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]

[Well

She nearly stumbles right onto her face with how quickly she stops at the sound of his voice, the dog trotting behind her gets to Raven first, tail wagging ferociously and circling him like he's the best thing this dog has ever seen.

Hikaru doesn't let go of her weapon. But the blade of the sword hits the ground as she turns to look at him with an exhausted, pained expression, her composure barely staying together, like she's moments from bursting into tears.]

[laid]

[Hikaru's liondog is met in kind with a scruffy mutt, who stands up from where she was lying down next to Raven. She's more subdued, but her tail is wagging too as she sniffs and noses at Hikaru's daemon.

Raven's focused on Hikaru herself, though. What a terrible mood for a reunion.]

Hey now, you keep lookin' at me like that and I'll think I've done something wrong, Hikaru.

[heartablaze]

[The dogs are very happy! Good for them.

There's a painful twist in her expression, a clouding of her eyes as his sentence ends. But it doesn't matter, and it doesn't stop the tears from running down her face as her sword is dropped, running straight for him and throwing her arms around his shoulders, clinging to him like she expects him to evaporate out of her hands if she lets go.]

O-Oji-san... Oji-san...

[laid]

[Well, honestly, he expected something like this, in theory. But actually dealing with it happening... Well, he freezes, to be honest.

But after a few seconds, he pushes past the voice in his head that tells him he's got no right to do so, and he hugs her tight, letting his head fall on her shoulder as he fights back the lump in his throat.]

Sorry. I selfishly went on ahead when you kids needed me there.

[heartablaze]

[She just shakes her head against his chest, over and over, needing a second to catch her breath for how hard she's started to cry. It hurts, like a glass shattering under far too much weight, and it isn't his fault - it isn't anyone's fault, how quickly her emotions flood her heart without a barrier to stop them.]

Y-you're okay... you're...

[There's a choking sob against his chest as she pulls herself tighter, her fingers aching. He's warm and unhurt and talking and breathing and here--]

You're still here... I-I'm so... I'm so glad you're still here...

[laid]

[Well it's really hard for him to keep it together when she's like that. Also Eski bullied me and I feel obligated to add that at this close range Hikaru WILL have to deal with the fact that Raven smells kind of musty? Stinky old man.

One of his hand rises to the back of her head. Giving it a gentle pat before just squeezing her close. It's fine if they stay like this for a while. He's shaking a bit too, but if they're like this, no one can prove whether or not he's crying too.

He can't remember the last time he was this close to another person.]

Hey, it's ok. We're all still here... And we'll get you kids outta here. I promise.
[He doesn't really believe it, at this point. But he wants Hikaru to be able to. His voice is hoarse and doesn't have a lot of conviction, but maybe she'll still buy it.]

[heartablaze]

Don't say that...

[She doesn't buy it for a second, and the flare of sudden anger in her voice shows that more than anything else. But she doesn't let go.]

I-it's not just us, it's never been just about us.

I'm not leaving you behind again. I'm not. Not any of you.

[Ignoring the fact that they all, now, were the ones in danger of being left behind, as far as she knows. But she knows there's a path, and she knows it can be travelled... and she would shatter herself to a thousand pieces and have to be pulled together by the seams if it meant everyone else here could stay alive.]

[laid]

[He's quiet for a long moment, still not able to properly pull himself together. But he'll find his resolve soon enough.]

... If yer so insistent on that front, then there's no need ta worry.
[His grip on her tightens as his tone solidifies into something less broken and tenuous.]

I've cheated death three times now, [SINCE WHEN IS IT THREE?] what's one more? Plus we've got Bucky now too.

[Surely the cumulative energy of their inability to die will rub off on everyone else.]

[heartablaze]

... Three--??

[...oh, well, that topic is being put on hold, because she tenses up instantly under his arms, pushing herself up with a look of alarm on her tear-stained face]

Vesda-san is here?? When? W-what happened? He didn't splinter, too, did he??

[laid]

[Hm. Mistake. He really doesn't want to tell Hikaru about the scapegoating right now, so;]

Yeah, three. I only properly died the one time before this, but there were other times that I rightly should've died and didn't.

[heartablaze]

You... told me about two of them, but...

[...

One hand drifts to curl over his chest, over where she knew something wasn't normal from how everyone spoke, but never got to ask, never forced herself to see.]

Oji-san... tell me later? When you can? I'll... I'll listen. You know I will.

...

Was it just Vezda-san and I? Was there anybody else??

[laid]

[Two??? He doesn't remember telling Hikaru about two, but that's fine. He'll tell her later, since she's pressing the issue about Bucky.]

... You and Alyssa. He's the one they voted for.
[He could lie but she's just going to find out later?]

[heartablaze]

[Alyssa, too... Oh no....

It's not a nice answer, but there's something quietly relieved in her eyes, even as she reaches to try and wipe her face off with one of her sleeves. It's not working horribly well, considering that she's a mess and still breathing a little unsteadily.]

Was Vezda-san the one that actually hurt her? Or...

[laid]

[It's fine, even if it's no longer a tight and desperate hug, he'll keep a lose hold on her until she's properly recovered.]

... No. We dunno what happened ta either of you.

[heartablaze]

Mmn...

[It's horrible, to think that Alyssa might have been killed unfairly, and that Bucky was a mistake rather than a discovery. But for herself...

...]

Rufus-san was the one who found me. I never saw Alyssa-chan or anybody else while he and I were together, but...

I... wonder why he didn't hide my sword. It's what he killed me with, but it's the only thing I have with me...

[laid]

[AH...]

He must've hidden it, because they didn't find it.

[In any case;]

Did he go after you because you were splintering?

[heartablaze]

[She just. Looks back at her sword which is still chillin out on the ground in all its glory. That's a big-ass sword, Raven.]

Yes. That's what he told me, anyway, when I asked.

Nii-chan told me what had happened to him when he'd splintered, so when I started feeling really weird on Thursday... I wanted to think maybe I could wake up, like Nii-chan did, and that I'd feel better.

When I never fell asleep... I knew someone must be looking for me, just like Shima-kun had to look for Laine-san.

[laid]

[Well... that's sure something. But he doesn't really want to press her more about the circumstances of her death right now, and a good distraction has presented itself.]

Who's "nii-chan"?
[She called him someone weird too, actually!!!]

[heartablaze]

[A beat, before she smiles warmly, a little apologetic and a little mournful in turn.]

Claude.

Onii-chan is something special. Like a big brother.

[laid]

[Well he can't help but smile at that.]

He took good care of you, huh? That's good. What about, what was it, oji-san?
[What is he, Hikaru.]

[heartablaze]

[Her eyes start to glass over as her hands loosen against his clothing, fond and relieved. Her dog has about run circles with Raven's at this point despite being on fire, but the flames don't seem to hurt, its muzzle nosing against the other daemon's neck before bopping its weight against it affectionately and plopping its weight to lie down and roll onto its back, tail wagging, belly exposed.]

Someone that isn't Onii-chan, isn't Otou-san. Not a brother, not a dad, but... kind of in the middle.

Like... a dear uncle. An older man I trust.

[Her smile crinkles a little, eyes apologetic.]

It also kind of means you're an old man, if people are mean about it... but it makes me think of you, that way. A little bit. Even if you don't look all that old...

I think your heart has gone through enough.

[laid]

[Raven's daemon does that little doggy circle, before sitting down, her head lying on the belly of Hikaru's a nice cuddle. How cute!!]

Right? Everyone keeps sayin' I ain't that old! But I am, really. It's a matter of how ya feel.
[He is old Raven for a reason.]

But... I'm glad to have earned yer trust.