping it still looked decent, that the color was still sealed and well preserved. Those things weren't cheap, especially colored since Mel sadly didn't have the artistic vein to paint such miniature creatures. She was planning to prop the thing in a display case on her D&D shelf no matter the condition it was in as a sort of preserved and honored memory of the beginning of one of her most beloved hobbies. But all she found was disappointment when several people expressed their surprise about the actual inner condition of the capsule. It was empty save for a book none of them seem to have put there. Mel honestly couldn't remember what others had put inside it. Maybe the book did belong to one of them? Or maybe it belonged to someone who had been there when they buried the thing but wasn't here today to retrieve it? She would not know, she had not cared back then. And she wouldn't care right now if it wasn't for all their missing items. "That is strange", she mumbled to herself though loud enough for people to hear. A frown had appeared on her forehead. "Why would anyone feel the need to retrieve the capsule and steal all of our things just to bury it again?" She'd not be surprised if they all had been 17, stupid teenagers do stupid things, but they were adults. "Do you think someone went back for it years ago and took all our shit just to leave this book? Other than being a long-time prank I can't see a reason for someone to dig it out just to bury it again." She gazed toward Natalie to see if she had any answers. As far as Melanie was concerned, Natalie would be the person who knew most people back in high school and could possibly know who would have done this. "In any case", she continued as she averted her eyes again. "It doesn't really matter. It would have been nice to conclude this chapter as predicted when we buried the capsule but nonetheless we got together and wasn't that the point of it all?" As the reason she came here seemed concluded - the capsule was retrieved -, she began to feel the need to retreat from the group and make her way back home. The tips of her fingers tingled as they longed to move and work. Though the chill air and the warm sweater reminded her of how good it was to collect memories with people and not just by herself, she longed to get into her truck. She took a small step backward, probably meaningless to anyone around her but a sign to herself that she could turn around and leave at any point. She didn't really know what to do with such a group of people. She expected their next line of action to be further alcohol consumption coupled with some weird "catching up" that she probably wouldn't quite understand; laughing at inside jokes and good old times or falling back into high school habits of drinking games. Melanie had never really been invited to those during high school. If they'd all now turn back into their old high school groupings where some people drank and talked with nothing else to do, Mel would prefer to leave and be done with the act. Although something like a round of truth or dare also had its appeal. She hadn't played in ages, college was the last time. It would be a missed opportunity to not act out one last teenage fantasy for all of them before returning to their adult lives. And it would mean she would play it with her. "While we wonder where our stuff has gone, anyone up for a round of Truth or Dare? Don't know about you but this being the last time we ever set foot onto our school grounds, with each other no less, kind of seems like an invitation to be young once more before we grow old." It sure would make for a fun memory if nothing else. But it could also serve as a way to ease up, sit together as a group, and just get to know one another. Of course, Melanie had never experienced a game like Truth or Dare to the extent that frat boys would play it. Though she knew people could get very deep, mean or sexual with their questions and dares, she didn't expect anyone here to do anything too crazy. They were adults after all. Right? ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔

[The Man Emperor]

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Trystan Salazar █ act one: way down we go p. johnson's ▸ Ritman High, Football Field Interacting with [@Everyone] ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔

Now that he wasn’t anywhere near his nosy relatives, Trystan considered himself free in the way he could interact with Dante. It was regretful, really, that he seemingly avoided him like the plague back in the day. Maybe that was a missed opportunity; something good that could have been, but never came to pass. Well, having a nice conversation wouldn’t hurt. After all, they’re adults now. Not some kids that are still under the absolute jurisdiction of their parents and guardians. “Hehe,” Trystan chuckled as Dante complimented his long, silky hair that would put a shampoo advertisement model to shame. “Glad you like it! I’ve been somewhat nervous that someone may say that, I don’t know, that it makes me look like a gangster, or something. The rest of the family keeps saying that it’s not ‘fitting for a man’, but if you ask me, Christ Himself probably had long hair. What gives? It’s not like they could judge me for it. Besides, whenever I realize that I’m spending a tad bit much for shampoo, I’ll have it cut back. It’s a cycle. Long, short, long…” Jack and Sara had arrived too, it seems. They even brought with them a keg of beer, which Trystan didn't pay much heed. He wasn't the drinking type. Trystan trailed off as Meir brought back the time capsule. It seemed just like yesterday when they had, as a class, placed some elements of memory into that canister. He himself placed a diary of his thoughts in there, which would be rather embarrassing to read, probably. Between the kind of demeanor he had back in high school, and the stuff written in that little notebook, it would have almost felt surreal to see what he really thought. Why did he choose that object, out of all the things he could place? He couldn’t remember, but it was probably because embarrassment may be the most memorable kind of thing. Trystan watched with anticipation as Meir began to open the capsule. He waited for the myriad objects to fall out, and be bequeathed in funny reminiscing. He waited for- “Well, that was odd,” Trystan said simply as the contents of the capsule had seemingly disappeared from the fabric of reality itself, instead all being replaced by a single, dusty book with writings no one could. Except maybe Meir, since he’s the one specializing in dead languages. “What’s it say? That better not be in Ancient Egyptian, or something.” Dante referenced the Necronomicon, which Trystan couldn't really remember from the top of his head. As for Billy, he was cheerful as always, which earned a snicker from Trystan. Melanie, though, seemed to immediately write off the loss of their items, and instead suggested that they play truth and dare. “I say Truth,” Trystan said, absentmindedly tapping Dante on the shoulder as if they had a secret communication. “Who wants to go first? If not, then I will.” ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔

[banjoanjo]

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SARA ZHOU █ act one: way down we go ▸ ritman high ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔

The keg was set down, and while Jack caught her breath, Sara stood back and did the same more discreetly. While Billy seemed to be the most enthusiastic about her gift, she averted her eyes as to not make eye contact. She waited a bit for everyone to get a chance at the drink before partially filling her own cup. That would be her limit for the night. Her attention was obviously more divided on keeping her profile low and the object in Meir’s hands. Although the get-together had been marked on her calendar for months, she still had no idea what she was going to do when she finally got her time capsule keepsake back. Tear it up? Frame it? The most likely was that she was going to toss it to the back of an old drawer, to be forgotten and unused forever like the rest of Willard’s belongings. She didn’t even get the chance to have it in her hands. Instead there was some old tome – some Necromicon, as Dante put it – and Sara felt her fist clench in her pocket. Another piece of closure whisked away. Stolen from her. Fucking bullshit. She didn’t respond to Mel’s suggestion for Truth and Dare at first, still slowly sipping her half-filled cup with an unreadable expression. Truthfully, there was a low, rumbling annoyance in the pit of her stomach. A lot of people had important memories in there, pleasant or not. Judging by the outer state of the capsule, it looked like the actual insides had been pilfered many years back. What reason did anyone have to steal an old sack of high school junk? “I guess it’s some treasure hunt clue?” Was the first explanation that came to mind. Maybe the book held some dumb, longwinded clue to where the actual time capsule was. It seemed a possible, if contrived, theory until Meir opened to its blank pages. Whatever. At least this would serve as some diversion. Sara couldn’t remember the last time she watched National Treasure, but this was some bullshit. What were they meant to do with this? “… no one here would happen to have a UV light on them, would they?” ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔