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GRAVEYARD 2.0
GRAVEYARD Well, that sucked. But no matter what your death was like—whether it was something peaceful or traumatic, you'll find yourself waking in a completely white room on the floor. Small and empty, there isn't anything else there besides an open door to walk through. But before you do that, you'll probably notice that whatever injuries you may have had, including whatever may have been the death blow, are now gone. That's exciting. Stepping out of the room, it seems that you're in a large... house? with three different floors. Everything from floor, ceiling to furniture is completely white, except for the drawings that are plastered to the walls in each room. These are all colorful, drawn in colored pencils and crayon, and resemble a child's drawing. The other notable thing are the windows. While they're present all around the building, looking out of them only shows TV static. Besides that, everything is furnished with the absolute bare minimum of each room. The first floor is all typical common areas one would find in a house. There's a kitchen, living room area, laundry room, dining room, and a main hallway where the stairs are. There are also helpful drawings in these rooms that show the rooms much more lavishly decorated than they actually are. There's a door that appears to be the way to exit the building, it's locked. The second floor consists of nothing but twenty bedrooms. Each room has one queen sized bed, an empty dresser, and an attached bathroom with only a sink, toilet, and shower. Like the first floor, each bedroom has drawn pictures that show it looking much more lavish than it actually does. Thanks for nothing, artist! The third floor only has two rooms. One appears to be a home office with nothing but a desk and two chairs, one behind it and one in front of it. While there's blank pieces of paper and crayons on the desk, the note that was previously there is gone. The other room is much larger, and it's completely empty save for the many drawings lining its walls— in fact, the walls are covered in them, much more than in any other room. On closer inspection, though, it seems like these aren't actually drawings? The papers seem to be showing scenes from the living area. Everything from inside the hotel to the areas beyond the bridge are visible here. However, when curfew hits on Thursday nights, they revert to being normal drawings! Except for the fact that they're all drawings of stick figures being murdered in various ways. Well. At least there's plenty of things to draw with, if you get bored. Also, a handy link to the previous post. |
NAVIGATION locations ₓ˚. statuses *+:｡ ic profiles :ₓo ic rules ･ﾟﾟ･｡ audience requests murder proposals ｡✧o private conversations ･ﾟo｡ curfew ･ﾟ✧ memories |
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Though, huh. One of those kids in the new crowd is kind of on the shorter end, a tuft of brown hair and brown eyes with a red scarf around his neck that contrasts heavily with the school uniform he's in, talking all bravado in front of a girl a couple years older than him.
Karol sees Raven from a distance, a flicker of recognition, before it seems like Raven disappears from his view entirely. Someone sneaks up behind him and he nearly jumps five feet in the air, and several people laugh.]
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Karol! Kid, is that you!?
[SIR??]
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"W-whoa, whoa, uh... hey, do I know you?"
Hikaru's made it to the other side of the crowd of kids, still in pursuit of Claude.]
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Sorry, sorry, my mistake. Ya look like someone I know-
[Even though it's clearly Karol and he's clearly confused at his name being known not at being called that... it's fine. Raven's just gonna turn on his heel and go after Hikaru and Claude, because damn maybe Claude will know them??? Please.]
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There's a massive flash of light outside the observatory windows, the voice of a young girl calling for help... and all four of them are suddenly pulled down as the floor turns to liquid underneath them, swallowing them up as the crowd they leave behind murmers in awe.
Time warps. Raven will hear a conversation - Hikaru, Karol but not quite, Claude but not quite. Claude sounds much, much younger than he should.
Hey, it's not like we need to stay strangers or anything. How about some introductions? Claude von Riegan. I'm fourteen, a second year, under the sign of Sagittarius. Oh, and an A-type. Medical stuff, right?"
An exasperated sound from Karol. "What? What's that even mean? O-okay, fine. Karol Capel. Fourteen, and I'm a second year with A-type, I guess? But I'm Pisces."
Hikaru giggles.
"Well, okay!! Shidou Hikaru!! I'm fourteen years old and a second year too, guys!"
Both boys go silent, before rapidly talking over one another.
"Wh... No, hey, no way, you and I can't be the same age!"
"You, uh... ever get told you have a baby face, kid?"
"You're ten! Eleven, tops!"
"Do they give you a stool to see above everybody else? Hahaha, I'm kidding, I'm kidding."
The static clears, and the group of them are somewhere completely different - a lush forest, filled with monsters. Raven's sword is out, and he's out of breath. They all are. The boys and Hikaru are all decked out in unfamiliar armor on their chests and shoulders in gold and white, while a marshmallow version of Pikachu boings along after them, a beam of light shooting from the gem on its forehead. Karol and Hikaru excitedly bat at each other before running forward, Claude nodding to Raven to follow after them. Karol is practically crowing as he pulls ahead of Hikaru.
"Finally! Finally, the end of this stupid forest! Good, we'll get to be wizards!!"
Behind them, the marshmallow suddenly grows alarmed, the beam of light halting as it starts to emit a panicked string of "puu puu puu" sounds.]
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What's the matter?
[Right now specifically. Less than in general bc thats a lot.]
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Eh? Mokona?
[There's an unintelligible voice, a rain of icy blades, and out in front of them, right outside the exit of their forest, Karol falls into a bloodied heap, cut to ribbons.
Hikaru screams, but she's already running for him.]
Umi! Umi, no!! Umi!
[Beyond the reach of the forest, perched up on an outcropping of stone, sits someone that Raven is far too familiar with, Alexei lowering his hand and gazing out at them without a word.]
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Hey, hey, kid, s- it's gonna be-
[Trying to reach for Karol's hands, even though his are quivering likes leaves in a storm. This isn't something that can ever happen. If he lets something like this happen... What was the point of any of it. Hadn't he given his life to protect Karol before? He can't let this happen now.
The form of Alexei hovers in his periphery, in the back of his gaze and mind, the feeling of it heavy. He made his choice. He's never going back to that. He can't. But he's not strong enough to face him on his own.]
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Foolish Magic Knights.
Karol's in bad shape. Claude's on the other side of him, trying to stop the bleeding, saying they need a healer or something or this kid's not gonna make it. Alexei chuckles, and Hikaru's head whips around to glare at him ferociously. She'll meet Claude's eyes, long enough to tell him to take care of Karol (Umi?) before stomping to her feet with an almost electrical aura about her.]
How DARE you hurt Umi!!
[Alexei regards her, like a speck on the grass.
If it isn't the miniature magician.
Do you know who I am, little girl?]
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He needs to stand up. He can't let Hikaru face Him alone. He's sure it's not really Alexei, just as "Karol" is apparently "Umi"... But.
When he looks up, he hates seeing that face again. He wasn't ready, not right now. Not without Yuri and Estelle, without Karol, Judith, Flynn, and Rita. He can't do this without them. But he has to try. Because he's not alone. He has Hikaru to worry about. He knows it's wrong, but;]
Alexei.
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"I see one of you still remembers."
He straightens to his full height.
"To find them in the depths of the Forest of Silence, and to lead them to my ambush. Useful to the bone."
Raven will feel the stir of something, not quite his artes, but something similar enough, a warmth fueled by will that pricks at his fingertips.
"Zagato has called for no survivors. Remove these children, or this world will suffer for their actions. Two left should be hardly a task."]
No.
[There's a sudden rise in the temperature as the wind blows out from Hikaru's feet in a wave, the ground starting to spark into flames.]
You hurt Umi... and you're talking to Oji-san like he's a thing??
Raven is a person, and he's precious to me! Umi and Fuu, they're my sisters! We're going home, together! All of us!
[Now might be a good time to ready an attack, Raven, since it looks like Hikaru's ready to do the same.]
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Raven, why? Why?
He walks forward, one hand on his sword, the other rising to pull the tie from his hair.
And since you survived, Schwann, I will use you again. Return to me like the tool that you are.
He stands between Alexei and Hikaru. And he turns to face her, sword at the ready.]
Understood. I'll ask you to stand down, Hikaru.
[The accent's dropped. Hm!]
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[Her fire sputters out.
The entire world flickers with a rumble. Claude yells at him, asks him what the hell he's doing, still trying to desperately keep Karol in one piece.
Hikaru looks at him, heartbroken, confused.]
Oji-san... you can't believe him! You helped us that whole time, you've done nothing but help us!!
You're not a tool! Why are you letting him call you something that you aren't, Oji-san?!
[Alexei doesn't seem to react.
Kill her.]
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And then he tilts up, straight to the sky, and releases.]
Azure Heavens!
[The kick of the aer cycling through his blastia, into his bow, and out as the arte is used, is almost comforting. Such a familiar feeling he hasn't felt in weeks now.
The arrows don't rain down on Hikaru. They fall on Alexei.]
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Honoo no Ya!!
[She launches her arm forward, like a slingshot, and hundreds of flaming arrows materialize. Alexei quickly throws up a shield, but several of her attacks break right through, burning at his flesh.
They fight. But even with the two of them, Alexei seems to have the upper hand. Schwann is nearly tossed into the trees as Hikaru is slammed down against a Cliffside.
It's then that Schwann will see that Karol has regained his footing. That he's weary from bloodless, but there's visible distress at watching Hikaru and Raven, at not being able to do anything. Claude tries to keep him down, but Karol pushes to his feet, grabbing at Mokona.
"I need magic, you dumb eggrabbit! I need magic to help them, please!! Please!!!"
From Mokona's jewel shoots a blue beam of light straight through Karol's forehead. That's normal.]
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But then he is distracted by the sound of Karol's voice, turning around to tell him to stay down, but then when the egg rabbit thing shoots a blue beam of light at Karol he has to take a moment to just stand there, dumbfounded???]
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A raging surge of water materializes in the shape of a dragon and rushes at Alexei as his back is turned towards Hikaru, ripping at his armor and knocking him prone. Karol flickers for a moment to the image of a girl with long blue hair, torn up in the same way from the same attack, before he crumples immediately. Claude rushes forward to catch him, bickering at Mokona before motioning for Schwann to move. Go, go, he'll take care of Karol, now's your chance!!!]
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It's bad form, he knows, to hit a man while he's down. Alexei doesn't deserve such an ignoble end, didn't deserve the one he got, either. But none of this is real, anyway, so it's fine.
He drops to a knee over Alexei, taking a moment to look him in the eyes, because he knows he's never going to get to again.]
I'm sorry. I wish things could have been different.
[And then he plunges his blade into the man's chest, right into his heart.
He doesn't notice the dying man raising his sword with the last of his strength until it's already cutting into his side.
Schwann will hiss and pull away as soon as he realizes, but wow that is a not insignificant amount of blood! He starts to get to his feet, but immediately collapses back down, clutching at his side.]
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Oji-san, Oji-san!!! [Her blade is vanishing into thin air as soon as Hikaru loses the will to fight, stumbling over to Schwann.]
O-Oji-san, you... you and Umi, you saved my life... you...
[She's crying bitterly, battered and exhausted with fear in her eyes. Karol has grown unresponsive in Claude's arms, and Claude is now calmly asking for his turn, being shot in the forehead with a green light just as Karol did before.
Hikaru presses her forehead against his, gripping at his hand tight, like maybe she could save him if she held on hard enough.]
Please... I promised, I promised we'd do this together, please don't go... please don't go away again--
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Hey, hey, there's no need fer that.
[Ah, he's back.]
Just gimme a minute ta catch my breath and I'll be fine.
[Sir your flesh wound???]
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She doesn't budge, and doesn't seem to notice that Claude has swept up Karol in his arms, bringing them over before casting a spell of his own that he hadn't had before, the wind coming to his own outstretched hand. Raven will feel his wounds stitch shut, and Karol will sit up in a daze.
Hikaru lets out a gleeful yell as she jumps on top of both of them.]
Y-you're okay.... you're okay, you're both okay...!!! Does it hurt anymore??
[Karol shakes his head with an awkward laugh.]
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No, I feel fine, actually?
[He's as surprised as you are!!!]
Looks like Karol's fine too. Thank goodness.
[Or whoever it is. Whatever. He's tying his hair back again, in any case.]
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Together.
"Just thinking of our friendship, I know we can do anything!"
...
Time warps. The longer they're together, the more the images of both Karol and Claude start to fade. There's a girl with a sharp tongue and a temper to match, long blue hair and a piercing gaze. There's a girl with a polite demeanor, clever mind and compassionate heart, blonde hair in a bob with an owlish stare behind her glasses. They fight together, and they gather their power together.
They shed blood together.
Raven will see in his mind's eye, the three girls, donning their Mashin - piloting enormous robots made from will alone, storming their castle, fighting and killing their villain to rescue the princess beyond. The princess erupts into a fit of anguished rage, calling for her beloved. She attacks her Magic Knights. She loathes her Magic Knights. And her heart, what little of it that has not been consumed by anger, begs for her Magic Knights to kill her, and send her to her beloved Zagato.
Raven blinks, and they're back in the observatory. The crowd is still mumbling, asking what in the world that bright light was. The three girls have collapsed into a pile in the center of the floor, clutching each other, weeping. Their classmates stare, they ask what in the world happened. For the girls, and for Raven, it has been months. For the world they'd been snatched from, no time has passed at all.
He stands next to the binoculars, which tick the same timer he'd left before running towards Karol. And he looks out the window, and the landscape of the city flickers, to a darkened sky, to a land crumbling apart. No one seems to notice.]
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Uh, girls...?
[GESTURING TO OUTSIDE.... Sorry to interrupt the feeling sharing time but.... stuff is still happening.]
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Her arms fold tightly to herself as recognition blossoms with a painful twist.
Time warps, but they both stay put. The seasons pass. It's been an entire year. They're back in the observatory, Hikaru still on her seat on the floor in tears, but alone. The land outside has only gotten worse.
It's only when Hikaru calms down enough that she finally speaks up, her voice weak.]
They don't know right now, Oji-san. None of us... none of us knew, that that's what was gonna happen. We tried so hard to go back, to help fix what hole we had to leave, but... we couldn't, for a really long time.
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