GRAVEYARD

[foundationmods]

[On the instant of your death, you're suddenly outside of your body - probably staring down at the remains it's become.

Yet, you're not alone. For all of you (except Szayel), a young man appears from behind you, his face set into a firm, yet sad, scowl. His shaggy strawberry blonde hair is pretty eye-catching, along with the black and white Shihakusho he wears and the large sword on his back, even as he gently tries to lead you back into the lobby and away from what was once your body. You can still clearly hear and see the living, if you want to try - but they can't see or hear you.

'Welcome to the world of the dead in this Resort,' he says, quietly. 'Looks like you're stuck here with the rest of us.'

He hands you a tablet, just like the one you had before. "You'll need this if you want to keep talking to them,' he explains, looking sad.

It looks like you've passed on, and yet...You still feel like you have a role to play in all of this.]

Comments

[purrtagonist]

It was necessary.

[or, at least, Akira believes it was]

Makoto is needed on that side, and I'm needed here. If it helps. . . don't think of me as being dead, because technically I'm not. I'm just. . . temporarily displaced.

[FLAPS A HAND]

Can you maybe help Yoshi analyze our enemies and pinpoint weaknesses. . .?

[dereban]

. . . [ No comment on how 'necessary' it is before sighing. Because she may have heard Makoto mention Ichigo and well. Guess she knows who the culprit is now. She'll deal with her revenge later. ] I wasn't thinking of it like that at all. At least please tell me you taught her how to use the bathroom before you decided this. [ Just going to casually mention that, she's so goddamn tired. ] I can try if it has to come to that, but I've never really. . . dealt with that sort of thing before.

[purrtagonist]

[DAMN IT MAKOTO, HE WAS TRYING SO HARD TO PROTECT ICHIGO, AND NOW--]

Trial by fire.

[he smiles, but it's lopsided. a little tired, but still determined]

. . . I won't push you into anything you're not comfortable with, but I just want you to know that you aren't useless. Okay?

[dereban]

[ JUST SIGHING ] I guess after all this, I'll have a bonding subject with Niijima, so that's a plus, I suppose. But I'm also of the strong opinion that not all of us should go in there to begin with. Strategically, it's not the best option, I think. Especially in the off chance that people get seriously hurt. And more importantly, I don't want you guys to have to protect me. I've had enough of being protected last week.

[purrtagonist]

. . . last week?

[last week wasn't the tiger incident. . . unless that is what she's talking about. WHAT HAPPENED, INABA]

[dereban]

[ hoooooo boy ]

Remember how we got the information to help you guys out with the storage? Well, me and Nanase almost got ourselves murdered by an oil creature that acts like a large cat.

[purrtagonist]

[. . . . wh]

Are. . . are you okay?

[SHE LOOKS OKAY, BUT. . .]

[dereban]

We're uninjured.

[ That.

That does not answer the question. ]

[purrtagonist]

That's not really an answer to my question, but it is a clever way of dodging it.

[dereban]

Well, it's the answer you deserve, Akira.

[purrtagonist]

"Deserve". . .

[she really IS mad at him]

. . . well, I'm glad you're not hurt.

[dereban]

[ SHE SURE IS it helps that she's calling him by first name for once, but she doesn't seem to be making any moves, just simply smiling now. ] Oh, good. And I'm glad you're doing okay, too, on this New Year's Eve. But that doesn't really matter, does it?

[purrtagonist]

[squints at her. he''ll process being on first name basis in a bit. . .]

Why doesn't it matter?

[dereban]

There's much more important things to deal with, isn't there?