GRAVEYARD

[retellers]

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, but it leads you to somewhere that's not the front lawn. 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. On the desk are some blank pieces of paper along with crayons, as well as a written note next to them that says PLEASE DRAW THE PREFERRED ANIMAL :). It looks like this is how you ask for a meeting with a Leader. 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. As of Week 3, each person has the ability to send messages on their PHS unlocked.

NAVIGATION locations ₓ˚. statuses *+:｡ ic profiles :ₓo ic rules ･ﾟﾟ･｡ audience requests murder proposals ｡✧o private conversations ･ﾟo｡ curfew ･ﾟ✧ memories

Comments

[heartablaze]

[Meat! Delicious. It easily grabs it mid-air, but it doesn't seem to have a beef with Kano at the moment and just wearily trots along, Being On Fire as one does. It seems inclined towards a specific direction, but if Kano's got other plans, it will sit and wait for him to make up his mind.]

[suddenlybees]

[ He doesn't really have plans other than to somehow dunk the thing into the river, but the problem with being in this place is that everything's turned around, with them stepping out of the house right into the middle of fanstasyland. ]

Eh... hm...

[ Following the wolf it is. It's not like Hikaru can run forever, anyways, with everything being self-contained as it is. ]

[heartablaze]

[It will wag its tail when Kano is nearby again, leading him out of the town and towards the woods. It's here it sits on the edge of the trees, ears folded back with another whine, before lying down completely.

Hikaru isn't hiding very well in there, because Kano will definitely hear crying.]

[suddenlybees]

[ What is the best way to approach a crying person?? Kano slows to a stop next to the wolf and stares for a moment, before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a folded piece of paper and wadding it up and throwing it at the side of Hikaru's head. ]

[heartablaze]

[She's curled up behind a tree with her face against her knees and her arms wrapped tightly against herself. Her braid is missing? When the fuck did that happen?

The impact gets her to flinch, looking up just enough to see what in the world hit her. The doggo walks right past Kano to nose at the paper ball carefully. Thankfully the paper does not set on fire.

The dog whimpers again as Hikaru looks up further, up to see who else was standing there--

Oh.

There's. Some complicated emotions instantly running across her face in rapid succession as her hands tighten against her legs, her mouth opening as though she wants to say something...

But she closes it, turns her head away, and tucks herself back against her legs, even as her dog starts to back away from Kano, taking up the paper ball into its mouth and retreating with its ears flattened.]

[suddenlybees]

[ A good dog knows how to fetch... He takes the paper back and hopes it's slightly soggy because that makes it easier to toss at Hikaru's head again. They are in this awkward situation where they both recognize each other's presence but Kano does not want to be the first to speak. ]

[heartablaze]

[sighs. I will allow it just for you, card.

She winces, and behind him, the dog growls immediately. Hikaru doesn't lift her head.]

If you want to hit me, just hit me, Shuuya-kun. It's okay.

[They have had this conversation before. But instead of sounding desperate and apologetic, now she just sounds exhausted.]

[suddenlybees]

[ He doesn't want to, and never has, the cat on his shoulder lazying around just as always, although the tip of its tail does flick at the dog growling. ]

Heh... So you remember my name. Do you remember our promise?

[heartablaze]

[She carefully nods, but doesn't say anything right away.

The dog backs up another pace, laying its head against its paws with its eyes trained on the cat.]

[suddenlybees]

[ The cat squints at the dog. ]

Oh, hm. So you don't remember at all! Aah, and I came all the way out here to see you and everything, too~ Should we, like, just forget about it, then? Make it easier on both of us, or whatever.

[heartablaze]

I remember it, Shuuya-kun.

[A fist presses against her eyes, swallowing back the tremble in her voice.]

It's okay if you don't. I'll keep doing what I can. [Even if half of their promise completely fell apart with both of them dead... the very least she could do was try.]

[suddenlybees]

Do you, though? What have you been doing? What's your goal? You can work as hard as you can, but if you don't have a direction, all you're gonna do is spin your wheels and burn yourself out, you know?

[heartablaze]

[She knows her goal. She knows it exactly. But his words still hurt, now in a way that feels unusually bitter, a knife buried into a wound that's already been dug out numerous times since this boy had died.]

Mn. I know. [Her eyes don't lift.]

Why are you asking me this, Shuuya-kun?

[suddenlybees]

[ Kano, mercilessly bullying a crying girl ):

But he has his reasons, like he always has his reasons. ]

'cause you ran away. You're running away. Have you given up already?

[heartablaze]

No. You wouldn't be bothering me if you thought that.

...

[She swallows.]

I can't run away. But I... can't do what I need to do feeling like this. I haven't... I-I haven't been myself for a while.

If I go out and see everything and try right now, I... I really won't be able to do anything. I'll fall apart. I just needed some time, and it's not... it's not something people will just give me, if I ask...

[She presses her fist back against her eyes. The dog doesn't move, but its flames grow wilder.]

I'll b-be okay. I just... I n-need some time to... to not be okay. For a minute.

[suddenlybees]

[ He just laughs, because this is a highly appropriate time to laugh, huh. But really, some things are funny, some things are not, everything is complicated and what he does is laugh. ]

Hmm... That won't do. I got a better idea. C'mon, on your feet, up up up!

[heartablaze]

[She looks at him, almost dully, before drawing up her sword.

It's fine, she's just using it to push herself to her feet. But he can be scared for .5 seconds.]

[suddenlybees]

[ I was EXCITED and then disappointed. Kano's shoulder cat definitely puffed up twice its size seeing that sword, even if outwardly he just makes this dumb face. ]

Oh. Haha. Alright, now close your eyes!

[heartablaze]

[kano will never know death

she still has her sword, but its blade is down, hilt in both hands. she gives him a Look, tired and confused, but closes her eyes.]

[suddenlybees]

[ When will Hikaru stop doing what Kano asks ]

Hmm... Take like three steps forward so you're away from the trees, then, like, spin around twenty times fast.

[heartablaze]

[She just lets out a frustrated breath through her nose and doesn't move.]

So I can just get dizzy and you'll have run away by the time I'm done?

No, thank you.

[suddenlybees]

Haha, I don't need you to be dizzy so I can run away? Look at you, it's not like you'd chase after me anyways? Not like that!

[heartablaze]

[her eyes snap open and there is now the business end of a sword pointed right at kano's face

the dog is just vibin in the back, being Very on fire.]

[suddenlybees]

[ The cat on Kano's shoulders bristles a little, but then it settles down again, eyes gleaming, a faint rumble starting in its throat. ]

...Are you able to follow through? Or are you just gonna run away again?

[heartablaze]

[The blade stays steady, and the dog stands up, thumping its muzzle against the back of Kano's leg as it goes to stand behind Hikaru. Hot damn that's a lot of fire but I'll be nice and say that Kano doesn't get another burn this time.

She just stares him down for a minute, steadying her breathing.]

I don't have any reason to do anything to you, and you know it.

I know what I want to do, what I have to do, even if I don't know how to go there. Being angry at you and running away aren't my only options. Letting you jerk me around and make me feel worse isn't an option I have to follow, either.

I listen because I want to trust you properly, Shuuya-kun. Even if you don't trust me anymore. Which means I'm going to get mad sometimes.

[She blows out another breath through her nose, her voice trembling with the effort.]

But if I can't save my anger for the things that actually matter right now, then I'm not gonna be able to do anything at all. Rescuing everybody, making whatever choices we have to make while stuck in this place...

I'll follow through when I know it's worth it. [The tip of her blade hits his chin, just barely.] Losing my temper at you isn't worth it.