THE CLEANER

[foundationmods]

THE CLEANER

Atsushi wakes up in his room on monday morning, with a staff member indulgently smiling down on him. They're aware that he needs guidance, and they want to provide that for him during the game. So they have a special task, just for him...

OOC GAMEPLAY

- The Cleaner is a Third party role that is tasked with killing inactive players during the week.

- The Cleaner faces no punishment for these murders, and will not be tried.

- The Cleaner is protected by the Resort for a period of time, after which the Resort will leave his fate up to the rest of the game.

- The Cleaner wins if they make it to the end of the game alive.

TIPS

Do what comes naturally. Also, you must feed the Rats by the Resort's requests, so get ready to do that a lot.

Comments

[moonlightbeast]

[He might need guidance but maybe not in the form of someone standing over his bed when he wakes up jfc

Atsushi scrams and practically falls out of his bed while backing away from whatever side of the bed the staff member is on.]

Wh-wh-wh-why are you here?!

[foundationmods]

[The Staff member smiles, offering a hand to help this poor anxious boy up.]

We're here to give you your new role! After all, we know you need guidance to continue living happily.

[moonlightbeast]

[He is not taking that hand, no thank you. Partially because he's squeezing his own hands together to induce enough pain in them to keep from transforming on accident.]

I- er- a role? Why would I need something like that? What's going on?

[foundationmods]

There will be a game! A game where we'll need someone to, ah...

[Her smile...dips a little into one he might find familiar.]

...Clean up, in a manner of speaking. Just the ones who don't want to play along.

[moonlightbeast]

[Oh god

Oh god it's Dazai and the mafia all over again

He doesn't want this he doesn't want this he doesn't want this]

Ah- I- I-

[He's now hugging himself tightly, so tightly that his fingernails are digging into the fabric at his elbows with enough force to risk tearing it. Are they a little pointy, even? It's hard to tell right now.

But he's hyperventilating, because he wants to say 'no' but he's been conditioned to not say 'no' to that smile and tone. Even if it's not Dazai, it's similar enough that he feels like he's going to throw up.]

What...what do you mean, 'clean up?'

[foundationmods]

Weeeeelll~

[The Staff member rolls that out, which seems....a little odd, for them? All of them had been automatons to this point, but she seems almost a little too lively....

As she speaks, she twirls a bit of her short blonde hair on one of her fingers, still smiling in that same way.]

There's going to be a little game here. One called 'Mafia'. Funny, right? It should be one you know how to play really well~☆

[She winks, devilishly]

Anyway, some of these people are bound to be boring and not want to play. That, my little kitty, is where you come in! I'll give you back what you want to keep you from hurting anyone unconsciously, and you just have to clear out the people who forfeit from timing out, alriiiiiight?

[moonlightbeast]

[It feels like the weight of the world is pressing down on his shoulders, and he almost doesn't hear this staff member over the road of his mind screaming 'no, no, no!' He feels so sick, he just wants to crawl under the bed and hide but he's frozen in his place right now.

He's shaking a little. That, plus his rapid-fire breath, are the only external signs of his inner turmoil.]

I don't- I can't- I don't want to-

[She did just say uncooperative people need to be removed, though. Would he be removed too?]

I-I-I-I'm not in the mafia anymore!

[foundationmods]

Oooh? But you are.

[The staff member comes closer - she's rather small for one, isn't she? All the others were at an eerily uniform height - and kneels down, gently grabbing his chin.]

You're in a new mafia for the next few weeks, Mr. White Reaper of the Port Mafia. Did you really think you could get out of something you've been steeped in for years?

Ah, what was it he used to say? I know it, it's right on the tip of my tooooongue....Oh, I remember☆

[She tilts his head up with ever so gentle slowness and yet with an iron strength, forcing him to look up at her face, right into those red eyes.

With a giggle, she quietly, lovingly says it, ringing loud and clear:]

Are you disobeying my orders, Atsushi-kun?

[moonlightbeast]

[He wants to pull away. He wants to slap her hand away, to run out of the room and go find some, anyone to help him.

But he can't.

He's been conditioned to believe that help will never come for him, and you can't undo a lifetime of conditioning with just a couple weeks of relative freedom.

Atsushi stills when he hears that line, and he swears he can hear his heart stop. Dazai is dead, he knows Dazai is dead, but that voice...he can't help it.]

Just...

[He squeezes his eyes shut, and two trails of tears start to trickle down his face.]

Tell me what to do. Give me an order.

[He can't escape it after all, it seems.]

[foundationmods]

Good boy.

[She lifts her other hand, and with a snap of her fingers, his old collar appears on his neck.]

Isn't that better? Hm? What do you say?

[moonlightbeast]

[And there it is. The familiar leather and metal, the press of spikes that threaten to rip into flesh if he moves too quickly, the heavy weight that makes it difficult to even breathe. Familiar, reassuring, but also depressing.

The metal spikes are clean and cold, though he knows both of those statuses will change before too long.

If he could sink into the floor and disappear right now, he would.]

Th...thank you.

[foundationmods]

...Good boy, good boy.

[....It seems almost instant, but she suddenly....starts petting his head??? Much like one would do to a cat.]

Aaah, you're such a good boy that I can't stand it....Bern would never in a million years act like this. Actually, I kind of took a few pages from her playbook, huh? I'm sure she'll forgive me~

Though now I'm just thinking about how much fun it'd be if I could tie her up like this....Bern all trembling and scared, hanging on to my every word with a collar around her neck...Oooh!

[After that...strange rambling, she stops - smiling much more normally.]

Okay, Atsu-kitty. You'll listen to me from now on, got it? Just treat me like your old boss, and we'll be just fine. If not....You understand what'll happen, right?

[This time, she even mimicks Dazai's tone along with the smile - but bounces back quickly.]

The game's just starting, so you don't have a job yet. Oh! But you can feed the rats. The Staff here's starting to fall apart, and I just couldn't stand it if this game got cut off halfway through. That'd be just an anticlimax, don't you think?

Alriiiiight~! That's enough from me for now, okaaaaay? Be a good boy, and before I forget -

I guarantee that for the next three weeks, Atsushi Nakajima will not be killed or executed by any method!

[How the fuck did she do that with her mouth]

...There! Well, see you laaaaaaaaaater~!

[And with another snap -

She's gone.]

Week 3, Sunday night

[moonlightbeast]

[After yet another shower, since he didn't exactly stay clean after that bath earlier, Atsushi is finally in his pajamas and getting ready for bed. It's like 2 am at this point, and he's humming to himself as he dries his hair with a towel. Yes, humming. Someone's in a good mood tonight.

Hopefully some really rude person doesn't show up and absolutely tank that mood!]

[foundationmods]

Have fun, Atsu-kitty?

[That voice is definitely one that Atsushi most likely never wanted to hear again - but there she is, grinning into his face with that oh so familiar look.']

[moonlightbeast]

[Oh god.

The reaction is immediate and visceral as he drops the towel and backs away from wherever she is.]

Wh-wh-what are you doing here?!

[foundationmods]

Hey, don't look so scared! I'm not going to do an~y~thing~

Except give you back your freedom. Isn't that what you want?

[She comes closer, lifting up an arm.]

Three weeks are up - and honestly, after that one doctor lady, everyone here seemed to get the idea about participating. So! Your role is over. You're no longer the Cleaner, so you don't need that collar anymore, riiiiiiight~?

[moonlightbeast]

[His hand immediately go up to the collar, and the fear is very clear in his eyes. He does not want her to take that collar away.]

Ah- n-n-no thank you! I think I can keep it. Y-you never know, they might rebel and stop participating.

[foundationmods]

Awww, but you begged me not to give it back to you before? Do you really like that reminder of that dead, suicidal man that much?

[She laughs, continuing to get closer.]

And look, if any of them rebel, I'll handle it from now on. You're just a Peasant in the game! Didn't you hate having to kill people? Now you don't have to!

So....Give me the collar, Atsu-kitty.

[moonlightbeast]

[It's horrible. This whole conversation is making his head spin, and he hates it. He hates how weak he is, how he always gives in, how people can still control him like this.

In the moment, though, it's not Dazai he thinks of. It's Akira, the friend who has been gently encouraging him to make choices for himself. To do things his own way, no matter what anyone says. And it's those thoughts of Akira that give him the strength to finally stand up for himself.]

No. I'm keeping it.

[He doesn't even stutter, look at that!]

[foundationmods]

...You're disobeying me? Even though I'm giving you an order?

[She looks....surprised, yet she doesn't let it linger long before going back to that smile, now close enough to where she can grab the underside of his chin and tilt his head back to look into her red, red eyes.]

Are you sure you want to disobey my orders, Atsushi-kun?

[moonlightbeast]

[For a moment, Atsushi falters. The determination in his look changes to fear, and he starts to tremble. That look, that voice, it's almost enough to break him.

But he's stronger than this, isn't he? He's got to be stronger, so he can watch Akira's back. So he can save Ichigo and Inaba, and everyone else.

He digs his fingernails into the palms of his hands, the pain distracting him from his fear. Then, he looks up to this person defiantly.]

I'm going to disobey your orders. I'm keeping the collar.

[foundationmods]

[She pauses, letting his chin go as her own eyes go wide.

And then?

She grins.]

There we go! That's a good look on you, Atsushi-kun! You're not flinching and trembling like a scared little kitten anymore - and while it was cute in a pathetic sort of way, this is waaaay better! You've been working hard to change yourself while I was away, huuuuh? Kyahaha!

[She....slaps him on the back, looking absolutely delighted.]

Keep it up, and I might just go ahead and give you a free wish when all of this is over! Ah, but, if I do, you've gotta make it a wish that won't bore me, okay? I don't accept wishes that ask for things you could get yourself with your own hands, or are just so typical I could cry.

[She laughs again, floating in the air and summoning a cookie from nothing, before letting it float over to Atsushi's hands, like giving a child a treat.]

Haaah, but really, it's such a shame...

[She closes her eyes, looking a little sad...before snapping her fingers.

The collar suddenly disappears from around his neck.]

...We've got too many players alive right now, you know? I expected more were going to refuse to participate, sooooo...we've got to thin the herd a little. Soooo~rry☆

1/2

[moonlightbeast]

[At first, he is absolutely baffled. Because him resisting is...good, somehow? It actually breaks his resolve and makes him go 'what the fuck' mentally for a moment.

And then, it almost works. For a moment, he thinks that maybe he impressed her enough to get what he wants.

But as soon as he thinks that, the collar disappears, and he just grasps desperately at his neck.

No.

NO!]

2/2

[moonlightbeast]

[That's when he hears the comment about 'thinning the herd', and he just. Snaps back to his resolve. He's glaring daggers at her, and he even works up the strength to shout at her.]

I refuse! I'm not going to kill anyone here just to 'thin the herd'!

[foundationmods]

Oh, I know you won't. I already see that gleam in your eye - you're slowly gaining the thing you humans call 'determination', and I won't crush that.

Howeeeeveeeer~....we both know there's someone who would. Someone that comes out during a full moon, don't they? Such a beautiful kitty, with silver fur and black stripes...But deadly, just like my own darling, snarling cat~☆

[When she smiles, it's not the smile of a human.

It is the smile only a witch could give.]